Chapter 1 So Begins the Harshest, Yet Most Tragically Overprotected Adventure in History.
The newly opened world, Materland. A natural paradise.
Or perhaps “vegetable paradise” would be more accurate.
The ground was covered not in green grass but in green onions. Truly massive potatoes formed a sort of rocky zone. Beyond that was an edible forest of giant broccoli.
“Yikes…that’s a lotta veggies,” said Wise.
“It certainly is,” agreed Medhi.
“Nothing but veggies!” added Porta.
“Yep. I don’t know what else to say, really…”
“Hee-hee! It’s like we’re tiny and wandered into a field! And we can do all the cooking we like!”
“Yeah, this seemed like a world for you, Mom. Anyway, if we end up eating well, I ain’t complaining. Should we get moving?”
They took a spiral staircase made of snow peas down from the transport point and headed for the nearest settlement.
No gates or walls, just an open layout…and once again, a series of impressed noises from the party.
“So, this is Materland’s first location, Materville… Wow. It’s, uh…very naturalistic.”
It was at least as big as Catharn’s capital, yet somehow the ville part still felt right.
None of the buildings were made of bricks or earthen walls. The homes were made out of giant hollowed-out produce or located inside naturally occurring crevices. Some of the houses even looked like birds’ nests resting on giant broccoli stalks.
The rivers and roads were of simple make, with only enough work done to make them passable. Everything else was left as nature intended: a wild world, living in harmony with the elements.
“This is definitely on the fantastical end of fantasy,” said Wise.
“Like something out of a fairy tale…,” said Medhi. “Also…”
“…Those must be the inhabitants,” added Masato.
As the party entered town, pointy ears twitched, tails swished, wings rustled, and all eyes turned toward them.
There were cat ears, dog and reptilian tails, bird and bat wings—of all shapes and patterns, but with each part being extremely distinctive.
What do we call it when animal parts grow from a human body?
“Wow! Beastkin!” squealed Porta. “All kinds of beastkin!!”
“So this is a beastkin world. Oh, they have merfolk, too.”
A beautiful green-scaled mermaid had poked her face out of the water. “H-hi…,” Masato said with a slight nod of his head. “Hiii!” she replied, waving back. A small moment, but one that made him very happy.
A world of natural beauty…and animal ears.
Materland.
This place is awesome!
Masato was overjoyed. What a wonderful world this was!
Then…
“Ma-kun, I know you’re busy flirting with that mermaid, but do you have a moment?”
“What is it with moms and reading everything the wrong way? I’m not flirting with her! …So? What is it, Mom?”
“There seem to be an awful lot of beastkin gathering around us. Is that bad?”
“Huh? Gathering…?”
He looked around, and indeed, they’d drawn quite a crowd.
On the roads, on the roofs, in the sky above. Easily over a hundred beastkin, all staring right at them.
“Wow, some even have ASCII faces… Aichi’s character design department is behind schedule, too. But maybe that’s not the most pressing issue here… Um, can I help you all with something?”
Masato was almost afraid to ask.
Every single one of the beastkin grinned.
““““Fresh meeeat!””””
“…Uh?”
Every beastkin had far greater physical capabilities than your average human…and they were all attacking.
The party stood there dumbfounded before being hoisted into the air and carried away.
““““Heave, ho! Heave, ho!””””
“W-wait!” shouted Wise. “What the heck? Fresh meat?! What are you even talking about?!”
“Does this mean we’re going to get eaten?!” wailed Medhi.
“Ohhh, I think you might be right!” said Masato. “There are gonna be some spits over an open fire and we’ll be slowly turned above it!”
“Or maybe a big bubbling pot for us to get boiled in!” added Porta.
“I think that would cook us much more evenly. Much less risk of the meat getting burned!”
“Yep, Mom’s the expert chef here…but how we’re gonna get cooked isn’t the problem, is it?!”
“I really, really don’t want to get eaten! Masato! Masatoooo!”
“I hear a cry for help! But I need rescuing myself! Right, uh…maybe it’s time for me to get all heroic and…!”
But before he could start slashing his way out of this crisis…
The crowd stopped and carefully put all five party members down.
They were in a clearing in the center of town, one large enough for a ball game.
No firepits or giant cauldrons, just a sign reading WELCOME TO MATERLAND! It was clearly handmade.
“Um…huh? What’s going on?”
“Woo! Surprise!”
The beastkin around them all fired off party poppers.
A cat boy in festival garb came running up amid the flurry of confetti.
“Welcome to Materland! Welcome, everyone!”
“Uh…weren’t you going to eat us?”
“That was just our little surprise! Sometimes we get people who think beastkin really eat humans, so we put on a little production to clear up that misunderstanding!”
“…That, uh, seriously scared us.”
“Well, you’re welcome here, so no need to be scared! Smile, everyone! Smile!”
The cat boy grinned, purring at them.
Grinning back, Masato pulled the cat’s whiskers.
“Smile.” “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
As a reminder, please do not do this to a real cat. Really obnoxious cat boys are fair game, however.
After recovering somewhat…
“So we may have overdone it a bit, but it’s all water under the bridge! Welcome to Materland! We’re thrilled to have you here!”
“Thanks…”
“Moving right along, as part of our welcome, we’d like to start the event where you’ll earn a fabulous prize! Yay!”
“’Kay, let’s get this over with.”
“We’ll get what we came for and then go sightseeing.”
“Now, now, ladies. We can’t have you taking this event lightly! Materland is a world built around survival of the fittest—if you aren’t strong, you won’t get anything. And with that said…!”
The cat boy snapped his fingers.
A giant magic circle appeared on the ground beneath them, glowing. Some…things began crawling out of it…
“What the…?!”
“Monsters prepared just for this event! Extremely violent, dangerous monsters you would never come across in a normal encounter! And now! Any moment now! They will reveal themselves…!”
“Oh my! Dangerous monsters? We can’t have that. Hyah!”
Before he could finish the dramatic buildup, Mamako attacked.
The Holy Sword of Earth, Terra di Madre, caused rock spikes to shoot out of the ground!
The Holy Sword of the Ocean, Altura, fired a volley of water bullets!
Just as the monsters were about to appear, they and the magic circle were sliced and stabbed and skewered and eliminated! Combat complete!
“And there you have it.”
“Er, um…well…I was still explaining… We had a whole presentation…”
The boy’s cat eyes were frozen wide open.
The beastkin around them had been hauling out instruments and tribal drums, preparing to score the battle, and they all froze, too. They were too late!
“Sorry, cat dude. My mom just rolls like that. Seriously, can’t apologize enough.”
“Hee-hee! I did it! …Oh? What’s this?”
A glittering golden ticket appeared in front of Mamako, fluttering down from the sky.
“Cat dude, explain.”
“Uh, right… That ticket is the reward for clearing the event! It allows you to use a special gacha and get a prize.”
“What, we don’t just get the prize directly? Geez, online games these days…so? We only get one ticket for the whole party?”
“No, one for each party member. Yes, that’s right… The event isn’t over yet! Okay!”
The cat recovered, snapping his fingers.
This time a single magic circle appeared right in front of them. There were no signs of anything emerging from it; instead the pattern just rotated steadily, like a clock marking time.
“Heh-heh-heh…this is a very special magic circle! Any moment now, it’ll explode!”
“E-explode?!”
“To stop it, you have to pour enough magic power into it to overwhelm the effect! But that’s not possible for any normal mage! Well, what now? You’re in grave dan—”
“Humph, this calls for the ultimate Sage!”
Wise took a few steps forward, slapped her hand on the circle, and grunted. MP poured out of her and into the circle.
10 MP…50…100…150…200…300…
The circle stopped rotating! Operation complete!
“W-well? I cleared it! That was actually pretty easy,” she panted.
“That was easy?!”
“You’re acting like it wasn’t a big deal, but you look half-dead…and when did your MP pool get that huge, Wise? Color me surprised.”
“Look, I’ve been leveling up like everyone else! …And now I get a ticket.”
She snatched the ticket out of the air in front of her, grinning proudly.
The crowd, this time fully prepared, played a quick fanfare to celebrate her feat. They seemed pretty pleased with themselves.
Only the cat boy was grinding his teeth in frustration.
“Not just once, but twice?! These aren’t supposed to be easy! Hnggg!”
“So much for welcome.”
“Fine! Be that way! …Next!”
The cat beastkin snapped his fingers.
This time the circle and pattern were separated. A broken magic circle!
“This is the magic of life, destroyed by a demon lord! If you don’t heal it with the right spell, the world itself will be des—”
“Heal? Then it’s time for a Healer. You’re up, Medhi.”
“Yes, this is a Cleric’s job… Spara la magia per mirare… Cura! Alto Cura! Pieno Cura!”
“I’m not done explaining!”
Without even glancing at the cat, Medhi just kept using magic. The broken circle was covered in a healing light.
The HP assigned to the magic circle recovered. 100 HP. 300 HP. 999 HP.
Each piece of the pattern slid into the slot where it was supposed to be, repairing itself! The magic circle was restored!
“All done. My ticket is secured.”
“When did you learn all those kinds of healing magic…? I guess you’ve been leveling up, too.”
“It’s such a shame you can’t see my true power on a daily basis.”
“Well, if we don’t need healing magic, that means we’re adventuring safely. That should be a good thing, but I suppose that might pose something of an existential crisis for the party healer. So, uh…what’s next?”
“Next is this! Here! Only one of these is the right one, so guess which!”
The cat beastkin angrily brought out ten magic circles.
“Well…if we appraise them, it should be easy.”
“Yes! That’s right! But it won’t be easy! These magic circles are so hard to appraise, even the best antique dealer in Materville, the great Conno Sir (age seventy-four) failed to—”
“Yo, Porta.”
“Yes! Leave it to me!”
Porta activated her Appraise skill. “Hmm…” She took a good long look at the identical magic circles, starting from the right.
“Got it! This one!”
She didn’t even look at all of them. She just picked the fourth circle from the right.
The moment her hand touched it, the circle burst and turned into a ticket! She was right!
“I’m so happy! I got a ticket, too!” Yay!
“Porta’s ranking her skills up like crazy, too. Tell this Conno Sir (age seventy-four) sorry, but Porta’s perception is the best in the world! Mm, mm! I’m so proud!” Yay!
He lifted Porta up and spun her around. She smiled. Masato smiled. Everyone clapped.
And all events were cleared! Well done. Uh, wait.
“…Now, then.”
Enough playing around. Masato put Porta down, straightened up, and fixed the cat with a glare.
Looking like a final boss reduced to his true form, the cat boy gulped.
“Fresh out of hospitality, huh?”
“Yeah…I’m way past welcoming any of you. Running this event smoothly is everything to me.”
“Everything?”
“Everything. When this ends, I’ll go back to being just another face in the crowd of NPC villagers. I can only fill a special role, be a special something, while this event is in progress.”
“That does sound like a big deal…”
“And for you to just barrel through it like this… I’m gonna end it all. Override my welcome settings, summon the fiercest warrior the beastkin tribe has, and send you packing!”
“Th-the fiercest beastkin?! Seriously?!”
Final battle! The cat boy thrust an arm into the sky and yowled! “Meoooww!” “That meow is kinda ruining the tense mood!” Well, he was a cat. Don’t worry about it!
A magic circle appeared on the ground. It was nothing like the previous circles—this one was clearly very intimidating. A roar shook the earth, and the summoned creature slowly rose out of it.
“The fiercest beastkin… No, whoever they are, I can beat them! I’ve been leveling up just like the others! Theoretically!”
Masato braced himself.
Triangular ears. A fluffy tail. Definitely a beastkin.
There were also five children clinging to her.
A fierce-looking glare…which widened into a grin the moment she saw them.
“Oh, Masato! My, my, Mamako, Wise, Medhi, and Porta, too! It’s been ages!”
“Er…Growlette?”
Yep. It was Growlette, the beastkin mother who’d faced Mamako in the World Matriarchal Arts Tournament.
“Why is Growlette here…? O-oh, I suppose this is the beastkin world…”
“That’s right! This is my world, and this is where I live…but I suppose this is no time for chitchat!”
She undid the strings that secured her children to her body.
“Okay, kids, Mom’s got some work to do. You go play with the girls.”
“Okay!” “Yay!” “Pway wif us!” “Pway!” “Girls!”
“Hey! Growlette! You can’t… Oh, fine!”
“All right, over here with us. Behave!”
“I’ll help! I’ll help play!”
Wagging their tails, the beastkin kids rushed over to the girls.
Masato’s party members were all too familiar with babysitting duty by now. “Panties!” “Don’t flip girls’ skirts!” “I’m going this way!” “Stay right here!” “I hafta pee.” “Whaaat?!” But in no time at all, they were being run ragged anyway.
“…Now, then.” Growlette straightened up, doing a few stretches, and turned to Masato. “Should we get started?”
“Started? …You mean we have to fight?”
“Yep! I took a job where I have to fight anyone I’m summoned in front of. It pays pretty well! So, yeah.”
“…You can’t be serious.”
Growlette bent her knees a little and bared her claws—she was ready to attack. Her expression and body language made it clear she meant business.
Masato unsheathed his sword…but he couldn’t turn it on Growlette!
She was every bit as powerful as Mamako! There was no way he could win. That was part of it.
But even worse…
How can I fight Growlette? She’s a mother!
He didn’t mean to discriminate, but this was really bothering him.
He couldn’t immediately think of a specific reason why, but it just felt wrong.
Masato glanced over at Growlette’s children, and they were all staring wide-eyed up at him.
No! I can’t fight her! Wh-what now?! …Oh, I know!
Eye for an eye, mom for a mom. Only way.
Backed into a corner, Masato was about to ask his mom for help, when…
“Just kidding! Here, take a ticket.”
Growlette was waving a ticket at him.
“…Huh?”
“Ah-ha-ha! Gotcha! This was just a practical joke, making you think you had to fight someone from the World Matriarchal Arts Tournament! I was just trying to scare you a little—there’s no need to actually fight.”
“Uh…but I…”
“Here! Thanks for being such a sucker! Yay! Surprise!”
The cat boy was looking especially pleased with himself, leaning in and grinning, so Masato grabbed his whiskers and gave them a good yank. “Smile!” “Owww!” No mercy this time. He was straight up trying to pull them out.
Wise and Medhi approached him quietly from either side and elbowed him in the ribs.
“You were trying to get Mamako to step in for you, weren’t you?”
“Wha…whatever do you mean? Ah-ha-ha…”
“I think that was the right decision. Leaving things to Mamako resolves every situation safely. I know just how you feel, Masato.”
“Yeah, well…I just…”
He had been considering it.
But having this pointed out still stung.
When did it become so normal for me to rely on Mom?
And the fact that doing so had a proven track record of efficiency was all the more galling.
“Well, now we all have tickets! I suppose we should use them right away, don’t you think, Ma-kun?”
“Er…uh…yeah, let’s do that.”
The cause of his current frustration remained oblivious to that fact, but he was no longer the kid who used to take that stuff out on her. He’d definitely grown up a lot!
He just let out a sigh and refocused. Time to use these tickets.
There was a DRAW button on the front of the ticket, and when he tapped it, a roulette effect appeared. The crowd of beastkin began beating their drums. Perhaps they were going for a sort of drum roll? Wrong kind of drums, though.
Then the ticket began glowing and changed shape! Draw complete! An item fell into Masato’s hand.
It was a chain necklace that was threaded through a ring.
“This is… Uh, Porta? Can you appraise?”
“Okay! Hngg…this is…Guerriero’s Necklace! When equipped, your attack goes up quite a lot! It’s a warrior-class accessory, so you can equip it, Masato!”
“Oh…sounds like I hit the jackpot. Right, Whiskers?”
“I object to that nickname, but right you are! That item is at the top of the rarity pool.”
“Oh my! Good for you, Ma-kun!”
“Seriously?! Hell yeah! My time has cooome!” Masato roared, getting a bit carried away.
“Wait, what? Masato got something? That doesn’t make sense!”
“I was certain he was doomed to always fail at these things… How could you betray me like this?”
“Sheesh, some friends you two are…”
“If Masato can score, so can I! Here goes nothing!”
“Wise still doesn’t stand a chance, but I will definitely score. Drawing…”
The two rude girls used their tickets, ignoring the beastkin children hanging off them. The roulettes spun.
Wise received a set of earrings engraved with magic sigils.
Medhi received a bracelet with a purple jewel.
“Oh! Earrings? The design’s not too bad, either. I’m into it.”
“My bracelet clearly has some unique effect. Porta, can you appraise it?”
“Sure! Hnggg…Medhi’s bracelet is Night’s Blessing! A Healer accessory, it allows you to absorb certain Dark attacks!”
“Wh-what?!” exclaimed Masato.
“Wait, that could be bad!” shouted Wise
Medhi already harbored plenty of dark power, so this could be a major power-up. “Might be too risky…” “Let’s sell it while she isn’t looking.” “Over my dead body!” Medhi already had it equipped.
“It seems I’ve hit the jackpot. Wise, so sorry.”
“For what? I probably hit the jackpot, too! …Porta, Porta, Porta! Appraise mine! Well? How are they?”
“Hngg…these earrings…wow! Congratulations, Wise! These are Prévenir! A Mage accessory that offers resistance against sealed magic!”
“………………Huh?!”
Wise froze, gawking at her earrings. Total mental shutdown. “Miss?” “You good?” The kids were playing under her skirt, but even that didn’t get a reaction. She’d completely locked up.
“The one thing Wise needed most in all the world…and her mind can’t even handle that much luck. Best to leave her alone for now…”
“Indeed. It’s quieter like this. Let’s hope she stays this way forever.”
“But this means me, Medhi, and Wise got three hits in a row…”
“Only Mommy and Porta left! I wonder what we’ll get!”
“I want something good! I’ll try next!”
Porta put both hands together, made a wish, and then used her ticket.
The beastkin pounded their drums, and out popped…
“Wow, a ribbon! Hngg…this is…a Ribbon of Fortune! I can equip it! And it gives us 1.5× gem drops!”
“Wow! That’s amazing! We’ll be rich! Porta scored big, so that’s four in a row! Go for a fifth, Mom! This event should end with total victory… I think…”
Weren’t they getting a little too lucky?
It was worth bringing up. “Er, emergency meeting. Everyone but Mom.” Medhi and Porta responded, and so did Growlette and the cat guy. Wise was still frozen, so they left her alone.
“I’m thinking there’s something fishy going on here.”
“Now that you mention it…every time we get in a situation like this, all of us fail, and only Mamako comes out ahead.”
“So could this be the opposite?”
“Oh no! Only Mama’s left out?”
“Don’t be ridiculous! Nothing like that’ll ever happen to Mamako,” insisted Growlette. “Don’t worry!”
“But the odds are getting pretty steep, right? You’ve all pulled four jackpots, and there’s only one left. So…”
“If Mom wins, too, it’ll be a real miracle…”
Would that miracle happen?
Only one way to find out.
“Okay… Mom.”
“Got it! I’ll draw… Hyah!”
Everyone gulped, watching. Mamako’s roulette began spinning.
The ticket floated upward, glowing…and done!
A ticket-sized scrap of paper fluttered down onto Mamako’s palm.
“A piece of paper… It doesn’t say ‘Try again,’ does it?”
“Wait, Ma-kun! Look at this!”
“Huh?”
Mamako excitedly showed everyone the ticket. It read:
A three-night stay at a southern resort via airship!
Mamako had received a free vacation. All expenses paid, along with complimentary new outfits and a souvenir set.
“Three nights at a resort… That’s…”
“Y-you got it!” the cat boy cried. “You actually got it! The event’s grand prize! The biggest thing we have! The real jackpot! Congratulations!”
“Oh my! The grand prize? I’m so glad! Hee-hee.”
A roar went up from the crowd. “Up you go!” “Oh my!” Growlette hoisted Mamako up on her shoulder. The drums and instruments all blared, and everyone was shouting.
At this flurry of cheers, Wise snapped out of it. “Huh? Oh, uh, thanks!” she said, assuming everyone was cheering for her. Let’s just let the girl dream.
Everyone else was grinding their teeth.
“Mamako’s the same as ever.”
“Yep! She’s still Mama!”
“I knew it. Everyone strikes out sometimes…except Mom. We never had a chance of beating her for the grand prize…”
At this point it just felt right. Part of him still resented it, but…at the very least, he could sigh and shrug it off.
Let the vacation commence!
No time like the present.
Masato was already changed into a Hawaiian shirt and shorts, ready to go.
“Okay, Whiskers! Which way? Hurry up!”
“Seriously, stop calling me that… But you’re really excited about this, huh?”
“Well, yeah…wouldn’t you be?”
The cat guy had led them to the southern end of Materville, the landing area for airships. Several flying ships were docked in this flat region along the coast, all bearing striking resemblances to simple-looking fishing boats, ornate cruise liners, and so on. The part people rode in was definitely boat-shaped.
These ship-like vessels had wings and propellers attached and were suspended from flying devices resembling balloons. They seemed less jet-propelled and more like they’d float away.
And…
“This is our airship?”
“Yes! You have the whole ship to yourselves. This is the grand prize package, so we spared no expense.”
“Nice! You’ve got taste, at least.”
The airship Masato’s party would take was a beautiful, luxurious cruiser, sharply streamlined.
As a private vessel, it was smaller than the one they’d ridden as part of the school trip, but clearly much more expensive.
Even the letters MTB on the side were quite fancy looking.
“What does MTB stand for, anyway?”
“Mom Travel Bureau. The tour company that operates this airship… Oh, right. If you have travel vouchers from that company, you can use them to add options to the package at the local agency. Do you have any?”
“Probably? They sent some on Mother’s Day, so Mom’s probably got them… But that aside, we’re flying this ourselves?”
“Yes. Like I said, it’s all yours! There will be maps provided, and you’ll find your own way to your destination. It’s quite easy to fly, rest assured. I’ll teach you how.”
They went onto the ship deck to find a steering wheel in the center.
“Let me explain. Listen carefully. If you turn this wheel right, the ship will go right, if you turn it left, the ship will turn left, if you pull it up, the ship will rise, if you push it down, the ship will descend, if you push it forward, you’ll speed up, and if you pull it back, you’ll slow down. Simple, right?”
“You said all that almost spitefully fast, but I think I got it…”
Just then…
“Okay, we’re ready! Where’s the resort?!”
“Wise, no running ahead!”
“I’m so excited!”
The girls burst out of the ship cabins all dressed for a vacation.
“A southern resort… Finally, some downtime!”
Wise was wearing a loose tank top, seemingly no longer at all concerned about what this revealed about her bust (or lack thereof). Her hot pants were sliding down a bit, but the panties under them were clearly meant to peek out, so that was fine, too.
“Nothing says southern like the beach. And at the beach, you need to be careful about getting sunburned.”
In contrast, Medhi was in full “rich girl at the beach” mode, showing less skin, but with fabric that was almost translucent, which really caught the eye. She carried a parasol, seemingly prepared to deal with both the sun and any onlookers.
“I’ve got beach toys and sunscreen!”
Porta was dressed to play in the water. In addition to her shoulder bag, she had an inner tube, a beach ball, and a whole lot more. With Porta around, they’d never want for things to play with.
“Sheesh, you’re all getting ahead of yourselves.”
“You changed before any of us, Masato! These things are all about enthusiasm.”
“The fun of a vacation begins before you even leave. It’s important to let loose immediately!”
“So, Masato! Should we go?”
“Well, if you’re that impatient, Porta, let’s… But there’s still someone missing. Where’d she go?”
There was no sign of Mamako.
Then a couple of voices came from outside the airship. “You see, my kids…” “Ma-kun’s the same way! That’s why…” She was happily chatting with Growlette.
“Honestly, mothers! Geez. Hey, Mom! We’re taking off in ten seconds! If you don’t want us leaving you behind, get on board!”
“Oh my! Oh dear! I’ll be right there!”
Mamako quickly turned and said, “I suppose it’s about that time, Growlette.” “Yeah, go on! Don’t worry about souvenirs.” “Oh no! If you want anything, just ask…” And they were already chatting again. Mothers were always like this.
By the time she finally stepped on board, Masato’s eyebrow had developed a twitch.
“Ma-kun, everyone, I’m so sorry! It has been ages, and we just had so much catching up to do!”
She came running up the trap, breathing heavily.
Very little fabric covered her ample bosom, which was heaving prodigiously. She was in a swimsuit! So much skin! So much youthful sheen!
Masato had been about to give her a long lecture on the responsibilities of group travel, but this horror show banished that, and he settled for a long sigh.
“Mom…why are you in a swimsuit already?”
“I suppose I’m a little ahead of the party…sorry! But when I heard I could take a vacation with you, I just got so excited! I don’t think we’ve done that together since you were in elementary school and the neighborhood children’s club took that trip together! This is going to be great! Hee-hee!”
“Yeah, yeah, forget about that. Just go change…”
“Ack…I can’t let Mamako win!”
“Let’s go change into our swimsuits, too!”
“Yes! I want to change!”
“No, the three of you don’t have to change! Calm down! I know you’re excited, but take a breath!”
“Time to fly, bro! Aaand liftoff!”
“Yo, Whiskers, get out of here!”
“Dang, it didn’t work… Well, bon voyage everyone!”
The cat boy grabbed the luggage he’d secretly snuck on board and slumped off down the trap.
Below, Growlette and her kids were waving their hands and tails, wishing the party a safe voyage.
“…Okay, off we go!”
Masato grabbed the wheel, and the ship’s wings began to flap, the propellers spinning. He pulled it upward, and the ship began floating, slowly leaving the ground behind.
His first time flying an airship! He was a little nervous. He could feel his palms sweating.
But it was the most fun he’d ever had.
“This is great… I’m the hero of the heavens! I can do this! This is something I was meant to do! Leave the flying to me! You can all call me Captain! What do you say?”
“What’re you gonna wear, Mamako?”
“Well, something breezy, I think.”
“Perhaps something over the shoulders to keep the sun off you?”
“A short skirt is very breezy!”
“Ah-ha-ha, nobody’s listening, but that’s fine! I’m flying! Here we go!”
Women and fashion. Men and fantasy. To each their own, as they say.
With that, the airship ascended into the wild blue yonder.
The beastkin children trotted after the ship on their tiny legs, but there was no way they could keep up. Too bad.
The ship grew smaller before vanishing from sight.
“Well, they’ve taken off safely! Good, good. You did good work!”
“Glad to be of service.” The cat boy hung his head. “Now I guess it’s back to being part of the crowd! If you see me around town, be sure to say hi.”
“Will do. But cheer up! You might get another shot!”
The cat boy wiped his tears away and walked off.
Growlette took her leave as well. Gathering up her wild children, she put a sling round them all and headed home.
Just then…
“Excuse me! You there, do you have a moment?”
“Mm? Who’s asking?”
A human was running toward her. A woman with long hair, dressed in a nun’s habit.
Growlette had seen her before.
“You were the emcee at the World Matriarchal Arts Tournament! You’re an admin, right? Your name was…”
“Shiraaase. You’ve been a great help, and it’s a pleasure to meet you again, Growlette.”
“Gosh, how polite! So what brings you here?”
“I’ve been looking for Mamako. They said she’d come this way…”
“Oh dear. You just missed her! They just took off in an airship.”
“I see… That’s unfortunate…”
It was difficult to tell just how unfortunate this was, since Shiraaase was never one for facial expressions.
But Growlette’s animal instincts were picking up on something.
“…Is there a problem?” she asked.
“Yes, well…there’s going to be.”
“‘Going to be?’”
Growlette cocked her head. All five of her kids did, too.
This got a tiny smile out of Shiraaase, but it soon faded. She turned, staring into the distance.
“If I e-mail her, there’s a risk they’ll find out… I’ve got to meet with her in person, talk face-to-face. I’ll have to use my admin skills to get there first…and get them mixed up in things. Heh-heh-heh.”
“Hey, Mommy!” “She’s a bad lady!” “Bad!” “No good!” “Evil!”
“You’re right,” said Growlette. “For Mamako and her party’s sake, we’ll have to eliminate this lady now.”
“Let me rephrase. I shall politely request her assistance in this matter.”
When Growlette still looked dubious, Shiraaase quietly fled, still staring.
On the deck of the airship flying gracefully through the cloudless sky…
“Erk… Did anyone else just feel a chill?” Masato shivered.
“Oh dear! It would never do to get sick on vacation. You should put my cardigan over your shoulders. Here!”
“Uh, no, don’t need it! I’m fine! Hey!”
Masato’s shoulders were already covered with the Mom cardigan. A horrible situation for any adolescent boy…!
It was soft and warm and smelled nice.
“Don’t… Uh… That’s way warmer than I thought…”
“That’s the warmth of Mommy’s love! Hee-hee!”
The reason Masato was so warm was because Mamako (now wearing a lightweight dress) was pressed up against his back, clinging to him. Lots of soft and warm going on there.
“Hey, Mom! Please don’t do that!”
“But we can’t have you catching a cold, Ma-kun.”
“I appreciate the concern, but seriously, I’m fine! Even without that, I’m plenty warm.”
Mamako was activating the special mom skill A Mother’s Warmth.
The desire to keep your child from getting sick had created a barrier of warmth over the entire airship, completely shutting out the chilly wind that blew this high up.
Which was super helpful.
But stuff like this happens all the time, and I just take it for granted now…and Mom just gets even further ahead of me.
Masato was painfully aware of it, mad at himself for it, and quietly depressed by it.
He knew he couldn’t keep going like this. He had to find his moment. He just needed something to happen that would give him a chance to shine. He was hoping for it, but then…
“Hey, helmsman-who-calls-himself-captain! Masato! Got a moment?”
“I’m going with ‘small crew, everyone pulls multiple roles’ as a justification, but what is it?”
After ribbing him a bit, Wise came over, holding the parchment with the map on it.
“Take a look here. We’re heading due south from Materville, right?”
“Yep. I’m keeping us on course, don’t worry. These hands hold steady and true, not letting the wheel drift right or left. Which is why I’m unable to brush away Mom or her cardigan.”
“Captain Ma-kun works so hard! What a good boy.” Pat, pat.
“And now she’s petting me. But do you have any concerns about our course?”
“Sort of… It’s nothing major, but…”
“Masato! I see an island!”
“We will soon be directly overhead.”
“An island?”
Porta and Medhi had been looking over the stern, but they came running back to the wheel, and everyone looked at the map.
The map showed everything between Materville and the southern resort island. The terrain depicted was quite detailed, but…
“…There are no islands?”
“Exactly,” said Wise. “There are some way out here, but not on our route.”
“Yet, there actually is an island—a decent-sized one, too.”
“Yes! I saw it with my own eyes! I didn’t see any buildings or people, so it might be uninhabited!”
“We gotta trust Porta’s eyes… Hmm, a deserted island…”
“Maybe they forgot to put it on the map?” offered Mamako.
“With something this big, I doubt they could have… I’m wondering if maybe there’s some reason it isn’t on there.”
Like it was a secret island where pirates hid their treasure.
Or, given this game’s genre, an island where a secret dungeon was hidden.
That could be cool.
Yo…yo yo yo yo yo, that sounds like the kind of adventure I’ve been hoping for!
Maybe this was Masato’s awakening event?! Did this island hold his chance to free himself from his dependence on Mamako and stand on his own two feet? It sure spoke to the adventurer inside…
“Uh, Captain Masato…”
“You know what we’re about to say.”
“Erk…”
Wise and Medhi were both staring at him. He could already see the storm clouds forming over his parade.
But Mamako always had Masato’s back, so he still had a shot! “Using Mamako…” “…is cheating.” “Owwww!” Each of them pulled one of his ears, foiling this plan. He had never had a shot to begin with.
He had to choke back his tears and make the choice.
“…Fine. Then we’ll stay on course for the resort. No landing on that island.”
“For real? You’d better mean that, y’know. Look me in the eyes and promise.”
This Sage didn’t know what trusting friends meant. She peered into his face.
That was pretty annoying, so to pay her back, he flicked the earring she was wearing with one finger.
“Hey, what the hell?! You can’t do that to my precious Prévenir! Don’t you realize how much joy these have brought me?!”
“Yeah, yeah, sorry. Fair point.”
He glanced sideways and saw that Medhi had the Night’s Blessing bracelet on one arm. Porta had the Ribbon of Fortune on her head, too.
And Masato himself was no different; he’d equipped Guerriero’s Necklace, the warrior gear he’d been dreaming of.
The fun vacation Mamako had won was now in full swing.
It was obvious what their priority should be.
“Right now, we’ve having the time of our lives, riding a wave of amazing luck. We’ve got to keep this going as long as we can! So let’s just forget everything else and enjoy this vacation!”
A good leader always put the needs of his party first.
“Yeah, yeah, but what do you really want?”
“Be honest.”
He’d only impressed Mamako and Porta. Wise and Medhi were just leaning in even closer, their eyes filled with suspicion.
“Hey! I definitely mostly meant that!”
“But you also thought an adventure on that island could be fun, right?”
“You were also hoping this would give you a chance to do more than Mamako for once, weren’t you?”
“Gah…you sure know me well…”
“I knew it! Letting Masato fly us is too risky.”
“He may well just decide to land us here! Mamako, you take over.”
“No, wait! I’m flying this airship! I won’t let anyone else handle flying stuff!”
Masato threw his arms around the wheel, clinging to it for dear life.
But Wise and Medhi would not allow it. “No tantrums!” “Be a good boy and let go!” “Nooo!” Each grabbed an arm, pulling hard…
And then came a snap.
“““…Uh?”””
“Oh my! That’s not good!”
“Whoa! The ship’s wheel came off!”
The wheel’s axle had come off in Masato’s arms. Masato, Wise, and Medhi turned pale, looking at one another. A moment later…
A sideways gust of wind hit the ship, and it lurched to the right. There was no way for them to straighten it out.
“Uh…aughhhh! We’re falliiiiing!”
They slid across the deck…and were flung out into open air.
They were in free fall. Their descent became faster and faster, and the ground grew rapidly closer.
But they’d been pretty high up. They still had quite a while before that unpleasant impact.
“Aughhhh! The wind force is crazyyyyyy! My face huuurts!”
“Ma-kun! Turn your back to the ground! It won’t hurt so much that way!”
“Oh, you’re right. But that doesn’t solve the main problem! …Oh yeah! Wise! You used a floatation spell that time we fell in a cave, right?! Can you slow our descent?”
“I don’t have my tome equipped! I can’t use any magic! Medhi?!”
“I gave my staff to Porta! I can’t cast any spells, either!”
“I wish I could give them to you, but if I take anything out of my bag, it’ll get blown awaaaaay!”
“Then, Mom… Wait, no!”
They were in midair.
“This is the moment! The hero chosen by the heavens will reveal his power! Right! Grant me the power to give everyone wings! Hahhh!”
He struck a hawklike pose, concentrating his mind! His companions would sprout wings!
They did not.
“I knew iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! We’re falliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!”
The party fell straight down…to the uncharted island.
Approximately half the island was mountainous. The other half was covered in green, with a broad, sandy beach.
The airship had been flying over the green bit. That coincidence was the closest thing to luck they had.
“We’re doooooooomed! We’re gonna diiiiiie!” shrieked Wise.
Also lucky: The forest was made of giant broccoli.
The clusters of green flower heads gently caught everything that fell onto them.
“Aiiiieee… Oh… Are we safe?” asked Medhi. “Ack, I spoke too soon!”
They’d avoided being flattened, but they weren’t done falling yet.
They went rolling across the rounded tops and then fell to the broccoli below. Bouncing off one round flower head after another, spinning wildly…
“Whoa! My bag caught on something! …Augh! And my clothes! And my underwear! …Eeeek!”
By the time the ground was finally in sight, everyone had been stripped.
Wise, Medhi, and Porta landed face-first. End of the line.
“Mmph! Wh-what the heck is this?!” cried Wise.
“It’s like a giant, soft mushroom,” said Medhi.
“Not that, I mean…!”
“Is everyone okay? Anyone hurt?” Boing, boing!
Mamako’s boob cushions—the girls had been caught by these incredibly bouncy orbs and had all landed safely.
There were relieved hugs all around, and that’s when they realized…
“I can feel Mamako’s warmth seeping into me… Wait, why are we naked?!”
“It seems we lost all our equipment in the fall…”
“I—I don’t have my bag, either! I think it got caught on something up there! W-w-we have to find it!” Porta looked ready to run off blindly.
“Don’t worry, Porta,” Mamako said, giving her a big hug and patting her on the back. “First, let’s all calm down. Okay?”
Porta wiped away her tears and calmed down a little.
“Wait! My Prévenir?! They’re goooone! Aughhh! No, no, no! Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“Don’t worry, Wise. First, take a deep breath… Hahhh!”
“Gah!”
When Wise had started to freak out, Medhi had smacked her on the back of her head. “Mm? What was I yelling about?” “Something best forgotten.” Wise was calmed down forcibly.
Now everyone was calm.
“Wise, Medhi, Porta! You’re all safe, thank goodness… That just leaves…M-M-M…Where’s Ma-kun?! Ma-kun! Ma-kuuuuun?!” Panic time!
“Oh yeah, I don’t see Masato…uh, Mamako? Calm down!!”
“I’m sure Masato’s fine, so let’s do something about the nudity first.”
“We can make clothes out of leaves! …Whoa! Mama, waaait!”
Mamako rocketed away like a bullet. There were massive broccoli stalks and bountiful vegetation everywhere, but she didn’t care. She just raced straight through them, still naked.
“Ma-kun! Ma-kun, where are you?! Ma-kuuun! Maaaaaaaaaaa-kuuuuuun!!”
The voice of a mother crying for her son echoed through the jungle.
“Hmm… Did I hear…? Ack!”
Feeling like he’d heard Mamako calling, Masato opened his eyes.
He was lying on the ground, miraculously unharmed, despite having fallen off an airship.
He’d been knocked out, and his head was still spinning a bit. But he was otherwise intact. Nothing was hurting anyway. He could feel grass under his back. Directly. “Crap, I’m naked!” Had his clothes caught on something?
“You okay there, sonny?”
“…Huh?”
Masato heard a cute, gentle voice. He looked up and saw someone standing over him.
They were a little bigger than Porta—definitely on the small side—and wearing tribal leather clothing and a grass skirt. Their short hair was a dull shade of white.
The face below that was…definitely cute. A slight blush on it.
Seeing this new person avert their eyes, Masato remembered his condition, grabbed a leaf, covered himself, and sat up.
“Um…are you a native…girl?”
“I will butcher you!” The person snarled and narrowed their eyes. Their face and voice were still cute, but…the anger was genuine.
“S-sorry…you’re a boy, then?”
“You betcha. My name’s Fratello. I’m an extremely manly man, the kind who moseys off to a deserted island for secret survival training. And who might you be, sonny…?”
“Uh, right, my name’s Masato…”
“Mm? Wait.”
Masato had been about to explain his predicament, but the ground underfoot started shaking.
Whoom. Whoom. Wh-whoom. The shaking was intensifying. The source of it was getting closer…and a moment later, something leaped over the brush nearby, shaking everything around and looming over Masato and Fratello.
It was a frog the size of a single-story house, with some dangerous-looking horns.
“A horned frog! That’s a big ’un.”
“A monster?! But it’s too big! And I’m naked, ugh!”
“Perhaps you oughtta take my grass skirt. Go on, equip it. I still have leather pants, don’t worry.”
Fratello removed the grass skirt and handed it to Masato. “Thanks!” It was a little small, but wearable. And still kinda warm…
Masato’s defense went up by 1!
“Wow, that’s some crappy armor…b-but better than nothing! Now I just need to equip a stick, and…right, let’s do this!”
“You lookin’ to fight this thing, sonny?”
“W-well, honestly, I don’t have much hope, but…what choice do we have? I’m not running away! I’m a man!”
“Well said. But I won’t be needin’ your help. A single blow from me’ll wrap this up right quick. Mahhhhhhh!” Fratello summoned his menacing aura!
“Whoa, what the heck was that shout?! It’s so cute! But that aura is no joke…”
Fratello stood before the horned frog, striking a pose like a karate master, charging his power. His little hands clenched tight, focusing his energies.
Fratello attacked!
“Mahhhhhh…mm!”
Fratello released a deadly strike!
His fist dented the frog’s belly…
…and with a sound like an explosion—like something breaking the sound barrier—the frog went flying. It tore through the jungle and was already gone from sight.
The hole it left behind stretched into the distance, the plants still shaking in the frog’s wake.
“…Huh?”
“Mm, not half bad.”
The power demonstrated was not exactly something you’d call not half bad with a straight face.
Fratello flexed his little hand a bit, as if testing it, then turned to Masato.
“Ya got guts fer doin’ this survival trainin’ without a stitch on, but pick your battles. This island has heaps of monsters. Watch yourself, sonny!”
“Uh, yeah, got it.”
“Mm. Bye.”
Fratello left.
“Uh, Fratello!”
“Mm?”
“That was an amazing strike! Really badass! Hella manly!”
Masato meant every word.
Fratello turned bright red, like he was utterly delighted, snapped out a thumbs-up, and then vanished through the hole in the jungle. Definitely supercute for a boy.
Masato just watched his tiny back until he was gone…
Then.
“Uh, wait… Should I have let him go?”
After all, Masato had crashed on this island. He was stranded here. With no equipment.
Would he be in trouble without assistance from someone who already knew the island well? Yep, big trouble. He was totally screwed. Masato felt the blood draining from his face.
And then…
“I can sense Ma-kun this way! I’m sure he is! Over here!”
“You keep saying that, but we aren’t finding him anywhere! Seriously, calm down!”
“You’re so worked up, your Masato Sensor isn’t working!”
“Mama! Please calm down a little! Pleeeease!”
“Those voices…!”
Rapid footsteps came from the brush nearby.
Around the approaching figures’ waists were skirts made of leaves. Chest guards made of braided grasses and island flowers covered their torsos. They wore leaves woven into sandals on their feet. Altogether, they looked like beautiful jungle spirits… It was Wise, Medhi, Porta, and…
…running at top speed, Mamako.
“Ma-kun! There you are! Ma-kuuun!”
“Oh, glad to see you’re all safe… Wait, stop! No need for hugging!”
This proved useless. “Ma-kun!” “Oof!” He was swept into an embrace.
It was a powerful, merciless squeeze from a mother who’d found her missing son at last, his face held so tight to her chest that he couldn’t breathe.
“Guh! A-are you trying to kill me?!”
“What? Ma-kun, were you in mortal peril?! Oh no! Well, Mommy will hold you tighter until you come back to life!”
“That doesn’t even make sense! That’s the greatest threat to my life!”
“Mamako, seriously, calm down! We’ve found Masato already! Relax! Please, just chill out, okay?!”
Wise, Medhi, and Porta all desperately appealed to her, and Mamako finally started to settle down.
“S-sorry… Mommy just got so worried…”
“I appreciate the concern, but you first need to stay calm and assess the situation. Everyone’s safe, right?”
They all nodded. That alone was a relief.
He didn’t need to check twice; they’d all clearly lost their clothes. Those beach outfits had been rentals…but, well, they could deal with that later.
When Masato realized Porta was missing her bag, he almost said something, but quickly thought better of it. Porta would be the most upset by that. Once glance at her face showed she was.
So we’ve lost everything, and we’re on a deserted island…
Well, except for…
“Uh, so, listen, I actually just met this boy. His name’s Fratello. Kinda looks more like a girl, but he’s definitely a guy.”
“What, seriously?” said Wise. “People live here?”
“No, he said he was here for survival training. Otherwise this place is uninhabited.”
“So he’s insane,” said Medhi. “That said, he probably knows a lot about the island and how to get by here, so that would certainly be helpful… Where is he?”
“W-well… Uh… He was here a moment ago, but I don’t know where he went.”
Wise’s and Medhi’s eyebrows snapped together. They gave Masato a long, reproachful glare.
Even Masato himself thought they were right this time.
“S-so my point is—”
“You’d better not say it’s time for an adventure on a deserted island.”
“Or that you want to do some survival training like this boy is doing.”
“No, uh, it’s not like we have a choice here! We don’t know where Fratello went, so we can’t just look for him, and even if we try, the sun’ll be down soon…”
“And this conveniently gives you an excuse to try the adventure you wanted.”
“Was the entire ‘falling off an airship’ thing just Masato’s clever scheme?”
“That was an accident! And that only happened because you two—no, never mind. Point is, if we’re gonna survive this, there are steps we have to take!”
Secure food and water and shelter. These were their priorities.
And yeah, I’m a bit excited to try this survivalist thing!
Masato’s life had been under Mamako’s protective wing so long, and this adventure could be a chance to stretch his own wings.
If Fratello could do it, so could Masato. There was a little rivalry going on there, too.
But whatever Masato’s motivations, he was right about what they needed.
“Yes…Mommy thinks Masato’s right.”
“Oh! See? Mom gets it! You go, Mom!”
“Hee-hee. Thank you. Let’s begin!”
“Yeah! Here we go! Risking our lives to survive! Don’t worry! This is where it helps to have a man around! I’ll take care of… Wait, Mom? Where are you…?”
Mamako had suddenly run off and was feeling around in the brush.
Looking closely, he saw daikon, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers—all very familiar vegetables. They were unfamiliar sizes and shapes, but… Oh, there were apples and tangerines, too.
“Now that I’m having an honest look around, it seems there’s lots of edible food in this jungle! That’s such a relief. Hee-hee.”
Provisions: secured.
“Uh…well, food’s no big deal! Not in a vegetable jungle! B-but I’m sure finding water will be a challenge! Let me handle—”
“I wonder if I can ask for water even now that I’ve lost that Holy Sword? …Mother Earth…please,” Mamako said, placing her palms on the ground. “Without water, awful things could happen to these precious children… Lend me your power…”
There was a long groove in the ground in front of them, and as they watched, it became covered in round stones, like a riverbed, and then water gushed up—in the blink of an eye, they had a freshwater stream.
“I hope this water’s safe to drink! Porta, dear, can you appraise it?”
“Yes! Hngg…this is very clean water! We can definitely drink it!”
Water: secured.
“Seriously? You can use the power even without the swords? That’s ridiculous… Rrgh… Okay, fine! Shelter! We’ve got to cut down some trees and put it all together! Lots of hard work involved! It’s safe to say this was a trial meant for—!”
“Mother Earth, if I may make one more request… So that these children can sleep peacefully in this jungle, we’d like some sort of home… Please, lend us your strength.”
Mamako was at it again.
The giant broccoli stalks nearby cut themselves down, turning into construction supplies.
“…Uh?”
Then the resulting lumber put itself together without any nails, like the handiwork of a master temple carpenter…and formed a lovely cottage, three stories tall, with broad verandas like a luxury villa.
Shelter: secured.
“…………Huh?”
“Wow! That house was built so quick!” marveled Porta.
“Okay, everyone! Let’s go inside!”
“Mamako, you’re so reliable! C’mon, Masato.”
“Masato, time to go.”
“…………………Uh, yeah…”
Wise and Medhi smiled gently, patted him on the shoulders, and gave him a push toward the cottage interior.
The boards didn’t even creak underfoot—that’s how sturdily built this place was. There were several rooms inside.
The living room had a wooden table and a couch made of leaves. The house even came furnished!
“Oh, and clothes!” noted Wise. “Several sets! Awesome!”
“The same designs as the vacation clothes we were wearing!” said Medhi.
“Mother Earth is so thoughtful! Such a help. Let’s get changed right away! I wonder if there’s a bath. We could always change in one of the bedrooms, too.”
“I’ll go check the other rooms!” volunteered Porta.
“Hee-hee! Yes. Let’s change, check the rooms, and then eat!”
The girls all grabbed clothes and left the living room, chatting as they went.
And…
Masato fell backward onto the couch, staring at the ceiling.
“……………………………………………………………So much for survivalism…”
A single tear rolled down his cheek.
At that exact time, outside…
Two figures were staring at the cottage.
“You’re sure it was Mamako Oosuki’s party inside?”
“They were wearing leaves and grass for cloooothes, but it was deeeefinitely them.”
The faces peering through the brush were those of a girl with an expression as fierce as a tiger, and one with languid, downturned eyes.
They were on all fours, their heads hidden, their behinds not. Hard to imagine from this posture that these were two of the Libere Rebellion’s Four Heavenly Kings, Amante and Sorella.
“I thought I saw someone falling off an airship passing overhead, but I never imagined it would be Mamako Oosuki…”
“And she built suuuuch a nice cottage. Whatever foooor? She’s sooo annoying… What noooow? Should we attaaack?”
“Yeah… None of them were armed, and I didn’t see Porta’s bag…so this might be our best shot, but…”
Amante thought about it, then shook her head.
“No, we can’t do it. If we attack directly, they’ll know we’re here. We need to avoid that. After all, this island…”
“Yes, yeeees. You don’t need to explaaaain. I already knoooow. That would definitely be baaad. We can’t have aaaanyone searching the island wondering why we’re here.”
“We need Mamako Oosuki’s party to leave the island without noticing us. How can we make that happen? Any ideas?”
“Hmm… Not off the top of my heeead…”
The two of them looked at each other.
“Then we should head back? Have the three of us talk it over?”
“That’s riiiight. Three heads are better than twoooo. I think that’s the expressiiiiion.”
“I think it’s ‘Three’s a crowd.’”
“Saaay, is it just meee, or does it feel a bit muddy here to youuu?”
They backed out of the brush and walked away—to meet up with the third Heavenly King.
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