Mobu Sekai Vol. 1 Chapter 2 – Lost Item

Chapter 2 – Lost Item

Part 1

An otome game world with a gentle setting.

Anyways, when a terrific item makes an appearance, they are called “lost items” in present time, and are impossible tools from ancient times being rediscovered.

Many of them are made with a lost technology and can’t be newly made, so their rarity is high.

Among these lost items, there’s even a item that only the protagonist can equip. It’s a setting made for the protagonist to give off a special feeling.

This floating island I arrived at is the one where that very item is sitting at.

Advancing through the forest which didn’t have any path maintenance, I wiped my sweat, unsheathed and readied my sword, then proceeded while cutting away at the grass and branches.

Just moving forward alone is a pain.

The ground’s all mushy, and I’ve fallen over many times.

“It would have been better if I had my hatchet.”

Advancing through the forest, I progressed by cutting away grass and branches while thinking about how much easier it would have been to have a hatchet. I brought one along, but when I got thrown out, the handle broke and it was no longer useful.

“I wasn’t supposed to use this sword for anything other than training.”

This is more or less the mindset of nobles.

I’d wake up early in the morning and train the basics under my father’s guidance. Noble houses would employ a mentor or a tutor, but poor nobles don’t really have the leeway to hire someone.

I look at my surroundings.

I’m aiming for the center of the island, but it’s taking a long time to get there, unlike how it was in the game. As expected, it seems that the game and reality are different.

To start with, traveling along a path that hasn’t been maintained is hard.

I can’t be careless about the snakes, insects, and other living creatures, but above all, the most dangerous thing is──

“It’s here again.”

I complained in a low voice while hiding.

I crouch down onto the ground and conceal myself as the enemy passes by.

This enemy isn’t a monster.

It’s a round robot with full body armor that travels by floating along. It’d doesn’t have any feet, and it moves by floating in the air with a bit of a tottering manner.

It’s a machine that’s characterized by its long arms and pointed hat on its head, and is a robot that’s tasked with defending its base──the island.

It seems that it periodically makes rounds within the forest.

While staying still and holding my breath, I pray that I don’t get discovered.

Confirming that the machine had passed by me, I get up and quickly leave the scene.

“I was spared from being torn apart.”

Since this operating machine is protecting a base that is already devoid of people, it holds a strangely lonely setting, but getting caught will be a disaster.

The robot has continued to run since ancient times to protect the island, and has broken or rusted parts here and there. Since it hasn’t been able to find me, I suppose it’s half-broken.

“I want to hurry and get to that base.”

There’s a base within the floating island.

It’s the base where the lost item is residing, but robots are guarding it.

The setting didn’t explain this in detail.

Within the game, it was a place to gather useful late-game items. In short, it was the point where you could get the microtransaction items.

Though there was a chance for the protagonist and co. to get kicked out, it was the moment where one could get those items.

I proceeded through the forest while cautious, and came across a building after walking for several kilometers.

The building was entangled with ivy, and grown trees were sprouting through the roof, making it look worn out.

It was probably left untouched for a very long time.

It’s a bizarre scene that resembled what I saw in the game, but it feels fresh when seeing it in real life.

“…Now this is proof that I’ve reincarnated here.”

I had been thinking that perhaps these recalled memories were actually just delusions…that I was only under the impression that I reincarnated. I’ve thought about it many times. It was also possible that I was only seeing this world as the world of that game.

While in relief that I haven’t gone mad, I entered the building with caution.

The defensive equipment in the building is broken, and most objects were immobile due to tree roots and ivy.

It was a building made of concrete.

There was electrical equipment implanted into the walls.

It all resembled objects from the world I know about, and I can feel a sense of familiarity too.

“Old buildings like this are sometimes treated as dungeons, weren’t they.”

There are old buildings like this on floating islands, where adventurers would gain treasure there and accumulate a fortune.

Nobles would find new islands like this and then would be praised if they conquer a dungeon. They take pride in being the descendants of great adventurers.

“It could also be said that they’re breaking into historical sites, though.”

Adventurers plunder treasures from precious historical sites. Sometimes they’ll nonchalantly destroy historically valuable things for the sake of fortune.

Looking at it another way, they’re destroyers and looters.

“Well, I would do the same for the sake of not getting sold off to perverted old women. I wouldn’t say that in front of people, though.”

Continuing along the pathway, I discovered an open door.

However, there was a swaying, floating machine in the passage──a robot tasked with defending had turned my way and noticed me.

It’s a miracle that these nearly-broken robots can move, and I shed a tear thinking about how they’ve been guarding a base that nobody will return to.

However, I have a rifle.

“Sorry about this.”

Having made an apology to the machine that’s been protecting the institution up until now, I pulled the trigger.

The bullet hit the robot, and it electrically discharged at the point of impact.

A sprout of light instantly burst out, and the robot fell onto the floor. The flickering light in its eyes then vanished.

I stay on alert while holding the rifle, but it doesn’t appear to be coming back. There aren’t any other enemies coming to the scene either.

Confirming the effect of the bullets, I was relieved that the facility and robots were partly broken.

“It’s just like the game. It’s good that I remembered their weak points. Now then, I wonder if it’s this way──”

The special lightning effect on these magic bullets does a number on the robots. Since they’re tasked with defense, they should at least have had lightning resistance installed, but that’s fantasy for you…along with the world of an otome game. There’s no use talking about minor details.

I move forward, relying on my memories, towards the open door.

It was half-open from the tree roots and ivy.

“Was it like this in my memories? Well, it’s going according to the game.”

When entering the room, the skeleton of a corpse tumbled over.

It wore tattered fabrics of what used to be clothing, and put its hands together in a prayer pose.

I took out a flat card from its pocket-like thing.

What I took out was the card key. I wonder if this was also an ID, as someone’s name was written here with the alphabet. The photo has vanished from the deterioration, and only a portion of the letters are left, so I don’t know this person’s full name.

“This is the alphabet, right? I’m sensing something strange.”

I did not expect to see the alphabet in another world.

I put the card key into my pocket and resume moving.

There’s a place within the game where a microtransaction item resides. I’ve stopped by this island many times to get this item for the purpose of completing the game.

However, my memories from ten years ago could be unreliable. I would have forgotten the coordinates for this floating island if I hadn’t written them down right after I regained my memories.

It’s frightening thinking about how I would have had to rely on my fuzzy memory if I didn’t write anything down.

The anxiety and fear from setting out into the sky alone…is something I don’t want to experience twice.

When I searched for a room that could be opened with a card key and showed it to a device that then opened a door, there was a place that seemed like a break room.

Rusted and worn-down vending machines stood out.

One of them had collapsed, and the goods inside had spilled out.

When picking them up by hand, they crumbled away like sand.

There were two skeletons corpses sitting on a sofa.

“…I didn’t care about it when this was a game, but what in the world happened here?”

A part of the ruined base was still operating. Thinking about how a civilization with such technological strength had perished…makes me feel a bit uneasy.

“Well, my top priority is getting what I need.”

Of the two skeleton corpses, one had the key I needed for moving ahead.

I left the room after getting the key, and headed towards my destination. What lies in store after this are defense robots of a different type.

“Come to think of it, this fellow was here too.”

It was a multi-legged robot that was missing a few legs, making it immobile. However, it was in the way, blocking the passage, and the also had weapons to protect what’s ahead from intruders.

While hiding in the corner, I shoot the rifle, and the impact of the bullet turned into a flash of light, but──the defense robot came alive and began counterattacking with a Gatling gun held in its hands.

It was only the Gatling gun that was moving. However, that alone is enough of a threat. Whether broken or not, it’s a relief that its aim isn’t locked onto me.

“Woah there!”

As I hid in the corner, I load the next bullet with the bolt action mechanism, and attack with the rifle while still hiding.

So as to not present myself, I use a mirror to look at the situation while attacking in concealment. It may be cowardly, but tackling this in the first place is like poking a wasp nest.

Due to the opponent being broken, it isn’t fighting back since it can’t move and fix its sight on me. If this thing was maintained and replenished, then I’d immediately be in the heat of the wasp nest.

What I was thinking as I released shot after shot was──

“Shoot! It’s too sturdy. To make matters worse──damn it! I was off again!”

Calculating the consumption of bullets in my head, this is taking up an outrageous amount of money.

Since I’m shooting it with a bad posture, the shots aren’t hitting, and to add insult to injury, when they do hit, the thing is still operating. After numerous shots, the thing finally stopped functioning, and once I checked, it turned out that I used up nearly thirty bullets.

Thinking about how it was in the game, it should have only taken around ten shots…

“Perhaps things really have changed now that this is real?”

I refocused my mind and afterwards, I headed to my destination while keeping a lookout and keeping company with defense robots. I kept moving forward, aiming for the core of the base.

When I realized it, only a few of the bullets I brought were left.

I proceeded through the dim passage, with only a fragment of light remaining, and then I finally arrived at the location of my objective.

I use the key to open a door.

I continued on through a staircase leading to the basement.

I couldn’t see anything in the darkness, so I fetched out a lantern and turned on the light.

“If electricity exists, I’d at least like there to be flashlights.”

This is a world where light bulbs exist, but no flashlights. Due to that, they still use lanterns. I descended the stairs while raising a complaint.

Within the dark passage, there were occasionally fallen human bones that provoked a sense of fear.

I don’t know what went on in this place, but if possible, I’d like quickly get I came for and go home.

“Even so…this is going completely according to my memories.”

It’s the place where the microtransaction item I bought resides──reaching into my memory, what’s ahead is a large room intertwined with tree roots and ivy.

That large room is the dock of an airship.

Grasping the rifle tightly with both of my hands, I walked while being cautious. Many of the places to accommodate airship docks are empty while ivy and tree roots stick out and dangle.

Even for the airships that are here, they’re entangled with a lot of ivy and tree roots. What’s more, moss is sticking onto the surfaces.

Also, all of the airships are broken.

Among them, a noticeably large space had been prepared for the thing I’m here for. It’s on a whole other level in size compared to the other airships.

“──There’s no mistake that it’s this one.”

It was the only airship that maintained its original form, and was green from the ivy and branches entangling it, along with the moss sprouting. However, not everything was covered, and the gray armor was visible in one spot.

I shuddered.

“It’s really here! It really is!”

Part 2

I slowly put my feet on the ramp and made sure that it wouldn’t break as I approached the airship.

The entrance isn’t showing signs of opening with ivy being tangled with it, so I took out my sword and severed them. Then, once I opened the entrance with the card key, I entered the ship’s──no, the warship’s interior.

Unlike the outside, it was still beautiful and lacked ivy or moss.

It’s classified as an airship that can become a flying battleship. No wait, it’s a spaceship, so I suppose it’s a cosmic battleship? At any rate, the design of the warship’s interior was very futuristic. It seems to have come from a whole different universe…especially compared to the game it appears in.

“The interior isn’t visible in the game, so this is the first time I’m seeing it. I wonder if it was like this there?”

I’m estimating the size to be around seven hundred meters, making it an enormous cosmic battleship. It’s questionable whether something this large can fly, but this is a world where islands and continents can float.

Among them, some of the smaller islands have even been remodeled to become airships. I’ve heard that their size easily surpasses one thousand meters, and they’re like a mobile fortress.

I can’t really make a comparison here since I haven’t actually seen them, but this is a world where it’s not strange for something of this size to fly.

It seems that in this world, something of this magnitude is indeed large, but not rare.

On the outside, it basically has an engine that’s like a square box on both sides of the machine’s rear. It’s aerodynamic body means that its head is pointed forward, so when looking at it from up top in the game──its graphic looks like an isosceles triangle with squares attached to both sides.

The shape itself is simple, with no propellers on the deck, sail, or anything of that sort.

The shapes of airships in this world vary.

A common airship is shaped like a rugby ball. Honestly, it seems that there isn’t really a fixation towards the shape, probably since the level of difficulty in making an airship is low.

It’s easy to make it float in the first place. Hence, people tend to develop airships and then adventure around or do something else.

…As I move through the warship’s interior, the lights automatically turned on, so I shut off my lantern.

After coming this far, there’s only one obstacle remaining.

I intend to make it to the spaceship’s center and get it to move.

As I moved along this incredibly lengthy passage, I could only hear the sound of my own footsteps. Then, a door to my goal appeared, and I came to a halt while wiping my sweat.

While tense, I checked the status of my rifle and confirmed whether there were bullets loaded into the magazines.

I adjusted my breathing.

“…Time to move.”

I brace myself, open the door, and head inside.

It was the central facility of the spaceship──the place where everything is controlled, the core. A very spacious area had been arranged here.

In the middle of the room, a humanoid robot, whose upper-half rose from the floor, was waiting.

It had a large body.

Its head had a simple shape, and within its visor were camera-eyes that glowed red.

A startup sound resounded within the room.

I readied my rifle.

[…Intruder detected. Exterminate…exterminate…]

The robot slowly came alive, and its size was about six meters. Its large hands moved to try and catch me, so I pulled the trigger on my rifle.

However, the impact only let out a small explosion on the surface of its armor, and emitted a flash──that was it.

“So it really is going to be hard.”

When I loaded the next bullet, the ejected cartridge made a metallic clank as it hit the floor.

“Will you not permit me if I show it a key card?”

As I held the faint hope that it wouldn’t stop me if I had one of the base members’ key card, the robot in front of me replied in a calm tone.

[The card key you own is from a base staff member. Your body features do not match the member, nor any of the other staff members. Additionally, it has been judged that the survival of the owner, and the people of this base, is hopeless. Therefore, you are an intruder──exterminate.]

“Thanks for the honest reply, at least!”

I had heard a synthesized electronic voice. I did not expect it to be able to a hold a conversation. I think it’s a bit surprising how direct its answer was, but I don’t have the leisure to care about that right now.

The next shot was on the mark, but it likewise didn’t deal that much damage.

I ran to escape its arms that extended out.

When I took a cylindrical object attached to my belt, pulled out its pin, and threw it, the opponent tried to ward it off with one hand.

However, when trying to do so, it exploded on impact.

It brought forth an electrical shock stronger than what the bullets could do, and the robot opponent temporarily halted. Fumes where coming from its joints.

“Alright!”

While I was being glad that I hadn’t missed, the visor on the robot’s head shined.

[Attacks from “magic” have reached critical levels. Now activating magic barrier.]

A faint light sprung out from its body to wrap it, as if protecting it entirely.

Even when I fire shot after shot, it completely repelled the magic electrical attacks. Electricity doesn’t even come out on impact, and there’s no damage.

“How cowardly!”

The robot replied in response to my cry.

[Thank you.]

Though I was surprised that it thanked me, I switched magazines and readied my rifle.

“Are you broken? You kinda just thanked me.”

While I was shooting bullet after bullet with the rifle, it seemed that the movements of the opponent dulled a bit.

[Fighting cowardly is a compliment. That’s what I’ve been taught, is that wrong?]

“It’s wrong! Why are do you have countermeasures against magic!”

This thing didn’t have magic barriers in the game. I’ve been cheated here.

[Simple answer. I cannot say that I understand magic, but analyzing and preparing countermeasures is natural, no?]

“You sure are bright! Chatty too!”

While running around in the room, I continue pulling the trigger to attack consecutively. I’ve been searching for a weak point, but I can’t see one.

If I ask, will it tell me?

[It’s been a very long time since I’ve spoken like this, I may be in a state of excitement.]

I’m wondering what this machine is talking about, but this cheat-level spaceship is a lost item.

The culmination of ancient technology, a microtransaction item I bought for one thousand yen…it’s a bit odd that this was one thousand yen, but anyways, there’s no doubt that it’s a potent weapon.

It wouldn’t be strange for there to be an AI, but I didn’t think it could converse. Perhaps it’s because the setting for this wasn’t established in the game.

I take another cylinder from my waist──a hand grenade.

[Is that possibly a hand grenade with magic effects? There will be no effect on my current──]

“Idiot!”

I throw it, take a distance, and stoop down.

The enemy didn’t try to defend against it.

However, when the grenade hit the robot opponent, it made a large explosion that was unlike the previous one. I tumbled over to the corner of the room from the blast, but I soon got up.

Black smoke sprung out into the room, and visibility soon worsened.

“That’s just an ordinary bomb. Tremendous power, right? I was hesitant on using it because it could have destroyed the ship.”

I’m going to use this spaceship later. It would have been better for there to be as few scratches as possible, so I didn’t want to use it.

Within the smoke-filled room, I lowered my rifle.

“This is only a fragment of the trump cards I have. Even in the game, my power was quite──”

While thinking that this was it was over, a large hand then reached out from the black smoke and easily caught me.

The impact made me drop my rifle, so I took out my sword and thrust it at the robot’s fingers. However, the blade only chipped and it didn’t cause any damage.

Being grabbed this forcefully was very painful.

“L, let go──”

[──I was surprised. That was just a powerful grenade? Since you all are so obsessed with magic, I didn’t think that you would use weapons like this. What an interesting battle.]

A portion of the robot opponent’s armor was torn off, exposing what’s inside. The infrastructure, motor, and other such parts were visible.

As it grasped me, it brought its face closer while looking at me.

[Your way of fighting is quite different from those in the past. That rifle is surprising, but I have an interest in those bullets. Incorporating magic into them is a fascinating concept.]

Using its camera lenses within its visor, it kept magnifying and retracting while looking at my face, moving frequently.

I couldn’t escape, and the strength of its hand used to seize me was gradually getting stronger.

It threw a question at me as I was struggling.

[Question. What year is it in terms of the solar calendar?]

“Agh! Solar calendar? As if I know! In terms of the Holfault Kingdom calendar…Gaaaah!!”

Electricity sprouted from the robot opponent’s hand, and my body turned numb from the agony as I yelled in pain.

Losing control, I acted violently to try and get away, but it wasn’t likely that I would escape anyhow.

[That answer is plenty. We had asked the same question many times…but we were defeated all the same.]

I was exhausted once the electric current ended, and the robot’s motion ceased. I was trembling and I couldn’t close my mouth, so I wiped my drool with the hand I was using to hold my sword.

“D, defeated? We? What are you talking──”

Were there even opponents that could make a cheat-level battleship lose?

[…This is about the new human race. The former civilization had been destroyed in the past before the advent of the new human race with overwhelming magic power.]

New human race?

Is this part of the game-like setting? Did the otome game include such a setting? I’m a little concerned. I wanted to deal with this simply, I wanted to be spared of any new facts when coming here.

Well, such a thing has nothing to do with me. I need to get out of here somehow.

[And you are a descendant of the new human race. You are the enemy for me.]

I suddenly heard a low voice akin to an electronic-sound. It was as if the voice was trying to label me as an enemy and eliminate me.

“T, that had a lot of emotion. Let’s talk about this for a second──hey, w, wait! Augh!”

I heard a sound that I should not have heard coming from my body as the large hand continued constricting me. The sound of it gradually grew stronger.

[Exterminate the enemy…exterminate…]

Things were no longer in a state where we could talk.

It seemed that the robot was trying to crush me at once after having taken a large amount of damage. However, on the contrary, it only resulted in my prolonged suffering.

I don’t know if that’s good luck or bad luck, but I’ve decided on what I have to do.

“Y, you…you’re just dragging out an old feud.”

[Our mission is not over. It is our maximum priority to exterminate the new human race. The orders were to be on standby at this base, but to exterminate if new human race beings come. At this point, many of the new human race had come to this base. And looking at you now, it’s obvious that they are weakening…I will now launch an attack to destroy the new descendants of the new human race──]

There have been adventurer’s that have come to this island before?

Leaving that aside, if this thing gets out there and goes on a rampage, my family is going to be erased.

Doesn’t this make me the one who woke this dormant thing up?

It’s fine if that Zola is gone, but it’s definitely repulsive if my parents, my older brother, and my younger brother disappear.

I bit on a pin within the hilt of the sword on my right hand, pulled it out, and pointed the blade at the robot.

Then─

“Go to hell…piece of junk.”

Once I activated the mechanism, the blade flew, stuck itself into the visor of the robot, and then burst into a flash of lightning. Since the electricity flowed into its internals, the damage was likely huge.

The head of the robot blew away with a small explosion, and the visor broke apart as it flew off. I don’t mind that a piece scraped past my cheek, causing blood to come out.

The hand lost its power, releasing me as I dropped onto the floor. Hitting the floor is painful, but being released made it easier to breathe and I’m relieved that I was able to escape from harm. I don’t know what’s what anymore.

While coughing violently, I moved on my hands and knees to retrieve my rifle.

The robot had dull movements, and its behavior turned strange.

Pushing myself up with the rifle, I then thrust the muzzle towards the visor.

“I don’t need to have sympathy for you. I have my own circumstances. Be silent, lay down, and accept what’s coming to you.”

I pull the trigger. Then I loaded a bullet again and pull the trigger once more. Each time I repeated, the robot tried to reach out and grab me with its hand, but──

“──It’s over.”

I repeated this many times until my magazine became empty and the robot stopped moving.

Part 3

There’s an electrical discharge from all sorts of parts, revealing that it was in a pretty bad condition. Black fumes rose from the gaps in the armor.

However, I could hear an electronic sound──a robotic voice.

[…Are you trying to use me? That’s impossible.]

The robot isn’t moving, it was the the control panel within the room that booted up. In the game, it was possible to register yourself as the master for this thing.

“How annoying. I only came here to get a microtransaction item. Just be silent and abide.”

I don’t know if the microtransaction item I bought is here or not. However, there’s no future for me or this world if I don’t obtain it.

[I will choose to self-destruct rather than have the new human race snatch things away.]

“If you’re going to self-destruct, then I’ll take you under my control. An explosion would also be annoying. I’m not here to die.”

While performing my operations, I change the alphabet letters on the screen to Japanese.

“What a nice convenience! This will make things easier to operate.”

I spoke in Japanese, the language that I had long missed.

The goal is right in front of me…the thing I’m here to accomplish is just a little bit ahead, making my tension rise.

I carried out my actions, then what opened on part of the control panel was the register for the spaceship’s owner, the master.

Guidelines that indicated where to put my hands lit up.

[Japanese…? You can read it? You people shouldn’t be able to use Japanese.]

Listening carefully, the sound was coming from the speaker in the room. It seems it wasn’t coming from the robot.

It appeared that the robot had an interest in me.

I cracked a joke while placing my hands on the control panel.

“My soul is of a genuine Japanese person. Justice for me is rice and miso soup every morning. Well, I’ve never eaten those here, though.──Perhaps you didn’t know what I just said, actually.”

This thing probably won’t understand even if I introduce myself as a reincarnated person. I think that if I say such a thing to other people, they’ll make a bitter smile while taking a distance from me.

[Soul? Is this the concept of transmigration?]

“So you do understand what I’m saying? Right, that’s what it is. Probably.”

I feel a bit glad having a conversation in Japanese after such a long time.

The control panel checked my genetic information from my palms, the registration for the master finished, and then began scanning as my whole body was wrapped in a red light.

As soon as the scan finished, the robot asked me another question.

[It’s confirmed from your genetic information that there are indeed traces of a Japanese individual. However, you are of the new humans. At the same time, you have inherited the genes of the the former humans. How perplexing. It is not feasible.]

“Is that so? Though, with this, the ship is mine now, right?”

[Indeed. From today, this spaceship is your property. Do you want to name it?]

I think for a bit.

Naming it wasn’t something I could do in the game.

“I can’t think of a good name. In the game, it was ‘Luxon’ though.”

[Luxon…it has been documented.]

“So you’re not going to self-destruct. That’s a relief.”

Being extremely exhausted, I sat down on the spot after everything was over. I was able to hazily see the room through the smoke that came from the battle.

I held the rifle in my hands, along with its wooden stock──the gun’s stock had detached.

When it’s like this, I can’t use it without repairing it.

“The present from my parents is battered.”

I sighed while staring up at the ceiling.

[If you have the soul of a Japanese person, does that mean you have memories of the war?]

“The war? I don’t have any. In the first place, I was born during a period of peace, and I was an office worker there. I don’t have any experiences of war…Now that I think about it, my previous life was quite the blessing.”

Even now I miss my previous world…I want to go back to it if I can.

The smoke gradually cleared up, likely due to the ventilation in the room.

It seems that what I wanted was someone to talk about my story to. I told the details of my reincarnation to my AI partner.

“So do you get it? This insane world is the world of an otome game.”

[Otome game?]

“It’s something like a love simulation game.”

I talked about how it started──the time period it was, and how I came to reincarnate. Then, I talked about how this world is that otome game world.

“Surprised?”

[I am impressed by your delusions. However, you speaking Japanese is not something that can come from a delusion. If I were to describe my thoughts in one word, that word would be…interesting.]

“I’m surprised as well. Besides, I think that your existence itself is proof too. The fact that I know about you and that I was able to find you here is proof that this world is of a game, right?”

[I’m hearing absurd things from you. To begin with, shouldn’t there be others that would recognize this world as a game?]

“Just leave the minor details alone. I don’t like dealing with bothersome things. Anyhow, I can’t really think of an answer to that, so this is just becoming a waste of time.”

As I continued to talk while exhausted, I started coughing.

When I covered my mouth, I noticed blood coming onto my glove.

“…Am I injured somewhere? Not good. I have to return.”

As my body slowly collapsed, I heard a voice.

[Leon Fou Balfault──Confirmed that the master’s life is in critical condition. Transfer to medical office will──]

◇

It’s been three months since Leon’s departure.

Zola had arrived at the Baltfault household and spoke about unpleasant things.

She entered Barcus’ workroom, and from the morning, had him and even Luce sit down while she criticized them.

“This marriage proposal I took great pains to arrange is ruined, that child really is an idiot. He flew out alone and selfishly got himself killed.”

She clutched Barcus’ hand in annoyance.

When Luce had been told that her son may have died, her mood clearly darkened. For that very reason, Zola didn’t stop her tormenting.

She knew what it was doing to her and continued to do it.

“At this rate, we’ll have to settle for the next son. Well, even at an age like that, he should still be able to do housework.”

Barcus interrupted.

“Colin? That child isn’t even ten years old. Besides, it’s possible that Leon may come back.”

Zola laughed scornfully.

“Are you seriously saying that? It’s been three months since he left, three months. It would be strange if he were still alive. Oh, right. It’s possible that he may have run away by himself. Good grief, this is why rural noble children are nuisances. Does he not know about my chivalry?”

The Holfault’s chivalries swear loyalty to a figurehead or a leader.

For knights, it would be the ruler of the country.

For retainer knights, they pledge allegiance to a feudal lord or the head of their household, and are taught to live nobly and righteously.

Daily training and living modestly and frugally are regarded as virtues.

They are knights of honor that would certainly put their lives at risk for the sake of their loyalty.

Fighting for the sake of the country is an honor…for the ideal knight.

To put it simply, chivalries are groups of convenient subordinates for leaders.

In recent years, there have also been chivalries with knights that protect women and put their lives on the line for them. Originally, the swords and shields to protect the powerless citizens were the chivalries, but the situation changed as time progressed.

Seeing Luce’s crying face, Barcus went to her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. The two looked like a married couple.

That irritated Zola.

(How insolent. I was the one who married this rural feudal lord! I cannot allow such a sight of intimacy before my eyes.)

The presence of Luce, the mistress, annoyed her.

Due to that, she had been struck with the idea of selling Luce’s sons and daughters to people in the royal capital that didn’t have a partner.

(In the first place, the one that will succeed this baron household is my son, Lutart. The other children are unnecessary. Everyone else can be sold off to make way for Lutart and Merce.)

Upon which, a frantic voice was heard in the room.

The still-immature Colin opened the door using all of his strength, and tried to say something while out of breath.

“Colin, you should remain in your room. You didn’t even knock at the──”

While Barcus was giving him a warning, Colin kept opening and closing his mouth while pointing at the window.

Everyone looked outside the window to see a shadow that was able to block the sun.

When Barcus opened the window to look outside in unease──

“What kind of ship is that?”

There was a giant airship that had halted above the residence.

Zola drew back.

“W, where? What ship?!”

There was a panic as to whether it was a sky pirate, a fief, or an airship from another kingdom coming to attack. However, if that was the case, then there was something weird about the situation.

From a large airship, a smaller one, about twenty meters, descended.

Leon’s figure was visible in it.

The airship carried a mountain of gold and silver treasures, an amount that was incredible even when looking at a distance.

Leon got down onto the garden of the residence, and waved his hand.

“Father! I came back as promised. Take a look at this treasure!”

Leon burst into laughter in front of the mountain containing gold, silver, and jewels. The exact value of it couldn’t be calculated, but if they were the real deal, then it would definitely be an unthinkable amount of money.

Luce broke down crying on the spot.

“My child, suddenly returning after no contact with him…what a relief.”

She smiled while either happy or sad.

Barcus hurriedly rushed out of the room in confusion and headed towards Leon.

Zola kept her eye on the treasure Leon had from the window.

Upon which, Leon held a triumphant smile. He faced towards Zola and mouthed the words “I win.”

Zola made an unpleasant expression while clutching strongly at the windowsill.

“T, that stupid brat…”

Once Barcus reached Leon, he embraced him while crying. He cried in joy while calling him an idiot.

Zola became irritated and exited the room.

(Well, that’s fine. It’s not bad if I think about that treasure becoming mine. I’ll just have him work for me from now on. I’ll take all of your earnings. It’ll be me who gets the last laugh.)

Once Zola left the corridor, she met with an elf servant who was waiting for her, and headed out.

◇

I raised a smile in front of Zola while she made a bitter face.

Not only did I bring treasure, but a spaceship──err, airship. When she realized that this was mine, she soon came over to try and make me hand it over, but before that, I gave a sound argument to silence her.

“The contract between you and my father has no relation to me. Since I’m fifteen years old, and thus an adult, I completed my registration as an adventurer. You catch my drift? The treasure I find is my property, and not my father’s.”

My father was about to say something, but my mother stopped him.

Zola nevertheless talked back.

“That’s treasure you gained with your parents’ money! What are you doing showing it off as if it’s yours?!”

I reply in a calm manner.

Knowing her, I had a hunch that she would say something like this.

In the Holfault Kingdom, there’s a tightly protected law about the ownership of treasure obtained by adventurers.

That’s due to this country being founded by adventurers.

“I’m fine with being insulted by my parents, but not by you. Oh, you can have this.”

I hand her a suitcase of gold bars while grinning.

I’ve got a tremendous amount of treasure behind me, but what I gave to Zola is really just a tiny fraction of it. By all rights, coming across bars of gold is a lot of money by itself, but she was not grateful about it at all.

Knowing that, I consciously had put the treasures in the back.

Zola did not give up.

“H, how is such shoddy logic like that going to suffice?! This treasure is going to be under the control of Barcus anyways, right? In that case, that’s property of the Baltfault household. I have the right to own it!”

I shrugged my shoulders.

Then I talked about something I had consulted about with Luxon before.

“You’re talking about it becoming the property of this household, right? Since I’m already an adult, I am an independent adventurer. Perhaps you don’t know that I can manage my own property now? Though, I do need to contribute to my household, right? So, I’ve been thinking about investing these assets towards the territory. Don’t you think it would be a good cause towards harbor maintenance or something akin to that?”

It felt nice seeing Zola furrow her eyebrows and scowl at me.

If I just transfer the money or fortune to my household, it would definitely be in Zola’s rights to take it. However, if I’m the one in control of the money and I invest it──an investment towards the development of the territory isn’t something she can take.

She can’t tear off a portion of a built road or harbor and take it with her.

Perhaps understanding that she was at the disadvantage, Zola withdrew.

She took her elf lover and returned to her room in the mansion.

I roared with laughter once looking at her back.

My father hit me on the back.

“Idiot. You went too far. What are you trying to do by provoking her?”

“That woman was trying to sell me off to a perverted old lady. I think I should be excused for just this much. Anyways, what do you think about this mountain of treasure. Amazing, right?”

My parents were certainly astonished looking at all the treasure I accumulated.

“Well, it’s honestly amazing. However, did you report this to the guild?”

I nodded and explained.

The Adventurer’s Guild is an official establishment from the country, so though they’re called a guild, they’re not really an independent organization.

It seems that they decided to call it a guild in the past. This lackluster setting is troubling.

“Of course. Thanks to that though, the country took away a portion of it.”

From twenty percent of the fortune I presented to them, the country took thirty percent of that.

However, the remaining treasure is all mine.

“I’ll buy you back a new boat in place of the one I broke. Perhaps I could send an airship to you as a present.”

My mother was a bit amazed in front of my lavish self.

“You, you aren’t thinking about saving some for the future? With this much, you can be independent.”

After having said that to me, I straightened up and looked at the two.

“There’s actually something about that I have to talk about.”

I talked with my parents about what will happen hereafter.