Foreigner Volume 4, Chapter 33

Volume 4 Chapter 33, Discovery ~ 07

　The next morning, after breakfast, they prepared for their journey and set off again.

　This time, however, he wouldn't "Dispel" Minerva's "Mimicry" right away. He knew that the Knight Commander of Reyeld was obsessed with dragons, so he needed to "Dispel" her as far away as possible, and he also needed to train Minerva in magic.

　A full koku's walk and a little off the beaten path, Minerva's magic training began.

　As Leia had predicted, Minerva was particularly gifted with wind and fire, but she stumbled in the early stages. It took a lot of effort to convey the concept of imagination. In fact, Rico was helpful here as well, as she had taught the children of the guild members a couple of years ago, and with the combination of Rico's clear explanations and Leia's knowledge, Minerva was soon able to use magic.

　However, just like Satoru, the sheer size of her soul meant that her firepower was too high for normal imagination, and her weakness for imagination meant that she had to spend a lot of time adjusting her firepower. However, it turns out that even in the state of a flying dragon, magic can be used if it is done through imaginary magic without chanting.

「But ...... of course, Minerva, don't use magic in public too much, okay?」

「Because you don't want to stand out, right? Okay.」

　Minerva is smart. Rico once described her as a child of about six or seven years old, but if you teach her things, she can connect six to seven things, if not ten. She knows that Satoru doesn't want to be stand out, that she shouldn't be stand out, and she understands how to be inconspicuous. Of course, their appearances were completely different, but Satoru felt a sense of nostalgia for Alice's intelligence in Minerva.

「I wonder how you are doing, Alice. ......」

「I'm sure she's doing well.」

　Satoru showed a small frustration at Rico's assertion.

「How can you be so sure?」

「Because she's your sister, right? I'm sure she's a strong girl.」

　He couldn't say a word back.

　Even though Satoru and Alice are siblings, their upbringings are different, so there are few similarities in personality development. However, from time to time, Alice has also shown at facilities that she is a righteous person who will not overlook the bullying of the weak, so he have often thought that they are brother and sister after all.

　However, because of their age, she is definitely not as calm and collected as Satoru. After all, I want to go home and hug her as soon as possible.

　After thinking that it was originally Alice's role to get lost in Wonderland, but what should she do with such a burly Musa-san, Satoru was horrified when he imagined that it was Alice who had wandered into this world. Of course, in that case, Satoru would be left behind in this world - it's not hard to imagine his despair. And Alice, who was called to this world, no matter how intelligent she is, he doesn't think she can overcome it.

　It's inappropriate to say this, but it's probably a good thing that I was summoned to this world, Satoru thought to himself.

　Minerva, who was found to be able to use magic without chanting, though limited, would also be a certain asset. Leia was no different, but she had more use for magic than Rico, who had the average soul of an average person.

　After teaching her the defensive and offensive magic of wind and fire, Leia mainly trained her students in physical magic. Wind and fire magic require a certain amount of space to practice, but physical magic can be practiced at any time as long as the "Mimicry" is not broken.

　The town of Reyeld was a small to medium-sized town, and no trouble occurred, but the city of Ares is not so easy. It's one of the biggest towns in the world, after all. It's also a racial melting pot, so there's no way to stop the uncontrollable distortions that will manifest themselves in the town's security. It's not a problem for Rico, who has the worldly wisdom of a thief, and for Satoru, who has the power to easily kill everyone in Ares if he wanted to, but if one Minerva goes astray, it won't be easy.

「For now, Minerva must never leave Satoru's side, okay? If anyone other than Satoru, me, or Leia calls out to you, ignore them. Okay?」

「Ignore?」

「Yeah, ignore. It's better than half-heartedly trying to deal with them. Minerva in that body is attractive, as Satoru said. You sure to attract a lot of guys. Would Minerva like to make love to a man other than Satoru?」

「Absolutely hate it!」

　Minerva shook her head, her long, rich indigo hair swinging wildly, and Rico laughed gently.

「Yeah, so am I. Then you have to stay close to Satoru and me. If something happens, just ignore it and leave it to me and Satoru. Minerva is strong when you're serious, but when you're not ignore it...」

「Minerva will make a scene and get Danna-sama in trouble.」

「Right. You're a good girl, Minerva.」

　There is something uncomfortable about the sight of Rico, who is in her late teens, treating Minerva, who looks to be in her mid-twenties, like a child and taking good care of her. However, both Rico and Minerva are serious. That's how much they care about Satoru.

　But still, she made a promise. If something unavoidable happens and she get separated from Rcko or Satoru, she can ignore her clothes, but she have to release her "Mimicry" and run away as fast as she can. This is of course going to cause a commotion, but it will only be a momentary commotion, and with Leia's magic it won't be too difficult to find the missing Minerva in flying dragon form, but it's not easy to find Minerva in human form.」

　If Minerva was also a magical slave, it would be less troublesome, but Leia hesitated to mention it, as expected. Minerva was obviously intelligent and loyal enough to be Satoru's magical slave, so there would be no problem, but Leia thought that Satoru would hate her more than anyone else. It was obvious that she was trying to drag Minerva into this for her own reasons.

「It would be easier to find her if she wore some kind of distinctive ornament that would allow her to be detected using "Detection".」

　That's why Leia said the next best thing.

「"Detection"? That's not the same as "Search," is it?」

「"Search" is the art of tracking down a specific individual, and you have to have some kind of connection with them. "Detect" is the art of tracking equipment.」

　She hadn't explained the "Search" in terms of magical slaves, but Satoru used it unconsciously when Leia chased after Rico, who had escaped into an underground canal in the town of Galhassan. It is a art that allows you to sense the direction and distance of your opponent, and "Detection" is a art applied to equipment. Of course, you can't use it if you don't know the shape of the equipment you're looking for, and you won't be able to find it if you're trapped by Leia's signature magic, the "Warding" art. But if Leia have to choose between the two, "Detecting" is easier.

　Leia avoided the word "Magical Slave" and spoke of some kind of connection. It's not just about being a magical slave, it's also about being related by marriage or blood, but she knew she was thinking of Minerva, the only one in the group who is not a magical slave. I'm sure Minerva would be willing to become a magical slave if Leia said so. But, as Leia had thought, it would be unpleasant for Satoru.

　If Minerva wants to be one, Leia can't help it, but she don't think it's something she can force Minerva to do.

「...... I see. Well, let's think about equipment when we get to the city of Ares.」

「If it is the my Lord, It would be possible for you to create an ornament with the art of "Mimicry" on it, with the addition of the "Granting" of goods.」

「Ohhh. That's worth a try.」

　Satoru also had another idea.

　Like the "Mimicry" art, it was something she wanted to do if she could apply it to other people. This is the counterpart of the "Life Force Absorption" art.

　Leia is nervous about touching Rico or Minerva. I had hoped that I could do something about that, she thought.

　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

　Their journey continued slowly.

　They slept in the nearest small town once every three or four days, and camped at night. Even so, they were never attacked by a monster. It seems that Minerva's presence in Leia's "Five-Layered Barrier" is more significant than he thought. In his original world, Satoru had never camped out so many times, but he didn't think he would like it that much.

　However, it is probably because the season has just entered the autumn season. As the season move into winter, their current equipment will certainly not be enough.

　During the trip, Minerva found a spring with hot water, and Satoru, who was stressed to the max about needing to take a bath, used his magic to create a bathhouse.

　He also established a pattern of "Mimicry" Minerva and having sex with her once every three days before bedtime. During this time, Rico had a girl's day, and she had to wait four days for her to come out, but one of those days, at Rico's request, he had oral sex with her. Incidentally, Minerva does not seem to have a period.

「If she doesn't have a period, then I guess she can't get pregnant like a normal human.」

「In the first place, the ecology of flying dragons has yet to be clarified. I can't say for sure.」

　Every five days, Leia casts a "Diagnostic" spell on Minerva, but it seems that she doesn't get pregnant that easily. However, Minerva seems to have taken a liking to sex itself, and her unrestrained desire for Satoru has led to Rico and even Leia lecturing her on occasion.

　The distance between the towns is quite large. This is not a problem because the Minerva has greatly reduced the travel time, but he shudder to think what it would be like if he had to walk. The roads are well maintained in some places, and there are occasional shrines that may have been prepared for travelers, but even so, the number of people passing along the roads is not much. I guess the population is small compared to the size of the land.

　There is a network of stagecoaches that connect the towns, but most people grow up and die in the town where they were born. There seems to be a large number of people who never go to another town before they die.

　The division of the country seems to change from time to time, and there may be customs in some places, but this has nothing to do with Satoru, who is riding a flying dragon. According to Rico, there are about 80 countries in this world, including minor ones, two of which are Dwarf Kingdoms, and the rest are human. The elves and the aquatic tribes do not form a cohesive society. The reason for this is that there are so few of them.

　Humans almost died out as a species once when the ancient magical kingdoms were destroyed. Even so, they have risen again and are now competing for glory, and they owe a debt of gratitude to the elves, dwarves, and aquatic tribes that helped them so much when they were on the verge of extinction. That's why they're forbidden from outwardly antagonizing those three races. Of course, there are some countries that persecute these races, but those countries are thoroughly hated by other countries.

「If there's such a surplus of land, I guess the fight against hunger wasn't so bad.」

「No, no. Wheat is essential for human life, and it must be cultivated. A lot of beast tribes also like wheat, and during the bad weather about 300 years ago, a lot of people died of hunger.」

　Agricultural technology is not as advanced as it is in modern Japan. Also, the wheat fields are only close to the town, and if they spread out too much, they would have to fight with the beast tribe. The beasts range from small to large, but humans are no match for the large, carnivorous beasts, so spreading out the wheat fields too much could be a problem.

　There is no gunpowder in this world. The only way to fight flying beasts like flying dragons is with magic, stone throwers, crossbows and bows. This is probably the biggest difference between this world and Satoru's original medieval world. It's not that they don't exist, but they are not so obvious because of the existence of magic.

　Their thirteen-day journey was coming to an end. They crossed the mountain range, admiring the peaceful scenery. Once they crossed this mountain range, they would be in the thirteen city-states where the city of Ares is located.

　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

「Oh, so that's the city of Ares. ...... Oi, it's huge!」

「It's my first time seeing it too~」

　The sight he saw from the top of the mountain was breathtaking.

　The vast plain spreading out from the edge of the mountain was filled with buildings. It was basically flat, but there was a small hill in the middle with a large castle on it and a shimmering white tower on its side. Satoru shuddered a little at the sight of such a huge city, incomparable to Galhassan.

　With such a huge city, it would be bad to show the flying dragon Minerva. He immediately "Mimicry" Minerva at a spot slightly off the road where he can still get a good view of the city of Ares.

　Leia even came out of Satoru's shadow and looked at the cityscape.　

「I am.........Hmm, had not been here in a hundred years.」

「Hee~, Leia has been here before .......」

　Rico looked impatient, wondering if she had touched on something dangerous, but Leia nodded very lightly.

「Hmm. Yes. The city was not that big back then, but the whiteness of the chalk towers of the Academy of the Wise and the immensity and grandeur of the royal castle of Strahltron are still the same.」

　They walked down the rather steep slope and shared a stagecoach that passed by on the way.

　The entry tax was 3s per person, and the duration of stay was 7 days, but if you wanted to stay longer than that, you had to go to the city office and apply for a place to stay. This is a city with a lot of people coming and going, so the income they get from this is probably not unreasonable.

　According to Rico, it's easier to apply for a place in another country if you have proof of address. But unfortunately, none of the members of this group had such a certificate. Satoru, who is from another world, Leia, who was human over 200 years ago, Minerva, who is just a "Mimic" of a flying dragon, and Riko, who has a criminal record. Well, that wasn't a big problem, since they had no intention of staying in this city for long.

　According to the receptionist, the population here is about 700,000. It is indeed one of the largest cities in the world. However, because the flow of people is so large, the government doesn't have a full grasp of the situation, and there is no shortage of illegal exiles who enter the country without passing through customs and obtaining proof of stay.

　If you are found by the government without a residence permit, you will become a slave. It's tough, Satoru thought, but the country wouldn't be able to survive without it. He heard that there are people who try to steal residence permits from travelers.

　So, he was reminded not to go wandering into the slums. Especially Rico and Minerva. Satoru is a big, stern guy, so they probably thought he wouldn't be much of a problem if he went there alone.

　Minerva is a beauty, but Rico is also very pretty. Her healthy, pale brown skin is somewhat rare in this part of the world, but the men who look back at her are jealous of Satoru for having two beautiful women with him. Leia, though hidden in the shadows, is also a first-rate beauty, and it makes Satoru feel proud. Fortunately, no one was reckless enough to try to mess with Satoru, who carried a large sword on his back to match his large frame.

　The city was busy and bustling with people. It was the first time he saw proper elves and dwarves. Surely there were aquatic tribes here as well, but as expected, you can't see them unless you're near water.

　Quietly, Rico indicated the sign and made sure that the competitors would not try to trick them. Walking around the food stall zone made him hungry, but Satoru said once and for all.

「Lodging over food」

　It was a line from a TV show he saw sometime ago. It was something he remembered, but he guessed its importance is the same in his original world as it is in this world.

「That's a good idea. First, let's find a place to stay. Minerva, make sure you hold on to Satoru's arm, okay?」

「Yep.」

　Minerva is firmly clinging to Satoru's left arm. Satoru is quite tall in this world, but Minerva is quite tall, even taking into account that she is a woman. Her breasts are the largest in comparison. To the casual observer, they look like a perfect couple, a tall man and a tall woman.

　They decided to stay at the Grey Raven Pavilion, a large, mid-range inn on the main street. The security and the robustness of the building are the main selling points of this inn, and this time they are staying in a room for four. The rooms themselves were smaller than those in the town of Reyeld, but the price was slightly higher. As he expected from a big city, lodgings are generally expensive. However, this place is also carefully cleaned, and there are toilets, albeit boton-type.

　Unfortunately, there is no bath. He heard that there are public bathhouses in the areas where the wealthy live, but they are expensive and ordinary citizens do not have access to them. The custom of taking a bath is incomparable to that of modern Japan.

　He put his luggage in his room and took a sigh of relief.

「For now, I'll just gather some information and do some shopping. I'm sure there are clothes that fit Satoru and Minerva in this town.」

「Sorry, I'll leave it to you.」

　Rico winked and slapped herself on the chest.

「Leave it to me. With this group, I'm the only one who can do it. It's just ......」

　She cut off her words once and apologized.

「The academy is a bit tough. It would be best if Leia could come out.」

「It's impossible, of course.」

　Rico can read, but she is not well educated, and the highest school of this world, the Academy of the Wise, is too high. It is even more out of the question for Leia, the Immortal King, who is abhorred by all who live, to show herself in front of the general public. Rico nodded.

「Right. Then I'll have to go with Satoru and have him look at it with shared senses.」

　Satoru scratched his head. He hesitated, wondering if he should go to such a place, where he was so far out of his field. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of intellectuals with big heads.

　The sound of a cute little belch sounded. The person who made the sound was Minerva. Satoru laughed at Minerva's embarrassed smile.

「Do you want to go to a food stall?」

「Yup!」

「Rico, you can spend at least one gold too.」

「...... I don't spend that much」

　Rico muttered in exasperation. Perhaps it was because of her upbringing, but she had a strong sense of economics. For Satoru, who still doesn't understand the economic standards of this world, Rico's presence is a great help.

　Leia asked for some scraps of hemp or cotton. When asked what it was for, she replied that it was for her Lord's impurity, which made Rico even more dumbfounded. Only a person of noble birth would use a scrap of hemp or cotton for a toilet. However, Satoru could not compromise on this point. As a person who has lived in modern Japan, not having toilet paper is a matter of life and death. Incidentally, Rico usually uses hay or straw.

　After seeing Rico off, Satoru accompanied Minerva (and Leia in the shadows) to a square not far from the inn. It was indeed one of the best cities in the world. The streets were cobblestone, and the city seemed to have water and sewage systems in place. The markets and stalls were full of life, and the people passing by had a variety of hair and skin colors.

　Wanting something sweet, Satoru wandered around the stalls, but there was no sweet made with fresh cream or custard cream that he was looking for. I guess they are not that developed in this world - I am disappointed.

　The most advanced and popular sweetmeat! He was delighted to buy a sponge cake because it was advertised as a "Cutting-edge popular sweet!" Of course, it was his favorite, but it was not enough for his craving for fresh cream-based sweets. A quick look at the product shows that candy and fruit in syrup are heavily used as sweeteners. It's not like that, it's not like that, he shouted with his soul, but there was nothing he could do. But he can't remember the recipe, even if he wanted to make it himself.

　Minerva was happy to eat a skewer of meat. Satoru bought a lot of sponge cake, sugar, and milk. He was determined to make his own sponge cake, even if it was a rough one.

　And....

「Brother, you have a nice girl.」

　When they entered the alley and bought some milk, he got tangled up with three men who looked stupid. They were one head smaller than Satoru, but they were probably the biggest men in the world. All of them were wearing shabby leather armor and had daggers on their hips.

「You were carrying such heavy-looking swords on their backs. Are you sure you can swing that?」

「.........」

　Minerva clutched at Satoru's left arm. Minerva's soft, full breasts flexed against Satoru's arm, and the men who saw them jeered. Enjoying the softness of Minerva's breasts to his heart's content, Satoru ignored them and continued on his way.

　But one of the three men blocked his way, and Satoru clicked his tongue.

「Oi, don't ignore us!」

　I don't want to cause a scene, but if I'm involved, that's a different story. With his right hand, Satoru unsealed the "Giant Killer" on his back.

「Minerva, stay back」

　Pushing Minerva aside, Satoru lightly swung the Giant Slayer around. The big sword, which looks too heavy, *swoosh*, *woosh*! He swung it with a light sound.

　The three men gasped. Even if that big sword was a wooden sword, none of the men would be able to wield it, considering its size. That's how big it is. If it was a light metal like the legendary orichalcone - or even if it was - it wouldn't be able to be wielded that easily. And if it really is an orichalcone, it means that there is a monster in front of them that can carry such a dangerous item.

　A man who has power to carry Orichalcone and wield it with ease--who could take on such a monster!

　A voice unexpectedly called out from behind the reluctant men.

「What are you doing there?」

　A young woman's voice - the men who turned around were even more surprised. A young woman in white sheet metal armor with gold trim was there - what was the meaning of that metal armor?

「Oh shit, it's the academy's patrol!」

「Run!」

　The men took advantage of the situation and ran away. They needed a chance to get away, and the patrolwoman who showed up was just the thing.

　When the men were gone, Minerva clung to Satoru's left arm again. Her expression didn't change at all. She didn't think that Satoru would be able to handle that kind of thug.

　The woman who had approached him sheathed the long sword she had drawn. Her flaxen hair and strong-willed face were quite beautiful. She was probably about the same age as Satoru.

「I'm sorry. Looks like they've been taken care of.」

　As a courtesy, Satoru called out to her. If they were men of that caliber, he would have just waved the Giant Killer around and let it slide, but the fact is that it saved him a lot of unnecessary trouble.

「No. It seems that you were just caught in the middle, and considering your physical strength, it was useless. But still, you're amazing.」

　She brushed back her shoulder-length wavy hair and looked at Satoru curiously.

「What?」

　Satoru, who had never done anything that could be called amazing, made a dumb sound. The woman giggle and gave a small laugh.

「Because you able to wield that big sword effortlessly with one hand. Is it made of orichalcon by any chance?」

「Ah, no. ......」

　He remembered now that Leia had told him that this big sword was not something that could be wielded with one hand. It seems that she had been seen around the time he was performing to scatter the men. In addition, he found out that orichalcone, a legendary metal, apparently does exist in this world - but I'm pretty sure that's not the case with the Giant Killer.

「Do you mind if I take a look?」

　Satoru hesitated for a moment, then reversed the handle and held it out to the woman. The woman who had helped him out of his predicament seemed to be a warrior. It seemed strange that he should hesitate to show his sword to her after being rescued.

　She probably didn't feel that it was too heavy for Satoru, who handled it so lightly. The woman also tried to hold it with one hand, but it was too heavy and she dropped it. Finally, she lifted it with both hands.

「Ooff ......, it's so heavy. I don't think I could wield it with one hand.」

　As the woman looked at the sword curiously, Satoru silently gave a small shrug. It would be foolish to be modest, and it would be awkward to be probed. Even so, the fact that she could hold it with both hands was a big deal. The woman returned the sword to Satoru and held out her right hand.

「My name is Sheryl Maylander. I'm on patrol at the Academy of the Wise. What's your name?」

「Ah, it's Satoru. No last name. I'm just an adventurer.」

　He held his hand back, showing her his residency card. Sheryl's hand has a feminine softness, but it also has a hard callus that shows that she lives by her sword.

「The young lady over there is」

「Minerva. Danna-sama familiar.」

「Familiar?」

　A glint flickered in Sheryl's eyes.

　Unlike when he was facing the men just now, he seemed to be intimidated by Sheryl's gaze, and the strength of her clinging strengthened.

「Wait, Minerva.」

「Then, pet?」

「Wha!」

　Sheryl shows a surprised face. Needless to say, it would be bad to call a beautiful woman like Minerva a pet. Good grief, what the hell kind of demon is that?――No, it's not wrong to call him a demon. Satoru was disheartened.

「That's even more wrong. ....... It's fine to call you "Important Friends". ......」

「Then that's it.」

　Sheryl giggled at Minerva's carefree smile, which she thought was hilarious. She must have been amused by the exchange between Satoru and Minerva.

「Fufu, you guys are interesting. If you need anything, you can ask me. I'll be at the Academy most of the time. Where are you guys staying?」

「The Grey Raven Pavilion.」

　Sheryl racked her memory and nodded.

「That place huh. Then, if there is another chance...」

　She left the place with a smile on her face.

　After Sheryl was out of sight, Satoru sighed loudly. He patted Minerva's head as she looked up at him worriedly.

「Phew. I think I managed to cover it up.」

『No, I'm not sure about that.』

　A thoughtful voice echoed in his mind. It was Leia, who had been silent throughout the trouble.

『The patrols of the Academy of the Wise have a secret art. I believe it's a way to perform "Soul Search" without the use of measuring beads.』

「What did you say?」

　She was a beautiful woman, but she certainly had an air of caution about her. She seemed to be searching for him. That's why Satoru had only dealt with her minimally.

　Leia didn't call out to him because she thought that if she spoke out from the shadows, she might get ripped off, but she still knew that Sheryl had used the art without chanting. There are not many arts that can be used completely without chanting in that situation, without a soul on board.

『My Lord's soul is so huge that even if she were doing "Soul Search", she would only feel it as if her senses were going crazy, but if she doing it to Minerva, she would see that Minerwa was a "Mimicry" flying dragon.』

　"Fuhh," came a sigh from the shadows.

『This could get a little messy.』

　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

　She waved to them as she walked away, and the moment they were out of sight. Sheryl broke out in a cold sweat, dropped to her knees and exhaled roughly.

「*pant*, *pant*, *pant*......」

　It was dangerous - Her instincts were telling her that, if they had gotten into a fight, she wouldn't have survived.

　She tried her best not to let the chill show.

「The "Mimicry" of the flying dragon girl, who speaks human language - and」

　That guy. Satoru, is it? As a warrior, he was full of flaws. He didn't look like he could make it as an adventurer. And yet, he was able to wield with one hand a huge sword that even I, a woman with considerable physical strength, could barely hold with both hands.

　She was also overwhelmed by the immensity of his soul, which she hadn't been able to see clearly in her "Covert Soul Search". This was Sheryl's first experience.

　Once, she had met one of the five dragons, the Water Dragon [Suirei]. To tell the truth, the sword she holds is also a magical sword given to her by Suirei. The first time she met Suirei, she was intimidated, but this shock was even greater than that.

「Who are you ......」

　It's not a story she can keep to herself. But it's also not something she can talk about easily.

　Send a pursuer――No, that would be dangerous. What if they find out?

「No, ...... I can use "Detection".」

　The greatsword that the man was holding was supposed to be the Giant Killer that the ancient hero Broads used to wield. The markings on the hilt were familiar to her. A sword with such a distinctive design is not often seen and must have been preserved in literature. It was possible to use it as a landmark for "Detection". And if she combine it with "Distant Vision", she can monitor them.

　But who should I tell?

　Sheryl thought about it. She pondered for quite a while, and then clenched her teeth in determination.

「...... I have no choice.」

　Sheryl got ready and started running lightly.

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