Chapter 123 : Into the Forest of Death

TL:SummerPeanut

Thanks for the support, Hadidja and other patrons too.

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14 September 2030, 9.00 am.

“I really wish I could have gone together...”

I said that in the carriage, and while all the Reimei girls except Clarice looked disgusted, Clarice was the only one who didn’t.

“I didn't think it was a gay bar... I assumed it was a brothel... I'm interested in gay bars too so let's go together next time.”

The other female members of the group looked surprised at Clarice's words.

“Clarice... don't you hate it when Mars has a hobby like that?”

Hearing Karen’s words, Clarice replied.

“There's no way Mars would like a guy. I would bet my everything on it. He may be a womanizer beyond help but he's definitely not into the other side. Besides, I've heard that gay bars are fun for us girls to go to so I'd like to go there at least once."

She followed up(I think?) with a laugh. What do you mean beyond help... I’m just normal...

“Well, if that's what... Clarice says, then maybe I should go too...”

Karen said so and we all ended up going next time apparently. I wonder what the people in the gay bar will think when they see four immensely beautiful girls...

Right now we're on our way to the Forest of Death with 20 wagons. We're also guarding a large number of supplies (mainly water).

This time, the guarding is a lot easier because it's all of us Daybreak are moving together. As long as Ellie and I are on guard, we won't be taken from behind. And even if we are approached, Clarice and Ryner will be there. We left Isaac in the morning and arrived in the evening at the place where the Knights of Isaac and the Knights of Arcane Fire were camped.

Recca should still be sleeping so I decided to build a larger house behind the two Knights Orders.

Unfortunately for the knights, I decided to go with a house with more security instead of a tent this time as there were more female members. I tried not to build small rooms and built a living and dining room, two large rooms, four toilets, and six bathtubs.

This house is built with all intents and purposes for a front line. As long as we can prepare food, we can secure water for 10 people from myself and Clarice who have a lot of MP. Anyway, I aim to gain experience in the Forest of Death and improve our overall level. In particular, it is urgent to raise the level of Genesis members. By the way, the status of the three of them is as follows.

Name: Baron Reinhardt

Title: -

Status: Human, Count Reinhardt's apparent heir

Condition: Good.

Age: 10 years old

Level: 24

HP: 53/53

MP: 254/254

Strength: 34

Agility: 32

Magic: 34

Dexterity: 35

Durability: 27

Luck: 1

Special Ability: Swordsmanship (Lv6/B)

Special Ability: Fire Magic (Lv3/D)

Special Ability: Water Magic (Lv2/D)

Special Ability: Earth Magic (Lv5/C)

Special ability: Wind magic (Lv3/D)

Equipment: Gnome Sword

Equipment: Gnome Armor

Name: Dominic August

Title: -

Status: Human race, head of the August Baronet Household

Condition: Good

Age: 10 years old

Level: 22

HP: 50/50

MP: 40/40

Strength: 30

Agility: 32

Magic: 14

Dexterity: 16

Durability: 23

Luck: 5

Special Ability: Swordsmanship (Lv6/C)

Special Ability: Wind Magic (Lv3/E)

Equipment: Sword of Gale

Equipment: Mantle of Evasion

Name: Minerva Xevious

Title: -

Status: Human race, eldest daughter of Viscount Xevious

Condition: Good

Age: 10 years old

Level: 20

HP: 22/22

MP: 182/182

Strength: 9

Agility: 10

Magic: 30

Dexterity: 22

Durability: 8

Luck: 1

Special Ability: Swordsmanship (Lv2/E)

Special Ability: Chains Technique (Lv1/C)

Special Ability: Fire Magic (Lv4/D).

Special Ability: Water Magic (Lv3/D)

Equipment: Staff of Water Spirit

Equipment: Silver Chains

Equipment: Vestments of Magic

Equipment: Magical Boots

Anyway, the problem is that Minerva's means of attack are limited. If she doesn't get Margrave Isaac to teach her how to really use the chains as soon as possible, Minerva will really become just an SM personnel...

However, she is also someone from the Lister Confederacy and her maximum MP is high. Unlike the Balkus Kingdom and the Zarkham Kingdom, the Lister Confederacy often allows children with magical talent revealed during the appraisal ceremony to use their MP to the limit.

However, whether or not the maximum MP goes up just because they use it to the limit depends on the individual. Some, like me, increase every time, while others only get it once every ten times.

Baron is a C-rank adventurer, while Dominic is between C to D-rank. I'm also concerned about Dominic's weak equipment...

Ryner and Bram have not leveled up at all. Ryner has been hunting all over the place for magic beasts with a threat level of D or lower but the reason his level hasn't risen is that he doesn't get experience from threat level D magic beasts, or even if he does, it's very little. Bram's level is already over 50 so there's no way it will go up that much.

I finished building the house and met up with Karen who had already visited the patrolling knights' place. Thinking that we can't just go out and build a house in the middle of nowhere, I asked Karen to obtain permission.

As long as Karen said one word, we would be allowed to do anything is part of the calculation when sending her to request permission. I heard that the Knights of Isaac members are now in the Forest of Death and the Knights of Arcane Fire are resting.

I told her that I would go and give my greetings to Recca later and I went back to my newly built house to deplete my MP before going to bed.

Before I went to bed I told Clarice, Ellie, Misha, and Minerva not to go outside. I can imagine myself wondering how I should react to the girls being frustrated because of how difficult it would be for them to return.

When I woke up three hours later, Misha was sleeping on my right with Ellie on my left. I tried to wake up Ellie and Misha since I wanted all of us to go to Recca's place but Ellie does not wake up easily. At that moment, Misha suddenly says.

“Eririn doesn't wake up at all. She's always like this so should we leave her here?"

“We can't do that... We have to show our face properly at least for the first time.”

When I said so, Misha replied.

“Then the prince's kiss is the answer in this situation.”

Is it a standard cliche in every world for a prince to wake up a beautiful girl with a kiss? I pretended that I had no choice (I was actually happy) and then kissed Ellie.

My kiss woke Ellie up but she clenched her fists and shook them as hard as she could in her sleep. Oh no... Ellie is pissed.

“Sorry! Ellie! Because you didn't wake up no matter what!”

I said hurriedly to Ellie, and when she opened her eyes and recognized me, she opened her fists, put them behind my neck, and hugged me.

“...just now...Mars...?”

“Y,yeah. Good morning Ellie. Misha said it would have to be a prince's kiss to wake up the beautiful girl who wouldn't so I kissed you while acting the prince role. Sorry."

“I'm... glad...do it every day...it's from Mars...so... Clarice won't get angry. I think..."

When Ellie said that, from the door of the room.

“Of course, I'm going to be angry! Just when I thought I suddenly heard a loud voice from the room... don't keep being in heat forever, get dressed and come over here."

Clarice, who was here before I knew it, got angry with me. When she said that, Ellie unties her hand from my neck without any effort. But there is one thing I learned this time. I've learned that if a man attacks Ellie in her sleep, he should be prepared to die. I'll be wary when I wake her up the way I just did...

Since Recca should be awake by now, all members of Daybreak went to Recca's tent. Predictably, all the members of the Knights of Arcane Fire were looking at the Reimei’s girls when going to Recca's tent. After we get to the front of Recca's tent, Karen urges me to greet her.

“Lady Recca. I am Mars from the Lister Imperial School. I have come today with my clan members to go to the Forest of Death with you. There are about ten of us, including myself, may we have your permission to come in?”

The voice “Enter”, came from inside the tent, and when we entered the tent, Recca was surprised to see Karen.

“Lady Karen. Thank you for coming to this place again.”

First, Recca greeted Karen, and next to me.

“Mars, thank you for coming. But what are those beautiful ladies behind you? I can't have a drink with a non-combatant in the room even if Lady Karen requested it."

She asked me to straighten myself. Karen then explained in my stead me.

“These four are all S class first-year. We'll protect ourselves so don't worry.”

Baron followed Karen's words.

“Long time no see. It's been a while, Lady Recca. It is as Karen said, they are strong. Can you understand if I tell you that I'm sixth in the S class’s ranking?"

Recca didn't seem to notice that Baron was there. She had been watching the women the whole time.

“I-isn't this Baron... the hero of the north and undoubtedly with the potential of an A-rank adventurer actually being ranked sixth?”

Recca was surprised. Here, as usual, they introduced themselves one by one.

“Nice to meet you. My name is Clarice Lampard, ranked second. I am Mars's fiancée. I look forward to working with you.”

“Ranked third. I am Ellie Leo of the Golden Lion. I am also Mars's fiancée. Pleased to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you. I am Misha Febrandt, ranked fifth. I am waiting for my turn to be Mars's fiancée. I am an elf."

Misha saying that you are waiting for your turn is... finally Karen opened her mouth.

“Surprising, isn't it? All members of this party of Reimei consist of Mars’s fiancées. The first wife is the ranked second’s Clarice. And I'm not an exception, Mars’s arranged fiancée, you know? To borrow Misha’s words, I am waiting for my turn. I'm ranked fourth. And I believe you know that the ranked third Ellie is the daughter of the former Duke of Syrians, Lord Barnes."

“The Golden Lion is ranked t-third...The level of the first years is really high this time...And Lady Karen is ranked fourth which is something for us to be proud of.....and even more so that all of these beauties are engaged to Mars...Seems like many have high expectations of Mars, isn’t it?... It's extravagant to have Lady Karen as his mistress. What a..."

Well, that's the usual reaction. I'm used to it. This time it's not just Reimei.

“Nice to meet you, Recca-sama. My name is Dominic, ranked seventh. I belong to the same party as Baron, Genesis. I look forward to working with you.”

After Dominic, Minerva followed.

“It's nice to meet you. I am Minerva Xevious, ranked eighth. I am also a member Genesis. I look forward to working with you."

Finally, Ryner added.

“I'm Ryner, S class Martial Arts Instructor at the Lister Imperial School.”

Bram who has been in the same position of down on one knee and lowered head too said his introduction.

“I'm Bram, also in charge of the S class. We have formed a party called Fortitude and have joined the Daybreak clan, of which Lord Mars is the clan master. We look forward to working with you."

These words startled everyone who did not know what was going on. Bram used Lord as my honorific title.

“Ryner... I think I've heard of you somewhere...”

Recca muttered, and Ryner.

“I was notorious as a ‘Sword Hunter’ for more than ten years. But Lord Mars saved me and thus both Bram and I decided to become Lord Mars's swords."

When Ryner also added ‘Lord’ when addressing me, those who didn't know what was going on were surprised again.

“Oh, yes! That ‘Sword hunting’! Rumour has it that you were cursed but were you able to break the curse?”

Towards Recca’s words, Ryner replied “Yes”.

“Hm. This means you are all quite the force to be reckoned with... it looks quite promising. I'm looking forward to working with you from now on."

It seems that a lot of time has passed since then talking about various things, and it was time for the Knights of the Arcane Fire to depart.

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Author’s note:

In fact, this is the first time Minerva's status has been made public.

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