“Waaah.”
After rescuing Eve, Pangrave was literally turned upside down.
It’s no wonder, considering that although it ended in failure, there was an incident where high-ranking elves were nearly wiped out by One Who Devours the Twilight’s terror.
In this day and age, where preparations against One Who Devours the Twilight are assumed to be somewhat established… to have something like this invade so deep into Pangrave is quite rare.
Moreover, the main instigator of this terrorist attempt is none other than the owner of Cradle Association, one of the groups that divides Pangrave’s economy.
If one could casually brush off an incident of this magnitude, they’d likely be either the person who resolved the issue, feeling relieved, or, at the very least, a host who avoided the worst outcome.
For reference, as for both of those roles, I’m currently doing:
“Waaah…!”
I was lying on a hospital bed in the Temple, bound from head to toe. I was in a state where I couldn’t even eat properly without help!
…Well, it’s not like I was kidnapped like Eve.
It’s simply that after engaging in battles that forced me to draw out more power than my limits, my body has been worn out.
So, right now, I’m bandaged up all over and receiving care from Ellie at the Temple.
“Waaah…”
As I let out a big sigh, Ellie frowned deeply and put down the spoon she was holding.
“No, I’m feeding you right now! Stop fussing about and stay still!”
“Haah…Ellie. Don’t you know the difference between the ‘waaah’ from a moment ago and the ‘waaah’ now?”
“A ‘waaah’ is a ‘waaah.’ What’s the difference?”
“Oh my! How can you say that!”
I’m not a real baby—I’m a fully grown adult (mentally). The reason I’m saying ‘waaah’ is simple.
Life is so exhausting and tough that I want to turn my eyes away from that suffering.
I yearn to be freed from the heavy burden of responsibility and go back to the carefree days of childhood…
But no matter how desperately I wish for it, time doesn’t rewind, and I realize that the reality that comes crashing in is just a bit more brutal.
So, just as one becomes honest in front of death, people often regain their purest form in the face of trials that exceed their limits.
A ‘waaah’ is a glorified memory of the past and a means of escaping reality; yet, it is still a struggle to hold on today and move towards tomorrow.
“Do you understand? A ‘waaah’ is something that touches on the brink of despair…”
“Open your mouth.”
“Yes.”
Ellie offered me a spoon. The soup inside slid down my esophagus, warming my entire body.
As that cozy feeling settled, I finally tasted the soup.
Had it simmered for a long time? It was suitably thick and went down easily, and the instant I took a bite, a wonderful aroma of spices filled my nose.
Finally, what touched my teeth were chunks of meat cut into perfect bites.
Perhaps because there was just the right amount of fat mixed in, the tender and delicious meat was nourishing all on its own.
Munch, gulp.
“Ellie, though it’s annoying that you listen to my story with one ear and let it flow out the other… this soup is so good, I’ll let it slide. What in the world did you make it with?”
“Draconic hindquarters.”
“…Isn’t that a Sixth Floor monster?”
“Yup. I bought it at a high price, so don’t complain and chew it all thoroughly.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
No wonder it tasted so good and gave me energy just by eating it. It really was good meat after all.
Nodding, I took another bite from Ellie.
Every time I think about it, Ellie’s cooking skills are remarkable. Sure, it may look inconvenient with just one arm… but I’ll soon rectify that, so it’s fine.
Now that I’ve earned the qualification to go up to the Third Floor, I can find a prosthetic there.
“Ellie, this is just out of curiosity, but…”
“Hm? What is it?”
“If you were to get your arm back, what would you do then? Would you keep running the pub?”
“If I got my arm back? Hmm. I can get a prosthetic now, but I can’t handle it well. If I use it a little roughly, it breaks immediately.”
“Delicate items inherently lack durability, though I’m talking about hypotheticals. Like, what if your arm suddenly regenerates or a prosthetic matching your physique was created?”
“…So, it’s a story about returning to your prime? Well, I wonder what I’d do.”
Ellie thought for a moment, then fed me another spoonful of soup to keep me quiet before continuing.
“I’d probably continue running the pub for a while. Jason just quit his job since he got married, but the others still have debts, and their futures aren’t too bright either.”
“Ah.”
Now that I think about it, Ellie’s pub originally had a bit of an adult service aspect, didn’t it?
Ellie has loosened up the atmosphere quite a bit, and my often thoughtless suggestions of events like bunny and butler costumes made it take on a somewhat healthier vibe over time.
Of course, when I show up, the customers tend to act more politely around Ellie, and the staff really seem to want to work normally too.
Ellie chuckled at my nodding.
“Well, once I’ve sent all the kids off to be independent, I could wander the Labyrinth with someone like Lydia or Benny, along with Jonah.”
“Really?”
“Of course. While the Labyrinth strengthens adventurers quickly, it’s also the place where truly many adventurers die. Unless Jonah decides to stop being an adventurer, I’ll have to stick around. I won’t pretend not to see if you’re embarrassed.”
“Me? Embarrassed by Ellie? Why would that be?”
“If a guardian follows you around like a rookie adventurer, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”
“Why would that be embarrassing…?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
We tilted our heads at each other. But I meant it genuinely. If Ellie is there, I can enter slightly risky places up to the Seventh Floor without hesitation, can’t I?
Amidst us just exchanging looks for a while, the door swung open violently, and Lydia, Benny, Eve, and Karen rushed in all at once.
Lydia, in the lead, put her hands on her waist and thrust her enormous chest forward, saying, “I have arrived.”
“…Lydia. Isn’t that a bit embarrassing?”
“Fufu. I came to see Jonah, and look who’s here!”
Too many obstacles X
Actually, nice to see you O
“Long time no see, Jonah! I’ve come to let you know the situation as this incident is nearing its resolution!”
Somehow, it seems like Karen is the only normal one here.
I shook my head and asked for a moment’s patience from Karen.
“Long time no see, Karen! Oh, I’d love to hear it, but could you wait just a moment?”
“Of course. I can wait here for days if you wish, Jonah!”
“…It won’t take that long, you know? Just a moment is enough!”
With a loud exclamation, I released the power of the fully resurrected goddess statue, which was sure to be plastered in a goofy expression from the inside of my bandages.
Pwaah-!
It must be indoors, but light came down from somewhere, wrapping around me. At the same time, the Divine Power bursting forth from my whole body radiated a pink aura.
The priest in the Temple suggested an extreme treatment of wrapping me up completely in sacred bandages since my body was quite damaged, but… with this level, a single use of the Sanctuary would be enough to heal me.
I had been quietly hospitalized up to this point to somewhat fend off the focused attention of people until this issue was resolved.
After all, the fact that someone has received the World Tree’s power has become known, and now the Guild is pestering me to reveal the summon conditions for the Guardian of the First Floor.
And if they find out I can use the Sanctuary, the Pope will undoubtedly come charging in without hesitation.
Therefore, I had to show just a hint of weakness to hide my full capabilities.
Of course, since everyone here already knows, it’s alright.
“Oops.”
I unraveled the bandages by my own power and straightened up. Now that I look, everyone seems to be gazing at me with curiosity, while Karen was on one knee before me, praying in a devout manner.
…That faith is truly remarkable.
I chuckled and playfully nudged my foot forward as if to convey that it was fine now to stand up, but….
“Thank you.”
“Eh?”
Karen, with great respect, took my foot and kissed it.
The tingling sensation that started where our lips touched turned into a jolt, making me shiver uncontrollably.
…Did I like this kind of thing?
I tried to act as if I were completely oblivious to Eve’s predatory (in reality, lewd) gleam as I spoke naturally.
“So? How did everything wrap up this time?”
“Yes. We’ve secured the route where One Who Devours the Twilight has been hiding, and we’ve captured all the Cradle Association executives following Tuberose.”
“Oh. That’s a relief.”
“Ms. Rosemary took the lead in this whole process; at first, there were many concerns, but since we’ve seen results, the prevailing view is that she’s rather reliable now. Thanks to that, although Cradle Association is shaken, they’ll likely maintain at least a minimal level of credibility.”
“Hmmm. It seems my wallet… I mean, my friend is doing well. How about the Temple and Guild?”
“The Temple is saying it’s absolutely unacceptable for something like this to happen, and there’s talk of uprooting One Who Devours the Twilight. Of course, the radical faction’s claims won’t be fully embraced as always.”
“Still, the atmosphere regarding heresy is unavoidably becoming stricter.”
“Yes. I’ve heard rumors that they’re also recruiting inquisitors for heresy investigations.”
“And besides that?”
“Other than the Pope starting to take an interest in you, Jonah, there’s nothing much else.”
“I’m just asking in case….”
“It should be fine. The Pope only sees you as an excellent adventurer and an elite elf; it seems he doesn’t suspect any connection with the Goddess of Love. At most, he probably views your Divine Power as being notable due to its purity and quantity, thinking you’re just a devout believer.”
“Hmm. He’s made a lot of progress but is still at that level, huh?”
Of course, it’s only natural that the Pope’s Divine Power far exceeds my own. While I’ve gained enough power to reach the level of a five-star ability recently, it’s still limited as a passive, so I can’t quite measure up.
Perhaps it would be just slightly better than an intermediate priest? Of course, it’s phenomenal to possess this level of Divine Power without being a priest but… it’s unlikely to instill any fear in the Pope.
On the other hand, the nature of my Divine Power has completely transformed. Even unleashing the Avatar of Love would require a level of Divine Power close to that of a goddess to radiate a presence like that.
While I was nodding in agreement, Karen continued speaking casually.
“And the Guild has imposed fines on the Cradle Association and mandated audits for five years.”
“…What?”
“Though it’s already dead, the incident was because Tuberose dragged in the people from Cradle Association, so it can’t be helped.”
“……”
Even in death, responsibility doesn’t end. The children or subordinates take it on instead—it’s the common sense of this world.
It still feels strange for me, though.
“And those who attended the banquet are also demanding compensation.”
“…Why would they do that?”
“Didn’t you nearly die?”
“Do they know I’m part of the Cradle Association?”
“They say politics is politics, and capital is capital.”
“…….”
Why aren’t these guys engaging in shady dealings??
With disbelief, I shook my head vigorously before finally speaking up.
“Sigh. So what will happen after settling all of this? Surely Cradle Association will be fine, right?”
“Of course. According to Ms. Rosemary, while we must sort out the branches and Cradle-related stores and businesses, at least the main store should be safe.”
“Phew. Then I can ask for a little financial help…”
“In about 30 years, you should be able to pay off the fines the Guild imposed.”
“Wow.”
So, that was just calculating the compensation amount.
After a moment’s consideration, I glanced over at Eve.
“Eve, is there no way to get around this?”
“Fufu. There’s always a way, isn’t there?”
An implication of “I’m the good idea here” vs. “Rely on me” filled the air as I tilted my head in confusion. Eve snapped her fingers, as though she had a brilliant idea.
“Oh! If you sign this document, you’ll be able to extinguish the urgent fires!”
“…This is a marriage contract!”
In a moment of panic, I glared at Eve, but she merely wore a suspicious smile, looking pleased.
It dawned on me then. While I could be venerated like a king among the elves, I couldn’t freely draw from the national budget like an actual king.
If I wanted to do so, I’d have to marry Eve and gain the legal standing to do so.
“No, my money!!!”
As I tore at my hair in despair, Karen calmly added,
“Well, you’ll still receive ‘thank you’ gifts from high-ranking elves and rewards from the Guild.”
“Phew….”
Had that not been the case, I would have truly turned dark.
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