Volume 6 Chapter 52 Back To Valley Of Trials
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”I’m back again,” I said quietly.
”Yeah… anyway, first, you should get some good rest. You look terrible,” Uno replied softly.
I lay down on the hay bed the spirits had prepared, and for some reason, tears welled up in my eyes. Uno gently wrapped her arms around me and settled beside me.
There was nothing intimate or improper—just the simple comfort of being together. That alone felt healing.
Suddenly jumping into something like lovers reunited after a long absence would be overwhelming. But just lying side by side gave a sweet, bittersweet thrill. It was fresh and oddly comforting.
Dragons and spirits are almost immortal, living in a different flow of time than humans. Maybe that’s why we can connect without hidden intentions.
To them, I might seem like a pet—but in a good way. For a child, a pet can be family, sometimes more important than neighbors. Our relationship felt just like that.
To me, they were wives, friends, teachers, and lovers. They weren’t human, but what else could I ask for?
Uno’s nest felt like time had stopped, just as it was before. Though in reality, time here flowed incredibly fast. Being in this place with its strange time flow let me view my past actions with an unusual clarity.
What was I so anxious about? There’s only so much one person can do, yet I had been struggling desperately… trying to accomplish something impossible.
Even if an ant gained a cheat ability to work a thousand times faster, it could only move a bucket of dirt at best. It might be a hero among ants, but compared to a human toddler, it was nothing. Thinking that way, everything suddenly felt empty.
But then I thought—an ordinary ant without cheats can sometimes cause a small hole that collapses a massive dam.
So… does that mean luck matters more than effort or skill?
Well, I did get a +1 luck bonus from my summoning cheat. My fortune should have improved at least a little.
Maybe becoming a king was a mistake. Should I just abandon my territory and run away? Give it to Shea-Shea? Or share it with Sar-Sar and Mr. Donovan—they might manage better than I ever did.
I’m sure Uno and the others would accept me, even if I fled in disgrace.
That thought felt like a weight lifted from my shoulders. For the first time in a while, I felt refreshed.
As I drifted into a deep sleep, the fleeting idea that death might be a relief crossed my mind and then faded away.
Tokugawa Ieyasu said life is about continuing to walk while carrying a heavy burden.
Wait—wasn’t that Nobunaga? Nobunaga is the one who kills Hototogisu, right? No, the correct answer is Ieyasu…
* * *
”Phew, I slept well. Thanks to that, my head and body feel refreshed,” I said, stretching.
Sleep deprivation really was terrible. When my head got tired, my thoughts slowed and became clumsy. I had to be careful not to overwork myself or risk making poor judgments.
When my mind was sharp, nothing seemed impossible. Whether facing Totoana or the Larse Empire, all I had to do was unleash long-range firepower.
The Duke Mineley Territory was a natural fortress. Moving a large army here was pointless and only strained logistics. Even a superpower couldn’t afford to ignore supply costs.
They might send an army the size of Gorigan’s before.
The problem was that you couldn’t gain land by defending. That meant I’d struggle to reward the soldiers fighting for me. It was like the Kamakura shogunate, which repelled the Mongols but then collapsed financially.
That was where Tizzy came in. Compensation through indemnities, ransoms, and confiscated equipment might help. If we captured a major noble like Baron Gorigan again, a ransom could turn a profit. But for mercenaries and regular soldiers, whose ransoms were trivial, enslaving them might be more profitable.
During the fight with Gorigan, we had almost run out of crossbow bolts. This time, we’d prepare plenty by learning from that mistake.
No matter how many arrows you had, it was never enough in war. Even small skirmishes could burn through thousands of arrows in an instant, causing supply teams to scream.
An arrow barrier could nullify projectiles, but bows and arrows remained essential. Keeping such a barrier constantly active would be a huge burden on the spellcasters.
The Larse Empire gathered good intelligence, so they’d probably try countermeasures against the Indra Gun as well. Would they bring many spellcasters capable of creating arrow barriers? Covering a long column of troops moving through narrow mountain paths was tough. Maintaining that barrier constantly would require dozens of spellcasters rotating shifts. Even a superpower couldn’t manage that.
Or maybe they’d ignore the damage from the Indra Gun and choose forced marches. The Indra Gun could kill instantly if it hit, but its accuracy was low.
Unlike last time, I planned to prepare a massive number of crossbow bolts and fire all day without hesitation. The low accuracy could be offset by sheer volume.
It would cause mass casualties, but I had made my decision. I could only hope the enemy would be surprised by the unexpected losses and give up early.
Only I would operate the Indra Gun, but firing at full power would consume tens of thousands of bolts each day.
I didn’t know how long the war would last, but simple math said I needed about ten thousand bolts per day.
Even though supplies stored in my magic bag wouldn’t spoil, just preparing that many bolts would take a lot of time and money.
War was a curse because it cost money no matter what. Even if you survived, defeat could bankrupt you.
From a lord’s point of view, finances were often more worrying than the lives of the subjects. Perspective changed everything. It was a terrifying truth.
If I could strengthen the military at minimal cost, that alone would give me an advantage. The war began before the fighting did.
Since I could make weapons myself, I had the upper hand here.
I brought plenty of iron materials. In Uno’s nest, where time flowed differently, there was enough time to process them.
Would making about a hundred thousand bolts be enough? It was endless work, but if I treated it like training, it wasn’t pointless.
If I shot that many, the Indra Gun itself might break down, so I’d need spares. I had a sample and had learned all the necessary techniques to make the Indra Gun. Given enough time, I could build one from scratch.
Whether it turned out a degraded copy or even better than the original, there was much to gain from imitation. It was tough work, but I was determined to do my best.
Borrowing space from Uno, I set up a temporary weapons factory. I took some flat armor plates from what looked like spaceship wreckage and lined them up as worktables. The over-technology artifact Uno picked up somewhere long ago is almost indestructible. It doesn’t bend or crack under heat or impact, making it perfect for a workbench. I want to take a piece home as an anvil. Even a small one would be invaluable.
Using the magic bag, this is basically a one-man assembly line—a one-man factory. Just being able to store melted iron as it is a major advantage. Since I don’t have to melt it every time, my work efficiency skyrockets.
I imagine the mold in midair and pour the molten iron in. This time, the goal is mass production, so I cast dozens of crossbow bolts at once. The key is arranging the runners evenly so the molten iron flows smoothly into every bolt. The runners are like the sprues in plastic models. Since iron can be melted and reused, the runners don’t go to waste either.
The hardest part is waiting for the iron to solidify. If I fail here, cracks or shrinkage can form during cooling. The cooling speed is important too. Ideally, I’d float the bolts in midair and cool them slowly while watching carefully, but mass production doesn’t allow that. Once the bolts are solid enough, I throw the mold onto the workbench and leave it. Dropping it hard breaks the runners, releasing the bolts cleanly. It’s dangerous because hot iron shards scatter everywhere. I should add partitions around the workbench.
Crossbow bolts are simple iron projectiles, so even if their quality isn’t perfect, it’s fine. War is about numbers—quantity over quality. Bolts sold at weapon shops are usually warped anyway. Casting fits mass production well, so many craftsmen produce cheap items in large amounts. Because of this, in this world, cast items are often thought inferior to forged ones. But casting has its own difficulties, just like forging does. Neither is easier; both require skill. I want to master both.
Uno and the others watch with interest. The pouring process is oddly entertaining—kind of like watching takoyaki or taiyaki being made. They sometimes offer spontaneous advice or try to help. It can be annoying, but sometimes their amateur perspective is useful.
”You’re making so many. The goal is to kill a lot of enemies—feels like facing a Demon King, huh?” Uno suddenly said. In this world, war against a demon king is said to be utterly ruthless. “Isn’t it better not to kill, after all?”
”Well, whether it’s a duel or exterminating harmful beasts, it depends on the situation, right?” I replied.
The dragon’s theory is too abstract to understand fully, but it has some persuasive strength. In a duel, you face your opponent straightforwardly and determinedly; even if you lose, you earn respect. I’ve never exterminated harmful beasts myself, but when it comes to flies, mosquitoes, or cockroaches, I don’t hold back.
Here, the enemy seems to want to exterminate us.
”The difference in strength is just too big. I don’t think it’s a fair duel,” Uno said. “Usually, war is more even. When there’s no chance of winning, people stop fighting, right?”
That sounds rational, but knowing Tizzy’s personality, he’d fight to the death rather than accept an unreasonable threat.
”Even if chances are slim, it doesn’t mean you’ll lose. The Duke Mineley Territory’s terrain heavily favors defenders. Even a small force can gain overwhelming advantage. Desperate mice can bite cats.”
”If a cat gets beaten by a mouse, everyone mocks it. Vassal states once suppressed by strength will refuse to obey the Empire. Totoana is struggling now. Yet, why is the Larse Empire doing the same? Could their aim be Schulz’s fool?”
I’ve been worried about Schulz too. In this world, dragon materials are far more valuable than minerals. Ancient dragons might be stronger than demon kings, but a superpower could potentially defeat one. Sometimes, taking high risks leads to high rewards.
”Schulz, I wonder if he’s alright?”
”I like you because you’re kind enough to worry about such an idiot. Schulz holds grudges forever. If you anger him, it won’t be a joke. He’ll spend decades, even centuries, to take thorough revenge. The human empire will probably fall easily.”
Uno made a disgusted face. Did something happen in the past? Given Schulz’s personality, he definitely seems like the type to repay a hundredfold in a naive way.
”According to the information Yakou obtained, the target isn’t Schulz but the mine.”
”According to my information, the Larse Empire is hiring a large number of summoned heroes. You know more about how they’ll act, don’t you?”
Huh? I didn’t know that! Yakou said they were just mercenaries. Well, summoned hero mercenaries aren’t surprising, but a large number? A hero army? That’s the worst.
That’s information I didn’t want to know. It would have been bad if I fought without knowing.
Even the weakest summoned heroes have combat strength greater than mine. Plus, they have cheat skills to some extent. If they have modern knowledge, they might quickly see through my long-range shooting.
”At this point, it might be wiser to surrender without fighting.”
”Oh? Are you running away?”
I don’t think I can win against a summoned hero with cheat skills. But running away would be cowardly. I was trying to win with cheats myself. Only fighting opponents I can win against would definitely be cowardly.
But this isn’t a sport. It’s war. Even if I’m called a coward, I shouldn’t engage in a losing battle.
Would Uno lose patience with someone like me? But I was originally timid and a coward. Trying to act cool now might only make me look worse.
”Ah, are you retreating…? Not surrendering, but a strategic withdrawal, huh?” Uno said, her eyes sharp. “You can strike back with a scorched earth tactic.”
”A scorched earth tactic?” I repeated, the idea sparking in my mind.
The people of Russia, who once faced Napoleon’s invasion, burned their supplies before fleeing, leaving nothing for the enemy. Even the great Napoleon was stunned by that defeat. It showed me that even a genius can be beaten with the right timing and strategy, talent isn’t everything.
Running away isn’t the hard part. It’s about leading Tizzy’s followers out quickly. I’d talked about moving before with Tizzy—we planned to relocate eventually. Now, we’re just moving that plan up.
Unlike when we moved from Toyata Village, teleporting buildings isn’t an option because the distance is too great. Thankfully, a few prototype apartment complexes are ready, so the people can stay there temporarily.
The Duke’s territory has teleportation gates, and we can carry people inside magic bags. Apparently, there are ways to put creatures in those bags without resistance. I learned one thing from an imitation frog: people don’t resist pleasure—meaning, they don’t resist it.
Ideally, I’d store all the citizens in magic bags, but the problem is low MP. Even a full-powered Chaaji’s Pii-Pii can only carry a few hundred at once. Tizzy’s followers probably number in the hundreds, but not thousands.
We have good options, but we’re missing one key move.
”In that case, there’s a way. Once mana runs out, just summon the Pixies again,” I said.
”But even if you re-summon Pii-Pii, the depleted MP shouldn’t recover, right?” Uno asked.
”There’s a loophole,” I replied. “When Pii-Pii isn’t summoned, it’s in the Spirit Realm of the Elemental Plane. Spirits can freely travel between Uno’s nest and the Elemental Plane. With a dragon like Uno, replenishing Pii-Pii’s mana is easy.”
”Isn’t that a summoning contract problem? If the summoner doesn’t pay the proper price, something could go wrong. I can’t let you take penalties. Even a rebel has pride,” she warned.
”It’s fine. I tested it—it’s definitely a loophole,” I assured her.
That loophole is basically a trick relying on cooperation. I heard rumors about a summoner hero with near-infinite MP cheats, but similar methods can work here.
Pixies have a short cooldown to re-summon because of their race. That’s an advantage we can use.
”Too amazing. From now on, should I call you Pii-Pii-sama?” I teased with a grin.
Until now, Pii-Pii’s MP was more than I could ever spend. This cheat inflation just won’t stop.
War consumes unimaginable resources.
If MP isn’t an issue, the obstacles for the escape plan almost vanish. I can store all the Duke’s subjects in the magic bags.
Not just that—I can even take their houses with us. While we’re at it, we’ll gather minerals from the mines too. It’d be a shame to leave them for the invaders.
Of course, deep veins are too hard to reach, but shallow ones—currently being mined—can be fully extracted.
If the mines run at a loss, the Larse Empire’s bigwigs will be losing their minds. Serves them right.
Planning a win without fighting has eased my mind. Still, I’ll make about ten thousand crossbow bolts. You never know what might happen—it’s better to be prepared.
No matter how many years pass in Uno’s nest, only a few hours go by in the outside world. When time is tight, that space is priceless.
I keep casting repeatedly, feeling like an industrial robot.
By the time I reach ten thousand bolts, the defect rate has dropped a lot. I set aside the few thousand defective ones to melt down and reuse. They might come in handy.
Even repetitive work counts as training. As I continue, I can feel my casting skills improving fast. Real professionals do this every day for years, but I’m still just a rookie.
”Here, this,” Uno said, handing me a wooden stick after I finished tidying the workshop. A rolling pin? No, it can’t be.
”Is this a staff? Like the ones magicians use?” I asked.
Among magic wands, there are long rods and small finger wands. A staff is somewhere in between. I sometimes see cheap ones at antique shops in the royal capital.
”It’s a weapon magicians use too. You can use it,” Uno said.
For magicians, staffs amplify magic but are rarely used in direct combat. Priests do the hitting—they use maces.
”True, even though Pii-Pii supplies steady mana, maybe a staff is better,” I admitted.
The staff helps conserve MP, boosts strength, and assists mana control. Since I’m not a magic user, mastering it will be hard, but giving up is not an option.
With effort and creativity, something can be done. That’s probably Uno’s point.
”What are you saying? It’s training to fight with a staff, Escalion. Now that you’re a disciple of a good master, you should do combat training properly,” Uno said.
Ah, I learned some staff techniques from Mr. Escalion before. He said they could apply to spear fighting too.
The stick I used when I took down Agito seemed pretty good for training.
This staff is too short to be a polearm, so handling feels different. The closest weapon is probably a club.
Clubs can be wielded well just by swinging—so maybe it’s easy even for a non-combatant like me. Wait, wasn’t there something called police baton techniques in Japan?
Any weapon mastered well becomes a martial art. Maybe Uno wants to teach me that.
”Well then, shall we begin?” she asked.
Uno grinned slyly, and just like that, the hellish training resumed.
No… I know she’s not doing this just to bully me. She’s trying to build my confidence. She’s not the type to go out of her way to torment someone under the excuse of training.
At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. But still—if she keeps poking at me nonstop like this, can’t I complain just a little?
Sometimes I can’t help but wonder… Does she actually hate me? Is she doing this on purpose?
We’ve done this kind of training before. Back then, I was actually cut. So in comparison, this is definitely milder. But even so, being jabbed over and over with a stick hurts. If I drop my guard even slightly, it could be fatal. Still, as long as it’s not instant death, I’ll recover eventually.
I’ve been avoiding direct fights with other summoned Heroes. There are a lot of reasons, but in the end, I just don’t want to engage in battles I know I’ll lose—especially if they’re fights to the death.
Ideally, I’d like to avoid fighting entirely. But refusing the option to fight from the very beginning… that’s not right either.
In this upcoming war, I’ve already decided to run away from the Heroes with everything I have. But for now, I’ll set that thought aside.
Maybe if I empty my mind, something new will become clear.
I try to move my body with a blank mind, but thoughts still surface one after another. Are jobs, skills, and levels truly unbeatable walls? My attacks can’t even scratch high-level combat classes. But levels and armor classes—aren’t those just advantages handed down by the system?
The strength granted by cheats is an illusion. That’s why it’s fragile.
That fragility—it’s inside me, too. Overcoming it will be my first goal.
If I can conquer myself, then maybe… maybe I can overcome even the other summoned Heroes.
Of course, the other Heroes are probably training as well. If I ever fight them, I might lose in the end.
What a coward I am. No matter how I try to justify it, the truth is that I’m still afraid of fighting. And because I’m scared, I keep pushing myself through this relentless training.
I guess… this is just a form of escape, isn’t it?
If I can use Exceneca’s Water of Life properly, I’ll be able to keep recovering without rest. My level hasn’t increased, but my heart and lungs are becoming stronger—balanced and sharpened through effort.
Is this a strength that goes beyond human limits? Or am I just testing how far a human can go?
Now that I think of it, Mr. Escalion once said that strength should be like a perfect sphere.
I didn’t fully understand what he meant by that, but it must’ve been an abstract metaphor. He also said the strength gained from leveling up often ends up twisted.
For mastering martial arts, levels might actually be an obstacle.
Maybe that’s why I stopped leveling up—because I didn’t want my growth to become distorted. At the time, it made perfect sense to me.
Distortion… I don’t know if it’s the same thing Mr. Escalion meant, but lately, I’ve started seeing something like it—something that resembles a fracture in mana.
It’s a mana-related weakness, isn’t it?
My own distortion feels dangerously exposed. It looks like a wide-open target.
On the other hand, Uno’s aura is nearly flawless. She’s like a pearl—smooth, seamless, with no visible cracks.
If I targeted someone’s distortion with mana, like pricking a balloon with a needle… they might burst instantly.
Just imagining that made my chest tighten with fear.
”You’ve started to notice,” Uno said, her eyes narrowing slightly. “Maybe having a master wasn’t such a bad thing. I’ve taken a bit of interest in that man Escalion.”
That old man is definitely no ordinary person. But still… I don’t want to introduce him to Uno. He’s too much of a womanizer. It’s just jealousy—plain and simple.
”I never expected a summoned Hero to carry such a delicate weakness,” she added, sounding genuinely surprised. “It’s a little shocking.”
But it’s not just summoned Heroes. Even the high-level humans of this world must carry distortions of their own.
Strength exchanged for weakness… maybe that’s this world’s way of keeping things fair.
”You get it now, right? There’s no reason to worry about Schulz at all.”
It was presumptuous of me to worry about a dragon in the first place. I’m glad I never brought it up with Schulz himself.
If I can strike at the distortion, then maybe—even against a powerful summoned Hero—I’d have a chance at victory.
But that would mean turning it into a lethal technique. One that guarantees death.
And so… I’ll seal it away. At least for now.
”So,” Uno said, her eyes watching me closely, “how do you plan to fight?”
”I’ll run,” I replied. “With everything I’ve got… and make it look brilliant.”
”That’s fine. You pass.”
Uno’s voice was calm, almost mysterious. It felt like I had just passed a test.
If I had answered that I’d defeat a summoned Hero, would she have struck me down on the spot? It’s a common setup in stories… but surely that wasn’t the case here?
Still, having a trump card—even if sealed—makes a huge difference.
I used to feel inferior about not having a combat job, but now… it feels like that complex is gone. I owe Uno for that.
In one corner of the treasure room, I checked the jars of miso I’d set aside. They were aging well. Somehow, almost a year had passed since this training began.
I prepared miso soup for everyone. Barley miso was fine, but the one made from fava beans had a rich flavor—deep and satisfying.
Once this war ends, I’ll have to expand the fava bean harvest. That’s not a death flag, right? As long as I don’t say it aloud, it’s probably safe.
Still… the miso soup is delicious. Even though the broth was only made from dried shrimp and dried sweetfish, the flavor ran deep. As a Japanese person, just tasting it made the corners of my eyes warm.
Emera and Mistrena seemed bothered by the smell. I wouldn’t force them to drink it, but it still stung a little.
I tried adding some quail meat and reworked the soup into something that resembled either a Japanese-style stew or a Western fusion. The taste felt oddly familiar—like miso ramen broth.
If I had some somen noodles, I could’ve turned it into a proper noodle dish.
The new flavor seemed to reach Emera and the others. Their eyes welled up, almost in tears. I’m not bragging, but I bet my skill played a part in that too.
Maybe this could be a weapon in itself—a way to convert enemy summoned Heroes. Miso soup as a secret weapon… That feels oddly fitting for me.
With war on the horizon, anything could happen. I should prepare all the “weapons” I can think of.
There’s still plenty of material left. The escape operation will be a race against time—a true time attack. Once it starts, there won’t be time to stop and think.
That’s why I’ll do everything I can while I still can. And then, I’ll get plenty of sleep.
Notes:
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• Donovan – Head Priest of the Great Temple. He has a newfound respect for the MC, referring to them as a ‘Saint.’ His actions suggest he is highly organized and influential within his organization.
• Baron Gorigan – A neighboring noble, managing a modest but wealthy mine; involved in recent conflicts and associated with a noble family with historical ties to the royal family.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• Schulz – A male dragon who collects human women and holds the rank of Duke within the Anti-Magic Alliance.
• Yakou – A newly created kunoichi spirit with high specs from Mubiel. She pledges loyalty to the Narrator as her ‘Lord Shogun’ and seeks to punish villains.
• Escalion – Male. An old swordsman who claims to be the ‘true Hero.’ He is Mia’s lover and appears to be a human from the same world. Despite his shabby appearance, he is incredibly strong and has a frightening presence. He dislikes humans and has a complicated history with them, including an experiment involving a fox.
• Agito – A cocky, high-level adventurer who is proud of their status and doesn’t respect those below their level. The one who was defeated by MC with stick.
• Exceneca – Lady Uno’s butler girl
• Mistrena – Wind spirit, wears hotpants and is quiet; mysterious but included among potential wives.
• Emera – Light spirit, small chest, sharp-tongued but earnest; possibly tsundere.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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