Volume 6 Chapter 84 Dream
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
I was dreaming.
I was in a desperate situation. The mercenaries were pouring in by the dozens. It had been a critical mistake to start off pretending I wouldn’t kill anyone—shouting “No killing!” as if that would scare them off.
Most of them were around level 10, maybe level 15 at best. In a one-on-one fight, I was overwhelmingly stronger. But once they figured out I couldn’t bring myself to kill… they stopped holding back. They dropped all defense and came straight at me.
Mercenaries grow fiercer when they sense an advantage. If I’d just taken out a few at the beginning, they’d have scattered like startled spiders. But now, the tide was against me. Even if I cut some down now, it was already too late.
I’d heard that in large battles, momentum was everything. I get it now. That’s what they meant.
The Antfolk, who I’d relied on to stand with me, were hesitating—just watching from the sidelines. I was fighting for them, but even so…
Those who can’t be clearly labeled as friend or foe are sometimes more dangerous than actual enemies. Well, I suppose it’s natural they’d be cautious.
The idea of not killing was nothing more than a hero’s fantasy—normal people fight with their lives on the line.
I should’ve shown off my Hero strength right from the start, even if it was just a bluff.
* * *
Am I going to die here?
No, this is a dream, right? Yeah. A dream. That’s why none of this makes sense. Everything’s unfolding like some reckless scenario I wrote myself. I wouldn’t act this stupid normally.
But in this world… it’s apparently possible to actually die inside a dream.
A nightmare demon? Some kind of monster like that?
This can’t be real. I finally reunited with Ms. Nina, and I haven’t even had a proper conversation with her yet.
If I’d just stepped up… If I’d just done something… Why didn’t I go talk to her?
Opportunities only come when you reach for them. I know that. I know that, but still…
When I wake up, Ms. Nina should be right nearby.
We’re in the same rubber boat, after all.
Nightmare, stop. Wake up. Please—someone wake me up!
The mercenaries charge me again and again, their chipped, worn-out swords flashing. That’s gotta hurt.
If they were using clean, sharp blades, I’d probably go down faster.
Dream or not, I don’t want to feel pain.
My amateur swordplay, relying only on Hero power, is laughably bad. I can’t keep up with the sheer number of enemies.
To dodge a fatal blow, I sacrifice my dominant arm.
Even knowing it’s only delaying the inevitable, my body moves on its own—driven by the martial arts Uno drilled into me.
It takes everything I have just to survive another second.
My brain is overheating. My muscles are screaming. My lungs are begging for air. My throat feels weird.
Is this really a dream!!
Those hellish seconds drag on forever.
And just as I’m about to burn out completely… a savior appears.
Clad in shining white armor, Ms. Nina boldly steps in front of the mercenaries.
She wields a kite shield and a round shield, one in each hand, blocking every attack with a strange, glowing barrier.
Her defense is bizarre—almost like the laws of physics don’t apply to her.
It reminds me of the golems from the Puppeteer’s tower. Even they took chip damage when hit.
But Ms. Nina? Her invincibility feels… unnatural.
Then Ms. Shirakaba bursts in behind her.
Paladins are known for their toughness, and her level is absurdly high. She’s probably holding back, but even so, she’s pounding them—double, at least. So diligent.
One by one, the mercenaries are taken out.
Their bones crack beneath a spiked mace.
So this is another form of non-lethal fighting.
They writhe on the ground in agony, completely losing the will to fight.
They flee.
Yeah, this is the kind of overwhelming strength you need to be able to mess around.
The Antfolk, who’d been hesitant before, charge all at once.
The tide has turned. We’ve won.
Ah… this dream—
It was another future, a vision from Exceneca.
A glimpse of a parallel world.
Ms. Nina and the others came all the way to save me.
Her entrance was so cool. The timing? Flawless.
But if possible… I wish they’d come a little earlier.
Huh?
Is Ms. Nina sulking because her big moment was stolen?
Sounds silly, but I’ve read enough military history to know even great generals get petty.
Ms. Nina actually has a surprisingly childish side to her.
But… this is all my fault.
I’m sure my delay shifted my luck—my fate.
I had to go back and save the Cyclops village. It couldn’t be helped.
If I explain everything, she’ll understand.
For now… I’ll just keep apologizing.
* * *
I wake up and check my course in a panic.
Good. I was only asleep for a few seconds.
I haven’t strayed off the planned route.
But falling asleep like this is dangerous.
Even though I used the Dragon God’s Herb to recover, the darkness of the river makes me drowsy again.
Am I going to see another future in my dreams?
”Ms. Nina, are you awake?” I ask.
”Yes, I’m awake,” she replies.
I could already feel she was awake by her presence, but hearing her voice still makes me feel better.
”I feel like I might doze off again… could you keep watch next to me?” I ask.
”That’s fine,” she says. “But if you’re tired, shouldn’t we take a break soon?”
”I’m fine… no, you’re right. Let’s take a short break.”
Even night buses have bathroom breaks.
Even if I’m okay, I need to think of everyone else.
I moor the boat on a seemingly safe sandbank.
No signs of large creatures nearby.
One by one, everyone wakes up and gets off.
The starlight is bright enough—no need for lamps.
Even a tiny light could be spotted from far away.
”What? Did we arrive?”
The last one off is a sleepy Tizzy.
”It’s just a short break. You okay? Too dark?” I ask.
”I’m fine. Better not to turn on the lights carelessly,” she says.
If Tizzy says so, then we’re fine.
I set up a camping table on the sand and lay out sandwiches and a pitcher of tea.
”Wow, they’re not convenience store sandwiches? That’s nostalgic. I wonder if there are any rice balls?”
Ms. Shirakaba teases with a smile.
So I add convenience store rice balls and a bunch of soft drinks.
”Whoa, tuna mayo! My soul needed this,” she says.
Yeah. I totally get that.
I stocked up on junk food just for this, so I hope they enjoy it.
While everyone munches happily, I take Ms. Nina aside.
I set up two folding chairs by the riverside, a little distance away.
Ms. Nina senses I have something to say and sits down.
Okay. First hurdle cleared.
The others are being considerate and staying away.
Well, maybe they’re eavesdropping hard, but it’s not like I’m confessing anything embarrassing.
I’ll look Ms. Nina in the eyes and apologize.
In the dark, her powerful gaze won’t overwhelm me.
This isn’t so scary. I can do this. Go for it!
”Um, Ms. Nina, I’m sorry,” I say.
”I’ve told you many times, that’s not something you can just apologize for,” she replies. “Besides, you did it with conviction, didn’t you? Isn’t that so?”
She’s right. I don’t regret going back to save the villagers.
”Yeah. I think I was caught up in the moment. I still don’t know if it was the right choice. But even if I could redo it, I’d probably make the same call.
Still… I feel bad for you, Ms. Nina.”
There’s a lot I should apologize for.
The stuff with Uno, Ms. Shirakaba, Shea-Shea and Sar-Sar.
Also the thing with El.
I might not get found out about Ms. Ant, but I should probably confess anyway.
And I need to explain what happened with Ms. Joa escaping.
Maybe it’s not apologizing—it’s more like reporting everything.
Anyway, I’ll explain it all properly.
And if she scolds me, I’ll apologize then.
”In that case, the first person you should apologize to isn’t me, right?” she says.
True.
I interrupted Ms. Shirakaba’s moment too—and she’s my wife.
I haven’t reported that I married El yet.
I might not have even mentioned Uno and the spirits.
Then there’s Tizzy, Exceneca, Frapatica…
”Um, what should I do!?”
”Calm down,” she says. “It’s not like everyone’s mad. You just need to make all your wives happy. That’s a very difficult thing to do.”
Huh?
That came out of nowhere.
But she’s right.
It’s a topic I can’t run from.
I guess people can call me a cheater all they want.
I have no regrets.
But even in a world where polygamy is accepted,
There are still rules you have to follow.
”I want to make everyone happy, but… I’ve become a bit unsure how to do that, exactly. Please… teach me. I’m begging you,” I said, lowering my head.
Ah—Ms. Nina buried her face in her hands.
I knew how pathetic it sounded. I should be the one solving this on my own.
But no matter how long I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out.
A stubborn heart… is no better than laziness. I should’ve asked Miss Floria from the start.
”I’ve already heard most of the situation from everyone,” Ms. Nina said, straightening up. “That’s why I even worked so hard to become a king. Generally speaking, your thinking isn’t wrong. But when your partner is the Dragon God, there’s no precedent. Well—maybe not none, but…”
I see. She’s right.
First, I have to rescue Uno.
After that, no matter what chaos awaits, I’ll face it head-on with sincerity.
”But… even though I’m grateful everyone’s helping… is it really okay to drag them into danger?”
”Aren’t we all family?” Ms. Nina smiled gently.
Family…
Yeah. That’s right. We’re a family.
”Thanks, Ms. Nina. Once I made up my mind, everything became clear. Let’s share what we know, everyone. It’s time for a strategy meeting.”
I added some sweets to the empty table, and just like that, our strategy session began.
”I’ll go first. I’ve got details about the falling meteorite. Exceneca will cover how Uno was kidnapped.”
”I had no idea Stargazer was so powerful,” I muttered. “But I’ve heard the tale. That legendary strategist who made a star fall on an enemy nation…”
As expected, Stargazer had been steering the meteor’s course for a long time.
Tizzy seemed well-informed.
”It’s not rare for stars to fall,” she said, nodding. “But it’s not something that usually happens during a single human’s lifetime.”
For spirits like Exceneca, time seemed meaningless. Ten years, a hundred, a thousand—it was all the same.
I didn’t fully understand that feeling. But… once time becomes a memory, it really does pass in a blink.
Unfortunately, my sense of history was all mixed up, so I wasn’t much help when it came to timeframes.
But I knew one thing—when a giant meteor falls, it’s serious business.
”Even if it’s the enemy… is it really okay to drop a star on them? The people aren’t the ones at fault, are they?”
Ms. Shirakaba would probably say something like that.
Honestly, I thought the same at first.
”The meteor is set to hit the summit of a high mountain,” Exceneca explained. “Unless you’re a mountaineer, you won’t be caught in the impact. Buildings may collapse from the shockwave, but with evacuation, people will be safe. And as long as fire doesn’t break out, property damage won’t be too bad.”
”Too naive~desuwa,” Tizzy scoffed. “Wouldn’t that just make it a paradise for thieves? Ah, such weak security must be due to the lack of virtue in their rulers. The blame lies with that foolish king, doesn’t it?”
The Kingdom of Kauidor, was it?
Never heard of it.
Geographically, it seemed to be under the Larse Empire. That might get messy if the world’s biggest empire gets involved.
”The first king of Kauidor was the child of a dragon. Each generation of rulers kept their independence through sheer strength. But now, that bloodline has weakened… and they’ve set their eyes on Lady Uno.”
”Huh? So… they didn’t fall in love with Uno?”
”In royal marriages, romance is irrelevant. That’s just how things work in this world~desuwa.”
Ms. Nina nodded at Tizzy’s words.
Standing side by side, they really did look alike.
Given the situation… I had an idea.
What if we offered a young lady from the Kauidor royal family to Schulz?
He’s picky, sure—but there’s got to be at least one cute royal, right?
Maybe someone like Tizzy would do.
No… that might still be asking too much.
”You’ve thought up something clever, haven’t you?” Exceneca said, peering at me.
Wait—hold on.
This plan might backfire badly.
The girls’ approval rating was definitely going to tank.
”He may look like a foolish king,” Exceneca added, “but since we all gathered here guided by Lady Uno’s prophecy, there must be deeper meaning to all this.”
A prophecy about a hero is one thing… but a prophecy about a foolish king?
”Then he must be really foolish. I’m going to deal with that female adventurer who tricked Lady Uno!” Frapatica declared, eyes blazing.
”Those who break trust get what’s coming, even if no one lifts a finger,” Tizzy added. “Rescuing Lady Uno comes first~desuwa.”
”And… what about the enemy’s strength?”
”Yakou is checking on that,” Exceneca replied.
(Yakou, huh… Glad she’s okay. Guess even she couldn’t follow me all the way to Earth.)
”So there’s nothing in this world that can restrain Lady Uno…”
”Huh? Then that means it’s some kind of otherworldly material? Amada, did metals stronger than mithril exist on Earth?”
Mithril on Earth had lost its mana—now it was just silver.
Lighter than normal silver, sure, but probably porous and sponge-like on an atomic level.
This might be a breakthrough regarding the secrets of magical metals.
But right now, that wasn’t important.
”Actually… what I meant was, Lady Uno might be restrained by emotions.”
Ah… I see.
So that female adventurer who took Uno away is the key.
If there were strong emotions between them, Uno might not be able to resist.
She’s surprisingly kindhearted like that.
”If that’s the case… what about that prophecy? Does that mean the whole thing was a bust?”
”It’s all part of it,” Exceneca said calmly. “The prophecy says Sir Saburou will rescue Lady Uno, and everything will go smoothly.”
Huh?
It’s starting to get confusing.
Spirits perceive time like waves, not a stream. Maybe that’s why.
Normally, there’s a cause and an effect, but maybe… it’s more complicated.
”Ah!! Maybe… just maybe, Lady Uno staged the whole thing just so Saburou would treat her like a princess…? Naaah, probably not.”
Frapatica suddenly got excited, face bright.
Well, knowing Uno… that’s not impossible.
If that’s true, then the king and female adventurer are actually the victims.
That would flip the whole story.
”Until we know for sure, let’s not use any excessive force.”
I don’t want to hurt good people over a misunderstanding.
It’s really troubling…
Especially with Frapatica.
Even a basic Fire spirit could burn down a town if angered.
And advanced spirits like her? Their firepower is a different beast.
”Got it. I’ll make sure not to kill anyone.”
Well… with Dragon God’s Herb involved, she’s not totally wrong.
I used to think gods were just self-absorbed jerks… but spirits aren’t that different.
If Uno’s just messing around, I should go ahead and use the Herb without holding back.
”I believe in Lady Uno. I don’t think she’d cause trouble just for fun. But… going along with King Kauidor’s scheme as a way to play around—that’s possible.”
Hmm… Exceneca made a pretty convincing point.
So the kings are the real villains.
And Uno, though she could escape anytime, is just waiting to be rescued…
Is she just being needy?
”Isn’t it also Amada’s fault?” Tizzy asked suddenly. “You only paid attention to Ms. Nina and ignored everyone else. Even the Dragon God must’ve felt lonely, right?”
Huh!?
Why is the wind blowing that way now!?
”Anyway… all of this is still speculation. For now, we should get on site and figure out an evacuation plan.”
The real problem is the building’s structure.
If it doesn’t collapse—or get blown away—then damage could be limited.
Basements are good for hiding, too.
But if it collapses and buries us… that’s no good either.
”How about we threaten them a little?” Frapatica grinned. “They’ve kidnapped the Dragon God, right? We can say we’ll drop a star from the sky as punishment. Not a lie~”
Hmm… I think I’ll wait and see how things look on the ground first.
If this really is Uno’s prank, then half our problems are already solved.
Honestly… maybe I should’ve just stayed at the Cyclops’ gold mine.
There are a lot of problems in this world that can be solved with the power of gold.
Also, I can’t say this out loud… but I think the gods are watching us.
If we don’t put on some kind of show—like gladiators in an arena—they might get bored and do something crazy.
I look at everyone’s face.
It’s fine. With this group, crazy stuff is bound to happen even if we don’t try.
Comedy’s safer than tragedy, anyway.
If it comes to it, I’ll be the clown or whatever.
So please, God—don’t let me lose anyone important.
Let us all make it through this… together.
Notes:
• Ms. Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Nina – Doll Princess (Auroora 217), renamed by the protagonist. Beautiful blonde, ~168 cm, slim waist. Wears adventurer attire. Made from artificial parts and wooden limbs, resembling a princess. Knowledgeable, can read, write, and use basic healing magic. Reliable partner, often saves the protagonist with her skills.
• Shirakaba – A paladin who seems to be a skilled fighter. He’s introduced as someone with a strong defense and healing abilities.
• Exceneca – Lady Uno’s butler girl
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• Shea-Shea – Mauro’s daughter. Hurt by Alexander. Became an eager fiancée after advice from protagonist.
• El – She is a giant woman, appeared as Saburou’s captor, living alone in a large tent, skilled in hunting and cooking, proposes marriage to Saburou.
• Ms. Ant – Level 20 ant soldier, over 2 meters tall in armor. Named by the protagonist due to lack of a previous name. Wields a huge battle axe, large round shield, and throwing axes. Seasoned warrior capable of taking down sub-dragons. Ms. Hóa’s prized secret treasure. Borrowed by the protagonist as a trial during his time in the royal capital
• Ms. Joa – 18-year-old noble centaur with a white horse body and silver hair. Level 15 junior knight. Recently enslaved, retains her own will. Her lance charge skill is sealed due to subservience. Bought by the protagonist as a companion, alongside Claire
• Frapatica – Advanced Fire Spirit, brown skin, fiery red hair, striking red leather bikini armor, youthful beneath a mature appearance, Edo-girl speaking style, kind, offers her name as a sign of trust
• Miss Floria – Elegant, silver-haired noblewoman in her 40s, referred to as an ‘older sister’. Judge of the Supreme Court and Baroness. Former tutor of Princess Auroora. Initially stern but warms up, showing a playful side. Close with Ms. Nina (Princess Auroora’s doll copy), treating her like a sister. Trustworthy and explains legal matters clearly.
• Kauidor – A kingdom, appeared as the main culprit, a target for rescue. A nation with a dragon-blooded royal line, seeking to marry Uno, a potential threat.
• 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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