Volume 6 Chapter 85 Kingdom Of Kauidor
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Somehow, it’s more peaceful and beautiful than I expected,” I murmured, eyes tracing the view.
Surrounded by peaks capped with eternal snow, tiny houses dotted the valley below like little toy cabins scattered in a theme park. It looked like some enchanted village straight out of a fantasy tale.
”It reminds me of home,” I said softly.
”It’s alpine,” Ms. Shirakaba added, her tone light.
Right, both Tizzy and Ms. Shirakaba hail from mountain lands.
”So, what about the building structures? Are they okay?” Ms. Nina’s voice cut through the quiet, practical as always.
I squinted at the cluster from afar. The lower halves looked like they were stacked from heavy stone, solid and sturdy. But the upper parts? Thin wooden boards, fragile like they’d snap in a strong gust.
”It’s not quite the story of the Three Little Pigs, but… the upper floors look like they could be blown away easily,” I guessed.
Tizzy nodded thoughtfully. “If they use this much wood, they must be really old. I bet many of these houses have stood for over a hundred years.”
A hundred years, huh. That made rebuilding a huge pain—getting that much wood around here would be a nightmare. There weren’t many big trees left, probably because of the wall barley spread. Sure, some tried reforestation, but those who didn’t… their laziness is part of this mess. Sin of inaction, right?
Rebuilding these old-style homes? Forget it. Totally impossible.
If we swapped the roofs with corrugated iron sheets, that could work — though it’d ruin the look. We brought some with us, but not nearly enough. Local production? That’s another headache.
”Well, even if the roofs are light and could collapse, it probably won’t hurt people much. As long as there’s no fire, I don’t think anyone will get hurt,” I said, trying to sound reassuring.
Tizzy grinned, eyes gleaming. “Then, on the day the stars fall, let’s hold a stove worship all across the kingdom! No fire, no disasters, right~desuwa?”
I blinked. Stove worship? That sounded… weird.
”Um, isn’t that like a religious ritual? Wouldn’t we need permission? What about the great shrine or the gods? Couldn’t it be problematic?” I asked, cautious.
Tizzy shrugged confidently. “There’s no god who dislikes being worshipped, right? Unless you mess it up, then divine punishment comes down.”
Frapatica’s dark voice added, “If the great spirit of fire watches over it, we’ll be safe~desuwa. Maybe we should offer money and manpower to the great shrine?”
Tizzy kept rolling ahead, unfazed by my hesitation. That kind of guts is something I lack.
”But… don’t we need the king’s permission for this?”
”A mere human king can’t interfere in worshipping the gods,” Frapatica stated flatly.
Ah, of course. The cardinal outranks kings when it comes to divine matters. The king’s power is earthly, while the great shrine controls the gods’ domain. Even the pope, supposedly above cardinals, is just a servant to the gods.
Kings started their bloodlines through divine origins, so they can’t just ignore the gods.
So it looks like we can arrange stove worship directly with the Great Temple. The king will probably support it quietly—especially if we keep our plans with Uno under wraps. Catch them off guard, get closer, and rescue Uno.
Originally, the event happens once a year. It would be a blessing to the king too.
Most countries have stopped lately, since there’s no Stargazer to pick the days. I am a real Stargazer… maybe this is a business opportunity?
”That’s amazing, Tizzy. This one idea could solve everything at once,” I said, impressed.
”Of course~desuwa. Stove worship was made to stop fires,” she replied happily.
I never knew such a tradition existed. Somehow, the fire god seems chill now. To fix even godly problems so easily… maybe Tizzy really is a genius.
Yeah, trying to make plans myself was a mistake. When I can’t handle something, I just leave it to someone who can. That’s how I’ve survived so far.
Even if I’m kinda useless, I’m good at sniffing out talent. No fancy magic, just instincts for survival… okay, maybe that’s still something.
Put the right people in the right spots. I’m like a manager supporting capable folks. So, not totally useless after all?
* * *
”Now that we have a policy, we need a base here. Somewhere close to the Great Temple would be ideal.”
”We could rent a temple with communication facilities, but… are you sure about piling up more debts?” Tizzy’s distrust was clear.
After what happened, I get why she’s suspicious. Sometimes that’s necessary.
”True. The Hero Management Bureau can’t be trusted. The Great Temple is tied up with them too.”
”The Bureau was created to save the world. Of course, some are rotten inside,” Ms. Nina said gently.
”But an organization that can’t cleanse itself is a danger,” Tizzy snapped.
Watching two similar faces argue was like seeing angels and demons clash in a comic.
Tizzy’s points are valid, but aiming for a kind world like Ms. Nina’s idealism is important too.
Reality or ideals? Why not both?
The key is keeping a healthy distance from both the Bureau and the Temple.
They aren’t all bad. Some people inside could be allies. No need to treat them like enemies.
”You’re becoming a politician too. Being vague like that isn’t pretty,” Ms. Shirakaba teased me.
I sighed. So this is political hard work.
I was wrong to think politicians only bow during elections.
”No, most are trash. They justify bad means with good ends. If you want to save the world, you should own it,” she added seriously.
Her words lifted my spirits. I felt more energetic, doubts fading. Alright, I’m decided!
* * *
Are we going to live here? It’s a bit far from the temple, but was the distance really about Alpha distance?
I chose an old stranded riverboat. It’s a two-deck ship with plenty of space.
The international rivers’ ownership is murky, and it’s about 20 meters from shore—perfect to watch for intruders. Close enough to walk to the temple and castle for day trips.
The village that’d get hit hardest is also along the river. This location fits our plan perfectly.
If we stayed in inns, splitting up would be obvious to staff. Plus, more risk of trouble.
It seemed like a good idea, but some women gave cold looks. El, Ms. Claire, and the spirits found it amusing.
Maybe sleeping on a wreck was too wild. But Ms. Shirakaba encouraged me, so I went all in.
”It feels like an adventure. Tom Sawyer would love this,” Ms. Shirakaba said, not exactly thrilled.
Hmmm, maybe I messed up trying too hard.
”It’s so humid, it’s like we’ll get sick──desuwa. Shouldn’t we rest well on a clean bed for important missions?” Tizzy’s blunt opinion seemed to reflect the women’s true thoughts.
Is there still a chance to fix this?
”It’s fine. Leave it to me. I promise a comfy life aboard this wreck,” I said, trying to sound confident.
Even I wouldn’t want to spend nights on a bug-infested ship.
I reinforced the interior with iron pipes for support, cleared scrap, and tidied up. With so many hands, work went smoothly. Clear instructions made a big difference.
We finished by installing prefab units for comfort.
”What’s this? A tiny house on Earth? Lady Nina, did you know about these?”
”No, first time seeing one,” Ms. Nina laughed as Tizzy played princess. It was kinda funny.
While Ms. Shirakaba taught how to use the appliances, we mounted solar panels on the upper deck.
They leak heavy metals if broken but are lifesavers for emergency power in remote areas. I bought a bunch on my uncle’s recommendation.
The air conditioner gobbles power though. To run it all on solar, we’d need many panels.
Though the area is cool and dry, being near water means humidity. I want everyone to use the dehumidifier feature.
If someone can use fire magic, a small steam turbine generator would help. I wanted to ask Salamander, but Frapatica is here instead.
”I don’t get it, but boiling water sounds easy,” she said.
”Don’t melt the boiler! Be gentle, okay?” I warned.
”Leave it to me. Delicate work’s my specialty.”
Really? Well, I think I can handle the boiler myself.
If dwarves saw this, they’d want to dismantle it. I brought a spare turbine section—costly, but worth it.
Perfectly replicating this would be amazing, but craftsmanship alone won’t cut it. We need crafting machines too.
Turbine blades, even ant-sized ones, require crazy precision. We’ll need many identical parts.
I wonder how they’ll approach it? I’m curious.
Once the cleanup is done, I’ll take Ms. Nina to dwarf country.
”Otherworld tech is amazing~desuwa. Electricity is different from magic but maybe even more convenient.”
Tizzy suddenly praised electricity. What earned such respect?
Everyone crowded into a prefab for an anime marathon.
Of course, I brought the shows. But wow, we all got hooked.
Ms. Shirakaba performed live translations, switching voices for all characters. Seven different tones. School plays couldn’t touch her energy.
No, that’s not it.
”Um, everyone, we need to wake early tomorrow. Let’s sleep before dark. First dinner and bath though.”
The bath was just a hot-water shower, custom made for the centaur tribe.
I believed Ms. Claire would return. I wanted to hear how the chase with Ms. Joa ended, but Claire’s eyes shone with fascination instead.
Entertainment is scarce here; no one has immunity. They get completely hooked.
If the marathon lasted all night, I’d have to step in. But Ms. Shirakaba seemed responsible enough. Or maybe she just got tired from performing so passionately.
Everyone returned to their prefabs and switched off the lights. Felt just like a school trip.
* * *
Electricity means late nights are inevitable. Magic light or oil lamps take effort, but electric light? Just a switch.
It’s a tiny difference, but humans avoid even a bit of effort.
Manual cars are dying out for the same reason.
Oh man, I’m turning into my uncle.
* * *
The morning air was crisp, fresh like a clean slate. Stepping onto the upper deck, a thin mist curled over the river’s surface, soft and slow—like the world was still waking up. The solar panels caught the first sun rays, shining proudly despite being on a secret base. Kinda weird to see them out in the open, like they could just blow away with a sudden gust.
Alright, time to pack up. I unplugged the connectors one by one and carefully stuffed everything into the magic bag. If I let Frapatica run the generator, we’d have electricity covered. But honestly? I probably should have just asked Exceneca—the advanced water spirit—to handle the dehumidification from the start. Would’ve saved me some hassle.
”Good morning. A ship’s a nice place, huh?” came a voice shining like the sun itself.
I turned to see Ms. Shirakaba, rocking that sharp male outfit, her whole vibe dashing in the golden light. “Definitely not Tom Sawyer’s world. I’m glad I married you. Looks like I won’t get bored for a lifetime.” She smiled warmly, eyes full of quiet happiness.
”Morning. Your eyes are red—did you pull an all-nighter?” I asked.
”Nope, got four hours of sleep. I just… miss things from over there. Can’t help it.” She sighed, sounding like a kid. I should’ve grabbed the video gear after all.
”…I ran into Blizz while I was there.”
”Oh? Is he doing well?” I asked, surprised she was so normal about it.
”Yeah. I’ve got a video letter for you.” She said, handing me a memory chip.
I held it up. “I need to prepare myself… no, actually, I’ll watch it right now. Don’t wanna start raising any death flags.”
She laughed nervously and dashed back. Death flags, huh? She really cares about that kinda thing. It’s nice—having conversations flow that typically Japanese way. Honestly, marrying Ms. Shirakaba was a win.
Breakfast was a convenience store egg sandwich—simple, nothing fancy. I’d bought a bunch of those famous egg sandwiches to see everyone’s reaction, but they turned out pretty useful as actual food.
”Japanese salarymen are like warriors on the battlefield, huh?” Ms. Nina said, munching normally. “If their food’s this good, their morale must be sky-high.”
That was a weird sight. And then… sweat started dripping from my eyes? Seriously?
El and Ms. Claire were in a silent race to unwrap their sandwiches, taking forever just peeling off the plastic film. Patience isn’t their forte. I couldn’t blame them—I pulled out a giant pot of cream stew, a whole uncut three-pound loaf of bread, and a massive, uncut dashi rolled omelet. Not sandwiches anymore, but hey, survival first.
I’d reserved and bought truckloads of uncut bread, but at this rate, it’d be gone fast. Earth bread was safe for El, who’s allergic to barley walls, so priority to him.
Oh yeah, once things calm down, I need to start trading with Earth too. Uncle must be losing his mind.
I left gold bars with Brother Ichirou-san, so funds were stable—but knowing Uncle, he tends to get into trouble when bored.
* * *
After breakfast, I switched into something plain for today’s reconnaissance mission. Ms. Nina and Tizzy were tagging along, so I had to keep my social etiquette on point. Guards were Ms. Shirakaba and Frapatica—a squad that could probably take on a dragon. Schulz and his kind would be tougher, but thankfully, they’re rare.
The others stayed home, no complaints. Probably another anime binge session. Even if they don’t understand the language, they say it’s fun.
I hoped at least some lookout would happen. With Exceneca with us, it should be fine—water spirits get super powerful around rivers. Challenging an advanced water spirit? Total fool’s errand.
I’d also prepared bows and arrows for Ms. Claire, just in case.
”What about El? Will she fight too?” Ms. Nina asked.
”She’s got her usual axe. No pushing her frontlines—just guarding the ranged fighters. Ms. Ant, who’s a dragon slayer, should give some pointers.”
”The dragon slayer’s super strong.” Ms. Ant blushed, puzzled but shining with pride. Strength = greatness, simple as that.
Since five of us were going, I grabbed a smaller rubber boat—not military, more fishing or leisure. I paddled quietly, trying to stay low-key, but even with camouflage, the boat was hard to miss. It was made for six people, but even five felt cramped. Once we landed, I wanted to buy a normal wooden boat from the nearest village.
* * *
When we reached the dock, we quickly realized there was no point buying a boat here. Only rotten, sunken ships cluttered the water, and the pier was in ruins.
”No kids laughing around,” Ms. Nina noted.
”That’s normal for villages, though. The Raia-Raia group’s noisy antics are the exception.”
”Shouldn’t we view things from multiple angles?” I said.
Tizzy and Ms. Nina kept squabbling quietly, minor reasons turning into small clashes. No bad blood, just different values. Ms. Nina didn’t openly dislike anyone, and Tizzy was good at bluffing. Gotta keep an eye on these two.
”They’re wary of outsiders,” I added.
”That’s common in secluded villages~desuwa.” Tizzy shrugged.
The small village church was connected to the Sacred King’s Cardinal by hotline. Religious groups can be scary like that. Today, I just exchanged pleasantries and called it. That person would overthink and investigate anyway—but I was okay with that.
Next was the main target: Uno’s prison castle. From a distance, the mountain castle style was obvious—strong, solid, but water supply looked like a problem.
”If we lay siege with no water, it dries up fast, huh?” I said.
”Yeah, without water, it’s over quick,” Ms. Nina and Tizzy agreed for once.
”Can’t magic make water?” I asked.
”Using precious mana for water in battle? Dumb move.”
”If you’re already losing mana, the castle wins while stocks last.”
Meditation skills don’t work like normal in combat, apparently. Ms. Nina loved history, and Tizzy was a war expert, so they made a good team debating this stuff.
”You two are history buffs, huh?” Ms. Shirakaba smiled.
The tension and despair suddenly melted away.
Even if Uno loosened her guard and helped, she wouldn’t be mad.
Sometimes, gods enjoy a little entertainment. We’d do the whole festival course—no skips. Sorry to the people who’d suffer, but we’d minimize damage. Thinking about it made my chest tighten again.
* * *
The houses started to cluster, then suddenly turned into a proper town. Not huge like the Holy King’s Capital, but more developed than Kasgar. Tizzy looked a little bitter.
”In Japan, local trains stop at every station, like this?” Ms. Shirakaba’s analogy was hard to follow, but I nodded anyway.
Walking through, the royal capital of this small country felt modest but real.
”The castle looks fantasy-like, perfect for a movie set.”
”But isn’t everything CGI nowadays?”
I laughed quietly.
We found an open field with a perfect view of the castle and sat on a rock for lunch. Onigiri and green tea—simple, the best combo.
”Same for me,” Ms. Shirakaba said, choosing green tea with good taste.
Everyone drank through the bitterness.
”The refreshing aftertaste after enduring bitterness—best part~desuwa.”
”I’ll get some premium gyokuro ready later… Who was it?!”
Suddenly, a town girl cornered me from behind.
”Yakou?”
”Once a town girl, another time…”
”Just get to the point.”
”Lady Uno’s imprisoned in the Western Tower’s special room. She was once sealed as a dragon princess, and the triple barrier still holds strong.”
”What kind of barrier?”
Oops, I’d gotten carried away playing the period drama role. Ms. Shirakaba grinned slyly.
”One seals Uno’s power, one’s a physical barrier, and the last is still being investigated.”
”Nice. No matter how strong, once you know the trick, it’s not so scary.”
Yakou got a ninja cosplay set from America as a reward—lots of misunderstandings, but decent quality.
She loved the hamburger and cola. “Cola’s black, is that okay?”
”Coffee jelly and chocolate too,” I said.
Soon, it was a snack party overlooking the castle.
Caught between guilt and a soft, sentimental vibe, my stomach tightened painfully.
Maybe it’d be easier to be a villain who laughs while killing.
But even villains probably have secrets no one knows.
Notes:
• Shirakaba – A paladin who seems to be a skilled fighter. He’s introduced as someone with a strong defense and healing abilities.
• Tizzy – Claims to be Duke’s daughter, a noble with advanced magic skills. MC and Ms. Shirakaba lover.
• 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.
• 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
• Ms. Claire – 22-year-old centaur attendant to Joa, with a chestnut horse body and wavy hair. Level 18 mounted archer. Recently enslaved, retains her own will. Her bow skills are sealed due to subservience. Bought by the protagonist as a companion, alongside Joa
• 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. 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
• Exceneca – Lady Uno’s butler girl
• Ichirou – Male. Saburou’s older brother. He works at a bank and is described as soft-spoken. He is concerned about Saburou’s well-being and is part of the family gathering to celebrate Saburou’s return.
• Schulz – A male dragon who collects human women and holds the rank of Duke within the Anti-Magic Alliance.
• 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
• Raia-Raia – Energetic kid, tailor’s daughter. Calls protagonist ‘Chicken Ham Hero.’
• Kasgar – The capital of Duke Mineley Territory. Located in a mining region, it is known for its acetylene lamps and mica windows. The city is bustling, with taverns and merchants, but it lacks the exotic charm of the royal capital.
• 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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