Chapter 111 Voyage to the Galactic Railway and Imperial Capital Secrets
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The Great Japanese Empire’s capital is Tokyo. The true core of it, though, is the Emperor’s residence: Chiyoda 1-Chome, Chiyoda Ward–Chiyoda Castle, sometimes called Edo Castle.
Because America didn’t manage to steal our air control, Japan was spared the air raids. No bomber planes flew over the former Chiyoda or Kōji-town, so the mainland, except for a few tiny parts, didn’t suffer from firebombing. The Imperial Capital, built up over generations, is now one of the world’s most mysterious cities.
”How did things even get like this? Well, I guess I should try to think positively.”
I’m currently staying in Japan’s capital, the Imperial Capital. It’s in a prime area of Tokyo, a special district just for males. The area is lined with elegant, detached houses, almost like an artist’s studio in the French countryside. Lots of young boys live comfortably here, though everyone’s just renting for a short time.
I stopped reading my diary, planning to think about what happened after we returned to town only later, maybe at dinner.
* * *
Let’s jump ahead a bit. This is half a year after I saw Ichimatsu and his guards reconcile.
Even now, Himawari’s tears of regret, and the struggles and eventual rescue of Ichimatsu and his Imperial Guards, still take up a lot of space in my mind. Sometimes, I feel depressed remembering the sad events, or find myself crying for no reason. When that happens, the people who died in the battle for Isumi town come vividly back to me.
There were bad things and good things. I still don’t have the right answer, but it’s clear that everyone did their best. The short seasons passed quickly, and now the mid-summer heat has broken.
Half a year. It felt long, but it went fast.
The midday heat is starting to fade a little, and this barely thirteen-year-old body is growing taller, like a horsetail plant reaching to escape the radiating heat. But the glare from the ground still won’t let me go.
The house I’m renting feels like a country villa. It has a red roof, white walls, a neat lawn, and European-style garden trees. Since early morning, I’ve heard the sound of cicadas, fizzing like soda pop.
It’s only around five in the morning, but the sun is already shining. A bucket of freshly drawn water hanging from the eaves gleams happily as it catches the morning light.
Looking down into the garden from the second floor, I saw Flatty-chan working under the long awning. Maybe she’s been influenced by the Imperial Capital’s fashion; she was in a rough, white undershirt and pants that looked like a worker’s uniform, giving her a look like a car mechanic.
Everyone from my Imperial Guards and Ichimatsu’s group is doing well. We’ve kept up a loose friendship.
”So hot! Why do I have to sort through cargo this early in the morning? Can’t they get a live-in student to do this?” Flatty-chan grumbled, looking like she’d just dumped a bucket of well water over her head.
Her dark-brown, sweaty shirt was see-through, but it didn’t emphasize the lines of her body clinging to her skin. I felt relieved. My recent laziness meant I could pinch a bit of flab on my own side again.
”Freakin’ hot… Why am I sorting morning cargo? They should’ve hired an apprentice I could boss around.” She was carrying a stack of cans, clattering them with sweat-soaked frustration. She had a towel wrapped around her neck, completely embodying the body of an older sister complaining that no one turned on the air conditioning in the living room after her bath.
”Yeah, yeah, Psionic Power. Ugh, I’m so sick of this. Chores every single day. I should’ve just brought a houseboy I could boss around.” She lazily raised a hand, and the cluttered pile of cans glowed. When the white flicker stopped, the aluminum cans of miso and soy sauce were sealed up cleanly, without a seam. Flatty-chan was the zipper of a world without vacuum-sealing technology. The canned goods she made had triple the shelf life.
Then, Sow-san, looking somewhat sharper, walked over. Her dark blue formal suit looked good on her. That kind of suit, like one you’d wear to a wedding, was the latest trend in the Imperial Capital.
It was a stylish Tokyo retreat, far from Chiba. Only I, my two bodyguards, and Flatty-chan were staying here.
”You! This is no joke!” Sow-san hissed, already in a bad mood this morning. Flatty-chan’s lack of seriousness was unbearable to her, especially when there was no good reason for the apathy.
”The Young Master is in the mansion. What if he sees your pitiful behavior? Imagine if he peered down from the second-floor window. What utter disgrace!” Sow-san chastised.
”I can always give a good excuse and get forgiven. Besides, he’s probably still playing around in his dreams. He’s just a kid, after all.” Flatty-chan retorted.
”Do not use such suggestive phrasing…” Sow-san cautioned.
”Whatever. Seriously, it’s hot. My skin is all sticky. Why don’t someone else go get us some shaved ice from the neighborhood?” Flatty-chan huffed, dropping onto a stack of cans.
”And while you’re at it, run and get some Denki Bran. It’s the popular Asakusa drink, and I wanna try it.”
”You lazy drone! Do not bring shame on us abroad, even in the Imperial Capital. Your constant carelessness is what causes trouble!” Sow-san fumed.
”No way that’s true. Don’t try to connect everything to that,” Flatty-chan argued.
A cool breeze swept past the two of them. It carried away the moisture clinging to the back of Flatty-chan’s hair. But even Sow-san seemed hot, having rolled up the sleeves of her brand-new suit and undershirt.
Flatty-chan’s bossiness had a reason. She’d been like this ever since becoming a Psionic Power user. The trend became even clearer after she was a key player in the Grotesque Valley incident. The fact that my relationship with her looked good to others had given her a sense of unhealthy self-confidence within the Imperial Guards. She acted just like those arrogant Imperial Guards you often see in town.
But it’s natural for a young, ordinary girl to become self-important around others. It’s a shame, though. I wish someone would correct her… but it seems I’ll have to do it myself.
”You’re sloppy. Stand up straight!”
At that moment, a cheerful, tall older sister peeked out from behind a thick pillar on the awning. She was the only one who noticed I was awake and had been waving to me a moment ago. I rested my elbow on the window frame and waved back at the smiling Vocal Slut-san from my second-floor window.
It was a Pekā sort of smile—brighter than the summer dawn. The older sister, who was large in many ways, was also drenched in sweat. Her wet shirt definitely emphasized her body lines, which was very good to look at.
”Flatty, why don’t you try Empire Calisthenics Number One to shake off the summer slump? Moving your body will clear your head!” Vocal Slut-san urged.
”It’s easy for you, you’re too stupid to feel the heat,” Flatty-chan snapped back.
”Why would you say something so mean?!” Vocal Slut-san squeaked.
Perhaps because of the heat exhaustion, Flatty-chan’s words were just a raw insult, without any cleverness. Hearing that, Sow-san’s expression changed.
”My patience has reached its limit. The Young Master may forgive you, but I will not!” Sow-san growled.
”Wait! Ha? You think you can beat Flatty-chan, a Psionic Power user? You’ll get hurt if you misunderstand our old relationship!” Flatty-chan challenged.
Sow-san let out a vein-popping noise and lunged. She swiftly moved behind Flatty-chan, taking her down to the ground.
”You, the most cowardly of the juniors, have certainly become arrogant.” Sow-san intoned.
”Ugh! W-wait, what are you doing? Get off me!” Flatty-chan choked out.
”A Psionic Power user is convenient. Your bones will heal quickly, even if I break them.” Sow-san said, without emotion.
”E-ow, that hurts! Wait, let go! My arm won’t come out! What the heck is this?!” Flatty-chan thrashed, her face bright red. She was finally getting thrashed by Sow-san. Despite being a Psionic Power user, she was expertly pinned in a joint lock and was losing to a normal human.
“Sow-san is strong. Or maybe Flatty-chan is just too easy…”
The scream of regret from Flatty-chan, who had been riding high for a long time since she stopped fearing physical punishment, echoed. Sow-san was even choking her out. Losing to a mere human in hand-to-hand combat—it was an amazing sight.
When she regained consciousness, Flatty-chan apologized to her two colleagues with an embarrassed look. It seemed she was aware of her poor attitude. The two accepted her apology readily.
And so, the three started sorting the cargo again, complaining all the while. They were like three sisters returning home to the countryside. Sow-san used to genuinely despise this kind of playful familiarity, but somehow, a certain bond was forming among the Imperial Guards.
* * *
I ate a light breakfast, applied makeup, and got ready. I’d practiced my makeup, so the result was decent.
First, I stood in front of the mirror and applied a dusting of the non-toxic lead white powder found in the dungeon. Next, I added a tiny bit of red to my cheeks and eyelids, and used eyeshadow to make my eyes look bigger. I then applied a miraculous, colorless cream with a 100% UV-cut rate all over my body. Finally, I rubbed a sachet of fragrant olive cologne on my neck and wrists.
This feeling of being invincible! It’s a natural look that just makes the most of the base materials. I’d been reborn as a free-to-play avatar.
Honestly, makeup is a hassle, but grooming is essential when a man appears in public. It’s an unavoidable obligation for an event. The feeling here is similar to the women in my previous life: it’s not good to stand out with a bare face, regardless of whether you’re naturally good-looking or not.
Those who are truly meticulous will avoid drinking water to prevent makeup from running and will try to suppress sweat. Others, due to their intense focus, might passionately dedicate themselves to maro eyebrows or ohaguro (teeth blackening), especially older males. It’s amazing how serious some people are about fashion.
Downstairs, I heard Vocal Slut-san’s energetic call for me, followed by Sow-san’s scolding.
”Coming! …Has the pickup arrived already?”
I hurried down the stairs. “I’m looking forward to seeing lots of foreigners. I want to see people from all different countries.”
The reason we’re in Tokyo is for foreign travel. We’re supposed to take the cargo that was brought from Kujukuri Town, load it onto a cart that has come to the entrance, and then depart from Yokosuka, sailing across the sea.
My first trip abroad. My first voyage by ship. Stepping outside the mansion, I saw that the cargo sorting and travel bags were ready.
* * *
The biggest world event in the last decade is about to begin. I’m going to observe an overseas festival. It’s not the All-World Handsome Man Contest; that ended two years ago. This is an event deeply connected to Japan, foreign countries, and especially to me.
The Dragon God Extermination Strategy!
── Half a century ago, the world was engulfed in the flames of mystery…!
This great event, the Dragon God Extermination Strategy, dates back to the Second World War. In the late Meiji era, the world truly faced its end times. People fought over a single bag of rice seeds, and death overflowed in the stagnant towns and streets. By the way, this is not an exaggeration. The sky turned red, cities rotted away, and summer was replaced by winter.
A strange small fire that started near the Balkan Peninsula eventually spread worldwide, finally escalating into the second global conflict. The day had finally come when the newest battleships and artillery were inferior to wood and stone possessing supernatural powers. It was the first world war where mystical objects were seriously used in combat. All sorts of countries, big and small, started adopting mystical objects into their armies like an avalanche, and their usefulness was proven.
Mystical objects brought up from the dungeon and Psionic Power gave humanity courage. “Oh, we can crush the enemy’s military strength like ants, according to our estimates. Alright, let’s go kill them.” The sentiment was: “We’ll finally get revenge for our past history!”
The worst part was that everyone was thinking the same thing, spreading hatred across the world that surpassed the Black Death. The Second World War only lasted three months, but nearly half of humanity was wiped out. That period is called the Cold Summer because the stratosphere disappeared from the Earth, and the atmosphere’s temperature dropped.
Warfare using mystery radically changed the Earth’s environment. Most of the world’s cities were destroyed at that time, and infrastructure related to imports and exports was heavily damaged, separating people. Such a massive injury would normally require centuries of healing, but again, it was mystical objects that saved them. They apparently repaired the atmospheric layer using the results of a difficult dungeon final layer breakthrough, achieved at the cost of tremendous sacrifice.
Fifty years or so have passed since the world’s people finally rose from the devastation without electricity, gas, or running water. Humanity is steadily progressing on the path to recovery. That could also be seen as preparation for another conflict, but anyway, the ceremony of regularly defeating the boss of the dungeon’s final layer is a symbol of recovery for all of humanity.
The upcoming Dragon God Extermination Strategy is a commemorative event, a monster-slaying Olympics, meant to recreate the inspiration felt across the world at that time.
* * *
── Now, let’s go back to the current time.
I left Isumi town the day after witnessing Ichimatsu’s reconciliation. The way home felt lonely. It was a cold, bright day. I was afraid of pneumonia and didn’t want to go out in mid-winter, but I was carried in a basket like a treasure, surrounded by piles of warm stones.
So many things happened. Kaede-san and Kiri-san, who died after their misunderstanding with their master. Natsume-san, who was rewarded after losing so much. And Himawari, who is still in a prison cell wishing for her own death. Everything is falling apart in my head.
Ichimatsu’s wish was granted. His Imperial Guards continued to support their master’s pain, no matter how hard it was. Kaede-san didn’t resent anyone, including herself, and accepted her suffering as it was. She never demanded anything from Ichimatsu or me. She just focused on trying to solve the problems caused by men. That was a good thing.
On the other hand, Himawari couldn’t bear the situation and tried to change her master instead. At their core, both undoubtedly wished for their master’s happiness. But I felt that Himawari had a little more self-interest. Both were sincere, but the human attachment to the opposite sex–a kind of sin that isn’t really a sin–was definitely there. Himawari wasn’t as perfectly virtuous as her public stance suggested. Her true desire was to receive affection from a man, and the wish to better the town was just a secondary desire stemming from that. But I couldn’t be so cruel as to blame her for it.
* * *
Then, about a week later…
”It’s no good. I don’t feel like doing anything.”
I was lying flat on my back on the bed in my familiar white room. “I don’t feel like doing anything. I can’t move. Also, my newly grown teeth and my half-healed side are itchy. The damage from Flatty-chan’s punch is still there.”
I’d been like this for a week straight. The war had finally restarted. Yukari-san’s town, that chest-of-drawers monster from the north, was attacking. But I didn’t even have the energy to adjust my pillow. My Imperial Guards scolded me so much that I decided I’ll never get involved in another war, and I’m fine with that.
”Sigh… The sighs won’t stop, even though I know happiness will run away. I wonder if that story is even true?”
I had burnout. Generally, a man’s only job is to lie on his back in bed and count the stains on the ceiling. If he can do at least that, his life is secure, and he is guaranteed a life that’s not too shameful to others.
I used to believe that authorities demanded chastity from men for their own convenience. That sex before adulthood was banned so a future wealthy husband could have the first experience and feel superior. But chastity was a formality wrapping a gentler, true desire: to protect the male heart. Males who are ‘handled’ too early become depressed. Maybe women created these chastity values as a form of self-control.
”Sex makes you sick. Maybe normal men have it tough, too. Having the only job they need to do in life feel like a humiliation.” Not having pride in your work or yourself–that’s a miserable life. Luckily, I was free from the struggles of Ichimatsu and the three nobles of Isumi town.
Lately, these thoughts spin in my head, and I’ve been constantly depressed, jumping awake from nightmares, or remembering someone’s dying face or the feelings of having… done things to living creatures… I haven’t been sleeping well.
Still, the recent Ichimatsu incident saved my mind a little. Slowly, the quiet recuperation, far from the war, is taking effect. In the end, no sadness can beat boredom.
”I’m done. I’ll stop thinking. I’m not a fortune-teller. Doing the right thing can still lead to bad results. I’m just causing worry to others.” All I can do is remember and mourn.
So, to grant the wishes of my Imperial Guards, I’m lounging around in my private room doing nothing. Their wish is for me to live a lazy, self-indulgent life every day. I leave the labor to the Older Sisters who pay me passive income just for sleeping, and I waste time in bed. My dungeon money-making story is already over.
”All that’s left is to quietly wait for adulthood. Anyway, it’s my fault for giving in to sexual desire and curiosity and going to the elementary school in the first place.” The story of throwing the girls into the dungeon and collecting money from them. The End. No, wait, that’s not quite right. It’s the story of getting involved because I couldn’t just leave the girls in the dungeon alone. DanKanoHōMaki (Dungeon Girl Neglect Story). The End.
* * *
I ate a quick lunch, and now it’s afternoon. My ability to think is still at a zombie level.
Maggot-san will come to my room in the evening. I’m bored until she gives her Imperial Guard duties report, so I’m going to organize my current situation as a distraction.
If I’m going to wait for adulthood, I have to keep the secret of my chastity for my marriage. I want to face the women I’ve slept with responsibly, as much as possible. I think people who find this act of ‘organizing female sexual relations’ insincere, even when using the public stance of responsibility, have pure hearts. Basically, this is a plan to make sure the women I’ve been with keep my secret.
”I’ll apologize in advance. Sorry, future husband. But I should be good at acting like a virgin…”
I pulled a set of calligraphy tools from the shelf. I use ink for notes in my private room. It’s too much trouble every time, so I think I’ll buy a fountain pen soon. Apparently, there are writing instruments among the dungeon products that write themselves when you speak, or pens with infinite ink. That sounds like a dream.
”It’s obviously bad if the truth about my non-virginity gets out, but how much should I share? Is it okay if the Imperial Guards know among themselves?”
Actually, only Maggot-san and Trash-san know that I’ve slept with other women. I started writing the names of the people on my mental list onto a sheet of paper.
I covered my face with my hand. Three out of the twelve people are already gone, meaning a quarter are no longer within reach.
”Ugh. When I look at it again, the death rate is horrible…” The brush fell from my fingers.
”…Huh?” I was so surprised my eyes skipped over the names. My hand, having lost its grip, was trembling.
”W-who are these people? Th-there are names on here I don’t recognize!” I’d written them by habit, thinking of other things, but there were three names after Flatty-chan that I’d never seen before. I certainly don’t recall them.
Just in case, I used Psionic Power to bring up the mental list in my head again. “No. It’s not an illusion. The names keep showing up no matter how many times I check. Could I have been slept with in my sleep without knowing? And wait, Adelheid is a foreigner!?” I had absolutely no memory. The mysterious Togo Adelheid, and people named Chizuru and Masami, had slipped into my Psionic Power list. Seriously, who are these people?
As I fumbled around, the doorbell rang at the door to my room. Peeking through the viewer, I saw Maggot-san outside. Unlike me, the mushroom-like person who had been gloomily indoors all day, she was an elegant older sister who smelled of sunshine.
I’d been thinking so much that it was already evening.
”I beg your pardon. I have come to deliver the report on today’s duties.” Maggot-san stated.
”Maggot-san, I have a question. Please come in.” I requested.
”I cannot enter an unmarried male’s private quarters in peacetime. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I would like to deliver the report in the study room as scheduled.” Maggot-san refused.
It’s too late to worry about that now, I thought, but I couldn’t invite Maggot-san in while people were in the hallway during the day.
I reluctantly moved to a nearby room, the one we usually use for Cult Slut-san’s lessons. I impatiently waited for the door to close, then immediately asked her the question.
”Perfect timing. Maggot-san, have you ever given my semen to anyone?”
”I have not.” She declared.
My Psionic Power generally has the same infection route as AIDS. However, I can’t tell anyone that fact, including Maggot-san, because it would expose that I slept with Kaede-san.
After stating her refusal clearly, Maggot-san frowned slightly, giving me a look that asked why I would ask such a thing. I put out an excuse first.
”Ah, uh… there’s no deep meaning to me asking this. I just happened to hear that something like that happens, so I was curious.” I explained.
Semen is the commoners’ savings. Women can store it inside their stomachs. Sharing or reselling it for their livelihood is, in one sense, unavoidable. When I said that, Maggot-san’s expression changed to one of distress.
Is something bad happening? She had a “you finally asked about that…” or “I messed up” kind of look. That was very unusual for Maggot-san.
”Although it is truly a shameful matter…” She murmured.
When I fearfully urged her to continue, Maggot-san taught me about the hidden side of the female-dominated society. Men normally pleasure themselves. When they reach my age, they might be embarrassed and either burn the ejaculate on a brazier after catching it on rice paper or secretly dispose of it using a cloth. These secrets are unspoken but very common.
Apparently, there are sneaky maids who steal gold coins from nobles’ private rooms. For my personal maids, semen is the easiest way to make a little money, as they can collect it while changing the bedsheets.
”I did not expect it to reach Your Young Master’s ears… since the town’s reputation has improved, it may be fetching a price in the farmers’ black market.” Maggot-san admitted. She thought I’d heard about the high price my semen was fetching on the black market from someone else.
”Right, I forgot I was popular in the neighborhood now. And I just carelessly threw it away in the trash, didn’t I? I was too lazy just because someone else cleans up after me.”
”I shall replace all the old women immediately,” Maggot-san stated.
”No, really, don’t worry about it. I only asked just in case. I’ve been too careless, that’s all. Lately, I’ve only grown stronger physically.”
I was being too comfortable in my easy life. If she wasn’t in front of me, Maggot-san would probably be rubbing her temples. The phenomenon of ‘seed-stealing’ was unique to this world.
”I shall question the maids this very evening. I cannot allow such disloyal persons to remain by your side.” Maggot-san declared.
”No, no. Seriously, don’t hunt for the culprit. Please don’t be too mean to the old ladies.” It bothered me to think that people would lose their jobs because of my sloppiness. It seems like a crime of opportunity, so I should be the one taking precautions. I can’t exactly tell people to throw away something that’s valuable to them.
Well, since they’re on my list, I can just fly out later and check. That won’t tell me who the culprit is, but it will tell me the identity of the people who used it.
Maggot-san put away the report documents in silence. She dislikes unnecessary talk. The cool, reception-desk-like intensity from her posture suggested the depth of her lingering anger. She was clearly convinced that I had heard the rumors from someone else.
Despite her expressionless look, Maggot-san is an emotional person deep down.
”Um. Seriously, you don’t have to search for the criminal. Please don’t be too mean to the grandmothers.”
”But if you forgive this once, the maids will make a habit of it.” She pressed.
”I’ll speak to them subtly myself. Besides, I think you’re the most disloyal one, Maggot-san. And me, too.”
”…I understand.” She replied.
A horrible thing to say, but I was glad she agreed. Maggot-san is obsessed with me. Since returning to town, she hasn’t left my side for a moment. She held me for days like a girl who can’t let go of her stuffed animal. We even slept connected at the lower half all night sometimes. This is a complete abuse of her attendant status.
She’s usually so calm but also stubborn. She’s expressionless, but sometimes her eyes get quietly teary, as if she remembered something. Even though I love her, I’m actually a bit tired of seeing her face all the time now.
Conversely, she never gets tired of me and acts normal every day. One day, I asked her if she didn’t get tired of being together so much, and she just silently kissed my forehead and stroked me for a whole day.
It was a little scary. She might have her own darkness, separate from mine. Also, I’ve recently come to understand how truly dangerous Maggot-san is. She’s a fiendish attendant who repeatedly sexually abuses a noble girl. In a normal world, she probably would have been executed five or six times over.
”That concludes the daily report. Next is today’s request list. There have been many invitations to tea parties from males in the neighborhood. They say they want to hear about your valiant efforts in the war.” Maggot-san informed me.
After the regular daily duties, the reports for the nobles are handed over.
”A tea party… I guess I should go, but if you can turn down an invitation, please do. I don’t have the mental space right now.”
”Understood. I shall reply with a refusal, citing your wounds as the reason.” She confirmed.
A gathering of a dozen Ichimatsu-types surrounding me and praising me. The thought alone is terrifying. By the way, he and I have vaguely reconciled and are now exchanging letters. Also, his wife… no, his husband sent me a long letter of thanks that read like a Buddhist chant.
”There is a plea from the South Townspeople to see your safe return. This does not need to be prioritized.” Maggot-san continued.
”I’ll go. I want to offer my condolences to the townspeople who were killed by the fake Trash-san. I also caused them trouble.”
A gathering of dozens of Flatty-chans worried about me. That sounds comforting. I’ll take a break and bask in the attention of ordinary women.
”You have been summoned by the town hall. They wish to confirm several facts regarding the recent events.” She reported.
”I’m not going. I’m injured. Ah… no, wait. I will go after all.”
The third matter is an inquiry. I’ve learned the hard way that stubbornly refusing these things only causes me more pain later. If I had been friendly with the town assembly in the first place, maybe the security in South Town would have been better, and I wouldn’t have been kidnapped. That painful event might never have happened.
”Lastly, Flatty left a message regarding that promise… I did not inquire further, but what promise is she referring to?” Maggot-san asked.
”I am absolutely going to that one.” I decided.
* * *
Good, decision made. I’ll hang out with the townspeople, go to the town hall for the inquiry, and make out with Flatty-chan. Sandwich the troublesome matter with two pleasant ones. That was just a duty-sex that didn’t count, anyway, since she doesn’t remember anything and was about to be mind-raped by Blue Maggot.
Suddenly, my mood lightened. Do all men waiting for a delivery health ¹ service feel this way? I see, men waiting for a delivery service are like maidens in love.
As I was impressed by this useless realization, Maggot-san put away the documents and stated her final, important request for the day.
”Your Young Master. Would you care to travel?”
It was a sudden question. I was surprised and asked her to repeat it.
”A trip? For me?”
”We have been considering a vacation for some time. You have been granted leave from the town due to your recent efforts. The two bodyguards and I shall accompany you and act as your guardians, so we shall take you wherever you wish, be it Guam or Taiwan.” Maggot-san looked at me gently.
”I see, I was granted a long vacation.”
”We wish for you to rest for a while. The Imperial Guards are unanimous in their agreement on this matter.” She assured me.
”Everyone agrees, huh? …I can finally take a breather.”
”Yes… As with the others, there is no greater joy for me than for Your heart to find peace.” Maggot-san confessed.
We both sighed in unison. I was surprised by the sudden offer, and Maggot-san seemed relieved that a burden had finally been lifted.
”Is the money okay? And aren’t I Kujukuri Town’s property?”
It’s a generous move for the town to let a male leave, even for a limited time.
”I apologize for causing you such worry. We have received permission and a consolation payment from the town hall. Please, distance yourself from the fighting.” She urged.
It was an all-expenses-paid trip, a present from the Imperial Guards. This was… well thought out. It seemed their real intention was to tell me to get lost so I wouldn’t do anything extra again.
I see. If I leave town, I won’t be able to do anything for any poor women. By physically separating me from the fields of life and death, I can’t move. This plan is much better than just keeping me under surveillance. I thought it was a sudden proposal, but it was surprisingly well-planned. A brilliant idea to combine wartime evacuation and a pleasure trip. I wonder who thought of it. They’re smart.
Normally, the wartime period is the social season when tea parties for males become most active. There’s a bragging contest in the neighborhood where they compete over whose husband did the most, or which Exploration Squad’s mystical object was most useful in the war. They were giving that up to prioritize my safety. I’m not interested in those gatherings, and I’m fine with it as long as none of the Imperial Guards die in the war. My safety also seems to have pushed my frontline duty even further away.
Well, I can always use my Psionic Power to come back and visit, right?
”I understand. I don’t trust myself much either, and since everyone prepared this trip for me, I want to go.”
”I find your words most humble.” Maggot-san replied, genuinely relieved at my decision not to refuse. She always gives off an affectionate vibe toward me, and she immediately started polling me.
”Do you have a desired location? You are free to travel anywhere within the Empire’s territories.” She asked.
”A place I want to go, huh? Japan is huge, though…”
The Great Japanese Empire’s territory is vast. Even with constant internal conflicts, the central government’s area of control is the third largest in the world. It stretches from Karafuto and the Northern Territories in the north, almost to the Philippine hairpin in the south. In the east, they’ve captured Guam, Saipan, and Iwo Jima, and in the west, they control the Korean Peninsula—the so-called Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Travel within this range doesn’t require a passport, and males, especially, have a complete free pass. Though, a man would be welcome anywhere in the world, even overseas. Normally, a male can even take a sightseeing trip to an enemy nation. Not in the way Himawari did, but in a normal manner.
The inns for nobles are always clean, and the tourist cities are rich with unique features, covered in local mystical objects. Fantastic, magical landscapes spread out everywhere. Honestly, the pleasure of travel is incomparable to my previous life.
”Then, let’s go with the safest destination. Where is a tourist spot where war absolutely won’t happen, and where a male won’t get into trouble?”
A boring criteria, I know.
”In that case, would that not be the Imperial Capital?” Maggot-san suggested.
”Tokyo? I mean, it’s next door to Chiba Prefecture, but…”
”Chiba… Sir?” Maggot-san looked puzzled, as the concept of ‘prefecture’ didn’t seem to exist for her.
Chiba Prefecture, where I live, is adjacent to Tokyo. I’m not very familiar with the geography, so I don’t know exactly how far apart they are, but it can’t be too far.
”It’s next to our warring country, but it’s safe?”
”The Imperial Capital is a special place created for males. It has likely never suffered from war since the Boshin War… over 100 years ago.” She confirmed.
”Over 100 years? That’s quite a long time…”
”Furthermore, many nobles from across the country visit and stay here for sightseeing every year. Guards are posted on every street corner, and there is no better land in the Empire in terms of public safety.” Maggot-san added.
”Ah, lots of other men are traveling there too. Then it should be fine.”
And so, the destination was decided easily, without even having to skim through a travel catalog. I’m scheduled to leave as soon as I finish my errands in town. The sooner, the better, for peace of mind. Of course, the remaining Imperial Guards have no objection, so I’ll be traveling in the Imperial Capital for the next few months, starting next week.
—
Summary:
The Protagonist, exhausted and suffering from emotional burnout after the South Town war, struggles with apathy in his Imperial Capital rental home. Amidst this emotional strain, he discovers a disturbing addition to his psychic list of past partners: three unfamiliar names, hinting at a secret history he can’t recall.
Meanwhile, his Imperial Guards engage in humorous, heat-induced squabbling, and Maggot-san reveals the maids have been secretly selling his semen on the black market. To ensure his rest and keep him safely away from further conflict, the Guards plan a grand, all-expenses-paid trip to the Imperial Capital, a historical safe haven untouched by the great mystical wars.
—
Character Insight:
The Protagonist’s deep-seated trauma and burnout are explored, revealing his self-deprecating humor as a coping mechanism and his surprisingly traditional views on male chastity as a form of emotional self-protection. Maggot-san demonstrates her strategic cunning and possessive loyalty, orchestrating his escape from the war-torn home base, even as she wrestles with her own deep, silent attachment and the embarrassment of his personal affairs being compromised.
—
Behind the Scene:
The chapter sets up the shift in setting from the rural home base to the Imperial Capital (Tokyo), which is a unique, safe zone in this mystical war setting. The plot is moved forward by addressing the Protagonist’s emotional fallout from the previous major conflict while introducing a new, deeply personal mystery with the unexplained names on his list. The upcoming Dragon God Extermination Strategy is established as the major world event that justifies the Protagonist’s presence in the Capital.
—
T/L:”
1 [Delivery Health (デリヘル): A common Japanese term for an escort service/prostitute delivery service. The Protagonist uses this comparison to jokingly equate his own anticipation for time with Flatty-chan to a man waiting for a call-girl. This is a common otaku term that blends English and Japanese. ↩
Notes:
• Chiyo – The squad’s finest scout from Kujukuri Town. Her Manifestation Type psionic power allows her to “hear the density of mystery itself” by singing an old military song, acting as a living sonar. Has curly hair; has a singing voice.
• Ichimatsu – A high-ranking figure associated with the Imperial Guard, mentioned as having spineless guards around him, with no further details provided.
• Himawari – A one-eyed black oni girl/aberration-type psionic; town leader/face; asks for promotion help; apologizes for killings; sets 2‑day deadline.
• Psionic Power – Mental energy concept in Chapter 35’s lecture. Trash-san teaches it to strengthen the protagonist’s mind after dungeon ordeals.
• Kaede – A female psionic explorer known as Necksplitter, is a veteran assassin and messenger of Lord Ichimatsu. Her appearance is both young and old, with gray hair streaked through black and vibrant, unlined skin. She is graceful yet carries the fatigue of a long life in war, resembling an old hunting dog. Her psionic ability is mysterious and potentially dangerous.
• Kiri – A female sniper and member of Kaede-san’s team, white-haired with sleepy eyes, wielding a disguised sniper rifle, known for her quick hands and slow speech, often joking in dire situations.
• Natsume – A female companion and younger sister of Kaede-san, cared for by Kaede-san during their journey through the dangerous valley, at risk of infection from the parasitic creatures.
• Yukari – Dora’s imperial guard, the one who hide in MC’s wardrobe. Twintail.
• Neiko – A Psionic Power user from the Satomi family who previously kidnapped the narrator. Believed dead, she reappears as a seemingly normal townsperson, claiming Himawari ‘wished’ her back to ‘rest.’ She has lost her powers and name but appears content and harmless. Vibe similar to a mysterious, resurrected figure like Yūko Ichihara (xxxHolic), calm and enigmatic.
• Satomi Neiko – Enemy psionic user from Isumi Town. Voluptuous body, fox-like face, shoulder-length black hair. Carries “karakasa” (paper umbrella). Disguised as Trash-san earlier.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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