Volume 7 Chapter 32 The Reason I Can Breathe Easy
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Day two of the trek back. Since it was another day of nothing but travel, I was pretty much bored to tears.
”Hey, Mercedes, you want a treat?”
”I’ll take one! Munch, munch…”
I spent the time feeding Mercedes like a prized pet to kill the boredom. (Seriously, does she even gain weight on these trips?) We saw the occasional goblin, but otherwise, it was a quiet journey. Then again, if a B-Rank adventurer like me started feeling the heat out here, this wouldn’t be much of a public road in the first place. I decided to go mingle with the rest of the group.
”Meta, sorry to keep you waiting. You’re still coming over to my place once we’re back in the Royal Capital tomorrow, right?”
”It’s fine. I’ve got to clear out of my inn, so I’ll be on my own for a little bit, but I’ll get there as soon as I can.”
”In that case, I’ll swing by and pick you up in a while. Lugging all that gear by yourself would be a nightmare.”
”Oh, thank you!” Meta replied, giving me a bright, happy smile.
(I should probably give Gale’s Trio and the girls back home a heads-up while Meta is busy.) I didn’t think they’d be pissed about me bringing home another lover, but I wondered if I’d get an earful for “working too hard” on a business trip. I hadn’t actually touched Meta yet, but I certainly hadn’t held back with Cassandra.
Now that I thought about it, Tomoe mentioned she’d be dropping by soon, so I needed to mention that as well. It’d be a disaster if she showed up while I was out and a fight broke out. She might look harmless, but she was definitely a cut above the rest of my girls in terms of raw power. I also needed to talk to Sylvie about the Great Spirit. She wasn’t the type to pout, but I still had to keep her in a good mood—actually, that went for everyone I’d left high and dry for a week.
I still hadn’t picked up any Spirit Magic. Dealing with the dragon was the priority, so I’d been dumping all my points into the heavy-hitting combat skills instead.
Delia, the spacey tanuki-girl from the Mirage Party, turned out to be an Illusionist just like Camilla. Apparently, it’s a common class for fox and tanuki beastmen. Since we had the time, I figured I’d pick her brain for something Camilla could use.
”Delia, got any pro tips for using illusions in a real fight?”
”Well, let’s see… it depends on the target, I guess. If it’s a pack with a leader, I focus everything on the head honcho. If not, I go for the ones hanging back out of the fray. But… hitting an enemy mid-swing is pretty great too. Being flexible is really the name of the game.”
”Got it. Thanks.”
She had a real breezy way of talking, but her advice was rock-solid. A veteran adventurer through and through. In our battles so far, Camilla usually focused on whoever Liese was currently squaring off with, mostly because we hadn’t run into many organized groups with clear leaders yet.
(Thanks to Camilla’s help, I’ve already got a decent Illusion Resistance.) The skill level wasn’t maxed out yet, but it would get there soon enough. No reason to rush it.
The rest of the Mirage Party consisted of the sullen swordswoman Edda, the alchemist Magda, and the level-headed Kathe. Aside from grabbing lunch, we hadn’t really bonded much. That wasn’t a problem, but since I was bored, I struck up a conversation with Magda.
”Magda, was there something specific you were trying to brew with your alchemy?”
”Well, as an alchemist, the dream is the Elixir of Life. I don’t personally care about living forever, but I bet it’d fetch a king’s ransom. Though… don’t you think a Gender-Swap Potion sounds like a riot?”
(You can make those at Skill Level 8.) Magda would probably get there eventually. I’d never made one because I couldn’t see the point, but maybe it had its uses.
”I guess. But who are you planning to use it on?”
”Edda—”
”You say something? Is this another one of Magda’s fantasies?” Edda cut in.
”Hardly. I was just saying it’d be a hoot to use a Gender-Swap Potion on a gloomy girl-lover like you.”
So, Edda was a lesbian. This party had some serious personality, didn’t it?
”Whaaa?! Edda, you were into that sort of thing?” Delia asked.
”I’ve been workin’ ‘longside ya this whole time, and I never had a lick of a clue!” Kathe added.
”T-That’s not it! Hey, Magda, stop talking out of your ass!”
”Like hell it is. Every night, you—”
”Say one more word and I’ll cut you!”
”Whoa! Watch it, that’s dangerous!”
”Shut up!”
”Knock it off! You’re embarrassin’ us!” Kathe shouted, stepping in to break up the scuffle between Edda and Magda again. I wondered if they were actually friends. (It’s starting to weigh on my mind a little.)
”Hey, Daisuke, she’s lying! Seriously!” Edda insisted.
”Yeah, yeah. Even if it were true, I’m not gonna go around blabbing. As long as you don’t try anything with my girls, I’ve got no beef with you, Edda,” I said.
I’d be in trouble if she tried to recruit Meta into the “Lily” lifestyle, but otherwise, I saw no reason to judge someone’s personal tastes.
The Golden Dragon’s Breath party was down to just Vait and Moritz thanks to the Divine Punishment. Those other four brought it on themselves, but since I’m the one who set the reward in the first place, I felt a little responsible. Plus, Vait was my prospective disciple.
”Vait, things going okay on the road?”
”Yeah, no real issues. Monsters are sparse anyway,” Vait replied.
Since no particularly strong monsters were showing up, they were doing fine even without the other three. Moritz was as unpleasant as ever—practically vibrating with malice—but since just keeping up with the march was a struggle for him, he kept his mouth shut.
”Moritz is being remarkably quiet,” I noted.
”He can’t afford any more Divine Punishment. If that hits him, even a B-Rank adventurer is finished,” Vait said.
Divine Punishment¹ occasionally stacks, dropping your ability scores to a quarter of their original value. No one really knows the exact conditions for the double-up, only that it becomes impossible to remove. And if you hit a double stack, a subjugation squad is dispatched from the temple that issued the Divine Oracle. It’s seen as a direct act of blasphemy. You’re barred from every town, and guards will attack you on sight. A normal Divine Punishment just gets you arrested, but a double stack means they play for keeps. It’s a death sentence.
Lords can’t afford to let double-punished criminals roam free, either. A single stack already proves you’re an enemy of the gods, so a lord ignoring that is seen as complicit. If they’re too lax, the temple staff will pack up and leave en masse. The temples of the Seven Pillar Religion aren’t just churches; they’re the backbone of society—handling healing, orphanages, and disaster warnings. If the temple leaves, the economy grinds to a halt. Apparently, there were even historical events like the “Walk to Canossa”² just to beg the priests to come back.
So, Moritz had to be on his best behavior. Sexual pleasure might be okay after the quest was done, but the ban on retaliating against me had no expiration date. That was the real reason I could finally breathe easy.
”I’m counting on your training once we’re back in the Capital,” Vait said.
”Yeah, I know.”
He actually bowed his head when he asked, so I figured Vait would be alright. Now, I just had to figure out when to start his lessons.
I decided to go talk to Cassandra. She’d been cold to me on the way out, but things had been looking up the last few days.
”The road back is pretty peaceful, huh?”
”Indeed. Maintaining order in this region isn’t the duty of the Royal Knights, but it’s clear the local lord and their order take the job seriously,” Cassandra said.
”Mercedes mentioned that expeditions might be picking up soon. Do you guys not head out often?”
”It’s not that. We just don’t interact much with the orders in this specific area. We usually deploy when requested by lords whose own forces are struggling. My uncle… the current Commander, belongs to the Ability Faction, so most of our requests come from lords in the same camp.”
”Huh. Seems weird for a lord in the Ability Faction to have a weak Knights’ Order, though.”
”It can’t be helped. Just because someone has a combat-focused class doesn’t mean they’ll choose to become a knight.”
We were finally able to have a normal conversation. Maybe it was just because we were talking shop, but even if her tone was a bit stiff, that was just Cassandra.
”The expedition ends tomorrow. This is our last night on the road,” I said.
”…I suppose so.”
There was a slight pause, but she didn’t seem disgusted. Good. Looks like we’ll be able to “get along” just fine.
We reached the town a bit early today. We were scheduled to arrive at the Royal Capital by tomorrow afternoon.
”Daisuke, if you’ve got time to kill, how about a little sparring match?” Captain Emily asked.
”Sure, I don’t mind. A promise is a promise.”
We decided to head out to the plains outside the town. The town had its own local knights, but the Royal Knights didn’t have a garrison here. We probably could’ve borrowed a training ground, but Emily said, “It’s too much trouble, and we don’t owe them a show anyway.” Maybe the local lord was part of the Bloodline Faction.
We split off from the adventurers outside the town. The other knights watched, and Meta came along to cheer me on. Most of the other adventurers had already headed into town. Vait looked like he wanted to watch, but since Moritz couldn’t enter town alone, Vait was stuck babysitting him. We set up a field about three hundred meters from the road.
”Ready?”
”Yeah, whenever you are,” I replied.
We squared off, and I waited for Captain Emily to move. I was using my standard arming sword and shield.
”Hah!”
With a sharp shout, Captain Emily closed the distance with a Flash Move. (Was that Skill Level 7?) Since my life wasn’t on the line, I didn’t bother with Appraisal, but judging by her performance against the Elements, she was a step above Cassandra. Her weapon was a scythe as tall as she was—a proper “romantic” great scythe. They’re notoriously hard to use, but she’d handled it with incredible fluidity during the hunt.
She swung the blade in wide, whistling arcs before suddenly shifting the rhythm into a sharp thrust with the pommel. Definitely Level 7 material. I ducked the wide swings and deflected the thrusts with my shield.
”Impressive,” I noted.
”I knew you were good, but watching you dodge like it’s nothing is a real blow to my ego!” Emily shouted.
Despite her words, she was grinning that wicked smile of hers. She didn’t look discouraged in the slightest.
”Time for my ace in the hole, then!”
”Whoa?!”
A small blade sprouted from the pommel and detached! It was a bizarre, segmented kusarigama. The new small scythe had a blade about thirty centimeters long. She adopted a unique style: the great scythe in her right hand and the small blade in her left. Up until now, the big blade’s swings were easy enough to telegraph, but the small blade was fast and erratic. If I focused too much on the small one, the big scythe would catch me.
(In my previous life, I would’ve been overwhelmed by the weight of a weapon like that, but here, levels solve everything.) Still, it looked like a style specialized for fighting people.
”Aren’t you taking this a bit too seriously? It feels like you’re actually trying to kill me!”
”Well, if we’re doing this, we might as well go all out!”
I parried her strikes at close quarters. (Would it look suspicious if I didn’t let her land a single hit? Probably too late to worry about that now.) I didn’t know the technical weaknesses of her skills, so I relied on pure footwork. I used “Foresight” to slip under a massive swing and circled around to her back.
”Hah!”
”Gah!”
I didn’t want to actually cut her, so I slammed the hilt of my sword into her back and swept her legs. I’d been on the defensive until then, but Emily’s dual-scythe style was incredibly aggressive. The small scythe covered the openings left by the big one, but it couldn’t reach behind her.
”Ouch, ouch… You got me, Daisuke. You’re even stronger than I thought. It’s been a long time since anyone besides the Commander put me on my ass,” Emily said, scrambling back to her feet with a laugh. Yeah, she was definitely a battle junkie.
”You still want more?”
”Of course! We’re just getting started!”
In the end, I had to entertain her until she was satisfied. By the time we finally checked into the inn, it was the usual hour.
”Daisuke, you always look like you’re barely trying, yet your strength makes no sense,” Cassandra said, looking exasperated.
”What’s that supposed to mean?”
It wasn’t like she was actually insulting me, so maybe it was just her way of showing affection. (At least, I hope so.)
—
Summary:
Daisuke travels back toward the Capital, managing his expanding harem and gathering intel from Mirage Party. He learns about the severe consequences of ‘stacking’ Divine Punishments, which effectively excommunicates a person from society. The chapter ends with a high-intensity spar against Captain Emily, showcasing her unique dual-scythe weapon.
—
Trivia:
- Tomoe is significantly stronger than Daisuke’s current lovers despite her appearance.
- Illusionist classes are genetically or culturally predisposed to fox and tanuki beastmen.
- Temples provide essential social services like medicine and disaster prediction, making them politically untouchable.
- The ‘Ability Faction’ focuses on raw strength but still struggles to find recruits for the Knights’ Order
—
Character Insight:
Daisuke is beginning to feel the logistical weight of his multiple relationships and is prioritizing social maintenance alongside his power-leveling.
—
Lore And Worldbuilding Context:
The ‘Walk to Canossa’ reference indicates the author likely enjoys weaving Western historical power struggles into a fantasy lens.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Mercedes – Mercedes (Mel), a brown-haired noblewoman and Home Secretary of Maultasche, is a highly-leveled knight known as the “Disappointing Beauty,” wearing a white frilled gown and traveling as Daisuke’s companion—feeding him intel while snacking enthusiastically. She fears Vice-Captain Cassandra, despises goblins, sees dungeons as divine trials, loves sweets, and seeks a Reincarnator boyfriend; her regal poise clashes with chaotic charm, often breaking walls in exuberance, and she is the devoted mother of Patrizia.
• Meta – Mature, divorced priestess with long blonde hair and a curvy, well‑endowed figure, she glows with a pink aura of gratitude toward Daisuke, her lover and fellow adventurer. Ally of the Mirage party, she fights beside him but is now held hostage by Moritz, yet acts cute and devoted to Daisuke‑sama, planning to move into his house when she returns to the Capital.
• Cassandra – 175 cm tall, short brown hair, muscular frame; stoic Krieger heir, daughter of a Knight‑Class father and Housekeeper mother, once ‘The Ogress’ and Royal Knights VP. B‑Rank defense specialist leading the Third Unit, bound by oath to serve Daisuke as a slave. Cold aura hides trauma from her father, hatred of Otto and traitorous adventurers, and a thawing intimacy with Daisuke.
• Sylvie – Elf, 140 cm, petite loli‑like with pointed ears, long wavy blonde hair and a fairy‑like smile. Usually in a white blouse and embroidered yellow skirt (forest‑scented); for dates she wears a gothic‑lolita dress with lace‑up boots. Top‑ranked Gale adventurer, Daisuke’s spirit‑magic teacher, scout and trap‑expert who drinks MP potions. Motherly, observant, mediator of the household, and older‑sister figure to girls like Camilla. Playful, assertive about her crush on Daisuke, ears twitch with mood, cheerful, recently left her village.
• Tomoe – An Oni known as the ‘Curse-Killing Oni.’ A master of hexes who looks young (loli) but is extremely old and powerful. Has red eyes, white skin, long black hair, and wear Yukata. Holding a fan.
• Camilla – 14-year-old fox-beastkin, ~140 cm, thin and fluffy-tailed—tail thumps when excited, stands rigid when nervous, ears twitch—wears simple accessories, slave ear marked, deeply attached to Daisuke as a father figure, suffers severe separation anxiety, cries when apart, craves his scent and head-pats, seeks approval, socially anxious yet easily pleased, helps with household chores, favored by Rin, rescued from a duel with Gerta, fears abandonment above all.
• Delia – Mirage Party member. Tanuki-girl Beastman and Illusionist.
• Liese – Standing 170 cm, she has grey‑blue hair, thick horns and grey scales on neck and limbs. A Grey Dragonewt spearman, daughter of a Red Dragonewt father and Blue Dragonewt mother, she serves Daisuke as his disciplined, loyal vanguard and first slave. Polite, hardworking, she guides the other girls, her tail thumping to betray emotions.
• Kathe – A human adventurer from the coastal highlands, she sports weather‑worn gear and a distinctive regional accent. Now retired, she returns to her hometown to marry her fiancé and serves as a steadfast Mirage Party member, known for her grounded, earthy demeanor.
• Magda – A Gnome and aspiring Alchemist. Likely a Gnome adventurer; prone to delusions.
• Edda – A swordswoman and ‘closet pervert’ joining the Knights’ Order. Cat-type Beastman and leader of ‘Mirage’.
• Daisuke – Mid-40s Japanese B-Rank adventurer with a youthful face due to the Green God’s blessing, he hides his overwhelming strength while mastering Earth/Wind magic, regeneration, stealth, speed, transformation, Item Box, healing, and unique fire magic—plus the rare Ordeal and Foresight skills. Wields a one-handed sword and buckler, excels as a chef, and quietly dominates the adventuring world. Coordinates teams, mentors Rin and Cassandra—whom he’s romantically pursuing with deep empathy for her trauma—while dating Ines, pursuing Regina and Dietlinde, and managing slaves Ilse, Liese, and Camilla. Leads lake investigations and Royal Knight missions, travels toward the Royal Capital, and is revered as the knight-saver who vowed to protect them all.
• Moritz – Mid‑30s deer‑type beastman, B‑Rank magic swordsman and leader of Golden Dragon’s Breath (formerly Shining Horn). Serves Vait as instructor, guard and sycophantic attendant, proud and resentful. Broke his own horns in a duel with Daisuke, took a hostage, was brutally beaten, and now holds a grudge.
• Vait – Twenty‑year‑old former pseudo‑noble of the Kojimar family, leader of Golden Dragon’s Breath and C‑rank adventurer. He clings to noble pretensions despite his low birth, seeks Daisuke’s mentorship to restore his family’s prestige, and fights “beautifully” with a sword—though he is a Bludgeoneer—driven by entitlement. Recently more level‑headed after sparring with Daisuke.
• Mai – 175 cm tall, toned and athletic, she dons thick chest armor and a single ponytail, giving a slightly masculine look. War Saint Vanguard of the Working Women Party and Leemans member — former gym instructor, adventure lover, brisk speaker — also in the transferee party, recalling martial‑arts tournament knowledge from a past life.
• Emily – Thirty‑year‑old Captain of the Knights’ Order, B‑rank adventurer‑equivalent, sports wavy purple wolf‑cut hair tied back, a powerful aura and wicked older‑sister‑like smile. Married, leads the Third Unit, chaperones a high‑school girl party, teases Daisuke with disciplined charm. Recently recovered from battle, unconscious and being carried by Cassandra, wielding a segmented great scythe.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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