Volume 10 Chapter 9 Prevention
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
With everything including the punishment truly settled, Randolph slinked away despondently.
From now on, he would likely have a pretty miserable time as an apprentice old man, but he brought it entirely upon himself.
Now that things had finally calmed down, I could at last talk to Dietlinde-san.
Since there was dinner to prepare, I asked Liese and the rest of the First Blood party to head back ahead of us.
”Daisuke-san, thank you so much. If you hadn’t stepped in to save me, I would have undoubtedly been fired and turned into a criminal slave,” Dietlinde said.
”Well, that’s probably true. It was a close call, but I’m just glad I made it in time,” I replied.
”But… why did you go so far to help me?” Dietlinde asked.
”Because I knew for a fact that you didn’t do it, Dietlinde-san,” I said.
”Why? At that point, there was no way to definitively prove my innocence,” Dietlinde countered.
”That just comes down to our everyday relationship of trust. There’s no way a hardworking person like you would ever do something like that, Dietlinde-san. Though, I have to admit, part of why I intervened was because it riled me up to watch those guys get exactly what they wanted,” I explained.
”Even if that were the case, did you really have a reason to go so far as to duel Thomas-san?” Dietlinde inquired.
”That part was unexpected, but the duel was over Henriette-san’s fraud. It really had nothing to do with you, Dietlinde-san,” I answered.
”……”
It was painfully obvious they were trying to frame her.
There wasn’t a hint of a lie in her assertion that she hadn’t done it.
(I can’t exactly tell her how I know that, though.)
”I do not know… how I could ever hope to repay a debt of kindness this grand,” Dietlinde muttered.
”Dietlinde-san, I only did it because I wanted to, so please don’t let it weigh on you,” I said.
Her self-esteem is incredibly low, so she can’t just leave it at a simple, “Thanks for saving me!”
I figured as much, but it’s hard to handle when someone stresses over a favor this much.
”…I have made up my mind. It is a simple method, but I will return the favor in the only way I can manage,” Dietlinde stated.
”I don’t know what you have in mind, but is that so?” I asked.
”Yes. Please give me just a little time,” Dietlinde requested.
”? Sure, go ahead,” I murmured.
I didn’t really understand what she was up to, but she clearly wanted to do something.
She walked over to Roswitha-san, who was currently barking instructions at Randolph, and spoke with her briefly before returning to my side.
”Thank you for waiting. Daisuke-san, I have nothing of value to offer you. Neither wealth nor power,” Dietlinde said.
”You really don’t need to worry about that… If I was able to save you, Dietlinde-san, then that’s more than enough for me,” I insisted.
”I appreciate your kind words, Daisuke-san, but I cannot simply accept my salvation for free. In truth, I have already received far too much from you,” Dietlinde countered.
”That’s not true…” I began.
”Daisuke-san, you possess a sense of common sense that differs from our world, but generally speaking, this is how things are done. Therefore, I will give you the only thing I have left to offer,” Dietlinde declared.
What she was saying made a certain amount of sense in this world.
However, phrases like “the only thing” and “offer” started sounding incredibly ominous.
(Don’t tell me…)
”I, Dietlinde, shall from this moment forth dedicate my body, my mind, and the entirety of my existence to Daisuke-san. I swear this to the gods—”
”Stooop!” I yelled.
”Mph?!” Dietlinde gasped.
That was close!
Just in the nick of time!
Dietlinde-san was about to lock herself into an outrageous Oath!
Because I clamped my hand over her mouth, I managed to cut her off before she could finish the declaration, but an entity worse than a literal slave was dangerously close to being born right then and there.
If she hadn’t given me that dramatic buildup, she might have blurted the whole thing out before I could react.
”Um, sorry about that, it was an absolute emergency,” I apologized.
”……”
”For now, please put that ‘Oath’ on hold. Let’s talk this out first. Alright?” I suggested.
”……”
She gave me a tentative nod, so I finally let her go.
I seriously need to convince her not to make any bizarre life-binding vows.
”When I have nothing else, the only thing I can possibly offer is myself,” Dietlinde whispered.
”It’s not true that you have nothing, you know?” I countered.
”I have nothing but this physical form. You may use me entirely as you see fit, Daisuke-san, and if I ever become a burden, you may discard me without a second thought,” Dietlinde persisted.
”Even an actual slave doesn’t have that kind of extreme relationship. No matter how you look at it, aren’t you taking this way too far?” I argued.
”This incident is just that significant to me. Directly speaking, the Guild Master and the Inquisitor were the ones who exposed their crimes, but the catalyst for everything was undoubtedly you, Daisuke-san,” Dietlinde explained.
”That might be true, but…” I trailed off.
”Please, I beg of you,” Dietlinde pleaded.
She stared directly into my eyes with a gaze that looked almost entirely devoid of emotion.
Yet, deep within those eyes, I could feel an unyielding, unbreakable determination.
”By the way, what were you talking to Roswitha-san about just now?” I asked.
”I went to tender my resignation,” Dietlinde replied.
”Eh?! Why?!” I shouted.
”Since I am dedicating my entire existence to you, I can no longer continue living my life as an employee. They tried to talk me out of it briefly, but in the end, they accepted my departure,” Dietlinde stated.
Talk about a style that completely burns her own bridges.
No, no, you’ve resolved yourself way too much for comfort!
”Since you go out on dates with me, Daisuke-san, I believed this arrangement would make you happy. You already have multiple Intimacies, and based on your conversation with Thomas-san earlier, you possess a highly active libido, correct?” Dietlinde asked.
”Um, about that, well, yeah…” I stammered.
It was a total crisis brought about by my own careless banter with Thomas!
Talk about a massive slip-up!
I want to respect her feelings—or rather, the sheer weight of her resolve—but I absolutely do not want that kind of dynamic with Dietlinde-san.
I have to turn her down… but I need to be incredibly careful with how I phrase it.
”It’s true that I have a strong s*x… cough, I mean, I have many Intimacies, and I’ve been making moves on you because I genuinely wanted you to become one of my Intimacies, Dietlinde-san,” I admitted.
”Then…” Dietlinde began.
”But ‘that’ is completely out of the question. What I want is an lover on equal footing, not an absolutely obedient doll. To be honest, when it comes to women, I don’t even like the idea of holding them as slaves,” I explained.
”Liese-san and the others are technically your slaves, yet you are saying that is against your true wishes?” Dietlinde questioned.
”Right now, I’m keeping them under my protection as slaves strictly to keep them safe, but eventually, once they possess the strength to defend themselves, I intend to free them. I’ve told them that directly, too,” I clarified.
”…Is that so. Then, what am I supposed to do…” Dietlinde murmured.
Dietlinde-san cast her gaze downward, looking completely lost upon learning that making herself a slave wouldn’t actually make me happy.
But what I want from her is incredibly simple.
”I already told you exactly what I want from you, Dietlinde-san,” I repeated.
”…What do you want from me?” Dietlinde asked.
”I want you to become my lover. I want a partner on completely equal footing,” I stated.
”Ah…” Dietlinde gasped.
”However, that shouldn’t happen as a reward or payment for saving you. It has to be based on the premise that you feel it’s okay to become my lover, and that you actually want to be one. If it’s just out of obligation, we can’t really call it an equal relationship, can we?” I reasoned.
”……”
I think her reaction isn’t bad, but she definitely looks like she’s wrestling with the concept.
Still, telling her “it’s no good as a reward” might have been a bit too difficult for her to process right now.
Because it seems she feels such a massive debt of gratitude that she was fully prepared to become an unconditionally submissive servant.
”Would it truly bring you joy if I became your lover, Daisuke-san?” Dietlinde asked.
”Yes, absolutely,” I replied.
”Then my answer is decided. Please allow me to join the lowest ranks of your Intimacies,” Dietlinde requested.
”Uuuum, a phrase that is completely at odds with ‘equal footing’ just got attached to that…” I sighed.
”No matter what, I cannot simply ignore the salvation I received from you, Daisuke-san. I understand it differs slightly from what you desire, but the aspect of wanting to repay your kindness cannot be denied,” Dietlinde insisted.
”Hmm…” I hummed.
It’s right after the incident, so changing her entire mindset overnight is probably asking too much.
As time passes, she’ll get the mental breathing room to process things, and I can only hope we’ll naturally become equals down the line.
For now, she’ll become an lover, and I’ll support her so she can build up her self-confidence little by little.
”…Alright. I can’t completely accept your logic, Dietlinde-san, but I gladly agree to you becoming my lover,” I conceded.
”Thank you very much. I will strive to get even a fraction closer to being on equal footing with you, Daisuke-san, so please accept this arrangement for now,” Dietlinde thanked.
”It’s not really a matter of me granting permission or anything, but okay,” I said.
There isn’t a sweet, romantic, adolescent spark to the conversation at all, but I suppose this distinct pragmatic earnestness is just part of her unique charm.
”Daisuke-san, from this moment on, please call me Dite. Please stop using polite language with me as well,” Dietlinde requested.
”Are you sure about that?” I asked.
”Yes. That is what those who are close to me call me,” Dietlinde confirmed.
”Understood. Then I’d like Dite to do the exact same for me,” I smiled.
”This formal speech is my default state, so please do not pay it any mind,” Dietlinde replied.
Sylvie defaults to polite language too, so I wonder if that’s just a trait of certain people in this world?
Come to think of it, she used polite language even toward her junior colleague, Henriette, and since adventurers are technically customers, she always speaks formally with Liese and the others as well.
”Since we’ve officially become Intimacies, how about we try a light hug?” I suggested.
”Since we are Intimacies… yes, let us do so,” Dietlinde agreed.
”Are you alright with this? If it’s too much pressure, we can always save it for another time,” I offered.
”No, there is no issue. It is merely that, because it is my very first time…” Dietlinde faltered.
A slightly flustered expression crossed her features, making it obvious she was incredibly nervous about her first embrace.
Seeing a genuinely girlish reaction out of her like that brings a wave of relief.
”I’d love it if Dite initiates it eventually, but I’ll hold you first today,” I said.
”No, please allow me to initiate it,” Dietlinde countered.
”Really? If you’re completely fine with it, then go ahead,” I allowed.
”Pardon me. ……” Dietlinde whispered.
Dyeing her porcelain cheeks a brilliant crimson, Dite stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me.
It’s an incredibly rare sight to see her face display her inner emotions so clearly.
Her height is almost exactly the same as mine.
She has a remarkably slender build, but when I pull her close, there is a soft, cloud-like tenderness to her.
Her tightly curled, pure white hair feels incredibly fluffy and woolly against my skin.
The force with which she clings to me is distinctly reserved; considering it’s her first time and given her naturally restrained personality, I can tell this is her absolute best effort.
”How does it feel?” I asked.
”It is warm. Somewhere deep within it, it feels strangely nostalgic…” Dietlinde murmured.
”Oh? Wait, are you crying?” I noticed.
”…I wonder why. I do not understand the reason myself. Even though I do not feel sad, the tears are strangely overflowing. I am sorry… making a face covered in tears will only cause you discomfort, Daisuke-san,” Dietlinde apologized.
Dite shed silent tears while maintaining a completely straight face.
It didn’t look like an overt display of happiness, but she herself couldn’t fully comprehend the complex emotions swirling inside her own heart.
”As long as you aren’t feeling sad, it’s completely fine. You’ll figure out the reason eventually,” I comforted.
”Yes. Um…” Dietlinde began.
”Yeah?” I prompted.
”For just a little longer… please stay like this…” Dietlinde requested.
Saying so, Dite tightened her grip around me just a fraction more.
And I gently squeeze back in response.
A massive amount of chaos happened today, but when all was said and done, Dite was safely rescued, and the people who sought to harm her have been completely removed from the picture.
From this day forward, I will protect and support her as my lover.
===
’Meta Tsedes:’ “I wonder how it would have turned out if that Oath had actually been successfully established?”
’Narrator:’ “Turned out how, exactly?”
’Meta Tsedes:’ “I mean, would she have actually become an irreversible slave?”
’Narrator:’ “She would have, but that is ultimately a trivial matter.”
’Meta Tsedes:’ “Eh? Trivial? What do you mean by that?”
’Narrator:’ “It is merely that the verbal magic of the Oath wasn’t established; Dietlinde’s internal resolve remains completely unchanged, and what she must do moving forward remains largely the same anyway.”
’Meta Tsedes:’ “As expected… the mindset of an absolute fanatic truly operates on a completely different level…”
—
Summary:
Moving beyond the public resolution of the guild conflict, Daisuke engages in a direct emotional dialogue with Dietlinde. She reveals an overwhelming intent to bound herself completely to him in order to repay her debt. The confrontation shifts from a critical magical binding near-miss to a deeply vulnerable physical embrace, leaving her ultimate integration within his party dynamics as an ongoing development
—
Trivia:
- Dietlinde went to hand in her resignation directly to Roswitha-san before initiating her oath declaration
- Sylvie and Henriette are noted as individuals with whom Dietlinde historically or situationally maintains a standard of formal, polite language default
—
Character Insight:
Dietlinde moves from a state of complete self-sacrificial resignation to a state of fragile, uncomprehended vulnerability, shifting her focus from absolute enslavement to pursuing a negotiated status as an equal partner.
—
Glossary:
Notes:
• Randolph – A short, burly bear-type Beastman with a thick fur ruff and blue beard, this middle-aged former Quest Mediation Department Head wears a tailored coat with gold epaulettes. Arrogant and lazy, he was demoted to apprentice for workplace harassment and administrative evasion, often using Intimidation Skills to silence subordinates. Henriette blackmails him and rumors hint they are conspiring to frame Dietlinde.
• Dietlinde – A tall, broad-shouldered sheep beastwoman with curled horns, fair porcelain skin, and straight platinum hair in a severe bun. Stoic and professionally dedicated to her guild duties despite severe workplace isolation, systematic harassment by Randolph, and low self-esteem, she sheds silent tears with a straight face. Cleared of a past forgery frame-up and forgiving of Henriette’s assault, she utilizes Water Magic. She harbors deep gratitude and absolute psychological devotion toward Daisuke-san, secretly loving him for his fatigue magic after he repeatedly rescued her from physical harm and enslavement.
• Liese – Liese, a 170cm grey-scaled dragonewt with silver-blue braided hair, thick horns, and violet eyes, is the Level 21 spear-fighter leading the ‘Lovers’ party. Daughter of red/blue dragonewts and former orphan under Dietlinde, she wears an arcane-stitched cloak and rune circlet. Bonded to Daisuke, she focuses intensely on his fast battles. Ursula encourages her over shared racial hardships. Disciplined yet proud, her daily routine is spear maintenance, though tail thumps and monster meat cravings betray her calm.
• Daisuke – Daisuke is a lean, cynical Level 85 Japanese reincarnate with tousled dark hair, amber eyes, and high guild respect. Pragmatic yet protective, his modern sensibilities reject subservient contracts for equal, intimate partnerships. He hides a 3,500 base score, using Wind/Healing magic, a spear, and forensics to hunt monsters, expose corruption, and care for his harem, acting as Dietlinde’s savior.
• Thomas – A mid‑30s, 2m tall gorilla‑type beastman with thick fur, a tail, and sharp canines. Officially a B-rank adventurer with A-rank power, he wields the Wind Spear Rindvurm. Though crude and lecherous—often skipping duties to flirt with guild staff—he forms a party with his four wives. When fighting to save a woman he loves, he turns fiercely protective and chivalrous, even resorting to dogeza.
• Henriette – A petite, high-spirited dog-like beastman guild clerk (~160 cm) with drooping eyes, floppy ears, and bouncing chestnut curls in a frilly blouse. She uses a sugary, polite facade to extract favor and offload work, but harbors a malicious disposition, using psychological slander and violence to usurp control over assignments. Formerly favored by her boss Randolph until cut loose, she faces criminal enslavement for forgery, fraud, assault, and defamation. She rejects Thomas’s advances and likes Daisuke.
• Roswitha – The Guild Master, a stately woman in her sixties with sharp eyes and iron-gray hair in a crown bun, commands absolute authority over the Royal Capital Branch. Wearing silver-embroidered crimson robes, her strict presence silences arguments. She acts decisively against administrative corruption and enforces rigid workplace regulations to preserve guild credibility, brooking no nonsense from anyone.
• Sylvie – Petite 140 cm elven spirit mage with long wavy blonde hair, twitching pointed ears, blue eyes and playful motherly charm. She wears a white blouse and embroidered yellow forest‑scented skirt, swapping to gothic‑lolita lace‑up boots for dates. Gale adventurer and Daisuke’s magic teacher, she wields Water and Wind, summons Intermediate Spirits, masks loneliness with fearless smiles. Older sister to Camilla, shares a home with other women, seeks Daisuke’s love advice, and is his second lover, delighting in pampering. Veteran Heatwind party member, calm and stabilizing, curious and assertive, skilled in kissing and exploration.
• Meta Tsedes – A statuesque knight with raven hair, amber eyes, and polished armor, she serves as a dramatic commentator who analyzes and reacts to events involving Daisuke-sama. Her voice is honeyed yet venomous. Driven by an unshakable, highly flexible loyalty to the Order’s code, she frequently prompts conversations and questions the actions of others, filtering narrative events through her sharp perspective.
• Meta – A 160cm, curvy, mid-20s blonde priestess and former duchess who became Daisuke’s lover and party mediator after he saved her. Wearing high-waisted robes, she radiates a warm pink aura, absolute devotion to Daisuke, and coldness to other men. Alongside the Narrator in meta post-chapter discourse, she offers factual commentary on world-building, character behavior, and her past.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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