Volume 6 Chapter 23 The World’s Strongest Woman (Nao, the Exhibitionist Pervert)
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
That morning, I was summoned by an excited Weed-san at the crack of dawn. Nao, meanwhile, had mobilized a large workforce from Lesta to maintain the newly opened tunnel connecting to Gonan Kingdom. The previously rough town streets were rapidly being upgraded, transforming the route into a major trade artery. The plan to rake in gold coins was finally taking shape, and I felt a rare moment of relief.
”What’s wrong, Weed-san?” I asked cautiously.
”Oh, oh, nothing’s wrong. You just wouldn’t believe what’s happening with your adorable witch,” Weed-san replied with a grin.
Inside Weed-san’s office, Dalcur-san, Kanare-san, and the main members of what was no longer my clan—my army—were all gathered. Chinatsu-chan and Haruka-chan had already arrived.
”Takumi-kun, I… I lost…” Chinatsu-chan’s voice quivered slightly, and her eyes glistened with tears.
”Lost? At what?” I took the paper handed to me by Kanare-san. Ah… this was the extra edition ranking sheet. The last time one of these came out was when Chinatsu-chan had suddenly jumped to 12th place in the rankings. First, I scanned for her name.
”Ah… she’s dropped to 13th,” I muttered.
”Don’t say ‘dropped’… it’s so shocking…” Chinatsu-chan’s pout tugged at my heart. Even she could get depressed sometimes. I chuckled softly and patted her head.
”So… what’s the highlight of this extra edition?” I asked.
”Look from the top and you’ll see,” Weed-san replied, gesturing.
I started from the first rank… wait, isn’t the first-ranked name different?
”Hey, Weed-san, I think the number one rank is wrong… uh, ‘Emperor of the Abyss’? That can’t be…”
Dora-chan had been calling herself ‘Emperor of the Abyss’. So that meant…?
”Your adorable witch seems to have finally stepped beyond the bounds of what a witch should be,” Weed-san commented.
”Yes… it appears so,” I replied.
”Ah… to think she would end up in the same faction as the top-ranked one… as a soldier, that’s an honor,” he added.
I glanced at the silver-haired twin tails bouncing like little rabbit tails. The former ‘Witch of Destruction’ was beaming innocently at me.
”Um, Takumi-kun… that ‘Emperor of the Abyss’… that’s me…” Haruka-chan admitted shyly.
Even the world’s strongest now showed a bashful smile. Wait… Haruka-chan was first in the rankings?
”Dora-chan also seems to have been recognized for her combat abilities,” I added.
”Hmph. That Halka submits to me, therefore I am the strongest of this age,” Dora-chan said with a proud smirk.
I froze. How was I supposed to respond to that…?
”Anyway, congratulations, Haruka-chan,” I said finally.
”Thank you, Takumi-kun,” Haruka-chan replied, smiling warmly. Yet, glancing up at me with those mischievous eyes, she added something outrageous.
”Well, you see… I worked really hard, so… I want a reward from you, Takumi-kun ♡”
”Ah… you really want me to do that, huh…” I gulped.
”Of course I do ♡,” she whispered, eyes sparkling.
Yes… even as number one, Haruka-chan remained the exhibitionist pervert I knew.
* * *
”But what worries me is Quvar’s next move,” Weed-san said, his expression turning serious. The mood in the room shifted instantly.
Opening the trade route with Gonan Kingdom would inevitably attract attention. When that happened, how would they react? At the very least, they’d see this as an act of rebellion. Normal reasoning said civil war was unavoidable.
”Takumi, we’ve received a request for talks from the Quvarian Empire, correct?” Weed-san asked.
”Yes… and Merina… Nyx also requested to attend,” I replied.
Nyx’s younger siblings were under Quvarian protection, so their presence was officially required.
”The negotiations demand that the southeastern region of Seron be ceded as a territory for Nyx’s siblings,” I continued.
”Ah… that makes sense. It’s an enclave… they want the rivers as borders,” Weed-san murmured.
Technically audacious, yes, but not unreasonable. McGaref would have spat upon hearing it, though.
”Can civil war be avoided?” Weed-san asked.
”We are exploring that. I intend to disclose our independent channel with Gonan Kingdom as leverage in the negotiations,” I explained.
The Quvarian Empire, a major power, was already stretched thin in both southern and eastern fronts. They could hardly spare forces, and bureaucrats secretly wanted to avoid civil war. Negotiators suggested strengthening the Autonomous Government while overlooking the chancellor’s house arrest, in exchange for the southeastern Seron territory.
”Be careful, Takumi-dono. That nation has multiple heads. The one you talk to might bite you in the back. That’s Quvar for you,” Dalcur-san warned bitterly.
Ah… so that’s why Dalcur-san and Neige-san’s homeland was betrayed by Quvar.
”Is there no single ruler who decides?” I asked.
”None,” Dalcur-san said immediately.
”Of course there isn’t,” Weed-san added.
Everything depended on shifting bureaucracies. Promises could be broken anytime.
”They betray, attack, or get disliked… as long as they gain, it’s fine. That’s Quvarian politics,” Weed-san said grimly.
”It’s not the emperor, but the bureaucrats… military officers, civil officials, and the Bureau of Foreign Affairs. They act independently. Fail, and it’s never the nation’s fault. They just cut off the tail and move on.”
The nation was cunning, yes, but ruthlessly arbitrary.
”And… there’s something from the recent labyrinth raid that’s bothering me,” Weed-san added, frowning further.
”There were two deep-layer guardians, right? Everyone except Takumi noticed,” he continued.
Sorry for being a weakling with combat power four…
”Yeah, the Headless Knight was strong,” Scaya-san interjected, finally speaking.
”That’s likely the founder emperor of Quvar,” she added thoughtfully.
”Indeed. The ‘Eternal Witch’ Kaltera and Quvar’s founder are said to have destroyed the world and rebuilt it. That legend fits if these two appeared simultaneously,” Scaya-san explained.
The Quvarian presence in the labyrinth was unmistakable. Dalcur-san and Kanare-san grew increasingly serious.
”Wait… what does it mean that the knight king and witch appeared together?” Haruka-chan asked.
Good question, Haruka-chan… I had no idea either.
”I’ll explain,” Scaya-san took over.
”First, the labyrinth monsters are made of magic stones. That’s common knowledge,” she began.
”Yes, defeating them yields magic stones,” I replied.
”Exactly. But the creatures and guardians are actually former living beings,” she added.
I blinked. That was new to me. Kanare-san confirmed with a nod.
”It’s assumed that the labyrinth connects this world to the underworld,” Scaya-san said.
”Not assumed, Dark Elf princess. I affirm it as truth,” Dora-chan interrupted, opening one eye.
”It’s a boundary. Magic power refuses to remain just stone. It borrows vessels from the underworld, forms into monsters and guardians, and inhabits the labyrinth,” Dora-chan explained.
Even Scaya-san looked fascinated.
”So all magic power circulates, right?” I asked.
”Exactly. When adventurers defeat monsters, the magic returns to stones, is consumed, and returns to the labyrinth. It’s a cycle,” she replied.
A recycling system… I’d been hunting magic stones for years, never realizing this.
”And Weed… your worries are justified,” Scaya-san continued.
”So… Quvar…” I whispered.
”They’re trying to open the underworld,” Weed-san said gravely.
”Open the underworld? Can that even be done?” I asked.
”They can. Quvar is one of the four top nations. Each holds a key to the underworld,” she explained.
”Has any nation ever opened it before?” I pressed.
”No precedent. This is madness,” Weed-san said.
”If the deep-layer guardians were the Quvarian founders, then… it’s already open,” Dora-chan concluded.
A tense silence filled the room. At least we understood Quvar had made a grave mistake.
”So, Dora-chan… what happens if the underworld opens?” I asked.
”I don’t know, Halka. But it won’t be good for this world,” she said solemnly.
”…Specifically, what happens, Dora-chan?” I pressed.
”Those lost spirits the labyrinth can no longer contain…”
Notes:
• Weed – He is a retired knight and martial arts master, appeared as a sword seller, known for his bloodthirsty grin and elite ‘Sword Master’ skill.
• Chinatsu-chan – Hikari’s party. Frustrated, jokes about prostitution.
• Haruka-chan – 3rd Division leader. Aspires to be Takumi’s GF.
• Chinatsu – Hikari’s party. Frustrated, jokes about prostitution.
• Haruka – 3rd Division leader. Aspires to be Takumi’s GF.
• Kanare – The stern battalion commander, who once led Chinatsu, shares a solemn mission, his eyes reflecting battlefield memories.
• Dalcur – Mercenary leader; defects to the protagonist’s clan; physically imposing, known as ‘The Strong’.
• Quvarian Empire – Ruling kingdom. Harsh world, restricted freedom.
• Nyx – The First Princess of Celon Dukedom, who escapes to McGaref; next in line to the throne after the Queen’s expected death.
• McGaref – Fortress city, adventurer hub.
• Scaya – The ‘Flame Witch,’ employed by the Dark Elves; captured after the battle where the Celon Dukedom army was defeated.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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