Chapter 88 Interlude꞉ Nishiyama Kishi
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Mmph… not a single decent quest on the board,” I grumbled.
”Our rank is a factor, but for there to be absolutely nothing…” Lil trailed off, her eyes scanning the empty hooks.
”Well, there are days like this, Master,” Honoka said.
”Ehh, bo-ring,” Leki added.
Since there was no paperwork to tackle today, I’d brought Lil, Honoka, and Leki to the guild for some long-overdue hunting. But the bulletin board was a wasteland. There were plenty of low-level requests, but those are meant for rookies; a high-ranked Hunter¹ like me shouldn’t be poaching the newbies’ bread and butter. Apparently, there’s been a massive spike in new registrations lately, and the basic culling and gathering jobs are getting snatched up as soon as they’re posted.
By the way, Leki recently shed her “Larva” status and finally made her official debut as a Hunter. It caused quite a stir, but I’ll save that story for another day.
”Well, you can’t blame them,” Shamrock said, leaning against a nearby pillar. “Lately, we’ve got these high-level, world-class beauties hanging around the hall. The number of guys signing up just to catch a glimpse – or hoping to get lucky – is through the roof.”
”And who exactly are you talking about?” I asked.
”The three girls you’re keeping as attendants, obviously,” replied Shamrock.
He was the leader of the Buccaneer guild and had a habit of smirking whenever he poked fun at me. Since the Orc subjugation, our two groups had stayed close. Even Ryan was doing well; he’d retired from active hunting to train rookies. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with his girlfriend, who was still recovering from the deep physical and emotional scars of their last mission.
Still, men really are idiots. An unofficial fan club had already formed for Lil and Honoka, and Leki was basically being treated like the guild’s mascot. I turned a blind eye as long as nobody actually bothered them, but I knew it was only a matter of time before some creep tried his luck with Leki. Of course, anyone stupid enough to lay a hand on them would be walking straight into a meat grinder. They’d have nobody to blame but themselves.
As a side note, Himezaki had a fan club too.
Like I said: idiots.
”So, what are you doing staring at a blank board?” Shamrock asked.
”Take a look for yourself,” I said.
”Wow. Literally nothing.”
”I wouldn’t mind just idling the day away with Lil and the others, but I don’t want to get rusty,” I muttered.
It was a cold reality of this world – if you stayed idle, your ability scores and skill levels could actually atrophy. They wouldn’t drop below one, but non-combat skills were particularly prone to slipping. Sometimes you just had to move. We sparred with Sebastian back at the house, but a mock battle with a pro butler isn’t the same as the real thing.
”Well, why not just dive into a Labyrinth²?” Shamrock suggested. “Good money, and it kills two birds with one stone.”
He had a point.
Labyrinths – or dungeons – generally fall into two categories. The first are just monster dens, like the ruins or caves where creatures naturally nest. The Forest of the Greedy Fool where I met Lil was one of those. There’s also a massive ant nest far from Foxia that qualifies. People stay away from that one; it’s too much trouble for the reward.
The second type is where mana saturates the earth until a Dungeon Core³ forms. When people talk about “The Labyrinth,” this is what they mean. The monsters there are manifestations of mana that drop magic stones when killed. In Greedia, those stones are the primary source of clean energy. These places even have “Treasure Chests” that sprout items like something out of a video game.
Dungeon Cores are worth a fortune. Even a small one could fund a lavish lifestyle for three years. Once a core is removed, the Labyrinth dies and vanishes. The Guild actually encourages people to clear them because new ones pop up all the time.
The biggest ones are known as the Seven Great Labyrinths. Greedia has its own, not far from Foxia. It’s famous for treasure, deadly traps, and golem-type monsters. It’s been mapped down to the twentieth floor, and you can buy a guide for the first five floors at any corner stall.
Then there’s the Rasta-Ria Great Labyrinth. Rumor has it that place is nothing but erotic traps, succubi, and tentacles. Honoka aside, there was no way I was taking Lil or Leki there.
”Labyrinth it is, then. Shamrock, do I need to file any paperwork?” I asked.
”Just tell the receptionist which one you’re hitting,” Shamrock replied.
”Yay! This is gonna be fun!” Leki cheered.
”The part about ‘many traps’ is what worries me,” Lil said, looking at me. “Does anyone here actually have a Disarm skill?”
”Not me,” I said. “I don’t think Lil has it either. I’m pretty sure Fran was the only one – “
My thought was cut off by a voice that sounded like a bag of wrenches in a dryer.
”Attention, you bottom-tier Hunters! I, the Hero, shall grant you the distinct honor of joining my party to slay the Demon King!”
The announcement rubbed everyone the wrong way. Nobody was stupid enough to jump at an “honor” like that. Predictably, the hall erupted in a chorus of heckles and shouting.
But the voice was familiar. Honoka felt it too. We looked toward the source of the noise. Standing there was a square-faced, break-out-ridden creep.
Nishiyama Kishi.
Nishiyama was a special breed of awful. Beyond his appearance, he was a textbook narcissist with a “main character” complex – the type who thought he was a god while everyone else was trash. Even back in our old world, he was the bottom of the social barrel. People didn’t even bully him; they just ignored him because he was so repulsive. Naturally, he was completely oblivious to this.
”Ugh… why is he here?” Honoka whispered, her face twisting in disgust.
”Nishiyama stayed in Plaudix after the summoning ceremony,” I said. “We left the castle early, but I never heard any rumors about him, so he was probably just shut in his room. If he’s out here now, he probably got kicked out.”
”That makes sense,” Honoka muttered.
Nishiyama was technically on my list for vengeance, but he seemed like the type who would just self-destruct without any help from me. He was already doing a great job of pissing off every Hunter in the building. I decided it was better to just ignore him and leave, but his eyes were too sharp.
”Oh! Honoka! Is that you? I didn’t think I’d see you here!”
Honoka groaned, rubbing her forehead. “Great.”
”Meeting here… it must be fate,” Nishiyama sneered, strutting over. “Where are those bastards Akiyama and Koganei? And where’s Yuuko?”
”They’re…”
”Wait, did they die? Hah! Serves them right!” Nishiyama let out a greasy laugh. They might have been jerks, but hearing him mock their deaths made my blood boil. “Well, whatever. Come with me and slay the Demon King. Heh… and damn, that’s a slutty outfit you’re wearing – CRACK!“
I didn’t hesitate. I drove my fist straight into his jaw. Nishiyama went spinning across the floor like a discarded toy.
”Hey… can I punch this guy?” I asked the room.
“You’re already punching him!” the guild members shouted in unison.
My bad. He was looking at Honoka with those lecherous eyes and my hand just moved on its own. I didn’t regret it.
Lately, Honoka hadn’t been wearing her hood, which left her “Erotic Maid” outfit on full display. It felt like her corruption was accelerating at a scary pace.
”Gah… what was that for?!” Nishiyama shrieked, clutching his face and glaring at me.
”You were looking at me like a creep,” Honoka said. “If you hadn’t done that, Master wouldn’t have had to hit you.”
”Master?!” Nishiyama’s eyes widened as he looked at me. “You’re serving this masked freak? …Wait.” He looked past me at Lil. His jaw hit the floor. “Who is that? She’s a knockout! Fine! I’ve decided! You’re joining my party too – WHAM!“
I caught him in the gut with a middle kick. Nishiyama flew backward and crashed into a table.
”Hey… can I kick this guy?”
“You’re already kicking him!” the crowd roared again.
Oops. He said something stupid with that ugly face and my leg just reacted. Still no regrets.
”Dammit… twice now…” Nishiyama wheezed.
”Keep your hands off other people’s wives,” I said.
”Wives?!” He scrambled up, trembling. “You’re telling me this goddess is married to a masked weirdo like you?!”
”That is correct,” Lil said, her voice cold enough to drop the temperature in the room. She looked down at him as if he were a particularly foul smear of filth on her shoe. “I am Lord Sieben’s wife. Now, please take your leave.”
”Unforgivable… I’ll kill you! Duel me! When I win, Honoka and the beauty are mine! THUD!“
I didn’t even wait for him to finish. I stepped on his head, grinding his face into the floorboards.
”Hey… can I trample this guy?”
“You’re already doing it!”
This bit was getting old.
”Are you even listening to yourself?” I asked, putting my weight into my foot and activating Intimidation⁴.
Nishiyama turned a ghostly shade of white. Then, a yellow stain began to spread across the floor from beneath him. The idiot had actually pissed himself in terror.
Then came the smell. His breeches bulged unnaturally. He’d gone and fouled himself, too. I recoiled in disgust, pulling my foot back.
The entire guild looked at him with silent, profound pity. Lil and Honoka looked like they were ready to throw up. Nishiyama was a mess of tears and snot, his face a mask of humiliated rage.
”If you’ve learned your lesson, don’t you ever look at my wives again,” I said. “Now get out of here.”
”D-Damn you! You’ll regret this! I’ll make you pay!”
He scrambled to his feet and bolted out of the guild like a scalded cat.
”Master… was that okay?” Honoka asked quietly.
”What? He’s humiliated. He can’t show his face in this town again.”
”No, I mean… what about your vengeance?”
”Him?” I looked at the door. “He isn’t worth the effort. He’ll probably die in a ditch on his own.”
”I guess you’re right.”
It seemed like the logical conclusion at the time. But I had no way of knowing that Nishiyama’s sheer stupidity was about to bring the entire kingdom to the brink of ruin.
—
Summary:
Sieben and his group visit the Adventurer’s Guild but find a lack of high-level quests due to a surge in new hunters. While discussing the possibility of a Labyrinth dive with Shamrock, they encounter Nishiyama Kishi, a repulsive former classmate. Sieben humbles Nishiyama through a series of physical strikes and intense intimidation, leading to a humiliating exit for the creep.
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Trivia:
- Skill levels and ability scores in this world atrophy if the user remains idle.
- Magic stones from Labyrinths are a clean energy resource in Greedia.
- Nishiyama Kishi was staying at the castle in Plaudix until recently.
- Honoka’s maid outfit is explicitly described as ‘erotic’ and she has stopped wearing her hood.
- The protagonist decides NOT to pursue formal vengeance against Nishiyama, which is flagged as a future mistake
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Character Insight:
Sieben shows a protective, almost casual dominance over his former social superiors. Lil displays a cold, aristocratic disdain for those who disrespect her husband, cementing her role as a formidable partner. Honoka continues to lean into her new, more provocative identity.
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Behind the Scenes:
The author notes that they originally planned an actual duel between Sieben and Nishiyama but settled on this shorter humiliation sequence. They also corrected a scrapped setting involving the ‘Eye’ in the previous chapter.
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TL Notes:
Notes:
• Lil – One of the heroines. Height 166 cm, B-W-H: 90-56-90. She is a top-tier beauty with long indigo hair down to her waist, a large scar on her abdomen and sharp golden eyes. She has wolf ears and a tail.
• Honoka – A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki, now a bound slave to him.
• Leki – Lil’s daughter. Height: 140 cm, B-W-H: 70, 54, 69. She looks more like a Siberian Husky puppy than a wolf. Honestly, she just looks like a stuffed toy, recently transformed into a human form. Now use great axe as weapon.
• Shamrock – Leader of the diversionary force for Orc’s Subjugation on Chapter 85 at the front gate.
• Ryan – A scout with Stealth skills. Initially skeptical of Sieben’s overwhelming power.
• Ria – A beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes. Has a beauty mark (mole) under her right eye. Well-balanced proportions.
• Kishi – Height 165 cm, weight 84 kg. An unattractive guy with a face full of acne. A chuunibyou who calls himself a holy knight. After being kicked out of Plaudix, he went to Greedia where Natsumi humiliated him.
• Koganei – Height 166 cm, weight 56 kg. A mood-maker in the baseball club. He was only after Honoka’s body and worked with Oshiro to steal her from Akiyama.
• Yuuko – A female student and best friend of Narumi Honoka. She is a manager for the baseball club. Described as proactive and quite a beauty. She has her hair in a ponytail and is always stuck like glue to Ryuya.
• Sieben – Young man with black hair and a mask covering his eyes. He purchased Honoka and Ria.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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