—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-
“Well, let’s now discuss Noah’s strategy against the Kingdom of Capus”
After the meeting was over, a Strategic Conference is now being held. Claire-san quickly approached me and asked me by whispering before I can hear any details from the Military Department.
“Excuse me, did you give your son permission to leave Noah Island?”
“No, I did not give such permission”
What is Claire-san saying? There is no reason for me to give permission to Kouki. While thinking about such things and looking at her, the face color of Claire-san changes every time she communicate using the communication device on her ear. Looking at her complexion, I am starting to have a bad feeling.
“Your son right now, is giving explanation to everyone that he got permission from you to go out of Noah Island. He is currently at the ‘Suit Depot’. I will issue an emergency stop order to control center using your name, would that be alright?”
“Eh~ Yes, Please”
What is that child thinking, going around Noah and telling a ‘lie’? He is especially disregarding the consequences and the meaning of his action to everyone on Noah Island. I already granted permission for him to do shooting training even though I am personally against it.
Until now, he always follow what I said but why is he suddenly acting like this… While desperately thinking about the cause of Kouki’s action, Claire-san reports to me in a scream.
“An emergency situation has occurred! Kouki-kun ignored the direction of Control Center, He ignited his thrusters without permission and took off. Currently, he is taking a course towards a different continent, different from the direction towards Merkava Kingdom.”
“Contact him directly and order him to return to Noah Island! If that is not possible, force his suit to land using the remote control system.”
“It is impossible, Kouki-kun has disconnected any communication on his suit. We currently do not have effective way on contacting him. Also, Remote Control is not installed in 8th Generation Power Suit in consideration to Electronic Warfare. The suit has a complete standalone system”
How could this be?! I am thinking while biting on my nails, the technology that we installed to protect my son completely backfired. Fortunately, the device that detects the position of the suit is working. We can consider that the worst case of ‘mutiny’ is not possible.
If it is not mutiny then the problem is ‘Where is he going and what is he going to do?’ I decided to suspend the conference, judging that they cannot solve anything if I stay here.
“The Strategic Conference is will be suspended, my son left Noah Island without permission. All Military and Technical Department, as well as staff who is in charge of communication should start tracking Kouki using all your power”
I am satisfied on the staffs who runs to each of their own department at once with just those words. I, myself, started running towards the command center which is located in the basement.
When I enter the command center, a staff who is tracking Kouki using the satellite came to me and report on the current situation.
“Kouki-kun right now is flying with an altitude of 18,000 meters at cruising speed. He change course several times but right now, he is flying towards the north continent”
“Then, he is not headed to a densely populated area?”
The staff answers “Yes” to my question. Thank God… It seems that we can somehow avoid the situation where Kouki is eliminating the human race due to some reason. What’s in the North Continent?
Does Kouki only want to know something in there? Or is this a diversion on his action for us not to realize his true purpose? I asked a staff who is analyzing information from the satellite to see what is on the North Continent.
“Almost every area on the north have high concentration of magic. We cannot find any place in that area for Kouki take interest…”
So he really is trying to deceive us? While being bothered with my son’s behaviour that I cannot understand at all, Shuichi-san shows me a printed paper and speaks with a rugged expression on his face.
“It is an inventory of individual weapons carried out by Kouki and loaded on his suit. That idiot took ‘that’ with him”
I almost faint after reading the paper which was handed to me. Kouki himself is equipped with one shotgun with around 50 rounds of ammunition but the main problem is the suit. I can understand the reason why he brought with him the 180mm Electromagnetic Projection Cannon Prototype and a Pile Bunker as his main weapons but the loaded warhead on the missile launcher which is attached at the back of his suit is outrageous as a sub weapon.
“That kid… brought with him the ‘Imaginary Weapon’?”
The noise in the command center suddenly stop and everyone keep quiet the moment those words leak out from my mouth. Even Eve of the Adam People who we met at the moon ruins were talking about the imaginary weapon as an ultimate weapon. From the information collected in the ruins and explanation of Kouki, if you shoot this weapon it will theoretically explode and will create a small blackhole that has the capability to perfectly annihilate anything within 2000 kilometer from its surroundings. It was my negligence that Kouki was able to take the imaginary bomb with him which should be use for a single trial. I wonder if he is headed to the northern continent to try it out on a deserted area?
“Miki, what should we do? Kouki manage to escape from us but I can still instruct my subordinates to chase after him.”
I think the suggestion of Shuichi-san is good but in a case Kouki is shuffled and activate optical camouflage and disconnect the device for position information, tracking will become impossible so we must not adopt this action yet. However… A staff member who was tracking Kouki’s action told us about a sudden change in the situation.
“Kouki-kun is lowering the suit’s altitude! The current location is 300km in land in the North Continent, altitude is 8000 meters. Further descending, 4000… 3500…2000… Eehh!? It disappear from our satellite upon reaching an altitude of 1,200!”
“Did he activate optical camouflage? He did not crash?”
“Unknown! However, we have not confirmed the use of optical camouflage, we do not think the likelihood of a crash as well. The position information device of the suit is working normally, the cause of the disappearance is being analyzed”
I only wish that the position information device and biological reaction of the suit of Kouki that appears on the screen is true while also hoping for the analysis of the cause to complete soon.
—- Arakawa Kouki Point of View —-
While flying to the direction indicated by Kon, I found a creature that looks like a giant octopus swimming in the sea on my way so I zoom in the camera. I excitedly watching the appearance of the creature slowly moving in the sea when a huge whale like creature hit the octopus making it its prey.
“Amazing! Oi Kon look at this, the octopus and the whale are fighting” (TN: I think this is a reference to the well known ‘Sperm Whale vs Colossal Squid’)
“Kon, kon”
Kon is also excited making his tail flutter violently. I would like to lower my altitude to observe it closely but I give up this time because the suit will consume extra fuel due to air resistance.
Eventually after the sight of the whale disappeared, I saw the light on the communication device blinking. It’s probably mom sending a message. I’m sure the message will tell me to return so I decided to ignore it and ask Kon who is drinking water from a tube on my knee.
“Kon, we will soon enter the northern continent. Is the direction okay? Where do you feel strong magical power?”
“Kon!”
Kon refers to one point reflected on the small radar with dexterity using its tail. Hmm, it’s 300 kilometers in inland area… It is not a distance the I can just go and come back. If we get the Orichalcum to a blacksmith in the kingdom, I will be returning home by walking instead of flying. Moreover, it is necessary to refuel at one of Noah’s outpost base on the way. Ma~ I guess this is okay. I’ll just get an Orichalcum and if I got scolded and confined on Earth, I can just ask Coat-san to take care of it for me.
“Okay, I will lower the altitude above the target location. I will also release the safety of the weapons. Do not bother me for now”
Kon clinging to the neck of my exoskeleton listened to my words. I began to lower the altitude gradually after petting Kon. I felt a strange feeling while I was further lowering the altitude. I release the weapon’s safety at an altitude of 8,000 meters to prepare for surprise attacks.
“Na~ Did you feel something weird just now?”
“Kon…”
Apparently, Kon also feel the same while looking unwell. When checking the current altitude with the altimeter, it was displayed that we are currently at 1,000 meters. That means that I felt that strange feeling around 1,200, but could it be just my imagination? I want to verify that by rising the altitude again but I am concern about the remaining amount of fuel… Fortunately, there are no problems with my body and the suit so I just continue to lower the altitude as it was. When I flew slowly toward our target upon reaching an altitude of around 200 meters, I saw a place that looks like a garden. Kon is loudly crowing in that direction using its tail. That garden is definitely our destination.
“All right, All right. I will go over there so please be quiet! My ear is ringing so shut up”
I land the suit in the garden, ignoring the frozen Kon. After checking the surroundings and confirming that there is no problem, I cut off the engine─ I took the shotgun which is placed beside the seat and prepare to get off. Kon show me a paper using its mouth.
“Please absolutely never took off your reinforced exoskeleton. Also be sure to release the safety of the gun so that you can shoot anytime. If you shoot, aim calmly at the body just like in training. Master does not have any talent for shooting so you should not aim for the head” (TN: FYI, Kon is pertaining to Kouki as Goshujinsama)
Shut up! Do not worry about things people don’t care about. Macho taught me first to shoot using a rifle but was then encouraged to use a shotgun at all times so that I can hit a target because I don’t have talent in shooting. Kon unexpectedly know those details even though he was not there at that time.
After I silently nodded, I loaded the shotgun with bullets and open the suit’s cockpit.
“Can you convert the stones in here to Orichalcum?”
“Kon… Kon! KonKon!”
We go outside and ask what kind of stone is good for Kon. Kon pointed at a stone using its tail. I move close to it and collected the stones that I have never seen before.
[What are you doing in such a place as this?]
I was surprised to suddenly hear a voice from my back while I was collecting the stones as instructed so I turn around pointing the gun. I saw a beautiful onesan who had 2 horns on her forehead coming closer who is looking at me carefully.
She is wearing proper clothes and is looking at me, I think that she has intelligence. I drop the gun and activate the translator installed to the exoskeleton and try to speak to her.
“Hello”
[Ho~ You speak the Elven Language. Are you an elf?]
This is bad… It is a bit scary that I cannot understand what onesan is talking about so I raise the gun once again. If onesan still approach me, I will do a warning shot and run away in top speed! While thinking of escaping in my mind, Kon who had been measuring the strength of the stones until now raised a roar for the first time in a long while.
“Guraa~aa~a! Gurr~rrr… Guraa~aa!”
(Image from Light Novel – I might remove this image if necessary)
“I-I understand, I will use translation magic as you instructed!? So please, do not hurt me”
Suddenly, onesan started talking words that I can understand. I think that she is using a translation magic similar to the one used by Adi-san. I am relieved that we can talk to each other properly. I ask a question to onesan as to who she was.
“I? I am…”
“Guraa~aa! Garu~u”
“Hyii~!? I understand, I will not come any closer! Oi! Shonen Elf, can you do something about that white dragon. It says that it will ‘bite me to death'” (TN: In this sentence, Shonen means young boy)
As asked, I picked Kon up who was next to me threatening her and throw Kon to the cockpit of the suit. After drawing a parabola and making sure Kon was sucked into the cockpit, I asked the question again.
“I apologize about that, who is onesan again?”
“I am Victoria, the last survivor of the proud Loa Race” (TN: Victoria speaks in a weird way. She keeps on using ‘Mekake’ for the words ‘I’ and ‘You’ instead of ‘watashi’ or ‘anata’. I think it is an old way of speaking but not as old as the ‘degozaru’ or maybe it is something similar to Naruto’s Dattebayo but that is kinda weird because translating Mekake literally means ‘Concubine’ unlike Dattebayo which means ‘believe it’ or maybe I miss something. Any one have an idea? Here is the raw if it helps 妾はヴィクトリア、誇り高きロア族最後の生き残りじゃ)
Loa… I think Loa are known as high-ranking spirits. That means that the onesan in front of me── Victoria-san is quite an amazing being? I was feeling emotional by being acquainted with different race besides the elves, this really is a different world. Victoria-san pointed at me and asked a question. (TN: If you don’t know, Loa are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. Check this link if you want to know more)
“By the way, how did you enter my garden? More importantly, how can an elf like you survive on this continent. Normally, you will be killed by the overwhelming magical power in this place ” (TN: Now imagine how many Mekake can you see in this line. Hahaha!)
How should I explain this? In the first place, Victoria-san seems to misunderstand me as an elf but it is kind of difficult to explain everything. While I am bothered thinking about it, Kon show its face from the cockpit and growled with less volume than the previous one.
“Gura~a, gurururu~u”
“Mu? hmmm. You are right, This place is certainly not suitable for holding a guest. Let me guide you to the castle”
Victoria-san seems capable of talking to Kon normally. Kon said something and after a few exchange she then showed her back and started walking as if telling me to come along. When I asked Kon what they talked about, Kon wrote on paper and showed it to me.
“She seemed to understand me so I requested to prepare a tea. Master can drink it because I requested the type of tea that even elves can drink”
Why did you do that kind of thing without asking me!? We are having good atmosphere but if you made her angry, it’ll all be for nothing. I started chasing the back of Victoria-san after making sure for Kon not to make any strange request in the future.
While entering the castle, a space like a cathedral is can be seen. The stained glass and paintings on the ceiling had story that advanced as you go further inside the castle. I follow Victoria-san’s guidance while looking at it and was guided to the terrace where I could see the garden.
“You may sit down, I will have the maid bring us some tea”
After waiting for a short while, a maid who was covered with cold air brought tea. I wonder what that is? Is this person an ice spirit or a race close to it? Victoria-san resume the question and answer while I was watching the maid, who brews the tea silently, leaving.
“Let us continue the discussion earlier, how did you enter the garden?”
“Well, I came by flying in the sky… No! Stop looking at me with that subtle expression! I will explain everything, in the first place I am not an elf. We are──”
While drinking tea with a taste similar to raspberry, I explain the whole event up to the arrival to the garden. I am not originally a resident of this world, that we leave the former world and moved to this world and that we had diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Merkava, that I escape from Noah Island due to my desire to acquire an Orichalcum. I talked all about it and also a little about Earth.
Occasionally the nuances are lost due to the two-way translation. Victoria-san sometimes smile or showing an angry face when listening to me.
“Hmm, it is an interesting story. Would people from your world have prejudice against non-humans?”
“Personally, I can accept any kind of race as long as there is a way to communicate with one another. Even if we cannot talk to each other, it would be fine as long as they do not take any hostile actions”
I also told my values to Victoria-san who is asking with a serious expression on her face. If we can talk, most of the time we can work something out however it will be quite different if the other creature cannot communicate at all. After listening to my words, Victoria-san clap his hands with a bang to call the maid who is supposed to be in the hallway.
“Call Ilya, Grenara and Acatle to join us”
She seemed to be calling her subordinates. I think she is going to check if I really do not have any ‘prejudice’ against nonhumans based to the flow of our conversation. This a great opportunity to meet creatures who do not look like humans. My hands are shaking with excitement but I desperately hide it while drinking tea.
While waiting for the arrival by watching the entrance of the room with glittering eyes, the door open after the knocking sound. Three woman whose lower body are spider, two-legged cow and mantis enter the room and greeted me.
“What do you think after seeing them?”
“Ilya-san is of the Arachne Race, can you walk on the ceiling!? Grenara-san looks so strong and powerful. I do not know the race of Acatle but those forelegs looks really cool, please let me touch it!”
When I got excited on my own. Ilya-san and Grenara-san looked at me with a surprised expression. I do not know about Acatle’s facial expression because her face looks like an insect but─ she seems not afraid of me because she extends her foreleg for me to touch it.
After enjoying the forelegs, I get Ilya’s permission this time for me to touch her spider legs. It feels fluffy and very comfortable so it raise my excitement even more. I was shocked when I heard Victoria-san’s voice, returning me to my senses.
“That’s enough. I see that you really have no prejudice”
“I-I apologize. I forgot myself”
Victoria-san smiled at my apology and nodded and seemed to have started thinking about something by closing her eyes. After a while, she seemed determine of something and slowly opened her mouth leaking these words.
“This is the last question, can the other people of your world accept us the same way as you do?”
“Yes, I think it should be fine. At the very least, my mom who is the leader will accept you with a smile”
Victoria-san nodded deeply while folding her arms on my words. She stare straight to my eyes and gave an answer far above my expectation.
“I declare, as the ‘Demon Lord’ Victoria. We, the Ursna Empire will establish diplomatic relations with the people from the other world”
I was surprised that Victoria-san was the Demon Lord but I overlook it because I am currently crying in fear in imagining my mom, who is the ‘Demon Lord’ of Noah scolding me due to my action of entering the Demon Kingdom without permission.
—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-
Three hours after the disappearance of Kouki’s suit. The suit did not move from its location for 2 hours and 40 minutes. I couldn’t wait any longer, I will order Shuichi-san as the commander of Noah.
“We are no longer in the situation where technical department can handle it. I delegate full command of authority to Military Department and will leave the judgement to them from here on.”
“Roger that, we will make sure to bring him back safely──”
“We received communication from Kouki-kun! This is… a level A emergency signal”
While my heart is about to break down in the words of the staff in charge of communication, I grab the microphone and yell at Kouki.
“Ko-chan, what are you doing!? Where are you now?”
Kouki is reflected on the screen with a look that looks nervous and about to cry. Did he see something scary? That is why I do not want him going outside… I hope he learn his lesson from this. When I asked another question with a gentle voice to comfort the scared Kouki, my son finally talked about the situation.
“Don’t get mad, I am in the North Continent”
“I know, I will have someone pick you up soon”
I give instruction to Shuichi-san to pick him as soon as possible using my eyes but Kouki is having a complex face and seem want to say more. I will scold him about this matter later, but for now I am thankful with the fact that Kouki is safe. I ask him
“Is there anything else?”
“Do not get mad at me, I made a contact with the emperor of Ursna Empire of the North Continent… as a representative of Noah, I spoke with the ‘Demon Lord Victoria’. The Ursna Empire accepted the establishment of diplomatic relation with Noah as a result”
Shuichi-san support me when I felt dizzy and about to collapse. What did my son say just now? Demon Lord? Diplomacy… In other words, he invaded the Demon Kingdom alone and negotiated with the Demon Lord himself? I was so shocked that it is making me light headed but Claire-san and the other staff are whispering to each with eyes like a dead fish saying “It is impossible to others but it will be possible for her son”.
“I’ve had enough, Ko-chan. I will evaluate your actions but where is Ursna Empire? I do not think it is reflected in the satellite, is it underground?”
“Well that.., are you observing where I am right now? If you are, I’d like you to adjust the satellite camera to zoom out so it displays an area with around 300 kilometers in radius”
I instructed the staff to move the satellite according to the instructions, the camera was quickly set to show around 300 kilometers of area with Kouki at the center. After confirming the adjustment, I told Kouki that we have done as instructed.
“You ready? Okay, ja~ Victoria-san onegaishimasu”
The moment Kouki asked the Demon Lord to do something behind the screen, every staff in the command center gave a roar. On the screen, the satellite is only displaying a mountain range with narrow rivers. A part of the North Continent begins to blister and there was a noise on the image, then the sight of the mountain ranges and rivers disappear, what gradually appeared was the true figure of the vast Ursna Empire with giant castle and lush land.
“No way─ Electronic Interference? However this scale of Electronic Interference is impossible on Earth”
“No, it seems different. Thousands of magicians of Ursna Empire are using an ‘Ultra Wide Area Recognition Perception Magic’. They do not really want to go to war so it is a magic to keep their whereabouts a secret. Amazing, isn’t it?”
This is more than amazing. This ‘magic’ was able to defeat our state-of-the-art observation equipment. We should analyze in detail the data of the magical technology capable of completely hiding the Empire Territory from our new observation satellites. We must reconsider the phenomenon of magic from the ground up and must have the necessity to go against it, including the capability to search for underground fortress. To me who break in cold sweat due to the magic technique of the Empire, Kouki dealt the final blow.
“So~, Victoria-san wants to go to Noah Island… Can you please pick us up?”
I spent half a day in meetings to think of ways on how to negotiate with the demons. I began preparing to welcome the Demon Lord while having difficulty not to be angry at Kouki who render all my hard work meaningless.
—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-
“Well, let’s now discuss Noah’s strategy against the Kingdom of Capus”
After the meeting was over, a Strategic Conference is now being held. Claire-san quickly approached me and asked me by whispering before I can hear any details from the Military Department.
“Excuse me, did you give your son permission to leave Noah Island?”
“No, I did not give such permission”
What is Claire-san saying? There is no reason for me to give permission to Kouki. While thinking about such things and looking at her, the face color of Claire-san changes every time she communicate using the communication device on her ear. Looking at her complexion, I am starting to have a bad feeling.
“Your son right now, is giving explanation to everyone that he got permission from you to go out of Noah Island. He is currently at the ‘Suit Depot’. I will issue an emergency stop order to control center using your name, would that be alright?”
“Eh~ Yes, Please”
What is that child thinking, going around Noah and telling a ‘lie’? He is especially disregarding the consequences and the meaning of his action to everyone on Noah Island. I already granted permission for him to do shooting training even though I am personally against it.
Until now, he always follow what I said but why is he suddenly acting like this… While desperately thinking about the cause of Kouki’s action, Claire-san reports to me in a scream.
“An emergency situation has occurred! Kouki-kun ignored the direction of Control Center, He ignited his thrusters without permission and took off. Currently, he is taking a course towards a different continent, different from the direction towards Merkava Kingdom.”
“Contact him directly and order him to return to Noah Island! If that is not possible, force his suit to land using the remote control system.”
“It is impossible, Kouki-kun has disconnected any communication on his suit. We currently do not have effective way on contacting him. Also, Remote Control is not installed in 8th Generation Power Suit in consideration to Electronic Warfare. The suit has a complete standalone system”
How could this be?! I am thinking while biting on my nails, the technology that we installed to protect my son completely backfired. Fortunately, the device that detects the position of the suit is working. We can consider that the worst case of ‘mutiny’ is not possible.
If it is not mutiny then the problem is ‘Where is he going and what is he going to do?’ I decided to suspend the conference, judging that they cannot solve anything if I stay here.
“The Strategic Conference is will be suspended, my son left Noah Island without permission. All Military and Technical Department, as well as staff who is in charge of communication should start tracking Kouki using all your power”
I am satisfied on the staffs who runs to each of their own department at once with just those words. I, myself, started running towards the command center which is located in the basement.
When I enter the command center, a staff who is tracking Kouki using the satellite came to me and report on the current situation.
“Kouki-kun right now is flying with an altitude of 18,000 meters at cruising speed. He change course several times but right now, he is flying towards the north continent”
“Then, he is not headed to a densely populated area?”
The staff answers “Yes” to my question. Thank God… It seems that we can somehow avoid the situation where Kouki is eliminating the human race due to some reason. What’s in the North Continent?
Does Kouki only want to know something in there? Or is this a diversion on his action for us not to realize his true purpose? I asked a staff who is analyzing information from the satellite to see what is on the North Continent.
“Almost every area on the north have high concentration of magic. We cannot find any place in that area for Kouki take interest…”
So he really is trying to deceive us? While being bothered with my son’s behaviour that I cannot understand at all, Shuichi-san shows me a printed paper and speaks with a rugged expression on his face.
“It is an inventory of individual weapons carried out by Kouki and loaded on his suit. That idiot took ‘that’ with him”
I almost faint after reading the paper which was handed to me. Kouki himself is equipped with one shotgun with around 50 rounds of ammunition but the main problem is the suit. I can understand the reason why he brought with him the 180mm Electromagnetic Projection Cannon Prototype and a Pile Bunker as his main weapons but the loaded warhead on the missile launcher which is attached at the back of his suit is outrageous as a sub weapon.
“That kid… brought with him the ‘Imaginary Weapon’?”
The noise in the command center suddenly stop and everyone keep quiet the moment those words leak out from my mouth. Even Eve of the Adam People who we met at the moon ruins were talking about the imaginary weapon as an ultimate weapon. From the information collected in the ruins and explanation of Kouki, if you shoot this weapon it will theoretically explode and will create a small blackhole that has the capability to perfectly annihilate anything within 2000 kilometer from its surroundings. It was my negligence that Kouki was able to take the imaginary bomb with him which should be use for a single trial. I wonder if he is headed to the northern continent to try it out on a deserted area?
“Miki, what should we do? Kouki manage to escape from us but I can still instruct my subordinates to chase after him.”
I think the suggestion of Shuichi-san is good but in a case Kouki is shuffled and activate optical camouflage and disconnect the device for position information, tracking will become impossible so we must not adopt this action yet. However… A staff member who was tracking Kouki’s action told us about a sudden change in the situation.
“Kouki-kun is lowering the suit’s altitude! The current location is 300km in land in the North Continent, altitude is 8000 meters. Further descending, 4000… 3500…2000… Eehh!? It disappear from our satellite upon reaching an altitude of 1,200!”
“Did he activate optical camouflage? He did not crash?”
“Unknown! However, we have not confirmed the use of optical camouflage, we do not think the likelihood of a crash as well. The position information device of the suit is working normally, the cause of the disappearance is being analyzed”
I only wish that the position information device and biological reaction of the suit of Kouki that appears on the screen is true while also hoping for the analysis of the cause to complete soon.
—- Arakawa Kouki Point of View —-
While flying to the direction indicated by Kon, I found a creature that looks like a giant octopus swimming in the sea on my way so I zoom in the camera. I excitedly watching the appearance of the creature slowly moving in the sea when a huge whale like creature hit the octopus making it its prey.
“Amazing! Oi Kon look at this, the octopus and the whale are fighting” (TN: I think this is a reference to the well known ‘Sperm Whale vs Colossal Squid’)
“Kon, kon”
Kon is also excited making his tail flutter violently. I would like to lower my altitude to observe it closely but I give up this time because the suit will consume extra fuel due to air resistance.
Eventually after the sight of the whale disappeared, I saw the light on the communication device blinking. It’s probably mom sending a message. I’m sure the message will tell me to return so I decided to ignore it and ask Kon who is drinking water from a tube on my knee.
“Kon, we will soon enter the northern continent. Is the direction okay? Where do you feel strong magical power?”
“Kon!”
Kon refers to one point reflected on the small radar with dexterity using its tail. Hmm, it’s 300 kilometers in inland area… It is not a distance the I can just go and come back. If we get the Orichalcum to a blacksmith in the kingdom, I will be returning home by walking instead of flying. Moreover, it is necessary to refuel at one of Noah’s outpost base on the way. Ma~ I guess this is okay. I’ll just get an Orichalcum and if I got scolded and confined on Earth, I can just ask Coat-san to take care of it for me.
“Okay, I will lower the altitude above the target location. I will also release the safety of the weapons. Do not bother me for now”
Kon clinging to the neck of my exoskeleton listened to my words. I began to lower the altitude gradually after petting Kon. I felt a strange feeling while I was further lowering the altitude. I release the weapon’s safety at an altitude of 8,000 meters to prepare for surprise attacks.
“Na~ Did you feel something weird just now?”
“Kon…”
Apparently, Kon also feel the same while looking unwell. When checking the current altitude with the altimeter, it was displayed that we are currently at 1,000 meters. That means that I felt that strange feeling around 1,200, but could it be just my imagination? I want to verify that by rising the altitude again but I am concern about the remaining amount of fuel… Fortunately, there are no problems with my body and the suit so I just continue to lower the altitude as it was. When I flew slowly toward our target upon reaching an altitude of around 200 meters, I saw a place that looks like a garden. Kon is loudly crowing in that direction using its tail. That garden is definitely our destination.
“All right, All right. I will go over there so please be quiet! My ear is ringing so shut up”
I land the suit in the garden, ignoring the frozen Kon. After checking the surroundings and confirming that there is no problem, I cut off the engine─ I took the shotgun which is placed beside the seat and prepare to get off. Kon show me a paper using its mouth.
“Please absolutely never took off your reinforced exoskeleton. Also be sure to release the safety of the gun so that you can shoot anytime. If you shoot, aim calmly at the body just like in training. Master does not have any talent for shooting so you should not aim for the head” (TN: FYI, Kon is pertaining to Kouki as Goshujinsama)
Shut up! Do not worry about things people don’t care about. Macho taught me first to shoot using a rifle but was then encouraged to use a shotgun at all times so that I can hit a target because I don’t have talent in shooting. Kon unexpectedly know those details even though he was not there at that time.
After I silently nodded, I loaded the shotgun with bullets and open the suit’s cockpit.
“Can you convert the stones in here to Orichalcum?”
“Kon… Kon! KonKon!”
We go outside and ask what kind of stone is good for Kon. Kon pointed at a stone using its tail. I move close to it and collected the stones that I have never seen before.
[What are you doing in such a place as this?]
I was surprised to suddenly hear a voice from my back while I was collecting the stones as instructed so I turn around pointing the gun. I saw a beautiful onesan who had 2 horns on her forehead coming closer who is looking at me carefully.
She is wearing proper clothes and is looking at me, I think that she has intelligence. I drop the gun and activate the translator installed to the exoskeleton and try to speak to her.
“Hello”
[Ho~ You speak the Elven Language. Are you an elf?]
This is bad… It is a bit scary that I cannot understand what onesan is talking about so I raise the gun once again. If onesan still approach me, I will do a warning shot and run away in top speed! While thinking of escaping in my mind, Kon who had been measuring the strength of the stones until now raised a roar for the first time in a long while.
“Guraa~aa~a! Gurr~rrr… Guraa~aa!”
(Image from Light Novel – I might remove this image if necessary)
“I-I understand, I will use translation magic as you instructed!? So please, do not hurt me”
Suddenly, onesan started talking words that I can understand. I think that she is using a translation magic similar to the one used by Adi-san. I am relieved that we can talk to each other properly. I ask a question to onesan as to who she was.
“I? I am…”
“Guraa~aa! Garu~u”
“Hyii~!? I understand, I will not come any closer! Oi! Shonen Elf, can you do something about that white dragon. It says that it will ‘bite me to death'” (TN: In this sentence, Shonen means young boy)
As asked, I picked Kon up who was next to me threatening her and throw Kon to the cockpit of the suit. After drawing a parabola and making sure Kon was sucked into the cockpit, I asked the question again.
“I apologize about that, who is onesan again?”
“I am Victoria, the last survivor of the proud Loa Race” (TN: Victoria speaks in a weird way. She keeps on using ‘Mekake’ for the words ‘I’ and ‘You’ instead of ‘watashi’ or ‘anata’. I think it is an old way of speaking but not as old as the ‘degozaru’ or maybe it is something similar to Naruto’s Dattebayo but that is kinda weird because translating Mekake literally means ‘Concubine’ unlike Dattebayo which means ‘believe it’ or maybe I miss something. Any one have an idea? Here is the raw if it helps 妾はヴィクトリア、誇り高きロア族最後の生き残りじゃ)
Loa… I think Loa are known as high-ranking spirits. That means that the onesan in front of me── Victoria-san is quite an amazing being? I was feeling emotional by being acquainted with different race besides the elves, this really is a different world. Victoria-san pointed at me and asked a question. (TN: If you don’t know, Loa are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. Check this link if you want to know more)
“By the way, how did you enter my garden? More importantly, how can an elf like you survive on this continent. Normally, you will be killed by the overwhelming magical power in this place ” (TN: Now imagine how many Mekake can you see in this line. Hahaha!)
How should I explain this? In the first place, Victoria-san seems to misunderstand me as an elf but it is kind of difficult to explain everything. While I am bothered thinking about it, Kon show its face from the cockpit and growled with less volume than the previous one.
“Gura~a, gurururu~u”
“Mu? hmmm. You are right, This place is certainly not suitable for holding a guest. Let me guide you to the castle”
Victoria-san seems capable of talking to Kon normally. Kon said something and after a few exchange she then showed her back and started walking as if telling me to come along. When I asked Kon what they talked about, Kon wrote on paper and showed it to me.
“She seemed to understand me so I requested to prepare a tea. Master can drink it because I requested the type of tea that even elves can drink”
Why did you do that kind of thing without asking me!? We are having good atmosphere but if you made her angry, it’ll all be for nothing. I started chasing the back of Victoria-san after making sure for Kon not to make any strange request in the future.
While entering the castle, a space like a cathedral is can be seen. The stained glass and paintings on the ceiling had story that advanced as you go further inside the castle. I follow Victoria-san’s guidance while looking at it and was guided to the terrace where I could see the garden.
“You may sit down, I will have the maid bring us some tea”
After waiting for a short while, a maid who was covered with cold air brought tea. I wonder what that is? Is this person an ice spirit or a race close to it? Victoria-san resume the question and answer while I was watching the maid, who brews the tea silently, leaving.
“Let us continue the discussion earlier, how did you enter the garden?”
“Well, I came by flying in the sky… No! Stop looking at me with that subtle expression! I will explain everything, in the first place I am not an elf. We are──”
While drinking tea with a taste similar to raspberry, I explain the whole event up to the arrival to the garden. I am not originally a resident of this world, that we leave the former world and moved to this world and that we had diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Merkava, that I escape from Noah Island due to my desire to acquire an Orichalcum. I talked all about it and also a little about Earth.
Occasionally the nuances are lost due to the two-way translation. Victoria-san sometimes smile or showing an angry face when listening to me.
“Hmm, it is an interesting story. Would people from your world have prejudice against non-humans?”
“Personally, I can accept any kind of race as long as there is a way to communicate with one another. Even if we cannot talk to each other, it would be fine as long as they do not take any hostile actions”
I also told my values to Victoria-san who is asking with a serious expression on her face. If we can talk, most of the time we can work something out however it will be quite different if the other creature cannot communicate at all. After listening to my words, Victoria-san clap his hands with a bang to call the maid who is supposed to be in the hallway.
“Call Ilya, Grenara and Acatle to join us”
She seemed to be calling her subordinates. I think she is going to check if I really do not have any ‘prejudice’ against nonhumans based to the flow of our conversation. This a great opportunity to meet creatures who do not look like humans. My hands are shaking with excitement but I desperately hide it while drinking tea.
While waiting for the arrival by watching the entrance of the room with glittering eyes, the door open after the knocking sound. Three woman whose lower body are spider, two-legged cow and mantis enter the room and greeted me.
“What do you think after seeing them?”
“Ilya-san is of the Arachne Race, can you walk on the ceiling!? Grenara-san looks so strong and powerful. I do not know the race of Acatle but those forelegs looks really cool, please let me touch it!”
When I got excited on my own. Ilya-san and Grenara-san looked at me with a surprised expression. I do not know about Acatle’s facial expression because her face looks like an insect but─ she seems not afraid of me because she extends her foreleg for me to touch it.
After enjoying the forelegs, I get Ilya’s permission this time for me to touch her spider legs. It feels fluffy and very comfortable so it raise my excitement even more. I was shocked when I heard Victoria-san’s voice, returning me to my senses.
“That’s enough. I see that you really have no prejudice”
“I-I apologize. I forgot myself”
Victoria-san smiled at my apology and nodded and seemed to have started thinking about something by closing her eyes. After a while, she seemed determine of something and slowly opened her mouth leaking these words.
“This is the last question, can the other people of your world accept us the same way as you do?”
“Yes, I think it should be fine. At the very least, my mom who is the leader will accept you with a smile”
Victoria-san nodded deeply while folding her arms on my words. She stare straight to my eyes and gave an answer far above my expectation.
“I declare, as the ‘Demon Lord’ Victoria. We, the Ursna Empire will establish diplomatic relations with the people from the other world”
I was surprised that Victoria-san was the Demon Lord but I overlook it because I am currently crying in fear in imagining my mom, who is the ‘Demon Lord’ of Noah scolding me due to my action of entering the Demon Kingdom without permission.
—- Arakawa Miki Point of View —-
Three hours after the disappearance of Kouki’s suit. The suit did not move from its location for 2 hours and 40 minutes. I couldn’t wait any longer, I will order Shuichi-san as the commander of Noah.
“We are no longer in the situation where technical department can handle it. I delegate full command of authority to Military Department and will leave the judgement to them from here on.”
“Roger that, we will make sure to bring him back safely──”
“We received communication from Kouki-kun! This is… a level A emergency signal”
While my heart is about to break down in the words of the staff in charge of communication, I grab the microphone and yell at Kouki.
“Ko-chan, what are you doing!? Where are you now?”
Kouki is reflected on the screen with a look that looks nervous and about to cry. Did he see something scary? That is why I do not want him going outside… I hope he learn his lesson from this. When I asked another question with a gentle voice to comfort the scared Kouki, my son finally talked about the situation.
“Don’t get mad, I am in the North Continent”
“I know, I will have someone pick you up soon”
I give instruction to Shuichi-san to pick him as soon as possible using my eyes but Kouki is having a complex face and seem want to say more. I will scold him about this matter later, but for now I am thankful with the fact that Kouki is safe. I ask him
“Is there anything else?”
“Do not get mad at me, I made a contact with the emperor of Ursna Empire of the North Continent… as a representative of Noah, I spoke with the ‘Demon Lord Victoria’. The Ursna Empire accepted the establishment of diplomatic relation with Noah as a result”
Shuichi-san support me when I felt dizzy and about to collapse. What did my son say just now? Demon Lord? Diplomacy… In other words, he invaded the Demon Kingdom alone and negotiated with the Demon Lord himself? I was so shocked that it is making me light headed but Claire-san and the other staff are whispering to each with eyes like a dead fish saying “It is impossible to others but it will be possible for her son”.
“I’ve had enough, Ko-chan. I will evaluate your actions but where is Ursna Empire? I do not think it is reflected in the satellite, is it underground?”
“Well that.., are you observing where I am right now? If you are, I’d like you to adjust the satellite camera to zoom out so it displays an area with around 300 kilometers in radius”
I instructed the staff to move the satellite according to the instructions, the camera was quickly set to show around 300 kilometers of area with Kouki at the center. After confirming the adjustment, I told Kouki that we have done as instructed.
“You ready? Okay, ja~ Victoria-san onegaishimasu”
The moment Kouki asked the Demon Lord to do something behind the screen, every staff in the command center gave a roar. On the screen, the satellite is only displaying a mountain range with narrow rivers. A part of the North Continent begins to blister and there was a noise on the image, then the sight of the mountain ranges and rivers disappear, what gradually appeared was the true figure of the vast Ursna Empire with giant castle and lush land.
“No way─ Electronic Interference? However this scale of Electronic Interference is impossible on Earth”
“No, it seems different. Thousands of magicians of Ursna Empire are using an ‘Ultra Wide Area Recognition Perception Magic’. They do not really want to go to war so it is a magic to keep their whereabouts a secret. Amazing, isn’t it?”
This is more than amazing. This ‘magic’ was able to defeat our state-of-the-art observation equipment. We should analyze in detail the data of the magical technology capable of completely hiding the Empire Territory from our new observation satellites. We must reconsider the phenomenon of magic from the ground up and must have the necessity to go against it, including the capability to search for underground fortress. To me who break in cold sweat due to the magic technique of the Empire, Kouki dealt the final blow.
“So~, Victoria-san wants to go to Noah Island… Can you please pick us up?”
I spent half a day in meetings to think of ways on how to negotiate with the demons. I began preparing to welcome the Demon Lord while having difficulty not to be angry at Kouki who render all my hard work meaningless.
