The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 192: Collector

After safely returning to the surface, we broke up. It was already evening, but since magic lights were floating all over the place, combining their illumination with the torches set up here and there, the ring road was extremely bright.

The voices of the vendors being noisy hasn’t changed, even at this time of the day. Just in case I looked for the blind girl, but…I couldn’t find her.

We headed to the guild and received our reward after having the guild calculate the total. Furthermore, it was noted down on my card that I completed 50 requests.

While sitting on a high stool located in the guild’s right wing’s waiting room, I tossed the medium magic stones, which we obtained in big numbers due to the rampage spawn, into the item box’ ◆ mark…

“Nyaonnya!” Rollo tried to play around by extending a forepaw at the magic stones in order to hinder me from offering them to the item box, but Rollo got stopped by Rebecca.

“Fufuun, Rollo-chan, your belly is mine~” Rebecca sunk her face into Rollo’s soft belly, starting a kissing storm with a slovenly look, once Rollo loosely opened up her inner belly on top of the table, adopting a banzai pose.

Ahaha, how funny. So, Rollo is allowing her to do as she pleases.

“Cute, me too!” Yui joined in.

“What adorable boobies!” Viine said as if talking to a little child.

“Nn, the pink buds are pretty.” Eva added.

Yui, Viine, Eva, and even Helme joined in on the fiddling with Rollo.

While enjoying that indescribably lewd (?) sight, I stored the magic stones into the item box.

◆: Total stored quantity of Elenium: 691

―――――――――――――――――――――――――――

Necessary Big Elenium stones: 91 – incomplete

Reward: Storage +60: Release of Gatrance Form

Necessary Big Elenium stones: 300 – incomplete

Reward: Storage +70: Release of Murasame

Necessary Big Elenium stones: 1000 – incomplete

Reward: Storage +100: Release of Tiny Orbital

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Once we returned to the ring road after leaving the guild, the first-class adventurers, including Blue-armed Treasure Party, had gathered once more with the client Collector in their midst.

The female servant of the Goldiba race was standing next to Collector.

“I wonder, are they going to do a request again?” Rebecca pondered.

“Hmm, I didn’t look at the board, so I don’t know, but maybe they are going for it again.” I replied.

“Nn, Blue-armed Treasure Party, quite tough.” Eva admired.

“We aren’t exhausted either, so we could go as well, no?” Yui said cheerfully while gripping the hilts of the katana hanging at her waist.

“Well, let’s go over there and have a look.” Once I said so, the Collector woman approached us while accompanied by her servant, seemingly having wrapped up the talks with the Blue-armed Treasure Party.

So they didn’t gather for a request? But why is she coming to me…?

“Good day, lancer and black cat-san, as well as everyone from Innocent Arms. I’m Collector,” she said, just to lightly bow her head together with the silent servant.

At that moment I was able to sneak a peek at her big boobs, which had blood veins faintly spreading across them, through the high-class blouse with its V-neck.

She was wearing a black-leather-type cape on her womanly, slender shoulders, and a black long skirt with long slits. A bone chain belt was coiled around her waist with various gadget-like items hanging down from it. Since the long skirt was containing vertical cut lines running down from her thighs, her voluptuous bare legs could be seen beneath fishnet stockings.

“…Good day.” I returned the greeting.

“Hello.” Rebecca said.

“Collector-san, you say?” Yui asked back.

“Do you have any business with His Excellency?” Helme questioned her.

“Nn, hello.” Eva greeted.

“――Nyao.”

Seemingly having noticed that I was looking at her with a dirty look, my < Head Servant Leaders > and Rollo heightened their defensive instincts and greeted Collector while standing in front as if to protect me.

“…Yes, that’s correct. Thank you very much for having participated in my request on this occasion,” Collector expressed her gratitude after looking slightly bewildered by the behavior of my < Head Servant Leaders >, and then bowed her head.

I went out in front, bowed, and spoke up, “…No, not at all. Even if you say all that, we received a big amount of money as a reward. We participated after Hannibal’s referral, but it was good that we decided to do so.”

“Oh my, from Hannibal-san? That’s unusual. I see.” Collector replied.

“Yes. We had him decipher two magic treasure maps for us,” I explained shortly.

Having heard my words, Collector indicated her comprehension by nodding, and said, “…My goodness, I fully understand. The members of Blue-armed Treasure Party and Savannah’s Eagle Party praised your work attitude. Some of your female members have bad rumors going around about them, but they said that those were no more than rumors. They also mentioned that the work came to a close smoothly and quickly thanks to Innocent Arms’ killing speed. Kasem-san looked very happy when he spoke about you.” Collector smiled gently. However, I didn’t fail to notice how her eyes changed into something like demonic eyes for an instant. It was just for a moment, but her eyes seized my whole body.

Something like rotating, quadrangle magic crests. Maybe no psychic waves but something along the lines of appraising eyes?

The servant next to her also stared at me, and I returned the look of that beauty.

“…Collector-san, is the woman next to you a member of the Goldiba race?” That question left my mouth naturally as I unintentionally wanted to know whether she had a connection to Master.

“Oh my, I think she originates from the desert region’s 【Sect Leader Armefu State】,” she replied.

“I guess I was wrong then.” I conceded.

“…Shiki-sama,…” The horned servant called Collector Shiki and whispered something into her ear.

“I guess…,” Collector quietly confirmed.

“Yes,” said the servant called Aroma and separated from Collector’s ear.

Collector turned her eyes towards me and asked, “Everyone, would you be able to come to my store?”

“Store, you say? Why?” I asked back.

“Because the other clan members are watching us here, I’d say?” Collector replied, and certainly, the members of Blue-armed Treasure Party, Light of the Yellow Bird, Hammer and Mallet, and Savannah’s Eagle Party were observing us while obviously pricking up their ears.

“Everyone, Shiki-sama has prepared a special reward for you. She’s especially curious about the lancer,” Aroma supplemented Collector’s words.

Reward, eh? Sounds interesting.

Accordingly I turned my eyes towards my comrades. Helme and Viine nodded silently. Rebecca shook her head while allowing her beautiful, blond hair to sway. Eva fixedly stared at Collector’s face with her violet eyes. And Yui apparently didn’t have much of an interest, and thus went down on her knees to caress Rollo’s head.

“…Where’s the store?” I asked.

“It’s this way, pretty close actually. It’s a small store on the First Ring Road.” Collector answered.

“I shall guide you there, please follow me,” said Aroma, and after shortly bobbing her head, she turned on her heels and walked towards the ring road.

Once I started to walk after her, everyone else followed. Rollo did so while playing with Yui.

“Hey, is that really okay?” Rebecca ran up next to me in a jog and asked in a whisper.

“Probably. This shop is on the ring road. However, it’s best if you don’t look into the eyes of that Collector,” I cautioned her.

“Eyes? Okay, I will be careful.” Rebbecca said, but she apparently hadn’t noticed it.

“Staying behind me might be the safest approach here.” I added.

“Uh, it’s getting scary if you say something like that.” Rebecca became pale after seeing my serious expression.

“Rebecca, it will be fine with Shuuya here. I will protect you, too.” Eva chipped in.

“Fufu, once I saw your face, I felt relieved, Eva,” replied Rebecca.

So you couldn’t feel relieved with me…

I followed Collector and the female servant while feeling slightly hurt.

After a short while they stopped in front of a snugly, small store located close to Suloza’s Old Sorcery Shop. Collector opened the purely dark brown door and entered.

“Everyone, this way.” Aroma invited us to enter while holding the old-looking door open.

I passed through the door and went inside. My chosen bloodkin and Rollo followed after me.

Contrary to the worn-out appearance of the door, the store’s interior was wide and extravagant. A floor sparkling in gold, and the ceiling had a huge glass lamp looking like a hawk monster.

Yellow flames flickered within a heart-shaped glass with a mango cultivation. Countless, fine wires enveloping the glass spread in all directions, but as the wires went up higher, they contracted into a single, huge hawk. Below the glass, the wires gathered as well, creating six elegant hawk claws.

A magic tool that can be called the height of craftsmanship as an art object?

Crystal light sources had seemingly been inlaid around the art object. The whole atmosphere was like that of an extremely bright, stylish bar.

Deeper inside, on the right, was a bar counter, and various expensive-looking items lined up on the wall.

“Let’s go to the inner room,” prompted Aroma and held up a bracelet which was clad in mana. In response a magic crest that appeared to be linked to the bracelet floated up. The counter automatically opened to the left and right, and so did the shelves behind it.

An inner room had really appeared. And there, different to a secret room, another surprising sight awaited me.

A tall sorcerer with a skull head, wearing a black mantle and holding a long skull wand. Behind him, bone swordsmen that seemed to be his subordinates who lined up in a row. And next to the sorcerer was a man who appeared to be a vampire with bloodshot eyes and a pale face.

Next to the vampire was a woman with plants growing out of her feet…her face resembled Holkerbaum’s priestess Peladas, but her feet were plants…

And next to the plant woman was a being I didn’t know at all. It had a humanoid shape, but was a mysterious object only consisting of white smoke and mist. Next to that mist life-form was what could be called an ascetic monk-like person with a bald head and a bizarre face. Red magic crest tattoos were carved across the monk-like man’s entire body, and crooked sickles, which dripped with blood that seemed to be linked to the magic crests, were floating around him.

Like an empress with a fan at hand, Collector sat down on a luxurious ottoman located inside, where a red carpet was laid out, in the middle of that shady group. Moreover, living eyeballs were squirming around as decorations of that chair while letting mana loose.

It might be a chair equipped with some kind of defensive magic weapon.

Sitting on that chair which had a skeleton armrest, the clothing worn by Collector automatically changed into a seductive one, and she extended her slender arm towards the skeleton sorcerer standing close to her with a haughty attitude, as nails grew out of her beautiful fingertips.

The skeleton sorcerer grabbed Collector’s hand and kissed the back of her hand, triggering a magic crest to surface where his skeletal mouth had touched her hand.

I guess her appearance until just now was a disguise.

“…Please come inside. We won’t do anything to you. Aroma, Hazess, Ronado prepare some chairs, a table and something to drink.” Collector ordered.

“Yes.” “Yes, m’lady!” “…Okay,” the three answered.

I think Hazess is the name of the skeleton sorcerer. Ronado is the mist humanoid. Together with Aroma, all three set up chairs and a table on top of the red carpet and prepared some drinks.

“…Your Excellency, the threshold is thin in here,” Helme warned.

“No doubt.” I confirmed.

This place has a feeling similar to the audience hall of a royal palace. I’m pretty sure all of Collector’s subordinates are strong fighters.

However, an extremely strong curiosity welled up within me. There was also a vampire-like man among them, a flirtatious looking hunk.

“Let’s go.” I said.

“It’s scary, but I guess I will go inside.” Rebecca replied while looking frightened.

Viine loyally stated, “I shall follow you, Master.”

“It’s a bit eerie, but it doesn’t seem as though the surrounding people are going to attack us,” added Yui.

Everyone followed after me. Sitting down on the chairs which had been prepared for us, we turned our eyes towards the beautiful Collector who sat on her empress seat.

“…Well then, as proof of my trust in you, I will tell you my name. Shiki. That’s my true name. And, the one carrying in the drinks now is called Aroma.” Shiki made a proper introduction.

“――Hello everyone. These are delicious drinks, a mixture made out of the labyrinth’s black sweet water and pure water, which is rather rare.” Aroma cheerfully reacted towards Shiki-san’s words. As she raised her lovely voice, she placed several porcelain cups with black sweet water on top of the small table.

I wonder what that pure water might be.

“Nyaonnyaa.”

Given that they also prepared a big plate for Rollo, she immediately thrust her small face into the plate, and drank by skillfully using her tongue.

“Whoa~, this prickles inside my mouth. It’s very delicious!” Despite being suspicious, Rebecca drank some of it as well.

Prickle? Going by that term, don’t tell me…

I guess I will take a sip as well?

Well, poison shouldn’t work on me anyway…

I brought the cup to my mouth, and gulped down the swaying black sweet water.

Ooooh, isn’t this a carbonated juice? Even its color is completely that of cola.

Even normal black sweet water is already plenty refreshing, but when carbonated, the refreshment increases by yet another level.

“Puhaaa, wonderful!” I exclaimed.

“Fufu, I’m happy that you’re pleased with it. Aroma, Hazess, Ronado, good work.” Shiki-san thanked the three.

“No need, Shiki-sama.” Aroma lowered her head lightly and then moved next to Shiki-san.

“Yes.” The skeleton sorcerer Hazess returned to his previous spot.

“…Okay.” The mist humanoid Ronado moved to the side at the edge of the red carpet.

Now then, I guess I will introduce myself as well.

“…Shiki-san, thank you very much for the tasty beverage. My name is Shuuya Kagari.”

“How polite. Shuuya-san, it is? Let’s proceed to the main topic at once…the reason why I had you come to this store was as thanks for you having helped with finishing the job quickly ― and for another reason.” Shiki lifted a bag audibly filled with gold coins which had been next to her chair.

The skeleton sorcerer stooped down in an exaggerated manner, and after receiving that gold coin bag, he raised his back, and moved in front of me while holding the bag. He placed the bag on the carpet with a heavy and bulky sound.

Is this skeleton sorcerer with his crimson-shining eye sockets a different type of burning knight that had been summoned from the spirit world? Or is he some unknown race?

Shiki-san smiled.

“…And the other reason is?” I asked, causing Shiki’s demonic eyes to shine for an instant.

“…Do you know of the Queen of Twilight Lebra-sama, the eternal queen, who lives in the Spirit World Sebdola?” Shiki asked.

Queen of Twilight Lebra…I remember having seen her on the picture scroll of Sebdola’s gods.

“I know about her, but why do you mention that goddess?” I asked back.

“How rude!” Aroma had an anger fit next to Shiki.

“Mm mm!” The person with the bald head and the bizarre face groaned.

“You insolent, black-haired man!”

“Cheeky brat…”

Collector’s subordinates became threatening. However, Helme, who was sitting next to me, got down on the red carpet, and angrily shouted, “――Horn girl, and you surrounding deadbeats! Who are the ones with the cheeky attitude!? Speaking and looking at His Excellency in such a manner deserves certain death! Shall I crush you all with my ice?”, while releasing water spray from her entire body.

…Looks like she’s not going to stab their butts.

Her not mentioning butts might mean that she’s only pretending to be enraged in order to actually haggle with them calmly?

“Hii…spirit!? Spirit-sama…please forgive…” Aroma got frightened by Helme’s angry face and hid behind Shiki, but once the skeleton sorcerer realized Helme’s true identity, he shouted, “What! Spirit, you said!?”, and readied the skeletal wand in his bone hands.

“…An intense blood thirst.” Probably as an instinctive, defensive measure, the plant woman surrounded her whole body with thorny shrubs.

“Even if you are a Spirit-sama, if you mess with Shiki-sama…” The bald man had many magic crest-like objects appear from the blood smeared sickles.

“…Bubu, fuson,” said the smoke humanoid with an unintelligible voice.

“…,” the vampire hunk faltered for an instant and retreated. Albeit being about to fall on his knees, he saw Shiki’s face and fixed his posture silently. Then he extended sharp claws from both hands while making pulsating blood veins surface on the skin at the outer corners of his eyes.

“…Oh my, how unusual. I suppose you were a spirit-sama. Since I judged by the clothes you’re wearing, I thought you were a human…” Collector was only surprised.

“Of course. Putting that aside, hurry up and state your business with His Excellency――” Helme pointed a finger in a pose of crossing her arms while making her blue-leaved butt puff out.

“Fufu, those eyes, that appearance…I feel emotions welling up in my heart. Magnificent. Very well, allow me to explain…Shuuya-san, won’t you become Queen Lebra’s disciple?” Shiki asked bluntly, apparently because she was urged to do so by Helme.

Well, I will decline, though.

“…I won’t become something like the disciple of a god.”

“Oh my, that’s quick. So it’s not even up for discussion.” Shiki looked slightly depressed and disappointed. At the same time the dangerous auras of the leader-like fellows around her grew in intensity.

“――Just so that you make no mistake, he’s a truly strong person. You guys will be destroyed if you were to move without my order, got it?” Shiki remonstrated her subordinates.

“Yes, understood.”

“Got it, I shall wait and watch.”

“…Affirmative,” said Ronado.

“It’s just as Shiki-sama says. He’s strong. My appraisal has been repelled. Moreover, all of them…are definitely unusually powerful. Shiki-sama, is it alright for you to invite such people into our headquarters?” The woman, who enveloped her whole body with plants, asked, deploying a magic crest while gathering mana.

Shiki looked at the plant woman and nodded.

“Jean, it’s fine. I invited them to gain their trust――. So, Shuuya-san, why is it no option for you?” Shiki asked for an explanation.

“…Sorry, such stories always have a catch. I mean, I already had the pleasure of experiencing it.” I explained calmly while peeking at the situation around me.

“I see. Wary on top of being strong. I won’t try to probe too deeply into this. You have my sympathy…I conclude that the spiritual nature of yours is also the cause of you being a strong man. That means my Appraisal Eyes of the Four Spider Kings won’t work on you.” Shiki reasoned.

“Demonic eyes, huh?” I voiced out for confirmation.

“Yes…for the power I was granted by Lebra-sama to not work on everyone from Innocent Arms, including you, Shuuya-san…that’s a first for me,” said Shiki while transforming her eyes.

Appraisal Eyes of the Four Spider Kings. Colored circles were bordered by spider hatchlings and small, quadrangle, magic character-like patterns. Those circles were quickly rotating like an accelerated second hand of a clock.

A type of eyes different from Kazane’s appraisal of Asura.

Come to think of it, the ones of the Goddess of Magic Poison Misea were coin-shaped, but she had also used Spider’s Demonic Eyes, hadn’t she? Back then she had apparently used them on Viine, but this time the appraisal of everyone, including Viine, failed.

It looks like the chosen bloodkin’s < Head Servant Leaders >, who inherited the blood of the Light Demon Lucival’s true ancestor, block an appraisal.

I’m also curious about that mark on her forehead. I guess I will try asking her about it.

“…That mark on your forehead is also a blessing of the Queen of Twilight Lebra?” I asked.

“Yes. The forehead and the eyes are the result of me having gained Lebra-sama’s favor.” Shiki removed the circlet on her forehead with one hand, allowing us to properly see the hexagram mark clad in mana.

“What peculiar magic crest. I suppose it’s the same as the one inside Lebra’s eyes…” I casually said, causing all subordinates of Shiki, including herself as well, to widen their eyes and gaze at me in astonishment.

“Eh?” “…” “Pardon?” “What!” They all reacted in some way.

“No way, you’re acquainted with Lebra-sama?” Collector bent herself forward in surprise.

“No, I just happened to see them, using a certain item.” I replied truthfully.

“H-Happened to see…using a certain item…fufu, hahahaha, how magnificent. Are you owning a superior Legendary-class magic item?” Shiki laughed so loudly that it made me cover my ears. Her laughing style switched towards praise in the middle of her speech.

“――Shiki-sama?” Aroma asked timidly.

“For Shiki-sama to be this interested in him…” Hazess said in disbelief.

Both were surprised by Shiki’s sudden outburst of laughter.

Shiki licked her upper lip, and gazed at me with the wish to possess me.

“…What’s wrong? Is it that unusual?” I was puzzled.

“Ah, n-no, as you seem to possess an unknown item related to superior gods, I ended up getting excited and lost my composure…” Shiki defended herself.

Did it prick her collector’s heart? In that case the god picture scroll might definitely be a special item.

It’s something Kuna owned. Maybe it’s an item she bought at the underground auction in the past. Still, I feel sorry for the excited Shiki, but it’s about time to go home.

“…Well then, it’s time for us…” I said accordingly.

“Ah…yes. We’re already done here, aren’t we? I’m going to cherish this meeting. Shuuya-san…” Shiki canceled her magic eyes and looked directly at me with her obsidian-like eyes. It was a look tinged with a woman’s passion, making me feel a sexual desire. And, as if to emphasize her big boobs, she leaned forward.

“Yes, indeed.” It triggered an honest reaction from my research society attached to the boob committee.

“Humph, what cheeky boobs…,” muttered Helme while throwing a sharp look at Shiki.

The boob research society throbs, but since I simultaneously feel the freezing looks of my < Head Servant Leaders >, I’m going to avert my face here…

Shiki looked disappointed due to me averting my eyes a bit, and once she licked her rouge upper lips a second time, “…Fufu, by all means, please accept a magic treasure map request again, okay? Aroma, lead our guest outside.”

“Yes, Shiki-sama,” affirmed Aroma and after curtly telling us, “This way please,” she opened the counter and shelf to the left and right, and passed through the door there.

As I was troubled where to look, I settled on Viine…

Uwah, what cold-hearted expression.

After glaring at Shiki with the same expression as she had when I met her for the first time, she fixed her eyes on me, changing her look.

“…Master, let’s go.” Viine said after reverting to a gentle expression, but I could sense a calm rage dwelling in her silver eyes.

“Yeah.” I agreed.

At that moment Rebecca grabbed my face with her white hands, turning it towards her blue eyes with the words, “――Hey, look at me!”, while shaking her blond hair.

“Haha, I’m sorry. I’m looking at you now.” I replied to her request.

“O-Oki.” Rebecca’s face became bright red while looking happy.

She’s really a cute one.

“Nn, me too!” Eva said, grabbed my face in the same way as Rebecca with her slender hands, and made it turn towards her.

“Eva.” I said.

“Shuuya, nn.” Eva boldly closed her eyes and demanded a kiss from me with everyone looking.

“Hey! ――Everyone is shocked! Eva, you’re a serious person, but you do have some careless parts, don’t you?” Yui retorted with the scabbard of her katana not bumping against Eva’s head, but mine. At the same time she moved next to me, put her arm around mine and pressed her breast against it.

“Nn, Shuuya was hit?” Eva was surprised.

“All of you have a good relationship…,” said Shiki-san while smiling. The looks from her subordinates were altogether harsh, but I didn’t care.

“Bye then.” I curtly bid farewell to Collector.

Then I got off the chair, picked up the coin bag Collector gave me, turned around, and left the inner room while taking everyone along. Once we came out in the room in front of the bright counter, Aroma-san opened the door on the left side and waited for us.

“Everyone, please,” she said.

Since I was interested in her personal story as Goldiba, I asked, “Aroma-san, you are a Goldiba, aren’t you?”

“My ancestor was.” Aroma countered.

“Ancestor? Ra Kelarda.” I confirmed by taking a nostalgic pose.

“Ra Kelarda! You know the old words…the Goldiba race well. Since there should be few of us in South Mahaheim, you must have connections to the desert region, am I right?” She asked hopefully.

It seems to be a commonly used word after all.

“It’s not the desert, but there’s a family I’m acquainted with.” I answered.

“…So there are other places than the desert where our people live.” Aroma said while deeply moved.

Going by her tone, I guess she’s unrelated to the Goldiba village located in the plateau area.

“Seems so.” I replied vaguely.

“Yes, then please come visiting again…” Aroma said.

“Okay, see you.” After I bowed my head and thanked her, I left Collector’s store.

Rebecca breathed out in relief, and said, “…That made me slightly nervous. It’s necessary to be cautious of Collector and her subordinates.”

“Yes. Those abnormal people around her emitted bloodthirst… Above all, Collector tried to put the moves on Master.” Viine agreed with Rebecca, and both nodded at each other while walking along the street.

“Yeah, let alone caution, she’s dangerous. That gaze similar to licking him all over is definitely that of a woman trying to woo Shuuya.” Yui said with verve.

“Nn, Shuuya wasn’t against it altogether either. He had been staring at those boobs.” Eva added.

Both walked while tightly clasping my hands.

“…It’s only natural for His Excellency to be popular, but as someone connected to a god of the spirit world, it might be necessary to be alert about her, not as a woman but in a different sense.” Helme voiced out as she walked in front.

“Nyao.” Rollo meowed at Helme’s words at my feet.

“It looks like Rollo-sama shares my thoughts as well.” Helme rejoiced and crouched down.

With a “Nn, nyaon,” Rollo climbed on Helme’s slender shoulder, licked the leafy skin on her face, and jumped down again, just to run back to me.

“Oh my…what a lovely kiss, Rollo-sama. Next time I will return it by giving you plenty of water.” Helme said happily.

I thought Rollo just communicated with Helme, but I didn’t point that out.

Advancing south along the First Ring Road, which was illuminated by magic lights, we headed towards the Martial Arts District. Without stopping on the way, we returned home.

Once I opened the front gate and proceeded towards the courtyard, I was greeted by the beautiful maids, Isabell, Anna, and Krychiwa.

“Master, welcome back. Are you going to have a meal or take a bath?” Isabell asked politely.

“A meal.” I answered curtly.

“As you wish, master.” Isabell returned.

“How’s Balmint doing?” I checked.

“Yes, he has been eating plenty of meat and vegetables. Albeit only faintly, it looks like he has grown taller.” Isabell reported.

Ooh, he’s growing, isn’t he?

I went to the main building with everyone while chatting about the cute Balmint, and after changing clothes, we spent an enjoyable dinner time in the living room.

“Recently I’m always looking forward to the meals.” Rebecca praised the maids’ work.

“Nn, luxurious.” Eva agreed.

“Yes, the fish dish the other day was really amazing.” Viine recalled fondly.

“It’s great that Shuuya is rich. I wonder what it’ll be today.” Yui expressed her anticipation.

What was brought in was a lasagna-styled dish with plenty of cheese and a lobster dish that seemed to be centered around a whole roasted lobster.

Those two were placed on the table, and in addition “Deluxe Pukko,” the preserved nori boiled in soy, in a rectangle container which I had been treated to at Eva’s restaurant before.

And lastly mead and bread were lined up as well.

“N, nyaa～n.” Rollo happily meowed after seeing the lobster placed on her exclusive plate.

While smiling at her eating the dish, I thrust a spoon into the lasagna-styled dish, tearing open the baked cheese layer on top, and brought it to my mouth after scooping some of it on the spoon.

Delicious.

As all of us were enjoying the food in such a manner, we chatted about this and that, and then analyzed our expectations in regards to Collector’s power after talking about the outcome of today’s magic treasure map battle.

In the middle of that, Mysty came back.

“You’re late today, aren’t you?” I asked.

“I tell you. There will be events at the magic academy…I will be slightly busy with various things after this.” Mysty replied while looking exhausted.

Speaking of events at the academy, was a school festival or something like that? The boarding school, where Elise and the other servants stayed, apparently had various competitions with other schools, too. There might be a game where you fly through the sky on a Nimbus 2000 and throw balls into circles. Or simple team and individual battles.

If it’s something like a cultural festival, it’s likely that there will be stalls and such, but I guess that’s not likely as they are also rearing adventurers.

“…Event, eh? Battles between students and similar?” I curiously asked.

“Yeah, there are individual and team matches. I got worried because the children with whom I formed a party recently are going to fight as well…since I’m going to end up favoring them, it’s somewhat bad…” Mysty donned the face of a teacher.

“…I see. Don’t try the impossible.” I cautioned her.

“Yeah, I know. That’s why I can’t get along with adventurers. As soon as something rare appears, they immediately take it for themselves. Especially metals.” Mysty complained and stuck out her index finger while winking with the metal part.

“Nn, it’s okay. I will check the metal.” Eva reassured Mysty.

“Okay, I will leave it to you then, Eva. We’re fellow metal friends. Fufu…but, something smells nice here～” Mysty said with a smile while looking at the roasted lobster dish. She put down the documents she had brought with her on the table, grabbed one of the remaining pieces of lobster meat, tossed it into her mouth, and ate it while smiling.

“Delicious～. Now then, I have still work to do. See you.” After seductively licking her fingers, Mysty put the documents together, and left through the entrance door towards her research room.

“Only that much? She will get too thin.” Rebecca worried.

“Nn, it’s alright. There’s still blood.” Eva soothed Rebecca.

By the way, the combat slaves led by Kaldo still haven’t returned from the labyrinth.

And then all of us dispersed after dinner, each freely doing whatever they pleased. Helme started meditating in a corner of the living room. Eva, Rebecca, and Yui returned to their rooms while having a girl’s talk about shopping. I went back to my own room while taking Rollo and Viine along, and provided some mana to Balmint.

“Kyukyuu!” Balmint happily came to hug my leg while spreading his four small wing membranes. But, he was too enthusiastic, ran into my leg, and toppled over.

Cute.

“Nyaa, nyano.” Rollo, the mother of the young, adorable Balmint, showed up, licked his entire body, and after gently holding him by the neck in her mouth, she carried him over to the wooden hut I had built.

They curled up together and apparently went to sleep.

I guess I will entrust Balmint to mother Rollo.

I dove onto the bed.

“Fufu, Master.” Viine chuckled and approached me as I was idling on my bed with no more than a single silver one-piece that boldly allowed me to see her thighs.

A wonderful outfit called an obscene shirt, or almost nude.

“What is it, Viine…?” While speaking up to her, I placed my head on her bluish-white thighs.

Right, this is one of the seven supreme sacred treasures of harems, a big technique using a woman’s mysterious gap, namely, lap pillow.

“Oh, Master, do you like my thighs?” Viine asked delightfully.

“It’s a position I’m fond of. It’s called a lap pillow. There’s a temporary lap pillow committee which is a sub branch of the boob research society…” My vast stock of perverted knowledge oozed through, but without looking disgusted, Viine silently nodded while smiling gently.

I enjoyed Viine’s lap pillow in my room. After spending time in such a relaxed atmosphere, I entered the earthenware bath on the second floor with my < Head Servant Leaders >, and after doing what had to be done, this day came to an end.

◇◇◇◇

In the last few days I enjoyed whale hunting and sky walking with Rollodeen(Horse Lion), gave fruits of the Millennium Plant to Balmint, and gave some to Helme since she wanted to eat them as well. Once I reflexively hit the Millennium Plant’s rapper since it was annoying, it ended up turning into a broken radio, but for some reason its sound became pleasant. I also carried out mock battles with Yui and Kaldo while training my spearmanship and swordsmanship at the same time.

In the end I focused on my spearmanship training, though…

And today I headed to the guild for the B rank promotion test. I’m looking forward to that examination or whatever it is.