65 - Chapter 5 Prologue
Inside the linked carriages heading toward the royal capital, Central.
With my eyes closed in sleep, my consciousness was being sucked into the blue Jewel Orb hanging from my neck.
In the circular room, there was a round table with chairs arranged around it.
In only one spot, a silver greatsword floated above the table.
"Um... even if I've been summoned, this..."
There, looking at me, Riel Walt, were the faces of the successive heads of the family, looking exasperated.
They were sitting in their chairs watching me, but only the Second Generation was standing.
Those appearing as hunters were the skills and memories of the successive heads within the Jewel Orb.
Following the First Generation, the ancestor of House Walt who was a landed noble, the Second Generation, Crassel Wolt, spoke to me.
"We'll do it again today. Come to my room."
After speaking curtly, as if irritated, the Second Generation headed toward the door behind his chair.
Behind the successive heads were rooms, which also served as places to playback their respective memories.
The Third Generation looked at me and told me to hurry up.
"Just go on. Honestly..."
Leaving the exasperated successive heads behind, I headed toward the door the Second Generation had entered.
(No, but... it can't be helped, right?)
There was one reason they were exasperated.
It was because I had failed to acquire the skill.
The Second Generation's memories.
Unlike the First Generation's, these were memories of ceaseless conflict.
Not a killing spree.
Conflicts between villagers, and resentment toward the Second Generation, who was the lord.
"The previous lord was great, wasn't he? He had real strength!"
"That man took the lead in everything."
"I wonder why the heir turned out like that!"
As the Second Generation walked along the farm road, I followed behind him.
Around us, there were villagers raising their voices intentionally so we could hear.
The Second Generation, who had just inherited the territory, wasn't doing farm work, instead, he was driving wooden stakes into the ground with his subordinates.
Seeing this sight, I spoke.
"It was like this before, but this scene..."
The Second Generation was in a bad mood, but he answered.
"I had just inherited it. I didn't even know what to do. I was just trying to organize the haphazard fields."
When the First Generation was the lord.
The village that was House Walt's territory had a complex layout of fields and houses.
It gave the impression that they had just expanded wherever they could.
Because the Second Generation became the head of the family, it had been reorganized to be easier to manage.
The villagers who saw this, however, seemed to hold resentment toward the Second Generation.
"Even though he's that man's son..."
A villager muttered as they passed by the young Second Generation while he worked.
The young Second Generation gritted his teeth.
He looked frustrated.
The Second Generation explained the situation to me.
"What the villagers expected with the change in leadership was the mediation of quarrels. Whose field is this. Someone blocked the water. There were many stupid fights. During the First Generation's time, they endured it. That man... my father was strong."
Compared to the First Generation, the Second Generation seemed more approachable.
The First Generation, Basil Wolt, wore beast furs as a coat and had a barbarian style.
His arms were thick, his weapon was a greatsword, and it seemed no one in the village could oppose him.
"He was strong and took the lead in work... despite everything, my father was reliable and loved by the villagers."
But once the leadership changed, it seemed the resentment they had been bottling up erupted all at once.
He mediated quarrels and handed down judgments on whose land it was and who owned what... but it seemed every decision left the villagers dissatisfied.
He wasn't accepted by the generation that knew the First Generation, and the Second Generation seemed to struggle to raise the younger generation.
As we left the village and went outside, the Second Generation turned back to me.
"Well then, shall we begin... You can do the second stage of my skill, All, right?"
"It was covering a wider range than before and using the skill on multiple targets, right?"
The characteristic of the Second Generation's skill was that it was truly dedicated to support.
Once you learned the secondary ways to use it, the benefits were even greater.
The second stage allowed one to gather allies in the vicinity into one spot and activate the skill simultaneously.
In other words, instead of using the skill bit by bit, it could be used on a group in one go.
"The range of perception expands, but it's not as much as the Fifth Generation's skill. It's suited for short-range detection, though."
As he said that, I cast my gaze toward an enemy I sensed with the skill.
There, the figure of a horned rabbit—
"Hah!"
—was visible, but the Second Generation immediately fired an arrow.
As could be seen from his hunter style, the weapon the Second Generation possessed was a bow.
He seemed to hate monsters—especially horned rabbits—and whenever he found one, he often got into arguments with the Fifth Generation.
To the First through Third Generations, who did farm work, horned rabbits were pests.
Ravaging the fields meant a decrease in harvest.
"It's almost like a reflex. I mean, we're inside a memory, right?"
I wondered if the appearance of monsters could be managed.
When I said that, the Second Generation spoke irritably.
"I just get pissed off when I see those things, it's carved deeply into my memory... that's why, like this."
Even as he spoke, another horned rabbit appeared, and the Second Generation shot it dead.
His skill with the bow was amazing.
I could use it too, but I didn't have the skill the Second Generation did.
The Second Generation put away his bow and looked at me.
"Now, regarding the third stage, Select, which has been a series of failures."
Select—the third stage of the Second Generation's skill, which allowed the skill to be used even if allies within range were scattered.
The amazing part about this was that one could judge between enemies and allies to use the skill.
In other words, sniping was possible.
On a battlefield where enemies and allies were intermingled, being able to use the secondary effect of this skill would provide an immediate advantage.
If there was magic that rained down over a wide area, one could target only the enemies.
It was such an incredible skill, but...
"No, the thing is..."
I concentrated on using the skill, but there was no reaction.
The Second Generation shouted.
"Why can't you do it! It's impossible! You've mastered even the Third Generation's Mind, yet you can't use my skill? That's normally impossible!"
If one were to rank the difficulty of acquisition, the skills of the First and Second Generations required less effort to master up to the third stage than others.
And yet, my activation of the skill failed.
"No, there is a reaction. It's just that it fails right before the end."
"That's weird! You've used every other skill on the first try until now, and now you're saying you can't...!"
Facing the disappointed Second Generation, I realized that somewhere inside, I felt relieved.
As the linked carriages rattled and shook, I woke up and looked out the window.
Just riding a vehicle is tiring.
Around me, there were many passengers sleeping just like I was.
Looking out the window, mercenaries or adventurers on horseback were following as guards.
Since we were heading to the capital, Central, there were many passengers.
There were no empty seats, and many passengers were willing to pay the large sum of silver coins because of the presence of monsters and bandits.
This linked carriage, which had guards and even arranged inns at the villages it stopped at, was expensive, but many passengers still rode it.
A safe journey was worth that much.
I had only recently come to realize this.
Looking next to me, Monica—not Poyopoyo—with her golden twin-tails and maid outfit, was knitting.
Seeing that, I thought.
(Is it already that season?)
I had felt a chill, and the cold was becoming harsher by the day.
It had already been over half a year since I left my family home, House Walt.
Winter was just around the corner.
Initially, Monica had been met with curious glances, but after traveling for a few days, everyone seemed to have grown used to it and stopped caring about her maid outfit.
Only the new passengers who boarded at the villages or towns they arrived at could be seen looking surprised.
Such a Monica was not human.
A pervert, who was said to be one of the Seven Sages of the academic city Alamsars, had revived an automaton created by the ancients.
It was a crystallization of ancient technology, and according to her, she was a Special Unit.
Monica noticed my gaze.
"What is it, chicken coward? Don't tell me you've become lustful just by looking at the cute me? Honestly... getting horny in a place like this."
As Monica tried to take off her clothes, I gave her a hard smack.
I wondered if she might break since she's a machine... but as can be understood from her tone, she's already broken.
"Why are you always like that? More importantly, what are you making?"
Looking at the knitting, Monica said.
"It's obvious. It's a 'heavy muffler' into which I've poured my various feelings. When you think about how much emotion is put into it, you can't help but feel the weight of love and the weight of responsibility. Ah, what a heavy muffler."
"I see. That sounds tough."
When I spoke as if it were someone else's problem, Monica began to tremble.
"No, don't speak as if it's someone else's problem. Can't you understand without me saying who is giving it to whom? Chicken coward, you are a brute."
As I remained uninterested, Monica muttered under her breath.
"...I'll add a heavy sweater and heavy gloves too."
Saying that, she began knitting the muffler at an incredible speed.
A child watching this nearby tried to wake their sleeping guardian.
"Stop it, idiot."
While telling Monica to be mindful of the eyes around us, I looked at the ceiling.
Since travel still took several days, it was safe, but at the same time, I felt the inconvenience.
I looked at the blue Jewel Orb hanging from my neck.
The blue Jewel Orb resting in my palm was decorated with silver shining metal, making it a necklace.
Inside this, seven skills of my ancestors were recorded.
Including the skill I manifested, it meant I possessed eight skills.
Normally, a person has only one skill.
Because of that, the only way to use multiple skills, other than the Orb I possessed, was through tools called Magic Tools that could use skills.
They were often weapons or armor, and now Magic Tools, which were easier to handle than the Orb that tended to interfere, had become more common.
Since it was possible to gather skills that exerted a great effect when combined, many adventurers and nobles sought them out despite the high prices.
(There's no point in increasing movement speed with the Fourth Generation's skill.)
I could increase movement speed with a skill, but even if I did, the linked carriages had a schedule.
Even if we arrived early, the departure would be on time, so using the skill was meaningless.
(Increasing the number of usable skills is certainly a good thing, I suppose.)
Thinking that, I closed my eyes again.
Our party, having arrived at the royal capital Central, passed through the gates, navigated through the crowded areas, and headed toward the inn.
Since it was my third time in Central, I didn't get lost.
Moreover, this time Miranda and Shannon, who grew up in Central, were with us.
Miranda, who had pale green hair, had her wavy hair grown down to her back.
She was a person who reminded one of a cat, but she was still a young lady.
Her family home was the Viscounty of House Sarcly, a court noble house.
Her younger sister, Shannon, was a girl with pale purple hair and yellow eyes.
Shannon was the youngest among us, but she was also a black-hearted girl who had been playing the role of a fragile, blind girl until now.
"Hey, someone carry the luggage. Riel, you carry it. You're a man, aren't you?"
I looked back at Shannon and spoke.
"You can say that while looking at me holding luggage in both hands? Besides, you're having Monica carry your luggage too."
The ones holding heavy luggage in both hands were me and Monica.
Monica, who was carrying my luggage as well as the luggage for Miranda, Clara, and Shannon, was drawing the attention of those around us.
As for me, I was carrying the luggage for Nowem and Aria.
"This is actually quite heavy."
What Shannon showed me while speaking cutely was not a leather bag, but a handbag for carrying over the shoulder.
"Save the sleep-talking for when you're asleep. Come back after you've become a lady."
I spat back at her, leaving Shannon to shower me with abuse as I headed toward the inn.
The one who smacked the back of the noisy Shannon's head was Miranda-san.
She was the oldest among us, but even she was only seventeen.
"Shannon, carry at least that much. You must be grateful just for having Monica carry your luggage."
Told this, Monica puffed out her chest while carrying the luggage.
Her large breasts swayed.
"I'm dissatisfied with carrying your luggage, but it's just a side effect of carrying the important chicken coward's luggage. I wish you'd be more grateful."
Monica's treatment of me differed from her treatment of the others, but despite her foul mouth, she was the type to do her job properly.
A girl with navy blue hair, red eyes, and glasses, who had been watching this, spoke.
It was Clara.
"I've been to Central a few times, but there are so many people. Unlike Alamsars, it's functional, so to speak..."
If you asked me, Central also felt like a cramped place.
Compared to Alamsars, which was like a maze, it was somewhat better.
Nowem, who had brown hair in a side ponytail, looked at me with her purple eyes and spoke.
"Shall we stay at the inn we stayed at before, Riel-sama?"
Nowem Foxus—my former fiancée, a beautiful girl who followed me after I was kicked out of my family home.
There was a time when I thought as long as I had Nowem, nothing else mattered, but before I knew it, I was leading a group of women.
Aria, a tomboyish girl with red hair, spoke.
"We have money, so let's stay somewhere a bit more spacious. I hate the idea of three people in a double room like before."
When we came previously, one man and two women had stayed in a double room.
However, it was better if the stay expenses were low.
After all, Central was also a place where money was spent.
"I agree with private rooms, but we can't stay in an expensive place with this many people."
Aria spoke.
"You say that even though you've earned that much money."
Having earned a fair amount of money in Alamsars, I now had more leeway than before.
From an adventurer's perspective, I would fall into the successful category.
From within the Jewel Orb, the Fourth Generation, who was sensitive to talk of money, spoke up.
The Fourth Generation, characterized by his glasses, was also a strict person regarding money.
'It's not money you earned! I gave Riel the instructions... if anything, we could have sold the Porter know-how for a much higher price...'
I, who had created golems to carry luggage in the labyrinth, had sold that know-how to the academy in Alamsars.
As for the amount, it was a satisfying sum for an individual.
However, the Fourth Generation was not satisfied with that.
(There must still be other ways to earn money.)
Thinking that, I had once been looked at with subtle gazes by my ancestors.
As Aria pressed me, Miranda-san spoke up.
"It's already late today, but tomorrow I'll introduce a place where we can stay for a while. I think Riel knows too."
Told this, I remembered.
"The House Sarcly estate? I mean, it's fine if we can stay, but is it really okay?"
Both Miranda-san and Shannon were supposed to have left House Sarcly.
On the surface, it was said they went to the academic city to study, but in reality, they had merely been given the opportunity to study for the sake of their independence.
The reason I worried if it was okay to return was likely because I had been kicked out of my own family home.
Miranda-san said with a smile.
"It's fine. I've received permission from Father, and I've told him that the seven of us are coming together."
That smile reminded me slightly of a mischievous child, but I decided to nod.
"I understand. Shall we head to the House Sarcly estate tomorrow?"
Then, Miranda-san said.
"I'm looking forward to it."
Looking forward to what? While I was unable to understand that, the Sixth Generation spoke up.
'...How should I put it. From a parent's perspective, it's a scene like, "Please take my daughter!"'
The one who agreed with that was the Seventh Generation.
'Indeed. If my daughter brought home an adventurer, I feel like I'd just shoot them dead...'
The Seventh Generation, who said such scary things, was also my grandfather.
Due to various things in the past, he hated adventurers and organizations like the guild.
He didn't seem to approve of me being an adventurer either.
I thought.
(With this many girls, I don't think they'll misunderstand.)
Carrying heavy luggage and heading for the inn, I held such naive thoughts.