Isekai NEET V1 Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - NEET and The Mysterious Princess

Like that ── One month had passed since Tifalycia became a servant known as master.

Hero Reiji, who should have been the servant, would incite Tifalycia to have a 「Showdown」 whenever she complained about having an improvement to their relationships.

Tifalycia had continued to lose completely due to various reasons──

Receiving punishment games everyday as such.

“Oo......”

Reiji glanced at Tifalycia, who was sitting on the bed, and nodded thoroughly with a sense of accomplishment.

“My masterpiece is complete ── cat-eared elf.”

Elf ear itself was one of the supreme arts. Then the reckless act of adding another ultimate art of cat ear on top of it.

Taking a closer look at it, it had surpassed the out-of-place feeling about having four ears, and portrayed a feeling of ‘Wonderful things added to wonderful things will give you nothing other than more wonderful things’ to the extreme.

“Well well, one should try it out without dismissing it first......Though it’s a simple addition, to think that such a harmony can be made.”

Glaring sideways at Reiji who was immersed in his own ingenuity, Tifalycia, who was wearing a cat-ear headband, continued to be watched like that, she could not stop his actions despite trembling with shame and embarrassment.

That was because she lost in a 「Showdown」.

Contracts established under the Great Contract Magic must be carried out as long as life and death was not involved.

Since Tifalycia said 『I will listen to anything if I lose this 「Showdown」』, she could not reject Reiji’s wish.

As Tifalycia made poses she was told to on the bed, she showed minimum resistance by opening her mouth, which was the only part that was allowed freedom.

“Why do you have something like this......”

He had been carrying a bag when he was summoned to this world.

The cat-ear headband was taken out from that bag, but even if it was another world, she could tell that it was weird for a male to carry such a thing.

“That’s because I like it? It’s obvious that you want to keep things that you like close to you. That collar is also the same.”

“Eh. Th-This bomb as well?”

“Eh?”

“Eh?”

As Tifalycia parroted his reaction back at him while tilting her head as if it was strange in an unexpected way, Reiji did an understanding gesture by doing a palm fist tap.

“Aah, that story about it exploding eh. You still believed it huh. ──That’s a lie.”

“Ha?”

“That’s a normal choker.”

“──Eeeeeeh!?”

“To think that you have believed it all this while. I’m surprised.”

“I-I am the one who is surprised!? Why didn’t you say so earlier!”

“Well, I never thought that you would believe it. Rather ── you should be able to notice that it is not a bomb if you think about it.”

As if it was obvious. He continued.

“Let’s consider adding a bomb to the collar. For what reason should I do that?”

“Eh......th-that’s............Like...to threaten me to listen to you or else it will explode......”

“Did I ever say that?”

“──”

He never said that.

Not even once ever since then ── he never said that the collar had a bomb.

“Then...Then, making me put on the collar at that time was──”

“Well, a beautiful elf girl with a collar is the best!”

As Reiji showed a radiant smile, Tifalycia’s shoulders sank.

Terrible......

That was too terrible, but what Reiji said was also true.

At that time, if she properly thought about it ── she would have noticed.

And that could also apply to the showdown just now.

“About why I let my opponent choose the method of showdown......”

The foolish act of letting Reiji choose the method of the showdown when it was Tifalycia who had challenged him.

She naturally let Reiji choose it because she felt that he would not accept her showdown if she did not do so, but she understood now that she was calm.

Making her think so, and then conceding the method of showdown to him was Reiji’s battle plan itself.

“There is no need to choose your methods for the sake of winning. No matter how despicable it is, it will be justified for the sake of victory. As long as it is not forbidden, you can’t be blamed even if you use tools.”

“......Uuuu.”

Reiji smirked as he saw that Tifalycia was unable to rebuke him because she also understood that, then he suddenly did the same gesture as earlier.

“Well, that’s all for today. Well, that was fun.”

As Tifalycia knew that those words meant that the 『Punishment Game』 was over, she got down from the bed dejectedly, and walked out of the room with her shoulder slumped.

“Well then, see you tomorrow. Please give me a good time, Master?”

“Gu......You are the one who should watch out tomorrow──”

“Yes, good night.”

He closed the door without letting her finish.

{Wh ── How many times have I told you that such an attitude is rude!!}

{......Um, Mistress Tifalycia? What are you shouting......}

{......!? N-Nothing much ── It’s nothing}

{What you are wearing on your head is......?}

{Ah!? Y-You’re wrong, this is...emm──}

Reiji heard Tifalycia making poor excuses to the servant, then heaved a big sigh after confirming that her voice was far away.

“......Ah, so tired.”

Although he chose it himself, continuing to act as a character was quite exhausting after all.

“Although ── It’s mostly proceeding according to the schedule.”

Reiji, who purposely smirked and spoke with the awareness that he was currently 『An evil and immoral NEET Hero』, erased his expression the next instant.

He surveyed the wide, or rather overly wide room just like that.

The decorations in the room was luxurious to the eyes of a commoner, but were probably frugal if considering from the standpoint of a royalty.

One month had passed since he was summoned to this world.

Reiji slowly walked around in the room he got used to, and stopped before the huge bed.

It was the fluffy bed Tifalycia was lying on just a while ago.

He plunged into it ── pretended to.

And spoke quietly.

“You’re already exposed ── Leu.”

Something responded to the phrase Leu.

The bedding squirmed and a face popped out.

A beautiful girl with a dreadfully perfect face.

With porcelain like white skin, ruby pupils blinking, she ── Leu tilted her head and her silver hair spread out on the white sheets swayed along with it.

“......How...did you know?”

Contrary to her words, her voice had no intonations.

Coupled with her appearance, she looked just like a doll, Reiji sighed.

“Is there any meaning to that question?”

“What do...you mean?”

He could not help but continue as she seemed to want to feign ignorance to the bitter end.

“......What you used just now is only the power to move between the shadows. The things that can make a shadow in this room, acting as a natural hiding place, are extremely limited.”

“......I see.”

“That is just a facade ── You, you probably will appear from any place I speak from the start, right?”

“──!”

She, who had no fluctuations in her expression until then, showed something similar to surprise for the first time.

And with that, she spoke with a euphoric-like color overflowing from her pupils.

“......As expected of...Master.”

Confirming that reaction that he was used to seeing, Reiji breathed out a long sigh as if he was sick of it.

“Look here......that same thing, you seem to have done it yesterday and the day before. How many more times do you want to repeat it before you are satisfied, Leu-san?”

“No matter how many times.”

“Oi......”

“The splendor of Master, be it today or tomorrow ── I want to confirm it everyday.”

That completely emotionless speech could only sound like a joke, but regrettably, Reiji knew that she seriously meant it.

“──No good?”

The cool girl tilted her small head as she asked that, that cute behavior was foul play.

In addition, she was lying defenselessly on the bed.

Her silver hair spread out on the white sheets. Those hidden slim thighs occasionally peeked out, the porcelain-like white skin that might break if touched, they were seducing Reiji.

Tearing away from the gaze of those red pupils that could charm him if he was careless, Reiji scratched his head intentionally to let his thoughts fly back to one month ago.

Reiji’s plan that was mostly proceeding according to schedule.

It could be said to be the only exception.

The girl known as Leu ── the encounter with the princess of 「Strega」.

　　◇◆◇◆◇

The seventh day since he came to Aquatera Realm.

On one hand, Reiji had been dealing with Tifalycia, who would challenge him to a  「Showdown」 occasionally, while on the other hand, he completely neglected his duty as the Hero.

Furthermore, he ignored her attempt to redirect his attention by using the reason that some other country might have spies infiltrating, and calmly extended his activities outside of the castle.

Basically, he was living as he pleased just like what he declared he would.

Not doing things he did not want to do, doing things he wanted to do──

Hence.

The decision to go to that place was definitely not from his obligation as a Hero.

“......Hmm. This is Heroic War huh.”

Reiji alone was sitting on a big rock at high ground, and observing the flashy magical battle spread out beneath.

In a world where harming others (violence) was made impossible by the Great Contract Magic, only Heroic War was a place where people were able to remove that restriction of non-violence.

If he looked up, a huge magic formation spread out with the Cube as its center, its surrounding was filled with writings in Idea Language going around in a swirl.

Heroic War

「Beastia」 Napoleon Bonaparte

VS

「Sirena」Taigoubou^[1]

Field: Tolsel Rocky Zone

Victory Condition: Subjugation of the enemy Hero

Victory Reward: 「Beastia」 Lendia’s governance

          「Sirena」 Teartoro’s concession

The reason for the various projections similar to match screens of games seemed to be a form of fairness by letting outsiders know apart from the involved parties.

As for the point on how to fight when there were supposed to be no casualty, he had confirmed with Tifalycia that achieving 『Touch the opponent’s seal』seemed to be it. Quite the thoroughness.

“Even so ── Napoleon and Taigoubou huh.”

Although he had information beforehand, it was an incredulous dream stage. A historian would be swooning from that.

He did not know which one was Taigoubou, but Napoleon should be the robust man riding on the horse and encouraging his troops at the center of the battlefield. Although that figure seemed to differ slightly from the one in the textbook, it indeed seemed like him.

The difference between the 「Beastia」 he was leading and 「Sirena」 was also interesting.

The special physical traits of 「Beastia」, which were demi-humans with animal ears and tails growing on them, and 「Sirena」, which were demi-humans with fin-like features after looking more closely, were one thing, their ways of fighting were also quite different.

Compared to the 「Sirena」, which formed a solid defense line and kept throwing long distance water element magic as if to keep the enemies in check, the 「Beastia」 raised their physical abilities with [Self-strengthening Magic], and kept attacking without concern about the amount of sacrifices made.

Considering the compatibility, 「Beastia」 could only be seen as reckless, but 「Sirena」 was the side that was being pushed, 「Beastia」 would probably win in the end.

As far as Reiji could see, the difference in morale was too obvious.

Or rather ── was 「Sirena」  seriously fighting?

“......Well, whatever.”

Saying so, Reiji switched on the power of the smartphone he took out from the pocket, while recording the battle scene, he thought again.

In that one week.

Hearing the stories from Tifalycia and the servants in the castle, he had roughly grasped the basics of this world.

Food culture was what he was worried about the most, but luckily it ended as needless worry, and other culture gaps also started to fill up, with the preparation of the plan carrying on.

Hence, the problem was...

“There’s no Internet huh.”

He was summoned when he was outside, so he had carried the minimum electronic devices needed, but obviously not radio wave.

As he simulated the situation of having no power source or radio wave one day, he obtained a solar charger, truly necessary Apps and tools, but it still pained him that GPS function could not be used.

In the first place, be it another world or afterlife, information controlled everything. If the best gathering method that was the Internet could not be used, then he had to find the next best alternative.

He already thought of one thing, but he hoped that there could be other more suitable methods.

Therefore──

“Must actively take action ── Don’t you think so?”

As if it was obvious that someone was there.

Reiji turned around and faced the depths of the forest as he spoke.

There was no sound replying from the quiet forest.

Far from that, there wasn’t even any figure of people within Reiji’s field of vision.

If Tifalycia had been at the place, she would probably think that Reiji’s reaction was strange. She might even suspect his sanity depending on situation. However, in the next instant, she would raise an astonished voice.

Because from the place where there nothing was there one moment before, a silhouette appeared.

Amazing silver hair. Cold ruby pupils. Perfectly-shaped face.

Even though she had sickly white skin, a black robe like solidified darkness wrapped around her, the girl opened her mouth quietly.

“──How...did you know?”

An emotionless voice that would make one suspect if she truly wanted to ask.

Reiji immediately answered.

“Know what?”

“......How did you know that I am scouting here?”

“Aah so you are doing reconnaissance huh.”

“............”

He felt a shiver of cold running through his spine.

Reiji calmly understood that as something called bloodthirst, and lightly shrugged his shoulders despite that.

“I just think that if someone was to observe me, that person could only be there, you know? I moved here for that sake after all.”

Hearing that answer, the girl slightly opened her eyes wider.

Regardless of it being an enemy or a friend, Reiji assumed that someone was tailing him.

He moved to a place that would only have one spot to observe him from if someone was to be observing him, and pretended to speak in a way as if he already noticed.

If there was someone, then that person could only answer, if not then that’s all.

A defensive measure with no demerit.

“Well, if there is someone tailing me, reconnaissance from another race has the highest possibility.”

──And, that was at a very good timing to Reiji.

Reiji smirked within his heart, but nonchalantly spoke without showing it.

“Anyway, we met on this rare occasion. Won’t you chat with me a little? I just happen to be free──”

“That is unnecessary.”

She interrupted.

The ground ── no, the girl entered her own shadow, then appeared right before Reiji from his shadow in the next moment.

Looking from a closer distance, her chic beauty stood out even more.

Before Reiji could appreciate it for a few milliseconds, he held his breath after confirming that the robe of the girl wriggled and reached for his neck in the next instant.

He could feel the prickly sharp things poking at him even through his muffler.

“............Ha? What’s this?”

“Something to take your ── Hero’s life.”

Hearing her disturbing words, Reiji was more confused than anxious.

“No no, what’s the point of doing this...”

“I won’t do meaningless things.”

The girl clearly declared, and blandly continued.

“Great Contract Magic prevents all unlawful violence......if you think like that...”

The robe thrusted at him dug deeper.

“Foolish.”

“......Oi oi, I heard that it is 『Like that』 though?”

“While protecting the Great Contract Magic, there are countless ways of cornering people.”

Reiji pondered without responding to her words.

Why was the Hero of 「Elf」 not present?

The reason, the method.

If the girl before him knew about it.

“......I see. Even the Hero is not risk free.”

As the girl kept quiet without responding, Reiji sighed.

“Then it can’t be helped huh.”

He relaxed all at once, and turned his face sideway to reveal his neck.

“Then please make it quick.”

Reiji’s action and words caused her to blank out for a moment before speaking.

“......Are you giving up......? Even though you are a Hero.”

The phrase ‘even though you are a Hero’ caused Reiji to sigh “That again huh”.

“Look here, though I don’t know what kind of ideal you hold towards beings like Heroes, I am a NEET. I don’t do things I don’t want to do, I only do things I want to do. I will give up on impossible things!”

“............”

“Ah, you just spaced out right?”

“......Not really.”

“No, you were spacing out. I can tell you are hiding it. Rather, what will you do if you are in my situation? Wanting to watch the battle for a bit and suddenly encounter an enemy. And it’s someone who has the power to easily infiltrate deep into enemy territory, probably an elite from 「Strega」 judging from the magic system, physical traits, and contents of speech, able to grasp the loophole of Great Contract Magic meaning she’s used to this──”

Reiji poured out his deductions one by one.

She showed no reaction on her face.

Just that, her pupils that were staring at him moved a tiny bit,and the number of times she blinked increased.

Those changes that would normally be unnoticed were sufficient for Reiji to change his deductions to convictions.

“──It’s common sense that competitions of strength against such an opponent is an impossible game.”

“............”

She still did not reply any words after continuing that far.

“However.”

“......However?”

The moment Reiji continued like that, a voice replied.

──Got you.

Reiji’s mouth, hidden by his muffler, curved into a smirk, and he spoke while putting up an act.

“I absolutely won’t lose apart from competitions of strength though.”

He shrugged and opened up his hands.

He did not hide his confidence and looked down at the girl as if it was regrettable.

At that obvious provocation, the girl dropped her gaze for a tiny instant and spoke.

“Anyone can do that if it’s just saying.”

“That’s true. That’s all I can do right now.”

“............”

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

Before long, she pulled back her weapon from his throat without any sign, and took one step back.

“......With this, you can do other things.”

So if he could win against her, then prove it.

As the girl hinted at that, Reiji smiled satisfyingly.

“Aah ── In that case, let’s have a simple 「Showdown」 without any danger.”

　　◇◆◇

“......「Showdown」?”

“You can decide the method. Anything is fine, you know? Be it Coin Toss, High and Low.”

As if it was natural to be carrying those things around, Reiji took out a coin and a deck of card from his pocket and continued.

“Ah, magic is not allowed. It’s possible that those guys over there might notice if it’s too flashy. Something peaceful, and able to determine the winner as soon as possible would be good.”

Hearing Reiji’s words, she looked at the surrounding, then looked straight back at him.

“......Then, cards.”

“Okay, High and Low it is. Simple, easy, with no room for cheating is just nice.”

Opening the card set on his right hand skillfully, he spoke as if he just noticed.

“Oh wait, this card is from my world, so it may be difficult for you. You can’t read the numbers, right?”

“If it’s only that much, I know. Because I have seen many Heroes so far.”

“......Hee, you have lived unexpectedly long?”

“That’s not true. I have only lived around 100 years.”

“That’s already considered quite long......”

Though she looked to be younger than Reiji in appearance.

She shook her head at Reiji’s reaction.

“A life just living to accumulate experience, has no meaning.”

A bland tone as usual.

Reading the minute emotion mixed in those words, Reiji laughed even louder in his heart, and spoke as if to change topics.

“Now then, I said that I absolutely won’t lose apart from competitions of strength. Proving that I absolutely won’t lose is actually very difficult. Even if I continue to win, I absolutely cannot eliminate the possibility of losing next time.”

Continuously winning and absolutely not losing did not have the same meaning.

As long as the thing called the next game existed, the possibility of losing would always exist.

“Therefore, I am thinking of proving it to you in a way you are convinced.”

“Convinced?”

“When you think that I absolutely won’t lose ── when you absolutely won’t win against me, that will be the moment when it will be over. If I lose, you can do anything to me, including my life. In exchange, I want you to work for me if I win.”

“............”

The girl’s expression did not change, but her robe wriggled as if making a warning.

“Aah, it’s not something difficult. Simply speaking, it’s to provide information. Look, I believe you know that I have just come to this world. The information I can obtain here is limited, you probably know quite a lot about other countries, right? Since you have that kind of thing.”

When Reiji pointed at the robe, the robe moved behind the back of the girl as if hiding.

It was a bit interesting that it seemed to be substituting for the girl with faint emotions.

Then the girl stared at him...

“......The rules?”

Along with those words, a faintly glowing small magic formation enveloped the two.

In other words, it was her accepting Reiji’s 「Showdown」.

Reiji flipped the stack of card in his hand, making it that the patterns and numbers were only shown to the girl.

“As you can see, it’s a normal card. Of course, there’s no marking on the back of the deck. You will pick one out of the fifty-two cards, then I will pick one, the one with the higher number wins. Simple right?”

“......If the numbers are the same?”

“Then it will be a draw. However, in High and Low, Ace will specially become the highest. Starting from 2, 3, 4......King, Ace. By the way, you picking directly and not me dealing the card is for the sake of fairness. Picking the card you like won’t have room for cheating right?”

The robe reacted to the phrase cheating.

It came out in front of the girl again, feeling like paying attention to him.

She herself did not answer with a Yes or No to Reiji’s words, just silently picked one card from the deck that was shuffled and faced down.

After confirming the number on her own card, she immediately returned her gaze to Reiji, and stretched out her hand.

“......I will...deal the card. To prevent you from cheating.”

“Ou, I will leave it to you.”

He handed over the card naturally, and the girl presented the cards to Reiji by mimicking him.

──If he wanted to cheat, it would be this instant.

Seeing that the girl gave an order to her robe, then focused herself, Reiji showed a troubled look as if he didn’t notice...

“Hmm, maybe this.”

And quickly picked out one card from the girl’s hands.

Cheating......he did not do it?

Then, how would he?

While she was pondering, Reiji spoke while his hand maintained the same posture as he picked out the card.

“Now then, let’s open by the count of three. One, two ── three.”

The girl opened 『♥Q』

Reiji opened 『♠A』

“Oh, I must say I am quite lucky. Ah, that’s wrong, I should say ‘See, I never lost?’ right?”

Reiji smirked and immediately continued.

“Then, let’s do another round.”

The 「Showdown」 would continue until the girl believed that she 『Absolutely cannot win against Reiji』.

Pulling out ♠A on the first round could be called lucky, but it would obviously not make her think that she 『Absolutely cannot win』.

If he did not continue to win for many rounds at least ── As the girl thought so, the result of the second round.

The girl 『♣7』

Reiji 『♠A』

“......Fu, this is the so-called power of Hero huh.”

Third round.

The girl 『♣7』

Reiji 『♠A』

“I’m incredible.”

Fourth rounnd.

The girl 『♦K』

Reiji 『♠A』

“This is fun.”

Fifth round. The girl 『♠10』 Reiji 『♠A』. Sixth round. The girl 『♥5』 Reiji 『♠A』. Seventh round. The girl 『♣8』 Reiji 『♠A』. Reiji 『♠A』, Reiji 『♠A』──

──A game that was simple, easy, with no room for cheating?

He sure dared to say such words.

Exactly twenty rounds.

Seeing Reiji opened 『♠A』again, the girl thought.

Reiji was clearly cheating.

And he did not intend to hide it.

He no longer put up his shabby act, and spoke while looking at the girl who did not change her expression on the surface.

“This is my twentieth consecutive win. Still want to continue?”

The robe fluttered sharply.

Seeing that it substituted the expressionless girl to show hostility, Reiji made an exaggerated show of fear.

“Ooh scary scary......So, do you understand?”

He did not say understand what.

There could only be one thing he was referring to in that situation.

The girl naturally knew that he was talking about cheating.

She had carefully observed his actions.

A flick of his hand, a shift of his leg, she did not miss any instance of movement.

She even forcefully stopped his movement at times and did a body check.

However, even though she did that much ── he did not reveal any flaw.

If she did not have evidence, she could not prove that he was cheating. She could not beat him.

............Could not beat him?

Suddenly, the robe waved vigorously as if it was bursting apart.

Unlike before, he was not surprised by any of that and continued to look at the girl with a thin smile.

──Absolutely won’t lose apart from competitions of strength.

However, proving it was very difficult.

Just like what he said himself, no matter how much he continued to win, he could not prove that he absolutely wouldn’t lose.

Hence, he said that the proof would be when the girl thought that she 『Cannot win』.

At that time, she thought that it was sensible. She was convinced that it was so.

She did not notice that she was caught in a trap the moment she thought so.

Why?

Why did he emphasize about a game without room for cheating?

At that moment, the girl’s consciousness certainly imprinted the thought of watching out for cheating.

With that, when the showdown began, she fell into a situation that could only happen if he was cheating, but she could not tell the method.

If it had come that far, any logical person could only think so.

{The problem is not whether he cheated. The problem is his cheating cannot be seen through── }

Then, as long as she could not see through his cheating ── she absolutely could not win.

“......Since when?”

When she noticed.

The girl muttered so subconsciously.

“Since when ── did you think of this?”

This strategy.

The showdown that was determined only by when the girl would be convinced.

He immediately answered that question.

“Since when I noticed that you have expectation for me.”

“Expectation──?”

“When your hiding place was exposed, you pretended to want to eliminate me, while never actually carrying it out. You would answer, show reaction, listen when conversing with me. Why did you do that?”

“That’s......”

“Your premise is wrong. You must eliminate the enemy race’s Hero, or collect information if you cannot do so, who decided that? You didn’t really come to harm other Heroes. You also didn’t come to collect information. It’s just your personal interest. Such as what kind of person this Hero is.”

As if he knew everything from the start.

“That’s why you were disappointed when I said that I won’t resist. You showed expectations when I said that I absolutely won’t lose if it’s something apart from violence. ──Expectation. What kind of expectation?”

“............To be able to do the impossible ── such expectation.”

The girl muttered subconsciously, he showed a smile.

“Isn’t it obvious to answer an expectation?”

He shrugged his shoulder in jest.

“────────”

The girl became aware of her thoughts that she did not notice herself.

From the start.

From the start, he was prepared to lose.

Like an audience praising the performance of a magician despite knowing it was a trick.

The moment her thought of losing was seen through, it was already decided.

Yes, that’s why this showdown was──

“Now then......isn’t it about time you are convinced?”

From the beginning, it was about whether the girl would be convinced.

The girl already knew the answer.

The rampaging robe quietened down as if it was a lie.

The girl closed her eyes once, and quietly spoke.

“......It’s...my loss.”

　　◇◆◇

──Alright, information collection method get.

Thinking so in his heart, Reiji neatly kept the two types of deck.

──Human anatomy could not move as well as how humans thought it would.

Of course, it was not limited to hands and feet, sight and hearing, basically the five senses were also included.

For example, the eyeball activity called saccade, which sent the sight signals to the brain.

During saccade, there would definitely be milliseconds of lag happening.

Not seeing when one intended to see, not hearing when one intended to hear, the reason was such involuntary physical phenomenon.

If he accurately grasped that phenomenon, and made use of it, even if he had two types of deck, and kept switching them right before her eyes, she would not notice.

The girl picked from the normal deck, while Reiji picked from the cheating deck with only ♠A after swapping. Putting it bluntly, Reiji only did that.

No matter how much a human concentrated, no, rather, the more one concentrated, the harder one could notice the involuntary physical movement.

Magicians and con artists understood such method, and used it. What was necessary were the proficiency of the technique, and the courage to use it blatantly.

In an another world where such technique systemizations were unavailable, it was surprisingly easy to use.

Laughing on the surface, Reiji shook his head once and faced the girl straight.

“Now then, without further ado, the information of 「Strega」──”

“..................Incredible.”

“Hmm?”

“Incredible......it was incredible......even amongst all the Heroes I have seen so far, you are ── a wonderful person unrelated to being a Hero.”

“Ain’t that right? Well, I’m embarrassed, hahahaha.”

“Really, really. From my heart, from the bottom of my heart ── I think that you are a wonderful person.”

“......Ah, un..................is it?”

Even Reiji flinched at such a big praise that would make one think if it was too much.

Rather.

She was expressionless until now, no, she was still expressionless, but he felt that she was getting closer.

“Uh, you’re too close ── Uoh!?”

Reiji’s feet were pulled by the extended robe when he was about to move away, and he fell back along with the girl who had already gotten so close that their foreheads were about to touch.

“It......hurts...not.”

Although he fell down quite hard, he landed softly, the robe probably received the fall.

......He might just fall in love with that robe.

Such a joke was instantly blown away when he noticed that the girl was looking down at him in a riding position.

Probably because the robe was used as a buffer at Reiji’s back, the girl who completely took off her robe was ── in her underwears no matter how he looked at it.

What barely covered her chests and bottom were bras and shorts the same black color as the robe.

The contrast between her refreshing white skin and black underwear was dazzling.

“Wh──”

Reiji tried to get up in reflex, but his shoulders were pressed down by the robe that seemed to be used like a mattress or futon.

Reiji just noticed that he was in a posture that sealed all his movements.

──The condition for victory should have been set to listen to everything he said......!

Of course, whether she would accept that condition or not was another story.

Instead, he felt that it was normally impossible!

While Reiji panicked, the girl made another crazy move.

With the assistance of the robe, she raised Reiji’s right hand forcefully, and together with her own hand ── pressed it on her own chest.

“Here......becoming so hot......first time since I was born.”

......Even though it was expressionless.

Even though it was supposed to be expressionless, he could read something like embarrassment from that face.

Reiji’s right hand transmitted the small but definitely elastic, squishy and soft feeling.

“......C......Calm down?”

He desperately ignored it, and spoke.

“Y-You will understand if we talk. No, you may not understand. This is──”

“This is ── what is known as love?”

Wrong. Definitely wrong. Even though he wanted to deny it, Reiji felt that she would definitely not be convinced if he said that right now, so he just shook his head.

It was an unexpected development.

Like trying to deny an impossible reality.

However, she did not mind about Reiji’s opinion at all.

Still expressionless.

However, her red pupils wavered a little.

She sighed seductively.

She slowly ── brought her face closer.

“Wa ── H-hold on......wait, d-don’t be impulsiveeeee ── mugu.”

She blocked Reiji’s screaming mouth.

She...kissed him.

For a long long time.

Long to the point for the struggling Reiji to give up, before she separated their lips, and spoke while looking down at Reiji.

“──Speaking of which. I have certainly lost to you.”

“..................Ah?”

“However, as the method was through cheating, strictly speaking, it is not included in the condition of 「Showdown」.”

Reiji threw a sideway glance at her as if asking what she was saying this late, the girl continued.

“If there is no proof of cheating, it cannot be called cheating. Such rationale is valid, but confessing about cheating under normal condition is sufficient proof. And you have confessed that you cheated.”

Certainly, Reiji said that he admitted to cheating. He thought that it would be fine if she could not see through it.

“In other words, you have won the 「Showdown」, but lost the game.”

Well, considering the game of High and Low, it could not be helped if she said that he lost by breaking the rule.

“......So what about it?”

At the same time Reiji said so, a faint magic formation was drawn before his eyes.

“Ha!?”

Reiji quickly looked up at the sky, and confirmed the usual slowly rotating Cube.

If a magic formation was drawn, it meant that ── under the Great Contract Magic, mutual understanding and agreement was proven.

“When you heard my words just now, you also understood. My victory condition is also fulfilled.”

He had no such intention. He had no such intention, but ── he was not confident about agreeing subconsciously.

Anyway, the contract established meant that the victory condition she gave ── the wish 『Do anything she wants to Reiji』 was realized.

“D-Don’t fool around, it should be me who won the showdown!”

Ignoring Reiji who was raising his voice, the girl got close to him again and whispered in his ears.

“「I, Clanleu Shimishika, under the Great Contract Magic, pledge to establish the master-servant contract──」”

“What──?”

Hero should not be able to establish a master-servant contract with anyone else apart from the summoner──

However.

“「Clanleu Shimishika as the servant, Houbami Reiji as the master, I pledge to fundamentally abide by the master’s orders as the servant」”

The contract where Reiji became the master, and Clanleu became the servant.

With that, it was unrelated to the master-servant contract of Hero Summon aimed to prevent assisting another race.

Of course, Reiji had no reason to refuse a servant who would listen to his words within her capability.

With that, in accordance to mutual understanding and agreement, he established a master-servant contract with her.

Leu stood up at the same time the light of magic formation dissipated...

“That’s how it is.”

Pressed down on her silver hair that shone under the sunlight, and looked at Reiji, who was spaced out at the sudden development.

“Please take care of me from now on, Master.”

She smiled.

　　◇◆◇◆◇

──On the day he encountered Leu.

Reiji visited that place for the sake of collecting information.

If he could not make use of the cyber network, he would make use of human network.

For that sake, he used himself as bait to lure out spies from the other countries──

Based on the result, being able to attract the 「Strega」, a race that cut off all contacts with other races since the ancient [Seventh] should have been a fortune.

“What...happened?”

Reiji sat on the bed, and sighed as Leu mysteriously asked him from a close distance.

“How did it become like this......”

A girl from 「Strega」 that was wrapped in mystery from other races, and a genuine princess known as the [Four Princesses of Elegant Bloodline] (Noble Blood), invaded Tistel using a Magical Artifact 『Adjacent Darkness』 that looked just like a black robe.

The reason was to see what kind of person the newly summoned Hero Reiji was, such an extremely personal reason, unrelated to the intentions of 「Strega」, let alone espionage.

“In the first place, 「Strega」 has no such thing as racial awareness. Although we formed a country as we came from the same world, we uphold individualism more.”

“You better not think that such a reason would work on other races (elsewhere)......?”

From the other races’ perspectives, regardless of whether they were hostile internally or unrelated to one another, they were all 「Strega」. Once a problem occurred, they would obviously go after Dillide (「Strega」 Kingdom).

“......? I have properly listened to Master’s words.”

Certainly, Leu had been listening to Reiji’s words.

For example, as long as the master-servant contract continued, she would not be able to use any magic. Reiji sealed her using the contract.

Reiji would absolutely not accept such a forceful demand that was the same as binding hands and feet together.

However, she instantly accepted it despite so──

“So. Uh...this obedient lady...what have you...been doing since...just now?”

Reiji spoke with a tone that was on the brink of anger because Leu had been enthusiastically undressing him.

Reiji resisted with all his strength, but with the assistance of her 『Adjacent Darkness』, she had already reached half her goal.

“Because Master seems to be tired. I thought of relieving Master.”

“Who requested you to......?”

Reiji’s resistance was futile as his blazer and hoodie were stripped off, and as Leu stared at her trophies, she thought of something ── she buried her face into them.

“Stop that you idiot!!”

Reiji retorted straightforwardly and tried to snatch them back, but was held down by 『Adjacent Darkness』.

“Hey...wai...oi let go! Let go! It’s your Master’s order!?”

Reiji shouted without thinking, Leu spoke with a muffled voice as her face was buried in his blazer and hoodie.

“I cannot listen to that.”

“You cannot not listen to that!? An order isn’t something like that!”

“Fundamentally is one of the condition attached.”

──I pledge to fundamentally abide by the master’s orders as the servant──

......She certainly said that. She said that, but...

“Don’t fool around with me!! At least use that when I forbid you to use magic oi!”

“That’s...not really a problem. I’m not troubled. Rather ── if I refused, Master will be troubled.”

“That’s............Kuh.”

That’s certainly the fact.

In Reiji’s plan, Leu’s powerful magic was clearly an obstruction.

“That’s why, please overlook this much at least. ──No good?”

If she said it like that, Reiji could only keep quiet and close one eye on her outrageous behavior.

It was an exchange condition effective only on Reiji.

──That’s right, it was the biggest miscalculation for Reiji. Although he obtained the method to collect information, Clanleu Shimishika (Information collection method itself) was much more intelligence than he had thought.

Even in the showdown one month ago, if she did not seriously want to lose to Reiji, he would probably be having a hard time.

......However.

“How would I know!! I am a free man (NEET)! I don’t do things I don’t want to, I don’t let others do things I don’t want to let others do!!”

Reiji pushed forward without caring for his body, 『Adjacent Darkness』 was troubled on how to act and returned to its master ── Leu pushed him down in a counter as if she read his behavior.

“Just as planned.”

“──Shut up, saying Master and all, you’re just doing whatever you want!”

“There’s no such thing. ──Also.”

Leu paused her words for a moment, then blandly continued.

“Master should be glad that I am not hostile.”

Her expression had not a speck of change.

Looking at that doll-like face, Reiji narrowed his eyes.

“......I can only say just that is undeniably true.”

“Great. Then──”

“Not then, rather, stop rubbing my chest persistently!! Are you a slut!?”

“Please listen to me.”

“You really don’t listen to what others say huh......that’s fine. I also won’t listen.”

“I have lived for over a hundred years. I have not understood what this feeling was all this while.”

She ignored his words of refusing to listen and began her story.

Unfortunately, he could not dislike that my-pace personality.

“My race obtains wisdom from the body fluid of other intelligent races ── through blood. I have also sucked blood from various species. However, no matter what, I cannot understand the thing known as feelings.”

“......That’s ‘cause feelings are not knowledge. Seeking your own innate emotional experience from others is meaningless.”

“Yes. No matter how much blood I sucked, no matter how much knowledge I gained, I could not experience any feeling welling up inside me. That’s the same even when I met Heroes. Therefore, I had half given up. I judged that I don’t have such a thing in the first place. However──”

She looked at him with a heated gaze.

“You ── Master has developed my feelings.”

“Developed......Look here. In the first place, didn’t you possess feelings from the start?”

“............Eh?”

“You want to know about feelings. Wanting to know what exactly a feeling is, seeking without any reason ── That desire for knowledge, holding a strong feeling to know, love for knowledge (philosopher). What is a feeling if that isn’t it?”

“────”

Leu opened her eyes slightly wider.

“Do you understand? That is something you have within you from the start. In other words, you don’t have to treat your encounter with me as anything special. End of my proof!”

Alright get off. Quickly get off. Hurry up and get off. Reiji wanted to get up as soon as possible.

Leu remained without moving, and shook her head.

“Those words just now, I am even more certain. As expected ── I love Master.”

“Haa? Why is that ── your...hey...don’t lean your face on my chest! Rather, I can’t trust that thing called love the most!!”

“......Why?”

“────Is there a reason to tell you?”

A bone chilling voice.

Anyone had a topic they did not want to touch on.

She immediately noticed it.

Leu shut her mouth that wanted to say something.

“......In that case, it’s fine.”

Leu simply said that.

“I will ── teach Master that.”

“Ha? Teach ── oi, not the bottom!!”

She was in her underwear clad appearance from the start.

Disregarding her speech or behavior, she was a girl that had an outstanding appearance.

When such a delicate body pushed on him, entwined, touched, be touched──

As a healthy man, Reiji could not help but show some reaction.

“In the first place, is that really love you have!? Is it not just lust!?”

“......? Is there a difference between love and lust?”

“Ah, you totally don’t understand. Even I can be sure of just that.”

“Then that’s that. You can just learn together with me.”

“No matter what, you fully intend to assault me huh!! ──That’s enough, Master’s order! Stop!!”

“──I suddenly cannot understand Master’s words. Must be a malfunction in the Idea Language. I can’t hear you.”

“I can totally understand your words though!?”

“Only Master’s is no good.”

“Aren’t you hearing it properly......!”

“But.”

And she suddenly stopped her hand.

“Really, for the first time since I was born ── I felt lust.”

Without any expression, she continued without stop.

“I think of doing erotic things with Master......with Reiji. I feel that I want to have a child with you. Therefore──”

“......I get it. It can’t be helped if that’s the case ── As if that’s possible!! You idiot!!”

“Then I will throw away rationality. It’s alright. I have the knowledge itself......I will work hard to make you feel good.”

“Seriously, please go back already......!”

The servant (Leu) that did not listen to her Master (Reiji) at all, made Reiji think about his own Master (Tifalycia), whom he never listened to at all as well.

He felt that he could understand how she felt. Though nothing would change even if he understood that.

“......Well, there’s no such thing as not understanding that girl in the first place.”

“That girl? ──The girl that looks like a servant despite being the summoner of the Hero?”

“The way you say it sounds somewhat indecent......”

Reiji showed a nonchalant expression, and his mouth immediately curved upwards.

“That girl is definitely my Master. No, accurately speaking, a person who will become my Master.”

“............? No matter how I look at it, Master is the Master.”

“You’re wrong. She’s not obeying me obediently, I also don’t intend to make her obedient. Rather, I will be troubled if that’s not the case.”

“What do you...mean?”

As Leu showed her desire for knowledge and seriously asked, Reiji quickly slipped out and got up.

“That is──”

Then the content spoken by the Hero Reiji was more than surprising to the 「Strega」 princess Clanleu Shimishika──

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1 Taigoubou - 太公望 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiang_Ziya ^↩

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