Chapter Two: Teleportation Magic and the Princess
Somewhere in the royal capital of the Cielzard Kingdom.
The atmosphere in the room was solemn, the kind of place where a single misspoken word could be fatal.
Four individuals of different races—the leaders of their respective nations—sat around a circular table, each occupying a lavish, high-backed chair. Behind each leader stood a single attendant.
Today was the day of the regular conference held by the Four Great Races every few months.
The location rotated among the leaders, and this time it was the Elves' turn. To shorten travel time and simplify arrangements, the conference was typically held in the host's own country. Thus, the venue was the Cielzard Kingdom, ruled by the Elves.
The role of moderator also rotated, and it fell to a timid-looking Elf man with glasses, also from Cielzard.
With trembling hands, the man flipped through the papers before him and began to speak.
"W-Well then, regarding the matter of digging a tunnel that will connect directly to the Eade Republic from Highway One, which is currently used as a major thoroughfare between our four nations... um... is it acceptable for the extermination of magical beasts accompanying the tunnel's opening to be handled by the Humans—the Belia Kingdom, and the Beast-people—the Shoushu Federation?"
The opening of a tunnel connected to the highway.
This was the main topic of the conference.
The Dwarf nation, the Eade Republic, was surrounded on its continental side by the Gregos Mountains, a range teeming with magical beasts. Consequently, for trade, they were forced to take a route that circumvented the mountains entirely.
If it were just ordinary magical beasts, it might have been manageable, but one of the five Great Dragons, the Jade Tempest Dragon Aleimint, had made its lair near the summit. Its influence made the nearby beasts all the more ferocious. The idea of a tunnel had been discussed for years, but they had never been able to commit. However, with the Jade Tempest Dragon having moved its nest, the situation had changed completely.
As a former dragon's lair, the threat level from magical beasts remained high. But the economic implications of opening this tunnel were massive. It was worth the cost.
"No problem here," grunted Irien Ura, a burly man with wolf-like ears, as he shifted his powerful legs. He was a Lycanthrope and the leader of the Shoushu Federation, but his rough speech was ill-suited for the refined setting.
That was to be expected. The leader of the Beast-people was chosen through a contest of strength among the tribe representatives, with the victor earning the title and the glory that came with it.
The trouble was, most Beast-people, Irien included, had no desire for such a troublesome role.
"I have no objections either," rumbled the rugged voice of Finrail Barncrown, king of the Belia Kingdom, the nation representing the Humans. "However, if we are to face the magical beasts of the Gregos Mountains, it will take some time. I ask for your understanding on that point."
His attire was brilliant yet possessed a certain calm dignity. His solemn, composed demeanor was that of a true monarch.
"What nonsense is this? Is it not a simple matter of dispatching the Dragon-Slaying Princess, the strongest sword of the Belia Kingdom? Surely she, who is famed for felling one of the five Great Dragons, the Frost Dragon, would not lose to mere beasts affected by a dragon's lingering miasma."
Next to speak was Yutteane Vogen, head of state for the Eade Republic, the nation of Dwarves. Dwarves were known for their short stature, but she was exceptionally small. She had tan skin, twin tails tied high on her head, and deep violet eyes.
At a glance, she had the air of a mischievous little girl, but no one in the room would dare underestimate her. They all knew she was a battle-hardened Dwarf who had lived for nearly a century.
"I can understand perfectly. You do not wish to move the Dragon-Slaying Princess from the royal capital, do you? One never knows who might attack, or when."
Tierney Dolce, queen of the Cielzard Kingdom, the nation of Elves, brought a fan to her lips and chuckled softly.
Despite the provocative nature of their comments, Finrail remained silent. His expression did not so much as twitch as he folded his arms, as if to say they weren't even worth his attention.
Yutteane clicked her tongue theatrically, while Tierney's eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
Silence dominated the room for a long moment.
"Um... well, is... is there anything else? If not, I would like to conclude this meeting..." the moderator, sweating in the tense atmosphere, ventured timidly.
"Then, I have one thing," said Finrail, the Human king, raising his hand.
"Regarding the Aengyls, the Winged Species that had made their nest in Sicchi Forest, a long-standing problem. Their extermination was completed the other day. Eleven of their children were taken as slaves. We have confirmed the deaths of all others, save for one."
"Oh, is that so! Excellent work," Yutteane said, her twintails bouncing as she showed her delight.
"In that case, the remaining Rare Species are nothing to fear. There are rumors that the remnants are banding together and plotting something, but it is unlikely they could ever threaten our position."
"Hey, hey, you're underestimatin' 'em too much. Don't you know a cornered beast is the most dangerous?" Irien, the Beast-person leader, shot back at the Elf queen's optimistic words.
"And are you not overestimating the Rare Species?"
"What'd you say?"
"Our balance of power has shifted completely since the Spirit Collapse Disaster. The full might of the Rare Species is a glory of the past. There is no way we could lose to a race of muscle-heads who know only how to fight foolishly with their mana reserves. Their only hope of a comeback would be to obtain the legendary Unresting Box, Elysion, and that is impossible."
Elysion, the Unresting Box—a miracle that was said to grant infinite mana.
It was said to contain a bottomless wellspring of power and even possessed the ability to transfer that power to others. Elysion was connected to another world, allowing it to draw upon that world's abundant mana without limit, making the concept of running out of power nonexistent.
Some say it is a jewel of unearthly beauty.
Some say it is a radiant angel with three pairs of wings.
Some say it takes the form of an ordinary boy.
Countless other legends existed, each more outlandish than the last.
The lack of consistency in these tales was likely due to how far removed from reality the concept was.
"Bringing up a fairy tale like Elysion, the Unresting Box, is hardly productive," Yutteane said, taking a sip from her teacup.
No one truly believed in the existence of Elysion.
It was nothing more than a spiritual crutch, a product of the ugly desires of the cornered Rare Species.
They must have been unable to maintain their sanity without believing in something that could bend the very laws of the world. Putting oneself in their shoes, it was understandable.
"Precisely. That is why I say it is impossible. Recently, they've even added the embellishment that it can create new unique magic without limit. The imaginative power of the Rare Species has reached a point where it's almost pitiful."
"Haha! Now that's just impossible. Limitless mana is already a stretch, but that's just a poorly designed idol."
Of course, the Four Great Races had pooled their resources to investigate Elysion.
It was the one thing that could threaten them, so it was only natural. No matter how many qualifiers like "fairy tale," "legend," or "fictional" were attached to it, it was well worth the effort to investigate.
The result of that investigation was the conclusion that Elysion was, indeed, just a fairy tale.
A convenient weapon that could synchronize with different mana types and draw power from another world for a virtually infinite supply simply did not exist.
As for the unlimited creation of unique magic, even a layman could tell that was impossible.
"Still, the thought of Elysion actually existing is enough to keep me from sleeping at night. Its existence alone would grant a power capable of destroying all four of our races."
"As usual, the old Human king is a worrywart."
"Such a thing does not exist. To cling to a pleasant fantasy and avert one's eyes from reality... the Rare Species are laughably pathetic."
Irien and Tierney laughed off Finrail's murmurings.
"Well, we don't need to worry about the Rare Species for now. They ain't makin' any big moves... 'cept maybe that I'd like to finish off the Lunarl princess."
Irien added that it was only a matter of time.
Silence once again fell over the room.
The moderator nervously began the closing procedures for the meeting.
Each leader gave their reports, and they moved forward, if only for form's sake, on issues that had been on the agenda for some time. It was a boring, yet necessary, meeting, no different from any other.
But what is this feeling?
An indescribable sense of unease settled in Finrail's chest, and he exhaled slowly, trying not to let it show.
It felt as if he had unknowingly ingested a slow-acting poison.
No, it must be my imagination. Why am I getting caught up in such baseless anxiety? I've been swamped with work and haven't been sleeping well. I'm just on edge. That must be it.
With that thought, he lowered his gaze to his now completely cold tea.
◇
"Kafu— Nn, chu, slurp."
A wet, sensual sound, and a sharp prick of pain felt through a haze of drowsiness.
A suffocating, yet soft sensation.
The scent of hair brushing against his nose, a sweet, intoxicating fragrance.
"Hanmu... rero, nn."
Right, I was summoned to another world, I'm apparently fodder, I met a Vampire girl, she showed me to a guest room... His sluggish thoughts began to turn.
As if being pulled upward, Higure's consciousness gradually returned.
He rubbed his sleepy eyes, and his blurry vision focused on a beautiful girl with rose-pink hair.
"Nhaa... Oh? Higure-san, are you finally awake?"
Lilitia, clad in a thin negligee, was straddling him.
A mixture of blood and saliva dripped from the corner of her mouth, her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were somewhat dazed. She stared at Higure as if mesmerized, a sloppy "fuffehheh" smile on her face.
Her ruby eyes locked onto his, shimmering bewitchingly.
If this were a manga, there would have been hearts floating in them.
"Wh-Hey, Lilitia—?!"
"Don't worry. I was just making a night visit♡"
"What part of this is not worrying?!"
Higure, feeling a strange sensation, quickly touched his neck.
Splat.
His hand came away covered in a sticky mixture of blood and saliva.
"Eh... Wha? Did you really eat me?"
"Yeees. You were very delicious. No, really, I've never tasted such delicious blood before! I'm never drinking anyone's blood but yours from now on♡"
"You really are eating me! Wait, just wait a second!"
Higure tried to sit up, but she had him pinned firmly with her thighs, and he couldn't budge an inch.
"I'm a Vampire, you see, so I have to drink blood periodically. Usually, I get by with pig's blood and such, but I just couldn't resist♡"
Lilitia tilted her head with a little "ehe."
"Eh? Am I gonna die...?"
"You're being so dramatic. You won't die from having a little blood sucked."
With that, Lilitia collapsed onto Higure's chest.
She hugged him tightly and ran her tongue over the spot on his neck where she had bitten him.
He could feel her hot breath directly on his skin, and it tickled.
Her soft tongue traced the wound, sending a tingling, almost pleasant pain through him.
"Chupu, haa... fuffehheh."
"Hey, Lilitia?!"
"Whash ish it...?"
Chapu, chapu.
Her tongue lingered on the wound, as if reluctant to leave.
"That's enough, right? You already drank my blood."
"Thash wash the plan, but you're sho delicious, Higure-shan, I'm getting all dizzy."
Lilitia traced a finger over Higure's chest and blew softly into his ear.
His body jolted involuntarily.
Was he unable to move because of Lilitia's strength, or was some other will at play?
As if sensing his thoughts, Lilitia smiled affectionately.
"Ah, but this isn't fair, is it?"
Lilitia placed her hands on either side of Higure's face and stared directly at him.
"In return, you can eat me too, Higure-san."
"I don't drink blood!"
"I meant in a sexual way♡"
Higure swallowed hard at Lilitia's sultry tone.
Her soft-looking lips.
Her sweaty skin.
Her flushed cheeks.
Her long eyelashes.
Her wavering eyes.
And if he lowered his gaze just a little, there was her ample bust—.
"Y-Y-You?! Are you actually a succubus?!"
"Nope, just a lewd Vampire♡"
He could feel his whole body burning up.
Perhaps it was Lilitia's heat, but his thoughts weren't working properly.
"If it's you, Higure-san, then I don't mind."
Lilitia gently caressed Higure's cheek.
Saliva pooled in his mouth, and his body tensed.
"Be lewd with me, okay?"
"Don't say it like you're saying 'be gentle'?! Let's just calm down for a second, okay? Let's be rational."
"Ehh? But you're all fired up too, aren't you, Higure-san?"
Lilitia's slender finger traced a line down his abdomen, then slowly moved lower. His senses became strangely acute. His body tingled, and he felt the urge to just give in.
"See? You're so hard down there—"
And just as Lilitia's finger was about to touch his groin—.
"DAAARIYASSHAAAAI—!!"
Higure shoved Lilitia off and shot up.
Lilitia let out a cute "kyan" and tumbled onto the bed.
"Hah... hah... I was almost eaten for real."
Fear, guilt, tension, lust, and pleasure.
Higure shook his head, trying to clear the jumbled mess in his brain.
"Hey! You bitch!"
"I'm a virgin!"
"Liar!"
"Want to find out for yourself♡"
Lilitia playfully lifted her negligee.
Her white, sensual thighs came into view, and Higure frantically threw a pillow at her.
"Kyan—!"
It was a clean hit to her face.
Higure clumsily straightened his disheveled clothes and stood up.
"You, you really are—! You damn perverted Vampire!"
Leaving the still-dazed Lilitia behind, he fled the room.
◇
"Higure-kun, what's wrong? Your face is red."
"Well, I was just remembering this morning..."
"Why are you bent over like that?"
"My back hurts..."
"It's not good to have bad posture. You should force yourself to straighten your back."
Maihime moved behind Higure.
She pressed her hands against his chest and pushed firmly on his lower back, forcing him to arch it. As expected, Maihime also possessed a strength that belied her small frame, and he couldn't resist.
"W-Wait, sto-ooooop..."
Higure's face flushed with embarrassment as he put up a futile struggle against Maihime.
"Come, let's go."
Higure had been brought out into the royal capital by Maihime.
The street was calmer than the main thoroughfare, with a pleasant clamor that felt warm and inviting.
Simple, unadorned signs lined both sides of the street. Since Higure couldn't read the language of this world, he was grateful for the pictures.
He was wearing clothes Lilitia had given him, saying his other-worldly attire would stand out. He walked beside Maihime, looking around curiously at the city.
"—The White-Tailed Crown. That's the name of your organization, right, Maihime?"
Maihime gave a small nod at Higure's murmur.
She explained that The White-Tailed Crown was currently in the process of gathering allies among the Rare Species and building up their strength.
And in that process, they needed his power.
"...I really don't have any confidence I can be of any use."
"Don't worry. You are our only hope."
"How am I supposed to not worry about that? That just makes me more anxious."
He had talked big yesterday in the heat of the moment, but honestly, he had no confidence. Still, he couldn't afford to be found out as useless and thrown out into this other world. Higure was seriously worried about what to do.
"First, let's see... I want you to get used to this world as quickly as possible, Higure-kun."
"I'll do my best, but... hey, Princess."
"What is it?"
"Why are we holding hands?"
Ever since they left the base in the church basement, Maihime had been holding his hand.
Her tail was swaying happily.
It wasn't that Higure disliked it, but it was a little embarrassing.
"So you do not get lost."
"I think I'll be fine."
"Even though you are a Human, Higure-kun, you are not entirely safe. It is not difficult to kidnap someone with magic. You could be stripped of everything and sold to a noble with peculiar tastes. You could be sent through back channels and used for human experiments. You could be forced to fight magical beasts unarmed for the entertainment of nobles."
When Higure laughed, saying she was worrying too much, Maihime turned a serious gaze on him. She spoke of his fate after being kidnapped in a flat, expressionless tone. She didn't look like she was joking at all.
This was a fantasy world of swords and magic.
Perhaps his perception had been too naive.
"Maihime... don't let go of my hand."
Higure's face paled, and his voice trembled.
In contrast, Maihime looked satisfied and made a peace sign.
"By the way, don't you need to wear your hood?"
Maihime's white hair and animal ears were distinctive. She might be able to blend in with the Beast-people, but to someone who knew what to look for, it would be obvious that she was a Rare Species.
"Mm. This robe itself is a magic tool that hinders perception."
"I think Lilitia was wearing her hood..."
"Better safe than sorry. I understand that feeling. But unless they are very skilled, they should not be able to see through it."
The conversation then turned to unraveling the mysteries of Higure's constitution, his mana, and his magic.
The thought that he might be able to use magic was exciting.
But he was also anxious.
What if he couldn't use magic? What if his mana reserves weren't actually that large? What if it turned out he had no value at all?
No, no, no, I'm from another world, right? A chosen one? That can't be... right?
After walking for a while, Maihime stopped in front of a wooden shop.
The sign depicted two crossed swords. They rang the bell and entered—it was a weapon shop.
"Is the item ready?"
Maihime spoke after confirming there were no other customers.
She addressed the Dwarf shopkeeper, who wore a knit cap pulled down low.
He had tan skin and was short. His face was stern, giving the impression of a stubborn, inflexible old man.
The shopkeeper nodded silently and disappeared into the back of the shop.
A wide variety of weapons were displayed inside.
Long spears, battle axes, halberds, morning stars. Among them, the most numerous were Western-style swords. They ranged from iron swords stuffed haphazardly into a barrel like umbrellas to a single, refined blade hanging on the wall that even a layman could tell was a masterpiece.
"I came to pick up the sword I left with him."
"You use a weapon, Maihime?"
He had seen Lilitia fight, but she hadn't shown any inclination to use a weapon. The woman she fought, Haran, had been the same. He didn't really understand the combat styles, the so-called "jobs," of this world.
"Mm. Both sword and magic. Because I am a princess."
And he didn't really understand Maihime's answer either.
She often called herself a princess. Maybe she was at that age where she admired such things.
Maihime explained that Dwarves were dexterous, and their mana had a tendency to adhere to physical objects more easily than other races. Therefore, they excelled at crafting weapons, magic tools, and magic weapons.
The shopkeeper returned with a single sword in his hand.
"Here you go."
"Mm."
"It's well-maintained. But you used it a bit roughly."
Maihime took the sheathed sword and held the blade up to the magic stone lamp in the shop. The lacquer-black blade gleamed dully in the faint light. It was a single-edged sword, about a meter long, with a bewitching sharpness that seemed like it could cut skin with a mere touch. In Higure's words—a katana.
Maihime swung the black blade with practiced ease, then slowly sheathed it.
"...Thank you. Also, this one."
Maihime pointed to a simply decorated dagger.
The shopkeeper took the dagger and glanced at Higure. "Here you go," he said, and disappeared behind the counter again. Maihime paid, including the maintenance fee for her black blade.
She gave the shopkeeper a slight bow, and they left the weapon shop.
"A present."
Maihime offered the dagger she had just bought to Higure.
"Oh. Thanks."
"Your power is precious, Higure-kun. If anything happens, use this to kill yourself."
"..."
"A joke. A princess joke."
Maihime tilted her head with a straight face.
It was not a funny joke at all.
"For self-defense. I think it is better than nothing."
Higure and Maihime, holding hands again, were led to their next destination.
The place was crowded with people coming and going. Many were armed, and the air was tense. Shouts and cheers flew back and forth. The unique, heated atmosphere got Higure's blood pumping.
"Yes! This is it! This is what I'm talking about! When you say 'another world'!"
The quintessential fantasy world establishment—an adventurer's guild.
At the counter, receptionists were dealing with adventurers, and the entire left wall was covered with haphazardly posted request forms.
Curved staircases on either end led to the second floor. The upper level was less crowded and had a different feel—calmer, yet the air was even more taut than below. It was likely an area reserved for high-ranking adventurers.
"I did not think you would be this happy."
"Adventurers! Slaying giant monsters for a fortune! Rising from obscurity! Raking in treasure! That's how it works, right? Right?!"
Higure pressed Maihime, his chest swelling with anticipation.
Maihime, her usual expressionless face intact, tilted her head in confusion.
"There are still people with that perception, I see. Ah... perhaps that is how it is in your world, Higure-kun."
"Adventurers are always side-by-side with death, and the laws are not well-established. The fact that they do not ask for detailed identification when registering is convenient for us, but for that very reason, there are many rough types."
"Oh...?"
"In addition, you cannot earn much. Striking it rich is only for the very top. All the talented mages and swordsmen become magic knights for the kingdom. The pay and benefits are good, and the future is secure."
"Uh...?"
"Adventuring is for dropouts who could not get a proper job, or outcasts who cannot work normally due to a blemish on their record. There are some Rare Species, too. They are probably overlooked. That is how short-staffed they are."
Maihime's dispassionate explanation brought him crashing back to reality.
He felt the thrilling tales of adventure he'd dreamed of being painted over by a grim, worldly truth.
Apparently, there were a certain number of enthusiasts who jumped into the industry dreaming of being adventurers, but most of them either quit after facing reality or lost their lives.
"Wait, so adventurers are like freelancers or temp workers...?"
"I do not know about that... but if you have a certain level of skill, you can make good money."
Since the Adventurer's Guild was a private organization, their hostility toward Rare Species was apparently weaker than that of official state institutions. That said, it would still be a problem if she were discovered, and her precarious position remained unchanged. The guild was likely turning a blind eye as long as she was profitable.
"I have to report on an ongoing request, so I will be back. Wait here, okay? And do not go with any strangers."
"I won't! Am I a child?!"
When he shouted that, Maihime made a peace sign with both hands and said, "Yay."
He had no idea what the peace sign was for, but he returned it anyway.
And so, Higure was left alone—and a short while later, a man's booming voice echoed nearby.
"Don't fuck with me! How're you gonna take responsibility for this, huh?"
A Lycanthrope man, who must have been at least two meters tall, was cornering a woman wrapped in a robe.
The woman was cowering against the wall. Light green hair peeked out from under her hood. She was probably an Elf.
Perhaps because it was a common occurrence in the Adventurer's Guild, no one around them paid any attention.
"This is clearly defective. Look, there's no mana in it at all. You lack customer service. The least you could do is fill it up with mana at the shop."
The man held up a magic tool the size of a basketball with a spiral groove in it.
"I don't know what to tell you... This Atataka-kun is supposed to be like that. You have to put the mana in yourself..."
"Huh? You want me to spend days filling a magic tool with my own mana? What the hell is an 'Atataka-kun'? Are you mocking me?!"
"It improves the mana conversion efficiency later on... and the name is cute, isn't it...?"
"Don't talk back to me!"
"...I'm sorry."
The woman let out a frightened whimper as the Lycanthrope man snarled, baring his sharp fangs.
Unable to watch any longer, Higure stepped between them and took the magic tool from the man's hand.
"What? Don't get in the way, Human kid."
Higure tilted his head, looking at the strangely shaped object.
He didn't know what this magic tool was, but like the magic stone lamp, it should work if he poured mana into it. Lilitia had taught him how. To put it simply, the magic tool was an appliance, and mana was the electricity.
If the man was angry because the magic tool wasn't charged with mana, then...
"I think I have a little more mana than most people. I'll fill it up for you."
"Huh?"
He imagined the flow of his blood, channeling the heat and gathering it in his palm.
But the magic tool remained completely inert.
Right... she taught me, but it didn't work with the magic stone lamp either!
He could vaguely feel the mana circulating through his body, but he had no sense of it actually flowing into the tool. It was a good thing it didn't explode like the lamp, but this wasn't solving anything.
"Haha, hahaha... maybe it's just not working well today!"
Seeing Higure's state, the Lycanthrope man's expression grew sterner.
"Are you fucking with me? What's this about having more mana than most people?! Don't give me that bullshit. I can't feel any mana from you at all."
"Eh... seriously? Do I actually have no mana?"
He had been able to transfer mana to Lilitia, and from what they had told him, that shouldn't be the case... but the man in front of him didn't seem to be lying.
"You're pissing me off, you piece of shit."
The Lycanthrope man clicked his tongue and clenched his fist.
In a fluid motion, he drove it into Higure's stomach.
"Guh— Gah!"
It happened so suddenly he couldn't even block it. A clean hit.
Higure's knees buckled, and he crumpled to the floor, curling into a ball.
Come to think of it, this might have been the first time he'd ever been punched with full force.
"Hah, is that all it takes? You're too weak."
"Hey! Are you okay?!"
The robed woman rushed to Higure's side and gently rubbed his back.
He looked up, enduring the pain, and saw the face of a girl whose eyes were wavering with concern.
He hadn't been able to see her face before because of her deep hood, but she had refined features. Jade-green eyes, the long ears characteristic of Elves, and shapely, worried brows. She had a gentle aura that suited the description of a kind older sister.
Higure tried to get to his knees, but another impact sent him rolling across the floor. The Lycanthrope man had kicked him again and violently snatched the magic tool from his hand.
"Tch, you've ruined my mood. I'm never buying anything from your shop again!"
The man spat on Higure and left.
"Gah, cough... This world is terrifying... I seriously thought I was gonna die. That was really bad..."
With the immediate threat gone, the strength drained from Higure's body. At the same time, the pain in his abdomen became sharp and clear, and he grimaced.
"I'm so sorry, you did that for me...! Are you hurt? I can use healing magic, so let me see where he hit you. It hurts, doesn't it? You're so brave for not crying. You did so well...!"
The Elf woman was in a panic, seeing Higure clutching his stomach.
"I-It's nothing! See, I'm fine!"
Seeing her distress, Higure shot to his feet and flexed his biceps.
"This is a fantasy world, so this kind of trouble is an everyday occurrence... in fact, it's a welcome event... Yeah, I'm fine. Totally fine. I can take it... Totally positive."
As he tried to convince himself, the throbbing pain returned.
"Oww..." He clutched his stomach with both hands.
"See, it does hurt, doesn't it? Let me see."
"I said I'm fine! Really, I'm okay!"
"Even with that pained look on your face? Right, what's your name? I want to thank you properly."
"No, I didn't really do anything, so you don't need to thank me! And, um... right, I was told not to go with strangers!"
That's right. If Maihime saw him getting involved in trouble, getting punched, and then being fussed over by the woman he was trying to help, there was no telling what she would say. She might be disappointed, or she might treat him even more like a child.
And Maihime looked much more like a child than he did...!
"You shouldn't go with strangers either!"
"Eh, wait...!"
This was bad. He couldn't stay here any longer.
And so, Higure hastily left the Adventurer's Guild.
The Elf girl stood there, stunned, watching the boy run off like a frightened rabbit.
She had thought to follow him immediately, but he was quickly swallowed by the clamor of the adventurers and disappeared from sight.
He was a strange boy.
Had he intentionally taken the punch to avoid making a bigger scene?
The Lycanthrope man had mocked him, but no matter how small his mana capacity, it couldn't be zero. Anyone with a little knowledge of odo, mana gates, and mana receptors would know that.
And besides, he—.
"It wasn't that he had no mana... rather—"
No, but that assumption was too absurd for a Human.
To have so much mana that it couldn't be detected.
Even among the Rare Species with the largest mana capacities, like Vampires, Aengyls, or Nymphs, such a vast difference was unheard of.
"But if... if that's the case, I wonder if he could be of help to Hime-chan and the others."
For a while, the girl couldn't get the Human boy out of her mind.
◇
"Higure-kun, what is wrong with your stomach? Do you want something to eat?"
"No, if I eat now, I'll puke..."
"I see. Then we will have a lavish steak for dinner tonight."
Maihime's thought process was a complete mystery.
But as she turned to him and made a peace sign with a blank expression, he couldn't sense any malice.
"A joke. A princess joke."
No, maybe there was some malice after all.
After leaving the Adventurer's Guild, Higure waited for Maihime at the entrance, and they met up.
The only thing left on their schedule for the day was grocery shopping.
"Hey, Maihime. Do I really have a lot of mana? Is there a chance I actually have way less than a normal person?"
Higure asked, remembering the Lycanthrope man's words.
"That is not possible. I heard you transferred mana to Lili and filled her vessel. Lili boasts one of the largest mana capacities of all the races."
"Well, I guess so..."
Then why had the Lycanthrope man said Higure had no mana at all?
It couldn't be that he was unable to gauge Higure's mana capacity... it was a mystery.
"Then, I can use magic too, right?"
"When you transferred mana, a magic circle appeared at your feet, she said. I believe that is a form of magic. Probably... unique magic."
"But there was no magic in my world, and I've never practiced or trained or anything."
"Unique magic ignores the process and leaves only the certainty of acquisition. As if wings had been there since birth. As a fish could not possibly forget how to swim. It can be used naturally. That is why unique magic is in the realm of talent. There are exceptions, of course."
"So, I have a talent for magic...!"
Maihime made a peace sign with both hands in affirmation.
"Then, can I learn new magic too?"
Honestly, even if he was told that mana transfer was magic, it didn't feel real.
And if all he could do was have a lot of mana and transfer it to others, then his role really was just fodder. A mana tank. A role that would be better off without a personality.
"Shall we try?"
"I can?!"
"Mm. I am sure you have a talent, Higure-kun."
Maihime brought her hands together and held up three fingers.
"There are three broad categories of magic. One is unique magic. This, simply put, is magic unique to an individual. Another is exclusive magic. This is magic that can only be used by a specific race. Finally, there is general-purpose magic. This is magic that anyone can learn."
"So, I can learn the exclusive magic of Humans and general-purpose magic."
"Only Humans have no exclusive magic."
Maihime said, shaking her head.
What an unfortunate race. Were Humans the weakest of the Four Great Races?
"In exchange, Humans tend to have good mana conversion efficiency."
"So they can exert maximum power with a small amount of mana."
"Mm. Thanks to the Spirit Collapse Disaster, this is quite important."
With the natural mana recovery rate reduced by the Spirit Collapse Disaster, low mana consumption was a significant advantage in itself.
"In any case, the first thing you will learn, Higure-kun, is basic general-purpose magic."
Maihime took a few steps forward, putting some distance between them.
She raised her right hand to the sky—.
"—【Water Sphere】."
A magic circle deployed, and a sphere of water about a meter in diameter shot into the air. The gushing ball of water quickly disappeared from view, and a moment later, fine droplets rained down on them.
"Like that. Try it."
"Uh... even if you say 'try it'..."
He had never seen this magic before, and he had only recently learned of the concept of magic itself. He didn't think he could just copy it... but Maihime just stared at him.
Feeling awkward, Higure raised his right hand to the sky and braced himself.
"【Water Sphere】—!"
But, as expected, nothing happened.
"That is wrong. You need to make the mana go bwoosh, and then gooooh."
"Uh... 【Water Sphere】—!!"
He tried again, but still, nothing happened.
"Completely wrong. Yours is going gyuo and then bwah."
Maihime shook her head and cast 【Water Sphere】 again.
"See, completely different. You understand, right?"
"I don't understand at all...!"
Maihime was hopelessly bad at putting things into words.
He couldn't grasp a single thing she was saying. This was no way to treat a beginner.
"Higure-kun... you have no talent."
"But you just said I had talent!"
"A princess joke."
"Which one?! Hey, which one was the joke?!"
Maihime put a hand to her mouth and tilted her head.
If anyone should be tilting their head, it was Higure.
"There are affinities for different elements, so shall we try a basic spell of another element? Lili can only use water magic up to the intermediate level."
"I don't think that's the problem here..."
Maihime's fox ears twitched.
Then, as if shot, she thrust her right hand toward Higure.
"...Ah, Higure-kun, do not move."
He felt a surge of mana, and a magic circle deployed.
The suddenness of it all made Higure's body freeze, even without being told.
"Eh, wait, Maihime-san?!"
"Be quiet."
"Are you disposing of me?! Because I have no talent?! No, that was a joke, you know. I wasn't even trying my best yet—"
Higure waved his arms frantically, pleading his case, but—.
"—【Fireball】."
Maihime cast the spell with a blank, dispassionate expression.
"Gyaaaaaaaaa—?!"
Higure screamed, squeezing his eyes shut and curling into a ball.
The fireball singed the tips of his hair as it passed right by his face.
And then, "Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaa—?!" a man's thick scream echoed from behind him, overlapping with his own.
He cautiously looked back to see a Human man, charred black by Maihime's 【Fireball】, stretched out on the ground. The man was clutching something precious, and smoke was rising from his body.
"Uh...?"
Confused, Higure looked back and forth between the man and Maihime.
Maihime said, "Mm," and pointed at the scorched man, just as a woman came running toward them.
"Someone, stop that man! He's a purse-snatcher!"
The woman stopped in her tracks when she saw the man lying on the ground.
"He's... down..."
She looked at the man curiously, then at Maihime.
Maihime made a peace sign with both hands as if to say, "Don't mind me," but—.
"But my bag is on fire too..."
The woman took the bag the man was holding and murmured sadly. The bag crumbled in her hands as the wind blew.
Seeing this, sweat beaded on Maihime's face.
"Higure-kun, I have just remembered an urgent matter."
"Wait, hey? Maihime?"
"I remembered...!"
With that, she hastily pulled her hood down low.
Maihime awkwardly averted her gaze from the woman and ran away.
Higure hurriedly chased after her, but from behind, he heard the woman's cry, "Waaah, it was a precious gift from my boyfriend for my birthday!" He felt incredibly awkward.
◇
"Alright, alright. It's a pain, but this area's closed off."
After Maihime had incinerated the purse-snatcher and the bag with her 【Fireball】 and fled, a Werecat girl landed in front of Higure and the others.
She had cream-colored hair that fell to her shoulders, cat-like ears, and a thin tail. Her brown eyes were listless, and her tone was languid. She gave off an overall impression of apathy, but her uniform was one he recognized.
Haran, the woman who had attacked him when he first came to this world, had worn the same thing. It was the Belia Kingdom's special magic unit, if he remembered correctly.
Maihime must have realized her identity from the uniform as well. Sweat beaded on her expressionless face again.
"It was not intentional that it burned."
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"Our Maihime didn't mean any harm! In fact, she thought she was helping!"
Higure hurriedly tried to provide backup, but a question mark appeared above the girl's head.
"Hah, I have no idea what you're talking about. I was gonna pretend I didn't see, but I saw it earlier—only a Rare Species can cast a basic spell of that scale, right?"
At the Werecat girl's words, Maihime's tail shot straight up.
In an instant, a tense atmosphere filled the air.
It would have been better if they had been questioned about burning the bag. This girl's goal was the same as Haran's. A Rare Species hunt. It had been careless. Someone had seen Maihime use magic.
Maihime stepped in front of Higure protectively and placed her hand on the black blade at her waist.
Just then, three men rushed to the Werecat girl's side.
"Hah... hah... Luilui-san. You're too fast." "We finally caught up... at least tell us where you're going." "Seriously insane."
They wore simpler uniforms than the girl called Luilui, and he could tell they were also magic knights of the kingdom.
"Well, if I'd waited for you guys, she would've gotten away. Oh, it's the rules, so I'll introduce myself... Nine Number of the Kingdom's Special Magic Unit, Luilui Iren."
"Nine Number... one of the kingdom's greatest military assets has a lot of free time, I see."
"It's a good thing we're free, isn't it? Means it's peaceful."
Maihime lowered her stance and gripped her black blade, entering a combat stance.
"Well, it's my job. We have to clean up the Rare Species that have gone rogue. Sorry."
The three magic knights stepped forward to protect Luilui and drew their swords.
After the incident with Haran, Lilitia had given him a brief explanation of the special magic unit. While there were units that specialized in either magic or swordsmanship, the general members typically used both in battle.
In other words, they would come at him with swords while also using magic.
"Supposedly, I'm the fastest in the kingdom. You think you'll be okay? You can't escape anyway, so if you're gonna surrender, now's the time."
Luilui leisurely drew her dagger, completely at ease.
Higure looked at Maihime anxiously.
"The fastest? What is that, a magic knight joke?"
Maihime replied in a calm voice, as if she had read his mind.
Her fox ears and tail stood on end. There was not a single opening in her posture.
"You say the strangest things. I have never seen anyone faster than myself."
Maihime drew her sword and cast a spell.
"—【Talaria】."
In the blink of an eye, Maihime's figure vanished, and just as he thought she was gone, she appeared in front of one of the magic knights. And just as he thought she had appeared, her blade had already been swung, a dry metallic clang rang out, and she sheathed her sword.
"Wha—?!"
Was the cry of shock from Luilui, or from Higure?
Or was it from the magic knight, who had been slashed across the abdomen and was now spraying blood?
The man Maihime had cut collapsed forward, hitting the ground.
At the same time, Luilui's dagger swung.
"—【Talaria】, 【Talaria】."
But the blade, tinged with desperation, did not catch Maihime, and she vanished again. This time, she appeared behind the second magic knight and slashed. In the same way, she appeared next to the last magic knight and slashed.
In just three strikes, Maihime had neutralized all the magic knights except Luilui.
"Amazing..."
Maihime responded to Higure's admiration with a one-handed peace sign.
Luilui attacked with her dagger in a reverse grip, but Maihime easily dodged with a large backflip, returning to Higure's side.
The impact of her landing knocked off her hood.
Seeing her snow-white hair, animal ears, and crimson eyes, Luilui gasped.
"...Ah, I see. No wonder you're fast. The Hiiragi family's bloodline teleportation magic. So, you're the princess of the Lunarl—Maihime Hiiragi."
"Huh? A princess? Maihime's royalty?!"
"Only a princess can use a princess joke, you know."
"No, I thought you were just some weirdo calling herself a princess..."
"...Higure-kun, that is lese-majeste. The punishment is death."
Maihime gave him a sidelong glance.
"Have mercy, Your Highness!"
"Very well. I will settle for three puddings."
"...They have pudding in this world?"
Higure was dumbfounded as Maihime held up three fingers.
In contrast, Luilui, her guard raised to the maximum, had a bitter expression.
"Honestly, I wasn't prepared to fight someone this big, but I guess I have no choice. Both because of your position as a Rare Species royal and because of that troublesome bloodline magic, I can't just let you go."
Bloodline magic—it was a category that didn't fit into the general-purpose, exclusive, or unique magic that Maihime had explained earlier.
As Higure wondered about it, Maihime spoke, as if sensing his thoughts.
"Bloodline magic is unique magic that can only be used by those of that bloodline. Teleportation magic is a magic passed down in the Hiiragi family."
"So, bloodline magic is a subset of unique magic. Like how Wagyu is a type of beef."
"Mm. I do not quite understand, but it sounds delicious, so it is a good analogy."
"But in the end, as long as you're a Rare Species, you can't beat me."
That's right. No matter how powerful Maihime's magic was, the Rare Species had a fatal flaw.
Luilui got down on all fours, her tail held high, and cast a spell.
"—【Chun-Li】."
A low rumble, like thunder, echoed.
It was coming from Luilui's body.
Her hair stood on end, and she struck the cobblestones.
Lightning coursed through her body, crackling as she exhaled slowly.
"Higure-kun, this is a good opportunity for a lesson. The Beast-people generally use exclusive magic that enhances their physical abilities by circulating mana internally rather than releasing it."
The moment Luilui kicked off the cobblestones, she was right in front of Maihime—her speed, like lightning. Luilui swung her lightning-wreathed dagger, but Maihime was no longer there.
Using 【Talaria】, Maihime was now clinging to the side of a private house.
"—?!"
But Luilui didn't even glance at Maihime and continued her charge.
"Don't take it personally, okay?"
In her direct path was Higure.
Luilui had decided to ignore the troublesome Maihime and kill Higure first.
"—【Petasos】."
But where Luilui charged, there was now—the magic knight Maihime had cut down.
Luilui slammed one hand on the ground, coming to an emergency stop.
"—?! A switching spell?!"
Where Higure had been standing, there was now the magic knight.
Where the magic knight had been lying, there was now Higure.
Switching the locations of two targets. This was apparently one of Maihime's teleportation spells.
"I will not let you lay a hand on Higure-kun."
From then on, a dizzying battle unfolded between the two speed-specialist mages.
The crackle of thunder and the dry clang of metal.
Luilui, never stopping, darted around with cat-like agility, while Maihime used 【Talaria】 to pursue her, swinging her black blade.
Unable to match Maihime's speed, Luilui couldn't go on the offensive. In the meantime, the number of cuts on her body grew.
But the back-and-forth did not last long.
"Ugh, kuu—?!"
Maihime took a kick to the stomach, her body bending into a 'C' shape as she was sent flying toward Higure. Her light body rolled across the ground and was stopped by Higure's arms.
It was a blow she could have easily dodged with 【Talaria】.
"Maihime—!"
Luilui, wreathed in a cloak of lightning, exhaled slowly and wiped her mouth.
Her body was covered in many cuts, but Maihime looked more exhausted. As Maihime slowly got to her knees, her breathing was ragged, and her body was burning hot to the touch.
"I'll admit it. You're faster than me. But if I focus on dodging, I can at least avoid a fatal blow."
"So it wasn't that you couldn't attack..."
"I would've lost if I had, so it's not like I didn't. But for you Rare Species, stalling for time is fatal, isn't it? You're out of mana now, right?"
With Maihime's speed, she could probably finish off most opponents in a single blow. In fact, Luilui, who was supposedly the fastest in the kingdom, hadn't been able to go on the offensive.
But as expected of the fastest.
She was probably the only one who could force Maihime to use 【Talaria】 so many times.
Considering the mana consumption, Maihime and Luilui were a bad match-up.
"The Hiiragi princess probably had no reason to fight me... The fact that you didn't run means there's a limit to your teleportation magic's range, right? I thought you had a long-distance spell, but does it take time to cast, or is it a mana issue?"
Maihime, staggering to her feet, slowly sheathed her black blade.
"You talk a lot. Are you nervous?"
"You're the one who's nervous, aren't you? Do you really think the Hiiragi princess will get an easy death like the other Rare Species?"
"True... I have no mana left."
"Then—"
"But."
Maihime cut off Luilui's mocking tone.
A definite heat and a strong will resided in her crimson eyes.
"He's not just dead weight, you know."
Maihime grabbed Higure's arm and leaned against him.
"He's our precious—fodder."
Luilui furrowed her brows at Maihime's words, looking dumbfounded.
Of course she would. Higure wanted to pretend he didn't understand the meaning of her words and make the same expression. Because it was just too uncool. Fodder.
"Aargh! In the end, is that the only way I can be useful?!"
Maihime moved in front of Higure and cupped his cheeks with both hands.
"Question. When fighting a Beast-person who circulates mana internally, what is a particularly effective method? You were watching our fight, Higure-kun, so you should know, right?"
"Uh..."
Seeing Higure tilt his head, Maihime smiled affectionately.
Then, she stood on her tiptoes.
"If you have a lot of mana, you can just overpower them."
And kissed him.
A soft sensation.
A warm, sun-like scent.
And a heat that coursed through his body, welling up from within.
Ah, I can finally feel it. Yes, this heat is mana.
"Nn... fuu, ya... ah."
Maihime tentatively slipped her small tongue into his mouth.
The sensation of the heat inside him flowing into her.
His mana was being drained, his heat stolen, but it felt good.
"Au... nha... chu, apu, nn."
Wet, slurping sounds spilled out as their saliva mixed.
Their mana melted together, flowing out. A pleasant numbness. His vision flickered.
As if the boundary between them had blurred, becoming the world itself.
Higure's heat filled Maihime, dyeing her with it.
"Phew... Nn, this is... amazing..."
Parting from Higure's lips, Maihime gently touched her own.
Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glazed. Her body was limp.
"Feels good, right?"
Maihime leaned against Higure's chest and tilted her head.
It certainly did feel good. If Lilitia's was a sweet heat that felt like it could melt him, Maihime's was a tingling, stimulating heat.
His heart was still pounding. Flushed with the welling heat, his face was surely bright red. He couldn't look into Maihime's crimson eyes, afraid he would be sucked in.
As if sensing his thoughts, Maihime chuckled.
"I can see why Lili would go that far."
"...Something about this doesn't sit right with me."
"A perk of the job, right?"
Unable to deny it, Higure averted his gaze from Maihime.
Because he had never felt such exhilaration and pleasure as he had from their kisses.
"As long as I have mana, there is no reason for me to lose—because I am a princess."
With that, her tail stood on end, and Maihime once again placed her hand on the hilt of her black blade.
Luilui trembled at the impossible event that had just unfolded before her.
"Mana transfer...? What's the logic behind that...?"
The mana that flows through a person's body has different properties for each individual.
First, the properties change significantly depending on the race. Humans, Dwarves, Werecats, Vampires—they all have completely different qualities of mana flowing through them.
The difference in mana quality is also reflected in the nature of the magic they use.
For example, Beast-people excel at magic that circulates mana within their bodies. Elves have more precise mana control than other races, and Dwarves have a mana quality that easily imbues objects. The reason Vampires have excellent self-regeneration is because their mana is prioritized for physical regeneration.
Therefore, transferring mana across races is simply impossible.
Then, is it possible between members of the same race? That's also impossible.
To explain the logic behind this would require a deep dive into mana types, so we'll skip that—.
The only precedent for mana transfer she had heard of was in the case of identical twins, at most.
And what was most incomprehensible was...
"Aargh... I wish I could unleash some amazing magic too. What's with this mana transfer? It's too plain..."
Luilui's expression soured as she watched Higure clutch his head in frustration.
"And why are you perfectly fine...?"
Let's assume, for the sake of argument, that mana transfer was possible through some logic Luilui didn't understand.
Even so, it was simply impossible.
The boy called Higure's mana had transferred to Maihime, and Maihime's mana was fully restored.
That would mean Higure possessed more mana than Maihime's vessel could hold.
A Human boy having more mana than a Lunarl—and showing no signs of exhaustion at that. Could that be possible?
"Huh? What do you mean, 'why'? Are you being sarcastic? I haven't even fought, so of course I'm not tired... not that I can't fight, though!"
"Huh? What are you talking about... You've just expended enough mana to fill a Lunarl's entire vessel... and you're not even suffering from mana deficiency."
Mana deficiency was a sickness caused by a large amount of mana being released from the body at once.
For a while, he should be suffering from nausea, headaches, and fever... but he didn't seem to be putting on a brave face.
There was only one possible reason.
Though she thought it impossible, any other possibility was even more impossible.
—That boy possessed so much mana that filling Maihime's vessel was a trivial matter.
At first, she hadn't paid him any mind, hidden in Maihime's shadow.
She couldn't feel any mana from him. But thinking about it calmly, it was impossible for someone to have zero mana. The only possibility was that the gap in their mana levels was so vast it couldn't be detected.
"And for some reason, he's on the side of the Rare Species."
Luilui broke out in a cold sweat as she looked at the dazed Higure.
"This is the kind of guy who'll be a huge problem if we leave him alone—!"
She readied her dagger and faced Higure.
She lowered her stance to kick off the ground—and Maihime appeared, blocking her line of sight.
"You are not to lay a hand on what is ours."
Cold, bewitching crimson eyes. Luilui and Maihime's gazes met.
Caught by surprise, Luilui's reaction was delayed.
A cold sweat broke out, and her body tensed.
"—?!"
The process of Maihime reaching for Luilui seemed to unfold in slow motion.
Luilui instinctively reached for a small pouch at her waist.
At the same time, Maihime's small hand touched Luilui's chest.
Damn—?!
She felt a surge of mana, and a pure white magic circle deployed.
"—【Caduceus】."
With Maihime's clear voice as the last thing she heard—Luilui's vision went black.
The moment Maihime cast her spell, Luilui's figure vanished.
A pouch fell to the ground, releasing a cloud of purple powder. Maihime covered her mouth with her sleeve and instantly retreated, moving back to Higure's side.
"Maihime! Are you okay?!"
"I am fine. It is probably poison... but I did not inhale it."
Maihime responded to the anxious Higure with a two-handed peace sign.
"So, what happened to that Luilui girl?"
"I sent her to the crater of an active volcano."
"...Oh, so that was a one-hit-kill move."
"A princess joke. I was merciful and sent her to a forest near the capital. The princess is benevolent."
From her tone, it seemed she could have sent her to a volcano crater if she wanted to.
Terrifying. I'll make sure not to piss off Maihime... Higure secretly resolved.
"Anyway, you saved me. Thanks."
When he said that, Maihime thrust her head toward him.
Her fox ears twitched, and her tail wagged restlessly from side to side.
"Mm."
"...Mm?"
When he tilted his head in confusion, Maihime thrust her head forward even more.
"I think I would be pleased if you were to pat me."
"Uh...?"
"I think."
She stared at him with a blank expression.
Wagging her tail like a loyal dog, she rubbed her forehead against his chest expectantly.
"Thanks, Maihime."
"...Fuhehe."
Resigned, Higure gently patted her head.
Maihime's expression broke into a sloppy smile, and she wagged her tail even more vigorously.
◇
After defeating Luilui, Higure and the others bought groceries and returned home.
Tonight, Higure was making dinner. He wasn't particularly skilled, but he knew he was better at cooking than most high school boys. The basic ingredients and cooking utensils were the same as what he was used to. The only difference was that he needed to pour mana into a magic tool to light the fire, so he had Maihime help him with that.
Lilitia was usually in charge of cooking, but today, one of the children was sick, so she was busy taking care of them.
"Is she okay?"
He asked Lilitia, who had come to the kitchen for some water.
"Yeees. It's just mana gluttony, so it's nothing to worry about. All kids her age get it."
"Mana gluttony...? Oh, the thing Luilui was talking about."
He seemed to remember her mentioning a similar term.
"That is mana deficiency."
Maihime, who was waiting by his side, spoke up.
"A sudden release of mana from the body causes illness... that is mana deficiency. Mana gluttony is the opposite."
"It's a sickness caused by too much mana entering the body, exceeding the vessel's capacity. It happens with the changes in the mana gate that come with growth... but the symptoms are pretty much the same as mana deficiency."
"So, it's bad for your body if too much mana goes in or out at once."
"Yep, yep."
Lilitia nodded as she wrung out a cloth soaked in ice water.
"Then, was my mana transfer okay?"
"Now that you mention it..."
"Probably, the transfer didn't exceed your vessel's capacity, right? I think you unconsciously pulled away at the limit. Or maybe your mana is special, Higure-san..."
"I see."
"Ah, want to try testing the limit sometime?"
Lilitia puckered her lips, making a "chuu" sound.
Higure grabbed her cheek and shooed her away, "Go take care of her!"
After that, he quickly finished up and set the table with Maihime.
He called the children, and it was time for dinner.
Lilitia insisted on staying in the room to take care of the sick child, but the child herself kicked her out, saying she was being "too overprotective." He didn't know how serious mana gluttony was, but it seemed like a mild cold.
The three children, Higure, Lilitia, and Maihime. Six of them sat around the dinner table.
"You're delicious yourself, Higure-san, and the food you make is delicious too...!"
Lilitia's eyes sparkled as she took a bite of the food.
Maihime was wagging her tail furiously and giving him a two-handed peace sign.
The children were also eating with gusto. He had felt a distance between them before, but with this, he seemed to have won them over completely. They stared at him with innocent eyes.
"Hey, hey, what's this dish called?!"
"Well, it's a hamburger, I guess."
The ingredients were slightly different from the ones on Earth, but in a broad sense, this was undoubtedly a hamburger. Higure chewed, impressed by how well he had replicated it.
"Whoa! He's fodder, but he can make fodder! That's amazing!"
"It is delicious! In the future, I may deign to make you my personal chef!"
"Hey, hey, make it again! Promise!"
The children seemed to love it, and they crowded around Higure, chattering excitedly.
"Hey, hey! What else can you make?"
"I want to eat something sweet! Sugar has become easier to get recently!"
"Oh, uh... I'm not that good at cooking... I wonder if I can make it."
"It is not a matter of whether you can. You will!"
A little girl pointed a finger at him. The other two were also looking up at him with eyes full of expectation. He might have to seriously study the cuisine of this world.
Seeing Higure getting along with the children, Maihime gave him a thumbs-up.
As for Lilitia, she was completely absorbed in devouring her hamburger.
"Did you invent this, Higure-san?! You're a genius!"
"No, I didn't invent it. It was probably Count Hamburger or someone like that... I have no idea, though."
"Oh... thank you, Count Hamburger."
It was Higure's second day in this other world.
And so, the mealtime with the Rare Species girls passed peacefully.
◇
A mountain of paperwork stood before her.
No matter how much she worked through it, the number never seemed to decrease. In fact, it felt like it was increasing.
The life had drained from Haran's face as she sat in her executive chair. The confident, noble aura she usually exuded was completely gone. The bandages wrapped around her body only added to her pitiful appearance.
—The Royal Capital of the Belia Kingdom, Liliarre.
The base of the Kingdom's Special Magic Unit, Nine Number.
The room was furnished with top-of-the-line items—an ostentatious executive desk by the window, a table, a sofa, and shelves. Perhaps due to the members' temperament, the room was kept immaculately clean.
As expected of the special unit that housed the kingdom's greatest military assets.
Amidst it all, the Elf woman buried in paperwork—Haran—was trembling with rage.
"Kuh... why am I doing this...? I'm the captain of Nine Number, am I not?! I'm the one in charge! The least you could do is help a little...!"
She slammed her hand on the desk, stood up, and shouted.
Nine Number, also known as the Special Force, was the sword of the Belia Kingdom.
That said, they rarely fought openly. Their main duties were intelligence, infiltration, and special missions that required a small, elite team. They were sometimes called upon for large-scale operations, but that had become increasingly rare recently.
And now, she was swamped with a mountain of paperwork.
"U-Um... I'm sorry. I want to help, but..."
A small girl—Lulun Linknova—timidly raised her hand, her gaze wandering apologetically.
She had blue topaz hair that fell to her shoulders and crystal eyes. Her small frame and timid demeanor made her seem like a small animal, but two horns grew from her head. At a glance, she looked like a Dragonute from a fairy tale, but she was a bona fide Human.
"Ahaha. It'd be a problem if you broke your pen like last time, right?"
A Dwarf girl—Kaya Krantz—laughed at Lulun.
She was just as small as Lulun, with cream-colored hair tied in a ponytail and the tan skin characteristic of Dwarves. She had the air of a mischievous child, but she too was a magic knight of the kingdom's special unit, Nine Number.
"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry for being a useless person who can only fight...!"
"It can't be helped with you, Lulun... It'll be a pain for accounting if any more equipment breaks, and I'd rather praise you for being pulled into every large-scale mission... But, Kaya!"
"Ehh... I'm doing my best too."
Kaya sighed, nibbling on a cookie, as Haran pointed a finger at her.
"Does it not pain you to see me, injured and swamped with paperwork?!"
"That's the result of you rushing in, Captain. You probably just charged in without a plan, thinking only of your own glory, right?"
"Ugh..."
"Nothing good comes from spoiling the captain. Besides, if it's so tough, why don't you just hire more people? Do you know the name of our organization?"
"Nine Number... right!"
Lulun timidly raised her hand.
"Right. Nine. But there are only four of us. Isn't that false advertising?"
"Eh? But, but, we got two new members the other day, right?"
"The captain made them quit in three days."
"Eeeeeh?! W-Why?! They were our precious juniors..."
"I know, right? It makes no sense. I thought things would get a little easier."
Lulun and Kaya closed in on Haran's desk.
The tables had turned. Haran was now being cornered by her two subordinates, shrinking in her seat.
"I-It couldn't be helped! They were more incompetent than I imagined! I was skeptical from the moment I saw their papers, but I never thought they'd be that useless...!"
"Wow, she says things like that so naturally."
"Nine Number is a cut above the regular kingdom magic knights. The danger of our missions and the level required are high, and most importantly, it is crucial that they are trustworthy individuals to whom we can entrust our backs. I cannot entrust the name of Nine Number to rabble who knock on our door for a frivolous reason like good pay."
"Ehh, isn't everyone like that at first? I made a lot of mistakes too. You get used to missions after doing a few, right?"
"To be recommended for Nine Number, they must have a minimum level of skill. What I question is their mentality. I have no need for the incompetent."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll follow the captain's policy, but..."
You're the one making it hard on yourself, Kaya grumbled as she returned to the sofa.
"S-Speaking of which, what happened to Luilui-san?! She's a little late for a regular patrol, isn't she...!"
Lulun fidgeted awkwardly.
A desperate attempt to change the subject.
Just then.
"...Damn, that was rough."
The wooden door opened, and Luilui returned.
"L-Luilui-san...! What happened to your wounds?!"
"Whoa, that's rare. You got beat up pretty bad."
Her appearance was pitiful.
Her Nine Number uniform was stained red. Her body was covered in countless cuts, and she was out of breath. Luilui was not the type to be reckless. For her, the one called the fastest in the kingdom, to be cornered like this was no ordinary matter.
"It is rare for you to get so heated. Usually, you would have retreated long ago."
"...Well, I couldn't, so this is what happened. She might have let me go if I'd tried to run, though."
At Luilui's words, tension ran through the members' faces.
Luilui, who boasted of being the fastest in the kingdom, couldn't escape? Could such a thing be possible?
Sensing their thoughts, Luilui sighed.
She slowly sat down on the sofa and briefly recounted the events in the capital.
How she had found a Rare Species. How it was a royal of the Lunarl. And how there was a Human who had transferred mana through a kiss, completely filling the Lunarl's vessel—.
"I-I see...! Mana transfer, and a mana capacity that far exceeds a Rare Species... h-how terrifying...!"
"We have to capture the Hiiragi princess either way. Even setting aside what kind of power mana transfer is, we need to deal with this quickly."
Lulun's expression tightened as she listened to Luilui's story, while Kaya flopped onto the other sofa, looking bored.
Meanwhile, Haran had her hands on her desk, her body trembling.
"Wait just a moment! I told you that story, did I not?! That there was a Human who could transfer mana! None of you believed me, did you?!"
In fact, Haran had made a similar report the other day.
She had engaged a Vampire near the entrance of Sicchi Forest. She had cornered the Vampire, who was out of mana, but the Vampire's mana was fully restored by a Human's mana transfer, and she was forced to retreat. The injuries all over her body were from that encounter.
But her story was dismissed as impossible, and no one would listen.
"Um... d-did you?"
Lulun averted her gaze, poking her index fingers together.
"Yes, I did! Why do you accept it so easily when Luilui tells it?!"
"Because the fake lady's story sounded suspicious. It's your usual behavior, isn't it?"
"Silence, Kaya! I am not a fake!"
"But Captain, you're a commoner, right?"
"That is precisely why I cherish the heart of a noble!"
"What's that? I'm a real lady, so I don't really get it."
Currently, the continent was dominated by the Four Great Races: Humans, Elves, Beast-people, and Dwarves.
The extermination of the already small number of Rare Species was proceeding smoothly, and it seemed that few people still considered them a threat.
There were rumors that the Rare Species were banding together and waiting for a chance to strike back, but even if they gathered all the Rare Species, their numbers would be insignificant. In the days before the Spirit Collapse Disaster, when natural mana recovery was abundant, they had been helpless against powerful individuals, but there was no way the Four Great Races, with their overwhelming numbers, could lose.
In fact, the current situation was that personnel were being allocated to deal with magical beasts and the five Great Dragons.
Just the other day, there was a report that a village on the border of the Belia Kingdom had been destroyed by the Iron Flash Dragon, Ilsaber.
The problem of the Rare Species had settled down, and most of it was being taken care of—this was the current perception of the Belia Kingdom. It could be said that they couldn't spare any more personnel for the Rare Species, and that they wanted to turn a blind eye to any new problems that arose.
Haran folded her arms and thought for a long time, then sighed.
"Let's keep this information to ourselves. We cannot cause confusion with uncertain information, and I do not think we will receive a favorable response."
The members nodded silently at Haran's decision.
"Still, mana transfer... it's like Elysion, the Unresting Box, isn't it?"
Kaya said as she took out a first-aid kit and tended to Luilui's wounds.
"That's just a fairy tale, right?"
"I know. Besides, isn't Elysion supposed to look like a really beautiful jewel or something?"
"No, I heard it's an angel with three pairs of wings."
Kaya cleaned the wounds with practiced hands. Luilui, though her usual languid self, winced slightly in pain. Her tail stood on end.
"Um... a holy sword? I heard it's shaped like a weapon... but I might be mistaken."
"I have heard that it is a messenger from another world."
Haran said, tilting her head, as Lulun timidly spoke up.
It was a famous fairy tale, so there were many different interpretations. It seemed that the story passed down varied by race and even by family. However, on one point, the ability of infinite mana and its transfer, everyone was in agreement.
"Another world? That's impossible. Captain, are you a little slow?"
Haran's expression twisted in annoyance at Kaya's cheerful laughter.
"And there is also the story that it can create new unique magic without limit!"
"Ahahaha! Captain, do you really believe that? How pathetic. You should be careful not to buy any suspicious pots."
"B-But...! It is better to be cautious, is it not?! And I was told I would be happy if I bought the pot...!"
"Haran-san, y-you really bought it..."
Lulun muttered awkwardly, listening to their conversation.
In the meantime, the first aid was finished. Luilui rotated her shoulder to check her condition, then spoke proudly.
"Well, I've already taken care of the Lunarl princess, so don't worry. If we take a hostage, she'll show herself."
"Oh? Do you have a plan?"
"You think I'd come back empty-handed? I've identified it—their base."
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