Chapter 66: The Terrifying Fluffy Trap

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Translator: Soafp

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“Kokonoha-sama! Kokonoha-sama—!! Wake up—!! If you don't wake up, I'll start groping your b**bs—!!”

“Nn♡ …Yotsuha… move your hands away…”

“Ah, crap. She actually woke up.”

Kokonoha opened her eyes to find the girl with fox ears and bell earrings—Yotsuha—fondling her ample ch*st.

Then Kokonoha's fist came down.

“O-ouch…”

“The only one allowed to touch my body… is that one… Next, I'll rip out all your tail fur…”

“Haah—jealous!! He actually get to do whatever he wants with Kokonoha-sama's sexy, curvy body? Did he save the world in a past life or something!?”

“…Not entirely wrong…”

At that moment, Yotsuha suddenly remembered something and reported.

“Oh, right. Futaba and Mitsuha, who've been guarding and monitoring Kokonoha-sama's beloved, just sent a report.”

“…Something… happen…?”

“They noticed that magical energy is gathering at the ritual site. They're heading this way!!”

“…I see… If it's coming from that one, it's actually convenient… But there's still not enough magic… I'll have Itsuha, Mutsuha, and Nanaha buy us some time… Yatsuha?”

“That one's slacking. She said she made a friend and has been hanging around the forest near Zotas lately.”

“…I see…”

Step by step, the plan progressed.

Kokonoha's scheme to reclaim the one she loved was moving smoothly.

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About an hour after descending into the underground.

“…Hmm. We're not making any progress at all.”

“We've been going in circles this whole time, haven't we!?”

‘Report: We have already passed the same spot sixteen times.'

Belchika, Lauren, and I had been wandering in circles underground.

“Wandering” isn't exactly the right word, though.

We'd go right, left, and back to the starting point via different routes, but we couldn't move forward.

What's going on?

“Maybe the paths are changing?”

“If that's the case, there's nothing we can do.”

According to Belchika, the mastermind was somewhere further below, in the lower levels of the underground.

So we were trying to find the stairs leading to the second underground floor… but they just couldn't be found.

Huh? Use Lauren like we did when we first entered?

We already tried that.

Even Lauren's machine gun and beam saber couldn't break the wall separating the first and second underground floors.

As Belchika and I held our heads in frustration, Lauren spoke up.

‘Analysis complete. Traces of powerful illusion magic affecting both sight and hearing detected.'

“Illusion magic? So we've been seeing and hearing things that aren't real?”

‘Yes.'

I see.

“Sight and hearing, huh…”

“No-Face-san?”

“Here goes.”

“!?”

I pressed my fingers into my eyes, crushing them.

Belchika's shocked, girlish scream echoed.

“Eek!? N-No-Face-san!? What are you doing!?”

“No problem. Next—”

“!?”

I shoved my fingers into my ears, breaking the eardrums.

The spine-chilling sensation ran through me, but I ignored it for now.

Blind and deaf, we wandered the underground, searching for the stairs leading down…

“—!! —!!”

“Hm? —Extra Heal.”

Belchika tugged at my sleeve, so I healed my eyes and ears with magic.

“We did it, No-Face-san!! We found the stairs going down!!”

“I figured that if the illusions were tricking our senses, disabling them and wandering randomly would eventually lead us there… Seems it worked.”

“It did, but next time, please tell me beforehand!? I nearly had a heart attack!!”

“I'll consider it.”

At that moment, a girl appeared in front of the stairs, blocking our path.

“Sorry, but you're not going any further. Orders from Kokonoha-sama.”

A bold young girl with striking red hair and eyes.

Her kimono was loose, almost slipping off.

But most noticeable were her fluffy fox ears and tail…

…She must be one of the mastermind's subordinates.

“No-Face-san, that girl is Kokonoha's subordinate from the Eight-Tailed Group. She's quite skilled. Don't underestimate her—No-Face-san?”

“Huh?”

“Uh… why are your hands moving like that?”

Oops.

Unconsciously, my hands had been moving, wanting to pet the fox girl's fluffy tail.

“My name's Itsuha!! You're going to stay asleep for a while—”

“Lauren.”

‘Acknowledged. —Activate primary weapon system: Magical Art Technique <Metal Bullets (Non-lethal)>.'

“Huh?”

In the next moment, Lauren's machine gun barrel extended from its shoulder, magic circles activating.

It opened fire at the fox girl.

Ratatatatata!! The deafening roar of bullets struck the girl straight on the head.

“Gya!?”

“…Eh?”

The fox girl lost consciousness.

Belchika froze, letting out a dumbfounded sound.

“W-What!? It's already over!?”

“Mm.”

“D-Did she… die…?”

‘No. it’s the Indiscriminate Healing Magicians, Nightingale killing is forbidden. Therefore, in combat against humans, we use slime bullets.'

“Slime bullets…?”

Slime bullets were non-lethal rounds developed by the craftsmen of the Nightingale.

Basically, like rubber bullets.

But direct hits can still break bones, so they're dangerous.

“…I see.”

“Uh, No-Face-san? What are you doing, petting her tail?”

“Just curious. It feels nice. Belchika, want to try?”

“…Just a little.”

After healing the fox girl from the direct hit to her head with magic, Belchika and I petted her tail.

It was fluffier than even Gal's.

“Nn♡ Ah♡ Nnh♡”

Even unconscious, the fox girl seemed aware of the touch, wagging her tail.

Maybe it feels good.

Her ears twitched too—she was an incredibly cute creature.

‘…Report. Fifteen minutes have already passed.'

“Ha!? W-We don't have time for this!! No-Face-san, let's move on!!”

“Hm… What a dangerous girl. Even unconscious, she sets traps to buy time.”

‘…'

Lauren seemed like it wanted to say something, but I ignored it.

We descended the stairs and continued onward.