Chapter 83: Big Fluffy Cat

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Translator: Soafp

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It seems the port of the Kingdom of Kishirika has fallen after being attacked from the sea by an army of monsters.

The kingdom's upper leadership immediately decided to dispatch the knight order to the port to subjugate the monster forces.

Just in case the dispatched knights are wiped out, they are also positioning the magic academy's disciplinary committee as a reserve force.

Unlike the Belhart Empire's army, the knights of Kishirika have almost no experience fighting monsters.

At most, once or twice a year they defeat a monster that has very rarely slipped out of demon territory, evaded the Empire's surveillance network, and happened to drift into the kingdom's lands.

Preparing their forces this carefully is probably a wise decision.

The reason Lucan-senpai didn't tell me was because a temporary information lockdown—a gag order—had been put in place to avoid causing panic among the citizens.

That's what Victoria told me.

“You're totally ignoring the gag order—are you going to be okay?”

“Mm. There's no one in this country who can punish me.”

“…What about His Majesty the King?”

“Ask, don't you know? A crime isn't a crime if it isn't discovered.”

As expected of Victoria—she's got nerves of steel.

“…Ask, are you really going?”

“Yes, I am. There'll be a mountain of injured people.”

Where there are injured, there is No-Face.

The port, now a battlefield, will surely have countless wounded.

Of course the kingdom's healing mages will have gathered to treat them, but they'll be overwhelmingly short on manpower.

I have to go. I have to go and heal.

“Mm. Got it. If that's what you say, I won't stop you. But one last thing.”

“What is it—mmgh.”

“Mm, chu, rero.”

When I turned back after she called me, Victoria—her cheeks red—suddenly kissed me.

And not just a peck, but a deep, adult kiss with her tongue.

“Mm. Payback for the other day.”

“…I see.”

“Come back safely.”

“I don't like leaving the score unsettled.”

“Eh?”

This time I kissed Victoria myself.

Her face turned even redder, like a boiled octopus, and she said:

“…When you get back, let's continue.”

“Continue?”

“Mm. You know… the naughty stuff…”

…Hmm.

“Isn't it bad to do naughty things when we're only engaged?”

“Mm. Father would be happy if we had a child.”

That king probably would be happy.

But having a child while we're still students—what would society think?

…Well, I'll think about it when I get back.

---

After leaving the royal capital, I sprinted toward the port at full speed.

At the same time, I read through the research material on soul-mind magic that I received from Elist.

And I learned several interesting things.

“Hmm… it really is quite different from mental magic.”

Mental magic, as the name suggests, affects a target's mind.

Soul-mind magic, on the other hand, acts on the heart and soul.

At first glance they seem similar.

But the decisive difference is whether it can directly harm the target.

Mental magic can raise or lower motivation, manipulate emotions like love or hate.

By doing that you can control someone as you please, but you can't directly damage them.

Soul-mind magic, however, can directly destroy the target's heart or soul.

“—Soul Crush.”

[That was close!! What are you doing all of a sudden!!]

“The fact you dodged means it works on you, right?”

[Ugh.]

When I tried a soul-mind attack on Chloe, she avoided it with all her might.

[Soul-mind magic interferes with the heart and soul. I'm a remnant of a soul, so it's fatal to me. Please don't attack me—whoa!!]

“Soul Crush.”

[Hey, watch it!! What are you doing all of a sudden!!]

I just wanted to see what would happen if it hit a soul, but she dodged easily.

Well, finding a countermeasure is good enough.

“…I wonder if I can combine this with healing magic to do something.”

When I got swallowed by those bacteria in the Empire, I survived because I was eaten whole.

If I'd been chewed, there would've been nothing I could do.

Even if my body were turned into minced meat, I'm confident I could heal it—but if my head were crushed, that'd be the end.

“…Hey, Chloe.”

[Hm?]

“Do you think it's possible to regenerate a body from the soul?”

[!?]

Chloe stared at me in shock.

[Uh, ah, um, I-I dunno!!]

“I see.”

If she doesn't know, it can't be helped.

But it feels like it could be useful for something, so it might be worth researching.

Chloe muttered quietly.

[Even without memories, the same person thinks the same way. That's scary.]

“Hm? Did you say something?”

[N-nothing at all!! Hahaha… hm? Dodge, Ask!!]

“Eh?”

At that moment, the ground beneath me suddenly darkened.

When I looked up, a gigantic bird—easily over ten meters long—was right above me.

“Whoa.”

I jumped sideways on instinct, narrowly avoiding its body slam.

When I hurriedly put distance between us, the bird fixed me with its four glaring eyes.

Wow. It looks fluffy, but four eyes are creepy.

[That's a strange bird—Byark.]

“Byark?”

[A bird-type monster that likes human flesh. Its plumage is so thick that slashing, striking, and piercing attacks don't work.]

“Isn't that cheating?”

[You need high-penetration magic to kill it… do you have any attack magic?]

I shook my head.

“What do you think I should do?”

[Run at full speed.]

“Aye aye, sir.”

I turned my back on the Byark and ran with everything I had.

Having decided I was its prey, the Byark beat its wings and came after me.

“Uwaa, it's chasing me. Maybe I'll try to keep it back with the great scythe.”

[Useless. That scythe has no power to harm living things. Monsters are sensitive to things that can harm them—conversely, they'll boldly attack things that can't.]

“So it'll still come even if I try to hold it back…”

[Exactly.]

What should I do?

As I began to feel a bit of panic in this unexpected crisis, a small creature suddenly jumped in between me and the Byark.

It was Kutama—who I was sure I had left behind in the capital.

“Kyuu!!”

Kutama leapt into the air, spun once, and with a boff was enveloped in white smoke—

and the next instant transformed into a gigantic ball of fluff.

“Giant fluff!! Giant fluff Kutama!!”

“Kyuu!!”

“SKREEEEEEEEEEE!!”

Kutama sank her fangs into the Byark's throat.

But the thick feathers got in the way and dealt no real damage.

The Byark, in response, bristled all its feathers and fired them like bullets.

An all-direction attack.

For a moment it looked like a roast chicken before growing its feathers back.

Ugh, gross.

“Kutama!! Don't push yourself!!”

“Kyuu!!”

Since Kutama's attacks couldn't deal a fatal blow, running was still the only option.

…Maybe I should ride on her back and escape.

Not because I want to enjoy the fluff or anything—just because it's the most rational choice.

And then—

“—Lightning Pierce!!”

A flash of violet lightning shot through the Byark's skull and killed it instantly.

Huh? What just happened?

“That light just now…”

“What are you doing in a place like this, Ask-sama!!”

“Huh? Princess Christina?”

Christina leaned out from the carriage window and called out to me.