Manowa 356

 Chapter 356 - Let's Enter the Mansion


◎ Lindo Kingdom, Trade City Uumin, In Front of Anglais' Mansion


「Wow, it's huge!」


While looking up at the mansion, Kazane reflexively said that.

While smiling at Kazane's state, Ougi said「This way」, then greeted the gatekeeper, who let Kazane and the others into the premises of the mansion.


This was the high-class residential area in the center of Trade City Uumin, where powerful people like aristocrats and large merchants lived. And even among them, Kazane and the others were guided into a conspicuously large mansion.


「Anglais-dono has 12 mansions of the same scale in Lindo Kingdom. He also has ones in Minshiana and Tsuvara.」

After Ougi said that with a smile, Kazane replied「Oh, really?」admiringly.

「Business is yielding quite the profit.」

「Yeah. Thanks to that, I've also become considerably flush with money.」

After Kazane's words, Ougi laughed and replied.


While watching that situation from behind, Yumika thought (as usual, she quickly gets along well with elderly men). Though Yumika could understand that business was certainly profitable by looking around. The flowers in the garden were in full bloom, and there was ornate furnishings. Up until now, Yumika and the others had had opportunities to enter areas like castles, and naturally, those had been attentively cared for, but this was the first time they had entered such an opulent mansion, so there were quite a few things to be impressed by.


「Hmm……」


And next to Yumika, Jinrai was pondering to himself. His gaze was occasionally directed at Ougi, but it wasn't a hostile gaze. He seemed to be perplexed about something.


「Is something wrong, master?」

「No, but, I've heard that old man Ougi-dono's name before, and I'm wondering if it's really the person himself.」

Jinrai seemed unusually restless as he said that.

「Is he famous?」

After Yumika's question, Jinrai replied「That's right.」

「He's a rank A adventurer called Katana God or Iai Master. About 20 years ago, his name often came up in guild taverns.」

「Hehhh. Katana God... that's another extremely grandiose name.」

Yumika completely forgot about her own nickname and said that. Iai Master simply made it clear that he used iai, but Katana God didn't seem like a nickname one would be given unless they did something truly impressive.

「Which means that he's a person worthy of the nickname. I never met him, but I was also fired when I heard his heroic tales.」

「Heroic tales?」

After Yumika's question, Jinrai grinned and continued talking.

「The most famous one is probably when he cut a harmful Adult Dragon in half with a single blow. It's said that the ground was also cut in half along with the dragon.」

After Jinrai's words, Yumika was surprised and said「Is that true!?」and Jinrai smiled even more widely at his disciple's reaction. Yumika had also confronted dragons many times up until now. She understood the power of a dragon called an Adult Dragon. Defeating one by cutting it apart with a single blow wasn't a common tale.

「Yeah. At that time, I honestly couldn't believe it either, but I was actually shown the left and right halves of the dragon's skull. When I saw that incredibly skillful cut, I couldn't help but be convinced.」

Since Jinrai said that much, Yumika understood that it was apparently true, and she looked at Ougi.

「Why is such a person here?」

「I wonder. A short while ago, he said he was Anglais Messi's business partner. Since he didn't call himself a guard, I don't really know either.」

It seemed it was also inscrutable to Jinrai. That was likely the reason he was wondering if the man was really Ougi Zenjuuro himself.

「But he gives off the unmistakable signs of being a strong person. Even now, we are within that old man's slashing range. If he actually attacked right now, I'm not sure even I would be able to defend myself.」

Those words didn't quite click for Yumika. Yumika didn't feel that kind of sign. Looking at his disciple's face, Jinrai told her.

「Remember this, Yumika. A person strong enough to have『God』in their nickname can instantly wield their greatest power without giving off any killing intent or fighting spirit. According to Iria, in Japaness, they describe it as attaining a Meikyo Shisui state of mind.」

「Doesn't that makes it seem like he'd glow with golden light?」

Jinrai tilted his head after Yumika's words, but he continued talking without worrying about it.

「While that might be true, I'm not saying I couldn't win, but you should think that that old man has reached a height where he has fully eliminated the impurities in his heart.」

Though after that, he added「If it's the person himself...」so it seemed that Jinrai himself didn't precisely understand either.



◎ Lindo Kingdom, Trade City Uumin, Anglais Mansion, Waiting Room


「Well then, please wait a moment.」

So saying, Ougi left the room.

Currently, Kazane and the others had been shown into the mansion's waiting room. And after Ougi said he was going to report to Anglais and left the room, only the party members were left inside.


「I feel like we've come this far so easily.」

Kazane muttered while looking at the closed door.

There seemed to be two guards outside, but there were no particular signs that they were trying to eavesdrop.

「Hmm, well, they want to buy the hot springs from you. It's safest to make a good impression, and in the first place, it's best to avoid unnecessary trouble.」

Everyone but Kazane nodded after Jinria's words. Kazane groaned「Mu」to that reaction and puffed out her cheeks. Kazane didn't particularly wish something had happened. Adults didn't understand her at all.

「More importantly, Kazane. You've been frowning since we entered the mansion. Is there something?」

Then Jinrai remembered what he had been curious about since some time ago and asked Kazane.

「Nn, there's an unpleasant smell, but, well, based on the situation a while ago, it's not something that's hard to understand.」

「An unpleasant smell?」

The answer to Jinrai's question came from behind.

「It smells like Black Potions, right?」

Those were Louise's words. Then Kazane nodded.

「Yeah. As expected, Louise-san also noticed.」

「I don't sense it by smell like you, though. Based on what happened earlier, perhaps they're potions confiscated in the city?」

「Probably.」

Kazane agreed with Louise's words.

According to the story they heard from Ougi earlier, it seemed that Black Potions were spreading throughout the kingdom, mainly through the ocean route. It seemed there were various types of Black Potions flowing on the black market and eroding the Lindo Kingdom, like diluted Black Potions for habitual use and concentrated Black Potions like the one Zacks used for boosting. A grave problem was that there were also high-class ones being sold to aristocrats as a medicine for agelessness. Old people with money, aiming to have their bodies turn Astral by Devilization, were buying them like hotcakes.

Also, they discovered that one of the merchants in the caravan Kazane and the others saved was transporting Black Potions from Minshiana.

Kazane didn't notice because it was covered with a Seal Spell, just like on the Dragon Boat. Perhaps it was carried on a Dragon Boat flight before Kazane and the others discovered that was happening.


When Kazane told her companions what they had heard from Ougi, the people who hadn't participated in that conversation while they moved started frowning.


「The problem is that Black Potions actually work, right?」


Louise said that. As in their battle a while ago, Black Potions were certainly effective, and if successfully Devilized, the wish for an eternal lifespan could come true. The reason why there were devil followers in various places was because they longed for the immortality brought about by Devilization, which seemed easy to make come true with the Black Potion.

However, that also meant becoming a devil's underling; one would become freely manipulatable, which was the same as relinquishing one's own soul. Ougi said a similar situation had happened in the Noval Kingdom in the northwest, which became the Nosferatu Kingdom due to Undeadification by vampires. It was destroyed by its neighboring countries, and the same could happen to Lindo Kingdom.


「Well, because of that, people with high political power have done various things to prevent an embargo, which seems to be why Anglais-san is using private soldiers to deal with it.」


And they were told that the gathered private soldiers were mainly people who had suffered misfortune due to the Black Potions. According to Ougi, the reason the captain of the private army had acted so arrogantly some time ago was because his companion went crazy and annihilated their party after he drank a Black Potion. That being the case, it wasn't strange that he was so hostile to people carrying Black Potions.

Everyone couldn't help but groan when they heard that much, but that didn't mean they could do anything about it.

For the time being, Kazane decided to summarize the current situation and send it to Yuuko-nee by email.


Then, after Kazane and the others waited for a while, one of the mansion's maids came to the room, and Kazane and the others were finally guided to Anglais Messi.



Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King, Liberator

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor (True), Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, White Magic Accumulator (Revised) ×2, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet

Level : 38

Health: 152+20

Magic Power: 340+520

Strength: 72+45

Agility: 78+39

Endurance: 43+20

Wisdom : 75

Dexterity : 51

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』『Rabbit Speed』『Flare Mirage』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition: Lv2』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv2』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』『Spider Web』『Wire Cutter』『Flexible』



Yumika:「A dragon in one blow, he said.」

Kazane:「Nn, in Zexiaharts, there was a limit-breaking technique for Iai Swordsman called『Ittou Ryoudan』, so perhaps he used a similar technique?」

Yumika:「Maybe.」