Ch.398Fighting the Mountain NPC. (4)

“I wouldn’t be surprised even if you told me you’ve become an archmage who can use teleport now.”

“Really? Ira became an archmage and teleported us here.”

What?!! Green Stone’s surprised reaction and Liselotte’s response made me smile, though not entirely satisfied. I handed them over to Ms. Manie, who would guide them to the Academy Headmaster’s office where Ragni was.

It’s not that I dislike meeting them. On the contrary, I want to catch up and thank them for coming all this way to help, but…

-GROOOOOOOWL….

“…When you see something like that, it’s hard to keep a straight face.”

The moving continent that appeared on the horizon the moment Siltra arrived here in Neatie. The strongest field boss. Level 950 monster Behemoth. Its shadow, gradually approaching, has finally become visible to the naked eye. And…

[……]

“As expected, I can’t see it.”

Just like in the game, its level and stats don’t show up in the status window. I pray it’s exactly as I remember it, and that we can handle it without the Pope, as I begin to finish the task Ragni asked me to do.

*

“…No matter how you look at it, that thing is way too big.”

“*Gulp*…!”

“S-Sis. We still have to do it. Ragni and Jack asked us to.”

After briefly crossing paths with Elder Green Stone’s unit, my sister, Ray, and I were watching the approaching Behemoth from halfway up a mountain quite far from Neatie. But as my sister said, it’s too big. Can we really defeat something like this?

“*Deep breath*… It’s okay, I believe in Ragni. She’s the smartest person in our party. No, in this entire world. The plan she devised without rest for five days—if we don’t make mistakes, it will definitely succeed.”

“Well, if the second says so, I guess we have to believe it.”

“Sis!”

Is my sister still bothered that Ragni and Ray took the positions of Jack’s first and second? I feel disappointed too, but I know Jack would cherish both me and my sister. I wish she wouldn’t be so confrontational with the party members. With that thought, I raise my tail and glare at her, but she just smiles at my behavior as if it’s cute before turning around and starting to walk.

“…Hehe.”

“Huh? Ray?”

“Oh, sorry. It’s just that Miho has changed so much from before. You seem like a different person.”

“Ow… T-that’s…”

I really did lack common sense back then. Of course, my circumstances weren’t great, but I could have made time to study somehow. After meeting Jack and the others, I studied common sense and realized how foolishly I had been living. Jack told me I’ve grown a little because of that. When Ray brings up those memories, my face gets hot with embarrassment!

“And your sister is quite cute too. She resembles Jack a lot.”

“…What?”

“Jack embraced me and Ragni before you, so she pretends to be prickly toward us on purpose. But I think she’s actually doing it for her cute little sister.”

“F-for me?”

She wants her cute sister to be loved more, to blend into the party more easily. So she takes on the role of being disliked. Ray says that’s what my sister’s behavior means, and she finds it cute. Then she starts walking ahead of me.

Huh, really? Is that why my sister acts that way on purpose? But…

“Oh, please don’t hate her too much. She’s actually much more gentle…”

“Oh my? Did I seem like I hated her? I thought Chikuyo’s behavior on the first day was completely natural as a woman who wants to be loved, and as someone who likes Jack. Rather, I was wondering if Miho might have lost interest in Jack~”

“Eh?! N-no, that’s not it! I’m planning to have at least six children with Jack!”

Oh my, six! Isn’t that a bit much? Ray’s blue eyes widened in genuine surprise, then she chuckled amusedly as she continued walking ahead.

“What are you two doing?! Hurry up!”

“Coming~!”

“Haah…”

When my sister shouted, Ray and I had to trot to catch up. Is she really doing this for my sake? Or is she genuinely upset? I still can’t tell, but anyway.

-Click.

-Ping!

“Then…! [Connector] [Swift Blade] [Wind Riding Type 2: Protective Wind]!!”

– Whoosh, rumble⎯⎯⎯!!

“Miho.”

“Yes, sis.”

-SWOOSH!!

Right now, we need to prepare to defeat Behemoth. We need to do our part.

*

“Lady Ira. Aren’t you tired?”

“No. Gor, how are our friends doing?”

“Everyone is doing well. I never would have thought Grace would be doing something like this.”

“Ira~!”

“Ah, Grace!!”

-WHOMP!!

When Grace came running, Lady Ira jumped up from her seat, and Grace naturally threw herself into Lady Ira’s arms.

Hmm, our Lady Ira has grown a bit taller.

“Is Ira’s group on break?”

“Yes! Is Grace’s group about to rest?”

“Uwaah~ G-Grace wants to go too~”

“Ah, Latina!”

“Huh? I-Ira!”

Latina, who was assigned to the other group, trudges over looking disheveled and immediately grabs onto Lady Ira’s leg, slumping against it. Really, her level has increased but her mental fortitude seems to be weakening.

“T-too hard. Working with Grace is too intense…!”

“Hmph! I heard you misunderstood and fought with Ira like an idiot?! I’ll train you so hard next time that you’ll never think that way again!!”

“Uwaah! I-Ira~! Grace is bullying me~”

“Hehehe! Go Grace! Make sure Latina doesn’t get angry again, okay?”

“Yes!”

“Eeh?! No one’s on my side?!”

Of course not. If you misunderstood on your own like an idiot and made Lady Ira cry, you shouldn’t even think of that as punishment…

“By the way, Gor. When is your group going in? You came out before our group, right?”

“L-Lady Ira. I think I should stay by your side to protect you…”

“No! I brought you because you said you’d help with anything, but if you won’t help, go home! My brother is extremely busy right now!!”

“Ugh… A-alright. Group C! Get ready!! We’re entering the dungeon now!!”

“””Yes~!!”””

Scolded by Lady Ira, I lead my group of children into the dungeon. I tried to give Lady Ira one more longing look, but…

“Have a safe trip~ I believe in you~!”

“…Yes.”

She waves at me with a happy smile. This really didn’t work at all. Am I really improving my expressions?

Please don’t get hurt while moving with the other groups. And…

-GROOOOOOOWL…

“…This rotation will be the last one.”

Feeling the vibrations that are gradually shaking the ground more strongly, I quickly begin to lead the students. To finish the dungeon rotation before the earthquake-causing monster arrives from beyond the horizon.

[18 hours and 32 minutes until Behemoth encounter.]

To replenish our forces for the battle against it.

*

-RUMBLE RUMBLE!! GROOOOOWN!!!

“Huff! Huff! Huff…!!”

-THUD!!

“V-Vice Headmistress Man…”

“Don’t, huff, call me that…!! I, I!! I’m really going to write my resignation letter!! Huff!!”

I collapse dramatically in front of another professor who called out of concern, breathing heavily. Really, really, REALLY!! How does this keep happening every time!!

The incident with the kidnapped children, yes. I admit I was partly at fault there. I trusted the Vice Headmaster too much and didn’t suspect anything, so that was partly my mistake. But the Empire declaring war had nothing to do with me, right?!

Thirty percent of this Academy’s students were Imperial nobles. Moreover, the donations from their parents were an important resource for operations. With the Empire defeated and dissolved in the war, the workload doubled and doubled again. Then came the wave of student withdrawals, and noble students who attended on their parents’ money couldn’t pay tuition anymore, so we had to give out five times the usual amount in scholarships!! The Academy’s assets were barely hanging by a thread!!

Of course, we couldn’t avoid cutting the salaries of professors and teaching assistants, which meant we lost even more staff!! Furthermore, we had to partner with the Adventurers’ Guild to find relatively safe jobs for the children!!!

Yeah, up to that point, I could somehow manage!! Yes! The declaration of war against Neatie was absurd to begin with, and I never wished for this city’s defeat for even a second. But!!

“The Behemoth is too much!! And Acting Headmistress Ragni works people way too hard!! What is all this even for?!!”

-GROOOOOWN!!! RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!!

“…Secretary Manie, please get up now. We can’t finish this in half a day without you.”

Ah, I thought they were calling out of concern. But they’re telling me to get up and work!! I really hate this. Ahhh!!!

“Really, AH!!! REALLY!! I’m taking a vacation after this is over!! I’m using ALL my accumulated vacation days!! EARTH GRAVITAS!!!”

-BOOM BOOM BOOM…!!! RUMBLE RUMBLE⎯ CRASH!!!

“””Oh! As expected of the Vice Head…”””

“DON’T CALL ME VICE HEADMISTRESS!!!”

-ROAAAAR!!

Manie, the Headmaster’s secretary who was growing exhausted due to the absent Headmaster, now stood at a crossroads of whether to resign—not because of the approaching Behemoth, but because of the Acting Headmistress who worked too diligently.