episode_0028

000

I dream of my childhood.

I learned from the adults in the village that I had to hide from the eyes of others from the moment I was born.

They are a race that cannot live under the light of the sun.

It is said that they carry karma and sin in their bloodline.

The proof of this is their black hair, black eyes, and white skin.

They are called the `Black Demon Clan` in the world of humans.

Since the past, when a man called the Demon King violated a human woman and made her bear his child.

His descendants were regarded as beings who shared blood with demons and received the hatred of the world.

As a result, they usually live in harsh environments where people do not set foot.

For example, in the valleys formed by deep mountains, wyverns fly when you look up at the sky.

Situations often occur where children are caught as food for them when adults take their eyes off them for a moment.

Dragon Valley.

However, they could not abandon the clan’s village, saying that the winged beasts were better than humans in that they had no malice, and they were slowly going to ruin there.

However, the slow ruin suddenly accelerated.

Those who had been watching the high magical aptitude of the Black Demon Clan came to sell the children of the village as slaves.

Helping them was a human who usually delivered food to the village.

He hid mercenaries hired for the wagon and entered the village.

The humans in the village felt a strange energy from the wagon that had brought food as usual, but it was already too late the moment they entered the village.

The scroll of the transfer magic is activated and a dimensional gate opens.

What sprang out from inside was….

A scholar from somewhere.

A clergyman of the Order.

An adventurer from the Guild.

It was a night of pandemonium.

All the humans who had the ability to resist were killed.

Those who had even slightly outstanding appearances were chained and branded with the mark of a slave.

The entire village was set ablaze.

Ironically, the village, which was always dark due to the shadow of the valley, became the brightest on the day the clan perished.

But the worst part was that this was not the end.

There was a magic swordsman in the Black Demon Clan.

He was enraged and despaired at the sight of his child being violated before his eyes.

Naturally, his magic sword awakened and then went berserk.

He slaughtered all the invaders before his eyes, but the rampage did not stop.

Such a story unfolded that night throughout the village.

Most of the Black Demon Clan are humans who live with magic swords, keeping darkness in their hearts.

As if awakening calls for another awakening.

A night of madness in which all the negative emotions that had been built up until now exploded and resonated.

The invaders killed the adults of the clan.

The adults of the clan killed the invaders.

Those who went berserk killed others.

Neighbors killed them to stop the rampage.

The children were not safe from the madness either.

A child who barely survived the invaders was killed by his berserk father.

A child hiding in a closet died in a burning house without being able to escape.

Massacre. Shattering. Strangulation.

And blood and madness.

A boy who was usually said to be the weakest in the village.

The boy, who always went up to the spire without the adults knowing to see the stars visible between the valleys,

Unable to bear to watch the scene unfolding below, he closed his eyes and covered his ears, quietly crying in fear.

Thump! A shock echoed from below the spire.

Someone is coming this way.

Thinking so, the boy quickly looked for something that could be used as a weapon.

Only a weak blade that had not yet properly manifested its power was next to him.

And the ladder leading to the roof of the spire. The moment a slender hand reached the top.

The boy tried to stab that hand by swinging his sword.

Clang!

“Dangerous…! What are you doing, human!”

But the person who came up was different from those who were invading the village below.

Pink hair. And an unusual tail. Amber eyes. The pupils were vertically split differently from humans, but she was a cute-looking girl.

“Human. You shouldn’t act like that when I came to rescue you.”

The girl said that and went to the boy’s side, clasping her hands together to form a seal and injecting magic power.

Then, a translucent barrier unfolded around the girl and the boy.

The girl grabbed the boy’s body tightly so that he could not move, and spoke to someone outside the spire.

“As you said, this human seems to be the only one intact. You can start.”

[—-…]

Who is she talking to?

Somewhere, an answer like that was heard.

“This body is protecting him properly! Do it!”

The next moment.

A star fell between the valleys.

It was a brilliantly shining gold.

The star was in the shape of a person, holding a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.

Wearing beautiful silver armor.

He descended to the center of the village.

The impact alone sent the `humans who had fallen into beasts` who had lost their reason flying.

He quietly looked around and thrust his sword into the ground.

“…In the name of the hero Resia… I purify this place.”

The legendary hero.

His power is so strong that it can break mountains and divide the sea.

Despite having such strong power.

His voice was filled with sadness, as if blaming his own powerlessness.

The village hidden in Dragon Valley disappeared from the map that day, unknown to anyone.

In a golden flash that burst out.

001

I had a nightmare because of that gorilla.

Coleon grabbed his forehead and got out of bed.

After Talcheck and Iona returned, Sasha, who had left to hunt, seemed uneasy, unlike usual.

And he remembers that she clung to Coleon, acting more spoiled than usual in order to soothe that anxiety.

Looking down at her, who is still sleeping, breathing softly next to him.

He realizes once again that the girl is still young.

“… …”

Coleon carefully got out of bed so as not to wake Sasha and headed to the bathroom.

Yesterday’s story.

He must investigate the `Duke Hughes` in return for the memoria cube.

That means. It was the same as saying that he had to go back to that city once again.

“Polymorph. Illusion. Comfort.”

Coleon, who can use her power through a contract with Luti.

However, even if he polymorphs, it is impossible to change his body very much beyond the limits of a human, so Layla and Kuon’s magic was still needed to hide his gender.

In front of the mirror, Coleon’s appearance changes.

It is the appearance of a woman that he had used as a fake identity before.

In addition, Galatea also transforms into a rapier that suits that body shape.

The difference from before is…. Giving substance to the illusion makes it difficult to get caught even if someone comes close…?

Coleon stares at his reflection in the mirror for a moment.

If you think about it, it was a perverted act.

Thanks to Polymorph, things are shaking here and there every time I move, even more than before.

After realizing that, Coleon felt a chill and canceled the magic.

“…Isn’t it necessary to be a woman?”

This time, a different look.

When Coleon casts the magic once again, he is 10 years younger than his usual self.

This side was possible with Polymorph alone. It seems to be a transformation at the level of reversing or progressing the growth of the body.

Was it because he had that dream right after?

There was something embarrassing about his reflection in the mirror.

“Wow! It’s Coleon as a kid!”

Galatea suddenly reveals her appearance.

In order to reduce the sense of incongruity in moving the body, even the line of sight is lowered.

Coleon’s head ends up being located just below Galatea’s chest.

“… … I guess I should quit. This look too.”

“Why!?”

Galatea hugs Coleon as if telling him not to.

Fluffy.

Coleon quickly blushed as he came into close contact with Galatea’s soft body.

She is the same as usual, but it felt strange. Could it be that even his mind has become younger?

“Coleon~ Shall we do it like this once♡”

A demon tempting her shrunken master with a coquettish voice.

Coleon hesitates for a moment, but takes a deep breath, clenches his fist tightly, and overcomes it.

“…Are you stupid? I have to go to work now. If I start with you, it doesn’t seem like it will end until sunset.”

“Hehe. Then later♡”

Saying that, Galatea returns to her sword form. This time, instead of the usual `longsword`, it was a `short sword`.

Even so, it’s a bit big for his current physique.

“…Okay. The first thing to do is to get out of the mansion without being noticed by anyone.”

Coleon quietly held his breath. He moved through the mansion with the curtain of darkness spread out.

002

He shouldn’t have come in this form.

Coleon was walking around the city with deep regret.

Wearing a cute souvenir headband on his head that didn’t suit him.

He was holding the hand of a silver-haired woman next to him.

“Hey…. How long do you plan to wander around?”

“Just a little more. We need to blend in with the townspeople without causing any sense of incongruity, right?”

Unlike yesterday, she took off her heavy armor.

Today, she is wearing casual clothes that are easy to move around in, and her hair is tied back in a ponytail.

`Silver hair, red eyes`

`White skin like jade`

`Pointy ears`

Even having just one of these would be noticeable, but having them all gathered in one place is bound to draw the attention of men and women of all ages in the city.

In addition, her body, which had been cramped under the heavy armor, was at a similar level to Galatea, which was great in many ways.

Of course, the peak of that part was Kuon, who was making food in the mansion today and worrying about her figure…

The gap with her intellectual face further highlighted her existence.

Coleon also saw Iona for the first time at the agreed-upon place.

He was worried about how to talk to her because of her beauty.

Since he changed his appearance, he could be wary if he suddenly talked to her.

But that worry was gone in 10 seconds.

Iona, who made eye contact with Coleon.

He felt her gaze briefly go down and then go up as if scanning his entire body.

Coleon’s spine tingled.

Once again, she made eye contact with Coleon. She smiled and approached him.

Then, she lowered her body to match Coleon’s eye level and said.

“Hey…. Would you like to go to that tea shop over there and talk to me, big brother?”

Huff… Huff… Rough breathing.

Iona Chevalier was a Shotacon.

“…Wipe your nosebleed.”

“…That voice…. Coleon…!?”

Iona took 10 steps back, as if shocked.

She looked at Coleon once again.

Soon, she stopped the blood flowing from her nose and returned to her usual intellectual face.

“You’ve come. What happened? What’s with that look?”

“No…. Yeah. Okay. I won’t ask in detail.”

Regardless of Coleon’s consideration, Iona led him around the entire city.

Indulging in desserts, buying souvenirs, or indulging in another dessert.

In the end, what was the reason for setting the appointment time so early?

The two were sitting on a bench in the square for a while, resting.

There’s already a lot of luggage next to her.

“Hey…. You do have the intention to investigate Duke Hughes, right?”

“Of course. But before that, it’s the city we’ve taken as a temporary base. I wanted to grasp the overall structure and know where each building is located. The real work starts now.”

Looking at Iona, who was pouring out words without hesitation, Coleon didn’t even have the energy to retort.

Seeing her face smiling happily made it seem foolish to get angry.

“But. There’s no bookstore. In this city.”

“Ah. This place is a city that has developed around the Adventurer’s Guild. There are many shops that cater to adventurers. Or tourists.”

Iona rests her chin for a moment.

“Certainly. Considering the illiteracy rate of adventurers, bookstores don’t seem to do well.”

“That’s a prejudice…. I can’t say it’s not.”

Applause to Luti, who thought of a staff service (10G) that would read the contents to adventurers who couldn’t read the request form.

“…Ah.”

At that time, Coleon suddenly opened his mouth as if something had come to mind.

Iona, who saw that, tilted her head, looking at Coleon.

“What’s wrong?”

“…There is. It’s hard to call it a bookstore…. But it’s a place that handles books.”

Iona’s eyes twinkled when she heard those words, and she leaned toward Coleon.

“Really!?”

“P, please step away, because it’s true.”

The sight of breasts the size of his current face approaching was enough with Galatea.

After Coleon pushed Iona’s shoulder away, he got up from the bench.

“…I’m telling you in advance. It’s a place I visited a long time ago, so it might have disappeared.”

“It’s okay. I’m not expecting much.”

You’re lying. You’re raising and lowering your heels.

Coleon took Iona to the outskirts of the city.

It was a relatively less developed area, being far from the Adventurer’s Guild in the center of the city.

“…A bookstore in a place like this?”

“I told you. It’s not a bookstore.”

Coleon walks along a tangled and unorganized road, recalling his memories.

Perhaps the walls and streets have not been cleaned for a long time. Moss and vines were growing wildly.

It was an overall gloomy space.

“More than 10 years ago, there was a small school near here. It was close to a private school because there were few students….”

“A school?”

Iona reacts to Coleon’s words.

She seems to be interested in the word school.

“Yeah. It was a place that educated children who wanted to become adventurers. Your father…. Talcheck also taught swordsmanship to the children there for a while.”

“Did you make the children collide with a gorilla…? It must have been a heartless and tearless education.”

That’s certainly true.

Talcheck basically disliked children and forced his level on them.

The children’s reputation was `Raw Meat Munching Demon Gorilla`.

But there were results.

Luti once told him that the children who received training from Talcheck at the school are now spreading their names as excellent swordsmen in the Adventurer’s Guild in the center of the continent.

Even if I tell Iona that story, she probably won’t be very happy.

Rather, she’ll make a mysterious expression.

“Did Coleon also attend that school?”

“Me? No. Not me. Back then, there was even more prejudice against the Black Demon Clan than now. I received Talcheck’s training personally.”

“… …”

While talking like that, the two arrived at a place like a small corner store.

A dilapidated sign and a crumbling display. It was hard to even know when the snacks inside were made.

The owner seemed to be gone already.

“Ah…. I see. Well, I guess.”

Coleon looked around the inside of the store, as if disappointed, but no one was felt.

“The school’s educational policy was that children should be there and they should read books…. They brought books from this store and sold them.”

“I see…. Ah, it’s here. It’s certainly old and dusty….”

Iona said that and took out a book from the bookshelf.

“…This is….”

[The Empire’s Dragon Lutioths and the Hero]

It was a book that told the legends related to the 4 heroes like a fairy tale.

Of course, it was old and dilapidated, not in good condition, as it had been neglected for 10 years.

“I’ll take this.”

“What do you mean by taking that…. The owner isn’t here?”

Coleon spoke as if her words were strange.

Iona shook her head, took out a silver coin from her wallet, and placed it on the unmanned counter.

“If I take it without permission, it’s stealing.”

002

It was after the sun was in the middle of the sky that the two headed to the Adventurer’s Guild.

She brushed the dust off the book, put it in her bag, checked the time, and said

“It’s later than expected! Let’s hurry!”

So they hurried over.

Is it because his body has become smaller? His stride has also decreased, and Coleon, who is more thirsty than expected, sat down as soon as he entered the rest area.

“A beer.”

“…No, make that two glasses of cold water, please.”

Coleon himself covers his mouth as if his words slipped out. The employee must have thought it was a child’s joke. He smiled lightly and turned away.

“…It seems that if you change your body with Polymorph, your mind is also affected.”

“That seems to be the case. You are much more talkative, your expressions change more easily, and you are clumsy than you were yesterday.”

“… … I shouldn’t come in this form next time.”

It will interfere with work. Coleon mutters.

Thump!

And Iona grabs Coleon’s hand.

“No, you can’t. We made the townspeople remember the sight of you and me walking around, so please come in this form next time.”

“You…. Why are you bleeding from your nose?”

This guy is as weird as Talcheck.

Thinking that, he was about to drink the water that the employee brought over when….

“Hahaha! So I said there! You villain! If you don’t put down the hostage and surrender, I’ll cut you down with my holy sword `Mystletainn`!””

Cough! A sound echoes from Coleon.

Because he heard such a foolish sound, he couldn’t help but laugh and choke.

Iona, looking at Coleon coughing, quietly opens her mouth.

“Why would he try to cut them down with a sword when there are hostages being held….”

“Cough…. Cough cough…. C, be a little quiet….”

After clearing his throat several times, Coleon, who had finally calmed down, looks at the fool.

Brown hair. Green eyes. If he kept his mouth shut, his appearance alone wouldn’t be bad.

However, the worst design sense he was wearing, the large and flashy armor, was ruining everything.

And the sword he was carrying on his back, which looked like it weighed about the same as the heavy armor, no matter how you looked at it.

“While I was away, a fool has increased in the Guild….”

As Coleon looks at him with a slightly desperate expression, Iona continues to speak.

“It’s okay. That fool is a fool who was recently added.”

“…You know him?”

Iona nodded at Coleon’s question.

“Eustace Woodknocker. Duke Hughes’ son and a hero candidate.”

“…Hero candidate?”

Iona’s eyes light up and she takes out a small book from her bag.

[A Compendium of Continental Common Sense That Even a 10-Year-Old Boy Can Easily Understand]

“I won’t say anything about the title for now. Keep going.”

“Yes. A hero candidate refers to a person who is designated as the next hero by the `Order of the Holy Patronage`.”

Originally, the hero is designated through the revelations of the `Saintess` or `Clergyman` who received the oracle of the Holy Sword.

The adventure of finding the Holy Sword itself is a trial for the hero.

Albein was like that, and most heroes are like that.

However, sometimes the Holy Sword is discovered without a hero being designated.

In that case, the Order recovers the Holy Sword.

And he was to contract one of the hero candidates as a hero by granting him the Holy Sword.

“… … Is that possible?”

“I heard it’s possible with a secret technique possessed by the Order.”

There are several ways to become a hero candidate.

The fastest and most common way was to make a large donation to the Order to acquire the right to speak and then receive a recommendation.

Becoming a hero means becoming an important figure in the country.

If they achieve results, they can become heroes, and even if they don’t, they can get their hands on a powerful force called the Holy Sword.

If this system had existed when Count Gortian was alive, the tragedy might not have happened.

Of course. The fool in front of him. Eustace is also one of those types.

He was a hero candidate with the money that Duke Hughes poured into the Order.

“It seems he hasn’t received the Holy Sword yet.”

“That’s right. If Albein’s Holy Sword had been recovered, I think it would have gone to him.”

“…That’s terrible.”

Galatea also vibrated quietly.

“Duke Hughes is a sly old fox. My father says he’s incompetent, but he’s definitely not someone to be taken lightly.”

“So…. You’re saying to use his relatively foolish son.”

Iona nods. And together with Coleon, she was looking at Eustace.

At that time, Galatea opened her mouth.

[Coleon. The black-haired woman behind that fool.]

Then, a woman who had not been noticeable until now came into Coleon’s sight.

Black hair, black eyes. White skin.

She was wearing a common black servant’s outfit with white lace, but she was wearing a long single-edged sword scabbard on her waist.

“… A magic swordsman. Of the Black Demon Clan.”