Manowa Chapter 75

「Hot spring?」

From Louise's short sentence they decided to go to the Marukuni Hot Spring Town. It was a hot spring town on the way to Rock Hold Cave. Kazane also nodded to Louise's request that they stay for two nights, and she sent a Party Mail to Yuuko-nee about it. She was always with Yumika so she did not have many opportunities to use it, but Kazane and the others' Window had such a function.

Yuuko-nee:「Shobon」 [TL: Shobon is the emoticon  (´・ω・`) ]

The reply that came back was Shobon.

◎ Marukuni Hot Spring District

「So this is a hot spring?」

Kazane was operating Hippo-kun and Prince Sieg was sitting in front of her.

「Yeah, that's right.」

「There is a medicated bath, where medicinal herbs and the like have been steeped in the hot water.」

Tiara, who was tightly squeezing Kazane from behind, explained to Sieg.

「That seems like it would help people become healthier, right?」

Sieg admired after Tiara's explanation.

Kazane was on Hippo-kun, Sieg was in front of Kazane, and Tiara was behind Kazane as they talked. Those two people were somehow on good terms. They were friendly due to similar tastes.

「That kid is also difficult.」

Louise, who was riding the other Hippo-kun behind, was watching with a smile. Zinray in front had no particular reply. From behind Yumika gave a dry laugh「ahahaha.」

Sieg had said it was his first time at a natural hot spring. There was a private bath for the royal family's exclusive use in the royal palace, so he was completely lost when it came to all aspects of the hot springs. He himself didn't realize that it was completely natural to be a little surprised about the state of affairs. And Tiara, who had been in the same circ.u.mstances just a little while ago, was treating Sieg like a younger brother.

『Hm』

Mefirus thought the sight was deeply moving, and thought that if the circ.u.mstances were different they would have made a good married couple. If either Prince Sieg were not the First Prince or Tiara had not inherited the Ruby beast, that future could have existed if only Audin had a male child to succeed him.

『Well, there's no use thinking about that now.』

When Mefirus murmured that softly in Louise's arms she tilted her head in confusion.

◎ Rocky Area Near Marukuni Hot Spring District, Evening

「So here's the conclusion. I will have Sieg master the White Sword.」

Kazane used the country's greatest treasure as a cane while she spoke.

This place was a large rocky area a little separated from the hot spring town, a perfect place to practice firing White Fang.

「Master it?」

Sieg asked immediately about the practice Kazane brought him along to do. He heard practically the same thing from his mother, but Sieg couldn't imagine how he was going to be taught. Until now Sieg and Yuuko-nee were the only ones who could use the White Sword, and Yuuko-nee didn't know why Sieg was unable to use it.

「That's right. There would be super embarra.s.sing laughter if it's not usable, so I will have Sieg master it.」

Who would laugh when told such a thing. Especially when they're trying not to be reminded of it.

「So wield it for a bit.」

Kazane handed the sword to Sieg.

「Here I go.」

Sieg held the sword and concentrated. A sound then rang out and the sword split in half, but the light between the blades was frail and unstable, unlike when Kazane used it.

「It is not working properly after all. How about your sword skill?」

「Ye, yes. I get the sense when I swing it that it's different than usual, but there's a feeling like I can't draw out its full potential.」

There was also a feeling about using honorific language with a girl of the same age ...

(It's like I'm interacting with someone older than me)

Sieg thought. It wasn't strange since she actually was older, but since he failed to recognize that, such thoughts couldn't be helped.

「Umm. Hold the sword with one hand for a little bit.」

「Yes?」

Sieg did as he was told and took his left hand off the hilt.

「Then I will also hold it for a moment.」

Saying that, Kazane grasped the hilt of the White Sword with Sieg.

Sieg's face turned red because of how close their faces were, but Kazane didn't give it any thought. Kazane opened a Window and looked at the White Divider's Status.

「Ah, Yuuko-nee probably didn't know about this feature.」

Kazane said, then in the Status window lowered the Warrior's Memory synchronization level and Magic Power output to about 50%.

When the White Divider was equipped in Zexiahart, the synchronization level and Magic Power output were optimized for the player. It was likely that the White Divider's settings optimized for Yuuko-nee did not match Sieg.

「It was a careless mistake, Yuuko-nee.」

Kazane grumbled, then closed the configuration window.

(I can feel her breathing. Uu, her face is so close)

Sieg-kun couldn't control his libido when faced with Kazane's gallant profile. Just a little closer and we'd be kissing, right? I could bring our lips together and play it off as an accident… Sieg was thinking such pleasant thoughts when

「Well then, try using it.」

Kazane abruptly let go and said that.

「Eh, ye, yes.」

Sieg blinked in surprise as he was abruptly brought back to reality. And since Kazane let go, he hurriedly brought his other hand to support the suddenly heavy sword with both hands.

「Hmm?」

Sieg noticed something felt different as soon as he grasped it with both hands.

(Well then, how is it?)

Kazane observed while Sieg swung the sword. It was awkward, but seemed to be usable. Although the magical light in the gap of the sword was still weaker, it was much more stable than before.

「What is this?」

Sieg swung the sword towards a rock in front of him. A white light was released from the sword and smashed the surface of the rock.

「I did it!?」

He had never been able to use White Fang before, but now he could fire the attack at will.

「Amazing. Kazane, this is amazing.」

Sieg once again shouted with joy. Kazane thought the power of the White Fang that came out was somewhat disappointing, but when she saw the child's pleased face she thought「Well, it's fine」and stroked Sieg's head and praised him with a「Well done.」Sieg's face reminded her of a puppy, the same as her first impression.

「First of all, Sieg's own sword skill is probably conflicting with Warrior's Memory. It is no good if you don't understand how to use it, so let's exchange blows for a bit.」

「Eh, but, now I've gotten stronger than before.」

Sieg worried about Kazane. He was under the delusion that Kazane's sword skill that beat Sakyure was now his, but Kazane pulled out her favorite sword Black Fang and said「Don't worry about it.」

In fact, Kazane had the same『Warrior's Memory』and it was automatically optimized, not manually by the Window. On top of that she had the pa.s.sive skills『Nimble』and『Insight.』Even if Sieg could fully use『Warrior's Memory,』the reality was that he could not win. The only way to bridge the gap was to temper his own sword skill.

And less than a minute into exchanging blows, Sieg fully realized that fact.

「Haa, haa ....... ah, thank you.」

After fighting for about 10 minutes, Sieg said so and fell into a sprawl on the spot.

「Fuu」

Kazane breathed lightly and sheathed Black Fang.

「It was pa.s.sable. Does it feel like there is still more to draw out?」

「No, if I had to say I felt like there wasn't enough.」

「Well then, I will make a few adjustments.」

Kazane took the White Sword and raised the degree of synchronization with Warrior's Memory to 65% and raised the Magic Power output to 70%.

Once Sieg recovered enough he stood up and gave it another try, and while it seemed that the sword skill setting was perfect, White Fang became more difficult, but still possible, to use. But the ideal was to use it at maximum output in the end, so she told him to get used to it without changing the output. After that she was worried that Yuuko-nee would prefer that Sieg master the sword through his own power rather than altering the settings, so she sent a mail to Yuuko-nee to ask about it and

Yuuko-nee:「Shobon」

The reply that came back was still Shobon. It seemed she didn't care about the settings.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Silver Breastplate, Silver Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Carapace Bull Trousers, Berserk Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, War Spirit Summoning Ring

Level : 22

Health: 77

Magic Power: 132+300

Strength: 33

Agility: 27

Endurance: 17

Wisdom : 34

Dexterity : 20

Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』 『Dog's Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Second Chapter』 『Air Jump』 『Killing Leg』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Insight』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』

Kazane:「By the way, the settings parameters are not exclusive to the Window; it just simplifies the adjustment, so a person could do the same with their own power.」

Yumika:「The skills I'm learning from my master can be done with Skill, but I can do them myself.」

Yuuko-nee:「It's the same with magic. But the fine adjustment and control of the Window is too convenient ... there is nothing we can't do.」