Alice Tale in Phantasmagoria Vol 2 Chapter 58

Guild rank E work.

First-, herb collection.

The difficulty isn’t high, it’s collection work in a hilly wooded area near the royal capital.

Just, the demand is high since the medicine is used from daily life to combat provisions, among guild work it’s important work that can be accepted year round.

Reward?

It’s fine if it can cover the day.

That sort of task.

As it’s not particularly dangerous, I, Ilya and Saira focused on our collection work and cleared it.

The second is, investigation of dangerous beasts, and their subjugation.

Without quickly clearing the request’s required completion number and ranking up, it won’t give proper earnings.

As such, there’s work every day.

Mentioning rank E, when combat is expected, s.h.i.+on-san is brought in to help out.

It’s fun with Aim’s support but, that’s basically deficit work.

Taking too much of a safety margin and letting money melt away can’t be allowed.

Help me my sister-.

「That’s fine. How great……Alice is working.」

What sort of meaning is that, oneechan!

Please stop looking at me with those I’m so relieved eyes!

――As such, together with s.h.i.+on-san, we went by horse to investigate and subjugate the troublesome beasts near enough that we could return within the day.

Wolf like monsters appeared on a road pa.s.sing through the forest, it seems with just that eyewitness account the merchant’s a.s.sociation entered the request.

Today Ilya’s staying home to look after Rin-chan.

Saira’s on break, it’s her free time.

It’s not acceptable to always leave Rin-chan to Saira is it.

Saying that, kurozuk.u.me hasn’t been around lately, where did he go……

Leaving Rin-chan with me, acting so carefree, really!

This world…… rather, this kingdom, would be the proper way to say it.

The kingdom’s school system stretches from age six to fifteen.

However, it’s not mandatory.

It’s just recommended.

Just, the industry and business can’t pa.s.s that country’s level.

Education, is important.

Because it’s expensive, there’s nothing to say.

On that note, Rin-chan’s five years old, she’ll enter school next year.

Right now we’re at the step before that, going to church.

It’s like kindergarten.

From bringing her over and picking her up, to preparing food every day, it’s a lot of work.

But……

「Des.h.i.+～～」

Saying that, looking at Rin-chan as she comes to embrace me, I can’t feel it’s a hards.h.i.+p.

……Umu, cuteness is, perhaps justice.

After reporting I arrived at the road.

This is west of the royal capital, a road leading to the commonwealth.

Saying that, there’s still a long ways before the commonwealth, it’s not a distance a horse can run in a day.

I don’t know if it’s because of the unstable state of affairs, there certainly aren’t all that many merchants using the road.

For now, on what’s visible of the road, there’s nothing at all.

「Yotto」

Descending from s.h.i.+on-san’s horse, I took horse-san’s reins and guided it into the forest.

It should have been fine to hitch it by the road but, it would be dangerous if horse-san met with a thief.

Without going so deep as to get lost, hitching after a certain distance, then resting.

Being told by my stomach, it’s already past noon.

Clearing up horse-san’s care first, I then spread a bentou under the tree’s shadow.

「Have at it, oneechan.」

Opening the bentou box’s lid, s.h.i.+on-san went, oya? Or, made that sort of face.

「This is…… rice?」

「That’s right, onigiri, do you not know of it?」

「Onigiri?」

While thinking back on our meal activity it’s overwhelmingly bread, it’s not like there is no rice.

Just, it’s not common in this country.

When I found rice in the royal capital, I was slightly moved.

……Though it was fairly expensive.

「With only bread, don’t you lose power output?」

Thinking that, is that just for j.a.panese?

「Alice is always, doing such strange things. But since the food you make is delicious, I’m looking forward to it.」

「Fufun, you can still praise me more? Oneechan.」

My nose was pinched.

For now, the onigiri was well received.

For the meat loving s.h.i.+on-san I made them with lots of karaage, considering our health I put in various balances, with mini tomato and lettuce and the like supplementing the meal, everything was eaten clean.

s.h.i.+on-san is really, a person who gets results from production.

……On that note, although Saira was asked to buy it but, what sort of meat is this.

「It was delicious, Alice.」

「Hai.」

Being petted on the head by s.h.i.+on-san is, exceptional.

There’s a variety of stores gathered in the royal capital, next time should it be tempura?

Though cleaning it, is pretty hard.

After using oil a ma.s.sive cleanup is required!

Oil that jumps to the corner, like it’ll be overlooked!

「This might be a little late but, is it fine back home, oneechan?」

「Don’t worry about it, I’m not a child. And we can still exchange letters.」

That’s right, letters is it……

Maybe I should write one this time.

Is ossan doing wellー?

「You, how long has it been, has the end of your robe ripped yet?」

「It has hasn’t it.」

「Is that so, because this father will improve it using a bandanna.」

「――Let’s go punish him, oneechan. Right now.」

「Haha! This time I’ll help out.」

Are you a hentai, ossan!

Doing a lightning punch as if to wake me up, I wonder if a six pack is forming.

And so, with conversations with such nostalgic content, break time pa.s.sed.

Haa, somehow with s.h.i.+on-san here, I’m rea.s.sured.

I might be putting on a bold front, normally.

With that face, strangely, that might be exposed.

「――Let’s go, Alice.」

And as befitting s.h.i.+on-san, speaking with a cheerful smile, I borrowed her shoulder as if invited.

「Fufu, at some point you also, seem to have become a big deal.」

「……Big deal, big deal is it, me.」

Leaning on her shoulder, my head is soothingly patted.

「Wis.h.i.+ng for people’s happiness, just that is a big deal. To the the extent of the number of people.」

「Do you not feel, that it’s a burden?」

「I know. But isn’t a change of pace important? Therefore, from time to time I can, be indulging like this.」

「……I’m being indulged.」

「So, so haughty～, this imouto.」

「Because I’m an imouto, it can’t be helped.」

Resting after eating, borrowing s.h.i.+on-san’s shoulder I napped.

This special seat, I won’t yield it to anyone.

After resting, for the request’s genuine investigation, we searched, walking around the area.

To pa.s.s through the belt of woods, since long ago monsters or, bandits seem to have caused a lot of harm.

Maa, it’s not reasonable to station knights in a remote place like this all the time, so it seems it can’t be helped.

As such, this sort of request frequently circulates through the guild.

It’s light civilian footwork.

「By the way oneechan, at some point, it seems your job changed.」

Job: Sword Dancer

LV:1

「Ah, Solt helped out, I went to cla.s.s up.」

「……I feel like, it’s not good to spend too much time alone with a guy.」

s.h.i.+on gazes fixedly.

Wha, what is it?

「So that’s how it is, worried about me is it…… That misunderstanding, that man, won’t be able to rest easy.」

Saying that, I haven’t seen that man recently.

But, cla.s.s up is it.

Isn’t s.h.i.+on-san becoming ever more powerful?

Although her level seems to have returned to 1, is that okay?

「……Oneechan, have you broken up with Till? No strange meaning intended.」

Just out of curiosity.

「――Isn’t that impossible. I haven’t seen her face an opponent seriously but, I can feel the extent of her true strength in my body.」

「A while ago I thought I could beat her, although I fought together with a friend.」

「Fufu, and then?」

「It was a disaster.」

「Ahaha, wasn’t it.」

Eclair seems to have also received a shock, next time I’ll bring her sweets and apologize.

To begin with I should convey just who that was.

Though I feel like she vaguely understands already……

「In the end the difference in level is large. The fundamental spec is different.」

「I see, is it something like that.」

「Ah, but saying that nothing can be done, it’s not like that. It’s just that with level spec goes up. For instance, an attack by a low level with an attribute of 5 power, could be received without injury by a high level with an attribute of 1 defense. Though I feel like they’d only endure what they could endure.」

Fumu, I see……

「Umm…… Attribute 0 is……」

「For example, even if level is increased nothing changes. Ma, it means that there’s no talent, my condolences.」

「As expected!!」

Zero stays at zero regardless of what’s done!

However, at one it can slowly change!

Is it something like that!?

This, the difference between one and zero is, more important than anything else……

「――s.h.i.+, Alice. Over here.」

Walking in front, s.h.i.+on-san gave the signal to stop.

Looking past her back――

――What is that!?

Is that, a monster!?

Something like that is here?

No…… That is, there’s some sort of extremely unsettling feeling.

This isn’t natural.

That word is the most, suitable.

The t.i.tle a.s.signed to that sort of opponent came to mind.

「――Chimera」

As the word left the mouth, the opponent responded.

The fierce head of a lion.

Wings, to lift that st.u.r.dy body into the sky.

And, a tail like it could eat a human whole, a snake sprouts out.

「Taking this was correct, Alice. This isn’t rank E work. If novice adventurer’s had come――There would have been deaths!」

As the opponent entered a combat stance, s.h.i.+on-san drew her katana.

However, as expected s.h.i.+on-san took the initiative.

Closing the distance without hesitating, one stroke lands―― But!

「Tough!!」

Creating a high pitch sound like the clash of two metal objects, s.h.i.+on-san’s blade is repulsed.

The skin of the chimera is…… Not at the level of a lion!

It felt like it was reptilian, it’s covered by tough scales!

It can’t be…… Aren’t those dragon scales!?

「Fuu!」

Even so, s.h.i.+on-san somehow repeatedly strikes from different directions.

「――Light Enchant!」

Alongside that s.h.i.+on-san’s katana is bestowed with lightning.

The enhanced katana and, that lightning caused damage to the chimera.

「Guuu!」

「――tsu.」

As s.h.i.+on-san engaged in close combat, she precisely evaded as the chimera counterattacked, striking as it released a roaring voice.

The claws on its front legs, its bite, the snake’s attacks from dead angles, none of them landed.

「Lightning!」

The magic activated and struck the chimera.

「Eh!?」

The magic that felt like it had hit―― A black field obstructed it and shaved away its force.

As for how much damage got through……

「This is……」

Before the surprise wore off, the chimera opened its mouth.

Oi, it can’t be――!

「Alice, jump!」

With s.h.i.+on-san body turned back and her urging voice, the response is an instant jump.

A moment later, a blast of earth strikes the area.

Blasting, a splendid tree trunk is gouged out, as if destroying nature tree after tree is mowed down.

Having jumped upon the branches of a tall tree, that scene of ruin is looked down upon.

s.h.i.+on-san is, expertly evading, fleeing the line of fire.

「Breath……」

No, weak.

The force is weak to the extent that it can’t be compared to the white dragon or the ice dragon……

The black field also, isn’t deployed at all times.

During the time spent watching in dazed astonishment, the battle progressed.

Reentering close range, as s.h.i.+on-san attacked scratched into the legs and tail, with a stronger attack than before the chimera received damage.

Most likely, slash.

Unable to endure further, the chimera’s wings flapped floating it into the air.

Those wings, they can lift that giant body!

Does anything go!

Even so―― It won’t escape!

「――tsu」

I jumped down from the tree’s branch.

「Thunder!」

Falling while releasing magic upon the chimera, as always the black field shaved away its power.

It’s not that it’s always deployed, it’s deployed when needed to cut off magic!

Then――go to direct contact!

While falling, kicking of the trunk of a nearby tree, I close in to the chimera.

Sensing my presence, s.h.i.+on-san pulled her body away with good timing.

Charging in there, lightning surges in through direct contact!

It’s effective!

The chimera that had fled into the sky, crashes into the earth.

「Guruuu!」

As the chimera desperately tries to counterattack, this time I quickly pull my body and open s.p.a.ce.

「――This is the end!」

Jumping into the opened s.p.a.ce, s.h.i.+on-san’s katana flashed from her scabbard.

Iai.

Swinging out, the slash decided the match.

The chimera’s head was deeply split apart, the opponent fell.

――Even so, the still living snake tail struck toward s.h.i.+on-san, she calmly cut it as well.

s.h.i.+on-san, doesn’t let down her guard.

「That thing…… What was it.」

Standing next to s.h.i.+on-san, looked down at the chimera that had stopped moving.

It had stopped breathing―― Even so, it didn’t vanish.

「……Don’t know, but with this is the request complete.」

「That, should be…… Eh!?」

Suddenly, the chimera’s corpse burned up!

As the evidence was destroyed, the black flame vanished without leaving a trace.

……Without burning a single leaf, just the corpse of the chimera.

Afterwards all that remained was an ash like residue.

Just…… from within this, a single magic stone was left unburnt.

「On the report, how would this be written……」

This won’t be thought to be a lie will it.

「The guild’s built on trust so, it’ll be okay. Ma, if it’s revealed as a lie after the fact there is a penalty.」

「I, act honestly.」

Something like that won’t happen.

For now, collect the magic stone and bring it back for the report.

「Nn, for now let’s return, oneechan.」

「Reasonable enough.」

It’ll be good if nothing troublesome happens though.