6-29. The Girls' Battles (2)
◇Tama◇
Meal~?
Risotto is tasty, but I think the meat that master grills are the best.
Always tasty steak of wolf meat~
Stir fried vegetables with chicken meat, more meat~
I want to eat grilled frogs again♪
What's tooooday's meal I won~ der~♪
...Nyu? Today's meal?
Nyu, nyunyu?
Ah!
I understand Liza's worry maybe.
As it is now, noon will pass, while master is still away~?
Unyu~
At that time, if I didn't use scissor for janken, I could had gone together...
Aah, today's lunch is.
The meat that master makes~~~!!
◇Nana◇
The reasoning circuit reports that the probability of completing the mission has broken through 100%.
On the command queue, there is no next directive given by master.
Let's go back to the normal routine.
Self-diagnostic.... No problem. There is no need for MP supplement--there should be no need to, but master's face floats in my mind. I wonder what is this loop in my logic circuit.
It's alright. I've learned that if I look at Pochi or Tama when this happens, the loop will be canceled.
Tama is rolling around while watching Lulu's cooking. She's very cute. Is this cat-rolling? Cat-doting? Unfortunately it seems there's no fitting vocabulary in my preset.
After I've finished delighting myself with Tama, the disorder with logic circuit is fixed, I move to the next sequence.
Diagnosing each individual member...
Mother is stable.
There's also no problem with Lulu who's currently cooking.
Tama is cute.
Liza is.... Error.
It seems Liza has been accumulating stress after she's separated with master.
This stress has something to do with that thing called nobles. They were the top elimination targets of the previous master. I've never seen one, but I could deduce that they're like monsters.
However, according to my logic, there is no chance that master would fall. He's the master who won complete victory against the strongest iron golem of that maze in the blink of an eye. Even if he fights against the army, he would probably come back unhurt.
I cannot understand the reason for Liza's accumulated stress, but I know the solution to relieve it.
"Liza, go to where the master is."
"But then, I will go against master's instruction."
"No, master's instructions are, 『Give works to the villagers』, 『Collect 100 red pebbles』, and 『We do not collect the pebbles ourselves』, only those three points. After we got the cooperation of the villagers, the mission's completion is only a matter of time. There is no problem even if Liza go to where master is."
"However, the wagon's guard..."
"What master wants to protect at all cost is not the wagon, but Lulu. I will stay to guard Lulu, so bring Mia and Tama along to aid master."
Liza hesitates for a bit, but then she goes to the city riding horse together with Tama and Mia. I go to Lulu to support her.
I am Nana. The seventh generation homonculus cultivated in the seventh adjustment tank.
Cooking, sleeping together, babysitting, shopping, inspecting workshop.
Even inside the library of the previous generations before No.7, there are no experience this varied.
I wonder what kind of experience I will have under master from now on.
That is, yes, I'm truly looking forward to it.
◇Tama◇
"Tama, Mia, let's go to master's place. Prepare in 30 seconds."
"Nn."
"A~ye."
Yay, today's lunch is going to be grilled meat that master makes.
Bururun, the horses are spirited too.
Looks like the horses want to eat master-made meal too.
I stand on the stool and put the saddle on.
I'm already used to it hum.
"Tama, the girdle of that saddle is loose. You'd fall like that."
Liza's check is harsh like always.
◇Liza◇
I lead Tama and Mia to leave the village.
If Nana didn't push me, I probably would be still feeling irritated while staying in the village. I have to thank her somehow next time.
Of course I know that master is strong.
He led the three of us who were nothing but drag through series of battles inside the labyrinth, and even taught us how to fight monsters.
However, nobles are different. They're not enemies that could be fought with simple power. Even my father who was the strongest in my tribe got deceived by nobles and fell into slavery regardless of his accumulated techniques.
"Liza~?"
"Ahead."
I pull myself together after hearing Tama's and Mia's voice. There are 10 cavalry soldiers a bit further away from the entrance of the village. They're not wearing full body armors like knight, but they're wearing breastplates like Tama and me and helmets. Their outfits are too uniform for mercenaries, their disciplines look good too. I wonder if they're with the army?
They're in the way.
◇Mia◇
"Let's force our way."
"Nn."
I nod to Liza's word, but isn't it impossible? It's impossible right, there are so many of those cavalries. What should we do? What should I do, it seems that Liza intends to break through the soldiers to the forest, but won't the horses get pushed down? They're going to get pushed down right, I should somehow move them aside I guess? That's right! There should be a way to repel them.
It's the one from when I played magic with Arisa--
"■■■ ■■■ Water Cast"
"■■■ ■ ■ Balloon"
Thanks my smooth-talking practice with Satou, it feels that my chanting has become neat. It's become neat right?
I create water belts from the water on the water bags, and stretch them toward the soldiers. I make the magic that looks as if it's chasing something to [Evaporate].
The soldiers' route slightly shift since they're being pressured by something invisible.
Did it work? It worked! Arisa is amazing for arranging something like this for the sake of drying her wet hair. But, this spell for drying wet hair is a secret to Satou alright? It's a secret. I mean, I like having my hair dried with towel by him.
"Liza, now."
"Understood! I'll break through the column."
I apologize briefly to the soldiers on the side Liza is breaking through.
But, what should I do? The cavalries are chasing from behind. Are they angry for being pushed? They're angry right.
Mou! Please don't chase us with scary faces!
◇Karina◇
"Karina-dono, it seems that zombies have appeared on the front."
"My, they're in this forest so close to the city's wall, I'm surprised desuwa."
"Umu, the demon most likely is planning something."
『There is no need to worry, o small one. In front of us, they're no different to fallen leaves. Trampling them down is easy.』
My dialogs with Raka-san is replied by the head of wood giant--Ishizuchi-san. I've asked his name, but it's really, really long, it's rude and it looks like he'd hit me if I shorten it so I call him with that nickname, "Ishizuchi-san". This person's speak in very heavy low voice, it vibrates my stomach. I've never heard the language, but thanks to Raka-san, every word is heard in Shiga language to me. Raka-san is really great desuwa.
Raka-san and me are riding on the shoulder of Ishizuchi-san. It's almost like I've become a child, it's fun desuno. Sir Zotor is riding on another giant's shoulder. I've been told that the reason why they don't let two people ride on both shoulders is because it'd be hard to recover if they lost their balance.
This is the first time I see something like zombies, it's sickening things. Ishizuchi-san and other wood giants eliminate them by trampling them as if they're ants.
Ara? When I look closer, aren't those armors of baron's army?
I wonder why, Ishizuchi-san who should be reliable suddenly looks hateful.
Ah, why do I raise my arm?
And then, toward Ishizuchi-san who should be my ally, from the side, my fist is--
◇Mia◇
"Coming ahead~"
Is there anything in front where Tama points? Says it. Eeh, you're lying, lying, a lot of people are running on the road as if clogging it? No, not that, they're escaping.
What should I do, what should be done? Swelling is no good, no good I say. If I use that magic, some people will get hurt right? They absolutely will.
Is there nothing? There should be something. That's right, I should ask for help from the forest, it's a small forest, but Lia has said that we're connected with forest, that's right, Raya has also said that.
Then, let's ask it immediately? No, Lia also said some other things.
『You can't ask for help from the forest until after you've become an adult and have learned forest magic alright? You'd get your magic power sucked dried by the gluttonous dryad you know?』
That's right, I'm sure she's said that. Ah, but, we're going to clash like this, Liza will surely go straight at them. That girl would do anything in order to meet Satou.
There's no time is there, there is no time.
"O forest, please!"
I ask as hard as possible. I don't want to have my magic power sucked dry, but I'll ask Satou to supply me with it like Nana. It's hard to throw away the idea to have magic supplied by mouth-to-mouth method like Arisa's said.
『I'll comply~, you can leave the charge for later, little bornean-chan.』
Childish voice is heard from the trees as if drowning others', a road between trees appears beside the crowd.
"Liza, forest."
With just that, Liza turns the course there. She's turned. She believes my words earnestly.
Now, let's go meet Satou.