Log Horizon, Volume 5, Chapter 3 English Translation

CHAPTER.3 魔法师的徒弟 THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE

〈Wall Clock〉

Controls life with precision.

▼1

The chilly autumn air gave the sky a cool and refreshing feel. Akiba’s night sky was filled with twinkling stars as far as the eye could see.

The stars were brighter and more numerous in the world of 〈Elder Tale〉 than in the original world. Whether it was due to the clean air here, or the game’s aesthetic design, the nightscape of this alternate world was illuminated by the stars.

On this night of the 「Libra Festival」, Akiba was still abuzz late into the evening.

As Akiba was the main city for 〈Adventurers〉, its functions were extremely specialized.

Said functions encompassed the portal system, banks, guild halls, cathedral, and the marketplace. When 〈Elder Tale〉 was still a game, 〈Adventurers〉 just needed these five facilities in order to survive. In other words, Akiba had no other facilities besides these five. This was what was meant by the description ‘specialized’.

Before the 〈Catastrophe〉, Akiba had lacked proper living facilities.

While places such as taverns and inns could be found within the city, they were mostly included for decorative purposes in order to give players the feeling of an alternate fantasy world —— they were akin to stage props which were not truly usable.

But after the 〈Catastrophe〉, 〈Adventurers〉 set out to make the city livable in the true sense. In this manner, just staying in the city meant that a number of facilities were required. The thriving restaurants were the earliest changes. After that, all sorts of stores, individual shops, and services started appearing as well.

While a portion of these outlets were run by 〈Adventurers〉, most were either run jointly by both 〈Adventurers〉 and 〈People of the Land〉 or were businesses set up by the 〈People of the Land〉 themselves.

This phenomenon was due to several reasons, the biggest being the income gap. Compared to 〈People of the Land〉, 〈Adventurers〉 were capable of earning more in a shorter time. Just by grinding mobs, even a mid-level 〈Adventurer〉 could earn more in one day than what a 〈People of the Land〉 farmer could earn in a month.

Although the disparity in production ability was not as drastic as combat ability, it was still significant. In the eyes of 〈Adventurers〉, even a 〈People of the Land〉 hailed as a master of his or her craft would just be the equivalent of an 〈Adventurer〉 whose subclass level was around sixty.

Of course, regardless of whether you were a 〈Chef〉 or a 〈Tailor〉, as long as you reached level twenty, the product would be good enough for normal consumption. A 〈Chef〉of this level was capable of making fresh steaming bread, delicious soups, crispy fries, as well as chicken fried to a perfect golden-brown; A 〈Tailor〉 of this level could make comfortable shirts, loose-fitting pants, coats dyed with bright colors, or leather vests.

〈People of the Land〉 could also create these sort of 「generic products」. As a result, it was only natural that 〈Adventurers〉 would focus on tasks that only 〈Adventurers〉 were capable of doing, leaving the more generic and mundane tasks to the 〈People of the Land〉.

After these changes, Akiba was incomparable to its limited 「in-game version」, now  hosting a great multitude of shops and facilities. Naturally, the population of the 〈People of the Land〉 also multiplied, increasing in a geometric manner. This resulted in shops which were run exclusively by 〈People of the Land〉 opening up one after the other.

There was another reason for the growth of the city’s 〈People of the Land〉 population.

From the viewpoint of the 〈Adventurers〉, this player city was just a stronghold for them. Nearly all the 〈Adventurers〉 simply viewed this place as a convenient staging ground, a point of departure. But this place held a different meaning to the 〈People of the Land〉.

〈Adventurers〉 were completely different beings compared to the 〈People of the Land〉, having both superior combat abilities and immortal bodies. From the viewpoint of the 〈People of the Land〉, this player city was the frontier settlement for the 〈Adventurers〉 in this world.

Most of the 〈People of the Land〉 treated 〈Adventurers〉 with gratitude and respect. While the large number of 〈Adventurers〉 who dealt with the various wild beasts and monsters in the land of Yamato were considered a reliable military force of this world, their strength also created a strong sense of fear. This fear was also directed towards the city which housed their revival mechanism, the cathedral. It was possible that they were more awed by this forbidding city than by the 〈Adventurers〉 themselves.

The original 〈People of the Land〉 who lived in Akiba were of a special breed, descended from ancestors who lived in Akiba a long time ago. In a sense, they were like priests or priestesses who served gods in shrines. These special 〈People of the Land〉 performed various duties such as retail and banking.

However, the age of such fear had ended.

The 〈Adventurers〉 used their frightening strength to defeat 〈goblins〉, 〈beast men〉, and even various powerful monsters such as 〈dragons〉, saving the 〈People of the Land’〉 lives numerous times. On the other hand, 〈Adventurers〉 seemed to adhere to the temporary role of 「quest takers」. It was common knowledge that 〈Adventurers〉 could only form superficial relationships with 〈People of the Land〉.

But recently, the 〈Adventurers〉 and the 〈People of the Land〉 signed an agreement with each other.

The significance of the agreement signed between the 〈Eastal League of Free Cities〉 and the 〈Round Table Council〉 was definitely not small.

It signified the declaration of the 〈Adventurers〉 to the 〈People of the Land〉, that 〈Adventurers〉 were not just 「friendly passersby」 but 「a part of this world」. It also showed that the 〈People of the Land〉 accepted the 〈Adventurers〉 as such.

Raynesia was sent to Akiba as a symbol for this agreement.

Raynesia did not just represent the nobles, she was also a living example of a 「〈People of the Land〉 living in the 〈Adventurers’〉 city」 to the masses.

Because of this reason, the population of 〈People of the Land〉 in Akiba increased each day.

Originally, Akiba was a city strewn with the ruins of buildings. However, after the 〈People of the Land〉 were included into Akiba’s society, even this streetscape started to change. The rubble was gradually cleared away, the spooky abandoned buildings were also cleaned up.

Nearly all the 〈Adventurers〉 living in in Akiba were Japanese.

In both a good and a bad sense, when these meddlesome people noticed the 〈People of the Land〉 were busy clearing up the streets, they decided to help out since they were bored and had nothing better to do. While working together, they naturally started to converse, becoming familiar with each other.

In the current Akiba, the number of 〈Adventurers〉 who employed 〈People of the Land〉 increased greatly. Similarly, the number of 〈People of the Land〉 doing business with 〈Adventurers〉 increased more than tenfold.

——The 「Linguine」, a tavern run by 〈People of the Land〉.

This establishment, which normally had few customers, was packed to the brim on the night of the first day of the 「Libra Festival」.

「This is high quality tomato stew nya.」

「It’s delicious!」

Within this bustling establishment, two people were seated opposite each other at the innermost table of the restaurant. They were consultants from 〈Log Horizon〉, Chief Nyanta to be exact, and the 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 novices’ caretaker, Serara, who herself was a beginner.

The place was filled with customers to the point that it was nearly overflowing. Even though it was now October and the night air was chilly, the interior of the store felt stifling even without the use of heaters.

Over the course of the past few days, many 〈People of the Land〉 came to visit this city for the sake of the festival. All accommodations within the city had been fully booked, even the temporary ones specifically set up for the festival by the 〈Round Table Council〉.

It was the same for restaurants, all of them were overflowing with customers. Small eateries within the alleys were filled with both 〈Adventurers〉 and 〈People of the Land〉, toasting to the success of the upcoming celebrations which would officially start the next day.

The new cooking method publicized by the 〈Round Table Council〉 spread like wildfire throughout Yamato. However despite this, not many 〈Adventurers〉 or 〈People of the Land〉 could utilize it. Due to skill restrictions, less than ten percent of the population could be considered good at cooking. Using limited ingredients, these people came up with new dishes daily.

〈Adventurers〉 tended to try recreating normal Japanese food. In contrast, the 〈People of the Land〉, who had no prior experience, combed through their existing repertoire of recipes, creating dishes which struck their fancy. Although the method of preparation could be relatively simple, some stores were extremely popular due to the rustic flavor of their dishes.

「Linguine」 was one such place.

The dish known as Kanto-style Tomato-flavored Stew was the speciality of this store. Adding the fact that it was currently happy hour, the tavern was filled with a vulgar din. While it was rather inappropriate for young girls to visit this sort of place, Serara was extremely pleased that she was able to have a late dinner together with her favorite Nyanta. Even though the place was packed, the thought that their knees were nearly touching under the table made her both happy and flustered at the same time.

「Is Nyanta-san tired?」

「Not at all nya.」

Although Nyanta gave such a reply, it was as though he had a superhuman performance that day. 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 had set up several booths for the 「Libra Festival」. It was not just for the returning 〈Crescent☪Moon Kiosk〉, their tailors’ sewing department would be selling clothes and providing fitting services, their blacksmiths would also be selling weapons with personalized engravings.

〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 is just a small guild, the size of its departments is not more than five people. This time, Nyanta was acting as the assistant instructor for the fitting department.

「Have I…… done well?」

「You did well, Serara.」

「I can’t wait for tomorrow!」

「That’s right nya~」

Passing a busy day together with Nyanta in this manner, having to spend the whole day manning a booth come daybreak, Serara was filled with anticipation and happiness as she thought about these. Given the circumstances, it could be said that her anticipation came from 「being able to spend the whole day manning a booth」, or more accurately, 「being able to spend the entire day with Nyanta」.

Honestly speaking, Serara was able to sympathize with Isuzu when she decided to leave 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉. Serara adored Nyanta from the day she was rescued in Susukino. It would be a lie if she said she had not considered doing the same to be with Nyanta.

However, Serara was in charge of looking after the noobs beginners in 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉. Unlike Isuzu who could start afresh after leaving 〈Hamelin〉, Serara had comrades who relied on her.

Serara had already apologized to Nyanta, after declining his offer to join 〈Log Horizon〉. She did not want this resolution of hers, which she treasured, to be viewed as a hollow statement.

At that time, Nyanta only smiled and commented 「Serara is an amazing child nya.」 Nyanta the mature gentleman had always been a warm person, however, he became much warmer after that…… even listening attentively to everything Serara had to say. Hence Serara was extremely content despite her conflicting interests.

The delicious stewed tomatoes with seafood and vegetables were refreshing yet faintly sweet. Like the stew, the orange juice with added ice was very good. Chatting with Nyanta was also delightful. Serara embraced these happy feelings as she had her meal.

Suddenly, the sharp noise of something breaking was heard, silencing the clamor of the store for a moment. It seemed that a waitress had dropped a plate. The tavern’s famous tomato stew was spilled onto the floor, dyeing the stone with red geometric patterns.

A white plate lay shattered on the floor. This was a relatively common occurrence in the restaurant. However, just as the clientele were about to resume their normal activity, they were interrupted by the sound of violence.

Serara looked up from the table in time to witness a waitress falling to the ground. A man was towering over her.

「Don’t joke with me! How are you going to deal with this since it’s been stained like this?」

The man roared indignantly.

Serara quickly checked their descriptions and noted that both of them were probably 〈People of the Land〉 since their job descriptions did not match any of the 〈Adventurer〉 classes. In addition, the young man wore expensive clothes. The man who seemed to be a noble chastened the waitress for her negligence in a disgruntled manner, remarking that a lowly waitress like her could not possibly afford to compensate him.

The silence within the establishment seemed to encourage the man. He began to criticize the tavern in a haughty manner, commenting on how small, dirty and noisy the place was, how this establishment lacked taste. He scoffed at how it didn’t live up to its reputation even after he had bothered to go there himself. He went on and on about the tavern's various shortcomings in a loud and garish manner.

Serara felt a sense of distaste.

She had been enjoying her meal.

The food here was delicious. While it was indeed rather noisy, this sort of ambience was not a bad thing. In truth, did it not seem that everybody here enjoyed themselves? This place was simply the way it was. Whether you liked it or not, there was no reason to disturb the dining experience of other people, Serara thought to herself.

「Is this guy an idiot?」 Somebody whispered.

This man was mistaken. This man was not a regular——eight tenths of the clientele here were nobles——of this establishment. This place was not some obscure eatery, it was an 「alleyway restaurant」 famous for its delicious pot of tomato stew.

He was also mistaken about another fact. The clientele was not speechless because they were intimidated by his status or authority. They were simply stunned by the sheer foolishness of his actions.

「Who is it! Who insulted me just now!」

In response to the man’s shrill cries of indignation, three 〈Adventurers〉 rose from their seats. Feeling threatened, a 〈People of the Land〉 warrior who looked like the man’s guard also stood up. This sudden development caused the atmosphere within the establishment to be filled with tension.

「Nyanta-san……」

Serara cried out as she huddled in her seat.

It was not out of fear. Serara had taken part in the battle at Sand Leaf Peninsula and had even been involved in its worst part, the defense of Choshi Village. She was a qualified 〈Adventurer〉 who had also fought against undead creatures and monsters. Hence in terms of fighting, the level of danger at the present moment was not frightening to her. However, the tension resulting from people’s conflicting emotions and the tension of the battlefield were two completely different things. Seeing her wish to get along with everybody being trampled upon in this manner, Serara felt as though she was being swallowed by an indescribable, oppressive atmosphere.

「No need to worry nya.」

As Nyanta turned to leave, he grabbed the young nobleman by the scruff of his neck at the same time, in the same manner as how one would grab hold of a cat. The young man was stupefied at being held in this manner.

「Don’t cause a commotion nya. This is a place for people to enjoy dining nya.」

「Shut your mouth, commoner!」

「Yours truly is an 〈Adventurer〉 nya.」

Nyanta’s response caused the man to be at a loss for words. An flustered look appeared on his face. Indeed, even if the number of 〈People of the Land〉had increased in the city, this was still Akiba, where more than half the residents were 〈Adventurers〉.

With great difficulty, the man made a neutral expression. He had probably forgotten this fact.

「This concerns you even less in that case!」

「Ooo~」

「This is a private matter amongst 〈People of the Land〉. There are differences in social status among us 〈People of the Land〉. Since this matter does not concern you 〈Adventurers〉, please don’t butt in. I have no wish to start a dispute with you people.」

「Oh~ It doesn’t seem that way to me.」

「But you behaved in such an outrageous manner within this establishment which we frequent regularly eh?」

The three people who had came forward from the depths of the tavern were indeed 〈Adventurers〉. One of them performed a healing spell on the young waitress.

The nobleman’s guard appeared uneasy. He licked his lips nervously, looking around warily.

The disparity in strength between the two groups was evident just by glancing at their equipment. This would not have been the case if he was a member of the Knights of Izumo, or a knight serving a lord, or even another high-level 〈Adventurer〉. However being a guard of such a trashy noble, he was only around level ten or so.

As far as Serara could tell, this particular guard was only good for decoration.

「Young master, it would probably be better if you……」

「This is Akiba nya. Akiba has its own rules and regulations nya, don’t cause a commotion here nya. 」

Nyanta walked towards the entrance, interrupting the guard. At first, it seemed as though the young nobleman was going to throw a tantrum; however, the fact that the tall and slender Nyanta could effortlessly carry him with one hand despite looking middle-aged caused him to open and close his mouth wordlessly. When Nyanta reached the door, he swung the young man in front of him with ease.

「Don’t worry about the bill nya! Consider it my treat this time nya. Since today’s a celebration, it’s better to enjoy yourself instead of going around starting fights nya.」

The guard shouted 「young master, young master」 repeatedly in a panicked voice as Nyanta proceeded to throw the young nobleman out the door.

The Royal Guard of Akiba would not react over this small an incident. It was common knowledge that as long as there were no weapons drawn or any physical injury inflicted, the Guards would not treat it seriously.

「Nyanta-san……」

「Don’t worry, don’t worry, just continue to enjoy your meal nya~」

Serara sighed in relief after hearing these warm words from Nyanta.

Soon, the hustle and bustle of the tavern resumed as the tense atmosphere dissipated The waitress went about issuing apologies to the other customers. Receiving replies such as 「no need to worry」 and 「it couldn’t be helped」, the girl’s face was flushed with embarrassment as she gave her thanks.

「That incident just now was certainly unexpected though.」

「That’s because the 〈People of the Land〉 have changed drastically nya. Furthermore, since today is a festival, this city will be filled with people who are unfamiliar with it nya.」

Nyanta took a finely cut piece of bread and ate it in one large bite after dipping it in tomato sauce.

「The 〈People of the Land〉 seem to have an aristocratic society nya, they would probably be shocked after seeing how things are in Akiba nya.」

Why would they be shocked…… Serara was stumped.

Serara had almost never lived anywhere outside of Akiba. She had lived in Susukino for only a short period of time and was unfamiliar with its urban atmosphere, as she had spent that time hiding in Nyanta’s residence. Therefore, she was completely ignorant of the culture and habits of 〈People of the Land〉 towns. Serara felt that it would be tragic if the discrimination and abuse she saw were common practices among their nobility.

However, 〈People of the Land〉 were a part of this world. They had the right to freely promote their own culture and lifestyle. Nyanta had mentioned this to Serara before. At that time she had not understood the true significance of those words.

「However, this city is ours nya. You need to follow its customs; good food should be eaten with a smile, the fun and entertainment of festivals should be enjoyed nya…… When it looks as though conflict is inevitable, people just need to be careful and it should be fine nya.」

Serara sighed in relief after Nyanta finished speaking, nodding her head in agreement.

While this festival was for 〈Adventurers〉 such as Serara, it was also the first time an activity had been organized with the 〈People of the Land〉 in mind. While situations such as the one before might arise in the future, there was no reason for them to turn back, this was a necessary transition. Serara came to this conclusion by herself.

The hustle and bustle resumed and the tavern recovered its warm ambience once again. While this small storm might have left an impact on people, it did not dampen the hearts of the 〈Adventurers〉. If such a small incident affected them, they would be unable to survive in this alternate world.

Akiba’s 〈Adventurers〉had faced many trials and tribulations over the past five months.

Hence, there should not be any problems. Serara relaxed and smiled at Nyanta.

▼2

On the same night, at a different location, a different pair was working, wallowing in dejection from the amount of work they had to finish.

They were the beautiful duo leading the 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉, Maryele and Henrietta. They were constantly giving instructions in preparation for the temporary shop’s opening and fashion show the next day.

<Crescent Moon Alliance> presently had sixty five members. Although the <Hamelin> incident increased their numbers, it was still moderately-sized and definitely did not have the manpower to set up stands in the same manner as the three large-scaled production guilds.

Then again, it was a little-known fact that this festival was the suggestion of the medium and small guilds.

New ideas did not just come from the large guilds. As long as an artisan with enough skill had inspiration, he or she could come up with all sorts of new products. This was the current Akiba. If such emergent products came from the large guilds, they would be publicised and spread by these large guilds. But if the artisan came from one of the smaller guilds, it would be harder to do the same.

Such points were given much consideration, and formed the basis of this 「Libra Festival」.

In other words, by attracting participants and customers in the name of the 「Libra Festival」, not only the booths of the small and medium guilds, but even new products could get exposure and popularity from both 〈Adventurer〉 and 〈People of the Land〉 merchants.

〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 had been hoping for such an outcome when they registered their booths.

However, what was truly motivating them was plain and simple enthusiasm. Both Maryele and Henrietta worked long hours simply because they hoped to enjoy the cultural festival-like atmosphere. Even though that was the case, they were not going to totally neglect the issue of profits while having fun.

Currently in Akiba, the small and medium guilds had an opportunity to make a fortune. The small-scale guilds led by 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 were all looking forward to this.

Daybreak was just moments away.

The exhausted members of the 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉had probably collapsed around various parts of the guild hall. In the center of the room which the duo were in, there was a table big enough to play ping-pong on, with wooden crates piled to its side. Due to the ample space of the new guild hall, it was possible to partition the workspace in such a manner.

After stuffing a shirt which had been dyed with plant dyes into a wooden crate, Maryele stretched and took a deep breath, then began talking with Henrietta.

「I say, shall we finish up?」

「Agreed.」

At the other end of the table, Henrietta was examining a modest number of documents. After recording figures on the tally next to her, she attached them to crates.

「Let’s end here.」

After hearing these words, Maryele gave a long exhalation.

The grand opening of the 「Libra Festival」 was scheduled the next day.

In Akiba, there were two main roads which ran perpendicular to each other, dividing the city into four quarters. The liaison committee allowed stores to set up shop along these streets based on ballot results. 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 had managed to obtain one such store. It was a small booth located at the central junction where they planned to revive 〈Crescent☪Moon〉. Returning after a long absence, Crescent Burgers would obviously be sold at a substantial discount this time round.

「At that time, the price was akin to robbery.」

「It was robbery indeed.」

The two who were exhausted from packing continued their dialogue with drained expressions.

Even though 「the oppai, beautiful and oppai, Kansai-ben guild leader」 Maryele and 「the bespectacled, confident onee-sama who you wished would scold you」 Henrietta were the pride of the 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉, they were lazing around the office as it was just the two of them. In this manner, they were indistinguishable from any other female 〈Adventurer〉.

Henrietta felt as though she would doze off if they continued like this. She shook her partner by the shoulders shouting 「Maryele, pull yourself together」. But Maryele was not a disciplined person by nature and even though she nodded repeatedly in acknowledgement, she was totally wasted.

Henrietta gave up and assisted Maryele onto the sofa. Maryele looked as though she had taken root there. 「If you feel like sleeping, go sleep on your bed」. However, she insisted on wanting to take a bath first, stretching Henrietta’s patience to its limit.

「If you feel like bathing, why don’t you go ahead and do so?」

「I’ll rest a bit~ my HP is critical.」

「Your HP bar is completely within the green safe zone. Even if it wasn’t, can’t you just heal yourself?」

The bodies of 〈Adventurers〉 had excellent physical characteristics. Even for Henrietta who was a 〈Bard〉, the exertion of packing for ten hours straight was no different from light exercise. She was still far from the point of collapse.

Even though Maryele said and looked like she was physically exhausted, Henrietta suspected that it was just mental fatigue.

「Lemme rest a while!」

Henrietta gave a deep sigh at her shameless friend and sat beside her.

「Maryele, what’s the matter?」

「Nothing.」

「Don’t try to lie to me.」

Henrietta shrugged. Maryele was too cute, so she lost the motivation to make a witty comeback.

She could roughly guess the reason why Maryele was being so troublesome.

It probably had something to do with a certain topic of entertainment which had come up repeatedly over the past month.

Henrietta accessed the in-game menu and cursor mentally.

「——Yes, it’s me. Yes, that’s correct…… No, sorry for troubling you since it’s already this late. Hence it’s been like this ever since, that’s right.」

Henrietta seemed to be talking to the empty air after calling someone through telepathy. As she was receiving the other party’s voice directly in her ear, it looked as though she was talking to herself. Regardless of that, this form of magical communication could be used to communicate with faraway friends.

Maryele was aware of this fact, so she was not worried about her friend’s mental health. Instead, a look of seriousness replaced her absent-minded expression and she began to panic.

「Henrietta? Who is it? Who are you talking to?」

「Ahahaha. Indeed, indeed, it’s as you say, I can’t stand it, lazy to the point of being insufferable. Maryele is acting in a troublesome manner again and it’s really cute--when she does that she even jiggles her breasts!」

「Who is it! Who are you talking tooo~!」

「Maryele, I’m talking using telepathy, can you quiet down a bit?」

「You’re obviously talking about me, how do you expect me to be quiet!」

Maryele grabbed the smirking Henrietta by her shoulders and shook her. However, Henrietta was experienced enough to deal with such a situation, having known her for such a long time. Using her pale and slender fingers, Henrietta tickled her behind her ears, mercilessly pushing her away before pinning her to the couch.

「Yeah, that’s right. The merchandise is piling up, I hope that Naotsugu-san can help out—— indeed, Maryele will also be happy.」

The mention of 「Naotsugu」 caused Maryele’s body to shrink. Henrietta continued her telepathic conversation leisurely, completely ignoring Maryele.

「Sorry to trouble you. Okay, okay…… see you some other time.」

Henrietta had a bright smile on her face. She noticed Maryele pouting awkwardly.

「Why is Henrietta such a bully……」

「Bully? Maryele must be mistaken.」

When Maryele heard these words, a hesitant expression appeared on her pouting face. Set  within the contours of her smooth, oval face, her sparkling eyes, full of expression, were extremely bewitching. However, Henrietta had no intention of spoiling or letting Maryele off the hook. Henrietta’s hobbies included both teasing and encouraging her.

「Are you sure it’s okay to continue being like this? Naotsugu-san should be here in roughly an hour to help out.」

「He’s coming over to help out even though it’s so late?」

「Indeed. Since it’s hard to just rely on ladies to do all the moving.」

Henrietta replied without changing her tone. Maryele stood up suddenly as though she had received an electric shock, grabbing her cardigans which lay beside her before running off, most likely to go back to her room to shower.

「I…… I’m going out to pick some flowers!」

Uttering something which was obviously an excuse, Maryele left the room in a hurry. 「Try your best」, Henrietta waved at the departing figure and proceeded to sit down on the vacated sofa.

（Maryele is still as cute as ever, it looks like I won’t have to worry about this for a period of time. Seriously—— this might be for the best.）

Henrietta retrieved a document from her bag and looked through it.

The vague details about Shiroe that Naotsugu disclosed reminded her of something which bothered her.

The document contained records which had been collated by the liaison committee; the guilds, businesses, groups and individuals who had applied to set up booths. The sheer scale of this festival exceeded expectations.

This was mainly due to the 〈People of the Land〉. It was not just the 〈Eastal League of Free Cities〉; merchants and nobles from the west also came to visit Akiba. Akiba’s economic potential was far greater than its population would suggest. The 〈People of the Land〉 were captivated by this fact and scrambled to Akiba for profits, resulting in this grand exodus.

The members of the liaison committee led by Charasin had foreseen this. However, they realized that the actual figures exceeded their estimates by a wide margin. Everyone would be in for a shock come the next day’s festival, especially the small and medium guilds.

The school festival-like booths that the 〈Adventurers〉 had set up would probably sell out their products in a flash. The intentions of the 〈People of the Land〉 and the 〈Adventurers〉 could not be more different. While the former came for the sake of 「making bulk purchases」, the latter bought singular items which caught their fancy.

（However……）

Henrietta readjusted her glasses with her index finger.

The silver-rimmed glasses which were one of Henrietta’s defining features shone on her face. There was something amiss. While Henrietta did not have an extensive work history, she was still well-read and had a fair amount of accounting experience; she felt as though something unexpected was going to happen.

Henrietta bit her lip. The fear of the unknown was disconcerting.

（If it was Shiroe-san……）

She could not remember when she started being able to recall that young man’s face with such clarity.

As she thought about this carefully, his profile appeared from the depths of her mind. While Henrietta never had the opportunity to have a frank conversation with Shiroe, whenever that youth was dealing with a crisis and putting up a brave front, she had always just been watching from the sidelines. In the conference which led to the formation of the 〈Round Table Council〉 and the one in which Raynesia was brought forth, Henrietta had observed his profile while staying by his side as only an assistant.

This keen and resolute youth might be able to uncover the reason for the uneasiness in Henrietta’s heart.

With such thoughts in mind, Henrietta opened her contact list. However, in the end, she chose not to contact him. It was a decision that she made after much consideration.

Shiroe was already bearing the burden of multiple responsibilities from the 〈Round Table Council〉.

Shiroe should be spared from chores related to the festival if possible. This was something that both Charasin and Henrietta had agreed on. While it was not something that either of them had openly voiced out, both agreed that the 〈Round Table Council〉 had piled too much work onto Shiroe.

Besides, Shiroe currently had Akatsuki and Minori.

From Henrietta’s point of view, these two young ladies possessed incomparable charm.

The sparrow-like Akatsuki was an elegant and beautiful young girl. Her long, flowing black hair was like a traditional doll’s.

The pure and flawless Minori was delicate yet strong. She looked like someone that needed to be doted upon, yet her sense of responsibility made her distinct to other girls her age.

Knowing how they felt about Shiroe, Henrietta felt that she had no place among them.

Henrietta had always believed that she lacked appeal.

She had difficulty understanding the primal emotion of love. She felt she had no chance at intimate relationships, like Maryele’s. She had the desire to doll up Akatsuki, but Henrietta understood that those kinds of feelings were nothing like the romantic ones that couples shared.

While she did pay special attention to Shiroe, even thinking 「could it be……?」 at one point, her feelings were not truly romantic in nature. She did not feel a need to be wed to him or even crave for his presence. There was a lack of such burning desires.

「The most outstanding amongst men.」

Henrietta had given Shiroe such as assessment.

While she was still far from certain, she had at least verified that it was 「those」 sorts of feelings.

（In other words, my personality is too plain……）

This fact did not cause her to feel forlorn. She felt happy that thoughts of him came to her mind so often. Even though she felt that it wouldn’t become anything more serious, she was content with the ways things were.

To Henrietta, Akatsuki was a cute friend whom she wished to cherish, while the newcomer Minori was someone whom she hoped to form a deep friendship with. She was thankful that she was not in the way of either.

While she was unable to favor any side, she had already resolved to congratulate the one Shiroe chose.

She hoped that Shiroe——

That the lonely, overly-serious trickster would find happiness.

Perhaps Shiroe was the type who could spread happiness to the people around him once he himself was happy? Henrietta certainly believed so.

（Although I do wish the three of them would speed things up.）

Henrietta sighed.

In regards to such matters, the two girls and Shiroe were all extremely dense. It was highly probable that they would encounter difficulty even under smooth-sailing circumstances. This was rather tantalizing since nothing could be done, even though it was hard not to feel concerned for them.

As Henrietta contemplated the love issues faced by the members of the sister guild, she had all but forgotten the sense of unease that she felt just moments ago. There was just too much work to be done in Akiba and too many things to consider.

▼3

The sky was stained with a shade of gray.

A refreshing October breeze enveloped Akiba early in the morning. The sun had not started its proper ascent yet; the atmosphere was laden with moisture and tranquility.

Both the Akiba of this world and the Akiba of the old world were similar in topography and geographical layout. However, they obviously had their differences as well.

The city was covered with ancient trees, the roads and plaza were enveloped in greenery; various parts had become moss patches or grass fields.

Concealed throughout the city were deciduous trees, as well as plants which bore gem-like fruit. Akiba’s ruined buildings were fused together with nature, turning the city into an intriguing scene.

The autumn dew dripped gently throughout the green streets.

Minori could feel the dew on the tips of her toes as she hurried towards the Guild Hall Building.

It was the morning of the second day of the 「Libra Festival」.

Today was the second day. Unlike the first day, where there had been a gradual build up in anticipation for the night’s festivities, today would be marked by a series of standard activities.

The activities from the second day onwards included various conventions, a dinner party hosted by Raynesia, and the 「Akiba Fair」 that would run continuously from that night till the third day. These were the highlights of the 「Libra Festival」. Indeed, the festival’s main events would start today.

Most likely due to such anticipation, the streets which were normally deserted in the early morning were filled with a flurry of activity. People were moving packages around, obviously to stock their booths, or in certain cases, to restock goods which had been sold out.

Arriving at the entrance of the Guild Hall Building, it was clear that the level of activity present was even greater. Many 〈Adventurers〉 could be seen passing through the doorway, both entering and leaving. Giving greetings full of energy and spirit, Minori entered this obsidian-black building.

〈Log Horizon〉 was one of the eleven guilds that comprised the 〈Round Table Council〉. Furthermore, Minori came here frequently in order to help Shiroe. Including the 〈People of the Land〉 lady who manned the front counter, many of the 〈Adventurers〉 who worked here were familiar with Minori.

Minori headed to the floor where the reference room and office of the 〈Round Table Council〉 were located, heading for the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉. Shiroe had asked her to retrieve documents from there once, so she knew of its location.

This place had been filled with a panicky, disorganized atmosphere since early morning. There was an ungodly number of wooden boxes. They spilled out through the wide open door and into the corridor.

The 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉 played a central role in the festival. Hence it was already busy, even at this hour. Things that sounded like curses could be heard from within and people could be seen moving goods and frantically running in and out the door.

Minori entered the room quietly, greeting an 〈Adventurer〉 who she knew. She remembered he was a smith from 〈Eighth Shopping District〉.

「What’s the matter Minori-jouchan?」

「Eh，um—— may I know if Charasin-san is around?」

Minori felt out of place. The correct description would be the feeling that she had 「 carelessly stepped into someone else’s territory」.

The smith, noticing Minori’s anxious appearance, smiled and said, 「Ah，he’s inside，why don’t you come in? Please excuse the mess!」. He said this rather loudly, as he was probably high from pulling an all-nighter. Minori timidly stepped into the depths of the office.

At such an early hour, Minori had come to this place for a certain reason.

After Minori witnessed the private scene between Akatsuki and Shiroe last night, she had become depressed at her own shallowness. However, there was something she wished to accomplish during this 「Libra Festival」: that was to rectify Shiroe’s negative image.

Her initial plan was to have Shiroe attract attention by making him participate in the cake-eating competition. There would subsequently be an opportunity to get him an invitation to the Grand Dinner Party. Then by having him mingle with the other participants at the dinner party, she had hoped to make Shiroe more favorable to the public. That had been her original strategy.

（In the end, though, it failed ……）

Minori felt that finishing twelve whole cakes was an insurmountable task.

Even though she felt that way, nothing could be done——it was aggravating.

However, a failure was still a failure. Since giving up was not an option, she had to find an alternative way to accomplish her goal. The plan that Minori had conceived within the unfamiliar portions of her mind was to get the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉 to help out directly.

It was fortunate that she knew the guildmaster of 〈Eighth Shopping District〉, Charasin, personally. If Charasin had spare invitation cards to the Grand Dinner Party, was it possible to obtain one from him? Having this thought in mind, Minori had headed for the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉.

However, it seemed that Charasin might be too busy for such matters. Minori had arrived at the central office (or was it the meeting room?) of the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉. Within this big room was a wall of documents.

Minori was accustomed to such a scene. Shiroe’s study was also strewn with large amounts of documents. In this world without computers, it was easy for documents to pile up. However, the mess in Shiroe’s study paled in comparison to that of this room. At least in Shiroe’s study, it was evident that effort was taken to tidy or minimize the mess. The only thing evident within this room was chaos and disorder.

At one corner of the office table in the center of the room, Charasin and his young assistant were trying their best to defend the borders of a territory known as 「work space」. However their efforts were in vain. Due to the encroaching barbarians—— which were the mess of reports, they were at the edge of defeat.

Minori was hesitant to disturb Charasin due to the situation he was in. At this moment, behind Minori, a young man entered the room and reported energetically.

「Charasin-san! Here are the southern district’s inventories and ledgers! I’ll leave things to you~!」

The youth simply added these to the stack of documents and left. However, that simple action triggered a massive change in the battlefield that was the table. The scene likened to a horde of barbarians charging forward at full speed while blasting their battlehorns. The unstable pile of documents promptly collapsed like dominoes.

「Arrggh!」「Eek!」

Charasin and his assistant screamed aloud, their faces went pale with despair. After swearing simultaneously, the two of them proceeded to restack the fallen documents. Minori decided that it was a good time to help, and timidly raised her voice.

「Do you need help?」

「This is screwed up. Eh? Aren’t you……」

「You’re someone from Shiroe-san’s side. If I recall, Minori-jouchan?」

「That’s right. Let me give you a hand.」

Minori rolled up the long sleeves of her outfit. She could not bring herself to leave this messy mountain of documents alone. Furthermore, if she helped out now, Charasin might develop a good impression of her and might be more willing to grant her 「request」. Minori had these considerations in mind.

「Yeah, that would be great, thanks…… Yuro, make me a cup of tea, make it a strong one please.」

「Yes, right away!」

The youth who had been working non-stop for an unknown length of time left the room unsteadily. After watching him leave, Minori and Charasin started gathering the sheets paper strewn around the place. Most of them looked like booth application forms. There were also trade-related applications, letters of inquiry, letter of instruction, tax forms and various other documents. All of these had been lumped together under the rationale that 「the contents are roughly the same anyway」, forming the mountain of documents.

「Charasin-san…… um, these are all different types of documents.」

「I know they’re all different, but we lost track of their organization. Moreover there was no proper format or standard to begin with. Even documents of the same type have completely different contents.」

Charasin sighed dejectedly.

「I never knew it would be so troublesome. Seriously, 〈People of the Land〉 can be so hard to deal with. I wonder if we should tax them as well……」

「〈People of the Land〉? What about them?」

「It’s nothing, really. In business, it’s normal to add on or even to change, your merchandise at the last minute. But I never expected such a large number of people. Or the fact that the documents would be written in such a haphazard manner. This is probably due to a difference in culture I guess. If it was our own guild, it wouldn’t be much of an issue. But the 〈Round Table Council〉 wanted this festival to be properly documented.」

You can see the rest, I’m sure? Charasin indicated with a shrug. The mess in front of them was rather intimidating. Even though they understood the importance of an efficient filing system, the influx of various inquiries and tasks made it almost impossible to organize the documents properly.

Charasin was someone who Shiroe held in high esteem. He had an excellent ability to think critically and, when needed, could come to a decision quickly. The people under him, too, seemed very diligent.

Despite the lack of organization, they were able to set aside the problem and continue their operations due to his sound judgment. The current situation was still manageable, but Charasin was becoming desperate. There were delays in the processing of documents, regardless of whether they were old or new.

「I’ll stay here and help out today.」

「Are you sure? Isn't 〈Log Horizon〉 also busy today?」

Minori gave a moment’s consideration before offering to help. The plan involving the cake-eating contest had been discontinued, hence she truly had time to spare.

「I’m quite free right now.」

「In that case, even though it’s rather embarrassing, we’ll be relying on you…… To be honest, I don’t have time to sort out these documents. Henrietta also seems rather busy today.」

Minori nodded in response to what Charasin had just said. Shiroe had mentioned to her that Henrietta was also involved in the business of the liaison committee. Perhaps the current mess was due to her absence, having gone to one of the conventions.

「I guess I’ll just have to sort them out one at a time.」

Minori shifted the documents next to her onto the floor. Reaching into her bag, she retrieved a piece of parchment and ink. Although her level was not high, she had crafted these herself.

Using her unsheathed knife as a paperweight, she started to go through the pile of documents, starting from the top. There was no need to rush, however speed was essential—— this one was a warehouse receipt. Minori nodded to herself, placing it within an area which had been partially cleared. That made one receipt. This here was a report made by patrol officers regarding the discovery of a security breach. That made one report.

This was just the start and it was only the first step. Even if it was a small step, it wasn’t cause to be discouraged. The results would obviously be small in the beginning. The important thing was to remain focused and consistent while moving forward.

（After all, I haven’t done anything yet.）

Even though she worshipped Shiroe——and even had feelings for him——she had not taken any steps. The searing pain that Minori had felt when she had discovered this truth was still burning within her heart.

Since it was like this, she needed do something about it.

Since she had feelings for Shiroe, she wanted to do something for him.

She was just an ordinary middle schooler. But in order to meet these feelings of love head-on, Minori hoped that she would be able to offer something to Shiroe.

This was the resolution that Minori had made after she overcame the agony that had seared in her heart on that particular night.

Before, she just blindly worshipped him and chased after him, seeking to reach his level without any other consideration. But now, her heart held a new objective.

Had she only wanted to follow in Shiroe’s footsteps, wanted to see the same scenery that he saw, then reaching his level would have been fine. But if she wanted to help him, she would have to acquire other abilities. Walking down his path but seeking to acquire a different set of abilities would definitely be hard, however the current Minori wished to move forward on such a path.

The physical abilities of the 〈Adventurers〉, such as their sight and reflexes, had been greatly enhanced.

Minori used these abilities to separate the documents with astonishing speed. Skimming through their contents, documents that she thought took priority were placed in a wooden box to the side. These were documents which needed to be checked by Charasin immediately. Other documents were sorted into appropriate categories.

The subclass which Minori now had was the 〈Apprentice〉. Minori hated the 〈Tailor〉 subclass and wished to switch out of it as soon as she was able. However, she had found it difficult to decide on a new subclass. While she was deliberating, Shiroe suggested that she choose the〈Apprentice〉subclass in the meantime.

The 〈Apprentice〉 was one of the 「subclasses」, however, it was quite different from others . It was similar to role-playing subclasses like 〈Accountant〉 or the 〈Fortune Teller〉, but was even more special.

An 〈Apprentice〉 could register another player as a 「teacher」 and receive abilities based on that player’s subclass, 「copying」 over a few low-level skills. Minori could craft parchment and ink because she had registered Shiroe as her teacher—— that is to say, those skills were copied over from Shiroe.

〈Apprentices〉 received experience bonuses, so it was not hard to level up. Furthermore, the fact that skills were copied over from the teacher made it even more easy. However, because an 〈Apprentice〉 could only copy skills that were mid-level and below and the subclass lacked its own 「unique set of skills」, it was not very popular.

An 〈Apprentice’s〉 true defining feature was only evident after maturity. Apart from some special subclasses that had specific requirements, an 〈Apprentice〉 could switch to any subclass, and the skills pertaining to the new subclass would carry over along with all their current subclass experience.

For example, when a level 30 〈Apprentice〉 switched subclasses to a 〈Chef〉, he or she would become a level 30 〈Chef〉 with the same level of experience as an 〈Adventurer〉 who had been a 〈Chef〉 since level one.

It was perfectly fine to start out as an〈Apprentice 〉 if you wanted to be a 〈Blacksmith〉, which was quite tedious to train, . However, a teacher was required and the list of items you could make would not increase as you leveled up so you would have to resort to other methods to increase your repertoire, which was one of the problems.

Minori was not concerned with such issues.

She had chosen this subclass to follow Shiroe, so those limitations were not really an obstacle. Having access to Shiroe’s 〈Scribe〉 abilities was a great help in tackling this mess of documents in the current situation.

Minori roughly [formatted] the inexpensive parchment. Taking a sales application form, she listed down its items one by one. After she verified them, she made a 「duplicate」 and placed the original into a wooden box. Extracting desired information from documents was a task which Minori was very familiar with as it was something she had learned while assisting Shiroe with his work.

Minori looked at the mountain of documents.

Most likely this particular battlefield contained 「something」 that Shiroe had already acquired, that one was not able to obtain from the fights in 〈Elder Tale〉. Minori currently was unable to grasp, or understand what this 「something」 was.

The knowledge which Shiroe had imparted to her held many clues. The 「Teachings of Shiroe」 that Minori listened to contained many battle strategies from the time when 〈Elder Tale〉 was still a game. But it did not contain just that.

How to run a guild, records of past battles, the emotions experienced when playing online games——happiness, sadness, injustice, forgiveness——the conflicts beyond the game itself, and the situations that would arise when different interests clashed. The secret of 「that」 was probably hidden within the things Shiroe had taught her.

However, Minori was inexperienced. She had to rely on such information like a crutch.

——That is why she wished to stay here and help out.

So as to not become a burden, Minori decided to stay here. She resolved to keep on fighting. This had once been Shiroe’s battlefield, but it was now the target of her objective.

「Minori-jouchan has such a neat technique.」

「That’s because I’m Shiroe-san’s disciple」

Minori replied with a smile on her face. She had a steadfast expression which was not present the night before.

▼ 4

「Thanks—!」

「Acknowledged, there’s five left~」

「Hey, I’m out! Bring some more here!」

On the morning of the second day of the festival, the city was filled with the clamor of activity.

Such a festival was unprecedented. No one was able to grasp the overall situation; not even Charasin, the head of the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee〉 which oversaw the festival. After all, this festival had been initiated at the behest of the small and medium guilds, who had wanted an opportunity to publicize their new products.

Due to the large scale of the festival, the 〈Production Guilds' Liaison Committee’s〉 had its hands full. It was easy to assume that the city was in a similar state of chaos.

However, the reality was rather different. This was because the city’s 〈Adventurers〉 were filled with spirit and vitality.

In this alternate world, many of the 〈Adventurers〉 did not know what to do with their enhanced capabilities. Or rather, they were just bored. There were two ways they could go about their boredom: fall into depression or, in a case like the festival, help out and work. Because the latter was the default choice, the festival received a large amount of assistance.

Located on 「The Bridge of Eternity」, a main road in Akiba, there was a large tent set up beside the parking space for carriages. Although this structure was called a tent, it was open on all sides, simply consisting of a roof supported by heavy metal struts at its four corners. It served as a simple field HQ. Members of the 〈Black Sword Knights〉 could be seen constantly coming and going and the person sitting on a folding chair planted in the middle of the tent, sticking out like a sore thumb, was their guildmaster, 「Black Sword」, Isaac.

「Give me a drink!」

「There aren’t enough 〈Summoners〉, dispatch some more!」

「There are no more 〈Summoners〉 available, so if you need more manpower, you’ll just have to make do with what’s available——if you need hot water or ice, go find yourself a 〈Sorcerer〉.」

「We’re not just replacements for 〈Summoners〉, you bastards! Ah, the ice is ready, go on and take it.」

In a manner similar to the city’s current bustle, the tent was also filled with incessant activity.

Akiba had a handful of combat guilds and 〈Black Sword Knights〉 was one of them. It was famed as the guild exclusive to 「〈Adventurers〉 of the highest caliber who have been specially selected」. It was also known as a guild which specialized in completing challenging, high level quests. Most of its members were obviously hard-core gamers and the guild possessed a steadfast unity. This was the impression given to outsiders. However in truth, they were just a rowdy bunch.

「Hey, you guys are damn noisy!」

A loud coarse voice silenced the warriors’ racket. It was the guildmaster, a 〈Guardian〉 named Isaac, who was famous throughout Akiba. He had a head full of blood-red hair and a confident, contemptuous smile on his face.

「You’re really naggy, commander.」

「You should just stay in your seat, boss.」

「Chief is an idiot, his manner lacks consideration.」

The comments made by the people who surrounded him caused Isaac to laugh heartily, as though he had been complimented. This was the way things were in 〈Black Sword Knights〉. Isaac, who was given reproachful looks by his surrounding subordinates, yelled things such as 「Ha! You guys seem rather energetic as usual!」.

「The third sector’s patrol team had returned.」

「Great, thanks for your hard work.」

Isaac greeted the three-man team which had just returned to the city. Ain’t I a great guy, who shows concern? Greeting my men immediately shows that I have the mark of a true leader. This was the internal monologue that played out in Isaac's mind. Regardless, Isaac did indeed have the appearance of a leader.

「So how did it go it? Hm, did anything happen?」

「Indeed. We rescued a carriage which was stuck in a ditch, appeased a few brokers who were quarreling with each other; settled a payment dispute…… things like that?」

「Good, that’s the way!」

Isaac nodded like a boss, responding to his guildmembers’ report.

Indeed, 〈Black Sword Knights〉 had taken the initiative to patrol the downtown area.

The small and medium guilds were unable to handle the unprecedented number of 〈People of the Land〉 nobles and merchants who had heard of the 「Libra Festival」. Many merchants and businessmen had come in order to sell their wares. There was a need to deploy personnel to handle them and settle the disputes which broke out.

The 〈Production Guild’s Liaison Committee〉 was extremely hardworking, however, they were just an organization which coordinated the interests of the guilds. Furthermore, their main duty was related to matters regarding the booths, so they had no capacity to handle the disputes in the downtown area.

Given these circumstances, Isaac had formed a patrol force responsible for policing the 〈People of the Land〉.

This place was the 「Bridge of Eternity」, erected over the Kanda Canal, south of the downtown area. Travellers coming from Izu or from areas further west would have to cross the bridge to enter Akiba. The “policing” duty was actually rather simple. They would note down the merchants’ names, the number of personnel in the group, the number of carriages as well as their contents——and that was it.

Compared to an immigration checkpoint in the old world, the checks were rather lax.

Isaac believed that the only requirement for this job was an intimidating appearance.

That was to say, you just had to be bold and resolute.

〈Black Sword Knights〉intentionally wore imposing armor suited for travelling. This was a preemptive tactic. Their striking appearance put 「the fear of the law」 into the hearts of those who came to visit the city, sending them a clear message: 「if you try anything funny, someone is going to get hurt」. Everything was handled using a combination of intimidation and prudence.

「Someone looks really free.」

「Don’t bother me for nothing. How are things at your side?」

Isaac appraised the approaching figure with a keen gaze. This well-built man who wore glasses was Isaac’s peer, one of the eleven members of the 〈Round Table Council〉 and the leader of 〈D·D·D〉.

He was someone whom Isaac did not wish to trifle with. Whether as a guildmaster or as a 〈Guardian〉, he was the only one in the server who could match Isaac.

「There are no problems at my side as well.」

Krusty raised the corners of his mouth slightly. Isaac judged this was how this bespectacled man smiled.

They had known each other since the days when this was a game. Though they belonged to different guilds, they were both highly ranked and competed for the Yamato server’s top position. They had also spoken to each other quite a number of times. It would be completely wrong to say that they did not give a damn about each other’s existence——they were rivals.

Large combat guilds such as the 〈Black Sword Knights〉 and 〈D·D·D〉 were extremely concerned with being the best at raids. The new raids which were included in every new expansion provided new challenges. These fresh battlefields were like virgin snow, untouched by the intrusion of anyone.

Their difficulty was obviously high.

Since these raids were designed to challenge skilled players accustomed to completing both individual and group objectives, the difficulty was extreme. The difficulty was designed with skilled players in mind. In order to beat them, players had to train to the highest level, have the best equipment, and needed to possess the strongest resolve. In other words, they had to be insanely hardcore players.

These new raids were an amalgamation of five to seven separate types of dungeons, the difficulty of these dungeons normally varied. It was a rule that the first ones to attempt these raids would end up completely wiped out, even if they had started from the easiest dungeons.

In those days, Isaac and his comrades did not fear such dungeons. Instead, they licked their lips fearlessly.

「This is going to be an enjoyable feast」. This was the meaning behind that gesture.

Repeated battles, accumulated experience, beating the powerful final boss, these were accomplishments that couldn’t be described with plain words. As a bonus reward, they earned Phantasmal-class items with potentially powerful abilities, resulting in an increase in their comrades’ battle-strength. Using the item drops to increase their battle strength, they would then take on an even more difficult dungeon. They constantly repeated that process over and over again.

This race did not just involve the〈Black Sword Knights〉. Yamato server’s strongest, 〈D·D·D〉, competed with them as well. Who would be the first to defeat this boss? Who would be the first to clear that dungeon? The large scale guilds were competing for such bragging rights.

A guild which fought for the sake of reputation

This was how Isaac envisioned a large-scale combat guild.

Obtaining Phantasmal-class items was just a bonus.

In Isaac’s opinion, greedy gamers who played just for the sake of getting rare items were not considered warriors. 〈Black Sword Knights〉 denied such players from joining its ranks.

「Yeah. But……」

Isaac eyed the man in front of him as he sat in his chair.

「This calmness is making me lethargic. Won’t it be better if something happened, to spice things up a bit?」

「That’s hard to say.」

「Can’t the 〈People of the Land〉 start a dispute with us?」

This well-built, expressionless and indifferent man was also similar in nature to Isaac. Rank, ability, equipment and gold were all means to an end. He was a true player, one who had aimed to make his guild the top one in the Yamato server. Because of this, he was also willing to involve himself in mundane tasks like patrols. Because he could increase his reputation in this manner, but above all, because it gave him something to spend his time on.

「The difference in military strength is so great…… the chances of this happening is roughly fifty percent I guess.」

「Ha! What an assessment.」

Isaac had learned to expect certain things from this bespectacled youth. If he said something, then it was likely to be true. Isaac personally felt that his statement was accurate as well.

「Hey.」

「What’s up?」

「That fellow. What’s with 『Black Heart』?」

「What do you mean?」

Krusty returned Isaac’s question with another question in his infuriating manner. Isaac glared at him, however it did not seem as though Krusty was trying to act dumb. Isaac shrugged and continued with the topic at hand.

「I can’t really say if 『Black Heart’s』 smart or stupid.」

「It’s not impossible for him to be both?」

「I offered 『Black Heart』 an invitation to join my guild once.」

It was not known if the aforementioned person remembered this event.

Isaac had decided to play along during the formation of the 〈Round Table Council〉. However, he remembered a certain incident with clarity. That was a few months after the 〈Debauchery Tea Party〉 had suddenly disbanded. People had speculated that it would eventually reform itself in the form of guild, however that had not been the case. The 〈Tea Party〉 vanished, it’s members either left the game completely or resumed their solo player styles.

Shiroe was one of the rare players who had maintained his frequency of gameplay.

「After the 〈Tea Party〉 broke up, that 『Black Heart』 participated in various raids as a mercenary. I invited him when he came here to form a party. And I invited him ‘cause of his playing style, not ‘cause he was associated with the 〈Tea Party〉.」

「What happened in the end?」

Krusty asked. Isaac cracked his neck causally and replied.

「He rejected it, with something like 『sorry, I’m unable to meet the expectations such an invitation implies』. In the end, I wasn’t bothered by it. Of course I’d want such a monstrous sonuva bitch like him in my guild, but I had no need for a player who had lost his resolve.」

Isaac had indeed given up on inviting Shiroe.

But he had been unable to foresee the extent of Shiroe’s growth, as well as the fact that he would cause such a scene in Akiba. Could it be that his initial evaluation had been a mistake? Isaac was bothered by this matter.

If he were asked whether he wanted to side with Shiroe, the answer would be a resounding YES.

Battling alongside that eccentric, bespectacled fellow would probably prove to be an interesting experience. It was likely that he would use methods as twisted as his visage to alter the outcome of the battlefield to the limits of what was possible. That had been the case when Isaac had partied with him. Where he was present, in a situation wherein people were normally running out on MP, they found that at least ten of them could leisurely recover——it was mind-boggling.

「Is he a schemer, or a gambler…… someone who will burn out, or someone whose ability improves over time?」

「That guy Shiroe—— is probably the sort who performs the best in a situation with 『no limits』.」

「No limits, huh——」

「I wouldn’t consider him a schemer. He’s reckless; unscrupulous; and doesn’t care about the rewards; he just wants to accomplish his goals. In a situation with no limits, his strength is incomparable. It’s akin to a demonic blade.」

Up to this point, Isaac had been unable to follow the things which Krusty said. But upon hearing it said in this manner, he experienced an epiphany.

What Isaac had observed of the past Shiroe was just his shell.

The imposing man they had seen at the conference that led to the formation of the 〈Round Table Council〉 was Shiroe's true form. Isaac was exhilarated at this thought; he laughed out loud while facing the big man standing next to him.

「So that’s why the demonic blade is currently groaning under the pile of work we buried him in. In that case, when will you unsheathe it again? Since that fellow has his uses. Well then…… I think I’ll go around and take a look at the festival. Hey Krusty, join me will you!」

After Isaac gave an earful to a reporting subordinate, he invited Krusty to come along. They left together in the direction of their city, filled with both 〈Adventurers〉 and 〈People of the Land〉.

▼5

Going a short while back in time. On another corner street, the ladies of 〈Crescent Moon Alliance〉 were preparing for the winter fashion show.

The location was at a place known as the 「Silver Hall」. It had been renovated to create this exhibition space.

In the old world, the building which contained the exhibition hall faced a large electronics store. However, in this alternate world’s Akiba, these had been replaced with ruins.

The current Silver Hall was the result of two month’s worth of time-consuming renovations. Although it was in ruins, only the upper floors had their access cut off. Other than that, it was more or less intact. The high ceilings of the place, similar to a hotel lobby’s, made it even easier to renovate.

Pouring cement into a frame made with wooden planks, then using plaster to shape the exterior; With the successful implementation of such a method, the renovation work had been made much easier. This method was invented after the formation of the 〈Round Table Council〉. Because 〈Adventurers〉 had the ability to craft items quickly, the work could be carried out swiftly. Another assisting factor was the fact that the labor force was headed by elves.

Silver Hall had been partitioned into various areas for respective events and other purposes. The place set aside for the main activity of the autumn festival was the largest hall in the building. Many guilds had set up booths within this space and were busy with last minute preparations.

〈Crescent Moon Alliance’s〉 clothing retail team was just one team among many others from different guilds. They were currently sprucing up their own booth.

The booth’s area was five square meters. This was all taken up by the table which contained the cash register and the boxes which stored their merchandise. They set up the display cases, which had been converted from cupboards, arranging their signature products within——shirts colored with plant-based dyes.

Apart from Maryelle, there were others who were manning the booth as well, acting as sales assistants. Akatsuki, who had been dragged here early this morning, was at one corner of the store, being dressed up by a fanatic Henrietta.

「Akatsuki-chan is really cute! Seriously! I think I might faint!」

「This outfit is fine, I guess……」

Akatsuki protested in this manner while raising her gaze, causing Henrietta to swoon in adoration. ❤s were popping out from her body. When Akatsuki tried to escape, Henrietta grabbed her by her wrist. 「It’s not over yet」 she declared mercilessly.

Akatsuki was wearing the booth’s merchandise. She wore a waistcoat colored with plant dyes complementing a black top worn underneath, and an asymmetrical cotton skirt. The tassels on the hem of the skirt and the wooden-bead necklace created an ethnic feel. It was very cute.

「Why don’t you apply some makeup since you rarely have the opportunity.」

「Such a thing…… uu, I’m not really used to it.」

「It’s not a problem——Relax.」

Henrietta kneeled down so that she was eye to eye with Akatsuki. Akatsuki looked extremely uneasy and was planning to escape, however Henrietta gave a ‘no’ gesture with the eyeliner in her hand. She blocked Akatsuki, sealing off all her escape routes.

Women had much better complexions in this alternate world. In Akatsuki’s opinion, there was no need for makeup at all.

However, makeup was not something which was applied because it was 「needed」. 「You look great」. Girls were not satisfied with just achieving this level——this was part of their nature.

Akatsuki was not averse to makeup per se. In the old world, she applied makeup, albeit sparingly. (A fact she hid out of embarrassment).

Furthermore, in this alternate world, it made one feel vain to appraise one’s own face in a mirror.

In their original world, applying makeup was something done without a second thought. However, when you considered it carefully, it may have actually been a symbolic action. Wasn't it equivalent to changing skin textures in game terms? In a sense, it was similar to changing one’s identity.

While Akatsuki had used makeup in the original world, her experience was limited to the application of lip gloss. She had never painted her lips or used mascara before.

「Guu~」

「Akatsuki-chan is the image of Japanese beauty.」

While Akatsuki was busy reminiscing her personal experience with makeup, Henrietta had been swiftly applying it on her. Akatsuki was helpless and sat stiffly as Henrietta used a fine lipstick to define the lines of her lips.

「Relax, I’ve only applied a light layer of makeup. Though, it still looks natural enough to fool those stupid men who can’t tell the difference anyways——Furthermore, Akatsuki-chan fits the image of a Japanese beauty, so if you wear this sort of ethnic-themed outfit or an outfit that is too casual, the effect would be rather clashing. Hence we need to intensify the colors a bit. We’ll also fix up your hair with a hairpin.」

Akatsuki could only nod her head in response.

Indeed, as Akatsuki looked downwards, she noted that this sort of dress which was ethnic-themed or village-themed, did not match her black hair.

Following Henrietta’s directions, Akatsuki used a few pieces of blotting paper, removing most of the oil on her face. Henrietta exclaimed 「Hu hu! So cute~」. She grabbed Akatsuki and hugged her with a “XD” expression on her face.

Until recently, Akatsuki would have felt offended at being treated as a mascot. However, for some strange reason, she could tolerate such treatment in this world of 〈Elder Tale〉.

（Is it because I don’t feel like I’m being looked down on?）

While that might have been the case, Akatsuki still resisting slightly. Noticing this, Henrietta released her after tidying up her hair with a hairpin. The hairstyle which she saw in the mirror consisted of her normal straight long hair, however as it had been affixed with the hairpin, it gave her the feel of an onee-san.

Akatsuki used to think that such a hairstyle did not go well with her short stature, so she had avoided it. However, that did not seem to be the case once she actually saw it. Akatsuki relaxed her expression involuntarily.

（The feel of an onee-san…… I like the sound of that!）

「How is it?」

「Well…… ah.」

Akatsuki was speechless. She felt delighted inside, but to actually admit that would make her uncomfortable. She didn't want to look like she was showing off. At the same time, though, it would be ungrateful of her to deny her feelings after Henrietta had spent so much time on her.

Her clothes and makeup were all products featured in this exhibition.

「Do you not like it?——Shiroe-san, it’s cute isn’t it?」

「Uh，eh?」

Akatsuki’s hesitation was erased by Henrietta’s words. It was as though she had been petrified by the 〈Medusa’s〉 gaze. A chill ran down her back. 「It couldn’t be?」 she thought uneasily.

「Mm, I think it suits her.」

A deep calm voice appeared from behind her——a voice which always sounded a bit troubled. It came from Akatsuki’s lord, Shiroe.

「When did you——」

「I just arrived. After all, I’ve been asked to help out as well.」

Shiroe shrugged while he continued. Akatsuki was unable to meet his gaze. Akatsuki’s mouth was trembling in a weird shape, it was as though it was not her part of her body.

Unaware of the hidden feelings that were present, Henrietta asked 「How is this current getup?」, pushing the reluctant Akatsuki (who felt like hiding) forward.

Akatsuki frantically tried to hide behind Shiroe’s back, however Henrietta gently grabbed hold of her and held her tight. While Akatsuki could easily push Henrietta away and escape, that was too extreme a course of action.

In the end, Akatsuki had to put up with her current appearance, she looked accusingly at both Henrietta and Shiroe. What she thought to be an obvious expression of her hatred looked like puppy eyes to the other two. It was simply gorgeous.

「Relax Akatsuki, that look suits you.」

Shiroe placed his hand on top of Akatsuki’s head. Whenever Shiroe did that, her temperature would rise easily. Akatsuki hated that part of herself. Shiroe might have replied out of reflex or courtesy, but Akatsuki was delighted nonetheless. This caused her some conflict.

（Agh! I don’t have the right to be considered a ninja!）

Akatsuki frantically tried to restore her original expression. However, she lacked her usual confidence today.

「What do you need me to do?」

「Shiroe-san, please wear these clothes.」

Shiroe gave a dejected expression when he looked through the clothes that Henrietta had given him. While they appeared comfortable, Shiroe did not seem to like them. Akatsuki felt a tiny bit of happiness with regard to this fact.

（My lord, this is your punishment for humiliating me.）

Since Shiroe was always seen wearing fancy clothes, Akatsuki wished to see how he looked like in casual clothes. Just as Akatsuki was about to open her mouth to say something, she was interrupted by a clear ringing sound that came from outside.

There was a brief moment of silence. Then it was broken by what sounded like cheering, and clapping also started from an unknown source.

Maryele, who had appeared in front of the three of them, was also clapping her hands happily.

——It had begun. This was the first festival organized by the 〈Adventurers〉 in this alternate world. At this exhibition which was one of the main events of the festival, the large hall was filled with all sorts of clothing and accessories.

「Alright, who’s coming today? I hope business will be great…… though making a hundred pieces might have been too much, just try your best everybody!」

「The show’s about to start. Shiroe-san, Akatsuki-chan…… please help out for this half of the day. The two of you are the models for our booth, try hard to achieve good results!」

Shiroe and Akatsuki lost to the bright smiles on the faces of those two. They could only nod repeatedly in response.

It was the second day of the 「Libra Festival」. The curtains were rising. The highlight of this exhibition was about to begin.

________________

▼ Name: Minori

▼ Age: 14

▼Weapon: Diligence

▼Specialty: Full Battle Control (Simplified Version)

▼Birthday: September 18

▼Favorite Food: Cauliflower

▼Apparel 1:

[Plain Denim Skirt]

A regular long skirt without any special abilities, made from from denim cloth. However, it is so well-sewn that you can feel the sincerity in the workmanship. It was actually made by a 〈People of the Land〉 artisan who was inspired by the designs of 〈Adventurer〉 outfits. Minori bought it without knowing about this fact.

▼Apparel 2:

[Freshwater Pearl Scrunchie]

A scrunchie made from small freshwater pearls. When Minori became Shiroe’s assistant, the opportunities to tie up her hair increased, hence Henrietta passed her personal scrunchie to her. It can also be worn as a bracelet.

▼ Apparel 3:

[White Bespectacled Bear Doll]

A doll that Minori made. It was made as one of the items to be traded in the city originally. However, she liked the doll so much that she kept it. Its eyes are too sharp no matter how you look at it, but its owner likes this part about it.

---------------------
NOTE: Translations by
hayashi_san, with help from Queenie Beatrice and Daniel Jr Villa, along with various anon users.