Vol 3 Chapter 5 (1/2)
Volu Humans are so weak after all”
—— The Cheerful Murders Incident No 6
“I am Cheerful Swordsman Nanako!”
“I am Cheerful Philosopher Suika!”
The two voices were in harmony The harirl and the soprano of a boy about to break his voice pierced through the night as they confronted the followers of Darkness
“We are!”
“We are!”
The two suddenly turned around and drew their weapons
“We are cruel fighters who show no mercy to monsters! We will conquer you! Don’t think we’re stubborn and naïve! We are also known as ‘The Cheerful Murders’! We will vanquish you in 170 seconds!”
“Don’t be stupid! This isn’t a game for children!”
The heavily armoured monsters displayed no fear or apprehension as they called out to the two es
“How old are you? Why are you still wearing a full suit of tight are intentions towards Nanako?”
The dry monotone of the eleven-year-old tortured the spirit of the monster, who recoiled as if hurt With a flutter in his heart, the boy turned and asked expressionlessly, “Nanako-chan, should I not have said that in such a grown up manner?”
To begin with, the suits of aranisms that resemble ants They conforht When irritated, they produce for the powerful solvent, the two iround beneath their feet dissolved
“What are you doing?”
“What’s that strange liquid oozing out of your mouth?!”
Despite that she had said such an i, she was still surprised by the sudden attack Moreover, the checkered miniskirt, which she had hitherto paid no heed, twisted and fell off
“Na-Na-Nanako-chan”
With puppy-like eyes, the young boy as her partner looked up at her He felt a tightness in his chest, a mixture of sweetness, and at the same time, extreme embarrassment
———— The Mansion in the Village of Wintering, in the Room
Flip
The De: “…”
The Hero: “…”
Flip flip
The De: “Heh… This is the really intense part”
The Hero: “Really?!”
The Deerous To think that such a wonderful scene would exist in the six volume series”
The Hero: “…Hoho”
The De: “But this is completely unreasonable!”
Shuts book!
The Hero: “What’s wrong, De?”
The Deainst the author! This ht?! Eleven years old er than the Little Maid Sister!”
The Hero: “Mm, yeah? Thereabouts…”
The De scene! Even if it’s coincidental, those lips, that… Hehhhh! I want to complain!”
The Hero: “?”
The De: “In this world, there exists two people who are far more mature, but why is it that such wonderful acts of coincidence only occur in the destinies of people like theentlee!”
The Hero: “Calm down”
The De: “…I am calm”
The Hero: “Really”
Flips pages
The De: “Hero”
The Hero: “?”
The De: “Take the book”
The Hero: “Got it”
The De: “…Ahem”
The Hero: “?”
The De: “How do you feel?”
The Hero: “Normal”
The De
The Hero: “What’s wrong?”
The De Open it halfway”
The Hero: “It’s slightly off, though”
The De nods
The Hero: “?”
The Dehs
The Hero: “What’s up?”
The De”
The Hero: “Really?”
The De: “Hero Touch my ear”
The Hero: “?” Reaches over
The De: “Mmm” Flinches
The Hero: “…Uhhh”
(The De on)
The De: “…”
The Hero: “U”
The De: “?”
The Hero: “About the Fee”
The De: “You said that before That’s fine”
The Hero: “Y-yeah But, your ear… it’s very… cute?”
The De? It’s not even the least bit related”
The Hero: (…I failed I aate to a girl’s heart after all)
The De: “Mmm”
The Hero: “Hope you’re feeling better, De”
The De about the way I was feeling”
The Hero: “I see…”
The Deain”
The Hero: “Yeah…”
The De: “Mmm”
The Hero: “Uhh”
The Deain”
The Hero rubs
The De yawns
The Hero: “U?”
The De: “…?”
The Hero: “You look sleepy”
The De: “I’m not sleepy at all”
The Hero: “I see…”
Knock knock
The Chief Maid: “Your Majesty I’ve made some custard”
Sets down
The De: “Really! Looks delicious Let’s eat”
The Hero: “Yeah”
The Chief Maid: “Hero, has so happened?”
——— The City of Reeds, Outside the Market
Disciple Bard: “～～♪ Spring is co, rejoice, rejoice Let us escape fro sing, let the birds in the woods pray ♪”
Female Citizen: “What a beautiful voice…”
Disciple Bard: (Extend !)
Citizen: “A!”
Disciple Bard: “～～♪ Receiving the laugh of the blessed sun, the flowers blooinal love of♪ The rabbits in the forest are singing, the nightingales chirping The flowers blossoirls dance the joyous dance of spring”
Female Citizen: “What a musician!”
Far of barley!”
Farhter: “Thank you very much”
Citizen: “Right! Give !”
Farhter: “Yes!”
Disciple Bard: “Thank you!”
Fe time since I was last able to listen to such beautiful music”
Rich Citizen: “Well, you would be really high profile musician if you performed in a palace somewhere”
Disciple Bard: “No, no, perfor to do”
Citizen: “Please co”
Farhter: “Thank you～♪”
—
Disciple Bard: “Looks like you were real busy!”
Far you!”
Farhter: “We sold a lot more than we usually do!”
Disciple Bard: “Great!” Smiles
Farmer: “Thank you very much! This is just a little bit!”
Disciple Bard: “It’s alright, it’s alright! You really don’t have to! You’ve already given me some delicious bread!”
Farmer: “But…”
Farhter: “Here Have some more bread then”
Disciple Bard: “…I’d love to Thank you! See you again!”
Farain!”
Disciple Bard: “The next time we meet～♪”
——– The City of the Gate, the Chambers of Commerce of the Union
The Young Merchant: “Good work”
Shrewd Accountant: “Good work… Have some cold safflower tea”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Thank you”
The Young Merchant: “Hoas the Conference?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “As expected, we couldn’t settle anything right away, but I feel like we ”
The Young Merchant: “Do you think it will pass?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “I believe so”
The Young Merchant: “If this plan doesn’t go through, trade and a whole bunch of other things will be very difficult First the roads, then the irrigation channels and dikes”
Shrewd Accountant: “You’ve really planned quite far ahead”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “It’s because there aren’t a lot of opportunities for business here in the Subterranean World”
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Explanation
Safflower: The flower is also used as red dye It originally blooms yellow but the petals slowly turn red The petals can be dried and brewed into a tonic The resultant tonic can be dried to a powder and consumed
————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-
The Young Merchant: “More ie is a real problem”
Shrewd Accountant: “Yeah”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Mediue?”
The Young Merchant: “The theory is simple For example, let’s say somebody has two units of salt and soe one unit of their goods, they would both have the same amount of salt and meat Then they would both be able to eat and live happily In this way, as long as they’re just exchanging goods, they wouldn’t have a need for currency The Subterranean World does use currency but trading with gold bullion or barter is oods is usually carried out by Khans and leaders through barter It would be difficult to create a systee in this case”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “I see”
The Young Merchant: “However, we are e We would be able to buy and sell goods in a much more flexible manner It would also help to create new jobs”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “That is so I observed in the Surface World Currency anda ood transfers can be done quicker Money overns are much easier Movement is freer and as the currency issociety safer and decreasing the chance of violence”
Shrewd Accountant: “…Hmm”
The Young Merchant: “And loans will increase too”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Is that part of the plan?”
The Young Merchant: “This time, we have put an extraordinary amount of effort into it, but loans are a type ofLoans are basically an officialised way of saying, ‘I’ll pay you back in soive me some money first’”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Is that hoe get a e?”
The Young Merchant: “Let’s have a simple example Let’s assuold pieces and I’ll pay you back a hundred gold pieces’ If you could sign this contract without old pieces, right? To the other party, this would also be the saold pieces in future, right? Here, if you add it up, you’ve got two hundred gold pieces, right? You’ve theoretically increased the amount of money”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “In that case, I think that’s an untruthful systeold pieces being paid back after a definite a How can you say that the amount of money has increased?”
The Young Merchant: “That is true, but perhaps you have seen et your hands on a large sum of money, then there are old coins into a hundred and fifty gold coins If I do that, I have effectively created fifty gold coins at no cost to myself Wouldn’t you call that profitable?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “I suppose that’s true”
The Young Merchant: “That is the power of currency Currency is basically the exchange of trust for capital It seems that there are no banks in the De and it seeour capital here”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “Don’t look atthis city or the Dein with, this isn’t so the Union richer, nobody loses anything”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “I’ll trust you on that”
The Young Merchant: “Thank you”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Can I take it that you intend to use the trust of the City of the Gate, the Tribe of the Gate, and the daughter of the Khan of Dragons, that is to say, e for capital?”
The Young Merchant: “…Well…”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “It is as you said, ‘Money used as wealth is completely different from money used as a tool The latter has the na on it’”
The Young Merchant: “Yes I did say that”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “In that case, I want to know precisely what you intend to do with the wealth which you will be obtaining froht? It is my trust after all”
The Young Merchant: “Of course it is”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “I’ll be looking forward to that, then”
The Young Merchant: “My, my”
Shrewd Accountant: “Hahaha You seem so troubled”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “If I let you loose, you’d probably tear down the naons”
The Young Merchant: “Well, in that case, I’d better start planning… Hmm”
Shrewd Accountant: “Yeah, come I have prepared it all Paper, pen, ink, and athered by one hoh it”
The Young Merchant: “Is that so? Very good”
Shrewd Accountant: “Leave it to me”
Walks off and closes the door
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “Hmm”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Merchant”
The Young Merchant: “Yes?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “What is it?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “—Let’s say I was captured by a fearsome enemy and I wouldn’t live to see the dawn of the morroould you do?”
The Young Merchant: “Nothing”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “That was a joke… I would save you of course?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “So you would save me”
The Young Merchant: “…Is that a hard question from a newcomer?”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Maybe”
The Young Merchant: “…”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “I wouldn’t save you just for the sake of saving you”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Eh?”
The Young Merchant: “Awithout profit”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “…”
The Young Merchant: “However, you have given me many opportunities and learn very quickly You are cool under pressure and very fair I couldn’t ask for a better business partner”
The Fire Dragon Lady: “Then… for life?”
The Young Merchant: “Haven’t I said this before? The merchant’s battle lasts forever”
——— The Kingdom of the Lake, a Guesthouse in a Small City
Rain splashi+ng
Disciple Bard: “What a heavy rain… I can’t see anything in this weather So spring is the season for rain over here… That being said, despite being spring, it’s quite cold…”
Drip, drip…
Disciple Bard: (Hmm So that’s how it is — I’ve heard a lot about this Holy Relic but I don’t know anything conclusive about it…)
Disciple Bard: “Hh when you don’t know anybody from around here What should I do?”
Rain pouring
Disciple Bard: (…I’ve still got sodoe, I should head over to the capital If there’re lots of people there, I should be able to et hired at a large inn somewhere for a month or so I could pick up some new rumours too…)
Knock knock
Disciple Bard: “hello?”
Innkeeper: “I’m terribly sorry”
Disciple Bard: “What’s wrong?”
Innkeeper: “The shi+ps have been unable to leave the ports because of this horrible storuests who left in the afternoon have coh rooht for you to share rooms?”
Disciple Bard: “Share rooms?”
Innkeeper: “Yes, you would be sharing with a woman of course I would only allow men to share rooms with men I’ll do my best to cater to any needs you have, do tell e rooms”
Disciple Bard: “Of course it’s alright” Smiles
Elder Sister Maid: “I apologise”
Disciple Bard: “No, no, I apologise I’e out of these clothes as soon as I can”
Elder Sister Maid: “Ahh, of course Please come in”
Innkeeper: “Then, I have had so to this arrangement”
Disciple Bard: “Sure”
Elder Sister Maid: “Thank you for your kind understanding”
Disciple Bard: “How should I address you?”
Elder Sister Maid: “I am the Elder Sister Maid It’s a pleasure to et dressed”
Disciple Bard: “I a bard So you’re a traveller too How nice”
Rain pouring
Disciple Bard: “What a heavy rain”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yeah… Umm, would you like some tea?”
Disciple Bard: “Eh? Yeah That would be great, thank you”
Elder Sister Maid: “I’ll pour you some, then”
Disciple Bard: “But there’s nothing here, is there?”
Elder Sister Maid: “I’ve got soh they’re made of brass”
Disciple Bard: “Wow… A You look like such a lady yet you seem accustomed to travel”
Elder Sister Maid: “I’ family in the South”
Tea pouring…
Disciple Bard: “Mmm… It’s warm”
Elder Sister Maid: “It’s great that they provided hot water” Smiles
Disciple Bard: “Ahh, I’ve got some hard-baked cookies”
Elder Sister Maid: “Is it alright?”
Disciple Bard: “Sure, take half”
Elder Sister Maid: “Thank you”
Rain pouring
Disciple Bard: “So where are you going?”
Elder Sister Maid: “For the ti, to the City of the Lake”
Disciple Bard: “Why? It’s alright if you don’t want to tell me”
Elder Sister Maid: “I’ to peruse the library of the Holy Order of the Lake I’ve got a few things which are onsaid, I’doms”
Innkeeper: “Wow!”
Elder Sister Maid: “I realised that there are a lot of things that I need to see But it’s really quite tiring to just fly out of one’s own country like that”
Disciple Bard: “Yeah, it is… Things are expensive and it can get quite dangerous The further North you go, the harsher things seem to be”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yeah…”
Disciple Bard: “Where I come from, even in times of war, people don’t really die of starvation… so it was really quite a shock when I witnessed it for myself”
Elder Sister Maid: “I see… Where are you from?”
Disciple Bard: “Ahh Hehehe A very long ay”
Elder Sister Maid: “I see”
Rain pouring
Disciple Bard: “Hey”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yeah?”
Disciple Bard: “When you say library, would it be about the Spirit of Light?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Yeah I hear the Holy Order keeps records about all kinds of things related to the Spirit”
Disciple Bard: “Do you think I could go with you?”
Elder Sister Maid: “?”
Disciple Bard: “Actually I’ a poe e directions But I’… On my journeys, I’ve developed an interest in this rumour about a Holy Relic”
Elder Sister Maid: “Is that so?”
Disciple Bard: “When you are writing poetry, it’s not good to force things But I thought that since I developed this on my own… Nah, it’s really hard to explain”
Elder Sister Maid: “Sure”
Disciple Bard: “Eh?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Let’s go together” Smiles
Disciple Bard: “Really? Well… I’ I said, so is it really alright for you to trustself into some kind trouble?”
Elder Sister Maid: “Humans are involved in all sorts of trouble from the day they are born”
Disciple Bard: “I see — H it Let me write that down”
Elder Sister Maid: “Hahaha”
Disciple Bard: “Eh? Ahh Sorry, sorry, I obsess over my work”
Elder Sister Maid: “That’s all right, it’s much more fun with two people after all”
——– The Kingdom of Mist, a Lord’s Manor
Steward: “Heh! Hehh!”
Obese nobleman: “Wh-hat nonsense is this!”
Young Maid: “Ah”
Obese noble!”
Steward: “What is going on?”
Obese nobleman: “!” Crumples up and throws paper
Steward: “This is…”
Obese nobleman: “How did the Wheat Futures Contracts end up in the hands of the Church! Now there’s no way I can renege on this agreement! That damn fool!”
Runs in
Attendant: “My Lord! There’s trouble!”
Obese nobleman: “What? What is it!”
Attendant: “A Collector for the Church has appeared in the city and the neighbouring villages!”
Obese nobleman: “Collector…?”
Attendant: “They’ve been collecting large a it with them!”
Slams table
Young Maid: “Ahh!”
Obese nobleman: “That daht they were just colluding with the merchants but it seems their aim was to cut off power from us noblemen”
Steward: “What e do?”
Obese nobleman: “We have money! Open discussions with the Church We’ll buy back those Wheat Future Certificates Get me some ink and vellum!”
Steward: “Yes!”
Obese nobleh What an embarrassment What makes the Church think they have authority over a proud faenerations?! Do they take us for petty merchant nobles!”
Attendant: “Umm”
Obese nobleman: “Keep a look out for that Attendant! Even if he asks for one grain of wheat, make sure you stop him! No, that won’t do Stall him But do it politely”
Attendant: “How could I—”
Steward: “Go now! If you want to keep your head, you’d better work like your life depends on it!”
Attendant: “Y-y-yes!”
Obese nobleman: “This… this won’t do”
———— The Citadel of Banshees, the Green Study
Banshee Ninja: “—No change from before”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Hmm”
Banshee Minister: “The issue runs ht”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “It’s because the conflict was extended, eh? The dissatisfactions and wants of the people are s”
Banshee Minister: “Yeah”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “The blood of the Demon Race”
Banshee Minister: “Please stop saying such terrible things”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “It would be burning if there was an objective but until then, the things we have lost and our dissatisfactions are sine the blood of the Tribe of the Fangby now”
Banshee Minister: “Then there must be some kind of other objective involved”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “—”
Banshee Minister: “From our perspective, the proposal by the Khan of the Gate is not a bad thing”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “That may be so, but we should also consider if this will pointlessly aggravate the Demons of the Pale”
Banshee Minister: “It should be fine if we pick a good place”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Place, huh”
Banshee Minister: “This transit pass idea is an interesting attempt”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Oh?”
Banshee Minister: “Having carefully exa separate transit passes for each of the Nine Roads would be better”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Ho”
Banshee Minister: “For exa to the City of Giants could purchase the passes, the Banshee lands would still become richer In other words, merchants will require the passes The more merchants require the passes, the more passes we can sell, and the faster the job will be completed”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Hmm”
Banshee Minister: “Also, we should consider sending out our youngroads outside of the Banshee territories If you’re worried about the battle with the Demons of the Pale, then we should send them as far away as possible first, perhaps to the lands of the Automatons We Banshees are relatively advanced in water treatation techniques I would think that any country would welcoineers”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “…Hmm”
Banshee Minister: “What do you think?”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “Call the Chief Engineer He is ineers of the land Have him set up hundred men construction teams and wait for my instructions I will deliberate with the council and see just what price the technology of the Banshees can fetch”
Banshee Minister: “Shall we draft mercenaries?”
The Witch-Queen of Banshees: “How repulsive No, we’ll just rely on the people It’s time to show the Demon World the power of the Banshees”