Chapter 211: Isolated and Helpless, I guess? (1/2)

“Ngh, I’m too stuffed…”

Pochi climbed up my back, her voice happy, her eyes sleepy, and her breath… fishy.

“And we just had breakfast before this…”

“Don’t you know that it’s important to get some sleep after a meal, Master?”

Bah, I swear, this damn furball is always locked into her in-development age.

I carried Pochi on my back, Chappie rubbed up against my shoulder, and Bright walked beside me, smiling.

As we exited the entrance to Eddo’s, Polco greeted us with a broad grin.

“So, how was the famous Sushi of T’oued, young Shiro?”

“The best ever, sir!”

Pochi replied without a care in the world… but wait, how’d Polco know that we just had Sushi?

“I didn’t mean to pry, by the way – just happened to see you all eating when I passed by that street.”

Polco continued speaking as if he could see right through me, then turned to look at Bright.

“Regalia does have some of these restaurants where you eat standing up, too. It’s quite interesting to see the facets of society we don’t normally experience, isn’t it, Bright?”

“Yes, sir. I have learned something from this experience, and intend on putting this knowledge to good use going forward.”

Naturally, Polco has accumulated a great deal of knowledge through means of mundane experience.

Which is why he’s gotten to hold such a high position in the Traditionalist Faction, I suppose.

After that, Polco signaled that we should get a fair distance away from town before teleporting, so we walked for about twenty minutes, like an after-dinner stroll.

“Now then… this should be far enough, don’t you think, young Poer?”

“Your concern is much appreciated, sir… Rise, A-rise, A-rise…”

I set up the Teleportation Spell Circle. Polco, after confirming its activation, chuckled.

“Now that was quite a fast drawing. I’ve never seen a Circle be drawn this quickly before, I don’t think?”

“Oh, that’s flattering, Master Polco.”

“And you’re not very good at feigning humility, hmm, young Poer?”

I tilted my head at that last unexpected remark.

“Excuse me, sir?”

“Well, actually, YOU are doing it well, but… why don’t you look at young Shiro there?”

What Polco pointed at was… Pochi, beaming with pride.

Right, of course. The doggo’s always been one to expose my weak points during this sort of talk.

She sure looks so damn happy about a compliment that wasn’t even for her, though.

“Anyway, let us hurry back to Kugg Village. We can talk more back at the mansion – wouldn’t do us good if someone were to spot us.”

“Yes, sir.”

I replied with a wry smile and quietly watched as Polco, Bright, and Chappie teleported away.

Then once Pochi, still puffing with pride, stepped into the Spell Circle, her expression suddenly took a complete change.

“Hmm?!”

As Pochi’s body was being teleported away, she turned to look at me… with quite a sharp glare.

It’s vague, but she’s definitely telling me to be on guard. The moment I looked over my shoulder, powerful balls of fire rained down from above my head.

“Whoa?!”

I barely dodged it and held up my staff, and tried to figure out where the spell had been cast from.

But before I could find out, a small group of warriors appeared in front of me.

Ones I already knew well, too – associates of the Douglas household, led by Chiquiata.

But Chiquiata herself isn’t here. She was probably hiding somewhere around here.

Dīnō appeared in the scene front and center, and in the air behind him came the Cobalt Dragon. Maybe Chiquiata is a bit further back?

Seriously though, their timing sure was perfect… -ly bad. Now my Teleportation Spell Circle’s disappeared because I was taking too long.

Hmm… for now, let’s see what pissing off Dīnō will do this time.

“What the hell, the dog and the Adams dude just vanished into thin air! The hell did you do?”

“Hey, long time no see, Dīnō.”

Pochi and everyone else has already teleported back to my room in the Adams’ mansion, so I can’t expect any help from them.

And with the enemies’ numbers, it’ll be quite hard to just run away. Guess the best I can try is to lead Dīnō away from the group and deal with things from there.

“I don’t remember being that familiar with you.”

“And Miss Chiquiata? Is she here with us?”

“Listen to me first, dammit!”

He’s getting pissed off – good.

And from what I can see, the other warriors here are being quite tense, probably because of the sheer difference between my power and theirs.

“I know you’ve gotten a bit stronger, but you really think you can survive against this many people, huh?!”

All right, now let’s try-

“Calm down, Dīnō.”

…Andddddd here comes Chiquiata. Cool as a cucumber, as always.

And her voice was so deep that I could even feel a menacing aura from it… not to mention that it instantly calmed Dīnō down.

I was going to use Dīnō’s body – not gigantic, but still larger than a man – as cover while using a flash-bang spell to escape, but now that Dīnō’s stopped moving because of Chiquiata’s words, I can’t use that strategy anymore.

What’s more, with Chiquiata stepping forward, the stare of the already mighty Cobalt Dragon became even sharper.