Chapter 277

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I heard a noise from somewhere.

It was from outside.

When I step out onto the terrace, I notice a cloud of dust rising in the direction of Faymbaum.

An army marches in formation toward us. They were fully armed alien soldiers. Cart rows are drawn by magical beasts and golems. A small winged dragon could be seen twirling in the air above. It was a big army.

The female knight with the feather adornment is the one blowing the horn in front. It was Chario, a Valkyrie. Did she have wings before?

They were without a doubt Faymbaum’s troops, though there were so many of them. Roughly 30% of them were hazy figures that looked like phantoms. What exactly are they?

『How?』

Arshella appears from behind me. Her brow furrowed, her face solemn.

『–Did Orlando finally lift his heavy ass after being poked by Papameyan?』

『Oh, my sister is in there too.』Ferris said.

『Gevaudan.』

Titania rushes out onto the terrace as well.

She snickers as she stands next to me, staring down at the troops.

『Titania, stay here and take charge of the bugs. I’ll go meet them.』

Tyriel held me back with both hands as I turned around.

『–—Wait a second! We’ll go speak with them first! We don’t want any miscommunications or misunderstandings!』

『Hurry up, hurry up!』

Lydia rushed off, followed by the other three.

『Gevaudan. I will deal with that army. Can you buy me some time?』

『Yes? alright. But what are you going to do?』

『They must be tired from their long trip. Let’s give them a nice, cold “hospitality” Ufufufu……』

Titania’s smile widens.

I should ask her a favor before I forget.

『Titania, I forgot to tell you earlier.』

『What’s the matter?』

『Abigail may be a little prickly with strangers, and things are getting a little tense right now, but she’s actually a lovely, caring girl. I’m sure she’ll get along well with you, so don’t be too tough on her. I’ll also going to encourage her to get to know you better.』

Thus, a roundabout request that please don’t secretly roast, hijack her brain or turn her into a meat dumpling behind my back. Titania has certain bizarre characteristics that beyound common sense.

『……』

No response. Was I wrong to express my favoritism toward Abigail right after the commotion?

But her eyes are just staring at me calmly. No sparks. So, I try to persuade her one more time.

『It’s just that……. I like Titania the best, but what can I say, Abigail is a very important friend……..and a partner……..I also already promised her! So I’d like for us to be able to properly be with her as well…………. can I?』

Then the corners of Titania’s eyes lowered.

『–You really trust her, don’t you??』

『 Yeah. Just like Titania! 』

She let out a small sigh and nodded resignedly.

『……I understand. I was thinking of kicking her out as soon as I got everything I need from her, but I won’t now. If Gevaudan wishes, let’s get along with Abigail.』

Oh……that was close…….

『Thank you!』

『In exchange, I’d like to hear more about Gevaudan.』

『About me?』

『I’m a little jealous that all the other women know so much about you…….』

Titania leaned closer to me and pinched my apron.

『I see. Sorry Sorry. Then I’ll do it when I come back. promise』

When I stretched out Butcher’s thick pinky finger, she tilted her head slightly.

『What’s this?』

『It’s called pinky promise, don’t you know?』

I wonder if it’s a cultural difference……. I’m kind of embarrassed to extend my pinky and let it hang like this…….

I teach her how to do pinky promise, and we intertwine our pinkies together.

『kuku……you like this kind of cute and childish bonding?』

『I also enjoy adult bonding that isn’t quite cute as well, but we’re both busy right now, so I am holding back.』

『Geez.』

Titania rolled her eyes and hid her mouth at my embarrassing remark.

『I like it too. Gevaudan』

『Really?』

Yay.

『But…… don’t talk about our private matters in public! It’s embarrassing!』

『Tits……』

『No!!』

I turned on my heel, satisfied that I had brought out another of her new expressions.

『Then I’m going.』

『Yes. Take care.』

I turned my attention to my weapons stash as Titania with flint in her hands saw me off. I wondered where she got it from.

In a short sprint, I stumble through the frantic anthill castle.

—That was a close call. We would’ve been late in responding to the situation if I had been irresponsible and engaged in 8P. It’s actually a blessing in disguise.

I ran into Abigail on the way.

“There you are, Gevaudan.”

“Abigail. Where’s Natsuki and Yakumo?”

“In their room.”

“Then you guys stay inside. Maybe the target is Yakumo. Tell Natsuki that I’m not going to give him away, so don’t worry.”

I take Abigail to the familiar cave.

『It’s strange, I feel like we had the most peaceful time here back then…….』

『We’ve had quite a lot of sex here. I wish you could ride me again.』

『You can still afford to be so perverted in this situation…….』

The way she looks at me is so nice. A gorgeous woman can look good no matter what her face looks like.

『Oh, right, I’ve talked to Titania about you. So I hope Abigail will be a little bit softer with her too. I’m sure things will work out……. Oh, and you should make this your room. I’ll totally creep in at night. Yeah, we should also set up a secret sign for the days you don’t want me to come over. We need some privacy too. I’ll even make a private shower room!』

『You really….』

Firearms, spare ammunition, butcher knives, butcher hammers, new aprons, and spare bags. One after another, I threw everything I felt was useful into the multi-dimension bag. The Polaroid was also included.

I wore the horns Garnier gave me like a dog tag around my neck. Since it is on a leather strap, it looks like a choker. It had been a long time since I had worn an accessory, and I felt somewhat at ease with it.

“Abigail, here.”

I handed her the revolver.

“This is…… your faithless, isn’t it?”

“Yes. You keep it. It’s just a regular one. I already have this. ”

I pulled out my machine gun. It no longer fit in my bag, so I just carried it. Even with other dimensions, there was a limit to its capacity.

Then Abigail looked at the revolver and asked pensively.

“–Gevaudan, are you really leaving for Tartarus?”

“Yeah. I believe it gives me a better way to life than having nothing to do.”

“……”

“What about Abigail?”

“I am……”

She clammed up and dropped her gaze, hugging her arms.

She stared down at her toes, a somber expression on her face.

“Will you come with me?”

“-Yeah. Of course, I’m going.”

“It might be dangerous, you know?”

“It’s too late for that. It’s just that…… I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now. I don’t know what else I can do……..”

“I see. Well, it looks like Titania has a homeland somewhere. Maybe there’s an ocean there if we can make it.”

“The ocean?”

“You said you wanted to see it. Actually, I want to see it too. For now, why don’t you aim for it with me?”

“You remember that lame talk?”

“I was a little nervous at the time because it was right before we were about to go on our last big mission. I was prepared for the worst. Abigail was talking about how much fun you are at the time, so naturally, it left such an impression on me.”

“……”

“Why don’t you sit back here and then think carefully about what’s next?”

I noticed Abigail fidgeting strangely.

“What’s wrong?”

“………… Gevaudan.”

Abigail looked up as if determined.

“I, I have to tell you something–”

『Gevaudan, come quick! We can’t do this ourselves!』

Lydia’s reminder came.

“We’ll talk about it when we get back. Take care of Natsuki and Yakumo.”

“—-oh”

The team is ready to meet the enemy.

I felt like a captain with all the bugs in tow, and I’m reassured by the presence of the giant centipede, Five.

–what?

At the head of Faymbaum’s army was an old orc, Orlando. The army was led not by Dantalion, but by Orlando in person.

Highland Zephyr is with him…………. Oh? I see the manager too, and Phoenicia. But Dantalion doesn’t seem to be there.

“§◎●□△○▽Ferris!!”

『I’m fine! Leave me alone!!』

A sibling quarrel breaks out at a distance. Ferris was in heat and rebellious. To put it another way, it was puberty. It was time for her to depart from her parents. It was a trying time for her.

The march of the insects stopped.

I left them behind and stepped forward on my own.

Orlando saw this and step forward, flanked on both sides by Papameyan and Manager.

With dirt crunching beneath our feet, we faced each other…….

Orlando wielded an absurdly long spear. It was a huge one, about three times his height. It’s so lengthy that I initially mistook it for a war flag.

“▲〓△▼※▼”

I don’t understand it……

I beckon Lydia and ask her to translate for her when she arrives.

『We’re here to negotiate.』Orlando restated.

『With this army, I don’t know if you can call this a negotiation』

『Hand over that boy. we’ll call it square.』

『He’s dead. I killed him.』

『He’s not. The scouts reported that you brought the boy out of the fort.』

A sigh escaped my lips. Not good.

『For some reason, that fort is on the verge of falling. You’ve done well.』

『Then let go of the Yakumo issue.』

『That’s not enough!!…….you destroyed the main attack force! You’ve killed a lot of our soldiers again!!』

*thud*! He hit the ground with his spear.

『Give me the boy!! –And I’ll take your head for what you’ve done.We will momentarily withdraw our forces if you and the boy surrender your heads. In the meantime, Titania may escape as far as she can. With luck, she might survive.』

『You’ve assembled such a large army. You know I could burn them all down right now just like before?』

When there’s a large crowd in an open field, there’s like a sitting duck for me.

『Don’t be stupid. Do you think I’ll lead a large army after being hit so hard? I’m taking countermeasures.』

I see your point.

–But, you know.

My <Suffer Howling> can randomly brand anyone who hears it, and it can be combined <Shearing Heat> You don’t even know it can be combined with different powers.

I could use another power to obliterate him, but…

Orlando is still my number one wanted pig.

『—-Okay. Then you can have my head.』

『Eh!?』

Lydia, who was translating for me, looked back in surprise.

『But my neck is too stiff. I can’t cut it by myself.』

*cink* *cink* I hit my neck with a sword.

『Excuse me for asking, old man, but can you cut off my neck by yourself?』

At my provocation, Orlando blurts out after a short pause.

『–Haah. You bastard……』

Orlando then arched his waist and smacked his shoulder with his fist.

–eeh…… Are you really want to do this?

It was supposed to be a setup where I would sneer at the leader Orlando and call him a “coward!”. With a body that is equivalent to 500 grams of pork loin, I think he’s pushing it too hard…….

『Rather than overdoing it, why don’t you swap it with that skeleton mask beside you? 』

『Kak-ka-ka.』

Papameyan just laughed and didn’t move.

Orlando took a deep breath.

In an instant, blue veins appeared on his temples.

『Don’t worry—-about it!!!…..haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!!』

The orc’s nose exhaled a jet of steam.

Immediately after, his muscles swelled.

His clothes tore, Orlando’s old body continued to transform. Eventually, his shadow grew so large that it cast over me.

『Oh, It looks like you’re still kicking, have you lost weight? 』

Papameyan looked up at him.

What finally emerged was a big, muscular, and veiny body. It’s so large that I need to look up, even though I am quite huge.

The big, long spear he had been holding earlier turned out to be the perfect size for him. He looked like an Lv. 9999 Pig demon Zhu⠀Bajie on steroids.

Long lower fangs, dripping drool, and brutal-looking bloodshot eyes.

Such monstrous eyes stared at me

『Then……I’ll chop off your head, as you wish.』

–are you kidding me?