Chapter 62

The town of Uru. Located north of the mountain range and west of Lake Uru, this small town, rich in resources, is now surrounded by a newly formed "outer wall" that was not there until last night, creating an unusual atmosphere.

This outer wall was a temporary creation by Aichi, who drove his magic-powered motorcycle around the town's perimeter to construct it. However, since Aichi's alchemy range is limited to a radius of four meters, the wall is not very high. Large monsters could easily climb it. Still, it was built with the mindset of "better safe than sorry," so it should be fine. Besides, Aichi does not intend to rely on the wall.

The residents of the town have been informed that an army of tens of thousands of monsters is approaching. Considering the speed of the monsters, the vanguard will likely arrive by evening. Naturally, the residents are in a panic. Some are shouting at the town mayor and other prominent figures, some are crying and sitting on the ground, some are hugging their neighbors tightly, and others are bumping into each other in their rush to escape, leading to arguments and commotion. Knowing that their hometown will be destroyed tomorrow and that staying means certain death, it's understandable that they cannot remain calm, and their actions are to be expected.

However, there is someone who is helping them regain their composure. It is Aiko. The "Goddess of Harvest" led the knights to a high platform and spoke loudly, explaining the situation, which gradually restored calm to the town. Her stern and reassuring presence, combined with her already high popularity, temporarily calmed the people. In a certain sense, Aiko is more like a hero than a hero.

The calmed residents can be divided into two groups: one group is unwilling to abandon their hometown and plans to share its fate, while the other group, as initially planned, will evacuate until help arrives. Among the group staying, many have sent their women and children to safety. These men believe Aiko's words about repelling the monsters and are looking for ways to help, so they have decided to stay, but as a precaution, they have sent their wives and children to safety. Despite the late hour, the town is illuminated by bright lights, and everywhere you can see people hugging and crying as they say their goodbyes.

The evacuation group left the town before dawn, packing their belongings. Now, with the sun high in the sky, some are preparing for battle, while others are taking a nap. Among those staying, most believe that the "Goddess of Harvest" and her group can do something. But even so, they are determined to defend their own city! They are filled with the resolve that they can do something! Despite the town's population being much smaller than usual, its vitality remains unchanged.

Aichi is now sitting on the temporary wall, his back to the vibrant town, looking into the distance with a gaze that seems to be focused on something. Beside him, as expected, are Tsuki and Sia. Aichi, who is deep in thought, is quietly accompanied by the two.

"Mr. Nanagi? How are the preparations going? Do you need anything?"

"No, it's fine, teacher."

Aichi answered simply without turning his head. David, unable to tolerate his attitude, retorted.

"Hey, you, Aiko... What kind of attitude is that towards your own teacher? Normally, I would have asked in detail about the artifact you're holding and the method to repel the large group of monsters, but I let it go because of Aiko's request. Just a little..."

"Mr. David, could you please be quiet?"

"Ugh... Understood..."

However, David immediately shut up when Aiko said "be quiet," his posture resembling that of a loyal dog. Despite not being a demi-human, one could almost see dog ears and a tail on him, and now, with his owner angry, he lowered his head.

"Mr. Nanagi, about the man in the black robe..."

It seems this is the main topic, and Aiko's words reveal her distress.

"You want to confirm his identity, right? And not to kill him if discovered?"

"...Yes, it must be confirmed, but... for Mr. Nanagi, it's just a lot of trouble..."

"Anyway, just bring him over."

"Eh?"

"Bring the black robe to the teacher. The teacher will handle it according to her judgment... I will do the same."

"Mr. Nanagi... Thank you very much."

Aichi's unexpected cooperation slightly surprised Aiko. From the way Aichi, who never turned his head, seemed to be deep in thought, it was clear he had a lot on his mind. Aiko gratefully accepted his help and deeply felt her own powerlessness, sighing inwardly and smiling wryly as she thanked him.

Estimating that Aiko had finished speaking, this time, Tia stepped forward to address Aichi.

"Ah, right. I also have something to talk to... cough! To discuss with you... or rather, to ask for your help. Can you listen?"

"?... Tia?"

"Y-You, you, did you forget about me... Haha, it can happen..."

Hearing an unfamiliar voice, Aichi turned his head. He saw a black fabric kimono-like robe with golden embroidery, white smooth shoulders, and a deep cleavage. From the hem that reached her knees, one could glimpse her generous legs. For a moment, Aichi's eyes widened in surprise at the black-haired, golden-eyed beauty, and he called out her name as if he had just remembered her, clearly having forgotten her existence. However, Tia, instead of being angry, blushed and breathed heavily. It's best not to ask what she meant by "such a thing."

"Um! Um! That is, you will return young master Will to Furen after this battle and then go on a journey, right?"

"Ah, yes."

"Hmm, that's what I'm asking... I want to come with you..."

"Rejected."

"......Haha. As expected, an immediate rejection. You really are the master... cough! Of course, it's free! And I will call you master and offer everything I have! My body and soul, everything! What do you think?"

"Go back, or rather, go back to the ground."

Tia spread her arms and made a declaration of servitude to Aichi with a dazed expression. However, Aichi looked at her as if she were a piece of filth and immediately rejected her, causing Tia to tremble with excitement, her cheeks turning a rosy color. She looked like a pervert, and the people around her also felt disgusted. Especially, Tsuki, who has a strong admiration and respect for the dragon people, had an expression that seemed to have lost all emotion.

"How can you be so cruel... You, who did such things to my body... I want you to take responsibility!"

Everyone's gaze turned to Aichi with a look of "Eh!?" Indeed, if left unchecked, he would be accused of a serious crime. Aichi, with a vein popping on his forehead, turned to glare at Tia, asking what was going on with his eyes.

"Ah, and you're looking at me like I'm filth... Haha... Gulp... You see, I'm very strong, right?"

Under Aichi's gaze, Tia's body trembled again as she began to explain her thought process behind her sudden declaration of servitude.

"Even among my clan, I am one of the best, especially in terms of endurance. I have never been subdued or truly felt pain by anyone else."

There were guard knights nearby who did not know Tia was a dragon person, so she omitted that part and spoke in fragments.

"Then, in battle with the master, I was made to feel... (quivering: onomatopoeia, here it means spitting blood, not the common meaning in adult content)... subdued, and for the first time, I tasted pain and defeat. Yes, that punch that resonated through my core! The tormenting impact aimed at all the wrong places! My body was filled with pain... Haha..."

Tia became excited on her own, and the knights who did not know she was a dragon person looked at Aichi with the same gaze as if they were seeing a criminal. Objectively, this was a complete act of violence against a woman. "Did you use excessive force against such a cute lady!" The knights shouted. They did not publicly condemn Aichi because the victim, Tia, did not seem to be in pain; rather, she looked happy. So, the knights with a strong sense of justice were also confused about what to do.

"...So, Aichi opened a new door?"

"That's right! My body now needs the master!"

"...Disgusting."

Tsuki's face twisted as if she had seen something unpleasant, and she summarized Tia's words with a voice devoid of any respect. Tia loudly agreed with her. Aichi could not help but reveal his true feelings, completely disgusted.

"And such a..."

Suddenly, Tia, who had a different look from her usual perverted self, placed her hands on her plump, round buttocks and began to act shyly.

"...My first time was taken."

Upon hearing those words, everyone's faces turned to Aichi, and his cheeks twitched as he shook his head, saying, "That's not true."

"I decided I would never acknowledge anyone weaker than me as a partner... But there was no such opponent in my clan... Defeated, and subdued... It was my first time... Suddenly, you did something to my buttocks... And it was so intense... I can't get married now... So, master, I want you to take responsibility."

Tia pressed her buttocks and looked at Aichi with moist eyes, while the knights looked at him with the gaze of "Sure enough, he's a criminal!" and shuddered at the phrase "suddenly attacked the buttocks." Even though Aiko and the others knew the truth, they glared at Aichi with accusing eyes. Tsuki and Sia also looked away with expressions that seemed to say, "That's a bit much." Before the approaching horde of monsters, Aichi found himself in a difficult situation.

"You, you still have a lot to do, right? Didn't you say you came out of your clan for that?"

Even Tsuki and Sia looked away, and Aichi, out of necessity, asked her about the "investigation of the dragon people."

"Um, no problem. Being by the master's side will be much more efficient, a two-for-one deal... You see, there will be many things on the journey. When you're angry, you can vent on me, right? Even a bit more intense is fine, right? It would be good for the master, right?"

"When a pervert is by your side, it's only a disadvantage."

Tia clung to Aichi, but he straightforwardly rejected her. The guard knights were angry, and the female students looked at Aichi with the same gaze as if they were seeing maggots. The male students had mixed feelings but were generally jealous of Aichi's luck with girls from another world. Aiko also began a long lecture on impure relationships with the opposite sex. For some reason, only Will looked at Aichi with admiration. This chaotic situation continued even as the horde of monsters approached. When Aichi started to feel annoyed, it finally arrived.

"!... They're here."

Aichi suddenly looked towards the northern mountain range, squinting his eyes at the distance. Although it was not yet visible to the naked eye, Aichi's "Magic Stone Eye" clearly saw it from the unmanned drone's image.

It was a horde of monsters that filled the land, including humanoid monsters like blue trolls, black wolf-type monsters about three to four meters long, six-legged lizard-type monsters, python-type monsters with sword-like growths on their backs, mantis-type monsters with four scythes, and giant spider-type monsters with countless tentacles growing from their bodies, as well as white snakes with two horns. They were a diverse group of monsters, raising dust and shaking the earth as they advanced fiercely. Their numbers were even greater than when confirmed on the mountain, over 50,000, nearly 60,000.

Moreover, above the horde of monsters, there were flying monsters, like pterodactyls. Among the dozens of pterodactyls, there was one particularly large individual with a thin, human-like figure on its back, likely the man in the black robe. Although Aiko did not want to believe it, it was most likely Shimizu Koki.

"...Aichi."

"Mr. Aichi."

Tsuki and Sia, seeing the change in Aichi's aura, understood that the time had come. Aichi nodded at them and then turned his gaze to Aiko and the others, who were tense and on edge.

"They're here, earlier than expected. They will arrive in about 30 minutes, a mixed force of over 50,000 monsters of various types."

Upon hearing the larger number of monsters, Aiko and the others' faces turned even paler. Aichi jumped onto a high platform, turned to look at their anxious faces, and smiled fearlessly.

"Don't look so worried, teacher. Even if there are a few more thousand, it's no problem. As planned, the defenders will stand by the wall just in case. Well, I don't think they'll get a chance to fight."

Seeing Aichi's relaxed demeanor and his confident words, Aiko squinted her eyes as if she had seen something slightly dazzling.

"I understand... Perhaps this isn't something a teacher who put you here should say... Please stay safe..."

Aiko's words contrasted sharply with the guard knights' "Can we really leave it to Aichi?" and "We should evacuate now." Then, they ran back to the town to spread the message. The students, after giving Aichi a complex look, also followed Aiko. The only ones left were Aichi, Will, and Tia.

Will said something to Tia, then bowed to Aichi and ran back to Aiko. Aichi looked puzzled, and Tia smiled wryly in response.

"If I can help this time and get through the crisis, Will will forgive me for the adventurers' incident... So, let me help. If my magic power has recovered to more than half, even if I can't dragonize, my wind and fire are still very powerful."

The dragon people, called "half-breeds" by the church and classified as demi-humans, can directly manipulate magic power like monsters. Although they cannot perform all-attribute, non-incantation, and non-magic array spells like the genius Tsuki, they can perform non-incantation spells in their adapted attributes.

Tia, as if to further emphasize her intense self-assertion, puffed out her chest. Aichi silently handed her a magic crystal ring, and Tia, with a puzzled look, widened her eyes when she realized it was a magic power reservoir made from divine crystals. She looked at Aichi with moist eyes and a trembling voice.

"Master... Proposing before a battle... I, of course, answer..."

"It's not that. I'm lending it to you. It's just to help you with the cannon work. You must return it later. By the way, are you trying to get the same reputation as someone else?"

"...Indeed, it's a black history."

Tsuki, realizing she had the same thoughts as a pervert, looked disgusted and tried to ignore the radiant Tia, who ignored Aichi's denial and looked at the ring with a