Chapter 512

Chapter 512

Machine World Arc A Little Break

Author’s Note: I’m sorry! This time it’s short!

The center of heaven. The imperial residence of Mother in the past, was now a graveyard.

That place was a cylinder shaped space that pierced straight until the mountain summit. It was also the place where Hajime and Kouki performed a deadly battle against Mother.

That place couldn’t be entered without permission, whether at the past or the present. In the first place it was also a place that nobody approached.

But actually, it was possible to go out to the outdoor of the mountain summit from such holy ground using elevator or stair.

The foothold wasn’t that wide. It was like a road above a dam──a skywalk. The platform with shape like a giant donut was paved with metal plate.

No rock surface could be seen, and there wasn’t any kind of handrail at all too, as though to wordlessly insist that this place wasn’t an observation deck or a sight-seeing area.

It was a steep slope from the brink below like a cliff. It would be a direct drop + instant death course if the wind blew and you got unbalanced.

Someone with fear of heights would definitely need great resolve to stand on this place.

Although, the scenery that was visible from this height of five kilometers above sea level was undisputedly superb. Fortunately the weather today was also very good.

As long as the external environment was put in order with magic, it was truly the ideal weather for mountain climbing, no, there was no climbing involved so perhaps it would be more accurate to call it as picnic weather. In any case, this was the best place for lunch.

At such lovely spot,

「Haa~, I suddenly feel really tired here……」

A very moody voice resounded.

The speaker sat with a hunched back on the bench that Hajime created with transmutation. He was also eating his lunch sluggishly.

「Really, he look more suitable being called a corporate slave salary man rather than the governor like this.」

「His eyes look so damn bleary……」

「Jasper-san, his sorrowful aura is strong.」

Nana and Atsushi, and then Noboru were eating the same lunch while making expression of not knowing what to say.

Yes, it was Jasper. It seemed that he had somehow got freed from the medical team. He did his best to appeal how healthy & sane he was so that they wouldn’t keep hounding him. That effort must have used up a lot of his patience and nerves.

Just like Nana said, no, it was even worse than that. He looked like a veteran corporate slave middle management uncle who had continued being stuck between superior and subordinate like between a rock and a hard place for more than ten-odd years. 「The lunch I’m eating by myself in a quiet park is the most soothing. Mr. Pigeon, good afternoon to you too today……fufufu」 It felt like they could hear such voice coming from him.

Jasper looked like that, however, his actual family didn’t show any concern at all for him.

「Aa, this taste……it’s this taste-」

「Hics, I’m crying for some reason-」

「This sensation like all the water content inside your mouth got taken away all at once and the stimulation that made your throat choked up-, it’s out of this world!」

*Munch munch munch munch-* They were all absorbed with the lunch without even any care about the scenery. What their hands were holding were familiar looking container filled with soup that was heated with steam, and cracker along with nutrition bar.

Yes, they were the emergency rations that Hajime once gave them as thanks for the lodging and the meal they gave him when he first came to this world.

Now then, what should we eat for lunch.

When that topic was brought up for discussion, Listy hesitantly begged for that food. She said that she wanted to eat the foods that they ate that time once more.

Certainly the emergency rations of the modern time were well made. But, they were just emergency rations in the end. More delicious foods could be provided. Or rather, Jasper and his family too must have been eating proper and better things usually.

Hajime mentioned that with a troubled face, but the other children also didn’t raise any objection to Listy’s suggestion. On the contrary they were all completely agreeing with her.

After being stared by their sparkling eyes that were oozing with expectation, he couldn’t help but wanting to answer their request even while smiling wryly.

As the result, Hajime and co were also having lunch with cracker and bean and vegetable soup, or some nutrition bar.

「Oto──Ani-san, aa~~~」

「Eat on your own nano!」

「Mogaa!?」

As expected Listy was sitting on Hajime’s lap, as though to reenact that day. Of course, it was in the form of her sharing the left and right knees with Myuu.

As expected she wouldn’t spill food anymore but, that was exactly why she was opening her mouth like a baby bird asking to be fed. Though Myuu had been continuously getting in her way.

Listy stuffed a nutrition bar into Myuu’s mouth in retaliation.

How dare you!

Myuu said and counterattacked too. She scooped her soup with her spoon and slo~~owly pushed it forward so that it wouldn’t spill.

Loook hereee, it’ll spill if you don’t take it nano! Are you going to waste food nano~?

She provoked (?).

Listy vexedly said something incomprehensible like 「This damn cowarddd, taking food hostage like that!」, even so she sloowly put the spoon into her mouth.

In retaliation she also sloo~~wly thrust her spoon forward.

Mumumu,

Myuu groaned, even so she took the spoon into her mouth.

It was already just a normal feeding each other. They only looked like close sisters. Rather, the sight was the height of “warming” and “cute”.

To this Hajime papa also smiled brightly.

「Even so, that’s a drastic transformation……how should I say it, it’s like now there’s human flavor to it.」

Hajime squinted his eyes at the cityscape that was spreading below.

He could also his magic eye stone or physical reinforcement to see but, for the sake of Myuu and other children, and also Ryuutarou and co who couldn’t see as far as Hajime’s group, a floating display with far distance viewing ability was also formed.

In the first place Yuuka, Nana, and Taeko, along with Suzu, Aiko, and Remia seemed to be scared by the edge that didn’t even have handrail and it was hard for them to get close, so the display was also to help them out too.

They thought that the cityscape was pretty. Especially the bottom layer region. To Hajime the change there was remarkable to the degree that he spontaneously let out voice of admiration.

The place that looked like a slum district was becoming a proper town. It could be seen clearly exactly because they were watching from a place so high like this. The area where hovels were clustered together in the past was being readjusted properly. The buildings were also changing to decent ones with uniform standard.

There also weren’t any trash or scraps discarded carelessly at the roadside. The attire of the passing by people were also hygienic from a glance.

And most of all, the atmosphere was different which was clear to see even from behind the screen.

The decadent atmosphere as though the people had given up on everything was being swept away. Not only that, they felt like they could see vigor from the people.

「Fufuf, isn’t that right? Don’t you feel it looks very like “the capital where human live” somehow?」

Without exception, Mindy seemed to be scared of the mountain summit without handrail too as expected. She didn’t even sit on a transmutated bench, but sitting down firmly right at the middle of the platform with several of the children snuggling up closely to her.

She was holding a chocolate flavored nutrition bar with both hands and munching on it joyfully bit by bit like a squirrel, but her face snapped up quickly as soon as she heard Hajime’s words and broke into a broad smile as though the one being praised was she herself.

「Though in several more years it feels like even the boundary might be treated like it’s nonexistent. Recently everybody’s just doing whatever the hell they want.」

「Fufu, that’s true Nii-san. They’re moving residence as they pleased, or altering their home’s structure, or settling in one place just because it’s troublesome to move to the commerce district or agriculture district……」

Jasper alone was stuffing his mouth with a sandwich──apparently he received it from that female staff. Yue and others were naturally grinning 「Oho?」, but putting that aside──Mindy nodded at the grumbling and sighing Jasper made while speaking of what must be some of the sources of their worry.

However, as expected she had a cheerful smile on her face.

「……Mindy, you look happy.」

「Fufu, so you notice? How should I say it……like, how things can’t be controlled completely no matter how much we try, or the cityscape changing along with the feeling the people living in it bit by bit, I think those kinds of things are nice. Like there’s this “warmth” that wasn’t there when Mother was in control……」

Nii-san and others got it hard for that though,

she said with a glance to Jasper. But, Jasper himself didn’t look displeased.

Rather, it felt like the corner of his lips was lifted up slightly in a smile.

It would be hard for him to be openly approving the action of the people who were gradually drifting away from the government considering the hard work that had been put in by his subordinates, but he felt the same. Perhaps that was what he wanted to say.

「Thinking by yourself, deciding by yourself, taking action, finding your own preference and enjoyment, your worth of living……the heart of the people is also escaping from Mother’s control in the truest sense isn’t it?」

Aiko’s quiet but kind voice received a nod from the smiling Mindy.

Yes, because that could be felt that the selfish action of the people, the changing cityscape were lovely.

「Fumu, the life that people lead art beautiful because it’s not perfect whilst aiming for perfection……perchance it’s something like that?」

In front of the bench where Hajime and others were sitting, Shia, Kaori, Shizuku, and Tio were sitting together directly at the edge of the platform with their legs dangling down to the cliff below. It was Tio who spoke those words as she directed a pretty smile over her shoulder toward Mindy.

Mindy-san’s expression and the children became like they were saying 「How can you look so relaxed at that kind of spot……」. It must be scary for them just watching it. She was distracted by that and couldn’t reply.

And so Liliana replied in her place.

「I see.」

She nodded deeply. In addition she was wearing her princess face.

She then looked up to the sky for some reason. Her gaze looked very distant……

「Human’s life is beautiful exactly because it won’t go as you want it, is it? That might be a great way of thinking. For our mental health. I’ll keep that in mi──no, as I thought the empire is unforgivable-」

She suddenly snapped……

Hajime and co thought with a slightly put off feeling.

Also, it was flashing at the back of Liliana’s mind right now. The numerous demands or proposals that were coming in like a flood in the middle of the reconstruction from various beastman races and the empire, or from the guild and nongovernment organization or the empire, and also from the empire and the empire.

As an individual the thought of

Those damn bastards asking whatever as they pleaseddd~

might have crossed her mind. But, she was a royalty. Listening to the voices of many people, pondering them, then making decision was her job.

But, the empire. You bastard is no good.

No matter how many times their suggestion had been rejected, they didn’t send any improved or alternative plan the next time, but simply changing the wording before sending another proposal shamelessly. It was like a shuttle transportation going back and forth.

The rudeness under a veneer of politeness that was oozing from everywhere in their writing.

Then the emperor’s picture postcard saying 「I went travelling alone in my Mini Fernier! It was really fun!」 that was attached to every proposal for some reason……

The princess learned stress release method by punching the wall! It made the wall cracked, so recently Hellina-san was preparing roof tile-sized scrap material for target!

But, that’s still okay. Even I can go to a trip easily mon! It’s other world trip that will be impossible for emperor-san for his whole life moo~~~n!! I’ll dee~~finitely send him a postcard of thisss! Oo~~hohohoho-.

Like that, she also managed to soothe her temper during the trip.

But, but however.

What she couldn’t forgive the most, was how Emperor Gahard used the mountain of proposals as cover to secretly pull his strings at various places to order the building of numerous brothels at the suburb of the kingdom’s capital.

It wasn’t like Liliana planned to forbid such establishment forever, not at the slightest. She also understood its necessity. But, a disorder in public morals was a disorder in public order. Plan and reporting system had to be established strictly.

But that bastard……

He made the kingdom’s men his ally so she would be forced to give her approval ex-post-facto.

It would still be acceptable if it was just that, but she investigated after that! The true objective was actually to slip in a lot of spies into the kingdom!

「That damn bastard did his stupid meddling when I was that fucking busyy……I’m gonna push the self-destruct button of Miny Fernier just you seeee-」

「L-Lily-san, calm downnn! Your character-, remember that you’re a princess! ──”Soul Repose”!!」

「My my, let’s forget about your work for now okay? Here, say aa~ah」

「Amuh!!」

Liliana snapped when she recalled so Aiko and Remia teamed up to soothe her down.

The transformation of the adorable and graceful princess from another world crept out the whole Jasper family 「R-royalty scaryyy……」.

「Ee~rr……c-come to think of it, that boy, he hasn’t returned isn’t it? I wonder if he’s alright?」

Yuuka changed the topic. Perhaps she was being considerate to the children who got scared by the princess’s domineering (?) aura.

She had been fidgety since some time ago because Kaori yielded her spot to her and made her sat beside Hajime, even so as expected from her. She was still reading the mood sharply.

By the way, as expected she tried to roll up her sleeves when she was going to eat but……

For some reason, the sleeves of Hajime’s coat obstinately wouldn’t get folded. Even if she managed it the sleeves would then limply returned back to before. It was as though they had their own will 「Making moe long sleeves not moe anymore is unthinkable!」 and obstinately maintained their form.

In the end, did it have a will like the mantle of a certain stranger doctor? Or was it the will of its owner?

She had stared intently *jii~* at the owner’s face from the side but there was no reaction, so Yuuka resigned herself and ate her meal with that moe long sleeves even though it was hard to do.

Getting back on topic.

「That boy?」

「You know, that……slightly perverted boy」

She meant Yuuka’s victim──or rather, Paolo-kun who discovered dream and hope and the truth of the world hidden under Yuuka’s coat before she got dragged away together with Jasper.

Perhaps she was self-aware of it? Yuuka shyly fidgeted and tidied up the front of her coat even though there was nothing to tidy up, but it was that aspect of her that twisted up the fetish of a young and innocent boy into pretzel.

*Jii~* Unblinking gazes were sent at her from Yue and others. There were also widee~ grin from Nana and Taeko.

Jasper who came back alone had a faraway look as though a comrade in arms of his had just died while opening his mouth reluctantly.

「It was hopeless. That boy won’t come back anymore……」

Hajime and co thought.

What do you mean by that?

Did Jasper mean couldn’t come back from the other side of the fetish, or he couldn’t come back physically from the demonic grasp of the medical team?

「Just because he didn’t get believed no matter how many times he insisted that he’s sane, that boy, for some reason he snapped and started preaching the goodness of coat and tight suit……at the end, Jessica──you know, that first staff we met? That boy started asking whether she’s also wearing tight underwear under her white coat……then he started passionately preaching that all women in Coltran should wear that kinda outfit……」

I see, Paolo-kun surely won’t be able to return anymore

. Hajime and co thought in acceptance.

Surely, he had resolved himself. To walk that path.

It was the start of the journey of the boy who harbored an ambition.

Yuuka’s twitching face spoke her thinking more eloquently than anything. ──

I shouldn’t have asked.

「That boy……he might become a man who leave his name in history huh.」

「Ryuu-kun, why are you looking at faraway with slightly cool smile like that? Or rather, what do you mean by saying that?

Yuuka’s twitching face spoke her thinking more eloquently than anything. ──

I don’t want to hear.

「……Fuh, as I thought Yuuka is a resident of this side.」

「Yue-san!? What do you mean!?」

「An existence like “Lewd Onee──Aspiring Onee-san” that is impossible to forget for a boy’s whole life is precious. Yuuka, as expected from you.」

「What’re you recognizing! Or rather, you can’t just make up anything! I’m not lewd at all! Yue-san too don’t make an understanding face that say “I get it I get it” like that!」

The Nagumo couple was nodding

yep yep

with a nice smile. She couldn’t help but felt like she was being toyed with.

「Big sis Yuuka is……how should I say it, she’s cute huh?」

「Listy-chan!?」

「That’s right nano. Yuuka-oneechan is a cute person nano. Listy too should learn from her.」

「Myuu-chan!?」

Before she realized it, the two little girls were looking fixedly at Yuuka-oneechan. Somehow they had gotten their nutrition bar to be thinned down and they were acting like they were smoking with that.

The gazes of appreciation that seemed to say “Truly a fine accompaniment for a short break after the meal” that were coming from two little girls.

It really made it hard for her to stay here. Yuuka stood up. She ran toward Nana and Taeko to escape. She sat down to hide behind the backs of those two.

Oo~, there there, that was embarrassing wasn’t it, Yuuka-chii?

By the way Yuuka. We also have here the no sleeved naked navel super high-leg version of the tight suit you know……

Yuuka had no ally. She wanted to enter a hole if there was one……

She looked like she was thinking that, so it must be fine for them to return soon to the large shaft.

「Has everyone finished eating already? Then how about we return back inside now and watch the machine god VS demon king & hero?」

Shizuku urged like that with a wry smile in order to give a helping hand to Yuuka too.

I’ve been waiting for this!

Listy jumped down from Hajime’s lap as though to say that. Myuu also hopped down a second later.

The eyes of the two girls had gone beyond feeling excitement that they sparkled.

Actually this might be the past replay that they had been waiting for the most.

「I get it I get it. Then let’s get back inside.」

Though I don’t really want that part to get watched,

Hajime thought even while still thinking that at this late. Even so Hajime used transmutation magic to return the bench back into the platform while standing up.

The other children must also be similarly excited for what was coming. They also stood up energetically.

「「「「「Yeeeesss!!」」」」」

Energetic replies echoed through the air.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Like that.

Clad in the brilliance of crackling electricity, with three pairs of mechanical wings spread out, followed by reddish-black liquid metal obediently swirling around her like a dragon, Mother glared down imperiously on them from the air above.

But, even before thinking of how terrifying, or how hateful the enemy’s figure was,

As expected it might because of that aforementioned outfit. Everyone’s focus was directed completely to “there”.

Yes,

「「「「It’s matching ain’t it」」」」

「「「「「Matching outfitttt!!」」」」」

To the battle outfit of Mother that looked like a super tight pilot suit.

The voices of Atsushi and co, and the children who didn’t even look properly at that time because it was the time for that overlapped.

It seemed that a fragment of shyness was falling even inside the hole she entered. Faced with all the gazes turning toward her all at once, Yuuka hid her face using her overly long sleeves over her head.

Also, at the near future.

Paolo-kun who learned that his brothers and sisters saw Mother in the tight pilot suit once more through the past replay locked himself inside his room for about one week in jealousy and shock.

.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

I wanted to write VS Mother too but, I couldn’t make it in time to finish the special perk novel for the Blu-ray of anime third season. So I cut off this chapter at good ending point. Also, next week’s chapter might be short too or I might even take a break altogether.

That too is because volume 14 is scheduled to be released at November (Thank you very much to everyone who left words of congratulations at the review column!!), I have finished writing the manuscript, but the special perk SS for each store is still remaining……(sweat)

I’ll be able to finish them all in one go when I calm down, so I’m sorry but please best regards!

Also, the anime’s third season is ongoing, so best regards for that too.

I received request (thank you very much!), so I created a review column for the anime at my activity report page. Anyone who has thought and impression about the anime, please head there.

The picture drama uploaded at X too, if I remember correctly each episode is limited to just one week, so those who hasn’t watched the first episode please go there by all means! It’s the story of Nea-chan becoming Hauria’s egoist.