Otoko Nara Ikkokuichijou no Aruji o Mezasa Nakya, ne? Chapter 142

Guess I'll post these up as I feel like it. I mentioned it at the bottom of the chapter index but Reverse chapters = different character PoVs that take place during the same period as the chapter number they have. IE Reverse 79 = same time as main story 79. (Chapter 142 is just for reader/translator reference and not the original chapter numbering)

 Also, OMG what will happen to Miduchi? Such cliffhanger, will she really make it back to Al alive!? Find out next time! Or not.

Year 7444, Month 5, Day 29

Just past 4 in the morning. When it was still early morning before the light from the sun started to appear.

There was the silhouette of a single person on a horse at the Southeastern edge of the town of Baldukk in the King's Direct Territory of Rombert Kingdom. Shortly after another silhouette appeared to approach that silhouette. The silhouette on a horse got off it's horse after noticing the approaching silhouette and became one with the silhouette that was approaching. For a short while the two silhouettes remained overlapped before they split into two and then when one of the returned to the horse, it proceeded along the road leading out of the outer crater of Baldukk.

The distance to the summit of the outer crater in a straight line is roughly 1.5 Km. Since the road goes tilts along with the summit the actual amount of distance is a bit father. Almost straight to the East from the Southeastern side, the riding silhouette continued along the road at a steady pace towards the summit. After taking about 20 minutes when it reached the summit, the light from the rising sun was finally starting to shine through on to the silhouette.

Basking in the light from the sun the rider looked at the bright sun and then turned around just once. It seems that the silhouette it just split ways from is still standing in the same place seeing this side off. After facing ahead once more the face of the rider was making an expression twisted from lingering attachment. *slap* the rider slapped both of their cheeks before changing their expression and properly looking ahead as they descended the hills basking in the light from the sun.

After basking in the sunlight you could tell that the rider wasn't just a person. The black hair isn't particularly uncommon, but their face and hands were an unbelievable level of purple skin color. What in the world is their race? If you were to just look from a glance then you could determine that they're not a race of this Orth. If it's deep purple skin then you could say they are a Dark Elf which some people call the Dyurou but the skin color of that rider was difficult to compare to that of a Dark Elf. It's even lighter, a purple color that borders on purple-blue. If you were to forcefully try to match them up then you might be able to consider them an Elf, or around there. Since other than the color of their skin, they still have the racial characteristics of the Dark Elf that they were born from.

Basking in the sunlight as they descended the road, the rider was slightly trembling. If you were to see the tears overflowing form their eyes then you would be able to tell they were trembling as they tried to endure sobbing.

What in the world saddened the rider? Was it going separate ways from the silhouette from just a moment ago?
However, it's not just sadness that is reflected in th

e expression of the rider. A form of joy could also be seen floating in their expression. But, at the same time an inexplicable expression as if they're confused could be seen as well. Putting it frankly it's eerie.

..............

"Ha..I still can't get used to it.."

Miduchi mumbled to herself. The large amount of confusion that occurred since the other day still hasn't settled within her. Up until now..other than the memories of her life and experiences since she was born, she's confused over the seal on the memories of what could be called her past life suddenly being released. Certainly she has confidence she can state that her personality is just this one. However, she also felt that her personality from the memories in previous life was a bit more proper than her current one.

Thanks to the seal on the memories of her past life being released the inside of Miduchi's head is completely jumbled up. The instant the seal on her memories broke, a sharp pain ran through her head as if she had been stabbed and it was to the point she had to crouch down. That was, while she was also experiencing the symptoms of mana exhaustion, a pain and shock so intense that even she a dark elf who had been trained as a rank 1 warrior since childhood couldn't endure it. And then, she was able to comprehend thanks to all of the memories of her past life that were released all at once. This is once again, certainly another life that I lived.

Most likely, Miduchi's personality received some influence from her memories and changed up until now but the base hasn't changed at all. The confusion at that time was large and it most likely was washed into the most comfortable direction, in other words the memories of her past life as Shiina Junko and that personality. That only makes sense, it was her first time experiencing such a large amount of mental disorder and since her personality as Midu~ritto.Chizumagurol was horrified by that disorder, it might be more correct so it was almost an instinctual self-defense mechanism that it handed over the leadership to Shiina Junko.

After that, for the hour or so while her lost mana was recovered while resting, the organization of the released memories of Shiina Junko and the integration of personalities with Midu~ritto.Chizumagurol occurred. The result of that, their personality ended up almost in the middle of the two and in some meanings a new type of special Orth person with the memories of a Japanese person was born. Of course this wasn't something that consciously occurred. It's something that happened naturally. Therefore, in actual fact you could say she experienced a total of three personalities in a short period of time, that of Shiina Junko, Midu~ritto.Chizumagurol, and Miduchi which could be called the middle between them. It's only obvious but she can't recognize the multiple personalities.

After she reached the bottom of the hill Miduchi raised her face properly looked ahead and after fixing her grab on the reins kicked off the sides of the horse. Other than her work clothes her saddle bag has various types of weapons and some other luggage stored away, on her back she has a short bow and quiver. Her limbs are covered in leather armor and above that she has on a hooded robe. In order to not carelessly lose the plate she borrowed she put it in the pocket below her armor and has her knife on the belt attached her to her right thigh.

(However, the design of this armor is lame..)

In the memories of her past life there was a lot more cool and showy armor. Though a lot of it had strangely high levels of exposure so even she wondered about those types but even so the design of the leather armor she's wearing right now was unfashionable. Of course, even before her memories were released she had memories of goods like that but up until now she's never paid any attention to the appearance of things like that at all. She's only made use of things that were durable, cheap, and last a long time.

It's only obvious that Midu~ritto understands that Midu~ritto has her own circumstances, she thinks that it can't be helped. However, she Junko thinks, (You're a woman right? You need to fix your appearance a bit more proper). The personality that has knowledge of and understands both of their circumstances, she Miduchi couldn't do anything but calmly(It can't be helped since there's nothing other than this right now. But let's at least make some new armor. In any case this one is almost at it's life span from how worn-out it is) think this like.

While she was riding alone on the horse, Miduchi's expression was busily changing from crying, smiling, breaking out into laughter as her as Midu~ritto and her as Junko's memories were being organized. Putting it simply since Miduchi was just a personality of her as Midu~ritto and her as Junko mixed together, she was able to accept the people and her parents she was close to in her past life as well as common sense as fresh things. Even the man that Junko had been concerned with she was able to accept him as a target of longing without any sense of discomfort.

Longing? No, it was already no longer longing. Yesterday I got my hands on that man. I was able to exchange feelings with that man and gain a deep sense of satisfaction. I only just embraced him and was able to feel his warmth. She as Junko is thinking (Isn't it already fine, we could still return back now and stay together with him). However, she as Midu~ritto thinks (My older brother needs me. I can't just ignore him), and they keep running parallel.

In any case, Miduchi thinks (things will end up however they do). No matter what the case she doesn't have any intention of taking her time to slowly return to her home town. The route which normally takes over four weeks she'll cover even just a day faster and after selling the magic stone she received for money, she'll leave that money to her uncle and aunt, and resign from her job. And then..even a single day faster she wants to return to Baldukk. However, will you really leave behind your older brother? There's still some conflict remaining.

"The madam is the same as well..It's so cruel, it's too much."

She just wanted to try saying it. Simultaneously she remembered the refined appearance of her majesty the Queen she saw yesterday and almost was about to fall prostrate while still riding her horse. She somehow managed to endure just lowering her head. After regaining her composure and calmly thinking it over Miduchi realized that it might not have been all that bad of a thing that her memories were sealed.

(If my memories were still remaining then I'm sure I would have definitely failed..I definitely wouldn't have made it as a rank 1 warrior...Even if I had managed to survive around now I'd be making a living as a part of the service ranking making mushrooms I'm sure. If I was careless it wouldn't even have been strange for me to die during the warrior training..)

Miduchi remembers back. The time when she was Shiina Junko, it's not like she was particularly bad with physical activity but she wasn't skilled at it either. It wouldn't be strange to say she was average. However, if it's just that level of physical abilities and stamina then let alone rank 1, she can declare with confidence that even rank 3 warrior would have been completely impossible. Let alone that, just thinking in terms of simple fighting, she would have been below even the lowest service ranking people. Even if she had been raised while still in possession of the memories of that Shiina Junko, it wasn't hard to imagine that she would have had quite the pathetic fate of losing her life during that first training when she turned 7 years old.

"Uhe..After all I might not be able to hold my head up.."

Once again she naturally ended up speaking out loud. At the same time she remembered. Her majesty Lilus who she respects and loves said that it was fine to have a child with that person. There's no problem with interpreting that as her being approved of. Her face changes to a grin. At the same time she notices a heat gathering in her abdomen.

"Nya wa wa"

She naturally caresses her face. Feeling the scar on her cheek with her left hand she gets depressed.

(He didn't say anything about my scars..)

While she was it she touched the scar on her forehead,

(As expected I wonder about this scar?)

And she thought that.

(He was young..So that's how his face looked..I could tell from a single glance though)

The face she remembers is the one of the man she just separated with. Though there was some of the characteristics of an Orth human mixed in and he had red hair but for her Miduchi, no, it's a special face that there's no way she, Junko, would mistake seeing. It's not that he's particularly handsome. Even going off of her aesthetic sense as Junko there's countless other people with more attracting faces. However, to her that face is number one.

Now then, I want to reach the town of Renbisu by today. Since the roads of the King's Direct Territory in Rombert Kingdom are reasonably maintained I can probably make it.

...............

Year 7444, Month 5, Day 30

There's a single silhouette departing "Wagaya Manor" of Renbisu early in the morning. Of course it's that of Miduchi. The land continues with gentle slopes but there's some varying levels of ground. She should be able to make it to Torei village by noon of today. It would be best to take lunch at Tobai village just before that. Miduchi thought things like that while advancing on her horse.

Pretty soon the sunlight completely started to appear and around the time it lit up the colorful green fields, it was just as she decided to let her horse drink some water from the large river. A short break. After drinking some water her horse regained it's stamina. It's the most efficient to let it rest for a bit every 40-50 minutes.

(I didn't know something like this)

Miduchi thought that while getting back on her horse and then continued along the road.

................

A short while after noon, she finished eating the oatmeal, bean soup, and a bit of pork in her lunch at a restaurant in Torei village before paying the owner of the place the fees. While the owner took the money he looked at Miduchi and,

"Are you a Dark Elf? Or an Elf?"

And started frankly talking to her. As a matter of fact two months or so prior, when she ate at this village she was asked the same question.

"I believe myself to be a Dark Elf but..for some reason my color is light. I'm sorry, it's difficult to tell."

When Miduchi replied apologetically the owner,

"It seems like you've experienced quite a bit of hardship..Here, take this with you."

And handed her some bread.

"Thank you very much. But I'm already used to it."

And Miduchi lightly replied like that before taking the bread, and putting it into her saddle bag on her horse that was tied to the stake in front of the store. Up until here things were completely the same as two months ago.

It's not particularly like dark elves are hated. There's people who are living normally after leaving the country and people who are working as warriors for regional lords in foreign countries as well. If you were to ask the only ones who really know that they make a living taking jobs as assassins are those of the higher ranking nobility. And even then it's not like they're hated or looked down on just because they're Dark Elves. In the knowledge of Shiina Junko that hadn't disappeared there was some that Dark Elves are often hated but she found out that wasn't particularly the case when she had her first job as a rank 1 warrior class together with the woman that was her senior.

"Come to think of it, I saw you a while back. Are you returning to your home country?"

Miduchi was surprised that the owner remembered her while,

(Well Dark Elves are unusual after all)

and understood it. At the same time,

"Yeah, since I finished my job.."

and replied while smiling.

"Ah, peddling huh? Then, be careful."

And the owner replied back.

The common image of Dark Elves is that of merchants. Since the mushroom types they grow are the ingredients for various types of medicines. They make medicines with those, or carry the ingredients before producing them to towns that are of a decent size(the capitals of high ranking noble territories) while selling them. The things they stock up on are centered around cloth and a portion of food items. Also, they stock up on weapons as well. Things like specialty goods and minerals that are produced and different between each region and it's not just limited to Dark Elves so there's nothing strange about it at all.

When it comes to business all of the neighboring countries will freely let them pass if they show the company license that is issued by Lail Kingdom, otherwise known as the Dark License, it's a completely black license that the contents only appear if you use the spell {Light} on it. There's other licenses with a similar validity as this among other countries as well. The Type 1 license of Rombert Kingdom and the Blue License of Devas Kingdom, the proof of company for Kanbitt Kingdom, it differs in name based on the country but many countries have some sort of proof of approval to do trade between countries.

In Miduchi's country, Lail Kingdom, there's no clear difference between social standings like nobles, free people, or slaves. The elders that are treated as the highest in position, along with the service rankings, and those who act as merchants all members of Lail Kingdom are considered Lilac, a ranking of commoners among neighboring countries. It seems to be the Queen's policy but that Queen is seen as a living God.

After Miduchi found out the detailed circumstances of the Queen she understood it. She probably hates a society based on social standing like nobles and slaves and wanted to make a society that was centered around a single race with no difference in social standing. She doesn't know if that's actually the case but Miduchi decided to think like that. The reason why the elders and acquisition rankings are inherited is unknown but she thought it was most likely proof of the original citizens or something on that level. Also, it's only as far as Miduchi knows but the only two countries that don't let the authority of noble rankings overlap with that of the army or officials are just Rombert Kingdom and Lail Kingdom.

In the countries like Devas, Kanbitto, Korakuto, and Guranan, etc... unless they're exceptionally superior in terms of commanding an army it's basically impossible to make it to a higher ranking and if they aren't a noble or have some kind of peerage then it's impossible to become over an intermediate level official.

After becoming a rider once again Miduchi controls the reins as she proceeds down the road. The sun has passed the midway point. I want to make it to the next village within 3-4 hours. From here there's Tongodo village. It's small but it should have had an inn as well.

(It would be good if there's a room available~)

......................

Year 7444, Month 6, Day 17

After passing through Count Faruergaz's territory she entered Viscount Mongoto's territory. Until her home town, Erurehei of Kinru mountain there's about 100 Km left. Since the majority of that is made up of steep mountain roads it's necessary to prepare for it to take at least 4 days but she was able to return at a good pace. She was only attacked by monsters twice up until here. The first time the horse was afraid so she had no choice other than to get off and fight with magic. Since the opponent was orks after just defeating one of them the remaining ones started to retreat. The next time was just the other day, when she was passing through the forest she encountered a large swarm of {Green Slugs} in the process of moving. In a hurry she turned the horse around and took a detour around them.

However, once she's made it this far it's just one more breath away. If she puts about two more days of work into it then she'll enter Erurehei, the area of influence of Lail Kingdom and not have to worry about monsters much at all. Since the rank 3 warriors enthusiastically patrol around it should be safer than Viscount Mongoto's territory.

...................

Year 7444, Month 6, Day 20

She finally entered the area of influence of Lail Kingdom. If she's fast then she should be able to arrive at the entrance of Erurehei by tonight. Also, she recognizes this place at the only area in the world she can somewhat relax while camping. She didn't camp out even once up until here. Starting from here there's no need to take being attacked by monsters into consideration as much. There's wild animals but it's said there's no large predators.

While feeling relieved as she spent about two hours ascending the road, a sudden attack occurred at that sort of time.

The plate that she borrowed from that person protected her body. She felt apologetic that it was damaged and bent out of form but thanks to the plate that was in her pocket below her armor she was saved from a serious injury. However, for them to attack a Dark Elf in this place..Miduchi immediately jumped off her horse and took her sword out of the saddle bag before using the flat end of it to tap the butt of her horse.

(Thieves huh..For them to attack a Dark Elf in the vicinity of Erurehei, are they idiots?)

Even though she was being attacked, since she ended up not suffering any injuries there was even composure that could be seen in Miduchi's expression. Depending on how things go the attackers could end up experiencing a fate worse than death. There's a high possibility that severe amount of reparations could be billed to the place of origin of the attackers. Of course, it's not as if there aren't monsters that use the bow and arrow as well but the chances of that are extremely unlikely.

After the arrow, the bullet of a spell came flying. If you think about it with common sense there's no way it would have the added effect of {Missile} included in it. After lowering her posture to avoid the flaming arrows that came at her she jumped into some bushes on the side of the road to hide herself. She put her short sword on the ground and took out her bow and an arrow from her quiver.

There's already no trace of composure remaining on Miduchi's face.

(The opponent is..It can't be)

Chapter end