Chapter 175 - Ding Dong Ditch

『Damn… This body’s will is stronger than I thought. But given time…』

I think I’ve heard this voice before.

The voice seems to be in pain.

『Kukuku, luckily there are two parts of me close by. If only I could obtain one…』

This seems to be quite a Chuu2 situation.

Mostly the atmosphere.

『What is this feeling? … Is this Windea’s presence? She survived! But…』

It’s been six days since Rafatalia left for the mountains.

That morning.

Naofumi: “*Sigh*…”

It happened again.

Atlas has recently been sneaking into my bed.

Firo also occasionally sleeps here, so I just assumed it was her and went back to sleep.

Whenever this happens, I go and get Fohl, but his situation is also gradually changing.

On morning of the second day.

Fohl was deceived.

In her bed, Atlas had left a dummy.

The next day he was suddenly overcome with sleepiness.

I believe that Atlas put something into his meal.

The dealer of this drug was Gaelion.

Recently he has learned how to use Sleep Breath.

And then the next day… He was physically put to sleep.

He’s already losing to the girl.

I wonder what will happen today.

Rafatalia: “Naofumi-sama! I have returned!”

With a bang the door opens and Rafatalia enters.

She looked like she was looking forward to meeting me, but as soon as she steps in her face changes.

Naofumi: “Recently she’s been sneaking in here. Is there anything you can do about it?”

Rafatalia: “Um… To clarify, nothing has happened yet, right?”

Naofumi: “What was supposed to happen?”

I truly am troubled by her sneaking into my bed.

Both Firo and Atlas don’t listen when I tell them to stop.

Perhaps the indecency of the situation is angering the pure Rafatalia.

Does she think I’m the sort of man who would do such a thing?

Rafatalia: “*Sigh*… That’s right. Naofumi-sama is just that sort of person.”

Naofumi: “Please go get Fohl. I’m more worried about him right now.”

Rafatalia: “Yes.”

Today he was imprisoned by being wrapped in a mattress. (Note: Think Erio from Denpa Onna)

Unable to move, he was left lying face down in his house the entire time.

Rafatalia: “Naofumi-sama? Why don’t you just deny her?”

Naofumi: “I definitely drove her out yesterday. And so she slept outside. The day before, I used the slave seal, but she ignored the punishment and came in anyways.”

Rafatalia: “Is she some sort of Demon!?”

When I tried to drive her out, she slept outside. And her previous illness gave even more pain than the Slave Seal, so she was already used to it. She was able to sleep through the punishment.

Fohl is quite angry.

What exactly do you expect me to do?

Fohl himself was forcibly put to sleep twice already.

Rafatalia: “That’s right. Naofumi-sama is just that sort of person.”

Naofumi: “Why did you repeat it? What are you trying to say?”

Atlas: “… What’s wrong Naofumi-sama?”

Atlas slowly gets up and innocently asks this.

We’re worrying over you, you know.

Rafatalia: “… You don’t get it?”

Atlas: “I’m just sharing my sleeping spot with him. Is it that bad of a thing?”

Naofumi: “To be honest, it’s troubling me. Isn’t the seal giving you pain as well?”

Atlas: “The warmth my heart receives outweighs the pain. Why can I not sleep with you?”

Naofumi: “Your brother will get noisy.”

Fohl: “Atlas! Why do you have to go to someone like that’s house!?”

Naofumi: “See what I said.”

Atlas: “Don’t mind my brother. I only yearn for Naofumi-sama’s attention.”

Fohl: “What are you saying!?”

Atlas has raised quite a commotion…

What could have possible done this to her? There’s one possibility.

Naofumi: “Rafatalia, and also Fohl.”

Rafatalia: “What is it?”

Fohl: “What!”

Naofumi: “This might be a side effect of the Yggdrasil medicine.”

Both: “Ha?”

Right. If that’s the case then everything makes sense.

Many excellent medicines have troublesome side-effects. Perhaps it increases the psychological dependence of the person taking it.

That’s the only possibility I can think of.

Naofumi: “Look at the Military Instructor. She’s affectionately calling me Saint-sama. The Yggdrasil medicine might have a love potion like effect.”

So the high class medicine has a single defect. Yeah.

And the effect of the medicine on Atlas was greater than it was on the Granny.

But I can’t increase the slave seal effects on her. She may die.

Naofumi: “Anyways, until the effects dissipate, we must be vigilant.”

Rafatalia: “T-that’s right!”

Fohl: “Hah!?”

Rafatalia agrees with my hypothesis, but Fohl seems surprised.

Naofumi: “Are you unsatisfied with something?”

Fohl: “N-no! That must be it! It has to be a side-effect! It was a medicine strong enough to give Atlas a full recovery. It must have a strong side-effect!”

Atlas: “You’re wrong, Naofumi-sama! I yearn for Naofumi-sama from the bottom of my hea-”

Fohl: “Now then, Atlas let’s level up a lot today!”

Atlas: “Ah, Naofumi-samaaaaaaaaa!”

Fohl grabs Atlas and leaves the premises.

This is the opposite pattern from before.

It’s a bit refreshing.

Despite how they act, they’re still siblings.

Naofumi: “Now then, Rafatalia. Did you finish your mountain training?”

Rafatalia: “No… We decided to switch locations, so I stopped by…”

Granny: “Saint-sama, has my disciple Rafatalia stopped by here?”

I hear the Old Woman’s voice from outside.

Disciple…

Naofumi: “I see…”

Rafatalia: “It seems… I must return to the mountains now.”

Hengen Musou, was it?

It seems the training is tough.

Perhaps I will have to undertake it later.

Well I probably have to.

If I take on an attack that ignores defense, I’ll probably die.

Yes. I’ll find some free time and train on my own.

Granny?: “… Boy, do you wish for greater power?”

Outside, I see the Old Woman trying to recruit Fohl.

… Female Knight is staring at him with jealous eyes from afar.

She took a vacation to go with the old woman, but she has yet to be taught?

Fohl: “I-I have a duty to look after my little sister!”

Granny: “I won’t accept it if you escape with such a lukewarm reason. For the Saint-sama, you must attain even greater strength!”

Fohl: “A-Atlas! I-I am! I aaaaammmmm!”

Was Fohl’s fate decided from the beginning?

… This is no good.

If Fohl isn’t here, how am I supposed to prevent Atlas from coming to my bed.

Hm? Atlas is waving her hands at me.

“Now there’s nothing stopping me from sleeping with you.” (Naofumi’s mind)

Is what she must be thinking.

I must take drastic measures.

Rafatalia: “For now, let me take some measures. Naofumi-sama doesn’t have to worry!”

Naofumi: “Ah, understood. I’ll rely on you.”

Rafatalia: “Yes. I definitely won’t let Naofumi-sama make any mistakes.”

If I leave it to Rafatalia it should be okay.

And what do you mean by make any mistakes?

And after breakfast, Rafatalia and the others once again set off.

And they took Fohl with them.

Kon, Kon.

Again. Recently I’ve been having my house Ding-Dong-Dashed quite a bit.

They’re probably delighted over seeing me come out and find no one there.

That’s why, after the slaves gathered at breakfast, I accessed the slave seal options and checked a box.

Naofumi: “Recently, someone has been doing pranks on my house. Does anyone have anything to say about this?”

… Nobody stepped forward.

And none of their slave seals activated.

So it wasn’t a slave?

Then…

I stared at the soldiers, and other shopkeepers who have come to the village.

They all shook their heads.

… Who could it be?

I confirm it.

I open the door, and of course no one is there.

This happens on an average of three times a day.

I could get someone to watch the door, but then they probably won’t pull any pranks.

But I can’t really leave this matter alone.

Kon, Kon.

By the way, yesterday I waited in front of the door and opened it the second it was knocked.

It was Kiel.

And like Atlas, she claimed it was the first time that she knocked.

She asked what the orders were for today, and she was with a large group of slaves so she probably wasn’t the culprit.

And today, Kiel and the others have left to go peddling.

The only slaves in the village at the moment are those that are good with their hands, and I have already told them not to come to my house this morning.

So this time it must be the culprit.

I won’t let them away today.

Naofumi: 「Shield Prison!」

I capture whoever’s on the other side of the door.

I open the door.

The Shield Prison is shaking, it looks like I caught something.

Rat: “What’s wrong, Count?”

Naofumi: “Rat, what are you doing here at this time?”

Rat: “I took a walk for a change of pace. More importantly, what are you trying to do?”

Naofumi: “Recently someone’s been knocking my door and running. I told you at breakfast, right?”

Rat: “Ah, right. So that’s the culprit?”

Naofumi: “Most likely.”

Rat: “I wonder what sort of person it is.”

Shield Prison’s effects wear off, and disappear.

Gaelion: “KYUAAAAAAA!?”

…

Me and Rat stare at him with the same fed up expression.

Yeah, if it wasn’t a slave, I should have suspected the monsters. But I didn’t think there was a monster who would actually attempt to Ding-Dong-Dash.

Gaelion tries to escape by flying into the sky.

I open the monster seal and activate a punishment.

Gaelion: “KYUAAAA!?”

Gaelion falls to the ground and begins thrashing about.

Including his tail, the dragon’s full height is now two meters.

He definitely looks like a dragon.

But his tail is too thick.

His eyes are big, and he gives off the impression of an innocent child. He’s also a bit fat.

His current level is 35.

His growth has begun to slow down. He didn’t grow as big as I thought he would.

Taniko hears Gaelion cry out, and comes running.

Taniko: “Gaelion, what’s wrong!?”

Naofumi: “He’s the culprit. I caught him red-handed.”

Taniko: “Eh?”

Taniko seems to be deliberating whether or not to defend Gaelion. She looks at me.

Naofumi: “Don’t defend him. If someone does something wrong, they will be punished.”

Taniko: “Understood… bad Gaelion. You can’t pull pranks. Bad!”

Gaelion: “Kyuaa…”

Firo: “What’s happening, Master?”

Firo hears the commotion and comes over.

Wasn’t she playing with Melty?

Firo: “Ah, you made him mad!”

Firo taunts Gaelion and tries to rile him up.

Firo: “Gaelion made Master mad. That’s why master belongs on only Firo’s back.”

Gaelion: “KYAUUUUUUUUUU!”

Gaelion begins to get angry.

I turn on Firo’s punishment as well.

Firo: “AKYAAAAAA! W-why?”

Naofumi: “Don’t laugh at someone else’s mistakes.”

Firo: “B-but Master laughs at others…”

…Now that you mention it, she’s right.

I deactivate the monster seal.

I understand Rafatalia’s feelings now.

Though I don’t plan on reforming myself.

Rat: “Why are you admitting defeat here!?”

Naofumi: “I laugh at others mistakes, so I don’t have a right to caution others on it.”

Rat: “You know…”

Rat puts her hand on her head. She seems amazed.

I laugh at Witch and Trash’s failures. I laugh at the other heroes situations.

I can’t be persuading others not to do as such.

Though I don’t plan on reforming myself.

Rat: “Just because you think he’s your rival, you can’t go around saying things like that.”

Firo: “Bu…”

Rat: “If you get me angry, you know what happens, right?”

Firo: “No!”

What’s with this farce? Though this may be good therapy for Firo.

Taniko: “Why would you do such a prank?”

Taniko pats Gaelion’s face.

Gaelion calls out softly.

Taniko: “It’s because he wanted to play with you, he says.”

Naofumi: “Ha?”

Taniko: “You never play with him. You only play with that bird.”

Firo: “Mu…!”

Firo and Taniko glare at each other.

When Gaelion is concerned, it seems Firo gets serious.

It’s not like I particularly play with Firo, anyways.

Naofumi: “Wait, wait… so if I don’t play with him, he’ll keep doing this?”

Gaelion: “KYUA!”

He nods.

I can’t be bothered to look after him.

I look at Rat.

Rat: “Skinship is important. For both of them.”

Is that so? Well that seems like a pain.

Naofumi: “Then, Firo and Gaelion. I’ll play with you guys every day on rotation. However if you bother the other person, your turn will be skipped.”

Firo: “Mu…!”

Gaelion: “KYUA!”

They glare at each other and make sounds of complaint.

Naofumi: “Then I won’t play with either of you.”

Firo: “I-I got it.”

Gaelion: “KYUA KYUA.”

Both sides give in and nod.

Naofumi: “Then today, we’ll start with Gaelion.”

Gaelion: “KYUA!”

Firo: “Eh…!”

Naofumi: “Half the day has already passed. Tomorrow, you will get a longer turn, so endure it. Aren’t you supposed to be the older one here?”

Firo: “Mu… I got it. Then.”

Reluctantly, Firo invites Taniko to go level.

Atlas also goes with them.

Rat: “Oh right, Count. I thought I should teach you how to make use of a dragon.”

Naofumi: “What?”

Rat: “Dragon body fluids are high class medicinal ingredients.”

Naofumi: “I see…”

Rat: “His saliva and breath might make for good materials.”

Oh right, Atlas was able to make a sleeping drug with Gaelion’s breath.

In order to put her brother to sleep.

I wonder how he fell for that so easily.

Rat: “Similarly, some parts of Filo Rials can be turned into medicine, but… That child is extraordinary. I recommend getting closer to her and exploiting that later.”

Naofumi: “Oy, do you really love monsters?”

Firo’s saliva?

Motoyasu is the only one who would want something like that.

Maybe I’ll consider it.

Naofumi: “Now then, Gaelion. What should we play?”

Gaelion: “KYUA!”

His tail wags like a dogs. He seems happy.

I guess I’ll play with the Frisbee Shield.

I change my shield into a Frisbee and throw it.

Gaelion majestically chases it while flapping his wings.

The disc flies quite far.

He catches the thrown Frisbee, it disappears and returns to my hand.

Gaelion seems overjoyed. He flies straight at me and begins licking my face.

It’s nice how pure he is. Unlike that talking bird.

And after playing with Gaelion for a while, I went back to my work.