Chapter 49: The Neighborhood Demon King III

「Yo」

From across the plain,

A red-haired boy and a long-haired girl wearing armor walked over.

I know the boy, but who’s the girl? Don’t tell me, his girlfriend?

No, he’s also at that age and on top of that, he’s popular because of his androgynous looks. He’s targeted mainly by older Onee-sans, but well, it’s strange that he hasn’t had a few girlfriends by now.

For some reason, I’m getting excited and nervous in various ways.

As a guardian, I have to behave in a manner that won’t disappoint.

「Rana, sorry, excuse me」

「Eeh」

I was also reluctant to part with her, but I removed Rana from my lap and sat her down on the chair beside me. I quickly checked my clothes and for bed hair, and then I went to greet the two of them.

「Hi, good morning, Shuna. Who’s this young lady, I wonder?」

I put the best smile I could muster on my face. I had the feeling that my imitation of my late friend’s handsome guy smile………………had failed all of a sudden.

「Er?」

The girl was giving me the stink eye.

Her expression is cold, but she looks cute. Is she a little older than Shuna, I wonder? She has soft-looking long brown curly hair and she’s equipped with dull silver armor, a shield and a longsword that’s big for her physique.

Hmm………………Huh? I’ve a feeling that I’ve seen that armor, shield and sword before.

「Onii-chan, what are you saying? It’s Bel」

「Right, of course」

It was Beltoriche, my party member.

「Sorry!」

I lowered my head.

In a sense, I had screwed up. Of all things, to think that I would mistake my own party member for someone else. But Bel should have very short hair. For it to have become this long in just the three days since I last saw her…… Oh, a magic hair growth tonic or something?

「………………No, I don’t mind」

Her response was cold.

This reaction, is she burning with rage?

「Bel, do you want breakfast?! This Pot-au-feu is pretty good!」

For the time being, I’ll placate her with food. This works every time with the youngsters of the alternate world.

「I’ll eat」

When I was about to serve her another bowl, Bel sat down in my seat and started eating my Pot-au-feu.

She ate silently.

「How is it? I didn’t make the food today, but umm, do you want more meat?」

「It’s fine」

She shoveled the Pot-au-feu into her mouth with a spoon even more silently. To think that Bel, who hated vegetables, would eat so much. I’d have to let Lanseal know.

「Souya, come here for a second」

「Do you want some too, Shuna?」

「I'm good. Come here for a second」

The boy, Shuna, dragged me by my hand, and left the camp.

「What’s going on?」

He looks a little strange. I wonder if he’ll be alright to explore the dungeon after this.

「Here is fine. Wait a bit」

We stopped after going out of sight of the camp.

Shuna took a small tree branch out from his bag and stuck it into the ground.

「Ukazor-sama, your kin, Shuna of Azorido offers a wish and asks for your form and voice here. Should my wish be gran――」

In the middle of Shuna's chant, the branch was enveloped by a dazzling light, and when the light died down, there was a man about 20cm tall in its place.

He was a middle-aged man with white hair.

He had a hoe in one hand and a straw hat on his head. Around his neck was a piece of cloth for wiping sweat. It was the attire of a farmer that I had seen many times.

「Yo, Shuna. Are you well? It’s okay if you call me more often, you know? The grandpas and grandmas on the island are also asking about you. Well, it’s because I'm a land-bound god, I suppose. My form has become pitiful like this, but even so, I’ll listen to your complaints at least」

He was a god with a plebeian air.

He wasn’t dignified, but was affable. It was a characteristic of a person who had been loved by the people before becoming a god.

「Sorry, Ukazor-sama, I wish to consult you about the matter of Bel today. Also, this guy is my party leader」

After being introduced by Shuna, I greeted him with a bow.

「I’m Souya, from a foreign land. As an adventurer, I’m Shuna’s leader. Your kin, Shuna, has unmatched sword skills among those of his age」

「But isn’t he still a child?」

「………………Err, well, it’s appropriate for his age」

「You’ve grown taller of late, but four years ago, you were small and wherever you went, you followed behind either Bel or Regure. It was tough when you lost sight of them and then cried and wailed. So many times, you called me as you cried. It’s not just one or two hundred times either that I had to give you a piggyback ride home」

「Oh, something like that……」

No, if you talk about such things, it feels like Shuna will get angry though.

「I’m sorry, Ukazor-sama. I want to discuss the matter of that very Bel today」

He’s rather calm.

Is it because he became an adult just a while ago? Or is it something else?

「Sorry. It’s the first time I’ve seen your face in a long time, so I'm happy, you see?」

「Um, it’s only been about three months since I left the island」

「Is that so? Nonetheless, it feels to me like you’ve grown up. You haven’t learned things like playing around with woman, have you? There are many temptations in the city. I’m a god right now, but as a man just like you, I know how you feel, but if you get involved with a bad woman――」

He was a god who was completely talking with parental affection.

「Ukazor-sama, I’m sorry, for now……」

「Umm, sorry. Before I noticed……」

We moved on to the main subject.

「Bel is weird these days. Something similar had also happened in the past, but it’s different this time. Souya, you even mistook her for someone else, right?」

「Yeah, that’s right. By the way, for the people of this world, do their hair become long all of a sudden?」

「They don’t」

Of course they don’t.

「In addition, she eats the vegetables that she hates without caring, became unfriendly, doesn’t greet anyone, the look in her eyes became worse, and what’s horrible was when she made dinner last night. Bel’s cooking is half-hearted, but she has never made stuff that’s inedible. For her to make food that was so awful that the Onii-sans who ate it by mistake were carried to the healing temple because of stomach pains, it’s clearly weird」

Food that causes the people who eat it to require healing, huh?

If it was made in front of me, I might get angry even if it’s Bel.

「Ukazor-sama, what's going on with Bel’s body? Do you know anything?」

「Shuna, it’s as you fear, Beltoriche’s body is being possessed something. Because of her constitution as a divine medium, similar things happened in the past as well, didn’t it? If it’s a soul of the dead, a natural spirit, or a god who has lost his or her following, then I can expel it, but……

……this time, I can’t be of help」

「Huh?」

Shuna was shocked.

I had the same reaction. I had thought that she seemed strange, but her body……

You're kidding.

「I’m “no more than” a man who continued to plant trees until my death――no, even after death in order to protect the island from salt damage. The likes of the grace of a god like that doesn’t amount to much. Nevertheless, I believe that the thing that has possessed Bel isn’t an evil existence」

I threw a question that came to me naturally at god.

「Does something that’s not evil take over a person’s body without asking?」

「The present-day gods are born after obtaining works that surpass human knowledge at the end of a journey of obsession. Even those who are said to be good, or those who are praised as saints, will crush people like insects.

The good and evil of the gods are far from the good and evil of people. To a man from a foreign land, it probably looks like madness, but that’s how it is」

Even for people, just by standing on top of people and putting on a crown, a person is distanced from the general concept of good and evil. In order to protect the country, that person will easily entrap and kill people. When it gets to the level of the gods, it’ll probably be far beyond the scope of human understanding.

「But something like that……」

Ukazor-sama spoke with a gentle voice to Shuna, who was shaken.

「Shuna, my kin. I’ll tell you one thing that’ll reassure you. I may be a demigod, but I’m still a god. If the god possessing Bel does horrific deeds, I'll put my godhood on the line and drive it out of her body. If Bel’s will rejects that god, I’ll bet my soul and come to her rescue. If that is what Bel desires, that is」

「Huh, what are you saying?」

Ukazor-sama answered Shuna's question with a solemn expression.

「Bel is lending it her body in exchange for some sort of power. Being possessed by that god is of her own will」

『Huh?』

Shuna and I raised our voices at the same time.

「About ten days ago, Bel sought advice from me. She asked if there was a way to become strong quickly. I’ll cause trouble for the party if I stay as I am now, she had said. Does anything come to mind?」

Something did.

Bel had come to the camp during the time I was fretting about the party formation now that Irvin was gone.

We had eaten snacks, chatted, and then I had escorted her back to the city, but thinking back on it, Bel had put on Irvin’s mementos and trained the day after that.

In the words of Gladvain’s kin, they were not the movements of a person who had picked up the sword and shield for the first time.

I had believed it to be her talent though.

「I'm sorry, Shuna. It might be my fault」

I had no leeway and I hadn’t been able to think clearly.

「What do you mean?」

I was being glared at by Shuna.

「In a roundabout way, she had asked about the party formation without Irvin. I had grumbled because I was troubled over the answer, but if I had answered her properly at the time……」

「Oh......… Is that it? I thought for sure, no, it’s fine then」

You thought for sure, what? No no, I’m not so stupid that I would try anything with Bel. It was done for form’s sake, but I’m married. Oh, I guess bigamy is fine since it’s an elven marriage contract………………The party’s atmosphere will be the worst if I did something like that though.

Ukazor-sama cleared his throat to get our attention.

「I’ve no idea what kind of contract she formed with the god that’s possessing her. But in the unlikely event that Bel cries for help, I’ll definitely come to her aid. Shuna, that goes for you too.

Well, for a while, let’s watch over the young girl’s feelings. The passion of girls of that age burn up easily like bundled straw. As soon as tomorrow, she might lose interest and shake off that god. Don’t take it as too much of a big deal, especially you, foreigner. I can see the fatigue in your face. Both of my kin are causing you worry, aren’t they?」

「No, Ukazor-sama, I'm not particularly――」

「You are, aren’t you?」

「That’s not tru――」

「Aren’t you?」

Pressured by Ukazor-sama’s considerable intensity……

「………………Y, yes」

……Shuna looked away and acknowledged it.

Ukazor-sama turned back to me.

「Even if I say that it’s as an apology, it’s something useless, but foreigner, I’ll bestow a little of my grace upon you. It's probably of little use for adventuring, but it’s not something that will inconvenience you to have」

「Eeeeh~」

Shuna's reaction was bad.

Well, if it won’t inconvenience me, then I guess I’ll take it.

「Stick out your finger」

「Okay」

I pointed my index finger at Ukazor-sama. Ukazor-sama's finger touched my finger.

There was a small glimmer of light.

It was like E.T. The other party was a small middle-aged man though.

「With this, my grace is yours. It’s the miracle of a demigod, but use it as you will」

「Umm, what kind of effect does it have?」

That’s the crucial point.

「The grace of Ukazor, the Tree Spirit King, gives you the ability to grow delicious vegetables!」

「A………………Amazing!」

What a work of god.

I’ll have to make a kitchen garden starting tomorrow. Garlic, cherry tomatoes, eggplants, herbs, peppers, and cucumbers. I can expand my dreams. I can diversify the food. I can create paradise.

「That’s not all. Before you start farm work, stretch out both hands and shout my name to the blue sky. If you do that, I’ll alleviate the back pain from doing farm work」

「Marvelous!」

Now this is a miracle of the alternate world.

What good fortune!

「Or rather, can you please become my main god? I’ll worship you like crazy」

I feel bad for Misuranika-sama and Gravius-sama, but it relates to the food that I offer to the two of them. There shouldn’t be any problems even if I give him special treatment.

「Ahh, I want to form a contract as much as you do, foreigner, but it’s impossible to contract with you unless you come to the island where my true body is. I’m a land-bound god, and a demigod after all」

「That’s, a shame」

「Souya, you’re far too disappointed. Even if you can grow vegetables, it’s of no use to adventuring, isn’t it?」

「What did………you say?」

I grabbed the shoulders of Shuna, who didn’t get it.

「Do you know just how difficult it is to make backpacking food for adventuring or to cook food for the breaks inside the dungeon?! Do you know just how much effort can be saved if there are delicious vegetables?!」

The vegetables from the farms have a pretty strong alkaline and primitive taste. The biggest problem is that their management systems are poor and it’s necessary to be selective when buying them. It’s common to find insects everywhere after cutting them.

If I can grow vegetables in the camp, Makina can manage them and can also do selective breeding. On top of that, they’ll become delicious due to god’s blessing.

This is splendid.

I have to break ground as soon as possible.

「No, I admit that Souya’s food is delicious. But if it's so difficult, isn’t it fine to buy adventuring food from the merchant companies?」

「You fool! As if I’ll let people who are in their growth period eat food like those lumps of wheat and butter! They don’t meet the nutritional requirements at all! In the first place, what about you guys’ lack of motivation when we bought food from the merchant companies and explored the dungeon?! What’s more, during the break, everyone looked at me and sighed, right?! I'll never forget that! On top of that, fighting strength was reduced by 30%, you know?! You can't cut corners with food! Also, Shuna, eat your vegetables. Or rather, I’ll make you eat them」

「It’s my bad. The more delicious the food, the better. But I won’t eat vegetables. I absolutely won’t eat them」

I'll let you have a taste of delicious vegetables hell. What’s more, I’ll feed you a ton of them without you realizing it. I'll make it so that your body can no longer live without eating vegetables.

Wait, that’s normal, isn’t it?

「Hmm, foreigner, I’ve got the feeling that I've understood your race. Please continue to look after my kin like this」

「Yes」

I was entrusted with Shuna by Ukazor-sama.

I intend to take care of him even if he hadn’t been entrusted to me. Until the day the adventure is over.

「Shuna, leave the matter of Bel to me and the person herself and focus on what you achieve. The life of a person is short. If you turn your eyes elsewhere, you’ll become old and invalid in a flash」

「Yes, I understand, Ukazor-sama」

He replied meekly. It was rare to see Shuna like this.

「Eat your vegetables too」

「………………」

Answer him.

「Take care of your body and try to do good as much as you can. The life of a person is not limited to just the sword. Even if you possess the skills of a hero, it’s difficult to fight against the soil with a hoe. The trials that people ought to challenge are not just those that exist in the midst of battle. You have a place to return to. If you grow tired of the hustle and bustle of the city, come back to the island anytime」

He was like an Otou-san(dad) worrying about his son who had left for the big city.

「That’s no good, it’s so unlike me to become preachy. Let’s leave it at that for today. Farewell」

Ukazor-sama waved his hand.

I waved back.

He was a small middle-aged man, but he was a good god.

「Souya」

「Hmm?」

Shuna asked me.

「So what are you going to do about the matter of Bel?」

「Oh, I’ll remake the plans from scratch of course. Today's adventure is canceled!」

What the heck is this!

I think you can kinda see that this arc is beginning to shape up to impact the plot greatly. No, the thing with Bel actually has nothing to do with this arc and is not a short term thing.

Well, amid the hilarity, that’s one more god that Souya gets the grace of. But no contract unfortunately. Clarification time, just in case, a “land-bound god” is a god that cannot leave his land. And demigods in this series are gods that used to be human but have ascended to godhood. So Misuranika-sama and Gladvain-sama are demigods as well. To be frank, it’s harder to find gods that aren’t demigods in this series, but they exist.

That completely random E.T. reference though lol. Loved how the author put that in for absolutely no reason whatsoever. XD

Anyways, we’re now a quarter of the way through this arc. Yup, it’s a 12 chapter arc. And yes, the Demon King will show up...eventually...