What, Failure to Transition!? Volume 2 Chapter 7 (Patreon)

Chapter 7 – Meeting the Margrave

Immediately after leaving the forest area, a rocky desert was spread out in front of them.

“I can’t believe it……it is really all wasteland around us.”

“Is it Mister Yoichi’s first time outside the forest?”

“That as well. But even in my original world, you would never see anything like this.”

As for why Yoichi was surprised, it’s because once he stepped outside the forest, what he saw was a clear line that separates the wasteland and the greenery of the Jana Forest.

It was as if God had drawn a line on the map and decided that “this part will be desert” and “this part will be the forest” and colored the one side with green and the other side brown. There was no weed, no dry grass, or anything that served as a gradient color on the “border” at all.

“I heard that this was a rare phenomenon, and no other place in this world has the same scenery as this. That said, I don’t know many places other than the frontier, though.”

Based on what Alana had said, it could be considered that the forest of Jana and the surrounding area called the frontier is a unique and strange environment even in the standards of this other world.

After leaving the forest and crossing through the rocky and deserted wasteland for five minutes, Yoichi and Alana found a horse-drawn something tied behind one of its larger rocks, as well as a man, perhaps the coachman, waiting for their arrival.

And upon looking at it closer, it wasn’t the covered wagons in the medieval west as Yoichi was expecting, but more of a horse-drawn carriage with a fixed roof. Nevertheless, its design was still too simple to be called a carriage for nobility.

“Oh, if it isn’t Miss Alana. You’re back early.”

From there, the coachman greeted them as they approached and stared for a bit at the existence of Yoichi before going back to Alana.

The coachman was a middle-aged man of medium height, wearing a cloak over his leather armor.

He had a short sword at his waist, and even though he looked aged, the way he carried himself indicated that he is an expert in his field.

(Well, seeing this is a barren land, he must be pretty strong-willed and skilled to be voluntarily taking this job. And considering he’s all alone guarding this ride, he must be hella confident as well.)

It was then when Yoichi noticed that there were some kinds of wards placed around the carriage, and upon examining it, he found out that it was for keeping monsters out of the vicinity, rendering shifting guards unnecessary.

Moreover, he found out that these wards also have a temperature adjustment function, so even though it’s the center of the rocky desert, the surroundings didn’t feel hot at all even though it was already the middle of the day.

The exploration was scheduled to take five to seven days, and for efficiency, usually, the coachman would be sent back and have him come back later after a few days, but this time, Alana and her group had made it wait here in case of unforeseen circumstances.

And indeed, “unforeseen circumstances” had occurred, but what they didn’t expect was there were other “out-of-this-world” circumstances beyond it.

“Um……circumstances happened.”

The coachman looked a little doubtful about Alana’s approach, but he didn’t inspect any further nor give off any suspicious reactions about the princess knight’s safe return.

To this, Yoichi safely concluded that this person has no connection with the people who attacked Alana from before.

Just for final checking, Yoichi looked at Alana, his [Appraisal+] at the ready on the old man in case of a hint of a reaction, but the woman just shook her head lightly at him, indicating there’s no need for any further acts.

“I see. What about the rest of you?”

“Let’s just say that they are never coming back.”

“So, it’s that, huh. And, what about this man?”

“He’s the one who saved my life. I’m sorry, but can you ready the carriage right away? I have to report this and the other matters to the lord immediately.”

“Yes. Right away.”

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The moment Alana prompted him to get in the carriage, Yoichi was immediately caught in a surprise. This is because, despite its simple appearance from the outside, the interior looked classy, and when he sat, he felt that the seats were soft and bouncy, providing just enough cushion to prevent any discomfort during the ride, especially in the long run.

Basing on its size, the carriage interior was designed to fit ten people. However, it totally didn’t look like it at all when Yoichi viewed it from the outside. This was even more emphasized when Yoichi and Alana went inside to use the space for themselves.

For this reason, Yoichi was tempted to doing it with Alana then and there several times. Still, with the presence of the coachman in front of the carriage, Yoichi was able to restrain his urge somehow, also fearing that the other party might find out and cause them a scandal.

“Surprisingly, it doesn’t shake one bit. I thought it would rattle more.”

Before the ride, Yoichi also took a good look first at the carriage’s wheels. Seeing they didn’t have rubber tires or any kind of suspensions, he had braced himself for the worst for his butt. But when they started rolling, the interior didn’t rattle at all, much to his shock, and at worst, it only felt like driving a modern car on a rough, unpaved road.

The vibration and shaking were still there, but to Yoichi, this was already hard to believe as they were driving through a completely unmaintained and rocky wasteland, a much worse terrain.

As if reading Yoichi’s thoughts, Alana beside him started speaking.

“That’s because this wagon has a vibration-reducing effect enchanted to it. Also, did you notice that the inside of the carriage looks bigger than the outside?”

To this, Yoichi applied [Appraisal+] to the wagon.

“[Space Expansion]?”

“Correct.”

And it wasn’t only just that, after examining further, Yoichi has found out that the carriage also has environmental control effects that adjust the temperature and humidity of the carriage to a certain degree, thus adding more comfort and ease in their ride.

The moderate vibrations and the cool environment had made them drowsy without knowing, and soon, Yoichi and Alana fell asleep, huddling together as if exchanging body heat.

                                           .

“We’re here.”

After a while, the voice of the coachman reverberated in the ears of the two, sounding like a train cabin announcement, also driving the two from their sleepy time in an instant.

After that, the coachman got off and talked to the gatekeepers at the town entrance while also filling some sort of documents for formalities.

It was then when they heard someone tapping at one of the windows of the carriage.

Alana looked at it, only to find out it was another town guard, in which she immediately opened the window right after.

Through the open gaps, Yoichi was able to see a crude city wall built from stone.

“Thank you for the hard work, Miss Alana. Uhm, where are the others?”

“My apologies, but something unexpected occurred to us. I have to hurry back to the lord because of this.” She said as if in a hurry while also presenting some sort of card to the guard.

“I see. As for the man?”

“An acquaintance, but he doesn’t have proof of identity in him.”

“That’s……”

“For now, can I vouch for him on my name? Don’t worry. I’ll take full responsibility.”

The guard took one look at the card Alana presented with a slightly troubled expression and then turned his gaze back at her as if he had made up his mind.

“If it’s Miss Alana’s request……but only this time.”

Then he presented another card as he returned Alana’s card back.

“Thank you.”

“With this, Miss Alana will be vouching for the identity of this man. Shall we give him temporary proof of identity?

“That won’t be needed, for I’ll be asking something even better directly to the lord after this.”

“Understood, ma’am. Your permit to allow the carriage to go to the lord’s mansion has also been settled. We are gladdened on your safe return.”

“Thank you.”

After the formalities were over, the carriage started running again.

“Is everything alright?”

“Yep, no problem.”

“Also, thank you. You really saved my hide back there.”

(No, seriously. If I had visited this town by myself, I would be detained or, worse, held captive for a few days as I had no ID and money.)

Yoichi then stared at the window of the carriage, which was still left open.

After passing through the city gate, he finally saw the scenery beyond the reinforced stone walls.

It was also this time when the vibration transmitted from their seats and the shaking of the carriage body have noticeably decreased.

“Oh by the way, now that we’re here, Mister Yoichi,”

Alana looked at Yoichi as if she remembered something.

“Hm?”

“Welcome to the city of Meilgrad.”

Then she brought to Yoichi with a proud smile.

                                           .

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After a twenty-minute drive through the town while also passing several gates in between, they finally arrived at their destination.

Where the carriage stopped was a piece of land with a magnificent mansion right at the end of its path.

“Thank you for your time. Please take this in addition to your reward.”

And after getting off the carriage, Alana made the coach hold a few gold coins in his hand.

“W-wait, hold on, Ma’am. This is just too much!”

“No, no, it’s a fair price. See?”

Alana then made a suggestive look towards Yoichi, in which the coachman immediately understood and just obediently accepted the gold coins right after.

(So, part of it is hush money to keep my existence a secret? Is that it?)

And so, after ensuring that the carriage had finally left first for reasons unknown, Alana started walking towards the direction of the mansion, in which Yoichi also followed suit.

Overwhelmed by the magnificent view of the outside world that was new to him, Yoichi stopped from time to time to admire the scenery, but seeing that his guardian is just walking continuously with no indication of stopping, he decided to admire it for later and just followed her in the meantime.

After taking brisk steps, they soon arrived at a magnificent gate, well suited for the incredible mansion that Yoichi has already seen from a distance. The gates were already open, and from both its sides stood one guard each.

One of the guards then notices Alana.

“Hey, isn’t that the young miss?”

“Hey. It’s been a while.”

“Well, this is a rare sight. What can we do for you?”

“I apologize for the suddenness, but I need to speak to the lord as soon as possible.”

“Indeed, as per usual. Please wait a moment.”

One of the guards went into a sort of guard post(?) then, after confirming something, came back right away.

“The lord is available and is prepared to meet you soon.”

“Thank you, and sorry once again.”

“And, what about him?”

“He’s my client.”

“I see. May I have your proof of identifications, sir?”

This was then when Alana thrusts the guard the second card given to her by the gatekeeper a while back.

“I’ll vouch for his identity. Is it fine?”

“Very well, Ma’am. Sir, please come on through.”

After that, they had successfully passed through the gates, but it wasn’t even a while after they walked around the grounds that another person had appeared before them.

This time, it was an elegant-looking old man dressed in a black suit with complementing white gloves on his hands.

(I wonder if he’s a butler?)

Alana walked towards the man, all while Yoichi is still impressed in seeing the presence of a real butler for the first time. And when the two got close enough, the old gentleman bowed lightly.

“It has been a while, Miss Alana.”

“You too, Vista, and you look well. I’m sorry for the abrupt visit, but can you take me to your lord?”

“Yes, ma’am. This way, please.”

The butler, who seemed to be named Vista, then led them into the mansion, which gave Yoichi another shock of his life when he saw the place’s interior.

(As expected of a lord’s mansion. The outside is already great, but the insides are as incredible and luxurious as well.)

From here, they walked down a wide corridor and passed through several staircases and galleries, where they arrived in front of a magnificent door in the end.

“The margrave is waiting for you.”

“Thank you.”

From there, the door opened inward of its own accord after Alana stood in front of it, to which she immediately entered without even batting an eye.

Yoichi, seeing it all, then came to Vista for confirmation, and after the butler gave him a smile in assent, he also followed Alana into the room next.

“Oh, Alana! It has been a long time~~~!!!!”

But the moment he entered the room, what came before Yoichi’s eyes was not the scenery he was expecting.

Because from the stack of neatly bundled papers on what is presumably an office, instead of a gallant nobleman that gave off a royal vibe, what emerged there was a middle-aged man who has a physique that can rival that of a one-eyed bear instead, a behemoth that could only be described as a buff military man.

He was nearly two meters tall, with a stern face and a figure of a wrestler.

However, that wrestler, for some reason, was hugging Alana tight like his dearest small cub.

Wait, cub?

“Alana, how are you, my little darling!”

“Father……it’s painful……”

“Oh, sorry about that.”

Hearing her daughter’s complaint, the hulk hurriedly lets go of Alana.

(Father? Then that means……)

Yoichi once again took a good look at the hulk who was hugging her earlier.

Just now, Alana called the man who was probably the lord of this region, her father.

Truthfully speaking, Yoichi has already anticipated that Alana would be in close ties with the lord of this region, seeing the reaction of the town guards at her, even the guards at the mansion of the lord himself.

But ever since coming here, Alana has repeatedly emphasized that what she wants to see is their “lord”, which made Yoichi assume they weren’t of familial relations whatsoever.

It was especially so when he recalled the words Vista spoke before they entered the door, where the butler emphasized the lord’s position as a “margrave” and not anything else.

But seeing the reunion of the two in front of him immediately denied each and every of Yoichi’s claims.

And from there, one true fact has been established.

That is, Alana is the daughter of a frontier count – a margrave.

(Doesn’t this make her even more of a big shot!?)

Yoichi had an image of a margrave as an aristocrat who ruled close to enemy territory or at the forefront of a dangerous frontier, and because of their perilous position, they were permitted to possess their own independent military and, in some selected circumstances, even declare war to the enemy without needing the permission of the king. Thus, a “Margrave” is usually even more powerful than their Count equivalents, which depending on the country’s system of nobility, reaching up to even five times higher than a baron.

(What was the order again? King, Duke, Prince, Count, Viscount, Baron……wait, Margrave is German nobility, right?)

It is said that they often have power equal to or greater than that of a count, which is the second rank – actually the first rank if you exclude the dukes and duchess, who are usually the brothers and sisters of the reigning king.

From here, Yoichi felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered how he had taken the virginity of such a high-ranking noblewoman. Not contented with that, he also violated her while taking a bath and also on the way out of the forest, whenever he felt the urge.

But despite Yoichi’s concerns going wild and extreme inside his head, which he expressed in full by sending worried glances to Alana, the woman still decided to explain without missing a beat of what she had experienced to the margrave in front of them.

At this point, Yoichi has already signed his death warrant and was already bracing himself for what’s going to happen next, and hoping his [Healthy Body+] could still fix him after the aftermath has been done.

And after listening to the end of the story, the margrave then turned his gaze to Yoichi, along with fury seething from those eyes.

And from there, the hulk – bowed to Yoichi, which he totally didn’t expect.

“Mister Yoichi. I, with all heart, thank you for saving and taking care of my daughter!”

“P-please raise your head! I just did the obvious thing!”

With a booming voice, the man bellowed out those words in front of Yoichi, but this made the man even more panicked in return.

Still, from here, he realized that the margrave of this territory, despite the incredible size of his mansion, body and position, and an atmosphere that exudes battle-readiness throughout the day, even though he looked scary as he thrust his head out of those papers like some sort of horror monster which is also a part of the reason he is panicking right now, is still a man of character through and through.

“Whatever the circumstances, in the end, you still saved my daughter, my precious family, and the pride of the adventurers of this city. As her father and as the lord of this city, at least allow me to express my gratitude to you.”

This was then when Alana placed a gentle hand on Yoichi’s shoulder as he fumbled around what to say. Then, with a smile, she spoke the following words.

“Mister Yoichi, please receive the courtesy of the Margrave, my father.”

It was but a simple act, but it somewhat made Yoichi calm down, to which he responded, albeit it was more like trying his best to squeeze out words while trying to solve his confusion.

“Ah, yes, your welcome (Am I doing this right?).”

Seeing the reaction of the man, the margrave raised his head, then smiled and put out his hand. But when Yoichi held his hand back, the margrave suddenly pulled his body towards him and slapped his other hand on his back.

“Ooof!”

“HA HA HA!! Isn’t he a good man, Alana!”

“Of course, he is. After all, he’s the person whom I fell in love with at first sight!”

“Mm, mm! Oh, I haven’t introduced myself yet, haven’t I? I am Count William Sarris. Or you can say that I’m a Margrave now.”

“Cough……I am Yoichi. Todou Yoichi, Todou is my last name, and Yoichi is my first name.”

Yoichi also responded to the self-introduction while coughing from being struck at his back. Before this, he had talked with Alana about whether to reveal his surname or not, to which she responded that there’s no need to hide it from the lord, let alone in everyday life.

“Ohh, so you have a last name. And the first and last name are reversed……are you an aristocrat from some other country, Mister Yoichi?”

“No, father. Mister Yoichi is not a nobleman, though you are right that he was born in a distant foreign country. In his country, even common people have family names.”

“I see, I see. So, Mister Yoichi. What do you think of my daughter, Alana?”

“Wait, father!?”

William’s expression was calm, and his tone was half-teasing, but this time, his eyes were not smiling.

From the atmosphere he was giving, it seems that the frontier count is suspecting that Yoichi had been messing with his daughter (Alana obviously omitted the parts where they had intimate sex), so as a father, he needs to confirm the other party’s intentions. If the other party didn’t feel anything beyond that, he would take care of him then and there.

“At the very least, I think she’s a woman worth entrusting my life for.”

Yoichi looked into William’s eyes and answered firmly.

In fact, Yoichi has already entrusted Alana with at least half of his life in this other world.

If she hated him and betrayed him then and there, with her prowess alone, his life would be as good as over, even with his guns.

It may seem like a bit of a flimsy answer, but it can’t be helped because the time Alana and Yoichi spent together was far too short.

“Wha……Mister Yoichi……”

As if hit by a stray, the lord’s daughter blushed and slumped on the spot, hearing Yoichi’s straightforward answer.

As for William, a smile seemed to form behind his eyes. He was satisfied with Yoichi’s answer and his daughter’s reaction to it.

“You will take care of her from now on, won’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Thank you. Still, those bastards of the main house, what are they planning, doing that to my daughter!?”

This time, William’s expression turned grim again, and the topic of conversation shifted to the attack on Alana.

〇●〇●

First of all, how did Alana, an excellent magic user and a princess knight (to Yoichi), ended up being taken advantage of in the first place?

While he has yet to know the capabilities of those people, just from their looks, the margrave found it hard to imagine that they would be able to put down someone as powerful as Alana that quickly, even have the audacity to rape her.

“Father, they had a scroll…….”

“A scroll? What a nasty bunch.”

William snorted at his daughter’s report.

Scrolls, to put it in words Yoichi could understand, are the instant noodle versions for spells in this world.

By using a special ink on a special paper, a mage with a certain level of ability can prepare all the magic formulas and other complicated stuff in advance, eliminating the user of the scroll of all the complex stuff altogether while also making it possible for them to activate spells with various effects all at once.

Because of this simplicity, even an unskilled magic user can use it as long as he knows how to inject mana into the scroll. However, it’s not like this method has no repercussions.

While Scrolls are easy to use, they also require a substantial amount of mana compared to a normal magic spell. To give an example, it took five people all the mana in their bodies just to activate the scroll used on Alana, the one which contained the spells of [Full-Body Restraint], [Quadriplegia], and [Mana Seal].

There’s also the case where the amount of mana possessed by each individual varies greatly, making it possible for a high-ranking mage to activate the scroll using their mana alone. Still, the scary thing about scrolls is that, depending on their designs, they most often than not consume the life force of the user as well, forcibly if it deemed that the mana of the person who activated it is insufficient to make up for the shortage, and the people around the scroll if one is not enough.

So as long as the person does not care for any lives, they can use a powerful magic spell at anyone at the ready, just like the trio did to Alana back in the forest.

“There’s something that dangerous circulating in the market?”

“Not in the open, at the very least. Also, Scrolls are illegal here.”

William replied to the unintentional comment that came out of Yoichi’s mouth.

In the first place, the special paper used for scrolls, known as “magic paper,” is extremely rare and cannot be produced easily.

Furthermore, due to their dangerous nature, scrolls are strictly controlled by the governments of various countries and the Mages’ Guild, an international organization in this world, and are rarely sold on the market.

However, it is not uncommon for noblemen and masters with a certain amount of history to have a secret stash of scrolls in their possession, so it was expected that the scroll used in this case are one of these which was outside the control of the country or the guild.

“And you said you have kept the victims’ bodies, right?”

“Yes. Mister Yoichi here can use [Storage]. For precautions, I told him to keep the corpses before we set off for our journey on the way back.”

“Well, isn’t that great? Then all we need now is to conduct an autopsy…….”

But right after he said those words, William stopped, then looked around the room.

“But not here. Let’s move to a……safer place, where walls don’t have ears.”

The margrave’s precaution was not without meaning, as this time, Count Colborne, the main head of their own House of Sarris, was directly involved in the case.

In his mind, William wanted to carry out the investigation in a certain degree of secrecy, but he couldn’t just have seven dead bodies in the lord’s office lying on the floor of his office, and he couldn’t also leave it to the guards as well, or else rumors of this matter might get out.

William pondered about this for a while before coming up with an answer.

“We’ll use Training Area 5.”

                                                    〇●〇●

In Meilgrad, as it was located at the forefront of the frontier, all the guards and knights are required to have a great deal of strength.

After all, in this territory, not only dealing with monsters flooding out of the forest is a daily occurrence, but with the region still being developed as people from different origins continued to pour into the place, it also caused banditry to be prevalent all bound. This forced those who are living there to get stronger, or else they won’t survive these lands.

Ironically, majority of those who come here are ones who can no longer survive in other areas, hoping for a last chance to strike themselves rich and turn the tide. In any case, this made the percentage of misfits living here somewhat higher compared to other territories.

For this reason, there are many training grounds in Meilgrad, both indoor and outdoor.

Some could reach as large as a dome stadium back on Earth, while some could go as small as a gymnasium at the minimum.

The fifth training ground that William brought Yoichi and Alana into was an indoor training ground located near the lord’s mansion, and as for its size, it was about as big as a gymnasium.

When they got inside, they saw around ten knights present and training in it, but as soon as William clapped his hands, which echoed in the whole training hall, each and every one of them stopped what they were doing and saluted when they saw the nobleman.

“Thank you for your hard work in keeping up your daily routines! I’m sorry, but I need to use this training ground now. So, everyone, please move to another location.”

As soon as William spoke those words, every one of them quickly picked themselves up, and in almost no time at all, the training area quickly became empty, all except for one person, who, instead of leaving the grounds, walked up to William and the others instead.

“Sis! It has been a long time!”

The one who strode up to them was a boy with a bright smile on his face.

It was Alana’s younger brother, Henry.

He is the eldest son of the Sarris House and William’s heir.

Eighteen years of age, he is about six feet tall, and unlike his father William, he is a slenderly-built man with a handsome face.

(Ooh, blue hair.)

Looking at the strange hair color that didn’t exist in his world, together with matching dark blue eyes, it gave Yoichi a strong impression that he was a true inhabitant of this world.

“Umu, you too, Henry. It has been a while.”

“What brings you here today? Also……?”

Henry then turned his attention to a man he did not recognize, which was Yoichi.

“Henry, father and I have something important to discuss. I’m sorry, but can you give us a moment?”

“No, in that case, then-“

Henry gave William a slightly frustrated and prying look, but William just shook his head silently.

“Okay. But at the very least, can you introduce me to that person?”

Showing a bit of disappointment that he wasn’t approved, Henry then gave Yoichi a curious look, then looked at William and Alana alternately.

“This man is Mister Yoichi. He is my guest.”

Henry’s eyebrows shot up slightly at the word “my guest,” but he immediately covered it with a friendly smile and reached his hand towards Yoichi.

“I’m Henry Sarris. Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. I am Yoichi.”

Yoichi responded by shaking back the hand offered to him.

As he felt it would be too much to explain if he gave his family name here, given the urgency of the situation, Yoichi decided to give his first name this time.

“So, Mister Yoichi. What is your relationship with my sister?”

“Henry!”

But Henry just smiled and brushed aside Alana’s rebuke of his name.

“Well, well, well, isn’t that great? So, what’s it like being with my sister?”

This time, the “Henry’s sister” sighs in exasperation.

“I’ve been working with Alana for a few days now, but if you’re asking me what our relationship is, I’d say…….”

But no matter what he said, Yoichi could only see the expression on the boy’s face gradually turning sour with every word he spoke.

Eventually, the smile he was wearing had already disappeared from his neat face and instead was starting to get replaced with a hint of anger.

“You……bastard! Don’t address my big sister so intimately!!”

Then, his anger all burst out.

Henry immediately put his hand on his sword, but William held the hilt and blocked his movement.

“I thought I made myself clear earlier? I need everyone in this place to move out. NOW.”

After receiving the glare at the now serious William, it was then when Henry came back to his senses. Realizing his actions, he sighs in resignation and finally removes his hand from the hilt of the sword he is holding.

“My apologies……. Then, see you later, sis!”

After apologizing, he smiled again as he bid goodbye at Alana, as if his earlier reaction was a lie, before switching to a glare back to Yoichi for a moment, then strode out of the training ground like the elegant noble he was.

“Good grief, that boy.”

William shook his head in dismay as he saw the man off the training grounds.

“I also want to apologize for the trouble, Mister Yoichi.”

Alana, too, made an apologetic look, but Yoichi just smiled lightly and shook his head to them.

“No, well, I know where he came from. After all, if your beloved sister is with an unknown man, you’d be worried, right?”

“Is that it? But Henry’s always poking around like that whenever I’m in the presence of men. I don’t know what’s wrong with him. Honest.”

(Then isn’t that just a sis-con! That’s even worse!)

Yoichi felt like shouting out loud, but considering the situation, he opted not to say anything further and instead just shrugged his shoulders with a subtle expression on his face.

This made him think of the man who just walked out nevertheless, in which he couldn’t help but feel pity and dismay inside for having such dense family members who can’t understand his feelings.

                                                    〇●〇●

Seven corpses were now laid out on the floor of the training ground.

And each of the corpses seemed to be in a state of emaciation.

Only the two that had been killed by the man in leather armor, Genber, looked healthy, but as for the remaining five that had collapsed when the scroll was activated, they all looked so shriveled as if all the fluids were drained from their bodies.

“Is this it?”

In William’s hand was a sheaf of papers bundled together.

The papermaking technology of this world was of a certain level, but even so, it wasn’t to an extent where high-quality paper such as pure white copy paper is already the standard.

Before this, Yoichi had prepared various types of paper and showed it to Alana for confirmation. From there, he was told that the groundwood paper of medium quality (basically a downgraded version of papers used in newsprints) were the ones used more commonly in this world.

And while ball-point pens don’t exist in this world yet, fountain pens were already present. In fact, Alana already has one in her possession in which she uses to write her series of reports.

“So, this is what all Mister Yoichi has covered in just that?”

“……yes.”

“……Incredible.”

William spoke in awe as he looked over the documents with a complicated expression.

“Ooh……this is quite a lot of text. And I didn’t expect you could write legibly too.”

The effect of [Language Comprehension+] enables Yoichi to read and write in other languages equivalent to the level of a university graduate. Thus, he encountered no difficulties in writing the report – the stack of papers William is reading right now, which also left Alana impressed.

As for the contents of the report, it was about the history of the three people who escaped as well as the data from the corpses as a result of his thorough investigation using [Appraisal+].

The facts of who did what, when, where, and how were all described up to the minute details and were written in a fashion as if they were seen firsthand, that even with the document alone, it was already enough evidence for the margrave to easily convict Count Colborne without breaking a sweat.

Of course, this goes without saying that they still have to gather the physical evidence and testimonies first. But with all the facts already known and at the ready, they would at least be able to easily distinguish what’s true and what’s false now, making it a walk in the part later on to get confessions from those who are involved.

In addition to the “simple” facts, Yoichi also listed all the secrets of the Count and his close associates, hoping that it would make the investigation process a lot easier.

“So, this is Mister Yoichi’s skill……”

William repeatedly nodded as if he was impressed, but there was also a hint of caution in his voice.

Indeed, for any human being, regardless of what world it would be, the ability to obtain this much private information in so little time is indeed something to be wary of.

“Father, regarding the true nature of Yoichi’s skills, please……”

“I know. I swear that no one but me and those I trust will see this report.”

Of course, Yoichi is not a person who does this without pretext. The report was written upon Alanna’s request in order to expedite the investigation, and she promised not to show it to anyone but those she trusted – and that includes his father, William.

But just because Alana trusts him, it doesn’t mean that Yoichi will trust this person as well.

Still, Yoichi listened to Alana’s wishes because he thinks that it doesn’t really matter if he got betrayed at this point.

Even if William, the lord of this city, would turn hostile to him after this, Yoichi was already prepared for his next step, and that is to run away, and if possible, with Alana in tow.

Meilgrad is said to be a city surrounded by a wasteland.

While it’s difficult for an amateur to cross this wilderness all by himself, for Yoichi right now, traveling through any kind of terrain isn’t really an obstacle.

As long as he buys a cross-country car back on Earth and fills it full tank, then brings it here for a drive, then brings it back and returns with [Return+] whenever he feels like it, he could easily cross this wilderness without putting up much trouble.

And even if the worst happens and they would have nowhere to stay, he can just go back and lie low to his original world until the heat on him rubs off.

(Then again, opening up uncharted territories of this world is not a bad idea.)

With [Language Comprehension+], Yoichi can now have the ability to speak the language of the locals wherever he goes, eliminating their communication troubles entirely, and since he doesn’t suffer from illness or injury thanks to his [Healthy Body+], he can live and adapt anywhere as long as the environment doesn’t grind his body to bits and pieces.

(Plus, if this goes well, these people will owe me a massive favor later, in which I can ask them so many things, including Alana’s formal cooperation in my journey here in this world. Actually, even just the help of a beautiful woman like Alana is more than enough to make up for this all.)

“Are you really sure you want me to handle this instead?”

William asked again to Alana as if for final confirmation.

“Yes. Though I also like to settle this matter with my own hands considering the gravity of what they had done to me, I don’t really want to involve the whole Sarris House as well just to settle a personal grudge. Nevertheless, I believe that father would still take strict measures on them for my behalf after this.”

That was a lie.

If she were being honest here, Alana would state that the retaliation to Count Colborne is no longer necessary in her mind.

It was not that she didn’t feel remorseful anymore that she had been kidnapped, moreover almost raped, by the three subordinates under his orders, which she also dismissed as consequences of her own carelessness, but it was because what happened beyond that has become the happiest and most important part of her life.

(I’m also surprised that I’m not as angry as I should be.)

Even recalling the scene where she was stripped off her armor and clothes and having her private parts exposed, Alana no longer felt any sort of trauma, which surprised the girl.

(If by any chance Yoichi came late and I had lost my virginity to the man in leather armor, I would not be calm and composed as I am right now, but seething with fury and revenge instead. I might have even planned on ripping of that Count Colborne’s stinky little ✕✕ cock in several ways already, but thankfully, my innocence was preserved, and I was saved by Yoichi……oh, Yoichi……)

This was then when Alana looked back at the figure of the man who saved her, her cheeks flushing and her eyes slightly getting moist.

Right now, Yoichi is still busy talking with William about the report, so he wasn’t able to notice the woman giving a passionate gaze at him.

As for the princess knight, she had already gone in her own world, fantasizing that night when she gave her innocence to him.

(Ahh, that time, I felt so ashamed. I couldn’t move my legs back then, so my pussy was already open for Yoichi to see……also, the way she sprinkled me with the water magic tool after that……and later on his bed with his fingers, then his cock ramming inside me the next, I never felt so good in my life……Aahhh~, what a slutty woman you have become now, Alana~.)

While the pain of having her hymen ruptured was beyond words and to the point where its sensation could already be engraved in her mind, oddly enough, Alana hasn’t remembered any of it, and instead, it was all replaced by the pleasure of having Yoichi all wrapped up in her insides the moment after.

(And when he finally came inside me, I had never felt so happy and grateful that I was born as a woman……something I never thought of in my life, even in my days as a battle-hardened adventurer……ahh, I think some of it leaked out.)

Remembering the bathroom and the forest scene next after their painful communion, Alana couldn’t stop the tingling of her lower body anymore, and from there, some of the nectar Yoichi had injected in her previously in the forest leaked out of her panties and are now slowly dripping down her crotch.

(I still have so much of Yoichi’s seed inside my pussy……)

In response, she slightly put pressure on her lower abdomen before looking back once again on her dearest man.

(Ahh, it’s……still coming……)

As if the sensation of the seed coming out gave a whole new pleasure to Alana, the muscles on her fleshy insides quivered once more, this time also sending a great deal of Yoichi’s semen outward. Consequently, Alana’s panties became wholly stained with Yoichi’s semen and her love juices afterward.

(The report…… are they still not done yet?)

Seeing the two men are still busy as she looked at them once again, and realizing she had no choice but to wait for longer, the princess knight could only mutter and stare in frustration and had no choice but to resume her fantasies, while also constantly applying [Cleaning] in her panties to wash out her love juices and Yoichi’s semen before they start dripping down and being seen at her inner thighs.

As for what William and Yoichi are discussing – with so many frowns at both sides of their faces at the moment – is a formulation of the perfect retaliation plan for the other party’s attempted attack on Alana, with the woman herself as the central figure of it.

Alana had also thought of joining them to better add help to the plans, but whenever she tries to remember the incident, she couldn’t help but be drawn back to the affair that followed, and as a result, her love and fantasies for Yoichi and the tingling of her lower abdomen would only increase, making her more horny instead of angry at the terrible deed that the three men of Count Colborne had committed to her.

“Oh, Alana, are you okay?”

William’s words brought Alana back to her senses.

At this moment, the father was looking at his daughter with a pain-stricken expression on his face. Then with clenched teeth and tears in his eyes, he walked over to her and hugged her tightly.

“F-father!?”

“Oh, my precious little girl! I understand your anger. But don’t you worry, for father will make them pay for you!!!”

Apparently, when William saw the state of his daughter, blushing with her eyes moistening, also her shoulders rising and falling in ragged breathing, he misunderstood it as it was due to the shame she felt from the incident, and the anger she was feeling for remembering it again.

“Ah……un…Father……thank you…….”

To this, Alana just answered vaguely and hugged his father back in order to muddle the waters. She felt bad for deceiving her family, but she thought she might as well use this chance to cover up her actions, even with a misunderstanding.

(Also, I can’t just tell father that I was just daydreaming of Yoichi’s figure ramming me in several perverted positions just now. No way in hell, never!)

Then, after releasing his daughter from his embrace, William walked back to Yoichi and resumed his talks.

“So, you were saying that all these people here are only third parties who just got misfortunately dragged into it?”

“Oh no. That guy is in it.”

Yoichi then pointed to the corpse of a man, the same man who activated the scroll on Alana’s back.

The man was also an ordinary adventurer like the other six, but the time he was approached by Count Colborne’s men, he was already their accomplice.

As for what was promised on him, he was told that said he would also be allowed to do whatever he wanted with the princess knight after they had done the deed, and knowing Alana’s wonderful figure, it was apparent that there would be a few who were unable to resist the temptation and participate to the un-noble cause.

As for the scroll, as they are rarely known to the general public because of the danger they posed, plus the control the government and guilds imposed on them, for this man, he only thought that the paper is “probably just a magic tool”, so he cooperated, not knowing that using that roll of paper would lead to his demise later on.

The man who died without understanding it was no different from others in the sense that he died, but after this fact has been revealed, he will be treated differently after his death.

“Despite that, they are still adventurers, so it’ll be up to the Adventurers’ Guild to decide how this will be handled. Nevertheless, as a lord of the region, I will still do what I can.”

The Adventurers’ Guild in this world is an international organization that doesn’t plead allegiance to any country or nobility. Nevertheless, it doesn’t exempt them from hearing the requests of the lord of their territory, or else they would pay the price of turning their relationships worse.

“Also, they will have no grounds to say against this as this time, it’s a justifiable act. By the way, Alana. You’re going to the guild after this, right?”

“Yes. Mister Yoichi here wants to register in the Adventurer’s Guild, so I’ll be guiding him there……ah, I just remembered. Father, can you please issue Yoichi a proof of identity as well?” Alana asks, bowing lightly to William.

“Ah, right. I totally forgot about that. If It’s okay with you too….”

Yoichi, too, hurriedly followed suit.

“Hehehe, I knew this would happen the moment I heard everything. Don’t worry, I’ve already made arrangements. You can pick it up from Vista later.”

After hearing what he said, Alana looked surprised for a moment, then,

“Really? Thank you, father!” She gave him a joyful smile.

It was a wonderful, heartfelt smile, and one which William didn’t expect his daughter would be having in such a long time.

As a father, it truly warmed his heart.

“Thank you very much.”

And just like earlier, Yoichi again followed suit.

“By the way, Alana. When you get to the guild, make sure to visit the guild master. I’ll make sure they put you right through to him.”

“Ah……yes……”

But when she heard the words “Guild Master”, for some reason, Alana’s smile was erased and was immediately replaced by a bit of uneasiness.

“Hey now, don’t look at me like that, cheer up. He has always looked forward to seeing you.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to, but ……”

“Anyway, we can’t just report this issue to the receptionist, considering the graveness of what happened here. You must report this directly to the Guild Master, understand?”

“……Okay.”

And so, after leaving the bodies of the involved to William, the two left the fifth training grounds and headed for the Adventurers’ Guild next.

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