Sousetsuka

17 Through the Bully's Eyes

*POV of the four kids' gangleader.

The boy believed. Their actions are for the good of the village.
In place of other villagers who are afraid to even get close, they're the only ones with courage.

"Let's give that guy a good shaking, that'll drive him outta here."

"This village's got no vigor cus he's alive."

"That guy's gonna bring disaster to this village. We gotta crush him good."

Thus the boy would speak everyday, brainwashing the other three. Without realizing it himself.
Unbeknownst to him that he learned those words from his parents through their own brainwashing.


The gang immediately ran off to the field when he heard the guy in question was working there.
This was when they were six year old. They threw stones. That act alone should have sent him home crying so they believed.
Such was the extent of children's mind.

However, none of them could imagine what took place instead.

The stones they threw missed, no, the guy didn't even make an attempt to dodge.

(What is that guy...)

The guy caught the thrown stones. His hands movement was so fast they leave behind after images the boy could barely perceive.
He could not comprehend why his voice became shaky, nor even notice it.

He simply cannot believe the reality thrust before his eyes.



The four ran away back to the village's square. The three spoke one after another.

"What's with him? He's bad news..."

"Maybe we should avoid him after all."

"Isn't it bad if we get involved?"

Is the boy in the wrong for denying them loudly here?

"You cowards! That was just a fluke."

By this point, the brainwash his parents repeatedly told him had been deeply ingrained.

Several stones that should have hit the guy were easily caught.
By one person, a six year old like them.

This fact was not quite enough of a shock to break the repeated brainwash.
Thus began a long history of bullying between two sides.

Though the person on the receiving end himself wasn't really concerned about it in the least.


<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

One time, all four assaulted with wooden clubs.

"Get 'im!" "Damn you!" "Die!" "Shiiit!"

Yet none of them managed to hit the guy.

"Oy you! Stop dodging dammit!"

Afterward they would attack together from all sides yet they couldn't even graze him.

(Dammit... What heck's going on! How...)

At this time, the two of them were facing off,

(We gotta get him off the village quick!)

Driven by the deeply rooted brainwash and twisted sense of duty, the boy failed to notice the [Fear] welling within him.

The person getting assaulted himself thought of it as, 'That was a good defensive training excursion against many.'



Another time, they hid behind a cover to launch an ambush.
Even though the idea of head on tactic being ineffective had been tucked in the corner of his mind, the boy averted his sight from that.

(I'm gonna get him out of the village, for sure...)

The brainwashing has now fused with the boy's own belief.
To the point that there's simply no saving him anymore.
Not unless it's broken at the foundation.
Though that would lead to the boy's mental collapse.

It has gone way past the point of no return.

This ambush was also easily brushed aside as if the guy knew about it beforehand.


Afterward, the four tried to tie the guy in a rope, but they got outran.
They tried to dump water, but the guy didn't even need to turn back and left them dry.
They tried to lure him into the forest, but he easily sidestepped their traps.

Every single scheme ended in failure.


And now, the boy's father spoke of this to him.

"What a nuisance. No one will be inconvenienced with him gone. I can simply imagine how refreshing it is if only he disappears. No, might as well make him depart this world. That's right, that Blessless can eat arrows for all I care."


Perhaps the boy simply wanted to act on his parents wish.
Or perhaps he wanted them to praise him.
To children, parents are their whole world. Absolute existence.
Moreso at his age, still supported by his parents.


The day after, the four gathered with bows and arrows in hands.

"We're gonna do him in for sure today."

"But isn't this too much?"

"Are we gonna be okay? If the village found out..."

"This is too much..."

The boy was inwardly feeling even more frightened than the three.
But then he spoke out loud to brush that feeling away.

"This ain't time to be cowards! We're gonna kill him for good now! Recall how much he clowned us all this time! Show some backbone!"

Stirred up by this shouting, the three came back to their usual expressions.



But those expressions turned cramp by the time they used up all their arrows.

(How's that possible! No that's just ridiculous! What's going on here!)

All the arrows that would have hit their target vanished mid-air.

Caught before they hit.
The hand movement was so fast the boy couldn't even perceive its afterimage.

"Y-you monster!"

This was the only time the fear within him was too big to be ignored.

But usually he would tuck this fear deep into the corner of his mind after running away and sleeping it overnight.


But not this time. The fear came after them.

There was a sound of cutting wind as something thin passed by his eyes.
Followed by a thud sound, so he turned his sight over his shoulder and saw arrows pierced on tree trunks.
The boy was agape. The thought of running away got brickwalled.

And that applies to all four.

The guy had no bow and those were headless arrows, yet they pierced through trees.
Every one of them wondered the same thing, how in the heck did that happen?
But the fact that the person who did that is alone here was carved in their minds along with the fear.

"What's the big idea?"


The guy stood before the four even though they were previously quite a bit far apart.
The time they were dumbfounded was only for an instant, yet he covered that distance in that moment?
There was no sound of him running. He looks as if he's always been there.


Asking these four to hold a conversation when they were thrust before new fear one after another was impossible.

Jeers, or more akin to gibberish flew out of their mouths.

Only the boy managed to reply back with complete words his parents told him.
The content itself is another matter entirely, but to the boy, those words sounded reasonable and sensible..

(Yeah, this guy must leave this village...!)

The boy cheered up as he recalled his parents' words, but then someone interrupted the scene.




The boy bears no malice toward the villagers here aside from [Blessless].
This includes [Blessless]'s father.

That's how twisted the boy has turned. He probably wouldn't have an answer why even when asked.
Since the boy himself doesn't even think there's any need to question it.


As the father angrily questioned them, the boy found himself in an awkward position.

(It's not you I hate... it's this guy... this guy... dammit! Dammit!)

Then he started recalling what happened with the arrows, his brain was jolted by the absurd reality.

(How did he do that!? This guy's a lowly Blessless... a Manaless!! He can't have used magic!?)

The talk continued on while the boy was having a panic attack.



The angry villager who has calmed down throws the boy a question.

"Is he speaking the truth?"

The boy replies honestly. It's a villager just like him. There's no need to lie.

"My dad is an official in this village. Dad told me. This guy should just disappear."


Even the fact that the person he's talking to is the [Father] of that very same Blessless doesn't seem to register to the boy.
No he knows. He's aware.

The boy simply cannot comprehend how it feels for a father to have someone say his son should [Disappear] to their face.


"I'll have you go with us."

Those words were coldly declared at them.

All four will go with the two to the village elder's house.


That's the boy's undoing. The stuff implanted by his parents.
His foolishness will be laid bare there.

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16 Rage at the Malice

I threw back all the arrows in my hands at those guys.
Of course I made sure these arrows pass by every one of these four, near missing their faces.

"Hii!" "Hii!" "Hii!" "Hii!"

Their fear paralyzed them in their place, making them forget their attempt at running away.

"Let me ask you again, what's the big idea?"

It's not only due to fear, how I'm standing in their way and speaking to them like this is something that had never happened, so they didn't know how to react.

"Hmm, I don't think staying silent counts as an answer, no?"

I tried my best to sound monotonous without showing emotions.

"D-dammit! You're getting full of yourself! I'm gonna ask dad and get you outta this village!"

I sigh at a reply that's not really a reply.

(What the heck? Is this what they call... template? Never saw a real life example before.)

I'm losing my drive after seeing that, but things will keep getting more bothersome if I don't settle this once and for all here, so I persevere.

"Are you planning to kill me by bringing those bows and arrows with you?"

"Shut up! Get outta our way!"

"Even with no tips, these arrow can be dangerous or even fatal if they hit my eyes you know? Are you sure about it?"

"Just get outta this village! You pest!"

Geez, I really can't with this, we're not even holding a conversation.
The leader is the only one who kept verbally abusing me. The other three would just add stuff like 'Yeah yeah', 'Get out'.

"You know, you have to be prepared to get killed yourself if you go in for the kill."

"Don't get cocky you mere blessless!"


<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >


During matches in game centers, it's all about [Beat] or [Beaten].
I've gone through countless of them. In my past life that is.
You can't really compare human life to one coin of course, but in this world, there are those who think those lives are even beneath that.
Even back then, there were news of people killing other just because of a few tens of thousands yen.

I came to know the [Worthiness] of life after my experience in hunting here.
Hence, I don't plan on ending this matter inconclusively.




"Did you guys do this [All] by your own will? Or..."

So here I push forward to clear my doubt.
I hope it wasn't true, but in the off chance it is, things will get more annoying than ever.

"Did you parents tell you to?"

"Hmp! Dad told me! A nuisance like you is better off gone! We should shoot you so you get out, he said!"


It's clear now. These four were induced to pick on me by their parents.
The enemy is not of children's mind, but adult malice. A sly one at that.
No wonder this never stops even though my father kept protesting.
Normally, you wouldn't want to even get near me.
Even the condition states that a contact from their side is their own responsibility.

Yet their parents instigated their children to [Bully] me without dirtying their own hands.


Oh shit. It's pissing me off like nothing else. I'd end up acting on impulse if I don't calm myself down.

(Acting impulsively from losing patience...)

In all my lives, including the past one, I've never gotten this angry.


Help came in timely.
Father came to fetch me since I hadn't gone back even long after noon.

The shock was so big I lost count of time.

"It's you four again! How many times is it now!"

Even father who had seen similar scenes so many times before changed his countenance when he saw the bows and arrows.

"What's the meaning of this! Explain!"

I was the one who replied ahead of anyone in order to soothe my father who unconsciously shouted out loud in anger.

"I'm not hurt anywhere, dad. Don't worry."

Afterward, I informed him the gist of event.
That helped calm me down.

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15 Prey

Our target has dark brown fur, developed back legs and forelegs that point forward.
It kind of looks like a rabbit yet not really. Or so the animal looks. And the most striking part is how its face is, how to put it, 'caved in'?
It's what you get if you punch a rabbit in the face, crushing it.

And this thing is the game in this hunt.
They proliferate like crazy resulting in their huge number. Essentially they're the lowest chain in the ecosystem.

(It's so ugly I'm losing appetite... No, gotta keep it together.)

I took a stance with my bow, breathed deeply and focused.
Staring only at the target, losing sight of my surroundings.

Suddenly, a rustling sound could be heard somewhere afar.

Our target stiffened up for a moment before making an attempt to run.

(Crap! It's gonna run away! But I'd miss if I shot now...!)

despite panicking, I kept my focus with the arrow nocked and my eyes fixed at my target.

That was when I experienced an odd sensation.




This animal apparently has no name. Let's just call it [Rabbit] for convenience's sake.
That hybrid livestock has a name yet this one doesn't. Weird.

I was taught points of note before we went.
This thing has some explosive power, once it starts running, each leap covers a huge distance, so hunting them must be done through ambush, not pursue.
Father mentioned how much trouble this trait caused him.


But what's unfolding before me is this [Rabbit] moving in [Super Slow Motion] as it turns around and attempts to jump away.
My eyes even fully catches the entire detail of its back legs strongly kicking the ground in slow motion.

(Ah is this the so called [Zone], a state of supreme focus athletes experience?)

While my brain came up with the answer, the rabbit slowly flew in the air and landed on the ground.
I aimed for when it stopped for a moment just as it touched the ground...

(Now!)

'Hyun', by the time that sound of arrow piercing the wind was heard, the rabbit had already been shot through.



"You managed to hit that huh... Impressive."

Father patted my head as he said that.

"Nah, I missed my aim and hit it by chance. Guess luck was on my side?"

Embarrassed by the patting, I made that [Excuse].
However, in reality it was neither a [Miss], [Chance] nor was it through [Luck].

I was fully in control.

(I'm 100% sure. My whole body felt that my aim would not miss.)

A total opposite to my [Excuse].

But there's no point of saying that now.
And so I spoke thus.

"Can't wait for dinner tonight!"

"Yeah, sure is. Can't wait. It's your first catch after all."

"Gotta help mom. Cooking meat I hunted myself sounds so nice!"

"Don't forget you have to strip the meat clean first yourself, hear me? I've shown you how, many times before, you can do it, yeah?"

"Yup I'll be fine. Ah yeah, gotta drain the blood first."

Afterward, we made a triumphant return home with the spoil of war.

(If I recall right, even pro players may only experience that once in their lifetime, and not all of them did. That phenomenon... Surely that's never gonna happen again, right?)

That thought crossed my mind but quickly got erased.






<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
＝＝＝＝　　　＝＝＝＝＝　　　＝＝＝＝＝





Time goes by since then, I turn 12.
A daily life of nothing exciting. Leading an uneventful life.
If there's one thing changed, it'll be my skill at hunting and processing catches progressing to the point of being better than father.


I'm doing farmwork on my own this day, currently taking a rest after finishing my share early.
Going back now at noon would be too quick, so I'm just taking it easy sitting around.

"I'm gonna end you for sure today! You damn manaless!"

That was when the leader of the usual four made his presence known.

(Aren't they tired of this crap...)

How many years has it been since I came across these guys again? They've been a thorn on my side ever since that stone throwing event.
After that point on, they would try to pick on me by all means possible every three to four days.
Their names? Beats me. Don't care. What's the use of knowing their names in my life.


Father had complained so many times to these four's parents, asking them to stop their kids.
But they seem to ignore him, there's been no difference whatsoever.

"Come on out you!"

They themselves likely don't even understand why they're bullying me, but a combination of repulsion toward someone different than them and their obstinacy of not wanting to lose or back down must result in their violent actions.

(So far, I've always let them slide since there was no harm done.)

I've lost count how many times they charged at me. I turned the table on them every single time.
Carefully as to not wound them of course. Otherwise, who knows what they're gonna frame it as.

"What is it now. I'm on break. Make it quick."

Throwing stones, trying to hit me with wooden clubs, jumping kicks from behind a cover, throwing water in a bucket. Etc.
The full line up of the classics. They even made an attempt to tie me in a rope once.

Well, I easily dodged it all though.
They never learned a thing and always came back for more.

It can't be that their parents ordered them to [Get to it], can it...?
Or it can? It sure seems like it...

(Their parents instigated them to escalate this further?)


These guys readied their bows and nocked their arrows at me.
I'll say it again. This is no joke.
I got a bit worked up, but no, calm down bear with it.

"Get him!"

The arrow tips have been dulled so they're not sharp, but their aim was unacceptable.

"Oy... What's the big idea aiming at my face, huh?"

Of course, none of the arrows hit. Cause I caught them with my bare hands before they did.






Yes, I am now able to freely control that sensation I experienced in my first hunt.
I found out how everything slows down if I just concentrate, with me the sole being able to move normally.
How did I found out? Thanks to these four.

The impetus was when they tried to hit me with wooden clubs during a point of time I was really fed up with their constant bullying.
I found it odd at first how they kept their clubs aloft unmoving, but I started getting flustered when they wouldn't swing it down no matter how long I waited.

(Oy oy, even Polna**ff's gonna turn white as sheet at this... Is this The [World]!?)

Powered up far beyond [That] time I hunted rabbit.

(Is this the result of my daily work out regime? You're kidding me right...)


I only found out the reason behind this much later, completely escaping me at this point of time.






(Maybe I should throw these arrows I caught back at them...)

I tried to suppress my anger by recalling some north star fist user.

But that effort was in vain as these four kept shooting arrows at me without even giving a room for breather.

I kept calmly catching all arrows particularly flying in my direction despite my anger gauge rising near the top.



They finally used up all their arrows and then tried to retreat while leaving their usual line.

"You monster! I'll get you next time--"

Oh no you don't, not today. N O M E R C Y. N O E S C A P E.



I threw the arrows in my hands at them, I aimed so these arrows would miss them but still fly right past their eyes.

The arrows made whistling sounds as they pierced the trunk of a tree beyond them.

I'll arrange a place of discussion to knock these four off with their game.
Yup, let's do that.
I want to live in peace in the future.

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14 To Live, Culture Shock

Time goes on and I turn 10.
By now I'm pretty much set on the basics of survival.

Farmwork, wild plants gathering, wood chopping, sewing, washing, cooking, cleaning and a bit of woodwork.
Even how to deal with excrement. Throw your waste in a hole dug in a forest, then do a heat treatment on it once it's full. Simply by setting it on fire. Due to the presence of inflammable gas, the flame pillar produced is quite a sight to behold, but it's stinky.
You must secure a wide open space for this as to not spread fire in the forest. You also want to plant plants with strong scents to mask the smell.

Think I heard they plant Sweet Osmanthus near riverside toilets during Edo era?
There were also manure merchants who would regularly collect and turn them into fertilizer for farm use.

But nothing like that in this world, the people here use animal waste on their fields.
The process is the same like in my previous world.


But said animal is a bizarre one, no I suppose it's only bizarre to the [Earthling] me.
It took me quite some time to get used to it. It's a common thing here of course, yet it presents as a sort of culture shock to me.


The body is about as big as horse, with dense thick fur like sheep.
You can extract milk from it like you do cow, the meat tastes like pork. And the cry sounds like...
Low groaning [Gao].
It's got a calm, obedient nature and big power. Its head is shaped like that of giraffe.


"This thing's way too jam packed!"
I almost retorted that out loud when I first found out about this animal. Chaos, it's a chimera.


However this tightly packed hybrid animal is highly versatile, one of it pretty much fills the role of almost every livestock.
Way too good there's no downside. That's frightening in a way! Absolute perfection. It's herbivorous, even random weed is OK to it, really no downside.

These animals are [Normal] in this world. They're called [Mahon].


As for me, I never let up on my daily work out and form training.

I mean, with my lack of [Strength], I only have myself to rely on in case of trouble.
I've gotta be capable of brushing off falling sparks. Thinking of all the times I got picked on up until this point. By those four.

Well that's not even half of my reason though.
It's mostly cause it's a routine from my past life.
I don't have anything else to do during free time...

"Would've jumped straight to fighting games if only they were around in this world."

I'm still not able to move on from my regret, in fact it's only getting stronger.
So... yeah... I move my body in order to forget.


And now I'm learning another new skill from my father.

Hunting in the forest. I was finally given the permission to at my age.


"We should have been able to start this earlier..."

"Does the topic still come up in the village? Can't be helped, dad. I don't really mind anyway."

No [Misfortune] has befallen this village. The very picture of peaceful.
But the distrust toward me has taken root in some villagers.
And some of those people serve as the village representatives.
By some I mean the parents of those four.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

"That's all the explanation I can give, you can learn the rest as we go."

"This is kinda nerve wrecking. Gotta give it my all."

"Don't wear yourself thin now. Even your dad spent one week running around everywhere just to get one game the first time. And it was a small one. That was a disaster."


Father lightly tapped my back while ridiculing himself.
Tension is coming off my body.

"Right yep. I've still got time."

There's quite a bit more time until my coming of age. Just gotta steadily keep at it. No need to hurry.
So I told myself as we went in the forest.


I had been coming and going into the swallow part of the forest to gather edible wild plants before, but we're going deeper this time.
The forest around this village is bright yet deep. It covers quite a wide area.


Why are we hunting when mahon exists? It's simple.
There's not enough livestock to slaughter them just for meat. Only those that are near death get turned into meat.


The other reason is wisdom. Knowing about forest animals and how to hunt them.
Coming across vicious beasts in a forest could spell death. You need ingenuity and techniques to avoid such fate.
How to act and be wary in the forest.

Survival of the fittest, a place where you bet your life. For the sake of etching this dreadfulness in one's mind.

That said, apparently there's no precedent of danger during hunting in this village.

"Halt. Go at it slowly and quietly."

As we moved forward while keeping our guard up, father whispered to signal that he found a game.

"Aim and shoot there."

Father pointed in the direction where our prey is.
I ploddingly but steadily set up my bow, careful not to make any sound.

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13 Law of the World

"This is how I usually light up the stove."

The flame vanished from mother's fingertip.
Humans in this world possess a not insignificant amount of mana.

They make use of this handy power to supplement daily life.
An average villager is able to produce a flame like just now about five times a day.

It sure is a handicap for me.
I'm the sole exception to things every single soul in this world capable of. Quite problematic.

However, my mind has derailed already.

(Well, guess that's that then. That was a shock sure, but. That means...)

And now I've got some things to verify.
It's weird how I didn't think [That] odd.
But let's get to it later.
Because the results from [That] I will get from taking up a lot of my time and labor is nothing more than a theory.
But I absolutely have to check [That].

Also one matter I need to ask. An important matter.
"At what age is the coming of age? How many years left can I stay in this village?"


Mother and father had complex emotions washed over their faces, shock from my quick understanding, relief, and anguish. No, there must have been a lot more emotions involved there.

"It's 15. You can live here until then."

I then shoot a rapid barrage of questions.

"What about hunting in the forest? Ways to make tools, knowledge about wild plants? Fieldwork has just started for me."

The two started panicking instead at my aggressive barrage of questions.

"O-oy, we've still got more than enough time. No need to get hasty..."

"D-dad is right, let's take it slow okay?"


I burst into laughter to see a side of them they never showed me before.

"Pu, puku, ahaha!"

Father was surprised to see me, smiled and broke into laughter.
Mother was just as surprised before smiling with tears in her eyes.


This was the first time I had ever laughed since I was born in this world.




Afterward, father left to tend the field for noontime.
Mother also left for her friend's house, so I was house sitting.

"Don't go out of the house, you hear? No telling if someone come to pick on you again like noon."

Thus father warned.
As for mother.

"You don't have to answer if anyone comes visiting. Just stay quiet, okay."

So they told me to prevent trouble.

This wasn't my first house sitting anyway.

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

And I've got things to check out.

So, sorry I can't keep that promise. Not with those things. Some of which requires me to leave the house.


(Now then, this is a wholly different world from the one in my past life. Which means, high chance the law of this world is of a foreign one.)


I have been living on like it's natural. Acting like this world's law is exactly like the previous.
Breathing, eating, excreting, sleeping, doing them like it's normal. However...

(Is the thing I'm breathing in, oxygen? If not, what could it be...)

It's suffocating if I don't breathe. Thus breathing is indispensable.
Yet I'm a manaless. Therefore there might be some sort of penalties that come with it.

What about food I ate? The vegetables I saw in the field were all completely novel to me.
Yet, I ate them like it was normal. What kind of nutrients contained within them?

Excretion, physiology. Are [Earth humans] and [this world humans] the same kind of being? Or do they have completely different structures?
And I'm a Blessless. Is having no mana the only difference?

What about physics? Magic is originated from mana. How does that entangle with the law of this world?
Like say the [Flame] mother showed me.
Mana is needed to cast it. But does it only need mana to be sustained then on?
In [Earth] combustibles need oxygen to feed on. But what about in this world?



I've got heaps of things I need to experiment like imagination tests, practical tests, environmental test, action tests, etc.

And the me on the inside is your average office worker, not an expert in any field.
It'll be a long road ahead. But I won't sigh.
If I don't do this, the likelihood of me surviving in this world would become vanishingly low.

And for some reason I'm getting kinda excited. Is this what they call childlike innocence?

To unravel an unknown world. An adventure. Unbefitting of my age.

(Oh yeah, adding up the past and this world me's ages... I'm past 30 huh...)

I pulled myself together from getting a bit down with that fact.

"First of all, [Flame]."

I tried to recollect my vague miscellaneous knowledge, narrowing my focus on survival.

I've gotta run around inside and outside my house to gather the mats needed to start a fire the primitive way.

Now then, it starts now.

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18-SS2. Grand Witch's Secret

"Good afternoon, Satou-san. Give me the usual please."

As I was tending the Hero Store at Fortress City Akatia, a girl wearing a wide cap witch hat who named herself a pupil of the Great Witch, Tia-san came by.

"Good afternoon, Tia-san. You mean energy drink, isn't it."
"Thank you. Yep this is it, I really can't go on without this~."

I noticed her coming from the dot in my Radar so I had prepared the energy drink beforehand.

"So like, Tia-san."

Arisa who was having a chat with me spoke to Tia-san with her cheek still sticking on the counter.
Tia urged at Arisa to continue on with her glance as she gulped down the energy drink.

"How come you don't look your age?"

Arisa asked while staring at Tia-san's youthful face.

"--My age? But, I do?"

Tia-san replied back while tilting her head in confusion.

"I mean your real age is--"

Tia-san swiftly blocked Arisa's mouth.

"Don't you know that disclosing a lady's age is an unladylike behavior?"
"Yes ma'am."

Arisa consented mimicking Nana's speech.

"But how come you look so young then? Are you maybe like, taking a lotsa rejuvenation medicine?"
"I'm not. --I mean, where would I even get my hands on a supply of rejuvenation medicine? They rarely get dropped even in Bloodsucking Labyrinth, let alone other labyrinths. I've never heard one being dropped in this Sea of Trees' labyrinths at least."

I believe there's a recipe for rejuvenation medicine in Elven Village's Forbidden Archive, but I should keep my mouth shut else it'd get bothersome.

"Then, how?"
"It's thanks to the vast amount of mana from Source."

Tia-san said something problematic.
Wait, are you saying that I'm gonna be young forever due to ruling over the continent's biggest Source at [Valley of Dragons]?

"Mana? Come to think of it, I'm kinda growing up really slowly too..."
"Nn, friend."

Arisa who looked as shocked as me at the realization had her shoulder tapped by Mia who participated in the conversation before anyone realized.

"T-that cannot be! What's gonna happen to Arisa-chan's indulgent body then!?"

Arisa shouted out loud while striking 'The Scream' painting pose.

"You alrite~?"
"What's wrong nodesu?"

Tama and Pochi who overheard Arisa's shout came out of the backroom.

"I-it's nothing."

Arisa replied back with a shaken voice but then she got taken aback when she saw Tama's and Pochi's childish figures.

"Right right, now that you mention it... These girls haven't really been growing up either."

Speaking of which, they've been getting enough rests and meals for their growth spurt phase, yet these two look exactly like they were when we first met.
Though not on the level of Arisa and Mia, these two possess mana (MP) far beyond common men due to their radical rate of level up.

"Perhaps the rapid level up hinder their growth?"
"Oh it's okay, it'll be fine."
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
Tia-san who overheard my whisper flapped her hand in the air.

"There's nothing to worry about, their bodies will adapt to it over the years and take forms that fit their ages best."
"I-is that true?"

Arisa reacted to Tia-san's revelation.

Oh good. Even though the level up was done for their safety, I was panicking for a bit there thinking I'd obstructed their growth.

Though it was too early to celebrate.

"Yes, I believe you're growing up about half the normal rate."

Arisa's expression stiffened up like stone when she heard that.
Seemingly finding the atmosphere awkward, Tia-san put her emptied cup on the counter and hurriedly took her leave after saying, 'That was good'.

"Nyo wayyy~"
"What's the matter, Arisa?"

Lulu and all the girls gathered here with all the racket Arisa was making. The manager of Hero Store, Roro is apparently taking a siesta together with the hamsterkin children.

"Lulu-oneesama~"

Arisa hugged Lulu and talked about what just transpired.

"It's okay, Arisa."
"It is?"

Lulu soothed Arisa while combing her hair.

"The term Master put to make us his bride was 『In 5 years』 wasn't it? It's not five year older."
"I see! It is! Lulu genius! As expected of my onee-sama!"

Arisa brightened up and started dancing after taking Lulu by hand.

"Genius~?"
"As expected of Lulu nanodesu!"

Lured by Arisa's excitement, Tama and Pochi also started happily dancing around them.
They probably didn't really follow the flow of conversation at all, they were just happy to see Arisa livened up.

"Besides, growing slower means--."

Arisa looked at me and smiled deeply.
Why does that smile rings an alarm to my Crisis Perception skill.

"--Master will be forever a shota!"

Arisa made an exaggerated pointing gesture at me.

"Mwu?"

The nearby Mia looked puzzled.
She sent me an askance glance, but you can't expect me to understand Arisa's acrobatic thought process, can you.

"Meaning, once we have enough of lolishota fun, we'll get straight to oneshota!"

I silently shook my head at that Arisa-like reckless remark.
While inwardly vowing to find out ways to accelerate growth--.

Previous Chapter

12 Harsh Reality

Blessless.

"Refers to those who are born without the Blessings of god. Your black hair is the proof of that."

It took me a while to swallow that.
This is the first time I'm made aware of that fact.
I mean can you really blame me. There's no mirror here.
I pulled a strand of my hair and take it before my eyes.

(...Uwah, it really is black...)

Water mirror? I couldn't afford to even care about that. Goes to show how much I was panicking.
There were many points where I could have noticed it if only I was of sound mind, but my parents would do their everything to keep me in the dark.

When they cut my hair they would put a blindfold on me under the pretext of covering my eyes from fallen hair and only untie it once it was over.
That's just how thorough they were.

Besides, my mental state was fully preoccupied trying to learn words.

This house was my whole world since I was reborn here.
My parents are both blond with blue eyes. The old woman was silver [white haired]. Blue eyed too.

The young men I saw during fieldwork were blond and blue eyed. The four children were blond and blue eyed.

Naturally, who could have blamed me to think I were the same?



"Blessless is a detested existence."

As I was trying to make excuse for my slowness, father resumed on.

"There are many anecdotes... one says they have been [Abandoned] by god, [Punished], or [Cursed Child], [Child of Evil God] and such."

I could tell those words must have been flung around during the time father tried to appease the villagers.
My whole body was beset with rage myself when I heard that.

But, my mother's kind words loosened it up.

"But look at him now, so bright and lively. None of that anecdote could be true."

That was either an encouragement or soothing word to father.
But those words were enough to erase my rage.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >

"It is said that Blessings of god is the reason we are able to communicate through [Words]. There are also several other things said to be affected by Blessings."

Living in this world is tough enough for me, all the more with this handicap.
I'd probably meet a dead end in the future if I don't have a flexible mindset.

But the clincher hasn't been told yet. Which is.


"The lack of Blessing results in Manaless."

That must be the [Fuel] needed to cast magic, or so it should be in your usual fantasy setting.
But the mood is weird. I don't expect anything good from this.
And sure enough.

"Your body has no mana. None whatsoever."

It all clicks together.
[Mana] and [Less]. It's simple.

Manaless.

That's just it.
This fact didn't really come as a huge shock to me since I don't plan to become a wizard or anything.
Since I was sure I would lead a slow life in the country until the end of my life.
The thought of [Mana] connected to magic never even crossed my mind until now.


But it doesn't seem to be that lax of an issue.

"Mother never let you watch me cooking, didn't I. That's..."

Mother raised her forefinger up and...

"Flame."

Thus a lighter sized flame rose from the tip of her finger.

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