Episode 07: Dream

This is a dream. I noticed that it was a scene without a sense of reality in an instant.

In the dream I faced the other me. It is me in the appearance of Deet, the figure of Johann, in the form of Shoji, one after another I change into the figure in the past of those I have walked as up to now.

『Hey, What is with the appearance。 With my knowledge and experience why was the skill so bad』

The me of the Dream, he is speaking in a tone of ridicule.
So annoying.

『What is so annoying。 Since it is inevitable I will tell you why. All of me have not been accepted by you.  The brain, the body, and magical power are all poor。 At best, only the surface can be traced』

Ha. I understand. In reality I should be able to do much more.
In the past, one village had been pushed until it had become a powerful nation. I have destroyed many countries all alone. I became the Maou [TL:Demon King] and have destroyed the world.
There is no difficulty to protect the Elf Village if it were to be compared to it.

『Lucie, she closely resembles the girl who became the origin of my nature. To protect her I will lend a hand』

You are wrong, I Lucie is, it is not because she looks like that girl that I came to like her. I will live as Syril, I loved the time when we are together. Lucie is not a subst.i.tute.

『Fumu。 The me in this time, is it that particular about being oneself above all。 Oh well。 I have also seen it several times。 But, an Ordinary man。 If one has a dream thou can’t discern then, You will have no choice but to trust me』

I understand. The matter of the fact is that I am not a thing. I am the present me, but I also wont deny by past selves. But, Lucie is the only one I wont hand over.

『The I of now has understood。 I will, as it is said be devoted to supporting from behind the scenes until I stop being Syril someday。 ”Excluding one part” All of the knowledge and experiences are to be given。 The personality will not be touched。 But do not forget, the moment you give up being Syril, at that time, you also will fall into being a mere part of me』

How come you wont force me to do it？

『Probably there is not reason to do such a wasteful thing。 That which you hold naturally, emotions, drive, I have worn out all of those, it is something that has been lost。 The feelings that flow from you are my sole amus.e.m.e.nt』

Is that so? Then in exchange for the power, I will let you enjoy my life to the utmost.
I will show you the best happy ending.

『That would be splendid。 I have already gotten tired of tragedy。 This world is a special world for me。 Preferably that child whom I left behind……no, it would be nice。 Even now I yearn to have been able to save that child……』

My Voice became interrupted in the middle.
And the dream ends.

「Good Morning」

The heavy feeling of the body immediately before losing consciousness disappeared completely, and Maryoku has been enhanced.
The souls that were absorbed yesterday has completely become ours.

The soul alone being taken, it would be insignificant, even the souls did not become one’s power yesterday yet, while I slept it a.s.similated.
Yesterday, the number of soldiers that were cut down and killed were 64 people.
I have captured the souls of 64 people. Internal Maryoku《Odo》 max amount has jumped up approximately 11 times that of yesterday.

With this, Magical Power control ranked for a Superman as if from an ordinary man to a Superman. [TLN: 超人 or Choujin. chou being super, ultra, or transcend. jin meaning person. So he is an Ultra Ascended.] With this, What is possible for me to do has increased.
However, even if the total volume has increased the amount of Internal Magical Power《Odo》 that can be discharged at a time, the technique of magical control has not changed. This is a future problem.

「Nevertheless, what is with this comfortable feeling in this bed.」

A sweet smell drifts, and there is warmth in the hand.
The body has something of a feeling of being purified of negative ions.

「Syril, don’t play truant, a~tsu, useless, I’ll be angry if you do things so halfheartedly 」

Lucie’s sleep talking is heard.
The me in Lucie’s dream seems to be considerable good-for-nothing fellow, there is no help for it if I think about how I was so far.
After Lucie placed a blanket over me, she must have run out of energy while clenching my hand, and leaned against my body.

「Speaking of which we tended to sleep together in the old days.」

Because the of the snowy forest climate of the Elf village and very frigid nights, it was possible to sleep together with two people, often to endure the cold. It becomes considerably warm with the heat of two persons so the warmth will not escape the blanket. But Lucie refused to do so from around last year.

I wonder if she came to be aware of gender. Lucie’s body, even though I thought it had been that of a child’s recently, it is growing fairly well.

Brought up as siblings for five years, Although I see Lucie as a woman now, I had not seen her as one until now.

「I wonder if it is a little better」

The time limit to bring the food to the village is the 5th. Today even if I were to rest all day long there is sufficient time.
I still want to keep enjoying Lucie’s warmth, I drew Lucie who was leaning on top of the blanket into the blanket, and make her into a dakimakura[TL: huggable pillow].

「Wind, lend me your eyes」

In this way 【Chikaku Kakuchou】[TL: Perception Expansion] widened my awareness. Unlike yesterday, there was still spare magic and physical strength.  Even while sleeping, it would be easy to leave a part of the consciousness and still be cautious of the surroundings. This is one of my most frequently used specialties.

「Good morning. Lucie」

Lucie slowly came out of the carriage when I prepared a considerably late lunch outside.
I set up an open air fire to heat a large stone and arranged a loin of deer meat on top.
I close my eyes until the aging of the meat is sufficient.

After the coveted idle slumber for that extra hour before getting up, since there was free time, I removed the rest of the blood off of the skinned deer hide and tanned it, I divided the rest of the meat so that it is easier to eat, packaged it in maple bark and placed it in the carriage.

Even if a fire is started in the daytime it is not conspicuous now, my perception range is within a 300 m radius. It is good since I can put it out as soon as a soldier of the Empire approaches.

「I’m sorry, Syril, I, fell asleep」
「It’s understandable. Yesterday, did you wait outside for the entire time until I came back？」
「Yes, That is right but, I am up, it was necessary to be vigilant」

While Lucie was being crushed with anxiety about if I will die, she was waiting outside while shivering in the cold alone. If we failed then everyone in the village will starve so there was a strong pressure for a long time, and the carriage continued to be run so we are both mentally and physically tired from that.

Although it is easy to say it, but the physical and mental load is immeasurable.  Unlike me, Lucie is a normal girl. Rather it has become necessary to praise her to have gone so far.

「That is right, I wanted to properly watch. If found by soldiers in yesterday’s state, the both of us would have died. However, the fact is that it would have been the result of my failure should the pursuers had been tailing me and extended their search over here, it was not the mistake of Lucie」
「But, I came for a purpose with Syril, but I wasn’t any useful」
「You are useful. Because Lucie drove the wagon all day yesterday It was possible to attack by allowing me to conserve my strength, if I were by myself, I might have the wrong tension, on the journey, because of Lucie’s accompaniment my mind gained composure. Besides, I was able to absolutely return because Lucie was present」

All of it is the truth. However, if I were to add one more thing, the biggest one would be that I would be too fearful of leaving Lucie all alone in the village.
While I am not there, the anger and uneasiness of the crisis to the village that I caused might turn the villagers to Lucie.
Even if a good person one by one, the heart of the individual will become ugly and distorted as soon as it becomes a group.

「Syril, I am glad you have said so but, I still can’t forgive myself」

Lucie is straightforward, but stubborn. And sweet to others but tough on herself. It is necessary to convince her.

「So？　Shall I give out a punishment. When we get back to the village, you have to listen to one request from me. Then I will forgive you」
「Okay, what is it going to be？」
「Hmm？　I will give it some thought. Until we reach the village, it would be good if you should just imagine the scariest thing possible.」
「Because it is Syril, I don’t think you will do something so terrible, but it is still scary」

Lucie had a wry smile.
Nevertheless……sharp. I would not force Lucie if she serious hates it. Therefore I let her speculate and make a slightly pained expression.

「There is fear if you do not know what is the punishment」
「That is a fairly tepid punishment」
「Because it is the first time. I wont permit any mistakes the second time. So there is no helping it today. Lucie is an amateur in terms of mental strength and also immature in stamina. Rather the thing about enduring for two days was a surprise. That is a talent. If it is forged, surely anything will be possible」
「Even Syril is an amateur. ……I will do my best. I don’t want to depend too much on Syril, because I want to become stronger」
「I’ll be expecting it.」
「But,  I have been forgiven for two times, what happens when it comes to the third time？」
「Nothing will happen, I would have decided that person can’t do it and will never believe in them again, they wont be entrusted with anything important」
「In a sense that would be more painful than you getting angry」

Lucie makes a pained smile.
In my experience, the guy who makes the same mistake 3 times is useless where ever they go.
You cannot entrust the kind of person who fails to do a good job.
Lucie would surely be okay.

「Well then, please eat the deer that I seared」

I sprinkled salt on the seared meat. And I placed the specially seared meat on to Lucie’s plate.
The most delicious meat around the bone, is sc.r.a.pped with a spoon, thoroughly minced with a knife, the smell is taken away by mixing it with lily wasabi that was carved there, salt for seasoning, and the acidity of the cranberry fruit juice is added.

「It is a waste to use so much salt two days in a row」
「It is okay because I was able to steal a lot of salt. For the time being there is no need to worry. If salt isn’t taken in you will be exhausted by the time you go back to the village」
「It would be a hard time after remembering this luxury」

To tell the truth, the salt was a considerably high-ranked priority in the raid of the supply base.
It is not possible to get salt in the elf village located in the mountains. Before being dominated by the Empire, you could buy it from the peddler who occasionally comes by, although you could go to the Fire Kitsune village where it is is produced and sold, we needed to depend on goods from the Empire after being controlled by the Empire.

Salt is an essential thing for life, a long time ago the partner’s sale price was what you named, because the Empire only gives the bare minimum, it became custom to use salt considerably carefully in the Elf Village.

Even if you make a mistake, as I did the salty taste works and is good！The impression to not use such amount comes out.
Although I was able to secure the present amount of salt in the raid, it is necessary to develop a supply route of salt in the near future.
Next time, let’s face the Hikitsune Village. [TLN: Hikitsune is Flame Fox, I like to switch things around sometimes if you haven’t already noticed.] The Flame Kitsunes excel in fighting power, and to the rule of the Empire, they still continue to resist, they are old friends. A relation of friendship is possible to be established.

「About now, it would be nice. Because it is only two times that it is possible to be luxurious. Later, there will be more」
「Honey liquor《 mead 》！　I have never had such a thing！」

Honey liquor《 mead 》 is alcohol made from honey. The Elf village included, this continent itself is cold, sugarcane which is the raw material for sugar is not raised, it is an ultra luxury good that relies on imports from over the sea.

Therefore, sweetness depends on the fruit and honey.  If the fruit has not been selectively bred, it will not taste very well. As for concentrated sweets, honey is a very popular luxury good. As as result, it soars when it comes to honey, it does not appear at all to the alcohol used by common people. It is intended for entertaining great people that possibly come to the supply base.

「There are only three of them. After this, wont it never come around to us once the adults drink everything? So, lets part with only one. Our lives were the ones risked. As for this, it is a perk 」

The Elf village is pretty strict with seniority. The Elders get the delicious things, and the lower members get the rest.
I, while Lucie was asleep,  summoned Deet with 【Rinne Kaiki】, and took out the mead from 【Item Box】.
The contents of Deet’s 【Item Box】, which is reset each time I reincarnate, and except for that storing things in it is very convenient.

「Uuh, But, that sort of thing is embezzlement……」
「So？　That is not a reason for Lucie to not drink. Then shall I have it all」

A gold colored liquid is poured into the gla.s.s with an air of ostentatious pride.
Lucie’s throat gulps.

「Hey, get a whiff of the aroma, smells sweet」
「Really, nice smell」

Lucie’s soul seems to express a voice.
That much, Lucie is hungry for sweets.
In the mountains around here are bees, honey cannot be taken from carnivorous bees such as wasps and hornets. [TLN: not the scientific cla.s.sification, but that is how the language is.] The last time honey was seen, it was the wedding of the Current Mayor’s son, and that was specially prepared.
Naturally it has not been tasted in this mouth.

「Well then, I shall have some.」

I sounded the throat as I pored the Honey wine 《 mead 》 down. The brain is fascinated by decent sweetness for the first time in several years.
The sweetness pa.s.ses through the tired body.

「Umai！　Aah, that was worth attacking the base at the risk of my life」

While I made an over-reaction to the sweetness, I repeatedly call it sweet.

「How regrettable. Lucie can not enjoy this taste. Honey Wine 《 mead 》, there may not be another chance to drink it if you miss this opportunity」

Lucie’s cheeks twitches suddenly but subtle.
Another final strike.

「After this, there is only 1 more cup. I will soon drink it here」
「……Give me」

Lucie said in a feeble voice.

「Huh？　I did not hear it？」
「Mead, I also want to drink」
「Well then, here」

I poured it to the brim into Lucie’s cup.

「Unexpected, I thought it was more deluxe because of Syril」
「I was purposely teasing to get Lucie to drink. Then you would immediately take it if I said to drink.」

I held out the cup while saying so, Lucie receives a gla.s.s fearfully, and sipped it with the mouth after sniffing it.

「Uma～i」

Lucie gives out a voice that melts away.
And wears a smile that has not been shown until now. Even though the deer liver was delicious, still, the sugar like sweetness is a special exception.
Girls of all ages are vulnerable to sweet things.

「I’m glad you like it.」

While I am eating deer meat, I included some mead in my mouth. The salty roasted meat of the deer, it shares a good compatibility  with the mead. The alcohol enters the body and feels hot.

「I may have already died」

Lucie is little by little, muttering while drinking the honey wine 《mead》.

「It would be better to stop. If winter comes, don’t say that there will be delicious things much much sweeter than a cup of Honey Wine《Mead》, it would be difficult to treat a full stomach」

I say so, while patting a near maple tree.
The mead is sweet however,  at best the sweetness at tea level is 3 spoons of sugar. I want Lucie to enjoy the sweetness of candy more properly.
Though I want to actually prepare it right now, the materials can’t be removed when it isn’t winter.

「Winter？　There aren’t any fruits in winter, honey can’t be produced either？　And yet you will have sweets？」
「Aah yes, It is very sweet, it is something very delicious. If Lucie gets entranced by this sweet, she will tire of Honey Wine《Mead》」
「If I can eat such a wonderful thing and die, it would be of satisfaction」

Lucie say that joke that cannot be taken too seriously
Once I noticed, Lucie’s cup has become empty.
I had a bitter smile, it was not possible to completely pour into a cup, some was remaining in the bottom of the bottle. I poured the last of the Honey Wine《Mead》 into Lucie’s cup.
When I am seen, Lucie popped her eyes.

「Syril is so gentle. Can I ask two things？　Do you want to kiss me？」
「Of course, It is because I love Lucie.」
「Second, is there pain in your tongue to kiss？」
「There isn’t at all. There is more love instead」

When Lucie hears it, the Honey Wine《Mead》 flowed into the cup and it was poured into the mouth. The lips touched and Lucie’s tongue enters.
The Honey Wine《Mead》 that was warmed by the temperature of Lucie’s mouth flowed. I feel it to be sweeter that the Honey Wine《Mead》 that I drank a while ago.
And, Lucie’s tongue was pulled out by about ten seconds.

「This is half of the second cup」

Lucie says so and turning her face down embarra.s.sed.
So Cute. I want to push her down immediately.  I will strongly endure it.
But, I want to kiss a little more. Alright, there is a good thought.

「Alright, open your eyes half way. Also Lucie make it half as much」

If there is Honey Wine《Mead》 however, there is an and excuse to use the tongue again！
Still, A little while ago 【Rinne Kaiki】 had a reaction, it was a very short time of use, it is determined that the after effect still left in the soul for a while, I wont be able to use 【Rinne Kaiki】 again.
Right now, I must take out the second Honey Wine《Mead》.

「It is useless. Because the remaining 2 is the shares of everybody in the village」

However, Lucie flatly refuses.

「Anyways, the people with an air of superiority might only drink」
「Still it is useless, it might reach everyone in the village. if it comes out they will be angry」
「How angry would they be？」
「For one week, I will not speak with Syril」
「Alright, then shall I prepare for departure」

I promptly empty the plate and cups then put things in order and check on the state of the horse.
Those eyes are serious. I would likely not be able to recover when ignored by Lucie.

「Syril」

Lucie calls out from the back. Were you too much in the stride?

「Thank you, It was delicious」

The words of grat.i.tude have been taken.
I turned around and smiled.

「Don’t mention it.」

So I said.