Extra 29: Story about the Gorgon-sans

Going to the outside.

For the residents of Asora, this holds a special meaning.

Going to their original living place that is the wasteland doesn’t have that much of a meaning.

It only becomes ‘special’ when the location is within hyuman territory.

In those cases, there’s the need to clear strict requirements set by the lord of Asora -Raidou- and his followers, or the permission won’t be granted.

Working in the Kuzunoha Company at Tsige or Rotsgard, or temporarily being called by their lord for business at those places is beginning to hold a special meaning in the residents of Asora.

It is not as if Misumi Makoto himself has placed a special worth to it.

Just that, there’s the need to be quite the competent one in order to get permission.

Because of this fact, it has created worth inside of them.

In the races, there’s ceremonies and trials to test each individual to see if they are competent, but for many of the races, receiving the permission to go outside is taken as a step further from the trials.

“Since when did it turn that way?”

“It was before we even noticed. It is not as if it was imposed as a trial, but it looks like it has turned out that way.”

“I do give out the permission to go outside even when they are not strong though?” (Makoto)

“Even so, there’s the need to be excelling at something. For example; for the eldwas, it has become a big evaluation of their skills as a blacksmith.”

“I see. And so, the Winged-kin and the Gorgons are growing impatient to go outside.” (Makoto)

“Yes. But the Gorgons are a difficult matter. In order to let them outside, it would be an absolute necessary to control that indiscriminate petrification ability they have. I heard that, at present, the ability goes out at full-throttle the moment their gla.s.ses come off.”

At the home of Makoto in Asora.

The conversation of the two was being done in his room.

One of them is Makoto and the other one is his first follower, Tomoe.

*Knock knock*

“Hm? Who is it?” (Makoto)

“Shiki. Is it okay?” (Shiki)

“…Come in.” (Makoto)

“Excuse me. It is a matter that involves me, so I was thinking of intruding.” (Shiki)

“Involves Shiki?” (Makoto)

Makoto directs his gaze at Shiki who entered in a reserved manner after knocking the door.

“About the Gorgons. I think you remember that Waka-sama had ordered me to create a tool to control their petrification ability.” (Shiki)

“Yeah.” (Makoto)

“To tell the truth, after that, they consulted me if there was a way to control their ability without the need to rely on a tool.” (Shiki)

“Oh? Those girls consulting. Shiki, did they suck you dry to your bones?” (Tomoe)

Hearing the words of Shiki about this consultation, Tomoe teased him with a wide smile.

“Tomoe-dono, I have completely dried in regards to those things already.” (Shiki)

“No way that’s the case with that bearing of yours, right? Aren’t you doing something in the dark like ‘the reward will be with your body’?” (Tomoe)

The look of Shiki is that of a young man in his twenties.

There’s no one who would acknowledge that he is dried.

The amazed words of Tomoe weren’t far from how others view him.

“I also lived a so-so life in the hyuman society after all. I have learned how to handle women. In the first place, Lime is currently the one who has taken that role. He is a lot younger and has more energy than me. He should be most suitable for it.” (Shiki)

“…I see. They have made Lime their body attendant huh. He is a l.u.s.tful man after all. Let’s have him taste paradise for a bit….. The future after that will be a tragic one though. Don’t bully Lime too much, Shiki.” (Tomoe)

“It is important to gain experience while young. I think he will come back with a new skin peeled.” (Shiki)

“Fumu…” (Tomoe)

“So Waka-sama, about the matter of controlling the Gorgon’s petrification ability…” (Shiki)

Nodding once at Tomoe who had fallen into thought, Shiki turns back to Makoto.

“After you were asked about the consultation huh. Continue.” (Makoto)

“At present, it is only a few, but there’s some who are now able to control it without their gla.s.ses. It is hard to say that it is completely controlled, but it is on a level that doesn’t cause an hindrance in daily life.” (Shiki)

“Meaning that there are now people that don’t need gla.s.ses?” (Makoto)

“No, it is more like they are doing what the gla.s.ses do themselves. It doesn’t end up in a situation where the ability activates right at the moment they take off their gla.s.ses, but they can’t maintain that state for long without gla.s.ses. That’s the kind of state they are in right now.” (Shiki)

“…They are beginning to control their petrification ability, but it still makes me uneasy to let them outside.” (Makoto)

“I think we will be able to arrive at a level where we can get the approval from Waka-sama soon. That’s one of the things I wanted to report to Waka-sama.” (Shiki)

Hearing the recent state of the Gorgons from Shiki, Makoto made a bitter smile and showed a negative outlook in letting the Gorgons go to settlements.

It may be unconscious, but the standards that Makoto has for the many races to leave outside are pretty strict.

He judges from outward appearance, from ability, and from their personality.

The Orcs and Lizardmen, aside from really limited moments, are not allowed in areas where they have contact with hyumans.

Even the Dwarfs and Forest Onis that have cleared the appearance threshold need quite the skill in order to be acknowledged to work in the company.

In regards to the Gorgon race, even with the explosive improvement from the report of Shiki, Makoto has concluded that, in terms of result, it is still not enough.

There wasn’t any ill intention. Rather, it is because he is protective of the Asora residents that he is showing such a strict side.

“And so, the other one is a request from the Gorgons to Waka-sama. I have been entrusted with telling you that request.” (Shiki)

“Request?” (Makoto)

“Gorgons don’t have names to denote each individual.” (Shiki)

“Eh? They don’t?” (Makoto)

Makoto gave out a flabbergasted response.

Now that he was told that and he looked back on it, he noticed that he doesn’t know the names of the Gorgons.

Matriarch-san, Onee-san, Imouto-san, Gorgon-san; Makoto noticed that he was handling it in this way.

“They normally don’t get involved with other races, so it seems there wasn’t much inconvenience until now. Because they lived their life with their eyes covered, they got used to telling who the other person was by their scent and presence, and it was also because they were able to sharply perceive the individual’s characteristics by enhancing themselves with magic power.” (Shiki)

“True. Their perceptiveness is outshone by their petrification ability so it doesn’t stand out, but it is actually incredibly high. It is not wide, but precise kinda thing.” (Makoto)

“Names will be necessary in order to go outside. It also connected to their motivation, so it would be great if Waka-sama—” (Shiki)

“Wait, Shiki.” (Tomoe)

“Tomoe-dono?” (Shiki)

“I understand what you want to say, and the Gorgons do have a point. But won’t receiving a name from Waka-sama himself become a problem?” (Tomoe)

“…As I thought, you think that huh.” (Shiki)

“It can be taken as preferential treatment. We are the only ones who have received a name directly from Waka after all.” (Tomoe)

“The other day, Waka-sama summoned Mist Lizards and gave them names. There’s precedent.” (Shiki)

“That’s more like a codename in order to identify them. If we were to say names…they could also be considered names though… But in the first place, the Mist Lizards have names, so the names that Waka gave them are treated more like t.i.tles, you know.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe and Shiki were exchanging a variety of opinions in regards to the effects it would bring to Asora.

As for Makoto, he was muttering ‘names…names…’.

“Well, it is something necessary. Waka would be no good, and me doing it would be a pain—I mean, it would go against the request of the Gorgons.” (Tomoe)

“That’s why I think the best option would be to have Waka-sama think of their names.” (Shiki)

“…Umu.” (Tomoe)

“…Yeah…” (Shiki)

After what seemed to be a meaningful s.p.a.ce of silence, the two nodded heavily.

“Thinking about names for women isn’t something that can easily pop out in one’s mind, right? This is difficult.” (Makoto)

“And so, Waka.” (Tomoe)

“Oh, Tomoe? Did the talk on your side finish? It is pretty difficult on my side. Even if I am suddenly told to give out names…” (Makoto)

“About those names, can it be like the time with the Blue Lizards? Ones that don’t look like a person’s name at glance, and have some sort of uniformity in them.” (Tomoe)

“? Not a person’s name at glance and have uniformity?” (Makoto)

“Currently, it is because it is necessary for the Gorgons when they go outside. I would say it would be better to treat it as using aliases when going outside.” (Tomoe)

“Aliases, you say. I feel like the difficulty has drastically increased though.” (Makoto)

“Well then, I will be counting on you.” (Tomoe)

“I am sorry for imposing this on you when you are busy, Waka-sama.” (Shiki)

“Eh? What? Tomoe, Shiki?” (Makoto)

The door closes.

Makoto was agonizing for a while with his elbows on top of the desk.

◇◇ ◆◆ ◇◇ ◆◆ ◇◇ ◆◆ ◇◇ ◆◆

Around a week pa.s.sed after that.

Makoto was in the Gorgon settlement with a complicated expression.

The actual reason for that is because he lacked sleep and his complexion was not looking good.

In front of him, there’s four Gorgons.

And at the back of those Gorgons, there’s an even bigger amount of Gorgons.

Everyone is gathered.

This is not a sight that’s normally seen.

In contrast to the expression of Makoto, the faces of the Gorgons were filled with expectation.

“I am sorry for having you go through the trouble of coming here for our sake. But there’s nothing that makes me as happy as being able to actually see this day come.”

“Can we think of this as a step to going out to Tsige, Waka-sama?”

From the four Gorgons lined up in a row, the two in the middle spoke to Makoto.

“About the four that are in front of me…right. Lime did earnestly ask me of this, so I would say it is safe to a.s.sume that this is a tailwind for the Matriarch-san and the other Gorgons to leave to Tsige and Rotsgard.” (Makoto)

Hearing the words of Makoto, the face of the two showed joy.

The other Gorgons were directing envy at them.

The four Gorgons there are the first ones to gain enough ability to control their petrification ability to a point that Makoto acknowledges it.

Within that group, there’s the Matriarch sisters.

You could say they managed to maintain their honor there.

“But I won’t allow both the Matriarch and little sister to leave outside at the same times-ja. A situation where the leaders of the race are not in Asora is not desirable.” (Tomoe)

Tomoe who is slightly at the back of Makoto added this.

Tomoe, Mio, and even Shiki were there.

“Yes, I am aware of this. We currently have a mountain of things to do in Asora after all. We increased our ability mostly because of our obstinacy due to our position. That’s why these other two will be the first group to leave to the outside.” (Matriarch)

“Eeh?! I can’t go outside?!”

“Obviously. Are you planning on pushing all the work to me, you lady.” (Matriarch)

“Uwu… too bad. But it is true that we do have work over here as well. Can’t be helped. Let’s look forward to it in the future then.”

“Yeah, that’s how it should be.” (Matriarch)

“Then, about the names that you four will be using when going to the outside…” (Makoto)

“!!!”

The casual words of Makoto had created nervousness within the Gorgons. The talk around the area also went silent.

For some reason, the three followers at the back also reacted with a twitch.

“The Matriarch-san will be Mutsuki, the Imouto-san will be Hatsuharu, the Bowl-cut lady will be Kasumi, the Wavy-hair lady will be Somezuki. That’s all. They are names solely given for going outside, so I don’t mind you using whichever name you want when you are in Asora.” (Makoto)

“Mutsuki…”

“Hatsuharu…”

“Kasumi…”

“Somezuki…”

The Gorgons mutter their respective names as if they were seeping it into themselves.

On the other hand, the three followers at his back let out small sighs.

(I secretly proposed names for ships, but I missed huh.) (Tomoe)

(They weren’t names for flowers as I predicted either. What was the thought process?) (Shiki)

(They weren’t names for sweets. Maybe this was the suggestion of Tomoe-san or Shiki?) (Mio)

“Well then, we are done. Kasumi, Somesuki; properly discuss with your Matriarch-san before reporting to us, okay? Can Tomoe and Shiki a.s.sign a detailed time and place to dispatch them to?” (Makoto)

“I will think about it.” (Tomoe)

“Understood.” (Shiki)

Confirming that his followers nodded, Makoto waved his hand as he left the place.

Mio was the only one who followed after him.

(Tomoe, Mio, and even Shiki made suggestions to me after all. If I were to use any one of their suggestions, it would end up as me inclining towards a specific side. It was difficult…) (Makoto)

In the end, the names Makoto gave came out from a single book of the doc.u.ment room.

It is not as if anyone in Asora knows of it, so Makoto placed it away inside a locked drawer just in case.

After that, Kasumi and Somezuki ended up working at Tsige, and the popularity of the Gorgons spread to the outside with those two.

As a result of this, there soon was a second group that would be named by Makoto thanks to the blow up in inquisitiveness and motivation from the Gorgons.

‘I am glad I made it a book with lots of names’, Makoto muttered this after the fourth group of namings was done.