Along the open road, two figures ran, one closely following the other.
“Lord Mizuki…”
A soft, trembling voice called out from behind.
“Could we please… stop and rest for a little while?”
Hearing her plea, Mizuki slowed to a stop and exhaled slowly.
Even after running for over an hour, he was only slightly out of breath, feeling barely any fatigue.
Roughly two hundred meters behind him stood a girl with a fluffy fox tail and lovely animal ears.
It was Sanjouno Haruhime.
Exhausted from the long run, Haruhime rested her hands on her knees, dripping with sweat as if she had just been pulled from a river.
Her chest heaved violently as she fought to catch her breath, a deep crimson shade coloring her delicate cheeks.
Taking in her worn-out state, Mizuki looked ahead toward the distant horizon, where the faint outline of a towering spire was coming into view.
They were finally closing in on Orario.
“Let us take a break. We are not far now, so we can walk the rest of the way at a leisurely pace.”
Mizuki sat down on a nearby boulder, taking out a waterskin and offering it to Haruhime.
As Haruhime sipped the water, he drifted into thought.
It had been more than a week since he arrived in the world of the anime.
Instead of landing directly in Orario, he had appeared in the colder regions of the Far East.
Even having seen the anime, navigating the unfamiliar territory had proved challenging.
Fortunately, Mizuki had obtained a system typical for transmigrators.
The proficiency system, true to its name, provided a steady flow of rewards as long as he remained diligent and trained his abilities.
Upon opening the starter bundle, he had acquired the ability known as gust step.
The ability granted swift footwork and remarkable stamina.
Once Gust step was unlocked, he gained complete control over its functions.
However, its proficiency started at zero, requiring full completion before he could trigger the next lottery reward.
It functioned essentially through cumulative usage.
As long as he used it consistently, raising the counter from zero to one hundred, he could access the draw.
Determined to unlock a new ability quickly by maxing out his progress, he ran whenever the opportunity arose.
Relying on his swift movement, he had managed to rescue an elderly man along the way.
To his surprise, that person turned out to be Gojouno Kaguya’s grandfather.
To express his gratitude, the old man casually offered his granddaughter’s hand in marriage.
Mizuki recalled that Kaguya did not have a grandfather mentioned in the lore, nor was the Gojou clan particularly benevolent.
In this timeline, Kaguya’s circumstances were less complicated.
Though the Far East remained steeped in rigid traditions, open internal strife had not erupted.
Kaguya had simply grown sick of her family’s stifling customs, leaving home after a dispute to travel toward Orario.
Her grandfather believed Mizuki possessed remarkable potential claiming he could watch over Kaguya, which prompted the guy to arrange the match.
Since the arrangement seemed legitimate, Mizuki saw no reason to turn down a fiancée.
With that settled, Mizuki set off toward Orario.
Running along the way also served to build his proficiency.
During the journey, Mizuki crossed paths with a group of Amazonian traffickers.
They had captured Haruhime, intending to transport her to Orario to sell her for a steep price.
Mizuki knew all about Sanjouno Haruhime.
Beyond her charming fox-like nature, her auxiliary magic Uchide no Kozuchi was exceptionally powerful, capable of granting temporary level ups to multiple allies later on.
Even without a familia falna, her innate potential remained intact.
Mizuki put the five hundred thousand valis given by the clan to good use, combining it with a few valuables to purchase Haruhime from the traffickers.
Having Haruhime along made the journey far less solitary.
Still, he felt a bit guilty for making her sprint constantly to keep pace with him.
His proficiency with Gust step had already reached ninety percent.
Only ten percent remained.
Given the remaining distance to Orario, simply running would not be enough to finish the final stretch.
After their brief rest, the two resumed their journey.
An hour later, they arrived before their destination.
The scene before them was magnificent and imposing.
The colossal walls of Orario stretched toward the sky, with only a dozen travelers scattered around the massive gates.
Entering the city involved very few restrictions, though leaving required proper clearance.
As they drew near the entrance, Haruhime grew nervous, shrinking behind Mizuki and clutching the hem of his tunic.
Turning around, Mizuki gently pinched her soft cheek, saying, “Don’t worry. I am right here, and no trafficker will ever touch you again.”
Reassured by his words, Haruhime relaxed slightly, though her face flushed an even deeper shade of red.
Mizuki smiled faintly.
Over the course of their journey, he had noticed how sensitive she was, blushing shyly whenever he spoke directly to her or met her gaze.
In the anime, she had been forced into the Pleasure Quarter and frequently fainted whenever things became too overwhelming, likely due to that same extreme timidness.
After teasing her a bit, Mizuki took her hand and led her through the gate.
Guarding the entrance were members of the Ganesha Familia, identifiable by their elephant crest.
One of the guards caught Mizuki’s attention, looking quite familiar.
Noticing the prolonged look, the guard chuckled warmly and declared, “I am Hashana Dorlia, a level 2 adventurer of the Ganesha Familia.”
“I appreciate that admiring look of yours. Interested in joining our ranks? I would gladly introduce you to our god.”
Hashana?
Mizuki remembered him as the adventurer who had guided Bell near the gates, only to meet an untimely end on the eighteenth floor.
He truly was a friendly, good-natured fellow.
“I am not looking to join a familia just yet,” Mizuki replied politely, shaking his head before adding with a cautious tone.
“Brother Hashana, I hail from the Far East, where we practice a form of fortune telling.”
“I foresee that women may bring you trouble down the line. It might be wise to keep your distance from them.”
“Hahaha!”
Hashana broke into hearty laughter, clapping a rough, calloused hand against Mizuki’s shoulder.
“You are still quite young, friend. You will understand in time. What good is exploring the dungeon without treasure, beautiful women, and fine drink?”
“I suppose so,” Mizuki replied with a wince, feeling the heavy force behind Hashana’s casual pat.
Noticing his discomfort, Haruhime stepped forward and carefully tried to pry Hashana’s fingers away, attempting to lift the heavy hand from Mizuki’s shoulder.
Hashana withdrew his hand, looking at Mizuki with an amused, knowing grin.
“Well now, you seem to have things sorted out. This little renard is quite devoted to you. Make sure you treat her properly.”
Her face turning red once more, Haruhime retreated behind Mizuki, gently kneading his shoulder where it had been struck.
“I will,” Mizuki nodded gratefully.
“Could you tell me how to reach the home of the Astraea Familia?”
At the mention of the Astraea Familia, Hashana’s expression shifted into one of genuine respect and praise.
“The honorable Astraea Familia!”
“They are truly one of the most respected factions in all of Orario!”
“No wonder you turned down an offer from our Ganesha Familia.”
“Are you hoping to join their ranks, friend?”
Mizuki shook his head.
“No, I am here to find my fiancée, Gojouno Kaguya.”
Mizuki understood Far Eastern naming customs well enough.
Her original clan name was Gojou, and the syllable had been adjusted into Gojouno after her arrival in Orario to match local customs.
Hashana’s face froze mid-expression, his eyes opening wide as his tone spiked in disbelief.
“Gojouno Kaguya?”
Hashana’s booming reaction drew curious looks from several travelers waiting in line nearby.
Staring down at Mizuki with wide, round eyes, he laughed loudly, “Hahaha, come now, that is not a very convincing joke.”
His broad palm came down on Mizuki’s shoulder once more, though with noticeably less force this time.
“Gojouno Kaguya is quite famous throughout Orario.”
“She is a frontline vanguard for the Astraea Familia, a level 3 veteran known by the alias Yamato Rindo.”
“And you claim she is your betrothed?”
Hashana leaned in close, dropping his tone to a low murmur filled with utter skepticism.
A murmur of amusement rippled through the surrounding crowd.
A new book!
Add to the library!