23◇ Hero, Return (Revised)

Sogles’s magic tool was a bangle.

[The bangle of Sogles Douay Numeorarut.]

　[Magic]

[Burn by my Eyes [Clares Firno]]

[Burn by my palm [Krahalo Firno]

[Burn by my breath [Club Regus Firmo]

[I order Thee to explode [Volgardt Wong]]

[Listen to the hidden voice [Seeks Leaksless]]

[I order thee to open the way [Rhodos Filenka Wong]]

[Reach and explode [Lee Volgart]]

[Be baptized by the heat [Skultua Va San]]

[Cremation with flaming spear [Gilk De Borzea Lo Fao]]

・The acquired skills Ⅲ

[Antibodies of Sogles Douay Numeorarut] Disables Natural Attributes – natural attributes status are severely reduced.

[Maximum Phenomenon Attribute Resistance] – Cannot activate the phenomenon Attribute (except for [Listen to the hidden Voice [Seeks Leaksless]]).

[Puppet Manipulation of the Sogles Douay Numeorarut] – Puppet Manipulation of corpses – includes the energy burden for puppet activity.

[Self-eating of Sogles Douay Numeorarut] – Enables the conversion of life force to magic and vice versa. The conversion rate is 1 : 1 for both sides permanently.

This time, it’s a magic tool that comes with a negative status effect.

But strangely enough, the skills obtained through predation have no negative effects.

In other words, Kousuke got the natural attribute invalidation without added side-effect.

For puppet manipulation, the energy burden does not seem to be treated as a negative effect, as it’s still there.

However, I can’t honestly rejoice at the fact that I’ve become stronger.

It’s probably best to refrain from activating “Black”, and the sudden activation of “Semi-Psychopath” is also frightening.

The latter, in particular, is probably triggered when you have pure killing intent and are about to act on it.

You must restrain yourself from confronting your enemy in a fit of rage.

Control your emotions.

It can be done. It’s not impossible.

But it’s not going to be easy…

They took longer to get out of [Zest] than when they got in.

The commander-in-chief, Reis, greeted them with a smile.

The other soldiers also looked at them with respect.

Many people were scared seeing Hana’s head, but a number of them cried when Kousuke explained the story to them.

Arkrea… might actually be a country with only good people.

That’s how peaceful it is.

It’s enough to give your heart a sense of relaxation.

Kousuke was invited by Reis to go to the entertainment district to celebrate the dungeon capture.

[Shoukan] – or as they called it in my original world – a brothel.

In short, it’s an area lined with a lot of shops that charge for doing erotic things with women.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested, but I respectfully declined because I had a prior agreement.

“Invite me again later.”

He said socially, and a salute was returned.

Kousuke didn’t want to salute, so he just smiled and headed back home.

The sun was already starting to go down, so he decided postpone visiting the [Handan-ya] shop to tomorrow.

However, they couldn’t carry Hana’s head around with them, so they stopped by the graveyard.

Apparently, there is a concept of burial in Arkrea as well.

If the God of this world also created worlds different from Arkrea, like the worlds that Kousuke and the other visitors were originally from, then it would not be surprising if humanity followed a similar evolution path.

Although there is a difference in the basis of life between magic and science.

As a Japanese, cremation was the first thing that came to Kousuke’s mind, but in Daltra, earthen burial is said to be the common practice.

Science doesn’t have much presence, but religion has deep roots in this world.

It’s a religion that believes in the myth of Arkrea as orthodox history, and although not all of the sect members may think so, a significant number of their subjects believe in it.

Well, even in Kousuke’s former world, there were people getting dragged along because their parents were Buddhists or Christians.

This is also the case in this world, where there is a “flow of succession”.

The Arkrea myth is a story of Gods and Heroes.

The heroes are said to be visitors from the past.

In other words, to the Arkrea sect, the visitors are the heroes of the present day.

What happens then?

The area of the graveyard changes from that of an ordinary human.

They are unidentified people, yet they are treated highly enough that a visitor’s cemetery is created.

There is no meaning in treating the dead well, but it would be meaningful to those who are left behind.

No one will be displeased to see their acquaintances buried properly and carefully.

Outside King’s Landing.

On a small hill, outside the capital, there it was.

The church runs the cemetery, but the actual burial is done by contractors.

So, we can’t dig up the grave and put the head in the empty coffin, is what Taiga said.

“Not until after tomorrow”, he said.

Kousuke laughed that there was no need to do that, and assembled the “Earth” magic appropriately and activated it.

The soil recedes.

“Wind” magic pulls up the coffin.

“Until now, I haven’t come to visit the grave. Because I knew you three wouldn’t be here.”

“You can come as often as you like. They’ll all come by here.”

Kousuke took out all the heads. It was quite the horrible view.

Taiga found the ones that belonged to Cruz and Mio and placed them in the coffin using the same procedure he did for Hana.

Then for the next thirty minutes or so, Taiga prayed.

Kousuke watched him.

“I’m sorry to keep you waiting. Let’s go, the little girl, Econa’s food is going to get cold.”

“I don’t care, but “The little girl, Econa” is way too long. Just call her Econa. She won’t mind it.”

“I’ve never been liked by a kid before.”

Kousuke burst out in laughter.

“Hahaha! That face, because they are afraid of your face.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Hey…you’re taking me by surprise…pffft,Puhaha. You’re right, if you ask me, that face would indeed make a child cry…ahahahahahaha!”

Seeing Kousuke laughing while holding his stomach, Taiga frowns.

“Is it that funny?”

“Because….fuhhh”

“Your voice is going to turn inside out.”

“Wait, just shut up for a second…fufu…”

For the next five minutes, Kousuke continued to laugh.

Taiga looked troubled, but was not in a bad mood.

They returned to the city.

The door of the [Shizukutei of Life], opened.

What greeted the two was a cheer.

The guests – the visitors – were shouting something.

Anyway, it was a festive mood.

“Kuro!”

And then Shiro hugged him.

Her big tits were pressed against him, her scent mixing with the air he was breathing in.

“I’m sorry, Kuro!”

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know much about mythical magic, but I heard something today. The White Hero loses his memory, and the Black Hero loses himself. Hey, are you okay? Kuro is still Kuro, right?”

“Uh…I’m Kuro. I’ve been Kuro since you told me to call myself that.”

It would be better to talk about what happened inside the labyrinth later.

More importantly, the problem was that Shiro, who had tears in her eyes, was too cute.

“Hey Shiro, can I kiss you?”

“Huh?”

Without waiting for a response, Kousuke laid his lips on Shiro’s lips.

Pressing and sucking.

”Mmmmm~”

Her face turns bright red.

I enjoy it for about ten seconds and then let go of her mouth.

“Nah, nah, nah—”

• [Status] has changed to [Mental Pollution 1.998].

Then, Econa appears from the kitchen.

She had a meat dish on a tray.

“Econa!”

She jolts and shudders, but when she realizes it’s Kousuke, she hurriedly places the tray on a nearby table, adjusts her uniform and hair, and then runs a short trot.

“Goshujinsama! Welcome back, eh?”

“Oh, I’m home! I can’t wait to eat your food!”

Kousuke put his arms around her and lifts up her small body.

And then, he spun around on the spot.

”Gosh-Goshujin-sama!?”　

Kousuke set Econa down and then held her in his arms.

She smelled sweet.

• [Status] has changed to [Mental Pollution 0.665].

“Hey Taiga! Being Happy is pretty easy, isn’t it?!”

Taiga must have realized what he meant, because he stroked the back of his neck and sighed.

“No. You have earned it. After a path and a choice that wasn’t easy to take.” (TL: Taiga means the events of his old world here (Taking Revenge for 5 years))

“Maybe!”

Ever since he had come to Arkrea, Kousuke had changed a little bit due to experience, and a lot due to the time spent here.

It would be more correct to say… that he was back to normal.

Kousuke had killed himself before this after avenging his sister’s death.

That was supposed to be the end of his life, but it did not end there.

And he has regained his boyhood that he thought he had lost.

Through interaction with people.

Through fighting demons.

“The character hasn’t changed much…?”

Shiro giggles, forgetting the shock of being kissed.

“Goshujinsama, it’s a little painful,”

Econa lets out a glossy voice as she pouts.

Kousuke speaks bluntly, without any falsehood.

“Shiro, Econa. You guys are like my happiness.”

They froze for a moment and then blushed simultaneously.

The guests around them cheered.

“Yo guys! Today, everything is on me and Taiga! Eat and drink all you want!”

The guys holding keg mugs raised them with a loud shout.

“I and Taiga have beaten Sogles to death! Anyone who wants to listen to me, just stick your ears out!”

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