【The Old Man of the Expelled Inn Unwittingly Dominates Today Too】Although I Want to Lead a Slow Life, for Some Reason the Strongest Beauties Who Hold Important Positions in the Country, and Were Once My Disciples, Gather Around Me Asking to Be Hired – Even Though I Only Taught Them a Little～ - Chapter 69: We'll settle this and head back to the inn.

“Damn youuu! I’m the one who will win!”

From Genus’ massive body, a black cylinder slowly extends.

“Go to hell, all of you! Genus Cannon, fireee!”

A massive, dark cannonball shakes the ground as it hurtles towards us.

“Like I’d flinch at that!”

As the cannon fires, the Sword Saint Alesia lets out a spirited battle cry.

“Uooooh! 【One Strike, Two Cuts】!”

Alesia’s rainbow-colored slash cuts the cannonball in half, continuing with the same force to strike directly at Genus himself.

“Gaah! Damn you, Sword Saint!”

Cracks form in Genus’ body along with the black cylinder as he groans in agony and pushes out another cylinder to prepare for another shot.

After unleashing her slash, Alesia is targeted for another shot, but—

Right in front of Alesia, the black cannonball shatters into pieces.

“What the, what’s this wall?!”

Before Genus stands an invisible barrier.

“It’s a 【Barrier】. From the Saint you fired.”

Saint Milene had set up a 【Barrier】 around Genus.

“Blessed wall, be endowed with infinite blessings! Infinite Augmented Holy Barrier Infinity Plus Holy Shield!”

Milene layers multiple barriers, significantly limiting Genus’ range of operation.

“Gah! Damn you, Saint!”

Genus, with his massive body, begins to pound at the wall with numerous arms.

“It’s useless, this wall wasn’t made just to block your attacks.”

Milene signals with her eyes to a young girl.

“It’s all charged up! Hit him with everything!”

“Leave it to me!” shouts the Archmage Calut as a massive red boulder in the sky begins to fall.

“Hey, hey, hey, you little brat! What are you doing? Stop it!”

As Genus frantically beats against the 【Barrier】 wall, he yells in panic.

“Super Gigantic Meteor Magic!”

With a tremendous roar, the giant red boulder crashes down on Genus.

“Genus Defense Wall, Genus Shield! Ooooh…pukyahhhhhhhhhhh…!”

Genus attempts to form a defense, but it’s as if no barrier was there at all, and the giant rock collides with him.

A brilliant flash follows, the air roars intensely, and the ground undulates violently.

Then, an incredible blast and flames fill the many layers of Milene’s 【Barrier】.

The 【Barrier】 becomes a scorching cage.

After a while, as the sky begins to regain its blue, Milene’s 【Barrier】 fades.

“Heh, it’s the first time I’ve condensed the 【Barrier】 like this. Calut’s magic is incredible…”

“I really let him have it…”

Both collapse to their knees, gasping for breath.

They had exhausted all their strength.

The smoke clears, and the full view of Genus comes into sight.

His massive body has almost evaporated or melted away, leaving a pitiful, diminished Genus visible.

Black masses try to regenerate, but the residual heat from the high temperature prevents it, and instead, chunks of flesh drop to the ground.

“What do you think, Genus. This is the power of the girls you underestimated.”

As I glare at Genus, his face emerges from the shaky black mass.

“Cu… Curse…you… ah…”

He can hardly speak anymore.

After all, to not be completely annihilated after such an attack shows the power of a malevolent god is something else.

But even with such immense power, Genus himself has not changed.

Alesia, Milene, and Calut have all struggled desperately to survive in despairing conditions.

It’s a lie to say they never wondered why only they had to endure such harsh circumstances.

But they didn’t give up against the injustice, struggling desperately to climb up on their own.

Of course, I helped them a little.

To climb up from rock bottom, they needed an environment to assist them.

Genus had that environment too.

His father, the king, the chancellor Pietro, and—Lady Mariessia.

Genus, you never listened to their words.

Alesia and the others are different.

They began to listen to others’ opinions bit by bit.

And they found what they could do, worked hard, and achieved their goals.

That’s who they are now.

“Genus—you’ve been too lazy to listen and make an effort.”

At my words, Genus trembles in his tattered body and forces out his voice.

“Shu… shut… up… If it has come to this… I’ll kill… everyone… Genus Self-Destruct Bomb!”

As he forces out those words, the trembling in his body increases.

The black chunks of flesh start to fall more heavily.

“Huh?”

“Gah…Ha…Ha…Ha, Ba…ldo…die…”

From Genus’ crumbling body, something red and glowing becomes exposed.

It’s a core.

“The core is swelling up rapidly…”

“Baldo-sensei, a tremendous magical power is flowing into Prince Genus’ core from him!”

Milene stands up using her holy staff, showing urgency at Genus’ anomaly.

“If it keeps swelling like this… With Prince Genus’ current state, he can’t maintain it…”

“It’s going to explode…”

Milene nods quietly, bracing herself and begins to gather 【Fighting Spirit】 and magic, even though she has no strength left to create a 【Barrier】.

Alesia and Calut also stand, ready to exert their last ounce of strength.

“You’ve all done well.”

“It’s enough.”

“Everyone step back. You did well.”

Really, they did well. So now…

Leave the rest to the old man.

I take a deep breath right there, filling every corner of my lungs with air, circulating it throughout my body.

“Nuuuuuh—”

I circulate 【Fighting Spirit】 throughout my body.

Thanks to Milene, my strength has been fully restored earlier.

So, I can condense 【Fighting Spirit】 to its limit.

I take a proper stance with my sword and aim its tip at Genus’ swollen core—

“Sei!”

As I sheathe my sword, Genus’ swollen core shifts smoothly to the left and right.

“Guugii…iiii…damn…it…why…ee…”

Those were Genus’ last words.

◇◇◇

Half a day has passed since Genus, transformed into a malevolent god, was eradicated.

We have begun preparations to return to Natol. Lady Mariessia and her royal guards have decided to head straight to the capital of Fridania.

As I approach Lady Mariessia to bid farewell, an angelic figure with a beaming face runs towards me.

“Baldo-sama, you have saved us once again! I truly appreciate it!”

While repeatedly expressing her gratitude, her beautiful face inches closer to mine. She’s starting to remind me of Liena lately.

“No, I just did what I could. And about Prince Genus…”

I find myself at a loss for words. Ideally, Genus should have been captured and judged by the kingdom, but the situation was far from normal.

“No, Genus has committed sins too grave for any court to judge. I’ve caused you nothing but trouble, Baldo-sama… But… he was still my brother.”

Lady Mariessia’s demeanor shifts from assertive to somber.

Genus… If only he had listened to her.

…But it’s too late for regrets now.

“Lady Mariessia,”

After struggling to find the right words, I end up just calling her name.

“Thank you, Baldo-sama!”

“Eh…?”

“Despite everything, you called Genus by his name and showed him your anger until the end.”

She takes my hand and gently places hers on top as she speaks.

“It’s enough, Baldo-sama. I’ve imposed on you too much. Someday, I’ll visit your inn in Natol again!” “Yes, you’re always welcome.”

“I promise—once I return to the capital and rebuild the nation, I will definitely come to fetch you!”

With those words, Lady Mariessia bows and departs. Her expression as she leaves is no longer sad but her usual smile. What did she mean by ‘fetching’?

After bidding farewell to Lady Mariessia, I head towards the others.

“Ah, Sensei!”

Alesia, despite supposedly being exhausted from using up her 【Fighting Spirit】, is actively helping move the injured and transport supplies, as if to say she can handle as much physical work as needed.

“Baldo-sensei, you must be tired.”

Milene, who has depleted her magic, voluntarily wraps bandages and tends to the injured, saying there’s still much she can do even without her healing magic.

“Bal-“

Calut is distributing anpan to everyone, saying “This is tasty” while shyly stuffing it into everyone’s mouth, regardless of gender. Even without magic, she can still distribute anpan.

I take a good look at their faces.

“You all did really well. I’m proud.”

Alesia blushes slightly and smiles. Milene chuckles and smiles. Calut jumps up and down with a beaming smile.

Such diverse, lovely smiles.

At my age, to receive such angelic smiles from them—I’m glad I met these three.

Now…

My gaze shifts to another ‘angel’.

“I guess I was just a burden after all… Maybe I should have just stayed cooped up in the castle…”

Liena says, looking down with a sad expression, her usual smile gone.

Well, I’m not sure what the right way for a princess to be is either.

But…

“What are you saying? If Liena hadn’t livened up the inn, I would have closed down long ago.”

“Eh…?”

“If I had closed down, then Alesia, Milene, Calut, Sera, and Shiro wouldn’t have gathered either.”

“Uh… Baldo-sama?”

“That means, Liena, I need you at my inn.”

As she lifts her head,

Liena shows a relieved smile—

“I won’t leave Baldo-sama after all! Forget what I said!”

She jumps into a hug. As usual—

A typical lively and bouncy celebration.

Seriously, she’s too defenseless. As I open my mouth to lecture—

Three more ‘bouncy’ figures join in. My disciples. Well, one isn’t exactly ‘bouncy.’

“Hey! What are you doing…”

I don’t see the point of a ‘bouncy’ festival. Besides, my white tee might even be a bit smelly.

Liena even starts saying it smells ‘nice’.

Really, I’m worried. The future shouldn’t need my smell.

I feel a sharp, intimidating gaze from afar. It might be Lady Mariessia, but let’s pretend not to notice.

After the ‘bouncy’ festival goes on for a while, we finalize our preparations to leave.

“Baldo-sama~”

Liena grabs my hand. Eh? Holding hands to go back?

Well, that’s fine…

“Bal~”

Calut grabs my other hand firmly.

“Well, what about me? Baldo-sensei” “Me too… with Sensei…”

Milene and Alesia express their discontent.

My adorable employees fuss over trivial matters like who holds whose hand.

No—

Maybe these trivial moments are what slow life is all about. Looking at my beloved disciples and Liena, I somehow think so.

After all, it’s finally over.

—Now

Let’s return to the inn “Father’s House”.

This time for real, my slow life begins.

End of Part One.