Vol 2 Chapter 24 – It’s a man’s nature to want to show off in front of a woman

Tiamaria, the capital of Ista.

It was the last remaining metropolis in Ista, once famous as a major trading hub facing the inland sea.

Yes, once.

Currently, it was better known as a walled city equipped with defensive barriers against offensives from Agusta to the north, and the pro-demon faction beast-kin of Lille Mar to the south.

That being said, the only reason it managed to repel invasions from demons and maintain its appearance as a metropolis—in an Ista that could already be considered on the verge of falling—was because the Salia Cult’s spellcasters dispatched from Seneca and a standing army from Volks were stationed there.

After all, there was no such thing as a true friend between human nations.

As a result of various human ulterior motives intertwining, the other countries simply couldn’t tolerate the disadvantage of Ista becoming demon territory. Therefore, Tiamaria was merely in a state of barely surviving.

Even amidst such a precarious peace, the people living inside had come to rely on those visible, massive walls for emotional support, gradually forgetting the threat outside.

“But you could just waltz right in if you wanted to, couldn’t you, Puria-san?”

“No, no, don’t underestimate them. The seniors who charged in from the sky with the same idea you have got shot down by some unknown weapon and came crying home.”

“They managed to come home?”

Sounds like a comedy routine.

“It’s apparently one of the important strongholds for the humans, after all. If it falls, it’d cause trouble all over, so their defenses aren’t to be trifled with. Or so Aroma-sama said, anyway.”

“Well, yeah. If Ista falls, even the pro-human faction in Lille Mar will likely swing completely over to the demon side.”

Ista was the only human nation that customarily adopted what could be called pro-beast-kin policies, so the general expectation was that if Ista fell, the beast-kin of Lille Mar—who were still treated with discrimination by humans—would side with the demons.

Even so, refusing to change their treatment of beast-kin is just the foolishness of us humans, I guess.

Or maybe it’s just par for the course.

It’s not like they can flip their attitudes that quickly, you know.

It wouldn’t be very sincere, anyway.

Like Eva-san also said, physiological disgust isn’t something you can easily wipe away.

Well, I love them, though. Beast-kin, too.

“By the way, is it okay to call your race beast-kin, Puria-san?”

“People say we’re more on the demon side, but whatever, either is fine, ain’t it?”

“Huh.”

I just got a little smarter.

Harpies are on the demon side? I still don’t really understand the definition between demons and beast-kin, though.

“Well, that kind of stuff doesn’t matter.”

“Right.”

“How’re we gettin’ in?”

“How are we getting in?”

We looked up at the impossibly high defensive walls, completely at a loss.

“If Alice was with us, we could’ve easily slipped in using her illusions, couldn’t we?”

“But that girl was secretly watching us on Aroma-sama’s orders, right? If anyone from Diabolo happened to find out she was with us, she’d lose her standing, wouldn’t she?”

“What’s this? You’re taking Alice’s side awful hard.”

“How cute. Are you jealous?”

“Idiot, don’t flatter yourself.”

Even as Puria-san said that, she gripped my shoulder tightly, so tightly, with her now-tiny legs.

So cute. Even this kind of attitude.

Well, according to Tia-sama, Puria-san’s current jealousy is like a side effect of the contract and should settle down eventually. But it’s a bit lonely to think she won’t be clinging to me like this after a little while.

“Well, you’re in that form, Puria-san. We’ll manage somehow. Actually, shouldn’t you have done that from the very beginning?”

“No way, it’s cramping. Besides, humans knowing we can transform is technically a taboo. I didn’t really want to show it off.”

Currently, in order to enter Tiamaria, Puria-san had completely transformed into the shape of a bird.

Well, thanks to her magic she wasn’t heavy. And if she had been in this form from the start, I wouldn’t have had my eye-candy time, so I didn’t mind it at all.

If anything, it was a reward.

And this form is cute in its own way.

Two delicious treats in one bite, I suppose.

Harpies are a wonderful race.

Above all, she is currently naked.

The clothes she had been wearing were in my hands.

Apparently, they weren’t stored away or broken down by some mysterious mana during the transformation.

Wonderful.

I absolutely want to watch when she returns to her original form.

In an academic sense, of course, with no other intentions whatsoever.

While she’s still attached to me, by all means, tonight.

What should I do? Well, she seems pretty indifferent about me seeing her, so maybe she’ll forgive me.

Yeah, she’ll totally forgive me.

“Anyway, getting back on topic. So, what’re we gonna do?”

“We walk straight up, of course. Not like we have any other options.”

“Are you an idiot?”

“Well, just watch me. I’ll show you that I’m a capable man.”

I walked confidently toward the gate where the soldiers were stationed.

――――――――――

Clang. The iron bars slammed shut right in front of me.

I was dragged off by the soldiers and kindly escorted to a room that looked exactly like my bed in Agusta.

I tried bowing and scraping, saying, “My, sorry for the trouble,” but they just ignored me.

I hate guys who can’t even offer a proper greeting.

It really shows their upbringing.

“You really are an idiot.”

Puria-san, who had distanced herself to secretly observe the situation, fluttered lightly into the cell.

“That’s weird. I thought you could surprisingly just pass right through in these situations.”

“A savage wearing animal pelts, with no travel pass, walks empty-handed right through demon territory and comes to your place. What would you do if you were the gatekeeper?”

“You suspicious bastard, throw him in the Dungeon!”

“Which is exactly what happened. Though I would’ve just killed you on the spot.”

“So dangerous. It won’t do for a girl to be such a tomboy.”

“You just have flowers for brains.”

How rude.

That perfectly describes Garon-san, doesn’t it?

Are you dissing Garon-san?

Ah, but what should I do? Tia-sama, help!

—I don’t really have any way to help in times like this, do your best!—

So useless!

Tia-sama is seriously inconvenient!

Is there a cooling-off period for my contract with you?!

I felt like I could hear a dark, muffled sobbing, but ignored it. I had to figure out a peaceful way to escape from here.

What I have on hand: the jacket and shoes Garon-san gave me, the loincloth Aroma-sama gave me, and Puria-san’s clothes (sniff, sniff).

That’s it.

What’s around me: iron bars, stone walls, a stone ceiling, and a stone floor.

That’s it.

1. 1. 1. 1. Is escape possible?

1. 1. 1. 1. Impossible.

“P-Puria-san, help! Can’t you do something!?”

“Well, I might be able to fetch the key for this place at least.”

As I thought, this birdie is the only one I can rely on in the end!

I didn’t need Tia-sama after all!

I heard a sniffle, sniffle from somewhere but ignored it and tried to cling to Puria-san. She forced an expression onto her bird face that seemed to say “a capable woman doesn’t spoil her man” and threw these words at me.

“You said you were gonna show me you’re a capable man, didn’t you? At least figure this much out on your own first.”

It was an unexpectedly annoying face, but I ignored that and tried to cling to her anyway.

“I’m sorry, I got carried away! I’m the third most useless existence in the world! So please, have mercy!”

By the way, the second most useless is Tia-sama.

Even though I cried for help—shouting my love from the center of the dungeon—Puria-san wouldn’t listen.

“I’m technically your watcher, you know. If I take your side too much, Aroma-sama will kill me.”

Dammit, the compelling force of Tia-sama’s contract only amounts to this much after all!

This Tia-sama is a dud. She’s completely useless!

I heard pitiful, ear-ringing sobbing, but ignoring it, I desperately racked my brain to formulate an escape plan.

Hmph.

After all, even if it’s a metropolis, it’s just a backwater country. Even if it’s the country where I was born and raised, it’s just a weak nation that yielded to the pressure of Seneca.

The guard from earlier had a familiar, or rather, deeply ingrained mark on his chest. Let’s try this approach.

“Heeey, Guard-san, are you there?”

“Don’t speak to me so casually, you suspicious creep.”

Even while saying that, the guard walked closer.

“Actually, you see, I’m a wandering follower of the Salia Cult. Unfortunately, I was captured by demons, but as luck would have it, I managed to escape while being transported to Agusta.”

“…”

“So, I was wondering if you could please let me go.”

“Where is the proof that your words are worth believing?”

“I haven’t received authorization as a clergy member, but I still pride myself on being a devout believer. If you’d like, I don’t mind reciting a passage from the holy scripture right here.”

“Canonical Book, Chapter Two, Verse One?”

I finished reciting it from memory without a single mistake.

“Apocrypha, Chapter Three, Verse Two.”

“Chapter Three is not divided into verses.”

“Wait here for a moment.”

Saying that, the guard walked away from the iron bars. The sound of his footsteps striking the stone floor echoed nicely as they gradually faded.

A cross-staff equipped with wings piercing a snake’s head, with the snake’s body wrapped around it—the symbol of the Salia Cult.

The fact that this was attached to the soldier’s armor meant that the organization here was either led by the Salia Cult or was receiving massive assistance from them.

In that environment, they couldn’t just brush off a Salia Cultist, considering the principle of mutual aid was enshrined in their doctrine. It wasn’t like I had committed a crime, either.

In the end, it was a stroke of luck. I felt confident they were going to listen to me. That being said, I still couldn’t let my guard down.

—You must not speak the filthy words of the Salia Cult, Nine. As someone by my side, have some self-awareness!—

Huh, did I hear something?

If it’s the words of someone useful I’d gladly listen, but did someone just say something?

There’s no one like that around here, right?

I felt like I heard a sobbing sound akin to a child’s shrieking, but I ignored it.

In this cold world, one must be a realist in order to survive.

I’ll use my own parents if they’re useful, and as for what’s useless, it goes without saying.

That being said, well, I was saved by the Salia Cult this time.

I personally don’t like the symbol of this religion.

Perhaps Tia-sama’s allergy to the Salia Cult was accelerated by the existence of that symbol.

An emblem that ostentatiously makes a spectacle of a snake seems a bit tasteless to me, but apparently, it’s a venerable design based on an ancient god of medicine.

Not that it matters.

However, the reason the old folks in Nile Village refused to accept these teachings was also because of this symbol.

In that village, a snake is equivalent to a god.

I can guess the reason why.

It’s definitely because Tia-sama is a Lamia, half-human, half-snake.

The Forest of Un-giving where Tia-sama lived, and Nile Village, which was closest to it.

With some sort of connection between them, it’s not strange at all that they would treat the snake, which is deeply connected to her, as a sacred entity.

To begin with, even the name of this city is “Tiamaria.” The country of Ista itself might have some folklore related to Tia-sama.

Even so.

My goddess, who was still bawling her eyes out, was a pathetic crybaby, just as always.

The fact that I’m pathetic is undoubtedly because I was raised by her, but putting that aside, even though the world has changed so much in the past seven years, was it because I was able to see a Tia-sama who hadn’t changed a bit from the old days?

I felt a little relieved.