Reborn Into A Dark Social Game World With Completely Loyal Friends. - Chapter 18: Unexpectedly…

Unexpectedly…

Thanatos’s strike caused Fenrir to vanish.

Although the distance was too great for Minato to see normally, his vision was enhanced by Thanatos’s magic, allowing him to confirm what had happened.

“That was the real Fenrir.”

“Yes, without a doubt, it was Fenrir… but to me, it was still just a weakling.”

“Only you, Tana-chan, would call that a weakling… Anyway, let’s not get into game stats or anything right now.”

There were many other things to see besides Fenrir.

Many people were staring in shock at the fallen Fenrir… among them was a commander whom Minato didn’t particularly miss, causing him to stare a bit longer.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, it seemed like he made eye contact with the commander.

It could have been a simple mistake, and besides, an ordinary commander shouldn’t be able to see Minato with his enhanced vision… probably.

“The buildings were also in ruins… Despite the irregular appearance of Fenrir, the battle isn’t over yet.”

In the actual story, it takes two weeks after the coup for the issues to be completely resolved, so the kingdom will continue to face difficult times.

However, the appearance of Fenrir might alter the timeline of resolution, but as Minato frequently reminds himself, that’s not his concern.

“That breath attack earlier was incredible.”

“That was easy. I even held back to avoid causing damage to the surroundings. If I had used my full power, the royal capital would have been obliterated.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

Minato thought it was like a charged particle cannon from a mecha anime. Forming a magic circle in the sky, compressing magic in a stance with hands and feet fixed… watching it up close was frightening, but the breath attack, which could be called a finishing move, was so impressive that it was thrilling.

“Still… this world looks really beautiful from the sky.”

“Indeed. What will you do, master? Shall we return to the castle right away?”

“Hmm… since we’re here, why don’t we land for a bit?”

Thanatos nodded and began to gradually descend.

Thanks to the magic that rendered them invisible, there was no worry of being discovered. Minato landed safely by the lake below.

As soon as they landed, Thanatos shrank in size and hopped onto Minato’s shoulder, taking his usual position.

“I enjoy carrying you on my back, but I also like sitting on your shoulder like this.”

“You look like a small animal like this, despite your fierce face.”

“You shouldn’t call a lady fierce.”

Thanatos lightly swatted him with his tail, and Minato, apologizing, placed Thanatos in his palm and began to pet him.

As he stroked from the head to the back, including the base of the wings, Thanatos visibly relaxed, enjoying the attention.

“I remember this place… it’s Lake Mejiri in the kingdom’s territory.”

“Your memory is impressive.”

“Of course I remember. This is where we first met Fran during the Plague Arc.”

In the Plague Arc, the commander returns to the kingdom seeking information about the disease, and this is one of the places they visit.

The lake, known for its sanctity that keeps magical beasts away, is a popular rest stop for traveling merchants and even a place where assassins like Fran come to find some peace and quiet.

“Oh, could you be the famous commander? Do you know who I am?”

“No… but I’ve seen that tattoo before. If possible, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t point it out and just let me go.”

“Haha, I wouldn’t cause bloodshed in such a beautiful place. Besides, it’s not a job, so there’s no need for unnecessary killing.”

This was how the conversation between the commander and Fran began.

Dressed in revealing clothes, with a figure that could rival Yuzuriha’s… Fran was not only incredibly beautiful but also had impressive abs. Minato was stunned when he first saw her on screen.

“Oh, I completely forgot.”

Minato took out his Lyphon and contacted Mia.

“Hello! You’re late, Minato-san! I don’t know what happened, but Fenrir’s disappearance is causing quite a stir!”

“Sorry for the delay, Mia. It’s good that you got the message… Anyway, I’ve taken care of Fenrir.”

“Roger that. Some people are saying it was a mass hallucination or something, so it seems like there’s nothing more we need to do. But it looks like the coup will take a bit longer to resolve.”

After a brief conversation, Minato ended the call with Mia.

It seems the Holy Kingdom is still taking a wait-and-see approach to the situation, merely gathering information for now.

They assured him that they would contact him immediately if any further anomalies occurred, so for now, there was nothing more to worry about.

“Hmm… this feels quite nice,” said Thanatos, purring.

“Could you not make those sultry sounds sometimes?” Minato replied, slightly embarrassed.

He stroked Thanatos’s belly with his index finger. Having never experienced such a sensation before, Thanatos seemed to thoroughly enjoy it, showing no resistance to exposing her belly. The sunlight reflected off the water’s surface, making the lake shimmer brilliantly. It was such a peaceful scene that it made Minato wonder if this truly was the world of Dark Requiem. However, this tranquility didn’t last long.

“Master, someone is approaching—about twenty individuals, all quite formidable. What should we do?”

“Seriously? But I can’t imagine why anyone would come here at this time.”

“Shall we pretend to be asleep? With me here, we can handle whatever happens. Besides, I have a feeling I recognize their presence.”

“Well, if you say so, Tana-chan, let’s give it a try.”

It seemed Minato had gained a bit of courage for such adventures, all because he trusted Thanatos. Following her suggestion, he leaned against a tree, closed his eyes, and held Thanatos close to his chest as if protecting her.

“Fuh… fuhh!”

“Tana-chan, keep it down.”

He calmed the excited Thanatos and closed his eyes, heart pounding. Though she mentioned that the approaching individuals were quite skilled, the fact that she wasn’t taking any action suggested they weren’t hostile.

However, in this brutal world, the sight of a young man like Minato sleeping alone would surely be unusual. Perhaps this very strangeness was what stopped the intruders in their tracks.

(…Will this really be okay?)

Despite some anxiety, Minato remained still. Out of the dozens of footsteps, only one continued moving and slowly approached him.

“……”

The person in front of him stayed silent, saying nothing. Thanatos also remained motionless in his arms. Soon, another person drew closer.

“Sleeping out here, huh? Quite the naive one, isn’t he? Looks like he knows nothing about the incident in the royal capital… what you say, Nee-san?”

“Shut up. Don’t speak.”

A woman’s voice interrupted the man’s—a voice both sharp and commanding.

Upon hearing it, Minato and Thanatos both flinched slightly, but luckily, they were not noticed.

(Wait a second… Could that voice be—)

In truth, Minato had a strong sense of familiarity with the woman’s voice and even recognized the man’s voice to some extent.

(I know this voice… It’s definitely Fran.)

However, with his eyes closed, he couldn’t be certain. As Minato pondered what to do, the woman crouched down in front of him and said something unexpected.

“It seems love at first sight is real… I find myself overwhelmingly attracted to this young man.”

“Nee-san!?”

“Wha!?”

Attracted… attracted!?

Hearing such unsettling words, Minato couldn’t maintain his pretense of sleep. He quickly stood up, still holding Thanatos, and opened his eyes.

In front of him, he saw Fran blushing in surprise and a man reaching for a knife at his waist. However, Fran swiftly kicked the man away.

“Idiot, what were you trying to do?”

“Nee-san… It’s harsh to kick me like that out of the blue.”

“Huh? You tried to pull out a knife on someone who just got startled. That’s even worse.”

“…You’re right… ouch.”

The man collapsed weakly.

“What’s going on here?” Thanatos murmured, stunned by Fran’s behavior.

Minato, too, was captivated by Fran’s appearance but was even more bewildered by the situation.

“I’m sorry for startling you. I’m just a frail woman—by the way, do you have a girlfriend? If not, I’d love for you to marry me.”

Minato was so taken aback by the sudden proposal that he couldn’t even react with a heartbeat—he just stood there, mouth agape.