Black Iron Magician

Chapter 499 Departure

「Chinatsu-chan, have you finished?」

The one who appeared from the door Haruna, dressed in an apron. Perhaps she was cooking until just now, there was a nice smell from her.

「Yes, I just finished my consultation work. Haruna, were you cooking in the kitchen?」

「Yes, that’s right~. Lily-senpai seemed to want to eat porridge, so I made it in a hurry. I made a lot of porridge, including for me, and I thought you might want some too!」

「Hmm, I don’t think porridge is something you make a lot…. But I’m interested in the porridge you made. It seems that it’s good for health and will take my fatigue away, more than your usual food. I will gratefully have some.」

「Then, let’s go to the cafeteria together~. Ah, but before that, I will call Touko-chan――」

――――Knock knock.

The second knocking sound was heard. The two tilted their heads, wondering who it was.

「It’s open. Please come in.」

「Pardon the intrusion…!」

「Huh? You are….」

It was a familiar voice. After all, he was the 『Long Sword』 Ōkuni, the one Chinatsu fought and defeated first at yesterday’s swap battle.

「Ōkuni-san? Um, do you need something? Did you come to get some advices?」

「Ah, I know! You came here to avenge yesterday’s defeat! If that’s the case, I will be your opponent this time!」

「No, you are both wrong…!」

Ōkuni panicked when Chinatsu prepared the desk for the consultation and Haruna took a battle stance with a bright expression. Setting their words and actions, the girls only look like normal girls now. But when it comes to battle, these girls are so strong. As a swordsman who has been training for a long time, the gap was a shock for Ōkuni.

「It seems that I was still trapped by common sense…! I’ve learned a lot from how unprecedented you two are…!」

「「No, the unprecedented ones are our masters, you know?」」

「Eh!?」

Ōkuni was once again surprised by their overlapped replies. He is curious as to how much extraordinary the masters are since the disciples are saying that much.

「By the way, why did you come here?」

「Ah, umu…! I thought I should greet you before I left Carmine…!」

「Greet us?」

「That’s right…! After my defeat, I was pondering about it…! Before my defeat, I was satisfied with my position as the lowest rank of the Sixty Six Demon Generals…! I even forgot about my ambition to become a warrior that surpasses even Vakala-sama…! That’s why, I’m thinking of going around the world together with my beloved sword…! I’m going to make a fresh start and look for what I’m lacking…!」

「Eh? But doesn’t that mean you will quit the Sixty Six Demon Generals and leave Carmine…?」

「That’s right…! Well, you don’t need to worry about it…! Even if you’re only temporarily become Carmine’s representatives, it’s an undeniable fact that you are much more powerful than me…! As a swordsman, my heart doesn’t allow me to come back to my position without doing anything after I was defeated…!」

「Ōkuni-san, that’s a splendid attitude! As someone who was involved in swordsmanship, I want to follow your example! No, I will!」

「Ooh, not only Chinatsu-dono, but Haruna-dono also could handle a sword…!? I didn’t know there were a lot of strong swordsmen…! The world is big after all…! I have no other choice but to go on a journey…!」

Hearing Haruna’s words, Ōkuni was more determined that even Chinatsu could no longer persuade him.

「For the time being, I will go to your hometown, the continent of Jiba…! If I stay in the same environment, I may realize something…!」

「I-I see…」

But then again, Chinatsu has no energy to persuade him right now.

「I heard from my brethren that there are several Great Eight Demons gathered on the Jiba continent right now…! Especially, they told me many times that I should definitely experience Maria-chan’s live performance…! They also asked me to buy some souvenirs…!」

「Ōkuni-san, you’re just being taken advantage of by them.」

「R-Really…!? They advised me to swing a 『Light Stick』 instead of a sword and open the door to a new world…!」

「In a sense, they are not wrong. But I think they are just trying to drag you into the same swamp…」

Still, it seems that she would at least point out the bare minimum.

「Hmm, but experiencing Maria’s live performance isn’t such a bad thing, I guess? I think there’s something to be gained from screaming with your all and having fun there. I think Maria-san won’t do a normal performance, and she probably will use wind magic in a bizarre way for her performance! Besides, it would be a good deal to see the power of Maria-san, who’s on par with Vakala-san, right in front of your eyes!」

「Y-Yeah. She probably will do something unprecedented…. Um, I guess it’s okay to go, Ōkuni-san.」

「Hmm…!? I don’t really understand, but I guess it’s about getting an original inspiration…! Fumu, I guess I should give it a try…!」

「Good luck!」

「I wonder if it’s going to be okay…」

Ōkuni decided to participate in Maria’s live performance. What will he get out of it? No one knows the answer to that question, and it depends on his own efforts.

「Ah, that’s right…! Actually, there is one more thing I want to tell you…! As the last rank of the Sixty Six Demon Generals, I was sent to the battle against Elderado more than anyone else…! From what I feel, I’m sure you are stronger than anyone else in that country…! Even their Great Eight Generals is just a group of people who are weaker than me…! However, don’t let your guard down…! Some years ago, someone from the Great Eight Generals who looked like me brought a powerful monster to the battlefield…!」

「A monster? Is that person a summoner, or maybe a tamer?」

「Ah, that might be something to look forward to! I’ve never fought against people with that kind of job before~」

「Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s not the case…! It was more like the monster was being brought along forcibly to the battlefield…! In the end, they couldn’t control that monster and destroyed themselves…! They restrained the monster at the cost of losing more than half of their soldiers and they retreated…! Since then, they never brought the monster to the battlefield…!」

「That’s terrible. I feel sorry for the soldiers.」

「I’m surprised they were able to bring the monster to the battlefield. On the way there seems to be difficult and stressful…」

「That’s right…! That was a poor strategy…! However, there’s also a possibility that they have completely put the monster under control after all these years…! If that’s the case, you’re going to have a hard time…! After all, that monster is far stronger than me…!」

Ōkuni turned his back on Haruna and Chinatsu and put his hand on the doorknob.

「I’ve said everything I wanted to say…! You two, take care…! I will pray for your success with Vakala-sama’s trial…!」

「Take care! Let’s fight again later!」

「We also will pray for Ōkuni-san’s safety.」

The door closed and Ōkuni left.

「…… If it’s stronger than Ōkuni-san, maybe it’s level 9 or higher, I think?」

「I don’t know. However, if the monster is that strong, I don’t think Elderado could forcibly take it to the battlefield….」

「Hmm, maybe we could figure it out if we actually meet and fight it.」

「Is that wishful thinking?」

「It’s not like that~. No matter who the opponent is, we’ll just crush them with all our might, right? What we need to do is the same, and it’s something simple that even I can understand! Now, let’s invite Touko-chan to eat porridge. Lily-senpai will get tired of waiting!」

Today’s warm porridge is more important than tomorrow’s uncertain enemy forces. Haruna and the others spend their daily lives as usual and prepare for tomorrow.

――――The 84th day of training is over.