Novel Full Chapter 176: The Dragon’s Magic Eye, and A Sign Of Change
Arc 21: Women’s battle
Chapter 176: The Dragon’s Magic Eye, and A Sign Of Change
「I give up……」
I raised the white flag while lying spread-eagled on the bare ground. Impossible. Totally impossible. Though I somehow managed to graze her several times, I couldn’t land a single deciding hit. I feel like I could have managed it somehow if I could use magic, but I cannot win based solely on sword skills. As expected of the only Sword God.
「Well, it was more dangerous than I thought it would be. And so I got a little serious. I wonder, won’t you reach my level if you steadily continue training ~kana?」
Nah~nah~. I don’t feel like become The Second (二代目). Honestly, even If I pile up sword techniques to that extent, I can’t think of anyone who could be my opponent besides you.
「I could barely see the sword lines of both of them ~degozaru……」
「M-me as well……。A-amazing, both of them……」
Though both Hilda and Yae were in a daze, they still spoke out their thoughts. Even if they say that it was amazing, I want to exclaim “There is definitely a considerably high wall between me and Nee-san!”. But I don’t have the strength to even do that.
「Hee~. Saying [hardly], does that mean that you have [more or less] seen it? Aren’t the two of you quite promising ones?」
Moroha-nee-san is happily looking at both Hilda and Yae. On the other hand, the two of them are looking up at the Sword God in front of them with sparkling eyes. Are they delighted she acknowledges them even if it is only to some extent?
「I will be teaching the both of you with great care before long because I intend to be under Touya-kun’s care for awhile」
「Really ?! Moroha-Onee-sama!」
「Aneue ! My gratitude ~degozaru!」
Both girls faced her with even more sparkling eyes. I guess this is the birth of the two Sword God devotees.
「Muu~ Moroha-chan stole the two younger sisters-in-laws ~noyo……」
「I-I-I respect Karen-onee-san very much, you know?」
「Lindsey-cha~n. You are a good girl, a good girl, giyu ~nanoyo」
Karen-nee-san is hugging Lindsey for reasons unknown to me. Although Rue is not like the other two, it seems she has some interest in Moroha-nee-san. Well, I guess that’s because in her case, she is not sword-baka like the other two.
Having regained the ability to somewhat move my body, I apply [Refresh], thus restoring my stamina. Fuu. I suppose I still have some way to go.
I don’t know when, but spectators have been gathering around us. No wonder, I guess. That fight was that flashy.
「Who are they?」
「Apparently, they are the Rauri tribe’s guests. Though I was told they are not the contesters」
「Even though they have that much ability……Why?」
「Hell if I know」
Whispers from the spectators reached my ears. My answer to those. It is because I am a man.
(TL: dont forget Touya appear as female for them)
Among those watching from the distance, there were that shaved-head boujutsu user and the female melee fighter from the Dragon clan.
The shaved-head man lightly bowed and greeted me after noticing my gaze, but the female fighter continued to motionlessly gaze at me. Oya? Her right eye has golden pupil, and her left has red pupil…….Is this a magic eye by any chance?
While she kept gazing towards here without moving, I discovered a danger behind her, drew out Brynhildr from my waist and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
The gunshot echoes and a single man falls down from the large tree behind the Dragon clan’s woman with a loud thud. He fell down all the while being stunned with a paralyzing bullet. When I looked at the place where he fell, he was grasping a strong bow and arrow. It is obvious that he was aiming at the above-mentioned woman from the Dragon clan.
「Do you recognize him?」
I ask while pointing at the collapsed man behind the woman from the Dragon clan.
「……He is from the tribe I have battled against earlier」
I see. So it is resentment, huh? Is it something like a revenge in retaliation for losing? The Jaja tribe which [Referee tribe] came and dragged the man who couldn’t move.
Even if surprise attacks happen often during [Pruning Ceremony], it is natural that if those come to light, there will be a severe penalty as well. Which is the suspension from participating during the next [Pruning Ceremony]. The anger of the tribe that faced such dishonored will be turned to the offender. There is no doubt he will be banished from their village.
Being thrown out from the village, he will have to live alone in this Great Forest Sea. It becomes his punishment.
「You saved me. I am called Sonia Paralem. I am currently imposing on the Lulush tribe」
The woman of the Dragon clan expresses her gratitude and bows her head.
「I am called Rengetsu 《蓮月》. I would like to express my thanks for helping Sonia-san when she was in dangerous situation」
(TLC: It is either Rengetsu, or Hazutsuki. Jisho.org points towards the former as name (though it is a female name). Any thoughts?)
The shaved-head boujutsu user also lowers his head like it is given. Rengetsu…….Is he by chance from Yuuron? Or maybe Ishen? The black hair, or rather, he doesn’t have any hair, so I can’t tell though. Ah, but I can see that his eyebrow are black when I look at him closely.
「Rengetsu-san, where are you from?」
「Eh? I am from Ishen, but is something wrong?」
I am glad~. it would be troublesome one way or another if he was from Yuuron. I noticed it back when I met Yae, but it seems that people of Ishen like to travel a lot. There are a lot of people who train themselves by traveling around the world.
And conversely speaking, a person from Yuuron doesn’t go around various countries that much. Or rather, crossing over to other countries itself was difficult due to the policies of the former government. There would be various bothersome if not difficult procedures one would have to go through. To the point where one would think “I didn’t believe it would be that much trouble to go to foreign country”. It seems that various regulations in regards to the spreading of the news were also placed.
Well, the refugees are already leaving that country one after another and flowing to other countries since that regime had collapsed. If I have to say a figure, it doesn’t look to be much of them since the most of them have been killed by Fureizu. Though they will probably be a headache for the countries that will receive them.
「I am Mochizuki Touya. I am a guest of the Rauri Tribe, etto……?」
As I tried to introduce myself, Sonia once again was staring at me. Huh? Is her magic eye being invoked for some reason?
「Hey……Is there something?」
「……I am not sure if I want to hear this, but why do you have a female figure?」
Huh? Don’t tell me the [Mirage] isn’t working? I sneakily asked Sonia with a low voice, and she made a small nod.
「Ah, Well. I knew that some people have such hobby, but I was a little surprised……」
「W-w-wait a moment, wait a moment! It is different than you think! It is misunderstanding!」
I will be recognized as a man with a hobby to dress up like a woman if it goes on like this. Even though it is illusion and not cross-dressing! I took the two people to a deserted place and explained the situation to them.
The Rauri tribe’s pride won’t be defiled because I am not participating. Even if I am exposed by other people, it will only result in me being unable to watch the matches, so it won’t particularly matter even if I am exposed. And should that time come, the option to become [Invisible] is present as well.
「Or rather, is that magic eye the reason why the illusion doesn’t work?」
「Yes. My magic eye has the power to negate the illusions. Visual effects brought by the magic won’t work on this right eye as well」
I see. So the flash-like blinding made by light magic will just be canceled by that right eye as well? No, it may work if she is caught off guard since it shouldn’t be active all the time though.
「Well, though it isn’t a really significant matter, it will be a great help if you keep silent about this」
「Then, we are even since you have saved us a little while ago」
Oh, they are reasonable, aren’t they? Unexpectedly, it seems easy to talk to this pair. It looks like they have gentle personalities. According to them, they are the adventurers who are currently traveling around the world in order to train themselves. Their story goes about like this: in the middle of their journey, two of the contestants from the Lulush tribe that took care of them couldn’t appear in [Pruning Ceremony] due to illness. Those two then offered to help that tribe.
「We had received a privilege of being able to watch Touya-san’s match some time ago. Though it goes for Touya-san as well, but……that opponent, who was that?」
「Ah. That person is Moroha-nee-san……She is my second older sister. To be frank, winning again her is impossible. Because she is the strongest even if it is only with swords」
「The strongest, you say……?」
Though their faces were saying that they both think that it is an overstatement, that’s natural it will be like that, won’t it? However, it is a fact.
For now, we decided that should we confront each other tomorrow, we would send our best regards at that time and do a mutual yell-like exchange. Then I parted with the two of them.
「So you were here?」
「Eh? Pam?」
Pam came after I had separated from those two people. Her figure vaguely emerges from inside the darkness being shined upon by the moonlight.
「The Balum tribe had lost. You can feel relieved for now」
「I guess so. However, I would like to make a strategic preparation for the next [Pruning Ceremony]. I really want Touya’s kid after all……」
「You promised to forget that if you will be victorious」
「I know. The Rauri tribe doesn’t break their promises」
As if it shows that she regrets that, Pam expresses a sulking face and turns away.
「Is additional rule that you will add be to send the Balum tribe to a remote area as expected?」
「Umu, that maybe also be good. After that much effort, I am also thinking of making some different rule. Of course, something that will benefit the Rauri tribe will be good, but……」
Pam ponders over those thoughts. Something benefiting the Rauri tribe ~nee……. If you think about it normally, would it be a rule which is advantageous for women? It is because the Rauri tribe vehemently opposes gender equality after all……. Though I hope you would be able to govern the tribes of the Great Forest Sea without talking about that equality.
In the first place, that much of difference between men and women are only within the Rauri and the Balum tribes.
Well, if I have to say which one it is, it feels like that standpoint of the women is weaker in the other tribes.
「How about making something like [Only women can participate in [Pruning Ceremony]]?」
「Don’t say stupid things. It will cause a riot」
I guess it would. The other tribes won’t stay silent. There are tribes with strong women of course, but the majority lies with men.
「Then how about differentiating [Pruning Ceremony] according to gender?」
「Mm? …………That may not be bad……. Our Rauri tribe will have a considerable advantage among the women’s tribes if it split by gender……」
(TL: won’t they say Lauri of being scared of men :p)
Pam grumbled and started to think. Oi-oi, are you serious? I guess, the idea of man and woman fighting in the same arena itself is quite unfamiliar for our thinking. Taking Olympics for example, it is separated by gender. The bodies of men and women are built different from the start, so it can’t be helped. Differentiation is different from discrimination after all.
「However, if that rule is established, then the other tribes will probably participate in both divisions, men’s and women’s. Are you aware of that? Only Rauri tribe and Balum tribe won’t be able to do that. Will that be okay?」
「There is no problem. Rather, that’s what I wish. If that rule is put into practice, it will cause the other tribes not being able to make light of women anymore」
Ah, really? So there is also such way of thinking too……. The women’s strength will be recognized as well. They will be able to take more active positions.
Though I could hear some dangerous mutter like “The women of the other tribes will awake their strength with this. If they seek a place to make use of that strength, they may naturally drift to the Rauri tribe. That will also be strengthening the Rauri tribe……. Not bad. Not bad at all…….”.
The improvement of women’s position is not bad idea……. It shouldn’t be, but I have a complicated feeling about that as a man……. I might have proposed something troublesome.
The spirit of the great tree will have to bestow two laws if it becomes divided by gender. But well, that will probably be all right.
Even if I say that it bestows it, the spirit just acknowledges it. Those laws are something that is being decided by everyone in fact.
「Alright, I will suggest it to everyone in the tribe too. This may change [Pruning Ceremony] in a great way」
Pam ran off in a high spirit. When I was seriously troubled whether I did an unnecessary thing, the spirit of the great tree was next to me before I knew it. She was emitting green phosphorescence as usual.
『It may not be a bad suggestion. The position of women in the Great Forest Sea maybe gets a little better as a result of that. Though It may be a little extreme to be like the Rauri tribe, that’s also tribe individuality』
Uun. Is it really so? Though there may be no particular answer for this. About which one will have the upper hand in this or not.
I decided to return to everyone while holding onto such complicated anguish. The spirit of the great tree also vanished before I noticed. Is the reason why she didn’t inquire about Moroha-nee-san because she completely erased her divine power? It seems It is leaking from me though. If I don’t learn how to do that much, I have a hunch my troubles will increase even more.
On my way back, I suddenly turned around. There were several shadows heading deep into the forest in the opposite direction. Are those……. Rivet tribe? There is probably no other tribe with such masks.
At that time, I thought they might be going to do their business as well and didn’t mind them. But when I thought about it in hindsight, it would appear to be my mistake.