Chapter 261
Chapter 261
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 261
Chapter Title: Tail Chase -1
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Putting aside the fact that a wild elf tribe was now stalking Bennett en masse, I first clarified our objective.
"So, Bennett, what exactly do you need help with? Trying to recruit all the elves into your harem?"
"As if. It's taking down the black mage."
Then our interests aligned perfectly. I had my own reasons for needing to catch that red-flavored puppeteer.
The Crimson Duke had once sent the assassin Roderus after me. As long as they saw me as an enemy, that puppeteer would eventually come for my head too. If I could take her down, I had to.
Of course, the situation wasn't ideal right now.
My stats had tanked hard, I'd switched from Illusion Magic to Fire Magic, changing my entire class, and I lacked my reliable heavy hitters—Yuri and Yuna.
Shouldn't I prepare more before fighting a tough opponent?
No.
The reason I was willing to risk battling a strong foe in this state was that the puppeteer was in an equally precarious position.
A guy whose specialty was manipulating flesh puppets from afar had stuffed his real body inside one and wandered around... which meant he had no spare bodies right now.
Caught up in the goddess's 『Forced Exile』 and scattered into the wilderness without time to prepare. No support from the Crimson Duke, and not enough puppets either.
Her abilities were a nightmare to deal with.
The moment she returned to the Crimson family, she'd pop out suicide puppet parties from the shadows like cockroaches whenever she felt like it. With her real tail exposed now, I had to take her down in one shot.
And sure, we lacked a Transcendent like Yuna... but thinking about it, our current lineup was still close to an elite party. It was winnable.
I snapped my fingers.
"Crow, come back."
"Oh no, Bennett, save me! The main body's trying to absorb me! My sense of self will melt away like cotton candy in a waterfall!"
"Cut the crap and get back here, you idiot. If we fight and run out of resources, you gonna take responsibility for the loss?"
"If the main body dies and I survive that tragic scenario... Caw caw caw! I'd carry on your will, of course! Ah, don't glare at me like that. Got it. Just a joke."
The ominous crow shut its beak like it couldn't even joke around, then flapped over and landed on the back of my hand. Weird feeling.
This was the first time I'd seen a demon fragment with such a strong sense of self. Could chunks split off into larger pieces develop this much independence?
I thought for a moment, then casually asked,
"...Wanna set up your own place and head out on your own?"
"Caw! If Bennett takes me in, joining that other party might be fun. I'd get to watch you, Tara, and Niore rolling around every night firsthand!"
"Not taking you. And watch it, or you'll end up as crow skewers."
"Fair enough! Regrettably, I've got nowhere else to go, so I'll have to return to the main body's embrace. Let's go."
The crow demon blinked once, then slowly melted into my skin like it was sinking in.
Weird feeling. My head felt a bit fuzzy. Was there a difference between the NPCs born from me and the fragments split off from myself? If I respected the former, shouldn't I respect the latter too?
I'd thought of it as absorbing my lost pieces, but what if I was actually sacrificing some independent personality? It left a bad taste.
The crow seemed to read my mind. Half-merged into me, it gleamed with amusement in those red eyes and cawed,
"Main body, we were originally one. We're just fragments with standout quirks, but every piece is ultimately the nameless mad wizard. Know what that means?"
"...No clue."
"It means stubborn as hell. If something doesn't sit right, if there's something we want to do, if something happens that shouldn't—we throw our whole bodies into it. Right?"
"......"
Right before the battle with the red-flavored puppeteer. To boost the main body's combat power, it had accepted being 'absorbed'.
If it was necessary, we'd risk our necks on a razor's edge—that was us.
At the same time, it meant if it really wanted independence, it could've smashed the main body and bolted. The crow was subtly comforting me.
The pitch-black bird cawed happily (probably thrilled by the dramatic sacrifice-for-the-main-body setup).
"I've accepted it, so don't worry about it, main body. Oh, and I've got an amusing hypothesis. Wanna hear it?"
"Shoot."
"Once something's born, it doesn't vanish easily. Minds, personalities—especially anything spawned from you... they're tenacious! When you and I become one, I bet a stylish crow will stick around in some corner of your mental world..."
"......"
Slurp.
The crow melted away completely.
I clenched and unclenched my fist repeatedly. Computational power and memories partially returned. All the crow demon's experiences in the Great Elf Forest... and the wild elves' modeling data too.
This little shit carved out a nice chunk for itself.
Demon fragments varied in size. I'd recovered four so far, but that wasn't 4/30 or anything.
When I'd been at full 100%, I was now around 20%. Yuna and Yuri were probably gathering theirs too... full restoration wasn't far off.
I clapped to get everyone's attention and spoke up.
"Alright, folks. Got some intel from a certain wise crow. Our target, the 『Puppeteer』, is moving through the forest. Seems aware of Bennett."
"How's being aware of Bennett connected to moving through the forest?"
"Forests are the elves' stage. Since Bennett's still fine here, looks like they can't enter the city proper... but out in the woods? Different story."
"...Oppa, why the sudden formal speech?"
A tribute to the crow.
I patted Selbia's head and wrapped it up. With elf rangers chasing Bennett, the puppeteer was sticking to the forest where wild elves could unleash 100% combat power.
Let them catch up and get a taste of their own medicine.
Elves in forests had insane mobility—it was fact, per the crow's data. A party with two squishy mages would get overtaken in a flash.
In other words, to catch and thrash the puppeteer, we'd have to break through the elf rangers whether we liked it or not.
We could probably brute-force it. Ho-won's Bennett, Flame Angel Selbia, even just raw demon. But stealing their holy relic, smacking them on the butt, and kicking them out? Too thug-minded.
If possible, I'd send them packing peacefully. And a method came to mind.
"Bennett."
"Hm?"
"Try some honey trap on the elves. I'll help."
"...You nuts?"
Always calling me crazy.
First, I briefed Cissell on the situation. The black mage had stolen an elf holy relic and fled, framing Bennett.
Retired knight or not, she couldn't ignore a black mage threat—or maybe it was pure justice. Cissell Yurensuto's eyes hardened with resolve as she declared confidently,
"I see. In that case, I'll help. A knight's blade shines with honor anywhere."
"Thanks for the assist. Puts my mind at ease."
I shot Cissell a grateful look. She could've slacked off, but stepping up like this was nice.
Cissell seemed to approve of me hunting the black mage without Prince Irid's orders. Like, you're a righteous wizard, that vibe.
Now even a top-tier knight user joined the party. Momentum. We'd swarm and beat the red-flavored puppeteer senseless.
As Bennett and I exchanged knowing glances,
Selbia stabbed the opening.
"...So, what exactly can a singer do to help? Cheerleading?"
"......!"
"......!!"
Right. She was still in bunny princess mode.
I hadn't explained to Selbia yet, since outing her secret felt wrong.
Cissell flicked her bunny ear headband in panic and hurried to explain.
"I mean... I'm close with Cissell Yurensuto. I can ask if she'll help. That's what I mean."
"...Then why mention the knight's blade or whatever...?"
"Uh, well, we need to chase the black mage ASAP. She's nearby, actually. I'll call her now!"
Clip-clop.
She bolted from the inn room like fleeing, then returned ten minutes later in full plate armor, looking sharp. Cissell struck a cool, stoic knight pose as she introduced herself.
"Pleased to meet you. Cissell Yurensuto."
"...Your voice sounds just like the lady who left. Build too."
Her composure crumbled instantly.
After five seconds of deadly silence, Cissell spat out a lame excuse.
"Tw-twins... yeah."
"Ah, sure."
Selbia had reached the truth. The Eastern Front ace knight's hobby was singing in a bunny girl outfit—the crimson reality.
Selbia whispered in my ear.
"...Is it like, to reach a certain realm, you gotta be a perv or something? You, her... even the saintess."
"Hey, rude, Selbia. High exposure means high defense, you know. And save that talk for inside a soundproof spell."
Knights have good ears.
"......"
Cissell's face turned tomato-red with surging shame, glaring holes into the innocent floorboards.
Party strength upgraded.
Now to track the black mage and shake the elves.
Elf ranger leader Eldar clutched his forehead, overwhelmed by unfamiliar emotions and rising despair. It was the first trial he'd faced in his long life.
All his elf trackers were acting weird after falling into a lethal trap set by the intruder hiding in the forest.
They'd even lost the trail once!
Eldar first pointed at the massive leaf-man.
"You there, those clothes are too heavy. Piling on leaves until you can barely move—that's a kid's mistake, forgivable only in childhood!"
Poke.
A huddled elf's face peeked out from the leaf-man.
"B-but leader... if I don't cover this much, it'll show. My naked body!"
"...We're the sharpest arrowhead for our family! Don't get swayed by these new feelings. Strip those leaves off now!"
"Eek! Kyaa!"
Eldar dismantled the puffy leaf-gilliesuit, like a summer grandma-dog all puffed up. Left behind was an elf twisting her body, arms over her chest.
And next.
"You! Don't clamp your legs! How do you expect to shoot an arrow like that?!"
"S-sorry, leader. I can't control it. Ngh...! If I think someone's staring at me obsessively, the target, with those eyes...!"
"It's all illusions and traps! Overcome it! Chest out, head high—show your dignity!"
"Urgh...!"
The tall elf forced her posture straight on command. Leaves parted here and there, exposing white skin, and Eldar embarrassingly averted his eyes.
This wouldn't do. They couldn't reclaim the relic or punish the culprit like this. Drastic measures were needed.
"...If we can't lift the enemy's curse, we'll improvise. Brave elves who can endure exposing themselves, step forward...!!"
A few elves stepped up at Eldar's call. Elite ones with strong, upright hearts who could overcome the shame.
"Hah, haa, hng..."
"......"
One weird elf seemed to be enjoying it, but Eldar ignored her. He didn't want to understand deeply.
"Our detachment... for smooth tracking and revenge. For our family, we'll take on an extra mission."
"What's that, leader?"
"Steal clothes from the human city. Clothes without gaps, unlike leaves—no shame then...!!"
Wise indeed. Leader material!
The shame-prone elves clapped timidly, afraid to rustle their leaves. Right—clothes would kill the shame.
This 'shame' spiked sharply when reproductive parts were exposed. Cover those with clothes, problem solved.
Conveniently, such clothes existed. Eldar gripped the panties and ordered his elites.
"...Gather as many of these triangle clothes as possible!"
"Got it, leader!"
The elves executed the clothes theft op under his command.
And the result.
"Your escape ends here. Hand over the stolen relic nicely! And face judgment!"
"......"
"Whoa... this a fashion show?"
"...Oppa, eyes closed or what?!"
Elf archers in assorted underwear aimed bows from the trees—an ambiguous scene, hard to say if thrilling or threatening.