63. Talks with Fellow Transferees on the Battlement Tower
"Master, I—"
"Please. Stay by my side."
I had a feeling she was about to say something outrageous, so I cut Fam off.
"Yes."
Fam nodded.
"Wha, ya won't cooperate? I'm a transferee sent by Ronron, ya know. You're one sent by Rakushel, right? Super famous and all, one of us!"
Momoka said. Ronron was one of the gods who'd sided with Rakushel, but there was no way to verify the truth.
"I don't believe in gods."
That was the best I could come up with. Hopefully it'd get me through this.
"Me neither."
Momoka had the spirit of believing gods existed but not trusting them.
"I see. Good then."
She grabbed my arm as I tried to head back to the inn.
"Not good! I wanna get along!"
"Sorry, but we're on a caravan escort quest. It depends on what the client and our companions think."
I answered.
"Well... can't argue with that. How 'bout we swap stories on bein' transferred then?"
Momoka suggested.
"I don't have much info worth sharing. About a month ago, I got dropped into this world. Rakushel just told me to beat the Demon King and ditched me. Then other transferees attacked me. I'm confused as hell about this proxy war between the Goddess Five Pillars and the other gods' summonings. Apparently, killing the Five Pillars' transferees grants a wish."
"Was it Yuuki who attacked ya?"
"Nah, but the ones who jumped me mentioned him. Who the hell is he?"
"Guy in his early twenties. Won't get into details, but he killed our friends."
"...I see. Were you summoned with Chihiro, Momoka?"
"Yeah. A year ago. We were arguin' over whether to mix grated red ginger into the takoyaki batter or top it after—then boom, summoned. Kept fightin' even after, ended up here totally clueless."
It was worse than me and Mizuki. I wanted to call them idiots, but we weren't much better, so I kept quiet.
"You seem pretty clued in, though. Did that Yuuki guy tell you?"
"Nah, church geezer did. Kept groping my ass though, hated that."
"..."
I'd sent Myra there. Shit.
"Thinkin' about it pisses me off all over again. Mixin' red ginger in is as heretical as puttin' sugar in tamagoyaki. Don't ya think?"
"...Yeah. I'm team Momoka."
Truth was, I didn't care either way. But sugar in tamagoyaki? Heresy for sure.
"Right? Wonder what happened to the takoyaki I left at home..."
Momoka stared off into the distance. I wished she'd worry about more important stuff.
"Master, what's takoyaki?"
"Batter made from flour and egg, bite-sized with chopped octopus baked in. Fluffy batter and chewy octopus—perfect combo."
"Egg..."
Fam gulped audibly.
"Can't make it here. No ocean nearby, no octopus."
"What's an octopus like?"
"Sea creature. Eight legs, slimy and squishy, suckers that latch on and suck."
"...Did that turn into something lewd midway?"
Fam tilted her head.
"Nah, straight food talk. Right? Food talk the whole time?"
Felt like we'd been discussing something crucial...
"There's an ocean due south from here! Over those mountains."
Momoka pointed to the faint white mountain range on the southern horizon.
"Took over half a month to reach the coastal town, made takoyaki and ate it. Couldn't forget that taste. Got aok nori-ish vibe somehow, but no bonito flakes—cried over that."
"..."
A month's round trip just for takoyaki? What kinda life breeds that determination?
"But that's where I met the cowman Morse and rhinoman Corne."
Those hulking dudes were a cow and rhino, huh.
Man, we were way off track. Right—transferee stuff.
"Ronron didn't give you any orders?"
"Dunno? Was talkin', but I wasn't listenin'. Grabbed the Special Skill though!"
Sharp where it counts, huh. Chihiro nodded too.
"So we just gotta beat the Demon King?"
"Demon King got offed a century ago by a summoned transferee."
"What?!"
"..."
Looked like no useful info from her.
"W-Wait! What's with those cold eyes? We're buds, right? Let's get along!"
"Oh yeah, we were on a date."
I pulled Momoka close, lips nearing her face.
"W-W-Wait, hold on! Kisses are for after we're closer!"
She thrust her hands out, pushing me away.
"Unfair. Lets the church perv grope your ass but not me?"
I wiggled my fingers, miming a squeeze.
"I-I didn't seduce him! He just groped outta nowhere!"
Momoka frantically covered her chest and butt.
"So forced groping's fine?"
"Course not!"
She yelled.
"So we're not close?"
"Y-Yeah, help with monster extermination and I'll think about it."
"Gotta check with client and team first. Btw, how old are you, Momoka?"
"I'm sixteen, Chihiro's fourteen. Which one's the transferee—you, Myra, or Mizuki?"
"Mizuki. Same age as you."
Them being peers hit different. Mizuki was just too damn erotic.
"So Myra's the local wife? Snaggin' a bride in a month—fast worker. Gettin' along with your stepmom Mizuki?"
Momoka took my joke seriously. Correct her or roll with the lie... tough call.
"Master has no wife yet. Mizuki isn't a child either—that's a lie too. Master, please don't joke about this stuff!"
Fam answered while I pondered. Strong tone.
"...It was a lie? Can't kiss if ya got a wife."
Momoka said, cowed by Fam's intensity.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We headed back to the inn.
The city's layout resembled Rishel's, and the inn was no different.
Mizuki and the others were already in the first-floor tavern-diner. It was dead quiet. Most adventurers probably bailed, wary of monsters.
"Spotted what looks like a Big Hopper swarm to the west. Winds should shift the day after tomorrow."
Mizuki said. She'd already heard my report.
"Find whoever's praying to change the wind and take 'em out."
She added half-jokingly.
Red Cliffs battle, huh. In my old world, a strategist prayed at an altar to shift winds for a fire attack—and collected 100,000 arrows. Could summon Rakushel for that, but arrows'd vanish. Already thin on manpower, suggesting we weaken defenses more? Might make me a traitor.
"Won't stop the attack even if we do. Ask Aver?"
"Too risky moving the caravan till hopper path's clear—she says we can't protect it. Mateo's cooperating with the city defense. We're free to act meanwhile."
Mizuki replied. Didn't wanna die, so stick near Aver.
"Church okay?"
I asked Myra.
"What do you mean by okay?"
"Never mind if you don't get it. Get any info?"
Good. Myra dodged Momoka's fate.
"No. But fluids can be removed with a monk's Purification."
"Wish we could clear the city's stink. Half-assed efforts just burn mana before the fight."
"Yes. I agree."
She nodded.
"Tomorrow, you, Fam, and Ira check where the liquid's been splashed around town?"
"Purify it?"
Myra asked.
"Nah, purify if you can. Mostly wanna know the spread."
"Master, dog-ear folk have better noses than humans, but I'm untrained—can't pinpoint accurately."
"Rough idea's fine. Just the general pattern."
"Understood."
Myra answered; Fam and Ira nodded.
"Myra, sorry—no Goddess Summon tonight."
If hoppers hit day after tomorrow, maybe okay, but winds could shift anytime.
"No choice. Better conserve strength."
"About that."
Mizuki said.
"Don't wanna snub Karupana too hard. Not ideal for us or Mash, but they're potential allies."
"Sell favors?"
"Hate the phrasing, but your attitude might get them aiding city defense."
Dunno their strength, but Rakushel's soldiers' descendants, awaiting her oracle. Solid force potential. But requesting help risks wanderer deaths. Stopped short of telling Mizuki. My call—not hers.
"Mash... sorry."
"For what?" She saw through me?
"Overheard. You and Karupana last night."
"You were awake?"
Thought Mizuki was asleep then.
"Yeah, voices woke me."
Explained last night's chat to clueless Myra, Cecily, Ira.
"You knew I was up too?"
"Kinda sense when you're awake."
Mizuki, you too?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"I'm for summoning Rakushel-sama tonight. Shows we prioritize the wanderers—sells the favor big. Wanna ask what she was thinking summoning this old perv. Plus, you won't summon in front of crowds anymore, right?"
"Harsh! True I hate big audiences now, but party crisis? I'd summon."
Answered Cecily. Majority vote started without me noticing.
"Oppose. Hopper moves unpredictable. Can't take lightly."
Ira said. Rare opposite of Cecily, but fits Ira.
"I oppose too. Feels wrong when the one who wants Rakushel-sama most is pro. But agree with Ira—prep fully for monster attack."
Myra opposed outwardly, pro inwardly.
"Master, summoning Rakushel-sama never ends well. But letting Karupana know? Good idea."
Fam blunt today. Implied pro.
"Three for, two against. Mash, fetch Karupana."
"Wait, Cecily. Why're you running it? I opposed... whatever. Fine. Disappoint you all."
I went to get Karupana.
Thank you for reading.
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It motivates me. I'll keep pushing!