Grandpa Kara, can you see me?
Hmm, something like that.
It's like another dimension, isn't it?
Yes, it is. ......

　A mock battle between the Iliad and the Wolfe is currently taking place in the knights' training grounds on the grounds of Tarz Castle.
　Ilias, who obtained the correct magic enhancement from Lord Ragdoll, and Wolfe, who learned the world's best fighting techniques from Gladna.
　Both of them are approaching the peak of humanity, which even the Demon Lord recognizes, but the battle is almost impossible to follow with the eyes.
　Even so, he wears superhuman glasses that give him better dynamic vision than that of most knights.
　Before, I would have had to ask him to stop moving so I could see him.
　The two of them walked back, apparently having settled their differences.
　There are no injuries to either of them, and you can clearly see their remaining strength.

"Shishou, it's over!　Wolfe has gotten a lot stronger too!

　It's hard to say how much Wolfe has grown since there is no one to compare him to.
　However, he has been acquiring language skills recently, and he is becoming more fluent in the language.
　Only the pronunciation of the word "shishou" is somewhat spaced out, but this may be unavoidable for a word that has become familiar.
　This should be recognized as an individuality.

"I can't think of any way to praise you when you can engage in a mock battle with an even stronger Iliad.
"Exactly, I can't imagine what I'll be doing in a few years.
"So you're saying that Iliad is better than you at this stage?
Yes, the Iliad is stronger!
What do you think of your analysis, Ilias?
Well, I'm the stronger one at the moment. If we only look at the amount of magic power that Wolfe possesses, Wolfe is overwhelming, but Wolfe has a low limit of magic power that he can handle at one time.

　I'll just tilt my head and complain that I don't understand.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure it out. ...... If Wolfe has 100 magic power, I have about 50. But Ulfe can use at most 5 magic at a time. I can use up to about 20.

　I'm sure you're aware of the fact that the amount of magic power you can use at one time is already a huge amount if you look at the battles of Iliad and Wolfe.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. There is a limit to the amount of magic power that can be used to strengthen magic. The other factor is the difference in experience. No matter how high your basic performance is, the difference in experience can easily make up for it.

　According to Ilias, in terms of physical ability alone, Ilias surpasses Lord Ragdoll.
　But even so, he says, it's hard to beat him.
　In the battle against Duvvraioli, Ilias was able to overwhelm him with his skill, but Lord Ragdor is beyond that.
　Nevertheless, the difference in physical ability is not to be underestimated.
　It is said that if Lord Ragdor and Duvraeus were to fight, they could make up for the difference in experience with their physical abilities.
　It depends on who you are fighting, Iliad or Lord Ragdoll, who you feel is stronger.

"I don't understand this world.
"Your reaction is quite tepid.
"Originally, their strength was far away from us. I can't really feel it when you say it's gotten even further away from me.
Is that how it is?
"Wolfe will work even harder to become Shisho's best guard!
"Well, that's not good to hear.

　I'm not sure what to do.

"Oh, Mr. Exdoik.
I'm not lying when I say that I'm pleased with your growth, Wolfe. However, if our goals are the same, I have no intention of going easy on you.
Yes!　Let's work together!
Yes, we will.

　The two of them are a serious duo and get along very well, largely because Exoik has been taking care of Wolfe for a while now.

The boy is very popular. Ilias, who is currently the most popular, can't take his eyes off the ball.
"I have no intention of losing as a knight either. If that's how we can improve each other, then so be it.

　Ilias is also pleased with the motivation of Wolfe and Exoik.
　Ilias is also pleased with the motivation of Wulfe and Ecdysium, though he has some mixed feelings about Ecdysium since he has been getting a lot of action lately.

"Well, for now, the best guard is Grandpa Kara...

　The movement of each of them stopped with this statement.

"You don't actually hate me, do you, boy?
That's not possible.
"Now that you mention it, your hostility toward me has increased dramatically.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure I'll be able to do it.
　He looks like he's about to say, "Hush!

I'm sure you're aware of what Karagyugjestar is capable of, but what makes you think he's the best?　What makes you think that one of us is better than the other, either in strength or in skill?
"Well, I'm only as good a thrower as I am accurate.
I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that I'm not the only one. Ecdysium, give me a hand.

　I'm not saying that you can't have a good time with your family and friends.
　It wouldn't be a bad idea to take this opportunity to teach him what Ilias and the others, who are motivated to become guards, are lacking.
　After a few moments of preparation, he had the four of them stand in a horizontal line holding a certain object.

This is a ...... squishy thing, but it's got water in it, right?
"Oh, I asked Ecdysium to fill it with water.

　In addition to the magic research that Nora and I are doing, we are also doing a little bit of research into new materials.
　On Earth, they are mixing iron with various metals to make alloys.
　In this world, where the difficulty of thermal processing is relatively easy due to magic, I'm trying to see if I can get some results.
　Incidentally, this balloon was born in the process.


　I found a variety of trees near the village of the Kuro Wolves that produced rubber sap, and tried to use it.
　For the coagulant, I chose gelatin and alum at random. I should have asked for the detailed ingredients when I visited the balloon manufacturing site on Earth.

So, what do we do with it?
"When I give the signal to start, I'll have you run to the crate over there with this balloon. Then, fulfill the same conditions as the balloon inside and give it to me. The winner will be ranked according to the number of balloons they complete.

　Then he pointed to a wooden box about 200 meters away.
　There are balloons inside that are also filled with water.

I don't understand what you mean by the same situation.
"Yes, I've made it clearer. I'll give you a prize for that. The Iliad and the others are just fine, since you don't have much desire anyway. I'll give you preferential treatment if it doesn't hurt your wallet. How about we get Grandpa Kara to share some of the liquor the gods are making in secret?
"Oh, that's a very motivating suggestion. But I don't think I can win.
Well, we'll give you a chance to drink it as a prize. Now, is everyone ready?

　The Iliad and the others lean forward slightly.
　I'm glad to see that everyone is ready.
　So we head towards the crates first, and give a loud signal for the start.

"All right then, ...... Don!

　At the signal, Ilias took off at a tremendous speed, and the others tried to catch up with him, though they were slightly behind.
　However, when they saw the situation of Ilias in front of them, they immediately stopped.
　The Iliad had stopped 10 meters in front of the crate.
　It's amazing that he can travel that distance in an instant.
　But I don't need to tell you what would happen to the balloons in his metal hands if he jumped out with such a ridiculous initial speed.
　They all saw the waterlogged figure of the Iliad in front of them.
　He is wearing armor, so there is no transparency, just a miserable sight.

"This is .......
"The Iliad has failed.
What?
The balloons in the crate are filled with water, and of course they are not torn. If you think you can clean it up, I'd be happy to continue.
That's not fair!
You can't be a coward. You could tell by the way I gave it to you at the start that it was not very durable.

　In the meantime, Wolfe and Exoik came running dexterously so as not to strain the balloon.
　They seemed to be paying some attention to Ilias' failure.
　The reaction speed of Ekuike and Wulfe was truly impressive, as they were able to hold back and switch sides in that instant.
　Karaji is also carrying them with care, but he is lagging a little behind.
　The first one to arrive was Wolfe, who immediately looked inside the crate.

"......?

　Wulfe gives a slightly dubious look, which is a good reaction to the state of the balloons in the crate.
　In the meantime, Ex-Doik caught up with him and looked inside.

"Is this ...... a needle in a haystack?

　Yes, the balloon is filled with water and has a needle stuck in it.
　Incidentally, there are four similar needles lined up in a wooden box.

"Considering the strength of this ......, but if I do it gently, will it work?

　Ecdysium began to worry, but Wolfe did not hesitate.
　He quickly picked up the needle and gently poked it into his balloon--

"Poof!

　The ruptured balloon was sprayed with water.
　She was a little more s*xy than Ilias, but she was wearing black, so she was safe.
　But I don't want you to catch a cold, so I'll throw you a towel.

WOLFE is also disqualified.
Ugh. ......
Still no luck. ...... How does it work?　You're not supposed to be able to use magic on your own people. ......

　As Ecdysium was struggling, Kara caught up with him.

"Well, I'm finally catching up. It's dangerous. Which ...... hmm.

　Kala was also wondering about the balloon with the needle stuck in it.
　But after looking at it for a while, he nodded his head.
　Then he takes the needle and sticks it into his balloon.
　The balloon does not break .......
　This surprised Exequim.

"What?
"Sorry, young man. Here, boy, is that all right?
Yeah, that's Grandpa Kara.
What the hell is that?

　He had been wondering about the balloons in the crate, but when he saw the balloons Grandpa Kara had given him, he understood how it all worked.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
I'm sure you'll agree.
...... Does this mean that the crate is covered with some kind of transparent, thin cloth?

　A new material was created at the same time, cellophane tape, which is cellophane coated with glue.
　This method is a characteristic of rubber balloons used in science experiments and magic tricks for children.
　An inflated balloon is always under tension.
　If you make a hole in it, the tension concentrates at that point, and the balloon bursts in an instant.
　However, if the hole is reinforced with cellophane tape, the tension does not act on the hole, and the cellophane tape supports the hole, so the force is dispersed and the balloon does not burst.



"Of course, I didn't prepare the ones you put up. It takes a certain amount of finesse, but you all could have done it, right?
That's ...... true.
By the way, the balloons you just carried were meant to look like me, the target of your escort. I'm not going to get into that because Ilias did it with no warning.
"Nugu.
"Wolfe acted without questioning what was happening in front of him and failed. On the other hand, Exdoik was too thoughtful and got caught up by Grandpa Kara.

　I've collaborated with Kara several times.
　Ilias was with me on those occasions, but after I told him about my plan, he was always very attentive, checking what I was doing.
　He is very good at confirming, grasping, and resolving any concerns without asking why.
　His speed is also excellent.

"Well, it's called old age.
I don't like to put it that way. But I'm sure it comes from the difference in experience that Ilias was talking about earlier. Do you understand that there is more to being protected than just being strong?
"Yeah, if we play this game again, I or Wolfe will probably win. If we repeat the game, Iliad's winning percentage will start to increase. But as a fellow countryman, I would say that the point of evaluation is Karagyugyesta's ability to get a better result the first time, when he can't do it again.
"That's right, because you only have one life.

　In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.
　Ilias and Wulfe are using magic to dry their wet bodies, and Ecdysium is examining the new materials that have been created in between.
　Ilias and Wulfe were drying their wet bodies with their magic, while Ecdysium was examining the new material.

"Why don't you be a little kinder to your people?
"I'm pretty lenient with my people.
"If I were to be an actual bodyguard, I would only have been taken advantage of by the demons the Demon Lord had in his army. I'm sure you'll agree with me.
"Still, you have something that Ilias and the others lack. It would be a good thing if the Iliad and the others could absorb even a little of that, wouldn't it?
"Oh, yes, that's true. However, it's hard for me to keep Wolfe's guard up each time. ......

　If you look closely, you'll see that Wolfe is staring at Grandpa Kara in the distance.
　He looks really frustrated, but I like his face a lot.

"It's not bad to be jealous of your grandchildren, isn't it?
"I want my grandchildren to laugh at me. ......

　I'll ask Godz to share a little more of his treasured wine.

　After that, I took Ilias and Wolfe to the village of the Kuro Wolves.
　Originally, I had planned to visit the village alone with Ilias, but since Wolfe said he would go with me, I let him accompany me.
　However, Wolfe did not want to enter the village, but wanted to walk around the outside of the village.
　Wolfe was born and raised in a garbage dump outside the village from the time he can remember.
　No, I wouldn't say he was raised.
　She was merely given the bare minimum of food to keep her alive.
　Wolfe had a high level of magical power from an early age, and thanks to that, he rarely got sick, but he always felt trapped and anxious in his life.
　After parting ways with Wolfe, I arrived at the village, but it was still the same scene as before.
　The garbage dump outside the entrance to the village where Wulfe used to live has not been removed yet.
　In fact, the amount of garbage has increased somewhat.
　When I entered the village and spoke with the villagers, I was welcomed with open arms and taken to Obaba.
　I think I am still young when I feel a little annoyed at being welcomed so willingly.

"Hey kid, it's been a while since you've been here in person.
"King Taze told me to show up as often as possible to negotiate things other than business.

　The purpose of this visit is to discuss the immigration of Tarzan technicians to this village.
　This village has been enriched to a certain extent by the exchange with the home country.
　This is because the exchange of rare goods for everyday goods and food has allowed the village to have more space to secure food through hunting and gathering activities.
　However, this is not enough to raise the standard of the village, so they have decided to raise the level of civilization to some extent by stationing agricultural engineers in the village.
　Marito believes that if the food situation in the village is improved, the villagers will be able to afford to indulge in luxury goods and conduct more sophisticated transactions.
　There is also an intention to improve the outdated villages in the territory, but let's not mention that.
　Obaba is willing to accept our proposal on the condition that we do not over-exploit the area, and will be ready to receive them at any time.

I'll start to prepare a home for them today.
"There's no need to give them special treatment just because they're engineers, treat them as equals with whom you can interact. If they grow too much, they can just snitch on me separately.
"Still, it's only natural to extend a minimum of courtesy to those who offer their wisdom.
...... I agree.

　The Kuro Wolves have very little prejudice against humans.
　I'm not sure what to make of this.
　The Kuro Demon Lord who caused them to flee to this place must have been a great threat.
　However, the more I learn about the tolerance of the Kuro Wolves, the more I resent them.
　The story is almost over, and I turn to my personal story.

"I want to hear about Wolfe's parents.
"Wolfe?　...... Oh, you gave it a name.
Now they call her Wolfe.
...... I see. As for his parents, they weren't particularly gifted, just an ordinary black wolf tribe.

　Iliad's strength is partly due to his parents.
　Ilias was born to a cleric who defeated a great demon, a unique class, and the former second-in-command of the TARDIS' most powerful ragdoll squad.
　However, as far as this story goes, it seems that Wolfe's parents did not have that kind of talent.
　I don't remember how old Wolfe is, but I'm pretty sure he's about 15 years old, as you guessed. ...... You should have a separate birthday or something.

What about the graves of Wolfe's parents?
"They are buried in the same place as the rest of the family. I'm sure the boy will recognize them.
"...... discriminates against the graves of the dead because they gave birth to illegitimate children?


The boy's incident has changed the mindset of the villagers. It's taken care of now.
Well, ......, I'm sorry for being so sensitive.

　I'm sorry for being so sensitive." "If the tomb has been abandoned for almost 15 years, it's easy to tell if it's been cleaned recently.

By the way, kid, I need to talk to you about something.
What?
Can I have him back in my village?

　Ilias was the first to react to these words.

"How dare you?
Ilias, sit down.
But...
I know what you're going to say. I know what you're going to say, so sit down. I'm the one you're talking to right now.
...... I'm sorry.

　After appeasing the Iliad, I sighed lightly and faced Obaba.

I'd like to hear your perspective first.
...... The boy is right, he has grown up with all the talent he was blessed with, and according to those who went to check on him, he has grown up to be so strong that there is no trace of his past. We have admitted our mistake and would like to welcome him as a kindred spirit. He will surely be a hero to our village.

　Ilias looked very much like he wanted to argue, which was understandable considering Wolfe's situation.

"So, you want me to give Wolfe back to ....... I don't mean to impose my position on Wolfe. It is true that Wolfe is from this village, you are free to negotiate with Wolfe on your own, and I have no right to interfere with that.
Then the boy can help you.
I'm free to do that or not do that. I've decided to teach Wolfe many things. Giving him the strength to make decisions and survive on his own. If you really want Wolfe to stay in this village, you'll have to convince him yourselves.
You're not cooperating.
I'll give you some help if that's what you think is best for Wolfe. But as long as we're having this conversation, I'm afraid it's unlikely.

　I don't think we need to talk anymore, I'm getting more emotional than I am appeasing Ilias.
　Ilias stood up as well and headed for the exit.

"Boy, we said we were sorry and that we accepted him. Can you tell me what's missing from that?
"Not the thing, not the abomination, not that one. Wolfe. As long as I want Wolfe's power and not Wolfe's, I'm not going to help you.

　Ilias lets out a huge sigh as we leave Obaba's house.
　As he left Obaba's house, Ilias let out a big sigh, and seemed to relax his shoulders at the same time.

"I'm proud of you for holding out.
"You're treating me like a child. You're treating me like a child. Besides, the look in your eyes is enough to make me want to yell at you.
Well, have you changed?
Obaba was a little frightened, too.

　Not that I was aware of it, but I guess I was getting emotional.
　I don't like the way she looks at me, like she's trying to pick a fight with me, because she's not a child.

I thought you'd be clever enough to accuse me of that. ......
"You must have mistaken me for an agitator or something. I'm not going to tie up Wolfe's life, although I do have a responsibility to take care of him since I saved him from a bad environment. I'll let Wolfe run his life.
Although from Wolfe's point of view, he's happy to do what's best for you.
...... Yeah.

　From Wolfe's point of view, I'm the one who saved him from a lonely life.
　This is why I listen to what you say and try to help you in any way I can.
　But that's because Wolfe doesn't yet understand the size of the world.
　As he learns more about the world and finds new things he wants to do, I am sure he will become more interested in those things.
　Until then, he will do his best to repay the favor, but in the meantime, it would be great if he could gain some useful experience for Wolfe.
　If he can't find a new goal, he can go to ......, and then he will.

If Wolfe is happy with me, there is no need to deny it. I'll take it easy while he learns other ways.
I'll take it easy on him while he learns other ways." "Initial thoughts are not easily changed. I hope I'm not wasting your time.
What are you talking about? Life is full of wasted time.　That's good. It's not good if your efforts are wasted, but only a few things in life are inevitable. I'm sure you're aware of that, but I'm sure you're not.
That's well ...... true.
I'm going to ask Ilias to help me with this. I'll have Ilias help you with that, won't I?
"That's no problem.

　As they headed towards the entrance of the village, a sudden explosion echoed through the village, or rather the entire forest.
　The source of the sound was quickly identified: a garbage dump outside the village entrance.
　It was Wolfe.
　It was obvious what had happened, the dump that had been there when we entered the village was now completely gone.
　I don't need to tell you who did it, it's obvious from the reaction of the surrounding Kuro Wolves.

"Oh, Shishou!　Did you finish your business?
Yeah, I guess you're done, too.
Yes, it's important to clean up after yourself!

　In a village that was supposed to be a painful place to live, Wulfe smiles with a carefree smile.


　It's a very rough breakup, but ...... it's a dump, so what the hell.
　As you pat Wolfe on the head, you look at Ilias.
　Ilias seems to be thinking the same thing.

"Wolfe, I heard about the location of your parents' graves.
I stopped by a while ago. It's okay!
Okay, that's good. ...... Let's go, then.
Yes!

　At least for Wolfe, this is not where he should be right now.
　At least, the place for Wolfe to go back to now is not here. Until the day comes when Wolfe can protect the place he wants to stay by himself, he should protect it somehow.

"Hey, Wulfe, can't you at least be nice to Grandpa Kara while you're at the village?
I'll think about it!
No, I don't think so.

　Kara, I don't think this kind of relationship is a bad idea, yes.