Sevens

Volume 5, Chapter 66 – I Am Kind

Translated by: Reiji

──The next day after Lyle’s party returned from the dungeon.

Miranda and the others received summons from the adventurer guild.

The reason was the death of a lot of adventurers who entered the dungeon at the same time with them.

Miranda and the others were called because there was a possibility of their involvement with that.

In fact they were involved, but didn’t report it.

It was because they understood completely that it would become a problem if they said that they were attacked.

Other than Miranda, Sophia and Aria also attended.

This time the adventurer guild was investigating seriously because there were academy students who died.

That the students who died were nobles was also one of the reasons that the problem became big.

The academy forcefully demanded the guild to investigate the matter and so the guild poured considerable focus on the investigation.

The investigating staff from the adventurer guild was a thin man wearing black rimmed glasses with a desolate looking head.

The staff acted impudently, borrowing the influence of the academy.

He continuously questioned the three of them insistently.

「Why isn’t your party leader here?」

Miranda shrugged.

「The leader has only just woken up. As expected he hasn’t recovered his stamina enough that we can bring him here.」

Lyle woke up this morning.

It was the fact that he seemed exhausted, but it wasn’t to the degree that he would be unable to bring himself here.

But, Miranda thought that there would be no problem if she came personally rather than bringing Lyle to this place.

The staff was looking displeased. Normally he would be bowing and scraping because she was a noble and also Damian’s acquaintance, but this time he was getting cocky because there was the order from the academy.

「Well, doesn’t matter. Then, I’ll ask you to explain in detail about what happened after your party entered the dungeon. First, did you encounter the people on this list inside the dungeon?」

Aria and Sophia were sitting with awkward expressions.

Miranda took a look at the list.

「We didn’t. We only explored floor B30 and then returned back.」

She lied with a smile. The staff swung down his fist on the table.

His fist was small and thin so it only made a small sound.

「Check it again carefully! If you make even one lie, that will become a serious problem!」

Miranda tilted her head.

「Serious problem? Adventurers dying inside the dungeon is a normal thing isn’t it? Were you investigating that this seriously every time it happened?」

The staff stared at Miranda while speaking of the situation in irritation. It was because he knew Miranda was a daughter of a Viscount house.

「Young people of noble houses died. The academy also told us to clarify the reason it happened. As a fellow noble you should be able to understand that much shouldn’t you?」

He is doing the right thing.

It seemed the staff was thinking like that. Even when facing Miranda, his cocky attitude didn’t crumble.

Miranda let out a small sigh.

「……And?」

The staff continued.

「I’m telling you to talk about everything that happened in the dungeon this time. What kind of monster you fought in which floor, and then what kind of action you made!」

Miranda shrugged and spoke.

「I don’t remember all that. Because, normally we never reported those kind of things. I’ll try to remember as much as possible after this. Are we finished now?」

Miranda continued seeing that vein was pulsing on the staff’s forehead.

「I can understand making an effort because it’s a request from the academy but……our answer will be the same no matter how many times you asked.」

Like that the questioning continued until the staff got tired and let them go──

.

──After the questioning was over.

Miranda stretched outside the adventurer guild.

There was a large commotion since the morning because more than fifty adventurers died.

Miranda was elusively lying for several hours during the questioning until they were let go.

Aria and Sophia who witnessed that stared suspiciously at Miranda.

「Miranda, it’s amazing that you could lie like that.」

Sophia-san looked dissatisfied.

「At the very least we should tell the truth and expose their deeds to the public. Why do we have to lie like that?」

Sophia insisted that they should bring the attackers back with them to the surface when they were going to withdraw from the dungeon.

Miranda appreciated her diligence and kindness, but she treated that request coldly because she was aware that it would be meaningless to do what she asked.

「Then, do you intend to tell them that we abandoned those people? Even if we brought them back they wouldn’t reflect on what they did and would even resent us unjustly. Even if we speak the truth it will only increase our problem. Poetic justice. It’s fine if you just think of it as them being ruined because of their own deed.」

Sophia’s shoulders dropped.

It was realistically impossible to bring back everyone to the surface.

No matter how great Porter was, it couldn’t be filled with more than forty people and still move.

Even if it was possible, Novem absolutely wouldn’t allow it.

Aria pressed her forehead with her hand.

「Miranda, you went too far. Sophia has been bothered about it since yesterday. She isn’t thinking only about herself like you.」

Miranda smiled at Aria’s barbed statement.

「Oh, I can’t just ignore that. You made it sounded like I’m a cold blooded woman who is only thinking of myself.」

Sophia shook her head.

「I think that Miranda-san and Novem-san are correct. But, I can’t accept it. Besides, it might be rude to say this but……that, it’s」

Aria spoke in Sophia’s place seeing she was troubled like that.

「Bluntly speaking you’re a cold blooded woman. Be aware of that for a bit. Because of your fault the party is tattered. The atmosphere also feels bad.」

In front of Aria who was like that and the dissatisfied looking Sophia, Miranda said.

「Both of you’re really rude. I’ll say this, I am kind you know?」

The two made a face that said 「Kind where!?」 and looked at Miranda.

Miranda nodded.

「If you aren’t convinced then come with me. I’ll show the two of you what a harem party is.」

She said that, then the three of them headed to somewhere──

.

──A young man appeared in the adventurer guild.

He passed by Miranda and the two others and entered inside. It was Nurx.

Today too, he visited the receptionist with a smile and talked with the reception woman who had a serious look.

「Can’t you do something so we can enter the dungeon?」

The reception woman was blushing slightly while endeavoring to treat Nurx politer than usual.

「I think it’s difficult right now because we’re busy with various things. But, a lot of adventurers have just died, so I believe that after the cause is investigated there will be recruitment for new parties to be permitted to enter the dungeon.」

Normally the staff would finish it shortly by saying 「No way」, but there were few women who could take that kind of attitude in front of a refreshing handsome young man like Nurx.

「Really!? Then what should I do to be able to be included within the quota?」

「Nurx-san’s party is too small in scale. If you can ask four supporters to join your party exclusively──」

A young man who had just become an adventurer was watching that. His equipment was of lower quality than Nurx, and he also lost in appearance. He was watching the two who seemed to be intimate with each other in frustration.

「Even though she told me to not talk to her needlessly because she was in the middle of working when it was my turn」

The party of the young man who looked like he was going to cry consisted of only men.

The harem parties that were famous in Arumsaas were Lyle’s party and the party of Nurx who only recently moved here. Naturally the young man also knew that Nurx also had other women staying at his side.

A senior adventurer was exasperated seeing the young man like that.

「You, could it be you have a yearning for a harem party?」

「Obviously! Every single day there is only the smell of guys around me! I want a woman’s warmth around me!」

The senior turned his gaze towards a trio of women.

Over there was the figures of female warriors who dressed in an outfit that exposed a lot of their body, but their body was muscular.

「There are three women there, how about you call out to them?」

The young man protested fiercely.

「Not that bunch that look like amazonees, my preference is a girl like a dainty magician that will make me want to protect her!」

The senior who didn’t have the slightest interest in the young man’s preference replied 「H~mph」.

But…….

「Then, it’s better that you give up.」

「No way! I became an adventurer because I want to be popular. Rather than giving up on my dream, plowing the farm in my village is still better!」

The senior was looking at the young man like he was looking at a pitiful thing.

「You……look around you carefully.」

The young man looked carefully around him just as he was told.

「There’re also a lot of female adventurers right?」

「There’re many but, somehow everyone look boorish, they’re too burly that it killed my enthusiasm.」

Muscular warriors.

The females other than them were also burly and weren’t inferior against the men.

「A woman who becomes an adventurer will one day become like that.」

「Lies! Because, I saw the party of that Lyle guy. I found my ideal there!」

The senior thrust the reality towards the young man who felt envious seeing Lyle’s party.

「That guy called Lyle is first class if you look at him as an adventurer. It’s natural that women are surrounding him but, you should just give up on a harem.」

「Why’s that!?」

The senior got a slightly distant look.

「Even though it’s already hard dealing with just one woman, dealing with a lot of them……that’s impossible.」

In front of the senior who was making an enlightened look, even the young man started to slightly think that there might be some kind of problem with a harem party──

.

──It was a narrow alley with dim lighting.

Sophia was taken there by Miranda. There she saw an unbelievable sight.

In front of her were the party members of Nurx who Lyle got close with.

Four people were gathering in a narrow alley where there was no one looking. The atmosphere was on edge.

The four were glaring at each other. Aria and Sophia were huddling close to each other and trembling from seeing that scene.

「You bitch, you were too close to Nurx even though you’re the newcomer.」

The woman dressed as a warrior grabbed the collar of the glasses girl wearing academy uniform.

But, the glasses girl didn’t stay quiet.

「Don’t touch me! You stink.」

「What did you say you bitch!」

It was a scene of the newcomer glasses girl being surrounded by the other three.

(Eh? Eh!? What in the world is this……)

While Sophia’s mind was in chaos, the talk was getting even more complicated.

The female dressed as a thief was joining her hands behind her head.

「Still, you’re also bothersome. When Nurx isn’t here, can you stop acting like you’re the leader and giving us orders? In addition, your orders are also often mistaken.」

The girl dressed as a magician continued.

「Your attitude like you’re supporting Nurx, it’s irritating watching that.」

This time it was the warrior woman who became the criticized side.

However, after a little bit, this time it was the thief girl who got harped on by everyone else.

When they noticed the event developed into an exchange of blows.

Miranda explained to the two.

「You two see how they’re hitting at body parts that are hidden by their clothes? Man won’t notice anything even if he is looking at those spots.」

As expected even Nurx would notice if they were wounded.

The four were hitting at inconspicuous places so that wouldn’t happen.

At the end, everyone hit and insulted each other once more……and when it was over the four broke up and went their own way.

Aria was trembling.

「Lies. Because, when I saw them before they were smiling. All four of them together!」

Sophia had also seen a similar sight.

Because she had seen that harmonious sight she was bothered why their own party was in a state this horrible.

「Thi, this is worse than even us.」

Miranda was laughing.

「On holidays, all of them are basically on their own except when they are together with Nurx-san. They will badmouth the other three girls as they please to other adventurers who they got acquainted with in Arumsaas.」

The women who insulted and hit each other.

This was a side of the women who Nurx didn’t know anything about. Miranda continued.

「I think they’re also doing various things in places where no one is looking but, I don’t like that kind of thing so──」

「Miranda-san!」

Sophia hugged Miranda.

「I was wrong. I’ve been thinking about it since some time ago. Miranda-san, you said those horrible things to us were actually for our sake wasn’t it?」

Aria was surprised.

「Eh, is that so?」

Miranda was also making a troubled face. Sophia continued.

「I was convinced after seeing those four today. If you feel like it you’ll be able to drive us out and live together with Lyle-dono, and yet you don’t do that. You’re still the same kind Miranda-san like when we first met! I……I’m sorry!」

Sophia cried and apologized. Miranda was only smiling wryly in front of her.

Even Aria was infected and cried.

「Miranda, just why are you always this kind!」

Miranda could do nothing else except soothing the two who were crying──

.

──The next day.

Miranda sighed inside her room.

「Haa, how did it end up like this?」

Since the morning Aria and Sophia were becoming emotionally attached to her. Lyle who saw that looked really happy.

That in itself wasn’t a problem, but in Miranda’s plan she wanted to put some distance with Aria and Sophia──with the two of them and kept it like that.

But just because she showed them the ugly quarrel of fellow woman yesterday, their evaluation of Miranda increased too much.

「……Well, I don’t dislike their stupidity that is like Shannon so it’s fine I guess.」

If the two of them looked up to her then that was also fine.

They had stopped being puppets that only obeyed Novem’s opinion without saying anything now, and from here on she also intended to foster friendship with them moderately.

In the first place the cause of Miranda provoking them──was Novem.

Both of them blindly believed the opinion of Novem who sometimes issued them instructions and led them by the nose. They looked up to Novem more than towards Lyle. Because they were doing that too much, Miranda guided them so that things became like she wanted.

Miranda sat on the chair quietly for a while, staring at outside the window. Then she began compounding. It was because of the necessity of making her tools like the explosives by herself.

「Now then, perhaps this time I should prepare something with slightly lower strength.」

When she was going to start her work, the sound of running footsteps came from the corridor.

These footsteps belonged to Shannon.

Furthermore it was her footsteps when she was in a good mood.

「Onee-sama!」

「Shannon, enter the room only after knocking and waiting for the reply.」

Shannon was dejected when she warned her but she immediately smiled again.

It seemed that the reason was Aria and Sophia.

「I heard it, Onee-sama. As I thought Onee-sama is kind Onee-sama! I completely thought that my Onee-sama is a slightly scary person!」

Miranda wanted to hold her head hearing her little sister say that with a smile.

Shannon was ignorant of the ways of the world.

Miranda was worried about how she was extremely easy to be tricked.

That was why her misunderstanding should be corrected.

「Shannon……I’m certainly kind.」

「Yes!」

「But you see, that’s because that’s what Lyle wished for.」

「That’s right! ……Eh?」

After Shannon replied energetically, she felt puzzled at Miranda’s line. Miranda spoke to Shannon who was looking at her with a perplexed face.

「You see, I love Lyle. I can’t forgive that there are other women around that Lyle. Do you understand until this far?」

「……I, I somehow understand.」

It was doubtful whether Shannon actually understood or not, but Miranda had to correct her mistaken impression.

「It’s not rare for nobles to have a mistress or a lover. It’s not like I really mind even if there are other women. I’ll tolerate them. That’s how much I love Lyle. But you see……that doesn’t mean I want the number of woman to increase. I absolutely don’t want to recommend more woman like Novem.」

Shannon nodded several times wordlessly.

「Let’s talk hypothetically. I who entered the party after everyone else drive out the other party members. Do you know what Lyle will think about that?」

Shannon thought for a bit.

「I don’t know!」

Miranda smiled.

「It’s good that you’re honest. Surely it won’t be pleasant for Lyle. And then he will think of me as a nuisance.」

「It’s unforgivable that gigolo bastard will think of Onee-sama as a nuisance!」

「That’s so. It’s unforgivable isn’t it. In that case, what do you think will be the best act to take?」

「I don’t know!」

Miranda wasn’t exasperated even when looking at Shannon who honestly proclaimed she didn’t understand. Rather, she even thought that her stupid side was cute.

「It’s simple. Don’t let the number of woman to increase more than this. And then become the number one among the members right now. That’s the best way.」

Shannon was perplexed at that answer of her big sister while asking timidly.

「O, Onee-sama? If that’s the case, won’t it be no good if you often make that gigolo bastard feel scared?」

Miranda sometimes would show Lyle the quarrel between women.

From her explanation just now, that action felt unnecessary if she wanted to be liked by Lyle.

「It’s necessary. If we get along at the surface, Lyle will think that things are going well and increase the number of girls. Lyle……he is wonderful. I believe that a lot of women will appear aiming for him. I’ve got to be careful because Novem will pick the capable women among them and say that it’s alright for them to join the party.」

Shannon was dumbfounded.

She was making a face that said she couldn’t believe her big sister.

After all, her big sister was seriously saying that Lyle was just too wonderful. Of course Shannon couldn’t believe her.

「If, this is just what if.」

「Hm?」

「If that gigolo bastard isn’t particularly bothered with a women’s quarrel, or that he isn’t interested in Aria or Sophia──」

Miranda replied with a straight face.

「I’ll immediately drive them out from the party. Obviously. I can do something like that right away, there also won’t be any problem at all.」

Shannon was already tearful.

「O, Onee-sama, if I’m being a nuisance then you」

「No way. Shannon is my cute little sister. Don’t worry.」

Shannon was making a face that was saying she couldn’t feel relieved at all.

「The best outcome will be if I monopolize Lyle for myself. It will be better if there isn’t any other woman, but I think someone at Lyle’s level will need one or two mistresses. You know, he is a former noble and also earns a lot of money right? Because of that, as expected I want to fix the party with only the current members. Ah, if possible I want to secure Clara. A driver for Porter is essential after all.」

Shannon was silently listening in front of Miranda who was talking of her ideal──

.

Several days after I finished the task.

I visited Clara-san. We talked like usual in the library’s break room.

This time it wasn’t a talk about work.

「Actually I’m thinking of leaving Arumsaas. It won’t be right away, but when our preparation is finished we will head to the royal capital Centralle first.」

They wouldn’t stay there for long. But, that place was just right before they moved ahead.

Clara-san smiled with a slightly lonely look.

「I see. It will be lonely. But, thanks to working together with Lyle-san, I was also able to earn a lot of money. There was also the matter with Porter, it was a good experience for me.」

I made a request to Clara-san.

「Also, I have one request. Clara-san said that you want the same thing as the reward of your cooperation in completing Porter didn’t you? As expected it will take some time to prepare the same thing like Porter.」

Clara-san tilted her head.

「No, it will be enough for me if I can receive the prototype model.」

「No no, a promise is a promise. Actually Monica secured the parts at Damian’s place, but we can’t obtain the magic ore no matter what. And so, I’m thinking to search for the magic ore in other regions in order to fulfill that promise.」

Clara-san was slightly surprised.

「I, is that so? I don’t wish for Lyle-san to go that far though.」

The Third was noisy inside the Jewel.

『Seduce her just like usual! Can’t you do it when you’re being conscious of it? Hey, quickly make Clara-chan into your formal party member already!』

The Third who loved books really liked Clara-san. Because of that he wouldn’t stop insisting that Clara-san should be added to my party.

「Clara-san, won’t you go together with us in order to fulfill the promise?」

Clara-san slightly shook her head at my proposal.

「That’s an attractive proposal but I’ll refuse. I’m a supporter, besides there is a library in Arumsaas here.」

Arumsaas must be a really good place for Clara-san.

But, I was troubled like this.

「……It’s not like you will need to live outside this city forever. But, don’t you want to see the outside world? Actually, I had been living all the time inside the mansion until some time ago and didn’t know much about the world.」

Clara-san smiled wryly.

「I’ve had the feeling that’s the case.」

「I, is that so? We, well, simply put, won’t you go traveling with the premise that someday you will return to Arumsaas? You will be able to make new experiences in the world outside.」

「That’s a charming suggestion but, I──」

The Third was fretting at Clara-san’s reluctance to accept the proposal and got noisy.

『Be more serious! What’s with this! Even though usually you would trick woman with a sweeter move!』

That was a terrible accusation.

There I thought of one thing.

「Come to think of it, Arumsaas is gathering books from around the whole world, isn’t it?」

Clara-san immediately became talkative.

It seemed she really loved book.

「Yes. However, it can’t be said that it has everything. There are also books that are carefully kept only in that region after all, and there are also many cases when even though they have a library like Arumsaas, people cannot bring out the books from there. I want to try reading those books, but only this is……」

I simply spoke what was on my mind.

「Won’t it be fine if you just read it right at the actual place?」

Clara-san gasped in realization.

「That’s certainly true. One year? No, if I travel around for several years to read various things and then return here to produce the book……. Lyle-san, please take me with you.」

She accepted surprisingly easily.

.

Damian’s laboratory.

I visited there and handed Porter’s blueprint to Damian.

「Is it alright? I think you’ll be able to earn more if you make a business with it by yourself.」

The reason was simply for money. I asked the academy to purchase the blueprint of Porter.

「I’m moving forward, and I won’t be able to do nothing except developing this. It will be a waste to leave it alone so I think it will be better if the academy handles it in order to popularize it too.」

The Fourth sounded disappointed.

『If Lyle was a merchant, it might have been possible for you to become a big merchant by using this.』

He sounded frustrated, but I was an adventurer.

I also didn’t plan on doing business using Porter in my spare time.

Damian handed the blueprint to Lily-san.

「Got it. I’ll deal with the academy. This will become a good business so surely they will buy it at a high price. Ah, the prototype model will be purchased as an example, is that alright?」

「I’m fine with it.」

Damian looked at Porter’s blueprint and put his hand on his chin.

「Even so, with this, it will also be possible to use it as a transport for massive quantities of items. Perhaps I’ll also make one and use it for purchasing from here on.」

It seemed there would also be times when Damian would need to buy various materials necessary for research and he considered Porter as being attractive for his traveling method at that time.

Damian looked at me.

「And, when will you depart?」

「There are also various procedures to take care of so I think it will be in one more month. I’m planning to go to Centralle and then decide there where we’re going next.」

Damian shrugged.

「It’ll be lonely that someone whose name I remembered will be gone. Well, it’ll be nice if we can meet again, Lyle.」

「I hope so, Damian.」

I got acquainted with someone really eccentric.

I felt a bit lonely when it became the time to leave.