Black Iron Magician

「Still, I didn’t think that Touko-chan would be here. The world is so big and yet so small!」

「Y-Yeah, that’s right…」

With the flow of the events, Touko moved to the seat where we were sitting, but she’s somewhat hesitating to say something. Compared to Haru who is pleased with the reunion, Touke seems a bit restless. She’s pretty shaken just like when she fell down before.

「You see, Haruna… I’m sorry about the other day. You see, I was a little upset. Chinatsu got very angry after that. I’m really sorry!」

Touko suddenly slammed her forehead against the table and intensely apologized to Haru. What’s going on!?

「Ahaha. Touko-chan, raise your head. I’m not particularly angry, you know?」

「Yeah, I know. I knew that didn’t mind at all about it. But, I feel bad if I don’t bow to you like this. Let me do this for a while.」

「No, you don’t have to. I just want to beat everyone. You’re making me uncomfortable if you do that.」

「No, but―― hm? Did you say something strange just now?」

「No, I didn’t.」

Haru looks puzzled, but the words that Touko heard were probably included with strange things, as she pointed out.

Haru’s reason for living is giant-killing. From the position of a weak person, she trains herself and challenges the strong. And by beating them, she tastes the sense of accomplishment with her whole body.

Although it hasn’t come to light, the delinquents, Satou’s group, have been defeated by her. However, at that time they were already weaker than Haru, so she wasn’t able to get the pleasure even a bit from overthrowing her classmates.

Then, this girl named Touko appeared. From what I heard, she has the highest power among her classmates. That’s why she is the best target in Haru’s mind. That’s why she doesn’t have to apologize, she just need to train and become even stronger. That’s what Haru hopes for. In short, ‘just wait for your turn’.

「Well, I understand your point. Also, Haru said it’s okay, so can you raise your head?」

Anyway, the conversation won’t go anywhere if we stay like this. So I also urged her to raise her head.

「No, but… Hey, I’ve been wondering about it since a while ago. Ossan, who are you? Why are you here with Haruna?」

「You recognized me, huh? You were ignoring me, so I thought that you didn’t see me…」

After all, this girl has been looking at Haru across me since a while ago.

「He’s my master!」

「M-Master!?」

「Yep. I have been in his care and taking care of him in his house ever since I left the castle.」

「~~~!?」

Touko blatantly looks surprised. Her mouth is opening wide. What’s with her reaction?

「Nice to meet you. I’m Deris Fahrenheit, Haru’s master. My Haru is always taking care of me.」

「Ah, hello. I’m Mizuhori Touko… H-Hey, Haruna. Come over here for a sec!」

「Eh, what?」

「I thought that you were not interested at all in romance at school, so your taste was like that, huh?」

「Err, what are you talking about?」

「No, how should I put it… Hehe! I didn’t think that we were similar in that aspect too! On closer look, his face isn’t bad! Damn you, you’re really something!」

「?」

Touko happily strikes Haru’s back. On the other hand, I and Haru don’t really understand the situation.

「Come to think of it, Chinatsu also left the castle. She was taken by a super beautiful woman. Is she a big shot from the knight order? Haruna, do you know something?」

「Chinatsu-chan came to stay at Shishō’s house yesterday. Ehehe, she slept together (with me).」

「Bfft!?」

「Touko-chan!?」

Touko took a mouthful of water and spouted it out grandly. Oh, is that reaction art is this girl’s trademark gag? I got it, I understand very well.

「S-Sorry. I-I see, Chinatsu was also visiting Danna’s place, huh…」

「Danna… well, whatever. Chinatsu just happened to be staying with us. Her master is not me, but that beautiful woman you mentioned earlier.」

「Her name is Nell-san. She’s very strong.」

「H-Hee, is that so. Still, I didn’t expect that Chinatsu was also a comrade… Moreover, she’s pretty bold… But, serious girls are easy once they fall after all…」

It seems that Touko’s mind goes somewhere else. This girl’s reaction is quite interesting, huh.

After she calmed down, we resumed the chatting while eating the cake. At the same time, the two started building the Petronas Twin Towers on the table. Even now, they are still ordering more. Are all the stomachs of high school girls these days like this?

「By the way, Touko-chan. Now that you are in town, does that mean everyone can leave the castle now?」

「Hmm? Ah, it’s not like that. Last week, they allowed free activity according to the level. Level 3 only on the designated floor, level 4 inside the castle, level 5 like me and Akira can go to the town. Something like that. We’re the only ones at level 5 yet, so those who want to go out are training desperately. It’s rare to find someone who is satisfied with the current situation. After all, the higher the level, the more privileges you get… Ah, sorry. I shouldn’t have talked about it to you…」

Touko feels awkward and scratches her head. It was two weeks ago that she saw Haru’s status and at that time she was no different from a village girl.

Maybe she feels sorry for talking about level. But on the other hand, Haru is――

「Waah, everyone is doing their best! I’ll have to work harder too!」

――She is very happy. Prodigies who work harder than talented people who are satisfied with the current situation. I’m sure that Haru wants to fight them.

「… Ah, that’s right. You were that kind of person who always positive like that, a kind of person who outruns others with great momentum even though you started late. I guess I can’t lose here. Danna, please take care of Haruna!」

「Hm? Ah, I know.」

You don’t need to tell me. It’s my hobby and my duty as her master to make her strong and see how far she can go. I won’t let anything stand in my way.

「You too――」(TLn : he called her ‘kimi’, not by name)

「Just call me Touko, calling me like that makes me feel itchy!」

「―― Touko, the way to level 6 is a long way, but don’t give up and keep working hard. Although, the one who has the job hero probably will level up faster.」

「Ah!? That’s not true, Danna! I’m working harder than Akira, you know?」

Looking at her state, it seems that she wants to claim that she is better at the daily training. However, when it comes to raising the job level, having a job hero is advantageous.

「You see, the job hero is connected to every skill. No matter what skills you learn, it will lead to raising the job level. Touko, even you don’t pick the skills related to your job for all the slots, right?」

「No, well, that’s…」

「Everyone has a direction they aim for, they pick skills by considering the balance of the status. This is not something to be ashamed of. It’s just that hero is a unique job. But――」

「「――But?」

「In exchange for gaining that benefit, the skill level is directly linked to the strength. Being still at level 5 even with all the skill levels combined, there’s a possibility that his combined power is weak. If Haru’s job were hero, she would have been level 6 by now.」

By the way, level 6 requires a total of 400 job-related skill levels.

「Ah, you are right. With just looking at the normal job level, you can’t tell how high the level of the non-related skills.」

「Right, if you let your guard down just because your opponent is low-leveled, you can sometimes lose badly. You should be careful about that.」

「Yes!」

「Huh? I feel like I heard an amazing number just now…」

That’s just your imagination.