AN: Sorry for the late update!
I actually almost forgot about it. (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
I was playing ZZZ and went to eat, then when I looked at the time.. I felt I was forgetting something.
Ehe....
Anyways... Here is the promise update to compensate for the lack of an update last Wednesday.
So enjoy!
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Seiryuu City, DesuMachi Planet…
Outside of the Earl's tent, Hachiman and his group made their way through the crowded streets. Kagura was still in Mei's arms, happily holding onto Ruan Mei's fingers as the usually aloof, almost apathetic scientist smiled and gently played along. The sight alone was enough to make Mei chuckle softly to herself.
Although Mei and Ruan Mei had only met a handful of times, this was the first time Mei had ever seen her smile so openly, let alone take the initiative to interact with a young life. No… scratch that. Since the day they first met, this was probably the only time Mei had seen Ruan Mei genuinely care for someone.
Mei knew that, as a genius, Ruan Mei—much like Herta—rarely took interest in ordinary people. She couldn't even recall Ruan Mei truly noticing anyone before, let alone engaging with them. As cold as it sounded, that was simply how she was.
Fortunately, as Nameless and as a crew made up of oddballs themselves, the Astral Express crew had caught the attention of geniuses like Herta and Ruan Mei alike.
Although Mei didn't know how Noah and Herta's relationship had started or what it was about their Captain that caught Herta's interest so deeply, since by the time Mei joined the crew, the two of them were already in a formal partnership and had become a couple.
She was at least aware of Ruan Mei's clear interest in Hachiman. Part of it came from his current existence, being reborn as a memetic entity after receiving Fuli's gaze, as well as the evolution of his powers. His Personas, which once existed as nothing more than reflections of consciousness within the Sea of Souls, had evolved into fully living beings, manifesting as his Memosprites.
From what Hachiman had told her, the Sea of Souls was a metaphysical realm tied to the collective unconscious of humanity, a place representing the deepest layers of the psyche, where souls are born and eventually return. It was from this vast spiritual ocean that mythical beings and archetypes took form, manifesting as powerful alter egos known as the Persona.
Another bond tying Ruan Mei to Hachiman was that she was the one safeguarding his physical body, keeping it alive for the day he could finally return to it and live as a normal person once more.
Anyway, seeing how deeply Hachiman's abilities were connected to the formation and expression of life itself, Ruan Mei had taken him on as her assistant. And from Mei's perspective now, that connection had grown into something more than simple academic curiosity.
So, as she saw it, Ruan Mei wasn't so different from herself… or perhaps from her Herrscher side. Both of them were slowly softening, drawn in simply by Hachiman being who he was, unintentionally pulling others toward him through the gravity of his existence.
'Haa… looks like I'm going to have a very tough life managing Hachiman's love affairs,' Mei sighed inwardly, already imagining the headaches that awaited her as she dealt with everyone caught in his orbit.
Her thoughts, however, were broken by a small, hesitant voice from behind.
"E-excuse me… Master Hachiman, Sora-sama, Mei-sama." Liza called out softly.
The three of them turned at once.
Liza stood there holding Pochi and Tama close at her sides. The two beastkin peeked out from behind her legs, their expressions caught somewhere between hope and worry.
"Yes, Liza? Is something wrong?" Hachiman asked gently.
"T-that…" She hesitated, fingers tightening slightly as she tried to find the words. "A-actually… w-what will you do about us?"
The question hung awkwardly in the air.
"…Yes?" Hachiman blinked. "Sorry, Liza, could you explain what you mean?"
"W-well…" Liza took a small breath, forcing herself to continue. "With the death of our former master, Hoose, the three of us are now masterless slaves. We… we can't simply continue to follow you like this."
"Oh…" Hachiman murmured, understanding finally dawning on him.
"Huh?" Sora tilted her head in confusion. "Can't the three of you just follow us freely? There shouldn't be any problem with that, right?"
Liza shook her head, offering a wistful smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "We can't, Sora-sama. No matter what, we are still slaves. And since we no longer have a master, anyone can claim us and register themselves as such."
"Ugh…" Sora frowned deeply, lips pursed in frustration. The situation clearly didn't sit well with her.
"I just want to ask, Liza-san… how exactly would the three of you stop being slaves?" Mei interjected from the side, her tone gentle but serious.
"…We would be released from slavery if our master formally frees us," Liza answered quietly.
"I see," Mei nodded, then glanced at Hachiman. He met her eyes for a brief moment, already understanding what she was thinking.
"Alright then," Hachiman said calmly. "We'll formalize the three of you as our slaves first, and then immediately release you. That way, you can stay with us properly as part of our team."
"E-eh?!" Liza gasped, while Pochi and Tama mirrored her shock in perfect sync.
"Oh yeah!" Sora suddenly perked up, eyes wide as something clicked in her head. "We saved that uncle who was a slave trader back in the Labyrinth, remember?" Her grin slowly turned mischievous. "Hehehe… time to cash in that favor."
Mei shot her an exasperated look, brows twitching. "Sora-chan… your expression is starting to look villainous."
"Oops~" Sora quickly slapped her cheeks and rubbed them, forcing her face back into something more innocent.
'What am I going to do with this child?' Mei groaned inwardly. 'She's picking up Hachiman's bad habits after just one day alone with him…'
—--
Despite their plans to meet with Nidoren or leave the blockade, both attempts failed.
With the Earl's intent on controlling the flow of information and preventing the news from spreading too far, the survivors of the Labyrinth, which also includes Hachiman's group, were taken into custody under the guise of "temporary protection." House arrest quickly turned into something far less forgiving.
They weren't allowed to meet Nidoren. They weren't even permitted to leave the blockade. Instead, they were loaded into wagons alongside the other survivors and transported away, only to be thrown into some underground prison.
Even with the presence of a baby and children along with them, it didn't seem to matter. The officials showed no hesitation, no sympathy; they simply locked them away as if they were liabilities rather than survivors.
"…Is this what the phrase 'biting the hand that feeds you' means?" Sora muttered bitterly.
"Gaaah!!" Kagura replied grumpily, waving her tiny arms as if she fully understood Sora's frustration.
Hachiman let out a tired sigh and gently patted both Sora's and Kagura's heads.
"Figures," he murmured. 'As expected of a world shaped by the isekai genre… It's truly merciless when it counts.'
They spent the night in the cold, dark prison, huddling close together to share what little warmth they could. When morning came, they gathered their emergency rations and prepared simple meals along with the meat they had gotten from the Labyrinth.
"Here, Patricia-san. Please pass this to our neighbors; they must be hungry," Mei said softly.
"Will do, Lady Mei," Patricia replied, taking the food and distributing it among the others imprisoned nearby.
Watching them, Ruan Mei, who was feeding Kagura, tilted her head slightly. "I heard that the life of a Nameless is unpredictable," she said thoughtfully. "But… don't you think you're all acting a little too used to situations like this?"
"Nah. Prison life is a first for us, too," Hachiman replied casually, taking a sip of his coffee. "We're just used to things going sideways. As you said, the life of a Nameless is unpredictable, so we stopped overreacting a long time ago."
Ruan Mei blinked once, then simply shrugged and continued feeding Kagura.
"Lady Mei, I've distributed the last ration. Everyone has warm food to eat now," Patricia reported.
Mei nodded with a small, relieved smile. "That's good. I hope the warm soup helps keep everyone from freezing."
As they ate, a sudden commotion erupted outside. Shouting, cursing, and frantic apologies can be heard through the underground halls, startling not only Hachiman's group but everyone else imprisoned nearby.
Moments later, a pale-faced official came rushing into the prison, followed closely by a visibly furious Auna with Zena, and Iona following her.
"E-excuse me!" the official stammered, words tripping over each other from sheer nervousness. "I-is th-there anyone here named Hachiman and Mei?"
"We're here," Hachiman answered nonchalantly.
Auna, Zena, and Iona turned at once—and froze.
"Hachi—"
"Eh…?"
"…"
The words died in their throats. The scene before them was surreal. Hachiman, Mei, Ruan Mei, Sora, Kagura, Patricia, Liza, Pochi, and Tama were all sitting comfortably, enjoying a simple yet appetizing breakfast, as if the underground prison were nothing more than an inconvenient dining hall.
"Oh? It's you three?" Hachiman looked up from his coffee, meeting the gobsmacked expressions of Auna, Zena, and Iona.
"Good morning, Auna-san, Zena-san, Iona-san," Mei greeted them lightly, taking another bite of her frog-meat sandwich. "We made a simple breakfast. Would you like to join us?"
"W-w-w-what are you doing, Mei-sama?! Hachiman-sama?!" Auna shouted, completely breaking her established cool and serene character.
Hachiman, Mei, and the others winced as her voice echoed violently through the closed underground prison. Even Kagura, who had been happily munching on an apple slice, flinched and looked up in surprise.
"Calm down, no need to shout," Hachiman said evenly, rubbing his ear. "As Mei said, we're just having a small breakfast. You're free to join us if you want."
That explanation only stunned Auna further. Her jaw slowly dropped as she stared at the scene in front of her, unable to process it. Zena, too, had gone completely silent, frozen in place. Iona could only hold her head, caught somewhere between disbelief and a headache.
Despite the awkward reactions, everyone in Hachiman's group exchanged glances, shrugged, and calmly returned to their meals as if nothing were out of the ordinary.
'Yep. Today's another good day,' Hachiman thought, letting out a satisfied hum after sipping his coffee. 'The prison might be cold and dark… but at least we still have decent food and coffee.'
—--
After their meal, with the trio leading the way, Auna and the others escorted Hachiman, Mei, and the rest of their group out of the underground prison. Before leaving, they made sure to leave behind the small stove along with the remaining meat and soup for the other prisoners to enjoy.
A few guards and officials hesitated, clearly wanting to stop them or at least confiscate the supplies, but the moment Auna shot them a sharp glare, they stiffened, turned away, and pretended they hadn't seen a thing.
With that settled, Hachiman's group was ushered into a luxurious carriage and taken toward the Nobles' District. Inside, aside from the rumble of the wheels against pavement, the carriage remained completely silent.
Well almost.
Ruan Mei, unfazed by the tense silence, continued playing with Kagura. The baby happily bounced in her arms, giggling as Ruan Mei whispered to her. Other than Kagura's laughter and those gentle murmurs, no other sound filled the space.
'Looks like Kagura just found her new favorite,' Hachiman thought as he watched them, a small smile forming on his lips.
Before long, the carriage came to a stop in front of a grand mansion. As they stepped down, a neat line of servants welcomed them in unison. Unused to this kind of reception, Hachiman instinctively fell back on his usual neutral expression to hide his fluster.
Upon entering the mansion, they were greeted by a dignified, well-dressed elderly gentleman.
"A pleasure to meet you, Hachiman-sama. Mei-sama. I am Deschamps, the humble butler of the House of Seiryuu."
Hachiman blinked at the introduction. '…Aww, his name's not Sebastian? Or Jeeves?'
Unseen by the others, Mei nudged him lightly from the side.
'Ouch! Is Mei developing some kind of esper ability that detects what I'm thinking?!' he winced inwardly.
"Nice to meet you, Sir Deschamps." Mei stepped forward and gave a small, graceful curtsy, greeting him on everyone's behalf.
"Please, Mei-sama," Deschamps replied hurriedly, waving his hands in flustered denial. "I implore you—simply call me Deschamps."
"Understood, Deschamps," Mei replied with a gentle nod.
With the formal greetings concluded, Auna stepped forward and faced both Hachiman and Mei, prompting the two of them to raise their brows in mild surprise.
"Mei-sama. Hachiman-sama." Auna took a sharp breath before continuing. "On behalf of the entire Seiryuu Earldom—no, of the entire Shiga Kingdom—I am deeply, truly sorry for what has transpired."
She bowed sharply, a full ninety degrees, her shoulders trembling. "To force the Hero and his companions into a dungeon… it is an unforgivable disgrace. Please accept our deepest apologies."
"W-we are so terribly sorry!"
Zena and Iona immediately followed Auna's lead, bowing deeply. Soon after, the servants lined up behind them, bowing in unison as they profusely apologized; their voices could be heard through the hall.
"W-wait! Auna-san! Zena-san! Iona-san!" Mei said quickly, panic creeping into her voice. "Please raise your heads—there's no need to bow so deeply!"
"No!" Auna answered firmly, raising her head just enough for her voice to be heard. "This is only natural, after treating our esteemed heroes as if they were criminals. Please rest assured—those civil officials, and even the Earl himself, will face the consequences for this failure."
"Whoa! Woah! Auna-san, please calm down first!" Hachiman snapped out of his trance and cut in quickly. "Most of those civil officials weren't informed in time about who we really were. There was a clear breakdown in communication. It's not entirely their fault."
He hesitated for a moment, then added carefully, "And… isn't the Earl your father? Will he also be punished for this?"
"Of course," Auna answered without hesitation, straightening herself to face them properly. "The Earl issued the decree. That alone makes him liable for the actions carried out by his subordinates."
"Our world follows a strict chain of command," Iona explained. "A case of unlawful imprisonment of a Hero carries responsibility from the top down. That includes the Earl, the commanders, the captains, the guards, and the civil officials involved."
"Huh?" Hachiman frowned in disbelief. "They'll be punished just for doing their jobs? This happened because of an information vacuum, right? They weren't briefed properly."
"Precisely why those at the top will be penalized as well, Hachiman-san," Zena replied with a wry smile. "Failing to relay critical information is considered a dereliction of duty. That failure confused those carrying out the orders."
"What happened was a disgrace to the kingdom and an insult to the heroes who saved it," Auna said firmly. "Because of that, even His Majesty may become personally involved."
'Damn…' Hachiman winced inwardly. 'As I said before, worlds built on the isekai genre are truly unforgiving.'
"Um… would it be alright if we asked that they go a little easy on them?" Mei spoke up softly. "Since it wasn't entirely their fault."
Auna's stern expression eased, returning to a gentler one. "Mei-sama is truly compassionate. I will convey your thoughts during the deliberation."
At those words, both Mei and Hachiman finally let out quiet sighs of relief.
"Anyway, please use this guesthouse for the duration of your stay in Seiryuu City," Auna said with a small smile. "Not just as an apology but also as our way of thanking you for saving our city. Zena, Iona, and I will be stationed here as your liaisons, so… please take care of us."
"Please take care of us!" Zena and Iona repeated alongside her.
Hachiman turned to Mei and Ruan Mei at his side. Mei could only offer a helpless smile, while Ruan Mei merely shrugged, her attention solely on Kagura. Shaking his head, he looked next to Sora, who met his stare without hesitation, before finally glancing toward Patricia. She smiled back, warm and reassuring.
Hachiman stared at all of them for a moment, then rubbed the bridge of his nose with a tired sigh. "…Please take care of us, you three."
"Yes! Leave it to us!" Auna and Zena replied enthusiastically.
"We will take care of everything," Iona said with a nod.
After that, once they learned there was a bath in the mansion, they wasted no time taking advantage of it, soaking away the fatigue of the past few days. Refreshed, they regrouped later in the guesthouse parlor, where snacks and tea were served.
At the moment, however, the children, Sora, Pochi, Tama, and Kagura, were nowhere to be seen. They had taken the opportunity to explore the guesthouse under the watchful eyes of Patricia and Liza.
That left only the adults, Hachiman, Mei, and Ruan Mei, joining Auna, Zena, and Iona for a quieter discussion.
"…I see," Hachiman said, sipping the tea prepared by the maid. "So it'll take some time before the others are released from prison, huh?"
"Unfortunately, yes," Iona replied. "They may need to remain there until the Earldom stabilizes the Labyrinth. We want to avoid causing further panic among the citizens."
"I'm actually quite lucky," Zena chimed in with a small sigh. "Normally, I'd be out there with the rest of the forces investigating the Labyrinth. Maybe even working alongside the mages, pushing themselves until their magic runs dry just to build a barrier strong enough to stop the dungeon from expanding beneath the city."
"That…" Hachiman winced. "That sounds rough."
"It's not only the mages who are busy," Auna added. "Those of us who serve the temples are also working to consecrate the stone monument. A shrine must be built there to stabilize the area."
"It sounds like the situation is still pretty dire," Mei said as she set her cup back onto its saucer. "If you need help, please feel free to ask us, okay?"
"Oh, right," Hachiman said, straightening slightly. "You mentioned needing a barrier to stop the dungeon from expanding, didn't you? If that's the case, I can help with that too."
"Thank you for the offer, Hachiman-sama," Auna replied with a gentle smile. "But there's no need for you or Mei-sama to take further action. What you've already done is more than enough. Defeating a Greater Demon is something all of us are deeply grateful for."
"I—I mean, we didn't really do that much," Hachiman said, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "If anything, it was Sora who actually defeated… 'Wagahai-kun.'"
"Wagahai-kun?" Auna and Zena tilted their heads in confusion.
Mei let out a tired sigh and shot Hachiman a glare. "Sorry about that. 'Wagahai-kun' is just the nickname Hachiman gave to the Black Greater Demon."
"Yes…?" Auna repeated blankly.
"Well, isn't that how the demon spoke?" Hachiman shrugged. "Calling itself 'The Great I' (Wagahai). I figured it was fitting."
That explanation only stunned them further. Zena, Auna, and even Iona stared at him in silence, as if they were looking at a strange creature.
"…I suppose only you, Hachiman-san," Iona said dryly at last, "would have the nerve to give one of the most feared beings in our world such a cute name."
"Ah…" Hachiman grinned faintly. "You can only say that now since you still haven't met a certain pink menace who can call even the most terrifying being in the universe by a cute, twinkly name."
—-
At the planet above, aboard the Astral Express, the very person Hachiman spoke of, a certain pink mena—ehem!—elf suddenly sneezed adorably.
"Hmm? Is someone talking about me?" She tilted her head in confusion before her eyes twinkled with delight. "Ah, it must be my dear Noah! He surely misses me already~."
"Ellie, you can continue your delusion later," Kiana deadpanned, pointing toward the corner of the kitchen. "Hurry up and scrub that dirt before whatever dimensional creature is trying to crawl out from there."
Elysia turned to where Kiana pointed. Using the skills she had cultivated over the past few days, with the sharp eye and smooth movements of a seasoned hunter, she swept her cotton swab forward, cleaning the dirt along the tiny tentacle in a single, flawless motion.
"Fuu~ I have erased something insignificant," she declared with dramatic flair, and of course, she didn't forget to add a twinkle effect.
Kiana rolled her eyes at the display. Gabriel watched her gently, as if indulging a harmless habit. Herta, meanwhile, didn't even look up and completely ignored her.
Elysia beamed proudly, twirling the cotton swab between her fingers. "As expected from me! Perfectly done~."
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