LDM 559 – The Hero’s Encounter

“Mr. Keima, I hear you’ve leveled up. Let’s have a duel!”

On my way back from the church service, Wataru approached me with this challenge.

Did he come just for this? And where did he hear that I’ve leveled up?

“I’ve just finished work and I’m exhausted. It’s rather unsporting to target me in such a state, Mr. Hero.”

“If I don’t secure a promise for a duel now, you’ll always find a way to dodge it! It doesn’t have to be right now!”

He’s not wrong.

If it wasn’t for this timing, I could have dodged him by saying “I’m busy now”… This Wataru, he’s learning.

“Unfortunately, I’m training and don’t have time to entertain you. Maybe next time.”

“Wait, but you’ve become stronger, haven’t you? I’d be no match for you, right? I’d be like a ‘single brush of a gauntlet’ for you, wouldn’t I?” {tl-note}

“What kind of magical armor can defeat someone with a single touch? Does my outfit look like that?”

And then this guy casually mixed in a four-character idiom that gets weirdly translated by the translation function, this rascal… his methods are getting more sophisticated.

“Then you should fight with this outfit, not me.”

“Ho! That’s like the episode of the monk’s robe in the story of Ikkyu Zenji! When he was turned away because of his ragged appearance, but when he went in a luxurious robe, he was welcomed, so he left only the robe saying, “It seems that this robe is wanted.”

…If leaving only the clothes would satisfy you, then I’m fine with it you know?

Ah, but what I’m wearing now is a transformed jersey of “God’s Pajamas”, so that’s not good.

“Can I go home now? I want to sleep because I’m tired.”

“Hmm, can’t be helped. Then please tell me about the black-haired woman who is said to be in this village.”

At Wataru’s sudden remark, I almost spit out.

“…Where did you hear that?”

“Eh, just at the bar.”

Leona, she’s been spotted by the villagers. She’s not hiding at all, she’s enjoying life in the village, so it’s no wonder Wataru heard about it…

But if I introduce Leona to Wataru, I have a feeling it’s going to be a big deal…

—Wait a minute? If I introduce Wataru to Leona here, can I switch their interest in me to each other?

…Even if Wataru finds out that I’m a hero at this point… there’s another hero, Leona, so it’s rather dispersed. It might be a good timing to spill the beans.

“Understood. Then let’s introduce him to her… Ah, reluctantly, she’s my master!”

“Master! That’s very interesting…!!”

I knew Wataru would like that word!

I quietly checked the map and found out where Leona was. …She’s at the blacksmith’s. What is she doing? She’s with Cantara, the only blacksmith in our village, and Nellne.

“Over here, follow me.”

“Yay, thank you, Mr. Keima!”

I wondered if it was really okay to introduce them, but I took Wataru to theblacksmith’s.

Now, we arrived at the blacksmith’s, where she was drawing a magic circle on a blackboard with chalk, I don’t know where she got it from.

“By using this magic circle, you can freely add attributes to matter.”

“What a thing… I’m witnessing the dawn of a new era…!”

“Oh, that’s amazing, Leona-san, I’m learning a lot!”

Hey, chaos god over there. Don’t casually impart innovative technology!

Judging from Cantara’s admiration, it must be quite something!!

“Hey Cantara. If you value your life, you should forget what you heard from her.”

“Mr. Keima! What are you talking about, with this magic circle, a problem that couldn’t be solved in the neighborhood for 150 years can be easily solved!”

“Oh. I’m sure she’s a devil who will take your soul as a price for solving such a difficult problem so easily.”

“Oh no. I don’t need that, I have more than enough souls to offer.”

Leona laughs with a chuckle. She has more than enough souls. As expected of the chaos god.

“It’s just a pastime, you know? I just wanted to see what would happen if I gave the cutting-edge technology to a remote village’s alchemist blacksmith.”

“Cantara will forcibly become a super important person, right!? Hey Cantara! We’ll discuss this matter thoroughly later!?”

“Oh, okay. I’ll try to make a magic sword for now!!”

That’s why I told you to forget… it’s impossible. Making a magic sword is Cantara’s life goal.

That’s why he came to this village in the first place. Then I can’t stop him…

Oh, I’ve got more troublesome work to do…!!

“Mr. Keima, Mr. Keima. I’m speaking directly to your heart right now…”

“She’s directly in my brain!? …It’s telepathy, isn’t it. What’s up, Leona?”

“You’re keeping it a secret that you’re a hero, right? I’ll keep it a secret for you, so I’m just a 17-year-old girl hero! It seems more fun that way!”

…Well, that’s fine. But that lie seems to be easily exposed.

TL note:

The phrase “鎧袖一触” (Gaishūisshoku) is a four-character idiom (Yojijukugo) in Japanese. It literally translates to “a single brush of a gauntlet,” but the idiomatic meaning is “defeating an enemy with a single blow” or “overwhelming victory.”