TL: The two kinds of skewers being served are kushikatsu and karaage. They\u2019re both deep-fried, with the main differences being that kushikatsu can include vegetables, and for karaage the meat will be marinated before being deep-fried. Karaage is also usually chicken, as that\u2019s the most common in Japan, but it doesn\u2019t have to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ED: Here, karaage is served on a skewer, though that’s not always the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Translation: Rihn
Editor: Zioming<\/p>\n\n\n\n
**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chapter 81 \u2013 A Food Stall and a Chieftain Candidate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Author\u2019s Note: A new character enters the stage.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2 hours after we left the dungeon, in a corner of the Dragon Newts\u2019 village, a crowd (or, should I call it a weyr, since they\u2019re Dragon Newts?) had formed in front of a food stall. Needless to say, it was Mio\u2019s handiwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes~, one more kushikatsu and karaage skewer set! Coming right up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMio-sama! I brought another person who wants to be tamed! They want to try the karaage!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot it! Then, I\u2019ll quickly make some more!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mio rolled up her sleeves, and continued to prepare the orders one after another. In addition to Maria, Sera and Mikazuki, she also recruited a couple of tamed Dragon Newts to help her run the stall. Me? Sakura and I would be totally useless in there, so we are quietly playing with Dora in a corner instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Mio decided to invade the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area with food culture, the first thing she had to do was to make a list of all locally available ingredients. Obviously, she used the map for that. According to her, \u201cUnexpectedly, there\u2019s a good variety of ingredients and seasoning.\u201d, to the point where, although they were laid by monsters, there were even fresh eggs available. We were also able to acquire all the other necessary items, like salt, sugar and flour. Looks like the previous dungeon master adjusted the environment within the barrier in addition to making various other preparations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As for the stall itself, I asked the people of the Chamber of Advanced Commerce for help, and they immediately offered to set one up. Apparently, they have several stalls that the Maids have used in the past while performing various other tasks. \u2026Like, for what?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: They were selling croquettes.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026Yep, I still don\u2019t get it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, when I fed one of Mio\u2019s special croquettes to Mikazuki earlier, just to see what would happen, it was so delicious that it made her faint. And even after she woke up, she kept saying \u201ccroquette, croquette\u201d all over again, so I had to have Alta bring her back to her senses. Apparently, the taste was too addictive. \u2026Are those things even safe?<\/p>\n\n\n\n After that, we got permission from the Chieftain to set up the stall. He seemed like he wanted to say something, but eventually he just sighed and gave up. And with that, all the preparations were now complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so, the dishes that Mio decided to unleash as a part of her invasion, are the deep-fried kushikatsu and karaage skewers that came up in the previous conversation. Incidentally, if you were curious about where we got the breadcrumbs, it seems that there\u2019s actually a breadcrumb-like grain in this world. Damn fantasy grains\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since the staple food of the Dragon Newts is meat, Mio\u2019s initial tactic seems to be attacking with \u2018meaty delicacies\u2019. Furthermore, her tactics don\u2019t just stop there. She gathered the tamed Dragon Newts (by the way, every single one of them showed up) and handed out two of each skewer, katsu and karaage, to them. She then instructed them to walk around the village while eating one of each slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even from a distance you can smell the delicious aroma of Mio\u2019s food. If it had only come from the food stall, its effect would have been limited to just its surroundings, however, if the Patrol Group (as we\u2019ll hence be calling them) were to walk around the village while eating then, what would happen then? Saying it simply, they\u2019re what you\u2019d call food terrorists. After the Patrol Group passes by, there\u2019s a fair amount of drool dangling. \u2026So messy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And there\u2019s even more to this strategy. The Patrol Group is allowed to share their deep-fried skewers with \u2018untamed people\u2019, and if they then agree to be tamed, they will get one more of each skewer. \u2026This is totally a pyramid scheme!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEh? There\u2019s no law against it in this world, you know.\u201d (Mio)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverything that isn\u2019t explicitly prohibited is technically allowed.\u201d (Azuma)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mio is just doing whatever she wants at this point. Also, I think I just caught a glimpse of my best friend there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJin-sama, I\u2019ve brought another person who wants to be tamed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes yes, I\u2019m going to use the \u2018Monster Taming\u2019 skill on you, so don\u2019t resist. There, it\u2019s done. You can eat now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The effects of Mio\u2019s cooking and various other tactics are immense. Another 31 Dragon Newts have already been tamed. It was like an assembly line, once it got started. Being the one who tamed them, I don\u2019t know if I should be the one saying this, but Dragon Newts are really weak against their appetite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, we\u2019ve successfully tamed 43 Dragon Newts with that single food stall. And since we\u2019ve already tamed another 53 with meat skewers yesterday, that brought up the total to 96 Dragon Newts now under my command.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHa~, that was fun! The Dragon Newts are surprisingly good at learning things. Given a couple days, I\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be able to teach these kids the basics of cooking, and then the food culture hazard will be as good as done!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mio, who continued to serve food at the stall till it got dark, said with satisfaction after we returned to the mansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end we didn\u2019t go sightseeing outside the village that afternoon (except, to collect ingredients), and just wandered around near the food stall instead. Just as Dora had said, there really was nothing interesting here. \u2026How unfortunate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen, are you going to act separately starting tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo no no, isn\u2019t it obvious that I\u2019m going to follow you, Master? I\u2019ll just teach them for a bit in the morning and in the evening. I\u2019m only teaching them the basics, and how to make deep-fried food anyway. After that, I want them to experiment on their own. It would have been boring if they didn\u2019t get to develop their own unique food culture!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIs that so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYep, that\u2019s the way it\u2019s got to be!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since there was nothing I could really retort with, I just let Mio have this one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen, Jin-sama, what are your plans for tomorrow? If there\u2019s anything you\u2019ll need, shall I have the Maids prepare it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria asked, so I crossed my arms and thought about it for a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm, I haven\u2019t really decided yet. Honestly, it doesn\u2019t seem like there\u2019s anything to see around here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKyuu~. There isn\u2019t~.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRather, wouldn\u2019t you say that Mio-san\u2019s food stall has already become a noteworthy sightseeing spot?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPretty much\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Sera correctly pointed out, currently, the most popular spot for the Dragon Newts to visit seems to be Mio\u2019s food stall. We perfectly got our priorities backwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlus, no matter how I think about it, nothing is going to beat the dungeon anyway\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To begin with, there are barely any sightseeing spots within the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area, and none of them even come close to its main attraction, the dungeon. And since we went there first, and ended up conquering the place in barely half a day, it\u2019s only natural that we\u2019d have problems with coming up with other spots. Good job, me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, basically, I don\u2019t have any plans for tomorrow. We\u2019ll probably just go visit Dora\u2019s recommended spots and explore the village some more, or something like that. At worst, if we really run out of things to do, we can just leave, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m supposed to teach the Dragon Newts how to cook, so if we leave tomorrow, it\u2019s going to make things difficult\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since Mio is making a troubled face, let\u2019s propose a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn other words, it\u2019s fine if Mio stays behind alone. There, solved!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo~! Don\u2019t leave me behind!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOr, you could just come here twice a day to teach them instead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou should have just started with that one!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, Mio chose the latter, so even if we end up leaving tomorrow, she\u2019ll still be able to hold her temporary cooking classes in the morning and evening each day. Honestly, it would have been much easier to just bring them back to our mansion in Kastal, and teach them there, but since I already promised the Chieftain not to take any Dragon Newts outside of the Hidden Area, we\u2019ll just have to go with that. Even if he wouldn\u2019t find out, I\u2019m still not willing to go back on my word just for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next day, after we finished breakfast, I received a report from Alta. A sudden report means that, basically, something\u2019s about to happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: A girl who is a candidate for the next chieftain of the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area is approaching.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the Chieftain, Dora was originally a candidate to be the next chieftain (or empress, if you will) of the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area, but since she went missing, the second candidate was moved up and took her place. Considering that a 5-year-old like Dora was once the first candidate, I guess it\u2019s not that surprising for another woman (or, a little girl to be exact) to be one as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It looks like she\u2019s headed for the Chieftain\u2019s Mansion as we speak. Usually, it wouldn\u2019t be anything out of the ordinary for a chieftain candidate to come meet the acting chieftain, but right now we\u2019re also staying in the mansion, and since Alta reported to me, she\u2019s obviously here for us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A: Yes. It seems that one of her relatives was among the people Master tamed yesterday. She\u2019s angry about that, and is coming to force Master to cancel their taming contract.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ah, I see. No wonder she\u2019d be pissed after hearing that her relative became a pet of some stranger, moreover a human.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen, Master, are you going to release them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy would I? It was their own choice to accept to be tamed. I didn\u2019t trick them, or force them in any way, so there\u2019s no need to accept any complaints after the fact!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I decisively rejected the question from Sera who also heard Alta\u2019s explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBesides, the Dragon Newts were already aware of the price they\u2019d have to pay for eating Mio\u2019s food. Even the Chieftain said so, so it would be our loss if we were to cancel the taming contract now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt feels like a cheap price to pay for their loyalty though\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Deep-fried skewers in exchange for loyalty\u2026 Certainly, that does seem a bit cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, Sakura-sama, if you were to attach a price to Mio-san\u2019s cooking, it would be ridiculously high. It seems that even the dishes prepared by the Maids who are Mio-san\u2019s apprentices are rated among the best in Kastal\u2019s royal castle. The Chamber of Advanced Commerce also sells the food prepared by them, and they are said to be quite successful in this venture as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI-I see\u2026 Ah, I do remember hearing about that from Sakuya-chan.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI heard about it too\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As expected of Sera, she knows a lot about the culinary situation in different parts of the world. Ah, they\u2019re both my subordinates though\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s true that if you call it \u2018deep-fried skewers\u2019, then it does feel a bit cheap, but if you were to call it \u2018a future local speciality dish created by the world\u2019s best chef using local ingredients\u2019 instead, then it would instantly feel much more luxurious. \u2026Probably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen, if you consider the true value of Mio\u2019s cooking, it would be an even bigger loss if I were to undo their taming contract. \u2026Well, it\u2019s not like I\u2019m the devil. If the one who\u2019s been tamed insists on cancelling it, and is prepared to pay an appropriate compensation, I won\u2019t think twice about it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the person themself is willing to cover for our loss, I won\u2019t say I\u2019ll never release them. Fortunately, we haven\u2019t shared any of our secrets with the people I tamed in the Hidden Area, so it wouldn\u2019t be a big problem if I were to let them go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt almost sounds as if you don\u2019t actually want to cancel their contract. Someone master tamed \u2026since they get to eat delicious food, it\u2019s pretty unlikely for them to ask to be released. Not to mention that there aren\u2019t many things left in the Hidden Area that could even be given as compensation at this point\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPretty much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like Mio just said, I don\u2019t actually have any intention of undoing the taming contract. Honestly speaking, me saying that the possibility of doing it isn\u2019t zero, was solely for appearances sake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd that\u2019s why I think it\u2019s going to get a bit noisy after this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnderstood. I will remain by Jin-sama\u2019s side and protect him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saying that, Maria positioned herself diagonally behind me. Apparently, it\u2019s her \u2018guard\u2019s position\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, it being noisy around Master is basically as usual anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKyu~! As usual~!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s right, we\u2019re already used to it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou just have to get used to it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Somehow, it seems like I\u2019m being viewed by everyone as a troublemaker. I mean, obviously, I\u2019m not going to dispute that, since I keep sticking my nose into trouble (except for those unpleasant ones, related to nobles) time and time again\u2026 Hello, I\u2019m Shindou Jin, a high school student, no, an adventurer, no, a dungeon master, no, and a troublemaker. Pleased to meet you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n A little after that, the Chieftain Candidate Girl\u2026 It\u2019s annoying, so let\u2019s call her by name instead\u2026 Tenri arrived at the Chieftain\u2019s Mansion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, here\u2019s her status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Name: Tenri<\/strong> (ED: It\u2019s just short for Tenkuu Ryuu \u2013 Sky Dragon)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n LV27<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gender: Female<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Age: 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Race: Dragon Newt (Sky Dragon)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Skill: <Draconic Magic LV2> <Body Strengthening LV1> <Flight LV5> <Zero Gravity LV-><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Zero Gravity [Up or Down, Whatever]<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While using \u2018Flight\u2019, it becomes possible to ignore the effects of gravity. Optional activation. <\/strong>(ED: The original joke in katakana was a sentence from a sticker you\u2019d put on posted packages, like \u2018this way up\u2019 in English)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps due to her race being Sky Dragon, she even has a rare \u2018Flight\u2019-related skill. As expected of a chieftain candidate. \u2026Thinking about it, when I first met Dora she only had \u2018Draconic Magic\u2019 and \u2018Flight\u2019. (ED: Her Draconic Magic was already at LV3 though)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n While I was thinking that, Tenri and the Chieftain approached the room we\u2019re staying in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis! Tenri, wait!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI won\u2019t wait! It\u2019s here, right!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shaking off the hand of the Chieftain who was trying to stop her, a completely naked Tenri burst into our room. Fitting for a Sky Dragon, she has sky blue coloured hair that reaches her waist, and her clear blue, almond shaped eyes are currently glaring at me. Incidentally, her breasts are small, but not non-existent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re that human that came from the outside, huh!? Undo th-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI refuse!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I cut off Tenri in the middle of a sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She kept opening and closing her mouth like a carp, without saying anything. Well, It\u2019s said that when a carp climbs to the top of a waterfall, it flies into the skies and becomes a dragon. Surely, Tenri must have been a carp in her previous life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me finish!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI refuse. You\u2019re going to tell me to break the taming contract, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cW-Why do you!? No, if you already know this then it will be faster! Un-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI refuse!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Again without letting her finish, I cut her off in the middle of her second sentence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri is shaking and trembling while getting slightly teary-eyed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am sorry, dear guests. This is Tenri, a candidate for the next chieftain. It seems one of her relatives was tamed by you, and she has come to speak to you about it.\u201d (ED: The Chieftain\u2019s been addressing Jin\u2019s group politely from the start, but he never actually called them \u2018guests\u2019 until now, so I just went with \u2018you\u2019 before)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chieftain who chased after Tenri, politely explained (what we already knew). Tenri turned back to the Chieftain and said while pointing at me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChieftain! What\u2019s with this guy!? He won\u2019t even listen to what I\u2019m saying!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are you saying \u2018what\u2019s with this guy\u2019? You\u2019re doing the exact same thing, not listening to me and running away, are you not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri, faltering, turned away from the Chieftain and glared at me again. Maria reached for her swords as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI also have some concerns on the matter of taming.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut I hear that taming isn\u2019t possible if both parties don\u2019t agree to it. If there is an agreement, then the matter is between the parties involved. Besides, they have already said they aren\u2019t going to take those they tamed with them, so there shouldn\u2019t be any major problems. What really worries me is that so many Dragon Newts agreed to be tamed in the first place. Don\u2019t you think it\u2019s pitiful for them to give it like that in exchange for some food?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s\u2026 But these guys have been taming more and more people! They must be trying to take over the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCertainly, if any more Dragon Newts are tamed, it will be troubling.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight!? And that\u2019s why these guys-\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot it. From now on, we\u2019ll stop taming people with food.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It wouldn\u2019t be an exaggeration to say that Tenri\u2019s lines exist to be interrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI appreciate the suggestion, but are you really alright with that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, I\u2019m aware that we\u2019ve been acting without restraint and taming too many people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To begin with, it\u2019s not like we came here with the goal of taming any Dragon Newts. It was just something I came up with on the spur of the moment as a price for Mio\u2019s food. Mio didn\u2019t have the goal of taming them either, she just wanted to spread her cuisine. If Mio stops serving her food, then \u2018taming with cooking\u2019 will naturally also disappear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnderstood. I shall accept your proposal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot it\u2026 Then, you were saying something, Tenri. Is there anything left for you to complain about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019ve already taken care of most of her complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cT-There is! Of course there is! Why, of all people, is Shirayuki staying in this mansion!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKyu? Eh?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dora tilted her head, as the topic of our conversation suddenly turned to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis girl is no longer a chieftain candidate! She shouldn\u2019t be allowed to stay in the Hidden Area as she wishes! And she definitely shouldn\u2019t be showing her face at the Chieftain\u2019s Mansion! The seat of the next chieftain is mine! There is no place here for her, who left the Hidden Area, any more!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see, so that\u2019s her real goal here. Tenri wants to become the next chieftain, but because Dora, who once had a higher position than her, is still in the Hidden Area, she\u2019s getting frustrated, so she wants her to leave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTenri! You\u2019ve said too much! Shirayuki leaving the Hidden Area was the failure of our education. Also, Shirayuki is included among those we are indebted to for saving the Hidden Area.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey just finished off a dragon that we Dragon Newts have already weakened! With just that, they\u2019re walking around as if they did something great, and taming people as they please!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hmm, that stupid bug said something similar. Apparently, Tenri also doesn\u2019t believe that the Abyssal Dragon that we defeated, still had almost 100% HP left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause of you guys the Hidden Area has become a mess, so leave already! Take Shirayuki and leave through the Gate of the Monkey immediately!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hm? What did she say at the end just now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf I may ask one thing, what is this Gate of the Monkey?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking as if she had read my mind, Sera asked that question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, there\u2019s a certain naming convention to the Dragon\u2019s Gates here. The 12 gates, starting from north, and going clockwise, are named: Gate of the Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig respectively. The Gate of the Monkey\u2019s direction would be west-southwest.\u201d (ED: There are actually two different kanji that translate as \u2018dragon\u2019, one that means a dragon in general, and one that usually<\/em> means a Chinese dragon (think Shenron from Dragon Ball). Plus, they are both pronounced as \u2018ryuu\u2019. Dragon (monster species), Dragon Newt, and Dragon\u2019s Gate use the former, while the Chinese zodiac sign of a dragon uses the latter)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI never would have thought I\u2019d hear the directions divided based on the zodiac signs here\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight\u2026? It\u2019s increasingly likely that the Hidden Area was created by someone who reincarnated from Japan\u2026 or, more like, it\u2019s pretty much confirmed at this point.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mio and Sakura mumbled after hearing the Chieftain\u2019s explanation. The familiar twelve signs of the zodiac, which have various roles, such as indicating time and direction, were also used as they were. There is way too much circumstantial evidence that a reincarnated person was involved in all this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, while it\u2019s a bit late, I would like to explain something about the positioning of the Dragon\u2019s Gates in the Hidden Area. As the Chieftain has just said, there are indeed 12 Dragon\u2019s Gates within the Hidden Area, and now that I\u2019ve discovered the existence of the dungeon, and have temporarily become its dungeon master, I know that they are arranged in a circle around the dungeon core. Plus, the Dragon\u2019s Gates that they lead to, and the ruins surrounding them by extension, are also connected to the dungeon core via these transfer devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Tenri. Why is it the Gate of the Monkey? We came here through the Gate of the Goat, did we not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEh\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Facing Tenri, I asked her indifferently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As a side note, if you follow the line starting from the dungeon core, and going through the Gate of the Monkey, you will hit\u2026 Eludia Kingdom, the same area where I first met Dora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s true. If you were to exit the same way you came in, then it should be through the Gate of the Goat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy did you think that we entered through the Gate of the Monkey? Ah, if you exit the same way you entered, then by the same logic, you would enter the same way you exited, \u2026is what you were thinking, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUm\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Noticing the hidden meaning behind my words, Tenri\u2019s face turned more and more pale as I spoke. Her hair and eyes are both blue, and now her face turned blue as well. Do Sky Dragons have a thing for that colour, or something?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIncidentally, if you leave through the Gate of the Monkey, you will find a country known as Eludia Kingdom. That\u2019s also where I first met Dora. Surely, that would mean that Dora originally left through the Gate of the Monkey.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cU-Ugh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI-Impossible!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri groaned, shaking all over. The Chieftain also finally noticed the meaning behind my words.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow, who would know which gate Dora left through? Someone who had seen her leave, someone who directly heard it from her, or perhaps, someone who had sent her through the gate themself? Which one of those are you, Tenri?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only thing that escaped Tenri\u2019s mouth was a groan that couldn\u2019t even be described as a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Now that you mention it, I never taught Shirayuki the method to activate the Dragon\u2019s Gates. Shirayuki, how did you leave the Hidden Area?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKyu, kyuu~. Kyui, kyuu~n. Umm, so, Dora had some free time so she went outside. Then Dora had a nap, and when she woke up, she was in a place she didn\u2019t know~.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also the first time I\u2019m hearing this. I actually never asked her in detail about how she left the Hidden Area. Or rather, how she was carried out through a Dragon\u2019s Gate while she was asleep, was it? It\u2019s quite a bold crime if you think about it. And it definitely isn\u2019t something a single person could pull off. At the very least, the gatekeepers must have been in on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFor now, should I just follow the template?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I said, pointing at Tenri, who\u2019s looking at me with frightened eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe criminal who took the sleeping Dora and carried her outside of the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area through a Dragon\u2019s Gate\u2026 It\u2019s you, Tenri!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wow, I never thought I\u2019d actually get to use the \u2018The criminal is you!\u2019 line from the \u2018Top 10 lines you want to say, when in another world\u2019. (ED: By Mio?)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cW-w-w-w-w-w-what are you saying! I-I-I-I-I w-wouldn\u2019t do such a t-thing\u2026 R-right, p-proof! Where\u2019s your proof!!!?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While trembling to an absurd degree, Tenri denied the accusation. Her lines are broken, her eyes are swimming, and her knees are shaking in an interesting way \u2026also, she seems to be leaking a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, to think that she would respond to \u2018The criminal is you\u2019 with \u2018Proof! Where\u2019s your proof!?\u2019. Tenri understands how it\u2019s done, doesn\u2019t she? If possible, I\u2019d like to tell her that she has what it takes to be a mystery novel writer, but it seems rather difficult under the circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere isn\u2019t any proof.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cS-s-s-s-see! T-treating someone like a criminal without proof\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut then again, do we really need proof any more?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Eh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When she heard that I didn\u2019t have any proof, Tenri showed a clearly relieved face, but with my following line her expression froze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTenri said something earlier that only the culprit could have known. If it were somewhere else, it might have been fine, but now that both the judge, the Chieftain, and the victim, Dora, are present, isn\u2019t it fine to say you don\u2019t need more proof than the verbal slip itself? All that should be left is for the Chieftain to hand down his verdict.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s a common tactic in mystery novels to get the suspect to utter information that only the culprit could have known. Well, I didn\u2019t really use such a tactic, Tenri just self-destructed on her own\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm, I don\u2019t see any other way than for you to have carried Shirayuki away, Tenri.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-You\u2019re wrong! I-I didn\u2019t do it! Believe me, Chieftain!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri desperately begged him, but the Chieftain just looked at her, and sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026If you say you want me to believe you, shouldn\u2019t you at least try looking me in the eyes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saying \u2018believe me\u2019 while your gaze is swimming all around. How much would you be able to convince someone like that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTenri, as Chieftain, I must bring you to justice for your actions against a chieftain candidate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBy the way, what will Tenri\u2019s punishment be? Will she be imprisoned like Akatsuki?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I casually asked the Chieftain what was on my mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s see. At the very least, she\u2019ll be given the capital punishment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cN-No! I-I don\u2019t want to die!!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri clung to the Chieftain and pleaded desperately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the punishment for attempted murder, death? It seems a little heavy, but it makes sense, considering the other party\u2019s status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnlike Akatsuki\u2019s imprisonment, it became a pretty heavy punishment, huh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn Akatsuki\u2019s case, although it was just barely, he didn\u2019t break any rules. Tenri however, clearly broke multiple. No matter how I think about it, anything less than the capital punishment is insufficient\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see, so the problem is whether or not the rules were broken. If it\u2019s like this, I don\u2019t think the Chieftain\u2019s decision will change, even if the victim, Dora, were to say she forgives her. I\u2019ve only talked with Tenri a little bit, but she seems like she\u2019d be pretty fun to tease. Such a waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt pains me, but such is the law. Tenri, if you honestly tell me everything, I will agree to postpone it somewhat, but the execution itself has already been decided on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2026 I did it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She confessed that fast!?<\/p>\n\n\n\n In response to the Chieftain implying that \u201cif you don\u2019t confess, you will be executed immediately\u201d, in order to stay alive even a little bit longer, she probably had no other choice but to confess. Well, the Dragon Newts\u2019 sense of time seems to be a lot different than ours, so it could be that the \u2018somewhat\u2019 in Chieftain\u2019s words meant a few years or more in this case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s good. Tenri, I want you to tell me the whole story without omitting anything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh, yes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri\u2019s earlier domineering attitude was nowhere to be seen, as she answered listlessly with her head hanging down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now then, let\u2019s summarise the self-confession of the suddenly and surprisingly honest Tenri. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First, the perpetrators were Tenri and her attendant, and their accomplices seem to be the 2 gatekeepers. Tenri and her attendant carried off the napping Dora through one of the Dragon\u2019s Gates, while the 2 gatekeepers pretended not to see anything. After using the transfer device to reach the ruins in Eludia, the two of them returned, while leaving Dora behind. The idea was, that since Dora didn\u2019t know how to activate the transfer device, she wouldn\u2019t be able to return on her own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The motive was of course, to take the seat of the next Chieftain. It seems that there are several branch families, in addition to the main family, and Tenri just so happens to be from one of them. Originally, before Dora was born, she was the first chieftain candidate, and, from what I\u2019ve heard, ever since she was a child, she spared no effort in working hard to achieve that position. However, once Dora was born, her position was automatically dropped to number two. Apparently, she couldn\u2019t forgive Dora for taking it away from her, just by the virtue of being born into the main family, after she had already worked so hard to obtain it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHmm, so there was such a story behind Shirayuki\u2019s disappearance\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOther than \u2018You should have investigated it properly\u2019, I don\u2019t really have anything to say.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To the groaning Chieftain, I replied with such a pointed comment. Still, if it weren\u2019t for Tenri trying to covertly dispose of Dora, we wouldn\u2019t have been able to meet her in the end, so it\u2019s not like I\u2019m going to complain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDora got to meet Master, so Dora is okay~!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Just to be sure, I asked her what her thought about it were, but in the end, she didn\u2019t seem to mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnbelievable. I may have been a little too lenient with them, just because they are my relatives. There\u2019s also Akatsuki\u2019s case. \u2026Perhaps It\u2019s time for me to re-evaluate my surroundings a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chieftain said while making a troubled face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tenri, who tried to kill another candidate, because she wanted to be the next Chieftain, Akatsuki, who is quick to turn to violence, in order to protect his position, and all the people who allowed themselves to be easily tamed in exchange for some food\u2026 When you spell it out like that, they certainly seem like a pretty useless bunch. I\u2019ll have to make sure to raise Dora properly, so that she doesn\u2019t become like that in the future as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After that, the Chieftain had some subordinates take away Tenri for further questioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I\u2019m going to be a little busy after this. Please excuse me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With those words, the Chieftain left to go somewhere. There are still the accomplices left to deal with, so this chieftain candidate scandal is going to be quite troublesome for him, won\u2019t it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n I was a little curious, so I asked the Chieftain before he left, and apparently the position will next pass to the person who was previously the third candidate. Their name is Hisui, and they\u2019re from a branch family, the same as Tenri. Still, according to the Chieftain, \u201cI\u2019m worried that she is a little unfit for the job\u201d, is what he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the first candidate, Dora, left the Hidden Area, and the second candidate, Tenri, was arrested, for the third candidate to be unsuitable, it\u2019s certainly too bad in many ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Combined with the matter of the barrier, the original future of the Dragon Newts\u2019 Hidden Area would have looked pretty grim\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n **************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************<\/p>\n\n\n\n Author\u2019s Note: The new character leaves the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Previous<\/a> <Table of Contents<\/a>> Next<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" TL: The two kinds of skewers being served are kushikatsu and karaage. They\u2019re both deep-fried, with the main differences being that kushikatsu can include vegetables, and for karaage the meat will be marinated before being deep-fried. Karaage is also usually chicken, as that\u2019s the most common in Japan, but it doesn\u2019t have to be. ED:… Read More »Blessing from the Goddess and Transfer to Another World! ~No Thanks, I Don\u2019t Need a Special Ability~ Chapter 81<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":5,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-108","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/108","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=108"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/108\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1219,"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/108\/revisions\/1219"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nonametranslations.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=108"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}