It was a brief explanation, but Shinichi was sharp enough to understand with just that.
Moreover, he could tell just how serious those last few words were, so he couldn’t help but allow his cheeks to twitch.
Training normally involved accustoming another by giving them something, but in the case of the maids, it was the act of taking care of him that bonded them to him.
Of course, he wasn’t completely clueless about that, but he could only sigh as he ate the last of the skewers.
The words ‘useless-man-making-machine’ crossed his mind, but he kept that to himself.
“Oh, don’t worry, they’re not fond of someone who could be corrupted by that.”
But of course, it was a pointless act since Youko always showed frightening insight when it came to him.
“Of course, I’m talking about all of them. Isn’t that great, Master!”
“…”
What is? He felt like saying, but he endured the urge since it would just stir things up even more.
Even before becoming his servant, Youko has always strongly advocated for this matter to the point that she was basically telling him to lay his hand on them and even her.
──If you’re so worried, then how about taking this opportunity to check your physical compatibility first?
──They did say she’d give you everything, so asking them to serve you in the night a few times shouldn’t be a problem.
──That girl is also definitely in love with you, so just push her down, and let’s take her with us already!
Since she became his servant and was also the opposite gender, with how the Tenkorius lived, her attitude simply wasn’t something that could be helped, but it nonetheless made his head ached.
He gave her the name of his younger sister because he missed his family, but now he was regretting it.
Unfortunately for him, she’s already taken a liking to the name, and he also wasn’t someone who would try to rename her.
“Sigh, every one of these girls are just so──”
“Master?”
But then all color suddenly left his face, and he covered his face with a hood to hide his grim expression.
Immediately after, a group covered in light appeared in front of the gate.
“Teleportation!? Who is it!?”
“…You can tell by looking. Don’t know if I should praise them for a job well done, or find fault with them for pushing this problem onto me.”
The people that teleported might not have reached a hundred, but they were definitely more than 50.
Every one of them was dressed in luxurious clothes one would wear at a ball, so it was clear that they were people of noble standing.
Servants and guards surrounded them.
The guards were confused by the sudden change of their scenery, while the servants cowered in fear.
Neither the princess nor the maids were among them, so something must have happened, like an attack of some sort, that led them to teleport everyone else here.
That’s probably why those that weren’t at the scene appeared confused.
“What a hassle, but it can’t be helped…”
Shinichi felt nothing upon seeing them, neither sympathy nor the desire to help. He just didn’t care.
But at the same time, he knew it would be more problematic to leave them on their own, so he clapped his hands to make a loud sound, and it resounded so powerfully that it startled all of the guests.
Shinichi found that a little amusing, but he quickly put away such thoughts and called out to this group of nobles that were starting to realize where they’ve been teleported to.
“If you don’t want to die, hurry up and enter the lot. You’re in the way.”
“Wha— Just what are you sa… No, more importantly, why are we here?”
“If I’m remembering right, that child tried to do something…”
They didn’t even have time to be astounded that someone would speak so bluntly to them as they each tried to wrap their head around what was happening.
For a moment, Shinichi wondered if he should just toss them all in.
He was the sort of person who would naturally ponder and struggle to make a decision between the gentle or rough approach.
Before he could do anything, however, Youko spoke.
“Humans, did you not understand the words of my master!?”
Youko said unhappily in a tone that seemed to call them out for their disrespect.
With that yell akin to a mana-charged howl, the commotion immediately quietened down, and the crowd turned their gaze to the small creature that called out to them. In the next moment, they screamed.
“Eek! T-Tenkorius!?!?”
Though still young, there was no Falandian who did not recognize that creature for what it was, and when they realized that it was not in the best of moods, they paled and turned silent.
To be more precise, they were so seized with fear that they turned mute.
“My master has generously decided to guarantee your safety. I shall repeat his words—If you don’t want to die, hurry up and get inside! You’re in the way!”
Fearful of the Tenkorius’ wrath, be they noble or servant, they all hurriedly passed through the gates.
Shinichi watched that, then he quietly made his way for the back.
He could ‘see’ that the enemy hasn’t been able to slip in among them.
“You must be the master of the Tenkorius. I am the man in charge of this land.”
“State your business, Count.”
There was a middle-aged man at the back of the line, who stood with the soldiers. He called out to Shinichi, and Shinichi once again responded to him indifferently.
Normally, he would be called out for his lack of manners, but the master of the tenkorius was himself the tenkorius.
Even the soldiers that stood beside the count did not say anything and just shook in their boots.
If anything, they seemed to be criticizing the count for bothering him.
However, the count himself, perhaps because of his age, or perhaps because this land has been entrusted to him by the royal family, was just too stubborn and insightful. The few words that they exchanged were enough to allow him to understand that they didn’t have much time to talk. His face stiffened.
“In that case, I’ll make this brief. A mysterious child crashed the party and appears to be scheming something. The princess appears to have stayed behind to allow our escape. Can you help us?”
He spoke quickly to explain the situation and make his request.
Seemingly impressed by that, Shinichi finally faced the count, and in an amused tone said.
“I can go right away if you don’t mind dying.”
“Hah?”
As the count let out that voice in confusion, Youko jumped.
Flames covered her whole body as she tore through the dark of the night that not even the bonfire’s light could reach.
Then a thunderous sound erupted.
“Wha— P-Protect the count!”
“Master of the Tenkorius, what is happening!?”
It sounded as though a heavy object had fallen into the land, so the soldiers became alert and covered for the count.
Shinichi didn’t say anything, but one of the soldiers cast a ball of light to illuminate their surroundings and get a better look, and…
“What!?”
“K-Kyaa!?!?”
“You’ve gotta be kidding… What are these things!?”
The count was speechless, while the guards were stunned, and someone who has yet to pass through the gate screamed, for the source of that deafening sound was immediately made clear.
The tenkorius had shot through a large stone and caused it to roll down, but that wasn’t all.
A closer look would show that there were limbs, gears, and the crushed flesh of some kind of beast.
Were it just that, then they wouldn’t have been able to tell the source of that sound right away; however, there was another creature standing behind the object that had fallen, so there was no way for them not to understand.
After all, that creature was exactly the same as the one that had fallen, only it was still fully functional.
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