2nd Release of the day.

This chapter hadnt been edited by AK. So, umm, please dont criticize my English. If just this novel was as easy as Kuro no Maou, urgh.

EDIT: This chapter is sponsored by anon. It is its last chapter which had not been released for so many days (*sob*). Here you Go~

Chapter 35 The name isNevalides

I, in the end, came here

Wow!! x2

Explanation about what just occurred is something like this.

The day after we returned from theCrimson Forest,

After eating the breakfast, *knock-knock*, my door was knocked. What is it, thinking that, Elk opened the door

There stood, Irene-san, with a face full of smiles. Explanation over.

A sudden visit by Guild Master.

As for the reason, why she came to the inn for a single adventurer was,

Yeah, in truth, I got a really tasty snack yesterday, so I will share it with you

[ET: So firsthis mom now thisthis one is even more screwed up]

Youre a guild master, right?

With this timing, I had thought that some big problem came up or she was going to inquire us, butmy predictions were kicked right out of the bucket.

I asked if it was fine to not report about this matter to her, the guild master,

Report? I dont need. Isa-chan has told me the outline, and in truth I dont even need to hear it, but still get what might have happened. It was thisMinato-kun, getting attacked by demons, went on a rampage, right ?

Irene-san said that. She just covered the main point in less than d.a.m.n 30 words. Not like shes wrong.

Well, I dont know who thatIsa-chanmight be, but let it like that, just why the h.e.l.l have you come here nonchalantly for playing?

If a guildmaster, even as a joke, came to an inn for a single adventurerwouldnt that make a pain-in-the-a.s.s trouble later?

Its fine, Its fine. I came here while using the magic for recognition obstruction, so one would realise its me. I have left the work to Barracks, so Im fine even by ditching the job, at least till the end of morning

Another problem is sprouting.

Well, if Irene-san is saying that, I couldnt help but agree to her. Even if I say anymore, it wont make much of difference.

And, thank you for the hard work, a.s.sistant Barracks-san.

When she finished speaking, she took out a snack seeming like castella from the different pocket of same pouch.

The size of pouch, and the snack is obviously differentmaybe it too is an storage-type magic item, just like my backpack.

After that, while eating that castella-like snack, she heard the story about the current case with an happy expression.

Irene-san said before thatreportwasnt needed, but the talk for chatting was something else, so she lend an ear for killing the time.

While telling her, during the parts that werent in report or the parts she was personally interested in, she tried to delve deeper in secret.

Like, when the landslide occurred while we were in the small hut (at this point we hadnt met Suura-san and others), or like when I used darkness magic, or even when I used my original magicMagic Pheromone.

As for the thing about the hut, I didnt think there was a need to report, so it was fine.

I explained it to Irene-san briefly, then she grinned with satisfaction.

So that is the case. So you had been fighting with dog, rabbit, lizard, c.o.c.kroach and even gra.s.shopper

Originally it was only supposed to end with dog. But our bad luck

Dont say it like that. Only because you guys took a detour, Suura-chan and others were saved

Well, that certainly is right, but. When I think about getting in that situation without Elk or meI felt slight cold.

I, of course, Elk too, displayed lot of efforts in repelling the demons attacking the carriages. At least, more than those delinquent pair.

Those two lacked in basics. So they got injured a lot, and were taken to curing team very quickly.

In that aspect Elk, using basic hit-and-run tactics, fought against demons, her evasion was good from before, but recently, by training with me, those movements have got slightly polished.

So in terms of overall work, she falls behind me, Zari and Suura-san, but still she showed lot of efforts in defending.

Thinking that, it felt like it was for the good. As a hindsight-based opinion, it was good that Suura-san and others didnt die.

Butyou too were lucky, Minato-kun

Eh?

Irene said that thing suddenly. Luck? Without knowing what she meant, I stared blankly.

In the talk right now, was there any part showing that I got lucky?

When I asked,

Minato-kun, do you remember about theList, I gave you before?

? Hmm, that goal list which I dont want to remember?

Yes. Wasnt it inside there? The subspecies ofExceed Hopper

Ah, yeah, certainly it was there. I think it was the topmost in the subjugation goal list. But, what about it?

I forgot to tell you, but the demons in that list, become stronger as you go down, so the first demon you met in was the weakest, thats why you were lucky

Oh, so that is the case

I cant say anything to Elk with an expression sayingFor real!?.

It was the weakest, eh. In the list?

Well I did thought it was too weak for being the level of monster which would make me recognised by mom.

And, though it doesnt happen here butin far countryside, a rare group of around 100 subspecies appears after many years. Sometimes, a request for punitive force reinforcements are made in guild, so how about going there at that time?

Well, after Elk becomes more stronger than right now

I just cant, h.e.l.l no!!

A shout filled with grief and despair. Im joking, joking. I too wont go to a place like that on my own will and its not like we would find a group like that wherever we golets stop talking or I get a small feeling it would turn into a bad flag.

Well around here, a group that big isnt present, so I can be somewhat relieved.

And, according to Irene-san, the quest for investigation ofCrimson Foresthas been put out by Guild, and many adventurers with information gathering as objective, have went inside the forest.

Naturally, they had written a warning sayingIt more dangerous than ever before, but almost none of the adventurers dropped out because of it. Lets just pray for their well being.

In this way, we might be called by the guards side for inquiry, but the Guild, wouldnt delve in deeper about this case. They have decided to close up this case asAn unexpected accident. Now resolved.

Though, the rumours aboutadventurer in blackis spreading, so Minato-kun, be ready for some hard life

Ah, I see now

The case hasnt been resolved for me. Well, when we returned to city in carriage, I was in the front carriage, though as escort, so it was only natural to stand out.

And, with this case, your rank will have to be raised up again, so, for updation of your guild card, do come to Guild, okay?

Yes

Well, I had thought it would be like that for levels, butah, so depressing.

I recalled about the situation during the case withNaga.

Onlookers filled with curiosity, check by fellow adventurers, invitation to other adventurer partiesjust because rumours were spread, I had to face all these things before.

Moreover, this is the second round. I do have my criminal record (?) of before, after this one too, I can already feel it being a pain-in-the-a.s.s situation.

I heaved a sigh while thinking that, Elk looked at my att.i.tude with a fed-up expression, suddenly, as if she remembered something Irene-san started speaking.

By the way Minato-kun, I was bothered about this from before?

Come again?

It came out in the story before, but, its the first time you are keeping a pet, right?

Ah, yes. Ive made it wait in the other room for now

Yeah, it was about Alva.

Look right now, a guest is here, snacksedible stuff is also here, so I gave Alva its food (gra.s.shopper meat) to make him stay obediently in the other room.

In the talk before, I sure did talk about Alva. I think it is a demon, but because I didnt knew its species, I introduced him as a blackish owl-like bird.

Then, Irene-san said she wanted to see it, so I called Alva from the other room. I just called out its name, it came flying and perched on my shoulder. Really intelligent.

Then, Irene-san, bend forward, looked at Alva, then for an instant, though it might be my imagination, Irene-san showed a serious expression completely different from her normal nonchalant expression. What happened?

You said it ate things with magical power willingly, so I did thought about it, but

ErrIrene-san?

Minato-kun, this birdah, Alva-kun I mean. Do you know what sort of demon Alva-kun is?

? Nope not at all. Elk too said that she didnt knew it

I sent a fleeting glance to Elk and affirmation came back.

Seeing us, Irene-san saidAs expected.

Does Irene-san know what sort of race Alva is from?

No, she would naturally know. After all, her career is different from ours, shes the great legendary-cla.s.s adventurer. It isnt strange that she would know about a demon with just a glance.

It is a good chance, how about I ask what race is it from and how to raise it? When I was thinking ridiculous stuff like this,

Irene-san made an expression as if she found it REALLY interesting. Eh, What?

In truth, the main reason I came here was because in the report of Isa-chan there was something about an blackish owl loving to eat food with magical power

Hwat?

And I come here to see thisno, things like this can occur

Umm?

Hm? Ah, sorry sorry, I was just startled. I had never thought Minato-kun you would keep a guy this tremendous, though by coincidence, as your pet

Eh, what do you mean by that? What is with that suggestive sentence which seriously is ticking me off. What? Is my Alva that bad? To the extent that even Irene-san saidtremendousabout it?

I looked to my side, and Elk too, while looking at Alva, was spilling out somewhat sweat.

What to do, I wanted to ask about it, but now I have gotten scared to even hear.

No no, wait wait. Jumping to conclusions is not good. Calm down. It can betremendousbased on normal public opinion, maybe.

The demon I fought this timeExceed Hoppertoo is said to betremendousbased on normal public evaluationit would be good to that extent, right? no, surely there is no doubt it is just too much strange.

Elks reproachful gaze has been coming to me no, how the h.e.l.l am I wrong this time? and other things too, so I want to first calm downwhile thinking that, I waited for an answer from Irene-san, holding my breath.

In the end, this Alva, perched on my shoulder, scratching its feather with beak, is what kind of demon and of what level Please, be be upright with explanation

Yes, well then, its a good chance so I shall enlighten you. That Alva-kun, in truth is

-In truth is?

Youre hesitating way too f.u.c.king long! That just f.u.c.king too long of an hesitation! Youre definitely having fun, right!?

Like that, keeping us in suspense for about more than 20 secondsIrene-san finally opened her mouth.

Race nameNevalides. RankUnmeasurable. It is that one h.e.l.l of a monster demon. Though its only a baby bird right now.

Written ashumansand dreams is a word p.r.o.nounced asfragile. (TN: This is a pun. Okay, so pun intended)

Nevalides

Habitat: Unknown.

Detailed Ecology: Unknown.

Rank: Unmeasurable.

It is a Devil bird, said to come from the pits of h.e.l.l, while covered in feather of black and grey. Its appearance is of a slightly bigger black owl an adult bird is, around the size of a medium~large sized bird of prey. Its appearance is not much of a thing, but its true state is a lot of thing, as it contains dreadful combat ability, it is a legendary-cla.s.s demon.

It doesnt has much physical strength (according to normal demon evaluation basis), but inside its body is enormous amount of magical power, and it could use a great variety of magic easily with more power. That power could turn a really big forest into scorched earth, and a single bird could subjugate a whole group of more than thousand demons easily.

It has abnormally high intelligence and could understand human language. Furthermore, it could learn a simple magic just by seeing it sometimes, for an easy magic seeing it once is enough, it could even learn the magic just by hearing about it, all in all, it has too much intelligence that it far surpa.s.ses human being in imitation aspects.

Due to the high magical power by birth, it loves to eat the meat of demons with magic. Especially, during the time as baby bird, the foundations to growth of magical power aspects are made. Thanks to that, it requires fine quality of food with lots of magical power inserted, in short, it has empty stomach most of times.

Its growth is too fast, after hours from birth it can fly, after one day it can fly without making any sound. By two or three days, it could already use normal magic of fire and other attributes, though being in growth stage.

All this was the grateful explanation by Irene-san about the ident.i.ty of Alva.

Though, this race was said to be extinct about a thousand years agobut for it to still live in this era, is truly shocking even for me

Hearing more, apparently, Irene-san too had only read about it in doc.u.ments during her times as adventurer, so seeing it in real is a first for her too. In that doc.u.ment a picture similar to its sketch was drawn, so she understood by looking.

Why a demon like this, a monster demon which could laugh and kill all those gra.s.shopper group easily, was present in that Ritoras Mountains.

Maybe, the egg transformed in a fossil, and remained in a dormant state?

Dormant state?

Yes. Sometimes there are demons like those present. They go in a dormant state with various methods, upon the loss of food, deterioration in habitat, and after entering dormant statethey sleep for many years, tens of years, hundreds of yearsat most thousands of years

So AlvaNevalides are like that too

Yes. That egg, came out of the place of a landslide, right? Maybe the dormant egg stated working once again with the landslide as trigger, and just before hatching, you guys pa.s.sed by and picked it up. During dormant state, there are demons, who have strong sh.e.l.ls or egg sh.e.l.ls

So a thing like that exists

The thing called demons, are so profound.

A demon like that exists, its egg rested at that place, and I picked it uptoo absurd of a coincidence.

Then, Elk who had been hearing till now,

But, why was a legendary-cla.s.s monster present at a place like that? Ritoras Mountains is said to be a mountain for beginners, the levels of demons appearing there is lownaturally, the magical power quant.i.ty they have is also low

Said all that. Well she is right.

If it is that great demon, then the parent bird would try to feed it the fine quality meat of demon with high magical power quant.i.ty

Yeah, I also think that is strange, but there are certain reason I can think of? Like for making the baby bird independent as soon as possible and let it start hunting on its own

I see. Indeed that place is good for even the beginner human adventurers, so for a demon like this, it would become a good training place.

If it becomes insufficient, then it has to become self-independent, go to some other place, and search for a better food

Either that or, before that place became for low rank demons, it lived there, and in that era high ranked demons might have lived there. Like, perfect for their training

So Alvas egg was given birth around that time?

Possibility about that sure exists. But in that case, it would be long before, this country was even madearound many thousands of years before

So there is a possibility it slept for all that time.

There were other possibilities, but without any proof for the correct one, this talk ended with this.

Then, Irene-san asked me that if I would keep it even after knowingall that stuff.

Well, a normal person, would lose all the intention to keep a pet which is said to be tremendous. Based on danger aspects.

In that case, either selling or presenting it in Guild are two choices.

According to Irene-san, rare demons like those are bought with high price as a research material.

But I have no intention to do that.

After all, I had decided to keep it, with having considered the possibility that it might be a demon. I promised to look after it, took it along with me, and even fed it.

And to throw it away or sell it to Guild, well two words: f.u.c.k it!

No well, other people might blame me for acting that way with a dangerous demon, but I just dont give a s.h.i.+t about it.

I have all the more intention to look after it till the very end. And from what I have heard, the time it would grow up and not need me to look after too is coming near soon.

Hearing that, Elk sighed and Irene-san smiled in a strange way.

Apparently, she had guessed my answer, so she didnt say anything else, though being on the guild side, and easily accepted my answer. Maybe it was because she is broad-minded or due to her personality of being wild and nonchalant.

Elk, didnt oppose it, though its not like she isnt feeling uneasiness.

It has high intelligence, can understand human language, so it wont become much of a danger if I kept telling it.

However, she also said to properly discipline it.

After saying that, the work of Irene-san was finished. She suddenly stood up and started to leave.

And she wouldnt need us to send her offjust as I thought that,

Ah, and Minato-kun

Yes?

I dont anybody does it, but you dont need to be afraid just because your pet is outside the norm, if you raise it while giving lots of love, then it might stick with you only

Doesnt that implicitly meanBe careful there are those who dont stick?

Its fine. I know one of my friends who has a demon, around the same danger levels as this guy, as her pet (smirk)

Umm, please dont tell me that person

For this person to say words like this, at this timing, in this mood only means

yeah, your mom

Yeah, d.a.m.n it. really!?

Didnt she had? A bird with golden feathers, around this big

Saying that, Irene-san stretched her hands in left and right side.

A bird which reaches 2 m upon opening wingsStork, eh?

On moms orders, it radiated flames from the wings, released beams from its mouth. When I was weak, and went in forest, in subst.i.tute for mom, it escorted me, against demons I couldnt fight against, it kicked their a.s.ses.

I had thought it wasnt any normal demon, but

It is called asPhoenix, and is a sacred bird, completely opposite ofNevalides. Its name wasI think it was Stork, maybe?

In the traditional folklores of some places, Phoenix are called asG.o.d of lightand Nevalides asevil G.o.d of darkness, certainly they fit the phrase light and shadow. Of course rank is unmeasurable. On theory is, that upon dying it could revive from even the smallest fire, it is a type of immortal bird. This information is the same as ofImmortal birdthePhoenixin my previous worlds fantasy genre stuff. (TN: Immortal bird means phoenix, but the reason I didnt write it was because Phoenix has many ways of being written in j.a.panese and they all different meanings, which english words cannot teach)

Irene-san, after saying information that only increased my mental fatigue, left with a satisfied expression.

Still what sort of karma is this. Mom and stork, a demon same as that would come to me, almost like the same side of the coin idiom

Well, I did felt dreadful coincidences, but its all good. Alva is Alva.

For the time being, I thought to be a good friend to this lovely guy facing its round and cute eyes towards me.