Chapter 17: Whoa—Let’s Get Strong. Let’s Get Big.

“So, that’s the situation.”

Gulp—everyone swallowed hard.

“We successfully repelled the demons with the help of a monkey-masked warrior, and—”

It was early morning.

In front of a very angry Lev-chan and Maika, who had noticed Karl hadn’t returned by the time they woke up...

Karl strolled in with a cheerful, faintly alcohol-scented smile, hand in hand with a girl.

“This is Sakura. She’ll be joining us starting today.”

“Nice to meet you. I’ll be in your care for a while.”

A faintly see-through frilly skirt. A revealing red camisole with very little fabric.

And with that, Karl introduced Sakura—who looked exactly like a sex worker—as our new “companion,” while we were still half-asleep.

---

“To bring a sex worker home and come back at sunrise… you’ve got some nerve, Karl.”

“You’re wrong! Stop pinching my cheek, Maika, that hurts!”

Karl was immediately forced into seiza position as Maika, his childhood friend, began her punishment.

Can’t blame her, really. I fought alongside him, so I know Karl wasn’t lying.

But with Sakura dressed like that, his story just sounds like some drunken nonsense from a night out at an adult club.

“…Who is this lewdly dressed lady?”

“Lev, dear, you’re too young for this. Look over here for a moment, please.”

“…Is Karl… dirty?”

Lev-chan, the lovestruck teen who adores Karl, looked genuinely heartbroken. Damn you, Karl—if you make her cry, I won’t forgive you.

“Hmph. So while I was scraping together funds however I could, Karl was out blowing money at some sleazy place. Heh. I’m gonna kill you.”

“It’s a misunderstanding, Maika! I swear, demons really did show up last night!”

“Then how come your clothes and gear are spotless?”

“Well, because I worked really hard!”

…Honestly, I think this is less Karl’s fault and more an issue with what Sakura’s wearing. She really does look like an escort on the clock.

“Um, Miss Sakura von Tendo, why are you dressed in such provocative clothing?”

“Oh, shut up. This is all I had left to wear.”

Looks like we’re not getting anywhere. Time to throw in a lifeline. If it comes from Sakura herself, maybe they’ll listen.

“Maika-san, there’s no mistake—this is Lady Sakura of House Tendo. For some reason, she’s wearing hostess-club attire, though.”

“…Wait. Sakura, as in that arrogant noble?”

Yeah, you’ve all met her before.

“…Now that you mention it, she is that noble. Didn’t recognize her without the chest.”

“Her hair’s down, so she doesn’t have that noble aura anymore.”

“My chest hasn’t shrunk, and I do have a noble aura, thank you very much!”

…Now that they bring it up, her chest does seem smaller than when we first met.

Maybe she padded it a little back then.

“Why is a noble dressed like a woman of the night?”

“Our hideout was half-destroyed. I borrowed clothes from one of the girls at my nearest shop.”

Right… that area was close to the red-light district. So she borrowed from a working girl, huh?

“…Then the demon attack was real?”

“Yeah.”

“And the part about a mysterious masked monkey-man taking down the demons—that’s true too? That was the bit that made it all sound like total crap.”

It’s all true.

“Even though I’m her employer, I’d recommend not thinking too hard about Monkey Mask. It’ll break your brain.”

“Agreed. If you see someone walking around naked in public, you just pretend you didn’t. Do the same here.”

…I object to that comparison on multiple levels.

“Hm. If the demon attack really happened, then I suppose that means we fulfilled the goddess’s request, right?”

“Yeah. She said, ‘This town will be safe for a while.’”

“…I see. Then, where do we go next?”

“She said the future’s still unclear. For now, we should train and prepare for what’s coming.”

Hm. No next destination yet.

Guess staying in this town for a while, gathering intel and working out, is the best move.

“Then let me introduce myself properly. I’m Sakura von Tendo—noble of pleasure and decadence, mistress of this town’s ‘nightlife.’”

“…Right. So, you’re the one Karl said would be joining the team.”

“Oh, that? After last night, the Tendo family’s power was all but wiped out. If I stayed in this town, I’d be dead within the week.”

Sakura, her eyes a little dead inside, promptly knelt in seiza on the ground.

“What little wealth I have left, you can take. Just please—let me come with you…”

“Wait, you don’t need to grovel like that…”

…Right. Her family’s basically done for.

There’s nothing more pitiful than a noble without backing—especially in a place as rough as this.

She’d just end up sold off as a “former noble slave” to some twisted aristocrat.

“Sakura’s a pretty high-level healer, apparently. Having a medic on the team makes a huge difference. So from my end, I’d really like her to join us.”

“Hm. If Karl’s saying that, I’ve got no problem. Healers are always worth having.”

She did heal me from that serious injury back there, after all.

I owe her for that—and I intend to repay it.

“I’m also in favor. Of all the nobles in this town, Lady Sakura was the only one who treated me with decency.”

“…I think I was kind of rude to you the first time we met, Irine.”

“I was moved just by the fact that you returned my greeting. I never expected a noble like you to even understand the concept of manners.”

“Why is the bar so low for me!?”

Sorry. The two nobles we met before you set the bar in the negatives.

“…I won’t object, since she saved me once.”

“You sound like you’re holding something back. Say it plainly.”

“…She’s dressed in that indecent outfit. I can’t trust her. She’ll just disrupt the party dynamic.”

Rev-chan clearly wasn’t thrilled about Sakura joining.

Come to think of it, she was kind of against me joining at first, too. Maybe she’s just really shy around strangers.

“This isn’t my everyday outfit, okay? It’s just something temporary until I can buy new clothes.”

“…Still, I feel like you’re gonna seduce Karl. Like, you wouldn’t hesitate to show off your chest or something.”

“I did hesitate, thank you very much!”

Fair point. It was an emergency situation.

“And besides, having one guy and four girls in a party is totally unbalanced… Go change your gender and come back.”

“Don’t say such unreasonable things…”

“That’s enough, Lev-chan. Karl’s already made the decision to let her in.”

“Irine... Hmph.”

Left alone, Lev-chan looked like she’d keep spewing venom without end, so I gently pulled her into a hug to calm her down.

She’s far too wary of strangers. Honestly, she’s just like a little animal.

“Also, there’s one more person I’d like to bring along. Well, rather than want to bring him, he kind of begged me to take him.”

“...Eh? One more person?”

“He’s badly injured, so he’s resting upstairs for now. But one of Sakura’s subordinates insisted on coming with us. This way, the gender balance will be a bit less skewed.”

“A-a man? I don’t know him… Men are scary…”

...Wait. Could he be talking about the Master?

“He’s kind of like my attendant. He rarely leaves my side, so you don’t have to worry too much about him.”

“...Is that man really worth bringing along? From what I’ve heard, he doesn’t sound like someone suited for combat.”

“That man is useful, I assure you. He’s from the slums, but through sheer charisma and wit, he climbed his way up to run a successful brothel. His skills and life experience are quite remarkable.”

Huh, the Master’s actually kind of impressive. He does seem like someone who’s been through a lot.

“Wait, doesn’t that basically just make him a thug?”

“...He runs some lewd kind of establishment? That’s a no from me.”

But yeah, unsurprisingly, the women weren’t thrilled. Just the word “brothel” was enough to raise red flags.

He’s actually a decent guy when you talk to him, though.

“...Young Miss.”

“Hey, you! I told you not to move yet!”

Maybe he picked up on the party’s disapproval. The Master, looking pale as a sheet, slowly made his way down into the dining hall.

Is he okay? He’s wobbling like crazy.

“Sorry, Young Miss. The floorboards in this inn are thin—I couldn’t help overhearing.”

“...Even so—”

“Master Karl, and all of you good people… Please, would you grant this washed-up old man a once-in-a-lifetime favor?”

Still clearly unwell, the Master lowered himself to the ground, bending trembling knees and pressing his forehead to the floor in a deep bow.

The sudden sight of an injured man bowing with such desperation froze both Maika and Rev-chan in place.

“This lady… the Young Miss… she’s everything to me.”

That old man—the one who risked his life to create an opening for Sakura—he kept bowing his head to us, all of us who were much younger than him.

“The demons destroyed the Tendo family… I had to give up my brothel… My friends, the ones I dreamed with, were all eaten by monsters. Sakura’s all I have left.”

“...”

“If you decide I’m useless along the way, you can sell me off as a slave and use the money for the journey. I just want to do whatever I can to support her. I’m begging you—please let me come.”

A raspy, heartfelt plea.

I couldn’t sense a single lie in his words. This was the unfiltered, honest desire of a man who’d lost everything.

He truly wanted to devote what remained of his life to Sakura.

“...Hmm.”

“For what it’s worth, I don’t mind having him come. It’s kind of awkward being the only guy anyway.”

Well, with a plea like that, you really can’t say no. I’m fine with it too.

“I trust Sakura von Tendo. If he’s someone she vouches for, I have no objections to him joining us.”

“I agree. If he does anything shady, we can just kick him out on the spot. Might be nice having another pair of male hands around.”

“...Ugh.”

Lev-chan was hiding behind my back with a grimace, but it seemed like even Maika had accepted the idea.

Good, good. Rev-chan really needs to get over her shyness soon.

“You have my gratitude. I swear this life to the Young Miss and to all of you.”

“Okay okay, if you’re done being dramatic, go back upstairs and rest already. Your heart did rupture, you know.”

“Ugh. Y-Yes, Young Miss…”

Sakura rushed over to him, visibly worried. His heart ruptured? That sounds seriously bad.

“I’ll lend you a hand, Mister Attendant. I’ll help him back up to the second floor.”

“Eh? Oh, thank you.”

“Irine, you sure? He looks pretty solidly built.”

“With body reinforcement, it’ll be no trouble at all.”

I figured he was badly hurt, but I didn’t expect a blown-out heart.

All I had was a ruptured lung—his injury was way worse than mine.

The Master’s far more wounded than I am. Honestly, coming down here like that? That’s one reckless guy.

...Wait. Between a ruptured heart and a ruptured lung, which one’s worse? I feel like lungs might be easier to puncture, but still...

“Here, hold on tight, Mister Attendant.”

“My thanks.”

Well, whatever. Thanks to Sakura’s healing, I’m feeling surprisingly good, anyway.

---

“Alright, attendant. Please lie down on this bed.”

“Thanks.”

I hoisted the staggering old man over my shoulder and tossed him into Karl’s room on the second floor.

A man’s room is good enough for him to sleep in.

“You can call me ‘Master.’ I’ve lost the bar and the shop, but that name still sticks.”

“Then I shall call you Master.”

Yeah, I prefer that too. ‘Attendant’ is kind of a mouthful.

“Well then, Master. Is there anything you need? Are you thirsty?”

“Thanks, but I’m fine.”

Alright, in that case, I’ll head back downstairs.

“Please take care of yourself.”

“…Yeah.”

Still, we’ve suddenly become a big group. Six people traveling together, huh?

It’s reassuring to have Sakura with us, and Master’s cooking is out of this world. This journey might actually be fun.

“…Hey, Irine. You’re a monkey, aren’t you?”

“…”

The moment I let my guard down—

Master suddenly cut straight to the heart of my secret.

“Well? Am I wrong?”

“…Hmm.”

Hmm. So he had noticed, after all.

The Spirit Cannon is practically the Velmund family trademark. I knew using that magic in public risked exposing me…

Even if it's Master, I’d rather keep my identity under wraps. If word gets out that someone from the prestigious Velmund family was acting like a rowdy monkey, it would be a disgrace.

───Maybe I’ll claim it’s a long-lost brother or something.

Yeah, say I have an older brother who loves monkeys and was disowned for… reasons. That he also happens to use the Spirit Cannon.

Oh, that’s good. That’s actually a pretty convincing lie.

Yeah, I can spin this. No—I will spin this.

“W-W-What are you talking about, you idiot! I-I-I have a long-lost brother, okay?! U-U-Ukki!”

“You’re practically growing hooves out of your whole body.”

Ah—damn it. I’m more shaken than I thought.

I always thought I was good at lying, but I’m not used to being ambushed like this.

“When I was drinking with Karl, you flinched every time his crew got brought up. I figured that monkey mask had to be one of Karl’s people.”

“I-I did not flinch! Uhohohoho!”

“That’s not how a lady laughs.”

Damn, this guy’s sharp. Guess I’ll have to silence him now that he knows my secret.

…What do I do?

“…Relax. I’m not planning to blab about it or anything.”

“N-No, really, I— I mean, I’m—”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll just pretend I think you’re a monkey and keep talking to you like that.”

And with that—

Master made it clear he had no intention of spreading my secret.

“…Thanks. For today.”

“…”

“For protecting the young lady. For avenging your comrade. Thank you.”

…

“It was Karl who drove the demons away, wasn’t it?”

“If you hadn’t been there, she would’ve died. And you’re the one who took out the guy who killed your friend.”

“…To lie after receiving words like that would be rude. I’ll accept your thanks.”

Agh… it’s pretty much all out now. Might as well come clean.

Hope this doesn’t turn into gossip…

“Um, Master? Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, but can you drop the formal speech? Makes you sound like a stranger, monkey.”

“…Fine then. Tell me—do you think Lady Sakura’s figured out who I really am?”

I asked Master, who probably knows Sakura better than anyone.

It’s been on my mind. Sakura treated my injuries herself, and I’ve had a feeling she might know.

If she’s found out too, I need to make sure she keeps it quiet.

“Sakura, huh… Hmm, hard to say.”

“You’re not sure?”

“She’s scary sharp when she’s on point, but most of the time she’s an absolute airhead. Judging from her reaction, I don’t think she caught on.”

…Wait. Sakura’s an airhead?

“She once got kidnapped because she went to the wrong meeting spot, fell for a scam and lost half her money, and trips over nothing constantly.”

“…Yikes.”

“If she traveled alone, I can’t even imagine the chaos she’d cause. I had to tag along just to keep an eye on her.”

Now that I think about it, when we first met—me in the monkey mask—she was being kidnapped. So that wasn’t just a one-off. She really is that kind of person.

“R-Right. I’ll keep a close eye on her too.”

“Yeah. …She’s super reliable when it really counts, though.”

Even if she’s a bit of a mess, Sakura saved my life. I’ll make sure to have her back.

She’s dependable when it matters most.

“Alright, I’m gonna get some sleep. You’re still recovering too, so get some rest.”

“Will do. Thanks.”

At those words, Master closed his eyes and began breathing softly in his sleep. He must’ve already hit his limit.

“Good night, Master.”

I pulled a sheet over the old man and headed back to the dining hall.

---

“He’s asleep now.”

“Sorry to trouble you, Irine. That’s something I should’ve done as his master.”

“Think nothing of it. I may not look it, but I’m quite strong, you know.”

Keeping within the bounds of ladylike behavior, I flexed a bicep in a subtle show of muscle.

...Hmm? My muscles feel a little sluggish. I guess my body still isn’t back to full strength.

“Irine, thanks for the help. Now, as for our next move—we’ve decided to take on that merchant escort job we were originally planning to accept.”

“Oh, the one you mentioned might attract demonic attention?”

“Yeah. We don’t have a set destination right now, and if we’re going to be traveling anyway, it seems like a good fit.”

That’s right. The original reason for taking the job is gone, but we’ve got no reason to turn it down either.

Might as well earn some coin and do the job properly.

“And the destination is Yowin. That’s a nice bonus…”

“Yowin, you say.”

“Yep. The magical research city of Yowin. There’s a specialist there who studies ancient hero legends.”

Oh, I’ve heard of that place.

It’s a city built by gathering all kinds of magic scholars and constructing research facilities. Influential figures seeking cutting-edge knowledge moved there, and over time, it developed into a major hub—a city made for researchers.

“If we can get our hands on old war records about demons, it’s killing two birds with one stone. We picked the job on a whim, but it’s shaping up to be a good move.”

“And we’ve already finished our supply run, so no need for further prep.”

I see. That means we’ll finally be leaving this sketchy city behind.

The clientele at the brothel weren’t so bad, but I’ve had enough of getting harassed by thugs and guys in rabbit masks.

“Well then, if there’s nothing else today, I’ll head over to the mansion and grab anything we can use for travel funds. You’re coming with me, Karl—guard duty.”

“The mansion… You mean the Tendo estate?”

“Exactly. By now, some punk from another family probably knows what happened and is planning to loot the place. I want to get there first and take what I can.”

Sakura said this as she pulled Karl by the hand and stepped outside.

Securing the family assets, huh? That’s an important job.

“We might be tracked soon and end up fighting. Let’s move fast.”

“Ohoho, then I shall come along. Just need to scoop up anything of value from the noble estate while chaos reigns, yes?”

“Maika, was it? Is it just me, or are your eyes sparkling a little too much?”

…Why does Maika look so thrilled about this?

Well, I suppose boosting our funds is always a welcome outcome.

“In that case, I’ll lend a hand as well. I do have some physical prowess…”

“Irine, you should stay here and rest. I’m sure someone saw me running into this inn. We’ve stashed our travel gear and funds here, so we’ll need someone capable of defending the place.”

“Ah… I see. Understood.”

I offered to help carry things since I’m confident in my strength, but looks like I’ve been voted house-sitter.

Still, guarding our base of operations is important. Can’t be helped.

“Alright then, Lev and Irine, you two hold down the fort. We’ll be back after securing the funds.”

“Okay! Leave the appraising to me. I’ll pinpoint all the valuables with precision.”

“Hey, most of the stuff is from my house, you know. I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s worth what…”

But… that actually sounds kinda fun. Damn it, I’m jealous.

“Alright, let’s gooo!”

“This feels like I’m escorting robbers through my own house… What a drag.”

“Please be careful out there.”

Hmm. I guess since I’m more of a backline type, they figure I’m not cut out for brawling with street punks.

Still, being seen as weak stings. I’ll have to train more with Rev.

I can probably take on your average thug now, but someday… I want to be strong enough to beat a demon all on my own.

---

“...Honestly. I told you, three days of absolute bedrest.”

“Hm? Sakura, did you say something?”

“Nothing at all, dear.”

Wrapped in the curtains of morning.

The exasperated mutter of that gangster heiress soon melted into the bustle of the waking city.