Chapter 299 – The True Identity of the Invaders
…So they came, huh?
I operate my smartphone as the 『Invasion Alert』 rings.
Now then, what’s the number of enemies…?
Once the video of the entrance area of the affected sector is being displayed on my smartphone…――Haaah?
The live stream differs drastically from what I’ve imagined.
“Shion! It’s an enemy attack, rite? I’m ready to rock at any time!”
“Our preparations are in perfect order as well.”
“Yes, Fatherly Master! I, Cú Chulainn, can sortie at any moment!”
“I’m, like, totally good to go here.”
“Master…please give me your orders. This lowly pig shall become your willing meat shield…” Hibiki declares while panting heavily.“Shion, what’s the scale of the enemy army?”
With the belligerent Takaharu being the first, one leader after the other steps forward to head out for the defense.
“Umm…let’s see…for the time being, it’ll be plenty with Rina and Kanon, I think.”
“Huh? What does that mean?”
“Pfue-!? M-Me!?”
“Hah? Wasn’t defense my role?”
“Rina-cchi, Kanon-cchi…did you do something to piss off Shion-cchi?”
“Shion-sama, please allow me to make a suggestion! I shall head out in Kanon-tan’s stead! If you are saying that Kanon-tan has become unnecessary…I will recruit her for Team J!”
“Eh? Huh? W-Why…? Shion-san…I’m sorry…I don’t know why, but…I apologize, so…please pardon me from moving to such a dangerous place…”
Because my order was a bit too concise, my subordinates became confused.
“Sorry. I skipped too much of the explanation, I guess. The invaders are 100 kobolds, 100 goblins…and a Demon King who’s accompanied by several wolves.”
“――! T-That’s…”
“Farm? Test site? …I forgot his name, but it’s that Demon King, isn’t it?”
“It’s Demon King Tomio…I seeee, so even Tomio has become able to leave his Domain.”
“Rina, Kanon, kill all the monsters except for Tomio.”
“Roger. It’s alright to let Tomio escape, isn’t it?”
“Okaaay! I’m off!”
Kanon and Rina head out. I sent those two over in order to avoid Tomio being killed by accident. While at it, it’s also an opportunity to have Kanon earn some experience points, although that’s just an insignificant side-effect.
Still, that guy’s biggest merit was him being unable to leave his Domain…what am I going to do with him now? Well, the probability for him to become a threat because he’s become able to leave his Domain is zero. Even if I ignore him, it won’t be any problem, but…
――!
I’ve got a great idea!
With that idea in mind, I call Akira over.
“Hmm? What?”
“Can you create a box that looks like a treasure chest?”
“Sure. No problem.”
“Can I have you urgently make two of them?”
“Roger.”
Akira heads over to her workshop after receiving my order.
The next trick…oops, before that I got to tell Rina and Kanon.
I quickly switch to Rina’s perspective on my smartphone.
Ooohh…no more than a few minutes have passed, and yet…how overwhelming.
Rina slays several kobolds by just lightly swinging her sword. The fire unleashed from Kanon’s wand burns several goblins to cinder in one go.
――Rina, Kanon, find a good time, pretend to have been defeated, and retreat!
Now that it’s come to this, it was correct to have sent Rina and Kanon. If I had dispatched Takaharu, he’d have killed Tomio a long time ago already.
“Whaaa! So powerful!”
“Kuuh! Kanon, we’re pulling back!”
In accordance with my order, Rina and Kanon retreat after saying their lines in monotone.
Let’s see…subordinates who could be defeated by those guys would be…slimes?
I send slimes that I have created just now to defend in Rina and Kanon’s stead.
◆
60 minutes after Tomio’s invasion began.
As a result of our defenses only consisting of slimes, Tomio had started to advance full of enthusiasm.
“Hey, Shion? What’re ya pullin’ here?”
After I had excused myself from the meeting to deal with Tomio, Takaharu called out to me with slight irritation dyeing his voice.
“I’d say it’s a setup for the sake of obtaining a rare subordinate.”
“Haah? I don’t get it.”
“Rare…subordinate, you say…!? In other words, you’re going to play gacha, right!?”
“I won’t! I’m creating my own rare subordinate.”
“There’s no need to go to such lengths. You just need to offer your everything to the Goddess of Luck.”
“I won’t offer anything! That method would actually be much more of a hassle!”
As I handle Takaharu and Yataro…
“Done. Is this OK?”
Akira brings over the items I requested from her ― two treasure chest lookalikes.
“Oh! Nice! Very nice!”
Now then, how am I going to play this…?
I check the items in my possession. If it’s the sacred treasures, I guess only the two-handed ax has not found a user so far… Should I present him the two-handed ax while placing something akin to a gamble on my hopes?
I put a 『Big Black Iron Ax』 into one of the fake treasure chest, and order a subordinate to install it in a place where Tomio is likely going to arrive in due time.
The next preparation…I look around me and zero in on Mrs. Tamura. It’d be fine for me to write it as well, but with Mrs. Tamura’s elegant handwriting, it’ll bring out the right ambiance, I think.
“Mrs. Tamura, do you mind me requesting one thing from you?” I called over Mrs. Tamura.
“Of course, Shion-sama, how may I help you?”
“Shion, ya really kind to that granny.”
“Sshh! Taka-cchi, you idiot! Did you forget that nightmare!?”
“Hmm? Aahh! When Saburou――”
“The hell!? Taka-cchi, you dummy! Just die!”
Takaharu and Sarah are kicking up a fuss over something, but I’ll ignore those two.
“Mrs. Tamura, could I have you write on this card what I tell you?”
“Pardon? Sure, if you are alright with something of this level.”
I began my final preparation.
