[Reberu] ga Arunara Agerudesho? Mobukyara ni Tensei Shita Ore wa Gēmu Chishiki o Ikashi, Hitasura Reberu o Age Tsudzukeru

e to look after her, so that is a no go.
Which is why from now on, we’re going to accomplish the the goal of ‘perusing the books in the deepest part of the great library’ under the condition of ‘Ethel isn’t handed over to the cathedral’. Haah~ so troublesome~.” (Sakurai)

Having explained about position of the saintess and the current situation to Iris, I sigh and get up from the sofa.

Originally, Ethel’s individual episode went like this: For the protagonist who got injured in the intensifying battle against the ‘Black Sword’, Ethel goes to the cathedral to borrow a certain equipment, but to take it out requires the permission of the saintess, and since Cordelia has resigned from the position, the guys of the Traditionalist Faction demand Ethel to become the saintess.

It is very different from the current situation, but it seems that since the conditions of ‘the required thing is in the cathedral’, ‘getting it requires the permission of a saintess’, and ‘Ethel goes to cathedral’ are all met, Ethel’s individual episode ends up getting started all the same.

I experienced the same thing in the Netherworld.
Although I hate it, it’s not entirely unexpected.

That being said, while I’ve figured that I just have to suck it up and deal with it, I feel like my stress is about to reach the limit, so I move behind the sofa where Ethel and co sit and start practice-swinging to relieve my irritation.

“I mean, I understand that she doesn’t want her daughter to continue a profession that poses a risk of death as a mother, but choosing to hide that feeling and basically telling her to shut up and go back is obviously a bad idea.
Oh, in fact, when Ethel ran away from the cathedral, she also indirectly weakened the security to make it easier for her to escape… being strangely clumsy toward one’s family sure is the typical weakness of a working adult.
Even though she can just speak whatever she has in her mind if she can’t convey her feelings properly by words.
And because of that she ended up participating in this nonsense.
Someone really should teach her that she’d be hated if she keep at it.” (Sakurai)

“Sakurai-san.
Sakurai-san! Wait!” (Iris)

“Also, those Traditionalists geezers; they sure have shallow thought for thinking that Ethel won’t decline.
It is exactly because Ethel doesn’t want to keep wiping their butts every time they do such things that she refuses to be a saintess, and yet they keep at it as if she hasn’t disliked them enough.
If they insist on wanting an elf who inherits the blood of the first saintess to take on the position of saintess, they shouldn’t have tried to make her take on the position but create an environment that will make her think that she’s glad to have become a saintess after the fact.
Or rather, how could they think that the saintess not getting paid is only natural while believing that they themselves getting paid is well-deserved? Isn’t that plain absurd?” (Sakurai)

By the way, the reason why Ethel aimed to be an adventurer despite the high risk was because the possibility of getting lots of money.

She trying to get as much money as she could is the result of her secret wish of wanting her mother to live a wealthy life at least as much as she has dedicated herself to the cathedral after she retires from the position of saintess in the future.

The mother is thinking of her daughter’s well-being, and the daughter is also thinking of her mother’s well-being.

Yet, because they couldn’t be honest with each other and kept communicating clumsily, a rift appeared between them, and the old-fashioned people took advantage of that.

Finding a way to solve that was how you complete Ethel’s individual episode in the game.

“I’ve repeated it many times, but everything will be solved if they just speak their minds.
There should be a limit for being dull, right? It’s my precious leveling time that they’re taking here. Haah, I wish the talk ends already.
You think so too right, Iris?” (Sakurai)

After speaking about their respective situations and thoughts, I call out to Iris to get her agreement on my complaint, but when I turn my head, I see her holding her head.

Looking around wondering why she’s doing that, I spot a stunned Terrence, a completely rigid, poker-faced Cordelia, and Ethel who, unlike her mother, is completely red and glaring at me while slightly trembling.

“……Hm?” (Sakurai)

I frown and try to grasp the situation, and while continuing to practice-swing, I come to a conclusion after a little while of thinking.

“Ah, damn.
Could it be, you guys heard what I just said?” (Sakurai)

“Tōru, y-you…! Cut your crap…!” (Ethel)

Looking at Ethel who screams seemingly lost for words, I get convinced that I have revealed the various behind-the-scenes circumstances in front of everyone.

The things I talked about was originally gradually disclosed throughout the individual episode, and wasn’t revealed on their first meeting like this.

(I’ve completely done it this time.
This is a total failure— no, hold on a sec?”)

Seeing it from another perspective, it can be said that I have eliminated the need for information gathering and the work of talking with various people to change Cordelia’s mind that was originally done in the individual episode.

In that case, it can be said that by letting them to immediately understand each others’ circumstances, I’ve succeeded in shortening the time to solve the problem, right?

“That means now Ethel and Cordelia-san just have to speak their minds privately.
Then we can take Cordelia-san’s resignation as something that never happened.
Problem solved!” (Sakurai)

“Problem’s not solved! Not the slightest bit!” (Ethel)

“What nonsense are you spouting about! Cordelia-sama’s resignation as a saintess was a decision she made after a long consideration and suggestion from various people due to health problems that has been afflicting her in recent years! It is just so happen that she resigned the day you came here, we were never planning to—” (Terrence)

“It’s not retirement, but resignation, right? Then, you just have to reappoint her, no? It’s plain obvious that you guys are thinking of returning Cordelia-san to the position if, in the worst case, you fail to get Ethel to take on the position of saintess, anyway.
Ethel’s firmly determined to reject it, so can’t you just get a move on to reappoint Cordelia-san and give us permission to use the great library already?” (Sakurai)

When I gave him the suggestion, Terrence’s breathing becomes ragged, his face reddens, and his eyes staring daggers at me like he’s losing his temper, for some reason.

He looks like he may die in a fit of anger if he doesn’t calm down anytime soon, so I start wondering if I should physically calm him down.
But then, Iris suddenly jumps out of the sofa, grabs the back of my head with one hand, and slams my head on top of the backrest of the sofa.

“We deeply apologize!” (Iris)

“Gobe!?” (Sakurai)

A muffled crushing sound echoes from the backrest when my head struck it.

It doesn’t hurt that much, but my head is pinned down with a considerable amount of force, and when I try to resist, the force gets stronger, so I can’t escape.

“We deeply, deeply apologize! Sorry for making such an extremely rude remark and greatly hurt your feelings!” (Iris)

“Zu, thap, (stop)! Aiz (Iris), zuthap (stop)!” (Sakurai)

“Please apologize too, Sakurai-san!” (Iris)

“Ai… Aim zowwy.” (Sakurai)

As Iris bows her head again and again, she also brings my head up and slam it back down as she does so, so I can’t speak a word.

Realizing that it’s a waste to resist, I helplessly apologizes to have Iris stops.

After that, Terrence complains continuously for about 5 minutes.

Then, the poker-faced Cordelia who’s been completely rigid, opens her mouth and says “Enough, give it a rest”, stopping the old elf’s anger.

“It seems that our intentions have been seen through by him.
In that case, playing with words will only be a waste of time.
Besides, his honest words allowed me to realize the shallowness of my thought.
When I heard that Ethel would be accompanied by the disciple of the Sword Saint, I thought it was only in the position of an escort, but it seems that he’s more than meets the eye.” (Cordelia)

“Cordelia-sama, but!” (Terrance)

“We’ll be expecting the formal apology separately afterwards.
Terrence, that’s fine with you, no?” (Cordelia)

“…Hmm, very well.” (Terrence)

“You have my gratitude.
Well then, Ethel.
Let me ask you straightforwardly.
Would you please return to the cathedral and become the next saintess as my successor?” (Cordelia)

“I refuse, mom.
No matter how many times you ask, I’ll never become a saintess.” (Ethel)

Ethel gives a clear refusal to Cordelia’s question.

Hearing it, Cordelia makes a sad expression for a brief moment, then immediately hide it and mutters, “I see, what a pity.”

Like that, the first discussion ends with them having been able to properly confirm each other’s thoughts.

Later on, Iris and I apologize to Terrence-san for my rudeness, and although he then lets out all the complains he couldn’t say earlier in the room, he accepts the apology.

Well, afterwards, Ethel’s mother invites us to dinner, but Iris politely declines out of worry of what I may do.

As a result, Ethel will finally get to eat together alone with her mother for the first time in a year and a half since she left the cathedral.

Which is why I give her a thumbs up and yell to lift the nervous Ethel’s spirit, “The table’s already set, so go and pour out your heart!”, but she then looks at me with a very cold eyes and hits me on the shoulder, for some reason.

“What’s with that attitude to the benefactor who have given her the chance to reconcile with her mother, what do you make of it, Iris?”

“I think that Sakurai-san was guilty.” (Iris)

As we’re seeing off Ethel heading to the cathedral at near dusk, I ask for Iris’s opinion, but it looks like Iris can’t make sense of my good deed, and she tells me, “Please look back on your actions today and reflect on them!”

So, I leave the inn and escape.
Then, in search of a place where no one can disturb me, I go to the stable where my beloved horse Freon is staying and lay down next to him.

“Hihiiin.”

“Your head is still fine, but stop trying to put your body on top of me; it’s heavy.
You’re going to crush me.” (Sakurai)

Putting my back on the hay and putting Freon’s head on my belly, I look back on my actions on the day and reflect on them despite feeling a little sleepy.

The first thing that comes to my mind is that I started practice-swinging during the discussion.

While thinking that it was too rude of me and reflecting on it, I think about the second point to reflect.

However, as I’m thinking about it, I begin to feel more and more sleepy, and I realize that my thoughts have begun to turn sluggish.

There’s a saying that goes “it’s hard to tell a poor’s thinker from a sleeping one”, but putting it another way, doesn’t that mean that taking a rest the same as thinking?

Having thought so, I give up on recalling my actions and decide to leave my body to the drawing in drowsiness.
And thus, my first day in the Elf Territory is over.