Chapter 67: Let’s Destroy the Demon King on the Way as a Side Quest

Chirp, chirp, chirp—

"Nn!? "

Fuaah... It’s already morning... I must have fallen asleep at some point.

Lately I’ve been building a proper biorhythm.

When I first came to this world, I never felt hungry or sleepy.

But after living with Irina and matching her rhythm, I started getting hungry and sleepy at appropriate times.

Of course, if I boost my swirling energy, I could pull all-nighters easily.

So yesterday, Irina saw me completely naked in my Metamorphose form as Hiroki Yabe. It was late at night, so I hesitated to go to her room to explain. After that, I listened to the Chick squad’s report and it got really late. Apparently I just passed out.

...Falling asleep at my desk reminds me of my corporate slave days. Depressing.

"Still... waking up to a solo morning chirp is kinda sad..."

I muttered to myself. When I looked at the window, there were the Chicks going chirp chirp.

Thud!

I slipped right off the bed.

"What are you guys doing!?"

『Haha! Last night Boss muttered to himself, "I want to wake up to a happy morning chirp..."』

"Morning chirp doesn’t mean anything if you’re alone!"

『What...? Is that how it works?』

"A happy morning chirp is when you wake up to the sound of sparrows after spending a wonderful night with someone important or someone you love! Also, you guys chirping sounds completely wrong!"

『Muu!』

"Whatever. Keep gathering information!"

『Haha!』

After seeing the Chicks off, I got changed and headed down to the dining hall for breakfast.

Irina and Sarina were already in the dining hall.

"Ah... Yabe, good... morning..."

Irina’s cheeks were slightly red as she greeted me while avoiding eye contact.

"Good morning, Yabe-san."

Sarina also greeted me.

"Morning, Irina, Sarina."

I greeted them back.

As expected of the best hotel in Tarbarne, breakfast was luxurious. Freshly baked bread, homemade jam, fresh salad, egg dishes, and delicious fruit water.

"Alright, let’s eat. Irina, Sarina."

I immediately spread a thick layer of jam on the warm bread and took a big bite.

"Delicious!"

The bread had a crispy outside and a soft, moist inside. I glanced at Irina while chewing and saw her nibbling on her bread like a hamster.

"Irina, didn’t you want to go shopping?"

"Eh, ah, yes... I was thinking we could go shopping before heading to the royal capital..."

"What did you want to buy?"

"Umm... well... I wanted to look at accessories together..."

"I see. Then after breakfast, let’s go."

"Really!?"

"Yeah, no problem."

"Got it! I’ll get ready after breakfast!"

She stuffed the bread into her mouth, nearly choking, and went "Nggghh." Seeing her like that, I was relieved that yesterday’s incident didn’t seem to have left too much of an effect.

From the Chicks’ information, I knew Count Tarbal had already sent multiple rescue teams to the Devil’s Tower. If things went poorly, they might ask us for help.

I had already instructed the Chicks to contact me immediately if Fileontina was brought to the top floor.

So in the morning, I went shopping with Irina and Sarina to look at accessories in this town famous for its advanced ironworking.

"Since their ironworking is advanced, the purity of the iron seems quite high... With my alchemy, I can process ingots myself, so I’d like to buy some metal ingots and try working with them."

Whoa, alchemy can do that? That’s amazing.

Unlike me with no cheats, Sarina seems to have some excellent skills. I’m a little jealous.

"But even if the iron is high purity, wouldn’t silver or gold be better for necklaces and rings? They’re rarer metals."

I casually asked Irina.

"That’s true, but... silver, and especially gold, are very rare, so accessories made from them are extremely expensive..."

Irina sighed and drooped her shoulders.

Come to think of it, I’ve been the one providing meals and covering expenses after selling monster materials. I hadn’t really given Irina any money.

"Even though I donated a lot of the reward money, I still have plenty left. If you want something, just buy it."

Though I do want to keep a good amount since I’m also planning to visit the slave trading house...

"Ho-gya-gya!"

Irina! Your hand is getting crushed!

"Yabe... you’re thinking something bad again..."

I’m not! I’m really not!

After that, we wandered around the stalls.

I bought Irina a beautiful iron belt buckle with fine craftsmanship, and Sarina bought a large quantity of high-purity iron ingots. Although the ingots were much more expensive, Sarina said she would show me accessories she made from them and give me anything usable.

...She’s a good girl.

I wanted to buy Irina more, but she firmly refused, saying one was enough. So I only got the buckle. She said that since she’s dressed as an adventurer, she wanted something practical rather than cute accessories. After looking around, we chose the buckle.

She’s happily stroking the buckle on her waist right now.

Irina, could you please stop stroking your belly with such a blissful, blushing expression?

You’re giving off a heavy "I’m pregnant" vibe, you know?

You’re not pregnant. We haven’t done anything that could make you pregnant. We don’t even know if that’s possible, right?

I gazed off into the vast blue sky with distant eyes.

"Lord Yabe, are you ready?"

Lord Fenberg called out.

The Coluna Frontier Count family was already in the carriage.

"Yeah, I’m ready... but are we not greeting Count Tarbal?"

I thought we would stop by his mansion before leaving, but it seems he’s too busy.

"Dealing with yesterday’s trouble is taking all his time. We already said our goodbyes yesterday."

Lord Fenberg spoke with a slightly clouded expression.

He seemed to want to help if we weren’t in a hurry to reach the royal capital, but timing is everything. It can’t be helped.

Our group departed for the royal capital.

But of course, things don’t go smoothly.

A Chick came with a report.

『Boss, Lady Fileontina has been brought to the top of the Devil’s Tower. She appears unconscious and has been laid on the magic circle.』

"...Seriously..."

Count Tarbal’s forces should have been heading there to rescue her.

But it looks like they didn’t make it in time.

"What’s wrong?"

"Umm... according to the Chick, it seems the rescue of Lady Fileontina isn’t going well."

"What!?"

"It looks like they’ve already started preparing the sacrifice."

"Nuu! ...Yabe, can you do something?"

"Yabe-sama..."

Lord Fenberg, Luciana, and his wife all looked at me with expectation.

"...Let’s stop by the tower on the way to the royal capital..."

We changed our route to pass by the Devil’s Tower on the way to the capital.

"So this is the Devil’s Tower..."

You couldn’t see the top. It was incredibly tall.

"It’s no good! We can’t find the stairs to the third floor!"

"Search harder! We must reach the 60th floor at all costs!"

"Lord Gailnight! We found the stairs to the third floor, but it’s locked!"

"Break the door if you have to! Advance!"

Lord Gailnight — that is, Count Tarbal — was commanding from the front of the tower.

According to the Chicks, the ritual with the magic circle was already prepared on the top floor.

They were still struggling on the third floor despite the tower having 60 floors. There was no way they would make it in time.

"Lord Gailnight, how is the situation?"

"O-Oh, Lord Fenberg. Weren’t you heading to the royal capital...?"

"Our honored guest Lord Yabe heard that Lady Fileontina is already being prepared as a sacrifice on the top floor. He was worried, so we came to see if there’s anything we can do to help."

"What!? Fileontina is already going to be sacrificed!?"

"...Lord Yabe, can you do something?"

"Ohh! You will lend us your strength!?"

Everyone looked toward the carriage, but I was no longer inside.

"Ah, Lord Yabe is already... on the outer wall of the Devil’s Tower..."

Irina pointed. There I was, clinging to the outer wall of the tower.

This Devil’s Tower is obviously a dungeon on the inside, full of traps and monsters. And according to the Chicks, the top floor is the roof, where the sealed statue of Demon King Gulaad and the magic circle are located.

"So there’s no need to go through the inside."

I boosted my swirling energy and extended a tentacle at high speed.

The tentacle instantly grabbed the top edge of the outer wall. Then I pulled my body up.

"Up we go."

I easily reached the top floor of the tower.

Before me was the magic circle, Fileontina laid upon it, and the ringleader along with his subordinates.

Alright, let’s wrap this up quickly.