Disciple of Immortal

Act 3: Chapter 9: God of War's Secret

TN: Check out my new project too! The Replacement for Suicidal Undead which catching up with the raw.

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After we borrowed a private room in 《Mithril’s Cane》, Kotone and I sat down in front of each other with the short side of the long table between us.

The room was decorated with imposing pictures hung on the wall, and gems or jars were sealed within cases.

All of them looked like the fine articles, chair crafted from top quality wood was placed in the centre of the room along with the long desk.

It seems to be used by the executive, Gannet himself.

But, did we really have to go as far as borrowing such a luxurious room?

The room was filled with an awkward atmosphere since there were only two of us.

Well as expected of an S-rank adventurer, she could borrow this kind of room with ease.

I was waiting for Kotone to break the ice but, she just folded her arms and kept her silence all this while.

Should I test the water first?

She kept looking at me with a cold, piercing gaze.

Could it be that she was using 《Statuc Check》 or something along that skill?

Or, could it be that she was trying to buy some time while her lackeys targetting Pomera and co?

I guess I really should break the ice.

「… Is this matter really need us to borrow such a luxurious room?」

I asked so while looking around inside the room.

A magic circle patterns could be seen in some parts of the wall.

Since this was the meeting room of 《Mithril’s Cane》, I guess it was only natural to add counterespionage for this room.

But, that’s not all to it I guess.

If the wall was reinforced, the people outside of the room wouldn’t have any idea if a battle broke inside the room, such effect might be applied to the wall too.

My real question was, whether Kotone’s aim for investigating me was to fight me within her field of view.

「…」

Kotone kept her silence for a while.

Her eyebrows didn’t even twitch.

The level of her poker face surpassed Lunaire by miles.

At this rate, I would be at a disadvantage if it became bargaining.

「The one who takes the initiative to offer this room is Gannet’s subordinate. Gannet wants me to have a debt of gratitude toward him even if it is just a little bit.」

Kotone finally spoke.

「… I see.」

Her impression of Gannet was the same as mine.

It was only natural that his attitude toward Kotone, an S-rank adventurer was the same.

With such consideration, all his action until now was starting to make sense.

「I don’t want our conversation in this room leaked outside.」

「There’s something that you need from me, right? I hear that you’ve been investigating me these days after all. I know that we’re fellow otherworlder but, is there something that you need from me?」

「Thank you, it’s good that you’re quick to understand. And yes, this is a really important matter.」

Is this… related to us being otherworlder?

The first thing that first came into my mind was the figure of Nyarlhotep.

They did say that they would prepare trials from time to time.

So she might be referring to them, Nyarlhotep and co.

If that was the case, I could understand her reason for clearing out the other people.

When it related to the matter of being otherworlder, Kotone might’ve had no intention to get herself involved too.

I heard that Kotone was a misanthrope after all.

Nevertheless, since she decided to contact me, the person herself might felt helpless about the situation too.

「How much time has passed since you come to this world?」

「Not that long. At least, far less than Kotone-san. Is this related to this matter? 」

「Yeah, as expected…」

Kotone folded her arms, shut her eyes and kept quiet for a while after that.

As if she got troubled by something.

Or should I say that she was on the fork road of destiny as if she hesitated to choose between two choices?

And maybe because she had prepared herself, Kotone’s eyes opened again.

She was still expressionless but, her eyes were different from before, I felt burning passion within her eyes.

「Do you happen to know about… Weekly Shonen Step?」[TL: It’s JUMP]

「… Pardon?」

I unintentionally tilted my head in confusion upon hearing Kotone’s question.

Naturally, I knew about Weekly Shonen Step. [TL: It’s Shone*Cough*Jump]

It was a weekly magazine that publish weekly manga series such as rom-com manga or hot-blooded battle manga with young teenagers as their main target audience.

But, it was also popular regardless of the age of the reader and is currently the best-selling comic magazine in Japan.

「Uhm, yeah, I know about it, is something the ma—」

But, before I managed to finish my words, Kotone struck the desk as she brought her face closer to mine.

My survival instinct reacted immediately as I take a stance.

「ＢＥＲＵＴＯ?」[TL: It’s Naru*to.]

It was a manga title.

It was set in the near future, the tale about apprentice ninja Beruto climbing his way up as he fights for his country and comrade.

「… I-It’s finished. Around one year ago.」

Kotone stretched her arms and caught my shoulders.

「Kyaaa!」 was how I shrieked due to the sheer pressure from her.

She looks like a cold and taciturn girl but what in the world caused her to go this far?

「… It’s finished. It’s been three years since I come to this world.」

「… Pardon?」

Four hours later… we used the meeting room of 《Mithril’s Cane》 to discuss manga.

How did things turn this way?

Half of those were used for me to explain the outline of ＢＥＲＵＴＯ’s story that Kotone had yet to read but, she didn’t release me even after I told her the rest of the story.

I received a barrage of questions about the detailed event, which was then followed by a discussion about our favourite characters, and finally, I became a good listener.

I was looking at the clock hung on the wall.

Pomera might’ve been worrying about me right now.

I mean, I would never expect that we would talk for FOUR HOURS about manga.

Nor I could predict this.

「I wanted to read it until the end…」

Kotone spoke as she leaned on the chair with a rare sad look on her face.

But… Did she turn out to be that kind of a person huh?

Though Rosmonde pointed out that Kotone’s personality was troublesome, I would’ve never expected for that evaluation to be completely wrong.

Or not, I mean, even without Rosemonde, the flip side of Kotone’s personality was too impactful.

I mean, until today, my impression of her was that of an expressionless, cruel and coldhearted woman.

「Yeah… This world has no sub-culture such as manga. I also missed them a lot.」

Kotone’s body sprung forward again the moment I spoke those words.

「You miss them?」

「Eh?」

「You miss manga?」

「Uhm, yes.」

I gave a vague reply, pressured by Kotone’s vigour.

「The truth is… I, draw them.」

After hesitating for a while, Kotone cough a bit to clear her throat and told me so with flushed red cheeks.

「Eh, you draw manga?」

「If possible, I want to spread the manga culture too.」

S-Strong…

Could it be that the main reason why she was treated like a half-retiring adventurer?

「Uhm… To be honest, my drawing is suck. But… If you’re willing…」

「Of course, please allow me to read your manga.」

When I replied so with a smile on my face, Kotone was also smiling lightly.

After we promised to meet again and have some small chat later, today was exhausting.

Sure enough, she couldn’t talk about manga around the native of this world.

Kotone seems to be wanting to publish the manga that she drew in this world but, she retreated from active duty as an adventurer for that reason.

The conference room of 《Mithril’s Cane》 might be the best place to prevent such a leak of information.

Our discussion ended up taking longer than my expectation but, I also enjoyed it since I could talk about our homeworld with Kotone.

I mean, I would never expect that I would meet a fellow Weekly Shonen Step’s reader in this world.

「Sorry if this sounds rude but, you receive 《Gift Skill》 from Nyarlathotep, right?」

Kotone asked as she sat back in her chair.

I was smiling wryly since I realized that she might’ve prioritized the topic of manga over this one.

「… The truth is, I somehow ended up offending them and as a result, they sent me down without any particular gift aside from a basic one.」

The tip of Kotone’s eyelashes dropped a little bit upon hearing that.

「I… See. So that’s the reason why you’re not present during the spider monster riots.」

Kotone nodded lightly as she consented.

「Er no, actually it isn’t like that but…」 𝔣𝔯𝖊𝔢𝖜𝔢𝔟𝖓𝖔𝔳𝔢𝖑.𝔠𝖔𝔪

「It seems you’ve found two reliable comrades but, if things get troublesome for you feel free to tell me. Though it’s nothing compared to that child who can use the power of transformation, I’m quite powerful myself. So I can at least help you as a fellow otherworlder from Japan.」

Kotone seems to know about Philia’s real strength.

Though my current, most urgent matter right now was money, I shook my head as such a thought crossed my mind.

Naturally, I knew that being an S-rank adventurer, she must be filthy rich but, I’m not such a shameless person.

Though she might be willing to buy my item if I asked her, Kotone didn’t seem to be in need of that right now.

Thus, selling the item to Gannet was a much better option than forcing her to buy it.

「Thank you very much. I’ll also try to do my best to help you. Let’s help each other as fellow otherworlder.」

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TN: Check out my new project too! The Replacement for Suicidal Undead which catching up with the raw.

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