Chapter 81 – I’ve Become 13 Years Old!
Before I noticed, I turned 13, and the maids threw a grand birthday party for me. From the very start, the servants, and especially the maids for that matter, loved to doll me up.
Since they’ve been insistently telling me to grow out my hair, I’ve followed their request.
And after they dolled me up, the servants, who have been with me since my days at the Springcoat mansion, praised me highly for my beauty. On the other hand, Sword and the new servants watched all of this with slightly strange looks.
Sword even went as far as telling me to my face, “Somehow, you know…you still look like your crossdressin’ as a woman. I prefer your usual outfit, to be honest.”
＊
After the celebratory gifts, I gave a closing remark.
“Because things have settled down now, I’ll return to adventuring again,” I announced, using the lucky opportunity of everyone having gathered.
Everyone agreed with Sword when he answered while scratching his head, “For starters we’ll visit the capital and the sea. I mean, Ys is simply too small for Indra.”
While being regretful to part with them, I also informed my pets (cows, chickens, and slimes) about it.
＊
For those reasons, we started to get ready for traveling. Sword would apparently take Bronko and Char with him, out of sheer obstinacy.
Bronko would be fine since it could be stored away in his Ryoku, but Char is quite big. It has the size of an average minivan.
I told Sword to give up on it since it’d be hard to cross the mountains like that, but he claimed that he’d stuff it into a huge magic bag and carry it himself if it became necessary.
Well, then it should be alright, I guess.
Char is a mobile home, and it’d definitely be more comfortable to travel in it during rain. Toilet matters can be handled inside as well, as long as I ask the slime Sli-rin (simple) to handle the cleaning. So it’s perfect.
As might be expected, it’d be asking too much to have a function to shrink down a golem with one touch. Should I develop that capsule which would allow cars and airplanes to appear alongside a boom and some smoke, if you pressed a button and tossed it?
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At first we departed in Char.
I think we’d have been faster if we had ran by ourselves. But, oh well, whatever. It’s not like we’re in any hurry with our journey.
Thus we had leisurely set off with everyone waving us goodbye.
On the road, Sword suddenly started to tell me to sing. He even brought my lute with him!
“……I’m not really planning to become a songstress, so I won’t take any money for this, but if a girl as beautiful as me sings a song, it’d be very reasonable to demand a wage for it, you know?” I added before I started to sing.
My songs covered everything from nursery songs to rock.
Sword laughed, “You always start dancin’ as soon as you sing, don’t you? Is that also normal in that other world of yours?”
“There are times where I sing while remaining still. Or rather, my otherworld self didn’t dance. This body tends to start dancing when I sing, for some reason.”
I also think that it’s kind of weird, but my body simply dances on its own accord. Well, since we’re inside Char, I haven’t danced that much yet, but if I sang outside, my body would dance wildly, I’m sure.
Which reminds me…when I gave the mini-live in the dining hall, I also danced, didn’t I?
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Since Sword started to pester me about wanting to ride Bronko a little while later, I offered “Then, how about we let Char run on auto, and I ride with you in the back? It’d be a tandem touring.”
Sword immediately warmed up to that idea.
“Can the auto control run completely independently?”
“It’s possible to make Char follow Bronko. You can also set the location where Char will follow. However, you’ll need to ride Bronko while considering the road’s width for Char, okay? It’s a function I added, expecting that you might ask to let you ride Bronko. Well, it’d also be possible for me to drive, but…”
I’ve grown much taller, but I’m still much shorter than Sword. His legs are long too. In other words, I don’t know whether I’ll be able to reach the pedals.
I’ve made sure that you can adjust the seat as needed, but since it’s Sword’s exclusive Char, there are limits to this. I simply didn’t take into consideration that I’d drive Char myself.
Then again, there’s also the remote controller as an option. Just, driving inside Char while steering it with the remote controller…that’s way too outlandish, seriously.
＊
We did a tandem touring with Bronko.
It’s really been a long time since I last rode a motorbike. Moreover, in a tandem set up. No, it’s my first time over here, isn’t it?
“Yep, the wind feels really nice.”
“Right!? Thank you lots and lots for havin’ made this, seriously!”
So he likes it that much, huh?
＊
All of a sudden, Sword asked, “…Did you ride like this with a man in your previous world too?”
“No, not that I remember. It was limited to the instructor, who taught me how to drive, and friends who liked riding a bike just like me. You get the highest kick out of enjoying something with people who share your preferences. Given that bikes were more of a niche hobby, I didn’t have that many friends riding one either.”
“I see.”
I was startled when he asked me out of the blue.
“What is it all of a sudden?”
“Nothin’ in particular. Just thought you remembered somethin’ ‘gain because your voice became so nostalgic.”
So that’s the reason.
“Well, rather than nostalgic, it’s a first for this body. The bike I rode before had a different shape. The previous one looked more like a locust…”
“Then it’s good you didn’t build a locust! Thank you very much for using this design!” He shouted his thanks at me.
A locust shape is cute as well, you know?
＊
Our journey proceeded well. The people we passed were surprised by Char and the Ryokus, but once they played the standard greeting, we got them to understand that they’re golems…apparently.
It seems they could come to terms with the line 『Sword’s exclusive』 the most.
Come to think of it…the Ryokus learned the songs I sang (or rather was asked to sing) often. At some point they began to sing together with me!
“It’s proof that music is essential for adventuring! By just singing a song you already feel like you’re on an adventure!”
“Well…I s’pose that does apply for the song your singin’. They’re all cheerful.”
When I sang 【Tiny Adventurer】 while making a random parody out of it in the language of this world, it received raving praise, and Sword started to request it often. 1
Since I sang often, the Ryokus became very decent at it as well. When they started to sing on top of Char after announcing, “I’m going to sing a song from now on!”, the adventurers around us first got startled, but then soon started to applaud. To the Ryokus.
――As such, our journey was going well, but it seemed like Bennyboy had a fair share of trouble on his side.
That’s super weeeird! He said that S-Rank adventurer held quite a mettle as title, and moreover he also added the line, “I may look like this, but I’m actually a friend of the S-Rank adventurer Mr. Sword! Ahem!”
On one occasion he almost had his cargo stolen by governmental officials during a gate inspection, so he contacted us through the wireless communication device.
Since I was looking forward to things happening, I exclaimed, 『We’re going to head over right away! If you like, let them steal the cargo! I’ll get there at once, and tear off their skin while they’re still alive! Then I’ll paste their skin to the walls of their homes! It’s okay! As long as I use my own healing potion, they’ll heal up! Probably! Since I’ve never tested it myself, they’ll be the perfect specimen for test runs! Also, I wonder how much I should torture them? Oh well, whatever, I’ll try out various things once I get there! Make sure to note down their names! Though it’d also be great if you could make sure of their looks! Yahooo! This got my blood pumping!!』
My conversation with Bennyboy was audible from the speakers, so when the officials heard what I said, most of them ran away. The guy, who seemed to be the leader of them all, was caught by Pale Moon of Dawn.
I hear he apologized with his whole body trembling while in tears.
『Ah, S-Rank Sword speaking. I think you got it after having heard my partner, but she has a screw loose. She believes she can do anything as long as it doesn’t kill you in the end. If you don’t wanna go through an experience that would make you beg to be killed, you should stop messin’ around, I think』
『Mr. Sword, just let me tell you in advance, but they all ran away after having heard Lady Indra’s previous comment』
Since Bennyboy said so, I snatched the microphone out of Sword’s hand.
『What about the cargo? Was it stolen? It was stolen, right!? I’m coming over right away! What, with my ability we can catch them all in one swoop! It’ll be easier than catching dirty rats! I mean, it should be fine to treat crooks, who steal the belongings of others, worse than dirty rats! After all, dirty rats don’t steal other’s belongings! Alright, wait for me! Be right there!』
『Wait a sec, stop, stop. You meant this seriously? Were you going to pull off a torturing worse than what you did to the sorcerer gramps before?』
『Don’t ask the obvious! Something like stabbing needles between nails and the nether region doesn’t even count as torture! Also, didn’t I fix him up nicely with a healing potion afterwards?』
『Ah, Lady Indra, I’m terribly sorry to interrupt you while you’re having fun, but nothing has been stolen. Also, the leader guy has been begging us while prostrating to hand him over to the guards. Also, could I have you stop now since the story just now caused the guys to pop a boner?』
I got fervently soothed by the two. With the goods safe and the checkpoint’s supervisor (quite a bigshot) apologizing while prostrating himself, Bennyboy’s side could apparently pass without any further issues.
Just, I wonder, why do I never experience such thrilling events?
