MUSHOKU TENSEI

Volume 8 Chapter 3 - Daughters of the Beast Race Kidnapping and Confinement Incident - First Half

Part 1

Rinia Dedorudia. The Dedorudia are one of the two Dorudia clans that serve as the protectors of the Great Forest. She's the granddaughter of that clan chief, Gustav. and the daughter of that clan's warrior chief, Gyes, who is the next clan chief.

Pursena Adorudia. The Adorudia is the other Dorudia clan that serve as the protectors of the Great Forest. She's the granddaughter of that clan chief, Buldg. and the daughter of that clan's warrior chief, Telteria, who is also the next clan chief.

Among the Beast Race, the Dorudia clan are a special existence.

They have roots that go back roughly 5500 years. They span back to the time of the first Great Human-Demon War.

An all-out war between the Human Race and the Demon Race. The Great Human-Demon War. The winner of that war was the Human Race.

The humans treated the demons like slaves, and grew arrogant. One by one, they declared wars with the other races. The Beast Race that lived in the Great Forest with plentiful wood resources was no exception.

An approaching army. The one who rose up against this threat was the top of the Beast Race in those days, 『Beast God Giger』.

Beast God Giger gathered a Beast Race army to face the cowardly humans, and naturally fought on the front lines himself. Exhibiting his might, and occasionally his wit, occasionally saving other Beast People, in the end he managed to protect the Great Forest.

『Beast God』 was a man who reigned over all of the Beast Races. It was the name of a hero. That Beast God Giger was a member of the Dorudia clan.

As a result, the Dorudia clan became the top clan of the Beast People that lived in the Great Forest.

It might not sound like that big of a deal. However, currently the Beast Race doesn’t exist only in the Great Forest, and the Beast Race diaspora can be seen even on the Central Continent and the Begaritto Continent. The total population isn't as great as the Human Race. However, it is definitely not a number that can be ignored. Specifically, they possess enough power to wage a war with the Holy Kingdom of Milis.

They're a race with that much military might.

And Rinia and Pursena are the grandchildren of the clan chiefs. They're the direct descendants of the Beast God. They carry a special significance.

They're people who might become clan chiefs, or the wives of clan chiefs in the future. To use the Human Race as a reference, they're something like people who have the right to inherit the crown… princesses, you could say. On top of that, they could be said to be on the level of princesses from the Human Race's greatest country, the Kingdom of Asura. As a result, when they first enrolled in the school, they were seen as extremely important personages.

Why were such important girls separated from their homelands and sent to a far off land to study? That's because of a screw up caused by the previous generation's prince and princess.

Like the prince (Gyes) and princess (Ghyslaine) of the previous generation, these two girls were stupid. As a result, lamenting about this, the clan chief (Gustav) sent them to study in a far off land with the mission of acquiring knowledge. In a place where they couldn't use their political power, they might acquire some good judgement of their own, he thought.

However… He made one miscalculation. He had sent them to the Magic University thinking "they won't be treated as the Beast Race clan chief's granddaughters".

Because they were of the Beast Race, the two of them even thought they might be persecuted instead. What awaited the two, despite expectations, were teachers who treated them with great caution and students who sucked up to them.

Right, in other words it was the result of the Dorudia clan's political power.

The two of them got carried away. Though they were a little afraid when they first enrolled, because of the voice magic passed down in the Dorudia clan, their superior agility, their physical strength, and the characteristics special to their race, they were strong. Furthermore, when the magic they learned in class was added to this, they could even beat down upperclassmen without much trouble, and when they noticed this, their attitudes gradually grew worse and worse. Boycotting things, shakedowns, extortion, loitering… They'd basically do everything that a bad student would, and became gang bosses in their first year.

However, that steady advance suddenly came to a stop.

When they became 2nd years, the Asura princess came along. Ariel Anemoi Asura. She was a person who until just recently was wrapped up in a power struggle amongst political factions. Along with her came two guards, and as if they owned the place, intruded on Rinia and Pursena's territory. And unbearably, the students and teachers who had been wagging their tails at Rinia and Pursena now wagged their tails at Ariel and her lot.

Even so, they endured it for half a year. While thinking that they couldn't accept it, absolutely couldn't accept it, they still endured it. However, they immediately reached their limits. Because Ariel was outstanding, she became the student council president as a first year. When Ariel ascended to student council president, it was almost saying to them that Ariel was admired as an honours student, while they were labelled as delinquents. Because the label of a delinquent was due to their own actions, their resentment towards Ariel was unjustified.

Rinia and Pursena began making trouble for the Asura princess and her entourage. They began straight out harassment like spitting on the ground where she was about to walk, or going out of their way to bump shoulders, or splashing water, and escalated even to stealing her underwear and leaving them in front of the boy's dorms. In the end they gathered the other delinquents and led an attack on her.

And then they were beaten up by Fitts-senpai. Almost 20 attackers were crushed by Fitts-senpai alone. The two of them were also beaten mercilessly by Fitts-senpai.

When the incident came to light, the teachers even had a conference. 20 or so attackers dropped out of school.

However, Rinia and Pursena didn't. It was judged that expelling the two ladies of the Dorudia clan would be bad.

The number of delinquents dropped, and Rinia and Pursena's influence crashed. The Asura princess and her entourage were seen as heroes by the other students. Incidentally, the Asura princess was also going to be a Special Student, but in accordance with her wishes, she was enrolled as a normal student and treated the same as the others.

Of course this wasn't amusing to Rinia and Pursena. Though they found it unamusing, the difference in their power was clear, and they had already run out of underlings to use.

At best, because the special students Cliff and Zanoba who entered last year were rampaging about, they used it as a pretext to pick a fight and defeated them. They used Zanoba to gather information on the princess, but they didn't plan on revenge. Recently, though they still showed some bad behaviour, they were properly attending classes. You could say that they were rehabilitating.

To a new student like me, it was just a story about Fitts-senpai's greatness.

Case closed.

At least it should have been.

Part 2 - Zanoba's Perspective

I am Zanoba Shirone.

Right, the beginning of this incident was on a certain night.

Shishou was single-mindedly teaching Julie earth magic.

Shishou had said "This is an experiment." and started some strange training. At first he had made her practice chanted magic only once, but after that he had her do nothing but create earth bullets voicelessly. At first I had thought that there was no way she'd be able to use such a spell without chanting.

However, it only took one month. Right, in just one month Julie succeeded in using the earth bullet spell. It was voiceless. It was something to be amazed about.

According to Shishou, Julie was still far off from our desired level. Certainly, though Julie had tried to use earth bullet many times, she only succeeded once. She also ran out of mana quickly. On some days she wouldn't succeed even after practising the whole day. However, compared to I who had no talent… I expect that it would be best if I increase my abilities in another area.

Nevertheless, a young child like this could use chantless magic. Shishou had said "I was just following Fitts-senpai's advice" and didn't say anything else. But the one who taught Julie was Shishou. As expected of Shishou.

I had not made a mistake in becoming Shishou's disciple.

At the same time as doing this, Shishou also teaches Julie the Human Language. Surprisingly, she can understand it as long as it's just some basic words. Thinking about it, since she had spent a number of years in the Central Continent with her parents, this much is natural. It might be because of this that teaching her is really simple it seems. That merchant lied. No, since he had no reason to lie, it might be that Julie simply hadn't spoken it in their presence.

I think that Julie is a great purchase as well. Julie is a really sharp child. If I tell her to bring me this, she'll bring it to me. If I tell her to bring that, she'll bring it. She's good at guessing what I mean. She's almost like Ginger.

Normally so that they won't run away, a slave will be branded using a special magic seal. However, Shishou doesn't like those sorts of things. When we bought Julie, we didn't do that either. In the end he treated her as a disciple rather than a slave. Because of that, I decided to treat Julie as a young disciple. Thinking of her as a younger disciple rather than a slave, she mysteriously became more adorable.

Now then. That incident happened after class on a certain day.

When Shishou finishes his lessons with Julie, I tell Julie about the magnificence of dolls. It's an important time. One can't achieve great things without passion. Julie who has become the core of Shishou's grand plan must come to understand the magnificence of dolls.

Right, on that day. Today using the 『Ruijerd Doll』 as an example, I was going to talk about the greatness of Shishou's doll creating. Thinking that, I took out the doll from the locked box.

While Shishou was preparing to return to his room, he suddenly said something.

"Speaking of which, what happened to the one of Roxy?"

Because it was this topic, I ran a cold sweat. What I had thought he wouldn't ask, definitely wouldn't ask up until now, he asked. I was unconsciously going to tell him that I had left it in the Shirone Kingdom. However, I bit my lip and resisted. I won't lie. To Shishou, I'll definitely never lie.

"The truth is… it's, I have it here but…"

I can't speak smoothly. My hands are shaking. If Shishou knows about this, he might excommunicate me. Thinking this, my body feels like lead and I become unable to move.

"It's here? Since it's been a long time I want to see it. Could you please bring it out?"

Shishou's excited voice. My chest hurts.

After much effort, I finally bring out a single locked box from under the bed. My shaking hands undo the lock, and I produce the contents.

The moment he saw this, Shishou's gaze stopped moving.

"Oi, what is this…?"

Shishou's voice is trembling. His flat, monotone voice is trembling. I wanted to cry. It wasn't anything that scary.

Shishou's number one masterpiece. The 『1/10 Roxy Figurine』 was… cruelly broken into pieces, after all.

The head was removed, the parts for dressing her were broken, the arms were broken from the elbow, and the legs were twisted in unnatural directions. It was a miserable corpse. Only the cane was strong, so it wasn't broken.

"What's the meaning of this Zanoba? You, I, oi, just what the hell happened, hah…?"

Shishou was mad. Shishou who normally would speak uninterestedly in honorifics. His speech was strange and off tone.

"Haven't I told you how much I respect, and am grateful to her? Didn't you know just how much of my thoughts for Sensei were put into this figure?"

I clearly understood that Shishou was truly mad. Shishou who abased himself and praised Rinia and Pursena, who was just downhearted after being attacked by Cliff, who just made a troubled face when he was made fun of by Luke was truly mad.

He let off killing intent. Julie had become scared, and was now hiding behind me. I'm the one who wants to hide.

"You, could it be that you're ridiculing Roxy? Hey, could it be that you're an enemy?"

"T-, t-, t-, that's not the case!"

I shook my head in a panic. I always hear Shishou talk about Roxy. Shishou would always talk about how she was a wonderful person, or how she was someone who should be respected. It wasn't just admiration; you could feel some kind of fanaticism from it. Right, it's the same type of feeling that you'd get from the Order of the Temple in Milis.

Honestly speaking I don't particularly care about Roxy. However, if I say that plainly right now, Shishou will probably use his magic. If Shishou uses his magic in seriousness… I won't even leave behind ashes. Though I am said to be a miko with superhuman strength, this body of mine isn't that strong against magic.

"You're mistaken! This is something that I bet in a duel against Rinia and Pursena; it's something that is extremely important to me! When I lost the duel it was cruelly destroyed and stepped on, but I'd never, never think of ridiculing Roxy-dono!"

"Duel?"

I continued my explanation. I spoke single-mindedly. About how in my first year, I was challenged by Rinia and Pursena to a duel. About how at the time we wagered what was important to us. About how I brought the '1/10 Roxy Doll'. As a miko, I've never lost in the Shirone Kingdom. That's why I had no doubts about my victory. Even if they used advanced level magic, I was resolved to bear with it and swing my fists. However, they suddenly used a strange technique. Because of that, my free will was snatched away. After that they harassed and made fun of me. Losing without being able to do anything, I let go of the doll in tears. It couldn't be helped. I had lost after all. It couldn't be helped that that wonderful doll was taken from me. It was something that anyone would want. Thinking this, I resigned myself. However those two b*tches who don't know the value of things… They'd say things like "What is this?" and "It's gross nya" and dropped the doll, kicked and trampled it, and broke it into pieces.

Shishou's killing intent lessened.

"I see, you've suffered as well."

He pats me on the shoulder. He understood. Thinking this, I raise my voice and let out a miserable "Hii".

"If something like that happened, you should have told me from the start. Had I known, I wouldn't have smiled at them so frivolously."

Those kind words are said with a colourless face. His tone is different from usual. Somehow Shishou has gone past anger. Shishou doesn't talk about dolls often. Lately I had been thinking that perhaps he didn't love dolls that much. However I was wrong. The passion that Shishou hides deep down burns hotter than anyone's.

"Let's teach those girls a lesson."

Tonight, those two girls are going to die. I had confidence in this. I started to tremble in fear.

However, after a few seconds, that fearful trembling stopped and changed into trembles of joy. I realised that I had gained a powerful ally and would be able to take revenge for the doll.

"Yes, Shishou!"

Part 3 - Rudeus' Point of View

What an absolutely unforgivable story. To not only steal away something a person created, but also crush it underfoot… It's an outrageous display of violence. It's the same as smashing up someone's laptop with a baseball bat. To destroy people's belongings like nothing is…! Aahh, sheet. They're disgusting and I can't forgive them.

What I can't forgive above anything else is that they stepped on Roxy. Even if it was a doll, they stepped on Roxy.

In the Edo period, the Tokugawa shogunate would force concealed Christians to step on pictures of Jesus or Mary. In the past, I had laughed at this. 'As if you could identify them with a test like that!' I had thought. However, I understand it now. The feelings of those Christians. The disgrace you feel when something you believe in is trampled in front of you. The reality of the Shimabara Rebellion. The Humiliation of Canossa. The crusaders who forced themselves forward even when it was impossible. I understand it now.

I have to teach them a lesson.

I have to teach those two stupid animals just what it is they've done.

I must teach them a lesson.

I must teach them that there are consequences born from doing whatever you please.

"Listen up, Zanoba-san."

"Y-, yes."

"We'll catch them alive. We won't kill them. We must punish them for defying god."

"Punish them? I see."

"I think that for now we should catch them separately."

"However, those two always act together."

A two-man cell. Animals that move in packs really are smart.

"That's true. They're smart enough that you wouldn't think of them as animals. And speaking of those two, they have combat strength enough to defeat you, a miko… It seems like it'll be quite a tough battle for us."

"No, I think that with Shishou here it'll be more than manageable."

"It's no good to overestimate me. Victory is something that you grasp by always being modest, you know."

I keep myself composed. I keep composed. I keep cool. In my adventurer days, whether or not I was calm determined whether I lived or died. I'll always keep cool, always keep composed, and beat those animals to death.

"Let me tell you the plan."

"Sir!"

"Though their battle strength is unknown, we've already grasped their attack style. One of them will quickly charge forward while causing chaos with magic, and in that time the other will use voice magic to render the enemy powerless. It's simple, but the two of them are equally strong. Even if we attack the one in the rear, they have the ability to immediately change roles."

The one attacked will devote themselves to defence, and the other will wholeheartedly try to use the stun technique. Did Fitts-senpai defeat this combination? It would've been good to hear about it. Well, whatever. It's probably fine.

"However, this time it'll be two on two. If you use your real power, I don't think that you, a miko, will lose to them."

"…No, even if it wasn't a two on two, I think that Shishou alone would be plenty though."

"Zanoba. You admire me as a shishou. I'm glad. Regarding close combat, however, I have a childhood friend who's 2 years older than me that would always beat me up. Since then I've been trying to work out, but frankly speaking I have no confidence at all."

"Eh!? There's a person who can beat Shishou up!?"

"There certainly is. At the very least, I know of three such people."

They're Eris, Ruijerd, and Orsted. Though I only know three people, if I searched I'd definitely find more. And it isn't necessarily true that Rinia and Pursena aren't among them.

If I use my demon eye and magic, I can win against Eris. However, I've virtually never fought with her for real. Rinia and Pursena are about the same age as Eris. It would be better to treat them as having that level of power.

"Shishou is being too humble."

"Zanoba-kun. Victory is not something you can be certain of. We mustn't let Roxy-sensei be trampled on again. I actually want to ask Elinalise or Fitts-senpai for help. Unfortunately, the two of them are busy, so this time it'll just be us."

Elinalise doesn't really get involved with personal quarrels. Even though she had been in Roxy's care, 'Isn't it fine if it's just a doll? It's not as if Roxy herself has been done in.' she would say. She's a cold-hearted one.

"Sir! In that case let's immediately send them a letter for a duel. In my country, we have an ancient custom of sending a letter with a knife and a single flower when we duel. The Dorudia tribe have a similar custom where they throw a rotting fruit at their enemy's head. However, I've never heard of such a custom so it might just be a lie, but it's what I heard when I dueled them. What will Shishou be doing?"

"I'm going to ambush them."

"Eh? Isn't that unfair…?"

Hmph, if it's unfair then great. This isn't a duel. This is a crusade. Since it's a crusade, being unfair is fine. As long as it's in the name of religion, anything is acceptable. Victory is all that matters.

Part 4

However, I gave up on the ambush. I couldn't think of a way to fool the noses of the Dorudia tribe after all.

In the end, we simply waited to attack them. It was from the front, fair and square.

There's a separate building a little distance away from the main school building. From there we search for a route to the dorms, and position ourselves somewhere with no people. It's by the forest and is an open space that's hard to see from elsewhere.

There, we wait grandly, taking imposing poses. It's evening now. There are few passerbys. I don't have a policy of holding my duels during the evening or anything. It's because right now is when their lessons end and they're leaving the school building. By the end of the day their mana is depleted, or so my plan went.

Even so, they're late. They disgrace all delinquents because they properly attend their lessons. Even though it would have been fine to gather on the rooftop late in the afternoon.

My arms are crossed, and together with Zanoba I'm waiting in an imposing stance. It had gone past evening and it was just about to truly darken, and was around the time that I'd be done with dolls. At that time, they appeared.

"What's this, nya?"

"Like, what's this, nano?"

They saw the two of us who posed here. Rinia glared at me in suspicion.

"Oi, you guys, if you stand there you'll get in people's way, nya. Move aside, nya."

So she said, but I didn’t move. Pursena sniffs at the air. Pursena licks her lips and grins broadly.

"Rinia, it seems that these guys like, wanna have a go."

Hearing this, Rinia stares at Zanoba who's standing behind me. Then she sighs.

"Zanoba. Aren't you ashamed, nya? Though it's revenge for that time, what's the deal about bringing that first year boy along, nya…?"

"Hmph."

Zanoba snorts and turns his head away. A vein bulges on Rinia's head.

"Pissing me off, it's an attitude that I can't stomach nya. It looooks like I'll have to break the other doll, nya."

"Mu… Shishou, I'll-"

With an angry expression Zanoba made to step forward but I stopped him. I'm irritated as well. By the other doll, she probably means the Ruijerd doll. In other words they intend to break the figurine of my benefactor and friend.

"Isn't it fine? There's nothing to be ashamed about. You two who are always together are much more shameful. People are always saying that you can't do anything by yourselves, anyhow."

"What was that nya…?"

Rinia and Pursena are making threatening expressions like "!?" are floating in the air. However, as expected they're not scary. I know someone who holds a much more terrifying bloodthirst. If that person was told a line like that, without a sword she'd jump in and attack. She'd hit you, pull you to the ground, mount you and pound you with her fists while hurling acidic words at you. These guys are lukewarm.

"You… Don't get too carried away, you first year. Since you seemed to be Jii-chan's acquaintance I overlooked you nya, but if your mouth gets too big I'll beat you to death, you know."

What's with that? It's like we're picking a fight with them for no reason, isn't it?

"Look, if you get it then piss off, nya. We're already done with messing around nya, so we're busy honours students now nya. Go pick a fight somewhere else nya."

Saying that, Rinia waved us away. I can't stand anything about her. Though I used to get really aroused by this 'nyaa nyaa' business in the past, I'm angry at the moment and I can't see it except as making fun of us.

"You're freaking noisy with all the 'nyaa nyaa'. Can the Beast Race speak nothing but that kind of sheetty Human Language? My acquaintances all speak it perfectly, you know. You're not a baby so how about you try pronouncing things properly!?"

"Nya!?"

!?

Rinia's mouth shot open in anger. Her pupils suddenly narrowed. She let out a breath angrily, and her tail is standing on end.

"You… I'll strip you nyaked and pour water all over you!"

That's something that's already happened to me. It's second-rate as a threat. And hearing this makes her seem like quite the idiot.

"Rinia gets like, angry right away… Fakku nano."

Muttering this, Pursena bared her fangs and brought her hands to her mouth. It brings to mind the time when I was done in by Gyes. It's voice magic.

"Hukaaah!"

Pursena seemed to be preparing her technique. Rinia kicked off the ground. With a sound, Rinia leapt sideways and vanished.

<Rinia will move right beside me in 3 steps, and will suddenly charge in to attack me>

It's reasonably fast. However, I've already activated my demon eye. It's not so fast that I can't see her.

"Zanoba! Pursena!"

I watch Rinia and give instructions to Zanoba.

While I speak, I aim my hand towards Pursena. It's difficult to tell when her voice magic activates using my demon eye. It'd be better to stop her before that happens. However, I don't understand the flow of mana for the voice magic. As a result, I don't know if I can use Disturb Magic. That's why I create a huge cloud of sand before her.

"…! -Cough! Cough!-"

Pursena who inhaled quite a bit is now coughing violently.

"Shaa!"

At the same time Rinia thrusts. I see it. It's slow, crude, and she throws her whole weight in. I could probably dodge it just fine even without using my demon eye. She can't even hold a flame to Eris. Eris was faster, sharper and more beast-like than the Beast Race, more determined and finally, stronger.

I match her movements and counter her. I shoot my palm towards her chin. With just that, Rinia jerks and messes up her stance. I pursue her. I strike her forehead and bring her to the ground. I step on her chest. Overlooking her, I create a rock bullet. A clear sound resounds.

"GINYAN!?"

Rinia easily parts with her consciousness. I remove my foot from Rinia who looks like a squashed frog. Because of the force from the fight, her skirt is upturned. Hm, it's white today, huh?

I turn my eyes towards Pursena and Zanoba. As according to the plan, Zanoba moves towards the attacker in the rear who is assigned the role of using voice magic. Zanoba can't catch up. Pursena who is moving on four limbs is fast. Or more like, Zanoba is slow. Is he a throw character or something!? All he has is physical strength. He needs to train his running more.

I create a bog in front of Pursena. Because the ground in front of her was suddenly turned muddy, she tripped up and fell face first into the mud.

"Wahu!?"

At the same time, I use earth magic and harden the mud.

"What!? Like what's this, nano!?"

Pursena was trying to pull out of the hardened mud in a panic. I fired an earth bullet from my right hand.

"GYAN!?"

A nice sound rang out and Pursena fainted.

It was over.

"Hu… Alright, come!"

At my signal, Julie who's been hiding behind a bush trots over with a large sack. Together with Zanoba, they stuff the two girls into the sack.

Still, that ended more quickly than I'd expected. Is that just how these things are?

Eris would never think of going out of her way to attack from the side. Her fist would always find the shortest path. Also, she would never have been hit by that first counter. Even assuming she was hit, she'd have changed the site of impact and avoided being concussed. Doing so, she wouldn't have received the attack on the temple and fallen to the ground either. Even if she did fall to the ground, she'd immediately begin to grapple and attack. She wouldn't have allowed me to step on her chest either. In the instant that I did that, she'd catch my knee or ankle and might even break them. Even if she broke them, my rock bullet wouldn't stop though.

It was the same for Pursena's situation, too. If it were Eris, she wouldn't have tripped up just because the ground in front of her turned into mud. She'd properly keep her balance, or she'd stand still and get out of it.

Of course, there's no way Eris could do this in the beginning. Because she stacked up a lot of experience in battling me, she became able to cope with it. However, when I did something like that to Paul, he dealt with it even on the first time. As long as it's an advanced ranked swordsman with plenty of experience, they'd be able to avoid something like a bog.

Moreover, these days even monsters won't be caught by bogs. Even the stray dragon… Hm? The stray dragon got caught didn't it?

…Hm?

Could it be that Paul and Eris are just really strong? I'd heard that they had talent but…

"As expected of Shishou, I didn't even get a turn."

Zanoba returns carrying the sack. I stop thinking about those things and turn to face him.

"No, even I was surprised."

"You're being modest. Come on, let's return to the room."

"Yeah."

We walk down the now dark path while taking care not to be seen by anyone.

"Julie, watch your feet, okay?"

"I', I'm fi, ne."

It feels that there's a bit of fear mixed into Julie's eyes when she looks at me.

Author's comments below

I was wondering just which of these I should pick as the subtitle,

"Rudeus vs Rinia vs Pursena"

"Good-for-Nothing Bluedeus"

"We're Going to Get Two Pets!? Huge Chaos Due to Pet Turmoil!"

but decided against it.