Heat the Pig Liver - Volume 3: Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Don’t Unduly Sniff at a Girl’s Legs

“Mister Pig, have you heard the story about the three great treasures slumbering in Mestria?”

 

I looked up from the carpeted floor, towards the cute blonde girl’s face that peered at me from the bed.

 

(No, I haven’t heard of it before.)

 

There’s Jess’ left and right breasts… and what’s the last one?

 

“Um, you don’t have concern yourself over me that much…”

 

Jess raised her body slightly, straightened her nightwear around her chest area, and laid back down on the bed.

 

My automatic dirty way of thinking and Jess’ mind-reading ability were really incompatible to the highest level.

 

(You know you don’t have to react to my monologues, right?)

 

“I understand, but… I can’t help being conscious of it…”

 

How many dozen times have we had this conversation by now?  Anyway, I returned to the subject.

 

“So what are the three great treasures?”

 

It felt like Jess’ eyes were sparkling as she replied.

 

“The Spear of Destruction, the Cup of Salvation, and the Wedge of Contracts.”

 

Those were some heavy names.

 

(What kind of treasures are they?)

 

Jess lightly tilted her head to the side.

 

“Well… it seems only their names and the fact that they exist have been passed down.  No one knows what they’re actually like.  They’re believed to have been in Mestria since ages ago – long before Vatis-sama founded the royal dynasty.”

 

(I thought the history prior to Vatis was buried in darkness?)

 

I remembered what Jess told me in the past.  The Dark Ages was a time where mages would continuously fight amongst each other, repaying bloodshed with further bloodshed.  The one to put an end to all that was Vatis, the founder of the current dynasty.  It’s said that Vatis rewrote history prior to the Dark Ages to suit her needs.

 

“Yes, most of it was, but there are still some legends that have survived to this day through fairytales and bedtime stories.  The three great treasures often appear in these stories.”

 

Hm.  Interesting.

 

(The fact that they’ve been regarded as treasures since the days where there were a lot of mages must mean they’re extremely valuable items that even mages can’t create.)

 

“I see…  It does make sense to view them that way.”

 

Seeing Jess deliberate over this so seriously, I asked.

 

(So why did you suddenly mention the topic of those great treasures?)

 

“Actually, I heard Markus-sama talking about the Spear of Destruction today.”

 

(You mean that stupid, straight-laced, stubborn geezer?)

 

Markus is the king of Mestria, and the father of Shulavis, who’s Jess’ fiancé.  He’s short-tempered, aggressive, and scheming – very much not the type that enjoys fairytales.

 

“I don’t think that’s a very nice thing to say, but… yes, the fact that Markus-sama actually mentioned it makes me think perhaps those great treasures really do exist.”

 

(Ah, I see.  Speaking of the Spear of Destruction, it sounds like a tool for attacking with…  Is his aim what I think it is?)

 

“Yeah, it’s probably… for dealing with the surreptitious sorcerer.”

 

The surreptitious sorcerer – an immortal mage who bared his fangs against the royal dynasty.  Markus appears to be searching for a way to kill the mage, but it doesn’t look like he’s found an answer yet.  Until the surreptitious sorcerer has been taken care of, the royal dynasty’s citizens will have to live the rest of their lives in fear of death.  Naturally, this applies to Jess as well.

 

(That means Markus thinks the Spear of Destruction could be the key to defeating the surreptitious sorcerer.)

 

“Yes.  It would be great if we could find it soon and end this war.”

 

(Yeah.)

 

My eyes accidentally met Jess’, and I wordlessly looked away.

 

(Putting that aside, we need to focus on tomorrow’s task first.)

 

As I conveyed this, Jess nodded.

 

“Right.  Tomorrow, we’ll finally be meeting that person.”

 

Her tone of voice was low, almost to the extent of being a whisper.

 

At last, we were going to meet with Nott and the Liberation Army tomorrow.  A week has passed since the shocking deduction.  With the help of Prince Shulavis, we’re finally ready to meet with the suspect.  The only people who know about this plan are me, Jess, and Shulavis.  It’s a secret plan to reconcile the Liberation Army and the royal dynasty.

 

I reassured the restless-looking Jess.

 

(Don’t worry.  We’re merely going to see a cute doggy.  If I’m wrong, you’ll just have to put up with being licked and sniffed by that dog.  But if I’m right-)

 

Jess swallowed nervously.

 

(I’ll handle the necessary negotiations.  I hope you can mediate my conversation with him, Jess.)

 

Jess breathed a sigh of relief.

 

“That’s a relief…  I honestly thought Mister Pig was going to say you’ll lick and sniff me instead if you were right…”

 

She sure understands me well.  I certainly considered saying that.

 

(We’re having a serious discussion. There’s no way I would make that sort of joke.)

 

“But your inner voice sure is honest.”

 

Jess smiled with a half-resigned face.

 

(…Can I lick and sniff you?)

 

“You can’t.”

 

Her prompt reply made my pig ears droop.

 

“Um, that’s because there’s a certain order to this sort of thing…”

 

After saying that, Jess blushed and crawled into her bed.

 

I didn’t know what kind of order she’s talking about, but since there was a black pig that relentlessly licked a thirteen-year-old girl right after returning to Mestria, I think this level of skinship should be allowed.

 

I’m a pig after all.

 

The bedroom was silent.  With a brisk wave of her hand, Jess turned off the ceiling light with magic.

 

“…I’m feeling kind of nervous.”

 

An uneasy voice came from the bed.

 

“The people of the Liberation Army – Mr. Nott and Ms. Celes, their fates may depend on us.”

 

Indeed, this wasn’t a light-hearted event like going to a dog park to play.

 

Though they’re born mages, these girls are forced to wear collars and are distributed as slaves in order to stabilize society and maintain the race of mages.  These girls, in which nearly all of them are hunted and killed, are Yesmas.  Though the royal dynasty, which wants to protect the current system, and the Liberation Army, which wants to destroy this system, have currently formed an alliance to fend off their common enemy – the Northern Forces, this alliance will eventually collapse in the foreseeable future.  We’re going to persuade a neutral party, who could be a key person that can prevent this from happening, to assist us.

 

(Yeah, but don’t worry.  It’s not like we’re going out to fight an enemy.  We’re simply proposing a strategy to our allies.  All you needs to care about, Jess, is what’s underneath your skirt.)

 

“I should wear more protective clothes…”

 

(That’s good.)

 

Tranquility.  The capital, protected by powerful magic from its successive rulers, is quiet and peaceful; it was almost as if the turbulences of this world were all a lie.  I could hear the rustling sound of Jess moving underneath her cover.

 

A part of me couldn’t help but wish this moment would last forever.

 

“Um, Mister Pig?”

 

(Yeah?)

 

Well shoot.  Of course Jess can hear my monologues clearly.

 

“…Good night.”

 

(Yeah, good night.)

 

The moonlight gently illuminated the window.

 

Little did we know at the time, our choices would escalate into a turmoil that would determine the fate of the royal dynasty.

 

 

“Hurry up and get on, Pig.”

 

We were at the top of the capital, and a huge, terrifying dragon was lying down in the square.  With my four limbs, I walked up its wing bones that were positioned to form a slope and stuck myself in one of the seats that were affixed to its spiny back.  The seats looked like they were taken from a rollercoaster ride, and of course, there were no safety belts.

 

Seeing that I was on board, Prince Shulavis made a “Hup!” sound, and the dragon stood up.  To the left and right of my vision, its large wings flapped.  Jess also didn’t appear accustomed to this kind of air travel, as she sat next to me, tightly gripping the seat cushion.  I looked at her hands, and her beautiful legs in thigh-high socks, which calmed me down.  Maybe I made a mistake in recommending that she wear protective clothes – I regretted.

 

The dragon soared high into the sky and headed for Munires, where Nott and the others were.  The ride was like a ship pushing through a stormy sea.  In other words, it was horrible.

 

The seats on the dragon’s back were protected by magic, as there was no wind even though we were exposed to the elements.  Shulavis sat in the front, and the fluffy blonde hair behind his head gently swayed along with the undulation of the dragon’s wings.

 

“Do you like Jess’ bare legs?”

 

When I heard Shulavis’ voice, I inadvertently asked back.

 

“Huh, what?”

 

“You were thinking ‘Maybe I made a mistake in recommending that she wear protective clothes,’ weren’t you?”

 

Even though Jess was kind enough to ignore it, why did you have to go out of your way to dig it back up?

 

(Yeah, and?  All men like girls’ bare legs, no?)

 

“Is that how it is…?”

 

(That’s how it is.)

 

While we were having this conversation, Jess on the side was looking down with her face flushed.

 

(Look at what you did.  Jess is embarrassed because you brought up some dirty talk.)

 

You sexually harassing bastard, read the room before you speak.

 

“Isn’t it your fault for having those vulgar thoughts in the first place?”

 

Damn…!  I have nothing to retort with!

 

The royal family’s mages seem to have perfectly mastered the sorcery for preventing their minds from being read, and I was told none of Shulavis’ thoughts would be leaked to Jess.  Even though this taciturn handsome guy must have thought about things like this or that, the fact that I’m the only one whose thoughts were revealed was unfair.

 

“…It’s possible that you and Uncle might get along very well.”

 

Shulavis turned around and said.  His thick eyebrows and prominent facial features, combined with his fair skin, made him look like a sculpture.

 

(You mean Hortis?  Why do you say that?)

 

“Uncle is, how should I put it…  He’s someone that tends to be lecherous.”

 

What?  To think that it matches up even in a spot like this.

 

I thought back to Nott’s partner, Rossi.  He’s a dog that loves to lick and sniff girls.  Particularly when he was traveling with Jess, he kept sniffing at Jess’ bare legs like it was par for the course.  If his true identity is that he’s Shulavis’ uncle, and he took advantage of being an animal to repeatedly perform those perverted acts, then those behaviors were unforgivable.

 

“Well, I don’t think you’re any different…”

 

I ignored Shulavis’ retort after he read my monologue, and proceeded with the conversation.

 

(Alright, let’s review the relevant facts and our future plans.)

 

Jess looked here and nodded.

 

(We’re going to meet with Nott.  Our objective is his dog, Rossi.  Rossi met him five years ago when he was embarking on his journey to pursue his beloved Ys, who was kidnapped from the Bapsas monastery that had burned down.)

 

It was a fateful encounter.  But what if there was a reason behind the encounter?

 

(At the same time, Markus’ younger brother, Hortis, disappeared from the capital.  This was because he couldn’t forgive Markus, for burning down the monastery and mercilessly killing the Yesmas there, and King Evis, for allowing that to happen.  From that, we can deduce Hortis may have transformed into Rossi.)

 

Shulavis nodded in agreement.

 

“I have no objections.  Uncle’s magic isn’t particularly powerful, but he’s a skilled mage, so it wouldn’t be strange for him to have mastered the sorcery for transforming into animals.  I think there’s plenty of room for suspicion.”

 

“There’s also the testimony from the librarian, who said Hortis was interested in transformation.”  Jess supplemented.

 

These were the results of our investigation over the past week.

 

(Right.  Not to mention, both Rossi and Hortis are perverts.  This is quite suspicious.  We’ll present these facts to Rossi and get him to confess his true identity.  Then, we’ll ask him to negotiate with the royal dynasty as a member of the Liberation Army.)

 

At present, the Liberation Army’s position was overwhelmingly unfavorable.  They’re only alive because the royal dynasty sees they have decent military power and the support of the people.  But if Markus deems them unnecessary, who knows what’ll happen.  We need a card that the dynasty wants or fears.  And that’s the king’s brother.

 

“This plan needs to be kept a secret from Father, right?”

 

(Yeah.  We’ll play our trump card when the time is right.  Your dad should be busy with politics and the war, so it shouldn’t be too hard to keep it a secret for now.)

 

“Understood.  You have my full cooperation.”

 

“Let’s do our best!”

 

Jess gave us her specialty guts pose.

 

Shulavis glanced at her, then faced forward and adjusted course with his reins.

 

 

Journeys on foot are always long, but journeys by air are fleeting.

 

After a while, I could see the large-scale streetscape of Munires.  It’s a commercial city in the south, and is a safe place with solid defenses from the royal army.

 

The dragon maintained its altitude as it arrived above Munires, and then slowly descended vertically, landing in the royal army’s grounds.

 

I was told Markus created this dragon from a lizard, and it emits light that matches the color of the sky from its underside, making it extremely difficult to spot from below when flying high up.  It probably utilizes some form of counter-illumination that some deep-sea fishes use to hide their presence in the sea.  In order to make full use of this characteristic, it maintained its altitude even when approaching the city until it entered the royal army’s grounds.

 

The Liberation Army’s base was adjacent to the royal army’s grounds.  Thanks to the king’s generosity, the central members of the Liberation Army were given a splendid, stone-built house to live in.  We visited the mansion where the officers stayed.

 

It was a three-story mansion with a light-blue painted outer wall.  The trees in the large garden were neatly trimmed, allowing the autumn wind to dye their leaves into beautiful colors.  Nott, who came to greet us at the entrance, was luxuriously dressed, and also wore a long brown coat.  Just like the last time I saw him, he wore a black stole around his neck, and his twin daggers glowed on his waist.

 

“What is it, frizzy-hair from the royal dynasty?  Did you take the trouble to come here and die?”

 

Nott greeted bluntly, before shifting his gaze towards me and Jess.

 

“I’m glad you guys still seem to be doing well.”

 

The last time we met was during the battle at Matto.  Nott seems to distrust Shulavis, who didn’t show up to help when we were confronting the surreptitious sorcerer.

 

Without showing any particular emotion, Shulavis handed over a large leather bag to Nott.

 

“Here’s some money and ristas, as thanks for handling the fight last time.”

 

Nott accepted it as a matter-of-factly.

 

“It’s quite heavy.  As expected of the royal dynasty, you must've earned a lot of money just from selling Yesmas.”

 

As Nott oozed with sarcasm, the mansion door opened, and a gloomy-looking figure came out into the garden.

 

“What’s he here for?  I’ve got plenty of target dummies already.”

 

The large crossbow on his back glowed.  This was Josh, an officer of the Liberation Army, and a master of crossbows.

 

“Looks like resupplies.  Take it.”

 

Nott handed the leather bag to Josh.  Josh looked at Nott’s eyes, and obediently returned inside the mansion.

 

“You came to see me in person, so you must have something to say.  Hurry up and get to the point.”

 

After Nott said that, Shulavis looked at me.  I conveyed to Nott through Jess.

 

(I’m the one who wanted to talk.  Sorry, but could you call Rossi here?)

 

“Rossi?  What do you need a dog for?”

 

(I have something I want to ask him.)

 

“Although he can understand words quite a bit, he can’t speak.”

 

Nott frowned, seemingly baffled.

 

Jess encouraged from the side, “That’s fine, please call him!”

 

Nott appeared unconvinced, but he reluctantly nodded.

 

“Alright, got it.”

 

Nott whistled.  A few seconds later, a white figure leapt out from the side of the mansion and rushed straight towards Jess.

 

“Eh, w-wait.  Mr. Rossi, ah…”

 

Rossi approached Jess from behind and started by burying the tip of his nose into her soft buttocks.  Then, he seized the opportunity to press his face between her thighs and continuously sniff wildly.

 

Must be ni-, what an undisciplined dog.

 

(Sorry, but can you calm that perverted dog down?)

 

Nott raised his eyebrows slightly.

 

“Rossi, wait.”

 

The large dog that had been intently sniffing Jess’ thighs sat down on the spot and poked his head out from Jess’ crotch.  Jess stiffened with a forced smile.

 

 

(Try talking to him, Shulavis.)

 

It was a tense moment.  Shulavis crouched in front of Jess and faced Rossi.

 

“Uncle.”

 

The dog that was panting and smiling with his tongue out froze in that state.

 

“…What are you saying?”

 

Nott asked questioningly.

 

“This pig was the one to notice it.  The time when my uncle disappeared, and the time when this dog, who became your partner, appeared before you, matches up perfectly.”

 

Jess awkwardly looked down at the dog sticking his head out from between her legs.  If Rossi really was Hortis, then this situation was far from encouraging to be having a touching reunion between uncle and nephew.  I doubt it’s often that you see your uncle saying hello to you from beneath your fiancé’s crotch.

 

“You’re Uncle, right?”

 

With a serious face, Shulavis looked straight at the dog, and Rossi’s eyes swam.  Looks like we got it right.  Shall I arrest you for your present crimes, you perverted bastard?

 

“Don’t be stupid, how could…”

 

Nott looked down at his partner with furrowed brows.  Three people and an animal’s gazes were concentrated at Jess’ crotch.  Silence.

 

“…Woof arf.”

 

Rossi made an unheard of timid whimper.  Was that his desperate attempt at trying to make himself seem even just a little more dog-like?  Nott’s eyes widened.

 

“Rossi, you’re…”

 

A brief moment passed.  Rossi retracted his tongue, and a middle-aged man’s magnetic voice resounded in my head.

 

─I knew you would come, my prided nephew, clever Pig-kun, and Jess.  I believed that the three of you would have been able to figure out the truth!

 

The white dog raised the corners of his mouth and grinned.  This guy actually dared to claim that so brazenly!

 

The one most confused presently was probably Nott, who didn’t have a chance to mentally prepare for this.  He placed a hand on his forehead, revealing a rare, flustered look.

 

“Hold on.  Rossi’s… a human?”

 

Nott rudely pushed Shulavis aside and confronted Jess’ crotch.  His hand gripped Rossi’s chin forcefully.

 

“This must be some kind of joke, right?”

 

─…Sorry, Nott-kun.  I’ve been hiding my identity for the past five years.  However, I had my reasons for doing so.  I hope you’ll allow me to explain everything here.

 

Nott didn’t loosen his stern expression.

 

“Since you’re the frizzy-hair’s uncle, in short, you’re a mage from the royal dynasty.”

 

Rossi moved his head awkwardly, and Jess, who was unable to move, let out an “Nn!” sound.

 

Stop.

 

Despite the grim atmosphere, I approached Nott and Rossi.

 

(I understand the situation to some extent, so the outcome shouldn’t anything bad.  For starters, Mr. Hortis, please get out from underneath Jess.  That’s my territory.)

 

After a dog-like whine, the white dog lowered his head and slipped out from between Jess’ legs.  Jess sighed in relief as she touched her chest.

 

─Sorry, it was because of a dog’s habits…

 

Although I really wanted to tell him not to blame everything on habits, there was no room to make a straight man’s comment in this serious situation.  I’ll decide on how to deal with this pervert later.  For now, let’s proceed with the conversation.

 

(Mr. Hortis, can you please turn back into a human first?  I know it’s weird saying this as a pig, but it’s difficult talking to a dog.)

 

When I conveyed that through Jess, the dog gently shook his head.

 

─Sorry, but I can’t change back on my own.

 

“You can’t change back on your own?”

 

Shulavis questioned back.

 

─Let me explain the circumstances leading up to this point first.  I want to clear up Nott-kun’s misunderstanding as soon as possible.

 

I glanced at Nott.  He had his hands on the hilts of his twin daggers as if he might cut off Rossi’s head at any moment.

 

(Calm down, Nott.  Even if he’s from the royal dynasty-)

 

“Shut it, you stupid, perverted pig.  You’re telling me, my partner that I’ve been with for the past five years was actually a mage from the royal dynasty?  Who’d stay calm after hearing that?”

 

Despite uttering those words, Nott withdrew his hands from his daggers’ hilts while under the gaze of the white dog’s round eyes.

 

“…Alright, fine.  Even pigs can give lectures these days, so I won’t be daunted by something of this caliber.  I’ll listen to what Rossi has to say for now.”

 

Nott frowned, and took a seat on the lawn.

 

“Tell me the whole story.”

 

Rossi also sat down on the spot, resulting in an arrangement where three humans and a pig were listening to a dog’s story.

 

─Let me start by introducing myself.  My name is Hortis.  I’m King Markus’ younger brother.  I’ve been watching you all for some time, so you don’t need to reintroduce yourselves.

 

He spoke concisely and articulately.  Judging by his tone of voice, I expected him to be quite sharp.

 

─To put it simply, I couldn’t stomach the royal dynasty’s approach.  It’s the same reason as Nott-kun and the others from the Liberation Army.  So I left.  I didn’t want to be discovered by the dynasty, and I didn’t want to remain as a mage, thus I turned into a dog using this anklet-

 

The dog raised his left forepaw as he said that.  A silver anklet was snugly fit on there.

 

─I sealed my magic power and retired.  Then, I met a boy who was caught in an unreasonable situation.  I felt the young man had a bright future, so I decided to stay with him as a dog until my death.

 

Hortis chose his words carefully, seemingly to avoid mentioning the fact that Markus was responsible for burning down the monastery.  It was a wise decision.  It’s not yet time for Nott to know about this.

 

Nott slowly opened his mouth.

 

“In other words, even though you’re of royal descent, you abandoned the royal dynasty, threw away your magic, and became a hunting dog, wagging your tail for this kind of wandering huntsman?”

 

─Correct.  And I have no regrets.  If the clever Pig-kun and the others didn’t figure me out, I planned on staying like this for the rest of my life.  Ultimately, I hate bothersome things.

 

It’s said that mages are well versed in not allowing their minds to be read.  If he remained a dog, he certainly could have spent the rest of his life without being discovered.

 

The dog was calm.  It was as if the fact that he had been sniffing Jess’ lower half until just now was a lie.

 

“Interesting.  So, what?  Do I just cut off your left leg and you’ll regain your magic power, then you’ll join us in destroying the royal dynasty?”

 

─Hold it.  It’s not that simple.

 

The dog stopped his master with his front leg.

 

─This anklet has attribution magic applied to it.  Even if you forcibly remove it, it’ll just wrap around my body again, making that pointless.  I devised it so that I definitely couldn’t change back on my own.  You need to follow certain steps.

 

“Steps?”

 

As Nott furrowed his brows, the dog turned my way.

 

─I need some things from the capital in order to change back.  Could you bring them to me?

 

 

“Why did he designate the locations in such a strange way?”

 

(Who knows?  It’s probably because he’s a pervert.)

 

The afternoon was sunny.  As soon as Jess and I returned to the capital, we immediately got to work searching for what were needed.  Shulavis had combat training to attend to.

 

The capital city, built on the slopes of a rocky mountain, was intricate in various ways.  Narrow paths paved with whitish stone weaved through its stone buildings and would suddenly turn to stairs, occasionally even cutting through rock-cut caves.  With Jess leading us, we headed towards our first destination.

 

This was that guy’s instructions:

 

─I want you to obtain the Spring Water, and the Sealed History Book.  I’ll tell you where to find them, so make sure to remember what I’m about to say.

 

As for the details regarding the Spring Water, Jess wrote it down on the piece of paper she was holding in her hand.

 

The road to the spring passes through three locations.

The first location is a blooming plaza, where its flowerbeds are decorated with flowers that never wither.

From there, two large mountains can be spotted where the second location is.

The third location is in front of your eyes, where two small fruits are borne.

Using only the left wing, head towards the spring that unlocks the seal.

 

From a metaphor professional’s point of view, there was nothing but trouble in those words.  But for whatever reason, Jess’ eyes were sparkling with joy, so I decided to accompany her.

 

“The first location is simple.  Ahead is the Flower Plaza that was created by Vatis-sama.  It’s said that the flowers made from stone have continued to bloom for more than a hundred years.”

 

Jess merrily rounded the corner and exited the narrow alley onto the main street.  Aside from the fact that there were no children, the people walking to and fro in the capital seemed like ordinary residents.  The rows of buildings made from white stones housed a number of neat storefronts.

 

After walking along the main street for some time, my field of view suddenly opened up, and we arrived at a circular plaza.

 

(Is this the Flower Plaza?)

 

“It looks like it!”

 

The plaza was built in the middle of an incline, and half of it was facing outside the capital – that is to say, it protruded towards the western sky like an observation deck, and from beyond, I could see the vast land of Mestria.  The other half of the plaza was on the incline, with terraced flowerbeds spread across it magnificently.  However, the flowers blooming there were not real flowers.  They were roses made of white marble, carefully crafted from stem to leaves.

 

(It’s as if actual roses were turned into stone.)

 

When I conveyed that, Jess, who was looking at the stone flowers with great interest, turned her head in my direction.

 

“Perhaps that really was how they were created.”

 

I see.  Since she had enough magic power to end the Dark Ages, doing something like this was probably a cakewalk.

 

(The flowerbeds with flowers that never wither should be referring to this place.  Shall we look for the mountains next?)

 

“Okay!”

 

Although I confirmed it already when we had arrived, as expected, we weren’t able to find a scenery that could be considered as having “two large mountains” beyond the west side of the capital.

 

The Flower Plaza appeared to be a traffic hub, with five roads leading from it.  Since we could see the roads from here, the mountains had to be at the end of one of them.

 

Jess and I walked through the plaza to confirm what laid ahead of each road.  Two out of the five roads were large paths that softly curved away, and they had no landmarks in particular that we could see.  At the end of one of the remaining three roads, there was a small square with a trophy-shaped fountain.  Another road branched into two routes further down the path, with a nude statue of a woman standing at the crossroad.  And the last path became a descending stairway halfway through, with a grassy garden and a large tower visible at the end.

 

“This is quite difficult…”

 

Jess pondered.

 

“The tower down there could conceivably be considered a mountain.  But there’s only one, so it can’t be called two mountains…  It would be too much of a stretch to call a statue or a fountain a mountain…  Maybe if we continue a bit further down the large paths, we’ll be able to see the mountains?”

 

……

 

(Hey Jess, can I say the answer?)

 

Jess looked downwards at me like she was taken by surprise.

 

“Eeeh?!  Mister Pig already figured it out?”

 

You guys may have already figured it out as well.  The clue is that they’re mountains invisible to those with pure hearts.

 

(It’s simple once you realize what that pervert was implying.  Let’s go.)

 

“Eh?  But could you please wait a moment?!”

 

Stopped by Jess, I turned around.

 

(What’s wrong?)

 

“Sorry, I… I want to figure out the answer on my own.”

 

Jess pursed her lips and made a slightly frustrated face.  Now that’s a rare sight.  It’s not often that I get to see this kind of innocent Jess.

 

(Sure.  I’ll wait a while so you can try figuring it out on your own.)

 

“Okay!”

 

Jess muttered “two mountains, two mountains…” while walking around the plaza.  I also followed closely behind.  I felt sorry for her, but I doubt she would be able to arrive at the answer.

 

After a few minutes, Jess stopped.

 

“Um…”

 

Anticipating what Jess was about to say, I looped around her feet and stood in front of her.

 

“Sorry, but I still can’t figure it out.  Could you please give me a hint?”

 

Alright.  While I was under Jess’ watchful gaze, I conveyed to her.

 

(Right now, you should be able to see two mountains in your current sight.)

 

“Um?”

 

Jess looked around.

 

(No, that’s not what I meant.  Look at me.)

 

I sat right in front of Jess.  Her gaze moved down.

 

“Erm… I can only see Mister Pig and my feet…”

 

(Are you able to see anything a bit closer?)

 

Though the mountains aren’t that big.

 

My intentions seemed to have been conveyed, as Jess’ face turned red.

 

“Oh… I get it!  It’s that kind of mountain!”

 

Jess appeared to have finally figured it out, and she headed towards the road with the statue of a nude woman.  We stopped in front of the life-size marble statue.  There were no inscriptions or the likes.  It was simply a realistic carving of a woman with large breasts, wearing a loincloth and looking upwards.  The two large mountains was a dirty joke.  Looks like that guy hasn’t changed since he became Rossi.  He’s still the lowest perverted bastard of the low.

 

(Okay, so now we’re at the second location.  Next is the third.  “In front of your eyes” refers to…)

 

The female statue was looking quite far up.  I followed her line of sight.

 

“There seems to be another statue at the top of the stairs ahead.”

 

At the very top of the steep slope where not even a house was built, there was a landing place with a white statue that shone in the sunlight.  I couldn’t see it very clearly, but it looked to be a statue of a nude young girl.  Her arms were outstretched, as if she was about to fly away.

 

(The meaning behind “where two small fruits are borne” …Do you get it?)

 

As I confirmed it with Jess, she pressed her right hand against her chest and smiled wryly while appearing conscious of something.

 

“Yes, that’s fine…  As I seem to remember someone thinking something similar during the night of the festival at Quiltli while he was eating the apples I gave him.”

 

No, no.  You must be imagining things.

 

(Then let’s go.  It’s a steep hill, do you think you can manage?)

 

“Of course!”

 

Despite our exhaustion, we managed to arrive at the statue of the girl.  On the landing, the nude girl had her arms extended like a ballerina, and was surrounded by a stylish stone fence.  Her rib protrusion, soft-looking skin, and other parts made the sculpture look extremely realistic.

 

And she had small breasts.

 

Looking at it up close reminded me of the time when, at the end of my journey, there was a girl who brushed me while being naked.  I can still vividly remember the sight I beheld that day.  As for boob size, I think those would win.  Since this boob sommelier said so, there’s no doubt about it.

 

“…Erm, I believe he said to use ‘only the left wing’!”

 

Even though her ears were red, Jess properly ignored my monologue and checked the paper in her hand.

 

Maybe because this place was located on the outskirts, there wasn’t anyone around the landing.  I walked around the front of the statue, and observed it alongside Jess.  It was the same for the statue of the nude woman from earlier, but all the statues in the capital were realistic down to the smallest of details.  Behind the girl with her arms spread were paths-

 

“Oh, I figured it out!”

 

Jess happily spoke out.

 

“From the front, the stairs that split into two seem to spread out like wings.  The left wing means we should go up the right stairs from our perspective!”

 

I was impressed.  She came to that conclusion at the same time – or rather, a few seconds before I did.  Although she gave the impression that she’s somewhat ditzy, Jess can be quite sharp when she wants to be, so she shouldn’t be taken lightly.

 

(You’re right, that looks to be the case.  Let’s hang in there and work through this.)

 

While bathing in the cool autumn wind, we proceeded up the narrow stairs.  I stayed one step behind Jess.

 

“The clues are a bit weird, but… I’m finding this kind of fun.”

 

Hearing this, I stopped trying to peek underneath Jess’ skirt.

 

(Right.  It’s interesting because it’s like solving a crass mystery game.)

 

I don’t know what Hortis is thinking, but I find him quite amusing.  At the very least, he’s more playful than Markus and Shulavis.

 

“Mystery game…  So that sort of thing exists?”

 

Jess turned around with an expression full of excited interest.

 

(Yeah.  From where I came from, people would come up with interesting questions for others to solve for fun.  Sometimes puzzles appear repeatedly, such as after solving several of them, a new one would show up.)

 

“Wow!  That sounds like a lot of fun!”

 

Since she said that so excitedly, I proposed this.

 

(Let’s try playing it once things have settled down.  I haven’t tried coming up with questions before, but I’m sure I can figure something out.)

 

“Oh, really?!  I’m so happy!”

 

After reacting like that with her eyes sparkling, she look straight into my eyes.

 

“It’s a promise, okay?”

 

I stiffened for a moment, before lightly nodding.  I’m not very good at handling promises.

 

Jess tilted her head slightly before smiling.

 

“But… if you use my chest size as the question, I’ll punish you, okay?”

 

How did she know?  I didn’t even say anything in my monologues!

 

“That’s because I’ve come to understand Mister Pig’s naughty train of thought fairly well lately…”

 

(I see…  That’s troubling.)

 

Was the fact that I’m a boob sommelier who made a name for himself thanks to his amazing chest measuring abilities exposed?

 

Jess placed her index finger on her chin as she slowly climbed the stairs.

 

“Come to think of it, Mister Pig, you often think about the size of other women’s breasts…”

 

Her brown eyes, full of suspicion and curiosity, were directed at me.

 

“Have you seen another woman’s breasts before?”

 

The sweat from climbing the stairs instantly turned cold.

 

(Uh…?)

 

“Mister Pig is a virgin, right…?”

 

(I mean, I’m most definitely a scrawny four-eyed shitty virgin…)

 

“Then why are you so familiar with breast sizes?”

 

Was she the type that pays attention to details?

 

(…T-that was my first time seeing it firsthand, but the country I came from had stuff like naughty books…  There would be photos in them, which are images that replicate the real thing…)

 

“Does Mister Pig oink excitedly when looking at those photos of naked women?”

 

Sensing Jess’ surge of anger, I promptly came up with an excuse. 

 

(No, I was just interested in them from a biological and statistical standpoint…)

 

“Hmmm, whatever you say.”

 

As I endured her somewhat contemptuous gaze, I responded.

 

(I’m sure even Jess has read at least one naughty book before, right?)

 

Unexpectedly, Jess began to panic.

 

“Eeeeeh…!?  I-I-I haven’t!  Mestria doesn’t have anything as shameless as something like photos in the first place!  Everything is drawn only!”

 

Nn…?

 

Although there were some things that caught my attention, we already climbed to the top of the stairs while talking.

 

Atop the cliff, there was a small area covered in lush grass; and spring water was gushing out where the white rocks were exposed.  I gave the water a sniff before having a taste.  It was cool and delicious.

 

“Mister Pig, it’s amazing!  Look at the incredible view!”

 

Hearing that, I approached the edge of the cliff.  There were no railings.  At the bottom of the sheer cliff, where instant death awaits if I were to fall, was the cityscape we had just walked through.  Jess placed a hand on my back.

 

“Please be careful not to fall.”

 

(I won’t, since I don’t want to become a minced meat cutlet.)

 

There was a small square with a lone statue below the cliff, and in the far distance from it, a large flower plaza could be seen.  With my eyes, I retraced the path to our right that passed by the large and small breasts.

 

(That’s our starting point, and that should be the statue we passed by…  It looks like we were given quite the detour.)

 

“Right.  I wonder why?”

 

(It’s probably because that perverted bastard is personally very fond of boobs.  What a hopeless guy.)

 

I did a 180 and headed towards the spring.  Jess followed as well.

 

“We just need to collect the water here, and the first objective should be complete.”

 

As she spoke, Jess took out a glass bottle, filled it with the spring water, and sealed it tight with a cork.  Incidentally, she used her hand to scoop up some water and taste it.  She muttered “It’s refreshing,” before wiping her mouth with a handkerchief.

 

Her satisfied figure, enveloped by her sense of accomplishment, was beautiful under the evening sunlight.  When I came to my senses, I was alone with a cute girl in a secret place that had no one else around.

 

If I wasn’t a pig…

 

(Next is the Sealed History Book.  We can leave that for tomorrow if you’re tired.  What do you reckon?)

 

I shook away my idle thoughts and asked Jess that, to which she returned a bright smile.

 

“If you don’t mind, Mister Pig, how about we look for it after dinner?  This might not be the appropriate time to be saying this, but… this is starting to be a little fun.”

 

(That works.  Should we look for a shortcut for the way back?)

 

Jess gently shook her head.

 

“Mr. Hortis said the sunset view from the Flower Plaza is one of the top five best sceneries in the capital.  Why don’t we take this opportunity to see it before heading back?”

 

I had no objections.  It’s wonderful that I get to take a detour with a cute girl.

 

We returned through the way we came, and headed towards the Flower Plaza.  As we descended the stairs, my line of sight was above the hem of Jess’ skirt, so I wasn’t expecting anything there.  Instead, I looked ahead and saw a magnificent view of the dazzling afternoon sun setting on the mountains in the distance.  It was as if the entire misty sky was covered in fragments of the sun.  The white stone houses built on the western slope of the capital shone beautifully underneath the orange light.

 

“We might be right on time to see the sunset when we reach the Flower Plaza.”

 

Jess said with a smile.

 

The curving, stone-paved roads along the mountain were crowded with people rushing home.  Even though their born children were taken away, the citizens of the capital still seem to be living their lives relatively happily.

 

There were no figures of parents with children.  However, there were many who seemed to be having a good time, whether it be chatting with friends on the terrace of a diner, or walking while holding hands with their spouse.  The fragrant smell of roasted meat, the pleasant sound of tableware clashing, and so on.  The evening capital was overflowing with everyday excitement.

 

“Don’t you long for it?”

 

Hearing Jess’ question, I looked up at her from the side.

 

“Long for what?”

 

“This kind of tranquil everyday life.  A peaceful life where your important person isn’t taken away from you, your memories aren’t forgotten, you aren’t caught up in a war, and your life isn’t being threatened…  Don’t you long for that sort of life, Mister Pig?”

 

I thought about it.

 

(I’m not sure.  Since the world I originally came from was that kind of peaceful place.)

 

Though I never felt particularly happy about it.

 

“Oh, I see…”

 

Jess lowered her head.

 

(However, I can understand why you long for it, Jess.  After all, you’ve lived your whole life in such a tough world.)

 

Jess, who lived alone as a maid until she was sixteen, managed to arrive at the capital while having her life targeted.  She was then suddenly welcomed into the royal family, her memories were sealed by the king, and she had to survive to this point while under the pressure of war.

 

We arrived back at the Flower Plaza, and headed straight towards the deck with a nice view.  The western part of Mestria could be seen through the gaps in the flower-decorated railings.  The Forest of Needles, where we once struggled for our lives, extended below us; and beyond it, I could see the rural lands and gently-sloped mountains.  The sun was about to hide behind the side of the mountain.  The blazing sky and darkness-immersed quiet lands created a wonderful contrast.

 

“…That’s not what I meant.”

 

Jess responded while still looking at the scenery.

 

To which I asked back, (What do you mean…?)

 

“I don’t really hate living in a tough world, since I like adventures.”

 

(Is that so?  Then the everyday life you longed for was referring to…?)

 

“I hate that I have to live while needing to worry about being pulled apart from someone important to me.”

 

Jess turned towards me, and the side of her face that was illuminated by the sunset was dazzling.

 

“It’s too late to be saying this now, but… I’ve always thought that it might have been better to live as a citizen of the capital instead, as long as I could be with Mister Pig forever.”

 

Like a heavy wedge, her words lodged deeply into my pig heart.

 

(…Aren’t we together right now?)

 

“That’s right, I’m very happy right now.”

 

……

 

I was at a loss for words, and as if she was muttering to herself, Jess said to me.

 

“It would be nice if this happiness would last forever.”

 

Perhaps due to us walking too slowly, on our way home, the sun had completely set and the city became dark.  The lights from homes and lanterns hanging from the eaves casted soft lights on the stone pavements, which were dyed purple from reflecting the sky.

 

Jess and I returned home while leisurely touring the capital.

 

And I became more than a little apprehensive about spending my daily life with Jess like this.

 

 

The royal library was a jungle of wisdoms and taboos.  Shelves packed with historical books were lined up inside the sturdily-built building with only one entrance door.  Surrounded by the smell of old paper and the slightly bitter aroma of ink, I automatically felt as calm as a sage.  The passage was narrow, so I inevitably had to cling to Jess’ legs to be able to walk.

 

─That doesn’t mean you have to rub your cheek against my calf…

 

Jess pointed out in silence with her mind’s voice.

 

Oh dear.  I was so busy trying not to bump into the books that I didn’t realize my cheek was touching Jess’ calf.  I’m so sorry about that.

 

The aisles between the shelves were dimly lit.  The reddish magic light that was floating on the ceiling created an eerie atmosphere.  Jess made the tip of her right hand glow white using magic, illuminating the aisle and our feet.

 

(Jess, are you able to make it glow in places other than your fingertips?)

 

When I asked, Jess proudly puffed her chest out.

 

─Yes, of course.  I can move it anywhere, like so-

 

The light slid from Jess’ fingertip to her palm, wrist, and then elbow.

 

(So theoretically, any part of your body can be illuminated.)

 

All of a sudden, the magic light went out.

 

─My boobs won’t glow.

 

She completely read my mind…?

 

Jess lit the light at her fingertip again.

 

─Mister Pig sure is lecherous.

 

“Hmph.”

 

After turning away, Jess conveyed to me earnestly.

 

─Let’s find the Sealed History Book.  Since that’s what we came here for.

 

Right.  We came all the way to the library at night to find the history book needed to break Hortis’ seal.

 

The most repulsive history book sleeps amongst the purest books.

The desecration of life, disguised as a hymn to life.

Search for the forbidden twins with utmost respect.

 

That pervert’s instructions were as abstract as poetry.  I don’t think that’s the right attitude to use when asking someone to find something for you, but this was the only hint he gave us, so we have no choice but to play along and solve this mystery.

 

─Um, Mister Pig… I don’t get it at all.

 

After wandering between the bookshelves for a while, Jess sighed with a troubled face.  They seemed to be organized by categories, but there didn’t appear to be a forbidden section, nor were there any shelves that seemed particularly pure.

 

I gave it some thought as well, but I felt like this couldn’t be solved just by using the three sentences given.  The best way to analyze a narrative that can’t be interpreted based on its contents alone is to consider the context and speaker.

 

(Only “sleeps amongst the purest books” hints at which shelf it’s at.  That perverted bastard thinks that’s enough to convey his meaning to us, so we have no choice but to consider the context of the question and his personality to draw a reasonable conclusion.)

 

─Context and personality…

 

(It’s probably easier to understand if we look at it from his personality’s perspective.  Jess, what do you think of that man?)

 

─I find him a bit strange…

 

(Exactly.  As we can see from the fact that he kept sniffing you, Jess, he’s clearly a pervert.  Next, let’s look at the context.  Think back to the Spring Water.  At first glance, it sounded like a serious riddle, but its contents were actually extremely crass.)

 

─He’s certainly someone that seems a bit lecherous.

 

(In other words, we should be going about this library riddle in a bit of a lewd way.  Speaking of things that perverted bastard would consider pure…)

 

As I conveyed that, things clicked for me.  “The desecration of life” disguising as “a hymn to life.”  This contrast should correspond to the structure of “the most repulsive history book” sleeping among “the purest books.”  It’s the sentiment of life and sentiment of death.  Using the concepts from my world, they would be Eros and Thanatos.

 

This otaku’s rapid-fire thinking made Jess tilt her head quizzically, so I gently explained it to her.

 

(The pure books he’s talking about are those that celebrate life, in other words, they’re naughty books.)

 

─N-n-n-naughty books?!?!

 

Even inside the dimly-lit library, I could see Jess’ face was bright red.

 

(The history book that desecrates life, disguised as a hymn of life – that’s referring to it being disguised as a naughty book and tucked away in the lewd section.  We just have to go there and find the “forbidden twins.”)

 

─Erm, when you say naughty books, do you mean sensual literature…?  I believe they’re located here…

 

Jess averted her eyes and walked ahead at a somewhat brisk pace.

 

(What’s sensual literature like?)

 

─Um, I haven’t read that many, but… my impression is that they’re love stories with a lot of explicit details, and they often combine text with pictures.

 

So they’re lewd light novels?

 

(But Jess, you seem to know where the shelf is.  Since you said you didn’t read that many… you must have read a couple, right?)

 

─O-o-o-of course not!

 

An unnatural level of denial resounded in my mind.  Oh?  This…

 

─No, um, that wasn’t my intention at all.  It was, um, just… out of curiosity…

 

Jess, blushing from her chin up, stopped in front of an old shelf.  Well, let’s not delve too deep into it.  After all, she sixteen already.

 

─I believe this is the shelf we’re looking for.

 

Still averting her eyes, Jess pointed at the shelf in front of me.  The shelf was densely packed with books, from the ground up to a height that Jess couldn’t reach even if she stretched her hands out.  However, it was covered in dust, with only a handful of traces that any books had been taken out.  It’s no wonder, since I was told only members of the royal family and some authorized citizens were allowed to enter this library.  I doubt there’s many that would bother coming here just to read naughty books.

 

(Now, let’s figure out what “utmost respect” means.)

 

As I suggested that, Jess crouched down without hesitation.

 

(What are you doing?)

 

Jess continued to stare at the shelf, not looking me in the eyes.

 

─I think, to show respect is to bow your head.  Should we try looking at the bottom row?

 

That makes sense.

 

(I wonder what he meant by forbidden twins.)

 

I looked at the bottom row shelf using my pig’s field of view while musing.  Barely any light reached there, and it was covered in a thick layer of dust.  Those books were completely forgotten.

 

“…Is it wrong to fall in love with my little sister?”

 

Jess murmured while staring intently at the spine of a book.

 

(Huh?  What did you say?)

 

─It’s the title of this book.  It’s a story about a brother and sister birth siblings that are… I mean, um, I was told that they’re infatuated with each other.  This was a famous book that was popular a long time ago.  Is this what “forbidden” meant?

 

The light-novelesque title made me want to lol.  Anyway, this solved another mystery.  It was about a taboo of blood relations.

 

(But what does twins mean?  It’s not like the brother and sister are twins, right?)

 

─Right…

 

“Oh.”

 

Jess made a tiny sound and held her breath.

 

─There’s two books titled “Is it Wrong to Fall in Love with My Little Sister” here, Mister Pig.

 

Jess brought her illuminating finger closer to the shelf.  There were two “Is it Wrong to Fall in Love with My Little Sister?” placed side by side.  One was a large book bound in leather; the other was a rectangular wooden box of similar size.  It was probably a case for storing a book in, which means-

 

(Does that means the book originally belonged in that box, but was purposefully taken out to be shelved?)

 

The perceptive Jess carefully pulled out the wooden box.

 

─So the question becomes, what’s inside this box?

 

Jess’ small hands gently brushed off the dust, and took out the contents of the box.  What came out was a frighteningly black book.  Whether it be its binder or its pages, everything was jet black.  Nothing was written on the outside.

 

(It’s hard to say what it is, but it doesn’t look like a naughty book.)

 

Jess quietly returned the “Is it Wrong to Fall in Love with My Little Sister?” box on to the shelf and looked at me.

 

─I agree.  Sensual literature tends to have a naughty picture on its cover after all…

 

Jess quite easily dug her own grave, and got up.

 

─Why don’t we take a look at its contents, Mister Pig?

 

(Let’s do that.)

 

We left the bookshelves behind and moved to the reading corner.  Chairs with well-worn cushions surrounded an old wooden table.  At the center of the table was a small magic lantern, illuminating it with a warm glow.  We were surrounded by grey stone walls, and their darkness was as if black curtains had been pulled down.

 

“You came again?”

 

A tall old woman suddenly emerged from the darkness.  She had long, straight silver hair that reached her waist, and wrinkles all across her skin.  She’s Bibis, a citizen of the capital, and this library’s librarian.

 

“Hello, Ms. Bibis.”

 

Jess hid the jet black book behind her back and greeted Bibis.

 

“That book you’re holding sure brings back memories.  Young Master Hortis often used to read that here.”

 

A soft smile appeared on Bibis’ seemingly thoughtful face.  She didn’t overlook the book.

 

“Do you know about this book?”

 

Jess placed the pure black book on the table.  The old lady looked at it with her wrinkle-rimmed eyes.

 

“Yes, of course.  That’s arguably the most dangerous book in this building – it’s a copy of the history book that recounts the genuine history.”

 

The genuine history probably refers to history before the royal dynasty was established.  I climbed up on a chair and lightly snorted to get Bibis’ attention before conveying to her.

 

(What was Hortis trying to learn about?)

 

The old lady slowly exhaled.

 

“Who knows?  I’m not so uncouth as to disturb Young Master, who was fervently studying.”

 

(Did he not consult you on anything?)

 

Hortis seemed to have relied on Bibis a lot for finding books, and it was Bibis who informed us that he was studying transformation magic.  If it’s her, she might be able to provide us with some hints about his past.

 

“There was one thing he asked about that book.”

 

“What was it?”

 

Jess leaned forward and asked.  To which Bibis pointed at the history book.

 

“Try opening it and turn the pages.”

 

Jess did as she was told and started turning the pages from the beginning.  The paper used for this book was completely black, with the text and drawings done in white ink.

 

“Oh…”

 

Jess’ hands stopped.

 

(What’s wrong?)

 

“The pages are stuck.”

 

Looking at it, I saw dozens of pages stuck together, making it appear like a board.

 

“You see?  A part of that book has been sealed with magic and that section can’t be read.  Young Master asked if I could break it, but since it was sealed by Evis-sama, I told him it wasn’t something I could solve with my magic power.”

 

A sealed history book.  This must be exactly what we were looking for.

 

Pages of a book stuck together and sealed by Evis.  It might not be related, but I felt like I heard something similar before.

 

“I see…  Thank you very much.”

 

Jess dropped her shoulders as though she was curious about it, and the corners of Bibis’ mouth were raised at her.

 

“Please make sure to return that book to this library once you are done, Young Miss.”

 

 

The very next morning, Shulavis took us to visit the Liberation Army’s base.

 

We were greeted by Celes, who was watering the flowers in the front garden.  A black pig was beside her, innocently frolicking while being sprayed with water.

 

“Ms. Jess!”

 

Noticing us, Celes immediately brightened up.  With her large eyes and slender limbs, she still gave the impression of a fawn.  She rushed over with short steps and opened the gate.  A heavy silver collar was still attached around her neck.

 

“Ah, Ms. Celes…  Good morning.”

 

Jess’ greeting sounded somewhat subdued.  I looked up at her.  Her complexion hasn’t seemed good since this morning.  She had dark circles under her eyes.

 

“Could you please call Mr. Nott?  We have some business regarding yesterday.”

 

Celes nodded at Jess’ quiet request and quickly ran towards the mansion.

 

(Jess, you don’t look so good…  Don’t force yourself.)

 

Jess turned to look at me after a few seconds.  I could sense the fatigue in her eyes.

 

─No, it’s okay.  I’m just a bit… sleep deprived.

 

(If you say so…)

 

I suddenly noticed that the black pig was staring at me.  He was turning his head and flapping his ears as if he was trying to tell me something, but his inner voice wasn’t reaching me.

 

(Sorry Jess, but do you mind letting me talk to this black pig?)

 

Pigs can’t speak.  They require someone with the ability to hear and convey their thoughts like telepathy to be an intermediary, or else they can’t communicate.

 

Jess, who was looking down at the grass in a daze, was startled, and put her hands over her mouth.

 

“I’m sorry, what did you say, Mister Pig?”

 

(Can you help relay my conversation with this black pig?)

 

“Oh, right!  Sorry…”

 

Perhaps it was out of nervousness, but Shulavis, who stood next to Jess, was silently staring at her.  I wonder if he noticed something.

 

─Mr. Lolipo, I’m very thankful for your hard work regarding the matters related to Mr. Hortis.

 

Hearing Sanon’s voice, I returned my attention back towards the black pig.

 

(You heard about it from Nott?)

 

The black pig slowly nodded in affirmation.

 

─I also talked quite a bit with Mr. Ho himself.  But wow, he really is a wonderful person.  I think he’s the real deal.

 

(The real deal pervert…?)

 

─No, I meant his potential as our trump card.  He has a great connection to the royal dynasty, he can use magic, and most importantly, he cares deeply about us, the Liberation Army.  He’s the ultimate trump card.  I really can’t thank you enough, Mr. Lolipo, for noticing Mr. Ho’s existence.

 

The black pig respectfully bowed in front of Jess’ skirt.

 

(Stop.  Please raise your head, because you’ll be able to see underneath Jess’ skirt at that angle.)

 

─Oops, please forgive me for that.

 

The lolicon black pig turned his head regretfully and backed away.  Should I call the police?

 

(How’s Celes been?)

 

At my question, the black pig paused briefly before nodding.

 

─She’s the same as usual.  The sleepy look she has every morning when she just woke up is very cute.

 

No one asked you about that…

 

─It’s just…

 

Just as Sanon was about to say something, the mansion door opened, and Celes, Nott, and Hortis – in the form of Rossi, came out.  The moment Rossi spotted Jess, he ran directly towards her and pounced, pushing her on to the grass.  He then started aggressively licking her cheeks.

 

“U-um… er….”

 

Shulavis, unable to stand watching Jess be at the dog’s mercy, suddenly stepped forward.

 

“Uncle.  Your real identity has already been exposed, so it’s best that you refrain from such behaviors.”

 

The perverted dog lifted his dignified muzzle while still sticking his tongue out.

 

─Sorry, because of a dog’s habits…

 

Don’t think you can blame everything on habits and they’ll be forgiven, okay!?

 

Nott caught up from behind.  Celes kept some slight distance, and would sneak glances at Nott.

 

“You found them already?  That was quick.”

 

Nott held his hand out towards Jess.  She eyed it with a mystified look on her face.

 

“The water and history book.  I’ll use them to change Hortis back.”

 

Shulavis interjected from the side.

 

“Those two things are in my hands.  I don’t mind handing you the water, but the history book isn’t something for your eyes.  I’ll give them to Uncle directly.”

 

“That so?”

 

Nott voiced in annoyance before looking down at Rossi.

 

“Alright Hortis, now turn back into a human.”

 

─Understood.  Hand me the water and history book.

 

Shulavis held a small bottle of water and a history book tied with a cloth string to Rossi’s mouth.  Rossi opened his mouth wide, and deftly held them both in his mouth.

 

(Mr. Hortis, you should be able to properly change back into a human, right?)

 

When I asked that, Rossi nodded.

 

─As long as you brought the right things, I should be able to transform back smoothly.

 

Rossi spun around and sauntered away from us.

 

“Where are you going, Uncle?”

 

When Shulavis called out to stop him, Rossi turned his head to look at us.

 

─The instant I turn back into a human being, I’m inevitably going to be naked.  Just to be safe, can you let me transform back there?

 

A few minutes later.

 

No matter how you slice it, the man returning from behind the mansion was a pervert.  He had curly blonde hair that reached his shoulders, and a dandy goatee of the same color.  He was a tall and handsome middle-aged guy, and though he was slim, he seemed to have trained his whole body, as he was muscular.  There’s just one problem – he wasn’t wearing anything.

 

“Thanks for waiting.  Let me introduce myself again.  I am Hortis.  Pleased to meet you.”

 

Celes averted her eyes while blushing.  Jess, after staring at Hortis for a while, made an “Ah” noise, and hastily covered her face with both hands.

 

(So what was the point of transforming back there?)

 

When I unintentionally made a straight man retort, the handsome middle-aged man grinned brightly.

 

“It would be embarrassing if my body had atrophied.  But I’m glad everything seems okay.  I exercised a lot as a dog, so it doesn’t appear to have deteriorated much.”

 

Hortis rolled his arms, cracking his shoulders.  Is that what you should be worrying about?

 

 

Shulavis sighed in dismay.

 

“Uncle, the one covering her face here is my fiancé.  Please hurry up and get dressed.”

 

It helps to have a serious-minded guy respond here.  “I see,” Hortis nodded, and spread his arms out.  A large white cloth appeared in the air and wrapped itself around his body.  It was like a toga.

>TL Note: Togas are distinctive clothes from ancient Rome.

 

“Fiancé…?”

 

Nott muttered and looked at Jess.  The person in question dropped her hands that were covering her eyes, but she remained quiet, showing no intentions of opening her mouth.

 

The perverted Roman walked gracefully towards me and petted me.  An indescribable scene unfurled between his knees.  Though if this was Jess, I would’ve oinked excitedly.

 

“Let me express my gratitude to you once again, Virgin-kun.  Thanks to you, I didn’t lose everything in my life.  Thank you, truly.”

 

Even though something felt off with the way he worded things, I still responded.

 

“No, no need to thank me.  Let’s work together to protect the Liberation Army.”

 

Hortis patted my cheeks in satisfaction and stood up.  He then walked in front of Jess, and drew a spiral in the air with his finger.  A white, palm-sized conch shell sprang out from there.

 

“Rossi has done a lot of impolite things to you, Jess.  Let me apologize on his behalf.”

 

There’s no point in trying to shift responsibility, you got that…?

 

As I snorted in protest from the side, Hortis offered the shell to Jess.

 

“This shell can be used to communicate with me.  Just call out my name towards its opening, and you’ll be able to talk to me whenever, wherever.  Use it if you’re ever in trouble.”

 

“Okay…  I understand.”

 

Hortis’ hand, which handed over the shell, moved as if to caress the listless Jess’ head; but in the end, it only touched the air and returned to his side.

 

Hortis lightly clapped his hands.

 

“Now then, I should say hello to everyone else.  Let’s head back to the mansion.”

 

Hortis placed his veiny hand on his former owner’s shoulder.

 

Shulavis cleared his throat.

 

“Sorry Uncle, but if you’re done with the history book, could you please return it?”

 

Hortis shrugged apologetically.

 

“…I damaged it while undoing the magic, so I hope you can wait a while before I return it.  I can fix it, but it’ll take some time.  I’m pretty sure you have another one, so it shouldn’t pose a problem.”

 

“Yes, but… if word got out that that book went missing from the library, things could get problematic.”

 

“It’ll be fine.  Elder Brother has no interest in books to begin with, and this book has been hidden up until now, so I doubt it’ll be exposed.  Besides, I’ll make sure return it.  I promise.”

 

Shulavis, whose thick eyebrows creased in suspicion, nodded with a serious expression.

 

“Is that so?  Then I’ll take your word for it.”

 

In the end, we returned to the capital empty-handed.

 

 

(Jess, are you not feeling well…?)

 

Worried about Jess, who was lying in bed, I sat by her bedside.

 

“Sorry, it’s not like that.  It’s like I said earlier, I didn’t sleep very well…”

 

Jess pulled her bedsheet up to her chin, and looked in the opposite direction from me.  There was a window there, through which I could see the autumn noon’s blue sky.

 

(Then get some sleep.)

 

“But I don’t think I’ll be able to fall sleep…”

 

She should have had enough time to sleep last night to begin with.  Was there a reason as to why she couldn’t sleep?  And if so, was it okay for me to ask about it?

 

“…I didn’t sleep last night because I was reading the history book the entire time.”

 

A faint and feeble voice responded.  It sounded like she was afraid of something.

 

(So that’s why.)

 

Certainly.  Jess was like a curiosity-filled golem.  She wouldn’t be biting her nails in envy after hearing about something like “the genuine history.”  I was too focused on turning Hortis back into a human to have time to think about other things, but Jess must have been very curious about that history, and she was so absorbed in reading it that she even forgot to sleep.  And perhaps its contents weren’t pleasant, so she felt uncomfortable and wasn’t able to sleep because of it.

 

The most repulsive history book; the desecration of life – Hortis’ words resurfaced.

 

(Is it alright if I ask you what was written?)

 

Jess rolled over and turned her face towards this direction.

 

“Yeah.  If I talk to Mister Pig about it… maybe I’ll feel better.”

 

Her thin eyebrows distorted in anguish.

 

(Seems like it contained some very cruel history.)

 

“Right…  I was prepared for that, but the constant series of events where many people simply died was very… terrifying.”

 

The Dark Ages of Mestria.  It was an era where mages endlessly fought each other with their limitless power, dragging in all the other races and causing a massive number of deaths.

 

“I was told there were several hundred thousand people in Mestria when Vatis-sama founded the royal dynasty.  However, it was written in the book that the number of people exceeded ten million before the mages started the ‘Final War.’  Can you… believe that…?”

 

Compared to ten million, several hundred thousand was like a minor rounding error.  Since there were only that many survivors, the remaining ten million…

 

(You read something quite disturbing.)

 

Jess’ brown eyes stared at me intently.

 

“But that’s not what shook me.”

 

(Is that so?)

 

Was there anything more terrifying than the massacre caused by the war?

 

“I believe I told Mister Pig this before.  The only way a Yesma is able to make a lot of money easily – is to sell their genital.”

 

I think that was not long after we just met, and Jess was going to buy a black rista.

 

 

─Um, they sold…

 

─What are they selling?

 

─Their genitals.

 

─In other words, selling their body.

 

─Y-yes… you could say that.

 

 

(Prostitution is certainly an uncomfortable subject.)

 

After I said that, I noticed something strange.  There’s two laws regarding Yesmas.  One is that Yesmas are not allowed to ride any form of transportation, and the other is that you’re not allowed to violate Yesmas.

 

In short, earning money via prostitution is banned.

 

(Wait, then they’re…)

 

“Right.  They cut open their abdomens, and sell their organs.  The organ that sells for an especially high price is the genital – meaning the uterus.  It’s long been believed that a Yesma’s uterus has many uses.  They can be used as an ingredient for secret medicines.  Many Yesmas are willing to sell their uteruses, because unlike bones and collars, they can be sold without dying.  Naturally, there are many cases where they’re forcibly taken out, or Yesmas die due to unsanitary handling…”

 

That alone already made me nauseous.  And this made me understand one more thing.  Brace, who was trapped in the basement of that chapel.  The wound on her lower abdomen had festered, and she was weakened to the extent that she knew she was going to die.  She most likely had her stomach cut open at that chapel basement and her uterus taken.

 

It was an extremely sickening story.  I shuddered at the thought of how cruel humans can be.

 

(But… shouldn’t you have already known about that stuff regarding a Yesma’s uterus?)

 

“Yes, but the true use of a Yesma’s uterus – or rather, a mage’s uterus, I only learned about it after reading the history book.”

 

(What is used for…?)

 

Jess blinked slowly.

 

“It said that a mage’s uterus holds a tremendous amount of magic power that can act as a source of life.  Although an ordinary person will be cursed if they consume a large amount of it, if a mage consumes a large amount of it… they can obtain the magic of immortality.”

 

I was left speechless.  Don’t tell me…

 

 

─This body has taken in hundreds of fruits.  Don’t think it’ll be destroyed this easily.

 

 

I recalled what the surreptitious sorcerer said.  He’s a mage that survived the Dark Ages about 130 years ago.  He’s an immortal mage who resurrected after being roasted, frozen, and shattered.  Did that mage ingest hundreds of Yesma uteruses to become immortal…?

 

“It was written that during the Dark Ages, all mages would target female mages, rip open their stomachs, and take away their uteruses.  In most cases, the mage would then kill the female out of fear of revenge.  And since it’s harder to attack female mages after they’ve grown stronger, it seems young females that haven’t yet undergone ecydessa (magic depletion) many times were targeted…”

 

Jess’ voice was trembling.

 

(That’s terrible.)

 

That was all I could say.  I stretched my foreleg out to try and touch Jess’ shoulder from the bedsheet, but I changed my mind and pulled it back.  Some time passed in silence.

 

I suddenly had a thought.

 

(Hey Jess, Vatis annihilated all the hostile mages, right?)

 

“…Yes.”

 

(I’m sure some of her enemies would have acquired the magic of immortality…  In which case, how did she kill those immortal mages?)