Atelier Tanaka

Book 1: Chapter 12 (3/3)

The noble mage was battling against three wyverns.

Right when I arrived, he was just in the midst of killing one of them. He summoned a cold and brilliant looking icicle with his magic and threw it at the wyvern that was preparing to attack in the sky, rendering it incapable of fighting and fell to the ground as is.

Are you alright!? [Tanaka]

Who do you think I am! [Fahren]

True. Then, shall I back you up? [Tanaka]

The way the noble mage was using barrier-like magic to defend against the wyverns breath attack looked cool.

*Buon*

Magic formations that were formed several meters in front, floated up into the air and dispersed all the fire breath attacks. If only I could use that, I wouldnt have ended up getting my back fried earlier.

I gazed at his back admiringly as his mantle fluttered with the wind.

Anyway, first of all recovery, recovery. [Tanaka]

Upon a closer look, I noticed that the ossan was bleeding from the area around the joint of his right shoulder.

Was that wound caused by the wyverns claw? The scratch was approximately a few centimeters long. I should cure it quickly with my recovery magic. Standing several meters behind him, I casted the recovery magic on his shoulder. In the twinkling of an eye, the laceration repaired itself and the bleeding subsided.

Mu, chantless magic as usual I see. [Fahren]

He seemed to have said something but, whatever.

In the meantime, one of the two remaining wyverns suddenly started flapping its huge wings, keeping its distance from ossan and flew below the airship. Was it thinking of escaping since the number of enemies had increased? In addition to that, its own companion was taken down too. This wyvern appeared to have different awareness than the energetic ones that I have fought earlier. I guess it was natural that there are individual differences among wyverns too.

However, just when I thought that the situation was taking a turn for the better, an unexpected development ended up betraying my expectation.

The whole airship shook violently.

Mu! Damn that wyvern! Is it planning to make the airship crash!? [Fahren]

It appeared that it had never planned to flee.

Wha.. [Tanaka]

Arent you a smart one, wyvern?

It is definitely different than the orc.

But, what should we do now?

Ill leave this place to you. Ill go after that guy! [Fahren]

Eh? Aa, yes. [Tanaka]

How is he going to do that? That very question was soon answered when the noble mages body suddenly rose into the air.

Amazing. This ossan flew.

Shall I let that wyvern have it!? [Fahren]

After shouting out a somewhat cool line, he flew off to the bottom of the airship to chase after the wyverns. However, the appearance of a middle-aged oyaji flying with both hands forward like a Superman was so surreal. I almost laughed unintentionally at that sight.

Aa-, co, comi.. [Ester]

Looking at where she was staring at, the other wyvern could be seen in the midst of descending towards us.

Recognizing us as its enemies, the wyvern glided through the air and charged at us with its jaws opened wide.

!. [Tanaka]

This is bad.

If we were to receive a direct attack from such a huge guy, we would be killed before I could even use my healing magic.

Ill be crushed flat along with the non-virgin1 beside me. It might have been better if it was a breath attack instead. If I dont defend against it somehow, it would be bad.

Just as I was thinking so, I sensed someone approaching us from the back out of a sudden.

Just eat this knights sword!! [Mercedes]

The lesbo lady knight has come to help.

She rushed towards the blonde haired loli and me, simultaneously slicing off the wyverns head with the sword in her hand. Owing to her swift action, we managed to escape death by the skin of our teeth. The wyverns body passed by us and crashed into the deck.

That crash has created a huge hole in the floorboard now but, well lets put that aside for the time being.

Ester-sama, are you alright!? [Mercedes]

Right after Mercedes-chan killed the wyvern with one hit, she went over to the blonde haired loli.

Eh, eethank you. Youve saved me. [Ester]

I am undeserving of your gratitude. My heart trembles at your words. [Mercedes]

The gaze that the lesbo lady knight was giving when she answered resembles a sex crazed middle-aged man.

I understand it well if I were to compare it with her usual look. There were strong impurities that can never be revealed to people, swirling deep inside those pure eyes of hers. If she were to save her in the moment of peril, it would definitely lead her to homosexuality. That was what she was hoping for.

By the way, what is with this persons appearance [Mercedes]

Mercedes-chan stared at me with a scowl on her face.

I guess it must be really unpleasant to see a middle-aged oyaji dressed in something similar to a straw skirt.

I find it unpleasant too myself.

T-The wyvern had burnt my clothes to a crisp with its breath attack. [Tanaka]

I see..but isnt that Ester-samas robe? [Mercedes]

It doesnt really matter. Sacrificing one or two robes is better than exposing the eyes to such filth. [Ester]

.aa, you poor thing. [Mercedes]

Please dont say that. Im feeling guilty myself too. There was a tingling sensation in my heart every time the robes fur brushed against my rod and balls.

Thank you. You seemed to have killed it in one hit. [Tanaka]

Well, well. The condition of the thing in between crotch aside, lets confirm the situation around us.

The wyvern appeared to be killed by her in a single attack and the noble mage was injured after fighting with the wyverns earlier. There were also many places around the deck that were ruined after getting hit by the ice magic.

Mercedes-chan had by no means went in for a suicidal attack just now since she had skilfully confirmed the point of attack before swinging in the sword. After she has accurately affirmed the enemys weak point, she was probably hoping that, with little luck, she might be able to kill it in one hit. As one would expect from a pure knight-sama.

This is good, this is good. This felt very much like how a party should be.

I wasnt really doing it for you. Its for the sake of protecting Ester-sama. [Mercedes]

That was what I meant. Thank you very much for protecting Ester-san. [Tanaka]

! [Ester]

The blonde haired loli who was standing beside staggered.

It appeared that she has threaded her foot through the floorboard that had become brittle as a result of the fight against the wyvern. But, was she feeling embarrassed about that? She seemed to be blushing even though I was expecting a surprised reaction coming from her instead. She has just displayed quite a weak part of herself similar to a how a human should be, hasnt she?

It was a huge difference as compared to how she clicked her tongue when we met in the beginning.

I would just like to confirm it but, whats your relationship with Ester-sama? [Mercedes]

Were fellow adventurers and classmates who attend the same school. [Tanaka]

.A-Are you a student from the school? [Mercedes]

Is there something else on your mind that you would like to ask? [Tanaka]

Are you, a noble? [Mercedes]

Im not? Im a commoner. Fahren-san was the one who admitted me to the school. [Tanaka]

.. [Mercedes]

There was a slight complicated look on her face.

It wouldnt be hard for me to imagine that she was likely able to make a conjecture on my social status and background. However, she didnt need to stay silent for so long. By the time the blonde haired loli pulled her foot out of the floorboard, she seemed to have come to herself, different than a moment ago.

Well, if you are going that far then Ill just accept it obediently. That said, this is not the right situation to be having a leisurely conversation now. I would like to go over the full details about our current circumstances. [Ester]

True. [Mercedes]

On the whole, the way Mercedes-chan speaks to me was the same as how colleagues speak to each other at workplace. She still does get mad at me occasionally but, she no longer points her sword at me instantly without further questions. I was treated much better now as compared to when we met for the first time.

The indecent discussion we had in the evening on the day before yesterday might have shortened the distance between us.

Indecency is the best! I love erotic topics!

What happened to the other wyverns? I dont see Fahren-sama anywhere but, if he happened to be fighting against the wyverns at another place then we must go there to assist him. [Mercedes]

If youre referring to him, he went after the wyverns below the airship just now. [Tanaka]

Wha-! The bottom of the airship!? [Mercedes]

Fright was written all over her face as she trembled but, at that very instant, the whole airship started shaking violently at the same time.

Its even stronger than just now.

The seismic intensity scale might be close to 10.

That intense shaking made us to lose our balance and tumbled off to one side. It was really painful. I felt a sharp pain on my elbows and knees due to the direct impact when that tumble knocked me onto the deck.

Nevertheless, whats more worrisome now is the state of the airship below. Was that ossan possibly killed even though he was shooting his mouth off earlier?

In the midst of worrying, at the edge of the airship which acts as a boundary between the deck and the sky, the noble mage could be seen slowly appearing on the other side of the railing.

He looked considerably tired as he flew.

Part of his hair appeared to be burnt. I guess one of the breath attack must have hit him. Come to think of it, can recovery magic be used as a treatment for baldness?

How did it go with the remaining wyvern? [Tanaka]

U-Umu. Well I did succeed in defeating it. [Fahren]

Thats good. [Tanaka]

It seemed that he was able to manage it somehow.

But the ship was damaged in the process. Its impossible to control it now. [Fahren]

Eh? Then this airship is [Tanaka]

Fortunately, were drawing close to our destination now. Mount Pepe is just in the vicinity. Well be making an emergency landing as is now. It might be possible to bring it halfway up the mountain area at this altitude. [Fahren]

No, unfortunately that wont do us any good.

So itll be an emergency landing? [Tanaka]

The output is increasing at an abnormal rate. Theres a possibility that the magic stone is out of control. [Fahren]

I-I see.. [Tanaka]

I dont really understand what this ossan was saying.

Im feeling extremely anxious now.

After all, this airship is flying at an incredible speed.

It is frightening to think that were about to crash-land in such a state, since we are currently flying at a speed comparable to the bullet train. 2

There should be some time before the crash-land right? [Tanaka]

Umu [Fahren]

If thats the case, then lets gather everyone here so we can exchange information. [Tanaka]

I understand. Lets go. [Fahren]

Authors note:

Weve entered the kakuhen 3 mode.

Rinkages Footnotes

1. The original word is no membrane but I left it as non-virgin.

2. = Shinkansen (Japans high speed train / bullet train)

3. Kakuhen (literally means probability change in English) is a term used in Pachinko whereby there is a probability for a player to get a string of consecutive jackpot after the first one and the next bonus might come at odds about 10 times better than the original bonus.