NOVEL NEXT Ch45 - Finale 2
Chapter 45: Finale 2
A powerful dome-shaped barrier enveloped the Stuart residence and its gate, concealing the Giganto Butterfly, muffling the noisy contraptions, and preventing the Simil scent from spreading.
Gene and Loulou were in charge of the barrier.
Loulou enhanced Gene’s magic with a support skill, allowing him to create a barrier of exceptional quality. A mid-level mage attempting such a feat alone would typically collapse from mana depletion before the spell even materialized. It was only possible thanks to Loulou, the veteran enchanter.
“…Hmm?”
“What’s wrong?”
Loulou, perched on the wall, suddenly shivered and stared into the void. When Gene questioned her, she responded in a grave tone.
“…I was hoping my prediction would be wrong, but it seems that rogue monk has come to stir things up.
I’ll be back in a moment to lend a hand.
That monk likely has a [Phase] skill and will probably breach the barrier… but I don’t mind if he gets through.
I’m entrusting the barrier’s maintenance to you, Gene! I’m counting on you. Don’t let it break♡”
“The way you say it with such a sexy voice makes me want to give it my all.
Yeah, I’ll do my best to maintain the barrier. The mana boost should last a while longer, so leave it to me.
Be careful.”
“Ufufu, I like obedient children♡
See you later.”
Loulou puckered her red lips, making a small “chu” kissing sound, and vanished into the twilight. She was likely heading towards the gate, wary of being spotted by the rogue monk.
Captivated by the mature succubus’s allure, Gene, after Loulou was out of sight, placed a hand on his chest and blushed faintly.
“She looks young, but she’s a mature woman. With a great figure, so sexy…
Even though she’s a party member, I get butterflies every time she blows me a kiss. What a stunning beauty.”
“Yo, Gene!
Listen up, I just laid a lariat on those villains! They were so surprised to see me in my mask, buhahahaha!”
▽The ever energetic Goldaro appeared!
Goldaro, the giant, having finished his task, appeared with boisterous laughter. Gene’s wistful musing was swept away by the sound.
“…Ruined the mood.”
Chin up, plain young man, live strong.
Graham, the trading company president, grimaced at the pungent Simil odor that suddenly wafted through the air. Despite using his expensive magic brooch to become invisible, the monstrous butterfly that appeared in the night sky had startled him into incontinence. He’d lost his footing and writhed on the ground, spraying yellow污秽around him. It was now obvious to anyone that someone was there.
The High Skeleton Brooch was a special magic item circulated only in the underworld. While the less potent Skeleton Brooch, with its lower-level abilities, was sometimes used by first-rate adventurers, the High Skeleton Brooch’s superior cloaking abilities made it undetectable even by anti-theft magic tools, leading to its regulated production in various countries. Its extremely limited availability contributed to its exorbitant price.
Once activated, the brooch rendered the wearer’s clothes and equipment invisible. While it couldn’t allow the wearer to pass through walls, it could nullify most barriers. Projectiles like arrows, however, lost their invisibility upon being fired by the wearer, which explained why the污秽was visible.
Two masked men appeared behind Graham and addressed him quietly.
“…My, my. Taking a stroll while invisible at this late hour is rather inappropriate.”
“Indeed! Are you a guest of the Stuart residence?
Or… an unwelcome visitor? Hmm, you appear to be the latter.”
“～～～～ッ！！!?”
Graham gasped. He considered getting up and fleeing silently, but quickly realized that escaping without stepping in the pool of his own污秽was impossible. Shame and humiliation contorted his plump face. Even standing up risked spilling the污秽seeping into his slacks. His mind raced in a state of panic, desperately searching for a way out.
The two men stood about three meters from the gate, flanking Graham. His subordinate’s capture squad was also discreetly positioned around the area, so even if he ran, he wouldn’t escape them all. Furthermore, the “horror house” awaited him. Capture was inevitable.
The panicked eldest son remained frozen.
ーーAfter observing Graham’s inaction, the men, tired of waiting, decided to apprehend him. The tall, well-built man in the expensive suit sighed in exasperation.
“…How utterly comical.”
“Truly pathetic… though entirely self-inflicted.
Capture squad, you may proceed. Apprehend him immediately.”
((Understood!))
Graham, who had been diligently trying to erase his presence, finally understood that he was going to be caught as a suspicious individual. He attempted a clumsy escape, but the strong men quickly subdued him. “Let go of me, you filthy Kagemono!” he shrieked.
Kagemono were an elite unit specializing in tracking and capturing guild contract violators. They sometimes dealt with resisting criminals. They were a government-sanctioned organization.
The men grinned, their canine teeth bared. On the backs of their hands glowed special contract magic marks, proof of their authorization to apprehend debtors. Leading this capture squad was an unassuming, small man with a cheerful smile. He was the head of the Anees Kingdom Commercial Guild.
As the Simil smell dissipated, the ominous masks came off.
Bound tightly with ropes, Graham finally turned and glared at the small man, his jaw dropping in disbelief. His mouth was parched.
“Why… why are you of all people here…!?”
“Hoho! ‘Here’ is quite rude, you know.
Isn’t it natural for a businessman to want to connect with Gale Stuart’s successor, the buyer Alice?
Mr. Graham.
…Ah, the timing was simply perfect! Such a fortunate coincidence to catch a contract violator while making such a valuable connection. My trip from the royal capital was certainly worthwhile. It must be a reward for my good deeds! Hoho!”
“…I was under the impression your deeds leaned towards the less virtuous.”
The well-built man interjected unnecessarily.
“What are you saying? You, a politician, are the one with a shady past, aren’t you?”
“…A pointless conversation. Detrimental to both of us.”
“Indeed!”
Precisely. Further jabs would only tighten the noose around their own necks.
Both the head of the Commercial Guild and the “Lord of Toilia” were often involved in backroom dealings. While they performed good deeds to keep their souls from being completely tainted, they had plenty of skeletons in their closets. They seemed to know each other and be quite friendly. This was a major victory for Loulou’s networking skills.
Graham had met the head of the Commercial Guild once when he established his company.
…He wondered how the man could identify him while he was invisible. He pondered if the High Skeleton Brooch was a fake, and if everyone could see him after all…? Had Morec betrayed them? If the Guild Master knew everything about his misdeeds… then even if he stole Alice’s inheritance, rebuilding the trading company would be impossible. Before that, he’d be sent to prison as a criminal…!
…His mind raced, eventually short-circuiting, and Graham’s oily body went limp, all fight draining from him. The High Skeleton Brooch was genuine, but it was no match for the exceptional security measures in place. He was utterly terrified, unaware that Lily had already revealed his identity as the eldest son via communication.
<<ーーGYAOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!>>
As if to remind him that he was also being watched by the guardian deity, a monstrous roar echoed. Looking up at Mothra again, Graham slumped to the ground, tears in his voice, and muttered, “It’s all over…”
“Evil deeds are always destined to be exposed,” Lord Toilia dutifully replied.
ーーThus, Graham, the trading company president, was captured.
As the group caught their breath after apprehending the exhausted Graham, the Guild Master received a communication. It was from the Kagemono who were staking out the rented warehouse. Apparently, the second and third Stuart sons, who had been attempting to flee, had also been successfully captured. The small man chuckled in satisfaction. He exchanged a nod with the Lord.
The communication device was handed to the well-built man. He tried to contact the Adventurer’s Guild’s Kagemono, but… hearing approaching footsteps, he returned the device to the small man.
“Hmm? What’s the matter?”
“…It seems we needn’t bother contacting them. The rogue monk will likely be here shortly.”
“What! …As expected of a figure renowned in the underworld.
He evaded those Kagemono!?”
“I hear he’s also a “Collector.” He’s apparently escaped capture many times by utilizing valuable magic items.”
The Lord stared intently towards the entrance of the upscale residential area.
As he, with his [Sound Detection] skill, had sensed, the small rogue monk came running, his black robe billowing, having forced his way through a fairly strong barrier using [Phase]. His speed was remarkable. He was wearing rabbit boots.
The barrier fluctuated wildly from the forced [Phase], and Gene desperately poured mana into maintaining it. A plain, yet crucial task.
The rogue monk glanced at the bound, invisible figure and exclaimed dramatically. He didn’t even slow down while addressing the president, a testament to his experience with escaping.
“Mr. President, you got caught too quickly! I was hoping you’d at least infiltrate the mansion…
I was looking forward to Alice Stuart’s murder! Geez!
I’m so disappointed!
Dinner’s going to taste bland tonight… Gah!”
As he rambled, several short arrows were fired at his head. It was the work of the Kagemono pursuing him.
It was a deadly attack aimed to kill, but Morec dodged them all with uncanny agility, as if he had eyes in the back of his head.
…The Lord’s gaze sharpened. He recognized the monk as a dangerous individual, one he wanted to capture here and now.
“Tch!”
The Kagemono, who had been pursuing Morec for a long time, clicked his tongue in frustration. He had been dodging their deadly arrows and taunting them with irritating remarks all the way here.
“…I said, that’s dangerous! Really!
What if you damage my temperature-controlled comfort robe!? This is very expensive, you know!
And I’m very susceptible to colds, so it’s very valuable to me!?”
Morec continued to yell about trivial matters in his usual carefree manner.
“ーーI don’t care about your circumstances!”
“…Ah!?”
…Morec, protectively clutching the hood of his robe, was suddenly attacked by a third party from the darkness. The head portion of his black robe was ripped apart. Long, light purple hair streaked with white was revealed. He glared at the third party…the succubus Loulou. His face, surprisingly pale, seemed gentle and middle-aged. A deceptively kind appearance, considering his vile nature. His yellow eyes gleamed.
“I loved this robe…! Damn it!
…I’m really pissed off, but… hmph, I’ll let you off the hook today. It’s too disadvantageous for me to fight you here and now.
May great misfortune befall you all! A former cleric’s curse is sure to work, you know!?
…I absolutely hate you!”
“We also hate you for deliberately disrupting our peaceful daily lives!”
“Eek! You’re just arguing for the sake of arguing!”
That’s rich coming from you.
The rogue monk spat out his spiteful parting words, then boldly threw off his torn robe and closed the distance to the bound eldest son.
The Lord blocked his path, but Morec, using the “Dizzying Eye Patch’s” effect, made him stumble and pushed through.
“Oh…!”
Graham let out a hopeful cry, but Morec, with a smirk, used [Appraisal] to identify the brooch and snatched it before fleeing. Graham, the forced invisibility dispelled, stood frozen with his mouth agape in a dumbfounded expression.
Morec, now adorned with the ultra-expensive brooch on his own chest, grinned. Loulou yelled at the Kagemono holding the eldest son, “Catch him quickly!” But just as they moved, Morec vanished using the brooch’s powerful effect.
“…I’ll chase him! Anyone coming with me?”
“I’ll go!”
The archer, who had been pursuing Morec, responded to Loulou’s call.
“We’ve already captured the president. We’ll have the Commercial Guild’s Kagemono assist as well!
I’m counting on you all.”
((Leave it to us!))
Joined by the Commercial Guild’s Kagemono, a total of four people chased after Morec into the darkness. Lily’s soul-seeing abilities would have been invaluable, but there was nothing to be done about her absence. The capture squad, discerning even the faintest of sounds, launched attacks into the seemingly empty space, hoping to hit their target. Occasional yelps of pain could be heard.
Coming from the opposite direction, Kagemono carrying the bound second and third sons appeared a little later.
“How noisy,” Lena remarked coolly, still in her Onee-sama mode, as she and her group emerged from the mansion.
“Ah… my apologies. Only the rogue monk remains at large. Loulou and the Kagemono are currently in pursuit.
…Let’s leave him to them.
Dawn is approaching. Let’s deal with these three first.
Is that agreeable, Miss Alice?”
“…Yes.”
When the Lord uttered the word “deal,” the three brothers shuddered. They glared at Alice with ashen faces. The young girl met their gazes unflinchingly. She was prepared to scold them in place of her grandfather Gale. She couldn’t afford to be intimidated by such trivial matters. She was ready to be hated.
Lena gently embraced Alice’s shoulder. Looking at her, Alice relaxed slightly and spoke calmly, pronouncing the brothers’ “fate.”
“…Shall we proceed to the rooftop?”
All of them were definitely “out.” Off you go.
The conspirators donned their ominous masks. Frozen by the eerie atmosphere, the three brothers were hoisted by Goldaro and Patricia (the eldest, with his soiled pants, was stuffed into a large barrel and carried that way) and taken to the guardian deity.
Upon reaching the rooftop, the three brothers, upon being glared at by the giant monster Giganto Mothra, fainted and were promptly revived with resounding slaps from the Macho Men. Perhaps this detail was unnecessary.
Creha’s flame magic ignited the torches with real fire this time. The carefully bound brothers felt the heat gradually increasing their body temperature. Sweat beaded on their faces.
Standing on the altar’s platform was not Onee-sama, but Alice Stuart. The head of the household, with Mothra looming behind her, looked down at her foolish sons with a serious expression.
Three desks were arranged in a row, just like in a classroom, and the older men were forcibly seated in the wooden chairs. Lying on either side of them were the battered former adventurer villains.
Standing behind the three brothers were the White Macho Man and the Gay Macho Man, looking like parents attending a school open house. For the record, both were male. To observe Alice’s “lesson,” their friends and guardians lined up behind the macho men, keeping an eye on the villains. The small man, the head of the Commercial Guild, watched with barely contained curiosity, his eyes sparkling.
What was about to begin…? Overwhelmed by the unpredictable terror and the heat, the three brothers stared up at Alice with clammy eyes. The young girl’s pink lips pronounced their fate.
“ーーNow then.
I, Alice Stuart, will now conduct a lesson on the trading company’s reconstruction plan and how to improve your previous mismanagement!”
“「「…Huh!?」」」
What lesson!? …the three brothers exclaimed in bewilderment. As their brains slowly processed the words, their faces flushed with rage.
“…Don’t screw with us!! A naive little girl like you, with no knowledge of the world, has nothing to teach us!”
“…A reconstruction plan, you say? So, you intend to continue running the company…?
…However, I completely agree with my brother that a lesson from someone like you has no value!!”
“…Don’t be ridiculous…
Do you have any idea how much effort we’ve put into running this company until now…! Don’t underestimate us, little girl!!”
“All of you are out.”
Lena, her face expressionless, promptly signaled the start of the fateful punishment. The three fools were adept at digging their own graves.
Come on, flower fairy, spank their butts and be done with it!
<
Lily operated the smartphone with great enthusiasm. She seemed to enjoy the Earth toy.
The three, still unaware of the meaning of “out,” flinched at the loud noise but continued to curse Alice. Foolish indeed. How long would their bravado last…?
“The two younger brothers get rocket headbutts. The eldest gets an electric firecracker.”
Lena announced the cruel punishments. The chairs they sat in had a peculiar design, with the backrests largely open from the back to the buttocks.
You can probably guess the advantage of such a design.
▽The two Gay Macho Men struck a side chest pose!
▽They raised their hands like gymnasts.
▽They crouched down, gathering power in their legs…
▽Attack!
▽Releasing the power in their legs… Rocket Headbutt to the butt!!
“「GYAAAAH!!?」”
The younger brothers slammed face-first into their desks. Excellent reactions!
▽Coo-iz placed a prank electric firecracker in the barrel.
“NUWAAAAAHHHH!!?”
▽The eldest writhed in pain from the crackling firecracker!
Nice fate!
Having experienced the brutal punishment for the first time, the three fools lost their vigor, silently enduring the stinging pain in their buttocks. Speaking now would only exacerbate the pain.
Alice smiled sweetly and repeated her earlier statement.
“Now then. I will now conduct a lesson on the trading company’s reconstruction plan and how to improve your previous mismanagement.
Understood?”
“「「………」」」
“Silence means consent!”
A dictatorial lesson indeed. The young girl, influenced by Lena’s party, had developed a slightly darker personality.
The butler, Patricia, brought in a “30-Second Rule Whiteboard,” a magic tool commonly used in schools and secret meetings. Anything written on it would automatically disappear after 30 seconds.
Alice picked up a red crayon.
“First… I’ll explain customer service and negotiation techniques for building good relationships with clients.
You’re particularly bad at this, so please pay close attention.
Negotiation is the lifeline of business management.
The key is to make a contract that benefits us without making the other party uncomfortable, and to have them leave satisfied.
I’ll teach you effective speaking techniques to achieve this.”
“What could you possibly know about…!”
“Eldest son, out.”
Lena was ruthless.
<
“Ah!!?”
The incorrigible Graham had Itchy-Goo gel thrown into his barrel at Onee-sama’s command. It was a new, outrageous flower that released an intensely itchy gel when its walnut-like shell was cracked.
…If they disrupted the lesson by complaining about the pain and itching, they would be further punished. Their buttocks were needlessly spanked countless times.
Forced to listen to Alice’s lecture, which was full of valid points, the three brothers endured a hellish experience.
If one listened without prejudice to the fact that the teacher was a cute little girl, the economics lesson was actually quite insightful and valuable. It wasn’t just theoretical; Alice used several real-world examples to explain things clearly.
As the three brothers had pointed out, Alice had no real-world experience. However, she had thoroughly discussed any naive points with the head of the Commercial Guild at the costume party, making the content substantial enough to convince even adults. …Those who witnessed the passionate debate between the two merchants at the party were reportedly taken aback by their intensity.
Gradually, light returned to the dull eyes of the three brothers.
“If we had handled the negotiations like this, we would have made a better impression.”
“To lower the asking price without offending the seller, we could have phrased it like this.”
“There were more efficient and less risky ways to manage our surplus funds…!”
“By adopting the latest calculation methods, we could significantly reduce the time spent on accounting.”
………….
Their faces brightened as they imagined changing their company’s strategies. According to Alice’s explanation, even their failing company could be salvaged, albeit on a smaller scale, if they changed their fund management methods.
…She was a naive little girl, lecturing them proudly despite their attempts to kill her. If they showed a little remorse, she might forgive their past actions. Yes, she surely would! …The three brothers licked their lips inwardly, making such convenient assumptions.
When Alice finished her explanation and declared the lesson over, they completely changed their tune and showered her with praise!
“My, my, how wonderful!
Even for us, with years of experience in business management, it was a truly enlightening lesson. Thank you!”
“It seems our minds had become quite inflexible without us realizing…
Listening to someone with a different perspective was a good experience!”
“…We’ll change our approach and rebuild the company based on your lesson.
We’ll make sure your words weren’t wasted, and we’ll surely succeed. …Th-thank you… sniff”
Their long-held pride seeped through their faces, making them appear insincere. Old habits die hard.
“You’re welcome.”
Alice replied calmly, thinking, “Their intentions are so transparent, and their language is still terrible. Two points.” Two points out of a hundred, mind you. She was a harsh judge.
Alice, so strict in business matters, would never forgive them for such a clumsy attempt at flattery. The lesson wasn’t for their benefit. She was furious that they had tried to ruin the company while misusing her grandfather Gale’s substantial assets. She knew it was a self-satisfying act. However, knowing her grandfather’s deep distrust of people, she was angry at his sons, who were the cause of it. If they had at least managed the company properly, her impression of them might have been different.
The three brothers stared at Alice with expectant, slimy eyes. The young merchant smiled sweetly and turned to the head of the Anees Kingdom Commercial Guild.
“Mr. Nesman, would you please explain the penalties for the Stuarts’ violation of the commercial regulations?”
“Hoho. Leave it to me!”
The small man winked playfully and walked briskly to the top of the altar, standing next to Alice. He was slightly out of breath from the unusual exercise. After catching his breath, Louis Nesman, whose gentle appearance belied his stern nature, raised his voice!
“ーーGraham Stuart, president of Stuart Trading Company. Vice presidents, Eza Stuart and Erardo Stuart!
…I hereby pronounce the following!
You have deliberately violated the Commercial Guild’s regulations, falsified business records, unlawfully detained employees, and tarnished your guild cards!
Therefore, you are all deemed “criminals”!
Furthermore, the crime of plotting to murder Alice Stuart out of spite is grave.
…Starting today, you are sentenced to 40 years of forced labor in prison!
You will be sent to the Kaveil prison in the scorching southern lands.
Work diligently and purify your tainted souls! That is all!
ーーCapture squad. Put the collars on them.”
“「Understood」”
The sons stared blankly in shock.
The scorching lands were a desolate place where serial killers were sent. Why were they being sent to such a place!? …They finally burst into tears.
The reason was the Commercial Guild’s desire to protect talented buyers from being targeted again. That was all there was to it. They had lost by making enemies of powerful figures.
Thick black collars were fastened around the brothers’ necks by the capture squad. After 40 years of forced labor, the three brothers, already middle-aged, would be decrepit old men, or even dead. It was practically a death sentence. Kaveil, their destination, was a remote region notorious for its scorching heat, unbearable even for the locals during summer. The pampered, bookish brothers were now condemned to a life of hardship.
“…No…!””H-help, please forgive us!!” “Please have mercy! A-Alice Stuart…! Allow us to explain!”
The sons cried out in anguish, their faces streaked with tears.
As if to say, “Don’t burden Alice-sama any further!!”, Mothra unleashed her [Intimidation] skill at full power.
With screams of agony, Graham and his brothers instantly fainted.
Even the Lord and the Guild Master broke out in a cold sweat at the overwhelming force.
…Alice remained silent, watching as her sons were carried away.
They had feared their own harsh punishment, but an innocent young girl had almost been murdered on false charges. There was no reason for mercy.
Even so, a person from Earth might have felt sympathy for the sobbing, middle-aged men facing 40 years of hellish labor. But the hearts of those living in the world of Lanash were not so easily swayed.
Her friends were relieved that Alice seemed to be coping well.
The collared sons and the villains who had aided them were swiftly transported to a temporary prison by the Kagemono. The punishment for the newly turned villains hadn’t been decided yet. After a cleric examined the darkness in their souls, a decision would be made. If they had repented sufficiently, there might still be a path to redemption. Wearing enchanted collars, they were prevented from ending their suffering through suicide. They had no choice but to work until their sentences were served.
Concerned about the silently standing Alice, her friends spoke gently.
“Alice…
We’re going to make breakfast. We’ll put our hearts into it for you, so let’s eat together, okay?
Delicious food will surely lift your spirits.”
“Oh, sounds good! I’m looking forward to it.
Alice, you really worked hard today.
…Sorry I dozed off during the lesson. I really am sorry, so please don’t look at me like that…!
Anyway, let’s take a break, shall we?
We can clean up the rooftop tomorrow. Let’s all relax today.”
“「We agree!
Hey, hey, Alice, want to see our celebratory dance? It’s our best one!」」
Lena seemed to be still in her Onee-sama mode.
The slimes, now close friends with Alice, spoke to her cheerfully and reverted to their slime forms.
Mini Slime, about the size of a grapefruit, and Hamal, shrunk using [Shape Change], lined up in front of Alice and began their celebratory dance! Lily the fairy conducted rhythmically.
Squish, squish, squish, boing! Moff!
Squish, squish, squish, boing! Moff!
Spinning around, a double somersault!
Tilting their heads, a cute pose!
It was unfair.
Everyone present was captivated by their cuteness. The two men, secretly blushing, seemed to have been charmed as well. Loulou had advised them that these influential figures would be valuable allies, so the familiars were putting on a full display of their adorable forms. The primary reason, of course, was to cheer up Alice.
Lily, unable to contain her excitement, joined in, performing a graceful fairy dance.
After the dance, amidst applause… everyone felt certain that the long finale had finally come to an end. ーーAlice could finally return to her peaceful daily life.
The Majin Mothra, skillfully draped in a wind-blown white sheet, bowed to the young head of the household. Surrounded by kind people, the master of the Stuart residence smiled happily.
“I love you all…!”
Hearing this, her friends replied joyfully, “We love you too!”