Get Them Out! The Village of Schemes*3
We first headed to the freshly built library.
“Waaah… what a beautiful building… Hey, what’s it made of?”
“It’s built mainly from quartz stone. Then coated with titanium oxide so dirt just slides right off!”
“I don’t really get it, but that’s amazing, Asuma-sama.”
Looks like the building itself got a good reception—glad to hear it. Even the adventurers passing by were exclaiming, “Whoa, it’s white!” “It’s so white!” Can’t really tell if that’s praise or mockery, though.
“Inside… still not that many books, huh.”
“Yeah… I could rebuild more of the ones I absorbed from the mobile library, but that’d harm the rights holders’ profits if I did…”
You know, even in this world, I’d like to stay mindful of that sort of thing.
If we’re thinking about Panis Village’s long-term prosperity, it’s better for the whole country to have an environment where books can be easily made. So yeah, authors need to be treated right. They’ve gotta be able to pocket the proceeds from their books properly.
“Someday, I’d like to invite novelists to settle here.”
“Novelists? But wouldn’t it be the same wherever they live…? Unless there’s some benefit to living here, I suppose.”
“Well, having a library for research materials would be a big help, right? And, hmm… I think I can propose a new way to sell books. It’s a system that requires library sponsorship, so if we do that, they might actually move here.”
… I do have a few ideas floating around, actually. To attract novelists, illustrators, and even printing shops, Panis Village needs to be a place that’s both easy to create and easy to sell.
As for the “easy to create” part, I can handle the equipment and facilities on my end… and for the “easy to sell” part, I can help through economic development or by organizing proper systems within the village.
Anyway, I’ll have to work out the details with Edele-san and move forward carefully.
“… Ah. I sense a wagon stopping at the village entrance.”
“They’ve arrived…”
… Yes. They’ve finally come.
All right then—everyone, to alert status!
Panis Village may be a village, but it has a proper main street.
The road runs straight from the entrance to the central plaza, then all the way to the dungeon reception at the far end.
Along the sides, there are inns, hot springs, eateries… and recently, jewelry shops displaying pieces made by local craftsmen, stores selling fine linen and fabric goods made from Panis-grown hemp, cozy little bars where you can taste local wine and brandy knock-offs, and even liquor shops. The place is thriving.
Naturally, this “Panis Village Main Street” is the path all visitors take to reach the inns… meaning! If you walk here, you will run into the targets.
… We just have to act casual. Lisas-san looks a bit tense, but he’s handling it fine. At least, he’s keeping up the act of “I have no idea my ex-wife and her lover are about to walk through here.”
And right beside him is Edele-san.
Needless to say, Edele-san is a beauty. Her softly wavy chestnut hair pairs perfectly with the jewel-tree flower adorning it, giving her calm yet striking grace.
And—though she’s completely unaware of it—Mishisia-san is here too. With her shoulder-length blond hair and fresh green eyes, she’s got that breezy, wholesome kind of beauty. She might not realize it, but she’s absolutely stunning in her own right.
… And then, to top it off—
Every adventurer we pass knows Lisas-san. The burly men and women alike call out: “Hey, Lisas! Drink with us again sometime!” “My, looking even handsomer than usual today!”
Clearly, he’s popular around here. And rightfully so. Sure, we may have told the adventurers, “Hey, help us out with this little setup,” but even without that, Lisas-san’s earned everyone’s respect.
Now then—imagine the shock for those two seeing all this up close.
Lisas-san notices them too. Their eyes meet, and the two just stare, dumbfounded.
“… Lisas?”
The woman speaks first. Lisas-san looks bitterly awkward for a moment, then finally says just one thing: “It’s been a while.”
And so, right in the middle of Panis Village’s busy main street, the showdown begins.
But the first strike’s already landed—our side’s appearance alone hit hard. The ex-wife’s eyes are glued to Lisas-san, taking in his polished, confident look.
While she’s staring, her gaze shifts toward Edele-san and Mishisia-san.
Meanwhile, the lover looks absolutely shaken, seeing how Lisas-san’s completely changed—his arm and eye are both healed. He must look like a different man now compared to the last time they met.
Plus, he’s wearing clothes that definitely look “well-tailored.” Mishisia-san had picked them out, so they’re tasteful, refined, and unmistakably wealthy-looking.
… And the lover’s eyes move to Lisas-san’s sword. Yeah, he can tell. Lisas-san’s back to using a blade—meaning he’s regained the skill, strength, and maybe even the status he once had as a royal knight.
“H-hey, Lisas. You’re looking well. Uh… that lady with you is…?”
The lover tries to start the conversation by addressing Edele-san. Figures he’d be curious.
“Oh, this is Edele-san. She’s the village representative. I owe her a great deal.”
Lisas-san introduces her smoothly, like it’s no big deal.
And then—
“My name is Edele. I serve as acting village chief here. Lisas-san has been such a great help to us…”
Edele-san delivers her line flawlessly—lowering her long lashes shyly, smiling just enough, her tone dripping with gentle affection. That “he’s been a great help” carries clear, unmistakable warmth. Incredible. Absolutely brilliant.
“Acting… chief?”
“Yes. The former chief went off to war and never returned. Lisas-san came to our struggling village… and truly saved us.”
“I’m the one who’s grateful, Edele-san.”
That’s genuine. Lisas-san’s tension eased a little, and his smile softened. Edele-san tilted her head slightly, returning the smile, lightly touching the jewel-tree flower in her hair. Perfect. Absolutely perfect. See? The ex-wife’s staring daggers at that hair ornament now.
“That hair ornament… could it be…?”
“Oh yes. It’s from the Jewel Tree flowers found only at the deepest part of our dungeon. Lisas-san went there himself and brought it back as a gift. To thank me, he said. Hehe.”
And there it is—Edele-san’s clean hit. He went into a dungeon and brought her a rare treasure himself. Beautiful strike!
“A dungeon…?”
“That’s right! Lisas-san’s got the skill to patrol dungeons alone—he’s so strong, everyone in the village respects him!”
Mishisia-san proudly jumps in, eyes sparkling. Go, girl!
“And… that child? Don’t tell me…”
At that, Lisas-san realizes what she’s implying.
“He’s not my child. This is…”
Okay, that’s my cue! Before he can say more, I jump forward and strike a confident pose.
“I’m Lisas-san’s apprentice! He’s cool, right!?”
“… Well, I’m just looking after him for certain reasons.”
Lisas-san shoots me a “we’re really doing this?” kind of look, so I flash him the brightest grin I can manage, then beam up at him with sparkling admiration. Totally allowed with a child’s body—perk of the form, baby!
“And you, miss…?”
“Huh, me? Oh, I’m Mishisia! I’m one of the forest folk staying in this village. I’ve known Lisas-san since he first came here—we’ve explored dungeons and worked on village stuff together!”
Her cheerful, honest tone is perfect—a completely different angle from Edele-san’s. Both work like a charm.
… She’s not much of an actress, but she clearly understands the mission: Make everyone see how loved and respected Lisas-san is. She flashes him a sunny smile, and he adds, “She’s a trusted companion.”
Yup. Looks like the picture of a healthy, enviable life.
Seeing Lisas-san flanked by two lovely women, both wearing his gifts and smiling warmly—yeah, the ex-wife’s floored. I mean, come on. That’s lethal.
And of course, there’s that weird human instinct—when something you tossed away suddenly looks desirable because others want it. Probably that.
Meanwhile, the lover’s just trembling. “Two…!? Two of them!?” Yeah, he gets it. Lisas-san’s got the aura—and the means—of a man who can handle it.
Then Mishisia-san, somehow misunderstanding, whispers to me, “Asuma-sama! She’s after him! Stay alert!” … Not me, lady—you!
“… Didn’t expect that.”
“I figured the first thing you’d ask about would be my arm or my eye…”
Only then do the ex-wife and lover realize his arm and eye are fully healed.
“I—I was wondering about that! But I didn’t want to ask in case it was painful… could you tell me what happened?”
Hard to tell what she’s thinking. Maybe she regrets it, maybe she’s just fishing for another chance—but either way, too little too late.
“Not much to tell. Just that I was healed by the dungeon’s blessing.”
“And what do you do now? You quit being a knight, didn’t you?”
“I look after this village’s dungeon and help with farming. Occasionally sell dungeon gems. Nothing that’d interest you.”
He sounds humble, but with the two women and “apprentice” by his side, it only makes him look more successful. The lover’s clearly uncomfortable.
“Don’t say that… It’s been so long, can’t we talk a bit?”
“You’re here for sightseeing, right? I wouldn’t want to get in your way. Enjoy your stay.”
“But—”
She tried to press on, but he gently refused. The lover stayed silent, torn between pride and frustration.
… Time to end this.
“Hey! Lisas-san said no! Leave him alone!”
Behold—the unstoppable grade-school power move.
See, there are things only a kid can pull off. You can’t stop a bold little brat who just goes for it.
“Lisas-san! Leave this to me! You can go ahead!”
“W-wait—”
I cut the ex-wife off and blow my whistle.
… Originally, I wanted to do that cool finger-whistle thing, but I just couldn’t get it right—it came out like “fsshh”—so I settled for a normal whistle instead.
… Okay, fine. Not normal. A samba whistle.
Yeah, one of those two-tone ones. I figured, hey, might as well make it loud and flashy—Samba rhythm and all.
Pip-pi-pip pop pop, pip-pi-pip pop pop!
As I blow, mocchi-mocchi, bouncy-bounce, the slimes come bouncing in.
… They’re even moving to the beat. What, did the rhythm awaken some kind of Latin spirit in you guys? Not that you have blood, but still.
“Wh-what!? What’s happening!?”
While the ex-wife and lover panic, the slimes gathered between us, forming a bouncy barrier. Mocchi-mocchi.
“… Well then, shall we go?”
Edele-san gently urged Lisas-san along. He bowed lightly, following her lead. Mishisia-san giggled, poking the slimes as she went, “Yaaay, squishy~!”
And then—
“All right, time for your feeding, everyone!”
Leaving the confused pair behind, I strut off in rhythm—hot, not cool. Samba hot.
Whistling loudly, I march ahead, the slimes following mocchi-mocchi in step. Yeah, they’re definitely following because they heard the word “feeding.” I can tell.
And somehow, adventurers joined the line too—making it a full parade.
… Thus, Lisas-san’s ex-wife and her lover were left standing there, gawked at and whispered about by passing villagers.
What do you think about this chapter?
Thanks for the chapters. *Me: start playing Cuban Pete on my MP3 as BGM* 🤣🤣🤣