Someone Who Really Doesn't Want to be Involved

Leona gently grasped Setsuna's fist and stroked it.

"… You messed with my body based on whether it was fun or not?"

"That's right. What's wrong with that?"

"You fiend!"

Setsuna swung with her other hand, but before the punch could connect, her strength drained away and she collapsed.

"Huh… wha… my, strength…?"

"Just a little application of my specialty, massage. Alright Suira, you can eat her up now. In the Succubus way, that is."

"Eeeh!? … I-I mean, I'll gladly dig in, but are you sure? They're your grandchildren, aren't they?"

"It's fine, it's fine. Setsuna's special-made, so she'll be super delicious. Her hips are going to give out on her… so just knock her out and leave her lying over there, alright?"

Leona handed the unmoving Setsuna over to the Succubus and looked at Nayuta.

"W-wait, Grandma? So that means you won't listen to our request?"

"Oh, Nayuta, you have a request too? Like wanting bigger boobs or something? … Yep, we have a great selection gathered right here, so I'll swap yours for whichever pair you like, okay?"

"I don't want that! More importantly, Papa not waking up is your doing, isn't it, Grandma!?"

"Hmm? Oh, that? Mmm… I'm sure I did something, so it's probably my doing, but I don't remember at all. Sorry?"

"Guu… y-you…!"

"Ahaha, Nayuta, you're prettier when you're angry! It's alright. You know there's a Philosopher's Stone that can be made by mastering alchemy, right? If you use it to make an elixir, he'll wake up. That medicine can cure most status ailments. Here, this is a sample Philosopher's Stone."

Leona casually took out a stone that glowed with a faint red color from her [Storage].

This was probably the Philosopher's Stone.

"Hand that over!"

"Ahaha, sure～… [Super Alchemy]. Here, it's just an ordinary rock now though."

Leona turned the red stone gray—into just an ordinary rock—and tossed it to Nayuta.

Even so, Nayuta caught it. She wanted even the smallest clue, but when she activated her alchemy skill and examined the stone again, it was nothing more than an ordinary rock.

"… How much more are you going to mock me before you're satisfied…!?"

"I'm just believing that Nayuta will master alchemy on her own. Even an ordinary human could make one in just ninety years, so you should manage in thirty, easy. Well, I made mine three days after starting alchemy, though!"

Leona giggled in an infuriating way. Nayuta glared at her, but it had no effect.

Leona gently stroked Nayuta's head. By the time Nayuta noticed she was being patted, she had already lost all strength in her body.

"Well then, good night to you too, Nayuta. Don't worry. You're my adorable grandchildren. I'll leave you your lab coat and gym clothes… but I'll be taking your underwear."

"Kuh… you, pervert…"

Nayuta collapsed with a thud.

And so, the meeting between the two and Leona ended in a completely one-sided result.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Leona was an even more outrageous existence than I'd thought.

First, her combat power. She casually caught Setsuna's all-out attack, so there's no chance of beating her with our forces. Moreover, I couldn't see her move at all. That had to be teleportation. Or was she stopping time?

Second, her suppressive power. I don't know if it was massage or what, but she instantly disabled Setsuna and Nayuta and knocked them unconscious. The two of them are Succubus food now. They'll really eat you without mercy even if you're a girl, those Succubi.

And finally, her alchemy. If what she said is true, she can make anyone immortal as long as she has the materials. Moreover, she pulled out a super-rare item called a Philosopher's Stone—something that costs over 5,000,000 DP in the DP Catalog—and turned it into an ordinary rock. She can probably make them whenever she wants. With a skill called [Super Alchemy]. Hero skills are cheats. Total cheats.

… Also, the most troublesome thing of all is that her personality is the absolute worst.

If someone like her set their sights on me, I don't think I'd be able to sleep soundly at night. I think I understand now why Haku-san wrote in her letter to kill Leona if I get the chance.

"Kehmaaa…"

Hearing my name, I looked to the side to see Rokuko slightly flushed and unsteady.

"Oh, you seem relatively okay today, but are you sure you didn't need to go back to your room?"

"Mm, I'm fine. Maybe it's because we weren't the ones dealing with her this time? Those two part-timers were her opponents. I did get hit by the aftershocks, though."

"There are aftershocks? That means we can't even take a casual walk around here."

"Knowing you, Kehma, you'd use that as an excuse to sleep all day."

You know me well, Rokuko. As expected of my partner.

"By the way, Rokuko, what do you think of Leona?"

"Hmm? Let's see… if she weren't causing us trouble, I might actually like her in a roundabout way. How should I put it, I like how she just does whatever she wants."

"And if we assume she will cause us trouble?"

"Then I agree with Haku-neesama. It'd be better to kill her. I think that would be for the good of the world… What do you think, Kehma?"

"I thought that if she started following me around, I wouldn't be able to sleep anymore."

"That's so Kehma," Rokuko said with a laugh.

"So, what are we going to do?"

"Hmm… maybe we should just leave her be? I don't want to poke the hornet's nest. There's a saying from back home: poke a bush and a snake comes out."

"I think you were already poking pretty thoroughly when you put Leona in the dungeon and leaked her location to Setsuna and the others, though?"

Now that she mentions it, I've definitely been poking away already.

… Rather, Setsuna straight-up said "I came here after hearing Leona was here," so the leak is completely exposed, isn't it? I should have at least sworn them to secrecy.

"W-well, yeah. I'll assign the Succubi and the rest some suitable side work before long… They generate DP just by being here, but if I keep them busy and don't give them free time, I should be able to keep things under control. I'm also hoping they'll get sick of working and leave on their own."

"I'm looking forward to what kind of work you'll assign them."

I never thought Leona would be such an absurd existence. For now, let's just pray she doesn't get angry about the leak and do something about it.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

On the day I'd sicced Setsuna and the others on Leona, I was eating dinner in the dining room.

I was leisurely eating at a corner table, thinking it was fairly crowded today… when someone called out to me. It was a request to share the table, something common enough when the place is packed.

"Excuse me～, would it be alright if I sat here?"

There were still other tables with open seats, but maybe they approached me because I'm the Village Chief, or maybe I just look like an easygoing young guy who's easy to talk to.

I didn't have any particular reason to refuse, so I answered while looking up.

"Sure. I don't min—…!?"

"Oh? Is there something on my face?"

Something on her face was the least of my concerns.

A woman with black hair tied in a ponytail and red eyes—

—Leona was right in front of me.

Crap, I might die.