「Well, I’m off to Emeria-sama and to the Resistance. I think I’ll be back by the evening」

Shia-san also went out with Snow-san as she had to go to Illumina-san’s place.

I thought about following them, but Kiara-san is not in the best of shape yet and it would be too conspicuous for an elf to be walking around outside. It’s the same even if they wear hoods. I know what that’s like because I’ve been there myself.

「Well, let’s take our time」
「I’m going to feed the Demonic Rat」
「Oh, by the way, you promised to teach me about summoning, so can I have a look?」
「Yes, but there’s nothing much I can teach you」

She told me yesterday that once she had signed the contract, she could summon him at any time, so the first thing we had to do was to have her show me the summoning in front of me.

「Summon… Demonic Rat」
「Dju!」

Out of thin air, the Demonic Rat appeared. The summoned Demonic Rat stands up on two legs and raises its right hand in greeting.

「Can you hold a conversation?」
「I can’t have a conversation with him, but I think he understand what we’re talking about」

Somehow, he understood. If you are a high level summoner, you can use telekinesis and even talk with them.

「Food」
「Djuu」

He takes a slice of bread from Kiara-san’s hand and bites into it.

「He’s cute」

He’s soothing to look at. Unlike the Demonic Rats I saw in the underground passage, his fur is clean and his eyes are not cloudy.

「Want some more?」
「Djudju」

The Demonic Rat shook his head and curled up on Kiara-san’s lap in the chair.

「He fell asleep」
「That’s cute」
「Can you summon others?」
「No. His the only one I’ve been contracted with yet」
「Now that I think about it, that’s right」

I remembered that she succeeded in summoning him just in the nick of time and saved her life.

「Do you think I can do it?」
「I don’t know. Do you want to try?」
「Yes!」

I was taught how to do it.

「I should write a magic circle and put my own magic into it, right?」
「Yes, think of the partner you want at the moment」

Kiara-san said that when she wanted a partner to help her, she got a Demonic Rat. There are a lot of Demonic Rats in the underground passages, so maybe that’s part of the reason for her success. With that in mind, it’s possible that a nearby monster is easier to succeed with.

「Well, I’ll give it a try」
「Yes. Take it easy」

I hold out my hand to the magic circle and let the magic flow.

「Gu……」
「Big sister Yuan!?」

I felt pain all over my body. Kiara-san looked at me with concern.

「I’m fine」

When I stop pouring magic, I find that the pain eases up.

「Apparently, I’m not cut out for this」
「Okay. I’m sorry I pushed you so hard」
「No, I hope you don’t mind that I asked you to do that」
「Djuu!!!」

In a series of exchanges, it seems that I have woken up the Demonic Rat. He is angry as if he is complaining against me.

「I’m sorry I woke you」
「Chiyu」

When Kiara-san patted him, the Demonic Rat quietly curled up again.

「Oh, by the way, you’re supposed to name him, right?」
「Yeah, I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday, but I want to name him something he like, so I’m going to talk to him about it」
「By the way, what name are you planning to give it?」
「How about Matthew, since he’s a Demonic Rat?」

It was as it was!

「Dju!」

The Demonic Rat also seemed to have heard the conversation and tapped Kiara-san’s leg in protest.

「Ehh… Then Maso?」

That’s just a slightly different way of understanding a Demonic Rat.

Pashin. He doesn’t like it.

「Chuta」

Pashin!

「Nezucchi」

Pashin! Pashin!

The exchange has been going on for many times. Apparently, Kiara-san is not very good at naming things.

「Then, Ladi. It’s taken from a term for a high-ranking knight in a certain country」
「Dju!」

The Demonic Rat’s body glowed. It seems that he liked the name and accepted it. I was able to witness the precious moment when the naming took place right in front of me.

「My life belongs to master」
「Eh?」
「Um, is that big sister Yuan?」
「No, it’s not」

I heard a boy’s voice too. But it’s just me, Kiara-san and the Demonic Rat… Ladi in this room.

「Is it the influence of naming?」
「I don’t know, but when I wake up I’ll ask around」

Ladi fell asleep completely on Kiara-san’s lap. When the light shone, I felt a flow of magical power, so perhaps that is the influence. We spent the rest of the day quietly watching Ladi as he slept.

It was almost dark when Shia-san and Snow-san returned.

「So, how did it go?」
「Yes, Emeria-sama will continue to keep an eye on the outside of the city, and the Resistance will be raiding the lord’s mansion」

It’s a bold move. If our information is wrong, we will be in trouble.

「Don’t worry, I’ve talked to Il-nee for that」
「Yes, after causing a ruckus at the lord’s mansion, we’re going to escape from the city via the escape route Luri-chan has prepared for us.」
「Well, that’s a bit of a relief」

There will be damage for sure, but it’s still better than being wiped out. These are the people who are working hard to defeat the evildoers, and we want them to be saved as much as possible.

「What about us?」
「While the Resistance is causing a ruckus, we’ll break in from underground and rescue the kidnapped」
「I would have liked to have known what was going on inside if I could have」

We don’t even know what’s underneath the lord’s mansion. We’re in a race against time, so we want things to go smoothly.

「Leave it to me」
「Eh?」
「Hmm?」

We heard a boy’s voice. Shia-san and Snow-san look around to find the owner of the voice they suddenly heard.

「Ladi, you’re awake」
「「Ladi?」」
「The two of you weren’t here during the day, the voice you just heard is that of Kiara-san’s Demonic Rat, Ladi-san」
「I think he learned to talk after I named him」
「Nice to meet you」

I explained what had happened during the day as it seemed confusing.

「I see」
「So what’s the plan?」
「I can collect information around the city」

It was hard to understand him, but it seems that Ladi-san is one of the highest-ranking individuals among the Demon Rats and can control the them. He said that he could share information from the Demon Rats and that he would have them search the lord’s mansion.

「Kiara has contracted with a great kid」
「I can always count on Ladi」
「Dju!」

He doesn’t always talk, it seems.

「When will the plan be implemented?」
「After 3 days」
「Maybe we’ll do it in the morning, when there’s the least amount of caution」

She explained that vigilance is at its lowest in the morning, rather than late at night.

「Sleepy in the morning」
「Yes, it’s the time when the sun rises and people start to wake up, and they’ll let their guard down thinking there won’t be any attacks」

Most crimes happen late at night. It’s easier to disappear in the dark than in the daytime.

「Then we must be ready by then」
「Un, then, Kiara will need a weapon if she’ll go」

The balance of a party is important. If you have a party with only vanguards, you will be able to push the enemy’s vanguards, but you will be a target for the archers and magicians of the rearguard.

「Tomorrow, I’ll buy Kiara’s weapon」
「That’s right」
「I’m sorry」
「That’s okay. You’ll have to work hard for it」
「Un. I’ll buy Yuan’s weapon too」
「Eh, me too?」
「Un, you should have something」

Shia-san seems to have noticed that I don’t always have anything with me when I fight. Sometimes I carry a knife, though.

「If they know they’re dealing with a magician, they’ll be more wary, so I think a wand would be good for Yuan?」
「Choose a cute one」
「Just a normal one, please?」
「I will choose for you, Yuan-san!」

I forgot to mention that it was still strange to be called “sister” so I asked her to stop during the day. Instead, though, I’m going to call her Kiara too.

「By the way, what did you go to Illumina-san’s place for, Shia-san?」
「Reinforcements」
「Reinforcements?」
「Un. In case something goes wrong」

It helps that we have backup. But I don’t want to cause any trouble, so I prefer to do it on our own if possible. We are very close to implementing the plan. Whether I cry or laugh, it all depends on it. What was supposed to be just a quick stopover turned out to be a big deal before I knew it, but I don’t regret it. I’m in a party with Snow-san and Kiara-san, and I also met Illumina-san and Luri-chan. Let’s just try to make sure it all ends with everyone laughing! It was with this determination that I waited for the day when the plan would be implemented.

「Ah, and the beds are separate today!」

Author-san

Now, the Tanza chapter is finally coming to a close.
It’s been a long time coming, but thank you for your patience.
I’d like to interject some character descriptions and a bit of Shia’s point of view at some point.
I haven’t written it yet, though.
I’ll let you know when that happens.

As always, thank you for reading.
I’m also on Twitter, so feel free to drop me a comment there too!