In a Different World with a Smartphone

Arc 24: The King is Busy in Many Ways

Chapter 220: Nursing, and Divinity

Flames were rising from the Osaka castle when we returned to ground. It seems the outcome has been determined, shouts of victory are rising here and there. It was a complete victory for Tokugawa/Date allied forces.

It seems that the Hashiba forces were at their wits’ end due to the sudden raid.

I cut my divinity before I go back to the Ieyasu-san’s camp and return to my usual appearance. The hair color reverted to its original color, but the length remained the same. By any chance, will it grow whenever I release my divinity? Won’t the hair get exhausted eventually if this keeps on repeating...?

I return to Ieyasu-san’s place while being anxious of that, and meet with Yae and Kohaku.

「What happened with your hair?!」(Yae)

「A lot of things. Ah, I’ve pretty much defeated Hideyoshi」(Touya)

Ieyasu-san, hearing my report, makes a cheer because their victory has truly been decided by this outcome. Well, it’s not like I can’t understand him.

The forces of Hashiba will most likely collapse with this, and Ieyasu-san’s Tokugawa family will hold most of Ishen. It will be according to history in a sense, or rather, perhaps I should say it will be completely different.

We’ve decided to go home after curing the injured with recovery magic. From here onwards will be the problem of Ishen. The other feudal lords who were controlled by Hideyoshi should also recover normally.

I’ve advised Ieyasu-san to be careful with a fellow named Ishida Mitsunari just in case, but he just asked me who that person was in return. Somehow, it seems Mitsunari-san is not here, which I don’t quite understand.

Our group, including my elder sisters, gets on Gungnir that’s being piloted by Monica and go back to Brunhild.

I was already extremely tired on that day, so I’ve just quickly reported up to a certain extent and have gone to bed. I’ve also been asked by many people as to why did my hair grow so long.

The following day afterwards, my physical condition has utterly collapsed. I’ve felt feverish, hazy, and couldn’t muster any strength at all. I had no appetite either, and I generally felt heavy. I’ve tried using magic like [Recovery] and [Refresh] just in case, but they had no effect.

「You have the symptoms of the common cold but it seems different somehow. There’s no temperature change at all even though you appear to be feverish」(Flora)

Flora in nurse clothes looks at the thermometer and tilts her neck in puzzlement. I’ve been hazily looking at her while I was being wrapped up in a futon, lying in bed.

「I wonder, w-what kind of sickness is this?! W-what should...!」(Yumina)

Yumina is being unusually confused and flustered beside the bed. Haha. So even this girl can panic this much.

Next to the bed in the room are my eight fiancees namely: Yumina, Elzie, Linzie, Yae, Luu, Suu, Hilda, and Rin; the prime minister, Kousaka-san; the steward, Raim-san; the knight commander, Rain-san; maids, Lapis-san and Rene; the Babylon managers, Shesca and Flora; my sister, Karen-nee-san; the divine beasts: Kohaku, Ruli, Kougyoku, Kokuyou, and Sango; and the stuff toy, Pola. Everyone has assembled here in full force, but there are too many of them here.

I’m happy that you’ve gathered because you guys are worried about me though.

「Okay-okay, Touya-kun is alright so everyone should go back to their duties ~noyo. There are no problems because this is just fatigue from yesterday that came out only now ~noyo. I wish you leave the rest to me ~noyo」(Karen)

Karen-nee-san claps her hands and drives everyone outside. I’ve heard her voice saying that they should let a sick person take things slowly and that many people intruding will be a bother though, but I felt very heavy and couldn’t even get up anyway.

The door opens with a thud, and only Karen-neesan comes in and sits on the chair next to the bed, looking this way.

「Can you hear me? This physical disorder is probably a recoil due to activating divine power for the first time ~nanoyo. Your body will get accustomed to it if you sleep for even a day, so you should just obediently sleep today ~noyo」(Karen)

Ah, it’s due to the divine power, right? I’ve been thinking whether that really is the case. I guess this is still better than something else since I don’t feel pain anywhere in particular, but... how should I say this? It’s just hard that I can’t muster up any strength and that I feel sluggish. My head is also fluffy as if I’m in a dreamy state.

Well, as Karen-nee-san has said, I better sleep obediently, right? I absentmindedly think of that feeling as drowsiness attacks me and I fall asleep.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

「Ha......」

When I wake up, I still feel heavy and still can’t muster up any strength. I open my eyelids and vaguely see the room’s interior. It’s the ceiling I’ve gotten used to seeing.

「Ah, have you woken up?」(Linzie)

Linzie, who is sitting on the bedside chair and reading a book, raises her head and looks at me. Did she attend to me all this time? As for the book she has been reading, it has a rose-tic title written on it.

She pours water in a glass from the water jug that has been left on the side table and hands the glass to me. I raise my body up a little, slowly drink it, and slip again into the futon.

Ah~, heeeavy......

「You have no fever, but... are you really fine?...」(Linzie)

「Ah~...I’m fine, I’m fine... See? I’ll be cured if I sleep〜」(Touya)

「Nevertheless, there are times when even Touya-san stays in bed. I’m relieved」(Linzie)

Do I really look like... a person who’s like a monster...? I should properly explain things soon〜....

「It is kinda mysterious, you see. I’ve met Touya-san for the first time in a back alley in Leaflet, and since then you’ve steadily been putting great efforts. Now, you are the king of a whole country, and I occasionally feel like you’ve become a somewhat distant person. Therefore, I felt that you’re a bit closer and it made me feel relieved when I looked at the weak Touya-san even though it may sound imprudent of me」(Linzie)

「...I didn’t change at all. I’m always near Linzie and others. Therefore, I wish for you to forever be by my side. If all of you stay by me, I will be able to become stronger... absolutely... I will make you happy, so...」(Touya)

Ummum... I become sleepy again... Within my vague consciousness, I’ve felt a kiss on my cheek as I fell into sleep again.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The morning of the next day, I wake up and feel that my body is light as if I’ve been reborn. I’ve really healed after sleeping for a single day.

I’ve thought of having Luu skillfully cut my annoying hair without delay, but I’ve decided to postpone it for now since I’m thinking that it might grow again if I bring out my divinity once more.

「Ah! Are you already fine? Touya-nii-chan」(Rene)

Rene, having seen me come out at the corridor, runs towards this place even if she is carrying a basket of laundry. She is a hard-worker since this morning.

「It’s alright, there is nothing is wrong with me anymore. Thank you for being worried」(Touya)

I then leave the place after having patted Rene’s head. I’ve surely had a lot of people worried.

First, I must hear the details about the divinity. Ummm, Karen-nee-san is... sleeping, absolutely. In that case, what about Moroha-nee-san? She should be at the practice grounds around this time.

I take Moroha-nee-san, who has been working hard at training the knights since morning, to a place with no signs of people, and try asking her about the divinity.

「Even if you ask how to use your divinity, each god 《person》 has their own ~you see」(Moroha)

Moroha-nee-san tilts her head like she is stumped.

「In Moroha-nee-san’s case, how do you use it?」(Touya)

「Me? In my case, I just strike my opponent with it and also use it as a restraint, but the best way for me to use it is to create weapons with it ~I guess」(Moroha)

Having said that, Moroha-nee-san takes a dagger out from her waist, and clads it with her divinity in a blink of an eye, creating a shining blade of light. The blade of light extends further over the blade of the short dagger. Oooo! Is that a beam sword!?

「Basically, there’s no specific way to use it. It’s the power of god, which you’ll get used to in one way or another. However, I don’t recommend using it too much」(Moroha)

「Why?」(Touya)

「First of all, it’s a power that’s not being used on the ground. You won’t be using magic power so it will unmistakably be exposed that it’s not magic. Second, it’ll also burden your body after all. You’ll gradually get used to it, but it’s better not to overdo it. Lastly, there’s no necessity for you to come to the side of the gods so quickly, right?」(Moroha)

I understand what Moroha-neesan is saying. I was even told that by Linzie. By all rights, the power of god is not necessary.

Nevertheless, I will hate not having power when it’s important. For that, I want to do in advance whatever I can do.

I divide the magic power and divinity inside my body, amplify only the divine power, and have it circulate all throughout my body.

The dazzling divinity is emitting from all over my body, and my hair color changes to platinum blonde again. Or rather, it grew again after all... until my knees. O~to, I tuck my heavy hair towards my back.

「Is there a way to somehow manage it?」(Touya)

「Hmmm, if you apply some peculiar treatment, you might have your hair fall out each time you use your divinity...」(Moroha)

「It’s fine as it is 」(Touya)

I’ve no intention of becoming a monk. Let’s have Luu cut it totally afterwards.

「You see, you also end up using [God’s Authority Release] whenever you transform. Small animals that don’t have the power to resist it may faint every time...」(Moroha)

「It sounds troublesome」(Touya)

After that, I gather divinity in the hand holding the dagger and try to imitate Moroha-nee-san. Nununu... It’s more difficult than pouring magic.

Nevertheless, I’ve managed to extend a divine blade from the dagger somehow. It has taken a considerable time though compared to Moroha-nee-san who has made it in an instant.

I suppose I can’t use the divinity without practicing again and again.

「You’ll eventually be able to master it if you become used to using it」(Moroha)

「Come to think of it, it’s possible to use magic without a chant while in this state. Is that how it usually is?」(Touya)

「I don’t know. We don’t use something like magic after all」(Moroha)

Not good. They can’t be used as a reference at all. In other words, do I have no choice but to do something about it by myself?

I try shooting [Fire Arrow] towards sky as trial and a pillar of a flame with an outrageous thickness soars upwards.

Uoi. Will anyone one be fine after being struck by something like that?

Ha? The divine power has decreased a lot... It doesn’t recover as quickly as magic power too. Is this because I am still not familiar with it? Is that how it is? I’m having trouble figuring that one out...

I release the Divinification (is what I’ve decided to call it) for now and return to my original state. Yup, I’ve certainly become a little sluggish, but not as much as before.

Having returned to the practice field with Moroha-nee-san, I have decided to call Luu, who came for morning training and ask her to cut my hair at the bench in the corner of this place.

I take out a pair scissors from [Storage] and hand them to Luu.

「It was shorter yesterday, so why did it grow so much today!?」(Luu)

「I wonder why. I also want to know」(Touya)

Luu, with snipping sounds, skillfully starts to cut with the scissors. It’s fine even if you cut it without being that careful and without minding the details. At worst, I will be able to grow it again even if it fails.

I’m just worried about going bald... I want to wish that the hair root won’t die out should a life’s worth of hair grow out. There should be a hair tonic in Flora’s [Alchemy Building], right...?

「Is there something wrong?」(Luu)

「No, I’m just hoping that I wouldn’t go bald...」(Touya)

「I don’t mind it, you know? Even if you become bald or fat, Touya-sama is Touya-sama」(Luu)

Luu has said so, but becoming bald and fat will be the worst for me... I may not be able to do something about becoming bald, but at least I’ll do my utmost to not become fat...

「Oh that’s right! Touya-sama, you were investigating the Ferzen Kingdom the other day. Did something happen over there?」(Luu)

「Ah, yeah. Just a little. Are you also worried about something?」(Touya)

「Yeah. It’s because I’m anxious. It’s where my honorable elder sister is studying and it’ll be better for her to return home if there’s any sign that something may happen」(Luu)

Ha? Ah, really? We haven’t met yet, but she is the second princess of the Regulus Empire... So is Ferzen Kingdom the place abroad where Luu’s direct elder sister has been studying?

She has gone to study abroad to Ferzen, which is being referred to as the magic kingdom, so the second princess should also have talent in magic.

However, I am a little uneasy in this case... I still have not yet decided if the country itself is bad, but there’s almost no mistake that it’s where the guys who have stolen the frame gear are hiding. I still believe that nothing will happen to the imperial princess of Regulus though.....

「Huh? Then, does that means that Regulus and Ferzen are countries that are sufficiently friendly to each other?」(Touya)

Usually, a royal family doesn’t send their princess to study abroad in a country that family has bad relations with.

「I guess so. They are friendly countries...Or rather, perhaps I should say that they are helping each other and are being helped in return. The other side has magic techniques and magic tools while we have steel materials, weapons, armors, precious magic stones and so on and so forth. We’re trading with them at least」(Luu)

「Has Luu met the king of Ferzen?」(Touya)

「Only once, when we’ve been invited to a ceremony there. How should I say it......? He didn’t look like a magician at all. If I have to describe him, it feels like he’s a robust mercenary」(Luu)

A mercenary!? He’s a king so I don’t understand it well...

Hmmm. It seems Ferzen is exchanging with Restia if I remember correctly. Since we have an intermediary, shall we enter that country from there?

After all, we can’t catch a fish if there is no bait.