Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

※ Corrected typos on 2014/11/5.

※ Added revisions on 2014/7/21.

This is Satou. Sometimes ideas just pop into your head at unexpected moments, don’t they? There was a time when I couldn't figure out an algorithm no matter how hard I tried, but the moment I stepped into a maid café, it suddenly came to me, and I dashed back to the office.

◇

While sipping Shiga liquor, I toyed with Arisa’s hair as she slept with her head on my lap.

Watching the cherry blossom petals flutter down, I designed a magic circuit based on the idea that came to me. When rewrites are frequent, it’s easier to jot notes down in the memo section under the exchange menu.

It was quite a challenging and rewarding circuit, but I somehow managed to put it together neatly. Tomorrow, I’ll have Arisa and Mia help me prototype it.

That’s about when Baron and Nina returned.

Through the window, I saw the Baron being carried by a male servant. His face was ashen.

I gently lifted Arisa, who had been pretending to sleep, off my lap and headed to the entrance hall with a magic potion to offer the Baron.

Of course, Arisa, who had stopped faking sleep and opened her eyes wide, followed along without a hint of guilt.

“Welcome back, Nina. Pina, please give this nutritional supplement to the Baron.”

“Alright, I’m back. Damn, you’re letting out the scent of delicious liquor. Let me have some, too.”

Nina sniffed the alcohol on my breath and growled in displeasure.

The Baron, barely able to breathe, was carried straight to bed.

Before letting him lie down, I made sure he took the nutritional supplement. As long as he drinks it, he should be fine by morning.

“Nina, you’re really sulking, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, if Arisa becomes assistant governor, half of my troubles would be gone.”

“No way. If she takes that position, she won’t be able to stay by Master’s side.”

Nina, clearly worn out, lacked the energy to keep up the verbal sparring with Arisa.

I handed Nina a nutritional supplement from my pocket storage. It was a special version with extra sugar, prepared for the two exhausted women.

“What’s this? It smells awfully sweet.”

“Just say ‘gulp.’ It helps with fatigue.”

Nina gulped it down swiftly and muttered “Sweet” in obvious displeasure.

By the time we reached the reception room, Nina had regained her energy. Magic potions really are amazing.

“It works wonders.”

“It’s from a rising star alchemist named Trismegistus.”

“I’ve heard that name somewhere.”

Nina gave a disinterested reply as I poured some Shiga liquor that Arisa had brought back.

Our snack was smoked lower-rank basilisk meat.

◇

“So, just don’t get too carried away, alright?”

“Don’t ask for the impossible.”

Nina gave me a grumbling rundown of the current situation.

Apparently, Nina had been working behind the scenes to get me promoted to baronet.

Given my achievements, it should have gone through smoothly, but unexpectedly, opposition came from within the same faction—from a relative of Duke Oyugok.

“Honestly, I seriously wondered if His Grace the Duke had lost his mind recommending you for Count.”

“...That’s quite a stretch.”

In the Shiga Kingdom, Counts are among the 32 highest-ranking nobles. Naturally, other factions voiced strong opposition, so the proposal was rejected.

—Normally, that would be the end of it.

Countless stars streaked across the western sky, their tremors reportedly reaching the Royal Capital.

Nina and the Baron saw it from the Royal Castle.

Then, a divine oracle was received from the temple reporting the revival of the dog-headed evil god in the desert west of the Labyrinth City.

The Royal Capital slipped into panic, causing quite a mess. Divine oracles can be a double-edged sword.

Especially amusing to Nina was how the ancient noble families lost their composure, chuckling as she took a sip of her drink.

Until the hero Nameless defeated the Demon King—the dog-headed evil god according to the temple—and sent a communication from Labyrinth City, the panic had caused riots and chaos, leading to a considerable number of casualties.