Chapter 5: Libra Festival
"No, you can't force it this way."
"I have received your documents. Yes, Okay."
Elder Tales was a game, so the characters in it were either beautiful cute ladies or handsome stylish men.
be a beautiful sight. But this was even more elegant than that.
Shiroe was sighing silently inside.
more beautiful', and it was true. Shiroe explained it as the blushing cheeks, watery eyes, and the gentle
But Soujirou's followers... they called themselves his personal guards... did not stop at that. They seemed
sweet as honey.
Shiroe surveyed the area with a dull expression.
deals between People of the Land merchants and Adventurers, giving them advice.
But it was impossible for them to go through so many hours of training.
in convincing them to help. Although you couldn't tell from their looks, they were a highly organized
And their telepathy network was ever-increasing.
members. But the number of girls in this event was more than 50.
The neat-looking young lady greeted Shiroe.
'When you reach the place, listen to Shiroe-senpai's orders'.
Shiroe knew she was competent and experienced from this concise report.
"Ah..."
Even though this was his battle plan, he knew how complicated his expression must seem.
"Yes. Sou-sama♥ is in the lobby date... patrolling, escorted by the 4th team."
"Contact Soujirou and ask him to return to the countermeasures HQ and link up with the 5th team. Then
which is guarding the HQ and manning the counters... Also, form the newcomers into teams of 3 and detail
"Roger. I, I, I..."
The young lady's face turned red, making Shiroe moody.
This announcement made several of the personal guards who were peeking here squeal in joy.
enough!' these words that were full of points to retort. Their eyes were no longer just watery, they were
Their assumption was spot on.
Soujirou would slowly patrol the clothing exhibition with 3 or 4 girls. With the instructions to take it
gold for each of them. The money was sponsored by the Round Table Council.
But he retorted at the same time: "Will this kind of tactic actually work?" But from the results, it was
Although Shiroe did not know the details, Soujirou's personal guards were united like steel (proclaimed
had a pyramid-like command structure. They used this structure to form teams flexibly, handling all the
Even when Soujirou was walking the streets slowly with a team, the other 6 parties were also patrolling
got out of hand. They could also intimidate the merchants by telling them to take the matters to the Round
Shiroe was at high alert in the beginning, worrying about the People of the Land spies or merchants
facing these alluring ladies, and things had calmed down.
The look in their eyes literally changed as they carried out their patrol duties orderly and seriously. They
they volunteered for this, that was what they were imagining. Soujirou appeared in front of them quite
Since Soujirou might see them at any moment, their attitudes were careful and respectful. They were like
them.
and didn't want to build a harem. But seeing such an obvious difference would make any man moody.
side, tickling your desire to protect him... Shiroe understood what they were describing. Because back in
to them.
(Is that all it takes to be so popular?)
envious, but unable to suppress their anger... It was so unfathomable. Shiroe mumbled to himself.
team."
feelings again.
with the opposite sex are geniuses at some level, but they are dangerous too.)
A handsome youth who looked frail but loved to battle, with nothing to complain about as a friend. Since
perspective.
"Zone security? Sounds like a special police force!"[8]
not retort or resist such women who had this sort of emotion.
Akatsuki called out. Her gaze shifted between Shiroe and the Crescent Moon Alliance stall. Her awkward
"What is it?"
Akatsuki reminded Shiroe of the agreement.
Shiroe was in charge of miscellaneous jobs and was an extra in the line up, Akatsuki was the main
should be used for the purpose of displaying on stage.
They really had no time to do this.
"That is correct..."
Shiroe adjusted his glasses and thought.
with their saturation attack, causing loss of confidence and even internal strife. To counter that, they
way, but was now considering changing this policy slightly.
should be fine.)
He stopped breathing, moving the chess pieces in his mind with the timetable in his heart. His own moves
gradually filling the chessboard.
more than the expected amount of information, as if the enemy were exposing their crude plans with their
For creatures like humans, they could not accomplish anything without leaving their footsteps behind.
The hard work of the citizens, the honest attitude on-site. With the festive atmosphere as the background,
Shiroe thought that there were countless chess players of his level in this world. For him, this was a way
Shiroe contacted Krusty and Isaac, asking them to clamp down on violent incidents within Akiba. Other
the table, all the scenes were managed by volunteers. But the famous major guilds in Akiba would join in
Right now, Shiroe was unable to take on the enemies' movements alone, so he asked Soujirou for aid. His
problems like exiling people. This was an ability Shiroe didn't have.
Shiroe recalled his petite companion's telepathy call from the Production Guild Liaison Committee.
see the image of a young bird chirping, spreading its wings for its first flight.
to the patrol sent by Isaac to nip the trouble in the bud, earning time for Soujirou's personal guards to
They regained control of the situation faster than expected.
Shiroe noticed the word 'freedom' as he recalled Akatsuki's words. He thought about which chess pieces
The enemy was increasing the burden on the system and spreading rumors. Their objective was to lower
just an attack on the psychological level. The best way to counterattack was to make the Libra Festival
"... My lord?"
described as 'black hearted'.
to come up with a set of clothes that will make people's nose bleed."
"Teams 9 to 18!"
The members in the vicinity responded immediately and Shiroe stood up and declared fearlessly.
everyone to a feast after the mission is over today, please show Soujirou your cute and beautiful side!"
Lord Marvis' words made Raynesia turn pale.
Raynesia smelled the burning stink of danger.
"Eh, Ah... about that..."
reviewed a copy of the documents from Lord Marvis' henchmen.
"How is it?"
oversight."
Loophole in management.
her consciousness, making her feel cold as if she were touching freezing liquid.
his ship reached Akiba. The same document was delivered to Maihama, and an agreement to help was
This meant Raynesia promised to prepare the warehouse, but forgot about it when preparing for the
But there was no way to tell what really transpired. There might be an error in delivery resulting in
document somewhere and lost track of it...
Lord Marvis was holding a reply from Raynesia's side, so it was definitely an oversight on Raynesia's
And Raynesia as the host had the obligation to assist the guest and make things convenient for him. Also,
Marvis had different statuses. If you took into account the hidden tension between the eastern and western
Raynesia was a woman.
she could learn about it from the social world.
request in advance."
It was easy to apologize.
now. The lazy Raynesia wouldn't think 'I should have put in more effort to learn if I knew this kind of
She should have asked a few competent bureaucrats to be dispatched here from Maihama, that should be
followers to bring along to Akiba, but that was still not enough.
Akiba just an illusion?"
Her heart was full of retorts, but Raynesia was not sure of the correct way to say it, or which way of
Anyway, she needed to apologize and compensate for the goods on the ship to appease him. She would
Raynesia thought numbly.
She would get compliments from knights and bureaucrats from whichever banquet she went to.
could feel her body temperature dropping without end right now. Raynesia was unable to understand this.
This regret didn't come from Raynesia since she didn't care for such things. The unhappiness, regret, and
"Evening!"
because of the shadow dulling the color of the carpet. Her eyes sprang up to look at the back of someone
The shirt made from soft cloth not seen by People of the Land before and a hooded vest. This was the
for the battle of Sand Leaf, Shiroe.
"Who is this?"
Round Table Council, Shiroe."
"That's right, because I am an Adventurer."
facing the grand noble of the west. Raynesia took half a step forward even though she was dumbstruck.
repercussions. To prevent this, Raynesia decided to become the shield of Akiba.
strong and big manly hand belonged to Krusty. Raynesia turned her head to look at Krusty who was
"Don't worry."
Krusty's face.
your name is renowned here."
he replied "I'm flattered." According to the customs of the People of the Land, this attitude was akin to
Considering the fact that Shiroe introduced himself as a member of the Round Table Council, he was
her cheeks grow hot.
Land.
"Here Shiroe-san... These are the details."
Raynesia could only give a blank expression as she stared at her maid showing Shiroe that document. She
towards this young man.
Shiroe saved time by shouting for the burly man in the hall instead of using telepathy. The man, who
was built like a bear. Michitaka greeted everyone as he walked over but was interrupted by Shiroe who
"This is an oversight. Instead of an oversight, it is more like clumsiness and embarrassment... Michitakasan,
"Oh I see, this is problematic indeed."
was hasty and pragmatic by nature. Raynesia was not good at handling this young man since the first time
thinking about.
do anything no matter how ridiculous and will not compromise'. She feared Krusty because he was
hesitate about using Raynesia as bait.
Shiroe explained the situation to Michitaka briefly with a smile after Lord Marvis finished.
Council, Oceanic Systems... Lord Marvis requires a warehouse to store his shipment of cargo and has
document, leading to this failure."
"That is correct. The shipment this round consists of food and precious spices. If you leave it in the hot
Raynesia wanted to rebuke him when she heard his words.
"Seems like you are using this opportunity to make a big business deal."
The middle-aged nobleman who smelled like make-up laughed like an animal. Shiroe's attitude probably
"The 'New Fairy Ship Egiru' that made her maiden voyage last month right? I heard the rumors, it is a
"Oh, that news has reached Akiba? That is so... The cargo on this ship is going to be lost due to the
"It is indeed regrettable."
People of the Land...? This issue is obviously linked to the pride of Akiba right?)
"Ah?"
the competent lady wearing glasses and the petite girl with black hair that pushed her into the brink during
"The princess expressed her willingness to make this festival a success, please help her change."
The confused Raynesia looked at Elissa to her right.
Raynesia was disappointed at her unreliable friend and looked at Krusty behind her left shoulder. He just
At this moment, the serious young girl with black hair and the smiling glasses lady captured Raynesia.
Raynesia's clothes without regard for the fact they were in the view of the public.
discussion with Lord Marvis, it is a crucial matter to protect Akiba. Krusty-sama! Please say something,
"... Wasn't that just limited to the conference of the lords?"
The half-panicking Raynesia pleaded with Krusty in tears. She could see the villainous smile of the knight
"We will need to extend the contractual period."
me clear things up with Lord Marvis!"
The smiling Henrietta and the serious Akatsuki grabbed Princess Raynesia's hand from either side. At
people surrounding them, Krusty rushed Shiroe to move to the follow up phase.
"Lord Marvis, I understand the situation, the documents have already been sent to Akiba's Round Table
Krusty who was hiding his expression behind his glasses said simply in a normal volume at this
composed his emotions and responded in a loud voice.
warehouse here right? Is that something you can prepare so easily? You don't understand, I didn't come in
"'New Fairy Ship Egiru' right? I remember its maximum load is 500 tons and includes freezer
"You are right Adventurers. Where can you find a warehouse that can store so much goods and has
Marvis said arrogantly as he made 'Tch' sounds with his tongue repeatedly, showing off his proud nature.
Not because of Marvis' arrogance. But because of Marvis' ignorance of Adventurers.
the same arrogant nature, but they had no authority over Adventurers. Marvis might be cut down on the
Nobles had strong authority in the society of the People of the Land, but they were not immortal. They
Raynesia had no sympathy for Marvis, but this might spark off a war, inciting the Adventurers to destroy
(Ah, ahah, why must I worry about this white pig!)
warehouse is full of the cargo of traveling merchants. Even though you received the notice, but that's the
"I am sorry, for this incident, I, Raynesia, will..."
almost made Raynesia scream.
But Shiroe produced a piece of paper like a magician, making everyone freeze in the hall. Raynesia
Although it was hard to say for sure, but the Round Table Council of Akiba seemed to have received the
Michitaka took the document, browsed through the contents and nodded.
The hidden meaning behind Michitaka's word was that he agreed to this casually. He gave a manly grin
"Could it be..."
several times that of the warehouse opened for rental by the Adventurers for this event. You think we will
Land?"
Michitaka's speech made Raynesia clench her fist.
glory of Adventurers in front of a roomful of People of the Land at the Ancient Palace of Eternal Ice.
(No, he didn't do it for me...)
expression since they were so close, but she couldn't tell even when she saw his face. But Raynesia knew
on her behalf.
"It was because of the perfect policing of the streets, to stop physical altercations, that it made us realize
Raynesia didn't comprehend what Krusty was whispering to her about.
"An important shield... Wrong, a princess."
this young man just kept on accumulating. Her feeling of guilt was growing like a ball of rolling snow,
these strange words when he heard her words of thanks.
After making a 'Tch' sound with his tongue, he glared at Shiroe. But Shiroe didn't care about Marvis'
The grand noble of Westelande bid a few words of good bye before leaving the hall.
this side had also avoided clashing with Marvis and the entire west.
"Okay, that's settled. I leave the rest to you two."
"By your order, my lord."
with her waved her farewell. But Raynesia only realized this when she was stripped to her underwear.
Raynesia's dinner party was ruined.
The main doors of the Maihama consulate in Akiba was wide open, and the guests spilled out onto the
carried outside for all to enjoy.
full capacity. Shiroe spread the word that all expenses would be covered by the Round Table Council,
But this caused the standard of the feast to drop below Raynesia's expectations. Instead of a buffet-style
matter to the Adventurers.
since the expedition speech, Raynesia attended many public events, but this was the first time she made an
The princess let the knight lead her by the fingers as she gazed slightly downwards. Her blushing cheek
beautiful young lady you dreamed about.
The surprising thing was her dress.
bolero short jacket. Her long skirt was elegant but casual, her long silver hair flowed over her back with
Raynesia always wore gothic clothing that matched her People of the Land nobility status. No one in
The atmosphere in the central square went wild. By the standard of the old world, this was a dress for a
the modern feel of the Adventurers.
and sat on the cushion of an elegant chair that was crafted in a hurry. It was made through the in-game
The sun had already set, and the square was full of torches. A Fairy Light near Raynesia illuminated her
Black Sword Issac drew his trademark sword declaring that the princess would stay in this chair due to
to may come to the pavilion to greet the princess. This announcement made the crowd go wilder.
that took part in the conspiracy, were caravan merchants that hailed from towns and villages around
wouldn't have the chance to see the princess so close in person. And not only did they have the chance to
Even so, only a handful took up the offer without hesitation. A third of them were People of the Land
Even the orchestra Raynesia hired were playing classic Yamato pieces, everyone was holding back and
The one to lead the way was Michitaka.
screens and covered by parasols. He greeted Raynesia warmly as she breathed a sigh of relief. The other
With many Adventurers lining up to greet the princess, the maids working under Elissa started to move
Shiroe watched this scene from the sky bridge that overlooked the central square, pouring tea into a glass.
the Land and Adventurers were also mingling together, which was the best proof the Libra Festival was a
The People of the Land noble Raynesia dressed in the fashion of the old world made an appearance at the
It was a message of peace and friendship. Their unity could ward off the attack this round.
The origin of the attack should be the Westelande nobleman Marvis who took his leave at Raynesia's
(But from his brash style, it is hard to see him as the mastermind behind this.)
It was still too early to judge whether the attack was over. The festival was still under high alert, the
physical alterations.
with their feminine charms while patrolling.
handle certain situations.
going anywhere that needed him quickly.
The attack against the trust and handling speed of the Round Table Council had the main aim of putting
Round Table Council prepared for it, it would have limited effectiveness.
moves in some battles and were forced to react to your opponent's moves. Maintaining high alert till the
... But the attack will come sooner or later. Shiroe sighed as he thought about this, as the activities in the
were new people and music joining the fray. Soujirou's personal guards cleared a pathway to the guild
The one leading the way was Maryele.
stylishly-tailored jacket as she moved with energetic steps.
reaching the end of the makeshift catwalk, acting just like one.
Maryele's appearance made Shiroe feel motivated and hurt his head at the same time. Next up was
Henrietta and Akatsuki always wore secretary attire and black shinobi costumes respectively like
by Crescent Moon Alliance which looked native and casual. Their clothing differed slightly, making them
... Because of the height difference, they looked like sisters with a wide age gap, but it was best not to say
elegantly. Watching them, Shiroe made a decision with a smile.
before meeting up with Maryele and walking to the central square. Maryele ignored the stunned crowd,
Akatsuki whispered to Raynesia from behind. Seeing how Raynesia's face was turning green, she was
and turning around along with Henrietta and Akatsuki.
'Firebird' and 'Lightning Phoenix' resting at the top of the guild building shone over everyone. Waves of
The lively music playing was from a memorable pop song of the old world. The slightly aged melody was
Raynesia didn't know what to do as she looked around with a perplexed expression. But pretty girls had it
gave a shy smile.
"Thanks for the hard work Minori."
towards the connected sky bridge. She wore a complicated expression of pride, joy, and humility on her
Shiroe didn't know what his petite companion was thinking about, but he knew what she had
The responsibility was equivalent to leading a hundred-man raid.
"Eh, but..."
glass from his bag and wiped it clean. He then poured the same fruit tea he was drinking into it and
"Erm.."
"Eh, yes!"
smile. He didn't know whether Minori realized the value of the work she had done.
Their view was illuminated with the light of many torches and conjured shining creatures like Bug Light
A part of this festive atmosphere was protected through Minori's efforts.
But these tiny hands of a middle school student held the determination to stay at her post.
surprisingly sensed acknowledgement. After all the time Shiroe and Minori spent together, he could feel
Her twin Tohya also had the passion to improve himself, but he was already set earlier on to focus on
definitely find her path to follow one day.
(She is much more dependable than me...)
Minori's display of her strong will was nothing like Shiroe's old days. Shiroe remembered being a typical
different, but failed to realize that his 'uniqueness' was the same as others.
"Shiroe-san, may I ask..."
"Aren't you going to greet her? Among the guilds that make up the Round Table Council, only Log Horizon
Shiroe shrugged and replied vaguely.
Their conversation on the sky bridge was drowned out by the cheers down below. Probably because of a
and gave short replies every now and then. After some time, Minori raised a new question.
"Yeah."
Minori hung her head in shame.
"I butted in needlessly, wanting to take Shiroe-san to the dinner party... But thinking about it carefully,
invitation right? So you wanted Princess Raynesia to detest you right from the start correct?"
(What an incredibly brilliant girl.)
This strategy can only work if his comrades understood it to some extent.
make it easier to push her along. It will be the same for the future too."
sympathy of the masses, but it won't last forever. Although she likes Akiba now, there is no telling if she
but it's hard to gauge how long this will last. There will be plenty of instances in the future that require us
to divide the roles to play ahead of time."
who was aware of this strategy was grumpy about it, but it couldn't be helped since these were the
he was unwilling to play this part.
Shiroe was sure Krusty would help the Princess in the end anyway.
Following his flowing thoughts, Shiroe focused on the limits of the future he could forecast. In the
The Princess with a bad personality needed Krusty.
"Shiroe-san... Is this really what you hope for?"
A part of Shiroe's consciousness heard Minori talking to him and stopped his train of thought. Shiroe's
"Because..."
"If it is about the troubles Log Horizon will be facing... Regarding this, at some point in time, I planned to
to doll up for that event too, the sky blue dress you wore that time looks cute on you."
Is that a bad way to reply? Shiroe scratched his head. Seemed like this did not satisfy her, or he was going
"Won't you feel sad Shiroe-san?"
Ah, so that's how someone watching from the side might see it. This was beyond Shiroe's calculations.
"No such thing, this is normal."
Seemed like Minori had a hard time accepting this explanation.
Minori with her lips tightly closed looked really prim and proper. Her big eyes looked like they were
unwillingness to back down.
more worthwhile than 10 staff helping on site. You did great Minori."
"It's the same rationale Minori, the things that need to be done are right in front of me, I can do it and
Since doing so is helpful, I think it is just fine."
This couldn't be helped. Shiroe didn't say this because he understood this rationale. The Shiroe who had
leader like Michitaka or Krusty could make.
wandering soul, even if he got stronger alone, it would be a hollow strength that wouldn't be channeled
It was still strength even if he achieved it alone, but Shiroe thought comrades were necessary to use this
vague and blurry now, Shiroe felt that Log Horizon was an important place to make this theory come true.
Minori nodded with an expression that was a mixture of confusion, anger and sadness. What Shiroe could
Minori in this unsightly manner.
... This couldn't be avoided.
made Shiroe happy. To have guided Minori at one point also gave him a warm feeling in his heart. Shiroe
Shiroe gave an awkward smile and nodded his head.
Part 4
for her to walk up to him as usual, but Akatsuki couldn't make herself to do it because she didn't want
She was still wearing the frilly clothes Henrietta forced on her. With laces sewed at its ends, it looked
and defenseless walking the streets in this.
Akatsuki hid under the shade of the ancient tree that pierced through the sky bridge to calm her breathing.
Akatsuki felt she had grown closer to Shiroe over the past few days. She even managed to touch Shiroe's
the hair of a man. Strong and smooth, flowing through Akatsuki's fingers.
long face, telling Shiroe she was happy, which subsequently confused Shiroe, making him ask her to,
Those were happy times.
Shiroe leaned on the railings of the sky bridge, looking down at the central square illuminated by bonfires.
Shiroe and Minori's words were carried by the wind that blew throughout Akiba towards Akatsuki who
"You... Did this on purpose right?"
"... I'm sorry Shiroe-san."
"No need to apologize, it's not something I want to make known to the world."
there is no need to do that. There is no way Shiroe-san of the 11 founding guilds would fail to secure an
Akatsuki almost made a sound when she heard this.
This was a perspective Akatsuki never thought of.
listen intently to them. Their dialogue could be heard in bits and pieces through the disruption of the
Akatsuki tried to think about Minori's 'planned to be detested' words. But a chill went down her spine as
from Shiroe before.
But she didn't think about it the way Minori did.
Unlike Minori, she didn't think about how Log Horizon's position would be affected by all this.
... Unlike Minori, she didn't help Shiroe with his trouble.
The Shiroe that felt so close last night was gradually growing further away from her? This gave her a pure
Just like the fear of a child abandoned in the darkness, she moaned soundlessly in her chest.
No, he was far away from the beginning.
Ever since the day Shiroe saved Akatsuki, she had stayed by his side. Addressing Shiroe as lord,
at the same time, which made her very comfortable.
(At the very least, I don't understand my lord to that extent...)
She couldn't measure up to this middle-schooler from the same guild.
falling, as if the ground around her feet was being frozen and came crumbling down.
She noticed her limits and what it meant.
in the art of fighting. Her attack power or individual battle power should be in the top tier among the
Akatsuki didn't have experience in major raids.
solo players to participate in major raids, they could only wait for big guilds looking to fill a raid
way, but that was a rare instance. Gathering Adventurers to form a group that had nothing to do with
In the end, major raids needed teamwork and training, a hard gaming mode to pull off. If you didn't do it
fact.
experienced top-notch Adventurers within the whole server in their group the Debauchery Tea Party.
familiarity with teamwork battles, it was not at the top notch level.
She hugged herself and shook slightly.
Confirming this once again shattered Akatsuki's pride completely.
who didn't have experience with this.
herself in her battle techniques and lived all this time in the alternate world believing in this, was doubly
"... The things you did are more worthwhile than 10 staff helping on site. You did great Minori."
Not only did this girl Minori see through Shiroe's thinking, she also fought hard in her own battles to
to the fullest and reached a higher plane of achievement than Akatsuki. And Minori was concerned with
Akatsuki never tried to empathize with Shiroe.
This fact overwhelmed Akatsuki. The acceptance of this fact stabbed Akatsuki's heart like shattered glass,
Part 5
this. Raynesia, who had used all her stamina, lay exhausted on her chair. But the scenery of the princess
On the other hand, Shiroe enjoyed this banquet on the sky bridge. But Shiroe still played the role of
occasionally.
Shiroe gathered all the members of Log Horizon to visit the flea market on this last day of the festival.
of items like furniture, guild facilities, decorations, books, scrolls, food and monster drop items were
There were many People of the Land and their merchant caravans that had traveled all this way just for
Nyanta and Shiroe felt a sense of nostalgia, searching for the merchandise of the village they visited on
With such a wide array of goods, the members released their reservations and went on a shopping spree.
Shiroe accepted Minori and Nyanta's proposal and bought several carpets and a communal water tank
sale, their eyes glittered like a kids in a candy store.
expression that was so dignified that it looked sullen, protecting Shiroe without a word. Shiroe thought
Akatsuki who looked a bit tired in the morning, regained her lively mood in the afternoon after being
common scene which Shiroe could only watch with a bitter smile.
were hard to carry out when defensive measures were set in place. Since they anticipated this, Shiroe's
When the sun set on this 3rd day, Akiba went into an after party phase. Continuing the banquet last night, it
of wine were put in front of the guild building, becoming a lively and popular spot for all participants.
guilds, one of them was to help them recruit solo players without guilds, as well as the possibility of
about this even after getting dizzy from all the alcohol.
pillars of the Round Table Council, Michitaka, Krusty, Issac, Charasin, Rodrick, Maryele, and others,
Although many incidents happened in Akiba's Libra Festival, it still ended in success. The comrades of
The Libra Festival which marked the turning point in Akiba's history ended without many people knowing
Interlude
On the last day of the Libra Festival, Shiroe left his guild members behind and moved alone under the
These were ruins in the south of Akiba. Between the metal shutter buried in debris, the wet stairs
extended endlessly. This building should be a water tank or boiler roo