Kays Translations
Just another Isekai Lover~
Chapter 146: “Analyzing the ‘Ultimate Formation’ of the Otherworldly Strategist”
“So, let’s start by thinking of a formation that could work with the ‘Traffic Cones.'”
Back at the workshop, I was having a meeting with Mabel.
I had received two requests from General Raisenga and Erte-san.
One was to find a formation that would effectively make use of the ‘Traffic Cones.’
The other was to come up with a way to make Erte-san’s horns less noticeable.
To fulfill these requests, I decided to ask Mabel for her input.
Sometimes, when we’re drinking tea and talking together, ideas come to mind.
“A formation… in other words, lining up the ‘Traffic Cones’ like soldiers to enhance their effect. That’s the request from General Raisenga, but—”
I sipped my tea as I asked Mabel.
“Mabel, do you know any formations used by the otherworldly Hero?”
“…I’m sorry. I hardly know anything about them.”
“So even the Demon Lord’s Domain has almost no records about that ‘self-proclaimed strategist’?”
“That’s right. It’s recorded that the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ was a powerful magician. But as for information on formations… there’s almost nothing.”
Mabel said this apologetically.
“Does the Empire still have any formations passed down from that strategist?”
“Formations like the ‘Crane Wing Formation’ and the ‘Fish Scale Formation’ have already been analyzed and are in regular use. It seems there are derivative formations too.”
“I see.”
“But whether they’re being used correctly or not is still a mystery…”
“The ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ hero apparently charged straight into the Demon Lord’s army himself, right?”
“And because of that, the human soldiers broke formation and fought too. In the end, no one at the time really understood why he used those formations…”
The otherworld hero, known as the ‘self-proclaimed strategist,’ left several formations behind in this world.
Over time, those formations were researched, put into practical use, and even developed further.
But the reason that hero favored those formations remains a mystery to this day.
And no one knows what the other super-powerful formations he claimed to be able to use were like, either.
After all, there was no tactical information in the ‘Mail-Order Catalog.’
“Come to think of it, the Demon Lord’s Domain still preserves letters sent by the ‘self-proclaimed strategist.’”
Suddenly, Mabel said this, as if remembering something.
“Before battles, that hero would send letters taunting the Demon Lord’s army. The content was… um…”
“No need to rush. Just take your time remembering.”
“Yes. Um… I believe it said something like, ‘I can use not only the Crane Wing Formation and Fish Scale Formation, but also the incredibly powerful Stone Soldier Eight Formation, Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, and Ultimate Invincible Formation. Prepare yourselves.'”
I’ve heard of the ‘Stone Soldier Eight Formation’ by name.
But there were also the ‘Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation’ and ‘Ultimate Invincible Formation,’ huh?
As expected of a hero from another world. That’s amazing…
“So, there really was such a letter.”
“Yes. A copy should remain in the Demon Lord’s Domain’s treasury.”
“I’d love to read it once we get back to the castle.”
“But… it seems those ‘super-powerful formations’ were never actually used.”
Mabel continued as she sipped her tea.
“Does the Empire have any records of the Stone Soldier Eight Formation, Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, or Ultimate Invincible Formation?”
“Nope. In the end, those kinds of formations were never used.”
“So, the Stone Soldier Eight Formation, the Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, and the Ultimate Invincible Formation remain a mystery…”
“Maybe they were too difficult for soldiers in this world to use. Or maybe there were specific activation conditions required.”
…Stone Soldier Eight Formation, Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, Ultimate Invincible Formation. I’m intrigued.
But it’s probably impossible to arrange something like that using ‘Traffic Cones.’
That means we’ll have to go with either the Crane Wing Formation or the Fish Scale Formation. They’re already established in this world and their usage has been analyzed to some extent.
“Speaking of activation conditions, I just remembered—there was more to that letter.”
Mabel murmured.
“In fact, the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ sent another letter just before the battle. It said, ‘Against my Stone Soldier Eight Formation, Eight Gates Golden Chain Formation, and Ultimate Invincible Formation, you’re no more than infants.'”
“A warning… or maybe a demand for surrender?”
“That’s likely what it was.”
So, the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ intended to use those super-powerful formations.
But in the end, he didn’t… Why not?
“But the letter also said, ‘However! I’m not in the mood today!'”
Mabel explained.
“It also contained excuses such as, ‘You’re fortunate—the direction is unfavorable today,’ and ‘The stars aren’t aligned.’ According to the records, that’s why he never deployed those formations.”
“‘Not in the mood,’ ‘bad direction,’ ‘stars not aligned,’ huh?”
“Yes. In the end, none of the three formations were used. That’s what the records in the Demon Lord’s Domain say.”
“…I see.”
That’s information the Empire didn’t have.
As expected of Mabel. She’s so dependable.
The ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ knew of powerful formations but never actually used them.
I had always wondered why, but thanks to Mabel, the mystery was solved.
The reason was: “not in the mood,” “bad direction,” “stars not aligned.”
In other words—
“Then formations in the Heroes’ world must have strict activation conditions: the user’s morale, the correct direction, or even the alignment of the stars. When those conditions were met, they were probably overwhelming.”
“I agree with you, Thor-sama.”
Mabel and I both nodded.
The otherworld hero once summoned to this world changed it forever.
If a hero as powerful as the self-proclaimed strategist intended to use one of them, it was only natural that the requirements would be severe.
They came from an unimaginably advanced world.
It wouldn’t be strange if they used formations with overwhelming effects that we can’t even comprehend.
That also explains why the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ led the charge himself.
He might have been trying to raise the soldiers’ morale by showing them his own courage.
That way, he could trigger the ‘must-be-in-high-spirits’ formation.
And “the stars aren’t aligned” suggested a formation that drew on stellar power, much like the Meteor Replica.
Maybe it was something that sent a group of soldiers crashing down like meteors.
In that case, of course the position of the stars would matter.
But there’s no way the soldiers in this world could form such a grand formation…
A formation only works when the soldiers are perfectly in sync.
The ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ must have been frustrated that he couldn’t use his super-powerful formations.
That was probably why he warned the Demon Lord’s army about the formations he claimed he could use.
But neither the ‘must-be-in-high-spirits’ formation nor the ‘stars-aligned’ formation would work with Traffic Cones.
Traffic Cones can’t raise their morale, and meteor-related formations are just too dangerous.
That only leaves—
“So, a formation that ‘uses direction,’ huh… I see.”
“Huh? Thor-sama?”
Mabel looked curiously at my face, staring intently.
“Could it be that you’ve already figured out the key to that formation, Thor-sama?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a feeling. I’m your maid and fiancée, after all… I’m always watching you, Thor-sama. I hope to become a part of you, to understand your thoughts. And when that happens… sometimes I can tell from your expression when you’ve come up with something… just a little, but…”
“…Really?”
“…Yes.”
Mabel looked down shyly.
…No, I’m actually really embarrassed too.
“…Um. W-Well then, shall we talk about ‘formations that utilize directions’?”
“Y-Yes. Let’s do that.”
“Umm…”
I took a deep breath and looked at Mabel.
Then I began to speak about what came to mind.
“Do you remember when you made the ‘Health-Boosting Pendant’?”
“Of course. Thanks to that item, I was able to become friends with Agnis-sama again.”
“The Health-Boosting Pendant corrected magical imbalances and strengthened the body, and its design incorporated five divine beasts.”
The Health-Boosting Pendant used a special magical theory inherited from the Heroes’ world.
It divided magical attributes into ‘Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water’, something apparently called the Five Elements.
By placing the Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, and Kirin in fixed positions, the pendant converted and circulated magical energy.
By placing the Kirin in the center and arranging the other four in designated positions—
In other words—
“That pendant shows that the positions of the divine beasts… or rather, the ‘directions’ are important.”
“I-I see!”
Mabel’s eyes widened.
“The Kirin was placed at the center of the Health-Boosting Pendant, with the other four divine beasts around it. Their directions from the center were essential.”
“Yeah. So the formation that the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’ tried to use, which emphasized directions, might be based on the same magical theory as the ‘Health-Boosting Pendant.’”
“So that’s what it was…”
“That means if we make divine beast-shaped Traffic Cones and place them in the correct locations, we might be able to understand what the ‘self-proclaimed strategist’s’ ultimate formation was like.”
Here’s the formation I came up with:
Place a ‘Kirin-shaped Traffic Cone’ in the center, and then place four ‘divine beast-shaped Traffic Cones’ in the cardinal directions—east, west, south, and north.
Inside the square formed by those four, line up regular ‘Traffic Cones.’
Then observe how those ‘Traffic Cones’ change.
Of course, this won’t exactly recreate the ‘ultimate formation.’
But I think it should at least strengthen the Traffic Cones. After all, the magical flow would be improved.
“As for which divine beast to place in each direction… that’s easy.”
“Yes. Otherworldly heroes consistently placed north at the top of their maps.”
“And that’s why the maps of this world also came to have north at the top.”
The ‘top’ of the pendant is likely the part where the chain connects.
When you wear it around your neck, the naturally upward direction is north.
That would make it: North – Black Tortoise, East – Azure Dragon, West – White Tiger, South – Vermilion Bird.
“Well, this is just a hypothesis. We won’t know until we try.”
“I wonder what kind of effects the formation will have…”
“Maybe it’ll enhance the intimidation effect by improving magical circulation… or perhaps the Traffic Cones will start moving in response to the magic flow…?”
“…That would be a powerful formation.”
“The strategists of the Heroes’ world truly were extraordinary…”
First, let’s make the ‘Divine Beast-Shaped Traffic Cones’ and test them.
It won’t be hard to make. Just modify Traffic Cones into the shapes of ‘Black Tortoise,’ ‘Azure Dragon,’ ‘White Tiger,’ ‘Vermilion Bird,’ and ‘Kirin,’ and give them elemental attributes. It’s just an application of the ‘Health-Boosting Pendant.’
Once they’re done, I’ll choose a day when the Trading Post is closed and set up the formation.
I’m excited to see how the Traffic Cones will change.
There’s also the matter of the ‘special box investigation team’ coming from the imperial capital.
We should strengthen the security in the border region anyway.
“The formation part is set, so next is Erte-san’s issue.”
The concept for the ‘Divine Beast-Shaped Traffic Cones’ is decided.
Now let’s think about Erte-san’s request.
“As I mentioned earlier, Erte-san is looking for a way to make her horns less noticeable.”
“To get along better with humans, right?”
“Yeah. But she said she doesn’t like the idea of hiding them, because it feels like lying. She wants to interact with people while still having her horns visible.”
“She’s a sincere person…”
“She really is.”
That side of Erte-san is something I genuinely respect.
If someone like her is at the Trading Post, I feel reassured.
She’ll get along well with Princess Sophia and with the people of the borderlands.
“So, that’s why I want to help her.”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
“And as for a specific method…”
“You mean a way to hide the horns, right?”
“Yeah. I think we can apply the research we did to make your ears less noticeable.”
“Understood. Applying the research done to make my ears less noticeable… wait, huh?”
Mabel looked puzzled.
“Um… Thor-sama.”
“What’s up, Mabel?”
“Did you… were you conducting research to make my… elf ears less noticeable?”
“Yes. I thought you might want to visit Noza Town.”
“W-Was that so?”
“Well, you looked kind of lonely when you saw Agnis and me off.”
“…T-Thor-sama. You noticed?”
“Just like you watch me, I watch you too, Mabel. Isn’t that obvious?”
“…U-Um.”
“But Noza Town is full of humans. As an elf, you would attract attention. You might feel uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t want strangers staring at you. So I began considering countermeasures.”
“U-Uh, um, Thor-sama…?”
“If you cover your ears, Mabel, you’d just look like a regular—no, more than regular—an incredibly beautiful human girl. Of course, even with your ears visible, you’re still an extraordinarily beautiful elf girl. But after hearing Erte-san’s request, I started to rethink things. Rather than hiding your elf ears, maybe it’s better to just make them less noticeable. They’re part of your charm, after all. And I want to see all kinds of sides of you, Mabel… huh?”
“…T-Thor-samaaaa…”
Mabel covered her face and slumped over the table.
Huh?
That’s strange. Did I say something weird?
As I thought back on what I had just said… hmm. I didn’t tell a single lie.
Mabel is cute.
If I took her to Noza Town, she would attract attention.
I don’t want other people staring at my precious fiancée.
Mabel is cute.
“…There’s nothing strange about that.”
“That’s exactly the problem!”
“What is?”
“I’ll explain that properly next time, Thor-sama!”
Mabel puffed out her cheeks as she said that.
“I think it should be when we visit the Demon Lord’s castle. I’d like to have a long, thorough talk, maybe over the course of one evening, with Her Majesty present.”
“Really?”
“Please let me.”
“…Okay. Got it.”
“Well then, let’s leave this topic for now.”
Mabel, blushing to the tips of her elf ears, took a deep breath.
Then, as if to psych herself up—she gave her own cheeks a light slap.
“I’m sorry. I interrupted the story. Please continue.”
“…Right. While researching ways for you to walk freely through Noza Town, I found this.”
I placed the “Mail-Order Catalog” on the table.
Opening to the relevant page, I showed it to Mabel.
What was written there was—
Let the ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’ help you become the you you want to show!
Naturally adds volume to the areas you’re concerned about.
The “Natural Volume Hairpiece” covers up those spots without anyone noticing.
No matter your age, appearance always matters.
But if your hair suddenly gets thicker, or you change its color out of the blue, people around you’ll be surprised, right?
That’s where our “Natural Volume Hairpiece” comes in handy.
Our hairpieces are made to order.
They’re customized to match your hair color and face shape, enhancing volume naturally.
Because the hair volume is increased in twelve gradual stages, the change appears completely natural.
They cover the areas you’re concerned about without being noticed by those around you.
If interested, cut out the postcard at the bottom of the page—
“This is… a hairpiece that increases hair volume, right?”
“Yeah. You could think of it as a partial wig.”
“But Thor-sama, this is something related to hair, so I don’t think it has much to do with my ears or Erte-sama’s horns…”
“It makes sense you’d be puzzled, Mabel. But the important part is the ‘natural increase’ part.”
“The ‘natural increase’…?”
“Exactly. For example, what do you think would happen if Erte-san’s horns were made small enough not to stand out? Then increased little by little over 12 stages?”
Erte-san had always been concerned about how noticeable her horns were when meeting with humans.
So, she wanted a way to make them less noticeable.
That’s why, first, we disguise her real horns to make them look smaller.
Then, about once a month, we increase their size in 12 stages.
Eventually, they return to their original size. Then—
“The people who come to the Trading Post will first see very small horns, hardly noticeable. They’ll be able to interact with Erte-san without fear. In that state, they can become friends with her.”
“Y-Yes.”
“Then gradually, her horns get bigger.”
“In a way so natural they don’t notice the change, right?”
“Exactly. Let’s decide the growth stages based on how friendly Erte-san becomes with them. If she’s at friendship level 1, increase the horn size by one level. Once she reaches level 12, they’re back to their original size. And then what happens?”
“Yes. By then, people will see Erte-sama’s horns when they’re already close with her.”
Mabel’s eyes sparkled.
She seemed to get what I was trying to say.
“In other words, the people near the border will get to know what kind of person Erte-sama is before they form any preconceptions about her horns, right?”
“The horns will have grown gradually over time, so they might not even notice the change.”
“In other words, ‘cover the areas you’re concerned about naturally, without being noticed,’ right?”
“They might even react like, ‘Oh yeah, did this person always have horns?’”
“That’s truly a natural change…”
“Items from the Heroes’ world really are amazing, huh?”
Mabel and I both nodded.
Then, Mabel tilted her head slightly and said,
“But Thor-sama. I wonder, in what situations did people in the Heroes’ world use this ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’? I don’t imagine heroes with tremendous power would care much about their hair volume.”
“There are exceptions.”
“Exceptions?”
“Well, when a hero awakens, their hair sometimes changes from magic, right? Like it stands up or changes color.”
“Oh, that’s right! Some heroes definitely did that.”
“But if someone suddenly powers up like that, it would surprise everyone, right?”
“It could even lead to conflict. Like, ‘Why did you suddenly become so strong…?’”
“I think this hairpiece was made to prevent that kind of trouble. You put it over the changed hair that turned color during awakening, and then gradually shift to the new color.”
Heroes were obsessed with strength.
Which meant they likely cared about how changes in their appearance reflected that strength.
This hairpiece was probably made to slowly ease people into that change.
“If you use this hairpiece to change over time, the other heroes will be like, ‘Ah, that guy must’ve trained hard for a long time to get stronger. What a hard worker,’ and they’ll accept it, right?”
“So that’s what it was…”
“Yeah. That’s the kind of item I think it is.”
In other words, this item is meant to make your strength less conspicuous.
That makes it perfect for Erte-san.
Horns on demons are symbols of strong magical power. By making them look smaller, she’ll appear weaker.
That should help reassure the people around the border.
“I think the Natural Volume Hairpiece can be adapted from the transformation system used in the Improved Body Pillow.”
The Improved Body Pillow can transform into the shape of the person whose magical power it absorbs.
If I reshaped that mechanism into a hairpiece and let it continuously absorb Erte-san’s magical power, it should maintain the transformation without a time limit.
Rather than merely covering her horns, I could hide the real ones beneath the hairpiece and form a smaller pair on the surface.
By doing that to make the horns less noticeable, once Erte-san becomes friendly with the people in the border region, we can switch it out for the next version.
“So, let’s start making them one by one.”
“Yes, Thor-sama!”
“We’ll start with Mabel’s ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’—”
“…Um.”
“There’s a priority order, after all.”
“B-but still…”
“General Raisenga and Erte-san both said there was no rush, so it makes sense to begin with the highest-priority one. Besides, I want to go shopping in Noza Town with you.”
“I’m happy to hear that… but, Thor-sama.”
“Yeah?”
“Shouldn’t we also make a ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’ for Her Majesty?”
Mabel said this.
Clenching her fists, with a very serious expression.
“If she had that, Her Majesty could freely walk around human towns too, right? Together with you, Thor-sama.”
“That’s true. But aren’t horns a symbol of a demon’s strength?”
“Yes.”
“In that case, we shouldn’t make Rukie-sama’s horns smaller, should we…?”
When I said that, Mabel gave a mischievous smile.
Then, placing a finger to her lips, as if to whisper a secret—
“I think Her Majesty sometimes wants to be an ordinary demon girl too—during tea in the Portable Simple Storage, or, purely hypothetically, while shopping with Thor-sama.”
“Shopping with Rukie-sama… That does sound fun, but isn’t that impossible due to her position?”
“It’s just a hypothetical. I think it would be nice… if something like that could happen.”
Mabel spoke with a gentle, dreamy expression.
“At times like that, strength isn’t really necessary.”
“Is that so?”
“Then, why not ask her directly?”
With a proud puff of her chest, Mabel said it.
Well, I don’t mind making a ‘Natural Volume Hairpiece’ for Rukie.
But since she probably has her own preferences for hairstyle, I’ll have to make it under her supervision.
So, I asked a winged pixie to deliver a letter to the Demon Lord’s castle.
And the next day, the letter I got back said—
‘Go ahead and make it. I leave the design to Thor.
Thor shall think of the hairstyle that suits me best and make the hairpiece.
I shall inspect it once you return to the Demon Lord’s castle!’
—That’s what was written.
“…Hey, Mabel.”
“Yes, Thor-sama.”
“The difficulty level just went up. What should I do?”
“Do your best, Thor-sama.”
And so, I ended up having to make ‘Natural Volume Hairpieces’ for Rukie, Mabel, and Erte-san.
Honestly, the hairpieces felt more intimidating to make than the divine beast-shaped Traffic Cones.
With Mabel’s and Erte-san’s, I can get their input as I make them, so it’s still manageable.
But for Rukie’s, it’s all left up to me.
And then she’s going to inspect it afterward.
What if I make something that doesn’t suit her…?
“It’ll be fine, Thor-sama.”
While I was working, Mabel brought me tea and said that.
With a reassuring smile, as if to comfort my troubled heart—
“If it’s something you made, Thor-sama, I’m sure Her Majesty will be pleased.”
“I hope so.”
“If not, then Her Majesty and I’ll just have a nice, long talk about it. Maybe over the course of a whole night.”
“Don’t say things like that with such a sweet smile.”
And so, I continued making the divine beast-shaped Traffic Cones and Natural Volume Hairpieces.