With the Melonalina situation sorted out, it's time to get the shota back!
Enjoy!
Chapter 5: Michel’s Retrieval Strategy (Part 1)
The story so far...
Elina lost Airi and was then defeated by Echidna, who also took Michel with her. When she visited the residence of the Swamp Witch--Airi’s original mistress--, despite convincing her of summoning the maid anew, she was defeated in a Queen’s Blade match by Melona. The shapeshifter forced Elina as the winner’s condition to take her along her travels as a “friend”.
Echidna’s Blues
It was raining. A heavy thunderstorm forecasting the beginning of the rainy season.
These thunderstorms would last for several days, and when they passed, next would be rains as damp as fog for days.
That quite appreciated rain served to raise the dense forest, which was also a natural wall to keep people away.
At Echidna’s hideout, the secret cave called “Viper’s Nest” on the surface of a rocky mountain, rain was currently falling like a waterfall.
“This is dangerous stuff.”
She muttered to herself, looking at Michel’s flute on her desk, the magical instrument now small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.
[A magical flute that cures all wounds. Besides, the user suffers no side effects, and there doesn’t seem to be any restrictions.
What if people used this during Queen’s Blade? Flute users wouldn’t be defeated unless they were killed in one hit, or incapacitated.]
“I can’t let the flute decide who gets to be Queen.”
Echidna turned her gaze to Michel, sleeping not far from the tool.
“This sonny can’t get involved with Queen’s Blade, huh.”
A sigh accompanied the words she said with a surprisingly tender tone.
“Can’t let him get anywhere near the Queen.”
Strategy Meeting Under the Rain
The jungle to the south of the Continent. Known for its heavy rain and its temperature, hot enough for anyone to break into a sweat. The uncomfortable moisture, the sultriness and the muddy roads prevented travelers and adventurers from getting much further in.
Elina and Melona were in one corner of a road extending from the jungle. A torrential downpour was coming down, as if locking them in place.
“So, you really think, *her* hideout, is up ahead?”
Elina spaced out her words so they wouldn’t get drowned out by the deafening sound of the rain.
“That’s right~, it might have come from the witch’s fortune-telling and whatnot, but it’s nice timing, with this rain and all.”
Melona turned her body into an umbrella, shielding Elina from the rain.
“Useful, aren’t you.”
“Well, unlike humans, I don’t catch colds.”
*Byoing*, she morphed further, and her head popped down by Elina’s side.
“This way it’s easier to talk, right?”
“So you really are a monster.”
It was quite an eerie sight.
“Kishishi, I’ll be happy if you keep it in mind.”
Melona’s original form wasn’t a fixed one. And since she didn’t have a fixed form, she could take on various shapes. Forget for even a second, and getting surprised by what she could pull off was a given.
“Then, let’s start the strategy meeting.”
“Yup yup, shall we begin?”
Michel’s Retrieval Strategy.
[I might have obtained Melona’s help, but it’s still not a good idea to face Echidna and Irma at the same time. Divide and conquer sounds like a better plan, and it’s only just desserts after they did it to us at the border island.
To do so, we’ll first capture Irma. Ideally, we want to keep her as hostage to negotiate Michel’s release.]
“Err, you draw their attention, Elina, and I do a surprise attack, is that right?”
“Yes. They shouldn’t know about you, so our success is almost guaranteed.”
“Easy peeeasy.”
“Still, be careful, your opponent is a disciple of THE Echidna. If she so much as notices any trace of you, catching her off guard will be a pipe dream.”
“ ‘Don’t get careless’, got it.”
“I’ll leave the specifics of the surprise attack to you. Try to settle things as fast as you can.”
“Leave it to me. My forte is killing at first sight.”
“No killing.”
Smiling at Melona, the blonde turned her eyes to the rain wet road.
[Will Irma appear as predicted?]
Echidna’s hideout was somewhere in that jungle. To get in and out, one necessarily had to go through that road.
“We can only wait...”
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