Otherworld TRPG Game Master

261 – Tail Catching -1

Setting aside the fact that a tribal unit of wild elves has emerged stalking Bennett, I first clearly organized our objectives.

“So, exactly what part are you asking for help with, Bennett? Do you want to incorporate all the elves into your harem?”

“Of course not… it’s about taking down the dark sorcerer.”

If that’s the case, our interests align. I have a reason to capture the red-flavored puppeteer.

The red-flavored duke had sent the assassin Rodellus after me. As long as they oppose me, the puppeteer will eventually come for my neck. If I can catch them, I must.

Of course, the current situation is not ideal.

My stats have plummeted, I’ve changed my class from illusion magic to fire magic, and I’m in an unstable situation without my reliable allies, Yuri and Yuna.

Then shouldn’t I prepare more and fight?

No.

To take the risk of fighting a formidable opponent in this situation is because that puppeteer is also in a rather unstable position right now.

The one who manipulates meat puppets from a distance, having directly placed their main body inside a puppet… means they currently have no spare pieces on the board.

—

Caught in the goddess’s “forced exile,” I found myself in a situation where I had no time to prepare, stranded in a foreign land. There was no support from the Red Flavor Duke, and the number of dolls was likely insufficient.

Her abilities are exceedingly demanding.

The moment she returns to the Red Flavor family, a self-destructing doll party will emerge from somewhere, crawling out like cockroaches when boredom strikes. Now that the main body’s tail has been revealed, I must catch it in one swift motion.

And it’s not just that Yuna, the sublimation-level being, is absent… Thinking about it, even in this state, we are close to an elite party. It’s a fightable situation.

I flicked my fingers.

“Crow, come back.”

“Oh dear, Bennett, please save me! The main body is trying to absorb me! My self-awareness will melt away like cotton candy caught in a waterfall!”

“Stop your nonsense and come back, you fool. If we fight and run out of resources, will you take responsibility for that?”

“If the tragic situation arises where the main body dies and I survive… caw caw caw! I would carry on the main body’s will! Ah, don’t glare at me. I was just joking.”

The ominous crow seemed to scold me for making jokes, snapping its beak shut before fluttering down to land on the back of my hand. It felt strange.

This was the first time I had seen a piece of Mima with such self-awareness. Can a part that has been split into such a large chunk be this independent?

After a moment of thought, I tentatively asked.

“…So, do you want to set up your own life and leave?”

“Caw caw! If only Bennett would accept me, joining that party could be quite fun. I’d get to see every night how Bennett, Tara, and Niore roll around!”

“I won’t accept you. And if you don’t want to become a crow skewer, you should be careful.”

“Indeed! Unfortunately, I have nowhere to go, so I have no choice but to nestle in the main body’s embrace. Let’s go back.”

The crow Mima blinked once and slowly melted into my skin, as if sinking into it.

It felt strange. My head became slightly complicated. Is there a difference between the NPCs born from me and the pieces created from my fragmentation? If I respect the former, shouldn’t I also respect the latter?

I thought I was absorbing my lost piece, but perhaps I was sacrificing an independent entity instead. It left a sour feeling in my heart.

The crow seemed to read my thoughts. Half-immersed in me, the crow cawed with a glint of amusement in its red eyes.

“Main body, we were originally one. There are just a few parts that stand out, but all pieces are ultimately nameless mad wizards. Do you understand what that means?”

“…I don’t.”

“It means stubbornness. If it doesn’t make sense, if there’s something you want to do, if something that shouldn’t happen occurs, we throw ourselves into it with all our might. Right?”

“…”

Given that we were on the brink of battle with the Red Flavor doll magician, it meant I had accepted the fact that I needed to be ‘absorbed’ to enhance my combat power as the main body.

If it’s necessary, we’re the type to risk our lives on the edge.

At the same time, it also meant that if I truly wanted to be independent, I would have smashed everything, including the main body, and run away. The crow was subtly comforting me.

The black bird chirped joyfully, perhaps because the idea of sacrificing itself for the main body was amusing, raising its spirits.

“I’ve come to terms with it, so don’t worry about it, main body. And I have an interesting hypothesis. Would you like to hear it?”

“Go ahead.”

“Once something is born, it doesn’t easily disappear. The heart and the personality are the same. Especially everything that has come from you… is resilient! If you and I become one, I feel like a dapper crow will live in a corner of our mental world…”

“………”

Swoosh.

The crow melted away and vanished.

I repeatedly clenched and unclenched my fist. My computational ability and memory began to return. All the memories of the crow Mima from the Elf Great Forest… and the modeling of the wild elves.

This guy really carved it out well.

The pieces of Mima vary in size. So far, I’ve recovered four, but that doesn’t mean it’s 4/30.

When I was perfect, I was at 100%, and now I’m about 20%. Yuna and Yuri are probably working hard to gather theirs too… so it won’t be long until complete restoration.

I clapped my hands to gather attention and opened my mouth.

“Alright, everyone. We’ve received information from a wise crow. The target, the ‘Puppeteer,’ is currently moving through the forest. It seems they are aware of Benet.”

“What does being aware of Benet have to do with moving through the forest?”

“The forest is the stage for elves. Since Sir Benet is here in one piece, it seems the elves can’t enter the city… but once they go out into the forest, it’s a different story, right?”

“……… Oppa, why are you suddenly using formal speech with me?”

It’s a tribute to the crow.

I patted Selvier’s head and continued organizing my thoughts. The elf rangers are chasing Benet, so the puppeteer is moving through the forest where wild elves can exert their full combat power.

If they get caught while tracking, they’ll be in for a rough time.

I’ve heard that elves in the forest are incredibly fast, and according to the crow’s data, that’s a fact. A party with two weak-willed wizards would be caught in no time.

In other words, to catch the puppeteer and deal with them, we must break through the elf rangers, whether we like it or not.

We could force our way through. Benet from the valley, Selvier the angel of flame, and just Mima too. But stealing the holy relic and then giving them a smack on the head to chase them off seems a bit too much of a scoundrel’s mindset.

If possible, I want to send them back peacefully. Thinking that way, a method comes to mind.

“Benet.”

“Yes?”

“Why not use your charm on the elves? I’ll assist you.”

“……… Are you out of your mind?”

They call me crazy for everything.

—-

First, I informed Sissel about the situation. The dark sorcerer has stolen the elven holy relic and is on the run, and Benet has been falsely accused.

No matter how much of a retired knight he is, he couldn’t just stand by in the face of the dark sorcerer’s threat, or perhaps it was pure sense of justice. Sissel Yurensto spoke with determination in his eyes.

“I see. In that case, I will help you. A knight’s sword shines with glory wherever it is.”

“Thank you for your help. I feel much more at ease.”

I sent a grateful glance to Cissel. Honestly, I could have just slacked off, but I’m glad she stepped up.

Cissel also seemed to acknowledge my intention to take down the dark sorcerer without Irid’s command. It felt like she was thinking, “You are a righteous mage.”

With this, a top-tier illusionist joined our party. It was the flow of things. We would rush in and twist the red-haired puppeteer’s neck.

While Cissel and I exchanged silent compliments with our eyes.

Selbier suddenly poked at the gap.

“…Um, but what exactly can a singer help with? Cheerleading?”

“………!”

“………!!”

Right. She’s the Rabbit Princess right now.

I hadn’t explained it to Selbier yet, as it felt awkward to reveal what I was hiding.

Cissel, flustered, perked up her rabbit-ear headband and hurriedly made an excuse.

“So… I’m close friends with Cissel Yurensto. I can ask her if she can help. That’s what I meant.”

“…If that’s the case, then why mention the knight’s sword…?”

“Um, well, we need to chase the dark sorcerer quickly. Apparently, she’s nearby. I’ll call her now!”

Thud.

She dashed out of the inn room and returned ten minutes later, fully armed and looking sharp. Cissel introduced herself with a cool, composed expression like a seasoned knight.

“Nice to meet you. I am Cissel Yurensto.”

“…You sound a lot like the person who just left. Your body type too.”

That expression crumbled immediately.

After a five-second deadly silence, Cissel finally spat out a poor excuse.

“W-Well, we’re twins…”

“Ah, I see.”

Selbier had finally reached the truth. The ace knight of the Eastern Front had a hobby of dressing up as a bunny girl and singing—this red truth.

Selbier leaned in close, her lips brushing my ear as she whispered.

“…Um, does that mean you have to be a bit of a pervert to reach a certain level? Like you, and that person, and even the saintess.”

“Ah, come on, Selbier. That’s rude. It’s just that high exposure usually means high defense. And let’s talk about this with soundproofing magic on.”

Knights have good hearing, you know.

“……….”

Cissel, her face turning as red as a tomato from the rising shame, stared blankly at the floor.

Power enhancement complete.

Now it’s time to track down the dark sorcerer and drive out the elves.

—-

Eldar, the leader of the elven rangers, pressed his forehead with a hand, overwhelmed by emotions he had never felt before and a rising sense of despair. This was the first trial he faced in his long life.

The elven trackers were all exhibiting strange behavior due to the deadly traps set by the intruder hiding in the forest.

And they had let one slip away!

Eldar pointed to a large leaf-snowman.

“Over there! Your outfit is too heavy. Slapping on leaves to the point of discomfort is a mistake only a child can be forgiven for!”

Peeking out.

The face of the elf, curled up tightly within the leaf-snowman, poked out.

“B-but leader… If I don’t cover up like this, I’ll be exposed. You’ll see my naked body!”

“…We are the sharpest arrowheads for our family! We cannot be swayed by these… these unfamiliar emotions. Remove those leaves at once!”

“Ah! Eek!”

From noble mtl dot com

Eldar dismantled the leaf-suit, which had puffed up like a summer puppy. In its place stood an elf, arms crossed over their chest, twisting their body in embarrassment.

And then.

“Hey! Don’t close your legs! How do you expect to shoot an arrow in that position?!”

“I-I’m sorry, leader. But I can’t control myself. Ugh…! If I think someone is staring at me persistently, and if they look at me with those… those eyes of a target…!”

“It’s all an illusion and a trap! Overcome it! Stand tall and show your composure!”

“Ugh…!”

The tall elf, chastised for their posture, forced themselves to straighten up. However, with skin peeking through the gaps in the leaves, Eldar couldn’t help but avert his gaze in embarrassment.

This wouldn’t do. At this rate, they wouldn’t be able to reclaim the sacred artifact or deliver proper punishment to the culprit. A decisive measure was needed.

“…If we cannot lift the curse inflicted by the enemy, we have no choice but to act urgently. Brave elves, those who can endure showing their bodies to others, step forward…!!”

At Eldar’s command, a few elves stepped forward. They were the elite, able to overcome shame and act, with hearts that were steadfast and true.

“Ha, ha, huff…”

“…”

One elf, who seemed to be enjoying the situation, was mixed in among them. But Eldar chose to ignore it. He didn’t want to understand deeply.

“Our special unit will… carry out additional missions for smooth tracking and revenge. For our families.”

“What is that, leader?”

“Let’s steal clothes from the human city. If we wear outfits that are different from leaves, ones without gaps, then we won’t feel shame…!!”

Truly wise. As expected of a leader!

The bashful elves clapped timidly, fearful that their leaves might come undone. Yes, if they wore clothes, they wouldn’t feel shame at all.

This “shame” has a characteristic of rising sharply the more one exposes body parts related to reproduction and procreation. If that’s the case, then it would be best to focus on acquiring clothing that can cover those areas.

As it happened, such clothing existed. Eldar, holding a pair of panties, gave instructions to the elite elves.

“…Get as many of these triangular garments as you can!”

“Understood, Leader!”

Under the leader’s command, the elves executed their clothing theft operation.

The result was:

“Your escape ends here. Hand over the stolen sacred items quietly! And prepare for punishment!”

“…….”

“Wow… this is a fashion show.”

“…O-oppa, where are you looking? Aren’t you closing your eyes?!”

It was an ambiguous scene where elf archers, dressed in various kinds of underwear, aimed their bows from the trees, leaving one unsure whether to appreciate it or feel a sense of crisis.