Volume 5 of Zero Attack Power comes out on June 25! “Thanks, Fuji-yan. I didn’t think we’d be able to leave the very next day.” (Makoto) “Well, it’s an emergency situation involving an investigation into the monster rampage in the Abyss. But preparing everything was no easy task-deshi ta zo, Takki-dono.” (Fuji) I’m currently aboard Fuji-yan’s airship in transit. “This is a nice airship, Fujiwara-kun. I can’t believe how smooth the ride is at this speed.” (Sakurai) Speaking cheerfully is my childhood friend, Sakurai-kun. He’s my partner on this investigation mission. “No no, this can’t compare to the Highland royal family’s airship.” (Fuji) “Oh…? That’s great advertising.” (Fuji) “Ahaha, maybe I overpraised it.” (Sakurai) Fuji-yan and Sakurai-kun are chatting amicably. “Still, I’m surprised Sakurai-kun was allowed to come along.” (Makoto) Sakurai-kun is the Vice-King of the Sun Country, Highland. Unlike me, he’s not in a position to leave the country casually. “It was a huge hassle to get approval! In the end, Queen Noel only gave in because he insisted on going with you, Takatsuki-kun. It was all very last-minute.” That exasperated remark came from Yokoyama Saki-san. She’s Sakurai-kun’s bodyguard, a Holy Swordswoman, and also his wife. …Though she’s one of many wives Sakurai-kun has. (Makoto, you’re one to talk.) (Noah) (Let’s not go there, Noah-sama.) (Noah) Even a Goddess chimed in with a jab. Honestly, I’m in no position to judge. “It’s really fun to go on a trip with everyone☆” (Aya) Sa-san chirped cheerfully. “It’s not a trip.” (Makoto) “With you and Sakurai-kun here, we’ll be fine, right? I’ll just sit back and watch.” (Aya) Her outfit wasn’t the usual adventurer gear, but a town girl look like before. Totally dressed for time off. “Hey, Aya-chan! You’re a former Hero, right!? And an Orichalcum Rank adventurer! At least wear your gear properly!” (Saki) Yokoyama-san looked panicked. “But we’re going to the Arctic Continent, right? I can’t move well in the cold. I’m from the Lamia tribe.” (Aya) “Then why’d you even come along…?” (Saki) “Because I wanted to go on a trip with everyone!” (Aya) “You’re so self-centered, Aya-chan… Just like always.” (Saki) “Hehe, don’t flatter me.” (Aya) “That wasn’t a compliment!” (Saki) Sa-san and Yokoyama-san have been friends since middle school. Their conversation flows naturally. “I-I feel a little out of place…” (Lucy) Lucy muttered, looking slightly lost. “We all know each other, don’t we?” (Makoto) “Yes, but! Everyone here is from the same world as you!” (Lucy) “Now now, Lu-san. I’m here too, you know?” That was Nina-san, with her cute dusky skin and bunny ears. She’s Fuji-yan’s wife. Seems like everyone brought their wives along. (Mako-kun, you’re one to talk! Why didn’t you bring Sofia-chan too?) (Eir) (Eir-sama… That’s seriously not possible.) (Makoto) Our destination is the Last Dungeon far north of Rozes, in the Arctic. And it’s a dangerous area swarming with monsters. There’s no way I could bring Sofia, the princess and Water Oracle. …Though she did want to come. Incidentally, the very queen of the Moon Country, Furiae-san, seriously tried to sneak onboard. She got caught and scolded by Queen Noel. So yeah, excluding the crew, our expedition team is pretty much made up of close acquaintances. Though, there’s one unusual face… “Takatsuki Makoto. Is it really okay to be this relaxed before heading to the Last Dungeon?” Speaking with a slightly haughty tone was Janet Valentine-san, whose golden light armor gleamed brilliantly. “We’ll arrive in a week at the earliest. If you stay tense the whole time, you’ll wear yourself out, Jane-san.” (Makoto) “And what’s with that ‘Jane-san’ nickname?” (Janet) She gave me a sharp look. “You’re Gera-san’s little sister.” (Makoto) “I am impressed that my brother allows that nickname… Sigh…” (Janet) Behind Janet-san stood four Pegasus Knights. They’re the official recorders for this investigation of the Abyss. “Hey, Makoto. Did we really need this big of a group? Wouldn’t it be faster if the two of us used teleportation to go investigate?” (Lucy) Lucy asked a very reasonable question. “I actually thought the same thing at first.” (Makoto) “I knew it! Then why didn’t we?” (Lucy) “That wouldn’t be a proper investigation. The Arctic Continent is vast. If our report was incomplete and we underestimated the scale of the monster rampage, responsibility would fall on the two of you…and ultimately, the Water Country.” (Janet) Janet-san pointed out firmly. “Ugh, that sounds like a pain.” (Lucy) Follow current novᴇls on 𝗻𝗼𝘷𝗲𝗹•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝕟𝕖𝕥 “Right? If me, Lucy, and Sakurai-kun went, we’d be done in no time.” (Makoto) “Wait, wait, wait. Makoto, is that what you were planning?” (Lucy) “It’s efficient, isn’t it?” (Makoto) “That’s ridiculous!” (Lucy) “That plan would never get approved.” (Janet) Both Lucy and Janet-san shut that down hard. Guess it was a bad idea. “I thought it was a good, quick solution though.” (Makoto) “Fast isn’t everything.” (Janet) While we were chatting like that… “Everyone, the meal is ready-desu zo! Let’s head to the dining room.” (Fuji) Fuji-yan called out in a loud voice. The airship we’re on seems designed for transporting VIPs, with elaborate and luxurious interiors. The dining room was splendid and spacious enough for the whole investigation team to eat comfortably. Everyone began eating and drinking happily at Fuji-yan’s toast. “Saki, you can hold your liquor, huh?” (Lucy) “So can you, Lucy-san.” (Saki) “Just call me Lucy.” (Lucy) “Alright then. Let’s be good friends, Lucy.” (Saki) Even Lucy, who was hesitant at first, had warmed up to Yokoyama-san. “Hey hey, Saki’s Hero hubby, drink up too☆” (Lucy) “Eh! Uh, I’d rather drink at my own pace…” (Sakurai) “Oh come on, you’re Makoto’s best friend, right? This is nothing for you.” (Lucy) “R-Really…?” (Sakurai) Ah, that’s not good, Lucy. Don’t force drinks on Sakurai-kun… “Ugh, Nina-saaan. How do you make babies?” (Aya) “Aya-san! Daily effort and prayer to the Goddess, of course!” (Nina) “I’ve been trying, though…” (Aya) I could hear Sa-san and Nina-san’s conversation. …Not the kind of topic I can easily jump into. Well, as long as everyone’s having fun. The only ones staying relatively quiet were the Pegasus Knights under Janet-san. They didn’t touch any alcohol and remained silent through the meal. “Jane-san, what’s wrong? You’re all so quiet.” (Makoto) “Takatsuki Makoto. We’re on duty, remember? And yet this is like a banquet…” (Janet) She responded seriously. “But won’t staying so tense the whole time wear you out?” (Makoto) “What if monsters attacked while everyone’s drunk and careless!?” (Janet) “It’s fine. Monsters won’t attack, human knight.” Interrupting our conversation was Dia, the Great Water Spirit. “You are… the Undine Great Spirit serving under Takatsuki Makoto? How can you be so certain?” (Janet) “Because I’m right here. Monsters are afraid of my mana. They won’t come near.” (Dia) Janet-san was stunned. “Also, I can see into the immediate future, so I’ll know ahead of time if monsters show up.” (Makoto) “Eh? Eeehh?!” (Janet) Did I not mention that? “S-Still! I’m responsible for protecting the ship…!” (Janet) “If that’s the case, my sisters -the other Water Spirits- are keeping watch. Unless we’re attacked by an army of Ancient Dragons or something, nothing’s getting close to this airship.” (Dia) Janet-san was rendered speechless by Dia’s words. “Well then…as thanks for your hard work.” (Makoto) I tried to ease the mood by pouring some nearby alcohol into a glass. Janet-san glanced between my face and the drink. “…What are you plotting by trying to get me to drink?” (Janet) “I just thought we could get along better.” (Makoto) “…Fine. But you’ll drink with me.” (Janet) She then poured a generous serving of rich amber liquor into my glass too. (What kind of alcohol is this, I wonder?) (Makoto) Maybe it was wine or something. When we clinked glasses and toasted, I took a sip…and it burned like fire in my mouth. I coughed instinctively. (Makoto, that’s brandy.) (Noah) Noah-sama, I wish you had told me before I drank it… (You’re Noah’s familiar, right, Mako-kun? That should be nothing for you. Chug it, chug it!☆) (Eir) Please don’t be reckless, Eir-sama. This is alcohol harassment. “Wow… It smells nice. I wonder where it’s from?” (Janet) Janet-san was calmly drinking it straight, without batting an eye. “Um… Jane-san?” (Makoto) “What is it, Takatsuki Makoto?” (Janet) “Isn’t that alcohol kind of strong?” (Makoto) “This is normal, isn’t it? The drinks my sister-in-law Olga-sama gives me are way stronger.” (Janet) Olga-san is the Hero of the Fire Country, and the lover of Janet-san’s older brother, the Thunder Hero, Gera-san. Judging from the way she said it earlier, maybe they’re already married or engaged. After that, the Pegasus Knights joined the banquet, and in the end, everyone partied and had a good time. “Captain, you’re drinking too much…” “Captain Janet, let’s get you to your room~” The completely drunk Janet-san was being carried away by her squad members. Whew, I somehow managed to preserve the dignity of being Noah-sama’s familiar. Though I was also pretty tipsy. “Takatsuki Makoto～～～♡” (Janet) A drunk Janet-san suddenly hugged me. Ah, she’s a clingy drunk, huh. “Takatsuki Makoto-sama, we’ll take the captain now.” “Thank you.” (Makoto) I thanked the member of the Pegasus unit. I wonder if I was able to deepen our bond? Well, at the very least, I think I’ve gotten a bit closer with Janet-san. “…Hey, Makoto? Mind if we hear your explanation?” “…Looks like you’re having fun, huh? Takatsuki-kun.” I suddenly sobered up. When I turned around, Lucy and Sa-san were standing there, looking absolutely frosty. Not just them, the Fuji-yan and Nina-san couple, and the Sakurai-kun and Yokoyama-san couple were all looking at me with expressions of disbelief. Yes, I’ve been aware for quite a while now that they saw Janet-san hugging me while drunk. But since I was the one who offered the drink, I couldn’t exactly push her away… “Lucy, Sa-san. This is a misunderstanding.” (Makoto) “Idiot! idiot!” (Aya) Lucy and Sa-san scolded me thoroughly. After that, we returned to our room, where I apologized to Lucy and Sa-san, soothed them, and did various other things. By the time I felt like they finally forgave me, it was already late at night. Lucy and Sa-san were sleeping side-by-side on the bed. To be honest, I wasn’t very sleepy. (Maybe I’ll train with water magic for a bit.) (Makoto) I got dressed, stepped outside the room, and locked the door. When I stepped onto the deck of the airship, the cold night breeze felt pleasant. The sky was filled with stars, and a pale blue moon floated above. I thought I might chat with the Wind Spirits near the bow of the ship…but someone was already there. “Takatsuki-kun, what’s up?” It was Fuji-yan and Sakurai-kun. “What about you two?” (Makoto) “Sakurai-dono passed out from drinking too early, so we didn’t get to talk much. He looked lonely, so I invited him for a little moonlight drinking-desu zo.” (Fuji) “…Did I really look that lonely?” (Sakurai) Sakurai-kun looked a little embarrassed. That must’ve been Fuji-yan’s mind reading skill at work. “Sorry Lucy forced you to drink.” (Makoto) Sakurai-kun got drunk because of my red-haired elf companion. But he didn’t seem too bothered by it. “Lucy-san is a good person. I wanted to talk with her more.” (Sakurai) “The journey’s still long. We’ll have more chances.” (Makoto) “By the way, Takki-dono, care for a drink?” (Fuji) Fuji-yan offered me a drink with a sweet fruity aroma. This one didn’t seem nearly as strong as the brandy from earlier. The three of us toasted: me, Fuji-yan, and Sakurai-kun. (Come to think of it, have the three of us ever really sat down and talked before?) (Makoto) I don’t think we have. We chatted idly for a while. For some reason, most of our conversation ended up being about home life -our wives and such. Back when we were in high school, I never imagined things would turn out . It felt like a mini-reunion…and a very enjoyable evening. Sa-san was bundled up in a fluffy down jacket. I wasn’t surprised by the existence of a down jacket in another world. Because the tag said “FUJIWARA.” Apparently, the Fujiwara Company started branding their stuff now. Not Fuji-yan’s doing, but Nina-san’s hobby, apparently. “Hey, look! Makoto! The sea’s full of ice!” (Lucy) Despite the freezing location, Lucy was as lightly dressed as always and cheerfully looking out at the sea. That must be thanks to the Fire Spirits around her. “Yeah, it’s beautiful. There are lots of Water Spirits.” (Makoto) “That’s not the first thing you should say.” (Lucy) “Is it not?” (Makoto) By the way, I can also control the temperature with Water Spirits, so I wasn’t cold either. Just wearing my usual clothes. “You two are amazing, Takatsuki-kun, Lucy-san.” (Sakurai) “Aren’t you going to catch a cold…?” (Saki) Sakurai-kun and Yokoyama-san, dressed in full winter gear, looked at us like we were some kind of exotic animals. “Everyone, we’ll be arriving soon~!” (Nina) Nina-san’s voice turned everyone’s attention forward. “Is that it, perhaps?” (Fuji) “Looks like it.” (Makoto) I nodded at Fuji-yan’s question. What lay ahead was a vast white land and a massive white mountain range. In the sky, a curtain-like aurora shimmered in seven colors. We arrived at this world’s Arctic continent. Last time, I came here via teleportation with the White Great Sage, Momo, so this was my first time landing from the sea. “We’ll go ahead for reconnaissance. Is that alright, Takatsuki Makoto?” (Janet) Though we’d grown close during the past few days of travel, Janet-san was in full work mode now, and her tone was serious. “I’ll leave it to you.” (Makoto) “Yes. Everyone, let’s go!” (Janet) The Pegasus unit flew off from the airship in unison at Janet-san’s signal. And thus began the investigation of the Arctic Continent and the Last Dungeon that laid within…the Abyss. >He will be able to fulfill his promise with Sakurai-kun now. -Sakurai-kun seems to be having fun.