Chapter 126: Pillow Fight
『『『Die Chairman!』』』
Along with Tori’s starting voice, angry roars that shook the inside of the room resounded.
Then, more than thirty white pillows swoop down toward Tori’s direction.
In front of those flying pillows that came flying simultaneously in his direction, they seem to have flown past him as Tori quickly hid using a futon.
Perhaps most of the pillows are hitting each other, but some that hit the futon fall to the floor.
『Che! That guy is quick to hide』
I can hear people clicking their tongues from various corners, maybe because Tori couldn’t get knocked down by the first blow.
They might have accumulated some resentment since their workplace’s superior keeps pushing them around. My previous life’s boss also did that, so I understand their feelings.
「「Die Alfried-sama!」」
The moment I was thinking about such things, Irvine and Mort - who were on my left and right respectively - threw their pillows at me at the same time.
I - who had already read their intention beforehand - rolled forward and evaded them.
I can even dove to the floor with no hesitation thanks to the futons laid all over the floor.
Well, it’s an indispensable skill when you’re doing sparring practice with Eleonora-neesan after all, but even if there are no futons I can still have some leeway to go on the defensive. I mean, if I can’t do it then I’ll be taken out.
「Damn! You nimble chap!」
「So you don’t trust us as your escorts, huh?」
Attacking me like that, then skillfully saying such shameless remarks.
「Of course I can’t trust you in this situation. At any rate, you’re going to take revenge for your numb legs before, aren’t you?」
「If you understand, then you’re prepared for it then? 」
「Lemme return the grudge from before, yeah? Take this!」
Irvine and Mort recovered the pillows, then some pillows were thrown at me.
I tried to take a step to evade them, but then a pillow came flying from the side to interrupt me――so I cast a Shield to divert it slightly, making it hit the pillows thrown by the two of them to offset each other.
「Che! Saved by a stray pillow! Lucky chap」
「We still have pillows, the next will hit you for sure.」
It appears that the two of them didn’t realize that it’s because I use magic to divert the pillow’s trajectory, perhaps it’s because I only use a really small amount of magic power. If it’s like this then perhaps I can escape while faking it?
『Where are the chairman hiding!?』
『No idea. I haven’t seen him since the start when he hides using the futon』
『Do a thorough search of the bulging futons and beat them!』
As I hear such dangerous words, pillows are continuously flying about directly right next to me.
On such a battlefield where more than eighty pillows are flying about, a child will not be able to survive without using magic, I think I’m going to use magic continuously.
「Hehehe, it’s nice, isn’t it? If you head toward the center of the room, pillows will come flying and hit you, y’know?」
「Yeah, it’s dangerous over there, so come over here. You'll be safe if you come near us.」
The two of them are approaching with nasty smiles on their faces.
In order for their pillows to hit me, it looks like they’re going to hit me from a close distance this time.
Having said that, if I retreat right now I might be hit by the incessant pillows that were flying about or accidentally get kicked by the adults that were running around. This is quite dangerous.
Should I use Physics here to gather some pillows and counterattacks? The moment I thought of that, I noticed the futon they’re standing on.
……if you only throw some pillows around, then it’s not a pillow fight.
「Eat this!」
Thinking like that, I gathered the pillows on the floor and threw the pillows at Irvine and Mort each.
「Haha, I’m not afraid of a pillow thrown by a kid!」
「With this, you have no more pillows!」
Irvine and Mort knock my pillows aside while laughing loudly.
While they steadily come near, I use Physic to pull out the futon they stepped on in one go.
「Dowaaah!?」
「Uwaaaaa!?」
Because I smoothly pulled out their footing - which is the futon -, they tumbled down as their bodies hit the floor.
Irvine became something like an overturned bug again, with his legs facing the ceiling. Gross.
「Hahaha! Serves you right!」
I laughed loudly as I pointed at the two people who were lying on their backs.
That’s what happens when you’re being careless with your footing.
「Damn it! You’re using those blasted magic!」
「You coward!」
The two who fell on their hips are clamoring on and on, but I don’t care about them.
「Tori didn’t say anything to forbid the use of magic, right? Only people who have a flexible way of thinking can survive on the battlefield you know!」
「This sonuva! Gubooahh!」
Irvine tried to stand up with an angry face, but a pillow came flying from the side making him tumble down.
「Irvine!?」
『Oi, there’s a guy sitting here! Hit him!』
『Ohhhhh!』
Mort was worried about Irvine, but then he was surrounded by the Firm’s employees. And just like that, they ganged up on him with the pillows.
If you just sit there without any pillows or futons then you will be targeted.
The sound of his body being hit with the pillows resounded *bshbsh*.
「Wai-, oi! It hurts! You’re hitting me without pillows right now!?」
『It’s safe if you cover yourself with pillows or a futon!』
Aaah, I don’t want to be in his shoes.
I secretly move away from the surrounded Mort while wholeheartedly thinking like that.
Completely covering my small build with the futon on top of my body, I moved toward the edge while being careful so that I didn't get stepped on or kicked.
During that time, five pillows were flying my way, but I avoided it by using Physic to slightly change their trajectory.
If this is a real war, then I guess I’ve already dead five times after being hit by stray bullets? So terrifying.
「Daaーhaahaahaa! Come on!」
Roomba shouts happily around the center of the battlefield, throwing pillows in succession.
『Dowaa!?』
『Ubooh!?』
The pillows thrown by Roomba's strong arms made a direct hit to the Firm’s members - one after another - as they tumbled on top of the futon.
No matter how you see it, that’s not the kind of force of being hit by a pillow. If you take a hit from that, you will be knockdown-ed in one hit.
『Damn it! Stop Roomba!』
『We’ll attack with numbers!』
The Firm’s members are forming in a group and throwing pillows toward Roomba.
「Gahahahahaha! It doesn’t work, it doesn’tーwork!」
However, Roomba appeared to remain unperturbed as he received the thrown pillows on his face and body and threw the pillows back to his opponents.
Each time Roomba swung his arm, one or two people fell.
I can’t come up with an image that can beat that.
『Heavy infantry unit! Form a close formation! Go forward and ready your shield!』
『『Haa!』』
With a sudden loud sound, there are men making a formation while holding futons.
「……do they usually make a battle formation in a pillow fight?」
Furthermore, despite them being part of a merchant group their skill is excessively high, and they didn’t make any wasted movement.
「……that’s because, Gunther-san is a former commanding officer of the knight corps of the Kingdom, y’see.」
When I murmured something like that, a distinctive voice and face came out from the futon I’m standing on.
「Everyo――」
「Don’t tell everyone I’m here, hey!」
Tori pressed down on my mouth just when I tried to shout in a loud voice while pointing my finger at him.
Even though he’s been talking to the mansion’s maid about my actions all this while, when it comes to his own situation, he’s got some nerve pleading for his life like this.
For now, let’s not say anything and give him away later.
When I shake my head up and down silently, Tori releases his hand from my mouth while he looks relieved.
「Ohh? There’s people holding shields coming in front of me for some reason………shall I crush them then.」
Looking at Roomba having a fearless smile on his face, the people who raised their shield are startled.
『Don’t falter! Believe in the heavy infantry unit, we’ll take position!』
『『Haa!』』
The former commanding officer of the knight corps of the Kingdom - Gunther or whatever - issued an order and the people in the rear guards took positions with the pillows in unison.
『Throwing pillows!』
Along with the voice from the commanding officer, the pillows are thrown by the rear guards. They separately added some rotation on the pillows, perhaps it’s to increase the power of the thrown pillows. There is no pillow that rotates awkwardly.
「Uoohh!」
Innumerable pillows simultaneously descend upon Roomba, he was buried in pillows and can not be seen.
And yet, they keep throwing pillows at him.
They keep throwing the pillows toward Roomba.
Since the opponent is that kind of monster. I wonder if it’s an overkill? I guess I’m overthinking things.
Maybe the pillows they gathered have run out in the end, the throwing from the merchants stops.
『……haa, haa, did we do it?』
The commanding officer murmured that kind of death flag while panting. They can only see the scene of white pillows densely piled up before their eyes.
Not good, if you said something like that!
『Gubooooahhh!?』
The moment I was lamenting over him in my heart, a man who was holding a shield got blown away.
『Titus!?』
As everyone was startled and turned around, the people holding shields flew off one after the other.
When I looked in the direction from where the pillows came flying, there was the figure of Roomba who appeared from the mountain of pillows.
「Haahaー, that works just now, y’know. So the rotation raised the power of the pillows then………ohh! 」
After saying that, Roomba casually grabbed a pillow and threw it.
『Hiii!?』
It has both a speed and rotation that can’t be compared with the pillows from before, the person who was raising their shield is blown away along with his shield.
『I, impossible! The shield can’t take it?』
『Hiiiiiiiii!』
『Don’t panic! Set two layers of shields! Use the futons on the floor!』
Indeed, if you stack two layers of futons, then it will have a considerable thickness. In that case, they might be able to barely withstand Roomba’s attack. That being the case it will be over if Roomba approaches them as their mobility falls and he gives them a hard blow.
『Captain Gunther! We don't have any more pillows!?』
『……what!?』
That’s because you guys threw them all at Roomba just now. Right now, there is a large number of pillows at Roomba’s feet.
This is the terrifying aspect of a pillow fight. If you carelessly throw your pillows, then your opponent will snatch your pillows and receive a heavy counterattack.
Normally, the previous all-out attack should have brought the opponent down.
「Hehehe, this time it’s my turn to throw them all back.」
At this rate, it would mean forty more shots will come toward them, a blazing fastball-like attack just like before. And it’s Roomba’s turn all the way.
Perhaps the merchants also realized that fact, they became frightened.
In the midst of all that, a man stealthily stretched his hand from behind Roomba, maybe he had his eyes on the pillow on Roomba’s feet.
『Gugyuu!』
However, a snap can be heard coming from Roomba’s wrist as he threw a pillow, then the man was squashed just like a frog.
The sound of someone swallowing their saliva can be heard from somewhere.
He didn’t say that you could take the pillow, right………
Even if a large number of people were trying to hit the pillow, that’s just the height of stupidity. Even Gunther who has a large build will probably be unable to match Roomba’s superhuman strength.
While everyone was frightened and readied their shield, the sound of hurried footsteps can be heard from the corridor.
「Hey, the proprietress is coming! Pretend that you’re asleep!」
A man opened the door and came rushing in. Apparently, he’s the lookout.
「We’re saved!」
「Quick pretend to sleep! Get rid of the pillows」
「Che, even though it’s going to be interesting from here on out」
Everyone immediately entered their futons while crying out in joy.
What a skillful movement. There is no one who is slow to react.
Then, Roomba flings the pillow in his hand while clicking his tongue. Each member of the Firm catches those pillows to lay down or pass it to someone else nearby.
Since it will look suspicious if a lot of pillows were gathered in a single room. It’s something they can’t help doing.
Tori and I were laying down at the edge from the beginning, so we’re not panicking as we pretend to sleep. Pretending to sleep is my strong point anyway, but Eleonora-neesan can always find out about it, so I’m a bit unsure. I wonder if it’s alright?
Soon there is no longer any sound of rustling clothes in the large bedroom as I pretend to sleep while having such thoughts.
It became total darkness inside the room, probably because someone had turned off the lighting magic tool. It’s as if the loud noises from before are fake.
Then, after waiting for a while with half-opened eyes, I heard a faint sound of footsteps from the direction of the hallway.
This kind of neat footsteps, no doubt about it, it's the proprietress.
The feeling of tension that we must not be found out makes my heartbeat speed up. Somehow it’s kinda fun.
And then, the door of the large bedroom slowly opened, and the proprietress suddenly appeared as she looked doubtful.
「……eh? They’re sleeping peacefully, aren’t they? But I can hear loud noises some time ago.」
Well, if guys were running and rolling around the room like that, then it would surely reverberate downstairs.
The proprietress surveyed the room while looking slightly doubtful.
The men are pretending to snore, or turning around while saying things like ‘Uuh…’ in their futon. She noticed that some futons are in disorder or an unusual number of futons inside the room, but it’s not something strange considering the spacious room that they decide to take some additional futons to use the extra space.
「……hii! Irvine-san!?」
The proprietress - who stands at the entrance - let out a small shriek.
Apparently, she started to notice the people who were killed in action - with Irvine included - and lying near the entrance.
「……is he sleeping?」
Those are the guys who passed out because of the pillow fight before. Even the proprietress won’t be able to see through if they’re pretending to sleep since they pass out.
「…………was it just my imagination I wonder?」
The proprietress said that as she quietly left the room.
Then the sound of her footsteps became distant, and when it can no longer be heard the people who are still awake abruptly raise their bodies.
Read latest chapters at f(r)eewebnov𝒆l Only