The Blue Switch That Just Won't Get Pressed

“Me, ya see, I got nowhere to go.”

Of the three around the round table...... first, the one who had muttered that in a voice gone hoarse from drink was a man in a tattered robe, a shabby middle-aged mage...... Darakerus.

His salt-and-pepper hair and beard were messy and overgrown.

He was tall but quite thin, and there was practically no spirit at all in his sleepy eyes.

“I can't go back to Zenalini, not anymore. I've gotten old, too. Can't push myself no more. I need this house, where I can sleep and wake up quiet and safe.”

With that, the mage...... quietly reached out his hand.

His target was...... the switch fitted to a small iron box, the blue one.

But.

“Hey, you wretch!! Quit screwing around!!”

Bachin!

With a loud sound, that hand was slapped away.

The one who did it was a young man wearing glasses, Fret.

He wore a well-tailored suit, with golden hair slicked back.

“The one who understands this house's true value is none other than I, and the one who can truly make use of all it has and contribute to society, is none other than I as well!! This house, I am the one who needs it, and this house needs me, too!!”

With that, Fret thrust his own hand toward the blue switch this time!

......But.

“No.”

Fret's hand never reached the switch.

That was because the iron box with the switch had at some point ended up in the arms of a black-haired, black-eyed girl, Emi...... and Emi had swiftly pulled the box away.

Emi was at the age when one starts turning into an adult, and she boasted a breathtaking beauty.

“In the first place, here, I found it first. So, I live here.”

And yet Emi...... always gave off something faintly eerie, and showed no sign whatsoever of backing down, even against two grown men.

If anything, the 【Intimidation】 she gave off was growing ever thicker with killing intent...... any combat professional who saw it would have declared the most dangerous one here to be this girl, without a doubt.

Still expressionless, Emi glared coldly at the frustrated-looking men.

And then.

She reached out her own right hand, toward the blue switch on the box in her arms.

At this moment, the memories of her journey so far were swirling through Emi's mind.

Leaving the land where she was born and raised.

Crossing mountains, passing through demon realms.

She had trekked across the snowy mountains, the sea of fog, the great desert.

For a while...... in other people's houses, she had been taken care of, many times.

But that never lasted long.

Something always happened...... and Emi would set out on her journey.

To be honest...... Emi was starting to get tired.

It wasn't that she liked traveling.

It was just that she had to travel.

......Even if she managed to get this hideout.

This place, would become her final home.

Emi wasn't dreaming such a convenient dream.

Surely, once again, something would happen, and Emi would set out on her journey.

Somehow, she felt that was how it would be.

......But!

“Even if...... it's only for a while, that's fine......”

Despite herself, pitch-black miasma came pouring out of Emi's whole body......!

“I, will get it......”

Emi had already explored this hideout, so she knew.

This hideout had a dressing room, stocked with all sorts of clothes.

There was preserved food of some kind, like canned goods, and a splendid kitchen too.

Even a fluffy bed was provided.

Making clothes with magecraft and wearing them (effectively naked)!

Quenching her thirst with fresh blood, gorging on raw meat (sometimes, sucking up magic power with tentacles)!

Spinning a cocoon on a tree trunk to sleep in (out of habit, she'd done it last night too)!

With that kind of life...... she was finally done!

“This...... lovely house in the forest!!”

A place where she could relax and enjoy a cultured life without holding back for anyone, she would get it!

<Now! Hurry and hold down the blue switch, Emi!>

Omake-sama shouted in her head!

“RAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!”

Letting out a fierce yell that shook the air!

Emi raised her right arm high...... and stuck out her index finger, perfectly straight!

Magic power...... gathered at her fingertip!

Whatever magic power gathered in excess, she vented out of her fingertip as pitch-black miasma......!

Registration preparations, complete!

Emi aimed that fingertip at the blue switch, and went to jab it out with all her force!

But since it would be a disaster if she got carried away and broke the iron box!

Halfway through, she moved her arm slowly, slowly, and cautiously!

She brought that fingertip, closer, to the blue switch!

“Hey, hey, hey......”

Darakerus, of course, tried to reach out and stop her.

But, he couldn't.

The 【Intimidation】 Emi was leaking without realizing it wouldn't let him!

Interfere with low-level magic?

Even worse!

If she took it as an outright act of hostility, Darakerus would probably die!

He would die, crushed into a pulp, without even knowing what happened!

His gut was screaming as much!

“W, wait...... wait......!!”

Fret also tried to move.

He wanted to move.

But, he couldn't.

His legs were shaking violently, and just standing was all he could manage!

Even his specialty, the negotiating skills he had honed as a merchant, was utterly powerless.

After all, he was so scared, his tongue wouldn't work!

That was how much!

The force of will coming off Emi just then!

Was, simply tremendous!

There was no longer anyone in this room who intended to get in Emi's way.

Emi's slowly moving fingertip.

Finally.

Was about, to touch, the blue switch.

......But, at that, very last instant!

DOOOOOON!!!

With that explosive boom, a violent shaking hit the hideout!

【Intimidation】

A technique to make an opponent shrink back by releasing powerful magic power.