Part One
Garumon Almanac, Year 299 Edition
"… All done～"
A tired-looking Patty thrust a magazine at me.
"… Oh!"
The Garumon Almanac, Year 299 Edition! Finally out, huh.
Published a full 4 months after year 300 began — truly leisurely.
But well, to introduce the new S-Class Masters, this timing was required.
… In the midst of post-S-Class promotion chaos, I'd been interviewed by Patty.
That should be in the article.
I turned the pages tensely.
S-Class Masters… let me run through everyone quickly.
I'd be facing them at the S-Class Council, after all. I had to commit every face to memory.
Couldn't be vague like with Julian — "who was this guy again?"
Rank 1 Satoru… his unremarkable face inspired familiarity, but.
A face with no distinctive features, hard to remember. He looked like an ordinary man at a glance.
Rank 2 Aqueria… beautiful. Truly beautiful… Come to think of it, I hadn't met her yet.
I wanted to meet her soon…
Rank 3 Sairas… still that ridiculously handsome man whom the word "beauty" suited despite being male.
But for some reason he had a hand half-covering his face.
Posing? Or maybe acting like it was a hassle.
Rank 4 Leonhardt… dignified, that's Leonhardt-san.
No need to describe him afresh. Aged, yet his gaze was sharp.
Rank 5 Caios… a nervous-looking face. Come to think of it, Suzanne had said "Caios is out of the question." What kind of person was he? … In the Leonhardt-san succession contest, I'd have to beat him.
Rank 6 Duras Heidrich. Handsome enough, but far outshone by Sairas.
Well, Sairas was just off the charts, so I shouldn't compare.
Rank 7 Fauzel. Also handsome. Serious-looking and clean-cut.
Come to think of it, I'd once been rated as "his level in cut-through."
Rank 8 Aleph… a real hot-blooded type! Sort of like a shonen manga protagonist, or rather, an art style all his own. Why was his hair standing on end?
Rank 9 Calcas… still being drained by Rosalia, by the look of it. He had a face that looked like he was dying.
Not old… and yet he looked old.
Rank 10 Hamilton. A nobility-incarnate type with curly-curly hair. The kind of hairstyle Louis-the-Whateverth would have. Looked like he'd refer to himself as "Our self."
Rank 11 Gazain. Looked like a stubborn craftsman. Well, somewhat soldierly too.
Rank 12 Goldin. Burly too. Bald head, robust build. A grappling-champion look.
Rank 13 Hortensia. A complete flip — gorgeous, beautiful, cute. Hard to believe this was a man.
If truly a man, top of my "people I want to feed a Yin-Yang divine medicine" list. By looks, nothing but a beauty.
Rank 14 Garland. I'd talked about him a few times now, that was enough. Leonhardt-san's eldest son.
In looks, the most middling of the brothers.
Rank 15 Dunes. He was an idol fan, right. Thin, glasses, a nervous look… but seen through the idol-fan lens, he looked otaku-ish.
Rank 16 Julian. The crude, savage Bandit King. Disheveled bearded face…
… He and I had history. I had to save the pitiful Sonya, no matter what.
Rank 17 Eclair… someone I had history with too, but seen anew like this, truly beautiful…
Had to get her soon.
Rank 18 Melville. Wrinkled old man. Looked even older than Leonhardt-san…
This one too — shouldn't he be thinking about the future?
Wouldn't he leave Uriela Aisha behind for someone… ah, rude of me to think.
Rank 19 Zares. A truly mob-looking, average-Joe face… well, not that I could talk.
Rank 20 Gidsen… skip. Don't want to see.
Rank 21 Fergus, the buff-buff massive macho. While Goldin was more of a pro-wrestler covered in fat-armor, Fergus was a ripped bodybuilder. The buzz cut also looked yakuza-ish.
Rank 22 Shaina Fervey. Cute. An adorable beauty with round, sparkly eyes.
Come to think of it, I hadn't met her yet either… I wanted to meet her soon. Become friends.
Rank 23 Zeiros. He had this scruffy, third-rate kind of face. Apparently he had the nickname "Lucky Zeiros." Skill-wise he was rumored as the very bottom of S-Class.
… All right, those were the members I'd be meeting at the S-Class Council. What kind of people they were — the joy of the S-Class Council, surely.
Next page.
I steeled myself and opened it.
S-Class Rank 24 Naoto Akai.
"Master Naoto Akai, of otherworld origin, achieved promotion in a single year from his year-299 debut — the so-called elite course. Defeating four-year S-Class veteran Ursula Belzebute and adding her to his comrades, his magnificent S-Class promotion gave off the air of a major rookie.
His representative Garumon is the otherworld co-transferee Kanan Kazami. Her elegant defense by teleport leaves a vivid impression on the viewer.
At next year's S-Class Tournament, it's all but certain he'll be the typhoon's eye. His group's coming exploits are highly anticipated."
Whoa… I was being introduced… embarrassing.
But well, it was kind of proud-making.
Last year I'd read this book and thought, "someday me too…"
And it had really happened.
… Next year, I'd be in the 4th-place slot. I'd be fine with higher too.
Thinking about it made me even prouder.
This feeling, I absolutely had to make come true.
Even if I lost to Leonhardt-san, since Leonhardt-san would be retiring, by the time of publication I'd end up at 4th.
… But if so… I wanted to absolutely win, and be listed as 4th in name and reality.
So I thought.
Of course, if I could aim higher, I would!
Next came the 24 strongest Garumon. This time I'd introduce them properly too.
Their turn should be coming up soon.
- Goddess Mercheada, owned by Rank 4 Leonhardt
The beautiful Mercheada, who looked like Suzanne's older sister.
- Great Hero Arianrhod, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
The unexpectedly adorable, fluffy-haired legendary Garumon Arianrhod.
- Water Goddess Aqueria, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
The supremely beautiful Water Goddess. Her second appearance.
- Fire Goddess Hildegard, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
Suzanne's history-tied opponent, the former Michaela Hilde. Becoming a Goddess seemed to have changed her name.
The features were the same, but her divine aura had grown beyond her Seraph days.
- Underworld Dragon God Typhon, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
Was this her first introduction? Despite the scary class name, she was a loli and extremely adorable.
- Wind Demon God Marietta Marcosias, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
This one's first introduction too. A spirited-looking beauty.
- Saint Karen, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
A gentle-looking beauty.
- Moon Goddess Diana, owned by Rank 3 Sairas
Looked strong-willed, slightly tsundere. A splendid beauty.
- Goddess Rasrene, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
A mature, gentle-feeling beauty.
- Sea Dragon God Liviath, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
The eldest among Silvana's daughters. Daughter of Dragon God Kukuru, Liviath-san… That was an unintentional pun.
A beauty with stunning emerald hair.
- Water Demon God Willia Wepar, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
This one was cute too. Inhumanly pale-blue skin, but beautiful.
- Goddess Dumina, owned by Rank 4 Leonhardt
Rainbow hair… it didn't come through in photos, looking like just white hair. The impression differed from in person; still as elusive a person as ever.
- Faerie Queen Elfriede, owned by Rank 3 Sairas
A wonderful beauty with elf ears. Her radiant blonde hair was beautiful.
- Seraph Gabriella Aqua, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
A wonderful beauty closely resembling Aqueria.
- Sky Dragon God Tiamat, owned by Rank 6 Duras Heidrich
This one too was extremely beautiful. A delicate-feeling beauty.
- Holy Knight Muzel, owned by Rank 7 Fauzel
A truly dignified woman-knight. A wonderful beauty.
- Star Hero Stella, owned by Rank 8 Aleph
A fluffy, very cute girl. She sparkled somehow.
- Death God Azrael, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
Black skin that looked cool. Her black eyes were beautiful.
- Crystal Goddess Crystalia, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
Translucent skin… no, actually translucent?
She must've been human, but her body seemed somewhat unusual.
- Water Heaven Empress Varuna, owned by Rank 2 Aqueria
This one was also incredibly cute, but with a familiar, approachable feel.
A Heaven Empress, I'd heard, was one of the strongest Ultimate classes any element's apex could take.
So this was the strongest water god, then.
- Destruction Goddess Furia Durga, owned by Rank 1 Satoru
Another magnificent beauty. Something exotic about her.
- Seraph Uriela Aisha, owned by Rank 18 Melville
Cute… her darkish skin was charming. A radiant beauty.
- Evil God Tezcatlipoca, owned by Rank 5 Caios
Cute in a sense, but maybe a bit too exotic.
Looked like an Amazonian person.
- Spirit-Sucking Queen Rosalia, owned by Rank 9 Calcas
Erotic. Pheromones dripping off her.
… Above was the list. Not a single change from the 298 edition.
"… Eeeh…? Why? Ursula, Cellas, Suzanne, Luna, Patty… not in?
"Kanan, Colette, Adelia…"
I was dissatisfied. My Garumon were all beautiful and strong — surely they wouldn't lose to anyone listed here…!
"Reader voting was closed before the S-Class rotation match～. A shame but～…"
"Eeeh… so it just didn't make it in time. A shame…"
Disappointed.
"Fufu, no matter… At the next S-Class Tournament, we shall perform to our hearts' content and rewrite the top ranks ourselves."
So Ursula said.
"… Everyone, sorry. Because I'm not good enough…
"Next year, for sure, I'll work so that you're all listed here."
I called out to everyone. For that, this year's work would do the talking.
… I had to do my best.
While I was at it, I asked a few questions.
"This 1 through 24, are they in strength order?"
"No, it's by vote count, descending～. But you could also call it strength order～.
"Stronger Garumon leave more impression～."
"… Rank 1 Satoru, 8 of his Garumon are ranked in; Rank 2 Aqueria, 6 ranked in…
"Are 1 and 2 really that overwhelming?"
That one I asked Ursula.
"Well, there's a 'congratulatory market' aspect too… but lots of rank-ins from 1 and 2 is the rule.
"In the era when Leonhardt-dono was 1, around 5 of Leonhardt-dono's Garumon were ranked in.
"That said, all 8 ranking in is rare. Maybe the first since Silvana.
"In fact, Satoru is in a separate class for strength. Aqueria's ability follows. That's unmistakable."
"Michaela Hilde, her name changed, huh. Goddess Hildegard."
"Names sometimes change upon promotion."
So Lyuka explained.
"… Hmph. Well, she's finally taken the position she was meant to. Galling, but it suits her well."
So Suzanne evaluated Hildegard.
I flipped further through the pages, on to the A-Class Master page…
"… Ah, Eve made it in. Fast!"
On the last A-Class page, the adorable futanari Master was pictured.
"I worked hard～. From rank 128 decision, the deadline was half a day～…"
"You worked hard… oh, B-Class 512's decided too."
"Yes～. Because we knew A-Class 128 was vacant, we'd pre-decided up through B-Class 513～."
"I see, so that's how it was."
So the Garumon Almanac could be published with everyone from A- through B-Class settled.
"You did great. Good girl, good girl."
I petted Patty's head.
"Hafuu～ I'm tired～ I want to be comforted～"
"All right…"
And so, by force of circumstance, we tumbled into sex.
Until the next Weekly's deadline had passed! and Pamela-san chewed us out.
Patty was busy…
This sort of thing was encouraging. Next year's Garumon Almanac — I'd make sure plenty of my comrades got listed. I burned with that passion.