NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 117
Early the next morning, I took KAEDE with me to the main street of the royal capital, which was still relatively empty. The world of Asphial follows a seasonal cycle similar to that of real-world Japan, and as autumn approached, the mornings became chilly enough that light clothing no longer sufficed.
The royal capital of the Cainrize Kingdom, where I live, has a lower average temperature than Japan, so I had thrown on a jacket before heading out.
(Whoa, she really looks like someone from Asphial.)
KAEDE’s appearance, with her striking red and orange coloring, now blended seamlessly with the women of the royal capital. Her default look, as I first saw her, was apparently her natural form, but I figured such a bold hairstyle and outfit would stand out too much here in Asphial. So, I asked her to disguise herself, and it turned out KAEDE had a built-in transformation feature.
What surprised me most was the material of the clothes KAEDE was wearing.
At first glance, they seemed like regular fabric, but the material was actually a substance controlled by nanomachines, similar to liquid metal. Not only could it shift into different types of clothing, but it could also morph into weapons like giant swords, spears, or even shields—a multifunctional gear for both offense and defense.
For now, I had KAEDE change her outfit to something resembling a simple, light green cloth garment, the kind that wouldn’t draw much attention in the capital. Even in this form, though, she could still withstand tank shells or mortar fire.
KAEDE, likely gathering geographical data from the area, still had a somewhat vacant look on her face.
‘Detecting numerous life signs and what appears to be strong magical energy from this building.’
“Oh, this is the building of the organization I belong to.”
As we slowly made our way from my home toward the brigade’s team house, KAEDE seemed to have sensed something at the corner that led to the building’s entrance.
The only source of strong magic in this area would be the brigade members, so I reassured her that there was nothing to worry about and entered the building.
“Hmm? Allen?”
“Good morning, Karkira.”
Despite it being an early hour, with most people still asleep, there was always someone on duty at the reception desk in the team house.
Karkira, a large, dark-skinned ax-wielder, was on duty today. Her most striking features were her wolf-cut hair, darker than her skin, and the massive black-bladed ax leaning against the wall behind her, its surface resembling crocodile skin.
With her feet up on the reception desk, Karkira was flipping through the pages of *Yumekoi*, a romance manga that had been gaining popularity within the brigade.
“And who’s that?”
Karkira didn’t seem particularly alarmed by KAEDE’s presence. Since I was standing in front of her, KAEDE was slightly hidden from view, and her disguise must have been convincing enough.
(Man, Karkira’s detection skills are top-notch, but she can’t see through KAEDE’s disguise?)
Karkira’s ability to sense things, especially danger, was on an entirely different level from normal people. Just as KAEDE had sensed the presence of the brigade members earlier, Karkira would have sensed us approaching, even while reading her manga.
However, based on our conversation so far, it didn’t seem like Karkira had picked up on KAEDE’s true nature.
“Well, it’s complicated to explain, but… she’s kind of a bodyguard.”
“A bodyguard? Are you being targeted by someone?”
The moment I mentioned the word “bodyguard,” Karkira’s expression sharpened, and her presence became more intense.
“Did you tell the captain? You’re supposed to report something like this to the other members before hiring a bodyguard.”
“I mean, yeah, you’re right…”
I honestly hadn’t expected KAEDE to end up being my bodyguard, so I wasn’t quite sure how to explain the situation.
“And… are you sure she’s alright as a bodyguard? She’s not armed.”
Karkira eyed KAEDE suspiciously, noting the lack of visible weapons.
“Oh, right. KAEDE, can you transform your right arm into a sword?”
‘Understood, Master.’
At my command, the surface of KAEDE’s slender right arm took on a metallic sheen before instantly transforming into a gleaming blade.
The silver sword caught the reddish light of the dawn, reflecting it with a brilliant gleam. Though KAEDE’s appearance still resembled that of any other woman in the capital, the contrast of the metallic arm and her otherwise human appearance only added to her eerie aura.
KAEDE had demonstrated her transformation abilities in front of Aria and Eurua as well, and I’d been just as amazed then. Her abilities were incredible.
“Well, that’s impressive…”
Even Karkira, who was normally unflappable and known for her fearless demeanor, was visibly surprised by KAEDE’s transformation.
I knew Karkira as someone bright and outgoing, the mood-maker of the brigade. On the battlefield, she was the vanguard, always leading the charge with the massive ax currently resting behind her. To see her shocked like this was no small feat; Karkira was, without question, the most courageous person in the brigade.
But even Karkira’s iron nerves couldn’t hide her astonishment at KAEDE’s abilities.
“KAEDE, can you create other weapons too?”
‘Yes, I can generate any weapon that has been recorded in my database, from ancient to modern.’
With that, KAEDE displayed a variety of weapons, from halberds and battle axes to a giant metal gauntlet that looked like something out of a giant ogre’s arm.
‘Swords are excellent, but in terms of swift neutralization, I believe a railgun or plasma cannon would be more effective.’
“Oh, let’s not go overboard with that, okay?”
While I had only asked her to demonstrate melee weapons, KAEDE quickly brought out more advanced weaponry, like a railgun and a plasma cannon, which she recommended for their effectiveness in combat.
The black barrel of the railgun, which split into two parts, extended nearly two meters—longer than KAEDE herself. She held it aloft, planting her feet in a wide stance, with her left arm supporting the massive weapon overhead.
The sight was certainly striking, but between KAEDE’s default appearance and her current weapon demonstration, I was beginning to get a sense of the personality of her developer.