ã€ŠShi ni Modori, Subete wo Sukuu Tame ni Saikyou He to Itaruã€‹


 1-Episode 1 The end of despair

    ''Ahhhh--ahhhh!

    The man - in the desolate and scorched wilderness - was screaming in despair.

    All around him, as far as the eye could see - a sea of blood.

    Hundreds and thousands of what used to be people had dyed this wilderness red.

    A man was kneeling on the ground, which was stained red in the middle of the sea of blood, holding the corpse of a woman in his arms.

    ''''Irene...!¡¡I''m sorry...¡¡I couldn''t stay....

    When a man arrived on this battlefield and killed dozens, maybe hundreds of people to get to the woman, it was too late.

    "I swore an oath to protect.........!¡¡We have to lose it this time...

    -- The woman was beautiful.

    Her long jet-black hair, which reached her waist, flowed down to the red ground.

    The vivid color of blood that must have been splattered on her clear, translucent white skin, as if it were relative to that jet-black hair, was conspicuously visible.

    The closed eyelids (eyelids) - never to be opened again.

    ''''Irene........!¡¡Irene....!

    The man holds the woman, who is still warm, to his chest and continues to call her name as he cries - "I''m sorry.

    -- forgive me, I''m sorry.

    As if to say so, he continued to call her name as if to plead with her.

    How many minutes, enough - how many hours had the man been doing that?

    The tears no longer dried up and flowed, he just looked at her face, stunned.

    -- everything, lost.

    The man''s heart was caught up in those words, those thoughts.

    He had lost his parents when he was a child - he had also lost his childhood friend, whom he had looked up to like an older sister.

    After that, he also had a best friend who supported him when he was devastated by despair.

    That best friend, too - died because of a mistake in his judgment.

    If I had made a different choice then, that best friend would be alive.

    And there was only one thing left of his life - his girlfriend, Irene.

    She had been there for me after I lost my parents, my childhood friends, and my best friend.

    I loved her and she loved me.

    But - now she''s dead.

    In front of me.

    --enough is enough.

    --I''ve lost everything and there is no point in living in this world anymore.

    The man holds the dagger in his hand.

    --I''m sorry, Irene.......we swore to live together....

    --I''m coming to you...........

    And then the man - he cut his own head off.

    The man falls on his back, feeling the blood rapidly draining from his body.

    He can taste the blood in his mouth as well, and he coughs out the liquid rising from his throat.

    The ground, which was bright red from the start, turns a brighter red.

    When the man looked up, the sky was blue, and a beautiful white cloud flowed across it.

    The blue and clear sky was beautiful in contrast to this sea of bright red blood.

    --Irene.........the day I met you was also this blue sky.......

    The man was looking at a running horse light at the point of death.

    All the unpleasant and happy memories went through his head and disappeared in an instant.

    The man looked next to him and saw his beloved, whom he had just held in his arms.

    --You''re not going to be able to find a way to make your life easier.

    As I thought that, the pain and sensations suddenly became distant.

    My consciousness also faded away, and I felt the sensation of everything becoming nothingness at the end of my life.

    The man - Eric died.

 2-Episode 2 Reincarnation?

    Out of the darkness - a consciousness rises to the surface.

    I - Eric thinks about the current situation while his mind is fuzzy.

    Why ... am I alive?

    I''m dead, I''m sure of it. I would have lost my life with a dagger to the neck next to Irene.

    So why am I waking up now?

    I tried to open my eyes to assess the situation, but for some reason I couldn''t get up.

    I tried to look around, but my head was too heavy to turn my head sideways.

    When I managed to muster up enough strength to tilt my head to the side, what I saw was a wooden fence, and the view from the fence was a view of the outside. And the view from the fence is not of the outside, but of a wall. It looked like the inside of a house.

    Hmm?¡¡A fence?¡¡The wall?¡¡Wait, I don''t understand the situation at all.

    The feel of the ground against my back doesn''t seem to be hard earthy ground either. It''s more like soft and feathery.

    And my hand that I could see by turning my head to the side - probably my own hand in my senses, but it''s an insanely small hand.

    Huh?¡¡Is that my hand?¡¡You have baby hands!

    Afterwards, I did my best to lift my legs and flatten myself with my little hands and realized that I was as good as a baby.

    ''Aww, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh''

    When I try to raise my voice, my body''s vocal cords don''t seem to be that well-developed right now, and I can''t speak.

    When I finally noticed my situation, or rather my body''s anomaly, I tried to understand this change somehow.

    I''ve heard somewhere that reincarnation is the reincarnation of a dead soul into this world once again.

    But.......I remember everything about my past life?¡¡Doesn''t this kind of thing mean that the memories are gone and you get a new life?

    Why do I remember my entire life as Eric in a previous life?

    .... no. No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn''t find an answer.

    But - I resented the fate that set up this reincarnation.

    Don''t be silly........I already wanted to die.......

    There is no meaning to my life in this world anymore....

    I didn''t have any energy to live in this world now.

    If I''m going to be reborn, erase the memories of my previous life.........

    If I had a razor blade in my hand right now, I could have cut my own head off without hesitation.

    If there was any other way to die, I would have died at once.

    But with this baby''s body, he couldn''t die on his own.

    If he tried to hold his breath, he could die if he tried hard enough... but it was a new life.

    The parents who gave birth to this baby, especially the mother, had to endure the pain of tearing her belly apart to give birth to this child - me.

    I''m sorry to let it die for the sake of my previous life.

    But - what am I going to live in this world for?

    I''m going to live in this body from now on, and no matter how many people I meet or what I get, no matter how many new things I get, it''s as if I''ve lost Irene and I''ve lost everything.

    That''s how much Irene was everything to me.

    I''ll try to live my life as positively as I can, but - will I ever be able to get anything?

    As I think about it, something about the area between my legs gets warm....

    Oh, that''s right. You''re still a baby, aren''t you?

    I''m still a baby, so I peed my pants without thinking about that part at all.

    ........really?¡¡You didn''t know you''d just shit your pants.¡¡I''m not, because I''d be a pervert if I shat on purpose.

    But while it felt nice and warm when I was letting it out, it''s starting to feel a little weird now.

    ''Ughhhhhhhh...''

    For now, I''m going to try to cry.

    This is a cry, but not a tear, because it''s intended to come out.

    They say that babies are supposed to cry. I''m doing my job now, and I''m doing it right.

    Maybe it''s in response to my cries, but I hear footsteps coming from outside the room.

    And the door to this room is opened.

    Now, what do my reincarnated parents look like?

    I look at the face of the person looking at me with that thought.

    --Huh?¡¡..........well, wait.......

    ''Eric, what''s going on?¡¡Did you go pee-pee?¡¡I''ll change your pants for you now~

    The person in front of me - long blonde hair bunched behind his head, a well-defined nose, and sky blue eyes. The way she spoke in a relaxed manner was soothing, a soothing voice that I had heard many times before.

    Yes - I''ve seen this woman in my past life.

    My mother in my past life - Serena.

    Why...?¡¡There''s no way I could mistake her for the mother I dreamed of.......right in front of me....

    But..........she should be dead.......

    While I was thinking this, my mom in front of me changed my pee-pee pants and I felt better with no sick feeling underneath.

    Mom.........is it really her.......?

    I reach out my undeveloped hands towards her, wanting to know if the woman in front of me now is really my mother.

    ''Hmm?¡¡What''s the matter with you, Eric?¡¡Do you want a cuddle?

    The woman gently picks up my body with both hands and holds me with her ample breasts.

    I bury myself in her soft body as I sink into it.

    I can feel her warmth and scent all over my body as I am received by her breasts, which can be described as a mass of female motherhood.

    It''s that warmth and smell that I felt when I was a small child in a past life - it''s that warmth and smell.

    It''s my mother........my mother, who should be dead, is right in front of me, holding me close......

    I felt that warmth that I lost when I was little all over my body, and I clung to her so that I would never lose it again.

    I cry inside my mom''s chest and this time I cry out firmly.

    ''Oh my goodness, Eric. What''s really wrong with you?

    Mom wondered how I was doing and would try to stop crying by shaking her body in small increments.

    But I wasn''t crying for that kind of babyish reason, so I was crying in Mom''s chest forever - forever.

 3-Episode 3 What You Can Do Now

    I reincarnate in this body?¡¡It''s been about a month since I did.

    On the day of my reincarnation, I cried for the sake of my age. I''m ashamed to think that a good adult, over 20 years old, cried like that in my previous life.

    I think anyone would have cried if their dead mother had suddenly appeared in front of them. At least that''s how surprised I was to cry.

    My body has grown steadily since that day, but this body was still like mine.

    The me of my previous life - Eric''s me - is now my own baby at the moment.

    ........I don''t know what that means.

    The fact that I was reincarnated is ... well, I understand. I think it makes sense to the world.

    But why do I have memories and an ego?

    And the most mysterious thing is - why am I being reincarnated as "me"?

    After a month, I''m sure of it. This body, this baby, is me. It''s a perfect match for Eric in his previous life.

    This room I''m in now, the room I used to live in when I was a little boy, I calmly observe.

    Is this a reincarnation?¡¡Isn''t that a complete rewind of time?

    No, I know that this body is me, but is time really rewinding?

    I thought about it many times over the course of a month, but I had no answers at all.

    As I was thinking about that, the door to this room was opened.

    And the one who came in was my mother - Serena.

    ''''Eric-chan, it''s time for dinner~''''

    Mom spooned the meal she was holding and offered it to my mouth.

    I open my small mouth as wide as possible to welcome the spoon.

    ''I''m sorry it''s so hard to eat - I wish I could have gotten some milk out of it...''

    My mom doesn''t seem to have any milk. I think it would be difficult to feed her with a spoon if she were a normal baby, but she is an adult over 20 years old, so she does her best to open her mouth and sip something like milk.

    I''m so proud of you, Eric, for being able to eat it without spilling it.

    It''s a small baby-like mouth, though, so you''d expect it to spill a little.

    But for me, I''m glad my mother doesn''t have any milk.

    It''s a bit hard for an adult over 20 to get milk from his or her mother.

    She takes her time and finishes eating, and then she cleans my mouth and bed before she leaves.

    My belly is full and Mom has left, so I try to calm down a little more and think about it.

    I''ve spent the past month trying to understand and sort out my situation, but I need to think about the future.

    Maybe I''m back in the past. I have no idea why or anything else, but I''d say my mom and this house are the proof.

    Does that mean - can I start my life over again?

    I hadn''t been able to help with everything.

    The destruction of my village, the death of my parents and childhood friends, the death of my best friend and the death of my best friend... the death of Irene was all due to my lack of ability.

    If I had been stronger--.

    How many dozens or hundreds of times have I thought that?

    And now - now - I''m back to being a baby, and I''m ready to start over.

    What if - can I save everything?

    Will I be able to do over and over again what I regret over and over again?

    This reincarnation no, a rewinding of fate.

    I thought it was reincarnation and I hated that fate but thank God for this fate.

    --I will save it all, I swear.

    If we don''t save it, then it ends badly, it''s over.

    My village, my parents, my childhood friends, my best friend, and the people I love.

    If I don''t have any of those things, there''s no point in going back in time.

    In my previous life, I was compromised and regretted my life.

    I couldn''t even protect the person I swore to protect with everything I had, and I killed myself in despair.

    If I could come back and do it all over again - I wouldn''t compromise a single bit. I would do everything I regretted.

    --I will live my life with arrogance and change my fate.

    The next time I thought this, I felt sleepy from the repercussions of being full and thinking too much.

    I have more things to think about, more things to do, but I can''t resist the drowsiness at this point in time, and my consciousness fades away.

    --and the next day.

    The next day, I started to act to save everything.

    There are things I can do even with my body that doesn''t even sit on my neck.

    That is - practicing magic.

    I can''t train my body, but I can practice magic without moving.

    But you can''t actually produce fire or water. Well, I can''t get it out right away, but I did in my previous life. I think I can get it out with a little practice, but I''ll do that when I can walk and go outside.

    For now, I need to manipulate the element of magic power in my body, the magic element, to increase its limit amount.

    The quantity and the quality of the magic element are very important to activate the magic.

    The amount of magic element is necessary to increase the size of the magic and the number of hits. If the quantity of magic element is not increased, you can''t shoot magic immediately, and you will be disadvantaged in the battle.

    And in order to shoot big magic with a few magical elements, the quality of the magical elements has to be improved. Even if we only increase the quantity of magic elements, if we don''t increase the quality of the magic elements, it won''t be efficient.

    The quantity and the quality of the magic element. These two things can be done without moving.

    It''s just a matter of controlling the magical elements inside the body.

    It would be better to practice taking the magical elements from the air into your body, but this is not possible right now, so you shouldn''t be too proud of yourself.

    Moreover, the amount of this magic element seems to grow faster until you''re about eighteen years old, and after that, the limit amount doesn''t increase much.

    In my past life, I started when I was sixteen years old, so I was only able to increase my limit amount for about two years.

    Moreover, in the beginning, it was difficult to handle the magic element, and I couldn''t even increase the limit amount.

    But this time, I can practice from now on as a baby with the tips and tricks memorized.

    In other words, the fact that I can practice as a baby means that I can continue to increase it for eighteen years.

    This is a big advantage. I''ll be fighting many battles in the future, so I''m happy to be able to increase the amount of magic element.

    So, let''s do this now.

    I can manipulate the magic element in my body and collect it in my hand or, in more detail, in the tips of my fingers.

    After practicing for three minutes, I was soon tired.

    As the magic element was disappearing from my body, I became extremely fatigued and eventually fainted.

    I used the magic element to the very last minute, and when I couldn''t even move a finger anymore, my consciousness faded away - I opened my eyes slowly.

    Slowly, I open my eyes--.

    It''s been about an hour since then?¡¡I can''t see the clock, so I don''t know exactly, but in terms of internal time, I guess that''s about it.

    This ''magic element run out'' fainted, this time it was my first time, so it only took me about an hour, but the longer I fainted, the longer it took for the amount of magic element to increase.

    Since the body absorbs magical elements from the air while fainting, it''s designed to wake up when the amount of magical elements exceeds 80% of its limit.

    That''s why this stunting process takes longer each time the amount of magic power is increased.

    However, if the quality of the magic element is increased, the speed at which it is absorbed by the body from the magic in the air will increase, so the fainting time will decrease.

    Again, the quantity and quality of the magic element is important.

    Okay, let''s keep this up.

    With that in mind, I started to manipulate the magic element in the same way as before - I was able to do it.

 4-Episode 4 Childhood Friend

    It''s been about five months since I woke up in this body.

    He was finally able to sit up and crawl.

    After living for more than 20 years, it was a bit hard for me to be stuck in bed for five months.

    I got out of bed and practiced crawling in this room only.

    Crawling is something you can''t do without the muscles in your arms and legs and feet, so if you keep doing it, those muscles get sore and painful.

    But my young body won''t have any muscle pain until tomorrow, so it doesn''t matter how much I do it, because it will only end up being painful today, no matter how much I do it.

    And right in front of me is someone clapping their hands in praise and support as I am crawling.

    ''Eric!¡¡Yes!¡¡That''s the spirit!¡¡You can go further!¡¡Get hotter!

    ...annoying, annoying, and annoying.

    This triple threat is my father from a previous life and the one I''m currently living in - Dian.

    His black hair is trimmed short and he has a stubble, which he seems to think is cool.......and he leaves it growing carelessly so that people who see it will think it''s filthy.

    He has a deep and clear face, with a stern body that seems to embody the word ''man''.

    I used to call him "father" when I was little, but now that I''m looking at him, I think it''s more appropriate to call him "dad".

    My father uses his tough body to hunt all sorts of monsters and animals in the forest just outside the village.

    There are several hunters in the village, but my father seems to be the strongest of them all, and he is trusted by everyone in the village.

    He also seems to have defeated some pretty strong demons, and when I was little he would often brag about it to me.

    However, in a previous life, that strong father also went ahead and fought and died when the village was destroyed.

    So when my father came to this room alone before and looked into my face, I almost cried out of emotion just like my mother did....

    ''My son Eric!¡¡You''re gonna surpass me!¡¡Don''t be like the village softlings (what the hell is that?)!

    And the tears retracted to the back as he said something unintelligible to me, who was still a baby.

    I mean, if I was a normal baby, I''d be crying in that loud, annoying voice.

    ''You''re going to be a ''hun'' like me!¡¡And we''re going to be a father and son as hunters!

    .........but I have no intention of doing so.

    When I get rid of the cause of the village''s destruction, I will leave the village.

    Even in my past life, I had no intention of following in his footsteps.

    I didn''t think it was cool to be a hunter, and I thought it was a hassle.

    I mean, I''d seen my dad hunting a few times, but the main reason was that I didn''t think it was right for me.

    Well, now that my dad is cheering me on, I think I''ll do my best to crawl.

    A normal baby wouldn''t be able to crawl for such a long time, so a normal parent would be suspicious... but unfortunately, or is it a blessing?¡¡My dad is not normal, so it''s okay.

    As I was crawling around with my dad watching over me, the door opens.

    I look back at it with my dad and see my mom standing there.

    ''Oh God!¡¡You!¡¡After all, let little Eric crawl for a long time again!

    ''Serena, Serena no!¡¡Eric was already crawling by the time I got here...

    You''re the parent who has to make it stop!

    Mom is a normal parent and if I''m crawling for a long time, she''ll put me back in bed and sing me a lullaby or something to help me rest.

    It''s nice that she''s doing this out of concern for me, but it''s a bit frustrating for me because I''m trying to get up quickly.

    My father, who is trusted and respected by everyone in the village, is a man who can''t seem to keep his head above water, and he is angry with my mother, his back hunched so far back that I don''t know where his earlier bravado has gone.

    ''Oh, yes. This is not the time to be bothering you. We have an important visitor here right now.

    Serena?¡¡Isn''t that a terrible way to put it?

    Ignoring my dad''s argument, my mom walks out of the room and turns to the right. The fact that she went right means she''s in the living room.

    In a little while, my mom comes back to this room, but she had brought someone with her. Maybe it''s the guest I was talking about earlier.

    ''I''m sorry to bother you, Diane. I was moved next door today, so I thought I''d say hello...''''

    ''Oh!¡¡Yeah, right!¡¡Let''s start getting along with our neighbors from now on!

    A man walks in and holds out his hand to my dad to greet him. My dad took his hand and shook it and talked to him, but it was time to let him go.¡¡I think I''m hearing some weird noises coming from that neighbor''s right hand.

    Finally, my dad lets go of the man''s hand and the man is trying to cure the numbness by rubbing it with his left hand while hiding his right hand.

    ''Wow, I''m bringing my only daughter with me too. Tina, come on, come on out, don''t hide.

    The man let the little one, who had been hiding behind him, come forward to push him back and greet him.

    ''.........Tina....

    The girl was scared out of her wits at the sight of her hard-faced father''s face and her voice was quiet, but she said a firm hello.

    ''Nice to meet you, sweetheart!

    Dad reached out to pat the child''s head, but the child hid behind his dad.

    ''S-Sorry...''

    ''You''re trying to pat me on the head with such a scary face.

    I smiled at him, but...

    ''Your smiling face is a monster in the eyes of a child. It''s on a traumatic level.

    ''Is my smile that egregious?

    Leaving my dad alone, shocked by Mom''s words and unable to move, Mom crouches down to talk to the girl to make eye contact with her.

    ''Nice to meet you, Tina. Will you get along with your auntie?

    Yes.

    Thanks.

    Mom speaks softly to the child and strokes his head. The child seems to accept it as pleasant.

    I mean, Mom doesn''t look like an auntie at all, nor is she old enough to be an auntie at all.

    ''Tina-chan, Auntie has a son too.......will you get along with him?''

    ''Yeah...''

    Oh, good. You, get out of the way. I have to introduce you to Eric.

    ''Oh, yeah...''

    My dad, who''d been frozen in place, still seemed to be coming out of his shock, but he was gone from my sight and the girl was now visible to me.

    ''Her name''s Eric,''

    Erik..........

    Yeah, you''re a good learner.

    ''That''s right!¡¡Tina''s only two years old, but she''s so smart!

    The father over there overreacted to Mom''s words. He seems like an idiot of a parent and is proud of his lovely daughter. Mom is smiling and ministering to him.

    Ignoring those parents, that girl - Tina - comes up to me.

    She has a young face, but her well-formed facial features convince me that she''ll be pretty in the future, even though she''s two years old. She has red eyes and reddish brown hair.

    Tina has big, two big, two-piece eyes pointed at me.

    Yes, this was my childhood friend - the one I couldn''t save in my previous life, the one who was like an older sister to me.

    With me sitting with my butt on the ground, Tina comes up to me and sits next to me.

    Tina stares at me as if my face is going to have a hole in it, and I stare back into her red eyes with a nervousness.

    ''''........cute.......''''

    Tina mumbles a little and hugs me.

    Yeah, right?¡¡I''m just like my mom, you know?

    I''ve got sky blue eyes and a face just like hers!¡¡The only thing I''ve inherited from my dad is black hair and very little else!¡¡I know my dad cares about that, but well, let''s leave it at that.

    No, I''m really glad I don''t look like my dad, though. I''m sure my dad isn''t ugly but he has a bit too masculine a look to him.... I hear that''s a good thing for Mom, though.

    I was thinking about that, but from earlier, Tina''s hug is a little strong........

    No, it''s a strength that would normally be bearable, but it''s a little tight in the neck.......

    When I used the muscles I had been working on to somehow get out of that strong embrace, Tina looked insanely sad and looked like she was going to start crying at any moment.

    I felt a tremendous sense of guilt, and now I hugged Tina as if clinging to her.

    Ah....................

    Tina smiles happily and hugs me more forcefully than before.

    Ugh.........no, my neck isn''t tight this time, so I can bear it......

    That''s how I was being held by Tina with strong force until my parents noticed.

 5-Episode 5 Train Your Body and Magic

    It''s been a little over a year since I woke up in this body.

    I was already able to walk normally by this time. A normal baby would have been a little later, but....

    ''That''s my son!¡¡That''s what a man does!¡¡You can do better than that!

    I was hoping to walk a bit more later, but thanks to my dad, I can walk now... but it''s just too loud.

    He''s still shouting loudly beside me, "Get hotter! I''m not sure.

    Get hot........I don''t get it. Do you want me to turn up the heat?¡¡That''s not a line you would say to a child.

    I was walking outside, ignoring my dad.

    Outside was like the yard of the house, but still, it was a nice outing for me after being in my room all the time.

    I''d been working out for a while, running lightly in the yard, when the door of the house was slammed and then Tia walked into the yard of the house as fast as she could fly right afterwards.

    ''Eric!''

    Tina runs up to me and hugs me, jumping up and down.

    I take it in stride, but so far I can''t stand it and fall on my ass every time.

    I leave Tina''s usual strong embrace intact, rubbing my buttocks as they hit the ground with vigor.

    Almost every day since we first met about a year ago, our neighbor Tina has come over to our house to hug me.

    At first she wasn''t ready to stand up yet, so she would hug me normally, but after I started standing up, she started jumping on me more often, like now.

    I''m still old enough to call it a baby, so a normal child would cry if you hugged me with that kind of force.

    Just as I was thinking that, Tina''s dad came over and saw Tina hugging me as usual, her face turning blue as she frantically apologized to her dad.

    ''S-Sorry!¡¡I always tell Tina not to do it because it''s dangerous...

    Dad says with an exaggerated laugh.

    ''Hahaha!¡¡Don''t worry about it!¡¡That''s a good thing!¡¡Besides, if he''s my son, I''m training him in person, so he''ll be fine!

    Well, I work out, but I don''t remember my dad training me. I''m training myself.

    Tina was hugging me while they were talking.

    I''ve gotten pretty good at speaking, so I''ve thought about paying attention to Tina for that reason, but.......

    ''''Ehehe.......Eric.......hmm~!

    Because he''s super cute, you know?¡¡I was over twenty in my previous life, so I think I''d be about the same age as Tina is now if I''d had a child, which makes me feel even cuter.

    I have no idea why they miss me so much, but I''ll forgive them for being so cute. ........who am I?

    I''m training my body, but of course I''m also training my ability to control the magic element.

    I''ve been doing this for about a year now, so this one is growing at a rapid rate.

    The first time I did this, I could only control the magic for about three minutes and passed out, but after a year, I can control the magic at my best for an hour without passing out.

    It doesn''t seem like it''s grown much in just one hour, but it''s still about the same level of control as I had in my previous life.

    Well, the amount of magical elements has increased to the same level as in my previous life, but I still don''t have the skills to manipulate them.

    It''s a good thing that the skill to manipulate the magic element is usually trained through the use of magic, so there''s no need to rush it just yet.

    I''m not really able to do magic at all in my past life, and it was only a tacked-on piece of equipment.

    If anything, I''m more confident in my sword skills. In a past life, if it was a pure sword fight, I never lost a one-on-one match.

    But when the uncertainty of magic enters the picture, it''s a different story.

    Magic is completely different in power and scale depending on the state of mind and emotions at the time.

    For example, the fire magic when you use it for cooking and the fire magic when you try to kill someone you hate, if the same guy uses the same amount of magic element and releases the magic, the latter is definitely bigger in scale and power.

    It''s a good idea to have a good command of the magic, and even if you''re not very good at controlling the magic, if you have strong emotions, you can still defeat an opponent who has a higher level of magic than you.

    Even so, it''s obvious that it''s better to be good at controlling the magic element, so I''m practicing and training now.

    I pretend to play in the garden during the day to build up my strength and muscle power, and at night I pretend to be asleep to manipulate the magic element.

    I pretend to be asleep at night, or rather, I pretend to sleep until morning after manipulating the magic element for an hour or so.

    It''s a good idea to have a good command of the magic element, so it takes a long time to wake up after passing out.

    I want to be able to shoot magic and improve its quality as soon as possible.

    It''s noon now, so I''m taking a short break from working out in the garden when Tina arrives as usual.

    ''So Tina likes you, Eric,''

    I''m resting in the shade of a tree in the yard, with Tina holding me, when Tina''s dad comes over and talks to us... or rather, Tina.

    ''Yeah!¡¡When I''m big enough, Tina, I''m going to marry Eric!

    --Well, well, it''s a kid''s dream, I guess.................. It''s like a child''s irresponsible promise of a future.

    ''Yeah, well.......ick!¡¡I''ve already separated my daughter from her father...

    No, you''re not, Dad. You''re not supposed to take that kind of kid stuff seriously.

    "You never told me you were going to marry my dad... d*mn it!

    There!

    Tina''s dad went into the house in a huff, drooping in a paragraph.

    ''Tina I''m in a bit of pain,''

    I call out as Tina''s embrace begins to choke me.

    ''Oh I''m sorry I''m sorry...''

    Feeling incredibly guilty as Tina leaves with a tearful look on her face, I get up and run around the yard again to work out.

    Tina was sitting under a tree, geezing and looking at me. She''s itching to look at me and try to make some kind of appeal.

    ''''Do you want to ... play with me?''''

    When I asked her that, Tina smiled like a flower blooming.

    ''Yes!''

    He nods broadly and stands up and runs over to me and hugs me. I manage to catch it and keep it from falling.

    I always think that being jumped on vigorously is indeed tough... I think I have more strength than you, but there''s a height difference.

    I''m not sure that I feel that way, but Tina moves away from me a bit and says with a face that can''t stop being excited.

    ''What are you doing?!''

    Well let''s play tag.

    You''re playing tag?

    Yeah, I''ll run, and Tina will get me.

    ''Do I have to hug Eric?¡¡I get it!

    ........It''s okay because I''m not wrong.

    With a big nod, Tina dives towards me.

    I hurriedly duck and get behind Tina.

    ''''Oni-san, this way, towards the clapping hands.

    I clap my hands behind Tina''s back, stirring her up. Tina, who probably doesn''t even feel agitated, smiles and chases after me.

    ''Wait!''¡¡Haha!

    Tina is happily chasing me around.

    There''s a difference in height, and if a one-year-old boy and a three-year-old girl were to seriously chase each other or something, I''m sure the one-year-old boy would be caught immediately, but I''m working out, so I''m not so easily caught.

    I might be slower than him if I really ran, but this is a game of tag. As long as Tina doesn''t catch me, that''s all that matters.

    I avoid Tina, who is coming in a straight line like a child, with minimal movement to get behind her.

    This is more training than I thought it would be. It''s a sensation I''m slowly remembering from my previous life.

    After a while, I was able to close my eyes and feel Tina''s movements and duck.

    I wanted to continue for a while longer and remember the sensations from my past life, but suddenly Tina stopped moving.

    Wondering, I opened my eyes and looked at Tina - there was Tina standing there with tears pooling around her eyes and about to spill out at any moment.

    ''''Ugh........Eric''s going to run away.......Oh no.......''''

    --Not good!¡¡It''s too much!

    I stop moving and wait for Tina to run into me.

    Tina rushes into me more slowly than before, but I wait for her to welcome her, not wanting to escape.

    And when Tina touches me and hugs me, she hugs me with a big smile and clings to me with a big smile, as if it''s a lie that she was about to cry.

    ''''Eric........ehehe.......!

    Tina hugs me tightly as she says that.

    Thinking that, I kept Tina''s embrace intact and was trying to see if I could control the magic element even in my distressed state.

 6-Episode 6 Im 3 years old

    I am now three years old.

    My height is much taller than when I was one year old, and my muscles are getting stronger.

    I can run longer than when I was one year old, and I can do muscle training more often.

    And now I''m running around the village.

    I run at a steady pace, but sometimes I run as hard as I can to train my body.

    The village is so small that it doesn''t even have a name, and it''s only about two kilometers long if you run around the village.

    The population is about one hundred people, and the village is surrounded by forest.

    Sometimes wild animals and demons come down from the forest and ravage the village, but everyone lives there by repairing the fields and rice paddies over and over again.

    There are some hunters ... people like my dad, so it seems there''s no damage these days.

    And I''m running now and there''s someone following behind me.

    ''Wait ... Eric ... hah, hah ...''

    She is two years older than me, and is now five years old, Tina.

    Ever since I started running around the village instead of in my yard, Tina has been following me.

    From the beginning, Tina has been playing with me in my yard....which means we''ve been training together.

    So she''s pretty good at following me, but as expected, I''m training her consciously. I''m not as good as I am, but I''m able to keep up with you.

    Their bodies are three and five years old. The amount of training is greater than mine, but Tina''s physical ability is greater than mine, so it''s only natural that I can keep up with her. It''s only natural that you can keep up with me.

    "Okay that''s it for today''s run.

    ''Huh ... hah ... I''m tired ...''

    When we get to our house, Tina lies down on the ground like she''s about to fall over.

    ...When I say our house, it''s like we''re living together. I just mean we''re neighbors.

    I watch her as she lies on the ground next to me, doing calisthenics.

    Tina has gotten used to it, she rests for a while as usual, then gets up and does some calisthenics with me.

    ''Why is Eric so unconcerned about this...?¡¡You''re so much smaller than me.

    It''s part of my training.

    I answer a little childishly. A normal three-year-old would be a little more childish, but it''s embarrassing and difficult to act that much for an adult who''s over twenty in a previous life.

    ''Mmmm ... I don''t get it.''

    Seeing her cheeks puffed out and honestly expressing with her body that she''s unhappy, I still think Tina is cute.

    As I said before, this village only has a population of about one hundred people, so there are only me and Tina as children.

    That''s why my parents and Tina''s parents have about the same number of children, and since we''re neighbors, we''re very close to each other.

    Well, I think we''re close now, too. I mentioned earlier that we don''t live together, but lately, Tina has been staying at my house and sleeping with me quite often, so it''s almost like we live together.

    Tina has a habit of hugging me, or maybe it''s just that she hugs me when she''s sleeping, so it''s pretty hard for her, but I''m trying my best to put up with it because I can see her cute sleeping face.

    Anyway, I''ve worked up a sweat, so let''s go inside and take a bath.

    "Come on, Tina, let''s take a bath.

    ''Hey, Eric!¡¡Call me big sister!

    Sister.

    ''Yes!¡¡I can''t help it - I''ll bathe with you!

    ...Lately, Tina seems to want me to call her big sister, and she''s been trying to get me to reiterate it many times.

    It all started when Tina overheard my mother and Tina''s mother talking.

    ''Tina and Eric are always together and they''re good friends!

    ''Yes, it was nice to get to know my neighbor, Eric, since I don''t have any other friends my age.

    "The pleasure''s all mine. We''re always together, so it''s like we''re brother and sister.

    ''But Eric, you''re so calm and collected that you look like my Tina is your sister.

    ''''Yes~ Eric-chan is kind of calm, isn''t he? There''s a height difference between you and Tina, so you look like a younger brother~''

    ''I wish Tina could learn from you.

    Tina overheard the two mothers talking about it in the living room and asked me what a sissy was.

    I was just answering appropriately and passing it off, when my dad came to the spot and Tina asked him the same question.

    ''What is a sissy!¡¡Be the kind of woman that Eric can count on!¡¡If you''re a cool girl, you''ll naturally get Eric''s attention!

    He shouted loudly and laughed as he left, and I wonder if that was something that hit a nerve for Tina, and she started following my training to be a big sister, or forcing me to call her big sister like she did earlier.

    Subtly, I don''t think my dad understands what he''s saying but I think Tina thinks this is okay.

    It was embarrassing for me now to call Tina big sister and I didn''t want to call her big sister, so I almost got groggy and almost cried when I refused a few times saying I didn''t want to, so these days I''m calling her right away.

    I still feel a little embarrassed, but it''s better than being cried over.

    Me and Tina are taking a bath in the yard of our house, getting along with each other. All I have to do is take off my top and wipe myself with a towel soaked in water, but Tina strips naked and dips her head in the water. It''s a little hot this time of year, so the cold water must feel good.

    ''''Mmm~!¡¡It feels so good!

    Tina''s brown hair, which is about the size of her neck, sticks to her skin as she flails about so, and I wonder if it doesn''t get in the way, but apparently it''s okay because she''s a girl there.

    Tina is only five years old, so I''m not particularly aware of it, but I feel like a pervert if I keep looking at her, so I quickly look away and wipe myself off.

    Then I use the towel to begin my magical training again.

    A towel dipped in water this is a towel wet with water that I put out with magic.

    Three years have passed since I began to train in magic.

    The amount of magical elements from my previous life has already exceeded the amount of magical elements I can control.

    I''ve been training to increase the amount of magic in my previous life as well, but I was able to do it at this stage because it''s more efficient now.

    And now I''m not just controlling the magic element, I''m also training in solid magic.

    This will increase the quality, so the quality of the magic training will be even better and the growth will be faster.

    So far things are going well as far as magic is concerned.

    Now I just need a sword ... or rather a wooden sword, soon.

    I want to start training in sword skills as soon as possible to get as close as possible to my previous life.

    When it comes to swordsmanship, there is no practice method to think about efficiency or anything else, like magic.

    It''s just repetition every day. That is the way to train kenjutsu.

    --There are no shortcuts in swordsmanship. There is no shortcut. It is just a matter of how far you can go on the single path.

    This is what my father said to me in a previous life, and it is the most memorable thing he said to me.

    After he died, I believed in these words and started training with them, and I never once skipped a practice session.

    Because of that, I''m proud to say that my sword skills are moderately good.

    But........I haven''t even held a sword for three years now.

    This is a big blow. I shudder with horror at the thought of being out of practice for three years.

    In my past life, I spent more than ten years honing my swordsmanship skills.

    Unlike magic, it''s not good because of this body, on the contrary, it might take time because my physical abilities are inferior to those of my previous life.

    But ... not much time.

    There is only one path to swordplay. There are no shortcuts and no detours.

    If that''s the case, let''s take that path - let''s run through it at full speed.

    I haven''t even received a wooden sword yet, so I feel like I could get one right now if I said I wanted to take some training from my dad soon.

    It''s my dad with that personality.

    ''''Hahaha!¡¡You say you want to be a true Han!¡¡All right!¡¡I''m going to put a special training program on you right away!''

    But they''ll give it to you in a heartbeat.

    It wouldn''t be a bad idea to train with him in the beginning. Not once had I trained with my dad in a previous life, so it would be a good training exercise.

    ''Hey Eric-''

    Hmm?¡¡What?

    As I was thinking about things like I want to start practicing my sword as soon as possible, Tina seemed to be finished bathing and was already dressed, not naked.

    ''Eric is Mahou?¡¡I know you''re practicing your

    Yeah, I do.

    Tell me about it!

    For Tina?

    For your sister!

    ...for your sister?

    Yeah!

    What should I do........

    I''ve been using magic since my past life, but I didn''t use it very well in my past life, so I''ve mostly fought with just a sword in battle. I''ve been using it at the level of living magic because it''s faster to make fire with magic than it is to use a match, etc.

    And although the amount of magic is more than in my previous life, I''m still able to use magic better in my previous life.

    I''m not yet good enough to teach magic. I''m not going to be able to tell you how to control the magic, such as how to feel the magic at first.

    But ... well ... yeah.

    Okay, let''s do it.

    Really?¡¡Yes!

    Tina happily bounced on the spot, happy to see him.

    No, whether she''s strong or weak, I''ll protect her, but as they say, if you''re prepared for it, you''ll never be afraid.

    With that in mind, I teach Tina how to feel the magic element inside her body and other tricks.

    Hmmm, it''s complicated.

    Tina meditates hard on her eyes and tries to feel the magic in her body.

    Well, I don''t expect it to work from the beginning.

    Even I in my previous life started to feel the magic in my body a week after I started.

    It took me a week when I was fifteen years old. It would take Tina, who is now five years old, half a month at the earliest to start feeling the magic element, or even a month if you think about it.

    And since she''s a five-year-old child, she won''t be able to do the same thing for a long period of time... Well, I think the longest estimate is that she should be able to feel the magic element in about three months.

    Even if it takes that long, those who can''t do it won''t be able to. It''s said that people with no talent at all can''t use magic for the rest of their lives.

    If only Tina had a little talent........

    But at this time I didn''t think--.

    --I never thought that the day would come when I would regret teaching Tina magic.

 7-Episode 7 Talent

    It''s been two years since I started teaching Tina magic.

    That means I''m five years old now and Tina is seven.

    I used to look up at her because I was much shorter than her, but now the difference is about ten centimeters, so I don''t have to look up at her anymore.

    This is a good trend for my mental health. I''ve been shocked to see that there is a difference in height, no matter how much of an older sister Tina is.

    As I''ve often said, I''m over 20 years old. If you add my age to that, I''m over 30 years old.

    The thought of being looked down upon by a small child, who is an adult in spirit only, is somewhat hurtful. I''m a small man, aren''t I?

    I''m such a small man, but I''ve been hurt more mentally in the past two years than just my height.

    Now I''m done running with Tina and I''m practicing my magic in the yard at home.

    Recently, I''ve been able to do life magic to the same degree as I did in my previous life.

    In other words - the quality of my magic is also at the same level as in my previous life.

    It''s a good thing that you''re not going to have to worry about it. This is a pleasant miscalculation.

    Tina is beside me she''s invoking the same magic.

    ''Eric, I got the water out!

    "...yeah, Tina is awesome.

    ''Heh heh ... Eric, you should try it too!

    Tina is letting water drip from her palms to the ground.

    Well yes.

    --that''s what I''ve been mentally scarred for the past two years.

    As you can see from what you just saw -- in the two years that Tina has passed, she has surpassed my magic.

    I''ve been practicing magic for five years... or more than ten years if you count my previous life, and Tina has surpassed me in just two years.

    To be more precise, the quality of the magic has been surpassed, and as expected, the amount of magic elements is greater than mine, as I''ve been increasing it for five years, and Tina has only been practicing increasing it for two years.

    But........it''s only a matter of time before the amount of magical elements catches up with and overtakes them.

    I already regret teaching Tina magic.......I never expected to be overtaken so easily.

    I didn''t expect Tina to have such a talent for magic.......my glass heart is already shattered.

    It''s already really.......hard to think that a seven year old child has already overtaken my magic.

    ''Look at you Eric!¡¡The leaves are going to fly up!

    ''''Well yes, I can''t take a bit of credit for doing that to a freshly cleaned leaf, but it''s awesome.

    Isn''t she amazing!

    Tina runs towards me with a big smile on her face, as if to say praise, praise, praise.

    ''Yeah, your sister is awesome,''

    I pat Tina''s head and praise her as I stroke her head my heart is too complicated and it''s a bit painful.

    But I can''t help but stroke Tina, who smiles so pleasantly when I stroke her, because she''s so cute.

    It''s cute that Tina doesn''t have any malicious intentions and tries to brag to me about her skills, even though she''s better than I am... but it''s still complicated inside.

    I''m not sure if this is a sarcastic remark, but I can still deal with it, but the young Tina would never do such a thing, it just makes me feel uncomfortable.

    As me and Tina are training in magic together, my dad comes into the yard with thumping, noisy footsteps.

    ''Eric!¡¡You''re working out!¡¡Tina''s little girl is doing it too!¡¡That''s what Eric''s big sister is all about!

    Yeah, I''m trying.

    Okay, that''s what I''m talking about!

    My dad grabs Tina''s head and strokes it roughly.

    It looks painful to see Tina''s head gyrating, but Tina seems to be surprisingly fond of it.

    She says happily, "Kyah! But she accepts it.

    But when my dad strokes her hair, it gets messy, so my mom tells him to stop, but he doesn''t seem to stop at all.

    I can lightly stroke my head as well, but since I''ve always hated this kind of head stroking since my past life, I quickly let go of my hand from my head to quickly avoid it.

    ''''Eric, we''re going to train our swords again today!

    ''¡¡Okay.

    Two years ago, when I asked my dad to teach me the sword, he immediately and happily offered to teach me.

    ''You''re three years old and you''ve already offered to learn the sword!¡¡That''s my boy!¡¡A man!

    .........Well, I''m glad that he reacted almost exactly as I expected him to, because he''s been able to get to the sword training.

    Mom and others were opposed to it, but I didn''t force them to stop me because it was something I had started saying. Maybe if my dad had tried to force me to teach it to him, I would have stopped him.

    My dad would make a scarecrow in the yard, and I would swing the wooden sword against it as I practiced.

    The wooden sword was also handmade by my father. He had a lot of dexterity in spite of his stern face.

    It seems that he wanted me to hold a seriousness sword as soon as possible, but my mother had stopped him from doing so.

    I''d really like to have a seriousness of purpose too, but he''s this height and this build. If I practiced with a heavy, yet still not sufficiently strong muscles, I might develop a strange habit, so I have no choice but to be patient.

    I was surprised when I practiced swords for the first time since I became a child. After three years of not practicing the sword, I realized that my intuition had been severely dulled.

    Not a day had gone by in the last two years that I hadn''t held a sword, but my sword was still not as good as it had been in my previous life.

    To be honest, I''d like to swing the sword all day long, but my mother is stopping me from doing so, and I don''t have the physical strength to do so yet, so it''s time for me to be patient now.

    I wonder how many years it will be before I can regain my intuition from my previous life...

    ''''Yes!¡¡There!¡¡You have to go deeper before you can slash up!

    I continue to work out in my own way, mostly ignoring my dad, who is screaming next to me.

    I think my dad is the type of guy who uses force to force his way through. The weapon he carries is a large, large sword that looks more than two meters tall.

    But I''m completely different, in fact I''d say it''s the opposite. It''s like using technology to strike a vital point and kill an opponent. It''s a good thing that the sword isn''t that big, just a normal length or a little shorter.

    That''s why I train with the awareness of swinging the sword compactly and most quickly, but....

    ''What''s with that tiny swing!¡¡Swing the sword with more force and power!

    You can''t ignore him all the time, as expected, and only when he is there do you follow what he says and swing your sword.

    ''Alright!¡¡Keep it up!¡¡I''m going to be working, so keep up the good work!

    As soon as my dad walks out of the yard, I let out a sigh and swing my sword in my own way, ignoring his arguments.

    I can''t deny that this is one of the reasons why I''m slow to regain the feeling of the sword from my previous life.

    Well, my dad also has good intentions, so the trouble is that he can''t just do it without a fight.

    It''s really cool. I want to do the same thing with my sword...

    Tina is watching me practice my sword next to her, muttering to herself in an uninteresting way.

    My dad was trying to teach Tina the sword too, but my mom and Tina''s mom stopped him.

    He thought it was too much of a thing for a girl to wield a sword. Besides, in normal life, a woman wielding a sword wouldn''t end up being particularly meaningful.

    On the contrary, it would be a bit of anathema to a woman because of the unnecessary muscle tone.

    That''s why Tina wants to practice with a sword, but she can''t because her parents have stopped her from doing so.

    Tina I think you should practice your magic. It would be cool if you could do magic too.

    ''Really?¡¡Yeah, okay!¡¡Good luck, sis!

    Tina starts practicing her magic.

    While I''m practicing my sword, Tina practices her magic, so the difference in magic might be away, but I''m still practicing magic in the house after Tina leaves, so it''s okay.

    ........I definitely have more time to practice magic than I do, so why is there such a difference?

    I''m not sure if it''s the difference in talent.

 8-Episode 8 to the forest

    I am now eight years old.

    I''ve grown quite tall and my face has become clearer. The fact that I look like my mother hasn''t changed, and I think I''m more cute than cool.

    Now I''m training in the garden with a new scarecrow that I made myself.

    ''''Huh........''''

    He exhales and relaxes to the utmost limit.

    He carries a seriousness at his waist, but he doesn''t pull it out of its scabbard, not even with his hand on the hilt. He is standing there in his natural body, with his strength relaxed to the side of his body.

    He stared at the scarecrow in front of him.

    And - pull it out.

    The seriousness has already been swung out, and it is quietly inserted into the waist again.

    Then - the scarecrow behind him is slashed in half from his torso and his upper body slides down to the ground.

    --Iai-slash.

    A sword is drawn and slashed a moment later from its sheath.

    That''s all there is to it.

    I closed the gap between me and the scarecrow in the space of a breath, drew my sword and slashed.

    After I slashed, I passed the scarecrow, which left me with the scarecrow behind me.

    ''''Tsk........tsk, too late.''''

    I click my tongue and look at the scarecrow behind me.

    The cut doesn''t look very good.

    It was the first time today that I tried to do an iai slash with a serious sword.

    I''ve been practicing the seriousness of the sword for several months now, with my mother''s permission, but at first I wasn''t used to it, so I wielded the sword normally to build up my muscle strength.

    And since I got used to it, I tried to do an iai slash today.......but it''s so much slower than the iai slash in my previous life.

    The speed hasn''t even reached 20% of the speed of my previous life.

    Moreover - I also wipe the sweat on my forehead with my hand.

    I feel this fatigue after just one swing. My physical and muscular strength is still not good at all.

    I have to work out more.....

    I was watching next to her - Tina, who has turned ten years old, comes towards me, clapping her hands with a crackle.

    ''''That''s great, Eric!¡¡I was so fast I couldn''t see where you pulled your sword out.

    Thanks, Tina.

    Tina has pretty long reddish hair, which she ties back and puts in a ponytail.

    I think she''s very pretty, like an energetic country girl.

    Tina had developed an advanced skill of making me feel guilty and call her big sister with a sad face if I didn''t call her big sister.

    That''s why I''m already calling her "Tina Sis (hey)" these days.

    I''m sure you''ll find that swords can cut that fast. No faster than magic.

    ''Yeah. Magic is slow to activate, but a lot of it is powerful and large in scale.

    I''ve trained my magic quite a bit, but.......as I said, magic is still slow to activate.

    It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you want to do with it.

    From the bottom.

    Lower level magic, intermediate magic, higher level magic, highest level magic, king level magic, spirit level magic, and god level magic.

    It is said to be.

    I''m not sure I''ll ever be able to get my hands on one.

    It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a good deal more than you''re used to. I think I''ve made progress.

    But as I said before, intermediate magic is also a bit slow to activate, so if that''s the case, slashing with a sword is much faster.

    ''Yes, this is a towel. I kept it cold.

    "Thank you, Sister Tina.

    Tina magically cools the towel with water, and I take it and wipe the sweat off my face.

    The cool towel cools my blazing face. It feels really good to do this after you''ve worked up a sweat.

    This kind of attention to detail makes me feel like a really big sister, and I know I can count on it.

    Me and Tina are chatting a bit in the garden when my dad comes in, making noisy footsteps in the garden.

    ''It''s Eric!¡¡I''m going into the woods now!¡¡Are you following me?!

    ''¡¡Yeah, I''m going.

    A little while ago, my dad started taking me into the woods with him.

    He managed to convince my mom, and the conversation ended with a compromise from her, if only to watch my dad do his hunts.

    But....don''t tell your mother, but I hunt demons as usual.

    I told my dad that I wanted to fight demons too, because I knew that if I went into the forest, I wouldn''t be training to hunt demons.

    ''That''s my boy!

    I said and agreed in two words. As expected, my dad doesn''t tell my mom that I''m hunting demons, but........

    ''''Uncle Dian, I want to go too!

    ''Mmm!¡¡Well.....

    Dad thinks as he strokes the stubble on his chin.

    Actually, Tina has been wanting to go to the forest for a while now, but both my mom and Tina''s mother are fiercely opposed to this.

    That''s why Tina has never been in the forest.

    ''Uncle ... no?''

    Mmmm...!

    Tina asks her dad to look up at her from below. Inevitably, she''ll be looking up, so she''ll look awesome and cute to my dad.

    She''s been doing this to me quite a bit lately, so I doubt she''s really doing it unconsciously.

    ''Okay!¡¡I''ll take you there!¡¡Don''t tell your mother and the others.....

    My dad decided to take Tina with him, probably because of her cuteness. He told me not to tell me and Tina as he was butt-hurt.

    ''Yeah!¡¡Thanks Uncle!

    Tina laughs happily and promises, too. I''m not going to tell my dad that I''m defeating demons, either. I''m not going to tell him.

    ''''Alright then let''s go quietly and try not to be found.

    Without the usual shouting and without making the usual sounds of footsteps as much as possible, my dad walks through the house and heads into the woods. Me and Tina follow him.

    A few minutes of walking out of the house and we''ll soon be out of the fence surrounding the village.

    ''Alright, we should be okay if we get here!¡¡Let''s go, you two!¡¡Don''t let Tina''s little girl get away from me!

    Yeah!

    Then we walked into the woods, with my dad following behind us.

    At first Tina seemed to enjoy skipping along, but then she sensed the atmosphere between my dad and I and began to quietly follow us.

    My father, as usual, didn''t make any noisy footsteps or noisy voices, but proceeded through the forest, killing his breath.

    As expected of a professional hunter. He knows how dangerous the forest is.

    After walking for a few minutes - my father stopped walking. Tina, who was following him while looking around, was about to hit my dad''s back, so I stopped him by restraining him with my hand.

    ''''........Dad.''''

    Yeah, two o''clock, 60-- Red Bear.

    I had found the same demon. I feel Tina gasp as she looks in the direction of the demon next to me.

    A red bear--.

    It''s a bear demon covered in red body hair, and it''s about three meters long.

    It''s also quite large in width, from me and Tina''s point of view, it seems to be about three times as big as us, even from a distance.

    It''s not a good idea to have a red bear of that size so close to the village, we don''t know when it will come down to the village. We have to make sure we hunt it.......

    ''Well.........!¡¡Dad, the back of the house!

    Hmm?¡¡d*mn it!¡¡...a child.

    I couldn''t see it because it was hidden in the shadow of the three-meter tall Red Bear, but behind it was a child about a foot taller.

    That kid, Red Bear, was also bigger than me and Tina.

    ''It''s tricky. Red Bear, the parent who is protecting the child, has an even rougher temper. Watch out, boys. If you make the slightest noise--

    --they''ll notice.

    I knew that''s what my dad was going to say - and suddenly I heard a snapping sound behind me and my dad.

    Me and my dad turn around in unison.

    When Tina stepped back from the power of Red Bear, she stepped on a fallen twig.

    "Hee--!

    Maybe it''s because we all turned around at once, or maybe it''s because Tina was about to speak, but I stop her by covering her mouth with my hand.

    After covering Tina''s mouth, I turn back to my dad.

    My dad is observing Red Bear, pointing his palm at us and giving us a hand signal to stop.

    ''That was a close call........ It would have been a little awkward if they noticed.''''

    How do you kill him?

    I ask my dad as I remove my hand from Tina''s mouth.

    ''I''d really like to kill him with a long range attack but we don''t have that option. There was a fellow hunter who could use a bow, but we can''t bring him along now, can we?

    My dad puts his hand to his chin and thinks about it. I wish I could get close enough to kill him in one fell swoop, but maybe he''ll notice me while I''m approaching and I won''t be able to kill him in one hit.

    If you can''t kill it, it might go berserk and harm me or Tina.

    "How about my sister Tina and I use magic to make a preemptive strike?

    Hmm?¡¡Are you sure that''s a good idea?¡¡Can you reach that guy at this distance?

    It may not kill you, but it can kill you.

    Well Tina''s little girl, can you go?

    Dad asks Tina that, who is a little frightened.

    Tina doesn''t seem to be confident in her magic even though he says so, so she''s not sure what to do.

    ''Sister Tina, it''s okay. My sister Tina is better at magic than me, so be confident.

    Eric....

    If you fail, I''ll protect you.

    Tina was looking straight into my eyes. I couldn''t see any more feelings of fright in her eyes.

    ''Yeah, okay. I''ll do it, Eric.

    Okay, Dad.

    I know. I''ll push you hard and you won''t be afraid to make mistakes.

    Dad says and moves away from us, cautiously approaching Red Bear just in time.

    Me and Tina prepare for the magic as my dad stops walking.

    Me and Tina stand side by side and try to chant the magic but I can see Tina shaking next to me.

    I quietly hold Tina''s hand and try to reassure her.

    Tina turns to me, a little startled, but I see that she''s smiling.

    Then Tina''s shaking stopped completely.

    ''Let''s go, sister Tina,''

    Yeah!

    --Me and Tina chant the magic name at the same time.

    ''''Blade Wind (Windsword)!

    The two of us'' hair flies up, and the wind, which has become a blade, is shot out at Red Bear from sixty meters away.

    At the same time we hear the sound of the wind slicing through the air, blood spurts out of Red Bear''s body.

    Red Bear, a parent of three meters, had his body torn in half by the ''blade wind'' (windsword).

    The child of about one meter in length had blood spurting out of his body, but it wasn''t enough to kill him.

    The child, suddenly attacked by the mysterious attack, screamed in pain - and the next moment, he was startled by a nearby person and tried to run backwards to escape.

    ''I''m not going to let him get away!¡¡Hmph!

    The father swung down the large sword he was holding as if to smash it from the upper level as hard as he could.

    The big sword, which is bigger than the child''s Red Bear, cut Red Bear in half from the body.

    The father confirms that the two bodies are doomed to die while being bathed in return blood.

    ''''Alright, it''s okay, you two!

    With those words, me and Tina move closer to my dad.

    The closer we get, the more the smell of blood increases.

    ''That''s my boy!¡¡He cut a big red bear in half!¡¡Not even I can break a prey of this size in half!¡¡Nice work, Tina''s little girl!

    My dad compliments us on that but he''s making a big mistake.

    "Dad, my magic hit the small one. It was my sister Tina''s magic that cut the big one in half.

    What?

    My dad looks very surprised and shouts out.

    The ''Blade Wind'' (Windsword) that Tina and I shot.

    It''s an intermediate level of wind magic.

    It''s the same magic, but just because the magician is different, it makes a difference in power.

    The one I fired only hurts the smaller one, while Tina''s is powerful enough to cut a large Red Bear in half.

    Tina is still only learning intermediate magic, but her power and so on can reach advanced magic.

    It''s a good thing that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about the fact that you''re not going to have to worry about it.

    I had practiced my magic before her.......it''s hard.

    ''''So that was it........''''

    My father gave a little thought to this before he spoke to Tina.

    "Tina''s little girl you''re not going to be a hunter in the future--

    Don''t do it, Dad.

    My dad tried to ask Tina to become a hunter, but she stopped.

    ''Why!¡¡I don''t care if it''s a girl, as long as she''s got powers!¡¡How''s that, Miss Tina!

    Well no.

    ''d*mn I didn''t expect you to say it so clearly...''

    That''s right ... no ordinary girl would take up such a bloody profession.

    And my dad would drag the bigger Red Bear and I would drag the smaller one back to the village.

    Even violent demons can eat the meat, so the village will be happy if we bring it back.

    And when I return to the village through the forest, I can''t help but notice my father carrying a big Red Bear, so I''m immediately surrounded by everyone in the village.

    ''Hahaha!¡¡Everybody in the village!¡¡I''m looking forward to sharing some bear meat with you today!

    Dad is shouting that out loud because he''s on a roll with everyone around him.

    -- without realizing that my mom is approaching from behind with a horrible cold air.

    ''You...!

    Hmm?¡¡Hee!¡¡Serena...!

    Everyone in the village that surrounded my dad jumped back and scattered as soon as they saw my mom.

    ''''You''re telling me that you''re going to hunt such a dangerous demon while taking someone else''s daughter to the forest.......?''''

    No, it''s not!¡¡This demon was so close to the village that I had no choice...!

    ''No excuses!¡¡Sit right there!

    The man who came back with great enthusiasm carrying a three-meter demon was nowhere to be found - and he was nowhere to be found.

 9-Episode 9 Birthday

    Happy birthday, Eric!

    Congratulations, Eric!

    Thank you, Mom, Tina.

    Today, I finally turned 16 years old.

    I never forgot it in my previous life - this year.

    Now I''m at home being celebrated by my mom, my dad, and Tina with a surprise for Tina''s parents.

    ''It''s Eric!¡¡Because I''ve hunted the forest for you!¡¡You can eat all the meat you want today!

    ''Eric, the meat is good, but you must have the cake that me and Tina made together~''

    I think I made a good one, if you want to try it.

    ''Yeah, thanks Dad, too. I''d be happy to eat anything my sister Tina makes.

    My dad is also making more noise than usual, and my mom is laughing and looking at it in disgust, but she doesn''t seem to be stopping today.

    Tina''s parents celebrate me like I''m their own son, too.

    Tina is as happy for my sixteenth birthday as I am for hers, and that makes me happy.

    I''m more than happy about that - and in my head, I''m calmly thinking about tomorrow.

    Tomorrow - it''s no exaggeration to say that tomorrow is the day I regretted my most desperate need for power in my previous life.

    The day I lost everything. It was the day after my sixteenth birthday, literally, ''even in death, I haven''t forgotten it''.

    I was born and I''ve been building up my strength for tomorrow.

    When you decide to save everything, you can''t start by not saving this incident that happened when I was 16 years old.

    It''s okay......... I''m well prepared for tomorrow.

    ''Eric?¡¡What''s going on?

    "...hmm?¡¡Oh, no, it''s nothing.

    As I was thinking about tomorrow, Tina started talking to me, wondering how I was doing.

    I have to be careful I don''t want Tina and my mom and the others to be worried.

    It''s hard to believe me when I tell someone here what''s going to happen tomorrow. And even if this number of people believe it, it doesn''t mean that everyone in the village will believe it and act on it.

    I''m not going to be able to tell anyone about tomorrow''s events, but I thought that was impossible, so I decided to do something different to protect the village.

    ''Thank you all,''

    I spent this happy time with a smile on my face so that everyone who was celebrating my birthday wouldn''t worry about me - and I was happy.

    That night...

    I had come to the forest alone.

    Tomorrow--the village will be attacked by a horde of demons.

    Around noon tomorrow, hundreds of demons will rush into the village, knocking down the raggedy fence that surrounds it.

    I have known this since before I was born. That''s why I''ve trained and strengthened my strength like this, but....

    ''''It''s strange........''''

    For tomorrow, I had come to this forest this evening to reduce the number of demons as much as possible.

    However - I''ve been looking for demons for several minutes now, but I can''t find a single one.

    Normally, if you come this far into the forest, you should be able to encounter a few of them.

    Besides, many of the demons are nocturnal. Although they move reasonably well during the day, they are often more active at night.

    In particular, night birds, such as the night feathered bird (night bird), are black birds that have good night vision, and they move quickly and blend in with the darkness of the night, and there are some troublesome demons and other demons in this forest.......but it''s strange that none of them can be found.

    ''''Is this........an omen of tomorrow''s attack?''''

    When you think about it calmly, it''s strange.

    Since I was born in this village, there has never been a large scale monster attack like the one that will happen tomorrow in my previous life or this life.

    If there have been, it has been no more than a few demons descending on the village to raid the fields.

    If there are no demons here.......it''s too strange indeed. For sure, it will have something to do with tomorrow''s demon attack.

    ''''What''s going on in this forest........?''''

    I walked and searched the forest a bit more while thinking about it, but.......I still couldn''t find a single demon.

    I had no choice but to start back the way I came - but in a moment I felt a glance.

    I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what I''m talking about, but I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what I''m talking about.

    I did feel a gaze, but.......is it my imagination?

    I waited on the spot for a while, on the verge of battle and not being distracted, but.......I didn''t feel anything from anywhere, so I let go of my hand from the hilt of my sword.

    Was it my imagination, after all?¡¡Maybe I''ve been thinking too much about tomorrow to be skeptical.

    Let''s go back and go to bed now.

    Tomorrow - the first big thing to happen to me in this life is going to happen. It would be a disaster if I didn''t get enough sleep and didn''t feel strong enough.

    I left the forest, wondering...

    ----

    Well, when you''ve detected that much of a hint of a presence....

    ----

    I walked quietly past my parents'' room without making a sound of footsteps to make sure my mom and dad didn''t wake up back home and head to my room.

    I walked into my room and looked at my bed Tina was already sleeping in my bed.

    I''ve been sleeping in the bed with Tina since I was three years old...................but I didn''t expect to still be sleeping in the bed with her when I was sixteen and Tina was eighteen.

    In a previous life I don''t remember.......................... I remember sleeping with her, but I don''t know if we were this close all the time.

    I crawl under the covers and lay down next to Tina, careful not to wake her up.

    ''''Hmm........erikku.......''''

    I heard Tina mutter that as she climbed into the futon.

    I thought I had woken her up, but it was just her talking in her sleep.

    ''''Ehehe.......cute....''''

    ...Is he talking about me?

    I don''t know, but I''m sure Tina is prettier when she''s dreaming and sleeping happily.

    I look at Tina''s happy, smiling face and stroke her head so I don''t wake her up.

    When she''s asleep, her hair isn''t tied up, so I can stroke it through her hair, which is longer than it was when she was a child, without tangling my fingers in it.

    I don''t know if she can tell even if I''m asleep when I stroke her, or if she''s ticklishly writhing, but she says "hmm..." and slides toward me.

    I''m lost in thought as I look at such a lovely Tina.

    If I can''t prevent the demon''s attack tomorrow ... then I will lose this smile.

    No, I lost it once.

    In my previous life, I was powerless to do anything. I was so afraid of the demons that attacked our village that I just ran away from them.

    My father and all the other hunters managed to defeat the demons and get everyone in the village out of the way, but the sheer number of demons soon became too much for them and they died one by one.

    I remember my dad fighting to the end without falling down.

    ''Serena!¡¡Take Eric and the others and run!

    Witnessing my dad''s fighting back at the end of his life, I ran with my mom and Tina through the village and into the forest.

    But before I knew it, we were being chased by a demon and my mom took the bait and ran away from us.

    ''Eric, Tina I love you.''

    I''ll never forget my mom''s screams from behind me as I was running with Tina and the forest that suddenly ceased to exist and became silent.

    And after that, we both struggled to get away, but they soon caught up with us.

    With us trapped to the cliff, Tina - with me in her arms - fell to the cliff.

    ''Eric won''t let you die........alive.......!

    Tina hugged me tightly and fell down the cliff and I passed out as the strong impact came.

    After that, I was covered in wounds, but I was still alive. The person who found me said that I had to be treated right away or I would have died.

    And the main reason I was alive was because of Tina, who was still holding me in her arms even after I died.

    She had saved me. My father, my mother, and Tina had saved me.

    I didn''t have any power, I was only saved.

    I didn''t have the strength to defeat demons like my father, I wasn''t prepared to sacrifice myself to protect the people I cared about like my mother, and I didn''t have the courage to protect people like Tina did, even if I died.

    But now..............................I have a chance to start over.

    I''ll never feel that way again.

    But I have to help. Save everybody in town, save my dad, save my mom.

    And I can''t lose the smile on her face when she''s sleeping in front of me.

    I vowed that, and as Tina hugged me as usual and began to sleep, I slowly closed my eyes, feeling her warmth.

 10-Episode 10: Tinas younger brother

    --Tina''s side--

    The thing I remember most clearly when I was little is the first time I met a boy.

    His dad took him to the house next door one day. It was the day they were moving in and they were doing a meet and greet. I don''t remember much of the reasoning behind it because I was so young.

    When we went to the next house, we were greeted by a kind-looking woman, and then we walked into the house and saw a man with a scary face.

    I remember hiding behind my dad because I was scared.

    And while the fathers were talking, a baby in that room caught my eye and approached me.

    I remember thinking it was a girl when I first saw her, though I later realized it was a boy.

    She had a pretty face and her wide eyes were looking straight at me.

    I hugged him because he was so cute, but now I wonder if I felt sorry for him because I hugged such a small baby so tightly?

    After I met the boy, I went next door to see him almost every day.

    I didn''t realize it at the time, but I sensed something in the boy that I didn''t think he was a baby or a child.

    When I was playing in the yard and fell down with a flourish and scraped my knee and cried, it was the boy who came to me first.

    The boy was just two years old and he washed my knee down with water.

    I saw the water coming out of his hands, and when I asked him about it after he stopped crying, he told me it was magic.

    What is magic?

    How can you have a magician?

    I asked the boys questions and they answered them all.

    I wondered how he knew so much about things, even though he was three years younger than me.

    After that, I played with the boys a lot and learned a lot of things from them.

    One time I heard the mothers say that we were like brothers and sisters, and since I was the only boy''s father nearby at the time, I asked him what he meant....

    I asked him what he meant........he said, ''You must be a woman who can be relied upon.

    I realized then that I was always relying on boys in reverse, and I wanted to be the big sister that he could rely on.

    He was always running and I would follow him, and I even tried to play swords with him, but my mothers stopped me from doing so.

    Instead, the boys taught me magic and we trained together.

    At first I wasn''t very good at it, but after a day of training, I started to understand what magic was all about and I started to enjoy it.

    While we were training together, the boy looked at me with a complicated look on his face, but I didn''t know why.

    The boy''s father is one of the few people in our village who works as a hunter.

    I don''t know much about what he does, but it seems that he defeats dangerous monsters and animals in the forest.

    He distributes the meat of the monsters and animals he defeats to everyone in the village evenly, so everyone in the village trusts his father.

    More and more often than not, I was the only one at home waiting for the boys to follow me to that job.

    When I was ten years old, I was able to follow him to that job for the first time.

    I enjoyed going to the forest with a boy without telling my mom and dad, so I was skipping through the forest, but the boy and my uncle were in a very serious mood, so I quietly followed them.

    Suddenly they stopped, and I wondered what direction they were looking in, and I saw a big monster.

    It seemed to be a red bear, one of the most dangerous demons in the forest.

    I made a noise and he almost noticed me, but luckily he didn''t notice me.

    After some consultation, the plan was that the boy and I would release our magic and make the first attack, and then the uncle would finish it off.

    I was anxious about the act of killing a creature for the first time and the thought of what to do if it didn''t work, but the boy saw me and held my hand.

    He had held my hand before, but this was the first time a boy had ever held my hand.

    I was surprised, but my previous anxiety disappeared as if it were a lie, and I was trembling without realizing it, but it stopped and I was able to firmly turn to the demon and activate my magic.

    The result was solidly my magic tore through my parent''s Red Bear, and the boy''s magic was finished off by my uncle after giving him a fatal wound.

    Afterwards, my uncle saw my magic and asked me if I wanted to become a hunter... but the boy had said before that he wouldn''t be a hunter either, so I refused to do so.

    When I returned to the village, my father and mother were a little angry with me. They told me not to worry about them.

    I apologized to them because I had gone into the forest without telling them.

    But when I went into the forest, I realized that boys are very dependable.

    He would call out to me and hold my hand to stop me from trembling.

    I knew that I wanted to be dependent on such a dependable boy....

    So I won''t give up on being a big sister.

    --I''m eighteen years old now, a few years have passed since the day I first went to the forest.

    And today is a boy, my brother -- Eric''s birthday.

    ''Happy birthday, Eric!''

    The little baby I first met is now sixteen years old, and his pretty face is now a little more masculine.

    He was much shorter than me, but now he''s a little bigger than me. Considering my uncle''s height, I''m sure Eric will be even bigger.

    ''Thank you, sister Tina,''

    Even though he''s taller than me, Eric thanks me with the same smile he had when he was little.

    Seeing him smile makes me smile even deeper.

    I hope this happiness will last forever....

    I was celebrating Eric''s birthday while thinking that.

    Do you want me to talk to your mother about it?

 11-Episode 11 Attack

    I woke up early in the morning and was out in the yard swinging my sword.

    Yesterday I slept with Tina and I couldn''t sleep soundly because I was constantly thinking about today, but my body is fine.

    In my past life, I even fought all day long, so compared to that, I''m in near-perfect shape now.

    I''ve been training until now, and I''ve been able to bring my strength to a point where I can say that it''s almost the same as it was in my previous life.

    I''ve been training since my rebirth for this day--I''ll definitely save everything.

    With my resolve in mind, I concentrated on wielding my sword and preparing for the demon attack that would follow.

    Then I heard footsteps that were quieter than usual, probably because it was early in the morning, and my dad appeared in the garden.

    ''''Oh!¡¡It''s Eric!

    Dad, morning.

    Oh, oh my God, I''m sorry.

    My dad lowers his voice a bit when he''s warned by me and then starts talking.

    ''Good thing you''re training so early in the morning!¡¡I''m going to go hunting in the woods now, but I''m going with you!

    Yeah, I''ll be there.

    I was reminiscing about the situation in the forest yesterday.

    Around noon, demons would suddenly come attacking, but as far as the situation yesterday was concerned, it was completely different from the usual forest, so I thought it would be a little different if I went there now, so I decided to go to the forest with my dad.

    ''''I see!¡¡Then we''ll go quietly.

    My dad almost says it out loud again, but when he sees me put my index finger up to my mouth, he lowers his voice and starts walking, killing his footsteps. I follow him.

    ''Strange I don''t see the demon in sight.

    I was listening to my dad muttering that next to me as I explored the forest without a care in the world.

    ''There have been times in the past when there have been no demons in the mornings but never before has there been any sign of demons this far away.

    My dad says that demons are more likely to be nocturnal types.

    If they were out in the forest last night, they should have left some kind of trail.

    But........that''s not in the forest today. I can''t find a single footprint.''''

    Dad said as he looked around at the dead leaves on the ground and the soil situation.

    ''Hmmm ... no use thinking about it here. Let''s go back to the village, Eric.''''

    Okay.

    I thought my dad would know something about this situation but I still don''t know what caused it because apparently this hasn''t happened before.

    I don''t know the cause either but I know what''s going to happen after this.

    ''''Maybe something bad is going to happen...?''''

    I''m not ready to assume that just yet, but I will tell everyone in the village that there is something wrong with the forest.

    I tried to tell my dad to prepare for the demon attack accordingly but he doesn''t seem to think it''s that important.

    It''s no use. I''m the only one who knows about the attack. You wouldn''t believe me if I told you.

    So... I was the only one with the strength to protect you.

    And then my father and I would return to the village and go home.

    My father told the villagers he met while he was returning home about the situation in the forest and told them to stay away from it, but that much caution wouldn''t do them any good.

    ''I''m home.''

    Eric, welcome back.

    I''m home!

    You....

    Serena...?¡¡What''s going on?

    ''Taking little Eric out to the woods again this early in the morning...''

    When I see Mom start to get angry at my dad, I distract myself and leave the place. I''ll be pissed off too if I stay there. Dad, forgive me.

    I didn''t sweat in the woods, but I did sweat a little in the morning training, so I head towards the washroom for a towel.

    When I got to the bathroom, I saw Tina brushing her teeth with her eyelids (eyelids) looking a little heavy, as if she was asleep.

    ''Good morning, sister Tina,''

    Hmm. Hi. Hi. Here, towel.

    Thank you.

    Tina always has a towel ready for me when I''m done with my morning drills, and she''s always ready with a water-cooled towel.

    She''s not very good at mornings, but she''s a good sister for always making sure I have a towel ready for me. Well, we''re not blood related.

    I lightly wipe my face and body, and Tina brushes her teeth and splashes cold water on her face to refresh herself before heading to the living room.

    In the living room, my mom and my dad, who looks a little depressed after his sermon, are already sitting down to prepare breakfast.

    Good morning, Tina. Come home for breakfast today, too.

    Yeah, thanks again.

    ''It''s okay! And Eric, you''re allowed to visit Tina''s house too.

    Mom was right, I often go to Tina''s house to visit her. Most of the time, it''s because Tina invites me over, but....

    When I go to Tina''s house, there''s a good chance I''ll sleep in her room and eat at her house in the morning.

    So when Tina stays here, my mom makes breakfast for her.

    Me and Tina sit down at the table and start eating breakfast.

    "Oh, Mom. Can I have another?

    ''Oh, that''s very unusual, Eric. Have you been moving in the woods that much?

    Mom says and turns her attention to my dad. Dad shakes his big body, looking uncomfortable.

    ''No, it''s not like that but I''ve had a long morning of training and I''m hungry.''

    ''Really?¡¡All right, eat lots of food.

    Mom hands me a big bowl of rice on my plate. .........I didn''t expect it to go this far, but I feel bad for Mom, who smiled and prepared the rice for me, so I''ll eat it all properly.

    I remembered that there would be a demon attack around noon after this, so I figured I wouldn''t have time to eat rice around that time, so I decided to eat well into the morning for lunch.

    ''Eric, what''s going on?''

    Hmm?¡¡No, I''m just hungry.

    Tina asked me if my unusual behavior was bothering her.

    I eat a second breakfast, acting as usual so that she doesn''t notice.

    After eating twice as much as I usually do, I go out into the yard and start training again.

    Rather than training, it''s more like a last physical checkup.

    I swing my sword and increase my concentration - Tina is next to me, but she''s still watching me, as if she''s noticed that I''m acting differently than usual.

    After an hour or so, I stop training and take a breath.

    Tina comes up to me and hands me a towel that I''ve magically wet and cooled.

    ''Thank you, sister Tina,''

    ''No ... Eric, what''s going on?''

    There''s nothing there.

    -- right now, I swallow the word "now" and wipe my face with the towel I received.

    I think I''m doing what I always do, but Tina is still suspicious.

    ''Eric, Tina. I''m going to go greet everyone in the village~

    Mom called out loudly from the doorway to us in the yard.

    ''Yes!''

    I was building up the tension as I answered the call.

    --At last, it''s here........!

    Since Tina and I are the only children in the village, everyone there watches us grow up as if we were their parents.

    That''s why everyone in the village always gets together on the day after my birthday to celebrate me and Tina''s birthday.

    Now my father, mother, Tina, and I are going to go to the square in the center of the village and all the villagers are going to get together for a festive celebration.

    And - in the middle of the festivities - there will be an attack of demons.

    I remembered to carry my sword at my waist and headed to my mother''s place.

    And -.

    ''Hahaha!¡¡My son is sixteen years old!¡¡Congratulations!¡¡It''s all thanks to you guys!¡¡You''re welcome!

    My dad is in the middle of the square doing something like a speech.

    Since I was the star of the show, I was allowed to stand in the middle and give a speech, and then everyone had something to eat and drink, but as soon as everyone started to drink, everyone started to get rowdy without regard to me.

    Well, it was the same as always. It allowed me to sit in the corner and watch them go nuts.

    My dad, my mom, and Tina, everyone is smiling and wishing me a happy birthday.

    They don''t think for a second that this peaceful life will ever be broken.

    I didn''t think so either.......I believed this happiness would last forever.

    But - I''m the only one who knows that this happiness is going to fall apart.

    Then I am the only one who can protect it.

    Slowly, I leave the square without anyone noticing.

    I walk alone towards the forest.

    When I arrive at the entrance to the forest, I draw my sword and hold it ready for the moment.

    After a few minutes of me holding my sword up and meditating, I start looking for a sign - the time has come.

    With an earth tremor that you can understand even without looking for signs, you can see that a horde of hundreds of demons is approaching this village.

    When I open my eyes, various demons rush towards me from deep within the forest in a state of excitement.

    ''''As I thought.......there''s something here.

    Normally, if the demons are of different species, they will fight each other in territorial disputes.

    However, the horde of demons in front of me right now are all kinds of species trying to attack this village at the same time.

    ''''Well okay we''re going to do the same thing.''''

    Come to me from wherever you are and I''ll protect your village!

 12-Episode 12 Villagers Behavior

    --Tina''s side--

    Today is the day after Eric''s birthday.

    Yesterday we celebrated it as a family, but today everyone in the village is gathered in the square to celebrate Eric''s birthday with everyone else in the village.

    The day after Eric and I''s birthday is always celebrated by everyone in the village in a festive atmosphere.

    Since we are the only children in the village, they look after us like sons and daughters and grandsons.

    It''s a little embarrassing to always be looked at warmly, but I''m still glad that everyone is celebrating.

    Eric also always has a troubled look on his face, but not a full-blown attitude...............what?

    Eric''s not here?

    I look around and look for Eric, but I can''t see him anywhere but everyone in the village eating drinks and treats.

    ''Auntie, where''s Eric?''

    ''Oh my...?¡¡Come to think of it, he''s not there. I wonder if he''s gone to the bathroom?

    I asked Aunt Serena and she said she didn''t know.

    Where did they go...?

    ........I have a slight bad feeling about this.

    Eric never once left in the middle of a birthday celebration. Even if he was going to be gone, he had to say a few words to me or my aunt.

    That''s why today he went away without telling anyone.

    Come to think of it, Eric has been acting strangely since yesterday.

    He seemed to be absent-minded, and seemed to be thinking about something else while we were celebrating.

    Something was wrong with him this morning as well, even when he was refilling his food and swinging his sword during morning training.

    His gaze was sharper than usual... there was something uncanny about him.

    I don''t know why he was coming here but he had a seriousness about him.

    As I was thinking about whether I should go and look for Eric - I noticed something strange about everyone in the village.

    When I tried to look around to see what was going on... I heard something that sounded like an earth shaking.

    At first I thought it was an earthquake, like the ones that happen from time to time... but it''s not like the ground is shaking that much. I just hear a sound from far away.

    Then - someone points diagonally upwards and shouts out.

    ''Hey ... what''s that?''

    He pointed in the direction of the person and saw a cloud of dust.

    A hundred meters away from this village, that dust cloud was dancing, and it was clear that it was related to the earth tremors that could be heard now.

    ''''Huh?¡¡That dust cloud is not supposed to be...!

    Uncle Dian, who had been drinking and being merry earlier, opened his eyes and shouted loudly.

    ''''It''s the Demon Runaway (Stampito)!¡¡Pack up and run!

    Everyone in the village froze at the loud voice, unable to act immediately. I''m also frozen in place, uncomprehendingly.

    ''''What is Stampito, Dian-san?!''''

    Someone said this to the uncle and asked him to explain, and he replied impatiently, shouting at them.

    ''A swarm of demons is coming to attack this village!¡¡Get out of here!¡¡We''re running out of time!

    Everyone finally started to move in response to Uncle''s answer. In a hurry, everyone in the village went back to their homes to get their stuff.

    I was about to go back to my house as soon as I could, but then I realized something and ran towards Uncle Dian.

    ''Uncle Dian!¡¡Eric''s not here!

    What?¡¡Where have you gone!

    ''I don''t know!¡¡I don''t know where they went earlier!

    Uncle froze in astonishment, but quickly regained his composure.

    ''Tina, you need to go home and run away with your family!¡¡I''m going to go find Eric!

    I''m going to find Eric too!

    I said this to my uncle because I was worried about my brother Eric, but he shook his head and told me to do it.

    ''No!¡¡It''s too dangerous!¡¡It''s okay, that''s my son!¡¡I''m not going to die that easily!

    But...

    ''Tina, you need to run away with your family and Serena!¡¡Tell Serena I''m taking Eric with me!

    Uncle said that to me and then went away.

    What am I going to do I''m worried about Eric, but I''m also worried about my dad and mom.

    Anyway, I have to go back home and tell Aunt Serena what my uncle said!¡¡Then we''ll go find Eric!

    I run through the village square anyway to get back to my house.

    A little after the square, I see me and Eric''s house. In front of it, I see my dad and mom, who are almost ready to run away, and my Aunt Serena.

    ''Tina!¡¡Let''s get out of here!

    Tina, where are little Eric and that man?

    Aunt Serena asked me if she thought Eric and Uncle Dian were with me, and she asked me that.

    ''Eric wasn''t here, so Uncle Diane went looking for him!¡¡Uncle says Auntie should run away with us!

    ''Oh yeah okay. Then we''ll run away with everyone else!

    I''m going to find Eric!

    No, of course not!¡¡Leave it to Uncle Diane!

    My father, who was always so calm and never angry, said this to me in an angry tone, which made me feel a little timid.

    ''''But...!

    It''s okay, Tina. She''ll take care of you. Besides, Eric will be back soon.

    My aunt says to me, speaking softly to me.

    ''....Okay.

    ''Okay, then let''s get our stuff and go in the opposite direction of the demon attack!¡¡If we go that way, we should be able to meet up with everyone in the village!

    I had to run away with my fathers, even though I was pulling back, but I had to run away with them.

    But when we got to the point where we were leaving the village to escape, there everyone in the village was staying there with their bags and not running away.

    I didn''t understand at first what was going on, but as I got closer, I realized why they weren''t running... or rather, why they couldn''t run.

    ''What''s going on with these walls!¡¡You can''t get away with this!

    There was a large wall there, about three meters high. It was installed on the outside of a fence that had been put in place to prevent demons from entering.

    You could tell the moment you saw it that it was stronger than the tattered fence... but this one seemed to enclose the village in all directions, and there was no way to escape from it as it was.

    ''''Who would do this!''''

    As he says this, a man is trying to do something about the wall with the hoe he is using to plow the field, but he is not moving.

    No I don''t think I can break it down.

    You don''t think that... we''re not going to be able to run away from a demon attack like this...

    Someone muttered anxiously, and everyone in the village began to be dismayed, as if the anxiety and confusion were contagious.

    I''m getting scared and my legs are shaking too.

    ''''Yes~ Everyone don''t panic!

    From behind me, Aunt Serena claps her hands loudly to draw attention to herself before she begins to speak.

    ''If there were demons that close to me just now and none of them are still in the village, then I think something is holding me back. That means that this wall isn''t just here, it could be completely surrounding the village and preventing the demons from entering.

    ''Sure....''

    ''It''s strange that you''re so close and yet you haven''t been here...''

    Aunt Serena continues with a smile to further reassure everyone.

    ''My husband is out looking for little Eric right now, so when he comes back, he''ll break down these walls. That man can afford it.

    Well if she''s coming, it''s okay!

    Everyone in the village smiles when they hear that, although they are still anxious. I think everyone can wait here with more hope than before.

    My legs have stopped shaking a bit too.

    It''s all thanks to Aunt Serena. That''s my Uncle Eric and Diane''s mother, I thought.

    If I could grow up like this, I wonder if Eric will rely on me....

    Thinking about this, I tried to sit down with my back to the wall that suddenly appeared.

    But - I felt something from that wall.

    I let go of my back and stood in front of the wall to feel it more closely, and then I put my hand on the wall as it was.

    And then I was able to capture what I''ve always felt.

    This is........Eric''s magic!

    I can feel Eric''s magic from these walls!

    I know because he always practiced magic with me........This wall was definitely built by Eric.

    She said it was to prevent the invasion of demons.

    Then how was it possible to make this wall?

    Did you do it after you knew the demon attack was coming?¡¡Nope, that''s definitely not possible.

    I know that this wall was built using ground soil with ground magic, but it''s three meters high and quite a bit wider than that.

    It''s impossible even for me, who can do magic better than Eric, to build such a huge wall to surround the village.

    You can make a wall, but to make it so big both vertically and horizontally in a short period of time to surround the village, it would take about a week to do so.

    I don''t know ... how Eric was able to build this wall at the same time as the demon attack.

    Eric what do you know?

 13-Episode 13 back

    Huh....huh...!

    I''m now - in the middle of a horde of demons, killing each other.

    Blood spattered on the ground, necks flying in the air, bodies of demons with limbs missing or separated from the top and bottom, or cut in half from the body.

    There are dead bodies everywhere.

    The ground is filled with pools of blood, and corpses have no place to step.

    I''m the one who''s unfolding the devastation, but I''m also quite injured.

    There was no way I could stay unscathed with hundreds of bodies.

    ''''d*mn!¡¡"Blade Wind (Shade Sword)!

    I stored up my magic power while fighting, and released my magic to the demons.

    The demon that hits it will be cut in half, and about five more demons behind it will also have their body parts flying in the air.

    It''s the same magic I did for Red Bear in the forest when I was eight years old, but I''ve spent about twice as much time practicing my magic since then.

    The power of the magic is much stronger than back then.

    However, even after killing this many demons, demons are still coming out of the depths of the forest.

    I''ve been preparing for a week now to fight the demons against a wall that surrounds the village.

    This wall is made to rise up from the ground at once when I give the signal with magic.

    The reason I built the wall around the village is to prevent any demons from entering the village.

    And to make sure that none of the villagers or anyone else could escape.

    Even if this swarm of demons fled in the opposite direction from where they came from, there might still be demons in the forest.

    So if they could escape outside the village, it''s unlikely that they would all be saved.

    And thanks to this wall, it''s very easy to fight that attacks only come from right in front of you.

    In my previous life, I fought by avoiding arrows and magic flying from all directions.

    But - although I''m fighting in a favorable manner, I''m in trouble with a very troublesome demon.

    ''''d*mn, here we go again!

    I leap to attack that demon - and slay about three night birds of prey (night birds).

    The nasty demons are these nightbirds.

    The wall is about three meters high, but this demon flies, so it can climb over the wall with ease.

    You don''t want to miss even one of them, so you have to jump for them every time you want to attack them.

    These guys themselves aren''t that much of a problem.

    You can easily cut them down, but after that is the problem.

    Since you can''t be free in the air, the moment you''re in the air or descend, the demons will attack you.

    It''s only at that moment that they eat the attack from earlier.

    ''''--I?

    While I was descending in the air, I felt a sharp pain in my left arm--a sharp pain in my left arm.

    When I look at it, I see that a wolf demon is biting my left arm.

    It seems that it jumped and bit me where I couldn''t see it.

    I thrust my sword into the brain of the wolf that is biting my left arm.

    As it is, I cleave to the side and slash the wolf''s demon away.

    It seems to have been bitten quite deeply, and the blood doesn''t stop flowing from the bite on my left arm.

    ''''Haa.........!

    As soon as I landed, I faced the demon against the wall - but for a moment, for the first time, I leaned against the wall.

    --What the hell am I doing?

    You swore you''d help us all!

    You can''t do it if you''re this nervous!

    I can''t afford to lose!

    With that in mind, I moved away from the wall and charged at the crowd of demons - and that''s when I was going to do it.

    ''''Eryeeeeeeeeeeek!¡¡Where are you?!

    I heard a familiar voice from the other side of the wall, that is, from inside the village - my father''s voice.

    Perhaps he has come to look for me, who has disappeared.

    But I didn''t reply.

    If I answered here, my dad would try to come over here somehow.

    My dad is strong, but over the past few years, I''ve become stronger than him.

    If he were to die, in the unlikely event that he does, it would break the vow I made in my previous life to not let anyone else die when I came over here.

    So I''ll stay here alone and continue to defeat the demons in silence.

    With that in mind, I swing my sword at the approaching demon and cut it in two.

    ''''Mmm, this sound of a sword splitting the atmosphere........there, Eric!

    -Seriously?¡¡And you know what?

    I was startled and froze in place when the wolf demon attacked me in a low, earth-crawling stance.

    When I slashed at its body, it let out a scream of despair.

    I knew it was there!¡¡Eric!¡¡They must be there!

    The demon''s screams were the deciding factor and they knew I was here.

    d*mn it I froze, so I couldn''t kill it without slashing its neck and raising the decapitation.

    My dad punched the wall with a thump and talked to me.

    ''Huh ... there you are, Dad.

    I have no choice but to reply to my dad.

    ''Eric!¡¡Why are you outside the walls!

    ...because I built this wall.

    Me and my dad talk through the wall.

    I didn''t really want to find out that I was the one who built the wall, but maybe my sister Tina would find out, so I could tell my dad.

    ''What?''¡¡You made that?¡¡No, it doesn''t matter, Eric, you''re fighting alone right now!

    ''Oh, yes!''

    I reply as I defeat the demons that attack me.

    My dad puts the wall aside and worries about me.

    ''I''ll fight you too!''¡¡Just wait until we tear down this wall!

    Hold on, Dad!¡¡If we break this wall, the demons will enter the village!¡¡Not on that one!

    If we destroy just this part of the wall, the wall that has been protecting us from the demons will now become a wall that prevents us from escaping.

    That much must be avoided.

    ''''Nuh, what should we do then!

    I''ll be fine on my own you just go and see if your mother and the others are okay.

    Maybe it''s my mom, so she''s calming the bewildered villagers down.

    My dad is probably still there, but he''s silent and I don''t know what he''s thinking about.

    Then another night bird of a feather flies through the air and is about to climb over the wall, so I jump and slash it.

    If you can jump like I can, you''ll be able to get over the wall, but my dad isn''t that light.

    As I land, I''m attacked by another demon.

    This time, a large ant-like demon called Killer Ant scratches my back with its sharp claws.

    ''''d*mn!''''

    I wave my arms in pain and cut both of those killer ants off.

    Then I turn my back to the wall again and catch my breath.

    Then I hear my dad''s footsteps moving away from me at the wall.

    That''s it, Dad....

    You don''t have to worry about me.

    Just make sure you protect your mother and Tina.

    And I was ready to fight the demon again, but--.

    The footsteps that had been moving away from me were getting closer again.

    Moreover, they were very fast, and with the force of a sure-fire assault on the wall.

    ''''Whoa!''''

    I can hear my dad''s yelling.

    No way - you''re going to break down the wall!

    Dad, stop it!

    I shouted at him, but he didn''t seem to stop--

    "--That''s it!

    I heard my dad''s spirited voice, but there was no sign of the wall at my back being breached.

    What did my dad want to do?

    I thought for a moment - and then I saw it.

    There was a big shadow on the ground, and I looked up to see what it was - my dad''s ass.

    ''Huh?¡¡Whoa!

    I almost hit him in a daze, but I managed to duck on reflex.

    ''''While... okay, you''ve succeeded!

    My dad lands on the ground from his ass, making a loud noise and dust, and stands up, scraping his ass.

    ''Hey, what the hell are you doing, Dad!

    Of course I''m here to help you!

    I said no!¡¡And where''s the sword!

    My dad came over here, but he was unarmed and didn''t have his usual big sword with him.

    ''You told me to come over here without breaking the wall, so I stabbed the great sword into the ground and used it as a treadmill to come over the wall.

    ''What?¡¡Hey, what are you doing....

    My dad left his only weapon behind to come over here.

    It doesn''t make any sense for him to come over here like that.

    ''What?¡¡Dad!

    Huh?

    My dad was distracted by talking in my direction when a wolf demon attacked from behind him.

    Oh no, I''m late to the party--!

    They''re going to kill my father!

    Hmph!

    I thought so, but my dad turned around and shook his fist, catching the wolf in the face and blowing it away.

    ''....Seriously?

    I''m speechless at how much stronger my dad is than I expected.

    ''''Ha!¡¡My weapon of choice is my body!¡¡You don''t need a big sword to fight me, Eric!

    My father pauses as if he is proud of his body.

    ........If it weren''t for that, I could honestly respect him.

    "Don''t be silly, Dad. We''ll be back next time.

    ''Ha, slimy, slimy!¡¡If you''re going to tie up in a meatball fight with me, bring five Red Bears with you!

    That''s not a tie-in.

    The demons that come at me one after another, I slash them to death with my sword, and my dad beats them away.

    There are many demons that don''t die, but most of them are killed or stunned by a single blow.

    ''''--You can count on me, Dad.

    ''Hmm?¡¡What did you say?!

    I didn''t say anything!

    I shouted that to my dad and swung my sword at him.

    And as I try to slash the demon again and step back, my dad steps back at the same time.

    My back and my dad''s back stick together, and again I put a little weight on it, as if I had just leaned against the wall.

    ''What''s the matter Eric!¡¡If you''re tired, you deserve a break!

    Ha ... pull it out, Dad. There''s still time to spare.

    There was a sense of security in my dad''s back that was different from the time I leaned against the wall.

    -- the last time I saw my dad in a previous life, it was his back against a bunch of demons to protect us.

    Now he has that big back for me.

    When I think of that, the corners of my mouth unconsciously go up.

    "Dad--I''ll leave your back to you.

    Oh, son, you''ll have my back too.

    --Of course I will.

    I had to see you off then... and now I''m going to protect you for sure, Dad.

 14-Episode 14 Father

    ''Haha!¡¡Come on, get some more, you guys!

    Can''t you just shut up and fight, Dad...?

    It''s been a few minutes since my dad got over the wall.

    My dad and I are still fighting demons, back to back.

    It''s still much easier to fight than when I was alone.

    As I was defeating the demons on the ground, another night bird flew in.

    ''''Dad!''''

    ''Oh!¡¡Go Eric!

    I signal to my dad and then jump and slash at the night bird rapidly.

    After cutting about three of them at once, I fall according to gravity.

    When I was alone, this dwell time was the most dangerous, but--.

    ''''-- Your opponent is me!

    Thanks to my dad firmly attracting the demons to the point where I jump and land, I can defeat the night birds of prey without any problems.

    And after landing, I immediately go to cover my dad.

    My dad isn''t all-powerful, either, so he''s been attacked several times while attracting them from earlier, and he''s bleeding.

    I slash the goblins and kobolds behind my dad.

    ''Dad, are you getting tired?¡¡You''re allowed to rest.

    ''I''m telling you, Eric!¡¡I can still do it!

    That''s good to hear.

    We talk like that with our backs together and then quickly move on to fighting again.

    We''ve been fighting for another hour or so.

    The number of demons is visibly decreasing.

    If you''re not caught off guard anymore, there won''t be much to be done.

    But--I''m feeling a little uncomfortable after getting here.

    It is true that the number of demons is high.

    It''s enough that two people can fight for an hour and finally annihilate them.

    But the strength of the demons isn''t that great.

    There are a few strong demons that appear, but only a few, and they can be killed with one swing of my sword.

    If I had a large sword, I could kill my father with ease.

    I assumed my dad''s strength wasn''t that strong because he died in this pack in my past life.

    However, seeing my dad fighting now, it''s enough to make me feel like I can fight him alone if I have a large sword.

    I don''t know how much of a difference in strength there is between my father and the other hunters, but if I''m alone, these demons won''t get me if I''m not careful.

    And yet, in my past life, my father was dead, and everyone in the village had no one left alive except me.

    When I think about it now, that''s strange too.

    When we were attacked by this number of demons, I thought we could all die, but it''s hard to be wiped out when my dad would have stopped us from getting there.

    Something - am I missing something?

    Eric!

    What?

    As I''m sinking into my thoughts, I''m a little slow to react to the demon attacking me from behind.

    I don''t think I''ll make it in time - but just in time, my dad hits that demon and blows it away.

    ''Are you okay!

    Bad dad, thank you.

    ''Don''t let your guard down, Eric!¡¡We''re almost there!

    Yeah, I''ll be fine.

    For now, I''ll just think about killing the demon in front of me--.

    I thought that and moved to stop thinking and simply swing my sword faster.

    -- How long had it been since we started fighting?

    My father and I have already been killing demons breathlessly.

    The number of demons that existed in the hundreds is now so large that you can count them with one hand.

    I put all my strength into my tired body and wait for them to attack me.

    The Katella Monkey, a monkey monster with sharp claws, swings at me with its claws, trying to tear me to pieces as I stop.

    I duck the attack with minimal movement, keeping my movements as I ducked and slashing the monkey from the body.

    The katera monkeys behind it also don''t stop moving and slash their heads off in a flowing manner.

    I had cooled down a bit after my dad arrived and decided to take him down by waiting for him to attack me and fight back instead of attacking him myself.

    If you move on your own, you''ll be tired of moving to pick him up, so waiting is more physically efficient.

    My dad doesn''t have that kind of skill, though, so he''s moving to hit them himself.

    And my dad punched the last one demon and blew it up.

    ''Yes!¡¡Did you see that, you bastards!

    I see my dad screaming in victory and I know I''ve finally beaten him too.

    ''Dad, good job,''

    ''Oh, and Eric!¡¡It could have been a close call if you weren''t there!

    ...on my part. It would have been a disaster if my dad hadn''t been there.

    In fact, I haven''t taken a single attack since my dad arrived.

    That''s how much easier I felt in a fight and mentally.

    ''I see!¡¡Well, this is a victory for the father and son duo!

    My dad points his fist at me.

    He looks exhausted, but his face has a very nice smile on it.

    In my previous life, my back and stern face was the last thing I saw in that smile.

    I clenched my fists, feeling a sense of accomplishment, just like my dad - and then I clenched my fists.

    ''''-- You can''t taste the victory drink yet, can you?

    --Just as I was about to meet my dad''s fist, a low voice sounded from right next to me.

    ''''--Ha?''''

    I felt the killing intent from the man who made that voice, and I quickly stepped back to brace myself - but my dad was a little slow to react.

    ''Oraa!''

    What?

    My dad got kicked out and blown up by that guy.

    And at the end of the blow up was the wall I had built.

    My father crashed into the wall with his momentum - the wall broke down and disappeared in a cloud of dust.

    "--Oh, old man!

    I look at the one my dad was blown up against and scream.

    That wall was hardened with the best magic I could muster right now to prevent the demons from breaking it.

    I wonder how hard my blown-up father could break that wall, how powerfully he was kicked, and how fast he crashed into that hard wall.

    ''''-- Can''t we just sit on the sidelines?''''

    While I was screaming at my dad, the guy who kicked my dad off was in my pocket.

    ''-- Don''t lick it,''

    But -- I had read that action, so I flashed my sword at the neck of the man in my pocket.

    --Die.

    ''d*mn--that was close, that was close. Just in time.

    However, that guy ducks my sword with a paperweight and moves away from my space while coming up to my bosom.

    This guy.........is fast.

    I should have started moving completely faster than him, but after seeing that, he reacted and just barely avoided it.

    In my past life, I had experience in returning a surprise attacker, so I did that this time too, but I couldn''t kill him because he was faster.

    I could see that guy from a distance.

    I could tell from his voice that he was a man, a little taller than me.

    He has black hair and wears it all backwards.

    He''s wearing black, gorgeous looking clothes and is all black.

    He''s grinning like he''s making his bad guy face even worse.

    ''You''re strong, dude. You''re a hell of a lot stronger than that guy you just blew up.

    I huff as the man tells me, and I look again at the spot where my dad was blown away.

    I can''t see my dad because the wall made of dirt has collapsed and there is still a cloud of dust in the air.

    I want to run to my dad''s place, but if I do that, this man won''t sit back and watch.

    ''''You........who are you?''''

    Me?¡¡Well would you understand if I showed you this thing?

    When he said that, the man closed his eyes once and opened them.

    Then the eyes, which had no particular features - turned bright red.

    The part that was black earlier turned bright red and changed to a color reminiscent of blood.

    ''''Those eyes - a demon race?''''

    Thank you.

    The man replies with a grin.

    There are various races living in this world.

    One of the characteristics of the demon race among them is that their eyes turn red when they control their magic power or in battle.

    ''''You knew it well. The one from this rural village.''''

    Yeah I know all about you guys.

    In my past life, I fought against you demon tribe many times.

    Many demon tribes are belligerent, except for a few.

    Especially since the king of the demon tribe''s country was so belligerent, he would wage war against the countries of various races.

    I''ve seen many such wars, so I know the demon race.

    And that''s not the only reason I know about you guys.

    --It''s because the woman I love, Irene, is also a demon.

    "What''s a demon like you doing in a small village like this?

    ''It''s none of your business but I''ll tell it to you as a gift from the dead.

    Well that''s gratifying.

    The Kingdom of Begonia is located near this village. My country is planning to destroy the Begonia Kingdom, which is near this village. So we will use this village as our base of operations, and we will be ready to attack.

    I see...

    So, this guy''s country is the land of the belligerent demon race.

    And he looks like he loves to fight.

    "I was ordered to destroy the village. "I was ordered to destroy the village, and I was going to have a demon do it. We''ll have a little fun.

    I knew you''d be belligerent...

    He was just like I thought he was.

    So, in a previous life, this guy was the reason my dad died and not everyone in the village survived.

    He killed my father, and he killed everyone else in the village.

    But - I don''t like it.

    "If you''ve been listening to me, you may think you''ve won, but I have no intention of losing at all.

    I point the sword''s cutting edge at the man while hitting him with the killing intent.

    ''''Ha ... how can you say that with such a battered body?

    ....

    ''That''s why I came out now. If you were in tip-top shape, I might struggle too, but you''re a wreck from fighting a demon earlier.

    It''s frustrating, but the man is right, my body is stained with the blood I''ve shed.

    My arm, bitten by the demon, is throbbing, and the blood hasn''t stopped yet.

    ''I''m smart enough to know better. You have to weaken the enemy before you can fight them. And finishing them off from the weaker side is also an ironclad rule of hunting.

    Who are you calling weak?

    I heard a man yell from behind me in response to his words.

    I turned around and saw my dad almost coming towards me with blood pouring from his head.

    His eyes weren''t dead and he was glaring sharply at the man.

    ''I thank you, you!¡¡Because of you, I--I can fight with a great sword!

    My dad comes up to me, carrying a great sword on his shoulder.

    You were able to go for the great sword you left behind when you went over the wall thanks to that guy blowing you up.

    ''''Dad.......can you make it?''''

    "You''re not going to fight by yourself!¡¡I''m still going strong, Eric!

    --Our rock-solid dad, that''s for sure.

    Don''t die, Dad.

    ''Who are you talking to?¡¡I''m the man among men!

 15-Episode 15 Ask

    --Tina''s side--

    It''s been about an hour now since we''ve had our escape route blocked by the wall.

    At first we were all panicked, but after Aunt Serena calmed us down, we all went back to our own homes and went home to get as many things as we could, or sat against the wall.

    One of Uncle Diane''s hunting buddies had managed to break down the wall, but he hadn''t freaked out when he hit it with his hoe, so he had given up now.

    ''''Why did this big wall come out of nowhere...?

    ''I don''t know ... we can''t stand a chance. I''m sure Mr. Diane would destroy it, but he''s fighting a demon.

    Earlier, when everyone in the village was returning to the house, the hunters went to check on Uncle Dian''s condition, and they said they could hear him from outside the wall.

    ''''Maybe Eric-kun is fighting with you too...is he okay?''''

    I don''t know I guess we''ll just have to trust and wait.

    Those people tried to join us, but they just couldn''t get over the wall, and Uncle Dian said they didn''t want us to join them.

    So the other hunters, except for Dian, have been waiting here with their weapons in case of an emergency.

    ''Well we can''t even beat Eric-kun so we might be slowed down.

    Well, Eric, the only person in this village who can beat you now is Mr. Diane.

    The hunters had had a one-on-one with Eric before, at Dian''s behest.

    That''s when they were all beaten to a pulp, and they realized how strong Eric was.

    But afterwards, Aunt Serena found out that she had a one-on-one with Eric, and Uncle Dian, the hunters, and Eric were all pissed off.

    ........Don''t think that Aunt Serena is the strongest one after all, in my opinion.

    Aunt Serena said as she put her hand on her chest and turned in the direction of the little noise from earlier.

    ''It''s okay. I''ve always worked out, Eric''s strong.

    ''Well it''s okay if you say so, Tina.

    Aunt Serena smiles at me.

    I feel like she''s forcing herself to smile for my sake, but I really do feel okay about it.

    I don''t think the hunters know this, but after the hunters lost, Eric and Uncle Diane also had a one-on-one.

    So it was Eric who won.

    So I think the only person in this village who could beat Eric would be my Aunt Serena.

    But the other day, Eric told me I could do magic better than him.

    I was very happy, but Eric had a somewhat complicated look on his face.

    Maybe he''s frustrated that I started later and got better at it.

    Eric is cute in that kind of childish way....

    And when we didn''t panic and we all started to gather again, on the opposite wall from where the demons were coming from -.

    From the direction the demon had come from, we heard a sound like a very loud explosion.

    ''''What, what!?''''

    ''What was that sound!¡¡Could it be that the wall has been breached!

    Everyone in the village is about to panic again when they hear the loud noise from earlier.

    ''''Everyone calm down!¡¡Mr. Diane and Mr. Eric, you''re fighting!¡¡I think that''s the sound you make when you''re fighting!

    But that''s the first time it''s ever sounded like that!

    I knew something was wrong...

    That''s what they''re all saying to each other with trepidation.

    "Everybody--

    Then Aunt Serena says in a quiet but somehow chilling voice that everyone can hear.

    ''--can''t you trust my husband and little Eric?

    The aunt said that with a smile - but I think it sounded like a threat to everyone in the village.

    It was a smile that made everyone think that Aunt Serena was the strongest person in this village, after all.

    ''Who doesn''t believe.........?''

    ''Oh, oh!¡¡I believe in that!¡¡Hey guys!

    Even those who had been anxious earlier were shaking their heads vigorously.

    ''''Isn''t that right?¡¡Then you''ll be fine.

    Aunt Serena lost her mysterious intimidation there and finally returned to her normal smile.

    Everyone is relieved to see that smile.

    But........I can tell.

    Auntie, you''re taking it too far, aren''t you?

    It''s your aunt who''s most worried and anxious about you two, right?

    I knew it............Auntie is amazing.

    That''s what I thought, but I''m the only one who has noticed what I heard earlier.

    That''s a sure sign that the wall has been broken.

    When I touch the wall, the wall that had been firmly filled with Eric''s magic earlier has become a little but unstable in its magic.

    Only I, who have been practicing magic with Eric, can understand, but something is happening at Eric and my uncle''s place...!

    I leave the area without everyone noticing me.

    Fortunately, I''ve been training with Eric, so I''m a little used to eliminating the signs.

    I do go to the woods sometimes.

    I don''t know what I can do but I want to help Eric, my brother, in any way I can...!

    Hang on, Eric!

    -- Eric''s side --

    Nuh-uh!

    -- aah!

    Me and my dad swing our swords from left and right to pin the demon man down.

    ''''--Late.''''

    The man jumped and ducked between the sword he swung at the tendons of my leg and the big sword he swung at my dad''s neck, jumping across his body and skillfully passing between them.

    I quickly returned my wrist to link my next attack to the man''s stomach - but the man, whether he read it or saw it and reacted, dangerously stopped my attack with the sword he was holding.

    Then he kicks me in the stomach.

    ''''d*mn!''''

    I flew backwards to kill the power.

    My dad was attacking me from behind the man, swinging his big sword, but he was lightly ducking and getting slashed in the back with his sword in reverse.

    ''''Guoh!''''

    My dad rolled up next to me with the force of the slash.

    ''Dad, are you okay?!''

    ''Huh ... huh ... what''s this about ...''

    My dad responds breathlessly.

    The energy he had before he fought this guy is gone like a lie.

    ''''You''re weak, old man. You didn''t duck my attacks," he said. You''ve never fought a strong guy before. You have no experience.

    The man tells us that while looking down on us.

    Indeed, my dad hasn''t managed to duck this guy''s attack.

    The only demons we''ve fought in this village so far are the ones that my father could kill with one swing of his great sword.

    It''s no wonder that my dad, who has spent his entire life in this village fighting demons, can''t avoid this man''s attacks.

    That''s how experienced this man is when it comes to fighting.

    But it''s a strange thing. I''m not sure that there is anyone in this village who is as adept at fighting as that man. Is this a natural talent?

    The man assumes so, but I''ve done more fights than I can count in my past life.

    It''s only natural that I''m used to fighting.

    But I''ve been fighting demons for an hour, too, and I''m getting tired and my movements are slowing down.

    Especially since my dad was moving more than me, he''s already fighting on the edge.

    "It''s honestly commendable that you still have that much spare energy after fighting so many demons... but it''s time to go.

    When the man said that, he turned his palm toward us, who were far away.

    --Not good!

    "The Wind Blade.

    As the man chants this, an invisible blade of wind flies towards us.

    ''Fly to the side, Dad!''

    I shouted, and my dad reacted to my voice as quickly as he could and me and him each flew left and right.

    I reacted quickly, but the magic hit me at my ankle, causing me to feel intense pain.

    However, my dad reacted after me and was hit by the magic from around his thighs, creating a slash and causing him to contort his face as well.

    It''s the same as my magic, but that guy''s was on a larger scale.

    This was the difference in magic created by the difference in magic power.

    ''''Gah!¡¡d*mn it...!

    Get away from my dad!

    It''s too late to die.

    The man who was rapidly approaching my father, who was lying on the ground, swung his sword - a large amount of blood gushed out from my father''s right shoulder to his left side.

    ''''Oyajiiiii!¡¡d*mn it, get out of there!

    Oops....

    I kick the ground and swing my sword at the man at my dad''s side, ignoring the painful legs, but he avoids me and keeps his distance.

    ''Dad!¡¡Get a grip!

    I pick up my fallen father and look at the wound.

    The wound was pretty deep, but he wasn''t dead yet.

    But it''s not good if he doesn''t get patched up soon.

    But - the man in front of me right now won''t give me that chance.

    Shit!¡¡What do I do?

    I''m going to lose it again.......and I''m not going to be able to do anything about it.......!

    That''s when--

    "Eric!

    I heard a familiar voice and looked up to see Tina standing at the torn down wall.

    ''Nah!¡¡Why are you here!

    I ask her that question, but Tina doesn''t answer and moves closer to me.

    ''Oh?¡¡What is that woman?

    The man twisted his face and said that, but there was still no sign of an attack.

    ''Uncle Dian!¡¡Such a wound...!

    Tina is surprised to see her father''s wounds, his face pale.

    ''Hold on, Uncle!¡¡Now--

    Wait, Tina!

    I keep Tina''s mouth shut and don''t let her say anything beyond that.

    Tina is better at magic than I am, and besides, when I''ve been in the forest for training or something and got injured, she used magic to heal me.

    So Tina might be able to heal this wound.

    But if that man finds out about it, he''ll certainly target Tina.

    ''Take my dad and run!¡¡I''ll take him down!

    I say that out loud so the guy can hear me, then I speak to Tina in a small voice.

    ''Don''t use your magic, drag my dad to a place where he can''t see me and then use your magic to heal me.

    He can hear my instructions, but he looks at me a little uneasily.

    ''But I''ve never healed a wound this big before...''

    It''s okay, Tina. She can do it. Please!

    I said this in a small voice, but clearly so that Tina could hear me, and she gave a small nod.

    ''''Okay. But don''t let Eric die too.

    With those words I stand up and turn my back on Tina and my dad to face the man.

    ''It''s okay!¡¡Take your father and run, Tina!

    As I say this, Tina takes my dad''s arm and drags him away from the scene.

    I think my dad is big and heavy, but Tina used to train with me from time to time, so she''s probably more powerful than most girls.

    ''Hey woman you can''t leave that guy and not kill him without suffering!

    A man is coming at you at great speed, kicking the ground in an attempt to kill Tina.

    ''--I won''t let you go!

    I step between Tina and the man and stop the man from swinging his sword at me.

    ''You''re up against me,''

    I catch the sword I was stopping and swing it again when my opponent''s stance collapses.

    However, the man ducks just in time despite his stance collapsing.

    And when the opponent moved away once to regain his stance, his father and Tina were out of sight from here.

    ''''Hm ... well that''s fine. It''s too late for that old man. If he keeps going like that, he''s going to die anyway, even if he doesn''t get a thud.

    The man says this with a smirk.

    This guy doesn''t expect Tina to be able to use magic.

    If she uses magic, she might be able to manage to heal even with that deep wound.

    ''''Well I''m going to kill you right here so I don''t cause any more damage.

    Yes, try it if you can. It''s only a matter of time before I kill you, then I can destroy your village.

    I''m not gonna let you do it - it''s what I was born to do.

    --Dad, take care of your father, sister Tina.

    I muttered that in my mind and kicked the ground and attacked the man--.

 16-Episode 16: Solicitation

    --Tina''s side--

    ''Huh....huh...!¡¡Alright.........!

    Now I am dragging Uncle Diane, who is bloody and unconscious, with me.

    I go to find out that something strange has happened at Eric''s place, and the man and Eric are about to confront each other.

    And the uncle was down behind Eric, and he tried to use his magic to heal him right away, but Eric stopped him.

    Probably because if I had done it right there, I would have been targeted by that man.

    But I glanced at Eric, and I think he was also injured in his leg, and he wasn''t in very good shape to fight anymore.......

    Suffice it to say, I moved away from the place where Eric and that man were fighting.

    I could hear the sound of metal clashing against metal over and over again in succession.

    I have to get my uncle fixed up and get to Eric''s place soon!

    I don''t know what I''m going to be able to do there but if it''s magic I can help Eric!

    We need to fix your uncle first.

    Lay your uncle on the ground on his back.

    The biggest injury is a slash from his shoulder to his side.

    A lot of blood is flowing from there.

    If you don''t stop the bleeding soon, there will be too much blood and he''ll die...!

    I build up my magical power and begin to exercise my magic.

    "''Cure''.

    A sort of light film comes out around my uncle''s body and begins to heal him with that light.

    It''s the recovery magic Eric taught me before, but I''ve never healed a wound this big before, so I''m not sure if I can do it...!

    I do my best to control my magic and concentrate on improving the quality of my magic.

    Until now I thought that magic was something I could do if I did it properly.

    In fact, I could easily do it without that much concentration.

    I''m not sure why Eric had a complicated look on his face when I told him that.

    But now I regret that I should have been able to concentrate harder and concentrate more seriously.

    If I had improved the quality of my magic, I might have been able to save my uncle for sure...!

    What I can do now is to use all my magic to save Uncle Diane with all my might...!

    Thinking that, I manipulated my magic and continued to do my recovery magic, and I could see the wounds closing up, albeit little by little.

    Alright.........!¡¡At this rate, I should be able to close up every wound in my body in about ten minutes!

    Eric, wait for me!

    I''ll come get you, I promise!

    -- Eric''s side --

    ''Haha!¡¡It''s getting fun!

    The man of the demon race runs around me in all directions, attacking me from front, back and sides.

    ''''Haha ... haha ... nothing''s fun, man!

    I dodge the attacks by flinging them with my sword or twisting my body to dodge them with a paperweight.

    ''What the hell!¡¡You''re stronger fighting on your own!

    The man can only be seen in the shadows as his figure is moving so fast from earlier, but his voice is full of joy as he hears it from around him.

    ''I thought I''d be weaker now that I''m alone, but you''re quite an interesting fellow!

    ''That''s not at all pleasant praise!

    It''s easier to keep track of your position when you''re talking, so you continue to talk, although it''s hard to breathe.

    He slashes at me from behind with his sword, so I duck just in time and swing my sword to cut the guy who''s coming at me, but this guy also ducks just in time.

    ''''There''s no opponent in my country that can surpass my attacks like this!

    With that said, the man stopped attacking once or came out in front of me.

    I want to attack from here, but I''m focusing on evading and trying to regain my strength now.

    ''I never dreamed I''d meet such a gem of a man in this place--you, come with me!

    ...What?

    I couldn''t understand what the man was talking about.

    My country is a meritocracy. I was just a commoner, but I kept getting stronger to rise. And now I''m on the verge of becoming the next king!

    ....

    I listen quietly to what he has to say.

    "And this war, if I take charge and crush the Begonia kingdom, I''ll be king. So you''ll be my man!¡¡If I''m as strong as you, I can be the Vice King. There''s no one in my country who can fight me while being so battered and bruised!

    Well I''m of the human race, right?

    "In the land of demons, the world is a nation of the weak and the strong. It doesn''t matter what race we are, as long as we''re as strong as you are.

    For some reason the man is eager to recruit me.

    ''There are not many people in my country that are worth seeing except me. "There''s not many people in my country that I would rather see than me, but you''re the one that''s going to get me into the future. Why don''t you come with me?

    Well you''re right. If I go with you, what''s the first thing you''re going to do now?

    The man thinks I''m in the mood for it, so he explains with a bad smile.

    ''First we''ll destroy this village!¡¡And--

    Okay, enough of that.

    I tried to extend the conversation a bit, but once I heard it there, I had to interject.

    ''I''m sorry, it was tempting, but we''re out of negotiations.''

    When the man hears my words, he looks disapprovingly at me.

    ''''Well what''s your beef?¡¡This village?¡¡A village like this, where no man of your stature is worth sticking to. Or is it that woman?¡¡Throw away that woman who has nothing to offer you. Come to my country and I''ll give you all the women you want.

    Don''t talk to me anymore, son.

    As I unleashed my uncontrollable anger and murderous intent on the man, I saw him flinch speechless.

    ''The moment you say you''re going to destroy this village I swore to protect with my life, my answer is set in stone.

    ''Well that''s a shame. I''m very sorry. I never thought I''d have to kill a man as good as you in a place like this.

    When I tell them I don''t want to talk anymore, the man also gets ready for battle.

    Earlier I was trying to duck and counter-kill this guy''s attacks - but this time I made the move.

    I had brought in an endurance battle to regain my strength, but in order to defeat him, I had no choice but to attack him in one fell swoop and make it a short battle.

    This man of the demon tribe is strong.

    I''ve fought countless deadly battles in my past life, but never before have I struggled this hard in a one-on-one fight.

    I can only count on one hand the number of guys I''ve fought who are as strong as this guy.

    It''s a good thing that you''re able to have a great deal of fun with it.

    If you think it''s normal, you won''t be able to beat this guy.

    But... I have the ability to be many times more powerful than in my previous life.

    When I start running towards this guy, I release the magic power I''ve been storing up until now.

    ''''Huh!¡¡How much magic is that!

    The man was waiting in front of me for me to come towards him, but his expression changed when he saw me release my magic power.

    I had been building up my magic power for about an hour, just in case something happened.

    The magic power that has built up in your body can only be detected by a highly skilled person.

    I pour the accumulated magic power into the sword.

    I''m sure that if I cut it down like this, this sword will cut through this guy''s sword and also his body.

    But he will know that my sword is dangerous.

    That''s why he won''t catch my sword, he''ll just focus on ducking.

    The man is trying to step back with a slightly impatient look on his face.

    He''s still trying to escape without catching it with his sword.

    But - I''m not stupid enough to allow that to happen.

    I switch the magic power clothed in my sword to magic.

    The middle level magic of the fire attribute - ''Brave Heat''.

    The flames are wrapped around my sword.

    It''s not just a matter of time before you find yourself in a situation where you can''t find the right person.

    The man looks even more impatient and is trying to escape - but he doesn''t miss.

    This sword of fire has not only doubled in size, it has doubled in blade size.

    I swing my sword at the man.

    The man had just barely ducked my sword until now.

    That sword that was ducking with a paperweight, if it became twice as long, no matter how much this guy can''t avoid it.

    And the moment the flames caught this guy''s body - a huge explosion occurred in front of me.

 17-Chapter 17: The Culprit

    The moment the flame wearing my sword hit the demon man, the demon man was caught in a huge explosion.

    The intermediate magic of the fire attribute, ''Brave Heat''.

    This magic is capable of attacking a certain object with flames.

    And the moment the flame hits, it creates an explosion that engulfs the opponent.

    This is an intermediate level of magic, but it''s particularly difficult to handle.

    If you make the slightest mistake in manipulating the magic power, you will be eaten by the explosion yourself, which is dangerous.

    However, when it''s handled well, the power is commensurate with its difficulty.

    The explosion just now, no matter how strong that man is, he shouldn''t be able to escape unscathed.

    I observe the man from in front of my eyes, where the smoke still hasn''t cleared, being careful not to miss his figure.

    And then - there is a flicker in the smoke and the man comes out of the smoke.

    I look at it and try to move and slash myself again - but my legs don''t move.

    ''''d*mn...!

    The current magic has drained a lot of energy, and my legs didn''t move well due to the wounds I''ve had so far.

    It''s not an enemy that will miss the opportunity and kick me in the stomach.

    For the first time in this fight, I take a proper frontal attack and blow up in the direction of the wall.

    My back is impacted, and my body falls to the ground with a pain that makes my head shake.

    This is bad................................Some of my internal organs came to life with the current impact.

    I''ve experienced this feeling many times in my past life........

    ''d*mn it!¡¡You did it........!

    The man saw that his clothes were burned, and he was using his hands to brush away the scorch and other marks.

    As expected, when he saw blood flowing from his face and body, he was wounded but didn''t seem to be in that deep of a bind.

    ''''How dare you........!

    I mean, that''s the part where you get upset after an attack like that........

    There''s something else.........

    I tried to stand up thinking about that, but my body was too weak to stand up.

    ''I like this outfit the best, I thought it would be a good way to go see a girl because I didn''t think I''d be in this fight. This sucks.....

    The man''s all-back hair is also disheveled, and he''s brushed his hair back with both hands to keep it in place.

    I don''t even know your girl over here.........

    Well, you can go home and change after you''ve destroyed the village, but I can''t think of anything better to wear than this. We need to buy some.

    It''s only now that this guy is wasting his time, we won''t be attacked.........

    We''ll be attacked immediately........

    I put all my strength into trying to stand up, but...

    I''ve got to get home early to see that bastard--I''ve got to see Irene.

    --What?

    I should have been straining all over my body to endure the pain when I heard this guy''s words, but that one word makes me forget about putting in the effort and the pain.

    ''''You ... what did you say?''''

    ''Oh?¡¡What is it?

    The man looks down at me, still sitting there, and thinks as he puts his hand to his chin and looks up, trying to remember what he just said.

    ''Do I have to go home early?''

    Before that...

    ...to meet a woman?

    Well what''s this woman''s name?

    My body was so battered that I thought maybe I had heard an auditory hallucination....

    ''--Irene, that''s the name.

    Without that, this guy said the name of my lover in my previous life - the woman I love.

    What do you mean...?

    You mean the same name?

    What''s his full name?

    What do you care about my girl like that?

    Don''t be silly I don''t care if she''s not the woman I think she is.

    But if she''s the woman I think she is.

    It''s Irene Harzion.

    The woman''s name the man said was - the same name as the woman I dream about.

    How many times in my life have I thought of Irene?

    How many times had I called her name?

    How many times had I wanted to see her smile?

    How could you ... why would you ... with that woman?

    ''Why should I tell you that I have to tell you that but oh well. The truth is, this is something that needs to be kept private, but you''re going to die anyway. I just wanted to say it as a brag, so I''ll tell you.

    When he says this, the man grins and tells me about his relationship with Irene.

    ''That woman, Irene, is the only daughter of the current king of the country I''m in now.

    --I know.

    ''It has been decided that when I become king, I will marry Irene. This is something I''m not telling the people yet, so I shouldn''t really tell them, but you, who will surely die, will have no problem telling them.

    The man keeps talking like I''ve already won and that he''s going to be the next king.

    ''A woman named Irene, that''s a good woman.

    --I know.

    I''m only sixteen and a bit young, but it doesn''t matter at all if you think you''re going to be a better woman.

    --I know. Irene''s the same age as me.

    "She''s a princess, but she can cook and she can fight. She''s the perfect girl.

    --I know. Irene has the best hamburgers in the world.

    And that body...

    Shut up.

    I couldn''t listen to him anymore.

    The guy was talking happily, but he stopped talking on my words.

    I didn''t like what this guy was saying about Irene.

    ''''Well come to think of it, I didn''t hear you. Your, your name.....

    ''Oh?¡¡Is it too late?

    And tell me the name of your country.

    ''''Do you want that much of a souvenir from the underworld?¡¡Well, okay, I can at least give you the name of the man who''s going to kill you.

    The man looks down at me, still sitting, and says

    ''I am Felix Gladio, the next king of the Kingdom of Hargeon. Don''t forget this name even when you die.......Eric, was it?¡¡That''s what that old man said your name was, as I recall.

    My father had called my name, so this guy knew my name even if I didn''t say it.

    When a demon race changes its king, the name of the country changes as well.

    When he becomes king, he will name the country after himself.

    Yes, I know that.

    Because this is the man who killed the love of my life, Irene.

    I remember asking Irene in a previous life.

    Irene told me that she fled the country because she was about to be forced to marry him.

    And that she was still being pursued by a man who was angry with her for running away.

    When I heard that, I swore to protect Irene, I would never let her go.

    Me and Irene loved each other, and though we weren''t married yet, I was willing to marry her if I could find a country where we could live in peace.

    But - as soon as I took my eyes off her - she was taken away from me.

    And that day in my past life when I killed myself.

    Irene tried to run away from that man again, but that man moved his army to chase after Irene, and then killed her in that wilderness.

    I ... didn''t get there in time.

    Irene died, and I killed myself in despair.

    And it all started with the man I''m seeing now - Felix.

    I can feel the desire to kill him swelling up like never before.

    This guy--this guy, this guy, this guy!

    The woman I love, Irene, you killed her!

    I stand up, leaning my back against the wall, overworking my body, which is almost forgetting the pain due to my anger and killing intent.

    The wall...?¡¡Come to think of it, this guy kicked me off and I crashed into a wall.

    When my dad was blown up, the wall hit with such force that it was smashed, but when it was me, the wall wasn''t broken.

    Well you''re still damaged too, aren''t you?

    It''s a blow with enough magical power to make me unable to move.

    On the other hand, how can you stay that energetic?

    Realizing this, I put a lid on the killing intent and anger and think calmly.

    This guy isn''t someone who can win by being swept up in such emotions.

    I stand up and glare at the slightly surprised man in front of me.

    ''Can you still stand up I knew you were too good to kill here. Won''t you reconsider?¡¡You can be stronger than that.

    ''Shut up I''ve heard enough from you to make me scream my demise.

    Well that''s enough, I''m going to kill you.

    Me and Felix stare at each other for a moment - and then run at the same time, crossing blades.

 18-Episode 18: Determine Again

    --Tina''s side--

    I was still using my magic to heal Uncle Dian''s wounds.

    Compared to when I started, uncle''s wounds have almost completely closed up.

    However, the blood that was shed does not return, so uncle is still in danger.

    ''''Eric.......are you okay?''''

    I just heard an explosion coming from the direction where Eric and the guy were fighting.

    But I think that explosion was probably caused by Eric.

    I''ve been practicing magic with Eric, and I''ve seen him practice fire magic before.

    So I think that''s it because I heard what sounded like that explosion.

    And before the explosion, I could feel Eric''s magic power swelling all at once, even at this distance.

    With the sound of that explosion and the amount of Eric''s magic power that I felt, Eric caused an explosion that was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

    That''s why Eric is in a dangerous situation...!

    If you use that much magic power all at once, it will definitely hinder your subsequent actions.

    If you use too much magic power, you''ll instantly lose your strength and become unable to move.

    Eric and I have both experienced this.

    I''ve never seen Eric use such an amount of magic power all at once.

    If he was able to defeat the other man with that explosion, I hope he was able to defeat him........

    If you weren''t able to defeat him........!

    As I think about it, I start to hear another metallic sound that echoes in my ears from the direction Eric is in.

    The fact that I heard this sound means that the fight between Eric and that man has begun again.

    But Eric is absolutely nearing the end of his strength from the magic he just used...!

    We''ve been fighting demons for an hour straight.

    I suppress my impatience as I continue to treat Uncle Dian.

    When all the wounds are almost closed up and they will be in a state where they won''t bleed anymore........

    ''Oh, Uncle!¡¡You''re up!

    Uncle opened his thin eyes and let out a small voice.

    ''Are you okay Uncle!''

    "Tina-chan... yeah, that''s it...!¡¡I''m going to...

    Oh, don''t move!

    Uncle woke up and immediately remembered the situation, he opened his eyes and tried to get up, but the pain in his body made it impossible for him to get up.

    I lightly hold him down and keep him lying down while I activate my magic.

    ''''Uncle was injured to the point of death, you need to rest for a while!

    ''Where''s Eric.......Tina, where''s Eric.......?

    My uncle looks into my eyes as he sleeps and asks me where Eric is.

    I look away a bit and respond honestly.

    ''Eric is ... fighting with a man.

    ''¡¡Shit I can''t do this!

    So don''t move, Uncle!

    My uncle tried to get up, but he was still wobbly and couldn''t get up.

    I''ve already healed everything I could with my magic, so Uncle''s wounds have been sealed up, but if I go to fight again, this time I might actually die.

    ''''Stay here, Uncle!¡¡I''ll go for it!

    "Tina-chan is...!¡¡It can''t be that way!

    My uncle would object to me going, but of course I''d be more useful to him than such a seriously injured uncle!

    I tried to persuade him to do so, but his uncle wouldn''t nod his head.

    ''Oi!¡¡Both of you!

    What''s going on here?

    As Uncle Dian and I were talking, two men came from inside the village.

    Both men were fellow hunters of Uncle Dian''s.

    ''''I heard a loud explosion earlier, so I thought something had happened...''''

    ''Di, Diane!¡¡How much blood is that!

    One man is astonished to see the blood on Dian''s clothes.

    Since he was covered in so many wounds, that''s a lot of blood on his clothes, and at a quick glance, it looks like he''s hurt badly.

    In fact, it was a really big injury and I healed it, but the two of them don''t know that, so they still assume that Uncle Dian has that big injury even now.

    ''Oh my God!¡¡Mr. Diane is going to die!

    Hey, you go back to your people in the village and get your medical kit!¡¡I''ll just patch you up!

    Okay!

    ''No, no, you guys!¡¡This is going to get better...

    Uncle Diane flinches a little as they act without listening to him.

    I saw it as an opportunity.

    ''I''m going to go help Eric!¡¡You take care of Uncle Diane!

    Oh, Tina, wait!¡¡Hey guys, I''ll be fine!

    ''What are you talking about with all that blood!

    Ignoring Uncle''s voice to stop me, I run quickly towards the direction where Eric is fighting.

    If I don''t get there quickly, Eric is in danger...!

    -- Eric''s side --

    ''Hah!''

    Oraaaaah!

    I shout and shove my sword at the man and then at Felix, shouting a yell and swinging my sword.

    Felix also shouts and lunges at me, swinging his sword in time with mine.

    I tilt my sword slightly at the moment when it collides with my sword.

    Then the sword flows outward from my body to escape.

    I succeed in deflecting it and swing my sword at his body, but he ducks due to his amazing physical abilities.

    And then the deflected sword is deflected again and the guy swings it at me.

    I''m reading this and just barely managed to duck by tilting my head.

    I''ve been fighting this guy one-on-one for a while now, but I''ve been on the edge of this situation for a long time and haven''t been able to settle.

    I''m a bit of a technical expert.

    The way I move my body, the way I let my opponent''s power slip away when we cross swords.

    All of these things give me the upper hand.

    And experience.

    I''m just as skilled, and I''m better at this, too.

    I''m only 16, but I''ve fought many deadly battles in my past life.

    That experience is ingrained in my body and gives me strength.

    But it''s not an exaggeration to say that the most important thing in battle is physical ability.

    This is by far the best.

    They can duck when they see my sword.

    I can''t help but notice that he''s so powerful that he''d blow me away if I crossed his sword.

    This may be a difference in race, but that''s where the difference is too great.

    I''m not going to be able to tell if I''m going to be able to read the actions of my opponent and attack him, but it''s useless if he sees it and then ducks.

    I''m not going to duck.

    The way we duck and the way we attack requires a tremendous amount of concentration.

    I''m trying to predict and anticipate every move my opponent makes.

    I''m thinking in my head as I attack and avoid, and frankly it''s very tiring.

    If I make the slightest mistake, my sword will strike my body and be a fatal blow.

    I''m not going to be able to get a good look at it.

    Then it hits Felix''s sword and blows up against the power, but since he was aiming for it, I regain my position and land without difficulty.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. It''s like a cockroach.

    ''That''s a compliment to me...''

    That was sarcasm, you son of a b*tc*.

    I can see the man is out of breath and tired, too....

    I can barely stand up anymore.

    This isn''t good if I don''t do something about it........

    We have to do something about it, or this guy still has a lot of.......!

    Well I''m getting tired of this, so let''s get it over with.

    The man pointed his palm at me, who was away from him again.

    Yes, the man still has a means of attack called magic.

    I can''t do that anymore.

    Even if I could, there is a pure power difference between this guy and my magic.

    I''m not going to be able to say that I didn''t duck before, but this time I won''t. I''m going to give you a wide range of magic.

    I feel a stronger amount of magic than the magic I just struck.

    ''''But I''m not very good at magic among the demon race. So you need to accumulate this much magic to be able to do it. It''s the only weakness I have, but I have more than enough power to make up for it.

    Even this guy who''s bigger than my magic, it seems that he''s not good at magic among the demon race.

    I see, I''ve seen Irene many times because she''s good at it, but she''s so much bigger than this guy.......

    Irene.........that''s right, I have a reason why I shouldn''t lose......

    If I lose here, Irene will have to flee the country.........

    And meet me.........?

    That...................... The reason I was able to meet with Irene is because he became the king........

    When I think about it, it''s not so bad for him to be king....

    If I can escape from here, and this guy destroys the Begonia Kingdom and becomes king, then Irene can flee the country and meet me........

    What''s wrong with that........?

    So I should think about running away.

    --You''re not!

    I blame myself for realizing that the thoughts in my head are trash content.

    What the hell am I thinking...!

    You don''t remember what I felt like in my past life!

    Have you forgotten the loss of this village and the loss of your father, your mother, and Tina when they destroyed this village!

    And I''m sure I know how much suffering Irene has lived through since she fled the country!

    The butler, maid, and family she trusted to help Irene escape were killed by Felix!

    Had I forgotten the tears she shed when she told me about it!

    You saw those tears and you swore you''d protect them!

    He won''t be able to see Irene until he becomes king...?

    I don''t know about that.

    Of course it''s better to not see him now than for Irene to be sad when this guy becomes king!

    I''m fine with that, as long as she, Irene - as long as she''s happy.

    Determined to do so, I stare at the man in front of me.

    But this guy''s magic won''t stop now.

    It''s not a good idea to have a good time. Flame Wave.

    The front of my eyes were filled with flames.

    There is no way to escape from it no matter how you scramble, it''s a wide range of fire-attributed magic that is sure to hit.

    But ... if it''s the fire attribute, I can withstand it.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work.

    It''s a faint hope, but I can''t afford to die.......!

    With that thought in mind, I was prepared to breathe in the burning air of the flames, hold my breath so that my lungs wouldn''t burn, and then I was ready for the intense pain - and then - I was ready.

    ''''Ice Wall!''''

    Such a magic name reached my ears and a wall of ice appeared in front of me.

    As I froze in surprise, the flames collided with the ice, and flames filled the air around me and passed by.

    But the flames didn''t reach me at all.

    The wall of ice in front of me is protecting me.

    I''m not going to be able to get a good look at it, but I''m not going to be able to get a good look at it.

    This magic is....!

    I look at the familiar magic and look in the direction of the voice chanting the name of the magic I''d heard.

    Then there was Tina standing there, out of breath and sweating, with her hand pointed towards me and protecting me with her magic.

 19-Episode 19 Settlement

    T, na...

    Tina, the woman who protected me from his magic, runs right over to me with a sad look on her face when she sees me battered.

    ''Eric!¡¡Are you okay!

    ''Huh ha ha I''m fine. Thanks, Tina.

    I thought I was going to eat the flames, but now that they''re protecting me, I''m a little relieved that the tension is gone.

    Maybe it was partly because I was relieved to see Tina''s safe face.

    ''Tina, where''s my dad?''

    I fixed it. But I didn''t want him to get hurt, so I left him behind.

    Well, that''s good. That''s my sister Tina.

    I still thought I was really right to let Tina take care of my dad.

    Tina smiles a little, but when she sees the man in front of us, her face becomes nervous again.

    ''Are you ... the woman from earlier?¡¡Did you do that magic, did you do that?

    ....

    Tina doesn''t respond.

    Tina is a little scared next to me because she understands that the person in front of her is the man who almost killed her father.

    But I''m sure Felix knows that even if he doesn''t respond.

    Tina''s magic is strong.

    It''s so strong that the magic that Felix took the time to build up and release is offset by the magic he spontaneously produced to protect me.

    It''s almost a miracle that I was in a situation where it was impossible to beat this guy, but with Tina in my corner, that possibility is multiplied many, many times, dozens of times.

    If I can do that magic.......!¡¡We''re almost certain to win!

    Tina do you still have the magic?

    Yes, of course!

    Tia doesn''t look too tired and responds cheerfully.

    Even after using magic to heal my father who was severely injured by this guy who was slashed by this guy just now, and even enough magic to protect me from the flames, I still have this leeway.

    ''''You, you were such a dangerous woman...!

    If you''ve also heard the conversation between me and Tina, then this guy should be able to tell how much magic Tina uses in a row.

    ''Tina, that wind magic you did with me before. Can you do that?

    ''What ... the one that went wrong the last time you did it with Eric?

    Yeah, that one.

    There''s a spell that me and Tina did together a long time ago.

    That was difficult to handle, and the first time we did it, it failed and I got hurt, so Tina didn''t want to do it anymore, so we haven''t done it since then.

    But without that magic, it would be hard to beat Felix.

    ''''It will be difficult for sure. I understand that Tina doesn''t want to hurt me. But it''s the only way I can beat that guy.

    Eric....

    It''s okay. You''re better than you ever were. I believe in you-- you have to believe in me.

    ...Yeah, okay!

    Tina nodded to me with a determined look in her eyes.

    I saw that nod and stared at Felix to protect Tina and observe his actions.

    ''How soon can you activate your magic!

    It''s going to take me a while to build up and I need ten seconds!

    Oh, come on, Tina...

    There''s so much room!¡¡Do it now!

    Yeah!

    At the same time Tina responds to me, she meditates and begins to build up her magic power.

    The amount of magic energy Tina used when I unleashed the Brave Heat just now is surpassed in a second.

    The amount of magical energy from the Flame Wave that Felix released at me was surpassed in two seconds.

    "I''m not going to be able to get it right.

    Feeling Tina''s amount of magic and getting impatient, Felix kicked the ground and closed in on Tina.

    ''''--There''s no way I''m going to let you do it!

    I go in between them and catch the sword that this guy swung with all his strength so that it doesn''t hit Tina.

    ''''Kutu...!

    If Tina was alone, there''s no way she''d be able to beat this guy.

    In less than a second, he''ll be in Tina''s pocket, swinging his sword and that''s it.

    But I''m not going to let that happen.

    "You''ll have to stay with me for a few more seconds.

    You filthy old son of a b*tc*!

    Felix looks at me as if I''m the undead.

    That''s rude, I''m just a man...

    -- a person who came back from the past to protect everything.

    This guy swings his sword with force several times after that, but there''s no way I''m going to hit a sword that''s lost its composure like that.

    As I''m preventing and flushing everything out, I''m approached by Tina from behind.

    ''Eric!¡¡I got it!

    All right, give it to me!

    I say that and once I say that, I distance myself from Felix.

    He can''t mess with me poorly because he doesn''t know what Tina is going to do either.

    ''Let''s go, Eric!''

    Tina shouted that behind me and then pointed both palms at me and chanted the magic name.

    ''''-- ''Kata Storm (Brave Storm)''''

    A little quiet wind blew from behind me - and at the same time, a storm wrapped around my body.

    --At the same time, a storm wrapped around my body.

    It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

    This is a mid-grade magic of the wind attribute.

    It''s the wind attribute of Brave Heat that I used earlier.

    But - just because the magician is different, the power and effect are completely different.

    My flames did the best they could and were just barely clothed in the sword alone.

    In contrast, Tina''s magic is wrapped in a storm all over my body.

    It really makes me lose my confidence.... but right now it''s the most dependable!

    Thanks, Tina...

    Tina is out of breath, perhaps a little tired from using magic.

    ''''Yeah...!¡¡Good luck, Eric!

    With Tina''s support behind me, I stand up to Felix.

    "Well--I''m done with my side of the equation, Felix.

    I call out to Felix, who was watching me storm-clad in a cold sweat.

    ''''Kudos ... don''t lick it!¡¡Shit!

    Felix stepped on his hind legs and tried to lunge at me - but.

    ''''-- late.''''

    What?

    I was already close to Felix''s bosom.

    And as I swing my sword as if swinging down from the top to the bottom, Felix ducks my sword just in time than before.

    Then, even though my sword hasn''t even pierced the ground, the momentum of the sword swing rips the ground in half.

    The length of the torn ground is about ten meters.

    Because of Tina''s wind magic, my sword has extended its range to that point, and its slashing power has increased to the point where it can cut the ground like butter.

    ''''You dodged it well, Felix. No, did I miss?

    Maybe I''m too fast with my wind magic and I''m not able to control my speed myself.

    I''m not even close to dulling my sword muscles at this level.

    ''''Don''t lick me, you trash!

    While shouting that, Felix came close to me and swung his sword at me sideways.

    Until now, I would have received it as if it were flowing, but this time I''m going to receive it from the front.

    The moment we crossed swords, this guy would have noticed that the way he was receiving me was different from the way he was before.

    If it was me until now, when I received it this way, I would have lost my power and been blown away, but now it''s different.

    "d*mn...!

    You made the wrong choice. Did you think you could win with power?

    This wind magic does not particularly increase the power.

    I''m not going to be the only one who can do this.

    It''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to get your hands on it.

    It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for.

    When I push back my sword, Felix is unable to resist and loses his stance.

    ''''Sheesh--!

    --I''m not weak enough to miss it.

    I handle my speed, which has been increased many times faster by wind magic, well this time - I slash.

    As I swung my sword out, Felix''s upper and lower body separated and fell to the ground.

    ''''Huh..........''''

    I look down at this guy''s upper and lower body after I slashed him, without being caught off guard.

    Felix is still alive even though his body is cut in half.

    Blood spurts out of his mouth and he lets out a voice as if he is truly sorry.

    ''''You''re still alive........''''

    A demon''s life force is so powerful.

    Like a cockroach.

    Shut up I''m gonna die for this one.

    Felix spits out the words with a painful interruption.

    ''''I was so close, but.......if only I could have corrupted another country, I would have been king and the woman would have been mine.......''''

    Felix says this as if he''s full of unrequited love, but somehow his face is smiling cleanly.

    ''''I''ll tell you one thing for the underworld, even if I could have been king, I wouldn''t have gotten a woman, I promise.

    What''s the matter with you if you''re not the king, I don''t know if I can do it.

    Felix responds with a laugh.

    ''Well, I''d love it if someone stronger than me could kill me and for the first time in my life I think fighting is fun.

    Well that''s good to hear.

    But if that woman hadn''t shown up, I would have won I''m not a sore loser, it''s a fact.

    I couldn''t deny Felix''s words.

    It''s true that if Tina hadn''t come to me then, I would have lost for sure.

    "In the end, it was the difference between women and allies I was never really in a position to be in.

    Only when the man said that did he look regretful, laughing as if he was truly unhappy.

    ''''Ah... as expected, I''m going to die...''''

    Even as Felix was talking, a lot of blood was flowing out of this guy''s body and he was getting closer to death.

    ''''So long, Eric it was fun to see your last battle--''''

    He laughed at me so - Felix closed his eyes.

    He grinned to the end and passed away.

    ''Eric...?''

    As I watched Felix die, Tina, who was behind me, spoke to me.

    ''It''s over, huh?¡¡Are you okay, Eric?

    I turn to Tina, who is approaching me fearfully and look at Tina''s face.

    Tina looks worried about me, or maybe she''s worried about me.

    I was a little scared.

    I killed a man in front of Tina''s eyes.

    I thought she might reject me.

    That can''t be helped, I killed a man for whatever reason.

    But - I don''t see those emotions from Tina in front of me, she just worries about me.

    I''m relieved to realize that, but at the same time, the tension and exhaustion of the battle hits my body at once.

    I fall forward, falling forward.

    ''''Ha!¡¡Eric!

    Tina supports me as I fall down, holding me in her arms.

    I want to let this warmth of her body warm me up for now, loving Tina as she calls out my name over and over again because she''s worried about me.

    ''Tina--thank you,''

    I whispered that in Tina''s ear and let go of my consciousness - I let go of my consciousness.

 20-Episode 20 ``Lack of Power

    --Tina''s side--

    As I approached Eric, he fell over as if he had run out of steam.

    After calling my name and thanking me, Eric immediately fainted.

    ''Eric!''

    I''ve never seen Eric this exhausted before.

    I''ve been watching Eric''s training and stuff since I was little, but I''ve never seen him in this state before.

    Maybe he''s not going to wake up like this...!

    I imagine the worst.

    What should I do...!

    ...recovery magic!

    I come up with what I can do and immediately lay Eric down slowly on the spot and I begin to build up my magic.

    I''m tired from using magic so many times today, but this is nothing compared to Eric...!

    It takes a lot of strength to accumulate magic power.

    I build up my magic power while breathing a little hard and exercise my magic.

    ''''Please, live Eric........!¡¡"Cure!

    I feel all my strength and energy slipping away from my body at once.

    I never expected to feel this much exhaustion since I''ve used my magic with the most strength I''ve ever put into my life.

    ''''Ugh...!

    For a moment, he almost lost consciousness, but managed to hold on.

    The wounds on Eric''s body are healing rapidly.

    Maybe Eric''s trauma is only a slash to his leg, but the damage to his internal organs is significant.

    Eric is spitting blood out of his mouth.

    That means that the blood is completely coming from somewhere in his internal organs.

    My recovery magic is light magic, and while external wounds heal fast, internal wounds are slow to heal.

    Eric told me before that internal wounds have to be water magic recovery magic.

    I don''t remember water magic recovery magic because Eric has never had such internal wounds in his organs before...!

    It''s very frustrating that my power is not able to reach the level of my power, so I continue to use my magic to heal Eric''s wounds even though I feel like crying.

    ''''Haha..........!

    The shortness of breath is getting worse.

    Eric''s figure lying down becomes hazy at times.

    ''Eric...!¡¡Don''t die...!

    As I''m on the edge and using magic, I hear a voice from inside the village.

    ''''Dian-san!¡¡You can''t move yet!

    "My son is fighting and I can''t be down.¡¡That''s not a man!

    It seems that Uncle Dian shook off the two hunters who stopped him earlier and came here.

    ''''Elyyyk!¡¡I can still fight!

    When I turned my head towards the sound of the voice, I saw an uncle with a large sword standing at the torn wall.

    ''''Hmm...?¡¡Where is he...?

    Mr. Diane, Eric, you''re down!

    What?¡¡Eric, are you okay?

    ''You okay, Tina?¡¡I''ve never seen the remains of such a fierce battle...!

    The three of them come up to me and Eric when they see me and Eric.

    I do my best to explain to the three of them as I continue to use my magic.

    ''''We''ve already defeated the man...!¡¡But Eric, he''s in danger...!

    ''¡¡Well, we get it, Tina.

    Uncle Diane looked a little further back from us and saw a man lying there, dead, and seemed to have a general idea of the situation.

    ''Thanks for the magic, Tina. You can rest now.

    Uncle Diane pats me roughly on the head and tells me so.

    I guess Uncle Diane knows I''m forcing myself to use magic.

    ''But Eric...!

    "Eric''s fine. My son''s not going to die like this. So sleep in peace.

    I heard my uncle''s words and somehow felt relieved, even though Eric hadn''t even been saved yet....

    Maybe that''s why I feel tired and sleepy all at once.

    ''''Eric........please.........''''

    The voice came out smaller than I expected, but I firmly asked Uncle Diane to hear me, sincerely.......

    ''''I''ll take care of it, Tina.......you did a great job.

    The last thing I heard was that voice and I fainted, as if I had run out of power, just like Eric.

    --Dian side--

    I''m weak.

    Right now, Tina-chan has passed out in front of me, and I think about it while supporting her so she doesn''t fall to the ground.

    I was fighting a guy who was a demon tribe or something like that earlier, but it was Eric who was able to fight that guy on an even footing.

    I fought that guy and he knocked me down without a hand or foot.

    If it wasn''t for Tina, I would have died.

    The only reason I''m healing after such a big wound is because Tina-chan healed me with her magic.

    And even without me, Eric was alone....or maybe Tina was with him.

    Together, we beat that strong man.

    I''m the best of the best.......!

    I can''t even protect my own son.

    I clench my fists tightly in frustration as I look at Eric, who''s falling flat on his face in front of me.

    ''Hey you guys!¡¡Let''s get them out!¡¡I''ll carry Eric!

    Hey, Diane, you''re hurt pretty bad yourself, so take it easy!

    ''Yes!¡¡We''ll carry the two of you!

    I didn''t know these guys, my fellow hunters, would be worried about me.

    But like they said, I''m still going to be wobbly.

    Eric''s muscles are getting stronger and heavier, so if I were to carry him now, it would be a disaster if he fell down.

    It can''t be helped.....

    ''''Then I''ll carry Tina!¡¡You two carry Eric!

    Even I can carry at least light Tina-chan now.

    ''''Eh........Dian-san, did you have that kind of hobby?''''

    ''''Mr. Dian, with such a beautiful wife, it''s not possible.......''''

    ''You''ve got to be kidding me!¡¡Do you want to die?

    "I''m sorry!

    When I shout out in a fit of pique, they immediately apologize.

    f*ck, of course I''m the only one who''s going to be Serena.

    I lift Tina into a side hug.

    Light ...................I let this little girl use her magic until she passed out.

    As I walk into the village, a fellow hunter from behind tucks his body under Eric''s arm and carries it with two people supporting him.

    But--.

    I finally calm down and start to think about something I''ve been wondering about for a bit.

    Why was Eric acting as if he knew that a horde of demons was coming and that this man was coming?

    The same goes for the wall that surrounded the entire village in all directions.

    You could never prepare for something like this if you didn''t know in advance.

    Eric was gone during the birthday party in the village and was already over here fighting when the horde of demons swept in.

    If we didn''t know the direction of the demon horde''s arrival, we wouldn''t be able to deal with them that quickly.

    What does Eric know........?

 21-Episode 21 Dream

    We were staying at an inn in a city.

    It''s a little more upscale than the ones we''ve always had, and it''s soundproof.

    I was sitting next to her on the bed there, talking to her.

    ''''I''m ... a demon,''''

    She didn''t look at me and told me this with a tearful face.

    ''''I''m sorry, I didn''t tell you before... I couldn''t say it when I thought about you hating me...''''

    Her body is trembling a bit.

    She''s been looking anxious ever since she said she wanted to talk to me and even before she came to this inn.

    ''''I''m a former princess of the Demon Race''s Harzion Kingdom-now renamed the Gladio Kingdom, but I''m a former princess there.

    "When the new king, a man named Felix Gladio, ascended the throne, I was promised that I would marry him... but this Felix was a very belligerent man who thought very differently from his father, the former king.

    She recalls that time and speaks with tears in her eyes.

    She holds her mouth and speaks in a muffled voice with tears streaming down her cheeks.

    ''I ran for my life from my country but I didn''t see the point in living...''

    My family and everyone else in my family saved my life, and I''ve lived my whole life, but there are many times when I''ve wanted to die.

    But...

    He looks up here and looks up at me next to him with his cheeks wet.

    "--Meeting you.........life, fun.......I found the meaning of life.

    She leans her body against my chest, buries her face in my chest and says in a tearful voice.

    ''''I love you, I love you........!¡¡Even if I''m a demon like this can I still be by your side?

    Her words of love feel desperate, like a child crying and begging me not to abandon her.

    I hold her gently on my shoulder and speak softly to reassure her.

    ''I ... I knew you were a demon,''

    What...?

    She looks up at my words and stares at me, and I stare back at her.

    ''I saw your eyes turn red when we were fighting demons before.

    So that''s what happened...

    So it doesn''t matter to me that you''re a demon. You''ll always be the one I love - and I love you, Irene Harzion.

    I look straight into her eyes and wipe the tears streaming down her cheeks with my fingers.

    ''''Eric-sama........!

    Irene is so impressed that she puts her hands around my back and hugs me tightly.

    I hug her in return, holding her body tightly so that she won''t let go.

    "It''s so good to see you........!¡¡I''m so glad...!

    I''m glad I met Irene because I, too, have lost my reason for living. So I''m not going to lose you anymore, and I''ll protect you.

    She loosens the intensity of her hug once and looks into my eyes.

    Her face is so beautiful, so inviting in my eyes.

    She stares at me with her moist eyes, and I bring my face close to hers for what she wants - and what I want, too.

    ''Eric-sama....''

    Irene...

    The distance between me and Irene''s face was getting closer and closer--

    ''''Hmm...?

    For some reason, I felt dazzled - and I opened my eyes.

    I blink my eyes a few times to keep my heavy eyelids (eyelids) from closing again.

    Huh........where am I.......?

    Earlier I was at the inn with Irene.

    Thinking that far, I realized that it had been a dream.

    Then I picked up my upper body and looked around and realized that I had been sleeping on a bed in my room at home.

    Let''s see...why is my body so heavy?

    Did you train that hard?

    I search my memory and remember that I was fighting a man named Felix.

    That was it I fought that guy and won.

    And then I passed out right afterwards and you''ve been sleeping until now........

    I felt dizzy because the sun was in my room.

    I remembered the content of a dream I hadn''t had in a long time, and I felt nostalgic.

    That dream was when I kissed Irene for the first time in my previous life.

    ....I mean, if you showed me that much, let me even kiss you!

    I was a little angry at the dream - but then I suddenly remembered.

    That I was already in a different future than in that previous life.

    In the previous life, Felix had become king and Irene had escaped his proposal to marry her, and that''s how he met me.

    But - Felix was dead.

    So Irene didn''t have to flee the country, and there was no future for me and Irene to meet.

    ........I feel a little, no, quite sad about it, but I convince myself that this is okay.

    I took away the reason why Irene had shed those sad tears.

    Even if it prevents me and Irene from meeting each other, I don''t regret it.....

    No, let''s not be strong. The truth is, I''m so f*cked up.

    I don''t want to miss out on meeting Irene, that''s for sure.

    But killing Felix doesn''t mean that Irene and I won''t be able to meet, it just means that we won''t have that encounter.

    I know that Irene is in a country called Harzion Kingdom, and I''m not going to miss seeing her.

    I''m going to see her for sure.

    Because I love Irene, and I love her.

    --? What''s going on?

    I am feeling very low right now....

    I am lying down on my bed in my room in the royal palace and doing a sort of slumber.

    I understand that this is an act of royalty, but I have to distract myself by doing that.

    Because I can''t help but marry someone I despise.

    He is the next in line to the throne after your father, and he is a very strong man.

    He even had a one-on-one match with the current king''s father in a dueling arena and won a light victory.

    I never thought there was anyone in this world who could defeat the strongest man in the country... or rather, the strongest father in the country, so easily.

    And when he ascends the throne, I will have to marry him....

    I admit that he is very strong, but my personality is not very compatible with him. Absolutely nothing.

    I don''t know why that person is so belligerent.

    His father and mother''s idea was to be friendly and interact with people from different countries, but that didn''t have much result....

    But it was good for me.

    I really liked the idea of being able to live without shedding blood.

    But as soon as he became king, he declared that he was going to corrupt many countries.

    I can''t stand marrying into such a person...!

    I sighed at the thought and was lying in bed when I heard a knock on the door.

    ''''Yes ... yes.''''

    I raise my upper body from the bed and reply languidly.

    ''It''s me, my darling daughter.

    Father!

    I hear a low, authoritative voice from outside the door.

    Realizing it''s your father, I jump off the bed.

    Standing in front of the mirror where I can see his full body, I run my hands through my wrinkled clothes and adjust my hair.

    ''Do come in, Father,''

    You rush to get ready and take a breath before calling out to him.

    Then the door opens and your father walks in.

    ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry you came so suddenly.

    No, I''m fine.

    Your father has been thinking about something lately, and he''s starting to look a little older.

    It''s all because of that man........!

    Father, can I help you?

    ''Yeah I know it sounds unbelievable when you say it out of the blue, but...''

    Your father hesitated for a moment before telling me the shocking truth.

    ''-Felix is dead.

    ...What?

    It took me a little while to understand your father''s words.

    And even when I understood, I doubted that fact was true.

    ''Felix, my lord...?¡¡Why...?

    What is it about the death of a man stronger than your father...?

    Could it be a sudden illness or something?

    There was a village that Felix wanted to use as a base to corrupt the Kingdom of Begonia, but he was defeated by the young man who lived there.

    Master Felix was defeated by a boy of the human race...?

    I can''t believe it.

    Apparently they can''t take the body home, but it''s been confirmed that it''s dead which I don''t believe either, but it''s true.

    No....!¡¡I never thought...!

    I can''t believe she''s dead.

    I''m sorry, Irene.

    When I was surprised and confused by this fact, your father apologized to me for some reason.

    ''''Eh ... what is it, father?''''

    ''You ... I couldn''t protect you. You could have resented me for losing to Felix, forcing me to marry you, and for not being able to do anything about it.

    Oh no...!¡¡I have never held a grudge against your father for a moment!

    Your father didn''t hesitate to fight for me, even though he had no chance and might die for me.

    How could I hate your father like that...!

    ''I''m sorry to make excuses but we knew you wanted to get away and we had a plan to get you out of there.

    Well it''s the first time I''ve heard of it.

    ''It''s a plan that we''re all prepared to die for. Because I knew that if you found out, you would never run away and marry for us.

    Your father came closer and stroked my head and hugged me to his chest.

    ''I''m sorry I gave you a hard time I''m sorry. It''s all right now. He''s dead.

    ''¡¡Master...!

    I can feel the anxiety and pain I''ve been holding in my arms and realize that the anxiety and pain I''ve been holding in is gone, and I can''t help but cry.

    ''''Thank God, is...!¡¡I can still live with your father and your mother and everyone else...!

    ''Oh yes we will. We''ll be by your side until the day you want to leave.

    I couldn''t hold back and continued to cry - I couldn''t hold back.

    My tears finally stop and leave your father''s chest.

    ''I have to thank that young man from the village... we were saved by that young man, albeit indirectly.

    That''s right........we were saved thanks to the One who defeated Felix-sama.

    ''''What is that young man''s name?''''

    I don''t know I''ll have my people look into it.

    If we ever meet, I''d like to thank you...

    To a very strong man whose name and face I don''t yet know, a very strong man I can''t thank him enough, I will certainly deliver my feelings one day.

 22-Episode 22: After the Village

    After I defeated Felix it looked like I had been asleep for about two days.

    When I woke up and went to the living room of the house, my dad, my mom and Tina were surprised to see me, and then they cried and hugged me.

    I had never seen my dad shed a tear in my previous life, so I still felt bad that they were so worried about me, but I was so happy that I was on the verge of crying too.

    The reason I slept for two days is partly because I was wounded, but most importantly, I was out of magic power.

    When your magic runs out, you pass out, and you won''t wake up from your slumber until you''ve recovered about 80% of your magic power.

    It seems that I sleep for two days when my magic runs out...I still have a lot of growing up to do when it comes to magic.

    Like me, I heard that Tina also fainted when she ran out of magic power but she woke up after only half a day.

    I''m not sure how many times she has more magic power than me, but she recovered faster than me... I taught Tina magic, but what''s the difference?

    And now we''re in the forest.

    We have to clean up from the last fight.

    All I could remember in my head was that I fought Felix, but before that, I had fought hundreds of demons.

    Their corpses are scattered around the village.

    It''s the first time I''ve killed so many demons, so I''m not sure what to do, but for now, everyone in the village seems to be cleaning up the corpses even while I''m sleeping.

    When I got there, there was a pile of dead bodies because they''d already spent two days cleaning up.

    My dad and I had done all the work, and I felt bad that everyone in the village had to do it, but they told me it was okay because he and I had saved their lives.

    I knew I was happy to have saved the village from the bottom of my heart.

    And after discussing what to do with the demons that had piled up we decided to burn all but a few of them to the ground.

    The demons hunted by my father and the hunters could get a good price if we sold the skins and other materials that were stripped from the town.

    They would use that money to buy things they needed for the village.

    There are a lot of demons in this crowd of demons that could be pretty good materials, but.......there''s a bit too many of them.

    After discussing with me, my dad, and the hunters, we decided which demons to leave behind, and excluding those, we decided to burn hundreds of demons to the ground.

    I asked Tina to burn the corpses of the demons.

    I could do it if I just set the corpses on fire, but when you burn the corpses, a crazy stench of death comes out.

    If I leave them unattended, the smell would spread to the village and I''d be in trouble.

    So Tina is the only one who can use fire magic to burn it and wind magic to use magic to prevent that smell from spreading to the village.

    I''d like to work hard and be able to do that much in good time too.......

    That''s what I thought when I saw Tina happily talking to me while burning corpses in front of me and manipulating wind magic to keep the smell of death from spreading to the village.

    And then - a week or so passed after the demon swarm''s attack and the defeat of Felix.

    The village is still going on as usual without any particular incident, despite such a big event.

    Even the wall I built with magic to surround the village in all directions was not torn down and used.

    The number of demons attacking the village''s fields at night in search of food will also be drastically reduced.

    I also train in the morning as usual, and when it''s noon, I''ve recently been plowing the fields as a helper at Tina''s house.

    ''''Hmm...''''

    Good night, Eric. Here''s your water.

    "Thank you, Tina.

    I take a glass of cold water from Tina and drink it down.

    By the way, this is also the water that Tina served with her water magic method.

    Come to think of it, Tina told me the other day that I don''t have to call her ''Tina'' anymore.

    When I asked her why, she said it''s because it makes her happier to be called Tina.

    Well, I called her Tina in my past life, and secretly I called her Tina in my mind too, so I could change it without feeling uncomfortable, but.......

    I didn''t understand the reason, but that''s okay.

    Suddenly the story changes, but I''m very impatient right now.........I''m in trouble.

    In my previous life, the demon attack a week ago and Felix''s fault killed everyone but me.

    It was good that I was able to save it.

    But - having saved the village, I''m wondering what I should do now.

    In my previous life, when my father, mother and Tina died and I was the only survivor, and I was petrified, I was saved by my best friend - I was saved by my best friend.

    As I recall, we met in a city a little farther away, about a month after my village was destroyed.

    I was cowering in a favela in a back alley of the city, and he showed up at a favela of sorts and offered me food.

    He had just arrived in the favela and couldn''t leave me alone when he saw me lying there.

    He couldn''t leave me alone, and when I asked him about it afterwards, he said he was the same age as me.

    When I told him that I came here with nowhere to go and no place to go, he told me about it too.

    He told me that the kingdom he was living in had fallen and he had come here, just like me.

    Since our circumstances were close to each other, we became fast friends.

    His name was - Christo.

    I became best friends with Christo, and we were able to survive by traveling together.

    If I hadn''t met him then, I''d probably be dead.

    I can''t wait to see him in this world too.

    But then I thought.

    The reason he was in the favela.

    It was because Christo''s country was destroyed.

    I met him because my village was destroyed and his country was destroyed.

    And the reason why his country was destroyed.

    I hadn''t heard the name of Christo''s country, but there are probably only a few countries that fell immediately after my village was destroyed.

    For example - the Begonia Kingdom.

    So ... maybe, no, the country that Christo lived in is the Begonia Kingdom.

    And Christo fled for his life and met me there.

    I mean - I''m his best friend and the love of his life. I''ve lost the chance to meet the two people who matter most to me.

    Where I was depressed because I couldn''t see Irene, I couldn''t believe that I wouldn''t be able to see Christo next time either.......

    Maybe if Christo wasn''t living in the Begonia Kingdom, but in a different country and that place was destroyed, I could meet him if I went to the city where me and Christo met in a month or so.

    Well, the best thing is that it''s better if the country he lives in doesn''t get destroyed, so it''s probably better for him to live in the Begonia Kingdom because there''s no reason for it to get destroyed.

    But........I can''t get information from this village.

    I''ve been thinking it''s still better to leave this village and go on a journey.

    In order to obtain information, it might be better to leave this village and go to the city.............................that is, to the Begonia Kingdom or something like that.

    What should we do........

    Right now, the village has finished disposing of the demon corpses, and things are finally settling down.

    I don''t even know how much of a fuss I would make if I said I was leaving the village here.

    Besides ... the biggest regret is Tina.

    Tina''s always been with me.

    I feel like Tina''s like a real family, too.

    And I know that Tina probably feels the same way.

    But what will happen to Tina if I leave....

    I was thinking about this while I was plowing the fields.

    And today...

    A new visitor arrives in this village, and my life is going to change dramatically from my previous life.

 23-Episode 23: A turning point in life

    For about three days now, my dad and all the hunters have been going to the city to sell their demon materials.

    The name of the city is Begonia, the capital of the country where Felix was going to fall.

    That''s right, it''s the capital of the country that Felix was about to fall into.

    I didn''t know it, but I heard that he went to the city there many times to sell materials for demons.

    I probably went to that city to sell materials in my past life as well, so how come I didn''t even know the name of the kingdom of Begonia....

    I''m such an idiot.

    And today, my fathers should be coming back.

    Everyone in the village is expecting them to use the money from the demon''s materials to buy good tools and other useful things for us.

    About a kilometer south of the village, there is a road that leads to the royal capital.

    There they would take their horses from the village and finally ride to the capital, which would take about two hours.

    And when you return, it will take longer than the trip because you''ll be carrying your luggage, but this time you brought a lot of demon materials with you, so it should take very long both the trip and the return trip.

    Normally they would be back in a day or two, but this time they said they''d be back in three days with plenty of time to spare.

    Me, Tina, and everyone else in the village were working the fields and waiting for our fathers to return.

    We were waiting for them to return.

    We''re back!

    Dad''s loud voice echoed through the village from the south.

    ''Eric!¡¡My uncle is back!

    Yeah, I can hear you.

    Tina turns to me with a happy look on her face and tells me.

    If I miss a voice that loud, that''s what''s wrong with my ears.

    Tina runs towards the sound of the voice, but I leave the hoe quietly and walk in that direction.

    A few running villagers pass me from behind.

    When I walked to everyone, people were crowding around the bags that my fathers had brought back with them.

    ''Ooh, here it is!¡¡I''ve been having trouble getting this thing to break lately!

    ''I could have bought this too!¡¡Great!¡¡This will make my job a lot easier!

    Everyone in the village is each very happy to receive what they asked their fathers to give them.

    Since most of the people have happy faces, the demon materials this time must have sold for a very high price, and they must have been able to buy some good tools.

    ''''Hahaha!¡¡Glad to hear you''re happy!

    My dad is also smiling boldly and looking at everyone else''s situation.

    ''''Who are those people behind my dad?''''

    My dad is surrounded by people who are fellow hunters, but behind him.

    Everyone in the village is getting too excited and there are some unfamiliar people who are pulling back a bit.

    ''Yay!¡¡They even got me a new knife!

    Tina is also happy to get what her dad bought her.

    No, I think it''s cute that she''s happy, but notice the people behind her.

    ''Dad, who are those people over there?''

    Everyone in the multi-divisional village won''t notice anyone else if we go on like this, so I ask my dad that question.

    ''Oh, I forgot,''

    My dad turns back and bows his head lightly, as if he realized with a huff at my question.

    ''''Eric, these people seem to have business with you.

    What, for me?

    I looked again at the people behind me when my father told me this.

    There were about three of them, and two of them were wearing armor and even a helmet.

    But perhaps because of the way to get here, the armor is a bit light.

    The two men were puzzled by the appearance of everyone in the village.

    The other one, who doesn''t wear any armor, looks very light, and his clothes are a bit more expensive than the other two.

    His blond, silky hair is tied back lightly.

    His face is well-groomed, but his expressionlessness gives him a slightly scary look.

    And most of all - the atmosphere is different from the other two.

    I''ve seen that atmosphere many times in my previous life - it''s something that only a strong man can produce.

    ''''Are you the Eric-dono that Dian-dono was talking about?''''

    The blonde asked me that in polite language.

    ''''Yes, but ... what about you guys?''''

    I answer the question and ask more.

    ''I''m sorry I''m late. My name is Jeremias Astara. Please feel free to call me Yele. The two men behind you are my men.

    The two men in armor salute to me.

    I bail lightly, a little confused.

    ''''Huh ... so, what do you want from me, Yele-san?''''

    The person who introduced himself as Yelle said, still expressionless and serious.

    ''''I just wanted to confirm a few things and I also wanted to talk to you about something.

    ''Well I can''t talk to you here in peace, so do you want to come to my house?''

    ''That would be very much appreciated. I''ll take your word for it.

    I head home with Mr. Yelle and two of his men.

    Tina is still excited to see what my dads brought back, so I decide to leave it there.

    I get to my house and open the front door.

    ''I''m home,''

    Welcome back, Eric. Oh, who are those people?

    My mother is at home, and she asks me about Jere and the others who followed me.

    ''It seems they have something to do with me, people from King''s Landing.

    Oh, really?

    Sorry to bother you. My name is Jeremias Astara.

    Oh, well, that''s very kind of you. My name is Serena, Eric''s mother.

    You are Lady Eric''s mother, aren''t you? You are so young, I thought you were my sister.

    "Uh-huh, that''s pretty good.

    My subordinates are let into the house, and me and Yele-san are sitting across from each other in the living room.

    My subordinates are standing behind Yele-san.

    ''''Excuse me, I''m sorry, it''s rough tea.''''

    No, thank you.

    My mother served tea for Mr. Yelle, two of my men, and for me.

    I think both of them were fawning over my mom when she handed it to the person standing behind me.

    Well, Mom looks young enough that the social call Yele-san said earlier is seriously passable, and I think she''s so beautiful that she''s too beautiful to be my dad.......

    ''''Eric-dono, may I get right to the point?

    Yes, please.

    Yele, who still looks dignified when he speaks face to face, breaks off the conversation.

    ''''First of all, the reason why we came here is because we saw Eric-dono''s father-dono selling demonic materials in a certain shop in the Begonia Kingdom.

    You know the place that sells the material...?

    ''''Yes, our knights confirmed the movement of an unnatural demon in this forest about a week ago. And since we knew that Lord Dian was from this village, we spoke with him.

    However, I just heard some words that I can''t get rid of.......

    ''''Um, excuse me for interrupting the conversation, but.......what is the Order?''''

    ''Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t tell you. I am the Commander of the Royal Order of the Begonia, the Royal Order of the Begonia.

    He was even more amazing than I imagined.

    What? You mean he was the greatest person in the kingdom''s knightly order, right?

    I had sensed from the atmosphere that he was strong, but.......when you''re the leader of a knight group, of course you''re strong.

    ''''We couldn''t understand the intentions of the movement of the forest demons in the knight''s group, so we talked to Lord Dian, who lives in this village,''''

    Well, I heard that my father has gone to the royal capital many times to sell demon materials, so I guess it''s not surprising to know that he lives in this village.

    ''''From what I''ve heard, a swarm of demons attacked this village... let me apologize for not even knowing that such a thing was happening, even though it was within our land.

    Mr. Yelle sits in his chair and lowers his head so low that his head seems to be on the table.

    Two of his subordinates behind him are also apologizing profusely with their backs bent from the waist.

    ''''Oh, no, it''s okay. No one is dead.''''

    My words might come across as "If someone had died, I would have held a grudge," but well, that''s true, so I don''t correct him.

    I don''t know if he received the meaning behind my words, but Yele raises his head.

    ''I am truly sorry. I would like to ask Lord Eric to speak with you so that this does not happen again.''''

    Yelle-san had no expression on her face, but she looked a little frustrated.

    Seeing that face, I really felt that this person was feeling pity for his helplessness.

    Me too - I was beaten down many times in my previous life, so I can somehow understand that Yele-san is blaming herself.

    ''I understand. But what can I tell you?

    ''Thank you. Now, do you have any idea of the demon''s unnatural movements?

    Mr. Yelle immediately asked a question that captures the heart of the story.

    ''''Well I have an idea. Or rather, I know the reason for this demon''s outburst (stun peat).

    Maybe this guy has talked to my dad, but he doesn''t know about it.

    I''m the only one who knows that Felix has caused this ruckus.

    ''''How...!¡¡What is the reason?

    He asks me if I didn''t think I knew why, and he looks surprised.

    I tell him that after a man attacked and destroyed this village, he wanted to use it as a base to corrupt the begonia kingdom.

    ''So that''s what happened........!

    Hearing my story, Yele-san is surprised with his eyes wide open.

    It''s natural to be surprised when you suddenly hear that the country you serve was about to be attacked.

    You can see that the people behind you are also confused.

    ''''A certain man,'''' Lord Dian told me, ''''is that the man that Eric-dono defeated?''''

    Yes, I do.

    Who is this man?

    A man of the demon race named Felix Gladio. He claimed to be the next king of the Kingdom of Harzion.

    I tell him, remembering what that guy said.

    Then, Yele-san makes a surprised face, to the point that he breaks the expressionless expression he has maintained until now.

    ''''Felix Gladio........!¡¡Is that name true!

    ''Well, ah, yes. Yes, but....

    I respond to Yele''s desperation, though I''m a little confused.

    Hearing my response, Yele-san calms down a bit and thinks about it.

    ''''........I would like to check on that person, is it okay?''''

    I''ve got the body, so if you don''t mind...

    I dealt with the demon''s corpse, but I hadn''t dealt with that guy''s corpse yet.

    It was a human corpse, so it was difficult to handle it.

    ''''Thank you, I''ll check it out later.''''

    Yes.....

    Once the conversation broke off, me and Mr. Yelle drank to tea and cleared our throats.

    ''As a matter of fact, I have a favor to ask of Lord Eric,''

    ...What...?

    Yelle-san starts off that way again with an air of seriousness.

    I nervously listen to what he has to say.

    "We would like you to join the Knights of the Begonia Kingdom...

 24-Episode 24 Mans Danger

    We are inviting you to join the Royal Order of Begonias, my lord.

    Yele-san sitting in front of me didn''t have an atmosphere of joking around at all and said that with a serious face.

    ''''Huh...?¡¡You''re in the Order?¡¡Me?

    Yes, what do you think?

    No, I''m not sure........

    All I can say is that I''m super troubled to be told so suddenly........

    ''Why am I, in the Order...?

    ''''Our Order is always looking for the best people. Of course, there are educational institutions that train knights, and we usually train the best people there, but this is how I and my deputy commander personally scout for them.

    Mr. Yelle explains that to me, but I''m still in trouble.

    ''I don''t think I can give you an answer right away. Please talk it over with your family and make a decision.

    With those last words, Yele-san got up and left the house with his men.

    I told him where in the forest where Felix''s body was hidden, and then I walked out the front door and saw Yele-san and his men off to the outside.

    Even after I saw them off, I was still thinking about what Yele-san had told me to do outside.

    What should I do........

    In a previous life, this village was destroyed, I lost my family and Tina, and I met my best friend in a city.

    But in this life, I was able to avoid that past - or future - by saving my village.

    Just when I wasn''t sure what to do from here, the leader of the Knights of the Begonia Kingdom, where my best friend probably resides, sent me that invitation.

    .........Maybe my mind was already made up when Yele-san proposed it to me.

    I go into the house and go to the living room.

    In the living room, I was putting away the tea that I served to Yele-san and the others.

    ''....Mother.

    What''s wrong with you, Eric?

    Mom would have heard what I said earlier.

    So when I spoke to her, she was already serious.

    ''When my dad gets back, we need to talk.

    --Jeremias, over.

    I have now come to the forest to check the body of the man who is said to have attacked this village.

    As I recall, the place Eric-dono mentioned should be in this area........

    ''''Commander!¡¡I think it''s here!

    As I was searching the area, one of my men looked like he had found me and called me over.

    When I went to where I was called, the ground was slightly raised.

    Perhaps Lord Eric had buried the man''s body here.

    I instruct my two men to dig here.

    As soon as we start digging, we see the corpse.

    The corpse has a separate upper and lower body, and I can imagine that it was cut with a very sharp blade.

    Then he digs up his upper body and looks at the man''s face.

    ''''Ha!¡¡I knew this man was.....

    When I heard the name from Eric-dono, I didn''t think it was possible, but it was this man after all.

    ''''Commander, who is this man?¡¡The Commander seemed to know about it, but...

    The subordinate who dug up this man asks me that question.

    Yes, my men do not know. The degree of danger of this man.

    ''''I, His Majesty, the head of the Order of Magical Knights and other higher-ups knew, but this man was the next king of the Kingdom of Harzion.

    From that demon country?

    The Kingdom of Harzion, the current king, Seredonia Harzion, was very friendly and interacted with many countries.

    It was a king and country that was very rare in the land of the demon race and was famous as a king who did not use force despite being very powerful.

    But that all changed with the arrival of this man.

    This man had very belligerent ideas, and a peaceful country could quickly turn into a country that would use force with a change of king.

    Even if the people living there are unhappy with the king''s pacifism, the demon nation has a rule that in such cases, they have to fight the king and win.

    The King of Ceredonian Harzion has fought many times and won it many times.

    The King of Ceredonia was a pacifist, but he was also a very strong man.

    So for a long time, he had been the king of the Demon Nation.......but finally, he had lost.

    This man - Felix Gladio was about to become the next king, and was about to change into a belligerent country.

    ''This man was so strong, so strong that he could overwhelm the hitherto unbeaten King of Ceredonia. The Kingdom of Begonia had always regarded him as a danger to himself and his actions, but we had no idea that the danger was so close at hand.

    According to what Eric-dono told me just now, after Felix destroyed this village, he was trying to corrupt the Begonia Kingdom.

    If Eric-dono hadn''t defeated this man and this village had been destroyed, and he had come to attack the Begonia Kingdom, the Begonia Kingdom would have been stained with a sea of blood and the country would have been corrupted for sure.

    Since we had no information here, we were unprepared, and if we were attacked in such a state, there wouldn''t be an ounce of hope.

    ''''If Eric-dono hadn''t defeated Felix here, our Begonia Kingdom would have been easily corrupted.

    It can''t be...!

    ''It''s an untrue fact. We never knew about this dangerous situation, we were just saved.

    ''''........Commander, who is that young man too?¡¡I think it''s too strong to just say I trained in the village.

    You may indeed be right.

    This man, Felix, was undefeated, the one who defeated King Seredonia.

    There aren''t that many people who can defeat such a strong man.

    Even I, the leader of the knights, don''t know if I can fight this man and win.

    I am also very surprised that that man - that Eric-dono defeated him.

    ''''I don''t know... but what I am sure of is that Eric-dono is on our side.

    No matter how strong you are, it can be reassuring if you are an ally.

    I am truly glad to be an ally if you are able to defeat Felix.

    That''s why I would like Eric-dono to join the Order.

    What do you think about that part?

    And you have to train there for at least two years before you can join the Order.

    And since it''s a minimum of two years, there are many people who have to spend years or decades to get in.

    The ones that pass that minimum two years are really strong and limited.

    For example, one girl who joined the Knights this year.

    That girl became a Knight''s Apprentice at the age of sixteen, and she''s a talented person who joined the Order in just two years, the minimum number of years.

    Well, she has a bit of a personality problem........

    ''''With Eric-dono''s ability, you should be able to join the Order immediately. If you have my strong recommendation as the head of the Order, the king and the deputy head of the order will be convinced.

    "...but, well...

    My men seem to be arguing, but I understand what you are trying to say.

    Even if you joined the Order on my recommendation, Eric-dono would be unacceptable to those who finally joined the Order after years of training.

    However, Eric-dono has enough power to defeat Felix.

    That means he is working as hard or harder than we are.

    ''''It''s all right, Mister Eric.

    Well, I guess...

    ''Yes. What we need to do now is to find out how to get this man''s body back to King''s Landing.

    If we bring the corpse back, they will definitely believe that Felix is dead.

    Eric-dono also seemed to be having trouble disposing of the corpse, so it won''t be a hindrance if we bring it back with us.

    All we have to do now is to convince Eric-dono to join the Order.

 25-Episode 25 Family Meeting

    Me and my mom sat at the living room table waiting for my dad to return.

    The atmosphere in the living room is a little heavy.

    We''re talking about something that has a lot to do with my future life, so me and my mom are both seriously considering it and shutting up.

    Then I hear a noise from the doorway and my dad comes back.

    ''Haha!¡¡Oh no, the joys of the village!¡¡All the hard work you''ve done to bring it back has paid off!

    My dad had returned from the royal capital and was distributing supplies to the people in the village, so he was feeling good.

    ''Hmm?¡¡What''s in the air?¡¡Ah, yes, Serena!¡¡That back acupuncture tool you said you wanted!¡¡I even got one of those unfamiliar shaped massage things!

    My dad is in a good mood and pulls out the massage tools that my mom told him to buy, but she smiles a little but still has a serious air about her.

    ''''Well thank you, dear. I''ll have to use it later.

    ''Oh, ah ... what''s going on?¡¡What''s going on?

    As expected, my dad notices that our atmosphere is completely different from the usual, so he puts down his massage kit and takes his usual seat at the table.

    My dad is sitting right in front of me and my mom is sitting next to him.

    ''Dad I need to talk to you about something important.

    Well what?

    My dad gets into a serious listening stance when he hears my words.

    ''I was just talking to the people my dad brought in earlier.

    Oh, it''s those knights.

    ''Yes. I was asked about the monster attack. And then I was recruited by the Order.

    "...recruit to the Order?

    My dad repeats my words and surprises me with something a bit out of the ordinary.

    ''The guy I defeated, Felix, seemed to be pretty strong, and he recognized my strength and asked me to join the Order.

    Well that''s great, isn''t it?

    So I''m going to take this offer and go to King''s Landing.

    I tell him my intentions, and my dad crosses his arms and thinks about it.

    Mom is also standing next to me, silently waiting for my dad to say something.

    ''So you''re leaving our family........''

    I don''t think it will ever be a goodbye to this life. I''m sure I could come back here if I could get a decent vacation.

    But even so, it''s hard for me to leave my parents, who have lived with me and raised me for 16 years, and I''m sure my dad and mom have their own thoughts on the matter.

    ''''........If my mother and I oppose it, you won''t go?

    My dad glares at me and tells me so.

    My dad is probably testing my resolve.

    ''''Well no, it''s already my decision. Even if my father and mother oppose me, I''ll still go to the royal capital even if I have to push through.

    I tell him as I glare at my dad in response.

    ''Well I''ll have to do it. I would have beaten you up if you said you wouldn''t go because of my objections. I don''t remember raising you to be such a softy, you know.

    Dad said with a little laugh.

    ''That''s my son. You''re already a great man. Go to King''s Landing with confidence and come back here with your head held high.

    Dad...¡¡Oh, thank you.

    I was very emotional about the fact that my dad recognized me.

    In a previous life, he had died to protect us.

    That determination and courage is something I haven''t forgotten, even now that I''m dead and reborn.

    In this life, he was badly wounded in the demon attack and the battle with Felix, and although Tina helped him heal quickly, he would still have been damaged to the point where he could no longer move.

    But apparently my dad was only worried about me and Tina, and he still came back to the battlefield even after whipping his body to death.

    My father was truly the Han Chinese.

    He was the same in his previous life and in this life, too.

    I was very happy to be recognized by that Han.

    ''''Do you have anything to say, Mom?''''

    My dad was talking to my mom as I was being moved inside.

    I hear his words too and look at my mom.

    ''Well the truth is I''m going to miss Eric-chan, but it''s his decision to go, not the other way around, so I can''t say anything.

    Mom smiled a little sadly and forlornly and said that.

    My heart aches when I see her face.

    ''Just don''t die, Eric, please don''t die.

    ''¡¡Oh ... of course.

    You can come home any time you want and I''m looking forward to being able to say welcome home to you, Eric.

    Okay.

    I reply, trying to hold back and keep the tears from spilling over at my mom''s kindness.

    I don''t know if I''m in tears or not.

    Maybe I am, maybe I am.

    Mom heard my reply and gave me her usual gentle smile.

    -- really, I thought from the bottom of my heart that I had saved the village.................and that I was glad that I hadn''t let my dad and mom die.

 26-Episode 26: Scene in the forest

    The discussion was over for now, so Mom left her seat to fetch a cup of tea.

    My dad and I are left alone at the living room table.

    ''''Hey Eric. I''ve got a question for you.

    Dad started the conversation with an air of seriousness.

    ''What do you want to ask...?''

    ''Yeah, well I don''t know where to start.

    My father asks me one question after a little trouble.

    ''''--Did you know about this demon''s attack?

    That question from my dad - I thought for a moment that I had stopped breathing.

    How to answer it, what to say I have no idea........

    My dad is looking me straight in the eye, waiting for an answer to his question.

    ''....I know, I know.

    I answered that, honestly.

    Even if I lied and said I didn''t know, then I''d be asking how I could have prepared the wall surrounding that village before the attack.

    I prepared that wall a week ago.

    I may be able to lie and say that I wouldn''t have known about it if it wasn''t for that wall, but that wall was absolutely necessary.

    I built that wall knowing that I couldn''t get away with it when these questions came up.

    I was prepared for it but I really don''t know what to answer after this.

    ''''Well........''''

    My dad meditated as he uttered that as if he was leaking.

    ''That''s all I needed to hear. The rest is fine.''

    ''Eh....''

    I let out a questioning voice at those words.

    Why...?¡¡Don''t you have a lot to ask?

    Hmm?¡¡What, is it so funny not to ask?

    My dad said with a light chuckle, as if he could hear my heart.

    ''No, well ...''

    ''Sure, I''m curious how you knew or something but it''s not something you want to hear, is it?¡¡It''s written on my face.

    My face is that easy to see...?

    I didn''t expect them to notice that.

    If it weren''t for you, the village would have been devastated. That''s why I don''t question you. What would Serena say if I did that to you who saved the village...?

    Dad shudders a little as if he has imagined it.

    ''Dad you can''t beat your mother after all, can you?

    ''But if you knew, I wish you would have told me, Serena, or at least Tina. The guys in the village might not believe you when you tell them the village is going to be attacked all of a sudden, but we''d believe you if we knew you meant it.

    My dad was a little preachy, but very gently told me so.

    Well I didn''t tell him because I thought he would never believe me, but I guess I should have told my dads.

    When I think about it, I feel like Tina and the others would believe such an outlandish thing about the village being attacked if I really told them.

    ''''........Thanks, Dad.''''

    Oh, I''m your father.

    As he said that, my dad got up and walked around the table to come towards me, stroking my head forcefully as I sat down before walking out.

    ........I felt very nostalgic after being stroked by my dad for the first time in a long time.

    At the same time, the size of my father''s hand and the warmth of his body that I felt from my head gave me a sense of security.

    I realized once again how dependable my dad was.

    ''''I''ve made tea~. Oh, who''s that guy?

    Oh...

    Mom came back with a cup of tea but my dad just left.

    Dad you forgot to bring mom a cup of tea.

    I guess he was trying to dress up and leave but he didn''t dress up at the last minute, dad.

    I sat down at the table with him and drank the tea my mom had prepared for me while thinking about that.

    ''Eric-chan you''re going to King''s Landing to join the Order, right?

    I take a cup of tea and pause for a moment, then Mom speaks to me.

    ''Yes,''

    What about little Tina?

    I choke up as another question comes in that I have trouble answering.

    ''Aren''t you and Tina and Eric great friends?¡¡If Eric-chan were to suddenly go to King''s Landing, Tina-chan would be very sad...

    Mom also looked a little uncomfortable talking, and she looked sad at the thought of Tina.

    ''....Yeah. I''m sad to leave Tina, but.......I''ve made my decision.

    ''''Well then, I won''t say anything. You''ll have a proper talk with Tina and you won''t regret it.

    Okay, thanks, Mom.

    I thank my mom for telling me she was worried about me and Tina, and I stand up.

    I told her I was on my way out, and she gave me a sweet smile as she saw me off.

    As I left the house, I looked for Tina.

    The house next door is Tina''s house, but from what her mom told me, she hasn''t come home yet.

    I looked around the village with Tina at her usual training area and fields, but I couldn''t see her.

    Where is she...?

    I asked the people in the village if they had seen Tina, and they said no one had seen her.

    The last time I saw her was when my fathers came back from King''s Landing and handed out tools and other items and everyone was happy to receive them.

    I went home with Jere and the others shortly after that and we talked........where did Tina go?

    The only other place I haven''t looked for is ... maybe a forest?

    If it was a forest, we have to go and find it quickly.

    The demons in the forest are fewer and fewer because of the demon raids and the killing of so many demons.

    But it''s been about a week now, so I''m starting to see the demons a little bit more.

    With Tina''s magic ability, if I don''t let my guard down or something, I won''t die by any chance, but I''m still worried.

    I ran to the forest and went to look at the forest as it revolved around the village.

    Where.........?

    It would be nice if he wasn''t in the forest, but if he wasn''t in the village, there was nowhere else he could expect to find Tina other than the forest.

    After running and searching for a while, I saw a figure from the back of the house.

    This area is probably where I buried Felix, so Yele-san and his men are probably here.

    Yeah, let''s ask them if they''ve seen Tina. Maybe they''ve seen Tina.

    Thinking that, I run towards the shadows.

    When I was about to call out to Yele-san and the others after finding them through the trees--.

    ''''--Ha?''''

    I encountered a sight I couldn''t believe my eyes.

    Yele-san is drawing his sword, and for some reason his subordinates are falling down around him.

    And - underneath the ground where Mr. Yelle is standing is Tina lying on the ground.

    To that Tina - the scene was that Mr. Yelle was trying to swing his sword down.

 27-Episode 27

    --Tina''s side--

    Today is the day that Eric''s father, Dian and the others are coming back from the capital.

    They came back a while ago and brought back tools and other things that everyone in the village had been waiting for.

    I also asked Dian-san to get me the knives I asked him to get.

    My old knife was useless because the blade broke off when I tried to cut something a little hard.

    But now I can finally cook with the knife I got this time.

    Now I can cook for Eric...!

    I can''t wait to get Eric to eat!

    I wanted to make a quick dinner at Eric''s house and looked around to talk to Eric.

    ''Huh ... no?''

    He was supposed to be behind me earlier, but I couldn''t see Eric.

    ''Miss Diane, where''s Eric?''

    I talk to Diane, who is still handing out the things I bought to everyone in the village.

    ''Hmm?¡¡Oh, it seems Eric would have a talk with the guy I brought with me. I''m back home.

    The man who brought you here?

    Yeah, he''s from the Royal Guard. They want to talk to you about the last demon attack.

    The Knights of the Order...?

    I''m not sure, but Dian-san was also interviewed by the knights, and when I told her about Eric at that time, she followed me to this village.

    ''''Is that so........''''

    They''re talking at Eric''s house right now, so I''ll be there.

    I might interrupt him, so I''ll have to look out the window for a minute to see what''s going on inside before I decide whether to go in.

    I don''t want to be interrupted when we''re talking about something important.

    Yes, I''m not asking because I''m worried about it, I''m just saying that you shouldn''t interrupt me.

    With that in mind, I leave the place where everyone in the village is still getting excited about receiving things from Dian and the others and head to Eric''s house.

    When I get to Eric''s house, I don''t go inside, I go to the backyard.

    When you get there, there''s a window in the living room so you can see what''s going on inside.

    As I creep along to avoid making footsteps, I hear voices coming from inside the living room.

    Sometimes I can hear Eric''s voice, but I''ve never heard the person Eric is talking to.

    Maybe the person he''s talking to is from the Order.

    I walk up to the window and take a peek inside to make sure they don''t know what''s going on.

    Eric is sitting at a table in the living room, with a man sitting across from him and two men standing by his side.

    The man sitting there - his face is expressionless and a kind of scary image.

    And - I can hear that person''s voice.

    ''''I would like you to join our Begonia Kingdom Knights--I would like you to join our Begonia Kingdom Knights.

    ....What?

    Suddenly I hear those words and I get upset.

    Join the group and want...?¡¡You mean for Eric?

    Eric seemed surprised by the words, and he was asking that person..........Yele-san.

    Yele-san said that he was looking for excellent people........

    Yeah, I don''t know much about knights, but I guess it''s like a profession that protects the kingdom.......

    And so I can see why they are looking for excellent people.

    I know most of all that asking Eric out means that Eric is strong and excellent.

    I''ve been with him for years, and I know more than anyone else how great Eric is.

    So I''m glad Eric is being recognized as much as I am, but....

    As I think about it, it seems the conversation is over and Yelle and the two people behind her are going somewhere.

    Eric goes outside to see them off as well.

    I go around to the front door, hiding in the backyard, too, so as not to get caught.

    Eric sees Yelle and the others off at the front door I''m outside for a while, thinking.

    Then when he turns around to go inside the house he catches a glimpse of Eric''s face.

    That face - it was a face that had made up its mind to do something.

    I was with him all the time and I could tell.

    Eric will - I guess Eric will join the Order.

    No matter what I...................no matter what Diane and Serena-san say, Eric will join the Order.

    I see.........Eric is going to join the Knights.......

    If he joins the knightly order, Eric will probably go to the royal capital........

    And then.........we won''t see each other much.......

    ''''.........eh?''''

    As I thought about it that much, I noticed something running down my cheek.

    I put my hand to my cheek it was a tear.

    I had been crying without realizing it.

    The moment I realized that - the only thing that flooded my heart was sadness.

    ''Oh no.........!¡¡I don''t want to leave Eric...!

    As I say that, tears start to flow at once.

    Eric.........!

    We were always together. Ever since I was a kid.

    There were times when I consciously tried to be next to him, and other times he was next to me without my conscious awareness.

    Just the other day, I thought Eric was dying and the tears had been shed to the point of exhaustion....

    Why are the tears flowing again, so much more?

    ........probably because I already know that Eric is definitely going to the royal capital.

    Then I walked into the woods so that no one could see me crying.

 28-Episode 28 Chance

    --Tina''s side--

    How long I walked....

    I walked to the forest to be alone.

    I was scared when Eric and I came here when I was little, but I''ve been here so many times now that I don''t have those feelings anymore.

    Am I....stronger...than I was then?

    Maybe if you ask Eric that question, he will absolutely affirm it.

    But the only reason I am strong is because of Eric.

    I decided to practice my magic for Eric.

    Ever since I was a child Eric has been practicing swords and magic for a purpose that I''m sure he has a purpose in mind.

    I was the only person Eric had to play with, and we practiced magic together in a playful way.

    Practicing magic was actually fun, Eric taught me, and then I taught him... it was fun and I was able to do it all the time without any trouble.

    But Eric....he wielded his sword the whole time with a pained expression on his face, and he did his magic all the time until he passed out.

    I don''t remember when.

    Why are you working so hard?

    I remember asking him.

    Then Eric looked a little annoyed and tried to answer.

    ''Well I guess if I don''t do it, it''s because I''ll regret it?

    Regret...?

    Well I can''t tell you yet - I don''t want to lose it.

    Eric said and patted my head.

    At that time, I wanted Eric to treat me like a sister, so I stroked my head right back.

    But now - I''m not happy about being treated like a sister anymore.

    The last time I fought that man, Eric asked me to do it for him.

    For the first time in a long time, he called me "Tina".

    It was more heartfelt to call me "Tina sister" than to be called formally "Tina sister".

    I - I want to be the one to protect Eric.

    Eric relies on me ... and I rely on him.

    I''m not in front of him, and I''m not behind him.

    --I want to stand next to Eric, I do.

    So, I decided that this time I was going to learn magic for real.

    In order to stand next to Eric, I would have to get better at magic.

    So I tried to get Eric to teach me magic better from now on, but that''s not going to happen.

    It''s not going to happen anymore.

    When I think of that, I start to cry again and wipe it away with my hand.

    And while I was wiping........I heard something deep in the forest.

    I thought it was a demon and immediately tried to get into a fighting stance, but my eyes are filled with tears, so my surroundings appear hazy.

    It''s not the roar of a demon or anything like that, it''s probably a human voice.

    I didn''t think there were people here, but I was curious about who was doing what, so I move closer to the direction of the voice without making a sound of footsteps.

    After a short walk, I can see people through the trees.

    Two ... well, three people are in the forest, digging in the ground there.

    When I checked the three people, they were the people I was recruiting at Eric''s house earlier.

    Probably the people from the Royal Capital Order.

    After looking at it for a while, the ground seems to have been dug up, and what came out was........is that a person?

    I looked closely at the person who came out of the ground and saw that it was the person Eric had killed a week ago.

    At some point, someone - maybe it was Eric - had buried that person in the ground.

    Why would they dig up that person?

    Moreover, Yele-san, who was talking to Eric earlier, said that if Eric hadn''t killed him here, the Begonia Kingdom would have been corrupted.

    I didn''t think that man was such a dangerous person.

    With a man like that Eric was fighting alone.

    If it weren''t for me, Eric would probably be dead.

    When I think about it, I get a little scared, but when I think about it, I''m glad I was able to be of service because I was there.

    But.........that wasn''t what bothered me the most about the story Yele-san was telling me.

    ''''I, His Majesty, the head of the Order of Magical Knights and other higher-ups knew about it, but.......this man was the next king of the Kingdom of Harzion.''''

    When I heard those words I knew I still had a chance.

    A chance to be with Eric, a chance to stand next to him all the time.

    I made up my mind a few moments later and appeared in front of those people with my footsteps.

    The moment I heard my footsteps, two people other than Mr. Yelle looked at me with their hands on the sword they were carrying at their waists.

    Seeing those two turn their hostility towards me doesn''t scare me at all.

    I had been with Eric for a long time, and I felt that those two were no stronger than me.

    On the contrary, I feel more threatened by Yele-san, who shows no hostility..............and doesn''t show any upset when I come out of the room making noise.

    His expression didn''t change but he seemed to be asking me with his eyes if I wanted something from him.

    I''m not that used to people, I''ve always been shy since I was a kid.

    Normally I wouldn''t be able to say anything if someone this scary stared at me - but I can do anything to be with Eric.

    ''''--What do I have to do to get into the Order of Magic?

 29-Episode 29: Exam

    --Jeremias, over.

    What do I have to do to get into the Order of Magic?

    The girl appeared in front of us and said that first.

    ''A girl...?''

    One of my subordinates looks at the girl and mutters that.

    Yes, if you look at her, she''s a pretty girl in appearance.

    But - that hint of killing is not just a girl.

    By the time we were digging up Felix''s corpse, we had already reached the point where we could see our appearance.

    This isn''t a battlefield, so I was a bit careless too.......but even I don''t know exactly when that girl was here.

    But what she said....................Magic Knights, right?

    I am Jeremias Astara. What is your name?

    I can''t talk to her without asking her name first.

    She''s a little amused by my response and introduces herself to me in a confused manner.

    ''Um........Tina, sir.

    Tina, is that you? That''s a lovely name.

    She does not relax at all when I say that.

    A colleague once told me that my compliments are not emotional.

    I really mean it........why is that?

    As I recall, they said it was because the expression on my face didn''t change but I''m not sure.

    Oops.....................I thought about something a little different.

    ''''Tina-san, do you want to join the Order of Magic?''''

    Yes!

    When I ask again, Tina responds immediately and forcefully.

    It''s a good reply.

    However--''''

    ''''Why do you want to join the Order?''''

    Because I want to stand next to Eric!

    I said without hesitation.

    Her determination I was surprised.

    I don''t think she just likes Eric-dono.

    I have only seen her words, her attitude, but I can see her determination to protect Eric-dono.

    ''''........Tina-san, how old are you?''''

    I''m 18 years old this year.

    Hmm, with Tina-san''s age, she''ll be able to become an apprentice of the Order of Magic............

    But..........

    ''''Tina-san, a person of your age can become an apprentice of the Order of Magic. You''ll have to train there for at least two years before you can join the Order of Magic.

    ...Eric is an apprentice to the Order?

    ''''No, Master Eric is recommended by me, the Commander, to join the Order immediately with no training period as a special exception.

    Even though Eric-dono is not here right now, and I haven''t received a response, our conversations have spoken as if we''ve already decided to enter.......

    It seems that Tina and I have the same view of how he will respond, I guess.

    ''That won''t work then, it''s too late. I want to stand next to Eric, so I want to join the Order of Magic Knights right away.

    She heard my words and immediately said so.

    ''''Hey, you........don''t get carried away just because you''re a woman.

    My man interrupts the conversation the way Tina-san says it and says so.

    ''''That''s right. You can''t even become an apprentice of the magic knight if you can''t use magic. It''s not going to be that easy for you to become one.

    The other one continued to say so as well.

    But........they''re not quite there yet either.

    She can kill the signs so well that you guys don''t even notice and yet she doesn''t choose the Order, right?

    Her skill at killing signs is better than yours, and there are few people in the Order who can beat her.

    And yet, if you choose the Magical Order - you''re more confident in magic than that.

    But.........yes, things are a test.

    ''''Let''s do a test.''''

    The three of them are stunned when I suddenly say that, but I don''t care and continue.

    ''''If we can beat them, I''ll recommend you to the head of the Magical Order from my side. I don''t know if I''ll ever get in, but I think I can help you a little.

    Really?

    Tina''s words were quickly bitten by my words.

    ''''Commander!''''

    ''What do you have in mind, sir!

    My men have bitten off more than they can chew, but that bite would mean the exact opposite.

    ''''I think I''d join the Magical Order if I could beat them. Tina-san, do you want to do it?

    I''ll do it!

    Tina-san says that with a twinkle in her eye.

    She is still a pretty girl when you look at her like this............but what about her abilities?

    ''''You guys do it too. Commander''s orders.''''

    Yes sir.

    When one of them said that, the other one reluctantly agreed.

    Well, from their point of view, you have no idea what I''m thinking.

    Tina-san and her subordinates are poised at a slight distance, and I stand in the middle of them.

    However, seeing that only one of my subordinates is holding a stance, Tina-san is tilting her head.

    ''''Um.......aren''t you two going to fight together?''''

    His subordinates were a little startled by his words, but they quickly turned angry.

    ''''You two, fight on your own.

    Yeah, Commander!

    I say the same thing to Tina.

    The two of them looked at me in astonishment, but when I glared at them as if to tell them to hurry up, the other one got ready for battle as well.

    Now.........what will happen?

    ''''We don''t want you to get hurt too badly.

    When I said that, my subordinates nodded widely.

    As expected, since the other party is a girl, they knew that without being told......it was probably a nod to mean that they knew that even without being told.

    But.........the person I said that to is not you guys.

    ''''Then........when this coin drops, you can start.

    I pulled out a coin of money from my pocket and flicked it with my fingers.

    The coin danced neatly through the air -- and fell to the ground.

    -- and a moment later, my eyes turned white.

 30-Episode 30: Always on the battlefield

    --Tina''s side--

    The moment the coin dropped, I released my stored magic power.

    This game is in my favor.

    This is because the time to store magic power is set before the start of the game.

    I release the magic power I''ve stored and chant the magic name.

    ''''Sunlight (Sunlight)!''''

    At the same time I chant that with my palms facing forward, I meditate.

    ''''Nah--guh!

    My eyes, my eyes!

    Two of my opponents are suddenly blinded by the light, and their eyes are held down with their hands, unable to see their surroundings at all.

    This magic is so powerful that if I really did it, I would probably go blind, but this time I''m holding it down to the point where I''m blinded for a few dozen seconds.

    I think it''s a bit of a cunning move but I can''t choose any means to stay with Eric if I want to win.

    With the two of them in front of me, who have been hit in the eye and can''t see, I cast my next spell.

    ''''Light Restraint (Light Lock)!''''

    He chanted with his palms facing forward again, and this time several rings of light came out and flew towards them.

    Then it hit them, and their arms were restrained by the rings of light so that they were attached to their torso, and their legs were also restrained at their ankles.

    ''Nuh-uh!''

    Ah!

    The two of them were suddenly unable to move their hands and feet in the invisible situation and immediately fell down, losing their stance.

    The magic I used was light magic.

    This way of fighting was something I practiced in the week after the demon attack, thinking that I could do this kind of battle after thinking about how to become stronger.

    I thought that if I got stronger, Eric would rely on me, so I worked hard to figure it out.

    I''m very happy that I was able to do that well like this...!

    Yes....!

    At the same time as I muttered that, Yelle, who had been watching silently until now, started to speak.

    ''''It''s over. Splendidly, Tina-san has won.

    He clapped his hands lightly and said so - but the next moment I was facing hostility.

    ''''Eh...!

    I was a little late to react because it was so sudden, but I could see that Yele-san in front of me was going to attack me.

    --Hurry up and use your magic........!

    That''s what I thought, and I tried to store up my magic power--''

    ''''It''s too late,''''

    -- I was knocked to the ground, lightly shuffled off my feet.

    The view I was looking at suddenly changed, and it was only when I felt my back that I realized I had been knocked down.

    After realizing this, I realized that Yelle had paid for my leg with a light leg kick.

    It was too sudden and he hadn''t taken anything passive or anything, but the fact that it didn''t hurt at all was probably because he took it easy.

    ''''Well I''m sorry for being so abrupt. However, the fight just now was in your favor. By nature, a wizard would never be able to prepare and fight like that.

    Yes, I know.

    Well I wouldn''t have been able to do anything about it if Eric hadn''t held that man back when I fought with Eric.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about the fact that you''re not the only one. It''s a good idea to be able to use magic at any time. I remember it well because it has something in common with the Order.

    ''''Well let''s get up once.

    Oh thank you, thank you very much.

    He holds out his hand to me as I fall down, and I take it and get up.

    I brush away the leaves and other debris from my back.

    ''Well, you passed the test, but I think you''re a little frustrated that I knocked you down so soon afterwards.

    No, no, no, no...

    ''So ... do you want to play me again?¡¡This time, Tina, you can take advantage and have them ready to go.

    ''''Please........''''

    Okay, then.

    After saying that, he goes a little farther away from me and then draws his sword.

    Then we''ll toss the coin as before. When it drops, we''ll begin.

    Yes.

    Even before Yelle tosses the coin, I begin to store my magic power.

    Then I pop the coin - and it falls to the ground.

    At the same time, I release my magic power.

    I immediately try to cast a magic - but I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to do it.

    ''''Yes, it''s done.''''

    ...What?

    He heard Yele''s voice from above and noticed that the landscape had changed again.

    I was also knocked down without being able to cast a spell.

    This time I didn''t know how Yele-san had defeated me.

    Before I knew it, Yele-san was defeated and was swinging his sword as if he could kill me at any time.

    We were a few meters away from each other earlier........

    ''''Your magic power seems to have reached the Magic Knights........but the speed at which you release that magic is a bit lacking in skill. It might be a good idea to learn something called chant breaking. I don''t know that much about it, so that''s all I can say, you''ll have to learn the rest in the Magic Order.

    ........wow.

    I was beaten, and a feeling of respect occupied my mind more than the regret of losing.

    The strongest person in my mind was Eric.

    I still don''t know if Yele-san is stronger than Eric, but even so, I didn''t know that there is someone so strong in the royal capital, a little away from this village...!

    I can go to King''s Landing and join the Order of Magic and I''ll be even stronger!

    And the more you can stand next to Eric, the stronger you''ll be...!

    As I was thinking about this in my mind I heard a voice.

    ''Get away from Tina--get away from Tina!

    The next moment, Mr. Yelle, who was in front of me - disappeared.

 31-Episode 31: Insensitivity?

    Get away from Tina.

    At the sight of Yelle-san trying to swing her sword down at Tina, I kick the ground as hard as I can and approach her.

    I pull out the sword I was holding and swing it forcefully into a horizontal cleave without killing the momentum of my approach to make her retreat from Tina''s place.

    Yele-san just barely put her sword between us and guarded it, but it was blown away by my momentum.

    ''''Kook -- you''re still strong........''''

    Mr. Yelle was blown up a few meters and landed on his feet.

    He tried to blow up more and let his body hit the tree, but he was successfully killed by the impact and landed on the ground.

    Is the name of the Knight Commander of the Begonia Kingdom not so sweet?

    ''''Tina, are you alright!

    I check in with Tina, who had collapsed and was dumbfounded, to see if she''s okay.

    ''''Uh, yeah I''m fine, but...''''

    Then he raises his upper body and tells me that nothing is hurt.

    ''Well, that''s good...!¡¡Wait, now I''ll take down Mr. Yele and........

    ''Wait!¡¡No, Eric!

    When I heard that Tina was okay, I tried to fight Yele-san right away... but Tina was desperate to stop me.

    ''I was competing!¡¡With Mr. Yelle!

    ''What...?¡¡The game...?

    When I was confused after being suddenly told that, Yele-san put away her sword and walked slowly towards me.

    ''''She........Tina-san asked me to do it. ''''Please let me join the Magical Order........''''

    Hearing those words, I''m even more confused.

    Tina is a magic knight........?¡¡Why...?

    Tina explains to me that she knows I feel that way.

    ''Well Eric, you''re going to join the Order, aren''t you?

    What...?

    How did Tina know about that...?

    I overheard Mr. Yelle and Eric talking at home.

    ''¡¡So, it was....

    Was Tina listening at that time?

    Was she in the backyard or something?¡¡I didn''t notice it at all.

    ''When Eric went out, I decided I was already going to join the Order so I came to the forest alone because I was lonely.

    .........You didn''t think that she could tell just by looking at my face that I had decided to join the Order?

    As expected, we were just together for a long time, so you can tell that part of the story.

    I came to the forest and saw Yere and the others who were talking with Eric earlier, and I was hiding and listening to them and I heard the word "magical knights". So I decided that the only way to keep Eric and I apart was to join it!

    Then he turns to me and speaks with tears in his eyes.

    ''I don''t want to leave Eric!¡¡I want to be with Eric all the time!¡¡I want to stand next to you and be more dependent on you...!

    Tina said as she shouted at me.

    ''Tina....''

    Hey Eric can I come with you to King''s Landing?

    He asks me that, but I have no answer.

    Even if I answered irresponsibly now, Tina has parents too.

    My parents allowed me to go to King''s Landing, but if Tina''s parents didn''t allow me to go, Tina wouldn''t be able to come.

    So even if I answer here........!

    I couldn''t say anything with that thought, but Tina asks me again, as if she saw it in perspective.

    ''I want to hear what Eric thinks!¡¡Would it bother you if I was with you...?

    No way!

    I reflexively answer Tina''s question.

    I don''t want to leave Tina either.

    We''ve spent all our lives in this village together.

    Although we are not related by blood, I feel like she''s my real sister.

    And that''s as true in this life as it is in the last.

    In my past life, I wasn''t strong enough to say goodbye to her for the rest of my life, but in this life, I was able to save her.

    And yet, I knew it would be hard to be separated from her so soon in this life as well.

    ''I don''t want to leave Tina, either. I want to be with her!

    I''m glad...!¡¡Thanks, Eric!

    Tina hugs me with a smile, tears spilling out of her eyes.

    I accept her embrace and hug her tightly to confirm Tina''s warmth.

    This warmth........was something I lost in my previous life.

    So I don''t want to lose it again in this life.

    That''s why I don''t want to leave Tina, I want to be with her.

    ''I''m glad we''ve come to an agreement.

    As me and Tina are hugging each other, an emotionless voice comes from the side.

    When I turned my head in that direction, Yele-san was looking at me with a blank expression.

    ''''........Yele-san, isn''t it often said that you don''t read the air?''''

    ''Indeed, the deputy commander has often told me... how did you know?

    I suppose ... we''re hugging each other so much and sharing our emotions, and he interrupted us flatly and unconcernedly.

    ''I''m so glad I was there for the birth of the couple too,''

    ''Oh, no, no... Yele, you''re not a couple...''

    No, me and Tina aren''t a couple.

    I saw Tina blushing and cooing next to me, but I ignored it for now and corrected Yele''s misunderstanding.

    ''Me and Tina are childhood friends, we''re like family. We''re not lovers.''''

    ''Is that so?¡¡I''m sorry I made a mistake.

    No, I''m fine.

    I had my head down, but it wasn''t that much of an apology.

    I thought so, but Tina was puffing up next to me.

    ''''Hmm?¡¡What''s the matter, Tina, why are you so angry?

    Mmmm...!

    ''You didn''t like being mistaken for someone so much?

    ''Not so!¡¡Eric''s an idiot!

    Huh?

    Tina said and turned away.

    Why are you mad at me?

    Have you often been told, Master Eric, that you are insensitive?

    Yelle-san suddenly asks me that.

    ''''I''ve been told several times.......how did you know?''''

    You''ve never been told that in this life, have you?

    No, I''m just curious.

    Yele-san said that without making eye contact with me for some reason.

    ''''........Commander, is it time for you to be released from your restraints?''''

    Oh, I forgot. Sorry.

    I was strapped into a weird position and my hips...!

    Oh, by the way, I completely forgot that my men were lying on the ground in restraints.

 32-Episode 32 Joined

    Yelle-san breaks the restraints of her subordinates'' people with a swing of her sword.

    A normal person wouldn''t be able to break that magic with just that.......especially when Tina''s magic is so strong.

    ''''Eric-dono, we have just identified the body of Felix Gladio. I didn''t suspect it, but I''m sure it''s Felix himself.

    Oh, I see.

    Come to think of it, the only reason these people were in the woods was to check on Felix, the man I killed. I forgot.

    ''''I would like to thank you again. If we hadn''t defeated Felix here, the Begonia Kingdom might have been in danger of being destroyed.

    Then he bows his head. The subordinates behind him also bow their heads together, crunching their armor.

    ''''I only defended this village. I don''t remember being thanked by you guys.

    Well, in fact, if I had lost here and this village had been destroyed, the Begonia Kingdom would have been corrupted.

    That''s something I experienced in my previous life.

    ''''Even so, I''m sure Lord Eric has saved me. Thank you.

    I say it''s okay with me, but he still thanks me.

    He''s going to keep saying it unless I take it.

    ''Oh, I see. Okay, I''ll take it gratefully.

    Sure. I''ll make sure to give you a proper thank-you gift next time.

    You''re a really serious person, Mr. Yelle.

    I''ve never seen someone so solid.

    Irene was also a royal, so she was serious and solid, but not to this extent.

    Christo was a really random guy.

    Oh, that''s right...!

    Um, since we don''t need to thank you for anything, could you do me a favor?

    What is it?

    If you''re going to thank me this much, then I''ll have you do what I want you to do.

    ''There''s probably someone in the Begonia Kingdom who''s looking for you.

    Maybe?

    I don''t know if you really live in the Begonia Kingdom, so I''m assuming you do, nine times out of ten.

    I should have asked Christo exactly where he was from in his previous life.

    I''m almost certain that he lives in the Begonia Kingdom since I''m sure the only country that was destroyed immediately after my village was destroyed is the Begonia Kingdom.......

    ''''I need you to help me look for it when I go to King''s Landing. Is that alright with you?

    ''Of course. I''ll do my best to help you.

    Mr. Yelle gladly agreed to do so.

    I hope this makes it a little easier to find.

    The Kingdom of Begonia is so big that it would be really daunting to find it alone.

    ''Eric, who is the person you''re looking for?''

    Tina, who was listening to the conversation next to me, asks me that question.

    I guess Tina doesn''t have any idea who I''m looking for, since we''ve lived together in the village all these years, so I guess Tina has no idea who I''m looking for.

    I''ve never met Christo in this life, so it''s only natural that I don''t have any idea.

    ''Yeah, well it''s a guy I met once when I was a kid. Maybe the reason Tina doesn''t know is because she never met him.

    Yeah,

    ........I hope they don''t confirm it.

    The one--the woman?

    Tina''s voice seems to have dropped a little.

    A cold feeling runs down my spine.

    For some reason, if I answer that question wrong--I feel like I''m going to be attacked by some unusual damage...!

    No, no, it''s a guy.

    I stammered and replied.

    ''Oh, I see...''

    The mysterious chill disappears and I let out a sigh too, probably thanks to Tina''s smile.

    Why did I feel so scared...?

    While I was thinking about this, Yele-san next to me spoke to me.

    ''''Eric-dono, I hadn''t heard the answer clearly yet--would you please join our Begonia Kingdom Knights?''''

    He looked me straight in the eye and said.

    My answer is a given.

    ''Yes - I''d like to come in. I look forward to working with you.

    He replied and bowed his head.

    ''It''s nice to meet you too,''

    Thus, my membership in the Order was decided--.

    ''''Um, I want to join the Magic Order too, but...''''

    Tina comes into the conversation from the side, fearfully saying so.

    ''''I saw Tina-san''s magic earlier, and I think she''s mastered enough to join the Magic Order. Let me tell the head of the magic knight order from me.

    Oh, thank you!

    Well, they were testing until I came along.

    So Tina won against my people, and then I had a match with Mr. Yelle--

    ''''Ah........I''m sorry, Yele-san. I didn''t mean to cut you off out of the blue earlier.

    I saw Yele-san trying to swing her sword down at Tina and I blew her off without asking why.

    No, I don''t care about it. It''s not surprising that it looks like that from the side.

    He says that with no expression on his face, so he seems to be saying it to hide his anger, but I''m beginning to understand that this person can only make a face like this.

    ''''Eric-dono.......no, since I''ve decided to join the Order, I''ll call you Eric-kun.

    Oh, yes.

    I''m going to be your new subordinate and he''s going to be your boy.

    ''And Tina, too. I think you should talk to your family again. Especially since Tina hasn''t explained it to you yet, has she?

    Yes, sir.

    Well, good luck. We can''t stay here too long either, as we have other duties to attend to. We''ll leave tomorrow.

    I understand!

    Tina responds strongly and turns to me.

    ''Eric!¡¡I''ll convince my moms to follow me for sure!

    He said with a smile and ran towards the house.

    Oh well, Tina is coming too........

    When I left the house and was looking for Tina, I was feeling depressed because I knew I had to leave.

    But now that she said she would follow me, I feel so happy and sunny knowing that I can be with Tina, who I consider to be as important as family.

    I gave Yele and the others a quick bow before heading home.

    They said they would be leaving tomorrow, so I needed to get ready for that.

    Before we parted ways, I also asked him about his belongings and what I should prepare for.

    Unlike when I left the house, I was able to leave on a lighter footing.

 33-Episode 33: the night before

    Then I went home and told my mom that Tina was going to follow me.

    ''Oh, really?¡¡Tina, you''re a man of action, too.

    Yeah, you scared the shit out of me, too.

    You didn''t think you''d leave your family because you didn''t want to leave me... no, I''m just like my family, so what''s a little different?

    Tina, you''re a girl.

    Hmm?¡¡What does that mean?

    I say, and Mom lets out an understandable sigh.

    ''Tina, you''re going to have a hard time too...''

    You put your hand to your head and said that but what do you struggle with?¡¡I don''t know.

    I''m home!

    As I was doing so, my dad came back in the doorway shouting at me.

    My dad forgot to drink his tea earlier and left, but he came back soon after I left.

    For all I know, he saw me leave in the backyard and then went into the house.

    Maybe he was embarrassed to come home so soon after saying something nice to me.

    So I had tea and then went out to run a few errands, and I just got back.

    ''Huh?¡¡Dad, aren''t you alone?

    The footsteps aren''t just for one person, but definitely for several people.

    ''I''ve got Tina and her family here!

    Excuse me.

    Tina is behind my dad and comes into the living room, sounding cheerful.

    Tina''s parents come in later, looking a little apologetic.

    ''Sorry, we didn''t mean to interrupt you,''

    I wanted to talk to you about Tina...

    Then he begins to speak with an air of seriousness.

    ''Tina says she''s going to join the Order of Magic, but we''re fine with Tina wanting to go there.

    Tina''s mom says that, but her dad wants to say something about it.

    Maybe he''s still not convinced.

    After all, women have more power in married couples.......................and so does my family, Dad.

    ''''Hm?¡¡What did you say, Eric?

    No, nothing.

    I was pitying him with my eyes and he noticed.

    ''I hear you''re going too, Eric, but what will life be like when you go over there?¡¡I didn''t think there was any place for the two of us to live alone...

    Tina''s mother puts her hands over her face in concern and thinks about it.

    ''I''m sure it''ll be fine then.

    I answer for my mom.

    Come to think of it, in my past life I probably spoke to Tina''s parents in the same language. But once I became an adult in my past life, I''m a little uncomfortable not speaking in honorific language.

    Tina is usually a regular token to my parents...........but that''s okay.

    ''I heard there''s a place like a dormitory for people who come from far away to join the Order. So me and Tina can live there, so if you bring some clothes and other things with you, I think you''ll be able to secure food, clothing and shelter.

    Oh, really?¡¡That''s good to know. Thank you, Eric, for that.

    Her mother''s side of the family thanks her, but her father is still a little depressed.

    If he hadn''t been able to secure food and shelter, he would have thought he could keep Tina around.

    ''I''m sorry dad, I want to be with Tina too so I''m a little desperate.

    ''We''re all for Tina following you Eric, so that''s a relief. Keep up the good work on Tina.

    It''s nice to meet you too.

    For some reason, Tina''s face turns red when she replies that.

    And her father next to her is shedding tears.

    ''''Oh, um ... what''s wrong?''''

    Ummm ... no, no, Eric, I can trust you with Tina. You take care of Tina for me!

    Then he shook my hand. That grip is as strong as my dad''s and it hurts.......

    ''''So, since Tina and Eric-kun are going to King''s Landing tomorrow, I''ve decided to have dinner with the whole family.

    Oh, is that so? Then let''s make a big meal today.

    Yes, of course!

    Oh, Mother!¡¡Aunt Serena!¡¡I''ll make one too!

    And so my family, Tina''s family, got together for dinner for the first time in a long time.

    Tina couldn''t cook because she didn''t have a knife, so she was happy to be able to cook for the first time in a while.

    She smiled even more when I told her the food was delicious.

    ''Ehehe, I''ll make you every meal in King''s Landing too!

    No, you can''t do that. You''ll have training, and you''ll be provided with regular meals.

    That''s what I''ve heard from Yelle.

    ''Mmmm ... then I''ll just make it in the morning.

    Well, that''s good, but you don''t have to do it, okay?

    It''s okay because I want to make it!

    Really?

    Yeah!

    Tina says that and gives a good smile.

    So, I didn''t know that Tina liked to cook that much.

    Well, she made quite a few dishes for me, so I knew she liked it, but I didn''t know it was that much.

    ''That face of yours Eric you don''t seem to understand why Tina wants to cook so much.

    ''I''m sorry, Tina, for being so appealing. She has a husband-like insensitivity.

    ''Don''t worry, Tina''s a lot like me. I think she''s going to go all guns blazing and drop it like I did.

    "...Mr. Diane, my wives are whispering to each other, what are they talking about?

    ''Hmm?¡¡What do you care about that?¡¡Ooh, your wife''s cooking is good too!

    ''Haha, it would have been easier for me if I were that dull...''

    And so the day before Tina and I went to King''s Landing passed--and so did I.

 34-Episode 34 Village Name

    The next morning I woke up with the sensation of something touching me.

    ''Hmmm...''

    ''Oh, Eric, are you awake?¡¡Good morning.

    I opened my eyes and saw Tina''s smiling face lying beside me on the bed.

    Apparently I was being tweaked on the cheek.

    ''Eric''s cheeks are so soft!''

    What ... just let me get some more sleep...

    I''m still incredibly sleepy, so I turn over to try to sleep, but Tina''s words force me to wake up.

    ''It''s unusual for Eric to sleep in. It''s past nine o''clock already, okay?

    ...What?

    After 9:00...?

    What?

    I retreat briskly from the covers and look at the clock hanging in my room with sleepy eyes.

    Tina is right, the short hand is pointing to the letter ''9'' and the long hand is pointing to the letter ''1''.

    Why.........!¡¡I usually try to wake up at 7:00...!

    As I try to find the cause of the problem, I remember the events of yesterday.

    That''s right, yesterday!

    I hadn''t had a drink in this life yet, so I was a little curious to try it....

    What did I do after I had a drink?

    I have no memory of what happened after that........

    ''Tina, I had a drink yesterday, didn''t I...?

    Yeah. You don''t remember, by any chance?

    Yeah, I remember drinking, but I don''t remember anything else.

    Tina tells me what happened after I lost my memory.

    ''Eric was like a sober man, and he had one drink and then he immediately got red-faced and drunk. And when Eric got drunk, he smiled so much... and he, you know, got involved with me.

    The last word was said with an embarrassed blush on his face.

    No, wait, involved what?

    Why are you so shy about turning away and glancing at me?

    What did I do to Tina?

    I''d love to hear what kind of entanglement you had in mind, but no, I still don''t want to hear it.

    Let''s try not to drink too much alcohol anymore.

    Memory lapse is what''s most troublesome.

    I didn''t think I was this weak with alcohol....

    ''Oh, yes!¡¡Get ready to leave!

    The plan I heard from Yele yesterday was to leave this village at ten o''clock.

    It''s already past nine o''clock, we need to hurry and get ready in time!

    Oh, I did that for Eric.

    ''What?¡¡Seriously?

    Yes.

    That being said, I looked around the room and saw a large bag in front of the chest of drawers.

    ''That bag?¡¡Did you put your clothes and stuff in there?

    Yeah, I put it all in.

    Have you figured out where my clothes are?¡¡I have to put my underwear in there and everything...

    Don''t worry, I put all the underwear Eric wears a lot and everything.

    What, what kind of underwear do I wear?¡¡How do you know that?

    No, no, I mean, you used to help out at my house with the housework and stuff. Because you do your laundry and stuff, right?

    But I took care of the underwear and stuff, so you have no idea where they are.

    Well, if we can search every room, we can find...?

    ''Eric always puts his underwear in the back of the bottom of the wardrobe, doesn''t he?

    It''s like he knew.

    No, how did you know?

    Well thank you for setting that up for me.

    Yeah, you''re welcome!

    I try not to think about it too much I feel like I shouldn''t think about it any more.

    Then I grab my big bag and leave the room with Tina.

    As I leave, I turn around once and look around the corner.

    This has always been my room, but I won''t be back here for a while.

    I look around for a bit as a last look and then leave the room.

    I went to the living room and found my dad sitting there and my mom was cooking.

    ''Good morning, Eric,''

    ''You''re finally up, Eric!''

    Good morning, Mom, Dad.

    As soon as I sat down at the table, Mom put my breakfast in front of me.

    I wouldn''t be able to eat Mom''s food for a while.

    Tina''s cooking was my favorite too, but it was still Mom''s cooking that was the best for me.

    ''I''ll take it,''

    Yeah, go ahead.

    I chew each bite thoroughly and eat it.

    Tina seems to have eaten at her house, and she sits next to me and stares at me.

    That bothered me a little - I finish the best food on earth.

    ''Thanks for the meal, it was delicious,''

    Good, I made lunch for you, too.

    Mom says and hands me a slightly larger lunchbox.

    ''There''s one for Tina-chan,''

    ''What, really?¡¡Thank you, Aunt Serena!

    Tia also likes my mom''s cooking, so she happily thanks me.

    After all, my mom is - she''s the best mom in the world.

    And after a while, me and Tia went outside with our bags.

    My mom and dad, plus Tina''s parents, go with us to where Jere and the others are waiting for us.

    And when we got there, we saw everyone in the village gathered there.

    ''Oh, here they are, Eric and Tina!

    ''I hear you''re going to King''s Landing to join the Order!¡¡Come on!

    You''re an idiot, Tina, you said you were a magical order.

    ''Either way, you''re both magnificent!¡¡Come on!

    Everyone in the village said that after they saw us.

    I didn''t expect them to be gathered, and both me and Tina were surprised.

    ''I told everyone in the village yesterday!¡¡Then they all came for you guys!

    Dad....

    Apparently, this was the errand we went out on after tea yesterday.

    Me and Tina walked between them, with each and every one of the village people talking to us.

    I struggle to hold back the tears that come to my eyes at the encouragement.

    I never thought that everyone in the village would love me this much.

    Don''t do it I''m pretty old if you put the ages of my former life together.

    So I feel like my tear glands are loosening up........and I''m really, really in trouble....

    ''Thanks, guys.''

    Good luck!

    I smiled and thanked them, trying hard not to cry, and Tina responded to everyone with a smile.

    And when the enclosure from everyone in the village was over, I saw Yele and two of his men.

    ''''Thank you for your patience.''''

    No, it''s fine it''s a nice village.

    Yes, really.

    Yelle smiled a little and said so too.

    I had never seen this man smile before, but I knew he was going to smile kindly.

    ''Eric!¡¡Tina!

    I hear my dad''s voice from behind me and turn around.

    ''I didn''t tell you guys something important I didn''t tell you... the name of this village.

    The name of the village?

    My father would suddenly say something like that........does this village have a name?

    I thought it wasn''t there because my village was destroyed without knowing my name in my previous life, but....

    Tina was also surprised, so she didn''t know.

    ''''It''s a tradition in this village to tell the children who leave this village their names.

    ''So that''s what happened...''

    That''s why I wasn''t known in my previous life.

    "The name of this village is Aulin.

    Aurin....

    Yes, and that name will be your last name from now on.

    What ... what do you mean?

    ''It''s a tradition that every child who leaves this village will carry that name and take it as their surname.

    I had no idea that such a tradition existed.......neither I nor Tina had any idea.

    Then my name is--

    Eric Aulin.....

    My name is Tina Aulin...

    Me and Tina say our names.

    "Eric Aulin. And Tina Aulin. You''ve grown up well in this village, and you have nothing to worry about in King''s Landing.

    Everyone who lives in Aulin is counting on you to do well.

    Hearing those words, everyone behind my dad''s back flies in with another mouthful of encouragement.

    --Oh, God........I couldn''t hold back the tears, you know.

    ''Yeah--I''m off, dad, mom, everyone.

    I''m off!¡¡I''ll do my best!

    I said that so that I wouldn''t burst into tears and turned my back to everyone and walked to the royal capital.

    And then Tina and I left for King''s Landing while being seen off by everyone in the village.

 35-Episode 35: Arrival at Begonia

    Me and Tina follow as Yelle and the others walk ahead of us through the forest.

    I cried when everyone in the village saw us off, but now the tears have already receded and we are walking in silence.

    ''''Well Eric, have you stopped crying?''''

    I''m not crying.

    That''s a lie, he was crying.

    It''s a mistake.

    ''No way!¡¡Eric''s crying face is so cute... it was so cute!

    Hey, if you''re going to go off on me, there''s no point in stopping me in the middle of a sentence. And I''m not crying.

    Tina pursues me endlessly, but I keep ducking.

    ........I don''t know if I''m really ducking.

    If we continue walking a bit more, we''ll leave the forest and a single road to the royal capital will appear.

    It seems that Yele-san and the others have left a carriage there, so we''ll ride on it and go to the capital.

    ''''However, Tina-san also has a lot of stamina.

    Mr. Yelle, who is walking in front of me, only turns his head and chats with me.

    ''''We''ve been walking through the forest for this long, and I''m surprised you haven''t been breathing a little less.

    ''Because Eric and I have been running through the woods since we were kids!

    Well, Tina''s been with me since I started training.

    So you can afford to walk in the woods for an hour or so.

    ''I see. If you can also use magic and have that much strength, you really seem to be able to join the magic knights right away. I have more material to recommend.''''

    Oh, thank you!

    Tina happily thanked me and gave me a smile and a peace sign so that Yele couldn''t see me.

    I also think Tina''s magic is really great, and I think she has quite a bit of strength.

    ''''Hahaha........d*mn, we''ll do our best too!

    ''Ha, ha ... of course, I''ll have to do more training when I get home!

    I heard the two people in armor saying that under their breath.

    These two were pretty shocked yesterday when they lost to Tina.

    So today, seeing that Tina seems to be able to afford it while they are walking around out of breath themselves, they are no longer in a state of shock and are fired up.

    Well I''m wearing armor that probably weighs more than five kilos and I''m not used to walking in the forest, so I think it''s a little bit of a no-brainer.

    Ah, but Tina''s carrying a heavy load too........

    I hope she can do this much without losing her breath at all like Yelle-san.................good luck.

    After that, we walked for a while more, and finally saw a single road through the forest.

    There is a carriage parked there. Apparently that''s the one Yele and the others rode in.

    The carriage is large enough to hold about five people, and is designed to be pulled by two horses.

    Then please get in. You are in charge of your own.

    Yes!

    I can finally sit down...

    Yelle instructed two of his men to do so and put me and Tina in the car.

    I felt bad for the two of them that they were tired, but they took off their armor and sat down to take a breath, so I guess it was okay.

    After a while, me, Tina, and Jere entered the carriage, and after a while, the carriage started to move.

    ''''We expect to arrive at the royal capital in about two hours. Until then, please take your time.''''

    Oh, yes.

    You say you''re going to spend a lot of time, but there''s nothing much to do in this carriage, you know.

    Oh, yeah. You said earlier that you had more material for Tina to recommend, let''s get some more of that material.

    ''''Yele-san, you mentioned before that I defeated Felix all by myself.

    Yes, it''s really impressive that you could take down that dangerous man by yourself.

    ''No, it''s really not. I couldn''t have defeated it on my own, I would have lost if it wasn''t for Tina''s magic.

    ...Is that so?

    Yes, actually--

    I told Yere, who said that he would recommend Tina to the head of the Magic Order, how he defeated Felix.

    She said that she protected me from Felix''s magic and that she defeated Felix together by granting magic to my body.

    ''''A magic grant........!¡¡Tina, can you even do intermediate magic?

    ''Yes, sir!¡¡I can do it!

    Tina replies, at a loss for words, when she is suddenly talked down to.

    ''Eric even taught me intermediate magic...........Eric can do it too!

    ''Eric, you can do magic too?!

    ''Yes!¡¡Because Eric taught me all my magic!

    That''s amazing...

    ''Yes!¡¡Eric is amazing!

    Huh?¡¡Before I know it, it''s all about me.

    ''I taught Tina, but when it comes to magic, I don''t have the elements to beat Tina anymore.

    It sounds good to say that I taught her, but in my opinion, I''m stopping her from growing.

    If I knew more magic and was better at it than Tina, I could have made her grow even more.

    But now Tina''s magic is more powerful and more varied than mine.

    It''s been a long time since I surpassed her, but since then Tina''s growth has slowed down drastically.

    Maybe it was partly because she was a bit cautious with me, but the main reason was that she had no one to teach me.

    So I think Tina will develop her talents more if she joins the Magical Order.

    ''''Well it''s great to be able to use even intermediate magic at Tina''s age. It was necessary to be able to use at least intermediate magic in order to join the Magic Knights, but now we''ve cleared that too.

    ''So that''s what happened!¡¡Oh, so Eric can join the Order of Magic, too?

    Well, according to that rule, yes.

    ''Eric!¡¡Let''s join the Order of Magic together!

    Tina says emphatically to me after hearing Yere''s words.

    ''''I''m better with a sword, so I''m better suited to the Order.

    Mmmm, well I can see that.

    I mean, I might be able to join the Magic Knights.

    I''m not far behind Tina in terms of power and such, but I''ve been training since I was a kid.

    I thought I didn''t have any magical talent because of Tina, but maybe I had the wrong person to compare it to...?

    Some people can''t do magic at all, so maybe that''s true.

    And so, as we continued to chat in the carriage for a while, I heard one of the voices that was playing Gosha.

    ''''Commander!¡¡We''ll be in King''s City of Begonia in a little while!

    Oh, already? That was quicker than I expected.

    It had been two hours already.

    Tina leaned out of the carriage and looked at the front of the carriage.

    ''Wow!¡¡A big wall!

    Following Tina, I leaned forward to take a look.

    It seemed that the royal capital was surrounded by an outer wall, and the thing in front of it was a very large white wall.

    Visually measured, it was about fifty meters high.

    It''s the largest outer wall I''ve seen in the city in my previous life.

    ''''This is your first time in the royal capital, isn''t it?''''

    Seeing our reaction, Yelle asks me that.

    ''Yes, I suppose so,''

    ''Yes, sir!¡¡It''s still big!

    I''m used to seeing somewhat larger cities in my past life, but Tina is excited because this is the first time she''s leaving the village.

    ''Then it''s a little early--welcome to the royal capital, Begonia.

 36-Episode 36 Stomach Pain

    We reached the gates of the royal city and the carriage stopped once there.

    It could be seen from a distance, but the power of the size of the outer wall was more palpable when viewed up close.

    ''''It''s big........''''

    Tina said as she looked up at the wall to the sky.

    I was doing that earlier too, but I stopped soon after because my neck was going to hurt.

    The gatekeeper and two of Yele''s men talked for a bit, and soon the carriage started moving.

    I showed them something that looked like a piece of paper and the gatekeeper saluted and let me through as if he was in a hurry... what was that about?

    There is a very large shopping area inside.

    There are all kinds of people, and the number of inhabitants of our village, Aulin, would exceed the number of inhabitants within ten meters of walking.

    ''Wow, amazing people!''

    Tina reacts like a redneck from the village. Well, she''s right.

    She stands up on the shaky, unstable carriage, busily moving her head around, looking at all sorts of people and shops and such.

    Me and Mr. Jere are watching the scene with a smile. Yele-san isn''t smiling but the atmosphere is kind of smiling.

    Tina is smiling happily and looking around, but when she notices our gaze, she sits down with an embarrassed blush on her face.

    ''''Ugh ... Eric''s silly.''''

    Why?

    I cover my face with my hands and pat my own sister''s head a little, because she''s so cute and shy.

    She removes her hands from her face to look at me, as if surprised by it, but she immediately laughs and leans back.

    I think of her like a sister, but I''m about twice as old as her mentality.

    I feel like I treat Tina like a sister a lot of the time.

    ''You two are very close, aren''t you?

    We''ve been together since we were kids, you know.

    I''ve heard that some people stop playing with each other as they''ve been together since childhood and become less and less friendly as they get older, but me and Tina have always been close since our last life.

    The carriage is less bumpy than the single road that led to King''s Landing.

    The ground of the capital is well maintained, but after all, a big city is very different from our village.

    We were rocked by a carriage for a while and looked at the city''s scenery, but this carriage was heading towards the center of the royal capital, away from the shopping district.

    ''''Mr. Yelle, where are we going ourselves first?''''

    I noticed that the carriages were heading more and more towards the largest building in this royal city and asked.

    ''''Yes, the royal palace first.''''

    .... hmm?¡¡What did you say?

    I''m sorry, sir... where are you going?

    The palace.

    I didn''t mishear it.

    Eh?¡¡Seriously?

    Oh, I''m sorry.

    Yelle said apologetically.

    What a difference, thank God. I was wondering what you were going to do in the royal palace all of a sudden.

    ''''Tina-san, I''ll take you to the magic knight''s dormitory.

    ''Eh, ah, yes. Thank you.

    Tina stammered and replied.

    What, me?

    Mr. Yelle, are you...?

    "Eric, you are to meet with His Majesty at the Royal Court.

    He also told me what to do at the Royal Palace. Thank goodness.

    ... no, I''m not grateful!

    ''Why are you talking about meeting the king yourself?

    ''I have informed Your Majesty that you, Eric, have defeated the dangerous man, Felix Gladio. That is why His Majesty wishes to speak to you.

    ''All of a sudden?¡¡I mean, how do you know the king wants to talk to me!

    You''ve been here the whole time, so you couldn''t have had any contact with the king.

    ''''Given His Majesty''s character, I''m sure he''ll want to talk to you.

    Yelle-san explains that to me, but I don''t understand the character of his Majesty.

    Why would saying that he defeated Felix would make him want to see me?

    ''''His Majesty is a very active participant in politics and military affairs, so he''s the one who always says he wants to hear those stories in person.

    He understands my doubts and explains it to me.

    He''s the king of such a large country, so I know he''s a bit different from an ordinary king, but is he that involved?

    ''''His Majesty doesn''t care about what the other party is wearing, so I would like you to talk to him in the royal palace as it is. My best regards.''''

    Okay, okay.

    I didn''t expect something so serious to happen so soon after arriving at King''s Landing.......

    Ah, I''m getting a stomachache.

    The large building that the carriage had been approaching earlier seemed to be the Royal Palace, and Tina had to get off before it.

    There''s some sort of base for the knights and magic knights near the palace, and there''s also a dormitory nearby, so Tina will take her luggage and leave me here.

    I want to get off here too....

    ''Bye Eric!¡¡Good luck!

    Yeah I''ll see you later.

    Tina got out of the carriage and we left immediately.

    She waved all the way to me as we rode away in the carriage.

    ''Don''t worry, Your Majesty is very friendly and a wonderful person. I''m sure Eric will like you too.

    ''That''s all well and good, but...''

    I''ve never met and talked to such a great man in my past life........

    No, was Irene a princess?

    But I''ve never treated her as a princess before....

    When I think about what I would do if I talked to the king of a country like that and acted disrespectfully, my stomach hurts... I feel like I just used a strange word.

    This is how I ended up meeting the greatest king in this country with a stomachache.

 37-Episode 37: Your Majesty

    The carriage dropped Tina off and left me in it, heading for the royal palace.

    ''We''ll be there in a few minutes, so please wait a moment.

    If Yele thinks I''m tired from the long journey, he says so, but I''m not tired and pale from the long journey.

    I''m just nervous because I''m about to meet the king.

    And after a few minutes, we arrived in front of the royal palace.

    As expected, the building is so big that you can''t see the top of the building when you look up from this position.

    Then we will get out of the carriage and enter the royal palace. Please follow me.

    As I said that, Jere got off first, so I followed him down and followed him.

    The main door of the palace, a very large door, opens and we enter.

    Even though the door is so large, Jere entered the building as if it was a matter of course.

    I was so scared that I kind of bowed my head as I entered.

    The corridor was very luxurious, and the carpeting was bright red and looked very expensive, and I was worried about whether it was safe to step on it with my feet on the ground.

    I followed Yele-san with a dodgy feeling and stopped in front of the largest door again.

    ''''Your Majesty, are you here?''''

    Yeah, there he is.

    I called out to him from the door, and a stern voice came from inside.

    ''I''m Jeremias Astara. Is it safe for me to come in?

    I forgive you.

    Excuse me.

    Without any particular confirmation from me, Yele-san opens the door.

    Eh, wait a minute, I''m prepared...!

    Even if I thought that, it was already too late and the door was open and Yele-san went inside.

    I was afraid to follow her, but I was nervous to follow her because I knew it wasn''t the same as waiting here.

    Once inside, it was a very large room, so large that I thought my house in the village would be completely filled in.

    In the middle of the room, closer to the door I just entered, there was another large sofa in the middle of the room with a person sitting on it.

    ''I just returned from a mission,''

    I''m so glad you made it back.

    Since it''s the same voice I heard outside the door earlier - perhaps this person is His Majesty.

    He had short blonde hair, with his bangs up to give him an all-back look.

    His clothes were more modest than I expected, or rather, he was dressed lightly in a white shirt and black pants.

    His face was as I had expected from his voice, but he still had the same commanding look as I had expected, with sharp eyes and a slight beard.

    ''Have you heard about Felix Gladio?''

    Yes, a young man from the village told me you defeated him. And I heard you were a successful scout.

    ''Yes, that''s right. And this one.....

    Saying that, they both look at me at the same time.

    Hey, we should say something.........

    ''Ha, nice to meet you Eric, um, my name is Aurin.

    I even stuttered to introduce myself.

    For the first time today, I couldn''t get my last name out of my mouth for the first time.......

    His Majesty could tell I was nervous, so he smiled a little and

    Yeah, my name is Leonardo Carlo Begonia. It''s a long name, so just remember me as Leo.

    Then he held out his hand to me.

    ''Ha, yes, nice to meet you.''

    I also put out my hand and shook it, although I was a little nervous.

    This hand........!¡¡It''s definitely a hand that has held a sword before.

    You wouldn''t have such hard hands if you hadn''t wielded a sword for years.

    "Hmmm, good hand. It''s no wonder the man with these hands is so strong.

    His Majesty Leo understands when he shakes my hand and says so.

    ''''Oh, thank you,''''

    Hmm, have a seat on the couch over there, then. I''ll have the maid bring you a cup of tea.

    And I do as I''m told and sit on the sofa on the one His Majesty wasn''t sitting on.

    Whoa.........!¡¡I''m totally down.

    I sat down shallowly, anxious to sit on such a soft, luxurious-looking couch.

    Mr. Yelle sat down next to me and His Majesty Leo sat in front of me.

    ''''Well, let''s start by thanking him. Yere told me that you saved this country by defeating Felix. It would have been a close call without you, thank you.

    Then he sits down and bows his head.

    ''Yes, no!¡¡Oh no, I don''t want to be thanked for that...!

    I was in a hurry because I didn''t expect to suddenly get a bow from the head of this country.

    No, really!¡¡I''m starting to get scared.

    ''Hm, you humble one. This is a place of ''I helped you, give me your money, you trash! Or so I thought.

    What kind of villain is that?

    I couldn''t help but tsk.

    ''Your Majesty, it''s only Your Majesty.''

    Hmm, okay.

    You''ve done this before, Your Majesty?

    What do you mean? It''s a fine job I''m doing. I help a country and they say they don''t pay me anything for it. I shouted it down in front of kings and noblemen.

    Oh, really...

    Still, I''m sure there''s another way to put it...

    ''Are you relieved of your tension?''

    Oh....

    His Majesty Leo grinned as he said that.

    Certainly, the exchange just now relieved my tension........

    Could it be that that was a gag or something to get my attention.......?

    ''What I said earlier was really His Majesty''s doing, because it almost led us to war again.

    Oh, it''s true.........

    "Hmm, it''s their fault for saying that my men didn''t get paid for the work they risked their lives for. They''re just a bunch of trash who didn''t even have the heart to go to war with my country. If I hadn''t told them right there, they wouldn''t have been able to face the people who died.

    He said that and crossed his arms a bit grimly, as if he remembered what happened back then.

    He''s kind of an extreme person but.......he doesn''t seem to be a bad person.

    She''s a good person who cares about her subordinates.

    As I was doing so, a maid came into the room and brought me a cup of tea.

    ''Hey, why am I a tea too!¡¡I told you it was alcohol!

    I''m still on duty. Please refrain from drinking.

    ''What?¡¡I''m taking a pay cut!

    "to the queen.

    I forgive you!

    His Majesty Leo having such an exchange with a maid in front of him.

    ........not a bad person, right?

 38-Episode 38 I Want to Sleep

    After that, me, His Majesty Leo, and Mr. Yere had a light chat with each other, and the dialogue sort of ended.

    We may not have talked for an hour, but my strength and spirit were so exhausted that we must have talked for hours.

    Because, you know, he''s the greatest man in the country.

    I was worried that I might or might not do something disrespectful, so I paid attention to every conversation I had.

    I don''t think it can be helped that I tweeted at His Majesty a few times when he did something like a blur.

    And His Majesty was laughing too, so I think it''s okay........ It''s not going to be a crime or something when they call me out of the blue after this, right?

    I''m sorry, Eric. I''d like to talk to you more if I could.

    His Majesty''s workload is very heavy.

    So that''s what it is. Why is it piling up like that, exactly?

    Because you''ve been slacking off.

    The maid who brought me tea earlier is looking at His Majesty with cold eyes.

    ''''Well then, Eric. Let''s talk another time at leisure.

    Oh, yes.

    To get away from those cold eyes, he speaks to me that way and shakes my hand.

    When I say friendly, that''s true, but what a......appropriate person.

    And me and Yele-san left that room, and His Majesty Leo was taken by the maid to his office.

    ''''Then shall we go too? We''re going to go to the knight''s dormitory to drop off our luggage and other things, and then I''ll show you the facilities and such.

    Yes, nice to meet you.

    We followed Yelle and walked through the palace.

    We walked along the path we probably passed earlier and left the royal palace through a large door.

    Then I take the carriage that was waiting for me right there and head to the knights'' dormitory.

    After a few minutes, we arrive at the place where Tina was dropped off earlier, and the carriage stopped there, so I got off too.

    It seems to be a dormitory where knights and magic knights spend their time mixed together, not as large as the royal palace, but very large.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal of information on this. Since there is one room for two people, Eric-kun will be in the same room as the others.

    I understand.

    ''Commander!¡¡Can I talk to you for a minute...

    A man comes out of the dormitory to give Yelle an earful as she shows him his room.

    What is he talking about?

    ''¡¡Are you sure?¡¡That''s troubling........

    He puts his hand to his chin and thinks about it.

    ''I''m sorry, Mr. Eric. I have one problem...

    Is there a problem?

    Yele says apologetically.

    ''''Right now, there are no rooms available in the dormitory..........We will be in the same room as the lady who joined the Order this year.

    Are you a woman...?

    That''s a bit of a hindrance on my part, though it''s going to be more of a problem for that woman''s person.

    I don''t think that person would expect to be living in a room with a man she''s never met before.

    ''That woman''s person, well, she''s agreed to room with a man.

    ''Oh, really?''

    Then it''s safe...?¡¡I don''t know.

    It''s just that I don''t care who I''m rooming with, but I don''t want it to be someone stronger than me.

    ...What?

    Someone stronger than you...?¡¡Why would you do that?

    ''The boy joined the Order at the young age of eighteen, which is fine, but that makes him a bit... assertive. He''s not a bad person by any means.

    ''''So, I''m sorry, but if you don''t fight that person and win, you''ll be in a situation where there is no room for Eric-kun.

    Okay, okay. Let''s fight.

    As you can imagine, it would be bad if they came here and ended up in the field or something with no dorm rooms.

    We must definitely prevent that from happening.

    ''''Then let''s tell that kid that way too. Excuse me, please tell that child that the person who said ''I want to sleep with you'' has appeared.

    I understand.

    I didn''t say that!

    That''s a very misleading line!

    I don''t know if they heard me shouting, but the person Yelle directed me to went.

    ''''Hey, hey!¡¡Are you okay now?!

    What''s that?

    So you want to sleep with me or...

    ''That''s the thing, all right. He said he''d be ready to go as soon as the kid said that when someone came up to challenge him.

    Well, that would be nice, but...

    No. Are you sure?¡¡I''m not sure....

    Eric!

    As I was thinking this, I hear a voice calling me from a distance.

    I turn around and see Tina coming running towards me, smiling and waving at me.

    ''Welcome back, Eric!¡¡Did your meeting with the king go well?

    Oh, I''m home. Oh, well, sort of...

    Well, His Majesty Leo was a really nice guy.......just the right person.

    ''While Eric was away, he was showing me the facilities here and the city and all that!¡¡Eric can come with me later!

    Yeah, all right. But I have a few things I need to do first.

    What''s going on?¡¡What do you need?

    I was about to tell you the story of what happened when I got here - that''s when I decided to tell you.

    "Where is this Eric Aulin person who said he wanted to sleep with me, Yulia Kashpal?

    A voice like that came from behind me.

    Perhaps it''s a girl who says she''s on a roll. From the lines, I can only assume so.

    But - I don''t turn my back. Because now is not the time to do that.

    ''Hey Eric, what''s going on?¡¡What she just said--you''ll explain it to me, won''t you?

    In front of me, the light in my eyes disappeared for some reason, and I saw something black behind me, and a thinly veiled smile on my face, Tina.

 39-Episode 39: Duel

    No, no, Tina!¡¡I didn''t do anything wrong!

    I start to excuse myself, waving my hands in the air as if in a panic.

    From the side, I may look hapless, but I''m in no position to say such a thing.

    ''''Yes, I believe that Eric is not bad. So - who is that woman?¡¡What did you do to Eric?

    Tina, who is still losing the light from her eyes, is getting closer and closer to me.

    Her tone is low and flat, like she has no emotion in her voice, but I don''t know why she''s only smiling on her face, it''s very scary.

    ''You, or Eric Aulin, who said he wanted to sleep with me,''

    I can see the guy I just told off approaching.

    ''Shut up!¡¡Shut up!

    ''¡¡What, what?!

    I yelled at him that without even turning around.

    You know how much my life is in danger right now because of a guy I don''t even know the face of...!

    "Tina, this woman behind me is, well, she''s my roommate who will be sharing a room with me.

    ''''Heh, I see. Then Eric is going to be sleeping in a room with this woman all the time.

    Why, he''s supposed to be making excuses, but he''s acting even stranger and more scared of Tina...!

    I''m just in the room with you!¡¡Nothing weird!

    Of course. Are you saying that, that Eric was thinking about something weird?

    No, no!¡¡No way!

    It feels like cold air is coming out of Tina. Could it be that she''s using magic unconsciously?

    I think it''s great, but I don''t want you to use advanced techniques here.

    ''Tina, please calm down,''

    Yele-san interrupted us from the side to see us.

    ''''She''s the one who doesn''t want to be in the room with you unless she''s stronger than you, so you''re going to have to fight her and Eric-kun now. As for your earlier comment about sleeping together........never mind, it was a figure of speech.

    I''m very grateful for the explanation on my behalf, but I wish you had more excuses for that sleep statement.

    I don''t think I''m less scared of Tina too much.

    ''Why is that woman''s room with Eric?¡¡No way, Eric wanted to....

    ''I didn''t say it, I didn''t say it!¡¡I heard that''s the only place available!

    He glares at me a bit, and I hurriedly deny it.

    I feel like Tina is staring at me for the first time.

    ''If we lose the fight, there won''t be any room for me to sleep in,''

    ''Yeah, I see. I mean, why would you listen to a woman like that?¡¡Normally, if only one room is available, you can''t ask me what I want, can you?

    Is that what you think of her?

    The woman who was said to me in a horrible way is saying something with her voice trembling, but I was a little concerned about that part too.

    Can such selfishness pass for the kingdom''s knights?

    ''Yulia Kashpal is the parent of a nobleman in this country, and her parents were very overprotective... she just couldn''t allow her daughter to be in the same room with a man. Yulia-san and I convinced her, and somehow we managed to convince her that only the strongest men who could beat her would be allowed to live in the same room with her.

    So that''s what it was.

    I mean, wouldn''t it usually be safer to have someone weaker than her in the room with her?¡¡The weaker of the two, the more likely you are to be attacked, the more likely you are to win.

    Is there any other reason?

    That''s what I''m saying. So if you want to sleep here, you can fight me and win. I don''t think you can.

    A woman who said so with dignity and confidence.

    Her red hair is in a ponytail, hanging down to her neck.

    The eyes in her puffy open eyes are also red, just like her hair.

    Her clothes are light, probably because she''s already preparing for a fight, so she''s dressed lightly so that she can move easily.

    Beautiful people are afraid of being expressionless. The same was true for Irene.

    ''I''ve never been beaten by a man my own age since I was born. I was stronger as a woman than my brother and sister. Men are creatures who are proud of their own power, not trying, but flaunting it unceremoniously.

    You''re so prejudiced...

    And you are two years younger than me. I''ve been training for two years longer than you. There''s no reason for you to lose. You must prepare to camp outside while you can.

    He says so arrogantly, but he doesn''t seem to have an air of condescension towards me, he seems to be stating the facts in a matter-of-fact way.

    No, he may be condescending to me, but that would be condescending to the whole creature that is a man.

    ''Let''s get right to it. The training ground is this way.

    Then he turned his back on us and went on ahead.

    What reason did he have to look down on a man like that?

    When I was thinking that - a cold air drifted from Tina''s side again.

    ''''What the hell is that woman........!¡¡My Eric can''t lose!

    I''ve never seen Tina so pissed off.

    Also, I don''t think I''m Tina''s.

    ''I''m sorry, Eric-kun, Tina. She seems to have hated men since she joined the Order and she takes her training and duties very seriously.

    No, I''m fine. I''ll go to the training grounds myself then.

    I''ll be there. You''ll need a witness to win, you know.

    ''I''m coming with you!¡¡Because I want to see that woman lose unceremoniously!

    I feel like Tina''s character is getting worse....

    Is this what it means to be tainted by the city?¡¡Or not.

    I walked along the path she had taken earlier and soon came to a large training ground.

    It''s very large, and it seems this is where the Knights always train.

    ''''This is a dormitory training ground, so it''s a bit small, but it should be big enough for one-on-one battles.

    No, this place seems to be a place for independent training, and apparently the place where they always train is even bigger.

    What kind of size is bigger than this, or really, what kind of size is it.......

    And then there''s Yulina Kashpal standing in the middle of it.

    She is holding two wooden swords in her hand.

    Yere and Tina move away a bit, and I''m the only one who approaches the girl.

    Then he throws one of the wooden swords he was holding and hands it to me.

    ''Let''s get started. Let''s have a little fun with me.

    I felt another chill in the air behind me at those words.

    ''Miss Yulina,''

    "Don''t call me by my name so casually.

    I called his name and he glared at me and said so.

    ''I''m sorry, Mr. Kashpal. How old were you when you started carrying a sword?

    I was five years old. And for the next thirteen years, I swung the sword every day.

    Well, that''s great. It''s very rare for a girl to take up a sword at that age.

    ''''I''ve had a sword since I was three years old, and for thirteen years as well, there hasn''t been a day that I haven''t held a sword.

    ''Well you''ve given the same months to the sword as I have.

    Yes, so... if you lick it, you''ll regret it.

    After lightly hitting him with his killing intent, Kashpal-san immediately put his hand on the hilt of his sword and readied it.

    ''''Well I hear you''re not like other men. But it is I who will win.

    Do you react quickly to my killing intent?

    It must be a little stronger because you''re just in a good mood.

    As I do so, Yele-san announces from a short distance away.

    ''''We will now begin the duel between Yulina Kashpal and Eric Aulin - then, begin.

 40-Episode 40: Duel Settlement

    We will now begin the duel between Yulina Kashpal and Eric Aulin - so let''s begin.

    Mr. Yelle told me so, but me and Mr. Kashpal didn''t move.

    We both have our swords at the ready and are looking at each other.

    She is holding her sword in the middle of the table and pointing it at me. It''s a beautiful sight. Someone must have taught her that.

    I''m holding my sword at the lower level, with the tip of the sword facing the ground without pointing it at her.

    ''What''s the matter, aren''t you coming?''

    My mother says to be nice to the ladies, so after you.

    I tell her that, and she frowns.

    ''Well, that''s auspicious. But - that spirit, you''re going to regret it.

    As soon as he said that, he was coming at you all at once.

    --He''s fast!

    I catch the sword while backing up a bit, but I catch it.

    The approach was fast, but the speed at which the sword is wielded is also so fast that it''s hard to believe it''s a woman.

    As expected, she''s been wielding a sword for the same number of years as me.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to catch it. I also put a feint in it, though.

    ''Really?¡¡I''m sorry, my hand just reacted on its own.

    f*ck you--

    He swings his sword again as it rotates from its crossed state.

    That sword is heavy, perhaps because of the added rotation from earlier.

    I''m sure that the speed of the earlier one was also speedy and vigorous, but this one is heavier, which means that it''s trained to be stronger than speed.

    But I don''t have the right to take that heavy sword head on.

    Deflecting the sword away from me so that it doesn''t hit me, I swing it at her with the same momentum as a counter.

    ''''Kook--!

    Her attack now has a huge opening.

    She turns her back for a moment, so she can''t see me.

    When I hit her arm with the wooden sword, she steps back once to get some distance.

    I don''t put that much effort into it, but it should still hurt my arm.

    She holds her right arm down while frowning slightly.

    ''Are you okay?''

    Worrying about your opponent during a duel? Don''t think you''ve won this one!

    Then he comes at you again all at once.

    She swings down from above, cleaves from the side, and slashes up from below.

    All her swords are fast and heavy.

    I can see why a man who only learned the sword in the Order can''t win.

    Yulina-san is strong because she has been wielding a sword since she was a child.

    And he also has good sense.

    She said she had been wielding a sword for the same number of years as me, but if it had really been the same number of years, I might not have won.

    But - I''ve been wielding a sword for years in my past life as well as in this life.

    ''d*mn it!¡¡Hit it!¡¡Hit it!

    She''s so annoyed that her sword can''t reach me that it''s becoming a big swing.

    I guess this is the first time she''s had this much power and never been hit so hard.

    The power has been put into it - but I can''t get that power through to me.

    On the contrary, the trajectory of the sword is easier to read and can be easily passed over.

    The sword swung from above is swept to the side, and I put the sword in my stomach as it passes by her.

    ''''Ugh...!

    She is shocked in her stomach and squirms, holding her stomach in place.

    I quickly turn around and look at her.

    She was staring at me while she was cowering, her eyes weren''t dead, but she stood up and didn''t seem to have any strength left to fight me.

    But he stands up, using his sword as a staff, and straightens up again, pointing his cutting edge at me and holding it up.

    I''m breathing on my shoulders, and I''m so dizzy that I feel like I''m about to fall over.

    ''''I''m still ... not defeated!

    I say so strongly - but.

    ''No, you''ve lost, Miss Yulina.

    ''¡¡Dude, Commander...!

    Before I knew it, Yere was behind Kashpal.

    Then he placed his hand on her shoulder and announced the conclusion of the game.

    ''''This duel, Eric Aulin has won.

    ''¡¡........I see.

    If Yere, the leader of the group, tells you so, as expected, Kashpal seems to be unable to say anything.

    He nodded weakly.

    ''''Thank you for your hard work, Eric-kun, Yulina-san.

    Yes, thank you.

    I respond to the words from Yelle, but she doesn''t respond.

    She said she''s never been beaten by a man her age before, so I guess she was shocked.

    And I''m two years younger than her, in case you''re wondering, so the shock will be even greater.

    Well, I''ve lived twice as long as she has, if you count the years of my previous life....

    Putting that aside, I walk up to her who is drooping in a paragraph.

    ''Thank you for your efforts, Mr. Kashpal.

    Then she puts out her hand and asks for a handshake.

    She looks up, looks at me, and agrees to shake my hand.

    Her hand was weak.

    ''It''s a complete defeat, I couldn''t even land a blow.

    ''No, Mr Kashpal was very strong too.

    "The sarcastic thing is I''m weaker than you. And you don''t have to be respectful. I''m weaker than you, you can call me by my name too.

    ''No, I will speak respectfully. I''ll call you Mr. Eulina, though.

    ''Well, well, you can do what you want. I''m a loser and I have no say in the matter.

    You''re an amazingly negative person to say that you''ve lost once....

    I know you''re still far away from me in terms of power, but I think you can beat a normal person with plenty of time to spare.

    ''''Then, Yulina-san, would you mind sharing a room with Eric-kun?

    Yes, of course. That was our agreement.

    When Yele-san said that, Yulina-san nodded emphatically.

    Hmm, I don''t feel like I''m doing anything wrong.

    ''Good for you, Eric!¡¡Win that woman!

    Tina, who was watching me from the side, comes up to me and says that in a voice she can hear.

    No, Tina you have such a bad character?

    "...I''m sorry, Lord Tina. I have been a mockery to your loved ones. I apologize from the bottom of my heart.

    Oh, no, it''s okay. I''m sorry, too, I''m sorry about the...

    We''re in the unfamiliar situation of starting to apologize to each other.

    Perhaps Tina didn''t realize that Yulina-san was that depressed.

    If she''s that depressed, it''s troubling because it makes us look bad on the contrary.

    As expected, it''s good that Tina didn''t see that kind of depression and didn''t go so far as to push her further.

 41-Episode 41 Why Strong

    The duel was over and I got to stay in the same room as Yulina-san, so I had to carry my stuff to that room.

    ''Eric will be in the same room as Yulina-san.............................nice.

    Hmm?¡¡What, does Tina want to be in the same room as Miss Yulina?

    ''Not so!¡¡I want to be in the same room as Eric!

    Tina tells me that as I''m carrying my bags with me.

    Well, it''s not an exaggeration to say that me and Tina have been living together in the village for a long time.

    We even slept in the bed together the other day.

    ''If it was a magic knight''s dormitory, I think there was room available, but can''t Eric and I live in a room together there?

    ''''No. The Magic Knights'' dormitory will be occupied by the Magic Knights. There''s a chance that people may come in there in the future.

    Tina was blatantly depressed by Yelle''s explanation.

    ''Well, we see each other every day normally, so it''s okay, right?''

    ''Ummm ... yeah, I guess. I''ll be patient.

    Tina replies, dejectedly.

    After dropping off my luggage, I was to have Yulina-san show me around the facility and the city.

    Tina had been shown around first, so she''s going to go with Yele-san to greet the leader of the Magic Knights.

    If you don''t appeal well here, Tina will become an apprentice instead of a magic knight, so I want you to do your best with Yele-san.

    And I arrived in front of the room where I will be living from now on.

    ''''Here, be careful, you can get quite lost at first.

    Yulina said, then opened the door.

    It was twice as big as my room.

    There are beds lined up in a row, one of which is full of life because Yulina-san is using it.

    There''s a space between the beds, and it''s said that each life is divided from the middle of the space.

    Yulina-san''s bed is on the door side, and I guess my space is at the back.

    ''Sorry to disturb you,''

    After saying that in a manner, I went in and was about to go to the back of the room.....................but then I saw something on Yulina-san''s bed.

    Red, cloth....?

    I gave it a quick glance, but upon closer inspection, I could make out the shape of it well.

    They were pants.

    It''s not ''pants'' meaning pants, but ''underwear'' meaning underwear.

    The moment I realized that, I turned my face away from it.

    Perhaps because I deflected it so vigorously, Yulina-san, who came in after me, gets suspicious.

    ''''What''s going on?¡¡What''s the matter........?

    The last of the words fade away as he looks at his bed and understands.

    ''Sh--!''

    His face turned bright red and he moved faster than he had fought earlier, taking his pants and hiding them behind his back.

    ''I''m sorry!¡¡I''ve shown you something unpleasant...!

    No, no, it''s not...

    ''Because when we were about to fight earlier, we changed in a hurry!¡¡Nah, it''s not always this messy, don''t worry!

    You changed your clothes when you fought me....

    Hmm?¡¡No, wait, do you even have to change your underwear?

    My underwear... no, no, no, no, don''t have this weird fantasy about me!

    ''Eric?¡¡What are you thinking about?

    ''Wow!¡¡No, no, I''m not thinking about it!

    Tina came in to say that she wanted to see the room I''m going to live in, and she said something that sounded like she knew what I was thinking.

    Lately, I get the feeling that Tina''s instincts are getting sharper and sharper....

    I put my stuff down and leave the room.

    I''m going to live here with Yulina-san from now on.......is it okay?

    Tina left here to go with Yele-san to meet the leader of the magical knights.

    After that, I was accompanied by Yuleena-san to go around the facility.

    ''''This is the dining hall. It''s the only place where all the Knights and Magical Knights meet. That''s why this place is the second biggest after the training grounds.''''

    Right now, as Yurina-san said, she''s showing me the dining hall...........................It''s really big and spacious.

    It seems that the total number of knights and magical knights in the royal capital alone exceeds 10,000 people.

    The total number of knights scattered around each city is said to be over 100,000.

    In a country this big, a lot of knights must be needed.

    There are an amazing number of knights, but the top one among them is Yele.

    He''s really an amazing person.......I''m casually calling him Yele-san or something like that, is it okay?

    After that, Yulina-san''s guidance continued, and at the end we came to a place where they always train.

    It was still bigger than the dining hall, and many knight people were already training there.

    There are people fighting against people with swords and spears, and others just waving their swords and polishing their own swords.

    ''Today is a day when there is no training in general, but this is how many knights are training voluntarily.

    Really?

    I was able to watch the other knights practicing for a while..........but no one is particularly strong to catch my eye.

    There are people who are head and shoulders above the rest, but even so, they will probably lose to Yulina-san.

    That''s how strong Yulina-san was.

    She had a speed and power that you wouldn''t expect from a woman.

    ''''Well when I look at the other knights like this, I think I''m stronger than them.

    Looking at the other knights as well as me, Yulina-san mutters that.

    It''s not conceit or pride, it''s just a fact.

    ''''As expected, I didn''t expect to be able to beat the Commander, Deputy Commander, etc., but I still had the pride of being strong enough to put my name next to them. But........I didn''t think I''d lose to someone younger than me.

    I muttered that to myself in frustration.

    No, I''m........well.......younger than I am, but I''m really twice as old as I am. I''m sorry.

    ''Can I call you Eric, if you don''t mind?''

    Oh, yes.

    ''So Eric, how did you become so strong?¡¡I was as confident as anyone in the amount of training I had. Even those who were older than me thought I had more serious training than I did. And you, with the same number of years of training, you beat me easily.

    He looks me straight in the eye and asks me a question.

    ''Why are you going to go so far as to ... tell me?''

    That being said, I''m trying to figure out where the difference in competence between me and Yurina-san was.

    The first thing that comes to mind is the difference in experience.

    I said we''ve been wielding swords for the same number of years, but I''ve been wielding them in my previous life, and I''m also used to fighting.

    I think that''s the biggest difference.

    And then there''s the technical side.

    My speed is faster than a normal person, or if anything, maybe a little faster than I am now. The power was also unbelievable for a woman.

    But I lacked the skills to use them all.

    I think that''s the big difference, but that''s not what Yulina-san is asking about.

    You''re not asking why you became strong.

    ''''Well.......maybe it''s the difference in the ''quality'' of training.''''''

    ''You think my training was poor?¡¡My parents are aristocrats, so I was able to call a sword teacher to teach me. So in terms of quality, I''d say I''m higher than you from the village.

    Well, maybe so. I was born in a village, and the only person who taught me how to use a sword was my dad, and he wasn''t my sword, either.

    But I learned it from my best friend Christo in a previous life, so I didn''t have a problem with it.

    Or rather, that''s not what it was about.

    ''''Yulina-san, I have one question for you.''''

    What?

    I ask Yulina-san, who asked me a question, in reverse.

    ''Have you--have you ever seriously wielded a sword?''

 42-Episode 42 Serious Sword

    Have you--have you ever really wielded a sword?

    At my question, Yulina frowns.

    ''Seriously, you mean?¡¡What does that mean?

    ''As the saying goes. You''ve probably never really wielded a sword.

    When I assured him of this, he was indeed angry.

    ''Don''t be silly. I''ve been swinging my sword every day. With every swing, of course you''re swinging it seriously.

    Yulina, who said it in a rugged way, continued her words.

    ''Eric, I got to know your sword from fighting you. Probably you have been swinging your sword seriously every day, just like me. I thought that you and I, who have crossed swords, would know that much...

    The words were not meant to be angry, but discouraging.

    I certainly got to know Yulina-san''s sword in that duel.

    I also know that she wielded her sword seriously every day.

    But that''s not what I mean by seriousness.

    ''''There is a difference between Yulina-san and my seriousness. If you want to compare them, I''m more serious about swinging my sword.

    ''What ... are you trying to tell me that I haven''t been diligent?

    If I had a sword, I could see that she was so angry that she was about to slash at me.

    ''''Yurina-san--have you ever killed someone?''''

    Do I...?

    You''re probably wondering again about my rambling question.

    ''A sword is a tool for killing people.

    They say you swing a sword to protect yourself and your loved ones, but that means hurting someone other than yourself or your loved ones.

    ''Did you swing your sword every day with that resolve, Yulina-san?

    You mean you''re prepared to kill people?

    Yes, I do.

    ....

    Ms. Yulina can''t answer.

    That would be true. There aren''t many people in the Order who wield a sword every day with the determination to kill people.

    ''''I''ve killed people before.

    -Oh!

    You probably guessed it by my question, but I''m still a little surprised.

    I killed Felix who attacked my village in this life as well.

    Even in my past life, I stood on the battlefield and slashed and killed dozens and hundreds of people.

    And I have no regrets about it.

    It''s a choice I made for the people I want to protect.

    However, that still doesn''t make killing people justifiable.

    ''''Of course I didn''t kill them indiscriminately, but only when they were evil to me. Otherwise, you wouldn''t be able to join the Order.

    I see.

    Yulina is a little relieved by my words.

    That''s true, I wouldn''t be able to sleep at night if the person I''m going to be living in the room with from today is a pleasure killer.

    ''''I wielded my sword every day with the intention of killing people. That''s the difference between Miss Yulina and me in earnest.

    I see... So, to you, my sword is nothing more than a game.

    If you go that far, it''s a polar opposite, but you may have a point.

    I don''t think there''s any point in wielding a sword that isn''t prepared to kill someone, for example.

    ''''I thought I could never lose with a man of my generation.......but I''m not there yet, either. I never thought of swinging a sword with that much resolve. I just thought about it because it was fun to be strong, I didn''t want to lose, etc.

    ''I think that''s normal,''

    In my previous life, I became strong because I thought I had to be strong or I would die and no one could protect me.

    In this life, I thought I had to be strong, too, and I''ve wielded my sword with that resolve.

    ''I wish I could wield my sword with that resolve right now I think I would, but I don''t think it will be easy.

    A sword is a tool to kill people, and even if you think so, you usually can''t be that prepared.

    Unless, like me, you want to risk your life to protect something.

    ''''Will I also be able to wield a sword for real one day...?''''

    Well if there''s something you really want to protect, you can.

    You really want to protect it, don''t you?

    Even so, it would be hard to find such a thing.

    At best, it would be my life, or my family''s life, or something like that.

    And that would never be possible just by thinking about it now.

    You won''t be able to really think about it until your life and your family''s lives are at stake.

    ''I think the thought of not wanting to lose and being strong is enough for me right now. Besides, that''s not enough to convince you that that''s the only reason you lost to me, is it?¡¡It''s such an uncertain thing, the strength of our feelings.

    ''Well, I thought the reason I lost to you was the technical side, and then the mental side. If I can work on that, I might be able to beat you one day.

    When you look back on that fight, you know what you''re missing.

    That ability to analyze oneself is also an absolutely necessary ability to become strong.

    Tomorrow we''ll start training again and I hope we''ll meet again then.

    Of course I''ll take it. I''m not so easily defeated, though.

    ''Next time ... no, I''d better not say anything unrealistic. But one day we will win.

    Yulina says that and holds out her hand to me, smiling a little.

    I receive that hand and return the smile.

    It''s not a weak handshake when the duel is over, but a strong handshake this time.

    ''It''s almost time for dinner. Let''s go to the cafeteria.

    Yes.

    I''ve been given a tour, but it''s already that time.

    Well, today, we left the village in the morning, met with His Majesty as soon as we arrived in the capital, and then had a duel when we arrived here afterwards.

    It''s been quite an intense day.

    I''m going to walk in front of you to the cafeteria that you showed me to earlier as a refresher.

    It''s not that I don''t have a good memory, and I don''t have a bad sense of direction, so I got there normally.

    There were already quite a few people in the cafeteria, and they were each getting their meals and sitting down to eat.

    Yulina and I also got our meals and took our seats face to face.

    As we were chatting and eating for a while, I heard a voice calling my name.

    ''Eric!¡¡Let''s eat together!

    It was Tina who approached me as she said this.

    Without hearing my reply, Tina sat down next to me and immediately started talking about what she did while I was gone.

    She went to town, did something, etc., what she bought.

    I listen as she talks with a big smile on her face, and I listen to her as she talks with a smile on her face.

    ''You guys really get along, don''t you?''

    Yulina, who was sitting across from us, looked at us and spoke to us that way.

    ''Well, we''ve known each other since I was zero, so we''ve been together for sixteen years.

    I''ve had memories of you since I was zero it''s been hard, you''ve been hugging me so hard at zero that I''ve almost died many times.

    I don''t have anyone like that I''m a little bit jealous.

    ''Yulina-san it''s okay, it''s okay, we''re going to be friends from now on.

    ''Well I guess I''ll get along with Eric. He''s not like any of the guys I''ve seen before.

    It''s not that our personalities are different, it''s just that we''re stronger than Yulina-san, but.......well, I''m honestly glad to hear you say that.

    ''''Mmm.......you two are getting along.

    Hmm?¡¡Well, maybe a little.

    Tina hears me and Yulina-san talking and says so with a puffy face.

    Would you say that we''re getting along well in Tina''s eyes?

    ''Hey Eric, give me an ear,''

    Hmm?¡¡What is it?

    Tina put her face in my ear and whispered in my ear.

    Just because it''s just the two of us in the room doesn''t mean you can''t start acting weird, okay?

    He told me so.

    ''''Wow, okay........''''

    Even though I didn''t feel like it at all, for some reason I feel like I''m doing something wrong and I''m being respectful.

    In front of me was Yulina-san, who was eating her meal and tilting her head when she saw that my behavior changed after she hit my ear.

 43-Episode 43 Together Room

    After finishing dinner, me and Yulina and I turned to go back to our room.

    Tina and I parted ways in the dining room, but as a reminder

    "Eric, what I said before don''t forget it, okay?

    I replied with a shudder.

    ''Eric, what do you mean by what Tina said?''

    ...I mean, don''t do anything unnecessary and go to bed early.

    Yeah, I seriously think that''s what he meant.

    That way I can keep what Tina said, so let''s just assume that''s what I meant.

    ''I see. Hmmm, I was surprised to hear that Tina is the same age as me, but you''re being a proper sissy.

    The two of us introduced ourselves while we were eating in the cafeteria earlier, and Yulina seemed to think Tina was the same age as me or younger.

    Looking at us, I think I looked more like an older brother than her.

    Well, Tina is older than me, but if you add in my previous life, I''ve been alive for more years than her.

    I can''t blame you for looking that way.

    ''Eric-kun.''

    As I was walking back to my room, I was approached from behind and when I turned around, I saw Yelle.

    ''I just wanted to ask you a few questions,''

    What is it?

    It''s about your request.

    The request...?

    Oh, yeah. I said I wanted you to find Christo.

    ''I was told there was someone looking for him, but I didn''t get his name.

    Oh, I''m sorry. His name is Christo.

    Christo what''s your last name?

    I''m sorry, I don''t know...

    I only heard that guy''s name as Christo.

    In my previous life I only heard his name and called him that........I should have listened carefully.

    ''Christo, is it? That''s all the information I have, it''s going to take me a little while, is that alright?

    Yes, I''m fine. I''m sorry I caused you so much trouble.

    No, I''m thanking you for saving my country, and I don''t want to get in the middle of a problem like this.

    Mr. Yelle gladly accepted.

    ''Well then, it''s early tomorrow, so you''d better get some rest now. Good night.''

    Yes, good night.

    Good night, Miss Yulina.

    Yes, good job!

    When she was approached, Yulina paused in a firm salute and greeted her.

    When Yelle-san leaves, she breaks form and walks back to her room.

    Yulina-san seems surprised to hear the conversation she just had.

    ''What did Eric do to get the Commander to do you a favor...?''

    I was just protecting my village.

    ''Really?¡¡But I suppose that''s enough to get you a little gratuity... enough to get the Knight Commander to do you a favor?

    I guess it''s because by saving my village, you''ve saved the country.

    ''Well, it''s also because I''ve defeated someone important to the country, and now I get to hear my thanks.

    ''Well, but the name Christo I''ve never heard of it in the nobility. Though it might be among the citizens.

    Of course he is. That random guy couldn''t be a nobleman.

    Good luck finding that guy.

    Thank you.

    But even if I find it, I don''t know what to do with it.

    I''m the only one who has memories of my past life, so I''m just a stranger to Christo now.

    I just want to make sure he''s okay but I want to be a good friend over here as well.

    After a short walk, we arrived at our room.

    We go inside and each of us gets ready for bed.

    This dormitory seems to have a large bathroom, but it is rarely available, and it seems to use the one attached to the room for the bath.

    The large bath is filled with hot water only once a month, and at that time, the entire knights are said to enter it.

    ''''Yulina-san, you can go in first.

    Oh, yeah?¡¡Then I''ll take you up on your offer.

    Yulina-san, who looked a little nervous, opened the bathroom door and went in.

    As expected, even though we''ve become friends, it''s natural to be nervous to be in the same room as a guy you''re meeting for the first time today, isn''t it?

    A few minutes later, I heard the sound of the shower.

    I''m supposed to only hear the sound, but it makes me feel strange.

    On the other hand, it''s probably because it''s only a sound that something weird comes to mind.

    Think of something different...!¡¡Whatever.

    ....No, no, I can''t think of anything!

    No, I''d rather not think about it!¡¡Yes, let''s meditate!

    You close your eyes and start to concentrate on nothing.

    Soon you don''t even hear the shower and you succeed in entering your world.

    ''What, Eric?¡¡Do you have a minute?

    Yes?

    He spoke to me out of the blue, and my voice flipped over.

    Apparently, I couldn''t hear the shower anymore because the shower had stopped.

    When I looked towards the bathroom, I saw Yulina-san only peeking at my face.

    ''''Well, out of my usual habit, I forgot to hold my clothes... could you just take my shirt and pants and give them to me?¡¡If that''s all you wear, I''ll be in your presence.

    Okay, I understand.

    If I''ve been alone before, is it any wonder I forgot to take my clothes to the bathroom?

    I do as I''m told and get my bag fished out a bit and take out my shirt and pants.

    But when I take them out of the bag I see what has come out together.

    It was a red bra.

    It''s a fancy color, but the pants were also red, so if I had only seen the color I wouldn''t have been that surprised.

    It wasn''t the color that surprised me........it was the size.

    It''s the kind of thing that makes you think it''s very large, even for a guy like me.

    But, Yulina, I was working with you today and I didn''t think it was that big........

    ''Eric?¡¡Did you find it?

    ''Ha, yes!¡¡Oh, there it is!

    My voice flips over again, but I hand the clothes to Yulina-san for now.

    Try as much as possible not to look in that direction when handing it to her.

    ''''Oh, thanks.''''

    Yulina pulled her head back and began to change her clothes.

    And soon after, she came out of the bathroom........

    ''''--?

    Big.

    I won''t say what - no, I don''t have to say it, but it''s big.

    The bulge in his shirt is unusually full.

    I didn''t feel that big at all when we were together today, but why is it suddenly so...!

    Oh, you shouldn''t look at me like that!

    I''m sorry!

    My gaze was probably too obvious.

    Yulina-san crossed her arms to cover her breasts and stared at me with a red face.

    I turn away my body and face away.

    ''''This is, well... it''s in the way when we''re training or something, so I usually wrap a salami around it...!¡¡But the salash is tight, so take it off when you sleep...!

    Oh, really? I''m so sorry!

    ''No, no, I''m sorry. I''m sorry to show you something unsightly...

    It''s not!

    What...?

    No, this conversation is going to get to the point where it''s definitely not good.

    ''I''m going to go take a bath!

    I ran into the bathroom with a change of clothes in hand.

    Then I took off my clothes and went into the bath.

    You could have put on the clothes you took off once, Yulina-san, and you wouldn''t have to make me look for you.

    Well, I guess I was nervous and couldn''t think that far ahead.

    I take a bath and first put water, not hot water, on my head.

    It cools my hot face and head.

    Huh........I don''t know what''s going to happen after the first day like this......

    I just hope the room becomes available soon.

 44-Episode 44 Regular Meeting

    --Jeremias, over.

    Now, let''s get this meeting going.

    In one room, the Knights and Magical Knights, the leader and deputy leader of each, are gathered together, sitting around a slightly wider table in a circle.

    In total, the four of us gather together and regularly exchange information and so on.

    If there isn''t much to talk about, it will be over soon.......but today will be a little longer.

    ''''Anne, do you have any information on that side of things?''''

    No, not really. The only thing I''d have to say is that there''s no one in this year''s group that caught my eye.

    I ask the head of the Order of Magical Knights, Anne Bendix, who is sitting in front of me, but she says so discouragingly.

    She has long black hair and sharp eyes, but she is rumored to be very beautiful by her people.

    Furthermore, she is tall and has a good style, so she seems to be very popular.

    To be admitted to the Order of Magic, she must have been an apprentice for at least two years, so she must have some ability, but she has a very strict eye for it.

    I think only a genius can really catch her eye........................like the Deputy Commander of the Order of Magic Knights.

    ''How about you, Viviana, how about you?''

    ''Hmmm, well, I guess the only thing I can say is that Tina was pretty.

    Viviana, that''s not what I''m asking.

    Vice Commander, Viviana Spano.

    She also has black hair, but unlike Anne, she has short hair and is said to be more of a pretty girl than a pretty girl.

    It seems that the leader and deputy leader of the magic knights have a certain number of fans, and they are more popular than the knights.

    I don''t feel anything special about being pretty or cute, so I''m a little unconvinced, but.......well, that''s not the point now.

    Viviana-san is a talented person who has risen to the level of deputy commander at the young age of 20 years old when her talent was bought by the leader of the group, Anne, and she has risen to the level of deputy commander.

    The talent that Anne approves of is really high, and I have been helped by her magic several times.

    ''''Oh, really?¡¡But Tina, you''re going to join the Order of Magic, right?

    ''I haven''t decided yet. From what I''ve heard from Yelle, I''m sure I could put it in, but I''ll have to see the magic in action. We met once today, but I haven''t seen any magic.

    ''Tina seems to have mastered intermediate magic at the age of eighteen.

    Hey, Tina, that''s great.

    Viviana was showing Tina around the facility and the city today, so it looks like they got to know each other a little better.

    ''''Bibiana, you could have used advanced magic at eighteen.

    Oh, was it?

    It''s still a bit mind-boggling that you don''t even remember yourself.......let''s not think about it any more.

    ''''Tina-san doesn''t have anyone to teach her, so it seems she can only do intermediate magic. If you teach her, she might be able to do it right away.

    Hmm, I suppose we can expect a few more.

    Anne grins a bit as she says that.

    After all, she''s probably looking forward to it a little bit, as she too might have a talented person enter.

    ''''Speaking of which, Tina and I came together...I think it was Eric-chan?¡¡What about that boy?

    ''''Right. Despite being only sixteen years old, Yelle, you''re young enough to recommend it, right?

    The Tina connection brought you to the story of Eric.

    Well, where should I start?

    ''Well, you''re very good at it. I don''t even know if I could beat you in a real fight.

    ''Heh, you''re the Commander. If you say so, you must be sure.

    Yelle-san looks at such things without prejudice at all. You''re that strong!

    The two of them seem a little surprised.

    I''ve told His Majesty, but probably not to these two.

    ''Yes, Eric, you - you''d kill Felix Gladio.

    "--Hey!¡¡Yelle, what did you say?¡¡That dangerous person was killed?

    The one who reacted was the leader of the group, Anne.

    She seems to understand the gravity of the matter as well as I do.

    ''''Felix.......who was it?''''

    Didn''t she ... still not remember?

    ''''I told you before. I told you before, the guy who was going to be king of the demon kingdom. He was belligerent, and I was wary of him because he was a bad guy.

    Yes, that man, Eric, and it seems that he was killed with the help of Mr. Tina.

    When I told her about the stories I had heard in the village of Aurin, Anne seemed very surprised.

    Wow, Tina-chan helped out too. I knew she was strong.

    Viviana-san had listened to the story, but the bite was a bit odd... well, that''s important too, so it''s not that far off.

    ''''Then it''s no wonder you joined the group at the unorthodox age of sixteen.

    Yes, Your Majesty has graciously allowed me to do so.

    It''s just that Leo is so random.

    Viviana, call me "Your Majesty," you have no honor.

    Miss Viviana calls Her Majesty familiar, but Her Majesty says, "There''s a pretty one because it''s pretty! He said.

    Well, the queen was pissed off when she heard that.

    ''''So what is the one who doesn''t speak for the entire meeting to start?''''

    Anne sat down with cold eyes and turned to the person who was lying face down and said.

    ''''........Guh, guh....

    ''Don''t sleep on it!

    Anne, who was sitting next to me, banged her head to wake me up.

    ''Phew!¡¡.........Whew, good sleep. Okay, let''s get the meeting started.

    It''s already started!

    ''Oh?¡¡Seriously, wake me up.

    Don''t go to bed first!

    Anne puts her hands on her head and exhales.

    The one who was asleep rustles his head and pulls out a bottle of whiskey called Skittles from his pocket and begins to drink it.

    ''Don''t drink alcohol in the middle of a meeting!

    Come on, man, it doesn''t bother me.

    ''Huh I''ll just give up now because you don''t listen to me every time I tell you.

    They always have this kind of exchange when they get to a meeting.

    It always ends up with Anne breaking down in the end.

    ''Well I have one question for you today. You''re this Eric Aulin guy, are you strong?

    ''Yes, I''m strong. So strong that I can probably beat you.

    Well, if you say so, I''m sure we''ll fight tomorrow.

    Then he gets up and tries to leave the room on his own.

    ''''Yes, you should try to fight. You probably won''t be able to win with your ''that sword''.

    Well, I''m looking forward to it.

    With a grin, the fellow left.

    ''''Haha I think it was a mistake of judgment on your part to make that guy the deputy commander, Yelle.

    ''Really?¡¡He''s the only one in the current Order who can serve as deputy commander.

    It''s all right.¡¡He''s strong.

    ''I''ll admit that, but...''

    Anne let out another sigh.

    Certainly, there will be some people in the Order who will fulfill their duties as the Deputy Commander.

    However--''''

    ''''After all, he''s the only deputy commander. Because he--he''s stronger than me.

 45-Episode 45 Breakfast

    --The next morning.

    Yesterday I was nervous and had a hard time sleeping, but I managed to sleep.

    The morning of the Order is early, and if we don''t go to the dining hall at six o''clock to eat breakfast, we''ll be late for training and other things.

    Yulina-san also seemed to have woken up a little later than usual, and she was hurrying to prepare it.

    Since she was trying to hurry, I was surprised when she took off her clothes and other things in front of me. I hurriedly turned my face away so I wouldn''t see her.

    She noticed immediately and ran to the changing room with the clothes and other things she had prepared, her face turning bright red.

    A few minutes later, she came out in comfortable clothes, but her face was still bright red.

    From the way he was dressed the salash must be wrapped up again, yes. The less said about how I knew, the better.

    I went with him to the cafeteria and was just about to go get breakfast when I heard him call me again.

    ''Eric!¡¡Good morning!¡¡Good morning to you too, Yulina!

    Tina approached with a smile, her voice sounding cheerful from the morning.

    ''Oh, good morning,''

    ''Good morning, Tina''s looking good this morning. Hmm?¡¡What''s that in your hand?

    Yulina asks that.

    Come to think of it, Tina has something.

    ''Here''s breakfast for Eric!¡¡I made it!

    ''What ... did you really make that for me?''

    When I decided to join the Order, Tina had said she would make me breakfast, but I thought it was something I could say since I didn''t know I would be getting up this early in the morning.

    But when could I get up to make and bring her breakfast at this hour....

    ''Thanks, Tina,''

    ''Yes!¡¡You''re welcome!

    Her smile, which shows no signs of sleep deprivation, cheers me up in the morning, too.

    Tina seemed to have made her own, and the three of us sat down after Yulina got breakfast.

    When I opened the lid of my lunch box, there was the same kind of food I always had at home.

    Tina and I ate breakfast together quite often when we were in the village, so she must have known the menu.

    I took a quick bite.

    It was delicious, and it was the kind of breakfast where you could taste both your mother''s and Tina''s flavors at the same time.

    ''Yeah, it''s good,''

    "Heh, good for you!

    Tina, who is eating next to me, is looking into my face and I give her a firm impression.

    Tina''s face turns a little red and she''s happy.

    ''''I''m sure the training for the magic knights and such will start now, so if you''re busy or tired, don''t force yourself to make it, okay?¡¡It''s really good, but Tina''s body is more important to me.

    ''Yeah, okay!¡¡I''ll make as much as I can!

    I don''t think I would be homesick for this meal every day if I could eat it, but I''ll tell her that just in case because I think it''s definitely hard to make it every day.

    Tina is also firm about that, so I''m sure she''ll be fine.

    ''''Looks good ... Tina''s a good cook, isn''t she?

    Yulina-san, who is eating the breakfast that was handed out in front of her, mutters as she looks at Tina''s food.

    ''''Would you like to eat if you want?''''

    Tina pointed to breakfast on her end and said.

    ''Are you sure?''

    Yes, please!

    I''m sorry, that was a bit of a stubborn bite.

    No, no, I''m fine.

    Yulina-san gets a bite from Tina''s place and eats it.

    ''''Hmm, delicious........!¡¡Did Tina really do this?

    Thank you!

    ''It''s really good it''s better than what my parents'' cooks used to make at home.

    ''Really?¡¡I''m so happy for you!

    ''''Tina''s eighteen years old too?¡¡Then you don''t have to be respectful.

    Really?¡¡Well, nice to meet you then, Yulina!

    ''Yeah, nice to meet you. Hmm, two friends right after joining the Order...!

    I heard Yulina-san muttering that in a small voice.

    It sounds like she didn''t have any friends when she was an apprentice of the Order.......

    ''''You don''t have any friends, Yulina?''''

    Tina asked without hesitation at all...................great.

    ''''Ugh it''s embarrassing, but yes. I was an apprentice of the Order for two years and there was no one stronger than me, not even a man, not a single woman but me.

    Are there not many women in the Order?

    ''For some reason, it''s said that women have more magical qualities than men. The Knights of the Order are predominantly male and the Magical Order is predominantly female.

    Oh, really?¡¡Are women more predisposed to magic than men?

    Is that why I''m worse at magic than Tina...?

    Come to think of it, Irene was also better at magic than me... no, that was a previous life, so it''s because I didn''t really do any real magic.

    But in this life, I''ve always been serious about magic, but I don''t feel like I''m better than Irene at all, you know?

    ''Well, I''m sure there are a few women like me who have chosen to join the Order, or even men who are in the Order of Magic.

    That''s right.

    ''That''s why I didn''t have any friends, you know, I couldn''t make them. I didn''t even think much about making them when I was an apprentice but I also wondered if it was going to stay that way forever.

    ''Yulina it''s okay!¡¡Because me and Eric are now friends!¡¡Hey, Eric!

    ''Oh, yes. I look forward to working with you in the future, Eulina.

    "Tina...!¡¡Eric....!

    He looks at us in turn, a little teary-eyed.

    ''Yeah, nice to meet you!''

    ''Yes!¡¡I''m going to make breakfast for Yulina tomorrow!

    You sure you want to do this?

    Yeah, because we''re friends!

    Oh, thank you, Tina!

    Yulina is bowing her head as if impressed.

    Or rather, I feel that Tina is good at making friends.

    I was the only person my age in the village until now.

    Well, I was close with everyone in the village and I guess that kind of ability was high from the beginning.

    ''But you know what, Yulina?

    Hmm?¡¡What is it?

    Tina lowered her voice a little.

    Eric and I shouldn''t be more than friends, you know...?¡¡If that happens, we might not even be friends anymore, right?

    A black smile told me that.

    It seems like Tina has been saying more and more of these scary things lately.

    ''''Wow, okay I''ll keep that in mind.

    Yulina also said this while pulling a face.

    In the meantime, they finished their breakfast and soon it would be time for training.

    The Knights and the Magical Knights have different training locations, so this is where I''ll be separating from Tina.

    ''''Bye, Eric, Yulina!¡¡Let''s keep each other on our toes!

    Tina said with a pretty smile, unlike earlier.

    ''Training is tough, you know. Don''t get uprooted too soon, Tina.

    Yes, thank you for your concern, Eulina.

    "Make a strong case for your induction into the Order of Magic.

    Yeah, I''ll try!

    Then Tina and I parted ways, and me and Yulina-san headed to the Knights'' training grounds.

    ''''Since this is your first training, I''ll be there to teach you.

    Thank you.

    I''m going to have to get my shit together to keep up with Tina and Yulina!

 46-Episode 46 Training Start

    Me and Yurina-san arrived at the Knights'' training ground.

    There were already thousands of people there.

    Each person''s clothes are different, but they are easy to move around in.

    It seems that during training, clothes are free, but when it comes to work, such as missions, there is a fixed outfit.

    Training is divided into morning, afternoon and evening.

    Depending on the time of duty or work, it is possible to choose which time of day to train.

    I''m in the morning today, but I don''t know what''s going to happen now.

    There are hundreds of knightly people, but they start to line up nicely.

    I''m taken to line up next to them by Yulina-san.

    After waiting for a while, Yele-san appears in front of me.

    He goes up on a platform of sorts and looks around at the knights in line.

    ''''Good morning.''''

    "Good morning!

    The knights responded to Yelle''s words a little louder than usual with many times their voices.

    I was a little overwhelmed by their voices.

    ''''Let''s do our best today, everyone.

    Yes!

    Then he bowed his head slightly and quickly got off the platform.

    When I asked Yulina-san about it later, she said that Yele-san always comes to greet me in the morning.

    It seems that the knights have a lot of respect for Yele-san, who always shows up every day, even though he''s absolutely busy because he''s the leader of the group.

    And as soon as Yele-san left, it became training.

    At first it was about ten kilometers of running and muscle training.

    This is the first time I''ve trained here, but I''ve been doing this kind of training since I was little, so I was comfortable with it.

    The people around me also seem to be a little used to it, but there seems to be no one who has more time to spare than me, even if Yurina-san is included.

    Yulina-san seems to have more stamina than the normal knight people.

    ''''Ha, ha ... Eric doesn''t look too tired.

    Well, I think I can handle this one.

    As soon as the muscle training was over, it became training with weapons.

    Each person had a different weapon, so at first we trained with people who had the same weapon. There were hundreds of people with swords alone.

    Since Yulina and I are swords, we wielded our swords together with people who had the same weapons.

    The one who wields it most beautifully is not me........but Yulina-san.

    You said you had someone to teach you because you''re a nobleman. So it''s probably because there''s someone who can objectively look at how to swing a sword and fix it for you that you can swing it beautifully.

    I was taught by Christo in my previous life, but in this life there was no one to fix it for me, so I''m completely self-made.

    In fact, isn''t this the dirtiest way of swinging in the world?

    It''s kind of embarrassing to think about that, but I don''t care too much and keep swinging my sword seriously.

    And after continuing that for a while, it was decided that people with different weapons would team up to practice with each other this time.

    It seems that there are about ten people in each team and they will fight in pairs.

    Since we fought with Yulina-san here once yesterday, we will split up once and train in teams with other people.

    ''''I''ll take care of you.''''

    Haven''t seen you around. Are you new here?¡¡You''re pretty young.

    Someone nearby invited me to fight him.

    He has a mix of gray hair and a slightly wrinkled face, so he looks like he''s been a knight for years now.

    ''''Yes, I joined yesterday. I''m sixteen years old.''''

    ''Sixteen years old!¡¡That''s not true, you''re sixteen when you can be an apprentice, right?

    ''Oh, really?''

    What''s this? This is the first time I''ve heard of it....

    Well, Yele-san........I was recruited by the leader to join, but........

    ''The Lord Commander?¡¡I''ve never heard of a recommendation at that age. Maybe it''s the youngest I''ve ever been inducted into the Order.

    He laughs at that. He''s the kind of senior citizen you don''t find hard to talk to, with all due respect let''s call him an old man by heart.

    I''m not making fun of him by any means, he has the vibe of some kind of easy to talk to old man in my neighborhood.

    ''Then let''s get started. I''m not going to go easy on you, even though we''re nearly twice as old as you, you were recommended by the leader. I''m not going to go easy on you!

    Yes, please.

    They take a step away from each other and position themselves.

    The old man is a spearman.

    The reach of a spear and a sword is different.

    Even if the distance I cannot reach, the old man can attack with ease.

    So the old man would attack before me.

    The way to fight the spear is to take the time and prevent the opponent from sneaking into your bosom.

    As expected, the old man takes a step forward and thrusts his spear out.

    As is to be expected, he has been a knight for many years, and he moves so that he does not realize that step, and he is fast.

    The tip of the spear is made of wood so it won''t die, but if it hits in the wrong place, it would normally injure you.

    I ducked just in time and tried to close the gap between us.

    The old man, as if he was expecting it, swings his spear to the side and tries to keep me from getting close to him.

    However, the spear that interferes with your progress is swept away and you approach the old man.

    ''''Ora!''''

    Realizing that he won''t be able to get his spear back in time, the old man fires a kick at me as I get closer.

    I crouch down to avoid the kick that came towards the side of my face and pay off the old man''s one leg with my sword.

    The kick had put him on one leg, so he falls easily.

    I put my sword on the old man''s neck when he fell down.

    Thank you.

    I hold out my hand and the old man takes it and stands up.

    I''ve been recommended to you, and you''re strong. I don''t know how you became that strong.

    ''''No, I''m not there yet. Old man he was strong too.

    You''re an old man now, aren''t you?¡¡And the fact that you didn''t hesitate to come out at all, you''ve been calling it that in your mind all along.

    It''s all in your head.

    He is an old man with surprisingly good instincts.

    However, although the old man said earlier that he is almost twice as old as me, I am probably older than him if I put the ages of my previous life together.

    I''m also an old man in spirit. I think we''ll get along.

    ''Well, okay.''

    Take care of yourself, old man.

    "You''re already talking to me but don''t do it to the other bosses and stuff.

    Don''t worry, he''s just an old man.

    Well, that''s a tough one.

    I feel more comfortable talking with a casual talk. Such an old man is very valuable.

    This is the first time I''ve ever had a friend in this world and the first time was an old man.

    I don''t like it, we''re not friends after all.

    What do you mean, you look at me and you''re being a dick to me?

    I still want my first male friend to be a cristo in a previous life or this one.

    I''m not going to admit that my old man is my first.

    Well, if I meet Christo and become friends with him, I''ll make friends with him, old man.

    "You''re definitely thinking of being rude in your mind.

    It''s all in your head.

    How did you get to be a polite person now?

 47-Episode 47: Multiple battles

    For the next hour or so, we changed pairs and had a one-on-one fight.

    The old man and I did it a few times in a row, but we never lost.

    He wanted to win once, but I was not weak enough to lose for free either.

    After I left the old man, I f*cked a few more people, but no one I thought was stronger than Yulina-san.

    I glanced at Mr. Yulina and saw that he was holding his sword to the man''s neck.

    After all, even though Yulina-san had just come up from her apprenticeship, she must be as strong as an ordinary knight person.

    We did it for an hour, and I''m glad we finished without losing to anyone.

    And the next training session was called one versus many.

    The training is to team up with five or so people, and fight in a one-on-four fight around one of them.

    It''s quite tough training, but it''s a very good experience.

    It''s a good thing that there are so many of us, because this kind of training is possible. When I was in the village by myself, I didn''t have the experience of fighting many people.

    This time, me, Yulina and the old man will train together.

    I''ll be surrounded and alone at first. Take it easy, Eric.

    No way, man.

    With one old man in the middle, the four of us, including me and Yulina, surrounded him.

    Then, for about three minutes, hell began to break out for the old man.

    Yulina-san and the other two in turn attacked him from all sides.

    The old man must have been doing this training for years, so he looked a little used to it and avoided it, but I attacked his torso and legs from his blind spot.

    The pain slows down his movements, and the attacks that were being avoided start to hit him. This allows my attacks from the blind spot to be decided better.

    By the end, I was already training to just endure the pain.

    Three minutes pass, and the old man falls to the spot.

    ''''Itai ... you, go easy on me.

    That''s the opposite of what you said before, old man.

    Also, I''m not serious about the attack. Even with a wooden sword, if you''re serious about it, you''ll break your bones.

    ''I don''t know where you are you''re too shadowy.

    Now that''s a compliment to me.

    The art of killing signs was a necessity for me in my previous life.

    To survive on the battlefield, as contradictory as it may seem, it''s how much combat you don''t do.

    If you''re on the battlefield and you don''t fight anyone, you have a better chance of survival.

    I killed the signs on the battlefield and did very little fighting. Like I did with the old man earlier, I attacked him from my blind spot.

    On the battlefield, it''s not like training, it''s serious. And rather than attacking the torso or legs, aiming at the head or neck is a more reliable way to kill them.

    Even in this life, I used to kill the signs when I was looking for demons in the forest.

    Tina was with me, so I got better at killing the signs... I don''t think wizards need that kind of skill, but if they had it, it would be useful in the future, so I practiced with Tina.

    After the old man did it, the next thing I did was surround Yulina-san.

    Yulina was wary of me and looked at me the whole time.

    He kept me in front of him at all times and fought a multitude.

    That strategy was mainly successful, and I took fewer attacks than the old man, but it was a little unpractical.

    It''s something I can do because I know for sure I''m the strongest, and you can''t tell which opponent is the strongest when you''re playing them for the first time.

    You don''t have those eyes yet.

    When I told her that firmly, Yulina-san nodded as if she was satisfied.

    ''''I see.......I''ve done the ''practice of practice'', haven''t I? The truth is that I have to do ''practice practice''.

    ''''I''m not saying it''s completely meaningless, because I think the experience will come to life in the future when I''m able to spot the strongman...''''

    ''I guess I''m not quite at that point yet, so that means I''m not ready to do that yet. Okay, thanks for the advice.

    Yulina is the kind of person who can listen to this kind of advice with an open mind.

    It was a bit too uptight, but she listened with firm conviction.

    People like that absorb what they do in training very quickly.... I have to work harder to keep up with them.

    Then it''s my turn.

    ''I''m going to pay you back for what you did earlier, Eric.

    Go ahead, old man.

    There''s an old man in front of me, Yulina-san behind me, and one enemy on either side of me.

    I concentrate........and meditate.

    ''''Ah?¡¡Why don''t you shut your eyes?

    This is my way of doing things, so you can call me.

    Well, I don''t know if you''ll ever regret it.

    The old man says that and then acts in silence.

    Even when I meditate, he doesn''t let his guard down and attacks me from a slight angle instead of from the front.

    -- but I can see it.

    I squat and duck the attack to my head.

    The old man gasps a bit at being dodged, but he quickly returns his sword and performs a series of attacks.

    I duck and duck all of them with my eyes closed.

    An attack comes from behind. It''s probably Yulina-san.

    I parry the attacks to the body with my sword and return with a series of attacks as it is. There''s no reason why we shouldn''t attack. It''s just that we usually don''t have the time to do so.

    ''''Kuh!''''

    I hear a voice and it''s still Yulina''s voice. Yulina-san drops back a bit after being attacked.

    After that, she continued to be attacked from the side and from the front and from behind, but I kept dodging with my eyes closed.

    I can read the signs better when I meditate.

    It''s completely self-explanatory, and when I told Christo in a previous life, he said, "Are you stupid? I remember being told that.

    When I meditate, I can hear and feel sounds and wind currents more easily.

    When I''m fighting with a lot of people, I''m better off meditating.

    Well, I probably can''t tell you this because it''s not helpful to other people.

    So, Yulina, don''t say in a small voice, "You''ll have to teach me later" while you''re fighting. I can hear you.

    I''ve been doing this for a little longer than the others, five minutes or more, but I''m still able to do it, just a little more breathless.

    Just when I thought I was going to do that and still do it - the movement of the wind suddenly changed.

    ''''--?''''

    I just barely caught the terrifyingly fast attack that came from the front.

    The impact made me step back a few meters, but I managed to stop.

    What the hell was that!¡¡That wasn''t the strength of your attack earlier!

    I noticed from the movement of the wind that the others had come in suddenly and attacked me, but I hadn''t expected the attack to be so strong.

    I opened my eyes to see who had attacked me.

    ''Ho, you''re going to take my attack with your eyes closed? That''s quite something.''''

    There was a man in front of me.

    Brown hair, short, chiseled, but not as chiseled as my dad. He might have been a bit more of a charlatan than my dad.

    The man was smiling at me with a wooden sword on his shoulder.

    ''Is this all of a sudden?''

    The fact that he''s here means he''s probably a knight too. Probably because he''s a senior or superior, so he uses respectful language, but he''s a little rough with his words.

    ''''Well, that''s fine, it''s just a little test of skill.''''

    I''m getting annoyed with that person who says that with a sputtering smile.

    ''Let''s have a one-on-one for now, and then we''ll talk.

 48-Episode 48: Sickness

    Let''s just have a one-on-one, then we''ll talk.

    The charlatan said that, but this training is a multitude of battles, so they wouldn''t let you go one-on-one so easily, would they?

    I look at the old man with that thought, but he smiles and gives me a thumbs up.

    ''Hang in there, Eric. That man is strong.

    No, it''s not good luck. Are you sure?¡¡Do something different from your training....

    Yulina and the other people don''t say anything in particular, so I guess it''s okay?

    Okay.

    That''s the way it should be.

    The person takes something out of his pocket and brings it to his mouth.

    Looking closely, it''s a whiskey bottle and he drinks it without hesitation.

    No, no, no, no, no, no, that''s not good enough!¡¡Drinking in training!

    Wait, maybe that''s a whiskey bottle, but what''s inside isn''t liquor........

    ''''Coo, I knew I''d have to drink before a fight.

    It''s like drinking. He said so himself.

    Why is that allowed?

    When I looked at the old man, he didn''t seem to pay any attention to the person.

    Could it be that he is the old man''s boss...?

    Oh, I''m sober now. I feel so good.

    ...Probably not, I don''t want to think of that guy as more of a boss than an old man.

    It was over there that started to say let''s have a fight, but the guy is getting dizzy on his feet.

    Is everything alright?

    I don''t think you''re in any kind of shape to fight anymore.

    "Oh, I''ll be fine. This is all right, yo-yo, yo-yo.

    It doesn''t look okay by any means.... It''s getting a bit tongue-in-cheek too.

    ''''Then let''s do it.........''''

    He said and held up his wooden sword, but even as he held it up, he was still dizzy.

    ''Olah, come on!''

    ...and I''m allowed to go?¡¡Are you sure you''re okay with this?

    Hey, man, if you don''t show up I''m coming to you.

    What--?

    I was dizzy, and yet I was startled to see it coming at me at about the same speed as before.

    I hurriedly caught it with my wooden sword - I tried to catch it with my wooden sword - but it wasn''t the wooden sword that came, it was my body.

    ''''Oops, my bad.''''

    He came at me, but then he hugged me as fast as he could.

    "Hey, get away from me!

    When I pulled the hand behind me and was about to pull away--

    ''''--?''''

    A wooden sword was swung at my neck from my blind spot.

    Like before, I was able to read the signs and the wind and avoid it... but I was really on the edge. My hair was grazed.

    ''Ho, avoid that one... Good job.

    You...!

    The fact that she''s smiling means that she was aiming for it.

    The way he''s floundering doesn''t look like an act.

    So the attack took that dizzy spell into account.

    The next time he attacks like that, it will be awful.

    So, I''m coming for you!

    I approach at once and swing my wooden sword at the opponent''s body.

    ''''Oops........''''

    However, despite being dizzy, he was able to avoid it lightly.

    ''''d*mn!''''

    He swung his wooden sword several times, but each time he was dazed and dodged and guarded.

    Why can''t I get hit by this!

    If I do say so myself, I''m confident that I can swing a sword faster than this guy!

    There you go.

    And every single call is annoying!

    No, just relax don''t let them deceive you. You have to assume that this is what they want you to think.

    There''s nothing good in getting worked up about it. It will only slow down your sword muscles.

    To calm yourself down, take a step back, close your eyes and take a deep breath.

    If you meditate, you''ll probably create an opening, but if he strikes now, you can fight back immediately.

    You know that, but the other person doesn''t strike in.

    Come to think of it, I''ve been a little annoyed since this guy came. I know I can''t help but be annoyed if he suddenly slashes at me, but even that might be this person''s intention.

    Calm your mind.........

    ''''Hmph........''''

    I open my eyes when I see that the irritation is gone.

    Now I''ll be able to get a good look at my opponent''s movements.

    ''Are you done?''

    Yes, here you go.

    The other person had pulled out another whiskey bottle and was drinking again.

    Don''t be confused.....................This guy is strong even when he''s drinking.

    Hmm?¡¡What, if you calmly look at this guy now, there''s something wrong with him?

    --What?¡¡This guy ... he doesn''t have a left arm.

    If he had a left arm, the arm of his clothes wouldn''t go down so much as a dalang.

    He had been holding a wooden sword with his right arm earlier, but now he was holding it in his waistband and taking out a whiskey bottle to drink.

    Normally, you can take it out with your left hand while holding the wooden sword in your right hand, but it felt strange why you had to put the wooden sword in your waist and take it out with your right hand every time... but that''s what happened.

    ''''Let''s go then!''''

    He seemed completely oblivious to the fact that I was surprised by the fact, and said it lightly.

    I put the bottle in my pocket and then he approached me all at once, despite the fact that I was dizzy again.

    This time, however, he read it and dealt with it firmly.

    Even if he swung the wooden sword at me, I would flush it and take it.

    I don''t know where the attack will come from as he swings his wooden sword while wobbling, but there is no blind spot in my calmness.

    However, when I observe him again, I can see how amazing he is.

    Normally, you wouldn''t be able to generate any power at all by swinging a wooden sword while being so wobbly.

    But this person''s attacks are very heavy. Maybe it''s on par with Yulina-san.

    Moreover, this person doesn''t have a left arm, and wielding a sword with one arm is this heavy.

    He sees through the attack and looks for an opening while avoiding it.

    --There!

    The moment the attack stops, he swings his wooden sword at his opponent''s feet.

    The moment this person''s attack stops is when he gets the biggest wobble.

    If you hit the wooden sword at his feet at that moment, this person is indeed.......

    ''''Yousho.''''

    But then he jumped and avoided me.

    No, you can''t jump in that position!

    And as it is, he swings a wooden sword at me from the upper level, but I manage to catch it and leave once.

    This guy is seriously strong he knew he was probably going to get hit, so he was able to avoid that one.

    He wouldn''t be able to jump at that point in time if he didn''t know I was aiming for his feet.

    I couldn''t believe how strong I was, fighting while drunk...how strong I would be if I was bare faced.

    ''''Haha, that was a close call for both of us.

    He''s smiling helplessly, but I can see a bit of tension on his face.

    ''''Well...''''

    Once again, he breathes firmly and holds his wooden sword.

    Even if he''s not sober, he''s a strong man. If I''m not careful, I''ll lose.

    ''''Then, one more time........Ugh!

    What?

    He went from smiling at the spinning smile to turning blue all at once and looking uncomfortable.

    ''''Oh no, it''s out........''''

    What?

    That person who held his mouth and said that........just like that--.

    ''''Oi, the deputy commander threw up, so bring me water and cleaning supplies...''''

    I can hear the old man saying this in the distance.

    ''''Wow, my bad........''''

    No.

    At this rate, we won''t be able to continue the game.

    Huh........I ended up being out of shape from the beginning to the end.

 49-Episode 49: Greeting from the Magic Knights

    --Tina''s side--

    After separating from Eric and Yulina, I headed to the magical knights'' training grounds by myself.

    They showed me around yesterday, so I was able to go there without any confusion.

    It''s quite far away from the knights'' training grounds, and since this one uses magic, it seems that the walls and such are very hard made.

    When I arrived at the training ground and looked around, there were thousands of senior members.

    Most of them are women, but a few men can be seen here and there as well.

    ''''Tina-chan!''''

    I heard a voice in the distance calling my name and looked in that direction.

    ''Ah, Viviana-san!

    Approaching me with a wave of my hand was Bibiana, the woman who showed me around yesterday.

    Viviana lives in the same room with me and is a very sweet person.

    She has a very cute smile, and I can''t help but smile.

    It''s been a long time since yesterday. I was surprised when I woke up this morning and you were already gone!

    Excuse me, I was up early and wanted to make breakfast.

    I couldn''t wake up Viviana-san who was sleeping so comfortably.......

    ''Oh yeah, you''re great at making your own!

    ''Oh, I made one for me but I wanted to make that breakfast for Eric that I told you about yesterday.

    "Oh, you''re Tina''s boyfriend, right?

    He''s not my boyfriend!¡¡We''re family!

    Yes, Eric and I don''t have an ambiguous boyfriend-girlfriend relationship.

    We share the same last name I mean, that''s already a family, a married couple!

    ''''Heh, Eric-chan is cute and cool, right?

    ''Yes, of course!''

    While giving me a tour yesterday, I told Viviana a lot about how amazing Eric is.

    From the strong and cool part to the crying face and the very cute sleeping face.

    ''I wish I had a family like that. I wish I could be part of your family.

    ''If you''re serious, I''d like to question you on how you''re going to become one, but what do you do?

    Hmm?¡¡Why are you so angry, Tina?

    It''s nothing.

    This guy is really heartbreaking because he says these things without thinking about it.

    Yesterday, while we were talking, he said something about wanting Eric to be his boyfriend, but I think it''s okay because he doesn''t mean it.

    But you never know when he''s going to get serious, so don''t let your guard down.

    Everyone is starting to line up, so you should line up too, Tina!

    That being said, I looked around and saw that a lot of people had started lining up.

    I''ve got to go ahead, you know.

    Then he waved me off again and went to the front.

    What do I mean by before?¡¡Does that mean Viviana has to get in the front row?

    With that in mind, I joined the seniors in line and after a while, someone came up on a sort of platform in front of me and looked around at everyone.

    ''Good morning,''

    ''Good morning!¡¡Commander Anne Frank!

    It''s Anne-san, the head of the Order of Magical Knights, whom I went to greet yesterday.

    She''s very dignified and beautiful.

    ''Study up.

    Just one word, he said, and then got off the stand.

    It was just one word, very short, but it was an inspiring word.

    ''''Yes!¡¡Thank you!''

    The voices of everyone in line, especially the women, echoed through the training grounds.

    ''''Oh, Lady Anne is so beautiful today...''''

    It''s an honor to see that beauty this morning...

    I heard the women in line on either side of me muttering that with a fond look on their faces.

    It''s true that from a woman''s point of view, Anne-san is very beautiful and cool.

    If I could be a woman like that, I wonder if Eric would rely on me more.......let''s go for it!

    As I looked ahead with that thought, Viviana, who had been talking earlier, came up to the platform.

    ''''Good morning!''''

    ''Good morning!¡¡Deputy Commander Viviana!

    Deputy Commander?

    Viviana, you were the deputy commander?¡¡I didn''t know........

    I thought that guy was 20 years old?

    I can''t believe he was the deputy commander even though he was clearly younger than the women around him....

    ''''Let''s do our best today!''''

    ''Yes!¡¡Thank you!''

    As Viviana said that, the man''s loud voice came now.

    The men sounded so much louder even though there were fewer of them........

    ''''Ah, Viviana-chan, you''re a real angel...''''

    "I joined the Order of Magic just to see that smile every day...

    I heard such a man''s voice from behind and in front of me.

    Sure, Viviana-san is cute but there are people who would go that far.

    As soon as Bibiana-san got off the platform, the training began.

    It started off with running.

    I''ve heard people say you don''t need physical strength because you use magic, but that''s not true.

    Using magic a lot makes you very tired, so improving your physical strength is important.

    I''ve been doing running with Eric since I was in the village, so it wasn''t too hard.

    I heard that the knights run more than twice as much as the magic knights.

    I finished the run, thinking that Eric is probably running now too.

    And then I heard that they were going to split up into several groups to train, but I was called by Viviana-san, so I went in that direction.

    Viviana-san, why didn''t you tell me you were the deputy commander?

    Didn''t I tell you?

    I didn''t say that!

    ''Really?¡¡Then I''m the deputy commander...

    It''s too late to say that now!

    He''s a really fast-paced person who gets swept around....

    As I followed Viviana-san, I came to the leader of the group, Anne-san.

    ''''Anne-san, I''ve brought Tina-chan!

    Thank you. Now, Tina Aulin. We''re going to start the exam now.......why are you grinning?

    Uh, I''m sorry.

    When they called me Aulin, I remembered that it was the same last name as Eric and grinned.

    No, I need to get a grip....

    ''Nice to meet you!''

    ''''If you decide that I''m not capable of joining the Order of Magic at this test, you''ll do it from an apprenticeship. Take it by heart.

    Yes!

    In order to stand next to Eric, I need to be accepted into the Order of Magic Knights here.

    I''ll definitely get accepted!

 50-Episode 50 Dinner

    Huh ... I''m tired today.

    After finishing the training from morning to noon, I was briefed on the job of a knight.

    I heard that they mainly patrol the royal capital and guard the buildings and the city.

    Occasionally, like Yele-san who came to our village, there is some sort of expeditionary duty, but I was told that it''s not that frequent.

    Today ended with just going to various places and being briefed, but tomorrow I''m going to start working too.

    The afternoon ended with the briefing, so I wasn''t that tired, but the training in the morning was the most mentally exhausting....

    That deputy commander seemed to have been drinking since yesterday, and the hangover and the fact that he drank even more on the spot, plus the fact that he had such a fierce battle with me, made all the contents in his stomach come out.

    Moreover, that bastard........vomited again the moment I carried him on my back to the doctor''s office......!

    No physical damage at all, but the damage to my psyche is really enormous.........

    I took a shower and changed my clothes, but I still feel like I can smell something....

    No, it probably smells.

    I''ve been heading to the cafeteria with Yulina-san since a while ago, but I feel like I''m being distanced from her since the morning.

    ''''.........Yulina-san.

    Hmm?¡¡What is it?

    Do you smell that?

    I''m sorry.

    It''s quite hurtful when you say it while your face is averted, so please don''t do it...!

    No, it''s because that''s the smell of that deputy commander!

    It''s not like I stink!

    With that in mind, I came to the diner for dinner.

    Even there, as I''m walking, I''m turned around by someone near me.

    I get turned around with a disgusted look on my face, and the person leaves my vicinity.

    Am I that........stinky?

    It''s like an angel that Yulina-san is near me, even if she''s some distance away anymore.

    I get my food and take a seat.

    Of course, even there, no one is around me.

    I''m sure the smell will go away if you take another bath. So you''ll be fine.

    Thank you very much.

    He looks at me, depressed from being so blatantly avoided, and encourages me.

    I didn''t expect to be mentally damaged here as well........

    ''''Eric!¡¡Eulina!

    Tina came up to me, waving her hand at me.

    I was able to smile with my food - but the frown on her face as she came over here.

    ''Hey Eric, Yulina. Doesn''t it smell like something in here?¡¡Let''s change places.

    Ugh...!

    ''Well, I hate to tell you this, Tina. This stinks from Eric.

    ''Miss Yulina, I''m a little hurt by the way you put it. I don''t know how else to explain it to you myself.

    That explanation certainly fits, but I''d be very mistaken if I didn''t say why.

    ''What ... Eric, did you fart or something?''

    ''Thanks for making me look pretty, Tina, but this smell is a little bit tighter than that.

    I''ll explain everything from the ground up. To excuse the fact that this wasn''t my fault.

    ''So the vice-commander of that order threw up on Eric?

    Yeah, yeah. So that''s not my smell. It''s the Deputy Commander''s.

    ''Eric, I think that''s a bit different too...''

    No, this is the smell of that deputy commander. I won''t argue with that.

    ''Did Eric ... throw up?¡¡Hey Yulina, where did that guy go?

    You''re the deputy commander, so maybe you shouldn''t call him that...

    Yulina, where is he?

    ''Huh?¡¡Eric took it to the infirmary, but I don''t know what happened after that...!

    For some reason, Tina is closing in on Yulina-san again, giving off a black aura.

    ''''Tina-chan, come eat with me!''''

    I was about to stop when I heard a voice in the distance calling for Tina.

    ''Oh, Viviana!''

    Tina retracted her black aura and replied with a smile.

    Tina''s friend...?

    It looks like you''ve made a friend in the Order of Magic, thank goodness.

    Doesn''t it stink in here?

    Guh!

    I can''t stand it when people don''t even know my name...!

    ''Oh, you''re Eric?¡¡Tina-chan''s been telling me all about it!

    ''Uh, uh, yes. It''s Eric.

    I get nervous when someone probably older than me suddenly approaches my face and says that with a smile.

    ''''........Viviana-san?¡¡Away from Eric.

    ''Eric, you stink...''

    I hope you''ve moved away.

    It''s not good!

    I smell like I stink!¡¡Right, but not right!

    You see, the reason for the smell is because of the deputy commander...

    ''What?¡¡It''s not my fault!

    Hmm?¡¡No, it''s not your fault...

    I thought you said you were the deputy commander.

    Hmm?¡¡What a misunderstanding.

    "Eric. This is Viviana Spano, deputy commander of the Order of Magic.

    Oh, is that right...!

    That''s why you responded with the deputy commander.

    ''''I''m sorry, I didn''t know I was being rude...''''

    It''s okay - and more cracking talk is fine.

    Really?¡¡Well, I''ll just go along for the ride.

    He''s cheerful and friendly, or rather, he''s someone who talks to you so casually that it''s hard to believe he''s the deputy commander.

    ''''Well, you are...?''''

    "I''m sorry I''m late. My name is Jurina Kashpal. It''s nice to meet you.

    Yulina-san had been sitting down, but now she stood up, bowed her head and introduced herself.

    As expected of an aristocrat, her appearance was very beautiful.

    ''''Yuri-chan, nice to meet you. Yuri-chan, don''t be so stiff and speak more normally!

    No, no, I''m not afraid...

    Is this really the right response...?

    It could be Yelle, the deputy commander who threw up earlier, and Viviana. Maybe the big guy here and I are talking a little too casually.

    ''Ah, yes Eric!¡¡I''ve successfully joined the Order of Magic!

    Oh, yeah. Good for you.

    Eric, are you not being very responsive?

    He puffs out his cheeks and glares at me as if to express his displeasure.

    ''That being said I knew Tina would definitely get in.

    I know best how good Tina is.

    If I couldn''t get in because of that magical power, I don''t know what kind of guy could join the group on the other hand.

    ''''Well, that''s not true Eric it''s embarrassing that you believe in me so much.

    He puts his hand on his cheek and wiggles it. ''You''re so dexterous to be able to move like that while sitting down.

    ''Mr Eric,''

    The four of us were eating dinner when Mr. Jere came in.

    ''I''ve looked for you, after all, it''s hard to find you in the dining room.

    I''m sorry to bother you. Can I help you?

    I thought it was indeed rude to remain seated, so I stood up to talk.

    Yulina-san and Tina also got up, but only Bibiana-san sat down and continued eating her dinner.

    She''s a fast-paced person........

    ''''This has something to do with Yulina-san, though.

    Wow, is that for me?

    Yulina-san is puzzled by being spoken to out of the blue.

    ''''I''m sorry to say this is out of the blue, but we have a room available and I''d like Eric-kun to switch rooms.

    ''Eh....''

    The suddenness of the story made me lose my voice.

    I was hoping for a change as soon as possible... but it''s too soon, isn''t it?

 51-Episode 51: Moving the room

    According to Jere, a knight quit due to family reasons.

    It seems that something troublesome happened in a nobleman''s house.

    With that person out, there was an empty room for one person, so it was decided that I would move in.

    ''''I think I''ve just finished unpacking my things but I''m sorry.

    ''No, it''s okay. I''m sure we''ll sort it out soon enough.

    I haven''t even finished unpacking that much.

    ''When you''ve finished your dinner and packed your things, please go up here to your room. Is the tour okay?

    He handed me a piece of paper, and on it it said where my next room was.

    It seems to be some distance away from the room I''m in now.

    Yes, it''s okay. I had Yurina-san show me around yesterday.

    ''Um, the person who''s going to be in that room with Eric is a man... right?

    From the side, Tina asked Yelle that.

    ''Yes, of course.''

    Oh, well that''s good.

    Tina let out a sigh of relief.

    I was relieved too but why would Tina be relieved to hear that?

    Then it''s nice to meet you.

    Saying that, Yele-san left.

    ''''So, Yuleena-san. I''m going to a different room.''''

    Yeah, well...

    Yulina-san said as her eyes swept over.

    She must have been surprised by the suddenness of the situation.

    ''''It was only for one day, but I''m sorry for causing you so much trouble.

    Well it was really only one day, but a lot of things happened.

    It was a bath, a change of clothes in the morning........

    I''m sorry about that, too.

    Yulina-san also remembered and apologized to me, her face turning bright red.

    That embarrassed gesture was a little cute and made me nervous.

    ''''Hey, Eric what happened yesterday?''''

    Oh....

    Oh no I didn''t tell Tina about this.

    She comes up to us with a black smile.

    ''I, no, I mean ... hey, nothing happened?

    ''Really?¡¡So what was Yulina''s reaction earlier?

    ''Yulina, what''s going on with Eric?

    Tina turned the contradiction to Yulina-san.

    ''What?¡¡Well, you know what? It didn''t happen.¡¡Just a little look at my chest...

    Yulina, that''s a bit of a bad way to put it........

    ''''Eric...?¡¡Is it true that you saw Yulina''s breasts?

    I didn''t see him!

    What!¡¡You''ve seen it!

    ''Huh, I was just looking through my clothes!¡¡I didn''t see it in person!

    The way you said it, you confessed to seeing it, didn''t you?

    ...with your clothes on.

    Tina''s cold eyes pierce her body.

    Someone help me.........!

    Thank you for dinner. Tina and the others, are you going to eat your dinner?

    Viviana, who had been eating her food in silence until now, said so.

    She was eating all the time while we were talking to Yele-san.

    ''''I''ll eat.''''

    Tina gave me a sharp look as she sat down and began to eat her dinner.

    Me and Yulina-san sat down too, but we ate silently and awkwardly.

    ''Why are you so angry, Tina-chan?''

    ''Listen to me, Viviana!¡¡Eric said he had a cancerous look at Yulina''s breasts!

    I didn''t say I gazed at you...............................but I did.

    ''Tina don''t say that out loud, it''s embarrassing...''

    Yulina-san covers her hands to hide her reddened face and looks down.

    ''''Hmm, it can''t be helped, can it?¡¡It''s a boy.

    Yes, it''s something every boy would see.

    ''Because Eric should be used to seeing me!

    Hey, Tina?¡¡That''s a very misleading term.

    We occasionally took a bath together in the village or something like that.

    And that was until a few years ago, and I haven''t seen Tina naked at all in recent years.

    No, it''s not that I want to see her naked.¡¡Don''t get me wrong there.

    ''''Yulina and I aren''t even that big of a difference in size...''''

    Ugh...!

    At Tina''s words, Yulina-san let out a small voice.

    ''''Hmmm........Tina-chan, it''s fuzzy.

    What''s that?

    ''''Kyah!¡¡What are you doing?!

    Yulina-san jumped up and down the distance.

    ''I knew it........Yuri-chan, you''re wrapped in salami, aren''t you?''

    What?

    I know what that feels like - it''s too hard for my tits.

    Viviana moved her hand eerily in the same way she had touched her chest and questioned.

    ''If they look that big with the salash wrapped around them they''re probably more than twice as big as they really are now!

    Oh, it''s that big?

    Tina looked very surprised at Viviana''s words.

    ''Oh, no, it''s not!''

    ''''Hmmm ... you shouldn''t lie, Yuri. ''Troop Tina!¡¡I''m taking Uri to the bathroom!

    Yes!

    Tina was confused by the sudden flirtation and command, but she turned next to Yurina-san and grabbed her arm. On the other side of her arm was Viviana-san.

    ''''Wait, hey!¡¡Please let go!

    Criminal, be cool!¡¡I have to be quiet...

    Bringing her face up to Urina''s ear as she resists, Viviana says something.

    ''I''ll make you take it off in front of Eric-chan, okay?

    ''What?¡¡Oh, are you serious...?

    ''Of course!¡¡What do we do now?

    Shit I''d better kill him!

    Let''s get him out of here, okay?

    Yulina-san was taken away quietly.

    I didn''t hear it, but did Viviana-san make some kind of threat...?

    Tina went too, and I was left alone.

    Well, Tina seemed to be having a pretty good time too, so that''s fine.

    I have to eat dinner quickly and move to my room........

 52-Episode 52 Cohabitation

    When I finished dinner and went back to my room, Yulina hadn''t come back yet.

    She said she was going to take me to the bathroom - I think it''s been quite some time.

    Tina and Yulina-san hadn''t finished their dinner, but the lady in the cafeteria had taken their portions while I was eating by myself.

    Well, I didn''t stop her, because I didn''t think it was any use to her.

    I start packing up my things to change rooms.

    As I was packing up, I caught sight of Yulina''s underwear again... but I managed to keep my reasoning and persevere, all sorts of things.

    Shaking off the temptation of the red cloth, I pack up my things and leave the room.

    Although I only spent one night with Yulina-san, yesterday was a very intense day.

    I leave the room and somewhat bow at the door.

    The room will be different from Yulina-san''s, but I want to continue to be friends with her.

    I walk down the hallway, looking at the paper Yelle-san gave me.

    Go down this hallway, turn here, and then here?

    I stand at the door of the room and check the paper for directions.

    Yeah, it''s here.

    Dinner time is over, so the person I''m going to be with is probably already in the room.

    So I knock on the door and say hello.

    ''Excuse me, I''m Eric Aulin, I''m going to be rooming with you today.

    It''s nighttime, so I can''t speak too loudly, but I feel like I''m loud enough to reach the room.

    Then the voice reaches me, and I immediately hear footsteps from inside.

    ''Oh, Eric-kun?¡¡I''ll open it now.

    .... hmm?¡¡I heard a voice from inside, but it was pretty high pitched for a guy.

    As I thought that, the door was pulled inward and I saw my roommate''s face.

    ''''I''ve heard about you from the Commander. It''s good to see you today.''''

    Oh, yeah, nice to meet you....

    I got stuck for words in the middle, but I managed to connect with them.

    It looks like a girl for all intents and purposes, doesn''t it?

    She has short golden hair, just long enough to barely cover her ears.

    She''s also a head shorter than me, maybe even smaller than Yurina-san.

    She has a clear nose and a very beautiful face that gives me the impression of a woman.

    She came out of the room and greeted me with a pretty smile as she looked up at me.

    ''What''s up with the freezing?¡¡That''s a lot of luggage.¡¡Come on in.

    Oh, yes, no, no, I mean... excuse me, one question?

    Hmm?¡¡What is it?

    He tilted his head so that he could hear a koten, a sound.

    I don''t think too many people look good that way but it''s very pretty.

    You''re a woman... right?

    No?¡¡I''m a man.

    ''You know, a woman... what?¡¡No?

    Yeah, no.

    What? No?¡¡If you''re not a woman you''re a man, right?

    I''m sorry!¡¡That was rude of me to ask!

    No, it''s okay - I''m used to it.

    He waved his hands in front of his face and laughed and forgave me.

    I didn''t expect him to be a man with this look...I''m not sure I understand the difference between a man and a woman.

    ''Oh, you didn''t tell me your name. Elena Millwood, you can call me Elena.

    E. Elena, right? I understand.

    Elena.... her name sounds a bit feminine, doesn''t it?

    Oh, you just thought my name sounded feminine, didn''t you?

    Oh, yeah, I''m sorry.

    Well, that''s honest.

    He puts his hand over his mouth and smiles cheerfully.

    He doesn''t look like a man either.

    ''I heard my parents mistook me for a girl when I was born that''s why they named me a girl.

    Oh, really...

    ''Well, now I like the name because it''s cute too.

    When you''re born you don''t usually make that mistake, do you?

    Because babies are born naked.

    You had your p*n*s on tight, didn''t you?

    What?

    Ha-ha, Eric, you''re easy to read.

    Elena looked at me and smiled as if she had done it.

    Was it that easy to understand?¡¡It''s just plain embarrassing........

    And so I walk past Elena-san and enter the room.

    The structure is almost the same as the room I was in a moment ago, and the bed in the back seems to be where I sleep.

    ''''Eric, you''re 16 years old, right?''''

    I talk to Elena as I unpack and talk to her.

    ''Yes, I do.''

    ''''It''s amazing that you can join the Order at such a young age. I only joined last year when I was 19 years old, but I thought I was still young enough to join.

    If you were nineteen last year, that means you''re twenty this year!

    You don''t look at all - I mean, you look younger than me, no, younger than me.

    ''Mmm, Eric, you thought I didn''t have any dignity, didn''t you?

    No, I don''t think so!

    She glares at me again, puffing out her cheeks as she feels something in my face.

    No, a face like that would normally just be weird if it were a guy... but why is it so cute?¡¡You''re a 20-year-old male, right?

    Really?

    He asked me a question, peeking at my face from below.

    Her appearance is very girly and cute than a bad girl.

    Elena-san, who asked me while looking up and getting teary-eyed...............................I got nervous and looked away.

    ''''........it''s true.

    Oh, you looked away. I knew it.

    No, if I kept my eyes on you any longer, I would feel strange....

    ''''Just because it''s just the two of us in the room.......you can''t make me feel weird, okay?

    Yes, sir!¡¡I''m sorry!

    ''Oh my God, you scared me!¡¡Eric, what''s going on with your loud voice all of a sudden?

    ''What?¡¡Huh...?

    I thought I heard Tina''s chilling voice... was it my imagination?

    I was so scared.... but it helped me to stay calm.

    ''''Oh, I need to take a bath soon.

    Elena said as she looked at the clock hanging on the wall of the room.

    ''Eric, you go in first,''

    No, Elena, you first.

    I''ll be fine.

    ''You can''t go in before your seniors...''

    There''s no way I can be rude to take a bath before the senior who will be rooming with me from today.

    ''''Hmmm, Eric, you''re very polite. Well then, shall we bathe together?

    ...Heh...?

    A funny voice escaped my mouth at the suggestion.

    ''And it''s not that cramped in size for the two of us.

    It''s true that the bath we took yesterday was pretty big, and if this room is of the same construction, it won''t be a problem for about two people.

    And, you know, it''s what they say about men going out naked with each other, isn''t it?

    No, I mean, are you sure?

    Yeah, Eric, you don''t like that?

    ''I don''t mind, sir, but...''

    Why don''t you just join us?

    With a change of clothes in one hand, she reaches out her other hand to me with a dazzling smile.

    It''s a little too difficult to say no to this ..........

    ''.........wow, okay.

    I made up my mind to go in.

    "And, Eric, you smell something.

    ...Don''t say that.

    A few minutes later, I got out of the bath without incident.

    Well I won''t say that I saw Nani, but Elena was firmly a boy.

 53-Episode 53: Night Training Ground

    --Jeremias, over.

    After telling Eric-kun about the room change, I headed to the magical knights'' training grounds.

    I heard that Tina-san had been selected to join the magical knights during today''s training, so I decided to ask Anne the details of that story.

    In the middle of the night when all the knights had gone to bed, only a few people knew where Anne was.

    Even on the way to the training ground, I heard a few noises.

    It seems that Anne is doing it again today, after all.

    When we arrive at the training ground, there is one person just chanting magic in this large place. Needless to say, it''s Anne, the head of the Order of Magical Knights.

    She has a busy schedule with various tasks from morning to day and even to night.

    There is no time for training.

    That''s why we train in the middle of the night when we would normally have to sleep.

    Anne, if I may say so, is not a genius temperament.

    Of course she is more talented than most people, but she is definitely a person of hard work.

    Despite being busy as a Commander, I have never seen a day when she has missed a training session.

    That''s probably why the Commander of the Order of Magical Knights serves.

    I have been influenced by her and train in my spare time.

    As I approach her, she immediately notices me.

    She doesn''t activate her magic, but she turns around to look at me while controlling her magic power.

    ''''Thank you for all your hard work, Anne.

    Thank you, Yelle.

    You''re more enthusiastic about your training today than usual.

    I knew right away that I was watching from the shadows every day.

    ...I''m not a stalker, okay?¡¡I only stop by on my way to my office.

    ''Do you understand?¡¡I just got a new chunk of talent coming in today. I can''t lose.

    Is that ... you mean Tina?

    Yes, I do.

    She nodded, smiling a little bitterly.

    What did Tina do to make her look like this...what did she do?

    What kind of test did you do?

    ''I only did the usual tests, magic control, release, and magic activation. That''s all I saw.

    Anne continues to talk, remembering the morning.

    Maybe it was her imagination, or maybe her magic control was disrupted.

    ''From what I saw of it, it was a realm that an eighteen-year-old couldn''t reach. I can''t believe that was hardly a magical lesson in that.

    ''Eric you said you taught me but you said you hadn''t taught me for a few years.

    ''Yes, her growth stopped once there. And yet, she has that much power it''s tremendous to say the least. Even if you say her growth has stopped, she will still grow as long as you teach her from now on.

    Anne looks to the left and walks towards it. I follow her.

    ''These are the marks Tina made when she activated her magic.

    ''......¡¡It''s amazing....

    The ground had caved in there.

    It would be about five meters across and three meters deep.

    ''''This is........Tina-san''s intermediate magic power?''''

    Indeed, this would normally be as powerful as advanced magic.

    ''''No, this is a ''small explosion'' (burst), just a lower level of fire magic.

    ''¡¡Are you sure?

    I didn''t think advanced and lower level magic would be almost as powerful...!

    ''''I, and even Viviana can surpass the power of advanced magic with intermediate magic. But it''s a bit difficult for the lower level magic to be as powerful as the higher level magic.

    Anne looks a little frustrated, but she also looks happy.

    ''''I have to admit I was jealous that you''re about ten years younger than I am, and yet you have so much power. But........I was able to reaffirm that there is more potential for magic. Then I just have to work hard to get there.

    Anne said that and started working on her magic control in earnest again.

    That''s what I think is amazing about her.

    No matter how much adversity she faced, she never gave up, and her ambition is the most amazing thing.

    I can assure you that this heart has made her grow.

    But........there is one thing that bothers me.

    ''''Anne, you''re thirty-three years old, so I think it''s a bit of a stretch for you to be five years older than you are...''''

    ''Shut up!¡¡It''s just a bit of a blur!

    Would you call the five-year age difference a bit?

    Come on, that''s enough!¡¡And I''m so young that the world says I''m in my early twenties!

    Do you mean to tell me this yourself?

    Shut up!¡¡That''s why you can''t read the air!

    Is it relevant that you can''t read the air here and now?

    Finally, I pissed Anne off and I left the training ground as I was kicked out.

    ''Haha, I watched you, Jere. That was a nice bloke.

    In the corridor leading to the office, a man emerged from the darkness.

    The Deputy Commander of the Knights--Liberto Corrales.

    The Knights of the Begonia Kingdom, the strongest knight.

    If you put your mind to it, you''re probably capable of taking on more than ten knights at the same time and winning an overwhelming victory.

    ''''Liberto, why are you here?''''

    ''It''s just a walk. I''m finally feeling better, so I''m just taking a night breeze and getting ready for tomorrow.

    ''First of all you must not drink to the point of a hangover.

    ''Ha, that''s a consultation I can''t do. But, well, let''s not go too far today.

    As expected, the vomit from today''s training was hard on him, and he usually has a bottle of whiskey with him, but not now.

    ''How was your day, Eric?¡¡What did you think of the fight?

    I''ve heard that the cause of the vomit was a fierce battle with Eric-kun.

    ''Well that was a bit more than I imagined. I''m competent, I puked and the fight was interrupted, but if I''d done that, I''d be the one who lost.

    ''After all, your ''Suiken'' was no match for me?

    The "Drunken Sword", a move only Liberto can perform.

    It looks like a joke, but it''s very strong.

    It''s hard to read the center of gravity because it''s wobbly, so the opponent doesn''t know where you''re attacking from or how to avoid it.

    ''''Yeah, maybe that''s as good as me in my prime.

    ''¡¡To have you say that much....

    Liberto is quite good at detecting competence.

    If you say that he is as strong as he is in his prime, Eric-kun must really be that good.

    It''s a good thing that he''s still growing. You can''t be too proud of yourself if you''re that talented at such a young age. He didn''t see that. I''m sure he has a lot more ambition.

    ...I see.

    Liberto walks past me, laughing happily.

    ''I''m going to miss the title of the strongest of the Order, I guess I''m going to miss it a bit. Well, it wasn''t my idea, though.

    Then he left me.

    When he was no longer in sight, I too made my way to his office.

 54-Episode 54 "Male?"

    Hmm....

    In my sleep, I woke up with the sensation of someone shaking my body.

    ''Eric, you need to wake up,''

    The shadow of a person is reflected in my blurred vision.

    In the midst of my waking eyes and consciousness, what I saw clearly was.

    ''''........Elena, Ms.?''''

    It was Elena on top of me with a very nice smile on her face.

    I checked with my fully awake eyes and saw that Elena-san was standing beside the bed and waking me up.

    ''Good morning, Eric. It''s a beautiful morning.

    ...Good morning.

    He picks up his upper body and gets out of bed.

    ''It''s time for breakfast in a little while, so go wash your face.

    I understand.

    I went to the bathroom as I was told and washed my face with cold water.

    For a moment, I thought to myself, "Was I married to Elena-san? I even thought about it.

    After washing my face, I went back to my room and found Elena wiping her head with a towel.

    ''Oh, welcome back,''

    I''m home. Did you wash your head, Elena?

    I''m a terrible sleeper. I always get up early in the morning to take a shower.

    Really?

    That being said, I think my hair was a little wet when I was woken up.

    I saw Elena-san after her bath yesterday as well, and how........s*xy.

    She''s giving off a vibe that a man can''t give off, and I''m strangely nervous about it.

    I have no idea why I''m more nervous about the way she looks after a bath than when we took a bath together.

    We both get ready with plenty of time to spare and head to the cafeteria.

    We get to the cafeteria and Elena says we should go get breakfast, but I have to make people wait for a bit.

    ''Who are we waiting for?''

    ''I''m a childhood friend of mine in the Order of Magic, he''s going to make me breakfast.

    Wow, that''s a good kid. Is that your girlfriend?

    Elena asked me that with a little grin on her face.

    I feel like that kind of flirtation is kind of masculine.

    ''''No, it''s not, we''re like a family.

    ''Heh, I see. I thought we''d see a little more of Eric-kun''s flustered cuteness... but it''s boring.

    What is that...?

    He seems to have a surprisingly black-hearted idea to match his face.......

    Later, I join Viviana''s two men who were with Tina.

    ''Good morning Eric!¡¡Um.....

    Tina looks at Elena next to me and is confused.

    ''Oh, Eric, your childhood friend''s girl?¡¡Nice to meet you, I''m Elena Millwood.

    Tina Aulin hey Eric, hey.

    He called out to me, beckoning me to come over and whisper in my ear as I pulled my face to Tina.

    ''Who is that man?¡¡Are you by any chance the guy you''re going to be in the next room with?

    Yeah, you''re right.

    ''Why is it a woman?¡¡You said Mr. Yelle was a man, didn''t you?

    I couldn''t see Tina''s face, but I had a feeling she was giving off that black aura again.

    I was surprised to think so too at first. But..........

    ''That''s the guy.''

    ''What?¡¡It can''t be, it''s so cute and small.

    That''s what I thought when I first saw it too, so I know how you feel.

    ''True, I still don''t believe it either, but...''

    We took a bath together and saw evidence of a man - it''s already going to be a philosophical conversation about where the difference between men and women comes from.

    ''I''m Elena Millwood. It''s nice to meet you.

    It''s Viviana! Don''t get too comfortable, okay?

    ''Really?¡¡Well, then, nice to meet you!

    Yeah, nice to meet you.

    Me and Tina were talking with our backs to the two of them, and they were introducing themselves behind me.

    I mean, we''re so quick to confide in each other. We''re both very friendly with each other, so I guess it''s easy for us to get along?

    Um...Elena?

    Hmm?¡¡Tina, what is it?

    Elena, are you... a man?

    Yeah.

    Elena says he''s a man, with a cute, girly smile.

    Yeah, I''m still surprised, Tina. But let''s not be surprised with a face like a girl shouldn''t be.

    "It can''t be...!¡¡There''s no way this pretty girl is a boy!

    Calm down, Tina.

    In the meantime, we met up with Yulina-san as well.

    Yulina-san greets us and looks at Viviana-san and Elena-san, who are still talking.

    Probably Yulina-san doesn''t know Elena-san either, so I thought I would explain to her.

    ''''Ah, Yulina-chan!

    Elena, it''s been a while.

    Without explanation, the two men begin to smile at each other.

    Huh?¡¡Did you know?

    ''I haven''t seen you since you were an apprentice - how are you doing?''

    Yes, Elena, it''s good to see you looking so well.

    ''Hmmm, Yulina, you''re still as hard as ever.

    The two of them talk to each other in a friendly manner.

    I see, Elena-san joined the Knights last year, so she and Yulina-san were in an apprenticeship period for about a year.

    Huh?¡¡But, Yulina, you don''t have any friends of the same s*x... you''re not the same s*x. Elena was a man.

    Then we sat down and started to eat our breakfast.

    Tina made breakfast for me, then Viviana and Yulina, for a total of four people.

    It''s breakfast, so I''ve made something light, but it''s still a lot of work to make for this many people.

    But Tina doesn''t show any signs of fatigue, and she watches us eat it with a happy smile on her face as we say it''s delicious.

    I know it''s impossible to make it every day, but after all, Tina''s food is so good that I can''t help but indulge in it.

    Tina had said she''d make some for Elena tomorrow, but Elena had refused to do so.

    She was careful not to burden Tina any more.

    Then we talked it over and Tina agreed to make it for three people in the future.

    She said that the others would take turns eating for her and me, and one other person.

    I could have been part of that order, but Tina said she wanted me to be the only one who ate every day, so we did this.

    I felt a little bad for the others, but I was glad to be able to eat Tina''s food.

    Then we finished our breakfast and left Tina and Viviana and headed to the training ground.

    When we got to the training ground and were standing in line, the old man we fought yesterday came next to us.

    ''Yo, I''m so jealous to be surrounded by girls in the morning,''

    Hmm?¡¡Uh, yeah.

    The old man grinned at me and said, a little seriously, and whispered in my ear.

    ''So I''m going to ask you a question... the girl sitting right in front of you, did you say you had a boyfriend?''

    Right front...

    Elena.

    I didn''t ask, but I don''t think she has a boyfriend.

    ''Oh, my God!¡¡Good.... hey, introduce me to him later.

    But I am a man.

    "...What?¡¡What do you mean?

    So the guy sitting right in front of me is a man, right?

    Holy shit...?

    It''s true.

    Later, the old man, for some reason, couldn''t concentrate well enough and screwed up in training and was taken to the doctor''s office.

 55-Chapter 55: Prince

    The old man screwed up in training.......or rather, it is because I put a shot in his head one-on-one.

    Well, I am bad, but the old man who was not concentrating is also bad.

    I do the same training as yesterday and go to my room once and take a shower.

    It is recommended that you take a shower with your roommate because you have to hurry up here.

    Yesterday it was with Yulina-san, so as expected I didn''t go in with her, but today I went in with her, just in case.......probably because she''s the same gender.

    No, I already know it''s a guy.

    And then we each moved on to our own work after that.

    I haven''t been told my job for the day. I have to go to Jere now.

    ''''Then I''m going to make the rounds of the city.

    Okay. Okay, then.

    Yeah, good luck on your first job.

    When Elena says that and sends me off with a smile, I feel very motivated.

    I can''t help but think about what it must be like for a husband to be married and work hard for his wife.

    Then I head to the office where I think Yele-san is supposed to be.

    When I get there, I knock on the door. I hear a voice from inside and I have permission to come in, so I say, "Excuse me," and open the door.

    I opened the door and found a beautiful, expensive looking desk directly in front of me. There was Jere sitting in a slightly expensive looking chair again.

    He was writing something on a document on the desk and he still didn''t look at me.

    But soon, the papers were cleared away, and he looked up quickly and quickly.

    ''''Sorry for the wait, Eric-kun,''''

    No. So, what is your business?

    When I ask that, Yele-san replies, though she seems to be a little hard to say.

    ''''Yes, about the content, it''s called guarding the prince.

    ''What?¡¡Oh, escort?¡¡The Prince''s?

    Yes,

    Yelle said that matter-of-factly, but I''m astonished that it''s so sudden.

    Why would you give me a job as the prince''s guard?

    A prince is a prince, right?

    A child of the king, right?

    Your Majesty, His Majesty, Leo........no way.

    "His Majesty Leo wishes to see you.

    I knew it!¡¡I knew he''d do it!

    I''d only met him for an hour, but I knew he had the kind of personality that would do this kind of thing.

    ''Are you sure you''re okay with that?¡¡Such an important job.

    ''''I was indeed opposed to it, but when it''s His Majesty''s order, there''s not much I can say...I''m sorry.

    Apparently, His Majesty Leo nominated me over Yele''s objections.

    The reason being that his own son, that is, the prince and Mr. Eric, are the same age, so they would be able to talk to each other.

    Very appropriate, Your Majesty, Leo.

    ''Mr Eric, it''s disrespectful I have to agree with you.

    ''Mr. Yelle is also profane.

    Let''s not tell each other.

    Then we looked at each other and nodded.

    Or rather, His Majesty Leo would laugh and forgive me if I said it directly.

    ''''I will accompany you, of course. Today''s task will be me and the two of us escorting the prince.''''

    I understand.

    It''s a bit of a unique job from day one, but I''d appreciate it.

    It''s nice to meet you too.

    Then me and Yele-san leave the office and head to the royal palace.

    Since we are two people this time, we''ll ride a normal horse instead of a carriage.

    ''Eric-kun, can you ride a horse?''

    No problem.

    I only did a little in the village, but I''ve done a lot of it in my previous life.

    I was a little nervous because I hadn''t ridden in a long time, but I was relieved because I did it well.

    And arrived at the royal palace, enter through the big door. This is the third time I''ve seen it, but I''m still not used to this size.

    I''m not going to be able to get the same room as I did yesterday when I followed behind Yelle.

    "Your Majesty, are you here?

    I''m here.

    ''Jeremias Astara. And.....

    He glanced at me and I caught his intentions.

    ''I''m Eric Aulin,''

    Mm, boys. You can come in.

    Excuse me.

    Yelle opens the door and goes in. I say, "Excuse me," and then follow her.

    ''Good to see you, Jere, and this is Eric.''

    Sorry to keep you waiting.

    No, that''s all right. And that guy is not here, by the way.

    You mean that guy ... oh, you mean the prince?

    He was supposed to have come as the prince''s escort, but there was no way that he was not there.

    ''Coming soon, the maid is on her way to call for you now.

    ''I see. So, Your Majesty, I have not yet heard the details of today''s escort.

    What?¡¡Yelle didn''t hear about this?

    ''Oh, didn''t I tell you that?''

    I didn''t. ''Wouldn''t it be more of a surprise if I said it then? And your majesty.

    Did I say that?

    Clearly.

    You don''t even remember yourself, it''s too appropriate.

    ''Yeah, I remember saying something. Sorry, I forgot.

    No, it''s business as usual.

    Oh, I knew it was always the same.

    It''s not a blur, is it...?

    Today, he wants to hunt a demon for the first time in a long time. I''d like to ask Eric to escort it.

    Are you hunting a demon?

    How does a prince of a country hunt demons?

    Ah, but His Majesty Leo had the hand that was doing the sword when he shook hands with you, too.

    It wasn''t a hand that he was doing to pass the time, that was not a hand that he was doing, that was a hand that he was doing to pass the time.

    ''It is my Order that protects this country. In order to remember our gratitude to them, we make sure that those who are born as men of our country''s royalty are trained to rival the Knights. Even though he''s a guard, he''s pretty strong. You don''t have to think that hard.

    Yes, yes, I understand.

    So that''s why His Majesty Leo was playing the sword.

    I mean, that''s an awesome royal family. He''s going to train as much as he does to remember to thank the Knights.

    ''''I mean, why did Yele come too?''''

    I thought I''d come along for the ride, sir.

    No, Eric is enough.

    I understand.

    What?

    I didn''t understand it because the story was so pompous, but didn''t you decide what was wrong for me right now?

    He''s 16 years old. He shouldn''t even need a bodyguard.

    I''m not sure that would be appropriate for royalty, sir.

    ''Eric''s the same age as me, so I figured I''d have to follow him.

    Oh, am I alone?

    Yeah, you''re in charge.

    I knew what we were talking about and asked for confirmation, but I was still supposed to be the sole escort.

    I''ve never been an escort before so I''m not used to it, but if I''m in danger, I can save myself, right?

    As I was anxious and thoughtful, I heard a voice from outside the door.

    ''''Your Majesty, we''ve been waiting for you. The prince is ready to go.

    Thank you. Come in.

    When His Majesty Leo says that, the door opens.

    The maid who was having a sort of argument with His Majesty Leo yesterday came in first, followed by a man.

    Perhaps that person is the prince.

    I thought his clothes were a bit more luxurious, but he''s going hunting, so he''s dressed quite lightly and plainly.

    He''s wearing leather armor and a blackish cloak.

    However - the part I was most interested in was not the clothes, but the face.

    Huh....?¡¡Wait a minute, wait a minute ... are you kidding me?

    Your face is a little different from the one I remember.

    But - there''s no way I''m going to mistake it for anything else.

    "I''d like you to meet Eric, this is my idiot son, Christopher Leo Begonia.

    The Prince of Begonia was my best friend, Christo.

 56-Episode 56 Reunion

    He looked a little different than the Christo I remembered.

    He had stubble and shaggy hair back then.

    Probably because he had fled the country when it went down and he didn''t have time to worry about his appearance.

    The one in front of me now was Christo, who had tightly trimmed golden hair, no beard, and a normally handsome young man - with the vibe of a prince.

    ''Dad, don''t get my name wrong. My name is Christopher Begonia. There''s no Leo in there.

    A familiar, slightly low voice. Christo said as he stared at his father, His Majesty Leo.

    ''''What!¡¡You''re supposed to put your parents'' names in your middle name!

    I don''t want my father''s name on it.

    I want in!

    I don''t want to be in there.

    They''re so close to each other that their foreheads almost collide.

    ''I really wanted to name him Christo. ''Farr, you don''t have to put the word,''

    Marina named him Christo and I put the fur in.

    ''Yeah, your mother tells me. That''s why I''d be Christo Begonia if you hadn''t done something weird.

    "How dare you speak to your parents!

    Only to my father, and he''s the only one who talks like this.

    Mmmm.........special treatment.......that would be good, wouldn''t it?

    You really are an a**h*le....

    Christo let out a sigh as if he had given up and the argument was over.

    Well, that was a bit too strong for His Majesty.....the degree of stupidity.

    ''''It''s been a long time, Christopher-sama.

    Oh, Yelle. Long time no see. And I''m Christo.

    No, your name is Christopher. If you have convinced His Majesty, I will call you that.

    We''ll see when that happens, but...

    I''ll never admit it!

    Shut up.

    Probably the only person in this country who could treat His Majesty Leo so extraordinarily well is his son, Christo.

    ''And you?''

    Christo looks at me and asks me a question.

    ''Well...''

    I was a little confused and at a loss for words because I wasn''t expecting to see Christo here.

    ''This is Eric Aulin. He joined the Order the day before yesterday and is the one who will be escorting the Prince today.

    Yelle-san saw me and said instead.

    I need to calm down a bit........ I was startled by the suddenness of the situation.

    ''''Ha, nice to meet you, Christo........... I''m Eric Aulin. It''s nice to meet you today.

    I almost called him out like I did in my previous life.

    Ah.........or should I really say Christopher?

    I''m still confused, after all, so I made a mistake.

    ''''Mmm........It''s Eric, this guy''s name is--''''

    His Majesty Leo tried to speak, looking unhappy, but

    ''No, yes!¡¡I''m Christo!¡¡You''re a good guy!

    Christo interrupted him loudly and put his arm around my shoulder.

    I was surprised when he smiled a very nice, happy smile and suddenly squared his shoulders with me.

    ''I''ve only ever had your mother call me Christo. From now on, when you call me, just call me Christo, okay?

    Yeah, yeah I understand.

    After pulling away, Christo continued his story again.

    ''I mean, aren''t you pretty young?¡¡How old are you?

    I''m 16 years old.

    Wow, you''re my age. Hmm?¡¡Aren''t Knights of the Order only allowed to join from eighteen?

    ''Eric, you were recommended by me. He''s very strong.

    Mr. Yelle explained it very succinctly.

    I''m embarrassed to say I was recommended by myself.

    ''Heh, you''re strong. How strong?''

    ''''Well it''s enough to beat Liberto''s ''Drunken Sword''.

    ''Huh!¡¡For the Liberto thing!¡¡Last time I was beaten up....

    Liberto''s water rights...?¡¡Is that it?¡¡The one that fought the deputy commander?

    But that was a no-brainer because he threw up on the way there.

    "You''re that strong for someone my age? That''s amazing.

    ''Oh, thank you...''

    It''s something I was a little itchy about, because I didn''t get many normal compliments from my best friend Christo.

    ''I mean, just talk to me. You don''t look like you''re used to it.

    Oh, no, I mean...

    It''s not that I''m not used to being respectful but I can''t tell you that I''m just not used to using respectful language to you.

    ''And we''re the same age, aren''t we?¡¡I don''t care about royalty and all that - let''s be friends, Eric.

    -Oh!

    When I heard those words, I felt a passionate feeling in my heart.

    When I saw Christo earlier, I had a little hope that I would be able to see him.

    I wondered if he remembered me.

    No way I''d remember, reason cried out to me. That''s normal.

    I don''t know how I could have any memories of my previous life, but I somehow understood that this was just me.

    But my mind didn''t want to admit it, even when reason screamed that.

    I was hoping that maybe Christo would remember the days he spent with me.

    But - that faint hope was shattered at every turn.

    I could see it in Christo''s eyes. He doesn''t know me.

    That''s normal, because it''s the first time I''m meeting you today.

    But still, I tried not to get caught, but I was a little... well, quite heartbroken.

    With Tina, we were mostly babies, so we got along pretty quickly after that, and it didn''t particularly hurt my heart to think that Tina didn''t have any memories of me.

    But Christo was the same age as me, and he was sixteen, so I wondered if he remembered me in some way.

    But after all, Christo didn''t remember me.

    You can''t blame him, I thought, but I was still hurt because I expected it.

    But ... well ... you''re right.

    You were that kind of guy.

    What Christo just said to me he said it to me in a previous life.

    We met in the favela, and I was in the depths of despair when I met you.

    The village had been destroyed, everyone in the village, my father, my mother, and Tina, and I had lost everything in that moment.

    I was about to starve to death, but I was okay with that.

    Now I wouldn''t have to suffer anymore. I thought I could go to Tina and the others.

    But then Christo showed up and saved me.

    Then you were always tangling with me, even though I thought you were going to die.

    At first I thought it was depressing. But I also thought it was fun to talk to people for the first time in a long time.

    That''s when you said to me.

    ''Let''s be friends, Eric.''

    Those words - you know how much they saved me.

    Christo, you were in despair then, too. You told me that the kingdom of Begonia was destroyed and you lost your family.

    And you shared what little food you had with the children of the favelas and me.

    You were the first person to tell me that I was going to be your friend.

    I''ll never forget what you said to me.

    ''--Hey, what''s the matter with you?

    What...?

    I huffed when Christo, who was suddenly in front of me, shook my shoulder.

    Apparently, he was blown away by the reminder of his previous life.

    ''You, why are you crying?''

    -Oh!

    I noticed after being told, but there were tears running down my cheeks.

    I hurriedly wiped the tears away.

    ''''I, no, it''s nothing........''''

    Really?¡¡So what do you think?¡¡Will you be my friend?

    I almost start to cry again at those words, but I manage to stop myself.

    Even in a past life ... even in this life. You''re still you, Christo.

    My answer is already decided.

    Just like in the previous life - I''ll start with this response.

    "''Are you sure you want to...?¡¡By me.

    ''Of course it''s good. I want to be your friend.''

    Christo said it the same way he said it that day, even though he shouldn''t remember it.

    That made me very happy and I couldn''t help but smile.

    ''''Christo I want to be friends with you too. I look forward to working with you in the future.''

    ''Yeah, nice to meet you, Eric!

    We shake hands tightly.

    It''s a different place and time than it was that day.

    I''m sure you sounded lighter than you did then.

    But - I think we can still be ''best friends'' with you, Christo.

 57-Episode 57 Guild

    Oh, I''m so ashamed....

    I cried miserably in the presence of Yele-san and His Majesty Leo.

    My tear glands are really loose already, am I too old for this?

    ''''Hey Eric, why did you cry just now?''''

    Shut up. Don''t listen.

    Christo doesn''t hesitate to ask, or rather, he smiles happily, without hesitation.

    This guy has a bad personality in these parts.

    In a previous life, his grinning face was creepy, but now he''s just a fresh young man, which irritates me.

    ''So Eric, will you go with your stupid son?''

    ''Oh, yes. Of course.

    Who''s the stupid son, the stupid father?

    Come to think of it, I forgot that you were here to talk about escorts.

    Anyway, I''ll go to the Adventurer''s Guild and then........

    I know, I know, how many times do you think I''ve been there?

    Christo was about to leave this room when he interrupted His Majesty Leo''s explanation.

    ''''Mmm, I see. Go ahead then.''''

    Okay, I''m off, Dad.

    Prince, take care of yourself. Eric, I know it''s going to be hard for you, but good luck.

    Oh, yes.

    I follow behind Christo.

    The maid was just out of the room.

    ''Please come back safe and sound, Mr. Christopher.

    Yeah, I know.

    Hmm?¡¡Now, no way.........

    Me and Christo leave the royal palace through a slightly smaller door in the back of the palace and get on a carriage and leave the palace.

    Apparently, this will take us near a place called the Adventurer''s Guild.

    If they took this carriage to that place, they would immediately find out that a great person had come. That''s why Christo is also wearing a cloak with a hood to avoid being exposed.

    ''''It''s been a while since I''ve been out. It''s been about three months?''

    I heard that last time he went out with Deputy Commander Liberto, he went out with Deputy Commander Liberto, and that''s when Christo got beaten up.

    Or rather, I was a little bit curious about something........

    ''Hey, Christo.

    Hmm, what?

    Do you like your maid?

    ''Huh?¡¡What are you talking about all of a sudden?

    He was looking out of the carriage with his elbows on the ground, but he turned to me, his face red.

    ''All right, all right, that''s enough of a reaction already.''

    Wait a minute. How did you, um... how did you... understand?

    Oh, I admitted quite easily.

    ''I thought your reaction was a bit odd when the maid said Christopher to you earlier. I didn''t think it was really true, though.

    "f*ck, no!¡¡I mean, that''s all you need to know!

    Well, I was best friends with you in a past life, and if you reacted strangely, I could tell right away.

    I thought this guy frowned a little bit when the maid called him Christopher, because I thought he frowned a little bit when he called me Christopher.

    ''Do you let him call you Christo when it''s just you and me, by any chance?

    You know that much?

    What? Seriously?¡¡Really?

    Not again!¡¡I''m stuck!

    Seriously........this guy had a relationship?

    I thought he wasn''t really interested in that kind of thing because he didn''t act like that at all in his previous life, but I thought he wasn''t really interested in that kind of thing.

    I can''t say much about people either, if I hadn''t met Irene, I wouldn''t be in love with her.

    ''Don''t ever tell me that!¡¡No one!¡¡Absolutely!

    Pretending?

    No!¡¡I won''t forgive you if you tell me!

    Christo''s face turns bright red and says that to me.

    This guy reacts like this too, something I never knew in my previous life.

    ''I know,''

    ''Shit I mean, Eric, aren''t you adapting fast?¡¡I''m royalty, remember?

    ''You say that yourself, and just in case...''

    ''No, I said let''s be friends, but I didn''t expect us to get to know each other so quickly.

    I was talking in the groove of my previous life, but that was a bit bad, wasn''t it?

    ''I''m sorry, Master Christopher,''

    It''s too late for that.

    Which one?

    ''I''m not saying I don''t like it. On the contrary, I''m just happy to see you, because I knew you were royalty and I knew you''d put up some walls.

    Christo smiles with a really happy smile when he says that.

    It''s the inconvenience of being royalty, that part.

    But I didn''t know about royalty in my previous life.

    But when it comes to happiness, I was probably happier than you.

    I''ve been wanting to meet you since I lost you in my previous life.

    I''ve been dying to have these casual conversations with you.

    "You and I are going to be good friends, Eric.

    Yeah, I think I could be one.

    I''m not going to be your friend, I''m going to be your best friend, Christo.

    And so, when we reach the Adventurer''s Guild, we get out of the carriage and walk to it.

    After walking for a few minutes, we soon see the building.

    It was a very large building, after all, since it was the royal capital.

    The Adventurer''s Guild is a place where "adventurers" can take on various jobs.

    From defeating demons to cleaning the city, there are various jobs.

    There are not many people who like to work in this profession because of its unrefined image, but it is said that it is a necessity to have this profession.

    I heard that the knights also hunt monsters outside the city when there are more and more of them, but they are usually hunted by adventurers.

    The adventurers get paid for their requests and their demon materials, and the knights seem to have a good relationship with the guild since they don''t have to do much to hunt the demons.

    When you enter the guild, the first thing you will see are various adventurers.

    Most of them are men, but sometimes there are also women. They are all strong people.

    Most people are looking at the request paper on the wall.

    They find something they want to do, peel off the paper and go to the counter to receive the request.

    That''s usually how we take it.

    We go to the counter and Christo talks to the receptionist.

    ''Hey, lady,''

    Yes, how can I help you?

    "''Bring me a request for a snake,''

    ''¡¡Yes, I understand. Please wait a moment.

    The receptionist froze a little when Christo said that, but she moved quickly and went into the back room.

    The words he said earlier were like a little secret signal, and when he said that, he said that the prince came, so he wanted me to call the guildmaster.

    After a while, a man came hurriedly from the back. Probably this man is the most important person here.

    ''''Sorry to keep you waiting.''''

    No, I''m fine. Just see if you can''t make out the request as soon as possible.

    Very well. How are you today?

    ''Hmmm, yeah. Since Eric''s here, I''ll just go with a slightly stronger demon today.

    He looked at me and grinned at me and said that.

    He heard that I beat Deputy Commander Liberto, so I guess he wants to see what I can do.

    ''''Then how about this one?''''

    Hmm, well, that''s about it. You''re all set.

    Very well. I''ll be right with you, sir.

    A guild master hurriedly pacing back and forth in the counter, quickly getting ready.

    I thought he would be a bit more dignified since he''s a big man, but looking at him like this, he''s a normal working man.

    ''''Sorry for the wait. Please bring the demon materials over here and your request will be accomplished.

    Okay, thank you.

    Have a good day, sir.

    Christo gets a piece of paper for the request and leaves the counter and heads for the exit. I follow him.

    ''What did you get?''

    On the way out of the guild and to the location of the request, I spoke to him.

    ''''It''s a request to take out an ordinary demon. Well, a bit of a tricky demon.

    Yeah, okay.

    Keep it tight, Mr. Guard.

    He looks back at me behind me and grins at me.

    Yes, I''m your guard today.

    I couldn''t protect you in a previous life. I wasn''t strong enough, and I just made a bad decision.

    That''s why I''m going to protect you this time.

    "Yeah, I''ll protect you.

    --I won''t lose you, Christo. I''m going to protect you no matter what.

 58-Episode 58: Drinking and exchanging

    Oraa!

    Christo swings his sword with a loud shout.

    The demon in front of him - tearing apart the body of an orc.

    A humanoid demon with a pig''s head. It is more than two meters long and has a strong and large club.

    However, it''s not fast, and me and Christo can kill it quite easily because it''s a sword that focuses on speed.

    Finally, one of them came up behind me and swung the club down to strike me, but I easily avoided it and turned around and drew my sword and dropped its head.

    ''Good work, Christo,''

    Oh, you too, Eric.

    We looked at each other and gave each other high fives.

    This demon was the target of today''s request to be defeated.

    It is an opponent that ordinary adventurers would have a hard time with, but if we are trained, we are not an opponent to lose if we are not careless and fight.

    The best thing about this is that it''s not the only thing that can be done. Let''s go home now.

    ''Well, the prince shouldn''t be out there for too long, should he?

    Yeah, it''s a pain in the ass.

    I really want to kill a few more strong demons and fight more of them, but Christo''s title as a prince gets in the way of that.

    The sun is about to go down soon, so if we don''t leave at this point, many knights will come looking for Christo.

    But as expected, Eric is strong. It''s only because he beat Liberto!

    Thanks.

    All my swords were learned from you, Christo.

    In a previous life, when you and I became friends, I wasn''t strong at all.

    I ran away from goblins and other lowly demons to the point where I lost my parents and Tina.

    When I heard that you could use swords and magic, I immediately begged you to teach me.

    I didn''t want to be protected anymore.

    Now that I think about it, you can use both swords and magic because you''re royalty.

    It seems it''s usually one or the other, so I was lucky to have a teacher. Well, when I was learning, I could hardly use magic.

    It''s a good thing that you can''t use it, but it did give you some knowledge, so it was easier to deal with things like fighting someone who used magic.

    Plus, in this life, I could teach Tina.

    ''Who did Eric learn to use a sword from?''

    I''m self-taught.

    You can''t tell me you taught me how to do that, can you?

    ''Really?¡¡Wow, you got that strong all by yourself.

    Yeah, it''s great.

    I''ll just have to push the fact that I''m self-taught now.

    I''m not that much of a genius though........

    ''What about battoujutsu?¡¡Is that one self-taught?

    ''Yes, but...''

    ''Heh, I see. Looks like the Liberto one I saw before, though...

    Liberto?¡¡Lieutenant Commander, is that vomit?

    Battoujutsu, well, now that I have a sword, it''s Battoujutsu, but it''s really also something I learned from Christo.

    If it''s similar to the vice commander, it probably means that Christo was referring to the vice commander when he was teaching me.

    Hmm?¡¡The deputy commander''s Battoujutsu........she didn''t have one arm, so she couldn''t do Battoujutsu, right?

    Battoujutsu, the art of pulling out the sword in its scabbard and delivering a single blow.

    A right-handed person would need to hold the scabbard with his left hand to do it.

    The sub-commander can''t do it because he doesn''t have a left arm.

    ''Yeah, I saw that guy when he still had his left arm.

    Christo explained to me that he knew what I was thinking.

    ''That guy''s machete technique was insanely fast. Aside from me and ordinary knights, even Commander Jere said he couldn''t see that guy''s machete technique.

    That much...

    ''Just when you think you hear the sound of a sword being drawn, you''ve already killed a demon.

    That''s already faster than the speed of sound, right?¡¡How fast is that?

    I''ve done it myself, but that''s a hand cutoff if you''re not used to it. It''s just a normal mistake, and my hand was bleeding out of it.

    Yeah, I''ve done that before.

    I''ve never done this in this life, but I''ve done it many times in previous lives.

    I''m holding the scabbard down with my left hand, so if I miss the angle of the sword when I pull it out, I''ll usually end up slicing through my palm.

    ''It was too difficult for me to do, and besides, it''s usually faster to slash after you draw your sword. Liberto, and you, too. You guys are weird.

    That''s a terrible thing to say.

    But as expected, I don''t think it''s possible for him to perform a battling technique that can cross the sound barrier.

    That''s why the sub-commander''s skills are off the charts.

    But.....

    "Okay, well, let''s go home then, Eric.

    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, I know.

    Christo says that and walks off in the direction of the city. I follow him as an escort, watching closely to see if there is any danger around.

    --How could someone so strong lose one arm?

    Don''t let that question go unspoken.

    We followed the city to the guild.

    At the gate, the knights confirmed that Christo had returned safely, so there would be no more knights coming to look for him because they were worried about him.

    I will report on the guild and the accomplishment of the request.

    Since this time it was a request to defeat them, you can bring as many materials for that target as you requested.

    Bring the orc''s nose part in a bag and hand it to the person in charge.

    Then have them check the materials and get the money as a reward for accomplishing the request. This time it was a very strong demon there, so I got enough money to spend a week without having to work.

    ''''Yes, Eric. Today''s reward.

    ''What?¡¡What do you mean?

    Christo handed me a bag of money. Like it was my share of it all.

    ''What, you haven''t heard?¡¡My reward for being an escort is that I get the reward I got from this guild.

    Oh, I see.

    Well, I hear you''ll get some more money a month, but I don''t know that much either.

    I heard that the knights of the Begonia Kingdom are paid pretty well. I haven''t been paid yet, but the old man said so. I don''t know the old man''s name yet.

    In addition, if you guard the prince, you can get it. I''m not particularly greedy from my past life, though, so it''s hard to know how to use it.

    You don''t get any Christo at all?

    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, I don''t need to get this kind of money, I can tell your mother and I''ll get as much as I want.

    Christo smirks and says it as if it''s sarcasm.

    If you ask him, the words are sarcastic, but to me they come across as a little different.

    That means I don''t have any money to spend freely.

    After all, even if you are royalty, not being able to use the money when you want to is a bit cramped.

    If you don''t tell your parents every single time you don''t get the money, you probably have to tell them why, so you can''t spend it on anything regrettable at all.

    Well, the reason why I understood so much from what he said earlier is because of my experience in a previous life, or rather, because he said it.

    ''''Alright, Christo!¡¡Let''s just go out for a drink with this money.

    ''What?¡¡What are you talking about?

    As I recall, you can drink from the age of sixteen in this country. I''m barely old enough to drink.

    ''Fine, it''s my money, I can spend it on whatever I want.

    No, that''s fine, but we have to get back to it, don''t we?

    Well, if I don''t get back soon after the request, they''ll be worried about me and it might cause a bit of a stir.

    It''ll be okay for an hour or so.

    Ummm, no, I don''t think that''s a good idea.

    I said it too, and I knew that might be a long time.

    ''What, Christo. Are you afraid of being offended?

    ''Oh?¡¡It''s not like that.

    So it''s a bit of a stretch.

    I know that it''s not really a good idea. If Christo doesn''t leave soon, the knights will come looking for him and cause him trouble.

    But at least it''s nice to have a bit of fun.

    --I want to go out for a drink to celebrate a reunion with my best friend who died in a previous life.

    Hm?¡¡Oh, isn''t that Eric?

    I was talking outside the guild when I heard a voice calling out for me.

    I turned around and saw an old man approaching me.

    ''Are you on your way home from work too?''

    ''Oh, well, yeah. And the old man?

    ''Yeah, I''m on my way back to the dorms now for a change of guild guard duty.

    Oh, yeah, I got an idea.

    "Pops, we''re going out for a drink now, tell Yele that!

    What?

    I say to the old man, and then I grab Christo''s arm next to me and start running.

    ''Hey, are you sure you want to go?

    Of course!

    What, Prince Christopher?

    The old man is surprised to notice now. Well, at first glance, he''s dressed like an ordinary adventurer.

    ''''Then that''s what I''m talking about!¡¡I''ve got it!

    Hey, Eric!¡¡Wait!

    I can hear the old man calling out to me in the distance, but I don''t slow down and run through the city.

    I can no longer hear the old man''s voice and stop when I come to a row of bars.

    ''Now they won''t have to come looking for you. Well, he might be pissed off when we get back.

    Huh you''re a pretty bad guy.

    Christo says that with a sigh.

    But his face is smiling in a dumbfounded yet joyful way.

    ''We became friends, do you regret it?''

    No way. Eric, you are the best!

    Christo squares his shoulders as he jumps up and down. I laugh and squeeze my shoulders together as well, breaking my stance.

    ''Can''t help it!¡¡I''ll keep you company, my bad friend, Eric!

    That''s the way it should be, Christo!

    So we walked into the bar and had a drink.

    For Christo, it was to celebrate making a friend for the first time.

    For me - to celebrate being able to drink like this again with a friend I hadn''t seen in a long time.

 59-Episode 59: Mischief

    Oh, I''m going crazy!

    The day after I had a drink with Christo.

    My head throbbed and ached when I got up out of bed.

    This nostalgic-like symptom that arose when I woke up in the morning.

    I may have had quite a bit to drink, but I remember that in my past life I could drink a little more.

    Maybe in my past life, I got used to it, and that''s why I had to drink more to get to the hangover.

    That amount was a bit too much........

    ''''Are you okay?¡¡Eric.

    My roommate, Elena, is concerned and looks into my face.

    ''Yes, it''s probably okay I''m used to it.''

    Isn''t this your first time drinking?

    I''m somewhat used to the hangover, so I''ll be fine. I''m not going to die.

    ''Yes, water. ''Water is the first thing you need for a hangover.''

    Thank you.

    He drank the cup that was handed to him.

    ''A hangover is caused by a lack of water.

    Is that so?

    Yeah, they say when you drink, you pee a lot and you get dehydrated.

    Well, if you think about it, I might have done quite a bit last night or something.

    I don''t even think I got too drunk, but after all, that''s what happens the next day when you drink that much.

    "Morning training, are you going to be okay?

    ''Yes, okay. Let''s go.

    We both left the room and headed to the dining room.

    Last night.

    Me and Christo went back from the front of the royal palace after we finished our drinks.

    I had told the old man, so there wasn''t that much of a commotion yet, but if I had left a little later, the knights might have been looking for Christo.

    Well, they were usually pissed off.

    His Majesty Leo wasn''t angry. ''''Two guys going out for a drink together, that''s adolescent! He laughed at me.

    Yele-san wasn''t particularly angry either, but my pay cut was handed down.

    Well, it didn''t hurt at all because I just lost my pay for the guards, but it wasn''t that big of a pay cut.

    The people who were angry were the maid and Christo''s mother, or the queen.

    This was the first time I had ever met her and I could tell that Christo was just like his mother.

    Her long golden hair flowed very nicely, and her face was well-defined and beautiful. She was probably in her late thirties, but I wouldn''t doubt that she was in her early twenties, but she was so beautiful.

    His face looked exactly like Christo''s.

    We were sitting upright with Christo in a room at the palace, where I had been shown in twice and this was the third time, right in front of the queen who was sitting on a sofa.

    Around us were His Majesty Leo and Jere, as well as the maid.

    ''Christo, why have you returned so late?''

    I went out for a drink with one of my first friends.

    No, no, no. Wait a minute. Are you blaming me for all this?

    In fact, it''s right past that and I don''t have anything to say about it.

    Also, don''t be so insanely happy to hear that you''re ''the first friend I''ve ever made'', because you''re pissed off and your cheeks are loose.

    ''Oh, so it wasn''t your intention, then?''

    ''''No, I went with you, so it was my decision.

    ''Then what did you just say?¡¡To me, it sounded like you were abandoning your first friend.

    ........super scary.

    It''s scary when you don''t even yell at them to question them, to make sure they only state the facts, the right arguments, in a matter-of-fact way.

    ... "It was just meant to be a bit of a prank.

    Really? Eric, was it?

    ''Oh, yes!¡¡Yes!

    I''m freaked out when he suddenly talks to me. And in reaction, my legs, which were sitting on their own, go numb as if electricity shot through them.

    Because I''m not used to sitting on my knees, the numbness goes very fast, and it hurts...!

    ''Christo says this, but do you forgive that one?''

    ''Well, it''s more of a mild prank kind of thing to set up on your friends, so I''m not even mad at you for forgiving or not forgiving.

    When I said that, the queen looked a little surprised, though she had no expression on her face.

    ''''I see. If you say so, Eric-kun, I won''t say anything from me. ........Christo.

    Yes, what can I do for you?

    You''ve made a good friend.

    The queen, who had been expressionless all this time, smiled for the first time when she said that.

    It was a very beautiful, motherly smile, filled with the tenderness of a mother.

    ''Yes, I strongly believe so.

    Christo smiled and nodded strongly.

    It''s kind of a very nice atmosphere, but I wish you hadn''t done it in front of me. It''s so embarrassing........!

    ''Eric, my ungrateful son, but I look forward to working with you in the future.

    Oh, no, it''s nice to meet you too.

    It''s kind of like a wedding greeting, isn''t it?¡¡You''re using it wrong, Your Majesty.

    But I haven''t forgiven you for coming home late. Eric, it is you who asked Christo to come here, isn''t it?

    Yes, sir.

    Christo must become the prince of this Begonia Kingdom, the king who will carry the country from now on. And yet--

    After this, Christo and I were subjected to the Queen''s sermon for about twenty minutes at length.

    By the time we finished, my legs were already so numb that I couldn''t feel them. The last part didn''t even hurt anymore.

    Also, I was a little lightheaded from the booze I''d consumed.

    Christo is used to drinking and sitting upright, and he quickly gets up and tries to go back to his room.

    However, standing in front of him is that maid.

    She is staring at Christo with cold eyes.

    ''''Welcome home, Christopher-sama.

    Yeah, I''m home, Alisa. Grab the cape.

    I heard that maid''s name was Alisa. Well, I heard it when I was drinking.

    She has blue hair, about shoulder length. She''s pretty in a maid''s outfit, but she has a beautiful face.

    Her age is about the same age as Tina, or maybe a little older?¡¡It seems to be somehow superior to me and Christo, but it''s better than me and Christo.

    ''Is there anything you''d like to tell me?''

    ''Oh?¡¡Not particularly.

    Christo is treating him differently than usual, like he''s being uncomplicated.

    That''s something, like a boy who can''t be honest with the person he loves.

    You.........are you a puberty!

    I''d said so much about Alisa when I was drinking that she was cute and kind.

    I''m starting to think Christo is kind of cute.

    ''I see. Now let''s go back to our room, Mr. Christopher.

    Yeah, I get it.

    And with that, the two of them walked out of this room.

    I managed to get up as well, as my legs were no longer numb by now.

    ''Alright, let''s go then.''

    Yes, that''s right, dear.

    His Majesty Leo and the Queen are about to leave the room.

    ''You''re coming too.

    Yes, I understand.

    His Majesty Leo tells me to follow him, and me and Yele-san follow.

    I walk with a limp.

    I mean, where are we going?

    I can''t wait to get to bed....

    After walking for a while, His Majesty Leo turned around and

    Don''t make any noise from here on out.

    Then he creeps forward.

    Why?

    I don''t know about you, but I''m used to killing footsteps, and I can do it even with alcohol in my system. Well, it''s made difficult by the slightly numb feet.

    And so the four of us crept along and found ourselves at the door of a single room.

    His Majesty Leo opens that door without making any noise at all, gently.

    When I open it just barely enough to peek inside, His Majesty, the Queen, and Yele-san are also peeking in.

    I don''t know what they''re doing, but I''m curious too, so I take a peek.

    From the bottom, His Majesty, the Queen, Jere and I are like a dumpling, peeking in.

    Inside were Christo, the maid, and Alisa.

    And they were hugging each other.

    I managed to stifle the fact that I was about to scream.

    No, if you look closely, they''re not hugging each other, but Arisa-san is hugging Christo so that she can dive into his chest, and Christo''s right hand is rubbing Arisa-san''s back.

    Are you calling that state of affairs an embrace?¡¡If Christo had his hands behind Alisa''s back, I can assure you they would be hugging each other.

    ''I was so worried, Christo I''ve never been home this late before...''

    I''m sorry, Alisa. I was just excited to make my first friend.

    Alisa''s voice was a change from the dignified voice she had earlier, and she was hugging Christo with a quivering voice that sounded like she was crying.

    ''''Please don''t let this happen again. It''s bad for my heart, and even if Christo is safe, I''m not going to be able to handle it.

    All right, I''ll tell Alisa next time.

    Christo says that while gently rubbing his back.

    Who the hell was that?

    I don''t know Christo like that.

    I wanted to look at him some more, but His Majesty Leo taps me on the shoulder and I back away.

    And then His Majesty Leo closes the door again without making a sound at all. Yeah, I''m used to it. I''ve definitely done this a lot of times.

    He closes the door and leaves the front of that room without being found out.

    After walking for a while, His Majesty Leo and the Queen start talking a bit excitedly.

    ''''Oh no, I saw something good!

    ''Yes. Eric, you''ve done a great job.

    ''What?¡¡No, I''m not.

    ''You took Christo without telling me, so I could see that scene.

    No, you were just yelling at us about it. You move fast.

    "Why don''t you just put your hands behind your back and hug me and pat me on the head? That guy''s a wimp!

    It''s true. I wonder who he looks like, dear.

    Whoever it is, I don''t know.

    With that, they walked away.

    ''So, shall we go back too?''

    Yes, I know.

    ''Eric, what you just saw was...''

    Of course I won''t tell anyone.

    Good. Now, shall we go?

    But I decided in my mind that I would tease Christo next time.

    He pranked me today when I was angry, so getting back at him was a friend.

 60-Episode 60 First Friends

    After leaving the royal palace, I went back to the dormitory but once I had to go to Yele''s office.

    Will he be firmly pissed off this time?

    With that in mind, he walks with me and enters the office.

    Mr. Yelle sits down on a chair and I stand poised in front of him.

    ''Thank you for your hard work today. Was it hard work?

    ''No, Christo the prince was also so strong that I didn''t think I needed him when it came to combat.

    They say he was educated from a young age as a gifted child, so it''s no wonder he''s so strong.

    It''s because of the education he received that he taught me in his previous life. The source of my strength is Kristo.

    ''I see. I asked you to come here to ask one question. I know you''re tired, Eric, and I''m sure you''ll be able to answer it soon.

    I''m not tired, I''m just sleepy because I''ve been drinking.

    I''m still feeling a little dizzy right now.

    What is it?

    He says this while resisting the urge to rub his eyes.

    ''The person you''ve been looking for, the one named Crist, is definitely Prince Christopher Leo Begonia, isn''t he?

    -Oh!

    I felt like I''d been punched in the gut, my brain, which hadn''t been working because I was sleepy.

    That''s right, Yelle was looking for the person I was looking for, Christo.

    I was so happy to see Christo that I had forgotten about him.

    What should I say, I don''t know if I can honestly say that I am.

    But if I answered that, he''d say why am I looking for a prince when I''ve never even left the village?

    But if I answer that I''m not, then I''ll have to ask Jere to find a different Christo, even though I''ve already met him.

    Isn''t there a mistake?

    Mr. Yelle asked me, no, it''s like a confirmation already.

    ''''... yes.''''

    I was unsure, but I still decided to be honest.

    I can''t go through the unnecessary hassle of lying to the people who will continue to help me.

    But what should I say?

    I can''t say that I''m a good friend of that guy''s who has died.

    ''I see. That''s all I wanted to ask you, so please go to sleep.

    What?

    He didn''t ask me any questions, and I was a bit out of breath when he said that.

    ''That''s all I wanted to hear. I''m not so wild as to ask you something you don''t want to be asked.

    Mr. Yelle...!¡¡Thank you!

    Thank God, really. If you had asked me, I wouldn''t have been able to answer anything.

    It''s good that he''s a kind person, I think I understand why Yele-san is liked by everyone in the Order, even though he''s expressionless.

    ''''Then Eric-kun, thank you for your hard work today. Please have a good night''s rest.''''

    ''Yes, thank you. Now if you''ll excuse me.

    I take a bow and then leave the office.

    Huh, I''ve been nervous and clear-headed since you asked me that question, but when I get out of the room, I''m feeling sleepy all at once.

    Maybe Elena-san is already asleep, so I''ll just take a quick shower so as not to wake her up and go right to bed.

    So I went to bed without drinking any water, and then I woke up with a crazy headache.

    Even in the cafeteria, Tina and Yulina-san worried about my pale face.

    For breakfast today, I ate the portion Tina had made and the miso soup that was being handed out in the cafeteria.

    Elena told me that miso soup helps with the hangover. I was very grateful for this information, so I depended on it.

    I don''t know why, but I feel much better since I woke up.

    ''So Eric, I know it''s going to be tough, but good luck with your training!

    Oh, good luck with that, Tina.

    Having said that, we split up and headed to the training ground with Yulina-san and Elena-san.

    As expected, I don''t think there''s going to be an escort for Christo today, so I''ll have to work hard on my training and work as normal.

    --Christo side--

    ''Look, look, look, what''s up, Christo. Try harder!

    ''Hahaha ... d*mn it!

    He''s been getting beaten up in the morning in the little garden of the royal palace, where I always train.

    The other guy is Liberto. He''s such a goofy guy, but he''s the vice-captain of the knights and the strongest man in the order.

    I''ve fought this guy dozens of times, but I don''t feel like I can win at all.

    And since I haven''t been drinking today, I don''t see any gaps.

    Well, even if I''m wobbly from drinking, I can''t win at all.

    There was an opening, but it was a gap that was made. I still can''t tell the difference between the gaps that are made and the real ones.

    Come to think of it, Yelle said, Eric beat this guy.

    I didn''t really believe that he was that strong for being the same age, but I don''t think Yelle would lie about it.

    ''Hey, Liberto,''

    ''Oh?¡¡What is it?

    Do you know who Eric Aulin is?

    Eric ... oh, you''re that sweet guy.

    A nice guy?¡¡I feel like it''s unusual for Liberto to appreciate that.

    ''Because you rubbed my back when I threw up and carried me to the infirmary.

    Oh, you got drunk and threw up. That sucks.

    And when he was carrying me on his back, I threw up one more time, and I shot it all over his back.

    It''s garbage.

    He threw up once during a training session with me, but I''m already a pain in the ass, so I don''t care for him at all and let the other guys take care of him.

    It seriously makes me want to kill him when he throws up when I''m carrying him on my back.

    That''s very kind of Eric.

    ''You fought Eric, didn''t you?¡¡Was it strong?

    Yeah, he''s strong. I mean, how do you know about Eric?

    "Eric was my bodyguard on the hunt yesterday. Just because my dad''s the same age as me.

    Haha, Leo-san is as appropriate as ever.

    Liberto trains me a lot, so I see my dad quite a bit, too.

    The right guys seem to get along well with each other.

    I''m grateful to my dad for this one. I''ve become friends with Eric.

    ''Oh, right. Good thing you''ve been a friendless bozo in the past.

    Don''t call me a bocce.

    Well, there''s no denying it.

    I''ve been to many countries as a prince, and I''ve been friendly with people just like me, but since it''s a social gathering, I couldn''t be comfortable with them, and I was worried about the gut-wrestling and such.

    But Eric is the first equal friend I''ve made.

    He''s the friend I really wanted from the bottom of my heart.

    I don''t know why he was so happy to see me, but he was crying too. I''m pretty sure I''m the happier of the two.

    "Will you bring him along when I train with you?¡¡You''ve got the authority of the deputy commander.

    "You did.

    ''Oh, oh I didn''t think you''d actually ask me to do that. I meant it as a joke.

    I only get to hunt once or twice a month. Even if I nominate that guy for each of those hunts, I''ll see him too infrequently.

    If you''re coming to train with Liberto, you''ll see him at least three times a week.

    I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results. I can''t even beat him now.

    With those words, my heart, which had been bouncing at the thought of meeting Eric, suddenly cooled down.

    ''''........Does that mean that if I had a left arm, I could win?''''

    I''m smiling or Bert notices that I''ve changed and puts on a serious face.

    ''That''s not what I''m talking about. That guy is so strong that I really don''t know if he could win with his left arm.

    ....

    So don''t dwell on it yet.

    After giving my head a grimy pat, Liberto tucks his sword into his waistband.

    ''''Today''s training is over. I''ll bring that guy with me tomorrow.

    Yeah, you''re on it.

    ''Yeah, why don''t we take Eric to that thing in a month, too?¡¡I''m sure Mr. Leo will forgive me.

    ''Yeah, I''ll talk to my dad. Maybe he''ll say it''s a good idea.

    Then Liberto left the yard.

    As I stand there, Alisa approaches me.

    ''Thank you for your help, Christo. Here''s a towel.

    Thank you.

    I receive a towel and wipe away the sweat. The towel is pleasantly cooled by the water in moderation.

    ''Christo, I don''t think you should worry about that stuff anymore. For your sake, and for Liberto-sama''s sake.''''

    I know.

    I walk out of the garden and into the royal palace, using a towel to keep my face out of Alisa''s sight.

    I''m not stupid enough to forget what happened, Alisa.

 61-Chapter 61: The Secret Mission

    Hey!

    Elena-san rushes in while shouting.

    With a dagger in each hand, she is two-faced.

    She swings the dagger in her right hand at my throat, but I lightly back away and avoid it.

    With the same momentum, I play with my sword as he thrusts his left-handed dagger into my stomach to stab me.

    I stand back and continue to avoid Elena''s attacks.

    Nito-ryu sounds cool and strong, but it''s difficult to do in practice.

    If you are a normal person, you have a dominant arm, so your attacks and defenses would be biased towards that arm. Then a weapon with a greater reach would normally be stronger.

    However, Elena-san is very good at handling the dagger''s dual swords.

    The interval between attacks is short, and she attacks continuously.

    She uses both daggers equally well, so there''s no time to attack from us.

    However, as you would expect, if you keep attacking without any time to breathe like this, you will get tired and stop.

    Elena, perhaps thinking that further attacks would be in vain, steps back.

    However, I don''t miss that.

    I approach Elena-san who has stepped back and swing my sword at her from my side this time.

    ''''Uu........!

    I try to avoid my attack.

    Out of breath, Elena-san forces me to twist my body, but my legs get tangled and I fall down.

    ''''Ow!¡¡While I was there I hit my butt.

    Are you okay?

    Yeah, thanks.

    Elena takes the hand I offered her and stands up.

    The way she cleans the dirt off her buttocks is still very girly.

    ''I knew Eric was strong. It''s been a long time since we fought, but I lost again.

    Elena-san, I don''t know anyone else who handles two swords so well.

    Oh, really?¡¡Heh.

    He smiled shyly as he scratched his reddened cheeks with his fingers.

    It''s been about a month since Tina and I left for King''s Landing and joined the knightly order.

    I''ve finally gotten used to life in the capital and the work of a knight.

    The most common jobs were still patrolling and guarding buildings.

    Patrolling was not that hard work as the security was not bad.

    But guarding the buildings of the adventurers'' guild was the most annoying.

    There are a lot of adventurers who are quite quarrelsome and bloodthirsty, so trouble often arises.

    At best, fistfights would start in the guild, and at worst, killing each other with weapons.

    You can stop it before it happens, but when it starts, the knights who are guarding it have to stop it.

    I''ve encountered that situation several times in the past month, and I''ll end it by stunting the guy who''s fighting with me.

    I don''t want to be too rough with them, but stunting them is the easiest way to do it.

    No one gets hurt at all (except the guy who passed out) thanks to me, so the receptionists have been very good to me.

    I got a homemade cookie from one of the receptionists before.

    When I told the old man about it, he said, "Why are we only giving them to you?

    But when I told the old man that Elena had gotten them before, he said, "She''s fine, she''s an angel.

    I agreed.

    ''Eric?''¡¡What''s wrong with you in a daze?

    Oh, no, it''s nothing.

    I was surprised to see him looking into my face.

    At first Elena had called me by your name, but now she was calling me by my name.

    ''Have you been thinking about what''s next?¡¡What''s that, Eric, the Commander called you, right?

    ''Oh, yes. I''m a little concerned about that too.

    I probably know what I''m being called to do, though.

    Then I finish the training for today.

    Now it was a noon drill, so as soon as I''m done and showered, it''s time for dinner.

    But I''m called into the office before I go to the mess hall.

    ''Well Eric, I''ll see you later.''

    Yes, I''ll see you in the cafeteria.

    I leave Elena and head to the office by myself.

    When I get there, I knock as usual.

    I get permission to enter and open the door.

    Jere-san is sitting postureally in a chair in the office.

    ''Eric, you are very welcome here. I''m sorry to see you before dinner.

    No, I''m fine. So, what can I do for you?

    Wait a minute. I''ve got one more on the way.

    As I said that, the door of the office suddenly opens without a knock.

    I turn around and see the Vice Commander of the Order, Liberto Corrales.

    ''''Here I am, Yelle.''''

    Knock.

    Oh, I forgot. Oh, come on, we''re in this together.

    Don''t you know the saying, ''there''s courtesy in intimacy''?

    I don''t know.

    Well that''s fine.

    Mr. Yelle didn''t sigh, but he proceeded to speak with an air of being on the verge of being on the verge.

    ''I have a mission for you two. This is a top secret mission. You are not allowed to speak of it.

    I know. Christo''s bodyguard?

    ''Yes, sir. My mission is to escort Prince Christopher Leo Begonia.

    Yelle tells me this with an even more serious air than usual.

    I''ve had several opportunities to train with Christo over the past month.

    In my previous life, I was the one teaching him, but in this life, I''m the one teaching him.

    That''s when he told me about this mission.

    "You''ll be traveling to different countries?¡¡You, the prince?

    Yeah, yeah. And it''s top secret.

    Christo has been traveling around the country since last year to see various countries as a secret agent.

    It seems that the reason for this is because it is the tradition of the royal family of this country, and they want you to see and learn about towns and villages in a different country than this one.

    Especially since they do not meet the royalty of the country, they said they do it in secret.

    Moreover, since the prince of a country is not usually in town, going there in secrecy will allow you to see what is going on normally in that country.

    I''m not sure if it''s a secret, but you have to have an escort as you would expect. I always go with two or three guards.

    ''You don''t want me to be one of them, do you?¡¡You''re a rookie who''s only been in the Order for less than a month.

    ''Eric is perfectly capable, and my dad has forgiven me, so I''m sure he''ll be fine.

    Really?¡¡Then I''ll be happy to escort you, Prince Christo.

    Yeah, I''ll be safe with you. It''s good to see you, Eric.

    I thought that was probably the reason why Yelle had called me today, since we had a conversation a few days ago about

    ''You''re taking Eric with you? Who else?

    ''''And Viviana-san, the vice-captain of the Magical Order, as well. Those three will be your guards.

    The Vice Commander of the Order and the Vice Commander of the Magical Order?

    Other than me, everyone else is an insanely great guy, but is it okay for me to follow them?

    ''Eric, you have the ability to do well, I know, and so does Liberto. I know you''ll be nervous, but good luck with that.

    Yes. Okay.

    That''s okay. We won''t get in too much trouble for being sneaky. We''ll just go out like we''re going out with friends.

    It''s not good to be that tense, though.

    Mr. Liberto made a joke to try and ease my nerves.

    A joke ... right?¡¡You''d think this guy would really go like that.

    ''So, when and where are we going this time?''

    Your departure is in the morning of two days. Please prepare well. I plan to be here for about a week.

    And this time the country...

    It''s the Kingdom of Harzion.

 62-Episode 62 Gap

    It''s the Kingdom of Harzion.

    When you hear the name of the country, your eyes widen.

    I stop thinking for a moment because of the suddenness of it.

    The Kingdom of Harzion is the country where Irene is located........!

    Irene Harzion.

    In a previous life I met her and we became lovers.

    I was her family, her childhood friend, and her best friend. I met a woman who had lost everything, and she had lost everything, just like me.

    We talked about each other''s circumstances, understood each other, and then worked together to lick our wounds and comfort each other.

    We became lovers and swore we''d never lose her again, but I couldn''t protect her.

    So I killed myself next to her, ending her life in a previous life.

    Not a day goes by in this life that I don''t remember her.

    Every night I thought about her.

    I want to see her, hear her voice, touch her, hold her....

    Thousands of nights passed as I thought about these things.

    ''-- Eric-kun?¡¡Do you hear me?

    What?

    I huffed when I was approached, and I saw Yelle and Liberto looking at me a little confused.

    ''''S-Sorry, I was in a daze,''''

    You don''t feel well?

    No, it''s fine. I''m sorry.

    The name of the country reminded me of Irene, and I was in a state of distraction.

    ''But the Kingdom of Harzion? Are we going there now?

    Mr. Liberto says it in a way that includes a few things.

    Somehow I know what he means.

    Currently the Kingdom of Harzion is in a bit of a rough or unstable state, as I heard from the rumors in the wind.

    I''ve heard that a lot of things are happening because someone has killed Felix Glazio, who was a sure-fire next king... well, me, but he was killed by someone else.

    With the death of the belligerent Felix, the belligerent guys are no longer fighting the war, so the equally belligerent guys are getting frustrated.

    Up until now, they knew they wouldn''t go to war, but because of Felix, they were on the verge of going to war.

    If it suddenly turns out not to be in the middle of the war, the belligerents are bound to be disgruntled.

    It seems that there are many other effects of Felix''s death as well.

    ''''Yes, now is the time to go to the Harzion Kingdom. We will learn what measures the King of Ceredonia Harzion is taking and how he is dealing with the current situation.''''

    Okay, this is going to be a bit of a pain in the ass.

    Liberto-san sighs without even trying to hide it.

    I would normally want to sigh one of those sighs too, but right now, in my mind, the anticipation is getting the better of me.

    Maybe - I might be able to meet Irene.

    I can''t help but feel that way.

    The Kingdom of Harzion is a big country. I don''t even know if I''m going to the city where Irene is.

    But I can''t help but think that maybe.

    ''''Please come back to the office tomorrow night. We''ll discuss a few more details there, and then you''ll leave the day after tomorrow morning. Is that alright with you?

    Yes, I understand.

    Okay, so can I go now?

    ''Yes, thank you for your time. Get some rest.

    Mr. Liberto leaves the room on his own.

    I greet him and bail as I leave the room before leaving.

    ''Well, good to see you the day after tomorrow, Eric. It''s going to be a bit of a hassle this time, but I''m sure you''ll be fine.

    Please, Mr. Liberto.

    Okay, I''m gonna go get a drink.

    Don''t go easy on him, okay?

    He doesn''t reply to my words, but turns away and leaves with a flutter of his hand.

    I''m pretty sure he''s not listening to me.

    I walk out of the office and then head to the cafeteria.

    I look for Tina, Elena and the others in the cafeteria.

    It''s become normal for me, Tina, Elena-san, and Yulina-san to always eat breakfast and evening meals together.

    Sometimes Viviana-san, who has been neglecting her duties as deputy commander, joins us there.

    I look around the dining room and find the four of them. It looks like Viviana-san is there today.

    I get my food and then go to my seat there.

    ''Oh, Eric!¡¡Good job!

    Oh, good job.

    Eric, good job.

    ''Thank you for your hard work, you were guarding the guild today, right?

    Yeah, it''s still a bunch of jerks in there.

    Yulina-san and I did guarding in the guild together once, but she''s so beautiful that she often gets tangled up with the weirdos.

    Well, Yulina-san is strong, so it''s okay, but it seems weird to be looked at from afar with a lowly eye. That kind of thing isn''t really harmful, so it''s hard to crack down on it.

    ''''Commander Yelle is a very understanding person, so he''ll reduce the number of times I have to guard the guild, but still, I''ll have a little bit of protection to go around.

    Thank you so much for your help.

    Yulina looks more mentally tired than physically.

    ''Good work, Viviana,''

    I also say hello to Viviana, who is munching on a mouth full of things and eating them deliciously.

    ''''Hmm, Ofuahhhh...''''

    I don''t know what you''re saying.

    It''s supposed to look crude when she talks with things in her mouth, but when she does it, she looks like a little animal and it''s kind of cute.

    She swallows her food and smiles.

    ''Good job! Oh, yeah, Eric, I''ll see you the day after tomorrow!''

    What the...?

    The day after tomorrow?¡¡What is it?

    Elena said as she tilted her head.

    Seriously, this guy!¡¡It''s a top-secret mission and you can''t even tell people about it!

    Oh, my mistake.

    You just realized that?

    Mr. Viviana, what''s happening the day after tomorrow?

    Uh, yeah.

    I was told not to share this top secret mission with anyone I was close to.

    Viviana-san would have been told that as well, so I''m not sure how to respond after I slipped up.

    You''ll have to fake it somehow.

    You''re the one who misspoke, so do your best to clean it up yourself.

    ''Ah!''

    Whoa, I got an idea.

    "I''m going on a week-long trip with you, Eric, the day after tomorrow!

    At those words, the place quiets down.

    I see Yulina-san with a slightly frightened face in front of me, and Elena-san with a bitter smile on her face.

    They probably think that what they just said was some kind of mistake or a joke.

    But there is someone sitting next to me who takes these.............mainly a joke to me and so on.

    I can''t help but perceive something, a black aura that resembles murderous intent, emanating from next to me.

    ''Viviana, what do you mean by that?¡¡And Eric, you can explain it to me, right?

    --and then I explained it like crazy.

 63-Episode 63 Departure

    Afterwards, I couldn''t explain everything, but I told everyone that me, Viviana, and Deputy Commander Liberto were going to be away from here for a week or so on a mission.

    Tina also asked me what the mission was, but as expected, I didn''t tell her that.

    Tina seemed unhappy, but she didn''t ask any more questions.

    Then we finished dinner and went back to our room with Elena.

    ''''Haha, I was really scared earlier...''''

    ''Haha, Tina, you feel like you can''t see the world around you when it comes to Eric.

    Elena-san also says that with a bit of a bitter smile.

    Well, I think it''s Viviana-san''s fault for saying something that made me misunderstand this time.

    I wish that person would be a little more firm.

    ''''Was it two days later in the morning?¡¡We''re leaving.

    ''Yes, I am. So I''m just trying to make sure I''m ready for tomorrow.

    ''It''s tough being away from here for a week on a mission. Good luck.

    Thank you.

    Oh, Elena is really healing these days.

    I wonder if this is what it''s like to be a husband who works alone.

    Whoa, relax. I have a woman I love named Irene. And Elena is a man.

    I''ll turn off the light. Good night, Eric.

    Yes, good night.

    Before the lights went out, I fell asleep to Elena''s gently smiling face as she crawled into the bed next to me.

    And then - two days later in the morning.

    I was up earlier than usual.

    I got out of bed and immediately got ready to leave.

    Most of it was done yesterday, so I just had to check and get ready.

    I looked next to her and saw that Elena was still asleep.

    For the past month, I''ve always been an early riser because I''ve had a lot of morning drills and such, but I''ve never woken up earlier than Elena-san.

    When I woke up, I was already after getting out of the bath, or just finishing getting ready for the day.

    So I see Elena''s sleeping face for the first time.

    Her face is innocent and she is sleeping very peacefully.

    Her mouth was half open and she was slightly drooling.

    I''ve never seen her face so defenseless before, so I can''t help but smile.

    Let''s wipe the drool off, so I can stroke that soft looking hair for a bit.

    Thinking that, I approached Elena-san and tried to reach out to her.

    ''''Hmm ... good morning, Eric.''''

    Oh, oh, good morning.

    But the moment I stood next to the bed, Elena''s eyes fluttered open.

    I was startled, I thought she was sleeping well.

    ''Excuse me, did I wake you up?''

    No, I''m fine. I''m always up around this time.

    He wakes up with a movement so hypervigilant that it''s hard to believe he''s waking up in his sleep, and stretches, "Hmmm.......

    ''''Eric''s early, too. Oh, I see, you''re on a mission today.

    Yes, I do.

    Good luck. Don''t get hurt.

    Thank you.

    When Elena smiles and says that to me, I feel very motivated.

    I''ve got to do it right.

    Then I''m off.

    Yeah, have a good day.

    We left the room with our bags. Elena smiled and waved at me until the end.

    The carriage is already parked a short walk away from the dormitory.

    I''m going to travel in that carriage for a week or so.

    When I get there, there are already a few people around the carriage.

    "Hey, Eric. It''s a beautiful morning.

    ''Oh, Christo. Very nice morning.

    Christo and I exchange words and clasp our fists together.

    It''s our way of saying hello, the way we''ve been doing it since a previous life.

    In this life as well, Christo says he''s going to do it.

    The reason for this is that he''s been wanting to do it when he has a friend.

    You ain''t a friend if you hear this and don''t do it.

    "Good morning, Eric. Did you sleep well?

    Yes, Mr. Yelle. Good night.

    It seems that Yelle-san has come to see us off as well.

    Next to him is Liberto-san, the deputy leader of the group and the leader of this time.

    "Hey Eric. You look good this morning.

    Does Mr. Liberto have a hangover?

    I don''t think so. I know it''s an important mission, so I made sure I didn''t leave it for the next day.

    So you''re saying you drank the day before an important mission. That''s the same as always.

    Next to Christo was the maid, Alisa, next to him.

    She''s trying not to show her face, but she''s looking at Christo with great concern.

    ''''Good morning, Alisa-san.''''

    ''¡¡Good morning, Mr. Eric.

    He seemed surprised to be spoken to out of the blue, but he quickly recovered and bowed neatly.

    ''''I don''t need a surname.

    No, if you''re a friend of Master Christopher''s, that''s not possible.

    Master Christopher, huh?

    I already know that he''s in the shadows, or rather, he calls me by my nickname when I''m alone with Christo.

    ''Are you worried about Christo?''

    Yes, especially this time.

    This time we are going to the Kingdom of Harzion, the land of the demon race.

    The demon race is belligerent, and although the Kingdom of Harzion is not such a country, it''s in a very unstable state right now.

    It''s natural to be worried.

    ''''I promise, Alisa-san,''''

    What can I do for you?

    I will protect Christo. I promise to bring you back home safely and without a scratch.

    ''¡¡.... nice to meet you, Mr. Eric.

    Alisa bows deeply to me again.

    ''Yes, I''ll take care of it.''

    ''Please be safe, Eric-sama, too. You are Christo''s only friend, so please protect yourself as well.

    I understand.

    I was a bit amused because I didn''t expect him to say anything about me either, but I knew he was a kind person.

    I could see why Christo would fall for him.

    I thought we were about to leave, but one more person hadn''t come. It''s Viviana.

    It''s already just in time, but perhaps you overslept?

    It''s possible, he''s going to do it.

    "Here you go!

    Just as I was thinking, I heard a loud voice in the distance.

    I look over and see Viviana coming towards me with a wave of her hand, and Tina next to me with a large package.

    Hmm?¡¡Why is Tina here too?

    Viviana, it''s a little late.

    I''m sorry. I just took a while to get ready.

    ''Well, and why is Tina here too?''

    Mr. Yelle asked Viviana a question.

    ''Well, I always get up early to make breakfast, but today I knew Viviana had to get up too, so I woke her up with me. So we were getting ready together.

    ''I went to bed early yesterday to get up early, but I went to bed too early and forgot to get ready for today!

    Viviana, seriously.

    I''m not sure I''m going to like it.

    Well, you''re the deputy head of the Magic Order, so you must have some ability.

    ''''What I want to ask is how did Tina-san also know about this top secret mission?

    Ah, yes. I didn''t tell Mr. Yelle that I told Tina and the others about the mission.

    "Mr. Yelle, I''ll explain it to you.

    Eric?

    It would be quicker for me to tell them than for Ms. Viviana to explain.

    I told her that I had to explain the mission to Tina and the others the night before last because of Bibiana-san''s gaffe.

    When I heard the explanation, Yele-san gave a small sigh and glared at Bibiana-san a bit.

    ''Get a grip, Viviana-san. I''d really like to leave the sermon to Anne, but it''s time to go, so I''ll do it when I get back.''''

    "Uh huh, I see...

    Viviana sticks out her tongue and looks disgusted and depressed in an understandable way.

    No, I think she just deserved it.

    ''Eric, who knows about the mission?''

    This is Tina, Yulina, and Elena.

    Are you sure it''s just the three of them?

    Yes, sir.

    ''Okay, I think those three can handle it, but I''ll tell them to keep it to themselves later.

    Excuse me, please.

    Finally, we are ready to leave.

    Christo gets in the carriage first.

    By the end, Alisa was staring at him with anxious eyes.

    ''Eric!¡¡Viviana!¡¡Come back safely!

    Yeah, thanks, man.

    Take care of yourself, Tina!

    Tina smiles off at me.

    ''Eric you, Viviana, Liberto. Good luck for the next week. I know it''s a dangerous country, so make sure you don''t get hurt.

    Yes, sir.

    Yes, sir.

    Me and Viviana respond to Yelle''s words, but Mr. Liberto grins and doesn''t respond.

    ''''Oh, come on, Yelle. Don''t dress it up with such pretty words, say it right.

    ''I didn''t mean to, sir.

    I prefer Yelle''s tone of voice.

    What are they saying?

    I don''t know, but Yelle sighed - and stared at us.

    I felt myself tighten up all at once as he stared at me.

    ''You guys,''

    It''s not Yelle''s usual gentle voice that speaks in a gentle way, but a low voice that resonates deep in my chest.

    ''That''s an order--don''t die, get out alive.

    ''Ha!¡¡Roger that!

    Liberto-san happily replies to Yelle-san''s words.

    I was astonished as well, but I think those words stung my heart very strongly.

    ''''Yes, I understand!

    Yes, sir!

    Me and Viviana-san also reply strongly.

    And so we left the Kingdom of Begonia and set off on our journey to the Kingdom of Harzion.

 64-Episode 64: Deputy Leaders Ability

    The Kingdom of Harzion is about two days away from the Kingdom of Begonia by carriage.

    It''s not very close, but it''s also not very far away.

    That''s probably why Felix attacked the Begonia Kingdom in his previous life.

    Because with the location of the Harzion Kingdom, the country most likely to attack is definitely the Begonia Kingdom.

    The carriage is on a straight road to the Kingdom of Harzion.

    The person controlling the carriage is currently Liberto-san.

    As it''s tough as it is to keep going for two days straight, everyone will be taking turns, including Prince Christo.

    I''ve gotten used to the horse for the past month, and I''ve gotten used to it enough to become a coach.

    Are you sure you want to be a part of this?¡¡You''re a prince, right?

    ''It''s not a prince, it''s a prince. I''m used to it, I''ll be fine. Besides, don''t you get tired of being in the carriage for two days?

    Oh, that''s right. This carriage is not a luxurious one for royalty to ride in, it''s just an ordinary carriage.

    If it was something like a royal ride, the seat is soft and your ass won''t hurt, but this carriage usually hurts.

    It would be a painful task just to sit in it.

    On that note.........

    ''''Viviana-san, you''re very prepared.

    Uh, what?

    Underneath Bibiana''s ass is a pink cushion.

    Viviana-san had the largest luggage of the four of us, but about half of her luggage was this cushion.

    I didn''t understand it when I first pulled it out of my bag, but after an hour of rocking in the carriage, I would understand.

    I realized that the hardest part of this trip was the rocking of the carriage.

    My ass hurts so badly that I have to lift my hips several times to reposition myself, but it still hurts.

    Finally, I decided to stand up.

    As soon as I stood up, Christo stood up too.

    ''Christo, you too?''

    Yeah, I''ll die if I don''t.

    We both stretch for now, and a gurgling sound comes from each other''s hips.

    We look at each other and laugh.

    I can''t get used to riding in a carriage any more times. I should have brought a cushion like Viviana.

    I can''t sleep without my pillow.

    It''s a hug pillow.

    I mean, Viviana is a tattle-talker to Christo.

    Christo trains all the time in the royal garden.

    A lot of it is sword training, but he also trains in magic.

    Lately I''ve been training with him, but I''ve heard he does it most often with Mr. Liberto.

    So it seems that Viviana will be training the magic side with me.

    Anne Bendix, the head of the Order of Magical Knights, also used to teach me in the past, but it seems that she''s surprisingly bad at teaching.

    He''s a sensationist, so he can''t teach well.

    It''s a good way to teach, and it''s so good that Christo, who wasn''t very good at magic, became as powerful as an ordinary magic knight.

    I''ve been taught by Viviana-san indirectly through Christo in my past life.

    I''ve carried on that teaching to this life, and that''s why I''m teaching it to Tina.

    I express my gratitude to Bibiana-san in my heart.

    Thank you so much. You saved me and Tina from dying.

    But I need you to be a little stronger.

    ''Hmm?¡¡Eric, did you say something?

    No, nothing.

    It''s been about three hours since we left Begonia.

    It''s time to leave the grassland and enter the forest.

    As soon as we leave the forest, we will reach the Kingdom of Harzion.

    In the meantime, we should be spending the night in that forest today.

    Right now, Christo is playing the role of the governor.

    Liberto, who was working as a coachman until a few minutes ago, is quietly sleeping in the carriage.

    "Liberto-san, you sleep quietly when you''re not drinking!

    Yes.

    The way Viviana said it, if you''ve been drinking, you''re going to snore.

    I''m sure she does.

    ''Doesn''t Eric-chan sleep?''

    I''m not nerve-wracking enough to sleep in this carriage, sir.

    My ass has been hurting for a while now.

    I don''t know how Mr. Liberto can sleep in a rocking carriage like this.

    I think I''ll stand again until the pain in my ass goes away.

    Just as I was about to stand up with that thought, the carriage suddenly stopped rocking and I heard Christo''s voice from outside.

    ''Hey, demon!¡¡And quite a swarm!

    With that being said, me and Viviana-san looked out of the carriage and looked out.

    Then, we saw a demon figure in the direction of the carriage''s progress.

    There were dozens of them and they were coming towards us, albeit slowly.

    ''Hmm, are those orcs?¡¡If there''s that many of them, then maybe there''s an orc-general too!

    The first day me and Christo met, we took those guys down when we hunted, but there weren''t that many of them. Four orcs at most.

    But the number of Orcs in the distance now must be well over thirty.

    There is a demon called the Orc General, a high ranking species of Orc. It is a group of orcs that work in groups.

    ''''That much is a pain in the ass. There''s no way to get around it.

    Christo said with a sigh.

    ''They''re interfering with our progress, and besides, they''re going to attack us because they recognize us over there too.

    ''Eric, wake up Liberto. That number is bone-breaking.

    Okay.

    No, don''t worry about waking me up.

    I tried to wake Mr. Liberto, who was still asleep in this situation, but Viviana stopped me.

    ''''Why? The three of you are going to beat that amount?¡¡It''s not impossible, but it''s not very efficient.

    It''s less efficient for the four of us to work together.

    Why?

    What are you talking about?¡¡Mr. Liberto is strong. If you wake him up and fight with him, he will be very active.

    ''I''m the most efficient one, by myself.

    What?

    Surprised by her words, Viviana dismounted from the carriage alone and moved away a little.

    ''Don''t get out of the carriage, you two, it''s not safe!

    Viviana said as she looked back at me with a smile.

    Are you sure you''re going to fight on your own?

    What do you think, Christo?

    We''ll see what we can do. I haven''t seen a lot of Viviana''s magic either.

    Is that so?

    ''Yeah. I''ve been taught, but it''s a royal garden, and I can''t cast magic that strong.

    So that was it.

    For now, I decided not to get out of the carriage and see what happened.

    ''''Hmm, I guess that amount would work for that one.

    Viviana took out a wand from her pocket. It''s as long as a person''s forearm.

    When more than 30 demons saw Viviana-san''s appearance, they all started running towards you at once.

    The sight of demons over two meters tall running is quite powerful.

    Viviana-san doesn''t seem to be in a hurry at all and begins to put her magic power into it.

    Seeing that, Christo and I take our breath away.

    What a quick manipulation of magic power and a tremendous amount of magic power.......!

    All right. "Starflare!

    As I chanted that, about ten fireballs appeared above Viviana''s head.

    ''''Horeikei!''''

    With a distracting shout, that ball of fire flew towards the horde of orcs at once.

    It flew so fast that one could hear the sound of the wind breaking.

    Then the fireball landed at the head of the orc horde - and at the same time, a huge explosion occurred.

    ''''Whoa!''''

    Christo next to him shouted out in surprise at the sound of the explosion, the blast.

    An explosion so powerful that the horde of orcs could not be seen at all.

    How could such power be contained in that little ball of fire...?

    When the dust cloud cleared, all that was left was a piece of orc meat.

    More than thirty orcs had been erased by a single magic.

    ''''Amazing........''''

    I heard Christo mutter that to himself.

    I feel exactly the same way.

    I''ve been to many wars in my past life, but I''ve never seen magic like that.

    If all wizards could unleash that kind of magic, wars would have thousands of dead people just from magic alone.

    The greatest wizard I''ve ever seen was Irene in my previous life, and Tina in terms of talent.

    I can see that Tina and Irene haven''t reached that level of magic alone now.

    ''Yes, it''s done! See, it''s over fast, right?

    Viviana came back to us with a very pretty smile, but me and Christo could only smile back at her after seeing that magic.

 65-Episode 65: State of the royal capital

    --Tina''s side--

    I saw Eric off and then went back to the dormitory with Mr. Yelle.

    Can I not make breakfast since Eric isn''t here?¡¡I thought for a moment, but I had to make one for Elena and Yulina.

    Those two would smile and say it''s okay if I forget to make it, but I still want you to eat my breakfast.

    It''s the first time you''ve come to this royal capital to be friends with a man and a woman.

    ........Elena-san doesn''t really feel like a male friend, though.

    I make breakfast as usual before heading to the dining room. I''ve learned a lot from my mother and Aunt Serena, so I try not to have the same menu every day.

    I make breakfast and put the three of us on a tray.

    Then I use my magic.

    Then the three trays float up. I keep them above my head.

    It''s wind magic, but Bibiana-san said that the quality of magic is improved by doing this kind of delicate magic.

    Viviana-san is the best at teaching in the Order of Magic, it looks like.

    I''m glad I live in a room with her, so she can teach me things I didn''t hear or understand during training.

    I also move the tray above my head to match my walking speed.

    This is surprisingly difficult to do, and the first time I did it, I felt pain when I spilled hot soup over my head.

    Now, if I concentrate on it, it doesn''t overflow anymore, but I have to be quite aware of it to do it.

    Viviana carried the soup without spilling a drop of it as she talked with me, which I honestly thought was amazing.

    I went to the cafeteria and looked for Elena and her friends.

    There''s a lot of people here too, so I have to concentrate or I''ll bang my tray on someone''s head.

    ''Oh, Tina!¡¡Over here!

    I heard a voice from beside me and turned around to see Elena waving her hands widely. Yulina is also next to her.

    She continues to activate her magic without letting up until the end and approaches them.

    ''''Good morning Elena-san, Yulina.''''

    Yeah, good morning. Thanks again for breakfast.

    Thank you, Tina!

    I carry the tray to them both and when they receive it, I finally break the spell. I hold mine in my hand.

    This handing over was also difficult, and at first I made the mistake of adding or subtracting and rolled up Yulina''s skirt.

    I had something to say about it that Eric saw it perfectly, but I was fully responsible for it, so I didn''t say anything and apologized to Yulina.

    Yulina was embarrassed that Eric had seen me and her face was bright red, but she told me it was okay.

    We sat down and began to eat our breakfast.

    ''I take it that Eric and Ms. Viviana won''t be on duty today,''

    Oh, yeah. I have to tell you both.

    ''''I met with Commander Yelle earlier, and he said I shouldn''t tell anyone about the mission.

    ''Yeah, I know. I don''t know what the mission is, but I''m sure it''s an important one, such as the mission that the two of you, the Knights and the Deputy Commander of the Magical Order, are going on.

    I went to that departure, so I know it''s a prince''s escort mission but I shouldn''t tell you.

    ''Right. I didn''t pry too much into it, but I''m still curious about it.

    Well, he''ll be back in a week or so, so it should be fine.

    Yulina is respectful to Elena-san.

    I call her Elena, but she told me to call her by her first name, so I talk to her normally.

    That''s because Yulina is so rigid about it. But that''s one of the good things about her.

    ''Maybe later on the Commander Yelle will tell you directly, but don''t tell him.

    I know. It''s a top secret mission.

    Elena replies with a smile.

    I don''t think the two of us have anything to say about it either, but just in case.

    We finish eating our breakfast as we talk. I''m glad they both said it was good.

    Now for training, I left the two of them and headed to the Magic Knights'' training grounds.

    First at the training ground, there was the usual greeting from the Anne Commander.

    And then.

    ''Deputy Commander Viviana is already on duty today, so there will be no greetings from the Deputy Commander. Then study up.

    He said.

    Maybe it''s because Viviana-san doesn''t say hello, or maybe it''s because of the lack of energy of the few men who are here today.

    Commander Anne said that Ms. Viviana is not here today, but the truth is that she will be gone for the next week.

    I wonder what will happen when the men find out about it.

    ''Tina Aulin. Come over here for a moment.

    After the greetings, I was about to start my first run when Commander Anne called out to me.

    ''''Ha, yes!''''

    We leave the training grounds for a bit and go to the hallway.

    There, Commander Anne makes sure that no one is there, and then activates her magic.

    With the application of wind magic, he surrounds us with wind to prevent our conversation from leaking out.

    ''''Yele told me. You''ve found out about this top secret mission.

    Uh ... yes, sir.

    ''Don''t worry, I won''t punish you for anything. It''s Viviana''s fault. When she comes back, well that''s okay.

    When I come back I wonder what I''m going to do. I''d be curious if I could stop them there, but I guess it''s better not to ask.

    Good luck, Viviana, good luck.

    ''I''m sure Yelle told you, but don''t tell anyone. Are you the only one who knows that you are the Prince''s guard?

    ''Yes, I don''t think the other two, Elena-san and Yulina-san, know the details.

    ''Yes, all right. I think Yelle will probably tell those two, so they''ll be fine.

    I''m a magical knight, so I wonder if Commander Anne came to tell me that?

    ''It''s been a month since you joined the Order of Magic. How''s that?¡¡Are you getting used to life and work in King''s Landing?

    ''What?¡¡Oh, yes, thanks.

    I was surprised to be asked out of the blue.

    Was Commander Anne the one to ask this kind of question?¡¡I don''t know, I haven''t talked to him much.

    Well, that''s good. Are you feeling comfortable with the training?

    ''Yes. I''ve been able to train a lot more than when I was in the village, and I''ve learned a lot from my seniors, which has been very helpful.

    The only people here know more about magic than I do.

    I only asked Eric about magic, so I couldn''t learn too much about it.

    I was able to join the Order of Magic in recognition of my abilities, but my knowledge is not at all.

    I''m glad I can learn many things and become stronger.

    I have to work harder so that I can stand next to Eric soon.

    ''''Well yeah. It''s about time.

    Commander Anne murmurs softly and looks me firmly in the eye and says

    ''Tina Aulin. Fight me.

    ...What?

 66-Episode 66 Immigration

    That''s the last checkpoint.

    I heard Christo, who was playing the role of a guru, mutter that.

    After Viviana-san defeated the pack of orcs, we continued on and entered the forest.

    Nothing in particular happened in the forest.

    If I had to guess, I would say that I slept for the night and woke up to find myself surrounded by a pack of demons.

    Viviana didn''t wake up. Christo didn''t wake up either, perhaps because he was tired from being rocked by the carriage.

    It was me, who was hypersensitive to such signs, and Liberto-san, who reacted to the signs as well.

    There were goblins, kobolds, and orcs, I think.

    I think there were several other kinds, but I don''t remember much. I was asleep and awake, so my memory is hazy.

    Well, we weren''t the kind of people who could fall behind in their sleep, so me and Liberto-san killed the demon while we were half asleep.

    Then we both fell asleep twice.

    Soon after that, I was woken up by Christo.

    Christo was startled when he woke up and looked around and saw a pool of blood.

    He was half surprised and half dumbfounded when I told him that me and Mr. Liberto killed him in his sleep and then went straight back to sleep twice.

    ''I understand Liberto but Eric, you were one of those guys.

    What do you mean, a guy like that?

    Mr. Viviana didn''t get up then, so he put her in the carriage at random and left.

    That''s what happened yesterday.

    We went through the forest yesterday. Then there was a meadow again, and it was easy to see when the demons came out.

    We worked together to defeat the demons that came up from time to time.

    Two days have passed since we left the royal capital, Begonia.

    Finally, we arrived at the barrier that connected the Kingdom of Begonia to the Kingdom of Harzion.

    A large wall appeared in the grasslands from which we had a good view.

    That wall divided the land between the two kingdoms.

    In the midst of the wall, there is another large building. That''s the checkpoint.

    You can enter the land of the Harzion Kingdom after passing a checkpoint here.

    Haha, finally, the Kingdom of Harzion. My ass is sore from being rocked by a carriage for two days.

    Christo, who is playing the role of a guru, sighs and turns his head to rub his shoulders, probably stiff from being in the same position for so long.

    ''I''m not sure I''m tired enough for this, Christo.

    ''Shut up, Liberto. You''ve been a driver for the least amount of time.

    Mr. Liberto seems to be a person who feels comfortable with the rocking of the carriage, and he seems to get sleepy when he is rocked all the time.

    That''s why there were several times when I left the driver in charge of the carriage, he fell asleep before I knew it, and the carriage veered off course.

    That''s why it was not safe to leave it to this person, so the other three of us took it upon ourselves to do it.

    ''You''re out of your senses. I don''t know how you can sleep.''

    You''re a genius.

    ''Yes, yes, yes...''

    Christo pulls the reins while flowing appropriately.

    The joint is completely controlled by that side, the Harzion Kingdom side.

    Kingdom of Halzion, the current king of Halzion, Seredonia Halzion.

    The Kingdom of Begonia, the current king, Leonardo Carlo Begonia.

    It seems that the two men had a meeting quite some time ago.

    The two men got along well with each other at that time. His Majesty Leo seemed to be particularly fond of King Ceredonia and said, "I''ll leave that gate to you! It seems that he said.

    It''s a bold arrangement to leave the barrier between the two countries completely in charge, but the fact that nothing has happened despite this is a testament to the character and skill of King Seredonia and the good eye of His Majesty Leo.

    As we approach the checkpoint, we see armed soldiers.

    ''''That carriage over there, stop.''''

    In front of the guardhouse, Christo stops the carriage.

    ''You are from the Kingdom of Begonia, are you not? Do you have a permit to pass, or an ID?

    A soldier from the Kingdom of Harzion asks Christo a question in a polite manner.

    The customs offices I went through in my previous life when I went to various countries didn''t respond to me this politely.

    They were all disrespectful to the other party for now.

    I had an image that there were many people like that in the demon race, but these soldiers are also very polite, even though they are demons. I''ll have to change my prejudice a bit.

    In the meantime, Christo seems to have finished talking to those soldiers.

    ''''May I tell His Majesty Seredonia about this?''''

    ''Oh, Dad, the King over here agreed. Please tell him my father sends his regards.

    Very well. Well, have a good day. It''s not a safe place to be right now.

    I understand. Thank you.

    Apparently, he has produced both a pass and an ID card.

    The soldier over there has a better posture, as if he is even more nervous.

    Christo is also speaking firmly and respectfully.

    I''m going to move the carriage again. We''re going to move the carriage again, so watch out for the shakes.

    A few seconds after those words, the carriage begins to move.

    We pass through the gate and into the Kingdom of Harzion.

    As we pass inside, the soldiers salute towards us.

    ''''Christo, did you tell them that you''re a prince?''''

    Yeah, but...

    Isn''t this a top-secret way to get into the country?

    If you''re usually going there for the purpose of looking around the city, etc., wouldn''t it have been better not to tell the soldiers that they were royalty?

    ''In any other country, I would hide my identity, but not in the Kingdom of Harzion. My father and the king here are very close, so it''s safe to tell them I''m going in this top secret.

    Really?

    ''If you tell the royalty here, they won''t talk to the soldiers or the people in town or whatever those people are. I''ve met them before and they''re good people.

    Oh, yeah... hmm?

    Were they good people you met before?

    So that means...!

    Christo!

    "Whoa, what''s the matter with you, all of a sudden...

    I leaned out of the carriage and approached Christo.

    ''Do you know a woman named Irene Harzion?

    Good people ''people'', that means you''ve met not only the king, but his princess as well!

    Yeah, I know who you are. You''re the princess here?

    ''You know what?¡¡You''ve met him!

    ''I met you once when I came to this country with my dad, what does that matter?''

    I knew it.

    It never occurred to me that Christo and Irene knew each other.

    I had no idea because in a previous life I met Irene after she and Christo had died and separated from each other.

    ''Did Eric ever meet Princess Irene, too?

    No, not yet.

    ''What, then why did you react like that?

    You''d be surprised to hear that my best friend and my lover in my previous life knew each other, of course.

    Well, I can''t say that.

    "Well, it''s famous, isn''t it, Princess Irene? I mean, she''s a very beautiful princess.

    Is that so?

    You don''t know? How do you know about Princess Irene?

    There''s no way I could tell her that she''s my lover in a previous life.

    "Well, I met her, and she''s even more beautiful than they say. She''s the most beautiful woman I''ve ever seen in my life.

    I haven''t seen him since I was born again and my best friend Christo beat me to it.

    d*mn, I can''t wait to see him too.

    ''I''ll tell you what I''ll tell Alisa. That Christo said the other girls were more beautiful.

    ''Huh?¡¡What are you talking about?

    ''Because that''s what you mean when you say you''ve never seen someone that beautiful before, isn''t it?

    I''m sorry, Christo, for being such a tease. It''s because I was a little pissed off at you, and that''s not your fault.

    "What?¡¡I mean, that''s not what I meant!¡¡I mean, Alisa is so much prettier than I am!

    Wow, you''re prettier than her.

    Oh, no, no.

    You''ve dug your own grave, Christo.

    "Ho.

    Hmm.

    What!¡¡Hey, guys, listen up...!

    Mr. Liberto and Viviana are grinning with only their faces out of the carriage.

    ''You heard me, both of you,''

    ''Yeah, I heard. I heard Christo say that his maid, Alisa, was the prettiest girl in the world.

    I didn''t say that!

    Oh, so you''re saying there''s a prettier girl than you, Arisa?

    Hey, you guys.

    Christo is staring at us with a bright red face, but he''s not scared at all.

    ''Come on, come on, Gentlemen, hold on tightly to the reins.

    You are becoming unstable.

    I wonder why. Don''t shake it too much, Christo.

    ''Don''t ever say that, you guys!¡¡Absolutely!

    Fake it.

    Fake it.

    Fake it.

    I''m not pretending!

    This is how we entered the Kingdom of Harzion.

    Ah, speaking of which, Christo. I can''t help but notice that you''re prettier than Irene. Let''s talk about it sometime, okay?

 67-Episode 67 Kindness

    We had entered the Kingdom of Harzion for about an hour.

    We were still driving the carriage in the grasslands.

    The Kingdom of Harzion is mostly villages and settlements, except for the royal capital, which is solidly made up of tribes of sorts.

    The number differs from village to village, but in the most places there are tens of thousands of people living in solidarity.

    The demon tribe, as Felix Gladio said before, most of them think of themselves as weak and strong.

    There are many different settlements, but they are all settlements that are fighting and winning. The weaker settlements are destroyed by other places.

    It was Ceredonian Harzion that turned it into a country a few decades ago with most of the settlements and other settlements in tow.

    Millions of people live in the royal capital Harzion.

    It is the Kingdom of Harzion that the people of the settlement are watching vigilantly for the head of the King of Ceredonia.

    It passes through the gate and arrives at the royal capital in about five hours on the road.

    It''s still quite a long way to go.

    ''''I can''t find much of a settlement,''''

    Christo says as he looks around in the carriage.

    I also look around while doing the gosha, but the grasslands continue and there is no shadow of a village.

    ''I think there was at least one of the settlements when we got here,''

    He remembers the last time he came to this country.

    ''''The demon race settlements move around quite a bit. We don''t want to stay in the same place for a year.''''

    Is that so?

    ''''Yeah, I''ve been to the demon community a few times myself, so I know.

    Mr. Liberto replied as he lay down in the carriage.

    I don''t know how you can lie down in the middle of it, which is shaking so much. Doesn''t your back hurt?

    It''s my first time in the land of demons.

    Is that so?

    The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that there aren''t too many outside duties for the deputy commander. I hate all the paperwork I do these days.

    ''I super agree. I think you should just do the paperwork for the Commander.

    The two deputy commanders of the Knights and Magical Knights are complaining about it.

    I guess that kind of work is hard, after all. Both of them don''t seem to be suited for paperwork or anything like that.

    And after that, as we drove the carriage along the road, one settlement came into view.

    As far as Christo could remember, there wasn''t a settlement in that place, apparently.

    The settlement was built so that it completely blocked the road to the royal capital.

    ''''I mean, that was........''''

    The settlement is still far away, though, and I can''t see it clearly.

    ''You''re being attacked,''

    Mr. Liberto assures me so.

    ''I agree with you, that look is definitely an assault.

    ''Really?¡¡No. Can you see it from here first?

    I don''t see him.

    Christo and Viviana are trying to stare at it, but they can''t seem to see much.

    ''Me and Eric are used to close quarters combat, so our eyes are good. I wish Christo could see this well, though.

    ''No, no, no, I don''t want to be with you guys who slay hordes of demons while half asleep.

    I don''t think that had much to do with good eyesight, just a keen sense of battle.

    ''But what do we do now? Most of the roads are blocked, and the village they are blocking is under attack. It''s a pain in the ass, isn''t it?

    Hey, Liberto. He''s fighting in there, right?¡¡Then why don''t we just bypass it while we''re at it?

    It''s the best thing to do? And Christo, that wasn''t a fight.

    ''What?¡¡I thought they were fighting?

    Didn''t I tell you I was attacked?

    Yeah, it wasn''t a fight.

    It was more like a one-sided killing, that one.

    ''¡¡Oh, really?

    I think the scene me and Mr. Liberto are seeing is almost identical.

    Fully armed guys are cutting down those who can''t do anything to resist.

    Probably the people living in the village over there are the ones being attacked.

    Of course there are weak people among the demon tribe as well.

    For those people, King Seredonia is the savior.

    If you live in the royal capital, the king is there, so the fight won''t happen.

    However, there will be a limit to the number of people living in King''s Landing.

    Those people will have no choice but to live outside of King''s Landing.

    And the settlements where there are weak people who don''t like to fight are targeted.

    ''''Well, we haven''t been noticed yet, and if we''re going to make a detour, it''s now or never.

    Liberto-san says that while looking at the settlement, but Christo is lost.

    Normally, it''s better to bypass this place.

    There''s nothing in particular to be gained if we get involved in that battle, and it''s usually dangerous.

    If you''re the prince''s bodyguard, you should act to avoid getting caught up in it even more.

    However, that prince is not sure if he wants to bypass it or not.

    ''''What are you going to do, Christo? You''re the star of this trip. We''re just your guards, and you need to see and learn about this country.

    Liberto-san says that to Christo in a stern tone.

    The leader this time is not the deputy leader, Liberto-san or Viviana-san, but Christo.

    We''re going to follow Christo''s instructions.

    ''''Kudos........!

    Christo looks at the settlement. Christo couldn''t see it earlier, but now that he''s a little closer, he can see it somewhat.

    There is still a one-sided killing going on in the settlement.

    Christo has a sad look on his face as he looks at it.

    Then, Christo falls on his face once and looks up as if he has decided what to do and says.

    Go for help, Christo.

    I told him, interrupting his words.

    ''Huh?¡¡No, we''re going to have to go around...

    I can''t do that just because you say so.

    You looked so frustrated, and you said you''d regret it.

    Christo was probably just trying to keep us safe.

    What if we had gone to save it and the enemy was stronger than us. That''s why he was going to abandon the settlement.

    You are a kind man, Christo. You haven''t changed at all since your last life.

    When I see someone in trouble, I feel bad if I don''t help them. You''re the kind of guy who''d sacrifice yourself for others.

    That''s why you saved me, and that''s why you and I are best friends.

    ''You want to help?¡¡Then we''re going to help.

    .....

    Your kindness is what I like about you.

    That''s what I like about you.

    So I''m going to have to do something to make sure you don''t lose that kindness.

    "Now, tell me what to do, Prince Cristo.

    I''m getting off the driver''s seat.

    From here, I''ll run as fast as I can and get there faster than the carriage.

    Yeah, well, that''s the way it goes.

    Mr. Liberto comes down from the carriage with a sigh.

    ''Me and Eric will be enough. Viviana, take your place.

    Yes, sir.

    You guys...!

    Christo, standing up in his carriage, watched our actions with wide eyes.

    But the next moment, he chuckled.

    ''Thanks, Eric.''

    That''s a word I''d like to hear after the mission.

    Yeah. Eric, Liberto!¡¡Go help that settlement!

    He instructed us with an imposing manner that made it hard to believe he had been lost earlier.

    ''All right!''

    I''m on it.

    I must definitely help my best friend, to protect his kindness.

    Christo''s instructions inspired me more than usual, and I ran to that village to help him.

 68-Episode 68 High Touch

    As we get closer, the devastation of the village comes into clearer view.

    The first thing you can recognize is the thick smell of blood.

    It was partly due to the strong wind, but it was still reaching us even though we were far away.

    We''re going to split up. I''m on the right and you''re on the left.

    I understand!

    I received that instruction from Mr. Liberto and ran with the left side of the village.

    There are people lying on the ground who will no longer be moving.

    As we pass there, we find a man running away from the soldiers.

    The man is running, crying, but the soldiers are closing in on him from behind, faster than that.

    ''Oh no, don''t do it!

    You''re well hidden, but you can''t get away with this!

    A soldier swings his sword from behind and brings it down--.

    ''''Whoa!

    -''Grand Lancer''!

    A spear made of dirt flew out of the ground between the two men.

    The spear protected the man as it flicked the sword that the soldier had swung at him.

    ''''Huh?¡¡What the hell is this?

    I used the magic I had built up as I ran in and activated my magic.

    As expected, it was impossible to help a soldier from that distance before he swung his sword down.

    However, the soldier is stunned to be prevented from taking a swing of his sword by an unearned one.

    It''s easy to get behind someone like that.

    ''''Phew!''''

    What?

    Without pulling his sword out of its sheath, he slams it into the back of his neck.

    The soldier falls to the ground, unable to resist, as he takes the attack morosely to the point of surprise and urgency.

    I didn''t kill him.

    I didn''t understand the situation well yet, so I just let him pass out for now.

    But that was just a stunting because I had the luxury of time. If our lives were in danger too, we would draw our sheaths and attack without mercy.

    ''''Are you okay?''''

    He speaks to the man who is lying on the ground, almost cut down by a soldier.

    ''Oh, thank you!¡¡Thank God!

    He was stunned, but when he realized he was saved, he quickly got up and thanked me.

    ''It looks like you''re safe; it''s not safe to be here, so you need to get away.

    Okay, okay!

    ''There''s a carriage of my people coming this way, coming from that direction, please run that way.

    Thank you!

    I point in the direction of the carriage and tell him.

    The man bows his head to me again and thanks me, and then immediately starts running towards me.

    You don''t even know who I am, but you believe me right away.

    Maybe I''m an enemy too, and maybe I''m tricking you with my current instructions. Well, I wasn''t fooling you.

    It''s better than being suspected for nothing.

    And I run around the village again.

    The inhabitants of this village still seem to be the weakest people in the demon tribe, and they are being killed with little or no resistance.

    The corpses lying on the ground are not armed, only people wearing something like ordinary clothes.

    Running through the village, we reach the place where the inhabitants are being attacked one after another.

    We go to a place where there are a lot of inhabitants, and then a lot of soldiers, and we fight.

    You toss and turn at speed to confuse them and stand in the middle of a group of enemies.

    ''Hey, what the hell are you!''

    Who the hell is this?¡¡I never heard of this guy in this settlement!

    That''s what the soldiers say when they see me, when they see me take down their people.

    I will save everyone who is about to be killed in front of me.

    That''s what Christo said, and that''s what I believe.

    I don''t want to lose any more lives that can be saved right in front of me.

    We''ve already killed a few soldiers, but we haven''t killed a single one yet.

    They are mainly aiming at the enemy''s feet. We don''t kill them, we defeat them.

    In a battle like this, it''s better not to kill the enemy.

    Because.....

    "Wipe out!¡¡Let''s pull out before we do any more damage!

    "Drag the fallen man away!

    When it comes to camaraderie, you can''t usually leave a living companion behind to fight.

    If a number of people are injured by an unknown opponent, the right thing to do as a commander is to retreat.

    On the battlefield, one wounded man is more important than ten dead men. You can leave the dead behind to fight, but you can''t leave the wounded behind to fight.

    The goal of this battle is not to kill all of our opponents.

    We''ll win if we can get them out of here.

    Commander!¡¡A strong man from the other side!

    We have more injured in this area!

    "Retreat with the wounded!¡¡Shit!¡¡What''s the matter with you?

    A person who looks like a commander swears and gives me an order to retreat.

    Apparently, Liberto-san had the same idea as me. I don''t kill in vain, but I try to get the wounded out.

    And after a few minutes, the armed soldiers fled with the horses that would have been ridden by the armed soldiers.

    ''Phew...''

    I look around the settlement for a little while after we retreated, but the soldiers are apparently gone, so I release the tension.

    ''Good job, Eric.''

    Good job, Mr. Liberto.

    I was around the middle of the settlement when Liberto-san came over, sheathing his sword.

    ''Thank goodness it wasn''t particularly strong. If it had been a little stronger, I would have killed it.

    Yes, it''s nice to have someone to take it easy on.

    Let''s get back to the carriage. They''re probably close enough.

    We headed in the direction we came from, and the carriage was pretty close to us.

    The carriage is surrounded by the surviving inhabitants.

    There must be about a hundred of them. I''m sure there are still some people surviving in the village, though.

    ''''Oh, thank you!''''

    Thank you for your help!

    When the residents saw us, they all bowed their heads in unison.

    It was the first time I had ever been thanked by more than a hundred people at once, and I was a little surprised. This is also the first time I''ve seen such a large number of people bowing their heads.

    I''m just following some guy''s instructions. You can thank him.

    Mr. Liberto replies with a hassle-free wave of his hand, as if he''s used to it.

    ''''Thank you!¡¡It really helped!

    Okay, okay.

    I''ll repay you for this.

    That''s not for me.

    I''m surrounded by the people I helped. Perhaps because Liberto-san answered earlier, they are gathering one by one to thank him.

    Liberto-san also seems to be in trouble, but he has a not-so-full expression on his face.

    It''s impossible to be bothered by being thanked, and even more so by being told from the bottom of your heart like that.

    ''''Eric!''''

    I was looking away from Mr. Liberto''s side in the distance when Christo came up to me.

    ''Are you hurt?''

    Yeah, no problem.

    Christo is relieved when he sees my body and confirms that I''m not injured.

    ''Good, I''ve lost my mind by worrying about you,''

    What''s to lose?

    He says the words in a sarcastic tone, but I can see that he''s embarrassed.

    ''More importantly, Christo, do you have anything to say to me after I came back safely under your orders?

    I asked that with a little grin, and Christo grinned as well.

    ''Oh--well done, Eric,''

    Thanks.

    We raised our hands and slammed them together, hard.

 69-Episode 69 Girl

    The inhabitants thanked us and then headed for the settlement.

    In the village, there are destroyed houses and killed people lying on the ground.

    It seems that they have gone to clean them up and give them a funeral.

    ''What about us?''¡¡Christo.

    Mr. Liberto was finally free from the residents'' enclosure and asked Christo wearily.

    ''In the meantime, we''ll help you too. It''s not like we''re going to say ''goodbye'' to you after helping you this far and not helping you with anything.

    Well, that''s true.

    Plus, maybe we''ll get to hear what''s going on in the Kingdom of Harzion now.

    And as Christo said, we decided to help the people of the settlement.

    The residents said, "Thank you! He kept his head down as he cleaned up.

    By helping us, the efficiency of the work will have increased dramatically.

    Especially Viviana''s magical powers are remarkable.

    She can use wind and earth magic to retreat and clean up a house that is burning and crumbling in one fell swoop.

    Occasionally, there were people who were trapped underneath the house, but Viviana-san''s magic can quickly help them too.

    If it was a minor injury, it would heal quickly.

    ''''Lady Viviana!¡¡Thank you!

    It''s okay. I''m fine now that I''ve recovered from my injury, so you''ll have to help me with the others.

    Yes!

    One young man had his leg injury healed and went to clean up, bowing his head as he replied graciously.

    ''Ah, Viviana-sama is an angel...''

    ''An angel descends on the land of demons as well........

    I can hear the men who have been healed and the men who have been healed and the men who have been healed with their bottomless smiles saying that when they see Viviana-san.

    I had heard from Tina before that Bibiana-san was very popular with the men of the Magic Order, and I was a little convinced.

    Well, if I didn''t know that she was a disappointment, I might think she was cute.

    ''''Hmm?¡¡Eric, did you say something?

    No, nothing.

    I helped clean up the settlement, feeling a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as I felt like I''d had this conversation before.

    A few hours later, most of the cleanup was done and our work was gone.

    All that was left was ... a funeral for the dead.

    That''s probably not something we should be part of.

    We didn''t know anything about them, so there''s nothing for us to do.

    We are watching from afar as they bury their dead on the outskirts of the village, where they are buried family by family, and we are watching from afar as they bury their dead.

    We can hear someone sobbing.

    We hear voices clinging to us, saying, "Mother and father.

    I''m sorry, I''m sorry.

    --You can''t help but look away, as the figure seems to be the same as the one in my previous life.

    I''m not going to say that I should have come earlier.

    I know my power is tiny and I know I can''t help everything.

    That''s why I''m strong enough to help everything within my reach.

    ''It''s getting pretty low already,''

    Mr. Liberto said as he saw that the meadow was turning red with dusk.

    ''Yes. Can we stay here?''

    ''Maybe you could do it if you asked...''¡¡Well, you don''t have to rent a house, you can just camp out.

    They decided to stay here for now.

    After the funeral, I told the residents about it and they agreed with a smile.

    It seems that they want to return the favor, even if only a little, so they are willing to rent the largest house in the village.

    ''''Thank you. We are traveling ourselves, and we just entered this Kingdom of Harzion a while ago, but the situation is a bit rough right now, isn''t it? Why is that?''''

    Christo will talk to someone like the head of this settlement.

    You know why it''s rough and all, but you want to hear directly from the people who are residents of this country.

    ''''That''s right. Right now, this Harzion Kingdom is........''''

    Then the head of the settlement begins to speak.

    In the beginning, we knew that the king of this country was about to change, but that was lost when the next king was killed.

    And the next king''s men, the belligerents, are attacking various villages now.

    ''''This kind of thing hadn''t happened often in the past, but since His Majesty the current king, His Seredonia, was defeated once, rebellions are occurring all over the place because they don''t think he''s fit to be king.

    It seems to me that after losing once to Felix, it would be strange to become king again just because that opponent was gone.

    Felix died before he just barely stepped down as king, but it''s still significant that he lost once.

    The country was very stable because it had never been defeated before.

    It seems that the King of Seredonia is taking action to stop Felix''s subordinates from revolting in various places, but the number of people revolting is so large that they haven''t been able to get around to this point.

    Normally the country of the demon race would challenge the king to a fight if they are dissatisfied, but King Seredonia is a strong man who has never been defeated by anyone before, even though he was defeated once.

    That''s why he doesn''t challenge the king to a fight, but instead attacks the settlements around him and repeats the rebellion until the king quits.

    ''''We''ve never had a case of the next king dying before he took office, so this country is also experiencing something out of the ordinary.

    If you''re unhappy with the king but can''t win, then you''re attacking the weak people the king is trying to protect.

    It''s disgusting.

    That''s what Liberto says as he spits it out.

    I feel the same way. I feel the same way.

    Those guys who attacked me earlier, if I had known that, I would have killed them all.

    It''s all Felix''s fault. Utterly, that idiot.......what the hell is he doing?

    Hmm?¡¡Do you know the man who was to be the next king?

    Hearing the head of the village talk about Felix as if he knew him, Christo asked.

    ''Yes, I know him. Because--''

    When the chief was about to tell us why.

    ''Osa!¡¡Chief!¡¡He''s back!

    One of the guys ran over to me and shouted.

    ''''Huh!¡¡Oh, yeah, I''m coming!¡¡Excuse me, excuse me!

    The chief also heard those words and ran in that direction.

    Who could that guy be?¡¡Has someone who wasn''t here in this settlement before returned?

    We thought we would wait here until the chief came back, but he seemed to be arguing about something over there.

    I don''t know what happened, so I just go to the direction the chief was heading.

    Then the residents have gathered, and were about to surround a girl.

    I know because I''ve been working here with the residents until now, but that girl must be the one who came back.

    ''Where have you been all this time!¡¡It''s because of you that this village was attacked!

    ''I don''t know about that. If you''re a demon race, why don''t you fight against them?¡¡Demons are weak and strong, and if you''re weak, you''re going to die.

    What?

    The girls are blamed by the men, but they ignore the accusations.

    I don''t care where I go. I''m protecting this settlement because it''s his home. Nothing less, nothing more.

    You gotta be kidding me!¡¡Hundreds of people died because of your disappearance!

    So it doesn''t matter.

    You....!

    "If you''re gonna do that, I''m gonna send you all back to the dirt.¡¡That way, you can be with the dead guys, right?

    The moment I said that, the wind blew around that girl.

    Now those words .........................I mean it.

    I''m seriously saying that I will kill you if you spew any more unpleasant words.

    The residents who were hit with the killing spirit froze in a cold sweat.

    ''Eric,''

    Yes, I know.

    That girl is dangerous.

    Me and Mr. Liberto stood in front of Christo and took a position to protect him.

    ''Those people protected the settlement?''

    The girl asks that question to those around her, but the inhabitants are too frozen to answer.

    She sighs and gets discouraged in an understandable way, and walks towards us.

    We braced ourselves and looked at the girl carelessly, but she came up to us without any particular hostility and stopped right in front of us.

    And I was shocked by her first words.

    ''I''m - Nina Grazio. Who are you guys?

 70-Episode 70

    I''m Nina Grazio. Who are you?

    Her black hair is very long, reaching to her waist. It was blowing beautifully in the wind.

    Her eyes are large but suspended, and she has a sharp look in them. I think she''s beautiful, but there''s an air of glare in her eyes as she just looks at me.

    She''s tall for a woman, maybe a little shorter than me.

    No, I don''t care what this girl looks like right now.

    Her name is Nina.......Gladio?

    The name "Gladio" sounds very familiar.

    In a previous life, you took away my village, my family, Tina and my girlfriend Irene. And in this life, the man I killed.

    --Felix Gladio.

    You must have the same last name as this girl...!

    It''s nice to meet you, Nina Grazio. My name is Christo. We were traveling and we entered this country today. So we were on our way and we saw this settlement being attacked and we saved it.

    Christo explains to the boy.

    He doesn''t say his s*xual name to hide his status as a prince, it seems.

    "Oh, I see... you''re a good liar.

    ''¡¡...what is it?

    Nina glares at Christo with a grin.

    Christo''s body reacts a little bit, but he lets it slide with an affectionate smile that he must have trained in various social gatherings.

    ''Oh well, it doesn''t seem to do any harm. It sounds like it''s true that you helped the village. I just wanted to say thank you, thank you.

    ''No, we did it because we wanted information ourselves and we thought it would be useful.

    So did you get any information from those mooks?

    Yes, I''ve got some good information.

    Well, good, you were worth it.

    Nina said emotionlessly and walked away from us, moving closer to the inhabitants.

    ''Come on, boys. "Come on, boys, I''ll cast a protective spell on you, and you will move away.

    The inhabitants retreat as they are told and give way to Nina.

    She looks frustrated, but I guess she can''t say anything back.

    ''I guess this is it,''

    Nina muttered and raised her right hand and pointed her palm to the heavens.

    ''''Protect me--''Guardian Wards (Partonbury)''''

    As he chanted this magic, arrows of light shot up from his palm into the sky and then spread out as if they exploded in a circle in the sky.

    The light that spread in a circle covered the entire settlement with a thin film.

    After confirming that the film of light surrounded the entire settlement, Nina lowered her hand.

    ''''Yes, done. Now the settlement is safe as long as I am inside this circle.''''

    The inhabitants are relieved to see the magic now, but I''m not sure what to make of it.

    A membrane of light has surrounded the entire village, but is this enough to make it safe?

    Viviana, what was that magic?

    Maybe Liberto-san couldn''t understand it either, but she asked Viviana-san, who was the most knowledgeable about magic in this group.

    ''''Hmm, since you said ''guardian wards (partenbury)'', it must be an advanced form of guardian magic, but...''''''

    Viviana-san nodded her head with a difficult look on her face.

    ''Patronage magic is hard to handle, and even lower level magic isn''t something normal wizards can do. I don''t even remember it because it''s a pain in the ass. So, a guardian magic user who can cover a village...................is quite strong, that girl.

    The strongest wizard in my opinion is Bibiana.

    So you''re saying that Viviana is a very powerful person.

    You are staying in the village today, right?¡¡You''ll be safe inside this membrane, so don''t worry and go to sleep.

    Thank you, Nina.

    Hey, I didn''t know you guys were traveling, did I?

    Yes,

    So, do you know a guy named Felix Grazio?

    The question made me feel like my heart was in my hands.

    After all, this girl, Nina, knows about Felix.

    ''''Hey, Nina!¡¡You heard that Felix is dead!

    One of the residents who had just heard the story interrupted the conversation.

    ''''Could it be that you''ve been out looking for Felix again!¡¡Because we went looking for a dead guy, our community...!

    Shut up, small fry. My brother''s not going to die so easily, is he?¡¡Can you not insult my brother by being a mook who just believes in rumors?

    d*mn it...!

    Nina glares at me like she''s willing to kill someone. The person being stared at retreats.

    ''And you guys know what?''

    Nina asks again.

    Christo glances at me.

    Liberto-san and Viviana-san, who are behind me in terms of standing position and can''t see me, will also be looking at me.

    The information about Felix Gladio was top secret in the Kingdom of Begonia, but the deputy head of the Knights and Magical Knights and the Prince would have that information.

    All three of them would know that Felix was killed by me.

    ''''Hm?¡¡Do you know about this?¡¡Where is brother Felix?

    The three of them look at me and Nina asks me again.

    It''s up to me to be honest with them. The three of them left it up to me to decide whether or not to tell them.

    Some people see it as an imposition, but I''ll thank them for leaving me in charge this time.

    I know what I''m going to say.

    Nina looks at me with a bit of anticipation in her eyes, as if she might be able to find out where Felix is.

    Looking straight into those eyes, I answer.

    ''I killed Felix Gladio.

 71-Episode 71 In the Dark

    I killed Felix Grazio.

    Nina''s eyes sharpened at my words.

    ''''What ... what do you mean?¡¡Did you kill my brother?

    Yeah, yeah.

    How and where did he do it?

    He just asks the question calmly and nonchalantly.

    I thought he was going to get riled up, so I explain it firmly, though a bit anticlimactically.

    ''''I fought Felix who came to attack my village and killed him for it.

    You lived in that village, the village your brother went to attack.

    Apparently, he knew a little bit about Felix''s movements and was quick to understand.

    ''''I didn''t think there was an opponent in that desolate village that your brother would lose to, though. Was your brother strong?''''

    ''Yeah, he was strong. I''ve never met anyone so strong in my life. If it had been pure one-on-one, I would have lost.

    In his previous life combined, Felix was the strongest of all of them. I''ve never had an opponent who was so formidable.

    If it wasn''t for Tina, it would have been me who would have died.

    ''Well....''

    Nina said, and then she looked down and stopped moving, as if she were thinking about something.

    Since she had been looking for Felix like that, she was prepared for something to be said or attacked, but she was surprised to find that nothing in particular was done to her, on the contrary.

    ''Sorry. You just said you killed Felix...?''''

    I was suddenly spoken to from next to me, and when I looked over there, I saw the chief and the other residents, and the chief was talking to me.

    Come to think of it, earlier, you said something like you knew about Felix.

    Moreover, Nina had said that it was his hometown.

    In other words, this settlement is Felix''s hometown?

    ''''Yes, I killed him.''''

    This time, though, I thought he might say something against me.

    ''You killed Felix, didn''t you!¡¡Thank you!

    What...?

    The chief shook my hand and thanked me with a smile.

    The people in the village behind me also said, "Thank you! He raised his voice.

    ''What do you mean by that?''

    "That idiot would have defeated His Majesty Seredonia, and he would have been the next king. But if he became king, we would have become a warring nation. We wanted to stop it, but we were too weak to do so.

    When that guy became king, he was creating a country that was typical of the demon race, a belligerent country. I know that, having experienced it in my previous life.

    However, it''s still a nuisance to people like these people who love the country as it is now.

    ''So thank you for stopping that guy and killing him!

    No, no...

    As expected, I didn''t anticipate that reaction and it was disconcerting.

    But yeah, that guy said that he wasn''t blessed with a mate.

    I look at the inhabitants of the settlement who are happy that Felix is dead.

    It''s not that I feel sorry for him. He was the one who killed his family, Tina and even Irene in a previous life.

    But why did he decide to become king, even in the face of so much opposition from the community?

    I wanted to know that a little bit.

    After a while, the chief showed us to the house where we would be staying today.

    The house is still large enough for the four of us to sleep in.

    It''s getting late," he said, "It''s getting late, and we''ll prepare dinner and other things. It''s getting late and we''ll take care of dinner and other things, so please make yourself at home.

    Thank you.

    ''''No, no, you guys not only saved the village, but you killed Felix. It''s no longer an exaggeration to say that you saved our country. I''m sorry that I owe you so little that I can repay you, but I want to repay you to the best of my ability.

    The chief said and bowed deeply and walked out of the house.

    There was silence in the house for a moment before Christo spoke up.

    ''We''re going to stay here for the night today, what do you want to do tomorrow?''

    ''Why don''t we just go to King''s Landing?¡¡Let''s stay in King''s Landing for a couple of days, see how the country is doing, and then go home.

    Mr. Liberto lies down on the bed and replies with a yawn.

    Even though me and Liberto-san weren''t in much danger today, we were still fighting for our lives. It''s no wonder I''m yawning.

    I''ll be asleep in bed in less than a few minutes.

    ''But then again, I''m surprised there was a girl named Nina!

    ''Yes. I''m surprised that Felix Gladio had a sister.

    I used to use some really, really difficult magic.

    Nina had been listening to me and thinking about it, but when I was talking to the residents, she was gone.

    The residents said that she had probably gone back to her own home.

    ''I was bracing myself for him to get angry and attack me, but he was surprisingly okay.

    ''Me too. I thought you were going to attack me, Eric.

    I guess the two of you were as defensive as I was.

    I don''t know what they were thinking after I was honest with them, but they seemed to be able to handle it anyway.

    And while we were still talking afterwards, the chief and the others brought us dinner.

    It was quite sumptuous, and I was worried that the village had been attacked and they might not have any supplies or food, but they didn''t seem to be too short.

    ''Thanks to that magic of Nina''s, our settlement has rarely been attacked until now. So we have plenty of reserves and such, so there''s no need to worry about it.

    The chief said that and laid out the food with a smile.

    There was no difference in the seasoning of the food from the country of the human race to that extent, and the food was usually delicious.

    My stomach was swollen and I felt sleepy all at once.

    Huh, I''m sleepy. Then let''s go to bed.

    Mr. Liberto ate his dinner and then immediately went to bed and went to sleep.

    Christo and I went outside the house and washed ourselves lightly with wet towels.

    Viviana, being a woman, wiped herself down inside the house.

    I asked her if she was okay because Mr. Liberto was sleeping right next to her, and she said she was fine because she was sleeping!

    Then we too got into bed and went to sleep.

    --

    ........hmm?

    I wake up from my sleep with a hint of a presence and a strange feeling.

    Is there something on top of me...?

    When I opened my eyes lightly - I saw a dull, glowing knife.

    ''''--?''''

    At the sight of it, my mind clears and my eyes widen at once.

    A figure straddling my stomach.

    A knife that glows in the darkness, bathed in a bit of moonlight.

    It was Nina''s figure - holding it in both hands and swinging it, trying to bring it down at any moment.

 72-Episode 72 Brother

    Perhaps realizing that I was awake, Nina immediately swung the knife down around my neck.

    "--Okay!

    Reflexively, I put my arms out in front of me to cross my arms.

    He swung down and the knife - just short of my neck and stopped without stabbing.

    The crossed arms hit Nina''s wrists and succeeded in holding her down.

    For a moment, me and Nina''s arms went rigid in the form of overlapping arms.

    But soon I''m the stronger one, so I start pushing back.

    ''''Ugh...!

    At the same time, Nina, who was on her belly, loses her position as I raise her upper body at the same time.

    I return my own wrists to take the wrists I was holding there.

    As I do so, I easily succeed in taking the knife that Nina was holding.

    ''Wow!''

    I forcefully take the knife from her and Nina''s stance collapses as hard as she can and she falls off the bed and collapses.

    She immediately tries to get up to correct her position, but she stops moving when the sword is placed on her neck from behind.

    ''Don''t move. If you move, I''m going to blow your head off.''''

    Behind Nina was Mr. Liberto.

    He apparently woke up when he felt Nina''s killing intent.

    ''Are you okay, Eric?''

    Yes, somehow.

    I reply, holding the knife in one hand.

    If the blade had been a little longer, it would have stabbed me, it was a close call.

    ''You don''t have to ask me what I''m doing, do you? It''s probably Felix''s revenge anyway.''

    Liberto-san speaks while holding the sword by Nina''s neck.

    When I looked at Nina''s face, she didn''t look particularly impatient and seemed emotionless.

    No, it might be a face that looks like she''s already given up.

    She''s staring at my face with empty eyes.

    ''''........Your brother was strong. So the only way to kill the guy who killed that brother was to strike at night.

    ''Yeah, well, that ended up being a mistake too.

    I was the weak link. I don''t have to tell you anything. Just kill me.

    He takes a stance, meditating and waiting for the blade to be brought down on its neck.

    ''Right, then.''

    Mr. Liberto raised the sword that was attached to his neck once.

    ''Wait, Mr. Liberto,''

    I stop the sword I was about to swing down.

    Mr. Liberto, who stopped with his sword raised, looks at me and puts it back in its scabbard.

    ''''Well, I''ll leave it up to you. This guy doesn''t look like he''s going to kill anymore either. I''m going to go to bed.

    Thank you.

    Yawning, I put the sword on the side of the bed and fell asleep.

    I guess it was partly because it was a hassle, but I have to thank Liberto-san for letting me take care of everything.

    ''Nina, will you follow me without disobeying me?''

    He gave a small nod when I asked him that question.

    Continuing to talk here would certainly disturb everyone''s sleep, so I went outside.

    Nina didn''t do anything in particular and followed me outside.

    I talk to Nina at the back of the house.

    The moonlight is very good today, so I can see Nina''s face clearly.

    ''Come to think of it, I didn''t tell you my name. It''s Eric Aulin.

    He doesn''t respond to my introduction of himself in any way.

    ''Nina can''t use a sword or a knife, can she?¡¡Why did you attack me with a knife earlier?

    When he swung the knife down and held it down, he could easily take it away from her.

    If it was something I was used to handling, it would have been a bit more responsive, but Nina didn''t have that.

    ''I can''t use magic that can kill more than a knife,''

    ''What? Protection magic is a difficult magic, right?¡¡Then.....

    The most difficult magic is the most difficult to manipulate, but after all, the amount of magic power is the most important thing.

    Moreover, if you can expand the size of this village enough to surround it, that''s a lot of magic power.

    I''m not sure I''m going to be able to find a way to get the best out of it.

    It''s a good thing that the only magic I can use is life magic, except for protection magic.

    Is that so?

    ''''I can do a little wind magic, but I can only create wind. I can''t do a blade of wind, that''s something I can''t do.

    You''re kind of incredibly biased.

    You have the best defensive magic, but you can''t do offensive magic at all?

    But it''s still impossible. You can''t kill a strong person with something you''re not used to using. I used such a cowardly hand.

    Nina laughs to herself.

    ''Your brother uses some pretty cowardly moves too, so I tried to imitate him.

    Yeah, he didn''t show up until I was weak. And he took me by surprise when I was weak.

    Well, I didn''t take him by surprise, but he did.

    Yeah, so what''s the point of talking to me?¡¡Don''t you kill the guy who tried to kill you?

    We''ll talk about it. You''re not going to kill me now, are you?

    Hmm. So, what''s the story?

    Tell me about Felix Gladio.

    My eyes widen a little at my words and I''m surprised.

    ''Why?¡¡What do you care who you kill?

    Normally I wouldn''t mind, but that guy''s a bit special.

    The man who took almost everything from me in a previous life.

    What did he think he was going to do when he became king?

    Earlier, the people of this village, my home town, refused to allow Felix to become king like that.

    I have no regrets about killing him, and I have no intention of doing so in the future.

    But I''d like to know why he became king, even though the people of this village where he was born and raised opposed him.

    ''If you were his sister, you would have grown up in this village, right?¡¡I want you to tell me why that guy wanted to be king.

    When I ask her that question, Nina removes her eyes from my face and looks into the distance.

    She looks at me as if she is remembering something.

    "...I didn''t grow up in this village.

    ''Oh, really?¡¡That''s his, Felix''s sister...

    ''I''m not related to your brother. It''s just that I think of Felix as my brother and he thinks of me as his sister.

    So that was it. I think the atmosphere is a bit similar, but I guess that''s why we don''t look alike in terms of faces and such.

    Nina continues to speak.

    It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on.

 73-Episode 73 Front and Back

    I didn''t know my parents at all.

    When I can remember, I was already scavenging for trash in the underground city.

    The King''s Landing is a beautiful city in the front, but the back side is so dirty that I doubt it''s a different city.

    Every country or town has a beautiful front and a dirty back.

    I was born and raised on the other side of the street.

    This is why I disliked King''s Landing and this country.

    There were all kinds of people in the underground city.

    I don''t know if it was a mistake to come from the surface of the city, but they were tumbling down from there.

    People who got injured somewhere and couldn''t work anymore.

    Others, like me, may have been abandoned by their parents, but found themselves in the underground mall.

    We all had no light in our eyes.

    Maybe it was on before we came to the underground mall, but you can''t see the light in the underground mall.

    There is nothing there, and I''m just trying to get by one day at a time.

    I was still better off there.

    I had a few friends who were born and raised in the underground mall and were in the same boat as me.

    I was able to work together with them to get by, but that life was soon cut short.

    However, that life was soon cut short.

    They are dying and disappearing one by one.

    There are many reasons why they die.

    Because they have food, others have taken it from them and killed them.

    They were killed because they were laughing, because they were annoyed by people who were annoyed with them.

    I was a powerless child, me and all my friends.

    We were the kind of kids who would be killed by hungry, powerless adults in the underground mall.

    When it came to the kids who were disappearing, I think that was a worse reason than death.

    Kids who are in the underground city and have good looks and such are kidnapped and sold into slavery.

    Most of the children who disappeared were probably kidnapped by those kidnappers.

    They may not be dead yet, but it seems that in most cases, slaves would rather die than live their lives.

    I was also targeted by kidnappers, but I escaped with my life.

    But I didn''t have any more energy left when I escaped, and I collapsed in the underground mall.

    People in the underground shopping mall rarely help people who have collapsed.

    They don''t have time to worry about others.

    I''ve been able to survive because I''ve been taking care of myself instead of helping the people who are down.

    That''s why I knew I was going to die when I fell.

    "Kid, you alive?¡¡If you''re alive, look up.

    I heard a voice from directly above me, so when I realized I was being spoken to, I looked up quickly, startled.

    I didn''t expect to be accosted by anyone.

    I looked up, and beyond that, I saw a man with a sharp-eyed evil look on his face.

    Was it the kidnappers who had come to kidnap me?

    I thought so, but the action he took was completely different.

    I''m sure you''re not the only one who has that kind of face. If you want to live, eat this.

    The man offered me a loaf of bread, and I didn''t understand why he was offering it to me when I didn''t want anything in return.

    I don''t know why I would offer it to him, as I didn''t expect anything in return.

    But I was so hungry that I felt like I was going to die, so I took the bread and devoured it without thinking about it.

    "Haha, a kid with that much energy is just fine!

    The man - Brother Felix, he said and smiled like an evil man.

    After I recovered, I decided to follow Felix.

    There were no more friends in the underground city, and there was no point in staying.

    It was the first time he had ever been to King''s Landing, and he wanted to see the underground mall on his way there, so he stopped by and found me.

    My brother and I went to the capital and many other villages and settlements.

    He was determined to crush the current state and make himself king.

    The current king cleans up the front and pretends not to see the back side. If that''s the case, I''ll rule this country and erase the front and back sides.

    The idea is to create a nation of weak and strong people, like a nation of demons.

    The strong and capable people will stand on top and lead the country.

    The weak ones are not allowed to remain weak. I don''t like weak people, but I don''t hate people who try to be strong.

    In his brother''s own way, he was thinking about the weak people.

    When he became king, he would make weak people and those who didn''t want to fight make things for them.

    He also said that he would build schools and other facilities for those who were weak and wanted to become soldiers and so on.

    ''The country doesn''t have wars now, and that''s why there''s conflict in the country because it''s peaceful. If we fought other countries, that wouldn''t happen. I won''t let it happen.

    I don''t know about you, but your brother worked hard to become a king.

    Once, he challenged the king and lost.

    But he never gave up and kept getting stronger, and as a result, he was able to defeat the king in a landslide.

    I remember my brother was very unhappy when he won.

    That bastard''s even weaker than the last time I lost!¡¡You''ve been fighting the weak ones!¡¡f*ck you!¡¡What do you think I''m strong for!

    That''s what he shouted as he broke down the walls of the king''s castle and other places where he fought with the king.

    And after he fought and won, he went right into action to become king.

    The Kingdom of Begonia, the neighboring human kingdom where the king lost to his brother is a close friend of the king. Fall there.

    In order to do so, he had to destroy some village, so his brother went to that village alone.

    So my brother went to the village alone.

    ''Nina, I''m going to go. I''ll be back soon, just wait for me.

    Shouldn''t I be there?

    There''s no need for that. It''s just a matter of time before that deserted village gets destroyed.

    All right. Bye, brother.

    Then he waved his hand and smiled with the same wicked smile as when we first met.

    ''''Yeah, this is going to change this country. I''ll rule this country, you know.

    And then my brother went off, ignoring what the villagers were saying to him.

    That was the last time I saw him.

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó

    Nina, who had been looking somewhere far away until now after she finished speaking, looked me in the eye.

    ''By your brother, you won, didn''t you?''

    Yeah, we won.

    How was your brother''s final days?¡¡What did he say?

    I can see his eyes growing moist as he looks at me.

    ''He said he enjoyed the fight.

    Well I''m happy for you, my brother. We had a fun fight at the end...

    I couldn''t look at Nina as she said this in a trembling voice, and I couldn''t look at her.

    For a few minutes, I heard a sobbing sound on Nina''s part.

 74-Episode 74 Wrong

    Looking into the distance, I saw that the morning sun was beginning to rise.

    I didn''t know what time Nina had attacked me, but it must have been pretty close to morning.

    I think it had been about an hour since we got out of the house and started talking.

    ''I''m sorry,''

    No, I''m fine.

    Nina stopped crying and apologized.

    I guess Felix was family to Nina. I know how sad I am to lose my family.

    In fact, I''m the one who apologizes. I am the one who killed them.

    But I''m not going to apologize for anything.

    I''m going to come off as a heartless bastard. But that fight was fought fair and square in a world of the weak and the strong, and I won.

    It would be humiliating for Felix to apologize for that, and I don''t think Nina would want that either.

    So there''s nothing I can say to this girl.

    I can''t say anything to Nina, who must be in the same pain as me....

    "Why are you crying too?

    What...?

    It''s only with those words that I realize I''m crying.

    I hurriedly wipe the raw warmth running down my cheeks.

    ''''Well, I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have been the one crying...!

    Really, why am I crying?

    I don''t deserve to cry.

    Just because I know the pain of losing a family member doesn''t mean I deserve to cry.

    I turn my body so that my back is to Nina so she can''t see my face.

    ''You''re so sweet,''

    I heard him say it in a gentler tone than the stinging tone he''d used yesterday to address the people of the village.

    ''Yeah, it''s not like that.''

    ''No. You cry for your sister, the enemy who tried to destroy your home, right?¡¡There aren''t many people like that.

    No, this is just pity.

    Moreover, to Nina, the person who killed her brother is just crying out of pity on his own. You can''t help but think I''m making fun of him.

    ''Pity or not, I don''t care. If you were killed by someone who can shed tears like that, your brother will be rewarded.''''

    Nina said as if she had read my mind.

    I finally finish wiping away my tears and turn around.

    "Thank you, Eric. For killing my brother.

    He said this with a very refreshing smile, as if he really, truly believed it from the bottom of his heart.

    ''''I liked your brother, but I couldn''t help but agree with the idea of him becoming king.

    Is that so?

    Nina looks down a bit again and starts talking.

    Even though they''ve been traveling together for a long time, didn''t Nina agree with Felix''s way of thinking?

    It is true that if my brother became king and fought many countries, the conflict within the country would disappear, and the darkness between the front and back would disappear. But we knew that if he fought many countries, he would cause more damage than that.

    So why didn''t you stop him?

    If that''s all you knew, you could have found a different way than defeating the King of Seldonia and becoming a king.

    ''My brother was strong, but if that''s all he was, he was a commoner no matter how far he went. He couldn''t do his own will except to become a king. Brother thought he might be wrong, but he couldn''t stop now.

    The land of the demon race is weak and strong. If you want to push your own ideas, you have to be strong.

    Is that why Felix became the king?

    I couldn''t stop him either. You knew it was a mistake, but you didn''t stop him because of me. No one else would have to live in the shadows and suffer in the shadows like me.

    Nina, who still looked like she regretted talking to me, turned to me again and smiled a little.

    ''So maybe that''s why your brother wanted someone to stop him from being wrong. I think the king was so weak and so pissed off that he couldn''t allow the king, who was supposed to be right, to lose to him in a daze.

    So Felix wanted to lose?

    I don''t know, but I know I saw it. So thank you for killing my brother.

    This time he bowed his head and thanked me.

    But I can''t accept that thank you.

    "I was just paying off the sparks that fell on me. I don''t remember doing anything to warrant a thank you.

    Yeah, I don''t have to take it because it''s all on me. It''s just something I have to say.

    Isn''t that kind of unfair?

    Even though they told me I didn''t have to take it, I heard it and I can''t forget it.

    ''''Hmph, since you killed my brother, I should get back at you like this.

    Nina laughed cheerfully as she said that.

    ''No, you came to kill me earlier, so that''s how you got back at me.

    ''I couldn''t kill him as a result, so I can''t call it payback. Besides, I didn''t think I could really kill him.

    Is that so?

    I remember doing the same thing to my brother a long time ago and he just ducked.

    What? Why would you do that?

    He ate my snacks.

    ''I can''t believe you almost killed me for that...''

    "Demons are the law of the land. If they are weak, they will die.

    It''s not right to use that word here.

    Then me and Nina talked outside until the sunrise and everyone woke up.

 75-Episode 75: To the Capital?

    The sun rose and me and Nina returned to our respective houses.

    Nina''s house seems to be the house where Felix originally lived. Felix''s family is gone now, so he''s renting it by himself.

    When I returned to the house, everyone was awake except Viviana.

    She had retreated from the bedclothes as if she was hot, and her shirt was slightly rolled up, revealing her belly.

    ''Eric, good morning. Are you okay?

    Christo asks me that as soon as I come back.

    He probably asked Mr. Liberto why I wasn''t there.

    ''Good morning Christo. Yeah, everything''s fine.

    Well, I''m chilled to death when I heard you were attacked.

    "The prince seemed to be sleeping very soundly.

    I said this in a sarcastic tone to Christo, who was asleep during my attack and hadn''t noticed, and he scratched his cheek with his index finger in an embarrassing manner.

    ''Normally you wouldn''t be able to wake up and feel the killing intent.

    Well, maybe.

    I could tell because I was turned on for the kill, and then he crotched me in the gut, but I feel like Mr. Liberto, who just sensed the kill and woke up, is more awesome.

    ''Hmm?¡¡What''s up with you guys, look at me.

    Christo looked at Mr. Liberto as if he thought the same thing as I did.

    ''No, nothing,''

    It''s time to wake up Viviana.

    You''re not a very good dancer, are you?

    I woke Viviana up, letting Mr. Liberto''s questions flow appropriately.

    Then we got ready to leave.

    Viviana was useless in her sleep, so we left her alone and the three of us finished most of our preparations.

    We went to the outside stable and as we were getting the horses out, the villagers approached us.

    ''Are you going to go now?''

    ''I haven''t been able to repay you yet, sir...''

    The residents seemed to be quite disciplined, and they seemed to think about returning the favor.

    ''We just happened to pass by and helped because we had the power to help. We don''t owe them that much. Besides, we''ve already been given some information and such, so that''s enough for us.

    Christo explained that and convinced the residents to do so.

    The inhabitants were not happy at first, but when he promised to come back, they backed down.

    After this, we will go to King''s Landing and stay for a few days before returning home, so perhaps we can stop by the settlement again on our way back.

    Please come by and we''ll prepare a more lavish meal this time.

    Yes, I''ll take you up on that.

    I watched as the chief and Christo shook hands and said that as I connected the horse and carriage and finished getting the carriage ready, and then the hem of my clothes was tugged on.

    I looked over there and saw Nina pulling on her clothes.

    It reminded me of Tina when I was in the village, but Nina is taller than me, so it''s kind of weird.

    ''Good morning Nina. Did you sleep well?

    ''There''s no way I could sleep. I''ve been attacking and talking to the person who attacked me the whole time.

    I know.

    Nina covers her hand over her mouth, but she can''t hide her lack of attention.

    Viviana and Liberto look at us warily, but we give them a look and tell them it''s okay.

    ''Are we going to go now?''

    Yeah, we''re travelers.

    I see it''s still set up that way.

    Don''t say "setup".

    For some reason this guy seems to realize that we''re not travelers.

    ''How can the guy who killed your brother be just a traveler?

    Well, that''s how you know.

    ''No, I noticed it before that, but it''s what made me so sure.

    By the way, yesterday, when Christo was explaining that he was a traveler, you saw through it as a lie.

    ''Where are you going?''

    "I''m going to King''s Landing.

    So....

    Nina looked down when she heard where we were going.

    She lived in the underground city of King''s Landing, so she must have a few thoughts.

    ''''The reason you people are going to King''s Landing is to see what''s going on in King''s Landing?

    Well, you''re right.

    ''''I''ve traveled with my brother and seen a lot of places, so I kind of get it, but when you go to King''s Landing, I want you to see the back of the city, not just the front of it.

    She said that in a slightly shaky voice.

    ''Back,'' she said, ''I mean, look at the underground mall and so on.

    "Look in the back and let me know what you feel. Are you coming back?

    Yeah, maybe.

    Then you can tell me when you''re ready.

    We''re going to see different parts of that country and Christo is going to learn something as a prince.

    As soon as Christo learns, I''ll be able to feel something then too.

    ''Okay, I promise.''

    Nina smiled with satisfaction as she said this with firm eye contact.

    When we finished talking, Christo also seemed to have finished talking with the chief and the residents, and we were ready to leave.

    I''ll be the first one to ride in the front groom''s seat as I''ll be the groom, and the three of us will ride in the back.

    After confirming that the three of us had gotten on, the residents said, "Thank you very much! And so on and so forth, and he bows his head.

    I was about to move the carriage as I lightly nodded my head too.

    I could see a group of people on horseback coming from in front of me.

    Their numbers are still too far away to tell, but it looks like there are more than twenty of them.

    ''''What''s that?''''

    As I said this, Mr. Liberto''s face twisted as he poked his head out from behind and looked at the group in front of him.

    ''You''re armed. Are you here to attack us again?''

    Mr. Liberto gets out of the carriage and tries to get ready for battle.

    I get out of the groom''s seat and place my hand on the hilt of my sword.

    ''It''s okay,''

    I heard Nina say this from behind Mr. Liberto.

    ''Oh?¡¡What?

    My guardian angel is on it. You will never enter this settlement.

    Is that so?

    You can come out from the inside, but it''s extremely difficult to get in from the outside. You''ll need someone with more magic than me to do it.

    Indeed, Nina''s magic power is so powerful that it will be difficult to break it.

    ''''Is that...?''''

    As the group approached and the outfit and other features came into view, the chief exclaimed in astonishment.

    ''What''s the matter?''¡¡Do you recognize that group?

    When Christo asks that question, the chief looks at the group once more firmly before answering.

    ''''From the look of that armor, I believe they are soldiers of the kingdom.

    "Soldiers of the Kingdom?¡¡Are you sure?

    Yes, that armor is worn by the soldiers of the kingdom.

    I also took a closer look and I''m pretty sure the soldiers I saw at the barrier were dressed like that.

    "They''re probably coming toward this settlement, but do you have any idea what they''re doing?

    ''I''ve heard that the soldiers in King''s Landing are going around the perimeter at the moment to make sure the settlements and villages are safe. That''s probably it.

    So, since the security situation has deteriorated since Felix''s death, the soldiers are working to control it.

    --Huh!

    A group of soldiers of the kingdom, as I look at it, I notice something.

    My heart trembles, my body trembles.

    It doesn''t matter to me what that group is or what their purpose is.

    Oh, I''m sure of it.

    There''s no way I could be wrong.

    It''s impossible for me to forget her face.

    In that group.

    There is one, and only one unarmed woman in the group.

    Reborn from a previous life on this side of the world.

    The girl I most wanted to see in this world.

    --Irene Harzion was there.

 76-Episode 76 Princess

    Huh.....

    I look in the mirror and yawn as I comb my hands.

    It''s a normal act for a princess.......but it can''t be helped.

    Yesterday I was tired after my magic training spanned late into the night. I still haven''t gotten over that fatigue.

    Until a month ago I was a bit depressed and had neglected my magic training.

    So I was trying to make up for it, and my teacher was trying her best to respond to it with fervor, and it was past my bedtime.

    Today I''m going to learn a lot from a different person than my magic teacher this morning.

    I have to learn about national politics and other things because I may become a queen.

    The country of the demon race is weak and strong, and the king is decided by fighting.

    However, the current king, my father, has a rule that if he doesn''t lose to anyone until he abdicates, his children can succeed to the throne.

    His father has only one daughter, which means I am the only child he has.

    So if I go on, I will inherit the throne.

    If I marry, my husband-to-be could take over the throne, but I have no intention of marrying him at the moment.

    I heard that your father is considering various arrangements for me, but there is no one very good.

    If he marries me, he can inherit the throne, and that''s what a lot of people seem to want to do.

    So I have to be strong and learn to take over the throne.

    When a child takes over the throne, they can''t abdicate the king for one year, but after that they can abdicate.

    In other words, if they challenge me to a fight and I lose, I must abdicate.

    Perhaps the one who likes your father''s current nation-building style won''t challenge me to a fight.

    They know that I, their daughter, will take it over.

    So the people who challenge me to fight are the ones who don''t like it, the ones who want to build a fighting nation instead of a peaceful demonic nation.

    I don''t want someone like that to be the king.

    I cannot marry someone who wants to marry me because many people who want to marry me are belligerent like that.

    What I want in a marriage partner is someone who is very kind, who is stronger and more protective than me, and above all, who loves me.

    Well, I know that I can''t hope for much love in this position....

    I do a light hand comb and leave the bedroom.

    Then I head to the dining room.

    In the hallway, I am greeted in the morning by the maids and butlers.

    ''''Miss, your hair is splashing. You hand combed it properly again, didn''t you?

    I''m sorry...

    "Huh, just keep walking. I''ll fix it from behind.

    The caring maid gives me a little nudge, but she gently brushes my hair.

    This was quite pleasant, and maybe this is why I always do it a bit appropriately.

    By the time I get to the dining room, my hair is perfectly in place.

    ''Thank you,''

    You''ll do better next time.

    He opens the door to the dining room with a cheerful smile.

    I heard before that your father was helping the maids and butlers to get me away from Felix Gladio, too.

    She was going to die for me, too.

    When I asked her about it, she laughed a little annoyed.

    ''I have known your daughter since she was born. I know it''s impolite, but I think of you as a daughter. I am not so thin-skinned as to hesitate to risk my life for my daughter, you know.

    I cried and hugged her when I heard it.

    I was so happy for her feelings and the other maids and butlers.

    From then on, I decided that I would be strong enough to protect my maids and butlers.

    Even if someone as strong as Felix Gladio challenged me to a fight, I would be able to win.

    When he entered the dining room, his father and mother were sitting ahead of him, waiting for him.

    ''Good morning, father and mother,''

    Good morning, Irene.

    We say a quick hello and take a seat.

    The dining room of the royal palace is so large that the three of us sit in it and feel a little lonely.

    In the midst of it all, we ate the breakfast brought by the maids and butlers.

    The three of us had a meal while chatting with each other for a while in this quiet and gentle space.

    I''ve always loved this feeling.

    Afterwards, we studied politics and other subjects in the morning and practiced magic in the afternoon.

    I was very tired as I did the same thing yesterday, but both teachers complimented me on how well I''ve been doing lately.

    We finished a little early today and had dinner.

    Dinner is different from breakfast, and I''m eating alone. His father and mother are still too busy to eat with him.

    When I finished eating, I was walking down the corridor to take a bath when my father came walking down the hallway in front of me.

    ''Good work, Father,''

    Oh, you''re going to take a bath?

    Yes, I do.

    Get some rest. I hear Irene''s been working hard lately, but you need a break.

    ''Uh-huh, did your father say that?''

    Recently, the death of Felix Glazio has led to a kind of rebellion in many places.

    Your father hasn''t been able to sleep at all lately because of the way he''s been dealing with it.

    ''Ha, you''ve got one.

    But your father, who smiles as if he were in trouble, looks better than he did a month ago.

    He told me before that it may seem like a lot of work, but when you work for the sake of this country, you gain strength.

    I need to follow your father''s example and work harder too.

    ''''Your Majesty!¡¡We need to talk!

    As we were talking in the hallway, the Prime Minister suddenly came running in.

    Normally he''s a calm person, but now he''s sweating in a hurry.

    ''''What''s the matter, what happened?''''

    Your father had also smiled gently earlier, but his face tightened when he saw the Prime Minister''s condition.

    ''''I''m sorry, actually--''''

    What?

    Your father hears this and shouts out.

    I''m surprised to hear that too.

    ''Find out now!¡¡We need to tell them about this soon!¡¡You may not be in King''s Landing yet, but look outside King''s Landing, too!

    ''Father!¡¡I''ll help you!

    Your father looked at me and hesitated a bit, but quickly nodded.

    ''Can I leave it to you?¡¡It may be dangerous, but you''ll be asking for the outside of King''s Landing. If you, the princess, go around inside the city with your troops, you will make the people uncomfortable.

    ''I understand!¡¡I''ll be there in a minute!

    "Prime Minister, tell your men!¡¡This is a race against time!

    Yes, sir, I''ll be there!

    We quickly left and ran to do what we had to do.

    And a dozen or so hours later, I finally succeeded in finding it.

    As I rode my horse along the road from the royal capital to the barrier, I found a settlement.

    There was a prince from the Kingdom of Begonia whom I had met before.

    He seemed to be surprised to see me, the princess over there too.

    The people I was with also seemed to be surprised to see me.

    One man in particular is looking at me like he wants to say something, but now I have to tell him this!

    The kingdom of Begonia is under attack!

 77-Episode 77 Sudden Attack

    The kingdom of Begonia is under attack!

    I was on the verge of tears at the sight of Irene, but when I heard those words, my tears were retracted.

    The Begonia Kingdom?¡¡A raid?

    What do you mean?

    Christo is also confused because he came out of nowhere and told us so.

    Irene is a little out of breath as she dismounts her horse and runs up to us and tells us.

    However, she tries to tell us what''s going on.

    ''''It seems that the Lynda Empire, the Land of Demons, is raiding the Begonia Kingdom at the moment!

    Lindow Empire.

    I don''t remember hearing the name of the country at all, but Christo and Liberto-san have heard of it.

    His face changed color when he heard the name.

    ''''The Lindow Empire?¡¡Are you really sure about that information?

    ''We received word last night that they are gathering troops to launch a raid on the Kingdom of Begonia. There is no doubt about it.

    As soon as he hears those words, Liberto-san takes something out of his pocket.

    It''s a palm-sized object, and I look at it for a while.

    ''''That guy, we haven''t heard from Yelle. Maybe he hasn''t been attacked yet.

    Liberto-san looked at the tool and said so.

    Apparently, it seems to be something called a ''magic tool'', something that allows you to contact them even if you are far away.

    ''''The Lynda Empire was really hastily gathering troops as well, so maybe they haven''t been attacked yet!

    Irene says that while calming her breath.

    Then, I suddenly feel an uncomfortable sensation as if I were being poked on the shoulder.

    When I turned my head in that direction, Viviana-san was looking at me with a slightly puzzled face.

    ''''Hey, hey, who is that girl?''''

    He asks me that in a small voice.

    It seems that Christo and Mr. Liberto completely believe what that girl says, or rather, they seem to know, and that''s why they asked me.

    I try to answer in a small voice again.

    ''I''m sorry, I''m sorry I''m late in introducing myself,''

    Irene bows and replies, as if she heard the voice now.

    ''''I am Irene Harzion, daughter of King Seldonia of the Kingdom of Harzion. Please allow me to get to know you.''''

    Viviana was a little surprised by the beautiful bow that was typical of royalty, but she smiled cheerfully.

    ''''So you were a princess! Nice to meet you...''''

    Then he tries to shake my hand.

    ''Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you,''

    Irene responds to the handshake, a little surprised by the response.

    There aren''t many people who have called themselves princesses and treated them in such a reserved manner.

    ''''Hey, this isn''t the time to be greeting people without drinking.

    I was wondering if I should say hello to Irene too, but Liberto-san looked more impatient than before and said so.

    "There''s no communication from here,

    Christo responded immediately to those words.

    ''Is that an anomaly?''

    ''If it''s a lack of response, which is sometimes the case, then it''s an unusual situation to be out of touch. The only thing I can think of is that something is getting in the way.

    Perhaps they are using inhibiting magic or arcane tools.

    Irene hears it and replies.

    In other words, I''ve lost contact with Yele-san, who is supposed to be in the royal capital right now.

    It means that we have no information at all from over there.

    ''''It''s possible that they have already been raided. No, that''s more likely.''''

    Everyone gasped at Liberto-san''s words.

    I didn''t think we would be attacked while we were in this country.

    Will Tina, Yulina-san, and Elena-san be okay?

    Those three are strong, but if you ask me if they''re used to fighting, they''re not.

    Tina in particular has only been in the Magic Knights for a month.

    It''s a sudden attack, and probably an urban battle.

    I don''t know how many troops the opponent has, but they''ll be fighting while protecting their people.

    It would be difficult to do that. Even I''ve never fought while defending such a large number of people.

    d*mn it, how come I''m not there when the Begonia Kingdom is under attack!

    Someone I care about is in danger!

    And when Liberto-san and Viviana-san, two of the larger troops here, are not around--!

    No....!

    We weren''t even here when you tried to shoot me.

    I wonder if Liberto-san was thinking the same thing, and he utters the answer I arrived at.

    That''s right, aside from me, Liberto-san, the strongest of the Knights, and Viviana-san, the strongest of the Magic Knights.

    It''s too good to be attacked when the two of you aren''t around.

    I can only think that that Lindow Empire was aiming for it.

    --Huh!

    I''ve come to a realization.

    It''s been a month since Tina came in, which means that in my previous life, it would have been a month since our village was destroyed.

    About that time, I met Christo.

    Christo told me that he met me in a distant city after the fall of the Begonia Kingdom.

    If Christo was making the same moves in his previous life as he is now.

    Christo, and Mr. Liberto and Ms. Viviana, would have had the job of going around this other country.

    In other words, the three of them weren''t in the Begonia Kingdom at this time in their previous lives either.

    I didn''t know about the Begonia Kingdom''s military strength in my previous life, but now that there were such strong people, how could the country be destroyed that easily?¡¡I''ve wondered about that.

    I know that Felix is strong. But I didn''t think he could be defeated so easily with these two around.

    But if the three of them hadn''t been there in a previous life when the country was being attacked, it would make sense.

    In a previous life, and now.

    It means that the country was attacked while the two strongest men in the Begonia Kingdom were not present.

    If that''s the case, it would explain why the country was destroyed in a past life, and why Christo was safe.

    Moreover, it probably wouldn''t have been possible for Irene to have told me about it during her previous life.

    We don''t even know if he looked around this Kingdom of Harzion first, and even if he had, he couldn''t have known the information because Felix was the next king of this country at that time.

    If this was the case, it would end up going down the same path as the previous life.

    The Begonia Kingdom would be destroyed.

 78-Episode 78 Return

    What do you think, Christo?

    Liberto-san calmly asks that question.

    Yes, there''s no point in panicking now, because there''s nothing we can do from here, even if the begonia kingdom is attacked now.

    Even if the begonia kingdom is attacked now, there''s nothing we can do from here.

    So, are we going to go back to the kingdom now?

    Perhaps the lack of communication means that we''re being raided at the moment.

    It had taken him two days to get here.

    Even if we rushed back now, it would take more than a day.

    ''''Princess Irene, do you have an idea of the number of troops in the Lindow Empire and so on?

    Christo asks Irene, who has come to tell us about this.

    ''''I believe the maximum number of troops is about ten thousand.

    The number of soldiers living in the royal capital is about fifty thousand.

    If you look at the numbers alone, the royal capital won''t be corrupted, but the people will be greatly affected.

    ''''But the Lindow Empire is also a country where there are many soldiers who are demon users. Although the number of soldiers is small, the demons would be using the same or even more numbers.''''

    A demon tamer.

    As the name implies, it is a person who can use and handle demons.

    There are quite a few of them in the demon tribe, and that Felix Gladio probably manipulated a demon to attack our village.

    Each person has their own set of skills, but some can handle more than five.

    Moreover, we met someone who can control a group of demons like the Orc General before we got here, so he can control many demons like Felix.

    Ten thousand is a small number of troops, but with someone who can use demons, there would be enough power to make up for the number of troops.

    Really, it could be bad.

    ''''Liberto, do you have that magic tool?

    Yeah, I have. But I only have two.

    You mean two...

    Mr. Liberto produced two tools from his pocket again.

    Looking at the tools, Christo looks around at us and thinks.

    ''''What kind of magic tools are they?''''

    This is a one-time transference spell. Use it and you''ll be back in King''s Landing in an instant.

    What!¡¡You have such a magical tool!

    My eyes widen in surprise when I hear that.

    Even if you can only use it once, it''s an unbeatable performance.

    ''I thought I''d only use this in a real, true emergency, but I guess now would be the time.

    Yeah. But the question is, who''s coming back?

    Christo puts his hand on his chin and looks at me, Mr. Liberto, and Viviana.

    ''I want Viviana back. We''ll need your help for sure.

    Okay, got it.

    Christo judges that.

    Viviana-san''s power to eradicate an army of orcs with a single magic is enough to turn the war upside down by herself.

    Bringing Viviana-san back is a good decision.

    ''''So Eric, you should come back too.

    Me?

    Yeah, you''re stronger than Liberto. I''d rather leave it to you.

    Looking into my eyes, Christo said that.

    Right now, Christo wouldn''t be able to determine that either me or Liberto-san is stronger, so it was probably Liberto-san himself who said that.

    I don''t particularly intend to deny it.

    I''m proud of my strength, and I''ve killed hundreds of people alone in war in my previous life.

    ''All right,''

    ''I know it''s hard for two people to turn the battle around on their own. But if we don''t do it, the Kingdom of Begonia will be destroyed. Please.

    Yeah, I got it.

    He looked into Christo''s eyes and nodded strongly.

    ''''Um, I''m sorry...''''

    A voice came discreetly in from next to me.

    I huffed at the voice I''d dreamed of and wanted to hear over and over again.

    I looked over there and saw Irene looking at me.

    I saw my reflection in those beautiful golden eyes I''d seen so many times in my previous life.

    ''''Could it be Eric-sama, the one who defeated Felix Gladio?

    --Lady Eric.

    Even in a past life, Irene called me that.

    Tears were about to spill out of my eyes.

    I held on to them goofily so that I wouldn''t cry like I did when I met Christo again.

    ''''Oh, oh yes,''''

    I''m not supposed to talk in a tame voice, but my previous life pulls me into a weird tone.

    Irene doesn''t care about my tone, she smiles like a flower blooming.

    ''Thank you!¡¡Because of you, this country was saved!

    Then he lowered his head.

    The soldiers waiting behind him are a little upset.

    You must be worried about whether it''s okay for the princess of a country to bow down so easily.

    ''''Oh, I''m sorry, you don''t have much time...''''

    Remembering our situation, Irene apologizes again, apologizing apologetically, and steps back a bit.

    ''''I pray that the Begonia Kingdom will be saved. Good luck, Eric-sama.

    Irene said and bowed her head.

    ''''Eric, take this. If you press here, the effect of the magic tool will be activated and you can return to the royal capital. Hey, are you okay?

    Liberto-san put something in my hand, and I was a little stunned.

    It''s been a long time - a really long time since I''ve seen her, Irene.

    She''s so much more vivid, beautiful and beautiful than the fading memories.

    And when she thanked me, for the first time I felt that I had saved Irene.

    I understood that if I defeated Felix, unlike in my previous life, Irene''s past of leaving the Kingdom of Harzion was gone.

    Now, with that fake smile, I finally understood from the bottom of my heart that defeating Felix had not made Irene unhappy.

    Really, it was good.

    I was sad that Irene was happy, but I was sad that I couldn''t see her anymore--.

    --"We''re here together again.

    Erik!¡¡Are you okay?!

    Christo''s voice brought me back from my thoughts with a huff.

    Yes, it''s an emergency now.

    I have to go back to King''s Landing and save it.

    ''Yeah, I''ll be fine.''

    Are you sure?¡¡If I''m not feeling well, I''ll tell Liberto....

    No, I''m at the top of my game right now.

    I smiled at that to Christo, who was worried about me because I was in a daze.

    Irene told me to keep up the good work.

    I''m back in the world and I''m in great shape.

    Is that so?¡¡Then I''m counting on you.

    Yeah.

    When I look next to her, Viviana-san is holding a magic tool just like me.

    Then I turn to Irene once before I press the switch on the magic tool.

    ''Irene, I''ll definitely come back to see you again.

    ''¡¡Ha, yes!¡¡We''ll be waiting for you!

    He smiles and nods in surprise at my words.

    I turn to Viviana and together we hit the switch.

    At that moment, I''m engulfed in light.

 79-Episode 79 Immediately after returning

    Irene, I''ll come back for you.

    After saying a word to me, Eric-sama went.

    I received information that the Begonia Kingdom, which I am familiar with, is being attacked by the Lindow Empire, and I came here to tell the Prince that he is coming to the Harzion Kingdom.

    I knew that Prince Christopher always comes here with a small number of soldiers when he comes here, but I didn''t expect Eric-sama to be here.

    I asked your father before the name of the one who defeated Felix Gladio, and he quickly looked it up and told me.

    Mr. Eric Aulin.

    A benefactor to me and your fathers. It''s no longer an exaggeration to say that he saved the Kingdom of Harzion.

    If he had not defeated Felix, this peaceful country would have fallen apart.

    That''s why I wanted to meet Eric-sama one day and thank him, but I didn''t expect to meet him here....

    ''Master Irene, may I ask you one question?''

    I was a little stunned, when Prince Christopher spoke to me.

    ''Yes, yes, what is it?''

    ''I can sort of see why Princess Irene knows Eric.

    Prince Christopher must have known that Master Eric had defeated Felix.

    And also what kind of presence Felix was to the Kingdom of Harzion.

    ''''Yes, we are very grateful to Eric-sama,''''

    ''Has Princess Irene ever met Eric?''

    Me?¡¡I hadn''t met you before just now.

    Well....

    The prince said this and then got lost in thought.

    ''Why is that?''

    I think Eric knows you.

    ''Is that so?¡¡But since I''m a princess...

    I''ve heard that my name is known by people in other countries, especially in the Begonia Kingdom.

    So I don''t think it''s surprising that Eric-sama knows about me.......

    ''''No, he didn''t seem to know about such things. Apparently Eric knew you personally. As if we''ve met before.

    Well I''ve never met you before.

    Could it be that we have met in the past?

    Just because I don''t remember it?

    Oh no, how ungrateful I am then........

    ''''From your reaction earlier, it seemed like Eric knew about Princess Irene unilaterally, didn''t he?

    Is that so?

    Yes, he was very eager to see you.

    Eric was with me?

    Oh no, I was the one who wanted to meet you.

    I wanted to say thank you very much to the person who could be said to have saved my life.

    But what you said earlier.

    "Irene, I''ll be back to see you again.

    That statement certainly sounded like he''d known me for a while.

    Where had we met before?

    I really don''t know........

    When I remember the eyes, face, etc. at that time, my cheeks are somehow getting hot.

    I can''t believe it''s Irene........

    It''s the first time I''ve ever been called down by a man other than my father.

    No, I mean, it''s not that I didn''t like it.

    The fact that I didn''t hate it, it''s just that it didn''t seem to matter.

    "Irene, I''ll come see you again.

    Oh, you mustn''t remember!

    What''s going on?

    No, no, it''s nothing.

    He noticed that his face was turning red.

    I take a deep breath to calm myself down.

    ''But Christo. Why is that guy a ''e'' for that princess?

    ''Well?¡¡It was so obvious, wasn''t it?

    We''ll make fun of you when we get back.

    Yeah, sure. He got me, too, so I''ll do it.

    Prince Christopher and his attendant soldiers are talking about something.

    I heard a little bit, but what does ''Honoji'' mean?

    Is it okay, sir?¡¡The Lynda Empire has an army of ten thousand and a demonslayer. Will the return of Eric-sama and the other one change the war situation that much?

    We know that Master Eric is very strong because he defeated Felix Gladio, but I don''t know how strong that woman is.

    Even if those two come back, I can''t predict how much the war situation will be changed.

    ''''If I had to return out of these two, those two would have been the best. All we have to do now is wait and trust.

    The Prince''s attendant answers my question.

    It sounds rough, but he seems to take it very seriously.

    ''''Those two will do everything they can. If those two come back and the war situation doesn''t change--the Kingdom of Begonia will be destroyed.

    The words were very heavy and echoed here.

    ''I am sorry. If only I could have told you sooner...''

    We would have traveled on without knowing that our kingdom was in danger. Thanks to Princess Irene, we were able to learn of the danger to our kingdom and take steps to protect it. We are very grateful.

    Where I was regretting it, the prince smiled and said that to me.

    I found him to be a very kind man and I don''t think the kingdom of Begonia, where such a man is a prince, should be destroyed.

    ''''Hey, you''re a princess?''''

    Suddenly, I was approached from behind.

    When I turned around, I saw a woman about my age standing there.

    ''Yes, I am,''

    Yeah, I know. There''s something I wanted to talk to you about.

    I don''t often talk to women my own age, but I get a little ticked off when they approach me in this tone of voice.

    I''m not sure who you are.¡¡I''m a little busy, so please make it quick.

    I said that a little to retort, but her next words startled me.

    ''I''m Nina. I''m Felix Gladio''s sister.

 80-Episode 80: Catastrophe of the raid

    Hah!

    I swing my sword at the demon that jumps at me.

    I duck the wolf demon''s attack and enter my pocket and flash my sword. The demon breaks in half and falls to the ground while spurting blood from its body.

    ''''Yulina!¡¡You go that way!

    I understand!

    I go to the left road as the senior soldier told me to do.

    Right now, this royal capital of the Begonia Kingdom is being raided.

    I was taking a tour of the city center on business when it came out of nowhere.

    The gates of the capital, the bell there, suddenly rang and the sound of the bell echoed throughout the capital.

    Few people have ever heard the sound of the bell.

    I''ve only left this royal city since I was born, but I had never heard it before.

    The sound of the bell at the gate announces a raid.

    When that bell rang, the residents immediately began to evacuate the city.

    I immediately began to guide the evacuation, but the raid came quickly.

    The gates were breached and many demons, and then soldiers, entered.

    Looking at the armor of the soldiers, I could tell that it was the Lindow Empire, the land of the demon race.

    Thousands and tens of thousands of demons entered the city and turned the city center into a battlefield.

    The city that was once peaceful is now splattered with the blood of people and demons everywhere, and there are places where there is smoke rising from a fire somewhere.

    I''ve slayed dozens and dozens of demons as well, but I can''t even tell if the number is decreasing.

    Residents are dying.

    If you look at the corpses, you can see that they died from various wounds.

    Some were killed by demons, others were trapped under houses and other objects that had fallen apart, and still others were cut down by enemy soldiers.

    Eventually, some are crushed to death by an avalanche of people while fleeing.

    The residents were attacked before they were completely evacuated, so the damage to the residents was significant.

    Where I am right now is around the center of the city, and if you go inward from here, it''s where the residents are evacuating to.

    So, I can''t let anything past this point, no matter what.

    I, along with my seniors, look around for people who have failed to escape while killing the demons.

    We run around the city, but there are a tremendous number of demons, soldiers, and residents'' corpses lying around, and it''s hard to look at them.

    Even now, there is a constant battle between demons and soldiers from our side of the city.

    I have to do my job as I look from them to my eyes.

    I look around to see if there are any survivors.

    ''''Huh!¡¡The voices....!

    As I was running, I heard a voice from somewhere.

    It was very small and snatched, but I was sure I heard it.

    Where did it come from...!

    I looked over at that and heard the little voice again.

    ''That way!¡¡Hang on, I''m coming to get you!

    You answer loudly as you go in the direction you heard the voice coming from.

    When you go in that direction, you find a house collapsed and wood and stones lying around.

    However, I can''t see the person who was supposed to have spoken out.

    "Help me, help me...!

    ''¡¡Are you okay?!

    Then I heard a voice from inside the crumbling house.

    A woman''s voice.

    I walked up to the voice and saw the girl''s face from inside it as I retreated and slashed the wood.

    ''Are you okay!''

    Yeah ... it''s okay ...

    The child was young, maybe five years old.

    His body was dirty from the dust and smoke, but there were no noticeable wounds. There didn''t seem to be any blood.

    Apparently, he was lucky enough to have gotten into a small gap in the house when it collapsed.

    It''s probably because it''s a small child that it got into that crevice by accident.

    I pick the child up and get him out of that crumbling house.

    ''It''s all right now!¡¡Let''s go somewhere safe now!

    My mom''s still in the house...

    The girl said and pointed towards the crumbling house.

    ''Ha!¡¡I''m sorry, your mother is no longer-

    I could see it earlier.

    There was no gap at all when I was helping this kid, no gap at all, and I saw a bloody arm sticking out of a place where no adult could get in.

    ''Let''s go, it''s not safe here,''

    Is your mother...?

    .....

    Without answering anything, I start walking with the kid''s hand.

    The kid looks at me as if he wants to say something, but he walks away in silence.

    I meet up with the older soldier who I had just left with.

    ''You found the kid that was left behind!

    ''Yes, let''s get her to safety.

    Then he was about to take the girl away, but some demons appeared in front of him.

    ''I will be the lord (shingari). Please take the girl and run away with her.

    ''¡¡I''m counting on you, Yulina!

    Seniors are quick to judge.

    With all due respect, I''m stronger than my seniors. It would be better for me to stay and fight.

    ''''Sister...?¡¡Are you going away?

    The girl looks up at me with tears in her eyes as she tells me this.

    She holds the hem of my clothes.

    The gesture is out of place, but I feel a little cute, and I huff and laugh.

    ''It''s okay, I won''t die. I''ll come back to see you.

    You promise...?

    Yeah, I promise.

    I pat the girl''s head while I pay attention to the demon.

    The girl was depressed earlier, but she smiles a little.

    ''''Senpai, I asked for you.''''

    Yeah, I don''t want you to die too!

    With that, the senior took the girl in his arms and ran off.

    I stayed there alone and confronted the demon.

 81-Episode 81: Explosion Sound

    He confronts an ogre, an ugly looking demon.

    The ogre is a demon that exceeds two meters in length and is a human-shaped demon.

    The figure is huge, bigger than a normal person, so it is intimidating.

    He was holding a club-like object in his hand, and he swung it wide and brought it down to crush me.

    But I avoid it lightly.

    The bigger the figure, the slower it moves.

    When I avoided it, I positioned myself next to the ogre and slashed off my arm in the same fashion.

    I don''t know if the ogre has a sense of pain or not, but it''s screaming a yell as it restrains its chopped off arm.

    I''m not going to miss the opportunity, and I thrust my sword into his forehead.

    When he pulled it out, the ogre''s body fell to the ground.

    ''''Haha, haha...!

    There are five dead ogre bodies lying around me.

    There are several other different demons in the mix, but some of them aren''t the ones I killed.

    I can''t even tell which ones I killed and which ones were killed by different people anymore.

    Away from my seniors and that girl, I''m left alone and fighting the demons all the time.

    No matter how much I slayed and killed, demons would appear one after another with no end in sight.

    At this rate, I''ll run out of energy...!

    I managed to drop down to the center of the city and had to take a break.

    Just as I was about to run towards the center of the city with that thought in mind - the sound of an explosion could be heard.

    The explosion seemed to have happened in the middle of the central city, and even though it was about a kilometer away from here, the sound of the explosion sounded loud and the ground shook from the explosion.

    ''''What happened...!

    There was an explosion, flames and smoke rising.

    Looking at its position, that''s where the residents were evacuated.

    ''''No way, the line of defense has been breached!

    There must have been a lot of soldiers gathered there to prevent the enemy from advancing.

    If that was breached, the evacuated residents would be...!

    Besides, if they breached that place, they would finally let the enemy enter the royal palace.

    What we soldiers must absolutely protect is the inhabitants.

    That lesson was said by the Commander of the Order, Commander Jeremias, and he followed it up with these words.

    ''It was His Majesty Leonardo Carlo Begonia who said this. That man said to protect the inhabitants more than he said to protect himself. We must protect His Majesty, who really cares about the people, and we must protect him at the same time, because His Majesty himself is in this country. This is because His Majesty himself is also a resident of this country.

    I was impressed by his words.

    The current king, His Majesty Leonardo''s determination to care for the inhabitants is also the determination of Commander Jeremias.

    When I heard that when I was an apprentice, I really wanted to become a soldier to serve this country.

    That''s why he shouldn''t be allowed to break through there!

    It would cause even more damage to the residents, and there''s a big single road over there that leads to the royal palace.

    I don''t know if it was really breached by the current explosion, but there''s no doubt that something happened.

    We have to hurry up and head over there...!

    Whipping my tired body, I ran down the road where the demon''s corpses were lying around.

    Killing and sometimes dodging the demons I encountered, I arrived at the place where the explosion had occurred.

    The place had already turned into hell.

    The screams I had heard before I approached, and the corpses lying everywhere.

    There were corpses on the road to come, but this place is no match for that.

    There are more corpses of demons, but there are also many corpses of residents.

    ''''d*mn it, d*mn it...!

    My vision is getting blurry.

    I seem to be shedding tears without knowing it.

    I can''t do anything about it.

    These thoughts fill my mind.

    Even if I kill the approaching demon, the people killed by that demon will no longer return.

    ''''--!

    While I was swinging my sword in this hell, I saw the girl from earlier out of the corner of my eye.

    She was sitting on the ground in front of a crumbling house. Her profile was in my eyes, but she wasn''t dead yet.

    ''''Retreat!''''

    After slaying the demon in front of me, I approached the child.

    When I went to the child''s side, I sat down and saw what he was doing.

    He was holding the hand. The senior soldier''s.

    The senior soldier was lying there. His eyes were wide open and he was not looking anywhere. His eyes were open, but they were not catching the light.

    He was bleeding from his mouth. Something large is sticking out of her stomach.

    The girl was holding the dead senior soldier''s hand.

    ''''Huh!¡¡You!¡¡We can''t stay here!¡¡Let''s get out of here!

    ''....Sis, this guy...''

    He looked up at me when I called out to him.

    He seemed to remember me.

    ''I''ve stopped moving...''

    ''¡¡Let''s go!

    I say, and turn to take the girl away.

    -- A moment later, I feel something behind me.

    I turn around and swing my sword.

    Then the sword hits something and blows it away.

    ''d*mn I didn''t think you''d notice me.

    There was a man there.

    The man had my sword in his stomach and was bleeding.

    From the clothes, and this guy''s red eyes, he''s a soldier of the Lynda Empire.

    Apparently, he was trying to kill me from behind, but it looks like he was hurt badly by my sword.

    I turn my back on the girl and shout as I point my sword at that guy.

    ''Retreat!¡¡I need to get this baby to a safe place!

    Oh?¡¡Then you''ll have to kill me before you go.

    How is that going to win me over?

    "Don''t mess with me, I''m not gonna let a girl like you beat me with a wound like that!¡¡That was just a surprise hit to me earlier!

    Then the man lunges at me.

    He swings at me with his sword in his right hand, but I catch it. I don''t want to shed or avoid it, because I don''t want to hit the girl.

    But even if he''s a guy, he''s in a wounded state, plus I have more strength than most guys.

    I take it easily and push back.

    The opponent loses his stance.

    ''''d*mn........!

    And then I step back, holding the wound in check.

    I can tell just now, I''m stronger than this man.

    Even if I wasn''t wounded, I''d probably be stronger than him.

    ''You see, you can''t kill me. Get out of there fast.

    As I say this, the man stares at me and gestures to think about something for a bit.

    ''''Well you, why didn''t you cut me when I just lost my stance?''''

    Huh!

    Don''t tell me you can''t kill someone?

    I couldn''t say anything to the man''s words, and a disgusting sweat ran down my back.

    Then I remembered, Eric''s words.

    ''Have you - have you ever seriously wielded a sword?''

 82-Episode 82: Prepare to Kill

    "Have you ever-- have you ever really swung a sword?

    What that word means is that a sword is a tool to kill people.

    Eric''s seriousness means that he wields the sword with the intention of killing people.

    I''m a soldier here in the Begonia Kingdom.

    A very proud profession, I think to myself.

    It''s not an exaggeration to say that I''ve been wielding a sword all my life in order to become a soldier.

    I had the talent.

    Even if I was a woman, I had developed enough sword skills to surpass a man. That gave me confidence.

    I was proud that the only people in the Order who could beat me were the Commander and the Vice Commander.

    But I was defeated by a man who was younger than me. Even though I had never lost to a soldier older than me.

    The man said that I had never once wielded a sword in earnest.

    Ready to kill.

    I don''t have enough of that.

    Perhaps the Commander and Deputy Commander have also wielded their swords with that resolve.

    Perhaps people weaker than me have also been wielding swords with seriousness.

    I''m afraid of killing people, I''m afraid of killing people.

    It''s okay to kill demons, probably because they can''t talk and look so far removed from humans.

    I''m afraid that if I kill someone, something will change in me.

    I am definitely more competent than other soldiers.

    However--''''

    ''''Haha!¡¡It''s a masterpiece!¡¡I didn''t expect to find a soldier in the kingdom who couldn''t kill a man!

    I knew that the people who come into play in times like this are the ones who are weaker than me, but more prepared.

    The man in front of me laughs and swings his sword at me.

    I take it.

    We put our swords together and antagonize each other, but the man''s bare strength seems to be stronger than mine and he is pushed.

    ''''d*mn...!

    The man''s red eyes catch my agitated face.

    His smile is wickedly deeper than before, and he pushes it in further.

    There''s a little girl behind me. I can''t back away any further.

    I shed the force that''s pushing me in and break their stance.

    And then the sword - without swinging it, I kick it into its unprotected stomach.

    ''''Guhaha...!

    The wound he just slashed is on his stomach, so it should hurt a lot.

    The man held his belly as he dropped back a bit.

    He had a look of anguish on his face, but his mouth immediately grinned.

    ''''Haha, I knew you wouldn''t attack with a sword...''''

    ''¡¡Shut up!¡¡You know you can''t beat me!¡¡Now get the hell out of here!

    I shout as I point the sword''s cutting edge at my opponent.

    However, my opponent laughs as if he''s not afraid of anything.

    ''''Yeah, you can''t win if you fight normally, but you can win if you kill each other. Besides, you''ve got a leg up on you now, right?

    The man points his palm at me, or rather at the girl behind me.

    ''''Ha!''''

    I had a bad feeling about that action and ran towards the girl behind me.

    ''''Ground Spear (Grand Lancer).''''

    He takes the girl in his arms and flies at the same rate.

    At that moment, a piercing pain runs through my leg.

    ''''d*mn--!

    I roll over, holding the girl to my chest so as not to hurt her.

    ''Dude, are you okay?''

    I stop rolling and look at the girl I was holding.

    ''Yeah, I''m fine...''

    Well, good.

    I make the girl stand up and brush the dust and other things from her hair.

    I was standing on my knees and looking at her, but the girl looks at my leg.

    ''Sis, there''s blood on my foot...''

    ''Yeah, I''m fine. It doesn''t hurt or itch.

    Throbbing and painful foot.

    I didn''t see it, but sensibly, probably the left foot.

    Something from the ground must have poked me at my ankle.

    The moment I tried to stand up, I felt the most intense pain I''ve ever experienced.

    ''''----!

    You can''t let the pain show on your face before you''re face to face with a girl.

    But it must have come out a little.

    ''''Sis, are you okay?''''

    Yeah, I''m fine.

    I tried to stand up, but I couldn''t get up because I couldn''t get my left leg up.

    However, I could tell by the signs behind me that a man was already coming from behind me.

    As I turned around while standing on my knees, the man swung wide and swung his sword down at me.

    As soon as he could, he swung his sword as if to raise it from underneath him.

    ''''You''ve turned the tables!

    The man pushes in with his weight to crush it from above.

    ''''d*mn...!

    It''s easy to flush this out. All you have to do is change the direction of the sword a little and turn it off to the side.

    But you can''t do that now.

    If you do that, you can''t make your next move now.

    If you delay your next move, your sword could hit the girl right behind you.

    You shouldn''t let it flow.

    But if you are pushed in like this, you will lose.

    ''''You got me just now, payback!

    A moment later, the man''s kick enters my stomach.

    ''''Yah........!

    I found out that I was going to be kicked, and I put a lot of pressure on my stomach, but I still felt a pain that echoed in my gut.

    The man swings his sword at me again and I catch it again, holding back the pain.

    ''''You stubborn bastard!''''

    He pushes in with more force than before.

    With the pain in my stomach and my poor position, I can''t put much strength into my arms.

    Oh no, I''m going to die if I don''t!

    Flush once, get back in position--

    Sis...!

    -Oh!

    Just as I was about to shed it, I heard a voice from behind me that sounded like I was about to cry.

    Yes, if I flush the man''s sword, the girl might be in danger.

    I can''t flush it, but if I don''t, I''ll die...!

    Then - something warm was applied to my back.

    Small, very small.

    There''s only a girl behind me.

    "Hang in there, sis...!

    A hand.

    A girl''s hand is on my back.

    Yes, I''m the only one the girl can count on.

    If I don''t win this fight, she dies.

    I''m gonna win this thing.

    If I want to beat this guy now - I have no choice but to wield my sword for real.

    A man''s sword, let it go.

    He was probably trying to push it in and kill it as it was, but the man easily gets out of his stance.

    He looks impatient for a moment, but quickly grins.

    There''s a girl right near where the man''s sword flowed.

    I won''t let him do it.

    My sword is in the man''s pocket. I crumble it so that it will.

    That''s what he''s figured out, but it''s too late.

    --I''m going to...

    I swing my sword up my left flank, all the way to my right shoulder.

    "d*mn it........can you kill it?

    With those words as the last word, the man''s body separated into two.

    With the momentum of his stance, he falls directly to my side.

    Up from the part I slashed, that''s where it''s definitely separated from the body.

    With his eyes open, the man is dead.

    I killed him.

 83-Episode 83 To Protect

    Ha, ha....!

    The pain in my stomach is unbearable and I wince at the sight of it.

    He looked up a little and looked at his sword.

    The blood was sticky on it.

    He had killed demons even before he killed this man, so he had a little bit of blood on him.

    However, the man''s blood is distinguishable from the demon''s blood that was on it earlier.

    It''s a little brighter in color than the demon''s blood.

    It''s human blood.

    Until now, I''ve seen blood shed by others in training and other activities, and blood shed by myself.

    I look at the man lying on his side.

    His pupils are dilated and his eyes do not catch the light.

    He is dead, with the characteristic red eyes of the demon race.

    A terrifying amount of blood is flowing from the man''s body as well.

    The blood has reached my feet.

    Seeing the blood on the sword and the blood flowing at my feet, I feel the realization that I have killed this man.

    My hands begin to tremble.

    I had never killed a man before, and I wasn''t even prepared to kill him, but I did.

    ''''Sister...?''''

    That''s when I feel the warm palm of a hand on my back again as I''m approached from behind.

    I turn around to see the girl staring at me with a worried look on her face.

    ''Are you okay?''¡¡Does your tummy hurt?

    He said that as he looked into my face.

    He must have thought my stomach was hurting when he saw me cowering.

    In fact, he was right, but the pain had receded from earlier and now I was just about to be stunned by something else.

    ''Where does it hurt?''¡¡I''ll make the pain fly away for you, okay?

    This girl, who is almost as tall as me on her knees, puts her hand on my belly.

    A very gentle, warm hand strokes my still slightly sore stomach.

    ''It hurts, it hurts, fly away!''

    In a small voice, he said it adorably, taking his hand off my stomach and sending the pain flying towards the sky.

    ''Well?''¡¡Does it hurt?

    Then he smiled a cute smile.

    I wonder how far this child understands.

    The mother was crushed by the house that came crashing down.

    The senior soldier who had been protecting this child afterwards was also dead, probably pierced by flying debris from the impact of the explosion.

    It may be a situation that a girl of about five years old cannot possibly understand.

    But this smile directed at me - even in this situation, no, because of the devastation, it is very beautiful and precious.

    I protected this child, this smile, I protected it.

    I gently hold this child''s hand that is pointed at the sky.

    When the man of the demon tribe almost pushed my sword out of my hand, I was saved by this hand.

    I had to protect him, I thought.

    I have killed a man.

    It is a fact that cannot be reversed, a heavy thing that cannot be escaped.

    But you did it to keep him smiling.

    When I think about it, I have absolutely no regrets about killing the man.

    If I didn''t kill him, I couldn''t protect him.

    "Will I ever be able to really wield a sword...?

    ''''If there''s something you really want to protect, you can do it.''''

    I remember talking to Eric.

    Seriously, if you have something you want to protect, you can seriously wield a sword.

    That was Eric''s answer.

    I didn''t know it at the time.

    I was even more afraid that one day I would have to kill someone, if I really could.

    But now I know.

    Eric had told me he''d killed people before, too.

    I guess he had something he really wanted to protect and he killed to protect it.

    I''m ready for that now, too.

    Now I have to go into battle again.

    And when I do, I know I''ll have to kill again.

    To protect this child.

    For the other people who live in this country.

    I''ll have to kill those demons that come to attack me.

    That''s what she taught me.

    "Lisa what''s the matter with you?

    The girl asked me that, wondering why I hadn''t moved while holding her hand.

    ''No, it''s nothing. Thank you.''

    ''Yeah, I''m glad it''s pain-free!

    Did you think I was thanking you because the pain flew away?

    Not quite, but oh well.

    ''It''s not safe here, let''s go somewhere safe.

    There are no demons or opposing soldiers here right now, but we don''t know when they will come.

    There should be another shelter a little further away where the residents are gathered.

    I have to take her there, hoping that place hasn''t been attacked already.

    ''Sis, can you stay with me?''

    He looks up at me and says so, but I shake my head.

    ''I''m sorry, but I''ll be off to work soon.''

    ''Yeah, well...''

    I''m sorry.

    The girl turns her face down sadly.

    But she quickly looks up.

    ''I''ll see you again, won''t I?''

    ''¡¡Yeah, we''ll see each other. I promise.

    Do you promise?

    A childlike, little pinky finger is pointed at me.

    My cheeks loosen up at the adorable suggestion, which makes me forget for a moment about this devastation.

    I take out my little finger and twirl it around the girl''s finger.

    ''Finger cutting pardon. If you lie, I''ll have to cut off a thousand needles. I cut off my finger.

    The girl sang as she twirled her entwined fingers and shook them.

    ''I promise,''

    Yeah, I promise.

    Now you have a reason not to die.

    I have to fight to keep the girl from breaking her promise.

    I get up and try to go and take the girl in my arms.

    ''Alright, let''s go - eh.''

    -- a sharp pain shot through my side.

    When I looked down, I saw a blade protruding from my right side.

    a€?--!

    I tried to turn around, but I couldn''t.

    I immediately lost my strength and fell forward.

    I couldn''t move my limbs, as if they didn''t belong to me.

    I fall to the ground and then quickly lose consciousness.

    Not good, not good...!

    I''m going to pass out.

    I had to stay awake.

    I tried not to close my heavy eyelids, but I couldn''t.

    ''I saw the fight just now. It''s not a good idea to have someone as strong as you, because the demon side is at a disadvantage. I''ll let you get out of here. Don''t feel bad about it.

    I heard such a voice before I lost consciousness.

    I heard it, and then it went away.

 84-Episode 84: Back Gate Battle

    "A heat laser!

    Flames shoot out in a straight line from my fingertips.

    It points its fingertips at the swarm of demons in front of you, and at the enemy soldiers.

    This magic can emit a heat ray in the direction of your finger while it''s being emitted.

    The extremely condensed rays of fire are very good at penetration and can easily cut through the bodies of demons and people.

    Just by slightly tilting the ray of fire, the body of a demon or person will be ripped apart.

    You have to be careful not to hit your allies, and if it hits a building as well, the fire will rise, so you need to be even more careful, but it''s a very strong magic.

    It''s a technique I was taught by Commander Anne before.

    ''''Tina Aulin, well done!¡¡Step back!

    Yes!

    I lost quite a bit of magic since I released this magic after building up my magic power.

    I immediately step back and ask the seniors to release the next magic.

    I immediately start storing up my magic power again.

    The place I''m at right now is the back gate of the royal palace.

    Many demons and enemy soldiers had come here and were fighting to keep them from entering the royal palace.

    With the explosion that happened earlier, the enemy came all the way here at once.

    There are two gates into the Royal Palace, the main gate and the back gate.

    The main gate is bigger and the enemy can easily enter, so the Anne Commander is over there.

    This one has no one in the Commander or Deputy Commander.

    I don''t know where Commander Yelle is, but this is the situation. He must be doing something that only a Commander can do.

    I have to do what I can do, too.

    If I don''t defend this back gate now, this Royal City of Begonia will be corrupted.

    If they enter the royal palace and kill His Majesty Leonardo, this country will be as good as lost.

    We haven''t allowed a single demon or enemy soldier into the royal palace from our side yet.

    However, it might be just a matter of time.

    There are beginning to be more soldiers and demons from the enemy side than soldiers from this side.

    We''re still winning on quality, but it would be bad if we''re pushed out by quantity.

    There are a lot of soldiers on this side that can use magic, but the other side has a lot of people that are good at close combat.

    Right now, I''m releasing magic from a distance to hold them down, but many of them are running out of magic.

    I still have plenty of time to spare, but as the pace of shooting magic slows down more and more, they get closer and closer.

    When it comes to close combat, my opponent has the advantage.

    There are a few soldiers who use swords here too, but they are less in number than the enemy demons and soldiers.

    If we don''t call for reinforcements of soldiers from the Knights instead of the Magic Knights, we''ll have to keep going like this.......!

    "Sunburst!

    I built up enough magic power behind me and released my magic.

    A small ball of light flew from my fingertips towards the enemy.

    When I got to the side of the three soldiers and some demons, the ball exploded.

    The soldiers and the demons were caught in the explosion and turned into pieces of meat.

    I''ve been killing demons and people with magic since a while ago.

    I''m killing people for the first time, but it doesn''t feel like it.

    I''m still in the middle of a battle, and since I''m using magic to kill, it may not feel real.

    But I don''t have any regrets.

    On the contrary, I''m a little glad that I killed someone, because I''ve been able to get a little closer to Eric.

    Because it allows me to get a little closer to Eric.

    Eric killed that man who attacked our village.

    He killed him to protect our village.

    We kill people to protect something.

    If Eric had done it, I can''t wait to experience it too.

    This is what it felt like to kill someone before Eric.

    I haven''t felt it yet, but I wonder what''s going to happen now.

    I heard a senior soldier once tell me about a soldier who killed someone and then quit because he was mentally ill.

    I was afraid of that happening.

    I was afraid to leave Eric.

    But after what we fought through, I know now that I''ve learned to stop worrying about that.

    I can take a life to protect people, just like Eric did.

    I was a little glad to be able to do that as well as Eric.

    The hordes of soldiers and demons of the other side are getting closer than before.

    The soldiers who are fighting in close quarters here are also returning fire, but their numbers are too different.

    This is really bad, we can''t continue like this...!

    Next!¡¡Unleash the magic!

    I''m sorry, I''m so sorry, I don''t have any magic...!

    After I released my magic and stepped back, the people following me had already run out of magic power.

    ''''d*mn!¡¡Let go of the magic that''s built up!

    The soldier in command says so, but the magic isn''t flying off at all.

    Most of them are out of magic power.

    I can still strike if I build up my magic power, but I can''t do it yet because it''s right after I strike.

    And - finally, the balance is broken.

    ''''Oraa!''''

    I can''t...

    The soldier who was in command was in the front and turned around.

    He took advantage of the opportunity and struck me in the head from behind with his weapon.

    ''Follow me, boys!¡¡Let''s take the palace down!

    Oh, oh, oh!

    When the demon man who had defeated the soldier who was commanding him raised his voice, the demon soldiers were approaching him from behind with a shout.

    ''''Kutu...!¡¡"The Ice Wall!

    I released the accumulated magic power and released my magic.

    I created a huge wall of ice between the enemy soldiers and our soldiers.

    This is not a magic to kill the opponent, but a magic to stop their advance.

    Thank you, Tina!

    Get back on your feet while you still can!

    The other soldiers say so, but there are few soldiers here that can release magic anymore.

    There are also fewer soldiers capable of close combat than their opponents.

    We have a wall of ice to stop them now, but they will soon be able to break through.

    ''''Do we have reinforcements yet!

    I''m going to die.

    The female soldier next to me is cowering, trembling, holding her body in her arms.

    If this is the case, this place will be breached and we''ll be invaded into the royal palace...!

    Besides, I''m not that good at melee combat either.

    If I can get past this wall too...!

    I don''t want to die, ever!

    It''s been three days already since I last saw Eric.

    For the first time in my life, I am this far away from Eric.

    I''m not going to die before I see Eric...!

    I was about to build up my magic once more and release it, and that''s when I heard.

    ''Tina, you did a great job.''

    A familiar voice came from behind me and something warm was placed on my shoulder.

    I recognized it as a hand, and the figure in the voice was immediately recognizable.

    Turning back around, he shouted the person''s name happily.

    ''-- Eric!

    Yeah, you''re waiting. I''ll take care of it.

 85-Episode 85: You guys are bad

    A momentary feeling of floating as the area in front of me turned white.

    Then, when my feet hit the ground and the light subsided, it wasn''t the village of the demon tribe I was in earlier, it was inside a building.

    I look around.

    Next to my right is Viviana-san, who, like me, has transitioned using a magic tool.

    This is the interior of a building somewhere.

    It''s quite spacious, with a beautiful sofa and desk.

    "Ho-hee, I''m really back.

    Viviana, where are we?

    I don''t know which room, but it''s probably the Royal Palace.

    I knew it.

    I''ve never been in this room before either, but this opulence and other things were familiar to me.

    As I look around the room, I find a large window.

    I rush up to it and open it up.

    This seems to be a room on the upper floor of the royal palace. From the window, you can see the whole view of the royal capital.

    The capital, seen from there, has already been turned into a battlefield.

    Fires were rising everywhere and buildings were falling down.

    And we could hear the voices of battle and shouting, which we hadn''t heard when the windows were closed.

    ''This is awful. We''re about to lose.''

    I heard Viviana''s voice as she looked out the window from behind me.

    It wasn''t her usual lazy voice, but a bit tighter.

    As far as King''s Landing is concerned, it''s pretty much under attack.

    But we haven''t lost yet.

    The battle isn''t over yet.

    We have to go to the rescue immediately!

    We have to quickly determine where to go.

    I can tell the soldiers of the opposing demon tribe from the soldiers of this one, by their clothes.

    As far as I can see it from here, the front line of the current battlefield is right in front of the royal palace.

    A lot of soldiers are fighting and bleeding and falling.

    So this side is the back gate.

    If so many of the opponents'' soldiers are coming at the back gate, it is likely that more are coming at the main gate.

    ''Viviana-san, can I leave the main gate to you?

    Sure, I''ll come to you.

    If you compare my strength with Bibiana''s, I will win if we do a one-on-one.

    However, when fighting many, Bibiana-san can be more effective.

    She''s powerful enough to kill dozens or hundreds of people with a single shot of magic.

    I can fight that number as well, but the latter is far stronger than slashing a hundred people one by one with a sword over tens of minutes, or releasing a single shot of magic to kill a hundred people.

    That''s why I let Viviana-san go to the main gate, where the number of the opposing soldiers would be greater.

    It''s hard to leave the hardest one to a woman, but she''s in the right place.

    ''''Please. Also, there''s a possibility that there are already enemies inside the royal palace, so please be careful.''''

    I know.

    ''His Majesty Leo I don''t think he''s going to be easily beaten, but I''m wondering if that should be the priority in case he''s attacked.

    If His Majesty Leo, the king of this country, is killed, this country will be completely defeated.

    The opponent''s goal is to corrupt the royal capital and to have His Majesty Leo''s head.

    ''''No, I don''t think you have to do that!

    What? Why?

    ''Leo-san always says, ''Protect the people over me.'' So Leo-san doesn''t have to protect you!

    No, I don''t think I need to protect it.

    But, yeah.

    He''s likely to say something like that.

    So we don''t have to go through the palace.

    Well, let''s go. Bibiana, you''ll go to the front gate. I''ll go to the back gate.

    Okay. Let''s get on with it then, Eric.

    Of course.

    I''m angry at you all right now.

    The fact that you attacked this country, that you did so much damage to King''s Landing, is what really pissed me off.

    But what pissed me off the most was that I never got a chance to talk to Irene.

    I finally got to meet Irene, who I''ve been wanting to see time and time again for sixteen years and who I haven''t forgotten a single day of.

    And yet, with you guys coming, I had to go back.

    Christo''s decision to bring me back was not wrong.

    But I wonder why I hold a grudge for nothing.

    I''d be lying if I said I didn''t wonder why you''d bring me back when I got to see Irene in my dreams.

    I don''t want to think about that.

    I know it in theory, but my mind isn''t convinced of it.

    I didn''t want to feel that way about my best friend Christo.

    I''ll have to tell him when he comes back this way.

    With a wry smile, I said, "Why did you bring me back?

    He knows I like Irene anyway, so I can say that much sarcasm.

    And in order to laugh about it, I have to defend this country through and through.

    If you guys hadn''t come along in the first place, I wouldn''t have had to say that kind of sarcasm to Christo, and I could have had a solid talk with Irene.

    In other words, it''s all your fault.

    I can''t blame you for feeling this way because I''m human.

    So I''ll never forgive you.

    I put my feet on the window sill and jump and stand there.

    It''s a big window frame, so my head doesn''t hit the top when I stand.

    And Viviana stands next to me, too.

    ''Well, shall we go then?''

    Yeah, I think we should go.

    Then we get together and jump down.

    I head to the battlefield on the ground, landing on the roof and other parts of the royal palace that are sticking out in places.

    It''s the kind of action that would get me accused of disrespect or something like that, but I''m sure I can handle it now in an emergency situation.

    Viviana-san was there until she jumped down next to me, but she''s gone.

    She probably went to the main gate with her levitation magic.

    Then I land on the ground and go to the back gate where they are fighting.

    On my way there, I saw that a wall of ice had been created on the battlefield.

    The only soldiers in this country who could do that would be Commander Anne, Viviana, and Tina.

    There, Tina is there. She''s still fighting, she''s still alive.

    And we''re on the battlefield.

    There are a lot of soldiers in this country, but most of them are already out of magic and can''t move.

    They all have a look of despair on their faces already.

    In the midst of it all, Tina is still trying to fight, staring towards the ice wall.

    I''m kind of happy or relieved to see that, but I can''t help but laugh a little.

    I''ve never been away from Tina before, not even for a day since I met her.

    I was worried because this is the first time I''ve been away from her this much, but I''m relieved to see that she''s doing well.

    And the fact that she still had the strength to fight after all this despair showed that Tina was still strong, which made me somewhat happy.

    Thank God, Tina is alive.

    I almost lost it again.

    ''Tina, you did a great job.''

    He calls out from behind and puts a hand on his shoulder.

    ''-- Eric!

    As if to reassure Tina, who looked at me happily and said that.

    And to myself, as if to make a vow.

    Yeah, you''re waiting. I''ll take care of it.

 86-Episode 86 Thousands Killed?

    In front of me is a thick, huge wall of ice.

    It''s stopping the other soldier''s feet.

    A metallic sound can be heard from the other side, as if they are trying to break the wall with their swords.

    But the ice wall is not jolted.

    Tina''s magic has become dramatically stronger in the month since she joined the Order of Magic.

    Breaking this wall would be a painstaking task.

    ''''The side is empty!¡¡Attack it from there!

    I can hear someone saying that on the other side of the wall.

    Even though it''s huge, it''s not big enough to completely block the wide road leading to the royal palace.

    It is blocking about 70% of the road.

    It is blocking the middle, so both sides of the road are empty.

    We''ll take advantage of that.

    ''Tina!¡¡I''m running into a vacancy!¡¡You''re going to block the empty space on the other side with another wall of ice!

    ''Yes!¡¡I get it!

    As soon as I hear Tina''s response, I start running.

    I don''t ask if I can do it.

    I''m sure Tina can do it.

    Before I can reach that open path, two, and one wolf-shaped demon breaks through.

    "Don''t die!

    The soldier in the lead saw me running and immediately swung his sword and attacked me.

    I don''t stop running.

    I turn my body sideways to avoid him with a single piece of paper and walk past him.

    As I pass, I let my head fly with my sword.

    Someone is surprised to see their companion''s head disappear in front of me.

    Without missing the opportunity, he swings his sword and slashes his torso.

    ''''Guh!

    It collapses, spurting out fresh blood from its body.

    It may not be dead, but it would be a fatal wound.

    The blood on its face has blinded the wolf.

    It snarls low with its eyes closed and its head flies off like it did earlier.

    I need to get to the other side of the ice wall quickly.

    I keep running and before I get there, the other soldier is still slashing at me.

    But I''m not going to be hit by it.

    Tina isn''t the only one who has grown up in the Knights for the past month.

    I''ve also become stronger by doing the training here.

    Particularly when I was in the village, I couldn''t practice, fighting a multitude of battles.

    In my previous life, I could only get experience in fighting a large number of battles on the battlefield, but here it''s different.

    I''m confident that I''m stronger in multiplayer battles than I was in my previous life.

    And I will reach the other side of the ice wall, killing them as I go.

    On the other side, there are already hundreds of demon soldiers and even more demons.

    ''Hey! What are you doing?¡¡There''s only one of you!¡¡Enclose and kill!

    I can hear someone yelling that in the distance.

    Yes, I''m alone.

    There are thousands of them.

    But what does it matter?

    In the first place, the idea that you have an overwhelming advantage because you have many allies and just one opponent is a mistake.

    There is a limit to the number of people who can surround me.

    At best, it''s about ten people.

    And that doesn''t mean those ten people can''t all attack me at once.

    If someone launches an attack, the others will wait.

    This is because there is a chance that their attacks will be hit.

    If there are many of them by themselves, the many would have to be very well trained to get around.

    Therefore, no matter how many there are, as long as you calmly deal with them one by one, it''s no big deal.

    Furthermore, some of the opponents don''t understand the word "demon".

    Normally these are the demons that should be on their side, but in this situation right now, the demons that attack me without thinking will be a hindrance.

    When I was standing alone in the middle of this mass of people, magic comes flying in from the side.

    A rock the size of a person''s head is coming at me.

    There''s a long-range attack called magic, but it''s a bad idea.

    I tried to avoid them and flicked the ones I couldn''t duck with my sword.

    Then what happens?

    The magic passes through me and hits the other soldier.

    "Guh!

    Hey!¡¡Don''t use magic!

    If you avoid magic, it''s bound to hit the other demon soldiers directly.

    It may be different for magic that rises from the ground, but other than that, there is no way it can be used with so many allies on one opponent.

    That''s why I thought they wouldn''t use it, but there was someone who did.

    In fact, I was surprised and panicked.

    "How come there are so many of them and I can''t kill a single one?

    Don''t tell me this guy is a ''thousand slayers''?

    The corpses of people and demons are lying around me, and someone is shouting in a trembling voice amidst the pile up.

    ''A thousand slayers''?

    What''s that, I''ve never heard of it.

    He''s not here right now, is he?

    ''We had to have that information!¡¡So it must be different!

    ''''And that guy must have had information that the ''Thousand Man Slayer'' was one-armed!¡¡That guy usually has both arms!

    With one arm, slaying a thousand people........

    You mean Liberto-san?

    I don''t know why he''s been given such a nickname.

    Did he do something in the past?

    As I was thinking this, I heard a loud noise in the distance.

    I looked over there as I fought and saw that a wall of ice had been built again on the opposite side of the street where I was.

    Tina did it.

    That''s great, to be able to unleash such a big magic twice in such a short time.

    The only way for the other soldier to attack the royal palace with this is to go the way I came this way.

    But I''m not going to let them do it.

    The reason I''ve built up so many corpses here is for the purpose of interrupting their progress.

    And besides me, there are other soldiers from this country on the royal palace side of the ice wall.

    Earlier, it was difficult to deal with them because a large number of enemies were coming all at once on the main street, but now there''s only a path that five people can barely pass through.

    Even if you ignore me and try to attack me, you''ll have a hard time dealing with the soldiers on our side who are defending that road to the death.

    Now, it''s time to turn the tables.

    No one is going to be able to enter the palace through the back gate as long as I''m here.

 87-Episode 87 Stronger

    Great.....

    What''s that strength....

    I can hear the people next to me, stunned by the scene in front of me, muttering to themselves.

    I made another wall of ice to block one of the two open roads as Eric had told me earlier.

    There were several soldiers and demons from the other side coming in on that side as well, but all the soldiers on this side helped us out, so we managed it.

    Now, the enemy can only attack on this side of the road where Eric has gone.

    Therefore, I thought it would be a fierce battle since many enemies would be gathering on that side.

    But it was different.

    The number of soldiers coming to the open road is limited.

    Even if they come all at once, it''s only about five people.

    I''m not going to be able to get my hands on any of them.

    How is it possible to defeat the opponent so easily?

    The soldiers on our side have such questions.

    I know.

    Why are things going so easily?

    After a while, the other soldier is less and less likely to pass through the empty road, so I go through there from our side to chase after him and take out the enemy.

    There, the soldiers on our side would understand why it was so easy to do so.

    What I and the other soldiers saw was a pile of bodies blocking the empty road.

    And at the back of the pile, still laying waste to the enemy''s soldiers, was Eric.

    In the middle of the enemy with more than a hundred people.

    The figure of a single person there, swinging a sword and cutting down the enemy.

    ''''What the hell, that guy, you can tell he''s our soldier just by looking at his outfit, but...!

    "Lieutenant Commander Liberto, isn''t it?

    Not many people knew Eric''s face, who had only been in the Order for a month.

    So many people think that the person who can do that much is none other than Vice Commander Liberto-san.

    But Deputy Commander Liberto doesn''t have a left arm.

    The person in front of me right now can be seen to have both arms even from a distance.

    ''''Who the hell is that...!

    Maybe it''s inappropriate to think about this now, but I''m kind of glad I''m not.

    My Eric is being astonished and appreciated by others.

    Up until now, I''ve only had the reputation of being the strongest in the village.

    Still, though, in my mind, Eric was the strongest and coolest person in the world.

    It''s great to be recognized by others.

    My family, Eric is cool, right?

    Isn''t Eric strong?

    Looking next to me, the people on my side are still dumbfounded when they see Eric.

    Ah, that guy, the way he''s looking at Eric is feverish. His face is also kind of reddening.

    I''m glad to admit it, but I shouldn''t fall in love with him.

    Yeah, be careful with that guy. I know his face.

    "You!¡¡What a blah blah blah blah!¡¡Follow that one!

    The person in command huffed and finally gave such instructions.

    And with those instructions, the soldiers on this side began to attack the enemy soldiers and demons as they followed Eric''s lead.

    ''''Fight against the ice wall!

    The wall of ice I built.

    It''s crumbling a bit from enemy weapons and demons hurting it, but it''s still intact.

    If you turn your back on it, you won''t be attacked from behind.

    And if I defend this ice wall to the death, the royal palace will not be attacked.

    I and other magic users will release their magic against the ice wall.

    Since allies and enemies are already fighting in a huddle, they can''t shoot big magic like they did earlier.

    They aim at the enemy soldiers and demons and kill them with magic.

    I''ve killed quite a few of them as well, but no matter how many I estimate, they''re not as good as Eric''s.

    I''ve built up enough corpses to fill an empty road, and I''ve also slashed my opponent countless times.

    And that''s just one person, rushing into the midst of hundreds of enemies.

    I think I''ve gotten stronger this past month, joining the Magic Knights.

    With the instruction in magic from Commander Anne and Viviana, I was able to learn more about magic in depth than when I was in the village.

    I wouldn''t have been able to do this ice wall a month ago.

    However, I realized that I still have a long way to go.

    I can still see Eric''s figure, his back, who is still cutting down his opponents, in the distance.

    The place I should be aiming for is over there.

    Next to Eric, next to him.

    It may be difficult for a magic user to stand next to Eric in such a turbulent situation.

    But I will definitely go there.

    My goal was the same before and after I joined the Magic Order.

    This battle, if Eric hadn''t come, it would have been dangerous.

    It''s because of Eric that I''m making the most of this wall of ice.

    I have to be stronger, I have to be stronger.

    Because I want to stand next to Eric.

    Because I want to protect that back.

    Oh, but I should have done the sword, too.

    Then I could have jumped out and stood next to Eric now.

    I hate my mom and aunt Serena for stopping my uncle Diane from trying to teach me the sword.

    But I have a talent, a magic, that even Eric doesn''t have.

    That''s the only weapon I have.

    ''''Blade Wind (Windsword)!''''

    Activate the magic.

    The magic I cast with Eric when I was ten years old.

    A blade of wind rips through the body of an enemy soldier and some of the demons behind it.

    This magic is now stronger too.

    But more.

    Let''s try harder and be stronger.

    I shoot my magic and then step back.

    Then the person who was preparing behind me releases his magic.

    We''re fighting in the same good flow as we were before Eric arrived.

    If I keep going, I can defend the back gate to death!

    The moment I thought that--

    --A violent impact hit me from behind with a loud explosion.

 88-Episode 88: Battle of the Main Gate

    "Prepare for magic!¡¡Let go!

    I--Anne Bendix shouts that to the soldiers who are holding their wands and commands them to do so.

    With that voice, a number of magic flies towards the enemy.

    The magic, calculated to avoid hitting our allies, slashes and blows up the enemy.

    However, the number of magic is not enough.

    ''''Light Spear (Sun Spear)!''''

    I unleash my magic as well.

    Three spears of light appear above my head and I send them flying at my enemies.

    I pierce the enemy''s body and then control more spears of light to send the heads of those who are there flying.

    Flying the three spears might be possible for a magic knight, but it''s difficult to manipulate them after flying them.

    Not even Viviana can do this.

    No, she said "it''s too difficult to do it, so I don''t want to do it", so maybe I can do it if I do.

    But this is my weapon.

    Controlling and controlling magic.

    It uses very delicate magic manipulation and enormous concentration, but with this, I''ve come to be the head of the Order of Magic.

    When it comes to magic manipulation, I''m confident that no one can beat me.

    Even Viviana.

    Even Tina Aulin.

    But if we don''t, we''ll be able to get through the front gate.

    There are thousands of enemy soldiers in front of us, and among them are thousands of demons.

    This one wasn''t outnumbered either.

    But just now........there was a huge explosion in front of the main gate.

    It was out of the blue.

    Without warning, a huge explosion occurred in the middle of the battlefield.

    And unfortunately, the soldiers on our side suffered more damage, and all at once, the enemy had the advantage.

    We, the Magic Knights, took up positions in the rear, providing cover fire for the knights fighting in front.

    The distance between them is getting closer and closer than before.

    The main gate hasn''t been breached yet, but it''s only a matter of time now.

    However, the Begonia Kingdom, the leader of the Magic Knights, can''t give up.

    Even if everyone else has given up and fallen.

    I''m going to be the only one who has to stand up and kill all my enemies.

    It''s a good idea to have a good time with them.

    ''''Sorry for the wait!

    Suddenly I hear a voice from next to me.

    The corner of my mouth slackens as the voice descends from above.

    ''It''s true, Viviana. You''re late.''

    I''m still in a hurry!

    Viviana came down from the sky and landed lightly.

    It was like she had come here so lightly that I suspected she was about to go for a walk.

    ''We''re going to need your help,''

    Okay. Well, I''ll go now.

    The palm of his right hand is pointed at the enemy.

    Then the air changes and the magic power swells up all at once.

    ''''Knights!¡¡Step back!

    I magically raise my voice and command them to do so.

    In response to my voice, which has passed even in the midst of fighting for their lives, the soldiers on my side retreat back or lean to either side in response to my voice.

    We know.

    The power of Viviana''s magic.

    And--''

    ''''Ikuyo, ''Light Heat Ray (Heaven''s Ray).''''''

    A spell unleashed in an absent voice.

    A ray of light shot out at the center where there were no enemies.

    Very loudly, six enemies who were standing at the front, three demons disappear into the light.

    And a ray of light that continues all the way behind them.

    ''''Gaaa--''''

    You can hear the voice of the enemy entering the ray of light for a moment, but it is soon cut off.

    When you enter that light, it''s the end - the end.

    When the light disappears and I look at the path I passed, there was nothing there.

    Hundreds of enemy soldiers and demons must have entered it.

    ''''Guaaaah!¡¡My arm ah!

    I heard one of the enemies shouting at me.

    When I looked, I saw that his left arm was missing.

    I''m not going to be able to get a good idea of what''s going on.

    --It has disappeared.

    Too powerful.

    Too cruel.

    The attack didn''t even leave a bone in its wake.

    In an instant, everything is gone.

    "There''s no one in this thing, is there?

    The person who made such an attack seems to be worried that his allies are not in it.

    ''''No, that was a close one! You almost hit one of my friends!

    That''s why you stopped the spell in the middle of it.

    The current magic doesn''t reach the back of the enemy.

    If it''s Viviana''s amount of magic, she should be able to reach it with plenty of time to spare.

    Perhaps she stopped it because it was about to hit her allies on the way.

    ''''I wonder if about two hundred people have gone now?

    Yeah, I think that''s about it.

    While saying that, Viviana begins to build up her magic power to shoot the next magic.

    The speed and amount of the magic, it''s hard to believe that she just released the magic.

    As I thought, it''s strong.

    Definitely more than me.

    With one magic, I''m a dozen or so.

    But Viviana can kill hundreds of people with a single magic.

    How many times have you thought that if you had this much power?

    But there''s no point in asking for something that isn''t there.

    You''ll have to do what only I can do, and that''s what I''m going to do.

    What the hell was that?

    You don''t think it''s The Devil''s Witch that''s coming?

    I thought you said he was gone!

    I can hear such a voice from the enemy side.

    ''Moo, I wish you wouldn''t give me such a not so cute name!

    Viviana frowned in frustration.

    I knew that such a nickname was given to her, but it''s still lame.

    Since witch originally meant ''demonic woman'', it''s even more lame that it''s ''demonic witch'' and the meaning is covered by it.

    However, the enemy''s words just now........

    As I thought, it might be as I thought.

    As I was thinking that--

    -- I heard another loud explosion.

    That explosion came from behind me, and the ground shook.

    I knew this explosion was also aimed at someone else...!

    The reason why the enemy is advancing to this royal palace right now is because the defense of the central city has been breached.

    And the main reason for that breach is a large mysterious explosion.

    The explosion now, given the direction and the shaking of the air.

    I turn around.

    Behind me is the royal palace, and I can''t see the place where the explosion just now would have happened.

    ''''At the back gate, the explosion happened...!

 89-Episode 89: The Back Gate Explosion

    What the hell is going on?

    A moment ago, the soldiers of the begonia kingdom had the upper hand, and the enemy was already on the verge of retreating.

    What was that explosion?

    I was at the front line, defeating the enemy, when there was a huge explosion behind me.

    I turned around, startled by the sudden explosion and blast, and the sight I saw was - a wall of ice was about to collapse.

    The ice wall created by Tina''s magic.

    Thanks to that thing, I was able to stand alone with peace of mind, and our side had the advantage.

    Why did such a big explosion happen and the ice wall crumble down?

    No, wait.

    Earlier, there should have been soldiers over there shooting magic against the ice wall.

    Among them, Tina was also--.

    ''''Yes, now is the time!¡¡We must attack the palace!

    I heard someone from the enemy soldiers shout that.

    With that voice, the enemy guys let out a yell and attacked towards the royal palace.

    They ignored me and headed to the place where the ice wall was, cutting down the enemies who were trying to go to the royal palace.

    The people who were shooting magic just now are mostly gone.

    A soldier wearing the same clothes as me is lying on the ground with pieces of ice.

    I had a bad feeling when I saw that.

    Tina, Tina is...!¡¡Where is Tina...!

    I look at the faces of the fallen soldiers.

    Some of them are just fainting, while others have been killed instantly by a piece of ice wall stuck in their necks or something.

    Where are you, Tina........!

    "Tina!¡¡Tina!

    While shouting that, I slash the enemy in front of me.

    Until a moment ago, I had accurately slashed the opponent''s head and other parts of his body to ensure that he was killed, but now I''m in such a hurry that I can''t do that.

    ''''Get out of the way!''''

    There is no technique, he just swings his sword and slashes at his opponent.

    As he does so, he looks around.

    Nah!¡¡I found him.

    I can''t see her face from my side, but I can see her back.

    Tina is down on the ground like the other soldiers.

    ''Tina!¡¡Get out of there!

    I head there, slashing at the enemy in front of me.

    Then I get there and pick up Tina.

    ''Tina!¡¡Are you okay?!

    When I look at his face, I see that he is meditating.

    She is bleeding a little from her head, but not that much.

    I put my hand over Tina''s mouth, and she is breathing.

    Apparently, she''s just passed out.

    Thank God, she''s alive........!

    I finally calm down, relieved that Tina is still alive.

    I don''t turn around and use my sword to catch the enemy that slashed at me from behind.

    ''''Huh?''''

    The enemy was surprised that I didn''t expect to be dealt with with my back turned.

    I turned around and slashed the enemy''s throat.

    The enemy fell as it was, unable to make a sound.

    Now is not the time to defeat the enemy here.

    I have to carry Tina to safety.

    I put Tina''s arms around my neck and lift her up.

    Then I kill the signs.

    As expected, I''m carrying Tina on my back, so it''s not like I won''t be exposed at all, but it''s better than not doing it.

    I make my way to the end of the road while my allies and enemies are fighting.

    A few of them notice me and slash at me, but I take them off with my sword and slash their legs.

    I''m in a bad position to kill them, so if I slash their legs, they can''t attack me anymore.

    Then he reaches the end of the road and goes inside the house, which is still safe, and makes Tina lie down.

    As long as we stay here, as long as this house doesn''t collapse, we''ll be fine.

    But we can''t feel safe.

    I don''t know what would happen if there was an explosion like the one that happened earlier.

    But what was that explosion?

    Looking at the enemy''s voice and actions earlier, it seems that the explosion just now was not intended by the other side.

    However, it was an explosion that would certainly give the enemy an advantage.

    An explosion like that couldn''t have happened by accident.

    Thinking about that, a chill runs down my back.

    --Huh!¡¡Who''s there?

    ''Who are you?¡¡Come out!

    Someone is in front of this house.

    He''s so good at killing the signs, I don''t know how long he''s been there.

    But it''s definitely there.

    Well if you don''t come out, I''m coming to you.

    He cautiously approached the exit of the house, sword at the ready.

    ''''--Well noticed. If you''re spotted that easily, your assassin''s name will be broken.

    I heard a voice from the exit.

    It was someone else, after all.

    But - at the voice, I opened my eyes.

    Why, why.........!

    --I would be lying if I said I didn''t suspect it.

    Because this raid was targeted and carried out in the absence of the deputy commander, Liberto-san and Viviana-san.

    The fact that the other party knows this information -- that means that someone has divulged it.

    And the explosion just now.

    That was probably the explosion of the ice wall from the palace side.

    The evidence is that the ice fragments were less on the royal palace side and were scattered on the one who was fighting.

    So it was highly likely that one of the Begonia Kingdom''s soldiers had caused the explosion.

    The person who had just made a voice appeared so that I could see him.

    I could tell by the voice.

    I wanted to deny that I had a different mind when I saw the figure, but I was affirmed.

    But I don''t know why.

    ''Why did you betray me--Elena-san!

 90-Episode 90: Betrayal

    Why did you betray me--Mr. Elena!

    Elena Millwood.

    She roomed with me and I have been living with her for a month since she joined the Order.

    She was a real man, though she had a look that could be mistaken for a woman, but she was a real man.

    Even though he knew he was a man, he sometimes showed gestures and expressions that gave the illusion that he was a woman.

    He was never front and back, always had a cheerful and very likeable personality, and we got along very well.......when we were in the same room.

    That kind of Elena-san is now standing in front of me, her smile that seems to draw people in has disappeared.

    She''s standing in the doorway of the house with no expression on her face, looking at me.

    Our eyes meet, but I can''t sense any emotion in her eyes.

    Why is Elena-san.........!

    You''re the one who sent us the information.

    I ask as I hold my sword at the ready.

    ''''Yeah, that''s right. I was the one who let it slip that the Lindow Empire doesn''t have the strongest soldiers in this country right now, Vice Commander Viviana and Vice Commander Liberto.

    Elena-san speaks nonchalantly and with a blank expression as she lays out the facts.

    Elena-san, who had her usual cheerful and energetic way of speaking, seems to be a lie.

    ''Why did you betray me........!¡¡What the hell is the reason you betrayed me!

    I shout that out loud.

    From outside, I can hear the sounds of fighting and someone screaming.

    But right now it feels quiet, as if only the space here is blocked off.

    The sounds of battle and screams are supposed to be close by, but they sound as if they are far away.

    In that quiet space, Elena-san replies in a small murmur.

    ''''It''s not that I betrayed you,''''

    What do you mean...

    That means I''m not one of you to begin with, Eric.

    So what does that mean...?

    The moment I was about to ask her again, Elena-san closed her eyes.

    Her eyes, which had never turned away until now, closed once, and when we looked at each other once more--there was a pair of bright red eyes.

    --there was a pair of eyes that were dyed bright red.

    When in battle or manipulating magic, the eyes turn red, reminiscent of the color of blood.

    It''s a trait not found in the human race.

    It''s the same as Felix Gladio, whom I killed, and Irene, whom I love, in other words.

    So she''s a demon........!

    ''Yeah, that''s right. So, I''m originally on the side of the Lynda Empire. Well, not exactly.

    We''ve been living together for a month now, and I''ve never noticed it.

    There is no physical difference between the demon race and the human race in the first place.

    The only difference is that their eyes change color, like Elena-san just did.

    ''''Then why are you a soldier in the Begonia Kingdom...!

    I''m a spy. This country was being targeted by many different demon nations, so they sent me to spy on them.

    He chuckles a little as if to remind me of something, and looks away from me and up.

    ''I started out as an apprentice so as not to get suspicious, so I''ve been here for what seems like three years. It seems like it was a long time, a short time... well, I guess it doesn''t matter.

    He huffs and snorts and gives me another blank look.

    ''Because I can finally leave here. That''s the end of a troublesome mission - taking you out of the way.

    When I said that, Elena-san, who hadn''t held anything until just now, had a dagger in her hands.

    She must have planted them in the sleeves of her clothes.

    A lot of things startled me, but I was not at all caught off guard as I observed Elena-san.

    ''I''m sorry, but I''m not going to let you beat me.

    I''ve fought Elena-san in training until now, and I''ve never lost a fight.

    Holding a dagger in both hands means that the way we fight is the same as it was in training.

    The weapons Elena-san and I have are both real weapons with blades, but I can stun them without killing them.

    After receiving my words, Elena-san smiled for the first time here.

    That smile wasn''t the pure one I knew, it was a twisted smile.

    ''Haha, Eric. Did you think I was being serious in my training?

    Huh!

    "I''m sure Eric, who killed Felix Glazio, knows about the demonic traits.

    How does he know that I killed that guy?

    Since he''s a spy for the demon race, should he know that much?

    ''''When they get serious in battle, the demon race gets red eyes - that''s what I''m talking about!

    Elena-san said and jumped in with her bright red eyes.

    --Fast!

    He is surprised at how fast it is faster than he expected and swings his sword.

    But it is swept away by the dagger in Elena-san''s right hand, and she swings the dagger in her reverse hand.

    ''''--Kuch!

    The dagger that was about to stab me in the stomach, I quickly flicked the dagger around Elena-san''s wrist with no hand and deflected the trajectory.

    My clothes were torn and the dagger was snatched from my right side. But the wound is shallow.

    This pause is bad.

    Too close for my sword to swing, and Elena''s dagger will be in its element as much as I want it to be.

    I can''t back up, because Tina is asleep.

    Before Elena can move on to her next attack, I kick her as hard as I can, aiming for her stomach.

    Elena crosses her arms and just barely prevents it, but her momentum sends her back to the doorway of the house.

    This gave me a pause.

    But it was a close call........

    It would have been bad if I had been hit with that kind of momentum.

    Elena-san was right, the speed of the training wasn''t serious after all.

    But that''s all.

    The speed at which they were approaching and the speed at which they wielded their daggers had certainly increased.

    Still, I''m better than you.

    Even if my speed had increased, it wasn''t as fast as Felix''s.

    That guy was faster and more powerful than me.

    He wasn''t so weak that my kick would make him fall back as far as Elena-san now.

    He''s getting stronger, but I''m still stronger than him--?

    As I was thinking this, the scene in front of me suddenly began to distort.

    For some reason, my legs also stop doing what I say, and I fall to my knees, dazed.

    Wha, what...!

    I told you, Eric. I''m not a soldier, I''m an assassin.

    Elena-san is slowly approaching me in front of me.

    This can''t be........

    Doku ka..........!

    ''Yes, the dagger is coated with poison. It''s so deadly poison that if it goes in through the wound, you''ll pass out in seconds.

    Elena''s figure in front of me becomes hazy.

    ''I won, Eric. For the first time, I beat Eric. I''m not particularly happy about it.

 91-Episode 91: Priority

    I won, Eric. That''s the first time I''ve beaten Eric. I''m not particularly happy about it.

    I can no longer hear the sounds that should have been ringing outside.

    I''m still standing on my knees with my sword in the ground, but I feel like I''m going to fall apart if I lose any strength.

    It''s getting hard to breathe........

    ''''Just when I thought you wouldn''t back up, Tina-chan was behind you.

    I see Tina lying down behind me, and I hear Elena mutter that faintly, emotionlessly.

    ''I got hit by the explosion earlier. Well, even if I hadn''t been hit, it wouldn''t have made much difference since I was going to do it myself, just like you.

    He''s trying to get past me, to get to Tina.

    I won''t let her.

    I won''t let someone I know to be an enemy get close to Tina, who is defenseless.

    I muster all my strength and swing my sword to the right side.

    ''''Huh!¡¡Surprise ... I can still move.

    However, even Elena, who was slow to react, could only swing her sword with enough speed to prevent it.

    ''''That''s amazing, Yulina was knocked out in an instant.

    ''¡¡Did you do that to Miss Yulina...?

    Even Elena''s words sound like they''re being said in the distance, this close to me.

    ''She''s been getting stronger too. Thanks to Eric. You''re the most unexpected person I''ve ever met on this mission. How could a strong boy like you come out of nowhere and where have you been hiding? I didn''t expect Mr. Felix to be defeated.

    You know Felix, do you know...?

    ''Of course, it was Mr. Felix who bought the highest amount of information he got from my spies. It wasn''t really the Lynda Empire, but Felix-san''s army that was supposed to attack us.

    I see, so even in her previous life, Elena-san was a soldier in the Begonia Kingdom as a spy.

    So the time of this battle was the same in both the previous life and this life?

    Both times Elena-san had passed out information, so she was attacked when the deputy commander, Liberto-san and Viviana-san were not present.

    The Lynda Empire is weak so I''m helping out a bit, but I didn''t expect you and Deputy Commander Viviana to come back.

    After all, the explosion earlier was caused by Elena-san.

    ''But it''s good to have you back. It would have been difficult if it was Deputy Commander Liberto.

    Elena squats down in front of me and makes eye contact with me.

    Her eyes are misty and I can only see a little, but I can still see that she''s smiling.

    ''Eric''s so sweet, I thought he''d be upset when he fought me. That''s why I was able to defeat you so easily.

    -Oh!

    I quickly swing my sword at Elena-san in front of me.

    However, whether it''s too late or Elena-san was expecting it, it''s easy to avoid it.

    ''''Why, why...!¡¡So, all of this was a lie.¡¡Everything we''ve lived with was a lie...!

    I scream, holding back my ragged breaths.

    We''ve lived together for the past month.

    We''ve trained together, worked together, even bathed together.

    Was that action, that word, that smile a lie?

    I wonder if it was a lie. I don''t know, either. It would be a lie to say that I didn''t forget my mission as a spy. I can''t tell you that everything we laughed about together was a lie.

    Ellen-san''s words had been spoken emotionlessly all this time, but I feel a little bit of emotion on them.

    ''''Then why are you doing this........!

    It''s a mission. Isn''t work important for survival?

    Work?¡¡To live?

    You don''t have to be a spy to do the job.

    It''s not easy to become a soldier in the Begonia Kingdom.

    Elena told me it took her three years to get there.

    She can survive on this job alone.

    ''You''re a straight shooter, aren''t you? You''ve been straight for a long time, haven''t you?

    What do you mean...?

    I certainly don''t want to do the things I did in my past life that I regret.

    I lived my life so that I would no longer lose what I lost.

    To that end.

    "Because I''ve never been able to live as straight as I am. I''ve lived bent, twisted, rotten.

    What are you talking about?

    I don''t know what that means.

    "You only got upset to beat me because you''re straight. I took you down so fast because I''m crooked. That''s the difference.

    Once again, Elena crouches in front of me.

    I no longer have the strength left to swing my sword.

    ''You said I was your friend. I thought so, too. No, maybe I still think so.

    So, why are you...

    ''It''s easy, we just have different priorities,''

    I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder.

    I took a closer look with my misty eyes and found a dagger in my shoulder.

    Elena-san had stabbed me with it.

    ''I could have attacked you for ''purposes''. Maybe your priority was your friend, but my ''purpose'' was my priority.

    Hearing those words, the numbness in my body increased all at once.

    The dagger is pulled out of my shoulder and I fall down as it is.

    ''''It''s been fun so far. I''m sure we''ll meet again somewhere. At that time, though, we''ll be enemies.

    With those words, I let go of my consciousness for the last time - and that''s what I did.

 92-Episode 92 See you

    I stood up, making sure Eric was unconscious in front of me.

    Tina is lying in the back.

    She probably passed out from the explosion I caused earlier.

    I think she was shooting her magic around the ice wall, so she was in a more vulnerable position to the explosion.

    I walk past Eric and approach Tina.

    Eric doesn''t swing his sword at me like he did earlier, he really looks like he''s fainting.

    ''Tina-chan was one of those people I didn''t expect.

    I''ve never heard of a single person being able to build an ice wall like that.

    I mean, I''ve heard that you were a genius when it comes to magic, but I never knew you could do something like that.

    Eric brought you here, Tina, too.

    He said Eric taught her magic.

    I knew Eric was too much for her.

    But now we''re out of the way.

    I crouched down next to Tina.

    Then I make a shallow slash at her shoulder with my dagger.

    Even if I''m passed out, I don''t know when I''m going to wake up.

    This doesn''t keep me awake for half a day.

    Well, my work is finally done.

    "I''ve been here for three years...

    It feels pretty long in words, but it didn''t feel that long in experience.

    I''ve heard that painful things feel longer and fun things feel shorter.

    -- I guess it was fun after all.

    The training period wasn''t that painful either.

    No one knew who I was, so they were friendly with me.

    Yulina also adored me for being like this.

    I look at Eric, who is lying on the ground, passed out.

    Every morning for the past month, I woke up to find Eric sleeping like this next to me.

    His face was calm and it had become somewhat of a habit to look at it every morning.

    I haven''t been able to sleep in the room with him the past few days, so I haven''t been able to see it.

    I''d like to see it again but I can''t watch it again.

    We can''t even get together and eat breakfast.

    I can''t train with you. I won''t be able to work.

    We wouldn''t be able to go back to our rooms at night and complain about how we felt that day or how tired we were.

    We can''t laugh at each other anymore.

    ........Huh?

    I felt something running down my cheeks and wiped it away, and it was tears.

    Before I knew it, I seemed to be crying.

    I had no right to cry, even though I had no right to cry.

    Why am I grieving?

    I can''t stay here and remember so many things.

    Outside, the sounds of battle are still echoing.

    The soldiers of the Begonia Kingdom and the Lynda Empire were still fighting each other.

    I take off the jacket of a soldier from the Begonia Kingdom and throw it down to cover Eric.

    I''m going to leave my memories of the Begonia Kingdom here.

    ''Bye, Eric.''

    Then I left the house where they were sleeping.

    When I left the house, the soldiers were still fighting at the back gate.

    It seems that the Lindow Empire still hasn''t been able to break through this tattered front.

    ''''Die!''''

    As I was leaving the house and checking my surroundings, someone attacked me from the side with a sword.

    I quickly dodged and avoided it and at the same time slashed away the dagger into the opponent''s stomach.

    It wasn''t deep, but it was a sure cut.

    After I slashed, I realized that the opponent was a soldier from the Lindow Empire.

    ''''Ah?¡¡What are you, man, which way?

    You can''t seem to judge me because I''m not wearing the clothes of the Begonia Kingdom or the Lynda Empire.

    So how could you attack me, you''re too stupid.

    ''''Neither,''''

    What?¡¡What kind of...?

    The guy noticed something wrong with his body and collapsed to his knees.

    "...but...!

    You don''t need to know that, because you''re going to die.

    I''m going to get close to the dead guy.

    I don''t care who''s lying on the ground in front of me.

    I don''t have to kill him, and I don''t care if I do.

    Even if I don''t kill him directly, he''ll probably die on his own if he''s lying down here.

    But....

    I think I''m going to kill him.

    No, no.

    It''s probably wasted on poison resistance or something, but it hasn''t passed out yet.

    Whatever, it''s just a reminder of my true nature.

    I thrust the dagger into the fallen man''s neck.

    And then I tear his neck apart.

    "Buch--

    I could hear such a voice leaking out of his mouth, or perhaps from where he had torn it apart with his dagger.

    If it was someone I didn''t even know who it was, I could kill them this easily.

    I don''t kill people for the love of it, but I would if it was for a mission.

    This is the kind of killing I need to do to remind me of my mission.

    This will take me away from the daily routine of a soldier in the Kingdom of Begonia.

    "Thanks, I don''t even know your name.

    I think he could hear me because he probably didn''t die instantly.

    But he won''t understand what I''m saying and will just die.

    I leave the place.

    This time, kill the signs so that no one can find you.

    After checking out the current battlefield, there''s nothing more I can do about it.

    I don''t care who wins or loses, it doesn''t matter to me.

    I''ll remember what an assassin is supposed to do, and I''ll leave the country.

    That is my mission.

 93-Episode 93: Your Majestys Action

    I knew it was going to be like this...

    I - Jeremias Astara sighed as he looked at the scene in front of him.

    Normally, I wanted to settle this before this happened.

    But it''s no use saying that after it happened.

    We have to do something about this situation now.

    A few hours ago, the Begonia Kingdom was attacked, and I gave the soldiers immediate instructions.

    And after giving the instructions, my destination was to His Majesty Leonardo.

    An ordinary king would have stayed in the royal palace if there was a raid like this.

    Or he would flee from the back roads and other places and hide himself.

    If the king was killed, such a battle would be a complete defeat.

    But not His Majesty Leonardo of the Kingdom of Begonia.

    I arrive at the door of His Majesty''s room and open it immediately with a light knock.

    Normally, I would wait for him to answer, but right now it''s an emergency.

    When I entered, I saw His Majesty, a maid and a butler.

    There were several other maids in the room, and they noticed me and bailed.

    ''''Your Majesty!¡¡Please put the sword away!

    What do you mean?¡¡The enemy is right in front of us, and who is going to leave without me, the king!

    ''It''s because it''s Your Majesty that you shouldn''t leave!

    What?

    His Majesty is arguing with a maid and two butlers.

    It''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to get your hands on a new one.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a lot of people who are willing to pay for your services.

    ''''Your Majesty, Jeremias Astara.

    ''Oh!¡¡Yelle?!

    I called out to the three of them, who were engrossed in an argument, and His Majesty looked at me and laughed.

    Apparently they were mistakenly thinking that an ally had arrived.

    ''''Say it from Yelle!¡¡This is what they want me to do!¡¡Why should I, the king, run away without my people!

    ''Lord Jeremias!¡¡Please stop your Majesty!

    They won''t listen to anything we say!

    ''You''re the ones who don''t listen to me!¡¡I''m the king!¡¡Listen to the king''s orders!

    They would even use their authority as kings to dismiss the maids and stewards, but they would not retreat, as they were always supposed to be obedient.

    ''No!¡¡It''s not good enough for you to try to go to the front!

    ''It''s all well and good to be armed just in case, but why do you want to go to the front lines!

    What am I going to do if I don''t go to the front?

    What are you doing in the front line?

    Both the maid and the butler said so at the same time at His Majesty''s words.

    They argue with each other, not backing down at all.

    The thought of them fighting over each other almost makes me smile, though it''s close to the place but I can''t help but smile.

    ''Yelle!¡¡What do you think!

    His Majesty asks me for my opinion.

    Then I will say what I think of this dispute.

    ''Yes, if you will be honest with me.

    Yeah, tell them!

    What a ridiculous thing to say, Your Majesty, that idiot.

    ''Oh really stupid thing to say why me!

    His Majesty had been trying to convince the maid and the steward with me, but he was surprised to hear me say it.

    ''What do you say, even to you!

    Why do you want to put yourself in the line of fire to be the first to protect it?

    It''s not me you need to protect first, it''s the people who live in this country!

    His Majesty glares at me as he shouts that.

    ''Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten what I said?

    ''What His Majesty said is that the first thing we, the Knights, must protect is the people.

    ''''That''s exactly what I didn''t expect. Because I, including all of the Knights, have learned from His Majesty''s words.

    Then why are you trying to protect me?

    Because you are the people who live in this country.

    When I said that, His Majesty''s eyes widened.

    ''''I see, you think so?''''

    Yes, and if you die, even if your people survive, there will be no one to guide them.

    Hearing this, His Majesty, who had been raising his voice, seemed to calm down a bit.

    ''''I see. I''m sorry, I guess I wasn''t as cool as I should have been all of a sudden.''''

    I hope you understand.

    I''m sorry about that, guys.

    His Majesty apologizes to the butler and maid who were arguing earlier.

    ''''No, it''s fine.''''

    ''Yes, Your Majesty''s outbursts are always the same.

    ''Hmm, if I hadn''t been interrupted like that, I would have cut you guys down.

    It''s no joke and I''m really glad you didn''t.

    ''''But if it gets really dangerous, I''ll get out. What''s the point of someone who has the power to fight and not fight?

    Okay. I''ll join you then.

    And the scene was settled once.

    But then, when the fight started, His Majesty would try to go to the front line again and again.

    I, the butler and the maids were desperately trying to stop it.

    But that''s as far as it goes now.

    His Majesty and I are in agreement.

    The back gate has become a dangerous situation as the front line collapsed due to a large explosion.

    If we don''t leave here, when will we leave?

    I left the back gate first and tried to fight........

    His Majesty, who was supposed to be wearing heavy armor, overtook me from behind and swung his sword out at the enemy as it was.

    ''''As I thought, it has come to this........''''

    His Majesty, who has killed one of his enemies, raises his sword above him and shouts.

    ''All of my Begonia Knights!¡¡It''s time to stand your ground!¡¡Follow me!

 94-Episode 94 Report

    "Fellow members of the Order of Begonia!¡¡It''s time to stand your ground!¡¡Follow me!

    The soldiers of this country turn their heads at the dignified voice.

    ''''Heh, your majesty!¡¡Why are you here!

    Hearing such a voice rising, His Majesty shouted in a voice that could be heard not only by his allies, but also by his enemies.

    ''''If we don''t win here, this country will end!¡¡The fate of this country rests on your arms!

    Seeing and listening to his shout to inspire all of the soldiers to slay the enemy, the fallen soldiers stand up with all their strength.

    ''My friends, my family, my loved ones!¡¡You were supposed to be soldiers to protect them!¡¡Remember that spirit and cut down your enemies!¡¡Blow it up!

    Those who had been standing back, pale with the depletion of magic power, stepped forward.

    As I thought, His Majesty Leonardo is the vessel of a king.

    This kind of inspiration has to be done by me, but it is even more effective when His Majesty does it.

    It is because of you that I serve this country.

    I recognized that the corners of my seldom-moving mouth rise in this situation.

    I immediately tighten my grip and stare at the enemy in front of me.

    The number of soldiers is about the same, but the other side has demon users and we are at an overwhelming disadvantage in terms of numbers.

    However, in terms of the quality of the soldiers, this one is superior no matter how you look at it.

    ''''I, Commander Yele........!

    I heard one of the soldiers mutter that as he saw me approaching His Majesty, who had been fighting in the front line.

    An enemy is slashing at me from in front of me.

    Along with that guy, I can also see a wolf-like demon charging at me as if to pounce from below.

    I - no, I - switch to a serious battle consciousness.

    Before the enemy soldier can swing his sword down, he thrusts his sword into the forehead of the opponent.

    I see that the demon has eaten into my leg, and I raise my foot just in time to avoid it, and then stomp it down.

    He pulls his sword out of his forehead and slashes the head of the demon under his foot.

    ''You can''t fight, stay back!¡¡Anyone who can still fight, follow me and His Majesty!

    I run to His Majesty as I fight the enemy.

    At the words of His Majesty and I, the soldiers rush into the enemy, shouting with a yell.

    ''''Your Majesty!¡¡Stay behind me!

    ''Phew, don''t lick it, Yelle!¡¡I used to win one on one with you!

    ''How long ago were you talking about?¡¡Of course I''m stronger than you right now!

    I try to go in front of His Majesty while having such a conversation, but His Majesty also tries to get in front of me.

    In the meantime, the enemy is attacking me, so I cut down my opponent with His Majesty.

    Eventually, I settled on a back to back with His Majesty.

    ''''Follow His Majesty and the Commander!

    This country is ours to protect!

    Such a voice rose from around me and His Majesty, and we began to defeat the enemy''s army.

    ''''What the hell are these guys!¡¡Why don''t you go down!

    I can hear the enemy soldiers shaking and shouting as if they were afraid.

    ''''Ha, that''s obvious!

    His Majesty comes around behind the soldier.

    ''Because I can''t protect you if you fall!

    After telling them to teach me that, I slashed the enemy.

    At the drumming of His Majesty and I, the soldiers of the Begonia Kingdom began to push back.

    But there wasn''t enough of a decisive strike here.

    The other side was also pushed by our momentum at first, but now they have regained their composure and are responding.

    If this was the case, our side would be at a disadvantage.

    But this is good.

    We don''t have a decisive blow yet, but we have a trump card.

    And that was...

    The "Star Flare.

    From above, I heard such a chanting voice.

    At the same time, there was a shock as if an explosion had occurred from where the enemy was frozen in place.

    When I looked there, I saw dozens of enemy soldiers and demons with their bodies burned by flames.

    More than a dozen such attacks fell from the sky.

    ''''Sorry for the wait! The battle at the main gate is over, so I''ve come to cover you...''''

    The same voice as the previous chant can be heard again from the sky.

    The voice catches the enemy soldier looking at the sky, and he answers without turning to look at it.

    ''Viviana!¡¡You came at the right time!

    Ha-ha, Mr. Yelle, I''m serious!

    Hearing my tone, Viviana, the Vice Commander of the Magic Knights, who for some reason said that while laughing happily.

    ''''Destroy the enemy so they don''t hit your allies!

    Okay, here we go.

    After that, they will release a series of magic from the sky that will only hit enemy soldiers and demons from the sky.

    There will be those who can use magic, and the enemy will have a weapon called a bow, but we on the ground will deal with and defeat such enemies as soon as possible.

    It''s a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.

    Soon after Viviana''s arrival, our soldiers who were fighting at the main gate arrived.

    Now we have the advantage in numbers.

    A few minutes later, the situation was completely reversed.

    The other soldier was no longer trying to escape, and we were dealing with the occasional attack by demons who had lost their masters.

    It''s about time.......it''s okay.

    I take a deep breath and cool my body and head, which was in a battle-ready state.

    Then I look around and find His Majesty''s figure.

    For some reason, I approach His Majesty, who is staring upwards and looking at me.

    ''''Your Majesty, are you safe?''''

    "-- Pink... hmm?¡¡Oh, Yelle. I''ll be fine.

    Pink...?

    I look up at the sky where His Majesty is staring up at me, wondering about the one word he muttered before answering my question.

    In the sky is Deputy Commander Viviana.

    She was wearing a skirt.

    ''''Your........Your Majesty.''''

    What?

    "I have to report to the Queen.

    I''m sorry, you can''t do that.

    He went to clean up this place that was a battlefield, keeping in mind that he was going to report to the Queen.

 95-Chapter 95: Restraint

    ''Eric!¡¡Quickly, quickly!

    Wait, Miss Elena.

    Elena and I had come to visit the city on our days off.

    Since we haven''t been in the capital city of Begonia for a short time, I''m not very familiar with the city.

    I told Elena that while we were chatting with her, and she agreed to show me around.

    We''re both out in town in plain clothes.

    I''ve been patrolling the city for work and guarding buildings such as the guild, but I''ve never stopped at a store or bought anything.

    Elena has been living in the capital for a long time and seems to do a lot of walking by herself.

    After all, it''s the royal capital, so it''s interesting that there are so many shops there!¡¡There was nothing like this where I originally lived, so I''m glad I came to King''s Landing!

    Elena smiles happily as she says that next to me.

    In fact, I haven''t walked around a city like this one much in my past life combined.

    ''''Please show me around.

    I''ll take care of it. We''ll go to all my recommendations.

    Oh, is that all of...

    All of them!¡¡So I''m going to hurry, Eric!

    Elena said and took my hand and happily went on ahead of me, running a little short.

    It''s my day off today and I''m probably a little tired, I thought, but the corners of my mouth loosened as Elena caught me smiling and looking at me.

    After that, she took me to various places.

    I knew a lot of shops that sold good food, as I was walking alone.

    I bought them and ate them, and then headed to the next food shop. It was delicious, but by the end of it, I was full.

    Elena still seemed to have plenty of time to spare, and I learned that she was a surprisingly large eater.

    We also went to a clothing store and other places.

    The clothes I picked out and tried on got subtle looks from Elena and the people in the shop. Why?

    I had Elena-san choose my clothes for me.

    Elena-san was also trying on clothes and they all looked good on me.

    I knew she picked out my clothes too, and I guess she has good taste in clothes.

    And here''s where a little incident happens.

    ''Sir, what do you think of this one too?¡¡I''m sure it will be a good fit.

    That said, the female clerk recommended a skirt.

    No, well, I know the feeling.

    I was wrong at first.

    But, you know....

    Oh, I''m sorry. I''m a man.

    ...What?

    The clerk stopped moving at those words.

    ''Ugh, it''s not true, is it?''

    It''s true.

    Elena answered that with a bitter smile.

    Hearing this conversation, another shopkeeper came up to her.

    I''m sorry, Elena-chan. She''s a newcomer and didn''t know about you.

    I''m totally fine.

    I''m sorry!

    The misunderstood clerk began to apologize for the misunderstanding, looking impatient.

    Elena didn''t seem bothered at all and smiled.

    Since she was a regular, the other clerks hadn''t mistaken her for a woman, but the newcomer seemed to have misunderstood her.

    ''But Elena''s really pretty, and her skin is beautiful. Hey, why don''t you wear a skirt and dress up as a girl for once?¡¡I think it''s cute.

    The manager of the store said that in a bad way, while warning the newcomer.

    ''Err, what is the manager saying, too?''

    Come on, it''s not diminishing.

    Elena-san was somehow pushed into the fitting room after the newcomer brought the skirt she had mistakenly brought with her earlier and the clothes that matched it.

    Probably the manager and Elena-san thoughtfully went through such a process so that the newcomer wouldn''t be depressed.

    Then the curtains of the fitting room were opened and I saw Elena-san dressed as a woman.

    She was wearing a black skirt that covered her knees and a white knit with some sort of fluffy pattern on it.

    ''''Cute, sir!''''

    That''s a great look for you, Elena.

    It''s simple, but Elena''s charm is well brought out.

    Even though he''s a man, he looks so good in women''s clothes, or so pretty that only Elena could make him look so pretty.

    ''Eric, what do you think?¡¡Are you not pulling?

    ''No, I won''t pull away. I''m surprised that we look so much alike.

    Ha-ha, I don''t know if that''s a compliment.

    Well, telling a man that he looks good in women''s clothes is a subtle compliment, isn''t it?

    ''Well, it''s better than being told I don''t look good in it. Thanks, Eric.

    Elena smiled as she said that while softly floating her skirt.

    It was a bit rude to look at her, but she looked like a woman.

    And despite that, we went around to all of Elena''s recommendations.

    We finished going around and it was getting dark.

    ''Thank you for today, Eric.''

    On the way home, Elena said that while holding the clothes she bought at that store in one hand.

    It looks like she didn''t buy the skirt as expected.

    No, I''m the one who should be thanking you. Thank you.

    ''You had fun playing with Eric, and you took him around a lot. Aren''t you tired?

    It''s okay. We''re trained for it.

    Well, there''s a little bit of tiredness that''s not the same as training, but I can''t read the air enough to say it.

    ''Hmph, you''re actually tired.

    ''What?¡¡No, I mean....

    Oh, are you sure you''re tired?¡¡I lied to you.

    I was upset because I thought he was looking into my mind, but I didn''t expect him to be a cuckoo.

    ''It''s awful, Elena-san,''

    ''Hmmm, sorry. Eric''s a sweetheart.

    Totally....

    We played and went back to our dorms, laughing and laughing.

    We had so much fun and promised to go out again.

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó

    --Eric was so kind that I thought he would be upset when he fought me. That''s why I was able to beat him so easily.

 96-Episode 96: Awakening from Poison

    --Eric was so kind that I thought he would be upset when he fought me. That''s why I was able to take him down so easily.

    I got down on my knees and the person in front of me said that.

    Ugh...!

    --Because I''ve never been able to live as straight as I am. I''ve been living bent, twisted, and rotten.

    The person who had been expressionless before, only then could I see the emotions swinging in his eyes.

    I''ve been living, rotten...?

    --I could have attacked you for ''purpose''. Maybe your priority was your friend, but for me, ''purpose'' came first.

    And in the midst of those turbulent emotions, I felt a solid purpose.

    What do you mean by ''purpose''...!

    --It''s been fun. Let''s see if we can get together again. Then, though, we''ll be enemies.

    I thought I saw a sad smile on his face at the end as he lost his strength and collapsed.

    You really had a good time...!¡¡And that''s not even a lie!

    Elena, Mr....!

    I force open my very heavy eyelids as I unconsciously say this.

    My eyelids are heavy, but my head is even heavier and hurts worse.

    I manage to sit up, even though it feels like someone is hitting me directly in the head.

    ''Eric!¡¡Are you okay?!

    I heard that voice from next to me.

    It''s a voice that must be worried about me, but it''s so loud it makes my head hurt even more.

    ''Yulina, Ms........''

    I could hear it in his voice, but I saw the face next to me and uttered that.

    ''Yeah, it''s me. Hang on, I''ll get you some water.

    Yulina said and then moved away from me.

    I looked around and tried my best to assess the situation with my mind, which still couldn''t think much.

    The first thing I was laying on was a hard bed.

    Looking around, it looks like this is a hospital room.

    I remember it was explained to me before that there is a very large hospital by the palace.

    But why am I in this hospital room...?

    My head hurts so much I can''t seem to remember.

    It''s a slightly smaller hospital room, with only about three beds.

    There''s one bed next to me, and it''s empty right now.

    It''s probably Yulina''s bed.

    And in front of me, there is another bed.

    When I look into my still hazy eyes, I see that Tina is still sleeping on that bed.

    ''''Tina........!

    It was here that I finally remembered everything that had happened.

    That I came back with Viviana-san when I found out that this royal capital was under attack.

    Things were going well until the middle of the day, but the sudden explosion that happened suddenly reversed the situation in one fell swoop.

    And then........Elena-san.

    Oh yeah, what happened after I was defeated by Elena-san?

    Tina must have been behind me when I fell.

    Could it be that Tina, who appears to be sleeping in front of me right now, was killed by Elena-san--!

    I tried to force my heavy body to move closer to Tina, but

    ''Eric!¡¡Don''t push yourself!

    Yulina came back and stopped me.

    She gently restrains my body as I try to get up.

    I can only feel a little strength from Yulina-san, but my body doesn''t move enough to push it back.

    ''''Tina is...!

    He''s asleep. He''s not dead. Don''t worry.

    I guess he sensed my concern and answered that.

    Thank God, really.....

    Perhaps it''s because I''m relieved, but I resist the urge to lose my strength and lie down on the bed again.

    ''The three of us seem to have been awake for a long time, although our wounds aren''t deep. They say we''ve been asleep for a whole day or so.

    A day...

    You''ve been sleeping so much since then.

    ''I was poisoned by someone. Perhaps that''s why I''ve slept so much.

    With those words, I remembered what Elena-san had said.

    As I recall, Yelena-san too........

    ''''Eric........you were beaten by Elena-san?

    Yes, sir.

    ''Well then, so is Tina.

    ''Probably so.

    I don''t know what happened after he fell, but it would be easy enough to hurt Tina, who was unconscious behind me.

    When she confirms that to me, Elena-san looks down, her face contorted.

    ''Who is Elena-san?¡¡Just before I was about to fall down, that person had mentioned that he was on the side of the demon race. Is that person a traitor?

    Yulina is bitterly letting out what she''s been thinking in her mind for a long time.

    I don''t understand that either.

    What kind of feeling has Elena been having and how has she been spending her time with us?

    Was that carefree smile all a lie?

    Does Eric know anything about it?

    I''ve had a little chat with Elena.

    What did he say?

    I told Yulina-san what I had heard at that time.

    That Elena-san is a demon, and that she came to this country as a spy.

    That she spent three years as an apprentice in the Order of the Knights to avoid being suspected, and that she joined the Order after three years.

    That it was Elena-san who passed on the information for this raid.

    And that she said that the next time we meet, we''ll already be enemies.

    ''''I see........''''

    Yulina-san listened to the end of my explanation with a twisted face.

    ''''You weren''t betrayed, you weren''t on our side from the beginning...''''

    I can''t find any words to say to Yulina-san, whose tears are about to spill out at any moment.

    Probably the one who was the closest to Elena-san was Yulina-san.

    She had been a good friend of mine since I was an apprentice, and she was probably one of the few seniors that I could respect.

    Elena-san was also good friends with many people, but she seemed to be having a lot of fun with Yulina-san, and she seemed to be the closest to her.

    ''''You seem to be having fun, you seem to be the closest of friends.''''

    I can''t believe how painful it is not to assure you.

    ''I have an older brother and a younger brother, but there were no other women in my family besides my mother. Maybe that''s why I feel like I thought of Elena-san as my sister without permission and adored her. Hmph, she''s a man, but she''s a woman. I thought it was rude, but........

    Yulina-san slightly relaxed her mouth and said that, but tears were spilling out of her eyes as if she couldn''t bear it.

    ''''It was a lie, wasn''t it........!¡¡All the kindness that was directed at me, all the smiles...!

    The words I spat out as if I was squeezing them out echoed hollowly in the hospital room where me, Yulina-san, and Tina were still sleeping.

 97-Episode 97 Is it a lie? Really?

    I can''t find a word to say to Yulina, who is stifling her voice and shedding tears.

    She can''t speak, and a small cry echoes in the hospital room we''re in.

    I, too, was shocked about Elena-san.

    In my previous life, my only male friend and best friend was Christo.

    So Elena-san was the first male friend I''d ever had other than Christo.

    She was always smiling and cheerful, and her casual conversations were very enjoyable.

    That was all in the past.

    I wouldn''t be able to have a conversation like that with that man anymore.

    ''It was fun until now. Let''s meet again somewhere. At that time, we''ll be enemies.

    I remember the last words from Elena, just before I lost consciousness.

    It was fun.

    Could those words be true?

    Can we really believe those last words of someone who was not on our side from the beginning?

    As I was thinking about this, a knock sounded from the door of this hospital room, where there was almost no sound.

    It was a sliding door, and it rattled open discreetly.

    A small girl came peeking out of the sliding door with a fearful face.

    She''s a pretty blonde girl, wide-eyed and pretty.

    She freaked out for a moment when I made eye contact with her, but she was a little scared and looked around the hospital room with just a peek of her face.

    Then I looked at Yulina-san sitting on the bed, looking down, and she smiled brightly and prettily.

    ''''Sister........!

    The child vigorously opens the sliding door that was discreetly opened and approaches Yulina-san.

    Yulina-san also looked startled for a moment, but she looked up in response to her voice while wiping away her tears.

    ''''You........!

    Ms. Yulina''s eyes widened as she looked at the girl with tears in her eyes.

    The girl hugs Yulina-san''s legs as she sits on the bed, rubbing against her legs.

    ''''Sis...!¡¡It''s good to see you up...!

    The child laughs happily and hugs her, despite the tears in her voice.

    ''Thank you I''m sorry I made you worry.

    Miss Yulina stroked the child''s head affectionately, surprised and a little confused.

    ''Miss Yulina, what about the boy?''

    When I ask her that question, Yulina drops her voice and speaks so that the girl can''t hear me.

    ''This is the girl I saved during the battle. This girl''s mother ... couldn''t save her.

    ''¡¡Well.....

    I look away from Yulina-san, who bites her lip in frustration, and turn my attention to the girl.

    Yulina-san also smiles gently and makes eye contact with the girl.

    ''''I''m glad you''re okay too, are you hurt?''''

    ''Yes!¡¡My sweet sister took me to where everyone else was!

    Sweetheart, sis...?

    When Yulina asked that back, the girl spoke with a happy smile.

    ''''Yes!¡¡Elena, big sister!

    Huh!

    Yulina and I were equally surprised by her words.

    Unaware of our situation, the girl continues to talk.

    ''Elena, you''re big sister, big sister...Oh, what is your name?''

    Me?¡¡It''s Yulina.

    ''Yulina your big sister Yuri!

    The girl, who decided to call Yulina-san, speaks with a cute smile on her face.

    ''''Elena''s sister, you know, took me away after Yuri''s sister fell asleep!¡¡Plus, she carried big sister Yuri, and big sister Elena is a powerhouse!

    The girl talks about being taken by Elena-san, who seems to be enjoying herself.

    Supposedly, Yulina-san fell asleep because Elena-san cut her with a poisonous dagger and knocked her out.

    Afterwards, the girl says that Elena-san carried Yulina-san and took the girl to a safe place.

    ''''I see........''''

    Hearing this story, Yulina-san is staring at the child and thinking about it.

    ''''Big sister Yuri, where is big sister Elena?''''

    The child asks anxiously.

    Maybe he''s worried because he thinks he''s dead.

    She''s still very young, but she''s very clever.

    ''Don''t worry, big sister Elena isn''t dead. She just isn''t here........

    ''Really?¡¡I wish I could have seen you again...

    The girl who said that a little sadly.

    ''''Do you want to see ... your sister Elena?''''

    ''Yes!¡¡I didn''t say thank you!¡¡Oh, thank you for saving me, Yuri sister!

    ''¡¡Oh, thank you too.

    ''What?¡¡What?

    Because you made up your mind for me.

    Yurina lovingly pats the girl''s head.

    ''Ehehe, you''re welcome!

    The girl probably doesn''t know what the words mean, but she squints at them pleasantly.

    ''Eric, I believe you,''

    Miss Elena strokes the girl''s head as she speaks to me.

    ''Elena-san has betrayed me. That''s true. But it''s hard to believe that all that time we spent together was a lie.

    Looking straight into my eyes, Yulina-san speaks so.

    Unlike when she was crying just now, her eyes are determined to do something.

    It''s the usual, stoutly behaving Yulina-san.

    ''''At least, it was Elena-san I know who saved this girl after she knocked me out.

    Elena-san was ready to kill people, and because Yulina-san, who had become stronger, got in the way, Elena-san stunned her.

    That action would certainly be as a spy and assassin on the demon side.

    But after that, the actions that saved this girl.

    It had nothing to do with the mission of a spy or assassin.

    Moreover, Yulina-san, who was knocked unconscious, was also carried to a safe place.

    This is the kind-hearted Elena-san''s actions that me and Yulina-san know.

    I believe you. Elena, Elena''s actions. I believe that the smile you showed me was genuine.

    I could no longer see the tears from earlier on Yulina-san''s face as she smiled at that.

 98-Episode 98: Become a Fool

    I confronted Elena-san.

    As a spy on the demon side, with Elena Millwood as an assassin.

    The Elena-san at that time was not the Elena-san that me and Yurina-san knew.

    She didn''t have a smile on her face, and she attacked me with a blank, expressionless face.

    It wasn''t the seriousness of the training, but it was definitely hostile.

    Now that I recall it, maybe he didn''t mean to kill me.

    I don''t know if it was mercy or if Elena-san still really thinks that we are friends, I don''t know.

    Elena-san as a kind-hearted person or Elena Millwood as an assassin.

    Which is the real thing or a fake?

    I don''t know that now.

    But just before I was about to faint, Elena-san said to me.

    "....or was it a lie? I don''t know. I''d be lying if I said I hadn''t forgotten about my mission as a spy. I can''t tell you that everything we laughed about together was a lie.''''

    Elena, who had been speaking emotionlessly all that time, responded sadly, as if she couldn''t bear it.

    I couldn''t believe her words at that time were a lie.

    I couldn''t see that Elena-san''s actions until now were a lie, but....

    I don''t think the words I said at that time, the feelings that poured out of me, were a lie.

    No, maybe I just don''t want to think about it.

    ''Gina?¡¡Are you there?

    As I was thinking about this, the door to the hospital room opened again and a man peeked out.

    ''Oh, Dad!''

    The girl who was hugging Yulina''s leg, called Gina, ran up to the man.

    The father was surprised to see Ms. Yulina sitting on the bed as he held Gina as she ran up to him.

    ''You''re awake!¡¡Gina has told me about you, thank you for helping my daughter!

    Gina''s father said and bowed deeply.

    He probably came to visit her in this hospital room with Gina several times.

    ''''No, no, I was just doing what a soldier should do,''''

    Yulina-san replied, a little woozy at the sudden thank you.

    ''I wasn''t home on business at the time of that attack. If I had lost both of them, I wouldn''t have been able to live with myself anymore.''

    ''¡¡Your wife couldn''t help but be sorry--

    Don''t apologize!

    Just as Yulina was about to stand up and bow her head, her father stopped her from doing so with a loud voice.

    ''I''m sorry about my wife, but you have nothing to apologize for saving my daughter. Really, thank you very much.

    Yes.

    Yulina''s face is still twisted in frustration when she is told that.

    And when her father and Gina were about to leave the hospital room.

    Gina your girl.

    Yulina stopped Gina from calling her in an unfamiliar way.

    ''What?''

    Do you want to see your sister, Elena?

    ''Yes!¡¡I just want to see you and thank you!

    He nodded with a smile at Gina''s cheerful reply.

    ''''I''ll bring you in, okay?

    Really?

    Yeah, I don''t know when, but can you wait for me?

    ''Yes!¡¡I promise!

    Of course.

    The two of them have done it before, or maybe they''ve done it together, and twirl their pinkies out as if they''ve combined.

    I''m sorry for cutting your finger off. If you lie, I''ll cut off a thousand needles. I cut off my finger.

    We both sang that out in unison as we waggled our fingers.

    ''Bye, Yuri sis!

    "Oh, I''ll see you later, Gina.

    Gina waved her hand as her father left the hospital room, bailing.

    ''Eric, it''s like I just said,''

    He spoke to me after the sound of their footsteps stopped coming from the hallway.

    ''You''re bringing Elena, are you bringing her in?

    Yeah, I''ll bring him back if I have to punch him. No, if I see Elena, I''ll hit her at least once.

    Yulina-san speaks with a smile.

    As I thought, Yulina-san seems to be ready for it already.

    Elena-san said that Yulina-san has grown up after this attack.

    I think I understand that somehow now.

    ''''Elena-san came here as a spy, as I recall, didn''t she?

    ''Yes, that''s what he said,''

    That man said he was sent to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy.

    And that period of time is three years.

    Even if you become an apprentice knight''s apprentice from scratch and try to avoid suspicion, that''s a long time.

    ''''I''ve been in the Begonia Kingdom for three years. If you''re Elena, as I believe you are, you must have had someone close to you among the soldiers and in the city.

    That''s for sure.

    Elena was very cheerful and had a personality that was liked by many people.

    I have seen with my own eyes that the people of the city liked her even when we went to visit together.

    ''So he would have hesitated to let this country raid him. But I did it. That means that Elena-san may have some weaknesses in her hands.

    A weakness?

    ''Yeah, I hated being a spy and an assassin, and because of that weakness I had no choice but to help with the attack.

    That being said, it seems to make sense.

    But it''s all just a prediction.

    ''Of course, this is my convenient interpretation. Maybe it''s just that everything about Elena-san is a lie and it was just an act of getting along from the beginning.

    Yulina knows that, too.

    She smiles to herself, but her eyes really believe it.

    ''You can laugh at me if you want. But I''ve decided to believe in Elena-san. I''m going to be a fool to bring Elena-san to you.

    I said so strongly.

    I understand that it''s a stupid idea, but I believe it.

    After all, Yulina-san is getting stronger.

    Not her sword skills or anything else, but her heart.

    That belief will not be able to be shaken by anyone anymore.

    Even if it''s Elena-san.

 99-Episode 99 Like a Fool

    ''I don''t know if it''s a weakness or not, but there''s something Elena mentioned.

    What?

    When I heard the word "weakness

    -- I could have attacked you for ''purpose''. Maybe your priority was your friends, but my ''purpose'' was my priority.

    Elena told me that.

    I still don''t understand it, but if you believe in Elena-san as much as I do in Yulina-san.

    ''Is that ''purpose'' a weakness for Elena-san, or is it something else? At the very least, it means that it''s something to betray us and this country.

    ''''The ''purpose'' ... did Elena-san not tell you what that was about?''''

    He didn''t say.

    Well....

    What is certain is that ''purpose'' should be the first priority for Elena-san.

    ''I wish I could have known that, but oh well. Just ask her directly.

    "...What are you going to do?¡¡We don''t even know where Miss Elena is.

    We know that he is a demon race, so he is probably in the country of the demon race, but it would be very difficult to find Elena-san from the dozens of demon race countries.

    It is highly likely that she is in the country that attacked us, the Lindow Empire.

    However, Elena-san originally said that she was passing information to Felix, who I killed.

    It didn''t seem like she had any sense of belonging to the country where she was selling the information.

    So it wouldn''t be that the Lindow Empire was my home country.

    ''''We''ll find them, I promise. Even if--even if I leave the Begonia Kingdom Knights.

    ''¡¡Seriously, sir?

    Yeah, I''m serious.

    Yulina''s unwavering determination.

    I felt it earlier, but I didn''t expect it to go this far.

    Yulina-san has been wielding a sword since she was a child and has become several levels stronger than most people.

    She told me that it was to join the Order of this country.

    She said that her parents forced her to wield the sword, but she still worked hard to become strong.

    Then he became a Knight''s Apprentice, and after hearing Commander Yelle''s story, he decided to really try to join the Order.

    He must have trained like blood and vomit for that.

    But now, I''m trying to leave that order for Elena-san.

    I have to..............................prepare myself.

    Me too, I''ll be leaving.

    At those words, Yulina''s eyes widened this time.

    ''''If you''re going to match me, you''d better not.

    No, sir. I''ve made up my mind. I''ll be stupid.

    She laughed, the corners of her mouth loosening as she said that, to borrow a phrase from earlier.

    ''Well, we''re both idiots, aren''t we?

    It''s true.

    We said that and looked at each other and laughed.

    --I will save everything.

    I will save everything that I couldn''t save in my previous life.

    That''s what I''ve been training for since I was a baby.

    And I was able to save my parents, the village of Aulin, and Tina, whom I was unable to save in my previous life.

    I was able to save them.

    Since then, my life has been completely different from my previous life.

    I didn''t expect to join this Order of Begonia, and I didn''t expect my best friend Christo to be a prince.

    In my mind, "everything" was the people I met in my previous life.

    My parents, Tina, everyone in the village, Christo and Irene.

    It was my decision from the moment I was born to save them.

    And that one incident in the village, the killing of that man, Felix, was almost the end of it.

    The village was destroyed because of that guy, and my parents and Tina were dead.

    That''s when Christo''s country, this kingdom of Begonia, was destroyed and he met me and we became best friends.

    Christo taught me how to fight and made me a little stronger, but again I couldn''t protect him.

    I lost my best friend, and then I met Irene.

    Irene also fled the country because of Felix and met me.

    We were in love, and I swore I would never lose her again.

    But it wasn''t enough, and I lost her again.

    Then I killed myself and somehow I came back and started my life all over again.

    I won''t lose it in this life.

    I''ve made up my mind.

    So, a new connection that wasn''t there in my previous life, Elena.

    If you''re holding something called Purpose.

    --I''m going to save you.

    Maybe you''re not.

    But I''ve decided to be a fool.

    I trust that happy smile you gave me when we were in the room together.

    Believe that sad face you showed me when you broke up with me.

    Believe it like an idiot, and I''m going to save you.

    Because I vowed to live this life with arrogance.

 100-Episode 100: The Current State of Nina

    I don''t know what to do.

    I was muttering to myself in the house where I lived with my brother Felix.

    It''s been about a week since Eric Aulin, the man who killed my brother, came to this village.

    Eric returned with his magical equipment because the country was being attacked, and his companion also returned with a carriage soon afterwards.

    I also talked to the princess who came to the village then.

    I just said what I wanted to say, but the princess listened to me seriously.

    I think she''s a good person.

    Normally, I wouldn''t want to hear about a man''s sister who defeated her father to become king and was almost forced to marry him, but she is a good person.

    So the princess listened to me and left.

    And now I''m still here in the village.

    I was attacked once, so the village was relocated.

    I''m sure they won''t attack you now that I have my protective magic.

    I have no reason to stay in this village anymore.

    If my brother was alive, I thought he might come back to this house, so I stayed in this village for a long time.

    But he won''t be coming back here again.

    That''s why I don''t know what I''m going to do now.

    There is no point in staying in this village, but where will I go after this?

    I don''t have anywhere in particular to go, and I don''t have anything to do.

    Ever since my brother rescued me, I''ve just been following in his footsteps.

    What am I going to do now that he''s gone?

    As I lay in bed and thought about it, my head started to hurt a little.

    Let''s go outside for a change of pace.

    I leave the house and take a quick walk around.

    It''s about evening now, the sun is setting and it''s a bit dark.

    The villagers have already entered the house, or perhaps no one is there.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the village if you leave the protective magic range.

    I don''t plan to go out for no reason, so I''m going to walk around on the edge of that range.

    It might be a good idea to go to the royal capital of this country.

    The money was earned by brother Felix, but I can totally afford it.

    Like I told Eric and the princess, I should take another look at the front and back of this country.

    My brother wanted to become a king by looking at the front and back, so maybe I should look there too.

    Maybe the people in this village will stop me, but I don''t care.

    It''s their fault, they''re weak.

    It''s only natural to protect yourself, something I''ve learned while living in the underground city.

    With that in mind, I was walking around the village and looking at the scenery, when I saw a horse running in the distance.

    There is someone on top of the horse.

    Who could it be, riding around here alone at this time of day on a horse?

    It doesn''t seem to be riding towards this village.

    It''s hard to see because it''s dark and far away, but I have pretty good eyesight, so I look closely at the person.

    The appearance is........female, I guess.

    The clothes are dark so it''s hard to see, but looking at the face, it looks like a woman.

    I have a feeling that I''ve seen this person somewhere.

    .........eh?¡¡Could it be...!

    I''ll be out of the range of the village''s protective magic.

    The village protector''s magic will be gone, but I don''t care about that.

    I''m going to have to run fast or else I''ll pass it by because it''s a horse.

    I shout at the person who is running away from the village.

    ''Elena!¡¡Elena!

    He struggled to move his legs, which weren''t that fast, and chased after them, screaming.

    ''Wait, Elena!¡¡I''m Nina!

    The horses over there slowed down as they heard voices on this side.

    And then it stopped.

    I ran to it, and when I got there, I dropped to my knees and calmed my breathing.

    Huh, huh, huh... Elena, right?

    He stops when he hears me shouting, which I think is probably true, but I ask him that as confirmation.

    I look up from my gazing face and see the face of that person on the horse.

    ''''Well yes, it is. Long time no see, Nina.

    That person - Elena said, laughing.

 101-Episode 101: After the raid

    It had been a week since the raid.

    Begonia, the royal capital, has been working hard to rebuild the city.

    The destroyed city, houses and shops are being rebuilt and the people are working as hard as they can to restore life to what it was as soon as possible.

    The knights also put a lot of effort into it, fixing the city at a very fast pace.

    Even people like me who can''t use magic can be useful as a tour de force, but there were still many places where those who can use magic are more useful.

    Viviana, in particular, was already active everywhere she went.

    She could easily lift the rubble with wind magic and the like.

    Even large items that would normally require five or more adults to lift, she could easily raise them with magic.

    ''''Ho ho ho ho, let''s all do our best!''''

    People were encouraged by the way she went and literally flew around the city, smiling and helping out.

    ''''Oh, my angel, Lady Viviana........''''

    I''m going to join the Order of Magic, even though I don''t do magic.

    This kind of muttering could be heard more than once as I helped.

    It had only been a week since the raid, a short time since the raid, but the restoration of the city was about eighty percent done.

    It was thanks to Viviana and the rest of the magic knights'' leader, Anne, and the other excellent people of the magic knights'' group.

    Tina was also excellent and her appearance was pretty cute, so she was popular in the town.

    Of course, me and Yulina-san helped out a lot, too.

    I was a bit out of shape when I first woke up, but after a week, my body was almost completely healed.

    Most of the city has been fixed but people''s wounds, their hearts, are still not healed.

    More than ten thousand people were killed in this attack, and three thousand are missing.

    After all that fighting, it''s amazing that only that much damage was caused in this royal capital with over 500,000 people.

    It''s probably because the people of the knights evacuated the residents and held off the opponents.

    The other reason is that the opponent only attacked from the main gate of the city, so only some areas were damaged.

    But........the fact that the victims, more than ten thousand people, is an irreversible fact.

    Hundreds of people have been affected even within the Order.

    While working to clear the city of debris and other debris, I saw people coming out from underneath it many times.

    Most of them were dead, and less than ten percent of them were still alive.

    I saw people clinging to that motionless body........and crying.

    This is all because..........that battle happened.

    In other words, it''s because of the information Elena-san released.

    I''m not defending Elena-san, but this battle was probably inevitable.

    It was a given that the Lynda Empire would launch a raid on the royal capital, Begonia.

    Dropping the Kingdom of Begonia would be more profitable than dropping any other country.

    It is a country that is considered to be the strongest of the human race countries, and is rich in resources.

    Defeating a strong country would also show other countries that they are strong.

    That''s probably why Felix in his previous life also targeted this place.

    The fact that they were able to act immediately after Elena-san''s information was spread means that the Lindow Empire had already prepared for it.

    But if Viviana-san and Liberto-san, the deputy commander, had been there, they would have been able to limit the damage even more.

    So it''s definitely Elena-san''s fault that the damage has come to this point.

    I was probably thinking the same thing when I was working with Yulina-san on the reconstruction.

    I watched someone quietly contort their face and cry for the dead.

    ''''So this is what Elena-san is guilty of?''''

    ...Yes.

    The death toll is over 10,000.

    If I hadn''t spread the word that Viviana and Liberto-san were not there, maybe we could have saved about fifty percent of these people.

    ''I don''t want to think that that Elena-san would have done it. But I''ll have to accept that.

    Yulina doesn''t want to believe what someone she respects has done, but she just stares at the scene in front of her.

    ''I believe. That Elena-san did these things without really wanting to.

    ....

    ''But if Mr. Elena, who I believe is really a lie and feels nothing of this charge--''

    With determined, determined eyes, Yulina-san said.

    ''''--I will kill Elena-san,''''

    Yulina-san said that with a serious look in her eyes, but she huffed and laughed bitterly.

    ''''I think to myself, you''re incoherent. You say you believe, you say you''ll kill,''''

    That may be true.

    But even so, Yulina-san''s determination must be firm in her mind.

    Yulina-san became stronger through that battle.

    ''I decided to become an idiot in order to believe in Elena-san.

    Yulina said, and continued to see people crying over the loss of their families.

    Holding back tears, as if it was her own sin.

 102-Episode 102: Leaving?

    I was called by Mr. Jere.

    I went into Jere''s office and found him and Liberto in there.

    Hey, what''s it been, a week?

    Mr. Liberto. It''s been a long time. It''s good to see you back in one piece.

    Yeah, well.

    Me and Viviana-san went back to King''s Landing first, using our magic tools for the raid.

    From there, Liberto-san and Christo must have returned to King''s Landing right away with the two of us.

    Once they found out that the royal capital was being attacked, they wouldn''t have time to look around at the rest of the country.

    Since we left and it was just the two of us, I was a little worried, but I''m glad we were able to return safely.

    But.........

    I bow my head to Liberto-san.

    ''''I''m sorry. As soon as I got back, I left the line of fire.''''

    Christo, and Mr. Liberto was the one who made the decision for me to come back.

    And I, myself, betrayed it.

    ''That''s nothing to apologize for. If it didn''t work out for you, it wouldn''t have worked out for me either.

    No, no, no.

    It''s not.

    That''s not what happened.

    I left the front lines for personal reasons.

    I was driven by my emotions to help Tina.

    Now, if I hadn''t lost one of my men, I would have kept fighting.

    But....Tina is different.

    I lost her in my previous life and was able to save her in this life.

    Although we were not blood related, the fall of Tina, who was like family to me, shook me up.

    I threw everything I was supposed to do and went to Tina''s rescue.

    If that was all I had to do, I could have saved Tina and returned to the front lines immediately.

    But after this, there was a problem.

    I was beaten up by Elena.

    She''s just telling me why she did it.

    ''But I''m glad you''re back. If it was Lieutenant Commander Liberto, it would have been difficult.

    ''Eric''s so sweet, I thought he''d be upset when he fought me. That''s why I was able to beat him so easily.''

    Because I was weak.

    Because I let my guard down thinking about what would happen if I was on your side against Elena, who turned out to be an enemy.

    If it had been you, I would never have done that.

    So if it had been Mr. Liberto who returned, I would have been able to keep fighting until the end.

    I didn''t come back.

    "I let my guard down. I made a blunder that Mr. Liberto wouldn''t have made, and I left the front lines.

    Yeah, well, good luck. Well, good luck next time.

    Mr. Liberto popped me on the shoulder, who still had his head down.

    ''More importantly, I''ve heard you, Eric. Looks like you want to resign from the Order.

    Yes.

    I raise my head and look at the two men in front of me.

    Mr. Liberto is next to me and Mr. Yelle is sitting postureally behind his desk.

    Both of them are looking straight into my eyes, as if they are trying to find out the truth.

    ''''........In conclusion, we can''t allow you to leave.

    Mr. Yelle opens the conversation with that.

    ''''Right now, the knights in King''s Landing are short-handed. We have called for knights from other cities, but it will take some time yet.''''

    In the midst of all that, you don''t want to let go of someone as talented as Eric.

    ''I''ll be honest with you, yes. But.....

    Mr. Yelle looks into my eyes and sighs.

    ''You seem determined,''

    Yes, I''m sorry.

    Even if they didn''t allow it, I''m leaving on my own.

    I told you because I felt I had to say a few words about how you have been so good to me.

    It''s...

    I''m not sure for a moment if I should say it, but I''ll tell you the truth.

    That Elena-san is a traitor and that she has given out information.

    And that I''m going on a journey to find Elena-san.

    ''I see ... is that what Elena Millwood herself said?

    Yes, I do.

    ''Well we had a candidate here for someone who passed on the information, but it was him.

    I don''t know who the hell I am, but he''s the one who tipped me off.

    Apparently, Mr. Yelle also predicted that the person who gave him the information was there.

    ''Are you saying you''re leaving to look for Elena Millwood?

    Yes, I do.

    So you don''t have to leave the group?

    I''m sure you''re right.

    What...?

    Shouldn''t you be leaving?

    What the hell is going on?

    ''''I''ve been talking with His Majesty about what''s to come, and we, the Kingdom of Begonia, intend to declare war on the Lynda Empire.

    ''¡¡I mean.....

    "Yes, we will go to war head-on with the Lynda Empire.

    I knew it would happen.

    I knew there was no way they would do anything from our country after all that was done to us.

    ''And in a war, information is important. As in this case.

    Yes.

    The Begonia Kingdom and the Lynda Empire.

    In a head-to-head battle, the winner would be the Begonia Kingdom.

    However, if we are thrust into an unprepared position like this one, there is a possibility that the Lindow Empire will win.

    We get the other side''s information and don''t give them information about us, rather we give them false information.

    That''s what''s important in a war.

    ''So, we must send spies to the Lynda Empire in order to get information too.

    ''¡¡So you''re spying on a demon nation?

    Yes, and that spy--

    I''d like to appoint you and Miss Yurina.

 103-Episode 103 Without Leaving

    I''d like to appoint you and Miss Yurina.

    I couldn''t hide my surprise at Yelle''s words.

    ''Spies, for me and Miss Yurina?''

    Yes, I do.

    Why us?

    I ask that question, and Mr. Liberto replies.

    ''''First of all, it would be impossible for Commander Yelle and Anne. Besides, if me and Viviana disappeared like this time, there is a possibility that they will attack again, so it''s impossible. So the strongest soldiers who can move freely right now are you and Yulina.

    I chose the ones who can act covertly, that''s another reason. I also chose Eric and Miss Urina because they are very good at killing presence.

    It''s true that Yulina-san and I are probably the most skilled among the soldiers.

    I''m also good at killing signs, although I don''t know about Yulina-san, but I''m good at it.

    "Well, the main reason is that I don''t want to let you go.

    To be honest, yes.

    What...?

    Mr. Yelle agreed with Mr. Liberto''s words.

    ''Eric you and Yurina. You two are very valuable people. Not to mention Eric, who is as good as or better than the second-in-command Liberto, and Yulina, who is much more capable than the other soldiers, it''s a great shame for us to be left behind by those two.

    And we''re about to go to war and you don''t want a guy that strong out of the picture.

    I didn''t expect to be held in such high regard.

    ''But I failed this time and...''

    Everyone makes mistakes at least once. That''s no big deal. When I was young, I made a lot of mistakes too.

    ''Gee, Liberto, you sound like you''re not failing now.

    ...more of a failure than I am now.

    Mr. Yelle said this with a little glare, and Mr. Liberto reiterated.

    ''As I said before, good luck next time. And then the next one is this spy.

    Please don''t screw it up this time, as Liberto says.

    Spying I''ve never done this before, but can I do it?

    ''I''m going to go to the land of the demon race, the Lynda Empire, to spy on them while... well, what is it?''

    Elena Millwood.

    Yeah, you can look for this Elena guy if you want.

    ''¡¡I-is that okay?

    My eyes widen at Liberto-san''s words.

    No matter how you think about it, it sounds like a public/private matter.......

    ''''Don''t let them find out.

    What, no, who is it for?

    That''s for Commander Yelle and me.

    They already know, don''t they?

    I''m talking right in front of you, or rather, how do you keep Yele-san and the others from finding out about it, when it was Yele-san and the others who brought it up?

    I look at Yele-san and he sighs in disgust.

    ''''As long as it doesn''t interfere with our espionage activities, it won''t be a problem.

    Are you sure?

    If this is the way you want to handle it, we''ll be fine.

    Oh, thank you...!

    I bow my head and tell him thank you.

    I wonder if there is an order that says we can have such a public and private conversation.

    ''Don''t talk to the other guys. Well, I guess it''s okay this time, since Viviana isn''t around.''

    ''Yes, because there''s a good chance she''s the reason the information was leaked.

    Even though he''s the deputy head of the Magic Knights, it''s amazing that he has such a lack of trust in me.

    No, he''s certainly highly competent, but other than that........

    When Viviana-san leaked the information, Elena was among those who were listening to the story, so maybe it''s really that person''s fault.

    ''Is it okay if I ask a few questions?''

    Yeah, go ahead.

    ''Have you already told Miss Yulina?''

    ''No, not yet. I''d like to call him up and tell him now.

    Oh, right, not yet.

    Well, Yulina-san wouldn''t say no.

    If you can find Elena-san while serving this country, it would be the best thing to do.

    ''''Is it just me and Yulina-san who will be spying on you?

    ''''No, we''ll have one more person from the Magical Order to divide up the personnel. Commander Anne is selecting them.

    Really?

    It would certainly be better to have at least one more wizard than just two swordsmen.

    Some magic might be better suited to spying, too.

    ''''When do you plan to leave?''''

    ''I know your injuries aren''t fully healed yet, but the sooner this is done the better. So you''ll be leaving in a week''s time at the latest.

    Okay.

    As I said this, I heard a knock at the door behind me.

    ''Yelle, it''s me,''

    Come in.

    A woman''s voice was heard, allowing Yelle to enter.

    The door opens, and there is Commander Anne is there.

    ''You must be Eric Aulin,''

    Yes, sir.

    ''Nice to meet you, in case you missed it. I''m Anne Bendix, head of the Order of Magic.

    ''I''m Eric Aulin. It''s nice to meet you.

    After finishing his light greeting, Commander Anne turned to face Jere.

    ''''I''ve finished sorting.

    Yes, sir. So, who are you now?

    You know what I''m talking about.

    It''s just to make sure.

    Mr. Yelle said with a little chuckle, and Commander Anne sighed and looked towards the door as she entered.

    ''Come in,''

    As Commander Anne said this, a person came in through the open door.

    I looked at the person and couldn''t help but shout.

    ''''Tina........!

 104-Episode 104: Spy Mission

    Tina...!

    We haven''t been able to see each other lately because we''ve been so busy.

    We used to see each other at the cafeteria and other places, but now we''re focusing on the reconstruction of the city, so we''ve been unable to eat together most of the time.

    Even though we haven''t seen each other in a while, the last time we saw each other was about three days ago at most.

    I know it hasn''t been too long, but when me and Tina were in the village, there wasn''t a day that went by that we didn''t see each other.

    Even with Christo''s guards, we didn''t see each other for about three days, so it feels like we really didn''t see each other at all.

    No, I guess it doesn''t really matter what the story of me and Tina not seeing each other is right now.

    I didn''t expect that Tina would be the one who was the spy chosen by Commander Anne from among the magic knights.

    Tina entered the room and bowed to Yelle and Liberto-san.

    ''Tina Aulin, sir. It''s a pleasure to meet you.

    He grinned for some reason when he said his name, but he quickly tightened his face and greeted her.

    ''Aurin?¡¡You''re like Eric, so you''re a sister and brother?¡¡Or what, you''re married to someone else?

    Well, no, we''re not related by blood, but we''re more like sister and brother.

    I respond to Mr. Liberto''s question, choking on the words.

    It''s hard to explain when asked again.

    It''s just that we have such a tradition in our village.

    ''Marriage, husband and wife........................hmmm.

    For some reason I think Tina''s grin is more intense than before.

    ''''Liberto, I think I''ve described these two to you before.

    ''Really?¡¡I don''t remember him.

    Mr. Yelle said with a little glare, but Mr. Liberto didn''t seem to be bothered at all.

    Looking at her, it seems that Mr. Liberto sometimes forgets to explain such things.

    Mr. Yelle lets out a small sigh and looks straight at Tina.

    ''It''s been a while, Tina-san.

    Yes, thank you for your help.

    Is it safe to say that this spy mission is on short notice?

    ''Yes!¡¡I''m going to do my best!

    Tina answers that question emphatically.

    ''''I know what you are capable of. But this is a covert mission. Do you remember those types of magic?''

    Yes, this mission isn''t about going to fight.

    This is a mission to gather and take information in order to fight a war.

    Sure, Tina''s magic is powerful, but I don''t think Tina remembers such magic.

    I didn''t teach her when I was in the village. Or rather, I couldn''t teach her.

    I did teach her how to kill her own presence with something that didn''t rely on magic or anything else, though.

    ''I''m fine about that, Yelle.

    Commander Anne interrupts Jere''s question.

    ''''I''ve taught you almost all the magic that could be useful for this mission. I''m pretty sure I''ve already made sure they''re ready to use it.

    ''Well, it doesn''t sound like a problem if Anne says so.

    It seems that she was taught by Commander Anne.

    Tina must have a talent for magic after all.

    I''ve been in the Magic Order for only about a month, but her magic power has increased and she''s learning a lot of magic.

    I have to work hard to be as good as Tina.

    ''''Then, this mission will be carried out by Eric Aulin, Tina Aulin and Yulina Kashpal. Is that alright?

    Yes!

    Yes thank you very much.

    We both agreed together, but I bowed my head and thanked her.

    I can feel Tina getting a little flustered next to me.

    I guess she doesn''t know why I thanked her.

    ''You can thank me after you''ve done your duty,''

    Yes, I understand.

    Yes, I haven''t done anything yet, I''m not done.

    There''s a lot of things we have to do now.

    ''This mission is top secret, of course. You can''t tell anyone.

    Yes, I understand.

    I understand!

    Well, now that Viviana''s gone, it''s safe to assume that she''ll be fine.

    Well, I''ve already spanked her for that.

    Commander Anne said that with a wry smile.

    Punishment, I wonder if Viviana-san is safe........?

    Well, that man is a pity except for his ability, so maybe he should do that much.

    ''''Then I have to explain to Yulina Kashpal, so the two of you should go back today. I will tell you more about this mission from tomorrow.

    Okay, nice to meet you.

    ''I understand!¡¡Now if you''ll excuse me!

    As we were told, me and Tina bowed and then left the office.

 105-Episode 105: I Cant Get Back

    After Eric and Mr. Tia left, they remained in my office.

    ''So, is that Eric available?''

    Anne asks me that question.

    ''Yes, he''s strong,''

    ''Heh, maybe we should make him quit if he doesn''t want to.¡¡It''s going to slow some of us down if we''re not prepared for it.

    It''s not like he''s ready for it.

    Liberto said as he leaned his back against the wall.

    ''It''s just that they were prepared to be different from us, and they''re going to leave accordingly.

    Wow, what kind of a commitment is that?

    Yelle, explain it to him.

    Liberto is a pain in the ass, or maybe he''s just talking to me.

    I sigh a little and explain to Anne, who hadn''t heard you earlier, Eric, that I hadn''t been listening to you.

    ''Do you want to go see Elena Millwood who betrayed you?¡¡Is that why you were trying to leave?¡¡Is he stupid?

    Yeah, you''re an idiot.

    What''s the point of meeting him? You''re going to kill a traitor?

    ''No, they want to know how Elena Millwood really feels, apparently.

    I don''t know, did you allow that to happen?

    Yeah, we can''t let you leave.

    Anne puts a hand to her head and sighs deeply.

    ''''You deserve special treatment. Even if you were capable of surpassing Liberto.''''

    That''s certainly true.

    It''s safe to say that this is a treatment that is almost unheard of in the history of the Order of Begonia.

    Eric, you are worth it, me and Liberto think that you are worth it.

    It can''t be helped that Anne doesn''t understand that because she hasn''t seen that ability with her own eyes.

    That''s why I''m complaining, Eric, but it''s the same for Anne that''s troubled by Mr. Eric''s absence.

    ''''Anne, if Eric-kun leaves, Tina-san will certainly leave as well.

    ''¡¡Why...?

    ''Mr. Tina has made it her goal to stand next to you, Eric. You have no use for the Order in this country without him.

    ....

    No matter how much you, the Commander, try to hold them back, there''s no way.

    When I went to their village, Tina told me that

    ''I want to stand next to Eric, and I want to join the Order of Magic immediately.

    That''s what she said.

    Perhaps she is someone who likes Mr. Eric and wants to fight with him on an equal footing, not just to be protected.

    It is impossible for her not to follow Eric, who is leaving the group and leaving this country.

    ''''The one person who will have trouble with Eric-kun leaving the group is you, too. Don''t you think so when you see what Tina-san is capable of?

    Well you''re right.

    Think of Anne''s assessment of Ms. Tina as the assessment that me and Liberto are making of you, Eric.

    Just like Eric has a talent that surpasses Liberto, the strongest of the Order.

    Just as Tina-san has a talent that surpasses Viviana-san, the strongest person in the Order of Magic.

    Well, that''s a good decision.

    Yulina is quite strong, too. She''s one of those people we can''t afford to lose.

    Liberto doesn''t remember a lot of people''s names, but he does remember the names of the strong ones.

    Yurina seems to have fought before and that''s how she remembers them.

    ''Well, fine. So, was the traitor''s name Elena Millwood?¡¡Are you sure about that?

    I guess that''s what I''m wondering about, after all.

    Eric-kun said that, but we can''t take it for granted.

    We have to make sure that we are sure.

    ''A few people I''ve been researching that could be traitors. I''m certain that Elena Millwood was among them.

    Okay, so do you have a deal then?

    I don''t know yet, but I''ll have to look into things.

    ''It''s a pain in the ass. So why don''t they just keep people from joining the club if they aren''t backed up?

    Anne said as she looked at the papers on my desk.

    The fact that they are not backed up means that we don''t know their identities.

    What Anne is trying to say is that only those whose identities are clear should be allowed to join the group.

    The only few people who could be traitors are those whose identities are not clearly known.

    Elena Millwood is one of them.

    ''''The Order of Magical Knights doesn''t allow anyone who can''t be backed up to join. If the Knights did that too, there wouldn''t be any traitors like this one.

    Yeah, you''re right.

    Why don''t we use this opportunity to get rid of those people?

    Even this raid might not have happened if they hadn''t let Elena Millwood join the team.

    If you''re not really careful when you allow someone who doesn''t know what''s going on behind the scenes to join the group, there''s a high possibility that something like this will happen again.

    But allowing someone who doesn''t know what''s going on behind the scenes to join the group has to be done as long as I''m the leader of the group.

    Because--.

    ''''-- Then I''ll have to resign from the group as well, won''t I?

    ''¡¡No, I mean... I didn''t mean...

    Anne chokes on her words when she hears me say it.

    I was a little bit mean to her.

    ''No, it''s okay. I understand.''

    I''m sorry.

    No, I''m sorry, too.

    An uncomfortable silence settles over the Oval Office.

    ''Well, Jere, me and Anne are going to go now.

    ''¡¡Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will.

    Liberto, who had been silent until now, called out to him.

    ''''Yes, thank you for your help.''''

    Hey, you get some rest.

    Thanks again.

    As they leave the office, they hear a few voices from the hallway.

    ''Baka, you stepped on a land mine.''

    ''Ugh don''t say that, I''m sorry.''

    The corner of my mouth goes up a little when I hear such a voice.

    I''m sorry I made Liberto feel uncomfortable.

    I''m sure he''s aware that he''s doing something he''s not used to doing.

    I then continued to work in my office.

 106-Episode 106: First time in three years

    Finally, I''m back.

    I was a soldier in the Begonia Kingdom for three years, so it''s been a really long time since I''ve been back.

    Soldiers have had long vacations and such, but I tried not to come back here so as not to be suspicious.

    I can''t wait to see him.

    I hadn''t seen him in three years, so I needed to know he was okay first.

    I was worried about her.

    Besides, did I make her worry too?

    A large mansion in this country''s noble district.

    She''s in the basement of it.

    "Hey, Elena.

    I was trudging to the room of the person I wanted to see when I heard a disgusting voice coming from the side.

    I want to ignore it and go, but I can''t.

    I stop and stare at the guy, not hiding my disgusted face.

    ''''.......What?¡¡I''m in a bit of a hurry.

    I know you can''t wait to see that guy, but there are a few things I need to check with Elena.

    Don''t feel free to call me by my name.

    I can''t stand it.

    You are the one who named me after the man I cared about.

    "He''s safe. Don''t worry about him.

    If you''re not okay, I''m gonna kill you.

    Hmmm, scary, scary.

    The man in front of me laughs unconcernedly at my killing intent.

    As only a nobleman can, his fat, bloated belly and chin are unsightly.

    It''s not that this guy is strong.

    I could kill this guy in a heartbeat if I could pull out the prey I have tucked away in my pocket.

    But he is convinced that I won''t kill him.

    It''s not that I won''t kill him, I can''t.

    So, go ahead and talk to me. "I don''t have time to talk to you.

    I know. Well, where do I start...

    The thin smile from earlier disappears and the man glares at me.

    ''You--you betrayed me, didn''t you?''

    My heart jumps a little at the words, but I try to remain calm.

    ''What do you mean?¡¡I was well-informed, I thought.

    ''I''m saying that the information was wrong or not passed on,''

    ...and keep your head up.

    This guy mustn''t know what he''s talking about.

    He may be a pain in the ass, but he''s a nobleman of stature.

    This is all very well, but try not to show your discomfort.

    Based on what?

    If your information is correct, there''s no way we would have lost that battle.

    ..............I was suddenly distracted.

    I knew this guy was an idiot when it comes to combat.

    ''''Huh, are you serious?''''

    ''I''m serious. I''m sure our side had plenty of strength in that battle.

    Enough?

    What was enough of that?

    ''The sight I saw was an army that was on the verge of defeat against the Knights without two of its strongest soldiers, but...''

    What?

    You should be rather grateful. If I hadn''t helped you, the battle would have ended without doing much damage to the Begonia Kingdom.

    This is real.

    The big explosion I caused.

    If it weren''t for that, the battle would have ended in an overwhelming victory for the Begonia Kingdom.

    "Hmm, we can find out if this information is true or not, can''t we?

    All right, go ahead, explore.

    This man gets his information from many sources.

    This is because he has to gather several pieces of information and decide if the information he gets is false or true.

    He is getting the information I gave him, but I don''t think he believes it.

    ''Then that''s good. Then there''s one more thing. It seems that there was a strong swordsman in this battle who was not Liberto Corrales. I haven''t received that information from you, though?

    My heart leaps at the word.

    It''s called information that hasn''t been flushed.

    About Eric.

    ''Oh, I forgot. Maybe it''s because I was a little disturbed by the irritated look on his face.

    Cut the crap. Who''s that in there?

    It''s that guy''s annoying face, staring straight at me.

    I probably already have the information.

    So there''s no point in telling a lie here.

    "Eric Aulin. I''m a newcomer who joined the Order just a month ago.

    A month ago?¡¡Is that true?

    You didn''t get that information?

    The truth is, he knows, and he may just be acting.

    He''s an unusual recruit who joined the Order without going through an apprenticeship, after the Commander, Jeremias Astara, talked to him directly.

    There''s another person who joined the Order of Magic without becoming an apprentice, but I won''t tell him.

    ''''Hmm ... I see.''''

    ''I can go now, can I?¡¡If you want to know more about Eric Aulin, I''ll tell you later.

    All right, but next time, give me more information. But next time, give me the information faster.

    Yeah, yeah, I got it.

    Finally, the conversation is over and I''m about to head to her room.

    ''I don''t have any proof that you betrayed me, but I don''t have any proof that you didn''t either.

    Okay.

    I know that you didn''t give them the most important information, you know.

    I left there, letting the words of that guy behind me flow appropriately.

    The basement of the mansion.

    In the innermost room of the mansion, she is in the innermost room.

    Even though it''s called the basement, it''s an aristocrat''s mansion, or maybe because it''s an aristocrat''s mansion, it doesn''t have that dark atmosphere.

    She is being held in a place with an atmosphere about the size of a commoner''s normal house.

    She arrives at her room and knocks on the door.

    ''''Yes.''''

    Hearing that unchanging voice, a smile flooded my mind on its own.

    When I opened the door, she was sprawled out on the bed.

    When she looked at me, she smiled like a flower in a flash.

    She gets off the bed and runs towards me.

    Then she hugged me as she jumped on me.

    I take it gently and call her name.

    ''I''m home, Elsie,''

    She buries her face in my chest and says with a smile as she looks up at me.

    ''Welcome back, brother!''

 107-Episode 107: Hit One Shot

    It''s the day after Commander Yelle sent me on a mission to spy on him.

    I''ve spent the past month with the Knights, and I wake up at the usual waking time.

    The Knights'' dormitory in the royal capital was hardly damaged by the recent raid.

    So I''m in my usual room, getting up and getting ready as usual.

    The only difference is one thing.

    Elena is not in the bed next to me.

    By the time I wake up, Elena is definitely awake.

    When I wake up and look next to her, Elena is often sitting up and looking at me.

    She even wakes me up when I''m about to oversleep.

    Once I asked her, "Why do you always wake up so early? I asked.

    ''Hmmm, is this a habit you''ve had since you were a kid?''

    Elena said with a smile.

    I don''t know if that smile was genuine.

    I guess I won''t be able to hear that very fresh "good morning" from her anymore.

    Feeling a little sad, I got ready and headed to breakfast.

    There were many people in the cafeteria.

    Not just people from the Order of Knights and Magical Knights, but people from the city as well.

    The people who lost their homes are here to get a meal.

    The damage was small, but not without.

    Those who were unable to live because of the raids are given a place to live and food to eat with support from the government.

    King''s Landing has plenty of reserves and other resources coming in from other cities, so there shouldn''t be anyone dying of starvation.

    Only a limited number of countries would be able to have such a solid system in place after such a raid.

    ''Good morning, Eric.''

    Oh, good morning, Tina.

    I went to my usual table and found Tina and Yulina.

    I guess they were waiting for me.

    ''Good morning. I''ve heard from Commander Yelle, too.

    ''Good morning. Okay, then.....

    Yeah, I don''t want to leave, but I''m going to do my duty.

    We nodded at each other.

    We probably got the same explanation.

    He said we could look for Elena-san as long as it didn''t interfere with our mission.

    ''Tina is........''

    ''It''s okay, Yulina, I know it too.

    Jurina tried to explain, but Tina stopped her.

    ''I taught her yesterday,''

    ''Well I see. Tina, if you know, we''ll talk fast. Will you join us and find that man?

    Me and Yulina said we were going to leave together and look for her, but Tina wasn''t there.

    No, she was there, but she was still lying in bed due to her injuries.

    So Yulina asked for a serious look.

    ''''Of course. I don''t think Elena-san would be the one to do that either.''''

    Thank you.

    Tina agreed with a smile.

    Yulina-san also loosened her cheeks as she was tripped up.

    ''''And the reason I didn''t wake up is because Elena-san beat me up. You wouldn''t complain if I hit you at least once, would you?

    ''''Hmmm, I guess so. I''m going to have to take at least one hit myself.

    So we laughed and we ate our breakfast.

    Then we finished eating and went to work.

    Tina and Yulina are going to the city to help with the reconstruction.

    I''m going to spend the morning training.

    Most of the Knights'' soldiers are helping to rebuild the city, but we''ll take turns training.

    If we don''t, our arms will fall off.

    Down the road, when our espionage is over, there could be a big war.

    So we can''t afford to lower our soldiers'' skills for that.

    We will go to the training grounds and start training with hundreds of people.

    Each of them trains on their own, but they all take it seriously and seriously.

    The atmosphere was different and bleak than it was before the raid.

    ''Yo, Eric,''

    Oh, you''re an old man.

    While I was pretending to be one too, an old man was talking to me from behind.

    I joined the knight''s group and the old man has been involved from time to time since the first training.

    I''m not sure if it''s because our training times didn''t coincide, but we haven''t seen each other much lately.

    ''Let''s get together for the first time in a while,''

    Yeah, sure.

    We faced each other and started fighting--

    ''Ah!¡¡You''re still strong!

    Well, yeah.

    We took a break once when the old man collapsed on the ground in a big, sweaty heap.

    He fought several times, but never lost a fight.

    The shoulder injury that Elena had done to him was now almost undisturbed.

    In perfect condition, I can go on a spy mission.

    And then I found Elena-san.........

    ''What''s up?¡¡You look weird.

    The old man who had fallen down sat down on the ground and looked at me and said so.

    ''No, it''s nothing,''

    ...Is this about Elena-chan?

    ''¡¡Why, why...!

    Why is that old man talking about Elena-san...!

    Only we and the Commander and the Vice Commander should know that Elena-san is a traitor.

    ''That''s obvious. You were good friends with Elena, you know. Anyone would be depressed if they saw their friend''s name in the name of a missing person.

    Oh, oh, I see.

    The old man thinks Elena-san is dead.

    The missing person may be alive, but most of them just haven''t been found dead.

    That''s why the old man is mistaking Elena-san, who is treated as a missing person for the moment.

    ''''Well that''s true.

    I can''t tell you the truth, so I''ll just fake it for you.

    ''I''m shocked too. A pretty girl like that....

    ''Old man, I thought you said Elena was a man.

    As long as you''re pretty, you''ll be fine.

    Nothing''s okay with you, perv.

    Elena had been on missions around town, though there were times when she''d been tangled up with perverts like the old man.

    ''I had a chance to talk to that girl once, and I asked her a ton of questions. The look of confusion on her face was adorable.

    That''s disgusting, old man.

    ''Ugh. It''s bad enough that Elena is pretty.

    The old man is grinning and making a sickening face, as if he''s remembering what happened then.

    But the question........I haven''t heard much about Elena-san.

    ''What did you hear?''

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, yeah. Do you have a family structure, do you like anyone, are you dating anyone...

    I''m an idiot for asking.

    I asked him if I could get some information, but I preferred not to ask.

    ''The puzzled look on your face was cute, but when I asked you where you were from, you looked scared for a moment.

    ''¡¡What did Elena say?

    Elena-san''s hometown, if you ask me that, I might be able to find Elena-san.

    At the moment, the Lindow Empire is the only candidate I can think of.

    I don''t know if it''s the name of the country or the city, but you said the first letter was ''ha''. ''Don''t tell anyone else,'' he said with a smile, and it was cute.

    Yeah, that''s disgusting, old man.

    ''I took that as a hint and did a lot of research, and I found something like "Kingdom of Harvena" or "City of Hamayu". As far as leading, it would be one of those.

    You''re as close to a stalker as you''re going to get up there, old man.

    The acronym is the land of ''Ha'' or the city....

    I don''t know if that''s true or not, but I''ll refer to it.

    What the old man was referring to would be the kingdom and city of the human race in both cases.

    Elena-san is a demon race, so she should never be there.

    I didn''t expect to get a hint of Elena-san''s location from the old man.

    Should I be a little grateful for the old man''s perversity?

    ''''Even when he had that scary look on his face, there was some kind of gap between his cute face and that, which was even better. Such a pretty girl....

    I knew I didn''t have to do it, or it would be weird.

    But ''ha''........hmm?¡¡Wait, you can''t mean...

    The Kingdom of Harzion - the country where my former lover from my previous life, Irene, is from........

 108-Episode 108: Showdown after a long absence

    Unintentionally obtained from the old man, a country where Elena might be.

    I''m sure there are many countries and cities with the initials "ha" if you look them up, and the Kingdom of Haruzion is one of them.

    Could Elena be in that country...?

    Elena passed on the information, but she didn''t say it was passed on to her home country.

    In other words, I can''t determine that the Lynda Empire is the home country.

    Moreover, Elena-san said that she originally passed the information on to Felix, who I killed.

    She said it was because he bought me the highest price.

    So that''s why I don''t have much of an attachment to the Lynda Empire that attacked the Begonia Kingdom.

    I had no idea where Elena-san was, but....

    The Kingdom of Harzion and the other "ha" is the first demon race country and city.

    I''d better check it out carefully before I leave.

    ''''Eric!''''

    ''¡¡What is it?

    No. You call out to me and I don''t respond.

    Yeah, sorry, I was spaced out.

    The old man seemed to be standing in front of me and calling out to me, but I didn''t notice him at all.

    ''Well, I know you''re depressed about Elena, but get a grip.

    I know what I''m talking about, thank you very much, old man.

    I can''t tell the old man that Elena-san is alive, that she betrayed him, etc.

    But he gave me a hint of where Elena-san was, so I thanked him in passing.

    I can''t help but laugh a little when I think of Elena-san, who would have been in trouble with the old man who was persistent in asking her many questions.

    ''''I mean, you, how long are you going to call me old man?''''

    Come on. It''s not a problem. I''ve gotten used to it.

    You''re not even old enough to be an old man...

    The old man sighed and said that.

    ''It''s not like you don''t remember my name, is it?

    ....

    Hey, you''re lying.

    So, old man, I''ll train a little by myself.

    Hey, say something.

    I fooled around and the old man moved away from me.

    No, really, I remember him, remember?

    I just somehow didn''t call it.

    I''ll ask Urina later.

    Yeah, I''ll just make sure it''s right.

    After that, as I was swinging my sword alone for a while, someone else approached me again.

    I turned around and looked at that person and my eyes widened.

    ''''Mr. Liberto...!

    Hey, you doing all right?

    Liberto-san, the Vice Commander of the Knights, was standing there.

    He was holding a wooden sword in his right hand and a bead of sweat could be seen on his forehead.

    Perhaps Liberto-san was also training lightly just now.

    ''''Yes, Liberto-san is training too, right?''''

    I don''t skimp on the training, for Christ''s sake. I don''t miss work.

    What are you talking about, for Christ''s sake?

    You can''t skip work, either.

    To become as strong as Mr. Liberto, you can''t get there by talent alone.

    You''ll need to train accordingly, and you''ll need to work hard every day to maintain it.

    But I still don''t think that''s a reason to skip work.

    ''Well Eric, it''s been a long time since we''ve had a fight.

    Huh!

    Fight Mr. Liberto.

    It''s been a long time.

    I haven''t seen him since my first training session when I joined the Order.

    At that time, I didn''t understand that Liberto-san was the deputy commander, and he seemed like an unfamiliar and annoying person.

    Or rather, he was a funny guy who would drink when he got into a fight.

    But even when he drank, he was very strong and hard to fight.

    Even though he has staggered legs, he attacks powerfully, and because he is wobbly, he is hard to attack and avoid.

    I''ve never seen an opponent that difficult to fight before.

    ''''Don''t you have to drink?''''

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, it''s okay. This time - I''m serious.

    Those words give me chills like goosebumps.

    Someone who was so strong in a fight like that is going to get serious.

    How strong is that?

    In a previous life and in this life as well.

    He''s probably the most powerful swordsman I''ve ever met.

    The strongest person I''ve fought was definitely Felix, but Liberto-san is probably no better than that guy.

    Felix also used a sword, but his skills weren''t that great.

    It wasn''t technology, that guy''s physical ability was exceptionally good.

    He had enough kinetic vision and reflexes to be able to see our attacks and then avoid them.

    Mr. Liberto doesn''t have that much physical ability, but he has enough skill to make up for it.

    I don''t think I''m beaten either but we''ll find out if I really am.

    ''''Okay, let''s do it.''''

    That''s the way it should be.

    And then we open the distance between us.

    After a few meters away, we take up positions.

    Even with this much distance between us, me and Mr. Liberto will be able to close it down in a single step.

    ''Oh, hey!¡¡The deputy commander is going to fight!

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, it''s true. But the deputy commander fights a lot of people.

    Yeah, but I''m not drunk today!

    ''What?¡¡Are you kidding me?¡¡If it''s not a drunken sword, does that mean you''re serious about it?

    I can hear the people around me making a lot of noise at the sight of Mr. Liberto.

    ''Who is the other guy?''

    It''s Eric Aulin!

    ''Oh!¡¡That guy who says he played in the last fight?!

    ''''Rumor has it that he once defeated the Vice Commander''s drunken sword...!

    This is going to be a hell of a fight!

    I seem to have gained a bit of fame from the last raid too.

    For myself, I have nothing to praise about that fight at all.

    All the people around us stopped training and tried to watch us fight.

    "Haha, I didn''t expect to get this much attention.

    That''s a real lieutenant commander.

    You too. Hey, you over there.

    Mr. Liberto speaks to the person closest to him.

    ''Ha, yes!''

    Throw a coin.

    Mr. Liberto takes a coin out of his pocket and throws it to that person.

    The person tries to catch it but fails and drops it.

    He quickly picks it up in a hurry and looks at me and Mr. Liberto with a nervous look on his face.

    ''''Well, then, are you ready to go!

    Yeah, sure.

    Yes, I''m ready.

    The man had a shaking hand.

    Well, then, here we go!

    I flipped a coin.

 109-Episode 109: The Strongest Battle

    After finishing helping the city rebuild, I came to the training ground.

    I came because it was time to take turns with the people who had been training in the morning, but it was a little early or the first half of the group was still training.

    I came because the reconstruction of the area of the city I was in charge of was finished earlier than the others, but it wouldn''t be a problem to train early.

    Yes, Eric was in the first half of the group.

    It''s been a while since I''ve had a fight with Eric.

    He''s stronger than me.

    It would be better practice than going it alone.

    With that in mind, I look for one person in a large training area full of people.

    I knew it would be hard, but it was easy to find him.

    Because Eric was in the center of the crowd.

    He was supposed to be in training, but everyone stopped to look at him and see what he was doing.

    Curious, I went there and found the Eric I was looking for.

    This crowd of people are trying to see Eric fight.

    Eric was confronted by Deputy Commander Liberto.

    ''Excuse me, what''s this all about?''

    I talk to people I know who have been around and who are sometimes involved with Eric.

    Eric always calls him ''old man''.

    ''Hmm?¡¡Oh, you''re Yurina. As you can see, Eric and his deputy commander are going to fight.

    Who are these people around?

    ''You''re the ones who watch the game out of curiosity, well, me too. If the Commander had been there, you''d have been paying attention.

    Surely if Commander Yelle was there, he would pay attention and the others would go back to training.

    But right now, there is no one to pay attention.

    Everyone would be concerned about it.

    The strongest man in the Order of Begonia, Deputy Commander Libert, the most powerful man in the Order.

    And the newcomer who suddenly appeared, Eric Aulin, who played a major role in the raid.

    Who is more powerful, such two men?

    I haven''t thought about it too much, but I''m a little curious too.

    I''d love to train, but there will be something to be learned from watching others fight.

    I''ll have to watch and learn from them.

    He excused himself and then decided to observe the two men fighting.

    They took a stance and someone nearby popped a coin.

    Perhaps the moment that coin landed on the ground, the fight would begin.

    And then - the coin fell to the ground.

    The first person to attack was the deputy commander.

    He closed the distance that was between the two of them at once and swung his wooden sword.

    With a speed that even the soldiers in the Order couldn''t react to, that attack alone would get most people killed.

    Even I can just barely avoid it.

    However, Eric received it with his wooden sword without seeming to be particularly panicked.

    Then he shed the wooden sword he received and immediately moved to attack.

    The deputy commander avoided the wooden sword that was close to his neck by deflecting his body.

    Eric just barely prevented it with his arms, but once he got away from it, he got away from it.

    The people around him buzzed for a moment as they watched the attack and defense.

    ''''Awesome, dude........''''

    I heard the old man watching next to me mutter that.

    The current offensive and defense alone was a far cry from the people around him in terms of skill and strength.

    Eric moved to attack while preventing the vice commander''s first attack.

    I don''t know how to learn a skill like that, I don''t know how to learn it.

    And the deputy commander who avoided it and attacked was also very good at using his body.

    It''s a sword-and-sword fight, so that''s the only thing you''re likely to focus on, but it''s an all-or-nothing fight.

    The deputy commander who throws a kick and Eric who prevents it both know that.

    I don''t have that kind of flexibility in fighting.

    I need to learn that kind of fighting style from those two fights.

    ''Don''t do it, Eric,''

    Mr. Liberto, I didn''t think you could attack from that position.

    I wasn''t expecting this attack, but it''s preventable?

    It was later than I expected.

    Don''t tell me.

    They are having such a conversation with each other with a little smile on their faces.

    However, they aren''t distracted at all, and you can see that they are ready to respond immediately if the other party attacks them.

    Probably evenly matched in power.

    Eric''s skills are a bit better than mine. I don''t know why the younger Eric has better technique, but I guess that''s a talent.

    However, the deputy commander is better at handling the body.

    He''s a drunken sword to begin with, someone who can fight in a way that makes no sense.

    There are too many people who can draw out too many ways to dodge and attack, and not many can handle it.

    Even with Eric''s skills, his attacks would still not hit and he wouldn''t be able to predict how they would work.

    You can''t predict who will win at all.

    ''''It''s time for the guys in the morning group to be replaced, so let''s get this over with.

    Yes, sir.

    Then he began to attack again, this time from the deputy commander''s side.

    This battle of the training ground was then talked about for a long time in the Order.

 110-Episode 110: To Spy Mission

    It had been about two weeks since the attack.

    The royal capital has begun to rebuild smoothly, and there is no more rubble to be found when walking around the area that was attacked.

    The buildings that were destroyed have not yet been rebuilt, but they will all be repaired in another month.

    I didn''t expect it to recover so quickly.

    It''s amazing that His Majesty Leo is out in the streets and helping himself.

    The soldiers and the people of the city have stopped him many times, but His Majesty is doing the heavy lifting by shaking them off.

    By showing up like that, he is giving the people of King''s Landing hope and energy.

    We all know that His Majesty Leo is just doing what he''s always done, and he''s not doing it with an aim.

    That''s probably why people adore His Majesty Leo.

    Perhaps it was because His Majesty Leo was out in the city for reconstruction, but Christo had also come to help with the reconstruction many times.

    ''''Oh!¡¡Son!¡¡You''re here again today!

    Shut the f*ck up, Dad. Use your stupid skills to move this pile of rubble.

    I''m on it!

    Even if the people around them tried to stop them, they would help themselves.

    I didn''t think that Christo would do it either, as His Majesty Leo would always do such things.

    I asked him before why he would stop the prince''s work in the middle of the day and come to the city to help with the reconstruction.

    ''The people like my father because he can do that kind of thing behind the scenes,'' he said. That''s why the Kingdom of Begonia is stable, with no rebellion. I don''t know how many years it will be, but I''m going to be king too. I don''t want the people to say, ''My father was better than me'' when he changes, because I don''t want the people to say, ''My father was better than me. I have an ulterior motive, and I do things like that.

    Christo said with a grin.

    ''''Well you''re thinking in your own way, aren''t you?

    That''s because I don''t think about it like my father did. It''s amazing what an idiot like that can do without thinking, and he''s so admired as a king.

    Christo is not a talker, but he seems to understand the awesomeness of his parent, His Majesty Leo.

    Perhaps His Majesty Leo is a person who is born to be above others.

    He may not be aware of it, but what he''s doing is two sides of the same coin, and that''s why I like him.

    He''s probably the type of ruler who shows people what he does and leads people around him.

    That''s why when he acts without thinking about it, people see it and want to follow him.

    That''s the kind of ruler that has a natural talent.

    Even if he imitated His Majesty Leo''s actions and aimed at them, ordinary people wouldn''t be effective.

    Knowing this, Christo is trying to become a king who is as good as His Majesty Leo.

    He can''t imitate him, so he thinks and thinks and acts, so that he can go even higher.

    But Christo, I know.

    I know that you can do the same thing that His Majesty Leo did.

    He saved my life when he saved me in a previous life.

    I respected you for doing things that you would never have done if you hadn''t tried to impress people.

    "Good luck, my next king.

    Yeah, I''m on it.

    Me and Christo are fists together.

    When you''re king, I will be right beside you, I will be there for you.

    And today.

    I''m leaving King''s Landing on a spy mission.

    The three of us going with you will be the same, Tina and Yurina-san.

    Just like when I did Christo''s escort, I had been getting ready since early morning.

    There was a carriage in front of the dormitory, and we finished carrying our bags to it.

    ''Eric, we''re done over here,''

    Same here.

    All right, I''ll take the lead on this one.

    You''re in charge.

    On this trip, me and Yulina-san will take turns being the guru.

    ''I''m sorry, I couldn''t do it,''

    No, I''ll be fine. I''ll rely on magic for that.

    ''Yes!¡¡I got it!

    Tina had been practicing the magic required for spies, so she hadn''t practiced dealing with horses.

    It seemed that she was being taught magic by Commander Anne, who was staying with her.

    ''''Are you finished with your preparations?''''

    As soon as we finished our preparations, Jere and Liberto-san arrived.

    Behind them, Commander Anne is also there.

    ''''Yes, we''re done.''''

    Good. You know where you''re going first, and so on, don''t you?

    Of course.

    I''ve already been told where to go, what information to get, and so on.

    I''ve never been on a spy mission before.

    I know there are a lot of things I don''t understand, but I have to make sure I do it right.

    In order to gain advantage in the war against the Lynda Empire, the information we gain on our spy mission is important.

    And we have to find Elena-san while on our spy mission.

    I know it''s hard to find her while performing the mission well, but it''s not an exaggeration to say that that''s why I took this mission.

    It''s espionage, and if they find out about such an act, they could be killed.

    We have to brace ourselves.

    You will do your duty well, sir.

    Yes, sir.

    I''m sorry, sir.

    Well, good luck with that.

    Liberto-san said that with a light laugh.

    I was just trying to get my mind off of it, but I''m kind of letting my guard down....

    ''''Eric, don''t let your guard down.

    ''¡¡Yes, I know.

    Liberto-san said just that and turned away and went back with a light wave of his hand.

    Our conversation was over and I looked at Tina and saw that she was talking to Commander Anne.

    ''''Anne, where is Viviana-san?''''

    She''s still sleeping.

    ...that''s impressive.

    If it were true, it seems that the deputy commander Viviana-san was supposed to be here as well, but.....

    It''s the same as usual, and on the contrary, I''m somewhat relieved.

    ''''Hang in there, Tina Aulin. Be on your guard.''''

    Yes!

    We finish talking over there and we get into the carriage.

    I go to the driver''s seat and Tina and Yulina go to the carriage.

    We''re going on a mission.

    I''ll try my best!

    I''ll do my best, sir.

    We said that to Jere and Commander Anne, and we set off.

    The espionage for the war against the Lynda Empire had now begun.

 111-Episode 111: First Country

    Our first stop is the Kingdom of Harzion.

    About three days before I left for my spy mission, Yele-san told me.

    ''The Kingdom of Harzion, is it...''

    I remember what the old man told me before.

    The old man questioned Elena sickeningly and finally asked her where she was from.

    A country or city with the initials ''Ha''.

    In other words, it includes the Kingdom of Harzion.

    Maybe Elena-san is in the Kingdom of Harzion.

    That''s why I''ve always wanted to go to the Harzion Kingdom.

    .........and also because there''s someone else I personally want to meet.

    But what is the reason for heading to the Kingdom of Harzion in the first place?

    It can''t be because you were thinking about me and Elena-san.

    Why did you come to the Kingdom of Harzion?

    "A week after you leave on your spy mission. His Majesty Leo and Prince Christopher will depart for the Kingdom of Harzion.

    ...What?

    His Majesty Leo and Christo going to the Kingdom of Harzion?

    Why on earth would you want to go through all this trouble?

    ''The prince told me that you and Mr. Eric and Miss Viviana were able to return thanks to Princess Irene of the Kingdom of Harzion?

    ''¡¡Yes, sir.

    Yes, we were about to leave the village where Nina, Felix''s sister, was, when Irene arrived.

    I was on the verge of tears when I saw her for the first time in this world, but the words that were released from her mouth made me retract my tears.

    When Irene told me that the Kingdom of Begonia was being raided there, I realized the unusual situation.

    ''''I contacted her with my magic tools when the raid came, but I couldn''t get through, so I wondered why she realized what was going on and came back, but when I heard that, it made sense.

    Mr. Liberto was also trying to contact me with his magic tool when he heard Irene''s words, but something was interfering with him and he couldn''t get through.

    If Irene hadn''t come, me and Viviana-san wouldn''t have been able to return.

    If it had been like that, the Begonia Kingdom would have been destroyed, just like in the previous life.

    The Lindow Empire wasn''t that strong, but the three explosions that Elena-san had caused had put the Begonia Kingdom in a pretty dangerous situation.

    If Viviana-san hadn''t been there, maybe it would have ended.

    I........Elena-san got me, so it''s no exaggeration to say that there was no point in returning.

    I was somewhat active in the battle of the back gate, but after that, I was soon out of the line of fire.

    ''''Eric-kun, are you alright?''''

    Yes, I''m sorry.

    Oh no, I was stunned to remember that moment.

    I have to pull myself together.

    ''''........Don''t drag your past mistakes too much. Use your failures as a springboard for your next success.

    ''¡¡Yes, I understand. Thank you.

    I think they know what I was thinking.

    I have to listen carefully to Yele-san''s words and change my mind.

    ''''It''s not an exaggeration to say that the Kingdom of Harzion has helped me, so His Majesty Leo has said that he will visit you in person to thank you.

    Are you going in person?

    Yes ... during this difficult time.

    Yele almost sighed, but he stopped just in time.

    ''''As expected, I told him to stop this time, but he said, ''If Yele is here, this country will be fine...''...

    Good luck with that.

    He remembered when he was told, and this time he sighed.

    ''''As an escort, there are about fifty soldiers, and the commander of the Anne Commander is to lead them.

    Is that a lot?

    ''It is infinitesimally small. Your Majesty, and if the prince is there as well, you''ll need more than twice as many soldiers.

    That''s right.

    Even if it''s a friendly country, there aren''t that many guards for His Majesty and the Prince to go to another country.

    --Huh!¡¡No....!

    Decoy, sir?

    Thank you for being so perceptive.

    Yele-san affirmed the question.

    ''It has not yet been announced that His Majesty and the Prince will be visiting the Kingdom of Harzion. But I intend to do so on the day you and the others depart for your mission. And then you will find out how the Lindow Empire and the rest of the nations will operate.

    I knew it was so.

    If His Majesty Leo announced that he was going to the Harzion Kingdom with his guards in short supply, the Lindow Empire and other countries that wanted to kill His Majesty might come to the Harzion Kingdom to assassinate him.

    That person said that his real job was as an assassin.

    The reason why neither Liberto-san nor Viviana-san would take them as guards is to make it easier for His Majesty to target them as bait, and the other reason is so that he can deal with them if the Begonia Kingdom is attacked again.

    With those two, there will be few battles that can''t be won.

    ''''By the time His Majesty arrives, please gather information such as whether or not the Lynda Empire will move, and if there are people targeting His Majesty... take care of them.

    I understand.

    If there''s someone like that, we''d better take care of it before His Majesty arrives.

    But if Elena-san came there........

    We might fight her, but the three of us could capture her without killing her.

    Maybe we can talk to her there.

    I don''t know if I want Elena to come or not.

    I can''t say either way.

    Because if she comes, it means that she''s working as an assassin.

    And after all, for me personally - if I''m going to the Harzion Kingdom, I want to see Irene.

    It would be impossible for me to actively go to see her, but if I could, I would.......

    I couldn''t help but think that.

 112-Episode 112: Noisy Bar

    A very noisy, tavern.

    A small shop located in the royal capital of the Kingdom of Harzion, far from the center of the city.

    All kinds of people drink here.

    Some come here on their way home from work, some come with good friends.

    Men and women also vary, more men than women, I guess.

    Maybe because most of them are drunk, most of them talk loudly.

    That''s why the shop is so crowded and no one would hear you if you spoke in a low voice.

    ''''Can you hear me?''''

    I''m aware of that, but I mutter that in a very quiet voice.

    I wonder if the people next to me can hear me, in a voice that would never be heard if it were this bar.

    And there was no one next to me sitting at the counter.

    From my side (or side of me), it looks like I''m a lonely person who has come to drink alone.

    He is dressed in a cloak and a hood so deep that his face is hidden from view, so he may be seen as a dangerous person.

    ''Yes, I can hear you. Can you hear me too?

    I hear a voice responding to my words earlier.

    There''s no one next to me.

    Whoever said those words earlier would be sitting at a table in this tavern.

    ''All right, then, as planned.

    Okay.

    We heard each other mutter that in a small voice, so that means the magic is firmly working through.

    The wind magic allows my voice to reach Tina and Tina''s voice to reach me.

    It seems that the voice reaches you by shaking the air, so if you manipulate the air, even a small voice can reach someone far away.

    I don''t know exactly how that works, but it looks like Tina learned it from Commander Anne.

    ''''Hey, shopkeeper,''''

    Hmm?¡¡What a face you don''t have.... or rather, I can''t see your face.

    I spoke to him, not in the small voice I had just used, but in a voice that could be heard by the owner in front of me, even in this noisy store.

    ''I got a scar on my face a while back. You shouldn''t look at it, it''s ugly.

    Well, that''s okay. So, what is it?¡¡Order?

    I realize it''s probably a lie, but the owner keeps talking to me.

    ''No, don''t order. Just a word.

    You don''t go into a bar and ask for a drink and talk to a guy who doesn''t have one.

    ...then I''ll have the lowest number of drinks.

    Yes.

    I''m not here to drink, but if I can''t listen to them, I have to ask.

    After a while, a wooden mug of liquor is placed in front of me.

    I take the handle and drink it lightly.

    Maybe it''s because it''s low in alcohol content, but it has a strong fruit flavor.

    I''ve never been to this country before, but it''s a nice country.

    ''Is that so? I would have thought so, though, since you''re dressed like a traveler to look at.

    For now, I start making small talk to get the information out of him.

    ''The rest of the country was a lot more cutthroat,''

    ''''The Kingdom of Harzion is so strong with His Majesty right now. You don''t have many people to challenge with the rest of the world.

    I said it like I''ve been to other countries because I''m set up as a traveler.

    In the land of the demon race, the strongest person is the one who rises to the top.

    If you are strong, even if you were born in the underground city, you can become a king.

    That was proven by Felix in his previous life.

    ''''Was it His Majesty Celedonia?

    ''Yeah, yeah. You weren''t even challenged to fight before, but you''re starting to get challenged a bit more recently.

    Oh, really?

    His Majesty lost once before he was challenged.

    So you''re changing the king?

    ''It was supposed to be, but whoever defeated his Majesty seems to be dead. Rumor has it that he was killed by someone else.

    Yeah, I know.

    I killed him.

    ''So it was. But it''s hard to believe that''s what happened, the country seems to have settled down.

    ''Yeah, there were some guys who said things like ''Your Majesty lost once, so abdicate,'' but ''then you should beat your Majesty,'' so those guys shut up.

    You''re weak.

    ''They''re all talkers, they don''t rise to the top in this country. But things have settled down in King''s Landing now, but it seems the villages and other places around King''s Landing have been attacked.

    I''ve heard that story before.

    As Christo''s bodyguard, I found that attack when I came to this country and went in to help him.

    So be careful when you leave King''s Landing.

    ''Thanks for the advice. Well, I''m going to tour King''s Landing a bit more before I leave, so hopefully I''ll be calmer by then.

    ''I don''t know, I''m sure His Majesty is taking measures, but this country''s territory is pretty big. I don''t think he''s going to settle down anytime soon.

    ''Well, well, I''ll wait patiently. There seems to be a lot to see in this country, you know.

    Yes, the shopping district sells some interesting things and there are all sorts of things to see.

    The owner likes to see that kind of thing, and he gives me recommendations for shops and sights to see.

    I listened to his recommendations as he talked to me.

    You should see the acrobats over there.

    ''Oh, well, that''s something I''d like to see. I''d like to see a lot of places so... oh yeah, is there any place in this country I shouldn''t go?

    ''What?¡¡Why are you asking me that?

    You can''t go to a place like that by mistake when you''re sightseeing. I''ve been to those places before, and it''s a hazard.

    I see.

    The owner looks thoughtful and tells me where I shouldn''t go.

    ''First of all, you can''t go to the underground mall. There''s nothing to do there, and the people who live in the underground malls will go after your baggage.

    Underground, or is it something else?

    There aren''t many places like that in this country other than the underground malls but if I had to choose, I wouldn''t go to the nobleman''s district. If a suspicious person like you goes there, you''ll get caught first.

    Huh, yeah.

    I smile lightly and phase in, and a voice that doesn''t belong to the owner of the store echoes in my ears.

    ''Eric, I''ve finished checking this one out. You''re ahead of me.

    A voice that only I can hear, not the owner or anyone else.

    ''All right, I''m on my way.''

    I also mumbled in a voice that only reached Tina, not the volume I had been talking to the shopkeeper earlier.

    She wouldn''t notice that I mumbled because she couldn''t see my mouth from the shopkeeper because she had her hood up, so she wouldn''t know I was mumbling.

    ''Thanks, shopkeeper,''

    I paid for the drinks I asked for, plus a little extra money on top of it in the form of a good story.

    ''Yes,''

    ''I''ll come back when I''m done sightseeing. Then we''ll talk about the show.

    Yeah, I''ll be there.

    Then I put my hood back on deeply again and left the store.

 113-Episode 113: Four?

    I left the tavern and headed to the place I had designated.

    When I got there, I saw someone wearing a cloak and a hood, just like me.

    ''Eric, good job,''

    Oh, well, we''ll be back anyway.

    The one who was dressed as suspiciously as I was was was Tina.

    I was wearing a hood, though it might be noticeable, as I tried not to get my face seen too much as it was a spy operation.

    If it was a tavern that big, it would be fine to wear a hood, but if it was a little closer to the center of town, it would be really suspicious.

    So when I check around there, I don''t wear a hood, I just wear a mask that covers my mouth.

    We go back to the inn where we are staying, a little wary of our surroundings.

    The inn is neither expensive nor extremely cheap.

    We heard in town when we arrived in this country that travelers often stay there, so we went there.

    ''I wonder if those two have already left?

    ''I don''t know, it''s farther away from where you two went, so it looks like we''ll be faster than you.

    As we talk about it, we come back to the innkeeper and go into our rooms.

    Maybe it''s because there are so many travelers in the inn, but we''re one of the few who have taken two rooms that can accommodate two people.

    Me and Tina are in the same room, and the other two are next to each other.

    I go back to my room and take off my cloak.

    "Huh, I hate it when I''m inside my cloak.

    I agree with you, but it''s a mission.

    I know, but...

    Tina sighed as she combed her hair appropriately.

    It was hot and humid today, even at night, so it was even harder.

    I''m a little jealous that the other two are in the center of town, so I don''t have to wear a hood.

    ''I didn''t get that much today on my end.

    It''s been about three days since we arrived in the Kingdom of Harzion.

    In the meantime, we have been going to various places to get information, but today there was no new information.

    If I had to say anything, I''d say it''s the fashions that are popular in this royal capital.

    I didn''t find anything either. I''ve heard about most of the guests.

    Tina had used her magic to listen to all of the customers in that restaurant and hear everything they were saying.

    In such a noisy tavern, she couldn''t even hear the customers next to her, but with magic, she could do it.

    All sorts of people gather in a tavern.

    And people are information.

    You can hear it in the stories of the people who gather in the bar.

    People who work in the public eye... and people who work in the background can be found in the tavern.

    And if it was such a noisy tavern, they would assume that no one was listening, even if they were having a slightly suspicious conversation.

    That''s what Tina is trying to get at with her magic.

    But we haven''t gotten much solid information yet.

    I''ve already heard that His Majesty Leonardo of Begonia will be visiting this country.

    So, if there is someone who is targeting His Majesty Leonard, it''s not surprising that they have already appeared.

    ''''I see, so we''ll just have to wait for those two.

    Can I take a shower first?

    Yeah, that''s good.

    Tina can''t stand the steaming head, and she goes to the bathroom in her room.

    After a while, she hears the sound of the shower.

    She seems to be humming too.

    Yulina and another person, a collaborator who joined us after we entered the territory of this country.

    Even if the four of us stay at the inn, if one of us is a man and three of us are women, it is a little noticeable, so I asked Yulina to dress as a man.

    Yulina-san is tall and if she makes her hair look short and wears men''s clothes, she won''t look like a woman.

    I mean, she looks really cool.

    She looks like a man - but it''s going to be a little hard to crush her breasts.

    You''ll just have to be patient there, though.

    After a while, I heard the door to the next room being opened.

    Apparently he''s back.

    And just then Tina came out of the shower too.

    ''Huh, I feel refreshed,''

    I think they''re back in town.

    Tina comes out, wiping her hair with a towel, and sits down on the bed.

    And as we wait, there''s a knock on our room door.

    ''Eric, Tina, it''s me,''

    She made eye contact with Tina and Tina nodded.

    Tina checked to make sure she wasn''t faking her voice with magic.

    And now that she knew she wasn''t faking it, she opened the door to let them in.

    ''Good evening, Urina-san.

    Yeah, good job.

    Yulina''s hair is getting shorter.

    It''s not cut, I don''t know what it is, but it looks like she''s trying to make it look shorter, though I don''t know.

    I can only see him as a man with slightly longer hair.

    And the collaborator behind Yulina-san.........

    ''You too, good job, Nina.''

    Hey. Hey.

    This is Nina Gladio, Felix''s sister.

 114-Episode 114 Reunion with Nina

    Before we arrived at the royal capital of the Kingdom of Harzion.

    After entering the territory, we were advancing in a carriage through the wide open grasslands.

    Just because we had entered the country didn''t mean we would arrive at the royal capital immediately.

    They would have to drive the carriage for another day or so before they could reach the royal capital.

    That''s why I thought we''d have to camp somewhere....

    ''''Oh no, I didn''t expect to see you again so soon!¡¡Now, have another one!

    ''Oh, thank you...''

    I was given a big welcome in a village.

    This was the village that had saved him from being attacked before.

    I had taken a different route to the royal capital than before, but villages in the land of the demon race move quite a bit.

    Coincidentally, we encountered this village again this time.

    At first, we and the villagers tried to converse with each other with caution, but most of the villagers remembered my face and it instantly turned into an enthusiastic welcome.

    And now it''s nighttime, and we''re just about to have a banquet of sorts.

    Yulina-san and Tina are also being welcomed together, as they are my companions, but they seem a little confused.

    I mean, is it a good thing that their faces were exposed so quickly even though it''s a spy mission.......

    Fortunately, these people know my name, but they don''t realize that we''re not the demon race.

    Because the human race and the demon race are similar in appearance.

    The only difference is that when their emotions get the better of them, their eyes change color or not.

    Come to think of it, in this village....

    ''''Um, is there no Nina Gladio?

    Felix''s sister, Nina, should have been there.

    Normally, Nina would have cast a protective spell over the village, so the people of this village would be able to live in safety.

    But this time, when we approached the village, they were very cautious.

    Probably, if there was a protective spell on them, they wouldn''t need to be so cautious.

    ''''Oh that guy would have gone somewhere else again.

    The village chief, who had been pouring alcohol into my glass in good form, answers me, hiding his grumpiness.

    ''''Tell him you''re going to go find a friend, not Felix this time.

    A friend?

    ''Yes. We don''t know who we are, but...

    Did Nina have a friend?

    No, I don''t mean to be ridiculous, but I think she said something like she didn''t have anyone like that when we talked before.

    Nina is from the underground city of King''s Landing.

    She told me that when she fell down there and was about to die, Felix saved her and she''s been following him ever since.

    So if you''re going to call him a friend, maybe he''s a friend from the underground city.

    He said that he had friends when he was in the underground mall, but many of the kids were missing.

    Are you looking for those missing people?

    He said that most of the children that go missing are just kidnapped and sold into slavery.

    Finding those people would be a bit of a challenge........

    After that, the little party continued and we were finally released.

    I''m glad I didn''t end up that drunk but........

    ''''Ericdu........the heavens and the earth are turning.......!

    Are you all right, Miss Yulina?

    Yulina-san, who wasn''t used to drinking, got perfectly drunk.

    ''''It''s a natural catastrophe, we''re all going to die.......!

    You''re the only one with a natural disaster on your hands.

    Is the ground and the sky spinning in Yulina-san''s eyes?

    Yulina-san is about to fall down on staggered feet, and I turn her shoulders to support her.

    Her chest is against my body, but it is very hard, as if she is wrapped in salami.

    Isn''t it painful?

    ''Look, I''m going to bed now,''

    I can drink more...

    I can''t.

    ''Haha, Yulina was an aristocrat, so I guess she never drank much alcohol.

    Tina looks at Yulina and laughs at her.

    Surprisingly, Tina, who is a strong drinker, had the most to drink among us but still seemed to have plenty of time to spare.

    Just like the last time we were here, the village chief gave us a house to live in.

    We had brought our camping gear with us, but it looked like we wouldn''t have to use it today.

    We spent the night in the house we had rented.

    The next day, I was up early in the morning getting ready to leave.

    Tina got up and helped me, but Yulina was still asleep.

    She was drunk and went to bed, so she wouldn''t wake up yet.

    And when she wakes up...............................she''ll be suffering from a hangover.

    Hang in there, Yulina-san.

    As I was preparing the carriage with that thought, someone approached me.

    I looked up and looked in that direction, and there was Nina.

    ''''Eric...?¡¡You''re here?

    "Oh, Nina. I came here yesterday.

    Nina looks at me and rolls her eyes.

    ''You didn''t think I''d be here,'' she says.

    ''Eric, who''s that?''

    Tina asked me that.

    Come to think of it, I hadn''t explained it.

    But since she''s Felix''s sister, it''s a little hard to talk about.

    I don''t want to introduce her as the sister of the guy who attacked our village........

    When I was unsure of what to say, Nina came up to me right in front of me.

    And then she grabbed me by the shoulders.

    "W-what''s the matter?

    Nina exchanges a serious look with me as she looks up from below.

    ''Eric!¡¡Elena, come find Elena with me!

    ...What?

 115-Episode 115: Nina and Elena

    Confused by Nina''s sudden statement, I go inside the house I''m renting to listen to the story.

    If we''re talking outside, there''s a chance that the people in the village will hear us when we wake up.

    I''m not going to tell them what the secret mission is, but as far as we''re concerned, it''s about as much of a requirement as it gets.

    "Felix Gladio''s sister...

    She''s not even related to my brother by blood.

    I walked into the house and explained to Tina about Nina.

    ''Yes, what...''

    Since she''s Felix''s sister who attacked the village, it would be impossible to ask her to get along with him right away.

    I thought it would be impossible at first, too.

    No, or rather, as for me, Nina would have had more mixed feelings.

    I was the one who killed the brother I admired so much.

    But Nina seemed to have heard about Felix''s ambitions and really wanted him to stop.

    She even said she was grateful that I had killed Felix.

    So we can have a relationship that is nothing to worry about as far as I''m concerned.......but what about Tina?

    ''Tina used to live in that village. My brother, I''m sorry.

    ''No, it''s not Nina''s fault. In the end, everyone in the village is safe, and Eric and I are both alive.

    But....

    And because of that incident, I have a goal to stand next to Eric.

    Tina says and looks at me and smiles at me.

    I turn my head away, a little embarrassed.

    ''You two are good friends, aren''t you?''

    That''s right, we''ve known each other since we were little.

    Well we''ve been together since we were little...

    Nina turned over for a moment and made a sad face as she said it to repeat Tina''s words.

    What part of what she just said made her look like that?

    As I thought that, Nina looked up and spoke.

    ''''I too........Elena and I were good friends, together since we were little.

    -Oh!

    Yes, we went into the house to talk about it.

    Were Nina and Elena close to each other since they were little?

    That means..........

    Hmm..........uhhhh, my head.......!

    I heard a voice from behind me, and when I turned around, I saw that Yulina-san had just raised her upper body from the bed.

    Come to think of it, Yulina-san was still asleep after drinking too much yesterday.

    I had forgotten about it for a moment.

    Tina approaches Yulina-san, who is holding her head in her arms, and takes care of her.

    ''Yulina, are you okay?¡¡Can you drink water?

    ''Yeah I can drink, but why am I so sick...?''

    Do you remember drinking last night?

    ''Booze ... I think I''ve had it, but ...''

    As I thought, I''ve been drinking so much that I don''t remember yesterday.

    Well, at the end, her attitude and so on were too different from the usual Yulina-san, so it might be better for Yulina-san if her memory had flown away.

    But looking at Tina, who offers me water, I remember something.

    ''''........I too was interceded for by Elena when I used to drink alcohol.

    Huh!

    Nina''s blurted out words startled me.

    Because right now, I was remembering that, too.

    The day after I met Christo again, the day after I drank to celebrate meeting and becoming friends with him for the first time in this world.

    I was hungover and had a headache when Elena handed me a glass of water.

    I didn''t doubt it, but after all, Elena-san, the one Nina was looking for, must be a match for us.

    After that, we managed to get well enough for Yulina-san to listen to us and introduce Nina to her.

    Yulina-san didn''t know Felix, so I told her only that he was someone who knew Elena-san.

    ''You know Elena-san!¡¡I.........!

    Don''t scream too loud. It''ll go over your head.

    ''Oh, yeah, I guess so...''

    I don''t think he''s in the best condition yet.

    I''m going to have to make sure Yulina doesn''t drink anymore.

    She''s okay this time, but it could be a problem for the mission.

    So, where is Elena now?

    Holding her head lightly, Yulina asks.

    ''I don''t know about that,''

    Mmm, don''t you get it?

    So I want you to help me find it.

    It''s...

    Yulina-san looks at us.

    Even if we say we''re looking for Elena-san, we''re allowed to look for her as long as it''s within the scope of our top secret mission.

    That''s why it would be impossible for me and Nina to look around for Elena-san alone.

    For now, I want to ask Nina a few questions.

    ''Nina, you and Elena-san have been together since you were little, so you''re a childhood friend, right?

    Yeah, yeah.

    So, you''re telling me that Elena is from the underground?

    Elena told me that she grew up in the underground city and Felix saved her from dying.

    ''Yes, she did. Elena lived with me in the underworld.

    I knew it...

    It never occurred to me that Elena-san was in the underground city of the Harzion Kingdom.

    ''''What kind of place is the underground city?''''

    Yulina, who didn''t know the place that said that at all, asked that question.

    ''''A place with all the filth of the Harzion Kingdom. There are no laws, no light. A place where you can only survive by scavenging for garbage.''''

    ''¡¡Yeah, well I''m sorry, that was an uncaring question.

    No, I''m fine.

    ''But well, Elena-san grew up in a place like that...''

    The Elena we knew was bright and very kind.

    You wouldn''t normally expect her to have grown up in a place like that.

    ''I met Elena again a week ago. I thought Elena was dead until then.

    And why is that?

    Was there something in the underground city that could mistake someone so healthy and alive for dead?

    Jurina-san and Tina wouldn''t know, but I already knew.

    And it turned out that I was right, after all, what I thought was the right thing to do, Nina''s words.

    ''Because Elena was in the underground city - because she was kidnapped.

 116-Chapter 116: Slavery

    Because Elena got kidnapped in the underworld.

    I wasn''t too surprised because I had predicted that word, but the other two had their eyes wide open.

    ''''Nah...!¡¡Elena-san is going to get kidnapped...?

    No.

    When I talked to Nina before, she said something to me.

    Children in the underground city have a hard time surviving there.

    They can''t get food, and even if they could, the adults around them would kill them and take it away from them.

    They will either starve to death or be killed.

    On top of that, children can be kidnapped and disappear.

    Children, such as those with good looks, are kidnapped in order to be enslaved.

    And Nina''s friend who was kidnapped is Elena.

    They are sold into slavery and treated roughly by noblemen and others, and then they die. That''s how a lot of slaves end up.

    ''Wait!¡¡Does the Kingdom of Harzion have slavery!

    Yulina-san asks that with surprise.

    Among the countries of the demon race, the Kingdom of Harzion is very safe and has built a good rapport with the Begonia Kingdom.

    It is natural to be surprised that such a country approves of slavery.

    The law forbids it. But there are places where the law can''t bind them. The underground city is good proof.

    But what kind of a nobleman hires a slave?

    ''Not all the nobles are like that. There are a very few nobles who don''t want to obey the king. And slaves aren''t ''hired'', they''re ''used''.

    Huh...!

    Yulina bites her lip, unable to say anything at the use of the word for slaves.

    It seems that the Begonia Kingdom also had a slavery system in the past, but it was abolished some generations ago due to the harsh treatment of its slaves, and it disappeared completely.

    It seems that the Harzion Kingdom also doesn''t really have a system, but it seems that slaves still exist in the background.

    Yulina-san is an aristocrat, so she may be familiar with the stories there.

    The first thing you can do is to get your hands on a new pair of shoes. But I met her before.

    When was the last time?

    About a week ago.

    A week ago.......that was after that raid.

    Probably after that, you left the Begonia Kingdom and met with him while he was moving to the land of the demon race.

    ''''We hadn''t seen each other there in a long time, and we talked for a bit. That''s how I heard that Eric and Elena knew each other.

    That''s why as soon as you met me, you said, "Find Elena with me".

    Because the last time me and Nina met, we didn''t have a conversation about Elena-san.

    ''Why is Nina looking for Elena-san?¡¡Did something happen to you when we met before?

    If you met him once, talked to him and left him, he wouldn''t try to find you.

    ''I even asked him what he''s doing now I heard he''s still a slave.

    What!¡¡Is Elena-san still being treated like a slave?!

    Yulina-san reacted with wide eyes and Nina nodded somberly.

    ''But as far as treatment goes, it seems to be a bit different from other slaves. As far as the orders are concerned, it seems like we''re guaranteed a life or something.''''

    ''¡¡Could it be that Elena-san came to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy under those orders?

    Well I can''t be sure yet, but it''s not impossible.

    Elena-san called herself an assassin, but I think that''s what she''s doing under orders.

    When I think about it, I can understand why Elena-san looked a little sad when she betrayed him in that battle.

    But Elena-san had said back then that she had "priorities".

    Protecting your own life is a priority?

    Something feels different.

    Then when he came to the Begonia Kingdom as a spy, he could have betrayed us and followed us here and we could have lived as we were.

    You said that a certain "purpose" takes precedence, but what is that?

    As I put my hand to my chin and thought about it, I was thinking that, and then, from next to me, Don!¡¡I heard a loud noise.

    I looked over there in surprise and saw that Yulina-san had buried her fist in the desk where she had placed it.

    ''''.....¡¡I''m sorry, I don''t think I''m going to be able to listen to you calmly I''m going to go out for a bit.

    With blood flowing from her fists, Yulina-san left the house with her sword.

    I looked away from Yulina-san in a daze, but I huffed and stood up.

    ''''Eric, I''ll go.

    I was about to go after him, but Tina told me so.

    I looked at Tina and she made eye contact with me and nodded.

    ''''Well okay, I''ll leave it to you.

    Yes, Eric will exchange information with Nina.

    With that, Tina left the house.

 117-Episode 117: A Smile Never Stops

    Yulina!

    There''s only one person in the world who calls me by my "chan".

    Elena-san.

    I turn around and call out the person''s name.

    ''You want me to train with you!''

    Yes, please.

    Ms. Elena Millwood.

    She was the only senior member of the Order that I admired and respected.

    The first time I met her was during my first year as an apprentice in the Order.

    The fastest way to get into the Order was two years, but most people take longer than that.

    There are really only a few who make it into the Order in two years.

    But I was determined to get in in two years, I was absolutely determined to get in.

    I couldn''t do magic, but I was confident in my sword skills.

    When I was an apprentice, I lost in a mock fight with the Commander and Vice Commander, but I never lost to my peers, seniors, etc.

    It had isolated me.

    Perhaps my personality was another reason for my isolation.

    I know that I can''t be described as sociable, even though I''m flattered by it.

    I was eating alone in a large cafeteria.

    It was Elena-san who spoke to me there.

    ''Do you have a seat next to me?''

    ''What?¡¡Oh, yeah, it''s free, but...

    Thank goodness it''s getting late, I didn''t think I''d be able to sit down.

    Elena sat next to me as if we had been friends before.

    ''You''re Yulina, right?¡¡Oh, I''m Elena Millwood, nice to meet you.

    Hi, nice to meet you...

    ''I''ve heard rumors about you, Yulina. I''ve heard you''re strong, even though you came in this year. That''s great, did you train before you joined?

    Elena-san talked to me with a smile on her face, and I responded to her with a tazzy smile.

    ''''Yes, you''re right. I hired a teacher to teach me the sword and train me.''

    ''Oh, really? How old were you when you started?

    Five years old.

    I thought he was probably older than me, but I didn''t use respectful terms.

    This was because I had decided then that I would only speak respectfully to those I could respect.

    But Elena didn''t look uncomfortable and seemed to enjoy talking to me.

    ''Oh, I guess the lunch break is over now. Why don''t you come and train with me later, Elena-san?

    Okay.

    I fought Elena for the first time that afternoon in training, one-on-one, when I fought her for the first time.

    She was one of the strongest people I had ever fought, but I was stronger than her.

    ''''It was...''''

    I offer my hand to Elena, who is falling on her buttocks.

    Elena says, "Thank you," as she takes my hand and stands up.

    I knew I felt as light as I looked.

    ''''No, Yulina-san, you''re strong.''''

    ''Elena was stronger than I thought she''d be too. I think it''s honestly amazing how she fights with a dagger in both hands.

    Yeah?¡¡Thank you.

    After that day, Elena often got involved with me.

    We did most of our training and other things together.

    There were times when I thought Elena-san was a little depressing, but inwardly I was more pleased.

    ''''Elena-san, why did you get involved with me?''''

    I had asked Elena that question a few days after we had known each other.

    That''s when I started to speak to her in a respectful manner, thinking that she was a respectful senior citizen when I came in contact with her.

    ''I''m a boring person and not very amiable, so...''

    Doesn''t everyone like me?

    ...Yes, I didn''t want to be too clear about it, but...

    Ha-ha, sorry, sorry.

    After laughing a little, Elena answered.

    ''Hmm, because I wanted to talk to you in a normal way, I guess?¡¡I talked to this girl who''s amazingly strong and has a lot of buzz, and I wanted to fight her.

    Then why don''t we just fight it out?

    Yeah?¡¡I didn''t think that was the end of it, because it''s interesting and fun to talk to Yulina.

    Well....

    Unlike me, Elena-san is a popular person.

    She has a good charm and is quite strong, so it''s said that she can get in after three years of graduating as a Knight''s Apprentice.

    I didn''t understand why such a person would talk to me every day, as I was boring and without charm.

    When I wasn''t convinced, Elena-san continued with a smile.

    ''It doesn''t matter who is around you when you''re having fun talking with Yulina.

    Huh!

    ''I''m getting involved because I want to get involved with Yulina. Yulina-chan also has people around her saying, ''Don''t get involved with this Elena guy! But will you come and get involved?

    Yes, of course.

    Phew, thank you!

    Elena said that to me with a very gentle smile.

    I remember I was a little on the verge of tears.

    ''Speaking of which, I''ve been wondering for a while now, why does Elena-san use the first person, ''I''?''

    What, because I''m a guy?

    "...What?

    What?

    I''m a little embarrassed to remember now that I thought I was a woman all the time, even though I''ve been in contact with her for a few days.

    Oh no..........

    She''s so kind and has a constant smile on her face........

    Such a beautiful personality, Elena-san.........

    --A slave..........

 118-Episode 118: Annoying

    When I heard Nina say that she was friends with Elena, I couldn''t bear to go outside.

    I didn''t want to let the emotions that were inside this body get out in that house.

    I came out with my sword to vent it outside, but Tina, who had followed me, suggested I do so.

    ''Let''s fight, Yulina,''

    ...What?

    He sounded too abruptly out of tune to speak, but Tina didn''t care and said with a smile.

    ''I''m in the mood for some physical activity too, now.

    And we began to fight.

    "d*mn...!

    I was blown away by the impact from the front and I was blown away.

    I was blown up enough to float in the air, but I managed to regain my position and land.

    ''I''m still going!''

    Tina said, and then set up her magic again.

    This is the first time I fought Tina, and she''s stronger than I expected.

    Normally, a one-on-one between a swordsman and a wizard would be an overwhelming victory for the swordsman.

    They would end up being cut down before they could activate their magic.

    But first of all, Tina has a very short time to activate her magic.

    I think I''m one of the fastest at closing the distance myself, but the magic is released at a faster rate than that.

    It''s also moderately powerful.

    And I''m good at avoiding it.

    Even if I get close enough to swing my sword, he can avoid a single sword, and even a second sword.

    Once I was able to avoid that much, Tina also released her next magic and I was sent flying.

    Even if it''s not as usual since I''m wielding it in my scabbard, it''s not something I can avoid that easily.

    I wonder if he was trained because he was from the same village as Eric.

    ''''Huh...!

    I managed to avoid the magic that sent several fist-sized rocks flying at me by flicking them with my sword.

    ''''Ha, ha........''''

    I''m definitely being pushed.

    If this continues, I will lose.

    Was there this much of a difference in ability between me and Tina?

    No ... it would be a little different.

    If I was calm, I would have been able to hit Tina with two swords.

    I''m in the middle of such a last-minute fight, but I''m thinking about something completely different.

    Elena-san.........!

    How could someone so kind be enslaved!

    Before I was born, the Kingdom of Begonia had a system called slavery.

    However, the slavery was abolished because they made people work in such a bad way and treated them in such a bad way that it was unthinkable that they could do it to others.

    When I was at home, I had a tutor tell me about that treatment and others.

    I was skeptical that such a thing had really been done.

    When I heard about it, I was so scared that I couldn''t sleep at night.

    Slavery in the Kingdom of Harzion may not be as bad as in the old Kingdom of Begonia.

    But to be enslaved even by a kidnapper........

    ''''d*mn........!

    I run towards Tina.

    There are dozens of ice debris flying at me, but I pop them appropriately.

    ''''I........!

    I groaned in pain when I hit several of them, but I didn''t care about that as I approached.

    I didn''t notice.

    I didn''t realize that Elena-san was a slave.

    It never occurred to me.

    I still can''t believe that someone with such a beautiful, gentle smile is a slave.

    The emotion swirling in my chest is anger.

    The kidnappers who kidnapped Elena, and those who still treat her as a slave.

    And - against myself.

    Why hadn''t I noticed it?

    That such a cruel past was hidden beneath that beautiful and gentle smile.

    ''''Shameful...!

    Elena-san has always been a great help to me.

    If it weren''t for her, I would have spent my time as a trainee, alone and isolated.

    She would come to me for advice when I was in trouble.

    You took me out into the city when all I knew was training.

    I loved to see your smile.

    ''Huh!''

    I approach and swing my sword.

    Tina is halfway down and just barely avoids it.

    She quickly moves to the second sword and swings her sword to the side.

    But it''s also used magic, and I can jump backwards to avoid it without a call motion.

    He kicks the ground and gets close again.

    If he gets out of range, he''s back at a disadvantage.

    He slashes into a kesa-kake, aiming for the moment of landing.

    Tina just barely avoids it again, but she avoids it in an unreasonable position, so she falls on her butt.

    Elena-san.........!

    I''ve been helping you all the time and I haven''t been able to give anything back.

    You have suffered so much in the past and I never realized it.

    No, I didn''t even try to know.

    Are you suffering now?

    Are you back in your country and being treated as a slave?

    Why didn''t you tell me?

    If you are suffering right now....

    I''ll be the next one to help you.

    Even if you think I''m depressing, I will.

    Because that''s how I felt about you, too, at first.

    ''''Oh!''''

    With anger, sadness, and determination....

    I swung my sword at Tina, who fell down.

 119-Episode 119: Bittering Smile

    Well thank you for telling me.

    ''No, thanks to me. For telling me about Elena.

    Me and Nina finished exchanging information about Elena and we thanked each other.

    We''re lucky to have met Nina here.

    We can make a plan on how to ask for information about Elena-san when we go to the Harzion Kingdom.

    ''''What part of the Harzion Kingdom did Nina look for?''''

    I couldn''t find the nobleman''s quarter, as expected, so I was looking for information behind the scenes.

    Back?

    I had heard that Elena was an assassin, so that''s what I was trying to find out.

    I see.

    I think it''s a good move.

    If you explore that line of reasoning, you may eventually come across information about Elena.

    But no matter how hard you look, there''s always the chance that you won''t find it.

    If you''re a private assassin, you''ll definitely be able to find him, because if you don''t have that kind of information in your background, you won''t get the job.

    But if Elena-san is a slave of a nobleman and is forced to be an assassin, the name of an assassin held by a nobleman may not appear.

    It''s even more difficult to find information on an assassin''s agency, even more so if they were hired by the nobility.

    ''''Eric and the others are also looking for Elena, right?

    Yeah, I''m just on a mission.

    I didn''t tell Nina about the secret mission, as expected.

    Let me come with you to find out.

    ''No, we''ve got a mission to do...''

    ''I''d be happy to go on that mission with you. I think we''ll find it quicker if I look for it with Eric and the others.

    ''Ummm...''

    It would certainly be more efficient to search with us than to search alone.

    It''s also helpful for us to have Nina, who knows the other side of the Halcyon Kingdom, to look for it with us.

    But I can''t make a decision about the top secret mission on my own....

    ''''Okay, I''ll check it out and I''ll get back to you on that later.

    Yes, please.

    It''s time for us to go outside together to see what happened to Yulina-san''s side.

    ''''.......Why are those two fighting?''''

    What?

    For some reason, Yulina-san and Tina were fighting.

    Since Yulina-san took her sword with her when she left the house, I thought she was going to dissipate by swinging outside, but I didn''t expect Tina to be doing it with her.

    And they''re fighting pretty seriously.

    Yulina-san hasn''t let her out of her scabbard, and Tina hasn''t used enough magic to inflict a fatal wound, but other than that, it''s a serious fight.

    It''s Tina who has the upper hand.

    Yulina-san''s movements are slow, as if she''s upset by what she said earlier.

    Yeah, maybe there''s a hangover.

    ''''You''re both strong.

    Yeah, well, yeah.

    Yulina-san, who is probably the third.................or fourth strongest if you count the Commander.

    And Tina, who is probably the next strongest in the Magic Knights after the Commander and Deputy Commander.

    If you look around the world and the world, only a few of them would be able to win.

    ''But Eric is stronger than you, right?

    I don''t know.

    You won''t lose to Yulina-san, but I really don''t know about Tina.

    It''s true that if it comes to close combat, I''m confident that I can defeat her with a single sword.

    But if the spacing can''t be closed in a single step, and if I allow the magic to be activated I don''t know the outcome.

    ''''Nope, I think Eric is the strongest.''''

    Why?

    Because I beat my brother Felix.

    Nina assures me so.

    ''If it had been one-on-one, we probably would have lost. We won because of Tina''s magical backup.

    ''Yeah. Well, then, Eric and Tina would be the best when they teamed up.

    Well, there''s no denying it.

    As we were talking about this, the battle between the two of them was coming to a conclusion.

    Yulina-san approached at once and swung her sword, and Tina, who dodged it, lost her stance and fell down.

    Then she swings her sword wide and....................teh!

    -Oh!

    Seeing Yulina''s attack, which has no intention of stopping at all, I jump out of the way.

    I stand behind Tina and catch the attack with my sword.

    Gosh, that''s heavy!

    It was tough to catch Yulina-san''s sword that she wielded with all her might, but she managed to prevent it just in time.

    ''''Ha, ha.......wah, I just.......''''

    Have you settled down, Miss Yulina?

    ''Oh, oh, I''m sorry Eric. If you hadn''t stopped me, I would have...

    I''m glad to see you''re cooling down.

    I grab Tina''s hand as she falls and help her get up.

    ''Tina, I''m sorry. I almost hurt you.

    No, I''m fine.

    No, yeah, Tina seems to be fine.

    If Yulina-san had attacked her like that, Tina would have attacked her for real.

    ''''Well that was a bad idea.

    I heard Nina mutter that as she approached.

    Yulina-san couldn''t sense the magic power, so it couldn''t be helped that she didn''t notice it, but probably Nina would have noticed it too.

    Tina''s magic power, which had fallen down, had swelled up at a tremendous rate.

    The one who was most likely to be injured was probably Yulina.

    ''''Thank you for stopping me too Eric!

    Oh yes.

    Tina says that with a very nice smile, and I return it with a bitter smile.

    I''m glad I was able to stop it too........

 120-Episode 120: Confirmation Notification

    After stopping Tina and Yulina''s fight, I leave the place alone.

    I make sure there''s no one around and activate the magic tool in my pocket.

    I''ve never done it this early in the morning before, but I wonder if it will get through.

    After waiting for a while, there was a response from the magic tool.

    ''''Yes, this is Yele. Is it an emergency?''''

    The Commander of the Order, Yere''s voice comes from the magic tool.

    This magic tool is something that allows you to contact people in the distance.

    The voice can be delivered well and is essential for spying.

    During the previous Christo''s escort trip, the deputy commander, Liberto-san, had it with him.

    At that time, that magic tool was not able to get through, and it turned out that the royal capital was under attack.

    ''''This is Eric. No, it''s not so much an emergency, but it''s a situation that''s a bit hard to judge...''''

    I tell her briefly that I met Nina when I arrived in this village and found out about Elena-san.

    ''So, since we have the same goal of finding Elena-san, Nina wants to accompany me...''

    ...Eric, there is one thing I can tell you.

    Yes, can I help you?

    You forget that you are traveling on a top secret mission, and that you are working on the premise that the search for Elena-san is supposed to be kept from being discovered by us.

    ''Oh....''

    That''s right.........

    I told Yelle-san and Liberto-san because they already knew about it, but if it''s true, looking for Elena-san is something you shouldn''t do because it''s a public/private matter.

    Nevertheless, I talked to him about it.

    I can hear Yele-san''s sigh from the magic tool.

    ''''Um, sorry........''''

    ''''No, we know that too, so I hope it doesn''t interfere with the mission. Please keep that in mind.

    Yes, I understand!

    When I''m reminded, Yele-san thinks about what I''ve told her.

    ''''Nina Grazio.......that Felix Grazio, you were his sister-in-law, right?''''

    Yes, I do.

    Is he trustworthy?¡¡If you''re going to accompany me, I''ll have to tell you our mission and ask you to help me. If you don''t have the ability to do so well, there''s a good chance you''ll be a drag on the mission.''''

    It would be natural to be suspicious.

    She is the sister-in-law of the man who was trying to destroy the Begonia Kingdom, or indeed the man who destroyed it in a previous life.

    But..........

    I think I can be trusted.

    Nina has a bit of a venomous streak, but she is honest and straightforward.

    She doesn''t have a backstabbing personality.

    Still, the fact that you came to attack me when I was stupidly honestly sleeping is proof that you are not good at hiding the truth.

    Most importantly, he''s working that hard for Elena-san.

    To find her best friend from when she was in the underground city.

    Since they were friends many years ago, they could just let it go.

    But Nina is looking for her best friend, Elena-san.

    -- as if I was looking for my best friend Christo in my previous life.

    ''''My abilities are low in terms of offensive ability, but my defense probably surpasses that of Vice Commander Viviana.

    Nina can use protective magic.

    It seems that she can''t use offensive magic, but that magic is difficult and normal wizards can''t even learn lower level magic.

    Nina, who can handle it to an advanced level, would be better than Viviana-san and Tina when it comes to defense.

    ''''I see. Eric-kun, do you think it''s okay for Nina Gladio to accompany you?''''

    Yes, sir, and it will improve the efficiency of the mission.

    Even so, it would be hard to believe it as Yele-san.

    He wouldn''t allow me to take a suspicious companion in the middle of a very important mission--''''

    ''''I understand. I will allow Nina Gladio to accompany you.''''

    What ... are you sure?

    "Yes.

    He forgave me more easily than I thought.

    Why was it so easy?

    "We''ve been looking into Nina Grazio originally.

    ''Oh, really?''

    ''''Yes. Sister-in-law of Felix, from the underworld of Harzion. I didn''t know you were friends with Elena Millwood, but that''s about it.

    I didn''t think you were looking into Nina.

    But I met Nina on a previous trip, so I could find out from there.

    No. Did you really know her long before that?

    ''So if you''re that okay with it, Eric, I have no objection to it.

    Thank you.

    I don''t know how much he knew, but he managed to get Nina to allow him to accompany her.

    ''''That''s all we''ve heard from you,''''

    Okay, then....

    ''Oh?¡¡''What are you doing?''

    I felt like I was already out of touch, but there was something wrong over there.

    I heard another voice except for Yere''s. I couldn''t hear him, but he was talking to someone else over there.

    I can''t hear him, but he''s talking to someone else over there.

    And then I heard another voice over here, but it wasn''t Yelle''s voice.

    "Hey, Eric, are you taking Nina Grazio with you?

    What ... uh ... uh ... Mr. Liberto?

    ''Yeah, yeah. It''s been a while.

    Apparently, he has been replaced by Mr. Liberto, the Deputy Commander.

    Why did he take over all of a sudden?

    ''''Liberto, please don''t speak without permission.

    "Come on, man, it''s a bit of a stretch.

    ''''But Eric, you''re taking Nina Grazio with you.......''''

    ''Yes, yes, but...''

    Does Mr. Liberto disagree?

    What are you trying to get your harem together?

    ...What?

    What''s he talking about?

    ''One man and three women traveling together, right?¡¡That looks like fun.''

    ''No, it''s not like that, but...''

    "Keep it to yourself. There''s nothing good about having an affair.

    ....

    ''Whoa, what''s the matter, shut up?¡¡Don''t tell me you''re really doing this...

    So I''ll see you on time.

    I said and turned off the magic tool.

    I heard Liberto-san say something before I turned it off, but I ignored it.

    .........She was probably drunk, this early in the morning.

 121-Episode 121: Aristocratic Party

    This is how we received Nina as a collaborator before we arrived in Harzion.

    I told her about our top-secret mission and told her that if she wanted to find Elena, she would have to do it while she was on duty.

    That''s fine. That''s fine, I think it''s easier to find her than if you''re looking for her blindly and alone.

    Nina agreed to say so, so I was going to look for Elena-san while searching for information about the Lynda Empire.

    Then we arrived in the Kingdom of Harzion and gathered all kinds of information, and we got some powerful information.

    ''''A nobleman throwing a party?''''

    I asked, repeating what Yulina had said.

    The four of us gathered in the inn''s room, sitting around the table and exchanging the information we''d gained today.

    ''Yeah, it looks like it,''

    Yurina replied as she pulled back her short hair, which was short due to her men''s clothes, and bunched her longer hair.

    Perhaps it''s because she''s a woman, after all, and she doesn''t like her hair to be randomly scattered around.

    ''''Three days later, a party will be held at a nobleman''s residence. The party seems to be quite big, and it seems that aristocrats from other countries will be there as well.

    ''There''s a big one like that,''

    ''Oh, and it seems that among the nobles of other countries, there is the Lindow Empire.

    ''¡¡Is that true?

    Our original mission, that is to steal information from the Lynda Empire.

    The fact that a nobleman who is the upper echelon of the Lyndea Empire will be at that party means that he may be able to hear the inside information.

    ''''I''ve heard from the noblemen who are invited to every party, so there''s no doubt about it.

    Oh, so you could talk to a nobleman?

    The place Yulina-san and Nina went today is a restaurant in the aristocratic district.

    They seem to be serving alcohol like the tavern we went to, but the interior of the restaurant is completely different.

    From what Yulina told me, the interior is very clean and there aren''t too many customers.

    The lighting is a little dark, so dark that you have to look close to recognize people''s faces.

    They were seated at the counter, and it seems that the aristocrat who told them about the party happened to be next to them.

    ''Yulina took a liking to me and we talked about a lot of things. I just stood next to her and watched.

    Nina adds that.

    During the trip, Nina became close enough to call Yulina-san and Tina out.

    No ... was Nina called out from the beginning?

    The other two people are also talking about Nina, calling her by her name.

    I mean, they''re the same age except for me....

    The three women are eighteen, and I''m the only one who''s sixteen.

    I feel a sense of alienation just by being the only male, but I feel even more alienated when I''m the only one of a different age.

    ''Is that so? So the nobleman was a woman?

    Yulina was dressed as a man, so if she was going to be liked, it would be by a woman.

    He''s pretty good looking.

    ''''No ... he was a male aristocrat.

    ''Oh, so they know you''re a woman?''

    No, they didn''t know...

    ''What?¡¡Then why do they like you...?

    I''m sure you can guess.

    With a disgusted look on her face, Yulina-san said that.

    No, you can''t tell me to guess.

    I really don''t understand.

    ''''It means that this aristocratic man likes men.

    ''What?¡¡Ah........

    Nina''s words finally made me understand.

    So that''s what it was all about.

    It certainly wouldn''t be a good feeling to dress up as a man and have a man like that appearance.

    I didn''t feel bad about being liked by a woman, but I was a little troubled. And this time, to dress up as a man.......and have a man like me.......

    Yulina-san became depressed.

    It''s true that Yulina-san seems like a cool woman, who seems to be well-liked by women.

    However, this time the matter of dressing up as a man is a little, no, quite an unusual event, so I shouldn''t worry so much about it.......

    ''''Wow, I like Yulina!

    ''No, Tina, I don''t think it would be counterproductive for you, a woman, to say that to Miss Yulina here and now.

    I''ve been confessed to by the same s*x before, so I guess this time a guy liked me for dressing up as a man and I''m like, ''Why do I only get liked by the same s*x.......''

    ''No, I''m sorry I was distracted by remembering some nonsense. It''s all right now, let''s talk about the rest of the story.

    Please.

    He seems to have recovered himself and starts talking again about the information he got this time.

    ''First of all, that party, normally no one but nobles are allowed in. Unless you have an invitation from a nobleman.

    ''Right, that''s all the party is for...''

    I''m not going to go in the front door, but I''d like to get inside and get some information somehow.

    It wouldn''t be easy to get this kind of opportunity.

    It would be difficult, but with Tina and Nina''s magic, somehow....

    ''So, here''s the invitation.

    What?

    When I saw the white envelope that Yulina-san took out of her pocket, I couldn''t help but shout out.

    ''''It seems the nobleman I met today was big enough to invite at least one couple.

    Oh, I see...

    That''s great luck.........

    A nobleman told me about the party, and even got an invitation to it.................How much would he like it?

    It seems that Yulina-san''s male attire was extraordinarily agreeable to that nobleman.

    ''''It seems that besides me and Nina, it''s also possible to take one other person as an escort.

    Well....

    Me or Tina can go in the front door as security, right?

    We need to come up with a solid plan and decide what to do.

    "A party for the nobility, so...!

    Tina huffs, as if she has an idea.

    Seeing this, Yulina-san nods.

    ''''The nobles who are or were enslaving Elena-san might also come.

    Yeah. We need to make sure this party is well-informed so we can find Elena.

    Yes, for us, we''ll be able to kill two birds with one stone.

    We might be able to get information on the Lindow Empire and Elena-san at the same time.

    ''''Let''s make sure we have a plan and go to the party.

    The three of us nodded in unison at my words.

 122-Episode 122: Party Day

    Three days after I got the invitation.

    The day of the party has come.

    Nina, Nina, and Eric are walking in the nobleman''s district.

    We are dressed in formal attire as much as we can.

    Of course, I''m wearing men''s clothing, but....

    Eric is following me as an escort, so I''m just wearing dark clothes to keep a low profile.

    It''s not formal attire, but it''s also a bit odd that the escort is paying that much attention to his clothes.

    I went to the place mentioned on the invitation and found a very large mansion.

    ''''There?''''

    Nina, who was holding my arm, asked me that.

    ''Yeah, looks like it,''

    As you continue to approach the mansion, you see a person who looks like a receptionist at the gate.

    I take out an invitation from my pocket and show it to the receptionist.

    ''''It''s Palencia-sama''s invitation, isn''t it? We have accepted it. Please go straight inside.''''

    Yeah, okay.

    The nobleman we spoke of before was named Rojerio Palencia.

    He was blond, small and fat, exactly like an uncle in a wealthy family.

    As we walked in as we were told, we passed several groups of men and women.

    They proceeded to lightly greet each other, and when they entered the mansion, they came out into a very large hall.

    There were dozens of people in that room, each dressed in luxurious clothes.

    The clothes we provided were still a bit inferior to what we were wearing.

    Most of them were acting as two men and two women, but there seemed to be some groups like us that had an escort behind them.

    ''''Wow, it''s kind of sparkly...''''

    Nina''s grip on my arm grew stronger.

    She seemed a little put off.

    I''m a noble by nature, so I was somewhat used to these occasions.

    But this is the first time I''m leading with a man''s clothes on, so I''m also nervous, though not as much as Nina.

    Eric, who is behind me, doesn''t seem to have changed his demeanor from the usual, but I wonder how he is.

    After walking in the hall for a while, I am approached from behind.

    ''Shuna-dono, Nina-dono,''

    I turned around when he called my fake name and saw Rojelio Palencia, who had invited me to join him.

    Next to him was a woman, who was probably his wife.

    ''''Lojerio-dono. Thank you for the other day.''''

    I speak a little lower, conscious of my voice.

    ''No, no, it''s my pleasure. I''m sorry to hand you an invitation out of the blue, but I didn''t think you''d come.

    ''No, I''m very grateful to be invited to this wonderful party.

    As I speak with a make-believe smile, Roherio''s eyes catch my face in a disgusting way.

    There are times when men usually look at me like that, but I didn''t expect them to look at me like that when I''m dressed as a man.......

    No, I shouldn''t.

    Thinking about it now, I feel depressed for nothing.

    ''''Rohelio-dono, excuse me, but that side........''''

    Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sorry I''m late to introduce you. This is my wife, Pamela.

    The woman who had been introduced to me bailed lightly.

    She is wearing a beautiful dress, but she is wearing it loosely and deceivingly, perhaps a little out of style.

    But to think that Rojerio, who says he likes men, is married to a normal woman....

    Does that mean he can do both?

    ''I am pleased to meet you for the first time, Lady Pamela. I am Shuna Millwood. This is my wife, Nina. Please allow me to make your acquaintance.

    ''Thank you for your kind greeting. I am Pamela, Roherio''s wife. You are Mr. Shuna, and I can see why my husband would like you.

    ...is that what you mean by like it?

    I don''t want to think about it too much.

    ''Hey, hey, hey, you promised not to say those things here, didn''t you?

    Oh, I''m sorry.

    ''And if you''re going to say that, you''re going to like it too, right?¡¡I know what you like, too.

    Yeah, I guess so.

    Hmm?¡¡What does that mean?

    The wife likes it too........maybe she''s going after another man too, not her husband!

    I''d like to talk to you later... hey, Nina?

    Heh...?¡¡I, I...?

    His wife turns not to me, but to Nina, who is next to him, and gives her the same disgusted look as Roherio.

    .........No way, this husband and wife.

    Do they like each other, the same s*x.......!

    Afterwards, I just watched as Nina talked to his wife very much and responded in a fumbling manner.

    I introduced Eric, the escort that was with us, and we had to leave this couple for once for now.

    When I introduced them, I didn''t miss the disgusted look that Eric was giving me as well.......I wanted to miss it.

    ''''I''m ... sorry, Urina.''''

    What''s that?¡¡Besides, I''m a shuna now.

    I''m just kidding myself that a guy liked me for dressing up as a man.

    I''ve certainly been teased about it a few times over the past three days.

    ''You feel like that I''m horrified.

    That''s ... well, that''s the creepy kind of liking.

    The last time I was liked by the same s*x, it was a beautiful romantic feeling that should be taken seriously.

    However, this one was just freaky because it was a feeling that the other side only had ulterior motives.

    ''''Both of you ... make sure it doesn''t interfere with your duties.

    Eric, our escort, told us that from behind and we changed our minds.

 123-Episode 123 Party Invasion

    Yulina-san and Nina seemed to have managed to get back on their feet.

    Well, it''s only natural to be surprised if they came to the party out of the blue and had an incident like that.

    Yulina-san would have been prepared to be looked at like that, but Nina might have done a little more damage because she hadn''t.

    However, if the operation was ruined because of that, it would be all for naught.

    There are several reasons why I came as an escort for this mission.

    Firstly, it would be conspicuous if I brought a woman as my bodyguard.

    Normally, guards in such a situation are men, but if only Yulina and the others were to be female guards, it would make them look bad.

    Considering our mission, it would be inefficient to stand out that much.

    Secondly, if it was simply escorting, I''d be better than Tina, because I''m better than her.

    Tina''s magic is excellent and near-universal, but it''s a bit unsuitable for this kind of escort.

    The scale of attack and defense is too big.

    If that''s the case, I''m more experienced in escorting Christo, and I''m probably more suitable for the job.

    And finally, the third one.

    This is the biggest reason why I decided that it would be better if Tina wasn''t an escort.

    That is..........

    ''''--All three of you, can you hear me?''''

    Suddenly a voice reached my ears, or rather our ears.

    The little voice, which the people around us would never hear, was firmly audible to us.

    ''Yeah, I hear you,''

    I said it as quietly as possible, almost without moving my mouth.

    The two people in front of me probably didn''t hear me either.

    And the two in front of me probably muttered as much as I did.

    ''Yeah, they all seem to be able to hear you,''

    Tina, who was breaking in somewhere in this party, reported that she had been able to communicate with everyone.

    The biggest reason is that Tina is the most qualified for the role of intruder.

    She can use her wind magic to move without making any sound of her own footsteps at all, and she''s good at killing the signs.

    Even I can break in easily, but I can''t contact my friends afterwards.

    If it was Tina, I could talk to them like this, using wind magic.

    But it''s really useful, this magic.

    Tina''s magic is so good that only someone as skilled as Viviana-san can detect this magic.

    There''s no way such a skilled person can do that, so there''s almost no chance of being detected.

    ''''There are people talking about the Lindow Empire at four o''clock from where the three of you are.

    Tina has heard almost every conversation in the hall and told us so.

    Yulina and Nina glance at me.

    I nod, and they walk in that direction.

    There were four men and women in the place Tina had mentioned.

    There were three women and one man.

    It''s like there are women surrounding the men.

    The women were very beautiful, but the men were fat and unflattering.

    I don''t know if there''s anything else attractive about them, or if they''re putting their money where their mouth is... well, that part is fine for now.

    As we approach, a man notices us.

    ''''Oh, you are a very good looking couple. It''s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, I''m Fermo Sadino.

    A man named Fermo, who smiles and treats me favorably.

    The other ladies bail beautifully, too.

    He seems like a very nice guy, but we know.

    ''Earlier that man said something like, ''Which woman would you like to see next? Be careful.''

    That''s what Tina has told me.

    So perhaps this attitude and expression is an act.

    If I hadn''t been told, I might not have noticed it.

    ''Nice to meet you, Lady Fermo. I am Shuna Millwood. This is my wife, Nina. Behind me is my bodyguard.

    Oh, you have a beautiful name, too. So, what can I do for you?

    A slightly sharp atmosphere appears in the smile that people like to see.

    He seems to be a little wary of us.

    Yulina-san also speaks as if she''s used to it with an ostensible smile.

    ''''No, I don''t really have anything important to do. I was invited for the first time, so I''m just making the rounds of greetings.''''

    ''I see. Who invited you to join us?

    Master Rogelio.

    Oh I see.

    Apparently, he was convinced.

    It''s an unpleasant way to be convinced, but it''s a good thing, because they''ve let their guard down.

    ''''There are many people in this party, aren''t there? Excuse me, but what kind of business do you have, Fermo-dono?

    I am... a slave trader.

    -Oh!

    With a good smile and a regal, articulate, Fermo said.

 124-Episode 124: Slave Trading Story

    Slave trading.

    I didn''t expect to come to the party and get this close to my goal so quickly.

    She looked at Yulina-san from behind, but she clenched her fists once and held something back.

    She tried not to let the upset show on her face.

    ''''Is that so?¡¡I believe slavery has been abolished in the Kingdom of Harzion now.......is it okay?

    Slavery, which ostensibly should have been abolished.

    Is it right to talk openly at a party like this?

    Fermo says with a light laugh.

    ''''It''s okay, I have my choice of people to say it.

    Well, why are you here to teach us?

    Isn''t it dangerous to talk to us when we don''t know you?

    ''¡¡A weakness, sir?

    Fermo speaks with a grin at the corners of his mouth.

    ''The two of you aren''t a married couple first, are you?¡¡And I''m not from this country.

    ...What do you mean by that?

    Yulina asks with a sharp eye.

    ''The first thing they do is not behave like a married couple. It seems to me that you two are only acting because you probably have the same interests.

    ....

    You''re almost right.

    How do you know, or can you even see that?

    I listen, looking at them carefully, ready to move at any moment.

    ''I''m not from this country, that''s really something. I do this kind of work, so I know that by intuition.''

    Nina is from this country, but Yulina-san is not, and she''s not a demon race first.

    They don''t seem to know that she''s a human race.

    ''''........Even if that is true, why would you tell someone who can hold a weakness that you are a slave trader?''''

    ''My slave-trading, to put it bluntly, is also like a weakness. If we both had weaknesses, we wouldn''t talk to people lightly, would we?

    Fermo said with a grin.

    Not his first good-natured grin, but a villainous one.

    ''I see, so efficient. As expected of a slave trader.''''

    Thank you for the compliment.

    The two of them were making up smiles as they sarcasticly talked to each other.

    ''''So, what does Lord Fermo want from us by being weak?''''

    Yulina-san asked again with a sharp look in her eyes.

    ''What do you want from us by suddenly taking a weakness?

    ''''Of course it''s a slave trade deal. Just because you have a weakness doesn''t mean you should ever buy it. I''m just saying that you should see my proud slaves for once.

    ...I see.

    ''Yes, that''s all. Or you can buy the slave you''re looking at right now, if that''s what you want.

    Are you watching this?

    Yes, all three of the women behind me are slaves.

    ''¡¡So it is.

    Yulina''s face twitches a little and she glances at the three women.

    I look at the three women too, but they have beautiful smiles on their faces.

    I know I''m making up a smile, but after hearing what I just heard, it looks like I''m being forced to look at them.

    ''I think I''m picking the best looking ones in our house. Well, I have my own personal opinion, so if there isn''t anyone in here that matches Shuna-dono''s taste, there might be one in my shop.

    (Laughs)

    ''It''s a bit pricey, but I can do some housekeeping... and between you and me, I don''t care how rough you get,''

    Fermo said the last words in a small voice in Miss Yulina''s ear.

    ''''Could you please stop in front of my wife?''''

    ''Ha, as I said before, you''re not my wife, are you?¡¡That''s fine then. Since you''re a man, you must have a little bit of that kind of longing, right?

    ''''Well that''s right, Mister Fermo knows.

    Fermo seems to have figured out that they are not a couple, but he doesn''t seem to understand that Ms. Yulina is a woman.

    Definitely, I can see that Yulina-san''s anger is building up.

    She''s been gripping her right hand much tighter than before.

    My nails are digging into my flesh and I''m about to bleed out.

    Nina, who is next to me, has also noticed and grabs the hem of Yulina-san''s arm and pulls it.

    ''Shuna, calm down.''

    ''¡¡Oh, oh, thank you....

    A word was said to me and the strength of Yulina-san''s fist relaxed.

    I cringed, wondering if she was going to slam it into Fermo''s face like that.......

    ''''Fermo-dono, I''ll tell you more about it later. We''ll go and finish our greetings.

    Yeah, okay. I''ll wait for you.

    Yulina-san seems to have decided to leave Fermo, perhaps to calm down for the moment.

    After bowing, she leaves the place and leaves the hall where she is partying once.

    I went in the direction of the lavatory, and when there was no one around.......

    ''''d*mn........!

    Ms. Yulina tried to punch the wall and I stopped her by putting my hand between her and the wall.

    ''Please calm down. Let''s not leave too many traces of that.

    Yeah, I''m sorry.

    Yulina took a breath and exhaled heavily.

    ''I didn''t keep my cool, I''m sorry. Thank you for stopping me, Nina.

    No, that was very annoying for me as well.

    Yeah, but that guy''s going to be a good source of information.

    Yes.

    I don''t know if that guy was a slave trader when he was Elena-san, but he might have a little bit of information.

    We don''t need to establish a good relationship, but we need to be at least acquainted with him until we get the information out of him.

    We took a break here once and then headed back to the party square.

 125-Episode 125 Party Event

    We would talk to the people in the party hall at random.

    No, I don''t talk at all, I just serve in the back.

    Except for that slave trader Fermo, there are a lot of pretty decent nobles.

    It seems that many of the nobles who support the current peaceful, war-free Kingdom of Harzion have been invited to this party.

    However, there are some nobles who participate in this party hiding their desire to overthrow the king.

    When they found out that we were attending a party for the first time, they approached me and said something like that.

    "Are you not dissatisfied with your country?

    What do you mean by "discontent"?

    ''His Majesty Harzion, the king of this country, has no ambition. He is satisfied with the resources and land we have now. This country will not grow if we don''t take the fight to other countries.

    Oh, I see.

    ''Oh, I want to defeat His Majesty Harzion and make this country even bigger. Why don''t you guys help me out?

    And so, he approached me to talk about it.

    It''s certainly an ostensibly noble aspiration.

    Some may be fooled by this.

    But first of all, it''s a mistake to say that this country can''t grow without waging war.

    We don''t make war, we cooperate with other nations in peaceful negotiations.

    With our country, the Kingdom of Begonia and many other countries.

    We are growing more safely and reliably than if we were to start a war.

    A war is won and you get supplies and land in one fell swoop, but by then you''re sure to have great sacrifices to make.

    His Majesty Seredonia Harzion is excellent when it comes to grasping and losing it.

    The nobles who have approached me about wanting to overthrow the king are laying out beautiful things, but they either just want to raise their own status, or they have a grudge against His Majesty Seredonia.

    The nobleman who approached me about it will cheat and refuse appropriately, and I will remember his name and appearance.

    We''re spies for the Begonia Kingdom, but as I said before, we''re on friendly terms with the Harzion Kingdom.

    As I said before, we''re on friendly terms with Harzion, and it''s in our interest to make Harzion''s kingdom more developed and secure.

    So I''ll take this information back and tell His Majesty Seredonia to tell him about it.

    After that, as I continue to make my rounds of greetings with the nobles in an appropriate manner, I receive a call from Tina.

    ''''Can all three of you hear me?¡¡It''s something that the organizers of this party and others were talking about earlier--

    We were astonished to hear that report.

    I didn''t think they were planning to do that....

    ''''What do we do?¡¡I don''t think we''ll get involved if we get out of here now.

    I can hear Tina''s voice in my ear.

    She looks a little worried, but this is an opportunity to do the opposite.

    If I take advantage of this, I might get the information I want to get at once.

    ''''I''m going to stay here and pretend I don''t know anything and join in.

    I whispered softly, and the two people in front of me seemed to hear me with a magical effect, and they glanced at me and nodded as if to say ''yes''.

    ''Okay, I''m sure Eric will be fine, but be careful,''

    With those last words, Tina''s magic disappeared.

    Then we were in the party hall for a few minutes.

    Suddenly, the venue goes dark.

    Normally, I would be surprised by the suddenness of the event, but the people who have attended the party many times cheered.

    That''s because they know what''s going to happen next.

    In the darkness, a ray of light is lit at the top of the most prominent staircase in the venue.

    In that light stands one of the organizers.

    ''Ladies and gentlemen!¡¡We''re ready to move on to the ''arena'' now that we''re ready to go!

    At those words, the entire hall cheered even more than before.

    Yes, this is the information that Tina obtained just now.

    Apparently, in the basement of this mansion, there''s a place that''s a bit small, but it''s like an arena.

    It seems that every time they have a party there, they watch the battle as the last spectacle.

    It seems that the demons seem to love to fight, and this kind of event may be the most exciting for them.

    The participants are the ones who hear about this story and come forward to ask for the reward when they win.

    Those who just want to test their strength.

    Others are bodyguards for the nobility.

    All sorts of people will participate.

    And this battle seems to be perfectly fine for people to jump in and join in.

    The people in the hall are led in turn to a passage that leads to the underground arena.

    ''What about you guys?¡¡This is your first time attending, right?

    The person who had been talking next to me until now asks Yulina if she''s going to join us.

    ''''Yes. I didn''t know there was such an event.''

    ''I knew it. ''Of course you''re going to see it, right?¡¡It''s very interesting.

    Yes, I''d love to see that.

    In truth, Yulina-san wouldn''t want to see it separately, but the demon race would reply that of course they would go to see it.

    So I can''t say no here.

    ''''Is it okay to jump in and participate in the fight in the arena?

    Yes, I''ve heard it''s all right. Oh, no way, Lord Shuna!

    That person looks at me behind Yulina-san and laughs excitedly.

    ''''Yes, I thought I''d have my bodyguard join in as well.

    ''Oh!¡¡Yeah, right!¡¡You seem so confident!

    ''Yes, I can''t imagine him losing.

    Yulina moves on, talking to the excited person.

    ''Good!¡¡This is something!¡¡When your guards fight, I''ll trust you to bet on it!

    In this battle, the nobles place bets.

    Mostly on the money but you can bet on something else.

    And that''s where we''re going.

 126-Episode 126: Betting Game

    Yulina speaks to the organizers of the event.

    ''I''d like to include my own guards in the fight,'' she said.

    ''Of course you''re welcome. But are you sure?¡¡From the looks of it, your guards don''t wear armor or anything.

    I''m just carrying a sword at my waist, and I don''t have any armor or anything else.

    He seemed to be insulted by that.

    ''His way of fighting doesn''t require protective gear, you know. As long as he doesn''t have to eat a single sword.

    Oh!¡¡That came out big again!¡¡All right then, your escort is this way, sir.

    There seems to be a waiting room for those fighting in the arena, and they seem to be ushered into it.

    I walk past Yulina and Nina and get in front of them.

    ''Don''t take it easy, Eric.

    Don''t lose.

    The moment we passed each other, they gave me those words.

    Nodding lightly, I proceeded down the path as the organizers told me to.

    Originally the arena itself was located in the basement of this mansion, but the fact that we''re descending the stairs means that the anteroom seems to be further underground.

    After passing through the dimly lit path, you will come to a large room with just a few lights on.

    It''s smaller than the party room, and its opulence is hard to compare.

    Stone walls and a stone floor.

    There were dozens of men there.

    All of them seem to be fighters.

    They all look at me once as I come in, but they quickly avert their eyes.

    I don''t know if they''re concentrating or nervous, but I can barely hear them talking.

    They''re each sitting on the ground at random, or leaning against a wall, or swinging their swords.

    Almost all of them are wearing thick armor, just as the organizer said earlier.

    Along with that, the weapons are large axes and two-handed swords.

    Are they able to smash the top of their armor?

    Certainly if we were to fight in the arena, it might look better that way.

    I sit down appropriately, resting my back against the wall.

    I don''t know how I''m going to be called into the arena, but I''ll wait quietly.

    That''s what I thought........

    ''''Hey, hey, are the weak allowed to enter here?

    ........I''m going to get tangled up with some strange people.

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó

    After Eric and I parted ways, Nina and I looked for someone.

    We looked around the audience surrounding the arena and finally found him.

    We walked up to him and spoke to him.

    ''Lord Fermo,''

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, well, well, Lord Shuna, Lord Nina.

    Fermo, a slaver, sits in the audience, with three slave women sitting next to him.

    He seems to be planning to watch the game with a drink in his hand and a snack for the women.

    ''May I sit next to you?¡¡As you can see, it''s crowded everywhere.

    Of course. You guys, stand back.

    The two women who weren''t holding a knob stood up and moved to the back of the seat.

    ''Thank you,''

    I was distressed at the sight of it and tried to bow to the women, but I couldn''t let this man see that kind of attitude right now, so I bailed lightly and we sat down.

    ''Oh, I can''t see my escort, are you in the ladies'' room or something?''

    No, I sent my guards into the arena.

    ''Oh!¡¡Really?¡¡Well, Lord Shuna is a confident man. This is your first time competing in the arena as an escort, right?

    Yes, of course. As I''m sure Lord Fermo is aware the guards are not from this country either.

    He said that in a small voice.

    The crowd in the arena would be too loud for the others to hear even a small voice, but saying it in a small voice would make it sound more like a secret story.

    That way we can make this man realize that he has a weakness for us.

    As I thought, Fermo says with a disgusting laugh.

    ''Hmmm, you''re right. But jumping in for the first time, you have a lot of nerve.''

    It''s not so much the guts as the trust. There''s no way my guards will lose.

    I said confidently.

    There''s no way Eric can lose to the participants who come out here.

    He''s the most powerful knight in the Begonia Kingdom.

    Do you bet on this, Fermo-dono?

    I don''t have that much money, just for fun.

    ''Well, then why don''t you make a bet with me?¡¡Of course, you won''t be asking for money from us.

    Okay, then what?

    All I ask for is information.

    ...I see.

    Fermo stares at me with narrowed eyes.

    Information is sometimes more expensive than gold.

    Fermo knows that, and he''s wary of it.

    ''What are you betting on, Lord Shuna?¡¡Are you as informed as I am?¡¡Or money?

    ''Money from us. Well we''ll pay twice as much as we would for those three women.

    ''¡¡Are you sure?¡¡These three are among the highest and most expensive of my slaves, you know?¡¡And you''re willing to pay double that?

    Yes, of course.

    Fermo was even more skeptical.

    ''I see, what is the bet?''

    My guards will win or not, of course I''ll bet on them winning.

    ''I see. But this game.....

    Yeah, that''s my advantage.

    I know Eric''s strength and this man does not.

    It can''t be fair.

    ''So when we lose, let''s pay for information as well as money.

    What information?

    The weaknesses of those in this party who, like me, are from another country.

    What?¡¡You''re not from another country?¡¡Is that true?¡¡Are you suggesting there are more than you?

    Yes, based on my own research.

    Of course, all of this information was obtained by Tina.

    Fermo is a slave trader outside the Kingdom of Harzion.

    That''s why he''ll want to have information on people from other countries at his fingertips.

    ''Wait, you''re new to this party. Why do you have that information?

    ''Of course I looked it up here today. I can''t tell you how to look it up.

    Is that information credible?

    Naturally, he would be suspicious.

    ''Aquina Paracolity. You know it, don''t you?

    Yes, sir.

    I''m buying your slaves.

    Huh!

    You are a nobleman of the Nemnoon Empire, and in this country you hide it and visit your shop as a merchant.

    Well apparently you are very good at gathering information.

    I guess they believe me a little.

    I have to thank Tina for the information she''s gathered.

    So, what do you want to do?¡¡Do you want to place a bet, sir?

    ''....Hmmm, interesting. Fine, what information do you want to pay for when you lose?

    I''ll tell you about it when you win. Don''t worry, I''m not looking to make you look weak. Unlike you.

    Fermo and I looked at each other and grinned at each other.

 127-Episode 127 Waiting Room

    I''m still waiting in what looks like a basement waiting room.

    Some of the fighters have already been called up and seem to be fighting up there.

    I can hear the crowd shouting up here.

    And now I''m.........

    ''Hey, hey, who are you?¡¡I''ve never seen this face before, where did it come from?¡¡I have a sword, can you use any other weapons or anything else?

    Just try to relax.

    I''m being tangled up with some strange woman....

    A few minutes ago.

    ''Oh come on, the weak can''t be allowed in here!

    The gangly man shouted at me.

    At the time I thought he was talking to me, who had just walked into this room, but he wasn''t.

    ''I''m talking to you, you b*tc*!

    The woman was a few feet away from me, sitting leaning against the wall.

    She was standing and leaning against the wall, looking down, so I couldn''t see her face.

    But from the length of her hair and her slender body, I could tell that she was a woman.

    The man clicks his tongue, as if he thought he was being ignored, and walks past me to approach the woman.

    ''Hey you, that woman over there looking down!¡¡There''s a woman in here!¡¡You don''t want to get killed!

    Apparently, killing is not allowed in this arena as a rule.

    However, as long as it is judged to be unintentional, it seems to be fine.

    The only reason why killing is prohibited is because it''s a hassle to clean up the bodies.

    It''s a splendid party, but maybe there''s a lot of darkness around here.

    The woman finally looks up and sees the man standing in front of her.

    His hair is visible from the start, but it''s golden and about shoulder length.

    It''s wavy and looks careless, as if it''s not set at all.

    Her face was only visible from the side, but she was so well-groomed that it was hard to believe she was a woman in a place like this.

    ''What can I do for you at my house?''

    "This is no place for a woman!¡¡Get the hell out of here!

    The woman nods her head.

    She lets herself think for a moment, then pops her hand and says as if she''s convinced.

    ''Oh, you''re scared. That you''re going to be destroyed by us.''

    Huh...?

    The man blurted out, as if he didn''t understand what was suddenly being said.

    ''I''m not so sure, with so much armor on, I''m not so sure. The more you armor up, the more you admit that you''re not strong enough.''

    I heard you really want to die...!

    The man pulls out the great sword he was carrying on his back and thrusts it at the woman.

    He may have lost his temper, but his eyes are red, characteristic of the demon race.

    A man who must be over two meters tall.

    And the woman is only about 150 centimeters tall, which is about the same as the man''s big sword.

    Even though the cutting edge of the great sword is right in front of her, the woman is not at all afraid of it.

    ''You''re going to do it here?¡¡It''s fine in our house, but ... do you want it to break down in a place where there''s no audience?

    You''ll be the one to break it!

    As it is, the man pushes the large sword towards the woman''s face.

    It''s so close that her ears are almost scraped.

    ''''Haha, it looks like you want to be broken. Then feel free to--

    The next moment, the woman''s right knee had caught the man in the face.

    The woman leaped in a split second, and then kicked him in the knee.

    ''''Gah........!

    The man''s body was armored, but it wasn''t a match yet, so he wasn''t wearing an iron mask.

    The woman jumped up to her face and jumped upwards, kicking the man in the shoulder.

    The man fell backwards as he was kicked in the face and shoulder.

    The man collapsed in a large figure.

    Blood is flowing from his nose, but he still seems to be barely conscious.

    ''''You son of a b*tc*...!

    The moment the man was about to stand up--

    ''Bye.''

    The woman fell from above and buried her knee in his face again.

    I heard a shuffling, disgusting sound, and I heard the man moan for a moment, but it was quickly lost.

    I''m sure he''s not dead, but he''s relentless.

    The woman stands up and looks around.

    Everyone in this room was watching the fight now, but they quickly shifted their gaze to avoid looking at each other.

    I was naturally looking away too.

    The others would have noticed that the woman was looking at me outright, but I was averted before she looked over, so I could have made it look like I wasn''t looking at her from the start.

    ........so why is this woman coming next to me?

    Why are you sitting next to me and looking into my face?

    Hey, hey, who are you?¡¡I''ve never seen this face before, where did it come from?¡¡I have a sword, can you use any other weapons or anything else?

    Just try to relax.

    She tries to move backwards because her face is so close, but she can''t move backwards because of the wall behind her.

    A woman asks me a question with great force.

    Why did she get involved with me all of a sudden?

    I don''t want to be too obvious, but....

 128-Episode 128: Opponent Decision?

    Oh, I''m Helu, nice to meet you.

    With her face close together, that strange woman, Helu, introduced herself with a smile.

    ''Face, close.''

    Urryu...!

    He grabbed both of Helu''s cheeks with his right hand to crush them, forcing her face away from him.

    It''s not something I would do to a woman I''ve never met before, but since Helu was approaching me without hesitation, I wouldn''t have to shy away from something like that either.

    If I let go of her hand, she was going to come closer again, so I put my hand in front of her face to stop her.

    And finally, Helu has calmed down and can talk to me without getting close to my face.

    ''What''s your name?''

    It''s Eric.

    I didn''t use a particular alias, but it''s probably okay.

    ''Nice to meet you, Eric. So, to follow up on my earlier question.

    Wait a minute. But first, I want to ask you something.

    ''Okay, I don''t use a lot of weapons or anything, I guess I like to use my hands. Sometimes I use them...

    I didn''t ask you that. No, I mean, why are you messing with me?

    The man who got involved with Helu earlier is still lying on the ground.

    When the attendants come, though, they will probably take care of it.

    That guy got tangled up with Helu because Helu looked weak.

    Then Helu knocked it down and suddenly got involved with me.

    Even though there are still dozens of fighters here.

    ''''Eh?¡¡Because, Eric, aren''t you strong?

    Helu said, "Why do you ask such an obvious question? I replied, tilting my head as if to say.

    ''How do you know I''m strong?''

    I guess it''s a hunch. I''ve learned to appreciate that kind of thing after a lot of fighting.

    It''s true that I have the ability to detect an opponent''s strength on first sight.

    But that''s what you feel when you see your opponent hold up a sword or make a swing, and it''s not normal to see me sitting there as strong.

    ''''You''re danton among these guys, and I haven''t seen anyone stronger than us in a long time.''''

    Thank you.

    I just saw Helu fight and I felt that he was as strong as me.

    If we fight, I''m sure we''ll have a hard time, but I''ll win.

    However, if it really comes down to fighting, you can''t let your guard down.

    I thought I could win the fight against Elena before, but I lost because my dagger was coated with poison.

    I won''t let my guard down so that I don''t make such a blunder again.

    ''''What the hell, you''re getting pretty good at this, girl.

    We were sitting down to talk, and he suddenly spoke to us in a provocative manner.

    When I looked at him, I couldn''t see his face because he was wearing an iron mask, but as far as I could tell by his size and voice, the guy was looking down at us.

    ''It''s cute that you''re getting that worked up after defeating a small fry like that, but a rookie shouldn''t get too worked up about it.

    Is there such a thing as a newcomer in this arena?

    I''m not sure, but if they''ve been doing this for quite some time, then maybe there are regular fighters.

    And the man in front of me now is probably one of those regulars.

    ''I''m the best in this arena, you bastards!

    The guys around them nodded in unison as the man said this and looked around.

    I look at the guy whose face I can see in them, some of them look frustrated, others look terrified.

    Apparently, this guy really is the strongest of them all.

    He''s wearing full armor and is about the same size as the guy from earlier.

    The quality of the armor is different, and the weapon he carries is a two-handed axe.

    The quality of this guy''s armor is so good that even if you slashed head-on with your sword, this one''s sword would likely spill the blade.

    ''''So don''t get too carried away within my range of sight.......''''

    ''Hey, Eric, to continue with my earlier question, can you use anything but a sword?¡¡Can you do the handstand?¡¡We like fistfights, don''t we?

    No, hey, Mr. Helu?

    He''s probably talking to you, so I''m hoping you''ll ignore him and stop talking to me.

    ''Hey...!¡¡You don''t get to be a jerk in front of me...!

    Hey, I''m talking to Eric. Shut up. Shut up.

    In the next moment, a man readied both hatchets and swung down from above.

    It was struck with such force that the stone ground was cracked, but Helu and I are safe because we are avoiding it from the spot.

    I mean, that guy just now, he was trying to cut down both me and Heeru.

    I didn''t do anything, in fact I''m the victim.

    Why is that man so mad all of a sudden?¡¡Is she having her period?

    Men don''t get periods, and it''s your fault.

    I was surprised by the sudden undertones, but I was even more surprised that I didn''t know why I had lost my temper.

    ''What?¡¡Home?¡¡We were just talking to you, Eric.

    No, that''s why.

    I told you to stay away from me, but you just ignored me right in front of me.

    "You''re gonna get us all killed!¡¡All of you together in the arena!¡¡I''ll take two against one as a handicap!

    I can''t see his face because he''s wearing an iron mask, but he looks like he''s got blood on his head and is turning red.

    I mean, can you do a two-on-one or something?

    And even if you could, you''re indeed not going to win.

    You''re losing your cool.

    "Eh, two against one is no fun. Hey, Eric.

    Well yeah, I guess so. So--

    I was going to say that we should fight Helu........

    ''''Then let''s use rock-paper-scissors to decide which one of us will fight that guy.

    What?

    Rock-paper-scissors, rock-paper-scissors, poi!

    I played rock-paper-scissors with a conditional reflex without thinking, because he told me so suddenly.

    But the winner was me.

    Oh, thank goodness.

    Now I don''t have to fight him...." "Oh, I lost.

    "Oh, I lost. Then you win, Eric, you fight that guy.

    "...What?¡¡Aren''t you usually the one who loses in these things?

    ''What?¡¡Fighting is fun, so you''re the one who won, right?

    I don''t get it I don''t understand why I, who had nothing to do with it, have to fight that guy.

    "This guy is a f*cking joke...!¡¡Okay, after I kill you, I''ll kill that woman too!

    Why are you trying to kill me, too?

    This is how I got caught up in something I didn''t quite understand and decided who I was going to fight.

 129-Episode 129: Additional Bet

    Oh, no.

    Nina and I are in the greatest danger of this secret mission right now...!

    We were right up to the point of placing a bet on Fermo, the slave-trader, to win the game.

    We were confident that he would definitely comply, or rather, that he would take the game, which was good.

    But then, something we hadn''t anticipated happened.

    Fermo and I made a little small talk and watched the fight that had begun.

    As far as the fighters were concerned, I still didn''t think Eric would lose.

    Even I would be able to overwhelm him easily.

    And then those guys came.

    ''Oh!¡¡Lord Shuna, Lord Nina!¡¡We''ve been looking for you!

    We were approached from behind, and when we turned around, there was Rojelio Palencia, who had invited us to this party, and his wife, Pamela.

    It was all Nina and I could do to keep our smiles from twitching as they approached us happily.

    These two are a husband and wife who like each other''s gender.

    And unfortunately, Nina and I have been liked by this husband and wife.

    If Rojerio hadn''t liked me, I wouldn''t have been invited to this party, so I was grateful for that.

    But I didn''t like the fact that this husband and wife wanted us.

    ''Mr. and Mrs. Palencia, it''s been a long time since we''ve been here.

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, Master Fermo. Is everything in order?

    Yes, thanks to you.

    They seemed to know each other, and Fermo and Rojerio talked lightly.

    Probably Fermo did not tell Rojerio that he is a slave trader.

    Although Rojerio has a special s*xuality, he is a nobleman in this country.

    He wouldn''t be talking to a nobleman in a country where slave trading is banned.

    So Fermo, as an ordinary merchant, was talking to Rojerio.

    He and his wife sat down next to us.

    ''Lord Shuna, are you enjoying this event?''

    ''Yes, of course. Thank you so much for inviting me.

    ''No, no, I''m glad to hear that. It was worth it to me to ask you out.

    ........As long as we''re talking like this, I''m not a bad person.

    But his eyes are full of ulterior motives, and it''s a tough place for him to see me dressed as a man.

    ''It''s nice to watch this event, but it''s also very exciting and fun to bet something on it. What do you think?¡¡Would you like to make a bet with me?

    Yeah, well what do you want to bet on, by the way?

    "If I lose, I''ll give you the money. You can write the amount you want on the check.

    Roherio pulls a check out of his pocket and shows his seriousness.

    ''But I''ve been to this event dozens of times, and I know and see strong fighters well, so I have an advantage by all accounts. So even if I win, I won''t ask for that much. Well I''m fine with just going out for a drink once, just the two of us.

    I''ve spoken at length, but I guess that last one, "for two", is the one I''d most like to demand.

    What''s "that''s all there is to it"?

    This one''s chastity is at stake in this gamble.

    I want to firmly refuse, but as expected, it''s impossible to refuse to Rojerio, who invited me to this party, here.

    ''''I understand. But are you sure you are willing to accept such unbeatable conditions?¡¡I have too little to lose when I lose, so I''m okay with betting something different.

    Implicitly, I was going to refuse to go out for a drink with you both....

    ''''No, no, it''s fine!¡¡I only wish to join you, Lord Shuna!

    Sure enough, it didn''t work.

    I mean, does this guy not want to hide his desire anymore?

    ''Nina, would you like to make a bet with us too?''

    "Well, uh...

    ''Of course I''m willing to accept the same terms as my husband. If Mr. Nina wins, the amount of money you want, and if I win, we''ll go for a drink together once.

    Okay, yes I understand.

    Nina had also been pushed by his wife to make this bet.

    ''In which battle would you place your bet?¡¡The fight is almost over now, so let''s move on.

    ''''Yes, that''s right. Come to think of it, my guards are going to jump in and be fighters in an arena. Would you like to bet on that fight?

    ''Oh, really!¡¡Then--

    I''m convinced that Eric would definitely win the fight, so I suggest I make a bet on that fight.

    I thought that Rohelio would also accept me in that fight from the reaction........

    ''Lord Shuna, have you forgotten your bet with me?¡¡Since I''m the one betting on the battle of your guards, isn''t it a bit boring to bet on the same battle?

    At this point, Fermo, the slave-trader, speaks up.

    ''Then let''s have a different fight, shall we?

    ''Yeah, well let''s get to the next battle then.

    So long, then. But you believe in your escort, sir, and that''s a wonderful master-slave relationship.

    Thank you....

    After that, Rojerio has been complimenting me until the next battle begins.

    Or rather, he''s been hitting on me.

    Next to me, his wife, Pamela, was also hitting on Nina.

    If I lose the bet in the next fight...!

    Just thinking about it is terrifying.

    Thus, Nina and I listened to the most terrifying part of the mission, trying not to pull a face as we tried not to let our pick-up lines twitch.

 130-Episode 130 Which Way to Bet

    The current game was over as I was letting the random pick-up lines flow through my mind.

    ''Oh, the good times will soon be over, the game is already over.

    ''Haha, well...''

    I respond to Lohelio''s words with a dry smile.

    It felt more painful and long for me than anything else.

    I look across at Nina and see that she is dealing with her wife with the same tired smile as I am.

    It''s depressing to think that this time is going to continue.

    Plus, the next game, if I don''t win the bet, the hell I''m going to have to spend the night with her.

    I must win at all costs...!

    ''Come to think of it, when you were betting, you didn''t decide which one of your favorite fighters you wanted to bet on first.

    When Rojerio tells me, I reply, "You''re right.

    We are supposed to look at the fighters before deciding which one to bet on, so it would definitely be more advantageous to decide which one to bet on first.

    Of course, Rojerio would think so too, so he wouldn''t give up the first move.

    Now, how shall we decide?

    ''''Then how about we decide on a coin toss?

    Fermo, who was next to me, told me so.

    ''I see, that''s fair then. Can I have Shuna-dono too?''

    Yes, sir.

    Then it would be presumptuous of me to do so.

    Fermo pulls a coin out of his pocket and shows us the front and back, then flips it upwards.

    If it''s a coin toss, the odds are one in two.

    It doesn''t matter if you choose first or later.

    But that is, if you don''t know whether it''s the front or the back.

    I give Nina a look and she nods as if to say she understands.

    Coin tosses are sometimes done as a training exercise.

    I have to guess the front and back of a coin to exercise my kinetic vision.

    An ordinary person would have a 50-50 chance of guessing, but I have a better than 80 percent chance of answering correctly.

    Eric and his deputy commander, Liberto-san, rarely miss.

    Nina would also be able to feel it in the flow of magic and know if it''s front or back.

    The two of us will see and feel the coin toss as best we can, and we will definitely win here.

    I''m serious because if we don''t, there''s hell to pay for us.

    It falls on the back of Fermo''s back and he covers it with his hand.

    I almost laugh a little, but I hold back.

    Fermo''s coin toss was too poorly done.

    Between the time it fell on the instep and the time it was covered, it looked perfect in my eyes.

    I look over to Nina to make sure she''s okay, for once.

    She seems to agree with me, as she points her finger upwards.

    ''On the front,''

    I said it first.

    If it was a normal coin toss, no one would be particularly unhappy if I said it first.

    ''Then I''ll be in the back,''

    Roherio said, without a doubt.

    Alright, now we''ll be the first to decide on the combatants.

    I''d be grateful if this would give us those who are far apart in terms of ability, because I would be able to spot them.

    With that thought in mind, I looked at the coin that fell on Fermo''s instep.

    ''''--?

    Oh, looks like it''s back there.

    ''I''ve won, that''s lucky.

    Why is it out back...?

    Nina''s eyes are wide open, as if to say she doesn''t understand.

    Me and Nina match, the fact that it''s a table.

    And I''m sure of it, I''m looking at it.

    Because Fermo''s coin toss was so bad--!¡¡No....!

    He''s cheating.

    He looked at Fermo and laughed as he said, "Brilliant, Lord Rojerio.

    What was definitely the front, was now the back.

    As long as Fermo wasn''t cheating, it couldn''t be.

    Don''t tell me those two were in cahoots?

    But it looks like the two of them hadn''t seen each other in a while earlier, and there''s no such vibe.

    Perhaps it was Fermo, who just harassed us.

    The person who thought he had a weakness, on the contrary, grabbed it back.

    So, he''s taking it out on us.

    d*mn it, we''re screwed!

    Then I''ll choose first.

    Yes, yes, I understand.

    I''m sure Fermo cheated, but there is no proof.

    There was nothing to be done, just giving Rojerio the lead.

    Then the contestants for the next match come out into the arena.

    The voice of the one who has been doing the play-by-play from earlier is magically made louder, so it echoes throughout the hall.

    ''''Now on to the next one!¡¡This is my first and only female combatant to attend this event!

    It''s been a male fighter all this time, but it looks like there will be a woman in this fight.

    A man with a girthy figure from the east gate.

    He wears the same armor as the fighters who have come out before, and he has both hand axes.

    His strength is not much different from the others.

    And then came out of the western gate, a female combatant.

    She doesn''t wear any part of armor, she''s just wearing normal clothes and a dagger at her waist.

    ''''Huh........!

    As soon as I saw her, I knew.

    The woman is strong.

    I know that she will win.

    It doesn''t matter the difference in armor, I can''t see that woman losing to the other man in any way.

    In other words, the one who bets on that female combatant will definitely win.

    ''''Hmmm, I''m sorry about this, Lord Shuna.

    ''¡¡W-what is that?

    Rojerio has a scowl on his face.

    You didn''t think he noticed?¡¡That she is strong.

    ''There''s a difference in strength between a man and a woman, yet there''s such a difference in size and equipment. I''d bet my bottom dollar on the male combatant.

    Well then, I''m going to bet on the lady.

    Oh, I''m sorry. But, well, I''m going to make our time together very enjoyable.

    Huh ... I was incredibly nervous.

    I''m glad Rojerio is completely clueless about combat.

    Normally he wouldn''t be able to see through it, so I guess I''m betting on the guy.

    But now, me and Nina are safe.

    ...It''s okay, right?

    That female fighter can''t lose, can she?

    No matter how you look at it, I think the woman is stronger than I am but the thought of my chastity at stake scares me.

 131-Episode 131 Before the Battle of Helyu

    I''ve been unwillingly tangled up with the strongest guy in the arena, and I ended up fighting him.

    I''m sure you''re not the only one who''s interested," he said, "but when you''re done with him, Eric, you can fight us too.

    It''s all because of this woman, Helu, but she''s still getting involved with me.

    The man fighting me went to tell the arena attendant to change the combination.

    Probably I can do it, because I can even jump in and join the fight.

    And since that guy really seems to be the best in this arena, it seems to be the last fight.

    You can''t help but say, "Hey, hey, let''s fight. Hey, it''s only for a second. Can we?¡¡It''s fun.

    He still says it.

    I had decided to ignore him, but he sighs deliberately and then speaks.

    ''I won''t fight you,''

    ''Er, why?¡¡It''ll be fun. See, we''re strong, and you''re strong. Isn''t this fun?

    I don''t know what the f*ck that means.

    It''s fun when you''re fighting other people who are stronger.

    It''s refreshingly battle-crazed.

    I can somewhat understand that it''s fun to fight someone who is on a par with your abilities.

    When I fought Lieutenant Commander Liberto, it was a little fun.

    But I''m not that much of a battle fanatic.

    ''Dismissed. It''s too much trouble, and it''s not in my best interest.

    Don''t you like to fight?

    ''I don''t particularly like it or hate it. If I have a reason to fight, I''ll fight; if not, I won''t.

    If there is something in particular you want to protect, you will fight.

    Because if you don''t fight, you can''t protect it.

    ''Hmm, I see. So you want to have a reason to fight?

    Well yeah, I guess so.

    So if we win, I''m free to go.

    The moment I said those words, I heard the men around me make a momentary commotion.

    We''re the only ones talking in the waiting room, so that''s why they''re listening.

    It''s true that Helu has a pretty face and a pretty face.

    His body is so slender that it''s hard to believe he''s a fighter, but he seems to show where he''s at.

    As per the reactions of the men in the waiting room, it would be a condition that a normal man would be attracted to.

    ''''No, I won''t fight for that reason.

    But I''m not attracted to him at all.

    I''ve had a guy I''ve liked since before I was born, there''s no way I''m going to be caught by the first weirdo I''ve met here.

    ........I can hear the men around me clapping lightly.

    ''''As expected, we get depressed when you give me such an immediate answer.

    ''I don''t know. Enough of this, I have to fight the strongest guy in here because of you, so let me focus on that.

    ''Eric, you don''t need to focus on anything. I mean, there''s no point in concentrating here.

    Is it because he''s a battle fanatic that he''s so perceptive about fighting for nothing?

    For example, even if Helu suddenly attacked me here, I''m confident that I could respond immediately.

    Or rather, it''s less than third-rate to be able to fight only after you''ve concentrated on it.

    As Commander Yelle said before, "Always be prepared to be on the battlefield" is the teaching of the Begonia Knights and Magic Knights.

    That''s why I said I had to concentrate, because I wanted this guy to stay away from me.

    Even though that lie has been exposed, this guy won''t leave.

    Either he doesn''t understand that he lied because he wants you to leave, or he knows and has been talking to you all along.......

    It''s probably the latter.

    As she was declining Helu''s invitation to fight at random, the attendant called her name.

    Apparently, the next fight is her turn to fight.

    ''''Hmmm, I could have almost pushed her out.

    No, I wasn''t in the mood to be pushed out at all.

    I kept saying no.

    ''Well, come on, come watch me fight. I think that will make you want to fight.

    No, so...

    Come on, come on.

    I was sitting down, but Hye-ryu pulled my hand and made me stand up, and I had to follow him as he was holding my hand.

    We are made to wait at the west gate, just barely out of sight of the crowd.

    Then, I''m going to the west gate. Then I''ll go to the west gate.

    I told you we''re not going to fight.

    I don''t know if he heard my words, but Helu went straight to the arena.

    What a self-centered guy I have to be here to watch?

    Well, I''m not too busy waiting back in the waiting room.

    I was about to lean against the wall to watch the game when........

    -- I feel a presence behind me and then a strange atmosphere.

    The tension is so great that cold sweat runs down your face in an instant.

    It''s terrifying to turn around.

    I didn''t feel any signs at all until I was taken behind me.

    I mean, he''s that good.

    As far as the contestants in this arena were concerned, there was no one who could do that.

    In other words, they were not contestants.

    No........I already know who they are.

    Because I know it, I can''t turn around.

    A person who is good enough to be able to get behind me and for some reason emits a strange aura.

    "Hey Eric who was that woman?¡¡Why were we holding hands?

    Tina, who was supposed to be acting undercover, was there.

 132-Episode 132: Battle of Helyu

    Cold sweat trickled down his cheeks and down his chin to the ground.

    ''Tina, Tina you, what''s your mission?''

    It''s almost done. All that''s left to do is get out of there without being detected. So, Eric, who is that woman?

    I managed to digress once, but to no avail.

    It helps that your mission seems to be over and you''re very good at it, but you finished early, so you came to check on me.

    I think it''s a good idea to be too good at that.

    But wait a minute, I don''t know that woman very well either.

    I''m the victim of a sudden entanglement in the waiting room and brought here, so I''m the victim.

    I told Tina behind me in a shaky voice.

    I''m still a little scared to look back.

    ''So that woman is a distraction, right?

    ''Interrupted... no, that''s not an exaggeration...''

    ''Eric, are you perhaps attracted to that woman''s condition that she is allowed to have her body at her disposal?''

    No, how do you know the terms?

    How long have you been watching him bothering me?

    I mean, if you''d seen it, you''d have seen me say no.

    ''No, if you knew that, you would have seen me turn it down.

    Well, I''ll give you the benefit of the doubt.

    Hearing those words, I finally turned around.

    There was Tina, who was deeply covered by the hood of her cloak and extremely unaware of the magical effect.

    ''''So, who is that woman?''''

    I don''t know. But he''s strong.

    It''s ... yeah, I kind of get it.

    I don''t know where she was watching the events in the waiting room from, but Tina would be able to get a general idea of strength just by looking at Helu.

    ''But you''re weaker than Eric.

    That''s a pretty good idea.

    Helu himself said I was stronger than he was, because he said I was stronger than him.

    I won''t deny it.

    ''''But I''m glad that the woman is in this important battle.

    Hmm?¡¡Why?

    What''s the big fight you''re talking about?

    ''I overheard earlier that they''re going to bet on that woman.

    ''That''s good to hear. Helu wouldn''t lose ... maybe.

    The opponents are inferior in every way.

    However, Helu fights with his bare hands and hands, whereas the opponent is wearing armor.

    You have to be creative to get your attacks through, but what happens.......

    Looking towards the arena, the fight was about to begin at any moment.

    Helu is facing the one who is fully armored.

    But when I turned that way, Helu noticed my gaze and turned to me, smiled and waved his hand at me.

    ........That was kind of cute....

    --Ha!

    "...Eric, what was that?¡¡Why did that woman wave to Eric?¡¡Why is Eric waving back too?

    Unconsciously I seem to have waved my hand back.

    Tina, who was watching it behind me, asks me again while giving off a black aura.

    ''''No, that was that ... that ... that, like a parent watching over their child, with that kind of emotion.''''

    Do you have those feelings for a woman you''ve never met?

    I''m sorry.

    No matter what I said, he didn''t seem to agree with me, so I apologized gracefully.

    In the meantime, Helu''s fight began.

    Her opponent was holding an axe in his right hand and a shield in his left.

    If he also wore armor and even had a shield, he would have a solid way of attacking while defending himself.

    But I don''t think there was anyone in the waiting room with a shield.

    If you are going to fight in this arena, most of the guys are wearing armor, so most of the time it''s a brute force move with a two-handed axe or large sword.

    Perhaps they saw that Helu fights with his hands and changed it to be completely defensive.

    I think it''s a good strategy, but that doesn''t necessarily mean it''s going to work out for the better.

    I don''t think it''s obvious to the untrained eye, but it''s still a little awkward, as if he''s not used to using his shield.

    I wonder if Helu understands, but he was ducking while looking at his opponent with boring eyes.

    The heat is very high, as if the audience is excited about the first female fighter to appear in the room.

    But on the contrary, Helu seemed to be cold.

    Even from a distance, you can see her sighing, and she avoids her opponent''s attack, which is getting bigger and bigger, and goes into the pocket.

    Then - with his right palm on the opponent''s pigeon tail, he shot.

    Instantly, the opponent stopped moving, blood flowed down from the gap in his iron mask, and he fell forward to the ground.

    The hall was quiet for a moment, and it was all at once when it was realized that it was the woman, Heru, who had won.

    ''''Eric, that was.....

    ''Yeah, it''s amazing technology. They''re only taking out the inside.

    There is not a single scratch on the armor.

    It is transferring power well so as to damage the internal organs of the person wearing it.

    It would feel like the one who was hit was hit directly in the internal organs.

    The whole hall is excited, but Heeru comes over to us boringly.

    ''That was too weak and boring.

    Good night.

    Yeah, what''s going on, is there anyone in there?

    No, there''s no one there.

    Yeah?¡¡Well, okay.

    Before she could come, Tina disappeared again with a sign, but Helu seemed to notice a bit.

    ''Will you fight with us on this?''

    I wish I had the time.

    I don''t want to tell you that I''ve been wanting to fight a little bit.

    After all, I seem to find it a little fun to fight a strong guy, too.

 133-Episode 133: Bet?

    ''Looks like I''m winning the bet,''

    I said that to Rojerio with a huge sigh of relief in my heart.

    As I expected, that female fighter won, as I expected.

    ''''It seems so.......I didn''t expect that such a slender woman would win. Oh no, that''s why this event is so interesting!''''

    Rojerio is disappointed that he lost, but he is interested in that female fighter.

    ''Oh my goodness, that girl. Hey, honey. You should hire that girl.

    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, fine. Is it to your taste?

    Yes, very much.

    Right, so this arena is an opportunity for the strong to appeal to the strong and get hired by the nobles.

    The nobles also want to hire the strong, so it''s a mutually beneficial event.

    Run for your life. Good luck.

    I would advise you, since you saved Nina and me, that this is not going to be easy.

    I wish you well from the bottom of my heart.

    "Well, Master Shuna, since I''ve lost, write a check for any amount you like.

    Oh, that''s right.

    I was thinking so much about not losing that I forgot about the money I would receive when I won.

    But the money.....

    This espionage mission, the more money you have, the more help you''ll get.

    Especially since this is the Kingdom of Harzion, the bills and coins they use are different from our Begonia Kingdom.

    Since it''s hard to change money every time, it''s nice to have money here.

    However, I don''t know how much to ask for because I''ve never made such a bet before.

    I''d like to write down a safe amount, but....

    ''Are you confused about the amount?''

    Seeing me, Rojerio asked me a question.

    ''Yes, I''m sorry I''m not very well versed in betting and I don''t know how much is the market...''

    It''s not particularly vulnerable, so I''ll be honest with you.

    It''s probably safe to ask here.

    ''''I see. If it''s Shuna-dono, you can have me write up to nine digits for you.''''

    Nine figures...!

    Up to nine digits........billion!

    I wouldn''t want to lose such an amount of money on such a verbal bet!

    No, perhaps Rojerio is such a powerful nobleman that he can afford to lose that much.

    The slaver Fermo, who is listening next to me, is also surprised to hear the amount of money and his eyes widen.

    ''''I''m sorry Nina-san, I couldn''t pay as much as my husband.......could I ask for eight figures?''''

    No, no, enough.

    No, really, that''s enough, or rather still more than enough.

    ''Oh, but that one, if you put nine in a row, it''s almost the same as a ten-digit amount, so I wish you wouldn''t do that. Haha!''

    Yes, of course, I understand...

    It was me and Nina who asked the question but were even more confused about the amount of money.

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó

    Hey, hey, let''s do it now. What time do you have left?

    When I returned to the waiting room, Helu''s selfishness began again.

    There was no one in the waiting room already, and it seemed that they were either leaving or getting medical attention from those who had finished the fight.

    So Helu wasn''t injured and should be allowed to leave, but he still stayed all the way back.

    Maybe it''s because I wanted to fight a bit and said something like "when I have time".

    I shouldn''t have said it on the spur of the moment.

    ''I''m going to fight in the next fight too.''

    You have a couple of minutes. It''s all right. It''ll only take a minute, just a minute.

    I sit against the wall, and Heeru does so as he snuggles into my shoulder.

    Since the distance is so close, I grab Helu''s shoulder and let go once he''s close enough.

    I don''t know what he''s going to say when we''re this close because Tina might be watching us.

    I mean, why is this guy coming so close to me?

    ''''That''s fine, you don''t want to f*ck with us?''''

    ''You ... well it''s good that there''s no one else around, but don''t say anything inappropriate.''

    I sigh and stand up, knowing I have no choice.

    ''Okay, lightly. It''s just a pre-game workout.

    When I say this, Heeru''s face lights up and he stands up and pulls his face closer to mine.

    ''Really?¡¡Thanks!¡¡I knew it was true what I''d heard from my friends before, that men will do anything you ask them to do if you deliberately apply your body to them and ask them to do it.

    Hey, stop. Seriously, don''t do it. No, that''s not why I took the job.

    There''s no one else in the waiting room but us anymore, but we don''t know who''s listening.

    I mean ... they''re probably listening, Tina.

    Let''s get on with it.

    Helu pulls her body away from me and leaves me a few meters away.

    ........I don''t think I''m going to miss my body or anything?¡¡It''s true, Tina, trust me.

    "Eric, are you armed?

    Helu said, looking at the sword still propped up against the wall.

    ''Since you''re the clique, I''ll go along with it.

    Because we''re the best at this, you know?¡¡Eric, you''re the best with a sword, aren''t you?

    Yeah, but I''d have to use my hands.

    My words make him contort his face, miffed indeed.

    ''I don''t know, I don''t know if you got hurt before the game.''

    Yeah, I''ll be fine.

    Then I''m going to go--

    With Helu''s last word, we began to fight.

 134-Episode 134: An Unconvincing Game

    Helu approached at once and swung his fist mercilessly at my face.

    The speed is still remarkable.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this.

    But I duck with ease.

    No matter how fast they are, it''s easy to avoid them if you know where they''re going to hit you.

    As soon as I crouched and ducked, I released a kick to scoop up Helu''s leg.

    It hits well, but the response is light.

    Then Helu, with the momentum from my kick, spins her body around once.

    And the leg I was supposed to have kicked was swung down towards my brain.

    ''''Whoa........!

    Haha!

    I take it with my right arm and flush it out.

    As expected from a woman''s kick, it''s not enough to catch the full weight and momentum of the rotation.

    It was just barely enough to catch it, and Helu landed on the ground.

    Helu, who was in an unreasonable position, moves away from it once.

    ''Wow, you were able to catch that one.

    ''You did a great job of taking advantage of my kicks, too, for a spin.

    Hey, surprise yourself.

    You didn''t mean to surprise yourself, did you?

    How much physical ability and fighting talent do you need to be able to reflexively do that now?

    ''''I''m still going!

    With that, Helu approaches again and attacks.

    The main thing is a quick attack, and without any feints, they are all coming to hit you for real.

    It''s easy to handle a normal opponent, but Helu''s attacks are fast and he has a lot of hands.

    As soon as he deflects a fist strike to the stomach, a kick flies to the face.

    It''s a good idea to be able to use the same kind of equipment for the same purpose.

    That''s why I carefully deal with the attacks.

    And when I have a momentary opening, I try to attack, but....

    Because she is a woman, I attacked her throat instead of her face, but Helu avoided it by bending over backwards.

    I was about to launch a follow-up attack because my stance was compromised by being on my back, but Helu kept on doing a backwards somersault while kicking me in the chin.

    I sensed it just in time and avoided it, but he threw another scary blow.

    ''Haha, this is fun!¡¡You''d be surprised how much my body moves on its own!

    There are times when I can use my previous experience to make a reflexive attack or evasion that surprises me.

    But that''s really only sometimes, and it doesn''t happen that often.

    But Helu comes at it many times during this short battle.

    I can anticipate their movements and avoid or set up attacks, but there''s no way to predict an attack that they don''t intend to make.

    What a difficult opponent...but that''s the word for a head-to-head fight.

    It''s time for my fight to begin, so let''s get it over with.

    I deal with Helu''s attack and set it up while backing away.

    I call out lightly to Helu, who is following me straight away.

    ''Watch your head,''

    ''What?¡¡What did you say...?

    A rock fell on Helu''s head as she tried to hear my words back.

    ''''I got it........!

    Helu squatted down, holding his head down and moaning in pain.

    The magically created rock wasn''t that big, only slightly larger than a person''s head.

    And since he didn''t drop it from high, it would probably only cause a tumbling on his head.

    But it''s a surprise attack, and it would be very painful and should make you lightly dizzy.

    It''s a good idea to be able to avoid normal attacks with crazy reflexes and counterattack, but there''s no way to reflex the invisible attacks, such as a surprise attack.

    That''s what I was allowed to exploit this time.

    ''''There''s a match.''''

    Ugh that''s not fair, that''s not fair...

    ''I said I wouldn''t use a sword, but I don''t remember saying I wouldn''t use magic.

    Well, I''ll admit it''s cowardly, but that''s part of the game.

    Besides, I''m afraid I''m going to get serious if I''m fighting any more.

    It''s just as well to stop in moderation.

    Hye-ryu holds his head down and crouches down, staring up at me with tears in his eyes.

    ''I guess I win,''

    Mmm, something doesn''t make sense...

    There aren''t many games in this world where the loser is more likely to win.

    I''ve had my share of run-ins with the law in my past life.

    The most recent one was my battle with Lieutenant Commander Liberto, which I fought before I was assigned to this secret mission.

    ...but I didn''t lose that fight. We didn''t win it.

    In the end, it was a draw, but I didn''t like the way it turned out.

    Besides.........it was a battle with Elena-san.

    "...Eric-kun, what''s going on?¡¡What are you thinking about?

    Hmm?¡¡Oh, no ... nothing.

    Yeah?¡¡I was surprised when the atmosphere suddenly turned scary.

    I guess he sensed my mood, Helu said, rubbing his head.

    I really only thought about it a little bit, but do these sentient beings notice me?

    Just as I was about to make some excuse, I heard the voice of an attendant calling me into the waiting room.

    It''s my match, it seems.

    ''Let''s fight again when it''s over. This time I''ll keep my eye on the top.

    Then they''ll just attack us from below.

    Then I''ll be careful downstairs.

    I don''t think I can say anything.

    After this party extravaganza was over, I needed to get away without Helu finding me.

    After a quick prep workout, I headed to the venue for the game.

 135-Episode 135: The strongest name alone

    I won my bet with Lojerio to see what the stakes would be, and I asked for ten million and Nina asked for about a million.

    That''s significantly less than the upper limit, but it''s still a lot.

    It would be rude to ask for too much money in such a bet.

    ''''You''ve been thinking about me.......I''m very happy for you, Lord Shuna.

    For some reason, Rojerio, who looked excited, didn''t seem to think it was rude because he said so.

    ........I rather wanted to be considered rude.

    Rojerio and his wife went to someone else and are no longer here.

    And then we played a few more games after that, and finally.........

    ''Well, it''s finally the last game!

    The crowd cheers with dismay as the play-by-play commentator in the arena gives his voice to the crowd.

    They were disappointed that it was the last time, but on the contrary, they were probably prepared for the most exciting match because it was the last time.

    ''Lord Shuna, your bodyguard hasn''t come out until now, has he?¡¡So that means....

    Yes, you look like a player from the last game.

    I didn''t expect Eric to show up until the last game either.

    To be chosen to be the big winner of this event for the first time...what''s up with that?

    In the final round, the first to come out is this guy!¡¡The man with the most appearances, and he''s still undefeated!¡¡The most powerful man--

    The actual performer shouted the man''s name, but the crowd cheered too loudly to hear it.

    He should have magically made his voice louder but........well, it didn''t matter.

    ''It''s a pity, Lord Shuna. With that man against you, it''s certainly not going to be possible to protect you, either.

    Fermo, the slave-trader, said that with a grin.

    Apparently, Eric''s opponent is the strongest man at this event.

    I don''t know why I had to fight such a guy.

    ''''If Shuna-dono also knew how strong that man was, he wouldn''t have bet on that even if it was his own bodyguard. But you have already said that you are betting on your guard. You can''t undo that, can you?

    Yes, of course. I''m sure your guards will win.

    Huh...!¡¡We''ll see how long that attitude lasts.

    He said this as he glared at me and spat out something dirty.

    This man no longer seemed to try to hide his hostility towards me.

    The heat in the arena increased even more when that strongest man appeared in the arena.

    He is indeed the strongest man in this event.

    He is big and sturdy, and he uses good armor.

    However, it is unlikely that he can beat Eric.

    In fact, he looks weaker than the female combatant who just came out.

    ''''The one who will challenge that strongest man is the first man to join us this time!¡¡What''s more, in the waiting room, the man himself said to the strongest man in the room, ''Come and compete with me!¡¡I don''t know if I should call you a confident person or a suicidal person!

    The words of the actual situation elicited ridicule from the entire audience.

    There was no way Eric would say such a thing, so he must have gotten caught up in something.

    ''''Kukkaku.......your guard seems to be very overconfident in his own power.

    Fermo doesn''t hide his ridicule and provokes me, too.

    ''''Well it seems so. If you win and come back, I''ll have to preach to you.''''

    I''m annoyed, as expected, but I return it calmly.

    I can see Nina next to me also glaring at Fermo over me.

    My response doesn''t seem to be amused, and Fermo turns away from me boringly and turns toward the arena.

    Then the crowd sees Eric coming out of the other side of the strongest man or something, and there''s another little laugh.

    Most of the previous ones were well armored and well built.

    However, Eric had very little armor and his body was not flattering in size.

    Compared to the other man, there is a size difference between an adult and a child.

    ''''Oops, the strongest man''s opponent, without any protective gear!¡¡I said earlier that I didn''t know which one to say, but apparently it was the latter!

    The audience laughed, as if they were at the end of their patience with the actual statement.

    Until now, most of the cheers were from the excitement of battle, so this would be the first time the audience was filled with laughter.

    ''''Haha, your bodyguard, it seems you only have a talent for laughter.

    ''I didn''t know that either. Now we''ll have to get the performers on the stage, not just the fighters.

    Fermo seemed to be getting better, or maybe he thought I was being pugnacious, but he couldn''t seem to stop laughing anymore.

    ''Well!¡¡It''s time to start the final game!¡¡A suicidal man who challenges the strongest man in the world!¡¡Perhaps that wish will come true!

    The words of the actual situation are getting more and more uncomfortable.

    What a way to talk to one of us.

    You think Eric is going to lose to the most powerful man at this event?

    Do not mock the strongest soldier in the Kingdom of Begonia.

    Now for the final showdown!¡¡Let the game begin!

    Show him, Eric.

    Show the man who is truly the strongest man in size and name only.

 136-Episode 136: Instant Match

    In the midst of a frenzied hall, I was facing off against the strongest man in the event.

    For some reason, I was being told by the contestants that I was the one who challenged them, and this strongest man probably told them so.

    I could tell by the atmosphere that he was grinning, even though I couldn''t see his face due to his iron mask.

    ''Hey, brace yourself. I''m going to make you regret pissing me off.

    Huh....

    All I can do is sigh.

    I didn''t do anything to this guy myself, and it was Helu who did it.

    I was just collateral damage.

    But, well, I have no intention of losing.

    Yulina has made a good bet with the slavers, so I have to win.

    I looked at the entrance of the one I came out of and saw that Helu had come to watch the fight.

    He waved his hand at me, so I lightly shake it back.

    ''''You...!¡¡Good nerve, to give a woman the nod before she fights me!

    I was caught waving at the strongest man and he said that to me.

    That''s right, if I was confronting him at this distance, he would at least know that I waved my hand.

    The strongest man who got even angrier.

    Objectively speaking, he might be scared, but you can''t win a fight if you don''t keep your cool.

    And then the voice of the play-by-play man echoes out.

    ''Then the final showdown!¡¡Let the game begin!

    At the same time as his voice - the match was over.

    The distance we were facing was about four meters.

    I would be able to pass through my opponent''s bosom with a single step and get behind him.

    From this guy''s eyes, it will appear as if my figure has disappeared.

    Because of its large size, it''s difficult to be aware of what''s going on down there.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to see that the guy who''s been doing this for a while can''t handle my speed, especially since most of this event involves wearing armor and using two-handed swords and axes to strike each other.

    My target is my neck.

    The connection between the armor and the iron mask.

    Since they are separate things, there is definitely a gap there.

    I aimed at the gap with the tip of the sword - and poked at it.

    It is not serious, but there is no way you can be safe from being unexpectedly poked in the back of the neck.

    The neck contains the spinal cord and several very important organs.

    It doesn''t matter how big you are, it doesn''t matter how big you are.

    The strongest man or something like that fell down on the spot, unable to speak.

    He must not be dead, he probably just passed out.

    The man fell down, and the whole hall went quiet for a moment - as if in revolt, a cracking cheer dominated the hall.

    ''My God!¡¡What a surprise!¡¡Who would have expected such an ending!¡¡The strongest man in the world crumbled to the ground in an instant!¡¡Who the hell is that man who killed him so lightly!

    I can hear the actual situation shouting that too, as if he was excited.

    It''s like the fact that he was calling me a suicidal person earlier is a lie.

    But no, I stood out.

    I hadn''t originally planned to stand out like this.

    If Yulina-san made a bet with the slavers and I won, that would have been the end of it.

    Somehow I got tangled up with Helu and ended up playing with the strongest man here.

    It seems that all the fighters who appear at this event will be given money for their victory, but at the same time, the nobles will be scouting for them.

    If we are this conspicuous, we will definitely be scouted by various nobles.

    I''ll have to do something about it.......well, I''ll just have to run away before I get scouted.

    I leave the hall, where the excitement hasn''t cooled down at all.

    There would be no point in staying in the dueling arena forever.

    ''''Good work ... but no, it was over in an instant. Eric you''re strong after all.

    Helu, who was there, called out to me.

    Helu was right, I''m not particularly tired.

    I just took a serious step and poked my neck handily so as not to kill him.

    ''''Hey, Eric, you''re incomplete too, right?¡¡Let''s have another round.

    Why would you want to fight a fight like that when you''ve had enough?

    It''s not good, it''s just that we weren''t really into each other earlier.

    I was thinking of running away from Helu after the fight was over.........but it seems to be difficult.

    Now, what to do........

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó

    Well, I never thought he''d lose.

    Fermo, the slave-trader, said that with a tremor in his voice.

    In an instant, Eric''s match was over and the whole hall was filled with enthusiasm, but this man was the only one who had the exact opposite reaction.

    He seemed to think that the strongest man would definitely win, so his shock was great.

    ''''Well, Fermo-dono. My guard won, so it looks like the bet is mine to win.

    His body trembles for a moment at my words, but he remains clearly unsettled, but he acts stoutly.

    "Well, it seems so.......your guard seems to be very strong.

    Yes, I knew that. I still think it''s better to have him be an escort than a stage performer.

    ''''Ha, ha, ha, it''s like throwing money away to have someone so strong as a performer.

    He said that in response to my lighthearted comment.

    Fermo''s attitude was not that he had regained his composure, but that he didn''t care anymore and was huffing and puffing.

    ''I won, so I''ll get paid for my bet,''

    ''Yes, of course. As I recall, you said information or something like that... what kind of information?

    I don''t know if you have the information we''re looking for, but there''s a good chance you do.

    That information, I will pass on.

    It''s information about other countries and their slave conditions.

 137-Episode 137: My Sister

    My sister - Elshe is pretty.

    She''s golden like me, with silky hair that reaches down her back.

    She''s always saying, "Stroke me! That being said, I''m stroking him gently, but the touch is very pleasant.

    Although Elsie seems to feel good, I also feel good and want to keep stroking it forever.

    I''m not a fan of her, but she''s very pretty.

    I''m sure she''ll be the most beautiful woman in the country in the future, even though she''s only twelve years old.

    She is always smiling at me, and I can''t help but smile just by looking at her.

    She has a very good personality.

    Whenever I show signs of fatigue, she asks, "Are you okay, brother? He asks me if I''m worried.

    She also does her best to give me a massage or something.

    Maybe it''s because my hands are still small, so it doesn''t feel that good, but just the fact that Elsie does it for me blows away my fatigue.

    He was born in such a poor environment, but he grew up beautifully without being dyed by anything.

    She''s kind, bright, pretty, and perfect.

    As an older brother, I am proud to have such a sister.

    That''s why I - I will protect Elshe, no matter what.

    Even if I become a slave or a murderer.

    No matter how close to torture, no matter how much they experiment on me.

    Even if - for the first time, I betrayed my best friend.

    "Brother, read this with me!

    Ershe comes up to me with a book.

    I haven''t seen her in a while, and we slept together yesterday.

    For the first time in three years, I feel like I slept well, too.

    Good. Come here.

    Yeah!

    Ershe nods very happily and gets on my legs as I''m sitting cross-legged.

    I''m on the short side too, but Ershe is much shorter.

    Elshe sits sporadically on my legs and sits with her back to me, looking up at my face and smiling "ehehehe".

    Seeing that smile, I catch myself laughing and patting my head.

    After getting on my leg to read with me, Elshe puts down the larger book she brought to the floor.

    The book has a lot of text, but it seems to be an easy book to read with pictures in places.

    ''Here, it has two characters in it!¡¡I''ll read the line about my brother being the guy and me being the girl!

    Okay. But what''s the other part?

    "You read it, big brother!

    Hmmm, all right. Okay, I guess I''ll start with Elsie.

    Yeah!

    Elshe looks up at me and nods with a smile, then looks down and begins to read the lines of the book.

    Even though she''s ten years old, she doesn''t read the dialogues with a stick at all, but with proper emotion.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Elsie, you''re perfect and cute in every way.

    I don''t have any experience in reading dialogue either but if it''s acting, I''m confident in it.

    --I''ve been spying on you for three years and deceived even your best friend.

    Me and Ershe alternate reading aloud, so it''s slower than normal, but I get a solid dose of content.

    Apparently, this is a heroic tale, or to put it simply, it''s a story about a hero who saves a princess who is in a lot of trouble.

    I ad-libbed the dialogue from time to time, and Ershe laughed happily when I said the dialogue.

    It was a bit long, but I finished reading it after about an hour.

    ''''-- ''Thus they overcame their difficulties and lived happily ever after.''''

    Huh...!¡¡That was fun!¡¡Thanks, brother!

    Good, I enjoyed it too.

    Ershe looks up while sitting on my lap and gives me a smile.

    Her neck looks like it hurts, but she does it all the time with me, so she''s gotten used to it.

    ''This hero guy is so cool!

    ''Yes, the princess was lovely, too. Maybe that''s what I thought, since Elsie was so good at acting.

    ''Hehe, your brother was very good at it too!¡¡It was great to hear a voice that was a little lower than my usual big brother''s!

    "Phew, thank you.

    I''m almost female in appearance, and my voice is high for a man.

    So when I read the book aloud, I spoke the ground sentences in my usual voice and the dialogue consciously low.

    If Ershe liked it, it was worth it.

    Afterwards, Elshe and I continued to discuss the book with each other.

    I liked this scene, the heroes here were cool, the dialogue of the princess here was cute... and so on.

    For me, I wanted to talk about how cute Elshe was when she said this line, etc., but I held back and gave my impressions as normal.

    ''Which one did you like better, Elshe?¡¡Heroes and Princesses.

    Well, I''m not sure if I''m a heroic person or not.

    Oh, why?

    I want to be a princess and have a hero to save me after all!

    Yeah, okay.

    That''s the kind of thing I''m a girl after all.

    With glittering eyes, Elshe continues.

    ''''But my hero is already here--nay, brother!

    -Oh!

    With a very pretty, pure smile, Ershe said that to me.

    I froze for a moment in surprise, but then I hugged Elshe on my feet and stroked her hair.

    ''Thank you. For me too, Elshe is a princess.''''

    "Heh, heh, yay!

    I wasn''t expecting that, but I''m really glad to hear it.

    If Elshe sees me as a hero to her, there is no greater joy.

    But..........

    I think as I hug Elshe and pat her head.

    I can tell that I can''t keep a smile on my face, but since I''m being hugged, Elshe won''t be able to see me.

    Elshe, I really want to be your hero.

    But I''m not going to be a hero.

    A hero and an assassin.

    Almost the opposite of a hero and an assassin.

    A hero has never had hands so stained with blood.

    And a hero - even in death - would not betray his best friend.

 138-Episode 138 Next Request

    Spending time with Elshe really makes the day go by fast.

    Today, we get into bed together and talk as we lie down.

    At first Erche is so excited that he doesn''t stop talking, but after all, his eyelids are getting heavier and heavier because he''s been playing with them all morning.

    Elsie''s eyes are just barely open in my arms, and I''m stroking her head to put her to sleep.

    I stroke her head and pat her back in a steady rhythm as if tucking her into bed.

    ''Goodnight, Elshe.''

    ''Yeah ... good night, brother ...''

    With one last cute smile on her face, a happy Ershe went into a dream.

    A very pretty, comforting sleeping face to watch.

    I don''t want to sleep like this, I want to keep looking at it.

    But........that''s not possible.

    I raise Ershe''s head, which is using my arm as a pillow, and pull her arm out a little.

    I tuck the pillow under her head so that the height doesn''t change.

    ''My brother''s arm pillow is more comfortable to sleep on than my usual pillow!

    That''s such a nice thing to say, lovely Elsie.

    Did she say it with me in mind, or did she really mean it?

    I don''t know, I''m sorry.

    Today, you''ll have to put up with a normal pillow.

    I try to get out of the covers so I don''t make a sound.

    But..........

    "..........

    Hmm......

    Ershe was grabbing the sleeve of my shirt with an infinitesimal amount of force.

    It''s the kind of power that can be removed without any resistance if you move without noticing.

    But the hand that doesn''t have the power to stop my movement has the maximum amount of desire to hold me back.

    I don''t want to go, I want to sleep next to Elsie.

    I don''t want to think about it, I want to greet the morning together.

    But...!

    I''m sorry, Elsie.

    I''ll take your arm gently holding the hem and put it under the covers because it will be cold.

    I won''t be your hero but I''ll do whatever it takes to protect you.

    So I have to go.

    I get out of bed and take the letter I wrote while Ershe was taking a bath out of my pocket and place it in a prominent place.

    I don''t know what this request is about, but I don''t think I''ll make it home before morning.

    And - I don''t know if I''ll make it back alive.

    So I will definitely have words to write in the letter I''m leaving to Ershe.

    --I''m so lucky to have been born before you. I love you, Elsie.

    I couldn''t have protected you if you''d been born after Elsie.

    That''s the only thing I can be thankful for in my parents, whose faces and names I don''t even know.

    I take one last look at Elshe''s sleeping face and drop my lips to her cheek.

    He smiled ticklishly, despite being asleep.

    After seeing that, I left the room with a happy feeling.

    As I walked down the long, dark hallway, my happiness diminished.

    It''s okay to go down.

    I''m about to be asked to kill someone.

    ''I''ve been waiting for you, Elena.

    Every time I hear that voice, my discomfort increases.

    I''d rather kill it, but I sigh once to keep my cool.

    ''So don''t call me names.

    I don''t want this guy to call me names.

    He''s done the dirty work, he''s got blood on his hands that can''t be washed away, but that''s not his name.

    This name my friend gave me.

    ''You don''t have a name?¡¡Neither do I. Would you like to wear one of those?

    Then he gave me the name Elena.

    It was so soon after we met that he thought I was a girl, even though my name sounded like a girl.

    He told me he would name me again when he found out I was a guy, but I refused.

    I liked the name, because I liked it.

    So I don''t want this guy, that girl I don''t want to have the name that Nina gave me tarnished.

    You''re late. "You''re late." "I''m not spending time with Nina. You don''t want to be late for your time with Nina.

    I''m sorry about that, but I don''t think I can agree with you about this being a priority.

    Well, all right. Just do your job and you''ll be fine. I won''t do anything to him.

    Yeah, I''ll definitely kill you if you do.

    If you hurt Elsie, I will kill you.

    She''s all I have.

    ''Hmmm, I know. If I kill him, for example, you will kill me. No matter what you have to do, no matter what the cost. That''s why I employ you, because I''m prepared to do that.

    Even if you glare at him with serious killing intent, this guy takes it lightly and laughs deliberately.

    He''s better in terms of standing, but when life and death are involved, he''s on equal footing.

    He can easily kill something I care about, and I can easily kill him.

    We''re only working together because we''re both useful to each other now.

    I have no compassion for this guy, and if it weren''t for Ershe, I''d rather kill him right now.

    That''s what I would be to them.

    ''''Well, now that the fun story is over, let''s get to the point.

    I''m just getting tired of hearing all this shit.

    He doesn''t respond to my words, but continues, "This assassination mission is very important.

    "This assassination mission is very important. If I can pull it off, I will be very well known in the underworld, and I will be at the top of my game.

    I don''t care about this guy''s rise in status, but a request that would make him so famous in the underworld?

    I don''t know what kind of thing it is, but I''m sure it''s a hell of a request.

    ''Here, read it,''

    I took the paper that was handed to me and followed the words.......It was a better request than I expected.

    ''Are you sure about this information?''

    ''Yes, of course. It was published by the other side, and it''s well backed up.

    But I didn''t expect........so soon after what happened.......!

    The request was written in the book.

    "Leonardo Carlo Begonia, the current King of the Kingdom of Begonia, and Christopher Leo Begonia, the First Prince. and the First Prince Christopher Leo Begonia. Assassination of them.

 139-Episode 139: Decoy of the Royal Family

    --Christ side --

    Dressed in stiff clothes, I look out the small window, rocking in a carriage that is far more luxurious than the one I rode in before with Eric and Liberto and the others.

    In front of me is my father, dressed as stiffly as I am and looking even hotter than I am, engaging me.

    ''Look at me, because my parents are talking!¡¡Christo!

    I''ve heard it all before...

    Why do I have to look at my father''s face all the time when I''ve been in the same carriage for three days already?

    ''Master Christo, are you all right?''

    Yeah, I''m fine.

    Alisa, who is sitting next to me, looks into my face with concern.

    I appreciate her concern, but her face is a little, close.

    I''m embarrassed to look at Alisa''s face at this distance too, so I look away.

    ''''Your Majesty, Christo-sama seems to be a bit drunk from the carriage. So I ask your permission to look out the window.

    Mmm, I didn''t know. Well, you should have told me earlier.

    Alisa made that excuse to my dad so I wouldn''t have to face him.

    But I''m not drunk ... only a little.

    Today is the third day of the carriage ride, and I never got drunk at all until the second day.

    But now I''m wearing a stiff outfit, princely clothes, which is annoying.

    My dad seems to be totally fine with it because he''s used to it, it''s annoying.

    ''I think we''ll be there in about ten minutes, so don''t throw up.

    I''m not gonna throw up.

    It''s not that far, indeed.

    I mean, there''s no way I''m going to throw up even if I''m mean, in front of Alisa.

    The carriage my dad and I are riding in right now is headed to the Kingdom of Harzion.

    There are dozens of soldiers of the Order around our carriage.

    My father and I are royalty, so we''re also guards.

    There are four of us in this carriage.

    I''m not going to be able to tell you what to do.

    "Anne, tell me a funny story.

    Please don''t be so rash. I''ll sue you for harassment, my queen.

    I''m sorry. You don''t have to say anything.

    My dad is a typical guy who is not at all upset with your mother, he''s a typical guy who is on his ass.

    Normally he''s a sweet mother, but when he gets angry he''s really scary.

    The last time I got mad at you it was when Eric and I went out for a drink.

    ''Haha....''

    What''s wrong, Christo?¡¡Laugh out of the blue.

    No, it''s nothing.

    I just laughed at the time.

    That night was fun.

    I went out for a drink with the first friend I ever made, and he treated me as just a cristo, not as a prince.

    If I had been a little more drunk, I would have cried because I was having fun and too happy.

    I''m glad I was in moderation.

    But maybe it was because I was drunk, and I feel like I made a mistake telling that guy about the guy I liked.

    No, he knew before I told him, or Eric seems to have good instincts.

    I failed to ask him then who that guy liked, but you figured it out before.

    But why does he like that guy?

    I''m sure Eric and that guy had never met before, but he seemed to have an air of knowing one way or the other, and he seemed to be in love with the guy.

    ''Your Majesty, I think we''ve arrived,''

    As I was thinking about this, it seemed we had reached our destination.

    ''''Hmm, I see. But I guess we haven''t gone inside yet.

    Yes, I think they''re opening the gates now.

    While the gate is being opened, Anne speaks as a last check.

    ''''Your Majesty, Prince, please never leave me. Because of what Your Majesty has done, the neighbouring countries know that the two of you are coming to this country.''''

    Isn''t this a good plan?

    This idiot of a father announced that he was going to thank the Kingdom of Harzion, even though his country was constantly being attacked.

    He did it on the authority of the king, even though they all stopped him.

    ''''If you''re not sorry, I''ll tell the queen again.

    Sorry, I''m sorry, but I''m sorry about that.

    We know that the one who attacked the Begonia Kingdom is the Lindow Empire.

    We''ve had information for some time that that place has its eyes on the Begonia Kingdom.

    Of course the Lindow Empire, which is located next to the Kingdom of Harzion, would also know that we were coming to this country.

    The king of the country we were supposed to have attacked and his prince are visiting the neighboring country without incident.

    If this is not a provocation, then what is it?

    No matter what you think, the assassins of the Lindow Empire will come.

    The other party may know it was a provocation and be wary, but there''s no way the country that made such a raid on us wouldn''t take advantage of such a provocation.

    In other words, my father and I are the decoys.

    I never thought I''d be born into royalty and be a decoy.

    ''The gates are open, sir.

    I thought the carriage would start moving again, but it didn''t move very well.

    I wondered if something was wrong, but a knock sounded on the carriage door.

    When I opened it, a soldier told me what had happened.

    ''''Excuse me. It seems that the King and Princess of the Kingdom of Harzion are here to receive you.''''

    Me, Anne and Alisa are surprised at those words.

    I didn''t expect that the king was coming for us not in the royal palace, but at the gate.

    ''''Haha!¡¡That''s the King of Ceredonia!¡¡We''ve got a shot at it!

    My father seemed surprised, but he got out of the carriage happily.

    ''Heh, your majesty!¡¡As I told you earlier, please don''t go alone!

    Anne hurried down after him.

    ''Shall we go too?''

    Yes, Christo.

    Alisa called out to me because no one else was around for a moment.

    I was a little nervous, but without letting it show on my face, me and Alisa walked out too.

    ''It''s been a while, King Seredonia!¡¡How are you doing?!

    Yes, I''m very happy. King Leonardo is looking well, too.

    ''Haha, yeah, it''s just a few more wrinkles. And Leo will do just fine.

    My dad is greeting each other, shaking hands with the king.

    I''m glad they seem to be on good terms.

    ''Prince Christopher, it''s been a long time.

    He was approached from the side and turned to face her.

    There was the princess of this country, and Eric''s favorite person, Princess Irene Harzion.

 140-Episode 140: Conversation between Prince and Princess

    Princess Irene is still a beautiful woman.

    Her jet-black hair reaches down to her waist, and she is so beautiful that you''d think it reflected the light despite being black.

    She''s not that tall, but she has a small face and is very stylish.

    She''s beautiful with eyes, but not scary, and she''s beautiful with a smile on her face.

    The last time I met her, she was wearing normal clothes so as not to stand out, but today is a formal occasion, so she''s wearing very luxurious and beautiful clothes.

    She didn''t feel clothed like I did, and she wore it very elegantly.

    ''''It''s been a long time, Princess Irene. Thank you for the other day.''''

    I hold out my hand and ask her to shake it like my father and the King of Ceredonia.

    She shakes my hand in a flowing manner and greets me.

    ''''No, in times of trouble, it''s mutual. I''m glad the Kingdom of Begonia is safe.

    It''s all thanks to the efforts of Princess Irene. I''m here today to thank you for that.

    ''Thank you for going out of your way. Have a good time.

    We finished our greetings and let go of each other''s hands.

    After all, she''s such a beautiful woman that people in this country and other countries have been talking about her.

    If I didn''t have someone I liked, I might have fallen in love with her too.

    I let go of her hand and move away from her for a bit, and I feel her eyes on me from next to her.

    When I look over there, I see Alisa glaring at me with her half-eyed stare.

    ''What?''

    No, not at all. I was just wondering why my eyes were twitching so much.

    I don''t know what you''re talking about.

    I really only had my eyes on Princess Irene''s open chest for a moment....

    No, it can''t be helped, if you''re a man.

    I''d rather feel guilty just because it was in my sight.......hardly anything.

    I know that Alisa is concerned about her breasts being a bit small, so let''s not make a lame excuse.

    Me and Princess Irene''s greeting is over, but it seems that my father and King Seredonia''s greeting is still going on.

    Rather, they''re already chatting.

    I want to greet the king too, and Princess Irene wants to greet my dad, but I can''t get in.

    After a bit of awkward silence, she speaks to me fearfully.

    ''Well, Prince Christopher. I''d like to ask you one question...''''

    What is it?¡¡Also, my name is long, so I''m fine with Christo.

    ''So, Prince Christo. Well.....

    A little crisply, Princess Irene asked shyly.

    ''''Is Eric Aulin-sama not here today...?''''

    I didn''t expect the question, and I couldn''t get the words out for a moment either.

    I wondered if she misunderstood something when she saw me and started to hurriedly excuse herself.

    His cheeks are red and he looks embarrassed.

    ''''I''m sorry, but Eric isn''t here as an escort today.

    Oh, well I''m sorry to hear that.

    Princess Irene became depressed, as if her panic was a lie.

    But after a few seconds, she huffed and started to panic as if making excuses to me again.

    "I''m sorry that I couldn''t thank Eric-sama properly for his previous thanks, but I never wanted to meet your highness...!¡¡Oh, no, I wanted to meet you, but that''s not what I meant...!

    Princess Irene, are you all right?¡¡Please calm down.

    I tell her to take a deep breath for now, as she starts to make excuses more terrific and faster than before.

    She took a deep breath and her face turned even redder as she remembered the excuses she had said.

    ''''I''m sorry, my apologies for my disgusting appearance...!

    No, I thought he looked very likeable.

    Oh, I''m so embarrassed...!

    I said, lightly teasing her, but she responded in a cute way.

    But I''ve never seen Princess Irene in such a hurry before.

    It was easy to see that Eric liked Princess Irene, but she seemed to be more than a little aware of it too.

    But she said she doesn''t have Eric, but she already has him in this country.

    I''m not lying, because it''s true that he''s not here as an escort.

    He''s probably out of sight, but I believe he''s in the vicinity.

    That''s the way it''s supposed to be.

    I can''t talk about it here, but I''ll talk to you when I get to a place where my voice can''t leak outside.

    ........Alisa is staring at me again next to me.

    ''What?''

    No, I''m glad you''re enjoying yourself.

    Hi.

    In a sulking mood...

    No, you just talked a little bit with the princess of the country you''re familiar with.

    And it''s about my best friend Eric, and we''re not even particularly close.

    When I''m in the palace, I really don''t have much to talk about with women other than Arisa.

    At most, it''s only the head maid or Viviana, the deputy leader who comes to teach me magic.

    That''s why Alisa is quick to tease me when I''m talking to a woman I don''t know.

    It''s probably because she doesn''t have that kind of tolerance.

    Huh, she''s a pain in the ass.....

    But is it a weakness that I fell in love with, that I think that kind of thing is cute too?

    When I smiled thinly at that thought, Alisa''s eyes became even sharper.

    ''''Prince Christopher, what''s wrong?''''

    ''No, I just thought once again that my personal maid was jealous.

    ''¡¡What are you saying...?

    Alisa looks very surprised.

    It''s been a long time since I''ve seen her like that, so I can''t help but laugh out loud.

    ''''Haha, bad bad. I was teasing you too much.''''

    ...you''ll be spanked when you get home.

    Well, I hope not.

    There''s nothing harsh about Alisa''s spankings, just embarrassing ones.

    There was a spanking before where Alisa used my lap as a pillow for an hour and Alisa slept on it and stroked her head the whole time, but that was harsh.

    ''''I''m sorry, but are you two lovers?''''

    ''¡¡Well, you know...

    Oh no, I had forgotten that I was in front of Princess Irene.

    She asked me that with very pure eyes, and I can''t answer her any questions.

    It''s not a lover''s relationship, but it''s certainly not an ordinary squire and prince relationship either.

    ''''No, no, no, no, no, I, a squire, would have a lover''s relationship with Christo...!

    Alisa is confused too, or maybe she''s calling me the way she always does.

    Later, Princess Irene seemed to like that kind of talk, and she was questioned before her dads called her out.

 141-Episode 141: Bad Father

    Finally, my father and the King of Seldonia are done chatting, and we enter the carriage that they have prepared for us.

    It''s larger and more luxurious than the carriage we were in.

    Ours is a traveling carriage even though it''s ridden by royalty, so it''s only natural that the one that emphasizes mobility is smaller.

    We ride in a luxurious and comfortable carriage and start moving towards the royal palace of the Harzion Kingdom.

    Inside are me, my father, my maid Alisa, and Anne, the head of the magic knight order, as my escort.

    On the side of Harzion Kingdom, there''s King Seredonia, Princess Irene, and one guard from that side.

    ''''But Miss Irene has grown up!¡¡You were such a little thing the last time I saw you!

    ''Thank you. But at that finger''s width, it''s about the size of a pea grain.

    ''Right!¡¡Well, that''s too small!¡¡Hahaha!

    Shut up...

    Why does this guy talk so loudly?

    Even though it''s a big carriage, it''s not a space like a big hall, so everyone should be able to hear him as loud as he speaks to the people next to him.

    I spoke lightly with Princess Irene, and then my dad started talking to King Seredonia again.

    My seat is in front of me with Princess Irene in front of me and Alisa next to me.

    ''Princess Irene, I''m sorry my dad got involved in the annoying tangle.

    No, he''s a very funny man and a lot of fun to be around.

    When I apologized, Princess Irene said that with a gentle smile.

    I''m glad she didn''t seem to be offended since she seemed to mean it.

    ''''Does Prince Christo call your father ''father''?''''''

    Hmm?¡¡Yes, I do. I don''t want to call that guy ''Father'', even if I die.

    Oh, really?

    Oops, I shouldn''t have told Princess Irene this.

    I''ve embarrassed her.

    ''Are you on bad terms with King Leonardo?

    No, it''s not a bad thing. It''s just that I don''t like it one way or the other.

    Oh, really?

    I answered honestly again, and it got weird in the air.

    Huh, it can''t be helped.

    ''''Well it''s not that I completely dislike my dad. Rather, I have a lot of respect for him.

    ''¡¡That''s right.

    Yes, most importantly, your people have a lot of trust in you.

    Jere, the head of the Order, Anne who is there now, and many other people trust and respect my dad.

    Many of his subordinates are willing to risk their lives for my father.

    I would never want to say this to him, but he has an absolute charisma that I don''t have.

    It''s something he was born with, so it''s not something you can acquire.

    My dad is an idiot, a huge idiot.

    And yet, he can be the king of a country because his charisma is absolute.

    For example, in the previous raid, my dad went to the front lines himself, even though his butlers and maids were desperate to stop him.

    What country''s king would stand on the battlefield with his own sword and shield?

    I can only call him a fool.

    But he was capable of doing it, and the fact that my father did it was an inspiration to his soldiers.

    He has the power to attract and inspire people.

    That''s a power that I can''t do, that I don''t have.

    That''s probably where the trust of my father''s men comes from.

    ''So as a king, I think there''s a lot of respect for him. As a father, though, he''s subtle.''''

    Oh, really?

    I''m a little itchy to praise my dad, so I''ll just humiliate him a bit at the end.

    Yeah, there really isn''t much I can respect about him as a dad.

    ''''I respect your father, too. Both as a king and as a father.''''

    The only king I wouldn''t respect as a father is the King of Begonia.

    ''Hmmm, is that so?¡¡I''m sure he''s a delightful father.

    It might be fun, but it''s too loud.

    ''I''m sorry I can''t defend that either,''

    Princess Irene, who returns the joke with a joke, laughs elegantly, still with a beautiful smile.

    Come to think of it, my voice doesn''t leak out of this place anymore, so I might as well say something about Eric.

    ''''Princess Irene, is this carriage soundproofed?''''

    ''It''s enchanted, so I don''t think the outside world can hear it unless it''s too loud. ....unless it''s as loud as King Leonard''s voice.

    I don''t have to be that loud.

    My dad is still talking in a noisy voice with the King of Ceredonia, Anne, and the guards over there.

    Of course, my dad is the only one who is loud.

    Princess Irene, perhaps because she heard me soundproofing her, lowers her voice a bit and tries to listen to me by moving her face closer to mine.

    I also speak in a voice that only she and Alisa, who is next to me, can hear.

    ''I said earlier that Eric isn''t here, he''s just not here as an escort, but he''s here in Harzion State.

    ''¡¡Are you sure?

    ''Yes, sir. We''re on a mission, so it''s up to us to see if they show up in our presence in the future.

    The plan is for Eric and his team to act in hiding, so they have no plans to show up.

    Unless there''s something very wrong.

    ''I would love to meet you in person and thank you very much.

    Eric would probably like to meet Princess Irene as well.

    ''¡¡Oh, I see....

    Princess Irene''s face turns a little red at my words.

    When we met before, Eric said ''I will definitely come to see you again''.

    Since he approached me so passionately, it''s only natural that I would be aware of him.

    That''s good to hear, Eric.

    At least it sounds like a good feeling.

    ''''I mean, is Prince Christo on good terms with Eric-sama?¡¡From earlier, when I call Master Eric''s name, I feel as casual as a friend.

    ''Yes, I know. He''s my only best friend.

    At my words, Princess Irene''s eyes widen in surprise.

    A prince of a country and a mere soldier are best friends, that would be strange in the normal course of events.

    But--''''

    ''''The only person who sees me not as a prince, but as a cristo is Eric.

    Really, I think so.

    For some reason, that guy, from the beginning, sees me not as a prince, but as a friend.

    And that makes me more than happy.

 142-Episode 142: Girls Party in a Carriage?

    ''Well may I ask you a few more questions about Eric-sama?

    Yes, as many as I can answer for.

    Princess Irene is still curious about Eric, after all.

    Whether it''s as a man or as a benefactor is still up in the air.

    I''m going to answer what Princess Irene asked me.

    The first thing she was concerned about was Eric''s strength.

    ''''Eh.........Eric-sama is the strongest in the Begonia Kingdom?¡¡But don''t you have a Mr. Liberto Corrales in the Begonia Kingdom?

    Lieutenant Commander Liberto, huh?

    You''re right, he''s the strongest, even if he was drunk, I couldn''t win.

    But then he said.

    That Liberto said, "That Liberto said Eric is stronger than me. He said they had fought for real before, but their abilities seemed to be really even. As for which one of them won I''m sorry, but I haven''t heard about it.

    He said they fought before Eric went on a spy mission.

    When Liberto told me that they fought, he said that they were still very competitive.

    As for the result, he said that he was too drunk to remember the result.

    I''m sure he''ll remember.

    It''s impossible to forget a victory or defeat, so I thought Liberto lost because he didn''t tell me, but....

    I don''t know, so I wouldn''t be able to irresponsibly say that he lost.

    ''''You are really strong, aren''t you? You seem to have defeated Felix Gladio, and isn''t Eric-sama the strongest in the neighboring countries?

    ''''I''m not so sure. We have the most powerful Viviana in the Begonia Kingdom, even on the side of the Magic Knights.

    Well, I''ve met Lady Viviana before and she was a very, very friendly and approachable good person.

    ...Well, I''m sure he''s friendly, but he''s an idiot.

    I think he''s a genius when it comes to magic.

    But I still think Eric would be the strongest if it was one-on-one.

    So that''s what it is...!

    Princess Irene smiles elegantly.

    It''s a pretty smile that I would fall in love with if Alisa wasn''t there.

    I''m just telling the truth, but Eric seems to have a good impression of Princess Irene.

    It''s all thanks to the fact that I speak so well.

    The next time you see Eric, ask him to buy you a drink.

    It''s time to get rid of the bad mood that''s grumbling next to you.

    After that, I talk to Alisa to cure her mood, and then Princess Irene asks me about our relationship again.

    ''Alisa-sama, how is it actually going?''

    Alisa didn''t go next to me, but next to Princess Irene.

    The seating order with Princess Irene in front of me, Alisa in front of me on my left, and the King of Ceredonia on my right.

    My father was sitting next to me on my right, with a single space between us, and to my father''s right, Anne was listening silently and expressionlessly to the banter between the kings.

    Princess Irene seems to be whispering in Alisa''s ear, but I can just barely hear her.

    I might not be able to hear her if I try to turn my attention away, but it''s impossible to turn away.

    ''''Wha, what is it, Princess Irene?''''

    ''You understand, don''t you?¡¡You like Prince Christo, don''t you?

    "Well, uh...

    You''re asking me very directly, Princess Irene.

    Alisa glances at me, but I look out the window and pretend I can''t hear her.

    ''''Well, that is, of course, the prince is a wonderful man and I like him, but...''''

    ''That''s not what I''m asking!¡¡You know that, don''t you?

    Yes, Princess Irene, tell her.

    Arisa, she never once told me she loved me.

    I don''t think I''ve ever told her I liked her.

    I mean, I''m a prince. I don''t mean to imply that I like her.

    I don''t mean to sound like I''m having feelings for Arisa.

    Well, I mean, in front of Christo...!

    It''s okay, they can''t hear you!

    I can hear you at your leisure.

    I pretend to be looking out, but I''m concentrating all my attention on my ears.

    I''m sorry, but that''s just not the case here.

    Mmm, I don''t blame you.

    Princess Irene''s voice was suddenly cut off.

    It''s as if the string of the string phone was cut off.

    When I glanced over there, their mouths were moving, but I couldn''t hear their voices at all.

    Perhaps Princess Irene used a spell so that only the two of us could hear them.

    That guy probably knew I could hear him, and he was asking Arisa about it.

    But now I can''t hear him at all.

    When I glanced at Alisa, her cheeks were red as she moved her face closer to Princess Irene to give her an earful.

    She didn''t need to do that, but I couldn''t hear her.

    After that, the two women were talking about a secret for a few minutes so that I wouldn''t hear.

    ''''Excuse me, Prince Christo, I got into a lot of trouble talking with Alisa-sama.

    Suddenly I stopped looking out the window as he spoke to me, as I could suddenly hear him and stopped looking out the window.

    ''No, I''m glad you enjoyed it,''

    ''Yes!¡¡We had a great time talking!

    Princess Irene has a very lively smile, but Alisa next to her was still flushed and downcast.

    ''''Alisa-sama, I''m sorry too. I''m so excited by myself. I haven''t had many conversations like this before, so...''''

    Princess Irene lowers her eyes and says apologetically, lowering her voice.

    Maybe it was because she was a princess, she hadn''t had many conversations like that, and she longed for it.

    ''Yes, no, I''m glad you enjoyed it. I, well, I haven''t had much time to talk to a woman close to my age, so I enjoyed it.''

    Alisa looked up and hurriedly said that to comfort the princess.

    Then Princess Irene''s face lit up.

    ''''Thank you!¡¡So, when we get to the Royal Palace, tell us more about it!¡¡I''ll talk to you in my room at night!

    ''What...?¡¡No, you can''t have someone like me in the room of a princess of a country...!

    ''I''m fine!¡¡I''ll tell you all about it!

    ........Princess Irene is surprisingly pushy, isn''t she?

    It looks like Alisa finally broke down and they''re going to talk together again in the evening.

    Alisa, do your best not to be rude.

 143-Episode 143: "Yes?"

    After a few minutes of being rocked by the carriage, they reached the royal palace.

    While Princess Irene and Alisa were talking together, they seemed to be getting pretty close to the royal palace.

    It wasn''t long before they decided to talk again in the evening.

    ''Alisa-sama, I''ll talk to you again in the evening!

    Yes, yes, ma''am.

    Princess Irene with a twinkle in her eye, who must be looking forward to it very much.

    Alisa retreated a little, but replied politely.

    ''''Good for you, Alisa. It looks like you and Princess Irene are going to have some fun together.''''

    I said in a small voice as everyone but me and Alisa got out of the carriage first.

    ''''Don''t say that lightly. Why would the princess of a country and I, a mere maid, be alone at night...''''

    Alisa looked a little tired and worried about the evening.

    ''I guess Princess Irene didn''t have much to talk about with women close to her age either. Just like me.''

    "...Christo.

    I''ve recently made a good friend named Eric, but I guess Princess Irene doesn''t have that kind of same s*x friend.

    So maybe that''s why she seemed so happy and excited to be able to talk to Alisa.

    ''Besides, you''re actually having fun too, aren''t you?''

    ''''Well yes, Princess Irene is a very good person.

    Looking at the way they were talking earlier, they seem to be surprisingly on the same page.

    Alisa is also a maid and has been working at the royal palace for a long time, and she doesn''t have a lot of friends her own age.

    ''''Don''t be rude,''''

    Of course.

    If it was Princess Irene, she''d forgive me for a little rudeness, and Alisa wouldn''t be that rude, so it should be fine, but just in case.

    ''''I''ll tell her a lot about how embarrassing Christo is.

    Hey, don''t do that.

    I didn''t miss Alisa''s small muttered words just before I got off the carriage.

    Dozens of guards surrounded us as we walked into the royal palace.

    Anne, the head of the Magic Knights, and the other soldiers are very tense and tense.

    This is because the moment we get off the carriage, we royalty are supposed to be visible for a moment in the city.

    Normally, we would enter the royal palace with the carriage and get off there, and we wouldn''t be visible in the city.

    But me and my father are here as bait.

    Me and my dad are especially easy targets while we''re in this country.

    And we''ll take advantage of that and make it easier to target.

    Besides the Lindow Empire that swooped in before, there may be others who are targeting us.

    So I dare to make it easier to aim and sear them out.

    Me and my dad will play a particularly dangerous role, but I''m prepared for it.

    Anne, who was guarding him, said that while looking around her without being unnatural.

    If that was the case, then it means that there is no magic attack for now.

    If the soldiers are so tightly packed around you, it should be difficult for them to approach and attack you.

    But even so, we can''t let our guard down.

    There is a possibility that they will hide their appearance with magic and come closer.

    Hm?¡¡No, since I don''t have a magical response, it''s impossible to hide my appearance with magic.

    When I thought that and let my guard down........

    ''''--!

    Anne, who was walking in front of me towards the royal palace, turned vigorously to the right diagonally back.

    It seems as if she sensed something, so the others and I look in that direction too.

    In particular, we could see a normal city, and nothing seemed to have changed.

    ''Anne, what''s going on?''

    ...No, it seems to be fine. I''m sorry to have startled you.

    Anne answered my dad''s question by letting her guard down as she did so and started walking again.

    I glanced in my current direction again, but I didn''t see anything in particular.

    Since Anne, who is able to sense magic power sensitively, reacted so much, something must have happened.

    However, Anne said, "It seems to be okay.

    That means something happened, but it''s already been dealt with.

    After that, nothing special happened, and we entered the royal palace and closed the main gate as normal.

    The guards also seemed to be in a somewhat reassuring mood.

    I also took a breath, and Arisa next to me had her strong shoulders lowered as well.

    ........A few years ago when I was almost attacked in another country, Alisa went in front of me even though she didn''t have anything to fight with.

    I managed to get away without getting hurt, which was good, but I got really mad at her afterwards.

    It may have been the first time I was that angry at Alisa.

    But no matter how angry I was, I kept my willpower and said, "I''m sorry, but I don''t regret it.

    I''m honestly glad you''re protecting me.

    But if it''s going to be Alisa''s sacrifice, then it''s a different story.

    I''m not going to be happy about it, even if it means being protected, if it means sacrificing Arisa.

    --You''ll be able to find a lot of people who will be able to help you.

    ''Christo?¡¡Are you okay?

    ''¡¡Oh, yeah, I''m fine.

    Alisa looked into my face as she looked into my thoughts and said this in a small voice so the others couldn''t hear her.

    I don''t want anyone else to sacrifice for me anymore.

    I turn towards the main gate that is closing and look somewhat in the direction of Anne''s reaction.

    If Anne didn''t deal with it and said it''s okay, then maybe you did, right?

    Hey, Eric.

    Please don''t make the sacrifice for me.

 144-Episode 144: Shallow Underground Mall

    -- Eric''s side --

    Now what do we do with this thing...

    I attacked the assassin-looking man from behind, knocked him into a coma, and made him unable to move with his arms extremely close to the ground.

    ''''~~!

    Don''t move and I''ll break you if you move an inch.

    I can''t see her face because of her cloak, but she looks like a man in terms of her build.

    No matter how you look at it, it''s not Elena-san.

    The assassination was also a primitive bow attack, as if he knew that magic and the like would be distracting.

    Even if the bow was small enough to fit in your pocket and hit something other than your head or heart, it wouldn''t kill you.

    That might mean that this man has the skill to aim at a person''s heart or head even from a few hundred meters away.

    But, well, it doesn''t matter if he didn''t let me shoot him.

    For now, I''ll tie his hands behind his back and tie his feet too.

    I''ll use a gag to prevent him from making a sound.

    This guy was the only assassin who went out to the place I was guarding, but what about the rest of the place?

    This was the only place where I felt something like a kill, though, so I''m probably okay with it.

    I dragged this assassin to drag this assassin and bring this guy to the meeting place.

    When I got there, they were all already there.

    "Good job, Eric. Is that the guy you were after in that moment?

    ''Yeah, yeah. Was everything okay with Tina?

    ''Yeah, it was fine. Everyone else seemed to be OK, too.

    Yulina-san and Nina nodded at Tina''s words.

    We were on a mission to protect His Majesty Leo and Christo in the shadows when they came to this city, based on the information we got when we came to this city.

    It seems that the information was solid and we were able to capture the assassin.

    Now, all we have to do now is interrogate this guy..........who will do it.

    Tina and Yulina-san won''t be able to do it.

    I don''t think they''ve ever done that before, and I don''t want to put them both through that.

    Nina is from an underground town, so there''s a good chance she can do it, even though she may not have done it before.

    But still, she''s a woman, so she wouldn''t want to do it.

    So I''m the only option.

    Well, I''ve done it a few times in my past life, and that''s fine.

    Anyway, let''s go a little deeper.

    It''s still close to the main street of the city, so if we start interrogating here, our voices will be heard outside.

    I don''t have much of a desire to go there, but I need to get to the nearest underground mall.

    The guy I''m capturing is starting to get better, and he''s starting to ramp up, moaning and moaning.

    To silence him, I slam my sword into his throat.

    Just enough to make him suffer for a moment, unable to breathe for a moment without breaking a bone.

    ''''Gah........!

    Be quiet. I don''t have to kill you.

    .....

    I whisper in that guy''s ear and threaten him so that the other three can''t hear me.

    I''ll hold my sword to his throat as I did earlier, releasing the killing intent.

    It''s important to tell them that I mean it when I threaten them in this kind of situation.

    -- You tried to kill my best friend, you''re ready to die, right?

    This feeling I have is not threatening or anything.

    I recently learned of the path that leads to the underground mall, so I go in there, trying to avoid being seen by others.

    I guess it''s more accurate to say that I was taught rather than learned.

    Even though it''s an underground town, it''s still shallow, not the deepest part.

    The place where Nina and Elena-san were born and raised seems to have been close to the deepest part.

    It''s shallow here, and the sun barely reaches it.

    The place we''re heading to is like a hole in the ground, and it''s said to be where one person bunked.

    It''s a single-story place, and after knocking on the door, which is about to come loose, we enter.

    It is a woman living alone, but the door is not locked at all.

    The woman said that even if she did, the door would be broken down and she could repel the intruder without any damage.

    The woman has already greeted us with a smile, as if she remembered a knock on the door she had come to several times before.

    ''Welcome, Eric-kun. Shall we fight again today?

    Get out of my way, Helu. I''ll see you later.

    It was Helu, a female fist fighter I had met at a previous party.

    After the event, I still couldn''t escape from Heru, so I had to fight her.

    I tried to refuse to fight him because there was no place to fight, but he forced me to come here.

    As expected, I couldn''t fight in earnest, so I fought with a wooden sword, and I won the result.

    I asked to be allowed to use this place because I was told that if I won, I would do whatever they said.

    This is the territory that Helu won by driving out the other guys, so no one will come here unless someone new comes to challenge him.

    And since Helu is so strong, new challengers don''t often show up either.

    There have been no challengers at all lately, so Helu apparently took part in that event in his spare time.

    Instead of using this place, they are supposed to fight every time.

    ''''Helu, would you like to fight me this time?¡¡I haven''t had much combat training since I''ve been here, my body''s been slowing down.

    ''It''s okay, Yulina-chan. You''re a strong girl, too, Yulina.

    It looks like Yulina is going to fight for me this time.

    Thank goodness, because I have things to do now.

    ''Tina, you can be the judge of the two fights. If those two get serious about fighting, the damage around them will be too much.

    Yeah, okay.

    They left the flat to fight, and Tina followed them.

    ''Eric, I''ll go along. I''m used to this kind of thing.

    Okay, thank you.

    Nina said this with a prepared look in her eyes, even though it was a little dark, as if she remembered something from when she was little.

    As I thanked her, I lifted the man by the neck in my right hand and threw him against the wall.

    It looks like I hit my back hard and my breath seems to have escaped from my gagged mouth.

    ''Well, I''m going to start interrogating you now but the sooner you answer what I asked you, the less pain you''ll feel. Think carefully before you speak.

    The man who targeted my best friend looked up at me with frightened eyes, but I looked down at him with no particular emotion.

 145-Episode 145: After that event

    We went to Fermo''s, the slaver''s shop, after that party.

    Yulina had won a bet, and we were rewarded for it with the information we wanted.

    After the party''s entertainment, it was a little tougher.

    The guy I fought was the strongest guy I ever fought, and since I killed him instantly, a huge number of people rushed to me and Yurina-san.

    They asked me to guard my place too, give up that guard, etc.

    When dozens of people came and we were busy dealing with them, we missed Fermo trying to get away.

    Well, Tina was hiding, so she found him quickly and caught him.

    Then I managed to get away from the event and tied Fermo up and walked him to the store.

    At first, Fermo tried to take the long way around, but the slave women who were with him took him the shortest way possible.

    The slave women also laughed thinly when they saw Fermo tied up.

    I didn''t hear how they treated him, but it sounds like Fermo is hated by the slaves.

    Fermo''s shop is ostensibly an ordinary merchant''s shop.

    As soon as you walk in, you can see the merchandise, but it''s really just ordinary goods.

    Rare antiques, weapons and armor from other countries, etc.

    They are all commonplace items that a merchant would be selling.

    ''''........Where do you always keep your slaves?''''

    I ask that in a low voice as I hold the rope binding Fermo''s arms behind me.

    If he hadn''t tried to escape, I would still be speaking in polite language, but there would be no need to mend it anymore.

    ''''U, back....''''

    I followed Fermo''s eyes as he answered that and found a door to a place called the back.

    At first glance, it was just a wall, but after a little exploration, the wall turned like a revolving door.

    When I went to the back, I found several men and women who were being treated as slaves.

    They were in a cage, and it wasn''t the kind of place that would keep a human in, by all accounts.

    ''''Nah, this is.......!

    Oh, God...!

    .........

    Yulina-san and Tina saw the scene and raised their voices.

    Nina even frowned a little, as if she was used to it.

    Even the female slaves who were showing me around were pale, as if they were having a hard time being here.

    I kick Fermo''s back and roll him to the ground.

    ''''Guhee...!

    Fermo fell down with a flourish, unable to take the passive position satisfactorily because his arms were tied behind his back.

    ''I''ve got a lot of questions for you,''

    I put the seriousness that was inserted at my waist on the neck of Fermo, who twisted his body like a minnow and turned towards me.

    ''''Hee........!

    ''I was really only supposed to get the information out of you as an equal, but when you tried to run away, I decided to force you to listen instead of being an equal. It''s your fault, so don''t feel bad about it.

    Even just being a slave trader irritated me.

    If it was a scum that wanted to run away without keeping their promises, it wouldn''t be a problem to treat them messily.

    ''''The first thing I want to ask you is, well how long have you been a slaver?''''

    How could you do that?

    Just answer the question.

    It was five years ago!

    I lightly placed the blade against his neck, and he replied in horror.

    I couldn''t cut even a thin layer of skin just by hitting it.

    But five years ago........

    ''Nina, was it earlier?''

    Yeah, more than ten years ago.

    I checked with Nina about Elena-san.

    It was more than ten years ago that Elena-san was kidnapped and became a slave.

    In other words, Elena-san was never with this guy.

    You said you are a slaver, what position do you hold?¡¡Do you have any horizontal ties to the slavers or anything like that?

    ''Su, I have a few. I''ve been able to get up to this point through a merchant''s connections...!

    Who else has been a slaver for a decade?

    Of course!¡¡Some stores have been around since before slavery in this country ceased to exist!

    The Kingdom of Harzion ceased to have slavery some generations before the current king, so that must have been decades ago.

    That means it''s been around that long, and there are slave shops.

    ''''Where is the country where slavery still exists, in this vicinity?''''

    The Lynda Empire, the Anold Empire, etc...!

    The Lindo Empire that attacked the Begonia Kingdom, and the newly heard land of the demon race, the Anold Empire.

    Elena-san''s birthplace seems to be the underground city of this country, but if you still include the possibility of slavery, is it likely that she is in one of those two countries?

    ''''Do you have a client list of the nobles using your shop in those two countries?''''

    Yeah, I have.

    I''ll look at it later.

    Well, that''s just not...!

    What''s more important than life, and what is it?

    I press the blade against my neck, harder than before.

    If I pull this lightly, there will be blood, but it hasn''t come out yet.

    ''''Hee!¡¡Okay, I get it!¡¡I''ll give it to you!

    But more than that, the coldness of the metal against his skin would increase his fear.

    ''So be it. So much for the slave situation. Also, did you know that rumors have been circulating lately that the royalty of the Kingdom of Begonia is coming to this country?

    Yes, yes, of course.

    So....

    Then I started asking a lot of questions.

    Surprisingly, Fermo had information, and I was able to find out which countries were targeting His Majesty Leo and Christo.

    Thinking I had no more use for them, I finally hit Fermo in the neck with the hilt of my sword and knocked him out.

    This is just sort of. All I can say is that it was annoying.

    ''''Now that I''ve gotten the information out of you, let''s go home.

    What about the slaves here?

    ''''I''m sorry to hear that, but I don''t think we should do anything about it right now.

    We''re here in this country as spies, so we mustn''t cause any trouble and commotion.

    Helping the slaves escape and so on would be a hindrance to our mission.

    ''''Well, yeah...''''

    Yulina''s eyes were downcast and her voice trembled with frustration.

    I can see that the female slaves are visibly depressed, knowing that they can''t be helped either.

    I want to help them too, but I have my priorities.

    There''s nothing I can do if my original mission fails, even if I act emotionally here.

    Yulina sees that the slave women are depressed and grasps one woman''s hand in both of hers.

    ''I''m sorry. I can''t help you guys right now.

    No, I''m fine.

    But I''ll come back for you!¡¡One of these days, for sure!¡¡Just wait until then!

    ''¡¡Yes, yes, I''m waiting for you, Lady Shuna...!

    Yulina hasn''t changed her outfit since the event.

    In other words, she''s still dressed as a man.

    While dressed as a man, she takes the hand of a slave woman and makes an oath, and that woman looks up at Ms. Yulina with moist eyes.

    The slave women who weren''t holding her hand were also looking at Yulina-san with hot eyes.

    ....................I think they are definitely mistaken.

    Maybe Yulina-san is easily liked by the women, after all.

 146-Episode 146: Yurina vs. Helyu

    --Yulina side--

    Helu standing on a stick with his arms dangling down.

    But I, who fought him once, I know.

    That was Helu''s real stance.

    There''s no strength in the arms because the extra strength is a hindrance to achieving maximum speed.

    It looks like a stick up, but my knees are slightly bent and I can move at any time.

    I hold the sword in its sheath in the middle position.

    It''s the opposite of her free stance, and it''s an unconventional stance.

    Tina, who is watching nearby, gives me a signal as a referee.

    ''''Then........begin!

    At the moment when I could hear or not hear the last breath - Helu stepped in between with an explosive step.

    Even I would have to take two steps to reach the distance, but Helu could step in and attack with one easy step.

    Before, I was upset by it and lost.

    But this time, he would use his previous reflection to deal with it.

    I had already placed my sword where she would be coming from.

    Just by shifting it a little bit, it would pierce her heart area as it was.

    ''''Hmph!''''

    But Helu flicked the side of his sword with his fist and kicked me in the torso.

    ''''d*mn...!

    I use my right arm to prevent the kick from entering my abdomen, but it''s still heavy.

    Helu is shorter than me and must weigh less than me.

    His speed is greater than mine, so why does his attack sound like this?

    If it were a sword and a fist, the sword would normally have the advantage.

    Even if a fist is hit once, it''s not a problem as long as I can defend it like I did now.

    However, even if the sword is blocked with the arm, there is a high probability that it will be a fatal wound.

    So why is Helu so strong like this?

    Helu''s attacks are fast and he has a lot of hands.

    I dodge them at the last minute and I also swing my sword as a counter.

    ''''Haha!¡¡That''s fine, Yulina!

    But Helu ducks my attack and attacks at the same time.

    It''s not a case of preventing and flushing and then attacking like I did, but at the same time as I avoided it.

    This doesn''t make the most sense to me.

    No, originally this might be the ideal.

    The ideal of a counter attack is to prevent and attack at the same time, but the question is whether it is possible.

    The best counter attacker I''ve seen so far is Eric.

    He neatly handles his opponent''s attacks and counterattacks when he is out of stance.

    Next to that is Deputy Commander Liberto.

    Deputy Commander Liberto may be a bit like Helu.

    He has a superhuman way of handling his body that makes his counterattack unpredictable.

    Helu also has a good way of handling his body, but he doesn''t move it consciously like Vice Commander Liberto, he moves it reflexively, rather than consciously.

    That''s why it''s hard to predict his movements, it''s hard to hit his attacks, and it''s hard to handle his attacks.

    And..........

    Gah.........!

    I''m just about to be swept off my feet and rolled over, when Helu''s foot stabs me in the throat and blows me away.

    My body hits the wall so hard that I can''t breathe for a moment.

    ''Haha, I guess we win.''

    Helu said with a laugh as he stopped in his stance to kick me.

    I can''t argue with anything, it''s a complete loss.

    ''Sorry - I kicked you pretty hard. Are you okay?''''

    Gosh it''s all right. It''s all right.

    If Helu had really kicked me in the throat, I would be dead.

    Even if I go easy on him, this power?

    ''''No, I mean, that''s it. Yulina-chan isn''t very good at fighting, is she?

    What a terrible idea!

    When you say that clearly, as expected, it hurts me too.....

    But I must be weak because I have been completely defeated by Helu.

    ''''From what I saw, I thought Yulina-chan was stronger than that.

    Well, that''s a disappointment, I suppose...

    Well, that''s part of it.

    d*mn it...!

    I guess Helu has a straightforward nature that doesn''t lie.

    That''s why........it sticks in my chest.

    ''''Including physical abilities and skills, our strength and Yulina-chan probably aren''t too different.

    ''But I lost to Helu without a single sword in my hand.

    Yeah, that''s why I''m so bad at it.

    Yeah, don''t say that too many times...

    It makes me feel even more depressed.

    ''''Yulina-chan, the way you fight is too beautiful.

    Is it too beautiful...?

    Yeah, that''s why it''s so easy to duck. You don''t have to be so dumb to fight. You just have to move your body in the moment.

    No, that''s a tough one.

    But well that''s too beautiful, which is a good point.

    When I fought Helu, I held my sword in the middle of my midline.

    That suited me, I thought, because I thought it was the right thing to do.

    But maybe it wasn''t.

    It''s not a fit; it''s the only way I know how to do it.

    I''ve been doing this all my life with an unconventional stance, but maybe that''s not enough.

    I need to be stronger.

    I''m still too weak to free Elena-san from slavery.

    ''One more fight, Helu. There''s something I want to try.

    Of course, I enjoy fighting.

    I decided to try what I had just come up with for Helu.

 147-Episode 147 After Interrogation

    -- Eric''s side --

    ...that''s all you''re going to hear.

    I listened to all the questions I had originally planned to ask, and I was able to ask most of the questions that came to mind while I was listening.

    I let the assassin guy answer the last question before I knocked him out for now.

    It wouldn''t make much sense to take this guy as a hostage.

    I heard that he was hired by a nobleman in the Lynda Empire, but if he took the assassin hostage, he could just say that he didn''t know and abandon him.

    I could get the information out of him, so I won''t kill him, but what should I do?

    ''Eric, why don''t we just dump him in the dumpster in the underground city?¡¡I think they''re going to rip all the wrappings off, but I don''t think I''m going to die.

    ...is it for the best?

    An assassin who was interrogated and finally knocked unconscious and woke up probably naked in a dumpster.

    It''s a bit pitiful, but if this is the only way I can get away with trying to kill my best friend, it''s probably cheap.

    ''''Well there was no information on Elena.

    ''Well...''

    I asked this guy about his peers, but he didn''t have any information about an assassin who looked like Elena-san.

    According to Nina, Elena-san is probably still a slave.

    ''''I''ve heard a lot of things, so I''ll have to report back anyway. Nina, go to Tina and the others.''''

    Okay, fine, I''ll take him to the dumpster.

    Yeah, thanks.

    Nina grabs the unconscious assassin by the neck and drags him away.

    I''m alone and make sure there''s no one else in the room, then I pull out a magic tool from my pocket and activate it.

    After waiting for a while, that one seems to have activated its magic tool as well, and there was a response.

    ''Yes, this is Anne.

    The magic gear connects with the leader of the Magic Knights, Anne, and a voice that is low and beautiful for a woman comes out.

    ''''It''s Eric Aulin. Commander Anne, is everything okay over there now?

    Yeah, I''m fine. Did you crush the people who were trying to get to you earlier?

    Yes, that''s right. I got some information from this guy and I thought I''d share it with you.

    ''Yes, I''d like to thank you. I was a little slow to notice, so I was able to defend myself, but I couldn''t catch you.''

    If I could sense the killing intent of someone a few hundred meters away and notice it beforehand, it would be more than enough.

    After that, I told the information I obtained to Commander Anne.

    In particular, about the assassins and nobles who would come after His Majesty Leo and Christo in the future.

    From what I''ve heard after interrogating them, there''s still a high probability that the assassins hired by the nobles of the Lynda Empire will come.

    Soon after the previous raid, the king and prince of the country are coming to a place like this, there''s no reason not to target them.

    It seems that a nobleman trying to gain the favor of the Emperor of the Lynda Empire is trying to kill them both.

    I have to say, I appreciate the information you shared. It seems that there are quite a few nobles who are after you after all.''''

    Yes, there was only one person here today as it was the first day, but I thought it would increase significantly from tomorrow.

    "I know. We''re here to protect you and the prince, so it''s your job to do it before they get to you.

    I know what I''m doing.

    Commander Anne and the other knights have to be escorted, so we will make sure that they are protected.

    We''re free by comparison, so if we find an assassin, we''ll capture them, preferably before they attack, like this time.

    ''''Those three of you ... no, I thought you had Nina Gladio. I know it''s a lot of work for the four of you, but don''t take it easy and do your best.''''

    Yes, thank you.

    I haven''t talked to Commander Anne much, but she seems to be a strict but kind person.

    Somehow, I have a feeling that he''s similar to Commander Yelle.

    He doesn''t show much emotion, but he has the qualities of standing above others.

    However, I sometimes see him angry at the deputy commander Liberto-san and Viviana-san, so his emotions probably come out more than Commander Yelle''s.

    ''''........Speaking of which, are you acquainted with the princess of the Harzion Kingdom, Irene-sama?''''

    ''What...?¡¡I, suddenly, why?

    I thought he was going to cut off the communication since he was already done sharing information, but he asked me about Irene and I got impatient.

    ''''Because it seems that the conversation between Prince Christopher and Princess Irene in the carriage mentioned your name a lot,''''

    Oh, my God, really?

    Yes, Princess Irene has been asking Prince Christopher about you.

    Seriously...?

    What, but what was your intention in asking me that...?

    Before I met Irene for the first time in this world, I promised her that I would come to see her again.

    Could it be, "You haven''t come to see me, what do you mean? And you were asking Christo........!

    No, wait, I really want to go see him now too.

    When I was escorting Christo today, it was hard to be patient when I saw Irene from a distance.

    I wanted to jump out and talk to Irene right away.

    But I still had a mission to do, so I couldn''t do that.

    ''Kuh, what were Christo and Irene talking about?

    I tried not to show my upset, but my voice was trembling on its own.

    ''''........It seems that Princess Irene was concerned about you, and Prince Christopher was in the form of answering a question.''''

    ''No, I mean, you know... the question and all that...''

    ''I''m sorry, I don''t remember much.

    It''s an absolute lie.

    The inflection of his voice is deliberate and gives off an air of remembrance.

    ''Next time you see him, you should ask him in person.

    Okay.

    If I could do that, I wouldn''t have a hard time.

    ''And I''m not too impressed with the idea of calling out the princess of a neighbouring country with whom I''m friendly.

    Oh, uh....I''m sorry, I''m sorry...

    I was so upset, I didn''t even notice.

    I call Christo all the time, and Commander Anne knows that.

    But I shouldn''t have called Irene out on her.

    ''''Then I''ll call you on time tomorrow.''''

    Yes, yes, see you later. Good night.

    With that, I cut off the communication and sighed.

    Perhaps Commander Anne has realized that I have something to do with Irene.

    In fact, it''s just me thinking one way or the other.

 148-Episode 148: Request to decline, and

    --Elena''s side --

    I can''t do this.

    I looked at the request and said calmly.

    A request to kill the King and Prince of Begonia.

    Certainly, if I can accomplish that, my name will be known not only in the underworld, but also in the outside world.

    Whether that was in a good or bad sense, I don''t know.

    But this is not going to happen, by any stretch of the imagination.

    ''Why?¡¡This is a rare opportunity....

    This is your chance?¡¡Are you sure about that?¡¡It''s a trap, no matter what you think.

    A visit from a king and a prince to a country where they are friendly at such a difficult time?

    No king and prince of the Kingdom of Begonia would do such a foolish thing without a second thought.

    Even though they are spies, I was in that country for a few years.

    I know that King Leonardo and Prince Christopher are very good at what they do.

    And I know that King Leonard is going to do it.

    ''Maybe it''s a trap to lure out the nobles of the Lynda Empire or something. With the king and the prince as bait.

    What?¡¡The king and the prince are bait?¡¡That''s ridiculous....

    Do it, King Leonard.

    He is not like those ordinary kings.

    First of all, King Leonardo is strong.

    If it was a country of the demon race, you had to be strong to become a king, but the Begonia Kingdom was different.

    He should be able to take the throne by bloodline, but he still trained.

    Even now, he''s stronger than the soldiers of the Order, and I heard that he was stronger than the leader of the Order in the past.

    Even during the recent raid, it was said that even though he was a king, he was fighting on the front lines at the end of the day.

    If it was King Leonardo, he would have been outrageous enough to use himself as a bait and set a trap.

    If you are involved in the assassination of this, I think you will be the one to suffer the greatest blow. I won''t be responsible for anything then, though.

    Because if I had failed, I would probably be dead.

    ...I''d be sad to leave Ershe behind, though I''d probably be better off dead.

    The man hiring me puts his hand on his chin and thinks about it.

    ''''Well yeah. Well, that''s good to know. Because I don''t think I''m ready to lose you, either.

    I''m a little annoyed at the way he talks about me like I''m a disposable pawn.

    But to this guy, I guess the words are true.

    If I can''t use it, it will always cut me loose.

    It''s annoying, but as long as I''m available, Elsie is safe.

    "Are you sure you don''t want me to do this?

    Yeah, all right.

    So I''ll just go to my room...

    No, not yet. It''s been a long time since you''ve had to deal with that thing.

    The moment I heard those words, my body was cold to the core.

    I try not to let the man know I''m upset, but my hands still shake.

    Hiding my hands behind my back, I continue talking.

    ''''........why now?¡¡For me, I don''t think I need it anymore.

    ''It''s not for you to decide that. It''s not finished yet.

    Not finished?

    What do you, you guys, conclude is complete?

    It would be a never-ending hell.

    "Wouldn''t take a chance on me, would you?¡¡And then.....

    I know.

    I can''t say no because of Ershe.

    If I refuse, then Elsie will have to go through hell and back.

    That''s not a good idea.

    I''m ready to go. I''m ready to go.

    Okay.

    My voice trembled slightly, but the man didn''t seem to notice.

    I don''t want to show this man any weakness.

    I''ve been dealing with that thing for years, but I''ll never get used to it.

    It''s the kind of thing I should never get used to, because it''s the kind of thing I''m not supposed to get used to.

    I get to my usual spot and walk into my room.

    The moment the door opens, I hear an awful, grating voice and a nauseating smell that makes me want to throw up.

    ''''No more........kill me.......!

    Help me, please, please, please...

    I can hear the people with chains on their limbs and necks screaming that.

    Those people must not have been here very long yet.

    Because in a month, they''ll be so far gone that they can''t even beg for their lives.

    ''''Hmph, this is good. I can feel the results of our experiments.

    ....

    The man is saying something stupid, but I don''t say anything back.

    No, it''s more accurate to say that I don''t have time to say anything back.

    My heart palpitations are getting more intense and it''s getting harder and harder to breathe.

    It''s not like the people around me have done anything to me yet.

    Just being here reminds me of that time.

    ''But no matter how much we experiment, no one can stand it. What a pity.

    f*ck you.

    There aren''t many people who can stand this shit.

    This hell of an experiment has never worked.

    You''re better. You''re better than most people. Physically and psychologically.

    I''ve never been so nauseated by a compliment in my life.

    It was lucky that I was able to physically endure it.

    No that''s inherently bad luck, but for me, it''s good.

    The reason I can endure it mentally is because I have Elshe.

    My body is enduring it, so my spirit has to endure it too.

    ''Now let''s begin the experiment - to push the limits of humanity beyond its limits.

 149-Episode 149: Elenas Resolution

    I was weak.

    It''s no surprise that I was always on the side of exploitation in the underground city.

    I was at the lowest level in a world of weakness.

    Even though I was young, I had never been able to beat any of the kids my age.

    Even if I had food, it was taken away from me by an adult, by someone else my own age.

    But no matter how much was taken from me, I couldn''t give up.

    I had Ershe, I had a girlfriend that I had to protect.

    I took home even a piece of it and gave it to Elsie.

    I gave her all kinds of dirty, disgusting food.

    Still, Ershe was a beautiful girl, and it was hard to believe that she lived in the basement.

    I was dying to get some food to keep her smiling.

    It was in this situation that I met Nina.

    She was in a similar situation to me and we became friends.

    We gave each other a name, and I became Elena.

    Huh, Nina was the wrong gender for me, so I ended up with a girly name.

    Then we started to work together.

    But I didn''t tell Nina about Elsie.

    I didn''t trust her enough at the time to tell her about my one treasure.

    It was a bad thing for me to say to Nina.

    I was about to tell you when it was time to tell you, and then the incident happened.

    Ershe had been kidnapped.

    I didn''t see Ershe in her usual place, and I realized immediately that she had been kidnapped.

    Because it is almost certain that the disappearance of a person in this underground city is such a thing.

    Then I........don''t remember how I looked for her.

    But from that time on, I didn''t mind killing people.

    You''re going to be able to find out if you''re going to be able to get a good deal more than you''d like.

    It seems that I had killed those who kidnapped her, but Elshe was not there.

    It seems that they had already sold her to some nobleman.

    She''s such a pretty girl, she could have sold quickly and for a great price.

    The thought of it irritated me, and I remember swinging the knife I was holding onto the corpse that could no longer speak.

    I immediately went to that nobleman, but as expected, his guards were different from those who were kidnappers.

    I was easily defeated and captured.

    I would be killed, leaving Ershe behind...or so I thought.

    The nobleman kept me alive to use me as a test case.

    The experiment wasn''t going well at all, so he tried me for a bad idea.

    And fortunately or unfortunately, I was the best thing that could be done as a test subject.

    ''''Hahaha!¡¡Excellent!¡¡I never thought you''d endure so much!¡¡Best pick-me-up ever!

    I can still hear the aristocratic man shouting this in the middle of my agony in the depths of hell.

    How many hours have I been in that hell?

    My heart broke and I was beginning to think I was going to die ... or rather, I was going to die, when the man said

    We can''t have our best test subject break down here. Well I''m not going to touch the girl as long as you''re alive. How about it?¡¡You want to live, don''t you?

    -What?

    I had forgotten.

    In the agony of hell, I had forgotten.

    Yes, I''ve come to rescue Elsie.

    That''s not... that''s really... right?

    Huh, yeah, of course. As long as you''re alive.

    Well I''m sure... well I''m sure... I''m sure I''ll survive...!¡¡Don''t you dare touch Ershe...!

    And I endured it all, desperately.

    I couldn''t even pass out from the torture of the experiment.

    The nobleman''s experiment was to create the strongest soldier he could find.

    He was given unidentifiable drugs of an unknown color, injections that were clearly dangerous, and so on.

    Just the thought of something indiscernible entering my body was enough to cause me a great deal of mental pain.

    And then it would take effect immediately, and I literally vomited up blood and vomit due to my body''s rejection and other factors.

    I couldn''t stop getting chills during the experiment and I don''t remember sleeping well.

    I can''t tell you how many times I wanted to die.

    And each time I thought I couldn''t possibly die.

    He couldn''t remember how many days he had been experimented on.

    I don''t remember how many days I was subjected to this experiment.

    ''''Ha, ha.......I wonder if Elshe is safe.......''''

    Yeah, I didn''t scratch it. If you don''t believe me, go check it out.

    I leave the basement laboratory and head to the room the man told me to go to.

    I''m a raggedy body, but I wear the clean clothes the man provided.

    I don''t want him to worry when he meets Elsie.

    I walk down the hallway dragging my heavy body and then.........

    ''''Onii-chan........!

    The moment I opened the door, I saw Ershe''s face staring at me with concern.

    ''''Ah...!

    I hug Elshe tightly as she runs towards me.

    The tears that didn''t come out at all while I was experiencing hell come out as if they were overflowing.

    ''''Onii-chan, that''s good...!¡¡I''m sorry they took me...!

    ''No, I''m fine.......I''m so glad Elsie is safe.......!

    We cry to each other and talk with sobs.

    We hadn''t seen each other for several days since Elshe was kidnapped.

    It was the first time we had been this far apart, so we hugged each other tightly and strongly, as if to confirm our existence.

    ''Onii-chan, where are we...?¡¡It''s scary...!

    Ershe must have been frightened when she was suddenly kidnapped and sent to a good room for nothing.

    ''''Don''t worry, Elshe I''ll be there to protect you, I promise...!

    I can''t protect Elsie if I''m dead.

    So I can''t let myself die.

    --I''m not going to die, no matter what they do to me.

 150-Episode 150 Two-to-One

    I finished communicating with Commander Anne and headed to where Tina and the others were.

    When I got there, I saw Yulina-san and Helu sitting down, as if they had just finished a game.

    Tina and Nina were standing next to them, talking to the four of them.

    ''''Ah, Eric. Have you finished contacting Commander Anne?

    Yeah, for now.

    Tina is the first to notice me approaching and speak, but Helu immediately interrupts.

    "Hey Eric-kun, let''s fight! It''s fun to fight with Yulina, but Eric-kun is the strongest of all.

    ''''Well it hurts when you say it so clearly. No, I know that Eric is stronger than you.

    I think they were fighting while I was gone.

    I don''t know how many times they fought, but I''m glad they seemed to be getting along.

    ''I''m good, but will Helu be able to fight soon?¡¡I thought you were fighting earlier?

    ''We were discussing how to fight on the break, so we''ll be ready to fight soon. And I''d like to try out some of the fighting techniques I''ve been talking about with Jurina.

    ''I''d like to try it too. Eric, after Helu, you can fight me too.

    ...I''m glad to hear you guys are really getting along.

    I''m a man, too, to be asked out by two women at the same time.

    ........I wish it hadn''t been an invitation to fight.

    The two of them said they had taken a break, but they were still worn out as far as their faces and body movements were concerned.

    I, on the other hand, have barely moved and am in perfect condition.

    ''''Then let''s fight one on two.''''

    "...Eric, what''s going on here?

    ''Just as you said. It means you''ll be dealing with both Helu and Miss Yulina at the same time.

    ''Eric, that''s a bit of a lick, isn''t it?''

    They were laughing lightly, but the look in their eyes was amazing.

    Just by glaring at them, the average person would be made to faint.

    ''''If it was the two of you who are moving slower, it would be just about right.

    Hmmm, fine. Eric, take care of yourself, okay?

    Eric, let''s give it everything we''ve got.

    ...did we miss it?

    I started to regret it a bit when I saw that they were more motivated and willing to kill than I thought they were.

    We were a few meters apart, with Tina and Nina standing in between us as referees.

    ''You three, make sure you don''t get hurt.

    So let''s begin.

    At the same time as Nina''s signal, Helu approaches at once.

    I expected Helu''s character to make a fast attack, so I swing my wooden sword sideways to match it.

    ''''Hmph!''''

    It should be hard to avoid as he swung to hit the body, but Helu kept his speed the same and crouched down further to avoid it.

    This body language is really unusual...!

    Helu slid to my feet, and without killing his momentum, he jumped and threw a knee kick at me.

    A direct hit is indeed hard, so I guarded it with the side of the wooden sword and pushed it to the side to break Helu''s stance.

    ''''Oops........!

    I had a lot of momentum and if I lost my stance a little bit, I couldn''t get back up quickly enough.

    I wish I could have gone for that........

    ''You can''t forget me.

    There''s no way Yulina-san will allow that to happen, and she immediately approaches me and swings her wooden sword at me.

    I catch it from the front and flush it out.

    And I attack.........!

    Whoa...!

    Yulina''s face suddenly came close, and then it was a headbutt.

    I was thrilled because the neat face was so close, but more than that, my heart was beating hard now.

    Well, I didn''t expect Yulina-san to head butt me........

    I shifted my face to the side just in time to avoid it, but it was really close.

    If that one hit me morosely, I would have broken my nose at worst.

    ''''d*mn, I thought I had taken you by surprise........!

    I''m so tired, I''m really surprised.

    Startled now, I stepped back to regain my stance.

    Before I could catch my breath, Helu came to attack me from the side.

    Furthermore, at the same time as Helu, Yulina-san also came to attack in places.

    ''''How, Eric-kun!¡¡I made it two against one, and I think you''re starting to regret it!

    Helu laughs and says so in the midst of a fierce attack.

    But yeah.....

    ''''I might have regretted it, I should have done it one at a time.

    It''s too late for that, Eric!

    Yes, so I''m sorry--I''ll let you win.

    They attacked me at the same time, and I crouched low to avoid them.

    While crouching down, I gave Yulina''s leg a foot sweep just as payback for what I did earlier.

    She didn''t seem to fall down, but when she stumbled, she flashed a wooden sword to her stomach.

    ''''Kucha...!

    First one.

    He didn''t hit hard, but if he gets slashed in the gut, it''s a mock fight.

    Helu was one-on-one, and he would attack all the time.

    However, he was still tired, and his movements were becoming monotonous and slow.

    He took advantage of the opportunity and attached the wooden sword to his throat.

    ''''Yes, it''s over.''''

    ''.........Hmmm, Eric-kun is strong after all!

    Helu sat down with his hands up, as if to say, surrender.

    ''I can''t even beat you two against one - Eric, you''re awesome!

    ''Well, two against one seems to give you an advantage in numbers, but it''s hard to fight when you don''t breathe well together.

    It''s easy to think that the two of them would be stronger, but from the point of view of not being able to launch attacks at their own timing and not being able to fight the way they''re good at, if they don''t breathe together, they''re likely to be weaker than the other way around.

    Especially this time, since Helu would attack without thinking, Yulina-san would have had a hard time fighting.

    ''''But Yulina-san''s head butt really surprised me.

    ''Yeah, that''s the strategy I got from fighting Helu. I thought it worked, but it''s not quite there yet.

    If it had been rather one-on-one with Yulina-san this time, it would have been a close call.

    That''s how surprised I was.

 151-Episode 151: Helyus Letter

    We take a break after the fight with Yulina and Helu, and a light reflection session.

    While we''re fighting and stuff, Tina and Nina are also talking about magic together.

    ''''Attack magic is hard to do, while protective magic can be used... Tina is amazing...''''

    ''In my opinion, I think guardian magic is more amazing. No matter how much you try, you can only surround me for one person.

    It''s a gift. I learned about magic pretty quickly.

    ''That''s great!¡¡The only thing I was able to do as soon as I learned it was to get water out of my hand.

    They seem to be teaching each other offensive magic and protective magic.

    Both Tina and Nina are strong to begin with, but if they made up for what they lacked, they would be even stronger.

    Nina, in particular, would be perfect if she learned attack magic as well as protective magic.

    And Tina, you said that the only thing you were able to do as soon as you learned it was to get water out of your palm.......

    Well, it took me over a year to learn to do that.

    A few years after that, Tina had already passed me by magic.......

    ............I''ll work on my magic more.

    It was a little dark to begin with since we were underground, but it was getting even darker now that the sun was setting.

    The place where we live, the lights will be on, just in case. Let''s go there and talk some more.

    We all went back to that room with Helu''s invitation to go back to the room.

    Haeryu turned on the light and we each sat on the floor and a chair in the small room.

    ''''Hey, Haeryu, there''s some kind of a letter for you.

    Tina said and picked up the letter from where she was about to sit.

    ''Hmm?¡¡Oh, thanks.

    Yes. But it doesn''t have a sender''s note on it.

    Indeed, what kind of a letter coming to Helu, who lives in an underground city, albeit a shallow one, would be like?

    Does Heelu usually have friends or something?

    Hmmm, what do I say, you know, that''s it.

    No, I don''t know.

    As he opened the letter''s seal, Helu muttered, "Um," as if searching for the words.

    ''Oh, yeah, client?¡¡Or something like that.

    Client?¡¡Of what?

    Come on. We don''t know.

    What do you mean?

    When Tina asks this, Helu replies with a finger to her mouth.

    ''Let''s see, wasn''t there some sort of convention where you and Eric met before?¡¡After it was over, we were approached by a lot of people too.

    Is that because you want to hire Helu?

    Yeah, yeah.

    I was approached by a lot of people after that event, and Helu was there, too.

    Well, Helu had a pretty impressive win, too.

    He killed a big man in armor with one shot.

    And it was a slender, pretty girl like Helu who did it.

    That''s because they''ll call on you.

    ''''Something like, ''I would love to have you as my wife! Some of them looked like that, but I punched them anyway.

    ''I think that''s the right thing to do, Helu.

    ...............................Tina was right about that.

    I''m not going to be able to get a job, but I don''t want to be under someone else''s thumb. It''s not just because I don''t like it, but because I want to live my life on my own then.

    Yeah, well, maybe it''s Helu-ish.

    Right?¡¡So I said no to all of them, but I said I''d do this kind of thing where I''d accept the request as an equal. So I think this letter is probably that request.

    Haelu opens the letter and reads the contents.

    But as he is reading it, Helu begins to frown.

    It''s as if what is written in that letter is unpleasant.

    ''''Helu, what''s wrong?''''

    ''Hmmm, there''s some cumbersome request on there that I''m not sure if I''ll take... well, it''s cumbersome.

    What''s it like?

    "Kill the royals," he said.

    ...What?

    Along with Tina''s questioning words, everyone except Helu reacted with wide eyes.

    Helu looked at the situation curiously.

    ''''Hmm?¡¡What''s going on?

    No, no, no, I mean I got a request to kill the royal family...?

    ''Yeah, I do. It''s too much trouble, isn''t it?

    ''No, I don''t think it''s going to take more than one word of trouble...''

    Helu doesn''t know what we''re here for.

    In other words, he doesn''t know that we have come to this Harzion Kingdom as spies, and that we are in the business of protecting the royalty of the Begonia Kingdom who are now visiting this country.

    So I guess the reason we are reacting so well is that we recognize that we are just surprised that we have received a request to kill the royalty.

    ''Helu, can you show me that request?''

    ''Hmm?¡¡It''s fine, yes.

    Eulina receives and reads the letter with the request on it.

    Tina and Nina are reading it as if they are peeking out from both sides.

    I have to wait until the three of them finish reading it.

    ''''........I don''t know who from where sent this letter.

    Yeah, it doesn''t say his name.

    Maybe he''s a cautious aristocrat.

    The three of us finished reading and said so.

    I, too, was handed over by Yulina and read.

    ''''Huh!¡¡That way...!

    Reading the letter, I couldn''t help but say so.

    When I heard of royalty, I thought it was His Majesty Leo and Christo, the two men from the Begonia Kingdom who were here as decoys.

    But........the written request was different.

    "Kill Princess Irene Haljion.

 152-Episode 152: Love Story?

    --Irene side --

    My heart is dancing so much right now.

    Alisa-sama is the maid to Prince Christo of the Kingdom of Begonia.

    Alisa-sama and I are sitting on the edge of the bed talking.

    This is my room.

    In other words, it is a room in the royal palace of the Kingdom of Harzion.

    Only a maid or your father has ever been in my room.

    Why is it that maids from other countries are in here.......

    ''''Alisa-sama, how is it really?''''

    What is it, Master Irene?

    I couldn''t bear to grin and asked, my cheeks relaxing.

    ''So you''re in a relationship!

    Yes, I asked Arisa-sama to enter this room so that I could have a ''love story'' (koinobana) with her.

    The time is already late at night.

    The meeting with King Leonardo, Chris, and the prince of the Begonia Kingdom, etc., is over, and I''ve already taken a bath and changed into my nightgown.

    Normally, my eyelids are getting heavy, and it''s about time for me to get into bed and go to sleep.

    But now I''m not sleepy at all, perhaps because I''m excited.

    Alisa, who has been keeping me company, doesn''t look sleepy either.

    Her eyes are bright and her cheeks are shyly red, which I, as a woman, find adorable.

    ''''Oh, I''m not dating.......a maid like me and a prince cristo.......!

    In the Kingdom of Begonia, is royal marriage related to status?

    ''You''re getting married?¡¡No, no, the queen who married His Majesty Leonardo was a commoner, I believe.

    Then it''s all right!

    ''No, no, why is there talk of marriage when you haven''t even been in a relationship?''

    Oh, that''s right.

    I was told that you weren''t involved with him yet.

    But....

    You''re an admirer of Christo, aren''t you, Arisa?

    Ugh ... yes ...

    Alisa-sama looks down at an angle as if to avert her eyes and says so.

    Before I knew it, she was holding my favorite stuffed animal and hiding her mouth with it.

    How cute.........!

    He realized he was holding my stuffed animal and said, "Oh, I''m sorry...! I let go of him, but I think I would rather have left it at that.

    ''You''re not going to confess?''

    A confession?¡¡Someone like me can''t do that...!

    ''Alisa-sama is too despicable of herself!¡¡More confidence!

    When I said this strongly, Alisa-sama''s eyes widened in surprise.

    ''''Because Prince Christo also absolutely adores Alisa-sama!

    Is that so...?

    ''Of course!¡¡I won''t lie to you!

    About noon today, Prince Christo was very concerned about the conversation we were having in the carriage.

    He was pretending to look out the window, but he was glancing at us again and again.

    I wonder if he was trying to hide it with that.

    When I asked her what Alisa-sama thought of Prince Christo, for example, she pretended to be very curious about us and didn''t seem interested.

    Rather, Alisa-sama didn''t notice it...?

    I''m surprised at that, even though it was so easy to understand.

    ''On the contrary, hasn''t Master Christo confessed to you in any way?

    Is this from Christo?¡¡There''s nothing like that at all....

    Totally?

    Yes, I''m afraid...

    Alisa-sama became depressed as she said that.

    Why is Christo-sama not confessing to this lovely Alisa-sama and leaving her alone?

    You must be the same age as me, so Christo-sama is sixteen years old.

    I think it''s about time to think about getting married.

    ''''Alisa-sama, good luck!¡¡I''m rooting for you!¡¡Alisa-sama will definitely be fine!

    Oh, thank you, Miss Irene.

    I grasped Alisa-sama''s hand with both hands tightly and said so, and she flinched a bit, but smiled happily at me.

    ''''Well, I don''t know if I can ask you this, but.......do you have a partner like that, Irenae-sama?''''

    Yes?¡¡Is it me?

    After Alisa-sama and Prince Christo''s story was over, I thought the conversation was over, but he asked about me next.

    But it''s me.........

    ''''I''m sorry after asking you to dig into Alisa-sama, but I''ve never been in love.......''''

    Is that so?

    ''Yes, maybe it''s largely due to the lack of men around me in the environment.

    First of all, I rarely have much contact with men.

    The only men I''m surrounded by are my father and the steward who works for my father.

    Most of the stewards are older than me.

    Sometimes I come in contact with soldiers close in age, but I don''t have a chance to talk to them because they are mostly my bodyguards.

    So speaking of men close in age........

    ''''Irene, I will definitely come to see you again.''''

    --What?

    No, no, he''s not at all!

    From what I''ve heard, they''re the same age, but they hardly talk at all...!

    Irene, you''re blushing...?

    ''¡¡No, no!¡¡What?¡¡I wasn''t thinking about Eric-sama...!

    ''''.......Why did Eric-sama''s name come up out of the blue?''''

    Ah...!¡¡No, no, that''s not...!

    ''Hmph, Lady Irene. Please allow me to stay in this room a little longer.

    Alisa-sama, who had a nice smile on her face, said that, but I''m starting to get a little scared.......

 153-Episode 153: Love Story Continuation

    ''Since you''ve asked for more information about me, of course Lady Irene will be able to answer me, won''t she?

    Yes, of course...

    It''s like my position is reversed from earlier, and Alisa-sama is drawing her face closer to mine, and I''m feeling a bit drawn out.......

    But after all, Arisa-sama seems to like this kind of story as well, and she''s getting into it.

    ''''Have you met Eric-sama before, Irenae-sama?''''

    Yes, just once.

    About three weeks ago, when I received word that the Kingdom of Begonia was being raided, I sought out and found Prince Christo, who had come to the Kingdom of Harzion as a sneak attacker.

    I met Eric Aulin-sama for the first time.

    ''You knew Eric-sama before we met, didn''t you, Irene-sama?

    ''Yes, sir. It is no exaggeration to say that Master Eric has saved our country.

    The Kingdom of Harzion was built by your father and is almost the only country of the demon race that interacts with other countries in a friendly manner.

    I like this country very much, and I respect your father very much for building such a country and protecting the people as a king.

    But a man named Felix Gladio defeated your father.

    The king of a demon kingdom has to be stronger than everyone else in that kingdom.

    With Felix having defeated your father, the next king of the country immediately became Felix''s.

    And that man chose to go to war with other countries instead of interacting with them.

    I hated it, and I was engaged to be that man''s betrothed, and I hated it so much I wanted to run away.

    When I heard that your father and the servants found out about it and were trying to help you escape in exchange for your life, I was very chilled....

    So Eric-sama, who defeated or even killed Felix, is the one who saved our country, your father and my life.

    I am very grateful to Eric-sama for killing Felix.

    I am grateful, but...

    "I''m Nina. I''m Felix Gladio''s sister.

    ........Felix had a family, too.

    And a heart for the country.

    ''''........Irene-sama?¡¡Are you okay?

    ''¡¡Ha, yes, I''m fine.

    Alisa-sama spoke to me and I huffed.

    She seemed a bit dazed as she remembered her past.

    ''So, Irenae-sama, how is it really?''

    Yes?¡¡What is it?

    Do you adore Master Eric?

    What...?

    I''m the one who is going to pay homage to Master Eric...!

    ''No, no, no!¡¡I''ve only met you once and I can''t believe I''m adoring you...!

    It doesn''t matter how many times you''ve done it. And I heard that Eric-sama saved the Kingdom of Harzion and the lives of Irene and others. I don''t think there''s anything to be ashamed of in admiring such a person.

    Yes, that''s true, but...!

    Certainly without exaggeration at all, Eric-sama saved my life and...!

    I really, truly appreciate it from the bottom of my heart!

    But that''s not the same thing as this...!¡¡No, I mean, you know, it''s not that I can''t adore Master Eric!

    I had no idea that the one stronger than Felix, who easily defeated your father, was the same age as me.

    I had heard his age and name before we met, but I was really surprised when I heard his age.

    Then I met Eric-sama....

    I really only met him for a short time, but he has a very kind face and yet he has powerful eyes...!

    "Irene, I''ll be back to you.

    I can still vividly remember the look on his face and voice when he said those words to me...!

    ''''We''ve only met once, and we haven''t been able to talk to each other at all...!

    ''I''m sure we''ll have a chance to meet again in the future. So, from Irene''s point of view, Master Eric isn''t a ''pear'' at least?

    What do you mean by ''pear''...?

    In being in love, it''s not impossible.

    No, that would never...¡¡It''s not a ''pear''!

    "So if it''s not a ''pear'', then it''s an ''ant'' to be in love with Master Eric?

    ''Yes, sir!¡¡''Ali''!

    I still don''t know if I''m embarrassed enough to remember it later to get the fire out of my face.

    ''Huh. That''s good to hear.

    Yo, is this the right thing...?

    ''Yes, because I am very grateful to Eric, as I am to Irene,''

    Is that so?

    Alisa-sama, Prince Christo''s personal maid, is grateful to Eric-sama...?

    ''It''s about Christo. Christo is really happy to be friends with Master Eric.

    ''You talked about it in the carriage at lunch. That Master Eric is your only friend, no, your best friend.

    ''Yes, he''s very happy to be treated as a normal person and not as a prince.

    I have the same problem, so I kind of understand.

    I''ve never once resented my position as a princess, but there have been many times when I''ve wished I had a friend I could talk to easily.

    ''When Christo talks to me, most of the topics of conversation are Eric-sama. Between you and me, I get a little jealous.

    ''Hmph, is that so.......Alisa-sama.

    Yes?¡¡What is it?

    Alisa-sama looks at me curiously as I call her name with a reformed air.

    A little nervously, I suggest something.

    ''''Why don''t we also become, well........friends.......?

    ''¡¡It''s...!

    No, I mean, if you can''t, that''s okay!¡¡If I may say so myself, a princess from a different country and a maid from a different country would be friends...!

    I thought about what I would do if he refused, so I didn''t hurt myself.......I said the excuse that I was in a different position.

    Oh, I didn''t want to say this...!

    I don''t know how to make friends, so how can I...!

    Lady Irene.

    Yes!

    ''As a maid, I work in the Kingdom of Begonia without a hitch, but I have a few things to complain about.

    Why, aren''t you satisfied?

    ''I don''t get a chance to make friends because I''m always working. So I can''t make Christo feel the same way I do. The idea of having him listen to me all the time with someone he''s close with who is different from me.

    ''¡¡So, then...!

    Lady Alisa smiled very beautifully and said to me.

    ''I want to tell Christo a story about my friend. Will you help me, Lady Irene?¡¡As a friend.

    ''Yes, sir!¡¡We''ll take care of it!¡¡We''re friends!

    And so we continued to talk until late.

    For the first time in my life, I had a female friend my age!

 154-Episode 154: Dawn at the Grand Palace

    --Christ side --

    ''Alisa, were you okay last night?''

    The day after I spent the night in the royal palace of the Harzion Kingdom, I asked Alisa that question.

    Yesterday, after the dinner was over, we had to sleep in the royal palace.

    Normally, we wouldn''t spend the night in the royal palace even if another country''s royalty were to visit us, but....

    The reason for our visit to the Kingdom of Harzion this time is to use it as a decoy to roast the enemy.

    In such a dangerous situation, even the highest-class lodgings in the royal capital cannot be said to have sufficient security.

    That''s why I''ve decided to stay in this royal palace, which has the most extensive security in the Kingdom of Harzion.

    And it was during this time that I heard that my personal maid, Arisa, had slept in Princess Irene''s room.

    I was anxious to hear that they had taken a bath together, but I didn''t expect that they slept in a room together....

    I ask Alisa, who still looks sleepy for some reason, what happened last night.

    ''We had a great time. We had so much fun we talked all night.

    ''Oh, come on, is that okay?¡¡You didn''t do anything disrespectful, did you?

    ''''I don''t trust you. Don''t worry, I''ve become friends with Irene.

    Yeah, right. .... hmm?¡¡Hmmm!¡¡Oh, your name now...!

    Irene is younger than I am, so I was told to call her by her name... of course, I''ll give her an honorific title in public.

    Well, I didn''t expect Alisa and Princess Irene to get along so well...!

    Princess Irene is the same age as me, so she''s 16.

    Alisa is two years older than me, so she''s 18.

    If you want to talk about age, you''re right, but our positions are way too different.

    "So, are you sure you''re okay with this?

    ''Yes, it''s all right. Besides, Irene was in the same position as Christo and had the same problem.

    The same problem...?

    ''Yes. It means being a friend of Irene''s and supporting her. Just like Master Eric.

    ''¡¡Well.....

    Did Princess Irene want a friend who would treat her with the same disregard for her position as I did?

    If that''s the case, it doesn''t matter if you''re a princess or a maid, right?

    I''m a friend.

    ''''That''s a tough role to play.

    ''Hmph, friends are not a role. They''re just friends.

    Haha, yeah.

    Eric would be pissed at me if I felt like I was friending him because of my role or whatever it was.

    ''We only became friends because we wanted to be friends. Then you have nothing to say to me. Me and Eric will be friends that way, and then....

    Oh, I''ve heard that story so many times already.

    I see.

    How many times have we done that?

    No, you did.

    ''I''m tired of hearing about your talk with Master Eric of Christo.

    I''m tired of hearing about it and it''s disrespectful to me and to Eric.

    ''It''s because Christo keeps repeating the same story all the time. So now let me and Irene talk about it.

    ...Yeah, okay.

    Alisa didn''t have any friends of the same s*x at the same age, either.

    Princess Irene wouldn''t be the only one happy to have a friend.

    ''''Alisa, it''s nice to have a friend too.

    ''¡¡.........yes, yes, I''m glad.

    Alisa blushed, probably embarrassed that she was so happy to be found out.

    ........You''re so cute.

    ''''Hey, Christo!

    I was just admiring Alisa for a bit when the owner of the annoying voice calls out to me.

    ''I''d better get going!¡¡Get in the carriage!

    Yeah, yeah, I know.

    From now on, we''re going to look around the streets of Harzion Kingdom.

    It''s in the form of asking the King of Ceredonia to introduce us to the city.

    But I don''t need to do that, I know it because I''ve been to this kingdom many times.

    So this is just an excuse.

    The reason we''re going to look around the city from now on is to lure the assassins away.

    In other words, they are using our lives as bait.

    As I said yesterday, I never thought I''d get such a dangerous role in the royal family.

    His Majesty Leonard is a man of great strength.

    It''s hard to be a simpleton, isn''t it?

    What did you say, Christo?

    I didn''t say anything.

    But today, the only thing that''s more sane than yesterday is that my dad and I won''t be riding in the same carriage.

    Since this means that he and I are being targeted, it would be better for us to stay in the same carriage because the guards would not be dispersed.

    However, we still don''t know which one is being targeted in earnest, so I''ve decided that it''s better for me and my dad to split up our carriages.

    ........I heard my dad said that, but that''s probably because he''s the one who''s most likely to be targeted.

    Of course it''s better for the enemy to kill the current king than the prince.

    That''s why my father, who is a better target, will be the bait, and he doesn''t want me to suffer too much.

    That''s not what he said, but that''s what he''s thinking.

    I''m glad my noisy father isn''t in the same carriage, but I''m not happy to see that kind of speculation.

    But I couldn''t particularly argue with him, and today my father''s carriage will have the King of Ceredonia riding with him.

    That man is also a king, so I think there''s a good chance he''s going to be targeted, but most importantly, he''s stronger than anyone else in this country.

    And in my carriage, Alisa and Princess Irene will ride with me.

    The carriage over there is more likely to be targeted, so the guards are more generous.

    And Anne, the head of the magic knights, will also be riding over there.

    ........it was supposed to be.

    ''''Hey, why is Anne also riding over here?

    Anne is also riding in this carriage and it''s not what I heard.

    Don''t tell me, that father of yours, did he give you a thicker guard over here again without telling me?

    Prince Christopher, Princess Irene. Please listen carefully. Now, things have changed a bit.

    Once they were inside the carriage and no voices could be heard outside, Anne broke off the conversation.

    ''What do you mean?''

    This time, we had determined that the two people whose lives were being threatened were His Majesty Leonardo and Prince Christopher. But we have received word that an attempt has been made on Princess Irene''s life as well.

    ...What?

    The last surprise was raised by Princess Irene.

 155-Episode 155 Why is it Targeted?

    It was our plan that my father and I would be targeted.

    In fact, we came to the Kingdom of Halcyon to be targeted.

    But we didn''t expect them to come after Princess Irene.

    "Why is Princess Irene?¡¡Is it only Princess Irene?

    Isn''t Princess Irene''s father, or King Seredonia, a target?

    Anne answers my question in a matter-of-fact manner.

    "So far, we have no information that the king of Ceredonia is the target of an attack. It is only Princess Irene who is being targeted.

    I see.

    Why only Princess Irene?

    No, I just haven''t received any information that the King of Ceredonia is being targeted yet, but maybe he is being targeted in the shadows.

    In fact, I don''t mean to sound rude, but I feel that the other party has more to gain by killing the King of Ceredonia than Princess Irene.

    If the King of Ceredonia dies, the king''s position will be vacant.

    If that were to happen, in a normal country, the king''s daughter, that is, Princess Irene, would be the next king.

    But this is a country of demons.

    It''s unlikely that Princess Irene will become king anytime soon.

    There was a time when the king died of illness in another demon tribe''s country.

    The guy who wanted to be the next king there came forward and eventually a one-on-one winner-take-all match was held.

    Dozens or hundreds of people gathered, and the one who survived to the end became the next king.

    Maybe the Kingdom of Harzion would have such a winner-take-all battle when King Seredonia died.

    So if you kill King Seredonia, the opponent should have more to gain since he can also be the next king.

    But why would he go after Princess Irene alone?

    Could it be that there has already been talk of killing the King of Celedonia, and Princess Irene is being targeted along with it?

    If that wasn''t the case - did someone who seemed to have a simple grudge against Princess Irene send out an assassination request?

    ''''Irenae-sama, are you alright?''''

    Alisa asked that to Princess Irene sitting next to her.

    Yes, I kept thinking about it, but will Princess Irene be okay when she hears that her life is suddenly being threatened?

    Yes, I''ll be fine. I''m used to having my life threatened.......I can''t say that I''m used to it......but I''ve experienced it a few times.

    So you''re sure you''re okay?

    Princess Irene said with a smile to reassure her, but Alisa seemed to be worried about the opposite.

    ''''Yes, I''m also the daughter of the current king, which means I''m the daughter of the strongest person in this country. To some extent, I intend to be strong enough to defend myself.''''

    There are few countries of the demon race that are as large as the Kingdom of Harzion.

    This was also made bigger by the pure strength of King Seredonia and the excellence of the state.

    Before Felix Gladio appeared, it was said that there wasn''t even anyone who would even try to fight the King of Seldonia one-on-one.

    So now, since Felix was also defeated by Eric, there won''t be many people who can beat the King of Seldonia one-on-one.

    ........When you think about it, Eric is so strong after all.

    I don''t understand it because we''re always best friends together, but when I look at it objectively, I can still see how strong he is.

    Well, leaving that part aside, Princess Irene, the daughter of the King of Ceredonia, will have inherited that talent, and most importantly, she''s probably trained quite a bit.

    I don''t think she''s trained in swords like I am, but I''m sure she''s trained in magic even more than I am.

    ''Is it safe for Anne to come to the carriage over here?¡¡What about the guards over there?

    ''There are going to be more guards outside over there. But both His Majesty Leonardo and King Seredonia insist that they have little need of guards...

    I understand my father, but the King of Ceredonia?

    ''''Oh, your father is a strong man, so we always have only a minimal number of guards when we go out of town. Me, your mother, and all the servants have asked for more guards...

    ''Oh, I see...''

    Don''t tell me the King of Celedonia doesn''t have an escort like my father.......

    That man is stronger than his guards, so it makes sense that he doesn''t have any guards.

    ''''But your father is trying to reduce the number of guards when there is a king from another country?¡¡That''s not supposed to happen...

    ''That''s what he said at first, but His Majesty Leonardo said, ''I think it would be better if we had an escort for our children,'' and the King of Ceredonia agreed with him and said he didn''t need an escort.

    That stupid father.

    Since my father said something unnecessary, the King of Seldonia also took advantage of the form........

    ''''Anne, you''re over here. Then you''d better increase the number of guards over there.

    Yes, sir, I understand.

    I''m glad Anne is a sensible person.

    The head of our country''s knight corps and the head of the magical knight corps are very sensible people.

    The tricky part though is that this is completely different when it comes to the deputy commander.

    In terms of pure combat power, both vice commanders are stronger than the vice commander, but in terms of excellence, the commander is definitely superior.

    That''s why it was a relief to have Anne at a time like this.

    ''''I think we''ll be leaving soon. There''s a good chance we''ll be attacked by assassins for a few days from today, so please be careful.

    Yeah, okay.

    I understand.

    Anne''s final warning was given, and me and Princess Irene responded.

    And soon the carriage began to shake and we were off to the streets of the Kingdom of Harzion.

 156-Episode 156: Shadow-Shaped Escort

    -- Eric''s side --

    Two carriages came out of the royal palace.

    They are very gleaming and luxurious, and they are the carriages of great people who look like royalty.

    Surrounding them were the soldiers of the Harzion Kingdom and the soldiers of the Begonia Kingdom.

    The carriage is moving very slowly, and the soldiers around it are moving at a normal walking pace to keep up with it.

    I''m sure they are moving slowly to make it easier to defend themselves and to keep an eye on their surroundings.

    ''''There''s no problem over here. What about you?''''

    "I don''t see anything different about this one either.

    We split up into two groups, guarding ourselves from the shadows.

    The one working with me is Nina.

    In other words, Tina and Yurina-san are acting separately.

    The words I muttered earlier, Nina''s magic brought my voice to the two of them in the distance.

    And with Tina''s magic, the voice over there also reached them.

    ''''According to the information, there are several pairs of assassins coming. Be on your guard.

    ''''........What, I''m going to tell you?¡¡''Wow, okay, let''s work on each other.''

    Was that Yulina-san''s voice?

    It seems that Tina has delivered Yulina-san''s voice to us.

    Signaling with her eyes, Nina nods and delivers it herself with her voice.

    ''''Then call me if you need anything.

    Copy that.

    Finally, at the sound of Tina''s voice, we cut off contact.

    After a few minutes or so, the carriage carrying Christo and the others first arrives at the first destination.

    It''s one of the largest buildings in the Kingdom of Harzion, and it seems to have a clothing store, general store, and restaurant for the nobility inside.

    But it''s just not reliable information, and I don''t know where to aim it.

    Will it be after we get inside that building, or will we aim for it as soon as we get out of the carriage?

    We''re going to search every place around the carriage where the soldiers don''t know and won''t be able to find us.

    We have yet to see Christo, His Majesty Leo, and Irene get out of the carriage.

    I''m telling them I''m a possible target here, so I have to be cautious.

    But we don''t even know if there really is an assassin yet........

    ''Eric. Maybe he''s in there,

    ''¡¡...Where is it?

    ''The alleyway over there. I saw a figure for a second, and he was acting like it.

    I look towards the alleyway Nina mentioned, but I don''t see any particular people in it at the moment.

    The alleyway is so narrow that people can just barely fit in, so I missed it.

    ''''Well okay, let''s head there.

    Okay.

    We hurry to the narrow alleyway there and kill the signs as we head there.

    We go to the top of a building that overlooks that alleyway and look for a suspicious figure in the dark alleyway.

    ''''.....¡¡There it is, that one.

    Maybe so.

    He was wearing a black cloak, keeping his face from being seen, and how suspicious he was.

    Maybe it was because His Majesty Leo and Christo hadn''t come out yet, but he had peeked out of the alleyway a few times to ask about the carriage.

    They haven''t noticed us.

    Now is the perfect time to do it.

    ''''Well okay, I''ll go then. Nina will stay here in case we miss it.

    Yes, sir.

    With that, I approached the assassin, killing any sign of him.

    I grabbed the roof of the building and managed to get to the building above him without being detected.

    The rest is ... easy.

    I jump down from the rooftop without making a sound and fall around the man''s back.

    The sound of the landing is minimized, but as expected, there''s no one who doesn''t notice when a person falls right behind him.

    ''''Huh........!

    A dull sound like hitting bone resounded, and the assassin fell unconscious without uttering a word.

    ''''....Good. Nina, can you hear me?

    I can hear you.

    It was Nina in the distance, but she was already exercising her magic so that she could pick up my voice.

    ''Let Tina and the others know we''ve got one of the killers.

    All right. Good night.

    Yeah, but we can''t be too careful.

    He takes a rough rope out of his pocket and wraps it around the assassin''s body to take away his freedom.

    I tie it tight and tight, so that when he wakes up, he can''t do anything about it.

    I took down one of them for now, but they might still be there.

    In the meantime, I should tell Commander Anne, who is supposed to be in Christo and Irene''s carriage, that I''ve captured one of the assassins.

 157-Episode 157: Contact with Magic Tools

    --Christ side --

    I think we''re getting where we want to start.

    But you can''t get out yet.

    Right now, the soldiers are checking outside to make sure that there are no suspicious characters.

    Normally we wouldn''t be this careful, but this time is different.

    But this time is different, because we have information that someone is coming after us here.

    The information is highly credible because it comes from Eric and his team who entered the country as spies earlier.

    The soldiers are doing their best to deal with the situation because they know that their lives are being threatened.

    We in the carriage, of course, are also nervous........

    ''''Irene, let''s play rock-paper-scissors.

    ''Yes, Alisa!¡¡First goo, then rock-paper-scissors, then pom-poms!

    ''Oh, I win. So, do you want to do something to punish me?

    Well, punishment?¡¡Oh no, I didn''t hear that...!

    Sorry about that, soldiers.

    The two girls looked like they were having fun playing rock-paper-scissors right in front of me.

    I didn''t expect my maid, Alisa, to get along so well with Princess Irene of the Harzion Kingdom....

    I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that Alisa has been calling Princess Irene out, and Princess Irene has been calling her by her title.

    I''m sure it''s a sign that they''ve gotten to know each other a lot better since Princess Irene called her "Arisa-sama" at first.

    It''s a good thing that you''re older than Arisa, because she''s older than you, but the position she''s in....

    Well, it''s not for me to say.

    I''m just a soldier and I''m a good friend of Eric''s.

    Princess Irene seems very happy.

    And so is Alisa.

    I''ve heard that Princess Irene, like me, was lonely without her friends of the same s*x.

    Alisa didn''t have any friends of the same s*x that were close in age, so I guess it was good for both of us.

    As I was doing that, Anne''s bosom, sitting next to me, began to shake slightly.

    A small but audible sound was made as well.

    ''Excuse me,''

    Anne said a few words and then took out something that was in her pocket.

    There was a clicking sound of something being pressed, and the tool...probably a magic tool, stopped vibrating.

    ''''Yes, this is Anne.

    Anne brought that magic tool close to her mouth and said that.

    Is that a magic tool that can communicate?

    There are only a few people Anne can contact right now.

    In other words, the person she''s talking to about that grimoire........

    It''s Eric Aulin.

    What...?

    The one who reacted the most to the words that came from the magic tool was Princess Irene.

    Princess Irene immediately said, "Ah........" and put her hands over her mouth, her face turning bright red.

    The way she stained her cheeks in embarrassment was smiling and cute.

    ''''.........Commander Anne?¡¡Please respond.

    Oh, yes, we''re fine.

    It seems that Anne was also momentarily distracted by Princess Irene and was slow to reply.

    However, the person to contact is still Eric.

    I''m sure the only person who can contact you at this time is Eric, who has been infiltrating and protecting us from the shadows.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find and capture a person who appears to be an assassin a short while ago.

    ''Roger, good job. There may be others out there, so keep up the good work.

    I understand. I''d like to focus on the areas that your soldiers can''t handle.

    It seems that Eric is very good at what he does, and he''s already caught the killer.

    That''s my best friend.

    It looks like this is going to be a clerical matter, so I talk to Anne.

    "Anne, give it to me. I want to talk to Eric too.

    "...Prince Christopher, this is for business purposes. I would appreciate it if you would refrain from using it for personal use.

    Come on, a little bit.

    Anne sighs dumbly and then reluctantly hands me the magic tool.

    ''Eric, it''s me. It''s Christo.

    "What?¡¡Christo?

    Yeah, good to see you. How have you been?

    ''Oh, yeah, I''m fine. I mean, why is Christo?

    I asked Anne to do it for me.

    "You''re forcing me to do that...

    How do you know it''s forced?

    .........Well, there''s no way Anne would give it to me myself, so I guess it''s normal to know.

    I was going to have a bit of a chat and immediately return it to Anne.......but I heard Alisa say something outrageous in front of me.

    ''''Oh, yes. Irene, why don''t you have a word with Eric-sama?

    What?

    At Alisa''s suggestion, Princess Irene raised her voice while her face turned bright red.

    ''''Oh no, it''s too sudden, I''m not prepared for it...!

    It''s time for your punishment. Christo my prince. Could you hand me that grimoire?

    Alisa ignored Princess Irene, smiled at me and held out her palm as if to say, "Give it to me.

    But Eric is also curious about Princess Irene, he seems to like her rather well.......okay.

    "Eric, I''ll give it to you.

    "Hmm?¡¡''Yeah, okay,''

    You probably think that Eric is going to be replaced by Commander Anne.

    But it''s Alisa who I''m going to give the grimoire to, and it''s Princess Irene who I''m going to give it to.

    ''''Look, Irene.''''

    Oh, my God, really?

    Alisa placed the magic tool in the palm of Princess Irene''s hand, forcing her to hand it to her.

    Princess Irene''s face turned bright red as she fearfully held the magic tool to her mouth.

    ''Yes ... hmm?¡¡Isn''t that Commander Anne...?''''

    No, it''s Irene Harzion.

    ''What?¡¡Irene!

    ...Me and Alisa were struggling to hold our mouths to keep from laughing.

 158-Episode 158: First Conversation

    I caught the assassin, so I called Commander Anne, who was at my side.

    Christo, who was by my side at the time, took over for Commander Anne and spoke to me through his magic tool.

    I''m glad to see that guy is safe and well, since he''s being targeted this time.

    It''s possible that they could be poisoned, so be careful what you eat.

    "Eric, I''ll give you a second.

    Hmm?¡¡Yeah, okay.

    We''re chatting and suddenly Christo says that and is replaced by someone else.

    Nine out of ten, I think it''s Commander Anne.

    He was replaced by that guy who forced me to take it away from him, so it''s only natural.

    I switch from talking to my best friend to talking to my boss.

    I''m sure you''re not the only one.

    ''Yes ... hmm?¡¡Isn''t that Commander Anne...?

    It was a female voice, but wasn''t it Commander Anne?

    Who is it ... Christo''s maid, Alisa?

    No, wait.

    I know what that sound was.

    "It''s Irene Harzion.

    ''What?¡¡Irene!

    His words, his voice, startled me out loud.

    With a huff, I cover my mouth and look around.

    I''m hiding and acting now to find the assassin.

    Shouting this loudly would interfere with my mission.

    Fortunately, there was no one around....

    I take a deep breath and put my ears and mouth close to the magic tool again.

    ''''Eh, no, I mean.......why is Irene.......?''''

    "...well, I don''t understand either.......I''m sorry....

    Oh, no, I''m not trying to make Irene apologize to you.

    What, why am I talking to Irene through my grimoire?

    What''s going on here?

    Did Christo suddenly give it to Irene?

    No, but how is that possible?

    Giving the princess of a country a magic tool and making her talk to me, a mere soldier.

    Maybe Christo realizes that I like Irene, but I don''t think he would be so rude to her in this situation....

    ''Why would Irene, the magic tool...?

    "Oh, I, uh, I hope I''m not bothering you...?

    I''m not bothering you!¡¡I''m happy to talk to Irene, but...!

    "....!

    Wait a minute, wait a minute.

    Let me calm down.

    Am I saying something outrageous right now?

    No, I''m happy.

    I''m happy to talk to Irene, that''s for sure.

    I''m talking to a woman I loved in a previous life, albeit for the first time in this life, through a magical tool.

    I met her once before, but we could hardly talk then.

    So I''m extremely happy to be able to talk to her now.

    ''''Um, I don''t know either, but Alisa-san told me to talk to Eric-sama...''''

    Alisa?¡¡What, why?

    "Wow, I don''t know...

    Why did Alisa, Christo''s maid, arrange for Irene and I to talk?

    Does he know that I like Irene, too?

    Christo, did you tell him?¡¡I''ll definitely question him next time.

    I mean, Arisa, aren''t you being really rude?

    Did you say that to the princess of a country?

    From a moment ago, nothing but questions have come to my mind.

    ''''Ah, well, it''s not that Arisa-san forced me to do this.......as a punishment.......!

    Punishment?

    "Oh, yes, I''m friends with Alisa-san, and...

    What? You''re friends now?

    "Yes, yes...

    To Irene, my friend.........

    Well, well..........

    It''s a good thing, Irene. I''m glad you have a friend.

    "What...?

    Me and Irene were like friends at first, but then, out of nowhere, we became a man and a woman.

    And at the time, we were talking about how we wanted friends.

    Especially friends of the same s*x.

    But in a previous life, we were on the run, so we didn''t have much time to get involved with other people.

    That''s why in my previous life, I didn''t make friends until I died.

    In this life, it''s good to know that you''ve made a friend.

    "Oh, thank you very much...

    ''No, you can''t thank me for that. Irene acted and became my friend, so you must be awesome at Irene.

    ''''No, no, Alisa-san is very kind to me, and I''m glad she became my friend...''''

    ''Something, not. I found Irene attractive, and that''s why Alisa became my friend.

    "Agh...!

    I heard a strange, very pretty cry at the end.

    It''s the first time I''ve heard it before, had I heard it in a previous life...?

    .... oh, wait a minute.

    Wasn''t I talking a lot like I was talking to Irene in a previous life?

    In this world, I''ve never even spoken to Irene at all.

    Rather, our positions are completely different, a princess of one country and a soldier of another country.

    ..............................Oh no, oh no, oh no!

    I didn''t have time to think about whether Alisa was rude or not!

    It was me being rude the whole time, in the present day!

    "I can''t do it anymore. I''m sorry, I''ll switch.

    Oh, Irene!¡¡........sir!

    Irene suddenly said that, and I couldn''t hear Irene''s voice anymore.

    ''''.........Eric Aulin.''''

    ''¡¡Ha, yes, Commander Anne, is it?

    Yes.

    The next voice I heard was the indifferent voice of Commander Anne.

    ''''Is that all you have to say from that side?''''

    ''Yes, yes. I''ll get back to you if I hear anything else.

    "All right ... and be careful not to seduce a foreign princess.

    ''What?¡¡I don''t mean...!

    So long.

    Commander Anne said and immediately lost contact with the magic tool.

    .....Haha, I really did it.

    What if Irene hates me........

 159-Episode 159: Fire from the Face

    --Christ side --

    "Hmm...........¡¡I''m sorry, sir.........

    ''Ah, Alisa-san, you are laughing too hard...!

    There are two very pretty women in front of me.

    Both of them have bright red faces.

    The reason for this is different for each of them: Alisa is too funny, laughing too much, and her face is red.

    In contrast, Princess Irene had even her ears dyed red, as if she was more embarrassed than ever.

    ''''Huh........hmmm....

    The conversation between Eric and Princess Irene just a few minutes ago.

    I''m sorry to say it, but it was insanely funny.

    I''ve never learned that other people''s love affairs are so interesting before.

    I heard that Alisa always asks the other maids about their relationship with me, but until now I thought, "What''s the fun in asking that?

    I''ll change my mind.

    It''s insanely funny.

    But I don''t enjoy being asked about my love life.

    Next time I see Eric, I''ll have to be careful about asking him.

    I don''t have the option of not asking, it sounds like fun.

    I''ve been asked about Alisa before, so I''m going to pay you back.

    ''Huh I''m sorry, Irene. It was very funny.

    ''Wow, I was so embarrassed that my face was on fire...!

    It''s okay. There''s no fire. There''s a fever, though.

    That''s not what I''m talking about!

    Hey, Alisa, don''t do that.

    Don''t make fun of Princess Irene or you''ll make me laugh.

    "Oh, Arisa, you didn''t ask to speak to Eric...!

    But even Irene said she wanted to talk to Master Eric.

    Yeah, but that was too fast.¡¡If Master Eric thinks you''re weird...!

    Don''t worry, it''s not going to happen.

    Yeah, I agree with Alisa.

    That''s definitely not true.

    Because for some reason Eric seemed to have always liked Princess Irene before he met her.

    There''s no way he would ever dislike Princess Irene.

    It''s more like Eric is thinking, "What if Irene hates me........

    '' "So, after talking to Eric-sama, what did you think?

    What''s going on?

    ''Did you have a good time?¡¡Were you happy?

    ''I was happy too, of course. And to hear him say something like that in such a........gentle voice........!

    ''Good for you, Irene,''

    What--?

    Eh, wow.

    Alisa imitated Eric''s voice, and it''s quite similar.

    No, maybe it''s because she''s imitating the voice through the magic tool, it''s a little different from Eric''s voice that speaks face to face, but Princess Irene wouldn''t understand.

    ''''Irene has a lot of charm.''''

    No, please don''t, Alisa...!

    ''Irene, I love you,''

    ''Master Eric didn''t say that, did he!

    I''m glad to see that they seem to be getting along so well.

    I wish Eric could see how Princess Irene is embarrassed to death.

    He''s probably too cute to be in agony.

    But what kind of relationship does Eric really have with Princess Irene?

    Judging from Princess Irene''s reaction, she must have never met Eric before.

    It seems that they''ve only met once before for a little while, and this was the first time they''ve talked properly about the conversation they just had.

    However, Eric speaks as if he and Princess Irene are close to each other.

    It''s as if they met somewhere........and became lovers.

    But that''s not possible.

    I''m sure Eric has been living in the village where he was born all his life, and he never had a chance to meet Princess Irene.

    But still, that guy talked to Princess Irene like a friend, like a lover.

    ........What does this mean?

    ''''Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like we''re about to get off the carriage. Please prepare yourselves.

    Anne said a word, so calmly.

    That''s right, we were on a bait-and-switch plan, so much so that we were being shown around town.

    I had seen my best friend''s sudden love affair and had forgotten all about it.

    Princess Irene and Alisa also forgot about it, and they straightened their posture a little awkwardly.

    ''''Have you finished checking around?''''

    ''I see. I''ll get out of the car as soon as I see no danger. I''m afraid Eric Aulin and the rest of the team have a hitman on their hands.

    Okay.

    We knew from prior information that there was definitely one of them, so it seemed that Eric had caught one of them and was going to get off.

    It''s not completely safe yet, but it won''t be worth it if we don''t get out of the carriage the whole time.

    We''re decoys, and we have to show up.

    ''Prince Christopher, and Princess Irene. "Prince Christopher and Princess Irene, you''ll be protected by our soldiers when you get outside. But you never know what might happen. Please be careful.

    I know.

    ''Yes, I understand. Thank you for your concern.

    I pride myself on being stronger than those soldiers.

    I''ve been trained all the time by the vice-captain of the knight''s order and the vice-captain of the magical knight''s order.

    Since I''m trained harder than other soldiers, I''m indeed stronger than an ordinary soldier.

    ........with the exception of the Commander and the Deputy Commander, and of course, Eric.

    They''re too strong, seriously.

    I''ve been beaten dozens or hundreds of times by the deputy commander, Liberto.

    I''ve gone one-on-one with Eric several times as well, but I never felt like I could win.

    After all, the two strongest soldiers in the Begonia Kingdom are really different in terms of strength.

    ''''Alisa-san, if anything happens, we will protect you, so please don''t worry.

    ''Yes, Lady Anne. It''s a pleasure to meet you.

    I know they''re going to come after me and Princess Irene, and yet Alisa won''t leave us.

    She has no way to defend herself.

    ''Alisa, are you okay?''

    Don''t worry, Irene. You won''t be in any danger.

    ....

    Alisa says that optimistically.

    But this guy isn''t just being optimistic.

    In fact, he is most aware of the danger and won''t leave our side.

    At worst, Alisa is willing to use herself as a shield to protect me and Irene.

    I don''t know how many years we''ve known each other, and I know it.

    I''m not gonna let you do that.

    I''d rather die than have Alisa sacrificed herself.

    "Please don''t leave me, Alisa, please don''t leave me - I''ll protect you, I promise.

    ''¡¡Yeah, yeah, okay, Irene.

    ...what the hell was that?

    Arisa, don''t be blushing your cheeks, we''re women, we''re friends.

    .........Oh, is it possible that my rival in crime has appeared?

 160-Episode 160: Dodome?

    A few hours passed after my conversation with Irene with the magic tool.

    ''''Huh....

    I was still depressed.

    Irene, Christo and the others have already finished their inspection of the first destination and are heading to the second.

    The second place is a military base or training ground where all the soldiers of this country are gathered.

    As expected, no assassins will be coming there I can''t say that, but there''s no way we''ll be able to leave.

    Almost all the soldiers of the Halcyon Kingdom have gathered there, so even if an assassin were to appear, they would take care of it there.

    Therefore, we are going to go ahead of Christo and the others to the third destination and look around for the assassin.

    The third destination was a complete restaurant.

    Very upscale, it''s the kind of eatery that royalty would go to for its umami.

    The building is large and there is supposed to be a lot of places to hide inside.

    The best way to get inside is still to hide with magic, so I had Tina and Nina break in.

    And me and Yulina-san are looking around outside to see if there are any assassins.

    I''m looking for an assassin, without letting my guard down..........I still remember the conversation I had with Irene earlier.

    My biggest regret is that I was too familiar with her anyway.

    I already talked to her from a distance, almost like a lover.

    I was really upset by the fact that we had a conversation out of the blue.

    I just spoke as if I was talking to Irene in a previous life.

    Given my current position, I definitely had to be respectful.

    I''m a princess of one country and a mere soldier of another.

    My position in my previous life and this life are completely different.

    ...When you think about it, isn''t it impossible for me and Irene to meet and become lovers?

    Also, if I marry Irene in this life, does that mean I''m going to be the king of this country?

    No, but this country has to defeat the current king, or Irene''s father, to become king, right?

    ........Could it be that you have to defeat Irene''s father to marry Irene?

    How strong is Irene''s father, King Seredonia,?

    I''ve heard that he lost to Felix, so he''ll never be stronger than Felix.

    But even if I say I beat Felix, I wouldn''t have won without Tina''s strength.

    If the King of Ceredonia had almost as much power as Felix, I might not know if I could win either.

    ...Let''s be stronger, yes.

    No, wait, I''m getting off track.

    I''m talking about how Irene and I were extremely rude when I talked to her with my magic tool.

    And at the end of it.

    "I can''t do it anymore. I''m sorry, I''ll switch.

    I was told.

    From the words and the inflection of his voice, I could tell that he really couldn''t do it anymore, that he couldn''t speak.

    I''ve been thinking about that for the past few hours, even though I have to find and catch the hitman.

    Fortunately, right now, me and Yulina-san have finished looking around outside the restaurant and have already confirmed that the hitman is gone.

    I''ll have to do another round of rounds in time, though, when Christo, Irene and the others arrive.

    So we shouldn''t be caught off guard at all, it''s not a situation where we should be caught off guard at all but we need to switch things up quickly.

    ''''What''s going on, Eric. You''re sighing a lot earlier.

    As I was waiting for Tina and Nina to return on the roof of the building near the restaurant, Yulina-san, who was next to me, asked me that question.

    ''''No, I had a little.......mistake....''''

    What?¡¡Is that what this mission is about?

    ''No, no. It''s just that I personally screwed up...

    You don''t get it. What''s going on?

    Me and the princess of this country were lovers in a previous life, but in this life I might have forgotten that it''s different, and I might have spoken in my previous life''s feeling and hated it....

    How can I tell you all of this in a stupidly honest way?

    As expected, they''ll think I''m crazy.

    ''''When I contacted Commander Anne just now.......there''s a high possibility that I''ve done something rude to the princess of this country.......''''

    ''What?¡¡What do you mean?¡¡Why would a princess from this country get involved when you''ve only contacted Commander Anne?

    I don''t know, but suddenly Commander Anne has been replaced by Christo.

    ''Christo ... oh, you mean Prince Christopher.

    It seems that it''s well known in the Begonia Order that me and Christo are best friends.

    Yulina-san also knows, so she is not surprised when I call the prince without honorific title.

    ''Then it seems that Christo has suddenly replaced Irene the princess.

    Why?

    I think it''s a perfectly decent question.

    I''m not sure why I was suddenly replaced either.

    No, I think it was more like Alisa, Christo''s maid, told me to replace him and forced me to do so.

    She said they became friends, but why she was forced to take over is a mystery.

    ''''As expected, he wasn''t rude enough to become an international issue, right?

    ''Perhaps it''s not that much ... it''s just that, personally, Princess Irene doesn''t like me, maybe it''s just that she doesn''t like me...''

    Oh it seems to gouge my heart even more when I put it into words..........

    ''''Well, wouldn''t that be fine then?¡¡Not that Eric and his Princess Irene will have anything to do with it in the future.

    I''m so desperate.

    I suppose it''s a word without any malice, but Yulina-san tossed me out and I died....

 161-Episode 161 After the experiment

    It was an experiment called torture, and it was over.

    I don''t know how many hours, how many days it lasted.

    I don''t even know when it ended.

    All I remember is that I was in pain like hell for a long time and then I realized it was over.

    My memory often falters while I''m being experimented on.

    I remembered it well in the beginning, but lately I''ve forgotten quite a bit.

    Perhaps it''s the result of my brain trying to protect me.

    Because if I had to remember all the torturous experiments all the time, I would break down.

    So even now, I don''t know when the experiment is over.

    I found myself in front of Ershe''s room.

    I haven''t opened the door yet.

    I always do.

    Whenever my memory flies away after an experiment, I always wake up here, like I''m awake.

    I''m sure I''ve made it here on my own.

    But....as I thought, even without the memory, the pain and suffering of the experiment remains in my body.

    At any moment, my legs won''t be strong enough and I feel as if I''ll fall to the ground.

    It hurts all over my body, there is no part of my body that doesn''t hurt.

    But even so, I open the door, not letting the pain show on my face.

    You don''t have to try to smile.

    Because if you look at Elsie, your smile will flow out of its own accord.

    "...Elsie, I''m home.

    ''¡¡Welcome back, big brother!

    I''m alive to hear it, to see it, to hear its voice.

    The experiment seemed to last about three days.

    Not long or short, considering what we''ve been doing.

    I remember the longest experiment was about two weeks long.

    Since then, I''ve been losing my memory of the experiment in progress.

    Sometimes the experiment was over in a few hours or so.

    So this experiment would be an average length.

    ''I''m sorry, Elshe I''m so tired today, can I sleep with you?''

    ''Of course!¡¡Let''s sleep together!

    Ershe, of course, doesn''t know that I am being subjected to a torturous experiment.

    The reason I''m tired is that my work is hard.

    In fact, I''m being experimented on like it''s my job.

    I crawl into bed and lay down with him to hug him from the front.

    ''Heh heh ... I''m getting big now too, my bed is so small.''

    Hmmm.........would you like your bed to be bigger?

    ''No, I''m fine. I''m going to sleep with my brother, so it''s okay to be small.

    Thank you.

    Really, it''s soothing.

    The pain in my body feels like it''s slowly easing.

    The experiment is so hard, it''s killing me.

    I wouldn''t want to have to do it if I could, but there''s one thing I can count on.

    ''Hey, brother. Can you sleep with me until morning today?

    Yeah, I can sleep. It''s not like I''m going to wake up in the morning and you''re not going to be gone today.

    Well, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good.

    On days when there was an experiment, I could definitely sleep with Ershe until morning.

    Normally, after Ershe goes to bed, I tend to slip out for assassination work and the like.

    It would be nice if I could come back before Ershe wakes up, but as expected, I can''t do that every time.

    It''s always a lonely time for Elsie.

    But today, there is no way I''m going to leave her for work.

    Those guys also know that I''m exhausted to death from the experiment, so I won''t be putting in any work today.

    This is just.....................a joyous thing.

    ''Goodnight, Elshe........''

    Good night, brother.

    And we went to sleep.

    ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó.

    The man is checking the records of the experiment.

    He compares Elena''s experimental records that he had done earlier with the old records.

    ''''Hmm, it''s still growing but it''s not growing as fast.

    Create the strongest human being possible.

    That was the man''s goal.

    A man who is a nobleman wants power.

    It is power to raise his status, his authority.

    That''s why he wants powerful minions.

    But even if you hire all kinds of mercenaries and assassins with money, they are not as good as the strongest.

    I want a strong man like King Seldonia of the Kingdom of Harzion, a man who can build a country by himself.

    But that man has no talent for fighting, so he decides to build the strongest by himself.

    That is what this experiment is all about.

    In more than a decade, there have been dozens or hundreds of experiments so far.

    Only a few of them have survived.

    Very few have survived a year.

    Except for one exception, Elena Millwood.

    That one is the best for this experiment.

    The best at what it takes to be the strongest.

    At this rate, a man''s ambitions will be far away from him.

    ''''We need something........to stimulate them.

    In the experiment, they are inflicting pain and suffering as stimuli.

    But Elena has given them too much, so she must have developed a tolerance to them.

    What else would be a stimulus to give Elena........

    If I think about it for a moment, I can come up with an idea in a second.

    Someone that Elena absolutely, dearly loves.

    With that one, it would give Elena the most unparalleled stimulation.

    However, it would very likely put the man in danger as well.

    ''''Well, that''s all right. I knew I''d have to cross that bridge at some point.

    The man left the screaming laboratory and headed to his room.