《The beast tamer who got kicked out from his party meets a cat girl from the superior race》 1-Episode 1: Beast tamer is fired You''re fired. It happened after we defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King''s Army, the ''Earth Gigabrands''. After returning to the city, we stayed at an inn... After the meal, they were called into the room of the brave Arios. Three other companions were also in Arios'' room. Aggas, a warrior who takes on the enemy''s attacks in one fell swoop and serves as a shield for his companions. Lean, a wizard who uses over a thousand magics and is known as a walking strategic weapon. Mina, a priestess who can heal any wound and even raise the dead. My companions listen to the conversation between me and Arios while........ They each turned their stern gazes towards us. ''Well hold on a minute. I don''t understand the situation because it came out of nowhere... what does it mean?Maybe it''s a surprise or.... No way! As if to express his annoyance, Arios tapped the table. Following that, Aggus also clicked his tongue in this manner. ''''Are you serious........?'''' Yeah, I''m serious. It doesn''t look like he''s joking. ''''Can you tell me why?'''' You can''t understand that, can you? Leanne interjected. ''There''s only one reason. It''s because you''re a liability. No, I stand corrected. I''d feel bad for the baggage if I lump you in with it. ''Garbage'' is more like it. ''Leanne, you''re overstepping your bounds. No matter how much he''s not doing anything for you, I''m sure you have some pride in him, for one thing. Mina also says something harsh. What is this...? Have I ever let my friends think of me like this...? I don''t know why we''re on the same side, you know?And yet, how could you... No one answers. They just look at you like you''re looking at garbage. I mean that''s just the way it is. I was the only one who thought I was one of them, and they, they didn''t think anything of it. ''Let me put it plainly,'' Arios spoke up again. ''As Lean said, you are the baggage of our party. It''s like you''re useless. No it''s better if you''re just useless. You''re dragging everyone down, and that''s a negative thing in your case. Negative.... You know what I''m talking about.Don''t tell me it''s not there. They can''t do any real damage to the enemy, and on the contrary, they end up being targeted by the enemy and causing trouble for their friends. The only thing I can do is to use animals to explore the surrounding area and to carry my bags. .... What do you want me to say about it, instead of calling it useless?If there''s another appropriate word for it, I''d like to know the opposite. There were no words. All because Arios was right. My profession is that of a Beast Tamer I make a contract with an animal to make it a messenger and use its power. Like Arios said, I can use birds to scout from the skies, or I can make a contract with a bear to carry my cargo....... It''s good for that kind of support. But you''re not cut out for combat. I only use animals, and I, myself, don''t have much power. In the battle against the Four Heavenly Kings, the negative effects of not having any power really showed up. I can''t do anything. I can only run away. We can only drag our friends down.......It was frustrating, but Arios was right. ''We are a party of the chosen ones, with a noble mission to defeat the Demon King. But you were only recruited on a whim. Still, I had my hopes up at first, didn''t I?I thought maybe you''d be useful as a piece of trash. But the result is disappointing. Well... Can you not let me... let us down any more? "...step aside quietly. I don''t want you following me around as a helpless child. I can''t have people like you around, you know? Can''t you just get it through your thick skull? ''It''s a story that was unreasonable from the beginning. For the sake of both of us, I was against it... well, I guess it''s a foregone conclusion. One after the other, I was almost in tears of pity as my friends gave me a barrage of harsh words. Bummer. Sad. I thought I was doing my best in my own way, but my friends didn''t appreciate my efforts. I felt as if everything I did was being denied, and it was heartbreaking. Now that I''m in this situation.... I thought you guys were important to me. And the result.........is this. But it can''t be helped. It''s a fact that I wasn''t strong enough and caused trouble. For now, let''s accept that fact honestly. ''''Okay. I''m out of the party after today. That''s a wise decision. ''You did a good job at the end. I''ll give you credit, hahaha. Leanne, you''re out of line. I don''t care about this. You don''t know how much trouble we''ve gotten into because of this punk. You must be relieved, right, Mina? It''s, well there''s no denying it. Right?Well, aren''t you glad you finally got a decent job?It''s a job to quit, though. Hahaha. .............. I clench my fists. But there''s nothing I can do other than ''quit'' and Leanne''s right... I can''t say anything back. ''....Layne, leave your equipment behind. What? Aggus'' words left me stunned. ''That equipment is what we gathered. It''s not a toy to give to an unprepared child.'' Okay, okay. Indeed, this equipment was given to me by my friends. My friends would never forgive me for having it. ...Is this enough? "Chris Dagger "Robe of Light. The Ring in the Sky All of them are top-grade equipment that you could live and play with for the rest of your life just by selling one of them. Give them to Arios and........ At that moment, I felt like I was completely cut off from my friends. No ... maybe we weren''t even friends to begin with. A true companion wouldn''t have done this. They might leave the party, but they wouldn''t be able to speak to me like this. When I thought of that, I felt my heart suddenly go cold. We''ve traveled this far together, for mercy''s sake. We''ll pay for your accommodation here. Thanks for the help. See you. I turned my back on the heroes and their party. He left the room without looking back again. 2-Episode 2 Fateful Encounter Well I have no idea what to do now. The next morning. After checking out of the inn, I was sitting on a bench in the town square, relaxing and sunbathing. Incidentally, the Brave Lord''s party left early in the morning to take on the ''Lost Forest'' to the west from here. Greetings? There is no such thing. What is important is what I do from now on. What matters is what I do from now on. "I don''t have any money... The total wealth is 5 silver coins and 38 copper coins for 5 silver coins and 38 copper coins. One silver coin for 100 copper coins. It''s 50 coppers for one night at the inn, so I calculated that I won''t have any trouble finding a place to stay for a while. But what do we do after that? For me, without a regular income, eventually I won''t be able to stay at the inn. I won''t be able to stay at the inn sooner or later, and I won''t have enough money to buy food. I had to find a way to earn a living. What do you want to do today? ''Well let''s go out into the plains and hunt some hornbores. I hear there''s a killer tiger out there, so we''d better not go into the swamps. Suddenly, a pair of adventurer-looking people passed in front of me. "Adventurers........ He lives and dies freely like a migratory bird. It''s a profession where everything is your responsibility and you have to live by your own skill alone. Ever since I joined the brave party, I''ve been fighting with a sense of mission to defeat the Demon King, but... That too is lost. I''m an empty shell now... In a way, it''s freedom. Being an adventurer is probably the best career for me right now. Okay. Let''s try one! I stood up cheerfully and knocked on the door of the Adventurer''s Guild. ---------- Apparently, not everyone can become an adventurer. There are no restrictions on age or gender. Children can become an adventurer if they want to, and even old people can become adventurers. However, there is an exam. Unless you are recognized as having a certain level of ability, you are not allowed to register with the guild as an adventurer. This system was designed to sift out reckless challengers who lacked power. Apparently the test didn''t exist before, and anyone could become an adventurer. However, thanks to this, there were many incidents where new adventurers were reckless and not only failed their requests, but the adventurers themselves died. Requests failed and the Adventurer''s Guild''s credibility was ruined. They were also said to have been audited by the government for causing a large number of deaths. Since then, a test was said to have been set up. ''''To hunt 10 goblins........'''' That was what the test was for me to become an adventurer. Goblins are F-ranked demons, very weak demons that any adult male with a weapon can fight off. However, don''t underestimate them as weak demons. They are aware that they are powerless. That''s why they always work in packs of five or so. They have to defeat a pack of five or so goblins with precision and without injury. Those who can do this are literally limited to those with ''above a certain level'' of competence. As a test to become an adventurer, this would be the most appropriate test for a person to become an adventurer. And while it''s difficult to defeat all the goblins, they''re easy opponents if you just want to escape. If it comes down to it, you can just retreat, so there will be no deaths in the test. In the worst case, you will only have to break a bone or other serious injury. In that sense, it would be a suitable opponent for the test. ''''Well, as expected, this is as easy as it gets. No matter how much he was banished from the party, he still fought against the Demon King''s army until the other day. Even though I''m a Beast Tamer, I''m not going to fall behind as far as goblins. I went out to the plains and crisply hunted 10 goblins. When you kill a monster, it turns into a gemstone called a ''magic stone''. By taking this, you can take it as proof that you defeated the monster. ''''Well, let''s go to the guild. Let''s go to the guild quickly. Now I''m an adventurer too! My new life is about to begin. After everything that had just happened I was excited about it. "Hmm? I think I just heard a scream...? It''s in the direction of the swamp at the end of the plain. Maybe it''s my imagination ... but I''m curious. Let''s just take a look at it. ---------- Is that...? A little while after entering the swamp, I found a girl being attacked by a killer tiger. Killer tigers are D-ranked demons. It is a troublesome existence with its swift movements and sharp claws and fangs that can cause the death of its prey. Many lower-ranked adventurers have been caught by surprise and have lost their lives, hence the name ''Adventurer Killer''. ''''Not good!'''' Killer Tiger was about to stick his claws into the fallen girl. I rushed over and slashed at her with my dagger. ''''Guaaaaaah!!!'''' It''s only a cheap dagger for self-defense, bought with 10 copper coins. It couldn''t penetrate the skin like a killer tiger''s armor and would break. I only end up drawing his wrath. It seems he changed his target from a girl to me, and Killer Tiger glares at me. That''s it. ''Can you move!Run while you still can. Ugh........nyah....... The girl sluggishly stands up. I think I can handle it. Well it looks like there''s nothing I can do about it. I can''t cross a killer tiger without an animal to tame. And to top it all off, the dagger that was my only weapon was broken. ''Doom and gloom, you mean. But I''ll give the girl just enough time to escape! I brace myself and set my fist in the air. And then. The girl leapt. Far higher. She jumped as if she was about to reach the clouds. And then ... dropped. Aiming at the killer tiger facing me, she flies like an arrow. Gogaaaah! Impact. The earth shook so hard that it shook. How much power was contained in it? A small crater had been created. Naturally, there was no way a D-ranked Killer Tiger could withstand such a ridiculous blow, and his neck was broken and he was doomed. ''''You........what the hell.......? I can''t take it anymore... The girl stumbles and falls over. I rushed over to her and picked her up. You''re okay?You''re hurt! Meow, meow I''m hungry... A dumb line spilled out. The head of such a girl had cat ears that twitched and a tail that flicked and swayed. 3-Episode 3 The strongest species There is an entity called the ''Strongest Species''. It is a race with a power that rivals or even surpasses the S-ranked adventurers. Dragon tribe. Spirits. Gods. In this world, there are numerous ''strongest species''.... One of the most unusual of them is the ''Cat Spirit Tribe''. It has a confusing name, but it''s not a cat ghost. It''s the ''Cat Spirit Tribe''. They look like cats with ears and tails attached to people. The entire race has a cheerful personality and is very friendly. They are so cute that it''s hard to believe even if they are called the "strongest species", and it''s said that at one time they were revered like idols. It is such a "cat spirit race", but its potential is tremendous. They can split the earth with their bare hands, jump up to the top of the clouds without using any tools, and move beyond the speed of sound. It is rumored that because they can''t use magic, their physical abilities seem to have evolved to the extreme, and they can even defeat the Demon King in a mere fight. However, due to the wars that occurred in the past, the population of this species has decreased dramatically. They seem to be on the brink of extinction, and it is rare to see them. They are so hard to find that it''s said that if you encounter one, you''ll be lucky. Such a girl from the ''cat spirit race'' was in front of me. ''''Haghaghagh!Ammo, ammo!Clank, clank, clank, clank! The girl from the "Cat Spirit Tribe" was eating the emergency portable food I had with me. She was eating it with all her might. She was devouring it like crazy. I heard that she was starving to death. I''m convinced. A real ''cat spirit race'' wouldn''t be cornered by a killer tiger. ''''Puhaha! After eating all of my portable food, the girl from the ''Cat Spirit Tribe'' finally seemed to be satisfied and smiled at me. .......If you look closely, she''s very cute. Her hair is beautiful and silky, like a bundle of light. Green eyes that shine like jewels. If it weren''t for the cat ears and tail, it would be more convincing if she was called a princess from some country. ''Have you settled in?'' ''Yeah!Thank you, thank you.......I thought I was going to die like that. You''re exaggerating. I''m not making a big deal out of it! I''ve been out of drink and food for days now, and I saw my grandparents waving across the river when they should have gone to heaven. It was a rather unfashionable situation, apparently. I''m so glad I was able to help the girl out in a swell way. ''Oh, by the way, we didn''t introduce ourselves!I''m sorry that you saved my life. I''m Kanade. As you can see, I''m a girl from the ''Cat Spirit Clan''... My name is the Rain Shroud. I am an adventurer-to-be. Are you planning on it? I was in the middle of taking a test. That''s when I saw you. I wish they call me Kanade, not you. Okay, I''ll take Rain. ''Yeah!It''s nice to meet you, Rain. This is how Kanade and I met. ........This was my first time with the person who would become my partner for life. ---------- Heh, so Rain was at a brave party then. I was about to head back to town and Kanade offered to follow me. I didn''t have any problems, so I decided to just go with him. On the way.... I was telling Kanade about something that had happened to me recently. Essentially, it''s a lousy memory that I hate to even remember... Kanade''s cheerful personality made it so, and the next thing I knew, I was telling him everything. ''Mmmm,'' Kanade looks unhappy. ''What''s wrong?'' I can''t forgive that brave man for banishing Rain. Rain, you''re such a good person. "...you''re going to be angry for me? Of course! Kanade is a kind boy, isn''t he? It''s not easy for her to be mad at me for something I just met. ''Well, I can''t help it. It''s a fact that I''ve been holding you back, you know. Meow but it doesn''t feel right! ''Thanks, for being angry for me. But I feel better now. If I had stayed at the party, I wouldn''t have been in trouble. When I think about it, I''m glad I left. ''Hmmm ... if Rain doesn''t care, I don''t care either! That''s a good boy. Mwah. I couldn''t help but reflexively stroke Kanade''s head. However, Kanade didn''t show any signs of disgust, but rather narrowed her eyes as if she felt comfortable. ''''Oh, but, but let me correct you on one thing?Rain isn''t useless. In fact, he''s very strong. Thanks for the consolation. It''s not a consolation prize! I''m serious, okay? ''You can''t say that but what''s the point of my power?Since I''m a Beast Tamer, I''m only capable of using animals... ''That''s what''s so great about it,'' he said. Rain''s Beast Tamer talent is off the charts. How can you say that? Lane can probably sign me up for that. What? I stopped dead in my tracks when he said something I hadn''t expected. Kanade looks up at me and smiles at me. ''What can I say?The moment I saw Lane, I felt a jolt of electricity run through me. And I thought. I thought that Rayne would be able to use me. There are only a handful of people in the world who can use us cat spirits, right?That''s why Lane is such an amazing person. ''You can''t say that...'' It''s insubstantial. Using the Cat Spirit Tribe? I hadn''t thought of that... Do you want to use me? ''What? You sure?No, I don''t know if I can... Lane can do it... I''m interested, do you want to try it? .... If we were able to use the most powerful species, nothing would be more reassuring. But beyond that calculation..... I wanted to get to know Kanade better. I wanted to get closer to her by making a contract. So..... Okay, I''ll try. Yeah.... That''s what I''m talking about, Rain. I''m rooting for you! So can you just stand there and hold still? Can I just sit still? Yeah. I''ll do all the work, all right? He bit his thumb and let the blood flow. Using the blood, he draws a special magic circle on the palm of his hand that only Beast Tamers use. He holds his palm up to Kanade. ''''My name is Rain Shroud. I will make a new contract and make a connection here. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with power in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? Here, if Kanade answers his name, the contract is sealed. If not......... "...Kanade.... Despite his anxiety, Kanade spoke his name. The magic circle drawn in blood shone. Light flooded in.... I''m sucked into the canade. ''''........nyah?Is that it? Yeah we have a deal. Here, look at your palm. ''Oh ... oh?There''s some weird patterns on it. That''s the deal that binds me to Kanade. Now you see I have a contract with Kanade. That''s it. This is the proof of the bond between me and Rain, isn''t it? Bond..... Wasn''t it? ''No it''s right. It''s a testament to the bond between me and Kanade. Nice to meet you, Rain. You''re welcome, too. Thus.... I had unintentionally decided to use the "strongest species". 4-Episode 4 is to use the "strongest species" Yes, it''s confirmed. It looks like you got through the exam safely. Now you are an adventurer from today, Mr. Shroud. Congratulations. I returned to the Adventurer''s Guild and submitted the goblin''s magic stone. Now the exam is over. I am now a member of the Adventurer''s Guild. "This way, please. The receptionist gives me a card of sorts. ''What''s this?'' It''s an adventurer''s card. It''s like an adventurer''s identification card. It''s like an adventurer''s ID, so be careful not to lose it. It can be reissued, but it will take about a week. Also, if you lose it intentionally or use it to buy or sell it, it will not be reissued and you will be stripped of your license. ........Starting with such an explanation, he gave me a lecture on how to prepare myself as an adventurer. ''''Finally, this will be your reward for ten goblin magic stones. You will receive 50 coppers. ''It''s an exam and you''re getting paid? ''Yes, of course. It was earned by Shroud-san. I''m not going to take that away from you. Thank you. It''s an F-ranked demon, so the reward is a sparrow''s nest of rewards... Still, it''s better than nothing. "I''d like to take a quick commission... ''Yes, you can choose any request you want from the board over there. However, Shroud-san has just become an adventurer.......that is, he is F-ranked, so the requests he can receive are limited. Thank you for your understanding. I wouldn''t suddenly entrust a new adventurer with a request of high difficulty. If I did that, it''s obvious that the request would fail, and the adventurer himself would be in danger. I understand that, so I have no particular objection to it. ''''You''ve kept me waiting,'''' You''re back. I walked away from the counter and returned to Kanade, who had kept me waiting. ''Hey, hey, did you get to be an adventurer?Can you? Yeah, I''m in. Well, congratulations... I knew Rain could do it. I''m going to take the commission as soon as I can, is Kanade okay? Yeah, no problem. It''s all right. The energetic Kanade pulled me to the bulletin board where the request form was posted.... Whoa, this one''s a rarity. ........As we were about to move, a large man interrupted us to block the passage. ''''I thought it might be, but it''s a real cat spirit race, isn''t it? Can I help you? I''ve never seen a cat spirit race. This guy''s got to be good for something. Ignoring our words, the man turns his price-taking gaze to Kanade. ........It''s a disgusting feeling. Kanade also seems to be uncomfortable, and his eyebrows are furrowed. ''''What are you doing here, what are you doing here?Hmm? I don''t have to answer to you... Well, you''re a cheeky little beast... Is this about me? ''''Who else is here but you? What''s wrong with this cat spirit race? I''m not obligated or righteous to answer this man''s questions, but if I do the same thing with Kanade, I might be in a bad mood. I decided to answer honestly. ''We met in a swamp deep in the plains. Since then ... well, things have been going on, and we''ve been working together. The swamp?There''s supposed to be a killer tiger appearing there now... I would have beaten that cat myself. I should say I''m proud of you for calling Killer Tiger a cat. I see. I''m sure the cat spirit race would consider Killer Tiger to be a cat. It''s a good idea. I love it. I don''t want you to like me. Don''t be so dull. You wanna have a drink with me?I''ll buy you a drink. No!I don''t think I''m going to enjoy being with you. It''s better than being around a dull little kid like that, right? ''Hey!Don''t make fun of my master - Rain is using me as an errand boy, you know. What?An errand? I''m a beast tamer. I said crisply, thinking that I had to make this clear. The man dotted his eyes... Next, he laughs in a vulgar voice. ''Haha!This kid is a beast tamer?That''s fine, but did you use the cat spirit race?Don''t talk nonsense, there''s no way that''s possible. The cat spirit race is the most powerful species.There''s no way I could use this kid. ''That''s because your eyes are glazed over, isn''t it?Rain is an amazing beast-tamer. He''s many times stronger than you. So this little boy is a lot stronger than I am? A dangerous color in the man''s eyes. ''Then let''s play a game, shall we?Me and this kid we''ll arm-wrestle each other. If the Beast Tamer is capable of using the cat spirit tribe, he wouldn''t be able to take me on, would he?Isn''t that right? Of course, Rain is second to none! Hey, hey, don''t make me do this. ''If I lose, I''ll get down on my knees and do whatever it takes. But when I win, you''re mine. Okay, I''ll take that one. So you''re not listening to me no, you''re not listening to me at all. Kanade is so desperate for the bee and sparks to fly that he doesn''t even look back at us. A match with this man? Arm-wrestling with a guy whose arms are probably twice as big as mine? It''s absurd. We have to stop this quickly. Let''s get this party started. Hey, let''s rent that table over there. Rayne, you can have a mangled mess! It had gotten to the point where there was no stopping it. How can we do this...? The man sees my confusion and gives me a nasty smile. ''''Oh, come on, you don''t sound very motivated on your master''s part, do you?Are you afraid?As long as you bow your head, we can call it an uncontested battle. Well, I''ll take the cat spirit race there, though. .... As for me, I don''t care if I get hurt, I don''t care what happens to me. Except when Kanade is involved. There''s no way I''m going to leave Kanade with this man. Shall we? Well, you got some balls, don''t you? Or did you just get desperate? The man was right, I was halfway through. You could say that he was just being stubborn. But......... There''s no way I''m going to do nothing when Kanade is about to be taken away. I will do whatever I can. That''s all I can do. I fold my hands with the man and put my elbows on the table. ''Skinny hands, huh?Don''t complain if it breaks. .... "Heh, you can''t even say ''bully''? Let''s just start. All you do is talk and those muscles are for decoration? All right, fine. I''m gonna kick your ass. The adventurers around us looked at us with amused eyes. Some of them are betting on it. I''m the biggest of the big holes. The other adventurers seem to be known for their strength, and considering that, it can''t be helped. But.......watch. Even with this, I''ve been a member of a brave party. I''ll give you a whirl! "I''ll give you the signal, okay? Okay? Me and the guy nodded at the same time. ''Lady ... go! The game was instantaneous. I tried my best. Without feeling much resistance, he pushed through the man''s arms and slammed his palms down on the table. ''''Gee.........! He says his arm is broken. The man was holding his broken arm and writhing in agony. Looking at the man, I tilted my head. ''''.......Why?'''' There was no way I was going to be able to beat a man who looked like he was wearing muscle armor... Somehow, I was overwhelmed. I don''t know why. We won, Rayne, huh? The swallowing Kanade called my name high and mighty. ''''That''s what I''m talking about, Rain. ''No, I''m kind of surprised myself, but there''s no way I could have that kind of power...'' ''What are you talking about?Layne''s at his lowest point right now, right?I''m sharing my power with you, you know. What do you mean? ''Oh, could it be that Rayne has only ever contracted with normal animals?Is this the first time you''ve signed a contract with a species above a certain level of power like me? That''s right. Average bear, at best. ''I see, then you don''t know. You know, when you make a contract with the strongest species, you can gain power according to the individual''s ability. We, the cat spirit race is strong, so Rain''s power is enhanced accordingly. "Seriously? I''m serious. So now I''ve got the physical ability of the cat spirit race.... That''s something outrageous. If you told me I was dreaming, I''d easily believe it. I''m so glad I followed Rayne. I''m so, so, so glad that you''re trying to protect me. ''No, well that''s a given, isn''t it?'' Heh. Thanks, Rain. Although I''m still stunned that my perceptions can''t catch up with reality... For now, we were able to protect Kanade. Let''s call it a day for now. 5-Episode 5: Herb collection The man who got involved with us has been behaving roughly on a daily basis, and it seems that even the guild couldn''t handle it. Unintentionally, I was let off without any blame for the man''s behavior. In fact, the receptionist thanked me for a job well done. Is that all right with you?I have to admit... There was no need to dig up the problem, so we left it at that. After that, we left the guild with a request to collect medicinal herbs. ''Hey, hey, why are you collecting medicinal herbs?Any requests for dragon slaying or getting a legendary sword or something like that? ''You can''t just take a request like that out of the blue. I''m still an F-grade student. Meow? ''I mean, well to make sure the newbies don''t get reckless, we start out with the lowest F rank. At first, you can only take simple requests that are not dangerous. As you steadily complete the requests and accumulate the number of requests, your rank will increase and you''ll be able to receive requests that have a high risk but a high return. Being an adventurer can be a pain in the ass. That''s all right. If you don''t have a system like this, there will be people who are reckless. ''I''m sure Rain could easily handle a much, much higher order...'' ''Sure, I''ve got the power I signed up for with Kanade now but I''m an amateur adventurer, you know. I might get my foot in the door unexpectedly. To prevent that from happening, I need to gain experience by completing all my requests. You can''t be too careful. ''Oh, I see!Rayne is a hard worker, isn''t she? I''ll do my best too. Yeah, we''re in this together. Ooh! ---------- We''re moving out of town and onto the plains. This is where we''re going to gather our medicinal herbs today. By the way... Meow? Is Kanade glad to have me along for the ride?I mean, I thought we had a contract or something to do? Nothing? ''Really?Then how did it get up there? I was traveling... We''re a small population, so we were living quietly in the mountains, but I thought that life was so boring. So we set out on a journey!That''s where I met Rayne... You just happened to be traveling through this whole wide world and stumbled upon me... Sounds like fate. Maybe. I feel like something has changed in me since I met Kanade. I just met her, but I feel like this bright smile has saved me. Maybe it really is fate. Then let''s do our best to collect some medicinal herbs! Wait, wait, wait. You can''t just run off. Meow. He grabbed Kanade by the neck and made him stop her as she tried to run out. ''''Uh.........what?'''' You won''t find them in the dark, will you? But I feel like the only way to get the herbs is to start looking for them right away. ''Let me handle this part. There''s a way only the Beast Tamer can do that. I look around the area. On a plain like this, you just have to look for... okay, I found it. "Rabbit? Yeah. First, I''ll give this guy a temporary contract. I walk up to the rabbit I found and hold my palm up to it. A tentative contract is a simplified version of a contract. It can only be used for a short period of time, but it''s an easy contract to sign. ''''Okay, contract done.'''' So, what are you going to do about it? Kanade looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, as if he was interested in Tame. ''First, I''ll have him gather his people.'' I ordered the rabbits to gather their friends. Soon after, about thirty rabbits gathered. ''Ooh, it''s fluffy heaven! So I''ll give you a temporary contract with all these guys. "Huh? Even though it''s a tentative contract, it would be a hassle if we had to do one bird in a row, so we signed it all together. ........done! Okay. You guys, find some medicinal plants that grow around here and bring them to me. I''m telling you, don''t mistake them for bait and eat them, okay? "''Cueeeeee! The rabbits chirped in unison and scattered to pieces. ''''And well, it''s like this, you can easily collect medicinal herbs by taming multiple small animals like this. .... I don''t know why, but Kanade was stunned. What''s going on? What do you mean...? What? ''I''ve never heard of taming more than one animal... even a small animal... thirty rabbits...'' ''What?Is that right? ''The average Beast Tamer can''t do it very well...?I don''t know much about temporary contracts but they''re usually limited to one per person, right?Since you''re using me, Rain shouldn''t be able to tame anymore... what do you mean? It seemed to be very unbelievable, and there were a number of question marks floating above Kanade''s head. What could have been so surprising? This much is natural for a Beast Tamer, right? Oh, here he comes. As we were talking, the rabbits came back with herbs in their mouths. They leave the herbs at my feet. ''Looks like it''s still good ... okay, again, please. "''Cueeeeee! The rabbits scatter again. ''Wow I''m following all these detailed orders properly... finding the medicinal herbs, collecting them and returning without hurting them... such a complicated thing. What kind of command is that for a small animal?Huh?What does that mean? Is that really such a surprise? It''s amazing!You should know that you''re doing something terrible, Rain. ''I don''t want to hear that...'' For the Beast Tamer, this is what it means to tame an animal. It''s obvious, so there''s no need to wonder about it now. ........right? The other Beast Tamers only know ''that guy'', so I''m a bit at a loss for words when asked about normal standards... No, I''m not going to be anything special. This should be normal. ''What is it that you don''t know about Kanade being a cat spirit race?It might be more normal for me to do these tames than you think. ''That can''t be true, nyaaah! Wow. Lane''s crazy, huh?There''s no way in hell I''m going to tame it like this! ''When people say you can''t do it this is the way it''s supposed to be for the Beast Tamer. ''''Ummm... that''s the thing, isn''t it? It''s not the kind of person who would lie, and there''s no way he''d deceive me... but it''s not like he''s enhancing his abilities with drugs or anything... it''s not like his talents are this great. It''s amazing. No, I don''t know if talent is a word that can be put away...? I don''t think I''m exaggerating, but.... If I said that, he might say something else. So I decided to keep quiet until Kanade calmed down. 6-Episode 6 Bandit The medicinal plants on the plains were mostly collected, so we moved to the back road. There are many kinds of medicinal herbs along the road. Don''t underestimate the importance of collecting herbs. If you collect many, many kinds of herbs, you can get more rewards. First of all, let''s proceed steadily and steadily. All right, boys, let''s go! So that''s funny! This time when he made a tentative contract with about ten wild dogs and used them, Kanade shouted as if he couldn''t stand them. ''How many times have I told you?It''s only natural for a Beast Tamer to be able to do this. It''s a given. "I think Lane''s ''natural'' is absolutely ridiculous... nyah? Suddenly, Kanade looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow. Her ears twitched...and her tail twitched in alarm. ''Rain, there''s some kind of commotion going on over there. I hear yelling and screaming and stuff like that. ''A dispute by other adventurers...?Or..... I hesitate a bit, and then I make a decision. Let''s go. Yeah. For starters, the dogs were set to put down only the herbs when they returned, and cancel the temporary contract there. ''''So you can''t normally give such complicated orders, you know...? I''m not surprised anymore, Kanade murmured. ---------- As they headed to where Kanade directed them, they saw the carriage and several men surrounding it. In the carriage, there is one man who looks like Gosha. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. There were twelve men in total surrounding the carriage. All of them are armed and can be recognized at a glance as some kind of badass. They are ''bandits''. It''s not a lucky thing to be able to escape from your bodyguards. ''''Those guys were in a hurry to get away when they found out we were the Jet Black Fang. What do you think?Hmm?How does it feel to be betrayed by an adventurer?If you''d like, you can tell us.I''ll be a snack for you, hahaha! The men laugh vulgarly. The merchant, surrounded by bandits, can only shudder. We watched them from behind the trees. ''''The ''Jet Black Fang''........?What''s the name of the bandits? I''ve heard of them. It''s a huge bandit ring, over a hundred members. They are brutal and cruel, and they do a lot of terrible things. I hear they have a bounty on their head. You''re a lot more informed than I thought. It''s important to be informed when traveling. So you have the information, but not the food? Meow. Gulping, Kanade dips down. ''Rain, let''s go get help,'' ...No, no. I don''t seem to have time for that. The bandits look like they could kill the merchant man any minute now. We should consider that there is not a moment to lose. We''ll take care of it ourselves. Are you sure?They''re a massive bandit gang with a bounty on the line, you know? I don''t care about that. I can''t just walk out on that guy. ''Nyahhh... That''s my master, indeed. I knew you''d say that. Kanade, you have to protect that merchant. I''ll take care of the people around me. Riley! "On my signal, shall we go?Three ... two ... two ... one ... now! With a gasp, he jumped out from behind a tree. ''What was that?'' The bandits reacted quickly, but they were still not far behind Kanade. Kanade crawled on the ground and ran to the ground, and in an instant he was fleshed out by the bandits. ''''Unyan! Gun, gong, and Kanade shakes his fist, and the two men surrounding the merchant fall down. ''''Rain!'''' I''m on it! I joined the battle and stood my ground with the bandits. ---------- I''m going to be honest with you and say that... I was worried. Rain has a talent that defies the norm for Beast Tamers, and yet, his physical abilities have been enhanced by signing a contract with the cat spirit race. However. It''s doubtful that he can properly use the power he''s suddenly been given. Won''t they be swept up by the power? Wouldn''t it destroy itself? I was worried. Even though it was the Lord''s order, wouldn''t it have been better if I had destroyed the bandits myself? I was thinking about that. ''''Phew!'''' Rain avoided the swords and axes wielded by the bandits with plenty of time to spare. He didn''t even bite his skin. Accurately avoiding the attacks......... And then I see a painful counterattack. The sound of bones breaking. Screams. The bandits fall one by one. ''''Amazing........'''' I was stunned. Rain has used the power of the cat spirit race perfectly. Without being swept away by the power, she controls it precisely, appropriately, and appropriately. It''s an impossible sight. If it were an ordinary human being, they would be swayed by the mighty power.... Huh! Rain''s fist caught the bandit, and another one fell to the ground. It''s incredible, but he''s completely mastered his powers. Talent, is it? If that''s the case, how much talent does Lane have? I don''t know if the word "genius" fits. It''s like a bottomless pit. And besides.... (That could be cool.) I can''t take my eyes off of Rain as she fights. ''I don''t know why....I''m nervous...'' I held the area around my chest, my cheeks staining. ---------- Phew. I let out a breath as I took down the last one. ''So this is it,'' Ugh......what strength........ Ouch... is this thing human? Oh, God d*mn it. The bandits were all lying on the ground. They were alive, but none of them were able to stand up. All they could do was moan and writhe in pain. ''Canade, are you okay over there?'' Uh-huh. I''m fine. Good. Thank you. Now that Kanade has secured the hostages, we can fight to our heart''s content. Well that''s great Rain, isn''t it?Even though you''re under contract with me, I can''t believe you''d take down that many bandits all by yourself. ''I''m pretty confident in my martial arts skills there. Sometimes you have to make an animal obey you by force. I''ve trained for those moments. Naturally. Kanade, for some reason, blushed as she blushed. Lane, that was so cool. I said something that made me feel embarrassed here. 7-Episode 7 Meanwhile, around that time... ''Hah, hah, hah ... oh, and the pursuer! It''s all right... but I managed to get away. Leanne and Mina looked back several times, gasping heavily. ''''Huh.......seems to be okay.'''' Yeah, it''s not a problem. Leanne and Mina took on the merchant''s escort as a way to make a little extra money. Arios and Aggus are not there. The two of them are preparing to attack the ''Lost Forest'' they are about to head into. Lean can use over a thousand magic. Mina can use a healing technique that is said to be able to revive even the dead. However, melee combat is not her forte. If they get out of time, it''s over there. So I hired a suitable adventurer as a vanguard and went to escort the merchant. It was supposed to be a simple request. It was supposed to be quick and he was going to get paid a lot. And yet..... What the f*ck are you doing? Hi! Lean grabbing the chest of an adventurer hired as a vanguard. The adventurer did not do a proper job. He didn''t do his job as a vanguard and put Leen and Mina in danger. Thanks to that, I ended up in a trap of running away against some thieves. This is unforgivable. The vanguard is supposed to protect the rear guard, right?But you''ll be the first to get hit and run away, so what are you going to do? "Mulder, don''t be ridiculous!I''m a beast tamer!I''m not cut out to be an advance guard. I explained that to you beforehand, didn''t I?Then you said you''d be fine with it and I''d be fine with it and so I''d be fine with it. So why did you leave us?You''ve created a huge disgrace by running away from a bandit! ''Even a Beast Tamer can fight, can''t he?The opponent is just a bandit. It''s not a powerful demon. Can''t you even do that? So don''t make me keep telling you!There''s no way the Beast Tamer is going to fight!You don''t have the strength to fight yourself, so you tame the beast and make it fight instead!That''s what it''s all about, Beast Tamer! What?How can you make such a silly excuse that even that garbage worm was fighting? Lean gave the adventurer a disdainful look. Even that useless Lean had fought with his own strength in battle. Even during the battle against the Four Heavenly Kings, he had fought as a vanguard. Of course, it wasn''t much use, but... but still, it was better than not being there. And yet, this adventurer.... He says he doesn''t have the strength to fight on his own. If that were the case, he would be no more useless than Rain. Together with Mina, they turn their eyes as if they were looking at garbage. ........But the two of them don''t realize it. That what the adventurer is saying is a perfectly natural fact. That Rain, who can fight despite being a Beast Tamer, is more unusual. ''So?'' What...? I understand you''re a chicken who doesn''t have the courage to fight. We''re all responsible for hiring a bum like that, but we''re not the only ones. As for the fighting, I''m going to go ahead and concede your side of the story, but... But... How could you have neglected to explore your surroundings? Oh, I didn''t neglect... ''You had, hadn''t you? In fact, we didn''t even notice the bandits until they were within visual range. You''re a beast tamer, aren''t you?Then you should have tamed those animals and sent them out to scout, shouldn''t you? Yeah, I got it out. I had the squirrel tamed and alerted. But a squirrel, even a very nimble squirrel, can''t have a full 360 degrees of alert. The bandits came around us, and that delayed our detection... Irritated by the adventurer''s words, Lean grabbed his chest again. He looked vicious and awesome. ''Oh?Then you can tame 10 or 20 of them and be on guard in all directions!Why didn''t you do that! Why, because it''s impossible, of course it is.There''s only one animal the Beast Tamer can use. ''Don''t lie to me. Do you think that kind of excuse will work? "Ugh, I''m not lying!You can''t even use two of them, let alone ten!That''s true for all Beast Tamers. If you use more than one of them at the same time, the burden is doubled and your nerves are burned out. Leanne and Mina looked at each other. They make a slightly dubious expression. I''ve never heard of such a thing. First of all, didn''t Rain use dozens of animals to always be on guard and searching the surroundings. There is no way that what Rain can do, no one else can do. Therefore, this adventurer is lying to protect himself. He''s spouting bullshit to cover up his incompetence. Lean and Mina made such a decision. Lean pushed the adventurer away. ''''d*mn it looks like I''ve drawn the worst hazards. I didn''t think there was anyone more useless than that garbage bug. ''Yes. I never thought I''d meet such a fool. Ggh..... The adventurer tried to argue something, but gave up. There would be no point in saying anything to these two. That was how it felt. It was as if they were dealing with a different species with a different language. ''What do we do now?I threw my client out.... ''Uh ... that''s enough. Let''s just leave them alone. It''s not right that we''d be putting ourselves in danger for a merchant. ''That''s true but won''t it hurt our name if we keep it up?If it''s just me, that''s fine, but when it involves Lean and Aggus and Arios, Well that''s not a good idea. Leanne thought. I found the request, but it was these adventurers who actually took the order. Lean and the others are ''brave'' and not adventurers. Although they are similar beings, they can''t casually take on requests like adventurers. If such a thing were possible, everyone would rely on the brave men and women. In order to avoid such a situation, an agreement has been made that only those with a certain level of power and authority are allowed to make requests to Arios and his team. Therefore, Lean can''t take on a request. So, they found a suitable adventurer and asked him to take the order on their behalf.... After thinking about the situation they were in for a moment, Leanne came up with a solution. She walked up to the adventurer who was still on his buttocks and held out her wand to him. ''Huh?Huh? Leanne coldly tells the adventurer, who is confused by the declaration of war. ''''You took this request on your own, tried to solve it on your own, and failed as a result... can we pretend that''s what happened? ''I see ... okay?You mustn''t talk about us, okay?We must never talk about how we were commissioned together, Mina, sensing Leanne''s thoughts, quickly got on board with the conversation. In short......... I''m going to put all the blame for the failure on the adventurers and pretend that they had nothing to do with it. That''s what Leanne thought. Naturally, the adventurers were angry. ''''F*ck you, don''t be silly!I can''t believe I''m the only one who''s going to get caught in the middle of this... this whole thing failed because of your recklessness!And yet, you put the blame on me alone and I''m not going to accept that!I''ll mention you guys when I tell you. Well..... Soooo, Leanne''s eyes narrow sharply. ''''If you''re going to play that kind of joke, you''re going to have to die here, though? What? ''I''m telling you, if you try to play a joke on me like I''m going to secretly report you later, I''ll kill you for it, okay?We''ll chase it down, hunt it down, and absolutely kill it. Wha... uh...? You have two choices. You can do what I tell you to do, or you can get killed in the process. What do you think? The fire at the end of Lean''s staff lights up. The fire eventually grows into flames, burning the adventurer''s face with a chill. ''Wow, okay!I''ll do what you guys say. It was all my fault!It''s my fault, not yours!That''s all you need to know! He''s a good boy. Well, go ahead. Your incompetence is irritating me just looking at you. Hi! The adventurer ran away, almost falling over and over again. ''Will you be okay?He won''t say anything extra, will he? All you had to do was threaten him. There''s nothing you can do incompetently. ''''Well that''s true. There''s only so much a fool can do, you know. You shouldn''t have to rely on just anyone. ''After all, it''s Arios and Aggus that I can rely on. Other than them, I wouldn''t trust anyone else. Oh, I''m tired. Let''s get the hell out of here. I''m going to miss out on my fee, and you''re going to get annoyed, and I''ve had a crappy day. Yeah. Leanne and Mina don''t realize it. The adventurer''s words were all correct, and that they had been doing the impossible. 8-Episode 8 Jet Black Fang When he had defeated all the bandits, he called out to the merchant. ''Are you alright?'' ''Yes, yes ... thank you for saving me from a dangerous situation. Thank you so much! The merchant seemed to come to himself and bowed his head in a hurry. ''''You''re not hurt, are you?'''' Yes, sir. Neither I nor you have a problem with that. ''Isn''t it a bit unprotected to move through a place like this without an escort? ''No, I had an escort, but when the odds were stacked against me, I ran away...'' Terrible people. ''It''s past time. It''s more than that.... The merchant says with a shiver. ''''Just now, the words ''jet-black fangs'' came out of the mouths of these guys... if it really is those ''jet-black fangs'', then we have to run away quickly... ah, how dare they. I can''t believe those people have spotted me....... Are they that troublesome? Due to being in a brave party, I''m not well informed about the world. ''''They are a bloodless bunch. They kill all of their prey. They kill everyone who opposes them. It seems that there are a lot of skilled people, and many adventurers and soldiers of the country are getting beaten back...'''' I see. Even though it was an emergency, I sold my fight to those people. I don''t regret that for a second, but........ If I leave it like this, it''s going to be troublesome. ''''Kukukukuku........'''' One of the bandits on the ground lifted his lips. ''You''re all f*cked up now I''ve learned that face so well I''m going to kill all your family, relatives, friends.................. ..... Is that a threat? It''s a fact that''s about to happen hahaha, see you in a bad way. They don''t seem to be remorseful. The other guys are similar. In that case, it would be more appropriate to judge the members of the ''Jet Black Fang'' who aren''t here to be the same type of people. ''''Then we should capture them all. What? The merchant rolled his eyes. Kanade rolled his eyes too. ''''What did you just say...?'''' We can''t leave these dangerous people alone, can we?It''s revenge or something, it''s too much trouble if they come after you later. We''ll just have to crush them while we can. ''Well Rain, that''s a bit reckless, isn''t it?'' Why? ''A bandit gang of over a hundred men, you know?I don''t really have a problem with it, but Rain is a human... even if you''re under contract with me, as expected, it''s going to be tough to deal with a hundred people, isn''t it? Not really. Meow? Well, I''ll take care of it. ---------- Upon questioning, we found out that the Jet Black Fang''s hideout is in a cave off the road. Leave the captured thieves to the merchants and we''ll head for the cave. ...I found it. It''s right there. We arrived at the cave, relying on our sense of smell. I hid in the shade of a tree as I had done before. There are two guards at the entrance. Are you sure this is the right cave? Yeah. Yeah. It''s said that the Jet Black Fang uses the cave as its hideout. You can hear a lot of voices in the cave, so it''s unlikely that they are out somewhere. Okay. What are we going to do?Do you want to go in there like you did before?Oh, but, but this time I''m going to stand in front of you, okay?I don''t care how much, because I think it''s too hard on Lane. ''You''re right. But I''m not going to go into it in the dark. It''s a bandit hideout that''s wanted. The inside is probably filled with traps. I don''t plan on showing my face in a place like that. There''s a forest out there... okay, there it is. We made a tentative deal with the bees flying around out there. ''You made a contract with a bee...?Well bees aren''t animals, they''re insects... Do you know what an Insect Tamer is? ''What?Oh, yeah. It''s the insect version of the Beast Tamer, right?You can make a contract with an insect.......no way. ''I trained as an insect tamer for a while. So I can use insects as well. ''What?Huh?Ehhhh...?I don''t know. How can you do that?I mean, wow isn''t enough of a word anymore... Kanade''s expression becomes complex, as if surprised and dumbfounded. ''''It''s impossible that I''m mastering two professions at the same time...'''' The Insect Tamer isn''t perfect, okay?There''s still a lot I can''t do. It''s the best I can do for normal use. Okay, the rest of the guys have made a tentative contract. It''s still more than enough. Rain is really amazing..........I''m starting to get numb to common sense. Or rather, I''m curious about Rain''s past that he even remembers such things.... I''ll have my emissary bee gather my people and... He made a tentative contract with hundreds of bees. ''I don''t think signing a contract with that many bees is usually referred to as using them...'' Really? Nyaah I''m always surprised when I''m with Rain. You won''t be bored, will you? ''....Hmph. Right. Even though he was about to pick a fight with a large bandit group, he was strangely calm. ........Maybe it''s because Kanade is with me. I''m not sure if it''s just because of Kanade''s smile that makes me feel like I can do my best. ''So, what are you going to do?'' This bee is a special specimen of the Earlby. It has a paralyzing venom that captures its targets and feeds on them when it returns to the hive. It is a unique bee that captures its target and feeds on it when it returns to the hive. Ah, I can see where this is going. You''re gonna turn Earlby against them, aren''t you? Correct. The Earl Bee is so toxic that once it stings you, you won''t be able to move properly for half a day. ''I''ll give the bees instructions here, so Kanade, go back to the city and gather the other adventurers and soldiers from the country. As expected, I can''t catch them all on my own. Yeah, ra-da! I nodded at him and.... Next, he turns serious. ''But be careful, okay?I don''t think you''re going to make any mistakes with Rain but you can''t let your guard down, can you? I know. The minute I get the wrong idea, I''ll run. I promise. Yes. Kanade glanced back at me anxiously, but.... He finally felt relieved when I gave him a firm nod as if to say it was okay. He jumps and disappears beyond the clouds. ''Good. Well then ... let''s do it. Go," he ordered the Earlby pack. 9-Episode 9 King Lizard It had been an hour since they had raided a pack of hundreds of Earlby''s into the bandit''s hideout. It''s about time. Deciding that, I stepped into the hiding place. ''''Gu.............................'''' I mean, my body... God, I''m sorry, why did you have to... There were bandits lying all over the place. They all seemed to have been poisoned by Earlby''s poison and could not stand up properly, only convulsing. I search every inch of my hiding place to make sure that they are all down. This would allow us to capture them safely. All that''s left is for Kanade to bring the adventurers and soldiers to me in good time... "Oh? It was getting noisy outside the cave. ''Oi, Rainy!I''ve got him!!! Loud Kanade''s voice. Apparently, Kanade was successful too. ---------- Once outside, I explained the situation to the reinforcements Kanade had brought with him. They were skeptical at first, but when I showed them the bandits lying around in the cave, they believed me. The assembled adventurers and soldiers captured the bandits one by one, and one by one. I watched the scene at the entrance of the cave with Kanade. ''''Nyahuhu, I''m a bit tired because I rushed...'''' Good night. Rain, Rain. Did I help you? Yeah, you''re just in time. Thanks, man. Hey! Rayne said nice things about you. When I stroked Kanade''s head, his ears twitched. He seemed pleased. ''I suppose that solves the case,'' ........nyah! Suddenly, Kanade''s face becomes sharp. It''s a grim expression, as if he''s wary of something. ''''What''s wrong?'''' This atmosphere ... this is not good, Rain! Huh?Just when you think you can''t... Screams and roars could be heard from inside the cave. ''What the hell?'' I''m going to get inside as quickly as I can. And then..... ''Kishaaaaaaah! A huge lizard, perhaps 10 meters long, was attacking the adventurers and soldiers. I remember learning about this individual when I was training with the Beast Tamer. A King Lizard. A demon comparable to a C-rank, it is a ferocious individual that is untouchable once it gets out of control. ''''Why is there a King Lizard here! ''Yeah, it''s like the jet-black fangs were taming it and... d*mn it, I never heard of this guy! An adventurer nearby told me that. ''Rain!'' Oh! Before, I wouldn''t have been able to do anything against the King Lizard. Even if Arios and the others were there, I would have decided that I couldn''t do anything about it. But now I''m different. There''s the Kanade. It doesn''t matter if I''m a cat spirit race or not. I felt like if Kanade was with me, I could do anything. So..... I''ll stand up to him! Let''s go, Kanade! Meow! We both charge at it. BOOM! A blow to one of the limbs supporting the body, avoiding a blow from the giant tail. Thrusting his fist out with all his strength... impact! The King Lizard barked as he felt a definite response. ''What?!'' The adventurers and soldiers are astonished. ''''You''ve damaged that King Lizard! And I can''t believe you''re bare-handed... are you really the most adventurous man alive? I''ll keep going! Kanade jumped and spun around. He used that spin to his advantage to hit King Lizard in the head! ''GGAAAH!!!'' As expected, I should say. The King Lizard staggered widely under Kanade''s painful blow. ''''Lie down for a while ... for a while! As he staggered, I slammed a kick into him. A blow to the side of the neck. The King Lizard couldn''t withstand the attack, which seemed to reap his consciousness, and he collapsed to the ground. ''''Phew.'''' Lane, you did it! Yeah. He exchanged high fives with Kanade. However, the adventurers and soldiers are pale. Their faces have turned pale, and they look like they could die at any moment. ''''What''s going on?'''' Oh, oh ... that ... The adventurer pointed to ..... ''Kishaaaaah! A new King Lizard. And not just one, but several. ''Really? How long have you had them? Well it would be a pain in the ass indeed. But it''s just a hassle, right? What about Lane? I''ll be fine. Hey, hey ... what the hell are you guys talking about?You''re going to die if you don''t run away soon! The adventurer makes a desperate appeal. He''s so upset by the unexpected reinforcements that he doesn''t seem to be able to see the situation. ''''Do you think you''re going to get away safely now?'''' Ugh, that''s... It''s okay. We''ll take care of King Lizard. In the meantime, I want you all to evacuate. No, I''m not going to leave you guys. I''ll be fine. Kanade laughs. I laugh. "We''ll take care of it. ---------- The adventurers and soldiers frantically fled out of the cave with the captured bandits. In truth, they wanted to abandon the bandits and run away. However, there were people who sacrificed themselves for them. At the very least, we must do our duty. Trembling with fear, they took the captured bandits outside.... And he managed to escape outside himself. ''''Ha, ha, ha.......oh, those two.......? The adventurer looks toward the cave. Faintly, he hears the sounds of a struggle. They are still fighting. They are still alive. The adventurer is reassured, but.... I couldn''t muster up the courage to go and support him. There is nothing I can do against such a monster. The only thing I can do is to pray for their safety. Please.......please be safe........ I''ve been an adventurer for years. I''ve never once prayed to God but.... For once, I prayed to God from the bottom of my heart for their safety. And......... The sounds of strife coming from the depths of the cave stopped. The battle must have ended. Who had won? If I were to think normally, it would be King Lizard. There was no way they could fight multiple King Lizzards properly. They would only be overrun one-sidedly. After waiting for a few minutes, no one showed up. Just as a sense of desperation began to waft through the air. Oh. Someone shouted. I hear footsteps. The sound of two footsteps. Eventually...... "''Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!!!!'' In order to protect themselves, the two remaining people in the cave showed up. Seeing those two, those who were present cheered loudly. 10-Episode 10 Rank Up Congratulations, Mr. Shroud. I had to deal with the various aspects of the banditry until well into the evening. Later, when I was called into the Adventurer''s Guild, a smiling Natalie said that to me. ''''Congratulations... what do you mean?'''' It has been decided that Mr. Shroud''s adventurers will be upgraded in rank. What? Suddenly, I spill out a goofy voice. I''m up in the ranks? Mr. Shroud will be promoted from a grade of F to a grade of E. Is that so? Oh, you did it, Rain. Congratulations! Kanade blesses me with his innocence, but I''m not sure I''m feeling it. The only thing I''ve done since I became an adventurer is to collect herbs. Natalie seems to understand my doubts, and she explains to me. What you need to do to improve your rank is to complete a certain number of requests. Shroud-san hasn''t completed the required amount of requests yet, but a special exception has been granted. How did that happen? ''You did this to yourself, and you forgot?It''s about the jet black fangs. Yeah. Somehow, I understood the story. ''''The destruction of the Jet Black Fang, which other adventurers were also having a hard time with, is largely due to Shroud-san''s achievement. Or rather, it''s entirely thanks to Shroud-san.'''' No. I just paralyzed those guys, I didn''t do that much. ''Humility. I heard that King Lizard showed up and confronted you and Mr. Kanade to get everyone out of there. ''Well, that''s...'' Once again, it was a bit embarrassing to be pointed out to me by others. At the same time, I remembered something I didn''t like and felt bored. I was so self-conscious at the time. If someone asked me to do the same thing again, I might say no. That''s how hard it was. ''''Our guild has determined that Shroud-san has made a great contribution to the destruction of the Jet Black Fang. Therefore, we have decided to raise Shroud-san''s rank in honor of his achievements. Well thank you. ''Don''t say thank you. By nature, we owe you an apology. What do you mean? ''''The Jet Black Fang is a request equivalent to a C-rank. Having achieved it, Shroud-san is judged to be as good as a C-rank. Yeah?Isn''t it strange then that you were promoted to an E grade?Shouldn''t you be promoted to a C grade? Kanade interrupted me from the side, seemingly in doubt. I had a similar thought, so I didn''t particularly restrain myself. ''''That''s the problem...'''' Natalie makes an apologetic face. ''''There''s a rule that says ''adventurers must be ranked up by one level''.......I''m sorry. It''s true that Shroud-san did the equivalent of a C rank, but rules are rules. I''m sorry. Oh, no. You don''t have to apologize. That''s just the way it is. I''m not complaining or complaining about anything either. It would be nice to hear that. I''m just glad it''s so easy to move up. .... What''s going on? ''Chuckle. Mr. Shroud is kind, isn''t he? You care for me, don''t you? I don''t think so. If you say it''s not, let''s pretend it is. Natalie is beautiful, smiling, and I can''t help but admire her. ''Ow! Meow.... For some reason, Kanade stomped on my foot. ---------- It''s been a lot of things, but I''ve risen in rank and earned my reward. ''''Wow, that''s a lot of money.'''' ''''I can''t move up in the ranks, but they''ve offered a special reward for that. Three gold pieces. That''s the reward for the whole affair. Kanade looks pissed off and.... Next, he makes a face as if he just remembered something and his tail goes squishy. ''''Nya-uuu..... What''s going on? I''m hungry... "Haha. You can''t help but laugh at what Kanade says. Nyaaah, laughing is terrible! I worked so hard! Sorry. I know, Kanade worked a lot of hard, didn''t he? Let''s get some food. ''Ooh, food, food, food!I''m going to eat a lot of food! Kanade smiles and gets a big smile on her face. He was a little slobbery. She''s a cash boy. But maybe this kind of cheerfulness is the charm of Kanade. Rain, Rain!I want fish!I''m drooling just thinking about it! It''s already out. ''Oops ... hehe, I''ve been caught embarrassed. Rain, let''s go home now!Today''s meal is fish! 11-Episode 11: Friends ...nyah.... Kanade, sitting across the table from me, looked like the end of the world had come, and let out a somber sigh. He had forgotten about it because of the incident with the bandit group, but he had also completed the request to collect medicinal herbs. Remembering that, I reported it to the guild just a few minutes ago. The reward for securing a large amount of medicinal herbs was tripled. He was able to obtain a single silver coin. It''s an unbeatable reward for just collecting medicinal herbs. In addition to that, the reward for defeating the bandits was three gold coins. I won''t have any trouble finding a place to stay for the time being. However, there''s still a long way to go if you want a stable life. It''s not so much to get pumped up, but since it''s the first reward, I thought I''d have something delicious to eat in a hurry.... "....no fish.......no.......no......no.......nyahhhh...... That''s right. This "Horizon" is a city located deep inland, so there is no seafood. Occasionally, a merchant from the ocean is said to be able to obtain marine products by trading with them, but this is rare. In Horizon, fish are highly valued as a high-class foodstuff, and are rarely seen, and even when they do appear on the market, they are quickly bought up by the nobility. It is impossible to find fish in a restaurant frequented by ordinary adventurers. Kanade, who was completely ready to eat fish, couldn''t have been more disheartened. ''''My fish........fish........'''' ''Well the meat looks good, too, doesn''t it?Look, doesn''t this herb-grilled chicken look great? ''I want fish I''m not in the mood for meat...'' This is serious. I''d like to take care of it, but ... hmmm. Yeah. I suddenly remembered and rifled through my luggage bag. I stopped by the beach once when I was at a brave party... As I recall, that''s when.... There it is. "Yeah? I can''t do grilled fish but you know what, I''ll make a fish preserves. Meow! Kanade jumped up and grabbed the preserves in a frenzy. It''s a good idea to have a few of these in your hand.Can I eat it? ''Okay. That''s what I put out there for. Well thank you Rayne for the fish. That''s kind of a funny word. Also, I waited a minute to eat. I''ll order something else. You''re right, it''s bad manners to just rent a seat. Yes, sir. ---------- By the time we finished eating, the sun had set. I''m not going to push myself from the first day, so I move to the inn. For now, I got a room for the week. ''''Ooooh, a bed! I''m so glad I''ve been out in the field for so long these days! ...how did this happen? Kanade, who was in the room with me, was quickly getting on the bed and frolicking like a child. I, on the other hand, was in the mood to hold my head up. Me and Kanade had one room each. That was the plan for the week. Getting two rooms would increase the expense of that, but it can''t be helped. Even though the other party is a cat spirit race, she''s still a girl around her age. It''s not normal to sleep in the same room as her. And yet..... There was no other room available, so me and Kanade were squeezed into a double room. ''What''s wrong?''Lane''s not sleeping?The bed is so soft. ''Uh I''m good. I mean, I''m going to camp out today. What? Why? You can''t sleep in the same room as a girl, can you? Uh.... For some reason, he was disappointed. ''I wouldn''t mind having Rain with me, would you? Never mind that. I''m a man. Could it be that he''s not considered to be the opposite s*x at all, or is that the punchline? That''s a very subtle feeling. ''Nya, I know that much. Rain is a boy. I''m a girl. Then you know why it''s not okay to sleep in the same room, right? I know, but I don''t understand. It''s a bit confusing to me, because it''s like a zen question. That''s a little embarrassing, right?No.................It might be quite embarrassing. Sleeping in the same room as a boy like Rayne........nyah, I''m going to blush. Then.... But I believe in Lane. .... ''Rain would never do anything weird... I''m fine with it because I believe that. If he didn''t, we wouldn''t be sleeping in the same room! Is he a softie or is he naive... Oh dear. It''s going to take a lot of work to convince Kanade. "Are you ready?Don''t trust people so easily. We just met the other day.You''re crazy to trust someone like that. Mmm, I feel like an idiot. ''I''m not trying to be silly, but I''m telling you to have more of a sense of urgency. Kanade''s a sweet little girl, you know. I''m not going to hurt Kanade but I''m a man myself. It could have been an accident. I''ll be fine. How can you be so sure? Because I believe in Lane. The story was going in circles. ''Huh ... how can you trust people so easily?'' ''I don''t believe in people, okay?I believe in Rain. I''m not sure I understand the difference. ''If it were anyone else, I wouldn''t believe it, would I?But not Rain. Because we''re ... we''re friends, right? .... Those words pierce deep into my heart. Friends...... I remember when I was at a brave party. The people I thought were my friends weren''t my friends or anything. It was a selfish assumption on my part. Then what about Kanade? Can''t believe it? Doesn''t that sound like we''re on the same side? ...that''s not true. Kanade is ... a friend. We''ve only just met, we don''t know each other very well yet, and our outlandish behavior can be startling at times, but it''s not the same. But you''re my friend. And you''re my friend. Lane''s my friend. That''s why I believe in him. I see. Oh no. I was going to convince Kanade, but on the contrary, he convinced me. ''All right. I''ll stop sleeping in the field. I''ll sleep here. Nyaah, it''s the best thing to do. A smile returned to Kanade''s face. Maybe I was smiling too. ''Oh, but I wish you''d look over there when you''re getting dressed. As expected, it''s embarrassing and........nyah. I know what I''m doing!In that case, don''t be shy, as you would expect. Yeah. Kanade smiles at me. It''s a smile like the sun. Looking at that smile, I can get a very warm feeling. If I could..... I want to be with Kanade all the time. It''s pretty embarrassing to think about, but... That was my unmistakable truth. The first time I made a ''real'' friend, my ''real'' friend. I didn''t want to let it go. 12-Episode 12: Thoughts of Kanade I turned off the light and lay down on the bed and Rain fell asleep immediately. I could hear him sleeping peacefully. I was still awake as I lay in bed as well. I look at Rain, who is sleeping comfortably, and smile. ''''Nyaa........Rain, you look so cute asleep.... He looked at Rain''s sleeping face and felt something warm spread across his chest. ''''Nyafu...'''' I chuckled as I thought back to the day I''d spent with Rain. It had been such a fun day. I was so giddy with hunger that I passed out. I even almost got attacked by a killer tiger when I took advantage of the opportunity. We defeated the bandit group together. ''Rain is a good man,'' You saved my life. You fed me. You were kind to me. And the best part about it is that.... I am the strongest species, and that''s what made me treat myself so ''normal''. I''m the strongest species, and I''m a rare cat spirit race among them. From my experience, there are no rotten things when I come into contact with humans. There was a human who tried to catch me because I was a cat spirit race. ........Of course, I was allowed to physically eliminate them, though. There was a person who tried to get me to cooperate and ask for my handout in some way. There are those who believe there is a treasure of the cat spirit tribe, and they want to know where it is. The people who approached me had some kind of "plan". Money, greed, honor.... I was on the verge of distrusting people after being shown such human karma. It was then that I met Rain. Rain was only surprised that I was a cat spirit race........but that''s all. For helping me out of pure goodness........ After that, she never showed any greed and treated me as a normal girl. I can''t tell you how happy that was for me. If I told Rayne about it, she would probably laugh at me, but it was such a shock to me that my world was turned upside down? Rayne made me smile, and she helped me overcome my distrust of humans. That''s something I can''t thank him enough for, no matter how much I appreciate it. ''I don''t know what I would have done if it wasn''t for Rain... and even if I had been safe, I would have gone back to my home town to endear myself to people. I had a near respect for Rain. That''s why I want to help Rayne. If Rain is in trouble, I want to remove that obstacle, no matter what I have to do. ''''Rain is still hurting from being kicked out of the hero''s party, after all...'''' I was surprised to learn that Rain had been enrolled in a brave party. On the other hand, I was convinced. Rain''s Beast Tamer power is substandard and outrageous. I''ve never heard of it not only using itself, but also using dozens of rabbits at the same time. On top of that, he also has the power of an Insect Tamer. That''s absurd. If Rain has that kind of power, I wouldn''t be surprised if he joined the party of the brave....... From what I heard, he was kicked out for lack of competence. ''I can''t forgive her! I felt like preaching to the brave party that did the stupidest thing. Now find the brave party and beat them all to a pulp........ Then, I''d get down on my knees to Rain. I was seriously thinking about that. That''s how angry I was. But the anger doesn''t last long. You start to have more sadness than anger. ''When I said I was one of you........Rain, you had a complicated look on your face.......'' Think about Rain''s feelings. Perhaps..... He thinks he''s blown it, but I think Rain is still hurting from being banished from the brave party. It''s not the fact that he was told he lacked strength, but the fact that he was betrayed by his friends is what he feels most, most bitterly. I want to heal that wound. I want to heal it. What can I do to help you do that? How can I get Rain to laugh heartily? Nyah I can''t stop thinking about Lane. Why is that? My face is a little hot. My heart is pounding. ''Hmmm ... well, that''s okay! Right now, it doesn''t matter to me. It''s about Rain. What do you think I should do? ''Ummmmm... no, I don''t understand... nyah.'' I think about it, but I can''t come up with a good solution. At times like this, I resent myself for being so stupid. Should I have studied a bit more in the village? ''I don''t know what I can do... but yeah, no matter what, I have to be there for Rain!I''m Rain''s real mate... Make no mistake about it. I swore to myself that I would ... I think about being by Lane''s side for a long time to come. 13-Episode 13: Heros Story "f*ck! In the dense forest, the brave Arios clicked his tongue. A week had passed since he began to attack the "Lost Forest". However, he still hadn''t been able to defeat the boss. To be more precise, he couldn''t reach the boss. As the name implies, the "Forest of Lostness" is a maze-like place that confuses adventurers. It is even said that if you set foot in it casually, you will never be able to get out and will just rot away. Normally I would ignore such a place, but.... Arios and his group had a reason for not being able to do so. The boss here possesses the ''Shield of Truth'', the legendary armor needed to fight the Demon King. Hence, we started to attack the ''Lost Forest'' but........ What is the meaning of this forest?No matter where I look for it, it doesn''t lead to the right path... really, is there a legendary armor here? I''m sure of it. I''m sure of it, and I''m getting it from someone I trust. ''d*mn, I can''t believe I have to spend a week in a forest like this...'' But I''m tired. I need a bath. ''Leanne. Don''t be selfish. We are on a noble journey to save the world. I know, but come on, but it''s been a week, okay?As expected, aren''t you getting sick of it? It''s... Lean''s frustration was understood by Mina. This is because Mina herself is fed up with the unreasonable difficulty of attacking the ''Lost Forest''. She has been progressing while creating a map, but this is useless. As time passes, the path changes and the destination gets further away from me. I was unable to proceed properly because of the repetition of such things. That guy?Agus, who is that? ''You know as well as I do Arios.It''s about Rain. Huh. Arios bit his lip evasively. ''With Rain''s abilities, we could explore every inch of this forest. From above, we might be able to find a new path. It was useless but that''s the only use I had in mind for it. ''Don''t be stupid!Do we really need the help of such incompetence?I can''t approve of that kind of bullshit. Yes. I''m against it. I was dying to get rid of that little worm. You didn''t do anything wrong by banishing them in there. Well I don''t want you to be a parasite like that and I agree with Leanne. ''Indeed. I can''t argue with your decision to banish Rayne. But don''t you think that was poor timing? Gulp. Arios is at a loss for words. Inwardly, he approves of Aggus'' words. No matter how powerful Arios and the others are, there is no point in this Forest of Lostness. Because if they can''t choose the right path and reach the back, then nothing is meaningful. And the only person who could do that........was Rain. Rain is certainly not powerful. He was a liability when fighting the enemy. However, he was very good at supporting the Beast Tamer by using his abilities. For example, letting animals carry their loads. By taming a bear or other animal, it could carry dozens of times more than a human hand could carry. This was a skill that was more than useful to adventurers. If they could carry a lot of luggage, they could make their expeditions farther. They could fight to the fullest without running out of water and food. Rain was able to support the supply line all by himself. Arios and his group had thrown him out without realizing it. Now I realize the importance of Rain, but.... Arios refuses to admit that. No, he doesn''t want to admit it. Who can admit that the man they banished as useless was actually an important part of the party? Arios has developed a bad habit. Because he has been called a brave man and has received a lot of respect from people, he sometimes lacks consideration for others. The case of Rain this time is just that. ''Isn''t it strange that that trash worm is so useful?He said it was absolutely crazy. Lean was just like Arios. A master of more than a thousand magics, she had been hailed as a genius from an early age..........................and she was self-deluded. It was impossible for me, a genius, to care for an ordinary.......or even lesser person. I''m seriously thinking about that. ''Maybe we''re lacking in our efforts. Such as not being able to attack without someone like that........'''' Mina was the same kind of person as the two of them. She was educated to become one of the brave and came to believe that her mission was to save the world. Unable to fight properly, Rain is just a hindrance to Mina''s noble mission. ''I know what you two are trying to say. I also understand what Arios is trying to say. But ... isn''t there any other way? Aggus'' words were heavy and pierced the three of them. For a week, they tried to attack. However, instead of defeating the boss, they couldn''t even move forward properly. If this was the case, their journey to defeat the Demon King would stall here. And in a sense, it would be inscribed with the perception that they had failed because Rain was not there. That''s the only thing I can''t tolerate. Arios slammed his fist against a nearby tree in frustration. ''How about we use him for once?We''re not bringing you back to the party. We''re just hiring you as a guide here. That''s about as close to a compromise as you can get, don''t you think? Aggus''s words silenced the three of them. ''But hey, do you think they''ll come back now?'' ''Well I''ve said all those things. I don''t see a problem with that. Yeah. Arios agrees with Aggus'' words. ''He''s such a goody-two-shoes that he''s a fool. I''m sorry at the time, I didn''t mean it.................or whatever the hell you want to call it, and he''ll be right back. So, once you''ve conquered the ''Lost Forest'', you can throw it away again. Wow. It''s so tight. So, Leanne wants to stay with you? Mashaka. I don''t want to be with that garbage maniac. I''m sick of the thought of them coming back just once. ''It can''t be helped. It''s hard to do without him it''s only one time. We must be patient. So, we have a deal, then. Yeah. I''m going to pull Lane back in. Once we do that, we''re good to go. Let''s get ready to vacate the premises. Arios, who said that, had no feelings of apology or repentance for Rain or anything like that. Use him. That''s all he could think about. Thus, Arios and his group would return to Horizon........ They, they hadn''t realized it. That they had been given up on, even by Rain, who was a bottom-feeding softie. That Rain had already gained a true companion in Kanade. 14-Episode 14: The second strongest species It''s been a week since I met Kanade. Things have been going well since then. Doing requests with Kanade, eating together, sleeping together... It''s just that Kanade doesn''t like to have separate rooms and has no choice but to keep them in the same room. Be that as it may........ I had no problems with any of it. When I was at the brave party, every day was busy as a storm. Not only was I in charge of exploring the surrounding area, carrying our stuff, and other tasks as a Beast Tamer, but I was also in charge of preparing everyone''s meals by myself. I was also on guard, and I was in charge of waking everyone up in the morning. When I think about it now, I was probably being used for my own advantage. But that''s not the case now. I can do what I want to do and.... I''m ready to make a move for Kanade. Thanks to Kanade, I''m really grateful to him. I don''t know what I would have done if I hadn''t had that encounter. That''s how I was enjoying my free adventurer''s life, but... An incident was going to happen. It was an incident that would, in a way, affect my life. ---------- The Stride Bridge Watchdog? As usual, I was at the guild, looking for a request. Natalie, the receptionist I had become friends with over the past week, was sighing deeply, so I spoke to her to see what was going on. Then I heard an interesting story. ''Yes, it is. For a few days now a rogue has taken up residence on the Stride Bridge in the south of town and has been running amok, playing games with people as they pass by, one after the other. It seemed to be deeply troubled and Natalie looked tired. By the way, perhaps because we got to know each other to some extent, her tone was a bit broken. I''m glad to feel that this is the one I''ve gotten to know better. ........I have no other intentions, okay? Is that a rip-off thing?Are you a bad person? That''s the hard part... At Kanade''s question next to her, Natalie made a gesture of pressing her fingertips to her temples. ''I guess it''s a headache. ''It seems that when they see that you''re a competent person, they''ll start a fight with anyone... it''s just that it''s not like they''re killing each other. It''s not like they''re just killing each other. Thanks to that... it''s strange to say, but so far no one has died. Hmm, strange case. Why would I do that? ''I don''t understand that. They''re not robbing us of money or goods, nor are they targeting anyone in particular. I could think of a line of harassment against a particular merchant unit, but that''s not the case... Anyway, they seem to be randomly attacking people passing the bridge. Apparently the public is off-target...but that doesn''t make me feel safe, and the number of people using the Stride Bridge has dropped dramatically. If this continues, there will be serious traffic paralysis. I see... It''s certainly a serious problem. The Stride Bridge is one of the bridges that connect the central continent, where this city of Horizon is located, to the southern continent. If an incident happens there and people get farther away from the city, logistics will be disrupted. Right now, it doesn''t seem to be causing much damage since the incident just happened....... If left unchecked, the damage would be impossible to ignore. So, why are you telling us this? I''m so glad you asked! Natalie giggled and crowded over the reception counter. Was she this aggressive...? Have they been wearing the mask of an outgoing person? But it''s nice to see a new side of you as you seem to be getting along well. ''''This time, the Guild has been entrusted with solving this case!So there... how''s that?Would you like to take this request? What? We did? Meow? I''m confused by the suddenness of the story. From what I''ve just heard, it''s a very important matter. Is it okay for us, who are still E-rated, to accept such a request.......? This time it''s called a special request and there are no restrictions based on rank. It''s also possible for more than one adventurer to take on the task. The first one to accomplish the request will get the reward. Do you think it''s appropriate to do that? At first, we issued it as a request for a higher level of difficulty, but a lot of people got beaten back, and we couldn''t solve the problem at all... we couldn''t just sit back and do what we had to do. I see. As for the adventurer''s guild, I guess they want anyone to solve the problem. According to the story, a lot of adventurers have been reprimanded, so they must be under that much pressure. ''''However.......I''m not sure if we can do it.... You can do it. I''m secretly hoping I can do it, you know? Is that so? ''''The cat spirit tribe''s Kanade and the beast tamer Rain, who is using such a powerful species!It''s a hot stock in the secondary market right now, right? What do you think? Unnecessary? Kanade looks up. Have you been listening to me? ''Well, um ... there are people out there doing bad things, aren''t there?'' Yeah. ''Then I''d like to do something about it. No bad things. It''s a very typical Kanade opinion. ''Oh, but I respect Lane''s opinion, okay? ''Well Natalie, by the way, what''s your reward?'' ''Listen and be surprised!What five gold coins! I got it. ---------- There''s a part of me that was caught up in the reward, but I also really want to help if there are people in need. Besides, I''ve heard that there have been no deaths, so there''s no need for Kanade to worry about getting hurt. Well, it''s also possible that they just haven''t happened to appear until now, so we can''t be too careful, but....... So me and Kanade came to the Stride Bridge. ''Wow, wow, that''s a big bridge!Rain, Rain!It''s so big. Kanade was frolicking like a child. It''s not hard to understand that feeling. Between the central continent and the southern continent lies a huge canyon. The depth........is unknown. There were scholars who tried to measure it, but everyone gave up because of its tremendous depth. It''s as wide as a city. That''s how huge the cracks in the earth are, and they are tremendous. The bridge over such a place is so huge that it could be mistaken for a castle or a fortress. The massive bridge is made up of a series of intricate iron pillars that are further reinforced by magic. Not only is it sturdy, but it is also wide enough to serve as a keystone for traffic. It''s wide enough for four large carriages for the merchant fleet to run parallel to each other. It''s amazing! I''ve never seen anything like it. ''Huh?I heard that the Cat Spirit Tribe''s home is on the Eastern Continent according to rumors.......didn''t the bridge go through?The Eastern Continent is also separated by a canyon, right? I didn''t come through?There''s a toll on you. So how did you get to the Central Continent? Yeah. I ran hard, jumped hard, and jumped over the side of a ravine. ...he was a hell of a kid. Jumping over that huge canyon and all that... Once again, I was reminded of the bullshit abilities of the strongest species. ''It''s such a big bridge and there''s no one there, people, no one. Maybe they''re all afraid of this Watchdog thing. "Let''s give the bastards what they want! ''Yeah. Good luck. Crossing the bridge with Kanade. ''What does he look like?'' I don''t know ... there''s no real testimony left. Since there were no deaths, we should be able to get some testimony on the killer... It seems that the adventurers who had been returned were all dejected and in no condition to talk properly. There is an enemy whose identity is unknown. I''m getting a little nervous. We don''t know what''s going to happen," he said, "so let''s keep our guard up. Let''s keep our guard up. Yeah. Walk with caution. What was it, about half an hour? When we got to the middle of the bridge it finally came. ''Rain, that!'' What? A roar that echoed across the sky. Wings so huge that they cover the sun. A body that cuts the wind and runs through the sky. It is......... Dragon? A dragon, one of the most powerful species, has landed in front of us. 15-Episode 15 Dragon Power Test I broke out in a cold sweat. I feel a pressure that doesn''t compare to the pressure I felt the other day when I was confronted by Killer Tiger. I didn''t do anything but just stare at him, but that alone would make me pass out. The Champion of the Sky. Lord of the heavens. The destroyer of worlds. The most powerful species a dragon. Why is there a dragon in this place...? Maybe that dragon is a bad person? It''s not... is it? Even at times like this, the fast-paced Kanade helped us regain our composure a bit. What we heard was that ''someone'' was running amok on the bridge. If a dragon had appeared, it wouldn''t be such a story. Or rather, if a dragon was the opponent, it wasn''t the guild''s turn. It''s the country''s turn now. It''s beyond the ability of a mere adventurer to do anything about it. ''''Ah.'''' Kanade exclaims in surprise. I roll my eyes, too. Suddenly, the dragon was engulfed in light. The light that enveloped the dragon became smaller and smaller... Eventually, it takes human form. ...Transformed? When the light cleared, there was a girl. She was about the same age as Kanade... maybe 15? She is as beautiful as Kanade. Her hair is so long that it almost reaches her legs. From her crisp expression, you get the impression that she''s strong-willed. However, she doesn''t take a completely human form. The horns and tail ... there was a slight trace of a dragon''s face left. The girl pointed at the stunned me and said, "You''re an adventurer, aren''t you? You are an adventurer, aren''t you? What...? Hey, you''re not listening to me! Oh I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I was just a little surprised. Answer me if you can hear me. So... you''re an adventurer, then? Yeah, yeah. For now, I need the information now. I decided to answer the girl''s story honestly and nodded with a coy smile. ''Then you''ll have to compete with me! ...match?Um, what do you mean by that? A game is a game. Don''t you get it?I''m saying, let''s have a power contest. ''No, I know what the word means but what I''m asking is why would you do that?'' Because I want it! My head is starting to hurt in another way. ''Nyah?........are you, Red Dragon? Kanade, who seemed to have some idea of what it was, said something like that. ''''Oh, you know about my kind?'''' I know. The Red Dragon is famous for wanting to fight. ''Don''t make me sound like a battle maniac, will you?I mean, you''re not a cat spirit race. ''Yeah, that''s right! I''m Kanade of the cat spirit race. It''s nice to meet you. "I am Tania the Dragon!If you insist, I''ll do my best to accommodate you. To get the name of a dragon... Kanade''s communication skills are not half bad. Well, in Kanade''s case, it feels like she is just talking to her instincts without thinking too much. "A contest of strength, you mean.......could it be that you''re the wolf who''s been rampaging on the stride bridge lately? Don''t call me that. Don''t call me you or a ruffian or something.I have a great name, Tania. ''Well do you mind if I call you by your name?'' Yes. I give you special permission. So Tania is the one who''s rampaging on this bridge? I don''t want to call it a killer, but well, I''m generally right in that perception. It was easily admitted. This is........troubling. I''m deeply troubled. You didn''t expect a dragon... How am I supposed to accomplish such a request? Come on, let''s have a contest of strength! Wait, wait, wait, wait. I don''t understand what''s going on here but why is Tania doing this? The Red Dragon has a very annoying code, as I recall. Unexpectedly, Kanade answered. ''When I turn fifteen, I''ll travel to become a full-fledged, strong, respectable dragon, was it?It''s such a code. Oh, you know a lot about this. Did you say Kanade? Yes, it''s Kanade! ''''Hmmm ... a top-notch adventurer and the cat spirit race ... enough of an opponent to make you strong! So, wait a minute... maybe, just maybe, what... are you here to pick a fight with the adventurers passing by to get stronger? Yeah? I could answer that with a straight face! Isn''t that a vague definition of "one man"?But a strong dragon is easier to understand. First, we have to train against a human. Humans are surprisingly strong, you know. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. And then.... for that reason, I acquired a spell to transform into a human. ''So... we found a big bridge that looked convenient for a duel, so we decided to stay there...? He''s right. You''re not a man of your word. This girl is too haphazard........................in a way, she''s like Kanade. I mean, is he serious? How could a dragon race train against a human? That''s the stupidest thing I''ve ever heard of. But I''m sure he''s a very serious person. Tania''s eyes were serious and she didn''t seem to be lying. ''By the way when a dragon like you shows up, there''s usually a rumor about it...'' ''Oh, you mean that?I''m not stupid. Normally, I take on human form. Today I felt two incredible signs, so I swooped down in a hurry and that''s why I saw my true form. Well may I ask you one more question? What? I didn''t get a lot of information about you, but have you ever threatened anyone you''ve played against? ''I''m not going to be that savage. I''m going to have to go. I''m an adult now. ...Oh, I see. If it was only for looks, Tania is a pretty girl, like a deep-windowed daughter. If she was defeated by such a girl, her pride would be torn to shreds. I could see why the adventurers who had been returned were disheartened at every turn. ''''End of story?Then let''s play the game!Let''s compare strength. ''What?No, wait, wait, wait!We didn''t mean to... I mean, Kanade or not, I''m not the right person to deal with you. What is that?Humility?Sure, you''re human, but you''re a first-rate adventurer, aren''t you? ''No. I''m a newbie who just became an adventurer not long ago... You won''t be fooled by that lie. My gut tells me that you have extraordinary powers of adventure. You may look like this, but you''re a good judge of character. ''Nah ... maybe Tania saw through Rain''s Beast Tamer talent. That''s why I''m assuming she''s a top-notch adventurer. ''That''s a misunderstanding of what you''re saying, but...'' ''But Rayne''s about as awesome as a top-notch adventurer, right?I think you''re a talented adventurer, not just a beast tamer. Nyaah. Even Kanade agreed with Tania. I can''t help but feel that my escape route is becoming more and more blocked. Come on, let''s go have a go at me!I don''t mind if it''s two against one. What do I do? Tania is very motivated. She''s already in position. ''Let''s give up, Rain. I think we''re going to have to fight this one out. And yet these are dragons the most powerful race of dragons in the world? If you say so, then I''m the strongest species, right? I''m afraid you''re in danger. Lane''s going to protect you. I believe in you. "You''re easy to say... No? ''As much as I can ... no. As for me, I''ll definitely protect Kanade. It''s my duty as Lord of the Beast Tamer. Yeah, that''s Rain. How did you end up dealing with a dragon race? I''m tempted to bemoan it in my head, but.... There''s no point in regretting it. I''ll do my best. Don''t worry I''m not alone now. I''ve got Kanade with me! 16-Episode 16: Game Come on, let''s go! The first move is Tania. She kicks the ground and rushes in. ''I? Gosh, it was coming at me at a substandard speed. I hurriedly flew to the side to avoid it. ''''We''ll do it. By the way, that blow would have eliminated half the adventurers.'''' Does that mean I''ll pass my first test? There''s still lots of trials ahead. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey! Tania made a gesture of swooshing and breathing in... Gosh! Like a dragon, the fireball flew out of his mouth. ''Is that even possible?'' You''re transforming into a person, so don''t do anything people can''t do! Avoid it at all costs this time. Right. Left. Behind. The fireballs were fired one after another, and somehow, I manage to avoid them all. Unya!Hot, hot nyah! Wha, Kanade? The tip of the canade''s tail was dusty and burning. I hurriedly flapped my hand to put out the fire. ''''Unya.......my prized tail is dusty.......'''' You okay? Yeah, it''s nothing to worry about. But I''m mad at you! What? Humph, are you up for it? You''re getting in the way of my tail! This time, Kanade rushes through. The impact is like shooting out a massive shell at close range. However, Tania catches it head-on. ''''Guh, that was a bit of a surprise! Ooooooh, my tail! Kanade''s rush. Even my eyes, whose physical abilities have been enhanced by signing with Kanade, can''t catch a fist. Tania deals with such a startling series of blows with both hands. The two of them are evenly matched. .........when it seems to be even, Tania spins around. And then a blow by her tail. ''''Nyang!'''' The dragon''s tail is a deadly weapon in and of itself. Kanade, who was struck by a blow as sharp as a whip, was sent flying off with a rush. "Kanade! Catch a blown canade in mid-air! Still, he couldn''t kill the momentum, and he''d be blown away with it... but... d*mn you! I put my hands on the ground and slowed down with friction. I managed to regain my position and landed on both feet. ''Thanks, Rain...'' Don''t charge in alone. Meow I''m sorry. I''ll come with you this time. Yeah! Eye to eye, eye to eye, timing.... Charge! As if to pinch her from both sides, she hits Tania. If you hesitate against the strongest dragon race, you won''t last a minute. I''m going to hit them with all my might right now. ''''Phew!'''' Yah! Hmm...! Me and Kanade''s blows were blocked by both of Tania''s hands. Each of the attacks from the left and right, each of which was received with one hand. Is the dragon race even more monstrous than the cat spirit race! ''Seiyaaah! Tania grabbed me and Kanade''s hands in reverse and spun them around on the spot. She spins around so much that a small tornado forms... As it is, it is thrown high in the sky. ''Ugh, nyahhhh! Wha...? No matter how good we are physically, we can''t fly. We''re a great target now. In fact, on the ground, Tania was ready to take a stand and shoot the fireball out again. "Kanade! Yeah. He made his body thin as a spear and changed the trajectory of his fall. I managed to get to Kanade and... They kick each other''s legs in the air. The repercussions of this, their bodies fly sideways... Immediately afterwards, Tania''s fireball passed through the place where she had been a moment ago. It landed on the ground. He also avoided the fireball that was shot out aiming for the moment of landing, and got a distance from Tania. ''''Kanade.'''' Meow? How do you understand my intentions? We kicked each other in the air and used the recoil to avoid Tania''s attack. I had a flash of something like that, but I didn''t have time to put it into words, so I did it instantly... Kanade responded as perfectly as we had discussed. ''Because he''s one of Rain''s friends...'' I see. Friends. It sounded good. It gave me a sense of fulfillment that I never got when I was at the brave party. "You''re good," you said. You''re the first to outlast me in a row!I''ll give you a compliment... So, are we going to stop here? What?What are you talking about?There''s no way I''m going to stop having so much fun. I was hoping you''d say that. Thinking that just saying so is free, he tries to offer a truce, but it is immediately rejected. "I''ll go further and further! Tania rushed through again. But ... for the second time, that doesn''t work anymore! "Yikes! Grabbing Tania''s arms and shoulders while missing her body to the safety zone, she uses her opponent''s momentum to spin her around. As it is, she slams into the ground. ''Ouch.....................I was caught off guard. I''m not going to be like this anymore. How about that? You said it! Tania spun around and delivered a blow with her tail. She dodged the blow, sharp as a whip, as she crawled on the ground. He continued to run and get close to the flesh. This time, he grabbed both hands and threw himself backwards! It''s gone? I''m rather serious about it, but Tania just says it hurts, and doesn''t seem to be taking much damage. Is the strength of the dragon race unlimited...? I''m going to do it then I''m serious! ''Seriously you can''t be serious about that? Now, what do we do about this? Tania made a gesture as if she were taking a deep breath. The light converged. ''''Is that...! It''s dragon breath! The dragon''s deadly blow is released. A roar, an explosion, and the sound of a shot. A torrent of flashing heat ate at us. ''''Rain!'''' Okay....okay! Kanade glanced at me and... I can guess the intention. Maybe this is what Kanade was like earlier, too. Maybe this is what it means to be friends. ''''Se-eeeeeeeee! He timed it perfectly with Kanade and shot his fist forward! A blow with the whole body. The cat spirit race and the twin strikes that borrowed their power created a powerful shockwave.... It collides with Dragon Breath and offsets it. ''''........'''' Tania rolled her eyes. ''''I''m stunned ... I didn''t think you''d be able to block my special move in that way. Hmmm, a combined attack with Rain... For some reason, Kanade seems happy. I''m glad that we were able to do something like that, improvise without a meeting, but... I''m glad that we''re breathing together. If I could, I would never do it again. It will shorten my life span. ''It''s getting more and more fun!Now, I''m serious!I''ll give you my all. Let''s have fun to our hearts'' content. Not good. The fact that he was biting down on the heck out of it made Tania get serious. With Kanade, I don''t feel like losing. But I can''t have any consideration for my surroundings. What would happen to the bridge if he seriously clashed with Tania........ ''''Well Kanade, I''ve got a little plan for you, can you give me a hand?'''' I''ll always be on Rain''s side. Thanks. From here on out, I''m going to fight like me ... like a Beast Tamer. 17-Episode 17: How to Fight the Beast Tamer I made a deal with Kanade Take the power of the most powerful species in the world and.... Maybe I was being a little smug, I don''t know. Taking on a dragon in a fist fight is ridiculous. I''m a beast-tamer. You have to fight like a beast-tamer. "Kanade can you buy me five minutes no, three minutes of your time? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Quick answers. That''s encouraging. "Buy me some time and I''ll take care of the rest. ''Hey!Then I''ll go all out... I''m on it! Are the war games over? Apparently, Tania had been waiting for me in a disciplined manner. Maybe she''s underestimating him because he''s human. If that''s the case, there''s an opening to take advantage of it. ''''Ikuyo! Huh? Kanade dashed. He approached Tania at such a high speed that she might leave an afterimage, and hit her with a series of fists. It''s like a storm. ''''I''m going for more! Kanade spun around as Dokuraku spun around. A twist, and then a kick added. A flurry of strikes with fists and feet. As expected of Tania, she was forced to focus on her guard. ''Can we skip that much out of the blue!My stamina is fine. Rain will take care of the rest, so we don''t have to worry about that! Hey. Don''t give away the plan. Well, I''m not in the mood for idle chitchat. I''m going to use my Kanade powers to jump on the bridge railing. "...and... I sharpened my attention and explored my surroundings. The objective is a certain ''bird''. Maybe it''s because of the power of the Kanade, but I couldn''t have been more focused. I can search for signs around, for several kilometers. And......... I found it! A faint image of a bird in the sky. I head towards it and let the power of the Beast Tamer fly. ''''Here it comes! It''s easy to be misunderstood, but Beast Tamers can control their targets to some extent without having to sign a contract. They can say things like "Wait" or "Come" or "Walk away". If it''s a very simple command like that, they can make you do what they say. Of course, it''s only valid because it''s just an animal, and you can''t give orders to the most powerful species like Tania. But that''s enough for now. ''''Squeak! In response to my words, the birds flapped their wings and came over here. There were about 10 of them. It''s a bird called a ''Pitot'' with two extremes of color, black and orange. While I was having a skirmish with Tania, I saw this guy... I''m glad I''m not wrong. Alright, good boy. We have signed a tentative contract with 10 pitoys. Now I can give them more complex orders. It took roughly three minutes to get to this point. Perfect. I climb down from the parapet with Pitot and the others and shout to Kanade. ''Kanade, I''ll take care of the rest! Yeah, it''s all yours. Tania smiled wryly as she took over with Kanade. ''Oh, you''re going to be my partner this time?I admire you for using the cat spirit race but you''re only human. I wonder if you''ll be able to match me with someone who''s serious about it? "I''ll bet you it''s them!Go. He gave the order to Pitot and the others. They flapped their wings at once and rushed to Tania''s side. They crowded around Tania, attacking her with their sharp beaks and claws. ''Wait, what is this? I tamed those guys. Now they''ll do whatever I tell them to do. ''You''ve tamed all these kids!Gosh, that can''t be true! Even Kanade was surprised. Is it so strange to tame multiple animals? ''But ... so what?I''m surprised that you can tame more than one animal, but what are you going to do with a bird like this one?Just so you know, this won''t hurt at all.Or is it not for damage, but to block my view? ''Even if you did, Tania would be able to reap the birds in an instant, wouldn''t she? Yeah. It''s useless. I mean, it''s so annoying, I really should do it now, don''t you think? ''I''m sorry, but that''s not going to happen. If you were going to do it, you should have done it as soon as possible. What? Tania gave me a strange look... In the next moment, his expression became distorted. ''''What is this.......my body, the power............'''' Staggering unsteadily, Tania fell to her knees. "You....what did you...what did you do...? You''re just being an idiot. They''re very special birds, and they''re very poisonous. What''s the poison? Just a grimy color, huh?It''s called warning colors, and it''s a way to show off that I have poison. Pitot is one of those birds. I''m just a bird and I''m just a.... ''It''s no use. Pitot''s venom is powerful enough to kill people in some cases. That''s for 10 birds. Even though they are dragons, there''s no way they can take no damage. Being a dragon, I don''t think it''s going to kill me but I won''t be able to move for a while. That''s it. I give the signal and release Pitot and his friends. Pitot and his friends fly up into the sky... It seems that Tania, who was left on the spot, had a hard time even standing up, and collapsed on the ground with a crumpled body. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it''s not a good idea to be defeated in this way, even if it''s a forceful push. ''Don''t try to accomplish things on your own, work together with someone else... this is how the Beast Tamer fights. This is a better way, don''t you think? Yeah, maybe. So do you want to keep going? Well, I''ll pass. I don''t think I''ll be able to move for a while haha I''m tired. Well, I guess that means me and Kanade won. "Ok I, Tania I admit to losing. Unexpectedly, Tania surrendered to me in a straightforward manner. Suddenly, she asked me to fight her in a duel, and her unprecedented behavior was noticeable, but.... Maybe he''s not a bad kid. It suddenly occurred to me. ''Laneenoo! "Oh! Kanade ran up to me and held me in place. ''Great, great, great, great!I can''t believe they actually let Tania beat a dragon... and use bird poisoning!Not to mention the skill of a beast tamer, something you can''t do without deep knowledge!I knew Rain was amazing. Oh, thanks. Meowwww... Lane wins, Lane wins. ''Oh, calm down, Kanade. I know you''re happy, but there''s something I need to do first. ''To do?Um ... spanking Tania? I felt Tania break out in a cold sweat as she collapsed. ''I''m not going to spank you, but I want to talk to you about things so let''s get Tania into town. You''re going to sell me to someone else? ''I wouldn''t do that. I told you.He wants to talk to you. For my part, I want to keep things as quiet as possible. To do that, I need to talk to Tania and get her to promise me that she won''t do anything like that again. What if I told you I couldn''t ask you that...? At the time I was ... what did I do, I was in trouble?There''s so many things that I didn''t expect, I didn''t think that far ahead... hopefully you''ll accept my persuasion... hmmm... .........pfft, haha! Tania laughed happily. ''You guys ... won ... so why are you in trouble ... it''s funny, it''s really funny ... ... ''That being said I''m in rather serious trouble, don''t you think? Weird human being it''s okay, I''ll come with you guys. And I can''t tell you what I''m going to do but I''m going to talk to you. Thank you. It''s just... "Just? Can you just give me a second to... Are you numb?Ch-ch-ch-ching, ch-ch-ching. Hey, hey, hey.......don''t poke me, now that''s.......oh, no! It''s not quite as tight as it could have been, but... For now, the fight with Tania is over. 18-Episode 18: Second Contract He returned to the city and reported the request complete. However, he did not hand over Tania. Even though he had handily asked for a duel, it was not malicious or vicious. If he was handed over to the guild, he would certainly be handed over to the state as is, and caught. As expected, I felt sorry for that, so I mixed in a report with a lie that the culprit had been chased away. The guild is not stupid, so they don''t believe our story as it is. Is the culprit really gone? They''re sending a team of investigators to look into it. If the results of the investigation show that the culprit is really gone, then the request is complete. Until then, the case is on hold and there is no reward. Well, it''s a matter of course, so I''m not complaining. I''m sorry. It''s not that I''m doubting Rain-san, but after all, it''s just a problem, so I can''t simply admit it....... Natalie looked apologetic. ''No, fine. It''s only right that we investigate. How long will the investigation take? ''Well the culprit was out every day so I''m guessing two or three days, I guess.I think it will be over rather quickly. Miss Lane will still be staying in town, right? I''m not sure I''m going anywhere. ''''Then I''m sorry to trouble you, but please come back to the guild in three days. At that time, I''m sure we''ll have completed our investigation and I''ll be able to give you your reward. All right. I''ll see you in three days. I was leaving the guild. Oh, by the way, Natalie says, as if remembering. ''Who is that girl over there?'' ''''Well we met in the middle of a request. This request, she helped me with it... ''I see. So you''re an adventurer? No, I''m not that kind of person. Don''t be surprised to hear that I''m the ruler of the skies, Dora Muugu! So, we''re done here. I''ll see you later~ Muggs, muggs! Me and Kanade left the guild while blocking Tania''s rampaging mouth. ''Annihilate! After some distance from the guild, I released Tania. Tania is prurient and angry. ''''I feel bad for covering your mouth out of the blue, I feel bad about that. But what were you thinking, trying to reveal yourself in a place like that?'''' I just couldn''t resist. Tania doesn''t have a plan. ''I wouldn''t want to hear that from a no-nonsense cat spirit tribe. Cat? What? The two of them sparked off with a bang. ''We''re not going to fight here,'' "Because he''s the one! You''re breathing so well. You''re closer than you think. We''ll just go get some dinner. A lot of things have made me hungry. Dinner!Meow~ Of course it''s on me. Their eyes sparkle when they hear the word "food". After all, they are close to each other. ---------- ''Huggy huggy!Ammu, gibberish! Snapping!Hmph, hmmm........gokun! Kanade and Tania are eating their food at a tremendous pace. I wonder if the strongest species can''t compare to others in terms of the amount of food they eat? I don''t make enough money, so I hope you''ll cut me some slack. Once the plates were stacked in a pile, their appetites finally subsided. ''''Nyaa~? I''m full and satisfied!'''' Not bad. You know, human cooking is not so bad. I''d like to talk to you in a calm place, but... Okay, you know what? You can ask me anything you want. Or I''ll tell you everything. Thank you for dinner. Maybe it was because her stomach was satisfied, but Tania was in a good mood. ''So, about what we''re going to do now... Tania''s not going to do that again, is she? Well what should I do? Hey, hey. Just kidding. I''m not. Tania giggles. He''s more like a little devil than a dragon. ''You guys beat me to the punch and I wasn''t much of a trainer to begin with so I''m not going to challenge you to a duel on that bridge. Thank you for saying that. What would you have done if I hadn''t listened to you? When that happens, we''ll be on the hook for you again. Are you sure you can beat me again? ''None. I think my win over Tania was the result of a combination of factors and a lot of luck. Next time, I don''t know if I''ll be able to win. But now that we''ve gotten to know each other, I can''t just let it happen. If we continue to do the same thing, Tania''s true identity might be exposed at some point. A full-fledged strike force might be formed. We don''t want that to happen. Hmmm... you''re such a softie. That''s the beauty of Rain. There''s no denying it. I like that about you. Thank you. It''s not that I want to be your girlfriend or anything!Just because I like your personality, that''s not what I mean. I know. I''m not that vain, by the way. Mmm, that''s what''s so annoying about being so easily convinced. What do you want me to do? ''Hey, hey, what''s Tania going to do now?You''re going to continue your training, right? Kanade asks while drinking tea after dinner. Maybe it''s because she''s a cat spirit race, but she didn''t seem to like hot tea, and she kept blowing on it over and over. ''That''s the thing though I''ll follow you guys! The sudden turn of events nearly blew out the tea I had been drinking. ''''Nah, how can we talk about that...?'''' I''m interested!I''m sure I won''t be bored with you guys it''s going to be a lot of fun.... Is the training good...? ''I have a feeling that being with you guys is what I''m going to be training for. Best of all....Rain, right?I like you so much... Whew! Tania sits up and puts her hands around my neck and hugs me. Kanade saw this and, for some reason, turned his tail upside down. ''I''ve never seen anyone like Rain before. Not only did he not just beat me, he helped me and then he did a lot of other things for me and I just care about him. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Am I allowed to stay with you? ''Hey!Get away from Rain, Rain is my master, you know. It''s a bit of a stretch. ''Not good!Hush. Are you jealous, by any chance? ''Huh?I mean, that''s, uh... uh... "Hmmm. You don''t like women who don''t stick with you, do you? Kirawa...! Kanade''s cat ears flattened and his tail drooped in a hefty fashion. He seemed to be having a bad imagination and had a desperate look on his face. At a time like this.... I''m glad to see Kanade''s reaction. The series of reactions are a sign of how he feels, that he doesn''t want to leave me. ''You won''t hate me,'' Really...? Isn''t it obvious?Kanade is a valued colleague. Mwah. Rayne, you''re so sweet. Hey, hey!Don''t ignore me. Then don''t be so mean to me like you were before. Like I said, Kanade is a very important friend. Ummm... well, I''m... sorry about that. Hmm. Tania''s apology is well-deserved. Whew. Reflexively, he pats Tania''s head like he does with Kanade. Is she angry? I looked at Tania''s face fearfully, but she didn''t look angry. Rather, her cheeks were stained and she seemed somewhat happy. ''''Mo, you can pet me more, okay?It''s not that I want to be petted, okay?It''s a...well...yes, a sign of reconciliation! Really?Then ... stroke, stroke, stroke. Huh.... Tania''s eyes moisten as she looks at him. Does the Beast Tamer have anything to do with it? Also, I''m not a superstar at all... ''Well ... about Tania''s future ... Kanade. ''Ummm ... well, I''m good, okay?They were mean to me, but I don''t hate Tania, so... ''I''m not sure I have any particular reason to disagree with you, either. It''s just a hunch, but I think you and Tania will get along just fine. It''s the same feeling I had when I met Kanade. Maybe Tania could be a true companion. I had such a feeling. ''It''s settled! Tania chuckles at our story. ''Well, get on with it and sign me up! "...wait a minute. Why would you want to talk about that? ''What?If Kanade has the contract, why shouldn''t I have the contract with Lane?Are you trying to get me to stay away from them? Wait, wait, wait. Don''t go on with the story on your own. I don''t mean to, but if you can make a good deal with Tania of the dragon race... Lane can do it. They trust me unconditionally. And Kanade, but how can he trust me so much? ''Let''s just try it. If it fails, that''s fine with me. Well, I don''t expect it to fail in the slightest. Lane will be fine. Canade beats me to the drum. Contracting with the dragon race.............hmmm. To be honest, I''m not so sure........ Since you''ve been told so much, let''s just do it. ''All right. Then Tania, sit in that chair over there. Yes, sir. Tania sat down in her chair and faced me. She bites her finger and draws a magic circle with the blood that flows. I hold my palm up to Tania. ''My name is Rain Shroud. I make a new covenant, and I hereby make a bond with you. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with power in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? "...Tania... The magic circle turned into particles of light and was sucked into Tania''s body. ''Is that it?'' Oh, yeah we''re done. Not only did I make a deal with the cat spirit race, I was able to make a deal with the dragon race as well.... I think I''ve run out of luck in my lifetime. Hmmm... this is what it feels like to be used. It''s a weird feeling, like I''m connected to Rayne at all times and in all places, but it''s not so bad. But maybe it''s not so bad. Tania looks at me and smiles. ''It''s nice to meet you from now on, Master...'' 19-Episode 19 New Request Tania joined the group and... The next day. After receiving a new request, the three of us moved to the plains. This time the request was to defeat the slime. The reward is based on a percentage system, which changes according to the number of slimes defeated. The slime is an F-ranked demon, a small fish that even a child can defeat. Hence, they are not considered a threat and are often left alone, but.... They''ve been neglected so much that they''ve multiplied in large numbers. There are more than a hundred of them. They attack animals, livestock, and fields with the force of destroying the ecosystem of the plains. Sometimes they even attack people. They couldn''t be ignored, and the guild was asked to help. "Neeeeeee, a slime. Kanade let out a disagreeable voice. ''What, Kanade, are you afraid of the slime? Meow. No, no. Tania said mischievously, and Kanade puffed out her cheeks. ''''There''s no way the cat spirit race is going to take a back seat to a slime!In my hands, it''s crunch time!But ... I don''t like slime because it''s so squishy and sticky ... nyah, it''s gooey. Oh, yeah. You''re right. They''re like a lump of mucus, aren''t they? If you''re a Kanade who specializes in physics, you don''t like them. Meow.... Well, don''t worry. I''ll reap them all in one go with fireballs and breathers. Oh Tania, you''re so reliable! "Hmmm, can I get more compliments? ''Tania, wow!Tania is the best! I was worried about the two of you getting along, because meeting people is meeting people... Apparently, it was unfounded. Tania may not be honest in some ways, but her roots are kind. She thinks about Kanade properly and tries to shoulder what she can''t do, like now. These two could make a good pair. ''Slymoo, slymoo, somewhere slymoo...'' I''ll shoot ''em all down with my fire Singing a strange song, Kanade and Tania look for the slime. However, the slime is nowhere to be seen. There shouldn''t be any place to hide, since there are more than 100 of them in the swarm. However, the plains outside the city are also wide open. They must be hiding somewhere you can''t see them. Nya, I can''t find them. It''s a pain in the ass, so why don''t you just reap them all in one piece with my bracelets? Don''t say that kind of thing, even in jest. What, I''m serious? .........I''ll have to teach Tania some common sense later. ''There''s an easy way to find out without doing anything so outrageous. So full of confidence. What are you going to do about it? We can search the skies. I called in an ordinary wild bird, not a venomous bird like the last one, and made a tentative agreement. ''Hey, hey, what are we going to do?You''re going to use that to search for him? But what are your orders?Is it like, ''Find the slime, take me there''? ''That''s fine, but it''s a bit of a pain in the ass. It''s hard to use animals for directions. Sometimes the animals misunderstand the meaning of the command and are taken in a completely different direction. So what are you going to do? Assimilate. What? Tania looked dubious, as if she didn''t understand what we were saying. Rather than explaining it in words, it''s quicker to have her see it in person. I focus my attention on the wild bird that made a temporary contract with me...assimilate it. My perspective switches from ''human'' to ''wild bird''. What I see in my vision are Kanade and Tania and myself. ''Ah, that?Rain''s presence suddenly disappeared and... what?But Rain is here and yet... I mean, isn''t Rain''s reaction weird?It''s like a doll... "And that''s because my soul is in this wild bird right now, isn''t it? "What? The two of them were scurrying around. Somewhat later, I ... my gaze is fixed on the wild bird. Do you want to... Rain turned into a bird...? ''It''s a shame. I''m not very good at complicated explanations for transferring part of my soul into this bird and immobilizing my consciousness...'' To put it simply, I transferred my consciousness into the bird. My body now is this bird, I guess.'' What? Together, they both had a question mark floating above their heads. ''''This is one of the Beast Tamer''s techniques called assimilation.'''' I''ve never heard of such a thing! ''I''ve never heard of that! He says it so boldly and loudly that I cringe. I''m a wild bird now, so they''re both big and powerful. ''''Not only do you use animals as emissaries, but you''re transferring your consciousness... what?Oh, yeah? ''Rain, and it''s outrageous - I mean, I''ve acknowledged that to a certain extent, but I never thought it would be this good - it''s an extraordinary thing to have the strongest species all together using a technique they don''t know about, isn''t it?It''s something that Kanade would only admit to ... really, it''s amazing. "Assimilation is not much of a technology.It''s not that much of a compliment, but... ''No way! Again, we were all told together. Hmm. This much, to me, is a very common skill. Of course, it''s not something that the average person who doesn''t know anything about anything can do right away, but.... I thought it was something that any Beast Tamer would be able to do. Perhaps I''m not aware of that area? By the way, how are we talking to each other? I''m delivering the thought wave. You can''t speak the language when you are assimilated with animals, so you supplement your magic to deliver the thought waves. I''m a beast tamer, so I don''t have a lot of magical power, but I have enough magical power to deliver thought waves to people near me. Naturally. You''re really good with your hands. Okay, I''ll take a look around. In the meantime, you take care of my body. La-la-la! Have a good day. They saw me off and I flapped my wings high in the sky. 20-Episode 20: The Power of the Dragon Tribe Kanade and Tania watch as Rain, assimilated with the wild birds, flutters away. Rain disappears into the sky and... Suddenly, as if remembering, Tania murmured. . Well, there''s nothing I can''t do.......but when your magic power is low, there should be more noise mixed in. And yet, I could hear the voice with great clarity....... What do you mean? Hmm ... let''s check back later, shall we? ---------- After two laps around the perimeter, I returned to Kanade and Tania. I release my assimilation with the wild birds and return to my body. ''Phew. I knew I''d feel more comfortable in my own body. It''s a strange feeling when you assimilate, isn''t it? I feel like I''ve really become a bird, and I''m afraid I won''t be able to return. Hey, guys. So, what have you got? ''Yeah, it''s perfect. I found a large amount of slime about five kilometers east of here. I''m pretty sure it''s about that request. All right, let''s go. Let''s race to the site. Whoever loses will have to buy everyone else a meal. Okay, then... I can''t lose! The two of them run out and quickly get to the point. I''m not going to be able to beat them. I mean, I''m the one holding the purse of this party, so I''m going to end up buying the drinks, right? Oh dear, I sighed and chased after them. I ran lightly for three minutes, trying not to use up all my energy. I caught up with them. Even though my physical abilities have been strengthened since I signed a contract with Kanade, I was still unable to catch up with them. ''''Rain is bili~'''' I''m going to be a Gochi. You guys are going to... well, never mind. And the thing is... Around the border of the forest and the plains, there was a blubbering thing buzzing around. Slime. More than a hundred slimes swarmed together, dissolving the vegetation and rotting the earth. I see. As expected, we can''t just leave it here. It''s going to be a bit of a disaster. Well, let''s get this done quickly! Kanade lifted a rock there with a ''good thing''. It was a large rock, several dozen times larger than I was, but he lifted it easily, as if he didn''t feel the weight of it. ''Are you going to smash it?'' Yeah. I don''t want to touch it. ''I have a feeling it''s going to be a disaster in more ways than one but, well, it''s very destructive. The opponent is more than 100 slimes. If I attacked them in a small way, the sun would go down. ''Can Tania attack me with fireballs and breathers?I''ll go after what you two missed hunting. But first, I''d like you to try something... can Rain do magic? Hmm?I could use at least a beginner''s heel and a fireball, but... When I was in a brave party, I had learned magic to see if it would help me in any way. Most of all, though, I didn''t have any talent and could only learn elementary magic. ''Then can you attack me with a fireball? What''s the point?The magic power of the Beast Tamer is a lot of money.... Just do it. Oh, come on. Oh, you just go ahead and give it your all. Okay, okay. All right, don''t push. Any more and we''ll run into a bunch of slime. What in the world does Tania want to do? There''s nothing interesting about my magic... Anyway, let''s do as we''re told. Focus the magic power in the palm of your hand. Build a magical structural formula in my head. And then unleash it all at once! Fireball! Fireball is a beginner''s level of magic that anyone can use, and it can produce a fist-sized fireball. Its power is such that it can kill a single slime. And yet..... What? "Yeah? The fireball I released grew into a giant fireball the size of a man. It didn''t stop there, it continued to grow even more.......and landed in the center of a group of slime. A fierce explosion of fire broke out as it raised a pillar of fire that almost reached the heavens. The swarm of slime that should have been more than 100 slimes was wiped out. ''''Wha........what the hell is this! While Kanade and I were stunned, Tania nodded with a satisfied look on her face. ''Hmm, I knew it.'' Do you have any idea what happened to him? ''Lane, you signed a contract with Kanade to get the physical abilities of the cat spirit race, right?Then ... if you sign up with me, what do I get? Oh. The correct answer is the magical power of the dragon race. You know that the dragon tribe is not only highly physical, but also possesses strong magical powers, right?When they fly, create fireballs, and spit out breath, they use their magical power to make up for it all. It is said that this is the second highest magic power among the strongest species. The magic power of the dragon race is in Rain''s hands. Seriously.... Seriously. Not only did I get the power of the cat spirit race, but also the magic power of the dragon race.... There''s so much going on that my perception of reality can''t keep up. Before last time, I was just a hapless beast tamer who was just getting jerked off at a brave party... I feel like I''m dreaming. That''s the end of the explanation. So, let''s talk about the details later and collect the magic stone. ''Meow!There''s still some slime left. Hey. More slime appeared from the back woods. The information about 100 of them was wrong... Or they''ve been splitting up by the time we get there, and the population has grown even more. Either way, these guys need to be cleaned up too. ''Just as well. Let''s use these guys as a training ground for Rain. What do you mean? ''Rain got the magic of the dragon race, but he doesn''t control it well, does he?Magic is so much harder to control than the physical body. If you don''t practice a little bit when you can, you''ll get hurt later, okay? Come on, Rain, hang in there. ''I''m still surprised and my train of thought is a bit numb, but...'' Get your head out of your ass. You''re our master. ''''Well I guess so. We need to get our shit together. Don''t be embarrassed to stand next to them both.... I have to grow up to be stronger. Can you teach me how to use my magic? All right. I''ll just go for it. Please be as gentle as possible. Go, go, go, rain, don''t lose, fight, rain Cheered by Kanade.... He kicked off the rest of the slime while learning to control his magic power. ........Tania''s teaching method was spartan. Tight. But thanks to that, I was able to control my magic power to some extent. Thanks. 21-Episode 21: Rains Past I finished my request and reported to the guild. It was just as well that the sun was setting, so I went straight to the dining room. ''''Nyaaah... Onii, Onii... This is my meat...'''' What''s that stupid song? ''Ahoy!Nya........Tania is terrible. Rain, Tania will tease you! ''Wait ... you didn''t go that far, did you?Don''t say anything inappropriate. Also, don''t tell Rain to do it. They are both in good spirits today. They seem to have a good relationship for whatever reason, and they are constantly smiling. These two might be able to call themselves best friends in the future. I had a vague feeling that they might be best friends in the future. By the way, Rayne, I''d like to ask you something. I have to ask you something. Tania looked at me as I dipped the bread into the soup and snacked on it. ''Yeah?'' Lane went to school? The school Tania is referring to is probably the ''Adventurer Training School''. As the name implies, it is an institution where students learn the skills and knowledge necessary to become an adventurer. Aspiring adventurers go to school to acquire strength. Then, they learn more skills in the profession that suits them best. Then, after becoming a full-fledged adventurer, they graduate and walk the path of the adventurer. Half of the adventurers in the world are school graduates. The other half are people like me who just jumped in and became adventurers. ''No, I''m not. I just jumped in. So where did you learn Tame? Oh, that bothers me so much! Kanade got into the conversation. ''Where did you get such a joke of a power? I''m really curious.'' ''Is it so funny?Isn''t my Beast Tamer''s power normal? It''s not. They were both in denial. I guess that''s because they both say so. However, I''m not aware that I''m special myself. ''''Well it''s going to be a bit gloomy, but do you mind?'''' Dark story? ''It''s never a pleasant story, you know. While we''re eating, I don''t know about you but if that''s okay with you. Talk to me. The two of them gave me a look that said they still wanted to hear it. I think back to my past and tell them about myself. ''I''m originally from the southern continent. ''Oh, really?Why are you in the Central Continent? ''Well I came here as I was traveling with Arios. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade looks annoyed. Tania, on the other hand, looks puzzled. What''s the matter with you? Okay. You haven''t told Tania yet. I was at a brave party once, you know? Heh, I see. You''re not surprised. ''It''s something that would make sense if you were as good as Rain. But it''s different now, isn''t it?How did you get out? I guess I''m out, or rather, I got kicked out. What? I explained the sequence of events as it relates to me and Arios. For some reason, Tania is silent. .... Tania?What''s going on? That brave man........isn''t he a bastard! Donk, Tania taps the desk. I can see her uncontrollable frustration. ''''Rain has a tremendous amount of power, and yet you''re banishing him or something like that.......Rain wasn''t the one in charge of support and supply in the first place. And yet, what kind of eyes are you looking at, like you''re useless?Don''t be an idiot, oh my God, it''s disgusting! I don''t know what to say, but thank you. Why do you have to thank me? I was just happy that Tania was mad at me for me. I didn''t do it for Rain.I just heard something so ridiculous and got annoyed by it... and anyway, it wasn''t for Rain''s sake!Don''t get me wrong. Yes, sir. I''m afraid I was wrong about that. Tania is a sweet girl at heart. It''s hard to find a girl like that who can really get angry for others. ''Hey, hey, Rain. I don''t care about your bravery, where did you learn to tame? Kanade put the derailed story back together. ''Right. At home? My hometown is a special village where beast tamers gather. It was a small village that didn''t have a name, but... if we had to name it, it would be the home of the Beast Tamer. Home of the Beast Tamer... Wow. I didn''t know there was such a thing. I''ve never heard of that before. Thinking back to the old days, he continues his story. ''My family was my dad and my mom, and we were both beast tamers. So, as long as I can remember, I was learning the art of beast tamer naturally. I didn''t even think about doing anything else. ''Ooh, you''ve taken over from your mother and father, haven''t you? Rain, oyakodon! You want to be a filial piety. What kind of a picky eater are you? ''''Ummm.......we''re in the middle of eating, so I made a mistake. I''m so embarrassed........ I hadn''t thought back to my hometown for a while now. I was close to my parents and I was close to the people in the village. I don''t have any bad memories but.... But when I think back to the village, I automatically think back to ''that incident'' as well. So I naturally avoided it. I thought I couldn''t talk about it calmly anymore. But........now we are talking about our hometown in a calm manner. It''s probably because of the two of us. I feel at ease just by being with them. Thanks for that. Meow?What are you talking about? Well, you know, it''s a lot of things. So ... Rayne learned about Tame from Mom and Dad, right? Yeah. I got all my skills from my parents. Oh, I know a few things are different. I learned the Insect Tamer technique from my neighbors. There were a few people who had other skills. What?Insect tamer........can you use insects too? You can do it. Didn''t I tell you? She didn''t tell me! It''s amazing, isn''t it, haha? Hey, Lane. You don''t have anything else to hide, do you?In fact, I''ve heard that you have the power of a monster tamer or elemental tamer. Well you''ve been taught those tames too, in case you were wondering. I knew it.... ''I just didn''t get around to learning it. The only ones I''ve mastered are the Beast Tamer and Insect Tamer, and the Insect Tamer is incomplete. And the Insect Tamer is incomplete, it''s just easy to do. We didn''t have enough time, and that''s the limit. ''Still, it''s a hell of a thing to be able to get two hands on...'' I''m not sure if my hometown is special, if you say my skills are special. Apparently it''s been handed down for a long time...so what you two call ''greatness'' was a given to me. I don''t know if there''s something different about me from the other tamer, but I don''t know. I''ve hardly ever seen any other tamer. Well that''s why. ''Nya. It just occurred to me that Rain should be able to learn them all. Why didn''t you learn them all?They don''t have time. ''Uh....'' I don''t know if I should tell you where this is going. The conversation is going on so peacefully, but can we be so sure that we can''t throw water on it? I''m in doubt. Kanade and Tania said they didn''t mind talking about something dark. After talking so much, I don''t think it''s a good idea to hide things from them now. Besides.........if you''re one of them, you should know about me, that''s what I think. ''''Well you may have noticed that my tone of voice when talking about my hometown is all in the ''past tense''. Meow? .... My home doesn''t exist anymore. It''s gone. 22-Episode 22: the tragedy of the past You see... yeah? Kanade muttered in disgust... Eventually, he seemed to understand what it meant and fumbled and panicked. "Well, I didn''t know that was going to happen........wow, I''m sorry for asking such an insensitive question......I''m sorry!Lain, I''m so sorry, I didn''t mean to but it''s all just an excuse............. ..... Don''t worry about it. I put my hand on Kanade''s head with a plop. As it is, I gently stroke it as if to convey our feelings. I don''t think Kanade had any bad intentions, in fact, you''re always looking out for me. It''s something I told you, and I don''t mind. But but.... ''So don''t look like you''re about to cry. I''ve been saved by Kanade''s smile. My...? When I see Kanade''s smile, it makes me feel really good. "When I see Kanade''s smile, it makes me feel that no matter what happens, I can keep moving forward...It''s such a powerful feeling. I can''t tell you how many times that has helped me. I know it''s only been a short time since we''ve met, but I can''t stop thinking about it. I''m grateful. So I hope you''re smiling, Kanade. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. As requested, Kanade smiles at me. It''s a bit awkward, but.... But it was the ''smile'' I was looking for. ".... Suddenly, I noticed that Tania was getting meeker. She looked dark and awkwardly averted her gaze. ''Could it be that Tania is bothering you too? No, it''s not!I don''t care...about Rain...I don''t care...and I don''t care. "...Tania is a sweetheart. Why are you doing this? You wouldn''t look like that if you really didn''t care, would you? ''Oh....'' Thank you. I''m glad Tania''s so worried about you. ''Yeah, well, I''m glad you''re not as depressed as I thought you''d be. ''When I was alone, I used to think back to the old days and get depressed. But now I''ve got Kanade and Tania with me. Well that''s just the kind of thing that makes me nervous. Yeah? It''s nothing. Hey, Rain. Kanade opens his mouth with a sense of trepidation. ''''Well... how did that happen to Rain''s hometown... if you don''t mind me asking?'''' That''s not an issue for me, to be honest, but it bothers me. ''It''s not just curiosity I''m curious because it''s about Rain. I just wanted to know everything about Rain... no, I guess? ''Well you don''t have to do it, okay?Well I know it''s going to be hard for Rayne and you don''t have to worry about me, right? ''It''s okay. It''s just something I''ve been meaning to tell you both about in due course. It''s not a lie, and it''s not a caring word. I won''t go so far as to say that we''re friends and we have nothing to hide, but.... I thought I should tell you something about my past. To understand. To help you understand. For the sake of mutual understanding... Because I think it''s what we need to do in order to truly be friends. ''Although ... it''s not that big of a story, it''s just that it''s all over the place. Still I''d love to hear it. Tell me about Lane. The two men looked straight at me. Their gazes were filled with a sincere desire to know about their companion. ''''Well it was around the time I turned twelve, I guess. As usual, I was training to be a Beast Tamer. My parents were busy at the time, and I happened to be on my own. We''d go out of the village, and we''d go to a training ground a short walk away, and we''d practice until nightfall. Nah, Rain is a hard worker. ''Until the sun goes down is not something a twelve year old can do. I wonder if that discipline has led to a hell of a lot of power? ''Well, I don''t know about that myself. I was practicing like that... when the sun went down and I decided it was time to go back, I noticed. I noticed that the sky was getting redder, even at night. "...and... The two men raised their eyebrows in a wordless manner. They could have anticipated the words that followed, to some extent. ''''Something''s wrong. That''s what I thought, and I rushed back to the village... but it was all too late. The village had been attacked by a swarm of demons and was in flames. I still remember the scene at that time. Not a shred of it is burned into my brain. Everyone in the village was down..... It didn''t twitch. The rushing blood was spreading like a pond. And the house was on fire.... Flames envelop everything. Rain..... Are you...? Kanade and Tania gently laid their hands on me. My hands were unknowingly clasped so tightly that they were bleeding. As if the warmth of their hands would heal the memories of past tragedies... Gently, the strength is released from my hands. ''Well thank you for that. I got a little emotional. No, I don''t have a choice. Settling in? Yeah, I''ll be fine. I smiled at them to reassure them both... I resume my interrupted conversation. ''The two of them say that the technology of the Beast Tamer back home is outrageous, but it''s only if you have someone to tame. Normally, no one was using it for anything. It was a peaceful village that didn''t have anything to do with conflict. But maybe we should have at least been on guard... after all, my home town was destroyed in one night. The only survivor was me, who happened to be outside the village. Yeah, what the... ...when I''m in the room. Later, an adventurer who noticed something was wrong came running to me and took me in for protection. After that, I was sent to live and work at an adventurer''s friend''s inn. At the time, I was so busy living that I didn''t have time to think about revenge or anything. And so... time went on... about six months ago, Arios and his friends came to the inn. Meow?The brave men? ''They were on a journey, apparently. Arios and the others were just looking for a companion and... well, now that I think about it, I guess they wanted a convenient piece. Anyway, once Arios found out that I was a Beast Tamer, he invited me to join him. I said yes, in two words. I couldn''t help but think of revenge against the demon but more importantly, I didn''t want a repeat of that tragedy. That''s why I thought there was something I could do by working with Arios and the others, the brave ones. ''I see.......that''s why Rain is so kind to you. It''s more on the level of being a goody-two-shoes than being nice. Well I don''t hate you. ''And after that ... well, you both know what happened. I joined Arios'' party and did my best, but I was fired. Then I met Kanade.... I''ve told you everything. That''s all the past about me. They both pause for a moment to let my words sink in. Silence. The voices of the guests around me sounded awfully loud. Somewhat... Gently, Kanade opened his mouth. ''I finally understand. What? Why was Rayne in a party with a brave man? The fact that they were treated so badly and yet they refused to leave, they kept on trying to do their best. I didn''t understand it at all, but I think I''ve finally figured it out. I know I only just met Rayne, but I still feel like I understand you. ''Lane wants to help someone else. You don''t want to create someone like you and that''s why you''ve worked so hard for someone else. Always, always, always for someone else that''s all you''ve ever wanted to do. There''s a lot more to Rayne than I thought. I''ve never seen anyone with so much self-sacrifice, so much dedication to themselves, but I''ve never seen anyone do this before. ''But that''s Rain, isn''t it? I wouldn''t be proud to have such a Rain as your master... Well I think I have a lot to live up to. It''s not bad it''s good in its own way. Kanade smiles. Tania with a shy smile. They each affirm my way of life. I''m not wrong. It''s like he''s saying that to me... I''m terribly calm. I was relieved. I felt like I was going to cry for no reason. ''Thank you ... Kanade, Tania. I''m so glad I got to meet you both. Good. Tania shouted loudly and slammed her glass of juice on the table with a dunk. ''So much for the dark talk!The rest of us will enjoy a good meal... Nyan, let''s eat lots of food. ''''Well yes. Let''s have a big day, including a welcome party for Tania. Of course it''s on me. Yeah. Have at it. "Pfft, I''m going to be a gopher. Mmmm, all you can eat. Oh, come on, Kanade, cut it out. My wallet will be empty. Cat? ''''Haha, the stomachs of the cat spirit race are boundless! It''s a measure that can''t be helped.'''' Oh, my God! I heard everyone laughing... A warm time passes. I wish this kind of time could last forever. I thought about that, out of character. 23-Chapter 23 Fail Let''s be a good adventurer today. That''s why I took on one request. Defeating Orcs. Orcs are E-ranked monsters. In terms of their physical abilities, they are not that different from F-ranked goblins. However, Orcs are more intelligent and have the characteristic of fighting with weapons. Even though they were weapons, they were crude things like swords carved out of stones and spears made of wood....... Even so, for low ranked adventurers, an opponent with a weapon is a threat. If the opponent is holding a weapon instead of bare hands, the risk of being injured increases dramatically. It''s an opponent that should not be underestimated, but....... Tania, Tania. Let''s see who can take out more of them, okay? ''Hmmm, how silly of you to challenge me to a fight. All right, I''ll take it. The two of them were having a generous conversation. For the most powerful species, orcs are not the enemy. I know that, but........ Be careful, both of you. Meow? ''We''re still just fledgling adventurers. If you are overconfident in your abilities, you may make an unexpected mistake. There''s no need to be overly cautious with Orcs, but that doesn''t mean you should forget to keep a reasonable amount of tension. Yeah, I''ll be careful! But an orc?It''s only an E grade demon, okay?You don''t think I could ever be that bad to you? No, I don''t think so. But you might get hurt, right?I''m trying to tell you that you''d better be careful. Totally. He''s a worrier. You sure you want to be careful? Okay. I got a reasonable reply. My words don''t seem to have reached Tania. If nothing happens, that''s fine... ---------- Hey, Kanade, they''re headed your way! I got it, meow! We rushed into the orc dwelling and crossed blades. There are maybe 20 enemies? There were more than I expected. However, right after the war started, Tania released her magic power and intimidated them, so the orcs'' will to fight fell at once. Knowing that the strongest species had arrived, the Orcs fell into a state of panic. They panicked, exposing their gaping bodies. We''re going to destroy them one by one. Hmmm, that was easy!Eeyore. Tania waved her tail like a whip and popped one of the orcs. The orc was blown away by the furious force and rolled over and over on the ground, falling down as it was. Not long after, its body turned into a magical stone. ''''Unya........nyah nyah nyah! Kanade stands in front of the orcs who are trying to escape, and Kanade delivers a rush of fists. Each strike is very heavy, a precise strike that precisely hits the vital point. The orcs that were trying to escape all fell before Kanade''s fists. I should say that''s as good as it gets. The two of them were destroying the crowd of orcs at a breakneck pace. I can''t lose, either! ''Phew!Ha! I guess I thought I could handle it, as a human. Orcs rush towards us, but without panicking, I shoot them down, one by one, with my fists. When more than one of them came together. Fireball! I blasted them all together with a magic that adjusted its output. Thanks to Tania''s training, I''ve become much more familiar with handling magic power. ''''Rainer, this one is done. I''m done with mine. It''s over for me, too. The orc herd had disappeared cleanly. It seems to have been annihilated without incident. That was easy. Meow. Thanks, you two. You made it possible for me to get this done. Hmmm... you can thank me for being part of this group... can I ever thank you for that?And you can worship me while you''re at it, okay? Don''t get cocky. It''s a fact. We''ll just get the magic stone. They each dispersed and collected the magic stones that were scattered all over the place. It''s a pain in the ass to collect the magical stones when dealing with a bunch of demons. Shall I think of an easy way to collect them? ''What?I still want to be a survivor. I couldn''t see it because it was hidden in the grass, but I could see one orc lying on the ground. When it dies, its body disappears and turns into a magic stone, so it''s proof that it''s still alive. ''''Crunch, I''ll give you a tome. ''Tania, be careful. You never know what a cornered demon will do. It''s all right. It''s all right. He''s an orc.They''re not my enemies. This will soon be.........Huh? Suddenly, the orc got up and clung to the approaching Tania. ''What the hell is this guy?You.........! Tania tries to pull the orc off, but it doesn''t work. It''s probably because Tania is too flustered to move well because of the suddenness of the situation and because her opponent is dying to show his fire foolishness. The orc clings to Tania''s body, brandishing a dagger made of stone... Tania! Orcs swinging their daggers down... I cracked my arm into its orbit. The dagger stabbed into my arm and sent a sharp pain. But ... Tania is safe. "Rain! Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Kanade rushed over and ripped the orc off of Tania and kicked it straight into the sky. This time the orc died and turned into a magic stone. ''''Rain, you''re okay! It''s crying and........something. But there''s so much blood... Tania''s face turned blue and panicked. ''It''s okay,'' But! ''You''ve forgotten.I can also use healing magic, you know. I''m a novice, but if you have Tania''s magical powers... ''Oh....'' "Heels. He held his palm over his injured arm and focused his magic power. I chanted a magic. It''s a beginner''s level recovery magic, but thanks to Tania''s magical power, the wound was quickly closed. That''s amazing. Isn''t it as effective as the advanced ex-heels? It''s all good. Lane, are you in pain?Doesn''t it bother you? ''Thanks for worrying about me, Kanade. But I''ll be fine. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. .... While Kanade was relieved, Tania looked gloomy. ''What''s wrong?'' ...well... He stutters slightly. ''....I''m sorry...'' What? Lane, you were saying.You told me to be careful and yet I was afraid to be careless. I''m just an orc after all... ''Well I guess that''s just the way it is. Tania is the most powerful species. There''s no end to being wary of an opponent like an orc, if you''re wary of every single one of them. Although he said such words, Tania remains with a face that looks like she''s about to cry. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one," he said, "because of me.......I injured Rayne.......I managed to use my healing magic, but maybe it would have been irreversible.... ...my fault...my fault...my fault...I''m so, so sorry... Tania bowed deeply. In response, I..... What...? Gently, he patted Tania''s head. ''Thank you for worrying about me,'' ''What?No, I mean... what?Don''t you get angry...? ''Just be careful next time. Besides ... Tania, you''re already sorry for that, right?And there''s no point in getting angry about it. But it''s my fault that Lane... Good. It''s better than Tania getting hurt. Huh! With a huff, Tania''s eyes widened. Turning her wavering eyes to me.... Then he looks like he''s going to cry again. ''Yeah. Maybe it''s stupid. But that''s just the way it is. Why do you have to... Tania is a friend. I know we haven''t known each other long enough to know each other, but I find it strange that we''re so important to each other. What can I say?Just by being with you, you can feel Tania''s kindness, or you can see that she approves of us... so I just wanted to respond to that... but I can''t get the story straight. Nah. Anyway, it''s only natural to help your friends, right?Don''t worry about it. "...Rain... If it happens again, I won''t hesitate to help Tania. "...stupid... but thank you... Tania had a complicated look on her face, as if she were crying or laughing, and once again she murmured in a small voice, ''Baka. 24-Episode 24: Tanias Thoughts After completing the request: ...... We returned to the city and reported to the guild. After that, we had dinner at the inn and went back to our room. We''re sleeping and waking up in the same room. Rain told me that there were no other rooms available. At first, I thought it would be a shame to be with a guy like Rain, let alone Kanade. But now I''m not so sure. But now I''m not so sure. It''s partly because I''ve gotten used to Rain through spending time with him. ...... It''s not only that, but I''ve come to trust Rain. ...... I rolled over in my sleep. Rain was asleep on the floor. I''m not sure what to make of it. I''m sure you''ve heard of it. Then Rain gave up her bed to me and slept on the floor. It was as if I had kicked her out. And yet, Rain didn''t seem to mind. You can complain more about it at ...... ...... You''re such a softie. I thought back to the daytime. A painful mistake. A mistake made by being careless. It was because of this that Rain was injured. I am the strongest species. It is said that I am the most powerful of them all, the dragon race. Tania the Red Dragon. That''s me. I am much stronger, much smarter, and much more powerful than humans. That''s why I have a lot of pride. I wouldn''t go so far as to say that they look down on others, but they don''t doubt that they are the strongest race. I, too, had never doubted that the dragon race was the strongest in the world until now. I also thought that humans, although powerful to some extent, were no match for them. But then I realized that humans were no match for ...... I was protected by Rain. I''ll be honest with you, it was frustrating. I''m not sure what to do. I thought that I would be able to protect you, but not the other way around. But in fact, Rain protected me. The situation was reversed. The face of the strongest species is completely ruined. But ...... I''m not sure what to make of it, but I''m sure it''s a good idea. I don''t care about the pride of the dragon tribe. ...... I was terrified when I saw Rain bleeding. It''s my fault. It''s my fault. It''s my fault. If Rain dies like this,......? When I thought about it, a chill that I''ve never felt before hit my whole body. This was not the time to be thinking about regret. Fortunately, Rain''s injuries were healed by magic. There are no lingering effects. But ...... the fact that I made a mistake will not disappear. I''m not sure what to do. I''m not sure what to make of it. It''s a wedge that bites into my heart. The one who broke the spell was ...... Rain. It''s not that I blame myself for making a mistake,....... When I worried about her, she somehow thanked me for it ....... He smiled and said he was glad I wasn''t hurt. It was a very warm smile. When I saw Rain''s smile, all my worries, fears, and other dark emotions disappeared. ...... My heart was filled with peace. ...... Really, Rain is a mysterious person. At first, I was only curious about the strange man who was working with the cat spirit tribe. The reason why I decided to go with Rain was because it seemed more interesting. As I went along, I became attracted to Rain''s personality. I began to feel at ease with Rain''s kindness. We''ve only known each other for a short time. ...... Even so, I liked Rain enough to be willing to put my trust in him. And then there was the incident in the daytime that pushed it over the edge. You were there for me. You were worried about me. You gave me a warm smile. It may seem insignificant to other people, but to me, it was an insignificant thing. But to me, it was a shocking experience that turned my whole world upside down. The idea of a mere mortal rescuing me... And he''s willing to sacrifice himself to protect us... All at once, my previous values have been shattered and my view of people has changed. Nope. To be more precise, my opinion of "Rain" has changed, not people, but people. At first, she was just an interesting person. Along the way, he rose to the rank of a desirable person. And now..... You saved me, and that''s why I''m so important. Rain...... I said my Lord''s name softly. My heart skipped a beat at the mere mention of it. I don''t know why.... It''s a strange feeling. It''s a strange feeling, like my heart is fizzing. I''ve never felt anything like this before, but... A feeling that I cannot yet put into words. It has grown inside me. I was growing up, little by little. ''''I mean what am I thinking?It''s like I''m the one who''s supposed to be the one with Lane... I can''t get Rain''s smile out of my mind. I can''t forget it. It''s burned deep in my mind. My cheeks naturally turn red. ''None, because it''s impossible! He shook his head in a bun. Rain is a good person. I like his character very much. I''ve come to trust him as my master and as an ''important person'', but that''s all. But that''s it. There''s nothing more to it than that... Yeah, well I don''t feel anything. I don''t think about ... anything more than that... Even as I said those things, I tried to imagine what it would be like. "......... Her face turned even redder. ''Oh, it can''t be... I''m not this easy... and I''m not little and I''m not!Because this is different!Well, I''m a little concerned about it, but that''s all. It''s just not possible. The more we deny ourselves in this way, the more we fret. My mind is in turmoil. I feel restless. My body is hot. My heart is hot. "f*ck. I covered the futon up to my head. You have to go to sleep at times like this! I drove all those thoughts out of my head. When I had emptied my head like that, I closed my eyes tightly. But..... I mumbled softly, thinking this was as good as it got. ''....Goodnight, Rain. 25-Episode 25 Unwanted Reunion The brave Arios and his group returned to the city of Horizon three days later after abandoning the attack on the Lost Forest. The reason it took them three days was because they had lost their way back and were lost. Until now, it had been Rain''s job to keep the route home and other routes in place. Now that Rain was gone, someone had to take his place. But everyone assumed that it wasn''t their role. Someone else would do it. Such a mindset of leaving it to others led to a failure to secure the route home, a failure that an adventurer would have laughed at. It''s impossible for a brave man to do that. It was a failure that no one would hear about. Arios was annoyed that they had brought such a situation upon themselves. ''''d*mn.'''' ''Calm down, Arios. If a brave man and his deaf friend look like that, the rest of us will wonder what''s going on. Shut up!You don''t order me around. It''s not an order. It''s just good advice. That''s an order!Don''t let a mere warrior, Fuzzy, have an opinion about me, a brave man. .... Aggus gave a small cluck of his tongue, just enough for Arios not to hear. Leanne and Mina looked away as they watched the exchange between them. They had nothing to do with it, they didn''t want to get involved. They seemed to be saying that. With Lean gone, Arios and his group were weakened. But that wasn''t all.... During the party, cracks slowly appear in the party. They, the girls, are completely unaware of this. "Well, all right. Let''s just find Rayne. I mean that guy. He got kicked out of our party and he''s probably still hanging around the city, not knowing what to do. Agreed. I mean, this town is a big place.It''s pretty hard to find those trash bugs that roam around. ''''Why don''t we go to the Adventurer''s Guild?Someone over there might have some information about Mr. Lane. Well I''ll try. Mina''s opinion was adopted, and Arios and his group moved to the Adventurer''s Guild. They talked to the receptionist. Mr. Lane?Yes, I know. It was easily found, and Arios and the others were disappointed. Things haven''t been going well at all lately, so it''s probably going to take them a while to find Rain.I thought. Such bad predictions were off, and I easily got a clue. Luck. No, it''s not luck. This is what a party of the brave is all about. A supreme existence that ordinary people can never reach. They are blessed by God. That''s why this much happens as a matter of course. Arios was thinking seriously about such things. ''So, where is Rain?'' You''ve been moved to the plains because of a new request. Request?Did that guy become an adventurer, by any chance? Yes. Mr. Shroud is a new adventurer who''s registered with us. Arios almost laughed. He wondered what he was doing after banishing the party and becoming an adventurer. There was no way that Rain''s power would allow him to serve as an adventurer. He''s probably in a state where he''s in need of food after failing to make a number of requests. It''s a good trend. It''s easy to make them do what they say they''re going to do. Arios predicts that......... The reality is quite the opposite, and Rain''s reputation is growing rapidly by ensuring that his requests are successful. In addition, he has gained two friends. Arios didn''t expect that to happen at all, and he felt good about his misguided imagination. When I speak to you, I''ll be as gentle as possible. And after I''ve run out of business, I''ll give you even more harsh words than last time. The thought of seeing the astonished look on his face like that time makes my heart skip a beat. Arios was already feeling like he had won Rain, and was even thinking of ways to relieve his gloom. ''What can I do for you, Shroud-san?Are you requesting to appoint an individual, by any chance? Oh, no. We''re a bit of an acquaintance, him and I. We were just looking for some help from him. Oh, I see. We''re going to the plains. Yes, have a good day. ---------- Nyannya~, nyannya~, nyannya~. As usual, I''m on my way home after completing a request. Kanade, who is walking in the lead, is humming a strange song. ''What''s that song?'' Hmmm, what is it? You don''t know what you''re doing. I hum naturally, like I smile when I''m happy. Was there ever a time when I was happy?You just did what you were asked to do. I mean, lots of rewards!I mean, lots of food!Meow. Oh, so that''s what it is. I chuckled with Tania. Kanade has a really obvious personality, doesn''t he? But I guess that''s what makes Kanade so appealing. She''s pure as a child, and wears a bright smile that cheers up everyone who sees her. It''s something I can''t do. "Hey, isn''t your pocketbook starting to fill up by now? Suddenly, Tania asked me something like that. ''Well I think I''m making rather good money. He now has eight gold coins and 34 silver coins. And I have 80 coppers. We won''t have to worry about accommodation for the time being, and we can eat reasonably good food. So you can afford it? Yeah. Then why don''t you get your equipment ready?Rain, you don''t have any proper equipment. ...Speaking of which... The legendary-grade equipment was confiscated when he left the brave party. After that, the dagger I bought with my meager money was quickly broken against Killer Tiger. Because of all the things that have happened since then, I forgot to prepare my equipment. ''We can get by without equipment... or is it because we''re the strongest without it?And you don''t need the equipment?But Rain is different. Even if you''ve made a deal with us to get our blessings, you should still be properly equipped. ''All right. Well, then, when I''m done reporting on this request, I''ll take a tour of the armor shop. Meow........food........? I''d better eat my dinner first. Meow... Rain, I know what you''re talking about! Totally. You have a soft spot for Kanade. But Tania wouldn''t have any objections. Yeah, well I''m just...and I''m just getting hungry!It''s not like I was trying to fit in with Kanade. After a few days of being a part of the group, I''m starting to get a sense of Tania''s personality. She''s a cynical person who can''t speak her true feelings straight away. But it''s like a child being stubborn and cute at the same time. ''Aniyo?Those eyes. It''s nothing. Laughing, we walked down the road that led to the city... Hey, Rain. ...I froze my smile. ''....Arios?And everyone else.... As if they were waiting for us, the brave Arios and his group were there. It''s good to see you. How have you been?Are those two people over there with Rain? I''m doing fine. Bye. Hey, man, you haven''t seen me in a long time and you''re not being very nice. Can we talk about this? Does this brave man really mean it? What was I supposed to do, smile and laugh? The dark emotions that had been gone since he met Kanade and Tania surfaced again. ''There''s nothing to talk about from me, is there? Oh, well, don''t be so dull. We''re all thinking about it. No matter how useless you are, you could have used a few more words. We don''t hate you, you know. I had to do that. Forgive me. Well, I don''t feel sorry for you. In that case it was obvious that it was your fault.But I may have gone a little overboard on some things. Specially, I apologize for that. What do you think?With all three of you saying this, why don''t we let bygones be bygones? What are these guys talking about? At this time, I couldn''t understand what the four of them said as if they were saying it. They said they would apologize, but it didn''t feel as if they were sincere. On the contrary, they made the excuse that that was unavoidable, and then they apologized from the top down. Rather than being apologized to, it''s easier to recognize that I''m being provoked by a far-fetched provocation. ''Nyah ... who are you guys?'' You don''t come out of nowhere, you''re blocking the road, you''re blocking the road? Kanade and Tania step forward. They don''t hide their sullen expressions... It was like selling a fight, and even gave off a light killing intent. ''''If you look closely.......could it be the Cat Spirit Clan!And ... is this the dragon race?How did you end up here... We''re with Rain. Who are you guys? ''Nonsense!Two of the strongest species in the world are joining Rain''s ranks?I can''t believe I have to go along with this incompetence... oh no. Yeah, no. I get it, Rain is following you guys, right? ''Don''t be weird. Rain is our master! That''s what I''m saying. I''m actually stronger than you, but, well, Rain isn''t a bad guy and I''m with you because I have no choice. ''Huh!Rain is the master of the most powerful species?Don''t tell me that means Rain used them both?That''s not going to happen! I don''t want to be the one to tell you it''s impossible... It''s true. Kanade and Tania assured him, and Arios'' face turned blue and red. They seemed to be very surprised. The others did the same, rolling their eyes and not moving as if they were petrified. ''''So, what about you guys?'''' "Nya........Tania, Tania. These people smell bad......................Enemy of the master! ''''I mean... oh, are these the ''heroes'' by any chance?The traits I''ve heard about match up with the traits I''ve heard about, and it sounds like a no brainer. Meow!It''s the enemy!Enemies of Rain, fusha! Can you do it? Let''s f*ck it up! "Wait, wait, wait!We''re not the enemy. We''re with Rain, aren''t we? The two strongest species let out a real rage and Arios panicked. ''''Companions?I thought I left Arios'' party? That''s not a........tsk, don''t be so cold. We''ve traveled together, haven''t we?Despite our unfortunate misunderstandings, I still think of Rain as a valued colleague. How could you utter that line? Useless. Annoying. Disappointing. I still remember everything these guys said to me, even now. I''m angry at these Arios for saying convenient things, but... At the same time, I remembered the emptiness. These were the people I thought of as my ''friends''? Nonsense. I can''t believe I''ve been pushed around by these people.... On the contrary, I''m beginning to feel ashamed of my own actions. ''Kanade, Tania. I''m glad you''re mad at me for me, but as expected, please refrain from brawling. But they hurt Lane. I can''t forgive them. I don''t really care about Rain but I don''t like it. Thanks, you two. "Meow. Whew! He patted their heads and calmed them down. ''That''s enough to make me feel good about it so just step back for now. Please. Nah if that''s what Lane says. Really, the guy''s a softie. They moved back. Arios and the others look blatantly relieved. ''I''m sorry, Rain. Apparently, I gave the girls a strange misunderstanding. I apologize.'''' No, no, no. That''s nice to hear. d*mn it. I''m the one who''s going to be responsible for this little... Why should I apologize to you, you little trash... I''m uncomfortable but we''ll have to be patient for now. Although Arios managed to laugh, the others were not able to hide their displeased emotions as if they were uncomfortable. Instead of feeling angry, they are getting colder and colder. I''ve heard that when people feel deeply trivial, they cool down more than they get angry. ''So what''s the matter with you?What do you want from me, by any chance? ''It''s nice to hear you talk so quickly, but how did you know?'' ''Didn''t we talk about how we were going to capture the Lost Forest before I left the party?Once you''re done with the attack, you should be able to push through the forest and move to another city. There''s no reason to return to Horizon. Then you have some unfinished business ... or you have business with me. I just figured that through the process of elimination. ''I see. I''ve been thinking for a while now that Rain is a quick thinker. Brilliant deduction. White. Does Arios live a lie on a daily basis? His face was coated with false emotions, to the point where I doubted that. ''I have a favor to ask of you, of all people. Actually...... "No. 26-Episode 26: Request from a Hero What? I don''t know what I was going to ask you to do, but.... I kicked him off before he could give me any details. It seems I wasn''t expecting my reaction, and Arios pulls a face. But he''s managed to keep his anger in check. Twitching at his temples, Arios says, ''''Oh....... ''''Oh........Hey, hey, isn''t it terrible that you don''t even listen to me?We''re on the same side, aren''t we? Former colleague. Not anymore. Don''t be trite. I told you.We''ve had some sad differences, but I... no, we still think of Rain as a valued colleague. Yeah. But I''m not. Huh. ''I don''t think anything of Arios and the others. They''re like rocks on the side of the road, they don''t care about them at heart. I don''t care where you go or what you do, but will you leave me alone now? Geez... ''Arios, please calm down. If you don''t cajole him well and round him up... Mina is trying to calm Arios down but.... So I can hear it all. Are they doing it on purpose, by any chance? After all, is this a distant fight being sold? I can''t help but think about that seriously. "Geez ... you''re right to be angry. It wasn''t our fault. Well, for that I apologize. Here we are. Arios bows his head with a sense of reluctance. ''Right. So?'' What? My answer is still the same. Will you leave? ...! I didn''t mean to do that, but as it turns out, it was a form of agitation. I''m not going to lie when I say I don''t think anything of it, but.... Maybe somewhere in my mind, I still have a lump in my throat. It must have become an irritation and caused him to lash out harshly at Arios and the others. ''''........Mr. Rain. Please do me a favor. This is what we need to do to save the world. Mina''s words stopped me in my tracks as I was about to walk away. ''What does that mean?'' Can you help us conquer the Lost Forest? Can you just tell me what''s going on there? If you say it''s for the sake of the world, it''s indeed impossible to ignore. For now, I decided to listen to Mina''s story. ---------- ...I see. That Arios and the others are struggling to capture the Lost Forest. That''s why they want my help. After listening to Mina''s story, I understood the general situation. And then........I was dumbfounded. How could they kick me out and then try to ask for my power again after all this time? Don''t these people know the word shame? I''m too stunned to say anything. ''''Although..... Even though it''s like this, Arios is still a brave man. He needs the Demon King to be defeated. Even if the demon king is not defeated and the world is overrun with demons, I''m confident that I can do something about it. It''s because I have two reliable friends in Kanade and Tania. With the two of them, I felt like I could do anything. But what about the others? What about the people in the city who live a normal life? The Demon King is a great threat to the powerless. As long as the Demon Lord is not defeated, they won''t be able to live in peace. It''s not desirable for the journey to defeat the Demon King to be interrupted. Maybe I need to think about the whole thing more than just my own personal feelings. I know it''s annoying, but.... If the journey of Arios and the others is stalled, then maybe I can''t help but lend a hand. Just like my past I can''t let a tragedy like that happen again. ''''........Okay. I''ll help you this one time. Are you sure?Thank you. Why would I do this........why would I do this....... When he agrees, Mina smiles... perhaps it''s an act... but Arios is still puffed up like a child. He didn''t like the exchange he had just had very much. Does this guy not know his place in the world? I''m not saying to be humble and flirtatious, but if you''re going to ask for things, you''re going to have a reasonable attitude. ''Hey,'' Wait. Just as the conversation was coming to a head, Kanade and Tania stepped forward. Their faces.................were in a ridiculous mood. They didn''t hide their anger and even emitted a light killing intent. ''''.......What is it?'''' Arios also responded grimly. ''Actually, I''d like to disagree with you but if it''s Rain''s decision, I can''t help it. I won''t disagree.'''' But I''m going to make one request. Haha, you want a reward?All right. How about 20 gold pieces?That''s not a bad deal. It''s more money than you''ve ever seen in your life, right? Of course I''ll get paid. It''s a personal request for adventurers. But there''s something else you''ll have to do for me. Yeah?What does that mean? Apologize to Lane. Kanade glared at Arios as he shot him a look. ''You guys did a terrible thing to Rain. Don''t be a random guy like you did earlier, apologize properly!Apologize from the bottom of my heart! It''s fine for me to make fun of Rain, but it''s really annoying when other people make fun of me. Apologize. What did you say you were sorry for when you said you were sorry? No, that''s not good enough. "Get down on your knees. What? The outrageous words flew out of Tania''s mouth, causing Arios and the other three to exclaim. Without a care in the world, they continued their words. ''''Nyaah.......If you don''t apologize properly to Rayne, we won''t forgive you, we won''t forgive you! I hear you guys did some pretty bad things to my master, didn''t you?Normally, I would have burned every single bone in your body with my breath. But now you''re willing to get down on your knees to get it over with.Hey... We''re nice. Come on. Get down on your knees. Oh, and make sure you rub your forehead on the ground, okay? They both seemed to be in an angry mood, but.... It wasn''t. I wasn''t just angry, I was deeply pissed. I''m glad you''re mad at me for me, but.... I''m a little scared. Let''s not make these two angry. Secretly, I swore that I would. ''''Fu, fu........Screw you! This time Arios snapped. ''You think I''m going to get down on my knees to this incompetent?That''s ridiculous, and I don''t think they''ll ever admit it!No way, no way, no way, no way, no way, no way! ''We didn''t do anything wrong. And yet, you can''t expect us to apologize that much. Normally, on the contrary, I''d want an apology from us. You''re licking it, aren''t you?Uh-huh?Who the hell do you think I am?The Great Wizard, Master Lean.There''s no way I''m going to get down on my knees to a garbage worm! It''s disgusting. To make such a statement without knowing your place in the world is, after all, untrustworthy. Buying words to sell. Arios and his group are getting mad, and the place is getting out of control. What can we do about this? Hey, Rain! Uh... what? You want me to get down on my knees? It''s not that much to ask, but... Then get on with it and make them withdraw their dumbass suggestions!You should at least have a firm grip on your pet''s reins! ...Pets? Kanade and Tania are treasured friends. For the first time, I was able to trust them from the bottom of my heart. You call someone like that a pet...? .........you''re kidding me. What? "Kanade and Tania are not pets, They''re my best friends!You take that joke back. ''Ha, crap. Did your head boil over after spending time with a bunch of non-human people?Even the strongest species isn''t human. You could call me a pet and it wouldn''t be a problem. Hmph, you like the way it looks?The truth is, you''re keeping him as a pet, aren''t you?Good grief, you''re in heat with a beast, that''s a beast guho! Shut up. To stop himself from saying something stupid, he punched Arios in the face. "I will not allow anyone to insult my people! "You ... you ... you hit me here!It''s only a Beast Tamer, I''m a brave man! As expected of a brave man, I should say. Even though I was hit by a blow from me, whose physical abilities have been enhanced by the contract with the cat spirit race, Arios was still properly alive. With this ... there seems to be no need to go easy on him. ''''I''ll hit you as many times as I want. Finally, I lost my temper and... The two parties collide. 27-Episode 27: Strongest Species vs Heroes Hmm, I''m guessing it''s you. Meow! Kanade confronted Aggus. Rain is with Arios. Tania is fighting Lean and Mina, respectively. She insulted her beloved Lane. This is unforgivable. I''m going to win.Kanade enthused. ''Just as well. I''ve been wanting to cross blades with the strongest species for once. Feel free to let me go. I''m not going to be held back, either!I''m going to beat you to a pulp and make you apologize to Rain. The two kicked the ground at the same time and collided head-on. ''''Mu, goooooooooooo! ''Unyaah! Aggus used his huge sword like a shield to catch Kanade''s super-speed rush. Even so, he couldn''t completely stifle the power. Like a giant shell crashing into him, Aggus''s body shook and was pushed. ''''Hardly, Kuch, don''t do it! ''I''m not ready for this!Unya-nya-nya-nya! Rush of the Fist! From above. From the bottom. From the right. From the left. Kanade throws fist strikes from every possible angle. As expected, even Aggus is unable to prevent it completely. The fist hits his shoulder and side, and Aggus'' face contorts in pain. ''''Guh, oooh...! What''s going on?That''s about the extent of a brave man''s companionship. Don''t lick it!I''m not going to let a little girl beat me, even if she''s the strongest species. Kanade''s attack is just a fist bump to bullshit. Still, when the strongest species does it, it''s a hell of a threat. Fists were unleashed like a storm, and Aggus couldn''t turn to fight back quickly enough. Aggus held still like a turtle. Enduring, enduring, enduring... Now, d*mn it!Noooooooooo! Meow! As if to close the slightest gap, Aggus started to fight back. Kanade was only bumping his fists into the bullshit, so inevitably, in between fist to fist, there would be a slight gap. Aggus didn''t miss it. It seems that the title of "companion of the brave" isn''t cool. ''''Secret technique, Gouhouhou Bursting Slash! Aggus leapt. The long, iron-thick sword, as tall as his own height, struck him from directly above. For an ordinary person, it was an unavoidable blow. They would have been cut off in both sides of their bodies without knowing what had happened. But......... Meow! What! Bash!And Kanade slapped Aggus'' sword to the side. He didn''t seem to put much effort into it, as if to say he was in the way, like a mosquito being chased away.... Easily, he popped Aggus''s killing blow. ''''Wha........bah, silly!You''re telling me that you can''t stop me from striking a killing blow that would break even a rock? ''''Hmmm ... that''s about the extent of a brave fellowship. At first I thought you''d do a bit of that, but I was disappointed. ''Shit I''ll go for real then!I''ve been tweaking it because I''m going to need Rain... but I''m done!I can''t let you get licked like this I''m sorry, but I''m going to give it my all. If I die, don''t hold it against me. Then I''ll go with half the force. What... what? At Kanade''s line, which he said simply, Aggus stopped moving and asked back. ''If you''re serious, I''ll do it with a little more seriousness ... half the strength. Don''t begrudge me for the pain I''m causing you, okay?Meow. Kanade dares to use the same kind of dialogue and provokes Aggus. Aggus is violently upset. After all that show of strength, he wasn''t giving it his all, in fact, he wasn''t even giving half his strength? It''s not possible. It shouldn''t be. If that''s true.... There was no way he could win, no matter how hard he tried. Aggus pulled a face. But wait............ ''After making fun of Rain so much I''m really mad at her!Think about it for a minute, nyahhhh! Taking a decent hit from Kanade''s rage, Aggus was blown up like a puppet and went straight into a coma. ---------- Tania was confronted with Leanne and Mina. I''d really like to see that brave man, but........well, I''ll give that one to Rain. Hey, what are you doing?He''s so incredibly cocky. ''''What a mouthful to the brave Arios... the dragon race is such an arrogant, irreverent, foolish entity. Do you guys tell me that? Tania was dismayed to the core. ''Come at me,'' Tania snapped her fingers and challenged them both. Normally she has a cocky mouth but.... As a matter of fact, Tania has a high opinion of Rain. She likes his personality and character, as well as his skill in taming himself as a dragon race. He has been willing to hurt himself and help himself. He told me at the time that it was important to him. If you ask him directly, he would absolutely deny it, but.... Inwardly, I even respected him as much as I did Canade. He would be a Lord worthy to use himself for. And yet. These people made fun of Rain. Not only did they make fun of him, but they broke his heart and laughed at him like it was the norm. And then they tried to use it to their advantage again. There was no way they could forgive him. That anger lit a fire in Tania''s heart. Tania was determined to get f*cked as hard as she could, without being too harsh or outspoken from the start. ''You f*cking lizard you''re not going to regret it!Behold my ability to wield a thousand spells!Gravity Burst! ''Let''s make them regret underestimating our power!And repent of your foolishness. Gather round, cleansing light!Holy Flare!!!! Two mighty advanced magics were released that could blow a hundred demons together. Black and white light accompanied the destruction and tried to swallow Tania. However, Tania doesn''t panic. She doesn''t even try to avoid them. With a spare smile....................snapping her fingers. With just that, the two magics disappeared as if nothing had happened from the beginning. ''''........What?'''' ...What? Leanne and Mina were stunned. Tania, on the other hand, was smirking, as if she enjoyed their reactions. ''What''s up?''Aren''t you supposed to be be beating me up? Huh...!Well, I guess I''ll make it right!Red Crimson!!! I''ll match you, Leanne!Judgement Arrow! Red lotus flames and arrows of holy light shot out at Tania. The speed and timing were both perfect. It was an attack that could not be avoided. But......... Again, Tania snapped her fingers. With that alone, the magic disappeared. ''''........What?'''' ...What? Leanne and Mina are stunned again, repeating the exact same reaction, like a broken doll. Such a figure seems to have hit the nail on the head, and Tania bursts out laughing. ''''Haha, hahahaha!Jesus Christ, what are you doing? !Aren''t you going to hurt me?What are you waiting for?Hahaha, that face is really funny. Geez ... this lizard ... what did you just do to him? ''Material Canceller. The material canceller analyzes the target''s magical structure and cancels it out by hitting it with the appropriate magic wave...let''s not get into a complicated explanation. In short, I used my power to counteract your magic. No, that''s not possible!That''s impossible. Can''t?Impossible?Then how do you explain the phenomenon that just occurred?Do you think a miracle happened and God protected me? That''s not... Counteracting advanced magic doesn''t mean anything to me. It''s just a matter of snapping your fingers. That''s all you have to do. I''m not going to be able to get away with this. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them. It''s a....monster.... Leanne backed away, her face turning blue. Mina shuddered all over and sat on her ass in place. ''Have you lost your will to fight?But, I''m sorry. I''m not so good-natured as to let you off the hook just because you''ve lost the will to fight. If you guys attacked me, it''s okay for me to attack you too, right?It''s okay to fight back, right?.... hey? Huh. I''m going to show you a special kind of ''real'' magic I''m not talking about advanced magic. I''m talking about a higher level of magic a higher level of magic! Tania turned her palms to the two men. An overwhelming amount of magical power converged and glowed. ''''I''m going to give you an end. The Ultimate End!'''' A huge, three-dimensional magic circle unfurled in the air... It begins to fall like a meteorite. Its targets are ........Leanne and Mina. ''''Hee!'''' Lean, gee, intercept... uh, shoot them down! No, no, no, no!I can''t handle that thing. I can''t handle that thing!Mina''s deploying defensive magic. ''Wow, even I can''t do that! No, no, no, no, no...!Please, I''m sorry!So, so, no, no, oh no! ''God!God, God, God, oh, please have mercy...!Oh, ah, ah! They went half-crazy and hung on together. I pray to God, but reality is merciless. A three-dimensional magic circle landed and enveloped the two of them. .... but that''s it. It didn''t explode or cause a natural catastrophe, it was just a flash of light. That''s all, nothing else. However, Leanne and Mina''s shock seemed to be quite severe, and they had fainted on the spot. They were even incontinent. Looking at the two of them, Tania laughs out loud. It''s sloppy, to be so scared of a mere make-believe threat. Should I really f*ck them?Well but I don''t want to do that because I''m afraid Lane''s gonna be mad at me. Well, aren''t you two lucky?Huh. Tania smiled bewitchingly as she looked down at them. 28-Episode 28: Beast Tamer vs Hero Arios drew his sword. A grin lifts the corner of his lips as he points the tip of his sword at you. "A mere beast tamer standing up to a brave man is a fool indeed. If we were outplayed, it would have been the height of folly for you to go along with it. I''ll cut you loose for laying a hand on me. He started talking to himself about something, so I was annoyed, so I punched him anyway. But as expected of a brave man. It seems to be sturdy, and I immediately stand up. ''''You aaaaaaah! You''ll cut the blood vessels in your head if you get so angry. Shut up, shut up!I will never allow you to hit me twice!You get down on your knees, cry and apologize! Arios slashed at me. Fast. I''ve dealt with bandits before, but it''s an order of magnitude faster than those guys. Not only that. The trajectory of the blade is variable, attacking from all angles. Just when you think the sword is swinging down at an angle to the right, it bounces as if it has hit something and swings upwards from below. I don''t like the guy, but I have to say that his sword skills are impressive. It''s just a matter of calling yourself brave. The number of blades that can''t be avoided has increased, occasionally grazing the skin and causing blood to flow. ''''Look, look, look, look, what''s going on!What''s going on, what''s going on, what''s going on?You''re just going to run away!You can''t even hit me without catching me by surprise! Here and there, Arios increased the speed at which he swung his sword. Right to left. The blade fell down like a flowing stream and jumped up in a V-shaped shape. I was exposed to a series of furious blows........ .... He was rather calm. Firmly assessing the trajectory of the sword, he evacuated his body to a safe place. If it was absolutely difficult, I decided to endure only a graze, and only missed the fatal wound exactly. After confronting Arios, I knew something. This guy is not scary. He is a master of the sword and a brave being with the power of a brave man. An expert who can also use magic. If you think about it normally, he''s a ridiculously powerful enemy, but..... Strangely, I don''t feel fear. Is it because I''ve fought Tania before? Compared to that time, I don''t remember a sense of crisis at all. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m this brave, but this is the extent of my courage. You are an incorrigible fool for defying a brave man. Shall we turn you in and have you thrown in jail for being a felon?Or maybe we could crucify and expose them as enemies of the people! ''Shut up about the mess... phew! What? This is where I first started to fight back. In between sword fights, my fist caught Arios in the abdomen. The damage was done and Arios stopped moving. Without missing the opportunity, I slam two more fists into him, two more fists, and he stomps his knee through with the sole of his foot! Arios avoided the fatal damage by flying backwards as quickly as possible. ''''Tch........did I play a little too much? To be attacked by Kimi in the middle of a proper battle...........................Be careful. Let''s end the play. Come on. Come on. I''ve got you. Huh...!You are the lesser men.Don''t go against the higher beings who are brave! Sure, I''m an ordinary person. I''m not the chosen one to be brave. But still. Whoever decided that an inferior being can''t beat a higher being? Okay.Yah, hah! ''Phew!Shoo! What?Gulp, gulp! Arios''s sword would never catch me. It wasn''t even biting my skin anymore. I couldn''t do any damage. He unleashed a counterattack exactly and, on the contrary, the damage was accumulating on Arios. ''''d*mn........stupid, why is this.......impossible, what do you mean? A hint of irritation mingles in Arios'' voice. I''m powered up here........there''s no convenient development. It''s not like Arios'' sword has been dulled due to the damage it took. It was simply that he saw through it. When Arios swings his sword, how many steps does he take? How does he move his gaze when he weaves in and out of feints? What patterns exist when he strikes a deadly blow? All of this information was analyzed in the first five minutes of offense and defense. There was nothing more that he didn''t know about Arios'' sword skills. All the attack patterns were known. That''s why Arios'' attacks never hit me. "Guggenheim? He avoids the sword and kicks Arios in the face. With each blow, he put the power he gained from signing a contract with the cat spirit race. As expected, the damage that can''t be ignored seems to have accumulated, and Arios''s legs wobbled. ''''Why, why........why isn''t my attack hitting it!You''re the one who''s been attacking me! I mean, a mere beast tamer can beat you, man. ''You''ve got to be kidding me! Arios moves out of range and sheathes his sword. Arios is no fool. He must have reluctantly admitted that he can''t beat me in close combat. Then what is Arios'' next action? You can put out the coals with this, Gigavolt! A lightning strike magic was released from Arios'' hand. Like a hungry beast, the lightning strike extended towards us in a straight line. I flew to the side with all my strength to avoid it. When it landed on the ground. GIGAVOLT!!!! Aiming for a timing that we cannot avoid, Arios once again unleashes a thunderbolt magic. ''''Fireball!'''' This one also fought back with magic. It''s a beginner''s magic vs. advanced magic. Normally, the other side would be the winner. This is a fireball enhanced with Tania''s magical power. It seems that it could be used as a shield, and it cancels out the lightning strike magic. I''m sure you''ll find a lot of people who have a lot of questions about this.Oh, shit! Oh, shit!What the hell is going on with you? I''ve got a lot on my mind, but I don''t have the right or the obligation to tell you. You... Arios stared at me, his fists clenched so tightly that he almost bled. But he quickly grinned. ''But that doesn''t change the fact that I have the advantage. The only things you can use are fireballs and heels, right?I''m not as good as Lean, but I can use a good amount of magic too. How long will you be able to block my attacks with just beginner level magic? Arios was right. No matter how much magic power he had, it was difficult to prevent Arios'' onslaught with two elementary magic. If it was a close combat, we could win, but Arios would not allow it. However, he''s mistaken. I''m not going to be the only one who''s been in the same boat for a while. Don''t forget. I am not naturally drawn to melee combat, nor do I engage in magical combat. My profession I''m a Beast Tamer. ''''Come on, let''s end this!As it is.........? Bikung, Arios''s body trembled. His entire body began to convulse. He couldn''t stand and fell as it was. ''''What........what.......is this.......?G.... but... He walks over to the fallen Arios. "You ... what did you ...? ''You''ve talked to Arios before, haven''t you?I can use insects too, he said. They laughed at me and said it wouldn''t do any good. It''s not... what does it... what does it... what does it... Here. I pluck the bee clinging to Arios'' neck with my fingertips and show it to him. It''s a paralytic poisonous bee called an Arby''s. Wha...? If I told you I used this guy when I had an opening, you''d understand. If it was me before, it would have been impossible to make a tentative contract while fighting. But now that I made a contract with Tania and my magic power has increased, it''s now possible. While moving around, he simultaneously sent thought waves like waves in all directions to search the situation around him. Find the target creature and, as it were, make a temporary contract remotely. You have the advantage in the magical battle, and you have Arios, who was in a state of high spirits, turn around behind you.............and busuri. ''''Your back was full of gaps, okay?He only paid attention to me and didn''t look the other way. I don''t fight alone. That''s where you lost. Not yet..... you... you... you''re the hero, I... ........this, I........! So..... Well, wait ... here''s the thing ... I surrender, now! Before I could say anything, my fist caught Arios before he could say anything else. A full force blow. Arios was blown up, rolling on the ground and finally stopped as he crashed into a tree trunk. He seems to be completely unconscious and doesn''t move. I move away from Arios and look up at the sky. ''Phew.'' I defeated Arios with my own hands. Some people say that revenge is vain... No way. I felt incredibly refreshed now. ''You don''t get this opportunity very often, and I should have hit you a little more? 29-Episode 29: Reconciliation of form only I''m sorry.... The great battle of the plains is over. Defeated by us, Arios and his group dropped to their knees on the ground and bowed deeply. ''''More sincerity! ''You think that''s an apology?It''s funny. Correction. I was forced to apologize. I''m sorry........ Arios and the others bow their heads again. Kanade and Tania look at the four of them boringly...........then they look at us. ''''It''s like, but.......what should we do?Do you forgive me? I''m not ready to do this yet, but... Huh? Leanne and Mina jerked and shuddered. Their faces contorted in fear. ........What on earth did Tania do? I''m curious, but I''m too scared to ask. ''I felt better once I''d defeated Arios, and my goal was to make you both apologize. How about you two? I''m done with it if Rain isn''t mad at me. ''''It''s a bit lacking in some areas, but... well, if my master says so, I''ll end it now. ''''So that''s why. We accept Arios and the others'' apology. Let''s let it all go by the wayside. Huh. Arios'' face contorts in humiliation. But there''s no point in lashing out here now because we''ll just beat them up again. Arios seemed to understand that, and he was holding it together. Arios and his friends brush away the dirt on their knees and stand up. They take a deep breath as if to endure all sorts of bewilderment.......and open their mouths again. ''''So........about the lost forest........'''' ''Oh, come to think of it, we''ve been talking about that. I''ve been through so much, I''d forgotten all about it. ''Sure, you''ll help me out?It''s no exaggeration to say that the fate of the world is at stake. I don''t think not cooperating is an option... Nyanka, you''re a big deal... Do you want to try again? Right there. Easy. Kanade and Tania went into an adversarial position and stopped them in a hurry. ''''I didn''t plan to get involved with Arios and the others anymore, but that''s not the case. The story of the fate of the world is not necessarily a lie. If Arios and his team''s journey was delayed, the threat of the Demon King would increase and many people would be harmed. As expected, that''s not where we want to be. What, you know what you''re talking about? I''ll help you. It''s a wise decision. Seriously, if you had said that from the beginning, we wouldn''t have gotten so far into this conversation... You''re a brave man and you''re worried about losing. ''I don''t mind if you think of it as a loser''s howl...it''s not that I don''t care. It''s still annoying. Crushing? So don''t go with that idea too soon. Gulp. Kanade and Tania looked unhappy... Arios was oozing with anger again. Maybe it''s always like this when the three of them are together. I hope you''re not going to do that... I have no objection to cooperating with you, but I do have one suggestion. What is it? Why don''t you leave it to us to retrieve the truth shield? What do you mean...? "We''ll take the lost forest. "Law. Arios looked as if he had found something interesting. ''Judging from what Arios has told me, it seems that the Lost Forest is easier to conquer with a small group of people. If we go in large numbers, there will be some who will get lost or get lost. So, you think Rain and her friends are better suited for it? That''s what I mean. And..... I glance at Kanade and Tania. Arios follows my gaze, too. ''You two don''t like Arios, you know. I wonder how they would react if I told them we''d be working together. Geez ... you''re just being straightforward. Isn''t it true? ''''Well that''s fine. I don''t give a shit about the beast hating me. ''Arios. Don''t put the two of them together with the beast. Tsk. Arios clicked his tongue, but said nothing more. ''So ... what''s your answer?'' .... After a moment''s hesitation, Arios gave a small nod. ''''All right. I''ll leave the capture of the Lost Forest to you guys. It''s settled. ''But don''t try to run away with the shield of truth, okay?There''s no point in doing that. That is something that only I, the brave one, can handle. I''m not thinking about that. You, Arios, are the one who needs to make sure you get paid properly. ''Hmm, I know. I''m a brave man and I''m not going to step down on my reward. Oh, yes. We haven''t talked about the reward properly. Payment is only on success. The reward is 20 gold coins, okay? Yeah, no problem. And you''re going to capture it as soon as you can, okay? I know. I''ll get it ready today and we''ll start attacking tomorrow. Okay. As if to say the conversation was over, Arios turned his back to me. "Aggus, Lean, Mina. Let''s go! Calling out to his friends, Arios and his friends walked towards the city. ''Hey, Rain,'' When I turned around, I saw that Kanade and Tania looked like they wanted to say something. Somehow, I could understand its content without having to ask. ''''Are you really going to help that brave man?'''' I don''t think I''m up to the task... Thanks. I patted them both on the head. Meow, meow? Hey ... why are you stroking my head all of a sudden? ''You two are angry for me, aren''t you?You''re worried for me, right?I''m happy about that so thank you. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. No, it''s not and I don''t care about Rain. ''I''m glad you both feel that way but I''m sorry. Let me help you with Arios this time. Why? ''''It''s like I said before. Arios is a brave man, so if that guy''s journey stalls, more people will be harmed by it somewhere else. That''s not where I want to be. I don''t want to help him, but if I can manage it by moving, if there are people who can be saved, I''d be willing to help Arios... Oh, really, Rain is a softie! But that''s just the way it is, Rain. I''m sorry to put you through all this trouble. ''No, don''t worry about it. I''m in a position to be used by Rain, so you can keep ordering me around. It''s my job to take care of the good-natured master, isn''t it? Kanade and Tania are laughing... It makes me smile too. I''m really glad I met these two. I think that from the bottom of my heart. ---------- "Shit, shit, shit, shit!d*mn it, d*mn it!!!!! Night. Outside the city, Arios was hunting a goblin alone. Arios'' single sword has already killed the goblin. However, Arios does not stop his sword. He thrusts his sword at the corpse, again and again and again. Still, it doesn''t make him feel better. His frustration only grows, and dark emotions build up in his mind. ''This me, I am a brave man, I can''t lose to that scum... it''s impossible, I can''t allow this to happen! Thud. Thud. Thud. Arios made a dark face and repeatedly thrust his sword into the goblin''s corpse. Arios laughs. His eyes were oozing with madness. ''''Rain Shroud you''ll remember that. 30-Episode 30 Lost Forest The next day. The next day, we finished our preparations and immediately set out to capture the lost forest. "So this is the forest of wanderlust. It''s a dank place. I''m afraid my tail is going to get all huffy. I don''t like this part of the game. It''s going to be so much trouble to capture it... hey, can I burn the whole forest down? No way! Ow! With a pop, he lightly poked Tania in the head. What kind of person burns down a forest just because it''s a hassle? I''m here! ''Don''t be so proud. It''s not something to be proud of. So what do you do?Somewhere in here is a demon with a shield of truth, right? There''s a map Arios and his team made. In the meantime, let''s use that as a guide to move forward. What''s that brave man''s...? It''s kind of annoying to have to rely on those guys. The forest of wanderlust is said to be such a troublesome place that it''s called a natural fortress. Regardless of the source, if you have a map, there''s no way you can''t use it. Well, this map isn''t exactly accurate either. Still, it''s better than nothing. Natalie told me that..... The Forest of Lostness has existed for a long time and covers an area the size of three cities. The interior is so intricately maze-like that no one has ever been able to accurately map it. The forest itself seems to be growing and continues to expand every day. So, it seems that the internal structure changes over time, and mapping it often ends up being futile. Natural mazes are more tricky than anything else. They''re not designed to be cleared by people. If I have a clue, I want one or more. Let''s go. ''Oh!'' ''Oh....'' With the two symmetrical shouts, they proceeded through the lost forest. ---------- Has it been about half an hour since we started exploring the Lost Forest? Kanade tugs at my clothes, snapping them off. "Hey, hey, Rain. Yeah? Didn''t you come through here in the past? What, really? I can''t say for sure because I''ve vaguely seen it before, but... Kanade is right. Here. Tania pointed to the grass on the side of the road. Some of it was charred. ''You fought a few demons along the way, didn''t you?These are the marks of that battle. I remembered it well. A large number of fine little fish had appeared, and an irritated Tania had suddenly shot out a fireball. It''s a good thing we put out the fire in a hurry, but if we hadn''t done it so well, we would have been on fire. ''Aren''t we all going in circles in the same place? Yeah, you''re right. This map isn''t very useful. I heard that Arios tried to attack the Lost Forest a few days ago. And yet, I can''t believe the map is no longer useful... Maybe it''s a trickier place than I thought. Let''s switch gears. I''ll check the terrain around us. We''ll assimilate with the wild birds like last time, so in the meantime, I need you to be vigilant. La-la-la! We''ll take care of it. Okay. Well, let''s get on with it... I found an affordable wild bird and assimilated its consciousness. I took control of the wild bird''s body and flapped my wings into the sky as it was. I look around at the lost forest from above. Hidden by the thick foliage of the trees, it''s hard to find my way. Still, with careful and persistent exploration, we found a route that led to the deepest part of the forest. I return to Kanade and Tania and unassimilate them. ''I''m home.'' Welcome home.Did you find your way? Yeah, it''s perfect. Then let''s get out of here. I hate this place. There are so many bugs. I hate it. If it''s too tight, Tania doesn''t mind waiting in town, do you? ''What?No, no, that''s not.... ''Just kidding. I want you to stay with me if you can, because it''s more reassuring to have Tania around. Will you stay with me? .... For some reason, Tania turns red. ''What''s wrong?'' I don''t know, you idiot! Ow! Lane, you''re a natural codfish. Swallowing, Kanade explained. ---------- Funny.... We start walking towards the deepest part. The scenery around me has not changed at all. It''s as if we''re going in circles in the same place. ''Lane, look at this. This is.... Tania pointed to a patch of grass with scorch marks on it. ''You''re back where you were earlier?No, but..... Lane, you found the right path, didn''t you? Yeah. "Did you take a wrong turn on the road? No, that''s not possible. When I was in the brave party, I was made to scout and explore over and over again. If I took a wrong turn, I was shouted at and cursed at, and when it was bad, fists flew at me. Now that I think about it, I was treated like a hell of a lot... And that''s fine. Because I''ve been treated like that, I''ve learned to be very careful not to make elementary mistakes. It shouldn''t be like I''m loosening up because I left the brave party. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the fate of my friends depended on my actions. Handling information is such an important thing. And yet, we''ve taken a wrong turn? It''s not possible. I can say with confidence. ''Meow?But we''re back where we started, and I knew we were going the wrong way! I don''t think I''m going the wrong way. The backup came from an unexpected source. ''Why?'' We may take a few turns to the left and right, but basically, we''ve been walking in a straight line, haven''t we?And yet, it''s strange to go back to where you were. Besides, you can get lost, but you wouldn''t go back to where you came from this conveniently. Oh, come to think of it, That''s right. The path leading to the deepest point is basically a straight line. There is no such thing as a 180-degree change of direction, so there is no such thing as going back to where you came from. Then what does that mean?I was walking straight, and before I knew it, I was back where I started... nyah?I don''t know.... Can I handle this? Tania took a step forward. She closes her eyes and concentrates. Then she spins one word, a powerful word. ''Material Search.'' A blue-white light dotted Tania''s fingertips. It blinked like a firefly and danced softly around her. The particles of light drifted through the air for a while... and then disappeared as if they were sucked into the trunk of a single large tree. ''I found it.'' What''s the meaning of this? We were in a hallucination trap. Yeah?Hallucinogenic Maho? "A magic force field is formed over a wide area in advance, and then it penetrates the target''s brain. By irradiating the part of the brain responsible for vision. ''Unyaah...'' When Tania rattled off the jargon, she couldn''t keep up with it, and Kanade turned his eyes around in a circle. She seemed to have developed an intellectual fever. ''Well I mean, I can only walk around this place in circles.......I was under such a spell. No, it''s more of a ward than a spell?They''ve put up such wards that no matter how you walk, you''ll never get to the right path. Oh, nyah! Kanade. Break this tree. Cat?Outbursts? No. What are you looking at me like that for? My eyes. Yay! Meow! Tania poked Kanade in the eye with her hand in the shape of a choki. ''What are you doing?What are you doing?! I''m just annoyed. Well Lane, I''m afraid of Tania. We don''t want any fights. ''It''s not a fight. Anyway, this tree is forming a ward. Remove it and we can move on. I wish you''d say that, then. Kanade stands in front of a large tree. He spins his arms around and delivers a powerful blow... "...and go away. I was just about to tap into it when a voice came out of nowhere. 31-Episode 31: Strongest species of the third person "Walk away. I hear voices. I look around, but there''s no one there but us. ''Nyah, nyah nyah?Who''s there? I don''t see anybody but a ghost? Meow!I don''t want to talk about that! Oh dear. Are you sure you''re not good at that kind of talk, Kanade?Even though you''re a cat spirit race? Because ghosts can''t take a beating... Quiet, you two. I braced myself for whatever was going to happen. Now, what would come out of it? Was Tania right about this being a ghost? Or..... "Walk away. With a third warning, particles of light flooded from the surrounding trees. They drifted through the air regularly, as if each one had a will. Eventually, they gathered in one place and took the form of a person. ''''........'''' As the light cleared, a girl appeared. She was short, and if she were to be mistaken for a child, she might be mistaken for a child. Contrary to such an appearance, she has a dignified expression, contradictory, yet somehow mature looking. Her flaxen hair was tied up in a flower ornament, which looked good on her. Most striking of all.......the wings. On the girl''s back, two pairs of light feathers are growing. Tania murmured in disbelief. The spirit race. Along with Kanade and Tania, they are one of the strongest species. Rare among them are the tree spirits.......dryads. They are a mild-mannered race, but they are tough on people. In fact, they don''t like people. For the spirit race, who live in mountains, forests and nature, humans who clear mountains and cut down trees are like natural enemies. Because of this, they have clashed with each other many times. And then........the spirit tribe disappeared. It seems that they hated to get involved with people and hid in the backcountry, where people couldn''t reach them. That was about 200 years ago. Since then, no one has seen the spirit race. And yet........I didn''t expect to meet them in a place like this. I''m so surprised that I can''t say a word. ''''Well........hello. Walk away. Would you like to have a word with him? Walk away. I''m Rain. These two are Kanade and Tania. They''re with me. Walk away. Well, I came here for a little while and I was wondering if you made these wards? Walk away. It''s not working. We don''t have an island. "If you''re not going to leave then you''re not going to... A girl from the spirit race softly emerges. As she points her palm towards us, the light converges. ''''I will eliminate them by force.'''' Meow! We''re falling back! Okay, okay! We turned back to the entrance in a hurry. ---------- Are they not following us...? Kanade looks back fearfully. ''Yeah, I''m fine. There doesn''t seem to be any chase or anything.'' What is it all about?Trying to attack me out of the blue. I don''t think I''d want to hear that from Tania, who tried to burn down the forest. What did you say? I didn''t do anything. Strange? I haven''t heard anything from Arios about the spirit race leaving. Either they were lying to you, or we just happened to run into each other. ...or maybe we just happened to run into each other? It''s not a coincidence. This is a race of misanthropic spirits who hated people and disappeared 200 years ago. They must have a good reason for appearing in our presence. And that reason, as I thought........ Warding...? Meow? ''''Why did that spirit tribe show up in front of us?I don''t care if it''s just Kanade and Tania, but I''m a human. That''s the funny part... but it makes sense if you think it''s because they were about to break the wards. ''''Well you didn''t show up when we were walking around the forest at all, but as soon as we tried to break the wards, you showed up. I think Rayne is right. ''So you''re saying that the girl from the spirit race is guarding the wards?But wouldn''t that mean........indirectly, that you''re protecting the demons in the deepest part of the world? ''I know...'' Who would be in trouble if the wards were lifted? The answer is the demon that would be in the deepest part of the world. In order to make his own dwelling place a robust fortress, he set up a ward. On top of that, he had the spirit race protect the wards. It makes sense when you think of it that way. Just because it makes sense, why did he do that?The question remains. Sure, the spirit race hates humans, but that doesn''t mean they are the kind of species that will cooperate with demons. Demons trample nature and reap down trees for no reason. In a way, the spirit race is much more hostile to demons than to humans. So there is no way that the spirit race would cooperate with the demons. ''''Is there some kind of a deal made... or do they have a weakness?Ummm ... no. None of this is a stretch of the imagination. I''m not very good at thinking. Try a little harder, you stupid cat. Pussycat? ''I don''t know the true intentions, but it sounds like the spirit race is definitely involved with the demons. Then why don''t we just defeat them?It wouldn''t hurt Rayne''s heart if it was just to incapacitate her. You think it''s easy to say that to that spirit race? There''s a cat spirit race and a dragon race over here. And there''s no way I''m going to lose. With a look of "Hmmm," Tania puffs her chest out. As usual, she has great confidence. It seems that she doesn''t even think that she will lose at all. Well, you could say that is typical of Tania. It''s not a good idea to have a good time with them. The power of the spirit race is unknown. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. We can''t afford to put Kanade and Tania in danger. What''s that? You don''t trust me with anything? ''No. I''m genuinely concerned. Yeah, well she''s worried about you... well, you know. If you''re so inclined, I''ll let you stay out of it. Meow. I''ll do what Lane says. Thanks, you two. But what are you going to do?Unless we can do something about the spirit race, we won''t be able to reach the deepest part. Tania is right. We can''t proceed to the back without convincing the girl of the spirit race. There''s also a way to see an opening and destroy only the wards, but....... I''d refrain from doing this if I could, as it would provoke anger. Will you let me take care of it? What do you have in mind? No, not really. Meow? I think I''m going to talk to him again. "I don''t think I''m in the mood for a chat, okay? ''I''m sure you were taken aback by the suddenness of the situation and it made you feel defensive too.This time, if we can show that there is no hostility and show good faith ... or maybe we can have a dialogue. That''s a good-natured opinion. No? No. I''m not afraid of that. It''s just like Lane, isn''t it, Nyan? Kanade and Tania chuckled, as if I hadn''t made the wrong choice. 32-Episode 32: Persuasion Walk away. I go back to the spirit race. She just gives me a cold look and repeats the same line. ''Wait, I need to talk to you.'' Walk away. It''s nothing personal. It''s just that I want to talk to you. Walk away. Just for a minute. Can you listen to me? Walk away. There''s still no way to catch up to you. But I''m not going to give up on you so easily this time. "We''re not here to raid the forest. We just want the monster in the back here. Walk away. ''As soon as I get the item the demon has, I''ll leave. But in order to do that, we need to continue onward. There''s no turning back. If you''re not going to leave... The girl of the spirit race goes into attack motion. But I won''t give up. I''m a beast tamer. I''ve used many animals. I''ve been known to get violent on occasion. Basically, we''ve been able to talk it out. So, I trust that this kid will get the word out... I throw out my thoughts. ''If you want to attack me, do it.'' Meow! Hey, Lane! The two people behind me were flustered, but I nodded and showed them that I wasn''t worried. I looked at the spirit tribe girl again and met her eye to eye. I stared at her as if to tell her that this one was harmless. ''I won''t do anything.'' .... We won''t attack and we won''t fight back. .... I really don''t mean you any harm. Of course, I''m not here to ruin the forest. You''ll just have to trust me on that. Initiating exclusion. Illusion Arrow. The girl says in a cold voice and shoots a magical arrow. An arrow of magic power snatches her cheek and blood flows. ........But that''s it. Without hitting it even though it''s at this distance.........The second shot is never released. ''''........Why?'''' The girl from the spirit race had agitation in her voice. For the first time, it was as if she had been touched by this girl''s emotions. ''''You said you were going to attack me, right?Why don''t you run away...?Why don''t you........fight back.......? ''I told you.I didn''t mean for you to get hurt. I just want to talk to you. You don''t mind if they hurt you? I don''t mind. .... ''Just don''t turn your blade on Kanade and Tania you two over there. If you''re going to hurt those girls, point your blade at me. I don''t understand. Are you really a human being?Are you the kind of person who takes our dwelling place, vandalizes it and tramples on it? That''s who. .... ''It''s just ... it''s an excuse, but not everyone does that. There are good people, too. I can''t tell you if I am or not, but at least I didn''t mean to hurt you. Can you trust me? ''....Thora will not be misled by sweet talk. Once again, magic power converges in the girl''s hands. The amount is incomparable to the previous blow. Is this........dead? But I can''t retreat. I have to prove with my body that my words are true. I don''t have to run away, I just have to accept her magic as it is........ "Rain! Kanade and Tania stepped forward to cover for me. ''What are you two going to do... you promised to leave it up to me! ''Cause I can''t watch it!I''m on the edge of my seat! It''s not your persuasion!You''re outrageous, really. ''Lane really isn''t a bad person, you know!Trust me! ''Kanade was right!I, being a dragonborn, can vouch for you!So don''t listen to me. .... A moment of silence comes. Soon.........magic power slowly dissipated from the girl''s hand. ''''........Funny humans. And the funny cat spirit race and the dragon race. This is the first time Sora has encountered beings like you two. The hostility was gone from the girl of the spirit race. She gently landed on the ground and walked over to me. She stopped in front of me and looked up at my face. ''''........What''s your name?'''' It''s the Lane Shroud. ...Sola is Sola. That''s your name? Let''s just hear it out. Nice to meet you, Rain. Yeah, you''re welcome. Sola held out her hand and.... Gently, they shook hands. ---------- So that''s how it is. When I explained our situation, he seemed to agree with me for the time being, and Sora had a hint of understanding in his eyes. It seems that she believed the story without any doubt. ''''There, I was stranded in that ward........what was that? It was developed by Sola. ''Well, if Sora... then you can disarm it, right?Can you let us through the back, please? I can''t do that. Why? ''''That ward is the one that blocks the path leading to the spirit race''s village. We can''t just carelessly disarm it and put our people in danger. Are you sure you''re not defending a demon? ''To begin with, there are no demons in this forest with truth shields. We do have a shield of truth, though. That''s not what Arios and the others told me. Have we been lied to? No, there is no reason to do that. Then ........the premise was wrong. Maybe Arios and the others were grabbed by a gossip. ''What do you mean by that?'' The Shield of Truth is kept by Sola and the other spirits. If a brave man appears again and says he needs it to defeat the demon king, I will give it to him. I don''t like humans but more than that, I can''t forgive those demons. Are you sure? ''No problem. That''s why I kept it out of anyone''s hands. You''ll have to wait a minute. Sora disappears like a mirage. Perhaps it has moved beyond the wards. The wait is often.... Space shook in waves and Sora reappeared. Unlike when she disappeared, she held her shield in both hands. ''''Come in.'''' So this is the shield of truth... It was surprisingly easy to get. It''s a bit of a letdown. ''Nya you''re so easy to believe after all that stuff. I looked into your memories. Nyan? ''While we were talking, I did a light peek into Rain''s memories with magic. As a result, Thora determined that I wasn''t lying. When did you do that... It was unchallenged, and I didn''t even notice it was happening... but that''s to be expected of a genie with a talent for magic. Then when we tried to break the wards, why don''t you just search our memories instead of attacking us, no questions asked? We can''t go through all that trouble. Besides, people are the enemy. We don''t have to listen to them. Now ... because I''ve decided it''s okay to listen to Rain for a bit. Well thank you for your faith in me. Nothing.... At any rate, the job is done. Let''s get out of here. Tania and Kanade flipped, but.... I''m stuck on my feet. For some reason, I''m worried about Thora. I found myself talking to her. ''Look I just want to thank you for something. Thank you...? ''You did us a favor, didn''t you?I''m thanking you for that. I just didn''t think it would be right to do nothing at all. ''''There''s no need. Handing over the Shield of Truth to the heroes was originally agreed upon by Sola and the other spirit clans in the old days. Sola obeyed it. Never mind that. ''When you put it that way...'' You shouldn''t have cared if I said it was okay. But I think that''s the beauty of Rain is that she cares there. Are you having trouble with anything?If there''s anything I can do, I''ll do it. It''s... Thora''s lips are tied together and she turns over to escape my gaze. For the first time, I felt like my emotions were shaken. She looked like a child at a loss for what to do in the face of a difficult situation, not knowing what to do. ''What''s going on?''So if that''s the case, you want to talk about it?Maybe I can help. But... I can''t leave Sora alone. Why do you have to go to such lengths... You can''t just abandon someone in need, can you? .... Sola was all giddy and.... There was a slight, small smile. ''Rain is what you call a softie, isn''t she? Really?I don''t think so, but... You don''t know. But that''s... not that I don''t like Lane. Nyah I think Lane has flagged it up again. Do you think our master is a codger? For some reason, I got stares from both of them. I didn''t do anything, did I...? I understand. So that means... ''Rain is human, but I have decided that he is worthy of our trust. The same goes for Kanade and Tania. I will be open and honest about the situation Sola finds herself in. Thank you. ''But once you hear the story, there''s no turning back. We don''t know what kind of situation awaits us. Still..... I don''t mind. Well I''m not done talking about Sora yet, sir. I don''t care what the risks are. I''ve decided... we''re going to help Sora. Don''t you? Yeah. I''ll do my best for Sora! Well, I''m in it for the long haul. I''ll help you. Thank you very much. As if to hold back her overflowing emotions, Sora bit the edge of her lip and........ I bowed my head in pecking order. 33-Chapter 33 Hostage Sora has a sister. Thora slowly opened her mouth. ''My twin sister. She has a totally different personality than Sola, but I think we are very close. She''s a very important sister.'''' Nah, you have a sister. Then we should say hello. Isn''t your sister around? .... Thora looks dark. She looks like she''s going to start crying at any moment. ''My sister ... is being held by a demon right now. The demon...? ''''........There are several paths that lead to the village of the spirit race, not only in this lost forest, but also in other parts of the world. To put it bluntly, it was a boring job, but it was a fun day because Luna was with her. Sometimes we would play in the forest, and those were happy days. You''re so close, aren''t you? Yes, my dear sister. But one day a demon appeared who called himself the Demon King''s Army. He thinks back to those days. The conflicting emotions of anger and fear come to Sola''s face. ''Naturally, Sola and the others fought back. But they couldn''t quite defeat them.......Finally, they found an opening and Luna was caught. ''''The spirit race is struggling...?What''s the name of that demon? "Shadow Knight. Well that''s a good point. Hey, hey, what''s going on? Kanade? He asked us as he floated the mark above his head. ''The Shadow Knight is a C-ranked demon, and a top-tier adventurer wouldn''t have much trouble with it. It''s just that it has a tricky trait. It''s a rare individual that has a special ability to completely nullify magic. The spirit race, on the other hand, is a race that specializes in the use of magic. It''s too badly combined. Nyaan........so the Shadow Knight is the natural enemy of the spirit race? ''The Shadow Knight told me that if I wanted to help Luna, I had to break the wards. The Shadow Knight''s goal was to destroy the most powerful species that opposed the demons. Naturally, such a demand was unacceptable. I rebuffed the demand and tried to save Luna on my own. But......... I couldn''t help it...? ''Yes my companions did not help me. The chief couldn''t afford to put his companions in danger. Fortunately, as long as they were inside the wards, they would be safe. We''ll have to give up on Luna........ Sola clenched her fists. Her clenched fist trembled slightly. ''What is that?It''s not so bad. ''''Nya.......I''ve heard that the spirit race has a rational side to it......but that''s not too much, no matter how much.......'''' I want to help Luna somehow. But I can''t risk my friends getting hurt. I know what they are saying. If you ask me which one I should take, my sister''s life or the lives of all the spirit race, she will be cut down. Still.........Sora was not convinced. Which should she choose, her sister or her companion?Sola had a choice to make. But Sora didn''t know which one to choose... she wanted to choose Luna, but that would be betraying her friends... or so she thought. And if you choose to protect your friends, you can''t protect Luna........ick. I understand. ''Oh....'' Gently, he stroked Sora''s head. Gently, painstakingly. Repeatedly. "That was hard work. "...Rain... Suddenly being attacked by a natural enemy my sister was taken and I was alone and lost for a long time and that must have been hard for you. Ugh ... oh ... It''s going to be okay. We''ll take care of you. So you don''t have to do it. All the things I''ve been holding back came pouring out at once... Sola''s wailing echoed. ---------- I showed them my disgrace. After a while, Sora regained her composure. However, her eyes were red from the tears she had shed. It was the demon''s fault for making Sora look like this. When I thought that, I felt a surge of anger. ''I don''t care. In a situation like that, it''s better to let out what''s been pent up, once and for all. ...I feel a little better about it. Sora laughs slightly. ''I knew it was better for Sora to be smiling. What? It''s prettier that way. Oh, I see. You didn''t call me pretty. For some reason, the way they both looked at me hurt. ''So, about the future...'' I''m going to ask you for a favor. Sora stared at me. A squirming look. ''''First, after doing that, and then saying such a convenient thing...Sola is shameless. It''s the worst. ..... They asked me to. ''Oh....'' I promise. We''re going to help Sora''s sister. I will defeat the Shadowknights. I won''t risk the lives of the spirits, either. All of it. I''m going to grant you everything you ever wanted. Nah, Rain''s greedy. It''s better that way. ''Are you sure...?Sola turned her blade on Rain and yet... I don''t mind. First of all, that wasn''t Sora''s intention. I think I know that much. "...Rain... I don''t suppose you two would disagree? ''Yes, of course!I''ll punish any demon that messes with Sora! ''We could have seen this coming. I''m not going to disagree with you now. So that''s it. Again, tears welled up in Sola''s eyes. As if to hide them, Sola lowered her head. ''''Thank you....thank you so much...'''' Don''t thank me yet. Still, it''s nice to see you so... thank you... ---------- Once Thora was settled, she moved to the large tree that was the keystone of the wards. ''Do you have any idea what kind of situation my sister is in?'' ''I''m sorry ... the Shadow Knight just ordered me around one way or another, and I didn''t even know how Luna was being treated...'' Meow I''m worried about you. ''I don''t mean to make you feel uneasy but I wonder if she''s safe? It''s... Sola turns dark. ''She used to let me hear Luna''s voice... but lately she hasn''t been doing that and she''s been ignoring me...'' We might as well hurry. A demon wouldn''t care about a hostage. Sola''s sister could be treated badly. She could even be debilitated because of it. We need to get her out of there as soon as possible and send her back to Sola. ''''Once the wards are lifted, the location of the Shadow Knight is a straight line from here. Maybe Rain and the others will be able to get there in a few minutes. Yeah, I''ll do my best! ''Let''s kick the crap out of those demons who are playing around! Looking at the two people who are enthusiastic, Sora says with trepidation. ''''Um........after all, I''m going to be with Rain and the others too.......'''' No, you don''t want to do that. Sola offers to accompany me, but I dismiss it. ''My sister is being held hostage. If it turns out that Sola has betrayed me, the demons might become so agitated that they might harm the hostages. It''s... ''Also, I don''t mean to sound bad, but he might use his sister as a shield to turn us and Sora against each other and I don''t think it''s best not to move around. Well, that can be said for us as well, but as long as we don''t know the relationship, the enemy will be lost. I don''t mean to put it this way but I think it''s easier to do than having Sora come out. .... ''I know you may be anxious, but can you wait here for Sola?She''s going to be okay. We''ll get your sister back, I promise. ...Yes. I trust Rain and the others. Sora smiled slightly. She gives us a bright face to inspire us. ''''Well good luck to you. Sora will see you off and... We kicked the ground and ran towards the Shadow Knight. 34-Episode 34: Shadow Knight Battle ...we found it. After some progress, we stopped. We assimilated the squirrel and explored, and found a Shadow Knight. I guess it''s about 3 meters tall? The closest analogy is that of a dark knight in jet black armor. However, there was no face on the head, and in the deep darkness, two pairs of blood-red glowing eyes shone eerily. A large, ridiculously large sword in both hands. This is what he got, I guess. Instead of having complete resistance to magic, the Shadow Knight cannot use magic. If you''re going to fight him, you might as well do it from a distance. "Sora''s sister was........ The area where the Shadow Knight is located is an open plaza, as if it had been partially cleared. The Shadow Knight is in the center of the square. Behind it I could see a girl from the spirit tribe with her limbs tied to the trees by a rusty chain. I''m sure it''s Sora''s sister. I got the information I needed. I return to Kanade and Tania and release the assimilation. ''Phew.'' Welcome home. How did it go?How about Sola''s sister?Where''s the Shadow Knight? ''There''s a little square about three hundred meters from here. Sora''s sister and Shadow Knight were both there. The three of us shared the information we got. I won''t allow you to chain me up! I don''t think you''re treating the girls well you have to spank them. ''Me and Kanade will run into the Shadow Knight. In the meantime, Tania, rescue Sora''s sister. Why can''t you give me a bite to eat? ''Tania''s fireballs and breaths are generated by magic, so it''s not good against the Shadow Knight, is it? That''s not the only thing I have in my arsenal, though. ''I know. I trust Tania and I recognize her power. That''s why I''m asking you to save the most important hostage. We''re not very good at applying our skills on the fly, because we specialize in physics. In that respect, I can trust Tania with the hostages. ''''Hmm ... well, well, if you say so much, I''ll leave you to it. I don''t have any choice. Tania, you''re so happy that Lane is depending on you. Shut up and keep your mouth shut! ---------- They moved closer to the edge of the Shadow Knight''s sensing range and took their positions in the appropriate places, respectively. He asks Kanade next to him in a small voice. ''Are you ready?'' I''m ready to go. ''On the count, okay?Three ... two ... one ... Muttering to Zero in my mind, me and Kanade ran out as fast as we could. ''''First to go!!!'''' Wha.........gaaaaaaaah! Even though he had gained the power of the cat spirit race, Kanade was still far superior to him in terms of physical ability. Kanade, who had fleshed out the enemy first, carried the momentum of his run through into his fist and struck the Shadow Knight''s abdomen. The Shadow Knight folds its huge body into a figure of a ku. ''''Let''s go for another blow! What? He kicks the ground and leaps upward at an angle. As it is, he shoots the Shadow Knight in the face with his knee. ''''Goooooooo, who are you guys! The enemy! He struck another blow at the Shadow Knight, who was talking about something unnecessary. ''I wonder if it''s justice! The Kanade also spun around and spun like a solitary piece of music. While spinning, he unleashes a kicking attack, hitting the jet black knight repeatedly. ''''Gu........if you are the hero! That guy.... Don''t do this with me! Me and Kanade breathe together perfectly and hit the Shadow Knight at the same time. The giant body was blown away. The armor cracked and something like black mist poured out of the cracks. ''''Ore, Ore, Ore, Ore, Ore!That spirit race, they didn''t listen to me and sent these people to me!I''ll kill him, I''ll kill his sister! There''s no way I''d let you do that with me. What? Explosion. The Shadow Knight was engulfed in flames. Behind it is Tania who has safely rescued Sora''s sister. With one hand, he defends Sora''s sister with one hand and shoots a fireball at her. ''d*mn, there''s still a rat in there! I am the dragon! In addition, Tania is bombarded with breaths. However, although she stumbles under the pressure of the breaths, no damage seems to have passed through the Shadow Knight. ''''Did you think you could handle this me with this kind of childplay! Rayne was right, it''s not going to work and I''m starting to get pissed off. I can''t stand the idea of this guy looking down on me. Hey, Tania! I''m aware of that. I''ve got to protect her first. Why don''t you two just get rid of this a**h*le. Tania hugged Sora''s sister with both hands. Then dragon wings sprouted from Tania''s back..............................and then she jumped up. ''''Fool, there''s no way I''m going to let you go! As Tania and her friends flee to safety, the Shadow Knight tries to chase them by leaping We''re going to... Don''t forget that! What? Once again, he and Kanade slammed the combination together. Kanade jumped up high in the sky and shot down the Shadow Knight who was about to leap, with his heels. When he was knocked down to the ground, I followed up with a follow-up strike... Finally, Kanade, who fell from the sky, unleashes a painful blow like a meteorite. ''''You........insects! Even though his entire body was torn to shreds, the Shadow Knight stood up and swung his great sword in both hands. It''s like a small storm. A storm of blades that cuts through everything it touches, striking me and Kanade. ''''This guy is stubborn! You are very stubborn when it comes to C-rating. This is quite impressive. This is the power of the Demon King''s army of demons? What do I do, Rain?If this continues..........It''s going to take forever. We''re going to have to devise a plan while avoiding the attack. A strategy like the one I used against Tania and Arios would not work. He is a demon with this much power. It''s best to assume that simple poison won''t work. We have no choice but to push it with force. However, he was able to withstand the attacks of Kanade, a cat spirit race. Of course, if he kept attacking like this, he would fall at some point....... In the meantime, I might get a painful counterattack. If possible, I want to end it all at once. ''Kanade!I''ll stop that guy from moving, so give him a full blown blow! But it''s so tough, I don''t know if I can handle it. ''I have an idea there. I''ve got it! Yeah, okay! What do we do?I didn''t get a word back. I could feel Kanade''s trust in me. I''m going to have to respond to that! Go! I made a tentative agreement with a swarm of ordinary bees remotely. I let them fly swarming around the Shadow Knight''s head and take away his vision. ''What the hell are these bugs!Yeah, d*mn it, get out of the way! The Shadow Knight bullshitly swung his sword and tried to chase away the swarm of bees. However, due to being too huge himself, the attack never hit the little bee. He got behind the rampaging Shadow Knight and delivered a full-force blow to the back of his knees! Ggh! Because of its humanoid form, its kryptonite is said to be no different than a human''s. It''s just as you read. The Shadow Knight lost his balance and fell to his knees on the ground. ''''Kanade, now!'''' Nyan! Kanade kicked the ground. At the same time, I cast a certain spell. "Boost! It''s a spell that temporarily raises the power of the beast it wields. Previously, I didn''t have enough magic power to use it. But now that I''ve gained Tania''s magic power........! ''Unyaahhhh, nyahhhh! Kanade, whose power was amplified by my magic, struck the Shadow Knight''s chest with all his might. Gogah!and a roar, and a huge hole in the Shadow Knight''s chest. I think.... From the hole in his chest, a crack spread across the Shadow Knight''s entire body... The sword and armor shattered into pieces. A black mist flooded the air, but it quickly dissipated as it dissolved into the atmosphere. ''''Whoa, whoa. What was that?I''m getting an amazing boost... It''s one of Tamer''s unique magics, you see. It''s the Kanade''s power multiplied several times over. Yeah?.........Oh, come to think of it, I''ve heard that there are tamer''s who can use such things. But those things should only be used by an incredibly limited number of people... ''Well, it''s Rain who does the unexpected, so why not now? Tania, who seemed to have heard the story and came down from the sky, said, somewhat dismayed. ''''I''ve decided not to be surprised by this anymore. Neeee.......I guess I should get used to it too, I guess. I''m not sure I''m comfortable with that kind of convincing. I''m not a human surprise box. "Because Rayne is a wrecking ball. No, it''s not. "I realize, They''re so breathtaking in these situations. ''Oh well. At any rate ... good night, Kanade. Meow ... victory buoy! Kanade chuckled and decided on a buoyant sign. 35-Episode 35: Contract with a sister of the spirits "Thank you. Having defeated the ruler of the forest, the sisters of the spirit race were freed. Sister Sora and sister Luna bowed together. ''''Thank you so much for helping Luna,'''' Thank you. ''I don''t know where Luna would be now if it weren''t for Rain and the others...'' Probably I would have been in terrible trouble... to be specific... no, I can''t even begin to describe it. I''m sure they must have done something to me. Hm?Did you just imagine that?Kukku, are your male instincts about to run amok? "Luna. You''re not fooling around at this point. It''s disrespectful to Rain and the others. "I do not mean to be a joke, sister. I''m always serious and I always give it my all. It''s in my nature to joke around, just like any other fish. I''m just like any other fish. That''s why I''m telling you to stop talking like that. I can''t stop, I can''t stop. There''s a sister contrast going on out of nowhere. Luna, like her twin sister, is a perfect match for Sora. As if they were facing each other in a mirror, they are all the same in height, shape and hair style. Since they look so much alike, I thought they had similar personalities, but..... Apparently, their personalities are the complete opposite. Sola is a serious girl, but her sister Luna is a maverick. They seem to have similarities, but they have completely different personalities. But they seem to get along well, and when they met again, they hugged each other with tears streaming down their faces. I''m glad we were able to save her safely. I really am. ''''I''d really like to thank you for your help...'''' "Will you pay me with my body and Sora''s? Luna! ''Hmm. You don''t want to be this embarrassed, do you?I fear for my sister''s future in case I have to kick a man to the curb when the time comes. ''''It''s none of my business. Well let''s leave Luna''s nonsense alone and let me thank Sora and the others for their help. There''s only so much I can do, but I want to help Rain and the others. That being said what do you have? Catnip. Not really. When I questioned Kanade and Tania, they all shook their heads. Our goal is to get the shield of truth. We''ve already accomplished that. So it''s not like we need anything in return. There''s nothing for the two of us to worry about. ''''It really doesn''t matter. It''s not like I was expecting a thank you. But..... If you really care about it, then yeah, well why don''t you make friends with us? Your friend...? Hm?Is that what you want?Now you can do what you like with our alluring and bewitching bodies, can''t you? Luna! Ooh, I''m scared of Sora. Meow.... Lane, do you have a hobby like that...? No? For some reason, Kanade and Tania even stared at me. False accusations. ''''I don''t mean to be rude, but spirit people are very rare, they disappeared 200 years ago and that was it. So there''s a lot I''d like to talk to you about and I''d like you to be my friend if you''d like. .... No? No.... Sola shakes her head slowly and smiles. ''Rain is a strange man, isn''t she? And yet you want us to be your friends... If all humans were like Rain, we wouldn''t have disappeared. "If it''s all right with us, we''ll be glad to be your friends. "You will be my friend and ally. ''If you can think of Luna''s this thing as some sort of embarrassment...'' I''m not trying to hide my embarrassment! For a moment, I felt as if Luna had returned to her true nature. Was her strange attitude something she was making on purpose? Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you! I''ll take care of you. We shook each other''s hands. ''What are Sora and Luna going to do now?Are you going to continue to manage this place? At Tania''s question, they both shook their heads at the same time. ''''No, Sola and the others are going to leave this place. Even though it can''t be helped, I don''t feel like I can be with my friends who tried to abandon Luna right now... I just want to put some distance between us and calm down a bit. I''m not the kind of person who fits in a forest like this. I have always wanted to go out into the world. Just in time, I''ll travel with Sora. Okay. Well, that''s an option. But you should be careful.It''s not like there aren''t people as bad quality as that demon. Well I have to admit, I''m worried about that part. Well, we''re recluses. Hence, we don''t know anything about the world. Hmm, we need a navigator. ''Luna I don''t know how much you can call me a recluse...'' Hm?What did I do wrong? .... Sola looked disgusted. That''s natural. If you''re the strongest species and you''re called a recluse, it''s indeed disappointing. Well, in this case, the one saying that is also the strongest species as well. ''''Then why don''t you come with us?'''' Suddenly, Kanade said something like that. ''It''s something that we met here. Would you like to join our party?'' Hey, Kanade, don''t make that decision for me. Nah, do you disagree, Tania? It''s not that I''m against it. It''s just that Rain is the leader of our group, and I don''t feel like I''m doing something I don''t feel comfortable doing. ''It was that too!Lane, I''m sorry. ''No, I don''t mind...'' As expected, Sora and Luna would not swallow the proposal. I''m a human. To have a spirit race join a party with humans in it, that''s not..... ''Well that''s okay?Then I give you the right to travel with me! ''Luna, don''t you know the word "refrain"? Also, what is that condescending attitude? I''m the one who was invited to the event... "I don''t know the word ''refrain''. "I don''t know the word ''refrain''," he said. They must be seriously thinking about us and seriously inviting us to join them. Can''t you understand that much, my sister? It''s... Hey, sister. Humans have taken away our homes, but they are not all the same. But that doesn''t mean they are all the same. Don''t you find it easy to believe in Rain and her friends? .... I''m more than welcome to join Rain and the others. I''m just happy to see you. Shall I kiss you for joy? ''When people are impressed, you say those things again....don''t say those things lightly. Be that as it may........well, Sora, if it''s Rain and the others, there''s no problem. Or rather, I''d really like to ask for it from here. ''What?Are you sure? ''Yes. Like Luna said, I can trust Rain. I can''t do it with another person but I have a feeling that Rain would be able to do it. I mean, let me stay with you. Sora wishes to be with Rain. It was an unexpected development. I didn''t expect the spirit race to want to work with humans.... Rain, Rain. I want to be with you two... The three of us will have to deal with some things that we won''t be able to handle if there are only three of us, so it''s good to have more people on board.It''s not like I want to be with you guys, okay?Don''t get me wrong. It seems that Kanade and Tania have already allowed themselves to be turned on by the two of them, perhaps because they are the same strongest species. Certainly, it would be reassuring to have Sora and Luna as friends. Sometimes I wish there were a few more people at the party. I thought about it for a bit and came to a conclusion. ''Well okay. If it''s good for you two, I have no objection to it. I mean, you''re more than welcome to join us. Thank you, Rain. "Hahaha, I''ll take care of you!Can I do something nice for you? Luna, you little...! It''s a joke. Don''t take me seriously. You are in too much of a hurry, my sister. ''Mugugugug'' It''s going to be a lively party. I think about that when I see the sisters happily frolicking around. ''''Well then ... nice to meet you from now on. Yes, thank you for your help. From this day forward, we''re allies. I look forward to working with you. Thus, the two spirit clans joined the party. ''''By the way, Rain,'''' What is it, Sola? Will you sign a contract with us as well? What? From what I hear, Kanade and Tania have made a deal with Rain. We want to help Rain as well. You can get a 20% discount. You can get on special offer now. Are you serious about that? ''Yes, I''m serious. You''ve been a lot of help and ... well, at least this much. "....My blurbs are through. Mmm, Rain is so mean. I tried to calm the place down and became my clown. Well, be that as it may, my feelings are the same. I want to help Rain. ''I''m glad you feel that way, but I can only use animals and insects, and as expected, spirits are out of my jurisdiction. Apparently, there used to be a job as an ''elemental tamer'' who used to use spirits... When the spirits disappeared 200 years ago, the elemental tamer also disappeared naturally. However, in my hometown, there was a wielder. It seems to have been passed down secretly from father to son, generation to generation. I had been taught it by friends in the village, but I had never mastered it. The explanation for this is... As if that''s not important enough, Kanade says simply. ''Then we can just let Rain get his lost technique back...'' No, no, no, no, don''t be ridiculous. I learned it lightly back in the day.There''s no way you can do it. But I have a feeling Rain can do it. Hey, Tania? Yeah. For what it''s worth, Rain can do well, can''t she? I''m not going to let you get away with this... Why don''t you just try it out?Don''t be so uncool to give up before you''ve done anything. If you say so, I can''t say no. ''Well let''s just do it. Sola, Luna. Come here. Yes, sir. Hmm. The two men stand side by side. I bite my thumb and draw a magic circle with flowing blood. Then I close my eyes and concentrate. The way to tame is the same for all races in the basic part of the process. You concoct your magic power, speak to the target''s soul, and talk to it with your heart and mind. If the other party responds to that, negotiation is complete.......and the tame is a success. However, the structure of the magic power concocted by each race is different. It''s like trying to solve a puzzle of different shapes. If the shape of the magic power is wrong, our words won''t reach the soul and the contract will fail. In order to use the spirit race, what kind of structure of magic power should be kneaded? How much magic do I have to put into this? I poured all the experience, skill, and intuition I''ve gained in the past to come up with my own answer. ''''My name is Rain Shroud. I will sign a new contract and make a connection here. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with power in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? "...Sola.... "...Luna... The magic circle became particles of light and was sucked into Sora and Luna''s bodies. ''Contract ... it''s done. ''Huh, it looks like it''s all worked out somehow. You did it, Rain. That''s what I''m talking about. Well, I wasn''t worried about it. I had faith that Rayne could do it. ''It only worked out miraculously. If you asked me to do it again, I probably wouldn''t be able to. ''Really?I feel like Rain would make it work again and again, for whatever reason. I agree. I''m sure the other tames will be successful too.For example ... fish. Well, I haven''t mastered that either, but I''ve learned it. You do have one! We were both tweaked. Be that as it may.... Hmmm... I''m tired indeed. Perhaps because of the recklessness of making a contract with the spirit race, I feel tremendous fatigue. It seems that I''ve consumed a large amount of magic power, and I feel terribly fatigued. If I hadn''t made a contract with Tania and hadn''t had my magic power raised to the bottom, I might have been in danger. If I let my mind wander, I was going to sit there. Then Sora and Luna moved to my left and right to support me. ''From now on, Rain is Sora''s master, right? They can do this, that and this to us. Luna. ''Aw, my sister is red-faced, isn''t she?What the hell did you imagine?Hmmm, that''s sweet. Will you be angry? ''It''s just a joke. You can''t be serious. Well, whatever. Sora and Luna look at me and smile. ''''From now on, it''s nice to meet you. Master...'''' It''s a pleasure to work with you. Master. 36-Episode 36 And the Hero is... Now that we have completed the attack on the Lost Forest, we return to Horizon. Including the movement, it took a total of 2 days. I guess I was able to capture the forest rather quickly. I moved to the inn where Arios and the others are staying and asked for their rooms. Hi, Rain. What''s going on?You''re not going to tell me you''ve given up on the attack, are you? It''s the other way around. The attack is over. What? Here''s the shield of truth. He took the shield of truth out of his luggage bag and handed it to Arios. ''Oh, no way! There''s no way. If you doubt me, you can look all you want. As he said this, Arios began to examine the truth shield. He equipped it, checked the front and back, and used appraisal magic. He''s a skeptical guy. There''s no point in preparing a fake one, though. However, I guess Arios can''t trust me, just like I can''t trust Arios. When I thought about it, it made sense. ''''Well it sure sounds like the real thing. Right? Hmm. So you can at least run errands for the kids? Meow you didn''t even say thank you. You haven''t even apologized for suspecting him of being a phony. ''Is this the brave one...'' On the road, we''ve been talking lightly about Arios... Sola and Luna don''t like it either, and they look grim. ''Do you want to do it?I can do it, okay? Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Stop it. The four people behind me were having a tumultuous conversation, and I stopped them in a hurry. ''What the hell, those two?There are more faces I don''t know, but... Don''t worry about it. Sora and Luna have them use hallucinogenic magic and the wings on their backs are invisible. If they find out they''re the spirit race, they''ll be in a lot of trouble. Kanade and Tania are rare, but they don''t come down to the human village. But if a spirit race that had cut off contact with them two hundred years ago appeared, it would be a big rumor. They could be harmed in some way. It might be tight, but we need to have them do this in the city and other places where people are watching us. ''So, what''s the reward?'' Oh, man, we''ll soon be talking about money. ''Of course. You wouldn''t work for Arios for free, would you? You say one word too many. Do you mind if I check it out? Do as you please. I open the leather bag I received from Arios and check inside. There are twenty gold coins. It fits. "Just as we agreed beforehand. We have no problem with that. There''s no chance of it being a fake so yeah, no problem. We have a deal. We''ve done our job. We''re done here. Let''s get the hell out of here. With my back to Arios. Wait, Rain. Aggus, who had been watching the conversation, stopped me. I turned around, thinking that it wasn''t very popular to ignore him. ''What?'' Why don''t you come back to the party? Aggus'' words were completely unexpected and I couldn''t help but roll my eyes. However, it wasn''t just me, apparently Arios was as well. ''Hey, Aggus. What are you talking about?I haven''t heard anything about bringing Rain back to the party. ''It''s my sole discretion. You may have a lot of thoughts on this, but I''m afraid you''ll have to let me handle this one. .... When Arios was silent, Aggus continued his story. ''Unlike before, I promise to welcome you as a proper companion. Of course, I also promise to improve your treatment. Of course, I will also promise you better treatment, and if you want a reward, I will promise you that too. How do you like that, Rain?Not a bad story, is it? What, are you going to travel with this guy again? ''You understand that we need Rain''s support after recent events, don''t you? It''s a lot of trouble to search for it and all that, but it''s okay if that''s the case. I can give you special recognition. How''s Mina? ''Well he doesn''t seem to be aware enough in terms of having a noble mission, but at this point, let''s compromise. I don''t mind, either. What about Arios? .... Arios does not respond. Perhaps interpreting the silence as an affirmation, Aggus proceeded on his own. ''So that''s why. Why don''t we let bygones be bygones and travel together again?I''m sure the strongest species Rain is using will also be useful in defeating the Demon King. .... I was silent. Nope. To be precise, I was so stunned that I couldn''t even speak. They kicked us out on their own and then came back because they needed us after all.... Are these people insane? I wouldn''t be able to say this very well. Besides, it''s a supercilious way of saying you can come back. I''m not saying it''s humble, but there''s a better way to say it. Starting with Kanade, everyone was making angry faces. Seeing everyone''s faces like that made me feel strangely calm. It''s about me, but I have friends who are as angry with me as I am with them. That seemed to make me very happy. If they are there for me, that''s fine. I don''t need anything else. He turned his back on Aggus. ''Are you going to say no?'' Do you need to ask?Did you think I''d be happy to go back to the party? "Once we defeat the Demon King, you''ll be free of position, fame and fortune, right? I don''t want that. Kanade. Tania. Sola and Luna. I look at everyone and answer Aggus. ''That''s all I need, as long as I have company. ---------- After Rain and the others walked away, Aggus let out a sigh. ''''Oh dear ... you failed?'''' You''ve got to be kidding me!I knew I didn''t need a garbage bug. A mere civilian without a mission it was impossible for you to understand our noble principles. The three of them began to badmouth Rain as they pleased. A child who can''t see the big picture. A trash worm who doesn''t like it. An ordinary person who can''t understand the meaning of the mission. How did it all turn out like this? Why did they refuse to invite you to the party? They didn''t try to understand that they were the cause of this, and without a shred of awareness, they just continued to talk about how Rain was responsible for it. In the midst of all this, Arios was silent the entire time. He remained silent. ''Hey, hey, you think so too, don''t you Arios?We don''t need him at our party, do we? Lean spoke to Arios, without any particular intentions, asking for a counterpart. Arios gave a small nod in response to her words. ''''....Ah. You''re right.'''' I know, right?I don''t want that guy! ''Well I don''t need someone like Rain. You''re not needed. Arios, you know what I''m talking about. Leanne is in a good mood, thinking her story was affirmed... As a matter of fact, Arios hadn''t listened to Lean at all. He didn''t listen to the other three and let his dark thoughts run through his mind. Arios gently held his cheek. It still throbbed where Rain had hit him the other day. The pain was making him angry and hateful. ''''Well I''ve had enough of Rain. Yes ... he''s not needed. That''s something we have to eliminate. The other three are so engrossed in talking in their own defense that they don''t notice anything unusual about Arios. Arios smiles darkly and spills out a voice filled with hatred. "I''m going to turn it off... 37-Episode 37: Heros Blood and Future Story Meow.... As they left the inn where Arios and the others were staying, Kanade let out a grumbling snort. ''What''s wrong?'' I knew I''d hate that guy. Well, in that case, I''ll give you a hand. Let''s make sure he can''t recover. Hey, hey. Don''t make that joke. "I''m serious, though? He said with a straight face, his voice tightly matched. They were a horrible pair. ''I told you before, didn''t I?Arios is ... well, he''s a jerk, but he''s still a brave man. If he''s gone, there will be no one left to defeat the Demon King. Lane, Sola has a question. Nibbling, he tugged at my clothes. ''Yeah?'' Why is the Demon King only defeated by brave men? That bothers me, too. Speaking of which ... why is that? ''I have a feeling there was a reason...no. I can''t remember. Everyone was tilting their heads together. It was like everyone knew.... Well, they''re the most powerful species. They might not be familiar with the human situation. Especially Sora and Luna, the spirit race who had refused to interact with humans, there would be many things they wouldn''t understand. ''''Well.......where did I start talking?'''' Sitting on a handy bench, I felt like a teacher as I continued my story. ''This is a story that''s vague in truth but it seems that the first heroes made a pact with the gods. Meow?With God? ''''According to the lore.......long ago, humans were ruled by a demon king. They were treated like slaves, unable to defy the powerful demon king and the demon race. In order to break such a situation, the First Brave stood up against it. In order to gain the power to fight the demon kings, the First Hero seems to have made a contract with the gods and taken in their blood. In this way, the heroes gained the power of the gods, obtained dramatic power, defeated the Demon King, and freed the humans....... ''You must be an honorable man to be able to fight for someone else. You''re a far cry from the brave men of today. ''The first brave men had children and their blood was passed on to them. At the same time, power was passed on. It has been passed down through the generations ... to the present. Arios has inherited the blood of the first hero. The Chosen One. Isn''t he weak for it?We beat you up, didn''t we? What''s the story?I''d be very interested in it. It''s going to take a long time to get to that point, so I''ll tell you another time. In a strange way, Luna bit into the conversation. Although Sola didn''t say anything, her eyes were shining as if to say ''I''m interested''. ''That''s not to say that that''s Arios''s all he''s got,'' Meow?You mean you were cutting corners, right? Yeah, no. I''m sorry to say that. At that point, Arios wasn''t complete as a brave man. The bloodline of the brave acquires a special power. It''s a power called ''breaking through the limits''. No matter how much effort one puts forth, one cannot obtain the power to defeat the Demon King. They will never grow to that level, and along the way, they will reach the limit of their growth. Even those who were talented in battle would not be able to grow to the point of defeating the Demon King. At best, they would only be able to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings. A person''s limits are set. However, the brave ones are different. Their bodies, which have taken in the blood of the gods and have been passed down from generation to generation, have no word for growth limits. It grows and accumulates strength to every extent. Eventually, it will grow to the point where it can defeat the Demon King. In short, the brave man is an existence that can grow to the point where he can defeat the demon king. An ordinary person would have a limit at some point and would not grow any further. But a brave person doesn''t have that limit and can grow infinitely. That''s to the point where they can defeat the Demon King one day....... That''s why it''s said that only the brave can defeat the Demon King. Nyanka... that''s how it works. So when you fought us, the heroes weren''t even in their waking state? ''''The current Arios are still only as powerful as a normal person. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be able to win. Nyan. I''m convinced. Sola raises her hand. ''What''s going on?Even where you don''t know? ''As I was listening to what you just said, it occurred to me that Rain doesn''t have a growth limit either, does she? What? ''We''ve made a deal with Kanade and Tania, and we''ve also made a deal with Sora and Luna. So they should be getting new powers. Wouldn''t that mean that Rain, who can take in more and more new powers, has practically no growth limits? Oh, come to think of it, Maybe a little low, but... "At least you are lightly exceeding the limits of human development. Yes, I can assure you. Is that so...? I don''t really feel like I''m pushing the envelope myself. Hey, hey, I was just wondering. Kanade says with a twinkle on his face, as if he had a good idea sparked. ''''If Rain signed up with more and more of the strongest species and became more and more powerful, maybe he''d be able to defeat the Demon King in time, right? What? ''If that happens, we won''t have to rely on a brave man like that. Don''t think it would be a good idea if Rain defeated the Demon King. Such a ridiculous story... Yeah, not a bad idea. Luna? They should laugh it off as impossible, but somehow, Luna agrees with them. It''s not just Luna. Tania and Sora aren''t too bad, are they?and refused to dismiss Kanade''s idea. ''You don''t want to, Rain?Don''t you want to fight a demon lord? It''s... Fight the Demon King. I will fight to bring peace to this world. When I was in Arios'' party before, I worked hard to achieve that goal. We fought day in and day out, trying to win peace by our own hands. But when we were banished from the party... I lost sight of what I needed to do and my purpose was gone. Now I''m just going through my days, just drifting along. Kanade and Tania. Sora and Luna. I''ve met some of my most important friends, but... Beyond that, I''m still unable to find my ''purpose''. What do I want to do? What can I do? I''m..... ''Hey, hey, Rain. Why don''t we take down the Demon King?There''s no need to leave it to those brave men. Calm down, you impatient cat. You impatient cat. An impatient cat! Tania did a gong to Kanade''s head. ''I know it''s not bad, but it''s not something that''s easy enough to implement out of the blue. ''You''ve got Rain in trouble.'' Lane, are you in trouble? Well it''s a bit of a surprise. ''Ugh I''m sorry. I wasn''t thinking about Rain.... He stroked Kanade''s slumped head as if to tell her not to worry about it. A dusty look came over his face. ''To be honest...'' A brief but collected thought... I put the feeling inside me into words. If I can really do what Kanade says, if I can really do what Kanade says, if I can defeat the Demon King, then I want to give it a try. What comes to my mind is the scene of my once destroyed hometown. Everyone in the village collapsed, the house burned down, everything disappeared... As long as there is a demon king, the same thing will be repeated in many places. If it can be stopped, I would like to stop it. ''''It''s just ... what can I say? It''s so sudden that I''m not prepared for it.'''' "I advise you to be a man and make your own decisions. I advise you to be a man. ''I hope you''re a strong-minded person who can make a quick decision but I''m not that strong. I''ve only been able to get by with the support of everyone else. Mm, I don''t think so. ''''If you are truly determined to defeat the Demon King, you need to be prepared for a lot of things. You''ll have to take on the lives of many people. Whether I can do that I honestly don''t know. That''s ... um ... um ... I suppose so. So that''s what we''re going to talk about. ''Will you let me think about it for a minute?What do I want to do and how should I do it? I''m going to have to face myself once and think long and hard about it. Think long and hard. Sola and the others will wait forever. And whatever you decide to do, we will respect Rain''s thoughts. I''ll always be with Rain. Well, okay, if you insist, I''ll be right there with you. Thanks, guys. What should we do now? Maybe it''s time to choose a path to walk down. 38-38. Lets make a weapon Completing Arios''s request made my pocketbook much richer. Now that I had some leeway, I decided to prepare my equipment. I went to the armor shop, which is said to be the best in the city. ''''...........................Welcome. We were greeted by the sardonic voice of the owner of the store. The proprietor was a first-generation man with a stubborn air about him. He was short and stocky, like a child. He was an earthling. They are very similar to humans, and are skilled at blacksmithing. They are also known as dwarves. I''m sorry. I''m looking for weapons and armor... "...are you a knothole?They''re all over the place, right?Take your pick of what you like. Oh, yeah. Okay. I wanted the owner to pick out a recommendation for me, but I couldn''t even talk to him. ''''........Nya, you''re a stubborn old man. Earthmen are such bigots. When Kanade and Tania were saying this and that... The owner glanced at me. Could he possibly hear me? Terrible hell-ears. I stopped them both from talking and warned them not to say anything more. ''Rain. How about a weapon like this? Sola brought the dagger. ''It looks pretty good. It doesn''t look too sharp either.'' Right? Ummm, it''s just... "Just? ''What can I say?I can''t really put it into words, but I feel like there''s something different about it. No? I''m sorry I can''t put it into words. It just doesn''t feel right. Well I''m sorry. I''m glad you worked so hard to find me. Thank you. No. It''s just what you deserve. I was just fulfilling my mission as a messenger. Rain, Rain. Now Luna brought the whip to me. ''How about this?'' Luna?Rain can''t handle a whip, you know? ''But isn''t a tamer a whip?Now we''re going to bish-bash the messenger who won''t listen to us! Foul play. ''Hmm, what did you imagine?A mere whip and a strange imagination.............Sora is mulligan. Kuhahahaha. Luna. It''s a strategic retreat! The sisters start chasing each other around with a lot of noise. Hopefully they won''t be kicked out. He glanced at the owner of the store, but he didn''t seem to show any interest in us. He was quietly reading a book with a bored look on his face. Why was he so unwilling to do that? In case you were wondering.... If you ask them, they won''t answer you. ''I''ll have to pick out my armor sooner rather than later before I get kicked out. I look around the shelves where the armor is laid out. I mainly deal in daggers. Many of the Beast Tamers don''t have strong arms, so such light equipment is the main weapon. Now that I''m under contract with Kanade, I''m sure I can equip not only a long sword, but a large sword as well... They have never been used properly. Even if you buy them because you can equip them, you will likely not be able to handle them well and they will become a waste of treasure. After all, a familiar dagger would be best. With that in mind, I move to the shelves where the daggers are lined up, but.... Hmm. The owner of this place must be quite skilled. All weapons appear to shine. But ... is it just my imagination that they seem to shine? It just looks good and has no substance. That''s the impression I got. ''Ooh, let''s get out of the way! A large man, who looked like an adventurer, came to the store. He has scars on his face and arms, and has an uncanny appearance. He may be a strong man who has passed through a series of battles. Are you the owner? ...hmmm. I was introduced to this place by an adventurer friend of mine. He said I''d find the right armor here for me. Well you''ve been introduced to me by someone you know. Do you keep the long sword?I''ve got plenty of money, just give me the best of the best. Money but that''s okay. Hmmm ... how about this one? The owner handed the big man a sword. The big man pulled the sword from its scabbard and checked the blade. It''s a good shine. It''s a sword that looks well cut. It''s extremely durable. Even if you treat it roughly, it won''t get damaged. This one should satisfy you, don''t you think? Okay, I love it!I''ll take this one. Maido. The big man is in a good mood and walks out of the store. Seeing that, Kanade softly whispered in his ear. ''''Nya........that uncle, is he by any chance a good-natured person?If I ask you, will you give me a good answer? ''I don''t know ... more importantly, that was kind of weird. Meow? I walked up to the owner and called out to him. ''I''m sorry. I''d like to ask you something about the sword you just sold to the man... What is it? ''''I don''t mean to be rude but maybe the sword you have now, it''s not much of a substitute, is it? I could see the surprise on everyone''s faces at the sudden statement. It''s just..... The owner looked somewhat amused, as if he was interested in us. "Ho........you think I sold my customers namakra?Is that what you''re saying? ''Nope. I wouldn''t go so far as to call it a namakra but I''m sure this store could have found a better sword for you. What makes you think that? ''I know it''s just a hunch but I feel like the weapons we have in this store are very well shined, but that''s all they are. They''re perfect for ornamental purposes, but when it comes to using them in actual combat, I feel they''re lacking. "Well you''re a pretty good judge of character, kid. You''re right. Does that mean...? The one I sold to that man is simply a mass-produced sword that can be made with a single hand. It''s moderately slashing and sturdy, but that''s all it is. It''s something of its own, but it''s not something you put your soul into. It''s a far cry from being a workhorse. Why would he sell such a sword? I don''t think he''s receiving exorbitant amounts of money, so I don''t think it''s for fraudulent purposes... As if to answer my question, the owner chuckles like a child playing a prank. ''Nah, it''s just a bit of an old man''s nastiness,'' Mean? These days, money is all that''s left in the air, and people are putting money on the line to get weapons that aren''t up to their level. The last customer said he had money. And now I am beginning to feel foolish, because I am dealing with people like that. I am a armorer. All my pieces are like my children. Isn''t it selfish of me to want them to be handled by their rightful owners and be happy? I know the feeling!I can guarantee you that what you say is right and not wrong! Unexpectedly, Tania agreed with the shopkeeper. Did they have a common ground between the prideful ones? Hello, little girl. You know your stuff. You''ve got some pretty good guts for a human being, don''t you? Yeah? If you look closely, missy, you''re a dragon race. Oh, aren''t you surprised? At my age. This isn''t the first time I''ve encountered a superpowered species. Hmm, you''ve got some nerve. That''s good. I like it even more. A strange familiarity was developing. ''Well I''m getting off track. The owner looked from Tania back to me. ''Well, that''s why we sell namakra to people who would be fooled by it,'' ''You do mean things, don''t you?'' Are you mad at me? No. He was happy with it. It''s not like I''m going to criticize him. Hm. You seem like a pretty mean person, don''t you? Lane''s very nice, you know? But the night can be nasty. Yo, Night. ''Hmmm, what did my sister imagine?That''s really muggy. I''m done with this development. Again I digressed. ''By the way how did you realize that what you have here is a namakura?If I may say so, you won''t be able to tell them apart easily. It''s a hunch, isn''t it? That''s a very vague answer. ''It''s really just a hunch. If I had to guess, it might have something to do with the fact that I''m a beast tamer. Oh. So you''re a beast tamer, aren''t you? What a rare thing to find in a profession so boring. I like it. It''s not a problem if it''s a familiar face, but if it''s a new face, you need to observe it carefully so that my words and magic power can reach it. That''s what I''ve trained myself to do. Maybe that''s why I naturally developed my eyes to see things. Hmmm... hahaha, interesting! The owner laughed vigorously and popped his knee. ''I like it. You''re the first customer in a long time!What kind of armor are you looking for?A sword?A spear?An axe? You mean...? Anyone who passes the test without fail will be sold a real weapon. A real one I''ll make you one myself. Oh, I see. Then take the dagger. Yeah, I''d love to tell you that I''ll take care of it, but... Meow? What''s going on?You''re not going to say I quit after all, are you? ''Tania, I don''t think it''s too early to draw any conclusions. The owner of the store stammers with some kind of troubled look on his face. Maybe there''s something wrong with him. Luna seems to have come to the same conclusion as I have and tilts her head slightly. What''s the matter, shopkeeper?What''s the matter with you? Well, that''s... You want to talk about it?Maybe we can help you with something. Hmm.....that''s right. Sooner or later, everyone in town will know that we don''t have the materials to make weapons, even if we wanted to. The shopkeeper let out a loud sigh, as if deeply troubled. 39-Episode 39: No Materials We''ll talk to him.... The shopkeeper is said to be making armor for customers who don''t care about him, using ores that can be collected in large quantities at low cost. According to the shopkeeper, it''s a namakra. Even so, by combining several ores, it is possible to maintain a certain level of quality. Maybe that''s why, although it''s hard to say, many adventurers are deceived by it. Splendidly, for those who overcome the shopkeeper''s ordeal, the shopkeeper wholeheartedly makes armor. The materials used are not cheap ores, but mithril, which can only be collected in small quantities on the moon. This armor is not made for fun, but for seriousness. Furthermore, the material is a rare ore, mithril. It seems that the armor is so great that it can be used for a lifetime. However, here came a problem. The supply of mithril seems to have stopped. The owner had an exclusive contract with a particular adventurer and used the mithril that they mined. Recently, however, the supply of mithril is said to have stopped. The cause is that the adventurers are failing to mine it. It seems that even if you go to the mine, there is not a piece of mithril to be found, and it seems that the mine has fallen into a state where it cannot be mined. Have they dug it all out? Or is there another cause? I don''t know the truth, but the truth is that the mithril never reaches the shopkeeper and he is unable to make armor....... Nah, that''s a lot of work. Can''t we just import them from somewhere else?That''s what I would do. I''ve thought about that, of course. But mithril is a very rare and precious ore, and there isn''t enough of it to export anywhere else. There isn''t enough mithril in the market to export. ''Did the owner of the store have the right to mine such an ore?And Sola questions. One of the things my parents left me was a mountain. I found out that it was a place where they could mine mithril ore. Well, that''s good luck. I''m sure I''ve found a treasure trove of goodies. But if you found the Mithril mine, wouldn''t you be able to sell it and live off of it for the rest of your life? How much is Mithril per unit price? Carbonized? Unit price, unit price, how much per kilogram. I think it was about ten gold pieces, wasn''t it? I make a statement based on my dim knowledge. Then the owner adds. The latest rate is nine," he says. It varies from market to market. Oh, yeah. What''s a thousand gold pieces if I sell the whole pile?Sola''s right, you could live vicariously through playing. Hm. I won''t do anything stupid. I am a weaponsmith. I will carry a hammer for the rest of my life. Neeee, that''s what I call a craftsman''s spirit! I love it when you do that.I can relate. Compliments won''t get you anywhere, ladies. The owner laughed... Then he turns bitter. I''m sorry," he said, "but if it''s people like you, it''s worth the effort I put into it. I can''t do anything without the materials. And I am not an alchemist. You don''t have to apologize. It''s just a matter of circumstance. That would be great to hear. It''s just... I''m curious to hear about how all of a sudden the mithril can no longer be mined. Normally, when the ore is depleted, the amount of mining is gradually reduced. The amount is steadily decreasing... Eventually, it goes to zero. That''s the normal pattern. And yet, it''s strange that it suddenly becomes impossible to mine. I''m curious... Rain, Rain. Kanade looked at me. ''What''s wrong?'' Oh, no. I was just curious. I told them all about the question in my mind. ''Nyah. I''m not sure, but it must be funny if Rain says so.'' ''Kanade needs to learn to think about things a bit more. Harsh words! ''''My sister, you mustn''t ask too much. After all, the Cat Spirit Tribe has an empty head. Terrible? ''It''s a joke. It was a joke to lighten the mood........hmmm. I thought I could see the little devil''s wings and tail on Luna''s back. ''Anyway what do you want to do Rain?'' ''I''m inclined to look into it. That''s a painful thing to do, so.......I decided on my own during the Lost Forest as well...... Come on, you can do whatever you want. Tania says simply. ''What?'' I don''t care about that. Besides, it''s one of us, isn''t it?I don''t want you to be weirdly reserved. Maybe I''m exaggerating a bit, but if we''re buddies, we''re all in this together, right? ''Oh, Tania said it well! It''s going to rain tomorrow. There could be a storm. You guys... ''''Well you''re right. Tania''s right. We''re on the same side. It''s weird to be so reserved. What''s up with you guys?What''s up with all the sneaking around? "So, about the mine why don''t you let us investigate it for you? What? ''I''m curious about something. I have a feeling that the ore didn''t run out naturally and that there''s something more to it than that. So why don''t you ask us to investigate? "Hmm. The owner puts a hand to his chin as he thinks. Thinking in the same position, often........ After a moment, the owner opened his mouth. This could be a fate, too. All right, I''ll ask you guys to do it. Thank you. It''s me who should thank you. It''s really nice of you to take on a project in a mine where you don''t know what''s going on. Our master is a very sly man. That''s what I love about Rain. So, can you put a request out to the guild for us to be appointed? There is a system called "nomination request," which is used when you want a specific adventurer to make a request. It is used when you want a specific adventurer to make a request. Some adventurers do not trust adventurers they have never met before. Such a client can specify a specific adventurer. By doing so, they can assign the request to a trusted adventurer... Incidentally, this system was also used during Arios'' time. Arios was reluctant to say, ''''I can''t believe it''s public knowledge that a brave man relied on an adventurer,'''' but an adventurer can''t accept a request without permission. Since it''s a rule, I asked them to strictly adhere to it. Hmm. I understand. And what is your name? ''Oh I didn''t introduce myself, come to think of it. I''m sorry. I''m Rain Shroud. It''s Rain ... hmm, I remember. I''m Ganzstroff. Nice to meet you, Ganz. They shake each other''s hands. ''So, on the subject of compensation is there anything you want?'' I need Gantz to make me some armor. ''Is that what you want?Do I have some money to spend? I''m more interested in Gantz''s armor. Right. You want my armor more than you want gold. No? No, that''s the best answer. Ganz grins. Where was the sardonic expression that I saw when I first saw him? He rolled up his arms as if to show off his proud body with a look of dominance on his face. ''''I promise. I''ll make you the best armor you''ll ever have. I''m counting on it. We have a deal. I''m interested in the armor that Ganz puts his soul into. How much of this stuff do you think we''ll get? I''m looking forward to it. Rain, Rain. Yeah? You can look forward to it, but you have to complete the request properly first, right? It seems that I had a full understanding of what I was thinking, and Kanade would say that to me. ''Did I look so obvious?'' I was. You did. I was. I was. We''ve all been told together. Shall we practice our poker faces? I can''t help but think about that in all seriousness. ''Gantz, where''s the mine?'' It''s not far from here. I''ll give you both a map to the mine and a map of the interior. Thank you. Please. If there''s a problem, I want you to find out why. I''m not the one who cannot make weapons because I am not me and I''m not the one who can''t make weapons. Although they have an eccentric approach of putting Namakra out in the open and only making armor for customers they like.... In other words, Gantz''s thoughts on armor are that sincere. I''m not an armor maker, but I can understand Ganz''s thoughts. I want to be of help to Ganz. I genuinely want to be of help to Ganz. I will definitely accomplish this request. 40-Episode 40: Bathing Even though the mine owned by Ganz is close to the city, you have to be prepared to enter the mountain. The weather in the mountains is changeable and could deteriorate rapidly. There is a risk of getting stuck, so careful preparation is necessary. Spend a day preparing... The next day. We stepped into a pile owned by Ganz. ''Nyan-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya-nya'' Kanade, walking in the lead, is humming an unfamiliar tune. He has done something similar before, but I wonder if he likes to sing? Hey Kanade, can you stop that distracting song? Nah, I''m sorry. It was a fun hike and I just couldn''t resist. Well, I don''t know how I feel about it. Isn''t that right?We''re all going out together! ''Have fun, but remember, this is a request. ''I know! I haven''t forgotten, okay?But I think we have to remember to have fun. That''s very Kanade. Yeah. Tania and I chuckled together. Being able to enjoy things at any time might be a talent of Kanade''s in a way. ''''Huh... haha...'''' Sola and Luna were walking behind her a little later. They were already breathing heavily. ''Are you okay?'' It''s okay... It''s not a big deal. My sister, don''t you think you''re making it up to me I''m a battered idiot... We were both sweating quite a bit. Maybe you''re not feeling well? No, I don''t think so. I''m perfectly healthy. We''re the strongest species.......the strongest species seldom get sick. They don''t have the toughest bodies to be invaded by viruses.... We''re a reclusive race of spirits............................ How much longer until... phew... do you think we''ll be able to reach our destination? Well that''s an hour or so. "....for an hour... Sola and Luna looked desperate together. As expected of twins, I should say. They''re breathing perfectly even at times like this. ''See?'' He holds out his hand towards the two of them. ''What about this hand?'' ''I''ll pull you two off. I''ll have a place to rest in a little while, so hang in there. ''Oh, thank you...'' You don''t mind if I have to give you a piggyback ride, do you? I only have one back.... Then Rain picks me up and picks up my Sora. It''s a bit of a parent-child tortoise idea. ''Isn''t that dangerous, Sola?I don''t think Luna''s slender arms can support Sora. "Sora''s too heavy... Oh, it''s not heavy. We walked for about ten minutes with them in tow.... The trees opened up and we came to a clearing. From the remains of the campfire, it was likely that this was where the adventurers had camped. We could see the lake behind them. ''Let''s take a break here for a while. I called out to everyone and lowered my bags to the ground. I was a little tired too, having brought enough stuff with me to last me two nights. Maybe I should have found a suitable large animal and tamed it. ''''Huh....tsu, I''m tired....it''s tough for the spirit race...'''' ''Sola is heavy. Under her own weight, she''s probably more tired than I am. And it''s not heavy. Sora and Luna looked tired, but were surprisingly energetic, making a lot of noise while talking about such things. ''Aren''t Kanade and Tania tired?'' Hmmm. Nope. It''s not much of a stretch. It''s just like the cat spirit race and the dragon race. It seems that he has excellent physical strength, and he''s not out of breath at all. However, she was sweating, and she was patting her clothes on the floor like she was hot. ''''Nya ... I''m not tired, but I don''t want to be hot. It''s a hot day, isn''t it?It''s not like summer. When I looked up at the sky, the sun was shining brightly. The sun was shining so brightly that I couldn''t help but mutter to myself that I didn''t have to work so hard. It''s definitely hot. I guess I better get hydrated. Here''s some water. Thank you. I gave water to Kanade and Tania. Continuing, he gave water to Sora and Luna as well. ''Are you sure about Rain?'' Why don''t you give him a mouthful of wine? Luna. A joke of a joke. I just had my drink. But still, it''s really hot. It''s now ... what is it ... noon? It''s just the hottest time of day. I took shelter in the shade of a tree to avoid as much direct sunlight as possible. Everyone else moves in next to me. Unya.......it''s hard to get motivated when it''s this hot....... Really....it''s just...it doesn''t make a lot of sense to me... I don''t want to move from this place I absolutely do not want to move, that I do not want to move. ''Proposal. Let''s blow out the sun. Everyone seems to be suffering a lot from the heat. It can''t be helped. We thought the weather would be much the same as yesterday, so we came with the right equipment. With temperatures like summer, it''s a bit harsh. It would be nice if there was something to refresh you... Ah! Suddenly, Kanade stands up with a flash of inspiration. ''Hey, hey, Rain. Can I go take a bath? Bathing? Look, you see that lake there?I think it feels so good to bathe in there! I agree with Kanade. What a great idea! Oh, nice one! They all had a twinkle in their eyes together. The truth is, I can''t really recommend it... There could be danger all around us, there could be demons or something lurking in the lake. If you''re going to take a dip, I''d prefer to explore the area before you do so... I don''t think they''re going to wait for that. ...Well, I can do the vigilance. ''All right. I''ll be resting here, so you can go and cool off. Thanks, Rain! As if it was quick, Kanade reached for his clothes........ ''''Wait a minute!Don''t take it off here, I''m here for you! Oh I couldn''t help it, I couldn''t help it. Ehehehe I''m sorry. ''I''m fine with it but for God''s sake, you have to realize that you''re a pretty girl. I don''t want you to do that to me in more ways than one. Hey, Lane, what am I doing?What about me? Yeah?Of course, Tania is cute too. Yeah, well you know the drill. How''s Sora? What about me? Of course you two are cute, aren''t you?What''s wrong with you that you''re asking such an obvious question? ...This is going to work quite well. It makes my heart skip a beat. Mm. That''s how easy it was for me to... don''t do it, Rain. I don''t understand what they say. What are they talking about? Meow it''s hot. Let''s just get on down to the lake. I can''t take the heat this time of year and I need some moisture. Rain. I''m sorry, but Thora and the others are going to go, aren''t they? ''Yeah. There''s still time, you can go ahead and take your time. Thank you, Rain. As if my words were a signal, Kanade, Tania and Luna headed for the lake... Sola bowed her head with a peck, then followed the other three. Well. I''m me and I''ll do what I have to do. I made a tentative agreement with the rabbits walking nearby and scattered them around the lake. They''ll be quick to tell me if anything goes wrong. ''There we go. All that''s left to do is to get some sleep. The temperature is high, but the shade is reasonably good. It''s never hard to sleep. I used a tree trunk as a pillow and closed my eyes. ---------- Meow, first to go Kanade, who had turned into a stark naked figure, jumped into the lake with a huge leap. With a splash, the water splashed up. I''m next! Sora. I''m no match for you. Tania, Sola, and Luna jumped into the lake in that order, followed by Tania, Sola, and Luna. ''Phew!It feels so good, oh, it''s so cold and good... ''''Huh ... it''s soothing ... it''s like my fatigue is being blown away ...'''' Mwah. It''s paradise. .... Kanade, Tania and Sora were enjoying a dip in the water. Luna was staring at the three of them. ''''Nyan?'''' Kanade is the first to notice his gaze and gives him a strange look. ''''What''s wrong?'''' ...Kanade''s got big breasts. Yeah?Is that right? Isn''t that the Dantz. Is that the murder weapon?Or is it a melon? Hey, I don''t know what Luna''s talking about. Muguugu you sure are big. You can''t be bigger than me, that''s cheeky... Isn''t that a big deal, Tania? This time, Sora stared at Tania''s chest. In her gaze, there was a mixture of jealousy and a variety of other emotions. ''''Sola and the others...'''' Even though it''s like this... The twins are all together and touch their chests. If I were to compare it to a sound, it would be a squatting sound. Or maybe it''s a sound like a "smack"? "I''m jealous of you both.......what in the world do you need to eat to be like that? Can you show me the ropes?That''s right!I''d like to be at least Tania. Well, you can''t say that... It just comes naturally to me, doesn''t it? It''s a genetic disorder... So we''ll be here forever...? Wow, you don''t get it, do you?See, the growing season could be just around the corner! Meow!Maybe there''s a way to make it bigger, too! Canade and Tania hurriedly encouraged Sola and Luna, as their depression was so great. ''For example, what are some of the ways we can help you?'' ''Well ... you know ... having someone you like to rub? Everyone in the room looked as if they were imagining something. What were they imagining? Only the people in question will know that. And that''s when it happened. ''''Nyah, funnyaaaah! Suddenly, Kanade jumped and let out a loud scream as his body shook. 41-Episode 41: Promising happening ''Nyah, hmmmmm! Kanade! I heard a scream from the lake. I dozed off but woke up in an instant. There was no response from the small animals that were alerting the area. So did that mean that something happened in the lake? "Oh, no, don''t think about it! Get up and run as fast as you can. Kanade and Tania. Sola and Luna. Stay safe, everyone! You run with a prayer, but... At this point I had forgotten the fatal thing. I ran all the way to the lake. ''Guys, are you all right?!'' ""What?" The four of them, who had exposed their bare skin, look back at each other with a pout. ........Ah. Come to think of it, I was in the middle of bathing. Even after all this time, I remember such things and freeze up. ''''..........'''' They don''t seem to understand my sudden appearance, and they all stiffen up too. They''re stunned, not even trying to hide their water dripping skin. Meanwhile, Kanade''s tail was twitching. At the tip of it, a fish had taken a bite. Apparently, the scream I heard earlier was due to the fact that the fish had bitten my tail. I was the one who came to my senses first. I''m sorry! In front of me, there were numerous skin-colored components. I hurriedly looked away and, incidentally, flipped over. ''Well I heard you scream and I thought something must have happened I should have thought better of it. I''m really sorry. I have to leave quickly. I left the lake, sweating like a funny man, and.... " "!!!!! I heard four inarticulate screams from behind me. Really, I''m sorry.... ---------- ........30 minutes later. ''Nyah ... eh Rain''s eh. Kanade and the others, who had returned from the lake, had their cheeks dyed vermilion. The Kanade turned its zit eyes towards us, wagging its tail restlessly. ''''I''m sorry. It might be an excuse, but I didn''t mean any harm.'''' What do you think?Thank goodness you''re not trying to peek at us naked, are you? Tania was angry, too. She shot me a look so sharp that I thought it would sting. ''Awwww ... to Rain, Sora''s, haha ... naked ... awwwwww.'' "Hmm. Sola''s gonna be useless for a while. Good grief, we''re in trouble. Sola is confused. On the other hand, Luna was calm and unflappable. That calmness is scary in reverse. I''ve done something outrageous. Even though she didn''t have the intention to do so, to peek at the place where everyone was bathing.... ........Normally, I wouldn''t be able to trust a man like this. I think we''ve done reasonably well up until now, but I think my trust has been broken all at once. It might be hard to stay together like this. Worst case scenario, the party could fall apart............................ ''I''m really sorry!I''ll do whatever it takes to get you to forgive me. ''Nyan...?Anything? Kanade''s eyes glow bewitchingly. ''Really, would you do anything for me?'' ...if I can help it. Hmmm ... no two words? Tania also got in on the conversation. The way.... Ooh, I''m getting paranoid. I''m curious to see how far this thing will go. Sola and Luna are still in the same stance. ''If you want to do anything...'' What we want is for us to... "Gulp. "Do what you''ve always done! ...What? I was confronted with a demand I didn''t understand. I''m not going to let them tell me to do what I''ve always done, but.... What does it mean? It''s very embarrassing to have been seen like that, you know?Nya, I''m starting to get red in the face again when I remember. I''d like to give you a breath or two, but I know that Rayne was genuinely concerned about us, so I can''t complain, even if I wanted to. There isn''t one. ''So you''re thinking about Rain and how you''ve done something awful to everyone and how you don''t know what to look like, right? "Even though I blame myself for that, it''s a delicate feeling for me. That ... that was kind of an accident, and I don''t think it was Rain''s fault. ''We''d rather not have a rift with Rain this time. So I''d like to see things go the way they always have. I can''t help but roll my eyes at the verdict I wasn''t expecting. I''m glad you both said that, but... ''No, but... no matter what the process was, it resulted in everyone''s... well, it was like a peep...'' Sora doesn''t ... mind. You looked terribly upset. Luna needs to shut up for a minute. "Rajah. "Book. As if to rejoin the conversation, Sora coughed lightly. Once again, she looks into our eyes and speaks. ''''Sola understands that Rain doesn''t have any malicious intentions. After what happened, well, I mean.........I''m extremely, haha, I''m embarrassed, but.......but Kanade is right, I don''t want this to be the reason for the distance between me and Rain. Hmm. "I agree with Thora!Don''t beat yourself up about it. Think of it as an accident. Or consider yourself lucky. Let''s shut up about Luna, shall we? "Rajah. ''''It''s a conclusion we reached earlier after discussing it between us. ''Well that''s okay?I think we all have a right to be angry in general... why do you forgive me so easily? ''It''s not that it''s easy. But you know what? Kanade chuckles. Looking a little embarrassed. I''m sure Rain would be okay with it. I said something like that. ''I''m, well ... you see. I''m not a dragon tribe, am I?So it''s not like I don''t care if a human sees me naked, or if it''s like being looked at by a bug... but if it were another human, I''d put out the coals. Either it''s not good or it''s not...? Sora has, uh..... My sister says she didn''t feel so bad. By the way, so did I. Luna. Hey, get out of here! So, that''s it then ... we''re done with this story! Yeah, yeah. Do you want to take a dip in the water, Rain?You''re sweating, too.You''ll feel so much better, clearer. So now we''re going to look in on them?I understand. I won''t do that! I found myself back in the air as usual. What can I say.................laugh. I was ready for the party to fall apart when I saw everyone naked... It was just an unfounded fear. Everyone was laughing, including Kanade, as if that was impossible. No, well, that doesn''t make up for the mistake I made.... I need to reflect on this more and more. ''''Well I get it. It might be a bit difficult, but I''ll try to be as unconscious as possible, and I''ll do what I''ve always done, just as normal. Meow. Good luck, Rain? It''s a punishment and you have to do it right, okay? ''I''ve already received your apology and I''m done apologizing. Can''t you at least think back on one of them?Hmmm. ''You can''t do that, you know!Please don''t take Luna''s nonsense to heart! Well, well, Rain''s a guy too, right?If you have to, well, if you have to, well, it''s just a little bit... I don''t have an axe to grind, you know! Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee? How did I ever think that the party would fall apart? Maybe I was being a little timid because of the Arios incident. I''m going to have to trust everyone, just like everyone else trusts me. 42-Chapter 42: Pirate and Dig There was a bit of a hiccup, but then things went well.... We reached the mine owned by Ganz. We could see the entrance to the cave, reinforced by a wooden frame. There was a trolley track on the ground. They were probably used to transport the mined ore. As I had done when I encountered the bandits at some point, I hid behind a tree to explore the mine. ''''There''s no one here...'''' ''Since the mining has been shut down, is it any surprise that no one is there?Is my sister so clunky that she can''t even think of such a thing? Luna seems to have a clunky mouth like that you need to correct the way you talk to your sister. Ho-ho, I''ll take that. We''ll come back and rip you apart! Right there. For God''s sake, keep it down. I understand. I don''t mind answering the question, but.... In the case of Luna, because of her personality, there is a fear of not knowing what she will do. Well, I think she''s intelligent in some way, so I don''t think she''ll do anything too rare....... Suddenly, I saw a bird circling overhead. What is it?Looking for bait...? It''s moving oddly for that. It''s as if it has found something. "Hey, hey, Rain. Why are we hiding? The question dissipates when Kanade calls out to me. I switch my thoughts and answer Kanade''s question. ''All of a sudden, the ore has stopped being extracted. What do you think caused that? Uh ... dead? ''The first cause that comes to mind would be, I suppose. But there''s something that doesn''t quite add up for me to dig through. What if there are other possibilities?What if there was someone else coming and going besides the adventurers with whom Ganz had a contract?I asked him beforehand, and he said he didn''t have any kind of a lookout in place. Do you want to say ... theft? Tania, you''re right. ''I see. Well, it''s possible, but ... what''s the evidence? No. What? ''It''s one of several possibilities. There are many other possible patterns: adventurers diverting, demonic damage, natural depletion... Then why are you doing this? ''If the pattern was that the stealers were right, we can''t just walk in with our feet swallowed, can we?You never know what you''re going to get. So, here''s what we''ll observe first. Is the cause a thief?Or is it another factor?We''ll step inside, we''ll figure it out. You are very cautious. You''re putting your life in my hands, all right? I''d be a lot more careful for them. Does that mean you''re worried about us? Of course. ''Yeah, well, isn''t that a good intention for Rain?I''ll give you a compliment. Nah, Tania is a twinkle in the eye. "You''re a tsundere, aren''t you? Hey, you got a problem with that? The four of us were close. ''Quiet,'' Suddenly, there was the sound of footsteps. As if on cue, everyone quickly closed their mouths. Two men with obi swords came out of the mine. Bandits........they didn''t have the appearance of bandits. More of an adventurer''s look. The two men draw their swords and come straight at me. ''''Hey, Rain.......could it be that they didn''t know about us?'''' ''It can''t be, can it?I was just here to watch the situation. I didn''t make any noise that could be heard all the way into the mine. Magic...?However, there''s no sign of detection-type magic being used, let alone a magical reaction....... ''Either way, you''d better decide you''ve been found out. What are we going to do?You want to hit it? ''We''ll intercept them, but be careful not to overdo it. We need to make sure we know who we''re dealing with. Yes! ---------- "...you said not to overdo it, right? Two men who are completely unconscious and stretched out. And Kanade and Tania, who are incessantly awkward. ''Nyaah I''m sorry...'' Oh, I didn''t do anything wrong, did I?He jumped in and hit my fist without my permission! You know what? It happened in a flash. The two of them took out the man who had attacked them with a single blow. That''s fine but..... It was too much. One KO and both men are completely rolling their eyes. They won''t be waking up for a while. "I was going to get information out of these guys... Meow.... Ugh.... ........Oh well. You can''t help what you''ve done, and the fact that you attacked me out of the blue is proof that you have something to be ashamed of. Yeah, right! ''Yes, yes!We knew all that, so we took the initiative. ''I said it was inevitable, but let''s be sorry, shall we?We don''t have a clue what kind of people our enemies are anymore, do we? "...I''m sorry... So much for the sermon. I don''t want to be stingy, and besides, the two of you, the strongest species, would not be good at taming. You''ve never practiced that kind of thing before... I''ll just have to dismiss it as a matter of course. ''Um,'' Sola raised her hand. ''If you''d like, Sola and the others can look at those men''s memories? ''What?How is that even possible? ''''Sora and the rest of the spirit race are experts in magic. They can use magic that most people don''t know about. "Hmmm, let us handle it. As expected, I should say. The spirit race has the highest magic power among the strongest species. Compared to the second-ranked dragon race, it''s several times that amount and is the dangling number one. It''s precisely because they have such power that they are able to use uncommon magic such as ''peeking into your memories'', which is normally unthinkable. ''''Then, let''s go.'''' "Memory Search. Sola and Luna each held their palms over the man''s head and chanted a spell. Pale grains of light swirled fluffily around the men''s heads. Those grains of light were sucked into the palms of Sola and Luna''s hands shortly afterwards... Eventually, the light went out. Search complete, sir. Hmm, you''re right about Lane. ''Well...'' I''ve got a picture of these guys digging. I''m sure of it. This guy over here is digging, too. I saw one such scene. Do you know who the men are? I''m sorry, I don''t think I can... ''When I say look at the memories, it''s like stealing images that the men have seen... it''s hard to pinpoint just the right memories. But I see a couple of guys in there. Looks like they''re all adventurers. Well do you have a number? Excluding these two, I think there are five left. It''s a matter of opinion. Yeah, okay. Thanks. How did Sola and the others help Rain? You''ve been very helpful. Then I want to be patted down! Luna gave me a searching look, and then Luna fluttered her head towards me. ''''What?'''' I''ve heard that Rayne''s strokes are a masterpiece. Here, stroke me, too. ''You say that like it''s a dish ... well ... you know ... you see?'' She stroked Luna''s head as she was asked. Gently, gently. He moved his fingers slowly, as if brushing her hair. "Huh. A strange voice spilled out of Luna''s mouth. Her cheeks were stained and her eyes were glazed over. ....I am going to fall. .... Thora was glancing at me. To be exact, she was looking at my hand and Luna''s head. Maybe you want Sola to do it too? ''What?No, it''s not, you know... I''ll do this whenever you want, okay? ''Anytime!Well then........Sora, please. Hey, boy. Huh. He stroked Sola''s head, too. Like hand combing her hair. Softly and gently stroke it. I''m going to be able to say that it''s not good.........it''s not half bad. He liked it so much that his tone was out of whack. Sora and Luna smile with a smirk of satisfaction. ''''Nya.......I''m jealous. I''m not... you know, I don''t feel anything. Even Kanade and Tania gave me a greedy look. I''m sorry, but we can''t lose any more time. Let''s have them put up with the fact that we''ll do the stroking later. ''''Well let''s get back on track and get inside. La-la-la! Just be careful, okay? Hmm?What are you talking about? I think they already know who we are. ''Come to think of it, how did they find out?That part is a mystery to me. Kanade, you are correct. Yay! But the guards were nowhere to be found. There was no sign of magic. How do you know that? The enemy has been watching us from above... or rather, near the entrance to this mine. I thought back to the bird that kept circling in unnatural movements. Nature''s birds don''t move like that. If that were the case, then it would be..... We have a beast tamer among our enemies. 43-Episode 43: Beast Tamer vs Beast Tamer We move carefully through the mine, trying not to make any footsteps. We proceeded with the help of Ganz''s map.... Soon we came to an open area. It''s a big enough square for a little sport. This is probably the mining site. There were mining tools lying here and there, and I could see trolleys for transporting the ore. ''''Nya ... there are some suspicious people here. Five in all just like Sora said. Three men. Two women. Each one was mining ore. You think they were thieves? I''m sure of it. The adventurers who are under contract to Ganz are a party of four, all of them men, I''m told. And I''ve also heard that no one else is under contract to mine. The only answer I can come up with is theft. "But why are we stealing? Do you think they''ll make money? ''It''s a delicate point. I think there are benefits, but the risk of an incident being exposed is great. The risk doesn''t match the return. "Sola''s right. Stealing is a big sin. Normally, I wouldn''t do something like this, but... We will do one thing at a time. Yeah. I''m going to f*ck you. No. So I''ll burn it down? It''s not that either. Why are there so many radical ideas in our party? Is someone else influencing you? ...I''d like to think it wasn''t me. ''Kanade, team up with Sora and Tania with Luna and take on two of them each. I''ll take care of the other one, the leader guy. Yes! "On my signal, shall we go?Are you ready? Everyone gave a small nod. ''Three ... two ... one ... now! They all jumped out of the shadows at once. ''What the hell, you guys are guh! First in line Kanade was quickly on the rampage. He fired a flying kick at one of the men who was stealing. The man rolled with tremendous force and crashed into the wall. ''Be still! What the hell are you people doing? Meanwhile, Tania was waving her tail around like a weapon, striking down the thief. Although the stealers returned fire by drawing their swords, there was no way they could damage the dragon''s scales with those weapons. Tania used her tail dexterously to smash the weapon and overwhelm the thief. ''We''re out of time, boring. ''No, it''s not. See, the fellow thieves are trying to cast a spell. We''ll interfere. Sola must cover Kanade and Luna must cover Tania. "Raja. I''ll take this one, I''ll show Rain what I''m capable of, and he''ll praise me later! Sora and Luna cover Kanade and Tania with magic. I''m not sure, but it seems to counteract the enemy''s magic. As expected of the spirit race. It''s a good thing that they''re able to do this without a care in the world. It''s not a good idea to have a good time. The leader man who confronted me barked, holding his dagger at the ready. ''Do you understand if I tell you that I took on Ganz''s request? ''What...?That old man''s? "You''ve been caught red-handed stealing. I''m going to arrest you and hand you over to the guild. You think you can do that? You can. Cheeky kid! The man slashes at me........but he''s slow. He was far slower than Arios, and his technique was poor. Ironically, the fight with Arios had raised my fighting skills to the bottom. There was no reason for me to struggle against a man of this level. ''''Phew!'''' I ducked under the blade and saw a counterattack fist. A definite response is felt in the fist........ The man stumbled back, unable to hold back. But he was unusually battered. Give up and surrender. If you''re going to be quiet, you''re going to end up here. "Godd*mn it I''m not going to be licked by this kid!I''m not going to get caught until I give that old man a run for his money. Yeah?What does that mean? It''s not like I''m just gonna tell you. The man stands up and smiles wryly. ''''Hehe we expected someone like you to appear in the way. I''m fully prepared. What did you say? Come on! With an earth shaking, a huge shadow appears. Eventually, Sole, appeared in front of me. "Behemoth? It''s a demon that is categorized as a B-ranked demon. It is a monster that looks like a raging bull that has grown many times its size and is clothed in muscle armor all over its body. The sharp horns on the side of its head and the mane that extends to its back. Its arms and legs are as thick as a large tree. It is said that its tremendous power is so great that it can easily smash through even a small castle gate. ''''Why is it here...'''' ''Hahaha, are you surprised?This guy is my pet. Pets?I didn''t think you were.... ''I''m a beast tamer, you know. I had a bird watching the perimeter earlier, but now that you guys have shown up, I switched my contract to this guy, just in case. Looks like that was the right thing to do. ''You can''t do a double contract, can you?What happened to Behemoth while he was under contract to the birds?Don''t tell me you left it out? I found her when she was a little girl. I''ve been raising him ever since. I''ve been raising her ever since. Even if they don''t have a contract, they still listen to me to some extent. But the contract allows for more precise control, so when the time comes, I''m able to rely on it. A behemoth tamed by a man is just like a weapon. I never thought I''d have to deal with something like that.... In many ways, this is unexpected. I didn''t expect this nasty turn of events. However, in a way, it makes sense. The man''s uncommon durability is probably the power he gained from his contract with Behemoth. Just like I''m getting the power of Kanade and Tania, the man got the sturdy endurance of Behemoth.......or so it seems. ''Go!'' Huh. At the man''s signal, the behemoths rushed in. It''s as powerful as an anti-shield weapon. There''s no choice but to take it head-on. I jumped sideways with all my strength to evade it, but....... ''Gruaaaaaah! Behemoth pulls his weight to the right and turns. It bites at you as if it''s not going to let you escape. ''Ko........no! I ran to the very front of the wall and leapt. Avoiding the huge body like a rushing shell at the critical point........ Behemoth lost sight of his target, which was me, and kept his momentum going as he rammed into the wall. Zunn!And the whole tunnel was shaking. It''s like an earthquake. That a single demon could cause such a thing is frightening just to think about it. ''''Guuuuuu........'''' Behemoth pulled his head out of the wall. Its eyes are bloodshot with anger. As expected of a B-ranked demon, I should say. Apparently the damage isn''t much. ''''Don''t go flailing around here, stay quiet! Even if you''re running away, it''s likely to catch up with you eventually. Then we''re going to go on the offensive! Running past the behemoths.... The side of the head, the neck, and the side of the body. At the same time, he aims at the vital point and releases a fist strike. It''s a blow that borrows the power of the cat spirit race and is a gut-wrenching blow. As expected, if this is the case........ Guaaaaaah!!! "Seriously? The response was palpable. But it didn''t do much damage, only anger. The behemoth howled in anger and swung his paws like a large tree. It''s inevitable! Behemoth''s huge arm catches me. Gosh!My body was blown up in a straight line with the shock of 44-Episode 44: Difference in Case Lane! He was blown away by Behemoth, but was caught in mid-air by Kanade. ''Thanks, that''s a big help,'' Are you okay?Are you hurt? "Something. I was able to jump backwards from myself and kill the impact, to some extent. Still, it would accumulate a fair amount of damage, but... We can still fight. What about Tania and the others? They took them out. I thought if I stayed, I''d get them involved. Sola and Luna went with me to keep the prisoners awake. ''Nice decision. Because the POWs must be safe in order to get all the bad stuff out of them. I''m helping Rain... I''m going to take him down with me. No. Kanade, incapacitate the man. ''What?Aren''t you going to fight with me? Behemoth is being tamed by that man. It''s better to neutralize the man and keep Behemoth quiet for sure. Also, we don''t want him to get away. Riley! If it were true, it would be more reliable to have Kanade deal with Behemoth... It was unlikely that he would be able to impose the dangerous role on Kanade and choose a safe route for himself alone. Besides, I knew the odds were stacked against me. That''s something only I could do. Are we done with the mission statement? The man laughs generously. I don''t doubt that he believes he has a huge advantage by throwing in his trump card, Behemoth. Just wait and see. Now, I''m going to break your margin of victory. "I can''t have you exposing the theft. I''m afraid you''re going to die in here. Typical villain dialogue. And it''s third-rate. d*mn you kids who can''t keep their mouths shut!Go! At the man''s signal, the behemoth roared. I jumped to the left and Kanade to the right to avoid the rush. The behemoth apparently targeted me, as I had originally planned. It doesn''t even look at Kanade, but chases after us. It''s fast for its huge body, and it''s able to turn around quickly. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this in the future. ''''As expected, you only have a B-rank! First, focus on evasion. The behemoth''s attack pattern is repeatedly burned into my eyes and drilled into my head. Because it doesn''t have the ability to think like a person, the behemoth''s attack pattern is rather simple. Once it''s memorized....... No problem... so that''s it! I''m not saying all of it, but I''ve seen through 80% of it. I ran across the earth, kicked the walls, got my upper body down.... They avoid stormy attacks in a variety of ways. As far as close combat goes, I don''t feel like Behemoth''s attacks hit me anymore. I did the same thing when I fought Arios, but I''m good at assessing my opponent''s movements. Observing the target is an essential skill for a Beast Tamer. For this reason, I have accumulated special training to grasp everything about the target since I was a child. ''''Phew!Ha! He slams his fists into the counterattack, avoiding the onslaught. But I don''t see much effect. It feels like I''ve punched a thick rubber, and there''s no sign of damage coming through. ''Then how about this guy!Fireball! I''m afraid of dust explosions since we are in a tunnel. While narrowing down the power, he releases his magic. That''s why my aim is precise. The fireball struck the behemoth''s head. ''''Gyaaaaaaah! A scream echoed as the behemoth''s massive body reared up. It''s working......................... ''''Grrrrrr........! It seems that he still won''t fall down. Even though it has been strengthened thanks to the contract with Tania, as expected, is it tough to call it a single beginner level magic shot? It''s just that it''s a B-rank. If you give it everything you''ve got, you might be able to make it work but.... If it''s a closed space, there''s a chance we could get caught up in it too. ''''Rainy!I got you! The good news came at a good time. I glanced over and saw Kanade assembling the man. ''Can you get him to issue a cease and desist order! ''Hmmm ... that sounds impossible!He says he''ll do it even if it kills him or something! I knew it. Well, that''s plan two. I''ll take down Behemoth. "Gruaaaahhh! The behemoth ramped up to more bullshit than ever before. Probably because the surgeon was restrained and lost control. It''s what we call a runaway state. In this situation, there''s no telling what he might do. We need to get this over with as soon as possible! Lane, are you okay?I knew I''d get that guy.... No, no, no. I can handle myself in this situation. I say this with certainty. It''s not a bluff, and it''s not a way to reassure Kanade. People have told me that my Beast Tamer talent is superior. They told me that I have more power than I''ve ever seen anywhere else. I''ll take their word for it! ''Gruaaaaaah! Behemoth rushed at me, his eyes bleeding. ''Stop! The words were unleashed like a blade, carrying magic power. Bishiri, I felt the air tremble. ''''.........Guru.... The behemoths ... stop. Following my words, it stopped in front of me. ''''Nya, nya........?'''' ''What ... what ... what happened?Why do you have to listen to that man!d*mn it, move, devour it! The man rants, but there''s no sign of Behemoth following. None. "Why do you look like you''re doing this? What have you ... what have you done? I got this guy under my control, I mean, I tamed him. What do you mean...? It''s simple. All I did was tame Behemoth again and override his control. Now this thing takes precedence over my orders. If it was a wild demon, it would have been impossible to tame it. I''ve learned the skills of a monster tamer, but I''m not perfect. I can tame a small fry like a slime, but taming a powerful individual like a behemoth is impossible. However, this guy had been accustomed to people beforehand. It had been used by ''normal'' beast tamer. Then shouldn''t I be able to tame it, overriding my control? I figured that if I had the strength to do what everyone else said I did, it was possible. I wasn''t sure, though, so I didn''t try it until the last minute. ''Rain, that''s a hell of a thing to do.........................I''ve never heard of such a thing, ugh. Oh, my common sense is going to get stranger and stranger when I''m with Rain. ''Bollocks!We can''t let that happen!d*mn it, you should have listened to me!I''m your master, you know that? Isn''t that impossible?You''re so much lower than Lane. You''re kidding me!I''m a better beast tamer than anyone else!Even Behemoth can be used. And yet, this kid..................can''t have that. Then how do you explain the scene in front of you? Ggh..... Lane''s better than me. "d*mn it, d*mn it!It''s not acceptable!This kid is better than the Beast Tamer''s power!Am I inferior?You''ve got to be kidding me!Kill it, eat it! ''Grrrrrrrrrr! Behemoth barks in response to the man struggling to regain control. It was going to be difficult to keep him in custody forever. Apparently, he hadn''t reached the stage where he could give full effect to his orders. I''m still inexperienced, too. But......... It''s too late. Fireball! Before Behemoth could make a move, it unleashed its magic towards its mouth. The fireball is sucked into Behemoth''s mouth................and then explodes inside its body. With a bikung, Behemoth''s entire body convulses. Next, the giant body falls to the ground........ Death comes and his body turns into a magical stone. ''''Silly ... na ... my trump card ...'''' Do you want to continue? .... The man nodded wordlessly the man nodded wordlessly and our victory was confirmed. 45-Episode 45: Request Complete The thieves had one thing in common. They had all purchased their armor from Gantz''s shop. Moreover, they hadn''t been favored by Ganz, but had been grabbed by Namakura. When the other adventurers pointed this out to them, the thieves who knew the truth thought of retaliation. Simply beating up the guntz was not going to be enough. They would have to break Gantz''s pride as if they were the ones who had been mocked. Thinking so, the thieves snatched Mithril from the side and made it impossible for Gantz to make armor. They take away the pride of the craftsman, the soul. That was the revenge the thieves had in mind. After handing the thieves over to the guild, he made such a statement.... And today, I tell Ganz as it is. "Well....that''s what I thought.... Ganz looked depressed. It was no wonder. His high pride was causing him to choke. He didn''t have the same energy as when we spoke before, and he looked about a year older than his actual age. I may have been conceited, believing that the armor I make is the best, and looking down on ordinary people as being impossible to use, and no matter who the customer is, making armor is what a craftsman does. I''m the one who does it. And yet, to judge a guest as stupid and to cut corners... the biggest fool of all is me. Maybe so. Hey. Lane? Kanade and Tania are flustered, but I''m not going to do anything like rubbing salt in the wound. ''Gantz is going to admit he was wrong, isn''t he? Yes you are. I was wrong. Then change your mind. What? ''''Next time, why don''t we just do our best to make armor, one by one?It''s not like it''s an irrevocable mistake. We''re going to fix it. Don''t you? ...you make it sound so easy. ''Ganz is a man who can properly admit he''s wrong. At least that''s what I think. ''.........hahaha! Ganz laughed vigorously and regained his energy. He has the same strong will in his eyes as before. You can feel the spirit of a hot craftsman. ''''To hear that from a little boy who hasn''t even lived half my life. You displeased? No, it''s a pleasure. You couldn''t be happier. You''re looking good, old man. The happily ever after? ''Lane''s totally woke me up!I thank you again. ''I can''t have my armor made in my sleep, you know. You''re right. Ganz chuckles. I chuckle at him. ''Yes!You can''t keep worrying about what''s past. What matters is what happens now!From now on, I''m going to put my soul into each and every one of my armor! That''s the spirit of it, and I want you to take care of one of my armors as well. Oh, you can count on me! Ganz thumps his chest with a don. He looks many times more reliable than before. ''As promised, I''ll make you the best armor I can!And now that we''ve got the materials back. Rain, what kind of armor do you seek? ''Will you make me a dagger?Also, I need you to make me a small hand. Hm?I know about the dagger, but a small hand?If you want armor, I''ll get you a breastplate, a full plate, whatever you want. ''I can take care of the armor myself. But more importantly, I want a special little hand. I just need you to cram some of my ideas into it... I tell Gantz about an ''idea'' I''ve been thinking about for some time. He smiles like a child plotting a prank. "Hmmm, sounds interesting. Right? But it''s going to take some time, okay? ''No problem. I''ve been doing a lot of commissions lately, so I figured it was time to take a break. Off! I need something good to eat! Kanade and Tania were the first to respond. ''Are there any sights in this city?Sola wants to enjoy the sights. "I am all about fun!Also, I hope for something sweet! Sola and Luna were also smiling. Since we''re now a party of five, I''ve been working hard to earn more road silver than ever before, but....... Maybe we were all just tired. I have to reflect on this. How long will this take? Well it''s been a week. All right. Then I''ll come back in a week. Hmm. I''ll be waiting for you. He greeted Ganz and left the store. ---------- ""Kanpai!" We go to a diner that is becoming our favorite place to eat and toast with a drink. The fruit wine we are ordering is a fruit wine with a refreshing aftertaste. The moderate sweetness of the drink is pleasant to my tired body. ''''Phew, it''s no exaggeration to say that I''m alive for this drink! Tania, you look like an old man. ''Nk...............................hmmm. So good!Can I ask for another drink? Of course. Don''t be shy, order as much as you want. You said it.You will not be allowed to revoke it later, will you? Luna''s eyes glittered as if she had found her prey. ''Well, I''ll take three more bottles of this fruit wine, three more. And some ale, too. You''re asking a lot... No? ''No, I don''t mind. You sure you don''t want Sola? Well then, I''ll have to order the same as Luna. Sola had also ordered a ridiculous amount of alcohol. Did she like it so much? I''m worried that I''m going to get drunk. Kanade, who seems to have sensed my concern, says Nya. The spirit race likes to drink alcohol, right? Is that so? ''I''ve heard that they drink alcohol like it''s water. And yet, I''ve heard that you hardly get drunk at all. ''''Half of the spirit race is made up of alcohol, you know! Luna says something that I don''t know if she''s joking or serious. ...You''re kidding, right? Well, you have nothing to worry about. Just ask all you want. ''Um ... are you sure you can ask for as much as you want?'' I can see the reserve in Sola''s eyes. It''s like a child looking at the face of an adult. I don''t want you to look at me like that, so I ....... Don''t be shy. ''Oh....'' Popping, he patted Sora''s head. ''''It''s a welcome party for the two of you, you know. Sora''s... Welcome party...? The two of them look at each other blankly, and Kanade smiles at them. ''''When we make new friends, we all eat dinner together! That way, everyone gets along with each other. It''s a very simple idea. ''We all had dinner together when Tania was there. I know I''m saying this, Tania, but you seemed happy. No, I''m not! I don''t mean to sound happy, but I''m not! That''s why we''re all so close to each other. ''Well, that''s what I''m talking about. I''m a little late, but it''s a welcome party for both of us so don''t be shy. In fact, I''d rather you be brazen. That''s a weird request. But it''s not bad. Haha!I''m confident in my ability to be brazen. I can be number one in the Brazen Championship! ''What''s with that weird competition.............Also, Luna needs to learn to be reserved. ''Only just now, Rain told me not to hold back!So I''m going to reject that proposal. ''Luna''s right, you really don''t have to hold back. We''re on the same side, so let''s not do that. Rain I understand. I will. That''s Rayne!You know the story. And while you''re at it, I''ll ask for Rain''s, too. Then Sora will take care of Canade and Tania. I''m not a very strong person but, well, sometimes it''s nice. Rain, come drink with me. I''ll pour you a drink. Oh, come on!That''s what I was going to do. Would you like me to pour you some Sola? I''ll do more than pour you a drink, okay? I''ll do more than pour you a drink. No, I don''t think I''m gonna... ""That''s a bad idea." For some reason, the four of us are in agreement. How can this be? ''People get along better when they drink together, don''t they?Nya, I wish I could get to know Rain better... I don''t really care about... what about Rain?Well, we''re still friends, right?You know, the kind of thing you''ve got to interact with? ''Thora would also like to have a drink with Rain. I''m not quite sure how to put it into words but she would like to be with Rain. "I''m the same as everyone else!If I''m alone here, lounging around, I''m going to get a big lead on you. I have to work hard too. What the hell are you talking about? ""This man is so slow..." Well, that''s what I''m saying, but that''s okay. Anyway, let''s have a drink today. Let''s make this a good time. ........the adventurers'' feast lasts late into the night. Drinking and eating........ It was just that simple, but I felt like our bond was getting deeper. I''m sure that''s because we are spending the same time together with a smile on our faces. We''ll continue to be together. The fun time passed as I thought about that. And......... The next day. The next day. Reflection. 46-Episode 46: Footsteps of Collapse Arios and his group were still staying in Horizon. Now that they had obtained the Shield of Truth, they had no use for this city. They had to head to the next city to continue their journey to defeat the Demon King. However, there was something that was lacking. Gold is the cost of defeating the Demon King, which means that an enormous amount of money is provided every month. Supplies such as armor, food and water could also be procured locally as long as the names of the brave men were given. What is lacking is human resources. With Rain leaving the party, there is no one to support Arios and the others in the shadows. There was no one to carry the food and water that would be a reasonable amount and weight if they were put together. There was no one to map and map the area. No one to negotiate with the people of the city and get lodging. ........and so on. With Rain leaving the party, all sorts of chores arose. Normally, that should be done by Arios and the others........ Arios and the others, who have a sense of being the chosen ones, seriously believe that such a chore is not something they should be doing. Hence, they tried to bring Rain back but.......they failed. So they decided to find a replacement. I asked the Adventurer''s Guild to send out a notice to recruit party members. The effect was excellent. A lot of people applied for the chance to be part of the brave party. The number of people gathered was indeed several dozen. As expected, they couldn''t take them all, and as I said to Rain, they didn''t need to be slowed down. Arios and the others would have to interview and carefully select the members... You''re disqualified. In the interview room, which was held in a rented room at the inn, Arios coldly told the adventurer man who came to the interview. The adventurer man was a Beast Tamer, just like Rain. His abilities were high and he could tame not only animals, but also lower level demons. The man knew that he was going to be behind the party, and he had almost completed the conditions that Arios and the others were giving him. However......... If you can''t fight as if you can''t fight, then what''s the point? ''''But that''s what Beast Tamers are for... and I can use demons to fight them if I want to! ''How much of a demon can you use?For example can you use the most powerful species, as opposed to a demon? Mmm, please don''t be ridiculous. It''s not possible for a person to use the strongest species. Even if you talk about such an impossible thing... Well that means you''re not as good as him. That guy...? ''Even if we could use a demon, it would still require a lot of work, wouldn''t it?You want us to help you?Is the demon you were able to use in this way really useful?You can''t get it up, can you?Besides, the tamer can only use one of them, right?If you use a demon, who''s going to support the supply line?Is that you?Do you carry a lot of bags and food and water for me?In that case, well, that''s fine. Uh..... ''What we''re looking for is someone who can, at the very least, fight, and yet still provide proper logistical support. You do not meet those requirements. Therefore, you are disqualified. The man had nothing to say in response to Arios'' harsh words. He slumped his shoulders and left the room. ''Totally ... so many of you are useless. Arios clicked his tongue as he couldn''t seem to control his irritated emotions. As a matter of fact, the man who had just been disqualified was very well suited to support Arios and the others. He could make even a bear tame him and carry his pack, just as he had done to Rain. Furthermore, the man was a good talker and a good negotiator. But Arios and the others weren''t satisfied with that alone. Rain could fight, to an extent. At least, he could protect himself during the battle. He was untouchable. That kind of awareness was working, and it was lowering the man''s reputation. I couldn''t help but compare him to Rain, but somewhere along the line I would be aware of it. After continuing the interview in such a manner....... Mina. Can you call the next one up? Well that''s the last one. Mina, who was conducting the interview with me, said awkwardly. ''You mean, wiped out...'' Um ... isn''t Arios a bit of a tough selection criteria? Mina said, unable to watch. At first, she agreed with Arios... When you''ve flunked all of the dozens of applicants, as expected, you''ll want to say a word or two. ''''........Mina, do you think my decision was wrong?Is that what you''re trying to say? ''No, no. It''s not like that... Like a frog staring at a snake, Mina froze. Arios'' anger was clearly felt. Before, this wouldn''t have been the case... Mina was confused. And she hadn''t realized it. That before, Rain had been acting as a lightning rod, catching Arios'' unreasonable anger. Now that Rain wasn''t around, to whom would Arios'' anger fall? Who is going to take it out on you? ''''I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do that. I think Arios made the right decision. Fearing that she would be directed at him with unreasonable anger, Mina fled. She blindly followed Arios''s words as he was right. Formal, empty words. And so what is created is ... nothing. It may look fine on the outside, but it''s empty on the inside. What little party ties there may have been are slowly disappearing. Mina and Arios are oblivious to this, of course. It can''t be helped. We''ll stay in the city for a while longer. Maybe Aggus and Lean, who are separated, will find someone good for us. But the journey has been delayed... You''ve been through a lot lately. You need to rest your body once in a while, or it won''t last. Right? ''Well.......... I''m sorry. You''ve been looking out for us, haven''t you? Of course. We''re on the same side, aren''t we?It''s only natural to care about your fellow man. There is nothing more empty than words that are not accompanied by substance. Are you aware of this, or are you unaware of it? Arios smiled as if he was concerned for his companion. ''Mina should take some time off, too. You must be tired from all those interviews. ''Well I''m sorry, but I''ll have to do that. Yeah. You should take your time. What about Arios? I''ve got some things I need to do. ''Don''t take it too hard. Arios is a brave man, and if he collapses or something, the world might be in trouble, not metaphorically. Mina''s words seemed to concern Arios, and she didn''t look at him. She was not concerned about Arios personally, but about the existence of the ''brave''. In a way, he didn''t care about Arios in the slightest. It''s as if he''s worried about the individual, but he doesn''t look at the individual. It''s an empty exchange. Had Rain been here, he might have raised an eyebrow. ''Yeah. I''ll be careful. Is he aware of the meaning of Mina''s words, or does he dare to pretend he doesn''t notice them? Arios responds normally and looks away from Mina as she leaves the room. ''''........'''' Once he was alone, Arios took out his tool bag. From inside, he picked up a ring with a mischievous colored gemstone framed in it. It was obtained through a certain route when he was alone. Its price was 50 gold coins. From the point of view of the average person, it''s an astronomical number. The gold Arios has in his possession was entrusted to him by the state. In other words, it is a tax on the people. But Arios bought the ring without hesitation. Not his own money, but money entrusted to him by the state? A tax on the people? It doesn''t matter. It''s a necessity. It''s essential for a certain purpose. That''s why I bought it. There is no such thing as a waste of money. Rather, I want them to be happy that they were able to be useful to a brave man. Arios was seriously thinking about such things. ''''........If I use this thing.......'''' A ring is not just an ornament. It''s an item of magic, and it has a certain effect. And one more. If the wearer was caught up in negative emotions, it could lead to a terribly horrible and dangerous situation. It was like sending salt to the natural enemies of humanity. An act that could put innocent people in danger. Arios was aware of all of this. I''m not going to choose any means to achieve my goal. I''d like to use it right away, but as expected, I can''t use it myself. It would be a hassle to get your foot in the door. ''Do you want me to have Aggus do it?The last time I saw you, you took the liberty of saying some joke like bringing Rain back to the party... Aggus was supposed to be one of them, but Arios said something that was disposable. This was a manifestation of Arios'' current state of mind. Aggus and the others might at least still think of themselves as a bonded party. But Arios......... ''Well no, let''s not. It will still be a mess when it turns out that my people did it. My reputation will be tarnished. Arios gave a dark........gloomy look as he rolled the ring in his hand. ''Well I wonder if there are any good pieces lying around somewhere?Is there a convenient piece that could use this guy and make Rain disappear...? 47-Episode 47: a walk Hello. Oh, Mr. Shroud. Hello. As I stepped into the guild, Natalie gave me a smile. It''s a bright smile, like a flash of light. ''How can I help you?Do you have a new commission today? ''Nope. I''m going to take a week off, so I didn''t come here to take on any requests. I just came here to see what happened to the guys I handed over the other day... ''You''re talking about the request from Mr Gantz?If they would, they were stripped of their adventurer status. They also stripped me of my citizenship and dropped me to slave status. I''m sure they would have been transported to King''s Landing by now. Slaves you''ve been punished very badly, haven''t you? ''Not only did they undermine the status of adventurers, but they were also stealing. And the use of force against Shroud-san. Illegal breeding of demons, illegal occupation of mines, and many other extra crimes. It''s just lucky they didn''t charge him with a death sentence. That''s relentless. Well, if you''re saying that there are other extra crimes besides the ones I know about, then maybe that''s just as well. Either way, it''s good to know what happened to them. I was worried that they''d turn on each other and attack Ganz, or something like that.... That seems to be an unfounded fear. ''By the way.........'' Yeah? How about you two? Natalie''s gaze turns behind me. There she is..... Hello. Her name is Sola. I am Luna!I''ll take care of you, hahaha! They are the twins of Sola and Luna. When I told them I was going to the guild, they followed me as they were interested. By the way, Kanade and Tania are still sleeping at the inn. ''''Huh ... my name is Natalie and I''m the receptionist at this adventurer''s guild. Natalie looked bemused, as if the momentum of the two of them was pushing her. However, such a face is only for a short while. It soon becomes a questioning, probing look. ''''........Could it be that you two are Shroud-san''s party?'''' Yes, I do. ''Mmm!Luna and Rayne, you''re soul-bound friends! Such a pretty girl again... I don''t know why he''s looking at me like that. Hey, what the f*ck is going on? Yeah, it''s nothing. There''s nothing to it. Yeah?...hmm? But I didn''t do anything about it. I don''t understand..................Maidenhood is complicated. ---------- Mmm ... the warm sunshine is so nice. Hmm. Perfect day for a walk, I suppose. I''m going to leave the guild and... It wasn''t tasteless to go back to the inn right away, so I decided to take a walk with Sora and Luna. The three of us walked through the city side by side. ''''So this is a human city........hmm. It''s really interesting.'''' Really?I don''t think it''s all that interesting... Did you forget?Sola and her people haven''t interacted with humans for over 200 years. Our knowledge of humans is two hundred years old, so it''s very interesting to be exposed to the culture of today because it''s all new to us. I see. I see. Sola and Luna are scurrying around. It''s like they just came out of the country. Otherwise, I''m their guardian. ''''The standard of living hasn''t improved that much... of course, there has been progress compared to 200 years ago... but... hmm?'''' We''ve been in a few wars. Are we at war? It''s a war between humans and demons. The demon king followed the demons, and the demons followed the demons, and they have repeatedly invaded each other. At times, they even developed into a major war that would involve the world. Maybe that''s why that kind of thing has happened so many times and that''s why civilization hasn''t developed very well. Some have the radical idea that war will advance civilization.... History has proven that to be a mistake. One aspect of war is that when war is waged, many technologies improve. For example, military power. Military power, which is essential for war, expands the more wars are fought. For example, mobility. The transportation of soldiers is an important aspect of war. Robust, faster carriages and other vehicles are being developed. For example, the expansion of supply lines. In military operations, supporting supply lines is the number one consideration. Various efforts and innovations are being made to achieve this. ........and so on. During wartime, many different developments and thoughts are produced. And the results of those developments can change our daily lives. There are even stories of how weapons developed for warfare were applied to develop tools to dig waterways more conveniently and comfortably. In that regard, war may develop civilization. But in the big picture, it doesn''t work that way. War is all-consuming. People die, supplies run out, and the earth rots. Everything is lost. It is difficult to recover from such a situation. It is not possible to stand up on your own; you must have many people huddled together. Those who cannot do so must fall down. Sometimes we are given new knowledge and skills. But more than that, they keep losing so much more. ...that''s war. ''I see...'' Well that''s an interesting story. They nodded coyly several times as I told them my theory. It was like being a school teacher. ''This is a bit of a digression, but humans and the Demon King have been at war with each other for some time now. Of course, it hasn''t been going on all year round. Once a war starts, it lasts for a few years but after that, the Demon King is quiet every few decades. ''Five times ... hmmm. Should I see it as more or should I be happy with less? Maybe that''s why civilization doesn''t thrive because that kind of thing is repeated. Why is the Demon King so hostile to humans? Well. You won''t be in any trouble if you know that. In past wars, the brave men have defeated the Demon King. However, the Demon King will not be destroyed. I don''t know how it''s done, but a new Demon King is born. And then the Demon King would start a war as if he hated humans and there would be conflict again. After that, it''s all the same. The Demon King revives and the brave man also awakens. The heroes defeat the demon king, but the demon king resurrects after a while.... I''ve been playing such weasel words for decades, hundreds of years now. ''Sola has lived in the backcountry all her life, so she didn''t know about those circumstances. Well I didn''t know that either. I never tried to learn about human nature. I dismissed it as unneeded knowledge and ignored it. You know what you don''t know, you''ll learn. We''re going to learn. Yes. ''Rain, you''re a good thing you''re human! They laugh. The spirit race, which was said to never understand each other, is smiling like this. Perhaps......... Will you and the Demon King be able to understand each other one day? It suddenly occurred to me. ''Whoa?'' Luna spun around on the spot and stared at a point. There was a hot dog stall. ''Hey, hey, Rain. What''s that? A hot dog. It''s a rather popular food a sausage on a bun. Are you sure? That''s where I need to start explaining. ''Uh ... it''s like minced meat boiled on a stick,'' ''''Ho, ho ... doesn''t it look delicious? I''m sure you''ll love it. For a moment, Luna and Kanade seemed to overlap. They''re both foodies, you know. Shall we eat? Are you sure? I''m starting to get hungry. I don''t mind. You''ll eat Sola, right? ''Are you sure?If it''s not too much of a burden, please. It''s nothing compared to a hot dog. We approached the owner of the stall and bought three servings. It''s not polite to stand and eat, so we moved over to where the benches were and sat down. ''''Itadakimasu,'''' At the same time, I took a bite of the hot dog. The sausage ripped off with a plop, and the juices poured out of the inside. The meat was juicy and nice and hot. The hot and sweet sauce is just right, and everything is wrapped up in the soft, fragrant bread. ''Yeah, this one''s a winner,'' It''s a stall, so it''s a good or bad thing... That restaurant seems to be a hit. I feel like I haven''t had a good hot dog in a long time. How''s that?Here''s a hot dog... ''Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm! ''Ammo!Haggling!Crackle, giggle, giggle, giggle!Gokun! Both of them were eating at a tremendous rate. Staining their mouths with the sauce, they ate in unison. I didn''t need to ask them what they thought. ''I''m glad you liked it,'' ''''Huh.......how delicious it is. It was so delicious that I ate it all at once. What a waste........oh, the afterglow when I open my mouth....... O Rain. Can I offer you another one? It''s almost noon, isn''t it?No more, because I won''t be able to eat lunch any more. Seriously.... I''m terribly disappointed. It makes me feel like I''m doing something wrong. I''ll see you next time. You said "again"!You said it again!I promise! ''I''d expect Sora to do the same. Next time, take Canade and Tania with you, and we''ll all eat together. I imagine us all eating hot dogs together under a blue sky. It seemed like a very happy scene. 48-Episode 48: Trust We continued our walk with Sola and Luna. We came through the main street and came to a section lined with shops. ''''Oh!'''' This was the first human city she had visited in 200 years. Everything she saw seemed to be new to her, and Luna''s gaze darted here and there. ''This is not so bad.'' Sola was scurrying around in a similar way, though not as frolicking as Luna. They''ve both been like this all day. It''s somewhat smiling. I feel like I''m walking around with my kids. However, if they knew I was thinking about that, they''d be pissed at me. I''ve got to keep it out of their faces. ''By the way, Rain. There''s something that''s been bothering me. Yeah?What''s on your mind? Lane signed up with Kanade and Tania, didn''t he? Yeah. ''Signing a contract with Kanade has enhanced my physical abilities. Signing with Tania has enhanced my magic power. Am I right? Yeah, but...? And Rain made a deal with me and Sora. I see. I kind of understood what Luna was trying to say. ''''In other words, what abilities would you have gained by signing a contract with Sora and the others?That''s what I''m talking about. What I want to say is said by Sora instead. ''Mmmm, you''re right!I''m curious to see what power Rain has gained by signing up with us. I''ll tell you what... I''m interested in it myself. According to Kanade, if you sign a contract with a race above a certain level, you get the power of the one you''re using. Sora and Luna are the strongest species, the spirit race, so there is no doubt that they are getting some kind of power. It''s just........I don''t really feel it. In Kanade''s time and Tania''s time, I couldn''t realize it until the actual battle. What is changing in me and how is it changing? It''s hard to realize that. Do you notice any changes? I don''t know ... not really, it''s just the same as before. ''Did you notice anything unusual during the last battle in the mine?'' I don''t think... He replied, thinking back to the earlier battle. Physical abilities are unchanged. My magic power ... probably won''t change. I was able to properly control the amount of magic power. If his magic power had increased further due to the contract with the two of them, it probably would have been a hell of a lot worse. He couldn''t control it as much as he had before, and it was very likely that he would have destroyed himself. If that hadn''t happened, it meant that his magic power hadn''t risen. ''''Hm?That''s odd. Hearing my story, Luna looks doubtful. "Our spirit race is an individual that specializes in magic power. I thought that if you used us, of course our magic power would increase, but... ''Maybe there''s more magic you can handle?All the magic that Sola and the others can use, and so on. ''Oh, I see!Well, that may be. All right, it''s Rain!In the meantime, try unleashing some immense grade magic! For now, there''s no way you can shoot magic in the city. I mean, what''s with all that exquisite magic? ''You know that magic has its place, don''t you?Beginner, intermediate and advanced. Those are the three basics among humans, right?I''m sure. Kanade mentioned something like that to me. Yeah, you''re right. But there are two more levels on top of that. There are two more levels of magic that far exceed the higher level. And beyond that, there is a secret art that only our spirit tribe can use, an immense magic. Well, we haven''t reached that level yet, so we can''t use it. I know about super-class magic. It''s the magic said to have been used by the brave men in fairy tales and other stories. Not long ago, I was only aware of it as the content of a mere fairy tale, but....... It seems that Tania used it the last time she clashed with Arios, and I learned that it was a real magic that existed in reality. And to think that only the spirit race can handle it.... Once again, I realized that the strongest species is a tremendous species. ''''Extreme grade magic?Of course, you can''t use advanced magic either. ''Isn''t it too soon to give up?You''ll never know if you don''t try it, will you? You two know what I''m talking about.The magic that I''ve mastered has its structural formula in my head, but I can''t think of anything that doesn''t. The only three magic structural formulas that come to mind for me are Fireball, Heel and Boost. ''Hmm. Well, if that''s the case, it doesn''t sound like you''re learning new magic. ''So what powers does Rain gain?Maybe you didn''t get anything out of it? I don''t like that. I think we''re getting off on the wrong foot. ''An outlier messenger demon with a contract but no power to gain... will Sora and the others be labeled as such? ''''Ugh I feel even worse when I put it into words. Rain, did you have that in mind! There is none. I patted their heads with a pompous pat to calm them both down. ''Huh.'' Hi. I patted their heads lightly and they both spilled out a strange voice and became meek. I''m sure that even if you don''t have the power to get it, you''re still an important friend to me. I''m not going to judge you on the basis of power or anything else. I''m in trouble. Yeah? Sora would be embarrassed to hear such a thing. Mm-hmm. I''m so busy I can''t even look at Rayne right in the face. They both squirmed uncomfortably, their cheeks slightly stained. Aside from Sora, even Luna. It''s hard to imagine from her usual demeanor, but maybe she''s surprisingly innocent. You''re not going to be able to get away with it. Why do you trust us so much?We''ve only just joined the party. We have only seen the party in one battle. And that battle was half-hearted, with us leaving the party after we had secured the prisoners. So why should we trust them?As I say, my dear, don''t you trust me too easily? ''What Luna said was on Thora''s mind. Why is that, Rain? Uh ... sure, you might be wondering. Maybe they''re both right. Trust is not something that can be built overnight. It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of time to build up, and then it is finally created. Trust is not built up over a single night, and if we call it trust, then it''s a fake. I''m aware of this, but.... Still, I call Sora and Luna my precious companions. I may be wrong, but I keep calling them my friends. ''Didn''t I tell you the story about me getting kicked out of the brave party? On the way back to the city after the capture of the Lost Forest... I''ve talked to both of them about this and that to explain how it all came about. ''Yes, I remember. You mean those dumbasses who said they banished Rain?The person you met at the inn that time was a brave man, right? Stupid people. Every last vestige of humanity that I know is bottled up in there. Their words are harsh. Maybe they feel sorry for me. "There were no two words of ''trust'' between me and Arios and the others. What there was was just a conflict of interest ... and now that I think back, it was an empty party with nothing to show for it. ''A party built solely on interest...'' It''s just not the same with us. ''Now that I think about it, maybe I didn''t trust Arios and the others somewhere. They were brave, but I was a powerless beast-tamer. Even if I tried to believe them, I wasn''t sure of myself, I couldn''t believe them...maybe I was scared somewhere that they might think I didn''t need them. And he couldn''t trust Arios and the others... and the result was exile. "...and... If I had trusted Arios and the others with all my heart if I had put my trust in them, another outcome might have come. ''That''s not........Rain isn''t bad. I don''t know the details of Sora, because they only met each other lightly.......but I had a very bad feeling about that human. Even if Rain had trusted him, I think he would have betrayed her. I''m with you on this one. Humans are stupid. Rayne is a man worthy of our trust, but the rest of us are not. You don''t have to feel bad about yourself. Thank you. It''s nice to hear you say that. But I still think it''s my own fault for not being able to trust you. "....Rain... So I''ve made up my mind. I''m not going to make that mistake again. Believe me, believe me I don''t care if it betrays me. I''ll just smile and accept it. That''s what makes me believe that something will open up. That''s what I believe. So I will believe in my friends, no matter what. By believing in them, I will build up my ''trust''. It''s kind of... typical of Lane. ''Hmm. Simple, but very straightforward. That''s not a compliment, is it? ''It''s a compliment, okay?It''s very Rayne-like ... and Sora has come to trust Rayne more than ever before. I don''t like other people, but you don''t like Rain.You''ve helped us, you know. Besides, I can ''trust'' what you just said. In response to my words, they both used similar words and smiled. Maybe we''re just a tentative party now, not yet united in genuine trust. Still, one day........ Let''s keep walking with that in mind. Our thoughts will cross, and our paths will cross. By the way, it''s Rain. Yeah? Seriously, we were talking about this and I''m starving. I think it''s time I got something to eat. You just had a hot dog what the hell is going on with Luna''s belly? That''s not enough. I want something heartier than that! Haha. Well, in that case, we''ll have lunch. First, let''s go back to the inn and pick up Kanade and Tania. Mmm. Hurry, lunch is waiting for me! Turn right. We went back the way we had walked so far to the inn. Phew. What is it, Luna? Your laugh is disgusting. That''s disgusting! It''s true. ''I just got in the mood for lunch, that''s all!Don''t go into every single thing! I can''t go through with that kind of laugh. Mmm. My sister, she''s got a lot of nonsense to worry about. ''I''m afraid Luna doesn''t care about too many things. What? You two having fun?Walk a little behind talking. A peaceful time. Today is going to be a quiet holiday. ''Hey, there,'' A voice called out to us. I turned around and saw a man dressed in a very luxurious outfit. 49-Episode 49: Son of the Lord He''s a little under 20, about the same age as me, right? He''s a man, but he wears his golden hair long. Still, it''s not uncomfortable, and it complements the man''s appearance. If I were a woman, I might have fallen in love with him. But I wonder why? The women in the city around him are not fawning over him, but rather looking at him like they don''t like what they see. It''s not just the women, but the men as well. It''s as if they are looking at dirt. Who the hell is this guy? You hear me, man? What? Not you. It''s the two of you. Is this about Sora? Hm?Me? A man walks up to Sora and Luna, who are puzzled. ''What are your names, boys?'' .........and all of a sudden it''s all of a sudden? Just answer the question. I''m the one asking the questions, okay?Here, what''s up. What''s your name? It''s Sora. It''s Luna. "Hmm. Sola and Luna........good names. They''re not bad looking, and they''ll be fun to play with. I like that. All right, from today, I''m going to make you my girls! What? Suddenly the man''s declaration made Sora and Luna both look pouting. What is this guy saying? He said something like that, though he didn''t say it. ''What is this guy saying all of a sudden?Are you an idiot?Are you crazy? Ugh. Luna is really putting her mouth out there. And she''s saying a lot harsher words than I thought she would. However, the man doesn''t get angry, but rather laughs happily. I can''t believe you''re talking to me like that. You''re having fun. That''s what makes it worthwhile. It''s as if he''s not listening to anyone... he''s immersed in his own private world. Quite frankly, it''s gross it''s Rain. Do something about it. Seemingly sensing something spooky, Sora and Luna take refuge behind me. I ask the man as I stand in front of them, defending them. ''What are you talking about all of a sudden?Who the hell are you? I''m not gonna talk to a man but that''s okay. You don''t know who I am? I don''t know, so I ask these questions. Huh. You don''t know me you redneck from somewhere else?All right, I''ll tell you. Then I''ll tell you. I am Edgar Frommware, son of the lord who rules over this horizon! My lord...? ''You said Sora and Luna?You should be honored to be my woman. I''m going to give you a luxury you''ve never had before. ''''This person........I have a very unpleasant feeling. It''s like he''s stuffed with all the jerks of the people he talks to... it''s just such a jerk feeling. Unfortunately, Luna won''t be following your kind. My master is Rain. Hmph. I don''t care what you guys want. I''ve made the decision to do this. Well, you''re going to have to come with me. This is ridiculous. I can''t believe you can say such insolence with a straight face. Is this man really the son of a lord? Not very much, but you don''t look like a vessel for it. Come on, let''s go. Come along. I will take good care of you. ''Aren''t you listening to the people?No, sir. Likewise. Luna doesn''t like people like you. Don''t make me come up with too much trouble. You don''t know what you''re doing. You don''t know what you''re talking about, do you? The man...........Edgar snapped his fingers. Out of nowhere, soldiers armed with swords and armor and a dog that looks like a military dog appear. They must be Edgar''s guards. Or maybe they were brought along for a situation like this. ''Hey, man.'' Is this about me? I''m not asking you to give it to me for free. We will pay you handsomely. One hundred gold pieces for each of you for a total of two hundred. .... ''And ... you don''t want to get hurt, do you?There are too many of them. It''s a foolhardy thing to deal with. .... ''I am, I might add, the son of a lord. I''ve been given a certain amount of authority. When you disobey me, you disobey your lord. Do you want to be charged with treason? The people around me gave me sympathetic looks. ........I see. In Horizon, Edgar''s bad behavior is something that is known to many people? I understand the meaning of the people''s gazes towards Edgar earlier. ''Take the woman away,'' At Edgar''s command, two soldiers walked over to us. They tried to grab Sora and Luna''s hands... Stop. I pay off the soldiers'' hands. "Rain! Sola and Luna''s eyes lit up. ''''Didn''t you listen to people?Or are you too dumb to understand what I''m talking about? Are you the one who''s stupid?I didn''t say a word about giving you Sola and Luna. You....! ''Sola and Luna are important to me. I''m not going to hand them over to you for money. Before that, I wouldn''t hand a woman over to a rotten human being. ''You don''t seem to understand my words you fool. Do you want to be punished for treason? I''d rather be accused of treason than sell out my people. All right. Don''t regret those words, okay? Edgar raises his hand as if to give a signal. Seeing this, the people around him hurriedly distance themselves from him. ''Do it,'' The soldiers set up a siege to prevent us from escaping. On top of that, two soldiers walked up to us, clinking their armor. There is no hesitation in their movements. These guys are used to it........ Come on, Master Edgar, and do as you''re told. That is the law of the land. I''m sorry, no! What? He walked up to me defenselessly and I kicked him in the jaw. Although I made sure to add or subtract moderately, the soldier just turned over and fell into a coma. ''''You!'''' You will not stand against us! The rest of the soldiers drew their swords in unison as their comrades were hit. Screams came from the people around them. Two soldiers slashed at him in a straight line. But they were slow. Compared to Arios, it''s a cloud of difference. He aimed at the first soldier''s wrist and slammed in a kick. A bone-crunching feeling. The soldier let out a cry of agony and dropped his sword, kneeling down on the spot and holding his broken wrist. I spun around on one leg on the axis like a solitary musician. In a semi-circle, I hit the second soldier in the side of the head. The helmet dips and the impact hits the soldier''s head. The soldier staggered and groaned..............................and then fell down. ''''This guy........! He''s strong! The instantaneous return of the soldiers spread unrest among them. Seeing such subordinates, Edgar clicked his tongue in frustration. ''''What are you doing!It''s just one guy, and he''s defending a woman!And yet, the way you look at it!If you keep showing your pathetic side, I''ll have an idea! ""What?!" Like being struck by lightning, the soldiers become jittery. Much like an animal being whipped for discipline. Perhaps the soldiers don''t mean this to be true. Maybe they are unable to disobey their counterpart, the son of the lord, and they are obeying him in reluctance. ...but it''s none of my business. I''ll add to it, but I don''t have an ounce of intention to catch him meekly. Just because you can''t oppose a strong man doesn''t mean you can''t use your blade on others. Aim for the joints, crush the bones, throw him off his back to the ground, and make him fall into a coma with a blow that caves in his armor.... They intercepted the soldiers who attacked them one after another with their bare hands. One by one, one by one, they are reduced and before you know it, the enemy has been reduced to half. "d*mn, you incompetents! And yet Master Edgar. This is a very skilled opponent and it''s not going to be easy against us. Shut up and stop tormenting me! Huh. If they''re so strong, they''ll have a way to fight. So...? "Get the girl!I don''t care if you hurt her a little. If you''re defending a woman, it should slow you down!That''s the least you can do, you scum! The soldiers, who were scolded by Edgar, now added Sora and Luna as targets, and slashed at them from all sides. 50-Chapter 50 retire Tsk. The soldiers slashed at him from front and back and left and right at the same time. As expected, this is tough. Tough but I have to protect them both! f*ck! First, pay off the legs of the soldier who charged forward. When they fall, you step through their legs from the top to the bottom, making them unable to act. Continuing on, I move on to deal with the soldiers who are attacking me from the left and right. He pulls away from Sora and Luna''s hands and takes them into a hug. While supporting their bodies, he avoids the sword fights from left and right. With Sola and Luna in his arms, he kicks the soldiers away with the legs at his disposal. As if hit by a giant hammer, the soldiers'' bodies were blown wide apart. ''''One more thing ... add on! Finally, he turns to face the three soldiers who were closing in on him from behind. Letting go of Sola and Luna.... Instead, they lifted a bench that was placed close to them and threw it at them. This action seemed to be unexpected, and the soldiers couldn''t avoid it, and they ate the bench thrown at them head-on and fell together. ''''This guy is a monster...! Don''t freak out!If we don''t, we''re going to be Master Edgar.... Dog!Let the dogs go! At a signal from the soldiers, a military dog was released. ''''Grrrrrr! Baring their canine teeth, the military dogs bark. At the right time, they come at you like the wind.... Stop! What? If it''s a beast, I''m in my element. I give the order and the military dogs are stopped in their tracks. What the hell is going on?Come on!Why stop! .... I said go, what''s going on? Suddenly, the military dogs stop listening to orders and the soldiers panic. It''s no use. Taming a dog is a piece of cake for me. Army dog or not, normal dogs are easy to control. "Yikes! I gave the order on behalf of the soldiers. The military dogs pounced on the soldiers at once and screamed. ''''Huh ... how do you say ... this is also amazing.'''' ''''When it comes down to it, Luna and the others were going to join us but it''s like we''re not even on the clock. I didn''t think I could handle it all on my own, Rain. It''s Rain!You are only my master. I am proud of you. Sola and Luna''s words tickled me a bit. ''d*mn you, you useless bastards. Isn''t it time you gave up? ''Give up?Me?Ha, don''t be silly. I''ll do whatever it takes to get what I want once I''ve got it. There''s no way I''m going to take back what I said before. Even though most of the soldiers have been defeated, the color of composure does not disappear from Edgar. Could it be that he himself has tremendous power? Is that why you are so confident? However, it doesn''t look like that. It looks like if you hit him, he''ll just fly away. Edgar''s scowling smile remains on his face. I can''t let my guard down yet. ''If you''re not going to give up, then what are you going to do?Are you coming at me yourself? Hm. Don''t be stupid. Why would I do that?That kind of thing should be done by a fool, who can''t think much for himself. Does that fool not include you? ''I''ll shut that cocky mouth of yours right away ... look at this. ''''If you put up any more resistance, these guys will be punished instead. Wha...? I see. Well, you''ve certainly got the power. Strong, I''ll give you that. But the world is not so easy that you can win everything by force alone. This is one way to fight. You''re kidding me!That''s such a ridiculous way to get a bunch of innocent people involved. If you don''t have anything to do with it, then go ahead. I don''t give a shit, okay?It''s just blood in their blood. Are you serious about messing with your own people? I''m serious. The people are just my tools. I don''t care what they do with it, do I? Edgar was not consumed by madness. There was a rational color in his eyes. In other words, this is normal........ What a tricky opponent. If he''s crazy, but to seriously think this kind of thing in a normal state. In a way, he''s worse in quality than a demon. "Now, give me the girls. I''ll whip you into shape. You''re lying. After what you''ve done, there''s no way you''re going to get me back in one piece. Well, don''t worry about me. We can''t let this guy get away with giving up Sola and Luna. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to leave all those innocent people behind. We have to get them out of there somehow or another... But there is more than one opponent. And they are in different positions and at a reasonable distance from each other. While taking down one of them, the rest of the soldiers would be hurting people. ''''........Rain. Shall we take care of it? Sola and Luna whispered softly, in a voice that only I could hear. ''''Can you ... do it?'''' ''''........Sora and the other spirit races are a race that specializes in magic power. Not only can they handle multiple magics, but they also possess special magic skills. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of it. It''s a skill that allows you to use more than one magic at a time. With this, you can hit them all at once. ...What''s the downside? I don''t think so. Luna lightly averts her gaze. ''''Are you sure you don''t have any?Don''t lie to me. ''''........If I had to say it, our identity will be exposed. The spirit race has to manifest their wings when they use magic. ''''Well that''s the way it is, so I hope you''ll be able to protect Sola and the others in the event of a disturbance. Of course we''ll protect you, but we''ll also protect you. If possible, I want to avoid that kind of commotion. What would happen if it was discovered that Sora and Luna were of the spirit race? There''s no end to the bad imaginations. ''''........Wait?'''' I remembered the conversation I had with the two of them a while ago. Sola, what new powers have I gained from my contract with Luna? It''s not magic. It''s not even learning a new magic. So..... .... I focused my mind and thought of a magical structural formula. Then a structural formula that has never been seen before popped into my mind. Not a new magic, but an existing magic.......a structural formula that adds a twist to the fireball. ''''........Sola, Luna. There''s one thing I want to try. If it fails, I''d like to leave it to you two. ...Okay. Rain will take care of it. I don''t know, but you can take care of the rest. You''re welcome. I exchange glances with both of them. There''s a feeling of trust there. ''What''s wrong?Are you going to keep your mouth shut?How long are you going to stay that way? If you don''t meekly, you''ll have your blood on your hands. Edgar says, looking impatient. ''Okay well our response is. What do you say? I''d never do anything to make you happy. Instantly build a magical structural formula. Add a new formula to it. And unleash the magic. Fireball Multi-Shot! Multiple fireballs are created and scattered in all directions. Continuous chanting. Unleashing multiple of one magic at the same time. Got it! So this is the power you got from making a deal with Sora and Luna! What? Geez! Guh! The fireball struck the soldiers who were holding their swords against the people with great force. Although the power output is narrowed down so as not to harm the hostages, still, a direct hit would not be a free shot. The soldiers were knocked down in one fell swoop, rolling on the ground and writhing in agony. ''''Nonsense!Unleashing a bunch of magic at the same time?How could that be possible...? Edgar is surprised, but he doesn''t have the right or duty to bother explaining it to him. He picks up the sword that the soldier there dropped and holds it at Edgar''s throat. ''Do you still want to continue?'' Shh.... Take your men home. And don''t let them see your face again. You''re going to remember that. ''That''s a one-note line. I need a few more twists. I''ll take whatever I want and I''ll take it. Edgar stared at me evasively and.... The fallen subordinates left the place alone, leaving their fallen subordinates intact. ''''For now, although we managed it...'''' This could have gotten me into a lot of trouble. However, I don''t regret it. ''Sola, Luna. Are you okay? I could have protected these two people I could have protected my people. And I could protect innocent people. If I were to encounter a similar situation, I wouldn''t hesitate to make the same choice again. ''Thank you, Rain, for all you''ve done for Sora and the others. Thank you, Rain. I''m just happy to be here! ''''Even so, I was surprised that Rain had inherited the special skills of the spirit race...'''' That''s Rain. I''m a man after my own heart. Sora speaks very highly of Rain, doesn''t she? No. Do I have a higher opinion of Rain than you? This is Sora. Me. The two of them fighting over something I don''t understand are smiling. However, this is not the time to make peace. I have to go back to the inn and talk with Kanade and Tania about the future. 51-Episode 51: Lords Son and Knights The mansion of the lords who ruled the city of Horizon. In one of the rooms was the figure of Edgar Fromware. ''''Tsk.'''' Edgar clicked his tongue grimly. Thinking back, it happened in the square. As usual I was looking for a toy I found a very classy one. I immediately took it home and tried to enjoy it but.... The man I was with interrupted me. He had, by chance, challenged himself, the son of the lord. It was an extremely unpleasant act. "He''s a joke. I am the son of the lord who rules this city. In a sense, he is the equivalent of a god. No commoner can disobey him. If you order them to give up their lives, they must be willing to kill themselves. Edgar was seriously thinking about that. That was the extent of his perception of the people who lived in the city. ''Edgar, we''re coming in. The door opened to reveal a large, burly man. He was clad in lavish ornaments and dressed with flair. Only, a mountainous protruding abdomen ruined everything. ''What, Dad?'' I hear you''ve been causing trouble in town? There''s no denying it, but it wasn''t my fault. It''s just that these fools don''t know their place in the world and have gotten carried away, so I thought I''d discipline them. Hmm, I see. Well, I guess I''ll have to do it then. On top of that, he said it couldn''t be helped. It was a word that summed up his personality. ''''In other words, no prey for today. I''m afraid so. I was looking forward to it. ''I''ve always wondered if you want to be my go-to guy.Why don''t you find your own kill, Dad? I''m not much of a connoisseur. But I''m more comfortable with what you''ve found because you know exactly what you''re looking for. Well, if you''re okay with it, I''m okay with it. If a third party were here, the conversation would not only raise an eyebrow, but would be immensely disappointing, as it was going on without a care in the world. There is no indication that they are aware of their crimes. They don''t even seem to feel bad about it. It''s a city they govern. If that''s the case, they can do whatever they want with the people who live in that city. Such arrogant thinking seemed to be transparent. As always, you can leave the rest to me. No. Can it wait?Let me do it this time. Yeah?That''s fine, but what''s wrong with you? It''s just a little. Edgar gave a dark look. A man who not only got in the way of reaping his prey, but also humiliated himself.... I think it''s Rain? I''ll make you regret your foolishness to death. Edgar clenched his fists as a dark sentiment burned in his mind. ---------- The lord leaves the room and... As if to replace him, a man in armor appeared. Gilley Streger. He''s the man who is the captain of the Knight''s Branch in the city of Horizon, the captain. ''''You''re late. "Dear Mr. Edgar, I''m sorry to keep you waiting. Jireh dropped to his knees in front of Edgar and bowed his head. It was the kind of motion that would make him pledge allegiance to the king. Seeing that seemed to make him feel somewhat better, Edgar suggested that Jiray sit down in a chair. ''Well you know why I called you here today, don''t you? Gilley sits down in his chair and Edgar opens his mouth. Again, with his head bowed lightly, Jirey replies. ''Ha. It''s about the square, isn''t it? As always, if anyone tries to file a damage report or anything else, dispose of it appropriately. I''m sorry, sir. Even though he should have been asked to do something outrageous, Jiray, who was supposed to be the Knight Commander, nodded his head without hesitation. That seemed to make him feel better, and Edgar handed the leather bag to Gilley with a smile on his face. ''''See, it''s the usual one.'''' Thank you. Ten gold pieces. Can I check? No, sir. I''m not going to question Master Edgar now. Good answer. Can you keep up the good work? Of course. Gilet repeatedly bowed his head in respect to Edgar. Normally, a knight would give allegiance to only one person, the king who rules the country. And yet, the man named Gilley was giving himself to Edgar. It was a very distorted relationship... It was a scene that symbolized the darker side of this city. ''Then I''ll take care of the after-action,'' Oh, wait. As Jirey stood up and was about to leave the room, Edgar stopped him. Edgar threw an additional leather bag to Jirey, who turned around. ''Five gold coins,'' What''s this? I have an additional task for you. What is this? "I want you to find out about a man named Rain. Perhaps he is not an old-time resident of the city. He''s either a traveler or a recent arrival in town. I want to know what you know about him. If you can, bring him to me. I''m sorry, sir. Why?And why?What a word. Lord ... if Edgar asks for it, Gilley will just follow it. If he does, he''ll get paid for it. I''m counting on it. Ha. I won''t let you down. Jirey leaves, leaving Edgar alone. "There is no one in this city that can resist me there must not be. I''ll teach you that one. I''m the son of a lord. I''m the second in line in this city. The people will not be allowed to disobey. Whatever the order is, they must obey it. That is the duty of the people of this city. Those fools who don''t understand that must be brought to justice. Edgar clenched his fists and fantasized about the time that would come. ''Kukkuk.'' He smiles. How would that cocky man beg for his life? What kind of miserable face will they show? Just imagining that moment fills me with an irresistible sense of pleasure. ''Hmm.'' Proceeding with the preparations for lashing out at the man made me feel better, to some extent. However, he wasn''t completely calmed down. The humiliation he received in the square hurt Edgar''s pride so hard that it lodged in the corners of his mind. It wasn''t enough. He needs to get rid of the distractions. I''ve got the perfect toy for moments like this. Edgar rang the bell. ''....and excuse me........'' A few moments later, the door opened. A young girl appeared. In appearance, you could say she was still a child. She had a dainty appearance and seemed to have a promising future. It wasn''t just her looks, but there were other elements that caught my attention. She had beastly ears and a tail. The girl timidly calls out to Edgar. ''''Oh, no.......what is it.......? Too late! Huh. The glass Edgar had thrown flew close to the girl. The sound of the glass breaking caused the girl to freak out and squirm. ''Didn''t I order you to come as soon as I rang the bell?Why the delay? But... but I''ll be back in a minute... Don''t talk back to me! Uh-oh. Edgar slapped the girl. Unable to resist, the girl fell to the floor. ''Foolishness it looks like I''m going to have to discipline you again. Ugh.... Edgar smiled lewdly. The girl, in contrast, had resignation in her eyes. This was always the case. He kept getting beaten up... No matter how many times she apologized, she could not be forgiven. It was a normal, everyday occurrence for the girl. How much longer can this go on? How many times must we despair? The answer is ... I don''t know. 52-Episode 52: The dark part of the town I hurried back to the inn and met up with Kanade and Tania. As it was, we planned future measures in the room. ''''Nyaa.......I can''t forgive such a thing that happened! I don''t like that guy. You''re on your own! When they heard the story, Kanade and Tania were as indignant as they were. I guess it''s a sign that he cares about Sola and Luna. At a time like this, I''m glad to see their reaction. It felt like a steady stream of trust was building up between us. ''I heard from the townspeople that the lord''s son Edgar''s insolent behavior has been going on for some time now. About once a month or so he takes a woman with him.......and does unspeakable things. Before returning to the inn to discuss future measures, we first asked the people of the city about Edgar. We heard a lot of stories about the bad impression they had of Edgar and how we had helped the people of the town. ''''Things that I can''t put into words... nyah.'''' The Kanade turned red. ''Are you actually muggy?'' ''Yeah, yeah, yeah, no way!I''m not thinking about anything weird! That''s weird. There. You''re getting off track. Yeah. But still, from what I''ve heard, you sound like a hell of a guy. Enemies of women, so to speak. ''Here''s another thing I''ve heard - you can''t refuse, and I''ve heard that those who disobey are caught making up treason or some other appropriate charge. You are a complete idiot. If we had been caught like that, the same thing would have happened to us. We''re told that some people abandoned the city and fled after being targeted by Edgar. It''s terrible.... A man like that, the son of a lord..... It''s a classic example of what happens when you put power in the hands of a fool. The problem is that we''ve been targeted. This Edgar guy I''ve only met him once, but he seemed to have quite the vindictive personality. He refused his request, beat up his guards and humiliated them in public. It was unlikely that nothing would happen in the future. ''I mean, I''ve been wondering...'' Tania raises her voice. ''What is the lord doing here?My son has his way with you and you leave him alone? That''s the headache I''m talking about... Apparently, you love your only son very much. Instead of absolving him of guilt, you seem to be covering up the crime. What? ''It seems that the people of the city have petitioned or appealed directly to the soldiers the Order. A lord is not a king, but only one who is entrusted with a part of his reign by the state. If he is judged to be not capable and proper, he should be dismissed from his position....... The Order has conducted several audits in the past. But in each case they concluded that there is no evidence. I hear their ability to destroy evidence is quite impressive. Rumor has it that the lord is not only defending his son, but also enjoying the company of his son. .... Tania was stunned. Good. I''m going to go burn down the lord''s mansion in a bit. Slightly, he uttered something outrageous with a straight face. ''Wait, wait, wait, wait!'' Hey, why don''t you stop? ''Don''t do anything rash!You''ll really be charged with treason if you do that! ''What do we do then?If this continues, Sora and Luna are going to get the better of the stupid lord and his son! I won''t let that happen! Huh. I will protect Sora and Luna. And of course, I''ll protect Tania and Kanade. "...Rain... I promise. And I promise you that I won''t let them touch you. They''ll never touch you, not one finger. Yeah, yeah. Seemingly regaining her composure, Tania sits down in a chair. ''....What. That''s kind of cool. Yeah? Hey, it''s nothing. For some reason, Tania is upset. I''m curious, but.... Now, let''s move on. "When push comes to shove, I''m willing to use force. But that would be the last thing we would want to do. Let''s think about what we can do now. ''Nya but what can you do?Do you want to spank me so I can''t mess around again? ''We talked about how you would be charged with treason for doing that. The whole thing in the square would have been a close call if you hadn''t just messed with the lord''s son in addition to the guards. So it''s not like I''m going off on a tangent. Kanade turns his eyes around in a circle. Maybe she was thinking too much and her thought process had shorted out. ''How about I remind you that it''s dangerous to mess with Sora and the others?And Sola suggests, What do you mean? ''We will show the lord''s son the power of Sola and the others. On top of that, we will negotiate with Sola and the others to keep their hands off of them. With his superior ability to destroy evidence, the other party should not be stupid. If we show our power, they may think it''s dangerous to mess with Sola and the others and retreat. Hmm. I was thinking the same thing. ''Sure, that might be possible...'' Meow?Instead of calling me an ant, Rain, you look awful. Tania sighs as if to say, "Good grief. ''Do you want me to guess what Rain is thinking right now? What? ''If we do what Sola says, our problems might be solved. But the people of the city?You''ll still be weeping over the lord''s insolent behavior... and that''s about it. .... Bingo? Oh, yeah you''re right. Did they read your thoughts? As much as I thought of such things, Tania made a great case for what I was thinking. ''Nya, that''s a very Rain-like opinion,'' ''Rayne is one hell of a softie, isn''t she? Not just about themselves, but about other people, too. ''That''s ... but I don''t blame you, do I?I can''t leave you alone when you know this stuff. Good grief. Our Lord is a pain in the ass. But..." he continues, and Luna grins. ''I''m not averse to that idea. ''Sola and the others were saved by that kind of thing in Rain. If you want to help the people of the city, I''m all for it. ''....Are you sure?We could be crossing a dangerous bridge, you know? You''re gonna take care of us, right? Of course it is. Then I''ll take your word for it. I''ll take Rain''s word for it. My answer is no more! I feel the same way as Rain. The people of the city have been good to me, giving me good food and teaching me many things, and I''m grateful to them. If you''re in trouble, I''d love to help you. I''m glad that everyone agreed with me. I''m glad that they thought of the people of the city. I don''t know...maybe I''m exaggerating, but I felt like I was going to cry, just a little bit. That''s how much everyone''s words made my heart tremble. ''Alright!So the basic policy, then, is in the direction of getting to the root of the problem, right? ""No objection!" Everyone nodded in unison. ''''Let''s give the joking lord and his son a crack at it. Your arms are going to chirp! ''But what exactly are you going to do?What do you have in mind? ''Well...'' Think about it. How to establish our security. How to keep the peace for our city''s people. How to stop an overbearing lord. All those things, under what conditions? ''''Well you''ve been audited by the Order a few times in the past, haven''t you? He thought back to what he''d heard from the people in town. ''Yes, that''s what I''ve heard,'' Only to end up with no evidence and no punishment? In other words, if the evidence is found, the lords will be punished. ''''Can''t find any evidence, or.......I''d like to hear some more details about that. Did you come up with anything? They''re getting away with it by destroying evidence. If we can figure out how to do that... So you''re saying you want to take away their ability to destroy evidence and have them audited. In doing so, you mean to say that the lords will expose their misdeeds? Tania, you''re right. Meow!Then you can help the people of the city, too. ''But it''s not as easy as it sounds, is it?It''s not usually the case that there''s no evidence left behind when you''re moving pretty flashy. What the hell kind of methods do they use? That''s the thing, isn''t it? In what ways are the lords destroying the evidence? After that is revealed, we will have them audited again. Then all the wrongs will be revealed and the lords will be disposed of. But I don''t know how they are destroying the evidence. I try to think of a few things, but they are all just my imagination. I can''t find a clear answer. ''''No good. Thinking about it won''t give me a clear answer. Meow ... what should I do? Let''s go talk to someone who knows a lot about these issues. Meow?Who''s in the know? The Order. 53-Episode 53: Knights The Knights are a counterpart to the Adventurers Guild, established by the state. If the Adventurer''s Guild works for the freedom of the people, the Order works for order. They crack down on criminals and maintain the security of the city. That''s what the Knights are. The Knights are not only in the royal capital, but there are branches in each city. Me and Kanade asked for that branch. By the way, everyone else is away from home. It would be annoying to ask them in large numbers, and as long as we''re being targeted by Edgar, we don''t want to be too obvious. ''Excuse me,'' Enter the building and talk to the receptionist. The system around here is no different than the Adventurer''s Guild. ''''Yes, how can I help you?'''' I have some questions about criminal damage. What is this? If I file a report, they''ll investigate, right? ''Yes, of course. We, the Knights, exist to keep order in the city. So, will you accept our damage report?It''s about ... an abuse of power by the son of a lord. What? The receptionist''s complexion changed when I cut straight to the surface. Well. How do you come up with this next? Are you aware of the riot that occurred in the square not long ago? ...Yes, of course. It''s essential that we gather information quickly. We were the victims of that incident. What? Two people were affected, myself and two people who aren''t here. Yeah, this one''s just my companion. Hey, I''m just here with a friend. Hey, cat spirit people? Now is not the time to talk about that. Be that as it may........is that story true? Of course. If you say you need the testimony, shall I go gather it?It was just a few moments ago, so I''m sure there are still plenty of people who will remember. .... Can I get a form to file a damage report? Well that won''t be necessary. A voice came flying in from another place. A grand old knight in armor appeared and stared at us. ''''Say?'''' ''''It''s true that the lord''s son seems to have caused a ruckus, but I''ve heard that it''s a trivial thing, a light fight. There''s no reason for the Order to get involved in a mere fight. With all due respect, you''re making the story bigger, aren''t you? I see. Hey, what do you mean, it''s just a fight?Sola and Luna forced....Rain? He stopped Kanade, who was about to protest, with a look. ''So you''re saying that the Knights aren''t going to make a move on this matter? ''Incidents of that magnitude happen every day, and often. The Order doesn''t have time to deal with every single little incident. A small case... ''''Besides, research has shown that such stories are highly suspected of being fabricated. It''s being plotted in order to ruin the reputation of my lord....... I''m not going to do it. And I don''t intend to. ''Then will you try not to think about anything else?If you speak out too unnecessarily, you''ll be defamed, and we''ll have to investigate you all backwards. I had all sorts of patterns in mind, but.... Apparently, this is going to get worse. ''''Thanks for the advice. We''re not trying to embarrass our lord so we won''t file a damage report. It''s a tough call. Goodbye, then. Come on, Kanade, let''s go. ''What?Oh, yeah. We left the Knights'' branch. As we left the building and moved to a less popular area, Kanade looked at us. ''Hey, hey, Rain. Are you sure?Aren''t you supposed to listen to me? I was going to do that but first I wanted to make sure I had something to check. Want to make sure, girl? The question is, are the Knights connected to their lords? No matter how many times the state audits are conducted, they cannot find evidence of the Lords'' misdeeds. How can one obtain such a perfect ability to destroy evidence? How do you keep a grip on the evidence when you''ve been witnessed by numerous city people? There are many possibilities, but.... One of them is called ''collusion with the audit side''. It''s simple. By spending money and so forth beforehand, they become close friends with the knights conducting the audit. By doing so, you will have the audit loosen up and come to the conclusion that no evidence was found. This way, no matter how many times they are audited, no evidence will be found. They could cover up the victim''s complaints and do whatever they wanted forever. There was no proof. It was only a possibility. But what if the lord and the knights were connected in the background? It would be impossible for him to hear from the Knights. On the contrary, I might be turned in to the lord. So, I''ll first make sure there''s a backstory....... That knight''s attitude said it all, so he quickly withdrew........ ''''Nyanya.......Rain, you have a lot on your mind. When I told Kanade my thoughts, he looked impressed. ''I wish I could have been wrong...'' Lords are not the only enemies. The Knights who are supposed to be defending the city are also enemies. As to be expected, not all the members of the group are connected to the lord, but....... At the very least, the knights conducting the audit would be connected to the lords. No wonder they haven''t turned up any evidence. Well, oh dear... ''''Nya.......If the Knights are on good terms with their lords, then no matter how much you sue them, it''s all for naught, right? ''''We must somehow expose the bad behavior of the lords. But the Knights who are supposed to be doing that are at the mercy of the lords. What if we audit you and expose you for what you''re doing? ''It''s hard ... because there''s no such thing as a personal audit allowed. Whether or not it''s admissible as evidence I''m sure if it''s not good enough, treason will be applied to it again. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Really. The lords of the city are the enemy. The Knights are the enemy. We have to get out of this situation one way or another, but.... Now, what''s going on? I''m sorry. I turned around and saw a woman dressed in knight''s armor. She was older than me ... maybe 20? Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail. His dignified expression was knightly, and a strong will could be seen in his eyes. ''''Nyah, knight!You''ve been chasing me! Kanade, calm down. Kanade takes up an advance position, but he can''t set things up in the city, and with a knight. ''''...What is it?'''' You were at the Order''s branch earlier, right? ''Well?You must have seen something wrong. I don''t recall ever visiting such a place. I was there, too. I was there and I overheard you guys talking. You were discussing the damage caused by the lords. Eavesdropping isn''t exactly in very good taste, is it? ''I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do that, but I just got caught up in it... no, it''s just an excuse. I apologize if I offended you. It''s just the way it is. The female knight bows her head. I was surprised at how easily she lowered it. Normally, knights are proud. It is a profession that only those who have passed through many barriers can become. There are many who have an elite consciousness. And yet, to bow down so easily like this..... Is it the personality of this woman? Or is it a ploy to get us to let our guard down? ........No, I can''t decide. In this kind of situation, let''s rely on Kanade. "Well what do you think, Kanade? Well I don''t feel bad about it. It''s like you feel really bad about it. At times like this, Kanade''s intuition, or rather, his ability to see through people, is dependable. This is the kind of thing, but the cat spirit race is the closest to the wildest of the strongest species. Their intuition is keen and their ability to see through others is excellent. If this Kanade says so, then it looks like I can trust this woman. ''''I accept your apology. I need you to raise your head. Well, thank you. So, what can we do for you?I don''t suppose you''re here to remind me not to mention the incident? No way. In fact, it''s the opposite. Reverse? I''m sorry for my mistake. My name is Stella Emplace, I''m the Vice Captain of the Order, Horizon Chapter. It''s the Lane Shroud. It''s Kanade. ''My purpose is to bring the misdeeds of the lords to the light of day and to condemn them. The female knight..........Stella said something outrageous. This is completely unexpected. I can''t help but roll my eyes. ''''Nya...........................In other words, Stella''s on our side? That''s what you want, and that''s why you called him. Why don''t you just tell me a story? ---------- The Horizon branch of the Order is apparently corrupt because of its cozy relationship with the Lords. Most of the members of the Order are at the mercy of the Lords. The captain is also drowning in money and never conducts a proper investigation. Stella, who has a strong will and a sense of justice, did not get involved in the bribes prepared by the lords. She was said to be working hard, alone, to restore the proper shape of the Order as it should be. I want to break the wind out of the corrupt system of the Knights. I want to reveal all the wrongs of the lords who are the source of everything. But there''s only so much one person can do. There''s nothing you can do. Who are our allies, who are the traitors? I had no choice but to continue my act of walking alone in the dark. That''s when they heard our conversation. An adventurer with the most powerful species, the cat spirit race, is complaining about the damage done by the lords. This could be some kind of turning point. It seems that''s why they approached us. ...I see.......I see......that''s why. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. ''I''m embarrassed to say that I couldn''t do this on my own and I''m grasping at straws, so I''ve reached out to you guys. Now, I need some information to help me move forward. ''That being said we don''t have much information either, do we?It''s also the first time today that I''ve been involved in a case with the lords. Mmm, is that...? But we''re all on the same page. Yeah. We''ve just decided that we''re going to do something about the lords, too. ''Is that...?But why... When you know what''s going on here, you can''t just let it go, can you? .... .... ''What?Is that the only reason? Yeah? ''''I can''t leave you alone, how dare you try to turn your lord against me for just that reason?Are you trying to set things up with the Order? ''To me, that''s reason enough. Do I need a reason to help someone in need? "...pfft, hahaha. Stella laughs as if she can''t stand it. ''No, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to make fun of you. It''s just that I never thought anyone would take such a thing seriously. It''s just like Lane, isn''t it? For some reason, Kanade has a smiling face. He looks happy, as if he''s been praised. ''I think we can work together, what do you think?'' ''Yes, of course. I guess I didn''t make a mistake in talking to both of you. We shook hands firmly. ''But what are we going to do?It''s not just the lords, the Knights are the enemy, right? ''Well...'' I guess we''ll just beat the shit out of them all together? Well, that''s a bad idea. If you do that without proof, we''ll be accused of treason. ''''Unya ... it''s so annoying. I need proof, but, but the Knights won''t budge...nyah, I''m thinking too much, I''m going to short-circuit my brain. No. I gather my thoughts in my head. The Lords are the enemy the Knights are the enemy. What you need is proof... All you have to do for that is.... What the hell? Lane, are you getting desperate? ''No way. I have a good idea. What''s it like?Let me hear it, let me hear it. ''We need two things. Proof of wrongdoing and a righteous Order that will bring the lords to justice. First, we need to return the Order to its proper form as it should be. ''That''s ... but what are you going to do about it?Most of the group members are already tied to the lords. We''re at a huge disadvantage, you know? I''m going to go. Let''s clean up. Meow?Cleaning? "We will eliminate the corrupt members of the group, all of them. 54-Episode 54: Battle Preparation The knightly order is not working properly because of the members who are connected to the lord behind the scenes. If that''s the case, the solution is simple. We can eliminate all the members who are dabbling in injustice. ''''To put it simply, how do you do that?'''' Stella gave me a look of disbelief. I have the most questions. I''ll explain them one by one, in order. ''''First, we''ll sort out the members of the group who are connected to the lord behind the scenes and those who aren''t. What are we going to do?Are you going to check each one of them out? ''There won''t be enough time to do that, no matter how much time you have. It''s going to be a rather sketchy method but I can scoop some of it up if that''s what I''m thinking. Meow? Stella. Is there a member of the group that you trust that this person can handle it? Well ... a few people. ''Then why don''t you get those people to help you get these stories inside the Order? I told Stella the plan I had concocted in my head, as it was. As she listened to me, Stella''s eyes rolled up in surprise... and then she made a look of admiration. Apparently, she understood what I was thinking. ''''I see, that kind of move........'''' ''I think this will allow us to scoop up most, if not all, of those who are connected to the lords behind the scenes. What do you think? Well, it''s not bad or anything, but it sounds like the best move you could make right now. Do you have anything to add? ''Well even if you manage to scoop them up, you''re going to be dealing with most of the Order a few dozen people. What are you going to do about that? I''ll set a trap. I explained my ability and the contents of the ''trap'' that I used it for to Stella. ''''Well, you can do that...?'''' ''Yeah, no problem. I can''t put it into practice, so all I can say is, trust me... "...No, I''ll believe you. Rain wouldn''t be the kind of man to lie. But to be able to do such a thing......Rain must be a hell of a guy. ''Really?This is about as normal as it gets, I suppose... Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. What''s wrong with you? It''s like I''m crazy. You know what I mean?Is there a hole? No, not really. I don''t think it''s a problem. Well, that''s good to hear. ''To be able to think of something like this in an instant... it''s amazing what Rain can do. ''Well, um ... it''s Rayne!Phew. For some reason, Kanade seemed proud of me. Am I happy to be praised? It''s not a bad thing that you feel that way, but.... But Kanade doesn''t seem to understand most of my plan. I''ll have to make up for it later when I talk to Tania and the others. When do you want to make the decision? Let''s do it tonight. ''Is that tonight?Isn''t it too soon? ''No, the sooner the better. You can''t give them time to think about these things. The more time you give them to think, the more likely they are to read your intentions behind the scenes. It''s better not to give them time to think, but to push forward with it while they are confused. I see. Yeah, you''re right. You''re thinking about the details. It''s Rain!Phew. For some reason, Kanade omitted the following. ''Then let''s get right to work. We need to get ready, so I''ll go back to the inn. I''ll meet you for the night. Mm. We''ll be ready and waiting for you. ---------- After I left Stella, I went back to the inn and explained to everyone what had happened. I get them ready for the night. And then..... I was alone in Ganz''s shop. ''Oh, it''s Rain. What''s going on? The door of the shop was opened and the bell that had been installed rang. In response to the sound, Ganz came out from the back of the store. It seems that he was working, and sweat is beaded on his forehead. ''I''m sorry. Did I interrupt you? What? That''s all right. I was just about to take a break. ''Then it''s just as well. I''d like to ask you about the progress of the armor I asked for... Tonight, it could turn into a major battle. I''ll prepare a certain trap, but I can''t be sure it will succeed and... It''s necessary to be prepared in case of an emergency. That''s why I relied on Ganz''s armor.... I''m not done yet, okay?I told you, it would take a week or so. ''I know...'' Well, the basket case is ready to go. ''Oh, really?'' Hmm. All we have to do now is make the final adjustments. The dagger will take a few more days. ''Was Kagome finished first?I ordered this and that, and I thought for sure it was going to be the last... It''s true that it''s a pain in the ass, but it''s not often that you get the chance to create such an interesting piece of armor. The opportunity to create such an interesting armor is rare. Hahaha! I''m sure I''ve ordered this and that nasty stuff, but I''m not sure that doing so will motivate me to do it... Apparently, Gantz is an armor craftsman to the core. Once again, I felt as if I had seen Gantz''s pride and pride as a craftsman. ''How long will it take you to adjust your basket hand?'' Hm?It would take an hour or two, but... why? I think I might need it. It''s a long story. Hmm. You got your foot in some kind of trouble, mister? That''s about it. Mm, all right. Then let''s get this over with, shall we? Thank you. But not with the dagger.It would take two days, no matter how fast you tried. The beast tamer uses the most powerful species available. It has to be worthy of that, and it has to be first class. Can''t you understand that? I know. I''ll give up the dagger. Just give me something to replace it. Oh, that''s good. You got a lot of stuff in there. You can take it if you want. Yeah, yeah, we don''t need the money. Are you sure? I owe Rayne a debt of gratitude. I owe Rayne a debt of gratitude for all the things I made in the past. I can''t sell them. Take what you want. Thank you. Now I shall finish up my basket. Wait for me. With that, Ganz disappeared to the back of the store. Somewhat later, I hear the sound of banging metal with a bang. Well. Let''s take advantage of Gantz''s favor and pick out a dagger. I move to the shelves where the daggers are lined up and pick them up, one by one, to see how well they are doing. Gantz had said they were not for sale, but they were outrageous. They were all so well made that they could be called first class. How could I not be satisfied with this? In the future, Ganz might grow into a tremendous armor craftsman. ''''........'''' For starters, I decided to get the dagger that felt the most comfortable. I prepare the belt and stow it behind my waist. Then we wait for a while... Sorry to keep you waiting. Ganz appeared with a pair of baskets in his hands. ''''This is........'''' You can tell at a glance. It''s a first-class piece of artisanal armor that has the soul of a craftsman in it. "It''s a special armor made especially for Rayne. It''s a special armor created for Rayne. Narkami.... Come on, I''ll show you how to use it. Wear a basket hand. Fingers, wrists, arms - they don''t interfere with your movements. And yet, it feels like a snug fit. Once again, I understand that I''ve been given a wonderful basket of hands to wear. I can''t believe they''ve provided me with something like this.... It''s simple, in my opinion, but I''m as excited as a child. ''Okay?First of all, the features Rain asked for... Then we had a lecture by Ganz for about half an hour. Then I thanked him and left the shop. Now we''re all ready to go. ---------- And then ... the night came. I take everyone and meet up with Stella. The place is on the outskirts of the city ... in front of a warehouse that is now unused by anyone. We lurk in the shadows and meet up with each other. ''You''ve kept me waiting,'' How about you three, Kanade and... I''m with you. I''m Tania. Nice to meet you. ''I''m Sora. It''s nice to meet you. Ha-ha-ha, this is my Luna. I''d be happy to oblige you. I''m Stella Emplace. It''s a pleasure to meet you. Stella bowed her head politely. At first glance, Tania and the others looked like normal girls... You can bow properly to such a person. I felt like Stella''s personality was showing. ''''Stella and the others........six?'''' In addition to Stella, there were five other knights. ''I''m sorry ... this was the limit when it came to someone I could trust with certainty. No, I don''t blame you. In fact, it''s better if that''s all you have. To put it bluntly, at first I thought it might be just Stella alone. That''s nice to hear. Rain, Rain. With a chomp, Kanade tugs at his clothes. ''I heard your footsteps. I can''t hear anything. But if Kanade, the cat spirit tribe, says it, I''m sure of it. It seems that our prey has been caught in a net. ''''........'''' The sound of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz footsteps could be heard. Soon after, a large number of knights emerged from the darkness of the night. I don''t know the exact number, but there must be dozens of them. The knights separated into two groups without noticing us. Part of them took up a guard to be on the lookout for their surroundings, while the rest rushed into the interior of the warehouse. From the side, it would appear that the knights are conducting some kind of maneuver. But we know that''s not the case. We know that they''ve successfully fished out a couple of them. ''Now it''s time to clean up. 55-Chapter 55: Clean Up Jiray Stregar was growing impatient. It was while he was performing his knightly duties as usual. He noticed that there was a rumor circulating around the young knights. ''''It seems that evidence of the collusion between the lord and the knights has emerged.'''' Gilley took the opportunity to chastise the young knight for not dancing around the silly rumors. But inwardly, he was in a cold sweat. Because the collusion between the lord and the knights was an undoubted fact. More than half of the Knights, including Gilley himself, are involved in fraud. What if the rumors are true? What if the evidence is in the hands of members of the group who have not been wronged? When I thought about it, I couldn''t not move. It is not permissible to reckon with it as a mere rumor. There is no smoke where there is no fire. ''''Tch........it''s become a pain in the ass. The lord and his son, Edgar, still knew nothing about this case. This was because of the gag order. The lords have a cautious nature. They mimic banging on the stone bridge over and over again, but with a serious face. What if such lords find out about this time? No doubt, it will be called a blunder. Gilet and the others, the knights and lords who are involved in injustice, are no longer in the same boat. They won''t be abandoned now, but........ At worst, there could be a purge to make an example out of them. So we have to move carefully and quickly. They''ve been very quiet this time. The only thing that could be tricky is what the young knights and their second-in-command, Stella, are up to. Stella and the others are a minority of knights who are not involved in any wrongdoing. I once approached them about it casually, but........ ''I hope you''re not going to make that kind of joke. I was prodded. Although I ended the conversation at the time by saying it was a joke.... The other members of the group reacted similarly and refused to join the group. They''re a foolish bunch, Jiray laughs. They really believe in such things as ''justice'' in today''s world. There is no such thing as ''justice'' in the world today. They blindly believe that they are doing the right thing and trying to be a great knight. It''s a wonderful complacency. Nothing is fulfilled by such a thing. It won''t raise your pay, and if you make a mistake of any kind, people will shout out and denounce you here and there. There is no need for any kind of ''justice'' in the Order. There is no such thing as ''justice'' in the first place. In the past, Jirey also tried to deal with people in a sincere manner. But people just repeat their selfish and selfish things... Eventually, the passion he had in his chest disappeared, leaving him disappointed and discouraged. ''The sooner they realize the reality, the better. The people Jillay is referring to - the people Jillay is referring to - we didn''t bring Stella and the others who aren''t involved in the injustice this time. That''s obvious. In case the evidence of wrongdoing exists.... And when they get their hands on it? My head hurts just thinking about it. Hence, I didn''t bring them to this operation. All of the ones participating are the ones who are cheating. We''ve been fortified with only those we trust. Of course, if we did that, Stella and the others would be wondering. In fact, they had a look on their face as if they wondered what was going on. However, they did not have the authority to go against the captain, Jirey. Even if you ignore the authority, Stella and her team are a small number of people, less than ten. They can force things through. ''''Well, they retreated quite straightforwardly this time, but does that mean they''re finally understanding their position? "Captain. One of my men came in to tell me. ''''We''ve surrounded the warehouse, sir. We''ve also got a rough idea of what''s going on inside. There''s no one in there. Good. All right, I''m going in now. I''ll join you. The primary goal is you know what I''m saying? Ha! His men returned the salute. If only Stella and the others had been this receptive. Gilley sighed inwardly. ''Let''s go! At Gilet''s signal, they all rushed into the warehouse, leaving a few knights on guard. The inside of the warehouse was large. Even if a few dozen knights rushed in, there was enough space for each of them to move freely. In places, the floor was illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the windows. However, since the number of windows was overwhelmingly small, it was not enough to illuminate the entire warehouse. If they were even the slightest distance apart, they would lose track of each other. ''Light.'' What? Light! At Gilet''s command, one of the knights cast a spell. A ball of light emerged in the palm of his hand, dispelling the darkness around him. ''''Guh!'''' The next moment, the knight who had cast the spell stumbled back, holding his wrist. When he looked, he saw a needle stuck in a gap in his armor. As if drunk, the knight faltered on his feet and fell down. The magic disappeared and darkness enveloped him again. ''What, what was that?'' Hey, what''s going on? Are you okay? The knights were confused by the sudden events. In the midst of it all, Gilley was the only one who calmly analyzed the situation and came up with an answer. ''''Enemies, all of you, get ready! ---------- The way to lure these corrupt group members is very simple. We can spread the rumor that there is evidence of collusion between them and their lords. They will work to destroy the evidence, just as they have done in the past. They''re not so much poised to ignore the rumors as they are poised to ignore them. People who are doing something wrong are nervous at some point. In fact, they have moved on. Interestingly, they did exactly what we wanted them to do. They lured us into a warehouse, not knowing it was a trap. Now we can round ''em up! ''Sola, Luna. Can you quietly incapacitate the guards? No problem. "Hmph, I''ll show you the power that even the Luna gods fear. The twins came together and pointed their palms at the soldiers on guard, as if they were taking aim. Then they chanted simultaneously. "''Sleep,'' The knights standing around the warehouse collapsed to the spot without power. Just because they used magic, a feather floats on their backs. ''''That, that feather...could it be...could it be a spirit race!That''s ridiculous.......how can a spirit race be in a place like this....... ''You two are my buddies. I don''t want to make a scene, so I usually get them to hide their wings. What, mate?Spirituals to join the...?How is that possible?No, but actually ... it''s hard to believe, but apparently it''s true. Rain is doing something extraordinary...........................I''m surprised indeed. Can you guys keep this between us, please?Right now, I need both of you to help me, but... Mm-hmm. Of course. Rayne and the others are like benefactors. I swear I won''t tell any secrets. Of course, the same goes for my people. Stella and all the knights here nodded firmly. I look into their eyes. I see a crystal-clear glow. I don''t feel like I''m lying. Stella and the others will keep their promise, I''m relieved. ''''By the way what did you just do?'''' It''s magic. "I put you to sleep with a sleep spell, ha ha ha! You can do a sleep spell...? Stella was surprised. It can''t be helped. Magic to put the other person to sleep, it might sound simple to say but........ Sleep magic is actually a higher magic that is classified as advanced. After all, it puts the opponent into a forced sleep state and leaves them completely defenseless. In a sense, it''s a one-hit kill. Because it would be a terrible thing if misused, few people know the structural formula of the magic, and it is not disclosed to the public. However, it''s just a matter of breakfast for the two spirit race members. ''''Su, you can use amazing magic.......as expected of the spirit race, I guess I should say.'''' No, I just happen to remember it. "Humph, do you like to admire me more? They are twins and yet they react completely differently. I can''t help but chuckle. ''I''m sorry,'' Suddenly, Stella turns to them and bows her head. What''s going on? Hm?What is it?I told you to respect me, but I didn''t tell you to apologize. ''Well I misjudged the power of the two of you. I asked them to come with me because they were Rain''s companions, but I didn''t expect them to be able to use this kind of magic... I took them lightly as just kids. In truth, he should be a spirit race and have far more power than I do, but I looked at him with contempt. I''m sorry, I hope you''ll forgive me. It was the kind of words that showed Stella''s personality. If they kept quiet, they wouldn''t find out about such things... To go out of your way to say it and make a proper apology.......that''s not something you can normally do. Sora and Luna seem to like that kind of personality of Stella''s and smile together. ''''Please raise your heads. Sola and the others don''t care. ''Mmm!I rather like you. He''s good for a human being, isn''t he? I''m grateful to hear that. But for a human...? ''Oh, for now, we''ll talk later. Right now we have to do what we have to do. This is not the time to relax forever. I''ll end the conversation for now and move on to the next phase. ''Sora, Luna. Sora, Luna, and Kanade. I want you three to take care of the perimeter and catch any of the escapees. Nyan! I''m going to need you to join them. Ha! Stella sent instructions to her men. "It''s me, Tania, and Tania who are going in. And Stella. I was actually planning on just me and Tania, but... "We can''t leave the problems of the Order to Lane and the others.I want you to take me with you.'' He asked me to go with him, and I decided to ask Stella to accompany him. I know the feeling, so I''m not really opposed to it. However, since we have a plan, I''ve asked her to follow my instructions. "The plan is exactly as I told you it would be. The first step is to get the enemy confused. Are you ready? I''m ready. Hmmm, my arm snaps. I''m fine, too. Well let''s go! Under the cover of darkness, I quietly broke into the warehouse. I had examined the information inside beforehand, so I had no trouble moving in the dark. I climbed the steel frame while trying not to make any noise and secured a vantage point. It''s time to use the specially made small hand that Ganz has made for me the ''Narkami''. This hand has various gimmicks that I''ve devised. One of them is that it ejects needles when you move in a certain way. One of the knights uses a magic that turns on the lights. With that as my target, I took aim and ejected a poisonous needle from ''Narkami''. 56-Episode 56: The Fallen Knights I can see that the knights are upset by the sudden attack. In the darkness, they can''t distinguish between friend and foe, and seemingly can''t move properly. In such a situation, I accurately defeat the knight who tries to use the magic of the light with the poisoned needle of Narkami. This one had one eye closed the entire time, and I had accustomed my eyes to the darkness beforehand. So I can see the opponent''s movements very well. ''''Yeah, hurry up and turn on the lights!What are you doing? No, you can''t!It looks like we''re being sniped from somewhere........geez! If you scream that loud, it''s like asking me to take aim. I''ll respond to your request and snipe you with a poisonous needle. It''s a fast-acting paralyzing poison. Immediately the knight is unable to move and falls to the floor. "d*mn you, you useless bastards! There was one knight who was giving orders in a loud voice. His armor and sword looked more superior to the other knights. That guy, the symbol of the corruption of the Knights that Stella had mentioned it would be the head of the Horizon Knights branch. Load the next round. Aiming at the target, he ejects the poisonous needle. ''''Hmph!'''' The Knight Commander swung his sword through the air and knocked the poisonous needle off. What a reflex. Perhaps he sensed my killing intent that leaked slightly and intercepted it. Apparently the leader''s name is not a good one. That guy might not be able to handle it. Forget about the lights!Let''s go outside once. The knights try to turn back, but.... Before that, the door is closed. It must have been done by Stella''s friends outside. ''Wha, what!Suddenly the door... I can''t open it, Commander, we seem to be trapped in here! What''s this... it''s like they knew we''d show up... oh, I get it. Commander...? It''s a trap!Mostly, it''s just a bunch of crappy righteous people trying to set us up. Apparently, the Commander-in-Chief isn''t too smart. He''s already recovered from his turmoil and has recovered his mind enough to be able to deduce who the ringleader is. ''''What shall we do?I can''t believe this is happening... Don''t panic!We''re outnumbered. If we''re cool, we can''t let them get us. On the contrary, we''ll get them back. It will be a good souvenir for the lords. Ha! The knights are no longer upset. That''s quite a feat. Instantly assessing the situation, inspiring your men to give the most appropriate orders. It''s not an easy thing to do. Maybe the Commander is a tougher opponent than I thought. But I had read this far. It''s all within the expectation that he''ll be able to quickly regain his position, and that he''ll see that Stella is cooperating with us. I called out to Tania and Stella, who were also climbing on the steel frame, respectively. Tania, Stella, please. I''ll take care of it! "Mm, let''s do it! Tania has a fireball with strained power. Stella with a dagger. They each fire at the warehouse windows and break the glass. The knights get upset again, but they don''t care and have all the windows broken. And so, the ''road'' was created. ''Come on! I made a tentative contract beforehand and called ''Sole'', which I had made a tentative contract with and waited around, into the warehouse from the path that Tania and Stella had made. ''''What the...?'''' Is that a... butterfly...? In the moonlight, a flock of green, glowing butterflies rushed into the warehouse. Their number, hundreds. They flitted around in circles above the bewildered knights. From the side, it might be a fantastic sight. But.........in reality, it''s a hell of a poison. ''''Gu........'''' Hey, hey, what''s up?Why would you give up your sword? I wasn''t trying to let go of it...I just didn''t have the strength... What the hell is this... Yeah, I''m feeling a little weak, too. One of the knights fell... As if in a chain, one after another, the knights fell to the ground. The fallen knight looked muddled in consciousness, his body trembling as he spilled out his unspoken voice. ''''Su, great........'''' Stella, who was watching the situation from the top of the steel frame, said in surprise. ''''In our preliminary meeting, we said that we would collectively defeat dozens of people... but I didn''t think we would actually accomplish it. What kind of magic did Rain use? It''s not magic. It''s poison. Poison? ''''This butterfly contains a paralyzing poison in its scale powder. One or two of them can''t make a person fall into a coma, but...'''' He continues to speak as he watches the knights fall to the ground. ''''If you are exposed to a large amount of butterfly scale dust in a sealed space this is what happens, so to speak. You could use the same paralyzing poison, Earlby, but... In the case of a bee, you have to sting a needle, so it''s not suitable for dealing with a knight wearing armor. In that respect, the butterfly''s scale powder is taken into the body with the breath. The reason for this is because scale dust is heavier than air. Above the butterfly we won''t get caught up in it if we climb on top of the steel frame. That''s really great it''s not as if I''m on the clock. ...doesn''t look like it. While most of the knights collapsed, the Commander remained persistently conscious. He must have realized that the butterfly scale powder was poisonous. He put one hand over his mouth and tried to keep the scale powder out of his mouth as much as possible. ''''There''s one guy who''s kind of energetic. Do you want to take him out? ''Yes. We can''t just leave it at that.... "I''m sorry. Will you let me take over here?I may be a bugger for relying on Rain to get this far, but at the end of the day, I think it''s up to me, the same knight, to do it. Okay, you got it. Thank you. Once most of the knights were down, they let the butterflies out of the warehouse. Once that was confirmed, Stella got down from the steel frame. Following that, me and Tania also got down to the ground. As I thought, this is your doing after all, isn''t it? The Commander glares at Stella and thrusts his sword at her. In response, Stella responds calmly and quietly. ''''If so, then what do we do?'''' ''You''ll make me regret such a joke!Stella Emplace!You will be executed for treason! ''You are the one who is rebelling against the heart of a knight! Stella also drew her sword. They crossed..... Gosh!There was a dull sound. When I looked, I saw that the belly of Stella''s sword had struck the Commander''s side deeply. Probably, the bones would be crushed. The Commander let out a cry of anguish and still reached out to Stella to chase after her... Yeah. That seemed to be his limit, and he fell to the ground just like the other knights. He was just enduring with his energy, and the butterfly poison must be turning. He struggled as if he couldn''t move as much as he wanted. Stella thrust her sword at the fallen Commander and said sharply. ''''Knight''s Horizon Branch Leader, Jireh Streger. My men are holding up evidence that you received back taxes from your lordship and missed the audit! Oh no, that''s ridiculous... ''Did you think we didn''t do anything?Do you think I sat back and let you guys get away with it?It was all for this moment I was gathering evidence with my friends. Ggh..... "A man who puts his own desires before others is no longer a knight!I dismiss you as of right now! 57-Episode 57: in a limited time I joined everyone outside and captured the fallen knights. They took away their armor and tied them up with ropes so that they couldn''t move. With this, we were able to round up the knights connected to the lords. The first step of the plan was a success. "Rain! When I walked out of the warehouse, Stella, who had been giving her subordinates orders for this and that, came back. As it is, she bowed her head with a bow. Thank you. Thanks to Rain and the others, I was able to get rid of the pus in the knight''s group. Thanks to the fact that they were able to neutralize them, we can easily conduct a background check on them. There will be plenty of evidence that they are connected to the Lords. We''ll have plenty of proof of our legitimacy. Thank you so much. ''It''s too early to thank them. I''ve got to do something about the lords, you know. We got rid of the corrupt knights, but... The lords, the original culprits, are still intact. If we leave them in place, the same thing will happen again. I was able to return the Order to normal. Then what should we do next? It''s to raid the lords'' mansion and seize the evidence of wrongdoing. Now that the Knights are back to what they should be, they won''t do anything to let the lords off the hook. They can even help those who have been taken to the mansion. To add to that, it seems that the lords are also involved in many other evil things. By seizing those evidences and handing them over to the inspector of the royal capital, we can put a stop to the lords until they are finished. However, we can''t take too much time. If we spend too much time, the lords might destroy the evidence. I''m also worried about the safety of the people who were taken away. We''re racing against the clock from here on out. We must move quickly. Stella seems to understand that and quickly makes a stern expression. ''''The lords'' ability to gather information is something that cannot be underestimated. Our actions will soon be exposed, too.'''' Then we''ll have to hurry up more and more. ''''Mm. If I could, I''d like to continue raiding the lord''s mansion at this point if I could... Stella glanced at the warehouse. Inside the warehouse, the captured former knights are locked up. ''''We can''t leave those guys unattended.............it would be unfashionable if they escaped. What is to be done? That''s not a problem. What do you mean? It''s not so easy to get rid of a butterfly poison. They won''t be able to move for a night. But it''s a risk. Do you need to keep an eye on him? Let them do their job and come on! Calling in several wild dogs, Tame. I told them to watch the perimeter of the warehouse and scattered them. ''I''ve instructed the dogs to watch the warehouse. Now they won''t have to worry about it. .... What''s up, Snap out of it? ''No ... is Rain really a Beast Tamer?The butterflies from earlier, and the dog from this time..............................seem very different from the Beast Tamer I know. How can you be with Lane if you''re this surprised? Yeah, yeah. You should just accept that this is how it is. Kanade and Tania interrupted the conversation from the side and said something like that. ''Is that so?Could it be that Rain has even more power in her? Meow, that''s right! I''m not surprised they''re hiding abilities that we don''t even know about. Don''t make people sound like curious animals. I digress. Let''s get back on track. ''Anyway now we don''t have to worry about those former knights. We''ll deal with the formal punishment later, but for now, let''s do what we need to do. ''Hmm, yes. We can''t take any more time. Let''s just raid the lord''s house. "Kuhn, your arm is about to snap. It''s time to show what I can do. Let''s make them sorry they tried to mess with Sola and the others. The sisters Sola and Luna were very motivated. The two of them were directly targeted by the lord''s son, so.... I guess he''s more resentful and angry than most people. ''The problem is that they might resist. ...against the Order? That''s what you get for dealing with the Order, isn''t it? I see. I understood some of what Stella was trying to say. However, Kanade and the others don''t seem to understand it well and have a question mark floating above their heads. ''''Hey hey, what do you mean?'''' ''The Order has the power to audit, doesn''t it?It''s not like you''re saying you''re guilty of refusing to do that. And yet you''re resisting it? The thing is... Until now, the lords had accepted the audit of the Knights because they were connected behind the scenes. I had accepted it because I knew that even if there was evidence, they would have missed it all. But now that the Order has been normalized, it''s different. They would never overlook any evidence of injustice or wrongdoing. The Lords would understand that correctly. If they accept an audit or anything else, then it will all be over. Because they understand, they will refuse the audit and resist it, even by force. ''Resist ... and what happens?What are you going to do after that? Once you''ve successfully eliminated us, the rest is easy. "Once you''ve successfully eliminated us, the rest is easy. Everything will be the same as before. Well, the details might be different, but the gist of it will be something like this. I see........so the outcome of the battle after this one will directly lead to victory or defeat. ''''Therefore, we can never be defeated, but according to our preliminary research, the lords have hired private soldiers in the name of security. How many? ''''I don''t know, but I''m guessing it''s something like a few dozen people. I haven''t been able to confirm it, but there are rumors that they employ mercenaries comparable to B-ranked adventurers. A B-ranked adventurer is said to have the strength of dozens of people alone. A mercenary comparable to that........ If it''s true, it''s tricky. ''''Can''t we use the butterfly from earlier? ''It''s difficult ... if we have to force our way in, first of all, we''ll be resisted before the gate, won''t we?Butterflies'' scales are easily blown around by the wind, so they''re not very effective outdoors. Also, in a melee, it could involve your allies. Yeah, well... mmm. The reason they were able to easily capture the former knights who were involved in the injustice was because they were able to trap them in a good way. However, this time it''s not going to be the same. You can''t set a trap because you have to get into the opponent''s position. It would be a simple clash of numbers and numbers, force and power. However, I''m not too worried about that. If it comes down to it, we can just tame the beasts in the city and make them attack us... We don''t need to do that, we all have people on this side. Their strength is an unknown quantity, but........ Unless it''s really out of calculation, Kanade alone will be able to make the change. Kanade seems to understand that, and is motivated by shuffling and shaking his fists. ''''No matter how many opponents there are, I''m going to kick them all to the curb! Can we rely on...? I got it! Thank you. Stella may have mixed feelings about this. Unable to right the city on their own, they have to enlist the help of others. Maybe she''s conflicted. Still, Stella didn''t refuse our cooperation, but rather, welcomed it. She put righting the city before pride. Surely, Stella would make a good knight commander. I felt like I could see that future. ''Once again, thank you. It''s really helpful that Rain and the others are helping us. I hope you don''t mind. It''s not like we don''t have anything to do with it. ''On top of that I''m very sorry, but there''s one more thing I''d like to discuss with you. What''s that? ''''I hear there are city people in the lord''s mansion who have been taken away. If they were to be taken hostage or something... Hostages... Would the lords commit such an outrage as to use the people of the city as a shield? It''s like taking more risks. Would we choose such folly? It''s possible. You never know what a cornered person will do. Few people are capable of acting intelligently at all times. As long as there''s even a 1% chance of that happening, we''ll have to be vigilant. ''Then let''s split up into two groups: one to storm the pavilion and the other to rescue the trapped person. Hmm. That''s appropriate. I''ll be in charge of the rescue. Also Sora and Luna, will you come with me? I understand. Yes, you can leave it to me. When I nominate two people, the remaining two complain about it. ''Err, what about me?Hey, hey, Rain. Can''t you take me away? Shouldn''t I come with you?It''s not that I''m worried about Rain, you know. ''Sora and Luna can do a lot of magic. I think they''re good at infiltration. Kanade I don''t think he''s good for infiltration because he seems to solve everything with physics. Tania.........doesn''t want to be burned for a lot of things. Nyanka, terrible perception! What do you think of me? I want you both to think back to what you say and do on a daily basis. ''Nya but I guess I can''t help it. ''Don''t get me wrong, Stella''s backup is an important part of it. I can''t just leave it to a random person. It''s because of Kanade and Tania that I can trust them to do this. You may have a lot on your mind, but will you bend over and ask me to do that for you? ''Well well if you''re going to say that much, I don''t blame you. I''ll leave you to it. Nya, I''m on it! And now we are going to fight the lords of the city. This is an unprecedented operation. If you fail, you''re going to be thrown in jail for treason. If you''re not careful, you might get rid of them. Even so, I was still strangely not worried or afraid. ''''Nya?What''s going on, Lane? I was looking at everyone when Kanade noticed the gaze and looked at me curiously. ''No, it''s nothing,'' Meow? I''m not alone now. Kanade, Tania, Sora, Luna...I have friends. So I felt like I could do anything. I felt like I could overcome any challenge. 58-Chapter 58: Cooperator Edgar Frommware is an arrogant man who treats his lordship like a toy. He does not feel any guilt for this, but rather, he acts as if it is the norm. To him, they are nothing more than a tool for his own pleasure. Such is Edgar''s character, but he is not a fool. He is quick-witted and is able to see things from a broad perspective. Hence, he understood that his actions would cause the antipathy of the lords. Hence, he embraced the Knights and tried to escape the hands of the audit. However, Edgar is not such an optimistic man that he can be relieved just by making one move. Unexpected trouble can strike at any time of the day. In preparation for that time, Edgar had prepared his own personal pieces. He would let the lords hold the money, let them explore the movements of his friends, and report back to him. He would have the knights prepare an insider to keep a constant watch on the knights to see if any traitors appeared. I have ensured my own safety in various ways. This was one of those times. The report came to Edgar that the knights who were dabbling in injustice had been caught together. ''''d*mn it! Upon receiving the report, Edgar slammed the glass in his hand to the floor. The glass broke and the wine soaked into the carpet. ''A knight has been arrested, you say?And all of them!It can''t be, what are they doing! Huh. A girl in the same room looked at the raging Edgar, her shoulders trembling and frightened. In response to the gesture, Edgar''s gaze catches the girl. ''''........What are you looking at?'''' Eh.... ''What are you asking me to look at! Wow, I don''t have any... oh! Edgar hit the girl in the cheek. Unable to cope with the suddenness of the situation, the girl collapsed on the floor. ''''I....was....'''' The broken glass hurt the girl''s skin. But without giving a d*mn, Edgar kicked the girl. He kicks her again and again to drown his frustration. The girl can''t do anything about it. She can only curl up and endure it, as if waiting for the storm to pass. It''s painful. Painful. It hurts. The girl repeated in a small voice, "I''m sorry..." with tears in her eyes. Edgar was pleased to see the girl like that. He desperately apologized to himself, who was equal to a god. That was the attitude that the lords should normally take. Seeing the girl''s condition, Edgar felt a slight pause. So, as if he had lost interest in the girl, he sat down on a chair. ''''Well, what''s going on...'''' I''d like to play with the girl a little longer, but I have to think about the future. Edgar looks out the window and thinks about the future. ''All the knights who were connected to us are going to be captured... is that really possible? First of all, Edgar doubts the interlocutor''s report. It''s no wonder. The knights who are connected behind the scenes amount to 90%. The remaining 10% overthrew the 90%? It''s not normal. I haven''t heard of those foolish people who hold up justice delusionally having that much power. Gilley, the Knight Commander, is a man without much of a head on his shoulders, but he has a certain amount of ability. How is it possible to lose to an opponent of the overwhelming few? That''s how Edgar organized the information in his head... I conclude shortly afterwards. ''''........I can''t be optimistic here. After all, it would be better to see the report as correct. Just because I think it''s impossible, on the contrary, it''s becoming more and more true. Edgar thought back to Stella. He had spoken to her lightly before when he had visited the Knights'' branch. She was inflexible, believed that knights should be right, and was a foolish woman in Edgar''s eyes. What if this Stella was the real power of the Knights? They will no doubt embark on their own audit first. There''s a lot of stuff in this museum that people can''t see. It''s not just my own interests. My father''s embezzlement, proof of illicit use of funds, etc. In the eyes of the Order, it would be impossible for him to maintain his current position. After thinking that far, Edgar refused to believe that it was impossible. He was the chosen one. We are not like the people who have nothing. I don''t care how you treat people. Because they are yours. And yet, it''s not right that they should be declared evil and have everything taken away from them. It shouldn''t happen. Edgar was seriously and sincerely thinking about that. ''The easy part would be to destroy the evidence...'' Edgar thought back to his collection. These were the treasures he had collected over the years. It would be a shame to throw them away. And besides..... Ugh..... He glanced at the girl who was still lying on the ground. The most (...) strongest (...) species that he could get his hands on by accident. Edgar, who is a human, treats the species that is said to be the strongest species as if it were a toy. It was an irresistible pleasure. Can I let go of this? I can''t, Edgar decided. This toy is something I can''t change for anything else. If we lose it now, we''ll never get it again. Besides it would be impossible to destroy all the evidence, realistically speaking. Even if we were to erase the toys, it would be difficult to get rid of everything as if it were nothing. Even more so with the problems my dad is involved in. We can''t dispose of the evidence. Then you''ll be caught meekly? Impossible! Edgar strongly refused in his mind. ''This me going down to an ordinary man........I cannot approve of such a thing. Then ... do I have to do it? Edgar was ready to set things up with the Order. It wasn''t out of desperation. It was a conclusion after careful consideration. The current Order is led by Stella. Then he could eliminate Stella and carry Gilley again. Or, if you are obedient to yourself, you can use another person. Even if you set things up with the Knights, if you can embrace them, it doesn''t matter later. In short, all you have to do is win. Fortunately, or perhaps I should say, I have a private army for such occasions. There are 100 of them. Furthermore, there were mercenaries that were comparable to B-ranked adventurers. Edgar arranged those elements in his head, arranging them in order................................laughing. ''''Kukuk... yeah. That''s what you do. Anyone who is foolish enough to defy me should be condemned. Well, that''s just the way it is. We don''t need to be confused. If you say you''re going to be my enemy, whether it''s the Order or not, I''ll crush you! ...Will it really work? What? Suddenly, a man''s voice rang out. It wasn''t Edgar''s, and of course it wasn''t the girl''s. I noticed that there was a figure by the window. He wore a deep robe and his face was invisible. However, from the shape and height, I expected it to be a man. ''''Who is it...?'''' Edgar asked quietly, surprised, but not showing his agitation. ''A bona fide collaborator,'' What did you say? ''I hear you''ve set up things with the Order but do you think it will work out the way you think it will?No, it won''t work. Your plan will fail. Edgar raised an eyebrow, but kept it to himself. Strangely, there was such a power in his voice that the man''s words seemed to convince him. For now, let''s just listen to it. Deciding that, Edgar listened to the man''s story. ''''The reason for my assurances is that I know of a certain man who is cooperating with the Order. A man? The Lane Shroud. Don''t you remember?I''m the man who challenged you in the square the other day. Oh, that''s him. Edgar clicked his tongue as he recalled the d*mning memory. ''You mean this fool who defies me, don''t you?Looks like we didn''t catch that guy from Gilley after all but is he cooperating with the Order?Abominable to all intents and purposes ... but so what?The addition of one mere fool won''t change anything. Rain is a Beast Tamer, and he''s using the strongest species available. What did you say? It was information I couldn''t afford to hear. Edgar was bitten by the man''s story. ''Is that true?'' I''m pretty sure. "Not good ... that''s not good. That''s not good......................There''s no way I can take on the strongest species. d*mn it, how could this happen! There''s no need to panic. I told you I could help. What do you have in mind? Here. Edgar receives a ring from the man. It has a gemstone of an evil color on it. It is an item of magic that contains a deadly spell. I suggest you use it to take care of Rayne. A man?Isn''t it the strongest species to take out? There''s not just one of the strongest species, there are two. The ring can only be used once. So go after the Lord, Rain. When he is defeated, the contract will be terminated and the strongest species will have no reason to oppose you and will leave. Well okay, let''s do it that way. That''s a wise decision. ''But why are you doing this...'' I was about to continue, and when I looked away for a moment, the man was gone. Was it a dream? Suddenly, Edgar thought about that, but the ring was still with him. ''''Well that''s fine. If this is how you can get rid of anyone who gets in your way, even if it''s the Grim Reaper, I''ll use it.'''' Edgar clutched the ring with a dark smile on his face. That''s why he couldn''t notice it. That a black blur was leaking slightly from the ring. That the blur had taken on the form of a beast and was trying to bite into Edgar, the Lord. 59-Episode 59: In the back of the building... The knights led by Stella asked for the lord''s mansion at dawn. Considering that it was going to be a battle, nighttime was more convenient. However, even if they knew that the lords would not respond to the audit honestly, they couldn''t just step in without question. They would have to follow the formal procedures. Hence, a nighttime ambush would not be established. ''''What the hell, you guys?'''' The gatekeepers of the Lord''s Hall noticed Stella and the others and made a gesture to block the gate with their spears. ''''I am Stella Emplace, a member of the Horizon Knights Chapter. This is my subordinate and my collaborator. The Order...? ''I will now conduct an audit of the House of Lords!Just get out of the way. Audit?That''s ridiculous, that kind of thing.... If you resist, I won''t tolerate it. Now, get out of the way! Oh, you''re serious...?You guys are acting like you''re challenging my lord.... ''Our lord is not a lord, but a king. We have determined that an act of disobedience to that king is taking place. Either accept the audit with open arms or turn us, the Knights, against it.......decide! Resolutely, Stella forces the gatekeeper to step back. As if pressed by the pressure, the gate soldier takes a step backwards. ''''That, that sort of thing........'''' Now what do we do? As if to make a no-no, Stella thrust her sword at the stray gate soldier. The gatekeeper took another step backwards. Would this be a done deal? Stella has such high hopes, but.... Huh. New, multiple footsteps were heard. I looked and saw armed men pouring out of the pavilion. There were so many of them that it was hard to count them. ''''I knew it would come to this...'''' Well, isn''t that what you''d expect? We''re here for you. I''m sorry, can I count on you? I''m on it! Kanade and Tania held their swords at the ready. Following the two of them, Stella also held up her sword.......and the other knights drew their swords. ---------- He went around to the back of the museum and broke inside. At the same time, the front of the building became noisy. Apparently, Stella and the others had started the raid. Kanade and Tania are here, so I don''t think it''s going to be an infrequent occurrence, but... Still, I worry about the things I worry about. Let''s finish up our side of the business as soon as possible and join us. Sola, Luna. Sola, Luna, can you help us find out where the hostages are? I''m on it. Hmmm, that''s a piece of cake for me! ''Luna, please don''t speak too loudly. Even though there''s a concentration of people out front right now, that doesn''t mean there aren''t guards out there. Mm, I don''t like the idea of sneaking around. Who told you before you went in that you''d be in charge... There is no tension somehow. But I''m able to think calmly. I''ll show you what I can do. I''ll show you what I can do. Now, scrape off your feet! So don''t speak so loudly. "Yikes! ''Pashin,'' said Sora, slapping Luna on the head. ''My sister is a violent ... horrible. Come on, just do it. I know. Hmmm ... well, I guess this is the best magic. Material Search! Luna chanted a magic, and a wave of light spread out around her. ''''Was it ... a magic that detects the flow of magic, was it?'''' Hm?Do you know? Tania has used it before. I see. Well, it''s a rather easy magic to handle. Not only our spirit race, but the dragon race will have no problem handling it. How did you use that magic to locate the hostages? ''Everyone has magical powers, big or small. And perhaps, but those who are taken will be gathered in one place. It would be inefficient to keep them locked up in pieces. Then, by examining their magical reactions........ You mean you know where the people who were taken are. Mmmm they''re going to take my line. Luna sulks like a child. Maybe I shouldn''t have interjected because I was explaining to her so vividly. ''I''m sorry. I''ll be more careful this time.'' You sure about that?You can''t do anything to take my turn, you know. So ... what was the result? Um.... Luna made a difficult face. Could it be that there was no response...? So the people who were taken are no longer in the mansion and have been transported elsewhere or are no longer... For a moment, I expect the worst to happen. ''There were numerous magical reactions in the basement. Probably someone who says they were taken away. Jesus, you could have found it. ''Don''t be so wasteful. You''ve had a strange thought. Apparently, Sora had the same thought as me. She seemed relieved and let out a breath.......and then protested to Luna. However, Luna looked somewhat unconvinced. ''''Mmmm.'''' What''s going on?What''s on your mind? No actually, there was another magical reaction. ''My lord ... doesn''t it belong to your son? No, the amount of magic is too great for that, or perhaps it''s just that this isn''t the amount of magic a human has. It''s a tremendous amount, comparable to ours. That means... Could it be that ... the most powerful species is here? Where is it? Considering the distance and direction, I''d say you''re on the third floor of the building, to the east. Lane, what do you want to do? Yeah, I know. Think about it. The strongest species, or a magician of comparable strength, is in this hall. Are they hostile to us? Or are they victims of the Lords, just like the people who were taken away? We have no information at all, so there is no way to make a decision. Let''s think about it from another direction. I don''t know if they''re friend or foe, but there''s no doubt that there are people with powerful magical powers. Leaving it as it is would be a bad move. If it''s an ally, I don''t mind. However, if they are our enemies, we might be able to create a tremendous amount of damage. We''ll need to be sure of that. Okay. Can Sora and Luna ask you to rescue the people that were taken? ''Yes, that''s not a problem. Sola and the others can also use transference magic, so we can get the people who were taken away to safety. But what about Lane? ''I''m going to go check for another magical reaction. We can''t just leave it alone. ''Oh no it''s not safe!It''s as if you don''t know what they are like, you know?The amount of magical power that rivals Sora and the others..............................If it''s an opponent, Rain is in danger. ''I disagree with you. No messenger is going to drive his master to a dangerous place and then sit back and relax in the safety of his own home. Leave it to us. Thank you, man. For looking out for me. Oh. Whew. I stroked their heads. At the same time, their cheeks stained and meek. ''But I can''t let someone who''s been taken away get away safely. I''m relying on the magic of the two of you. But..... I promise I won''t do anything rash. I''m just going to check out what''s going on. "...really?Can you promise you won''t really do anything rash? I promise. "...and... Sola and Luna stared at me and.... It was somewhat, and I let out a resigned breath. Goodness gracious. Our master is a stubborn man, and that''s a problem. It''s a matter of division of labor, but when it comes to keeping us out of harm''s way, we can''t complain. But I guess that''s typical of Lane... "I think that''s why we can trust you, Rain. Again, I say. Don''t ever do anything rash. You break your word, you get 100 pats on the head!Watch out!Got it?! ''I know, I''m not going to betray you both. He chuckled softly to reassure them both.... I went in the other direction and climbed the stairs. ---------- We arrived at the third floor. We moved to the east, where there was a powerful magical reaction. ''''This area ... is it being used as a warehouse? Checking the rooms one by one. There are many rooms where things are placed in disorder. This may be where the evidence of the lord''s injustice that Stella and the others are seeking may be located. I memorized the location exactly to teach them later. ''The last one....'' I''m going to look around the room and... I arrived at the room at the far end of the building, on the third floor. It had probably been a normal room, just like the others. However, there were signs of renovation. The door was framed with an iron grate to make it possible to see what was going on inside. The entrance is locked with a sturdy lock, and people are not allowed to enter or leave. It feels more like a prison than a room. Approaching it so as not to make any footsteps... Gently, I peek inside through the bars. .......... A girl lay slumped on the flimsy bedding, looking limp. Pin pointed ears, like a fox. Three fluffy tails. No doubt about it. The being known as the God of Beasts........ One of the most powerful species, the gods. 60-Episode 60: The fifth strongest species The girl is limp and looks terribly weak. She looks so fragile that she looks like she could disappear at any moment. ''''Ah...........'''' Maybe it was something that brought back a scary memory. The girl burst into tears.... Huh! At that moment, all thoughts of what might be a trap or not knowing her identity were blown away. There was no way I was going to keep a girl locked up in a place like this. I kick the door open and break the lock to get inside. ''....What? The girl lies down and doesn''t move. Apparently, she doesn''t even have the energy left to get up. Are you okay? Gently, he picked the girl up. I''m amazed at how light she is. It''s like a feather. The fox''s ears were popping out of her fluffy hair. Three fox tails from the gap between the tattered clothes. The body is small, perhaps shorter than Sora and Luna. Maybe it was because of his appearance, but he was young and looked like a small animal. ''''Heel.'''' You? When I cast a healing spell, the girl seemed to have recovered to some extent, and she looked at me. However, her eyes contained the color of fright. ''''It''s.......okay.'''' ''Oh....'' I hugged her gently. Carefully, gently, like handling glasswork. Firmly, as if sharing my warmth. I hug the girl gently and give her a light pat on the back, as if I want her to feel safe. ''I''m ... on your side,'' My name... is...? Yeah, he''s on our side. Ugh..... The girl hugged me, as if she was afraid to do so. I don''t think she believed me in this moment. It''s just.... He must have been so trapped that even the words of the stranger made him want to hang on. He didn''t have time to wonder if the outstretched hand was a trap or not... Desperate for help. It felt like that. ''''Hmm...'''' There was a slight movement, and the girl was squirming. ''It''s a bit ... painful, sir...'' Sorry. I let the girl go slowly. She was just wobbling, so I would support her back so she wouldn''t fall. That seems to be surprising, and the girl''s eyes roll back. "How do you........be gentle with me........? I told you. I''m on your side. "Ally... I''m Rain. What''s your name? "...Nina.... The girl ... Nina murmured in a small voice. ''How did Nina end up here?Could it be, but ... the lords ... the people of this house have been holding you captive? Yes. Nina nodded. The color of fear flashed across her face. Maybe I''ve reminded her of something she didn''t want to do. I patted her back to calm her down. ''Thank you.........'' Have you settled in? Hmmm. Can you ask me why I''m here?If you''re in trouble, maybe I can help you with something. Will you help me...? Of course. Uh....yeah... Tears trickle down. I don''t know the details of the situation. However, this child has probably been enduring it alone for a long time. ''''Sorry.......sorry, please.....don''t worry.......tears, on your own.......'''' It''s okay ... it''s okay. After a while, Nina regained her composure. Only, her reddened eyes were painful. ''''I........was deep in the mountains........'''' Slowly, Nina began to talk about the situation. As you can see, Nina seems to be the strongest species. It''s a god race, closely related to the cat spirit race. This is also a complicated story, but they are not gods. A long time ago, they were given power by the gods and received part of their name from the gods, which is why they are a clan that got the name ''god race''. Nina, who is a member of that god tribe, was in a shrine located deep in the mountains. She was worshipped by the neighboring villagers and was said to be sleeping slowly. The gods are often revered as sacred by the people. Nina must have been one of them. Nina was living a peaceful life, but one day........one day, the situation changed. The son of the lord who heard about Nina - Edgar, I think his name was. He came along, grabbed Nina, and took her as his own. The days that followed were hell for Nina. Edgar never took his libido out on Nina. Instead, he lashed out with violence. He was caught up in the pleasure of being able to lash out at the strongest species. Every day that came and went, Nina was beaten by Edgar. And now.......... To hear such a story........ .... I was so furious that I almost lost myself. I wanted to find Edgar right now and hit him so hard that his face was deformed. But..... If I get caught up in my anger now, I might frighten Nina. That''s no good. Somehow I managed to control my anger I stroked Nina''s head. ''I''m sorry to hear that. But it''s all right now. I''ll get Nina out of here. Can you get away...? Yeah, sure. Ugh..... Once again, he hugged Nina, who was crying with relief, and calmed her down. ''By the way, can I ask you something?'' Hmmm. How did you end up in jail?With Nina''s help, you could have easily fought them off, couldn''t you? The divine race has special abilities that the other most powerful species do not have. From what I''ve heard, they can create things from nothing, or store items in subspace. It seems that each individual has such special abilities. Because of that, their abilities are inferior to those of the most powerful species, but... Still, it shouldn''t be an opponent that one would be able to match. ''''.......hmm. The people in the village........got caught......and I had no choice but to stay quiet....... Yeah, well Nina''s a sweetheart. Sweet...? ''You dared to catch me for the sake of the people in the village, didn''t you?It''s sweet. It''s not something I would normally do, not very well, but it''s not something I could do. Hmmm. A little embarrassed, Nina''s cheeks tinted with embarrassment. However, that expression quickly disappeared and despair emerged. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. Is this ... what we use for slaves? It is a type of magic item that uses magic. It can''t be defied by its contractor, and yet it is restricted in that it can''t go out of its range......in other words, it can''t escape. I can''t believe they put these things on a girl.... The anger came up again, but Nina sensed it and freaked out and shivered, so she hurriedly calmed herself down. ''''Huh...'''' ...Rain...? Don''t worry, I''ll take care of it. Can you do it? Trust me. Hmmm. I believe in Rain. Gently, he touched the collar that bound Nina to the collar. Controlling and controlling the subject. The magic used on this collar is, in a way, similar to Tame''s technology. I need you to focus your attention and... I poured my magic power into the collar. ''''Guh!'''' Instantly, the pain is intense, like an electric current. It''s probably a measure against someone who doesn''t follow the proper means and tries to remove the collar. An alien magical power flows into my body and I flail around like a hungry beast. It hurts. It feels like my body is being stabbed from the inside with needles. I can''t hold back my voice and occasionally screams spill out. ''''Lein...?'''' Just give me a second, gulp...Just like that, right away..... "Ouch...?It''s very, very painful... He can understand my pain, my suffering, because he had been through a terrible time himself. Nina is upset, and tears well up in her eyes. "Don''t........don''t go that far....... Just ... almost ... guh! "Rain Rain I don''t need to be a part of this anymore, I don''t need to be a part of it. When you''re gone no one will be sad for you so it''s okay. I''m giving up now... Don''t be so sad. ''Oh....'' While the pain is intense I manage to smile. ''I.........I''ll miss Nina. I''m sad.................... How could you.... that''s... that''s... that''s not... I don''t care why I''m here I want to help Nina because I want to! With a lot of energy, I poured my magic power into it all at once. Pisili, the collar made a sound.... The next moment, it crumbles to pieces. ''''Oh........'''' It''s all under control. I''m tired, as expected. I feel like I''m going to fall over but.... Lane! This time, on the contrary, Nina supported me. ''Thanks ... that helps. It''s just that my body doesn''t seem to be able to move freely right now... Rain.....Rain..... Yeah? Don''t you dare... But in this case.... I don''t want Rain to get hurt................. It makes me sad........so no....... I see. Then we''ll have to be careful. Hmmm. Although she had tears in her eyes - Nina smiled for the first time. It was a very beautiful smile. 61-Chapter 61 Out I rested for a while and then my body began to move. He stood up and took Nina''s hand. ''Come on, let''s get out of here. Are you ready? Uh-huh. Nina looks nervous. Can you really get away with it?And maybe you''re wondering. I''m going to have to let you off the hook, I promise. Let''s go. I pulled Nina''s hand away and left the room. No sign of people. It''s probably due to the fact that there are people allocated to the front of the building. Still, I proceeded inside the pavilion, paying attention to my surroundings just in case. Go down the stairs to the first floor. I go around to the back and wait for Sora and Luna to join me. ''''Why.........stop?'''' I''ve got a buddy I went undercover with. Waiting for you two... It is, Is this about Luna and the others? Huh! Sora and Luna appeared from the shadows and Nina jumped up with a start. ''Thank goodness you''re okay.'' ''You were worried about me?'' Of course. Well I don''t feel so bad. But we don''t need to worry about that!They''re the most powerful and invincible spirit race, hahaha! That''s why I don''t say it out loud. Whew! Luna spilled an indescribable voice as she gave Sora a hard time. ''''Uh........'''' I''ll be fine. You''re both my friends. I tell Nina, who is bemused, not to worry. She seems surprised, but she can see that they are the same strongest species, so she''s not too alarmed. ''Sometimes ... Rain. Who is that girl?Did you hook up with a new kid? ''Don''t say anything inappropriate. This guy doesn''t even know he''s doing it. Not really. ''You know ... I mean, this is not the time to do this. What about those people that were taken? Sola and her team used transference magic to get you into the heart of the city. ''They''ll be in plain sight over there, and they''ll be protected in no time. You won''t have to worry about getting involved. Well thank you. You''ve done a great job. That''s Sora and Luna. Hmm. Whew. I couldn''t help but reflexively pat them both on the head. I thought they would be angry at me for not treating them like children, but........ They didn''t look unfazed and accepted the nudge, somewhat pleasantly. ''Ko, this is a wonderful treat,'' ''Ummm ... it''s going to be a habit. I can''t stop, I can''t stop. Is that a common phrase? "I don''t know. Can you do transference magic again? Hm?There''s no problem at all. I hope you don''t lick the amount of magic power of the spirit race. You take care of this one. Speaking of which, what happened to the boy? ''''Well I won''t go into detail, but the other magical reaction was from this girl. This girl.........Nina is also the most powerful species, and since the lord had captured her, I want to let her go. ''Your appearance........are you a godling? We don''t have the right to say that. So don''t tell me you''re a hermit. All right. Just a quick transfer. Here, come to me. A little bit of Luna beckons me over, but Nina doesn''t move away from me. She looks up at me as she grabs the edges of my clothes and hangs on. ''Leave ... don''t ... don''t go.'' I''ll be fine. I just need you two to take me somewhere safe. I don''t want to be.... away from you... and I don''t want to be alone... "...Nina.... Nina''s voice trembles. I don''t know if I''m being sheltered or.... It''s not a very good idea, but I can''t just transition and be done with it. If I let him out of my sight now, he might be safe. But Nina will be lonely, and she will be very anxious. I bend down lightly and make eye contact with Nina. ''....I might get scared if I stay here. .... "You could be in a lot of trouble. You could run into someone who did something terrible to Nina. Still ... will you still be with me? Hmm. I want to be with Rayne.... All right. Then I''ll stay with you. He stroked Nina''s fluffy head. Relieved, Nina smiled slightly. ''Then let''s hurry to the front of the house. ''It''s still too noisy. I suppose both Kanade and Tania are fighting. It seems I must join them. Don''t you two object? It was Lane''s decision. And I can''t help but feel that you can''t leave me alone. Hmmm, I''m very tolerant of the weak. They''re the same strongest species. For what it''s worth, they both seem to be worried about Nina, too. They''ve only just met each other, but they can care about her... both Sora and Luna are very good kids. I feel relieved, even at a time like this. ''Good.'' We need to brace ourselves from here on out, or it''s dangerous. I''ll change my mind. "Nina, on my back. Hmmm. I crouched down and Nina got on my back honestly. ''Mmm, that''s nice ... later, I hope you do the same for me. Sora would like that too. When it''s all over. I understand. Then let''s put an end to this as fast as we can! We each got fired up and ran towards the front. ---------- ''''Kick them around, kick them around!Don''t let them come one foot in the building! Don''t be afraid, justice is on our side! There are six Knights, including Stella. Plus, two in Canade and Tania. In contrast, the lord''s private army, one after the other, had reached about a hundred men. Eight men versus a hundred. If one were to think about it normally, Stella would have no chance of winning. No matter how excellent Stella was in swordplay, she could only take on three people at most at the same time. She couldn''t take on a hundred men, and her strength wouldn''t last. But there were two unusual, substandard beings. ''''Unya-nya-nya-nya........! It was a melee, and the area around the gate was filled with friends and foes. In the midst of all this, I saw a shadow that ran between people with precision, weaving through the gaps and galloping like the wind. It was a Kanade. As they passed each other, it struck a painful blow with its fists and legs. The lord''s private soldiers scream in agony and fall one after another. It''s like a storm rushing through the battlefield. Once swallowed by the storm, there''s no way you can stand there. "Kanade, you''re doing great. Tania was inspired by the struggles of Kanade. Leaping higher and higher.... He instantly found a point where there were no allies and rushed straight through. It lands like a meteorite while kicking away countless enemies. The enemy soldiers are upset and point their weapons at me, but from Tania''s point of view, it''s too slow. She spins around on the spot. Using her proud tail like a whip, she cleaves down the surrounding enemy soldiers. ''''.........Soooo amazing, those two. Stella was stunned to see the two men in action. Since the start of the engagement, it had been about 30 minutes. The number of enemies had been reduced by about a third. Most of this was due to the success of Kanade and Tania. And yet, Kanade and Tania didn''t look as if they were hurt. They didn''t show any signs of fatigue. Just the two of them, they had overwhelmed the enemy soldiers. Once again, I was reminded of the bullshit power of the strongest species. But......... Still, Stella fears. ''I don''t think it''s going to end like this...'' I''m concerned about the people being held captive. Besides, no mercenaries comparable to the B rank of being employed by the lord have shown up. Will they end up in one piece? I want it to be over, but I have a feeling that it won''t be that easy. Stella had that feeling.... Yeah, I''m not going to let you down! He gripped his sword tightly, as if to inspire himself. If it was a hostage, Rain would be able to take care of it. Even if a mercenary comparable to a B-ranked adventurer appeared, they could all join forces. Thinking that, Stella cut into the enemy camp. ........It was then. ''''Oi, this isn''t good if we don''t do this! Take a hostage! Take a hostage! What? A disturbing conversation was exchanged between the enemy soldiers. Had Rain not made it in time? Stella is getting impatient, but.... I''m sorry, man! Something jumped out of the sky and... He landed right next to Stella. Stella naturally smiles. ''Rain!'' 62-Episode 62: Death Magic I had Sora and Luna use their magic to jump through the air and land next to Stella. Stella is ... safe. Her sword and armor are in tatters. Traces of fatigue can be seen on her face, but she was not fatally wounded. ''Rain, where are the people they took! It''s okay. Sola and Luna got us out of harm''s way. We have no need for them to take advantage of us. Good.... Canade and Tania...? I run my gaze further around to check the situation. Stella''s fellow knights are returning fire. Among them, I find Kanade and Tania. The two of them show an outstanding combination and reap the lord''s private army. In the midst of the melee, I see Kanade and I look at each other slightly. When Kanade found us, he smiled and jumped over to us. ''''Rain, you''re safe!I thought it was going to be okay, but but I still got worried!And who''s the girl on your back? Kanade''s gaze turned to Nina, who was on my back. ''''Huh........'''' Nina''s big jump with magic earlier seemed to have been excruciating, and she was turning her eyes around in a circle. ''I''ll explain in detail later!Kanade, you have to protect her. Aye, aye, sir! I leave Nina with Kanade. ''Oooh, fluffy.'' Hmmm. Did the two fluffy guys hit it off? Nina seemed somewhat relieved when Kanade held her in his arms. Anyway, now Nina would be relieved. Next up..... Hey, Lane, they''re coming back late! Tania came back this way too. ''Sorry, I''ve been through a lot. You''ll hear all about it later. So, what do you want me to do?Do you want to just keep hitting them at random? No. Let Sora and Luna take care of the rest. I want you two to put all your enemies in one place so that it''s easier for you two to do it! Copy that! Tania jumped and was in enemy territory again. Punching, kicking, wagging her tail... The lord''s private army is grouped together in one place. It''s really a brilliant move. ''''Sola, Luna!'''' All right! "Taste the power of our strength! Sora and Luna held up their palms and a magic circle unfolded in the air. ''''Flash Impact!!!!'''' Advanced magic has been released. A flash. Slightly delayed, explosions and impacts. They exploded in the middle of the enemy''s line, blasting private soldiers away. Some had their eyes burned by the flash. Some were hit in the body by the impact. Most of the private soldiers, who should have been dozens of people, had fallen to the blow from Sora and Luna. They must have added or subtracted in their own way. Looking at their cries of anguish, it seems that none of them are dead. ''How is it, Rain? How strong are Sola and the others?'''' "Hmmm, can''t I just admire you?Or rather, praise is good!Come on, petting time! That''s great, you two. Good job. Whew. A lift. I did as I was told and patted their heads. ''So, Sora isn''t ... uhhhhh ... but this is ... fine.'' Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I''m not going to allow you to be biased. I''ll see you later, anyway. It''s not all over yet. Stella. Oh! Stella raises her sword and sends instructions to her companions in a powerful voice. ''I''ve removed the interloper!Now, let''s raid the lord''s house and conduct an audit. "''Ooooooh! ---------- "Shit, shit, shit, shit!You useless bastards! Edgar, who had been watching the whole thing from inside the pavilion, was frustrated by the groundhog on the spot. I had prepared so many private soldiers, but they were crushed by just a few people. Impossible. It was unacceptable. Despite these thoughts, the reality in front of me remained the same. While capturing the few remaining private soldiers, Rain, Stella and the others approached the pavilion. Edgar glares at Rain, not Stella, with blazing eyes. ''''That man........that man is the source of the problem! Edgar remembered the advice of the mysterious man. Rain Shroud is the one to be most wary of........ I can''t admit that I, the son of a lord, would consider a mere individual a threat. I can''t admit it but I have to admit it. That man the Rain Shroud is my worst enemy. Edgar finally admitted that. "You said that with him gone, the most powerful species he uses will have no reason to follow him? Remembering the man''s words, Edgar took out a ring with a disastrous color. He gently stroked the ring. It glowed eerily. But to Edgar, the color looked very beautiful. It looked like a wonderful tool that would give him victory. ''I am not a man who ends up in this place I can reach higher and higher. I am not a fool, etc.! Edgar wears the ring. He then pointed it at Rain, who was closing in on the pavilion. ''I''m going to win ... and I''m going to keep winning! Edgar focused his consciousness and reminded himself. The magic that had been trapped in the ring would be released. At the same time, another thing was also unleashed. An evil will, a being with a jet-black soul. What it is, Edgar does not realize.... ---------- The robe man........Arios was watching the series of events from a hill near the lord''s mansion. He gave Edgar the magic item and instructed him to kill Rain. He seems to be a proud man, so it''s hard to know if he''ll obey honestly. It could be a gamble there. Arios had made that decision. ''''........Kukku. Looks like I''ve won the bet.'''' I felt a wave of magic power that I remembered from the building. It must have been Edgar using a magic item. Things are going the way I want them to go. Arios had a look of amusement on his face. A kind of black fog poured out of the mansion and... They solidified into one place and formed the shape of a man. It was a figure worthy of being called the Grim Reaper. A skeleton and a tattered robe. In his hand, a huge scythe as tall as his body. It is a super-grade magic called "Death Size" that gives the target the status of death. The Grim Reaper has been revealed. The Grim Reaper is approaching Rain with a speed far beyond that of a human being....... He raises his scythe wide open! 63-Episode 63: Status Abnormality Invalidation A chill runs down my back as I cringe. ''''What...?'''' I stopped in my tracks and alerted myself to my surroundings. It was then. ''''Rain!'''' Kanade''s cry was laced with impatience. I immediately understood why. The Grim Reaper. A Reaper with a giant scythe drives through the sky. He''s after ... me. There''s no time to escape. We''re already within her range. In order to intercept, I used Narkami to shoot a needle the size of the palm of my hand. It''s a highly offensive gimmick that isn''t laced with poison, but rather a single weapon. However.........the needle does not pierce the Reaper. It slipped through its body as if it was seeing a phantom. And yet, the chill doesn''t go away, in fact, it gets worse. The Grim Reaper raises his scythe! Lane, no! It''s inevitable! Without a second thought, I closed my eyes and... ...hmm? ...and nothing happens? When I opened my eyes in fear, I saw the Grim Reaper in front of me. And the scythe that the Reaper swung at me had pierced my body. ''''Whoa!'''' I can''t help but to scream.... There''s no particular pain, and there''s no blood flowing. The Reaper wasn''t going to do anything more than that... As it was, it disappeared like a mirage. ''''........Hallucination?No, it was real for that... and... and... ""Rain!" Everyone came rushing in, looking flustered. ''''Duh, duh, are you okay?Now, some freak is scything on Lane... ''You''re not hurt!The pain!Hey, say something. ''I''ll cast a recovery spell now!Let''s see the wound, quick! They made a deal with me!I will not allow you to leave me behind. Everyone''s eyes seemed to be seeing the Grim Reaper as well, and they were in quite a panic. Was everyone here under a hallucination? Or was that not a hallucination? ...no. I''ll think about it, but I don''t know. I need to put my doubts aside for now and reassure the others. "Relax. I''m gonna be okay. Really...? Rain, I push myself a lot, so... I''m fine, really. I''m fine. Oh, look at that. I moved my body lightly on the spot. That finally seemed to reassure them, and everyone looked relieved. ''''Anyway, what was that all about........? I had a really bad feeling I thought, well I thought Rain was going to die. Perhaps it''s... it''s a quick death spell. It seems to have an idea, Sora says with a grim face. That''s the spirit race. I''m sure you know more about magic than anyone else. ''''As its name suggests, it is an extremely dangerous magic that can cause the target to die. It''s not high grade, but even more so........classified as super grade magic. I didn''t expect someone to be able to use such magic... Hmm?But there was no magical reaction at all, okay?I''m not sure I''ve ever seen such a thing before. It''s impossible to have no such thing at all. It''s probably some kind of magic item. ''I see, that''s a possibility... but what I''m wondering is how Rain was safe...'' Sola looked sincerely curious. ''A dud, or something like that?'' ''''No. When the Grim Reaper manifests, it''s not a dud. It reaps the life of the target without allowing any resistance... that''s the kind of magic it is. Kanade said, and Sora quickly denied it. The magic was apparently activated normally. But I''m alive. What does that mean? ''It''s Rain, so you don''t think he has some hidden gem or something? You know what ... what do you think I am? "A ridiculous beast tamer with impossible skills. It''s not just Tania, even Kanade says it all together. Did they look at me like that...? I don''t want that fancy title. "Hmm. In the midst of discussing the ah-ha moment, Luna had a thoughtful look on her face. Does she have an idea of what it is? He put his hand to his chin and made a thinking gesture... After a moment, he looks at me. It''s Rain. Do you mind if I do a little experiment? Yeah?I don''t know, but that''s fine. Let''s get going Poison Drop. ""What?" While everyone was stunned, Luna used a state magic, adding poison to me. A purple mist with a poisonous color enveloped me. ''''Wait!Luna, Luna!What on earth are you doing! Are you out of your mind? Oh, my God, it''s Rain...! Boys, don''t panic. We''ll see about that. If I have the right idea, then that is exactly what I shall do. After a bit, the poisonous fog will lift. I''ll be ... free of the poison, and I''ll be healthy. Nothing has changed, nothing has happened. What the hell does that mean...? Now, I''m sure Luna could have cast a state magic on me. ''''Mm, I knew it. ''Luna what does this mean?Please explain. "In signing a contract with us, Rain gained the skill of continuous chanting. But isn''t it strange when you think about it? What''s that? Lane made a deal with both Sora and I.Then wouldn''t it be strange if there weren''t two powers to obtain? ''Oh....'' I see. I somehow understood what Luna was trying to say. ''Perhaps the continuous chanting is the result of a contract with Sola. Sola is very good at that sort of thing. So what power did you contract with me? Meow ... what do you mean? ''''By signing a contract with me, Rain had gained yet another power. Abnormalities... Deactivation... Kanade and Tania continue to say, with a surprised look on their faces. Like a lecturer, Luna continues to explain to those two people. You''ll be able to find a lot of people who have been in the same situation. There are only a few ways to prevent it. Either you have a substitute amulet.......or you have a high resistance to state magic. So you thought that since Rain doesn''t have an amulet, she must have acquired a high resistance to it. Hmm. Surely there are no other possible.............. ''So you used poisonous magic on purpose to make sure of that?That was rough. Nya what if I''m wrong? ''At the time, I apologised and apologised for my apologies, and I was quick to detoxify you. However, that was not to be the case. Just as I thought, Rain had obtained the skill of disabling the status quo. ''''Hahaha, it was all according to my calculations! What do you mean, you calculated it? Whew! Sora''s fist fell on Luna''s head. Luna cowered on the spot as the frog let out a crushing cry. ''But that doesn''t mean that anyone would suddenly cast a poisonous spell on their master!That kind of behavior disqualifies you from being a messenger. ''''It can''t be helped, can it? I don''t know if it has to be different from instant death magic, or if it''s resistant to every possible state magic... and I have no choice but to do that! ''Then explain it to them beforehand and get proper permission before you do it. What do you think you''re doing, just because you have an idea, and then suddenly do it! ''Hahaha, I''m not thinking about anything in particular!Do not ask such things of me! You don''t mean that! "Pish! Once again, Sola''s lightning struck. Normally, Sola is a serious and honorable student, but..... He''s afraid to get angry. Burbling.... All right, all right. Let''s try not to look at each other. Kanade soothed Nina, who was frightened by Sora. ''Rain, I''m sorry Luna did something terrible... see, Luna should apologize too. Mmm.... but I am. Do you apologize...? Mm-hmm. She''s smiling but not laughing. Luna nodded coyly as if pressured by Sora, who had such a creepy look on her face. ''I''m sorry, my Lord. I did it out of curiosity. I don''t regret it.'' Luna...? ''I regret it!I''m sorry!I''m sorry. Luna was frightened enough to speak in a normal way. Apparently, a sister can''t resist her sister. ''Oh well, that''s okay. I was surprised by the suddenness of it, but it might be useful for something, and it''s nice to know in advance. I don''t mind. Thank you ... see, Luna too. "Well thank you for your generous measure. Fuhahaha puuuut! Luna tried to keep her usual attitude, but three times she was chastised by Sora. Let me put it this way.... It was funny and I couldn''t help but laugh. Kanade and Tania were also laughing, as if they had no choice. Nina also looked like she was watching something interesting. Everyone seemed to have relaxed nicely. It''s a good trend. The lord''s private army was able to get rid of most of them. However, the mercenaries, who were said to be comparable to B-ranked adventurers, had yet to show up. They are probably guarding the lord and Edgar inside the mansion. Next, we have to step into the mansion. This is the moment of truth now. 64-Chapter 64 Enter Lane, you okay? Stella came running in late. Stella must have seen the instant death magic in the distance as well. She had a look of impatience on her face... He let out a small exhale of relief when he saw that I was okay. ''I''m nothing,'' Well that''s good. I''m really glad. When I looked, the other knights were restraining and capturing the fallen lord''s private soldiers. However, there were more than a hundred of them, and this one was five. It wasn''t possible to capture them all at once, and it was taking a long time. ''''Will it take some time over there?'''' ''''Well as expected, with this number of people we''re dealing with, even if we''ve neutralized them, it won''t be easy, it will take an hour or two.'''' ''We can''t give them that much time, can we? ''''Mm, I agree with you. Therefore, I''m going to leave this place to my men and I''m going to raid the mansion and secure the lords. Because unless we catch the culprit, it will all be in vain. We''ll help you. ''I knew Rain would say that. I''m counting on you. Yeah, I''m on it. Nya ... aren''t you two getting along? Maybe he''s a surprisingly ambush.... Hmm. I don''t think we should be sitting on our hands. No, it''s not... Even in times like these, everyone was the same as usual. They seemed to have a lot of heart, which in turn made me feel more confident. Let''s go! ---------- We rushed into the entrance hall of the museum. It was so large that it was hard to believe it was a single individual building. It was large enough to accommodate a small group of people for sports. On either side of the back of the room, stairs extended to the second floor. Part of it was a vaulted ceiling, and I could see all the way to the third floor. ''''Ha.'''' In front of the door leading to the back of the building, several men could be seen. There were six of them. All of them had their armaments at the ready, and had already shifted to a state of readiness for battle. And behind them......... The lord''s son I saw in the town square before........Edgar. Next to him, I see an obese man. Perhaps he is the lord of the city. "Wait! Stella raised her voice. ''There''s no point in putting up any more resistance. It''s not hard to see that much, is it?Quietly accept our, the Order''s, audit! The little girl ... barking like a dog! Who do you think you are?I''m the lord of this city. You should be accused of treason for turning on your lord. You will know your sins! Apparently, you don''t speak the language. Then we''ll have to enforce it! You''re kidding me!You can''t admit such a thing, man! ''Yes, yes, I know. You can rest assured that I will work my way through the rewards. The leader of the mercenaries shrugged his shoulders. He was dismayed by the lord''s unseemly attitude. Still, they wouldn''t back down. As long as they are being paid, they will do their job well. That''s what being a mercenary is all about. ''''And so...'''' The man who was the leader stepped forward. ''We can''t let you go to your husband, can we? It''s going to be a clich line but if you want to get through here, you''re going to have to deal with us. A moment later, the wind blew through. No it''s not the wind. It''s the fighting air emitted from the men. You can even feel the pressure of the fighting air, and you naturally get ready for it. However, it''s nothing more than that. I''ve fought Arios before, and I''ve had a good number of occasions to do so. There''s no need to be cowed by this level now. The same goes for everyone else. The name of the most powerful species isn''t cool. Yeah. However, Stella was different. Pressed by the pressure released by the men, she stepped back slightly. It was probably due to the fatigue of having been in command and fighting for so long. It might not be a good idea for Stella to clash with those guys now. ''Stella, can you let us take care of things here? ''Wha... what are you talking about?There''s no way you can do that! ''The last thing I need is for something to happen to Stella. We''ll have no one to hold the Order together. It''s... ''You''re tired, aren''t you?It''s not a good idea to be reckless. M..... Isn''t trusting people and letting them take charge one of the things Stella does? ''''Well that''s not fair, Rain. You''re going to have to back down when you say that. Stella put her sword away. ''I just want you to promise me,'' Yeah? Lane and the others don''t do anything rash. It doesn''t matter if we''re all safe. Do you understand? Yeah, I know. I''m sorry, sir. Stella steps back. But she''s still reaching for the hilt of her sword. If we''re in a pinch, he''s going to join us without hesitation. We''ll have to be careful not to let that happen. ''Kanade. Take Nina to Tania. Yes. What? I killed her? Puzzled, Tania held Nina in her arms. ''Tania, I''ll need Nina''s protection and Stella''s escort, just in case. Uh... why me?I thought I could go wild. Kanade, who specializes in physics, is weak when used with magic. On the other hand, Sora and Luna, who specialize in magic, are weak when they are attacked by physics. Therefore, Tania, who is in between, has the best balance. Please. Tania is the best. Hmmm I''m the best. That''s one way of putting it, the reliable one, right? ''Of course. I want to leave you two in charge because Tania is so dependable. It''s not bad to be relied upon. Mmm-hmm. I''ll let you do your thing. Thank you, Nina. Nina, I''ve got your sister here to protect you this time. I just want you to know that you are in good hands. Hmmm. He patted Nina''s head and narrowed his eyes ticklingly. However, she doesn''t seem to be disgusted, and she smiles. I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. You can go ahead and flaunt it, everyone. Tania steps back as she speaks of such things. Tania and Nina are watching. More and more, they have a reason not to lose. ''Is the consultation over?'' The man who was the leader of the mercenaries asked with a laugh. ''''You''re so disciplined to bother waiting for me, aren''t you? We''re not gonna do anything stupid. It''s part of our job to buy time. You can keep talking about this for as long as you want. That''s not going to happen. You don''t mind if I throw your job away, do you? That guy can''t do it. You know what I mean? The man in charge sneered. I laugh back. ''Then it''s settled.'' Yeah. I guess we should get started. The killing spirit of the leader swells up. If it were an ordinary person, that alone would frighten him and make him faint. It''s going to be a nasty battle. Remembering the feeling of a fierce battle I took a step to break the fire of the battle. 65-Episode 65: Battle of Kanade Kanade held his fists up against the two mercenaries without a hint of caution. There were two opponents. One was a warrior who carried a shield and the other had his entire body covered in armor. The other was a wizard with a staff. The warrior stands in front of the wizard to protect him. After confirming that the wall has been built, the wizard begins to chant his magic. We must make the first move here! Kanade chooses a plan on a hunch and charges in. ''''Unyan!'''' ''Oh, oh, oh! The Kanade and the warriors clashed. The cat spirit race''s rush is as powerful as a siege weapon. Even though the opponent is as good as a B-ranked adventurer, he''s an ordinary human. As expected, it''s tame, but even so, it''s not much different than being hit by a giant hammer. That blow ... the warrior endured it. ''''Ggh............As expected of the most powerful species, you do it! You''re the one! Kanade was surprised. Even though he was holding back, he was still able to take his own blow. He thought back to the time he fought Aggus. Maybe he was just as strong. If so, it would be troublesome. It might take a little longer if he''s holding back. Kanade thinks about it. Should I go easy on him and use half the strength? It doesn''t seem like you need to give it your all, but half of it would be fine...no. How about that too? I''ve determined that it might be as powerful as Aggus, but it''s just a hunch. Maybe I should check it a bit more. If I make a mistake in adding or subtracting, I''ll kill you if I''m not good at it. ''''Nya ... this is the kind of thing that''s frustrating. For now, let''s just bump into each other again. Kanade made a decision and kept his distance. Then his opponent also retreated back. What were they thinking, giving us a chance to attack all the way back? Kanade looked at me quizzically... Immediately, I cringed. "Flamewave! The warrior jumps sideways and... The wizard behind him unleashes an intermediate level magic. The cat spirit race is a physically specialized race, so few of them can win in a fist fight. They have excellent kinetic vision and physical abilities, and are unable to hit an attack. Even if they can hit, damage to their sturdy bodies is unlikely to pass through them. On the other hand, they are weak against magic. Even beginner level attack magic can take damage. They also have a low resistance to abnormal magic, and can easily be poisoned or paralyzed. ''''Nyannya! Kanade hurriedly jumped and dodged the tsunami of flames. The tidal wave of flames that had nowhere to go reaped the household goods, burning them and turning them into charcoal. If it had been a direct hit, it wouldn''t necessarily be the same... There is no doubt that some damage was done. This was not an opponent to be taken off guard. Kanade steeled himself and decided to take it down from the wizard first. Sprinting. Feinting left and right, he avoided the warrior. Trying to get past the side... Sweet! Meow! The warrior saw through Kanade''s feint and stood in front of him. This time it was the opposite, the warrior rushed forward, using his shield. Kanade was forced to stop, and stopped on the spot. He caught the warrior''s attack. ''Persistent!'' Kanade tries to fend off the warrior and run to the wizard, but... The warrior is as persistent as a snake and bites down on Kanade. Should I still defeat the warrior first? No, but the wizard was more of a threat. Lost in thought, unexpectedly, the warrior retreated. Kanade would soon understand what that meant. ''Dragoon Howling!'' While the warrior was stalling for time, the wizard had finished casting his advanced magic. A dragon built up with magic power roared and ran towards Kanade. ''''Nya........uu! It''s inevitable! Prepared, Kanade crossed his arms in front of his body and received the magic. And then........a direct hit. An impact. For a moment, my vision swung up and down and left and right, and I fell into a back and forth numbness. I was blown away and rolled around in a circle........ I hit the wall and finally stopped. ''Nyah, nyah it hurts so much...'' Despite the fact that the advanced magic was a direct hit, Kanade only had to say a single word, ''Ouch''. Even though he was weak to magic, the strength of the cat spirit race was not unusual. They can endure it to a certain extent. But it''s also true that it''s not good to be hit repeatedly. ''Hey, you stubborn bastard..................Hey!Let him eat until he collapses. I got it!Dragoon Howling! The wizard chants the magic again. It''s magic I saw once. Twisting around in the air, this time, Kanade avoided the magic. He ran with the same momentum, but... Meow, get out of my way! Once again, the warrior blocks his way and stops him in his tracks. In the meantime, the wizard repeatedly unleashes advanced magic. ''Dragoon Howling!'' Meow! Slowly, the vision of the dragon grazed Kanade''s body. As if entangled in a tornado, his body spun and blew away. With a crunch, he was slammed from his back against the furniture. ''''Ow, ow, ow.......'''' Wobbling, Kanade stands up. Then he thinks. The coordination between the warrior and the wizard is perfect. The warrior holds Kanade back while the wizard strikes. It was a well thought out strategy. Maybe he had fought against the cat spirit race in the past. Their breath was in perfect harmony and it was hard to break them down. The power of a mercenary that was comparable to a B-rank was something that could not be underestimated. ''''Then, even I would! I decided not to think about overdoing it or anything like that for the moment. Right now, it''s better to get out of this situation. Kanade released half of his strength. Then he ran at more than twice the speed of his previous speed. ''''d*mn, it''s fast but that''s about it! The warrior held a huge shield with both hands, trying to stop Kanade from getting to his feet. No matter how much of a cat spirit race they were, they could buy themselves some time if they were on the defensive. From the time he was small until now, he had been torturing his body every day to train himself. I have the power to do just that. The warrior had the confidence that he could stop Kanade, even if he was the strongest species. The result..... Nyan! What the hell? Kanade ran to the side to avoid the warrior. Running, running, running, running.... As it was, he ran through the wall. As if gravity had turned sideways, Kanade used the wall as a foothold and ran across his body to the side. As it was, he moved further, this time running across the ceiling. The warrior was stunned by the sight of gravity being ignored. Even the strongest species, Kanade, did not have the skill of being able to manipulate gravity. He simply made full use of the cat spirit race''s ridiculous physical abilities to run through walls and ceilings by himself. It was outrageous. It was bullshit. But it was a real thing that was happening in reality. ''''........I, no!Run! The warrior comes to himself and shouts to the wizard.... It''s already too late. Avoiding the warrior by running through the ceiling, Kanade jumped directly in front of the wizard...........and landed. He spins his arms around and around........ A blow to the frightened wizard. Unnih! What? The wizard took a punch from the Kanade and was blown away by it. He hit the wall from his back and collapsed into a stupor. "Good! Kanade poses in the gut on the spot. The warrior, on the other hand, was unable to move as he saw something out of the ordinary. He had heard that the strongest species had tremendous power. He didn''t intend to let his guard down. But........to be able to show such an extraordinary power. In just a single moment, the situation was reversed. It''s like I''m having a bad dream. The warrior can''t help but think about that. "This is the end! While the warrior was stunned, Kanade ran a few meters in an instant... and with the same momentum, he punched his foe away. 66-Episode 66: Battle between Sora and Luna Sola and Luna were dealing with three mercenaries. A sword, a spear, and a two-handed axe. Each of them approached Sola and Luna with their close combat style. ''''Flash impact!!!'''' Sola and Luna''s advanced magic exploded at the same time. Light flooded the entrance hall as it filled the entrance hall. The impact raged like a living creature, trying to swallow the mercenaries, but.... I missed it! "My sister, did you close your eyes and let go? I wouldn''t do that! When the magic was released, the mercenaries had already moved out of sight. They had assessed Sora and Luna''s behavior and escaped out of range just before the magic was released. It''s an amazing evasion ability. Tata-tat, the sound of footsteps approaching from the right hand. I didn''t even have time to look back. ''''It''s coming! "Trust me, Gravity Wall! Right after Luna deployed her defensive magic... The mercenaries appeared from the right hand side of the two men and waved their weapons in unison. Gakkii! Sparks flew as the blades collided with the magically created barrier. The mercenaries were not foolish enough to compare their strength against the magically created barrier. They quickly put their weapons back and retreated with their bodies. However, the distance remained closed and they did not move away from Sora and Luna. ''''Hmph, it''s useless!You won''t be able to break my barriers with that level of attack, hahahaha! ''Please don''t speak your lines like a villain..................Ignytrance! While tweaking her sister exactly, Sora unleashes her attack magic. Three spears the size of a man, woven with red lotus flames, were shot out. With a tail of flames, the spears of the Red Lotus approached the mercenaries. Timing, power, it was a perfect strike. However......... What? The mercenaries picked up a nearby decorated jar and other objects and smashed them into the flaming spear. This is not the kind of magic that can be stopped by such things. The spear of fire shattered the vases and other objects and continued to fly.... The impact of shattering jars and other objects deflected the trajectory slightly. It passed through the sides of the mercenaries and landed on the ground. ''''That''s quite a feat.'''' On the spur of the moment, you hit things and deflect the magic from its trajectory. It''s not an easy thing to do. Sora and Luna raised their vigilance a notch. The opponent is not just a human. They recognized it as an ''enemy'' that could cross over with their strongest species. That might have been a carelessness in a way. Therefore, the two of them were forced to fight a hard battle. I will not allow it. ''Don''t be so reckless, please attack properly! The mercenaries had split into two groups and were attacking Sora and Luna. A pair of men with swords and spears took turns hurling their weapons at them. The remaining one swung his two-handed axe at the perfect time to fill the gap between the duo. When Sora and Luna tried to move to counterattack, they retreated as if they had sensed it beforehand and took their distance. It''s a brilliant coordination despite being an enemy. Sola wags her tongue. ''This is no time to be impressed by the enemy, my sister. If this is the case, we will only be wasting time on mischief. ''I know!But what do you want me to do? ...Why don''t we just use super-wide magic to blow them all up together? It''s going to get Lane and everyone else involved! Mmm, no. ''I''d rather know what made you think such an idea would pass...'' "Gravity Wall! Luna''s magical barrier stopped the mercenaries'' assault. Luna let out one cold sweat as she slurped. That was quite a fine timing. If the activation of the magic had been delayed for a few more seconds, they might not have been able to prevent the mercenaries from attacking. Here, the accuracy of the mercenaries'' coordination had increased. It was as if the three of them were united in their thought process. They compensated for each other''s blind spots and attacked at the perfect time without showing any gaps. If the fight drags on, maybe.... The mercenaries'' attack might reach them. Sora and Luna made a slightly difficult face as they considered the possibility. What would happen if they were to lose here? If they were captured by the enemy or held hostage, they could cause trouble for their friends. Most importantly, it might put Rain in danger. Not only that. Absolutely not. Sora and Luna looked at each other... and nodded with a coy smile as if to confirm something. ''''Fireball multi-shot! At some point, Sora and Luna fired a series of magic, just as Rain had tried to use it. Continuous chanting. This is a special skill that only the spirit race can use. However, it is not compared to Rain''s. Rain used several elementary magic at the same time. She had created three fireballs and beat the soldiers. In contrast, Sora and Luna ...had created more than ten fireballs. The sisters combined, more than twenty. Literally, the fireballs rained down on the mercenaries like rain. The mercenaries'' faces twitched. As expected before the bullshit magic power, they have no choice but to retreat. On the way, I was hit by several bullets. Even so, since it''s elementary magic, it''s not powerful enough to cause them to fall into a coma. The mercenaries avoided the fireballs that were fired in rapid succession by getting a distance from Sora and Luna. This should be fine. I don''t know what kind of magic trick they used, but I don''t think they could pull off that kind of bullshit trick many times. Besides, the controls seem to be lax. If he uses it too many times, he could get his friends involved. With that in mind, it''s unlikely that he would use it in a row. Although I was surprised.... The benefits are still with us. The mercenaries think so, but.... It was nothing but carelessness. ''Here!'' It''s over! Sola and Luna pointed their palms at the mercenaries with a look of confidence in their victory. The mercenaries were suspicious of such a situation of the two of them. The distance between them has opened up, but that''s all. There are not enough elements to be able to say that the matter is still settled. So why are they making that face...? I felt a twinge under my feet. I looked and saw that the floor was covered in ice. The ice was tangled up to my ankles and I couldn''t move. When did it happen? To the stunned mercenaries, Luna grimly tells them. ''''Hmph, that''s my specialty in delay magic. I knew they would flee to that spot. I dared to drive them into the place and activated the magic that I had previously put in place to make them unable to move.......hmmm, is this how you explain it?Then, my sister Sola. You may do it! You''re so high and mighty... and you lack a sense of respect for your sister. Come on. Here. Just get on with it. I know, sir. The mercenaries all pulled their faces together. Faster than they could shout "I surrender........", Sora''s magic burst forth. ''''Flash Impact!'''' A flash of light was unleashed and enveloped the mercenaries. A burst of sound could be heard. ''''Victory, right?'''' "Ha-ha-ha, that''s easy enough for us to do!I wanted to see. Sola and Luna laughed proudly and then exchanged high fives. 67-Episode 67: Battle of Rain-1 I was confronting the man who was the leader. This man must have the ability to be comparable to a B-ranked adventurer. The pressure is incredible. If you''re not careful even a little bit, you''ll be swallowed up by the man''s spirit and you''ll lose your will to fight. ''''Before we do this, may I ask you to do something? What... what? ''I thought I''d ask for your name. A crunchy guy like you, I''m going to remember your name. Well, what''s that, like your war record? It''s the Lane Shroud. Nick Glory........... Nick kicks the ground. It''s as if he used magic, and it''s approaching in front of me at an astonishing speed. ''''Phew!'''' A right hook to the temple. He avoids a sway and fires back with a... Ha! There''s no time to fight back! Nick slammed fist after fist in a flowing motion. He wasn''t just swinging his fists in the dark. Each movement was refined like an art form. ''Could it be that you are a fist fighter! You were right, buddy! A fist called a deadly weapon flew in. A blow that split the air. If it were a direct hit, that alone would shatter my bones. A straight right came close to my face. However, I could read the trajectory. I twisted my body and tilted my head to the side to avoid it. Tucking my body further down, I tackle Nick''s lower body to grab him. He intercepts me with a knee, but I don''t care, I''ll hold his lower body down and knock him off balance. I get on my horse and secure the advantageous position. That''s the power I got from my contract with Kanade. He can''t get out of it so easily. I''m going to win this fight! With that enthusiasm, he swung his fist down at Nick, who was assembled below him.... Tsk. Wha...? This guy........he''s in a mounting position and he''s avoiding my fist! It wasn''t just a one-time fluke. Twice, three times I''ll shoot my fist at you Nick shook his upper body and moved his head to try and avoid the blows from directly above. Alternatively, he would try to catch it with both hands as a shield. So this is the power of a fist fighter! It''s not like me, who simply has enhanced physical abilities. A well-trained body and a technique that is ingrained in the depths of the body. That skill is this man''s greatest weapon. Don''t........get carried away! What? In the manner of a bridge, Nick turned over and broke my stance on top of him. Then, as he spins his body around, he kicks me. Nick kicks me away and I get away. ''Huh you''re a hell of a force to be reckoned with. When was the last time you were in a mounting position? That kind of skill you have, you''re a hell of a guy. Are fist fighters always guys like you? No. I''m special. Nick gave him a vicious smile. A shiver ran down my back. This guy is dangerous. Probably the longer the fight goes on, the worse it will be for me. Someday, just as I had figured out my sword skills when I fought Arios... There''s a risk that Nick will see through my method of attack. The other way around is that I could see through Nick''s attacks. That seemed like a very difficult thing to do. Nick''s fist was not so sweet that he could see through it in an instant. ''Then how about this! He released the Narkami mechanism. He ejected a needle laced with poison. ''''Tsk!'''' As before, it would be profitable if he used his arms as a shield, but as expected, he wouldn''t be so foolish. Seemingly assuming that he was applying poison, Nick was avoiding the needle from a distance. I don''t think this attack is going to hit. If it catches you by surprise, or...no. It would be quite difficult to catch him by surprise. If I could do that, I''d be quicker to hit him with my fist. Then this is what I''m going to do! I used the other mechanism of the Narkami. Press the switch.... Then he waved his arm from right to left, as if grasping at empty space. ''Nah........wire! The ultra-fine wires ejected from the Narkami got tangled in Nick''s arms and caught his body. This is another gimmick that has been planted in Narkami. It ejects an ultra-fine wire that is difficult to see and captures the target. Originally, it was intended to be used when capturing small animals and the like, but....... It seems to be able to be used in competitive battles without any problems. d*mn it, you...! Nick tried to tear the wire off, but he was struggling. It was just as well. The wire is also specially made by Ganz. It''s not something that can be torn off by an ordinary person because it''s made with the soul of a stubborn craftsman. I raised my arm, which was connected to Nick''s by a wire, and raised it vigorously. I''m pulled in, and Nick is pinned down in front of me. I''m going to run, and I''m going to get fleshed out... With that momentum, he slams his knee into his abdomen. ''''Guh........! Nick''s huge body staggered. Quickly, he struck a series of fists. Striking again and again, as if to break down the armor of flesh.... He spun on the spot like a soloist. He jumped with the momentum of the rotation and slammed a kick to the side of Nick''s head. Nick spilled out an unspoken voice. He wobbled to his feet... Yet, I stepped up and still didn''t fall over. ''d*mn it! What? Nick is going to try and take me out with his big arm. It''s an opportunity. I can''t keep my distance here, but........ Unable to control the flailing Nick like a wounded tiger, I had no choice but to keep my distance. Without taking my gaze off of Nick, I jumped backwards, wary of him. However, the wire remained tangled in Nick''s arms. With this, once again, the advantage would be.... ...chuckle... Suddenly, Nick laughed. Amused. Amused. A look of amusement lifted the edges of his lips. ''Interesting ... interesting, man!That''s nice, man. You never told me you were going to do this. This is great, we''re having a blast! What do you mean...? ''Oh, come on, don''t be a hippy. We''re having so much fun. Let''s laugh harder. Let''s put on a happy face, okay? If I had to guess, this guy... Are you a battle maniac...? It''s such a clich. Well, there''s no denying it. What a pain in the ass... A mercenary, a fist fighter, and a battle maniac. What a terrible combination. Maybe I''m just out of luck today to meet a guy like this. I guess I''d better get this over with as soon as possible before it gets nasty. I didn''t think it was going to be this much fun, but I''m glad it is. You''re the one who''s gonna get the biggest bang for your buck. What the...? That sounds like.... We''re gonna have to get serious from here. Have you ever not been serious? .........no, that''s not it. He shouldn''t be the kind of man to play around at a time like this. This man may be a fist fighter and a battle fanatic, but before that, he''s a professional mercenary. It''s hard to imagine him playing with the risk that his job might fail. But I don''t think he''s bluffing either. What do you mean...? I wondered and paused to look at it. That was a mistake. Nick grinned and took a pill out of nowhere. ''I try to refrain from using this thing as much as possible because it makes things so boring... Well, if you''re dealing with you, it''s not a problem. It''s not enough to have a problem with this. I''m going to use it. Well.... Before he could stop himself, Nick swallowed the pill. ''Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Nick''s muscles swell up. His body changes to the point where he feels as if he''s getting huge. His chest plate is as thick as armor and his arms have doubled in size. It''s no longer so easy to call it a change. It was a ''transformation''. ''''Fuuuu........'''' He easily did what most people couldn''t do. "This is my secret weapon. It''s a potion that pushes your physical abilities to the limit. I don''t use it often, since no one else will use it against me, but you''re going to have a lot of fun with it. Totally I really don''t think it''s my lucky day. Now let''s start round two! 68-Episode 68: The Battle of Rain-2 What? Nick rushed forward with a speed that was incomparable to the previous one. Fast as a beast. If I hadn''t been paying attention, I might have lost sight of him. ''''Phew!Ha! Huh. A right, a left, and then a series of straight blows. The first blow was avoided. The second blow didn''t come in time, and I guarded my arm as a shield. An impact that seemed to resonate to the bone. Tingling, irritation and pain. Even though I guarded, this much damage. Originally, I thought he was an opponent to be reckoned with, but....... The use of the drug made him even more of a threat. If he hadn''t signed a contract with Kanade, this blow would have brought him down. That''s how strong this man is. It seems that the story of him being comparable to a B-ranked adventurer isn''t a lie. ''''Ola-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, we''re just getting started! Nick laughs and strikes a series of fists. Each blow is fast and heavy. So far, he''s avoided a direct hit, but.... Forced to focus on evasion and defense, he was unable to move to counterattack. As if he understood this, Nick unleashed his fists here and there. He weaves in and out of feints, trying to get past our defenses and take a bite. It''s like a snake. Once the prey is targeted, it never lets go. You can even feel the vindictiveness. But......... Don''t you dare get carried away! "Whoa? He was concentrating on defense, but now he was ready to fight back. ''You''re gonna do it!'' "I''m not going to let a man who knows nothing but fighting for fun and who has no respect for others lose to me! Nick''s attacks were as brilliant as the water flowing and seemingly seamless. However, there were certain patterns that were present. For example, when launching a straight right hand, he would unleash a few light fist blows before connecting with the real blow. For example, when launching an elbow strike, he would deliberately throw a large swinging blow to catch you off guard. Just like that, a certain pattern.......Nick''s rhythm was confirmed to exist. Even when he fought Arios, he identified an attack pattern. A Beast Tamer needs to observe its target carefully and deeply. Perhaps it was a skill he had learned while training for it. ''''Ha!'''' I... A turning kick. He''ll guard me with his arm, but I don''t care, I''ll spin on the spot and take another hit. I cleave as hard as I can, intending to break his entire arm. Unable to withstand it, Nick''s arm pops and his guard is released. Chance. I slam my fist into Nick''s empty side... What? A moment later, I felt a chill. I pull my fist. I brake even harder and take a step backwards. The next moment..... Gosh!And then Nick''s kicks rushed past in front of him, cutting through the wind. ''Hey, hey, let''s avoid that one,'' You''ve been luring him in...? Good point. Most of them fall for it if you make a mistake on purpose, but you''re a lot of fun. I don''t appreciate the compliment. Don''t be so sure... let''s have some fun. Nick rushes in. A fist swings at me in a bullshit way. It''s like he''s beastly and instinctual, hitting me gingerly. It''s too outrageous... Because of that, he can''t read the movement. He is barely able to guard himself. However, Nick''s arm strength, enhanced by drugs, could not be underestimated. Even from the top of the guard, the damage was steadily accumulating. The longer it lingered, the more disadvantageous it would be. If I can, I want to take it down all at once. What''s the best way to do that? It''s suicidal to go toe-to-toe with a fist fighter ... and a drug-enhanced one at that. So what I''m going to do is I''m going to take... Calmly analyzing the war situation. Come up with a few ways to beat Nick... I simulated it in my head to see if it was feasible. And then ... there was one answer. ''Ha!'' He kicks Nick. It feels like a kick to the thick rubber. It wouldn''t have done much damage. But that''s okay. He jumps up into the air with the recoil of the kick, and once he does, he takes his distance. On top of that, I release a magic. ''''Fireball!'''' What? I shoot my magic at half strength and aim at Nick. It''s a fireball that''s about half the size of my body. As expected, it seems that he doesn''t intend to take it seriously, and Nick jumped to the side to avoid it. Immediately after, the fireball landed. A blast of wind blows up and blows Nick''s huge body away. ''''Goooo! Fireball Multi-Shot! I''m not going to end it with a single shot. In rapid succession, he shot out multiple fireballs. I''m not going to let him get away this time. Surrounding Nick, I controlled the fireballs and let them bite me from all sides. Gosh! This time it was a direct hit. As expected of Nick, he didn''t seem to have any way to avoid the multiple fireballs. The explosive flames enveloped Nick. However, I don''t think he could be defeated by this. It''s enhanced by the drug, and there''s a good chance he''s enduring it. So I immediately move on to the next action. Activate the Narkami. He ejected the needle and broke the window of the pavilion. ''''Here it comes! Like a wave of magic power, it flew across the city. I heard a rustling of wings. Countless birds obeyed my orders and flew into the mansion through the broken windows. ''d*mn........magic is what they do.......'' When the smoke cleared, a wobbly Nick was revealed. He had taken damage, but he hadn''t yet reached the decisive blow. I had read about that. So.........this is the end. Go! He made a tentative agreement with the birds and flew his orders. Following the order, countless birds flocked to Nick. ''''Gu........What the hell is this thing? ''At a time like this do you know how a normal bee defeats a wasp? What the...? Nick looks dubious, but he doesn''t care and continues talking. ''Crowd your opponent''s body so tightly that there''s no room between them. The heat created by doing so will rob them of their consciousness. f*ck you! I think you get my point. So it''s over. He flies in with more orders and makes the birds flock to Nick. Nick swings his huge body around and tries to separate the birds from the flock. However, they are unable to completely separate from each other. In the meantime, Nick''s figure is buried among the birds. From the side, it''s an extraordinary sight to see countless birds flocking in one place. It''s a bit creepy, even though I''ve done it myself. ''''Gu........ah.......'''' Soon after, with a groan, Nick collapsed, still flocked by the birds. ''Scatter!'' He took the birds back out of the building and cancelled the temporary contract. All that was left was a collapsed Nick, knocked unconscious by the extreme heat. ''I''m sorry, but I''m a Beast Tamer. I''m not going to get into a fistfight with a Battlemaniac fist fighter. 69-Episode 69: Transformation Laneenoo! Kanade ran over to us. Sola and Luna are with her. Apparently, everyone else has finished fighting too. "Bad guy, I''m done with you!Heh, heh, heh, eh?Enthusiastic? Yeah, you did good. Meow. He stroked Kanade''s head and spilled out a pleasant sound. ''''Jeez,'''' I noticed that Sora and Luna were staring at me. I guessed what their gazes meant, and continued, patting their heads. ''''Sora and Luna, too, good night. Well Sora did her best. You should stroke it more often. Here. Hey, Lane! This time, Tania came in with Nina. I''m sure I''ve done my part to protect her, but......don''t get me wrong, you know?It''s not that I want you to pat me on the head like everyone else, but, uh, well... and anyway, phew. I stroke Tania''s head as well, and halfway through the line stops and she looks ecstatic. Is my hand having a soothing effect? I can''t help but think about that in all seriousness. ''Thank goodness ... it looks like everyone''s okay. Finally, Stella came running in. She''s relieved to see us looking good. ''I kept my promise, you know. Well that''s a relief. ''Anyway ... now there''s no more interruptions. All that''s left is........ We are the Knights of the Order. Stella''s gaze turned to the back of the entrance hall. ''Hee.'' The lord and his son Edgar trembled. There was no one to protect them now. They are completely naked. They seemed to understand this, and they both turned blue in the face. ''''I''ll leave the search of the pavilion to my companions and I''ll listen to what they have to say. Would both of you be willing to accompany me? Hi.........hi! The lord fled to the back of the mansion. ''Oh, hey! You''re not very good at this sort of thing. ''It would be tricky if they got out of the other place. I''m going after my lord. Can I leave this place to you? Yeah, I''m on it. ''Thank you!Now it''s my turn. Stella chased after the lord and disappeared into the back door. ''''Guh........'''' Edgar, who was left alone, bit his lip. Even though the situation is like this, he''s staring at us with eyes full of anger. You shouldn''t have any more trump cards but you have great guts. ''You guys........do you think you can do this and get away with it for free!Who the hell do you think I am?He''s the son of the lord who rules this city!Don''t go against me!It can''t be! Just stay put. Using Narkami''s wire, he attempted to capture Edgar. However, Edgar took out a self-defense knife and displayed the blade in a threatening manner. ''''........What''s that supposed to do?'''' "I will execute the fools who defy me!I''m going to take care of it with my own hands! You know.... Maybe it''s a big deal, after all this time, to be able to behave like this. ''You know what the situation is.You''re done. You''re done. You''re kidding me!Such a thing is unacceptable!I am the future ruler of this city!We''re not going to be held up by some lowlife. You''ve had your fun, and now you''re paying for it. ''There is no such thing!I''m the ruler, the one who reigns supreme!We were free to do whatever we wanted. I don''t know how you could possibly admit to such a thing. You will be recognized. You live under my roof. You will not be allowed to disobey me. "...You think because you''re in control, you''re free to do whatever you want?Is everything okay? Yeah, you''re right. I''m supposed to accept that it''s unreasonable? That''s what the people are for! No, no. It''s not even close to a story. Is it because I''ve been sucking the sweet poison of the privileged class for so long? It''s corrupt. This man''s thought process is very hard to believe that it is from the same person. ''''Nya........Rain, Rain. I have a really bad feeling about this guy........ "Kanade? Kanade grabbed my clothes with a squeezing motion. His face was twisted with anxiety. Kanade is frightened...? What do you mean? This man shouldn''t have that much power. He also defeated the mercenaries who were his trump card. Is there something else going on here...? ''This is unacceptable ... yes, there''s no way I''m going to end up here ... yes. There''s no way it''s going to end... Eventually, Edgar began to repeat the same words, mumbling. He looked like a broken doll, with a creepy vibe. Like Kanade, I had a bad feeling about it. I couldn''t leave this man alone any longer. Even if things get a little rough, it''s better to instantly neutralize........stun him. Having decided that, I clench my fist and try to hit Edgar, but....... ''Impossible, impossible, unacceptable, unacceptable ... well ... Souda!This is....Mithmeralenai! A moment later, the ring Edgar was wearing emitted a light. An endlessly dark, jet-black light. Just looking at it makes my heart zap and make me feel faint. ''''Nya!Re, Rain, this is..... Hey, Kanade, stay away from me! Huh? He held Kanade in his arms and jumped away from Edgar. Everyone else gets a distance too. ''''Gu, ga.........................'''' The faint light that flooded from the ring clung to Edgar''s body like a living thing. His hands are covered, his feet are covered... Eventually, it swallowed his face. The jet-black light became a band and enveloped Edgar''s body in multiple layers. Thus, a circular ball like a cocoon was formed. ''''This........is.......'''' A cold sweat ran down my face. When I looked at them, I saw that they were all scrunched up, too. An alarm went off in my head. We can''t just leave it like this. We have to destroy that black cocoon immediately. ''''d*mn........! When I finally came to my senses, I instantly thought of a magical structural formula. ''''Fireball!'''' I ignored any mention of this place being indoors or anything like that. It was an all-out blow. Gosh! A fireball the size of a man struck the black cocoon. An explosion that could blow the ceiling off. And then the red lotus flames blew out. Still......... The black cocoon continued to be there, unchanged. ''''What the hell is this...?'''' Pishiri, a crack runs through the black cocoon. Like an egg hatching, the cracks spread everywhere.... Everything popped. ... A jet-black hulking body. Misshapen wings. Sharp fangs and spear-like horns. An existence that couldn''t be anything other than what I would call a demon was there. ''''This guy........'''' I remember. I remember seeing him. Back in the old days when my hometown fell, there was a fellow who looked just like him. "...demons... 70-Chapter 70 Coming The existence that is said to be the upper compatible of demons is the demon race. They have incomparable power compared to ordinary demons. Their intelligence is no different from that of humans. And then........they kill people like insects and revel in it. Demons have a deep hatred for people. They kill people more cruelly and atrociously to get rid of the hatred they carry in their hearts. Why would they do such a thing? Why do you harbor such hatred? It is said that the source of all this is the Demon King. The true identity of the demon race is the one that was given blood by the demon king. They inherited the Demon King''s blood and shared his power with him.... At the same time, he also gained the hatred that the Demon King has for humans. Therefore, it is said that demons hate people as well as the king. The demon tribe has been given the blood of the demon king. Their very existence is a disaster in itself, and it is said that in the past, the city where the demon tribe appeared was destroyed in a single night. ...In fact, my hometown was destroyed overnight. "How did it end up here... A demon race would not be born anew without the blood of a demon king. The current generation of demon kings are still docile. No new demon race would be born. The previous generation of demons must have been defeated by the previous brave men, or sealed in magic items. Could it be ... the ring that Edgar was wearing? The spirit of the demon race that was sealed in the ring was mediated through Edgar''s body and appeared in the present world. Is that what you mean...? Hmm....it''s been a long time since I''ve woken up, and the situation looks really interesting. It''s going to manifest itself in a city like this one. The jet-black demon the demon race speaks in fluent language. The pressure is not felt at all. But on the contrary, it''s scary. I feel an eerie stillness, like before the storm. ''''Did you guys bring me back to life?Thank you. Thanks. The demon tribe''s cold gaze turned to me. I felt a shiver run down my back. ''''As a token of my gratitude, I''ll kill you cruelly, mercilessly and unceremoniously. Huh. And I''ll just say it... The demon tribe turns to the day after tomorrow. What is it? Where are you looking? The walls of the museum...................... What lies beyond......... The city! It looks like there are a lot of toys over there. Yes, it looks like a lot of fun. I really should be thankful that we were able to come back under such circumstances. Oh thank god. Ok, okekeke. Well.... So long. Have a good day. The demon tribe bowed and flew on the spot. It broke through the roof of the pavilion. As the building materials fell in pieces, I managed to follow their whereabouts with my gaze and saw them heading towards the city. ''''Not good.'''' We can''t let this guy get away with it! Why did the demon race appear? I''m curious, but now is not the time to think about it. ''Rain! Stella returned as she went to capture her lord. She must have noticed something unusual by the sound of the roof crushing. ''What was that sound?There''s some trouble... Demons are here. What? Time is running out now. He left out the main points and spoke only of the conclusions. ''Believe it or not, it''s true. We can''t even waste time checking it out right now. We need to get out and evacuate the city immediately! ''Ummm ... yeah, right. I understand that Rayne is not the kind of man to tell these lies...................okay!I''ll be out in a minute. "You did. What are Lane and the others going to do? ...to defeat the demons. How reckless of me to say it myself, I thought. The other party is the demon race. One that was given a share of the Demon King''s blood. In other words, a part of the Demon King. Its power is unimaginable. The Shadow Knight he had fought before would seem like a baby. If I had to rank them, I''d say they were A-ranked. It''s even with the strongest species. Beating something like that? It''s not an easy thing to say. But still. But... I can''t leave it at that. I remember my hometown, which once disappeared in the flames. That tragedy is now repeating in front of my eyes. There''s no way I''m going to allow that to happen! I can''t accept that! So, no matter what. No matter what. No matter what. I''m gonna stop it. Everyone.... You don''t have to follow me. I was trying to tell you that, but... Nah Rain is a no-go. Kanade looked unhappy. So did Tania. Sola and Luna also looked vaguely unhappy. ''We know Rain is worried about us, don''t we?But, you know, that doesn''t mean you should be left out. ''You''re with us, aren''t you, Sola and the others?Then don''t be a prude. Isn''t that what friends are for, to trust and support each other, even if it''s dangerous? ''I''m glad Rain cares about us but it''s not enough, you know?Anytime, any time, any place, we want to help Rain. That''s what it means to be one of us, isn''t it? Well yes. I chuckled as everyone admonished me. I thought I was growing up a little... He still wasn''t good enough, apparently. I can''t believe I can''t trust everyone else when it comes down to it. Now, I''m not telling you to stay away because it''s dangerous... It''s a scene of trusting your friends to fight with you. Will you come with me? ""Of course!" They were all smiling at each other. I''m in really good company. "...Rain... Nina looks up at me anxiously. ''I, too...'' ...Nina can wait? The place we are heading to now is literally a battlefield. As expected, I can''t take Nina to such a place. It may be a heartbreaking experience, but........ It''s safer to stay here. But I''m not... ''''I think Nina is stronger than most people. But.........to be clear, when the other party is a demon race, she''s not strong enough. Uh..... And most of all, Nina doesn''t like to fight, does she? .... You don''t have to fight it. You just need to let us do what we do. "...Rain... I know it''s a bit of a heartbreaker, but can you wait for me? Hmmm. You don''t sound completely convinced, but... Still, Nina gave a small nod with a coy smile. ''Stella, will you watch this girl for me?'' Okay, I''ll take care of it. I left Nina with Stella and... We walked out of the building. ---------- It was easy to follow the demon tribe. The remains of the destroyed houses stretched out in a straight line. It was as if they had forced themselves to step on the path of the beast. ''''There they are! Following the trail of destruction, they found the demons not long after. They laughed happily and pointed their claws at the one who had failed to escape. ''''Fireball!'''' He releases a fireball while adjusting his magic power so that he doesn''t involve the person who missed the escape. It lands on the demon''s head. The flames spread, but.... Hmm?What''s this? The demon tribe tilted its head with a flat face. It''s as if they were teased by a bug. ''''Oya?Well, well, well, well.They''re not those people. What''s going on here?Could it be that you are entertaining me, nah? ''I''m not going to entertain you!We are..... I''m gonna put you down! Interesting. Yes, very interesting. This is more fun. I think we''ll deal with the insects later on and hunt you guys first. The demon race turned to us and... The battle for the fate of this city begins now. 71-Episode 71: Battle 1 There''s a five-to-one ratio, so I''m outnumbered. Oh, I''m afraid. So I''m going to have to call in reinforcements. The demon tribe snapped their fingers. The shadows rippled and spread out in a circle. With a sound like air bubbles popping, the shadow rises with a bobbing, bobbing sound. One body, two bodies, three bodies....... Ten, twenty, thirty... Countless demons emerged from the shadows of the demon race. They have four legs, sharp fangs and red lotus eyes. Their appearance was just like a beast in the shadows. "Come on, my sweet children. Let''s devour our enemies! At the signal of the demon tribe, the demons attacked us all at once. With saliva dripping from their fangs, they pounced on us, trying to bite off our flesh. ''''Unya-nya-nya-nya, nyan! Humph, that''s enough! Kanade''s rush and Tania''s tail intercepted the beast. But that was only the first wave. The second and third waves attacked. ''''This!'''' Using Narkami, he ejected the needles in rapid succession. The needles flew like a rain of horizontal blows, skewering the beasts. In addition, he releases a wire. Catching one beast........ He swung the thing around and smashed it into the other beast. ''Sola, Luna!'' I understand! "Hahaha, I''ll show you my power! Blow them all up together! "''Dragoon Howling! The roar of the dragon''s vision blasted the jet-black beasts away. The shockwave raged and swirled like a tornado. Collectively, it swallowed the beasts and returned them to the dust. ''''Hmph. Now all that''s left is you! Why does Kanade have to be so high and mighty...? They took the credit for my work. ''Ladies and gentlemen, don''t be alarmed!It''s true.... As if to recreate the scene from earlier, the shadows of the demon race spread out in a circle again. And ... dozens of jet black beasts were revealed. ''''Well, well, thank you for your hard work. But I forgot to tell you. These children are like a part of me. This way, I can create an infinite number of them again and again. Then I''ll just beat you as many times as I can! "Hm. Your fighting spirit is commendable Ga you don''t forget that I''m here, do you? Run, Kanade, run! Meow! The demon tribe pointed their palms at Kanade. With a disgusting sound, the demon tribe''s hand discharges with a bang. And then......... Whew! A jet-black thunderbolt was released and hit Kanade. Jumpy, Kanade''s body convulsed. He is blown away as it is and plunges into the bushes. ''''Kanade!'''' He rushed over to Kanade in a hurry. ''Are you alright?'' Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh... Tania!Oh, and Sora and Luna, come here! Yes, sir! Tania seemed to sense my intentions, and Tania stepped forward. She stood between us and the demon tribe, as if she were a wall. ''''Don''t eat this, but don''t eat it! Multiple fireballs were shot out. As soon as they landed, a storm of flames erupted, engulfing the beasts. ''And that''s for Kanade! Tania has partially unlocked the magic that makes her human. The wings of a dragon grow on her back. Its wings glow and shine.... Its brilliance converges to a point and releases. Dragon Breath. The strike of extreme light, which seemed to be a bundle of light, enveloped the demon race. The overwhelming amount of heat and mass flailed about, trying to eat up the demon race''s body. Sola, Luna. While you''re at it, get Kanade. Yes! Yes, we can help you with that. As Tania was stalling for time, Sora and Luna cast a healing spell on Kanade. The burns she had sustained here and there were slowly disappearing. ''''Huh... thanks, Sora, Luna. Thank you for saving me. Not long after, the treatment was over and Kanade was able to sit up. Although she was a bit dizzy, there was no sign of damage left. ''''Kyah! Gosh!At the same time, Tania''s scream was heard with a roar of "I''m sorry. It seems that the demon race has released jet black lightning again. Offsetting Tania''s breath, a huge explosion occurred. Tania, who had been blown away, flew over to us. I catch its back in a hurry. ''''Hiya! Are you okay? Yeah, yeah I''m fine. Well, thanks. I lower Tania to the ground. I check her body to be sure, but she doesn''t appear to be seriously injured. That''s good to hear. That''s not good. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on. "Strong, strong. To a certain extent, he should have eaten Tania''s bracelets.... The demon tribe didn''t seem to be particularly patient, and maintained an eerie silence. They fought off the Kanade.... Tania''s attack on me... I can create countless more subordinates. It''s a ridiculous monster. Once again, I am reminded of the wonders of being a demon. I''ll get his attention. I''ll get his attention, so everyone else can do their part. La-la-la! He kicks the ground and closes the distance. Fireball Multi-Shot! As he ran, he released his magic with all his might. An oversized fireball exploded around the demon race. A pillar of fire rises up and consumes the beasts. However, the shadow of the demon race that should be at the center of it does not disappear. As if to show that it was alive and well, the demon tribe laughed and held out its hands. ''''This guy!'''' Oh, yeah? When the flames are extinguished, he ejects the wire. I entangle it in the demon tribe''s wings and block its movement. He closes the distance further, and dispels the demon''s legs. When he loses his stance, he strikes a blow to his abdomen and face, respectively. ''''Rain! At the sound of Kanade''s voice, I let go of the wire and jumped backwards in a big way. ''Unyaah!'' ''Yeah!'' A painful blow from Kanade and Tania is decided. The demon tribe''s body is turned upside down. ''''Red Crimson! There, Sora and Luna''s magic exploded. The crimson sphere enveloped the demon race and scattered powerful flames. It''s a combination of the strongest species. If this is the case........ I see, I see. This much power, this much power, maybe we should consider it a threat. Still, the demon race continued to exist. As expected, they couldn''t be said to be unharmed. Traces of damage could be seen in some places. But it was far from being a fatal wound. Withstanding that many attacks........ Is this guy a real monster? Then I''m going to ask you to do something about it. We''re going to die together. The demon tribe pointed their palms up into the sky. As if to hide the moonlit night, black clouds became dense. Goggling, the atmosphere trembled.... A jet-black bolt of lightning struck the demon tribe''s hand. ''''Huh?'''' Starting from the demon race, lightning strikes scattered like a spider''s web. They run through the city like creatures......... Breaking, eating and burning down. What have you done... There were fires everywhere, and people could be heard screaming. 72-Episode 72: Decisive Battle 2 The city... The city burns with a blow from the demon tribe. A collapsed house. People being consumed by the flames. Screams and shrieks and screams and ... and blood flowing. The scene of the burning hometown flashed back in my mind. That kind of thing is happening all over again. ''''Huh.'''' Unknowingly, I was unknowingly biting my back teeth with a grit. That demon tribe, they''re going to play a joke on me.......! We''ll take him down! I''m so mad! Apparently I wasn''t the only one who was angry. Everyone, including Kanade, was glaring at the demon tribe. ''''Don''t be shy, I''ll give it my all! Kanade barked at me and said... The next moment, Kanade''s figure suddenly disappeared. Duh, duh, duh!And all I heard was the sound of footsteps... Hmm, what in the world... Kanade, who moved with such speed that his eyes couldn''t catch it, delivered a blow to the demon race''s face. The demon tribe''s body shook unsteadily. Kanade''s strike, which was serious, is comparable to a strategic grade weapon. It seems that after receiving that much of a blow, it''s impossible to be unharmed as expected. The demon tribe staggered and fell to their knees as it was. ''''It''s not over yet! Kanade leaped again as soon as he landed on the ground. He punched the demon tribe in the face.... Repeated leaps, and now a strong kick. Those repetitions. Kanade''s fists and legs hit the demons over and over again. It''s just like a small storm. The overwhelming speed and overwhelming power swallow me up. ''''Kook ... don''t get too carried away, na! I was hopeful that I might be able to make it, but I wasn''t a sweet enemy to end up with this. The demons dropped jet-black lightning around them and shook off the canade. They also summoned a large number of demons. They used the summoned demons as a wall to keep their distance. He must have realized that close combat is disadvantageous against the cat spirit race that has become serious. He intends to make a fresh start once. But someone won''t allow that to happen. "Next time it''s my turn! Tania flew out. She flaps her wings and stays in the air. And then.........from directly above, she unleashes a dragon breath! Ggh....this is...this...! Tania, who got serious, unleashes a huge dragon breath that is several times larger than the one she just delivered. From top to bottom, it''s a crushing, painful blow. Like a giant pillar of light manifested, it tries to crush the demon race with an overwhelming amount of heat and mass. ''''Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!Yikes, I''m going to eat it! The demons used one hand as a shield to resist the rush of light. At the same time, they tried to give orders to the demons they had summoned to attack Tania. How could he not only endure, but also resist Tania''s serious blow? He''s a horrible guy. But you''re overlooking one thing. Tania isn''t the only one you''re dealing with! Tania, keep up the attack. He kicked the demon that was trying to bite Tania as hard as he could. The demon bounced off the ground several times and then disappeared into dust. ''''Unyannya!I''m not going to let Tania touch you. Kanade is also responsible for intercepting demons. Literally, they tear and throw demons, tear and throw.... It was a lion''s share of work. This is a bonus! Kanade caught the demon''s leg and spun it around above his head as it was. Then he threw it at the demon! Unexpected attack. It doesn''t do any damage, but apparently it was able to cause an upset. The demon tribe''s stance collapses and he takes a decent amount of breath all over his body. There''s no way to pass up this opportunity! Sola, Luna! Yes, sir! I agree. That''s what I''m talking about, you two. They seemed to have figured out what I was asking for right away. Tania''s turn is over, and the breath is cut off. Seeing this, the demon tribe tries to fight back, but....... Too bad. More importantly, Sora and Luna are faster than that. Connect your attacks. Try to work together. Tania is followed by a blow from Sola and Luna. ''''Gungnirtzster! A spear of light fell from far above, cutting through the clouds. The sharp tip pierced the demon race''s body. From there, more magic circles unfolded vertically. Multiple layers of magic battlefields overlapped and extended with a momentum that seemed to reach the heavens. And then......... Judgement! The light pours down through the magic circle as it passes by. Even from here, where I''m far away, my skin is going to be burning with dust. And then it lands. Gosh! For a moment, the world turns white. Late, the blast arrived. The karmic wind blew like a storm. The place where the demon race was located was enveloped in red lotus flames. And yet, the surroundings were not swallowed by the flames. Surely, Sora and Luna must have thought about the effect on the surroundings. The flames cleared to reveal the demon race. It''s still alive and well. However, as expected, it seems that it couldn''t be no damage. Lacerations were all over her body, and she was bleeding. It''s the same red blood as ours. They have the same blood color, so why should they fight? For a moment, I feel unmotivated. But now is not the time to think about such things. I dismissed the unnecessary emotions and immediately focused on the battlefield in front of me. ''''Fireball!'''' As I follow the three of them, I release my own magic. It''s a full blown blow, but........ It''s originally elementary magic. There''s no way it will work against a demon race. ''''It''s like this! In fact, the demon tribe tried to cleave the fireball away like a mosquito. It''s nice to see it move the way I wanted it to. Laughing in his mind, he activated his Narkami. He shot out a needle at the fireball. The needle pierced the fireball, the antagonism of the magic power collapsed, and it exploded. Flames spread out, covering the demon tribe''s face. From the beginning, I didn''t expect to be able to do any damage with elementary magic. That was just a distraction. While the demon tribe is losing sight of me, I turn behind them. Then, I ejected a wire and held its arms down. ''''Guh!This, this is ha........? ''Kanade, Tania!Now! Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just keep holding him down! Kanade and Tania sped away. Towards those two, I pointed my free hand at them. The power of ''continuous chanting'' obtained by contracting with Sora. Not only the elementary magic such as Fireball, but that magic should be able to be used at the same time, too. ''''Multi-boost! Light radiated from the palms of their hands and enveloped their bodies. Kanade and Tania, both of them succeeded in raising their physical abilities at the same time. And......... ''Unyaahhhh! ''''Teryaaaaaaaaaah! Kanade and Tania scores with a cross combination! 73-Episode 73: Battle 3 A blow from Kanade and Tania takes away one arm of the demon race! ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! The demon tribe was on its back, holding its lost arm and screaming in horror. Meanwhile, Kanade and Tania landed on the ground. Neither of them were caught off guard. As soon as they found out that the target was alive and well, they tried to jump again to give chase. I''m in love with that one, even though it''s an enemy, it''s a wonderful blow. But I can''t stop here in the world now that I''m back in the world. I want to have more and more fun with this game so let''s step aside. The shadows of the demon tribe swell up all at once. The demons appear one after another, but this is not comparable to the previous ones. One hundred, two hundred........no. A large number of demons have been created with the momentum of reaching a thousand. The entire area is dyed jet black. "Wha........this guy still has this kind of power? Lane, he''s trying to get away! I won''t let that happen! "Let my power bring you down!Flash Impact! Luna''s magic bursts forth, but... A large number of demons blocked me from reaching the demon race. ''''Oh my god, there are too many of these guys!This is a foul! Then I''ll blow you all up in one piece! Tania shot out multiple fireballs. They rained down like rain and landed on the swarm of demons. The explosion blows the demons away, but.... No, they''re summoning you without end! Is that even possible? Immediately after the demon disappears, a new one is summoned. There was no end to this. Fortunately, or should I say, it seems impossible to summon any more. However, the demons that reach a thousand are a large wall, separating us from the demon race. Perhaps the demon race has decided to be completely on the defensive. They decided to pour all their strength and magic power into summoning the demons to create a wall. That was probably why they had succeeded in summoning such a large number of demons. Accompanied by a large number of demons, the demon race begins to move. Neither the demon tribe nor the demons attacked them. If you try to approach them, the demons on the outermost side will only react. ........If we just let it go, there will be no further damage. But is that enough? If I miss it here, that demon tribe will definitely do the same thing again. Somewhere else, someone''s tears will flow again. I can''t admit that! Absolutely, we''re going to beat them here. And the only way to do that is.... .... One thought. But when I thought about whether it was feasible, I ran into a problem. We have to somehow sneak through that swarm of demons and get close to the demon tribe. What to do? How are we going to get through that horde of demons? Lane. Nina! I turned at the sound of a familiar voice, and Nina ran over to me. As it was, she jumped into my chest with a pop. "There you are........Rain, I found you.......! Why are you here and where''s Stella?Are you by any chance alone? I also.... wanted to help Lane... "...Nina.... I know I''ve never done anything wrong in the past, but when I saw Rayne I felt a little bit braver. I wanted to help Rain. So..... I see. It''s absurd to come to the middle of the battlefield in this situation. But..... More than that, I''m genuinely glad that Nina was able to gather up the courage of her own will and come here. I''m also.........I can help you.........? But ... no, wait? If it''s Nina, a god-tribe who is said to have special abilities, or....... "...Nina. I see that horde of demons. Uh-huh. There''s a demon in the center of it, the one that summoned them. I need a way to get close to him. Is there any way I can get to him? Well, I can do that. What, really? Kanade, who was listening to the conversation next to me, made a surprised face. ''''Umm.......I''m only a child.......but still.......I''m......a god race, so.... ... ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. All I can do is punch and kick them. ''Kanade is Kanade, and he''s dependable enough. I can''t tell you how many times she''s helped me. Mwah. He stroked Kanade''s head and then turned to Nina. ''Can you show me how to do that?'' ---------- He covers Nina on his back and supports her with one hand. Although it''s somewhat awkward, I can''t break through the swarm of demons unless I''m with Nina. Also, it''s not a problem because we can still defeat the demons as it is. ''Kanade, Tania, Sola and Luna, take care of the diversion. Make it as flashy as possible. Riley! "Nina are you ready for this? Uh, yeah I''ll try. ''Okay, good answer. Well let''s go! At my signal, Kanade and Tania rushed in. They jumped into the crowd of demons and flailed about messily. Sora and Luna also covered them with magic from behind. It must have looked like it was just a bad idea. The demon tribe just glanced at us and didn''t react any further, walking out of the city. Don''t think you can just walk away after you''ve done this much. I''ll make you pay for it, for sure! Nina, let''s go. Yeah. Nina''s determined voice could be heard close by. ''.........Transition. The moment Nina mumbles a small word, the scene in front of me becomes limp and distorted. Her body is enveloped in a floating sensation and she loses her sense of direction back and forth and left and right. It''s also for a moment. Like the ripples of a fountain disappearing, the landscape returns to normal........ What was that? The appearance of the demon race was right in front of me. It''s one of Nina''s special abilities, "Instantaneous Transition". As expected of the divine race, I should say. She has a bullshit ability. Since she''s still a child with this, her future is terrifying. The conditions are now met. From this distance, we can send a certain order across the whole area. I''ll do the rest. When will you be able to defeat me but you can''t defeat me with your level of power? With my powers, yes. But what about these demons? What? I''m a beast tamer, not a monster tamer. Although I''ve learned some skills, I can''t tame a monster with my current power. But what if that power was raised to the bottom? Boost! I put a spell on myself to raise my abilities. Physical abilities, five senses, magic power.....I can see all kinds of powers being raised. In this state! I''m going to praise you for getting this close to me. But that''s not the end of it. There''s no way for you to beat me. There''s no way for you to escape. I''m going to die in here. Come on, eat. Follow me! Over a thousand demons stopped moving in a flash. Instead of obeying the demon race''s orders........ I''m following my orders. What''s the...?What are you doing, Le?I''m gonna eat this man!Come on, quick! To no avail. I''m in control of these people now. Control...?Stupid ... stupid ... stupid stupid stupid na!That''s not possible!These are my special demons.Don''t let someone else take control of you... and that''s impossible!It can''t be possible! Then why don''t you tell him to do it again? "Eat this man!I''m going to devour every bone in your body! The demon tribe repeats the order, but not a single one of them reacts. No, no... what do you mean, this can''t be happening. ''I told you.They''ve got it all under control. "What is this power I don''t know, I don''t know, I don''t know what''s going on.......?You''re overriding my control?Such a thing is not possible for a mere mortal to do, even if he is using the most powerful species in the world. What kind of power did you use to... It''s over. Pointing to the demons... I''m giving the order to end it. Go. In response to my words, over a thousand demons attacked the demon race at once. Each one of them doesn''t have much power. However, if a thousand are gathered, it''s a different story. ''''Guh, guh, aaaaahhhhhhhh! Exposed to the violence of a thousand, the demon tribe has no way to resist. The fangs of the beasts will drive the demon race to death. ''''A master-slave relationship without a bond is fragile. ''''Kuhu ha ha ha ha ha ha!I''m going to lose and I''m going to lose and that''s an interesting and unexpected ending to a human being who wants to tell me his name. ...? I don''t want to. Hahahahahaha..... After those words, the demon race''s words were cut off. The jet-black body was buried by the swarm of demons and disappeared as it was. With the disappearance of the Lord who had summoned it, the supply of magic power was cut off and it was unable to maintain its existence, and the swarm of demons also disappeared. And so it all ends........ The night dawned and the morning came. 74-Chapter 74: Heroes After a stormy night... Morning came and peace came to the city. Suddenly, disaster struck the city. Many people were injured. A lot of people lost their homes. Still, people''s hearts are not broken. They are sad for the people who are gone, but they continue to move forward. Because we don''t want anyone to stop. And..... Three days later. The city has finally regained its composure, although the scars of the disaster are still lingering. At that moment, I was called by the Knights and headed to the Horizon Branch. ''''Hello. Hey there! Oh, nice to see you, guys. When I stepped into the chapter, I was greeted by Stella with a smile. The other knights also smile at me and welcome me. No? Rather than a smile....eyes of longing? It''s kind of a twinkle in his eye. ''''What the...?What did I do? Didn''t you?He was the leading figure in exposing the misdeeds of his lord and defeating the demon tribe that suddenly appeared in the city. He is worthy of being called a hero. Everyone admires Rain. I''m itching to hear you say that, but... ''We''ve all been in the field here, you know. We''ve seen Rain in action. It would be harder to say don''t admire it. Oh, Rain, are you a popular guy? To Kanade. I''m glad Rain is so popular. Nyaha. Don''t do that. It''s not like I''m a hero or anything. I''m just a beast tamer. I''m no hero. Besides, it was largely due to the power of the knights that I was able to expose the misdeeds of my lord. It was only because of my friends that I was able to fight off the demon tribe. If I was alone, I wouldn''t have been able to do anything, I would have been left and right. That''s what I''ll tell you. Sometimes, too much humility can be a sarcastic thing, can''t it? I think Lane deserves a lot more credit than that. They laughed and listened to my plea. Really, it was all because of everyone else... It seemed useless to say any more to these two, so I decided to move on to the next story for now. ''By the way, what''s going on today?'' ''''Mm. I thought I''d let you know that we''ve established some policies regarding the treatment of the lords and the future of the city. You must be curious, right? That''s for sure. I was going to talk to you about it, but are you and Rain and the others alone? Everyone else has been through a lot. Today, it''s just Kanade. Tania is being taken care of by Nina. Even though she is the most powerful species, Nina is still a child. Moreover, since she was captured by the lord, she needs to be monitored for progress. So I asked Tania to take care of that area. Sola and Luna are using magic and helping the city recover. It seems that someone had seen Sora and Luna fight while spreading the wings of the spirit race as they stood around with the demon race in the city. Although it was revealed that the two of them were the spirit race... They were not so much surprised as evaded, on the contrary, they thanked me for saving the city. Because of their personalities, they became friends with the people of the city... So you want to do something for the people of the city, and you''re helping them recover with magic. I''m not sure where to start. First of all, it would be about us, the Knights. We''ve arrested all the knights who were linked to the lord. When we investigated again, we found a lot of evidence of corruption. With the instructions from the headquarters of the royal capital, the captain and all the corrupt knights, including the captain, were dismissed and captured. Later on, they would be formally punished and judged. And........shall we next talk about the treatment of the lords? Please. ''''First of all, regarding the lord of the manor he was imprisoned, as a matter of course. Since then, when we investigated the mansion again, we found a lot of evidence of wrongdoing. On top of that, he refused to audit us knights and used his power. There''s no excuse for that now. Later, they will be transferred to King''s Landing and put on trial. That''s how evil has been destroyed. I mean, it''s not like he''s dead, right? That nasty man... yeah, what happened to the lord''s son? Edgar is now being treated at the healing center. At Kanade''s question, Stella looked like she had a headache. Should I say that bad luck is strong. Edgar survived without collapsing together with the demon race. However, due to the repercussions of becoming a demon race, his body was so tattered that he couldn''t walk properly by himself. It''s said that he''s receiving treatment, but it seems that a full recovery is difficult. However, I don''t have an ounce of sympathy for him. It''s all self-inflicted. To be honest, the only thing I can think of is, "Suck it up! That''s right, b*tc*! Apparently, Kanade was thinking the same thing. Although he hadn''t been directly harmed, there was something about seeing Nina in captivity that made him resentful. ''You''re so kind, Kanade,'' Yeah?What''s going on, all of a sudden? ''It''s nice to be able to get angry for someone else...'' I thought again, ''That''s the nice thing about Kanade...'' Well I don''t really know, but I got a compliment... Ehehehe. Kanade rumbled his throat happily. ........How does he make a sound? It didn''t matter, but it bothered me a lot. ''''As for Edgar, there''s also the matter of him becoming a demon race. As soon as I can talk to him, I''m going to proceed with that investigation as well. Most importantly, he didn''t seem to remember anything, so it might be difficult, but...'''' ''''I see. So ... I understand most of what happened to the lords, but what about this city? The lord and his son have been arrested together, which is a terrible case. What will happen to the city now? Everyone will be wondering about this. ''''It can''t be right away but I''m sure the new lord will be appointed by the royal capital. Then it will take even more time before he is actually appointed to the post. In the meantime, I heard that the lords of other cities will serve concurrently...but there may be some confusion for a while. Well.... From now on, the city of Horizon could be in chaos. I pulled the trigger. When I think about it, I''m not sure if this was the right thing to do. "Rain, Rain. Yeah? Yay! With a peck, Kanade tapped me lightly. ''What, what?'' You were just thinking about something weird, weren''t you?I don''t know if this was the right thing to do, or something like that. How do you know that? I can''t help but roll my eyes in amazement, and Kanade throws out his chest in a good way. ''''Hmph, I know everything about Rain. I''m Rain''s errand boy, you know...'''' Isn''t it usually the other way around? I think the Lord has a better grasp of the messenger than you do, don''t you? ''Rain''s so sweet, she thinks a lot of things. But don''t worry about that. If you care about it, you''ll lose. Losing... ''Nyah I mean, what I''m trying to say is that Rain isn''t bad!In fact, I think you did a very good thing. If we had left the lords alone like that, I think a lot of people would have been crying. Rayne was able to stop the tears. I think that''s something to be proud of. "...Kanade.... So, lighten up. Don''t think bad thoughts. Okay? Well yes. I can''t stay depressed, even though Kanade is encouraging me. I''ve done all I can do. It''s hard to ask for perfection. I''ll manage to change my mind that way. I''m with you on this one. Stella follows Kanade and says so, too. ''Rain has accomplished something that no one else has been able to do. That''s something to be proud of, not something to be worried about. If it wasn''t for Rain, I don''t know what this city would have become... as I said before, Rain is the hero of this city. No heroes, please. No, I won''t stop. It''s true. Stella gives me a nasty smile. I guess she understands that I''m confused, and she''s saying it. I thought she was a serious knight, but unexpectedly, she has a nasty personality. ''''Once again, I want to thank you. Thank you, Rain. Stella held out her hand to me and.... I squeezed his hand back tightly. ''Maybe Rain will be called a hero elsewhere, too. What''s going on, all of a sudden? Hmm. I had a feeling Lane would be able to accomplish that much. I don''t like it when you say that... You are overrated. ''I have a high opinion of you. Would you like to join the Order? ''What?To the Order? Hmm. I''m sure Rain will make a great knight. I''ll make sure of that. Besides, I''m short on men at the moment. What do you think?Will you work together to keep peace and order in this city? No, no, no, no! For some reason, Kanade refused. ''Rain is going to have an adventure with us, you know!I can''t be a knight in shining armor!No, you can''t. Mm, is that right? Yes! Don''t answer for me. Because I was afraid that Rain would go away... I don''t think so. He patted Kanade''s head. ''How could I ever leave Kanade and his friends?You''re my best friend. Meow. Kanade looks happy. Looking at her face, I can''t help but feel a sense of tenderness. ''Well, that''s too bad. Looks like you''ve been dumped.'' Sorry. I think I look better as an adventurer. If you change your mind, you can always tell me. You''re welcome. I''ll look out for you then. I guess that''s the end of the story. I decided that and headed for the exit. ''If you need anything, I can help you then. Feel free to let me know. Mm. That''s fine by me. Well I''ll see you later. Yeah, again. After exchanging greetings with Stella, we left the Knight''s Branch. 75-Episode 75: Beyond the fall... Edgar Fromware was lying on a bed in the healing hospital. Bandages were wrapped around his body in many places. Although a large amount of herbs were used, the pain did not go away. The pain was incessant, as if her body was being pierced from the inside with a needle. ''''d*mn... why do I have to go through this...?'''' Edgar bit his lip as he sat on the bed, unable to move his body. It''s unreasonable. It''s impossible. This is a bad dream. I think about that, but it doesn''t override the reality in front of me. ''How are you doing?'' The healers came to check on Edgar. Edgar doesn''t respond, but instead decides to keep his mouth shut. ''''Well I''ll see how your injuries are. To the healer, Edgar''s demeanor was now familiar. He would palpate him without bothering to check on his injuries. ''It looks like you''re recovering well. .... That should get you out of the hospital next month. Though he won''t be able to walk without the cane. What... what? Edgar can''t help but react to the unheard words. ''Oh, hey ... what did you mean by that?'' I mean it just the way it is.You can''t walk properly anymore. It''s an after-effect of your injury. ''That''s ridiculous... oh, you''re a healer, aren''t you!Heal my wounds perfectly, that''s an order! ''Don''t ask me to do it. Such a thing is impossible. That''s how deep your injuries run. ''Stupid...'' And... The healer gave him a sharp look. He glared at Edgar.... I hit him with a shooting stare. ''I''m uncomfortable even treating you. I would never do that, even if I could, to heal your injuries perfectly. Who do you think I am? You''re the former lord''s son, aren''t you? Ex...? ''You don''t know?Your father is already imprisoned and awaiting trial. What...? ''There''s nothing left for you to do. There''s nothing you can do about it. You''ve paid the price for everything you''ve done. "Nonsense I''m the son of a lord.I shall rule this city!You''re all my toys. ''Huh ... is it too much of a shock for you to accept reality?It''s pathetic when this happens. I can''t even get angry. I don''t care what it is anymore. I don''t want to get involved. Then I''ll come back later to check on you. Wait, wait. Edgar tries to keep the healing surgeon back, but he is ignored. He is left alone in the room. "I''m not going to be the one ... the healer, etc... He never doubted that he was above people. And yet, he was pitied by the people who were supposed to be below him. Edgar''s pride was torn to shreds. ''''Silly... this... this is not... this... this is not...'''' Edgar is a man with a lot of self-esteem. Being pitied by a healer hurts his heart badly. It''s nothing more than what he deserves... Not being aware of this, Edgar continued to distract himself from the reality that it was impossible. That''s when it happened. The door to the room opened. Edgar looked at the door. Had the healers come again? It was awfully fast for that. As I was wondering, more than one man walked in. None of them look familiar. What''s the matter with you guys...? Sounds like the rumors are true. I didn''t expect to find my lord''s son here. Well, it''s a good thing he''s a stuck-up guy. ''Oh, come on ... who do you think you are?Answer me. The men were all in a swashbuckling mood. Edgar raised his voice. It was a pathetic act, nothing more than a way to disguise his frightened mind. ''Hey, do you remember us?'' Well I wouldn''t know about a bunch of lowlifes like you. It''s...! Well, wait. You don''t f*ck a guy until you get him to see his guilt. Edgar''s heart jumps at the men who are having a disturbing conversation. What are they doing? What do they want? Fear and anxiety slowly build up in Edgar. ''My wife ... you took her away from me. They took my girlfriend. I''m your sister. Wha... what? ''You''re all freed from what you''ve become but still, the time that has passed will never be the same. We''ve all been badly wounded. I know this won''t help, but I can''t just keep my mouth shut, I can''t. I''m going to end up on top of you. The men pulled out knives. With the cutting edge pointed at Edgar, they each have a dark expression on their faces. ''''No, stop ... do you guys know what you''re doing?Don''t you dare do that to me........stop! No matter how many times we begged you, you just wouldn''t stop, would you? All right, I apologize. I''ll make a special bow to you and I''ll make it right. After all this time, this attitude... You can''t save this guy. The men, knives in hand, leaned closer to Edgar. Seeing a clear crisis in front of him, Edgar broke out in a cold sweat. He tries to escape, but his body doesn''t move properly. All it does is make the bed creak. The knife touched Edgar''s skin. Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ''Ow, that hurts!'' Even when he was relative to Rain, Edgar was not hurt. But now he''s being cut by a hostile opponent with a knife. Scary, scary, scary. Edgar shuddered from the bottom of his heart. His teeth chattered at the first killing intent and pain directed at him. ''Stop, stop!Please, help me!Please... no, no, please, please don''t!Please......... Edgar pleaded with the men, without shame or disrespect, to stop. He rolled up his body, tears streaming down his face, and pleaded for them to stop. It was too pathetic a sight. If anyone who knew Edgar before would have seen him, they would have suspected that he was a different person. Edgar was trapped to the point of exposing such an abomination. Edgar was a man with a lot of pride, but.... Up until now, he had lived unimpeded. There was no way such a man could endure the hatred of people being beaten up close and personal. ''Don''t, don''t ... please don''t ... please don''t ... I''m sorry, I''m sorry ... so ...'' ... You''re a boring guy. The men''s vengeance was rapidly cooling down at Edgar''s unseemly abomination. I felt like an idiot for being so determined to kill a man like this, even if it meant stabbing him to death. ''Let''s go,'' Well this man is not worth killing. The men put their knives away and left the room without further ado. Alone, Edgar let out a breath of relief as he realized that the crisis was over. Then ... he remembered his abomination. ''Oh, I ... why did I ... why did I do that ...'' The image of himself, desperately begging for his life, was burned into Edgar''s mind. He tried to forget it, but he couldn''t. His mind rattled and crumbled. ''Nah, how could I... I... I... ugh...'' Edgar groaned with his head in his hands. It was all he could do now. There was nothing else he could do. And then..... Edgar couldn''t answer any questions properly and was deemed insane. No amount of recovery magic can heal his mind. However, being in an insanity state does not mean that the sins of the past will be erased. They will be judged exactly........ Like his father, he would be transported to King''s Landing to be convicted after he was able to move. As it is, Edgar will spend the rest of his life in prison, but that''s another story. ---------- .... The man who had been looking out the window at the inside of the healing hospital.............Arios quietly left without a voice. ''I thought I should take care of him so that he wouldn''t talk about anything unnecessary... but with the way he looked, I don''t think there''s anything wrong with him. 76-Episode 76: Causal Response Arios returned to the inn where he was staying. When he entered the room, he saw that Aggus, Leanne and Mina were all there. ''''Ah, welcome back.'''' Where have you been? What, you don''t know what you''re talking about? What''s going on with you guys? We''ve been gathering information on the earlier fracas, and we''re just now putting the story together. You know, earlier in the day. There is an information control system in place, but I''m pretty sure that the monster that appeared in the city the other day is a demon. Mina says with a serious look on her face. The appearance of the demon race in the city is such a serious situation. After all, such an incident has never happened in the past few years. However, it''s not without precedent. There was an incident where demons appeared in the middle of a war with the Demon King and attacked people in the city. Considering that, this incident might be a sign that the Demon King is starting a war. Mina suspected as much. However, knowing that the Demon King had nothing to do with it at all, Arios replied in a carefree manner. ''''There''s nothing to think about that deeply. I''ve heard that the lord of this city was dabbling in various antiques. For the most part, one of them had a demon tribe sealed in it, and it must have been unlocked by some impetus.'''' Is that so...? Don''t even think about it. Have the demons been defeated already?We''ll never know the truth. About that... Aggus opened his mouth. Isn''t he going to say something unnecessary again? Arios clicked his tongue inwardly. ''''After all, isn''t it bad to say that you left the demon race unattended?'''' That''s the story... On the night of the incident. Arios and his group staying in the city naturally understood that the demon race had appeared. On top of that, they decided to leave it alone, saying that it wasn''t much of an opponent, there was no need for a brave man to go out of the way....... Although Aggus and Mina were reluctant, Arios pushed the story through. It was all a ploy by Arios. It would be meaningless if he deliberately made them summon the demon race and then defeated them by themselves. So I dared to ignore it. I left it alone. ''''There are adventurers in this city. There are also knights. So why would we bother traveling there? But what about the demons?He''s our enemy. No! Our enemy is the Demon King. Demons are just a bunch of mooks that are leftovers. It''s... And you could have done without us. So that''s what they were doing. We''re not handymen. We don''t have time to be bothered by such small fish. Isn''t that right? ''''Well, it''s not hard to see why Arios would say that. ''Then I''m done talking about this. It''s past time. There''s no point in rehashing it. Okay. That''s a bit silly. Arios laughed inwardly. After all, he is a warrior whose only selling points are his strength and sturdiness. Wisdom is not in his head. It''s easier than dealing with a child. Not knowing that Arios was thinking about such things, Aggus remained meek with an unreadable expression of emotion. ''''Is it just about the demon race that everyone was discussing with you?'''' No, there''s one more thing. ''You know what? Isn''t it time we started our journey again?I''m tired of this town. Lean says, fingering her hair. As Lean spoke, Arios thought about it. I haven''t erased Lean yet. He hasn''t returned the humiliation he received. To do so, he used his lord''s son to devise a plan this time. But it failed. Why did it fail? Because Rayne withstood the instant death spell? Or because it even fought off a demon attack? Thinking about this and that... Arios let out a small sigh. I have to think about the next thing. There''s no point in dragging out the failure forever. Let''s rethink it again. Just don''t be in a hurry. We must never let our guard down. To the point of thinking that, Arios was wary of Rain. For now, let''s leave it at that for now. If we don''t resume our journey at this point, then it will be suspicious. Let''s fulfill our original purpose. Arios decides to do so and calls out to everyone. ''Well, it''s time to resume our journey. ''We''ve been waiting for you!Next time I want to go to a more glamorous city. "Leanne. We have a noble mission to defeat the Demon King, you know. Please don''t think like a snobbish person. It''s not a big deal. I''m not going to relax if you keep tensing up. It''s, well... By the way, I''m running low on road silver, who knows? At Aggus'' words, Arios made a bitter face for a moment. The reason why the road silver is decreasing is because Arios spent it without permission. If that was found out, he would not escape blame. There was no way he could say that he had purchased magic items on the black market in order to eliminate Rain........ Arios decided to ignore the fact that he didn''t know. ''''Doesn''t Arios know?'''' ''Well?I''m just now realizing that''s what happened. ''Well if Arios says so, then it must be so. Arios clicked his tongue lightly at Aggus''s words, which were somehow implied. ''I know,'' he said, because he felt like he was being told. ''Well, if you don''t have it, you can''t blame me for not having it. The money is sent to you every month, so you don''t have to worry about it. Well yes. But what about food and water?You have to have money to buy it. We''re a party of heroes.Why don''t we just collect like we always do? It''s an extremely selfish statement, but no one argues with what Lean says. In fact, I was even convinced that was true. ''Then let''s get out of here. They all nodded at Arios'' words. We checked out of the inn and moved to a section lined with shops. First, the groceries. After searching through the shops at random and finding a place that looked convenient, they called out to the shopkeeper. ''Do you have a minute?'' Hmm?What, now........you mean, brave? When Arios called out to him, the shopkeeper looked surprised. It seems he knows Arios. If that''s the case, Arios smiles and speaks up, saying that he''s quick to talk. ''''Can you mend a week''s worth of food at random?'''' Yes. A week''s worth ... for four people? Yeah, yeah. ''''In that case, yes, well that would be about five pieces of silver, if you don''t mind. It''s not a good idea. What? I''m a brave man. As you know, I''m on a journey to save the world. Then it''s your duty to help me with that, right?Unfortunately, I don''t have any on hand at the moment. I''m going to have to collect. You should be flattered to be of service to us. Oh, can we make a special announcement that this is a place where a party of heroes stopped by? For Arios and the others, it was a natural act. It was only natural that people would cooperate with them in their mission to save the world. Without hesitation, they felt this way from the bottom of their hearts. In fact, until now, nothing has been a problem. Everyone has responded to their demands with a flirtatious smile immediately, although they have been puzzled. This time, too, they would be quick to offer him some food. That''s what I thought.... I''m sorry, but I''m going to have to ask you to leave. What? ''No matter how brave you are, we can''t give them free food under these circumstances. "...Do you know what you''re talking about?I''m the brave one, and I''m the one who''s asking for your help, okay? ''''Do you know what you''re talking about, my brave friend!The city is a mess after the recent riot!The logistics are so backlogged that I''m even having trouble getting my own food. How can you give away food for free under such circumstances? Please go home. You''re not going to talk to me like that. The shopkeeper''s words could not have been more correct. As expected, even Arios couldn''t argue, and flinched. It was then. The owner of the next shop stepped forward and interrupted the conversation. ''I''ll tell you what, I don''t think there''s a store in this town that''s going to give you anything. The words were said as a follow-up. ''If you''re next to me and listening to me, you''re kidding me... are you guys really brave?It''s unbelievable. That young man is a lot braver than you guys. "...You think you can just say something stupid and get a free pass? Oops. What kind of a brave man raises his hand in the middle of traffic like this? Ggh..... I hear you''ve been neglecting your demons. It''s as if you have abandoned this town. We don''t have to help them. We don''t have to sell to them. As if to follow the man''s words of crispness, people around him agreed that it was so. Before he knew it, he''d made a bit of a scene. There was a crowd of people, and he was the center of attention. ''You call yourself a brave man, yet you won''t help me in a time of need...! ''You had your way with me you''re too selfish! I know someone who was half threatened by these people! ''''Are you really going to take down the Demon King?The other day, the other day''s monster must have been left out on purpose! Arios and the others flinched under the condemnation of the people. ''''d*mn........we can''t be bothered with these people!Let''s go. Well, wait, Arios. There''s still food... You don''t have to worry about that. We''ll get it locally. I''m not happy about being here anymore! Okay, I understand. People shouted in anger, as if they were spitting out everything they had just endured all at once. Arios and the others left the city of Horizon as if they were fleeing. 77-Episode 77: Contract with a Tribe When I returned to the inn, I saw everyone. ''Welcome back,'' Welcome back to school. Tania and Nina greet us. Sola and Luna are ..... Luna. That''s a hot dog for Thora. Don''t bite the bullet. He wouldn''t eat it for any length of time, so I decided to give it to him. You''d better eat it soon, or it''s going to be a waste. I''ve been saving it for later. ''Haggling.........mmmm, it''s delicious! "...a challenge to Sora, isn''t it?Is this a challenge?Alright, I''ve received that match. I''ll give you some super-grade magic. There was a fight going on between the sisters. It''s like they''re fighting over a hot dog It''s just a hot dog, and I don''t want you to try to shoot super-grade magic. It makes my heart hurt to watch. ''Yes, there. No fighting. ''Whoa, it''s Rain. You''re back. Lane, listen to me!Luna robbed Sora of a hot dog. This is unacceptable. Please punish him. "We''re not robbing you, are we?I just intercepted it. No change! Well where did you get a hot dog? I''m supposed to be in control of the money, but.... I was helping to clear the debris and I got this as a thank you for that. Apparently someone saw our hot dog obsession earlier and remembered it. It is a splendid tribute. Okay. I''ll buy you a hot dog some other time. Let''s not get into a fight about that. Mmm ... if that''s what Lane says. ''By the way, how did the Order go?Rain and the others have been talking to a knight who talks like that man, haven''t they? ''Yeah, I did. About that... I told everyone the whole story. ''''I see.......the lords will be tried in the royal capital? "You can judge me directly, if you like. Well, isn''t that a fair point?But a new lord will be elected, so... it won''t be another weird one, right? Tania''s concerns are understandable. It''s a problem if he''s the same person as before, and if he''s even more of a dullard than before, I can''t even look at him. But as expected, that''s not going to happen. The people who appoint lords also have a responsibility. If they made the same mistake, they would have no choice but to take responsibility. Everyone would want to avoid such a situation. Therefore, the lord would be chosen strictly this time to avoid repeating the mistake. When I told him that, Tania looked relieved. It seems that she was worried about the city, for what it''s worth. Everyone had a similar look on their faces. ''''I think we can walk this city in the right direction now. It might take some time, though.'''' It''s all thanks to Rayne. Kanade says with a smile. ''No, it''s nothing to do with me, is it?'' ''Oh, no, that''s not true. I think Rayne''s hard work has gotten us to where we are now. Hey, guys? Everyone nodded coyly. For some reason, I''m highly regarded by everyone. I don''t think I''ve done anything to be that admired, but... Could I help someone....even just a little bit....to help the people of this city? I''m glad to hear it. Hey, hey, Rain. Yeah? What happens tomorrow? ''As for the future, well I guess I''ll have to wait and see what the guild has called me to do. But first......... I glance at Nina. Nina freaks out when she notices me looking at her. She looks vaguely nervous, watching me. ''Where do you think Nina is going to go from here?'' No. ''It was enshrined in a village somewhere, wasn''t it?Aren''t you going back there? I don''t think there will be any more... Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to be insensitive. Uh, hmmm... never mind, so... Nina doesn''t seem to have anywhere to go. Well then. If you''re okay with it, Nina, you can come with us. Really? Nina looks at me in surprise. I.........can I stay with you.........? If you like Nina. I''m not... Nina looks depressed, feeling confused. In this girl''s case, the way she said it now, it might make her feel lost. Then......... I want to be with Nina. Me and...? ''We went through all that mess together, so we''re like buddies now, aren''t we?So ... why don''t we just stay together? I''m such a useless...? ''That''s not true. Nina saved me when I was fighting the demon race. But, but... but it''s not really a big deal, and I''m not really... but I can''t... I think I''ll pull it... ''Let''s put aside all that usefulness and unhelpfulness for the moment. Right now, I want you to think about something else. Another...? Either you want to stay with us or you don''t. Simple, why don''t you think about it? ''Oh....'' "By the way, I want to be with Nina. I want to be Nina''s friend. How about that? Even though we are the gods, I feel like I can''t leave the little one alone, but.... But it wasn''t just that. I wanted to continue to be with Nina as a friend who had survived that battle. This feeling is real. ''Nya ... Rain is hitting on you again. You''re a little girl....maybe that''s your hobby? ''Hmph, if small is an advantage, leave it to me. Catch Rain''s heart. Sora is about the same height. Everyone says something I don''t understand, but for the moment, I decided not to worry about it for now. Laughing at Nina... Gently, he held out his hand. "Do you want to come with me? ...hmmm! In a small body, with a certain determination.... Nina takes my hand. ---------- The party is getting much livelier with the addition of new friends. With this many people, it might be time for the inn to get tougher... It takes up so much room that the host doesn''t like us staying for long periods of time. It would be nice if we could get a base of operations somewhere that was just for us... Hmm? I looked down at my clothes as they were pulled on with a quirk and I saw Nina looking up at me. ''What''s going on?'' You know.....everyone has a contract with Rain...? When Nina joined the group and introduced herself again.... People were talking about making a deal with me. ''Yeah, but ... so what does it matter?'' Well, you know... Nina is mulling over, lost for words. She seems to want to say something, but she can''t seem to put it into words. Then Kanade opens his mouth as if he''s taking Nina''s place. "Do you think Nina wants to sign a contract with Rain? Hmmm. At Kanade''s words, Nina gave a small nod. You don''t have to do it, all right? Ummm, hmmm....I''m not trying to force you to do anything...?I think I want to... My words were crappy, but... I could feel Nina''s strong will there. ''''........Hmm, okay. If that''s the case, then let''s make a deal. Really? ''Yeah. I just don''t know if I can sign Nina up for more on top of this, since I''ve already signed up with everyone else... That sounds like a line I''ve heard before, doesn''t it? We said a similar thing when it happened to us, and it didn''t take much to get us to sign up. That''s right. For what it''s worth, I was able to make a contract with Sora and Luna..........................and Tania and Kanade. I understood, as expected, that making a contract with multiple strongest species was absurd. Would Nina''s case be okay? For a moment, I''m worried, but then... But ... it would be okay. Strangely, it was a relief. I''ll be going then. He bites his thumb and draws a magic circle with flowing blood. "...my name is Rain Shroud. I make a new covenant and hereby make a new bond with you. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with power in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? "...Nina.... The deal is made. The same magic circle is drawn on Nina''s hand. We have a deal. Wow ... what is this? Proof of the contract... This.......... Nina gently pressed her palms to her chest and smiled happily. 78-Episode 78: To C rank Congratulations! When I visited the guild to talk to her, Natalie greeted me with a smile. It''s the kind of smile that makes me feel happy to see. Did something good happen to her? But congratulations......... What does that mean? ''Hey, hey, what''s up?What are you celebrating? Do you think you''ll get paid for the other day''s incident? Kanade and Tania asked such a question. ''No, no, that''s not what we''re doing today. Oh, we''ll be paid, though.'' Is that so? ''Of course. Arresting a rogue lord and defeating a demon tribe. If you''ve achieved all of these feats and you''ve done nothing, then the guild''s very existence is at stake. Hey, hey, Rain. Do I get a lot of money?Can I have enough fish to eat? I''ll give you 30 gold pieces! It was quite a lot of money. It was nice to have an unexpected income, but since it was so sudden, it didn''t feel like much. ''''Is that why you were called to the guild?'''' Oh, I''m sorry. I got off track. Natalie moved to the back of the room once. A little later, she comes back with the papers in her hand. ''Err, kohen.'' Yeah? Congratulations! Natalie repeats the same line. As we all look around in awe, she smiles and tells us, showing us a document with what appears to be a guild master''s signature on it, "I''m pleased to announce that your adventurer rank has been upgraded to C! We are pleased to announce that Rain''s adventurer rank has been upgraded to C! What? Everyone gets a look of surprise. I probably have a similar look on my face. "Yeah, I''m going to rank up.... I can''t help but ask the same question back. ''I think I just got an E grade just a few days ago... I mean, what about a D grade?'' Nah, you''re skipping one. Are you skipping grades? Kanade and Sola speculate about this and that. Natalie smiles, as if to say that''s right. ''''Normally this would not be possible, but.......this time, an exception was granted. Why again? ''''Not only are you involved in the arrest of the lord, but you have defeated a demon race that is equivalent to an A-rank. As a result, we were upgraded from a D to a C as a special case. ''Oooh, I don''t know about you, Lane, but that''s great! Mmm. You''re my master. I''m very proud of you. ''Why don''t we celebrate,'' suggests Thora. "Hot dog party! Congratulations Rain. Everyone celebrates in their own way. That''s the best thing I''ve ever heard. "Thank you. It''s all thanks to you. Meow-ha-ha! I''m so glad I got to meet everyone. What if I was the only one? What if I don''t get to meet everyone? ........It''s horrible just to think about it. I might not even be able to stand here now. ''''.........'''' Yeah? I suddenly realized that Natalie was staring at Nina. I notice her gaze and Nina hides behind me. She seems to have a shyness about her. ''What''s wrong?'' There''s another new kid on the block... Hmm?Oh that''s Nina who joined us just a few days ago. Here. He brings Nina forward and encourages her to say hello. I feel a bit like a father. ''''Well ... hello ... it''s Nina...'''' Oh, my God, you''re so cute. Huh.... Nina blushes when she is told she is cute. Such a gesture seems to intrigue her again, and Natalie becomes even more smiling. ''''I mean........if you look closely, is this girl a divine race.......? Hmmm. "Seriously........wow, I''ve treated you like a child. Don''t you get angry...? No, it''s not... Whew. Natalie looked ecstatic. ''Ka, it''s so cute I want to hug you...'' I want to hug you too... Uggh you''re foul-mouthed cute. Even Kanade and Tania said something weird. Is this another of Nina''s special abilities? ........no? ''Nina-chan is still too young to be ... no, but if she''s this cute ... Miss Lane. Yeah? Do you like the little ones, Miss Lane? What are you talking about? Natalie''s broken. ''Oh, my God. I didn''t mean to ... I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to ask you that. ''No, well, it''s fine, but...'' Come to think of it, I didn''t visit the guild just to talk about this. I also remembered our errand. ''''By the way, Natalie. What did you find out about the demon tribe the other day? Suddenly, Edgar mutated into a demon race. I thought that the guild might have some clue as to the cause of this... I''m sorry but I''m not going to talk about it. I see... Due to the nature of the matter, we are doing our best to investigate in conjunction with the Order, but it''s difficult to do so because the suspect is insane and we can''t get a word in edgewise. I found out later that.... Edgar survived, but he was branded a criminal and apparently became mentally ill because of his depravity. He had it coming, so I have no sympathy for him at all. However, it hurts to not be able to listen to him. Where did he get that ring? I''ve reported it to them, but they haven''t been able to get a clue. I thought if I could just hear it, I could get the whole case. ''''However, I''m not sure that such an incident would happen that often. We''ve raised the alert level in the guild, and you can rest assured that it''s not going to happen. I hope you''re right. Natalie is right. It''s not very often that I''m involved with a demon race. It''s not supposed to be, but... The same thing could happen again. We might be hit by a similar threat. I had such a feeling. ''''And yet........Rain-san''s party has grown to a good number of people. Kana. Me, Kanade, Tania, Sola, Luna, and Nina. There were six of us in total. Natalie was right, we were quite a large group. We should start thinking about our accommodations. Might as well. I''ll ask Natalie. I want to ask you a few questions, okay? Yes, can I help you? ''As you can see, we''ve got a good number of them, don''t we?I''m trying to figure out a place to stay, and I was wondering if there''s a better way. I see. Natalie made a thoughtful gesture and... After a bit, he opened his mouth. ''Then why don''t you buy a house?'' The house? To some extent, the party is buying a house as their base of operations. But it''s expensive.I''ve saved some money, but as expected.... I don''t think there''s a problem if you''re renting it out. If you have a base of operations, the guild will subsidize it and if you combine that with the rewards of the earlier incident, I think you can rent it for a long time. Adventurer parties above a certain rank often leave the city and go away. Sometimes they just end up settling in other places. In order to prevent such a situation, the Adventurer''s Guild seems to have decided to offer a grant to keep adventurers around. ........I heard the explanation. ''''What do you think?'''' I can''t make these decisions on my own. I''ll look at everyone. ''Home?Our home? On the condition that you use the city as a base. I think it''s a good idea. I like this town and I''m looking forward to a house with Rain.... As for me, well, I don''t really care if I''m with Rain or not but I''m sure I''ll be more comfortable than at the inn. I''m all for it. ''I agree with Thora. I think having a base of operations would help in a lot of ways. Yes. I don''t disagree with that. In fact, I do. Choose a castle that suits you! Unanimous decision. So...... Then we''ll look for a home. ''Oh ... oh ...'' Kanade and Tania and Sola and Luna shouted cheerfully... Nina followed suit, looking a little embarrassed. 79-Episode 79 Lets Find a House Natalie led us to find a house to use as a base of operations. Goodness hurry up. After completing the rank-up procedures at the guild, I asked Natalie-san to follow me around the city together. ''''Do you have any wishes or anything else?'''' Natalie, walking next to me, holding the board with the papers between them, asked me this question. ''Well ... hmmm...'' I''ll think about it. I''ll think about it, but I can''t think of anything in particular. Staying at an inn has become the norm... What kind of house would you like to have now?But I''m not sure I can answer that question. I can''t picture it well. ''Is there anything about Kanade?'' Um ... the garden! Garden? It would be nice to have a big yard, you know, a big enough yard to run around in. Is the wild instinct stimulated? That''s a very typical answer. "What about Tania? Well I''m still in a beautiful room, aren''t I?I''m not going to live in a dirty place and........and a big bed!It''s a must. ''You want a bed?Not about the house? ''I don''t care what kind of house you have as long as you have a soft bed. Provided, of course, that it meets the minimum line ... standards? Have I ever made you feel cramped? If that''s the case, I''m sorry. Once I get a base, I''ll buy as big and fine a bed as possible. Well I''ll have to talk to my budget. ''''What about Sora and Luna?'''' I want a wooden structure. I want to feel the warmth of the wood. I''m always happy to have a large, convenient kitchen. ''What?Luna, can you cook? ''What''s the reaction?How rude. I''m a great cook, despite my appearance!Hahaha, if you have a nice kitchen, I''ll treat Rain to a homemade meal. I''ll help you with that. ''Mugu you don''t have to help Sora...? Why? Sola is helping. She''s Luna''s sister. I couldn''t possibly leave her to her sister alone, as an older sister. ''Mm, no, but ... what Sora makes is not so much a dish as a weapon ... er ... well, it''s nothing. Hmm. It''s Rain who eats it, so it''s not a problem. You could see the heartwarming sight of the sisters cooking together. When I think of that, I''ll be able to find a home. ........I think I heard a few disturbing words, but I decided not to dwell on that right now. ''Where''s Nina?'' Well, you know what, my opinion doesn''t matter... ''That''s not how it works. Nina is one of my friends. I''m not going to ignore her. Uh.... Do you have any idea what kind of house you''d like to live in? "Uh, uh ... bath ... A bath? I''m glad to have a bath because it feels so good to have a bath. I see, the baths. Since the inn is used by a lot of people, I''m a little concerned about hygiene, and since there are times when I''m with others, I can''t say it''s comfortable. If you have a private bath, you''ll be able to spend your time comfortably. ''''Nya I''m not very good at baths. It seems that the cat spirit race has characteristics similar to those of cats, so Kanade is not good at bathing. Perhaps she imagined that scene, but her tail is chattering. ''''If you''re not good at bathing, Kanade is missing out on half of your life. That much? You''ll feel better when we take a bath together. I can vouch for that. All of us ... does that mean Sora and the others are together? I love a bath. Well, when you''re all together, it''s not as easy as it might be in a private home. Oh, um ... all together, that means ... Rain ... is ... together? Huh? At Nina''s abrupt words, Tania spilled out a voice that sounded like she had flipped over. ''Nya........Rain is with me.......'' Well, that''s as good as it gets... but that''s a chance...? I don''t mind. I don''t mind, though, do I?It''s going to be a great opportunity to bring the Lord and his followers closer together! Everyone turns red each. Please, please don''t say anything strange. It''s a bit awkward. ''Except for Rain, except for Rain, except for!No way in hell I''m going to go in there with you. Yes, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good, that''s good. .... The next thing I knew, Natalie''s zit eyes caught mine. ''What, what is it?'' Ehhhh, it''s nothing. No matter how you look at it, you look like you have a face for everything... I felt like I was going to be a bush snake, so I decided not to say anything else. ---------- Natalie shows me around and looks at the properties for rent. And then ... the time is dusk. I wonder if I''ve seen nearly 10 properties so far. It''s still this!I can''t find a property that is. It''s slightly too small for six people to live in, or there aren''t enough rooms... It doesn''t reflect any of everyone''s wishes or... Just when you think you fit the bill, it''s too expensive... It was difficult to find a good place to live, and in the end, time just passed. ''''Nya........looking for a house is a lot of work.......'''' After walking around the city, Kanade, as expected, seems to be tired. Her ears are flattened. By the way, Nina is so tired that Tania is carrying her on her back. She was sleeping on Tania''s back. I''m sorry, I couldn''t show you a good place to stay... Natalie bowed her head apologetically. ''No, it''s not Natalie''s fault. I think we''re just being a bit selfish. ''Mr. Shroud''s party is special in so many ways. If they make a request that wouldn''t normally be made, that''s just the way it is. Well, that''s good to hear. ''''No matter how outrageous the request is, it''s our job as an adventurer''s guild to respond to it!You have to support them in the shadows, you know. Even if it''s house hunting, you have to respond to it perfectly. Natalie has a real work ethic. As someone who is always helping me, I even respect her. A guild with people like this can be properly trusted. ''''Hmm.......there''s one more thing I haven''t guided you to......but let''s not. ''What?Why? ''I was turning it in at the end, and to tell you the truth, I can''t recommend it...'' ''Doesn''t it fit with what we want?Or more expensive than ever...? No, no. It''s exactly what you asked for. It''s a little far from the center of town, but I''m guessing the price will be something like this. The amount offered by Natalie is terribly low. It''s less than a tenth of what I''ve been offered. ''Ooh, what a bargain! ''If you have a place like this, why don''t you just introduce me to it? Kanade and Tania are on board. But I was in a delicate mood. It was too favorable, too weird. That premonition is going to be true. ''''There''s no doubt that it''s a good property, but.......actually, there''s one problem. What do you mean? Actually I''m leaving. Natalie let her hands drift down in front of her chest and let her eyes go blank. Scary in general. Nina woke up in a daze and looked at Ms. Natalie and freaked out!He shuddered. ''Out?Could that be...? ...a ghost. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Kanade responded to the two letters of the ghost with a tremendous amount of force. Her tail beamed and her ears trembled with fear. As it was, she hugged my back. ''Are you scared?'' No ghosts. No ghosts... God, you''re pathetic. What''s a guy who''s supposed to be the most powerful species in the world afraid of a ghost? Because that''s why....they can''t take a beating. Also, they can get possessed........ghosts are the natural enemy of the cat spirit race....... Kanade says in a pathetic voice. You have the word ''spirit'' in your race, and yet you''re incredibly scared. ........Well, it doesn''t matter. ''''Kanade''s scared and we shouldn''t?'''' ''But you don''t have any other good properties, do you?I don''t know if you''d want to make a decision before you''ve even seen it. ''Or rather, we are experts in magic, aren''t we?Why don''t we just purify the ghosts? Oh, I see. I''m going to need it. Certainly, Sora and Luna would not be the enemy of those ghosts. ''Kanade, would you mind if I came over for a moment to take a look?Sola and Luna are there and I''m there too. If it comes down to it, I''ll definitely protect Kanade. Really? Yeah, really. Um hold my hand. That''s okay. Is that good? Kanade looks as anxious as a lost child. I squeezed his hand gently. ''''Nyaa...'''' 80-Episode 80: Ghost House The house was on a hill overlooking the city. It was a two-story wooden house. The property is large and apparently has over ten rooms. A bath is ants. A fully equipped kitchen. As a bonus, there is a garden where you can play sports. Such a house is only 10 gold coins. And it''s not a rental. It''s a very nice property. ...except for one thing. Except it''s haunted. "Is this...? Kanade, holding my hand, looked at the house with a sense of dread. Her tail was quivering. Is she sensing some kind of unpleasantness in the air? Yeah, it''s not that bad. Contrary to Kanade, Tania is in a good mood. She was smiling as if she couldn''t believe that such a nice house was ten gold coins. ''Sure, it might be a long way from the city. It''s far from the centre it''s closer to the outside.'' ''But in this case, isn''t that a positive thing?What''s with all the noise in the city?Also, I like the fact that there''s a lot of nature out there!Mmmm, sounds good. ''Yes. I think Sola''s a good place to be when there''s so much nature. I like my room upstairs. It''s on top of a hill, and the view from upstairs is spectacular. Sola and Luna liked it too. They hadn''t signed the contract yet, but they were already talking about the room. I chuckle, "You''re too quick on the uptake. ''What do you think, Nina?'' "Uh, uh... I think it''s okay... Do you like it? Hmmm. Nina agrees. The rest of us are canade but.... Ugh.... I''m not going to ask you if you agree or disagree with me until we resolve the ghost problem...? I''m not sure I''d be very keen to hear it in its current state, but I''m not sure I''d be able to get on board... I''d like to get them to properly review the problem after we fix it, and then I''d like to ask the question. It''s not an individual problem, it''s a problem for all of us. I, for one, think this house is a pretty nice place. If Kanade disagrees with you, let''s not. ''It''s all right, Kanade,'' Meow...? I''m here for you. Yeah. Kanade smiles as he seems to be a little relieved. ''''........hmm. After all, Kanade is cuter when he smiles. ''Whew! What''s going on? I don''t know what to do..... Well. Well, let''s take a look at the house. I mean, Natalie? I try to get into the house, but... Natalie doesn''t move from her spot as she looks away from us. ''What''s going on?'' No I think I''ll hold off on the preview. Why? ''It''s true that there are ghosts on this property... and when the time comes, if I''m with you, I''ll be slowed down. So I''ll be waiting outside, I guess. Is that...? Then have a good day. Natalie seemed to be somewhat frightened. Maybe she had seen the ghost that inhabited the house. If that was the case, we decided to have her wait outside. We walked into the house, wary of what might happen. ''Oh, it''s big,'' ''You''re right!Isn''t it similar to the lord''s house the other day? It''s not as big or wide as that one but the structure may be the same. I walked through the door and found myself in a large room. In the back is a kitchen-like facility. Passages extended to either side of the room, leading to each room. At the end of it, we could see the stairs to the second floor, respectively. ''''Shush!'''' Nina sneezed, adorably. ''Are you okay?'' .... hmm... My nose is itchy.... There''s a lot of dust. Looks like it hasn''t been cleaned at all. I wonder how long it''s been neglected. But the building itself is undamaged. See, these pillars are just a few minor scratches and stains, but otherwise they''re fine. ........nyah! We were all looking at the building, saying this and that, when suddenly, Kanade beamed and turned his tail upside down. His ears are pointed and he is twitching and trembling impatiently. What''s the matter, Kanade? Nyanka........I think there''s something strange going on here........ Something wrong?I don''t feel anything, but... I will! I will!Something''s coming up! Everyone come to me. Maximum security. These are the words of Kanade, a cat spirit race with a keen intuition and the ability to detect signs. I can''t just assume that he''s scared, and I can''t take his words lightly. Everyone seems to understand that, and they soon become serious. They formed a circle to protect Kanade. Front, back, left and right, 360 degrees of vigilance. With this, they should be able to deal with anything unknown, no matter where it appears from. ''''........'''' A bit of waiting, trying to kill my breath. A chair that had been covered with dust at the back of the room suddenly started to shake and clatter. Wha-what? "I haven''t done anything.It''s not a prank, you know! So is this a poltergeist phenomenon? ''Mmmmmm...'' One after another, the chairs started to flail, and even the tables started to shake. We didn''t do anything about it. Kanade looks like he''s about to cry when he sees a real monstrosity in front of him. ''.........YIKE.......'' Yeah? Hey, Lane. What did you just say? No, nothing ... isn''t it Tania? I didn''t say anything. I''m not... different... I look at Sola and Luna. They both shake their heads together. So that means........ Det.......... It''s like a voice crawling out of the ground. It was indistinguishable from a man or a woman. A voice that made me feel a chill echoed through the house. ''''.........Deteke.......'''' With a voice, the chair and table trembled even more violently. ''''Nyahhhh, there it is, there it is! Okay, Kanade, calm down! "Uhhhh, Rain I''m going to lose my mind... It''s okay. Look, I''m here. He grasps Kanade''s hand firmly to ease his fears a little. That seemed to calm him down a bit. Even though his legs were trembling, Kanade maintained his sanity. ........but that didn''t last long. ''''Deteyke! A distinctly strong voice rang out. As if on cue, the empty space became squishy and distorted. Something like white smoke swirled around and gathered in one place. And then......... A woman appeared in the air, her body translucent and transparent. At the age of sixteen, she wouldn''t be so different from us. However, her skin color is morbidly white and her body is translucent. She''s wearing what looks like a maid''s outfit.... Contrary to such cuteness, her face had the shape of a demon. ''''.......................'''' Kanade! The strength from Kanade''s body slips out of his body and he falls over in a huff. He couldn''t bear it and fainted. Not good! Now, if they do something to you here, you can''t escape! We can''t leave the Kanade alone, but I''m not sure we can wake them up right away. I don''t know if they are willing to wait that long for us. We''d be trapped in an unexpected place. 81-Episode 81: Phantom Tam Deteke! The ghost''s hostile voice rang out. We can''t take it easy any longer. As long as there''s something to do with Kanade, there''s no way we can escape from here. Then, until we intercept them! "Sola, Luna. Can you purify it? I''ll take care of it! A single stroke of my destructive magic. What are you going to do to destroy it? Purify it. ''I know!I just made a good mistake. Here we go, Luna! A light of magical power concentrates on the palms of Sora and Luna''s hands. ''''Holy Circle!'''' A magic circle appeared at the ghost''s feet. The magic circle spun around and... The white light rises! The light envelops the ghost.... There was nothing left after that. ''.........did you do it? ''No there was no response. Probably got run off by the astral side just before. Astralcide? "A ghost is something that exists between the material world and the spiritual world. They can come and go in both worlds, and if they can escape to the spirit world, they cannot be caught in the usual way. Can''t we work our magic together? ''We can use some magic that affects the astral side as well, but...'' ''At the very least, it''s high level magic, so it''s very destructive. You might just blow this house to bits, okay?If that''s what you want, I''ll do it, but.... We''ll just have to wait and see. I wouldn''t want to tear the house down if I could. It could be a good base of operations and... Most importantly, we haven''t signed a contract yet, so we can''t be that selfish. Of course, if everyone is in harm''s way, I wouldn''t hesitate... For now, it seemed like it would be best to see what happened. ''''........'''' We all had our backs to each other and were alerted to our surroundings. Nina will take care of the fallen Kanade. Come on, if you''re coming, come on! It''s all set up over here. .... Vigilance...............................five minutes. ''Deteke! As always, the ghost''s sharp voice echoes, but.... Other than that, nothing much happens. "...Hey, Rain. What... what? I just wondered if that ghost has any way of attacking us.So all you can do is scare them out loud, or something? .... It''s a delicate air. "....So, Deteke........ Maybe, or maybe not, he was a figurehead. Seemingly upset, the ghost''s voice was trembling. ''''Huh.......I never thought I''d be this nervous dealing with a guy like this. "...hmm. I just hit my head a little bit and I think I''ll wake up soon... Oh, good. Okay, let''s just get this over with, shall we? Tania releases part of her transformation and reveals her wings. That is, it''s a signal that she''s serious and out to some extent. ''Hey, Tania?'' You know, it''s a pain in the ass to have to deal with people like that, isn''t it? I''m going to flush the whole house out. Tania inhaled a sigh of relief... And that''s a dragon breath stance! What? ''Let''s go, I''ll blow you all to pieces!My bracelets work on the astral side of things, so it doesn''t matter where you run or hide! ''Wahhhh, wahhhh!Wait, wait, wait a minute! A ghost jumped out of the wall. He seems to be very upset and his language is different. ''In that case, you just give up and go home, right?Why are you trying to blow it all together! Uh-huh, there you go. What? ''There''s no way I''m releasing a breath here. Rayne said no, not yet. That was just a bluff to get you out of here! Oh. Nina looked impressed and clapped her hands with a crackle. Behind her, Sora and Luna gave her a subtle look. Half of them were seriously going to blow the house down, weren''t they?.........and then he said. ''Sola, Luna!'' At any rate, we can''t let this opportunity pass us by. I send a signal to Sola and Luna. The two of them instantly sense my intentions and unleash their magic accordingly. ''''Sacred Seal! Light flooded from the palms of their hands. Curtains of light covered the floor, walls and ceiling. ''I''ve wrapped this room in wards. It is now impossible for them to escape to the astral side. "You can''t just walk through a wall. Ha-ha-ha, look at my power! Nice work, you two. I patted their heads and then turned to the ghosts. ''Well it''s nice to meet you, shall we say? Ggghhhhh... Can''t we just talk about it?Thank you. You don''t seem like a bad person or a bad ghost. I don''t think you would do anything to harm people for no reason. So, I''d like to talk to you... I''m going to take you. The ghosts were attacking me in a suicide attack. Probably planning to haunt my body. ''''Rain! Someone''s screaming. But don''t worry. You can''t go on a suicide mission like that. Halt! What? The ghost snapped to a stop in midair in response to my powerful words. ''Huh?Huh?How did it happen........what the hell is this!My body is giggling, it''s not moving. What did you do?The ghost glares at me as if to say, "I''m sorry. He doesn''t let up.......and yet, he smiles wryly. ''I''m a beast tamer. Yeah, what does that matter? So I had some skills with the Insect Tamer and I learned about the Phantom Tamer a long time ago back home. Phantom tamer. It''s one of the few professions where you can literally use a ghost as an emissary. I''ve traveled all over the place, but I''ve never seen one other than the uncle next door in my hometown. ''''Huh?We''re going to use our ghosts to........what, wait, are you serious? ''Seriously. Well, I just learned it, I didn''t master it... No....no...no...I can''t move! You''re different from most ghosts in that you have a distinct personality. If anything, you''re more like a human being. That''s why my words work. Wow there''s that thing again, Lane''s unbelievable ability. I''m surprised they even tamed a ghost... Yes, that''s Rain. You are indeed my master. I''m very proud of you. ...Oh. I don''t want you to look at me like I''m looking at a rare animal. ''''Ugh........Ugh, we''re youngsters with 30 years of ghost experience, but this is about.......! Stop. Whew! Twice, he ordered, and the ghost fell to the spot. But it still seemed to have some energy left. It is struggling to get away. Don''t move. Ugh...! Third time''s orders. This time it seemed to work and the ghost stopped moving. "Hands behind your back. You are forbidden to move. "You are forbidden to move and you are forbidden to do us any harm. Ugh, ugh.... The all-seeing ghost. Ugh, we''re losing. He nodded with a gulp and admitted defeat. I''ll give it up now just boil it or bake it or whatever. He wouldn''t do that. "Huh? Didn''t I say I wanted to talk to you? ...Is it true that...? ''I told you so.I''m not going to lie about that. ...You''re a strange person. Haha. The ghost looks radiant, as if a possession has literally fallen on him, and smiles a small smile. Do what you want. We''re losers. I''ll do whatever you guys say. 82-Episode 82: Home, Get I invited Natalie, who was outside, to join me in the living room to talk. "Let''s start off by introducing ourselves. My name is Lane Shroud. I''m an adventurer and my profession is Beast Tamer. The cat spirit tribe''s....canade...? A little while after that, Kanade woke up. The ghost has quieted down, but she''s still scared and clings to my back. ''I am Tania. I''m a proud dragonborn. Sola is Sola. I am Luna!Hmph, you can worship it, okay? Since it was in front of Natalie-san, the two of them hid their feathers with magic, as usual, and withheld their race names. ''''Well........Nina, that''s.......just in case, the god race.......'''' Nina bows with a bow. She is terrified, but she is able to greet them properly. My name is Natalie. I''m an employee of the Adventurers Guild and today I showed Mr. Lane and his friends around the house. After the introductions are complete, the ghost finally speaks up. My name is Tina Holley. A long time ago, I worked as a maid in another town, but she died in an accident thirty years ago. He has a peculiar way of speaking. He doesn''t look much different from us, but he''s been a ghost for 30 years and he''s been alive for 30 years, so.... Maybe it''s that gap that makes me feel older. ''Has Tina been here a long time?'' No, that''s not true. No, that''s not true. We''ve only lived here fairly recently. I''m not a land-locked spirit, so I don''t need to be tied down to any particular building. Ah.........could it be that there was an incident not long ago where a creepy figure appeared in the area.......was that the work of Mr. Holli? Well, well I guess you could say that. In response to Natalie''s question, Tina honestly admitted that she was the one who did it. Seeing the awkward look on her face, she may not have done it on purpose. The place where I used to live before was demolished. I was just wandering around looking for a new place to live. I didn''t want to scare you, but it''s unbearable. ''Well, I don''t mind that no damage was done but that''s not the issue of squatting in this house. Ugh. ''Let me guess, Tina, you''ve made this house your new home, haven''t you?Because of that, the value of the house has plummeted. No one would buy it, because it''s become a ghost house. I''m sorry about that, you know, and I''m sorry about that. Tina is very sorry for herself. The more we talk like this, the more human we feel. Ghosts don''t usually have an ego. It''s natural. They have no substance, and therefore no brain to think. It''s impossible for them to maintain a proper consciousness in such a state... but... Apparently, Tina seems to be a special kind of ghost. This way, she can talk normally, and her emotions of joy, anger, sadness and sorrow can be felt. Why does Tina have to be a ghost? I was curious about Tina''s background and asked such a question. ''Hmm?It''s not much of a story. Still, I''m curious to hear what you have to say. Well, I don''t mind. I owe Rayne a debt of gratitude for her help. Tina smiles at me. As I thought, it''s hard to believe she''s a ghost. As you can see, I was a maid 30 years ago working for a mansion and the owner of the mansion was a horrible man. The owner of the house was an extremely philandering, torture-loving pervert. It''s... We didn''t know anything about such things at that time. We didn''t know that we were working and working without knowing what we were doing and the Lord killed us. The conversation suddenly turned heavy. As the person who dumped the story, it''s quite awkward. However, Tina laughs pleasantly, as if she doesn''t care about such things. ''''Nah, don''t worry about it, Rain and the others. It was thirty years ago, and I don''t remember much about it. "Still I''m sorry. I had to remind you of something you didn''t like, didn''t I? I don''t care about that, okay?Really, I''ve forgotten most of it... and I''m a ghost, but I''m comfortable with this. Well that''s nice of you to say. You''re a strange guy.......bowing to a ghost. Really? Lane''s weird, isn''t he? That''s weird. Kanade and Tania followed suit. When I looked at them, Sora and Luna were also nodding yes. ''''Wow.....heh, not weird.......huh? Although Nina denied it, I felt like I was being taken care of, although she denied it. Am I weird...? I don''t suppose you''re a groundhog, Holli? Natalie-san listens with a scared face. After all, as an adventurer''s guild, they may not be able to leave Tina alone. It''s a problem to have a ghost living in the property we manage....... I''m sure he wants to do something about it. ''Right. I just drifted in here, so it''s not like I''m trapped in this building. So would you like to leave? Yeah. ''Because of Tina, no one has signed up for this property, right?The price is going to plummet, and the guild''s ability to manage the guild is in doubt... I''d like to claim for damages. We don''t have any money...? I know. So I won''t ask that question. But I can''t leave you alone any longer so please leave. Well I thought we''d found a nice place to shelter from the wind and rain, but... Apparently even ghosts need a home. Tina looked very annoyed that she might be kicked out. ''....Hey, Kanade. Gently, he calls out to Kanade on his back. ''''Nya...?'''' Are you afraid of Tina? Uh..... Somehow, he seems to have figured out what I wanted to say. Kanade lets out an indescribable voice. ''''I''m.......scared. I see. But ... I''m scared, but I think we might get along ... maybe. Thanks, Kanade. Mwah. Popping his head and patting his head, Kanade smiled as he calmed down. ''Natalie-san. I have a question for you...'''' Yes, what is it? ''Even if Tina walked away, would the value of this house ever be restored? Ugh ... that''s... They say the house on the hill is really haunted. Once a rumor like that takes hold, it''s pretty hard to dispel it. It would be even more difficult since a certain amount of people already know about it. Even if Tina walked away, there was no way to prove it. The house would be talked about as a haunted house for years to come. Natalie-san seemed to be aware of that, and her shoulders slumped disappointedly. ''''........It won''t go back to the way it was. Because once a rumor of being haunted comes along, it''s quite difficult to get rid of it. Yeah. ''But that doesn''t mean I''m going to let it go... maybe there will be some eccentric people who don''t mind a property like this. In case that''s the case, Tina-san needs to move out.... I''m looking for that guy over here. What? I want to buy this house. I don''t mind keeping Tina. Are you sure? Yeah? Natalie and Tina nodded their heads in unison. Their gestures were so similar that they almost laughed a little. ''That sounds like the best solution, don''t you think? Tina doesn''t want to leave the house she''s just found. Natalie wants to do something about the said property. Even if she turns Tina away, she doesn''t know if a contractor will show up. I can''t even raise the price. In that case, the best thing to do is for me to sign the contract and accept Tina as well. Natalie-san would not want to get rid of Tina if it weren''t for the guild''s ties to her. She cares about a lot of things, and I think she''s a kind person. ''''........'''' Running a hand over her chin, Natalie takes a gesture of thought. A bit as it is. Slightly, and then she lets out a giggle. ''Well apparently that''s for the best. Do we have a deal? Mr. Shroud, you are quite the smooth operator. You found the best place to put it all so easily. It''s just a coincidence. ''It''s not easy to accept ghosts along with them... but I guess I should say that''s impressive. Natalie held out the papers. ''Sign here. And can I pay you ten gold coins now? No problem. I did as I was told and signed it. Then I handed him ten gold coins. Yes, that concludes the contract. The house will be yours from now on. The treatment of Tina and her family will also be in your hands. I''ll see you later. Natalie bowed and left the house. She holds out her hand to Tina, who is pouting. So from now on, can we stay with you? Oh yes, of course!Originally, we had to leave... but I''m so grateful they left us there! Hey, nice to meet you...? Don''t go through walls and stuff, okay?Because it surprises me. Nice to meet you. Being a maid, does that mean you can cook?If you''d like, you can tell Sora about it. Nice to meet you!So ... you don''t have to teach Sora to cook, okay? Nice to meet you... Everyone says hello to each other and... Nice to meet you! Tina responded with a smile and took my hand. 83-Episode 83: Dining Together It was already dark, so we went back to the inn for the day. We signed a contract, but we didn''t clean it, so we couldn''t move in right away. And the next day. The next day, we all started cleaning the house in the morning. We cleaned the house from corner to corner with the force of not letting a single speck of dust escape. Finally, the furniture we bought in town was brought in and the move was complete. ''Oh!'' When Tina saw the house that looked completely different, she let out a voice that sounded impressed. I didn''t know this house was so beautiful. They settled here before we did and you didn''t know it? It''s hard to move things around because we were all alone..... That''s why I only do the minimum amount of cleaning. I see. It''s true, that kind of thing might be troublesome if you''re alone. From now on, we can all share the responsibility. You''re not alone. Well yeah! Smiling, Tina laughed. ---------- The first night in our new home. We all sat around the table and it was time to eat. ''You''ve kept me waiting!'' You did not see that tonight. Tina and Luna bring the food to the table. The two of them are the most confident in their cooking, so I left it up to them.... Oh, oh, oh, neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade''s eyes sparkled. I hope you can guess what kind of food the two of them made by their reaction. ''Looks amazingly delicious!Tina and Luna made this! Well, you know. "Mmm, the fruits of our labor! ''Wow, that''s amazing. It smells so good and it''s so appetizing! This morning, Kanade was freaked out by Tina... He wasn''t doing that now, and he was talking to me very openly. The power of appetite is great. Or is Kanade simple? ...I''m starting to feel like it''s both. ''What''s the matter, Rain?You''re not going to eat it?I didn''t let Thora get to you, so you can rest easy. Luna, what does that mean? Yeah, it''s a secret. Okay, let''s eat before it gets cold. You two, take a seat. Once Tina and Luna were seated, they clasped their hands together. They chanted, "Itadakimasu," and quickly reached for their rice. ''Ooh.'' For now, I sipped the soup in front of me. It had a strong vegetable flavor and a gentle taste to it. ''''Who made this soup?'''' Oh, that''s home. It''s really good. It''s soothing... I could drink it as much as I want. Oh, yeah?It''s embarrassing to hear you say that... eh... heh. You meat!Who has the meat! Kanade was sticky with sauce around his mouth. His ears twitched and his tail wagged as if to show he was in a good mood. It''s home, too. The key is to dip them in the secret sauce and take a long time to cook them. Oh, nyah!It''s so good! Ha, thank you. Well do you want another? Yes. Hey. Tina made a waving gesture and a plate of meat floated fluffily out of the empty kitchen, with the meat on it. Kanade shuddered, but his appetite seemed to win out over his fear, and he quickly reached for the meat and began to eat it with relish. He was a little worried about whether they would get along... From the looks of things, it should be okay. ''This salad is delicious. The dressing, I''ve never had it before... is this Luna? Mmm, my own special salad. What kind of stuff do you use? ''Well it''s mainly wild berries. I added some seasoning to them and arranged them to be easier to eat. Wow, you''re pretty handy. Our staple food is vegetables. If you ask me to make you a salad, there is no one who can do it better than me. On the other hand, I don''t like to cook meat. I don''t cook meat. Oh, I see. That''s the way it works. .... Suddenly, I noticed that Nina''s hands had stopped. ''What''s going on?'' ...Huh? Even if you don''t like it? ''Really?Mmm, don''t like it. You''ll never grow up to be as big as I am. I think Luna''s a bit small, sir. I don''t need Sora to tell me that. No, I mean, it''s not that, it''s just... uh... it''s weird. Nina speaks faintly, looking like she''s looking at something dazzling. ''It''s been such a fun... dinner... it''s been a really long time since I''ve had... it''s kind of weird...'' Not because I don''t want to. I''m happy I''m happy to have fun but it''s just so unrealistic because I''ve given up a lot of things before. ... I see. ''Oh, and I''m sorry ... I''m sorry ... I don''t know what I''m talking about ...'' You don''t have to apologize. ''Yes. Don''t let those things bother you. Sora, sitting next to her, gently hugged Nina. Nina''s tail twitches and wags. She seems to be delighted. ''Sometimes I think...'' What''s this about? I''m so happy to have met everyone... and I feel happy. I''m glad you met Nina, too, Thora. Me too! Me too! Likewise. Everyone talks about it. It hasn''t been that long since I met Nina. But time has nothing to do with it. We''ve been through so much together. I believe that we have a strong bond with each other. I know how Nina feels, and so does Sola. Is that...? ''In some ways, I thought Sora and Luna were similar to Nina. The part where Rain saved her and took her to the outside world. They''re the same. In more ways than one, we owe it to Rain. I''d be scared if I hadn''t met Rayne. Yeah, what the... Nina gets a real look on her face as she takes in their words. She is very calm. It''s a big difference from when we met. That Nina has come to smile so much........ I''m as happy as I am. ''''Well you know what, Rain,'''' Yeah? Uh, well... oh, thank you... With a slight stain on her cheeks, Nina flashed a smile. The first time I saw it, I was in the middle of the night.... Okay. So ... you know ... thank you. It''s Nina''s power. No I don''t think I would have made it if it wasn''t for Rain''s help and I''m very grateful to her. ...Thank you. You''re welcome. The straightforward gratitude directed at me... He was a little embarrassed. ''Rain ... and Sola, too, will show her appreciation. Me too. Up to two... ''I''m glad you''ve helped me, but also that you''ve brought Sola and the others into the fold. That''s how we got to know the outside world. If we had stayed in the forest, we would have remained dwarfed. Luna, please don''t tell me you''re a recluse. Isn''t it true? ''Anyway ... we are grateful. After hearing Nina''s story, Sola and the others just wanted to reiterate that... thank you. Thank you! "...Yeah. I''ve received both of your sentiments. I feel a bond between Nina ... and Sola and Luna. You can''t see it, but it was definitely there. "That''s a good story.......can we be like everyone else? I can make such a good meal, there''s nothing wrong with that... What evidence do you have for that? My instincts! It''s not appropriate! Then it''s intuition! I''m not going to change. Everyone laughed as Kanade and Tania talked to each other. The fun evening passed with a buzz... For a while, there was a smile on everyone''s face. 84-Episode 84: Thoughts of Sora and Luna They say the good times will pass quickly The meal with everyone was soon over. Sola went back to her assigned room with Luna. By the way, there is no bath. I''m not ready for it because we just finished moving in. I wiped myself with a steaming towel and that''s what I''ve had to do today. ''It''s good night, Sola. Good night, Luna. We exchanged greetings and lay down on the bed. Sola and Luna are in the same room. Rain told me that there are a lot of rooms, so it''s fine to have one room for each of us.... Sola had been with Luna since she was born. They have always been together. Is that why? It''s not that I don''t want to be in separate rooms, but I''m not comfortable unless we''re in the same room. It seems that Luna is the same, and she chose to stay with Sora. Oh dear, isn''t it? She''s still a little sister who can''t be separated from her sister. ''''........'''' I lay down, but the sleepiness did not come. I''ve been working on moving in the morning... I should be tired, but I''m not sleepy. ''....Rain........ The thing to think about is the master of Sola and the others. The person that Sola and the rest of the spirit race should have hated. That is the master of Sola and the others who made a contract with them. To be honest, I still don''t like humans. It''s not so much that I hate them, but........ When I was in the village of the spirit race, I heard so many bad stories about humans all the time. Because of that influence, it''s hard for me to like humans. In fact, there were some worthless humans, like the lord and his son. But Rain is different. He''s kind, and always thinks of Sora and the others....... I''m willing to hurt myself for Sola and the others. He''s not at all like the humans Sola knows. Could it be that Rain is not human? Rain was such a ''good person'' that he could think of such a stupid thing. ''''..........'''' Why is Rain so kind to me? Is it because of the influence you had when you were in the brave party? Or was it the influence of the earlier ... home of Rain? I don''t know, I don''t know... It occurs to me. Is Rayne kind to everyone? Or.........are they being nice because they are Sola and others? I was wondering about that for a moment. Considering Rain''s personality, it''s probably the former. It shouldn''t be that only Sola and the others are special. But. But still. If you think of Sola and the others as special, even if only a little....... That seemed like a very nice thing to do. ''....Huh? I wondered. Why is Sola so concerned about this and that, and about Rain? Because we''re the ones you''re supposed to be exploring with? .........maybe. It''s very natural to be concerned about your fellow man. It''s a natural thing. ''But.........'' I had a feeling it wasn''t just that. Without that kind of logic, I''m curious about Rain. Why is that? Thinking about Rain makes my heart pound, just a little bit. A strange feeling.... But it''s somewhat comforting. What is this...? ---------- What is this...? Something about a little murmur coming from the bed I keep on the other side of the room. It''s so small I can''t quite make out what they''re saying, but.... Hmm. I guess that wasn''t a bad thing to say about me. Well, that''s okay. Sola is Sola. I am. Let''s go to bed. I pull the covers over me and put my head on the pillow. I close my eyes and wait for the sleepiness to come to me... but. ''.........mmmmmm.... You can''t sleep. I''m feeling strangely lucid. At times like this, I think about things that make me sleepy. One sheep ... two sheep ... three sheep ... They''re so lumpy and cuddly, aren''t they? Huh! I thought about something completely unrelated. I must have forgotten how many of them I counted. d*mn, what an ordinary mistake I made. I had no choice, so I''d better think of something else. Other things, other things.... I wonder how Rain is doing? Suddenly, I thought of Rain. Why is that? Why Rain? The reason ... I don''t know. ... "Speaking of which... Sometimes, though, we wonder. Why can''t Rain rely on us more? We owe Lane a debt of gratitude. And we have a good opinion of her character. So we are willing to use our power for Rain''s sake. And yet, it seems that Rain does not like to put us in front of them. When the demon tribe showed up, he couldn''t say that, but.... When the lords were involved, they tended to do so. If we had our power, we could have blown up the entire pavilion and blown up the lords without going around. Now we have no chance to show off our power. Well, I have no taste for showing off my power. I have a feeling I''m going to have to show Rayne off. And get some praise! Mmmm. Do you think Rain could do with more help? Being cherished, well, it doesn''t feel so bad, but.... But that''s why it''s a little lonely. I want to help Rain. That''s why I want you to rely on me more. But I don''t want to get you in trouble, so I won''t do anything rash. Huh? I''m afraid I don''t know what I''m talking about. I''m confused. "...phew. He let out a breath and calmed himself down. ''And yet...'' Why would I want to help Rain? Because you owe them a favor? Is it because you like their personalities? Because you want a compliment? ........I''m not sure. It''s just... I want to do something for Rain. That''s what my heart is telling me to do. What kind of feeling is that? I don''t know, I don''t know what I''m feeling right now... 85-Episode 85: Ninas Thoughts .... In my room with the lights off, I stared up at the ceiling in a daze. The bed was soft and fluffy. Pillows that smelled of sunshine. ...It feels good, doesn''t it? The fact that I get my own room is an incredible luxury. Is it really okay...? I get a little freaked out. ''''Huh........'''' I''m getting sleepy. I felt drowsy. I closed my eyes softly. "...and... I''m sleepy, but I can''t seem to get to sleep. I wonder why...? Thinking and understanding. ''Is it because I''m alone...? Lately, I''ve been staying at an inn... We all slept in the same room together. It was crowded, but... But it was lively and fun. So maybe that''s why I''m lonely now. Maybe I''m alone and restless. "...So...why? I''ve been alone. Even when I was enshrined in the village And when the wrong people get to you... I''ve been alone for a long, long time. So why do I hate being alone now...? I don''t know, I don''t know... Curl up on the futon in a circle. I try to hug myself. When I was alone, I always slept like this. Maybe I was just soaking in my own warmth and masking my loneliness. I.........was I lonely........or was it? I''m not sure. A lot of things have happened, that kind of... I feel like I''ve become emotionally numb to it. Nope. Well, maybe it''s not that way. Rather than being numb, I guess I was........enduring, I guess. Because reality is hard for me........ I''ve retreated into my shell to escape. I''ve closed my mind. I have tried not to look at the scene in front of me. By doing so, I was protecting myself. ''But....'' Now you don''t have to........... "...Rain... Rain saved me. She brought me out of the darkness into a world full of light. I''m glad. Glad. Glad. I''m dumb, you know. I can''t really explain it, but I''m glad anyway. Rain saved me and... I met everyone. I felt as if I had finally regained my true form. It''s because of Rain........thanks, Rain....... It''s a strange feeling. When I say Rain''s name, my chest feels fluffy and warm. What is this...? It''s not a bad feeling. It''s more of a ... happy feeling? It feels like my body is floating in the air.... My heart is fuzzy. My heart is fluffy. This feeling ... it feels so good. I want to learn to cook.... Night. Luna and Tina cooked and ........ I started to think about that when I saw Rayne eating it like it was delicious. Nope. It doesn''t have to be a dish. It doesn''t matter what it is, as long as it makes Rayne happy. I want to do something for Rayne. I want to return the favor. Because Rain.... ...Huh? I stop thinking that much and stop thinking. Rain is....what is it? You''re important, Rain. You helped me through it. I''m really, really grateful. But ... why? It''s not just that it''s important, it''s something more than that...? ...hmmm... I''ll think about it, but I''m not sure. It''s just.... Thinking about Rain, I realized that not only did my heart feel warm, but I also felt a bit sad. What is this...? I don''t know how I feel about this...? ...Is it my imagination...? The squeezing sensation in my chest disappeared after a bit. What was it...? Strange. But..... I don''t mind, do you think...? Unfamiliar feelings. Feelings I don''t understand. But..... Now, I want to cherish this faintness. I think about that. ''....ahhhh.... It''s about time I started to get real sleepy. It''s late. I have to go to bed... I''ll miss you. I knew I''d be lonely alone. I''d rather be with you guys. I want to be with Rain. Hmm. I grabbed a pillow and got off the bed. As it is, I left the room and moved to Rain''s room. ...Rain? I knock on the door with a bang, but there''s no answer. When I opened the door, I found Rain sleeping comfortably on the bed. I put a pillow next to Rain and climb into bed. I spin around and curl up. Hmm.........Rain, warm....... I felt like I could sleep comfortably with this. I quietly closed my eyes. Good night. 86-Episode 86: New Adventure I woke up to the chirping of birds and the morning sun streaming in through the window. ...an unfamiliar ceiling. I see. Come to think of it, I moved in yesterday. It may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I''m the lord of a castle. My cheeks almost loosen up. However, I can''t keep getting carried away, can I? I must continue to work hard to maintain this life. ''''Hm?'''' What''s that warm feeling next to you? I wondered and looked over.... Soooooooooo.... ...What? Nina was curled up, curled up in a ball, breathing peacefully in her sleep. Huh?Huh? Why is Nina here...? Nina remains comfortably asleep, without regard to my confusion. Her ears are twitching occasionally. A smile on her face. Is she having a good dream? "...did you miss being alone? Nina is still a child. Besides, she had been attacked by a human, and had been badly hurt. With all that experience, it was lonely to be alone and maybe she just snuck out to me. ''Oi, Nina.'' ....................... Rise and shine. ...Hi.... I shake my shoulders lightly, but Nina won''t wake up. Is she weak in the morning? I don''t like it. If someone sees this place, they might get the wrong idea... ''Rain, hey!It''s morning! With a bang, the door opened and Kanade entered cheerfully. ''''Ah.'''' What? Seeing Nina sleeping with him, Kanade froze in place. ........It''s going to be a noisy morning today. ''''Nyaaaaaaah! Kanade''s unfamiliar screams echoed throughout the house. ---------- On the way out of the house to the Adventurer''s Guild.... Meow.... Kanade''s needle-like stare pierces me. ''Really, nothing happened?'' No. Really, really? Really, really. The real, the real truth? There''s no end to it. I get doubted over and over again. Am I that untrustworthy...? I feel a bit depressed. ''Okay, Nina?A girl shouldn''t sleep with a man so easily, you know, so easily. Do you understand? In the back, Tania was lecturing Nina about not sleeping with her. ''Uh...and...how...?'' That''s because Nina''s a pretty girl. And men are animals. Rain....human...? Well, that''s not what I meant... I was so lonely last night....did I do something bad...?Sorry, sir.... ''Oh, no it''s not Nina''s fault, is it?Well, I mean, how should I put it... Just because Nina doesn''t have any bad intentions, Tania doesn''t seem to know what to do either. ''''I didn''t expect to find an unexpected ambush soldier in a place like this...'''' This is a tricky one. Would it help if Sora and the others snuck in? ''Wait. Isn''t it not fresh to use the same hand?I think we should use our own original hands here. I see. Luna is very reliable in times like these. ''Hahahahaha, I''m sure you do!.... hmm?Wait. The way you talk about it, it sounds like my normal self is unreliable, doesn''t it? I care about it too much. Yeah. Well, you can have it. Sola and Luna were talking about something I didn''t understand. It seemed that Nina''s snuggling was having a stranger effect on them all than I thought it would. ''Hey, hey, Rain,'' Yeah? Can I sleep with Lane next time? No, of course not. Well, why is that?Nina would have slept with you. ''Nina is a child, right?Kanade is a grown man now. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade gave Nina a look of envy, which she didn''t understand, a look of envy. Nina didn''t understand what it meant, and she was pouting. While she was doing that, she arrived at the Adventurer''s Guild. With the rise to C-rank, there might be more requests to be undertaken. Besides, I haven''t been working properly as an adventurer lately because of all the things that have happened. I guess I came to the guild to fulfill my original role. By the way, Tina''s been away for a while. Since she''s a ghost, she can''t go out during the day. She looked disappointed, but there''s nothing I can do about it, so I''m sorry, but please bear with me. ''Hello.'' Oh, Mr. Shroud. Everybody else, welcome. When I walked in, Natalie greeted me with a smile. ''How are you doing today?'' I was thinking of taking on a commission... do you have any suggestions? Well ... hmmm. Natalie pulled a file from the shelf and flipped through the papers. ''Shroud-san just got a C-grade, but Kanade and Tania are here, and if it''s mostly... well, how about this?'' Smugglers caught? Not long ago, there was an incident where some of the animals listed as protected were brought into town. So we did some research, and it seems that there are people hunting and capturing these animals, which are listed as protected species. ''I see. But isn''t that what the Order is for? ''''Originally, that''s true, but it seems that the Order is short on manpower at the moment. If it''s a case that puts people in danger, they will take care of it, but if it''s a protected animal, they don''t have the time to devote to it... ''Uh....'' Just the other day, we, the rest of us, beat out most of the group members. Stella said that a replacement knight would be sent from King''s Landing....... It would take some time, and it probably hasn''t come yet. Even if it had been replenished, it would be a mess for the time being. It would be difficult to move quickly. I can assure you that we did the best we could right then and there, but.... Still, I''d be lying if I said I didn''t feel responsible. Besides, as a Beast Tamer, it''s a bit hard to overlook the fact that animals that are designated as protected are being harmed. ''All right. Then I''ll take on this request. ''Thank you. Well, I''ll just go through the process. Natalie popped the paperwork and stamped it. Then she hands me a form with information about this case. ''Speaking of which, what''s the reward?'' ''Kusu, are you going to ask that at the end?Mr. Shroud is somewhat out of it. Don''t make fun of me. The reward is 200 pieces of silver. Furthermore, for every trafficker you catch, you will receive 10 pieces of silver. And for every trafficker you catch, you get 50 more. It was a pretty tasty request. If it works, I might be able to earn about 300 silver coins. I just bought a house, so this is great. ''I''m sure Mr. Shroud won''t have any problems but take care of yourself. Thank you. As I left the reception area, everyone who had been watching the situation from a distance came over. ''Rain, Rain. What request did you take on?All-you-can-eat fish? How could anyone ask for that? How greedy can you get, Kanade? Nah I haven''t eaten any fish I''m going to come down with a fish deficiency. It''s a job like the Order. Hmm, animal trafficking... and Nina''s gonna be the first to go after you. Huh? Don''t make those threats. "Fugui. He knocked Luna''s head on the knuckles and spanked her. ''I''m going to head into the field right away... what''s the problem?'' No! Kanade replied cheerfully.... and everyone else nodded to follow suit. It''s been a long time since I''ve had an adventure. I was a little excited. 87-Episode 87: New Weapon Dealing with traffickers means that there is an extremely high likelihood of a battle. We have to prepare for that. So, I came to the armor shop in Ganz. ''''Hello.'''' Oh, it''s you. When I entered the store, I closed the book Ganz was reading with a snap. ''''Nya ... are you free?'''' Haha, you''re a very articulate little girl. You don''t have any time to spare. We''re taking a break. ''You''re taking a break and you''re reading a book?That would make me even more tired, wouldn''t it? That''s just Kanade. Oh, my God! Tania''s tsukkomi and Kanade is gawking!He gave me a look like this. My work is all about moving my body," he said. I have to use my brain from time to time, or I''ll get rusty. So what''s the matter with you today? I thought you might be armed by now. Oh, that''s right. It''s ready. Ganz tucked the book away on a shelf and disappeared into the back of the store once. Often he waited. Ganz came back with a dagger in his hand. Here, this is my masterpiece that I made for Rayne. He handed me the dagger. He pulled it out of its scabbard and checked the blade. What kind of metal is it made of? The blade was flaming red and the blade was slightly warped. ''''It''s beautiful I can''t help but admire it. ''My sister must have a dangerous taste for fawning over a blade. ''Does Luna want to embarrass Sora?'' Mmm! Well then, it''s war. No fighting... no fighting? The sisters glaring at each other were being admonished by Nina. It''s a rather common sight these days. They can''t seem to continue fighting in front of Nina, so they settle the contradiction. They seem to think that it''s bad for education or something like that, just in case. ''''Hmm?'''' While checking the dagger, he found something odd. There was something unfamiliar on the hilt. ''''Is this........the trigger?'''' Is it a switch of some kind? The trigger is installed on the hilt. Is there some kind of mechanism that makes the blade pop out when the trigger is pulled? Ganz, what is this? Hmmm... that''s the fruit of my research. You mean like a blade ejection? Hmph. I''m not that naive. If so, what''s the point? I look at him curiously, and Gantz smirks. It''s a look that says he''s dying to explain. This is the part of you that''s like a child. Maybe it''s the stubborn, therefore single-minded, juvenile part of him that''s still there. ''Explain it to me, please.'' Okay. It seems that he was waiting for those words, and Ganz happily began to explain. This is a weapon made exclusively for Rain. Even if someone else had it in their hands, it would not be able to show its true value. My own...? Lane''s a beast tamer, and he uses the strongest of them all, the little girls. That''s what I noticed. The dagger is capable of storing the power of the young ladies. And by doing so, it can create tremendous destructive power. ''This dagger has our power?Nya, that''s amazing. I can''t believe you could make something like that. ''But can we really do that?From the looks of it, it looks a bit like a strange dagger. Is that a detriment to my masterpiece? ''It''s not like that, but you didn''t actually try it, did you?You worry about whether it''s really going to work. What Tania says is also fair. If it were to go off in the middle of an actual battle, it would be all over the place. "Do you mind if I give it a try? All right, follow me. Ganz disappears into the back of the store. I followed him outside and reached the back of the store. The back of the store was a little square. A target made of wood had been set up, and it looks like a test slaying is taking place here. ''''First of all........'''' Image of a virtual enemy. Hold the dagger and swing it from right to left. Next, from left to top. Finally, strike from top to bottom. Turn the dagger around and stow it in its scabbard. ''Oooh, Rain, that''s cool!'' Snap, snap.... Kanade and Nina''s cheering makes me a little embarrassed. ''Hmm.'' The dagger is quite comfortable to use. It feels more comfortable in my hand than any other dagger I''ve ever held in my hand. And it''s not too heavy or too light, just the right amount of salt. ''''Phew!'''' I lightly slashed at the wood of the target. The tree was cut in two along the trajectory of the blade. ''''The sharpness is fine........'''' This one is fine for normal use. Or rather, I can''t complain about it. It''s the best dagger I''ve ever known. If there''s one thing that bothers me... It''s probably the gimmick that Ganz was talking about, after all. Putting the power of the strongest species on the dagger. How effective would it be? ''I''d like to use the gimmick Gantz was talking about, how do I do it?'' He called out to Gantz, who was watching the test slash, "It''s easy to use. It''s easy to use. First of all, anyone can join hands with the missus. A hand? He said he was going to add strength to it, so... Is it like holding hands to share your power or something like that? Well..... ""Yes!!!" ...Yes, yes... Can someone help me with this? As I turned to say this, everyone raised their hands in unison. ''I was the first to raise my hand! What are you talking about? I know what I''m talking about! ''All you need for an experiment is the ability to observe things dispassionately. Sola is the best person for the job. I am the most useful to you! I''d like to help Lane. There is a bee and a spark between everyone. Everyone looks at me in unison and asks. ''''Who are you going to choose?'''' "...er, uh... Why am I so motivated to do this...? It''s just an experiment... ''Uh ... well then, Nina. Please. Oh yeah! I chose Nina as my partner in a safe place. Although everyone else looked frustrated, they couldn''t complain about Nina and didn''t do anything odd. For some reason, my tone became strangely coy, and Nina took my hand in hers. When I squeezed back, Nina''s three tails twitched. What''s the matter with her? I''m not doing anything crazy, just holding your hand... Well so what can I do about it? You can try pulling the trigger in that situation. How''s that? When you pull the trigger.... I felt something flowing in from my linked hands. At the same time, the blade of the dagger shines. ''''This is........'''' Now! Huh! At Ganz''s cue, I reflexively move my body. I let go of Nina''s hand and hold my dagger. Stepping into the ground as if to kick the ground, she faces the target and charges. He swings the shining dagger down in one fell swoop! Gosh, gahhhh!!!! ...and the target, which was made of wood, shattered into pieces. Oh, come on. What a destructive force this is too much bullshit. Nope. Since we''re borrowing the power of the most powerful species, is this normal? Hmm, it looks like the experiment is working. It''s a success because... What''s the matter with you? I don''t have any use for it, but I have no complaints. I wish it was gone, but it''s not. If we were to fight the demon race again we would need this power at that time. The odds are probably low, but it''s better to be prepared. The name of that weapon is ''Kamui''! Thank you. I''ll take good care of it. Thus, I got a new weapon. 88-Episode 88: Double Booking Once I got my gear in place, I headed out of the city to complete my request. We moved straight into the forest. According to the information Natalie had told me beforehand, the traffickers are over-hunting the forest animals, mainly the animals in the forest. According to the information we witnessed, the horn wolf, which is designated as a protected species, is being targeted. The horn wolf, as its name suggests, is a member of the wolf family. As an adult, they grow magnificent horns. Although they are wolves, they are a relatively docile species, and as long as they don''t attack people, they won''t be attacked. Hornwolf horns are easy to process. Their fur is also of high quality, and they were targeted by many humans in the past. Because of this, their population has declined so much that they are now a protected species. Once they are designated as protected, they are banned from hunting. If you hunt the horn wolf, you will be penalized, or worse, imprisoned. So it seemed that the hornwolf was safe, but.... People are constantly thinking bad things about the world. Because of the increased scarcity, the horn wolf''s horns and fur have become more valuable... Poachers began to appear, looking for a quick buck. Good luck and I''ll protect the Hornwolf! I''ll do my best... Kanade and Nina were full of motivation. Aside from Kanade, it''s rare that even Nina is motivated. That''s a good thing, but..... He''s a quiet kid, so it was hard to see him get into a situation where he could get into it. ''Oddly motivated, isn''t she?'' Of course I do. Kanade replied with a huff and a puff of enthusiasm. ''''To us cat spirit race, animals like hornwolves are like relatives in a way. If they''re in trouble, we have to help them. I''m the same way. I see. The cat spirit race and the god race are very close to the beast race. They must feel an affinity for Hornwolf. ''''In that case, let''s punish the criminals exactly for not doing anything stupid again. When Tania says it, it sounds like it means something else. It''s disgusting. What do you mean? What do you mean by that? ''Absentmindedly, Thora agreed a little...'' You know... Enough chatter. He clapped his hands with a pang and turned everyone''s attention to us. ''From here on out, it''s Hornwolf territory. There might be poachers somewhere. Let''s try to be as quiet as possible and keep it as quiet as possible. Yes! Keep your voice down. "Oh, shit! I look at Kanade and think about that. Oh well. I''m good at exploring. We can tame multiple small animals and scatter them around. Alternatively, you can assimilate the small birds and search for them from above. "Rain, Rain! As I''m trying to figure out which way to go, Kanade gets a serious look on his face and tugs at my clothes with a squeak. ''I think I can feel people,'' What? From over there... two, maybe?I hear footsteps approaching. I''m sure Kanade''s ears are sure, so I''m sure of it. Did you run into poachers all of a sudden? Everyone get ready for battle. Take a warning stance. Nina also seemed to plan to fight on her own this time, and she was prepared. I''m a little worried but.......well, if it''s against a normal person, it won''t be a problem. Nina is a child, but she''s the strongest species. ''Whoa, what is it?'' Who are you people? A pair of men, a warrior-looking man and a wizard-looking man, appeared in the bushes. They seem to be on guard, but I can''t sense any hostility. They don''t seem to be poachers. I signaled to everyone to let down their guard and stepped forward with my hand. ''I''m Rain, and I''m an adventurer. Everyone here is one of mine. You''re a competitor. Does that mean there are two of them? Oh. I am the warrior ogre. And this is my partner, the wizard Kreuz. He''s a C-rated wizard, by the way. Who are you? I''m a C. What?Seriously? ''''Hmmm ... you don''t sound like you''re lying, but for someone like you to be a C-grade I''m surprised. ''''d*mn it, what does the guild think of giving this kid a C grade?If you do this, people will think the quality of the adventurers has deteriorated, right? "Mwah! At the pair''s words, Kanade''s temples twitched. ........No, it''s not just Kanade. Tania, Sola, and Luna too. Even Nina had a sullen look on her face. ''''........do you want to have a shot?'''' I''ll grant you permission. ...Wait, wait, wait. Adventurers can''t tussle with each other. "...or rather, these people don''t know about Rain. ''''What do you mean you don''t know Lane after all he''s done?Isn''t that strange? ...just came from somewhere else, maybe? What''s that, what''s up with the whispering? Yeah, well, it''s nothing. By the way, have you two been to Horizon recently? ''Yes. Because when you get to our level, we travel all over the place. Nyanka. Nina''s right. "I mean....look closely, are you a cat spirit race?Your kids are of the dragon race and even have a god race? I see. I see. If the strongest species is your friend, I can understand why it''s a C-rank. ''No!Rain got a C-rank with Rain''s power! To tell you the truth, my master is many, many times, well, dozens of times better than you. Oh? Aug let out a sullen voice at Kanade and Tania''s rebuttal. I shouldn''t do it. I''m glad you''re all so angry for me, but.... But I''m not going to fight with other adventurers for no reason. There''s nothing like being humiliated by me. ''Well are you two in the middle of a request too? I asked such a question to divert the conversation. ''Hmm?Yeah, well. ''We''ve been asked to capture the poachers in these woods,'' What? Hey, hey, Rain. That''s the same request we''re making...? ''What?What the hell is that? Actually.... I told him we''d been doing the same thing. Oh, jeez. We''re in different parties and we do the same job? Have you been double-booked? Requests to adventurers basically do not overlap. If more than one adventurer accepts a single request, it is easy to get into disputes over achievement conditions and distribution of rewards, so this is avoided. However, when it comes to defeating a monster with immense power, there are times when requests are sent to multiple parties... This case is different. Since we''re only catching poachers, we should only be able to take on one party. ''Who did you guys ask to broker the request? Natalie, but... ''Uh we''re different people. Maybe the guild made a mistake. It happens sometimes, these things happen. I see. So you can go home. What? I don''t remember ever agreeing to give up a request or agreeing to give up a request, even though they can make up their own mind. In this kind of situation, isn''t the first thing we should discuss? And yet, I would be pissed off if I was sent away as if I were in the way. We''re not leaving. I mean, why don''t you guys just go home? We''ll do our best, so... Kanade and the others seemed to have the same impression, and they returned the words with a miffed look. ''''You know ... did you say Rain?How long have you been an adventurer? Lane''s been gone a month, right? Kanade spoke up for me. ''What, it''s only been a month? And you got a C-rank you''re completely dependent on your friends. Do you mind?We''ve been adventurers for a few years now. We are your seniors, so to speak. It''s only natural to step back for your seniors, isn''t it? ''Such unfamiliar athletic theories won''t convince Sora and the others. ''Why should I respect an adventurer who has only been around for a few years?I mean, I''ve been ranked C in a month or so, so Rain is better than me. Isn''t it you guys who are retiring? You little... At Sola and Luna''s rebuttal, Aug turned vicious. It might be useless to say it, but I don''t want to piss these two off too much. They don''t realize it because they''re hiding their wings, but they''re both the most powerful species. Luna in particular has a lot of flirtatious personalities, so if you really piss her off, you''ll get in a lot of trouble. ''''Then why don''t we do this?'''' Kreutz, who is relatively calm, offers an alternative. ''Neither of us is willing to give up on this request. In that case, we''ll have to compete. You mean, the sooner we get there, the better. Yes, I suppose so. I thought that would be the easiest way to understand. Well, you''re right. There''s no way we''re going to lose to you, though. It''s an understandable provocation, so there''s nothing to get mad about. More importantly, what do we do about it? If you''re a C-ranked adventurer, you''re pretty experienced. Considering that it''s only a party of two people, they must be skilled. Even if we leave it to these two, I think we can carry out the request without any problems. Just......... I''m a man. It''s a little annoying to be told what to do all the time. "Okay, fine. That''s all right. It''s settled. And you''re okay with that, Aug? Yeah, sure. I''m not gonna let this little brat beat me. The most powerful species in the world are only women and children. They don''t have the skills necessary to be an adventurer. So now, we are competitors for the same commission. Let''s compete fairly and squarely. Well, as a handicap, you guys can play any trick you want. You can interrupt us, if you want, okay?I would advise you that if you can do it.... With a generous smile, Aug and Kreuz disappeared into the forest again. ''''Fushar...!They''re disgusting! Leave him alone. The weaker the dog, the more likely he is to bark. ''And yet ... well said, Rain!I''ve learned to appreciate it. ''''That''s right. Since it''s Rain, I thought there was a possibility of handing over the request to those two to avoid a conflict... I just didn''t think it would be wise to go on and on. Mmm, that''s the spirit! Good luck.........let''s look back....... I have such dependable friends. With you guys, I''m not going to let those two beat me. All right, let''s do this. Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! 89-Episode 89: Lets Find Poachers Aug and Kreutz are veteran adventurers who go by the nickname ''Blade of the Gale''. Despite being a small party of two people, they have accomplished numerous requests with little to no failure. They have traveled to many places without settling in one place. He had a lot of experience and knowledge. Although he was now a C-rank, he could be comparable to a B-rank, couldn''t he?That being said. That''s true, and if they take the promotion test, there''s a high probability they''ll climb to a B grade. The only reason they didn''t is because they simply didn''t have the time and timing. The duo of Aug and Kreuz were, without a doubt, two adventurers who could be called veterans. They had steadily climbed to their current position without experiencing any setbacks until now. They understand that this is due to their own abilities. Hence, they have a lot of pride. Only a month after becoming an adventurer, a child - from the point of view of the Augs - has risen to the same C rank as us. If you listen to the story carefully, he didn''t do it on his own. It''s because of the fellowship of the strongest species. Aren''t they cheating? I can''t help but think about that. "You gotta knock some sense into a brat like that, you know. Yes. ''A month to get to the C rating we''ve spent years getting to?There''s no way that''s possible. The power of the most powerful species will do that to you. ''We don''t like the idea of more people like that, either. It might make us feel that the quality of our adventurers has diminished. Yeah. I''m not gonna accept that. I don''t mean to sound harsh, but I guess we''ll just have to teach you about reality. Haha, she''s gonna cry. Or you could just retire. That''s all right. If you were to show the difference between a top-notch job and a forgery like ours, you''d lose your mind. Shall I show the world what a real adventurer looks like? Aug and Kreutz laugh, but they don''t seem to notice. Which one of them is more naive than the other. ---------- Come on, come on, Rain!We need to catch the poachers as soon as possible. Kanade gingerly pulled my hand away. ''Oh, calm down. You may be in a hurry, but does Kanade know where the poachers are? Oh. You have no idea. Nah I just didn''t want to let them win. Kanade..... Nyght? Nina''s non-offensive words stabbed into Kanade''s chest. ''You have a tendency to go in line when you make assumptions, don''t you? I suggest you act a little more calmly and intelligently. ''I know you don''t want Luna to tell you this, but...'' I''m always thinking and acting in depth, aren''t I? "Soudesne. ''What''s the answer to that barb? Come on. Calm down. The conversation keeps getting sidetracked. They all have such lively personalities. I''m not going to let them beat me, either. Hmmm Rain, that''s unusually uninspiring. How can you not feel bad about that? I''ll do it when I have to. That''s what''s so cool about it, isn''t it? Yeah? Hey, it''s nothing. Really?If that''s okay then let''s get started. Meow?What? Of course we''re looking for poachers. I made a tentative agreement with a rabbit that passed by. I asked for a companion and also made tentative agreements with dozens of rabbits. ''Rabbits ... a lot ...'' Nina had a twinkle in her eye. Does she like rabbits? Kids like cute things, you know. Okay, go. At my signal, the rabbits scatter in unison. I''ve never seen it before, so I''m surprised. If you''re this surprised, you''re going to be even more surprised down the road? ''Don''t make people sound like a surprise box. But you''re not afraid to let the rabbits find it?I wonder if you can tell the killer from the people involved? Tania''s question is a fair one. The orders I gave the rabbit are simple: ''Find people and tell them where they are. There are other people in this forest besides us, the two guys from earlier. Some of them will still be here for a normal hunt. The rabbit doesn''t have the ability to distinguish between those people and the poachers. Or rather, it''s impossible to give such complicated orders. First of all, I don''t know what a poacher looks like either. As it is now, it''s hard to find the poachers. So we''re going to make one more move. I''ll take care of that. What are you going to do? "When you find a person, you remotely assimilate the rabbit. Then we''ll determine if the person we find is a poacher or not. We''ll have to check each one of them individually, but this will be a sure thing. Naturally. ''''I mean, how could you assimilate remotely...?I''ve never heard of such a thing before, but... Hmm?We can do this with no problem, okay?Didn''t I tell you that? I''m not listening to you! Rain....amazing, you know... It happens so many times, you know. I''m sure it will happen again and again in the future. You shouldn''t be surprised every time you hear something like this. Hmmm. So, people, below. ''So I think we''re going to be assimilating in rapid succession, so please be vigilant about your surroundings, just in case. I love you. By the way, I''ve got a question for you. Yeah? Is there something I haven''t explained to you? Wondering, Tania asks an unexpected question. ''Rain is able to assimilate with the person she signed a contract with, right? Yeah? So you''ll be able to assimilate us too? What? ''Oh, if you ask me, I might be able to do that...'' ''Rain''s assimilation of Sora and the others... it''s kind of...'' ... um, you''re embarrassing me. Everyone blushes, as if they are imagining something strange. I wave my hands to the side in a hurry. ''No, no, no, no. I can''t do that.'' But.... ''''The only ones who can assimilate are small animals like rabbits, because they can''t, or rather can''t, deal with someone who has a proper ego. And even if you could do that, how could you take on everyone? Well, that''s just as well. Tania laughs, looking convinced. ''If he had the guts, Rain would be doing something about us by now. Nyaha, Lane can''t do that! Do they trust you? Or is he being belittled for not having the guts? It''s a delicate decision. Anyway. You''ll keep a lookout. If they react, you''ll have to assimilate the rabbit. I''ll take care of it. Rain is not going to be able to lay a finger on you. Hmmm... I''ll do my best. ''Whoa ... while I was saying that, I got a quick reaction. Then I asked for it! I''ll be safe with everyone else. I sat down on a nearby rocky area and slowly closed my eyes. ''''.........'''' When I opened my eyes again, my gaze was fixed on the ground-threshold......low. It must be the perspective of a rabbit. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the pair of adventurers who had separated earlier. They seemed to have reacted to these two. It''s an outlier this time. Next. ---------- After several rounds of assimilation with the rabbit, you search for the poachers. Adventurers, hunters, merchants... I found all sorts of people, but the all-important poachers were gone. Are they not in the forest now? Or did I miss it? When I became slightly impatient... What? As he assimilated another rabbit, he found a group of suspicious men. The four men had bows and arrows and demolition knives in their hands. If that was all they were doing, it would seem that they were just hunting... They were after the Hornwolf. There''s no doubt about it. These are the poachers. 90-Episode 90: Captured I found the poachers. I''m going to de-assimilate them immediately and get back to the others. We''ve got him! Whew! The Kanade jumped up and turned its tail upside down. ''What-what-what!What the hell?! Oh my God, I''m sorry. Did I scare you? You scared the hell out of me!You''re coming back, too suddenly! He was really surprised. Kanade was lightly teary-eyed. Come to think of it, when cats are startled, they have an amazing reaction.... Maybe the cat spirit race is the same way. ''''I was in a hurry, I''m sorry.'''' No, I don''t care about that. What do you mean, you were in a hurry? I found some poachers, and they were just chasing a hornwolf. Then we have to hurry!Location. It''s about a mile northeast of here. One kilo?Let''s go! Kanade ran out and.... Kanade, I''m stuck! What? You go to the southwest! I knew that, didn''t I? You''re lying. You''re lying. Sora and Luna tsked calmly, and Kanade sweated profusely. He looked away awkwardly... Let''s go! Pretending that nothing had happened, Kanade ran off, this time to the northeast. We can''t take it easy either. Let''s hurry! "Yeah. Sola and her friends will be flying in with Nina. Running is such a hassle. Fly! Sora and Luna fly through the air with Nina in their arms by magic. They''re probably faster that way than they are running. I run alongside Tania through the forest. I have to plow through a completely unmaintained area, so I can''t get my speed up. ''''Oh my God, we have to hurry.......Rain, can we burn this area down?'''' It''s not a good idea! Oh, it''s just too much work! Tania is fussy about every single idea. However, it''s also true that we may not be able to make it in time. To hurry..... Tania, we''re going in the air. I can fly. What about Rain?Do I have to carry him? I''ll be fine! Jumping on tree branches and leaping. Jumping from branch to branch to gain distance. ''You''re so crafty!'' Tania let out an admiring, dumbfounded sound as she put out her wings and flew through the air. ''I see it!'' Out of the corner of my eye, I see a quartet of men. And beyond that, a lone hornwolf. It seems to have decided that it can''t take on the group of four men and is running away from the men. Only, its body was wounded and bleeding. Right now, we have to prioritize the safety of the hornwolf over the capture of the poachers! Boost! I cast an ability-enhancing spell on myself. My body becomes as light as a feather. I kicked the tree trunk and leapt with all my might. Ejected like a cannonball........ It lands between the poachers and the hornwolf. At that moment, the poachers release their arrows. Three in all. I stand as a wall of hornwolves.... He grabbed two arrows in the air to stop them, and kicked the rest off. ''''Wha...? The sudden intruder startled the poachers and caused a stir among them. ''Do it!'' Surprisingly, the poachers quickly regained their composure and got back on their feet. Seemingly recognizing me as an enemy, they took up their bows and arrows again and.... Boom! What? Suddenly, there was an explosion and the poachers were blown up. Each of them was knocked to the ground and passed out. ''''Oh my goodness, is it over?'''' Tania came down from the sky, wings buzzing. Oh, right. So that was Tania''s fireball. As expected, they didn''t seem to be on alert for the sky, and the poachers seemed to have been hit by Tania''s blow in a decent way. It seems to have been taken care of, and the poachers'' wounds are superficial. However, a fireball exploded at close range. They won''t be able to move for a while. ''''Hm?Is it all over now? I guess we won''t be getting any help from Sora and the others. Somewhat late, Sora and the others arrived. They released their magic and landed softly on the ground. ''By the way, where''s Kanade?'' ''Come to think of it, he''s not here...?She was supposed to have gone first...? Have you taken a wrong turn, sir? It''s possible. I was even trying to run off in the opposite direction at first. "Nyan? ........What a rude thought, a rustling bush sounded and Kanade emerged from it. ''''Kanade. What are you doing in a place like that? ''Of course we had the wrong person. See? Kanade has brought a man I''ve never seen before. He seems to be unconscious and slumped. He''s dressed like the poachers, so he must be one of them. Where did this guy come from? ''I found him at the camp down the road. He attacked me out of nowhere, so I punched him anyway! Ahem, Kanade is proud of his chest. ''If possible, I''d like you to check the facts a little more before you act. ''Is it base camp?If that''s the case, then that guy''s just staying put. Either way, good job. "Ehehehe, Rayne tells me I''m doing great. Hey, Lane. I''m the one who shot up a bunch of poachers. ''Yeah. And thanks to Tania, too. Thank you. Yeah, yeah. You just have to know, if you know. "Sola, Luna. Can you use your magic to capture these guys? I understand. Hmm. Leave it to me. Well, we got the poachers out of the way. Now all that''s left to do is.... Grrrrrr...! The wounded hornwolf bared its fangs and let out a low growl. Maybe it decided that it couldn''t escape. It glared at us as if it was going to take a shot at us. ''Whoa, whoa. It''s not. We''re not the enemy, okay? Gawd! What? Kanade tries to talk him out of it, but Hornwolf keeps threatening. Oh no. I want to treat him for his injuries, but it''s difficult to do so with his condition. I need you to calm down somehow, but..... I''ll be fine. Nina slowly walks up to the Hornwolf. ''Nina!It''s not safe. ''Yes!Gulp, you''ll get bitten! Tania and Kanade panicked, but Nina didn''t stop walking. ''It''s okay......................... Don''t be scared, it''s fine........ Guh.... We''re not gonna do anything because we''re good kids, okay? .... Little by little, the hornwolf is getting meeker and meeker. Well that''s just great. Are they using magic? No, no.... That''s what it was about. Nina''s kindness must have gotten through to Hornwolf. ''''Hmm.......good. Cunn.... Nina patted the Hornwolf on the head. The hornwolf spilled out a spoiled squeal and got down on the spot. Confirming this, Nina turned around. ''''With this........this girl''s treatment, can we.......? Oh, yeah it''s not a problem. Good.... Nina smiles. ''It''s kind of ... Nina sounds more like a Beast Tamer. Don''t tell me... I was a little bit of a frustrated me. 91-Episode 91: Where is the victory or defeat? "Heels. I used my magic to heal Hornwolf''s wounds. Fortunately, I should say, there were no deep wounds, and I was able to heal them with my heels. But what if I had a deeper wound? What if he''s been poisoned or something? It might have been difficult at the time. Maybe I don''t have enough healing magicians in my party. Sola and Luna are good at attack magic, so it''s not easy. ''''Okay, it''s over.'''' On! As I healed my injuries, the hornwolf chirped cheerfully. As it was, it rubbed its head against us. ''''Oh?All right. On! Nina''s not the only one who''s missed you. I think she understands that Rain is a good person. It would be nice to know that. He stroked Hornwolf''s head and his eyes narrowed pleasantly. Honestly, it''s cute. I want to keep it together, even take it home. However, this guy has his own life. Besides, it''s hard to keep an animal that is designated as protected. Too bad we have to give it up. See you later. Take care of yourself. ...on! The hornwolf looks back at us once.... Then he ran deeper into the forest. ''....Be well, dear. Nina waved her hand in the air. ''So I guess it''s all over now. Yeah. Now all we have to do is hand these guys over to the guild. "Hmm. What''s going on, Luna? I feel like I''m forgetting something. Yeah? We got the hornwolf to safety. We got the poachers. Was there anything else I should have done? That explosion, it was coming from around here. It could be a clue to the poachers. From deep in the forest, Aug and Kreuz emerged. ''Ah.'' Kanade gave me a look that said. Everyone.................I''ll get a similar look. Which of us can capture the poachers first? I was just about to compete with these two, I remember. It was rather unimportant, so I had forgotten all about it. ''''Hmph, you''re late! If they were poachers, we''d have caught them. Kanade and Tania are beating their chests. They should have forgotten about the game too... As soon as I remembered, I got good at it. ''What, are you saying you guys got him? ''Nonsense. There''s no way he''s getting ahead of us. That was rather easy, wasn''t it? Look at all these people lying around. Now, take a good look. Tania told me to check out the poacher who had been left unconscious by Ogg. ''''Well it sure looks like a poacher,'''' What kind of trick did you use?It''s not something we would normally do, such as catching poachers before we did. ''What?Isn''t it just a difference in skill? Gulp. To Tania, who said plainly, Kreuz pulled a face. As if to follow up, Kanade makes a scowl. ''''Hmmm, I guess we''ve won this game! You''ll give the job to us, just like you promised. ''Gghhhhh...'' ''''I don''t think that''s acceptable. Cat? ''It''s not normal for them to find the poachers before us. There is no way that we would lose to a newcomer who has only been adventuring for a month or so. You must have used some kind of trick, don''t you? ''Yes, that''s right. Actually, we already had the poacher''s location and then he offered us a game. Didn''t you? No.... What are they talking about, these two? Of course, there is no such thing as a fact that they knew the location of the poachers in advance. In the first place, it was Aug and Kreutz who wanted to take the fight to the poachers. You can''t do that because you have to plant something in advance. You just want to complain? No, no.... Do they not want to admit they lost? This game is off. Is that clear? I hope you''ll refrain from doing anything that would disgrace the name of the adventurers. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. You remind me of some brave man. You''re not making any sense. However, the other party is an adventurer as well. We can''t just use our powers and.......what should we do? Uh ... for now, why don''t we put the matter of the request on hold for now? What did you say? ''Are you going to try to cover it up by saying that? ''No,'' he said. It''s time to play the game again, isn''t it? I looked at the sky and saw that the sun was starting to set. Apparently it was taking longer than I expected. ''It''s going to take us a long time to get back to the city, even with the prisoners in tow. We''d better get ready for the encampment today, wouldn''t we? That''s, well ... yeah. Apparently there''s a base camp nearby that''s used by poachers. I''ll take advantage of it. We''ll get back to you tomorrow to discuss the request. ...All right. I understand. Oh, good. They''re okay with that for now. "We''ll get the prisoners out of here. You two want to check out the camp? What, are you gonna tell us what to do? ''It''s just a suggestion. The poachers have the numbers, and it''s easier for us to do it with more people, right?It doesn''t mean anything. "...Org. This is......... Well yes. Something about Aug and Kreuz made meaningful eye contact. What were they thinking? I hope you''re not thinking of something nonsensical I have a subtle bad feeling about this. My intuition in these situations is a rather good one. I hope it''s just my imagination, but what happens? ---------- Aug and Kreuz moved to the base camp used by the poachers. Multiple tents were arranged in an open space in the forest. Apart from that, a prison with a pulley. I suppose they are used to keep their prey in captivity. How about that one? There''s nothing to it. Maybe there were poachers lurking around, working separately. They determine that, and search the base camp. As a result, they come to the conclusion that there is no one there. ''We thought there was something in there, but to think there''s nothing like this...'' It''s a bit of a letdown, isn''t it? Well, it''s good that it''s easy. More than that... The question is, what''s the request? Aug and Kreutz were both reluctant to go together. The request was intercepted by a newcomer who had been an adventurer for less than a month. He was dealt a cowardly hand. It was unforgivable. As a veteran adventurer, I won''t feel good if I don''t show him the right way to be. ........In fact, what they''re thinking is completely off the mark. There doesn''t seem to be any chance of them realizing that. ''What do we do?If we don''t, they''re going to take the commission away from us. ''Well...'' That''s bullshit... you''re a hundred years too young to make a request in front of us. He needs to be made to understand that. Well I have an idea for one thing. Oh, that''s my boy. What kind of moves? ''It''s simple. We''ll just have to accomplish the request first. Yeah?What''s that supposed to mean? I mean.... Aug and Kreutz discussed the future with each other. Although the content of the discussion is nothing more than what I would call ''cowardice''....... They never doubt that it is the right thing to do and that they are the righteous ones. 92-Episode 92: Ninas Power I tied the poachers'' hands and feet and made them chew the blindfold and gag just in case they might use their magic. With that in mind, we moved to the base camp that the poachers were using. We tamed a bear we met on the way there and asked him to carry our captives... I threw the poachers together in a suitable tent and threw them in. It may be a little rough treatment, but they are criminals. There''s no need to be more concerned about them than necessary. Besides, it wouldn''t be a problem for a day or so. Well. Now that we''ve got the poachers out of the way, we need to get ready to make camp. "How''s it going over there, Kanade? Yeah. No problem, I think it works just fine. He called out to Kanade, who was examining the tent. Kanade peeked out of the tent''s entrance and responded with a smirk. I didn''t expect to cross the date, so I didn''t bring my tent with me. It''s bulky. So I''m glad to be able to use the poachers'' tent. ''Well, Org and Kreutz...?'' "Those two would have said, ''You guys can use this place. We''re going to camp a little farther away,'' and then they''d go away. Is that so? I didn''t expect it. On the other hand, I was at least prepared to be told that we had to leave... You''ve been paying attention to us by being a senior? It''s impossible. That''s impossible. ''Yes. I thought Tania was right. They must be thinking of something trivial, like ingratiating themselves or something. People have a lot to say about it. Well, I can''t speak for others because I have a close opinion. People who are that high-handed don''t change their attitude that often. It''s better to think that there''s some kind of a plan. That''s true........yes. It''s better to remain vigilant. ''Tania. Where did you say Aug and Kreuz would be camped? ''Hmmm, it''s not important, so I overheard it...'' It''s not far from here. They''re going to camp by the river fifty yards to the north. I see. Then..... We still have a tentative contract with the bears we met along the way. I have him waiting at the entrance to the base camp. We will move to that bear and give him new orders. ''Let me know if anyone approaches the tent we''re using at night. I''m asking you to do it. Guow! The bear barked as if to say, "I''ll take care of it. ''''Huh?'''' Nina shivers in response to the bear''s cry. Nina is much stronger than the bear, but..... He''s still a kid, I guess. I giggle a little bit. ''On!'' In the meantime, apart from the bears, the pack of wild dogs that I had made a tentative agreement with returned. They each had a tree branch in their mouths. I had them gather them up to make a fire. ''''........'''' The next thing I knew, Nina was staring at me. ''What''s going on?'' Rain it''s amazing. I don''t know how many animals I can tame, but I don''t know that I can... As far as I''m concerned, it''s pretty obvious. It''s not. Kanade and Tania''s voices overlap. ''''Hmm... by the way, is Rain''s skill as a tamer the same as it was before?'''' Yeah?Well I feel like I''m improving these days compared to what I used to do. The time it takes to sign a contract is getting shorter, and I feel like our numbers are up. I see. ''Luna, what about it?'' No, what. I was just wondering. I was wondering if Rayne''s extraordinary tamer abilities are anything like those of the heroes I''ve heard about. "To the power of the brave?What do you mean by that? ''Don''t ask so much. It''s just an idea. I just thought it sounded like you. My power as a beast tamer becomes the power of a brave man...? If you ask me, I don''t feel like it... It''s probably just my imagination. ''''Hmm, my instincts have never been off...'''' I''d like to prepare some food. Meow, food. Nina, please. ... hmmm. Nina reached for nothing... The space shakes like a mirage and the tip of my hand disappears. ''''Let''s see ... first the vegetables ... then the meat ... then the spices ...'''' When I pulled out my hand, I found vegetables, meat and spices in Nina''s hand. It''s an ability that Nina of the God Race has, ''Subspace Storage''. She can store things in subspace and take them out at any time. Nina is still a child, so she can only store one meal, but........ That''s still enough. It helps a lot not to have to get local supplies. I had them prepared just in case, and it was a great decision. ''''Hmm...?'''' Suddenly, Kanade stared at Nina. ''How ... what''s going on?'' Does that mean I get to come inside? ''What?So, Kanade, you''re the kind of guy who likes to do that. What kind of a hobby is this? It''s a mystery... Well I can get in there, okay?The creature can be stored, too. ''Oooh, great!Hey, hey, can I try to get in there for a minute?Maybe there''s room for me now? I have, but I don''t think it''s a good idea, okay? "Nyanka? Inside, it''s dark and there''s no sound and you can''t move and you''re scared to death. I can''t move in the dark, no sound... Wouldn''t that be called a seal...? Kanade''s ears droop as he seems to have been frightened by the same imagination, and his ears droop in a huff. ''''I knew I shouldn''t...'''' Hmmm. But then again, Nina is amazing. Whew! I patted Nina''s head with a pomp, and her body shook with a twitch. Had I startled you? As I tried to take my hand away, Nina followed. ''....pet me. Are you sure? Hmmm. Nina nodded her head in a persistent way, so I just stroked her head. What do you mean by me being amazing.........? Isn''t it amazing that you can use that kind of power for someone so small? ''Well, I guess...?It''s so obvious....I don''t know, I don''t know... ''I think it''s great too, right?We, the Cat Spirit Clan, can''t be that dexterous. I can''t do that either, you know. Sora and the others can do similar magic, but it''s a degraded version. ''Hmm. It''s no match for Nina''s original home, subspace storage. "Uh, uh uh... huh. When they all praised each other''s mouths, Nina slumped down in embarrassment. She just seemed to be happy, and her three tails were wagging restlessly. It was kind of adorable. ''Well. I''ll make you some food in a minute, just wait and see. Let me help you with that. Then Sora will... Sister. Don''t do that. It''s not food, it''s poison. ''I''ve been wondering for a while now, what kind of food does Sora make...?'' ''''I''m interested ... but I''m afraid to try it, maybe...'''' ''What do you all think Sola''s cooking is! I heard Sola''s angry voice and... Everyone laughed as he continued. ---------- Goooooooo! What? Night. We finished our meals, went into our respective tents and slept.... Suddenly, there was a sharp roar and he jumped up. Is that...? That''s the sound of the bear I tamed. That means we have an intruder. I set it up just in case, but who, where, and who would be in this place? ........no, I''ll think about it later. I hurriedly put on my gear and ran out of the tent. 93-Episode 93: Adventurers Foolery Lane! Thank God you''re okay. Everyone seemed to be awake too and jumped out of the tent. Kanade, Tania, Sora, Luna and Nina, they''re all here. ''''........shy.......'''' ...although Nina was half asleep. Oh, well, that''s okay. I''m glad to see that everyone is okay for now. ''Guffaw.'' The bear I was taming approached us. He is somewhat proud of himself, perhaps because he has faithfully accomplished the orders he was given. ''Good, good, good job,'' Guffaw. Which way do the intruders go? Guh! The bear pointed in the direction of the south. South?There''s nothing special about the south...? After a short walk, you''d only have to walk a short distance to reach the city and nothing else. However, there is no way the bear is lying. Bears don''t have the intelligence to deceive people, and there''s no reason to deceive them. What does that mean? Lane, come here! Tania? With some impatience, Tania called me to her. We moved as we were told, and we found ourselves in the tent where we had thrown our captives. ''Look,'' I looked inside as I was told................................and the prisoner I was supposed to have captured was gone. Instead, a cut rope had fallen off. I don''t know how they did it, but they got away. We have to go after them now! .... Lane? Aren''t you crazy to be on the run?First of all, there are few ropes that have fallen. They had tied both arms and legs together, so if I untied them all, there would be a lot more rope left. Besides, how did he get out of that situation?Not without outside help. That''s ... but you''re not actually running away, are you? Well, I guess... There''s a lot I don''t understand but.... The prisoners have escaped, that''s a given. If we don''t go after them quickly, we''ll fail the request. I walk out of the tent and join the others. ''Rain, what''s going on?'' The prisoners have escaped. Cat? "Sola, Luna. Can you use magic to track down the escaped prisoners? ''If they''re close enough we can find them, but if they''ve already escaped far enough away, it''s difficult. We have a fixed effective range. I''m gonna do it anyway. Material Search! Luna cast a spell and.... After a bit, he shook his head. ''Oh?Did you get a reaction? Are you sure? Hmm. That''s about as close as we''re going to get. That''s about 500 meters south of here. There are multiple magical reactions. You''re closer than I thought. It''s easy to catch up now! Good. Kanade and Tania, follow me. Sola, Luna and Nina, call Aug and Kreuz. Are you going to contact those two? Can''t we just leave it alone? That''s not going to happen. If we ignore him here, he might make it difficult for us again and we might have to help him out. Nya ... if that''s what Lane says. ''It''s Rain. About that - those two are camped by the river, fifty yards to the north, aren''t they? Yeah? He''s not responding. What? There''s no sign of those two. There''s no one to the north right now. The only reaction from people is from the south. What does that mean...? Did you abandon your request? If that''s the case........ Do you... Suddenly, it hit me. Luna. Can you check your magical reactions again?However, now I want to know a more accurate number of people. Can you do it? Hmmm, who do you think I am?It''s the most powerful species. It''s a piece of cake!Show the Lord my great power.... "Material Search. ''Oh!It''s my turn! ''Luna has a long front end. You have seven magical reactions. At last! I have a bad feeling, and I can''t help but click my tongue. ''Rain, Rain. What do you mean? It''s Ogg and Kreuz. Meow?What''s wrong with those two? Two of them helped the prisoner escape. What? ''No, to be precise, you''ve taken him out. I''m going to take him into town and take the credit for it. Sola said there were seven magical reactions. But the poachers we caught were five. That''s two more. And ... there''s no sign of Aug and Kreuz. Their timing was perfect, as a prisoner who should not have escaped has escaped. It would be the first thing to see that the two of them were involved. ''How dare you intercept someone''s prey.......! ''It''s not fair!I won''t be happy unless you punish him! They''re right. There''s no way I''m letting you get away with this. We''ll get him! I was just about to run off and... Wait a minute. He closed his eyes and searched for signs of his surroundings. Skipping more thought waves, he sought out what he wanted. We made a tentative agreement with an insect. As if following us, a fluffy light ball appeared. ...beautiful. Neeee... what''s that? It''s a luminescent insect that glows at night. It''s dark, so we use it for light. I mean, we need the light, but don''t we need to have this thing with us so they can find us? They have a prisoner. I don''t think they can speed up our escape just because they know we''re here. That''s not a problem. In fact, maybe we can put some pressure on them by showing them that we''re coming after them. Okay, that''s true. All right, let''s go. On cue, they plunged into the forest. It was dark in the forest at night, and with the leaves of the trees blocking the moonlight, visibility would have been quite poor under normal conditions. However, thanks to the luminescent insects, our surroundings were moderately well lit. We could see our feet and the light reached about three meters around us. Full force.........not quite, but we were still able to run at some speed. Thanks to that, we were able to catch up with Aug and Kreutz soon after. ''''Rain, I''ve found it!Eight o''clock! He moved his gaze quickly at Kanade''s words. Multiple figures could be seen moving in the darkness of the night. The one standing in the lead is Aug. The one standing in the back is Kreuz. The two men were carrying a prisoner we had captured. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the world. As I suspected, these two were involved! ''Kanade, Tania! Go around in front of them and stop them!I''m going to put it in from behind. Yes, sir! Let''s get this over with. Kanade and Tania picked up speed and circled around from side to side, respectively. That''s as good as it gets. When the two of them get serious, there''s no way I can catch up with them. ''''From here on out........'''' Roadblock! What? In no time at all, Kanade and Tania were around in front of Aug and Kreuz. When they stopped to show off their presence, Aug, who was walking at the front, let out an upsetting voice. ''''d*mn, I can''t believe they''ve already found us... if it comes to this, we''ll do it, Aug! Oh, yeah, I can''t let these kids win. Aug and Kreuz held their swords and wands at the ready, respectively. Apparently, there is not the slightest hint of the idea of surrendering quietly. Well, they will. If they''re not going to fight back, they''re not going to take the credit for it in the first place. Well, this is the moment of truth. We can''t let these people beat us in any way. 94-Episode 94: Showdown ''Kanade, come with me to the two of you!Tania''s got the poachers, once again.Sola and Luna are on perimeter alert!Nina, help Tania! I''m going to need to get to the point where I can give you some quick instructions and... Everyone nodded lightly and flew to their posts. ''Let''s go, Kanade! It''s the Wheel of Fortune! I ran with Kanade. As we moved, Aug swung his sword at us. It''s a sharp, quick blow. As expected, the name of the C-rank is not an honorable one. I''ve fought Arios, and I''ve fought demons. Those experiences have raised my skill level. It''s not like I''m going to be hit by a mere adventurer''s attack now. Twisting my body, I avoided the blade with plenty of time to spare. The ensuing barrage of blows is also passed over as I try to get down on the spot. The sword of an augur bites the tip of your hair with a chirp. It''s not a bad idea.Be quiet! Yes, I''ll be quiet. That''s not going to happen! I ducked under the sword of the ogre and my fist.... Windcutter! As if to fill the gap in the augmentation, Kreuz''s magic was released. A blade of wind flies towards us, cutting away the branches of the trees. It''s a brilliant support that makes up for the gap in my partner''s life. It''s a trick that was made possible because I''ve been a partner for many years. But Aug isn''t the only one who has a partner to rely on. ''''Nyan! Kanade jumped forward to defend me. On the spot, I shake my fist with all my might. BOOM!!! A tremendous sound resounded, as if a giant iron ball had passed through. At the same time, a shockwave was generated. The shockwave created by Kanade''s superspeed fist canceled out and counteracted the wind blade. ''''Wha...!S-, how could you prevent my magic in such a way...? Hmmm, I''m not going to let Rain lift a finger! Thanks, Kanade. You''re welcome! Let''s keep this thing going, we''re gonna roll it out in one fell swoop. Roger! This time we both charged in. I''ll start on the right. Kanade from the left. I ran in an arc, sandwiching Aug and Kreuz from left and right. "You kids! "Don''t lick us!Flare Arrow! Aug throws a knife. Kreuz fires a flaming arrow at each of them. There''s no need to avoid these things. Narkami''s special mechanism is activated. He ejected the needle and knocked off every single throwing knife. ''Unya, nyah! Kanade picked up a reasonable stone and threw it at the flaming arrow. A stiff ball strikes through the flaming arrows. Kanade is of the cat spirit race, and although he is weak in magic... But that doesn''t mean he''s weak enough to manage with such intermediate magic. Really, it''s a dependable companion. Now......... That''s it! Me and Kanade''s fists caught Ogg and Kreuz. A blow to the abdomen, respectively. My strengthened fist and the cat spirit tribe''s blow. There''s no way they could endure it, and Aug and Kreutz fell to their knees on the spot. ''''Oh, it can''t be.......aside from the cat spirit clan, what the hell is this man''s power......?'''' ''Hmmm, Rain is strong, right?I''m so many times more awesome than you guys are! Why would Kanade be so good at this? Well, it''s okay. It''s kind of nice to feel like you''re being complimented. "Hey, don''t do that...!Paralyzed Shock! Uh-oh! As if it were a last badge of honor, Kreutz chanted his magic. Something like white plant ivy tangled around our legs. With a prick, I felt as if I had been pricked by a needle. ''''Nyah, nyah nyah nyah...! Kanade shows off his wobbly and strange movements. You can''t show it off, or rather, you can''t do anything other than do so... I can''t move, I can''t feel my body, I can''t move at all! ''Kukku you''ve let your guard down. Now you guys won''t be able to move properly for an hour. Don''t worry. We''re the same adventurers, we won''t do anything barbaric like killing you. But we''ll let you stay here for a while. In the meantime, we''ll take the poachers to the guild... ''Oh I''m sorry I''m talking like I''m good at it, but that''s just not possible. What? Seeing me moving normally, especially unchanged, Kreutz made a surprised expression. ''''How is it possible to move........!Surely, the magic must have been activated! Sorry about that. That stuff doesn''t work for me. Thanks to the contract with Luna, I now have the ability to ''completely nullify the status quo''. It''s only preventing instant death magic. There''s no way paralysis would work. ''''Bah, that''s ridiculous........High resistance to state abnormalities?No, there''s no way a normal human being could have such a thing.........and if so, an item?Could it be that you saw this coming...? Well, I guess that''s the way it goes. There is no need to bother revealing our hand. Since it seems to be a misunderstanding, I didn''t have to correct him and left it at that. ''''Guh........!There''s no way I''m going to lose to these kids! Kreutz seems to have lost his mind, but it seems that Aug is not giving up. He was hit so hard in the abdomen that he would normally be unable to move... With spunk and guts, he forced himself to move. He got up to leap up and swing his sword. Being a C-rank, it''s a sharp blow. Furthermore, me and Kanade were caught off guard that we wouldn''t be able to move anymore, and we were caught off guard. Normally, it would be a must-kill blow. ........normally. ''I''m numb, but I can move at least this much...........................Unyan! What? Kanade''s fist bounced off Aug''s blade. It would be an unbelievable sight from the Org''s point of view. It caught him completely off guard. It was unnoticed. And yet, he was played. The attack was blocked. It''s not like Kanade knew he was caught by surprise. Me and Aug both thought that Kanade couldn''t move anymore. And yet, Kanade prevented Aug''s attack. Why? The answer is awfully simple. Kanade noticed Aug''s attack and acted immediately. With reflexes and superhuman speed unthinkable for an ordinary person, he blocked the orgue''s attack. The power of the Kanade is in a realm that ordinary humans could never reach. After witnessing this, it seems that Aug did not intend to resist any further. He slumps down with the sword in his hand and nods his head. ''''However, we can''t just leave it like this, can we? He took the wire out of Narkami and tied up Aug and Kreuz so they couldn''t move. ''Well, guys...'' Rain, I''m back. Tania came in with Nina. I can''t see the poachers but...? Oh, those guys?I made sure you couldn''t escape, so you can rest easy. What kind of rope did you use to hold him? ''I wouldn''t get into that kind of trouble. I threatened him with another fireball if he tried to escape and he went quiet in one shot. ''Oh...'' If you say that, the poachers will have no choice but to be quiet. Tania''s fireball is so powerful... I don''t think I''ll ever want to taste anything like that again. Also, thanks to Nina. Nina? ''I''m going to show off my subspace storage and throw anyone who doesn''t quiet down into this one. I wouldn''t do that... We''re bluffing. We''re bluffing. But it worked so well. Hmmm. Few would disobey being told that they would be thrown into a sub-space they didn''t understand. ''I''m back.'' You kept me waiting. Sora and Luna, who had been wary of their surroundings, also returned. ''What''s the matter?'' No, nothing. If I had to guess, I''d say that all the animals in the forest are drawn to it. We''ve drawn some demons as well, but we''ve fought them off. Thanks. You two have given me a lot of peace of mind to focus on the fight. "Humph, praise me. Stroke me if you like. Luna!You don''t want to get carried away too soon. The air of calm returns, as if to signal the end of the conflict. Well now we are going to find out why we did this.It''s interrogation time. 95-Episode 95: Interrogation Well. It would be inefficient to take them all back to camp again. I mean, it''s a pain in the ass. I was able to get some sleep so.... Let''s just take them to town. But first, we need to do something. We need to find out more about the poachers and who they''re dealing with. Because crushing their business partners is part of this request. Be that as it may. I''d like to talk to Aug and Kreuz as well. Aug and Kreuz have completely lost the will to fight. I''m trying to keep them stuck, so I''m not worried about them but.... As expected, I can''t just leave them unguarded. "Sora, Luna. And.........Nina. Can you keep an eye on these two? Mmm, I suppose I should take it easy? No, no, I didn''t say that. What, no? You''re going to make me regret my mocking of Sola and her friends. Are we going to do something painful? I don''t want you to sound like a villain. You''ve misunderstood Nina. ''Well, I''ve got a question for you. I stand in front of Aug and Kreuz. Then everyone was alerted to what was going to happen. Very dependable. Let''s feel safe and let''s get on with it. ''Why did you do this stupid thing? .... ''Did you feel bad about losing to us?Or was it your pride as a senior that didn''t allow it? .... Answer me. Depending on your answer, I will consider releasing you from your restraints. But if you won''t speak, I''ll just turn you in to the guild with the poachers. Neeeeee........Lane, are you mad about something? You''re unusually tense, aren''t you? Well to say I''m mad at you is an understatement. The double-booking of the request led to a game being played. And we won. And yet, Aug and Kreuz broke their promise and tried to take the credit for it. That in itself doesn''t bother me so much. Although somewhat annoying......... Dismay prevails over anger, and I don''t have much to say about it. If I had to think about it, I would say that I don''t want to be on the same level as these two. ''''Rain, you''re an adult! I''d roast the whole thing myself if I were you. ''But then what are you angry about?'' The answer is simple. That the request might fail. I was very angry about that. Let me assure you, I don''t care about the adventurer''s loss of fame. I''m not really interested in that area. It''s not that I''m not at all interested in gaining fame, but.... As long as I have a group of people I can count on, I''m good with that. I digress. Anyway, all I care about is that the request will fail. In this case, it''s about getting the poacher off the hook. And if it fails? You won''t get paid. In some cases, you''ll pay a penalty. That''s a minor issue. The main problem is that I can''t stop the hornwolf from overfishing, and that''s not going to stop me. My mistake.... And what if the request fails due to a rather worst-case scenario, such as a fight between your people, and you can''t stop the hornwolf from overfishing? I can''t even look at it. ''I see.......Rain was worried about the Hornwolf. ''Normally, I''d be concerned about the success or failure of a request... but in a way, it''s probably typical of Rain. Lane, that''s very sweet... Totally. The goody-two-shoes approach. Well I''m not afraid of that. I may be naive, but... But people are smiling. As long as everyone understands, that''s fine. ''Beautiful....'' It''s all very pretty, isn''t it? In fact, it will save the Hornwolf. I''m such a sweetheart and I''m going to... Aug spat out a grudge. Although Kreutz didn''t say anything, but seeing the way he was glaring at us, his heart must be the same as Aug''s. ''''So... why did you do this?'''' ...there''s no way they''ll recognize us. It''s just a one-month-old rookie. There''s no way we''re going to lose to him. ''It''s not a fair request for you guys. It''s a no-brainer for us to take over. You know.... Whoever catches the poachers first wins. I thought we had a deal with them. When he loses, he complains and tries to take sides. He seems to have no pride in being an adventurer. Even now, it''s as if he has no remorse for what he''s done... I can''t just let him go scot-free like this. If we don''t get this sort of thing right, it might have repercussions in the future. I''ll let the guild know what happened. Guilds sometimes intercede in disputes between adventurers. Double bookings like this one are rare, but... It is not so uncommon, apparently, for other factors to cause disputes between adventurers. If adventurers fight with each other, not only will their requests become unattainable, but also their trust in the people around them will fall. The guild''s authority would also fall as it was unable to manage adventurers properly. As a result, the guild will not receive any more requests, and adventurers will lose their jobs, and so on. To prevent this from happening, the guild prohibits quarrels between adventurers. Even if a dispute does break out, killing each other is taboo. The situation must be reported to the guild. The guild will then make a fair decision. By doing so, the guild manages and guides the adventurers. It is hard to imagine that the guild would make an unfair decision here. Aug and Kreuz will be punished appropriately. ''''d*mn you ... remember that. I will never forget this humiliation. I''m over it. These people are not even worth remembering. My attitude made them both angry more and more, but they didn''t deal with it. That seemed to hurt their self-esteem badly, and their faces contorted. This much would be good medicine. ''So, Sola and Luna. Nina, you take care of the rest. You do the rest. We''ll go talk to the poachers. Mm, let him do it! I left Aug and Kreuz to the three of them and went to the poachers, who were blocked from moving a short distance away. ''You''ve kept me waiting,'' .... ''I''ve decided to take you guys straight to the guild. Then you''ll be handed over to the Knights. .... But before you do, I need to ask you something. It''s about the people you''re dealing with. .... ''Where were you taking your catch?Who were you dealing with? .... The poachers are silent. They won''t even make eye contact. It''s quite a painful experience. Neeeeee........... ''''Kanade''s shot is too powerful...'''' Do you want me to do it for you? Tania''s pretty intense too... Now, what''s going on? I''m not very good at interrogation or anything like that. I mean, I''ve never done it. I could scare the hell out of them, but how do I break the hearts of these poachers... Guh! Yeah? A thump, a powerful tap on my shoulder. That and a thick, wild cry. I turned around and saw a bear. ''Whoa!'' Meow! What? Enemy! ''Oh no, wait!It''s not, it''s fine. This is the bear I was taming. You know, I left him tamed and didn''t release him from his temporary contract. I guess they came after us for new orders. However, there are no new orders. We''re going back to town now, so we don''t need you to take our stuff. I''m going to terminate my temporary contract here and... wait? ...that could be useful. I chuckle and look at the poachers. "By the way, I''m a beast tamer, which is a quick change of subject. And ... this bear I''m taming right now. The poachers'' faces change. I think they understand my point. ''You know what?Bears are incredibly powerful, you know?People''s bones are so easy to break. If you were hit or bitten, it would hurt a lot. What...? ''What happens if I cancel my provisional contract here?They''ll probably be the first to come at you guys who can''t move...well, that''s just as well. If you won''t tell me anything, we can just leave it here, right? No problem, right? Well, no, I mean... Well what do you think? I smiled at the poachers again. ''Rain, you''re an ogre but I wouldn''t have done that to you. The devil''s tamer. Hey there. Stop adding weird titles. 96-Episode 96: Dark Merchant Tran Zipek. He is a merchant based in the city of Horizon. He deals in a wide range of products from household goods to foodstuffs, and his business is spread out all over the place. He has a business acumen and a lot of luck. It is said that he is famous among merchants as a man who built up a fortune in a single generation and developed the trade association. ''''...This is all the information on the man with whom he is said to be dealing. Back in the city, we handed Aug, Kreuz, and the poachers over to the guild and.... Then, as we ate our meals at the inn, we sorted out the information. ''''That Trang, that person, Amuhahm, is the mastermind behind this request, poof, isn''t he? Do you have to talk or eat? "Snapping! You choose to eat.... Well, that''s just like Kanade. "If we know who he''s doing business with, don''t we have any business with him?You''ll leave the rest to the Order, won''t you? It doesn''t work that way, does it? Why?Don''t tell me they''re throwing money around again like they did with the Lords or something? That''s not true. It''s Stella who''s in command of the current Order. It''s unlikely that Stella would be involved in any kind of wrongdoing. ''''Normally, an audit of the Order would be conducted based on the testimonies of the poachers, but....... Oh, I see. Sola says, looking like she''s had a flash of inspiration. ''You''re short-handed, aren''t you?'' Sola, you''re right. Mmm, what does that mean? ''Due to the recent events, the Order has been greatly depleted. And we haven''t been able to replenish them yet. Oh, I see. I''ve been working on a case here and there, Tran?And that means you won''t be able to get around until you check out the bad merchants. Luna was right. Most of the knights of the Horizon Branch were dismissed and imprisoned due to the recent incident. I heard that they are requesting the King''s Capital to replenish their ranks, but.... The hole that''s been left out is so big that it''s not that easy to fill, apparently. It''s going to take at least another month to replenish it, apparently. Because of that, the Knights are apparently not functioning properly due to a shortage of hands. The cases have been prioritized and........ The investigation into the alleged poaching allegations regarding Trang is a low priority, as it is not something that will harm the people of the city right now. I''m pretty sure that''s what Stella told me earlier. ''Stella, you had a look on your face that said, "I''m sorry. ''I understand the situation the Knights are in, so I don''t blame them for it...'' Still, it would feel like it was your responsibility. That''s the knight named Stella Emplace. So.........is it our turn to be in charge? That''s what I mean. The current Adventurer''s Guild is taking on half of the work that would normally be handled by the Knights'' Guild. Otherwise, the city would cease to function. ''''The request ahead will end when we catch the poachers and get the word out about Trang. There''s nothing wrong with pulling up here. But as far as I''m concerned, I want to get Trang. I''ll increase my commission fee. Nah Tania is so obnoxious. What? If you''re going to have it, you should have it. The more money you get, the better your meal will be. Dinner!I agree with you. Really, Kanade is easy to understand. He chuckled along with Tania. ''It might be a bit risky, but... what does everyone else think?'' ''Sola agrees. Let''s give the rogue merchants the justice they deserve. "Humph, I have no disagreement with you, my Lord.Leave it all to me. I agree with you. The bad part is that we have to do something about it... from the root. Okay, I''ll do it. Thus, we decided to carry out our request, including the capture of Trang. ---------- As the night fell, the city was enveloped in darkness. Blending in with the dark night, we moved near Tran''s home. A large two-story mansion. The yard is large and the house is surrounded by high walls. I wouldn''t say it''s the lord''s mansion, but it''s a pretty luxurious house. ''''That''s the bad merchant''s house, isn''t it?'''' What do you think?Do you want to blow it up with my bracelets? I won''t blow it up. Why are Tania''s thoughts connected to blowing up everything? Don''t you think you''re being too forward-thinking? We''re here to get Trang into custody. We don''t want to kill you, do we? I know, I''m just kidding. I''m serious, I think... Mug. Tania made a bitter face as Nina tsked at her. ''What are we going to do, Rain?'' ''Well...'' According to the information I gathered beforehand, Tran has been busy flying around from place to place. However, tonight, he is staying at the house here in Horizon. Tomorrow, he will be leaving the city again, so tonight is the only night to catch him. Already, we have obtained testimonies from the poachers. They''ve also been given the authority to audit on behalf of the Knights, so there''s no problem if we continue to charge in. However, it seems that there are also guards, so we shouldn''t let our guard down. Maybe they might have hired mercenaries like they did at the lord''s mansion. We have to be very careful since it might lead to danger for everyone. First of all, I want to know what''s going on inside. Sola, Luna. Can''t you just check it out? Mmm. I was going to have to rely on Sola and Luna, but they gave me a difficult look. ''What''s wrong?'' I can use my magic and check out what''s going on inside, but... It''s hard to do that completely unnoticed. What''s the meaning of this? I feel a disturbance in the flow of magic. Perhaps there are magical tools in place to block the magic. Of course, our magical powers can be used without the use of cheap magic tools.But I''m going to force things in a certain way, so there''s a chance they''ll find out. ...I see. So there''s a reasonable amount of security in place. Well, what do we do now? I want to check out what''s going on inside, but if I use magic, they might be wary of me. Should I ask Sora and Luna to use their magic to prepare for being warned? It''s probably better than charging in with no information and... That''s the problem. ... "Hey hey hey. Nina tugged at my clothes. ''Yeah?'' So I was wondering, you know, do you think it would be a good idea if, um, you know, I could get Tina to help me with this? For Tina? Yule, that''s why I think it''s the best way to find out. Oh, yeah. Isn''t that a good idea?Hey, Rain. Yeah. Thank you for your help, Nina. Heh.... Nina smiled happily as everyone praised her. Her three tails were twitching and wagging. ''Canade, can you go get Tina for a minute?'' Yikes, I...? Yeah?What''s the problem? It''s all good, but... ...Are you scared, by any chance? Actually, I''m not. Now that they''re living together, Kanade''s fear of Tina seems to be diminishing... Still, it seems that the bitterness doesn''t go away so easily. Well, Kanade is afraid of ghosts, and it can be said that it can''t be helped. ''''Well, let''s go to Tania instead........'''' No, no, I''ll go! You okay?You don''t have to.... ''You can''t keep being scared, Tina!I''ll do my best to get used to it. Yeah, that''s the spirit. I''m glad that Kanade is willing to accept Tina for who she is. After all, I want all my friends to get along with each other. Well, I''m off then! Kanade jumped in a big way on the spot. He jumped down to the roof of a nearby house and ran straight to it. 97-Episode 97: Past Fate Hey! After a while, Kanade came back with Tina. ''I''ve got Tina! He brought me here. Even though they are about to step into the house of a rogue merchant, they are not very tense, if at all. Well, it''s better this way. It''s a good way to ease our tensions. I''ve been cooped up in the house for a long time, so I''ve been bored to death. Then Kanade comes up to me and says he''s relying on us, you know?I''m so happy. Rain''s husband has helped me a lot, and we''ll do our best! ''Yeah. It''s nice to be motivated, but, hey, let''s keep our voices down, shall we?If they find out, they''ll get in trouble. Oh, sorry, sorry. We like to talk, so..... Tehe, Tina laughs. Tina has been alive for over 30 years.... But since he''s a ghost, he doesn''t change his appearance at all. So when I make such a gesture, I look strangely cute. Anyway, I''ll leave it at that. Let''s get to the point. The mansion over there in the corner do you know what it is? I know. A house full of money and bad taste, isn''t it? Speaking of bad taste, maybe it''s in bad taste. A golden statue (?) in the garden. I don''t know what it is, but it''s decorated with obscure objects.... But still, Tina is relentless. ''I want to step into that mansion now, but I can''t find out what''s going on inside. I''m trying to check it out with magic, but I''m hampered. So..... I guess that means we''re on our own! Yeah, but you''re awfully happy about that, aren''t you? Hi, we can''t go out during the day, can we?We''ll have to stay at home, won''t we?So, I''ve been busy and busy and busy. I''ve been wanting to do something for Rain''s husband, too, right?That''s why I''m happy to be able to help in this way. ''It''s nice of you to help me, but why are you being so cooperative?Me, I didn''t do much to deserve that much. You did. That''s the problem with being unaware, you know. I did, did I...? I look back on my actions, but I have no idea what I''m doing. I got to know Tina and decided to live with her without forcing her to come to term. Other than that, I didn''t do anything else. ''Rain''s husband is so dull. It''s not... I know you have. Yes. I was about to say no, but I was about to say no, and then I was unexpectedly ambushed. Kanade and Tania are nodding yes and nodding in agreement with Tina. Did I, what did I do...? We''ve been on our own the whole time, haven''t we? ''Oh....'' Because he is a ghost, he is basically unable to relate to other people and has to live in secret and in hiding. That''s how I''ve lived for 30 years all by myself. "Tina... ''But after I met Rain''s husband and everyone else, we are no longer alone. I''m very happy and delighted about that. I never thought being with someone could be so much fun... I''ve realized how important it is to have that connection with other people. That''s why I''m really, really grateful to Rain''s husband. I see. I don''t think I''m doing much but.... Still, I''m glad if I''ve been able to heal Tina''s loneliness. ''So, for Rain''s husband, even if it''s in the fire and water! ''But since Tina is a ghost, what does fire and water have to do with it? .... Luna''s cool tweak made Tina sweat profusely. ''''Luna. You can''t do that now. Hmmm... am I not reading my head off? You don''t even know what you''re talking about. Oh what a mistake I made. I''m not going to talk to you anymore, so you can start over. ''No I can''t do that, even if you say so. Tina giggles. I guess she couldn''t even have a casual chat like this. So I guess I''m really enjoying myself now. Well, well. It''s time for us to show them what we can do. We don''t want to look like a bunch of jerks. I don''t think so. Lane''s husband is very kind. But this is a matter of our feelings. It''s not good to be a piggyback carrier. I want to help you at this point. I''m going to do my best! Yeah, okay. I''m on it! Tina chuckles. Then she floated in a huff and disappeared into the mansion. ''Tina, are you okay?'' You''ll be fine. He gently stroked his head to calm the worried Kanade. ---------- It''s been what, half an hour? Tina.........still not back. ''Uh-uh...'' Kanade looked restless and fidgety. Everyone else seems to be in the same boat. There doesn''t seem to be any commotion going on, so it''s hard to imagine that Tina has been found but... But I''m worried. I''m worried. It''s not easy to just wait around like this. ''You''re late...'' Do you think they may have been caught? ''I don''t think so. There''s no sign of a fuss, you know. So you must be lost, then? ''That''s unlikely. It''s not Luna. Do you know that I have no sense of direction? I''m worried about you. I pat Nina''s anxious head to calm her down. We''ll see how it goes a bit longer... If Tina still doesn''t come back, then we''ll go in. Because it''s too late for anything to happen. ''Ah!'' The canade''s tail peaked. I followed my gaze and saw Tina''s figure around the roof of the mansion. Tina slipped through the walls and fences and fluffily moved towards us. ''''Welcome back!'''' I''m so glad you''re okay. I was worried about you being late. .... Mouth to mouth, everyone calls out to her. Only, Tina didn''t respond to them. She looked depressed and pale. She looks unusual. What happened inside the mansion? Tina, are you okay? .... Tina! ...uh ...sir Lane. When I called out strongly, Tina finally seemed to notice us and looked up lazily. ........She had a terrible look in her eyes. Sludge and various emotions were simmering, and her eyes looked as if she had looked into the abyss of this world. What in the world was going on inside the mansion...? ''What happened, what did you see? Can you tell me? What''s the big deal? No way. Do you get it? How could they not see that, with a face like that? Do we look that bad? Mirror, are you there? Well I''ll stop. We are girls too, you know. If I saw a horrible expression on her face, I''d say, "Oh my God! As we talked, little by little, Tina''s complexion began to improve. She seemed to have regained her composure a bit. ''''Well let''s not do that today. What? ''I don''t want to force Tina to do anything. There''s no set deadline, so it doesn''t matter if it''s extended back a bit... ''Rain''s husband is so kind but he doesn''t have to be so caring, does he?In fact, it''s actually rather painful, but... as I said.We want to help Rain''s husband. But.... I''m fine with my family. It''s just that I''m remembering something bad. You don''t like...? Am I allowed to ask? I''m not sure what to do, but... I dared to ask him back. ''''Uh ... yeah, I don''t know what to say...'''' I''m not trying to force you to talk to me. But if you told me... At that point, I''m going to do my best to eliminate the ''something'' that makes Tina suffer. ''''........It''s a boring story, isn''t it?It''s a very, very personal thing... ''It might be easier to talk to someone about it than to keep it to yourself. I''ve told you that I used to be a maid when my family was alive, right?And he was killed by a pervert who liked torturing people. The man who was killed........was the owner of the house. 98-Episode 98: For Friends Everyone makes a surprised face at the shocking confession. Trying to say something.... But there''s nothing to say. The place was filled with silence. He was a very fat, distinctive man, our old master..... So.... even now, 30 years later, I recognized him right away. "Oh, this man is the same man who killed my family... Tina speaks in a matter-of-fact manner. Maybe she dares to speak in a matter-of-fact manner so that the air doesn''t become any more heavy. ''''I''m.......sorry. I''m sorry, I made a weird vibe. I didn''t mean to do that, but........ .... ''Oh, haha...'' Tina laughed a cara laugh and.... Then you get a huff of remembrance. I''m sorry. I''m sorry about the situation inside.......at the end, maybe because I was a bit surprised, I forgot everything. I think there were a certain amount of security guards and private soldiers in there, but the arrangement of them all slipped my mind. I''ll sneak in one more time.... Well no, you don''t get much further than that. "Huh? Suddenly, an emotion rises up. That feeling spreads throughout your body, giving your body heat and strength. That emotion is........anger. The person who killed Tina is in the mansion? So this is the guy who deals with the poachers? In a way, it''s just fine. It''s really good for us. This is our chance to avenge Tina. I''ve only just met her the other day. But time is of the essence. You''re in this together, you''re in this together, you''re in this together. We are a family living under the same roof. Someone tortured her for a while. And not only did someone else hurt her, someone else killed her. And then there are the ones who put her through 30 years of isolation. I''ll never forgive him. "They''re all... We''re going with you, Rain. Everyone, including Kanade, nodded in agreement with my intentions. Each of them had anger in their eyes. They all felt the same way I did. Thinking of Tina........ I''m angry for Tina. ''What?Huh?What are you guys ... uh, what are you doing?I''m going to take one more look inside, and then... No, Tina has served her purpose well. Yeah, yeah. You couldn''t have worked harder than that. You''ve also taught me that our prey is Tina''s avenger. Great job. Rain. Can I blow up this mansion with Sola and Luna? I''m mad as hell for the first time in a long time!I can''t allow that to happen! Hmm.... I can''t forgive you either. ''No blowing up the mansion. Some people might just be hired and some might not be involved. There could be damage to those around you and most importantly, you can''t hit them directly if you do that, can you? ''Oh, that''s right too!I was about to make a terrible mistake, making it so easy for the people who tormented Tina. ''Well guys?Why are you so angry...?It''s all our problem... Tina says, confused. In response, I have a specific word to say in return. ''We''re buddies,'' Huh. Tina is a great friend of mine. She''s family. So I can''t forgive anyone who has done it wrong. No more tricks. Crush all of your enemies head-on... I''m going to redeem what Tina has suffered! He stopped hiding and stepped out of the corner. He headed straight for the mansion and confronted the gatekeeper. ''What, you guys?'' This is Master Zipek''s house, Grand Merchant. If you have no business here, go home. I''m here for you. What? But I don''t have a visiting commitment at this hour. What the hell do you want? It''s a simple matter I''m here to beat up on this Jipek guy. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Stay there! Kanade and Tania jumped out of the way, each hitting the gatekeeper in the gut. The gatekeeper falls to the ground, his consciousness reaped by the blow. Seeing this, Tina panics. ''''What, wait...!You''re really going to charge in head-on!Isn''t that outrageous! ...Yeah, I guess so. Head-on is not a good idea, is it? Oh, you understand. I might be able to escape from the back. We''ll have to shut you down too. You don''t understand! Sola, Luna. Take care of the back. Yes, sir. "Mmm, let me handle it! Casting a flight spell, Sora and Luna flew to the back of the mansion. That''s no problem. They wouldn''t let the enemy get away, in case they did. ''''Well,'''' Once again, he turns to the Zipek mansion. The mansion is quiet, apparently still oblivious to the commotion out front. There''s a huge gate sitting in our path, blocking our path. But these things won''t stop us. That''s what I''m about to tell you. Nina. "Nina, could you help me with something? ... hmmm. I held out my hand, and Nina gripped it back. With her free hand, she drew the dagger..................Camouflage. Nina''s power flowed in through the linked hand. The dagger glows red and emits a flaming aura. ''''Hah! Gaaaaaaaaaah! He swung his dagger down. A raging force swallowed the gate and blew it to the root. The surrounding iron fence and walls were also blown away... The entrance to the mansion was a mess, as if a meteorite had fallen in. "Hey, what are you doing? I had to break down the gate to get out of your way? Don''t be a prude, be a prude! ''We don''t do that much of a surprise, do we?'' I am!You''re chattering away!I mean, you can''t make a sound that loud!They''ll find out who''s inside! That''s what it''s all about. "Huh? It''s a declaration of war, so to speak. It''s a threat to Zipek that I''m going to beat the crap out of you right now. I hope you''re at least a little surprised. Would you have been frightened? Otherwise, it would be boring. You made Tina suffer. You have to make up for it by yourself. Rayne''s husband seems like a mild-mannered guy, but he''s pretty reckless, isn''t he? Is that right? That''s right. I''m gonna do things for Tina. I''ll do crazy things for Tina. Well we haven''t said anything about it yet. Does it bother you? ...it''s There was a pause as Tina paused to think. She closed her mouth and let her gaze wander... He seems to be thinking about this and that. Slightly, he looks at you like a child trying to get an adult to look at you. ''''Aside from our own........you''re causing trouble for Rain''s husband and everyone else, Uchi.......that''s painful, so there''s no need for everyone to be reckless, right?'''' It''s not much of a stretch. But you know... And when are you going to do that instead of going off the rails now? Huh. The person who tormented Tina is right there. He''s going on with his life without paying for his past sins. I can''t allow that to happen. I can''t forgive you, but if Tina doesn''t want me to, I''ll stop. My family.... As if in doubt, Tina lowered her eyes. I guess it''s not surprising. Suddenly, she was reunited with the person who had killed her. Do you want revenge? Or do you forgive me? It''s hard to choose that kind of choice right away. ''If I were in Tina''s shoes, I would find it hard to forgive. I''d be mortified. That''s why I''m going to punch that son of a b*tc*, Zipek, or whatever the hell he is. That''s what I''m going to do. But that''s just my decision. I''m not going to force Tina to do anything about it. .... But if you''re having any feelings of frustration or unforgiveness I want you to feel free to tell me. We''ll punish Zipek for what he did to Tina. We''re gonna make him pay for what he''s done. So please just tell us how you feel. I''m not going to forgive you. Shaking his fist. Biting her lip. Tina utters a heartfelt cry. ''There''s no way I''m going to forgive you! .... My family was killed out of the blue!I was tortured for nothing... and no matter how many times I begged for help, they wouldn''t help me...!He killed me like a bug I hate you, I want revenge! I see. Do you know...?I have seen my family after they died. My mom and dad were just like empty shells........and all we could do was watch them.......!Bummer, bummer, bummer, bummer!Truth be told, I''ve never forgotten how much I hate you!I''ve always wanted revenge!We''re not the kind of saint who can forgive someone for what they''ve done to us!I don''t feel like I need to hit him with one punch! Then let''s go knock him out. You want to be pampered...?You''re going to force me....to do that? That''s what friends are for, isn''t it?I consider Tina to be one of us. Well then, I''m going to have to spoil you. Tina softly leans against me. It''s insubstantial but I still feel a warmth. 99-Episode 99: Angry Attack Who are you people? Who do you think this is your house? Was it you guys who blew up on the surface? Bandits!The bandits are here! As we stepped into the mansion, guards jumped out from all over the place. Armed with swords, spears and axes, they surround us. They move fast. It''s the evidence of their training. They are surprised by the suddenness of the intruders, but they don''t seem frightened. All of them have their weapons firmly at the ready and are watching us. Each and every one of them might be as good as a C-ranked adventurer. I felt that much pressure. If we were to make an enemy of them, it could be troublesome. But if we have to break through here to get to Jipek, then that''s until we push forward. ''Nina behind me. When the time comes, I''ll need support. Hmmm. "Kanade and Tania... I''m going to go ballistic. You can kick it around, right? They were both very motivated. They were probably as angry as they were at what Tina had told them. ''I''ll leave it to you. Just don''t take it easy. And make sure you don''t get hurt. Nyan. It''s okay. This time I''m mad at you, too! Who do you think we are? When me and Tania are together, we''re invincible! After saying a reliable line, the two of them charge at the guards. ''''d*mn it, these guys, are you trying to cross me! Just kill him!Master Zipek ordered all uninvited guests to be removed! ''I don''t know who you are, but let me pay for my foolishness....geez! Kanade''s fist caught one of the guards. The iron armor caved in into the shape of a fist. There aren''t many people who can stand upright with that much power. The guard crumpled to the ground in agony. ''''This guy!'''' You''ve got to be kidding me. The two guards raised their weapons to pin the canade between them. Speed, timing, a perfect strike. However, it never reached Kanade. Kanade leapt vertically on the spot. He escaped into the air. When he spun around and turned upside down... With a lot of momentum, he grabs the two guards stepping on the tatara and grabs their heads. And then, with a thud!And the two guards bumped their heads together. ''''Nyaa...! With a stutter, Kanade landed on the floor. Without missing the opportunity, the three guards thrust their spears out. Kanade, who had just landed, was in a broken stance and it was difficult to avoid them. Then what should he do? Unnih! Grabbing the hilt of the two spears with both hands... The last one was biting the tip with a gulp and catching it with his teeth. The impossible feat frightened the guards. In the meantime, Kanade regained his stance and charged again. ''''Anyone who stands in our way...'''' With an invisible speed, he moved in front of the guard''s eyes. With a shudder, he grabbed its legs with both hands and lifted the guard up. And then......... Go away! A big spin on the spot. Using the captured guards as a club, he cleaved down the enemies one after another. It was an absurd sight. I didn''t think they would use enemy soldiers as weapons. If you don''t have a weapon, just use the enemy as a weapon. I felt as if I could hear such a line. "d*mn, these people are pathetic! A large man appeared from the back of the room. Could he be over two meters tall? His entire body was covered in muscle armor, and it might be more satisfying to say that he was more of an ogre than a human. Perhaps he is the head of the guards. I''ll take care of that one. "I''ll take care of him. You just go ahead and clean up Kanade! Aye, aye, sir! Calling out to Kanade, who is still spinning around in circles and in a big way.... Tania turns to face the big man. ''Those horns and tails ... you''re not a dragon race, are you?'' Yeah, I am. If you''re going to run away with your tail between your legs, I''ll let you off the hook. ''Ha, don''t be silly. I''ve always wanted to go toe-to-toe with the strongest species. I''ll show you what I''m made of I''ll give you a physical uppercut! He must have used his muscle-strengthening magic. The big man''s body swells up another notch. His arms become as thick as a log and his clothes pop off. ''''Hahaha, you see, this is my power!This extremely well-trained body! ''Ugh...'' Tania was a donkey. Can you not show me something so disgusting? As he said this, his face was drawn up. Cowardly, little girl! ''No, of course not. I just lost my motivation. Jesus Christ, that''s okay. What do you want to do? Tania held out her hand and.... Nibbling and flicking his fingers, he provokes the big man. ''Lick it, nahhhh! The big man was furious and unleashed a fist. I thought he was just a muscle idiot, but his blows were stunning. Each move was refined and as sharp as a fist fighter. An ordinary person would not be able to see through them. On the contrary, he would have been struck before he knew what had happened and would have fallen into a coma. If it was poorly done, he might just die. The big man''s fists were now a deadly weapon. It would be better than a fine piece of equipment and would be able to inflict damage. Such a blow........ Hey. Tania caught it with one hand. ''What? So? Don''t get carried away with your whims! The big man sees a rush on Tania. A mighty blow like a breaking hammer, hitting Tania from every possible angle, up, down, left and right. It''s not just the power, but the speed is also perfect. Even so.........it can''t reach Tania. ''Hoi, hoi.........'' Whaaaaah! Tania used only one hand to block all the wild blows of the big man''s fists. It was a joking sight to see Tania''s thin arms catch the big man''s log-like arms. Catching the huge power head on... A complete dismissal of the speed that would be imperceptible to an ordinary person... Tania laughs at the big man, as if she were dealing with a child. ''....So? This can''t be happening! The big man screams... He took a pill from somewhere and swallowed it in one gulp. The big man''s body transformed even more as it bobbed and weaved. Clothed in even sturdier muscles... My blood vessels rise up and my body turns red. It looks like he not only used magic to build up his muscle strength, but he also used a potion. It must be the big man''s trump card. He''s breathing heavily and looks like he''s having a hard time but.... He had gained a strong body for that. As if to show his strength, the big man picked up the sword of the fallen guard... and bent it languidly with just his fingertips. It''s like a candy bar. The big man had the power to do that much, and he had it in his hands. I''m sure you''ll be pleased to know that I''m the most powerful species in the world. But that''s as far as it goes. I''m not going to take kindly to the fact that I''m nowhere near as nice as I should be. The big man laughs wryly. In response, Tania..... So? H.........! I heard the sound of a blood vessel cutting in the big man''s head with a plop.......I thought. ''''Don''t lick it!!!!! The enraged big man charged at Tania. He crushed the swords and other objects scattered around there with a single blow, blowing the pillars of the mansion away like a toy. The pressure was like a giant rock coming at them. Tania didn''t avoid it, nor did she catch it... Just stand there, still, in place. And then ... a blow from the big man catches Tania! Gohhhh! The big man''s blow exploded. It caught Tania for sure. Tania was defenseless and didn''t even try to avoid it. But.........Tania was unfazed. She didn''t fall down or even waver under the big man''s blow................................She took it head on. ''''........So?'''' ''Oh ... ah ...'' That''s the trump card. That means it''s over. So let''s see what I can do. Wait, wait...!Wait, wait, wait, I''m not going to...! I''m in a really bad mood. So I''m just taking it out on you, okay? I''m not going to kill you, but you''re not going to send me to a sanitarium, are you?So........goodbye! Tania shot out a fireball, and the big man blew up like a doll, crashing straight into the wall and falling into a coma. 100-100 episodes settled in the past ''Unnyyyyyy! Don''t move! Kanade and Tania''s rapid progress continues. One after another, the guards appear, but no one can stop them. Tearing and tearing, tearing and tossing.... Just like that, they were destroyed in the blink of an eye. ''''Soooo amazing........'''' Tina, who was watching the scene behind me, gave me such a complicated look of dismay and admiration. This is the first time I''ve seen their strength properly. They must be surprised in many ways by their substandard strength. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that this is the power of the strongest species. This is the power of the strongest species, right? We couldn''t do such a thing at my place. Well, it''s partly because of the two of us, but also because I''m more enthusiastic than usual now. Really?Why? It''s for Tina. Home? They''re both angry at what Tina told them. They can''t forgive the guy who hurt Tina so badly.......they''re as angry as they are. I guess that''s why they''re able to do so much. Not for yourself, but for someone else. I can be angry for my people. Kanade and Tania can do that. I''m as proud of them as I am of myself. ''I don''t know... for my family...'' Tina gave me a happy, yet confused look. She''d been alone for thirty years. Maybe I don''t quite know what to do with Kanade or Tania''s mind. There''s nothing I can do about this. It''s his own problem. But I''m sure Tina can take everyone''s feelings into account. So let''s do what we can do for now. Rayne, this room is very suspicious! Kanade, who is leading the way, stops in front of a room. It''s a locked, sturdy-looking door. Kanade''s cat ears twitch. ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Someone''s hiding in there.'''' Isn''t that that Jipek guy or something?I couldn''t find another room that looks like it and I think this is the one with the best odds. ''Tania''s right. This place must be a refuge in case of emergency. The door is made of steel and has multiple locks on it. If I tried to break through head-on, I''d break my bones. "...Rain. Yeah? My... transition, I''m going in...? ''What?Is Nina''s transition able to slip through walls and doors? I''ll be fine for a little while. Nina is an amazing little girl, you know, a good little girl. Huh. The cat was soothing the fox. ''Well, now that you mention it, I''ll have to ask for Nina''s help some other time. Am I... useless...? ''No, that''s not true. It''s just that I don''t need Nina''s help to do this... Breaking through the door by force would do more mental damage to the jipec inside. That''s what I was thinking about. I decided not to explain that much, since the area around Kanade and Tania were going to say ''belly-button tamer'' or something like that. ''I''ll kick it through?Or would you rather use Rain''s dagger? No, I''ve heard that Kamui''s powers don''t come in rapid succession. Instead of being able to draw a powerful power, it cannot be used randomly. It seems that if you abuse it, it will not be able to withstand the power drawn from the strongest species and the blade will break. I had heard such an explanation from Ganz beforehand. ''''So it''s my turn after all? No. I''ll take care of this. Meow? I wanted to try a certain thing. The moment I signed a contract with Nina, a certain knowledge flowed into my body. It was about the power I had gained by signing a contract with Nina. It was as if I had been using that power for many years, and I had learned a certain ability. I was going to try it out sooner or later... Now would be a good time to do it. Create. I imagine a certain object in my mind and chant magic. Then, instead of consuming magic power, a certain substance was created. Matter creation. This was my newly acquired power the power of my bond with Nina. ''Buh, material creation...?That''s a very rare skill among the God Clan........ Rain is another step closer to becoming an outsider. ''Hey there. Don''t be silly. I''m just a regular beast tamer everywhere. Regardless of that. I set the generated gunpowder on the door. Tell everyone to move away from the door... "Fireball. With a magic of minimal power, it ignites. Boom!With a bursting sound, the iron door blew open. Sheesh. I was thinking that I should just use gunpowder to blow it up, and forgot to adjust the amount of explosives. There was quite an explosion. Is Zipek inside safe? ........well, if it''s not good enough, it''s fine. ''Hi, hi, what''s going on?What the hell happened?! I heard a voice from inside the room. Maybe it was Zipek. He seemed to be lucky, and he was safe. I signaled everyone with my eyes and rushed inside. A steel door blew open, crushing the desk in the room. Right next to it, one of the older men is sitting on the floor, hunched over. When he finds us, he makes a look of relief. ''Wha, what are you guys...?Well, whoever you are. Me, protect me!There is a bandit in the house. I mean, we''re the bandits. Wha... what the hell?d*mn ... oh, hey, hey, somebody!Somebody come, there''s a bandit here! Nobody''s coming. They''re all sleeping over there. And by the way, you can''t escape, can you?We''ve got the back in place as well. Hmmm. It''s not possible, it''s impossible!That''s impossible, I''ll never admit it! I tell him that it''s over, but Zipek can''t seem to face reality. His face turns red and he screams. ''You people ... who do you think you are, this me?You are the best merchant in this city, Master Tran!Don''t think you can get away with this kind of imitation for free. That''s our line. Huh. Jipek''s body shook as he threw the words at her in anger. All the guards are down and there''s no way out. He finally realized that we have the right to live and die, and he finally realized that we have the right to live and die. ''We are the adventurers of this city. Tran Zipek. We''re taking you in for illegal trafficking in protected animals. Wha... wait, wait. You said you were an adventurer?Then let''s pay double. No, no I''ll triple it!So don''t do anything nonsensical. It is the loss of this town and of the entire merchant community to capture me. After threats, then bribes..........................typical bad guys. ''Nyah I''m getting annoyed. Can I hit you? No. Yeah. That''s ... Tina''s right. I took a step to the side and... He paved the way for Tina. Tina flew fluffily through the air and moved in front of Zipek. ''''What is this........this thing......could it be a ghost.......? Good to see you again, Master. You remember me? What?I don''t know any ghosts........no......wait. I''m glad to see that you remember the maid you killed 30 years ago. What?I don''t know how it''s possible that you''re dead!I killed him.There''s no way I''m here, there''s no way I''m here! No, I mean you''re a ghost. "Hee...!Ku, don''t come, don''t come, don''t come, don''t come! Confronted with the sins of the past, Zipek goes into a semi-crazed frenzy. He backs away from the horror in front of him, but his back soon hits the wall. There is no escape here. We won''t allow him to escape. It''s time for me to be punished. ''You have a lot to say to your master, don''t you?Will you listen to me? "Hee...!How can this be.......I am not to blame, I have done nothing wrong! It takes a lot of guts to say such a thing at this point in time. But do you think that will convince us? "Oh, I''m sorry!I''m the one who screwed up.You''re right, I apologize. So please forgive me!Help! Didn''t we make a plea like that at home?I begged you to help me but you just laughed at me and wouldn''t stop. You killed my family, like it was nothing. Well what do you think?Would you be able to forgive me? Ahhhhhh...! Prepare yourself. You''ve got a lot to live up to, haven''t you?You''re satisfied with that, aren''t you? ''I don''t want to! d*mn it...! Tina waved her hand up in the air and.... As if in response to the movement, the vases on the shelves floated softly. As if it had caused a poltergeist phenomenon, Tina must be manipulating it with her magical power. The jar flew through the air like a living creature as it was and crashed into the side of Zipek''s head. ''''Gah!'''' He seemed to have cut his head on impact and was bleeding. However, he seemed to be reluctantly alive, and his limbs were twitching and twitching. ''''Whew!'''' Tina made a gesture of wiping her forehead and let out a satisfied breath. It''s like I''ve finished a job. In other words......... I guess that means Tina''s vengeance is now over. Are you sure? Hmm?What? ''I could put you through the same thing, you know?We''re not ... we''re not going to stop. Well that''s what I was going to do at first. He pretended to be lost and then.... Tina chuckled. It was a pleasant smile, with no dark emotions in sight. When I was with you guys, I didn''t really care. It''s not that I don''t care if I''m with you or not, but when I see you all working so hard for us, I feel a warmth in my heart and that''s all right. Besides, I felt refreshed after the punch, so I''ll just say this much. Okay. Are we nice? You don''t want to be the one to tell me that. Haha, yeah. I laughed with Tina, who looked refreshed and clear. 101-Episode 101: New Oath I tied up the unconscious Zipek and took him straight to the guild. With the testimony from the poacher I had caught beforehand, the guild seemed to have moved ahead and was working with the knights. Based on the poacher''s testimony, they began to investigate. They obtained physical evidence and blocked Jipek''s retreat. When Zipek woke up, he had uttered a tempestuous line about remembering....... According to Stella''s story, they found a lot of black evidence other than backroom deals, and the conviction was confirmed. He is almost certain to be sentenced to decades in prison and will not be able to see the light outside while he is still alive, he said. In prison, merchants and others who have gone to the extent of luxury tend to be endeared to the public. We''ll let them enjoy it to the fullest. Considering what Zipek has done, I have no sympathy for him.... I''m the one who killed Tina. Suck it up, I say. ...By the way, I almost forgot to mention the other pair of troublemakers, Ogg and Kreutz, by the way. ''''You''ve got to be kidding me! When I stopped by the guild again, I saw that the interrogation against Aug and Kreuz was just taking place. Aug''s screams echoed through the guild. It''s a cheerful one, despite being bound. In contrast, Natalie, with a cold expression, tells him without mercy. ''''I''m not kidding. Aug-san, Kreuz-san''s adventurer status will be revoked. We, the guild, are responsible for the double-booking, but.......but that doesn''t mean you''re going to take the credit for it.......that''s a problematic action that will shake the trust in the guild. On top of that, to open up and try to injure Shroud-san and the others.......that crime is not light. ''You believe that kind of bullshit?We''ve been framed by this one, you know. ''Yes!There''s no way in hell we''re going to do that!All of this was made up by these kids! Phew. Natalie let out a disgusted sigh and looked around. ''Who believes what you just said?'' He asked the adventurers around him, but no one raised their hands. Everyone was sending dumbfounded gazes to Aug and Kreutz. ''''What, what''s with those eyes...? ''You''ve done a boring job of picking a fight with the city''s heroes. There''s no place for you guys anymore. Get the f*ck out of here. Geez.......................... Aug and Kreutz turned blue and red in the face as the adventurers around them said harsh words to them. ''Natalie, I''ll leave the rest to you,'' Yes, I''ll take care of it. I was about to leave the guild, leaving them to clean up after themselves. At my back, Aug and Kreuz call out to me. ''Well, wait!I''m sorry, I''m sorry...! ''''d*mn I''ll pay you if you want, so let''s put this whole thing behind us...'''' I''m sorry, He interrupts them and tells them over his back. ''One more thing, I''m mad at you. What...? I haven''t forgotten how you turned on everyone. Cornered, upset, trying to hurt Kanade and the others.... It''s unforgivable. ''You got what you deserved. The consequences of what we''ve done to ourselves, you''re going to have to be honest about it. I caught a glimpse of Aug and Kreuz kneeling without words. Removing my gaze from those two, this time I left the guild. Thus, one request ends, one case ends. ---------- Meow. When I got home, Kanade dived on the couch. She makes a grinning face and flaps her tail. You''ll be able to see that, and Tania looks puzzled. ''''That''s not very well behaved. Because I''m tired of everything and I''m tired of being at home. ''I agree with that opinion, and so does Sola. ''I feel a lot safer when I have a base of operations. I can relax. ''Hmm. You can''t get mad at me for shouting out loud. ''Well, it''s good to go home and get settled in. If you let your feet flop around so much, you''ll see them, won''t you? Can you see?........nyah! Kanade gets up with a start and holds her skirt. She turns her red face to me. ''Rain ... did you see that?'' I didn''t see him. Really? It''s true. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. If you''re going to be ashamed of yourself like that, you need to be a little more careful. There''s something defenseless about Kanade.... All right, let''s get some dinner. Everyone would be tired, so I bought lunches in town today. Everyone''s eyes lit up as I laid out the bento on the table. ''''For now, I''ve picked out a random selection, but whatever you want...'''' I have a meat bento! Oh, I was going for that! Hmmm, first come first served. I''ll have Sora''s bento box with wild vegetables over here. I am a bento with an egg on top. I want... this cute little bento box... I can''t eat at home but I get a sick feeling in my stomach when I see you all. I pick up the leftover lunch and sit down in a chair too. Then we chant "Itadakimasu" and the mealtime begins. ''Wow ... Kanade ... wow, that''s a lot of momentum ...'' ''You have an amazing appetite. I think you''re beating Luna to it. Wait. Why did you just quote me? ''You could just eat a little more calmly. You can''t eat in a hurry to find out how good it tastes, and most importantly, it''s in your throat... ''Phew!Hmmmmmmm! I don''t want to hear this. You okay?Here''s some water. "Hmmm, hmmm.........Oh, that was close.......I thought my lunch was going to get me. ''''How surreal is it that the cat spirit tribe gets hit by a lunchbox...? It was a pleasure to complete my request and... Not only that, but we''re able to settle Tina''s past... Is that what it''s all about? Everyone is looking bright and happy and the fun meal continues. ''Phew.'' Lane, what''s going on?Tired? Kanade looks into my face. His tail was moving restlessly, as if he was worried about me. ''Or maybe it''s the other way around.'' Reverse? ''I''d rather have dinner with you guys and talk about all sorts of other things than fight,'' I feel fulfilled when I''m taking on a commission and having an adventure with everyone. But that doesn''t mean it''s all fulfilling... I felt like I was happiest when I was spending casual time with everyone like this. At my words, Kanade laughs gently. ''Yeah. I understand what you''re saying, Rain. Really? ''Yeah, I think so too!After all, relaxing is the best way to go, isn''t it? Isn''t it just that Kanade likes to take naps? Tania joined the conversation. She grinned and looked a little nasty. ''What? No, not really?Well, that''s because we cat spirit people like to take naps, but we don''t sleep all the time, do we? You sound like a real cat who likes to take naps. In a way, isn''t that the same thing? Nap I like it too. Nina''s one of us. Wap. Kanade hugs Nina, who is sitting next to him. Nina flinches, but Kanade is unconcerned. ''''........'''' Really, I wish this kind of scene could go on forever.... That''s what I think. "...Rain, Rain. Yeah? Stealthily, Tina was approached by Tina. The fact that she''s hiding her voice means that she doesn''t want everyone else to hear it. Deciding that, I whisper back. ''What''s wrong?'' Later on, I''ve got to talk to you about something but can you come to my room? Okay. When''s a good time? Just eat your dinner and give me a few minutes, okay? I''ll be there in an hour or so. Please. I don''t know if this is a secret, but... What''s going on? I, for one, tilted my head. ---------- One hour later ... I move to the front of Tina''s room and knock on the door with a bang. ''Tina, it''s me,'' You can come in. Sorry to disturb you. When I walked into the room, Tina was floating around in a fluffy state. I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but I''m a ghost, so I can''t open the door. It''s not impossible to do that if you use your magic power, but it''s a bit tiring. Don''t worry about it. It''s nothing to worry about. It''s just a matter of opening the door. Good night. Just have a seat on the bed. I sit on the bed as I''m told. Then Tina fluffs up and moves to stand in front of me. ''I''m sorry to bother you,'' Okay. You need something important, right? Well yeah. Tina, standing in front of me, makes a serious face. She stares at me, intently. And then she opens her mouth, nervously... Can you make my home Rayne''s! "Ho-ho! I can''t help but cough at the abrupt words. When Tina sees me like that, the first thing she does is get all flustered and....... Then he blushed and panicked as he seemed to understand the meaning of his statement. ''Oh, no, no!Not!That''s not what I meant, it''s just that our words were wrong............not! Oh, yeah I see. Yeah, well I''m surprised. Oh my God, I can''t believe he did this kind of poke, we''re in the mood for a hole in the ground. How''s it going? "Can''t you ever stop comforting me...?It makes me even more embarrassed... Uh... well, what''s more important than that? Time will only pass at this point, so I went ahead with the conversation, albeit somewhat forcefully. Tina also seems to have decided to go along with it, and she clears her throat and opens her mouth as if nothing is wrong. .........although her face was still red. It''s a very good idea to have a good time. A contract ... like everyone else? Hey. From what you''ve told me, Lane''s a hell of a tamer, isn''t he? I''d argue with that title, but well, I''ve made a deal with everyone. Well, you''re welcome to join us.My family has helped me a lot with Rain, so I want to repay that debt, even if only a little. I want to be of help. ''That''s ... but are you sure?You don''t have to go that far... We''re going to do it. I want to make Rayne the new master. Oh, that''s just because I''m a former maid, so it doesn''t mean anything special. Tina fumbled and waved her hand. What kind of mistake did she think she was making? I want to ask, but I don''t want to hear the strange answers I''m likely to get if I do. Be that as it may. A contract with Tina........ I didn''t save you with that in mind, but.... But only if Tina wants it. ''''Okay. Let''s make a deal. I love you. I should be the one thanking you. Thanks for the help. He bites his thumb and draws a magic circle with flowing blood. "...my name is Rain Shroud. I make a new covenant and hereby make a new bond with you. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with power in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? "...Tina Holli.... The deal is made. The same magic circle is drawn on Tina''s hand. Is that all it takes? Yeah. It''s not like anything in particular is going to change but again, good to see you. You''re welcome! I tried to shake his hand and... Quickly, my hand slips through the air. Me and Tina looked at each other with a pouty face and... He chuckled and laughed in a funny way. 102-Episode 102: Tinas Thoughts Rain walked away and Uchi was left alone. There''s nothing special to do, just float in the air fluffily. I''m a ghost, so I don''t have to sleep. I don''t even need to eat. Or rather, I can''t eat. I''ve been a ghost for 30 years. I don''t feel sorry for not being able to sleep and eat now, but.... It''s a b*tc* to deal with at times like this. There''s Kanade, and Tania, and Sora, and Luna, and Nina. And then there''s Rain. When everyone is here, I feel a kind of loneliness because I''m the only one awake. It''s a difficult thing to do, really. It''s too late to remember the loneliness of being alone. But.......this, in this way, I felt like it wasn''t bad. It''s lonely to be alone. By nature, it''s a normal thing. And yet, until now, I thought it was nothing... I was numb to the feeling of being lonely and lonely. Think of it as being normalized by being with everyone else. Well, it''s a complicated feeling. ''Stop. There''s no point in thinking about something dark. Think of something more upbeat. Shake your head and change your mind. Brighter and brighter..... After all, it''s the fact that we met each other, isn''t it? They didn''t reject us, they accepted us. Even though my family is not like this, they accepted us as friends. Kanade''s not too happy with us, but... Well, I know you''re afraid of ghosts, so I can''t blame you. Still, you''re trying your best to be friendly, and I''m glad you''re trying to be friendly. "...Rain..... He said the name with a pout. My new master. Our new master. The one who took my home alone in the dark and brought me out into the warmth. And not only that.... He was the one who settled our fate in the past. I can''t thank him enough, even if I were grateful. I''d like to return the favor. I don''t like the idea of being stuck in a constant state of giving. I want a win-win relationship. But what can we do? Housework and cooking? I can use my magic to move things around, it''s that simple. Since I''m a former maid, I''ve been beaten to the punch. However, is that enough? Rain is an adventurer. You''ll have many opportunities to fight. And if that happens, it would be nice if we could fight, too....... I''m a bit of a kindergartner when it comes to that sort of thing. Unlike everyone else, we''re just human. To be precise, we''re human ghosts. We don''t have much power, and we don''t have any special abilities. We will never be useful in battle. That''s what''s so frustrating about it. I wish I could do something, but........well, do ghosts ever grow up?Can you learn new skills? If you''re a senior ghost, you might be able to understand the story... Unfortunately, I don''t know anyone who does. I''ve been on my own for so long........ Well, I don''t think Lane would mind that much. If Uchi says he wants to be useful in the fight, he''ll tell you that you don''t have to do it. That''s Rain''s true intentions, and I''m sure he''d never think of us as useless. But we can''t just sit on our laurels. We want to be useful in some way, too. I want to be of help to Rayne. ...Isn''t it normal to want to be useful to the man you are interested in? Yeah. We''re curious about Rain. I don''t know if you like her or not, but I''m not sure that part of her yet, but.... But I''m sure you''re curious about it. We''ve only just met.... ˷ʤ äһˤäȤƤơ gȡԤäƤơ ޤˡ^ȥF˛QŤĤƤ줿 ǚݤˤʤʤ ȤϤ饤Хतɤʤ ʥǤ˥˥ ȥʡ ˩`ʡό˺ƤΤ Ȥˤ 饤ХˤʤꤽӤǡϱ횡 ΤޤMΤԤäƤޤ äơʷ˿Ƥʡ 줳쿼ǡä˼·`Щ`ҩ`Țζ䡣 둤ɡ֪{᤬Ƥޤ 󤢤 äŤ դ i롣 դդƯ ٤ŤƤ褦ʚݤ ^ꥢ`ˤʤäƤ ˤʤꤿȤ򷵤ʡϡ 쥤ϡʤȤϚݤˤƤʤäԤɡ äѤꡢǼ{äϤǤʤ Τ饦ˤʤꤿ ơɤ󤫤ʣ ϤդդȸӤʤ顢ΤȤ򿼤Τä 103-Episode 103: What is your new ability? So what powers did Rain get? Morning. When I got up and moved to the living room, Tina asked me about that. ''What are you talking about?'' That''s why I''m talking about Rain''s power. The fact that you signed a contract with us means you got some new powers, right?I''ve heard that from everyone. Will it? I look at Kanade, wanting an explanation. ''Haggling! He was eating his food in a frenzy. I looked at Tania instead and she carefully explained to me. ''Tina isn''t a normal person, she''s a ghost. If I were to classify her, she''d be about a D grade?Maybe it''s last minute, but I think it''s possible that Rain is getting some kind of power, Yes! For some reason, Tina was happy. It''s my story, so why would Tina be happy about it? ''Wouldn''t you be interested to know what kind of power you''re getting, Rain?If you have to look into it, we can help you. Oh, yeah, I''m interested in that, too. ''Rain''s new powers? I''m curious about Sora too. What happens when you make a deal with a ghost?Can you float in the fluff? Sola and Luna have joined the conversation as well. Nina is meekly eating her food, but..... He glances at us from time to time. Nina seems to be interested in this too. ''Haggling! Kanade was alone and continued to eat his food. Maybe she simply didn''t hear what he was saying but.... Very fast-paced. All right, all right. Well, I''ll look into it later. Yeah, yeah, I''ll do that. If it''s a ghost-related ability, we can teach you. Tina''s all over the place, but.... Why do I care so much about it? It was a bit strange. ---------- After breakfast... The place is the living room again. However, I pulled the table to the edge for ease of movement. ''''Well then, first!What power did you get from signing up with Tina!Verification competition, let''s start! ""Wah, wah, wah, wah, wah, wah!" ...clap clap. Everyone''s so excited... I''ve set today as a day off because it would be a lot of work if I had to take on a request every day. So we can each spend it as we please.... Everyone was assembled. Is he in a hurry? ........I guess I''m just bored. Hey, hey, hey, did Rain ever make a deal with a ghost? ''None. To begin with, not long ago, I only signed up with regular animals. Yes!Then I guess we''ll be the first to sign a ghost contract! First in line is first in line, but... ''If you say so, I''m the first one to sign up with Lane, right? For some reason, Kanade opposes Tina. He''s puffing out his chest, and he''s kind of good at it. ''When it comes to who''s first, it wouldn''t be Kanade. What? Why? Who was Lane''s first signing up? Well my first tame is a rabbit, I guess? That''s why. Meow.... Kanade''s shoulders slumped with a gulp. Was he that particular about being the first to go that far? You didn''t have to worry about that. To me, everyone, including Kanade, is an important friend. It doesn''t matter the order in which they signed up or anything like that. ''Yes, yes, we''re going off topic. Right now, it''s time to verify the power you got by signing a contract with us. Tina clapped her hands together with a pang to focus everyone''s attention. It''s a sudden turn of events that has me somewhat confused, but... But do we need to do the work of making sure we have the power? So far, I''ve been in a lot of places where it''s just a bump in the road... Knowing this in advance might reduce the danger. ''But how do we verify that?'' It''s... Tina choked on her words at Kanade''s plausible question. I guess she didn''t really think about it... Looking very troubled, Tina was sweating profusely. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s the royal pattern of awakening when cornered, right? Do I have to be trapped in a corner...? ''Nya I don''t want to be rough with Rain. Well, uh uh, yeah!Isn''t your body learning how to use it or something like that, like it did with Nina? Hmmm.... You can try moving your body lightly. I try grasping and opening my palms. I check my own body in this and that, but it doesn''t feel strange. I don''t feel anything awkward, like I did with Nina. Not really. The worst... ''You haven''t learned any new magic or anything like that?Here, try to focus. ''Well it doesn''t look like that either. There will still be three magic available. Do you feel like you have more power or something? ''I don''t know.I don''t even feel like I did when I signed with Kanade that''s not the same thing. What about magic?Why don''t you try a little magic? ''I don''t have much magic that I can use in a bit but I don''t think that''s different either. For example........heal. I cast a healing spell on myself. The scar on my thumb that was created yesterday when I made a contract with Tina disappears. With the same speed and power as usual, I can''t feel any changes. ''So.........like me.......a special ability?'' ''Then there''s no way to check it. I have no idea how to make it manifest. No. Gulp. Tina, at Tania''s blunt words, nodded ruefully. Why would Tina care so much? Do you feel like you have to check it out because you''re involved in it? ...hmmm, I don''t know what to do. After that, I tried all sorts of ways to see what power I got from signing up with Tina... I couldn''t figure it out, just time passed. ''Nya I don''t know anything about it...'' If you don''t know after all this, then maybe there''s nothing to it? Well, seriously... Tina couldn''t be more depressed. She''s so melancholy that it''s not easy to talk to her. I don''t know why she cares so much but.... I want to do something about it. In order to do that, I have to make sure I have the power I got from signing up with Tina....Now what do I do? Why does Tina care if you have powers or not? After some hesitation, I decided to ask straight away. Sometimes you have to put it into words to understand it. ''''It''s....'''' Can you tell me if you want to? .........I want to repay Rayne''s husband for all the help he''s given me.......by repaying him. And I thought, if it''s about the contract, maybe we can be of help....... So that''s what it''s all about. You don''t have to worry about it so much but.... But apart from that, I''m glad to see how Tina feels. The power I got from making a deal with a ghost........ I want to find out somehow, but it''s not easy. Tina doesn''t seem to be able to come up with anything either, and she''s floating around in a flustered state. .........Floating? I''m wondering if... Suddenly, it occurred to me that there is a possibility. It''s worth a try. "Rain? Hey, guys, just stand there and watch. Close your eyes and concentrate. Focus on your inner self.... Exploring the power he gained from signing with Tina. ........I found it! The light that had been sinking deep inside my body. I pick it up and make it my own. And...... "Oh! It felt as if the fetters on his body were detached. As he did so, his feet left the floor. My body floats slightly and drifts in a fluffy manner. ''Rain, I''m floating... what?Huh?Why? Is that the power you got from signing a contract with Tina...? ''How do you stay afloat?It''s amazing how strange it is. ''I can feel the magic flowing, but it''s not magic...?Is it a skill? You''re controlling... gravity...? Nina, you''re right. By manipulating gravity, it floats fluffily in the air like Tina. I couldn''t notice it at first because I had never thought of being able to interfere with gravity, but.... Once I realized the potential, the rest was easy. However, it was quite difficult to control. Only a few inches, barely enough to float... Even with the magic power that was greatly increased by signing a contract with Tania, it doesn''t seem to be able to sustain it for a long time. ''''Hmmm.......I guess that''s about it. Why would Tina be impressed? It''s just that I want to help you, Rain. Did we help you? Very. I think it can be quite a useful ''weapon'' if you can master it. Thanks to Tina, thank you. Smiling, Tina looked so refreshed. 104-Episode 104: Heros... After leaving the city of Horizon, Arios and his group moved south. They passed through the Stride Bridge to the southern continent. Then, they reached the city of River End, which was located near the bridge. River End is a small city compared to Horizon. There''s no particular industry, and it''s not a tourist destination. If I had to pick a strong point, I would say that it has become a lodging place for people traveling to and from the continent. River End is the first town you''ll reach after crossing the southern continent. Most travelers stop here to relax after a long journey. So, in a sense, River End is an important city. River''s End is now plagued by the presence of demons. If it was a C-ranked demon by itself, it wasn''t that much of a threat. The same C-ranked adventurers would definitely be able to repel them. However, with a swarm, it was a different story. According to the River End knight''s scouting, there were about 30 C-ranked demons in the swarm. In addition, there were also D- and E-ranked demons gathered, about 100 in total. They were as strong as an army. Normally, there would be no way for demons without intelligence to swarm together. Even among their own kind, sometimes, demons are the ones that cannibalize each other. However, there is an exception. Stampede. Demons obsessed with the urge for destruction will swarm and become a storm of disaster that will swallow everything. It has been said to be a harbinger of the resurrection of the demon king, the coming of the apocalypse, and many other things, but the cause of this is unknown. There is only one thing we know. What we do know is that once a stampede occurs, a tremendous amount of damage is created. The swarm of demons that occurred near River End was definitely a precursor to the stampede. If left unchecked, the number of demons would swell even more... When we cross a certain point, it will come rushing in like a tidal wave and swallow all of us. Before this happens, we must defeat all of these demons. And the one who has been given this task is Arios and his team. As for Arios, he was not interested in defeating the demons. Even if the Stampede happened, it didn''t matter, he was going to walk away. However, the rumor born in the city of Horizon that ''the brave men have abandoned the city'' had circulated to River End. It was still in the rumor stage, and it didn''t mean that, in fact, any problems had occurred. However, it would be a bad idea to leave it as it is. So, although it was unavoidable, I took on the task of defeating the demon........ ''''Chit, annoying.......GigaVolt! Arios unleashed a lightning magic that only the brave can use. Like a dragon crawling on the ground, an electric shock rushed through the air and turned several demons into extinguishing coals. He continues to take his sword and wields it as if to cut the wind. The legs of the ogre that attacked me with a roar are severed. As he lost his stance, a thumping blow. The ogre was pierced through the head and died. ''''Nnnn!!!'''' Aggus received the assault of multiple demons by using his huge sword as a shield. Using his entire body, he bounced back... Cleave the great sword to the side. The demons whose bodies were cut off in both directions. However, it was not possible to inflict a fatal wound on all the demons. The surviving demons regained their stance and tried to attack again, but.... It read. ''Lean!'' I know!Here we go........Red Crimson! Lean''s magic exploded and blew away the surviving demons. ''''Hmph, I''m the one against this little fish...'''' Not yet. Be careful! Huh?.........Kyah! A lizardman leaps out of the explosive flames. His sword swung down. Lean jumped to the side and barely avoided it, but there was no next time. A second slash struck Lean... Holy Arrow! Before that, Mina''s magic made the Lizardman disappear. ''''Are you alright! Uh, yeah thanks for the help. I told you to be careful. I''ll just happen to be here!This will never happen again! Hey, you''re playing at it!There''s still some enemies left. I know. At Arios''s words, each one of them readied their weapons again. ........After leaving Horizon, Arios and the others reached River End, where the people of the city asked for help. There are signs of the Stampede, so I want you to take out the swarm of demons while you''re at it. Right now, the adventurers are out and there is no one else to rely on........ Why should I, as a brave man, have to take on such a chore? Although Arios initially showed some difficulty... The notoriety created in Horizon was spreading to River End because of the merchants and travelers. If this was the case, it could become the second best thing to happen to Horizon. Therefore, he had no choice but to take on the task of defeating them. Normally, this was supposed to be a simple request. Taking on the Stampede would be a pain in the ass, but....... If it''s a precursor to that, it''s not a big deal to Arios and the others. It''s just a matter of kicking them around with overwhelming firepower. It''s a quick job. ...or so I thought. But what is it really? It wasn''t a hard fight, but Arios and the others were a bit of a handful against the swarm of demons. It was unlikely that they would lose one-on-one. Even if there was more than one opponent, they wouldn''t be defeated. If one''s previous experience was certain........ Arios cuts in and Aggus takes on the enemy''s attack. Mina would provide cover, and finally Lean would wipe them out with advanced magic. That pattern was supposed to work. But what would the reality be? When you try to connect with them, the enemy gets in the way, just as you aimed to do. At the perfect time, your friends are targeted and you can''t move on to the next step. Why can''t it work? I''m one step away from stumbling somewhere else. It''s as if God is playing a prank on me. (This ... maybe.) Inevitably, they couldn''t fight well, and while Arios and the others were frustrated... Aggus was the only one who was thinking about things calmly. What we are now and what we were before. What was different? ........Rain''s presence. Rain was unable to deal damage to the enemy. And yet, the enemy targeted him and ended up making it difficult for his allies to get a hold of him. But........wasn''t that idea wrong? Wasn''t Rain''s inability to damage his enemies because he was prioritizing support for his allies over attacking them? I think that allowed us to connect ourselves well. And wasn''t Rain targeted because the enemy saw that Rain was the key to the party? No way... Aggus denies himself the idea. But trying to deny it doesn''t erase the possibility once it comes to mind. Rather, isn''t that the right thing to do?I was beginning to think about it. Now that I''ve thought about it calmly, that''s what I was thinking about. It was certainly true that Rain didn''t have the strength. However, he was aware of it and was trying to support the party in a different way. Getting into the support of his allies at the perfect time, and then sometimes daring to be targeted by the enemy to get hit instead of his allies....... In every sense of the word, wasn''t Rain a ''shield'' for his friends? (...no, you''re thinking too much. It can''t be, it can''t be.) Aggus shook his head and dismissed his own thoughts, this time crisply. There was no way that such a thing was possible. If there really was........ Wouldn''t it mean that we, who banished Rain, are pompous morons, incapable of seeing the true nature of the situation? Such a thing was unacceptable. Aggus decided not to think about it any further. ---------- We''re gonna clean it all up! At Arios'' signal, Aggus, Lean and Mina pulled back. Before they could confirm it, Arios unleashed his advanced magic. ''''Lunatic Bolt!!!!'''' An extreme thunderbolt struck from the heavens. Furthermore, lightning danced wildly to follow it. The wild dance of raging light swallowed the swarm of demons and made them disappear. ''''Huh ... hah ... is this the end?'''' Arios wipes his sweat and checks his surroundings. Due to the current magic, there is dust in the air and visibility is extremely poor. It''s impossible to see a meter ahead. I''ll be on the lookout for any survivors, but... Gasp! Arios, behind you! What? As if to take advantage of Arios''s gap, an ogre appeared from behind. Raising a huge fist, it raised its huge fist and struck Arios with........ Meow. ...what? Something swift rushed through. Immediately after that, the ogre''s head was crushed and he fell down. It died out as it was, and became a magical stone. What had happened? Arios looked around in a hurry. However, the dust was still flying around and it was hard to tell. ''''What do you mean... what''s going on now...?'''' ........I thought I saw a slight cat-ear at the edge of my vision. 105-Episode 105: Heros Part 2 After cleaning up the demons, Arios and the others returned to River End. They reported to their lord that they had finished their request and headed to the inn on their feet. We ordered a reasonable amount of food and alcohol and took a seat. ''''I''m glad it all went off without a hitch. Yeah, I know. Aggus nodded at Mina''s words. They were satisfied with the fact that they had been able to stop the Stampede beforehand. In contrast, Arios and Lean had a huffy look on their faces. They had been conveniently used to exterminate a mere demon, themselves, as brave men. That kind of perception was in both of them, and it hurt their pride. Seeing them, Aggus calls out to them. ''''Are you still not convinced?'''' What makes you think that''s gonna happen? There''s no reason for us to leave. I wish the adventurers and knights of this city could do something about the Stampede''s omens. Each one of them was out. Don''t you think it can''t be helped? ''I don''t think so. It was the negligence of the guilds and lords that left the city unprotected. I''d like you to put yourself in the shoes of the one who will pay for it. Well, I don''t know, but... Wouldn''t you like to think that it was just good training? Mina opened her mouth to cover for Aggus. ''We still need to be strong. It''s... ''Sure, it''s not a good idea to treat us like convenient handymen... but it''s been a good experience nonetheless. Can''t we just divide it up as a way to get stronger? Well yes. Well, I''m willing to do anything as long as I get paid, okay? ''Leanne you need to think a little more deeply about the mission we have. I''m thinking about it. But you need the money, right? It''s, well... ''But, well, maybe I didn''t have to earn it now that my new prep money has arrived. Totally.... It might be useless to say anything to Leanne. Giving up like that, Mina resumed her meal. The other three also ate meat, drank, and had a peaceful time. River End is not an affluent city, but with so many travelers and merchants coming and going, the lodgings are well stocked. The food was also of high quality and satisfied the palates of Arios and the others. ''''Brave sir,'''' Hmm? As Arios and his friends continue to eat, an elderly man calls out to them. It''s a man who looks like he''s from somewhere else, Arios thinks. And so it should be. The elder man is a member of the entourage serving the lord of this city. Even though they didn''t speak much to each other, it could be said that Arios had a problem with not remembering his face. ''''Thank you very much for stopping the Stampede''s precursor,'''' Oh, yeah. I''m good at that. ''Yes, that''s exactly what happened. We were at a loss as to what to do but you really helped us out. Again, thank you for your help. Don''t forget that I made it happen, okay? Yes, of course it is. Arios speaks as if he is the only one who can take credit for this. But that''s just the way it''s always been. Neither Aggus, Mina, nor Lean say anything. ''Well, if you need anything, you can tell me. It''s not always possible, but if you''re feeling up to it, there''s nothing I can''t do to help. ''Yes, yes. Truly, my brave friend is very dependable. It was a boring request, but... It didn''t feel bad to have a compliment directed at him. Thinking about that, Arios was in a good mood. ''''Well do you have a minute?'''' A man dressed like a merchant interrupts their conversation. ''What are you?'' I''m just a humble merchant. I''ve got something to tell you and you don''t have to thank this brave man for it. ''''Haha, is it really what the brave man did for me I doubt it. Who are you?Don''t you think it''s not very polite of you to suddenly say something like that? Arios looks grim as he is speared into a good mood, and Arios looks unhappy. He glares at her as if to intimidate her, but.... Still, that didn''t stop the merchant-style man from talking. ''A thank you is for those who deserve it, right?I think the brave man will be ruled out. What the...? I know what happened on Horizon. Arios frowned slightly. The lord''s entourage gave him a curious look. ''''What''s wrong with Horizon?'''' ''''The other day, a demon tribe showed up and did quite a bit of damage. The demon was defeated by Horizon adventurers, which is strange. The story goes that there was a hero in town at the time, right? That''s just a rumor, isn''t it?I know what happened but we were already out of town by then. I''m not impressed with the way you''ve been fed a poor quality hoax. A hoax my merchant friends, all of whom say the same thing? That''s not a rumor. A new man joins the conversation. He seems to have been drinking quite a bit, and his face is flushed... He glared at Arios, anger clearly on his face. ''''I am a resident of Horizon!Right now, I''m out shopping for the materials we need to rebuild... and I sure as hell saw it!The brave man is in town. Huh. ''The brave master didn''t do anything for me!You''re traveling on our tax dollars and you''ve done nothing to help us!I heard that a friend of mine went to ask for help from a brave man, but he was ignored!I don''t care what happens to Horizon. Haha, what''s the point of being a hero? You don''t even have the courage to fight demons! You....! The man''s tirade was indeed unbearable for Arios, and he sat up. In a hurry, Aggus restrained Arios. ''''Calm down.'''' You''ve been mocking me this much and you want me to shut up! Look around you. The surrounding guests all looked at Arios. The emotions in their eyes.......contempt and disappointment. Everyone knew the rumors about Arios. Everyone knew what Arios had done. Even the lord''s entourage had heard the stories. It was just that, due to the achievement of stopping the precursor of the Stampede, they just pretended that they hadn''t heard the rumors. ''''Guh........! Arios, as expected, flinched as he was hit with cold stares from those around him. ''''You''re giving me that kind of look...'''' Dark emotions lingered in Arios'' eyes. His hand reached for the hilt of his sword. ''''Arios!'''' I''m just kidding. Arios shrugged at Aggus'' strong words. ''How could I possibly do something stupid by dancing around a trivial rumor?...I''ll be back in my room first. ''Oh, yeah...'' Shaking off the surrounding gaze, Arios climbed the stairs and disappeared into the back of the inn. Taking that as a signal, the murmur returned. The brave man is suspicious, after all. Can they really be relied upon? Do you want him to be a brave man? Stories like that are flying all over the place. It should have been praised a while ago. Now, they don''t look at you with respect. They just look at you the opposite way. ''''Huh ... what''s with this air, it''s the worst. ''Leanne, it''s not like that...'' It''s Arios'' decision to let this happen. It''s not our fault. It''s... Mina can''t say anything to Lean''s words. Because inwardly, she believes that Lean is right. Because that''s how she subconsciously puts the blame on him. ''''Well do you have a moment?'''' Aggus says in a hushed voice. ''What?'' ''There''s something I want to talk to you about while you''re at it. What is it? ''Didn''t a lot of money disappear when you were at Horizon?That ... could be ... the work of Arios. ''What''s that?What do you mean? Keep your voice down. Do you have any proof? ''None. But given the circumstances, there''s no one else who can get at the money but Arios. It''s... But what did you spend it on?Quite a bit of money, isn''t it? ''I don''t know about that. I don''t know but we may need to keep an eye out for Arios in the future. I just wanted to talk to you about that. ''''Oh no... only Arios, the brave one, would do such a thing...'''' How can you be sure it''s not there? .... Mina was silent in response to Aggus'' question. From the standpoint, I want to assure you that there is not. However, Arios has been acting strangely lately, such as the matter of neglecting the demon race. This had created a hesitation within Mina. A dissonance arose within the brave party...........and it was growing little by little. 106-Episode 106: Lunas Cooking Class ''Nya ... hmm ... hmm ... hmm ... hmm ... hmm ...'' On the couch at the end of the living room, Kanade and Tania were napping on the couch, leaning against each other. Kanade was chuckling and drooling a bit. Maybe she was dreaming of eating the long-awaited fish. Tania was swooning, looking a little uncomfortable in her sleep. Maybe it''s because of the occasional bite of Kanade''s tail against her face. It''s a peaceful time. This kind of thing isn''t so bad. Right now, requests are plentiful and can be accomplished properly. We have a steady income and a reasonable amount of savings... Let''s make more holidays like today. I get tired of moving around all the time. And it''s good to have a day like this. "...rain, rain. Yeah?Nina. What''s going on? Nina walked up to me in a hurry. ''Tina you don''t know?'' You said you were going to clean up, but aren''t you around? I see... You wanted to see Tina? I was wondering if you could teach me how to cook... ''Cooking ... that would be Tina''s best, but she''s been so busy. ''Well that''s too bad. Rain is ... busy? ''I''m fine with it, but I''m not good enough to teach people how to do it...'' Then leave it to me! Wow. Luna appeared as if she was growing in a heap, and Nina jumped with a whimper. Since it was Luna, she must have been listening to the conversation nearby and trying to time it. She seems to like that sort of thing. "Luna you''re going to teach me to cook...? Hmm. Leave it to me. I''m a pretty good cook, despite my appearance. Speaking of which, wasn''t that great last time you cooked? ''Mmmmmmmmmmmm!That''s about as naive as it gets when it comes to me! Tiny Tiny talk? A bit of a bit of a bit of a bit, you say? He didn''t seem to realize his mistake, so I decided to leave him alone. ''It''s almost noon, and you''re going to teach him while I make dinner! Thank you, thank you... "Mm, fine!Nina is like my sister, she''s cute, so it''s ok! They moved to the kitchen. I was curious, so I followed them. ''Nina, do you have anything you want to make?'' Hmmm... something I''m sure Lane will be happy about. Hm?Lane?Does that mean you want to learn to cook for Rain? Hmm. For everything you''ve done for me I thank you. I can''t believe I was thinking that. I''ve been helping Nina with a lot of things, too. It''s not that I mind, but.... But I''m genuinely happy for Nina''s feelings. It seems so tactless to tell her to stop, or that it''s okay to do that... I decided to keep an eye on them. ''''Hmmm. By the way, how much experience does Nina have in cooking?Can you make something simple? ...Ugh I can''t make...I''ve never...cooked before... Don''t be discouraged. It''s the first time for everyone. Just go with it! Am I, but... are you okay? Mm. If you let me do my job, everything will be fine. Ha-ha-ha! Luna laughing like an evil chieftain but.... Somehow, I felt like I could rely on him. "As a beginner cook.........hmmm. Let''s just stick with the curry. ...curry.... The spice mixture is a bit of a pain in the ass, but you can use what you have at home. If you don''t have it, you can buy it. All you have to do is cut the ingredients and simmer them. ''Oh....'' First, you need to get ready. Hmmm ... wait a minute. Once, Luna left the kitchen. Somewhat later, he returned with a small step stool and an apron in his hand. ''Nina, you might want to put this apron on,'' Thanks.... Also, you can use this stepping stone. With Nina''s back, I can''t reach it yet. You''re paying attention to the details. If it were me, I might not have even noticed how tall Nina is. Luna is usually like that, but..... Are they surprisingly caring? If Thora and the others had been three sisters, they would have been good sisters. ''First of all, you have to chop the vegetables,'' ...vegetables. Do you want me to hold the vegetables in my kitten hands? "Kanade? Hm?No, not Kanade....well, okay. Um, anyway, just curl your hands up so the blade doesn''t hit you. ... hmm. Okay okay..... like this? ''Mm, that''s not a problem, like that. You can try cutting it with that. Yeah. I''m going to swing the knife down from the top shelf.... Without any kind of temping, I cut the vegetables with surprising finesse for the first time. His hands are a bit dubious, but he takes his time and does the work well. With careful work, the vegetables were cut so neatly that it was hard to believe it was my first time. ''Oooh, Nina, that''s amazing. It''s not easy to cut vegetables that neatly for the first time. Really...? "Mmm, that''s my disciple!Great, great. Heh-heh-heh. Before I knew it, Nina had been made into Luna''s apprentice. Well, she seems to be happy, so let''s call it good. After that, Luna''s cooking classes continued. Nina eagerly learns and makes a steady stream of curry. It''s starting to take shape... I''m looking forward to the completion of the project. ''Oh?''What are you doing? Sora appeared with a look on her face. ''Luna is teaching Nina to cook. Cooking? For some reason, I felt Sola''s eyes seemed to glow with a kiran. Sola stepped forward and rolled up her arms. Luna, who noticed the situation, asks with a suspicious.......or rather, somewhat frightened look. ''''........My sister. In case you''re wondering, what are you doing? ''Luna is doing her best for Nina, so I thought I''d help Sora too. Please don''t! Forgetting her usual way of speaking, Luna begged with such force that she bowed her head. What, what? I don''t think he wants Sola to help him, but.... How can you refuse to do that? Why not?Will you disrespect Sora''s heart for Luna and Nina? ''Not that kind of thing, but I mean ... well ... Thora''s a terrible cook, isn''t she?No, it''s not on the level of being bad at ... how to say, that''s hard to put into words ... but it''s preposterous anyway, right?So don''t do it. Come to think of it, I remember talking about that before. At the time, I didn''t listen to him half as much as I was saying, but.... From Luna''s panic, it seems to be quite something, but.... ''''Mmm........I can''t stand it when you say things like that. We need to correct Luna''s misconceptions here, for one thing. Luna, please open up my space as well. ''Ohhhh...'' Sola also participated in the cooking class. Seeing that, Luna made a desperate expression. Even when she fought against the demon race before, she didn''t look like that....... What in the world is Sola''s cooking skills? On the contrary, I''m curious. ''''Hmph. I''ll let you revise your assessment of Sora by making a very, very good curry.'''' Sola is very proud of her knife and... Thump, thump, thump, thump rhythmically on the cutting board and cut the vegetables deftly. Hmm? Luna says it''s awful, awful, awful, so I was expecting something outrageous... Not so much. I mean, you''re probably more adept at it than Luna. ''My Lord don''t let appearances deceive you. The bad part of Sola is just beginning. Now? ''I have to teach Nina how to make curry, so I can''t keep an eye on Sora. If you can, Rain should stop her. I''m not sure. What could possibly happen? And that''s when it happened. Sola cut up all the ingredients, fried them, added water and started to simmer them.... Hmm... let''s try spicy today. Alright. The spices were doused in a pile of spices. For a moment, I was stunned, not knowing what had happened. ''''No no no no no! What''s going on, Lane? ''I think I just put an unbelievable amount of spice in there...'' I think I''m gonna have a spicy one today. I don''t think it''s spicy enough to be spicy but it''s going to be really hot. ''Really?Then let''s sweeten it up with some sugar. What? Before I can stop her, Sola puts in the sugar. She throws in so much of it that you can hear a thud. ''''Hmm ... it doesn''t have enough color. Let''s add some salt.'''' Why the salt...? Salt won''t change the color of the salt...? And they''re throwing in a lot of money again... Softly, Luna speaks to me in a fearful voice. Do you understand, my Lord?This is Sola''s cuisine. What am I supposed to do with the food Sora made...? Hang in there. Hang in there, Rain. Before I knew it, Nina had also colluded with Luna. So cold-hearted. We were on the same side. Hmm ... this time, I feel like it''s not as sour as it should be. Let''s add some lemon juice. While we were fearful, Sora was continuing to cook. I mean........can we call it cooking any longer? An experiment...? I''m gonna have to eat that thing... ......I might die. I''m sorry for Sola, but that was my honest opinion. 107-Episode 107: I got the long-cherished fish ''Uh....'' I walked sluggishly, holding my stomach area. Kanade, who was walking next to me, looked at me with concern. ''''Rain, are you okay...?'''' I''d like to think that I''m okay. I managed to eat all of Sola''s food, but.... As a result, I got ridiculously sick. For about an hour after I ate, I couldn''t even move for a while. Sola''s cooking is really amazing........ It''s dangerous in more ways than one. I''ve heard that my disabling of the status quo doesn''t work either. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that your cooking is amazing.The smell was normal, but... ''It''s hard to put into words... I dare say I''d rather face a dragon with my bare hands a hundred times over if I had to eat that thing again. I don''t like to talk about this stuff too much, but... But it was such a shocking dish that I couldn''t stop talking about it. When I think about it, I have a funny feeling in my stomach again. "If it''s spicy, I''ll be fine on my own, okay?I can at least do some shopping, you know. ''It doesn''t matter how powerful Kanade is, he can''t carry it all if it''s too big, can he?I''ll help you with that. As for your body, I''ve been lying down for an hour or so, and I''ve recovered some. Kanade and I head out to buy food and household items. For six people in all. Since it would be difficult for Kanade to do it all by herself, she decided to help out. "Ehehehe. Suddenly, Kanade smiles at me. ''What''s up?'' Hmmm... going out with Rayne is so much fun. You''re not going out to play? Yeah. With Rain, that''s what''s important. Is that how it works? It''s not like I''m going to have anything interesting to say with me... hmm? Kanade is humming something, twitching her ears and wagging her tail in a good mood. I don''t understand it, but........ If Kanade looks happy, so be it. ''Nyah!'' Suddenly, Kanade stopped in his tracks. ''Kanade?'' ....shh, shh, shh, shh, shh. Kanade twitches his nose, not seeming to notice me looking suspicious. It looks like she''s sniffing something.......what''s going on? Lane, come on! Oh, yeah? Kanade, who looks serious, takes my hand and keeps running. What have they found? In the meantime, if you follow along... Come in! Come in!We just got them in this morning, fresh off the boat!There''s only one left!Well, the sooner the better! Yeah, fish. ...I see. The smell of fish has lured you in, I suppose. ''Sir, how''s it going?If you miss this opportunity, you won''t know when you''ll get another one. Ummm ... but then again, how could you get a fish? Actually, it was supposed to be delivered to a nobleman. But he changed his mind and told me he didn''t want it today. So, here we are at the store. Oh, I see. But still, a fish.... Since Horizon is so far inland, there''s rarely an opportunity to buy fish. Most of them sell out quickly, and before that, the aristocrats usually buy them up and never make it to market. I glance at Kanade. I was staring at the fish, almost drooling. Or rather, he was drooling a bit. ''Sir, what do you want to do?Someone else just bought one earlier, so the last one will be sold pretty quickly too, right? Well how much is it, by the way? Five silvers! That''s not very nice... It''s a high-class foodstuff. We have to have that much, too.....If you look closely, you''re a hero. "Huh? What''s the big deal about that? Puzzled, the merchant continued to speak, looking somewhat excited. ''You''re a hero, aren''t you?He said that he saved the city by defeating the demon race that suddenly appeared and saved the city. He''s got the Cat Spirit Clan''s young lady with him, and there''s no doubt about it! ''''Well heroic or not, we defeated the demon race, but...'''' ''I knew it!Thank you so much for that one!Thanks to you, I''m very much alive and kicking. I''m glad you''re okay. But when it comes to this, ummmm... okay, this fish, please take it for free! ''What?I-is that okay? I can''t accept payment from the city''s benefactor. Please just take it as a thank you for what you''ve done for me. Okay, fine. Then I''ll take you up on your offer. Meow!Can I get a fish?I can eat it! I know. I never thanked you enough. Thank you, Uncle! Kanade, with a twinkle in her eye, mouthed her thanks with the vigor of a worshipper to God. The shopkeeper and I all chuckle at the momentum. But I''m glad you''re that happy. Kanade has always helped me so much........ We got the fish at the right time. ''Do you want to eat right here, young lady? You can eat it? We have all the tools we need for tasting. There''s no way I''m going to cook a fish. Eat! It was an immediate answer. I''m in the middle of shopping.......well, okay. Receiving Kanade''s answer, the shopkeeper prepared the tools and processed the fish. It''s a brilliant move. Then he grilled the fish. Fat drips from the flesh and the skin is charred. ''''Nyaaaaah........'''' Seeing that, Kanade had an ecstatic expression on his face. Would he be that happy...? It''s a little scary, I think I''m on some bad medication. Okay, hold on! Meow. Kanade receives the grilled fish. Then, with a big smile on his face, he tries to eat it... Do you want some Rain? He glanced at me and asked how we were doing. ''I''m good. Don''t worry about it, Kanade can eat it all. Are you sure?Are you sure? Okay. Meow. Kanade looked heartily happy, and this time he took a bite of the fish. ''''Hagh! It is a tremendous appetite. In the blink of an eye, the fish will be down to just the bones. Did it taste good? Kanade was very happy. It makes me happy to see him so happy. ''Thank you, fish,'' No, no. I''m glad I could repay you in some small way. And I''d like to buy some other things besides fish... Okay, what can I get you? ''Well...'' Looking at the note Tina left me with, I order what I need. This store seems to have a certain amount of ingredients. All that''s left is to look around at a few other stores, get the missing ingredients and daily necessities, and the shopping is done. No, but we''re in luck today. What''s going on? ''Of course, it was a pleasure to meet you, Hero-sama. It was a good day for me to return the favor. I feel embarrassed when the owner smiles at me and I feel like I''m embarrassed. Really, it''s not like I''m a hero or anything like that... I did what I could. And it wasn''t just one person. We couldn''t have done it without all of you. Well let''s not get hung up on the details. What''s important is that the people of the city are smiling again. It''s not a complete recovery yet, but.... But the people of the city were smiling and living strong. I was as happy about that as I was about myself. ''''Really, it''s a lucky day, today. I get to meet the heroes, I see the cat spirit tribe''s sister.......have I used up all my life''s worth of luck? Ha, you''re exaggerating... hmm? What did you just...? ''Cat spirit race sister...? Yes, it is. Isn''t that this canade? No, sir. See, I told you about the other customer who bought the fish.That person was the cat spirit race. To meet not only a hero-sama, but also a cat spirit race, really, today is going to be a good day. So that means..... Is there another cat spirit race coming to the city that is different from the Kanade? 108-Episode 108: Kanades…… I''ve looked around a few stores since then and bought all the ingredients I was missing. The rest are daily necessities. I split the foodstuffs between Kanade and I and walked around the city. ''''What''s going on with the other cat spirit race?'''' As I walked, I asked Kanade about such things. According to what the owner of the shop earlier said, other cat spirit clans are coming to this horizon. I asked if Kanade would know anything about it... Well, I don''t know. Nothing? Nothing. But why would you do that? I''m not sure yet, but apparently there''s a different cat spirit tribe in town than Kanade. ''Really?Oooh, do you know me?I''d like to meet him. It''s not definite, okay?Just hearing a rumor like that... .... ''Kanade?What''s going on? Suddenly, Kanade looks a little far away and makes a melancholy face. It''s an expression that is not like Kanade, who is always so cheerful. ''''Hmm........just reminded me of my hometown. Are you homesick...? Kanade looks lonely. I didn''t want to see her face like that... Hey, Kanade. There you go. Meow? I got some snacks that look like fish. You wanna buy some? Fish! Excuse me, can I have one? Before I hear a reply, I buy the candy. And into Kanade''s hands. ''Yes, here you go.'' Thank you very much, yes! Smiling, Kanade ate the pastry with a smile. The batter seemed to be crispy and made a crisp sound. ''''Mmmmmm~'''' You like it? ''Yeah!It''s not like fish at all... but it''s sweet and crispy, and this is as good as it gets, nyahhhh... The smile returns to Kanade''s face. After all, Kanade is better when he''s smiling. Suddenly, I realized that Kanade was staring at me. ''''........'''' "Kanade? Thanks, Rain. Yeah?What? ''Lane always makes me smile. I''m so grateful for that. I didn''t do much, but... ''No, it''s not. I''m doing a great job. Isn''t that a funny word? Well anyway, I just want to say thank you. So take it in stride, Rain. If that''s the case. Thanks, Rain. Kanade smiled like a clear blue sky. In my mind, I, too, tell Kanade thank you. I can''t tell you how many times that smile has helped me. When I was about to give up, Kanade''s smile gave me strength. I''ll keep on doing this........ You mean, Kanade? Meow? When I take my eyes off him, Kanade is swallowed by the human wave. In the blink of an eye, Kanade''s figure fades away. "Nya, nyaaaaah!Leinooooo! Oh, hey!Kanade!I''m sorry, please get out of the way..........no. The canade disappeared in the distance. I just lost it. ---------- I can''t find it. It''s been what, half an hour or so since we got separated from Kanade? I walked around the city for a while, but there was no sign of Kanade. Either he has drifted very far, or he has passed us at an inopportune time. Either way, it is very bad luck that we cannot meet up with them even after this long. Well, even if we got lost, we will be able to join them when we get home. So I''m not that deeply worried about it, but........ I''m still in the middle of my shopping spree I guess........ When the time comes, I''ll be on my own. I''m not sure I can carry a lot of stuff, but.... Well, we''ll figure it out. It''s no use thinking about it too much. ''''Well then, let''s go buy some commodities. I gave up on meeting up with Kanade and headed to the store I always use. We were on our way there. ''Yeah?'' In the middle of the crowd, I saw a cat''s ear. There''s no doubt about it, it''s Kanade! Kanade! I hurriedly jumped into the crowd and said sorry and moved forward. Then I grab the cat-eared girl''s hand and... Yeah? ...Huh? Grabbing my hand, the girl with the cat ears looks back at me. She''s a very beautiful girl. She has a delicate face, like a princess in a fairy tale. And yet, there''s something of Kanade about her. Since I get the impression that she''s somewhat young, she''s one or two years younger than Kanade? Her hair is short. Her eyes were big and charming. He was wearing a pants look that showed his navel and was a bit revealing. ''Who are you, brother?'' It''s not Kanade? The girl was the second cat spirit race I had met. ''Kanade?Did you just say Kanade, brother?Are you by any chance an acquaintance of Kanade-chan? ''What?Um, well ... yes. ''Really!Oh well, well, well, I didn''t know she had a human friend. I was really worried about her getting along when she left her home town, but... she''s doing reasonably well, isn''t she? ''Well...'' Who is this guy ... who is he? From the way he talks, it seems like he''s definitely an acquaintance of Kanade''s... Or maybe it''s family? You seem to know a lot about Kanade and.... More than anything else, it''s the face. It''s not exactly like Kanade, but it looks a lot like him. ''''Um........do you mind?'''' Yes?What is it? Are you one of Kanade''s family?Your sister, maybe? My goodness. You''re a very flattering girl. Flattery? Why is that line flattering now? ''Excuse me for returning the question, but ... what about you?'' I''m the Rain Shroud. I''m with the Canadians. Friends? ''Since Kanade is now an adventurer with me,'' Oh, I see. I see, I see, that boy is an adventurer... how is he doing? ''Yes. I have other friends, but we all get along well together. Kanade always has a smile on his face and that helps. I see. The Cat Spirit Tribe girl nodded coyly, as if she was assessing something. Did I speak too much personal information? But since it''s like Canade''s family I guess it''s not a problem. ''Um,'' ''Oh, yes. What is it? Can you tell me more about her if you want? ''Oh, yes. That''s fine. But I''m in the middle of shopping now, so can I come back later?I got separated from Kanade, too... Is she near you? ''We were shopping together; we got separated about half an hour ago. She''s so dull in a weird way, you know. Most of the time, he was probably just thinking about food or something and not thinking much. Hahaha ah, yeah. You can come over to my place if you want?I''m not going to stand around and talk about it... and I''m sure Kanade will be back if we wait. ''Thank you. Now I''ll have to take you up on your offer. Okay. Well, come on then.... As I was about to show him home, I remembered that I hadn''t even asked him his name yet. ''By the way may I ask your name?'' Oh, dear. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to be a jerk and my name is Suz. I''m Kanade-chan''s... Mother? Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. When I turned around, I saw Kanade.......looking at me with a surprised look. .........What did you say? ''Oh my goodness, it''s not Kanade. I heard you got separated, and I was worried about you. Oh, don''t worry about that. I''m not a kid anymore!I mean, uh, what?Why is your mother here...? Again, Kanade utters the word. The possibility of mishearing or auditory hallucination, would be infinitely unlikely. So that means......... Um....Suzu, are you Kanade''s mother...? Yes, that''s right. My daughter has always been a great help to me. Suz smiled and said something outrageous. 109-Episode 109: Mother and Daughter Here''s your tea. Oh, my goodness, hi. Sorry. First of all, I invited Suz-san to my house. Me and Kanade are sitting side by side, and Suzu-san is sitting on the other side of the room, facing her. Tina was waiting a little further away, and........ Everyone else has been informed of what''s going on and is watching at the edge of the living room, looking curious. They have zero intention of hiding. You should have just joined the conversation. You''re not going to be able to find out if it''s a good tea. Isn''t it made with good tea leaves? Oh, you know what I mean?It''s a pretty expensive one. Normally I keep it in the back, but when Kanade''s mother comes, I know I have to take it out. Thank you. They seemed to be getting along well together. Would they be on the same page? Mother, why are you here? ''I haven''t seen you in a while and that''s the first thing you say?Mom, I''m sad....yo yo. Stop crying. You''ll know soon enough. ''You''ve grown up, Kanade. You used to be so easily tricked and floundered. Mom, does it hurt anywhere?I''m here for you, so don''t cry. Yeah, you don''t have to tell me that! Kanade turned red and hurriedly interrupted Suzu''s story. That''s how embarrassing it seems to be to talk about the old days. To a child, a parent is something that can''t be disobeyed forever.......what a thought. ''''And yet........Suzu-san, are you really Kanade''s mother?Actually, don''t you have a sister or something like that as a punchline? ''She really is my mother. Do I look like I''m not doing a good job of being a mother...? ''No, I don''t mean that... for all intents and purposes, she''s more of a sister... or rather, a sister, than a mother...'' She is shorter than Kanade and has a younger face than Kanade. It''s impossible to call her a mother with this. Even an older sister is just barely there, and originally, it would be more fitting to be called a sister. ''''Oh dear, you don''t have to be so flattered, do you?But I''m glad, thank you. He smiles and looks even younger when he smiles. Secretly, I overhear Kanade next to me. ''Hey, Kanade....'' Yeah, I know what you mean. Mom, things are strange. But she''s an unmistakable mother... Is this what all cat spirit people are like? Do you think Kanade will remain this way as he gets older? It doesn''t matter, but it bothers me a lot. ''''Ha.......the tea is delicious. Alone, Suz was moping around. ''''That''s more like it!Mom, what''s going on here?Maybe you''re on your way to see the sights? No, it''s not, is it? Then why are you so far away from home? Of course, it''s because you were looking for Kanade, isn''t it? Me? ''It''s been hard, you know?I talked to a lot of people and followed Kanade''s footsteps... and that''s how I managed to get to this city. Until we got here, mom, we had enough adventures to have a little talk... ''Already, enough with the hard work. More importantly, why were you looking for me? You know what to do. Suzu held out her hand to Kanade. Then she said with a smile. ''Come on ... let''s go home together. ...What? ""Eeeeeeeeeeeeee!" First, Kanade looked at him and then.... Next, we, who had been watching, shouted loudly. ''Hey, wait a minute, Mom!I''m going home with you... what?Huh?Wh-What do you mean? ''It''s a word, okay?Kanade, you''re going back to the Cat Spirit Clan''s village with me. I didn''t hear you! I''m telling you now. ''That''s not the point!I mean, I''m not going back to the village! Oh my God... is it a rebellious phase, Kanade? That''s not even the point! ''Well ... both of you, or rather, Kanade. Calm down for now. Fushar...! He was so excited that he was even threatening. He managed to calm Kanade down by patting his head and stroking his ears. Suzu, in contrast, was calm from the start. Without being distraught at all, she looked at her panicked daughter with a compassionate expression. If it''s a family matter, I shouldn''t be the one to intervene, but....... Apparently, that''s not what''s going on. When the Kanade returns, it will be of great relevance to us. I don''t know what you''ll think, but I''ll tell you what I''m going to do. ''Excuse me from the side. Is Suzu-san here to bring Kanade back? ''Yes, that''s right!'' Why is that?Could it be that Kanade... or perhaps there''s a rule that the cat spirit clan is not allowed to go out of the village or something? No, there''s no such thing. ''Then would you mind telling me why first?All of a sudden, we were confused, as was Kanade... Oh, dear. Oh, I haven''t told you about that. I''m sorry to have startled you. Is he a natural? Or are you just missing.... It''s just not someone you can ever let down. It''s a gut feeling, but that''s what I think. ''Actually, I was against Kanade-chan leaving the village. Is that so...? ''Your father said it would be a good opportunity, but I''m worried... after all, he''s still a kid. I won''t have to think about it when he''s a little older, but I don''t think Kanade-chan is ready to travel yet. Oh, God, Mom!I''m not a child, I''m a proper adult. ''That''s just for your age, isn''t it?Kanade, you are so unreliable with everything else. Didn''t you run out of food on your journey and pass out? ''Ugh!'' That''s exactly what happened, so Kanade is at a loss for words to argue. ''I understand your desire to travel. I agree with your father about going out into the world to broaden your horizons, but I''m not ready for that yet. But I think it''s too early to tell. You are just a child, Kanade. There''s no need to rush her. When she''s older, she''ll be ready to go on a new journey, and we''ve decided to bring her back. ''I see ... but you did allow me to go on the trip once, didn''t you?'' ''''No. Everyone in the village said it was a good opportunity for Kanade to become a full-fledged adult, and instead of stopping her, they joined in. Because I was giving everyone in the village a ''spanking'', I was slow to chase after Kanade. ...I think I just heard a disturbing word? Softly, Kanade whispers into her ear. ''''........I think she ''physically'' spanked everyone in the village because of her mother. ''''........Could it be that Suz-san is quite a martial artist? Your mother is the strongest person in our village. Really? It looks like a little version of Canade.... I didn''t know that he was the most talented person in the world, even though he seems to be so warm and friendly. Even among the cat spirit race, he is the pinnacle of existence. In other words, he''s the strongest of the strongest. I finally understood the reason for my intuition that I should never underestimate this person. ''''Come on, Kanade. Let''s go home. No!I''m not coming home, okay? Oh, that too. I can''t leave without saying hello to the people who have helped me so much. Then I''ll give you one day to say hello properly, okay? It doesn''t matter! ''Oh, you''ve already said hello?Then there''s no problem. Now, let''s go home with your mother. Oh, I can''t understand you at all... Kanade screamed like a madman and scratched his head. Much confused.... Well, it''s hard to calm down when you''re being told to go home. I''m sorry to interrupt you so often. Yes, what is it? Will you stop talking about taking Kanade back to the village? Hey. If Kanade wants to, there''s nothing to stop him, but.... It doesn''t look like that, by all accounts. Then I have to stop Kanade from being taken back to the village. Why? Because I''m with Kanade. ''Miss Lane, was it?Are you opposed to bringing little Kanade back? I disagree. Huh, you just say it out loud. I have a good impression of a girl like that. But.... why is that?Can you tell me why? ''Because Kanade is one of us. And Kanade doesn''t want to return to the village. ...I see. Suzu, you said you were worried about Kanade because he was a child?But that''s not true. I think Kanade is a fine adult and a full-fledged cat spirit race. Well that''s a matter of opinion. Wouldn''t you agree with me? I can''t. Although her tone is soft, Suzu''s intentions hidden behind it are hard. It''s going to take a lot of work to convince her of this....... You must respect Kanade''s decision to return or not to return to the village. Forcing him back will only undermine the trust between you and Kanade. ''I know more about you than you do, Kanade, don''t I?I don''t think that''s a concern at all. It''s... Wait a minute! As we continued to talk, Tania interrupted us. It''s not just Tania. Sola, Luna and Nina are there too. If you listen to me, you can say whatever you want. Kanade is not a child. She''s a feline spirit family. Can''t your parents just come out after you and tell you what to do? I''m sorry to disturb you. My name is Sola, and I''m from the spirit tribe. Will you stop bringing back the Kanade?The Kanade is a valued companion. ''Mmm, Sola''s right!Kanade is very important to us. We won''t want you to proceed with the idea of bringing her back without permission. "Uh, well Nina, I don''t want you to take Kanade with you, but I want to be with you... ... Everyone who was listening to the story couldn''t seem to keep quiet and joined in. Each of them eagerly complained about wanting to be with Kanade. At this, even Suzu-san, as expected, can''t treat it without a fight, and makes a lost expression. A moment of silence passes... After a while, Suz-san opens her mouth. ''''........Okay. Then let''s do the test.'''' A test? As you all say, Canade-chan is really on her own I would like to put her to the test. 110-Episode 110: The Trial of Tin, Part 1 It was decided to put Kanade through a test to see if he was on his own. If he passes the test, Suzu will return home quietly. However, if he failed the test, Kanade would be taken back to his village. A promise was made that if he failed the test, Kanade would be taken back to the village. Suzu''s test was to be held immediately. I walked out of the house and went straight out of town. After walking for a while, we came to the forest. Then we have our first test. When we had entered the depths of the forest to some extent, Suzu, who was walking in the lead, stopped. She turns around and looks at us. ........By the way, it''s noon now, so Tina is staying home. She said she''s going to need everyone for the last test, so she''s going to meet up with us later, but....... Tina was depressed that she couldn''t help in a situation like this. I''ll have to follow up on that later. Aside from that. Right now, we have to pass Suz-san''s ordeal. Let''s think about that. ''The first test will be to see how well you all bond. Bond? If you ask me, Kanade is an adventurer together with you all. As an adventurer, you need to work together with your friends. In other words, it''s all about the bond between you and your friends. If you don''t have a good bond with your fellow adventurers, you won''t be able to continue for long. No wonder. I''m not saying it''s wrong. Just how do we measure the bond? Actually there''s only one of you that I''m working with. What? I talked to him beforehand and got him to be on my side. Oh, no, you can''t be... I look at everyone''s faces. They all shake their heads in unison, as if they don''t know that. ''You can''t try to check. They won''t crack open their mouths easily.'''' How in the world could you possibly... ''At first, it was to help me convince you to help me bring Kanade-chan back when I was having difficulty bringing her back, but since it''s a good opportunity, I''ll use it as a test. The first test will be to find the traitor in you all. If you''re building a real bond, it should be that easy, right? .... ''By the way, Mr. Lane is not a traitor. I can assure you of that. So, I''ll let Mr. Lane find the culprit. So I''m supposed to be the one to find out who''s connected to Suzu? ''Yes, that''s what I mean. However, if you get one answer wrong, you''re done at that point. You''re out. You''re not allowed to fail, okay? That''s a lot of responsibility. Come on, Rayne, keep up the good work! Kanade is cheering me on. This test, we can''t fail it! A traitor who is connected to Suzu-san behind the scenes........ To tell the truth, I had arrived at a certain answer when I heard the story. However, I''m not 100% sure of it. Let''s ask everyone a few questions to find out for sure. First of all, Tania. That''s right. What questions should I ask Tania? I thought for a moment and then spun the words. ''What does Tania think of Canade?'' What do you think of it, but I don''t think about it, okay?I don''t think of them as weird but important friends or anything like that... but, well, that''s what I''ll miss when they''re gone... so I''m against it. Yeah, thanks. Go on, the question for Sola. Well, what do we do now? If Sora has a quick mind, she might have arrived at the same idea as me. Given that possibility I''ll ask her honestly. ''Who do you think is the traitor, Sola?'' ''It''s a foolish question. Isn''t the answer to that question already solidified in Rain? Is that Sora''s answer? ''Yes. Sola would support Lane''s idea. Well thank you. Next up is Luna. Luna has excellent intuition. Like Sora, she''s quick-witted, but she has the second keenest intuition after Kanade. The question for Luna is..... How does Luna feel about Suz? What do you mean? ''Just tell me what you think. Are you a good mother, or something like that? ''Hmm, well I guess I''m a good mother, huh?It''s a bit forceful, though. But that forcefulness is also an act of caring for your daughter. Isn''t there some part of it that can''t be helped? I see. Finally, a question for Nina. Nina is a little girl, but... Hence, we can see things with pure eyes. Let us rely on that. What does Nina make of this test? Well...? Can you tell me what you think? Hmm ... just as I said, I guess ... it''s not like he has some other purpose or anything ... it''s just not ... ... "As you said, it''s a test of our bond. Hmmm. All right, all right. Thank you. End of questioning. I keep popping Nina''s head. That''s the end of question time! Come on, Ms. Lane. Your answers, please. Wait. Maybe you need some time to think?I wouldn''t mind a little bit, but I can''t wait too long, can I? I haven''t finished my question. What? I didn''t ask Suz any questions. ...I see. Grinning, Suzu smiles. It''s a fun, somehow happy... and yet fearless smile. ''Yes, fine. It would be unfair if you don''t have questions for me as well. You can ask me anything you want. Just one thing, though, okay? Do you think that bringing him back to the village is the best thing for Kanade? I didn''t hesitate to ask him a question. It was something that seemed completely unrelated to this test. For that reason, Suzu looked at me quizzically and used a pause to answer. What do you mean by that?Is this related to the test? ''Maybe it''s relevant, maybe it''s not. More importantly, can you answer me? ''''Well yes. We think it''s best for you, Kanade. Why is that? ''As I said before, Kanade is still a child. She''s not ready to go outside yet. That''s why. I see. Are you happy now? ''Yes. I think I know what you want to know. The last question is a bonus. I simply wanted to know Suz-san''s thoughts. In Suz-san''s mind, Kanade is still a child... Unless we can get him to change his mind on this test, Suz will not be convinced. We need to focus on that in the future. The first test? Then it''s as good as done. ''Now, please answer the question. Who is the traitor who is communicating with me? It''s... Once I look at everyone. Tania, Sola, Luna and Nina. Any of these people are connected to Ms. Tin. ''There is no such person. That''s the answer. ...I see. After saying it crisply, Suz opened her eyes wide once and........ Then he looked at me with a somewhat amused look on his face. ''What do you mean by that?You mean you didn''t understand? ''No, no. The answer is that none of us are connected to Tin, ''I see...'' "You say things that make me suspicious and make me look for a culprit that shouldn''t be there... that''s your goal, Suz-san, isn''t it? .... ''Now, let''s say ... let''s say I nominate Tania. Then I would have danced around Suz-san''s information and doubted Tania. Is there a bond of fellowship there?It can''t be. .... ''The correct answer to this test is that no one should doubt their fellow man.... Don''t be misled by superfluous words, but trust your fellow man. That''s the answer Suz-san is looking for. Isn''t it? A small silence. ........somewhat, and Suzu smiled softly. And crackled and clapped. ''Brilliant. All in all, you''re right, Rain-san.'''' This is just another way to test your bonds. Suz replies to her daughter''s zit-eyes in a matter-of-fact manner. As expected, how can I say........ Suz''s brazenness of nerve is far superior to his. ''And yet, you''re well aware of that, aren''t you?When did you realize the answer? I wasn''t absolutely sure, but that''s when I heard about the problem. ''What?From the beginning? It seems that the answer was unexpected, and Suz-san made a surprised face. But to me, it was a natural answer. There''s no way any of the men in my group would be willing to help bring Kanade back to the village. Everyone believes in Kanade, relies on her, and wants her to stay with them. That''s the only thing I believe and don''t doubt. So I realized that everything is Suzu-san''s bluff........a lie. When I told her that, Suzu-san rolled her eyes again..........and then she smiled gently. I''m very proud of you. 111-Episode 111: Tin Trial, Part 2 So, here''s what''s going on. Suzu says, smiling. Speaking of the show.... Maybe you''re going to fight Suzu... or something? It''s not an impossible story. It''s a common story in these trials and... I can understand why they went to the trouble of moving the place to the outside. That''s what I thought... Let''s play tag. Well...? It''s a game of tag. Don''t you know what it is? No, I know, but... Why are you playing tag...? What does this have to do with the point at which we need to bring home the canade? I couldn''t help but put on a dumb face. Everyone else was similarly quizzical. ''Hey, Mom,'' What is it? ''What does that have to do with you having to bring me back...?Nothing to do with it at all...? It''s all right. Your escape route is very important. Running away? ''When you continue to be an adventurer, sometimes you meet enemies you can''t match, no matter how you try, right?At that point, you will have no choice but to run away, but if you are not fast enough to escape, you will be caught. To avoid such a situation, I want to check how fast you all are running to avoid such a situation. I don''t know if I understand the logic, but... It''s kind of a delicate feeling to be tested on the runway... I make an indescribable face with Tania. ''I hope you''ll join us this time, Kanade. Nya. Am I with you? Kanade-chan was too slow to run, so what''s the point? ''Hmm?Well? So let me explain the rules. The time limit is three minutes. If I don''t catch any of you during that time, Mr. Lane and the others win. If I catch all of you, I win. ''It''s only three minutes?It''s that easy. Phew, she''s a healthy girl. ''You shouldn''t underestimate your mother. When it comes to physical activity, mom, you''re going to be out of line. ''Hmmm ... a question. Can I use magic? Yeah, that''s fine. The time limit is three minutes. And we''re allowed to use magic to escape. It''s a pretty good deal for us. Even so, Suzu''s smile hasn''t wavered. Do they have confidence that they can win even under these conditions? I mean, normally, we''d be winning this thing, but... I''d better not let my guard down. Let''s brace ourselves. Are you ready? Yeah. Then, when I give you the signal, run away as you please. I''ll be after you in thirty seconds. I understand. Now ... okay, let''s go! At Suzu''s signal, we scattered in all directions. Tania ran furiously, using the physical abilities she possessed. In the blink of an eye, I couldn''t see her back. Sora and Luna used their magic and flew high in the sky. Although they said that magic was an ant, but that, as expected, there''s no way to catch it....... Nina had been moving farther and farther away from the transition. There was no way to touch her while she was transitioning. In a way, Nina might be the most troublesome. Me and Kanade were running through the forest side by side. If we acted in a coherent manner, there was a risk that we would be swept away, but....... To some extent, I want to keep track of my allies'' movements, so I decided to work with Kanade for a while. ''''Rain, Rain. What do we do now?Can we get away with just running normally? ''''Suz-san is the most powerful of the cat spirit race, right? Yeah. He''s so strong. I''m afraid I''m going to have to send out a scout. Contract with a little bird nearby. Assimilate them and fly them to Mr. Tin. Well, here we go! It seemed that I had just finished counting for thirty seconds, and I saw Suz-san start to move. Suz bent over lightly and.... Suddenly, the figure disappeared. "What? As I hurriedly ran my gaze around, I saw Suzu-san''s figure in the distance. That distance in an instant........? Stunned, Suz caught up with Tania. Tania was surprised. Suzu-san, at her own pace, with a smile on her face, easily touched Tania''s shoulder. ''''No way...'''' It''s crazy fast. How does he move that fast? Instead of breaking common sense, you''ve gone out of the box.... After catching Tania, Suzu-san scurried around to look for her next prey. If they were that far apart, I wouldn''t normally be able to keep them in my sight....... Mr. Tin says it''s ''not normal''. He says he found them right away. He looks up and makes a troubled face. That''s right. As expected of Suzu-san, what to do with a partner flying in the sky....... Yes! I can''t............................and then Suzu leapt. She rushed furiously through the air as if a shell had been shot out. I saw Sora and Luna, noticing Suzu-san charging through the air, looking jittery. They hurriedly changed their flight course. With this, Suzu-san has no choice but to land once. No matter how much, changing the trajectory in the air is........ Yes! Suzu kicked the air. Correcting his trajectory in an absurd way, he closed in on Sora and Luna. And then........touch. They both get caught too. ''''Well, let''s make the child of the god race next. Having landed on the ground, Tin now ran to Nina. She was so fast that she could lose sight of him if she wasn''t paying attention. How fast is it going...? I feel dizzy just thinking about it. ''Hiya! Yes, I got him. Nina was easily caught as she was targeted between transition and transfer. The rest........ ..... Suzu looks at me, assimilating the little bird. Our eyes meet. Oh no. With an instinctive sense of urgency, I immediately break the assimilation. ''''Rain?What''s going on? Let''s get the hell out of here! We''ve got to get out of here, guys! What? I dashed as fast as I could with Kanade. He ran in the opposite direction of where Suzu was. ''Mother, you''ve already got everyone! Oh, that was quick! No matter how strong the opponent is, no matter how strong the strongest of the strongest species, how could they all be caught so easily... It''s just not what we were expecting. And if we don''t hurry, we''re going to have to... I was just getting impatient when I felt a presence behind me. The sound of footsteps approaching at a tremendous rate. I didn''t need to look back. It''s Suzu. "Ki, it''s here! We''re splitting up!Just to buy a little time... I won''t let you! Just as they were about to split off to the left and right, Suzu-san came around to block their whereabouts. There must have been a good distance between us, and yet I can''t believe he''s already caught up with me... That''s a lot of speed. That''s it. Suzu is closing in. Neither I nor Kanade have any way to prevent that from happening. Still, we can''t give up. At the very last moment, I was trying to figure out a way to get to the bottom of this. Oh. With a snap, Suzu-san''s hand, which was about to catch me, stops in front of me. ''''........?'''' I''m sorry, but it looks like it''s been three minutes. Is that...? Yes. So you''ve passed the second test, too. It''s a pity we were so close. ........Thus, we''ve broken through the second ordeal at a very close call. However, it''s not something to rejoice over, as it''s something that can be called a close call. 112-Episode 112: The Trial of Tin, Part 3 After I managed to get through the second ordeal... We went back to the house once and waited for the night to fall. Suz said that he wanted us all to take on the final ordeal. So we waited for the night when Tina was free to act, that''s what we did. And the night came. Night came, and we took Tina out once again. And now we moved to the plains. The plains at night were quiet, and a gentle breeze was blowing. There were no animals or demons to be seen, only us. ''Well, well,'' Suzu, who is walking in the lead, stops and looks back at me. ''''Well then, I guess we''ll do one last test. Suzu was smiling. ''Ugh I have a bad feeling about this. What''s up, Kanade? ''When your mother looks like that, it''s usually when she''s thinking about the dumbest things...'' I see. I guess I''m afraid of my mother, which I know because she''s my daughter. Kanade''s ears were flattened as if she was frightened. ''''Ugh...'''' I''ll be fine. Rain? Gently, I hold Kanade''s hand. As if to convey my heat. I grip it tightly. ''Nya ... that hurts?'' I''m sorry. But I thought it might be a good time to do this. Yeah. That''s a relief. ''Whatever the test is, I''m going to get through it. We won''t let Kanade return to the village. You can count on us. "...Rain... ''That''s what it''s all about!Leave it to me, ha-ha-ha. Sora will do her best. Don''t look at me like that if I''m going to help you. I''ll do my best. We''ll do what we can for Kanade, too! "...guys... Kanade''s tear glands loosen up loudly. But now is not the time to cry. Kanade gingerly held back and looked forward. ''''Ummm ... I feel like I''m being the bad guy?'''' ''''I''m sorry. But as long as Kanade doesn''t want to, I can''t let things go on as Suzu-san wants them to. ''''Is that because Kanade-chan doesn''t want to go home?If I tell you that Kanade-chan is leaving, will you be quiet? ''Well that''s not happening either. We want to stay with Kanade. Even if Kanade says he''s leaving, I''ll probably convince him to reconsider. It''s just selfish but I''ll push it through. I see. Suzu nodded coyly, looking like she was in a good mood. Her smile remained on her face the whole time. ''''Well maybe Kanade-chan is growing up more than I thought she would. What''s the...? ''Okay, that''s enough chatter. Let''s begin the final test. Before he could ask, Suzu would break off the conversation. Now there was a feeling that they could resolve the matter through discussion... Was it just my imagination? What''s the last test you''re going to do? You''ll have to fight me. ...What? You''ll have to fight me. Suzu grinned and repeated the same thing twice. If possible, I hoped I had heard wrong... It doesn''t work that way. ''With Suz.........'' "Fight... Tania and Luna were pulling faces. It''s not surprising. You must have experienced Suz-san''s absurd abilities firsthand during the noon game of tag. It''s just a game of tag and that''s it. When it comes to actually fighting, how much power she''ll have.......I can''t even imagine it. ''''I can''t be frightened by this!Hmph, we don''t have a bunch of crunchy guys these days and it''s just good training. "Mm-hmm. It''s just as well that I am a genius!Hmph, this is going to be fun. Tania and Luna said, as if to inspire themselves. Although they can''t hide the fact that they are a little bit strong....... I don''t think that''s inevitable. To be honest, I''m even upset about it. Fighting Suzu......... What are the odds of winning? As far as their daytime abilities are concerned, if we went head-to-head with them, we wouldn''t be able to win at first. You''d have to use a force attacking the rear or trap it... When you say fight, what are the conditions for victory? ''Well let''s call it fainting or losing when you can''t move. Oh, I see... I''ve come up with one plan. If we get into it right, we can make it work. I''m alone. Then you can all come over and take it. Wait, you can''t say that? That''s right. Don''t you think you''ve taken us all too seriously? ''Really?I think it''s just the right handicap, but... "Mwah! Tania and Luna tugged at their temples together. It''s a blatant provocation but..... Let''s just let it go. Even if it''s in the form of a provocation, if it gives me the motivation to do it, it''s better. If I''m even a little bit timid like I was earlier, I won''t be able to compete. ''''........Master, master.'''' Gently, Tina approached me. ''''........we''re not good at fighting or anything, but.......'''' Can you help me out this time?It''s not an exaggeration to say that Tina holds the key. ...Our home?But we can''t do much, can we? I have a very important role to play. It''s something only Tina can do. I told him part of the plan I was considering. ...I see. It''s true, it''s a job only we can do. Can you do it? I''ll take care of it. Tina-chan, a maid to live up to your expectations. That''s a dependable reply. This could really help. "There''s no time limit. One match. If I lose, I will give up taking Kanade-chan home. But if Rain-san and the others lose, I will take Kanade-chan home. Is that alright? I didn''t give an immediate answer, but looked at everyone. Everyone nodded with a coy smile, as if to say I''ll take care of it. I look back at Suzu again and nod my head. ''''Yeah. That''s fine.'''' ''''That''s a good reply. I''m always ready to talk. ''Well, I suppose a farewell party is in order. Seeing Suzu off, I think you''ve got the wrong idea. ''Huh. She''s really an interesting girl. The fact that you won''t take a step back against me... Forgetting that it''s to bring Kanade-chan back, I''m genuinely looking forward to fighting Rain-san. Suz-san, your personality seems to have changed a bit since we met...? "...mom, there''s something about that thing that makes me a battle fanatic. ...I see. Kanade gave me an earful and I learned a surprising side of Suzu. No, not so surprising? I''ve heard he''s the strongest of the cat spirit race. With that in mind, Kanade''s words made sense. ''''Well, what do we do now?I could start right away, but... ''Wait a minute. I need to have a strategy meeting. Yeah, go ahead. He gathered everyone together and held a strategy meeting in a whisper. ''Rain, what are we going to do?I think it would be incredibly reckless to fight your mother... I have an idea. It''s an operation by the devil tamer. I''m counting on you, demon tamer. Would you stop calling me that...? Surprisingly, Tania and Luna might be able to afford it. ''The key is Tina,'' Tina, is it? You know.The cat spirit race is the strongest physically, but they are weak in magic-related attacks. So, we''ll stop Suz-san''s movement with us, and there, we''ll have Tina possess her. Oh ... and then ... The color of understanding spread across everyone''s faces. When I met Tina, this is what Kanade, the cat spirit race, said, among others. He said that the cat spirit race is easily possessed........ If Tina was there, they should be able to manage it. After that......... We finish the strategy meeting with a detailed plan. Then I turn to Suzu. "Sorry to keep you waiting. ''No, no, I don''t mind. Well, then, I guess it''s time to get started, don''t you agree? Yes, sir. ''''Don''t be shy, and come on as fast as you can. Even though I look like this, I''m very sturdy and won''t get hurt by the slightest thing. I''m going to do that without being told. If I cut corners or cut corners poorly, I could be hit in an instant. ''''Then........let''s begin! 113-Episode 113: The Strongest of the Strongest, 1 _ʼԤȤΤˡτӤȤʤ oݤǡ΢ЦߤʤäƤ롣 ӤҊƤΤ 䡢ˤƤϘ餷ʤΤϲȻ ȤȤϡ ˤ`äơ äƤʤäƤȤ飿 ʥǤȥ˥äȤˤʤ롣 ˤͨꡢϤΈӤȤʤ ϶餱ΤȤҊơդȤӤ餷Ƥ ȥʥǤȥ˥Ҋơ 礤礤Ф ĤǤ⤤Ǥ衣 äƤʤ ԤФΑBȤ ⤦ŭäּӜpʤǤͤá ȤȤ¤Ҋƥץ饤ɤĤ餷ʥǤŭäˤʤ롣 ˤ㡭ˤã ꡢå塣 ˤϡҕJǤʤۤɤ٤ ɤ顢~ͨꡢּӜpʤǡȫǤ֤Ĥ뤳Ȥˤߤ ޤޤȥkˁ\äƤޤäΤˤʤ뤱ɡ Ǥ⡢ȫ_ФȤΤϡش ȤǤʤҊ֤ʤΤ ϧߤ򤷤Ƥ顢äȤgˤƤޤ褦ʚݤ ĸäơh]ʤͣ դդáɤ줯餤Läȴ_JƤޤ͡ ԣЦߤ򸡤٤ʤԤ `áХˤƣΥ˥˥ˉ䤨Ƥá Hˌ~ʤϡ ʤȤ˼ΤΡτؓФʤΤǡaäƤ ʥǤLΤ褦ٶȤǥȤꡢãȭR ⟤ΰ夵؞zһĤ 饹Ǥ⡢椫ܤֹ褦ʤȤϡ ϤϤäȡ 椫ܤֹ᤿ ϡ餺Цߤ򸡤٤ޤޡʥǤȭ֤ƽܤֹ᤿ ʥǤgּӜp򤷤ƤʤɤȤŒgϤʤ ^ˡʥǤȭRѺ褦ˡ夬ѺƤ Ǥ⡢ `ؓäӤϤʤݤƤʤ `󡭡ΤϡʤʤһĤǤ͡ʥǤ⡢LƤǤͤgȤΤޤäʤΤǤ͡ŹĤ㤢󤷤ϳޤ裿 ˤ㡢ˤ㤢 ȭrϡʹʤȣ դˤã Xꡭ ȭĤ ʥǤȤ϶`ٶȤ ҕJǤΤΡΤҊʤ⤷ʤ 줯餤٤ơؤ ȭʥǤ˥ҥåȤơС夬褦 oˎzޤ줿Τ褦ˡʥǤңhwФơ ˴󤭤Ѩꡢ褦䤯ֹޤä ȡȤǤʤ͡ һBҊƤ˥ҤĤ餻 ħȤ⌝ȤˑäϤΥʥǤޤӹΤ褦ˤ줿 ĤơΤȤǤʤ˼֪롣 ϥʥǤӭĤΤΡ׷Ϥʤ Τߤʤ˹Ĥ򤷤뤳ȤʤߤĥԥΤ褦ˡЦߤЯäƤ ׷ĤϤʤжϤơʥǤΤȤء Сʥ``Фǡ餯ĿؤƤ륫ʥǤ֤٤롣 ʥǡɷ򤫣 󡭡ɷ򡢤褩դˤ㤢 ʤһˤͻĤʤ褦ˡ 󡢤͡Ǥ⡢Ƥ˼äĸ󤬑餦ȤäơߤʡgHҊƤʤ٤Ǥ·ҊȤǤСä˼äɡˤ㤢һ˲ǤäۤƤʤä͡ ʤȤʤɫळȤϤǤ ʤΣ Is Kanade still available? Yeah, I''m fine! Okay, then. Let''s go! He pulls back on Kanade''s hand and gets him to his feet. Then he goes back to the others. ''It''s a bit grown up, but I''ll push through with my numbers. Neeee ... what do we do? ''Me, Kanade and Tania are the vanguard. Anyway, we''ll be able to put our hands out and not give Suz-san time to fight back. Yeah, I get it. Kanade and Tania nodded. ''So, Sora and Luna, you''re the rear guard. See if you can find an opening and slap some magic into them. I understand. I understand!I''m going to deliver a painful blow to you! Sola and Luna clench their fists to show their motivation. ''Nina and Tina are our trump card. We will somehow restrain Suzu, and when we do, I hope Nina''s transition will get us closer and Tina will be possessed. Yeah.... I''ll do my best...! I''ll take care of it. Nina seemed to be nervous about being a trump card, and Nina''s face was a little stiff. In contrast, Tina had a smile on her face, as if she had the courage to do so. A little uneasy, but........ We don''t have time for any more detailed discussions. There''s no guarantee that Suzu-san won''t change her mind and turn to attack. ''''Let''s go! Ooh!And everyone responded cheerfully. I sprinted alongside Kanade and Tania. At the same time, they built and unleashed a magical formula in their minds. ''''Multi-boost!'''' I included myself and increased my abilities. Every inch of my body is filled with strength, and the sensation of sharpening my nerves spreads. Compared to Kanade and Tania, I''m impotent, but... This should allow you to keep up with it to some extent! Huh! First, I strike a blow. Right in front of me, I turn to the side and scoop up a kick. As I match it, from the front, Kanade and Tania see a rush of fists. Simultaneous attacks from the front and the side. If this is it........! What''s the...? Suzu dealt with Kanade and Tania''s rushes with both hands and avoided my kicks by deflecting them away from her body. However, the smile that had been on his face was gone. Instead, there''s a small look of surprise on his face. Perhaps he noticed that Kanade''s power had been amplified. Surprise and bewilderment.......the two could be read from Suzu''s expression. ''''Let''s just keep on folding! Now''s our chance. Me, Kanade and Tania, we''re going to attack onslaught from three directions. ''''Oh, my.......this is not so bad.......'''' As expected of Suzu-san, it seems that she can''t take on all three of us at the same time. Unable to counterattack, the battle is fought out. Okay, it''s a good feeling. We must seize this flow and not let it go. We''re going to keep pushing through and.... With the right timing, the Narkami''s wires would block the movement. Of course, they''ll get out of there soon, but it''s enough to stop them from moving for a moment. I''ll have Sora and Luna tap into the magic and... In the midst of that thicket, I asked Nina and Tina to make a move. I had been building such a plan in my mind, but..... ''What do you mean by that?I think Kanade is stronger than before...? ''I''m not going to give away my hand,'' ''That''s true too. Well, this isn''t much of a problem, so let''s call it good. What''s the...? He would soon understand the meaning of Suzu-san''s words. It was too fast for me to see it accurately. ''''Nyah!'''' "Yikes! The next thing I knew, Kanade and Tania were being thrown off. 114-Episode 114: The strongest of the strongest-2 ''Sola, Luna!Cover me! I can''t take care of Suzu by myself. I have to keep her alive until Kanade and Tania return to the front line. That''s why I''ve called in Sora and Luna for backup. Since Suzu and I are so close to the edge, we wouldn''t normally be able to unleash our magic. Because it would involve me. But there''s only one way I can avoid getting involved. I''m sure the two of you will realize that! ''Paralyze shock!!!!'' As I had hoped, Sora and Luna unleash their state abnormality magic. I have an ability called ''State Abnormalities Completely Disabled''. With this, there''s nothing wrong with getting caught up in it. ''''Mya! Looking numb, Tin-san let out a strange voice. No matter how much Suzu-san was the strongest of the strongest species, the cat spirit race was vulnerable to magic. They couldn''t seem to overcome that weakness and were affected by the state of affairs. ''''Now''s your chance! He''s trying to brush off Suzu''s legs and push him to the ground.... Yeah. What...? He avoided my attack with the minimum amount of movement necessary, with no waste at all. My leg kicked in the air as the foot sweep was avoided. Then, on the contrary, Suzu-san applied a foot sweep to me and I fell to the ground. ''''Why........! ''''Hmph. The weakness of the cat spirit race is magic. I''ve spotted a good point..............................Did you think I would leave a weakness as a weakness for any length of time?There''s nothing we can do about attack magic and the like, but we''ve been training to be able to move to a certain extent even if we''re affected by state magic. Suz-san says plainly. I can''t believe you can move even when you''re under a state magic.... How can you learn to do something so absurd? Not good. Suz is even tougher than I thought. She''s always outperforming us. However, we can''t give up. If we give up here, we''ll have to leave Kanade! "The magic we can use is... There''s a lot more to come! Sola and Luna shout. ''Poison....'' Freeze... The magic to add poison and the magic to freeze were about to be released, respectively. However, Suzu moved before that. ''''I can''t do the same move. What? Mug? Suzu swung her fist out wide, as if to strike a huge enemy. Just like that, a shockwave was generated by the fist strike. The shockwave engulfed Sora and Luna and threw them both high into the sky. The two turn their eyes around as it is. ''''Gap........'''' ''Aliiiiiiiiiiiiii! Kanade and Tania, who should have been thrown away, were back before they knew it. They pounced on Suzu, who was still in a position with her arms out, at the same time. ''''There''s no such thing as an opening.'''' Meow! ''Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!'' Kanade and Tania are thrown off again. They are sent flying with a tremendous force and roll on the ground. Will it be okay, that...? That''s a bit of a letdown. I haven''t moved at all from this position, you know? Shh.... This guy is a hell of a monster. I thought I knew his physical prowess and strength from playing tag in the daytime, but....... This is outrageous. The source of this person''s power had nothing to do with the physical abilities of the Cat Spirit Clan, but was somewhere else entirely. It''s ''technology''. The skills for fighting are refined to the point where it''s almost too much. No different than a skilled adventurer............or even more. Perhaps you are as skilled as an S-ranked adventurer? In contrast, we''ve been fighting based on our physical abilities alone. I''ve gained a certain amount of experience, but..... Such a thing is useless against extremely well-trained skills. It''s like a child challenging a professional fist fighter to a fist fight. The difference in power is overwhelming. I didn''t expect the difference to be this great.... Is that all you''ve got? No, not yet. I got a provocative smile from Suzu and slowly stood up. Everyone else got up and took their positions as well. Though there''s more difference than I expected... I can''t stand still! ''Sola, Luna!Get with me! Yes, sir! Mmm! Fireball Multi-Shot! Unleashing multiple fireballs. I can''t afford to be lenient, I''m going all out. Pouring all the magical power they can muster, the multiple gigantic fireballs rush into Suzu-san. Even so, Suzu refuses to move from her spot, as if to show the difference in power. He swings his fist and uses the pressure alone to stir up the fireballs. ''''Lightning strike!!!!'''' Just in time, Sora and Luna''s magic burst forth. Like a giant snake crawling on the ground, a bolt of purple lightning rushed through. ''''I''ll add this one too! Tania spread her dragon wings and flew high in the sky. Then she struck the dragon breath. Sola and Luna''s magic. And then Tania''s breaths exploded as one, but........ It''s sweet. Suzu''s smile was still, or rather, it didn''t go away. I played Sora and Luna''s magic with my fist, head-on. As long as it doesn''t hit them directly, does that mean it''s not a problem? He''s a hell of a guy. Tania''s breath was offset by a fist swing, creating a shockwave. Me and Kanade have done something similar before... It was like we could barely do it together then. Besides, Tania was holding back, too. Tania should be getting serious now.... Suzu would prevent him from doing so alone. ''Not yet!'' Mmmm! Following the three attacks, he and Kanade ran together. The two of them worked together, slamming a storm of fists and kicks into the air. But they would all be teased or avoided. But that''s to be expected. As I had read, Suzu''s counterattack fists would fly in, but.... There it is! What? With the ''gravity manipulation'' that I got from signing a contract with Tina, I reduced the gravity on myself to zero. Softly, he jumped over Suzu-san. As expected, this was unexpected, and Suzu''s fist lost sight of the target and waved in the air. In the meantime, the gravity control is released. Landing on the ground, I immediately activated Narkami''s special mechanism and ejected the wire. I tie up Suzu''s body from behind. Furthermore, Kanade hugs Suzu-san from the front, doubly blocking her movements. ''''No matter how much, you won''t be able to shake off these restraints immediately! ''Yes, I know. But you won''t be able to beat me just by stopping the movement. You''re right, Tin, but.... We have a trump card. Lane! The space in the immediate vicinity distorted and Nina appeared, accompanied by Tina. She must have decided that it was a perfect opportunity and flew over in transition. ''Nice timing, Nina! ...hmmm! And then ... it''s all yours, Tina! Hey. We''ll take care of it! Tina gave a lazy thumbs up.... As it was, swooshing, he disappeared into Suzu, melting into the air. 115-Episode 115: Strongest of the Strongest-3 Suzu''s movement, which had been continuing her rapid progress, stopped with a snap. He was motionless like a stone statue, and the light disappeared from his eyes. ''''Yay! Kanade jumped up and down as if to express her joy. With the same momentum, she hugged us. ''''Whoa!'''' Lane, you did it!I beat your mother! Well, wait. It''s too early to tell. I''ll have to wait and see how it goes before I... That''s not necessary. The cat spirit race is vulnerable to ghosts. You win, you win. Kanade jumps up and down on the spot. Each time she does, every part of her body is pressed against... You need to pull yourself together. Be that as it may. "What do you think, Tania? Tania looked into Suzu''s face, which remained frozen. ''''Hmm.......I agree with the opinion that the cat spirit race is so vulnerable to attacks like this.......'''' But? For all the talk of being possessed, isn''t it strange that Tina''s consciousness has never come to the surface? Oh. If you ask me, yes. If he succeeded in possessing her, then Tina''s consciousness should have come to the surface. And yet, no one''s consciousness came out, and Suzu remained frozen....... I''ve got a bad feeling about this. And that premonition is true. With a twitch, I saw Suzu''s fingertips move. "Tania, get away from me! Huh! Tania also seemed to have sensed Suz''s movement. She jumped backwards in a panic. And......... What the hell? With a pawn, Tina popped out of Suz-san''s body. Nope. Rather than jumping out, it would be more accurate to say that she was blown off. Tina was blown away while spinning around........ With a squeak, he brakes dexterously in the air and stops. ''Tina, are you alright! Yeah, I''ll be fine. He seemed wobbly, but he was able to answer the questions properly, so his consciousness must be clear. That''s good. Relief, but..... I glance at Suzu. Noticing my gaze, she smiles at me. .........So the biggest threat has been removed, doesn''t it? I''m sorry........we tried to do our best, but we failed....... What ... why?No matter how much your mother can resist a ghost... It can be done, can''t it? Suz says with a smile. ''I told you.He said, "I won''t leave the cat spirit race''s weaknesses intact. We''re also very well-prepared against ghosts. Oh, I don''t... ''''Although, Tina-san''s power is quite strong, and it took me a little while to counteract the possession...'''' Huh. ''Was that the trump card?If that''s the case, then we''ve missed our chance to win. I should have rolled them up in a circle or taken some other action while I couldn''t move. I don''t have any words to say in return, because that''s right. I shouldn''t have been proud that if it was a possession, it would be fine. My opponent is Suzu, the strongest of the strongest. I should have packed it in more thoroughly. ''''Well, what do we do now?Lose your trump card and you still want to carry on? Of course. Everyone is no match for the bunch. Tina''s possession has also been rebuffed. Still, there''s no choice but to surrender. If I retreat here, Kanade will be gone. I can''t admit that much. Nevertheless, what to do........ We have to beat Suz somehow. What''s the best way to do that? Whatever. The action we need to take here to beat Mr. Tin.... .... One thought. I estimate the probability of success in my head. ........Maybe even 5% would be good. But even if I continue to bump into him in the dark, the odds of winning are zero. In that case, I''d like to bet on the one with a higher chance. It''s like a suicide attack that''s as good as a self-destruct, so I can only use it once. We have to be cautious ... and yet we have to be bold. ''Kanade, lend me your strength on cue. I''ll use Kamui. Yeah. Everyone else, cover and distraction. Yes, sir. Everyone nodded, including Tania. ''Let''s go!'' On cue, I ran. ''You have plenty of spunk. But I''ll show you that it''s not enough to help you. Mr. Suzu greeted us with a smile and a smile of comfort. "Don''t eat this, either! "''Dragoon Howling! Tania releases a series of fireballs. In response, Sora and Luna release their magic. The two attacks overlap and turn into a storm of explosive fire that hits Suzu-san. However, Suzu didn''t flee, but cut through the storm of explosions with her fist pressure. As usual, that was an incredible physical ability. I''ve never heard of a single fist being used to repel the attacks of the dragon race and spirit race. But it did its job of blocking my vision. I approach Suzu''s vision while the explosive flames are blocking her vision. He ran alongside Kanade and attacked from both sides. ''''It''s sweet.'''' In a move that seemed to have eyes on the flanks, Suzu received the attacks of me and Kanade with precision. Although we continued to move into random strikes, none of them reached an effective strike. ''''Then it''s time for a counterattack........? Suz''s movements slowed for a moment. When I looked, I saw that Tina was holding up her hand. She must be controlling her opponent''s body with the application of possession. However, it doesn''t last long. Soon the bindings will be broken and Suzu will be free. ''''Yes!'''' This time, Nina jumped out of the way. She moved directly above Suzu in the transition. As it was, she used her whole body to hit him. Although there was no damage, Suzu-san''s movements slowed down again, apparently surprised by Nina''s bold action. In the meantime, Nina made the transition again and escaped into the distance. ''''Boost!'''' This is where I used my ability-enhancing magic. That''s me. I''ve already used it once. I used a layer on top of it. A layer of ability-enhancing magic. That''s the new trump card I came up with. Huh.........? For a moment, my vision blurs. It''s a distorted sensation, as if a living thing is lurking inside your body. My body feels like it''s going to pop, but I force myself to suppress it... You own the power that flows vigorously from deep within. ''''Ooohhhh! Huh? With the double-enhanced power, he looked at Suzu-san with a random strike. Here, for the first time, I can see the color of impatience on Suzu-san''s face. He doesn''t seem to be able to keep up with my attacks, and a few, clean hits are made. It''s getting through! Then...... BOOST!!!! Triple use. With his abilities further enhanced, he pulled out the camouflage behind his waist. ''''Kanade!'''' Yeah! Reach out and.... Kanade gripped my hand firmly. Kamui''s sword blade glowed like no other. ''''Now........how about this.......aaaaah! He swung the full force of the blow. 116-Episode 116: The Strongest of the Strongest, 4 All the strength in my body slips away. My knees were wobbling and laughing, and I could barely stand. I felt like if I let my mind wander even a little bit, I''d just fall down and never get up again. ''''Still........was........'''' Desperately trying to hold on to his consciousness, he looked forward. Suzu was the first to show a defensive stance against Kamui''s blow. I remember that much. I also remember that there was a definite response. But I don''t know much more than that. Right now, the dust from Kamui''s blow had left me with poor visibility, and I couldn''t see anything. I wonder if I could reach Suzu? Will this be the end? I can''t fall down until I see the results. ''Lane, are you okay?'' Somehow... but more importantly... Mother... Soon, the dust cloud has cleared. I scolded my body for not listening to me, and set up my Kamui as if there was nothing I could do. If it comes down to it, I''m going to shoot you in rapid succession. When the dust clears... There, Tin-san was standing there. Although she was battered all over the place..... But he seems to be rather healthy and is treading the earth firmly. ........give me a break. Is it a real monster? I don''t mean to be rude, but I can''t help but think about that. ''I''ll do it. That one worked pretty well. I would have liked you to fall down if I could... I have one question for you, if you don''t mind. What is it? All of a sudden, Mr. Lane is moving better, what was that all about? ''''Well I used an ability enhancement spell. Maybe I shouldn''t do anything that would reveal my hand. However, I found myself saying it honestly. Maybe it''s Suz-san''s personality that makes it so. ''''I see.......but it was divided into several levels, wasn''t it?'''' I put a layer over it. How is that possible? It''s my first time doing this and I''m kind of improvising. Well, I guess it worked out. ''But from the look on Miss Lane''s face, isn''t that pretty outrageous? Well.... It hurts everywhere. Even the slightest movement of a fingertip causes pain as if it was pricked by a needle. It was probably a reaction to overworking my body beyond its limits. ''''You are being reckless. You don''t know what will happen if you do such a thing.......why do you go to such lengths?Do you want to be with Kanade that badly? Of course. I answered immediately. Do you want to stay with Kanade? Don''t you want to leave Kanade? The answer is always the same. Of course we want to be together. Of course we don''t want to be apart. We are the first ''real'' friends we''ve made. When I was at my wits'' end after being expelled from the party of the brave.... Kanade greeted me with a bright smile. It may be an exaggeration, but I could say that he saved my life. That''s how much I felt indebted to Kanade. Well, let''s not get into those formalities. Apart from the ingratitude and all that stuff........ I want to continue to be with Kanade. I think so. I want to be with you. That''s all I want to do. Oh, I see... ? Mr. Tin keeps asking questions to make sure he knows what''s going on. For some reason, he doesn''t want to resume the fight. What''s going on? Could it be that Suzu is suffering a lot of damage, just like me? Can barely stand? ...or not. Looks like he still has some energy left. Unlike our wounded counterparts here. So, then what is it...? ...phew. With a small exhale, Suzu looked somewhat sad. And yet, she smiled happily. It might be a contradiction, but that was the expression on her face. ''''Children grow up without their parents, don''t they? Meow?Mother? Wow, I''m dead. With a bang, Suzu collapsed with a ridiculous barb of dialogue. I don''t understand. Suddenly, not to mention me, everyone else was taken aback by the suddenness of the situation. "Well...? What''s going on?You''re not pleased?Mr. Lane and the others won, right? No, you don''t have to look so cheerful to say that.... I''m not convinced, or rather, the development is too abrupt to understand in the first place. What does it all mean? Hey Mom. What is it, Kanade? Mom, I hope you''re still alive and well.You''re not getting screwed over, are you? ''No, I''m hit! The blow you struck earlier was incredibly powerful. I can''t stand anymore. ''Quickly.'' It''s tremendously deliberate. Mr. Tin may have overwhelming power, but he doesn''t seem to have any acting skills at all. ''Hey, hey, mom. What do you mean?I don''t know what to do when you suddenly start joking around like that. I''m not kidding, sir. Suz-san looked very kind as she said that. ''''I''m losing. But.... ''I thought Kanade-chan would be better off in the village but.......apparently, I was wrong. When Kanade-chan was in the village, she wasn''t this healthy. She hadn''t grown up like this. They say to let a pretty girl travel, and it seems that they were right. Because of her exposure to the outside world, Kanade was able to grow up. Then I won''t try to bring her back. Mom..... Kanade was touched by Suzu''s understanding, and was a bit teary-eyed. ''You know, let me make one correction.'' What is it? ''I didn''t grow up because I went out into the world. It''s because I met Rain. Mr. Lane.... ''I''m the person I am today because I was with Lane. Mom. Kanade smiles at me. Could I have been useful to Kanade, too? I''m so glad Kanade said that. ''I see. If that''s the case, even more so, I can''t bring Kanade back. I guess I was wrong.'''' Mom thank you. ''I have to say thank you too. Thank you for bringing Kanade up to this point. Mr. Lane. No, I didn''t... You''re welcome at times like this, you know? That being said... I''m always getting help, and I''m not doing anything about it... Rain, Rain. Kanade stands in front of me and smiles. ''I''m so glad you fought for me,'' Kanade... ''They''ve helped me with a lot of other things and it''s not like I''m doing anything unilaterally, you know?Rain has helped me too. She''s given me a lot of things. I see. Thanks, Rain. You''re welcome. And..... Meow? Keep up the good work. Yeah. Kanade smiles happily. I didn''t lose this smile. Oh, thank goodness. I''m really glad. ''''Hmmm....................I brought this on myself, but I guess it''s all settled. That''s it, really. Don''t tell me that. I''m sorry. Moo. Kanade and Suzu were so close and laughing together that it''s hard to believe they were fighting with all their might earlier. For what it''s worth, they''re good friends, aren''t they? I''m a bit jealous. ''''Meaning........Oh no.......'''' The tension has been lifted. Instantly, pain and fatigue and all sorts of other things came crashing down on me at once. I could barely stand up to begin with. There was no way I could bear the burden of those things.... Meow, Lane! As he became distantly aware, he heard Kanade''s voice in the distance. 117-Episode 117 Kanades Thoughts, Part 2 Rain was asleep on the bed. At times, she looked like she was in pain. ''''Nyah........Rain.......'''' As I sit in the chair next to the bed, I gently reach out and wipe Rain''s sweat away. That''s the least I can do. I''m pathetic like that. ''Maybe Rain would tell me not to worry about it, but I can''t. I''d worry about it. Rain, you did your best for me, but I can''t do anything about it... My mother came to me and said she was going to take me back to the village. So a lot of things happened and we had to fight. Thanks to Rain, I managed to get my mom to approve of me, but... But Lane is suffering the repercussions of his recklessness. It''s my fault. I feel so sorry. I''d like to apologize to you, if only to say I''m sorry. And I just wanted to say thank you so much I offered to take care of her. ''Nyaa ... Rain, are you in pain?Are you okay? I call out to her, but there is no response from Rain. She just groans in pain. Of course........ I''ve never heard of such a reckless thing as casting multiple layers of ability-enhancing magic on oneself..... If it''s done poorly, it''s possible that your body might be broken. The fact that you''re going to do that much recklessness.... ''No, no, no...'' There was a knock on the door with a bang. The door opened and Tania appeared. ''How''s it going?'' He''s not going to wake up. Okay. Tania lined up next to me and looked at Rain''s face. Tania had a look on her face that said, "Well, it can''t be helped. ''''You can''t blame your master for being so reckless and causing us to worry. It''s true... Don''t worry too much about Kanade. What? You think it''s your fault or something, don''t you? Nyah but you''re right and... No, you''re not. Unnnnnn! I was decapitated with a bang. Ouch ... what are you doing? Tania laughs as she gives him a resentful look. ''I don''t think about those trivial things,'' Trivial things... ''It''s not Kanade''s fault. Of course it''s not Rain''s fault it''s no one''s fault. ''But since I caused it...'' ''You''re going to blame yourself for being like that, for looking so gloomy... are you going to show Rain that? Huh. Well, I mean, you look better with a smile on your face, so go ahead and laugh your brains out like you always do. Tania says, sounding vaguely embarrassed. I guess she''s encouraging me. I know it''s a bit clumsy but I''m so glad. ''....Thanks. I don''t mean to be a jerk and when Kanade isn''t well, I''m out of shape. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. She''s not a typical teenage girl. Meow. Well, then, you''ll be in charge. After saying that, Tania left the room. Like a lie, the gloomy mood from earlier was gone. That''s right. I can''t let Rain see how depressed I am. If I did that, I would put more and more of a burden on Rain. I should be smiling brightly and cheerfully! ''But you can''t help but worry...'' It had been two days since she had fought her mother. During that time, Rain had been sleeping all the time and not waking up. Sora and Luna had cast a recovery spell on her and her mother had seen her, so I don''t think there''s anything to worry about... I hope you''re feeling better soon. I''d love for you to pat me on the head. I want you to hold my hand. I want you to smile. "...Rain.... Gently, I take Rain''s hand in mine. But it''s not enough... He gently rested his forehead against Rain''s sleeping chest. ''Nyah.'' My heart is pounding as I do this... I think back to Rain. That she wanted to be with me. That''s why he took care of his mother. Every time I think back to that time, my heart beats harder in my chest. Not only that, a warmth spreads through me... I feel vaguely satisfied. Hmm....Rain. Naturally, I said the name of my significant other. Then I step away for a moment and look at Rain''s face. Sweat is running down her face, so I gently wipe it off. ''.........nyah. Why? I was so nervous, my heart was pounding, my chest felt painful, I was fluffy... It''s weird. I''ve never felt like this before. ...maybe...maybe not...is that what it is? Gently, I stroked my own chest. I was so nervous that I thought I was going to hear the sound. This feeling, this thought........ Maybe it''s love, right? ...nyahhhh. Instantly I feel embarrassed and my face gets hot. It''s like a vague fire has been lit. Maybe I''m turning bright red now. ''''Ugh, wow...............................Unyaahh. I like Rain. As a girl, I like Rain. Finally, I should say. I''ve become aware of that. I was clearly aware of that. Because, you know, I can''t help it, right? You always give me a kind smile and warmth.... You worked so hard for me until I collapsed.... You''d be crazy not to like it after what they did to you. Yeah. So, it''s normal for me to like Rain. It''s only natural. Decision! My head is messed up. Have I gone crazy...? ''This ... what am I going to do about it?'' You want to tell Rayne how I feel? Imagine what that would be like... Awww! My tail goes beeping. I don''t think so!Because you can never do that! I''m too embarrassed to do anything about it! ''Huh ... and for now ... yeah. It''s fine the way it is. ..... Embarrassing......... I mean, it doesn''t work like that. You''ve got to take care of him! Yeah, I''ve changed my mind! ...but I''ll tell you what. Once again, I put my forehead on Rain''s chest. It''s as if I could feel Rain''s warmth, and my heart felt really fuzzy. Ehehe........I''m happy.... Rain I like it. He murmured softly and stroked Rain''s cheek. 118-Episode 118: Shall I Have Special Training? "...uh... The consciousness that had been sinking deep into the depths slowly surfaces. Little by little, my vision becomes brighter and my mind becomes clearer. I slowly open my eyes. ''''........This place.......'''' This is my room. I can see the ceiling, which I recently moved into. "Well... I''m so heavy. And my memory is fuzzy. Why am I sleeping? I feel like I was doing something important... Nya.......... ? Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice. I lightly raise my body and look in the direction of the voice. ''''Soooooo.........'''' Kanade was lying on the bed with his upper body resting on the bed. He looked a little difficult and didn''t seem to be sleeping very well. Her ears were twitching occasionally. ''Kanade?'' Nyah. I just remembered. I remember fighting Suz-san. That wasn''t really a victory. And then...........I took the plunge, and as a result of that, I must have fallen down. Kanade.........maybe he was taking care of me. Thanks. Hmmm? I stroked my head and Kanade jerked away. Oh shit, I think I woke her up. Kanade slowly raises himself up and yawns, cooing. Then he rubbed his sleepy eyes and looked at me.... Meow, Lane! He noticed that I was awake and peened and turned his ears upside down. ''You''re awake!You''re up!You''re okay!There is no pain!I''m not thirsty!I''m not hungry! Oh, please calm down. I don''t know what you''re talking about. I''m sorry. Okay. That''s how much you cared about me, right?I don''t mean to worry you, but I''m glad Kanade feels the same way. Meow.... Kanade looks embarrassed and blushes. But this time it''s not just that... He turned his somewhat feverish gaze towards me. It''s not a reaction I would normally see. What''s wrong with me? "Kanade? ...nyah! When I called out to him, he seemed to huff and puff and Kanade freaked out. ''Nah, nah, it''s nothing!Yes, I''m not even a nympha! Yeah? ''Yeah, yeah. I was just spaced out for a minute... or maybe I was fawning over you... or whatever, because it''s nothing! Oh, yeah. With Kanade''s momentum, I decided not to pursue it further. It''s a reaction I''ve never had before, so I was curious... Well, there are one or two things you want to keep hidden, even if they are your friends. I decided not to worry too much about it. ''By the way ... how long have I been sleeping?'' Three days. That much... Lane! Yes? Suddenly Kanade gets a stern stare, and I can''t help but get cocky. ''''Why did you do something so reckless?'''' ''Well you mean ... the triple boost?'' ''Yes!You don''t know what kind of repercussions there would be if you did that and if you were bad, you could have died!As it turns out, I only had to sleep in for three days... but you know how worried I and everyone else was... nyahhhh... Kanade was a little tearful. Seeing that, I''m deeply sorry. Even though it was for the purpose of not letting Kanade go with me, it would be meaningless if I was worried about her because of it. Or rather......... It was very tough to be cried at. It was more bearable than being yelled at. ''I''m sorry I''m sorry I was so reckless,'' Really...? True. I think I was rash. Don''t you ever do that again? .... I didn''t have a quick answer. I''m going to be careful, but.... What if the same thing happens? What if our people are in danger? If I was in a situation where I couldn''t choose my means then, I wouldn''t hesitate to do something reckless. Kanade seemed to understand that and turned his jit eyes at me. ''''Nyah.......Rain''s idiot. ''Ugh I feel really bad about causing you to worry. It''s just that when it comes down to it, I can''t afford to choose any other means... and I may end up being reckless again. You don''t want us to be the ones who have to worry. I''m ... sorry. I''m speechless. But I guess that''s just the way Rayne is. Kanade laughs softly. Then she takes my hand in both of hers. ''I don''t have the right to constrain Rain''s actions but I don''t want you to do anything rash. I know. I''ll try not to do anything like that again. ''Nyaah I want you to say that part, absolutely, but I can''t help it. That''s Rayne, you know. Just ... don''t forget, okay?That we''re here. ''Oh....'' ''Rain isn''t alone. Even when you can''t do it alone, we''re here for you.......if we all do our best, we might be able to make it. So don''t hesitate to rely on us in those situations.... ...Yeah. I''ll be able to count on you then. Meow. Kanade, who seemed satisfied with my answer, purred in a good mood. ......... At that moment, the door opened and Suzu-san appeared. Perhaps she came to check on me. Suzu-san sees me and Kanade holding hands and rolls her eyes. A little while later, she smiles a happy, smiling face. ''Oh, dear. Did I interrupt you? ''Oh, Mother!Disturbance, you know... ''I''m still Kanade''s mother, you know. I think I know how Kanade-chan feels. So I''ll leave the rest to the two youngsters and I''ll pull back. Hmph. No, it''s not! Hmmm, spring has come to Kanade-chan. I mean, how do you know! She''s a mother. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Suz smiled enigmatically. And Kanade was red up to his ears, fluttering and writhing in agony. What on earth is going on? I''m not sure what''s going on here, but... Even after all that happened, Kanade and Suzu were able to laugh at each other... I was very happy about that. ---------- Another day goes by and.... I''ve recovered enough to move around moderately well. However, it might be too early for adventure. Well, I have a good amount of reserves, so there''s no problem if I don''t move for a while....... I''ve heard that adventurers like that are warned by the guild, and they can''t stay indoors forever. Maybe it''s better to move my body lightly, as well as rehabilitate myself. With that in mind, I left the room and moved to the living room where everyone was present. ''Good morning,'' Hey, Rain. Kanade greets me cheerfully. She smiles brightly, as usual... but what is it? For a little while now, the quality of that smile seemed to be different. What exactly is the difference, you ask....? Everyone else seems to be in good spirits. We exchange morning greetings and take our seats. ''Rain, are you feeling okay now?'' Luna, who was getting ready to eat, looked at me with concern. ''Yeah, I''m fine now. The muscle pain, or something like that, is still there for a bit, though. Nothing for going about your daily life like this. ''Well, that''s good. Now, eat something nice and hearty to help you recover quickly. Now, here is my special breakfast. I accept the breakfast that Luna offers me. Normally, we take turns on meal duty.............................but today it''s my turn. But Luna took over for me, as I know it will still be tough. I realize that I''m always being helped by everyone. ''Well, we''ve got one for everyone! It looks good. Luna will serve you breakfast and... Nina saw that and wagged her tail. Easy to understand. "You can come in, tin. Thank you. Suzu was still staying at our house. Although I had given up on taking Kanade back with me, I was sad to say goodbye to him. So we decided to let him stay with us for a while. We chanted together, "Itadakimasu," and each of us helped ourselves to our breakfast. Yup. Luna''s food is delicious again today. Luna''s food is so good again today, I can''t stop eating it. "By the way... Suzu, who was also eating a healthy breakfast, looked at me as if she suddenly remembered something. I''d like to make a suggestion. Is this a proposal? Would you like to train with me? 119-Episode 119: Preparing for the future Training...? I couldn''t help but cringe at the unexpected words. Everyone else was wondering as well as I was. The word "special training" doesn''t ring a bell. Or rather, what kind of special training is it? Normally, it''s supposed to be a way to hone your combat skills... Why would you do that? ''Well........that training is for fighting, right? ''Yes, sir. Besides that, is there anything else? I asked, and Suzu-san nodded with a smirk. Since it was Suz-san, wouldn''t she bring up some strange special training?What a little thought. He seems like an easy person to understand, and in fact, I don''t really understand him. Why do you want to talk about that? Hmmm ... right out of the box? Yeah, go ahead. Mr. Lane and his friends are weak. "Ug. That''s a real zap. You can say whatever you want to say. It''s just ... there are some things I don''t agree with. I mean, we''re new to this party, and it''s only been a short time, but... I think I''ve done a fair amount of field work. I''ve dealt with a variety of people, fought demons, and sometimes even demonkind. But even so, it''s a bit off-putting to be called weak. Then Suzu-san, who seemed to see right through my inner thoughts, said, "I''m sorry," she said. ''''I''m sorry, I don''t mean to humiliate Rain-san and the others for nothing. Just that you are proud of them, aren''t you?I think you''re mistaken..... or something like that. Again, I''m going to be very clear... ''Do you think you and Mr. Lane and the others consider yourselves to be strong?'' It''s... When asked that question, I''m at a loss for words. Are we strong? Do you have the power? There are some things I can''t answer clearly. What I think back to is the time we fought the demon race. At that time, we all fought as hard as we could, but we were unable to deliver a decisive blow. We had prolonged the fight. What if it had been one-on-one back then? What if one of them is missing? The demon tribe could not be defeated and could still be on the loose. A great deal of damage could have been created. After all......... We''re just relying on numbers and high specs, right? ''If you don''t say anything back, that means you approve of my words, right? Suzu says with a look in her eyes as if she is looking into our hearts. It''s a little frustrating to admit, but... But there was no point in looking good here, so I gave a small nod. ''I don''t think I''m strong,'' ''With all the strongest species available, including Kanade?Even though Mr. Lane, who unites everyone like that, gets a lot of power from a lot of contracts? ''If it''s a spec, I think it''s as high as anyone else''s. I think everyone is strong. It''s just.... "Just? I don''t have the skills to fight. Everyone has never had any combat training. Kanade didn''t hone his combat skills because he left his village because he wanted to see the outside world. Nina is still a child and was only enshrined, so I don''t need to tell you. I heard that Tania had been on a training journey, but I haven''t heard of her learning combat skills in earnest. Sora and Luna apparently learned offensive magic to protect the gate that leads to the village of the spirit race, but they didn''t seem to have learned how to handle it efficiently. Tina is just a ghost, so there''s no chance for her to fight. And I''m all self-taught, except for my tame skills. When I was in the party of the brave, I was left to do only chores, and I had no time for that.... After that, he didn''t try to hone his combat skills. ........because we never encountered a situation that required our combat skills. ''There have been many things that have happened in the past, but the reason we have been able to overcome them is because everyone''s specs are so high............................... I see. Suzu nods with a satisfied look on her face after hearing my words. Then she clasps her hands together and says with a smile, "Yes, I passed. ''''Yes, I passed. What? It''s hard to admit one''s own weaknesses... but Ms. Lane was able to face herself properly and admit her weaknesses, which is not easy to do. That''s not something that''s easy to do. As long as you don''t forget that kind of attitude, you can become strong. ''Huh...'' I''m not sure, but it seems he was being tested without knowing it. When I glanced at Kanade, he looked like he was saying, "Oh dear. As far as Kanade was concerned, Suzu seemed to do this kind of thing a lot. What would have happened if he hadn''t been able to pass the current test? Now let''s get back to the beginning. Suzu continued to speak, still with a smile on her face, her emotions unreadable. ''Like Rain-san said, you all have high specs, but you haven''t been able to make use of them. So, you struggled against me. Right? Well.... ''Well...'' Tania and Kanade admitted, albeit reluctantly. They oozed with regret, but that didn''t mean they were going to make any poor excuses. Suzu seemed to like that attitude, and she smiled at them. I believe that admitting weakness is, in fact, strength. What''s wrong is not being able to face your own strength. Meow ... mom, is that a compliment? ''It''s a compliment, okay?I''m so happy that Kanade is growing up so well, mother. Meow I''m getting mixed up. Well, it wouldn''t feel so good to be praised for admitting that you''re weak. After all, it would only remind you of your own lack of ability. ''''I mean, I digress. Suzu undoes her own derailed story. ''I won''t be doing anything to bring Kanade back, will I?Kanade seems to be best with Rain and the others, you know. But I''m worried about you, though. Shouldn''t you learn to fight a bit more?And. Conveniently, I don''t have to return to the village yet, and if you don''t mind, I can teach you how to fight.That''s what I''m trying to talk about. I see... ''Lane and the others will continue to be adventurers, won''t they?Maybe there will be a time when you will run into an incredibly strong opponent. Don''t you think it''s necessary to train for those times? What Suzu-san says has a point. Since the battle with the demons the other day, I''ve been thinking about it. If we are relying on ground power to fight, we might be stuck in a dead end someday. It''s better to learn some serious fighting skills while there''s still time to spare. That''s something I haven''t talked to everyone about yet... It''s something I''ve been thinking about in secret. So the timing is good, but........ Just what do people think? It''s not a decision I can make on my own. What do you think, Kanade? ''Hmmm... I guess I agree with you. I thought it was a bit lacking... and if I could get the strongest mother in the cat spirit race to train me, I''d be even stronger... and that would help Rain. So..........and then he would praise me....... Yeah? ''Nah, not even nymphet!And anyway, I guess I agree. Despite his somewhat suspicious behavior, Kanade voted in favor. ''What about Tania?'' I agree with you. ''''Well that''s a bit surprising. I was expecting someone to teach me or to rebel against me. You have no idea what you''re talking about, do you? Well, I would have been opposed to having a half-hearted opponent teach me, but I have no problem with you, Suz-san. My goal is to become a master at what I do, so if I can become stronger, I''m welcome to do so. Tania also voted in favor......... So what about Sora and Luna? I see... what about Sora and Luna? "Sora is.... I am for it! Luna shouts loudly as she pushes Sola away. ''I have always thought. I want to become stronger. I want to be stronger, I want to make this power known to the world. If you want to train for that, I''ll be happy to do it. Is that the motive...? ''I''ll let Sora explain. Luna could do a lot of things if she had more power. Even when we dealt with the demon race the other day, we were able to minimize the damage. I don''t want to have to go through that kind of frustration, so I want to try harder... "Mmm, don''t speak for me! By the way, I feel the same way about Sora as Luna. Sola and Luna seem to agree with me. It would be easier to understand if they said it in a normal way. I can''t help but chuckle. ''What about Nina?'' I''m not... um... well, I mean... Calm down. Speak your mind at your own pace and say what you think. Ummmmm..... I haven''t been very helpful... but I''m so sorry, I''m so sorry. If I can be of help... I''ll do my best, too. ''Well yes, I understand how Nina feels. It''s not that Nina isn''t helpful or anything, but.... I didn''t want to mention it now. I don''t know if I''d be able to get through if I just said the words. These things are about his feelings. If he wants to train in order to improve his feelings, there is no reason to object to it. ''''Well ... finally, what do you think Tina?Well, I''m sure it''s hard for Tina to fight or something. Home?We''re for it. ''Really?You say that so easily. I''d like to fight if I could learn to fight, too. I''m willing to train for that purpose. I want to repay Rayne and the others for their kindness. Okay. Everyone seems to be on the same page. I turn to Suzu-san. ''Well you may have already figured it out after what you just said, but.....Special training, can I ask you to do that? "Yes, I''ll take care of it. 120-Episode 120: At the End Arios and his party left River End and headed further south. From there, they took a course to the west. The southern continent was a rolling plain to the east, with a series of steep mountains to the west. Arios and his group stepped into the mountains and headed straight for the back. ''''Oh, it''s so annoying.'''' It''s uncharted territory, so there''s only a beast trail. The vegetation was so thick that it seemed to be blocking our way. We cleared the bushes as we went, but we didn''t gain any speed. Leanne grumbled, as if frustrated by this. ''There''s ivy tangling around, and lots of bugs... haha, I need a bath...'' ''Leanne, don''t be selfish. We have a noble mission and we are on that journey. Although Mina admonishes her, Lean doesn''t seem to have changed her mind, just replying back with an appropriate yes yes. However, this is the usual scene, so Arios and the others don''t seem to be bothered by it. The only one who is concerned about Lean''s condition is the adventurer who is leading the way. ''''What''s going on?'''' Arios noticed that the adventurer was glancing at Lean and called out to him. The adventurer smiled affectionately as if to cover up. ''No, no, it''s nothing. If I may say so, I''m not sure if the braves have a secular side too. Even though we''re brave, we''re still human. I''m sick and tired of having to go deep into the mountains. Indeed. I''m counting on you. Yeah, I''ll take care of it. It''s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be counted on by a party of brave men. The adventurous man leads the way, as if he were staking out the lead. To be exact, he''s second. First in line is the demon he uses, the Bloody Bear. As the name suggests, it''s a large bear demon. It was a demon comparable to a C-ranked demon, and it reigned as the Lord of the Mountain. Such a Bloody Bear was tamed by an adventurer man. He was a Beast Tamer, a well-known Beast Tamer in the southern continent. His abilities are outstanding, and he is able to taste not only animals, but also demons. It just so happens that he was visiting a rural village on vacation... That''s where I was approached by Arios and the others to work together, so that''s what I was told. ''But I''m surprised,'' What''s that? The adventurer looked at Arios'' words in wonder. ''The fact that a beast tamer can also use demons,'' he said. I know this is a bit of a stretch, but isn''t a beast tamer the weakest job anyone would ever want to be?And yet you''re using a C-ranked demon like this, and you''re gaining a certain amount of power. I figured it wasn''t a sight to be seen very often. ''It''s nice to hear you say that. I''ve had to go through a lot to get to the power I have now. "Hmm. Arios looked at the adventurer from foot to face as if he were inspecting him. This man could be useful. It would be useful to be able to use not only animals, but demons as well. In light of the world''s common sense, he has unparalleled power for a Beast Tamer. If he joins his companions, it will definitely make the journey easier. After thinking that far, Rain''s face flickered in Arios'' mind. ''''Well by the way, I have a small question for you. Yes, what is it? Will you be able to use your most powerful species? ''What?Is it the strongest species? The adventurer looked puzzled by Arios'' question. ''''No, no way. No, no, no. The most powerful species cannot be used. There is no way anyone can use that thing. I see. Hearing those words, something cooled rapidly in Arios. If I can''t do what Rain was able to do, then I don''t want this man. If I achieve my goal this time, as I had originally planned, I''ll cut him off there. Not knowing that Arios was thinking of such a thing, the adventurer proceeded to the front of the pack in a good mood. They have to cut branches and such from the trees for Arios and the others following them, but it''s an easy task. The Bloody Bear in the lead is big and just walks and makes a reasonable path. The other demons are afraid of the Bloody Bear and won''t come near it. It''s an easy job. With this, he would be able to accomplish the request without any problems. ---------- After an hour or so, Arios and the others reached the summit. The summit was open and had a good view of the mountain. There was a small open space where they could take a break. In the middle of the square, a small shrine could be seen. It was a wooden shrine on a flat stone. There was nothing else, but a lonely scene. Here''s your hero. Thank you ... Agus. And Leanne and Mina, I want you to be on the lookout for people around. Yeah. Aggus nodded and turned back a bit the way they had just come. Leanne and Mina scattered from side to side. ''Hmm.'' Arios looked at the shrine. It looked so tattered that it looked as if it would break just by touching it. ''''........Hey, can you send that demon over here?'''' ''What?Why? Come on. Come on. Okay, all right. Here you go. The adventurer followed the instructions, puzzled by Arios''s strong tone of voice. He ordered Bloody Bear to move next to Arios. But.......... Gah! As he tried to approach Arios at the side of the shrine, Bloody Bear was bounced off an invisible wall. For a moment, the air trembled and a purple light ran through the air. ''''Wha, what...? Oh, so that''s how it works. The adventurer was flustered by the unexpected, but Arios was calm, as if he knew. There was a ward around the shrine to keep the demons at bay. That''s probably why it couldn''t be destroyed even if it was built deep in the mountains like this. Is there any value in protecting such a tattered shrine with a ward? A person who knew nothing about it might wonder. In fact, the adventurer looked confused. However, Arios is different. He knows that this shrine has value. Arios drew his sword. ''''Yoo, hero-sama?What are you doing? Stay back and we''ll tear down the shrine now. What? ''I''ll break the wards, so there will be a certain amount of shock. You''ll have to have someone show you the way back. It would be a hassle if you were to get hurt unnecessarily. Just stay back. Arios said matter-of-factly, and the adventurer was blatantly dismayed. ''What, why that shrine?'' This shrine is where they dedicate the equipment I need. A ring called "Tears of Heaven," a legendary piece of equipment, is dedicated to a mountain shrine. With this information, Arios and his team hired adventurers to climb the mountain. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have come all the way to a place like this. "...you''re just an employee of mine and you''re going to get in my way? ''No, I didn''t mean to... but it''s said that the people of the village at the bottom of the hill built that shrine... and also that it keeps the bad luck away...'' Huh.... Arios let out a boring sigh. ''Of course that''s superstition, isn''t it?'' ''No, but it''s quite plausible...'' ''If this shrine is supposed to contain disaster, shouldn''t it be more important?But ... look at it. A wreck. There is no respect for it at all. How could such a shrine contain any disaster? And yet... If there''s something locked up in there, you''re not my enemy. Who do you think I am?I''m a brave man. .... Arios said in a strong tone, as if he wouldn''t allow a rebuttal. Looking defeated by Arios, the adventurer closed his mouth. With the adventurer silent, Arios nodded in satisfaction. And then.........he swung his sword down at the shrine. ''''Hee! Bloop!and the shrine collapsed. The air trembled and the adventurer shrank back. Just ... that''s all. Nothing more happens, only silence dominates the place. ''See, there''s nothing to it. Arios moved the wreckage of the broken shrine and took out a ring from inside. It''s the legendary equipment, the Ring of Heaven. With this, we have no further use for it. Let''s get off the mountain immediately and go to our next destination. ........That was the time. á ӹΤ褦˟oаݤЦ푤 121-Chapter 121: The Heavenly Clan What...? Suddenly, Arios looked around suspiciously at the sound of laughter that echoed. But there was nothing to be seen. The figure of his friends and adventurers. That and the demons that adventurers tame. There''s nothing else. ''Giggle.'' And yet, all I could hear was laughter. It continued to echo through the place without interruption. ''''Hi.'''' The adventurer was about to buckle under the sudden and bizarre phenomenon. Shameful. Arios clicked his tongue and drew his sword again. ''''Aggus!Lean!Mina!Come here. Oh. My companions must have sensed the unusual situation. Wary of their surroundings, they return to Arios and form a circle. Aggus asks Arios. ''What is the meaning of this?What''s going on? I don''t know I just have a bad feeling about it. It''s chilly, as if the temperature has dropped rapidly. And yet, a chilling sensation hits me. Inside Arios, an instinct is warning him. This place is dangerous, we must flee immediately........ However, the pride of the brave man interfered with that. There is no doubt that something is going on. But that doesn''t mean I can''t imitate running away at once. I am a brave man. I am the chosen one. And yet, there is no way I can expose such an abomination. Because of this pride, Arios stays where he is, but.... I am immediately reminded that this is a mistake. ''....What...what? How long have they been there? Before I knew it, a girl had appeared a short distance away from Arios and the others. She must be about fifteen years old. Her jewel-like silver hair is bound with crimson ribbons. Her skin is as white as ceramic. Eyes as red as rubies. Her black dress-like outfit had many frills on it. At first glance, she is a doll-like girl. That''s how beautiful she was, and there was a complete beauty to her. ''''Giggle.'''' The laughter was the girl''s. She didn''t look at Arios and the others. She just continued to laugh, happy and joyful. It was a strange atmosphere. Just looking at them made my heart tremble and I felt like I was trapped in fear. In fact, the adventurer was so frightened that he couldn''t even speak. Mina called out to Arios while holding her staff at the ready. ''''Arios, please be careful. That boy is.........'''' I know. Arios gripped the hilt of his sword, ready to slash at any moment. She looks like a girl, but her presence is not human. It could be a demon disguised as a person. Or it could be a demon race. Should I make a preemptive attack? However, she is a girl in appearance. That throws a wrench in Arios'' judgement, but.... It was useless to think of anything else now. ''Hey,'' What? The next thing I knew, the girl was right in front of me. How and when had she moved? Arios didn''t understand it at all. ''Can I ask you a few questions, please?'' What... what? Suppressing his inner turmoil, Arios tried his best to return it calmly. A disgusting sweat runs down my face. I felt a ridiculous amount of pressure, like I was relative to a bird of prey with my bare hands. ''I wonder if you guys have destroyed the shrine?'' In spite of her appearance, the girl had a mature tone. ''I wonder if it was you guys who broke the shrine and set me free? ''I don''t know what you mean by liberation or anything, but I''m pretty sure I''m the one who destroyed the shrine. What about it? ''Well, well, well.......hmmm.......hahaha! The girl looked pleased.... Next, he laughs like a madman. ''If it was a human who sealed me, then it was a human who freed me.......Oh, how interesting. I can''t believe that I''m going to be able to meet such interesting things so soon after being freed... Hmmm, maybe I''m just lucky. Who are you? Arios could barely ask the question. His throat tingled and seemed to burn. It was because of the overwhelming pressure this girl was giving off. ''Me?I''m ... this is the kind of person I am. The girl smiles. And then ... a change happens. Wings grow on the girl''s back. Eight large wings, as tall as her body, spread out in the air, covering the girl''s body. They spread out in the air, covering the girl''s body. ''''........Celestial race, you mean.......? ....There was once a powerful species called the Heavenly Clan. The name comes from angels. They were named as such because they were a humanoid race with angelic wings on their backs. Physical abilities comparable to the cat spirit race. Magic power comparable to the spirit race. They excelled in every possible ability, and were said to be the strongest of the strongest. It is said that the more wings they have, the stronger they are. Records say that there was a Heavenly Clan that had up to ten wings. Their power was such that it defied common sense, and they were able to cause a natural disaster with just one person. Although the Heavenly Clan had such tremendous power, one day, they suddenly disappeared. They didn''t perish, nor did they hide in the backcountry like the spirit race. They didn''t hide in the backcountry like the spirit tribe, nor did they hide out in the backcountry like the spirit tribe. The cause of its disappearance is still unknown. According to the saying, it was unable to adapt to the environmental changes and perished. He was a real messenger of the gods, and because he had done his job, he returned to heaven. Various theories have been put forward. Are they really celestial...? Arios murmurs in disbelief. The celestial girl reacts to that and smiles. ''''Yes, you''re right.'''' ''''Nonsense. How could the Heavenly Clan come to a place like this........ ''You would say that?Isn''t it you who set me free? Me, you mean...? Yes, yes. I''ve been sealed in that shrine. ...The disaster the villagers were talking about was you? Hmmm, this is terrible. It''s a disaster to catch someone like me. The girl laughs. The smile is lewd, like a child playing with an insect by killing it. Seeing the girl''s smile, Arios felt a chill. This feeling........of being free. It''s so wonderful. Now you''ll be able to play with humans again. This time, I''ll have lots and lots of fun. If one were to only capture the words, they would be no different from those uttered by an innocent child. However, the words of the Heavenly Race girl were filled with plenty of malice. They were so black that they condensed all the malice in the world, to the point that only Arios and the others could keep them sane. The adventurers have long since fainted. ''''Originally, I would have liked to play with you guys...'''' ...are you going to fight us? No. No, I won''t. I don''t want to do that, but I''m a person who pays back the debt of gratitude.You guys have freed me so I''ll stop playing with you guys. That''s a relief. ''And ... if it''s a human, it seems there are plenty of others. Hmmm, it''s going to be a lot of fun to play with. Very exciting. The celestial girl smiled a broken smile. She smiled madly. One, laughing happily and innocently.... Then, with a graceful gesture, he bows to Arios and the others. ''''Well, I guess I''ll be going now. Can''t you wait? Oh, what is it? ''I want to talk to you. I won''t take up too much of your time and I think it would be a fun story for you... what do you think? Oh, my. Oh my. Being talked about by a human like that..... Okay, let''s hear it. I''m going to listen to the story. So, what''s your name? My name is Arios. I''m Iris. Let''s call myself the worst and most powerful species. Hmmmm. 122-Episode 122: Special Training Outcomes .... Mmmm... I confront Kanade. Me and Kanade each glare at the other with a grim expression on our faces. Fists at the ready, hips slumping lightly, legs straining... They stared at each other, sparks flying and looking for an opening in the other party. ''''........'''' .... It''s been what, five minutes? Sweat trickles down Kanade''s cheeks and his tail twitches. Now! He aimed for the time when Kanade''s concentration began to break and ran off at once. ''''Nyah!'''' It took me by surprise in a brilliant way, and Kanade showed his agitation. However, it was only for a short while. Quickly calming his mind, Kanade lightly pulled his body back and shifted into an interception stance. ''''Nyan!'''' Kanade thrust his fist out. It''s a wind-swept blow. If it hits, it won''t be a free shot. He twisted his body and avoided it. But Kanade seemed to have read it and threw a low kick in continuation. He avoids it by leaping. Despite the fact that we attacked him, he quickly regained his footing and took control of the offense. After all, Kanade is not to be underestimated. Not only do we have to avoid him, we have to hit him with our attacks! Uh-oh! Kanade unleashes a kicking blow as he chases after me as I escape into the air. There''s nothing around me that can be used as a foothold. I couldn''t regain my stance, and I got a decent kick from Kanade.......which should have been. ''Gravity Manipulation.'' He used the abilities he gained from signing up with Tina. He has used it many times in recent years, so his skill level is high. He manipulated the gravity on himself to the right side. His body slid to the side and avoided Kanade''s kick. He continued to use gravity manipulation to normalize the direction of gravity. Applying another three times the gravity..... With the momentum of falling speed plus three times the momentum of gravity, he released a spinning kick. ''''Nyanto!'''' As expected, he didn''t expect this one. He closes in with more speed than Kanade expected, and strikes a heavy blow! Nyaaah! What? It''s decided........ Kanade used his natural reflexes alone to block my blow. Although he had extraordinary physical abilities to begin with......... I felt like I''ve been getting more polished lately. That''s it! It''s sweet. Kanade is loading up with counters but.... This time, he applied gravity manipulation to Kanade. The gravity on Kanade''s arm was increased by five times. Even so, I couldn''t stifle the power of the cat spirit race, but I did succeed in reducing its speed. This, the power of this ''gravity manipulation'', once again, is outrageous. At first, it was difficult to handle and puzzling, but.... In fact, it''s a pretty good ability. Depending on how you use it, it can be a powerful weapon. Thanks to this, you''ll be able to go toe-to-toe with Kanade. Avoiding Kanade''s counters, he now hits our counter. A kick that seems to reap from the side. It''s guarded, but it''s predictable. He tangles his legs around a guarded Kanade''s arms to block the move. He then jumps up and twists his other leg around Kanade''s torso, spinning him around. With the momentum, he knocked him down to the ground. ''''Hmph! He thrusts his fist in front of Kanade''s eyes as he tries to get up in a hurry. ''There''s a winner, isn''t there?'' Okay, that''s enough. When the decision was settled, Suzu, who had been watching the fight, shouted out. Hearing that, Kanade threw both arms and legs to the ground. ''''Unya, I lost........'''' You okay, Kanade? Yeah, I''m fine... I lend a hand and make Kanade stand up. ''Rain, you''re strong I don''t mean to sound boastful, but I didn''t expect to lose. I''ve been working out pretty hard lately. It had been a few days there since I asked Suz-san to train with me. Now, just like we did with Kanade, we had a mock battle with someone every day... Afterwards, Suz-san instructed me on what''s wrong there and what''s wrong here.... I worked hard at my training. Although Suzu''s words were soft, his teaching style was relentless and he was a devil of a coach. But because of that, I think I was able to gain some confidence in myself. ''''Good night. Even though it''s training, it''s still amazing to beat Kanade.'''' Tania calls out to me. Sola and Luna followed suit. ''Sola and the others are growing up, but Rain might be the most grown up. "Hmm. I''m curious. Rain. What do you say we meet again? ''Has Luna forgotten that she lost to Rain in tatters the other day? Oh, that was just a bit of a slippery slope. ...Rain. Gently, Nina came over and handed me a warm towel. ''Here..........'' Thank you. Here. Here''s one for you, too. Thanks. Kanade was receiving a towel from Tina. It felt so good to put the warm towel on her sweaty face. ''Yes, good night.'' As I was catching my breath, Suz gathered everyone together. ''You guys are growing up pretty good,'' Really?Am I stronger now? Kanade asks, somewhat happily. ''Yes. Kanade has gotten stronger. In the beginning, she only charged head-on, but now she has learned how to play a proper game. Oh I''m not sure if that''s a compliment. Hmm, it''s a compliment. Hmm. Kanade gives me a complicated look. Maybe he doesn''t feel like he''s getting stronger. ''Kanade is getting stronger,'' Whew! I popped my head and Kanade jumped up, looking surprised. I wanted to make her feel confident, so I did what I always do... did I startle her? Rayne?I mean, if someone stroked my head all of a sudden, I would be kind of surprised.......nyah. Yeah, I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I''m just doing my thing. ''Yes, fine. Um, well you were trying to cheer me up, weren''t you?Then it''s not something to be angry about... or rather happy about... nyahhh. ? There was something strange about Kanade. Her face was red and sluggish...or was it...what was it? "Mmm-hmm. Seeing Kanade, who was looking funny, Suzu-san nodded with some kind of satisfied look on her face. Then she smiled and popped Kanade on the shoulder. ''''Kanade,'''' Yeah?What, Mom? It seems that training to be strong is important, but it also seems that we need to train to be friends. Would you like me to show you a special way, mother? ''Oh, Mother!You did that in front of Rain...! ''It''s all right. Mr. Lane, these things seem to be so dull. Well maybe there''s no denying that. I wasn''t sure what they were talking about, but I understood that they were being belittled. ''''Well then, we''re done with today''s special training. Good work, everyone. At Suzu''s words, we all let out a gasp as if we''d lost our minds. The strength drained from my body and fatigue hit me all at once. After all, we''ve been training all morning and all night.... Come on, guys, let''s take a bath.It''s already boiling. Nice one, Tina. Tania''s face lights up at Tina''s words. ''Since we''re going to be here, why don''t we all go in together? It''s too much trouble to wait for every single time. "Three cheers!Meow. Oh, except for Rain? I know. Tania''s words made me chuckle. 123-Episode 123: A Calm Time ''''Hmphhhh~'''' Kanade spilled out her mellow voice as she dipped into the hot water up to her shoulders. Her eyelids were drooping sloppily and she looked ecstatic. Her cheeks were slightly cherry-red. However, it wasn''t just Kanade. The other members of the girls were also soaking in the hot water, looking comfortable. ........Tina is a ghost, so technically speaking, she''s pretending to be soaking in the hot water, but.... Everyone seems to understand that it''s just a wild thing to say, and no one says anything. It''s time for everyone to take a bath together. We were sharing a peaceful moment with smiles on our faces. ''Hey, hey, Kanade.'' What''s up, Tina? I hate to ask this, but aren''t you bad at baths, Kanade? Yeah?I love it, okay?Why do you ask that? Here. Most cats don''t like to take a bath, do they?That''s why I wondered if Kanade wasn''t good at it, too. Oh, I see. I''ve been wondering about that too. I mean, you said you weren''t very good at it. Tina''s question was followed by Luna. Kanade chuckled at the two of them. ''''It''s true, there are many cats who don''t like to take a bath, though. None of the cat spirit race liked baths very much either, and I guess I wasn''t very subtle about it either. But I enjoyed taking a bath with everyone, and that feeling of being bad at it has disappeared. It''s warm and fuzzy, and if I don''t run out of steam, I want to take a bath all the time. Yeah, I can see that. If I didn''t have a body like this, I''d take a bath every day. Hmm. They say a bath is the enrichment of life. This is the first time I''ve heard of anything like that. Luna said, Sora said, what?He tilted his head slightly. ''No wonder you don''t know it. After all, it''s a word I just made up! Can''t you do something about Luna''s personality, the way she just goes straight ahead without thinking? No! After being told with a flat chest, even Sora, as expected, gave up trying to convince her sister. How could she have grown up like this? I''d like to believe that I didn''t grow up watching my sister''s back. .... Suddenly, Nina was staring at Tania. To be precise, she was looking at Tania''s chest. Tania, noticing her gaze, asked. ''What''s wrong?'' Wow. Nina just looks somewhat impressed and surprised. ''Yeah?'' Tania your tits are huge, aren''t they? Is that so? Can I touch it... floating in the hot water...? ''What?Well, I don''t mind, but.... With permission, Nina gently reached out to Tania''s chest. As it was, she sank her fingers into the soft, squishy bulge. ''''Wow ... that''s so soft.'''' Hmm. And it''s still big... Wait, wait, Nina?It''s a little weird to be touched like that... haha. ''Oh I''m sorry. That hurt...? ''It doesn''t hurt, but um... well, more importantly, is Nina interested in big breasts?'' Hmmm. Nina nodded her head. ''Bigger tits.......I wonder if Rain would be happy.......'' "Ho-ho! Tania cringed at the bombshell that came out of little Nina. Kanade and the others who were listening to the story also cringed. Looking at them, Nina looked at them in wonderment. What''s the matter with you...? Where did you get all this talk about bigger breasts and such? Last time I went to the Adventurer''s Guild the adventurers were talking about... something like that?The bigger the man, the better.... Next time, I''ll burn down the adventurers. It was Tania who made a hard decision. ''Well, Nina. That kind of thing is so subjective that you don''t have to worry too much about it. I mean, you can''t take it seriously. Kanade and Tina admonish Nina. The venue of the bath, where everyone has fun together, turns into a place of s*x education for children. Is that so? Yes, Yeah. It was Nina who looked a little bit disappointed. Seeing Nina like that, Kanade wondered. ''Does Nina want Rain to be happy?'' ...Yeah. I want to see Rain''s smile. How''s that, you know, how does that work?What was your intention? ? ''''Oh, nah, it''s nothing, nyan. Ugh...........................I might be a little too aware of what Nina is up to. Nina looked curiously at Kanade, who was turning red on her own, alone. ''''But ... once again, those breasts are still foul, aren''t they? Luna got zit-eyed and looked at Kanade and Tania''s breasts. As if to follow her, Sora also became zit-eyed. ''How does it grow that much.......it''s a mystery. It''s a mystery to the human body.'''' If you''ve got a knack for it, I''d love to hear it. Tips, you say, but... Hey? Kanade and Tania looked at each other with a puzzled look on their faces. It''s not that they were particularly conscious of it. It was like this when they realized it was happening. ''''........'''' Nina put her hand on her own chest. Regardless of whether Rain was pleased or not, she was still concerned about the size of her breasts as a girl. She was touching her own breasts, as if to say, ''Grow up, grow up! ''That bothers us too. ''Oh, there''s a new Poor Tits Alliance being formed! We don''t have tits! Tina tsked at Luna''s outrageous words. ''Hm?Is that right?If you ask me, Tina''s there.... You''re a traitor. No. We''re on their side. ''You say that when you''re wearing something so fine there! Do you know...?So-so is the halfway point, the least demanded... and that''s sad, isn''t it?Bigger is more pleasing to men, and even if it''s small, that''s the demand for it... it''s hard work, it''s normal! At Tina''s soul cry, Sora and Luna looked somewhat shocked. With tears streaming down their faces, they put their hands on their shoulders. ''''That''s right.......Sora was wrong. It''s hard on Tina too, isn''t it.......'''' ''Join our alliance and one day we will look back on Kanade and Tania....................oh, yes. Since Nina is also a member of our alliance. Do I have to...? ''Hey, hey, there. You can''t just make some weird alliance and get Nina involved. Tania looked dumbfounded and cautioned Luna, who was enthusiastic. ''In the first place, it''s only Sola and Luna who are too late, right? Too late! I mean, Sora and Luna are 14, right?Even though it''s not promising, at your age, if that''s about it... well, you know. Pity? Gunn, Luna was shocked. Next to her, Sora also had a depressed look on her face. ''''But Nina is not a child yet. I think there''s a good chance she''s just getting started. ''Nya, I know, right? Hey, hey, Nina. Did Nina''s mother have large breasts? Well... yeah. Very much. Then Nina will grow up. It''s just the beginning, so there''s no need to rush. Hmmm. Somewhat relieved, Nina smiled. On the other hand, Sora and Luna make a goofy face. There is no denying that Nina has potential. But if they admitted that, then the only ones who have no future in this area are themselves. Just the two of us. We can''t admit such a thing. Or rather, I''m jealous of Kanade and Tania. I understand that it was just envy, but I couldn''t stop it. The size of the breasts is a very important issue for a girl of her age. ''Yeah, I''ll share that abundance with you! ''How do I get big?I''m not leaving until you teach me those tricks! Luna and Sora approach Kanade and Tania. The two men who were pressed in are bewildered. You can''t separate the two even if you say so. ''I mean, if it''s big, that''s a lot of work, you know?The shoulders are stiff and.... ''So that statement is a declaration of war against our poor sisters! ''Luna, please stop making weird alliances. ''Alright. We poor sisters, we''ll take that declaration of war! Luna gets excited. As if followed by that, everyone''s tension also increases. Lively and fun times passed, and a peaceful moment passed. 124-Episode 124: Next time ''Hmmm, I see... yes!So much for training for now, shall we? After a few days of special training... That day, Suzu said this to us as we gathered in the garden as usual. ''Nyan?Mom, are we done? Does that mean we have to have a full ride? No, no, I''m not done yet! Tania''s words are met with a strange, scary smile from Suzu, as if she''s trying to nail down what Tania said. That smile probably means, don''t let your guard down and don''t float away. The pressure of Suzu''s smile made Tania''s face twitch. ''''Everyone, I''ve managed to learn how to fight properly. I think I can fight many times better than before.'''' Thank you. ''No, no, you''re welcome. Kanade-chan has been a great help to me, at least. It''s just.... Suz turns serious. ''I think you''ve all gotten stronger. But that doesn''t mean you should be overconfident in your own strength, does it?There are some people in this world who have unimaginable power, you know. For example........the Demon King. .... Suz-san''s words naturally made me feel tighter. Well, that''s about as far as I''ll go with the stern words. You all did a good job. Good work. Meow it''s finally over. My muscles ache everywhere and I don''t want to move... Kanade stood taller with a giggle, and Tania rolled her shoulders around. ''Thora is tired. I feel like sleeping for a week or so.'' We''re a reclusive species. Don''t tell me you''re a hermit. Sola and Luna are still the same. ''''........hmmm.'''' Nina, what''s going on? I''m...strong, aren''t I? Hmmm.... I think I''m getting stronger. I''ll be able to help Rain... I didn''t know you were thinking that. That''s cute. Wap. Nina was being patted on the head by Tina. After the end of the rigorous special training, everyone looked calm. Thinking that Suzu-san''s special training was over now, I could understand why they felt relaxed. But when you look at me like that........ Oh, my, my, my?You all still seem to be in good spirits. Since you''re here, shall we give you some extra training? Pussy? It''s a bonus. I don''t want that as a bonus! ''A mother''s love is something to be received, Kanade. Meow! I sighed as it played out as expected. It would only be a little while longer before the special training would be fully completed. ---------- Suzu''s bonus training continued into the evening. I was squeezed to the bone. All of us were so exhausted that we couldn''t even stand. Nevertheless, the bonus training was over, and this time we were completely finished. We were able to graduate from Suzu''s Spartan class. Rather than a sense of accomplishment, I feel more of a sense of relief. Because at last, those painful days are over. .........Well, if I say something like that, it doesn''t necessarily mean that more extras won''t be imposed on me, so I''ll keep it to myself. And then the night. That day''s meal was made by Suz-san. Both Luna and Tina had been training hard, so Suzu-san had offered to cook for us. The food Suz-san cooked for us was simple, but it was all delicious. It had a strange taste that warmed my heart when I ate it. Is this what you call the taste of home? Everyone was smiling and finishing their food. Then we took turns taking a bath.... Drinking cold juice and chatting... When it was late, everyone went back to their rooms. .... I didn''t go back to my room, I was out in the yard. I looked up at the starry night sky. ''What''s going on?'' I turned around and saw Suz. Can''t you sleep? Well, sort of. Suz stood next to me. Likewise, I looked up at the night sky. ''It''s a beautiful starry sky.'' ''Yes. I feel like I''m being sucked in, Hmmm, that''s an interesting expression. Suzu smiles and laughs. Looking at her like this, it''s hard to believe she''s Kanade''s mother....... At best, it''s a sister. If you look at it normally, it''s my sister. ''How can I help you?What''s wrong with my face? ''Oh, no ... come to think of it, what are you going to do now, Suz-san?'' The special training was over and Suz''s role was over. The goal of bringing Kanade back is gone. And if that''s the case, what are we going to do now? I''m going home. You''re leaving... Oh, I''m sorry to hear that. Do you want to keep me around? Hmmm ... well, yeah. Oh my. Surprisingly straightforward. ''If we''re together this much, it''s going to feel strange to be gone. Besides, I''m sure Kanade will be happy to be with you. ''Is that right?Kanade is a girl of her age too, so I''m sure she won''t feel comfortable with her parents around. ''Ah well maybe there is something like that. But Kanade is a very obedient child, isn''t she? I think she''s happy to be with Suzu, despite what she says. The image of Kanade smiling next to Suzu-san as she said, "I can''t help it, mother. Seemingly having imagined something similar, Suzu-san also smiled. "Hmm. When you say that to me, it makes me feel like a mother, doesn''t it? Are you still going home?If you want to stay a little longer we have extra room. ''Thank you. I''m glad you feel that way, Rain?But I can''t indulge you forever... and if I''m not there, I''ll be in trouble in the village. ...I see. When you''re the most talented person in your village, you probably have a lot of work to do. I can''t force him to stay, can I? Mr. Lane. Yes? Suddenly, Suzu''s face turns serious. ''''Please be careful.'''' Well what''s that supposed to mean? I''m sorry. I can''t say for sure, but I have a bad feeling about this. You have a bad feeling about this...? The cat spirit race is very sensitive to things like presence, right?In the same way, when you''re about my age, you can get a bad feeling about it. It''s pretty good, right?Well, I don''t want a bad premonition to come true....... Suz chuckled. ''''Can''t you be a little more specific about that bad feeling? ''I''m sorry. I can''t really say... it''s just that for a little while now, I''ve been feeling a bit of a stirring in my chest... if I had to put it that way, it''s like having a natural enemy in front of you. The natural enemy... It would be best not to dismiss it as a mere premonition. ''''If I could, I''d like to stay with you too.......'''' ''You can''t stay with us all the time, can you?It can''t be helped. I''ve got other things to do, Suz-san. It would be nice to hear that Mr. Lane. Suzu holds my hand. In that state, he stared into my eyes. ''''Canade-chan, would you please take care of her?'''' "...Yes. I''ll take care of it. Kanade is our friend. No matter what happens, I will protect him. I nodded my head firmly with that intention in mind. Suzu smiled, seemingly reassured by my attitude. ''''When you say so, I feel relieved. Now, if Kanade-chan''s wishes are fulfilled, it will be perfect. Fulfilled? No, no, it''s nothing. What are you talking about? Suzu seems to have noticed something about Kanade that I don''t know about... Hmm, I don''t know what that means? Well I think I''m going to go to bed. Good night. Don''t stay up late, Mr. Lane, okay? I know. I''ll be asleep in a little while. ''Yes, sir. Good answer. Now, good night. Suzu smiled and walked back into the house. I saw his back off.....................and looked up at the night sky once again. ".........a bad premonition, huh? Even though the night sky was so beautiful, there seemed to be a disturbing presence approaching, and I felt a chill in the air. 125-Episode 125: Emergency Request The next morning. Everyone sees Suzu off as she heads back to her hometown. Goodbye, everyone. Goodbye, everyone. No, sir. Thanks for all the help you guys have given me. ''Come back anytime!Then you will be treated to plenty of my cooking! ''That sounds great. Sola and the other sisters will cook for you. ''Oh, no I don''t want you to refrain from doing that Sola...? We''ll do our best. Sola and Luna see her off cheerfully, and Tina smiles too. ''Well, you''ve helped me in a lot of ways. You''ve helped me become stronger and... well, I''ll thank you for that, just in case. Tania what will happen? ''Who?Who taught Nina these words! Tania and Nina were looking off in an interesting way. ''Mom....'' What''s up, Kanade? Kanade faces Suzu. The reunion between father and son after a long time was over and the goodbyes were coming. Kanade seemed to be particularly aware of this, and he was dimly aware of it. A lot has happened, but.... I knew it was sad to be separated from Suzu. ''Take care, Kanade. Well take care of your mother, okay? ''You have to be careful not to catch a cold, right?Make sure you sleep under the covers. And don''t sleep naked or anything. No, I don''t. ''What do you think?When I was in the village, Kanade, it was too hot... ''Wah, wah, wah, wah!How dare you say that when Rain is here! If you panic like this, you''ll have a hard time in the future.Mr. Lane, you seem to be very slow. Ummm... is it possible, Mom...? Phew, I''m rooting for you. Meow. Kanade''s ears flattened as an unfamiliar conversation ensued. What on earth did it mean? Well I''m afraid I''m not going to be able to go any further. Suzu takes a step forward. Then he turns around. He looks at us and bows his head with a smile. "Thanks for everything. You''re welcome. I return it with a thank you. Everyone else bowed their heads as well. "So, I''ll see you around. Suzu smiled and waved her hand and turned her back to us. He walked away just like that.......and his back was getting smaller and smaller. ''''Mother!'''' Kanade stepped forward and let out a loud voice. ''See you later!!!'' I saw Suzu turn around and wave at me with a smirk. ---------- Suzu''s figure disappears completely. The send-off was over, and an indescribable air passed through the air. ''''........Huh.'''' In the midst of it all, Kanade had a somewhat refreshed look on his face. She may be feeling lonely, but..... Still, we were able to say a proper goodbye. So I guess I don''t feel like dragging it out. ''Lane!'' Yeah? I feel like I need to work out a lot right now!Hey, hey, let''s go to the guild! Well I guess so. I''ve been doing a lot of training lately and it''s been a while since I''ve asked for a favor. I don''t have to disagree with it, especially. I adopted Kanade''s opinion. ''Then I guess Sora and Luna will be waiting at home. I need to clean up and prepare some food.'' ''No, Sola doesn''t have to cook. I''ll take care of that, okay? I can''t go out during the day either, so I''ll stay here. Sola and Luna came home and.... Tina called out to me like that from inside the house. ''What about Nina?'' Can I... uh... do you... do you mind if I...? Of course. Hmm. Nina smiles and takes my hand. She wants to hold my hand. Does she miss me? ''Mmmm ... does that make sense?Or is it unconsciousness...?Nina is quite careful, too. You have to be careful. For some reason, Kanade was mumbling something I didn''t understand as he looked at me and Nina holding hands. Then......... I visited the Adventurer''s Guild with Kanade and Nina. They tried to find the request as usual, but... What... what? It was a scorchingly busy time in the guild. Staff members moved to the left, then to the right... The adventurers, with their grim faces, are having some kind of meeting. The atmosphere is unprecedented. What''s going on with them? Well, it''s very pompous. I''m scared. They grabbed the edges of my clothes. ''Oh, Mr. Shroud! Natalie noticed us and walked over to us. ''Just in time. I was just trying to get in touch with Mr. Shroud as well... Suddenly, Natalie''s eyes go to Kanade and Nina. They each look at me grabbing my clothes and somehow become half-eyed. ''''.......What happened today?Are you here to show off, perhaps? ''What?You''re going to show me... hmm?What does that mean? ''''........No, it''s nothing. Shroud-san is that kind of person, right? Well...? That''s not the case! "Phew! Suddenly, Natalie let out a loud cry, which startled Nina, who twitched her tail. ''It''s a big deal!It''s a big deal. Oh, relax. That''s not the right word. Oh, dear. I''m sorry about this. Seemingly regaining her composure, Natalie looked a little embarrassed. Then, as if to change her mind, she cleared her throat with a cough. ''Actually, an emergency request has been issued. An urgent request? Meow?What is that?I''ve never heard of that before. ''An emergency request is a kind of emergency situation. All normal requests will be suspended and all adventurers who can respond will be sent out for emergency requests. Gather all the adventurers you can find, and also work with the Order to deal with the situation. That''s what an emergency request is. To summarize it simply, you can think of it as a matter of high importance where all adventurers and the Knights must work together as one to take on the challenge. Does that mean... that you can''t take on the usual requests now? ''Yes, I''m sorry, but...'' ''That golden request?And we''re going to be driven to? No. It''s optional. I''d like all adventurers to join us if they can. It''s going to be tough, isn''t it... Nina is right. The guild is in a state of turmoil like I''ve never seen before. An urgent request to be like this.......what the hell happened? That''s why I''m not able to take on any regular requests at this time. I''m sorry to hear that. But if you''re willing to make an urgent request, I''d be happy to talk to you over there, but Mr. Shroud, would you be able to help me? They look at me like I''m hanging on. I can''t just leave an emergency situation alone.... If there''s a major disaster going on, we might not be able to stay uninvolved. We''d better do what we can, right? However, I can''t just make a decision on my own, though. If we just listen to the story first. ''Yes, yes. That''s all you need to know. By all means! Natalie''s momentum led me to the common room. ''''Please keep what I''m about to tell you in private, except for those of us involved. Well, it''s only a matter of time before everyone in town finds out about it, since the content is the content, but in the meantime, I''m waiting for the official announcement of the Knights. Copy that. So what the f*ck happened? Do you know the city of River End on the southern continent? Meow?''Ribaendo?'' Kanade nodded his head, but I knew. ''I know. It''s the first town you''ll arrive in when you cross the Stride Bridge, right?It''s small, but it''s an inn town, and there''s a lot of excitement there. ''So, do you know of a village further down the line?It''s a small village called Pagos. No, I don''t know about that. The Pagos have been destroyed. 126-Episode 126: Devil Devastated? I can''t help but raise an eyebrow at the not-so-casual words. ''What do you mean by that?What''s the localized disaster? No ... it''s artificial. Is it possible that ... a foreign country tried to attack us? ''No, that''s not true either. Or rather, my words were wrong. We know that it was the work of someone else but the identity of that person is vague. A hint of confusion could be seen on Natalie''s face. The Guild doesn''t seem to have any accurate information yet either. Still, they''ll have a lot more information than me, who knows nothing about it. I''m going to find out what it is. ''I don''t know what''s going on here,'' he said. Why don''t you start by telling me what you''re talking about? ''Yes, well I''m sorry. I guess things were just too confusing on my end. I don''t have a choice. One village has been destroyed. It''s hard to stay calm after being told such things. ''It all started with a story about a merchant. Natalie opens her mouth quietly. Everyone listened intently, including me. ''The merchant was doing business with the people of Pagos. Pagos dealt in textiles as a specialty, and they had an exclusive contract with the merchant. Every month, on the same day of the month, the Pagos people would leave the village and go to the merchant to sell their textiles... but for some reason, this month, the villagers didn''t seem to show up at any time. .... ''The merchant wondered, and decided to visit Pagos. Pagos was a week''s walk from River End.......................and arrived without incident. Suddenly, the villagers have lost contact with each other. A devastated village. This alone shows that something unusual and unusual is happening. It''s just..... From the look on Natalie''s stiffened face, things seem more serious. I''m just listening to the story, but I''m naturally nervous. ''I heard that the houses were destroyed, burned down.......and the whole village was in shambles, as if a war had happened. And ... the bodies of the villagers. Terrible.... Kanade looked like he was about to cry as he seemed to imagine the scene. ''Fortunately ... or should I say, there were survivors. The merchant asked the survivors what had happened. The villagers all said, "The devil has risen... The Devil has risen.... Devil...? What... what''s that?A figurative... thing? Nina tilts her head slightly. ''''I don''t know.......we, the guild, heard from the villagers, but we could only hear the same thing......they were all in a state of panic. It must have been a very frightening experience. "...Did the Guild just listen to you? ''No, no way. I can''t say it''s enough yet, but we''ve done all the research we can. We went back through the history of Pagos to find out if there were beings called demons or not... and that part of it. The result? ...the devil is real. Natalie gave a small nod with a nervous look on her face. ''''After reviewing the literature in Pagos, the past records of the surrounding area... and many other things, I have come to the conclusion that demons exist. The devil... You don''t know that guy''s name or anything?Or, I mean, if they''re demons, are they demons? ''I''m sorry, we haven''t figured that out yet...'' At Kanade''s question, Natalie gave him an apologetic look. ''However, I am certain that there is something called a demon. That demon, according to the people of Pagos, seems to have been sealed in the mountains. Something happened, and that seal was broken. And then..... You attacked the Pagos? ''Yes. That will be the Guild''s position. .... The expression on his face is naturally grim. A being of immense power was unleashed to be sealed away. The danger of this was proven by the destruction of Pagos. .........Maybe this is a bigger case than I thought. ''''Currently, the Guild is using all of its resources to investigate the demon. As of now, we don''t know anything about its appearance or purpose, but.......the demon is an opponent that seems to have destroyed an entire village and caused a large number of casualties. It would be too optimistic to think that nothing will happen at this point. Yeah. ''The Guild has identified this one as an urgent request. If left unchecked, it could cause damage not only to Pagos, but to other cities as well. So, we will do everything in our power to deal with it. The main way we plan to do that is to form three squads to work on it. Meow?Three? First, a team to investigate the identity and purpose of the demon. Secondly, a team to find out how to seal the demon. And then there''s the team that will take out the demon. I see. So it''s not just about defeating them, it''s about attacking them from all angles. The reason for examining their background and purpose is to see if we can''t find a compromise. The reason for examining the seal is for insurance in case we fail to defeat them. The guild seems to recognize the demon and that sort of thing as a complete ''enemy''. ........Well, that''s just as well. After all, it''s the guy who destroyed a village. Although its true identity is unknown, there is no doubt that it is a harmful existence for people. "Mr. Shroud. Natalie looked straight at me. ''I can''t deny that this case is dangerous. On top of that, I dare to ask you. Please, could you help me? It''s... ''''Mr. Shroud... no, I have a feeling that Mr. Shroud would be able to resolve this matter without incident... could I ask you to do so? From what I''ve heard, this request is dangerous. I''m honestly not sure I''d be comfortable involving everyone in this, if it were just me. But.... .... It reminded me of home. This time the enemy this demon or whatever it was destroyed Pagos. I can see the same thing in my hometown. I don''t feel like this is something I''ll have to deal with. We can''t just leave him there. But we''re going to get everyone... All right! Kanade! When I''m unsure of how to answer, Kanade answers on his own. ''''Leave it to us. We''ll take care of it! Hmm.... I''ll do my best. I''m sure Rain is looking out for us, but that''s what I call being an afterthought. ''Yes, yes!We''re just going to help with that. Tania, Sora, Luna, Tina, all of them, we''ll never complain about it. I need you to be more... dependable. Huh. I was more than a little shocked by Nina''s words. I thought I was thinking of everyone else but.... Maybe you didn''t trust them, in fact, you didn''t trust them. Don''t just think about keeping them away from you because they''re dangerous, and don''t try to spoil it... So, we''re on the same side, right? ''''Well yeah, I guess. You two are right. Well..... ''I''m going to take on this request. I can''t leave it alone, and I don''t know if it''s going to be solved by leaving it alone... and, more importantly, I don''t feel like a stranger. That''s why I want to do whatever I can to solve this problem. Can you help me with that? Yeah. Kanade and Nina smiled and nodded together. I''m sure everyone else who isn''t here will respond with a smile as well. Really, I was able to meet some good friends. If this is fate, then I feel like thanking fate. "Well then, does that mean you''ll accept the job? Yeah, I''ll take care of it. I nodded firmly in response to Natalie''s question. ''Thank you!With the addition of Mr. Shroud and his team, I''m sure they will succeed! You''re exaggerating. ''No, no, no, I''m not exaggerating. The Shrouds are the heroes of Horizon!With the addition of those shrouds, I''m sure we''ll be able to fulfill this request successfully. I don''t want you to be a hero. It''s too hard to be a hero. Besides I believe in Mr. Shroud myself. Smiling, Natalie smiles. Unlike before, it''s a vaguely warm smile. ''''Nyaa........'''' For some reason, Kanade gets a wary look on his face when he sees this. Why? ''Well let''s get back to the point, what are we supposed to do?We''re going to split into three groups, right? An investigation team that investigates the identity and purpose of demons. A defeat team that fights against the demon. An exploration team to find a way to seal up the demon. Where are we going to be assigned? It''s not a real decision yet, so I''m just going to make a prediction that Mr. Shroud and his team will probably be assigned to an investigation team. Meow?Aren''t you on a strike team? It seemed that he was ready to fight, and Kanade looked a little out of sync. ''I think we can take out a demon or anything else, though. And even if it''s dangerous, it doesn''t matter. All the squads are just as dangerous. ''Yes, Natalie, you''re right. The probe team will naturally approach the demon to find out about it, so there should be a certain amount of risk involved. The exploration team looking into how to seal it could be interfered with by the demon. Not to mention the defeat team. When I explained that, Kanade popped his palm with a satisfied look on his face. Nyang-woo. It''s hard work everywhere, isn''t it? That''s what I''m talking about. I know this request is going to be the hardest thing you''ve ever asked for but please do me a favor. Natalie said, and bowed her head deeply. 127-Episode 127 Shiden It seems that the investigation on the demons will be conducted by two parties, our party and another party a total of two. Since light footwork is required when carrying out the investigation, we decided that it wouldn''t be efficient even if there were too many people present. Also, the other adventurers will be sent to the defeat team, so the survey team will not be able to help out. It''s simple, we are short of people. Emergency requests can be made regardless of rank, but.... But that didn''t mean that F-ranked adventurers and others would be willing to participate. They are dealing with a demon that has destroyed an entire village. There are many adventurers who are afraid of their own safety, and are not willing to take part in the tournament. I''ve heard that there are quite a few who participate, such as those who want to get rich, and there are quite a few who join in. ''Nina, would you mind going back to the guys and explaining what''s going on?'' Hmm. Okay, yeah. Nina nodded with a cocoon and left the guild with a thump. ''''Nyaa ... you''re bored. Yeah. We went straight to the guild to wait. According to Natalie, the rest of the survey team''s party has already been selected, and she can introduce them right away. Then I thought it would be best to meet them as soon as possible, so I asked Nathalie to be the go-between. While Natalie brought the adventurers to us, we didn''t do anything in particular, just sat back in our chairs and relaxed. ''''Well when you''re relaxing like this, it''s hard to believe that something extraordinary is happening.'''' Well it''s like ... the same old, same old. ''''Sorry for the delay. Not long after, Natalie returned. Behind her, I see a couple of adventurer-looking men and women. Hey, you guys are the Heroes of Horizon?I''m Axe Ginn. I''m a swordsman with a bit of a special weapon. It''s a pleasure to meet you! I''m Cell Mercenal. Nice to meet you. He''s older than me he''s in the mid-20s, right? Hair upside down. His well-trained body was covered with light armor, making it easier to move around. He seems to have a friendly personality and a bright smile. Even though we didn''t do anything, he would forcefully ask for a handshake. The woman would be as much as the man. She has indigo hair that she wears in a short cut. Although somewhat petite, you can see that she is trained as an adventurer. In contrast to the man, this one gave a very calm impression. Not dark or cold, but calm and sober. I received a dignified atmosphere. A bright man and a calm woman.......two contrasting people. I''m Rain Shroud. This is my companion, Kanade. Nice to meet you. The man ... responds to Axe''s handshake. ''And don''t be a hero. You''re a little buddy. ''Hmmm, you''re so humble. I''ve been called a hero, so I was expecting a more powerful man. Are you disappointed that it was different than you imagined? No. You''re going to be a companion for a while now, you know. It''s easier to be friendly. Axe smiles. It''s a pure smile, like a child. I hadn''t had a good image of him until now because of all the things that happened with the other adventurers, but.... Maybe that was prejudice. Maybe I''m just being naive, but Axe seems like a good guy. ''Nya..... However, Kanade still seemed to be wary and kept his distance a bit. ''''Whoa, you''re really a cat spirit race over there, aren''t you? I''m Axe. Nice to meet you! Nice to meet you. But still it''s cute. What do you think?Would you like to go on a date night with me? Cat? I''m giving you a time you''ll never forget. I''m going to give you a time you''re going to enjoy for sure! Stop it. Suddenly, Cell smacked Axe''s head as he started to pick up, without hesitation. Or rather, it was as if Cell had just struck him with the bow he had in his hand...? Bows are made so sturdy, it''s no different than getting hit with a hammer, right? ''What are you doing all of a sudden, Cell? I was just trying to have a good time with Kanade, okay? Oh, great. I punched you once more without saying a word. "Don''t be embarrassed. ''Oh, well I''m sorry. I was jealous, wasn''t I?But don''t worry. I''m only really interested in you, Cell. This is a bit of a game, or guh! That would be disrespectful to me and to her. Oh, I just like pretty girls, huh? I''m sorry, huh? ʤ ^򤿤󤳤֤餱ˤơ^¤ ʤȤʤζˤvS狼ä褦ʚݤ 쥤󡢥쥤 ʥǤäȶƤ _裿 ȥ`ȤԤʤ ۥȤˡ_һwðꓤΣɷ򣿡 ϡ ĤĤ~ԑޤäƤޤ äȡϤʤ DZƤϤʤΤˡ_λԒ˷ꤷ ҊƤ⡢_ϣ󥯤ðߤʤ áۥȤˣ ޤ@ȡäȂĤʡ ʥǤηˡȼȤ һꡢΤȤǤ衹 δˡäȳɤФҊؤäƤʥ`󤬴𤨤 ˤϡ늡ζ֤ġ󥯤ðߤǤ衹 ˤ`ζˤһw ʥǤत򤷤 ζˤȤΤϡ`ȥĤΤȤ Ӥӛ˼ơ΢ʱˤʤ롣 _򤢤BФһwˤʤǤ졣ðߤF֤աäȻӤƤ ͡ ơBФȤ`ȥϹ̤OǽYФƤĤä٤餰 äȥ򿗤꽻ʤ褦ˡ ǰΤ褦ˡ뤬ŹĤ ⡢ˤˤȤäƤϵǰι⾰ʤΤ äȡϡԸˤäyǤǤǤ⡢ˤȤϴ_Ǥ衣äȡmˤʤ˼ޤ ʥ`󤬥ե`줿 ֱʤȤϤΤɡ Ǥ⡢ĤȤϴ_ߤ һҊȡդƤ褦ˤҊʤ϶ʤ ĤƴzȤƤ⡢˷ꤷơꤷƤ Ф ȡ ˤ`äXɡǤ⡢ˤʤΤʣ ʥǤ٤⤤Ƥ һФʥʥǤ⤤ƤΤʤСäƤ⤤˼ ϡԷ֤θҙgοmˤ 饦ɤ_ȥ_ϡ줫һwЄӤ뤳ȤޤǤ뤳ȤʤС{ˤ˸ƤۤΤǤ g˴_JʤȤʤɡޤ}ʤ˼äϣ ↖}Ϥʤ 褫äǤ¤¤ʤΤǡ礯ӤԽȤϤʤ˼Τǡ顢ؤ¼YϤˤʤޤयϤޤ󤬡{ˤۤƤƤ ʥ`󤫤YϤܤȡ롣 ʤˤޤ顢˽ΤȤءޤ ʥ`󤬤ڤ^¤ơ¤ ¼Ӱ푤ǡɫȤʤФʤȤΤ 쥤󡢤äƺǤ⤤ h]ˡͤƤ ֤ӢۤӒΤƤˤʤơХꤽɤ⡢ϤԿषȤ֤Ǥʡȡ줫餷Ф餯gһwЄӤ򹲤ˤgˤʤݤʷ˼ ʤ衣ȤӢۤϤƤ졢äƤäԤäͨ˺ӒΤƤǘʤȤ_ˤʤȥʡˤϣ󥯤ʤ Ƥ衣󥯤ϤäƂ櫓ʤȤ֤Ӣۡ쥤ʤ顢Ȥäˣ󥯤ˤʤäƤƤ⤪ʤ ʤȤʤ˼ɤʡ ޡ󥯤ȤݤˤʤǤ졣ͨ˥쥤äƺФƤ餦顢ΤȤ⥢Ǥʡ ˽⡢Ǥ ʡ롹 Ĥơˤ֤򽻤路 ζˤһwʤ顢ޤ뤳ȤǤ ʤȤʤɡʤȤ˼ä 128-Episode 128 South After that, we were officially assigned to an investigation team. The purpose is to investigate the demon''s background and purpose. If possible, everything, including their weaknesses. At the same time, we were also entrusted with negotiations. In the guild, they are going to negotiate with the demons. It''s unclear whether negotiations can be passed on to the person who is said to have destroyed an entire village, and whether there is a need to do so....... He''d rather not have to fight if he could. Well, half of it is probably just to buy time. Since the strike team will be working together with the knights, it will inevitably take some time to form. In the meantime, we''ll find out what they''re up against while we negotiate to buy time. If the negotiations are successful, that''s fine. If it doesn''t, we''ll buy as much time as we can, and then we''ll hit them with a strike force. That''s the plan, I''m told. And so, once we''d heard the full explanation, we went home. After explaining our request to the people who were staying at home, they agreed to leave it to us. They are a dependable group of people. Then we got ready for our trip... And the next day. "Yo. Good morning. As I moved to the south gate of the city, I saw Axe and Cell already there. ''Sorry, did I keep you waiting?'' No, I don''t. Well, even if I had to wait, I wouldn''t mind it. ''Yes there. Stop talking nonsense. With a blank expression, Cell slammed an elbow into Axe''s stomach. A violent relationship.... It''s a big family. Cel looks at me and says, a little surprised. ''It''s been a while since yesterday, Kanade-san. The others are, um......... I''m Tania!Humph, as you can see, proud dragon tribe. ''Sola is called Sola. I''ll divulge it as you may know it, but it''s a spirit race. I am Luna!I usually keep my wings covered. Nina.... Everyone introduced themselves briefly. And then..... "Oh, so you''re the Shiden you''ve heard of. Ho-ho, I see. I can see that. I''ll be relying on you!Oops, I''m late to introduce myself. I''m Tina, by the way!Good luck. "...Am I dreaming of something?It looks like the kettle is talking... ''Cell, it''s not a dream. I''m seeing the same scene. That makes it even more likely that it''s a dream. What do you mean by that? They are confused. Well, it can''t be helped. That''s why you can hear Tina''s voice from the kettle on top of Kanade''s head. ''''Uh ... to put it simply, Tina is a ghost. A ghost...? ''I''m surprised you even have people like that in your ranks. But how come I''m hearing voices coming from the kettle? ''They''re ghosts, they can''t go out in the daytime, can they?Then I wouldn''t be able to accompany him on the trip and he would have to stay home all the time. I wasn''t sure about that, so I tried to find a way to get them to go with me. And then.... We can possess things, but during that time, we seem to be able to go out regardless of time. So, I''m haunted by the kettle like this! Nah, I see ... that''s ... awesome. I don''t know what to say to that, but it''s a hell of a thing. Their vocabularies had been reduced in surprise. Aside from Axe, Cell was also upset. It was probably a bit of a shocking sight, after all. When I saw it for the first time this morning, I couldn''t speak properly for a while.... ''I understand about you Tina but why do you have a kettle on your head? It''s because I can see better this way! Kanade replied with a smile. It seems that while I''m possessed by the kettle, I can keep a decent view. His point of view is the same as that of the kettle. That''s why Kanade decided to carry the kettle on top of his head, thinking that a higher place would feel better. ........When I explained that, the two of them got even weirder and weirder looks. ''''What''s wrong?'''' It''s just that.... there''s a lot more to this world that I don''t know... and it makes me realize how small I am. Let''s face it that''s just the way it is. Is it really such a surprise? .........or should I be surprised? There was a ghost haunting the kettle, and on top of that, he was carrying it on his head. It was such a strange sight that I couldn''t understand what I was saying. Well I''ll just have to get used to it. I can''t just leave Tina alone, you know. ''Isn''t it time we left?We don''t have a lot of time to spare, and we''d better hurry. That''s right. All right, let''s go! Axe walks to the front, and we follow. We headed out of the city and first to the Stride Bridge. Our destination is the southern continent beyond. ''''Nyah.'''' Kanade was walking next to me, his tail twitching in a tantalizing manner. ''What''s going on?'' I know this is not the right time for this, but I''m just so excited. I''ve never been to the southern continent, so..............................nyah, I''m excited. ''Hey Kanade, we''re not traveling, are we?It''s a proper request, you know. ''Ugh ... that''s true ... but ...'' Tania chides me and Kanade shudders. But, well, I don''t understand how you feel. You can''t help but feel overwhelmed by the fact that you are going to a place that you have never been to before. You can''t help but feel calm. It''s a good thing that you''re not the same as me, ''Well, I''m from the southern continent, originally. This time it''s more like a homecoming than a visit to a new place, so it''s not that exciting. ''''Oh, that''s right. Rain, you''re from the southern continent, right? I totally forgot about it. I''ve only lightly touched on this before, so I don''t think it''s any wonder I''ve forgotten about it. ''Well then, come on then, after this request is over, why don''t we do some sightseeing?I''m sure Rain has a lot of things to stop by, too. ''''Well yeah. If you can afford it, that might be a good idea. Not a good idea for a canade. Meow. Kanade''s tail wagged with a gleeful flick of his tail. ''''So...so that''s it, and if possible, you and Rain...nyah...'''' He was mumbling something additional, but I couldn''t quite hear it. ''Hey,'' Axe, who was ahead of me, slowed down and lined up next to me. ''''This is the kind of thing I''m talking about, but Rain and the others are pretty calm. Hmm?What does that mean? This is a pretty big request. Normal adventurers would be scared out of their wits when they hear of an urgent request. And yet, Rain and the others are so laid back........oh, that''s not a bad thing, right? Just so you know, I understand the importance of the request. One village was destroyed. We''re not stupid enough to understand what that means. ''It''s just that we can''t be weirdly nervous, can we?Of course, that doesn''t mean you should be distracted but I think it''s better to be reasonably relaxed than that. If you''re nervous, your thoughts will freeze up when the time comes. I see. We all know that, so I guess this is what it''s all about. That''s Horizon''s hero. We''ll see about that. So no heroes. It''s a compliment, okay? ''It''s itchy. I mean, that was only because of everyone else. I didn''t defeat the demon tribe by myself. I guess that''s the nice thing about being humble. I like Lane''s people. Especially Tania. Tania? They shouldn''t have been able to exchange a few words yet...? And as far as I''m concerned, she''s good-looking.She sounds like a beautiful lady, and she''s got great style!That fits my ideal. For once, I''d like to be trampled with contemptuous eyes. Hey. That''s what you mean. Besides, your proclivities are a bit too specific, aren''t they? If that''s the case, would you like me to step on it for you? What the hell, cell...? ''You want to be stepped on, don''t you?Here, I''ll step on you. ''No, no. Cell''s a bit ... beautiful, no doubt, but just a bit short of breasts, oh no! Die. It seemed that he had stepped through the mines brilliantly and Axe was stomped. ........Axe is also Axe, and he''s not as nervous as he should be. Well, for the same reason as us, I guess he has a reasonably relaxed mind. I guess he understands that if he doesn''t, he''ll be crushed. ''Phew, that was a terrible mess,'' A battered Axe lined up next to me again. Isn''t that a terrible idea, that cell guy?It was just a little slip of the tongue. I feel like I had it coming. Don''t be trite. You''re supposed to stick up for your friends at times like this. When did we become friends? Well, I''m sure Axe and I would be good friends. You''re quite comfortable with that, aren''t you, Axe and the others? Well, I''m pretty confident in my skills. Besides, the location is good this time. If things get rough, hopefully we''ll be able to end it easily. And why is that? There are brave men on the southern continent right now. ...what? That''s why we have a brave soul on the southern continent. I don''t know if they''ll be able to get along just fine or not but they''ll be happy to be together.After all, he''s a brave man. There''s no way I''m going to be able to get an emergency request out of the way. Axe spoke optimistically about such things. The public''s opinion of the brave is high, and Axe speaks in accordance with the prevailing values, but... ...Arios is here, huh? I, on the other hand, couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of excitement. 129-Episode 129: Encounter. Or reunion. We made it across the Stride Bridge without any trouble as before. We continued south. After a while, we arrived at River End, the first town on the southern continent. It''s a small town, but it''s a base of operations for adventurers and merchants, so there''s no trouble finding a place to stay. We spent most of our time traveling, and it was already getting dark. ''''Nya........'''' When I finished taking the inn, for some reason Kanade was not happy. ''What''s wrong?'' Why are we apart?I''d like to have everyone in the same room together, like before we bought the house. ''I don''t blame you. There''s no room. We could have rented one of the large rooms, but unfortunately they were all occupied. There were only small rooms for two people left. So we rented four small rooms. By the way, the room assignments are me and Axe, Kanade and Tania, Sora and Luna, and Nina and Cell. Tina is going to stay with Nina since the kettle is like a bed for her. ''I don''t feel comfortable being alone with Tania, or something?'' No, no, that''s not true. Yeah?Why would you prefer to be with me? ''Nah, not even nymphet!Nah, nah, it''s just a vague idea that doesn''t make any sense!It''s a nymphoid! Oh, yeah? Kanade is in a hurry. Did I say something so strange? I have the feeling that Kanade has been acting strangely since Suz-san arrived... Hmm, I have no idea. ''Come on, let''s go get some food.'' Meow, food. Anyway, I need to rest my body now. We were a little late and moved to the dining room on the first floor of the inn. Everyone was already seated and we were the last to go. ''Good, we''re all here!Let''s have a toast, then!It''s only for a while, but we''re a traveling party together. Let''s be friends. Today, let''s drink, eat, and have a good time! Cell punched Axe, who was making a toast, silently. "What are you........doing........? ''What''s the point of having a social gathering?Dinner is on the way. The main thing is to talk about how we''re going to move forward, what policy we''re going to take... right? Yeah, well but you don''t have to hit him...? Axe would have to do this much to know. You''re right... These two are either good friends or bad. It''s hard to tell. ''Nya you two must be good friends. They breathe so well together. Kanade had come up with such an answer. ''''Please don''t do that. You''re out of your mind. Cell, on the other hand, made a disgusted face, as if to say, heartily. Really, they are two people whose relationship is not well understood. ''''Well, well ... let''s partition and talk about the future. Axe makes a serious face and pulls the conversation along. The purpose of our investigation is to find out about the ''demon'' that is said to have destroyed the village. So, I think we should first go to the village that is said to have been destroyed, okay? I''m not so sure about that. Yes. Me and Cell, at the same time, disagreed, and Axe made a face like ''yeah''. ''W-why not?'' ''What?No ... if you go to a place like that, you might run into a demon, right?The killer is going back to the scene of the crime... and with that possibility, I think we should avoid it... ''Lane''s right. I might add, if we''re going to investigate, we should talk to the survivors of the village, right?I won''t have a problem investigating the village until much later. Hmmm... come to think of it, I''m starting to feel that way. "...Axe is a boorish character?I''m sure a child could come up with this stuff, not me. ''''........Shh. Luna, you shouldn''t talk about those things even if you notice them. In the back, Sora and Luna were blurting out their true feelings that shouldn''t be said. Fortunately, or should I say, Axe didn''t seem to hear them. ''If we''re going to talk to the surviving villagers...............................I wonder if the destination is the Jisu village? ''Yes, I suppose so. They''re building the biggest shelter over there right now, so I''m sure all the surviving villagers are being gathered there. ''It''s just ... it''s a bit far. If I had to walk, it would take me a week to get there. ''I think it would be much shorter if we could use the carriage, but the road to Ziss is so rough that they can''t use it properly. Even if we could use it, it would be rickety on the rough roads and we might get tired instead. ''So I guess we''ll have to walk. We''d better get ready for our journey here at River End before we leave. Yeah, it''s the best way. .... ''Oh, you guys ... how do you know all sorts of specifics?I don''t know anything... Huh. Cel sighed at Axe''s question. ''Didn''t you look at the material that was distributed to you beforehand?'' ''What?Shall we? The Guild gave you a lot of material to work with when you made this request, didn''t they?What you just said is what was written in it. I''m not very good with paperwork and letters........so I tend to avoid that kind of thing, you know? Don''t do it. Information is important. ''I''m sorry I''m sorry, please don''t step on my head.....gah! ''''Totally... well, it''s good that you''re going through the motions without thinking, because it''s not the first time... no, it''s not good. This time, I''m taking on a joint request with Rain''s party. You should learn it properly so you don''t get into trouble. Somehow, I could see the power relationship between the two of them. I also understood that they are a good duo. Axe is a bit of a boor, but Cell supports him tightly. The fact that he doesn''t stop supporting Axe even though he complains about it is a sign that he trusts him. It''s a good party. I want to build a relationship like theirs with everyone else. Really, I can''t help it... hey, hey, hey. .... not all of them, but some of them, it seems, that we don''t need to learn from. ''Hey Tania. What''s that........what are you two doing.......? Shh ... don''t look at her. Nina''s not ready for that. ? It was bad for Nina''s education, and Tania had put a blindfold on. Nina, who has no idea what''s going on, just looks at her in wonder anyway. As it is, I want her to remain pure. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry, this idiot has a habit of wanting to partition when he''s not smart enough to do so. I won''t let you do this kind of thing again, so can you forgive me? ''No, that''s fine but is Axe still stepping on it?That looks pretty painful... It''s a discipline. It''s what you need to do. Yeah? I knew I didn''t understand their relationship. ''Well, I''ll take over the story then but our first destination is the village of the Zith. There we will gather information about the demon and what we do after that will depend on the information we gather. Yeah, that won''t be a problem. ''So ... since the Zith are so far away, well let''s take the whole day tomorrow to get ready. So we leave the day after tomorrow, is that all right? I agree with you. Well I''ll let Cell tell you what to do. Axe groaned as he was stepped on. Is it just my imagination that he looks a little pleased with himself, even though he should be in pain? Hey, hey... what''s that...? So don''t look at it. Behind me, Nina was once again blindfolded by Tania. What a bit of a chaotic meeting this was.... Well, we''ve moved on. We could decide on a course of action. Let''s call it a day for now. ---------- When I went outside, I found that the sun had completely set. The sky was all black, and the stars were shining like jewels scattered across the sky. I left the inn alone and wandered around the city, with no particular destination in mind. ''''Well you''re back on the southern continent, aren''t you? This request probably had nothing to do with my past. Still, I couldn''t help but think about my hometown. Stepping into the southern continent, where my hometown is located, made me think of the old days. It made it difficult for me to sleep... The next thing I knew, I was outside, cooling myself off in the night air. ''Huh I thought I''d blown it out of the water but I knew it wouldn''t be that easy. When I think back to the past, I still feel a buzz in my chest. A storm rages in my mind and I can''t stay calm. ''It can''t be like this... but it''s hard to break it off...?'' I''m going to take a walk around town. I need to keep my head in the game. We''re in the middle of an important adventure and we don''t want to make any mistakes. ...hmm? As I was strolling through the city at night, I heard a voice that contained a ruggedness. I stepped over there.... Hey, sweetheart. Nice night, don''t you think? What''s the matter with you?If you''re alone at this time of night, you''re going to get in trouble with the wrong people, okay? You know, like we did. A bunch of crooks and... Hmmm ... hey, isn''t the moon very beautiful tonight, don''t you think? A girl in a jet black dress was there. 130-Episode 130: Iris I''m in a good mood. It''s not very often that you can see the moon as clearly as this. It gives me a peaceful feeling. Even though she is surrounded by men, the girl doesn''t look frightened at all and is smiling. What is it........? It''s not like he can afford it, or that he doesn''t have the men in his teeth.... It''s not a reaction a normal girl would have. ''Yeah. It''s a good night, man. Yes, I''m surprised to see a girl like you. What do you think?Would you like to have a drink to commemorate the occasion? "Mmm-hmm. The girl doesn''t answer. They just smile. On the other hand, the guys didn''t hide their desire, but wore a lowly expression. ''''... okay?Don''t let him get away. I know. This one''s quite an upper ball. If it was just a pickup, I would have just pretended to be an acquaintance or whatever and got on with it.... Apparently, the guys are thinking about something even more prickly than that. There''s no way I''m going to overlook that. I''m going to take a step towards the girls.... It''s going to be a fun night. Come on ... let''s dance? What? Instantly, a shiver ran down my back. What is this feeling...? I feel a sense of alienness that I''ve never experienced before. It''s like being relative to a bird of prey ... no, that''s not enough. The absolute end........it''s as if I''m facing the Grim Reaper. Even if I say so myself, I have the confidence that I''ve gone through a certain amount of shura. But I was feeling a fear so strong that such confidence could easily be shattered. So.........just pure fear. I don''t know why, and I don''t have a clear reason for it, but I''m scared. "d*mn........this is not right.......for such a thing......! Now is not the time to be trapped in an unidentified fear! I''ve got to help the girl. What do you think you''re doing? I scolded my trembling body and forced myself to step forward. ''''Eh........ah?'''' At the sound of my voice, the men looked at me in dismay. Apparently the men, too, had been given an unidentified fear and were unable to move. ''''Oh?Oh my? The only one who looks like he''s not going to be able to do anything about it is the girl. She looks at me and looks surprised. Only, it quickly changed to one of amusement. Like she''s welcoming a new intruder she seems to be enjoying the situation. It doesn''t look like he''s relieved that help has arrived........ Does this child understand the situation he is in? What the f*ck are you...? Get out of here, all right? It''s the way home. Once the men realized that I was alone, they instantly became more bullish. They surround me and apply pressure from each of them. But this stuff is nothing compared to everyone else. It''s like a baby. ''''It''s you guys who will disappear. What? ''Don''t even think about it. Don''t mess with this kid. The smiles disappear from the men who were grinning. ''''Well that''s what it''s all about.'''' In short, it''s a thing, isn''t it?You''re going to be a douchebag, aren''t you? You don''t know who we are, do you?You don''t understand, do you?Will you regret it in the afterlife? So, this is how it''s going to play out in the end. Maybe if I was a little more glib, things could have turned out differently, but... There''s no point in asking for what you can''t have. Besides, we don''t need to go easy on these people. We need to be thorough here to make sure they don''t do anything stupid again in the future. You stay back. ''I don''t understand the situation very well, but are you trying to help me?Is that what you''re saying? That''s what I mean. Well that''s a little bit of a shift in your schedule. What? No, it''s nothing. Well, I''m not in the mood for that right now so I''ll leave it to you to decide. The girl steps back and stands in front of it, defensively. Well ... let''s do it! ---------- "d*mn it!Just remember that. The men ran off, leaving a tempestuous line. If I have that much energy, I might think some strange things again. Maybe I was a little too easy on them. However, I can''t just leave the girls and chase after them... It can''t be helped. Let''s just call it a day. You okay? He turns back to the girl and asks. ''Yes, it''s no problem,'' The girl smiled lazily. She continued with a small bow. ''Thank you, I think I''ve been rescued. Thank you. I''d really like to thank you. ''No, I was just doing the obvious. Well, you are an auspicious person. The girl giggles... Then he leaned forward gingerly and looked into my face. ''''What''s going on?'''' I''m close to your face, but... It smells strangely sweet and makes me feel a bit lightheaded. The girl stared at my face, as if she were trying to stamp out a price. Slightly, I nodded my head in agreement. ''You have a very beautiful face, don''t you?'' Yeah? ''Especially your eyes, they are so beautiful. They''re so pure, like they don''t know any dirt... phew, they look so delicious. Thank you? Is this a compliment? You''re a girl with a unique set of values. Somewhat later, the girl moved away. "Would you mind telling me your name? You know, I never told you my name. Sorry. Well my name is Rain. The Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer. The Rain Shroud........well, that''s a lovely name. I''ve grown rather fond of you, Miss Lane. I like it, I''ll tell you... I''d like to make you mine how would you like to be mine? Along with a bewitching look, such an invitation was made to me. Even though she looks like a girl younger than me.... The signs on her body were more mature than her age. The bewitching atmosphere almost made me nod my head in disbelief. ''''...Don''t joke about it.'''' Oh, what makes you think that? We''ve only been together a short time, okay?And yet, I don''t see how you can convince me that I want it or anything. But what''s the word for love at first sight? ...Is that so? Hmmm........well, what do you think? She''s an elusive girl. Somehow I feel like I''m being rolled over in the palm of this girl''s hand. ''Speaking of which, what''s your name?'' Oh, dear. I''m sorry, I haven''t told you my name yet. Because Miss Lane is such a mysterious person, I couldn''t help but forget to tell you who I was. The girl runs her hands up her skirt and bows lightly. ''My name is Iris. I look forward to working with you for many years to come. 131-Episode 131: Night Talk She is a mysterious girl. She has a ladylike vibe and is polite. She has a bit of a devilish quality to her, but considering her age, that''s not too bad for a girl of her age. At first glance, she looks like a young lady of some kind. A nobleman''s daughter, if you call her a nobleman''s daughter, it makes sense. But that''s not all........ There is something alien about it. A strange feeling, like a vicious beast wearing a human skin. Isn''t the aura that overflows out of him not an ordinary person?It makes you think. ''Oh my God, what''s going on?'' ''Well...'' I couldn''t help but stare at the girl, trapped by her strange senses. I''m curious about the girl''s identity, but... As you can imagine, staring at someone you''ve never met before is not a good idea. ''I''m sorry. It''s nothing. ''Hmmm.......if it wasn''t for my ego, you''d be interested in me, wouldn''t you? It''s... If they see you as passionate as that, they might be inclined to do so. Don''t you dare make fun of me. For a moment, I got a creeping sensation. Like a frog being stared at by a snake... It''s like facing an absolute powerhouse, such fear. Are you afraid of this girl? No way........but there are many people in the world that common sense does not apply to. For example, everyone at our party. They don''t seem to do any harm........ But maybe I should be careful. Right now, I''d rather rely on my gut feeling than common sense. ''How can I help you?'' Well, it''s nothing. ''Oh, I see. Hmmm. Where''s home, by the way?It''s about this time of day, and it''s not like we won''t run into those guys again, so I''ll drop you off. Oh, I''m so glad. I feel so much safer with Miss Lane as your escort. ''If I may say so, I don''t know if I would trust someone I just met that much, but...'' Hmmm... it''s no problem. I don''t trust you, you know. What does that ... mean? If they don''t trust you, why are they being so open with you? Is there still something to it? It makes me more wary of girls. If it''s true, maybe I should just leave here. But what if I''m wrong about all of this? What if the girl is just a normal girl who is everywhere and has nothing to hide? Considering that possibility, I couldn''t just say goodbye here. ''''Well, since you''re here, please. I''m on a mission. I walked alongside Iris at night in the city. It was a quiet night. There was a quietness in the air that gave me the illusion that we were the only two people in the world, Iris and I. It was never pleasant... It was somewhat of an eerie silence. ''What are you doing, Master Lane?'' I''m an adventurer. ''Oh, is that so?With all due respect, it didn''t look like it. You''re very specific. I can''t help but chuckle. ''Operating in this city?'' No. We''re based in a city in the Central Continent. I''m here to take on a small request and on the way there I''m stopping for a supply run. I see. Is Iris from this city? No. I''m traveling as well. Is that so? Yes. I''m just looking for something I''ve been going from one city to the next. Are you by yourself? Yes, I do. Isn''t that ... dangerous? Demons, bandits, and a lot of danger outside the city. Judging by appearances, it doesn''t look like Iris is capable of traveling alone... I may look like this, but I''m a very powerful man. Is that so? Yes. He''s very strong, you know? Giggling, Iris laughs. Somehow.... Looking at that fearless smile, I thought it must be true. They say that people are not always what they seem... Iris must be strong enough to travel on her own. ''''I see.......sorry. I don''t know what to say to you to make you feel insulted. No, I don''t mind. ''But let me just say on top of that... if you can afford it, you might as well hire an adventurer. Oh, dear. I knew you wouldn''t believe me. ''Nope. That''s not what I''m talking about, I guess that''s my rule of thumb. No matter how strong Iris is, it''s pretty tough to go it alone. I''m sure you''ll be able to find someone to help you in your time of need, and I thought it would be a good idea to create a ''friend'' to share the pain and suffering with. Iris rolled her eyes. Simply, she seems surprised. Slightly, he chuckles happily. ''''Hmm ... I''ve never heard anyone say that to me before. Is that so? Once people get to know me, they won''t think that way. I don''t know Iris very well either, so I guess it''s partly because I don''t know her that I can say things like I just did. Well. I''m sure Master Rayne would say the same thing if he were to find out about me. Is that right? Yes. Well, that''s just a hunch I''ve got. Iris stopped walking and gingerly pulled herself closer to us. As it was, she looked into our face. ''''........'''' What, Iris? You are a mysterious person, Miss Lane. Even though he''s human he doesn''t have a bad smell. It''s strange, I feel like I''m losing my mind. ''Well...?Is that a compliment? That''s a compliment of the highest order. Smiling, Iris laughs. It''s an innocent smile. But ... is it my imagination? What is it about the innocence that seems to hide something so brutal that children sometimes show? What? Suddenly, Iris looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow. That''s the road we just walked down. ".... Iris?What''s wrong with you? Well that''s enough of a send-off. Thank you very much. You live near here? Yes. So, I guess we''ll leave you here. I see. Okay. I''m being lied to. Intuitively, I thought so, but it''s not quite right to bite back here. Rather than saying that I don''t want to be with me.................it would be more accurate to say that I don''t want to be with you. The one I''m interested in.... I don''t want to go out of my way to expose what I''m trying to hide, without any evidence to back it up. ''All right. Well, here then. Thank you very much. Hmmm........I hope to see you again. ''Right. Then we can take a leisurely stroll around town. Yes. I promise. Iris waved her hand and... With that, I left the scene. ---------- The rough breathing of men spilled out into the alleyway at night. A woman is being held down by these men. Her clothes are disheveled and she is trying desperately to resist with tears in her eyes. But with the men holding her body firmly in place and blocking her mouth...there was nothing she could do. ''Hey, get on with it.'' I know. I''ll save some for you, just don''t rush. Since you failed to do so earlier... heh, let me have some fun, okay? The men smiled a lowly smile and reached down to pull down their pants... At that moment, something ran through the place. There was a whistling sound of wind.... Then, after a pause, something fell. The man who had been trying to lean on the woman looked at her. His arm had fallen off. ''....Huh? The man spilled out a dumbfounded voice and... Then I finally realized that my arm was gone. ''Huh?Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Blood spurted out of the man''s arm with great force. The man rolled on the spot and a pool of blood quickly formed. ''''Hee!'''' While the men''s restraints were loosened, the woman ran away at once. As if to replace it, a new figure appears. ''''Hmph.'''' You''re the one who said... Iris, who appeared in front of the men, had a wry smile on her face. However, her expression was cold. The eyes looking at the men were inorganic..............................not feeling any emotion. ''''I heard a little voice, so I came to check on you....as I thought, it was you guys. It''s a very clear picture of you trying to take out on others what you''ve been unable to release on me. This guy.... After all, garbage is garbage. It''s a nuisance to be bothered by insects, so you have to clean it up properly. Well since that''s the case, it''s time to clean up. Iris chuckled...........and from his back, he grew wings. 132-Episode 132: Ax and Cell The next day. We finished our preparations and left River End. Our destination was the village of Zisu. It would take about a week to get there, so it was going to be a long journey. We''ve prepared well, so we''re not worried about supplies and such. But if we had to carry a week''s worth of food and water, it would be quite a lot. So I decided to send a bear to carry our stuff. I said, "Awesome. Come on, Beast Tamer, that''s useful. Axe said somewhat happily as he looked at the bear carrying his luggage. Cell, walking next to him, gives Axe a cold look. ''Don''t frolic like a child, please. It''s embarrassing.'' Isn''t it great though?See, this bear, he''s carrying his stuff properly........I didn''t know beast tamer could do this kind of thing. I''ve only heard of it as an outsider''s job, so I have a strong sense of surprise. ''Hmmm. That''s right, Rain is great. For some reason, Kanade joined the conversation. ''After all, Rain is our master!It''s special. Why does Kanade have to be so proud...? "Haha, they love you. ''Meow!Oh, don''t love me... well, uh... uh... The canade turns red and sullen. It''s just a light-hearted remark, but why do I react so badly? "Ha-ha. Axe looks at the panicked Kanade, and Axe looks devious. ''Oh, so that''s what it is, isn''t it?Okay, Kanade. If that''s the case, I''ll help you out. ''Huh?No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! Come on, man. I''m on the side of the girls. It''s a shame I won''t be able to get to know Kanade better but I''ll be able to help you with that. I don''t want you to have to deal with the status quo now... ''Sweet!How can you tell when someone will take it from you like that?I''ll take care of it!Hey, Rain. How do you feel about Kanade? Cell struck Axe with his bow. ''''What are you doing...?'''' How can you possibly solve such a delicate problem?Don''t interfere because you''re just going to stir up a mess and make it even more confusing than it already is. ''Well you''re jealous because I care about you, Kanade, aren''t you?But don''t worry. I''m just a cell guy, playing with fire for a bit, goohoo! ''I don''t know what it means, and what''s the point of declaring an affair in the first place if you openly declare it? Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I''m secretly overheard. ''''Are these two really A-ranked adventurers?Aren''t you really a comedian? I know how you feel. If you only look at him on a daily basis, he doesn''t look like a very A-ranked adventurer. Maybe he''s flipping the switch on and off. I can''t be tense all year round, you know. ........maybe, though. ''Oops.'' We quickly got back to our feet and Axe was walking in the lead... He stopped, seeming to notice something. ''What''s going on?'' Stop. It''s a demon. What? This is a city road, and demons rarely appear here. The only places to hide are behind trees and small bushes. It doesn''t look like there are any demons here, but... But Axe had the most serious look on his face I''ve ever seen, and he''d already drawn his sword. There was no doubt about it. He told everyone to stop. ''Location?'' Well, I don''t know for sure, but it''s about 200 meters away. I can feel a bad vibe coming from that area. Kanade''s ears fluttered... and not long after, his tail twitched. ''Rain, Rain. Axe was right, there''s a sign of a demon in the air!Look, you see?Up in the tree over there. Oh, yeah, that''s right. The trees lined up in the distance. Hidden by the fresh green leaves, a bird-shaped demon could be seen. Was that................................a flare bird, as I recall? It is a fire-breathing bird-shaped demon that specializes in surprise attacks. Kanade would have been able to find them at such a distance, but.... How did you find Axe when he''s just a normal human being? Let''s go kick some ass. I''ll have everyone stay here and go ahead and eradicate the flare birds. As I was about to do so, Axe made me stop him with my hand. ''Yeah?'' ''Well, well, let Cell take care of this one. Cell, you''re going to be okay, right? Yes. That''s not a problem from this distance. The cell was already ready for the bow. Pulling the string wide ... and letting go! An arrow flew through the wind. As if it had been pre-ordained to happen, the arrow pierced the head of the flare bird two hundred meters away. It was neither a fluke nor a coincidence. As if to prove this, Cell fired arrow after arrow. None of the arrows miss and pierce the Flare Bird''s head as if they were sucked in. It''s all one blow. ''It''s done.'' Oh, wow. Kanade, who was watching the whole thing, was pouting. I feel the same way. I sensed the presence of a demon 200 meters away before Kanade did. And then we''ll shoot them through with our bows. It''s not a pretty sight, but we can''t do it. So that''s what the A-rated people are capable of. Okay, we''re done!Let''s move on. At Axe''s signal, everyone moved forward again. ''Awesome,'' Hmm? "I''m picking up a demon 200 meters away. And sniping at extreme distances. Not something a normal adventurer would do. Really?To us, it''s only natural to be able to do that. Otherwise, we wouldn''t have survived. Even as he said this, Axe was grinning. He was probably happy to be praised. He''s an easy guy to understand. But, well, I don''t mind that kind of thing. To tell you the truth, I was a little nervous at first, but now I think you''re very helpful. Oh, I got it!I mean........you were worried at first! "Sorry. After all, that was the first time we met... Axe, it''s your fault. It''s my fault? Who else is to blame but you? ''Yes, it''s my fault, I''m sorry...'' Axe shrugged as Cell stared at him with icy eyes. I''m still not sure about the relationship between these two. I don''t know if they''re close or not. There is no doubt that they are a good duo, though. Hey, can I ask you a question? He resumed his steps, and after a bit, Axe opened his mouth to speak. ''Yeah?'' Why did Lane and the others take this job? ''Why, you ask, what''s the intent of that question? Pure interest. And curiosity. Axe gave me a searching look. ''''This request, the reward is nice, but the risk is high, right?After all, he''s an unidentified demon that destroyed an entire village. We don''t know what kind of person we''re dealing with but we''re pretty sure he''s a nasty piece of work. It''s not an easy thing to get injured, and you could die. And yet, why? No good reason. I just couldn''t leave it alone. "Hmm? What''s the matter?It''s not something we can leave alone, and if there''s anything we can do about it, we wanted to do something about it. That''s all. Axe was silent for a few moments and then.... "Haha. He smiled pleasantly. "I like that. I like it. In fact, it''s my kind of thing. What about that kind of axe? It''s the same for me. A demon that could destroy an entire village would not be left alone. If someone is doing something wrong, we have to make it right. Well, in a word........I''m on the side of justice, right? It was very straightforward and for a very simple reason. In a way, it was childlike. You could say that he is living an ideal. That may sound puerile, but.... But I liked it. I felt like I could do a good job with Axe.......and not only that, I felt like we could be good friends. ........But I didn''t know at the time that that wish would never come true. 133-Episode 133 Jet Black The journey was going well. They rarely encountered demons along the way, and when they did, Axe and Cell had killed them in the blink of an eye. As expected of an A-rank. Dependable. It seems that they are looking for demons, and although checkpoints were laid out in places, it doesn''t matter to us. They passed through easily......... As it was, we followed the route smoothly and reached the village of Zith in five days, instead of what was supposed to be a week. Time was going to be very important in this request, so we were happy to shorten our schedule. Once we got to the village, we tried to start asking around right away... Hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... hmmm... why don''t we take a break?I am ... tired. "I don''t have time to talk about that....hmmm...hmmm...I don''t have time to talk about that... Luna and Sora were wonderfully battered. Both of them don''t have much physical strength........ On the way, although they had suppressed the consumption of physical strength with flying magic and other techniques, it seems that it was still tough. ''''Nya, what do we do?'''' ''Well I can''t force you to do anything, so can you two keep your lodging?Because we need that too. So, Tania and Nina. And Tina will need a chaperone. Me too? Tania gave him a subtle look. ''We can''t just leave Sora and Luna alone now, can we? Yeah, well it''s a bit of a mess, isn''t it? No? Does that mean you''re relying on me? Of course. Let me count on you. ''Hmmm, well, if that''s what you mean, I guess I''ll have to do it. Good. I''ll make sure that Sora and Luna, Nina and Tina are well taken care of. Tania didn''t seem to feel bad about being relied upon, and Tania accepted with a smile. Behind me, I thought Kanade was saying, "Choloin-nya......." but I decided not to worry about it. ''Nina and Tina, would you mind going to the inn first, too? Hmmm... that''s great, but I''m fine... It doesn''t matter how tired we are. We can get the word out. You never know what''s going to happen in the future, you know. You should take a break when you can. It''s just a questionnaire. We don''t need as many people as we would like. ........What a thing to say, but half of it is true and half of it is something else. Nina is still a child, so she doesn''t know if she''ll be able to ask her questions and she doesn''t know if they''ll answer her properly. Besides, sometimes you might have to listen to the tough talk... If I could, I would keep Nina away from that kind of thing. Tina........................looks like a kettle. Tina''s storytelling skills have some promise, but there''s nothing I can do about it with a kettle. It will only surprise them, so let''s have them wait here. Okay. We''ll take it easy on you and take it slow. ''Yeah, do that. Well, Tania.... ''Yes. I''ll take care of it. Tania took everyone and went to find a place to stay. ''Nyah, Rain. Are you done? Yeah, you did it again. Now, I''m going to interview him with Kanade. Are you ready to go in there? Sorry, are we late? While we were discussing it, Cell was waiting for me in a disciplined manner. ''''I mean........what?What about Axe? ''Axe would have sent me to search the area. Just in case we didn''t find any clues about the demon in unexpected places. ''That''s true, but ... alone?If you had told me, I would have sent someone out here too. It''s okay. I''m sure the Knights and others have already checked everything out and it''s unlikely they''ll find anything. To tell you the truth, I simply sent them away because they were in the way. Well, you''re not going to... ''You both have some idea that Axe''s head is a thing, don''t you?It''s more annoying when people follow you around to interview you. Meow that''s harsh. At Cell''s relentless words, Kanade was sweating profusely. It''s hard for Axe too........ However, I didn''t get the sense that Cell didn''t think anything of Axe, though... Without hesitation, Axe went on a search, as Cell said, without hesitation. Cell is Cell, and he''s trying to do his part exactly. It looks like they are building a trusting relationship. ''Is that you two, Rain and Kanade? ''Ah. We can''t afford to have too many people around, and I''ve decided to have the others find a place to stay. Fair enough. Okay, shall we go inquire? Yes, sir. Cell walks in front of the... Me and Kanade followed suit and started asking around. ---------- I started asking around and a good amount of time passed. ''Phew.'' Cell doesn''t change his expression much, but he seems to be feeling a certain amount of fatigue, and his face is now slightly contorted. Kanade, too, has a mindlessly weird tail. It''s no wonder the two of them are tired. The listening went well. We were able to meet with the Pagos villagers who had been evacuated, and we were able to hear a lot of stories. I was able to get a fair amount of information. Just..... The stories are all so tragic that they make me raise my eyebrows when I hear them. That''s how horrific the incident was in the village of Pagos. Hearing such stories all the time would be mentally draining. It was no wonder that Cell and Kanade were tired of it. ''''Let''s take a break.'''' Unable to see, I made such a suggestion. ''Nyah I agree. I''m a bit tired. Well now that we''ve heard the whole story, let''s wrap it up for now. Once we got the approval, we moved to the village square. There was a bench set up in just the right spot and we sat there. ''I''m next to Rain...'' Me, Kanade and Cell sit on the bench in that order. The distance between Kanade and me seems awfully close...is it just my imagination? Phew. Cell let out a small breath and looked up at the sky. A look of melancholy could be seen on his profile. ''''Although I''ve heard a lot of stories ... you seem to understand them. ''Yes. There''s a lot of confusing information. Agreeing with Cell''s words, I sorted through the information I''d gleaned from the interviews. It all started about twenty days ago. The people of the village of Pagos were going about their daily lives as usual that day. The adults were hard at work in the fields and the children were playing in the square. There was the usual scene of calm, he said. But........it was suddenly lost. The Devil appeared. The demon burned houses, ripped out livestock and killed people. The village vigilante was helpless in the face of overwhelming power. We didn''t get any specifics but........ It seems that demons are so powerful that they surpass common sense. It seems that a B-ranked adventurer happened to be staying in the village that day... Even that adventurer couldn''t give a single graze to the demon. It was like being an adult and a child. The adventurer was just being played by the devil, and it was as if he was no match for him. The demon continued to lay waste to them. He enjoyed the slaughter. Indulged in the destruction. And so it was ... and Pagos was destroyed. It was a blessing in disguise. Not all the villagers were killed. With the power of a demon, it would be easy to eradicate the villagers. However, that''s not the goal, apparently. Destroying the village like a child playing.... And then he walked away on a whim. ''You''re going to be a tricky opponent in more ways than one. Yeah. I agreed with Cell''s musings. A ridiculous amount of power, and an extremely brutal character. I wouldn''t want to deal with it if I could. ........Well, that''s not really how it works. ''''We''ve gotten a lot of information, but the biggest thing is that we''ve been able to figure out what it looks like. Well, yeah. The villagers in Pagos told me that.... The demon is said to be a girl with wings. Shining silver hair and deep red eyes. A jet black dress that symbolizes death. When I heard that information, I thought of a certain girl. ''''........Iris.......'''' 134-Episode 134: Shadow of the Strongest Species It reminded me of a girl I met the other day in River End. Iris''s characteristics matched the stories I heard from the villagers. Of course, you can''t make a judgment that Iris = a demon based on that alone, but.... I can''t ignore the uncomfortable feeling I felt at that time. She''s a normal girl on the outside, but........ It''s like a foreign entity inside, with sharp fangs hidden inside. Such a feeling. It''s impossible to think of it as normal. What kind of coincidence is that? But even so, I couldn''t stop thinking about the possibilities and.... Neeee....Rain? What? What''s going on?What''s this look on your face? Kanade raised his eyebrows and tried to express a difficult face. ''Well...'' Have you thought of anything else? Cell asked me that. Sharp. He must have seen the change in me and came to that conclusion. Now what do we do? If you give out uncertain information, it can be confusing. However, if the information about Iris is important, leaving it out could lead to an irreversible situation. ''''Well this is an unfounded story. Still, I''ll tell you about it, just in case. After thinking about it, I decided to tell him about Iris. There was a chance I could confuse her, but... Still, I decided that now was not the time to put it out there. ''''So..... I told them both about Iris. ''I see ... the girl you met at River End, right? Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Cel nodded quietly, and Kanade, for some reason, gave him a zit eye. It''s not like that, so don''t look at me like that. Just in case we''re talking about something serious now, right? What do you think? I asked Cel. ''Well from what I''ve heard, it doesn''t really mean anything. I just ran into a girl who matched my characteristics. It''s just that the timing is too good to be special, and you''re becoming aware of it. I see... Well that''s what I would normally say. Cell cut off his words once there, with a thoughtful pause. Somewhat later, he opened his mouth again. ''It might be worth looking into,'' Do you believe me? ''I want any information I can get right now. We don''t have many clues, so I''m willing to take the slightest chance of identifying the person, if I can. Besides... And? ''If you say so, then I can believe you to a certain extent. ''Rain, how did you win Cell''s trust so quickly? So, why the glare? I''m sure it''s all right. Cel smiles slightly at Kanade, who for some reason seems to be in a bad mood. ''I didn''t exactly trust his character, you know. It was just an easy trip, and I haven''t really let myself get that far yet. Meow?Then why? I''ve decided to trust in the power, not his character. This time, Cell smiled at us. ''''With several of the strongest species at my side Rain''s power is real. Since such Rain is wary, I am also wary. That''s how it is.'''' ''Nyanka........hmmm. I''m glad that Rain is recognized, but I feel like we''re communicating with each other somewhere, and I''m getting impatient... What is there to be impatient about? Kanade seems to be a bit strange these days. ''Phew.'' Cel gave a small smile, as if he understood what Kanade was thinking. ''Don''t worry. It''s simply that I have faith in your power. It''s not that I''m trying to mess with you. Is it a cat or a cat? That''s all very clear, but I don''t think you''re getting the point across. ''I know...'' I don''t know what I can do, but I''ll support you. ''Wow ... thank you!You''re such a good person, Sel. I don''t know, but a friendship had been formed. For now ... what do we do after this? ''Well I''d like to go back to River End once I have something to say about Rain...'' You''re not completely done asking questions, are you? I''ve been talking around to the survivors... Some people were just too traumatized and scared to listen properly. Perhaps such people might have important information. With that in mind, I''m not sure I should discontinue collecting information here. ''''Let''s split it up, shall we?The group that continues to gather information here and the group that explores River End, ''Let''s not do that. After a moment''s thought, Cell shook his head. ''The enemy must have a hell of a lot of power. In my imagination, perhaps........'''' The most powerful species...? Yeah, that''s right. They had come to that possibility after hearing from the survivors. Even though it was a remote village, it was not normally possible to destroy an entire one, even a remote village. I heard that some adventurers had stayed there, but it was as if they didn''t stand a chance. I didn''t actually see the village of Pagos, but.... From what I''ve heard, it''s like a massive natural disaster that has left a trail of disaster in its wake. One that can use such a bullshit power. There is a strong possibility that it is the strongest species. If it is the strongest species, it''s not a good idea to split up the party. I don''t mean to say that we''re not out to defeat them, but it''s better to avoid danger. Well if it''s Iris who did it, it''s going to be a bad idea to run into her. ''I''ll inform the guild that the potential culprit girl is in River End, along with the information we got from this interview. I don''t think that''s a problem right now. Time is limited, and let''s wait until after we finish investigating River End here. Okay, let''s go with that. Well what does it all mean? Kanade was lightly rolling his eyes. It seems that the conversation he just had gave him wisdom fever. It wasn''t that he was talking about anything too difficult... Should I make them learn a little more? We''ll keep digging for a while. Meow!What do I have to do? ''Well...'' With the exception of a few, we were able to hear from the Pagos villagers about what was going on. The next course of action we should take is.... Oi! A familiar voice. When I turned around, I saw Axe''s figure. He seems to be in a hurry and runs over to us. ''What''s wrong?Do you have a perimeter search? Have you found something? No, they didn''t find anything. Well then, why did you come back? ''Oh, no. I''ve got a few things going on, and I just thought I''d better tell you right away... Cell stared at him and Axe made a sloppy excuse. You''re being a pain in the ass........ ''A few things?What''s that? ''Uh ... it''s faster to see it in person. Come on over here. Oh ... hey? Axe pulled back from the cell. In that state, he looks at me. ''Here. Rain and Kanade, come quickly too.'''' Where are you going? ''It''s the entrance to the village. You two are C-rated, so you''ll know it when you see it. What are we talking about? I wondered, but decided to do as Axe said for now. Together with Kanade, who also tilted his head in the same direction, I headed to the entrance of the village. Then, there they were........ ''Leave it to me. If he shows up here like he did in Pagos, I''ll get rid of him. ''Oh, you''re a brave man! How dependable you are. ''I was terrified that that demon would come after me, but now I feel safe. Surrounded by villagers to be revered it was Arios and his friends. 135-Episode 135: A Heros Achievement Ϥϡ쥤󤸤ʤ ˚ݤĤ餷٤򤹤褦ˡꥪX֤򒤤 δdzäȤϡ򤳤ˤȤäƤΤȤ餷Ŀ󤭤@Ƥ롣 @ϤơԣäפЦߤФ롣 䤢ä֤͡ԪݤˤƤ ʤˤʡꥪϣ WԪݤͨꡢȤ櫓 ɤơꥪˣ σW̨~ʤɤʡޤ؄e˽̤Ƥ ꥪϵ⤲Цߤȹˡˤɤ椲롣 ˤȤȤϡ쥤⤢¼väƤ ѥδ塭ħμ Wϡѥδ_Ȥä衹 ɤȤ ϴꑤĤä򤷤ƤΤɡżȻѥĤäƤ͡ħȤuƤ顢WˤȤ櫓 ꥪ ˤ`äݤ Ԓһw„ƤʥǤۤǥꥪߤĤ 󤿤ʤ󤫤ːħȑ館櫓ʤ󡣥衹 äơ餺ʧʪʡá ꥪʥǤ򪕤ȡ һwˤʡäԤ狼äƤ뤵ؤΈϤϡŮ˷Ǥ󤸤ʤWg椲ʤΤˡʤɤäƤΤ项 ϡ äȤԒä ʥǤϥꥪΤȤӤäƤ뤫顢ʤˡɆ۲򤱤ƤޤäΤɡ ͨ˿顢ǤϥʥǤηˤ롣 ȤϤ⥫ʥǤͬ褦ʤȤ򿼤Ƥʡ ꥪħȶɤϤ뤫ɤϡʤȤ⤤ʤ ꤢär餽ʤΕrgƤ뤷ꥪ⏊ʤäƤ뤫⤷ʤ 顢ꥪϤۤɤäƤϤʤ äΤϤä ħFơ礷ѥˡżȻ\֤ʤƤȤΤ 󡢿Ԥϥʤɡ ߥ󥰤ȤϤȤɤˤ⡢ݤˤʤʡ ޤWό͡ĤޤʤԤ餤SƤ뤵 ˤ`ߡϤĿǤफĤˤ㡹 ʥǡŤơ ե` ʥǤβƤơnभˤƤ Ť褦^Ǥȡ٤åӤǡäƤβ¤˽ꤿ WԤäƤ뤳Ȥϱ衣ʤʤ顢ˤ„Ȥ ꥪˤѥˤָ ˤȳ̤ͬ褦ˡꥪˌ𾴤xͤäƤ ݼǤȤ˼ʤʤȤ򤹤ɤʤ ꥪѥȤäȤΤϡʤŒgʤ å_ϣ ߤʤϽ񡢄eЄӤȤäƤ롹 ϣ ɤƤʤȤ򤤤쥤ԤʤȤʤσWΤʤgʤ ʡӋʤȤ„ 狼ФΤǣ 󣿡 쥤ηϡɤƤˤΤޤ„Ƥʤ СΤԒƤʤä Υꥪη¤Ƥơ ꥪˈ椹xդϤʤԤäƤߤ褦 Ƥ ƤޤǡΤζʤ ޤ¤뤫⤷ʤɤʡ ðߤˤʤäȤ֪äƤǡؤΐħμomȤưkФ줿 ۤ ꥪĿʤ롣 ⤷Ȥ„ԤäƤߤ Does that mean you''re going to take down the demon? No, I''m not. I''m a survey team. We have a separate strike team. Hmmm, I see. Arios chuckles. ''But I''m sorry to hear that. Your deeds are going to be in vain.'' What do you mean? I''m here. You can leave it to me to investigate and defeat the demon. What is it? Arios''s words made me feel uncomfortable. Why would Arios want to get so deeply involved in this case? Given Arios''s personality, I don''t think he''d go off on a tangent, but... Or is there ''something'' in this case that needs to be involved? For example, what it takes to defeat the Demon King.... ........No. I try to think about it, but I can''t get to the answer. There''s an overwhelming lack of information. Maybe I should look up something about Arios, not just about the demon. ''Come on. Rain can go back to Horizon. That''s not how it works. I''m the one who gets the job done. I''m not just gonna throw you out of the building. With me? ''What does it matter?I''m not backing out unless there''s an official order coming down from above. Tsk.... Arios clicked his tongue grimly. Maybe it''s the fact that he''s with me that makes him uncomfortable. ''....Oh well. Come to think of it, this is my chance to show you what I''m capable of. I''ll show you that things aren''t the same as they were then. You have a lot of confidence, don''t you? Who do you think I am?You''re a brave man.You or me I''m going to make it clear this time who''s better, you or me. I''m not interested in that kind of game, but.... Arios seemed to be totally in the mood for it and smiled wryly. I hope it won''t get you into trouble... It was either a trick of the goddess of fate, or it was only when I thought of it that I got into trouble. I had a bad feeling about this. ''''Well then, I''ll take my leave now. The consolation of the villagers and the meeting for the countermeasures against the demon. I have a lot of things I have to do. Yeah I''m sorry about that. It looks like I held you back. ''Kuhu ... let''s keep each other in line, shall we?Hey Rain. Arios gave one last indescribable smile and walked away. ''''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!You were making a huge joke of Rain. I don''t think I''m going to like Arios, either. Are you going to f*ck her? Hey, hey, hey. While restraining Kanade, for a moment I wondered if that was okay too........ That''s how annoying it is to get involved with Arios. I don''t feel comfortable with it. Being with him reminds me of my bitter past, so I want to keep my distance as much as possible. However, Arios doesn''t seem to think so. It''s clear from the way he''s acting now, but he wants to make things clearer with me. I''m sure that the fact that I was beaten up when I fought against him before may be the root of my problem. It''s a good thing that you''re a brave man, so don''t worry about that, and prioritize what you have to do. He probably won''t listen to me even if I tell him. If you do what you want, the bill will come due sooner or later. Have you ever thought about that? Well, okay. You don''t have to worry about Arios. I have to take care of me. "Well I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have interrupted the conversation... I was so distracted by Arios that I forgot about Cell. We''re working together and I''ve done something to ignore her. I hope I didn''t offend you... .... Cell was pouting. I''ve only seen her calm down, so her reaction like this is refreshing. ''What''s wrong?'' You... you knew a brave man? ''Yes, but didn''t I tell you that?'' I didn''t say that. That''s new to me. ''Sorry. But it''s not really worth mentioning, is it? ''That''s, well but if you''d let me know in advance, here, I wouldn''t have been so surprised. It''s ... how bad, I think I''ve startled that cell. I feel a little bit guilty. ''I didn''t want it to be known that I was related to that guy. I''ll tell them if they ask, but I don''t want to tell them myself. ''Did you hide the fact that you were related to a brave man from yourself?It''s a strange thing to do ... usually something you can be proud of for the rest of your life. Well, it''s a long story. Yeah. When I hear the ''various'' part, Cell makes a convincing face. It''s like he sensed that there is ''something'' between me and Arios that can''t be solved in one word. ''''It sounds like there are some things you don''t want to say, and I won''t ask you in depth. I am. Thank you... but what about me? ''I''m sorry. I don''t mind, but it doesn''t seem to work that way over here... Out of the corner of Cell''s eye, Axe was there. .........Come to think of it, I had forgotten about Axe as well. ''''You''re an acquaintance of the hero-sama! I''m gulped down. ''Well, well, you will but what''s going on, all of a sudden? Please, get him to sign it! Axe is a big fan of the brave... haha. I felt like I was in trouble, and Cell let out a sigh. ........I was in the mood to sigh, too. 136-Episode 136: Longing There were people watching, so I left the area with Axe for a moment. When we moved to the outskirts of the village, we stopped and resumed our conversation. ''''Well ... so was that the sign of the brave?'''' Yes, a sign!You''re going to get it! It''s bad. Probably not going to happen. If you want Axe, you could at least ask.... Maybe Arios won''t listen to my demands if I''m the one he''s dealing with. ''Because we don''t get along, or rather worse, I think he''d get the boot out of the door if I told him. ''Seriously...'' Axe''s shoulders slumped and he looked disappointed. That''s how strong his admiration for Arios was, that''s how strong his admiration for Arios was. ''If you want Arios'' autograph so badly, why don''t you go and get it in person? You can''t do that. Talking to a brave man like that would be embarrassing! Are you a damsel? He was quite a pain in the ass. Cell sighed. ''I''m sorry. Axe said something stupid. I''ll make sure he''s disciplined so this doesn''t happen.'' ''C''mon. Cell is so erotic to discipline the man you love. When you say that, it''s a little like this, fuguhah! Axe had been hit by Cell with a bow. Doesn''t he know the word "discipline"? ''But why do you like that brave man? Kanade asked curiously. ''Yeah?I mean, you''re a brave man.You''re a brave man.I''ve heard all sorts of saga.......and yes, I heard that you also defeated the Four Heavenly Kings last time. If you hear about such things, you''d normally aspire to it. But what''s inside is not very good, is it? ''Not true. The brave master must be an innocent and virtuous man. ''Nya ... they say love is blind, but is it a similar situation? Although Kanade is looking at Axe curiously... It''s more of a common reaction to Axe. He fights demons every day with a mission to defeat the demon king. That''s the general public''s image of a brave man. Not many people would have met him in person, so they don''t know what kind of personality he has, what he says and does. As a result, his image is becoming more and more beautiful... For some people, they will adore it like an idol. Axe is just a good example. If you talk to the person in question, that image may be shattered... Well, there''s a chance it won''t happen. Since it''s Axe''s problem, I''m not going to tell him what to do. ''What does Axe admire about Arios the brave man?Can you give me specifics if you''d like? I didn''t mean to interject, but I was curious, so I posed such a question. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. No, I haven''t really talked to him, so it might be strange to say that I have met him. What''s that mean? ''A long time ago ... it was when I had just become an adventurer. I didn''t even know Cell at the time and I was on my own. But I''m a little embarrassed to say this, but I''m a painful guy who really believes I''m incredibly talented. I was quite reckless. Axe still hurts. What''s the point of that? Neeeeee, Axe and Cell look like they''re in perfect harmony. Please stop. I don''t like the way you''re looking at me. ''I''m the one who needs to stop talking so raggedly...'' Axe was on the verge of tears. Cell is still as expressionless as ever. What an interesting duo................. ''Well I''m getting off track. And..........at the time, I was in a hurry, and I was always reckless. Naturally, the bill was soon to be paid and I was in a tight spot. ''You ran into the demon''s nest all by yourself and got pinned down on your own. Cell said, as if to add to it. ''I was ready to die, indeed, at that moment. How did you get over that? ''I''ve been rescued by a brave man. ...by Arios? It seems that he was just passing by, and then he chased after me to stop me from doing something crazy. He chased after me to stop me from doing something reckless, and then he fought the demon and saved me.... Did Arios do that? I don''t mean to say this, but he didn''t seem like the kind of guy who would do something like that, but... When I thanked him, the brave master laughed and said, "Don''t worry about it. More importantly, I said I''m glad you''re okay. Meow...? Kanade seemed to have doubts, too, and tilted his head slightly. ''I''m impressed. I didn''t think there was a person like that in the world. And... later I found out that the person who saved me was a brave man. You can put your body on the line for someone else and wield your power for someone else. As the same man, I can respect him. So you''ve got a crush on a hero? ''Yeah. I longed to be that kind of person. As I was saved by a hero, I would help someone else. That''s what I thought. This is the new principle of action that has shaped the current me. I see... You''re more serious than I thought. Hey, hey, I''m always serious. Without making a dent in Kanade''s tsking, Axe smiled back. ''''And yet...'''' The impression of Arios that I hear from Axe is very different from what I know. From what I''ve heard, it sounds like Aggus and the others weren''t there yet, and he was acting alone....... It must have been a long time ago. Now Arios seems to have a lot of problems... But does that mean that the old Arios also had a personality worthy of being called a brave man? If so, where did it get skewed? It was an interesting story in an unexpected way. ''I''m surprised, then,'' Cell says this with a blank look on his face, like he''s not surprised at all. ''Yeah?What? You knew a brave man. What? Axe was biting at a tremendous rate. ''Didn''t you talk to me earlier in a friendly... not exactly friendly... but we were talking normally? Uh... well. We know each other, in a manner of speaking. ''It''s amazing that you know a brave man... where did you meet him? I had a small request, and I just happened to be there. ''''Well, let''s end the chit-chat. Cell said as he concluded his story. ''You may be wondering about the brave man, but we have our own work to do. Let''s just keep on investigating.'' But you''ve already done the interview, haven''t you? Kanade questioned, looking curious. ''Right. So I''m done asking. After this....'' We''ll use the information we get from the interviews to dig up more information. Axe said, taking over Cell''s words. Cell, who was taken out of the dialogue, looked a little unhappy, but continued to talk. ''We''ve been able to get a certain amount closer to the demon''s true identity, but its purpose and what kind of means of attack it has, that kind of thing remains as unknown as ever. From now on, I''m going to focus on that area of investigation.......what do you think? I can''t argue with that. Me too! Okay. By unanimous consent, the next course of action was decided upon. I don''t see any problems, so I''m sure Tania and the others who aren''t here will agree with me. ''But where are we going to look?'' I''ve got an idea about that. As if he had anticipated Axe''s question beforehand, Cell pulled out a map of the area around the Zith village. He pointed to the center of the map. ''This is the Zith where we are now. And further south, right here.......there''s Pagos. At the foot of the mountain. ''I think I''m going to see the village first hand. I think there''s a lot to be gained from surveying the field. Yeah. I agreed with Sel''s idea. ''And then I think I''m going to climb a mountain just outside of Pagos. Hmm?Why would you climb a mountain?Tourism? ''I wouldn''t do something so stupid. At all......................Axe should shut up. The cell is cold... Although Axe gets teary-eyed, Cell continues to talk, completely unfazed. You''re strong in so many ways.... I spoke to a survivor who told me that a demon has been sealed in this mountain. Well, I see. Meow?Rain and Cell, you both look like you understand... what do you mean? I''m just saying, we can investigate the mountain to see if we can find a way to seal up the demon again. Even if it doesn''t work, there''s a good chance we''ll get something out of it. Naturally. ''It''s not like I have any objections, is it?Then, would Pagos and the nearby mountains be a problem for our next destination? Everyone nodded as if it was no problem. 137-Episode 137: Tragedy Trace We left Ziss and headed south for a few days........ We got to Pagos without any problems. We did encounter some demons along the way, but with A-ranked Axe and Cell in there, they weren''t our enemies. We were able to reach Pagos in roughly the shortest time imaginable. ''''It''s.......terrible.'''' I frowned as I stepped into the village. Everyone else is in the same boat. Half of the houses have been burned to charcoal, the remains of which have been reduced to charcoal. The other half had been crushed to smithereens, as if a giant had shaken his fist down in mischief. There were other small craters in the ground, deep cracks running through the earth... How much more would you have to do to make it look like this? I can''t even imagine... There is no doubt that a storm of destruction has been brewing here that defies common sense. ''It''s as if we''ve been caught in one hell of a storm. Tania let out that impression. Sora and Luna agree with her. ''''Well I thought it was terrible after hearing about it from Rain and the others, but I didn''t expect it to go this far. It''s more than I imagined. Hmm. I didn''t expect it to go this far either. It''s not surprising that half of the villagers survived being exposed to all this power..... I''m not going to say that it''s a bad thing that we survived. It''s a little inappropriate, but I''ve had the same thought. ''Well...'' I agree with Luna and Tania. The fact that the villagers survived, albeit half of them, is something to rejoice in as a blessing in disguise. However, when you are shown such a trail of destruction, it makes you wonder how they were able to survive. I don''t know what was going on, but.... If there was a force being wielded that could make a village like this, they would normally be involved and would immediately lose their lives. The fact that it wasn''t........ It just occurred to me. Just a mere hunch with no basis in fact. Even though I want any little clue in the situation right now, I can''t just speculate about it. It would only confuse everyone even more. Most importantly, I don''t know what made me think that myself. I just decided to put it in the back of my mind... For now, let''s keep quiet. Kanade uttered that as he looked around the village. ''I suppose there''s a good chance,'' What are you...? Nina tilted her head slightly, as if she didn''t know why she refused. ''''If you want to do something like this, you''ll need a large army to move in. Or a powerful one, like the most powerful species. Do you understand that? Hmm. If the army is going to move, it''s going to leave a reasonable footprint. There are footprints, okay? Nina pointed to the footprints she could see there. But they were shallow. If someone in armor stepped in, there would be deeper footprints. I''ll explain something like that. ''I see...'' ''Well, it''s possible that they were moving in light gear. Still, even if people had gone on a rampage, it wouldn''t have been like this. ...It wouldn''t have been this bad. Hmm.... ''And I''ve heard from the survivors that they did it all by themselves. It''s hard to imagine anyone but the strongest species being able to do this on their own. Oh, okay. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade murmured in frustration. Then he looked at me, looking a bit frightened. ''''.......................Rain has become afraid of the strongest species?'''' Yeah? Did all this ... make you afraid of us? Kanade seems to be comparing himself to the killer. ''That''s not true,'' Meow. Pfft, I patted her head. Kanade''s eyes narrowed in a pleasant way. ''Kanade ... and everyone else ... is not like the person who did this. Rain..... There''s no reason to be afraid. A canade is a canade. Yes, thank you. Gladly, Kanade''s tail twitched. ''''........'''' Kanade seemed vaguely concerned about it, but... I don''t necessarily think other people don''t think the same way. This time around, the strongest species might end up being persecuted because of what happened. I''ve got to do everything I can to prevent that from happening. I have to catch the culprit at all costs. I need information on how to do that. I''ll continue to explore Pagos. It''s all very strange, though. A voice came from the kettle that Kanade was holding on top of his head. It''s Tina''s. So that''s why. How did he acquire that exquisite sense of balance? What''s the weirdest thing you''ve ever said to me? I''m talking about the strongest species that ever did this. Yeah. And the strongest species is called the Devil. We''ve been alive for a reasonably long time...Is he alive?That''s a weird expression, because they''re long dead and... well, that''s okay. Anyway, there''s been around for a long time, but I''ve never heard of such a powerful species. Do you know about Kanade? ''Well it''s a girl, and she''s wearing a black dress, and she has wings, right?But still, demon I don''t know. That''s the thing, isn''t it, the problem. From what I''ve heard from survivors, the killer is most likely the strongest species. Seeing the scene in this way makes me strongly believe that the idea is correct. Only a very small number of people have the power to cause such a tragedy. So I don''t think the idea that the killer is the strongest species is wrong... I can''t think of the strongest species that applies. The most distinctive feature is probably wings. But we don''t know of any strongest species with wings. Have you ever heard of Kanade or Rain''s husband? No, I don''t think I know that. I''m going to... I was about to say I didn''t know, and I felt faintly uncomfortable. Do I really not know? There''s something stuck in the corner of my memory... What was it? What''s it about...something that''s bothering you...? Oi! I came to myself when he called out to me. When I turned around, I saw Axe and Cel. The two of them had gone their separate ways. We explored the village. And Ax and Cell had been asked to go check out the shrine where the demon was sealed. ''How''s it going there?What have you found? Axe asked me that. He shook his head in response. ''Nope. I''m not sure what to make of it. If I had to say............................the culprit is a monster. Yeah, I agree with you about that. I don''t take the village lightly, but I don''t know that there are people in the world who can do this. Axe, we''re getting off track. Cell said, as if to chastise Axe. ''Oops, sorry,'' How''d it go with Axe and the others? I found this little shrine. ...or something like that? I remembered something that stuck with me about Axe''s phrasing. ''Better to get them to see it in person than to talk about it. I wonder if there''s still a lot left to investigate in the village.'' No.... I look at everyone''s faces. They all shook their heads. ''Not so far.'' Then you''ll come with me? Okay. Once, we left the village. Then we climbed the mountain with Ax and Cell guiding us. On the way, we had to walk along the beast path and other paths, but with Ax and Cell''s guidance, we didn''t get lost. And about 30 minutes into the mountain.......we arrived at our destination. ''''That''s the shrine.'''' This is.... Because of the uncertainty of the existence of a demon, I was skeptical that the shrine was real, but... The shrine was in existence. .... but it had been destroyed by someone. 138-Episode 138: Dead Body Memory Trees are scattered on the flat, round stones. This must have originally been a shrine. It barely retained its original form at the base. From what I can see, it looks like a not so big shrine. Maybe the original was only about the size of my waist. The dust and dirt on the fragments suggest that it had been neglected for many years. The people in the village of Pagos knew of the shrine, but.... He really didn''t think there was a demon sealed in there, and he must have left it alone. ''''Nya.......did it break naturally?'''' It''s a wreck, and maybe that''s part of it. Kanade and Sora spilled those impressions when they saw the remains of the shattered shrine. However, Axe shook his head in response. ''No, I suppose not.'' Meow?Why? Look at this guy. Axe picks up a piece of the broken shrine. It must be the framework of the shrine. It''s battered from the effects of exposure to the rain and wind, but... Part of it had been cut cleanly in half. ''If it had decayed naturally, it wouldn''t have been damaged like this. It must have been broken by a sword or an axe ... or a blade. Oh. That''s surprising. I didn''t expect Axe to be able to see that. Can you not be cruel? Axe was a bit teary-eyed, as he seemed to have a weakness for verbal abuse from girls. ''Are you sure about that?'' Oh, come on, you can''t tell me that, even Rain. Just checking. No offense. "Well I''m afraid Axe is right. Cell said as he followed up. In his hand, he held a gem-like stone. ''What is it?'' The warding that protected this shrine from the demons is what''s left of it. There''s no such thing as warding? There are demons in this area. It seems that a ward was put in place to protect them from that. However, they couldn''t protect themselves from the wind and rain, and they were torn to shreds... ''''You mean........because of the wards, normally, demons can''t touch it. Only people can break the shrine...? ''''That''s what it comes down to. Well, if the demon tribe came out, they could have broken the wards... never, I''m not sure. Hmm.... We''ve figured out that it''s very likely that someone destroyed the shrine... What is it? What was the purpose of it all? Did you know about the devil, or did you not? There''s still a lot I don''t know. Any other kind of clues? I don''t see anything that looks like it but what about the cell? This one''s gone, too. I don''t see anything but the remains of a broken shrine. Well that was a waste of time. The shrine may have been destroyed artificially, although we know that.... There''s no information on the key demon. I was hoping that if I came here, I might be able to find out how to reseal it or something, but apparently, I came up empty. ''....No, it''s not a waste of time. Luna? Rain, guys. Come on over, I found something really interesting. Uh, Nina, you stay here. Tina, you''re to keep an eye on Nina. Tania was beckoning her to stay a little ways away. But ... why is Nina away? "?Well, uh ... okay, ''I don''t know, but I should just stay home with Nina, right?Okay. They didn''t seem to object and stayed where they were. We moved a short distance away ... to the steep mountainside. Did Nina make us wait because our foothold was in danger? ''This is.........'' ''Lane and the others were checking out the shrine, weren''t they?So me and Luna were looking around and we found this guy. ''''Ugh, this is........'''' That''s terrible. Axe and Cell frowned. The two A-ranked men would not often encounter a dead body. It''s enough to make two such people frown. I hope you can somehow guess what it is. ''''Unya this is........a bit harsh.......'''' It''s quite a thing to see... The body must have been left there for days. Seeing such things, Kanade and Sora turned blue in the face. Tania called out to the two of them with a worried look. ''''Are you two okay?If it''s too tight, you''d be better off resting with Nina. Tania is just so calm, isn''t she? No, I''m not totally fine with it. I''m just a skinny kid. I''d really like to get out of here right now. ''''Then I''ll put up with it too. I can''t give Tania a hard time just because of her. ''Yeah, well, if you two want to do that, fine, but if it''s too hard, don''t push it. All right?It''s not that I''m worried about it, okay? For what it''s worth, Tania seemed to have a bit of leeway. ''Was that.... a stab wound?'' Yes. Maybe it was the sword. Axe and Cell were calmly observing the body. They''ve already figured out the cause of death. That''s as good as it gets. Cell puts his hand to his chin and makes a gesture as if he is thinking. ''''Why is there a corpse in this place...? I don''t know, but I don''t see how this is an unrelated issue. Yes, I suppose. An artificially destroyed shrine and a corpse in the vicinity it would be natural to assume that there''s some connection. "Hmm. I''m going to try to sort through the information in my head, too. What''s the connection between the destroyed shrine and the bodies found near it? ...or a witness? Meow?What do you mean, Rain? I tell the curious Kanade about the possibilities that suddenly come to mind. ''No, I don''t have any proof, but... it''s just too good to fall down here, isn''t it?One would think there would be a connection to the broken shrine. Yeah, I guess so. ''Then what''s the connection?Did this man destroy the shrine?But I didn''t have any weapons that I could see, and it didn''t make sense that he would kill himself after destroying them. Then I thought it was safe to assume that he witnessed the crime scene, found out about it, and was killed to keep his mouth shut... Well that''s interesting. Cell, who had been listening to me, nodded deeply. ''It''s just a guess, there''s nothing to base it on, okay? Still, it does make sense, to a point. I don''t think I''d have a problem considering it as a possibility. And that body was obviously murdered. Axe added. ''How do you know that?'' The stab wound was from behind. You don''t go through all that trouble to kill yourself, do you? How do you know that...? As expected of an A-ranked adventurer. I thought we had grown up in our own way after being trained by Suzu-san... There''s still a lot to be said for the knowledge and experience of these adventurers. I need to learn from the two of you. ''''Well that''s about as far as I''ll go with the investigation. There''s nothing more to look into. Let''s turn back to Pagos and sort out the information there. ........what a thought. "Rain. Shall we have a look at the body? Luna started to say something like that. ''''Come to think of it, I remember the two of you being able to use memory-seeking magic. But is that something that can be used against corpses as well? It''s a bit of a pain in the ass, but there''s nothing we can''t do.If we work together, we''re a tiny little thing. He misspoke again. ''So, can you ask?'' I''m in charge! I''ll take care of it. Sora and Luna tensed up, unfurled their wings, and began chanting magic. Seeing the two of them, Axe and Cell were surprised. ''''Oh, it really is the spirit race...'''' ''I''ve heard it all but it''s true. I''m surprised. The two of them chanted a spell as they met Axe and Cell''s startled gaze. Light was sucked into the corpse. ''''Mmm~'''' .... Luna lets out a strange growl. Sora is quiet and silent as she controls her magic. Somewhat.... They gently opened their eyes. ''How did it go?'' Well I was able to do a memory search on the body. So I was able to see the killer, but... Yeah?It''s kind of crunchy, but... what''s going on? It''s Rain. Are you not surprised?The person who killed this person and the person who destroyed the shrine there were the same person. And that guy was ... a brave man. 139-Chapter 139: Conspiracy Everyone is speechless. Did Arios kill this man? Why on earth would you do that? Suddenly his mind was so confused that he couldn''t formulate the words properly. Everyone else was as well.......especially Axe, who was very upset. ''''........Can you tell me more about it?'''' I asked Sora and Luna, trying my best to stay calm. ''Anyway, I need information now. ''Even if you call it detailed it''s hard to tell. ''It''s been so long that I''ve only got a fragment of my soul left. It''s not like I could look into every memory. I don''t care. Tell me everything you see. Mm, I understand. Sora and Luna began to talk about the scene they had seen. The man was an adventurer, hired by Arios to work with him. You and Arios had climbed this mountain together. That the person who destroyed the shrine was ... Arios. Then something went wrong and ... Arios cut me down. ''''........These are the memories of this person that Sora and the others saw. There are no lies. It''s the truth. .... I''m speechless. I don''t want to do anything to make you doubt your fellow man but.... Still, is it true?I think. No matter how much, Arios slaying people.... Would a brave man do such a thing? I don''t know if it''s a bandit or not, but it''s an adventurer that I hired. Or.........did the adventurer cause some extraordinary problematic behavior? Was there a good reason for him to be cut down? Does the shrine have anything to do with the reason for this? According to Sola and Luna, the shrine was destroyed by Arios. I don''t know why he did that, but... Did the adventurers blame you for that and get in trouble for it? So, Arios in a fit of pique, the sword........no. This is just an evil guess, not even a deduction. It''s like he''s confused because he''s been presented with facts he didn''t expect. Let''s cool off. ''Yeah, that can''t be true, can it? Somewhat later, Axe shouted loudly as he seemed to have regained his self. He doesn''t want to admit that the heroes he respects were killing people. He shouted loudly as if he was grabbing onto Sora and Luna. ''''There''s some mistake!There''s no way that''s possible! ''Sola and the others saw the memories of this man, right?It''s fragmentary, so we don''t know the whole story... but it''s true that this man was cut down by a brave man. ''Axe respected a brave man, didn''t he?An odd one. Well, that''s all well and good but it''s a fact, as hard as it may be to accept. We don''t lie about these things. ''So that''s what it''s all about!You''re going to have to wait until the magic fails or something like that. ''Sola and the others are experts in magic. They can use their magic calmly, and under these circumstances, there''s no way they''re going to make a mistake. Not a chance. Shh.... Sola and Luna denied Axe''s words once and for all. Axe flinched at their attitude. ''''That''s ridiculous...'''' It seemed to be difficult to accept the words of Sora and Luna. Axe looked confused and was mumbling to himself. Cell gently tapped his partner''s shoulder. ''''Ax.'''' "Cell.... Calm down. Guhaha! "!!!! Cell struck Axe with an expressionless, nonchalant tone. ''''Nya, nyan?'''' Did you just punch me in the face? Why did you hit him...? ''It seemed like I was losing my cool. I''m trying to bring you back to your senses, you know? To Luna, who was asking a fearful question, Cell returned it in his usual tone and without hesitation. ''''But you don''t have to hit me with anything...? That''s about as good as it gets for this idiot. Oh, I see... After being told once and for all, Sora didn''t seem to be able to pry any further. I was watching the situation, but I couldn''t interfere either. ''What did you do?'' Axe, his cheeks red, protested to Cell with tears in his eyes. ''I punched him,'' "I didn''t ask you to tell the truth! Otherwise, you can''t relax, can you?What do you think?Have you been able to cool off a bit? ''Oh....'' I apologize for the rough treatment. But you didn''t have a choice. You don''t hit your beloved partner just because you have to, normally... "I don''t love you, but? He said it with a straight face and Axe looked hurt. Then...... Sighing loudly, I let out a big sigh. "d*mn I''m not sure I agree with you, but well, I''ve calmed down. Thank you. You owe me one. Okay. For what it''s worth, these two seem to have a strong bond with each other. Just by looking at them, that fact comes across well. ''''I''m sorry for being so.......distraught. No, Sola doesn''t mind. ''Hmm. Aksu must have had a thing for brave men, right?Then it''s inevitable. Sora and Luna accepted Axe''s apology and let bygones be bygones. It''s not something that''s easy to do. I felt as if I had learned once again how deep Sola and Luna''s pockets are. Yes, I''m sure. I see... ''''Well I don''t know the whole story, so there may have been some circumstances for that brave man as well. Maybe this person was actually a bandit or some other circumstance. Well, I don''t think there''s any chance of that happening. I''ve only met the brave man for a short time, but I didn''t like him. Luna! I''m just telling you the truth. Sola tried to follow up, but Luna crushed it and... It was a bit of a contrived development. Thanks to that........it might be strange to say, but the air in the place eased a bit. Axe also seems to have relaxed his shoulders just right and is scratching his head briskly. ''''But.......what do you mean?Even if you don''t think about it without emotion, it doesn''t make sense for a hero-sama to slay an adventurer. I wonder if it has something to do with the shrine? Yeah. I agreed with Cell''s words. ''Let''s get the information straight for once. The information gained from examining the surrounding area and the testimonies of Sola and Luna are laid out in light of what is certain. ''Some of the memories that Sola and Luna saw included Arios destroying the shrine,'' ''And the shrine had been broken by what looked like a sword. So that means the person who destroyed the shrine was a hero. Kanade and Tania followed suit as I followed up. I gave them both a nod and continued to speak. ''Yeah, I''m sure of it. The question is, why did you do it?'' Did you want to free the demons sealed in the shrine... or something? With that brave man, isn''t there a theory that he''s just a distraction? No I don''t think so, indeed. Sora and Luna would say something like that, but I denied it. I know this because I was traveling with Arios and his friends for a while... Arios is the type of person who lusts after fame and other things and is extremely averse to having his name tarnished. He wouldn''t try to free a demon or destroy a sacred shrine to relieve his sorrow. ''''So........destroying the shrine was the purpose?Or it could have been in the shrine, wanting something? Or was he trying to gain demonic powers? Well I feel like I''m getting closer to the truth, little by little. Axe and Cell''s reasoning seemed to be quite convincing. Still, there was no evidence. There is no evidence. We''re not going to get anywhere by discussing this and that here....... Okay, I''ll take it. Meow?What are we going to do? I''ll take the quickest, most reliable way. ''You mean ... you''re going to f*ck a brave man! It''s not. Why is every single one of Tania''s ideas so fussy...? Is this what all dragon people are like? I wouldn''t do that. It''s still an indecisive situation and I''m just trying to be gentle. ''''Hmmm. I mean...? Basically, we talk.... sometimes forcefully. That sort of thing we question Arios directly. 140-Episode 140: Heros Intention I had to do some demon stuff. Arios and his group returned to the inn. ''Oh, I''m so tired I feel like taking a quick bath. Well I''m in a relaxing mood today, as expected. Lean blurted out in disgust, and Mina followed suit. She comforted the villagers of Pagos and then came up with a plan to counter the demon. He also went around and talked to the villagers who were scared of the demon... Lean was fed up with those ''sober'' ''tasks''. ''Hey, hey, Arios. Do you really have to do this kind of thing?I don''t like it because it''s too plain. ''Lean. You shouldn''t talk like that. It''s our mission to lead the powerless. But you know what... you''ve never done that before. Lean had a valid point. Arios put the defeat of the demon king as his top priority, and he didn''t care about any trivial matters that could go off the rails. As expected, if someone was being attacked by a demon in front of him, he would have no choice but to help them... When you hear of a village being attacked in the distance, you don''t visit it. And yet, this time was different. He traveled all the way to Pagos to fight the demons and save the villagers. Leanne had her doubts about Arios'' unusual behavior. ''We''ve talked about that before, haven''t we? Aggus opened his mouth to explain. ''The Horizon incident has tarnished our reputation. If we don''t, it could hinder our journey. So we should do some good deeds for a change. Arios said, taking over Aggus'' words. ''''Well, I heard about that. I''m sure it''s a hassle to actually do it, but it''s not something we should be doing. It''s not something we should be doing, you know? It''s good. It''s all over so easily. Well, yeah. As they exchanged chit-chat, Arios and the others moved to their rooms. It was the largest inn in the village of Zith, and the most expensive room in the village. It was prepared by the villagers to welcome the brave men. Arios sat on the soft bed and laughed. ''It''s tedious but it''s an easy job, isn''t it?After all, the devil is connected to us. The outrageous fact was plainly stated by Arios. The girl Arios met when he got the Heavenly Ring........ She was the ''demon''. To be more specific, she was a girl from the Heavenly Clan who was thought to be extinct. She seemed to have a strong grudge against people, and if left unattended, she would cause great harm. However, Arios did not do anything to stop her. Rather, she decided to take advantage of it. She declared that she would attack Pagos first. When Arios heard about it he let her have her way. It was obvious that if left unchecked, it would cause great harm, but even so, she did not stop. He let her do as she pleased. And then I offered her a deal. ''I''ll help you with your cause. In return, would you be willing to be our go-to guy? ........I offered such a deal. There''s no doubt that the girl is a harm to people... He had never dreamed of being offered such a deal. The girl took a liking to Arios and the others and decided to lay down a partnership. First, the girls attacked Pagos as they had declared. When they were satisfied to some extent, Arios and the others broke in. They play a stand-off with the girl... The girl retreats at the right time. Thus, the birth of Arios, the hero who saved Pagos, so to speak. This was all possible because of his connection to the girl. Thanks to this, Arios''s reputation was restored. He was called a hero for saving the lives of so many people. It''s a piece of cake. It''s such an easy job, they just say we''re awesome for that! Leanne laughs happily. ''I do feel a little guilty, but ... well, I guess I can''t help it. Mina also did not blame Arios, the initiator of the plan. Rather, she divided it into two parts: it was inevitable. The reputation of the brave party had fallen in the wake of Horizon''s incident. It had to recover from that. For that reason, we can''t choose our means. That was the conclusion Mina came to. ''I was able to meet her at the right time. You''re lucky.'''' Do you want me to get tougher?But we''ll come in at the right place and help you. And they will thank you so much for it. ''Spreading our name would be helpful later on. We might consider doing it again ... if necessary. Arios too. And Lean. Or Mina. There is no shame in your actions. We can do what we want. That''s what we are privileged to do. And that''s what we thought. Except for one person. "...Arios. I knew it was a bad idea, didn''t I? Aggus says in a heavy tone. To such an Aggus, Arios gave him a disgusted look, as if to say, ''''Again? ''''Don''t rehash the story, okay? We''ve all agreed on this, haven''t we?'''' ''It''s because Arios went ahead on his own, to the point where there was no turning back, isn''t it? Still, we all agreed in the end. Including you. ''That''s true, but...'' ''Hey, hey, what''s the matter with you?It''s a great deal to get our name out there. At Lean''s words, Aggus makes a silence. He makes a reluctant face, but he wasn''t repulsed by Leen''s words. Aggus also thinks that if he can make it easier, it would be better. He had decided that the plan Arios had come up with wasn''t a bad one either. He even thought that this was just fine, since he had to restore the reputation that had been tarnished by the Horizon incident. But. Inevitably, Aggus was curious about the girl called Iris. Wasn''t that really a demon? Is it safe to join forces with such an entity? That was what was bothering him. ''What''s the matter with you, Aggus?Isn''t it wrong that you did something to deceive the villagers? ''No, I don''t care much about that,'' Aggus was not opposed to Arios'' plan itself. If he was against it, he would have stopped it when he released Iris. As far as he didn''t, Aggus''s guts were quite rotten as well, as far as he was concerned. ''Then what''s tripping you up?'' It''s that girl, Iris. Aggus rubbed his arm. Goosebumps rose on his arm. ''What is Arios going to do with Iris after this? Yeah?What does that mean? ''We''re just going to let it go?Or are we going to take them down in the right place? ''Well...'' After a moment''s thought, Arios says with a smile. ''She''s still got a lot of use to her. Why don''t we get her to help us out a bit more? Don''t you think we should stop? What? ''That thing is dangerous. From the moment I met him until now, the chills have never left me. After all this time I probably shouldn''t have joined forces with that thing. ''Oh dear, I don''t know what you''re talking about but that''s exactly what you''re talking about now, isn''t it?'' ''That''s true, but...'' Aggus couldn''t get his stiffened face back to normal. In the midst of all this, he thought back to Iris''s smile. She''s a dainty girl on the outside.......but on the inside she''s something else. I knew from being there that Iris thinks of people as insects. There is absolutely no way that she sees them as equals. That''s exactly what Iris will do, if something happens to her, she''ll kill people with her laughter. That is what Iris is. As the villagers of Pagos have said, it could be a real demon. Aggus sensed that much threat and viciousness. He had teamed up with such an opponent. I''ve lent him my power. I let him go. After all this time, hadn''t he done a terrible thing?And my body starts to tremble. ''Well, I''ll take Aggus'' advice but still, she''s worth using. Let her be a convenient pawn for us for a while. Is that all right? ''....Okay. If Arios says so, then I have no complaints. I''ll be fine. Aggus is a worrier. It''s never going to be known that we''re in league with Iris and if you''re still worried, you just need to control her properly. Right? Well yes. Nodding his head, Aggus couldn''t turn off the fuss in his chest. Was that a being that could be controlled by a human being? Isn''t he the kind of person who would abruptly return your palm and bite our throat off with a smile? ........Such a premonition of Aggus could not have been more accurate. 141-Episode 141: Iriss Thoughts The man was running down a small alley in River End. He was running away as fast as he could, sweating and bleeding tears. How could he do this? The man doesn''t have a legitimate job. He''s an underworlder who runs the streets of River End. He terrorizes the weak, sometimes violently, and sometimes extorts money from them. He''s been involved in everything from extortion to kidnapping, murder, human trafficking and more. Still, the man was never caught. Cleverly evading the knight''s investigation. At times, he had gotten out of trouble by letting them hold the money. So the man hadn''t thought about this one bit. He had never imagined for a minute that he would go from being in a position to be pursued. But......... Now, the man was being chased. "What the hell is that monster...! It was supposed to be an easy job. We paraded around town on our walks and, as usual, abducted the goods of the upper balls. River End is a busy place for people to come and go, so he could often find the upper balls. Just in case, he had several men with him. All of them were skilled and as good as a C-ranked adventurer. As long as nothing too much happened, there shouldn''t be any problems. ........The man was reminded of how naive that thinking was. A girl appeared out of nowhere and exterminated the men. It was a one-sided overrun. It was all he could do to escape while his men were being beaten. The man stopped and looked back behind him in horror. There.........no one there. ''''Huh........'''' The man let out a breath from relief. To calm his violent palpitations, he ran a hand over his chest.... Then I just barely bit my back teeth. "Wherever you are you''re going you''re going to do some f*cked-up shit. Anyone who challenges me is going to die. Now, the rest of my men... Hey the rest of the guys are these guys? What...? Nanika fell in front of the man. It fell to the ground in a raggedy manner, rolling around and scattering a red liquid. It was the raw head of a person. All of them had expressions of anguish on their faces, and one could imagine that they had met a horrible end. ''''Hee........! The man sits up. In front of the man, a girl descends from the sky. ''Good day to you.'' You''re the one who... The man''s voice quivered. This girl is not what she appears to be. It was no exaggeration to say that she was a demon on the inside. It was Nanika with overwhelming power that could kill all of her powerful subordinates in an instant. ''''Why, why are you doing this.......who do you think I am.......'''' Hmmm ... that''s boring. What? ''I was hoping to hear a few more words but it''s so boring. Just a bunch of clich words... What do you mean... I don''t need you anymore. Goodbye. ...................... The man''s body was cut off from his head. The man''s consciousness vanished, not understanding what had happened. ''''Huh...'''' The girl.........Iris sighed boringly in a pool of blood. She blurted out as she rolled the man''s raw head in her palm like a toy. ''I can hunt humans, so this is fine... but it''s still not very crunchy. It''s boring to be dealing with this kind of garbage all the time. With a plop, he threw away the man''s head. "...let''s just clean up for now, shall we? Iris'' shadow spread unnaturally. Larger than their bodies, the shadows stretched out across the alleyway. When the men''s bodies touched the shadows, they slowly sank into them. Nope. I heard the sound of munching and chewing. They are being eaten. They are being eaten. The men''s flesh, their bones, their blood. Iris''s shadow eats it all up. And..... By the time about ten minutes had passed, everything was clean and gone. ''''Yes, the cleaning is complete. Hmmm. Iris flapped her skirt lightly, as if to clean the dirt off. Then she looked ecstatic. ''''Hmm.......I can feel the life in these men. I wasn''t expecting it to be like this but it''s quite nice. It''s sweet. Flipping, he licks his tongue. ''But...................But still, this is not enough. More quality souls ... more souls ... more souls. Iris was eating the souls of the men. She was devouring them like a snack. It should have been a horrific act, but there was not an ounce of guilt on Iris'' face. It''s natural to do so. She had a natural look on her face, as if she was saying so. ''''Well........what should I do?'''' Running a hand over her chin, Iris makes a thinking gesture. Iris has made a deal with a human. He is willing to obey the human''s word in return for setting him free. She obeyed the human''s word and did not kill anyone in the village of Pagos. I only killed a third of them. After that, I pretended to fight lightly with the humans who came and retreated. From then on, we''ve been waiting for instructions from the humans. A promise was made that they would not cause any major incidents while they were waiting. Therefore, Iris is only able to make these light nibbles. Normally, she would like to devour the human city in one fell swoop. I would like to kill every single human being who lives in the city. It''s a good thing that I have the right to do so. After thinking for a while, Iris came to such a conclusion. It is after all a promise made to a human being. There''s no reason for me to keep that promise. Besides..... This is the person I was going to kill sooner or later anyway. I don''t care if he broke his promise and accused me of it. ''''Yes, let''s do that. What a trivial thing I''ve been doing.'''' Nii........and a vicious smile is made on Iris'' face. ''''Well, well, well, well. Once we decide that''s the case, what do we do after this? Shall I devour this River End? Or shall we go on a rampage in a larger city? How many people could they kill? How many souls can be eaten? Just thinking about it made Iris even feel ecstatic. ''''Well first of all, you shouldn''t have leftovers. Right now, we''re missing 70% of the residents of Pagos. We can''t just leave them out there. We have to eat the other 70%. Then the villagers will be reunited with their families in heaven. ''''Hmmm.......how kind of me. What will it sound like? What will they look like? While thinking about this, Iris spread her wings. ........A mass of malice and madness flew away. 142-Episode 142: Disaster, Again We descended the mountain to the ruins of the village of Pagos. Just to be sure, I did some research based on the information I got from the mountain, but I couldn''t find any new clues. It seems that Arios holds the key, after all. The memory of the adventurer''s death that Sora and Luna taught me... What has Arios gotten himself into? I have to question them directly. Aksu and Cell seemed half-convinced that that brave man.......but they didn''t have enough material to deny Sora and Luna''s words, so they were convinced for the time being. Thus, we went back to the village of Zisu to meet Arios. ''''Nya... it''s been a long time since I''ve felt this way. When we arrived at the village of Zisu, Kanade said something like that. We''ve spent several days getting to the village of Pagos and back. It''s not surprising that you feel like it''s been a long time. But....isn''t there something wrong with the atmosphere? Tania tilted her head slightly. Sola and Luna agreed with her. ''''That''s right. I''m kind of tense, Is it... something... that''s happening? Nina''s body shrank in size as if frightened by the stinging air flowing through the village. I pat Nina''s head and reassure her. ''''Hmm........Rain. Arigato......... Don''t worry. I''m here, and we''re all here. Yes. ''And yet ... you''re right about Sora and Luna, you''re acting weird?What''s going on? Hey. Earlier, Axe and Cell, who had been looking around the village, returned. They were in a hurry, and even Cell, who was always calm and collected, had a change of color. ''''What''s going on?'''' ''Oh my God!I think the devil''s out. Wha...? While we''re away from the village...? Axe, I''m not sure there are enough words to describe it. Oops, yeah. Sorry. Yeah? Ah, I mean. What''s the name of that thing from here on out...? ...River End. ''Yeah, yeah, that''s it. I heard the devil showed up there. ''In River End?How did you get there... Well, you know. Well, I don''t know about that, but I hear there''s been a lot of strange murders lately. So I looked into it and... I think we''ve reached the devil. Oh, my line! Axe looks sulky, but Cell is unconcerned and continues to talk. ''''It just so happens that some of the defeating teams that were present at the scene were engaged. ...and the result? All of them. Cell says with a bitter face. I''ve heard that this urgent request can only be accepted if you have the right rank. And yet, none of them survived and were wiped out.... Apparently, the enemy may be more formidable than we thought. ''Just as unfortunate, I should say, but we''ve gotten some information about the demon. It seems the demon has left River End and is heading for this Zith. In this village.... ''We didn''t have good information controls in place, and the villagers got to know. I see. No wonder the whole village is tense. The demon that destroyed the village of Pagos and waged the carnage at River End is approaching. Knowing such a thing would frighten everyone. I was rather surprised that they weren''t panicking. ''''What''s the future course of events?'''' I checked with the guild and they''re planning to intercept the demons in the area around this Zith. There''s a strike team on their way here right now. Will it be in time? I don''t know nothing new on the demon. We don''t know how much mobility they have. Maybe they''ll get here before the strike team does. Then we''ll have to do it ourselves. Yeah, sure. It hurts not to have a strike team, but.... But we''re not defeated either. We have everyone, and even if we''re dealing with a demon, we''ll still be able to eat it up to a certain point. It''s just.... The opponent is an unidentified entity. How much power you have that''s what I''m worried about. If I could, I wouldn''t want to put everyone in danger. Rain. Yeah? Chomp, I was tapped on the shoulder by Tania. Along with Tania, Luna is looking at me with a serious face. ''Didn''t you just think of something stupid?'' He didn''t want to put us in harm''s way or anything like that. That''s great. Can you two read minds? It''s... "Don''t give me the benefit of the doubt. We''ll be with Rain no matter what. Everyone else nodded at Luna''s words. ''Indeed, this could be dangerous. From what I''ve heard, the demons are nearly as powerful as our most powerful species or perhaps even comparable to the demon race. But that doesn''t mean we can''t run away from them. I mean, if you start talking about the dangers, there''s no end to it, right?Even if it''s a simple request, you might run into some unexpected danger... ''There''s no end to the amount of time you can spend worrying about those things. I mean, I don''t want you to worry about it. We''re one of us, aren''t we? ''You''re worried about me because, well, I''m not happy about it?But you know what?I want you to trust me there, not worry about it. "We can handle it. You can put your back into it. I''m more than happy for you to know that. Well I''m sure you''re right. I felt like I was waking up to their words. My party, finally made. My precious friends. I guess I was making a terrible mistake because I didn''t want to lose that. If you keep them away from danger, you will never be able to form a true bond with them. Some things will only come from being together at all times. It''s as if he was so cowardly that he forgot that he didn''t want to lose his friends. ''...Okay, I get it. I mean, I''m sorry. Like you two said, I''ve been thinking about some weird stuff. Oh, my God....get a grip, will you?You''re my master and you need to take a stronger, bolder stance. ''Hmm. I suppose the Lord could be more brazen, could he not? ''Ha. I don''t know if I can be brazen, I don''t know if I can be brazen, but I''ll give it a shot. I''ve been known to take the wrong turn at times. Now I have friends who can help me get it right. That seemed to make me very happy. ''Have we come to an agreement?'' Cell asked with a somewhat soft expression. ''''Uh ... sorry. I got sidetracked. ''Okay, I don''t mind. It''s better to talk about this now, rather than messing around at the last minute. ''Well let''s get back to the point, when the time comes, we''ll intercept the demon ourselves. How much time do you think we have? ''Well it seems that the events of River End happened just a few days ago, so I think we have a few days to spare. Even if we assume that demons are the most powerful species, I don''t think they can traverse a path that would take a week on human feet in less than a day. ''Yeah. I agree with you. As long as the strike force arrives in time to intercept them. If they don''t, we''ll be there to intercept them. ''I''d like to set up some traps, if possible, to evacuate the residents. We''re going to be busy. Hey, hey, Rain. With a bite, Kanade tugs at my clothes. ''Yeah?'' ''I don''t mind the demon but what about the brave one?'' That''s the thing. It''s a bit of a headache. ''A brave man destroyed the shrine where the demon was sealed, didn''t he?And you killed the adventurer who was there, too, didn''t you?I''m sure he has an evil plan!We need to question him. No ... not right now. ''What?Why? Our answer seemed to be unexpected, and Kanade made a strange face. Everyone else, why?He has a look on his face as if to say. ''I don''t know if it''s true but Arios is a hero to the people here. What do you think would happen if it turned out that someone like that was actually planning something bad behind the scenes? Um ... angry? ''Mostly correct. Normally, we''d all be in the process of questioning Arios and all hell would break loose. That''s not a good time. We had to be prepared for a demon attack... If that kind of commotion happens, you''re not even a demon anymore. It will not be able to intercept them, and if they are not good enough, they will destroy themselves. ''''So you''re going to leave the brave men alone then? ''I wouldn''t want to do that if I could...'' I don''t mean to make a scene. But I''m not going to leave it at that. Even if Arios had some kind of evidence... Over time, you might get rid of it. Other clues might be lost as time goes on. So we don''t want to do that. If I could, I''d like to talk to Arios and the others without them finding out............... Now that Arios is the hero of the village it would be difficult to get rid of the people around him completely against such a thing. ''''We''ll put Arios behind us for now. Right now, we have to think about intercepting the demon first. Nya I''m not in the clear. Bear with me. I''ll ask her when it''s all settled... And then. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, the devil!The devil is out!!!! I could hear the villagers screaming. 143-Episode 143 Reunion and Confrontation ''Demon, what do you mean?Hey, Sel. It''s supposed to take a few days, right? ''It should be, but ... the enemy is moving faster than expected?Still, to some extent, we should have come to some conclusions, including the margins... Aksu, flustered, questioned Cell. However, Cell also seems to be confused and doesn''t seem to have a clear answer. His eyebrows are furrowed in doubt. ''''Anyway, this isn''t the time to just stand around here and dawdle! The voices came from the entrance of the village. Kanade takes the lead and follows. He ran straight to the entrance of the village... My goodness, isn''t this a crowd pleaser? Iris. The silver-haired girl I had met earlier in River End was there. People who don''t know what happened are wondering what''s going on. But those who knew everything - the survivors of the village of Pagos - were screaming at her. Some of them were trapped in fear and cowered. Looking at those villagers, Iris........smiled. She looked at them like she was looking at a bug and smiling happily. When I met her in River End, she seemed like a strange girl, but.... It''s different now. I can feel the clear malice and madness. I can''t believe it was so much in essence... What a girl. Suddenly, Iris''s gaze caught mine. ''Oh?What?You are.... It''s been a while, hasn''t it? Yes, it''s been a while. Have a good day. Iris picked up her skirt and bowed her head politely. If the place wasn''t a place, she might have mistaken him for a noblewoman. ''''Hmph, is it fate that we meet again in a place like this?'''' Maybe so. Oh, do you want to admit it? You''re just in the right place at the right time and it''s tempting to think that way. Hmm. It''s really a mystery to me. It''s not that I don''t like you. Iris laughs softly. Still...... I can''t let my guard down. Rather, a bad feeling only grew. Everyone seemed to feel the same way, and they were ready to move at any moment. ''''What''s all the fuss about?'''' An adventurer on guard at the Zith village heard the commotion and came to the entrance of the village. The adventurer seems to have determined that the source of the commotion was Iris. However, he couldn''t seem to judge the threat and walked up to him unguarded. ''Hey, wait!Carelessly.... Where do you come from?Why is a girl like you in a place like this? The adventurer touched Iris''s shoulder. Instantly, Iris''s face turns grim. It''s as if she''s been touched by filth. ''Can you not touch me? What did you say? Wouldn''t you ever touch me, human? What the... Iris shook off the adventurer''s hand carelessly, as if to dispel a mosquito. With just that act, the adventurer was blown several meters away. From his back, he crashed into the fence surrounding the village and passed out just like that. ''''Oh, you''re still alive. You''re just as stubborn as an insect........ Iris waved her hands up in the air....not good! I hurriedly activated the Narkami and ejected the wire. I entangle the wire in Iris''s arm. ''''........Why are you interrupting me?'''' Of course you did-Iris. You ... tried to kill that adventurer, didn''t you? ''Yes, yes. Of course. Iris chuckles. It''s not as if she has any evil intentions. In other words........he believes with all his heart that it is right to do so. He doesn''t believe for a minute that his actions are wrong. This girl is dangerous. Now I finally realize that. ''If you touch something dirty, you''ll disinfect it, right?But that''s not enough for me. I need to make the root of the filth disappear. Iris lightly twisted her hand. With just that, the wire that was entangled in his arm was severed. However, it seems to have succeeded in turning Iris'' attention to us. He doesn''t seem to be paying attention to the adventurer anymore. ''''What is Lady Rain doing in a place like this?'''' I''m doing some research on the ''demons'' that have been making the rounds lately. ''Well, that sort of thing. So ... did it pay off? In its own way. And I''ve found a way to seal it off. Meow?Rayne, that''s muggy! Shh, shut up. I saw Kanade trying to say something unnecessary behind me, but Tania covered his mouth. I''m sorry Kanade, but... Frankly, I''m grateful. It''s a lie that I''ve found a way to seal it. I don''t know anything about that. But if Iris is a demon and you believe me, then it makes sense. ''I see. Could you tell me how to seal ... what that would look like? You know more about this than I do, don''t you, Iris? What do you mean? But Iris is the devil, isn''t she? Yes, I do. Easily, Iris admitted that she was a demon. It''s a bit of a letdown. I was expecting to be cheated or blown off.... As you can see from the fact that he is showing himself so openly, he may be thinking that there is no need to hide anything anymore. As I recall, you said you were looking for something, right?Why are you here? That''s because you found what you were looking for. Can I ask you about what you''re looking for? The last survivor of the village they called Pagos, that''s what I''m looking for. What are you going to do when you find the villagers? Of course you do. Smiling, Iris tells him mercilessly. ''I''ll kill you,'' Huh. ''''The last time I visited the village, I pulled out of there for a bit of a reason, but after thinking it over, I still thought it was a mistake not to kill them. So I''m here to correct that mistake. This guy''s a joke... Axe next to me had a hint of anger in his voice. The feeling was understandable. Iris doesn''t have any feelings about people''s lives and deaths. He doesn''t seem to think that killing is wrong, in fact, he seems to think that killing is the right thing to do. Axe is right to feel anger towards such Iris. ''''Let''s check it out, okay?...Iris destroyed Pagos, didn''t she? ''For a number of reasons, unfortunately, we couldn''t kill them all, but... yeah, yeah. That''s right. And I killed a man in River End. There''s a lot of trash in that town. Yeah, yeah. I''ve taken care of the trash a few times. You''re sure that Iris is the one who''s been called the Devil in the street? ''Yes, yes. I admit it. Giggling, Iris laughs. ''Such a thing, again, what are you going to do about it?I''m the enemy of humans you already know that, don''t you? Yeah, but, you know... Somewhere in the back of my mind, there''s a part of me that doesn''t want to be hostile to Iris. Why is this...? But what you said to Miss Lane at River End, those were all true. I have a very fondness for you, Miss Lane. I''m going to make a special exception and let you off the hook, but what do you think? That''s a nice offer but I''m not going to run away from it. Would that be correct? I''m not sure if that was a sure thing, because it was really just a moment. ''I''d like to see you turn back if you can. We could seal Iris over here, you know? Do you expect me to believe such a lie?I can assure you of that. Master Lane doesn''t know how to seal me up. Because I don''t think you''re prepared for that. I knew I couldn''t fool you but it would be a lot easier if you backed off here. I don''t see how that''s possible. I want to kill the humans. Lady Rain and the others want to protect them. So there''s only one answer, then? Well... I wish I could, but... That naive idea doesn''t seem to work. I''m going to have to make up my mind. ''''....What does this mean?'''' Arios? When I was finally ready for it... To further disrupt the scene, Arios appeared. Arios stared at Iris with a somewhat mortified look on his face. 144-Episode 144: Battle with the Most Bad 1 ''What?You are.... Acknowledging Arios'' appearance, Iris looked a little awkward. He looks like a kid who''s been found naughty. Arios, on the other hand, seems to be in a bad mood. He tells Iris unabashedly and bullishly. ''We''ve met before, haven''t we?I think it''s called Iris? .... Why are you here?I thought you were still in River End, but...? .... All right. You better turn back now. I''ll let you off the hook now. Otherwise, I''ll let you get hurt a little like you did in Pagos, okay? Huh. At Arios'' words, which did not lose his strong stance, Iris returned a dismissive sigh. That attitude seemed to be unexpected, and Arios scowled slightly. ''''Hey, what''s that attitude?Maybe you think I won''t touch it?If that''s the case, then you''re mistaken. I will do whatever it takes to protect the villagers. Then you''ll have to fight me. ...what? Arios showed a dumb face with a plop. Iris chuckles at Arios. I''m not sure how much you have freed me, but I''m still a human being. And he''s a brave man. Do you think I''d follow such a person forever? You are...That''s not what you said. ''In return for releasing me, I''ll cooperate with you... that was the promise I made, but I''m tired of it. I mean, I thought it was time to kill the survivors of Pagos so let''s take our cooperation to the end. "Wha... you... you ungrateful bastard!How dare you? I set you free, didn''t I?And now you''re going to betray me! Promises are meant to be broken. Goooooooooo...! Arios seems to be very angry and his face turns red, but..... I don''t want to hear what you just said. ''Hey, Arios. Is it true what Iris is saying? ''Well that can''t be ... it can''t be. You''re just spouting bullshit to try and discredit me. Bullshit, hey... I can only assume you''re telling the truth... It looks like we don''t have time for questions and answers about it right now. ''Well I guess we should get started. Iris made a gesture as if she were embracing herself. Then, eight wings sprouted from its back. ''''Could it be........celestial tribe.......?'''' Come on, let''s go kill each other. ---------- The magic Iris unleashed turned the entrance to the village into scorched earth. Flames curled up and blew away the plants and trees. The villagers, who had been watching the scene in the distance, screamed and ran away. As if to signal the start of the battle, Iris rushed in. ''''Arios, cooperate! What? Why are you with me? While complaining, Arios pointed his palm at Iris. I''m going to focus my magic power too. ''''Fireball!'''' GigaVolt! Oversized fireballs and purple electricity head towards Iris and bite her like a living thing. Explosions. And then a storm of thunderstorms broke out. My vision is blocked by dust. I can''t see anything. But.........Iris''s evil presence was closing in on us without disappearing. ''''Rain! Huh. He was pushed from the side by Kanade. Immediately after that, Iris appeared from the dust and swung her hand like a sword. Schnung! A sharp crack appears in the earth where it had been standing a moment ago. Perhaps it was an invisible attack, weaving magic power into it like a blade. ''''Arios!'''' What does this mean! I saw Aggus and Mina come running in. Behind him, Leanne is also there. ''Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, why are you fighting that guy?I thought that guy was supposed to be our pawn. Have you betrayed them? d*mn, I knew it was going to come to this and that''s why I was against it. Come on. You guys help!We''re fighting them off! Apparently, Aggus and the others knew about Iris. There were more targets to question. However......... We can''t talk about it or question it if we don''t get through this. I''ll have to do something about it. "My God, why did I do this... Well it''s no use, now that it''s come to this. Let''s go, Leanne, Mina. Yes!Holy Arrow! Mina moves first and shoots an arrow of light. ''''Red Crimson!'''' Continuing on, Leanne unleashed her magic. Their magic was different from what I saw before, the power of the two of them had increased by an order of magnitude. The magic they were chanting was advanced, but in effect, it might be as powerful as a super grade. Somehow, it seems that he had been training since they parted ways. ''''Hmph.'''' Even with their magic in front of her, Iris didn''t break into a smile. Not to intercept them. Not even to avoid them. She is exposing her body defenselessly against the magic. .........Speaking of which, it seems that me and Arios'' magic earlier didn''t work either, but how did they prevent it from happening? I was wondering... I didn''t dare touch her to find out what the moment was, and I watched to see what happened. Lean and Mina''s magic landed on Iris. The Red Lotus'' karma fire enveloped Iris. Light floods in to envelop it, purifying everything. But.........Iris was still alive and well. ''''Nah!'''' Wait a minute, what is that?What kind of magic trick did you use! Mina and Leanne are surprised. It can''t be helped. The advanced magic should have been a direct hit for sure.......but Iris didn''t even get a graze wound. Everyone else doesn''t seem to notice but.... I saw the moment. The magic that Mina and Lean released seemed to explode before it could touch Iris. It''s a good idea to have a thin weld around Iris''s body. If that''s the case, it''s tricky. Being able to put up wards while fighting, that would be a hell of a lot of power. ''If magic doesn''t work, how about this one! Using the two magic blasts as cover, Aggus approached Iris. He swung the huge great sword down from directly above. ''''Oh?Will you be playing with me this time? What? Iris caught the great sword with one hand. Iris was unperturbed by the fact that she had caught the huge mass. How is that possible? I''m sure Kanade could do the same trick but.... His body would be pushed by the mass and power of the great sword. Looking at Iris, he didn''t even have to look at it. She didn''t move slightly, as if she had caught the bird''s wings. ''Come on, dance for me.'' ''Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! Iris, pompously, put her hand on Aggus'' abdomen. Gently, it looked like he just touched it. With just that, Aggus''s huge body was blown away like paper. It flew more than ten meters and ripped down the trees before finally stopping. What did you just do...? It looked like you just touched it and then... I''m going to give you all this as a gift. This is.... Kyah! The moment Iris snapped her fingers with a snap, Mina and Lean were blown away. They weren''t chanting, so I don''t think it was magic but.... What the hell is this all about? I broke out in a cold sweat as I saw Iris''s inexplicable abilities.......and the overwhelming power that I couldn''t see the bottom of. 145-Episode 145: Fighting the Most Evil 2 ''Aggus!Lean!Mina! Hey it''s okay, it''s okay. As if in response to Arios'' voice, Aggus stands up. Lean and Mina, although wobbling, don''t seem to have suffered any fatal damage either. As expected of a brave party, I should say. It''s not just Arios, the other three also seem to have improved a lot compared to that time. ''''Hey, Rain. What? Time me. We''ll do it all at once. Okay. While I don''t like the idea of Arios telling me to do this or that, now is not the time to worry about that. How do we deal with the disaster that is Iris? That''s the only thing I have to think about.......or else I''ll die. I had a premonition that this was going to happen. "Guys! Yeah! Everyone, including Kanade, was ready to move at any moment. ''We''re here too!'' Axe and Cell also held their weapons at the ready. ''''Oh, dear. Aren''t you embarrassed to try to push through a weak maiden with violence in numbers like that against a frail maiden? Don''t tell me your mouth is weak.You''re doing something so unnecessary that I, here, am involved in such a trivial battle............joke! Arios stared at Iris. The sharp gaze, which could even make you feel the killing intent, doesn''t faze Iris at all. It''s as if to say, I''m used to that kind of thing. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. To the brave party ... skilled adventurers. And.........the strongest species like me, right? As expected, it might be a bit tricky. "...if you think that''s what it is, will you surrender? Hey, Rain!Don''t be selfish. Kill that woman right here and... ''You understand the difference in strength, don''t you?Then there''s no need to push yourself, don''t you think? Arios interjects, but I ignore him. He seems to have been in cahoots with Iris, so I guess he thinks it''s bad to be alive. Well, we''ll talk about that later. Anyway, right now, I have to do something about the threat of Iris. It would be the best pattern if we could end the situation without having to fight it off swiftly... Surrender?Me?To a human? Iris was stunned. Next, he laughs like a madman. ''''Hmmm...........Hahahahahaha!What makes you think that I would surrender to a human being?No, he wouldn''t!Why would a human being........be a human being! Huh. A smile filled with madness and eyes loaded with fiery murderous intent. I felt a shiver run down my back when those two were pointed at me. I don''t know why, I don''t know why, but..... Iris is hostile to humans. She has a deep hatred for them. ''''Excuse me. I''m a little distracted. With a small laugh, Iris plastered a kamihatsu smile on her face. You don''t want to show me you''re distraught... Or maybe he didn''t want to imitate showing his heart. ''Anyway, there''s no way I''m surrendering,'' So you can''t turn back here? ''Master Rayne, would you ever try to get your hands on a delicious-looking dish when it''s right in front of you? ...Cooking, by the way, you mean the survivors of the Pagos villagers? Yes, of course. You''re in bad taste. Well, you''re not of the same race as Master Lane. We have different values. ''I don''t think it''s a race issue, but ... well, that''s okay. Hey, Rain. Arios interrupted with an exasperated look. ''How long are we going to have this silly conversation?I''m going to kill it now. I know. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I''m not sure I want to fight Iris, but... But that doesn''t mean we can''t retreat here. We have to get rid of the sparks that fall on us. ''Oh, dear. I''m afraid. I feel like I''m going to cry. Iris laughed. I''m afraid I''d like to call for backup. He uttered such a thing. ''Support?'' Hmph, we''re bluffing. There''s no one around here but us and the villagers. Arios would dismiss it as such, but... Would Iris, who is feared to be a disaster, call such a bluff? If you''re saying you have another ally, I''d like to see it. Now, let me show you something. Iris gave a deliberate bow. Then, in a beautiful voice, she spun a curse. ''I am thou. I am thee. Gathered in this right hand is power. Gathered in this left hand is a sign. I will give you strength. Therefore, go forth. I call on you, here you are! A magic circle spread out at Iris'' feet. It spread out as time passed and covered the ground around it. ''''What?!'''' This is.... Arios'' eyes widened in surprise. Maybe I have a similar look on my face. ''''Hmph ... come on, hell''s dead. As if answering Iris'' voice, demons emerged from the magic circle. Skeletons, Cerberus, Demons........ All kinds of demons appeared and flooded the place. ''''What is this........?'''' Rain, that''s a summoning spell! Sola let out a sharp voice, as if to warn him. ''Summoning?We had a run-in before, like the demons used to use...? ''That''s a bit different as it was creating its own portion of the body. What''s the difference? ''''The altered body will disappear once the host is defeated, but that''s not the case with summoning magic. It won''t disappear even if you defeat the surgeon. Seriously.... ''Not only that, but it can not only create minnows like the minute body, but it can also invoke higher level beings with more power. Moreover, there is no limit to their number. Isn''t that a foul...? ''Yes. It''s near foul magic. Hence, it was limited in what it could be used for. It should only be able to be used by Heavenly Clans that were extinct in the past...'''' ''''Well Iris seems to be a celestial race, so I guess I''ll have to meet that requirement. ''''Hmph. You know a lot about that child of the spirit race over there. Iris, accompanied by multiple demons, laughs. ''''But there''s one more important piece of information you left out. Important...? To Sora, who was looking at him blankly, Iris tried to give him a polite explanation. It may be a sign of composure. It''s a good thing that I''m here, so I''ll tell you. It''s not that I don''t want you to know about it, but it''s not a problem for me. Iris seems to be having fun......telling us a hopeless fact for us. ''There''s no limit to what we can summon. What''s your point? Well, let me get this straight. Come here, my dear. A further magic circle spread out at Iris'' feet. What appeared from there was........ Iris... two? A girl who looked exactly the same as Iris appeared. That girl scurried around and looked around... Eventually, when he locked eyes with Iris, he seemed to understand the situation he was in and let out a sigh. ''Oh dear, is it again?'' The girl sounded exactly the same as Iris, she said. ''Again, sir.'' "You and I are one and the same, but we are different. I''m happy to help you, but I don''t like the idea of you being used for your own convenience. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry about that. What do you think? But you can kill people, right?Wouldn''t you agree with me on that point? ''Well then, let''s stop complaining about it. The two Iris laugh. What does this ... what does this mean? Are you dreaming? Rain you be careful. That''s the real Iris, too. Sola advised me, her face scrunched up. ''Perhaps you summoned yourself from a parallel universe,'' Parallel universe...? ''Well I won''t go into detail, but consider that there are many worlds like this one that can''t come and go, but there are many worlds like this one. I wondered if Iris had summoned herself from among those countless worlds. ''''Wouldn''t that ... in other words, you could summon more of yourself?'''' Hmmm, I can do that too. Iris, who had been listening to our conversation, replied with a smile. ''''Only, not all of us are cooperative, you know. Since it''s a world of different possibilities, some of us are converted.......so it can''t be infinite. However, I can lightly summon a few dozen more people. But.........I think the demons and another me will be enough for this place. Apparently, they are not going to summon any more. Are they underestimating us, or is it a proper decision? Either way, there might be a chance of winning there. ''''Then........let''s go, shall we?Don''t die so easily, do you?Huh. 146-Episode 146: Fighting the Most Evil 3 Two Iris. That, and a swarm of demons, all attacking at once. ''Arios, take one Iris over there!Axe and Cell, and Sora and Luna, a bunch of demons!The other Iris is ours for the taking! I don''t need you to tell me what to do. I don''t have time for that! d*mn it, I can''t help it! Arios clicks his tongue one time. Then he takes Aggus and the others to intercept Iris. Iris''s power is unfathomable, but.... Arios is also a party with the name of ''The Brave''. If they can fight calmly and without underestimating their opponents, they should be able to manage even against the strongest species. ''''Axe and Cell........'''' Oh, I''m dealing with a demon, aren''t I? You''re not going to get a sideways pass. We''ll take care of it. He replied encouragingly. ''Please. I''ll send Sola and Luna over to you Sola, Luna. Is that all right? Yes, sir. No problem. Well, we''re in no trouble on our own, but it''s not bad to cover up once in a while. The two of them nodded firmly, as if to say they were fine. Nevertheless, I feel that Sora''s attitude is becoming more and more like Tania''s these days. Is she being inspired? Kanade, addressing Tania. ''We''re coming for Iris! Meow! Yeah, I got it! "Nina and Tina act as one set of two!Take a break and give me some support. I''ll do my best. I''m on it! Nina put on a strong face as she held the kettle tightly. When they met, it seemed fleeting and easy to disappear, but... He looks very dependable right now. Let''s go! ---------- Heh, now it''s time to show what I can do. Axe reached for the sword that was hanging at his waist. Even in its scabbard, he could see that the sword was thinner than normal. It was also slightly curved, giving it a unique shape. It was a ''katana'' that was said to be made only in the Eastern Great Land. In front of the approaching swarm of demons, Axe doesn''t get frightened.......rather, he smiles happily. He grasps the hilt of his sword and holds it in a subdued state. Lightly bent forward. And yet, one foot in front of you so that you can step in at any time. It''s a technique called ''Battou'', a sword technique that is passed down only in the Eastern Great Land. ''''If I show my good points here, Cell will notice my charm and... okay, I''m motivated!Watch me, demons!I''m not letting you get past this point!As long as I''m here.... "''Dragoon Howling! .... As Axe uttered some kind of frontal speech, from the side, Sora and Luna''s magic exploded from the side. A shockwave resembling a dragon''s roar swallowed the swarm of demons. ''''My cue........'''' There''s something about Axe''s shoulders, but he doesn''t seem to notice that, and Luna laughs high. ''''Hahaha!You see, our power! ''Luna, don''t let your guard down. I don''t think it''s working very well. Hmm?You''re pretty good at that. I''ll concentrate on the power of the next one. I''ve got to know where to go! "Inferno burst! "Tempest Edge! Once again, Sora and Luna''s magic burst forth. A tornado of red flame engulfed the leading group of demons....... Furthermore, a vacuum blade danced wildly there. The demon was silenced this time by the combined attack of fire and wind. However, that was only part of it. There was a mountain of demons behind them. ''Mmm, it''s a pain in the ass. Can I blow them all up in one go with my super grade magic? ''No. If you use that stuff, you''ll get the village involved. It''s such a pain in the ass to have to do this soberly... but you have to do it! That''s the spirit. Sola and Luna exchanged small smiles. He continued, glaring at the swarm of demons. ''''Absolute Strike!'''' As if to stop the demons from advancing, ice cubes rained down from the sky. They crushed the demons, iced them and stopped them in their tracks. Even so, it would not be able to stop all the demons. The demons that escaped the impact charged at Sora and Luna without even looking back at their agonized friends. But that was within Luna''s expectations. ''''Hmmm, they''re simple guys. They didn''t even know they were being led by Sora to a certain place. I don''t need an explanation, just get on with it. Mm. I''m on it! A light gathers in Luna''s hands. She spins powerful words at it to the demons. ''Flash impact!'' Light and shockwaves exploded out of the air. They swallowed the leading group of demons that were protruding. It''s a wide-ranging magic that Luna often likes to use. It can strike down multiple opponents with the shockwave. However, this time Luna had arranged the magic. By narrowing down the range to narrower than normal, it conversely increases the power. It was hitting many times more power than normal. He didn''t just chant magic, he tweaked its structural formula and arranged its content. It was a power he had acquired through special training with Suzu. And......... Sola had also acquired new powers. She pointed her right hand at the demon. ''Vortex Lance! He points his left hand at the demon. ''Ignitorance!'' Shi Den and the Red Lotus Spear were released. The simultaneous use of multiple magic ... that''s the new power Sora got. It''s a power that ordinary people can''t think of. In order to use magic, you need to build a structural formula in your mind. It requires an enormous amount of mental power, and usually it''s all you can do to build one. It''s a different power than the duplicate chanting that Rain uses. That one is the power to deploy a single magic multiple times at the same time. In contrast, this one is the power to deploy multiple magic at once and at the same time....... However, Sola came up with a way to build two at the same time. She repeated the practice in secret and made the technique her own. This was also the result of the special training with Suzu. ''''Wow, what is that? Luna was surprised when she saw Sola''s simultaneous magic chanting. At her sister''s reaction, Sola grinned at her sister''s reaction. ''''Fufufu, this is Sola''s trump card. ''Using two magics at once...?I don''t think that''s possible... Luna was amazed. Even Luna, who was of the spirit race, was amazed at the technology. ''''How, how can you do that! Would you like me to tell you? Tell me about it! But I''m not going to tell you. Nah! Seeing Luna thrashing about, Sora feels a sense of superiority. She was able to show her dignity as an older sister to her younger sister, who is usually a bit cocky. Ah, how pleasant it feels. ........Even though we are in the middle of a battle, I was thinking about such things. ''''Gruff! As if aiming for an opening between the two, a dog-shaped demon pounces on them. 147-Episode 147: Fighting the Most Evil 4 Sola and Luna braced themselves. Magic without chanting to intercept the attacking demons........ Phew! A moment later, the demon was cut in both directions to the side. It was Axe who did it. He pulled out his katana with divine speed. He cut down the demon as it was. Fast. Although Sora and Luna are remote jobs, they are the strongest species, so they have better kinetic vision than regular people. Even so, they were unable to see Axe''s slash. A gust of wind blew. The next moment when I thought that, the demon had died out. ''''Shh!Okay! Axe, who drew his sword, cut down the demons one after another as it is. Each one is a blow. Also, with his flowing movements, he doesn''t leave any gaps at all. ''''Oh ... it''s amazing. So he wasn''t a flippant man.'''' ''That''s an A-grade. You''re not a very flamboyant man, are you? ''Why don''t you talk about those things elsewhere?I can hear you. Axe tsked as he dexterously fought the demon. ''''Well, that''s just fine,'''' ''I''m saying it so you can hear me, so it''s no surprise! You know what? Despite the shouting, Axe''s movements are undisturbed. Like a sharpened blade, he slaughters the attacking demons with brilliant movements. However, there are a large number of enemies. Seemingly possessing a certain level of intelligence, the demons deployed to surround Axe. Even so, Axe did not panic. He remained calm and cut down the enemies in front of him. How could he do that? Because he has a partner he can count on. ''Phew!'' The cell in the back draws the bow. Then, he releases an arrow. The arrow is sucked in and pierces the head of the demon that was about to attack Axe. The arrow pierced deep enough to pierce the head, and the demon couldn''t even scream and died. ''''Guh!'''' Recognizing a new enemy, the demons turned to their cells. Several demons attacked at once. Cell''s gain is a bow. It''s the one that shows its true value in remote combat, and there''s nothing you can do about it if you can close the distance. There shouldn''t be anything you can do about it, but....... ''Phew!Ha! Cell didn''t panic and fired arrows at the demons that were heading towards him. The two demons sank to the ground with the accurate and unmatched shooting. Without stopping at the death of his companions, the demons closed in on Cell. Cell holds three arrows at the same time......................and releases them! The arrows flew like willing birds, each piercing the demon''s head. Still, the surviving demons were present. By sacrificing his friends, he was able to flesh out his cell. They would allow the enemy to approach, but.... Cell still doesn''t panic. He spins his bow like a cudgel and strikes the demon. Then, without missing the frightened opening, he fired from zero distance. The demon that was about to attack the cell was annihilated. ''''Wow ... it''s amazing. How could it move like that...?'''' ''''The last time I saw you, your super long-range shooting was amazing... but I''ve never heard of a remote job that can do close combat...'''' Luna and Sora were stunned. That''s how far outside of the norm the cell fight was. To be shown such a fight.... They get excited. ''My sister!We are not to be outdone, so let''s go! ''Yes, I suppose so!'' I can''t let Axe and Cell beat me to it. With even more motivation, the two of them chanted a new magic. ---------- Nnnn! Aggus''s great sword roared and attacked Iris. But Iris keeps a cool look on her face. It''s like catching a toy sword, and he catches it with one hand. The hand that catches it will not be injured. Also, the pressure doesn''t push your body. ''''Tch, what is this sturdiness! Hmmm, is that all you''ve got? Arios! I know! Aggus put more strength into his hand holding the sword. As it is, he cleaves away and blows Iris away. Then, as his stance collapses, Arios'' magic explodes. ''''Lunatic Bolt! An extreme thunderstorm fell. It was as if a giant divine fist had fallen from the heavens. An overwhelming light enveloped Iris, bringing a storm of destruction. The ground is gutted and the surrounding plants and trees are blown away. But......... Are you a monster? "Hmmm. Iris was still alive and well. She didn''t seem to have suffered much damage, and she was smiling. ''''Come to think of it, you were a brave man, weren''t you? What about it? ''No, no, I thought that was as good as it gets?I can''t believe you blew up my wards. ...what? I''m not going to be able to tell you what to do with it. It is based on a power that speaks to different dimensions and times, and distorts the space around me. As a result of this, ordinary attacks can''t cause even a scratch on me. But.........there is a limit, though. If the attack like the one we''re experiencing now is consumed, the wards will not be able to withstand it and will collapse. "Flippin'' ... are you sure you want to talk like that? I''ve been thinking about something recently. Grinning, Iris smiles evilly. ''''I thought a one-sided war of annihilation would be boring. Oh, no. You don''t get the wrong idea, do you?I love to kill people... I almost reach for the thought of being able to slaughter them. But, but?If you don''t have too much resistance, that''s what you''re going to miss... You demon. Hmmm... do your best to resist. And make fun of me, won''t you? You''re the one who''s going to pay for betraying me! Arios drew his sword and slashed at Iris. Seemingly not lying in his words that the warding was destroyed, Iris generated a blade with magic power and caught Arios'' sword. ''''Guh!'''' Arios does his best to stand against Iris with all his strength to cut both of them off, but the blade won''t go any further. He was blocked by Iris''s magic blade, and, pitter-patter, they were antagonized there. ''''This guy, what power...! Well, we don''t claim to be the most powerful species. How about this? Aggus regains his stance and joins Arios on the ground. However, Iris doesn''t break a smile with room to spare. He produced another magical blade and received sword shots from both sides. ''''Kook, even this won''t do...! Agus, put some effort into it! I''m trying! ''Giggle, isn''t this a time for arguing? What? I can still do magic in this state, you know? Iris spins a curse as she catches their swords. ''Come. Fire of the Otherworld. Black flames rose from Arios and Aggus'' feet. It swirled like a tornado, burning and blasting their bodies. ''''Whoa whoa whoa! ''Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! The two screams overlapped. Then a further chase was unleashed. ''Come. The Whirlwind of Doom. 148-Episode 148: Fighting the Most Evil 5 A storm rages a short distance away. I glanced at him and saw the wind raging like a dragon, swallowing Arios and the others. Will they be okay? I don''t like the guy, but if he falls down here and now, he''ll be dealing with two Iris at the same time. At the very least, I hope he can keep it until he does something about us, but.... ''Hmmm, which way are you looking?'' Huh? The next thing I knew, Iris was approaching in front of me. Even though he was looking at Arios, he should have been on guard against Iris... What speed. He closed the distance between them in just a moment. Its physical abilities could be comparable to the cat spirit race. ''''Unyaah! The Kanade jumped high in the sky. It spun around and came crashing down. It landed like a meteorite. A powerful kick is delivered to Iris. However. Oh, my. You''re looking good. Mmmm, meow...! Iris caught Kanade''s thrust with both hands. She didn''t appear to be taking damage. On the contrary, she had a spare smile on her face. ''''It''s not over yet! Kanade spun around and landed dexterously on the ground. Without a moment''s pause, he rushed forward like a cannonball. He slammed his right and left fists in succession. Furthermore, he spun on the spot while trying to take advantage of those flows. Aiming at Iris'' neck, he connected with a sharp spinning kick. There''s no way to miss here. Like a pincer, I, too, slam a kick into Iris from the other side, but.... "Hmm. Once again, the attack is blocked. Iris didn''t use her hands this time, but received our attack with her unprotected body. I could only feel a sensation as if I had struck thick rubber, but there was no response. As I thought, Iris''s body seems to be wrapped in some kind of ward. I''m not sure what kind of thing it depends on, but....... If we hit him with more attacks than his durability, we should be able to offset it. ''Nina!'' Hmm...! With a huff, I shifted and Nina appeared right next to me. As it is, she touches me and Kanade. Once again, she takes me and Kanade and transitions away from Iris. ''We''ll do it too! Oh, what? As Tina shouted, Iris'' movements visibly slowed down. It was a magic that applied the possession ability to stop the opponent''s movements. This can only be handled by Tina, a ghost. Iris''s wards seemed to only prevent attacks, and she was affected by Tina''s magic. Chance is now. ''Tania! I''ve been waiting for you. Watch that direction! ''I know, I''m not going to screw up and bring the village into this! Tania''s Dragon Breath. For a moment, the world turns white. A huge rush of light is released and engulfs Iris. ''''Guh........! Tania, who has been trained to the hilt by special training with Suzu-san, unleashes a desperate strike. It seems that this is indeed irresistible, and Iris''s face is twisted in a pained manner. And then......... Kink!With a high-pitched sound, something shatters. It''s a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s a good thing that they''re still so fierce. It''s got to be some kind of warding. Does this mean that our attack will work? Yeah, I did it. That''s what I call Tania. Kanade praises Tania, who is proud of it. You''re very close. Are you still going to do it? When asked, Iris laughs wryly. ''''Hmph........Do you think you have beaten me just by breaking the wards?It''s sweet. If anything, we''re about to make a real killing. ...kill each other, right? Can I help you? Do you really have to do that? What? When I asked her a question, Iris raised her eyebrows as if she didn''t understand. She gives me a strange look, as if I''m speaking the language of an uncivilized land. The other party is a being that is said to bring disaster. He was called a demon and was sealed away. Maybe it was a reckless act to persuade such an Iris. Or perhaps it''s a meaningless act. Iris has already killed a number of people, he said. And he says he plans to kill many more people in the future. He is definitely an existence that is called ''evil''. But......... For some reason, I don''t see Iris as simply evil to me. Every time I think back to that night''s encounter, I think so. So. If I could, I would want to talk it out. ''Is Iris''s goal really to kill people?Is that all you have? .... ''It won''t erase the sins you''ve already committed but it won''t make you any more guilty, will it? .... ''Maybe we''ve had a misunderstanding. There may have been a misunderstanding. Maybe there was a difference in perception. So ... can''t we talk about it first?We can fight afterwards, can''t we? .... Iris is stunned. Next, he chuckles. ''''Hmph........I''m surprised. To say such a thing after this period. You are more of a good-natured person than I thought, aren''t you, Rain-sama? It''s Rayne! For some reason, Kanade proudly beamed. Tania and Nina have a similar look on their faces to Kanade''s. That means they agree with what I''m doing. It''s nice to see everyone''s approval, even though it''s at a time like this. ''Good-natured Rain-sama I''ve never seen anyone like you before. ''Really?I''m sure there are guys like me all over the place... No, sir. There are very few people like you the rest of us are less than trash. There was a clear hatred in Iris when she said that. A deep, deep hatred........ A chill that seemed to be swallowed by the blackness of the dusky, bottomless darkness. The hatred Iris had just unleashed would only be a part of the whole. Just a small part. And yet, I can''t help but feel a chill run down my back. But, however?If you want me to miss the other humans, I can''t comply. Iris smiles madly. The girl, Iris, had a deep hatred for every inch of her life. She had an overwhelming hatred for humans. What on earth could make her like this? What kind of experience would give you such a crazy reminder? I''m slightly put off by Iris'' unfathomable hatred. But. But I can''t retreat from the situation here. If I retreat, the villagers will be killed. Iris will surely kill them all, just as she declared. I can''t allow that to happen. I can''t let it go unnoticed. No matter what the circumstances, we can''t leave it at that. For the sake of the villagers ... and for the sake of Iris. ''Negotiations are broken........'' ''Hmmm I''m sorry to hear that. So, what do you want to do?Do you want to kill me? "We will fight but we will not kill each other. Iris I will stop you. ''''........Hmmm. Really interesting person. Okay, if you can do it, try it. 149-Episode 149: Fighting the Most Evil 6 Iris'' wards have already been destroyed. Our attack will reach it. However, I still can''t see the bottom of Iris. Although there is information that he uses summoning magic, that won''t be all of it. What other powers do they have hidden away? How do we fight? There is an overwhelming lack of information on those things. It''s dangerous to set them up unwisely. It would be dangerous, but... ''Canade and Tania, follow me!Nina and Tina, keep it up and cover me! Roger! I saw Kanade nod and then I ran. I shouldn''t bypass Iris. However, sometimes you have to dare to take a risk. First I cut in and bring out Iris''s fighting style. Then I''ll let Kanade and Tania take the blows. That''s the plan I had in mind. ''''Hmph. Are you going to dance from Rain-sama all of a sudden? Take it easy on me, okay? What should we do now? As he ran, he ejected a needle from his left hand Narkami. My target was Iris''s eye. The needle flies fast, but........ Iris holds up her hand as if it were a natural thing to do, preventing the needle. It''s an amazing reflex. Isn''t it comparable to the cat spirit race? I don''t know of any other strongest species with this many specs other than the cat spirit race. Not only do they have mastered their magic power, but they''ve also mastered their physical abilities... the Heavenly Race is a foul existence. But it''s expected that Iris will prevent it. The movement of ''preventing'' slows down slightly. I took advantage of the gap and approached even closer. When he gets close enough to my eyes, he swings his Kamui. ''''Say!'''' Oh, my goodness. I''m not impressed with the idea of knives for women. ''If you go easy on Iris, you''re going to regret it! Hmmm.........you''re right about that perception. Iris spread her wings. What is it? What do you do? I pay attention to Iris''s movements so that I don''t miss a single move. It allowed me to see. Iris''s wings flash like a blade. And like countless arrows, wings shot out........ ''What? He reversed the gravity on himself. I doubled it further. My body falls to the sky. A few moments later........ The countless feathers of the Iris reap where they were just now. It''s like a swarm of crop-devouring locusts. The tyranny is so great that there is nothing left to do. "Gravity Manipulation! Use gravity manipulation again. Returning the direction of gravity to normal, he charges from directly above Iris. At the same time, he ejects the Narkami wire. The wire is entangled in Iris''s wings, which were about to release their wings again, blocking her movement. ''''Oh, dear.'''' f*ck you! Add the power of a gravity fall and a kick. It''s a blow that can crush even a rock. Even the strongest species can''t take it seriously........ What? ''Oh dear. That''s a very passionate approach. Iris kept a cool face, and with one hand, she was able to catch the rock-shattering kick with one hand. I may have been wrong in my perception. Iris didn''t have the physical abilities of the cat spirit race... He has more physical abilities than the cat spirit race. It might be comparable to Suzu''s. Come on. Thunderbolt of annihilation. As if to scoop it up, Iris moved her palm. As if in response to that movement, a jet-black thunderbolt flew from the void. ''''Boost!'''' That''s not good. I sensed the danger with my instincts, and without hesitation I cast a physical ability enhancement spell on myself. My body becomes light as a feather. I leap to the side in a big way to avoid the lightning strike. ''''Fireball Multi-Shot!'''' He also shot out multiple fireballs as a shield. The fireballs and lightning strikes collide and an explosion occurs. Offsetting each other...............I can''t do it! After passing through the explosive flames, a thunderbolt crawled on the ground like a snake. Then.........! Matter Creation! I use the power I contracted with Nina. In the past, I would have had to take my time in formulating the power and taking my time to use it, but..... Thanks to Suzu''s special training, I was able to use my abilities while fighting like this. Should I say that I have more resources to devote to using my abilities? I created an iron spear. Although I''ve gotten used to using my abilities to a certain extent, this is still the limit. However, this is enough for now. I stabbed the iron spear into the ground. In the meantime, I used gravity manipulation to escape into the sky. Gaga-gaga!!!! The thunderbolt released by Iris got tangled in the iron spear as if it was being sucked in. I thought of it as a lightning rod, but it seems to have worked. ''''Come. Annihilation lightning strike. What? Without a moment''s pause, Iris unleashes another thunderbolt. That much magic in a row? Unless you''re a spirit race, I thought you couldn''t do that.... Everywhere, it seems, Iris is substandard. However, the surprise was just beginning. ''''Huh, you shouldn''t be surprised like this. What? Come on. Otherworldly fire. Nope. You used two spells at once? It''s different, similar to my ability. In my case, it''s the ability to use multiple spells at the same time. In contrast, Iris is using multiple spells at the same time. She''s more difficult. It''s because they have to build multiple magic structure formulas at the same time. Naturally, the magic power consumed is large, and the resources devoted to building a magic structural formula, such as the thinking and mental power required to build it, are large. After training with Suzu, Sora was able to use multiple magic at the same time. Even so, she is still limited to using two magic at the same time. And yet......... "Hmmm ... come on. The Whirlwind of Doom. Iris tried to use all three magics at the same time. No......... I''m not done. Come. The Ice Bullet of Woe. Four magics at once! Nonsense, you can''t do that! Even with Sora and Luna of the spirit race, two simultaneous uses are the limit right now... Beyond that easily, using four of them at the same time was not a normal thing to do. If you admit that it''s possible, then the Heavenly Clan has more magic power than the spirit race. How could such a thing be possible... Huh. And now is not the time to be surprised. We''ve got to avoid this somehow. This........................... With such a voice, a light rushed through. 150-Episode 150: Fighting the Most Evil 7 The voice is Tania. She unfolds her dragon wings and unleashes a deadly dragon breath. The target isn''t Iris. It was Iris who cast the spell. The magic that tried to bite me is swallowed up by Tania''s dragon breath. You can''t resist the overwhelming rush of light, and all of Iris''s magic is gone. ''''Phew.'''' Thank God. That was a close call. Thanks to Tania for the help. But I think we were out of range...? I looked at Tania in question.... Hmm. Nina was with her. She was holding the kettle with Tina under her arm, while holding hands with Tania. They must have approached with the instantaneous transference ability that the divine race possessed. Nina had also received Suzu''s special training lightly, so she had become good at such coordination. I mean, can''t I see Kanade? ''Unyaah! Kanade screams from the sky. Before I knew it, she seems to have decided to make an oversized jump and approaches Iris as she falls. ''''Oh dear, if you do that.......hmmm, good target. Come. Fire of the Otherworld.'''' Flames flooded from Iris'' hand. It turned into a disastrous jet-black color and raced like a beast. Kanade, who is in the sky, has no way to avoid it. He can only fall prey to Iris'' flames as it is. .........and Iris would have thought. ''''Nyan!'''' What? Just before the flames landed.... Kanade kicked him in the air. The recoil caused his body to slide sideways to avoid the flames. It''s a move that Suzu showed him. It''s an absurd technique of kicking in the air, but..... Kanade had taken over. However, the success rate didn''t seem to be that high, though he said it was about 30%. ''''Unyannya! The canade spins around and around. It fell like a meteorite.... I''m going to crash into Iris! d*mn! Falling speed + the power of the cat spirit race. As expected, this was irresistible, and Iris''s face was twisted. However, even so, she didn''t seem to have received any major damage. Rather, would it be more accurate to say that he was surprised by the unexpected behavior? Iris quickly regained her composure and used her usual cool face to work her magic. ''Come. Otherworldly fire. Come. An ice bullet of sorrow. Come on. Annihilation thunderbolt. Uh-oh! Three spells were unleashed one after another, and Kanade panicked. A storm of violence loomed over Kanade with no place to escape. ''''Fuuuuuu....'''' Kanade took a deep breath and calmed his disturbed concentration. Then he put all his strength into his body. ''''Nyah!'''' Intercept the oncoming fire with your fists! The fist pressure drowned out the roaring flames. Continuing, he cleaved the ice bullet with his foot. Released like a spear, Kanade''s kick pierced the ice bullet and shattered it to pieces. But that''s the limit. Using both hands and feet, there was no way to prevent the third magic. But there''s no expression of impatience on Kanade''s face. Is he hiding his back hand? No, it''s not. It''s just that... "Dragoon Howling! Tania''s magic exploded just in time, almost grazing Kanade. A shockwave that mimics a dragon''s roar collides with Iris'' magic, offsetting it. Kanade has friends that he can rely on. I''m sure his friends will take care of it. It''s because he thought that, he didn''t do anything rushed. ''Oh dear.'' Although the attack was unsuccessful, Iris''s expression remains the same. She still has a spare smile on her face. ''''You can do it. As expected of the strongest species like me. Hmmm, we''re strong. I mean, you''ve never been good at this. I''ve never seen or heard of you using four different types of magic at once. Hmmm ... what kind of a magic trick is that? Do you want me to tell you? For future reference. Well, let me tell you something. Huh?You''re going to tell me? Tania gets a strange look on her face at Iris'' honest words. Kanade next to her also makes a quizzical expression. ''''Nya ... it''s suspicious that you''re teaching me honestly. Are you up to something?'''' No, I don''t think so. "Shit. I don''t normally show my hand! That''s normal. ''''But...'''' after a pause, Iris continued her story. ''''What if there is such a difference in power that there is no warning?Then there''s nothing wrong with exposing your hand, right?Rather, it''s an appropriate handicap, isn''t it? It''s in bad taste. Hmm, I don''t know why I''ve grown up with this kind of personality. Iris laughs while accepting even my words as if she is enjoying them. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who has the same magical power as the spirit race, but that doesn''t mean that you''ll be able to surpass the spirit race, at least not by much. It''s just a little lower than that, right?So you can''t use more than one magic at a time. But you actually used to use it. Iris responds to Kanade''s plausible argument with a laugh. ''That wasn''t magic. "Huh? What are you talking about?If that wasn''t magic, then what was it? Tania says as she bites down. ''Excuse me. I''m sorry to have to say that. It''s not that I don''t like it, but it''s a different kind of magic. The one I use is ''summoning magic''. It''s... Does this mean anything to you? Tania''s face stiffens. ''''I don''t create flames, I summon flames... that''s the summoning magic I use. Any kind of thing can be summoned to this place. And the characteristic of this summoning magic.......is that it can be used endlessly. Wha...? The summoning magic I deal with is a very useful thing, you know?There''s no limit to how many you can summon at once. Also, there''s no limit to what you can summon. Just like I summoned me, I summoned a large number of demons, and there is no limit to what I can summon, Iris laughs. I finally understand what that spare smile is. If what she just said was true, Iris could literally exercise the same power as magic without limit. All kinds of powers. No limit to one at a time. Does Iris have that kind of power...? So if that''s the case.... Well I''ll ask you again. Do you want to continue? .... "We''ve had a light exchange, but I can''t give you a definitive answer. I''m not the only one who hasn''t given it his all, and it seems to be the same for you, but... giggle. Iris laughs innocently, like a child. .................A terrible smile that seems to push out the cruel side of a child. ''''If you put everything out there.......who will really be able to stand to the end?Master Rayne is confident that he will bring me down to earth? I''m not gonna lie. I''m confident that I''ve become stronger after being trained by Suzu-san. I can say that the demon tribe that appeared before could handle it all by themselves. However, Iris is different. She''s even more of a monster than I imagined. If I hadn''t had Suz-san train me, I might not have been able to last a second. To be honest, I don''t want to deal with it head on, but....... But I can''t leave now. There are innocent people behind me. I''m not going to let them get away with it. At that moment, Iris''s smile disappeared. ''''Innocent...?You say some strange things. Iris? ''I have sins. There are sins that cannot be wiped away, that cannot be forgotten, that cannot be atoned for. That''s what makes us human beings so sinful. That said, Iris''s face was filled with a bottomless hatred. 151-Episode 151: Fighting the Most Evil 8 Iris you are the one who is... Now, for the first time, I felt like I was in touch with the real Iris. Why did she harbor such a strong hatred for him? Why do you see humans as the enemy? A pure question arises I want to know about her........ ''....Excuse me. I''m a little distraught. Iris kept her hatred inside and smiled her usual smile. ''What drives Iris to that point?What ... what the ... what happened? Hmph, that kind of thing doesn''t really matter, does it? Not good. He refused, clearly. ''I ... I want to know about Iris. .... Iris is stunned. "Hmm, hahahahaha! Next, he laughed. ''A truly strange person. To do such a thing and say such a thing at such a time... hmmm. It''s interesting. Iris can you tell me? Well then, here''s what we''ll do. Iris opens her mouth as if she has a good idea. It''s a good idea," he said, "to deliver a solid blow to me. If you have shown that much power, let''s answer Rain-sama''s question. And.....yes. I will retire from this place. That''s a hell of a deal. ''''That''s how much you like Rain-sama, I guess. And..... Iris snaps her fingers. ''Since it''s nearly impossible for Rain-sama to achieve the current conditions. A flame appeared in the void. Not one. Two, three, four.......more and more. ''Hmph........come on. Otherworldly flames. All here. Apparently, the story about summoning magic not having the limitations that ordinary magic tends to have isn''t a lie. One after another, a mass of fire was summoned.... It would fill my vision. ''''Hmph. This is my power. I agree.... What a monster... Kanade and Tania shriveled up at the sight of the unbelievable violence. I was terrified, too. If I let my mind wander, my legs would shake. Still. I can''t just retreat here! How can you resist in the face of so much power? I will resist. Now..........let''s see it. Layne-sama''s determination and power! The flames unfolded in the air and moved in unison. Like a beast biting its prey. Running from the sky to the ground, they attacked us. ''''Multi-boost!'''' Nyan! This is... He cast an ability-enhancing spell on Kanade and Tania. After gaining power, Kanade held his fist in a hollowed out position. Put your strength into it. Focus your mind further. And then he unleashes a blow like a cannonball! ''Unyaah! The Kanade fist is out of the air and.... Gosh!And the wind was disturbed. The fist pressure drowned out some of the flames. ''The miscellaneous work isn''t in my nature I''ll put it all together and extinguish it! Tania spread her wings as if to show off herself. The light on those wings ... the magic power converges. And then it strikes with all its might! A special dragon breath clears away the approaching flames. A flash of heat that could fill the world. No matter how powerful Iris''s magic is, it can''t shoot through a dragon breath that is more powerful than that. Every bit of flame was shot down by Tania''s Breath. Yet, there is still a small amount of flame left. We''ve secured our safety, but it hasn''t stopped anything from flying into the village. But there''s no need to rush. Hmm...! Nina held up her hand and the flames went out. A few moments later, a flame appeared somewhere else entirely, landing in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of nowhere. Nina had remotely controlled the flames to force them to transfer. It was a power she had acquired in her special training with Suzu. Apparently it''s still difficult to deal with living people and the like, but like now, it seems to be able to deflect attack magic without any problems. ''''I won''t let you do it! As if in response, the flying flames change their trajectory. As it is, the flames and the flames get closer and closer.......and then they make contact. It was an induced explosion. So Tina''s magic power intervened in the trajectory of the flames and they smashed into each other. This was also the power I gained from my special training with Suzu. With his magical power raised to the bottom, he is now able to perform extraordinary tricks. Oh, my. You''re quite good at it. Despite the fact that the attack was prevented, Iris''s leeway did not disappear. Rather, she seemed to be enjoying herself more. ''''Then ... how about this kind of thing?Come on, otherworldly fire. It''s all here. Come, the thunderbolt of annihilation. All here. Come on, ice bullets of sorrow. All here. What...? The flames filled my vision again. That wasn''t all. Thunderbolts and ice bombs joined in, and a storm of violence erupted. ''''I can summon it again and again, as many times as I want. I can unleash as many storms of violence as I want without running out and without ending. And yet, each blow is equal to the hammer of God. If I do say so myself, it''s a joke, but it''s so powerful. Now, how will you respond to this?Can you resist?Hmmm, let''s see what you guys can do. I can do it! There is no time to be afraid. There is no room for retreat. We just have to keep moving forward! He passed Kamui and ran towards Iris. ''Oh, dear. Have you become desperate? Iris flicked her fingers lightly and... With that, a rain of flames came down first. ''''Fireball Multi-Shot!'''' He activated his magic at maximum power. I also deployed several more at the same time to intercept Iris''s flames. My magic and Iris''s flames collided with each other, causing a huge explosion. The other flames disappeared as well, caught up in the explosion. ''''Hmph, we''ll do it. But how about this one? All the ice bullets came down at once. Each blow was as sharp as a spear and as fast as a bird. If he received even one shot, he would be rendered unable to fight at that point. ''''Matter Creation!'''' I put my hands on the ground and poured my magic power into the ground. The ground rises and covers the surroundings just as I imagined it would. It''s a power arranged from the power I got from making a contract with Nina, ''Matter Creation''. By channeling my magic power, I was able to not only create matter, but also design it in even more detail. It''s also possible to create earthen walls like this. As a bonus, the strength has more than doubled due to the flow of magic power. All of the ice bullets Iris fired were blocked by the earthen shield. ''''Oh, do you want to prevent that one too?'''' That was a little close, though. The earthen shield had been pierced by countless ice bullets and was on the verge of collapse. If there had been a few more of them, they might not have been able to prevent it. ''''Aren''t you going to give up yet?'''' Unfortunately, I''m not a very good resigner. You won''t like that sort of thing, will you? Iris snapped her fingers and the last remaining thunderstorm started up. Over a hundred lightning strikes bunched into one and became a raging thunder dragon that attacked. I, on the other hand, have no means of preventing it. What should I do? The answer is..... 152-Episode 152: Fighting the Most Evil 9 Hmm....Rain! With a humming sound, Nina appeared next to me. Putting her hands on me... Transition as it is. Passing through the thunder dragon, I move in front of Iris at once. ''''That kind of rough work.......is it possible? ''It''s ants!I''m sorry, but I don''t fight alone. I have friends that I can count on! Exactly! While our attention was on us, Kanade approached Iris at once. Iris''s gaze swings from side to side. Me and Nina, and Kanade. They seem to be wondering which one to aim for. That gap becomes a big hole. ''''That''s enough! Tania, who remained in the rear, shot out a series of fireballs. One shot, two shots, three shots. The oversized fireballs closed in on Iris. ''Come on, sorrowful ice bombs. Iris summoned an ice bullet and intercepted Tania''s fireball. The power of the ice bullets was tremendous, canceling out the fireball without a trace. Still. The interceptions take up so much time that their response to us is delayed. That''s probably Tania''s aim. Having received the thoughts of our companions, we quickly become flesh and blood on Iris. "Say it! Unny! Me and Kanade, hitting Iris from both sides. Iris catches our attacks with both hands. Aside from me, I can''t believe I''m catching a blow from Kanade... As usual, it''s still a ridiculous physical ability. Once again, I''m reminded of the Heavenly Clan''s bullshit power. Still......... We can''t give up, and it''s not like we''ve decided that we can''t reach Iris in the first place. ''''Hmm........! Nina, who was nearby, moved directly above Iris in transition. Wary, Iris tried to brace herself, but... I won''t let you! Me and Kanade hit a rush under our breath and blocked Iris'' hand. Meanwhile, Nina moved... With a snap, he stuck to Iris'' back. ''What, what is it?'' As expected, Iris is also confused. What will he do? He is flustered, seemingly unable to read Nina''s intentions. And Nina, our Nina........ Rain. He looks at me. I was able to get some idea of what they were going to do by looking into their eyes. I don''t know if it''s the sense of trust or the cooperation that comes from being friends....... That''s the kind of connection I think it''s all about. Hmm! Nina made the transition with Iris. The transition was to........ Shit this is... In the ground. The transition was executed in the form of Iris'' lower body buried in the ground. Of course, Nina wouldn''t be buried in the ground. They dared to shift the coordinates of Iris''s transition destination alone and made her burrow into the ground. ''''Bai, Bai.'''' Nina used the transference again and took shelter in a hurry. ''''There''s a gap!'''' Kanade runs at Iris, who can''t move. He tries to deliver a merciless blow, but.... Please don''t lick me too much for this. Meow! Twisting your body, flapping your wings.... Iris made a huge hole in the ground and made her escape. It''s outrageous that he could escape from a situation like that so quickly. He has a bullshit physical ability. Kanade seems to be surprised and stops in his tracks. ''''Come on, otherworldly flames.'''' Iris''s fire bursts forth, but.... I wouldn''t allow it to hit Kanade. I pull back from Kanade''s hand and take his body in my embrace. By doing so, I manage to avoid it. ''''Hmph!Awwww. For some reason, Kanade turns red, but I can''t be bothered. Although Nina''s transition didn''t make it possible to seal it off... But we could buy ourselves some time. Once again, we''ll be fleshed out by Iris. Just one more thing. If we can get a clear shot...! Think about it and... I had an idea. "Come on, otherworldly... Stop! With all the magic power I could find, I shouted with all my might. ''''Wha........? Here, for the first time, the color of composure disappeared from Iris''s face. As if in a golden bind, Iris''s movements stop. Her fingertips and other parts of her body are twitching, but that''s all. She seems unable to move her body freely, revealing her confusion. "This is.........what in the world is.......what.......? A beast tamer can give a simple order without a contract. Of course, that doesn''t work against any opponent. It''s hard to work against animals with strong powers and... And it''s not something you can do against the most powerful species. And yet, I thought to myself, "If I can do it now.... I thought that if it was me now, maybe I could do it.... I was able to meet everyone and get help from everyone. On top of that, Suzu gave me special training, and I was able to gain a certain amount of confidence. That''s how much we''ve accumulated. That''s why it''s possible, isn''t it?So I thought. And.........that thought was correct. d*mn.........! Iris regained her freedom with a motion that seemed to unravel the threads that were tangled in her body. The time he was able to restrain himself would be about a second? I think he did well against the strongest species. But..... That one second is enough. Kanade! Yeah. He held hands with Kanade. Then I held my camouflage at the ready. I can feel the power flowing in through our linked hands. As the red sword blade is heated, it becomes even redder. ''Come, otherworldly...'' Too late! He approached until he was right in front of Iris. This would involve me, so I can''t use magic. Now.........checkmate. ''''How about this........how about this! I swung my camouflage, filled with the power of me and Kanade, down at Iris. 153-Episode 153 Still, yet... A large amount of dirt smoke rises and blocks the view. Suzu has also been cornered, an all-out blow by Kamui. If this is......... ...phew. As his vision cleared, he could see Iris'' figure. Even if he had amazing physical abilities, he couldn''t call that one unharmed, as expected. It was ragged and bleeding everywhere. The color of the blood was........red. ''''How can I say it, well I didn''t expect you to go this far. Not just a blow to me, but to drive me into a corner. You seem to have a lot of room for that, though, don''t you? It''s called emaciation. I don''t want to show Rayne-sama that I''m miserable. Hmm. What a thing to say, but Iris is standing on a firm footing. There''s no doubt that she''s damaged in her own way, but.... And yet, it''s still not quite there, is it? Not only does he have amazing physical abilities, but he''s also tougher than you can imagine... I didn''t realize how troublesome it would be to make enemies with the strongest species. I''m really glad I had Suz-san put some training on me. If I hadn''t trained against the strongest species, I wouldn''t have been able to push Iris to this point. If it wasn''t for Suzu-san''s training, she would have been swallowed up by the more overwhelming power Iris possessed and would have been destroyed in no time. ''''Well ... what do we do now?'''' .... Can we just call it a day? Well I guess we''re done here. I can''t help but look up at the unexpected words. Seeing me like that, Iris smiles a small smile. ''''Huh, what''s wrong?You look like a fish flying through the air, don''t you? ''Uh ... no, I didn''t expect Iris to retreat honestly,'' Oh, dear. I''m not a wild boar, you know.It''s a shame, but Miss Lane is ... no. You are strong, Rain-sama and the others are strong. Even if we continue to fight, it''s doubtful that we''ll be able to win. You''re a very humble man. ''Because if you can''t analyse a place calmly, you''ll die. I will not commit such folly. I see. Besides, you promised me. If only I could deliver a blow to me. I was given something far more than a blow. Let''s step aside for now. I am, despite my appearance, a man of my word, you know?Well, it depends on who you''re dealing with, but giggle. Iris snapped her fingers. In response to the signal, another Iris, who had been fighting with Arios and the others, comes over here. Arios and the others didn''t seem to have the energy to chase after them and slumped down on the spot. ''''What''s wrong?'''' The other Iris speaks to Iris while the other Iris looks at her curiously. ...........................There''s something complicated here. ''We''re retreating,'' ''What?Oh?Is this the kind of place you want to pull up?I, for one, would still like to have some fun... I''ve made that kind of promise, so it can''t be helped. Besides, you must remember that I have the upper hand on this occasion. Yes, I know. I don''t want to go against you, the body. Well, I guess I''m done with you, then. I''ll go back to my world. The other Iris turned to me and bowed gracefully. ''Then, good day to you.'' The figure disappeared as it melted into the air. I''m told that the summoning magic of the celestial race is not cancelled even if the surgeon falls.... The power that Iris herself possesses must have allowed her to return to her original world. I''m sure you''ll be able to see that the other me returned by summoning myself to the original world. To be precise, this is not the case at all, but it is a difficult subject, so I''ve tried to explain it simply. Well thank you for the explanation. No, you''re welcome. So........would it help if you could repatriate the demons over there as well? He pointed to the group of demons that Axe and the others were fighting. ''''Excuse me. Hey. ''If it''s Lady Rain and her friends, those demons are nothing to sneeze at, right?In the meantime, I''ll be leaving. Iris turned on her heel. She called out to its back. ''Wait!'' Oh my God, is there anything else? Did you promise to answer my question? ''Oh, you remembered correctly. I was going to get in the middle of the hustle and bustle and just vanish... Hey. Hmmm, just kidding. I break my promises sometimes, but if it''s someone I like, like Miss Lane, I''m pretty loyal to them. You can say all you want, though. ''Oh, it''s so sad that you don''t believe me. Well, I guess I had it coming, huh? Giggling, Iris laughs. She just seems to simply enjoy talking to me. When I look at her this way, she really does look like a normal girl, but... But Iris destroyed a single village....and not only that, she also went after the survivors. Why would he do that? I wanted to know what was at the source of Iris'' actions. ''We can''t just sit here and talk... can we?I''ll come back to Lady Lane''s at a later date. Will you be patient with that promise for now? You''re going to keep that promise, aren''t you?You wouldn''t break it like Arios, would you? Yes, of course. I told you.I like Miss Lane, you know?When it comes to a promise to someone like that, I''ll make sure I keep it. Well I believe it. Hmmm, it''s a strange feeling to be trusted by a human. Iris showed a complicated expression. Joy, anger, sorrow......................an emotion that cannot be expressed in words. However, it was only for a moment that she showed such an expression. As usual, Iris smiles. ''''Then I''ll see you later.'''' Yeah, I''ll see you later. Hello, Miss Lane. Iris bows politely and.... Then, in the briefest of moments of blinking, the figure disappeared. It must have used the same kind of power that the other Iris had used to repatriate itself earlier. ''''Well........'''' The mountains have been overcome for the moment, but the demons are still there. ''It will be a little while before we can settle down... Kanade, Nina. Can you still make it? ''Yeah, I''m fine! Hmmm... I''ll do my best. They nodded together. ''Then we''ll take care of the rest of the demons. Let''s go! ''Oh!'' ''Oh....'' With Kanade energetically pumping his fist up and Nina with her tail peeking up, he went to support Axe and the others. ---------- Since then, we all took care of the demons and were able to sweep them away safely. However, that doesn''t mean there was zero damage. The adventurer who was serving as a guard was injured when he was blown up by Iris first, and... Everyone else has a lot of minor injuries and such. Fortunately, I should say, there were no serious injuries, but.... With the addition of fatigue, it was impossible to move immediately. Naturally, there was no way he could chase after the escaped Iris... We were forced to rest in a Zith village. Well, it was all right. As for me, I had no intention of going after Ilisu. The truth of the matter is that it was a convenient way to get rid of the reason for the chase, and it helped. I can''t say this in front of the victim, though... Essentially, I don''t think it''s a good idea to think about this. I think.... I''m curious. Why did Iris do that? Why do you have such a strong hatred for humans? I can''t believe they didn''t know that and just decided to take it down as ''evil''.... It was like putting a lid on something that smells, and I felt like that wasn''t a fundamental solution. So I want to know about Iris. Why did she do that, what is she thinking? I wanted to touch Iris''s heart, yes, I wanted so badly. ''Am I naive, or am I?'' Meow? The outskirts of the village. As I was cooling off in the breeze, Kanade, who had followed me, tilted his head slightly. ''What is it, Rain?Sweet?Candy! ''No, I don''t have any candy. Don''t give me that twinkle in your eye. Yeah that''s too bad. Kanade''s tail twitched. ''When I say sweet, I mean me. To tell you the truth, I''ve been wanting to talk to Iris.....................and that''s not good enough. They''re destroying an entire village and... Hmmm, sounds good, doesn''t it? Kanade readily agreed. ''When I say sweet, I mean sweet. Is it as sweet as a dollop of sugar-laden condensed milk? Ugghhhhh Kanade says a lot too. Oh, I''m sorry?I don''t mean to mock Rain, but that''s not the point. Because we think it''s just the way Rayne is. It is because of this that we are all following along with you. 154-Episode 154 Pursuit So you''ll keep Rain on your toes, okay?It''s "the" thing to do, right?We like Rain like that. I see... Kanade''s words are soothing to me. Maybe I wanted someone to affirm me. Maybe I wanted someone to push me to be okay. Thank you, Kanade. Meow. I patted Kanade''s head. There''s a part of me that said it, or rather made me say it... Still, my heart was getting lighter. The fact that I wasn''t alone was reducing the burden on my heart. ''''........Huh? Kanade suddenly turned red as he seemed to remember something. ''What''s wrong?'' ''What?No, I mean....when I said I liked you, I meant that I liked you as a companion, but I didn''t mean that in a way that would make me feel any better. Nyahhhh! Wha, Kanade? ''Ugh don''t worry about it. It''s just a little bit of self-destruction and extremely embarrassing. Oh, yeah? Kanade''s face had turned bright red. Looking at him from the side, it looks like he''s done something big, but....... Well, since Kanade says it''s nothing, I don''t think it''s a good idea to pursue it. After hesitating, I decided to just pay attention and keep an eye on it. If the strange behavior continues, then we''ll talk to him again. ''''Um ... Rain, Rain.'''' Yeah? ''''We''ve repelled that Heavenly Clan, what are we going to do now?Are we going to find a way to seal it? That''s part of it but I''ve got some things to do first. Meow?To do?What''s that? I have. .... we need to pursue Arios. ---------- What do you want? I summoned Arios and his party to the village chief''s house. Inside are my party, Axe, and Cell. And the village chief and a few villagers. Even though the house has a decent amount of space, it feels cramped when this many people gather. However, it''s not the kind of thing to talk about where you don''t know who''s listening, so you''ll have to bear with me there. ''''We''re busy. We have to go after that Heavenly Clan now. If this is a boring story, can we talk about it later?'''' Is that how you''re gonna get away with it? What the...? I said, daring to provoke him. Arios glared at us, but he wasn''t scared at all. ''Didn''t we talk about this when Iris showed up?Iris is cooperating with Arios. The reason for this is that Arios has freed me... What? Arios'' expression distorts. ''''Nah, what the........'''' ''No way, that''s not possible! A brave man would never do such a thing. There was an uproar among the villagers. However, many people still believed in Arios again, and words came out to defend him. The villagers were all evacuated when the earlier story came out. They must not have listened. Arios saw those villagers and a smile appeared on his mouth. ''''Well can you stop with the trivial accusations?I''ve risked my life to save the villagers and I''m not going to release a demon. And yet, we don''t release a demon. And moreover, to collaborate with that demon... let''s not get all worldly. ''I don''t know.It''s fishy stuff. What did you say? ''I don''t know the purpose, but I''m sure Arios was trying to use Iris for his own purposes. I''ve heard that, for sure. But ... Arios had underestimated Iris. Maybe he thought he could control it. But Iris was better than him. She got out of Arios''s hands and went out of control and took a painful spanking...isn''t that about right? "...you say that as if you''ve seen it all. ''I still have a reasonable grasp of Arios, though. We''ve traveled together in our own way. Arios'' personality and what he is likely to do is somewhat predictable. He tried to use Iris, but it was used against him. That''s probably what the truth of this time is. But..... It was that kind of nonsense that caused the damage to be done. If Arios hadn''t broken the seal, none of this would have happened. Thinking about it made me angry. ''''Hmph, that''s nonsense. All of this is something you can only speculate about. Do you have any proof? It''s... No?There can''t be. It''s just your boring, delusional speech. To try to disgrace me by doing that.......are you ready for that? Arios is a brave man. He has deep ties to his country. If you report me as a traitor or something like that, I will be on the wanted list in a heartbeat. However, we can''t back down now. If we let Arios, who has done this, go free, what will he do next....... But first we have to do something about the current situation. We have to confront the evidence that Arios'' words are lies... I''ll be the witness. Rain didn''t lie. I''ll be a witness, too. Axe and Cell stepped forward. ''It''s true what Rain says. I''ve certainly heard it with my own ears. Likewise. He''s not lying. He''s the brave one who''s lying. Wha...? Arios panicked at the unexpected witness. ''''Ki, you guys.......do you know what will happen to me like that?I could turn you guys into traitors to your country with a single word, you know? "What? Do whatever you want!I''m not a hero. I feel like an idiot for wanting to be like you. I never thought I''d be such a bastard. ''I don''t know what you want, but you''re the one who''s bringing this about, aren''t you?Don''t you realize that? Goo.........these........guys...! Arios'' face turns blue, then red. ''Arios, please calm down,'' Yeah, we''ve got nothing to be ashamed of. Don''t panic! With Mina and Lean''s words, Arios seems to have regained some composure. His expression remains grim, but his tone is calm and calm as he proceeds to speak. ''''I see ... I understand what you guys have to say. But where''s the proof? It''s... Axe stammered. ''You have no proof that I have done such a thing, do you?Of course. There''s no way I''d do something like that. I am a brave man. I fight to protect the people who live in this country. And I am not going to put people in danger. When you say you will testify, which do you think people will believe, the words of a mere adventurer or the words of a brave man? Ggh............................ Stop it. I know how you feel, but you can''t mess with me here. Axe clenches his fists, but Cell stops him. Arios saw this and got more and more in tune. ''You said something boring, didn''t you?We''ll pay you back for this. Right now I''ve got my hands full with the demon case but you should be ready for it when it''s over. It won''t just be more than just revoking my adventurer''s license. It might even get you thrown in jail. You''ll have to pay for the crime of taunting me, and you''ll have to pay dearly for it. You want proof? Suddenly, Sora interjected. ''I have proof. What... what? Hey, is this guy for real? Axe bit into the story. ''Yes, it''s true,'' Hmm. There''s this thing called a stuck shovel! Luna joined the conversation. ''Silly ... it''s just silly, it''s just a bluff. There''s no such thing as that. ''Phew!However, there is!Come on, Sola. Let me show you. ''Why is Luna in charge when Sora was the one who started it....at all? While mumbling, Sora chanted a magic. Then......... The only thing that matters is that you are human. And he''s a brave man. Do you think I''ll always be willing to betray such a person? "...you!That''s not what you said. ''In return for releasing me, I''ll cooperate with you.......that was the kind of promise I made, but I''m tired of it. Or rather, I thought it was time to kill the survivors of Pagos...........Let''s take our cooperation to the end.'''' ''Wha... you... you ungrateful little bastard!How dare you? I set you free, didn''t I?And now you''re going to betray me!'' "Promises are meant to be broken. Visions of Iris and Arios were projected in the air. ''''Is this...?'''' It''s a magical recreation of a place''s memory. I looked at Sora as if to ask her a question, and she gave me such an answer. ''Cutting out a specific time in the past and recreating... well, to put it simply, it''s magic that allows you to see again what happened in the past. As you can see, it''s an elaborate reenactment, so it''s impossible to tamper with it to suit you. It recreates the facts as they are. That''s proof enough for you, isn''t it? Wha........stupid..... Arios'' face turns blue. In addition, Mina and Lean also turned blue. ''''And by the way, I have one more piece of evidence. With that, Sora took out her blood-stained dagger. 155-Episode 155: Uncovered Truth ''This is the remains of an adventurer found in the mountain where the shrine of the seal was located. The adventurer had been cut down by someone. Before I knew it, it seems that Sora had brought back the relics of that adventurer. Perhaps she had expected this to happen. ''''By the way, that culprit is the brave man there!I''m sure of it, as I''ve identified it by the magic of our spirit race. ''The motive is to get rid of the witnesses it''s reasonable to assume that he killed them because they were seen breaking the shrine of the seal. Ggh...! Arios bit his lip hard. ''Arios, what do you mean...?'' Hey, hey. You were talking about that adventurer running away. Mina and Leanne are in a panic. Apparently, they had kept the killing of the adventurers to keep their mouths shut from their friends. ''''It''s too much trouble to be told that the evidence is proof again, so let''s get on with it and show it off. Luna, go ahead. "Hmm. Behold my magic and be amazed!This is the magic of recreating the memories of the dead! Luna cast a spell. She used both the magic to search for memories and the magic to project those images. The perspective seemed to be that of a deceased adventurer, and I could see him alone with Arios, somewhere in the dimly lit mountains. There was some kind of argument... When the adventurers turned away, Arios slashed at them. A few villagers screamed as the scene flooded with blood. That''s when Luna stopped the magic, as she seemed to have decided that it was good for Kiri. ''''Nah........Gu......this.......'''' As expected of Arios, he can''t seem to excuse himself after being shown something like this. He just turns blue in the face, and it seems he can''t get any decent words out. ''''.........You have been cheating, have you?'''' The village chief said in a strangled tone. The other villagers also stared at Arios. What kind of guy... is this really the kind of guy who''s brave? I can''t believe I have to thank these people... The gazes of the villagers stabbed at Arios and the others like arrows. No, it''s not just the villagers. Axe and Cell also turned their eyes on Arios and the others as if they were looking at garbage. ''''Kuh ... it''s a travesty! Trapped, Arios fussed like a child. ''There is no way I can approve of this kind of thing!It''s a trap to set me up, it can''t be any other way. The only thing that comes back is a cold look. "d*mn........I''m not going to hang around with you guys! Arios! Oh, wait a minute!You can''t just leave me here! Arios and his men try to escape but... If you take your eyes off the road here, you might do something terrible again. This is not the time to worry about Arios being a hero or anything like that. I''m going to use Narkami''s wire to restrain Arios and his men, but.... Lighting! Huh? Arios uses a magic that makes the light shine. He can''t cope with the suddenness of the situation and looks directly at the light in a proper way. Everyone else stops moving as well. In the meantime, Arios and the others seem to have escaped... By the time my vision finally returned to normal, Arios and the others had vanished cleanly. ''''d*mn it, they got away! Axe throws a frustrating ground kick. Cell, on the other hand, is calm. ''I can''t blame him, let''s just give it up. You can''t let him get away with this? How could I leave them alone?I''ll report this incident to the country through the guild. I''m sure the country won''t leave you alone if you''ve done this. I''m sure something will come out of this in the near future. ''''d*mn I wanted to punch one of them in the face, but ... well, it''s no use. I''ve got more to deal with the demon than that one right now. That''s what I''m talking about. Although we can''t leave Arios'' problems alone... Now we need to tackle more than that, we need to tackle the problem of Iris. We''ve already been attacked once. There''s no guarantee it won''t happen again in the near future and... We should do what we can now that we have time. We''re an investigative team, but... Axe glances at the villagers. He can''t move. ''Right. What happens if Iris comes again while we''re away from here...? We''ll just have to keep you guys safe until the strike force arrives. Oh, dear. You''re pretty clever for an Axe. Are you faking it? No way!I could think of something like this. That sounds a bit disingenuous when you think about it, but... Oh well. If I get too deeply tweaked, it''s going to be a lot of trouble. ''''Um........can you adventurers protect the village so.......? The village chief asked timidly. In response, I nodded firmly to reassure him. ''Oh, of course,'' ''Oh, thank God!'' "But, chief.......we don''t have much money.......I don''t know if I can pay the commission... That''s not... Don''t worry about it. You can get a discount now for a fraction of the price. When Axe was about to say something, Cell smacked him on the head with his bow as usual. ''''I don''t need a commission. Instead, I say so. ''What?No, but ... isn''t it normal to pay a commission in these cases?We''re going to have to enlist the help of the adventurers... Well, yes, I know, but it''s kind of like you''re playing on a weakness, you know? It''s not like that... ''Besides, protecting the village is part of the investigation. We''re the ones who are in trouble when no one else knows about the demon, and... well, that''s just the way it is, so don''t worry too much about it. Thank you very much! ""Thank you very much!" The villagers bowed their heads in unison. I''m a bit embarrassed. ''''Adventurers are all wonderful people.......like saints.... Yeah. He''s a far cry from that brave man. Maybe this one isn''t the real brave one? ''Ooh, you might be right. Because it''s funny how brave a guy like that is. It was Arios with all kinds of things to say. Well, I don''t feel sorry for him because he had it coming. ''''Anyway, the strike force we''ll stay in the village until backup arrives, so I''ll take care of you. It''s nice to meet you too. Okay, Axe?It''s what a top-notch adventurer does when you don''t ask for a reward in a situation like that. Okay, okay, okay, okay. After Cell admonished him, Axe had an indescribable look on his face. Well, Axe''s actions aren''t wrong either. What I''m doing is like charity, which is very different from the actions of the adventurers. This time around, there might be a perception that I don''t have to pay adventurers for their services. If that happened, other adventurers would be annoyed. So, in these situations, I always ask for a reward, no matter what the circumstances. ........I learned that from Natalie before. Although I have done something out of the norm for adventurers....... I don''t think we can accept rewards from villagers in this situation. For once, I hope they''ll just admit to breaking the rules. So, what are you going to do now? Axe asked me that. He should have been hit by a cell with a bow, but he''s pinned down. Is he used to it because it''s always happened...? Suddenly, I wondered about such an unimportant thing. ''There''s nothing wrong with being a village guard, but it''s a waste of time if that''s all you do, right? Yeah. Hmm. I think about it for a moment and then give my answer. ''We''ll split up. One, we''ll still do the same research on the demon.......Iris. Maybe some of you will remember something new now that you''ve taken some time off since then. Oh, that''s right, too. ''''The other thing is to fortify the village''s defenses. It turns out that the enemy isn''t just Iris alone, but also includes countless demons. If we are attacked again, we want to make sure that the village is not damaged. I''d like to set up some traps and barriers. Well yes, it''s a fair point. I got approval from Axe and Cell. I looked at everyone to make sure and they all nodded in unison, as if it was no problem. ''''Then let''s work on this policy until the backup arrives. First, the team that''s going to investigate...'''' Cell and I will take care of that. Axe came forward. ''I''m good at that kind of research,'' Surprisingly. Yeah, that''s a surprising amount of brain work for me... hey! It was a surprisingly flippant Axe. ''''Then let''s help Sora and the others too. It would be difficult for the two of us to do this alone.... With the magic we''re using, it''ll be easier to listen in. Hahaha! Oh, come on! So the rest of the time, we can fortify the village, right? Yeah, okay. Kanade nodded with a smirk. ''Then let''s proceed with that. It may be tough after a battle like that, but we''ll work together and get through it somehow. 156-Episode 156: In the Deep Night…… "Wind. I went outside and took in the night breeze. Earlier, he''d heard everyone''s reports, put them together, and then planned for tomorrow. The research on Iris had been somewhat difficult. There was a mountain of lore and other information, but there wasn''t much in the way of credible information. As they were passed down from person to person in the form of lore, the accuracy of the information became less and less accurate, and it became vague. So, we were unable to obtain information about the seal. So far, there have been no dazzling results. Well, we expected this to happen to some extent, so I''m not discouraged. It''s just that I''m lucky if I can find something. So, I''ll continue to work steadily and steadily. The defense of the village has been working rather well. We set up a wall on both sides of the village to prevent the monsters that walk on the ground from entering. Nina''s material creation was very helpful in building the barriers. By working together with what I use, I think we were able to save a lot of time. I set up a fence made of wood and a trap with a thin steel wire wrapped around it. A low-ranked demon would be injured just by approaching it and would not be able to make it in. Also, I set up gates at the front and back of the village. Even though it''s a gate, it''s just a simple one made from a bunch of logs. It''s different from the ones made of iron, like the ones in big cities. It''s not very strong, but.... Nevertheless, it can still limit the infiltration of demons to some extent. Without it, the damage to the village would be very different. ''''Is it fair to say that things are going well? I look up at the night sky. ''....well, what happens now? It was evident that Iris was in this vicinity. The battle would take place as soon as the strike force arrived. Well..... I''m not sure I''m still around because of my bullshit physical abilities and special abilities. Be that as it may. There''s nothing more we can do. I won''t say it''s zero, but it''s certainly infinitesimal. The only thing we can do is to find a way to seal it up in case the strike force fails. That''s it. Defeat them. Or seal it up. Either way, that would be the end of Iris. No matter how powerful it is. No matter how powerful they are. No matter how powerful they are, they won''t get away with it by fighting with their country. It won''t be long before the case is settled. And it will come to an end in the form of the defeat of Iris. There was something that stuck with me. My heart is pleading with me to keep it that way. But I don''t know what part of it is uncomfortable. ''''Fwiw ... you''re a tricky opponent. Oh, dear. Do you think that might be me? A familiar voice came from behind me. ''Who else is here?'' Oh, you''re not surprised. With a peek, Iris showed her face. She''s smiling as usual... Is it my imagination? I feel like I''m sulking a little bit. Could it be that he thinks it''s boring that I''m not surprised? That could be Iris. Do you remember the first night we met? ''Yes, yes. Of course. I was wondering, since it was such a night I was wondering if I would ever see you again. Hmmm, this is doomed. Is it fate...? Wouldn''t it be nicer if you said that? Maybe. Iris stands next to me. She held a hand in her hair, bathed in the night breeze. ........Looking at her like this, she''s just like a normal girl. Like the strongest species. Like a celestial race. Or demons. It doesn''t look like that. ''What''s going on today?'' ''Oh, I don''t suppose you''ve forgotten?Lady Rayne said she wanted to see you again, didn''t she? I remember but you kept your word. I''m a very stubborn person, you see? Arios betrayed you? Hmmm, I''m going to hit you where it hurts. Giggling, Iris laughs. I didn''t get the vibe that she was up to something or anything... He seems to be enjoying a normal conversation with me. ''But I did listen to that brave man, didn''t I? "You think Arios saved the villagers of Pagos... ''I suppose he wanted credit and bravery. He offered me such a deal. To be honest, I could have repelled him, but since he set me free, I accepted the offer. Also, I was told that it would be boring if I hunted my prey all at once. That last word ruins it.... I''m the Devil. Iris laughs like a normal girl. Looking at her like this, really, she''s nothing like a normal girl... Why would he do that? If I could, I would like to look inside Iris'' mind. ''There is one thing I''d like to ask you... if you don''t mind. I''m all yours. You are an adventurer, aren''t you, Miss Lane? Yeah, I do. Did you interfere with my operations on this occasion at your request? Well I guess it''s close enough. Having undertaken an investigation of Iris. Looking for a way to seal it. I told him those things. There''s a question of whether or not I''m allowed to talk to Iris herself about such things, but.... I had a feeling that Iris could easily expose me even if I was hiding it, so I decided it was futile and decided to be straightforward. ''I see, I see,'' Iris nodded, looking very pleased with herself. What''s wrong? If I''m wrong, please point out that I''m not? Yeah. Master Lane has undertaken an investigation into me, but his request does not include the defeat of me. Isn''t that right? No, you''re right. What does Iris mean by that...? Well, then, no need to force me to fight you. Iris...? ''''So there''s no problem if we continue to turn around and pass the time appropriately and report that unfortunately we didn''t get any notable results? It''s not something to worry about too much, is it? What''s your point? Will you please step aside? Iris looked at me. Her eyes, which seemed to suck me in, almost made me faint. ''''It''s...'''' I''m asking you to leave my case. "...why would Iris say that? Hmmm, you''re right. Gently, Iris strokes my cheek. With a bewitching smile on her face, she whispered to me. "It''s because I like you, Miss Lane........ Is that a true statement? Oh, that''s too bad. I always tell the truth, don''t I? I''m sure it''s just a lie, but... Hmmm, what is this about? He laughs like a naughty child. Sometimes with a bewitching smile... Sometimes he laughs innocently, like a child. Which is the real face of Iris? Suddenly, I think about that. ''I''m wondering... why do you care about me so much?Our first meeting was mild, but then we hooked up and... I don''t think there was an element of care in it that I could have cared that much. Iris spun those words as she stared straight at me. 157-Episode 157: Iriss Past-1 ''I''m not a normal person, you say, but I''m not a normal person. I was about to say that much when I remembered what Kanade and everyone else always said to me. ''''Well you''re just a bit of an odd beast-tamer, aren''t you?'''' I put it that way again. I''m not really aware of it but.... I''ve heard there are very few Beast Tamers like me. Hmm? Iris looks at me intently. ''You''re normal, Mr. Lane? I''d like to question the definition of normal when you say that. ''I don''t know if that''s what you''re referring to... maybe it''s special for a Beast Tamer, but nothing else, okay? Really? ''I don''t know what you suspect, but I''m not lying to you. I see. Has my instincts been dulled, or is it that Miss Lane just doesn''t know? Iris moved her face even closer. Her beautiful face was right in front of me... Strangely, I wasn''t thrilled, but somehow I felt calm. ''''This is just my senses, but Rain-sama is a lot like that brave man. Yes.... I''m probably making a really big face right now. Oh, my God, you look terrible. ''Not even with Arios...'' It''s not that we have the same personality, atmosphere, etc. Well, how can I say.......we have a similar soul, if you will. The soul...?Doesn''t that mean we''re all alike in the end? No, no. No, no, not at all. The soul is the source of a person''s being. It has nothing to do with one''s personality or mood. It''s a reflection of a person''s spiritual qualities, so it''s not a superficial problem, it''s something more fundamental... ''Bad. I don''t know what the hard part is. ''Hmph, since we have plenty of time, would you like me to lecture you slowly? Please don''t... Iris laughed like a frustrated child and I raised my hand in surrender. What has caused Iris to become so twisted? Well, I guess the short answer is ''blood''. Blood? The blood in Master Lane''s body and the blood in that brave man it''s awfully similar. No.... Arios is a brave man. And brave men are chosen for their bloodline. If you say you''re like that Arios, that''s........ Well, I don''t have any hard evidence, it''s just a gut feeling. Try not to think about it too much. I see. That being said, it''s not easy to forget. I don''t think Iris has the personality to tell a trivial lie. It''s not as if there''s any benefit to Iris in telling a lie like this... Is it true, or is it true...? Maybe I''ll have to give it some serious thought later. ...more than that. For now, it''s about Iris. I''m glad we have the opportunity to talk. I''m sure we can talk about a lot more than that. I want to know more about Iris. Can I ask you a question? Yes, can I help you? Why are you trying to kill people?No ... why do you hate people? .... Is there a reason for this? Oh, dear. Do you ask such a question of me?It''s me, so maybe there''s no reason for it?Maybe he''s just trying to pass the time. Well ... like a child squashing ants for no reason. Iris isn''t that kind of girl. How can you say that when you''ve just met him? A hunch. I borrowed Iris''s words. ''Also, there may be some of my desires mixed in. .... ''I still don''t want to fight Iris. Or rather, I''m not sure if I should continue to fight her. I simply can''t say for sure that they are the enemy of humanity, like the demon race. I''ve fought the demon race before and they killed people for no reason, spreading destruction as if it was normal for them to do so. That''s normal. Demons don''t recognize any creature other than themselves. ''But not Iris. She seems to have chosen to fight people for some reason. For some strong reason and so he chose to fight them. .... No? You are correct. Iris admitted, surprisingly easily. ''''Rain-sama is right. I''m not a demon. I don''t kill people for no reason. Then.... But if it makes sense I will kill it without hesitation. Iris laughs. That smile was filled with hatred and madness. ''''....Why?'''' Yes? Why is Iris like that?What''s driving Iris? What are you going to do about it? I don''t know I just want to know. He stared at Iris. ''Maybe it''s wishful thinking but if we can figure out what''s going on, maybe we can make peace with it. That''s impossible. He answered immediately. He assured me. I can feel Iris'' strong will. I''ll never forgive anyone. It sounded like he was saying that. ''''But........I''m sure Rain-sama won''t be satisfied with this kind of answer. Well, maybe I can''t. If I could, I''d like to hear the truth from Iris''s mouth. A hesitant pause. There was a slight, and Iris let out a small breath. ''''Whew ... the pushy one. It can''t be helped if you say that much.'''' Well..... But don''t get me wrong. I''m not talking to you to make you understand me or reconcile with me. I''m trying to get you to know what I have in mind and give up on it. To let them know that there will never be a reconciliation. That''s why I''m telling you these stories. But can you still let me hear it? ''''Hmmm... I''m a little tired of talking to you but I don''t mind being a pushy lord. I chuckle, and Iris pulls away from me. He moved on to the outskirts of the village. I followed slowly after him. ''Does Miss Lane have any family? With her back to me, Iris asked in a quiet voice. ''No. I was attacked and killed by a demon a long time ago. ''Well I beg your pardon. I''ve heard some nasty things about you. I don''t mind. I''ve got my mind in order, for now. That''s very kind of you to say. I felt like Iris smiled at me. Since she turned her back to us, it was only ''like''........ ''''I think I''ve figured out one of the reasons for the sense of closeness you have for Rain-sama. Is that...? I''ve lost my entire family. I could hear the slightest hint of sadness in Iris''s voice. It was a very human emotion, and even at a time like this, I felt close to Iris. After all, Iris is also sad when she loses her family. We''re no different than anyone else. ...Is this about the Heavenly Clan? I was a little lost, but I decided to step in. The strongest species that is said to be extinct. Why did they become extinct? Why did they disappear? It''s not clear why they disappeared. I wonder. What if the reason for the extinction of the Heavenly Clan had something to do with people...? If that was the case, then Iris''s hatred was understandable. ''''Before we talk about me shall we first talk about the Heavenly Clan? Iris looked back at him. Her face was unnaturally calm. ''''How much do you know about our Heavenly Clan, Lord Rain?'''' The truth is that I know very little about it. It has been a long time since it was said to have been destroyed, and the reason for its demise is not known either. We don''t know anything about it, that''s the truth. ''I see. So that''s what''s going on... Iris bit her nails lightly. ''Erase what''s bad for us........I see. That sounds like something a human would think of.'''' What does that mean? What do you think that means? The question was asked in reverse. What does Iris know? What have you seen? I guessed them and thought about them. Eventually I came to an answer. You''re right. 158-Episode 158: Iriss Past-2 Humans are involved in the extinction of the celestial race. What does that mean? He tries to think about it, but he has no information at all and can''t come up with an answer. I can''t believe I''m asking him these questions. It''s still hard for me to talk about my hometown, too. I know that Iris might be feeling the same way. But still. But we have to move forward now. I need to move on to find out what happened to Iris. I decide that and continue the conversation. ''What does that ... mean?I know this may be hard for you, but can you tell me more about it? Yeah, yeah. Okay. If it''s Rain-sama, I''ll tell you everything. Well, as I said before, it''s not for the purpose of understanding each other, but to let you know that it''s impossible to understand each other. And that''s okay. Hmmm, so let''s talk about that. Somewhat happily, Iris spun around on the spot. ''Now, now, where was I?I got sidetracked and forgot about it. You''re about to tell me about the celestial race. Oh, yes. Yes, of course. About us Heavenly Folk, isn''t it? I understand that you know very little about our Heavenly Tribe. Well then, I''ll start by explaining about the Heavenly Clan. But there''s no need to get defensive. I do not intend to give you a long lecture. I''ll just give you a brief explanation. Iris sat on the ground. She let her body relax, not caring if the dirt stained her skirt. Then I popped next to her. I sat down next to Iris, inviting her to do the same. A small silence. I felt as if I was alone with Iris in this big world, a strange illusion. ''''The Celestial Race is a race blessed by the gods. Eventually, Iris softly opened her mouth. ''''In the sense that we were blessed by the gods, we may be similar to the god race. But there was a definite difference between them and the gods. Is that...? ''''We, the Heavenly Clan, are the gods'' sentry. Instead of the gods who cannot descend to the earth, we execute the will of the heavens. That is the role that we, the Celestial Race, have been given. That is the biggest difference between us and the gods. ''So........the information about the Heavenly Clan being God''s messengers was correct? Yeah, yeah. Yes, it is. It looks like there''s some correct information left in places. As expected, they couldn''t lie about everything. When I hear those words.... Some of the legends we''ve been hearing about the Celestial Race are lies. Which one is a lie? ''I mean, you''re talking about God plainly...I''ve never heard of God not being able to come down to earth before. ''Oh, is that so?I think even a normal person would know this much. I didn''t get to go to church and learn about God''s teachings... If my hometown hadn''t been attacked by a demon, maybe I would have started attending church eventually... I don''t have that opportunity anymore. Besides..... I stopped believing in God when my hometown was attacked. Not that I don''t believe in him, but... I stopped praying more than I should have because I understood that I was the one who could help me in a time of need. I digress. I quietly listened to what Iris had to say. Our mission as celestial race is to carry out the will of heaven on behalf of the gods. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it. Those are the two points. That celestial race is now called demons and is the enemy of men.... What an irony. I think we had a good relationship with the humans back then, well it gives me chills to think back, but I think we had a good relationship with them. The humans knew that we were the spires of the gods and they respected us. Hmm?Wait a minute. Iris speaks as if she has seen the scene. ''Do you have a minute?'' What is it? Sorry to interrupt you, but how old is Iris? The extinction of the Heavenly Clan was a long time ago. And you talk about it as if you know what happened back then... For someone who looks like this, Iris is much older than me? Huh. Iris let out a sigh. Then she turned her zit eyes on him. ''Dear Rain. It''s not polite to ask a woman such a question, is it?And moreover, to interrupt an important conversation to ask such a question... Wow, sorry. I just got caught up in the moment and... But that''s probably what''s "typical" of you, Rain. The freedom to be unencumbered by anything...in a way, it may be a virtue. "Well thank you? It goes from zit eyes to a smile. It occurs to me. If only I could smile all the time like this.... I wish we could have a relationship where we could laugh at each other. But according to Iris, that''s absolutely impossible. What in the world has happened in the past? He listened to Iris. "Well, I digress for a moment, but we''ve developed a good relationship with humans in our own way. It was no exaggeration to say that we became good neighbors. The Celestial Race was close to humans and together we walked the path of development. The life of the strongest species cuddling with people.... Imagining the scene made me feel a little more relaxed. Is it like my party now? The days must have been happy and peaceful. I wasn''t wrong in my imagination, and Iris had a peaceful expression on her face. I''m sure the days spent with the rest of us were not a bad one, even for someone who hates people so much. ''It was one of those days. The Demon King was resurrected. The Demon King...? You know this, don''t you, Miss Lane?The demon king periodically replaces them, resurrects them, and after a period of dormancy, they enter a period of activity. ''Well I know about that too. "We are the protectors of humans. We are the protectors of humans, and we are the vanquishers of demons. We have chosen to cooperate with humans and fight demons together. Iris looked grim as she remembered the battles of that time. ''A lot of my people died. A lot of people died. Still, we couldn''t defeat the Demon King.'''' Is the Demon King so powerful...? Yes, he was so powerful. Even though we, the Heavenly Clan, couldn''t defeat him even if we were bunched up we were just hunted. Iris bit her lip. What kind of thoughts are they having right now? A rage against a demon king? Or are you just frustrated with yourself for not being able to keep up? It seemed to be both. ''''If we don''t do this, we''ll be wiped out... the Demon King will win and everything will be destroyed... that''s what we''ve decided to do, and we''ve decided to take the last step. A last resort...? It''s a suicide bomb. Huh. Those words, said so plainly, made me gulp. The Heavenly Clan has the greatest specifications among the strongest species. Not to mention their physical abilities, they also possess strong magical powers. It''s a plan to unleash all of our power, cause it to run amok, and then hit the enemy..................such a plan was taken. No, it can''t be... ''''The enemy is not so naive as to be able to defeat the Demon King with the self-destruction of a single Heavenly Clan member. All the Heavenly Clans have been gathered and all of them have decided to make a suicide attack. ''You had to go that far...?I''m not going to do that.... That''s how powerful the Demon King is. Iris had a bitter look on her face as she remembered those days. Still. Iris''s story wasn''t over yet. She hasn''t touched on the part of why she came to hate humans. ''''Well can you tell me the rest of the story? Yeah, no problem. I''m sorry. Hmph, please don''t feel sorry for me. It''s true that it''s painful to remember those days, but for me, it''s over now. I don''t mind it that much. ''Well I''ll leave it at that for now. Thanks. How could it not be hard? Still, Iris continues to talk to me. I bowed my head, at least as a thought. ''''Well I''m going to keep talking, okay?We, the Heavenly Clan, have decided to blow ourselves up, but not all of us. If we did that, we would be wiped out. Young people like me were left behind without a suicide attack. ''So that''s what happened...'' Then, a suicide attack was carried out and in exchange for the lives of our Heavenly Clan, we succeeded in inflicting great wounds on the Demon King. Next, the human heroes attacked and stabbed each other, and succeeded in defeating the Demon King. There were a lot of other things that happened, well, there were a lot of things.......but that''s not relevant to this story, so let''s skip that part. Anyway, that''s how we succeeded in defeating the Demon King, but we, the Heavenly Clan, were able to greatly reduce his numbers. It was an epic story. To have to risk one''s life until the strongest species was on the verge of perishing... Once again, I am reminded of the threat of the Demon King. Just......... From what I''ve just heard, I don''t see any reason for Iris to hate people. There''s more to the story, I guess... What reason is waiting for us? What truths are hidden? As much as I dread to hear it... But we can''t run away. So ... and then what? ''''Our Heavenly Clan has been greatly reduced in numbers, making it difficult for us to achieve our raison d''etre. The raison d''tre ... an agent of God''s will? Yes, that''s right. The only people left were women and children. They couldn''t be the guardians of humans or fight the demons, and they were too busy trying to keep their species alive. The gods recognized that. ''Well, yeah. It''s not possible to do that even if you are told to work hard, and if you were told that, you would get angry. God wouldn''t have said anything so reckless, would he? Yes, you''re right. The gods didn''t say anything rash. I felt a tugging at that word. God doesn''t say that kind of thing. I mean..... But the humans were reckless. They asked us to protect them as we have always done. 159-Episode 159: Iriss Past-3 It''s... I was speechless. In the battle against the Demon King, the majority of the Heavenly Race died. It''s no longer the same as before, and rather than protecting the humans, even the survival of the species is at stake. Even though we''re in such a state, even if we''re asked to protect them as before....... No way. It''s too absurd a request. What were the people thinking back then? Asking the Celestial Race for something outrageous... Did they expect that to pass? Did he think that was acceptable? And I wonder what Iris would have thought when she heard that? What would the celestial race have thought? What do you think is wrong with us? Did you say no? No, no. I tried to be the same as I always have been, a guardian of the people. The words came out unexpectedly. ''Why?'' ''Do you wonder?Well, it''s weird for me too. Maybe we were all crazy in those days. The survival of our species is in jeopardy, and yet you still try to be the guardian of humanity... Could it be that... that''s the reason for the existence of the Heavenly Clan...? I''m sure you''re right. Iris laughs. It was a somewhat self-mocking smile. ''We, the Celestial Race, were created to protect humans. I know of no other way to live.'''' I don''t know any other way to live. That seemed to be a very sad word. There seems to be freedom and no freedom at all. It''s like being a bird in a birdcage. I can''t believe I can only do the role I''ve been given... As I say this, I think I''m broken in some way. ''You look bitter,'' Well.... What did you think?Could you give me your honest opinion? "...strange, I felt. I don''t have a will of my own or, for lack of a better word, I feel like I''m dependent on someone else for a way of life. Depends...... Again, Iris let out a self-mocking smile. Seeing that lonely smile made my chest tighten in pain. ''''We were a race of celestial beings who performed a mission given to us by the gods. We were given a mission by the gods, and our way of life was to fulfill that mission. Hence, we have been unable to choose our own path. That''s ... sad. ''Yes, it''s a lonely way to live... but we acted in those days, believing it to be the best thing to do. Well, partly because we didn''t know any other way to live... By saying so, you''ve accepted the people who want you to continue to protect them, right? Yes, we''ve accepted that. We have always tried to be the guardians of humanity, even as our numbers dwindled. And as a result, well, guess what happened? Such a question was asked. What happened.........? You can''t be a guardian of people in the normal course of events.......right? The number of individuals has decreased drastically, and the remaining Heavenly Clans are all women and children. They can''t exert their power as before. ''''........Can''t protect them anymore, right? I gave such an answer, even though I wasn''t sure what to say. ''''Hmmm ... half right, let''s just say...'''' Isn''t it? ''''You''re half right. We, the surviving Heavenly Clan, didn''t have much power left. Even if we tried to be the guardians of humans, we were overwhelmingly lacking in strength. We are no longer able to protect humans from demons and eliminate demons like we used to. It''s a normal thing to do, isn''t it... If so, what does the term "half right" mean? What''s the other half of the truth...? The correct answer is that we are no longer able to protect the humans and we, the Celestials, are to be denounced. Nah.... Speaking of too much, I''m at a loss for words. The humans blamed us for losing our powers and not being able to move as much as we used to. Why don''t you help us?Do you enjoy seeing us in pain?You don''t really mean to protect them, do you?...and a lot of other things they said to me. To be treated like a traitor by something you trusted... I wonder how much despair and disappointment the Heavenly Clan would have at that time? I can''t even imagine. Is that why Iris has given up on humans? Why did you come to hate humans? No ... there was still a feeling that there was something to it. That alone shouldn''t be enough to have such a strong hatred for him. If that''s the case, what more...? "A lot of things have been said and done, but we still foolishly tried to be the guardians of the human race. There is no other way to know, but a part of me believed that one day our thoughts would reach out to each other. I hoped and believed that we would be able to communicate with each other, and I did what I could to make that happen. Can I hear the results of that? Yes, sir. The expression disappears from Iris'' face. With a face that doesn''t reflect any emotion, she murmurs a small, single word. "I''ve been betrayed. What does that mean? What kind of things have people done in the past? I''m afraid to ask. I''m afraid to face the sins of others. But if I escape here, I''ll never be able to face Iris again. I brace myself and continue my story. ''Can you tell me what happened?'' ''''At that time, not only the Heavenly Clan and I were on the verge of extinction, but also the humans were on the verge of destruction. Everything had been devastated by the long-running battle with the Demon King, so we needed to do something about it. The humans at the time thought. The human body was too fragile to live in this desolate world.......then what should we do?What answer do you think the humans came up with? I had an incredibly bad feeling about this. ''The answer is a very simple one, my dear. If you don''t have the power, then take it from the powerful. Hey ... it''s a very simple answer, isn''t it? No way.... The humans said. "The humans said, ''We''re sorry for the terrible things we''ve said. We were wrong. We would like to entertain you as the least possible apology. Will you come? .... We were delighted to hear those words. At last our thoughts were understood.... or so we thought. And so we were invited to go to the city of men where we were detained. Iris''s face, which had been expressionless, was dotted with hatred. There was no other emotion in sight. Just a strong hatred......... Just barely. He clenched his fists so tightly that he felt like he was going to bleed. ''We who were captured by the humans... well, let''s skip this part. It''s not a pleasant story for either the listener or the speaker. Anyway we were captured by the humans and turned into experimental subjects. What is the source of the Heavenly Race''s power?Can''t humans get the power of the celestial race?Can''t we harness the power of the celestial race?One by one my people died, one by one, as they were subjected to various experiments for that purpose. What would you like me to say to Iris? I think about it, but I can''t. I can''t find the words. ''''Maybe we were stupid. We only indulged them and never tried to be true equals. All we did was to move forward foolishly, and then we blindly believed that one day we would understand each other. I don''t blame you for calling me stupid...but.... But! Iris''s tone is rough. Maybe she''s remembering what happened back then. Her clenched fists shake... She bit her lip, revealing her anger. ''To have to suffer such a betrayal... such a cruel fate!We may have been stupid, but we have done nothing. We didn''t do anything wrong. And yet, our friends were treated badly and all of them were killed. How could I ever forgive them for that? "...Iris... ''''I was lucky enough to escape, and I was finally able to wake up. A human guardian?The mission of the celestial race is to protect humans?It''s all a trick. As the last of the Heavenly Clan, my mission is to avenge my family and friends. I will kill and kill and kill and kill and kill as long as I have the strength to do so. "...when people who live in the present have nothing to do with the past? Yes, I''ll kill you even if you don''t care. I already hate, detest and regard the human race itself as my enemy. After what he did to you, can you forget that the past is the past?I, unfortunately, am a child, so I can''t do that. ''Yeah, well if you can divide it up, it''s not hard to do. Well, I''m glad you understand. I finally understand why Iris hates people. And ... I can''t help but sympathize. I''ve lost my family once. I''ve lost my father, my mother, my friends I''ve lost everything. It''s not like I didn''t think about revenge at the time. Maybe it''s because I was so busy living that I didn''t have time for it, but... If I could afford it, I would be thinking about revenge. That''s not all. What if we were all lost? Kanade, Tania, Sola, Luna, Nina, Tina.... What if they were all killed inexcusably? I don''t think I''ll ever be able to keep my cool. I would definitely think about revenge. So I ... I sympathized with Iris'' thoughts. I felt pity for her. ''''Hmph.......Excuse me. I was a little distraught.'''' When he finished telling me everything, Iris smiled her usual smile. But I know. I''m going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. That''s all I can tell you. Oh, I''ll just add that I was freed, and then I took on the power of vengeance, and while I was going around killing people, I was called a demon and then I was sealed away, so that''s where this all leads. So that brings us to the present. Thank you. For telling me something I don''t like to talk about. Not at all. It''s a favor from Miss Lane. Well, to make you realize that reconciliation with me is impossible. It''s... Well I have one question for you, if you don''t mind. Iris looked at me. Still, as if looking into her eyes, she comes face to face with me. ''''After listening to me ... and getting to know me ... what do you intend to do about it, Rain-sama? 160-160 episodes What do we do now? Fighting Iris? I do feel sorry for Iris'' situation. But that folly was done by people in the past. Those who live in the present are not guilty of anything. It''s not revenge, it''s just taking it out on them. Can we just let that go? Do we need to stop Iris? ...should we fight? Or. Do you want to help Iris? Even though it''s in the past, it doesn''t erase all of a person''s sins. There are things that have been accumulated until now. If we people were able to gain strength and survive by using the Celestial Race as a test subject....... It is a ''sin'' carved into the person itself. It can never be wiped away. In a way, Iris may be right to purge such a person. Therefore, it may not be wrong to cooperate with Iris. ''''I''m........'''' What do we do? What should I do? Which way is right? .... Think. Think. I do think. What would be right for me? What''s right for Iris? ...No, no. If we are stuck in right or wrong, we can''t answer this question. The celestial race was betrayed by going down a path that they believed was right. People have betrayed the Heavenly Clan by doing what is wrong. If I think about things in the same measure, I might make the same mistakes. So what I should be thinking about is........ What I want to do. To go to my own heart and get an answer. Could I hear your answer, Miss Lane? I''m.... I still don''t have an answer. In the meantime, Iris throws the words into the fold. ''Do you think you can forgive this kind of thing?'' I don''t think... Do you think my revenge is wrong? I don''t think... So why don''t you just stay out of my way? .... There are no words to return. Iris gives a small smile. "Don''t worry. I''m not a fan of the fact that I have a fondness for you, but I''m a true believer. That''s why I won''t be messing with Lady Rayne. And of course, I won''t be hurting her people. They''re not humans. They''re the most powerful species. I''m not going to mess with my own people. Well, there is one person who is an oddity, a ghost, but... well, let''s let that be an exception. .... How''s that?Not a bad story, don''t you think? I don''t know. But..... "...how long will Iris continue to get her revenge? Hmmm, you''re right. Iris says with a laugh. ''Until I die, that is.'' As it should be. May it be natural. As it is the truth of the world. Iris said without hesitation. Hearing that answer. On the contrary, a certain determination in me was strengthened. Finally, I was able to find an answer. "I''m going to... Yes. And Miss Lane? "...I can''t accept Iris''s words. Hey. There is a haunting light in Iris''s eyes. ''You do not accept my offer?You''re going to fight me on this one?You think they want to kill each other? No, that''s not it either. What? Curiously, Iris paused. ''I can''t leave Iris alone. But we''re not going to kill each other. What does that... mean? I will stop Iris. I will stop him without killing him. .... Iris makes a disappointed face. Then, she let out a sigh in disbelief. I see you. No, you don''t see it. You still want to make peace with me, don''t you? You will. Huh... have you been listening to me properly?If you''d listened, you''d at least know that reconciliation is impossible. Yes, it could be endlessly difficult. Then.... Still. He interrupts Iris'' words and says in a strong tone. Like I''m going to tell you my decision. Like I''m going to tell him my thoughts. I look firmly into Iris''s eyes and spell out my thoughts.........words. ''I will not give up.'' .... I have no right to stop the revenge. If anything, I feel like Iris''s revenge is justified. In that case.... But it''s no good. What''s wrong with that?Could you tell me that so that I can understand it? Because I''m sure Iris is going to die, right? .... No response. That''s what I mean. ''Iris only cares about revenge, not living. You think that as long as you can get revenge, everything else doesn''t matter-even your life, right?Isn''t it? I''m not going to deny it. If I knew that I wouldn''t be able to leave him alone. Dear Rayne, you are a man who... ''If I only wanted revenge, I wouldn''t have stopped. But if I''m going to die from vengeance I''ll stop. I''ll do whatever it takes to stop it. Because I don''t want Iris to die. I want Iris to live. This is selfishness on my part. I''m selfish. I''m not going to let this selfishness stand in the way of my freedom. Whether or not Iris''s revenge is the right thing to do. It''s a difficult question and one that I can''t justify in one word. But I think it''s wrong to let Iris die like this. So I''ll do my best to resist. ''What right does Master Lane have to interfere with my way of life? No. So would you mind just staying out of it? No. I''m selfish. .... Iris was pouting. Hmmm. He laughed happily. ''I suppose it''s true that Iris is thinking of me. I''m glad to hear that. Still, I''ve decided that I''m going to stop Iris. I understand. Iris pulled away from me. I stand up and turn away. ''I''m sorry but it looks like we''re going to have to fight our way out. ''Yes. But we''re not going to kill each other. Oh my. You''re so sweet. I won''t go easy on you, will I? I suppose so. But I''m not going to kill Iris. That was my decision. I believed those words would resonate with Iris, even if only a little.... I throw out the best words I can. ''''Hmmm ... do you think you can stop me?You think we can stop them alive without killing each other? It''s gonna be hard but I''ll make it work. I''m looking forward to it. Iris laughed... And then it was gone. 161-Episode 161: My Way ...wind. The night breeze is cool. I was sweating without realizing it. I knew I''d be nervous to talk to him one-on-one after what happened. But I got something out of it. Until now, I didn''t know Iris, and there was a part of me that wasn''t sure of my own feelings. I was feeling lost somewhere. But I don''t get lost anymore. Let''s believe in the path we''re on and push forward. But I don''t know if everyone will agree with me... Who do you think they''re talking about? ''That''s of course...'' Thoroughly, I broke out in a cold sweat. I''m nervous in a different way than I ever was before. ''That voice ... Tania?'' Nya I''m here too. Sora is there. I''m here too! I''m here, too. We''ll have one of those. Everyone was all over the place. It was nighttime, so Tina was floating around the area in a fluffy fashion. ''Why...'' Do you think they''ll ever be able to sneak out from under us? I can''t do it. You might be able to cheat around Sora, Luna, and Nina, but it would be impossible to ''sneak'' against Kanade and Tania. And also the presence of an unusual presence that you remember. It''s weird not to notice them. By outrageous signs, I suppose you mean Iris. Was it that obvious? It was at a level where you wouldn''t even notice if you weren''t paying attention. But once I became aware of it, it was easy to recognize it. Kanade says, looking somewhat angry. I don''t know why I''m angry... Well, I don''t have to think about it. I can''t believe I''ve been meeting with Iris without permission I''ve been worried about her. Rain, Rain. Are you okay?Did they do anything to you?Do you have an arm? ''Sarah, don''t worry about the scary stuff I''ve got an arm and I''m not hurt anywhere. Mmm, that''s good... So... what the hell were you doing with that celestial tribe? Tania turned her zit eyes on me as if to ask me a question. At the same time, everyone else turns their zito eyes at the same time. This.........doesn''t seem to be foolproof. ''''Actually.........'''' I had no choice but to tell it all as it was, honestly. ---------- Yeah, what the... Everyone else is the same. I can see their sympathy for Iris. ''''But I don''t think Iris is right. Somewhat later, Tania said once and for all, cutting off her hesitation. Nina makes a sad face. ''Tania, don''t you feel...sorry for her...? ''I think ... It''s someone else''s business but there''s a part of me that''s just as angry as I am. Well, then... ''But what Iris is doing is wrong. There is no such thing as right. Killing people back then, or people now, has nothing to do with it. Tania assures me. With those words, I..... Regardless I''m sure that''s not the kind of logic that stops you anymore. Can''t you stop...? Nina says frustratedly. I pat Nina''s head and tell her what I think of Iris''s mind. The past and the present are irrelevant to Iris. She lumps all humans together and hates her friends... as someone who took away her family. The person who was so cruel to Iris... is no longer there...? And yet, it doesn''t stop. I can''t stop. What''s the...? I can''t explain it in words... because there are many things about the human heart that cannot be divided by logic. Hmmm... maybe. She seemed to be convinced in her own way, and she still had a sad look on her face, but she didn''t ask any more questions. Nya ... what do we do now? Can''t fight? At Tania''s question, Kanade makes a difficult face. ''''Well it''s a bit hard to fight, I guess. Maybe it won''t go as well as it has in the past.'''' Well, I know how you feel but you''d better be prepared for it. "Nyanka? Because there''s a strike team coming.Then there''s no need to find a way to seal it anymore. It will be a full-blown clash. We''re going to fight. Kanade seemed to think about that moment, and a complicated expression appeared on his face... Next, he looks at me. ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.You''re going to fight Iris?Maybe they''ll run us out to support you too, right? Oh, that bothers me, too!What are you going to do about Rain? ''Could it be... that you found out about Iris-san''s past and were unable to fight...? Luna and Sora also asked. Although they did not open their mouths, Tania and Tina would be thinking the same thing. ''We can fight ... but we won''t. Meow? Kanade tilted his head slightly. ''What''s that zen-like answer?I don''t know what I''m talking about. Shh, Luna, shut up. Mwah. Mwah. Sola covered Luna''s mouth. ''I don''t know if this is the right time...'' Sola and Luna are the same as usual, I guess. But there''s something soothing about their attitude. ''Rain, what do you mean?'' ''I''m not Luna, but I''m not sure I understand what Rain''s husband is trying to say. Tania and Tina all looked at each other in wonder. Well. Now I''m going to tell you what I''m thinking about, or rather, what I''m determined to do... Would people agree with me?Will you be convinced? I''m more than a little nervous. But ... we''re not hiding anything. I''m going to explain myself to you and... And I want them to agree, if possible. I want you to be convinced. We''re on the same side. "I''m going to stop Iris. But we are not going to fight our way out of here or anything like that. We are going to find a way to seal this thing off like we planned and then we are going to make Iris sleep again. Well, I guess that''s why I''m going to fight and not fight. But why are you so adamant about it? Because if they don''t, Iris will die. How did you come to that conclusion? In response to Tania''s question.... I answer quietly, thinking back to my conversation with Iris, holding the emotions in my heart again. It''s as if she had no will to live. It was as if she was looking for a place to die. I believe that Iris intends to take revenge, to spew out her hatred to all intents and purposes... and then to die. I think she''s going to go to her people. ........nyah....... Kanade''s ears flattened as he imagined the scene, and his ears sank. ''But I don''t want Iris to die. I don''t want Iris to die and I don''t think she''s a good girl. That''s why I''m going to stop Iris from getting her revenge. I''m going to stop the revenge that keeps her alive. That''s the conclusion I''ve come to. .... Everyone was listening to me in silence. Waiting for my next words. ''I''m not going to help you when the strike force comes. I will continue to find a way to seal it, just like I always have. And that''s how I''m going to stop Iris. But this is selfishness on my part. But ... if I could, I''d like everyone to ... Okay. Kanade interrupts me and laughs softly. ''''Well I haven''t even finished...'''' ''You''re asking for our help, right?Yeah!I wouldn''t have a problem with that. I''ll do my best for Rayne. Kanade spun his fists around and showed his guts. ''''I have no objection to that either. Well, to tell you the truth, I have a lot to say but if the master says so, then it can''t be helped. I''ll just shut up and follow him. ''Sola is no problem either. Because Sola isn''t so thin-skinned that she''d abandon me after hearing what you just said. ''Luna agrees with Lane!I have a generous heart, hahaha. I want to do something about it. I''ll try my best... We''re going to follow Rain''s master''s lead. Well, that''s not a good way to put it. I also vote for sealing the seal. If we defeat them, we''ll end up with a bad aftertaste. Thank you, guys. 162-Episode 162: Parting Road The next day. As beforehand, a strike force arrived at the village of Zith, as previously reported. A mixed unit of adventurers and knights. Their number is more than a hundred. There was no way such a number of people could fit into a small village... The strike force had set up an encampment in the square outside the village. ''''Nya ... that''s a hell of a lot of people.'''' Kanade spilled those impressions. He seemed surprised and rolled his eyes. It''s not hard to understand how you feel. It''s not a normal occasion for all these adventurers and knights to gather together. This incident........ How heavily the top is weighing in on this. How serious they are. It''s a sight that shows that very clearly. ''Oops, oops!'' I turned around and saw Axe and Cell. ''''The strike team is going to have a meeting now. They want us to attend. We''re an investigative team. We''re the only ones who''ve dealt with the devil directly. He wants that opinion. ''And you also said you wanted to talk about it because it might change your plans for the future in a big way. Well okay, I''ll be there. I''ll be there in a minute. Will Kanade stay back with the others? Oh, will you come with me, Kanade? Cel added. ''Nyan?Me too? ''''Perhaps, as the strongest species, they want to hear your opinion. Because the more information you have about the person you''re about to fight, the better, as much as possible. Nah we''re not going to fight. What was that? ''Nah, it''s nothing. Rikkai! So, can you wait a minute?I''ll go tell everyone waiting at the inn that I''m going to the meeting. Yeah. I''m sorry, but you have to hurry. I left Axe and Cell and headed to the inn with Kanade. ''Rain, Rain,'' Yeah? I wonder if we''re going to be part of the strike force after all? ...that''s a strong possibility. What are you going to do? I will resist. I''m not going to fight Iris, I''m going to let her live. That''s what I''ve decided. ---------- After returning to the inn and giving everyone a message.... Me and Kanade moved to the large tent the strike team had set up, where the meeting was to take place. When we entered, Axe and Cell were already there. The others were adventurers and knights. And......... ''Oh, it''s Rain. It''s been a while. Stella. Stella, who was supposed to be the Knight Commander of the City of Horizon, was here for some reason. ''''Why are you here?'''' I got a call for backup. Originally, there should have been someone else more qualified for the job, but for some reason, I''ve been given the task of organizing the knights. Stella should be fine. She''s got the right stuff, she''s got the right stuff. ''Don''t tickle me. I''m not quite ready for this. They shook hands in a reunion. ''But I knew that Rain and the others had left town on an urgent request, but to see them again in a place like this... it seems like a small world. Quite so. ''Well I''m sorry, but we''ll start the meeting right away. Would you mind sticking around for a moment? Okay. Me and Kanade sat down at the seats we were led to. And not long after, the meeting began. First of all, the information about the demon.......Iris was to be shared. Me, Kanade, Axe, Cell and others gave testimonies and talked about Iris'' abilities. A summoning magic that has no restrictions and can be used indefinitely. The tent was buzzing when he spoke of that tremendous ability. Although some adventurers and knights bit back, saying that such a thing was impossible....... Axe and Cell are A-rated adventurers. And I''m called the ''Hero of Horizon'', if I do say so myself. Stella silenced everyone, saying that there was no way we were going to tell a boring lie like that. The adventurers and knights who had bitten us were probably just upset. He was immediately convinced and calmed down. Then......... We''re going to discuss our future plans. ''Well, about the future I''ll tell you the decision upstairs first. The survey team has been suspended. We want you to join our strike team. Hmm?What does that mean? To Axe''s question, Stella slurred the question as she had expected it to be asked. ''''The demon''s power is so powerful that it cannot be left unattended. Even if you succeed in sealing it, there is a fear that it will be broken again one day. We''ve come to the conclusion that we must defeat it here and now to avoid leaving a legacy for later. I see ... well, it''s not hard to see why. I knew it was going to be... I knew it was coming, but it''s not going to be good for me. "The other units are going to join up with us. And then we will use our full strength to defeat the demon. That''s not a good idea.If we concentrate our forces in one place, the other defenses will be stretched thin, right? ''Axe''s got a decent opinion... are you a phony? Why? Axe and Cell were rambling. After all, these two might be good friends for some reason. Stella replies with a wry smile. ''''I think I know that,'''' Then why? ''''The more we spread out our forces, the less likely we are to be able to defeat the demons. Or rather, if we don''t challenge them with maximum strength, they''ll be kicked to the curb. Leaving only the minimum amount of guards and searchers, the main body will wait here. If we find a demon, we''ll rush to it as soon as possible and bring it to a decisive battle....... It''s also kind of... It''s so haphazard, it''s not really a strategy. I know. But even if you divide your forces poorly, each one will be destroyed. I''m not sure how many times I''ve heard the story of Rain and the others, and even more so when I learned of the power of the demon. There is no other way. Well, that''s one thing. If you''re saying that''s what the top brass has decided to do, I''m not opposed to it. Axe and Cell seem to have a point of view, but I tried to convince them, for a change. Stella looks at me. Is there a problem there?His eyes ask, "What do you mean? To which I say........ I''m sorry. What? I''m sorry, but we can''t work together. To the surprised Stella, I clearly told her my intentions. ''''.......What does that mean?'''' Stella was surprised at first, but she quickly came to her senses and turned her strong gaze to me. It''s a questioning, demanding gaze. I didn''t expect that Stella would be looking at me like this. Feeling some heartache.... Still, I''ll make my intentions known. No...... In this case, it''s our decision... We''re going to find a way to keep Iris sealed up. I thought you said the option of sealing is gone? I know. ''If we seal it up, it might come back. It''s just a postponement of the problem. Rain would know that, wouldn''t he? I know, but I don''t know. Hmm? I''m not going to believe that killing is the answer to anything. It would be difficult to convince Stella, who didn''t know about Iris''s past, that she was a good friend. Nope. Even if she knew about Iris''s past, she might not be able to convince him. At worst, he might end up making an enemy of Stella. But still. I''ve decided to do what I think is the right thing to do. "Rain. Kanade, next to me, gently squeezes my hand. There''s nothing wrong with what I do. I''m supporting you. It''s like receiving those words, and it warms my heart. ''....I get it. After a moment of silence, Stella gave a small nod. Her face was........smiling as if she had no choice. ''''Then Rain, you''ll act as an investigation team as before. Upstairs, I''ll make arrangements for you. Thank you. That''s very helpful. You helped me a lot with Horizon. Now it''s my turn to help Rain. Although, I don''t expect to owe you anything like this. Good enough. Me and Stella smiled at each other. 163-Episode 163 Farewell We were allowed to make an exception and act as a survey team. But that doesn''t mean that the strike team will wait for us to fight Iris. We''ll be ready to fight Iris and... If Iris showed up, they would immediately rush into battle. No matter how Iris is, it would be difficult to take on such a large number of adventurers and knights. Although Iris has the power of a single horseman, she has a limited amount of strength and magic power. As long as she fights alone, she will eventually reach her limit. And then you will be defeated. I have to stop Iris before that happens. I need to stop Iris, not by killing her, but by sealing her up. We''re in a race against the clock. We must hurry. Hey, Rain! After the meeting, we left the tent.... I was about to go back to the inn where everyone was waiting for me when Axe stopped me. Well there''s no way he''s going to let me go quietly like this. I hadn''t told Axe and Cell anything, you know. I stopped and turned to face Axe and Cell. ''Did you mean what you said in the meeting?'' You mean, find a way to seal Iris away? ''Yeah, that''s it. Are you serious? I''m serious. Why? Axe gave him a grim look. ''It''s a demon. He destroyed a village and killed a lot of people. If he is allowed to live, it will surely happen again. The same grief will be spread throughout the land. Is that what you want? Axe might have some thoughts on the matter. He asked in an unusually hot and strong tone. Then Cell interrupted him. ''Calm down,'' But hey! ''Just calm down. We can''t discuss this in a calm manner with Axe right now. First, we need to hear what''s going on with Rain and the others.......right? Okay, okay. Axe pulled back with a look of reluctance. Instead, Cell turned his calm eyes to me. ''''I understand what Rain is thinking. I''m not convinced but I understand. Okay. ''But how did I get that idea?The top has made the decision to defeat the demon. Besides, it''s normal to think that they can''t just let an entity like that sit idle, right?And yet, Rain dares to try the hand of sealing. Why is that? It''s... Can you tell me why? How will these two react? That''s kind of predictable in a way.... I steeled myself and told him what happened last night. ''Actually...'' Iris''s past. The source of Iris''s hatred. Tell them.... And then I told him what I thought. I don''t want to kill him, but I can''t leave him alone. So I''m going to stop Iris, at least in the form of a seal. And that''s how I''m going to help Iris. I tell her everything I''m thinking and thinking. ''''Well I see. Cell was calmly taking in what I had to say. But Axe........ Don''t you dare feel sorry for the enemy! I was angry. Axe was angry at me for being touched by Iris''s emotions and tinted with those colors. I''ve never seen his face before. I could tell that he was seriously pissed off. ''The other guy has killed a bunch of people!You think that''s acceptable just because you''ve had a terrible experience in the past! You won''t be forgiven. Then.... But that doesn''t excuse the rest of us who killed Iris''s friends and family, does it? That''s ... but it''s what the idiots of the past did! Axe is right. It''s right, but.... Sometimes the right argument, which is correct to all intents and purposes, leaves emotions behind. I''m going to give you an answer without emotion. But we''re people. We have feelings. I can''t help but think about what''s on Iris''s mind. "I can''t believe we''re letting this guy get away with it.I''m telling you, there is no way in hell I''m going to change my mind. I can assure you that there is no way in hell he''s going to change. He''s going to kill again. I know. That''s what I''m saying. Then.... That''s why I have a sealing solution. I don''t want Iris to sin anymore so I don''t want her to die so I''m going to seal her up. That''s so selfish... Yeah, yeah. This is selfishness on my part. It''s selfishness on my part, because I don''t want Iris to die. ...this is ridiculous! Axe kicked the ground in frustration. I''m sorry to make you act like that but.... Still, I can''t give it away. ...Can I have one thing? This time Cell opened his mouth. ''Let''s say, for example, that before Rain and the others could find a way to seal up the demon ... Iris, he went on the rampage again. Say he kills someone. Would you be held accountable in that case? It won''t come off. ''You understand that part. Still, Lane won''t change his mind? I won''t change it. I stated once and for all to show my intentions. ''If we''re going to talk about responsibility, we''re ... people have to take responsibility for Iris. You can''t just kill someone without doing that, you can''t allow them to do that. I mean, it''s a killer, okay? ''But it''s people''s fault that it happened. And I had it coming. Do you really think it''s worth it? I don''t care what it''s worth. I just want it. That''s why you''re so dumb. So, what did I just say?This is selfishness on my part. I don''t want Iris to suffer any more. I''ve been through so much bad stuff in my life.... You can''t just let him take his time and rest. Is it wrong to think so? Phew. Cell let out a breath. It was..... It''s a farewell breath to us, with a hint of resignation. ''''All right. Rain and the others can do what they want. Hey, Cell!You''re not going to let him get away with this? You have no choice. You have such a strong will. Besides, do you think you can force Rain and the others to do it?Do you think you can handle a lot of powerful species and the Rains with their most powerful species by force? It''s... You can''t, can you?Then we have to let it go. And then..... Cell took a step back. The distance between me and Cell seems close and endlessly distant. It''s only a step away but.... I instinctively realized that the distance between them was something that could not be filled by any means. ''Rain and the others can do what they want. We won''t stop you. Thank you. But we can''t help you. I see. ''Yeah, you''re right. Cell''s right. We can''t hang out with Rain any longer. It was a declaration of goodbye. ...I had expected this to happen. The two of them are top-notch adventurers. They reliably keep their contracts, and they also live their lives reliably following the orders of their organizations. I thought it was unlikely that such two people would become allies. I thought so, but........ It''s a sad thing when the goodbye is right in front of you. These are the friends we traveled with for a short time. I''m going to miss my friends and I''m going to miss them. I guess this is where we say goodbye. I''ve enjoyed our short time together. I had a good time, too. Meow thank you for that. Kanade, who had been quietly watching the situation until now, blurted out, as if she was piqued. Kanade also seemed to have let the two of them off the hook for some reason, and she seemed to be lonely. ''We''ll be on our way but Rain and the others should be careful too. K... but I''m not going out with you. I''m sorry, but I don''t go out with you. ''Since this is going to be our farewell, why don''t you give me a more proper greeting? I don''t know what to say to these sycophants. Although Axe was not curt, he had a complicated look on his face. Although he said harsh things in words, but still, he must be concerned about us. Still. I decided to walk forward. I decided to save Iris. So I didn''t show a look of regret........ He held out his hand as he walked forward. ''See you later.'' Yeah. Let''s keep each other in check. I shook hands with Axe and Cell and gently, gently let go of their hands. And the bond between us, Axe and Cell was severed. 164-Episode 164 Who Sealed it? After Axe and Cell parted ways... We decided to look for a way to seal it again. Once again, we heard from the villagers... I''ve been going through the rest of the literature in the village and... He scrambles for every possible clue. The result...... Well it''s not going to work out. I sat down on a bench in the village square and sighed. I did some research on this and that, but I couldn''t find any clues. About Iris, about the seal. There were people who knew the surface, but no one who knew the depths of it. It can''t be helped. Too much time has passed, and no one remembers it. However, he wouldn''t give up after this, and he couldn''t be depressed. Iris had taken a fair amount of damage in the earlier battle. She shouldn''t take action right now and heal her wounds for a while. So I don''t think we''re going to clash with the defeating party anytime soon... Still, I can''t take it easy. I''m sure we''re running out of time... We need to make sure we do what we can now, and do it quickly. Rain. I turned around and saw Kanade and everyone else. Kanade was holding a cup and held it out to us. ''Are you thirsty?I got you some cold water. Thank you. I pour cold water down my throat. My head felt clearer and more powerful. ''Good.'' Break''s over! Let''s try a little harder. How did everyone else do? We had to go separate ways and investigate in pieces... Was there an outcome? I ask with great anticipation. ''Nyah I''m sorry. Nothing in particular.... Kanade''s tail hangs down in a heap. Everyone else makes a difficult face and shakes their heads. ''''I see...'''' I''m sorry. You don''t have to apologize. It''s not like it''s Kanade''s fault or anyone else''s. But.........what is to be done? I don''t intend to give up on the investigation, but without a clue like this, I can''t even formulate a course of action. It doesn''t matter what it is, it would be nice if there was a clue, but.... Well Rain, I''ve got a little proposition for you. After a hesitant pause, Luna opened her mouth. ''Who put the seal on you why don''t we find out?'' I''d look into it if I could, but how? "Use my special magic. ''Luna. That doesn''t explain a lot. What?Don''t you understand now?! You have no idea. You stupid b*tc*. Bad sister? Luna was shocked by Sola''s scathing tsking tsking, and she was shocked by the gauntlet. Nevertheless, it was a sharp tsukkomi that she had heard somewhere else. ''''Well what do you mean by that?I need you to elaborate. ''Hmm. Do you remember the time we went to the site of the seal?Didn''t you use a spell to find out the memory of the corpse of that adventurer you found there that time? ''Yes. It was just the other day, so I remember it well. ''With the application of that magic, I will explore the memories of the site of the seal. I''m going to go back to the memory of the place and try to find out who applied the seal. You can do that kind of magic?Then, yes, you should have said it sooner. Tania''s plausible words, but Luna counters with a difficult look. ''The longer it takes to go back to the past, the more difficult the magic of exploring memories is. Iris was sealed more than a hundred years ago...I''ve never tried to search for memories that long ago either. The chances of failure are high, so I thought it would be a good idea to keep my hopes up for some strange reason, so I kept quiet. ''But I don''t see any other clues at the moment. If there''s no other way to do it......I''ve decided to suggest it. "Hmm. I take their words and gather my thoughts in my head. Explore your past memories and find out who put the seal on you. If that''s possible, we might have a big clue. But it''s not a sure thing and... We could fail and lose valuable time. ''''We don''t have a clue what else to do. Let''s see what we can do. Sola, Luna. Can you do that for me? Yes, I understand. "Ha-ha-ha, leave it to me! ---------- We moved to the ruins of the village of Pagos and went straight into the mountains. Since we had just visited the site once, we were able to move smoothly the second time around. Soon, we reached the place where the shrine of the seal was located. ''''Well!It''s time to show what I can do! Is there anything I can do to help? It takes a lot of time to search for memories from over a hundred years ago. That''s why we need you to protect us. ''I can''t help but be unprotected while I''m using magic. Could you please? Of course. I will protect Sola and Luna, even if I have to turn myself in. How long is this going to take, by the way? Hmmm ... maybe an hour or so! ''So much?That''s quite a long time.... That''s how hard it is. Okay. Well, good luck with that. I''ll take care of you and keep you safe. Tania says something encouraging. Kanade, Nina and Tina also seemed to be very motivated. ''Then let''s get started,'' ''Take care of me while Sora and the others work their magic. Sola and Luna stand on either side of the remains of the shrine. They point their palms at the broken shrine and chant their magic. Particles of light overflowed from the palms of their hands and enveloped the broken shrine. ''''Well let''s leave the rest to us and we''ll do what we have to do! ''Oh!'' Kanade replied cheerfully... We formed a circle around Sora and Luna and stood by for whatever was going to happen. ---------- Phew! He used his arm as a shield to catch a blow from a demon that looked very similar to a bear. Although it was somewhat numb, it was not injured. ''''Gravity manipulation!'''' As the demon was about to release its second blow, he manipulated gravity to overload its body. The demon''s movements slowed down. ''''Hah!'''' Without missing the opportunity, from the bottom to the top, the demon''s jaw was knocked out with his knee. The giant body wobbles and falls to the ground as it is. Eventually, the body disappears as if the fog were to clear and the demon stone is left behind. ''''Fufu.......this is where it is.'''' We were found by a pack of demons and engaged in a battle. It was a bit tense in the fight while protecting Sora and Luna, but.... There''s no way we, who have received Suz-san''s special training, would fall behind those demons. We properly defended Sora and Luna and had the demons eradicated. Nyah. Rain, good job. Good night, Kanade. Good night, everyone. You okay? Yeah. It''s not much of a stretch. Yeah, I''m fine. We''re pretty confident in our strength. Tania, Nina, and Tina responded by looking fine. For this amount of time, it doesn''t seem to be a problem. However, it would be hard if this goes on forever. Fighting while protecting Sola and Luna is a bit nerve-wracking in its own way, you know. You just don''t realize it, but there''s a good chance that you''re exhausted. It''s been almost an hour since Sola and Luna started using magic. If possible, I hope it''s time for them to finish.... ......... As if such a prayer had been answered, the particles of light that overflowed from Sora and Luna''s hands disappeared. I''m tired. They exhaled and gently moved away from the remains of the shrine. ''Good night.'' Ugh, I''m tired Rain, you spoil me. Oh, that''s not fair, Luna. Luna wobbled and hugged me. Following that, Sora followed suit and hugged her. I stroked her head as if to praise her while taking them in firmly. ''Thanks, you''ve done so much for me. It really helps.'''' For what? It''s for my Lord''s sake. I would do my best for my master, wouldn''t I? ''Unya ... you''re both goody-goody, so it''s inevitable that you''ll be spoiled ... it''s inevitable, yeah ...'' For some reason, Kanade was staring at me with a complicated expression on his face. ''So, what did you see?'' Tania asked them, looking a little impatient. ''Hmm. I could see it, but...'' Luna, who always said things clearly, unusually clammed up. Did she see something outrageous? He naturally braced himself. ''The magic has worked. We were able to see Iris sealed in this shrine. You''re doing it. And who was that?Did he look familiar? "Mm, the thing is... After shaking her gaze as if she was lost........Luna opened her mouth in confusion. ''''It was ... your mother.'''' 165-Episode 165: Sora and Lunas Mother ...Mother? I can''t help but pout at the unexpected words. Everyone else has a similar reaction. Tania, who came to her senses first among them, asks Sora and Luna, "Mother, you mean mother, right? ''''Mother........Mother, meaning mother, right? What else does it mean? Do you think I''m an idiot? No, ''cause, you know what? Tania looked at me as if she wanted to say something. Well, I know the feeling. I can''t believe Sora and Luna''s mother sealed Iris away... This world is too small. To be exact, it''s not just my mom. ''''Mother, you didn''t see just one, you saw a large number of the strongest species. I also saw the cat spirit race. Meow!Maybe my mother too.... ''I don''t think so, do you?A cat spirit race''s lifespan is no different than a person''s, right? ''Oh, that too. Ummm... but, but your mother would... Does Kanade think that Tin is immortal? Well, you might be forgiven for thinking that when you''re that young. ''Anyway, now you''ve got a clue! Luna says in a good mood. Maybe she feels good because her magic was successful. At Luna''s words, Nina tilts her head slightly. ''''Clue.......did you have a clue?'''' "We have learned that our mother put a seal on it. Couldn''t be a better clue, could it? But... how are we going to listen to them...? Hmm?That''s a normal........thing, yeah. I see. I see. ''Nina is... or rather, are you all under the impression that my mother is dead by any chance?'' ''What?Isn''t it? Iris was sealed over a hundred years ago. How could Sora and Luna''s mother be alive in the normal course of events... I mean, wait, what? If there were two mothers over a hundred years ago, then Sora and Luna are over a hundred years old...? But that''s not really true, they were both 14 years old... Oh, I''m getting confused. What''s the point of this? Tania asked Sora and Luna, impatiently. ''It''s simple. The spirit race has a long life expectancy.'' ''The average life expectancy is five hundred years. Your mother is about three hundred years old, so it''s not surprising that she could have been the party that sealed Iris. I see. ''Meow...?So does that mean that Sora and Luna were born when their mother was about 300 years old...? What the f*ck were you thinking? Nah, not even a cat! Tania gives me a dumbfounded look, and Kanade, who has turned red, waves his hand to the side with a flutter as if to cover up something. Well, a lot of things are bothering me about that. I understand how Kanade feels. But I digress. Where are Sora and Luna''s mother now? Hmm, where would that be?When we were gatekeepers, we used to go somewhere when we had to run errands... Thanks to you, I couldn''t get any help. Well, I''ll consider myself lucky that Rain and the others were able to help me out and meet them instead. On that point, though, Sola agrees with me. So you''re saying that we don''t know where Sora and Luna''s mother is? Tina asked as she cracked the lid of the kettle. Why did you let it crackle...? Did he try to mimic the movements of his mouth? ''You''ll find out when you get back to the village. Someone will know where to go. Or maybe it''s been a while since then, and they''ve already run their errands. That''s not so hard, is it? Stepping into the village of the spirit race. Sora and Luna would have no problem with that. They are throwing out the gatekeepers, but.... I don''t think it''s a matter of being rejected because we''re of the same race. It''s just that as a human, I and everyone else, how will they treat me and everyone else.... Mmm, that''s the problem. If you just want to move to the entrance to the village, it''s relatively easy... Really? ''''There are roads leading to the Spirit Tribe''s village all over the world. There''s another one near here. ''But it''s only a matter of where we go from there. Just as we have been guarding the other entrances, there will definitely be gatekeepers. First of all, there''s definitely going to be trouble. ''I think there will be at most five of them. I think Sora and his men can overpower them by force. ''Basically, the reclusive spirit race isn''t used to fighting. Don''t tell me you''re a hermit. ''''However, if you push through, if you force your way through, how you''ll be treated once you''re in the village it''s a pain in the ass just to imagine. We''re not going to sell a fight to the spirit tribe. We just want to talk to Sola and Luna''s mother. Can''t we emphasize that point and convince them? I''ve got to tell you, I think it''s going to be hard to convince you. Luna said as if she could see through my thoughts. I''m sure the spirit race has a huge prejudice against humans. Before I met Rayne, I too thought of humans as insects of the same order. Oh, is that all you''ve got to do...? ''Humans are like natural enemies who cut down trees. That''s how hostile they are. So I''m afraid it will be next to impossible to convince him. Oh, boy. You finally have a clue, but you can''t make use of it. However, I can''t afford to look for other clues now. I need to see Sora and Luna''s mother somehow, but... Can we take care of it? ''What do you have in mind?'' We will try to convince our people. It''s... Isn''t that hard to do? Sola and Luna are the ones who have thrown themselves out of the job of gatekeepers to travel the outside world on their own. Even if they were of the same race, they wouldn''t be pleasantly surprised. ''I can understand Rain''s concerns. Whether or not they will listen to Sola and the others. It will be quite difficult to find out.'' But we can''t give up now. I''m not going to throw that clue out on the street. ''And we think our chances of success are there. We''ll have to convince them first... If that doesn''t work, we''ll have to move back to the village ourselves. And I''m going to talk to my mom. This should be no problem, don''t you think? ''Sure....'' With the current trend, it could work. The spirit tribe wouldn''t do anything to prevent their kindred, Sora and Luna, from returning home either. Just......... If you adopt that idea, you''re going to have to leave it completely up to the two of you. It''s not that I don''t trust the two of you. I trust them more than I could ever trust them as valued companions. But what if something unexpected happens? What if leaving the two of you alone would put you in danger? I can''t help but worry about the two of them, and I can''t make a decision to carry it out. Sora and Luna give me a gentle smile as I get lost like that. ''''My Lord. Do you have faith in us? Yeah, I do. Then leave the matter to Sola and her team. Isn''t that what trust is all about? And now that you''ve placed your trust in us, Sola and the others will do their best to make things right and return to their masters. d*mn it. He sees through everything I''m thinking and.... And yet, I was lightly lectured to trust him more. Maybe I''m a worrier, I guess. I''m going to have more faith in Sola and Luna. ''All right. Well then, may I ask you to do something? Mm, I''m on it! Yes, sir. Sola and Luna nodded vigorously. ''''Then let''s go to the village of the spirit race, let''s go! ''Luna, where do you think you''re going?You''re the opposite. ...it''s just a mistake. Sora calmly admonished Luna as she was about to walk off in the direction of the day after tomorrow. Seemingly embarrassed, Luna''s cheeks were lightly stained. ''''So... where is the entrance to the spirit race village?'''' It''s not far from here. Feel the flow of power that only our spirit race can feel. There''s probably an entrance near the foot of this mountain. Okay. In the meantime, I''ll walk with you to the entrance. Hmm. So let''s go again, then! 166-Episode 166 We moved to the base of the mountain and found a small cave. It was hidden by grass and trees, and the entrance was in a place that was not obvious at first glance. ''It''s so small...'' ''Whew!Who touched my tail! I''m sorry, it''s me. Of course it was me. I''m sorry... It''s hard to go deeper into the cave, as it feels like it''s just barely enough for one person to walk through. Even so, there''s no turning back as Sora and Luna say that there''s a path leading to the Spirit Village at the back of this one. We proceeded carefully, being careful not to get injured. And so we walk for about an hour........ We were at the bottom of the cave. This is ... The deepest part of the cave was unlike anything he had ever seen before, and it was so large that he couldn''t believe he was in a cave. It was large enough to be able to do a bit of sports, and also high enough. ''I wonder if this is something natural?'' Hmmm... that''s hard to imagine. How often do you get such a perfect sphere? Tina gave that view to Tania''s question. I agree with Tina. The square is a beautiful sphere, and it looks like it''s just a man-made space. Nope. To be more precise, the hands of spirits, right? ''This is the entrance to the Spirit Village? Hmm. That''s right. But it''s funny I don''t think there are any guards. Sola was right, there was no one in sight. But is there really no gatekeeper? It''s just that you can''t see them, but it''s like.... I feel a kind of oppression. And also ... a look. It''s as if someone is observing me intently, and I feel that kind of gaze. ''Sola, are you sure there''s no one else there?'' What? What''s going on, Lane?As you can see, there''s no one here. Yeah, but I think... you know, I think I''ve got a feeling. Hmmm .......... What? Suddenly a voice rang out. I looked around hurriedly, but there was no one but us. And yet......... The voice continues. The voice continues, "I have completely blocked out all signs of sight and sound, but you have the audacity to sense your mistress. I commend you. The girls, on the other hand, are so close together, and yet they don''t notice you, it''s quite shameful. What''s that voice? Mom! Sora and Luna shouted in surprise. As if reacting to that, the space in the center of the cave shook like a mirage. The figure appeared to be a spirit race with light wings on its back. They were short and small, as if they were an even more compact version of Sora and Luna. They look like children, but... But strangely enough, I didn''t feel like a child. It was a contradiction, but I felt older than anyone else in the room. Flaxen hair. White skin. Rolling eyes. She looks just like Sora and Luna. If they were called my two sisters, I would agree with them. But I''m not really their sister........ Mother... Luna rolled her eyes. ''Nah-na-na,'' Seeing her daughter''s surprise, Sora and Luna''s mother nodded, somewhat satisfied. ''Long time no see, my girls. How have you been? Mm. We were in good shape. Haven''t you, Sola? ''Ha, yes. As you can see, we''re doing fine, but... That''s good. I was worried when I heard you had abandoned your duties as a gatekeeper for the outside world, but it seems you''ve met a good match. I glanced at Sora and Luna''s mother, who looked at me. She seems to have some idea of our relationship. There''s no way we could talk about it beforehand so... Maybe he observed the place and came up with an answer right away. He''s a quick thinker. Um.... Are you their guardian? ''No. I''m not a parent, I''m a friend. My name is Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer. My name is Kanade. It''s Tania. Uh, uh, Nina, sir. That''s Tina Holli. She looks like this, but she''s a ghost. Everyone greeted each of them. ''''Ho........the cat spirit race and the dragon race. And the god race is also together. And a ghost as well.......hmmm, this is an unusual party. They all seem to be connected to each other with this boy at the center. You say that as if you''ve seen it all. That''s just a theory. You''re ready to move and ready to defend the boy at all times, aren''t you?So, I just thought that the boy might be the center of it all. A simple deduction, isn''t it? He''s a real smart guy. "Well... Yeah, I''m sorry about that. He didn''t tell me his name yet. When I wasn''t sure what to call her, Sora and Luna''s mother bowed her head as if to say no. I am Al, the mother of Sora and Luna. I am the mother of Sora and Luna, and I am the gatekeeper of the entrance to the village here. Mr. Al...? You can call me Al, now, can''t I? It''s true that if it were just a matter of appearance, I think the ''chan'' designation would be appropriate.... As expected, I can''t call Sora and Luna''s mother by their changs. ''By Al,'' It''s so boring. I think she''s still young, but........ Don''t Sora and Luna think so too? Your mother is your mother. She''s old enough to know better. ''I mean, I''ve lived for over a hundred years, but it''s a bit of a mackerel to want me to look at you the same way as Sora and the others. Mggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. Al''s lips twitched childishly. Childish and mature.... I don''t know who he is. At any rate. "Fluffy! What? Al-san hugged Sora and Luna close to him. As it was, he put his face close to theirs, soaking in their warmth. ''I''m relieved to see you''re doing well. "...mother... "...mother... Tears welled up in Sora and Luna''s eyes. ''It looks like you were in a lot of trouble when I wasn''t around. I''m sorry I couldn''t be there for you. But I''m glad to see you''re doing so well. Ugh. "Hiccup. Finally, they couldn''t hold back anymore and Sora and Luna burst into tears. As it was, they hugged Al.... I''m going to give you some privacy. Yeah, I guess so. Everyone nodded, including Kanade... We watched as the three of us spent time with the father and son. 167-Chapter 167: Device I''m afraid I''ve made you very uncomfortable with the whole thing. After a while.... Al turned his head away from Sora and Luna to look at us. He looked somewhat satisfied, and it was good to see Sola and Luna again, I thought. ''No. It''s for Sora and Luna''s sake. "Hmm. Al stared at me intently. ''What, what is it?'' To be able to say such a thing so naturally. I''ll give you credit. Uh ... thank you? Oh, you can''t just be a little boy. I''ll call him by his name. What did you mean by...? Mother. Sola''s master is called Rain. "You are my Lord. Make sure you remember that. As Sora and Luna explain, Al-san pops his palm with the word "oh". ''Yes, you said it was Rain. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what to expect.Shroud? What''s the matter with you, mother? No, it sounds familiar, but it''s nothing. Well, I guess it''s in your mind. What is it? Al-san has a strange look on his face...? That said. It wasn''t much of a problem, or it would just go away. I''ve heard from the girls. I heard from the girls that you have something you want to ask the mistress. ''Yes. Actually...... That Iris'' seal has been broken. That they are looking for a way to seal it again. The clue to this is that I came to talk to Al about it. I told him about those things. ''''Hm........'''' After hearing the story, Al-san made a difficult face. ''''Just to be sure.......it was your mother who sealed Iris, wasn''t it? ''''Hmm. Indeed, that Heavenly Clan was sealed by the concubine and her companions. In response to Luna''s question, Al-san nodded quietly. She seemed to be remembering those days and was peeking out indescribable emotions. ''That guy........Iris'' outburst was tremendous. He continued to destroy everything and anything with a force that seemed to swallow everything. At the time, the spirit race, including the mistresses, were parting company with the humans, but even so, they decided they couldn''t leave him alone. They joined forces with the other strongest species and sealed Iris away. Why was it sealed, by the way?Didn''t you have the option of taking it down? The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that I could have defeated him, but considering the background of what happened to Iris, I didn''t want to end up taking his life and that''s the end of it. Maybe time will heal the hatred. Thinking that, the mistresses chose to seal it up, but I guess it didn''t work out so well. Al let out a sad breath. He must be a kind person. He''s someone who can think about what happened to Iris as if it were his own, and is able to sympathize with her. If it''s someone like that, Al-san might be able to help us. I ask, hoping that he will be able to help us. ''Can you help me?'' .... Iris is out for revenge again. She''s going through the same grief and suffering she did in the past. We want to stop it. So we want to seal Iris away again. And why is that?You''re trying to protect people. That''s part of it but I''d rather help Iris. Do you want to help? ''Iris is willing to die to get her revenge. Maybe if he continues to run amok, he will be defeated one day. I don''t want to end up like that. That''s why I''m going to seal the seal to save Iris. That doesn''t remove the danger, does it?You know that could be a problem for posterity? It''s what we humans did originally. And besides it''s better than Iris dying. Are you aware of what you''re doing? It''s just me being selfish and egotistical. You are aware of this and yet you continue on your way... Al looked surprised. Next, he stared at me intently. ''''Well maybe Rain would be able to reach Iris''s mind, or maybe she would be able to reach you. I''ll make it happen. You want to be sure. You''re funny. Al smiled. It was a smile that seemed somewhat gentle. ''''Mm. I understand what Rain said. I''m convinced, too.'' Well then.... But the method that sealed Iris is one of the most secret techniques of the spirit race. But the method of sealing Iris is a secret technique among the spirit tribe, and I cannot teach it to you simply because I have been asked to. ''''We spirits, mistresses, don''t care what happens to humans now. Mmm, she''s so mean to me. Then what do you want me to do? Al chuckled at his daughters'' protests. It''s obvious, isn''t it?In times like this, in all times and places, the royal way is to show your strength. ''So that''s how it''s going to play out...'' It makes me cringe, but... Mr. Al doesn''t try to do anything. ''I would say ...'' ? I owe Rayne a debt of gratitude for her help with the girls. I have to repay the debt in a heartfelt way. Well then.... Hmm. I''ll help you, if you''re a concubine. Smiling, Al smiled. ''You sound confusing...'' If you''re going to help us from the start, you should say so. That would be boring. I also wanted to get to know Rain''s character, you know? Despite the zit eyes of his daughters, Al kept a cool face. I see. This is the kind of thing that makes you a parent. It''s an existence that a child can''t oppose forever. ''''So, how do you seal Iris...? Hmm.........the seal uses magic. As for that magic, it''s classified as super-grade, but well, I''m sure Sora and Luna can learn it easily. "Humph, I''m a magical genius! Somewhat happily, Luna puffed out her chest. Maybe she was happy to be praised by Al-san. ''Won''t my mother follow me?'' Maybe Sola is right, and it would be best if Al could apply the seal again... She has to watch the gates. "She has to keep watch over the gates because she has to. Ugh. And ... can we trust someone else with this case? No. I''d rather we settled this ourselves. Yes, you''re right, Al, you''re right. We can''t just let someone else take care of Iris. We have to take care of it ourselves. "Yeah, that''s the spirit. It''s just... It''s just... There''s just one problem. I need a vessel to keep Iris inside. Vessel? Koten, Luna tilted her head slightly. On the other hand, I kind of understood what Al-san was trying to say. The shrine where Iris was sealed........................contained some sort of item. Perhaps it was a legendary-grade item. The item was probably used as a medium to seal Iris. ''''In the past, we used the Tears of Heaven to seal Iris, but...'''' ''Tears of Heaven?Where have I heard that before.... One of the most legendary pieces of equipment only a brave man can possess. Yeah, no wonder. He must have heard the word somewhere in his travels with Arios and the others. Also, I finally understood why Arios had destroyed the shrine. Wasn''t the purpose of freeing Iris, but to get the legendary equipment? But as a result, Iris was freed and... Arios and the others ran away without taking responsibility for it. Maybe it''s time to do something about it. Well, I don''t care about Arios right now. It''s the seal that''s the problem. The magic the mistress has developed is to seal the target''s soul in a vessel. If you were to seal someone as powerful as Iris, you''d need a suitably powerful vessel. Do Rain and the others have items that rival the legendary equipment? It''s... By the looks of your face, you''re not. Excuse me. There''s no need to apologize. Most people don''t have legendary items. But, umm.......... Al gives me a difficult look and hmmmmm and worries. We join in and let our thoughts run full circle. ''''Nya........how about taking away the equipment of the heroes?'''' ''That''s a bit... or rather, I don''t know where Arios and the others are. You want to go raid the Dragon King''s jewels? Won''t that be a problem later on, then? ''Well ... uh ... uh ... huh. If you can''t think of anything, don''t force yourself, okay? You wanna use my kettle? ''The kettle that Tina is possessing is the kettle of legend...? Everyone talks about this and that, but no solution comes up. Mr. Al saw this and voiced his opinion, as if it was inevitable. We have to use the backdoor method. What do you mean? ''''There are various items stored in the village of the spirit race. "There are various items stored in the village of the spirit tribe, including legendary items. We will use them. "What? The two daughters both exclaimed in surprise. ''My dear, if I may say so....Is that going to be a problem? ''Yes, don''t talk to me on the assumption that my mistress will steal!Of course you''re going to have to go to the front of the room to get it right, don''t you? Is that even possible? It must be infinitely more difficult. Contrary to his words, Mr. Al says simply, "You must be recognized by everyone in the village when you take out the treasure of the village. ''Taking out the village''s treasures must be recognized by everyone in the village. Not the mistresses, but Raine and others must be recognized. I''m sure it''s going to be quite difficult, but does that mean you''re going to give up on it?That''s not true. Rain and the others won''t give up, will they? Of course. If that''s the only way, I''ll go as far as I can. Hmm. That''s the spirit. If you''re prepared to do that, I''m sure you''ll find a way through. Mr. Al chuckled and patted my head as if to say well done. I was a little embarrassed. 168-Episode 168: To the Spirit Village In order to seal Iris, you must turn a legendary-grade item into a vessel. In order to obtain that item, he goes to the village of the spirits. The future course of action has been decided... And then it''s done. Then let''s go. Are you ready? Everyone nodded together at Al-san''s question. Taking that as a cue, Al-san turned to face the direction of nothing........ A pang, and a clap of hands. Then, as if in response to the sound, space shook. As if a stone was dropped into the water, a wavering ripple spread through the air. This is the entrance. Follow my mistress. Al-san said, and proceeded to the center of the fluctuation. When a high-pitched sound resounded.... Al''s figure had disappeared. ''''Nya!Gone! We''ve moved to the Spirit Village. Come on, you guys, go ahead. Contrary to Kanade''s astonishment, Sora and Luna were indeed calm. They proceeded to the center of the fluctuation just as Al-san did.......and then disappeared. ''So that''s the entrance, I guess. I don''t know what kind of principle it is, but it must lead to another place.... the village of the spirits. ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.Do you think they''ll throw us in some weird place? It''ll be okay. When it happens, it''s just Kanade. Pussy? Well...... While Kanade and Tania were frolicking, Nina with the kettle stepped into the fluctuation. She was the smallest, but had the most nerve. ''Kanade, Tania. We''re coming with you. Uh, okay. Look. How long are you going to shy away from it? Tania pushed me, and Kanade and the others stepped forward into the fluctuation. I followed them into the fluctuation. ---------- You are surrounded by white light and a sense of floating. That lasted for about ten seconds... Then, all at once, my vision opened up. ''''This is........'''' From one end of the field of view to the other, everything was filled with greenery. It was like being in a forest, surrounded by plants and trees. There are few man-made objects in the midst of nature''s abundance. The only thing that can be seen is a house made of huge trees and scaffolding made of wooden planks, but there is nothing else that looks man-made. Maybe it was a substitute for a watering hole, or maybe it was a clear, clean spring. Instead of light, there was a fluffy light flying around. Perhaps it is some kind of insect that emits light. I remember learning somewhere that there was such a species. It''s true... this is the home of the spirit race. Kanade and Tania were in a daze, seemingly overwhelmed by the fantastic scene. ''You''re all here, right? Al was in the square a little further on. We move to Al-san''s place. ''The mistress and her daughters will now go talk to the people in the village. Everyone will be waiting here. That''s fine, but... Are we gonna be eaten? Tania and Kanade looked uneasy. It can''t be helped. Since a while ago, I can feel gazes from here and there. When I look in that direction, someone quickly pulls back. There''s no doubt that they''re watching me. And the gaze is not a friendly one. I''m curious to a certain extent, but.... Only Kanade and the others have that kind of gaze, and many of the gazes towards me have a connotation of caution or hostility. Perhaps it''s because I''m a human. An existence that can be called the natural enemy of the spirit race suddenly appeared, and the other side is probably wary. "Hey! I''m here! Whatever he thought, Kanade suddenly greeted him cheerfully. She smiles and waves at the spirit race, which is not visible. Seeing that, Tania makes a slightly drawn out face. ''''What are you doing...?Is it broken? What a terrible assessment! I got a look that said, "Gunn. ''No, I''m not. It''s like they''re being wary of us, so I thought I''d show them that we''re nothing - we''re friendly. ''Well, maybe I could have shown off Kanade''s no-nonsense ways. No nonsense... He continued, and was shocked at something. ''I''m glad Kanade cares, but it won''t mean much. Why? Because I know you have a problem with me being here. ''Oh, I see. Rain is a human... Technically, we''re human beings too, but this is what we are now. Tina said as she cracked the lid off the kettle. ''Mmm,'' For some reason, Kanade puffs up. ''What''s wrong?'' Rain isn''t a bad person. Thanks. "Whoa! I couldn''t help but stroke Kanade''s head in a conditioned reflex. ''Just saying that makes me happy. Well, you know, um, yeah. Kanade seems to be particularly salty. What''s wrong with him? Sorry to keep you waiting. Before I could check on Kanade, Al and the others returned. ''It''s early,'' You can''t leave them alone for long. I''m in a hurry. ''''You''re so old that you can count from the top in your village. No one can ignore a word from your mother like that. Not as much as Kanade''s mother, but she''s pretty good at what she does. My two daughters say proudly. ''Nya, you''re amazing,'' I mean, how old is he? I''m an eternal 17-year-old. It was said once and for all, and no one could argue with it. ---------- Al led us to the elder''s house. The house was very spacious, built from a huge tree that looked like it was thousands of years old. There was still plenty of room for all of us to enter. ''''Well you''re the one Al says you are. An elderly spirit race sits down face to face. This person must be the ''chief''. Deep wrinkles on his face. A long beard. That, and a demeanor that only those who have lived for a long time can acquire. Just confronting him like this, I felt a pressure. Although it makes me nervous........ Don''t be consumed here. Taking a deep breath and calming myself down, I meet the chief''s gaze straight away. ''''Ho.'''' The chief let out an impressed voice. ''You have quite a lot of heart for a human being. Um... hi. Was that a compliment? If that''s the case, then we''re in luck. And if things keep going the way I want them to go... What a thought, but it was naive. I don''t like to go around. So let''s get right to the point. I hear you want to use the items in the village, master? ''Yes, actually...'' Okay, Al just told me why. And I will tell you why. I will not cooperate. 169-Episode 169 Persuasion ''It''s not that we can''t cooperate, it''s that we won''t cooperate that''s the answer. The chief said once and for all. I feel a strong rejection from his words. It''s not just because I''m human.... There may be some other reasons for this. This isn''t going to be a straightforward process. I can''t give up on this one. I''m determined to do this. Can I ask you why? I have nothing to say to the humans. .... "You can consider this the best possible compromise we can make, even though we''ve met here. There is no such thing as cooperation. Well, that''s all I have to say. I will leave the village as soon as possible. Holy shit. With a pop, Al tapped the chief on the head. ''Hey, what are you doing, Al?'' A young man comes to your village and you have an attitude. No matter how human they are, they have a certain attitude. But a human being or something... ouch! He hit it again! It''s precisely because you are human. If you behave like that, you''ll make me question the dignity of my fellow spirits. Can''t you understand that? Mmm.... The mistress of the house let him in. You will not be driven away without question. You''re going to destroy her face. But you see.... But there''s nothing to it. Here, start over. Al-san and the chief were bouncing words about this and that. While I was looking at the scene with a blank stare, Sora and Luna softly whispered in my ear. ''''........Mother has lived longer than the chief. ...So even the chief can''t get over your mother. ...I see. The two of them make sense, but.... But if we''re just going by looks, it''s like Al is the grandson and the chief is the grandfather. Looks and substance are reversed. As for Suzu-san..... Do women of the strongest species seem to get younger as they get older? Well that''s human. Again, the chief''s gaze turned to me. ''I take back the words ''leave now''. I''ll just listen to you a little longer. Thank you. ''I''ve heard the general story from Al but it looks like the Heavenly Clan you sealed so long ago has been released. ''Yes. So I wanted to seal it up again could you lend me the items I need to do that? Cooperating with the humans and others is not... ''Hmm?What did you just say? You can tell me more about it if you want. Al-san showed his fists at his side, and the chief changed the subject as he broke out in a cold sweat. No matter how you look at it, he''s threatening her, but is that enough...? However, I''m sure that if I don''t do this, we won''t be able to talk about it? ''Sorry,'' I apologize inwardly, but still, I continue to talk. ''I can''t leave Iris alone. We need to seal it off again. That''s none of our business. They say that humans broke the seal. It''s all your fault, you know. ''Yes, we do. That''s why we have to stop Iris by ourselves. I stared straight at the chief. The chief also looked into our eyes. Our gazes collided with each other.... Eventually, the chief let out a sigh. ''''Huh ... you''re a stubborn person. Normally, I would give up if you treat me this coldly.'''' I don''t want to give up on you in the slightest. What is it that drives you so hard?To protect humans? ''There''s that too. But that''s not all. What do you mean? It''s also to help Iris. "Huh? The chief seemed to be interested in my words. He urged me to continue the conversation, so I told him my thoughts. ''Iris only cares about revenge. He doesn''t think about himself at all. It''s not normal for her to live like that. She will destroy herself. That''s why I want to stop it. I want to help Iris. The enemy...? ''Speaking of enemies, they may be enemies. But..... I wonder when it was. I think back to the night I spent with Iris at River End. That time.... Maybe it was just then, but.... But it certainly felt like he and Iris had a heart to heart connection. Maybe it was just a whim and a trivial time for Iris. I didn''t think that deeply about it, either. Still. I never forgot it, and it''s still there, in my memory. So I can assure you. We may be enemies, but we can have a heart to heart. .... ''I''m not going to tell you that I understand everything about Iris. What I did understand, maybe just a small part of it it might just be pity. You are aware of that, aren''t you? But am I not supposed to feel sorry for him? .... Sympathy is a way of thinking about others. I don''t think that''s a bad thing. Hmmm... that''s one way to put it. But I mean it. He lays out the words to the chief, who says something in denial. ''I''m going to seal it to help Iris. I know it may be contradictory but as it stands, I think it''s the best thing to do. So please help me to do that. Don''t you think it would be faster to take them down? It doesn''t solve anything. No, maybe it solves the problem for us humans but it just puts a lid on the stinkin'' thing. It was us humans who caused this. Therefore, we humans must take responsibility for it. And it''s not in the form of a self-serving revenge. At the very least, I think it has to take the form of a seal. ''Killed, killed ... killed, killed ... that''s sad, isn''t it? Somewhere, we have to break this chain of events. .... I''m... we''re gonna break the chain of command. I''m going to end it. All right. The chief nodded quietly and deeply. ''''If you have that much thought and determination, then there is no longer any question. Well then.... I''m happy to help you. I felt relieved and relaxed from the tension in my body. Finally, I was able to take a step forward. Keep going forward at this rate.... And I will stop Iris. Once again, I made up my mind in my chest. ''Just on one condition.'' Good grief. What do you mean by that? Are you trying to turn this into a problem? Mr. Al glared at him, but this time the chief was not frightened. ''''I don''t mind cooperating with you, I mean it. If that Heavenly Clan is left on the loose, our spirit race might be harmed as well. The spirit race is the one who put the seal on Iris. There is no possibility of being included in the target of Iris''s revenge. ''''However, it''s hard to say if it''s something we can leave to this human. I need to see the power first. Without seeing the power, entrusting everything to him would be a foolish thing to do, right? "Mmm, that''s... Al seems to have lost the words to return it. However, what the chief is saying is a correct argument. If I don''t have the power to seal Iris, then I can''t seal her, so.... If you don''t prove it, you won''t be able to get people to trust you. I think there is no other way but to have them see it directly with their own eyes, not with words. Which means..... Human. Let''s see how much power you have. I knew it was going to be this way. But it''s fine. If that''s how we can get to a way to seal Iris, then I''ll take whatever it takes until we can get to it. 170-Episode 170: Trials of the Spirits The chief led us to a place that looked like an arena. ''''It''s amazing to see a place like this in the village of the spirit race. ''This is primarily a place for magical training. It''s a place for magical training, which is why it''s been given such a large space. Also, there are wards in place at all times so that if your magic fails, there will be no damage to your surroundings. Luna and Sora explained it to me. So this is where the ''ordeal'' that the chief says will take place? What kind of content is it? I''m starting to get a little nervous. ''Get on stage.'' I went up to the stage of the arena as the chief told me to. Following me, Kanade tried to climb up, but.... "Daughter of the cat spirit race. And the others. You can''t. Meow?Why? ''I don''t need to test your powers. Because I''m sure the strongest species would have the power to do just that. Am I the only one who has to go through that ordeal? Yeah. Are you nervous? No, it''s not a problem. I look at Kanade and the others. ''So that''s why ... everyone stay back. But.... I''ll be fine. I''ll be fine. Wouldn''t you ever? Nya........Rain tends to lie a little bit about things related to himself, doesn''t he? ...was it? ''But... yeah. I believe it!Good luck! Thank you. Kanade and everyone else waited at the side of the arena. ''You are about to fight a certain opponent,'' A guy....? I''m worried about the way he''s being pompous. Is he a very strong opponent? Naturally, your guard goes up. ''If I can fight and defeat you one on one, I will acknowledge you, Lord. What are the terms of victory? Literally, it''s about taking him down. It''s... What. Do you think you''ve already won? I''m not saying that. I''m sure you''re not going to be able to get away with it. Your opponent is a magically created object that you are fighting. They don''t have lives. So there''s no need to worry about that. That''s a relief to hear. I don''t know what we''re dealing with, but.... I''m going to give it my all. I really need to get your approval. And we don''t have a lot of time. If it''s possible, I''d like to call it a short-term battle. ...That''s what I was thinking about, but... It''s not going to be that easy, and I was reminded of the naive nature of this idea. "Your opponent........is this guy! The space is distorted. A huge mirror appeared. ''''Is this...?'''' My image is reflected in the huge mirror. My reflection in the mirror had a quizzical look on my face. ''''Huh?'''' Suddenly, I smirk at my reflection in the mirror. But I''m not smiling. The me in the mirror starts moving on its own. From the mirror to the real world. The other me appeared from the mirror. "Nya, nya? Two Rains...? I could hear Kanade and Tania''s surprised voices. Although I don''t say it out loud, I''m also very surprised. What in the world is this...? That''s who you''re dealing with. It''s me... right? Yeah. I mean, you''re at war with yourself. "I''ll fight myself... A man''s true nature can only be discerned when he is confronted with himself. Therefore, I ask you to fight against yourself. Now, power ... show me your heart. The elders clapped their hands in a pan and... That was the signal for the start of the fight. ---------- The other me.... It''s hard to say, so let''s call it ''The Shadow''. The shadow rushed over with a signal. ''''Huh!'''' Fast! It''s like the wind. You can''t stop the shadow from running out and allowing it to be in your pocket. The shadow came out with a fist with the same momentum. One blow. Two blows. Three blows. With a flowing motion, he unleashes a series of blows. "This guy........! The first blow was avoided by tilting his face. The second blow was caught with his left hand. The third blow he couldn''t avoid or catch it, and he took a decent hit. It''s a heavy blow. The impact seems to resonate to the core of my body, and I stagger involuntarily. Without missing the opportunity, the shadow moves to chase after it. It stays close to me as I try to keep my distance and never leaves. It''s like a swoop. Once you''ve been bitten, you won''t let go again. You''re so persistent! Shake off the shadow legs... He slams his knee into the spot where his body leans. He doesn''t stop there, but spins on the spot. He drops his heels from top to bottom. The shadow that received the painful blow staggered for a moment, but....... The visible changes were just that, and he quickly regained his position. This power. And this durability. It''s like the shadow is copying my status exactly. And then......... Huh? Right after I had a bad feeling about this... The shadow chanted three fireballs at the same time and released them at us. 171-Episode 171: Trusting On the stage, Rain and Shadow are engaged in a fierce battle. Two people with the exact same abilities fight. There was no difference in power, it was almost an even match. Still. If I had to dare to say it, Rain was slightly pushed. This was an opponent he had never fought before. It would be the first time he would be fighting a battle with himself. That confusion had become a fetter and was slowing Rain''s movements. "Hmmm.......looks like Rain is being pushed. Al, who was watching the game, calmly analyzed the match. The elders seemed to have the same opinion and sniffed boringly at his opinion. ''''Hm. You are just a human being. The fact that you are disturbed by the fact that you have to fight against yourself can only be called immature. I thought there would be a few highlights, but I guess I was wrong. No. When it comes to fighting yourself, normally, anyone would be disturbed, wouldn''t they? Al couldn''t help but follow up on the elder''s harsh words. The elder glared at Al like that. ''''Is Al on that human''s side?'''' I don''t know if I''m an ally or an ally at all, but I''m sure the girls will love it. You''ll want to support them. d*mn, you''re indulging in some crazy-ass emotion. ''Parents love their children, and their children like those they like. Isn''t that the natural order of things? Nonsense. Even as they talked about it, the battle continued on the stage. Like a hungry beast, the shadows were persistently chasing Rain. Rain couldn''t cope with it, and every now and then, he would get attacked by the shadow. He hadn''t received any fatal blows yet, but... It seemed to be only a matter of time before it was too late. ''Sola, Luna. It seems that the person you call Lord doesn''t have much power. To be cornered at this level is boring. ''Oh. Has the elder become blind?The game is still up for grabs. It''s only a matter of time. ''It''s not true. Lane will definitely win. Sora and Luna never looked away from the stage. They stare at the sight of their Lord in battle. There is an overflowing amount of trust in their eyes. They don''t seem to think for a minute that Rain would lose. When the elder noticed this, he wondered about Sora and Luna. How could they put so much trust in each other? No matter how close they are to each other, if Rain is shown to be outmatched, they would normally doubt their victory. And yet, Sora and Luna believe in Rain''s victory without hesitation. Why? "...how can you trust that person so much? Yeah? Luna tilted her face to the side, just like an owl. ''What do you mean by that?'' Don''t play dumb. You don''t doubt that man''s victory, do you?You''ll know it when you see it. How can you believe that much? "...oh... Luna popped her palm, as if she hadn''t realized it until she was told. Sola nodded in agreement. ''If you ask me, the elders are right. I don''t doubt Rain''s victory as if it were a victory. Strange, I didn''t realize it until you told me. ''But well maybe that''s just a normal thing for Sora and Luna to do. Sola and Luna say it as if they are speaking the obvious. It''s like they''re talking about the truth of the world... They were unconcerned, as if they were saying something very commonplace. The elder was baffled by their attitude. What could possibly stir up these two people''s thoughts to such an extent? What will it take to win that much trust? Sola and Luna are very young, but.... Still, they are part of the spirit race. We grew up being taught that humans are incompatible with us... Before they left the village, they had never doubted that, and they believed it. And yet, what about now? Instead of doubting Rain, he trusts her 100%. It''s the complete opposite of when I was in the village. What the hell happened? What would make Sora and Luna change so much? The elder became curious. ''''........Is that human important to you guys?'''' Yes. "Mm. They nodded without hesitation and.... Once again, the elder knows the strong feelings that Sora and Luna have for Rain. Is that because that human helped you...? That''s part of it but it''s not the only thing. ''I have so much fun with Rain!Also, it makes my chest feel warm. It''s going to make you feel warm. ''Yes. Luna is right. It makes me feel very comfortable. I want to be around Lane for a long, long time. The words of Sola and Luna made the elder exclaim. The spirit race is completely pining for the humans. No, is it the level of pining for them? They don''t seem to realize it yet, but... It might be within the realm of possibility to say that he is in love with her, which is not a problem. However, the elder could not understand their feelings for each other. Rain, fighting on the stage, was still trapped by his alter ego. He was being overpowered. How could he be so fascinated by such a weak existence? It''s more satisfying to be told that the two of you are being duped. I''ve already heard that. Still, I can''t help but ask the question again and again. ''Why do you trust that person so much?'' When you ask me why... I can''t explain that to you. What? The elders were stunned by the two extremely inappropriate replies. ''''For reasons like that, for reasons like this... how can you explain it that way?I think Sola is different. Something that cannot be explained in words, but is felt in the heart... isn''t that what trust is? It''s just what Sora says. I didn''t think about all the trouble I''d have to go through with Rayne. I simply want to be with Rayne, that''s all I really want. The desire to be with you is the trust I have in you. .... The elders were silent at the words of Sola and Luna. Somewhat later, he turned his attention to Rain, who continued to fight on the stage. ''How can that human be that much of a...'' I don''t understand the elders. I don''t understand. Still, I don''t know. This is the first time I''ve been interested in a person named Lane Shroud. 172-Episode 172: Overcoming yourself How long has it been since we started fighting the shadows? One minute? Ten minutes? 30 minutes? The sense of time was blurred. The battle was that much more intense and severe. ''Matter creation!'' With the power he contracted with Nina, he created a mass of gunpowder. He threw it at the shadows and........ Fireball Multi-Shot! Ignited by magic. Red flame and shock waves rage across the stage. How about this?I think... Huh. A shadow rushed out from behind the dust cloud. Although it was sooty here and there, there didn''t appear to be any fatal damage. I''ve tried all sorts of ways... I wonder if he''s immortal? Can we really win? I couldn''t help but let my vulnerable side show its face. And that was when it happened. ''''Rain, keep up the good work! Hang in there! I could hear Sola and Luna cheering. That''s all. But the weakness in me is completely gone. The cheering of my friends gives me a lot of strength. That''s right. I''m the one who chose this path.... We can''t just give up here, can we? We can''t do anything that uncool, can we? "Phew! Get yourself together and... This time, I charged into the shadows from here. We collided head-on. As if pushing hand to hand, we are in the form of comparing forces. ''''Gu........this.......enough! He brushed off the shadow''s leg and threw it away when he was out of stance. ''Fireball multi-shot!'' I followed it up with magic. Three fireballs, creating........ One of those shots hits the shadow. Still, the shadow doesn''t go down, but.... The movement stops completely. Quickly, he fleshes out into the shadows and slams an elbow into his abdomen. As it is, he hits a series of fists. He also kicks up his chin, bouncing up from the bottom to the top. Wobblingly, the shadow shakes. The damage was definitely accumulated. ''''How!'''' I heard the elder''s surprised voice. Well, that might not be surprising. We''ve been on the defensive so far........ But that ends here. I''m going to take it from here. Gravity Manipulation! The movement of the shadows that charged in to turn around was stopped by gravity manipulation. The shadow, which was subjected to five times the normal weight of pressure, visibly slowed down. Now is your chance. ''''Fireball Multi-Shot!'''' First, he got a distance and fired a series of fireballs. One after another, explosions occurred, and the shadows were consumed by the flames. Still, I can''t be relieved yet. If you''re as stubborn as I am, you''re not done yet. Sure enough, the flames were pinched and the shadows flew out of the flames. It must have received wounds here and there, but its momentum has not waned. It''s not a human being, so it doesn''t feel pain, and its movements don''t slow down, I guess. It''s quite a foul existence. But......... I''ll get over it! Boost! I strengthened my physical abilities and closed the gap from here. Here, for the first time, the shadow showed a pretense of being upset. Following me, she tried to strengthen her physical abilities, but........ Too late! I''m not dumb enough to allow that to happen. He kicks the shadow in the face and interrupts the chanting. He also extreme his arm and put all his weight on it. I could hear a dull sound and an unpleasant response. ''Even though it''s a shadow, it''s not a pleasant one. However, I can''t take it easy. The shadow doesn''t give up even if its arm is broken and tries to bite like a zombie. I''m not a fan of this, but I''m not a fan of this. If we leave it like this, we''ll be hit. Phew! As he slid, he paid off both of the shadow''s legs. There was no more support and the shadow fell over. I quickly picked myself up and climbed on top of the shadow. I stomped on one hand and one foot of the shadow with both feet to block its movement. And then..... He pulled out his Kamui and stabbed it into the shadow''s back. Giving him a deep, fatal wound, deep enough to bury the entire blade... Bikung, the shadow twitched once. After that, it stopped moving... Eventually, it disappeared like a sludge and melted. ''''.................Fufu. I look at it for a while, but it doesn''t seem to be reviving. I put the camouflage away and quietly stand up. Then I turn to the elder who was watching the game. ''I won........is that right?'' Hmm.... The elder nodded slowly, surprised. ''''I will not be a trivial cheapskate. Human, I will acknowledge that you have won. Okay. A small gut pose... Meow, yay! That''s Rain. Congratulations. I always knew I would win. You''re not... hurt...? He''s so strong. Everyone congratulated me with their mouths. I responded to everyone with a light wave of my hand. ''''........How did you manage to win?'''' The elder asked quietly. ''''That one had the same power as you. It was never inferior in performance. And you were upset and driven to begin with. And yet......... ''Well, that''s certainly true but I''ve gotten used to it after some time. You''re used to...? As we fought, I started to see their attack patterns and thoughts and things like that. .... ''Sure, that shadow might have been as powerful as me. But I can ''grow up''. I grew up in the fight and that''s how I was able to surpass that shadow. When you think about it that way, don''t you think that''s a satisfying answer? Well yes. The elder''s eyes widened once.... Then, with a look of satisfaction, he said quietly, "Let''s hear your name again. "Let''s hear your name again. The Rain Shroud. Hmm.... What is it? You look like you''ve got a lot on your mind, but.... ''Well so the ordeal has passed, right?The item that would be the vessel... "...yeah, I guess so. Don''t worry, I''ll keep my promise. I''ll get ready and you can go back first. I understand. I bowed and got off the stage. ---------- Rain and his companions walk away. As he looked behind them, the elder thought back to the earlier battle. ''You grew up while fighting...?'' It''s not possible. Any creature can become stronger by feeding off the battle. That''s for sure. But there''s no way you can grow while fighting. It''s not possible to have such a growth rate. If it were an ordinary human being, such a thing would not be possible. If that is possible........ It''s already beyond the confines of ''human''. ''''No ... not really.'''' The elder realized that he had missed a possibility. It could grow while fighting. The elder knew of a human who had such an incredible growth rate. A long time ago, a clan of people who had been given power by the gods. One who grew many times and dozens of times faster than others and grew everywhere. ''''But that one must not be a brave.......no, wait? The elder managed to dredge up some forgotten memories. ''That human who called himself the Shroud, didn''t he?As I recall, the family lineage is.... The words that followed were never heard by anyone and never reached anyone... It was hidden in the elder''s chest. 173-Episode 173 Preparedness I was able to successfully overcome the ordeal that the elders presented to me. I couldn''t just leave the village after receiving the items needed to seal the seal. Legendary-class items are strictly controlled and cannot be taken out easily. The multiple seals that were placed on them must be broken one by one.... It''s going to take some time, he said. And apparently there''s also a lot of paperwork that needs to be done. It''s like bureaucratic work. I heard that when Arios asked me to bring out the "Shield of Truth", the procedures were omitted because the other party was a brave man, but..... This time, since he was a normal human being, he couldn''t skip it and had to go through a lengthy procedure. And one more thing. Sora and Luna needed time to learn the magic to seal Iris. The coach was Al-san. According to Al-san, it was originally going to take about a month to learn it, but..... Sola and Luna would be able to learn it in a week. The two of them are said to have that much talent. So we are going to stay in the spirit village for at least a week. It''s frustrating. To not be able to go out for a week... What if Iris is back in action while we''re doing this? And what if it''s too late? When I think about it, I can''t stand still. Nyah, Rain. I noticed that Kanade was nearby. It was as if I hadn''t noticed his presence until he called out to me. It was like I was caught in a whirlpool of thoughts, thinking too much about this and that. ''You have a difficult look on your face. Are you thinking about Iris? Yeah, I know. I know it''s not for that reason, but mmmm, that''s a bit of a joke. Yeah? Nah, not even a cat? Kanade fumbled and waved his hands to the side. ''You''d better calm down a bit. There''s no good reason to be in a hurry, and now we have to wait.'' I think I know that, but I just can''t.... Meow.... Kanade gave me a little thoughtful look... And then. Meow! He hugged me as if to say, "What? ''Ka, Kanade?'' .... I''m surprised by the suddenness of the situation. Kanade''s face turns bright red... Squeezing me, she hugged me. It was like a way to calm my fears. It''s like sharing the warmth of... I was a little embarrassed, but I felt strangely calm. I''m not so sure... Settling in? A little. Heh, that''s good. Kanade smiles. "My mom did this to me once," she says, "and it really calmed me down. It made me feel so much calmer... ''Oh yeah...'' Well, I mean... so!I''m just doing this because I want Rain to calm down, heck, it doesn''t mean anything weird!It''s not there! ''I know. I''m not going to make any weird mistakes. Mmm I don''t think you''re being too smart like that. What do you want me to do? Anyway thank you, Kanade. Mwah. He gently pulled away and stroked Kanade''s head. Kanade''s tail wagged happily. But the happy face didn''t last long... His expression changes to one of melancholy. ''....Hey, Rain. Yeah? I know it''s wrong to ask this when I''m about to start, but I just had to make sure it was okay. Would it be okay if I asked? What? ''What if ... if things get out of control, what will you do then?'' Kanade''s question pierced a deep part of me. I can''t help myself. It would be about Iris. I''m trying to seal Iris away, but.... And if that doesn''t work? What if you can''t even stop him by force? What if you can''t even restrain him? When all means are lost What will I do then? Kanade must be asking the question. ''I am...'' I close my eyes and think. What action should I take? What do you want to do with Iris? How do you want to end up? Think, think, think... Still, my answer remains the same. One thing I''ve had from the beginning. "I''m not gonna give up on you. He opened his eyes and said clearly. ''Nyah ... Rain. "I will risk my life to stop Iris. I will do everything in my power to stop him. That is what I am going to do, right up until the end. I will fight him until the last moment, right up to the moment he can''t move. I am going to save Iris. Wouldn''t it be too much to ask for a life filled with memories and despair?That''s how I wish ... one day I could see Iris'' heartfelt smile. That''s my answer. Putting it into words made me strangely prepared. Normally, I might have to be prepared to kill him when the time comes. But wouldn''t that be an escape? You swore an oath to help and then at the last minute you change course...........it''s not a consistent action, it''s a shaky core. I don''t want that to happen... I hope that I can follow through with this thought... I''ve now clearly set my mind to it. Against such a decision of mine, Kanade........ He smiled happily to himself. 174-Episode 174: Immediately below the rapid turn It''s been a week and... Sola and Luna''s training was completed. The two of them were able to successfully learn the sealing magic. And, as promised, they were able to receive the item from the elders. ''Crimson Tears''. It''s a deep, crystal-clear red gemstone. It''s not just a gemstone, it''s supposed to be used as a catalyst for magic. I''ve been told that this would be no problem as a vessel to seal Iris. I''ve learned how to use sealing magic and obtained the vessel needed for it. Now I''m ready to go. ''''Thank you.'''' Move to the doorway that connects the village to the outside I bow to Al and the elders who came to see me off. "Because of what''s going on in our village, I cannot go with you, but I''m sure you will be able to pull it off. I wish you good luck. ''''I don''t care what happens to the humans but, well, good luck with that at best. Since you''re bringing out the treasures of the spirit village, you''ve got to produce some good results. Yes, sir. I received encouragement from both of them and was motivated. ''I''ll make sure to stop Iris,'' Yes, that''s the spirit. As Al-san''s words saw us off, we left the Spirit Village....... You said your name is Rain. He was about to leave later when he was approached by an elder who stopped him. ''Yes?'' "If you have lost your bearings, visit your village again. If you''ve lost your bearings, visit your village again, and maybe I can help you answer the questions you may have at that time. Well what''s that supposed to mean? ''If you don''t know, then now is not the time. Just remember these words. Losing your bearings......... What kind of situation is that? I''m not sure what''s going on here, but... This is a quote from the elder of the Spirit Village. They must have some deep meaning. I firmly imprinted those words on my heart. ---------- We''re going to leave the Spirit Village... We left the cave and moved on to the ruins of the village of Pagos. ''Hmmm, it''s been a while.'' Kanade stood taller with a giggle. Everyone else felt the same way, feeling the air on their skin for the first time in a long time. ''What are we going to do now?'' Of course, I''ll find Iris. And seal it. I wonder where Iris is? Tania looked around lightly as she said this. Of course, there is no way to find Iris. There are only rundown houses lined up, and there''s no one to be seen but us. ''''Is he still hiding somewhere? ''I don''t know ... it''s been a week since then, so I feel like it should be moving. When we fought before, I inflicted a fair amount of wounds, but.... A strongest species as powerful as Iris would be able to completely heal from his injuries in a week. Considering that, it wouldn''t be surprising if he had already resumed his activities. ''''For now, let''s go to the Zith village. Right now, that should be the front line, so we should be able to hear all the details of the situation. Yeah. Are you guys okay with that? La-la-la! Everyone nodded, including Kanade. Once we got their approval, we headed to the Zith village. ---------- Due to the hurried travel, we were able to reach the village of Zith in about half a day. The village was the same as before........no. ''Fewer people...?'' The original Zith villagers and the Pagos villagers who took refuge in the original Zith. Other than that, although we see a few adventurers here and there... I don''t see any of the strike force. That''s a lot of them. All of them couldn''t possibly fit inside the house, and they should be camped outside... I couldn''t see any tents in the encampment. I had a bad feeling about this. ''Sorry, do you have a minute?'' He approached the adventurer who was standing guard at the entrance to the village. ''Didn''t Iris''s ... demon slaying party come here?Where are they? Hmm?Don''t you know? The adventurer''s feared story comes out of his mouth. ''There''s a ruin just east of here where a demon was discovered. The strike team left the village to defeat the demon. I knew it! When did that happen? ''What?That was about half a day ago... ''Well thank you for telling me! I cut the story short and went back to the guys. Did you find Iris? ''They''re in the ruins to the east. However, it seems the strike force has already left by half a day. I replied to Tania''s question, including impatience. ''Wow, that''s a lot of work!Meow. How far is it from here to the...? I''ve heard it''s only been a day or so. Nina''s question was answered by Tina as she crunched the lid of the kettle. ''A day, then ... it''s not too late ... right? Yeah, if we hurry, we can make it work! Everyone out of the village for now. They have an idea. At Tania''s urging, we moved out of the village, out of sight. ''Nya, what do we do now?'' Here''s what to do. Tania''s body shines and is surrounded by light. Eventually, the light grows larger and larger... When the light popped, a huge dragon appeared in front of us. ''''Nya... is that Tania?'''' Come on my back! Tania said as she barked. ''I see. That should allow us to catch up with the strike force.'' But ... mmmm, that''s a tough ride. It''s Tania. Doesn''t it have seats or something? I''m not a carriage. Sola and Luna quickly climb onto Tania''s back. Then Nina and Tina. Then me. Finally, Kanade is on Tania''s back. "Hold on tight, everybody! Tania flapping her giant wings... He jumped up into the air at once. ''''Huh.'''' It''s fast. It''s like it''s flying through the wind, and if I''m not careful I''ll be thrown out. But that''s how fast they are. It''s not impossible to catch up with the strike force. There was a glimmer of hope. ''''I''m counting on you, Tania! Hmmm, let me handle this....Hold on tight, guys! Tania warned, her voice laced with a sense of urgency. Reflexively, everyone clung to Tania''s scales. Tania made a sharp turn in the air. Shortly after that......... A line of light rushed through the place where I was earlier, at high speed. ''''Nya, nyani woke up! It''s...! If you look down... Axe and Cell were there. 175-Episode 175: The Road That Can Not Be Yield Tania circled in a circle above them. As if following it, a line of light followed it from the ground. From the bottom to the top, as if gravity had been reversed. Rays of light shot out of the cell''s bow one after another, relentlessly aiming at us. ''What the hell, that guy! ''Tania, you better land once. That''s a good target if you keep it up! Yes, sir! Tania got a wide berth and escaped out of range of the cell''s bow. There, she set us down and returned to human form again. In the meantime, Axe and Cell have closed the distance between us. They stop as far as their voices can reach. ''That''s an abrupt greeting.'' I threw the words at them, wary of them both. ''Sorry about that. I was surprised when the dragon appeared out of nowhere, and I attacked him. I fired the bow, though. ...Is that true? What do you mean? Don''t you think that''s a little bold for an attack by the way? After all, it was a dragon. They could have just been flying around here, and usually, you would just wait and see. And if they didn''t do that.... It''s possible that Axe and Cell attacked while understanding that it was us........ I was wary of the two of them for thinking such a thing. Axe chuckled. ''''Good grief........you''re still the same guy with a keen instinct. Your eyes, you think we attacked you knowing that Rain and the others were there, don''t you? The answer is ... that''s right. ...you admit it so easily, don''t you? It''s not going to take much fudging. Why would I do that? Tania asked, glaring at the two men. Not to be outdone by their eye pressure, Axe replied quietly. ''In the direction you guys were heading, the demon in the example is hiding out.......If you''re heading there, then you''ve found a way to seal the demon, right? Yeah, yeah. ''I knew it. Well, since you broke up with me after saying that, I didn''t expect you to charge in before you found a way to seal it... but I didn''t expect you to find it in such a short time. Big deal, you guys. So ... the two of you are interrupting us, is that right? Yeah. Cell nodded in a quiet ... really quiet voice. ''The top has made the decision to take out the demon. The option of sealing it off is gone. You know what I mean? Axe speaks to me with a hopeful expression, as if to say this is the last time. "Even if you seal it, it will be broken sooner or later, just like this time. That demon will be freed. If that happens, it''s meaningless. We can''t leave a bad taste in our mouths for future generations. We have to take care of this right now. So you''re going to kill him? Yes. Axe nodded without hesitation. ''I can understand Rain''s sympathy for the demon. To be honest, I feel a little sorry for him too. But. Just because he did something horrible to you in the past doesn''t mean you should take it out on people now, right? .... "He''s killed so many people. He''s killed with lust, he''s killed with hate. He won''t stop. .... Time ain''t going to make hate go away. It''s something you can hold onto for a long, long time. At least that''s what I think. So there''s nothing we can do about it. There''s nothing we as humans can do. Only thing we can do is just kill him and stop him. .... Axe is right. It''s an overwhelmingly good argument. In your actions to protect people... And yet, I''m thinking about Iris, too. Still. I''m not convinced. You! We''re the ones who sowed the seeds. And now you''re asking us to die for our own reasons and it''s too selfish. ''I suppose that''s inevitable!He''s already killed a bunch of people!I''m going to continue to kill as many people as I can! In order to prevent that from happening, I''m going to seal Iris away. ''So!Even if you do that, he''s going to be released eventually!It was just a stopgap measure!Don''t be so naive!Don''t keep talking about your blue-eyed idealism! Axe is furious. It''s hard to be looked at like that by Axe, who was my friend, even if it was only for a while. But. I''ve made up my mind. I''m selfish, I know. It''s my ego. But killing Iris and making an additional victim out of her is not enough to make you feel guilty about your actions, it''s not enough to make you feel guilty. ...with blood on your hands I can''t even laugh anymore if you do that. Huh. ''You can''t live a straight life. Killing him because he killed me I just can''t see how it can be right. It''s naive. It''s a naive idealism. But what''s wrong with that? You..... ''Much better than giving up so easily and choosing to kill them!I don''t want to see anyone cry I don''t want to see anyone die any more!!!Even if it''s Iris.........! As he shouted, he blurted out his true feelings that he was holding in his chest. Was it right to kill Iris? The answer is yes. But it''s the right answer for people... From Iris'' point of view, it''s a colossal miss. And from my point of view, it''s also incorrect. After all..... What is right and what is wrong is just a matter of personal discretion. There is no such thing as absolute justice. There is no such thing as an overwhelmingly correct answer. So. I''m going to follow the path I believe in. "d*mn it, this guy you are...! Axe scratched his head in frustration, cringing. Looking at his partner, Cell held up his bow. ''''Cell...?'''' I told you before.You can''t convince Rayne and the others that you can''t. Cell''s voice was as calm as can be. ''Rain, I understand where you''re coming from. You don''t need to hear it but I''m sure everyone else feels the same way Rain does. Of course! Yes, they do. Sora would like to help Iris. I will do what I want to do. I don''t think I can go on like this... We are beholden to Lane''s husband. Everyone showed their agreement one after another. Looking at everyone like that, Cell smiled slightly........ Next, he makes a stern face. ''All right, Axe. It''s impossible to convince Rain and the others. Like us, Rain and the others stand here with the same firm resolve. I know that''s not true. I hope so. Then Cell looks at me. ''I don''t like to hide things. To be honest, we''ve been ordered to keep Lane and the others stranded. It''s... ''After that, we didn''t hide what Rain and the others were doing, but we reported it to the top. The top brass was afraid that they would interfere with our efforts to defeat the demon. So, he ordered Axe and I to stop Rain and the others. In the meantime, to defeat the demon. .... Well, what should we do? I know... The truth is, I don''t want to do this. But if there''s no other way... I just keep pushing forward. I readied my Kamui. ''If you two are going to get in my way, I''ll have to force my way through. I knew it... Cell looked slightly sad.... But in the next moment he was back to his usual calm face. ''''If there are things we can''t compromise on with each other then let''s decide which one of us is better here. Cell readied his bow. ''I''m sorry, but I won''t take it easy on you. Don''t hate me if I die. Axe readied his sword. ''That''s my line. Are you guys ready? Nya ... Lane, are you sure you want to do this? ''We''re not two people who would retreat here. If it''s hard for you, Kanade can stand back.... ...No, I''ll do it. I can''t force Rain to do something hard all the time, you know! Kanade was also ready. Following that, everyone else began to prepare to attack. 176-Episode 176 VS Ax, Cell 1 The numbers are better here. I''m not being vain, but I think we''re winning on the ground as well. Normally, no one can beat the strongest species. And yet..... d*mn! As soon as Axe rushed in, he drew his sword. The slightly curved blade was closing in at high speed. Even with this body contracted with Kanade, if I''m not careful, I might miss it. Catch it with a Kamui........ Uh-oh! I don''t want it! Meanwhile, Kanade and Tania pounce on him. However, Axe''s movements are fast. He immediately changes the target of his attack from me to the two of them, and once again, he delivers a divine speed attack. That''s a ridiculous reaction speed. ''''This!'''' Kanade throws a kick in the air, interrupting the attack to take evasive action. ''Don''t lick it!'' Tania kept the attack coming. She avoided Axe''s upper body by deflecting it and closing the distance. Fist, leg and tail. He unleashed a trio of blows. ''That''s my line! Axe tried to avoid all of Tania''s attacks. On top of that, he would counterattack back exactly. ''''Kukaku.'''' Tania''s bangs snapped as she narrowly missed running away. If I had been a little later in escaping... I cringe. ''Rain, Kanade, Tania! Get out of there! We jumped back in unison in response to Sora and Luna''s voices. ''''Flash Impact!!!'''' Sola and Luna''s magic burst simultaneously. The light popped. A white flash of light envelops Axe. It''s decided. I''m sure he''s taking it easy to some extent, but....... There was no way I could withstand the magic of Sora and Luna. The rest of the cell........ I''m not done! What? He cut through the dust and Axe jumped out of the way. ''You''re still conscious after getting hit by that thing! I''m trying to be spirited! ''That''s a foul!I''m not a fan of spiritualism! Axe closes in on Sora and Luna. I guess the idea is to crush the two magic users first. However, I don''t want them to think it will work out that way. ''''Hmph!'''' Nina touched Sora and Luna and escaped in transition. The three of them escape into the skies above, but... Huh? As if he had been anticipating this, Cell releases an arrow. The arrows, flying as if slicing through the wind, hit the three of them........ Sweet! Tina''s voice echoed, and the arrow flew in the direction of the day after tomorrow. It must have been deflected from its trajectory by Tina''s power. But......... What about it?As if to say, the cell fires a series of arrows. He holds three arrows at a time, fires them in a precise and unmatched shot, instantly fills them up.......and then repeats the process. It''s a ridiculous continuous shooting speed and precision. ''''This thing is........tricky! Aksu, who handled the sword as if it were his own hand and specialized in close quarters combat, had power on par with the strongest species. As far as close combat is concerned, his power was immeasurable. Maybe I should just keep my distance, but........ Then, this time, they would fall prey to the cell''s shooting. A terrifyingly accurate and incomparable blow is difficult to avoid. Is this the power of an A-ranked adventurer? As expected, I should say. If it wasn''t for Suzu''s special training, we would have lost. ''''What''s the matter, is that the extent of it! Huh. Axe''s onslaught pushed him down. Axe was definitely coming for real. He''s fighting with the intention of killing without any kind of restraint. It''s the same with Cell. There''s no moderation at all. The two of them are fighting with that level of determination. And me on the other hand..... We had to make sure we didn''t kill both of them, to some extent, with less force. No matter how hostile they are. No matter how much we blocked the path. For a time, they were friends who had spent time together. To seriously fight such an opponent.... It''s not a simple matter to dismiss. ''You''ve got to be kidding me! Axe slashed at him vigorously, oozing with anger. He''s accelerating faster and faster. Even without taming or anything else, it''s about time to get to the limit of visibility. This guy, you''re telling me there''s more to it than that! You''re slacking off, aren''t you? It''s... I''m gonna say it again, don''t f*ck around! Gulp. Catching Axe''s sword in his camouflage... It takes the form of a spiteful battle. The power you have is smashed and pushed against each other just in time.... Then Axe shouts up close. He lashes out in a fury. ''You''ve decided to go your own way!You decided to move on, even if you had to deal with us! .... And now you''re taking it too far!Don''t be confused about f*cking with us! ''But ... Axe and Cell were my friends. To really turn your blade on your friends.... That''s sweet! Gulp. He was blown away by the forceful push. I quickly defended against Axe''s blows as he tried to chase me. "If you''ve decided on your own path, don''t just sit back and watch!Get ready, we''re ready for it long ago! Huh. That attitude of trying to grab all of you... it''s disgusting! Don''t you dare...! He kicked up and pushed Axe back. This time, we''ll move in on the chase. ''Then ... let''s get serious. Although he didn''t put it into words, I could feel what Axe was thinking. Be prepared. Let go of the sweetness. That''s what he''s trying to say. How can you care about me when we''re already enemies....... I don''t know which one of us is the softie. Chuckle inside.... But it doesn''t show on your face. It''s just responding to Axe with action. Let''s go! I decided to get serious. 177-Episode 177 VS Ax, Cell 2 Boost! Magic to enhance your physical abilities. Your body becomes light as a feather. In that state, he attacked Axe again. ''''d*mn, you''re fast! Axe tries to respond with his godspeed swordplay, but I go even further. Axe draws his sword out and I''m no longer at the end of it. With a momentum that even leaves an afterimage, I get behind Axe. ''''Huh........don''t lick it! As expected, Axe doesn''t end with this. He twists his body and quickly reverses. He swings the sword off at an angle. It''s an amazing reaction speed. This time I couldn''t avoid it and caught it with my Kamui. But this is fine. ''''Nyan, I want my back! Kanade takes Axe''s back and unleashes a kick. Axe supports his sword with one hand and guards Kanade''s kick with his other hand. ''''Guh!'''' Even though he received it with a small hand, it was a blow from the cat spirit family. Axe''s face stiffened at the heavy impact, which seemed not to be unharmed. ''''Axe!'''' Cell''s covering fire is unleashed. Fast! Three simultaneous shots of three arrows at once, three times. In total, nine arrows flew like a rainstorm. ''''I''m sorry, but I''m going to end it here! Tania shot out a fireball and intercepted the arrow. ''Sola and the others will take care of the cell! We will not let Lane get in the way! Continuing on, Sora and Luna turn to cover Tania. They hit a series of beginner level magic. Even though it''s just beginner level magic, it would be amazing if more than a dozen rounds were used at the same time. ''''Kukk!'''' They would be competing in a long-distance battle, but the problem was that their opponents were Tania, Sora and Luna. No matter how much Cell was an A-ranked adventurer and had superb archery skills, there was no way he could take on the three strongest species. He was gradually being pushed into a corner as they fired a series of magic and fireballs at him. Turning to cover Axe, of course, is not possible. ''We can''t take much more time on this!I''m sorry, but I''m going to end it! Don''t lick it. Axe grasps his sword with both hands again and delivers a god-speed blow. However, his movements are slow. Kanade''s blow must have been effective. It seems that the sword can''t be wielded as before, and its speed had clearly decreased. Normally, I might have hesitated here.... We''ve come this far, we have to make up our minds. We''ve got to do what we came here to do. We''re going to defeat Axe! Kanade! Yeah. He exchanged glances with Kanade. That''s enough. Kanade, sensing our intentions, continued to fire a series of blows at Axe. A rush of fists and legs. Although Axe caught it with his amazing reaction speed, he gradually began to delay. His hands must be getting numb from the power of the Kanade. Also, the blows I received earlier may have tailed off. ''''Nyan!'''' Guh! Kanade swung his arms wide and blew Axe away. Just as I had hoped, he created an opening. Here''s the decision! ''I''m not done yet! Axe quickly regained his position and blocked my approach. It wasn''t going to end like that.......was it? But it''s already too late. "I will not recognize you, you know! That''s fine, I''ll be on my way! He clashes with Axe and crosses blades. A flash. Geez, the blade collides with the blade, making a sound. The number of times of the clash increases and the speed increases. Like a storm. Like a tornado. The blade meets the blade, creating countless wounds. Still, it doesn''t stop. I can''t stop. Axe and I, in order to achieve our respective goals we advance, risking everything we have to achieve our goals. An endless sword dance unfolds.... In this situation where the moment either side makes a mistake, the end comes........ What? Suddenly, Axe lost his balance. I look at his feet with startled eyes. There.........the rabbit that I had remotely tamed was clinging to Axe''s leg, slightly disrupting its movement. ''''Wha, rabbit........? Did you forget?I''m a beast tamer! Axe''s movements are disorganized and he''s stopped in his tracks from getting flustered. I don''t miss the opening. I grab my Kamui and jump into Axe''s bosom. And......... Back the blade. He struck the pigeon tail with the hilt. ''''Gu........ah.......! That was a decisive blow to the body now. Axe tries to posture up but his legs don''t seem to be doing the job... He let go of his sword and fell straight to the ground. At about the same time........ Tania and the others, who had been fighting a little further away, succeeded in destroying and neutralizing Cell''s bow. ---------- Fu..... The fight was over and he relaxed his body. Axe and Cell wouldn''t be able to move for a while. I gave Axe a painful blow and........ The cell has to take care of that Axe. There''s nothing we can do to stop him. Are you okay? Well you know what, you don''t have to worry about us every time. When I called out to him, Axe said dismissively. ''Are you an idiot?We''ve just been fighting, remember?I''m an enemy to Rayne. Don''t worry about the enemy. I''m still curious. You''re a very good-natured person, aren''t you? It''s a good place to be, Ama-chan. But that''s the beauty of Rain, isn''t it? Kanade says with a smile. "I mean, don''t you think it''s so vain to talk like that after we won? Ugh.... At Tania''s tweak, Axe looked awkward. He was a bit aware of it. ''''Well then, we''ll go. I care about the two of you, but.... But we can''t take any more time. There''s a chance that the strike force might be engaged with Iris. We need to get there first and seal Iris off. ''I''ll tell you what,'' Axe''s voice is strained, as if it''s the last bad thing he''s ever done. ''I won''t admit it, you know. .... Lane, I don''t approve of what you''re trying to do. Okay. You''re too soft, you know that? ''Maybe so but there''s nothing else I can do about it. This is the best way for me to do it. So, we''ll just have to believe in it and keep going, won''t we? ...a f*cking idiot. That''s where Axe seemed to run out of power and he fainted. Looking at Axe with some love and support, Cell says ''There''s no one else to hold Lane and the others back. Do what you want with the rest. I will. If I may say one thing I agree with Axe on this one thing, it''s that I agree with him. That''s why we fought Rain and the others like this. I know. Goodbye. Yeah, bye. That was the moment when Axe and Cell were completely cut off from each other. They were friends who had traveled together, even if it was only for a while... We will never have that good time again. No more words will be spoken. We left the place. 178-Episode 178: Those who hide in the ruins I get on Tania''s back again and let her fly through the air. Then a little bit of hurrying... The ruins to the east that the villagers had told me about are now in sight. However, it seemed that a strike force had already arrived and an encampment tent had been set up near the ruins. We couldn''t be spotted, so we went around to the side and landed in a gap in the trees to the right of the ruins. ''What do we do now?'' Tania asks. ''I''d like to do a little probing but do you have time for that? From the air, the strike force had almost finished setting up the tents for the camp. They were almost ready to go, I guess. "Sola, Luna. Do you have any idea where Iris is? I''ll take care of it. I''m just waiting. Sora and Luna close their eyes and concentrate. As it is, they use their magic.... He tilted his head slightly and tilted his head in confusion. ''It''s funny ... there''s no response at all. Does that mean that Iris is no longer in the ruins...? ''Hmmm, I don''t know about that. I couldn''t detect anything at all about the inside of the ruins. Maybe these ruins are impervious to magic. Or maybe it''s a mechanism that seals up the magic... Either way, it''s tricky. I have no idea what''s inside. Does that mean you can''t use magic? Hmmm, it happens. The problem is that we don''t know what''s going on inside, but... More than that, it''s more of a problem, the fact that you can''t use magic. Even if there was an Iris inside, she couldn''t seal it on the spot. You have to drag it all the way out. It''s quite cumbersome and difficult to execute. Still, I can''t just throw it out. ''''Will Sora and Luna stay here?I want you to be ready to seal it up at any time. I understand. I''m gone. ''Nina and Tina will stay here as well. I want you to support Thora and Luna ... or politely turn them away if anyone comes in. I''ll do my best. We''ll take care of it. Hey, hey, what about us? Kanade tugged at the edges of my clothes with a sniff. ''You''re going into the ruins with Rain?'' No it''s a bit risky, but I have a favor to ask. Hmm, what is that? Tania doesn''t seem intimidated by being told she''s in danger. Rather, she seems somewhat happy. I guess........ I''m sure he''s happy to be trusted with dangerous things. You show your trust in them by asking them to do something like that. "I need you to scramble the front strike force. Would that be a diversion? That''s why. If we leave it at that, the strike force will rush into the ruins. And I want to slow that down as much as possible. I see........I understand. Just don''t push yourself too hard, okay?Tania will change into dragon form and Kanade will ride on his back... just enough to stir from the relative safety of the sky. If you decide it''s too dangerous, don''t push yourself, just retreat immediately. Hey. Do you think I''m going to be late for this? ''The other side is an elite group gathered to take down Iris, we can''t underestimate them. Besides, we can''t afford to put the two of you in harm''s way. Well is that why you''re worried about me? Of course. ''Yeah, well, if you say so much?I''ll follow your instructions, okay? Tania''s cheeks tinted a bit and she said something that she couldn''t be honest about. However, her tail was wagging around like a dog. Are you okay?Not lost? I''ll be fine. I promise I don''t do anything reckless. ""It''s fishy." They all tsked together. ''Don''t ever do anything rash!It''s a promise! If you''re reckless, I''ll burn you with my bracelets, okay? ''I''m worried about Sora. Rain is reckless, as is the norm. "Think hard and act hard, okay? Hang in there, okay? I''m rooting for you!Also, I''ll be there to help you out if you need anything else. With everyone cheering me on, I felt empowered. I''m going to make this mission a success for sure! ---------- The front of the ruins became more noisy. Perhaps a diversion by Kanade and Tania had begun. The opponents are the adventurers and knights of previous battles. I hope they don''t take it too far... I mean, this is no time to be worrying about other people. We have to take care of ourselves first. Because if I fail, the whole thing will be a bust. ''And yet...'' As I entered the ruins, I was struck with a strange sensation. I felt like I couldn''t put any strength into my body, or I couldn''t move properly.... "Boost. I''m going to try and cast a spell, but.... Nothing''s changed. Magic does not activate normally. Just like Sora and Luna said, it seems that you can''t use magic within these ruins. On top of that, it seems that my physical abilities are limited to some extent. The power I got from the contract with Kanade is also limited........ Now I''m a little above the average person, I guess? It''s not good. I don''t know if I could find Iris in this situation and still take her out successfully... What about you, Iris?Are you influenced by the ruins? If so, why are they hiding here? It seems to me that I''m just trying to get myself into a corner... Well, let''s hear it from him. We headed deeper into the ruins. It wasn''t too complicated and we didn''t get lost. Soon after, we came to a large hall. The King''s Chamber............ At the back of the room, there is what looks like a decaying throne. There I saw the figure of Iris. ''Good day to you, Miss Lane. You look better than I thought you would, Iris. Yes. Someone gave me a hard time, but I''m feeling much better. That''s mutual, isn''t it?We''ve had some pretty close calls ourselves. "Hmm. Iris chuckles. There''s no other intention in that smile... He just seems to genuinely say it''s interesting. ''Master Rayne is really quite different, isn''t he? Hmm?All of a sudden, what''s going on? Because we killed each other once, remember?And yet, talking to me like this in such a swallowing manner it would normally include more rancor. ''That being said, I suppose that might be true but just, well, there''s a reason why it won''t happen. The reason?May I ask you a question? It''s just that I can''t dislike Iris for some reason. .... Iris was pouting and... "Ha-ha-ha! Next, he laughed out loud. ''You are truly a strange person... I am the absolute enemy of people and yet you can still say that... and you don''t just lie in the heat of the moment, you speak from the heart. ......... I''m becoming more and more interested in Rain-sama. I''d love to talk to you about all this stuff, but I''m sorry, but we don''t have time. Are you talking about the people gathered outside? Did you notice that? Of course. They must be very noisy, that''s for sure. Iris says, annoyingly. But, well ... you''ve noticed. Then it''s even more strange. Why is Iris holed up in the depths of the ruins where she can''t use magic and her abilities are limited? You look like you''re wondering why you''re here. How did you know? Master Rayne is so straightforward. It''s so easy to know what you''re thinking. Is that...? Occasionally, people have said something similar to this to me. Should I train a little bit so that I can make a poker face? ''''But, well, I think that''s the charm of Rain-sama, so... please keep Rain-sama as she is. ''I''m not sure if I''m being ridiculed or complimented. It. Hmmm, it''s a compliment. Iris gave a small laugh and continued, her expression changing to a sharp one. ''''Well since you''re here, I''ll answer your questions, Rain-sama. It''s a great service. I''m a very generous person, you know?We won''t ask for a price, rest assured. So, feel free to ask. Why is Iris here? The answer is simple. This is a place where we can use our powers to the best of our ability the remains of the Heavenly Clan. 179-Episode 179: Ruins of Elyos The remains of the Heavenly Clan...? Yes, they are. This ruin is a fortress made by us, the Celestials. The word "fortress" stuck with me. The word "fortress" means strong walls and gates, and there are traps and intricate internal structures that prevent the enemy from entering. Furthermore, there are traps to prevent the enemy from entering, and intricate internal structures...and so on. I suppose it has these characteristics, but this place has nothing like that. And yet, the fact that they call it a fortress.......is there something hidden here that I don''t know about? No ... wait? Just because I am not aware of it, this fortress may already be showing its full function. And that function is......... If this is a fortress, it has to have some sort of function, right? Yeah, I suppose so. What would those features be... magical seals and ability limitations? Hmph, will you get to the answer soon? You''re very good, Master Lane. Iris smiles, as if to say, "Correct. ''''We can block the intruder''s magic and further suppress their physical abilities to a great extent. That''s the kind of wards that are being developed. What a nasty... Oh, there''s no point in trying to destroy the warding. This ruin itself is a warding mechanism. Unless, of course, you want to destroy the ruins and bury yourself in the rubble yourself. ''I''m not suicidal like that. I mean, if you put a feature like that on Iris... no... maybe it doesn''t apply to Iris? You''re really perceptive, aren''t you... He hadn''t expected this question and Iris rolled her eyes, looking genuinely surprised. ''Yeah, yeah. That''s right. This is a fortress built by our Heavenly Clan. Therefore, its effects will never extend to the Heavenly Clan. ''''We can shut down the opponent''s power and show our true potential...I see. It''s a fortress as good as any other. I think that means we''re safe here. Though ... my injuries have already healed and I will use them to kick the noisy winged insects away. This is not good. If we rush a strike force into a place like this, we''re going to have to get wiped out. And since it''s Iris, she''s not going to let even one of them escape... I''m not going to let them take down Iris, but that doesn''t mean it''s okay for the defeating party to be wiped out. I want to get this across somehow, but... No, Miss Lane. Iris snapped her fingers and.... As if in response, the entrance to the room closed. ''You mustn''t tell me. Well, that''s what happens. How could you let me off the hook so easily? Now, shall I tell you a story? Iris walked over to us and closed the distance between us, unprotected. It''s probably because he has the overwhelming advantage of being able to wield 100% of his power, that he is able to act like that. ''''What brought you here, Rain-sama?Apparently, they''re separated from the people outside but either way, you''re sure you have business with me, right? Well I guess I''ll just be honest with you when it comes to this. Let''s take a shot at him and shatter him. I''m here to seal Iris. Yeah. Iris''s face turns into a cold smile. She says she likes me. Maybe it''s true. It''s not that I''m going to go easy on him, but he didn''t strike me with direct hostility. But it''s a different story when you''re in danger yourself. You can''t just do the same thing as before. Iris shoots me a cold eye. ''''Is that true?Not bluffing like you used to? ''It''s true. You can''t just tell the same lie again, can you? So you''re going to tell me how you intend to seal me up? ''''It''s the same as last time. Sora and Luna we''ll use the power of the spirit race to seal Iris with the help of a legendary grade item as a vessel. .... I''ve mastered the magic and I''ve prepared the items to serve as vessels. I''m ready to go. I''m so sorry. Iris distances herself from me. With her back to us, I can''t see her expression. However, judging from the tone of her voice, I had a feeling that she looked lonely. ''''I''ll repeat, I liked Rain-sama, right?I''m human, but there''s something about being human that I can''t hate, and I enjoy being with them... ''I feel the same way. Iris did a lot of things, but I couldn''t hate her. Maybe I was just feeling sorry for her, but I wanted to help her. And you would seal me out of it? It''s because I can''t hate Iris. Because if we don''t, there is no future for Iris because it will be lost. So, for now, we have to do what we can: seal him. By sealing Iris off, I can help her. That''s the answer I''ve come up with. ...I see. Iris looks back at me. Her face was........expressionless. I can''t see any emotion at all. It''s somewhat doll-like and frightening. "I understand how you feel, Rain-sama. But ... I don''t want that to happen. If you can''t blow up the flames of this burning hatred, then you don''t deserve to be alive. Iris you don''t have to... And if you interfere with that, I''ll have no qualms about it, even if it''s Master Lane. There was a killing intent in Iris'' eyes. The mere fact that he stared at me with them made me feel like my body was going to sag. I touched on Iris''s hatred when we fought last time, but.... That was only the tip of the iceberg. Today, for the first time, I feel like I''ve been exposed to the essence of the darkness that Iris is carrying around. I didn''t think she was carrying this much.... I almost feel deflated, but I can''t lose. If I retreat here, I will never be able to stand in front of Iris again. I will not be eligible for that. So. You know what I''m going to do? I have a decision to make. My final words of advice. Will you stop thinking about this nonsense and just walk away?I''ll let you off the hook now. ''I''m sorry, but I''ve already made up my mind. I can''t do that. .... I''m going to seal Iris off. And I won''t let the people out there get to him. This is the path I have chosen. I understand. Iris says ruefully. But he only shows such a look for a moment. It quickly switches to something cold as ice. ''''Then........it can''t be helped. Even if you are Rain-sama, I won''t show any mercy if you interfere with me. Will you die? I''ll say no to that. I''ve got to help Iris, you know. You''re supposed to seal me away. Otherwise, it won''t stop, will it? Yes. Of course I am. I have no intention of stopping. I have sworn to avenge my death with my body, my soul, and everything I have. I don''t know what kind of creature thinks of nothing but revenge. The words seemed to irritate her, and Iris''s face was twisted. So what do you do? I''ll kill you for that. Let''s do it. I pulled out my camouflage and set it up. Iris held her hands out to the left and right, ready. "I''m going to end it right here. No. I''m not going to let it end for me or Iris the only thing that will end is Iris'' revenge. And then we collided. 180-Episode 180: Iris Battle-1 It''s a mercy, at least. I''ll make it quick so you won''t have to suffer. Iris casts a spell. ''Come, otherworldly fire. All here. A mass of flames floats above Iris'' hands. One, two, three........ Countless bullets appeared. Right now I can''t use magic and my physical abilities have been greatly reduced. Normally, it''s impossible to avoid that many attacks. I can''t do it, but........ What? Iris unleashes her magic. Then my eyes widened in astonishment. I twisted, jumped to the side, lowered myself... I dodged all the flame bullets. ''''........You are so light. You''re like a member of a circus. The Beast Tamer has to move his body this way and that to tame the animal. There''s plenty of room for this. ''''You can still speak lightly.......I, although I don''t realize it, it seems I was holding back. How about this then?Come, otherworldly fire. Come on, thunderbolt of annihilation. Come on, ice bombs of sorrow. Fire, lightning, and ice - three kinds of magic manifest at the same time. They become a storm of violence, raging as if they want to devour me. But I remained calm. In my current state, if I get hit by even one blow, I''m out....... Still, there is no hurry. I will calmly assess the trajectory of the magic... I find a safe zone and slide my body into it. All of Iris''s magic misses and is unsuccessful. ''''Nah... why...'''' Coincidences don''t happen twice in a row. It''s inevitable that I avoided Iris'' attack. Iris seemed to finally admit that, and she had a bitter look on her face. ''''What on earth did you do? So why is it that... We''re done. ...Yes? ''You''ve already fought Iris once. So Iris was generous enough to show her cards, right?With that many attacks on us, we''ll figure out how to deal with them. No....no...no, I''m not gonna do that... ''Well, it''s a miscalculation that even my physical abilities have declined but I can still manage this much. Iris''s attack is indeed outrageous. A terrifying threat. Still, Iris isn''t a god who doesn''t make mistakes. There is a ''hole'' somewhere. If you can exploit those holes, you''ll be able to cross over. "In a single battle, you''ll find out what I''m capable of...?I don''t think that''s possible... the rate at which it''s growing, it''s like... Now we go this way! What? While Iris was surprised, he attacked from us. I ejected Narkami''s wire and restrained Iris'' body, even temporarily. In the meantime, I thrust in. He dives into his bosom, thrusting his hands out as he collides with his full weight. ''''Ugh!'''' Iris''s little body was blown away. It was so quick, it was like her guard was delayed. ''''d*mn ... like this! Iris quickly regained her footing. I didn''t bother and went after him, but.... The fist that I brought out was easily received by Iris. .... After all, Lady Rayne is not a very powerful person. He may be incredibly talented but not nearly as talented as I am. How about that? What? He twisted his body around the axis of his left leg. He kicked Iris''s side as he thrust the toe of his right foot into her. ''''Ah........! Iris, the strongest species, frowned at my attack, not much different from a normal human. When Iris wobbles, I step through my knees. As expected, it''s hard and doesn''t go so far as to break a bone. But it did some definite damage. Iris showed a gesture of protection for her leg and swung me away from her with force. And then he hits me hard. Huh? He catches Iris''s fist in both palms and flies at that moment. Although he was blown away like paper, there was no serious damage. The damage was far lessened by the fact that he dared to fly from himself. ''''What on earth did you do.......?I''m not going to let you damage me... ''It''s true, Iris is strong. Not only her magic, but her physical abilities are on par with the cat spirit race. But she does have a weakness. "Weaknesses? "As long as you have the same body as us humans, there are certain parts of your body structure that you just can''t work on. That''s what I was trying to get at. That''s what I learned in my training with Suz-san. ''''To be able to do such a thing........accurately in real life.... I''ve been through a fair amount of trouble. I think I''ve got a handle on it. d*mn it...! Here, for the first time, Iris stopped in alarm. Would he be able to get through to her if she attacked him? Wouldn''t that be a painful counterattack? I can see you''re lost like that. It was a good trend. But it''s not that I have the upper hand. Rather, I''m the underdog. Although I succeeded in upsetting Iris by making the first move........ It''s not going to lead to a decision. In fact, they could pull off an upset at any time and in any place. That''s how much of a power difference there is. Iris is forgetting that there is a power differential by being so upset... Essentially, all you have to do is hit the magic repeatedly and that''s it. Even though I''ve figured it out to a certain extent, no matter how much, I can''t continue to avoid it indefinitely. The fact that I''m walking a tightrope on the edge must never be realized. ''''Where did Master Rain hide such power?'''' ''Where, you ask me, I''m always, always doing my best, you know?Last time I fought Iris, I did my best. ''I don''t know. I can''t help but wonder if he''s been hiding his powers. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so uncomfortable with it. A mouse in a corner can bite a cat. If you call yourself a rat, will you not be hunted honestly? ''I refuse to do that. I''m not good with pain. My mouth is open. The magic converges in both of Iris'' hands, and light gathers. However, it''s different from the magic I''ve seen before. ''''If you''re saying that my magic has been forsaken, then I have no choice but to use magic that I have yet to show to Rain-sama. You''re serious, aren''t you? "Master Lane, let''s acknowledge you as an ''enemy''. I will do everything in my power to eliminate you. Iris spread her wings. 181-Episode 181: Iris Battle 2 I decided to give it everything I had. Although Rain-sama was human, there was something strange about him that attracted me to him, and I liked it. It''s not a lie or a word of whimsy. Hence, he was probably holding back somewhere. The fact that he was fighting the same way as last time was proof of that. Then, let''s let go of being lenient. I will use all my strength to break down the wall that impedes my goal. I will spread my wings and... Come on. The White Strikes of the End. I rolled out a special one. A summoning magic I hadn''t used in the last battle. An ultra-wide attack that seemed to fill up the entire space. And yet, each strike is as powerful as advanced magic. You said that Master Rain said that he had seen through my magic. If it''s your first attack, you can''t avoid it. Goodbye. It''s all over now. ........I thought so. Huh? Unleash the magic. Then I let out a startled cry. The light of destruction blew out as if to devour the space itself. There was nowhere to avoid. There is no space for a single rat to escape. However. There was only one safe zone. And that was.........right beside me. Phew! Even though I was able to unleash my first-ever magic, Rain-sama ran over without hesitation. It''s as if she knows that the only safe zone is beside me. And then.... he dove into my bosom and avoided the magic. As it is, she unleashes a powerful blow. ''''Ugh! ---------- Iris'' summoning magic is powerful. If it''s carpet bombed to the point where there''s no room for it, there''s no way to avoid it. But there was one safe zone. Iris''s surroundings. Although her summoning magic is powerful, it is indeed impossible to distinguish friend from foe. If that''s the case, Iris should have secured some degree of safety so that she doesn''t misfire herself. Judging that, I stepped in........ And my prediction came true. ''Whoa! Right, left, right again. Between fist and fist, a kick. From the top of the diagonal, a blow to the blind spot. Slamming a rush, he chases down Iris. "Kukk. I''m no different than a normal person now. I don''t get that much power but.... Still, it all hits the kryptonite. Slightly. However, the damage is steadily accumulating and Iris'' face distorts. ''''You are persistent, sir! Iris jumped and tried to shake me off. But I wouldn''t allow it. I jumped as well to stick to the pitter-patter and keep Iris out of range. "d*mn it! He must have given up trying to intercept them with magic. Iris swings her fist. Gosh!A chilling sound ran through the air, and Iris''s fist closed in. Iris''s physical abilities are comparable to the cat spirit race. Or surpass it. Right now I''m no different from a normal person. If I take even one blow, I''m out. That''s why. I''ve decided not to take a single hit. "What? Avoid Iris''s fists, which are wielded at super speed. Alternatively, deflect the trajectory on the way and keep it just enough to snatch it. Without taking a fatal blow.... I tried to shrug it all off. Partly because he saw through Iris''s attacks.... Even more importantly, the training with Suzu had paid off. He trained me to death in fighting and stuff. But because of that, this is how I can confront Iris. I can avoid Iris'' attacks, or parry them away... I hit the counterattack. I was in complete control of this fight. ''''This.........come on, sorrowful ice bombs! What? As if he didn''t mind getting himself involved, Iris used her summoning magic. An ice storm blew up and turned into a blade. As expected, I can''t nullify........prevent this from happening. I jumped backwards and got away from Iris. ''''Huh...........'''' When Iris finally got some distance from me, she was breathing on my shoulder. Blood was flowing from that shoulder. She must have hurt herself with her own magic. However, as if such a wound was fine. He glares at me with a beastly look in his eyes. ''''........Why?'''' Hmm? How could you do that to me? Iris threw out the words as she barked. She glared at me sharply. ''''It''s barely been a while since then... how can you have that much power!Overwhelming me is simply not a normal thing to do. Even if Master Lane is descended from one of them, his growth rate is extraordinary!This is crazy!What is that power?! ''Well if I had to say it was because I was ready. Prepare....? I tell my story to Iris, who looks at me blankly. "The last time I fought Iris I wasn''t sure what to think about it, to be honest. Since we had already seen each other once I was wondering why Iris was doing it. And I didn''t know what to do, I didn''t know where to aim... and I was fighting without preparation. .... But not now. I''m ready. I''m going to fight Iris and I''m going to seal her up. Yes, I''ve set my sights on that. And that is why I can''t lose my mind. I am remarkably calm, unlike last time. .... You know what?A person who is determined is, if I may say so myself, quite strong.I''ll show you what you can do. There''s no way that I''m going to fall down here and be sealed up! Iris bared her fangs again. It was the last resistance. 182-Episode 182: Battle of Iris End Iris releases her magic. Iris strikes a fist. I barely survive the stormy onslaught and.... And then he fights back. As before, he aims at the vital points and unleashes his attacks. They can only do meager damage. However, when the dust settles, it creates a mountain. Over and over again, he slams his attack into the ground........ He steadily damages Iris. ''''.........'''' Iris wobbles and drops to her knees on the ground. I look at myself in astonishment at that. ''''I..................'''' Iris clenches her fists. She grits her back teeth. ''''I will never allow you to do this ... this kind of thing ... this kind of thing ... this kind of thing ... I will never allow you to do that! He barked and lunged at me. But its movements were slow. It could be that the damage was accumulating but.... The injury from the previous fight was probably still not fully healed. Thinking about it, unlike the last time, I think he was somewhat sluggish in his movements. Either he was strong in front of me, or he couldn''t afford to show any weakness. Either way, Iris wasn''t in a perfect state. That''s probably why this is the result. ''''Ugh! Intercept the charging Iris and... More follow-up shots. A barrage of fists and kicks. Iris''s strength, her resistance.... And then he takes away the will to fight. ''''d*mn, ah.......how could this be possible.......! I''m sorry, but we''re going to have to end this right here. ...as a matter of fact. I was close to the edge. Everywhere in my body hurt. Every time I moved, I felt intense pain like my bones were cracking. Or rather, it would actually be at least cracked. Although I avoided Iris''s magic and attacks, but........ It''s just that he hasn''t made a direct hit, but he has grazed it. And Iris''s immensely powerful attack would take a reasonable amount of damage just by biting it. My body was in tatters. It was hidden by my clothes, but I was in misery. If I''m not careful even for a moment, I''m sure I''ll pass out just like that. But. I can''t let this opportunity pass me by. We can''t let Iris fade away any longer. And that is why I''m going to end it all, right here, today! In a place like this, I am going to kill a lot of people and I''m going to kill a lot of people. ...you''re done with it. Will Master Lane deny my vengeance? ''I won''t deny it. I feel that Iris''s vengeance is a justifiable right. Then.... But you know what I think it''s lonely living just to kill. .... There are so many other fun things to do...fun things...the world is full of light. It would be too lonely to just stay in the deepest depths of darkness and not be exposed to that light, wouldn''t it? I don''t... So let''s end it here. No we''ll finish it. Huh. Iris''s gaze wavered slightly, as if she were lost. It was only for a moment, but... Indeed, maybe my words got through. ''''Uhhhhhh! A suicide attack without a care in the world. Such a blow from Iris........reached me. Gu.........! Iris'' fist struck her right breast. I heard the sound of bone breaking. The impact runs through my body, trying to eat through my body from the inside out. For a moment, I lose consciousness. But I can''t fall down here so........ I quickly return to reality and grit my teeth. Painful. Kill your mind It''s over. I give a blow to me and slam a kick into Iris'' neck, which is showing an opening. ''''Huh........! I got a solid response. Iris''s body trembled.... Eventually, he collapses from his knees. ''Ugh ... oh ...'' He was still conscious. However, he didn''t seem to have the strength left to stand up, and his body only trembled. ''''.........................Hmph. My nerves break and I almost sit down on the floor too. But I hold back just in time and just let my breath spill out. ''It''s over,'' Shh.... Iris looked up at me with her arms and legs on the floor and stared up at me... Soon after, he let out a self-mocking smile. ''''I didn''t expect to lose in these ruins........and one on one........hmmm......it''s rather refreshing to see it come to this point! Wow. The feeling of regret is gone. What kind of magic trick did Rain-sama use? I''m just ready for it. ''Come to think of it, you said that...'' Iris closes her eyes as if thinking about something. What on earth is she thinking about? Only Iris could understand that mind. ''''Well let''s just say that''s as good as it gets. Opening her eyes somewhat, Iris gave a small smile. ''''Human resolve, I''ve been shown.......you had this kind of power. To tell you the truth, I''m a bit of a wreck myself. "Hmm........You fought me, so it can''t be helped. If we really were to remain unharmed, our pride would be torn to pieces. After the battle Iris looked as if a possession had fallen on her. ''''I wish ... all humans were like Lady Rain. "...Iris... So I would not take revenge...no, let''s not do that. I''ve been thinking about something trivial. Staggering unsteadily, Iris stands up. ''I think I''m going to fall over right now. ''Are you okay?'' Hmm.........strange. It was Master Lane who did this to me, wasn''t it? ''Well, that''s true but not because I''m not going to kill Iris. .... ''I''m just trying to seal Iris, I''m not trying to kill her. Really, really sweet. ''I suppose so. But, well, this is me. This is me, the Rainn Shroud. I was born this way, raised that way and there''s not much I can do about it now. At my words, Iris gave me a soft smile. It''s a face I''ve never seen before. She has the face of a martyr. Think about that.... Suddenly, I had a bad feeling. "...well, Iris? I''m defeated, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to be honestly sealed by Rain-sama. And of course, I have no intention of being defeated by the people outside. Do you think you can get away with it? ''''You won''t be able to escape I have to admit, I''m barely able to stand. Master Rain is also in tatters but I''m sure he can still move. Then.... I''m to give up and be quietly sealed up...? .... I won''t do anything like that. And rather than be sealed up and defeated by the humans I will kill myself rather than be sealed up and defeated by the humans. Iris snapped her fingers. In response, the entire ruin rumbled with a gurgling sound. ''''This is...! A trump card for emergencies........a mechanism to bury everything, including the enemy. Huh. I didn''t know I had this stuff ready....I was caught off guard! Iris! ''We lost the battle, but we won the battle, I guess? Iris laughed and snapped her fingers once more. The door behind her opened in response to the sound. ''Master Lane, please come back from there. I have no intention of involving you in this. Iris...? "I will not be sealed away or defeated by the humans. I will meet my end here, by my choice and I will not let anyone take that freedom away from me. I will not let them do what they want. Iris! Goodbye, Miss Lane. Iris chuckled... Shortly thereafter, Iris''s footing crumbled. 183-Episode 183 For You Scaffolding collapsed and debris flew up. A large hole has been drilled in the floor. Iris is swallowed up in it. I''m ... No, Iris! I ran to Iris. Whipping his screaming body, he ran as fast as he could... He grabbed Iris''s hand as she was about to fall to the bottom of the earth with the debris. ''Guh!'' Master Lane? I barely managed to hold Iris together. I lie on my stomach on the floor, supporting myself with one hand while my other hand grabs Iris as she dangles in the air. The hole Iris is about to fall into is so deep that I can''t see the bottom. No matter how strong a species it is, if it falls here, it will be the end of the world. "What are you doing?You can''t help me... Of course I''m going to help you! ''I don''t know what you mean!We are enemies, aren''t we?Why do you do this when it will all end when I die? How could you be so wrong? Aww. Iris is a smart girl, but she''s twisted in some odd ways. Didn''t he get our intentions? Then I''ll tell you again! I''m trying to save Iris! Wha...? ''Iris''s vengeance will not stop. And to the end of his vengeance, Iris is going to die, isn''t she?So I tried to stop Iris. I tried to end it by sealing it off. It''s... ''Because I want Iris to live...because I can''t accept that I''m going to die, that I''m going to end up...because I can''t accept that. That''s why I''m getting so desperate to do this! .... Connected by one hand and floating in the air, Iris was pouting... Eventually, he chuckles. ''''True........you act outside of my common sense at every turn, don''t you, Rain-sama?'''' I''m good at surprising people. Because of that, Master Lane, I''m going to... Maybe they were attracted to it. In a small voice, Iris said so. ''''Kudos...! I can''t get the strength in because every part of my body is screaming. I can''t pull Iris up, and the status quo is all I can do to maintain the status quo. Furthermore, the ruins are collapsing. The vibrations are getting louder and louder as debris falls here and there. From the looks of things, it will take 10 minutes for the ruins to collapse...? Iris, come on. But... ''You can''t just die and be done with it... that''s a no-no! Master Lane.... "When you die, it''s the end of the world, and you''ve lost everything!It''s not fair to say this but I''m sure Iris''s friends, her family, couldn''t have lived even if they wanted to!So, for the sake of your family and your friends ... live! H..........? Iris opened her eyes wide... He grabbed my hand. "That''s it! He tried to pull Iris up. But it was still not strong enough. ''d*mn...Iris, fly over here...'' I''m sorry but I don''t have any strength left in me either. All right, well just hold on tight to my hand. I''ll take care of the rest. Master Lane how did you.... Yeah? Why did you try to save me? It''s a lot of things but if I had to describe it in one word, it would be people. Because I''m human? ''I just wanted Iris to live, that''s what I thought. I just wanted her to be alive and that''s how I felt. There''s no such thing as an outrageous........logic or anything........ That''s just the way the human mind works. The ... heart ... Iris, repeating my words, had a look on her face that I''d never seen before. Huh. Finally, the rumbling of the ruins has become more intense. The ceiling collapsed and the walls fell down. The hole in the floor was gradually getting bigger and bigger, and was about to swallow us up. ''''Rain-sama, that''s enough........!If we don''t, Master Lane will.... Just...I will save you.I came here because I want Iris to live and I''m not going to give up here. Master Lane..... Suspended in midair, Iris stared at us and.... Eventually, he smiled gently. ''You really are ... a strange one, aren''t you? Iris...? I''ve never seen such a person try to help me before, Master Lane. Foolish person. You can call me an idiot, but I won''t stop! Hmmm.........I can''t say such a thing. It''s because........I''m very happy to see you feel that way, Rain-sama. Iris was still the same, smiling. What is it? For some reason, I had a bad feeling about this. ''It doesn''t matter what the logic is, we just do what we think we should do ... that''s the human heart. It''s a little bit, but I understand it too. What are you... ''When I think about it, this is the first time I''ve ever done something like this.......to work for someone else. I''ve lived for a long time... but this is really, really the first time I''ve ever done this... ''Iris, what are you talking about?More importantly, make sure my hand... Master Lane. Interrupting my words, Iris said in a strong tone. ''''I wanted Rain-sama to live ... so I thought. It''s... ''I''ve lived my life for the sole purpose of revenge but the last thing I had in mind was for you... hmm, very interesting. ''Wait ... wait. Wait, that''s a no-no! I raised my voice, understanding what Iris was thinking. But..... Iris had already made up her mind on the answer. She was ready for it. So there was nothing she could do to stop her... Master Lane. Finally, may I have one last selfish thing to say? Don''t say "last"!Right here.... If we meet again would you be willing to sign a contract with me then?Or can''t you sign up with something like me? ''No, it''s not!That''s not........! Phew, that''s good. Iris laughed quietly... Then he shook off my hand. ''........Goodbye. Gentle and kind, Mr. Beast Tamer.... Iris''s body floated in the air... And then I fall. I reach for it, but I can''t reach it. ''Irisooooooooo! Iris had a smile on her face by the end... As it was, it disappeared into the bowels of the earth. 184-Episode 184: Good End, Not Happy End ........A week has passed since then. The impact that Iris had left behind in various places was great, and the guilds and knights were forced to deal with it. Rebuilding the village of Pagos. Treating the injured. Investigating for similar seals. The guilds and knightly orders are working together to deal with the situation in various places. As for me........ Despite the fact that I violated my orders with a double violation of the order with a dogmatic action, there was no punishment. My disregard for orders was to get insurance in case the mission failed. And acting on my own, I noticed Iris''s trap beforehand and took it upon myself to help everyone else. That''s how I found out, and that''s how the story was completed. I just did whatever I wanted... But, well, as it turns out, there''s no blame, so I let it go. There was a lot going on, but it''s not like I want to stop being an adventurer. If Axe and Cell had accused me of everything, maybe this wouldn''t have happened, but.... They said nothing and walked away. Maybe that was kindness in their own way. But they didn''t say goodbye to each other... I was reminded once again that I was no longer connected to the two of them. It was something I was prepared for, but when it came down to it, I was a little sad. After the hearing was over, we joined in the post-processing. We thought that by moving our bodies, we would be able to stop thinking about something else. We wanted time to collect our thoughts and feelings. And so the week went by in the blink of an eye... ---------- I had come to the mountain where Iris was sealed. However, it wasn''t the site of the shrine. I had moved to a better vantage point. ''Rain, is this where we are?'' Kanade showed me a flower he''d picked nearby. ''Yeah, that''s enough. Thank you. No, this is as easy as it gets. Okay, we''re done. Tania brought me a cross made of wood. It''s quite beautiful. "Thank you, Tania. Well, I''ll give you this whenever you want. As she said it, Tania made a cross on the ground. Then Kanade added a flower. ''Holy Breath,'' Sola and Luna chanted their magic. A pale light spread around the cross. It''s a magic used mainly by priests and others to give a blessing to the target. ''''........'''' Nina is on her knees in front of the cross, hands clasped together, eyes closed, praying. The kettle on top of her head the kettle..........................Tina was also still. She must be praying, just like Nina was. "......... I followed them, and I prayed for them. Kanade, Tania, Sola and Luna followed. ''Phew.'' After a while, I gently open my eyes. They opened their eyes, just as I did. Seeing them, I said softly to them. "Thank you, guys. For being so selfish. After all the post-processing was done, the first thing I did was.... The idea was to build a tomb for Iris. Since he caused such an incident, of course, there would be no tomb for Iris. Rather, she would be talked about as a demon who spread fear and destruction. But ... that seemed too sad. So I decided to at least make a tomb. I don''t know where the Heavenly Clan lived, so........ I chose this place so that you could sleep peacefully in a place with a good view. .... Looking at the grave of Iris is an indescribable feeling. There is no Iris down here. In fact, along with the ruins.... It still hurts to think about that time. Couldn''t there have been a better way to do it? What if we do whatever it takes to keep our hands on it? That''s all I can think about. It''s not a good thing to think about, but... But it doesn''t take away the regret. Rain. The next thing I knew, Kanade was holding my hand in both of hers. ''Rain did his best,'' Kanade... ''I wasn''t there but... but I think Rain''s feelings reached Iris. Because........she was laughing at the end, right? I''ve told everyone about the whole thing. "I know it turned out this way... but what Rain did was not in vain. Besides, it''s not like he did anything wrong, he did the best he could, and there''s no other way....nyah? Kanade tilted his head slightly in confusion as he spoke, and said, "Koten. Kanade is not very good at this kind of talk..... It''s kind of funny. Anyway, Tania interrupted from the side. ''Lane has accomplished something that no one else has ever done, that''s all. Tania... You should be proud. No one else could have done that. Of course, it didn''t all work out, but you can''t keep regretting it, can you?Would Iris approve of such a thing?No, I won''t admit it. I''m sure you''ll say this. "You beat me, so you should be more proud of me! Oh, my line! Tania looked like a gauntlet as Luna snatched the line away from her. In spite of them, Sora laughs softly at them. ''''A gloomy face doesn''t suit Rain. I want you to be smiling like you always have been. I''m sure Iris would have preferred that, too. I think so, too. You''ve got a nice smile on your face, huh? Iris will get angry with you if you look so pale. "I don''t like that kind of face," she''d say. Nina and Tina have joined the conversation as well. They''re all looking out for me. They care about me. I''m very happy about that. I felt a sense of warmth in my heart. ''''Well I guess so. How long can you drag it out? Regret is not going to go away any time soon. I''m not going to forget about Iris anytime soon. But I''m still alive. Because I''m here with you all. I have to look forward and walk away. "...and... I look at Iris'' grave one last time. And I tell her in my heart. I''ve been through a lot.......but I still can''t dislike Iris. In fact, I think I might have even preferred him. Right now, I want you to take it easy and rest. ...Goodbye. 185-Episode 185: Under the Darkness I was lying on my back ... and slowly woke up. ? Where am I? But there is no lighting at all. The windows were open, and moonlight streamed in, illuminating the room slightly. I could see a row of glittering, ornate furniture. Other artworks such as paintings and sculptures. There were also swords and armor on display. A human aristocrat''s room, I guess. However, there is no sign of human presence. To be more accurate, there is no sense of life. Why is it here? Wondering, as I tried to sit up... Ugh........ah! I felt intense pain in many places in my body. I couldn''t help but let out a scream. ''''Hah, hah........'''' The pain was unbearable and I fell asleep on the floor again. What the hell is the pain now...? You shouldn''t be too hard on yourself, you know. Suddenly, a voice rang out. There should have been no sign of a human in this room...? I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the pain. And then I turned around.... There''s a woman there. ''Oh my. Are you going to be able to get up now?That''s great. The woman is in the mid-20s, I guess. She was tall and had a clear, uneven body. As if she was selling such a body, she was wearing revealing clothes. And.........the thing that catches your attention the most is her eyes. Eyes that were blood red in color. When you look at them, you can''t help but get sucked in....... I got such a strange feeling. ''You''re ... not human, are you?'' ''Correct. Is that clear? I didn''t smell anything I didn''t like. Once I can get up, my body has gotten used to the pain. It''s not so much that I can''t move. Granted, I''m still in the same state of being forced to move, but the pain is still there.... I couldn''t bring myself to show this woman that I was weak, so I forced myself to stand up. ''You shouldn''t push yourself,'' The woman said such things as she looked into our minds. ''Isn''t it hard to just stand there?Take the chair over there. .... I''ll try to understand the woman''s words. But I couldn''t understand. The woman seemed genuinely concerned about us, and... And yet, it was like he was making an observation to see how far he could move. ''''Well then, I''ll take your word for it. If you''re exposed, there''s no point in being strong. Also, it was an actual painful part of my life, so I sat down honestly in my chair. ''So ... who are you?That smell isn''t human it''s demonic, isn''t it? Oh, dear. How do you know that much? I can see that. Just don''t lick it too hard. ''''Hmmm.......I''m sorry. I didn''t intend to do so, but it looks like I unknowingly did something to try it out. I don''t know. Surely this woman would lie like she was breathing. I wondered how much I could trust her. "My name is Rhys. I''m a demon. You''re going to admit it. There''s no point in hiding it, you know. ''''It''s good that you''re honest but is it okay for you to admit that you''re a demon race?Isn''t the demon race the natural enemy of all living things? ''Yes. But ... you''re not, are you? .... ''''I''m sure you and I can build a good relationship. That''s what I thought, so I honestly revealed myself to you as a demon tribe. ...What do you expect? Nothing now. The woman laughed. She may be using magic and disguising herself as a human, but... His smile was so malevolent that it was hard to believe it was human. ''Why did you help?'' I''m almost certain that this woman saved me. However, I don''t understand its purpose. Originally, the demon race is supposed to be a natural enemy... I''m trying to recruit you. Scout?You want me to be a pawn of the demon race? ''Hmm, not quite. I can''t have a pawn in the hands of someone as good as you. I''m trying to form a partnership. Cooperation, hey. Can we really trust the demon race and so on? The question arises.... However, I was able to help, too. Maybe I could listen to you for a bit. ''I''ve been sneaking in and watching the whole thing............................No, I didn''t expect it. It''s amazing that a mere mortal could knock you down. I was so surprised that I couldn''t help myself. I almost left you to die. Did you see it? It''s a perfect fit. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be able to help at the right time. It''s in bad taste. I apologize if I offended you. The woman gave a token bow. ''Huh ... that''s enough. More importantly, what do you want me to do? So, that''s.... ''You mean you can''t answer unless you''re in a partnership?With that kind of attitude, I can''t answer what we''re going to do either. "Hmm. Tell me what you want first. We''ll talk about it later. All right. The woman laughed again. This time, it was a laugh that was laced with madness. ''''Do you know what we, the demon race, are up to?'''' You guys don''t really have a purpose, do you?If I had to choose, I would say that I follow the Demon King. That''s the purpose of you, the demon race. ''''That''s correct. We are ordered by the Demon King to move to fulfill his wishes. And such a Demon King''s goal is to.......................eradicate the human race. No, incineration. That is our first priority. I know that. ''''However, the current Demon King is in a dormant period, and he doesn''t maintain his proper consciousness. Therefore, we won''t be active in our activities. If we move on our own, he might get angry with us later. In fact, there have been such cases in the past. Well, if it''s only a light outburst, there''s no problem, but after all, we are not allowed to make any big moves. It''s an interesting story. It''s just. The woman.........Reese laughs. ''I''m a bouncer. When people tell me that I shouldn''t do it, I want to try it. Because I don''t know when the Demon Lord will wake up. Wouldn''t it be boring to sit and wait for that to happen?So I want to play, I do. So...? I said I wanted to play, but I''m not that strong. If I was alone, I''d get beaten up pretty quickly. That''s why I need a strong companion. That''s why I found you. .... ''''As a demon, my purpose is the same as the Demon King. I want to kill humans. We have the same interests in this regard, don''t we? It''s... For some reason, I couldn''t answer right away. I hate humans. They are the object of revenge. But the image of that man came to mind... It didn''t burn with as much passion as it did before. ''Well, the first priority is to heal the wound. You don''t have to answer me right now. Just take your time now. Then, I say, "Well," and Reese disappears like melting into the darkness. I''m left alone and I gently put my hand on my chest. If I accept the lure of that woman, I can continue to take my revenge...so why am I not happy?Has something changed in me?If that''s the case, then it''s Master Lane''s.... I walked to the window and stared at my reflection in the glass. ''What do you want to do ... Iris?'' 186-Chapter 186: Inquiry Rollees, the royal capital in the central continent. The royal castle is located in the center of the prosperous capital. In the audience room, there was the figure of Argus Van Lollies, the king who ruled over the three regions of the Central, Southern, and Eastern Continent. Although he was over sixty years old, the supremacy he wore had not diminished at all. He is looking down on his men from his throne with a sharp gaze. In front of Argus........Arios and the others were in front of him. ''It''s Arios,'' Arios''s body jerked as the grave Argus''s voice sounded. ''''You know why you were called here you understand? That''s not... "You set the demon free and murdered the adventurer who was a witness. Furthermore, you tried to take credit for yourself by teaming up with a demon... what do you have to say about that? "...I didn''t do any of those things. Even under Argus'' stern gaze, Arios did not admit his fault. ''''Hou........?I''ve received a petition from the local villagers, what is it? ''We have saved the villagers, but we have not done anything to put them in a difficult situation. You must be confused by their fears. So what about the reports coming from the guild? I don''t have any idea what it is. There must be a mistake. Through no fault of my own, I guess. Yes, sir. Arios replied firmly. This is an imposing attitude, as if he has nothing to be ashamed of. Seeing Arios, the entourage around the king felt lost. Could it be that the guild''s report was wrong? The villagers must be mistaken. After all, Arios is a brave man. There is no way he would do such a thing. He had come to think that way because he treated the existence of "brave" as sacred. ........But Argus was not misled. ''''Fool! What? Arios'' face tightened as Argus''s shout, like a thunderclap, rang out. Aggus and the others also shuddered. Argus is a king. It is not a foolish king who is controlled by someone else, but a wise king who firmly treads the earth with his own feet. Can you deceive the eyes of such a king? The answer is, there''s no way you can......... Did you think you could get away with such a lie! But there''s no such thing as a fact or a lie. Are you still trying to pile on the lies? Argus'' mood rapidly descends. Seeing this, Arios''s complexion deteriorates as well. He desperately tries to defend himself, but.... Unaware that it was counterproductive, Argus'' mood reached its lowest point. ''''........Enough.'''' Disgusted, Argus pays his hand away. ''You can''t seem to have a decent conversation right now. First of all, I suggest you go and cool off. Knight, take Arios and the others to the prison. What? Putting yourself in jail for being brave? Arios exclaimed when he heard the impossible words. But Argus'' eyes were serious. And the knights who were ordered to do so are also serious. They walked up to Arios and the others and pressed their arms from both sides. ''''Come on, this way.'''' ''Kuh ... that''s ridiculous!I''m a hero!So why are you in jail...? ''Don''t worry, we''ll get you out of there overnight. Until then, you can keep your head down and reflect on it. "My king, this is not...! Shut up. I don''t want to hear another word from you today. I don''t want to see you anymore. Go to prison and face your sins. Huh. Arios'' face contorted greatly. Anger, impatience, humiliation.......all sorts of emotions appeared on his face. It''s easy to shake off the knights here. No matter how well trained the knights are, they are no match for the brave men. However, if they did so in front of the king''s eyes, they would be as good as rebelling against him. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. You will fall into the position of a rebel, turning from your position as a brave man to a rebel. Because he understands that, Arios was meekly taken away by the knights while biting his teeth just barely, but he was taken away by the knights. He just stared at Argus until the end. "Wind. Arios and the others disappeared, and Argus rested his back deep into the throne. A heavy breath naturally spilled out. ''''I never thought you would do something like that...'''' Thinking about what Arios and the others had done, Argus became bitter at the thought of what they had done. Although he was prideful and had no regard for others.... I didn''t expect him to do something so stupid. Argus thinks to himself. What Arios has done is absolutely unforgivable. Normally, I would have tried him as a criminal and imprisoned him. But Arios is a ''brave man''. If Arios is gone, they will lose the ability to oppose the Demon King. Although the Demon King is currently in a dormant period....... Eventually, they will start working in earnest and turn on humanity. If there are no brave men at that time, humanity will have no choice but to become extinct. Arios is a necessary presence. But that doesn''t mean they can do whatever they want. If it''s a little problem, I''ll turn a blind eye, but.... This time it was clearly too much. I hope he''s sorry, but judging from his earlier attitude, it''s unlikely that we''ll get any help. What should we do? Argus thought about it. ''I''d like to control Arios somehow, but... hmmm. Should I fish for a reward?No..........................just to make it worse. If you think it''s a mistake to let them do what they want until now then let''s have an observer. So, we''ll have some control over.... Muttering, Argus thought about the future. ''Well let''s start with that. If there''s a watchful eye, they won''t do anything stupid. We''ll see what happens with that for a while.............................if we get back on the right track, then fine. If that doesn''t happen then I''ll consider using insurance. 187-Episode 187 in the prison "f*ck! The basement of the royal castle ... in its prison, Arios punched the wall as if to take out his frustration. A flurry of dust and sand fell. But that''s it. The sturdily built room would not be destroyed. ''''Well why don''t you calm down?'''' Aggus said as he was thrown into the same room. By the way, Leanne and Mina are not there. Even though it was only for one night, it was indeed because there was a problem with keeping a man and woman in the same prison. ''''You think you can stay calm!I can''t believe I''m going to prison for being brave enough to be put in a cell... oh, shit, shit, shit, shit!I''ve never been humiliated like this in my life! Arios shook his fists, followed by a flush. Then he shouted out to the outside of the prison. ''Oi, is anyone out there!You have to get me out of here now!You must be crazy to put me, a brave man, in jail! ''Please be quiet, my brave friend. This is where you fit in now. Arios''s anger swells even more when the soldiers on guard give him a scornful look. But the prison is sturdy, and as a bonus, a warding has been developed that absorbs magic power. There''s nothing you can do about it. ''''You have fallen, hero-sama.......I''m disappointed. Why don''t we just keep him locked up like this? Haha, that''s a good one. You want to make a suggestion to the king afterwards? "f*ck! With a crunch, Arios banged on the bars. ''Hey, hey, Arios. You''re making too much noise. Why don''t you do as Aggus says and calm down a bit? Leanne, who was being held in a face-to-face prison, opened her mouth. The man and the woman could not be kept together, they were separated. Arios stared at Leen through his prison. ''Do you expect me to stay silent after being treated like this! I don''t understand why this is happening to me, but... But this time... Mina follows Leanne and says awkwardly. ''What?''What''s your point? ''This is your fault. Arios. Aggus tells him. Arios'' face turns grim as he clearly points out the iniquity. ''What do you mean by that?You think it''s my fault?Using that Heavenly Clan was something that everyone agreed to do, right? ''Yes. There''s no denying that. Then.... But I''ve never heard of him killing a guide adventurer. Huh. Arios couldn''t help but stop speaking, as if he had been hit in a sore spot. ''If I was just trying to use the Heavenly Clan, I could still manage it. To catch them off guard.......there are many excuses. But if it was that you killed an adventurer, then there was no excuse anymore. Why did you do that? Aggus asks, but.... To a certain extent, it was to be expected. Arios is a cautious man. Rather than that, he has a personality that does not trust others. Hence, he was probably afraid that the adventurer would keep the incident out of his mouth. That''s why he chose to keep his mouth shut. ''''Well I don''t feel the need to talk to you about it. Okay. Although the answer was strayed from, Aggus could only reply with a single word. His expression was ........terribly cold. ''''You know what?'''' From the opposite prison, Lean spoke to me. ''I know that Arios has his own ideas, but as expected, killing him was a bad idea. You should have at least threatened him, shouldn''t you?Well, it''s too late to talk about that. Do you question my actions, Leanne? The main reason we''re in this situation is that we killed some adventurers.To be frank, it''s Arios'' fault. I agree with Leanne. I think there were more things we could have done differently. Gulp. One after another, my companions hurled denials at me, and as expected, Arios flinched. Then.........I realized. Aggus, Lean, and Mina, too. All of them are giving themselves a cold stare. This has happened because of you. It''s because of the unnecessary things you''ve done. The look in his eyes told me that. "d*mn it. Arios moves to the cot as if to escape and goes straight to sleep. Whenever the situation turns bad for him, he doesn''t want to face it and runs away. It was a bad habit for Arios. However, I can''t blame Arios alone. Even though the murder of the adventurer was unexpected..... Aggus and the others were all for using Iris. They either got their hands dirty or they didn''t. The only difference between the two is that the fundamentals of the game don''t change anything. It doesn''t change the fact that he''s doing the same thing as Arios, and if he were to be held accountable, he can''t be exempted from it. And yet..... Aggus and his friends refuse to face their own sins by blaming Arios alone. They look away and show with their attitude that they are not to blame. It was a story that was hard to save. ''''...Leanne, Mina. Do you have a moment? Aggus spoke to the prison he was facing, keeping his voice low so that Arios wouldn''t hear him. ''Hmm?What''s going on? Don''t you think Arios has been running amok lately? It''s... Mina stammered. It seems she was thinking the same thing as Aggus. ''He said he was going to use the Celestial Race, and then he killed more adventurers... and if you ask me, there''s a good chance that he was involved in some way when the demon race appeared in Horizon. What, is that for real? Aggus nodded quietly to a surprised Leanne. ''I don''t know the details, though. But there''s a good chance that there was something going on behind the scenes.'' ''Why would they do such a thing?The demon race is an enemy we must defeat... ''I don''t know about that but whatever. The recent outbursts of Arios have been too much for me to bear. In fact, he''s even been thrown in jail for this. It''s so smelly and stuffy in here, I can''t stand it. ''We don''t have time to stop and think about all this...'' It''s not just Arios'' fault that he''s been put in jail, it''s equally the party''s fault, but... They didn''t seem to be aware of this, and Leanne and Mina played the role of victims and looked exasperated. ''There''s no guarantee that this won''t happen again in the future. But we can''t allow this to happen again. So......... I''m going to keep an eye on Arios. Surveillance? ''Come to think of it, Arios has never let anyone stop him before, and he''s been free to do it. I''ve done too many things and taken things too far. The result is this. To prevent this from happening, I will monitor Arios'' behavior and if he tries to go too far, I will try to stop him. ''Hmmm ... it''s fine.And I think Aggus can handle that part. Isn''t he the right man for the job?What does Mina think? ''''Well I don''t know how you can keep an eye on Arios, a brave man, for his actions, but there''s something about Aggus'' story that makes sense. I understand. I agree with you. It''s settled. I''d like to speak with you regularly in the future without Arios. A surveillance report, you know. Is that okay? Okay, okay. I understand. The decision was made to monitor the actions of the fellow party, roughly, something unthinkable for a normal party. There is no such thing as companionship. There is only doubt, calculation and self-preservation. Another step closer to the collapse of the party.... 188-Episode 188: My home after a long absence I''m back! Kanade shouted loudly, smiling. Now that the Iris case was over, he returned to Horizon.... I''m back at home. I''ve been away from home for about a month... Physically, I feel like I''ve been gone longer. That''s how many things must have happened. Nya Fuu, first in line... Hey, hey, hey!Don''t wait. Kanade entered the house in good spirits, followed by Tania. ''Everyone is in good spirits,'' ''Don''t sound like an old man. Even Rain is still young, isn''t he? Now Lane is like a grandfather watching over his grandson. Sora and Luna give me such a tweak. Seriously? Now I''m like an old man...? Okay, okay. Nina pats me on the head, sensing that I''m depressed. It''s a little soothing. ''Look, let''s go into the house. Sir. Yeah. We followed Kanade and Tania into the house. ''Phew.'' The kettle on top of Nina''s head made a buzzing sound as she entered the house. From there, Tina appears in a maid''s outfit. She must have been able to go outside now that she was inside the house. ''''Finally, I''m able to go outside! It''s weird being in the kettle all the time.'''' What''s it like to be... Are we really a kettle of fish?Something like that? Hmm... hmm? Nina tilted her head slightly, as if she didn''t understand. After laughing at Nina like that, Tina floats up in a fluffy way. And then........her eyes open wide. ''''Ah! What''s up, Tina? My God my home is covered in dust! Tina was right, there was dust all over the house. Well, it couldn''t be helped. That''s what happens when you''ve been out of the house for a month and haven''t done anything. ''I''ve been wanting to take it easy, but it looks like you''ve got to clean up first. I''ll do my best. Nina was willing to do it, but... No. You two stay put. For some reason, Tina stops me. ''Cleaning is our job. Rain''s husband and Nina must be tired from the trip, right?I''ll clean up the living room in a flash, and you can rest there. ''No, it doesn''t work that way, does it?He said we can''t push it on Tina alone. It''s okay. I''m not tired, so there''s no problem. But you know... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Look, they''re sitting down. Tina magically maneuvered the broom and quickly cleaned the chair with....... Then he made me and Nina sit there. ''Then let''s get started!'' Before we can intervene, Tina begins to clean up on her own. Using her magic power, she operates multiple flaps at the same time. Flapping the dust off the shelves and other surfaces........ Then I sweep the floor with a broom. Then wipe the floor with a rag... Yeah. So this is the living room. Amazing. In the blink of an eye, I''ve made the living room shine. We were never going to get out of there. "Tina that''s great, you know. Splash. Nina was also impressed. I''d like to clean up everyone''s rooms, but it looks like everyone is resting now.... Next we''ll do the kitchen, the bathroom and, if there''s time, the garden. I''m burning up! Is it the nature of the maid''s time? Tina was motivated and cleaned up with great enthusiasm. ---------- Has it been about two hours since Tina started cleaning? We''ll see about your room later, but... The rest of the house seemed to be done, and the whole house was shining. ''Good night,'' Hey, Mr. Lane. We finished cleaning up and welcomed Tina, who was settled in. Nina, by the way, started to pedal groggily on the way over, so we let her sleep in her room. I guess she was tired after all. Thank you, Nina. Thank you, Tina, you''ve made me feel so beautiful. ''Haha, I''m a little embarrassed when you say that,'' And I''m sorry. I ended up pushing Tina alone and... Don''t mind him. We used to be maids, you know. Tina folds her cheeks a bit and scowls. While staring at me, she talks about the thoughts in her heart. "Rain''s husband accepted us in spite of the fact that he was a ghost and treated us as if we were his own family. That made you really happy, didn''t it?And besides, he avenged my grudge and I owe him more than I can count. That''s why I always felt that I wanted to do something for Rain''s husband, so don''t worry about it. I''m sorry to say, but... Tina says so, but.... But we can''t force everything on her. Tina isn''t our maid, she''s our friend. Seemingly reading my hesitation, Tina opens her mouth after thinking about it for a bit. Well........then, can you help me make dinner?It''s been a long time since we''ve been home, so I''m thinking of making it a little more luxurious today. But it''s a bit difficult to do it alone, so... Yeah, okay. I''d be happy to do that. Pfft. This is how I got to cook with Tina. We stand side by side in the kitchen. I''m not bad at cooking, but that doesn''t mean I''m good at it. Men''s cooking can be a bit sketchy, so it''s not quite........ So it''s Tina who takes the lead. I decided to be the assistant. "Oh, can you pass the salt over there? Here you go. Great. ''Tina, how much do I have to stir this?'' Mmm, is it a little thicker?Just drop it in with chopsticks and pull the strings. Yes, sir. I followed Tina''s instructions and proceeded to cook. ''''Hmmm~'''' I somehow looked next to him and saw Tina humming in a good mood. What can I say.... This makes us feel like newlyweds. But I can''t really talk about something so embarrassing. Also, Tina might not like it. "Oh, you know what? Yeah? Suddenly, Tina looked at me. Her cheeks were tinged with a hint of pink. ''''What can I say, well, it doesn''t mean much, but.......'''' What''s going on? Well, well... when we do this, don''t you feel like a newlywed? What? ''Oh!No, no, no, no, no, no, no!Anything!Not that one!Pretend you didn''t hear me! Tina turned bright red. She held her head as she spilled out an unfamiliar voice, "Oh, oh, oh, oh. ''''Ugh, what a momentum we had, what a thing to do... Ugh, ha, how embarrassing...'''' ''Well you don''t have to be so shy. ''Cause!I''m pretty sure I said some pretty crazy things!And Rain''s husband is dumbfounded... ''That''s not true. I''m surprised but that''s because I''m surprised that Tina was thinking the same thing. ''What?That''s.... ''I''ve been thinking something similar. It''s only natural to think that way when you''re doing this sort of thing. ''Oh, yeah ... and Lane''s husband ...'' Tina grinned at me and... Next, he turned his gaze away from us. ''What''s up?'' Oh, I don''t like it........my family is making a weird face right now, so don''t look at me. ''You can''t say that...'' Well, it''ll be fine in a minute so don''t worry about it. I''ll get it back. I''ll get it back somehow... When Tina said that, there was a different atmosphere, and it was strangely fresh. It''s been a long time since I''ve had a peaceful time. Although the air was a bit strange.... I thought to myself, what a good thing this is. 189-Episode 189 Matatabi I''ve had a hectic day with the Iris one, so.... I''ve decided to take a week off. I got a lot of rewards from the last one, so there''s nothing wrong with taking that much time off. I''m tired of working out all the time. Rest is important. So make sure you take a good break. Phew! Morning. I was out there, alone, training. Basic strength and close quarters combat training. You know, after I told you guys to take a break... I can''t help but move my body around, can I? That time. If only I''d been a little stronger. And I can''t help but think about it, but I still think about it. ''Ahhhh! Suddenly, a loud voice sounded. When I turned around, I saw Kanade looking at me with zit eyes. ''Rain, what are you doing?'' Well, you see, this is, uh... ''You know what Lane said about making sure you get a good rest?And yet, what is the person in question doing? Scary. Kanade was smiling, but it was oddly powerful. ''Well...'' Do you have anything to say? I''m sorry. Yeah. Good. I''m a beast tamer and I''m following the person I tamed... ''Why would you train for it?You''re well aware that you need to rest, that''s what Lane said, right? ''''Yes, but... if I don''t move my body, I don''t feel comfortable, or I wish I had more strength... I can''t help but think about unnecessary things when I''m alone. Meow.... Kanade''s face becomes indescribable. But it quickly turned into a smile. ''Then you should just stay with me...'' What? Rain, let''s go for a walk! Oh, hey. Kanade! Gingerly, Kanade took me by the hand and we decided to go for a walk. ---------- As it was early morning, the city was quiet. There were hardly any people in the city. It was somewhat refreshing to take a walk with Kanade in such a situation. Walking through the city, walking through the square, walking through the hills... After one walk, we reached the park. ''Nyahhhh...'' A canade ran across the park square and looked happy. Perhaps its wild instincts are stimulated. Seeing Kanade like that, I can feel my sinking heart easing. The smile on her face soothes me........ They are with me and make me feel like I''m not alone. I''m so grateful. ''Mmm, beautiful flowers...'' Kanade has moved into a space where flowers and other plants are growing. It''s not just flowers, but ivy and various other plants. It''s not that someone is managing it, this is probably a space left to nature. Although it''s messy.......but it''s quaint and beautiful in its own way. ''Rain, Rain. Come over here. Why don''t you come and relax with me? Yeah, I will. Kanade called me to go next to it. We decided to let nature heal us together. ''Nyah?'' Suddenly, Kanade stopped moving. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a brownish nut. What is this? I think I''ve seen this somewhere... .... Suddenly, I noticed that Kanade was acting strangely. Her gaze was wandering and her eyes were sluggish. Not only that, but her cheeks were red and her ears were twitching restlessly. ''Kanade?'' ...nyahhhh, Rain... "Oh, my God! Suddenly, Kanade hugged me. I couldn''t handle the suddenness of it, and I just fell to the ground. Mmm-hmm, Rain. Kanade got on top of me and dropped his bewitching gaze on me. What, what? I don''t know what''s going on here, but... Rain, it smells good.............. Oh, hey. Kanade?What''s going on, all of a sudden. Something''s wrong. I''m not crazy, I''m the same as always. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. What the hell is wrong with Kanade? As I recall I was admiring the plants there, and suddenly I was in this state of mind... However, he doesn''t seem to be poisoned or anything like that. It''s more like he''s drunk... What does that mean? The brownish fruit that Kanade had been looking at a while ago was ........... Giving the cat an ecstatic feeling or something.... So does that mean Kanade is now drunk because of the matrimony...? Meowwww, Rain. He rubbed his cheeks together, and then he hugged me tighter. Kanade''s tail was happily wagging and waving. Stop, stop! Oh no I want to do this all the time. Kanade is getting closer and closer to me. It''s like she''s saying, ''I''m never going to leave you. ''Hey, Rain........'' What? Somewhere along the line, Kanade is so lusty. I remember a s*xy feeling that I don''t usually feel, and I feel strangely nervous. What? I sleep and wake up all I can think about is Rain..........................nyahhhh. What does that mean... Rain. Gently, Kanade moved his face closer to me. I mean, close! It''s almost like our foreheads collided with each other. Not only that, but it''s going to touch me where it shouldn''t. And yet, Kanade won''t move away. She stares at me with her moist, wet eyes and gives me a searching look. I was consumed by the atmosphere, and I couldn''t move as if I were in a golden bind. ''''........Rain.......'''' Kanade...? I''m.........about Lane..... Who was it that gulped and cleared his throat? .... ...Kanade? Mwah! Before you know it.... Kanade''s eyes rolled around in a circle. As it was, he fell backwards with a slam. It seems that she has reached her limit. Kanade was lying on the ground with a smile on her face, as if she didn''t know anything about me. Carrying Kanade on my back, I slowly make my way home. 190-Episode 190: Cold The sun came out and a little while later. I woke up and moved to the kitchen to start preparing breakfast. I''m on meal duty today. Now, what shall we have on the menu? Want to stay for dinner?Or shall we have bread? I can''t eat anything heavy in the morning, so it usually comes down to those two choices. Sometimes I''d like to try something other than those two choices, but... If you do a bad challenge, you''ll end up like Sola. As expected, that''s not good. ''''........Good morning. Good morning, Tania. Tania showed her face. She seemed to be waking up from her sleep, and was vaguely unsteady. ''Huh?...Was Rain on duty today? ''Yes. It''s still going to take a while, you can wait in your room if you want. No I''m here. Really? ''Yeah ... huh ...'' Tania let out a strange breath. It was kind of feverish... If you look closely, your cheeks are red. And he looks sluggish, and he''s leaning against the table. It''s kind of bothering me.... I stop cooking and move over to Tania. ''What''s wrong?What''s wrong with your face? ''Nothing ... but ... nothing ...'' I don''t think so, but I need you to stay put. Huh? I put my hand on Tania''s forehead. Maybe it''s because my hand was cold, but Tania made a strange noise. ''''Wha.........lein?What are you doing all of a sudden? Just hold still, don''t move, it''s hot. Do you think it''s possible that I, a dragon, have caught a cold? ''Even the strongest species will catch a cold when it comes. You''d better stay in your room and stay quiet. Can you walk? Don''t treat me like a child... I can''t even walk, for God''s sake... oh, my God. Tania stands up...............................and then stumbles back to her feet. Maybe she has more of a fever than I thought. I''m worried about leaving her alone. ''Tania, hold on. ''What?Wait.........? He put his hands on Tania''s back and behind her knees and held her in place. ''Hey, what are you doing?Hey, this is.... ''Be quiet. Tania is an invalid. "But that doesn''t mean... this is, well... um, ha, embarrassing... I mean, it''s a lot of noise, but.... Tania didn''t have that much energy left in her, but she soon became quiet. As it was, he took Tania to his room and laid her down on his bed. ''''Huh........'''' He was trying to be strong, but it was still hard, and Tania let out a huge breath as she lay down on the bed. ''Give me a minute,'' I''m going to leave the room for once and... Get some cold water and a towel and head back to Tania''s room. Put the towel in the water and squeeze... Then he placed it on Tania''s forehead. ''Hmm...'' What do you think? I''m feeling a little better. Good. Good. You ready to eat your dinner? ...if it''s light. All right. I''ll make you some porridge. And I''ll take my pills. I don''t want to take the pills because they''re bitter... "Don''t be a child, If I have this much energy, I should be fine. As I was leaving the room to make porridge and rice for everyone.... ''Oh....'' I heard a voice that sounded somewhat lonely, like it was holding me back.... ''Yeah?What''s wrong? ''Well ... well ...'' Is there something you need? Yes, well, I''d like an apple. Grated apples. Okay. Okay, I''ll set that up for you, too. What else? Nothing to see here. So, wait a minute. Hmmm. ---------- What?Did Tania catch a cold? That''s a concern... I''m making porridge and rice. Sola and Luna showed up and I explained the situation. ''If that''s the case, leave it to Sola. We''ll make you a nutritious sick man''s meal and successfully cure Tania''s cold. ''No, you shouldn''t do that you''ll get a thud from Tania if you do. I inwardly agree with Luna. ''Well I''m sorry, but can you ask me to prepare dinner for everyone?I can''t wait to give Tania something warm to eat... "Mmm, leave it to me if that''s what you want to do!I will cook everyone''s food. Let Sora handle it. If you want, I can make you some porridge, too. ''No, no. I''ve already made the porridge I''m grateful enough to be in charge of everyone''s meals. .........So. Leaving the rest to Sora and Luna, I visited Tania''s room again, with food and medicine in hand. ''''Thanks for coming back.'''' Hmmm... it''s late... When Tania found me, she sat up. ''Yes,'' I scooped some porridge with a sponge and brought it to Tania''s mouth. What..........what are you doing........what are you doing? ''What?........Oh, I see. Bad bad. I know. You don''t treat me like a child. You forgot to let it cool. It''s hot in here. You have no idea! Phew, phew ... okay, that''s about it. Here, uh-huh. Ugh.... Tania''s face turns bright red as she holds out the lengua again. Did her fever rise? You okay? ''''It''s okay... Ugh, I can''t believe you''re upset over something like this, or that you can do this with impunity... Rain. I mean, aren''t you missing a few things...? I''m mumbling something. It sounds like a terrible thing to say, but.... Well, let''s not worry about that right now. I need to prioritize taking care of Tania. ''See, ah,'' Uhhhh... It''s getting cold, okay? Wow, I know... well, I mean... umm... For some reason, Tania looked horrified and took a bite of the lenge. As it was, she ate her muggy porridge. ''How do you like it?'' Well, that''s just fine. Can you still eat? Just in case... Okay, ahem. Ugh ... that again... Hmm? All right, all right, I know what to do, just eat it, just eat it.Uh-oh. For some reason, Tania ate her porridge, feeling desperate. She was reasonably hungry, so she ate the porridge. She also ate a grated apple along with it. Then she took some pills and.... I lie down again. ''You''re sleeping peacefully, okay?Don''t try to sneak out or anything. I''m not a child I''ll be quiet now, I promise. If you need anything else, just call me. ''You don''t mind if I call you out on a trivial errand? ''It''s fine. Tania''s a sick person and she should be pampered at times like this. Yeah. I''ll see you later. Good night. I was leaving the room and... Well, wait. Gently, Tania grabbed my hand. ''Yeah?What''s going on? I mean, it''s not like I have to run errands, is it? Yeah, that''s good. What do you have? ''Well ... well ...'' Tania''s gaze wandered, her cheeks stained in a different way than a cold... "...stay with me until I fall asleep. I''m so lonely at times like this I feel alone... Yes, sir. ...hmmm.... Gently stroking her cheek, Tania smiled happily. 191-Episode 191: Twin Fighter Hi... hello? .... .... In the morning I woke up to find Sora and Luna in the living room. I call out to them, but there is no response. They are staring at each other. ''Sora?Luna? ...oh. Rain. It''s good morning. When I called out to him again, he seemed to notice me and returned the greeting. However, the two of them immediately resume their staring contest. Could this be........a fight? ''Sola won''t allow it. I can''t believe Luna ate the pudding that Sola had saved for herself. ''So I didn''t do that!Besides, if you ask me, Sora ate my honey sandwiches too! ''Sora doesn''t do things like eat people''s things. Or rather, don''t change the point. ''I didn''t switch them around!It''s Sora''s fault! Mmmm...! Muu Muu Muu...! ........for now, I understand most of it. These two guys are so easy to understand. "Yes, that''s it. He interrupted them. ''I''ve been listening in and I understand the situation. Don''t you think it''s ridiculous that we''re fighting over a mere food item? "What is a mere hawk (what is it?)! Oh, oh... The two of them corner me and I can''t help but flinch. Even though they''re fighting, they''re in perfect synch at times like this.......as expected of twins. ''''Uh.........'''' We can''t just leave it like this....... So if that''s the case........ "Sola, Luna. Why don''t you come with me for a walk? He invited them both to go for a walk in order to somehow make up for it. The idea was that if they worked together, they might eventually return to being the good friends and sisters they had been before. ''Okay but are you with Luna?'' "Mmm, you''re with Sora... I want to be with you two. Can''t I? Well if that''s what Lane wants. ''It''s no use. You will have to be patient and go out with them. Since they''ve given me their approval, I go outside with the two of them. Going around the perimeter of the house.......it''s too lonely to just go around the house, so let''s take a trip to the city. Down the hill and into the residential area. Passing through the residential area, we come out to the square. ''''Hmm ... the morning air feels nice.'''' Sola looks pleasant and stretches gingerly. ''It''s true. The air feels good ... yikes, that''s not true!The air is stagnant this morning!That''s why Sora is crazy! ''Mmm. Isn''t Luna crazy?It''s such a nice morning. ''Hmph, there''s something wrong with Sora. I''m sure her senses are just as twisted as her personality. What did you say? Are you going to do it? "Okay, okay, stop. If you take your eyes off him for a minute, he''ll start a fight right away. It''s a problem. I have to somehow make it up to the two of them by standing in between them. That''s what I thought, but.... ---------- Rain, now let''s go that way. You''ll see a lot of beauty. ''It doesn''t matter, Rain, I need a little snack. It smells good from over there. ''At all, does Luna only care about food?You''re wretched. ''I don''t want to hear that from Sora, who eats gobbling up food every day. What did you say? Are you going to do it? ---------- ''It''s nice to take a walk like this... well, it''s a shame it''s an extra bonus. Hmm. You mean me? ''No, I haven''t said a word about that. But if you think so, isn''t that what you mean? ''Mmmmmm ... the extra bonus is Sora''s. Rain thinks it''s better to be alone with me. ''No such thing. I''m sure Rain would like to be alone with Thora. ''No!It''s Sora who gets in the way! No, it''s Luna! What did you say? Are you going to do it? ---------- ''It''s morning, so it''s a bit chilly...Rain, can I stick around for a bit?Thora needs the warmth of Rain. Oh, it''s not fair!I want to stick with Lane too! ''Hmm, the sooner the better. Luna, you''re going to be alone out there, freezing and shivering. ''We will not allow that to happen!Sola is the only sly one!Rain, come here! ''No, Rain come to Sola''s place! Nuh-uh, come on! No, it''s Sora''s! There it is!Don''t pull me from left and right! ---------- Hmph. Hmph. Nah. I took him out for a walk to try to make it up to him, but it may have been even worse. What''s going on...? What did you say? Are you going to do it? While I was thinking about this, the fight broke out again. Bumblebees and sparks were flying and Sora and Luna were glaring at each other. Watching the two of them........ I''m starting to get a little angry. I''m trying so hard to get them to reconcile, and all these two are doing is fighting...and that''s it. It''s not just a matter of pampering, sometimes it''s necessary to give them a hard kick in the butt. ''''Yes, that''s enough! ? When I let out a loud voice, Sora and Luna freaked out and stopped moving. ''''So ... how do you two feel right now?'''' ''What?Are you feeling...? Just answer the question. How do you feel now?Is it fun to keep fighting with your sisters without getting tired of it?Do you want more fights? Ugh ... that''s... They looked down, as if they had been hit in a sore spot. ''You both know that there''s no point in continuing to do this, don''t you? But Luna... But Sora... ''You can be stubborn like that, though. The more you make it up, the harder it is to make up, okay?All the while, they''re still fighting. They''ve always been together, but they always have to be apart. Is that okay with you?Well, if you really hate it so much you don''t even want to look at it, that''s fine. It''s not true! When I dared to say something that would push her away, Luna immediately countered. ''''I am angry... but still, there is no way that I would hate Sora so much that I don''t even want to see her face. "...Luna... ''For what it''s worth, I don''t hate Sora, okay?There''s no way I''m going to hate it... and I, well... I like it. They''re twin sisters, so she feels like she''s half of them...but it''s not just that...how can I say it...she always wants to be with them. Because I love Luna. So let''s make up for it. Finally, I was able to bring out the real feelings in both of us. If they get this far, they don''t need me anymore. ''''........Luna......'''' "...Sola.... They looked at each other. "I''m sorry! At the same time, they lowered their heads. ........Thus, the fight between the twin sisters had ended. ---------- ''By the way.......after all, who was the bad guy who ate Sola and the others'' precious snack? ''Hmmm, it''s a mystery....neither I nor Sora know that and...'' I went home with one mystery in mind.... "It''s you! Meow, meow! As if to spite the snack, Sora and Luna hit a series of attack magic... Kanade was going to be given a painful spanking. 192-Episode 192: Ninas Adventure ........It was when Nina and I were out shopping together. ''Nina, are you okay?Isn''t it heavy? Nina walks next to me, holding the shopping bags in both hands. I didn''t ask her if she wanted to help me too, and I gave her the smaller shopping bag. Even so, it''s so big for Nina, who is small, that it blocks her vision. Yeah, I''m fine. I''m fine, you know. Nina smiled to show that it was no big deal. ''I see. You can always tell me when things get hard for you, you know. Thank you. We walked side by side and were on our way home.... Hey, come on! The Guild isn''t a day care center. Go home. When I walked by the Adventurer''s Guild, there was something about a boy and a guild employee who were struggling with each other. I was curious and called out to them. ''''What''s going on?'''' Oh this is the shroud, Mr. Shroud. An unfamiliar face. Well, it''s not just Natalie who works for the guild, there are many other people working in the guild, so it''s no wonder there are unfamiliar faces. However, the other side seems to know me and gives me a soft look. ''Hello. Are you on your way to shop? I''m on my way, or rather, I''m leaving. More importantly, what''s all the fuss about? ''It''s not fair!The guild wouldn''t take me up on my offer. The boy raised his voice here and there. ''You won''t take it, you know...'' ''No, no!We''re not doing anything shady, you know! When I looked at him suspiciously, the guild official looked flustered and said. ''''This monk says something reckless. He said that he lost something and he wants us to look for it.'''' ''Well it''s a small request, but that''s not a reason to refuse it, is it?The guild''s basic policy is for the sake of the people and the world. As long as it''s not a criminal act or anything else, it''s something to be undertaken, right? ''''That''s true, but.......the request fee is too small. For one copper coin, that''s too much..... I see, I understood. I suppose it''s the best money the boy can get.......but if the reward is a single copper coin, no one will accept it. He couldn''t handle such a request in the guild, so he had no choice but to refuse........ I''m sorry, kid. I''m not going to be able to get it right. See you later. The guilt of refusing a small child''s desperate request seemed to be present, and the guild staff returned to the building to escape. The boy who was left behind disappointedly slumped his shoulders and clutched a single copper coin, looking frustrated. ''''........Hey, Rain. Suddenly, Nina tugs at my clothes. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about this. I was surprised. I never thought Nina would say that. ''Why?'' Because..........that child is in trouble........because.......she''s in trouble.... I''ve been saved by Rayne, so I want to be of help to those in need, too... ''I see... yeah. If that''s what Nina says, I''m not against it. Thank you. Nina smiles happily. More importantly, I''m glad that Nina has come up with something like this on her own. ''''Can I just.......have a minute?'''' ...What... We''ll take care of it, okay? What? Really? When Nina called out to him, the boy looked at me as if he was jumping up and down. ''''But like that guy said, I can only pay you one copper coin... but is that okay with you?'''' Hmmm ... we''ll take care of it. ''Yes!That''s sooooo helpful, thank you, sis! Sis.......... It was Nina who was a little proud of herself when she was called her sister. ---------- It seems that what the boy dropped was the ring he was going to give his mother for her birthday. The ring is not the kind you can find in a store, but a handmade one he made himself. He went to a craftsman and asked him for help and instruction...and this morning he managed to complete it. However, it seems that he lost his temper and dropped the ring he had finished in the middle of the project. I''ve looked for everything I could think of, but it''s as if I couldn''t find it. Maybe someone else picked it up, or maybe it was lost in an unexpected place.... What did that ring look like? It''s a simple one. It''s about this big, and it''s not really a decoration. Oh, it''s just a beautiful stone inlay. When I asked him about the ring, the boy gestured to explain it to me. If it was a simple ring without any decorations, it would have been difficult to find...but if it had beautiful stones used for decoration, it was somewhat easier to do. I concentrated on the animals near me.... Rain. Yeah? I turned around when Nina called out to me and handed me my bags. I''ll ... look for it. Nina?Can you do it? I''ll hold on. I have to stop taking advantage of Rayne all the time. I can''t believe Nina would say this... ''Wait a minute........'' Nina told the boy, closing her eyes and concentrating. Nina said she was going to look for the ring, but what on earth was she going to do? Will they use any of their abilities? But did Nina ever have the ability to be good at finding things? I see it. Nina murmured softly... Good. The space shimmers and you put your hand in it. It''s subspace storage. You can put some things away in subspace... but why, here and now? As I wondered, Nina made a fumbling motion inside... Eventually, he pulled out his hand with a scoop. In that hand........ Oh, the ring I made! Yes I found it. Nina handed the ring to the boy. ''Awesome, how did you do that?! ''Well... in the subspace, it''s connected to many places, so you can search for things through it... and then space... and space, connected... ''What?I don''t know about you, sis, but you''re awesome! Heh. Nina''s tail twitched happily as the boy praised her. ''Thanks, sis!That''s really helpful. If you lose it, you lose it, okay? Yeah. Thank you so much! The boy, with a big smile on his face, waved his hand over and over again and walked away. ''Hmm.'' Nina reaches out to you. Eh? ...Oh, you mean the shopping bags. I returned the shopping bag I had received to Nina. ''Home, let''s go home?'' ''Yes. But first.... He patted Nina''s head. ''Fluffy....Rain?'' It was so cool to see Nina sticking up for that girl. Do I look good? Yeah, it was pretty cool. Ehehe it makes me so happy when Rain says that to me it makes my heart feel so warm. Nina smiled and a slight tint to her cheeks. 193-Episode 193 New Body Hello. Oh, that''s Lane. When I walked into the store, Ganz, who was reading a book, looked at me and gave me a friendly smile. It''s been a long time since I''ve asked for Ganz''s shop but... A lot of things have changed compared to before. First of all, the selection of the store has changed. Whereas before there were weapons that only looked good, now there are only items that can be recognized as karma at a glance. Besides, the atmosphere in Ganz has softened heartily. He is more approachable than before. The previous incident must have changed a lot of things. ''''What''s going on, today?Can I help you with something else? No. I want to ask you to maintain Narkami and Kamui. Come to think of it, I''ve never had them serviced and they''re pretty well used up. I just wanted you to take a look at one thing around here. Okay. Can I just have a look at it? He handed Narkami and Kamui to Ganz. ''Hmm, ho ho this is again.'' Ganz made a bitter face. ''Well ... what''s the problem?'' It''s a big ant. I made them so that they wouldn''t break in a minute, but they''re both badly worn out. How in the world can we use them in this way? ''Well...'' I don''t remember being so rough with you, did I? Just fight the demons, fight Tin, fight Iris... ........I realized that I had been treating him roughly enough. ''It''ll take a week or so, is that all right? Yeah, I''ll be fine. Please. I''m on it. I''ll make sure it''s as good as new and well maintained. By the way... Ganz''s gaze is turned to my side. To be precise, it''s directed at the kettle I hold in my hand. ''''What''s with that kettle?'''' ''Oh, this is...'' I was about to explain when a puff of smoke blew out and Tina appeared at the same time. ''This is my home,'' You''re not a ghost? How do you do, old man?I''m Tina Holli. I''m a member of Rain''s husband''s family. It''s nice to meet you. ''''You........you''re not just the strongest species, you''re able to follow ghosts as well?'''' Well, it''s a long story. He responded to Ganz''s stunned gaze with a wry smile. Lightly explaining how he met Tina and how he came to sign a contract with her.... Then we''ll get down to business. The thing is, I''m just wondering if there''s anything I can do to make it more like Tina''s body. Yeah?The body of a ghost girl? ''Tina is a ghost, so she can''t go outside during the day. To get out, she has to be haunted by things like this. So I''ve been having the kettle possess me and you know how it feels to be the kettle forever? I see. Well, you do have a point. So what do we have here? I''m an armorer. I can only make weapons... I''ll give Gantz credit for that. Oh, you wouldn''t say no to me, would you? Gantz takes a moment, stroking his beard on his chin, and makes a thoughtful gesture. Somewhat later, he opens his mouth. Hmm, well........come back in a week, will you?We''ll take care of it before then. Thank you. That''s very helpful. What? I''d do anything for a hero of Horizon. No heroes.... I made a bitter face at Ganz, who must have been saying it on purpose. Tina looked at us like she was enjoying herself. ---------- ....and a week later. Hello. You''re in my way. With Tina, I asked for Ganz''s store again. There was no sign of Ganz in the store. However, he seemed to notice us right away and showed himself from the back. "Oh, Rain and the others. Just in time. When Gantz recognized us, he took out Narkami and Kamui. "First, let''s return these, shall we? I''ve maintained them as good as new. Thank you. That''s very helpful. What? You can always bring it to me if you need anything else. As a craftsman, it makes me happy to know that you use many of the weapons I''ve made. Ganz smiles a pleasant smile. I guess my craftsman''s soul is stimulated. ''And this one is for the ghost girl. Continuing, Ganz took out a certain thing. ''''A doll...?'''' It was like a small doll. The size was probably bigger than the palm of your hand? It''s very elaborately made, not like something a child would use for fun. And this doll looks like it''s from somewhere else...? Hmm?Could this be our home? Oh. Tina said, and I noticed that. As Tina said, this doll looked like Tina. She''s wearing a maid''s outfit, and her face looks just like her.........and she''s a minimalist sized Tina. I was thinking of this as your new body, young lady, but........what do you think? Oh, is this my new body? I''ve used all of my skills to create a state-of-the-art fighting doll. Not only does it look good, but it''s got all sorts of gimmicks, and it can even fight. Oh... Tina had a twinkle in her eye. You seem to like that sort of thing.... ''I''m sorry you made this stuff for me. Wasn''t it a pain in the ass? Nah. Making something like this isn''t so bad, once in a while. It''s a good way to test your craftsmanship. Ha-ha-ha. That''s very Ganz. "Hey, hey, hey. Can I get on this body now? Mm. I made it for you, little girl. Please take a look at it. Great. Tina''s form wavered and... It''s like a fog, sucked into the doll. And then..... "...Oh?Huh?Ooohhhh. The doll on the table stands up with a scoff. It moves its arms and legs as if to check the sensations in its body.... Jumping on the spot, punching and shouting...Tina is happily frolicking. ''This is so much better!The same as usual, and I can move my arms and legs as I want to...........................Oh, that''s great! It''s really good. Tina says, "Yeah," in rapid succession. She must have liked it a lot. Seeing Tina like that, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. Even though there was nothing else to do, I''ve had the kettle possessed by the kettle until now....... Couldn''t you have found something a little more decent? It''s a reminder now. ''Big old man, big boy! Nah, it''s okay. Rayne is my best customer. Does that mean it''s worth...? How''s that? Can''t you just make it a little bit easier? Hey, hey. What are you doing for your little girl?But why be stingy with it? ''Huh I can''t help it if you say so. Okay, that''s fine. The amount of money Ganz offered wasn''t cheap, but... If you said it was for Tina''s sake, I couldn''t argue with you. Well, it''s a Ganz thing. He''s not ripping me off, in fact, he''s probably giving me a discount. Besides, he''s made such a nice body for Tina. I have nothing but gratitude. ''Oh, oh. You have a really nice body. Hey, darling, Rain. What do you think of us? I don''t know... No. You have to say it''s cute. As much as I''d like to say that, it''s kind of a bad idea to call Tina, who looks like a doll, cute...? Hey, hey, Mr. Lane. Yeah? Thank you for all you''ve done for my family. Tina''s smile was soothing. 194-Episode 194: Activity resumption ........It has been about a month since the Iris incident. It was a case of an unprecedented scale, so a lot of things have grown up after the fact... There was also more fatigue associated with it. So I decided to take a break for a while to nourish my spirits. And so a month passed... I''ve decided to resume my adventuring activities again. ''Hello,'' Oh, Mr. Shroud. And Tania. Welcome. When I asked about the Adventurer''s Guild, Natalie greeted me with a smile. It feels like it''s been a long time since I''ve seen this smile. Iris'' case took a long time and... I''ve been busy with post-processing and stuff after that. "Humph! Rejoice! We''ve decided to get back to work today. Tania says with a great deal of pride. Tania''s words make Natalie smile. ''Well, is that so? ''No, you don''t, do you?There''s a lot more adventurers out there than just us, you know. ''''That''s true but when it comes to adventurers as powerful as Shroud-san and the others, we''re limited. No, you don''t. ''''It''s possible. At all........Shroud-san and the others are now one of the leading adventuring parties in this city, right? Amazing. When did that happen? It''s a little embarrassing to be told that much. But..... It made me feel proud to think that we had all been able to build up and get to that point. ''Do you have any requests?I''d like something crisp and flashy that would be appropriate for our return. ''Hey, hey. I don''t make those decisions on my own. Ouch! I knocked Tania''s head off. ''Uh ... what are you doing, Rain? Don''t go out of your way to ask for fancy packages. But I haven''t done much physical activity lately and I thought you''d like to get fit for the first time in a while. I don''t have any idea. But if you suddenly move your body, your body might be startled and cause an accident. We need to do some preparatory exercise first. Is there anything you want me to do?Preferably something light and not so onerous. ''Ummm, well...'' Natalie took a file from the shelf and flipped through the paper. ''Then how about defeating a pack of hunter wolves or something like that? Hunterwolf. ''A farmer asked us to help. They seem to be acting in herds lately they are causing damage to their livestock and other animals. We need to protect the livestock and exterminate the herd. Those are the two requirements for completing the request. I think it''s just the right case for Shroud-san and the others. ''Well it''s a little less spectacular, but oh well, I''ll have to do it. I''m fine with that. I checked with Tania with my eyes and said something like that. Then I tried to gather my thoughts. A Hunter Wolf would pose no threat. We''d have to split the party in two when it comes to protecting the livestock, but we wouldn''t have a problem with that either. ''''Well yeah. Well then, I''ll take care of that request. ''Yes, I understand. Well, I''ll take care of the formalities then. And thus, for the first time in a long time, we''re begging for a request. ---------- The damage caused by hunter wolves is increasing every day. It''s a serious problem for farmers, as livestock can be attacked. So we decided to get to work on our request that day. Kanade, Sola and Luna to protect our livestock.... The rest of us decided to take down the Hunter Wolf. Me and Tania. We walked through the forest away from the city with a party of four, including me, Tania, Nina and Tina. According to the client, the hunter wolf makes its home in the forest. ''''Hmmm, my arms snapped at the thought of being able to go on a rampage for the first time in a long time. ''Just don''t go easy on me, okay?Without overdoing it and burning the forest or anything like that. Lane thinks it''s me, okay? Tania gave me a zit stare. But hey..... Tania is a dangerous thing to say at times, isn''t she? When we just met, I think she said something about burning down the forest with all her enemies without a care in the world. Well, I don''t think it''s always been the same since then, but.... I''m still worried that I''m going to overdo it. It''s a refreshing feeling to be able to move freely, even in the daytime. It''s a refreshing feeling to be able to move around freely, even in the daytime. Above Nina''s head, Tina, who had taken on a humanoid body, was humming with glee. She looks very happy. But still..... Whether it''s a kettle or a doll, it''s always in place at the top of Nina''s head. What is it that you are so particular about? Is Nina''s head comfortable? Bulls, don''t bully the goats, monsters......... I''ll do my best, okay? Nina was fired up. Her reason for trying her best was smiling. However, Nina isn''t much of a fighter, so don''t take it too hard. I mean, is it overprotective to think so? If Nina heard this, she would sulk, ''I can fight too. ''Hey, hey, Rain.'' Suddenly, Tania spoke to me. ''Yeah?'' Aren''t you going to look after me? "...How come you''re thinking what I''m thinking? Hmm. Rayne is so easy to understand. You can tell by the look on his face. Oh, crap. I don''t think I''ll be able to think of anything weird in front of Tania in the future. You''re not going to be able to get away with it. You''re going to have to keep it that way. Is it a compliment or a tease? Oh, that''s surprising. It''s a real compliment. That''s the trouble with me, because I don''t think so. .........well. Well, enough chatter... Yes, I suppose so. I think it''s time for us to get to work. Me and Tania got defensive and... Nina and Tina follow us. Soon after, a tense killing spirit hits us. One hunter wolf emerges from the trees, one by one, and then another. They bared their vicious fangs and let out a low growl. ''Fifty head in all?'' Hmmm. This is pretty easy. If you''re gonna have to deal with me, you''re gonna have to stay a hundred times longer. No, that would be crazy. I can do it. Where does that confidence come from? But the fact that you can''t call bullshit is what makes Tania so scary and dependable. ''Well then, let''s go! Tania shouted out loud.... We charged at once. ---------- Ha! A flash of Kamui vertically. Hunter Wolf''s body is cut in both directions and he rolls to the ground. Perhaps it''s because Ganz has maintained it, but it''s very sharp. ''''Hmph!'''' Looking closer, I saw that Nina had transitioned over the Hunter Wolf''s head and kicked him from directly above. There, Tina used her telekinetic power to crush him, a brilliantly coordinated move. And then......... That''s it ... that''s it! Our ace Tania waved her tail like a whip and cleaved the three hunter wolves together. The hunter wolves that received the painful blow were unable to stand up and, as it was, transformed into magical stones. ''''Well, I guess it''s something like this?'''' Be on your guard. There could still be survivors. Yeah?But there''s no sign of........eh, wait a minute. What is this? Tania searched for any sign of her surroundings, her face tightening. What is it? What the hell is going on...? I was about to ask a question, when. ''Kishaaaaah!!!'' There was a sharp yell that ripped through the atmosphere. I hurriedly ran towards the direction of the voice, and what we saw there was.... Dragon? 195-Episode 195: Ryu, Attack Wings so huge that they cover the sky. Scales harder than steel cover its body in a dense layer. And the fangs, each one as sharp as a spear, are lined up in a row. The king of the sky........the dragon. And also known as the strongest species, the dragon race. Why are they here...? Everyone was surprised, including me. Only, I would soon come to myself. ''Oh, ah...'' It must be the same adventurer. A man dressed like that was being stared at by a dragon. ''''Not good!'''' I don''t know what''s going on, but I can''t leave that man alone. I ran out past Kamui. ''This way!'' Guh! I slashed at the dragon''s head. d*mn.............................As hard as it is! I slashed at it with all my strength, but the blade would play off. However, I was able to divert the dragon''s attention to me. The dragon glared at me with a low growl... Lane, are you okay? What? Tania came running in and... Is it all in your head? He looked at Tania and felt like the dragon was upset. And then..... Ah! The dragon flapped its huge wings and flew into the sky at once. It flips over and flies away. Tania looks at us. ''''Rain, what do we do!I can catch up with you! ''Well no, let''s not. It''s not safe to be alone, even for Tania. Besides, I don''t know what''s going on... and more importantly, I have to put this guy first. Well that''s okay, if you say so. Roger. As for Tania, maybe she was in the mood to chase them. I wonder if the dragon people are very territorial? While thinking about such unimportant things, I call out to the adventurer man. ''Are you okay?'' Oh, yeah, you''re a lifesaver. The man who was on his buttocks stands up, pulled by my hand. The adventurer man looked at Tania and let out a small scream. He looked at the horns and tail and realized that Tania was a dragon race. ''Don''t worry. Tania is not like that guy from earlier. She''s not going to attack people.'''' You''re so rude to people. Well, that''s okay. I''m a generous guy. I''ll forgive you. Yeah. Even though people were trying to follow up with her, Tania was puffing her chest out like a great person. ''''........Tania, ha.......good girl, right?'''' ''I don''t know if it''s fair for us to say it, but I can assure you Tania won''t do anything wrong. Nina and Tina, who were catching up late, also turned to follow Tania. The adventurer who saw that makes a strange face. ''''What, what...?Are you a godling?And ... a doll? Everyone''s with me, including Tania. The most powerful species in the world? The man paused for a moment, stunned... Then his eyes widen as something flashes in his mind. ''Ah!Are you a Horizon hero?! ''Well well, in case you were wondering, that''s what I''ve been told...'' Oh, so it was you.Okay, that makes sense. It''s itching to be called a hero, but... Apparently, now that call came in handy. The caution fades from the man''s face as he becomes convinced that we''re not suspicious. ''What the hell is wrong with you?'' That''s what I want to hear. I don''t know what''s going on anymore... The story is.... The man seems to be a D-ranked adventurer. He says he specializes in collecting medicinal herbs and ores, rather than defeating demons. I went out to the forest to collect as usual, but I heard that the demons were acting strangely. They seemed to be frightened or anxious about something... The man thought it was strange, but he put his work first. As a result..... It is said that a dragon flew to the man from out of nowhere. In a moment of crisis, we rushed in and the man was saved from death. I see. After listening to the whole story, I made a difficult face. I didn''t expect a dragon to show up in this place... Well, I can''t say with certainty that he won''t come because of Tania''s example. But unlike Tania''s case, this one was attacking people. It wasn''t in the atmosphere of a test of skill, but a clear hostility. When a dragon attacks a person, it''s going to be an awkward problem. It''s going to be a big deal. I had such an unpleasant feeling. ---------- Just in case, me and Tania drove the man back to town. There''s no guarantee that the dragons won''t show up again, so it''s not a good idea to be cautious. By the way, I had Nina and Tina go to Kanade and the others. I asked them to tell you that my request was completed and to serve as a reminder of what happened this time. ''''Fufu.......it''s nice to finally be back. The man let out a breath of relief. He had been attacked by a dragon, and he didn''t feel safe until he returned to the city. The man turned his smile to us. ''Thank you, thank you for the help.'' The same thing could happen to you, so be careful. ''More dragons?Haha, you''re kidding me. That doesn''t happen very often. ''That''s all well and good, but...'' Anyway, you''re a lifesaver. You saved my life. This thanks to.... It''s okay. I''m a fellow adventurer. It''s all right. ''It can''t be that way. However, I can''t do much, so... well, if you need anything, don''t hesitate to tell me. I''ll be happy to help you. The man bowed his head repeatedly and left the scene. ''I wonder if that man is going to be okay like that?'' Tania says with a questioning look. ''What do you mean?'' Isn''t that a little too optimistic?You were attacked by a dragon you should normally have a greater sense of urgency. Well, maybe it''s not my place to say that. ''No, I think Tania''s right. We don''t usually get attacked by dragons so I just want to ask you, are there any of Tania''s kind around here? He shouldn''t be there... but I''m not sure I can be sure. Tania gave him a difficult look. She slowly opened her mouth and continued to speak, taking a thoughtful gesture. ''We, the dragon tribe, don''t group together much like the cat spirit tribe or spirit race. Of course, we do make a village, but there aren''t that many of us... So what do you normally do? A lot of these guys are traveling around. Half of them, like me, are on a training mission. The other half are on a freewheeling journey, testing their mettle, fighting off evil... well, you get the idea. ''Basically, they''re not supposed to do that but I can''t say this is a sure thing either. The trouble is. Tania made a gesture of, "Oh dear," she said. ''Some of the dragon people say, ''Humans are evil!There are people who have such an extreme belief that they must be destroyed. Of course, there are only a few people who are that extreme, but there are people like that, so it''s hard to say for sure. That''s also ... troubling. I''m really confused. ........As we were talking about this, I found a familiar face. It''s Stella. She''s walking towards me with two knights who look like her subordinates. That gaze is not on me........but on Tania. ''''Oh, it''s not Stella. What''s going on? Tania noticed Stella and approached her good-naturedly, but.... In response, Stella took the action of drawing her sword. ''Tania I''m sorry, but I''m arresting you! 196-Episode 196 False Charge What? Suddenly, Tania''s eyes roll back in her head when she''s told to arrest me. I think I have a similar look on my face. Could it be that this is Stella''s way of joking? ........What a thought, but Stella''s face was extremely serious. The two knights who seemed to be his subordinates also had their hands on the hilt so that they could pull out their swords at any time, and they surrounded Tania from both sides. ''''Wait a minute, are you serious?Why do I need to get arrested? Tania said in a bad mood when she was suddenly told she was going to be arrested. She emits a light angry temper. Although the two knights, who seem to be subordinates, are frightened by Tania''s anger, but....... As expected, Stella continues to point her sword at Tania without any trepidation. ''''I''m serious. Shall I ask you to come quietly to the knight''s branch? Hmm I don''t know, but it sounds like you''re serious. Tania''s eyes became as sharp as a bird of prey. ''But you''d better look at them and say something like that, you know?It''s the height of folly to think that you can handle me by force. I''m going to have to knock that idea out of your head... It''s too late! He hurriedly stopped Tania from getting into a combat stance. ''Hey, why are you stopping me! "Don''t try to fight in the streets of this city!Also, I need to hear what happened first. I don''t need to hear some crazy story about how you''re gonna arrest me. Tania turned away with a pang. It looks like she is angry in her own way because she was told she was going to be arrested out of the blue. It''s not hard to understand the feelings, but....... I wish you would calm down a little more. Tania''s every word and action is so extreme, isn''t it? I turn to Stella, calming Tania down. "I''ll go with you, but that''s okay, right?So why don''t you tell me what''s going on?On those terms, I''ll go along quietly. Mm. That''s all right. We were going to explain it to you in the first place. Hmm, I don''t know. It felt like a no-brainer. Don''t be so cynical. ---------- I took the swollen Tania and moved with her to the Knights'' branch. We walked into the building and moved to a private room. It''s not an interrogation room, but is equipped with various furniture. Perhaps it''s a guest room. I sit alongside Tania on the sofa that has been prepared for us. Across the table, Stella sat down in front of him. The subordinate knights from earlier are lined up on either side of her. ''''So ... what in the world is this all about?'''' Hmm. It''s not easy to say, but the truth is, there has been a rash of dragon sightings lately. And not only have they been seen, but there have been cases where they have been attacked. Me and Tania looked at each other. Could it have something to do with what happened just a few minutes ago? But the question remains. ''I haven''t heard anything about that in the guild...'' The guild and I are currently discussing our future plans. I don''t want to make a big deal out of it, so I''m keeping it under wraps for now. It''s a matter of fact. If word gets out that a dragon has appeared and is attacking people, it could cause a panic. We need to be very careful about how we proceed. I see. ''''So... we have just decided on our future course of action. We, the Knights and the Adventurer''s Guild, have decided to catch the culprit before the damage is done. Hey!Why would you want to arrest me for something like that? ''''Hmm. I''m sorry about that, but the only dragon race known to be in the vicinity of this Horizon is Tania. That''s why the state took the easy way out and ordered us to arrest Tania... I''m shocked.......you just accuse me of being a murderer just because I''m a dragon tribe without properly checking the facts?It''s not outrageous. Tania is furious, but.... I understood what Stella was saying in a way that I did. Probably, Stella doesn''t think that Tania is attacking people either. But the upper echelon that didn''t know about Tania the country didn''t decide that. They decided that Tania was the culprit. As a servant of the country, Stella couldn''t disobey the order either....... I had no choice but to take Tania in......... ''Well, if that''s what you''re talking about, it''s easy enough to solve. What''s that supposed to mean? I told Stella, who looked at me curiously, what had just happened. I told her that besides Tania, there was a dragon. That the dragon was about to attack the adventurers. I will explain those events in detail. ''''Hmmm.......so there is another dragon race that is different from Tania''s?'''' He actually attacked a man and in all likelihood, that''s the guy who did it. I see... hmmm, I see. ''Yes!So I''m cleared of all charges, then?Can I go home now? Tania says with a smile, but Stella shakes her head. ''I''m sorry but I can''t allow that. What? ''Rain''s story alone is not proof that there are other dragonkind out there. Of course, I don''t believe Tania would ever do such a thing, but I''m too hard-headed up there. ''Then what else do you want to see?If we ask the adventurers we helped to testify... ''Well that''s a little short of convincing the top. Rain is Tania''s mate. The top brass may decide that he gave false testimony on behalf of his people.... What''s that? Isn''t it a felony to testify against someone?And yet you decide to do that? To be honest, that''s a strong possibility. Are you crazy? Without paying attention to Tania''s tirade, Stella made an apologetic face. When it comes to the position of managing the Knights, they have a powerful power. However, in other words, what you bear on your back is tremendously large. If one decision is made incorrectly, a great deal of damage may be created. Therefore, there is no room for error on the part of those above them. They must examine all possibilities, act carefully, and pursue the truth. You can''t simply take my word for it on the ground. "Besides, you know, I hate to tell you this, but.... What? "The dragon in question said, ''I am Tania of the dragon race! I hear he calls himself "The What? ''I know Tania, so I know that she is a completely different person but for those who don''t know her, it''s hard to discern. I''m sure most of the people in this city know Tania... but when it''s someone higher up, far from the city, even more so. You did not mention my name.Oh, God, it''s annoying, but I can''t help it if it''s Stella.....................I agree. If that''s the reason, then I can''t blame them for suspecting me. Stella says in her defense. ''As long as I have my orders, it''s not so easy... I''m sorry, but can you stay here and stay out while we investigate?There''s no way we''re going to catch Tania. I don''t want to. So I want you to stay hidden here until we find the real killer. You''re not going to put me in jail, are you? ''I won''t do that. I''m going to have you stay in this guest room. But I can''t allow you to leave, so you''ll be under house arrest... Oh, my God. It looks like such a hassle. Tania swelled. It''s not hard to understand. We know for a fact that it was someone else. And yet, it''s not good enough for me to be accused of the crime. But I also understand Stella''s position of having to follow orders and..... It''s not that I don''t understand what the higher ups are thinking as they are issuing orders. After all..... So it sounds like there''s only one way to solve this case. Well, then I''m gonna go get the real killer. Lane? Tania looked at me with a surprised look. Totally........why is she surprised? If our friends are suspected, it''s only natural that we should help them. ''There''s another dragon tribe, and all you have to do is prove that he''s the one who did it, right?Then it won''t be a problem if I catch the real killer. ''It''s ... um ... um ... It would certainly be...but...is that okay?This matter was going to be settled by our Knights, and I didn''t mean to bother Rain... Tania is involved. I''m not a stranger. I''m going to do whatever it takes to prove Tania''s innocence. "...Rain... Tania stared at me with a happy look on her face. Her cheeks are a little red. Is she embarrassed? But there''s no embarrassment factor...?It''s a mystery. ''Can Tania wait here?We''re gonna get the real killer. .... Tania? Oh, I see. Well, if you''re going to do that, I''m going to leave it to you, or... well, I''m going to ask you to do it... anyway, do your best for me!If you fail, I won''t forgive you. You can''t fail. I''m doing this for Tania. I''m going to pull it off. That''s just not to be underestimated... Tania? No, it''s nothing. Anyway, I''ll take care of it, okay?Go get me another dragon tribe that''s doing something stupid to prove my innocence! Yeah, I''m on it. I nodded firmly at Tania''s words. 197-Episode 197 Where is the true criminal? I left the Knights'' headquarters I got in touch with everyone and met up with them in the town square. Then we talked about Tania. ''''Nyah.......Tania''s fake, I can''t forgive her!I can''t believe I did something bad and put the blame on Tania. ''I''m not sure if that''s the intention or not but I agree that it''s inexcusable. We are going to find the real killer and beat him to a pulp! Hmm... for Tania, I''m... I''m going to do my best. I''ve got to make him regret making an enemy of us. I''ll do it! Everyone was as angry as I was. Dependable. At the same time, I was a little worried that I was going to overdo it. ''Okay, guys, let''s go! Kanade stepped forward, pumping his fist in the air, just as he was about to depart. I hurriedly put my hand on its shoulder to stop it. ''Stop. I''m going, where do you think you''re going? I''ll look around the city and if I see a dragon, I''ll hit it! You are too rash. ''What''s the use of walking around aimlessly and aimlessly?That kind of thing only consumes time unnecessarily. Nyaah....now that you mention it, I feel like it. So what are you going to do? Tina asked, tilting her head. Her body changed from a kettle to a doll, and she was able to make such detailed gestures. ''Let''s go talk to the victims and witnesses. Maybe we can get some information. I asked Stella to compile a list of victims and witnesses. It''s not yet a publicized case, so there are about ten in all. But if we put all ten together, we''ll have something reasonably solid. I don''t want to spend too much time on this, so let''s split into three groups and interview them. Yes, yes, I''d like to be with Rain! Kanade was the first to raise his hand. Seeing Kanade, Sora and Luna look at him with a strange look on their faces. You ran for office so vigorously, didn''t you? Isn''t there something about it?I doubt it. Come to think of it, these days Kanade often wants to be with Rain. I''m jealous of that, I thought to myself. ''Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no!I don''t have anything in particular....well...I just wish I could help Rain... Kanade fumbled and panicked. ''''Ay,'''' Sora and Luna''s eyes narrowed and changed to zit eyes. Catching their gaze, Kanade gets even more flustered... You know, I think we''re getting off on the wrong foot. Anyway, I calmed everyone down. ''As for the grouping, well well it''s me and Kanade. Sola and Luna. Nina and Tina. After all, it''s the same old combination. I''ll do my best, okay? Nina clenched her small fists and got into the swing of things. ''I''ll be here in an hour. I''m sure you''ll be fine, but take care of yourself, okay? Yes, no problem. If anything happens, I''ll use Luna as a shield. Sister Shield! I''m going.... I''ll show you my light-hearted talk. Everyone disperses, leaving me and Kanade alone. ''Well then, we''ll go too.'' Yeah, well... oh. With a face as if he had noticed something, Kanade stopped in his tracks. Right? "Kanade? Meow!Uh, uh.... Kanade''s eyes darted here and there... It was somewhat, and for some reason, he looked up at me with a red face. ''''Um, you know...?Oh, and, uh, do you mind if I hold your hand? Yeah?A hand? Because you can get it off...? Sure, there are a lot of people there today. Besides, I''ve been separated from Kanade in the city before, haven''t I? ''Okay. Here. You don''t mind? Why are you surprised?It''s okay, that''s all. Meow. Kanade happily held my hand. Her tail wagged restlessly from side to side. ''I''m sorry Tania, but I''m happy...'' I don''t know. Let''s go. Yeah! With a very grumpy Kanade, we set off to ask around. ---------- ... an hour later. The interview was over and we met up at our original location. ''From what Sola and the others have heard, the dragon was seen flying off into the mountains to the north. We''re the same. There have been many reports of sightings up in the mountains. It sounds like what we''ve heard. What I heard is that someone saw them flying in from the mountains. Each of them exchanged the information they had gained and summarized their stories. ''''So you''re saying ... that the impostor who cheats on Tania''s name lives in the mountains to the north. Well, I think that''s the right thing to do. ''Yeah. I didn''t hear anything else that sounded like it, so I think we''re good to go. No particular objection has been raised. I don''t have any other leads at the moment... I''m going to search the mountains to the north. ''Then let''s get going! Stop. Kanade says cheerfully, but again, he waits for it. ''Nyan?'' "We''ll have to be ready to go into the mountains. If I''m not careful, it could take a few days. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. But it''s frustrating to have to wait even longer to get this done as quickly as possible. ''It can''t be helped. If Sola and the others fail because of their recklessness, it will be all for naught. Yeah, I''ll be fine. Nina looked a little better at it. ''Preparations, then........are already done, okay? Hmm?What do you mean? I heard that there could be some of Tania''s creatures in the mountains and I''ve been buying things in advance. Nina opened the entrance to the subspace storage. A quick look inside revealed a full set of climbing equipment, including food and water. ''''When did you........'''' Mmm-hmm. Nina is getting better every day. Tina made me proud, as if she were my own. Maybe she thinks of Nina as a buddy because they are together a lot. It''s a good thing they''re so close. ''Huh?But what did you do with the money? I''m in charge of my own wallet, but.... I said I''ll see you later. You''re going to pay the bill, aren''t you? I''ll have to thank the people in town later. ''Ugh ... are you mad?'' No, I don''t think so. It''s just that the bill isn''t very good, so don''t do it except in an emergency like this. Can you promise me that? Hmm. Good boy. He patted Nina''s head and.... Then he looks at everyone. ''Then let''s get going. We can''t keep Tania waiting, you know. Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! 198-Episode 198 What is the purpose of the true criminal? դۤɤơɽ˵Ť 䥫ʥǤΤߤʤؓħʹһݤliФäȕrg̿sǤΤɡ ʤȤ򤷤顢⤤ĿäƤޤ ˥Υ˥Τ˚ݤŤơӤ줿ꤷԪӤʤ ʤΤǡĿʤ褦ˡͨͽi򤫤ȤˤΤ äȡ ɽä٤Ȥǡ귵롣 ˤˤ㡫? ʥǤԪݤäѤȤФǡǸäƤ ˤˤȤäƤɢiҙǡɽǤSΤ ϩ`ϩ`Ҥ```Ҥ ȥʤϢФ⼤ˤ⵹Ƥޤ򤷤Ƥ ϤդáդϤϤ ˩`ʡФ`⤦٤ǣ ˩`ʤƣ줿Ӥǡ~˺򸡤٤Ƥ ƥʤħʹդդ˸ƄӤ򤷤Ƥ뤫顢ƣ줿ӤϤʤ դϡݤळȤˤ褦 礦ɤڈҊĤΤǡ¤ 줫顢ҰӤΜʂʼ롣 쥤󡭡ݤǤҥޤʤơޤ衭ۤáۤã 礯ˤҊĤʤȡʤΤҹMǡҩ`áթ`á ɷ򤫣äȟo򤷤ʡޤʤ ȥʤϡFǤʤǤʤơ񤹤ˤǤ⵹Ƥޤä ˩`ʡ`Ȥ á ˩`ʤg饷`Ȥȡơ˷󤤤 ȥʤ֤ơϤ餻Ƥ롣 ϤϤߤޤ󡭡_ÏäƤޤ͡ ҤۤʤΤȤ顢ҤΤȤϾǤϤʤơʤȺǤ һݤˤʤȤޤ顢ƣΤǰäơƣƤ뤫顢դϤݤ⤦ˡһդǽQǤȤ˼äƤʤ˥ΤrΤȤ򿼤ơ򤷤ä´椷ƤʤȤʡ ʤ櫓ǡ_ϡɽä٤ΤȤһ뤳Ȥˤʤä DDDDDDDDDD ѥѥȼ٤ߤʤLJࡣ Ϥդޤ͡ ̤̤ǚݳ֤Τ ʳ¤򤷤ơäݤơ¤ޤꡭ ۤɤ褯؏ͤӤǡȥʤϤۤäȤ򤷤Ƥ ΤߤʤƤ褦ʸФ 󤥡դ ˩`ʤĤ餦ĤȤơ򤳤Ǥ ˩`ʡߤ ٤ ʤƤȤԤʤ⡢˩`ʤϡĿ_ƤΤһȤФ äѤꡢ˩`ʤƣƤΤ ˩`ʤС򱧤ȡˤߤĤƤ ΤޤĿ]ơߤäƤޤ 餫OäƤƥȤФ˥˩`ʤ\ӡäޤƤ롣 ȡդդȥƥʤwǤơ˩`ʤO˽ꤿ ޤ뤥դ嵐 äݤǤ졹 ˡ䤹ߤʤ ƥʤϡĤƣϤʤΤ⤷ʤ äwǤȡħM뤳Ȥˤʤ롣 ʤƣƤ餷Ϣ„Ƥ 䤹ߡСԤäơƥȤx줿 ꡣ쥤 죿ȥʤϣ ٤ΤȤؑȡʥǤʤä ˽⤦һĤΥƥȤ\Ǥ衣ˤȤ⡢޽ä项 ä꤬Ȥʡ 󡢤ɤޤơ ʥǤһwˡȓe٤롣 ʥǤޤʤΤ `˽ϡޤƣƤʤ͡èäơlˤؓʤ顢줯餤ʤȤʤ衣쥤ϣ ↖}ϤʤʡˤϡʤŤ뤫项 ˤթ`쥤? ä顢äԒǤ⤹뤫 Ϥã褯褯ƤߤСҹ쥤ȶˤꡭϡ ʥǤζԩ`Ȥä ʥǣ áʤǤʤ裡ʤǤ⣡ ʤǤ⤢褦Ҋɡ ˴ɷ飡 ʤ餤ɡ ޤˡʥǤӲˤʤ롣 ϤλƤơʤˤL¤򤷤Ƥ ޤgȤϤˤԒʤȤһĶĤ顢ݤˤʤ ̤ːǤ똔ӤϤʤϘҊdž}ʤ ȤǡʥǤϡ áʤˤʣ ؤ¼ɤ˼ ʥǤʤΤäꤷ褦ˤʤ롣 ʥǣ ͡rԒ}x֤ȤϡۥȤ˥쥤餷͡ˤդ äȡ 󡢤ʤǤʤ衣Τϡ˽ζԤΤ褦ʤΡݤˤʤǡäȡ⡢ؤ¼ä ˥Υ˥ΤF줿äƤȤʤɡ ʩ`󤫡Ԓ͡ ʥǤβ򣿤ΤˤơСפA ɤ顢ʥǤͬȤ򿼤Ƥ餷 ⤦һˤθoϥ˥ǰ_ꡢǐ¤Pͨ˿С˥ʤĤ褦ȤƤɡ }ϡɤƤʤȤ򤹤Τ oޤ餺ĤˡNȤΤϷNg٤ԤƤ롣 ˤ`ߝʾ֤äƤȤȤ⤢뤬 ٤ʤᡢgͬʿ򤹤櫓ˤϤʤȤɤ⤢롣 gͬʿ褦ʤȤ򤹤С~祳`ޤä ʤΤǡơ֤ȡϤ褦ԤƤ롭餷 Ϥߤʤ„Ԓ顢g`Ϥʤ˼ X󥫤򤹤뤳ȤϤäƤ⡢ݤΤȡ򤹤褦ʤȤϽ~ˤʤȤ ۤɤޤǤˡNڤνOΤ ʤΤˡ ؤ¼Ǥϡ˥ʤĤ褦ȤƤ롣 gꈤ褦ʤȤ򤷤Ƥ롣 ʤʤΤ ƤߤΤΡ𤨤ϳƤʤ ʥǤϤɤ˼ `o夬⤦һˡΤg`ʤ顭ˤɡgߤʤΤʤΤʤǤǤ⡢ͨϤꤨʤɤ͡X󥫤ʤȤ⤫ؤΤϡȤ^Ƥ뤷 ֤顢˥ˤӑ뤳Ȥˤʤ뤫ʡ 졣ʤ͡ʤȤˤʤ뤫⤷ʤΤˡ˥򤫤֤Ƥ롭˽_Nˤ顢ꤨʤȤʤʤˤYLƤ餬ΤȤ⡢äݤɏޤߤ֤äƤΤ դࡹ ɤˤƤ⡢ؤ¼ϴʤȤˤʤꤽ⡹ ݤʤȤʤʡ ʤ_򤯤äƤȤŤϤΤΡͶϤƤϤʤ ˥Νפ^ʤȤʤ顢~ʧ櫓ˤϤʤ ~ͶϤʤǡäȡMळȤˤ褦 ˤ` ʥǤζڤ ɤ äȡʤȳƤ顢äȲˤʤääơ ä ͡˽ʤȤԤä顢쥤ⲻˤ㤦⤷ʤΤˡ 衹 դˤ㣡 O륫ʥǤ^Ǥ @褦򤢤ơ ΤǡʥǤβԩ`ֱ롣 ʤȤϡֱˤԤäƤƘʤ项 Ǥ⡭ L¤ϤʤǤȤ줷_ϡgʤ项 쥤󡭡 ʥǤͫࡣ ĿǡäҊĤ줿 ٤Τ Kanade''s cheeks looked red. ''''Well I think I''ll spoil you for a bit. Yeah, come on. Uh....yeah. Kanade softly leaned toward us. Our shoulders touched shoulder to shoulder. Kanade''s silky hair touched my cheek. Do you mind if I do this for a second? Do you want to just do this? ''Yeah ... that''s good enough for me...'' Kanade rumbles and throbs. It was quiet and peaceful. ''''Nya~'''' I''ll take the weight of a comfortable weight... Listening to Kanade''s voice, like soft music... We watched the flickering bonfire burn for a while. 199-Episode 199 Trap The next morning. Having rested fully, the fatigue of yesterday was gone. Everyone was looking good and showed no signs of fatigue. Well then, let''s get on with the search for the dragons. Sola, Luna. I''m counting on you. I understand. "Leave it to us! The two of them said a spell. Waves of light spread out around us. First of all, I decided to have them use magic to find the dragon. It''s the magic that I used in the lord''s mansion before, the magic of exploring the magic reaction in the surroundings. If the dragon is there, there should be a high-powered magical reaction........ "Mmm. Luna got a difficult look on her face. Then Sora gave a small shake of her head. ''No good. There''s no response.'' Apparently, there are no dragons around here. What''s the range? I''d say a radius of 300 meters around Sora. It''s pretty big. However, the mountains are even bigger than that. If we''re going to cover the whole area, we''ll have to use our magic over and over again. ''Let''s try it again?I don''t mind. I still have plenty of magic in me. ''''I''ve been sleeping gooey or gooey with my belly out, you know. Sleeping like that will replenish your magic power in abundance. Yeah, you didn''t do that! Oh, he got my habit. He is an energetic fellow. I''ll do the next one. I can''t let you two work alone. Besides, when it comes to exploration, I''m probably better suited to it. I invited the birds to perch on the branches of the trees and made a tentative pact with them. I asked them to call their friends and made a tentative agreement with them, too. And so, after a dozen or so birds... I gave the order to let them fly in all directions, letting them know if they found a dragon. A bird would be able to search for it from above. It might be difficult to find a small target, but in this case, it was a dragon. Because of its large body, searching from the sky would not be a problem. On top of that, it can fly at a reasonable speed, so it can cover a wide area. With this, we should be able to find the dragon. That''s what I thought.... ........nyah. I don''t see any response. No. Thirty minutes later. Kanade and Tina murmured, as if they were tired of waiting. ''''.......Failure?'''' Nina said, tilting her head slightly. It''s quite unrelenting. But ... funny, isn''t it? With that many birds, we should be able to cover this mountain if we have enough. The birds are flying fast, and this mountain isn''t very wide... So how is it that there are no reports of discovery? The behemoth. There''s no way he could be hiding in the trees. It''s possible that he''s hiding in a huge cave. Even in this case, there are still traces of something in the surroundings. For example, trees may have been torn down or footprints may have been left on the ground. If you can''t find even that, then..... Oh... I realized that I had been disappointed in a certain possibility, and I yelled out. ''Nyan?What''s going on? ''On second thought, maybe I was mistaken. Did I misunderstand you? Those are dragons, right?It''s the same dragon race as Tania, right? Yeah, I guess so. So you could be just as humanoid as Tania was? Oh... Kanade seemed to understand what I meant, and Kanade raised his voice. I mean......... We were looking for a dragon, but that doesn''t mean they''re going to stay that way forever. It could have taken the form of a person. In that case, the method of using birds to search the sky would be futile. I won''t say zero, but the chances of finding it would be infinitesimally low. Oh dear. Due to seeing the dragon form for the first time, I was so impressed by it that I assumed it would always be in that form. It''s possible that he''s usually transformed into a person, like Tania. Or it could be that she is transforming into a person and hiding from her pursuers to hide from them. Either way, it''s hard to find them using the bird. I broke my tentative contract with the bird. ''''Hmm. So that means our magic is the only thing we can rely on? ''''Even if they were transformed into people, they can''t hide their magical powers, you know. With the magic of Sora and the others, they would be able to catch the dragons with certainty. It''s just that it''s too broad... Even though the mountain isn''t that big, it would still take a good amount of time to traverse it. Even if you ask Sora and Luna to use their magic and search for it in a lullaby, it would be inefficient. Besides, it''s not always possible for them to stay still. It''s also possible that they are always on the move.... The chances of finding them are even lower if they go the wrong way. Is there anything we can do to help? Hey. On top of Nina''s head, Tina raised her hand. Is it your favorite? I''ll give you an idea at my place. Can I ask you a question? In that case, I''ll just set a trap! ---------- .... A woman was walking in the mountains to the north. Carrying her pack on her back, she slowly made her way down a slightly rough road. Would her destination be the city beyond the mountains? Out of breath, occasionally stopping for a break... Step by step, she trudged through the mountains. If anyone else was around, they might look at her and tell her that it was dangerous for a woman to travel alone. She could be attacked by bandits, she could meet demons. It''s just..... There was an existence in this mountain that was much more dangerous than bandits and demons right now. ''''Grrrrrr! What? Nothing happened a few minutes ago, and now... Suddenly, out of nowhere, a dragon flew in. It landed in front of the woman while flapping its huge wings. ''''Do, dragon! ''....Foolish man, you will die for us. If you hate me, hate yourself for walking out of a place like this alone! The dragon roared and raised its massive paws as it roared. As it is, it slams into the woman with great force. The woman''s body would not be allowed to disobey, and her body would be crushed. .......... ''''What?!'''' The dragon let out a startled cry. That was as it should be. The woman had caught the dragon''s blow with her thin arms. ''Nonsense!My blow to such a man who are you! The woman grins. ''Hmmm. What am I, you say?The answer is........the cat spirit race! There was a blah, blah, blah, blah, and the woman''s body was enveloped in smoke. Somewhat later, the smoke cleared... Kanade appeared. 200-Episode 200 VS Dragon Tina''s plan was rather simple. The target dragons would attack people. Then we can turn into a normal person and lure them out. First of all, she would use Sora''s magic to erase Kanade''s cat ears and tail. Furthermore, I cast a spell that makes him look like another person. And furthermore, just to be sure, I used Luna''s magic to make Kanade''s power, or rather, his presence imperceptible. Thus, Kanade, who became a ''normal person'', walked through the mountains alone... We watched them from a little distance. And then..... So Tina''s plan worked and the dragon appeared. "This impostor who tricks Tania is a spanker! Kanade forcefully swept away the dragon''s paw. It''s a trick that can''t be imitated by anyone other than the cat spirit race, which specializes in power. And then there''s the jump. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. I''m not going to be able to get out of this one. The dragon screamed under the powerful blow. No matter how sturdy the scales were, they could not counteract the power of the cat spirit race. The impact was transmitted inside, causing a steady stream of damage. ''''Let''s go!'''' We, who had been watching the scene nearby, charged in too. "''Dragoon Howling! Sora and Luna cast their magic at the same time. A shockwave was released and swallowed the dragon. It''s a high-level magic by two of the spirit race. Normally, this blow would be the end of it.... The enemy is also the strongest species, so it can''t be an easy end, it can''t be an easy end. Even though they showed signs of taking damage, they still wouldn''t fall down. They spread out their huge wings as if to threaten... He opened his blade-like fang-lined mouth and shot out a series of fireballs. ''''Hmmm, in sweet! Tina takes out a stick-like object and covers it with her magic power. Then she stands in front of the approaching fireball........ Kattabeya! Oh, my God, he hit back a fireball! As expected, this development seems to be unexpected, and the dragon is upset and takes a decent bite of the fireball that was struck back. However, it doesn''t seem to be a dumb development, getting hit by his own attack. I staggered a couple of steps, but that''s all. ''''I can''t lose either! He ejected a wire from Narkami and tangled it around the dragon''s neck. Once it was confirmed, it kept the wire tangled and now reeled it in. As the wire was coiled up and dragged by it, the body floated softly. He leaps as it is. Landing on the dragon''s back. ''Kook, move! I don''t like it. I''m not a fool to pass up this opportunity. I''m not stupid enough to pass up this opportunity. My dragons are out to get me off my feet, and that''s exactly what they''re going to do. Me and the dragon are connected by a Narkami wire, so it can''t fall. I swung my Kamui down while adjusting my position on the rampaging dragon. Geez! The steel-like scales prevented the knife from reaching me. Without the help of everyone else, the Kamui is just a bit of a high-performance dagger. It''s going to be difficult to do any damage with this. ''Then how about this!Fireball Multi-Shot! He aimed at the wing and shot out multiple fireballs. The flames burned the dragon''s wings. The dragon screamed and flailed more violently than ever before. The Narkami''s wires reached their limit and snapped with a plop. He hurriedly jumped and took shelter before being shaken off. ''''You guys........I won''t allow you to do this anymore! The dragon stared at me with bloodshot eyes. Apparently, I''ve made him get serious. In order to prove Tania''s innocence, I have to make this guy confess. So we can''t take him down, right? That''s why I''m naturally going to go easy on him... It''s quite a difficult battle to fight. ''You can obliterate it with this! The dragon opened its mouth wide. The light particles converged.... What does that mean? He tried to run away in a hurry. Too late!I''ll take this one! A deadly dragon breath was unleashed. There was no time to escape. Then, should we intercept it? If you''re with Kanade.... And.........just as I was thinking that far, a small shadow stepped forward. It was Nina. Nina faced the approaching Dragon Breath with a dignified look on her face. And......... Hmm! Nina made a gesture as she patted the air. Then a crack appeared in space, completing the path leading to the sub-space. Dragon Breath was sucked into it.... It just disappeared without harming us. What did you... what did you just do? I just popped your bracelet into subspace and then I just... ''B-ba-boo!How can you prevent my deadly blow from being delivered by such a thing...! The dragon was upset. I was upset too. Nina when did you learn such a skill...? Don''t tell me this is an application of the technique I showed you the other day when you were looking for a dropped ring? Throwing the enemy''s attack into subspace, no questions asked.... Isn''t it the strongest in some ways? Lightning Strike!Tempest Strike! Not intending to miss this opening, Sora cast two magics at the same time. Thunder and a storm broke out at the same time, covering the dragon''s huge body. ''''And here, Freeze Strike!I''m sorry. Without a moment''s pause, Luna also unleashes her magic. It''s a combination that only twin sisters can achieve. Seemingly strengthened by magic, a huge ice cage enveloped the dragon. The dragon rampages and destroys the cage, but ice gushes out one after another. You can''t escape, and you are trapped in the ice cage. ''''Rain!'''' Oh! When Kanade looked at me, I knew exactly what he wanted. I do it immediately. "BOOST! Using magic, he raised Kanade''s physical abilities. ''''Nyan!'''' Kanade jumped high in the sky. It spun around and fell.... That''s it... it''s over! He slammed a blow that carried his falling and rotating speed into the dragon''s forehead. ''''........'''' The dragon seemed unable to scream and staggered limply, unable to scream... He just collapsed. He was bleeding from his forehead, but he was still alive. He seemed to just pass out, twitching his arms and legs. ''We won!Bikutori! Kanade chuckled and struck a triumphant pose. 201-Episode 201 What is the purpose of the dragon? "Earthbound! Sora and Luna chanted their magic at the same time. The earth rises and swallows the fallen dragon. It tangles its legs, its arms, its wings. A minute later. The dragon was swallowed by the earth and its body was bound to the earth. It was a magic that contained the vast magical power of Sora and Luna. No matter how much of a dragon it is, it won''t be able to get out of it so easily. ''''Kukkuk.......now it''s torture time for you to enjoy! Luna says with a bad look on her face. It looks good on you. ''What are you going to do with the torture? An interrogation, an interrogation. Hm?Is that right? Luna said curiously at her calm sister''s tweak. It wasn''t a blur, it was just plain. Do they want to torture her that badly? Awesome. Hey Tina. Gomon, you mean...? It''s no big deal to Nina. Don''t worry about it. I can''t leave it up to Luna because it looks bad for Nina''s education. I stepped forward. Then I lightly shake the dragon''s head. ''Hey, wake up.'' "...Ugh... I shook it a few times and the dragon slowly opened its eyes. It seems that it was only temporarily out of it''s mind. ''''Is this...?'''' "Ha-ha, your life is in my hands. Your life is in my hands, dead or alive, depending on my mood. I''ll think it over when I say it, but phew! You don''t want to interfere with Rain. "I just seriously hit him....it hurts...gulp... Luna got pissed off at Sora and left the room. I felt a little sorry for her, but since we weren''t going to talk about it, I decided that I had no choice. ''Uh ... don''t mind me saying that now. But more importantly, I want to ask you something... Hmm, not much to say to a human being. The dragon stared at me with hostile eyes. I don''t remember the dragon race hating me, so I wonder if they don''t like people to begin with? Your eyes are sharp as a blade. There was a slight tinge of madness in the air. ''Then would you talk to me?'' Cat spirit race... The dragon''s demeanor softened a bit. Apparently, it was only people who saw him as an enemy. ''You were the one who tricked me into doing something bad with Tania''s name, weren''t you?Why did you do that? ...for the sake of our justice. Meow?Justice? He deceives Tania''s name and does evil things. How can that lead to justice? Kanade nodded his head as if he didn''t understand. The dragon speaks to Kanade as if his cause is my own. The daughter of the cat spirit race. You will understand what I say. You will understand our justice.'''' Nya ... what do you mean by ''your justice''? I''m proud of you. He said it clearly. The eyes of the dragon seemed to be drunk with himself. We are the most powerful species. We have incomparable power compared to humans and others, and we reign at the top of the ecosystem. ''Well ... yeah. In a manner of speaking, you will. Apparently, this dragon takes pride in the fact that he is the most powerful species. How superior he is. How precious he is. He speaks in fluent language. Kanade, on the other hand, doesn''t seem to think that way, and he just gives a random counterpart. Not just Kanade, the cat spirit race is not so proud, you know. It''s a good idea to have a good time with your friends. It''s a good thing that you''re able to get a good look at them. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on. Tania is a proud woman, huh? It''s like being a dragon. Luna and Sora say something like that behind me, but they don''t seem to hear the dragon''s ears. They don''t care and continue talking. ''''That little girl got along with people and disgraced the pride of our dragon tribe and I can''t allow that to happen. It must not happen! The dragon''s eyes blaze with anger. He says he can''t forgive Tania, or something like that... Could this guy be? Somehow I''m beginning to see the purpose of the dragon. And that purpose is........ Therefore, we have decided to punish you. So what''s the punishment for doing something bad in Tania''s name? That''s right. The dragon nodded quietly at Kanade''s question. ''I''ll smash the crappy humans that the little girl cares about. At the same time, we will restore the pride of our dragon race. That''s what we''re for. ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. ''Nonsense, etc., there''s no such thing!We, the Dragon People, are not little beings who get along with humans and the like!We''re the most powerful species!Why should I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with someone so vulnerable!Humans should be humbled! Rain. Can I hit this guy? I know how you feel, but don''t do it. Kanade was grumpy, twitching and quivering at his temples. Everyone else seemed to be grumpy in a similar way. It''s not hard to understand how Kanade feels, but.... That won''t change anything. ''''Well there''s a lot to say, but oh well.'''' Hitting him wouldn''t change the dragon''s mind, it would just be vain. Kanade seemed to understand this, and he lowered his fist, showing a complicated expression. ''Anyway, all those silly schemes end here. I''m going to turn you in to the Knights as it is. .... Do what you want. Strange? You''re too quiet, even though you''re so hostile to people. If you are being held captive by people, you shouldn''t be surprised if you resist more....... I had a bad feeling about this. Think about it. This dragon''s purpose is to deceive and undermine Tania''s name. ...Is that really all it is? This dragon is hostile to people. He believes that the pride of the dragon race has been tarnished by humans. It would be nice to have a backhanded resentment, but they won''t listen to me even if I told them. Right now, it seems that they were only active in deceiving Tania''s name and disgracing her....... I don''t think that''s the end of it. I think he would have eventually gotten out in the open himself and attacked people. I think they were thinking of storming the city. Punishing those who have defiled their pride. That''s the ultimate goal... hmm? You...us? ''What?Oh no, let''s hurry up and get back to the city! Meow?Rain, what''s going on? ''Kuhn...'' Kanade looks at him curiously. And ... the dragon laughs happily. ''You noticed. You''re very perceptive for a human.'' ''What?What do you mean? They''re not alone! What? I say ''we''. He''s not the only one who did it. There''s one more! No! ''''Ha ha ha ha ha ha! The dragon laughs, as if our panicked appearance is irresistibly amusing. ''You''re right!I''ve got one more mate. Where is he? They''re probably back in town by now. They''ll be punishing that little girl and all those d*mned people for me! I was careless. I can''t believe I blindly assumed I was the only enemy. I should have thought about it more and gathered more information. With a thorough investigation, I would have found out that there were two dragons. But I was in such a hurry to free Tania as soon as possible that I didn''t do much research... .... it''s too late to regret it. We have to do what we can now! 202-Episode 202: Attack You''re awfully busy. A guest room in the Horizon Branch of the Order. Tania, who was under house arrest there, closed the book she was reading with a snap and placed it on the table. To pass the time, she tried to read a suitable book, but it didn''t tug at her heartstrings. Rather, my eyes were tired of the massive amount of print. I leaned back against the back of the sofa and fell into a daze. ''....How long do I have to sit still for this? Until tomorrow? Or until the day after tomorrow? Or until next week? I don''t know when the case will be solved. I feel like I''ve been thrown into a maze with no way out. It''s a bit of a grimace, but.... But Tania was not worried. ''Hurry up, Rain. You''re going to get mad at me if you''re too slow, okay? Tania murmured to herself. There was a hint of trust in her voice, a hint of trust in Rain. What if Rain fails? I''m not thinking about that at all. Rain will solve it well. I had such absolute trust in him. ''''.......Huh?'''' Suddenly, Tania was aware of the emotions she had put on her own lips. Rain would manage it. I''m sure my friends can handle it. She believed that unconditionally. She wondered. If it was before ... before I met Rain and the others, it would have been impossible. It''s the dragon race that is the strongest, the one that stands at the top. It''s impossible to trust a human being. I should have thought so, but..... Before I knew it, I had come to believe in Rain. I had come to value the idea of companionship. Tania herself doesn''t know how or what led to this change. The only thing that could be said was.... Well this isn''t so bad, is it? There are people I can trust. So I can wait like this and feel safe. Tania lay down on the couch with a smile on her mouth. As it was, she closed her eyes and tried to take a nap... I''m sorry, what? Shut up. It was awfully noisy outside. I could hear screams and loud noises. ''Didn''t your parents teach you to be quiet when people are sleeping?It''s already insane. As you can imagine, I can''t even care for someone who takes a nap.... Tania moved to the front of the window, grumbling, as if she didn''t know that. She opened the window and looked out... ''Gruaaaaaah! There was a dragon. .... The scene was so unexpected that Tania stopped thinking for a moment. ''''........What?What do you mean? Tania immediately came to herself, and the sight of a dragon rampaging in front of her made her look questioning. Why would there be a dragon in this place? Could that be the fake thing? And if so, did Lane fail? Or did we miss each other? I''ve been thinking about a lot of things, but... ''Oh my God I can''t take a nap if you''re this loud! Coming to the conclusion that she couldn''t leave it alone, Tania tried to jump out the window... Tania! The door to the guest room opened vigorously and Stella walked in. ''Oh my, what''s wrong?'' Thank God you''re okay. Stella looked relieved. She seemed to be worried for Tania when she learned of the commotion. ''''It''s not safe to stay here. I think I''m gonna go shut those freaks down. "What, are you crazy?They''re dragons! I''m a dragon myself. ''Yes, I know, but it''s not safe to be alone, is it?That''s all the fuss. I''m sure Rain and the others will be back soon. Until then... We can''t wait or we''ll destroy the entire city. ''Shh, but you see Tania is under suspicion right now. If you don''t keep quiet, the impression from above might get even worse. If I''m not good at it, this whole incident may end up being Tania''s fault....... Thanks. What? You''re worried about me, right?So, thanks. Tania put her feet up on the edge of the window while Stella was pouting. ''But I don''t think I can just let it go. It''s obviously easier to do that...is it because I was with Rain?At times like this, my body just goes into overdrive. Oh, man. Stella giggled. Understand that no matter what, you can''t stop Tania.... At the same time, I understood how Tania felt. Because. Because Stella has the same desire to fly out right now to protect the city. I''m not going to be able to get it right.We''ll be on our way at once. Shouldn''t you be keeping me here? I take full responsibility for everything. So I''m asking for your help. Huh, you know what you''re talking about. It''s not that I don''t like it. Tania chuckles. Stella laughs in response. But I''ll go on ahead. If you don''t stop him right now, he''ll do a lot of damage. Mmm... but... I don''t want to spend all this time in here. You know what I mean. Okay, all right. I''m sorry, please. We''ll be there as soon as we''re ready. We''re expecting reinforcements. Tania said and jumped out the window. ---------- The people of the city are panicked by the presence of a dragon that has flown in from nowhere. They screamed and ran around. The fact that it was noon and there were so many people in the city was a disaster. People trying to flee crashed into each other and fell down. More people run into them and... The dragon looked down at these people with some amusement. Then, with a lashing motion, it cleaves the building. The dragon''s huge claw marks were carved into the walls of the building. Shrapnel flew off, and the people''s screams grew even louder. ''''Yah, yah........'''' A girl, separated from her parents by this mess, slumped to the ground. The dragon found such a child and.......laughed. As if to show off his huge body, he slowly walked up to the girl. Then he slowly raised his huge arms........ ''''F*cking naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Guh! Immediately afterwards, something flew from the side with great force and struck the dragon''s face. The dragon''s huge body shook and fell to the ground. ''''Where did you come from?It''s shameful that you''re targeting a child, as the same dragon race. Shame on you! Tania landed on the ground and stared at the dragon with sharp eyes. 203-Episode 203: Betting Your Pride Are you okay?Stand up? Uh, yeah... Tania held out her hand to the girl and gently made her stand. Fortunately, there didn''t seem to be any injuries. It seems that she was just startled by the dragon''s strong attack and fell down. ''Can you get away on your own?Are you okay? Umm, yeah but is your sister...? I''m fine. Don''t worry about it. Tania laughed softly, as if to reassure the child. Seemingly reassured by that smile, the child turned around a few times and ran away from the scene. ''''Well....'''' After making sure that the child had retreated to a safe zone, Tania glared at the dragon. Its body was one size larger than Tania''s in dragon form. The dragon race was an ever-growing entity, day by day, and their average lifespan was about two hundred years old. This dragon was probably about 100 years old. I can feel the power it has gained by aging. By the way, its scales are red, and it is a red dragon like Tania. ''''There, Anta! Tania pointed at the dragon with a bishouche. ''What do you mean, you''re going after a little kid like that!I wonder where the pride of being a dragon race has gone! It''s what I do because I''m proud of it. What?I don''t know what that means. I mean ... could it be that you''re the phony one who was using my name as a phony? .... The dragon didn''t answer. He just gave Tania a sharp look. ''Hey, answer me something. Are you going to ignore me? ... I''ve got nothing to say to a fool who is so comfortable with humans. ''I don''t understand........wait a minute. I don''t know where I''ve heard that saying before........oh!Are you gossamer? Well you don''t remember me? ''It took me a while to remember because I''d completely forgotten about them before but I finally remembered. Gothas and Alsace, who are big misanthropists. They never doubted that they were the strongest of the strongest, and they looked down on humans as trivial. Why are they here? Forgetting your dragon pride, we wanted to punish you for being so comfortable with humans. With that word, Tania understood, to a certain extent, what Gothas and the others were up to. ''''Ah ... I see. So that''s what it is. You are the one who has been doing whatever you want by deceiving me with my name, isn''t it? Yes. The reason for this is to warn me about being with people, right?Don''t get involved with people any more than we do, we dragons and people don''t get along with each other? You know exactly what I mean. Of course. That''s not what you guys always said when we were in the village. It was so loud, I didn''t hear it from the other side. Tania seemed to remember the old days, and she was bummed. She knew the dragon in front of her, Gossus...and her partner, Alsace, who was a familiar face. They had lived together in the home of the Red Dragon. However, both of them were extremely misanthropic. In addition, they never doubted that they were the strongest, and Tania only thought that they were a pain in the ass. And now they''re meeting again in this place.... Moreover, I can''t believe that he was cheating on his own name and doing evil things. What a shameful thing to do, as the same dragon race. Tania couldn''t help but let out a deep sigh. ''''So........what do you mean by rioting in a place like this?'''' Alsace screwed up and the humans took them. Oh, man. Rayne and the others, you''ve done a good job. Tania looks happy to see him. ''Tania. I can''t punish you anymore. So why don''t you just go back to your village? ''I can''t do that. Because of you, the people of this city have forgotten their fear of the dragon race. You have hurt the pride of our people by thinking they are on our side. Therefore, I must show them strength and pride. The power and pride of the Dragon Tribe! Tania was taken aback. In short......... Tania''s friendship with the humans made the humans feel closer to the dragon race. However, from a dragon race like Gothas, it was nothing more than an act that hurt their pride. Their pride would not allow them to be befriended by beings lower than themselves. If we were to compare it to a child talking to an adult, it would be like a child talking to an adult. Therefore, Gothas decided to show off his power. He decided to bare his fangs to the humans. By doing so, he would show them that the dragon race is different from humans and instill feelings of awe. However, from Tania''s point of view, it was beyond ridiculous. It was true that the dragon race was called the strongest species, and they were powerful. But who decided that they were superior to humans? There is no such thing as one being better than the other. ''It''s a headache...'' Tania felt like she wanted to hold her head in the air as her compatriot''s self-serving beliefs were shown to her. At the same time, she almost rolled over and writhed on the spot. The thoughts that Gossus spoke of were similar to her old self. Not as much as Gossus, but... The reason is that Tania, before she left the village, was thinking similarly. I''m not sure if it''s a good idea, but I think it''s a good idea. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say. I''m not going to be able to get away with it. It''s not just strength, but the heart itself is strong. What''s the use of being strong? Power without a heart is just empty. Tania had been taught that by spending time with Rain. ''Hey, can we stop being so boring?'' Even though it''s like this, it''s still my people in one way or another. Tania tries to persuade him. ''I don''t think this kind of thing is going to bring back the pride you speak of. It just looks like you''re taking it out on me, angry that I''m not getting my way. ''You''re too young to understand the pride of the dragon race. I think I''m more aware of the reality than you are... I mean, are you seriously trying to pick a fight with a human being, rioting in the middle of a city like this?They''ll take you down, okay? Stop laughing. I''m not going to let a human take me down. ''Uh....'' Gothas had serious eyes. The possibility of losing to a human being was not even considered for a moment. ''I guess there''s no point in saying anything, is there? Tania let out a deep sigh. What is this stone-headed dragon all about? It''s as if they don''t want to listen to us. He just pushes his own point of view and doesn''t pay any attention to the people around him. Is this what the "old man" is all about? Tania had that impression. ''Well if that''s the way it is, then I guess I''ll have to do it. Tania holds her fist in the air. ''Gossus. What you''re trying to do is outrageous and silly. You need to understand that. I don''t expect the little girl to understand. They won''t understand you, so I''ll give you a fistful of answers. A little girl who won''t even live to be 20 years old is going to have to deal with me? That''s what he said. Are you deaf? All right. I''ll keep you company. Gothas spread his wings, opened his mouth, and let out a sharp roar. That signaled the start of the battle, and the two men collided. 204-Episode 204: Battle of Tania Gothas used his massive body to his advantage and rushed forward. He charged at Tania, shattering the cobbled ground and razing the buildings around him. Tania glanced back and was lost for a moment. Behind Tania was a residential area. Countless houses lined the streets. This is all the commotion. As expected, the evacuation would be over, but... I don''t want to see any more houses destroyed. ''This oh-oh-oh! Tania put all her strength into... He received a body hit from Gossus head on. Gogaaah! A roar sounded as if a siege weapon had exploded. ''''Muguuguuguuguugu...! He caught the charge of a huge gossamer many times his own size. It didn''t get sent flying, but only got pushed backwards. ''''Ko, noooooooooooooooooo! "Whoa! Tania grabbed Gossus'' tail as if holding it, swung it around, and threw it toward the square. As expected, she didn''t expect to be thrown away. Gossus did as he was told and flew through the air........ He fell into the square without taking a passive role. ''''Oh my god, you''re so d*mned heavy, you ... you need to lose some weight.'''' As expected of Tania, she was breathing on her shoulder. The current blow had consumed a lot of energy. However, he managed to move Gossus to the square. Here, there wouldn''t be any major damage. Well, the benches and fountains are in a cruel shape... I hope you''ll give up on that and give up on the fact that there''s nothing you can do about it. Let''s go! Tania concentrated her magic power and shot out a fireball. The fireball draws a parabolic line and lands on Gossus. Gothas is engulfed in flames, but.... The sturdy scales would not hurt it. However, that''s to be expected by Tania as well. Since they are of the same dragon race, she doesn''t expect them to be able to do this much damage. Now that was just a distraction. I charge in to blend in with the explosions and close the distance. I''ll dive into the bosom of Gossus and.... He slams his fist into his unscaled abdomen. ''''Guh!'''' Tania''s fist dug deep and Gossus writhed as Tania''s fist dug deep. Tania kicked Gossus in the jaw as he raged in agony. A sharp blow that reaped, from below and up. Gossus was about to fight back in pain, but he was set to take a painful counter, and he couldn''t help but retreat. But Gossus is also a dragon race that has lived 100 years. His pride won''t allow him to lose to Tania, who hasn''t lived for 20 years. Ignoring the pain, Gossus spins his body around and smacks his tail. ''''Kuu! Tania''s body was blown away. She was slammed into a nearby building... The shock of the impact causes the air in his lungs to be expelled. You will have trouble breathing and be unable to act. It''s so brief that you can call it a moment... That was enough time for Gossus. He swung his paws up and slammed them into the wall of the building, gouging it out. Tania is helplessly trapped underneath it. "This........this is not how you treat a girl....... Tania did her best to resist Gossus, who was trying to crush her. However, when it came to a simple comparison of strength, Tania was at a disadvantage. As expected of a dragon race that has lived for a hundred years, Tania is more powerful than him. Tania ponders. What should I do? Would you rather turn yourself into a dragon? If you do, you could turn this whole situation upside down. But if you do that, the damage around you will be outrageous. When in doubt........ "Dragoon Howling! Out of nowhere, a magic shot out and struck Gossus''s massive body. Completely defenseless, Gossus was unable to withstand the blow and stumbled back. Tania took the opportunity to escape, and once she did, she moved out of the way. That was... Are you okay? We''ll join you. They were the adventurers of the city of Horizon. Until now, the evacuation of the residents would have been their top priority. However, when they saw Tania falling into an inferior position, they couldn''t hold back.......so they joined the fight. ''''We''re here too!'''' Everybody, let''s go! A new group of knights rushed in as well. Each of them picked up a weapon and attacked Gossus. Gossus'' defense is so high that no attack can reach him. Even so, none of them would stop their hands. We can''t leave it to Tania alone. We will fight too. You can feel that kind of will. ''''Ugh, what a trivial thing ... stupid human being! ''You look at these people ... at this sight of everyone helping you out, and you still call them stupid?You know what ... you''re a lot less stupid than I am! Tania had taken a fair amount of damage from Gothas'' attack, but... Strangely, I felt a surge of strength. Watching the fighting adventurers, the pain would disappear somewhere else. I naturally smiled.... Tania is going in! It''s my turn! He unlocked part of his transformation and sprouted wings. Soaring high into the sky... Then, with the magic in his body, he swooped down. The blow is, as it were, the wrath of heaven. A divine blow that punishes the arrogant idea that he is the strongest. As if to cut through the wind, Tania strikes a kick from directly above! ''Guhhhh! Shattering scales harder than steel. Tania''s blow reached the core of Gossus'' body. Crushing bone, a solid response can be felt. ''''Gu........what is that power.......'''' Gothas barely stepped up and avoided falling over. However, he seemed to have no strength in his body and was staggering dizzy. Tania glanced at the adventurers... The source of my power, well you''ll never know the source of my power. With a wry smile, he said that. ''''Kudos........'''' Well do you want to continue?I think we could do more for each other but it''s hard to take it any easier than this, you know?Since we''re of the same dragon race, I''d like to end it here, if possible....... You''re kidding me!There''s no way I''m going to retreat from a place like this........! Gothas howled in anger. To him, this was a battle for the pride of the dragon race. To retreat, in other words, was to admit his mistake. To admit that Tania''s words were right. There was no way he could do that. Even if you were to fall, there is no choice but to keep going. But you can''t just fall down. If I don''t condemn the foolish Tania who sides with the humans, I won''t be able to die even if I die. ........What Gothas held in his chest was not pride. It was no longer something that should be called an obsession. In order to find a chance to win, Gossus quickly ran his eyes over the current situation, analyzing the current situation. And......... Don''t move. Huh? Gothas stretched out his tail and caught the child who had been sneaking around to watch the place. It was the girl Tania had saved earlier. Tania was surprised. ''You, how could you...! ''Oh, I was wondering about your sister....I''m sorry........................Hee! The girl''s voice quivered in fear as her tail tightened around it. ''You know what happens if you move, don''t you?'' It''s a cliche. Where is all this dragon pride you speak of? Hmm. Say what you want. You can win, if you win. d*mn it...! I told you not to move. Uh-uh... The girl made a pained sound and Tania stopped her body from jumping out of the way. Immediately after..... Gothas raised his paw and crushed Tania. ''''Kahaha........! He took a decent hit and Tania let out an inaudible scream. ''Tania!'' f*ck you! The Knights and their adventurers lay down their arms, but... Gothas moves his tail and tries to tighten the kid up for good measure. He has to save Tania. But he can''t just leave the child to die. The knights and adventurers stop in their tracks. ''''d*mn it, you........! It''s dragons like you that give the humans the advantage. Oh...! Gossus put a lot of pressure on his front leg. It was in the form of a stomping motion, putting pressure on Tania''s entire body. She heard her own bones creak as she creaked. ''I could stomp you down like this. Come on. But I can''t bear to lay a hand on my own people. It''s your last chance. Come up with some stupid ideas and be obedient to me. And I''ll let you live. No, yo. Without hesitation. Without even thinking about it. Tania''s words were loud and clear. "I''m not going to listen to you now...Unlike your stubborn head, I like humans...?So, we''ll always be together and that''s my pride! Spitting blood, Tania stared at Gossus and said forcefully. There was a strong light of will in her eyes, not unlike that of Gossus and others. Gossus almost takes a step back, unconsciously. A dragon race that had lived a hundred years was being pressured by a girl who hadn''t lived for twenty years. ''''Kudos ... that''s enough. If you want to die so badly, then die with the person you love!'''' Gothas barked. The next moment. ''You die,'' A cold voice like the Grim Reaper''s resounded, and Gossus''s tail was slashed off. The one who slashed Gossus''s tail was........Rain. 205-Chapter 205: Ni Lin Oops. What? The tail was slashed off and the freed girl flew through the air. Kanade, who had been holding her hand to use Kamui, jumped out and caught the girl firmly. Shortly thereafter. "Aerocannons! Sora and Luna''s magic exploded. A shell of air compressed to the extreme limit landed on the top of the dragon. Gosh!The dragon was blown away by a roaring sound of "I''m sorry," and the dragon was blown away. ''Nina!'' Hmm. Nina connected the hole in the subspace to where Tania was falling. As it is, Tania is swallowed up by the subspace as if she were being crunched and eaten. The people around her cringe, but........ Not long after, a sub-space portal opened up near Nina and Tania appeared through it. The rescue was a success. After Suzu''s training and the fight with Iris, Nina''s sub-space control skills were getting better and better. She could even connect sub-space at a distance, like now, to swallow a specific object and move it to another location. As expected........ That growth rate is amazing. I think it''s the most stretched out of all of us. What did you ... what did you just do? The dragon, who had regained his stance, glared at us. It seems to be very angry because its boastful tail was slashed off, and its eyes are bleary. But. Don''t think you''re the only one who''s angry? I glanced over at Nina. Tania was in tatters, being held up by Nina and Tina. I can''t believe they did that to Tania... You''re not going to hurt my people. I will never forgive you! How can a human being be able to cut off my tail... "Boost. Although the dragon said this and that, I ignored it all. Then he cast a physical enhancement spell on himself. My body becomes as light as a feather. He stepped lightly on the spot to check the feel of his body... Charge. ''Guh!'' First, he kicked the dragon in the jaw. The bottom of its mouth is not covered by scales, so even a mere kick will pass the damage. With the same momentum, he dives into the abdomen and strikes the part that isn''t covered by scales, as well. Even though there are no scales, it''s still hard. It felt like I was punching thick rubber. Nevertheless, he continued to attack with all his might without bothering. A punch. Kick. Strike. Slash. A thrust. Cleave. I''m going to use every possible method to inflict all kinds of damage. You ... you lowly bastard! The dragon howled in anger. It used its huge body to try to crush me. But........it''s too late. What''s with that sluggish movement? Is it serious? Matter Creation! He created a huge wall to stop the dragon''s rush. ''Gravity manipulation and reversal!'' What? I continue to act, reversing the gravity on the dragon.......minus. The giant body floats up softly and falls into the sky. When it''s high in the sky. "Gravity manipulation/reversal!Double! Once again, gravity was reversed and returned to normal. Pulled by gravity, the dragon falls from high in the sky. It also doubled the gravity on its body... The dragon was slammed into the ground hard as the large giant crushed it. A large crater was created. The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred. ''''What........what is this power.......?How could a human being be so.................. The dragon was staggering as it attacked in rapid succession. Blood was flowing from the corner of its mouth. The fall must have injured its internal organs. With this much damage, it would be easy to capture it. If I ask Sora and Luna, they''ll be able to do something about it with magic. But.........I had no intention of capturing this guy. ''''Guaaaaaah! Again, he kicked the dragon in the jaw. Then he jumped to its head and thrust his fist into its eyes. When it comes to dragons, it seems that their eyes are as hard as iron, and it was impossible to squash their eyes. Then I''d have to aim elsewhere. ''Your eyes seem to be hard, but what about inside your body? What do you mean... Fireball Multi-Shot! I dared to thrust my hand into the dragon''s mouth..........and then activated the magic on it. ''''Whaaaaat?! Countless fireballs exploded in the dragon''s mouth. The unimaginable agony of being burned from inside his body was apparently unbearable even for the dragon, as expected. He peeled his eyes away and slumped around. His throat seemed to have been burned and he couldn''t scream properly. It just makes an unpleasant noise. I step away, for once, as the dragon flails about. I continue to watch it. The dragon suffers and writhes as it presses its body to the ground... Eventually, it stopped moving. However, it doesn''t seem to be dead. Its limbs were twitching, and although it was weak, it was still breathing. It''s true that this is the strongest species in the world. This is a tremendous life force. Even if we leave it as is, it will eventually heal itself to the extent that it can move. Well, I''m not going to allow that to happen. If the current attack doesn''t kill me, then I''ll continue until I die. For an additional attack, I''m going to approach the dragon again and... Lane. Tania? Suddenly, I was hugged by Tania from behind. I was so focused on the dragon in front of me that I had no idea when she was approaching me. ''Are you okay?'' Yeah, I think so. Well, that''s good... It looked like he was badly injured but... It looks like I can move this way, and I can talk normally. If I can get Sora and Luna to treat me later, I won''t have to worry about any aftereffects. I''m relieved. Now ... we can kill the dragon without hesitation. ''Then why don''t you stay away for a moment?He''s still alive, you know. It''s okay. What? You don''t have to do that. He can''t move. But I''m still alive. Rain...? ''He hurt Tania he''s a joke.......he''s a joke. Hurting Tania until she''s in such a mess...I will never forgive him for it. I''m going to kill him, right here, right now, so that he can never joke around again! Lane! As if to hold me back, Tania put her hand to work. ''What''s going on, Tania?Let go. Otherwise, I won''t be able to topple him. ''Forget it you don''t have to go that far...'' No. No. It can''t end here. He hurt Tania. He hurt her so badly. I''m not going to forgive him. Don''t worry about me. More importantly I don''t want you to look at me like that, Rain. The face...? I put my hand to my own cheek as he told me. What do I look like now? Then Kanade came in. The girls must have evacuated her. ''Nyah ... you know what?Tania''s right. I wish it would end here. You don''t have to do that to Kanade... Scared of Kanade...? Nope. She looked sad, rather than frightened. If I looked, Tania had the same look on her face. A little further away, Sora, Luna, Nina, Tina... they all had the same expression on their faces. ''You know what?'' He pulled me back and turned me towards Tania. We were facing each other head on... Tania opens her mouth, a soft expression on her face. ''I''m glad you''re so angry for me. Thank you. But you can''t do this anymore. It''s not a monster... and most importantly, it''s not like Rayne to kill someone who can''t move. As I do but he''s got Tania... I''ll be fine. I''m fine. So just go back to being the sweet Rayne. Okay? Tania... I like Lane better when he smiles. A smiling Tania hugged me again. A warm heat washed over me. With a thumping thump, I heard Tania''s heart beating. ''''........'''' The black emotions swirling around in the depths of my chest, sloshing around, disappear. Instead, it is filled with something warm. ''''Okay. I''ll do as Tania says. Hm. That''s the Rain. Tania smiled at me and gave me another hug. 206-Episode 206: Tanias…… There was some damage, but fortunately, there were no deaths. There were a number of injuries, but none of them were serious. Also, the capture of the impostor cleared Tania''s suspicions. So she was cleared of all charges. That''s enough. The problem is... But what''s wrong with these guys? Horizon Branch of the Knights of the Order. Among them, Stella had a difficult look on her face. Out of her gaze were the two dragon people we captured. They had been forced to take human form because they were in a lot of trouble in their dragon form. On top of that, Sora and Luna''s magic made it impossible for them to move. With normal ropes and handcuffs, it would be easy to tear them off. We''ll be standing by in case they go on a rampage. Aren''t you going to take him to court? ''That''s what a normal person would do, but they''re the most powerful species. It''s hard to handle. Stella sighed at Kanade''s question. Whether it was a person or the strongest species, the crime must be punished. Stella would also originally want to bring the dragon race to trial, but..... To begin with, these two men are hostile to people. Even if a court were to impose a 10-year labor sentence in the mine, they would not meekly obey. They don''t live in a society of people, so they can''t be judged by human law. Even if we force them to send them to the mines, they will still get away with it. They just can''t get away with it because we''re here now, but if they show an opening, they''ll get away with it in a heartbeat. And then they''ll come back for revenge. Do you want to get laid? Do you want to get laid? The twins uttered a horrible opinion. No, well. I can''t speak for others either. "In subspace....poi? Nina that''s not very nice. Tina was pulling back a bit on Nina''s head. ''Are there any examples of the strongest species committing sins in the past?'' There are some, but... I asked Stella and she gave me a difficult look. ''They got away with it on the way, sealed it with cancer, made it a mortal sin... it''s not very helpful. I see. And I can''t think of any way to permanently prevent the strongest species from escaping. It would take a hell of a lot of work to seal them off. It''s not worth it. Even if we were to make him guilty of death, I don''t think he''s committed that much of a crime. No wonder Stella''s in so much trouble. We''re also involved in the case, so we can''t just let it go, but....... But what''s going on? I can''t find a good place for it. Can you get me to take care of these guys? Tania, who had been watching the situation, said something like that. Kanade makes a perplexed face. Well, don''t tell me, Tania........you''re not planning to get back at me for this? ''No way. Rayne did exactly what she did to me and I won''t do anything worse. ''I can''t believe Tania would say that...no way, fake! What''s going on with me in Kanade? Are you afraid of offending the Great Satan? If they are aware of that, why would they say something to offend me...?Do you want me to wrap your tail in a circle and make sure it never comes untied again? Meow! I don''t know if they''re close or not... Okay, stop. You''re going too far off topic. Oh, I''m sorry. Back to the story. ''So ... what do you say we leave it to Tania?What''s your solution? Yeah. I want to save the best for last. I think they should be there by now, don''t you? Are we there? What are you talking about? When in doubt.... As if the timing was right, bam!And the door of the Knight''s Branch opened vigorously. From there, a small shadow jumped out... Tania! Squeeze!I hugged Tania. Does she look as good as Nina? It looks like a compact version of Tania, which is cute. However, although she is small, her body is clearly uneven and selfish. It is a transistor glamor, I guess. And the two horns that sit atop its head. The scaled tail that sprouts from around the buttocks. There''s no doubt about it. It''s a dragon tribe. And from the patterns we''ve seen so far.... Tania-chan, Tania-chan, are you okay?I heard you were hurt, mom, and I was worried about you...! ""Mom!!!" I heard everyone''s surprise. I had expected this to some extent, so as expected, I didn''t raise my voice. Well, it doesn''t change the fact that I was surprised. ''Hey, hey. Don''t make such a big deal out of it," she said. You''re embarrassing me. ''Because I didn''t know that Tania-chan was injured... umm... mom, I was so worried about you! ''It''s just that, well I''m sorry. I feel bad for worrying you. Are you sure you''re okay?Are you okay?It''s okay, right? It''s okay... oh, God, please don''t cry. Come on. I''ve been worried about you for a long time, and when I was relieved, I suddenly started to cry.......giggle. I''m sorry, Tania. Tania chuckled, her mother?She wipes her eyes with a handkerchief. In this way, it''s hard to believe that she''s Tania''s mother. If anything, she''s a younger sister who''s farther along in age. But, well..... Mothers of the strongest species don''t seem to be the norm. I''m learning that about Kanade and the others. ''Well Tania. Is it about time you introduced me to that person? I called out to him in between conversations. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m sure you already know but this is my mother. It''s so nice to meet you... It''s always nice to meet you, Tania. My name is Mirua, Tania''s mother. Mr. Milua bows his head with a smile. The gesture is somehow childish. ''''........'''' I''m not going to be able to say that it''s a good idea. Are all mothers of the strongest species Lori?In a way, I''m jealous... Wow. Noticing Tina''s gaze, Milua-san''s face brightened with a puff. ''''You''re a doll!'''' ''''You''re so cute, so cute!'''' Hey, hey, hey, stop it! Tina panicked as Mr. Milua grabbed her tightly. ''With a chatting function?That''s awesome. No!Not a doll!Properly in the soul, oh, oh, don''t rock it! Hey, Mom. Can you stop playing around and get to the point? Oh, that''s right. "Huh, huh, huh, no, I thought I was going to get you... When Tina was freed from Mr. Milua, she felt like the breath of a bug. If she was treated like that, well, that would be scary. "Well, we''re........ Anyway, we introduced ourselves too. Then I ask Milua-san again. ''So, what''s your reason for being here, Milua-san?'' I''m here to take in the bad boy who bullied little Tania! 207-Chapter 207: Mother, Attack If you ask me, I heard that Mr. Milua is in a very high position among the dragon race. I heard that he''s second only to the chief in ability and power. The criminals responsible for this incident were entrusted to Mr. Milua. The reason for this is that even the dragon race, which is too much for humans to handle, can be judged by the strongest species. Even though Milua-san has the personality of a child.... What a solid and mature way to be, and he promised to punish the criminals sternly, without any hand-holding because they were his own people. Why did Milua-san come?That''s the question, but... It was because of Tania. It seems that the criminals of the dragon race decided that we people would be too much for them to handle, so they contacted Milua-san beforehand. Milua-san, who says she loves her daughter dearly, flew in a hurry. Milua-san wasn''t the only one who came to town, there were two other men who came to the city, as well. By their subordinates, the criminals were taken to the village of the dragon race. What kind of punishment would they inflict? When I asked Milua-san about it, she smiled and gave me a tremendous smile and said, ''As punishment for bullying Tania-chan, I''ll be punished forever.......um, nothing. Probably more punishment than I can imagine. And thus, the case was successfully solved. ........It was solved. ''''Phew, sweet milk is delicious.......Luna-chan, can I have another drink?'''' Well, do you still drink?I think I''ve had ten drinks by now...? Ten cups isn''t enough for me. Just give me one more. ''Hmmm ... well, you''re Tania''s mother, you know. We should entertain her. Mm. It will be ready in a moment. Yay, thank you. Mr. Milua was smiling and relaxed in our home. No, well. I know I can''t just have the case solved and say goodbye there, but.... But that doesn''t mean you can''t gulp down a glass of milk. We''re not a coffee shop that offers unlimited drinks.... Hey, Mom! What''s up, Tania?Out of nowhere, out loud. What''s the matter with you, I mean, we''re not a coffee shop.Can you stop drinking so much lumpy milk?It''s not free. Because Luna''s milk is really good.It''s a little sugary, and it''s really sweet, but it''s so refreshing... Oh my God! Tania scratched her head as she scratched her head. She seems to be frustrated by the lack of communication. Apparently, Milua-san is quite fast-paced. On top of that, she has this young personality. With a personality like Tania''s, it can''t be helped that they would clash lightly with each other. However, it wouldn''t be a bad relationship between parent and child. Tania is the first one to contact Milua-san, and....... Milua-san would even come running in the same day.... I think we have a good relationship. ''Do you want to join us for a drink, Tania?Yummy? Oh well I''ll take one then. Luna, okay? Mm. I''m on it. Is Rain there? So you''ll have to do me a favor. I''m on a mission. Luna acted like a waiter... Everyone else is watching us, with only their faces from the hallway. I guess they think they''re sneaking a peek, but Kanade and Nina have beast ears, so they''re fully visible. Hiding their heads and not hiding their beast ears? ''Once again I''m Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer with Tania. It''s nice to meet you. Yeah, nice to meet you... It was a mess when I was in the Order branch, so... Once again, I decided to say hello. We bowed to each other, bowing to each other. ''''Well this is going to sound strange, but you''re Tania''s mother, right?'''' Yeah? I see... Is it a rule that the mothers of the strongest species are small, like Suz and Al? I can''t help but think about such unimportant things. ''Thank you for this time,'' ''Nope. I''m the one who should be thanking you. Mr. Milua turned serious and stared at me. Tania told me about it. That you did so much for her, that you fought so hard for her. Thank you for that. As her mother, I am very grateful to you. No. It''s just a matter of course. Tania has always helped me and.... If I was able to help you with this time, I''m very happy about that. For some reason, Mila smiles at me. ''What''s wrong?'' I thought, "Tania, you''ve found a good man. Yeah? Was it Mr. Lane?Take care of little Tania. Hey, hey, Mom!That makes me sound like a... Yeah? ''''Oh my God.......Mom, you should be aware of the fact that you are always annoying those around you with such unconscious remarks. Tania looked tired, as if she was being pushed around by Milua-san. Still.........is it just my imagination that she looks somewhat lively? It seems like it''s been more than a year since we left the home of the dragon tribe... Maybe she''s happy to see her mother and daughter again after a long time. Well, it''s Tania''s personality, so she might not be able to show it honestly. ''So, what is your mother doing in our home?Don''t you have to go back to your home? It''s been so long, I want to be with Tania. You don''t have to go back to the village.I''m not the only one who could do the job, there are plenty of others who could do the job. Does that mean you''re throwing the job to someone else...? ''Or.........Tania, would you be annoyed if I was here.......? Shut up, said Milua, getting teary-eyed. Tania was frightened. ''''Well, that''s...'''' It''s been so long I wish I could be with Tania... Yay! That''s why I love you, Tania. I don''t know which one is my daughter. ''I mean, I took the liberty of deciding, but.......okay?'' Tania looked at me warily. ''I don''t mind. Everyone else can, too, right? He called out to everyone who was peeking down the hallway. Kanade and Nina''s beast ears twitched and moved vertically. It''s not a problem, they said. ''You can stay with us for a while. We have a few rooms available.'''' Thank you, Mr. Lane. Hmmm ... well then, it''s a welcome party! Luna says with a smile. ''Tonight is a welcoming party for Milua!I''m going to cook with my skills. Wow, this is going to be fun! "Ha-ha, my cooking is excellent. I''m waiting for you to wash your head! That''s what you say in a fight...? ---------- That night.... A welcome party was held for Mr. Milua. The food prepared by Luna was served and.... Or eat so much food that the canade can''t move.... There''s a mixture of food cooked by Sola and Nina''s trauma and... Despite those incidents, a good time was passed. ''Phew.'' While the welcome party continues... I went out, alone. I might have had a little too much to drink. My body was lightly wobbly. I let the cold night air wash over me to sober me up. My head felt a little clearer. ''Have I had too much to drink?'' When I turn around, I see Milua-san. She seems to be drunk, and her cheeks are slightly stained. To drink alcohol when you''re still so young........no, no, no. Milua-san is much older than me, so there''s nothing wrong with her drinking. I can''t help but be carried away by the impressions I get from my appearance. Can I sit next to you? Yeah, go ahead. I sat on the ground alongside Mr. Milua. A pleasant night breeze blew. Somewhere an insect was buzzing. And the moon shining quietly overhead. It was a peaceful night. ''Hey, Lane,'' What is it? Thank you. After saying that, Mr. Milua bowed deeply. 208-Episode 208: He was by my side You need to lift your head. I don''t want to be bowed out of the blue. Milua-san is a child on the outside, but on the inside she''s much more mature than I am....... And then there''s Tania''s mother. I''m not sure what to do when she bows to me like this. "Thank you for saving Tania. Thanks to Rayne, Tania was safe. ''It''s not just me and I''m not the only one and besides, I''m one of you, so I just did what I thought was normal. I don''t think there are many people who can take that for granted. Milua-san looks up and smiles at me. It''s a childlike smile, but.... It''s a strange feeling to look at. It''s warm and calming.... Suddenly, I remembered my mom in a distant memory. ''And I wish I could say one more thank you. What? One more thing, if you ask me.... What else did I miss? Thank you for being with Tania. What? I feel like he said something I didn''t expect. You''re with me.......... What does it mean? What was he worried about Tania traveling alone? So was he relieved to have his friends with him? But then you''d be thanking everyone else, not just me, right? Hmm, I have no idea what that means. Oh, I''m sorry. I don''t know what you''re talking about. Well I''m sorry. I nodded honestly, thinking there was no point in faking it. ''''I seem to be skipping some things. Tania has always been annoyed with me. She used to tell me that I didn''t understand what she was saying because I was too far off in many ways. I see. Somehow, the scene came to mind. Smiling. ''You heard that?You''ve been there for me ever since I met Tania, haven''t you? That being said, I don''t feel like I''ve done anything special. Since they are our friends, isn''t it natural for them to be by our side? He seems to have sensed my doubts. Milua-san speaks with a somewhat distant look in her eyes. ''''We''re the strongest species, right?Among them, the dragon tribe has a lot of pride. There are actually a lot of dragon tribesmen who look down on humans, like the criminal in the earlier case. Well, that''s just the way it is, I suppose. Compared to the dragon race, we humans are not much more important. Our physical abilities and magic power are vastly inferior. It''s not easy to see such an opponent as an equal. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one who''s interested in this, because that''s why I think it''s so hard to be with Tania. I''m not as proud as the perpetrator of the earlier incident, but Tania-chan is also very proud. I had an idea. From the first time we met, he was so bossy and competitive. Now I miss it. But I don''t think that''s a good idea. I think we should all get along with each other. That''s why, when I was in the village, I said a lot of things to Tania-chan... "Didn''t you listen to me? ''Yeah, you''re right...'' And just like that, Tania-chan went on a trip according to the code and I was worried about her. I wondered if she would do something like this one somewhere. Well I''m sure you''re worried. ''But it wasn''t like that. Getting to know and spending time with Rayne she has grown a lot. It wasn''t just his strength, but his mind grew. I understood what Mr. Milua was trying to say. ''It''s because of Rain you''re with me. It''s so important to have someone next to you because it''s so important...I miss you and I can''t grow up alone...so thank you. Thank you for being with you and Tania. You''re welcome. But........." he interjects and continues. ''If that''s what you mean, I''d like to say thank you too,'' "Huh? I was in a lot of trouble, and I lost one of my friends once and then Tania joined me. He speaks as he recalls those days. I felt warm and the words naturally poured out of me. ''Like Milua-san says, it''s so important to have someone with you. If you say that Tania has grown up, then it''s the same thing for me.......because of Tania''s presence, I''ve been able to change a lot of things. I''m the person I am today because of Tania. That''s how I feel about it. Okay. So I thank you, too, for... ''''Hmph. You''ll have to tell that to Tania, not me.... That too, I suppose. Tania, I know you''ll be very happy. Will it please you? I''m sure he''ll be very pleased. Hmm, I''m lost. "Ha-ha. Milua-san grinned for some reason. ''''Tania-chan, you''re embarrassed, aren''t you? Huh, so that''s what you mean...'''' Mr. Milua? No, it''s nothing. Anything. He looks like he''s realizing something, but he won''t say it. Does that mean I should realize it myself? This kind of thing, Milua-san is very childish. ........I can''t say such things in front of him, though. Hey, hey, Rain-kun. You''re still awake, right? Yes, that''s what I''m going to do? Then can we talk some more?I''d love to hear all about you, Tania. Okay. In return, I''ll tell you something about Tania that you don''t know about. Mainly, I''ll tell you about Tania-chan when she was little. For example..........how old was Tania-chan when she wet herself in bed? And how she used to cover it up at that time. Should I tell you that? I have a feeling that if Tania were here, she''d be red-faced and angry... ''It''s okay! Because I''m Tania''s mom. Ahem," said Milua, stretching her chest. I don''t know why, but it was persuasive without question. Nope. But, well, I still think it''s a bad idea to ask about Tania''s past without permission. ''''Well, leaving Tania''s past aside.......let''s talk about a lot of things. ''Yeah, I guess so...'' Under the starry night sky Me and Milua-san would smile and talk about things. ---------- ...Oh my God, Mother, I''m an idiot. I just happened to see Lane and my mom talking. I''ll just keep eavesdropping and... Once I felt indescribable, I felt worse than this and left. ''Thank you for being with me........huh? Hmph. It''s like it''s Rain. 209-Episode 209: Tanias Thoughts, Part 2 I didn''t feel like going back to the party, so... I wanted to be alone for a while longer, so I moved to the hill behind the house on the other side where Rain and my mom were. The view here is beautiful. You can see the whole city and.... I looked up and saw the stars shining. I sat down on the ground and looked up at the sky. Then I reached out gently. I could almost reach the starry sky. "Phew. Somehow I thought back to the conversation between Lane and my mom and... I can''t help but grin. I feel bad for eavesdropping, but.... But I got to know what Lane thinks about on a daily basis. Glad to hear it. Speaking of happy, there''s one more thing to be happy about. I know I said don''t want to do it, but that was a pretty cool moment for me. I thought back to the time when you saved me. Seeing me in a bad way, Rain was angry. He had the scariest look on his face that I''ve ever seen. I''m sorry that I made you look like that, but.... But at the same time, I''m happy about it. It''s a selfish thought, but.... It makes me happy to know that you''re so angry with me. The fact that he was angry at me means that he cares about me. I don''t mean to tell you this, but it made me happy. I''m contradicting myself, but I can''t help it. A girl''s heart is a complicated thing. Rain...... Once I think about it, I keep thinking about Rain. Rayne''s angry face. Rayne''s smiling face. Rayne''s troubled face. Rayne''s..... I don''t know why, but I can''t stop thinking about Rain. I''ve had similar things happen to me before but.... I''ve never seen anything as intense as this one. What the hell is going on here? Well, I don''t have to think about it. I got up on my knees. And I bury my face in between them. I know that no one is watching me, but.... Still, I didn''t want anyone to see this flaming face. I hid my face between my knees... Then she murmurs in a small voice that only she can hear. As I put it into words, the realization hit me all at once. My chest was filled with warm thoughts and the fire in my face grew stronger and stronger. With a thump, my heart jumped noisily. ''''Oh my god... I never thought it would come to this...'''' When I first met him, I just thought he was a bit of a strange person. I thought it would be interesting to be with him, so I decided to follow him. Then, as we traveled together, my interest in Rain grew. The next thing you know, you''re spending more and more time thinking about Rain... I found myself following it with my gaze... And then there''s this one. If I had to see you working that hard for me, I would just love it, don''t you think? I don''t blame you for being a bit of a heartbreaker, do you? "Hmm. I was thinking about Rain, and I was smiling unintentionally. Maybe I''m smiling a sly and slack smile right now. It''s a face I would never show to anyone else. But maybe it''s good for Rain.... I mean.........I''m embarrassed to admit it, I......I really don''t know how much I love Lane. I chuckle to myself at my own thoughts. But I can''t help it. Because that''s how much I love Rayne. "What does Rain........think of me? Since you''re so angry at me, you care about me... right? But I doubt it''s a favor or not. ''Hmmm ... she''s not there yet, is she?I don''t get that vibe, and that seems to be a definite thing. As for the guy you like... what do you think? The girls who have the most contact with Rain are us. Kanade, Sora, Luna, Nina and Tina. Nina''s still too young to have any, but........ Thora and Luna are of a slightly questionable age, aren''t they? I don''t think I''m good enough to see them as such. Then the rivals are Kanade and Tina, I guess. But Tina is the youngest person I''ve ever known, so it feels like it''s a bit of a rush to like her. And Kanade has the vibe of being more of a best friend than a lover. There''s no sweet vibe to it. Then I''m the one with the most potential.... ''''Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!! At that moment, my face burned even more strongly. I felt vexingly embarrassed and held my face with both hands. I was smiling at the thought of that moment and.... Oh my God! He wriggled and flailed about in place. Had there been someone nearby, I''m sure he would have tilted his head to see what was going on. ''Love is such a tricky thing...'' It''s like I''m not being me anymore. But it''s so nice and fluffy. And now I''m in love. "Rayne I love you... Say the thoughts that you can''t tell me right now... Under the starry sky. I thought about Rain for a while longer. 210-Episode 210: Rival ''Uh ... I''m sleepy ...'' The next morning. I got out of bed and let out a huge yawn. After all..... After that, I stayed up late thinking about Rain, and I wasn''t sleeping properly. If it was true, I would like to sleep until noon, but if I did so, people would think something was wrong. ''''Huh........'''' He left the room, yawning again. ''Good morning,'' As I moved into the living room, I suddenly met Rayne. ''''Oh ... good morning.'''' Wow. My voice went up. I didn''t expect it to be like this but.... What can I say? When it came time to put Rain in front of me, I suddenly felt so embarrassed... I can''t help but get upset. ''Hmm?What''s going on, Tania? Hey, it''s nothing. Yeah, it''s nothing. Really?I feel like it''s different than usual...? How come you''re only so perceptive in these situations! Are you imagining things?I''m the same as always. Really?And... What? Are you blushing?Maybe you have a cold? What? Rayne''s hand on my forehead? It''s chilly, but it feels good... And with Lane staring at me, I can''t help but notice. Oh. Don''t stare at me like that... I don''t know, it''s just... it''s like... you''re so embarrassed, you''re so aware of it. I''m still aware of it, and I can''t believe I''m even more aware of Rain... I''m so embarrassed, I can''t even handle it. I never thought that I, being a dragonborn, would become like this. Awesome love! ''Well I''m a bit hot, but it doesn''t feel like a cold. What is it? That''s what I''m saying. I''m all right. Rayne is just being overly sensitive. ''Of course you''re worried. It''s about Tania. What? I don''t know, it''s just easier said than done! Do you realize how much girls are thrilled by lines like that? I wonder if Rain is going to be a crying shame for girls in the future? I was the one who was seriously thinking about that. "Nya........ I suddenly realized that Kanade was staring at me. ''Oh. Kanade, good morning. "...yeah. Good morning, Rain. Tania. Good morning. ''Ummm...'' What''s going on?With a funny face? ...No, it''s nothing. ---------- I finished my breakfast. I don''t have any plans for today. I was just going to relax in my room to calm myself down... Hey, hey, Tania. On my way back to my room, I was approached by Kanade. ''Hmm?What? ''Do you have a minute?I need to talk to you about something. Okay. Is this my room? Yeah. Thanks. What do you want to talk about? Wondering, he invited Kanade into his room. ''Do you want a cup of tea?'' ''Tania, they made tea! Why are you surprised? I thought you were going to be in Sola''s frame... I beg your pardon. I''m not mixing with the cooking genie in the kitchen. With a ridiculously rude remark, I settled into the bed and Kanade settled into a chair. ''So, what did you want to talk about?'' ''Well ... yeah, about that ... umm ... nyah ...'' Kanade made an indescribable expression and shook his gaze as if he was lost. Is it something that''s hard to talk about? But I don''t have any idea. ''What''s going on?You wanted to talk to me, right?Don''t be shy, just make sure you talk to me. Otherwise, I''m just curious. Yeah. So, I''m going to ask the big question, okay? ''Tania........did you like Rain?'' ''Gosh! A completely unexpected line came out of my mouth and I let out a strange voice and flipped over on the bed. ''''Nah, nah nah nah...! ''Uh ... that reaction. I knew it. I tried to cover it up, but it was too unexpected and upsetting, and I couldn''t keep my cool. Seemingly convinced by seeing me like that, Kanade gave me a strangely warm look. ''So Tania has fallen for Rain too? Yeah, yeah, no, that''s not... I don''t mean... "Me too"? Nah-ha.... Kanade scratched her cheek with her fingertips, looking embarrassed. ''Could it be........that Kanade also likes Rain? Um... yeah. Kanade nodded with a coy smile, her cheeks staining. ''''Could it be that... we''re already in a relationship... or something? No, that''s not possible!I''m still very, very far from that point... Oh, yeah.... It was bad enough for Kanade, but I was relieved. ''Yes, Kanade has been talking about Rain too... since when did that happen? ''Well didn''t it happen when your mother was here?You remember when Lane was reckless and I was taking care of him?That''s when I... well... you know... you like Lane. Uh ... I see. What about Tania? I''m not... well, you know, just recently. I saw Rayne get mad at me after the incident and I listened to the whole thing and............. ''Yeah, well...'' ''Yes....'' .... .... There is a silence. But there''s no awkwardness in the air. What can I say.... There was a kind of sympathy that only those who had fallen in love with the same person could understand. ''Tania ... what are you going to do?'' What''s going on? You mean like a confession? Huh? I sound like a chicken for not thinking about it at all. Confession.........confession to Rain....... Imagine in your mind.... I was writhing on the spot. I''m so embarrassed! I''m terribly embarrassed! There''s nothing to be afraid of in a fight. I never thought I''d be so confused by a confession! Ugh, shut up...because when it comes down to it, it''s embarrassing...and so is Kanade? ''''Yeah. I love Rayne, but I can''t help but step in when I think about confessing my love to her...nyah, maybe I''m a coward. ''You don''t think so?I''m the same way, so... well... I think I understand how Kanade feels, don''t I? Heh, thanks. Tania. What''s wrong with me? You don''t have to do that, do you? What do you mean? I can''t control the way I feel about falling in love with you... and if I do, that''s fine with me. So I don''t want to care about it any more than I have to, or rather I don''t want to care about it... hmmm, nyah? Kanade tilted his head slightly as he seemed to get confused as he spoke. Might it be awkward to watch Kanade like that?I felt like an idiot for thinking that. So.........we''ll be rivals from now on. I''m not gonna lose, okay? Me too! He smiled and shook hands with Kanade. 211-Episode 211: Date with Kanade I looked up at the sky and saw white clouds drifting through the blue sky. The sun was peeking out of the clouds and sprinkling warm sunlight. ''It''s a beautiful day,'' Yeah, right! On a day like this, I could use a leisurely stroll. Yeah, right! ''But it''s not bad to be adventurous. I''ll be able to work harder than usual. Yeah, right! Walking next to him, Kanade was repeating the same words. His tail was peeking out and he seemed nervous for some reason. ''Kanade?'' Meow, meow, meow! You seem a little nervous. What''s going on? ''No!Not at all!Not one bit of it!I don''t want to be nervous, okay? He denied it at all costs. No matter how you look at it, it doesn''t look right... Well, I don''t feel sick or anything, so let''s leave it at that. Kanade is a girl of her age, and there are one or two things she can''t talk to me about as a man. By the way, what are you going to buy today? He asked me to go with him to shop, and we went into town. Kanade wouldn''t tell me where we were going. ''Oh, um, I mean, I''m shopping, well... there''s a store I want to go to with Rain! Are you with me? Kanade turned red and wriggled and writhed. ''Yeah, eh?There''s a place that serves delicious, sweet cake. ''Huh?Is there such a place? Nah, I heard it''s new. This town is growing quite rapidly. Not long ago, an official Lord of Horizon had finally been appointed. Unlike his predecessor, the new lord was a picture of a saintly man. On top of that, he has excellent estate management skills. It had only been a short time since he was appointed, yet Horizon had turned into a lively city. ''''It''s a new place, how lonely it would be if I was alone, so... uh, well... I wish I could go with Rain...'''' If that''s the case, shouldn''t you have invited everyone else to join you? Meow!Well, well, first we need to do some reconnaissance!If it''s not actually a good restaurant, we''re in trouble! Oh, yeah? I''m not sure, but Kanade''s momentum pushes me away. ''Let''s go then! ---------- It''s been a while since I fell in love with Rain... It''s time to develop our relationship. I wouldn''t say we''re lovers, but I want to get to know each other a little better. So, we decided to go on a date. To make sure there is no injustice, I date Rain in turn. I''m first. We discussed it together and got a lot of hand-holding going on. I''m so nervous...! The day before a date, for example, I''ll definitely try to make progress!I was so enthusiastic about it.... When I looked at Rain''s face, I was so........embarrassed and ashamed that I couldn''t get the words to come out properly. Unya........am I not making a funny face? Doesn''t he think it''s cute or something...? I''m so worried. I''m so worried that my tail is getting chubby. "Kanade? Meow! I noticed that Rain, sitting across from me, had a worried look on her face. I''ve been thinking about this and that ever since I entered the store, so I guess I gave her a worrying look. ''''Nya, nya, whatever! ''I don''t see it that way, but ... hmmm...'' Really, I''m fine!Well, uh... yeah!I''m so excited for the cake, I can''t get comfortable! ''That''s all well and good but if you''re not feeling well, just say so, okay? Meow! Rainn worried about me. After all, Rayne is so sweet and cool. My tail wags on its own accord. Sorry to keep you waiting. The waitress came over and put the cake and drink in front of me and Rain. ''Ooohhhh!'' The cake was wrapped in a generous amount of whipped cream. A lot of seasonal fruits were sandwiched between the sponge cake. It''s beautiful as if snow had fallen on the ground. Nya-nya-nya-nya-nya... It looks so delicious! Yeah. Let''s get on with it. ''Yes!Let''s have it! I cut the cake with the tip of my fork and took a bite. ''''Mmmmm~, delicious!'''' ''I like this. It''s not too sweet, and the fruit has a nice assertive quality to it... yes, it''s good. Even a guy like me can eat it without any trouble. ''Phew, I''m glad Rain is happy. I want you to be happy, Rain. Oh. Just as I''m about to take a second bite, I drop my fork. I was going to ask the waitress to replace it, but unfortunately, she seems to be busy at the moment and can''t see me. Nya, what should I do?I want to eat right away... Do you want me to feed you? Huh? Seriously, that''s what I''m talking about! ''Oh, but I don''t want a fork with my mouth on it. ''No!That''s not true, I don''t hate it! Oh, yeah? It was too much of a bite, and Rain was a bit taken back. I may have been too happy and disappointed with the unexpected turn of events, I regret it. But that''s what a damsel in love is supposed to do, right? So, open your mouth. Ahhhhhh.... I opened my mouth in horror. I''m so nervous. Is this what it feels like to be a chickadee? It''s such an unimportant thought. ''See,'' Ammo. I''m going to let Rain eat the cake. Sweet ... but I''m even happier than that. I''m so, so, so, so happy! What''s the matter, Kanade?You look kind of weird, but... No, it''s nothing! I was just basking in the happiness of being able to have someone I love do that to me, you know? That''s not very polite to make a funny face, meow! Hey, hey, Lane. Can I have another bite? Yeah, that''s good. Here. I''m so happy and fortunate to have Rayne do that to me... I was allowed to eat a lot of cake, but in the end I didn''t really taste it. That''s how nervous I was... But it was a very happy time. 212-Episode 212: Date with Tania Lane, come on. I walk a bit ahead of her, and Tania waves to me as if to say come quickly. Just like Kanade the other day, I''m going with Tania''s shopping... As I said, everyone else is gone today. The timing wasn''t right, and it didn''t work out for everyone... It''s like we''ve been through this before. Well, I guess I''m overthinking it. I don''t know what the point of doing that is, because I don''t know what the point is. "What are you buying today, by the way? An accessory. Accessories.... oh, jewelry. For a moment, I didn''t know what he was talking about. It''s partly because I''m a man, but also because I''ve never had the opportunity to get my hands on an accessory. It''s not something I have the opportunity to touch too often, so I almost forgot about its existence itself. With that in mind, I followed Tania... Soon we came to a corner with a row of stalls. ''There''s a lot going on here,'' Rings, bangles, necklaces, earrings ... and much more. Various ornaments are sold. Not only ornaments, but daily necessities were also on display. And books, small things and ... a lot of products. It''s like a marketplace. ''Oh, these books...'' I find a book I''m interested in and pick it up. It''s the fairy tale I used to read when I was little. It''s nostalgic........I''ve read this one many times. The price is ... oh, it''s reasonable. I like it. Hey, Lane... The next thing I knew, Tania was looking at me with zit eyes. That''s right. I''m in a position to go shopping, but if I leave Tania alone, she''ll be in a bad mood. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to.... I didn''t mean to... f*ck it. It''s not a man''s place to leave a lady alone. I''m sorry... I put the book back and look at Tania. ''Well what kind of accessories does Tania buy?'' ''We haven''t decided on specifics yet. I want to see it in person and also I want Lane''s opinion. Me?But I don''t know anything about accessories. I don''t care how much you know or how much you know. It''s just that I want your opinion. I don''t know if it suits me or not, but you can tell me what you think. I''ll help you with that. It''s not that I''m curious about Lane''s preferences or anything, you know?It''s just that the only proper man around is Rain and I just want Rain''s opinion on it!I mean, I didn''t mean anything by it. Yeah, I know. ''''Well when you''re honestly convinced, that''s a bit of a blur. You insensitive tamer. Another title I don''t understand, another title I don''t understand. ''Anyway!Let me know what you think, Rain. What kind of accessories do you think would be best for me? ''Hmmm, well...'' It''s a huge responsibility to have to choose Tania''s accessories. If I choose something weird, Tania might get hurt... I want to choose something that you will like. Good luck choosing! ---------- Hmm. Rain was picking out her accessories with a serious face. She looked so serious, like she was in a fight, that I almost felt like I had to call out to her that she didn''t have to be so serious. But, well..... Well I''m glad for this one. The person I love is seriously choosing an accessory for me. It''s a wonderful situation. As a maiden in love, my heart is pounding in my chest. ........Was that girl feeling like this when Kanade went on a date with Rain the other day? I couldn''t calm down, and I looked at Lane''s face over and over again... I''d feel embarrassed and look away, but then I''d quickly bring my gaze back to it. I repeat such unfamiliar behavior. I can''t explain it. That''s because I think that''s what "love" is all about. I''m so embarrassed about this........I''m thinking about something so embarrassing...... If Rain finds out I''m thinking about this, I might die. "Tania. ''Heeeeeeeeeeeee! Suddenly, he calls out to me, and my voice goes upside down. What''s going on? ''Hey, it''s nothing!Yeah, it''s nothing. ''For all intents and purposes it looks like everything is... er... okay?'' I''m fine!I''m totally fine!More importantly, what''s wrong with you? I forcefully digressed. Rain seemed to have guessed that he didn''t want to continue this conversation, so he returned to the subject. ''I picked out something that would suit Tania... how about this?'' Rain held out a pair of ruby earrings. The red gemstone was shining and crystal clear. ''''Beautiful........'''' I think he likes it. Good. This looks expensive, though, doesn''t it?The price is..................eh, so cheap! The ruby earrings were 30 pieces of silver. I expected them to cost at least one gold coin, but that wasn''t the case. ''What do we do now?'' ''Well, hmmm ... okay, I''ve decided on this one! Yes, sir. ''What?Huh? Rain gave the stall owner a soft look and gave him some money to buy the earrings. Today, I also brought my wallet with me. I have a good amount of money. So, why is it....? Lane seems to have understood my doubts and says a little embarrassed. A man should give a gift at a time like this, right? "...Rain... Well, let me, uh... let me show you something for a change. It''s my way of saying thank you for all you''ve done for me. Thank you. I smiled and accepted the earrings. And I put them on as soon as I could. Well....what do you think? It looks good on you. You look great. It''s a very simple compliment, but.... But I was very happy to see that it was so typical of Lane. 213-Episode 213: Date Together A certain holiday. A holiday doesn''t mean that we have a specific day off, like people who run a store. A few days of adventure... When everyone starts to show signs of fatigue, I''ll take a day off. I''ve been doing that repeatedly. And today. The holidays have come and gone.... Lane, please come quickly. You have a limited amount of time. Come on, let''s go!It is. We''re all going out together and I''m glad we did. Hmm... It''s going to be a fun day. Sola and Luna. And Nina and Tina. Including me, the five of us were out on the town. Kanade and Tania are away from home. I don''t know why, but when I asked him why, he replied, ''Because it''s my turn''. Really, what are you talking about? We all agreed that we wanted to take a leisurely stroll around the city, so we decided to walk around at random. It''s been a good amount of time since we set up our base here in Horizon... Looking back, I haven''t had a chance to take a good look around. So I discovered a lot of things. For example, I found a place where I could get a good meal in a secluded area. For example, we found a store that sold useful accessories at a reasonable price. For example, we found a beautiful view. We saw a lot of things that we wouldn''t normally be able to see. From now on, maybe we should take care of these walks, not just adventures. ''Ooh, it smells so good! Hot dogs. Rain. Luna and Sora looked at me expectantly. They weren''t the only ones looking at me, Nina and Tina were looking at me too. Nina''s tail was bobbing in anticipation. Everyone else would have been wagging the same way if they had tails. I chuckled and took out a silver coin from my wallet. ''There''s some food, so one for each of us, right? Yay, nah! Luna took the money on behalf of the group and dashed to the stall. Everyone followed suit. ''''How........relaxing. Walk around the city with everyone else and take a walk.... We eat the same foods and spend time relaxing. I want this kind of time to last forever. That''s what I thought. ---------- I had a hot dog and.... And while you''re at it, eat a sweet donut... So we decided to head home as the sun was starting to set. We were on our way. ''Oh?'' Luna looked up at the sky. When she looked up, she saw a gray, cloudy sky. Soon, a faint rain... Whoa, whoa. It''s raining!We have to hurry up and get home! It''s a long way home, okay? Yeah, I''ll be fine. Nina opens the subspace and puts her hand inside. She made a furtive gesture to search for something, then pulled out an umbrella. ''Ooh, nice one, Nina! You''re well aware that it might rain, aren''t you? Well ... sort of. My tail was creeping. Is it a wild guess? Yes Rain. It seems that there is only one umbrella, so I, the tallest one, decided to carry it. First, I give Nina a piggyback ride. Tina landed on top of Nina''s head. Sola and Luna hugged me from both sides. They were all compact, so they were able to fit into the range of the umbrella just fine. The rain wasn''t too strong, so they wouldn''t get wet. ''''Though ... it''s a bit cramped. It''s like playing Lord of the Rings. "My sister. Will you go a little further over there?You''ll get me wet. ''That''s the kind of Luna you need to get away from. Rain is going to have a hard time walking if you hug her so much. Hmm, that''s a deliberate decision. I''ll tell you what. I''ve heard that all the men in the world like that. ''Luna there''s nothing to be gained from that kind of thing by Sola and the others, it''s just empty...'' It''s Rain, is it?Do you feel nothing when you hug me like this? ''Well no comment. I don''t think the two of them are still growing up, so I don''t think there''s much to worry about... Nevertheless, it was a delicate matter, so I decided to keep my mouth shut. ''Hmm...Rain?'' Yeah?What''s going on? The Nina on her back was squirming. ''I''m ... heavy, aren''t I?'' Not at all. It''s rather light. Yeah, well, that''s good. Do you care about your weight? Nina isn''t fat at all, and I don''t think she''s old enough to care about those things in the first place... What''s the point of being a girl, I guess? Hey, hey, Lane''s husband. It''s a little harem of people hugging you. Would you be happy? No comment on that either. Hee hee, you''re happy about that, aren''t you?You''re embarrassed, aren''t you?Sora, Luna and Nina are all tiny. Oh no! That''s a crime! Don''t make fun of me. It''s our way of skincare. ''I''ll ask you to do it in a more sane way, please. Tina seemed to be enjoying this situation a lot. It was easy to imagine her grinning face. I''ll give you a hug, too. You''ll be glad you did. I''d like to do the same thing... ''Sora can''t lose, either. Gyuuuh. It''s the first annual Rain Cuddle Championship! There''s a mysterious tournament going on that I don''t understand, and... I had to be hugged by everyone on the way home. I was in a lot of trouble, but I''m glad to know that everyone has forgiven me that much. I''d love to go for a walk again. It was a relaxing holiday. 214-Episode 214: Surveillance and Secret Meeting Arios and his group were heading to a demon''s dwelling place near the royal capital. A demon is using an abandoned village in the mountains as its base and is harming people on the road. The goal is to get rid of that demon. Normally, Arios had no intention of dealing with demons. What he had to deal with was at least the demon race and above. The Four Heavenly Kings and the like were the main ones, and he couldn''t be bothered with every little fish there. You can leave the small fry to the adventurers. In the meantime, might the people be harmed? I don''t know. I was really thinking about that. So I usually ignored it, but..... This time things were different. ''Come on, Arios. We''re almost at our destination. Let''s keep up the good work. A woman in knight''s armor approached Arios with a smirk. Her golden hair was cropped at her shoulders. Even with her armor on, the crispness of her body was evident. The name of the owner of the beauty that would make you look back if you walked the streets is.......Monica Eclair. She is a member of the King''s direct guard. Why is the SS working with Arios? The answer is ... surveillance. Arios'' actions lately have been too much to watch. Not only is he too dogmatic, but he also runs into folly that causes harm to his people. However, we can''t keep Arios, a brave man, locked away. However, there is no way to correct his character right now. So the king decided to put an eye on him. With the eyes of the guard stationed right beside him, reporting his every move, he couldn''t possibly do anything stupid. The king thought so and sent Monica to Arios. At first, Arios did not accept Monica and tried to turn her away, but... It was the king''s decision to dispatch Monica. As expected of the king''s order, even Arios couldn''t go against it, so he reluctantly accepted it.... And now......... In order to show Monica that ''I''m working properly like a brave man'', he had taken on the task of killing the demons that he was supposed to go through, and was heading to the root castle. ''''d*mn.'''' Arios clicked his tongue, just enough so that Monica couldn''t hear him. Why did he have to do this to himself? Why do we need to be watched? It was completely self-inflicted, but Arios didn''t realize that and continued to swear in his mind. On the other hand, Aggus, Leanne, Mina and the others were talking to Monica in a friendly manner. ''Hmm, I see. ''No, I''m not even close. There are more amazing people in the SS. And Mr. Aggus. You can call me Monica. I can''t help but be tickled when you call me Mister. All right. Then I''ll call you Monica. Hey, hey, Monica. This time Leanne spoke up. ''Yes, what is it?'' Hmm. Leanne stared at Monica. ''You have amazingly beautiful skin, don''t you? ''What?Isn''t it? What kind of care do you take?Can you help me out?Hey, you''re interested in Mina too, right? ''No. I''m not that kind of.... "Look, Mina''s interested. Tell me about it! ''''Haha..... I haven''t done anything special, but........ ''What?Oh, my God, seriously!It''s just the bare minimum! Yes, sir. Monica is a foul play, isn''t she? ''No. I''m not particularly interested in... Wait?Maybe it''s something to do with your daily life?Hey, hey, Monica.... ........and so on. The group, with the exception of Arios, had accepted the existence of Monica rather easily. Originally, there is something that cannot be disobeyed because it is a king''s order....... More importantly, they liked Monica''s friendly and earnest personality, which was a big deal. The party was falling apart due to Arios'' outburst... Then a neutralizing agent called Monika was introduced. It kept the party harmonious and the smiles growing. ............except for Arios, that is. ''''........tch.'''' Arios looked at his companions, who seemed to be having a good time talking to each other, with a boring look on his face. Monica had been sent to keep an eye on them, so why would she get along with a guy like that? Isn''t your people crazy? Rather seriously, Arios was thinking about such things. ''''.............Hmph. H..........? Suddenly, my eyes met with Monica''s. We should have been a good distance away from each other there... As if she had noticed Arios'' gaze, Monica turned around and met his eyes. And then.........she smiled. If the others had seen it, they would have judged it to be a gentle smile directed at their companion. But Arios made a different decision. What a.........cold smile. Monica''s smile is as cold as ice. Nope. Ice is not an easy thing. It''s more than that, something more horrible........ It was such a smile, like it didn''t belong to anyone. ''''........What is it with that woman.......'''' Removing his gaze from Monica, Arios stepped forward. ---------- Arios and his group defeated the demons without delay. They returned to the king''s capital and stayed at an inn prepared by the state. And then.........night. ''''........'''' It was late, as if everyone had gone to bed. A figure appeared from the inn where Arios and the others were staying. The figure was wearing a robe and it was impossible to tell who he was. He was also acting to avoid the eyes of the people and sneaking around the back roads. And then.........the figure entered a certain building. It''s an unused dwelling now. ''''........Fuu. Spilling a small breath, the figure took off his robe. From it appeared.........................Monica with golden hair. Monica looked around the empty building.... Sorry for the delay. Phew, you''re late. A voice rang out from the darkness. The darkness of the night condensed and was accompanied by substance. Emerging from the darkness was........a demon race. Its eyes were glowing purple, and an eerie light shone in the night darkness. Demon wings and demon horns. And a demon''s tail. He smiled happily, fishing the corners of his mouth with a grin. ''I wonder what he was doing at such a late night?Perhaps you were having fun with a brave man? You must be joking, Master Rhys. I have no such relationship with Lord Arios. ''What, it''s so boring. If it were, I''m sure it would have been more interesting. If it''s what Mr. Reese wants me to do, I''ll oblige? ''Well I was just being playful, but that''s not so bad. The demon tribe called Rhys makes a thinking gesture. ''You should get along. It wouldn''t hurt to do so.'' I understand. Oh, I''ll leave it to Monica to decide if it gets to a physical relationship. I''m not the kind of boss who would force you to do something like that. We''ll see what happens. Please do so. You''re dealing with demons. Monica, the SS, was on her knees, bowing her head, spinning her words in respect. Had there been a third party here, they might have been surprised by this bizarre scene. But for these two, this is a normal part of life. For Monica, the person she truly serves is not the king, but the demon Reese in front of her. ''''Well then, let''s listen to what we have to say.'''' Yes, sir. "We will rid ourselves of the human who is becoming a hindrance to our cause, the Rain Shroud. And the other one we''re going to redirect the human hero, Arios, to our advantage. Would you like to hear if those two things are working? 215-Episode 215 Rank B Natalie called me over to the guild. It''s boring to go alone, so Tania is with me. We walk through the city shoulder to shoulder... Hey, Tania? What? Isn''t that a long way off? There was enough space between me and Tania for each person. Normally, we''re usually shoulder to shoulder... Are you imagining things? ''I don''t think so...'' It''s not because I''m embarrassed to be around Rain, or because I''d be conscious of her or anything like that!Okay, don''t get me wrong! I don''t understand what they''re saying. Tania''s cheeks were stained and she looked away lightly. Her tail was swaying restlessly. She is embarrassed........is it? We spend time together all the time, so I''ve kind of come to understand Tania''s emotions. But I can''t figure out what she''s embarrassed about. I didn''t do anything, did I? Hey, Lane don''t be staring at me like that. ''What?No? Oh, I''m just saying. Staring at a girl is not polite. I guess that''s what I''ve been told. ''Sorry. There''s something wrong with Tania. I don''t feel like I''m sick or anything, so I''ll probably be fine. I might get annoyed if I leave you more alone than necessary. What''s going on, Tania? Stopping behind her, Tania was mumbling something to herself. ''Nah, it''s nothing,'' Come on, let''s get going. At this pace, we''ll go around noon. What do you mean? Lane can figure it out for himself. I don''t know why I was pissed off. It''s unreasonable.... ---------- Congratulations! When I arrived at the guild, I was greeted by a smiling Natalie. Congratulations, but I have no idea what to expect. Or rather, I seem to remember this pattern from somewhere else...? I''m pleased to announce that Shroud-san''s adventurer rank has been upgraded to B. ''What?A "B" grade? ''Yes. Mr. Shroud has solved a lot of big cases in recent years, in quick succession. Nathalie says, sounding as happy as she is. ''First of all, we have to defeat the demon that showed up in Pagos, right? It''s.... I didn''t beat Iris with the intention of beating her. I didn''t want that to happen. But people don''t seem to see it that way. Iris'' case was supposed to be solved by me. ''I''ve been antagonizing the other adventurers...'' ''Hasn''t that matter already been explained and resolved? Shroud-san realized the trap the demon had put up. Deciding that there was no time to explain, he stopped the others by daring to fight. What would have happened if the strike force had rushed into the ruins like that...'''' ''Well I don''t know why that''s the way it''s supposed to be. Actually, it''s my own choice. The situation meshed together exquisitely and it was decided that it was. ''''And then there was the dragon attack the other day. Thanks to Shroud-san, we were able to solve the incident without causing any serious damage. Oh, of course, it''s also thanks to Tania-san. All of us in the Adventurer''s Guild would like to thank you for that. ''Well, well it''s just a whim, right?You don''t have to be so grateful, do you? Tania was embarrassed. ''''Both of your achievements are wonderful. Therefore, we, the Adventurer''s Guild, have decided to promote Shroud-san to the B rank. Congratulations. .... ''Huh?Aren''t you happy?It''s a B-rank, B-rank. If you become a high-ranking adventurer, you''ll be able to take on more requests and receive various treatments.For example, the bridge will be toll free. If you''re asking if I''m not happy, I''m not, but... It was a bit of a mixed bag. Aside from the dragon attack.... The Iris case didn''t get the result I wanted. And yet you can''t congratulate me on that.... Hey! Ow! Tania tapped me on the head with a tap. ''Rain, you''re thinking about all sorts of unnecessary things again, aren''t you? It''s not something I need to... It''s none of my business. Tania refuses. ''I don''t understand why Rain can''t be honestly happy. We''ve been together, and I''ve heard what Rain is thinking.'' .... But you know what? You can''t change the past. You can''t change what happened. It''s... So keep looking forward. If you keep looking back, you will lose your way and fall down. Don''t let that happen. .... ''I''m not going to tell you to forget it. Just remember it. That''s all you have to do. Understand? ...Yeah, I guess so. Tania''s words slipped into my mind. The fuzziness I had been holding in the back of my chest seemed to disappear ever so slightly. ''Thank you, Tania,'' Huh? He strokes Tania''s head as if to canadize her. ''Oh, my bad. I didn''t mean to treat you like a child, I was just expressing my gratitude... did you get mad? Oh, no, no, no, no, no...! No? ...nothing. Tania reddened and turned away... yet, she didn''t try to move away. Rather, she held her head out to me as if to say more. ''Suh, do what you want?'' Then I''ll do it. I stroked Tania, who was blushing. ''Um ... we''re in the middle of a conversation, can you not make out in front of me?'' Natalie gave me a zit-eyed look. ''''Anyway, but.......that''s why Shroud-san will be promoted to a B rank. If he refuses to do so, we can revoke the promotion, but....... No, I wouldn''t do that. ''I''m glad. I wasn''t sure what I''d do if they said no. How could anyone say no? Natalie says tiredly at Tania''s question. ''You''re there sometimes. When you move up in rank, you get all sorts of perks, but you also get more responsibility for it. And there are people who don''t like that and prefer to stay at a lower rank, to a certain extent. Wow, there are people like that. I don''t understand it. If there is a ceiling, I''d like to get the best out of it. ''I''d be happy if all adventurers thought like you, Tania. Natalie giggled and.... Then he continued to speak as he suddenly remembered. ''''Yes. Mr. Shroud, would you be willing to take the A-grade promotion test? Promotion test? I just got a B grade and now we''re talking about an A grade...what does that mean? As if to answer this one''s question, Natalie-san begins to explain. ''''Up to rank B, you can be promoted at the discretion of the Adventurer''s Guild. But in order to be promoted to A rank, you have to have certain achievements and take a special test. In Shroud-san''s case, his achievements are perfect, so if he takes and passes the exam, he will be able to get an A-rank. Oh, I see. That''s how it works. ''''If you move up to A-grade, you''ll get a lot more benefits. Like what? ''''Well there''s a lot going on and it''s hard to explain it in a few words, but to roughly sum it up, you can have the power of an aristocrat.'''' Is that possible...? There are certain requests that cannot be accomplished by simply being powerful. In order to deal with such cases, the A-ranked adventurers are given the same power as the nobles. Well, they are only adventurers, so they cannot rule the city or be involved in the city administration like nobles do. It''s a terrible story, but I didn''t understand it. Occasionally we see incidents that can''t be moved without power alone. The case of the lord and his son Edgar, who used to rule this city, would be similar to that. ''''But is it really that easy to give them power? ''''The king is also involved in the certification of A-ranked adventurers. So it''s not a problem at all. ''Heh. So this is what the top brass of humans do. You''re a human, but you think better than that. Tania nodded admiringly. ''When is that test thing going to take place?'' ''''The timing is good, and it''s almost there. The place isn''t here, though, it''s the royal capital. I see. What do you want to do? What would you like to do? It''s... I can''t answer Natalie''s question right away. It seems to have many benefits, but of course, it''s not all benefits. You''ll have more responsibility, and you won''t be able to bypass it. What should we do? I gave it some serious thought. 216-Episode 216: Lets go to the capital! ''''So I''m going to take the promotion test, what do you guys think?'''' After that, I left the guild and went home to... I thought and thought and thought and thought about the A-grade promotion... and as a result, I decided to take the test. Then he gathered everyone in the living room and talked about it. ''Hmm, an A-grade? Finally, my success will be worldwide! ''Why do you think the way you do?I''d like to see what''s going on inside Luna''s head once. Well, don''t give me that kind of credit. You''re embarrassing me. ''I''m getting seriously worried about my sister''s future...'' Sola and Luna are the same as always.... ''A grade, how great is that...? Hmmm... if I had to pick an analogy, I''d say he''s going to be a king. Oh Rain, my King... are you going to wear a crown? ''That''s the point of the king, that''s the point...'' After all, Nina and Tina are the same as usual. Meow ... question! Why do you want to get straight A''s? Kanade and Tania are somehow solid, so they asked me why. ''It''s partly because we get a lot of benefits and it makes it easier to do things in the future, but I think the main reason is that it gives us more voice. Meow?Speech power? ''''Natalie-san said that an A-ranked adventurer would be given the power of a nobleman. Luna and Sora react to my words. ''Hm?So does that mean it''s going to be my peril?Hmph, I''m going to show all the people my authority. ''It''s not going to be about prestige, it''s going to be about showing shame. ''What the hell?You''re going to do it, man! ''Do you know what?Conflict only occurs at the same level, right?There are many levels of difference between Sola and Luna. ''Nah! You both need to be quiet... "I''m sorry. Sora and Luna were pissed off at Nina, and Sora and Luna were squirming. ''Uh ... back to the point, but if you''re going to be given a certain amount of power, you''ll have more say, right?There''s nothing wrong with working individually, but when multiple adventurers are working together, as was the case with Iris, they will follow the orders of their superiors. Rain what are you still dragging around? No, I''m fine. He smiled at Tania, who gave him a worried look. ''Tania preached to me, you know. I''m looking forward to it, all right. Yeah, well that''s okay. Meow I''m curious. Kanade was looking at Tania with zit eyes. Tania pretended not to notice it and turned her gaze to the side. ''I think that with more say, you can disagree with your superiors'' orders, and you''ll be allowed to act independently to some extent. You don''t have to worry about that, do you? That''s not going to happen. Naturally. So I wanted to be able to move around freely when the time came so I wanted to make sure I got an A grade for that. So I cut off the words once and looked at everyone''s faces. They all listened intently to me. ''What do you guys think?'' ''I think it''s fine. I agree! I agree. If it means I don''t have to follow bad orders, then so be it. First of all, Kanade and Tania agreed with me. ''I don''t see anything wrong with it either. Hmph, I''m trying to be dignified! ''It doesn''t make Luna great, though. Oh, I agree with Sora. Luna and Sola agreed with me as I continued. The other two were. Don''t think so. You''re good?There''s a lot of other benefits, right?If you can get promoted, I think it wouldn''t hurt to do it. He agreed to do so, as if it were a given. ''I mean, why did you bother asking us?Since Rain''s husband is the leader, he could have made the decision on his own. Yeah, yeah. Who''s going to complain about that? Tina and Kanade say so, but... As you can imagine, that would be called selfishness. I wouldn''t have made it this far without you guys... If I was alone, I think I would have died in the wild in the process. And yet, you can''t do something that neglects everyone''s opinion. ........When I told them that, they all looked at me warmly, as if they were looking at their grandchildren for some reason. ''''Hey, what?What''s going on?What did I say? Hmmm. I''ve been thinking that Rain is Rain. Right? Yeah. Kanade said something I didn''t understand, and everyone nodded at it. There seems to be a common understanding among everyone that this is what I am... What on earth do they think? I was just curious. ---------- We decide to take the A grade promotion exam........three days later. After we finished our preparations, we left the house and headed for the exit of the city. There were many carriages lined up at the exit of the city. We couldn''t use the carriages on our way to Pagos, though, because there was a problem that we might get caught up in a fight....... It''s different this time. There is no such thing as danger since we are heading to the royal capital to take the promotion exam. So I decided to use the carriage. ''''Oooh, a carriage~'''' Kanade''s eyes were shining and his tail was twitching. Apparently carriages are rare. He was looking around the carriage like a child, patting the horse. A cat and a horse. The horse was purring pleasantly and was being stroked obediently, as if there was something in common. ''Are you going to use the carriage this time?'' What about me, do I walk? It''s a long way to King''s Landing. I hear it''s going to take two weeks to get there on foot. ''I knew I wanted a carriage!Carriage awesome! Luna hugged the carriage when she heard it was a two-week walk. She''s not very good at exercise, after all. ''''I mean, why don''t we just have Tania turn into Tania and carry her around like the last time? I''m not a carriage, but... ''If you do that, you''ll be in big trouble. A dragon has appeared, or something like that, and you''ll be shot down by magic. Is Luna''s head so empty that she can''t even imagine such a thing? That''s right! "You admitted it in a big way! While Sola and Luna ramble on, he grabs Nina by the waist and lifts her up and puts her in the carriage. Nina is too short to get in and out of the carriage on her own. ''Arigato........Rain. Thanks, man. The doll version of Tina, who was riding on top of Nina''s head, was also riding in a chirpy way. Tina can fly with her magic, so there''s no need for someone to lift her up........ I guess I was too lazy to get beside myself. Kanade and Tania climbed in, followed by........ I threw in Sora and Luna, who had started a fight at the end. ''Oooh, this carriage is so comfortable,'' ''Really. I''ve always thought of carriages as being a pain in the butt, but that''s not true. Since the carriage was not designed to transport goods, but people, it was designed to be comfortable to ride in, with cushions installed to make it easier to sit in. Even if we used the carriage, it would take us about five days to get to the royal capital. So I chose a good carriage so that I wouldn''t get tired. ''''Come on, let''s go, Black Thunder!Carry us to King''s Landing! Um...I''d appreciate it if you wouldn''t give my child a strange name... The driver gets a confused look on his face. ''Luna, calm down. You must not embarrass thee. Hm?How do you come to that conclusion?I didn''t do anything. Are you unaware of this? Luna can be funny sometimes. Finally, it was Luna who even got a hard time from Kanade. Well, from Luna''s point of view, it''s the first time she''s ever been in a carriage. It''s probably because of the curiosity of the thing, and the tension is rising. I''m sorry to the gentleman, but I want you to close your eyes. ''''Well then, would you mind setting off?As I told you beforehand, I''ll leave the route up to you. Yes, I understand. The Gosha pulled the reins and the horse began to walk slowly. Oh, it''s working! ''Luna, don''t be so flippant, it''s embarrassing. Oh, you''re surprisingly fast! Sora is excited too... Good friend, Mr..... It''s a bit noisy, but.... And so we set off for King''s Landing. 217-Episode 217: Traveling in a horse-drawn carriage Has it been a few hours since we left the city? The city is long gone and the view outside is unfamiliar. The sound of clattering and turning wheels. Occasionally, a horse whines and the Gosha pulls on the reins. And with a clatter, the carriage rocks. He must have stepped on a pebble or something. ''''Uh........uh.....'''' ''''It''s bad....it''s really bad...'''' Sola and Luna were blue-faced and limp. They said they were drunk on the carriage. Apparently, if you''re not used to it, this situation where this trivial vibration continues is hard, because it''s hard. This carriage has been countered against vibrations in its own way by laying down cushions and so on, but....... Still, it doesn''t completely erase the tremors. ''Are you okay?Do you want some water? It''s okay ... if you drink the water now ... you''ll reverse ... It''s really bad... it''s really bad... it''s really bad... Luna wasn''t her usual bubbly self... Thora''s language was collapsing a bit in a sickening way. Everyone else..... Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. There''s something very satisfying about a journey in a carriage. I feel a little sleepy... "Mmm-hmm... it''s nice to travel slowly. They each enjoyed the carriage. It seems that Sora and Luna are the only ones who suffer from motion sickness. It''s about five days by carriage to the royal capital. There''s still some time before the promotion examinations begin, so there''s no problem even if we''re late to some extent. I''m sorry. If you find someplace where you can stop, can you stop once? So he called out to His Highness. ''Ummm........Rain, you don''t have to worry about us.......'' "I don''t know if you''re blue-faced or not but there''s still plenty of time for that, so there''s no need to rush it. Let''s take a break and figure out what to do about it. After the next half hour or so, we saw a rest stop. It was made for the people passing by in their carriages. It is a place to park a carriage, and in addition, there is a space just for camping. The road to the capital is a long one, so there are rest stops here and there. ''How long do you want to rest?'' Thinking on His words. I look at the sky and see the sun right above me. It''s just past noon. As expected, staying here overnight........is not realistic. I''d like to rest for an hour or so before leaving, but........ If we don''t do something about it, Sora and Luna will soon be drunk. If only there was a better way... I''ll just take an hour break. Returning that to the Gosha, he took Sora and Luna off the carriage. They were both limp and weak and apparently unable to move on their own. They each laid them down on the benches set up in the rest area. ''Are you okay?'' "Rain we will overcome my corpse and I will hold it back here... What are you two fighting about? I can''t help but chuckle. At any rate, he seems to have the energy to talk. It seems to have recovered somewhat after getting off the carriage. However, he doesn''t seem to be able to move anytime soon.... If we get into the carriage again, it will be down in no time. Now, what is to be done? It''s painful to not have a healer in these situations. If there was a healer, maybe they could have managed it with magic and medicine, but....... No one, including me, has any knowledge in that direction. Lane! Kanade came running in. ''I heard something screaming over there! What? Kanade pointed to the end of the street. I don''t see anything in particular but... But, since Kanade of the Cat Spirit Tribe says so, there must be no doubt about it. ''''Oh my god, one problem after another! What do you want to do? ''We can''t leave him alone. Let''s go check on him! Aye aye sir! Kanade salutes with a stern smile. So where did you learn to do that? ''Canade and Tina with me. Tania and Nina, take care of Sora and Luna and the carriage! Skipping the instructions, I quickly ran off. ---------- After about five minutes of driving, we saw a carriage surrounded by demons. Unlike the one we use, it''s an expensive carriage with careful workmanship. I wonder if a nobleman is riding in it? And the demons surrounding them........the ogres. Ogres are C-ranked demons, and to put it simply, they have the appearance of an ogre as they are called in the East. Since they are C-ranked, their fighting ability is reasonably high. Furthermore, he has a high regeneration ability. If he doesn''t strike a vital point with a single blow, his wounds will regenerate quickly, a nasty trait. There are three knights guarding the carriage. In contrast, there are six ogres. The knights seem to be more powerful than the ogres, but they seem to be having a hard time dealing with two at a time. Unable to crush the vital point with a single blow, they are being driven into a corner. ''''........hmm?'''' Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable. Their movements were sometimes terribly slow... It''s like guiding an ogre into a carriage. Is that in your head? Unnecessary. Kanade was the first to charge. He kicked the ogre that was about to attack the knight in the face from the side. The ogre was blown away with great force, as if it had been hit by a giant iron ball. As expected of a cat spirit race. It seems that even the huge body of the ogre has no way to resist in the face of that power. ''''We''ll keep going! Tina, who was on Kanade''s head, also launched an attack. I''m not going to be able to get my hands on any of them. Don''t underestimate that it''s only a mere stone. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. The giant body collapses and its body turns into a magical stone. ''''And third!'''' I''m the last one to jump in. I have my doubts, but there''s no time to think about it now. I tangle the Narkami''s wires around the ogre''s legs and drag it down. Once I''ve done so and blocked the movement, I thrust the Kamui into its chest and gouged it further to the side. I''m about to take the A-rank promotion test. I can''t mess with a C-ranked ogre. ''''Wha........what the hell are you guys doing? I''ll tell you later!I''ll join you. You take care of the carriage. "...Okay!Thank you. The knights were surprised at first, but they quickly changed their minds and reassembled their formation. Leaning close to the carriage, they held their weapons and shields. Quick decisions and movements without hesitation...................You''re pretty well trained. ''''Rain, it''s going that way! Okay! Who''s in the carriage? We''ll think about that later, but for now, let''s clean up the ogres. I readied my Kamui and intercepted the attacking ogres with a roar. ---------- It took about five minutes to clear out of the fight. ''Are you okay?'' Oh no problem. The knight, dressed in full armor, took off his helmet and lowered his head. Extremely polite. Is that how they are mainly educated? If that''s the case, then the master of these knights is of a certain status, but.... I''d like to thank you all for your help. ''We''re both in trouble. Don''t worry about it. Thank you. The knight bowed his head again. I don''t have that much to do but I''ve heard that he has a very straightforward personality. Is anyone else hurt?Is the man in the carriage safe? That''s not a problem, but... The knight gave him a difficult look. ''It is rude of me to ask for your help, but our Lord cannot show his face. I understand that this is selfish, but please.... ''Alec. I don''t remember allowing such rudeness. A girl comes down from the carriage. Seeing the girl, the knight panicked. ''''Hi, Princess! 218-Episode 218: Princess I wonder if he''s as old as I am? She was somewhere between a girl and an adult, with a hint of innocence. Her golden hair stretched down to her waist, and she wore a hair ornament that sparkled beautifully like a jewel. Her eyes were emerald green. They are so deep and beautiful that you could be sucked in. The dress she wears is based on white, giving her a clean image. The dress is gleamingly crafted, and you can tell at a glance that it''s made with the soul of a craftsman. ''Alec,'' Ha! The knight called Alec looked at the girl as she got out of the carriage and immediately fell to her knees and bowed her head. ''If it wasn''t for these people, we might have lost our lives. They saved our lives, so to speak. And yet, you cannot just walk away without thanking them. To do so would be to tarnish the name of the Rolleys. I''m sorry. No, it''s just that you understand. The name Rollees, mentioned by the girl, sounded familiar. Or rather, it was a name that should be familiar. For those who live in this country live day in and day out under the reign of that name. ''It''s nice to meet you,'' The girl turned to me and bowed, lightly picking at her dress. ''My name is Sarya Rollees. I am deeply grateful for your help. Don''t tell me... your highness! Yes. My father, Argus, is the king of the country and I am the third princess. I''m sorry. Like the knights, he hurriedly dropped to his knees and bowed his head. ''''Nyan?Rain, what''s going on? Kanade and Tina remained curious and relaxed. Kanade is a cat spirit race, so he probably doesn''t know about the princess. The strongest species doesn''t belong to the country in the first place, so there''s no reason for them to bow to the princess. ''''Awwww! It was obvious, but Tina seemed to know the princess and was wincing. ''Ka, Kanade!Just like Rain''s husband, bow down quickly! ''What?Why? He''s a very nice man!She''s a princess! Really? ''Yes!So don''t listen to the wrong person talking on the phone or anything like that!I mean, we''re not the ones you should be talking to... ''Princess, I guess that means you''re like the chief''s daughter?I''m not the chief''s daughter, but, but I''m the daughter of the strongest mother, so I guess it''s similar.Nice to meet you~ Aww...! Kanade greeted the princess with a smiling face and a rather frank... Tina was foaming at the sight of that, and I was almost fainting. Maybe I''m turning blue in the same way. Me, I could be executed for disrespect.... "Hmm. As if to break our tension, there was a laugh that sounded like a bell rolling. It was the princess''s voice. She looked at Kanade and laughed happily. ''''You''re a cat spirit race, aren''t you?'''' Yeah, that''s right. It''s called Kanade. So you are Mr. Kanade? I''m Sarya. It''s a pleasure to meet you. Nice to meet you too, by the way. For some reason, Kanade was getting along with the princess. Kanade''s communication skills are not half bad.... You!How dare you show disrespect to the princess...! The knight called Alec is furious, but Back off, Alec. But...! ''You know that Kanade and the others saved your lives, right?Instead of thanking him, it''s the height of folly to point a sword at him. Besides..... Giggling, the princess says happily. ''When was the last time I was spoken to in such a friendly manner...?I thought it was very fresh and fun. I don''t mind, so back off this time. But such a thing would compromise the dignity of the princess... ''We''re the only ones here. If Alec and the others will keep quiet, there will be no problem. Or shall I report to my father that I have behaved in a manner that degrades the dignity of my country? No, no, no, no, no...! Then why don''t you leave this to me? I''m sorry, sir. Apparently, the story was settled well. Juju, that''s a shortened lifespan... Tina collapsed heaving on top of Kanade''s head. I know that feeling......... I''m still nervous about it, too, because I''m still nervous about it. Now, you can be normal. ''Well...'' ''As I told Alec, it''s no problem if it''s just for this occasion. I don''t mind...or would you prefer that I issue a princess order? Haha ... okay. She has such a friendly personality that it''s hard to believe she''s a princess. That''s interesting, and I can''t help but smile at her. ''''Huh........! The knight named Alec stared at me, but I decided not to worry about it at this time. As long as the princess says it''s okay, it should be okay. I stand up and look at the princess squarely in the eye. Then I bowed my head. As expected, you have to bow when you greet people. ''''Nice to meet you. My name is Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer. Can I call you Miss Lane? Yes, do what you have to do. So you''ll call me Miss Lane. Miss Lane, you''ll call me Sarya, too. ''What?No, that''s as good as it gets... ''I don''t want to do this in public, but here you won''t have to look the other way. Since I''m the one who says it''s okay, I don''t mind. Now, please, please call me Sarya. Oh, no. It seems that the princess is more of a yankee than I thought. So Sarya, then. Is it mandatory for you to be here? You don''t have to call me by my name... ''Well, that''s a compromise around here. It can''t be helped, I''ll be patient. And so it goes.... ---------- When Sarya-sama learned that I had company, she suggested that we turn back. She must have decided that it would be safer to join us. I have no intention of leaving Sarya-sama on her own, so I agreed to it. So we turned back to the rest stop and.... I joined everyone else. ''Wow, you''re a princess. I''ll just say hello to you. I''m Tania from the dragon tribe. Like Kanade, Tania also told her that without any fear. As expected......... It''s a strange place to be relied upon. ''Nina......... Nice to meet you, right...? Nina was somewhat nervous. However, since she tended to be shy, she would have responded the same way even if it wasn''t Sarya-sama. Sora and Luna........ "...ghee... It was still growing. Since it looked like I couldn''t seem to talk to them properly, I left the introduction of the two of them for later. By the way, Gyoja sat quietly on the gyoja stand, as if my job was to hold the reins of the horse and had nothing to do with anything else.... I felt something of a professional soul. My purpose was to take a promotion exam. I told him that I was on my way to the royal capital for that purpose. ''''I see, going to the royal capital to take the promotion exam...I see that you are amazing, Rain. ''What?What is it? ''''To not only have the strongest species like Kanade-san in your company, but to have reached a B-rank at your age... I''ve never heard of anything like that. Is that so? ''''Huh, how is it that I, a non-adventurer, know more about this than you do?Usually, I think it''s the other way around. Ha, that''s funny, now that you mention it. Sarya-sama was a surprisingly friendly person, someone who could talk. Well, if she didn''t have a friendly personality, how could she say that it was okay to treat him casually? ''''Nya.......Rain is getting along with a new girl again. Are you sure they don''t care about us? For some reason, the way they both looked at me hurt. ''If you don''t mind, can you tell me what you''ve been up to, Rain?I''m interested in the adventurer''s story. ''''Hi, Princess. You would not be wasting your time here unnecessarily... ''Well that''s true too so here''s what we''ll do then. Mr. Rain, would you be willing to take on our escort? 219-Episode 219: An unexpected companion Sarya-sama''s escort. The unexpected story comes out and surprises me. ''Why us?'' ''''I thought it would be very dependable. You helped me just now............................and your companion is the most powerful species. Don''t you think it''s normal to rely on them? Well, I don''t know, but... The princess asked me to do something for her. I don''t want to have to refuse her. But wouldn''t our participation in the game be a way to ruin the faces of Alec and the other knights? That''s what I''m concerned about. ''Don''t worry about Alec and the others. We were originally having trouble with the lack of people. As if she read what I was thinking, Sarya-sama said something like that. Or rather, the current exchange has added to the mystery. ''''Well I want to ask you the fundamental question, Sarya-sama, why are you here?'''' Have you ever heard of Seal Rock on the southern continent? It''s the southernmost port city, if I recall, isn''t it? I''m just on my way back to King''s Landing to take care of some business there. What do you need? ''''I''m sorry. This matter is highly confidential, so I couldn''t let it slip out... Well, we have come up with a pretty good idea. Lord Sarya received some kind of order to go to Sealock and do his job there. The lack of guards was probably a cover for the royal family''s activities. The sensitive nature of this job is of particular interest to me. If it was already over, it wouldn''t be a major obstacle. He looked at everyone lightly. Everyone nodded at each other with the exception of Sora and Luna, who were groggy. ''I understand. If it''s okay with us, we''d like to take care of it.'''' Thank you. Thus, we were to take on the role of the princess''s escort. ---------- Then I said to him, "O foolish devil, repent of your sins and return to the earth! ''So I said, "Foolish devil, repent of your sins and return to the earth!And Na! Well. They have fled in a hurry, bowing to my authority. ''You shouldn''t take Luna''s word for it, because it''s 90% made up of lies. ''It''s not true!I''m only adapting 80% of it! Do you realize that? Hmmm, Sora and Luna are interesting. I heard such a voice from the slow walking carriage. As an escort, Sola and Luna are allowed to sit with Sarya-sama''s carriage. It seems that the ride in the royal family''s exclusive carriage is very comfortable, and Sora and Luna never got drunk. The carriage we were using followed behind them, and........ Kanade, Nina and Tina waited in the back of the pack. Me and Tania walked outside and served as an escort with the knights. ''''.........'''' Alec and the other three knights continue to walk in silence. He maintains an expressionless face, but the atmosphere is somewhat hard. Even though it is the order of the Lord, Sarya-sama........ I guess outsiders don''t think it''s fun to be part of an escort. Well, it can''t be helped. It''s like the three of us were told that there''s a lot of anxiety about just the three of us. I guess my pride was hurt. However, I couldn''t argue with that, because I was actually in a crisis... I guess I have no choice but to accept it, right? As for me, I''d like to be friends with them, since we''re going to be traveling together, even for a time... Hmm. My eyes met Alec''s and he blatantly looked away. It''s going to be hard to get along with him. He sighed secretly. ---------- As the sun was beginning to set, we decided to stop at a rest stop and not push ourselves. We built a fire and set up our tents.... Then, we lightly explored the surroundings. After confirming that no demons were nearby, I continued to prepare for the encampment once again. Alec and the other knights had also started preparing for the camp. They set up a luxurious tent. That would be Sarya-sama''s sleeping quarters. Soon, the preparations for the encampment were finished... We take turns eating. One of us will stand guard and.... The other side of the room is talking to Sarya-sama while we eat our food. It felt like escorting, or rather, entertaining, was part of the job description. ''Fuu.'' The time for a break arrives and I sit in one of the log chairs set up around the campfire. ''Next to you, if you don''t mind?'' As I was eating my hot soup and bread, Sarya-sama came over. I nodded, unable to say no, and sat down next to her. ''''Once again, thank you. Thank you for taking on my escort and helping me out. No. Anything we can do to help. ''''Hmph. You''re very kind, Rain, aren''t you? Is that so? ''You accepted my sudden request without a single uncomfortable look on your face, and you were as friendly as I asked you to be... isn''t that kind of sweet? If I nodded my head there, I''d be bragging about it, wouldn''t I? ''If you ask me, that''s true, phew. Lady Sarya seems to be enjoying herself very much. She seems to be enjoying herself so much that she can''t stop talking about such a trivial matter. I wonder if she usually lives in the confines of a royal family? So is it fun to be able to relax like this? Suddenly, I think about that. ''Can you tell me a story about an adventurer?'' Okay. I''ve encountered many incidents in my life. I slowly and carefully talk about each one of them. ''''Well that''s why I had to fight those people who were stealing from the mine. Was it hard for you? ''''That''s right. The enemy was using demons, and there were some dangerous moments... but thanks to our friends, we were able to overcome them. Isn''t that in your power, Miss Lane? No, I didn''t. If I was alone, I would have been unable to do anything about it, and I would have lost. I see..... Sarya-sama suddenly smiled. She sends us a gaze that seems to be looking at something dazzling. ''''I''m jealous.'''' Jealous? ''I don''t have anyone I can call a companion that I can trust... if I have one. That''s what I''m thinking about when I hear you talk about Rain-san. Is Lady Sarya lonely because she is a princess? "What about this knight named Alec? ''Alec has helped me a lot but I have to admit, I''m not very good with him. "Hmm. ''I don''t mean to demean him, but sometimes the way he looks at me is so cold that I don''t know what he''s thinking. Well...... Apparently, Lady Sarya has a good eye for people. And very clever. ''I''m sorry, I''m afraid I''m going to have to bore you. No, I don''t mind. You''ve given me a lot of confidence. ''What?What does that mean... Can I ask you a few questions? Yes...? I softly whispered in her ear to Sarya who looked at me curiously. At first, Sarya seemed to be wondering about it, but.... His face changes to one of surprise as he hears me speak. ''''It''s... no way...'''' I''m not sure yet. It''s more like 50-50. But since we can''t leave it alone I''d like to set a little trap for you. If I''m right, I think we''ll make a move tonight... so will you cooperate? ...Okay. I''ll leave it up to Miss Lane. 220-Episode 220: Betrayal Night. In the sleeping quarters specially set up for her, Sarya sleeps peacefully. She was wrapped in a soft duvet and warm blankets. Her sleeping form was like a child, and the blanket was covered up to her head. ''''........'''' There was a figure invading the sleeping quarters without a sound. The figure slowly approached Sarya as if to blend in with the darkness. The figure slowly drew its sword. It pointed its blade at Sarya........ Swing it down with a bang! Kink! What...? The blade sliced through the blanket, but it didn''t reach deep into it. It popped, as if it had hit something hard. The figure''s hand seemed to go numb and the figure held it back. ''That''s enough.'' Instantly, a light ball was born in the tent. The light illuminated the inside of the tent, revealing the figure of a human shadow. That figure was ........a knight Alec. ---------- All of a sudden, Alec seemed upset. Well, it was a natural reaction. I was about to assassinate the princess, and somehow, I showed up. "You, why are you here... I thought it was weird, so I staked it out. I found it strange to listen to Sarya. Traveling with only a minimal amount of bodyguards to keep a low profile on highly sensitive official business. That in itself is not understandable. What''s strange is the ability of the knights in the escort. Since they have to protect the princess with a small number of people, they must be capable of a single rider. However, Alec and the others were struggling to the extent of an ogre. I thought they weren''t strong enough........ For that matter, he was not intimidated by the chi that Kanade and Tania emitted, and he was unfazed by it. There was no problem in judging them to be reasonably competent. If that was the case, why were they struggling against the ogre? What if the original goal was to dare to invite the demons to attack and target Sarya? We don''t know Alec and his friends'' motives, but it makes sense when you think about it. Of course, I have no proof. It could be that I''m thinking too much. It''s just that after that, I asked Lady Sarya about the knights. They''ve seen the same thing happen a few times. The discomfort grows and turns into suspicion. However, there is no proof. Even if I questioned him, he would be deceived. So, I decided to set a trap. If I''m right, then........ With the addition of us as companions, Alec and the others must be getting impatient. Then they will move quickly. And then they will think of something to pin the blame on us. That''s why I decided to keep an eye on Lady Sarya''s sleeping quarters. Of course, we would not want to put Lady Sarya in danger. "Hmph, I have witnessed your misdeeds with my own clarity! Luna appeared, splashing off the blanket. She had asked Sarya-sama to take over her bed for her. The sword was protected by magic, so it was completely unharmed. ''''Kut........you guys.......! ''''I was going to keep trapping you all the way to King''s Landing for a few days but you''re lucky to catch it on the first day. No........I didn''t want a knight to try to kill the princess, so should I call it unlucky? Where is the Third Princess? No, of course not. He was probably waiting for the numbness in his hands to subside. Alec charged in silently. ''Lane!'' Luna exclaims impatiently, but that''s called being too attentive. ''Phew!'' Alec swung his sword down. He slammed a kick at the hand holding the sword. ''''Gah!'''' The feeling of crushing the bones of my fingers can be felt on the soles of my feet. Still, as expected of a knight, I should say. Alec''s face is twisted in pain, but he doesn''t throw out his sword, but he forcefully grasps it and fires a second blow. His sword muscles are lightly slowed down, but his speed has not diminished as if. This must be Alec''s true power. If he had this much power, he could have kicked an orc to the curb by himself. But......... "Earthbound! Geez.........what is this? Luna''s magic burst out and blocked Alec''s movements. It was the magic of Luna of the spirit race. As expected, Alec couldn''t resist this and gave up on resisting. ---------- Thanks for your help. I captured two other knights We also searched the surroundings just in case, and once we were safe, we went to the carriage we would use. Sarya-sama appeared from the back of that cart. She had asked us to take refuge here while she was having an exchange with Alec. Of course, I wasn''t alone, I had Kanade, Tania, and Nina stay with me. Tina captured the other two knights. Sola used her magic and had Alec record the attack on Lady Salya. ''How are the knights doing?'' We''re throwing them in a place where they can never escape. You can''t escape, okay? Nina, who was listening to the conversation nearby, said proudly. Alec and the other knights threw them into Nina''s sub-space. It seems that Nina has grown up in many ways lately, so storing three people in it is not a problem. There is no light, no sound, not even the passage of time. It might be terrible to be held in such a space, but....... You''re dealing with a major criminal who tried to assassinate the princess. He wouldn''t have to worry about his safety. Shall we talk? No, that won''t be necessary. Doesn''t it bother you why he did that? I kind of have an idea. Sarya-sama then made a sad face. Although she said it was predictable, but, after all, she must be in shock. Words of envy for me having a trusted companion........ Maybe Sarya-sama doesn''t have anyone like that. Maybe that''s why she said that. When I thought of that, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of pity. ''''To be honest, I expected this time to happen, to a certain extent. So I asked Mr. Rayne and the others.......to protect myself in my own way. It made a lot of sense. No matter how much, you wouldn''t normally ask someone you just met to be your escort... He won''t even reveal his own identity. Is it because you had suspicions about Alec and the others from the beginning that''s why you did what you did? It seems that Sarya-sama is a lot smarter than I thought. ''''What do we do now?'''' ''I must return to King''s Landing and inform the king of what has happened. I apologize for the inconvenience, but could you ask for my escort as it is? Of course you don''t mind. Thank you. They bow down to us and we are afraid of them. This is how you can bow to your people. To target such a princess.......what kind of an agenda is involved? Maybe I shouldn''t be bothered, but.... Still, I couldn''t help but think about it. 221-Episode 221: Face-to-face with the King After that, the journey went on without any problems... As planned, they arrived at the royal capital five days later. The royal capital was many times larger than Horizon, and the entire perimeter of the city was surrounded by high stone walls. There are entrances in places, and they are checked by knights every step of the way to prevent suspicious people from entering the city. We entered the royal capital through the royal family''s own doorway. We were able to enter the capital without much inspection, thanks to Sarya''s face pass. We are thankful for this. We went to the castle with Sarya. The royal castle is located in the center of the capital, protected by walls and gates that are even higher than the city''s outer walls. There is one entrance and exit, and a large number of knights are always stationed there. So the protection is called an iron wall. Thanks to Sarya-sama, I was able to get inside easily here too. Seeing Kanade and Tania, the knights were wondering what was going on.... Nevertheless, I was able to enter the royal castle with only a light check. Once again, I realized that Sarya-sama was a princess. Even though she is the third princess, her power is very great. First of all, I was led to the guest room, where we parted ways with Sarya. It seems that she will talk to the king, and he wants me to wait here until then. Wow, what a great room! Isn''t this room alone as big as our house? I should say that''s as good as it gets. Kanade and Tania were strolling through the drawing room without fear. They let out a strange snorting sound as they looked at the finely crafted furniture and furnishings. I, on the other hand, wasn''t as free as the girls... ''Oh?Lane, what''s going on?You look kind of weird. Are you nervous, by any chance? Sola and Luna noticed me and called out to me. ''I''ve never seen Lane so nervous before. You know I get nervous sometimes, too. He even followed me into the royal castle to thank me for helping him... I hadn''t expected to meet with the king. I had thought that Sarya would thank me and that would be the end of it, but....... ''As royalty, we can''t do anything so appropriate,'' he objected, ''and we''re going to get the word directly from the king. It makes me sick to my stomach. I didn''t even ask for that, though.... Well, it can''t be helped. If you have helped the princess, as the king who rules the country, you can''t afford not to say a few words. ''I rather think it''s only natural. I wondered if Rain had thought that far ahead and saved that princess. I''m sorry for helping you without any particular thought. Hmm ... don''t I think Rain did a good thing ... That''s why. The fact that he doesn''t think about his future is a bit of a reflection on him, but still, the fact that he can help people without hesitation is a good thing about Rain''s husband. Nina and Tina followed up with that. ''Excuse me,'' There was a knock on the door and a knight appeared. ''You are ready now, please come to the audience chamber. It''s time. Nervously, I left the drawing room. ---------- Heads up. Our heads were down, and we looked up softly at the king''s words. We saw the Lord of this continent, Argus Van Lollies, the ruler of this continent. He is said to be over sixty years old, but the supremacy he wears is not that of an old man. He is a warrior of successive battles, and when you face him like this, you can even feel the pressure. The king sat on his throne and next to him was Sarya-sama. Unlike when she was traveling, she was adorned with dresses and jewelry. She''s so beautiful that you can''t help but admire her. ''Sarya told me about you. I heard that you not only saved me from the demons, but also helped me capture the disloyal ones?You''re welcome. Ha, that''s too good to be true. He bowed his head in response to the king''s words. Everyone else bowed their heads as well, as if to imitate it. I was worried that Kanade and Tania and others would say, "I don''t know anything about human etiquette..." but... They weren''t, and they were properly polite. ''Thanks to you, I was able to flush out the disloyal person sooner than I expected. We''ve accomplished our goal. You deserve a reward. What would you like? I learned something that stuck with the king''s words. Reveal?Purpose? Think about what that word means... Not long after, I arrived at an assumption. Maybe it''s just my imagination, but.... But strangely enough, it didn''t feel wrong. I felt like this was the right answer. If that''s the case, then I''m........ In lieu of a reward, may I ask you one question? Yeah?What is it? ''Could it be that the king was aware that there were people in Lady Sarya''s vicinity who were after him? "Law. The king looked like he had found something interesting. Everyone was behind him, so he couldn''t see their faces, but he could feel the atmosphere of surprise. Sarya-sama.....carried a quiet smile. ''Do you mean to say that this me, daring to have someone who wanted my daughter as a guard.......? Yes, sir. Hmm, let me assure you. What makes you think that? It''s... Lady Sarya has to leave the castle with only a few guards due to highly sensitive official business. An assassin has been chosen as that bodyguard, an assassin who aims to kill Lady Sarya. And it''s not just one assassin........all of them. How much of a coincidence is this possible? But the king is not an incompetent one. He is a wise and strong man, as you can see when you meet him like this. A man like that would never choose an assassin to protect his daughter. But what if he did dare choose an assassin? What if he was deliberately letting the assassin, who is cautious and doesn''t let him grab his tail easily, have the perfect opportunity to swim on purpose? It makes sense. So, this king.... He was trying to use his own daughter as bait to flush out the treacherous people who were nesting in the country. Perhaps the plan was to rescue Sarya-sama from somewhere and round her up, even if I didn''t go in to help. ''Hmm, I see. When I told him what I thought, the king laughed lightly. Even at a time like this, he seemed to be enjoying himself. ''''You, you would do such a thing to the king...! Do you wish to be beheaded for being so rude? The king''s entourage shouted, but it wasn''t me who was frightened by it. ''It''s an interesting idea. No flaws. But you have no proof, do you? Yes, I have no proof. But would a would-be king dodge a charge? "Hmm. If I''m delusional, I''ll pay with my life. But if I''m not... Then what? Please apologize to Lady Sarya. .... The king''s eyes roll back. ''''Perhaps Sarya-sama was aware of this strategy. Otherwise, he wouldn''t be able to respond flexibly. But........I don''t think it''s permissible for a parent to take advantage of a child, even if it''s for the sake of the country. Don''t tell me, kid. The pressure gets stronger. It''s as if I''m facing the strongest species. Still, I don''t stop speaking. ''Even if Sarya-sama was aware.....there must have been some thoughts. Even if your body wasn''t hurt, your heart must have been hurt. So please apologize. That''s the reward I want. d*mn it... Good. An aide tried to step forward, perhaps to have me beheaded, but the king stopped him. The king stared at me... Eventually, he laughs vigorously. "Haha, very funny. Very funny. It''s been a long time since I''ve felt this good about myself that I''ve felt this good about myself. Father...? ''Sarya, these adventurers you have brought with you are very interesting. I''m not sure what''s going on here, but... I was ready to say my head, but he liked it the other way around. The king laughed happily for a moment. Then he stood up from his throne and bowed his head towards Sarya. ''I''m sorry, Sarya,'' Father...! If I can make myself useful for my country, I''ll be happy to help. ''You''re growing up to be a good princess. But you''re too good a girl to be spoiled. What I have done is just as wrong as the adventurer says. I had to expose the transgressor as soon as possible in order to protect the others, so I carried out this plan, but it could have been done better. I regret that. Father.... It seems that Sarya had her own thoughts. Hearing the king''s apology, Sarya seemed happy. Well..... The king sat on his throne again and looked at me. ''Is that all right?I''m an adventurer. Yes, I''m sorry. Good. I am grateful to you for this opportunity. Therefore, there is no punishment for you. You understand? The king said this to his entourage, as if to remind them. ''You may stay at the castle tonight. I want to reiterate my thanks for helping Salya. Yes. Then I''ll take you up on your offer. ''Oh, by the way I forgot to ask you your name. Oh, excuse me. My name is Lane Shroud. The moment he uttered his name, the king''s face changed. 222-Chapter 222: Banquet ''Rain the shroud?Shroud, did you say? Yes, yes, but...? The king seemed surprised, and the emotion of upset was on his face. Why did he look like that? Father? Um ... well ... it''s nothing. Under Sarya-sama''s curious gaze, the king regained his quiet expression. ''Then I shall have the cooks do their best for my daughter''s benefactor this evening. Sarya. Send the shrouds to the drawing room. You, too, have a lot to talk about, don''t you? Yes. Thank you, Father. Now, Mr. Lane, come here. ''Oh, yeah...'' Although I noticed the king staring at me... This time, he didn''t seem to be able to answer any questions I asked him. Thinking that there was no point in talking to him now, he bowed and left the audience room. ---------- Night. A banquet was held for us. The king said it was a small one, but.... The table was filled with the most gorgeous food I''ve ever seen. There were also mellow wines and seasonal fruits. There were also desserts such as cakes and baked goods, and it was quite perfect. Since this is a modest sum, I wonder what kind of a serious banquet it must be? ''Huggy huggy!Ammo! Snap! Kanade and Luna were eating their food with great vigor. They were eating as fast as they could, even with this. It seems that they were completely enthralled by the food of the royal family, and even a heart mark appeared in their eyes. Nyaa~ Every single one of them is delicious and I''m so happy. ''I must have a lot of food!Also, I''ll have to ask if I can take it home! Luna, you''re so despicable. Sora chastises her, but Luna''s hands do not stop. In fact, they are accelerating. "We may never have another opportunity to eat this kind of food. Then we have to eat as much as we can while we can. Oh dear... Even though she looked dumbfounded, Sora was also serving up a plate full of food. The pace of their eating is slow, but their appetite is endless. Seeing these gourmands, Tania ate the meat with a dumbfounded look on her face. ''''You should have eaten a little more calmly........mugging. Oh, Nina. It''s got sauce on it.'''' Huh?Hmmm........did you get it? Not yet. Stay put. I''ll take it from here. Tina''s small body floats softly and wipes the sauce from Nina''s mouth. It''s nighttime now, and since it''s indoors here, Tina can act as a spirit body... The picture of a ghost wandering around the royal castle is not a good one, so I decided to use a doll''s body. "Hoi, I got it! Thanks. ''Nina''s cute, so don''t try to put sauce on her or imitate her like Canade. I don''t think I''m going to be a pretty girl... She''s already refraining from being weird. Nina''s so cute. She''s so cute, you can''t help but stroke her. Awwww. Nina, who wasn''t used to being praised, blushed and was embarrassed. Such a gesture was cute too, so she was praised even more.... An unfamiliar cycle was complete. ''''.........'''' I was slowly eating my food as I watched everyone else. By chance, I became acquainted with the princess and met the king. You never know what''s going to happen in life," he said. "Miss Lane. When she called out to me, I turned around and saw Sarya-sama. She looked as if she was glittering in a gorgeous dress. I didn''t know that just one piece of clothing could make such an impression. Are you enjoying it? ''Yes, it''s more than enough. Everyone seems to be getting a good break from it too... thank you. ''No. I''m glad I could repay you in some small way. Sarya-sama says with her hand on her chest as she recalls the events during the journey. ''Thanks to Mr. Lane, we were able to successfully accomplish our objective. Once again, I want to thank you for your help. The goal is to catch those knights, right? Yes, I know. .... How can I help you? ''''No it''s hard to be royalty that you have to go through all that,'''' ''''Hmph, I don''t always do that though. However, there was a possibility that it could become a serious problem if I left it like that, so I decided to pick out the danger beforehand. I''m low on inheritance rights, so it''s the least I can do. So you have a plan? ''''Well I''d be lying if I said I didn''t. I wish that I could be of use to my country, but I''m not a saint, so I have my own thoughts. So I was glad to hear Rain-san say that when he met the king face to face. Half the time, I was cringing. ''''Uh ... sorry. I''m rather an emotionally driven type, so I just can''t help it. Hmm, you''re a funny guy, Miss Lane. Sarya-sama chuckles. I could see the familiarity of her face towards me. Apparently, she liked me. Maybe she''s the type that isn''t around, so she''s a rarity. ''Hmm. You seem to get along well with my daughter. This time the king appeared. I was about to bow my head in a hurry, but he stopped me with his hand. Good," he said, "this evening''s banquet is for you. "Good," he said, "I have thrown this evening''s banquet for you. What good is it to you if I let you worry about it? ''This is what my father has said, and I hope you don''t mind, Rain. For now, I thought I could forget that my father is a king. That''s not easy to say, but I understand. If that''s what they want, they won''t be any more cocky than they need to be. ...It''s okay, right? Did Sarya like the shroud? ''Yes. I''d like you to be my friend. Oh, no, I''m afraid... Hmm. You mean Sarya isn''t enough? ''What?I didn''t mean to... Ha ha ha, just kidding. Don''t pale in the face. Does this man know his place...? I can''t take it as a joke, though. It''s heartbreaking anyway. If I could, I''d get out of here, but The king just keeps staring at me. He wanted to talk to me. "Sarya," he said. I''d appreciate it if you could give me a moment alone with the Shroud. Are you going to keep Miss Lane all to yourself? I told you I''m sorry. I''ll pay you back. Then you can talk to me all you want. If that''s the case. The conversation is going on on its own without me. Well, I''m enjoying talking to Sarya-sama, so I''m not going to object to it. Well would you like to get some air from the night breeze? The king invited me out to the terrace. A pleasant night breeze blew and stroked my hair. ''Now the others won''t have to listen to me. Is this confidential? Yes. What in the world will we talk about? Since the other party is a king, I can''t help but feel defensive. ''''Well I would like to ask you a few questions first. Shroud. Are you from the southern continent? ''What?Yes, sir, I do. Are you from the Beast Tamer Village, as they call it? How did you know about...? Surprised, the king gave him a look of approval. ''After all, huh ... that name is not false? What do you mean? In conclusion, you have the blood of a god flowing through you. That means you have the right to call yourself a hero. 223-Episode 223 Blood Line ...What? I can''t understand what was said and I can''t help but ask him back. The king does not seem to care about such rudeness and continues to speak. You know that he who has the blood of a god becomes a brave man, don''t you? Yes, yes.... "A brave man is the trump card against the Demon King. We cannot afford to lose them. That''s why so many branches of the family were created and their blood divided. Did you know this? No, no I haven''t heard of it. I suppose. If it becomes known that there is more than one person with divine blood there may be some who come up with the unthinkable. For example, they might claim that they are the true heroes. In order to avoid such confusion, this matter was to be strictly controlled. The fact that there is more than one person with divine blood is something only the head of the branch family knows about. Why are you telling me this? I had a certain premonition. I already understood what the king was trying to say. Still, I dared to ask. ''''There was a branch family in the Beast Tamer''s village as well. Its name is ... the Shroud. Your House.'''' What? After listening to the story so far, it was somewhat predictable, but.... Still, when I was actually told that, I was shocked. I''m God''s blood...? No one told me anything about it. Not my father and mother, not the people in the village, not anyone.... ''Is that true?There must be some mistake... ''I was doubtful at first. It was too good to be true, the fact that there was a survivor of a branch of a long-defunct family was too good to be true. But the more I investigated you, the more I became convinced of my suspicions. .... It goes beyond just being a beast tamer and uses multiple powerful species. Not only can you use the most powerful species, but you can also use ghosts and other insects. We will expose the injustice of the Horizon lords and accomplish the defeat of the demons that rampaged through the southern continent. You''ve been doing a lot of research, haven''t you? I''m sorry. It''s not as if your intention was to go through all these hoops to get to the royal family. Also, since I recognized the name Shroud, I had to do some research. How could you do that in such a short time? We''ve got the best people in the world at Wangcheng. The king smiled fearlessly. ''My research into you has convinced me that you are a survivor of a branch family. You are a survivor of a branch of your family, and you have divine blood in your veins. It''s... It doesn''t feel real to me to be told that out of the blue. It''s obvious. Even if I was suddenly told that I''m qualified to be a brave person, I never thought about that. But.........there was a part of me that was convinced. At first I thought it was obvious but........ As everyone says, my power as a Beast Tamer is far beyond the normal range. Not only that, but my growth rate is also outstanding. If the reason is that I have the blood of a god, then it makes sense. It explains a lot of things. ''''You are also a brave man. I''m ... the hero... I still can''t feel it. "...What does the king want from me? Not now. The king looked up at the night sky. What was reflected in his eyes? Only he knows that. ''''Arios was chosen as a brave man because, most of all, his blood is thick. The thicker the blood, the stronger the power. With this in mind, I made Arios a brave man. But........aside from his power, I''m not sure if his heart is worthy of being a brave man. Well, it''s just like that. I can''t find a single word to defend him. ''If something happens in the future that shakes things up in a big way then I may seek a brave man to replace Arios. Is that what I am? ''I''d like to add it to my list of candidates. Without mincing words, it''s a backup. ''Straight to the point...'' ''There''s no point in mincing words. Besides, I''ve decided that it''s better to hit you straight on, instead of trying to cover it up. He is a good judge of character. "When the time comes, I''ll need you to help me. How''s that?Can you help me? It''s very selfish of me. The other party is a king, but those words come out of my mouth. Carrying Arios as a brave man........ As soon as it goes bad, they turn to others. I don''t think it''s fair to say that it''s selfish. ''I will do whatever it takes to protect this country. That''s what being a king is all about. .... ''Well, if you ask me yourself, I don''t have to give you a quick answer. I''m going to rely on Arios for the time being. As for anything else, I haven''t really thought about it in earnest yet. So that means you''re thinking about it somewhat. ''Just keep it in a corner of your mind. Just remind yourself of it from time to time and think about it. And if you can...I hope you''ll be prepared for the moment of need. I don''t know if I''ll be able to meet your expectations? "You are a ''good'' man. I believe you would never abandon your people. It was a cowardly thing to say. ---------- The party went on late into the night The party ended when everyone was drunk. Kanade, Tania, Sora, and Luna, who seemed to have been drinking heavily, blushed, and fell asleep as soon as they got into bed. Nina, still a child, didn''t drink, but she ate a lot and got sleepy, so she also went to bed quickly. Tina couldn''t eat the food, but she seemed to be drunk from the atmosphere and went to bed as well. ''Fuu,'' After putting everyone to bed, I leave the room. As expected, the rooms are separated by gender. I''m supposed to use the room next to mine. "......... I just didn''t feel like going to bed right away, so I went down to the courtyard. It''s a very large courtyard. Lots of greenery and flowers are in bloom, and a small river has been created. Out of nowhere you can hear insects buzzing and nature playing in the background. ''How can I help you?'' I turned around and saw Sarya-sama. She was wearing pajamas, not the dress she wore at the banquet. Is it okay to see the princess in her pajamas? I hesitated, but decided that since Sarya-sama was imposing, it must not be a problem. ''I''m going to catch a bit of a night breeze.'' Can''t you sleep? ''Well I''ve got a lot to think about,'' Is that related to the conversation you had with my father? ''You''re very perceptive. Perhaps you can read people''s minds? Hmmm, I don''t know. Sarya-sama smiles mischievously. She seems to have a surprisingly mischievous personality. What did my father say to you, my dear?Did he ask you to do something that would get Miss Lane in trouble, or something like that? Well ... sort of. I was told not to mention the blood flowing inside me, so I blurted it out appropriately. ''Well I''m sorry, I think my father said something reckless. Oh, no. I don''t think Lady Sarya cares about... ''Because my father''s problems are also my problems. If there''s anything I can do to help, please let me know. Dear Sarya... ''Of course, even if my father isn''t involved, if you have a problem, just let me know. I''ll help you if I can. I haven''t yet repaid Mr. Lane for his kindness, you know. Thank you. I''ll be there for you when you need it. Yeah, you can count on it. The blood in me.... And of the promise made to Lady Sarya.... A lot of things have happened since I came to this royal city. Maybe this is the turning point in my life. What will I do in the future? I look up at the night sky and think about it, but I can''t find the answer. 224-Episode 224: Malicious Inflation After accomplishing their mission of defeating the chimera nesting around King''s Landing, Arios and his men returned. People cheered when they saw Arios and the others. In Horizon, the name of the brave has fallen to the ground, but... That''s not the case in King''s Landing. The hope of mankind. The savior who would defeat the Demon King. He was treated as such and had the support of many people. Although some information about the city of Horizon is coming in........ No one is taking it seriously, as it''s a distant city, so the facts must have been distorted, and no one is taking it seriously. ''Sigh, I''m tired. It''s been a long time since I''ve been on such a nasty mission to kill a chimera. Hey, hey, we don''t have to do this anymore, do we?It won''t be another day tomorrow, will it? Leanne sighed with a weary look on her face. She hates the idea of hardship because she really wants money, honor, and status for fun, and she hates the idea of hard work. ''What about tomorrow ... what about tomorrow?We may have a mission to do, but we can''t be more picky. Right now, we have to regain our reputation, and besides, we have to be strong. Mina is a priest raised in the church, so she serves both Arios and the country. Therefore, they don''t find the duties given to them to be a hassle. However, in a fundamental way, they only have their own interests in mind, and in a way they were similar to Lean. Aggus asks Monica, ''What do you think of that area? ''What''s going on in that area?Is there another mission tomorrow? ''''Well I can''t say for sure until I get back to the royal castle and check it out, but I''m sure it''s probably not there. We''ve been doing nothing but missions lately, you know. As expected, I need to take a break once in a while. Well, that helps. Yay, the first day off in ages!Hey, hey, you''re doing all these missions, so of course you''re going to get paid, right? ''Yes, I hope that''s not a problem. From what I can tell, you''re all doing your duty well, and there''s nothing to stop you from getting paid. ''Hmmm, what shall I buy?Maybe I should look around for an accessory or something.Mina, do you want to watch it with me? ''I''m not interested in that sort of thing...'' You''re a girl, you should learn to dress up. You are a girl, you should learn how to dress up. I''ll show you how to dress up. Well I''ll leave you to it. What about Monica?Do you want to join me? ''Excuse me. I appreciate the invitation, but I have a few things to do... Well, if that''s the case, then I''ll have to do it. Well, okay. I''ll go have fun with Monica. I hope you have plenty of nourishment. Yeah, I''m going to do that. Over the past few days, Leanne, Mina and Aggus have become completely comfortable with Monica. Arios, on the other hand.... Tsk. He keeps his friends at a distance and spends a lot of time alone. How could a knight sent by his country be at the center of the party instead of himself... It''s not a very pleasant story. It''s a party formed for me. Hence, I have to be the center of it. Despite these childish thoughts, Monica''s personality is vastly superior to Arios'', and her friends get to know her better. All Arios can do is sullenly keep his distance. It''s like a child''s rebellion. It was a laughingstock, but she didn''t have the time to be aware of it. ---------- The next day. As Monica had said, no new assignments were coming down, and Arios and the others were given their first vacation in a long time. Mina was taken by Leanne to go shopping. Aggus seemed to enjoy a meal and went out to the castle town as well. Arios wasn''t in the mood to go out and was relaxing in his room at the inn. He sat on the couch and read a book. ''''Excuse me.'''' Monica. As we were having a peaceful moment, an intruder appeared. It''s Monica. I thought you said you had something to do, so why are you here? When Arios gives her a quizzical look, Monica smiles softly in answer to her question. ''''My business is........to talk to you, Arios-sama. Talk? ''Maybe it''s just my imagination, but I feel like Arios-sama is avoiding me...'' You''re right. I''m avoiding you. Why? You don''t get to be friends with the watcher. ''''I don''t mean to keep an eye on Arios-sama... but I can''t blame you for thinking that. In fact, I have been told to report Alios-sama''s actions to the king. I don''t know. You think I''m gonna be friends with that guy?I can''t answer that, man. Arios waved his hand as if to tell us to leave... Monica ignored it and sat down next to Arios. Then she pulled her alluring body closer to Arios. ''I''m so sorry. I''m afraid I''ve misled you.'' "A mistake? ''Indeed, I may be keeping an eye on Arios-sama. But that''s only because it''s my duty... and I don''t want to do that myself. I don''t know. ''''I admire you, Arios-sama. I think he''s a wonderful person as a brave man. And I also find him attractive as a member of the opposite s*x. Monica whispered sweet nothings as she pressed her body against him. Arios raised an eyebrow but.... The sullen look on his face had faded slightly. Although I was loosely aware of the fact that he was a watchman sent by the government, but....... Without that, Monica is an immensely beautiful woman. She has a personality that makes a man stand up for himself, and her style is perfect. I don''t feel bad about being wooed. However, Arios is not so stupid as to take the bait with a whimper. Once, I keep my distance. If you want to talk to me, that''s fine. If you want to talk to me, fine, but if you''re going to talk like that, I won''t join you, will I? ''It''s a story of great interest to you, Arios, but it''s a difficult question. ''If you don''t have a story, get out of the room now. Or do you think you have a story that I would bite on?If that''s what you''re talking about, though, I don''t mind talking to you. Yes. Monica answered immediately. She opened her mouth with a smirk. ''Lane Shroud,'' What? You were once a member of Master Arios'' party, weren''t you? Where did you hear about Lane... ''I''m an elite, despite my appearance. I have a lot of good subordinates, so I''m very good at gathering information. What are you going to do with all this talk about him? I thought you might be interested. .... Arios doesn''t deny it. That''s what I mean. "According to my research... Monica smiled and told him about Rayne. That he was called the ''Hero of Horizon''. That he had taken the five most powerful species into his party, and also added a ghost to his party. Having defeated a demon, he was promoted to a B rank. You rescued the princess and made a connection. The events that happened are told in order. However......... If he told her that, Arios would certainly go off the rails. That would be an interesting thing to do........ But now was not the time. Monica explained, thinking about that, except for one point. ''Ridiculous.........It''s impossible for that useless person to be that upstanding. That''s impossible.............I mean, it can''t be! Arios shivered wanly when he heard about Rain''s activities. You''re useless. You''re a failure. And yet you''re more active than you are... I can''t forgive you! It''s an extremely selfish thought, but there''s no one to point it out. Dark emotions swell within Arios. ''''I think Arios-sama is right, too. The Rain Shroud has indeed set forth a number of achievements. However, he lacks this thing called dignity. I think the word ''hero'' is more appropriate for Arios, who is of God''s blood. ''What, you know what I''m talking about. Well I''m better than that scum. He''s just a beast-tamer and I''m a brave man I''m better than him, of course. Yes, of course. That''s exactly what it sounds like. Monica smiled gently and lifted Arios up incessantly. Arios in his calmest moments might have noticed the distorted emotions behind Monica''s smile, but... The current Arios had lost his composure after being brought up about Rain. As Monica lifted him up and guided him........ The thought that you are the one who is superior is tainted by the thought that you are the one who is superior. And yet........that Rain guy is in the capital? What is he planning to do this time? I understand you''re planning to take the exam for promotion to Grade A. Oh, I see... ''If Lane Shroud passes the test it''s not going to be interesting. According to current records, the youngest A-rank in history is 21 years old. However, if Lane Shroud passes, that record will be broken in a big way. People might even applaud him. People might think he''s the second most courageous person in the world. ''Silly!I''m the only one brave enough to do it!That guy can''t be a hero! ''Yes, that''s right. There is only one brave man, Arios-sama. That was just an example, so don''t worry too much about it. However, I was concerned that it might turn out to be a reality if it continues... What''s your point? Would you like to eliminate it? He said it so easily that Arios was surprised. Monica continued to speak as if to tell him the obvious. ''Let''s get rid of anyone who would stand in Arios-sama''s way. ''Is it okay for you to talk about such things?Aren''t you keeping an eye on me to prevent me from doing that? ''''That''s also a mission.......but I''m thinking of Alios-sama first. That is why I cannot allow the Rain Shroud to bother Lord Arios. ''''Huh hahaha, what the hell!You know the story. Arios, feeling better about Monica''s words, let out a laugh. I thought she was an enemy but.......no. This woman is an ally. She''s a being who follows her. She is a pawn who can be treated as she pleases, just like Aggus, Mina and Lean. Recognizing this, Arios gives a twisted smile. ''Interesting story. I''d like to hear more about it, wouldn''t you?Of course you''re planning ahead, aren''t you? ''The details need to be fleshed out, but the basics are already in place.'' All right. Why don''t we do you a favor? You''re right. This Lane guy is a problem. I''ve been wanting to do something about it for a long time. If it''s possible, it''s worth taking you up on your offer. ''Call me Monica, not you............................hmmm. 225-Episode 225: The Morning of the Royal Capital After receiving hospitality for rescuing Sarya, Rain and the others went straight to their rooms in the royal castle. One room per person. Moreover, the room is several times larger than an ordinary inn. As expected of a royal castle. It was luxurious. But sometimes that luxury was the enemy. Alone in a large room........not just the pleasure of using a large space for luxury, but also the strong sense of being alone. There''s no way the still young Nina can endure such loneliness....... Nina had sneaked into Rain''s room and crawled straight into bed. She curled up in a ball and lay down with Rain. Rain was Rain, still asleep, and she didn''t even know it. It was because she had been thinking late last night and had fallen asleep too late. ''Nya ... Nina, she''s at Rain''s again. This child is an unexpected ambush? There were two shadows staring at Rain and Nina. They were Kanade and Tania. Let''s get Rain up. If I can, I''ll see her sleeping face. Two of the strongest species of love brains thought about such things. Apparently thinking the same thing, Kanade and Tania met in front of Rain''s room. At first, it was their job to wake Rain up! However, it was not a good idea to fight here and cause rain by making loud noises and voices. Hence, the two decided to form an alliance and cause Rain together. And yet........ I didn''t think Nina, who is younger than us, had beaten us to it. Nope. I can''t believe she''s not only getting ahead of me, but she''s also sleeping with Rain. I''m so jealous! "Tania. What? What do I do with it? ...What should we do? I''m not jealous of Nina. But that''s what children do. If you''re angry because you''re jealous, you''re out as an adult. We should all be tolerant of each other. But I''m jealous. It''s not very mature to be jealous. I understand that, but I''m jealous. Reason and emotion don''t arrive at the same conclusion. ''Nyahhh ... oh, it just hit me! "I won''t tolerate you if it''s a boring idea, you color-blind cat. ''Colorblind!I don''t want Tania to tell me that.... So, what are you going to do? We''ll sleep with you! Kanade puffed out his chest and said with a smug look on his face. ''''Well sometimes Kanade looks like one hell of a big shot. Meow? But it''s not a bad idea. Yeah. We came to wake up Rain, but she didn''t get up very often, so we had to go with her and... well, that''s just the way it is. Yeah, yeah, it''s just the way it is. Well, I don''t want to do this, okay?But Kanade insists on it, and?And if I interrupt you, you''re going to cry?So I had no choice. ''It''s kind of being blamed on me and ... well, never mind. So, let''s get right to it... Oh, come on!I''m not going to run away. Kanade and Tania crawled into the bed and snuggled into Rain. The warmth of Kanade and Tania in addition to Nina''s fluffiness. As expected, it was hot, and Rain groaned as if she was having trouble sleeping. ''''Ugh, ugh...'''' Just keep on packing. Look, Kanade''s over there. You''ll fall off if you do that! Try not to be. How? What? ''The whole thing?And irresponsible! Uh-huh, and in the meantime, I''ve got Rain all to myself. Nya.........Tania is quite bold when Rain is asleep, isn''t she? Also, she''s very obedient. Shut up. I can''t help it. I''m not ashamed to say this while I''m awake. Well, that''s not hard to understand. ........and so on. While we were talking about this and that, Nina woke up with a squirm. ''''Huh........hmmm.......kanade?Tania? Oh, did I wake you up? No, no, Nina?This isn''t because I want to sleep with Rain, um, well... ...we''re all together. Heh, I''m glad. With a smile of 100% innocence, Nina hugs Kanade and Tania. As it was, she fell asleep again. ''''........Let''s just be quiet.'''' Well.... Kanade and Tania also hugged Nina... I went straight to sleep. By the way..... Naturally, Rain woke up afterwards and was surprised to find out what was going on... Sora, Luna and Tina were angry that they were left out. ---------- Morning. Before I knew it, Kanade, Tania, and Nina were crawling into bed, although there was a hiccup... We had breakfast and then decided to leave the castle. ''Are you going to leave now?I''m sorry. Sarya-sama had come to see me off a short distance after I entered the castle. It''s not something I would do to a mere adventurer... Does Lady Sarya know about my blood? And without knowing it, is it just good intentions? I can''t help but think about that. ''The exams are a bit further away, aren''t they?You should have stayed at the castle until the exam. No, that''s not exactly... We can''t use the royal castle as a lodging house. Maybe Sarya-sama and the king don''t care, but I do. ''''It''s a shame I would have liked to hear a lot more about you, Rain. Whenever you get a chance. It''s not like this is going to stop me from seeing you. ''That''s true, too. I''m looking forward to the next opportunity. Until then, I''ll beg the brave Lord to talk to you. ''Brave?Could it be that Arios is here...? Yes. I''ve been staying in King''s Landing for a little while now. Right now I''m at an inn in the castle town, but it looks like you''re visiting the castle regularly. ...I see. I''m glad we didn''t bump into each other. I don''t want to see Arios'' face and... Most of all, right now, there is the blood I was informed of last night. I don''t know what kind of face I should put on to talk to Arios. Well, maybe I don''t need to think that much about it with Arios. In the first place, we are not in a position to talk openly to each other. Well, we''d better get going. ''''Yes. Rain and the others are always welcome to come and visit us. Well yes, thank you. The Royal Castle is not a place you can go to easily... I chuckled inwardly, but I nodded, grateful for Sarya-sama''s favor. ''''See you later...'''' Bai Bai..... At Kanade and Nina''s friendly greeting, Lady Sarya smiled and waved her hand.... With that, we left the royal castle as we were seen off. Outside, we were surrounded by warm sunshine. The sky was blue with white clouds. The sun was peeking through the gaps and shining brightly today. ''This city is so vibrant,'' Sola says something like that when she looks at the surroundings. ''There were a lot of people in Horizon too but this place is so much more than that. Lots of people, lots of buildings, very interesting.'' Hmmm, not a bad place to be. Lain. I''m interested in the food of the capital. Do you have a stall?Can we go to the cafeteria? I''m sure there''s one if you look for it, but you just had breakfast, didn''t you? My stomach is the universe! How can they get so much in when they are so small? Is it a growing season? ''Sorry. We can tour King''s Landing, but before we do that, can I finish my original business? Hm?Is there going to be an exam already? ''The exams aren''t over yet. But I heard that registration has already started so I want to get it done as soon as possible just in case there''s a mistake or something. ''If that''s the case, it''s no use. Hurry to the Adventurer''s Guild. "Humph, don''t mock me. I''m growing every day! Oh no, Luna. Sola thinks lightly of you... We moved to the Adventurer''s Guild in King''s Landing while having a good time with everyone. The Adventurer''s Guild in the King''s Capital was several times larger than Horizon''s. As expected of the King''s Capital, I should say. I entered the building while feeling slightly nervous. And......... You.... Axe! Hi. It''s been a while. The old figure was there. 226-Episode 226: Awkward Reunion The construction of the guild is much the same as Horizon. There is a counter for reception, a bulletin board with a request list posted, and a place for adventurers to interact with each other. Although it''s larger than Horizon, and several times larger in size...the rest of the basic construction is the same. Axe and Cell were sitting in their chairs, talking to an unknown adventurer. Perhaps they were discussing a request. ''''Ah ... it''s been a while.'''' Yeah, I know. Awkward greetings are exchanged. Neither me nor Axe look at the other properly. They are lightly averting their gaze and looking awkward. ''Ooh, it''s Cell. It''s been a while...'''' How are you doing? Yes. I guess you don''t have to ask me about it. The ladies seem to be free of awkwardness and are happy to see each other again after a long time. Seeing such a partner, Axe panicked. ''''Oh, come on, Sel. Why are you being so friendly with me? ''Funny you should say that. It''s not normal to do this since you''ve met a familiar face. Or do you want me to make a bad face? I didn''t say that but, you know, me and Rain and the others... We had a falling out. Well, if you know what I''m talking about, why don''t you...? Oh Axe. Are you stupid? Cell says in a dumbfounded manner. The word seemed to be unexpectedly bearable, and Axe pulled a face. ''''We used to be at odds with each other, but now there''s no reason to be at odds with each other, right?We had fights, but that doesn''t mean we wanted to kill each other. Or is Axe never going to make up with someone he''s had a fight with for the rest of his life? ''Not really, but it''s just out of the blue. You can''t divide it up that easily. That''s because you''re a kid. So, does that mean I''m a kid in an awkward situation...? I wanted to ask her, but I didn''t want to because I was afraid she''d say, "You''re right. ''''I mean I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to interrupt the conversation. Cell apologized to the adventurer he was talking with. Like a good-natured person, he returned the smile. ''Don''t worry about it. From what I hear, you know each other, right?I''m going to go, so you might as well make some old friendships. Thank you. Hey, hey, I''m not... Well, I''ll see you about that later. The adventurer left the guild, leaving a smile on his face. ''''.........'''' .... Silence. They leave it up to me to talk to them, and they don''t say anything. The cell also doesn''t say anything, as it seems to have given Axe the lead in the conversation. "Uh ... how are you doing? I didn''t want to be silent the whole time, so I threw in some safe words. ''Well. How about you? You see? ''You''re still the same harem.......d*mn it. If only I was surrounded by beautiful girls like that.... Oh, dear. If you''re not happy with me, you can dismiss me at any time, okay? ''I''m sorry, it was my fault, so please don''t say that! Axe was on his knees at the speed of light. ''I didn''t see how you just got down on your knees...'' That''s amazing ... that''s quite something to do. Kanade and Tania were shivering in a strange way. ''You look fine,'' ...and Rain and the others. We were finally able to smile at each other, if only briefly. Once I thought we''d lost touch, but.... It wasn''t like that and we were able to mingle again. Well, I don''t know if we''ll ever get along as well as we did when we were traveling together, just seeing each other... Still, I''m honestly glad to be able to talk to him again. ''Do you have time?Well we''ve got some time on our hands. I wouldn''t mind a little company. You''re a bit of a smartass, aren''t you? You''re a bit of a tantrum, aren''t you? Shut up! Axe blushed and shouted at Sora and Luna''s tweaks. We decided to accept Axe''s invitation and took our place at the table. By the way, since there were so many people, we decided to connect the two tables together. Once everyone was seated, Cell smiled softly. ''Once again ... it''s been a while. I''m glad to see you''re doing well. Looks like you two haven''t changed. Oh, does that mean you haven''t grown up? No, I don''t mean... has Cell gotten meaner? I''m just kidding. ...You guys are so close, aren''t you? Axe turned his zit eyes on me. ''''Cell''s smile is for me alone, guh! Who owns who? I''m sorry, I''m sorry I got carried away. Axe looks like he''s in agony. Perhaps he''s being trampled on. ''By the way, why did Rain and the others go to King''s Landing?Maybe he''s changed his base of operations? No, I''m not saying that. I just thought I''d take the test. Are you an "A" student? ''Yeah. After Axe and Cell left, there was a little incident in Horizon and once I solved it, I got promoted to a B rank. That''s when I heard about the A-rank promotion test, so. I see. It''s good, isn''t it?I think Rayne and the others will be accepted without a problem. But still........is this a fate? Yeah?What does that mean... Don''t tell. These things are more interesting if you don''t tell anyone. It sounds like there''s something going on, but Cell isn''t going to tell me. The kid looks like he''s planning a prank, so I guess that''s not a bad thing...but...hmmm...I''m curious. ---------- Well, we''ll be on our way. After talking for a while, Cell said and stood up. Axe follows suit and gets up from his seat. Before I knew it, about 30 minutes had passed. It looks like we''ve talked to each other unexpectedly. ''''I''ll see you again if you like. Here''s the contact information for the inn we''re staying at. Thank you. We haven''t found a place to stay yet, so I''ll let you know when we do. I''ll be waiting. Come on, let''s go, Axe. I know. But first... uh, Rain. Yeah? I''ll see you later. Yeah, again. Aside from Cell, there is still some awkwardness with Axe. Still, we''re getting closer and closer. ''Rain, you look happy.'' Really? Yeah. I''m smiling at you. ''''Well yes. I''m glad to hear it. Because at one time I thought I was completely out of touch with both of them. I''m thankful for the fate that didn''t happen. ''''Well let''s do what we have to do. "It''s a culinary tour of King''s Landing! No, sir. I''m applying for a promotion exam. ''Tina''s right, don''t forget your purpose, okay?We''ll have a gourmet tour afterwards. I heard that!It''s a promise! With a wry smile, I head to the reception desk. ''Excuse me,'' Yes, what is it? You mean, Natalie? For some reason, Natalie was working as a receptionist. ''Oh, you know Natalie?'' ''What?Huh? ''Huh, by the looks of it, you must have mistaken me for Natalie. Isn''t it...? No, sir. My name is Nunnery, my twin sister. It''s nice to meet you. I was surprised. I didn''t expect Natalie to have a twin sister who is also a receptionist for the Adventurer''s Guild.... I guess he didn''t tell us this because he thought we''d be surprised. Natalie, that was a bit of a tease. Are you the Shroud? How did you know about me? I''ve heard a lot about you from my sister. A lot of things, you know.................. What on earth are they talking about...? What can I do for you today? ''I''d like to apply for the A-grade promotion exam, have you heard about it?Oh, and here''s a letter of introduction. Yes, I''m listening. And I''ll take a referral for you. Ms. Nunnally writes and compiles the documents in a crisp manner. She is just as good as Natalie. ''''The procedure has been completed. The exam will be held at a later date, so please come back to the guild.'''' Yes, sir. This is how I was going to take the A-ranked promotion exam. I don''t know if I''ll be able to pass it successfully, but.... Let''s give it our all and have no regrets. 227-Episode 227: Sightseeing and rumors Since we have some time before the exam starts, we decided to do some sightseeing in King''s Landing. Compared to Horizon, the King''s Capital is heaven and earth. The size of the city is on a whole different scale, and the vibrancy and glamour of the city is on an order of magnitude different....... Horizon is a good city, but the royal capital was so prosperous that it was almost faint. As expected, it''s only the center of the continent. ''''Unya, that''s great, Rain!I''ve never seen a city this big before. Hey, Kanade. Can you not be too busy?You''re going to think we''re just a bunch of rednecks. In fact, aren''t you a redneck? Hmm. We''re located in the countryside in Horizon. Compared to King''s Landing, it''s a bit of a rural area. Hey, hey, hey. Sola and Luna said something that Horizon''s people would be angry to hear. I lightly chided them. ''Horizon has a lot of... good... things too... right? That''s true. They''re all good people, good food, and there''s that old man, Ganz, who made us who we are. Nina and Tina had come to Horizon''s defense. Hearing their words, Kanade defended them. ''''Not that I''m going to say anything bad about Horizon, okay?Nya, I like that place too. I just wanted to say that this place is still amazing. Maybe it''s weird to say that they have one advantage and one disadvantage, but I guess you could say that they both have their good points. ''Yes!That''s what I''m trying to say. Well I guess I''m more of a Horizon guy? The glitz and glamour of King''s Landing isn''t bad, but it''s just not for me. I like the calm atmosphere, like Horizon. ''Hey, hey, Rain. Where do you want to go? I''d like to see the museum. ''Cat?Tania is a museum........haha, you''ve got to be kidding me. Are you going to tighten up your...? Meow! The chase is on. They''re both in good spirits. "Huh? Suddenly, Luna, walking next to me, looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow. She sniffed. ''''This good smell........Rain, it''s this way! Oh, hey. Luna pulled my hand. Everyone else followed, wondering what was going on. The place we arrived at was a food truck. A hot griddle was being used to cook hot sandwiches. Oh, it smells so good! Rain, what is this place? You look like you''re selling hot sandwiches. "Hot Sando? Don''t you know?Unexpected. Since Luna was a good cook, I thought she knew at least a hot sandwich. ''I''m a good cook, but I don''t know much about human cooking,'' she said, ''I''ve been... well, I still am, but I''ve been crossed. I''ve been ... well, still am, but I''m crossed. I see. It''s a baked sandwich, in a nutshell. You put ham and cheese and stuff in it and it''s hot and melty and delicious. "[Jury] They all looked like they were going to drool. ''Since we''re here, do you want to eat?'' I asked with a wry smile, and everyone nodded without pause. I ordered a hot sandwich, for seven people. The ingredients were simple: cheese and ham. It may seem like it''s not enough, but it seems that multiple types of cheese and ham are used, so it''s a generous portion. ''Yes. Be careful, it''s hot. Handing out hot sandwiches to everyone. ''I''ll take it, yes!'' First, Luna took a bite out of it and.... Next, everyone crunched and ate their hot sandwiches. Incidentally, Tina was only able to eat while possessed by the doll. Ganz added the eating function. He has a hell of a lot of technology. ''''Ooh, ooh ... this is great!The cheese is melt-in-the-mouth, the ham is juicy... and with the heat, the two ingredients combine with the bread to create a perfect harmony in your mouth! ''Where did you learn that word?Humph. Luna proceeded to eat her hot sandwich, not paying attention to Sola''s tsking. Everyone else was smiling and eating too. ''''It''s ... kind of nice.'''' This is how we all spend time together, relaxing. We are immersed in a peaceful and gentle time together, and it seems to soothe our hearts. Even the slightest worries are blown away. No, I''m lying. If it''s a problem that can be easily blown away, you won''t have a hard time. "A brave man......... Meow?What''s going on, Rain?You''re not going to eat it? I''m just spacing out. If you don''t want it, I''ll.... ''I''ll eat properly. I mean, if you eat that much, you won''t be able to eat your food later. So, no. Meow.... Kanade''s ears flattened and sank. ''Brother, brother. Our hot sandwiches are excellent, so no matter how much you eat, you won''t be hungry! The owner of the stall spoke to me that way. He didn''t want to miss out on a sales opportunity. And he wants a girlfriend. Then it''s your duty as a boyfriend to reciprocate, isn''t it? ''Nyan!Ka ka ka ka, she! Mmmmmmmm. Kanade was embarrassed, and for some reason Tania was flustered. I know Kanade is embarrassed because he''s misunderstood, but why would Tania be upset? Uncle I''d like a refill, please. I''ll take one too. Or rather, I''d like one for everyone. Nina also liked the hot sandwiches and ordered more. Apparently, Tina had fired up. ''Hey, take your own...'' I''m sorry, no? Nina stared at me, looking a little frightened and nodding her head. There''s no way I could refuse, being treated like that. Haha ... it can''t be helped. It''s only two, right? Yes. Thanks, Rain. Everyone was happily taking a bite of their second helping of food. I guess we don''t need to worry about not being able to eat our food or anything like that right now. Instead, let''s worry about making everyone smile. ''Brother, you don''t look familiar. Are you a traveler? The old man at the stall spoke to me. ''I''m a traveler, or rather an adventurer,'' Speaking of adventurers, are you going to take the test? You know what I''m talking about. ''''There''s almost no reason for adventurers to come to King''s Landing other than to request it. But still, you''re taking a test, aren''t you? It''s a good thing that you have a good look on your face. I''m rooting for you. Thank you. If you don''t mind, I''d like to talk to you about the exam... Oh, yeah, sure. There''s only so much I can say about it, though. I asked the old man about the exam, this and that. However, as he had said, he didn''t have much information about it. It''s almost the same as what I heard in the guild beforehand. ''''Oh, no.'''' The old man seems to have remembered something and continues to speak. ''''I heard that a brave man will be in charge of the examiner this time. ...by Arios? I raise an eyebrow at the story I wasn''t expecting to hear. ''What does that mean?Why, Ali ... would a brave man get involved in an adventurer''s test? I''m the wrong person to ask. The only thing I''ve heard is that the brave man himself offered to help train the adventurers to help the country. He said he wanted to help train adventurers to help his country. Well thank you for that. It''s been interesting to hear this. Yeah. Come back to me. I thanked him and ended the conversation. Away from the stall, Kanade speaks to me in a small voice. ''''Nya.......that brave man, is he planning something again?'''' ''I don''t know. I''ve heard that the king has narrowed it down quite a bit after the Iris incident, but... This information is not normally out in the open, but Natalie said, "It''s special, okay? He told me. ''But I don''t think that''s enough to make that brave man serious. I''m with you. He''s a twisted, rotten, twisted wheel of wisdom. It''s easier to teach a slime a trick than to convert him. Tania, you tell me. It''s true. ''Anyway you might want to be careful that day. If that Arios is involved, something else could happen. Such anxiety spreads, and the once sunny mood becomes cloudy. 228-Episode 228: Exam start I''m going to enjoy the sights of King''s Landing and... I rested my body sufficiently, and then the day of the exam arrived. The exam room is a ruin located a few hours'' walk from the royal capital. A long time ago.......................It seems to be over 200 years old. At least two hundred years have passed, and during that time it has been exposed to the rain and wind....... The ruins do not deteriorate at all. According to one theory, the fort was built by the strongest species. Nowadays, the ruins are used as a fort in case of an emergency. In the past, when the war with the Demon King broke out and the outskirts of the capital became a battlefield, the ruins were used as a fortress. They were holed up in the ruins and intercepted the enemy. The name of the ruins is "Earth''s Wedge". That''s where the test was held this time. Ooh, it''s packed! The square in front of the ruins...................that was designated as the meeting place. Numerous adventurers had gathered there. From a quick look, there were more than 100 people in attendance. As expected, it couldn''t reach 150 people. ''''So these are all B-ranked adventurers... in a way, it''s a spectacular view. Meow?Some of us have friends, so not all of us, right? Oh, that too. This test can be taken by the whole party. You''ll have to bring your friends along with you, just like me. Are they going to be our rivals? ''I don''t think so, do you?I haven''t heard that there''s a limit to the number of people who can become A-rated, so I guess it''s more of a case of those who don''t meet a certain standard being eliminated rather than competing with each other. I see. But that''s a lot of work, isn''t it? If it''s not a competitive system, but a drop-out system, you''ll be judging each and every party. Depending on the content of the test, it would take a lot longer. Most of all, if it''s something that makes you sift through the whole thing, you might be eliminated in one fell swoop, but... Well, it''s hard to say about all this. There''s no point in imagining this or that. Whatever test they''re going to give you is not going to be ready until you''re ready to take it. "Yes, sir. A pang and a hand clanked. I turned around........and saw Cell. ''''I''m Cell, an A-ranked adventurer serving as an examiner. Nice to meet you. I never thought I''d see Cell as an examiner... Is this the edge you were talking about the other day? It wasn''t just Cell, I saw less than ten other people who looked like adventurers. They must all be examiners. Among them, how could Cell represent them and greet them..... Do you have a higher position in the guild than you thought? Well, you''re a big girl, aren''t you? Tina says in a small voice, apparently thinking the same thing. Continuing, Nina tilts her head slightly. "But.........Axe is gone....... What''s wrong, I wonder? Well, yeah. Those two are always together... Have you been in a fight? ''Hey, man. Or maybe Axe was finally dumped? Stop imagining things like that for the poor kid. But.... They''re both right, it is indeed a mystery. I don''t think Axe is going to leave Cell''s side. And if they''re in the same party, I''m sure they''re standing in the same position... You''ll take countless exams, and when you pass all of them, you''ll earn an A grade. I''ll tell you what the exams are and how many you have to clear. How many exams do I need to clear?It''s a secret. So make sure you don''t set the pace wrong. Not knowing the goal is tricky. Cell is right, though, pacing will be important too... It''s more than that, it requires a strong mind. Being forced to do an endurance race that you don''t know when it''s going to end is a lot of mental fatigue. There would be people who would lose their minds during the race. Well then, I''d like to get right to the first test, but before I do, I''d like to introduce a special guest. Special guest? Maybe that''s what the old man at the stall said the other day.... ''I don''t know if you''ve ever heard of me but I''m Arios the Brave. We''ll get it. At Cell''s greeting, Arios emerged from the tent set up in the back. A bad feeling is in the air. He was followed by Aggus, Lean, and Mina... Yeah? Finally, a woman I didn''t know appeared. She''s dressed like a knight, but who is she? This time, the brave souls will be specially invited to join the judging process. The judging standards are not going to be made any more stringent, but you need to brace yourself. Hi. This is Arios, who has just been entrusted with the introduction. Perhaps "brave" would be a better description. This time I have a chance to be an examiner here with my friends. I''m looking forward to seeing you all in good health. I look forward to working with you. Arios greeted her with a refreshing smile and... When the other adventurers saw him, the other adventurers shivered with an oh-oh. To be encouraged by a brave man who everyone admires. It''s a great idea to have a brave man serve as an examiner. How lucky are we? I can''t fail this exam. I have to do well and show the brave man some good points. ........That''s how everyone was excited about it. ''''Nyahhhh.......It''s disgusting how high and mighty he is. I mean, why is that guy in that place with a natural look on his face?I thought you were pissed off. I should have, but... In my talk with Lady Sarya I have heard that Arios was summoned to the royal castle and blamed for his problematic behavior in the case of Iris. I''ve also heard that he was punished. But I didn''t hear what kind of punishment, nor did I hear that he was stripped of his bravery license. I''m not sure if it''s because of his position as a brave man that even the king couldn''t be blamed for his actions? Or did the punishment convert Arios? No, of course not. Kanade was the first to deny it. Everyone else agreed. ''Maybe serving as an examiner is a punishment. Meow?What do you mean? ''Minor offenders can be ordered to do community service ... volunteer work and so on. Like that, Arios might be ordered to do a lot of different jobs as well. If you look closely, there''s one person I don''t know who joins in.......and I guess it''s more of a watchdog role? That''s not nice, but... I was so demoralized by the whole... Can I go home now? ''Or rather, can I blow it up with magic?It is. Everyone was demotivated. Well, it couldn''t be helped. Arios'' encouragement is counterproductive. There''s no way I''m going to get motivated. "Oh, I see. ''''What''s wrong?'''' ''''Nope. Yeah? Axe is a straight shooter, right? For better or worse, he''s a straight shooter.Because of what happened before, he doesn''t want to be on the same stage. That''s because Cell is an adult. He may have many things to think about, but he''s just trying to be patient. I see. It was an accurate explanation. Maybe, as Tina said, Axe doesn''t like Arios and doesn''t want to be on stage with him, so he''s temporarily out of his seat. I know the feeling. After what happened........ If we were together, I''d probably hit him because of Axe. Hmph. Suddenly, Arios looked at me. He smiled provocatively. "Hey, hey, Rain. I''m sure he''s up to something again, isn''t he? Should we crush it while we''re at it? I almost say yes. ''No. If you do that, it will make Sora and the others look bad. "We know about the misdeeds of the brave men, but the men here will know nothing about them. "We know about his misdeeds, but the people here don''t know anything about them. If you mess with the brave men, you know what happens. Even if you don''t, Sola and the others will be disqualified. ''I hope that''s all it takes. At worst, you''ll have to deal with everyone here. ''Oh, no. I don''t really mean it. Just kidding. Just kidding. Maybe Kanade and Tania were serious about it. "We can''t eliminate the possibility that they will try something, but that doesn''t mean we can''t get out of the exam right now. Let''s be careful enough. Yeah, okay! Let''s go for it. It''s very possible that Arios is up to something. It''s just too good to run into him in a place like this. But even so, we can''t just run away from here, so... If they try to play a little trick on you, you''ll only break it down head on. ''Then we''ll start the test. After the greetings, Arios moved to the back and... Instead, the cell stands in front of me again. Finally. What kind of test awaits us? I was nervous and slightly amused. Surprisingly, there was quite a bit of leeway. I knew it was because we were all together, right? If this was the type of exam I would have taken alone, I would have been filled with anxiety. Yeah, it''s okay. If I''m with you guys, I can get over anything. I''m going to pass this test, too. The first test is a marathon. 229-Episode 229 Marathon The earth wedge is 3 km wide and 2 km long. Including the underground, it is a huge ruin with a width of nearly 100 meters. The first test is simple and straightforward: run in a circle around the ruins. However, there is no indication as to how many laps are required to reach the goal. In addition, an examiner runs at the tail end of the race. It is a different examiner from the cell. The examiner running at the end of the line seems to increase his speed little by little. If you are passed, you are disqualified. At that point, you fail the test. In other words, you have to keep running at a constant pace and try not to be passed by the examiner. There is no goal in sight, and the psychological pressure of being constantly chased. This is not only a test of your physical strength, but also of your mental toughness. It''s going to be quite a difficult test. ---------- Hmmm, I''m faster than you! I still have a little bit of energy left. I have a certain amount of pacing to do. The tests have begun and... Kanade and Tania were at the front of the pack. As long as they didn''t get passed by the examiner running at the back of the pack, there was no need to compete with them... Their fighting instincts are stimulated, and both of them are running, buzzing and sparking. Their speed is increasing and their backs are moving away from each other. Sooner or later, they''ll start running for real...? Well, both Kanade and Tania have a lot of strength, so I''m not worried that they''ll get battered and get passed by the examiner. It''s just........ "Oh, oh oh it''s Tania. A little slower........up and down so much......ugh. ''Ka, Kanade...?Sola''s going to get into a lot of trouble if she''s made too hard... Luna and Sora, who were being piggybacked by the two of them, were pale in the face. This marathon, the rule is that you can use any method you want. You can use magic or special abilities. As long as the examiner doesn''t overtake you, that''s fine. Since Sora and Luna didn''t have the strength, they decided to have Kanade and Tania carry them on piggyback. Kanade and Tania have plenty of energy, so they''re not at a disadvantage. In fact, Kanade and Tania continued to run at the front of the pack. They were healthy enough to compete with each other. It was just too much energy. They were running so hard that the two on their backs were wobbling and shaking... Oh my God I can''t take this shit I''m at my wits'' end Oh my God, I''m in serious trouble. ''Luna are Sola and the others no longer good?No more ... ugh. They were completely drunk and looked like their souls had been drained. Without noticing them, the competition between Kanade and Tania became more and more intense. Their momentum did not wane, in fact, it accelerated even faster. Even though they were bombing at the top, did they still have some extra power left? You''re both ridiculous. ''Ugh, Tania, you do it.'' The Kanade. Hmph, that''s my rival. That''s what makes it all worth fighting for. Do you think it''s time for me to show you what I''m really made of? I''m going to win this game!I''m serious. That line is mine!I''m going full force! "''Stop it! Kanade and Tania moved into top gear, their backs gingerly getting farther and farther away. Sola and Luna''s screams overlapped and disappeared as a Doppler effect. .........Maybe I shouldn''t have said anything about piggybacking. There''s magic too, so maybe I should have let Sola and Luna fly through the air. I wish them both well. I can''t help but pray for that. ''Um, you know........Rain. Yeah? A pomp, and a tap on the shoulder. It was Nina. I was carrying Nina on my back. She has more stamina than Sora and Luna, but she''s still a child. I couldn''t force her, so I had to carry her on my back. By the way, Tina is sitting on Nina''s head. I give Nina a piggyback ride, and Tina sits on top of Nina''s head and.... It was kind of a parent-child turtle-like composition. I''m... heavy? I look over my shoulder at my back and see a squirming Nina. She has a vaguely apologetic look on her face. "It''s not heavy at all. It''s more like a light weight. Are you eating well? ''Eh ... ah, yes. I''m eating it. The food Luna makes ... is delicious, so I like it. That''s good to hear. But still, Nina is so light. She''s like a feather, she barely weighs anything. Is this what all kids are like? Eat well, and you''ll get bigger. Well that''s, uh... that''s, uh... yeah. For some reason, Nina gets a troubled look on her face. ''Oh no, Rain''s husband,'' Yeah?Did I do something wrong? Spirited. You don''t need to tell a girl to grow up. The girls who care about it will care about it. I mean, it''s the kind of thing that every girl cares about. Oh, yeah. Maybe he meant the weight thing. As for me, I wanted him to grow up fine and healthy, but.... I don''t know if it could be taken as a reference to my weight. ''I''m sorry, Nina. "I''m sorry, Nina, I didn''t mean it like that. I just wanted you to eat a lot and be healthy... "Uh, yeah ... it''s okay. I think I know how Rayne feels, so... Yeah, thanks. Nina is a cute girl. It''s not easy for her to say such healthy things. Heh heh ... that''s a compliment. Tere Tere and Nina are embarrassed. ''But ... am I really not heavy ...?Are you okay? It''s no big deal. It''s no big deal. Good.... If anything, Tina''s probably heavier. ''Hibernate!Why are you suddenly turning on our house! Sorry, sorry. I''m sorry. Totally. If it weren''t for Rain''s husband, I''d be suing him for s*xual harassment. I''m sorry. I''ll do whatever you want to do to make up for it. Ho-ho, that''s great to hear. What can I have you do for me?Hey, Nina. What do you think is good? Well ... patted? Why are you asking Nina? Hmm. Ours and Nina''s are a match made in heaven. Our wish is Nina''s wish! That''s because you''re using it in the wrong place, isn''t it? They keep rambling and talking so much that it''s hard to believe they''re in the middle of an exam. Considering that this is an endurance race, it''s better not to waste your energy... But there was still room for more. So far, it''s like I''ve consumed 10% of my energy? If it comes down to it, you can use ''Boost'' to strengthen your physical abilities and you can still keep running. Besides......... It''s more empowering to talk to everyone like this, in contrast. It''s more fun to run with others than to run alone. I was able to naturally relax and run with a more relaxed mind. I can run at a calmer pace and I don''t have to waste my energy. ''Well, let''s get on with it,'' Hang in there, Mr. Lane!We''ll be right behind you. Good luck, okay?I''m rooting for you........ Oh! With the two of them cheering me on, I''d be able to run as much as I wanted. I regained my spirits and increased my running speed a bit. ---------- The examiner, running at the back of the pack, increased his speed a bit. He passed one more person. "That''s eight disqualified. It''s been an hour since I started the test. I''ve been running at a reasonable pace, but there are still less than ten people who have failed the test. It is usual that about twenty people have been eliminated from the test in the past year. This year''s examiners might have a bumper crop. ........no. Beyond a good harvest, it might be an aberration. ''''Nyaaah, we got passed out! Yeah, you''ll never be a match for me! I saw a pair of guys running next to the examiner at a tremendous pace. The examiner had been lapped. That wasn''t the only unusual situation... Looking ahead, a young man with a fox-eared girl on his back is running around chatting and laughing. Take it seriously, I thought, and the examiner increased his speed, but..... For some reason, we can''t seem to catch up with them. If we increase our speed, they will increase theirs as well. If you try to bite them, they''ll slither away. Moreover, they can easily do such a thing while chatting and laughing about it. What''s going on with this year''s candidates...? 230-Episode 230: Ability test The first test, the marathon, was completed after about two hours of running. There were a little over 30 people who dropped out. Looking at the examiner, it seems it was unexpected. They said they overdid it, or they were pulled by the momentum, or something like that. I heard such words, but I don''t know the details. Well, we passed with no problem, so let''s not worry about the details. We were tired of running for two hours straight, so we took a short break. The management seemed to think that we had done too much, so they gave us some time until the next test. "Huh, I''m really tired. Good night. Hmm, Lane, here. Nina took a towel and water from the subspace storage and offered it to me. ''Thanks,'' Heh. Nina happily wagged her three tails as she stroked them in thanks. ''Hah, hah, hah ... wow, I guess I won! ''''Haha........you know, there''s no way you can beat the Cat Spirit Clan with your physical strength.......or rather, since you ate up that much, I think it''s a good thing you''re even.'''' Kanade and Tania seemed to finally get serious, and they were both beautifully battling it out together. The last part of the race was a wobbly walk. Still, they had lapped the examiner for about three laps, so it was still no problem. ''''....................'''' "...Ugh.... Sora and Luna are down, blue-faced and unmoving. They are completely down. It''s like they''ve been driving on a bad road in a carriage for two hours. It must have been pretty tough for the two of them. "Sola, Luna. Are you okay...? ''Uhhhhh no...'' ''''The heavens and the earth are going round and round... hahahahahaha...'''' Hey, boy. Here, let me fix you up. Nina and Tina were tending to them. Kanade and Tania are the ones who got screwed up, so they''re being left alone. Well, those two seem to be in good spirits for some reason, so there won''t be any problems. ---------- After a half-hour break, the second test was to take place. When they moved to the square of the ruins, a wooden man for training had been set up. A wooden man is a simple doll made of wood that imitates a person. It is often used as training for striking swords and other weapons. The surface of the woodman had magical patterns drawn on it. It''s not just a simple wooden man, but it seems to have some kind of device. This is a special kind of magic that was cast on it. Once again, Cell stands on the stage and explains. ''A picture is worth a thousand words. Take a look at this.'' Cell signals to the examiner who was waiting next to him. The examiner then unleashes his magic on the woodman. The fireball hits the woodman. However, the woodman is not destroyed. Instead, a figure of ''54'' was displayed. ''''As you can see, this wooden man can quantify the damage he has received. The next test is to use this wooden person and come up with a number above 500. It doesn''t matter if it''s physical or magical. By the way, anyone who can''t reach 500 is disqualified. 500. That''s an indescribable number. My current magic is elementary fireball. I''m going to be able to get a 54, it''s not going to be easy. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. I''m going to start with you guys over there. The party is called up from the end to take the test in order. 638. 340. 225. Various numbers are beaten out. So far, the pass rate is something like 30%? However, if you look at the party as a whole, it jumps up to about 50%. Just because one person in the party fails the test doesn''t mean that the whole party flunks it. If a majority of the party passes, the test can be overcome. For example, if you have a party of four, two of you need only to pass. Because of the way it works, there are not a lot of dropout parties at the moment. ''''Next........it''s your turn. The cell nominated us and it was our turn. ''Alright, let''s go for it! Kanade, completely rejuvenated by the thirty minute break, was full of smiles and put her arms around him in a circle. Seeing this, Cell panicked. ''''Well ... be gentle with me, okay?'''' Hahaha, what''s the rush, Mr. Sell? A fellow examiner looks at the impatient Cell and laughs. ''She''s a cat spirit race, and she hit a hell of a result on the first exam. However, it''s not as bad as you fear. This wooden person is specially made. It won''t break under any kind of attack, and there''s no need to take it easy.'''' ''You can say that because you don''t know her very well...'' Now, put your best foot forward. Cell tried to add to the list, but the examiner didn''t listen and told Kanade to start the test. ''Let''s go then! Kanade stands in front of the wooden man and circles his arms around him. As a physical specialist, Kanade can''t do any special attacks. He just hits them with all his might. ''''Nyan! Gogaaaaaaah!!!! A roar echoes through the air. Kijin withstands a blow from Kanade, but.... Apparently the foundations couldn''t withstand. The stone foundation shattered and the wooden man was blown far away. ''''........'''' As the examiner was stunned, a number of ''8980'' was displayed on the wooden man rolling on the ground. ''''Yes, I passed!Meow. Beside the innocently happy Kanade, the examiner was speechless. Seeing that, Cell sighed as if he didn''t have to say it. ''''Yo, good. Now you''re next.'''' The examiner managed to regain his composure, re-installed the wooden man and approached Luna. ''Hm?Me? ''Yeah. You''re not going to be able to do anything outrageous and ... yeah, you''re next. "Mwah! They saw him as lower than Kanade and his pride was hurt. Luna gave him an annoyed look. ''''Oh, you''re doing that again...'''' Cell sighs again and gently steps back. We step back as well, to match. ''Yeah?What''s the matter with you?Why do you step back? ''No, I don''t want to get involved...'' What are you talking about? He took the curious examiner''s hand and forcibly pulled him away from the wooden man. ''''Kukku......................My true mission, I will show you that it''s a true strike!Scrape away!I am the strongest and greatest in Rain''s party!Even prettier and cuter, the mascot idol!Behold my power! Pretty and cute, they say the same thing. That''s the point? I retreated to the rear, squatting down and holding my head up. And then..... The Ultimate End! Luna''s super-grade magic exploded. Light flooded and the earth shook. The power of destruction blasted out, swallowing the woodmen.... As it was, the wooden man disappeared. ''''Nah...! No matter what kind of attack, it will not be broken. The examiner was astonished when the wooden man who had said that broke. ''''Mm?I can''t see the numbers, they''re broken. What happens if this happens? .... Hey, what''s going on?Can you tell me what''s going to happen? Uh ... uh ... yes, I''ve passed. "Ha-ha-ha, you''ve seen my power! Luna is pompous and proud... Next to him, the examiner was stunned for a while. 231-Episode 231: Wisdom Exam After we passed the second test without a problem, we were led to the next test site. We moved into the ruins. Tables and chairs were laid out in a large hall. It looks like a school. The next test is a written exam, A-ranked adventurers are required to have not only strength, but also knowledge of many other things. Therefore, you will take the written exam. At the signal of the cell, another examiner hands out the test papers. ''The passing line for the test is 80, if you don''t get one point, you''re disqualified. However, this time, as long as any one of your party passes, you''ll be fine. We just need to prove that we have a chief of staff. 80 points.... That could be tough, depending on the content. But I don''t want to give up before I do, so I have to try my best. The time limit is one hour. Of course, cheating is a disqualification. Don''t think that as long as you don''t get caught.... We''ll be watching you in every possible way. When I look, I see many examiners scattered around me. Some of them are holding crystal balls in their hands. They must be using tools and watching the examiners without any blind spots. ''''Well then, let''s begin! The cell signaled me to work on the test. ''Wow....'' I couldn''t help but shout. Starting with general knowledge, history, geography, mathematics... there were a variety of questions on display. All of them are of a high level and seem to be quite difficult to solve. Will everyone be OK? I move my gaze to the point where I can''t be suspected of cheating and look at everyone. ''''Unya...?Nyaaaaaa........haha....... Kanade''s eyes were already rolling round and round. It''s like he''s overworking his head and getting a fever of wisdom. I hope you''ll do your best not to push yourself too hard. Tania was ... asleep! It was impossible for him to have solved all the questions in such a short time, so he must have given up when he saw the problem. He was fearlessly asleep, as if to leave the rest to us. "Hmmm. I see........so this is the kind of problem. "Ha-ha-ha, this is the kind of problem I can handle! There. Don''t talk to me. Luna was smiling high as usual and getting pissed off at the examiner. Apart from such problems, the two of them seemed to be doing rather well. ''''Hmm.......hmm?Hmm....hmm? Nina was tilting her head incessantly. It''s understandable. She''s still small, so there will be many things she doesn''t understand. Even so, she didn''t want to give up, and was working hard to answer each question one by one. And Tina........ .... Oh! He was solving the problem at a tremendous rate. The crunching and the pen kept running and never stopped. I''d never paid attention to it before... Is Tina smart? Okay, we can''t lose. I can''t leave it all up to Tina. I have to do the best I can, too. Focusing on the problem in front of me, I moved my hand with the pen. ---------- When the test is over We had to wait there for an hour or so for the grading process. And soon an hour would pass and the results would be announced. ''The ones who passed are me and Tina. That was pretty close. Only me and Tina got over the pass line of 80 points. Unfortunately, everyone else didn''t pass. It''s impossible to understand. You can''t test my intelligence. Tania, that''s a sore loser, isn''t it? No, it''s not. I mean, I don''t think you should be the first to go to bed. Ugh. Tania flinched when Kanade hit her with a plausible argument. It seems that he was wondering about it too. I''m sorry, too. I''m sorry, dear. You needn''t worry about it. Nina has done her best. ''That''s right!We''re the ones who fell, so don''t worry about it. Sora and Luna were encouraging a despondent Nina. It''s a good thing that you''re not the only one. It''s a good sign, but... ''''Sora and the other spirit races deal with a variety of magic, so they have acquired a lot of knowledge. So we''re good at things like testing... "It''s a bad idea for a human history problem. There''s no way we''d understand it if it were presented to us. Oh, yeah. Sola and Luna may be smart, but their knowledge is biased. How could they possibly know about the history of people who are still crossed out today? ''The most amazing one is Tina! Let''s put it this way, but it might be a bit surprising.'''' ''I thought that Rain might be the only one who passed, but I didn''t expect Tina to pass, too. I reviewed it. Don''t give Canade and Tania that kind of credit. I''m flattered. "Tina that''s great, wow, wow. It''s so cool..... Oh, even Nina. Oh my God, I''m getting so embarrassed. ''But then again, Tina is so knowledgeable, isn''t she? How did she get that kind of knowledge? Tina had cleared the super-difficult question, which I failed too. Her score was an astonishing 100 points. She hadn''t missed a single question, a perfect score. That much knowledge, where did she get it? I''m interested. ''Ya, no big deal?Ours is a ghost, isn''t it? And it''s a 30-year old ghost. You talk about it like it''s food. I didn''t have much to do. When I didn''t have any time to do anything else, I would look at books. So I just naturally learned to do this and that... I see. Meow. It''s the result of hard work and dedication, isn''t it? Tina that''s great! ''What?No, I mean.... Tina flinched when everyone gave her a glittering look. Her cheeks stained with embarrassment. ''It''s just knowledge I got in my spare time, so it''s not something I can dignify with that kind of... no, it''s really no big deal!So that kind of eye........ugh. Tina''s precious embarrassment, you got that. "Uh-huh, do you want me to magically record it? ---------- A hundred on the written exam? ''Nonsense!Even though there were questions mixed in with that test that even a court magician couldn''t solve....... ''There''s another person who''s been accepted and... what''s with that party? Looking at the buzzing examiners, Cell gave a light smile. ''''Well, I''m sure Rain and the others would do this much better. Even though they parted ways like that, I don''t dislike Rain and the others. On the contrary, I still like them very much. I''m honestly happy that Rain and the others are being evaluated. At this rate, Rain and the others will be able to pass the promotion exam without any problems. They will get the same A grade. At that time, I would like to congratulate them. If possible, I''d like to share it with Axe. 232-Chapter 232: Strategies Three tests were conducted. As a result, it was narrowed down to eight parties and thirty people. ''''Hmmm, that''s boring.'''' Arios, who had been waiting in the tent, sniffed boringly at the results. Rain''s party remains firmly in place. It''s really not interesting. If they had been flunked along the way, I would have laughed at them. It''s not just that they are failing, they are getting good grades. The examiners were praising Rayne and the others. Every time I hear those words, I get a nauseous feeling. Shut up! Don''t talk nonsense in front of me! .............. Arios is almost tempted to hit those words out of the blue... I held on tightly. If I did that, my honor as a brave man would be ruined. Not only that. It might interfere with my future plans as well. I have to avoid that. ''''Hey, hey, Arios.'''' Leanne came over. There was no sign of Aggus and Mina. They are probably having a meeting with the examiner elsewhere about the next exam. ''After all this time, why are you doing this?'' Yeah?What do you mean by this? ''The examiner. Why did I take on such a hassle? Do you disagree with Leanne? Hmmm... it''s not that I''m against it, but it''s not worth the trouble. It''s not a lot of money, and it doesn''t help our reputation. Isn''t that a small advantage? Sure, it might not be much of a benefit. Right?How about we back out now?The king called me over or something. ''I''d love to but I''ve got some things I need to do. ''Do I have to do this?What''s that? It''s very important. Arios showed a cold smile. There was a near-madness of emotion in his eyes. However, Lean does not notice that. ''''Well, if Arios says so, then so be it. I''m sorry. It''s all right. It''s a hassle, but we''ll just have to be quiet for a while, right?Then I''ll be steady like this and earn some points. What? You know what I''m talking about. Uh-oh, I just want to get this humble business over with and go to town. Blurting out, Leanne left. Monica came in to replace her. ''Sorry for the delay, Arios-sama. How''s that working out for you? Yes, without delay. Monica smiled gently and held out her glasses to Arios. ''This will be the item in the example. ''Hmm, these are ... normal looking glasses. Otherwise, someone might find out who you are. This won''t be so easy to spot, will it? Okay. And you''re okay with the effects? ''Yes, of course. I thought you''d give us the results we wanted. ''Rain has also prevented instant death magic, but what about that? ''Well, that''s... yeah. After a thoughtful gesture, Monica opens her mouth. ''''I don''t think it''s a problem. This item won''t harm the target, so it shouldn''t be inhibited. It''s simply to observe the subject. If you were to react to every single thing, even that kind of thing, Rain-san would not be able to dawdle in her daily life. So that''s it. ''''Arios-sama, please put on these glasses and look closely at Miss Lane. If you do, your wish will come true. Okay, we''ll do that. Arios picked up his glasses and made a dark face. ''''Kukku..............................Now I can pay back for that humiliation. Watch it, Rain........! ---------- A break was taken. It took about an hour to grade the test, so I could rest my body and my head during that time... The examiners must have a lot of preparations to make since the final exam is next. They are busy walking around here and there. I''m not complaining about getting a break, so we were taking it easy. ''''Soooooooooooo...'''' "...Kuu...Kuu... Sola and Luna were napping as they leaned against each other. Since they were under a simple tent, the sun was not hitting them directly. They were sleeping comfortably. It''s somewhat amusing to see them together at a time like this. Kanade and Tania are nowhere to be seen. While I was waiting, I went to explore the ruins because I was bored. I told them to keep an eye out for souvenirs, but.... What the hell are they going to get? Rain''s....feels so good... Oh, Nina. You look so melodramatic. Yeah. Rain I''m really good at this. Yeah. I wish we could do the same. Tina doesn''t have a tail. The rest of the time I was brushing Nina''s tail. Apparently it''s hard to take care of it because there are three of them. Some days it''s too much work and they just leave her alone. That''s not good enough, so I decided to brush her tail. I''m also learning brushing techniques as a way to get along with the animals. With a comb, I slowly, carefully and gently comb Nina''s bushy tail. Nina seemed to feel good... Tina is watching us. The air was so quiet that it was hard to believe we were in the middle of an exam. ''Hey, hey, why are there kids here?'' A wild voice rang out, breaking the relaxed air. I looked and saw that the rest of the party was looking at us. They were smirking and not looking friendly. ''This is the site of the promotion exam for A-levels, man. Kids, go home. ''It''s out of place. It''s just irritating to watch these people together. I got tangled up in a tempestuous way. I don''t know if there are guys like this nowadays... Before I can get angry, I feel like I''ve seen a natural monument because of the curiosity. "They''re not very nice guys.......you want to do it? Tina looked sullen and asked in a whisper. ''Don''t do it. You don''t want to deal with these tricks.'' Yeah, I know. I don''t want you to get infected by this a**h*le. You ... you ... I can hear you. Are you saying that on purpose? The two men make furious expressions. They''re easy to lose their temper with........ You''re the one who hit on me in the first place. "I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I didn''t want to make a scene, so I decided to keep my head down. However, it made the two of us feel extraordinarily well. ''''Ha, you coward,'''' Well, forgive me if I don''t mind but we''ll take the kid. I''m sure he''s a god. You''ll sell him for a lot... What did you say? I grab the man by the chest. I don''t care what happens to me, but I can''t allow him to get involved with his friends. ''Geez, this guy ... what power! "If you''re going to mess with Nina, you''re going to have to be prepared for that, okay? I''ll let you guys finish. The one in between was........Arios. 233-Chapter 233 Analog ''What do you guys think you''re doing, causing a scene in a place like this?'' If you''re going to cause any more commotion, we have an idea. As if to say so, Arios had his hand on the hilt of his sword. ''''Oh, we''re not........'''' Hey, it''s nothing. The men looked away awkwardly. Seeing them, I felt ridiculous in my anger and let go of their hands. The men stared at us and then walked away. ''Remember,'' I might have wanted to say, but I''d forgotten. ''Good grief. I don''t want you to bother me too much. I''m sorry. As much as it pains me to apologize to Arios... Now that was my fault, so I told him that honestly. I was going to go straight back under the tent. Wait, Rain. Arios stopped me. When I turned to see what was going on, Arios was giving me a friendly smile. ''You''re free on break now, aren''t you?Why don''t we have a mock battle? A mock-up?With Arios? Yeah, how are you doing? The sudden offer makes me pause. What are they saying all of a sudden? That''s fishy. I can''t help but wonder if he''s up to something. Like, maybe they''re having a fake fight and they''re trying to get me hurt so I fail. That''s what I felt like I was thinking about. I have no reason to believe that.... We''ve known each other there, so I think I understand Arios'' personality and what he''s likely to do. ''Sorry, but I decline. I just need to take a good break to prepare for my final exams. "Don''t be dull," I said. It''s just some physical exertion. And besides... you''re not going to walk away from a fuss over something that''s just a minor matter. What about those guys? My people are chastising me right now. I won''t punish you alone, I swear to God. I don''t really believe it, but... I''m willing to take a statement if you want. How about it? If you say so, you''re not lying. "You can''t just sit back and do nothing. But you''re not in the clear. They''re just like those guys who got in to it. If you know that, why don''t you just leave me alone? ''I''m in trouble because I can''t do that. You''d call it a fight and a loss.Rain needs to be punished in some way. So here we are going to have a simulation with me. A brave man will take on a brave man and punish him and we''ll make it look like we''re doing it.It all comes full circle, don''t you think? There''s nothing funny about Arios'' story. Currently, it''s probably the best way to keep the place in check. It''s just that I don''t think Arios can talk this decent... They must be up to something behind the scenes, for sure. I don''t want to be dragged down by some weird thing, but... I glanced around and saw the other adventurers looking at us. Their gazes were laced with unpleasant emotions. Arios was right, they probably don''t like me for causing a commotion. Even if I leave it like this, that''s going to be a problem. There are some things I''m concerned about...............but I might as well do as Arios says. ''''........Okay. If that''s the case, then let''s have a mock battle. Thank you for understanding my story. If Arios is up to something, you''ll be able to stop him. Let''s pay close attention and challenge ourselves to a mock battle. Rain ... good luck, right? I don''t want to be that brave! Nina and Tina cheered me on. Their support gives me strength. Yeah. I don''t feel like I''m going to lose in my current state. Even if Arios used a cowardly hand, I was confident enough to defeat it. I left under the tent and moved to the square. There, he confronted Arios. ''As for time, well let''s call it ten minutes. If that doesn''t settle the matter, it''s a draw. How''s that working out for you? Yeah, no problem. I want him to be the referee, or rather, the timer, if you don''t mind. Surprisingly, Arios nominated Nina. I was expecting her to make Aggus and the others as referees and then get together and do this and that.... Yeah, no problem, but... Do it. It''s a simple matter of timing, just give us a shout when you''ve had ten minutes. Oh, and give me a shout when you think it''s settled. Okay. I''ll be right here with you. Hmm?Could that doll be one of Rain''s friends?I''ve never seen it before, but... Well, it''s a long story. Yeah. Then she''s ... she''s the one, right?I''ll ask her to be a judge as well. ''All right. If Arios is okay with it, I''m fine with it. Let''s get started. As I said, I pulled a camouflage out of my... Oh, yeah, let''s keep it off. What? ''Even though it''s a mock battle, there''s still a chance you could get hurt if you use the gain. Of course, I''m going to stop you in your tracks, but that doesn''t mean there won''t be accidents. It''s, well... ''Lane has an exam coming up. It would be awful if he got hurt, wouldn''t it?Let''s do it with our bare hands. Funny. For an Arios, he''s saying all the right things. Is this guy a phony by any chance? What''s going on?Stare at my face. Is there something on it? ...or nothing. Could it be that he has been converted? I heard you were reprimanded by the king and... Has that changed your mind? Okay, let''s get started. Okay. Either Arios has changed his mind or he''s up to something behind the smile... I don''t know what the truth is. Let''s be careful of what happens. By the way.... Yeah? What''s with the glasses? Yeah, it''s just a fashion statement. What do you think? It doesn''t look good on you. Shut up. ---------- Hmmm... it''s over. At Nina''s signal, me and Arios stopped moving. We started a mock battle, ten minutes... It went off without a hitch. Arios wasn''t cheating, he wasn''t trying to trap them, he was just fighting normally. They weren''t used to fighting each other, so they didn''t have either one of them falling over... and they fought for the full time. Even without the use of a sword, Arios was still strong. His movements were quick, his blows were heavy, and each blow was refined. As expected of a brave man, I should say. Compared to the time we had gone against each other before, he had grown up far more. It''s not a bad idea. It''s not hard to see why. ...and Arios. If we have a chance, we''ll see each other again. Bye. Arios laughs briskly and walks away. ''Rain are you alright?'' Didn''t he give you anything? No, I''m fine. Nothing.... It''s not like I''m going to get injured in a mock battle, nor am I going to fall for it. What in the world did Arios want to do? ........At this time, I didn''t realize that Arios''s purpose had already been accomplished. 234-Episode 234: Final Exam, Start! Although he used the extra strength in a mock battle with Arios... Then I was able to rest for half an hour. My body moves well enough. Really, what did Arios want to do? I''m curious, but.... Now let''s focus on the exams. It seems that the preparations have been completed and the final exam is finally going to take place. There were eight parties left, thirty of them. How many of them would be able to be promoted to rank A? I''m going to show you that I''m definitely going to make a dent in the passing class! Okay, I''m going to start the final exam now. Cell stands in front of everyone and begins to explain. The final test is to capture this ruin. There are many traps in the ruins, and in addition, demons have been unleashed. You have to overcome all these difficulties and reach the lowest level. That will be the condition for passing the test. How many layers are there in total? After the explanation of the cell was finished, such a question popped up. ''I can''t teach you that. I''m assuming this is an actual request. If you''re going to take on an unexplored ruin, you don''t know how many of the lowest levels are, do you?So I can''t teach you. How many have been accepted? Any number of people. The party that makes it to the bottom of the pile without giving up passes. How do demons rank? ''''They''re basically a C-grade, but there''s a B-grade in the mix. As long as we work together as a party and deal with them well, they''re not a problem. A lot of questions were asked. I was careful not to miss out on hearing each one of them, and put them firmly in my mind. ''Yes yes yes, questions!'' Kanade shouted as he jumped up and down with a small jump. ''We just have to get to the bottom level, right?'' Yeah, sure. Can I just go down through the floor? What? ''I''m going to go like this ... yeah, I''m going to break the floor and go down with it. That way I can get to it quickly, but no? As expected, Kanade''s question was unexpected and the cell froze. The other examiners were laughing at such nonsense........ However, Cell''s face is strained. We''ve been traveling together for a little while, but we''re close. It''s something that Kanade could seriously do. Cell understands that he has that much power. ''''....No. I can''t admit that.'''' What, no? These ruins were used as a fort in the past, but even so, they will deteriorate over time. If you try to break the floor, the worst thing that could happen is that it will collapse. Just don''t do it. Well, maybe a little bit... Absolutely not. Nyan... Guillory glared at him, and Kanade pulled back, dropping his cat ears with a shuffle. Please, please don''t try to come up with such an absurd method. And please don''t try to practice it. Lately, I feel like Kanade has become more active, or rather, reckless and reckless...? Could it be that Tania has influenced you? They seemed to be getting along well these days, but maybe Tania''s recklessness had infected them. ''Hey, Rain. Didn''t I just think of something rude? I think you''re imagining things. That''s great, or maybe it''s just a good instinct. Anyone else have any questions? Cell asks the question, but no one raises their hand. Some information has been disclosed, and now it''s just a matter of trying to put it into practice. ''Then we''ll start the final exam now. At the cell''s signal, the final exam began. ---------- Eight parties will take their turn at the ruins. We are the last. The other seven parties will all go in. And now it''s our turn. "Rain. As I was about to enter the ruins, I was approached by a cell. ''Good luck,'' Yeah, thanks. I didn''t expect the cell to support me. I was a little surprised but.... But I''m motivated. I''m going to pass the test! With that enthusiasm, I stepped into the ruins. When the door behind me closed.... Wow, it''s plump. Through the darkness, I heard Kanade''s startled voice. ''It''s not exactly pitch black on my end,'' Hm?Does Tania have night vision? I don''t care. It''s just that Kanade''s eyes are shining, so it''s not all dark. Meow? I looked at the one that sounded like Kanade... ''It''s true. Indeed, Kanade''s eyes are glowing. Oh, I''m a little scared... But it''s beautiful, you know? That''s why his eyes light up in the dark. Kanade''s eyes shine like jewels in the darkness, as if they were painted black with paint. Her black eyes are vaguely large. I wonder if this system is the same as that of a cat? ''Hmmm!Who!Who touched my tail! ''That was the tail of a canade, wasn''t it? Sorry, I didn''t recognize it in the dark. ''What?Who the hell touched my ass? "Hahaha, it''s me! What the hell are you doing in front of Rain? Guys, you forget that this is the final exam, right? It''s like a field trip, but without the tension. Well, it''s better than being stiff and nervous. Thanks to everyone else, I, too, was able to relax my shoulders, an extra bit of strength. It was the final exam, and I was nervous in my own way, but.... I can''t help but think about this and that. I know I can get through anything if I''m with you guys and... Let''s do our best to take the exam in perfect condition. "Sola, Luna. Sola, Luna, can you give me some light? Yes, I understand. Light!I''m sorry. Luna casts a spell and the light ball wobbles and drifts through the air. She shakes off the darkness around her. ''''This is the entrance to the ruins........'''' Surprisingly large. Ancient furniture was displayed in the center of the room. A pathway stretched out to the left and right around the furnishings. "A fork in the road all of a sudden.......well, what should we do? Let me do it! Luna stepped forward confidently. ''Oh?Can you find the right path through your signature magic? Hahaha, you''re right. In my hands, it''s only a matter of finding the right way out! You bit him. It''s annoying! At Sola''s calm tsking, Luna takes a tree branch lying around with a slightly red face. It must have been blown in by the wind when the front door was open. Luna holds the tree branch upright and gets a divine look on her face. She closes her eyes as if to get her spirits up... Yeah, yeah! Luna let go of her hand and with a snap, a tree branch fell over. ''Hmm. According to my magic, the correct route is this one! ''Where''s the magic in that?You just knocked over a tree branch!That''s not magic, it''s just a hunch! Tina''s full tweak exploded. ''Oh well. We don''t have any other clues, so let''s just do what Luna says for now. ''Ummm, is it okay?I have a very bad feeling about Sola, but... ''You have nothing to fear!Everyone''s, follow me! Oh...! Luna walked to the front of the pack, with Nina following close behind. We couldn''t leave the two of them alone, so we followed behind. We walked cautiously down the right corridor. There''s talk of a demon being unleashed, but so far we haven''t encountered it. By the way, is there any of that stuff you promised? Suddenly, Tania said something she didn''t understand. Kanade tilted his head slightly. ''Nyan?Huh? You see, these are the ruins.Then it''s not surprising that there are traps set up all over the place, is it? Oh, sure. ''The standard pattern in these situations is that the trap is triggered and the big ball chases you and you fall straight into the pit. No, Tania it''s a flag. ''Flags ... you don''t really think it''s going to be what you just said?I know I said it, but that''s not possible. No one is going to be stupid enough to fall for a trap with me. Tania says with a smug look on her face. ''Ah,'' Who were the voices that said, "I''ve done it," and who did they really belong to? ''Awwww!Oh, it''s a big ball! Tania''s an idiot! Oh, it''s my fault! A big ball rolled out from behind us and we rushed out of there. I mean, wait? If this is a promise.... Ah! Again, someone''s voice sounded. The floor opened wide with a bang. It was a stunning pit ... an insurmountable pit ... ''Nyahhhh, Tania''s silly! Kanade''s screams echoed and we were sucked into the darkness. 235-Episode 235 Divided Ow Ow. I woke up with a dull ache in my head. He must have bumped his head when he fell into the pit and temporarily passed out. When I picked myself up, I found myself surrounded by darkness. ''Kanade?Tania? I call out to him but he doesn''t answer. ''Sola?Luna?Nina?Tina?Guys, are you guys not here?Hey! The voice only echoes, but still no reply. ''Oh dear.......you got separated. I seem to remember rolling all over the place, so... That pit was divided into several holes. It must be a trap to break up the intruder. For now, I took the torch out of my luggage bag and.... "Fireball. He lights the fire with a minimal amount of magic. A light is born, dispelling the darkness around it. The destination of the fall is a small room. Broken vases and other furnishings. That and some dust and cobwebs, but nothing else. A somewhat large passage - a passage wide enough for three adults to walk side by side - stretches straight ahead. ''''I guess we''ll just have to move forward.'''' There may be a trap set up as before, but we can''t stop here. We have to find everyone and meet up with them quickly. ''''Wha........! With a crunching sound, countless signs were approaching. In the light of the torch''s fire, the figure is revealed. It was a huge spider, about 30 centimeters long. Its fangs looked like spears and were unusually sharp and well-developed. It''s a D-ranked demon chimeric spider. Since it''s a D-rank, it doesn''t have high fighting ability, nor does it have any special abilities. It''s just........ There''s a lot of them. One, two, three ... one after another, chimeric spiders sprang up and came out. There were so many that I couldn''t help but wonder seriously where they were hiding. I held my weapon at the ready........ I''ll go into it first, and then you guys...well, you''re not there. I can''t help but call out to my friends, as I always do. I don''t know if it''s a habit or what........ We were all supposed to be there. If it was intentional, or if it was intentional, it would be the first time we''ve been separated from each other due to unexpected circumstances, come to think of it. One...? It may sound pathetic, but I felt lonely. ''I''ve been relying on you guys a lot...'' Sorrowfully, I think about that. However, I can''t be depressed. If I''m depressed about this, they''ll laugh at me when I meet up with everyone else. ''''Let''s do it!'''' I picked up my Camry and intercepted a pack of Chimera spiders. ---------- Kanade please wake up, Kanade. Hmmm... yeah? Swaying and shaking, Kanade opened her eyes. ''''........Sora?'''' Good, you''re awake. There was Sora. On her back, a fluffy ball of light was floating around. It must be Sola''s magic. ''''Uh ... what is this place?'''' It''s a small room. There''s nothing in there except a single passageway that leads to the back of the room. ''It looks like Sora and the others were split up by the pit. I see........is Rain and everyone else okay? ''I don''t think it''s a problem. We''re not all so fragile that we can''t be easily beaten. That''s ... well ... yeah. Kanade agreed with a chuckle. He stands up and pans down to remove the grit and dust from his clothes. ''Well then, let''s bust through the wall to join the others! ''No, no, no, no!Please don''t be so bland and obvious! Meow?Why not? ''You didn''t listen to the test briefing!You were told you''d be disqualified for doing that! Oh, by the way, I''m tired... So, I guess we''ll just have to look for it in the usual way? That''s right. It seems that the ruins are equipped with a mechanism that interferes with magic, and since we can''t use detection magic very well we have no choice but to use our feet to find it steadily. So, let''s go!Follow me. I have a bad feeling about that... ---------- Nina, are you okay?Does it hurt? Yeah, I''ll be fine. Tania was walking through the ruins with Nina on her back. Nina, being piggybacked, is holding a torch in her hand. Falling into a pit.... The next thing I knew, it was Tania and Nina. Moreover, Nina seemed to have twisted her leg when she fell. Neither Tania nor Nina could use their recovery magic. Although Nina''s sub-space storage took out the medicine and cured her, it didn''t cure her immediately. The most certain way is to have Sora and Luna heal them. Therefore, I decided to not choose to wait for help and go looking for it myself. ''''I........am not heavy, right?'''' What are you talking about? What''s the matter with you?It looks like a feather. Hmmm.... Nina was a little embarrassed. ''I''m sorry ... Tania.'' Hmm?Why are you apologizing? I''m pulling my leg and... Do you care about that? I don''t care, my friend. Well, I don''t care. You''re one of us. Tania says in a cheerful voice. ''Friends are supposed to support each other in times of need, aren''t they?So I don''t mind. ...hmmm.... Nina''s tail wagged happily as she was being piggybacked. ---------- Lightning Strike! Shiden ran through and kicked away the demons nestled in the passage. However, he couldn''t capture all the demons. A few of them leaked out of the shot. ''''First pitch........I threw it! Tina swung her arms wide over Luna''s head.... A lump of magic power was thrown at the demon. It was a hard ball. The mass of magic power caught the demon''s head beautifully and poof!And play it off. ''Hahaha, weak, too weak!Is this what it''s all about? You can''t stop us like that! Luna and Tina were fine, even though they were separated from their friends. 236-Episode 236: Demonstration "Wind. Ten minutes of fighting. We managed to kick off a bunch of chimera spiders. Each one of them wasn''t a big deal, but there were a lot of them iffy. There was no end to the number of them I could take down, and although I was cringing... It seems to have been struck down, and the cheering finally stopped and we were able to annihilate them. ''''It''s quite a tricky place, isn''t it?'''' Countless traps are set in the ruins. It''s not a simple matter. If you''re not careful, you might lose your life. That''s how difficult it is. It''s just a test for promotion to A-rank, but it''s usually difficult. ''''Will everyone be okay...?'''' You are all much stronger than me. I know it doesn''t happen that often, but.... Still, I worry about the things I worry about. We should meet up with you as soon as possible. These ruins are at the end of the line...! Can you help me with something? I tamed the rats. Have them gather their friends and tame a few dozen more. Scatter them throughout the ruins. If the rats are basing themselves in this place, they will find everyone. And find them... Then you will be shown around so that you can join us. I gave those orders. ''Whoa, you''re early.'' The three rats came back, looked up at me and chuckled. Apparently, they had found someone. ''Lead the way, okay?'' He chirped cheerfully again, and the mouse started to run. It''s pretty fast. If we don''t run, the rat is going to leave us behind. We chased after the rats, occasionally kicking away the demons we encountered. In the meantime, we went down several layers of ruins. Apparently, they''re all aiming for the deepest part. Rather than looking for them in the dark, they probably think that they can certainly meet up at the finish line. ''''That''s........stop. I found something and ordered the rat to stop. The rat stops. I hide in the shadows and peer down the corridor. "It''s a volcanic spider. It''s a rare sight to see one living in a place like this. It''s an ordinary spider, unlike the demon from earlier. Its size is about the size of a fingertip. It is called the hikikigome spider because it wears glowing moss as a mimicry. This spider has an interesting ecology. The ecology is.... There''s... As I followed the Hikari Moss Spider''s destination with my eyes, I saw the figure of a demon. Speaking of nostalgic beings.......Killer Tigers. At the end of the pathway was a square, and I could see multiple Killer Tigers there. Hikari mosses feed on the body fluids of demons. Therefore, it is said that there are demons in the vicinity of the Hikari Mosses. ''''You were right to be careful. I don''t feel like losing to Killer Tiger now, but it''s definitely a troublesome opponent. When you''re dealing with multiple people in a limited space, and against multiple people, it''s tricky in its own way. Fortunately, or should I say, there are other pathways. I instructed the rats to use another path. At my command, the rats turn left and go down a different pathway. I follow behind them. Just like that........ We rely on small animals and insects that we see along the way to avoid danger. Then we asked the rats to show us the way. We were making good progress. We were separated from everyone else, and for a while I was worried about what would happen... Even if I''m alone, I think I can get through this. Although.........it''s still lonely being alone. I felt terribly uncomfortable, even though we were only temporarily separated. I don''t feel safe, or uncomfortable, or.... That''s how much he had to be with everyone else. That''s how much he was relying on everyone else, I guess. I''m not in too much of a hurry because I know I''ll be able to meet up with you soon... What if. What if ... what if ... you have to leave everyone for a long time? What if you find yourself in a situation where you want to see them but can''t? What will I do then...? ---------- This way!This one is fishy! ''Are you sure you''re okay?Sola is incredibly uncomfortable... Kanade pointed to the aisle with energy. In contrast, Sora had an uneasy look on her face. I got separated from Rain and the others... Kanade and Sora were exploring the ruins together. If we go to the lowest level, which is the goal, we will be able to join them. Thinking that, they went down the stairs in earnest. ''''If Kanade hadn''t gotten rid of that rat earlier, we might have been able to join up with Rain...'''' I''m sorry, okay? Oh, dear. Not long ago.... A rat appeared in front of Kanade and Sora. Rats are cautious creatures and rarely go out of their way to appear in front of people. Sora understood at once. This rat must have been tamed by Rain. They must be looking for us. If they followed the rats, they would be able to meet up with Rain. I was hoping for that. When Kanade saw the mouse, his black eyes narrowed and he began to chase after it, mewling. At this, the rat didn''t have a moment to spare. Fear prevailed over Rain''s instructions and they ran away at once. And so Kanade and Sora lost their directions.......until now. ''''Why did you do that?'''' ''Aaah ... what can I say, I was itching to see a rat and I couldn''t resist ... instinct?'' A cat. ''''He''s a cat spirit race, so he''s a cat in a way...'''' He''s a d*mn kitten. ''Even Sora said that! ''Look, let''s go. Now that the guide is gone, Sora and the others will have to meet up with Rain and the others on their own. "Ugh, I''m sorry... Utterly and utterly... Kanade is a more disappointing cat than Luna, isn''t he? Disappointed cat! For what it''s worth, they seemed to be getting along well together. While chatting idly, they proceeded deeper into the ruins, aiming for the lowest level. And so, how far down the stairs did they go? How long have I walked the aisles? We walked out into an open space. It was so large and the air was so clear that it was hard to believe it was underground. In the center of the plaza, I could see what looked like an altar. A statue in the shape of a god stood there. A magic circle was drawn on the floor in front of it. It had intricate patterns drawn on it, and it glowed dimly. And......... Ah, Sel! What? Cell, the examiner, was standing in front of the altar. 237-Episode 237: Absolutely OK Hey there. ''Hello ... that''s how you say hello now, isn''t it?'' Kanade made a strange greeting, and Cel was puzzled. ''Oh, Tania and Nina! You''re both late. ... hmmm. It wasn''t just Cell, it was also Tania and Nina. They were using the appropriate steps to replace the chairs. ''What''s going on here?''A break? ''No, no. I mean, guess what happens when the cell is there. Well...? I wonder what''s in this cat''s head? I think it''s empty. Cat? Kanade made a shocked face, like a gauntlet. Without regard to that, Tania continued to speak. ''Wasn''t the test supposed to be that if you reached the lowest level of the ruins, you''d pass?So, the examiner''s cell is here. So that means this is the finish line. Really? Kanade looked at Cell. Cell nodded. ''Yes, it is. Tania''s right, this is the goal.'' ''Yay!So we''ve passed, then? So don''t be so quick to jump to conclusions. You misunderstood, impatient, whirling cat. What do you mean, "Go around and around"?Hey, what do you mean! I don''t know, but I was sure I was dumbfounded. Kanade looks sulky. As if to comfort Kanade, Nina moved next to her. Then, she stretches up and pats Kanade''s head with a plop. ''''Good boy ... good boy.'''' Nina''s hands feel so good. Does it have the same healing effect as Rain? Sola was giving serious consideration to the idea. ''It wouldn''t help if we were the only ones to reach the goal, would it? Oh, that''s right. I still can''t see Rain, Luna and Tina. If those three weren''t together, they wouldn''t be considered to have finished. ''Rain, are you with Luna and Tina? I don''t know and at worst, I could be on my own. As I was thinking about my companions, I heard an explosion. ''What?!'' The cell was the first to move. He held his bow ready for whatever came up. Kanade, Tania, Sola, and Nina also readied their bows. ''Is it a demon?'' ''''This hall is warded with magical tools, so demons shouldn''t be able to get to it, but...'''' Cell says with a grim face. If it''s an ordinary demon, it can''t cross the wards. But what if there is a mutant species or something else occurring? What if it has more power than it''s supposed to? It wouldn''t be surprising if they were able to get past the warding. We have taken every precaution to prevent such accidents from happening, but even so, when they do happen, they happen. A bang, bang, bang, the sound of an explosion was getting closer. It was echoing from one of the corridors leading to the hall. Everyone''s eyes focused on it... "Hahaha, you are not my enemy! I''ll do it! Luna and Tina showed up. They seemed to be being chased by demons, and I could see a deformed figure behind them. Towards them, Tina held a stick in her hand. Home run technique! Khan and a mass of magical power flew and kicked a few demons together. ''''And then........Dragoon Howling, that is! Continuing on, Luna''s magic exploded and a thumping explosion sounded. Dragoon Howling is a range magic that affects a wide area. When used in a small area like the ruins, it naturally damages the walls and ceiling around it. Luna''s magic kicked the demons away, but at the same time, it damaged the ruins. Walls and ceilings cracked and small pieces of debris fell down with a flap. ''''Hahaha, a demon of this level, not our enemy! ''Yes!If you want to do something about us, you''re gonna have to give us something stronger! It must have been a series of battles. They seemed to be on a battle high and they were strangely strong. Sora walked up to her sister and........ What are you doing, you stupid little sister? Whew! I bobbed my head vigorously. ''Ooh.........blurry sister is a new power word.......'' Holding up her battered head, Luna murmured with tears in her eyes. ''What are you thinking, using magic like that in a place like this?Is Luna an idiot?Or is the a**h*le Luna? ''I''m just not sure I understand what Sola is saying. Hey, hey, hey. Calm down. Don''t worry about it. We were chased by quite a few demons, so we had no choice... ''I think I heard an explosion on more than one occasion... haha, not at all. Whatever. It''s nice to see you guys. Tania said as she summarized the story. Kanade, Tania, Sola, Luna, Nina and Tina. Now the six of them are all here. The rest..... Now all that''s left is Rain. Even if the party members were all there, it would be useless without Rain. Kanade asks Cell. ''Hey, hey, Cell. Is there a time limit or something?'' ''I think I''ve explained that too - of course I have. If we don''t get here within the time limit, we''re disqualified. Meow.... Kanade looked worried, her tail wagging restlessly. ''I don''t think we''re at the stage of worrying so much yet. We''ve got ... well ... two hours to go. With that much time, it''s not impossible for us to get here. There''s no need to worry about the rest of the party, right? ''Hmmm, that''s true...'' ''I''m curious about the things that bother me...'' Kanade and Tania get a melancholy look on their faces. They both have common feelings for Rain. It''s a love affair. Because they have such feelings, they worry excessively. Will they make it to the finish line? Are they hurt? Are they stuck? Part of me trusts that Rain will be fine.......................but still, I''m worried about what I''m worried about. I can''t wait to see her. With that thought in mind, I pray for Rain''s safety. ''''I''ll be fine..........'''' Nina patted Kanade and Tania on the head. Then she smiled. ''''Rain would........absolutely, it''s fine........'''' In Nina''s eyes, there was an absolute trust in Rain. Seeing Nina''s appearance like that, Kanade and Tania regained their composure. Since Nina, who is smaller than they are, is this calm, this is no time to panic. It''s just a matter of waiting for them to be ready for anything, and not to worry. "I believe in you, Rain. While Kanade and the others are steeling themselves... Cell was feeling a bit uneasy. The other examiners were waiting all over the ruins as an obstacle in the path of the candidates. Kanade and the others seemed to be lucky enough not to run into anyone, but the luck wouldn''t last many times. Rain''s ability to contract with a large number of the strongest species is comparable to...or even exceeds...the A-ranked adventurers. The fact that such Rain still hasn''t shown up at the finish line means that he may have encountered the examiner and is being held back. If that''s the case, who is Rain facing? Cell thought of his partner''s face. This time, Axe was also participating as an examiner. Until now, he had announced his non-participation, not wanting to work with Arios, but... We need a lot of people for the final exam. I decided to ask them to join us, no questions asked. ''Maybe....'' Isn''t Rain confronting Axe? There was no basis for this, but that''s what Cel thought. 238-Episode 238: Goal .... .... There was an awkwardness in the air. The rats were leading me to the deepest part of the ruins... On the way out, I went out to a large room. There I found Axe. After exchanging a very simple greeting, "Yo," nothing has been exchanged since. Cell didn''t show what happened before, he talked to me normally, but..... Axe can be clumsy at times. He''s probably awkward because he still has a lot on his mind. But it''s the same for me, and I don''t know what to say to him. But it can''t be like this forever, can it? "Well what is Axe doing here? Yeah?Uh.........I''m an examiner. I''m the judge of the strength of an examinee like Rayne, or an obstacle, or... well... something like that. I see. In short, it''s called the Gatekeeper. It''s standard, but I guess the development is that you can''t advance to the back without defeating Axe. "Ahhh........well, you don''t have to defeat me to advance. Axe says something like that, as if he''s read my thoughts. ''You have two choices in the test here. You can either fight me and take the shortest course or you can avoid me and take the longest route. It''s one of two things. I see. The shortest course would be one minute from here to the finish line, and the longest course would be an hour. If we take the longest route, it''ll take us one minute to get to the finish line, and if we take the longest route, it''ll take us an hour. If you''ve got plenty of time to spare.....Why are you holding a weapon at the ready? ''We''ll have to beat Axe to get to the shortest course, won''t we? You''re not even going to get lost, right? Oh, boy. I remember the incident the other day. Me and Axe were confronting each other like this........ I never regretted the choice I made then. So I can make the same choice now. I pulled out my Kamui. But ... Axe is not going to draw his sword. "Ax? Uh ... what can I say? Axe says, sounding like a bad rule. ''''Well why don''t we do it another way?'''' What? ''My role is to test the strength of the candidates. Normally, I''d fight them normally, but well, Rain wouldn''t have to, would she?And what''s more...I don''t want to have to deal with you again, even if it''s a test. It''s... ''For the record, I don''t regret the choice I made then. I still think it was the right thing to do. But ... that''s the same with Rain, isn''t it? ''Yes. I have no regrets. Then let''s get our story straight that we were right about each other. I don''t want to get into a fight with Rayne, but I''m not comfortable with it. We''ve been partying together, even if it''s just for a while.......oh my god! Thoroughly, Axe scratched his head. ''Anyway, duh!I don''t want to cross blades with you again. That''s all! Haha..... What an axe to grind. Clumsy, but straightforward... I was happy to see that nothing had changed. I''m with you. I don''t want to fight Axe again. I''m glad you said that. Well, if you fight, you know the consequences. Hey!What does that mean? ''Because I won last time. It hasn''t been that long since, and if we did it now, we''d just get the same result, right? You tell me, bastard. I mean, I didn''t lose to Rain that time. It wasn''t defeated by your people. There is no way I could take on the strongest species. If Rayne was the only one, I would''ve beaten you. How about that? They sneer at each other. Of course, they don''t mean these words. It''s kind of like playing with words... It''s like a little kid insisting that I''m more awesome than him. I hope you''ll see it as clumsy male communication. ''But how is it okay not to fight?Axe is an examiner, right? ''As I said before, I already know what Rain is capable of. I don''t need to try it to pass. Then why don''t you just let me through here? ''There''s no way I can. Even though you know your powers, you can''t let it pass for free. You have to do the test. I''m a bit of a stickler for flexibility. It''s in my nature. Is it typical of Axe to say that it''s Axe? I''m pretty serious about my job. When it comes to things other than work.... I''ll take no comment on that one. ''But what do you do when it''s not about fighting?You want to play a game of wits? Is Lane going to kill me? Why are we talking about this? Are you trying to tell me that if you compare wits, you''re going to get a short-circuit in your head from wisdom fever? Let''s settle this one right here. Axe moved to the front of the appropriate step and put his elbow on it. ''Arm wrestling, huh?'' ''This will allow us to measure our strength and ... well, it''s a good match between men, isn''t it? It''s easy to understand. I can''t help but laugh. Then ... I move in front of Axe and grab his hand, also on my elbow. ''''I''m ... sorry about that.'''' ''Axe doesn''t have anything to apologize for, does he?You said you didn''t do anything wrong. ''That feeling doesn''t change. There isn''t one but I still have a lot of feelings about not being able to honestly support the path my friends have chosen. Okay. It''s like you can feel Axe''s feelings... I felt the various ramifications I had been holding in my chest dissolving. ''Thank you,'' Yeah? Well it''s nice to hear that from your people. Rain, you.... Axe''s eyes widened in response to the word "friends". Then a small smile. ''Can you count me as a mate?'' It''s okay? You''re the questioning type. Okay, fine. We had to break up like that, but.... But there may be an opportunity to go down the same path again. Now it''s been shown that it''s not zero. That''s why I call Axe my friend. Maybe we''ll all agree on that. "f*ck...you''re right, Rain is a straight shooter. It''s so dazzling to watch. Really? So you don''t know what you''re doing. Well, that''s more like Rain. ''I feel like a fool there...'' Don''t sulk, don''t sulk. I''m just giving you a compliment. I''m afraid "just in case" is a bit much, don''t you think? A lot of words come out of my mouth as we''ve been passing each other by. It''s fun and comforting. I''d love to do this for a while longer, but... As you can imagine, that''s not going to happen. We have time for exams, and we need to move on now. We can warm up our companionship later. ''''Then.........'''' Let''s go! Taking that word as a cue, me and Axe strained our arms. ---------- Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade was fidgeting, pacing back and forth in the hall. Tania sat in a random spot and stayed put. Sola and Luna had gotten into a fight of some sort and were chasing each other. Seeing the two of them, Nina gasped and panicked, and Tina looked like she was seeing something smiling. ''''You guys are so calm.......aren''t you worried about Rain?'''' Of course I''m worried. Tania replied. ''But I trust you at the same time. ''I know Rain will get here in time. He''ll pass the test. I''m sure you''ll be fine. ''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I don''t see it that way.... You don''t trust Lane? I do, okay?I''m trying to, but the feeling of worrying hasn''t gone away either............................nyah. ''Well, isn''t that what Kanade is all about?'' Really? ''There''s no such thing as right for either of us so I think we can each think about Rain in our own way, or rather, our own thoughts. Tania is a big girl. Kanade is a child. While we were talking about this, the other adventuring parties began to show up. They showed their faces from the corridors here and there, and one by one, the people who passed the test were decided. And the last one to show his face was........ Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Guys! Without realizing that he had reached the finish line, Rain was happy to see his friends again. It was the same for Kanade and the others... Oh, man. Seeing Rain and the others smiling and happy to see each other again, Cell let out a small smile. 239-Episode 239: The Dark The final exam was completed and we moved to the ground. ''Huh?'' Kanade gave him a strange look. ''One thing, you''re missing a party.'' Speaking of which... There were eight parties, 30 in total, who took the final test. But there are only 7 parties here, 27 of them. Not all parties will pass. Did one group get eliminated? Even if that was the case, it was unnatural for me not to be here, since all the exams have been completed. ''''I was going to announce the results of the exams but.......give me a minute. Cell talked about that and went off somewhere with the other examiners. Axe, who was accompanying him, also had a grim look on his face. Was there some kind of trouble? Speaking of which... Tania looked like she remembered something and added. ''The party that isn''t here is the one that got involved with Rain, isn''t it? Speaking of which... What''s going on?Well, I wouldn''t feel sorry for them if they were rejected because of those guys. ''Yes, there''s no end to the amount of time we could spend worrying about that! People don''t seem to care much about it but.... I can''t help but wonder about it. I feel like something big is happening out of sight.... I had such a bad feeling about this. ---------- After finishing their work, Arios returned to the large tent that had been prepared for them. Once inside, Aggus glanced at Arios. ''I haven''t seen you for a while... but where have you been?'' I''ve got a lot of work to do to help with the exams. I see. As if he''d lost interest after that, Aggus turned to the day after tomorrow. Arios clicked his tongue in a small way so that no one could hear him. Lately, Aggus''s attitude has been depressing. Every time something happens, he asks about this and that. What have you been doing? Where have you been? You''re not doing it, are you? It''s all that kind of stuff. Who do they think they are? I''m a very good warrior. But I don''t need someone to challenge me. Would you rather be banished like Rain? It doesn''t matter why. If it''s not there, just make it up. ''Well, we''ll deal with Aggus later. More importantly, there was something else that needed to be done now. Arios changed his mind and moved to the table where Leanne and Mina... and Monica were. ''Ah, Arios. Welcome back. ''You''ve been helping me with my exams, haven''t you? Good job. What took you so long? What are you doing here? ''Well, a lot of things. When you''re a brave man, there''s a lot of things you have to do. Hmm, that''s tough. Is there anything we can do to help you? No, I''m fine. But first, can I borrow Monica for a minute?There''s something I need to tell you. "?If we''re going to talk, why don''t we do it here and now? It''s important to me. ''A private conversation between us?Ayashi. Leanne, you mustn''t be so lowly in your gut. Okay. Arios took Monica out of the tent. Just to be sure, they moved further out and headed for an unpopulated area. ''So ... did it work?'' Monica asked in a small voice. To that........Arios responds with a smile. ''Yeah, no problem. How could I fail? Arios handed Monica a piece of jewelry about the size of his thumb. ''This should contain it all. ''All right. Now, I''ll process it to make sure it''s not a problem, and I''ll check it out just in case. Please. ''Yes, leave it to me. Everything is for the sake of the brave........ ---------- It was about an hour or so after the final exam was completed that things moved in a big way. One party did not show up at the finish line. At first it was thought that they had flunked out, but they didn''t show up even after the test was over. Could it be that they were stuck inside the ruins because there were traps everywhere? Apparently such speculation led to the formation of a search party. Cell and Axe. It was formed by that and a few other examiners. Arios? He relaxed in his tent, as if that wasn''t his job. Then the cells searched the ruins... I found three people who had been transformed. The three died because they couldn''t get past the test........ Although such a view was expressed at first, a cloud was cast in the middle of the case. The three bodies had cuts on them. Whether they had been attacked by a demon or caught in a trap in the ruins, there was no way that they could have been cut. Here, the possibility that someone had attacked him had emerged. And the culprit was........ I''m sorry, Rain. I can''t believe you would do this. Arios began to partition the case, and after a few moments of investigation, he told the examiners to arrest me. 240-Episode 240: False Charge Can you stop screwing around? There''s no way Lane would do that! Tania and Kanade were the first to bite Arios. They were both pissed off at being told something unkind and showed clear anger. They looked like they were going to hit him right now. But Arios is not intimidated. He continues to stand tall, as if justice is on our side. ''''After a rigorous investigation, the answer is that Rain is the only culprit. The examiners surrounded us as we obeyed Arios'' words. They were already treating us like criminals. Cell and Axe didn''t join the siege and were now watching the situation. ''''Why does Rain have to kill the other adventurers?There is no reason ... no motive for doing such a thing. Sola says like a lawyer. However, Arios seems to have anticipated the question beforehand and says it without slurring and stagnating. ''The victim was an adventurer who had a problem with Rain, you know. Rain killed them in order to make up for his resentment at the time. Or they met in the ruins and got into trouble again. And then he lost his temper...?Either way, we have a motive. Isn''t that tantamount to making things up? ''Maybe so. But the others have no contact with the victim at all. The only person I have any contact with is Rain. ''Hmph, you make me laugh when you treat Rain like a criminal just for that stuff! Of course I didn''t blame Lane for the murder, for that alone. Hey, let''s see what you got. At Arios'' signal, one of the examiners brought the materials. He handed them out to everyone in the room, including me. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. The results of the autopsy, I guess. What does it matter? I want you to look at the cause of death. It''s been caused by a blade wound. So what? ''Look closely. Doesn''t it say that he died from a stab wound caused by a dagger, not a sword...? Mmm.... ''No one else has a dagger but Rain. Rain utilizes the dagger as his main armament, while the others are swords, spears, and axes. That''s the accusation! I''m just stating a fact. If you''d like, we can do a physical examination of everyone here.I can assure you that no one other than Rayne will come out with a dagger. ''Daggers are easy to dispose of. Burying it in the ground or throwing it in the river.......it''s not proof! Luna pointed to Arios with a bishouche and told him that the evidence was insufficient. Luna is right. If you were to arrest me just on the basis of what you just said, you would be too arrogant. It''s a messed up story, and it''s not something I can accept. However, Arios doesn''t lose his relaxed expression. He seems to be absolutely convinced that I''m the one who did it. ''''When and at what point did Rain do this? This time Tina questioned. ''I hear you guys fell into the trap of the ruins and fell apart?At that time, Rain was to act alone. Rain''s actions at that time were not guaranteed to anyone. Which means he could have committed the crime then. It''s... What did you do when you were separated from everyone else? Isn''t that when he committed the crime? I can''t blame you for suspecting that, but.... But there''s no end to that kind of talk. Proving my innocence at that time was tantamount to proving the devil. Axe interrupted, as if he couldn''t watch. ''Rain would have been with me, man. Hmm. Are you sure about that? Yeah, I''m sure. If Lane is willing to go to trial, I''m willing to testify. Lying in court is considered a felony. One shot and you''re sentenced to forced labor. If he said it so strongly, one would not normally doubt Axe''s statement. But Arios doesn''t want to change his attitude. ''''I''m sorry, but I don''t trust what you said. What did you say? ''You used to party with Rain, albeit temporarily, didn''t you?They''re old buddies, so to speak. Maybe that''s why he''s speaking out in favor of Lane. ''Oh come on, don''t make accusations. I wouldn''t do that. ''What does it look like from an objective standpoint?Isn''t the witness a former colleague with a backstory?I don''t blame you for being suspicious of me. Am I wrong in what I''m saying? G............................. Axe gets an angry look on his face. He cringes at the prospect of being grabbed, but it looks like he held on just in time. Arios'' words are tantamount to an accusation... But it''s not wild bullshit either. There''s no such thing as an underhanded connection between me and Axe, but.... To a third party who knew nothing about it, it would be suspicious. ''Arios, do you mind?'' When I asked him to speak, Arios gave a small nod. ''The motive, the method of the murder, the alibi for the time of the crime... I understand that objectively I am suspicious. Are you sure that''s a confession? No, you didn''t. I didn''t do anything. First of all, none of the evidence is conclusive. It''s just vague, right?And yet Arios doesn''t suspect me of being the killer. Do you have any conclusive proof that I''m the culprit? "Chuckle. Arios laughs happily. He laughs heartily and happily, as if he''s been waiting for this moment. ''I have,'' Arios nodded confidently. He must have a lot of confidence in himself for showing that much attitude. What kind of proof do you have in store for me? You know what? At Arios'' signal, the examiner brought out a crystal ball. ''''This is a magical tool that is supposed to memorize the scene of the place. As an anti-corruption measure, these magical tools are placed throughout the ruins. What about it? This is where the critical moment of the crime was recorded. Would Lane still be able to cut the white out of this thing? Arios operated the magic tool with a grin and a malicious smile. The crystal ball glowed faintly. Soon after, the light subsided and a scene within the ruins was projected. A small room within the ruins was shown. No one was there. ''Where''s the evidence?'' Take your time. We''re almost there.... Not long after, the victims entered the room. They seemed to be on alert for any traps and were moving slowly. From behind them I appeared........................... Wha.........? I had a dagger in my hand and... I slowly walked up behind one of the victims and swung my dagger at him. The blade dug deep and blood poured out. The spot where I was stabbed was on the side of my neck. The victim collapsed to his knees as if the strings of his puppet had broken. He didn''t even twitch. The victims were half panicked by the sudden violence, but they immediately began to fight back. They had just taken the A-rank promotion test, and their abilities were solid. Although they were lacking one person, they tried to move to counterattack with brilliant coordination. But........I was better at it. I used the corpse as a shield to block the attack. And then I threw the corpse away. The victims slow down, unsure of what to do with the corpses of their friends. So I close the distance and bring my dagger.... Rain. This is the proof you asked for. Are you still going to cut the head off after this? ''What the hell - I didn''t do this! But I''m pretty sure that''s you in the video. Unless, of course, you have an identical twin, which I don''t know about. ''That''s ... but I didn''t kill anyone!There''s a mistake! ''You can prove your innocence in the court of justice. Well, this is all the smoking gun we have. It''s not going to be possible, though. Hahahahahaha! Ggh..... Get him. At Arios''s command, the examiners moved at once. Axe and Cell were confused and didn''t move, but... The other examiners ... and even more adventurers will join in. What to do!What to do! 241-Chapter 241: Arrest Rain!What are we going to do?! Kanade''s panicked voice flew in. ''''Kook ... now we''re running away! Dahme, I can''t miss. What...? A voice came from close by. A shadow rose and it took the form of a man. It''s Lean. He must have used the magic ''Shadow Seeker'' to move from shadow to shadow. ''''Earthbind!'''' The earth rose up and entwined itself around me like a cage. ''Arios told me that you''re status quo doesn''t work, right?But how about this? Geez........... I tried to get out as fast as I could, but I couldn''t escape as one earthen fetters after another tangled me. ''Don''t, Lean!I didn''t kill anybody!This is some kind of mistake. So..... ''Haha, I don''t care about that.'' Lean...? I don''t like you, okay? I don''t like you because you''re a little bit of a wastebug and you insist on telling everybody what happened in Pagos and I''m not a joke. You''re insolent. You have a right to know who you think I am?Great Wizard, Master Lean. You will be punished for disobeying me. Hahahahaha! It''s...! You''re not driven by a cause, you''re driven by personal feelings! This guy calling himself a hero is a joke! "Yikes! ''Ugh!'' I heard Sola and Luna scream. I looked over there in a hurry and saw that they had been caught by Aggus. He must have used magic to move to their side, just like Lean. If it was a magical battle, Sora and Luna had no enemies, but if it was a melee battle, it would be tough. They are unable to shake off Aggus'' powerful arm. ''''This........! Don''t underestimate it, man! Sola and Luna use magic to try to pull Aggus off... That''s enough. Mina said sharply. In her hands was Tina''s figure, bound with a rope of light. ''''I''m sorry, guys.......I messed up. I''m a priest. Making a ghost disappear is a simple task. Mina, stop! Then surrender peacefully. You will not be resisted. Tina''s characteristic of being a ghost allows her to be close to the most powerful species, but... Priests are natural enemies. If they are exposed to the light of purification, they will disappear in a flash. ''''Hey, it''s not fair to take a hostage! ''Yes!It''s still a brave party! Kanade and Tania glared at her, but Mina didn''t get upset for an inch. ''We are doing the right thing. In other words, it is an act approved by God. Such words will not sway our hearts. d*mn it...! No, no matter what I say, I can''t get through to Mina. Hmm..... Sneaking around, Nina was moving. If Nina would evacuate everyone into subspace, we could escape. That''s what I''m hoping for... Yes, and you''ll have to be quiet, too. ''Ugh!'' Nina! Before I knew it, a female knight who had crept up behind me seized Nina. I''ve never seen her face before but... Seeing that you and Arios are working together, I wonder if you are the member who joined after I left? Well Rain. Does it look like there was a winner? Arios gave a grin and a winning smile. ''''Poof.'''' I bite my lip. I can''t help but wonder if I''m going to let Arios and the others in this place. Me, Sora, and Luna are restricted in our movements. There''s no way to get out of it, but....... However, Tina and Nina are completely trapped. Since they are being held hostage at the point of a weapon, they can''t act poorly. Kanade and Tania also seem to understand this and are in a situation where they can''t move. Arios and the others aren''t the only enemies. The examiners have formed a circle around the other adventurers and have surrounded us. Each one of them has a weapon at the ready. Their eyes were staring at us, treating us as complete criminals. It would be impossible to convince them. What can we do to overcome this situation? What to do! .... I''m trying to think of a way to do it, but... I couldn''t find the answer. "...All right. I surrender. Lane? Kanade exclaimed in surprise. Is Tania serious, too?I have a look on my face like that. But I can''t do anything else. If I''m reckless, someone will get hurt. I''m not going to let that happen. I''m not going to end up like Arios. I don''t want to be the kind of man who can cut down his own people because that''s the kind of man I want to be. From what I saw on that tape, it was me all along. I''m going to be caught, brought to justice and... If they charge me with a crime, I''ll be the only one. I think we''re all going to be okay. Of course, I''m not going to give up that easily. I''m going to try to find a way out of here, a way to prove my innocence and I''m going to try every way I can. But for now, all I can do is catch them without a fight. "Thank you for being so smart, Rain. Have you grown up a little? Arios, you... Resisting the urge to punch him, I manage to ask. ''''Let me ask you one thing. Is this case........the work of Arios? What do you mean by that? ''I''m asking if it was Arios who brought me down. Well I have no idea what you''re talking about. Arios........smiled. Joyfully. Gladly. A smile of amusement was plastered on his mouth. Seeing that smile, I was sure of it. It was Arios. I don''t know why, but he''s trying to undermine me. It wasn''t enough for him to banish me from the party, he did this to me... And you''re trying to take a new one. And if you''re going to ruin my life... I feel an inexplicable rage. Like the time I was banned from the party so long ago.... A similar emotion to that moment arose. And I was sure of it. Arios is ... the enemy. 242-Episode 242 Behind the Conspiracy Rain and the others gave up resisting and were meekly taken away. To prevent them from escaping, each one of them was placed in a separate carriage. They were also fitted with magical locks to seal their powers. Not only that, but a small ward was also deployed by Lean and Mina. It was inhumane, continuing to take away the target''s strength. Normally, the use of such a thing would not be allowed, but........ Since the other party is the strongest species, they were allowed to use it. Rain and the others were unable to do anything about it and were transported directly to the royal capital. ''''Kukku........'''' Arios smiled as if he couldn''t resist. There are still people watching. He managed to stifle a look of amusement, but even so, he couldn''t hold it all back. ''''Ah, that''s refreshing!'''' Leanne looked pleasant. It was like years of resentment had been lifted. ''Leanne, you need to be a little more selective with your words. You need to say and do things that are appropriate for a brave party.'' I know, but, hey, it''s a bit of a no-brainer, right?Those guys pissed me off a lot. Earlier, when Rain and Arios'' party clashed... Leanne has been hurt by Tania. She was finally able to get rid of the resentment from that time. It was impossible not to be pleased. Mina also seemed to have something that had stuck with her, and she didn''t try to chide Leanne any further. In Mina''s case, unlike Lean, she had a strong feeling that she was able to bring heavenly punishment to the fool who insulted the brave party. ''''.........Hmph. Aggus didn''t seem to have any particular feelings. He remained expressionless.... Crossing his arms and leaning against a suitable tree, he watched the course of events. After a quick check on his companions, Arios moved to the tent. When he was alone, he smiled again. ''''Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I can''t stop laughing. How hilarious it is. What a painful feeling. How wonderful. Arios thought back to Rain''s face. The look on her face when her companions were captured, helpless and trapped... Just thinking back on it makes me feel fulfilled. ''Oh yes. Arios gently stroked his cheek. Even now, he still remembered the pain he felt when Rain hit him. A chosen being, a brave man, was defeated by a Beast Tamer....... The humiliation is etched into my soul. I was able to relieve some of my resentment. But this is not the end. Now Rain and the others will be brought to justice. And we will take it all away. And in the end I will..... Excuse me. I was working on a dark fantasy when I heard a voice. It''s Monica. When did she come in? Arios wonders if... He didn''t think too much about it. Right now he was filled with a sense of accomplishment that he had been able to do it back to Rain, and he didn''t think the little things mattered. ''You look like you''re in a good mood,'' Well. At last, I was able to punish that fool. It''s not the end of the world, but rather the beginning of it and I''m glad to have taken the first step. I''m very glad. I''m glad to hear it. ''Thank you, Monica. You''re the one who put Rain in a corner with this idea. I want to thank you for that. What do you want? ''No. There''s nothing like this for Lady Arios. You''re humble, aren''t you? Well, that''s your virtue, isn''t it? Arios laughed and took out a certain pair of glasses. He rolled them around on his fingertips... I put it on casually. Then the figure changed into Rain''s. ''''The magic tool you gave me is also wonderful. Thanks to this guy, I was able to humiliate Rain. The Imitation Spectacles... they''re a first-class magical instrument that can mimic a particular person''s appearance. I took them out of the palace in the hope that they would be of some use, but I''m glad to see that they were of some use to you, Arios. ''It''s a useful tool. Well, the constraint of having to make contact with the target beforehand is cumbersome... but it still served me well enough. In order to use the ability, he had to be near the target for 10 minutes while wearing the glasses, a restriction that he had to meet. However, Arios had met that requirement by engaging in a mock battle with Rain. Since it was a somewhat forceful method, it might be suspicious... As expected, he wouldn''t realize that there was such a magical tool. After transcribing Rain''s appearance, Arios went to the ruins on his feet. Knowing the location of the magic tools for surveillance beforehand........ In front of them, he disguises himself as Rain and slaughters the adventurers. Thus, he would have to pay for their crimes. ........That was the plan that Arios had made this time. Rain would not only be stripped of his adventurer status, he would be judged as a sinful criminal. A death sentence in the normal course of events. At best, forced labor in mines and other places. Just imagining that future made Arios smile. ''By the way, what can I do for you?'' As he thought back, Arios asked Monica. ''Yes. I thought I''d get rid of those glasses.'' You know this guy?It seems like a bit of a waste, but... ''''It would serve as evidence that would lead to Arios-sama. Although it''s an excellent magic tool, leaving it behind could cause problems later on... ''Hmmm ... that''s true too. All right. I''ll leave it up to you to get rid of this guy. Yes, sir. Arios handed the glasses to Monica. Monica took the glasses and spun a curse in a small voice. In response to the sound, the glasses crumbled and turned to dust. She activated the self-destruct device she had planted in advance. ''''Now there''s no problem. No one will be able to reach Arios-sama. Everything is at Arios-sama''s mercy........ Thank you, Monica. I''m grateful for the company I''ve found in you. Thank you for this. ''Yes. I, too, am grateful for the fate that allowed me to meet you, Arios. Monica bent at the waist and bowed her head deeply, as if to offer her allegiance to Arios. That made it impossible for Arios to see her expression. Monica was.........smiling. ---------- Arios, who was feeling good, left the tent, saying he had to deal with it in the future. Monica, now alone, saw her back off... "Hmm. He smiles with a satisfied smile. ''Now we can get rid of anyone who gets in our way. That''s not all. The brave man has also crossed a line that must not be crossed. Everything is for Reese-sama........ 243-Episode 243 Captive Body While I was being transferred, I tried desperately to plead my innocence. But no one would listen to me. If this was Horizon, or maybe the outcome would have been different. But this is King''s Landing. No one knows me or who I am. On the contrary, Arios is a celebrity. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. I have no memory of this, but I do have proof. I can''t prove my innocence, but I have proof. I was separated from my comrades and thrown into a cell in the Order''s headquarters in King''s Landing. ...and a week passed. "d*mn. There was nothing I could do; time just passed. It''s been a week since then. Will everyone be okay...? Kanade, Tania, and Luna have a lot of directness to them, so I''m worried that they''re being reckless. Sora and Tina are calm, but I worry about them because they push themselves too hard sometimes. Nina is still very young and I hope that being put in jail doesn''t remind her of what happened to her when Edgar was holding her. ''Though I suppose I should worry about myself first. A week in jail. Several times a day for a few hours of interviews at a time. Other than that, he never goes out, and he''s been locked up for a long time. The prison seems to be built underground, so no sunlight can reach the prison. I''ve just managed to keep track of the number of days that have passed with two meals a day. But still........it''s quite tough. Being squeezed into a place like this, being interrogated over and over again....... I feel exhausted, both physically and mentally. I can feel my mind being worn out. Even I''m like this. If everyone else is going through the same thing, it might be even tougher. ''I''ve got to do something about it but I don''t know what to do, I don''t know what to do, I don''t know what to do at all. The only thing we know is that sitting around here is not going to make things worse. No, in fact, it will get worse. The evidence Arios has provided is perfect from the side. It''s incontestable and should be enough to prove I''ve committed a murder. If this continues, I will definitely be tried as a murderer. Before that happens, I have to prove my innocence at all costs. But that''s not going to happen when I''m in a place like this.... Would you rather break out of prison? A glancing, disturbing thought crosses my mind. There''s nothing wrong with escaping itself. This place is only the headquarters of the Order, and it''s pretty tightly constructed, but.... Over the past week, I''ve figured out the knight''s behavior patterns and so on. I don''t think there''s anything we can''t do. But even if I escape, I can''t take the next step. There''s no ate to break the situation. Since there''s no use in acting in the dark, I stayed put, but....... I guess we''ll just have to stay in this place as it is... after all, do we want to escape?Then we''ll meet up with the others... As I was thinking about what was to come, I heard footsteps. Multiple footsteps. Could it be a knight? However, only one person''s footsteps were extremely light. As I was wondering, the footsteps stopped just before the prison. ''I''ll be fine here,'' But he''s a murderer. I can''t leave you alone... He''s in jail. I don''t see a problem with that, do you? It''s... "You will stay here. That''s an order. ... haha. I thought I heard you guys talking and then... There was a door that opened slightly. A face appeared from there........ Hello, Miss Lane. Lady Sarya! Sarya-sama appeared with a somewhat mischievous look on her face. ''How did you end up here... what, a dream? ''Huh, it''s real. We got to see Rain''s surprise. It''s precious. It was worth it to me to come all the way out here. I don''t know what Lady Sarya wants, but.... Isn''t this an opportunity? If Sarya-sama is on our side, we may be able to create a situation that is not immediately and without charge, but close to it. Anyway, I was trying to talk... Shh. Lady Sarya put a finger to her mouth and paused, quietly. ''We don''t have time to discuss the details of the situation. Let''s get out of here first. But ... how? First, please use this to unlock the magic lock. I don''t know where she got it, but Sarya-sama gave me the key to the magic lock. She must have taken advantage of her position as a princess to get it on her way here. Probably. I unlocked the magic locks on my neck and legs. The things that were holding me down are released and my body becomes lighter. In this state, I can use the power I got from making a deal with everyone. It would be easy to just leave the prison. But this is the basement and, incidentally, the Knights'' headquarters. I haven''t checked it thoroughly, but there will be more knights than I can bear to count. It would be quite difficult to escape through all of them without being found by anyone...................even if they did, it would be quite difficult to escape safely. If it was the Knights'' headquarters in the royal capital, it would be crawling with knights that were comparable to A-rank adventurers. It is indeed impossible to deal with all those people at once. ''''Please take me as a hostage. ... what? Take me hostage and get out of here. I didn''t mishear that. It''s true that if we take Sarya-sama as a hostage, we might be able to escape. But I won''t have the disrespect to do so. Mr. Lane, please hurry. We don''t have time. What''s the...? ''''Even as we speak, Arios-sama is planning to execute Lady Rain. In order to do so, he''s lobbied everywhere... Is that true! ''Yes, sir. I know this, and I am trying to stop it. Everyone says that he has sinned, but I don''t believe them. Rain is not the kind of person who would do such a thing. I believe in the innocence of Lady Raine. Dear Sarya... "Your first priority must be to escape from here. You can''t do anything while you are trapped here you will be forced to do what Alios-sama has in mind. So.........use me to get away from here. Lady Sarya''s eyes were full of determination. No matter how much of a princess she was, there was no way she would get away with helping a criminal escape for free. And yet........without hesitation, Lady Sarya had already made up her mind. If she had shown that much determination and resolve, then she couldn''t hesitate. ''''I understand. I will use Sarya-sama. Your boldness is very characteristic of you, Miss Lane. ...material creation. Using the power he gained from his contract with Nina, he created a key to the prison. I unlock it and get out. Then I create a pair of handcuffs and connect me and Sarya-sama. ''''Uh ... shhhh, excuse me.'''' Uh... yes. Gently, I held Sarya-sama in my arms. Since I can''t pull around the handcuffed hands, I have no choice but to hold her like this, but.... Even though she is a princess, she is a girl of her age. She is warm and soft. Occasionally, Sarya''s breath touches you up close and personal. Don''t think about it. Let''s be serious. Let''s hold on tight. Um ... am I not heavy? You''ll be fine. I''m a very powerful man, despite my appearance. Mmmm ... that''s not an answer. It can''t be helped. There''s no way I can say that I''m carrying an adult woman, so I can''t say that I feel some weight. ''Well then ... here we go! Okay. I walked out of the dungeon with Lady Sarya in my arms. The outside of the dungeon seems to be a surveillance room. Three knights who seemed to have accompanied Sarya-sama were waiting in line. ''''Wha........who are you! Lady Sarya! Suddenly, the knights revealed their agitation when they saw us jumping out of the room. I''m not going to miss that opportunity. I hit them in the jaw to shake their brains and knock them out with a concussion. I collect my stuff and equipment in the other room and move up the stairs leading to the ground. ''Huh...'' Lady Sarya rolled her eyes. ''''I''m sorry. I had to get through that place, even if I had to be a little rough around the edges... did I startle you? ''''Yes, I was surprised in a different way.......I had heard about you, but Rain-san is very strong. No matter how much you were caught by surprise, to defeat a knight of the past in battle so easily.................such a thing is not something that an ordinary person can do. You weren''t surprised, you were impressed. Sarya-sama might be a pretty big deal to be able to afford such feelings at a time like this. ''''You''re going to be more surprised now. Please continue to hold on tight! Okay. Taking Lady Sarya as a hostage I escaped from the Order''s headquarters without further ado. 244-Episode 244: A Moving Conspiracy This way. I walked out of the Knights'' headquarters, blending my figure into the crowd and shaking off my pursuers.... Sarya-sama led us to a small house in a small alleyway. It''s a small house, perhaps for a single person. It''s only large enough for two people to live in at the very last minute. There was a hard, dusty sofa by the wall, and a few chairs. And a few chairs. For now, I sat Sarya down on the sofa. Then I take off the handcuffs. "Excuse me. Huh, being handcuffed is a new experience for me. It may be a joke, but it''s not funny under the circumstances right now. ''So ... can you tell me what''s going on?'' Yes, I know. The smile disappears and Sarya-sama becomes serious. Her expression was filled with some concern for me. ''''A week ago.......I received news that Rain-sama and the others had been arrested on suspicion of murder. Okay....so? There was something unnatural about Arios'' attitude, as if he wanted to frame Lane and the others. I was convinced that there was something more to hide, so I contacted Monica. "Monica? Oh I''m a knight who was recently added to Lord Arios'' party. "...Oh. Come to think of it, there''s a face I''m not familiar with. It reminded me of a female knight. A beautiful woman. It''s just.... He had somewhat inorganic eyes, with a frighteningly cold look in them at times. Hence the impression it left on him. Perhaps the knight named Monica had been sent to keep an eye on Arios. In the case of Pagos, Arios had gone too far, as expected. The king and others who didn''t feel good about it must have sent Monica. I asked Lady Salya for confirmation, and she nodded in agreement. ''''Monica was originally my father''s SS.......basically, she''s on our side. So she should know about ''something'' that Arios-sama may be hiding. By the way you talk, have you reached any conclusions yet? Yes Monica also seems to suspect Arios-sama, but she has no hard evidence and said she will continue to monitor him closely. Hmm...? Sarya-sama''s words made me feel a little uncomfortable. That''s probably why she was chosen to be Arios''s guardian. And yet, how is it possible that she doesn''t know what''s going on behind Arios'' back? That''s how well Arios got around... Or are our predictions pointing in the completely wrong direction and Arios is not involved in this case? .... no, I don''t understand. I don''t have enough information. For now, let''s hear the rest of Sarya-sama''s story. ''''After that, I continued my own investigation on my own, but I''m sorry. I have not been able to find anything concrete on my end either. However, I can assure you in the name of royalty that Mr. Lane and the others have not committed any crimes. So I thought I''d at least help you escape... And now we''re getting to the point where... well, that''s very clear. ''I''m sorry, I''m a useless royal... if I had more power, I could have cleared Mr. Lane and the others of their suspicions...'' ''No. I''m quite grateful to you for helping me escape in this way. Besides, I don''t know where you got it from, but Arios had a video of me committing a murder. As long as we have that evidence, no matter how Sarya-sama, I don''t think we can overturn the ruling. It would be nice to hear that. Lady Sarya gave a soft smile. She must have felt guilty, thinking it was useless. But I wonder. ''Why are you willing to go to such lengths?'' I''ve saved Lady Sarya''s life before, but.... That''s not a reason for you to go this far. Sarya-sama may have a position to fill.... As a mere adventurer, I don''t know why he would do so much for me. ''''Well........Rain-san will be the person this country needs. Is it because I thought so? What''s the...? ''I''m sorry. I can''t explain it clearly because I''m partly driven by intuition and impulse myself, but I think Mr. Lane is the kind of person we need for the future of this country. Oh, come on, you''re giving it too much credit. ''No, I don''t think so. Perhaps my father is thinking the same thing. That''s why he doesn''t stop me, and that''s why he''s letting me go free like this. Even if you say something that big.......there is a part of me that is confused. But in other words, Sarya-sama appreciates me. She approves of me. It''s a strange feeling. Once I was banished from the party as useless........ I can''t believe the princess needs and wants me now. But it''s an honor to be able to put my trust in her like this. I was honestly glad to hear that. I understand. For now, I''ll just accept that kind of thing for now. We''ll help you. We''ll get through this one way or another. Yes, let''s go for it. Well we understand the current situation for now. What''s the next step? They''re... uh... I''m tempted to ask everyone, as is my usual habit. But ... of course, there''s no answer. Everyone remains trapped. ''''........'''' The lack of a response made me realize once again that I was alone. Up until now, no matter what difficulties I had encountered, everyone was there. There was Kanade. Tania was there. There was Sora. There was Luna. There was Nina. There was Tina. But now there is no one else. I''m the only one. My hands naturally tremble. Honestly, the thought of being alone I''m afraid. It''s so hard to be alone. ''''Huh!'''' I shake my head. I''m anxious to tell you the truth. I''m scared to death. But that doesn''t mean I can''t stand still. We''re all still trapped. Then what do we do? I have to help her! I''ve had the support of people in many places. I''ve had the support of my people. Well, then. Now it''s my turn to help. It''s time for me to support them. I got to do it right here. When do I do it right now? It''s time to move forward. I can''t stop. You can''t be lost. I can''t be clumsy, clumsy, or miserable... I have to move forward in a hurry! Okay. I changed my mind and let out one exhale. ''Hmph.'' I noticed that Sarya-sama had a soft smile on her face. ''''Uh... what''s going on?'''' ''I would have supported Miss Lane if I had to but it was an unnecessary concern. Ms. Lane was a very strong person who was able to stand up for herself. ''That''s not true. I''m not strong enough to be always getting help from my friends. I think it''s not a bad thing to have your help. I think it''s a lot better than being on your own. So I hope you will accept my assessment of you, Mr. Lane, without any humility. Okay. That''s great, I mean.... Maybe it''s because of her position as a princess, but she has a very deep perspective. For the sake of Sarya-sama, who has helped me, I have to get through this incident in one piece. 245-Chapter 245: Attachment Lane''s escaped? Arios received the report the day after Rain had escaped from his prison. Everything is progressing as I envisioned it. It''s time to bring Rayne to justice. And make him repent for the folly he has committed. The thought of such a thing put Arios in a good mood, but.... When I visited the Knights'' headquarters to check on Rain, I received the report and my mood dropped sharply. ''''I haven''t heard anything about that, but... what do you mean?'''' ''Ha, it''s just that...'' Arios stares at him and the knight becomes sluggish. Seemingly unable to see such a subordinate, a high ranking knight takes care of Arios. ''Yesterday, the suspect escaped. If the citizens find out that the murderer is hiding out in the city, there will be widespread unrest. Therefore, it is necessary to handle this matter in secret... I''m not a citizen. I''m a brave man. And I''m involved in this. So why don''t you report it? ''....my apologies. The suspect didn''t simply escape, he was confused because he caused so much trouble ... and the report came later. ''Problem?What''s that? This way. The knight led him to a private room, and Arios moved to a private room. It must be a confidential conversation. ''''In fact........the suspect took the princess who came to visit him hostage and escaped. ...what? Arios pouts. My apologies. Is this Rain''s guy holding the princess hostage?Is it really? Yes, I''m sure. Several of my men saw the incident. I have a gag order in place at this time, but I''m afraid it''s a matter of routine and will be revealed sooner or later. I see. Arios ran a hand over his mouth and made a gesture as if he were thinking. It was meant to hide a smile. Of course, breaking out of jail was a felony. A more serious charge would be given. Not only that, if he took the princess hostage, he would no longer be exempt from treason. Even if he was very lucky, hard labor in the mines and other places for the rest of his life. Usually a death sentence. Arios was troubled. Although he had tricked Rayne, the charge was murder. It''s not always possible to put him to death for sure. However, if you kidnapped the princess as a hostage, then the death penalty is already a certainty. I didn''t expect him to strangle himself. How grateful I am. Arios struggled to hold back the laughter that was building up. If it were true, he would like to burst into a high-pitched laugh right now and call Rain out for being a jerk. ''''As for that, I would like to ask for Arios-sama''s help, but...'''' ''Hmm. Well it''s a big problem. Of course I can help you. ''''Thank you. We''re in the process of gathering information while searching for the princess-sama, so as soon as we get it together, we may ask for Arios-sama''s help. This time, I want a proper report and no delays. Ha! After being seen off by the saluting knights, Arios left the Knights'' headquarters. ---------- Oh, it''s Arios. Welcome back. When I returned to my room in the castle where I was staying, I was greeted by Leanne. Seemingly with nothing in particular to do, Leanne was trimming her nails. Mina and Aggus were also in the room. Mina was reading a book. It''s a book published by the church on the teachings of God. Aggus was quietly tending to his armor. Monica was nowhere to be seen. Even though she is a watchman, she is not with him 24 hours a day. When they go out, they act together, but when they don''t, they are often separated. Arios took Monica out of his consciousness without paying much attention to her. ''I didn''t see you for some reason, where have you been?'' ''We''ve been taking it slow lately, but isn''t it time to get active?'' Mina closes the book with a snap and asks Arios that question. In response, Arios grinned and showed her a grin. ........It was a very ugly smile, as if it was a concentration of malice. ''Yes, we need to do some activities. Hmm?What do you mean? Lane''s escaped. Huh?That garbage worm? And I hear he''s taken the princess hostage for no apparent reason. Seriously? Leanne was surprised to hear a loud voice. Mina rolled her eyes and Aggus stopped tending to his armor and looked at Arios. ''I hear they''re in the process of gathering information right now but I''m sure we''ll have to make a move eventually. He didn''t tell me he was going to kidnap a princess... does that make him desperate? Either way, it''s unforgivable, isn''t it? Leanne and Mina verbally accused Rain. ''''Let''s rescue the princess with our hands. And then we will defeat Rain. No problem, right? Yeah, it''s good.You''ll be a great stockholder for us if you can help the princess. Can you give me a gold seal or something? ''Leanne. To talk about money at a time like this.... That''s good, that''s good. It''s not a good thing that we''ve had a few good things happen in the past it''s a chance to do some good and make a fast rise. We can''t let this opportunity pass us by. Leanne is right, it''s a good opportunity to change people''s opinion of us. Let''s make sure we don''t make any mistakes, shall we? And.........let''s kill Rain. Arios added quietly in his mind. ''''........hahaha.'''' Leanne and Mina began to exchange stories about how to capture Rain. When they were asked for their opinions, Aggus, who had been silent, joined the conversation. Arios was pleased to see his motivated companion. As much as he hated to admit it, Rain was a powerful opponent. He has the power to have defeated himself once in the past... The fact that we have the strongest species in tow is also tricky. When you fight, you have to bring all your forces together. So it''s good that our friends are motivated. To punish Rain. To satisfy their own needs. Let''s let them do their best. ........Arios was thinking about that. There was no compassion for his companions in that thought. What there is is only how to make them useful. That''s all. ''Wait and see, Rain I''m going to end it this time. That day, that time.... Arios lost to Rain. That''s when everything started to go wrong. As a brave man, he was neglected, and Rain, who was supposed to be useless, was lifted up. Strange. That shouldn''t be the case. Mistakes must be corrected. And then ... the opportunity to do so came. In other words, Rain is a clown. I''m going to need you to dance for me in a very funny way... And let''s get the place up and running. By using Rain as a springboard for such a stepping stone, we will move to the next level. A spectacular future is promised. .........Arios smiled with unconcealed amusement as his dark thoughts ran through his mind. 246-Episode 246: Captivity... Unya........nyah! Kanade took a deep breath and... As soon as he spat it out in one go, he kicked the prison with a lot of energy. But the prison didn''t budge. There was only a loud clatter. Instead, Kanade''s legs went numb. ''''Awwww..............numbness. It jerked up to the tip of its tail and quivered... Kanade held his feet down. Then he sat down on the tattered bed provided in the prison and looked up at the dirty ceiling. One deep sigh. ''''Huh.......I wonder if it will be difficult to escape. If it weren''t for this, it would be easy to escape.'''' Kanade looked resentfully at the locks on his neck and both wrists. Because of these magical locks, he was unable to use his true strength. If I didn''t have these things, I could easily kick through a prison. ''''Rain, are you alright........'''' ---------- ''Oh my God, I''m not even supposed to be here! Tania shouted loudly, alone in her prison. Although she stared at the d*mned prison, that didn''t open the lock. Her frustration only grew. If I hadn''t been fitted with a magic lock, I would want to turn into my dragon form and rampage around right now. Tania was stressed out enough to think about such a radical thing. ''''I''m worried about Rain too, but.......will everyone else be okay?'''' I think about the Kanade. I conclude rudely that it won''t be a problem because they are like wild child examples. I think about Sora and Luna. I conclude that those twins, for whatever reason, would be doing their usual pace. I think about Nina. I was worried that the trauma was recurring. Thinking about Tina. I thought of the scene of her talking carefree with the gatekeeper. ''I''ll have to do something about it... but what can I do...?'' Tania''s face turned dark and ... Still, I didn''t choose to give up, and I kept thinking desperately about a way to break the ice. ---------- ''"Uh... Sola and Luna were locked in a prison for two people. They have spent most of their time together from birth until now. If they''re going to be separated, I''m going to make them regret it later, I swear! I managed to threaten the gatekeepers and get them together. However, I can''t use magic since I''m wearing a magic lock. They couldn''t escape, and they couldn''t find out what happened to Rain. Unable to do anything about it, they were lying in bed. ''''My sister,'''' What is it? ''The bed is hard. Wouldn''t stone still be better? I think the stone is harder, indeed. Is that so? Yes, .... .... There was a silence and then.... ''Ughhhh! As if the silence was too much to bear, Luna got off the bed and shouted loudly. Then she pointed her palms at the prison that held them in. ''Bring about your demise, Ultimate End! He casts a super-class magic. However, since it is magically locked, the spell will not be activated and will end up being ineffective. ''''Goooooooo, if only this wasn''t the case...! ''''Even if there wasn''t, who would try to cast a super-grade magic in a place like this? If the magic had been successfully activated, it would have been a terrible mess. I don''t care what happens to people who do horrible things to Rain and everyone else! ''Well, I agree with you on that, but...'' They were radical sisters. Originally, the spirit race hated humans. Just because Rain is the exception, doesn''t mean that Sora and Luna are open to other humans as well. ''''However, there''s nothing we can do about it now, even if we struggle. ''Do you mean to tell me that Sora is going to stay that way!You have no idea what Rain and everyone else is going through! It''s not good! What? Luna freaked out and shivered when she was told in an unexpectedly strong tone. ''I''m worried about Rain and everyone else too but there''s no point in getting impatient. We just have to be patient for now. Sora.... ''But when the time comes I''ll do my best to lash out. I will make them regret putting Sola and the others through this. "...hmmm. Do it! Sora and Luna never gave up, and in the depths of their eyes, a small flame of recrimination burned in the depths of their eyes. ---------- Hmm. Tina, caged in a birdcage, reached through the gap and fiddled with Nina''s magic lock. Using a hairpin, she fiddled with it with a click. However, the structure of the lock is complicated, and it''s not something that can be unlocked with a hairpin. Moreover, Tina herself is in a birdcage and cannot move freely. It looks like a mere birdcage, but it''s of a special nature that interferes with the magic inside. Since there are no magic locks that fit Tina, it was prepared in a hurry. ''''No.......this is impossible. Giving up, Tina let go of the hairpin. ''''Daijo.......bu?'''' Nina looks at him worriedly. I''m fine. I''m just a little tired. I''m just tired.Doesn''t it remind you of something weird to be put in a place like this? Well I''m with Tina, so I''m fine. Seeing Nina smiling at her, Tina felt irresistibly protective. Even though she was going through this, Nina didn''t stop smiling. But how long would it last? If she is kept in prison all the time, she will eventually become physically and mentally exhausted. Nina is still a child. I don''t think she can endure this harsh environment for a long time. I have to do something about it before the limit is reached. It''s not just about Nina, I have to do something about Rain and her friends. They would probably be crippled just as much as Nina was. Tina''s resolve grew stronger. I will never give up. We will definitely go back to Horizon''s house together again. ''Alright, break''s over! Tina...? Hang on. Now I''m gonna try a nail I picked up there. Tina put the nail into the keyhole of Nina''s magic lock and tried to unlock it with a click. Nina didn''t have anything to say, and she did as Tina told her. However, she doesn''t give up. She was trying her best to open the sub-space again and again. Because of the magic locks, it doesn''t work... Still, he didn''t give up and tried again and again. I don''t want to just sit still. I''m done with that, just being rescued. This time, I''m going to save Rayne. With a strong determination in her small body, Nina tried repeatedly to activate her ability. 247-Episode 247: Counterattack We discuss the future with Lady Sarya. We talk about many things and make guesses about the enemy. Then we read the actions of the Knights and think about the future course of events. Doing that sort of thing........ I came to a quick conclusion. ''''Then........the best thing I can do right now is to find out about the magic tool in the example?'''' Yeah, I guess so. Sarya-sama and I have come to the conclusion that the magic tools that Arios has prepared are suspicious. There''s a good chance that they have been manipulated in some way. The video of my murder must have been constructed in some way. According to Lady Sarya, Arios refuses to let go of his magic tools. If requested to investigate the incident, the footage will be released. However, he doesn''t leave his magic tools with the Order, but keeps them in his own possession. It''s all very suspicious. Normally, they don''t take care of their own evidence. It is customary to leave them in the care of the knights who administer justice and leave the rest to them. And yet, Arios doesn''t let go of his magic tools. It''s like saying, "There''s something going on. If I can examine the grimoire, I may be able to find evidence of my innocence. The question is, how do I get the grimoire? Then you have a chance. What do you mean? I have heard that there will be a massive investigation into the incident. The Knights of the Order are said to be temporarily entrusted with the magical equipment of Lord Arios. Isn''t that something you''ve always said no to? ''''If you refuse again and again, the people around you will be suspicious.......Arios-sama must be concerned about that. As if it was unavoidable, he decided to lend the magic tools to the knights. ''Yes, sir. We can take a closer look at it ourselves. When will that investigation take place? ''If all goes according to plan, it will be tomorrow but how about it?If I''m kidnapped, it could change my plans and... We have the opportunity to seize Arios'' magical tools, but we need more accurate information to do so. How do I get that information? I''ll be wanted. Sarya-sama''s name is far more well-known, and if we move, she''ll be found immediately. Even if I ask my subordinates to move, if I give them instructions poorly, there''s a chance that they''ll be traced back to us and our information will leak out. ...It''s no use. As it stands now, we''re out of options. We can''t do this on our own. Well let''s get some outside help. My dear Sarya, I''d like to ask you a question. Yes, can I help you? Do you know what happened to the examiners in the exam room afterwards? ---------- Fortunately, Sarya-sama was aware of the examiners'' later actions. She was also gathering information about them in case they might be useful in investigating the case. Most of the examiners are adventurers. Most of the examiners are adventurers. After the incident, the examiners were also lightly interrogated. In order to make sure that there are no lateral connections, just in case. The result ........of course, White. All the examiners were released and went back to their free lives. However, there were many adventurers who were asked to help with the investigation of the case... It seems that most of them are still in King''s Landing. Hopefully, I hope those two will stay behind too. With this hope in mind, I walk through the city at night. While hiding, I cross from shadow to shadow. "Beep. The wild bird that was tentatively contracted to scout the surrounding area has returned. Its body was covered in black feathers and it was a nocturnal bird, so it was perfect for scouting. ''How did it go?'' Pee! A wild bird lingered on the spot, turned to the right and chirped. It''s a signal that there''s someone here. "Woof. Like the wild bird, it turns to the right and makes a small noise. ''''Alright. You guys, I''ve asked you to keep up the good work and show me around. "Beep. "Woof. The wild birds and wild dogs chirped cheerfully in response to me. Their literal, wild intuition is really reliable in these situations. Because their senses are many times better than humans'', they can detect the location of people and other things more accurately than using magic. With the help of wild birds and wild dogs, I have managed to get through the siege of the entire city and arrived at my destination. Thank you. That''s enough for now. I fed each of them and released them from their temporary contracts. We arrived at ... the inn. I went upstairs from the outside to find scaffolding. I checked the room through the crack just in case........ I could see the figure that the wild birds and wild dogs had sought out. ''There''s no one else I suppose it''s now or never. I put a knife in the window and forcefully remove the lock. It''s not a high-class inn, so the key is cheap and easy to get to. As it is, I opened the window and entered the room with my feet on the ground, sorry to say. Huh......... Suddenly, my appearance startled the figures in the room. He seemed to have been tending to his armor, and his hands had stopped polishing his armor. ''Sorry it''s so late at night. I''m going to interrupt you for a moment, Axe. Hey... hey, Lane! Axe rolled his eyes.... But the words didn''t seem to come out right and he opened and closed his mouth. ''Suddenly bad. Isn''t the cell together?'' No, we have a separate room for... ''I see that too. I''m sorry, could you go get them? ''''Don''t you ever consider the possibility that I''m not going to call a cell, but a knight or something? ''Oh, that''s a problem I didn''t think about it like I would because I thought Axe would. What should I do? d*mn it... Axe chuckled and scratched his head with a rustle. ''That sweet spot hasn''t changed at all. The same as before but you''re out of shape. I''ll be back in a minute. "Ax. I''m.... It''s okay. We''ll talk about the details later. For now you''d rather have Cell with you, wouldn''t you? Speaking quickly as if embarrassed, Axe left the room. Although I thought the bond had been broken once.... Maybe they weren''t. Maybe we were still connected somewhere. I was happy to think so. ''I''m sorry you''re late.'' Somewhat later, Axe came back with Cell. Looking at us, Cell raised his eyebrows slightly, but that''s all. He had heard the story beforehand and wasn''t too surprised. I told him I was innocent and.... Then he asked for their help. If it''s Axe and Cell, there''s no way they''re connected to Arios. They are trustworthy ... and most importantly, reliable. If you''re on our side, we might be able to reverse this situation. ''''I see.... After telling the whole story, Cell nodded his head in agreement. Axe next to him made a bitter face. ''''You........don''t have the audacity to take the princess as a hostage and run away......if you''re not good......no, even if you''re not good, you''ll end up with treason. Is? ''''Since Sarya-sama is convinced that I''m innocent, I think I can handle it if I''m proven innocent. As long as the person who was supposed to be kidnapped says he''s not, it won''t matter, right? ''It''s well ... no, what about it?It seems very difficult, but... As far as Axe is concerned, it''s a pretty wild move... I think we can talk sense into that king. He''s even using his daughter as bait to ferret out his enemies. As an emergency, I think you''ll recognize my methods. That''s what I''ve decided to do. So how about you help me?I can''t do this on my own... and I need help. That''s very convenient. Cell says coldly. ''You''re supposed to be out of touch with us. If we''re going to work for you on top of that, there''s going to be a fair price to pay. What can Rain offer us? All of me. .... Cell rolled his eyes as he stated without hesitation. Axe was also stunned. ''If this continues, it won''t be just me. Everyone........our friends will be in danger. That is absolutely not allowed. I will do whatever I can. Literally anything I can do. So, will you help me?Just like this! I blurted out all my thoughts and put my head down. Doing so a little.... Oh, man. I heard Cell''s voice, which sounded dumbfounded. I looked up and saw Axe and Cel giggling. ''Really, you haven''t changed I''m a little jealous of your straightforwardness. You''ve gone to all this trouble to ignore it, but... Will you help me...? Speaking for myself, I knew it was unlikely that the two of them would cooperate. But Axe and Cel smiled. ''''We''ll help you. Oh, don''t worry, you don''t have to thank me. It''s not something I want Rain to do........well, if I had to say, I''d say you owe me one. ''''If Rain is in trouble I want to help you I think so, so we''ll help you. For what it''s worth, I''ve been wondering about this time and I can''t just leave Rain alone. Thank you. I bowed my head deeply once more. 248-Episode 248: Whereabouts of Magic Tools Once again, I explained the incident to Axe and Cell from the ground up. That I am innocent. That I was rescued by Sarya-sama. That the magic tool that recorded the scene of the murder was suspicious. After explaining these things, I told them that I wanted to somehow obtain the magical tools that Arios owned. After hearing the story, Axe and Cell get a difficult look on their faces. ''I hear you''re brushing off the Knights'' request that they need it for research, saying it''s valuable. No matter how valuable they are, they should be returned intact once the case is solved. The Knights wouldn''t make the mistake of destroying a valuable piece of evidence either....... If Arios wants to frame me as a criminal, he will gladly lend me his magic tools. And yet, Arios does not want to let go of the magical tools. I''m not going to let them go. It looks as if he has something to be ashamed of if the tools are examined. ''''Axe and Seru would be able to find out the date the Knights will get their hands on the grimoire, wouldn''t they? ''Nothing we can''t do, but it''s going to take some time, okay?If it''s the day after tomorrow, I don''t know if I can make it... No, you don''t have to worry about that. What do you mean? ''I have a detailed date and time when the brave men will lend the knights their magical equipment. "What? Me and Axe were both surprised. Don''t tell me that they were working beforehand in anticipation of my coming...? I can''t help but think about that, but... Cell chuckles, as if that''s not going to happen. ''Let me tell you, it''s just a coincidence, okay?After that, I was working with the Order to investigate the incident. So did Axe. Are you sure it was Rain?We''ve been working separately to figure that out, and we''ve been investigating each of them separately. ''Hey, I''m telling you, I''m not doing this for Rain!There was something about that incident that I didn''t agree with... so I was trying to convince myself of that! Thank you. Don''t thank me, old man. It''ll drive you crazy. ''Axe. It''s just weird when a guy does a twaddle. ''Cell''s only a tung........'' I can''t help but laugh at the interaction between the two of them for the first time in a long time. ''''Well we''re off topic. Well, that''s why..........we have a lot of work to do with the Order right now. ''With Rain escaping, it''s all very hectic and I''m being sent out to find the princess. ''''I''ll just go ahead and investigate the incident. It seems that there are people within the Order who have doubts about the incident, and a detailed investigation is underway. But a brave man is standing in the way. I''m sure that brave man wants to convict Rayne at all costs. He''s been using his brave powers to push for justice to be brought to justice quickly. Silly man. That would make me suspicious. Haha..... As usual, or rather, the cell is a hard thing to say. That made me feel nostalgic and indescribable. ''''With Rain''s escape, the brave man must have become impatient. It seems he wanted to proceed with the investigation, and I allowed him to lend his magic tools, which he had been reluctant to give up for so many times.'''' When was that...? Day after tomorrow. The place of delivery is the headquarters of the Order. You don''t really want others to tamper with your magical equipment, do you? It seems that an inspection will be carried out in the presence of a brave man. The day after tomorrow.... It''s quite a delicate time. I''d like to have more time to prepare, but there''s no point in asking for something that isn''t there. Thanks for the help. I think I can handle it, thanks to you. ''Are you sure that''s all the information you have?...I can help you out a bit, okay? Thank you. But that''s enough. Besides, it would put both of us in jeopardy if they found out you were helping me. f*ck you it''s not time to worry about us. Axe looks angry, but says nothing more. ''Just give me a shout if you need me. I''ll be happy to help.'' We''ll count on you then. Smiles of gratitude to Axe and Cell.... I walked out. ---------- Axe and Cell, who were left in the room, each make a subtle face. ''''That guy, he''s supposed to be pretty backed into a corner, but he doesn''t need any more of our cooperation... is he going to be okay? ''It''s not going to be okay. In a situation like this, you''d need one person to help you out. Then.... You don''t want us to get involved, do you? .... ''''Now that things are still uncovered and it won''t cause us any problems... so I''ll just keep it a light step. But, you know, it''s not... ''I know. I know you''re not convinced, and neither am I. So let''s just do what we want. Rain has no right to stop us from doing what we want, right? All right, that''s my cell!I knew you''d say that, man! Who''s yours? Gulp. As promised, it was Axe who was beaten by Cell. ---------- In a time that was never enough, we made preparations for the seizure of the magical tools. From time to time, he consulted with Lady Sarya and asked for her wisdom. Lady Sarya is in the position of a princess. As a person standing above her, she was well versed in the information of the Order. She had plans drawn up from scratch, and had a floor plan of the Knights'' headquarters drawn up. Hidden passageways and pathways that are no longer in use were also described. He had made this up from scratch, so he had a ridiculous memory. Other than that, I made all the other preparations I could think of... And then the day arrived. ---------- Yes, I understand. I give a firm nod to Sarya-sama as she comes to see me off. Then, for some reason, she smiles at me. ''''Totally........you''re easy to understand, Rain-san. That was a lie, wasn''t it?'''' It''s... ''For the sake of Kanade-san and the rest of your friends, a little recklessness is inevitable... that''s the look on your face. ...Is it that obvious to you, me? Yes, very much. Oh dear. I didn''t want to cause you unnecessary worry but it seems that Sarya-sama had seen it all coming. "I''ll make sure you come back safely. Is that an order for a princess? No. Please. Well okay. I''ll do my best to keep it up as best I can. ''Yes, I''m counting on it. Mr. Rayne is an integral part of this country ... no. We consider her to be an indispensable person in this world. Please don''t let me see such a person disappear in a place like this...don''t let me see such a tragic end? I don''t mean to be dramatic, but.... But I could tell that Sarya-sama was worried about me. I nodded and showed her a firm nod and ran out into the city. Just like the day before yesterday, I made a tentative agreement with the wild birds and wild dogs to explore the surroundings. Unlike before, it''s noon now, so I can''t let my guard down for a moment. There are so many people, it''s hard to just find the way to the Knights'' headquarters. Even so, I managed to reach the back of the Knights'' headquarters without being found by anyone. After petting the head of a wild bird and a wild dog respectively and canceling the temporary contract, I enter through the back door. This place is a storage room. All the unused items are crammed in here, and that''s why it''s not even locked. There''s no way to get inside but if there isn''t a way we can make one. Show me the way. He made a tentative agreement with the rat and asked it to examine the room. The rat, with its keen senses, moved to the edge of the room and disappeared into a small hole at the back. The walls in here must be thin from years of age. Carefully peeling back the walls so as not to make a sound... A path appeared that led to the Knights'' headquarters. ''Just stick with me a little longer,'' Asking a mouse for guidance, we proceeded down a narrow passage. The passageway seemed to have been disused due to repeated renovations, so it was full of dust. I wrap a handkerchief around my mouth, as if I''m going to cough. Dust gets in my eyes and tears well up in my eyes, but thanks to that, there was no one to be seen. The rat led me to the back of the room and... Soon, I heard people''s voices. ''''You see, that''s it, isn''t it?As you guys say, I''ll lend you the magic tools. But since they are very important, I want you to be very careful in handling them. What I heard was Arios'' voice. 249-Chapter 249 Capture ''Because you guys are so insistent, I''ve decided to lend you some of my precious magic tools, but in other words, I trust you guys. Please don''t do anything to betray my trust. Ha, I''ll keep that in mind! I can hear voices, but I can''t see Arios, which is the key. Where I am is a small hidden passage behind a wall... The walls are so thin that I can only hear the slightest of voices. There are no holes in the wall, so I have no idea what''s going on behind the wall. ''''At times like this...'''' Close your eyes and concentrate. It''s been a while since I''ve used that thing, but I don''t know if it will work... With a click, I felt something snap into my head. When I opened my eyes, I saw that I had successfully assimilated the rat. ''Good.'' The rat''s body moved through a small hole where no one would notice it, and over the wall. On the other side of the wall was a conference room. A somewhat large room with long desks arranged at regular intervals across the sides. In one corner was the figure of Arios. He is handing the example magic tool to the two knights. ''''Now then, I would like to begin our investigation. Yeah, do what you want. I''m going to stay and watch. The knight began to examine the magical tools. Arios watched the work from a little distance. Oh no........ Does that Arios guy plan to keep a close eye on us to see if we can finish the job safely? If possible, we don''t want Arios to know what we''re after. I want to get the magic tool from Arios without him noticing, but....... No, that''s a difficult story too. Once the magic tool is gone, Arios will consider many possibilities. He''ll also think about the possibility that I did it. To avoid that.... Okay, let''s do it. After building a plan in my head, I have the rats pull up. Then, we''ll unassimilate it. ...matter creation. I used the power I gained from my contract with Nina to create a copy of the magic tool. I spent more time than usual on the image, so it''s quite good. It''s not equipped with the functions of a magic tool, but if it just looks good, it should be fine. ''You guys, go gather your friends. Choo-choo! I skip the instructions to the rat who is guiding us and ask him to gather his friends from all over the place. The Knights'' headquarters is a large, old building. Naturally, there are a lot of rats living there, so.... Uh ... sorry. I don''t need that much. Chu..... The rats, which had gathered nearly 100 friends, squealed in disappointment. In the meantime, I asked five of them to help me select the ones with the best physical abilities. The reward is the cheese I bought before I came here. First of all, I''ll ask the three animals to help me carry the copy of the magic tool. Ask them to move to a position where they can jump out at any time and stay there. Next, have one of them wait by the mage tool that emits light. Have the other three animals wait there as well. The last one will be assimilated again to become my eyes. The timing of this is critical. It''s critical. You don''t want to miss it. I will stare at Arios and the two knights, that is, without blinking, and stare intently. And then..... The time will come. "...tch. He must have gotten bored with the knight who was silently investigating the magic tool. Arios clicked his tongue lightly and turned his gaze slightly away from the magic tools. ''''Now! Choo-choo! As I skipped the instructions, one rat kicked off a lighted magic tool. ''''What, what was that?'''' It''s ... the lights! Suddenly, the position of the light source changed, and the upsetting voices of Arios and the knights could be heard. The light emitting magic tool that had fallen to the floor was still on. Although it was emitting light, it didn''t illuminate the entire room because it had fallen to the floor. A pathway named darkness is created in part of the room. Three rats, carrying imitations of magic tools, ran through it. Dashing and leaping repeatedly. He jumps on the desk and replaces the real one with the counterfeit one. Hey, what''s going on? I''m sorry. I think the lights went out and... ''Funny ... was there a screw loose?'' The grimoire is ... well, it''s nothing. I heard that voice from behind the wall. The operation is going just as I envisioned it. Neither Arios nor the knight has noticed me. And the magic tool is in my hand. ''''Good.'''' I have no use for this place anymore. Copycats of that quality could fool you for a while but.... Still, it can''t be forever. I have to check the magic tools before Arios realizes that they''ve been swapped out. ''Thanks, that''s a big help. Choo-choo. I patted the mouse''s head and put it, and the cheese of thanks, down. Then I broke the temporary contract. I leave the rats and the others and head back the way I came from. We left the Knights'' headquarters and went to a back alley. ''Alright, well...'' I was about to say I was gone, when I heard footsteps. Crunching, hard footsteps ... probably wearing armor. Is it a knight? What''s the use of these back roads that are supposed to be unused? Did they find out about me? And then there''s not much of a fuss about it, or.... If Arios finds out that I switched out the magic tool, he''s going to scream like a raging fire. Anyway, this is not the time to get lost. I''m hiding in the shadows. I''d really like to run away, but I make a reasonable footstep. I don''t know if they''ve noticed me yet, so I don''t like taking a gamble. ''''.........'''' Kill the signs under your breath. Minimal breathing. Even the heart beats less. One of the Beast Tamer''s techniques is to completely kill your own presence of mind in order to find a wild beast. I had mastered it properly. With this technique, as long as they didn''t notice me, I could get by........ A pitter-patter of footsteps stopped nearby. ''Hmph, are you playing hide and seek?'' The voice was clearly aimed at me. Surprised........ On the other hand, I tilt my head in the air, which is odd. You should recognize me, but you don''t want to call someone. Isn''t he related to the Order? Or do you not recognize me as a prowler in the first place? If you don''t go into a tiger''s hole, you don''t get a tiger. I stepped out of the shadows to find out who my opponent was and what his intentions were. "You are..... Hello, Miss Lane. It was the woman who was with Arios - a knight named Monica - who made a graceful bow. 250-Episode 250: Invitation ''It''s a nice night. The moon is beautiful ... phew, it''s a very nice day for a walk. Monica smiles serenely, seemingly unconcerned that we are on guard. If we only take the words, we met in the middle of a walk........ There are no signs of people lurking around........ If nothing else, Monica''s got nothing against me. But.... This woman is dangerous. My gut was telling me that. The alarm was going off in my head. Preparing myself to move at all times... At the last minute, I decided to keep talking, trying to find out who this woman was. ''You''re ... you''re with Arios, right? ''Yes. A companion or, well, to tell you the truth, an observer. An observer? Here. Lord Arios you must have been a little overzealous.That''s why the King has sent me to keep an eye on you. I don''t want you to do any more mischief. Also, to see if you are fit to be a brave man. ''You can''t talk about that kind of flippant stuff, can you? ''I shouldn''t tell the public about it. But, well I don''t think it would be a problem if it were to Mr. Rain, who is close to Arios-sama. I don''t know him. ''Hmmm, yes.'' Giggling, Monica laughs. It''s an innocent laugh that''s appropriate for her age. And yet..... I can''t be distracted at all. In fact, it makes me more cautious. What could possibly be a threat to me? What is there to fear in this woman? What''s that watcher doing here? I wanted to talk to Miss Lane once. Me and...? ''''Yes. Oh, before I go, I want to ask you one question.....................Did you successfully retrieve the magic tool? What...? This guy ... he knows what I''m doing and what I want! I can''t help but pull out my camouflage and set it up... Monica didn''t draw her weapon, leaving her body unprotected and natural. As it was, she held up her hands. ''''Don''t misunderstand. I have no intention of fighting, nor do I intend to interfere with Rain-san.'''' I''m supposed to believe you? Yes, sir. Smiling, Monica nodded quietly. As usual, I can''t feel something called evil spirit. But.........that''s why it''s dangerous. Even though I''m a watcher, I''m still one of Arios'' friends........ I don''t feel an ounce of guilt for betraying that Arios. It''s as if he has a different structure of mind than most people. ''''Well, I''m sure I have no animosity towards you... but it would be absurd to ask me to honestly believe that. Yes, I am aware of that. So I''ll just tell you what we want to talk about in a straightforward manner. So, what''s the point? It''s more of a question of purpose. Questioning? Mr. Lane are you happy with your current situation? The moment you ask me that.... A shiver went down my back. The hidden malice inside Monica erupted all at once, or rather... Before I knew it, I had been replaced with a reaper or... Could it be that you are now dealing with something extraordinary? I feel such a chill in my back. Still, I can''t show any weakness here. Because I felt that if I showed that, I would be devoured at once like a weak animal being attacked by a demon. I tried my best to maintain a blank expression... He frowns slightly. ''''What do you mean by ... satisfied?'''' ''I mean it as it is. I''ve done my fair share of research on Rain-san. He''s a Beast Tamer, yet he has the extraordinary power to use the strongest species. If he wanted to, he should be able to do even greater things.......and yet, he''s settled into being just an adventurer. Don''t you think it''s a waste of time?Wouldn''t you like to wield your power more freely?Wouldn''t you like to do whatever you want without being tied down to anything or anyone else? I don''t think so. I don''t think I''m worthy of big dreams and ambitions. Mostly, I can be satisfied without them. For me it''s enough to have the people I care about. ''Hmmm. Well, that''s the answer I expected. It''s so predictable that it''s so predictable that I suspect you''re reading my thoughts. Am I being made fun of or not? It was hard to tell for sure. Then I''ll make another suggestion. The other...? Do you want to take revenge on Lord Arios? Wha...? ''''Rain-san was banished from the party despite her power. Do you have any thoughts on this? It''s... That was a long time ago. Besides, we''re all here now. I don''t care. I don''t care that they''re gone. I might be lying if I''m not aware of any of the pieces. I''m not a saint. I was treated like that, unfairly banned from the party... There is no part of me that doesn''t think about it. It would be a lie to say that he did not think of revenge against Arios. ''It''s not just that. Insulting Rain''s companions and getting involved with them one way or another.......that''s unforgivable, isn''t it?The son of the Lord of Horizon it''s also because of Mr. Arios that he turned into a demon race. Is it true...? ''Yes. I don''t have any proof, but... well, I have a little bit of contacts and I know about it. That was something Arios-sama had set up to harass Rain-san with a childish eighteenth-century approach. And........the demon thing. If Arios-sama hadn''t acted so rashly, that Heavenly Clan would still be asleep today.......and Rain-san wouldn''t have been so heartbroken. .... And ... this one. I''m sure you understand it to a certain extent.That Lord Arios is pulling the strings behind the scenes. I don''t know for sure, but... I''ve suspected Arios before. He''s conveniently got a magic tool in his hand, and there''s a video ready to show me killing people... Considering that Arios did it to trick me, it makes sense to a certain extent. But that''s the question of why he would do such a thing, but.... Would you like to partner with me? Monica held out her hand. ''If I help you, I can help you get out of the situation. I can exonerate Ms. Lane of her false accusations, and I can help my friends get to safety. It was a temptation that was hard to resist. I don''t really care what happens to me but.... If you told me that I could save my friends safely, I would think about it for a bit. ''''Not only that, but I can take revenge on Arios-sama. Arios-sama has done whatever he wanted by jostling his position as a brave man. The victim of that is you, Rain........you. Because of Arios-sama, Ms. Rain has suffered a lot of harm. As the victim, you have the right to take revenge. I don''t think that''s very knightly of you. ''Well, I''ve got a lot going on too. So ... what do you want to do?Would you like to partner with me? It''s like the devil whispering to me. Monica laughed gently, really gently, and stared at me. At Monica''s question, I..... 251-Episode 251: A hand of Arios "No. I did some thinking, but.... Still, he finally shook off his doubts and said once and for all. ''Oh my. Was I rejected? Even though her invitation was rejected, Monica''s behavior is the same as before. They are simply making small talk, and they don''t show any pretense of being agitated or radiating hostility. I don''t understand........ What the hell does this woman want? ''I understand. Well, I guess I''ll just give up with an open mind, then. You''re a very good listener, aren''t you? I originally thought it would be difficult. I thought it was just a matter of hopefully making a profit, so I wouldn''t be surprised if they rejected me. I''m not going to hang on to something for nothing. He has an uncanny ability to hear. ''Just for your information, can I ask you something?Why did you turn down my invitation?Is it because you''re still suspicious?Or is it because you''re not going to get revenge? For many reasons, but if I had to pick one, it would be that it''s fishy. Shady? "You''re not just a knight. You''re much more than that... you''re a danger to yourself and others. You''re a fool for associating with a man like that. I''m a productive guy, and I''m not a doomsday guy. ''....Hmmm, I see. Monica grins and smiles happily. I can''t believe that smile is from the same person. It''s a terribly distorted smile, like a condensation of malice... I can''t help but feel a shiver run down my back. ''''After all, it looks like you''re going to be our enemy. Me....us? Does the word include Arios? I braced myself again. This woman is dangerous. An enemy that cannot be mistaken. Even if she isn''t hostile, even if she isn''t angry, I can clearly see that. Sooner or later, I shall cross swords with this woman. ........Or maybe it''s now. I stare at Monica with my Kamui in my hand. I brace my legs, ready to move at any moment. And ..... "Hmm. Monica laughs again. ''Don''t look so scared. I don''t think you''re going to do anything about it here just because you rejected my invitation. Are you sure? Yes, it''s true. I told you earlier.Originally, he said, he expected to be turned down. So we didn''t have to do anything about it because we expected this to happen. ...Then what are you going to do about this grimoire? The magic tool that was taken from Arios. I shouldn''t be able to leave this behind. But it''s my lifeline. I can''t let him get it back. ''Oh, you can do whatever you want with it. What did you say? ''No. As for me, I''m against giving the magic tool to Rain-san. It''s better to crush Rain-san here........that''s what I advised her to do. Monica uses the word "crush" lightly. The appropriateness of it is contrary frightening. ''''But ... well, there''s a lot going on on my end as well. Yes, there really are many things. And.........after a lot of things, I decided not to take any action and let it happen. Because whichever way it turns out, as far as we''re concerned, we''ll achieve our goal. The way you put it, Monica has more than one goal in mind. If I can''t prove my innocence, or if I can''t prove my innocence and I''m guilty, it doesn''t matter. What is the secret purpose behind this? I''d love to expose it, but... But it''s not safe to go deeper. My gut tells me that this woman is dangerous. If I could, I would get out of here as soon as possible. "Is it true what you say? ''Yes, it''s true. If you doubt it, shall I walk away from you?We''re done with it. With that, Monica turns on her heel and turns her back to me. It''s a defenseless figure. I felt like I could take it down with a single blow right now. But at the same time, there was a sense of danger. Exposing the defenseless figure is a trap........ He seemed to be waiting for his prey to bite him. Hmm.... so, have a nice day. I''ll see you soon. I wouldn''t want to see you again if I could help it. You''re so dull. He turned around lightly and gave me a sultry look... Then Monica walked off somewhere else and disappeared. After Monica disappeared, I continued to be on alert for a while, but nothing seemed to happen. As the word suggests, nothing has been done. Monica..... There''s another troublesome guy out there. I had a feeling that a storm was brewing. ---------- Monica walked down an alleyway shrouded in darkness and .... After a moment, he stopped. He drops to his knees and bows his head. Then the shadow beyond rises. It swells up large........and eventually takes the form of a person. The being that emerged from the shadow was a demon race called Reese. It is the one whom Monica truly serves. ''''Thank you very much. Reese said in a gentle voice, offering Monica some words of thanks for her labor. ''''Unfortunately, we were unable to bring the Rain Shroud into the fold. As we were instructed in advance, the magic tools will remain intact... ''Oh, no need to report that. I was watching you, too. ''I see. I beg your pardon. ''But ... did he refuse Monica''s invitation? Hmmm, that''s a shame. I thought it would make a good souvenir for Mr. Iris. ''''As we were talking about at the beginning, that man, unlike the brave men, has very little in the way of greed. It''s difficult to draw such a man in... ''Oh, I''m not accusing you of anything, you know. Don''t get me wrong. Rhys smiles as he looks at the moonlit night. ''Whether the Rain Shroud returns or falls away as it is... in either case, my purpose will be fulfilled. If the Rain Shroud has fallen, I can get rid of the humans who would be in the way. If not.............................instead, who will fall?Hmmm, I''m very excited. Reese''s laughter echoed through the deep night. ---------- After retrieving the magical tools, I was able to return to Sarya''s place safely. I don''t know much about magic tools, but it seems that Sarya was studying at one point in her life, so she can investigate. However, I was told it would take some time. Apparently, that''s how complicated the magic tools are. Three days. That''s how long it takes to investigate a magic tool. Right now, even every minute is too much time. And yet, I can''t believe I have to devote three days of time to it.... It''s frustrating, but there''s nothing I can do about it. The only thing I can do now is to just hang on. All I could do was to become Sarya''s assistant and speed up the process as much as possible. And so ... two days passed. There''s only one day left to analyze the magic tool. Then everything would be revealed. That''s when things took a sudden turn for the worse. ''''Rain-sama, we''re in trouble! When I returned to the hiding place after scouting the city at the same time as I bought the evening meal, Sarya-sama had an impatient look on her face. As soon as she saw me, she rushed in with vigor. ''''What''s going on?So much hurry. A few moments ago, a group of knights were passing by and handing out these things. I receive a flyer from Lord Sarya. It says, "We will execute the most powerful species that are avenging the nation. "Executing the most powerful species that avenge their nation. 252-Episode 252 Even if it is a trap The following is a summary of what was written in the issue that was handed out. It turns out that a number of the strongest species were hiding in the royal capital and planning a terrorist attack. When Arios found out, he captured the strongest species. Although the strongest species use magic locks to restrain their power, they can''t leave them alone forever. Their opponent is a villain who plots terrorism. Although the strongest species doesn''t belong to the state, their crimes are great and they are judged to be sufficiently subject to justice. Result...... The next day, the execution of the strongest species will be carried out. As a precautionary measure, the execution will be held at the ruins outside the royal capital, the "Earth Wedge". Naturally, on the day of the execution, only those who are involved are allowed to enter. The ruins would be heavily guarded. .......It was written about that. Sarya-sama, who was peeking in from next to me, makes a bitter face. ''''This is........a trap, right? Yes I''m sure you do. Maybe it was something Arios had tried to do. During the past two days, he must have noticed that the grimoire has been swapped out. The grimoire contains images of me killing adventurers. If it turns out to be false, it will now put Arios in a worse position. Or it may not be enough to make his position worse. It might contain a truth that important. Deprived of it, Arios became impatient... However, it''s hard to find me hiding in the royal capital before I find out the secrets of the magic tools. In that case, he decided to have me come to him. So, to make everyone hostage.......! "f*ck! An uncontrollable rage rises up and I can''t help but raise my voice. I want to kerf the chair in a seizure, but I manage to hold it back. If I did that, I would frighten Sarya-sama... There''s no point in letting your emotions get the better of you and lashing out. Mr. Lane. Gently, Sarya takes my hand in hers. "Sarya-sama...? ''I don''t think there is any point in me saying these things but still let me say them. Please calm down. .... ''I can''t help you all if I get all hot and emotional here. We can''t do that. So ... it may be difficult, it may be impatient ... but please, just be Rain. Just like me... It was like her temperature was flowing in from the hand that connected with Sarya-sama. The warmth filled me.... I feel naturally calm. Then he laughs. ''''Thank you, Sarya-sama. Thanks to you, I was able to get myself back on track.'''' ''Mr. Lane I''m glad to hear that. Have I been able to help you in any way? ''You are a humble man, Sarya-sama. You''ve helped me many times, and you''ve helped me now... and you''ve helped me a lot. Thank you. I''m glad. I was able to help Miss Lane. Like a flower blooming, Sarya-sama smiles at me. Her smile is so beautiful. I can feel my heart calming down again. ''''And yet........Arios. I can''t believe you did this.......hmm? I suddenly wonder. When you do something this big, it usually spreads the word around, right? I don''t think that king would allow this kind of joke to happen... When I put that question to Sarya-sama, she gives me a difficult look. ''''It seems that ... my father is away from the royal capital right now on official business ...'''' ''What?If I may say so, Sarya-sama is missing and you''re putting your official duties ahead of your own? Well, he''s my father. I see. He was very persuasive without question. I''ve only seen him a few times, but he seemed like a very reasonable person. I''m concerned about my daughter, but I''m sure she wouldn''t do anything to bend her official duties with it. ''''As for the future I''m going to go back to the castle. Sarya-sama said with a strong determination in her eyes. ''''Lord Arios is a brave man and has great influence and power but that doesn''t mean you should allow this to happen. I will go to the castle and talk to my superiors and stop this kind of folly. ''''No... but before that, could you proceed with the analysis of the magic tools?'''' He disagreed with Lady Sarya''s idea. She tilted her head slightly. ''''Are you prioritizing the analysis of the magic tools?'''' ''''If this is such a big deal, there''s a good chance that Arios is rooting around in various places. It could be said that it''s typical for Arios not to think about what will happen after it''s over... Anyway, when it comes time to believe either Sarya-sama''s words or Arios'' words.... ''There are times when my words are judged to be lies...?'' ''Yes. There''s no denying that possibility. Well, if that''s the case, when I go to the castle... No, we have a way to get you to believe us. How does that... oh, you''re going to analyze the grimoire and prepare the evidence. You are correct. That''s the Sarya you''re talking about. She immediately senses our thoughts. If we can provide proof that Arios is planning something, I think he will listen to us. They will believe Sarya''s words rather than Arios''. Maybe we can stop the joke of a farce. The proof you need is in this grimoire. I look at the magic tools on the table. ''Sarya-sama. How much more time do you have left to finish your analysis? It''s... He makes a difficult face. ''It''s more complicated than I thought it would be I''m sorry. No matter how much of a rush we''ve made, I think it''s going to take another half day ... until tomorrow. It''s nighttime and it''s the morning of the day. Then head to the castle, show them the evidence and convince them to stop being stupid... No, it''s going to take too long. There''s a chance that Arios will sense our move and hasten the execution. If you mean by the end of the day, we might still be able to work something out, but.... If the analysis takes until tomorrow, I can''t be sure how it will play out. What should I do? How can I help everyone? ''''........Excuse me, but can Sarya-sama continue to have the analysis done?When you''ve done that, go to the castle and talk to them. ''What?But then.... I''m going to split up. Maybe.... I''m going to go help people. No, it''s not safe!This is a trap, no matter what you think!And yet, to show up with a lazy face.... I know, sir. But if it''s a trap, I''ll jump in to save everyone else. Even if the trap is set. Whatever happens. I can''t abandon my people. If there''s even a 1% chance I can help them, I''m willing to bet on it. I''m not Arios. I''m not abandoning my people. I will find a way to save my people. ''Mr. Lane I understand. I won''t say anything else. It''s already..............................At times like these, it''s frustrating to be a woman. Because no matter how many words I pile on, there is no way to deliver words to a man with a firm resolve. ''I''m sorry ... for all the things you''ve done for me and the concern you have for me...'' ''No. This is exactly what happened, but it''s probably just the way Rayne-san is, isn''t it? We''ve only known each other for a short time, but I think I''m starting to understand you a little better. "Ha, thank you. Just this once in a while... It might be impolite, but it seemed to me that Sarya-sama was one friend. ''I will now prepare myself for tomorrow. I will take all the steps I can.'' About that..... Sarya-sama took off the necklace she was wearing and wrapped it around my wrist. How does it work? Hearing the effect of the magic tool from Sarya-sama......my eyes widen. ''''You had such a magic tool........'''' ''Although I''m the third in line of succession, I''m still a princess, after all. Maybe there will be a time when I can replace my father in an emergency and give a voice to many people. As an insurance policy, I keep it on hand at all times. Your brother and sister both have the same one. Well that''s royalty. The magic tool that Sarya-sama entrusted to me will hopefully turn the tables on me and Arios at once. I would like to thank Sarya once again for giving me this magical tool. I''ll definitely save everyone! 253-Episode 253 Captivated...Part 2 Unnih...! Kanade stared at the prison that confined him. If there had been any strength in his gaze, the prison would have caved in. That''s how much he was glaring at it. ''Nyan! Gasp!And kicked the prison. ''Nyah, nyah nyah nyah! The chattering numbed his legs. The numbness traveled to his tail and his hair pinged. ''Huh ... no?'' Has it been almost ten days since they put me in jail? They only get a light hearing at the beginning and leave the rest. Three times a day, food is only offered and no one else comes in. What on earth do they want? Kanade thought about it. I''ve thought about it, but.... Uh ... just let me out! Thinking about it didn''t give me any answers, so I decided to make a bad move. Shake the prison with a crunch. It''s really just a bad joke. It won''t mean anything. Still........I''m sure my fellow prisoners must be struggling as well. I''m sure they are not just sitting back and giving up. That''s why I have to work hard too. I will not give up, I will continue to resist until the end. And then you will meet Rain again. When Kanade made a strong decision.... The door to the prison opened. Kanade tilted his head slightly. It was still early for mealtime. The inexact belly clock told him it was not yet time to eat. Then who the hell was it? It''s been a while. ''Meow!You.........brave! It was Arios who showed up. ''How dare you show your face! All the hair on Kanade''s body stands up against him. He tries to jump at Arios.......but the prison blocks him. Still, he guns the prison and glares at it as if it were shooting at him. ''Hmph. How are you?It''s been a while since he was put in prison, and yet he is still able to move this much. It''s not a bad idea to have a newborn baby. The only thing that is top notch is their physical strength. I''m not like the other guys. What do you mean...? The tone of Kanade''s voice dropped when he heard the other guys. ''You know what I mean.You''re not the only one being held captive. The Dragon Race, the Spirit Race, the God Race and the God Race and that crazy ghost. And we''ve also got Rain. Arios hides and lies about Rain''s escape, but... Now Kanade couldn''t see through the lie. Arios''s words were bothering him, and he couldn''t help but wonder. ''What do you mean, you ask!How is everyone else doing! Hmph, noisy. Well, I''m a nice guy. I''ll give you a special answer. Arios grins and says in a sticky, loping voice. ''''The dragon tribe woman is still going strong. Like the cat spirit race, she''s got a lot of strength. But........the others are more subtle. The spirit tribe doesn''t have the physical strength, and the god tribe is still a kid. And those ghosts are just like mere mortals in terms of their physical abilities. They were fussy at first, but now they''ve calmed down. Maybe he''ll die a debilitating death sooner or later. "You people...!!!!!! Kanade unleashes a fist. It was blocked by the prison but.... Crash!He made a loud noise and shook the entire prison even more. It was as if Kanade was expressing his anger. ''If anything happens to everyone, I will never forgive you! Don''t bark. You can''t do anything. d*mn it...! Kanade bit her lip in frustration. It was frustrating, but Arios was right. As long as the magic locks are on me, there''s nothing I can do about it. Still, I haven''t given up hope. ''''Rain.........'''' Yeah? Lane will take care of it! ''Oh dear don''t you listen to people?They''ve got Rayne, too, you know? Still, I''m sure he''ll take care of it!You can help us!Rain is........that kind of person! .............. Arios flinched slightly as Kanade showed his absolute trust in Rain. Why did he flinch? Arios cannot realize the reason for this. He can''t get to the reason that they were shown a bond that their party didn''t have, and that he was envious of them, even if only slightly, and so on. ''Oh well. I just thought I''d teach you a few things today. ...what? They''re going to execute you. What? You were seen as a danger to the nation. And I''m going to have to take it personally. ''How could that be!We''re not doing anything!Rain didn''t do anything, either!I mean, I''m only doing what''s good for people...! ...Rain is an eyesore. Arios looks terribly gloomy and says in a cold voice. ''''A mere beast tamer defied me, a brave man, and inflicted a tremendous humiliation. And that''s not all. The fact that he''s more active than I am, threatening my position as a brave man, this is unforgivable, and even if I killed him a hundred times, it wouldn''t be enough. Oh, you''re... ''But come on ... unfortunately, there''s only one life for Rain, right?Even if you wanted to kill him a hundred times, it would only be one time, wouldn''t it?Well, you better make sure he''s sorry before he kills you. That''s why we''ve decided to use you two. That idiot calls you "friend" and "comrade" a lot of times. If I kill you guys in front of Rayne... haha, hahaha!Oh man, I''m getting really excited. I can''t stop laughing now! Crazy.... Seeing the jealousy and hatred for Rain that was hidden deep inside Arios, Kanade was even terrified. His body naturally trembled. Sometimes, madness erodes a person''s emotions. Trapped by fear, Kanade''s tail and ears droop. Gently closing her eyes.... "...Rain... I wished my loved ones well. ---------- Good day to you. Nina woke up to a cool voice. It was a hard bed, but she was sleeping soundly, probably due to the fatigue she was experiencing. Nina tried to get up she felt dizzy and wobbled. As it is, she falls off the bed. ''Nina! The sound woke Tina up and she shouted loudly. I want to help her somehow, but she is trapped in a birdcage and her magic is blocked. I feel very frustrated that I can''t do anything about it. ''Oh my God, are you okay?'' What...? The door to the prison opened and Nina was held up. The person who held Nina up was .......Monica. ''Well it looks like you''re not hurt. I don''t even feel like I''m sick. Then it must simply be that you are losing strength. Have you been eating properly, do you eat properly? You are.That''s not what it''s about, and you usually know what happens when a child is locked up in a prison cell! Tina barks in anger, but Monica keeps a cool face. ''Oh dear. That''s true, too. I''m sorry. However, as expected, I can''t let you two escape on your own. But...................I''ll do this for you. Hmmm. Hmmm...? Monica touched the magic lock around Nina''s neck. At that moment, there was a sound of the lock coming off with a click. ''''What...?'''' The magic lock is still attached to my neck. However, the key is off, so all that''s left to do is lightly twist the connection to take it off. ''''Yes. Now you can take the magic lock at any time. Oh, but you should think about the timing, though, right?You can get away with it right away, but you can also keep it a secret until the right moment. You can''t tell if the lock is off by looking at it, and no one will even check it because no one will think it''s off. How do you...? Nina asks. Monica giggles in response. I was just going to watch it happen. So I could see that Arios-sama would be at a disadvantage, so I decided to take Rain-san''s side for a bit. I don''t know. You''re on the side of the heroes, aren''t you?If it''s a disadvantage to the brave men, how can they be on our side?Wouldn''t that be even more of a disadvantage? In that case, we''ll still get what we want. Hmm? That''s all I have to say. I don''t intend to have any more conversation than is necessary. Now, good day to you........................oh, yes. I almost forgot. Tomorrow, your executions are to take place. What? ''What to do. I''ll leave that up to you guys, but with your help, young lady, you might be able to help others. My... But please be careful with your timing. I''ve made it this far, so please don''t make a reckless assault that could ruin it, okay?So ... this time, have a good day. Lock the cell and lock the door Monica bowed gracefully and walked away. The two left behind were unsure of their future decisions. I don''t know why, but she removed the magic lock. They also gave me some information that would put Arios at a disadvantage. It might be a trap in the normal course of events, but.... Nina what do you think I should do? Hmm I want to help everyone! I don''t care if it''s a trap or not. Kick it all to the curb and help everyone.... And then they would be reunited with Rain. Nina and Tina, with a firm resolve in their eyes, decided to save their strength for that moment. 254-Episode 254 Past of Arios ꥪ?`ɡ С ʮr šIߡ ĤĤrˤϡꥪϤǤߤȤƒQƤ ˤϤޤӹǤ륢ꥪˌϥĤơ^¤ Τ褦֤ĺ餷sƤơɤϺһĤʤ S֤뤿ˤʤФʤȤ롣 ʤ뤳Ȥ ħӖվA 핤ݤߤʤƤʤ ՚աħξA ϹҤ򤷤ƤⲡݤˤʤäƤ뤳ȤϤʤ ɤʕrǤ館褦ˡ ~ʤʤ褦ˡ Ƥʤˤ⏊ʤ뤿ˡ ꥪϡ֤ĤȤ줿 ӹˤ^ һһrgۤɤǤϤ뤬鷺ɕrg뤨Ƥ Τ܇ˡΡͨȤΤ֪뤳ȤˤʤꡢԷ֤äƤh|ʤΤ򥢥ꥪ⤷ ⤷Ϥǡ ꥪϡϤǐʤȿ褦ˤʤä ʤ٘gĺ餷Ǥ롣 _ˡĤ ʳ٤뤳ȤϘS F[ӤȤळȤS Ϥ˘SȤä lˤ⡢Է֤ˌ^¤Ȥ ӖnһǡޤǹeΤ褦ʴܤƤơ ӖΕrʤСꥪϤʤΤ褦Ǥä l⥢ꥪ餦ȤϤʤ ˤӹvSʤԵȤꥪǰǤ^¤롣 ޤʤФä Է֤ϤޤӹȤΤˡl⤬Է֤¤ҊƤ롣 Ϥʤ餤_ˡԷ֤η¤ʤΤȤȤ򁻤Ƥ롣 ޤˡĤӤؤĤ餦ߤF줿 Ҋ͸аʸϤ䲻ǤϤäɡ ߤޤꡢϤ˥ꥪΤȤ֤ϤƤ롣 ϤǤޤʤ lˤԷ֤ǰˤҤ ȫƤ褦ʚݷ֤ˤʤä ꥪӹʤˤ򱧤褦ˤʤä ʤäƤޤä ΤȤ܇δ_ϚݤĤƤ εڤ˥ꥪΑBȤLƤ顢ݤŤΤϺgä ꥪ܇ɤĿҊƤ뤫 ơɤʸ򱧤Ƥ뤫 ֪ʤ⡢_Ͼ̤뤳Ȥ򤷤ʤä ע⤹뤳Ȥ餷ʤ ߤǤ륢ꥪ呤뤳ȤϤƤ⡢ԄӤ˿ڤȤSʤ ʤȤ򱾚ݤǿƤΤ ơꥪޤ޳Lơ Է֤xФ줿ڤǤȡȤ鏊˼褦ˤʤä ߤʤΤ ؄eʴڤʤΤ ƽʤɤȤ` FȤ` ΨһoδڤǤꡢߤδڤʤΤ ʤȤĿ˿褦ˤʤäƤ ˤᡢߤȤƤλӤʼ᤿ å`󡢥ߥʤȤgȹħʤɤȑ餦Ȥˤʤ롣 ꥪϳgȤȤδڤä ˡŮϥꥪΤ⤵줿ڤǤϤ뤬 ܇ˤΤ褦^¤褦ʤȤϤȤǤ뤳Ȥ{ Ĥ˥ꥪЄӤˮ򳪤뤳ȤϤʤ rۡڤЮǤ롣 ϤޤʤʤȤǤꡢꥪdդȤ˼ä ʤߤǤԷ֤ˤ~„ʤФʤΤ ܇ˤΤ褦ˤҤԷ֤ԤȤ„ƤФ ΤߤȤƻӤˤϱҪʤȤȡgδڤiʤܤ줿 ڤЮޤ褦ʤȤäƤ⡢Ĥ„Ƥä But there are limits to things. He and they began to complain about Arios'' behavior at every turn. That''s how much of a problem Arios''s behavior is, but... Arios was never aware of this, and he became annoyed with his companions. Nevertheless, he and they could not be banished. No matter how brave he is, he is still a work in progress. If you''ve got the supreme power, you have no need of your friends. We still need it now. Then what should we do? Arios came up with one answer. I''m annoyed by my friends. I get angry. Then create an element of stress relief. With that thought in mind Arios added Rain to the group. I don''t expect anything from a Beast Tamer. I don''t even expect him to be a scullery maid. There is only one thing Arios wants from Rain. To have him be a lightning rod to hit the stress. After that.........................the days were truly enjoyable. He jerked Rain around, made her bow down.... Whenever he is uncomfortable, he taunts Rain to relieve his resentment. Arios has been warped since childhood, but... This is where I began to take pleasure in the act of ''taunting others''. It''s devastatingly twisted my personality. Then one day. Arios became bored with Rain. No matter what words he hurled at her, no matter what he bullied through under the guise of training, Rain was always upright and forward, never breaking. Boring, I thought. The perverse pleasure I had experienced as a child, the perverse pleasure I got when I broke my favorite toy. I wish I could have experienced that with a human... Rain doesn''t dent or break at all. I''m tired of it. Arios banished Rain from the party for a good reason. If it''s a toy, you can get the right one again. Someone more bullying this time. After all, I am a brave man. There are plenty of people who want to join the party of the brave. I was thinking about that, but.... The unexpected happened. I was going to clash with the exiled Rain on a whim. I''m a brave man and the strongest of the human race. There is no way that a mere beast tamer can defeat me. Arios was convinced of this, but... In fact, he lost to Rain. After signing a contract with the strongest species, Rain became a force outside the norm... It was a complete defeat, with no hand or foot in the air. That defeat decisively threw Arios'' mind into a tailspin. Why couldn''t Rain be defeated? Why doesn''t Lane kneel? Why did Lane turn on the fang? Why-why-why-why-why!!! Arios was lost, troubled, and thought about it to the point of losing his mind... Soon after, it turns to hatred. It is not acceptable to humiliate yourself when you should have been chosen. Rain had committed a sin that could never be forgiven. There can be nothing but death. Arios, who had been hailed as a brave man, had his pride hurt for the first time...for the first time since he was born. Moreover, he was spirited. It was a wound beyond what he was aware of..... It bites deep into Arios'' heart. It''s nothing but recrimination... It''s just a trivial reason to have your pride hurt... Arios acted shallowly and decided to kill Rain. He decided to kill her after making her regret to death for turning on him. And the consequences..... 255-Episode 255: Fateful Day The next day I left Sarya-sama and made various preparations. After that, I left the capital and headed back to the Earth''s Wedge. It''s a ruin that was once used as a fort, located far from the capital. It was used as a venue for adventurers'' A-rank exams... And a place where Arios''s machinations have separated me from my precious friends. It''s a place that has a lot of ties to me now. Security is tight, as you''d expect. When we approached the ruins, about 500 meters away, we stopped and ducked behind a rock. I only revealed my face and checked the destination. The knights were deployed at equal intervals around the ruins. A pair of them. The spacing between them lined up would be roughly 100 meters or so? There are no major obstructions in the area and visibility is good. They are within visual distance of each other, so they can easily tell if something is wrong. So you have full ground security. Then what about the basement? When I explored the ruins during the exam, I thought... Those ruins are quite large. It stretches underground like an ant''s nest, with passages extending all over the place. What if we can successfully find its entrance? All right, well can you come over here, please? I made a tentative agreement with a lizard that walks nearby. This is a lizard called a spiny-legged bearded lizard that lives in a hole in the ground and uses it as a nest. Good boy. I''m sorry to trouble you, but you''re going to have to do something for me. The lizard chirped softly and gathered his friends. One by one, the lizards gathered. Fortunately, or rather, the lizard I tentatively contracted with seemed to be the leader, and the other lizards did what I wanted without me having to do anything. They scattered here and there and started digging holes. When I''ve dug a certain amount, I return to the ground and... And then we dig another place. It took me a while to repeat this sober work. One of the lizards cried out and signaled to the leader. "Looks like you found me pretty good. Thanks. I canceled the temporary contract. Giving them their reward of dried meat, I moved to the point where the lizards were singing. The horned bearded lizard dug a hole in the ground and used it as a nest.... We proceeded to dig deeper. About 5 meters deep. To protect themselves from their natural enemies, they seem to have taken extra care in building their nests. That''s the case for the bearded lizard, but.... At one point I only dug a shallow hole and quickly turned back. That''s exactly what I was looking for. ''Down here ... there it is! The hole dug by the hawthorn bearded lizard widens, and soon afterwards it hits the wall. It''s an obvious artifact. But it''s deteriorating there. It''s the ceiling of an archaeological passage that stretches here and there. So, in order to find this guy, they had a lot of holes dug for him. Huh.........!This guy, this........is pretty hard! Kicking the ceiling. It was used as a fort in the past, so it''s sturdy indeed. However, if you kick at it with all your might, it will eventually crack and..... A hole opened in the ceiling and the debris crashed down. ''''.........'''' Stand by. We''ll see what happens. If the inside of the ruins were also being monitored, someone might come in at the sound we just made... He''s going to be okay. I waited for a while, but I didn''t hear footsteps, nor did I hear any sign of anyone. I entered the ruins through a hole in the ceiling. ''Matter Creation. Fireball. He made a simple torch and lit it with a spell of minimal power. Fortunately, it was a familiar place. It''s the place where I passed the test. You can also go back to your memory and proceed in the opposite direction. ''Kanade, Tania, Sola, Luna, Nina, Tina... wait for me, I''m coming to help you! ---------- As expected, they didn''t empty the ruins, and as I headed to the entrance, I could see a glimpse of knights here and there. The fact that they haven''t deployed knights throughout the entire area, even to the end of the ruins, is probably simply due to a lack of manpower. Or maybe Arios'' power wasn''t enough to move so many knights.... Either way, there are only a few knights deployed within the ruins. I tame the rats and have them become my eyes, and then proceed down the path behind the knights. After a short time, I arrive at the road that leads to the ground. I quietly look around. I saw some large tents. They are probably the knights'' waiting area at the back of the room. I wondered if Arios and his men were there too? Moving my gaze further, I saw five tents with multiple knights standing on the front. They looked more like surveillance than security, giving off a stuffy atmosphere. ''''There it is.'''' It''s probably that tent they''re all trapped in. One thing, I''m afraid we''re missing a few. Maybe Tina isn''t the strongest species, and her body is so compact that she''s being held captive with someone else. ''Oh dear... what do we do now?'' It would have been nice if everyone had been in one place. It''s hard to save them when they are in pieces. Even if you save one of them, the rest might be taken hostage. Is that the arrangement for that? ''It''s hard to help everyone at the same time but now that we''re this deep in the water I guess we''ll just have to move on. ---------- Arios went to the ruins and took direct command of the scene. The Kanade and the others have been transported and are ready for execution. If I give the signal, the execution can be carried out in five minutes. The only thing left to do is to wait for Rain to appear. I went back inside the tent and rested my body for a while. This time.........Rain, I''m going to kill you.......! Arios grinned, imagining what it would be like when he cornered Rain. It wasn''t a brave man, it was a smile of concentrated malice. ''Arios-sama,'' Monica what''s wrong with you? Heartily, Arios''s tone of voice is soft towards Monica. He must have forgiven her on some level. ''My prey is caught in a net. ''What...?I haven''t received any reports of that but are you sure? ''There was a hole in part of the ruins. It wasn''t there until the other day. I think they''ve sneaked in through it and are already in our bosom. Oh, you little shit. Arios taunts the knights who can''t find Rain. But it can''t be helped. Contracting with various animals and maximizing their effectiveness, Rain, a profession with excellent covertness, ensured a stealthiness equal to...........or even more than that of an assassin. Even if it was a high-ranking knight like Monica, it was extremely difficult for an ordinary knight to detect the traces of Rain''s presence or its presence. ''''But the strongest species are still in our hands. The trump card is still in our possession. Yeah. Well then we''ll execute him right now. Tell each and every one of you to do so. Right now? ''Lane is good at cunning schemes. You don''t know what he''ll do if you let him. We can''t let him take the initiative. I think we''ll be the first to move. Arios bandaged and geared up. ''If you try to execute the strongest species, Rain will jump out at you. He''s an idiot. That''s where we''ll get him. ''Okay. Now, let''s see... Monica bowed her head to Arios. Because of this, Arios could not see Monica''s expression from Arios. Monica was.........smiling. 256-Episode 256: Execution started The scene has become hectic. Knights were coming and going here and there, exchanging various exchanges. What had begun? I have a bad feeling about this... As I was looking at the situation for now, the knights entered the tent where everyone would be held captive. A little while later.... ''Oooh!Let me go, let me go! I could see Kanade being taken by the knight. His hands were tied behind his back, and furthermore, an iron ball was attached to his ankles. If it was a normal Kanade, it wouldn''t be anything but....... The magic locks on his neck and hands must have blocked his power. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. "I can''t believe you did this to me...I remember all of your faces. You''ll remember it later! Tania also showed up. Just like Kanade, she is deprived of her freedom by the magical locks. Even though her power was sealed, her power remained the same. The knights who were stared at flinched. ''''What is it this time?What are you doing bringing us to this place? Sola and the others will never bow down to you. I could see Luna and Sora too. The magic locks looked large and painful on their bodies. How could he do that to them both... Just looking at it makes me angry. ''Ah ... everyone. Thank God........you''re safe. Yeah. It''s not a good situation, but it''s a good thing. Finally, Nina and Tina were seen in a birdcage with Nina. As a reminder of when we first met, Nina was wearing a magic lock around her neck. The birdcage seemed to perform the same function as the magic lock, and Tina seemed to be cramped as well. ''''Everyone........'''' I hid in the shadows to check on them, and for the first time in a week, I could see everyone for the first time in a week, and I felt like I was losing strength in my body. You look exhausted, and I''m sure you''ve been through a lot. But they''re safe. They don''t seem to be injured. That''s good to hear. I''m so glad. He''s breathing a sigh of relief and... Okay. Pull yourself together. We haven''t been able to help everyone yet. This is just the beginning. The road ahead you can''t go wrong! Come on, come on. One of the knights led the way and took everyone to the central square of the ruins. It was where it was used as a briefing room during the exam. When was it built, there were four pillars there. They were arranged in a rectangular shape, spaced about 10 meters apart. They were about 50 centimeters thick and 5 meters high. In the center of it, an iron pillar could be seen. The knight takes everyone to the inside of the pillar and uses chains to connect them to the iron pillar. He uses one chain, two chains, three chains - five chains each - to keep everyone on the edge of the pillar. What are you going to do? What are those four pillars...? The bad feeling is growing. What to do? You want to give it a little more time? Or do you want to charge in? We''re ready. It''s ready when you are, but... Timing is key. The distance between where I''m hiding and where everyone else is trapped is roughly 50 meters. Even with a full-on boost, it''ll take a few seconds. Nope. It would take time to accelerate, so it would add a little more. If the sword is swung down in the meantime, it''s over. Everyone can''t defend themselves now. If we do, it will be after the knight is away from everyone else. But until then, we''ll have to be patient. We have to be patient. With frustration, I gingerly exercise self-control and watch things unfold. And then..... The knights broke away from everyone and walked out of the four pillars. ''Looks like you''re ready to go,'' A clear man''s voice rang out. It''s Arios. He looks at everyone who is restrained and unable to move and smiles with a satisfied smile on his face. Then he looks around helplessly... Do you hear me, Rain? He called out to me. You''re a smart girl, smartass. You''ve been sneaking around already, haven''t you? It seems to be a guess........... There is something convincing in Arios'' tone. They must think that I have infiltrated these ruins. It would have been nice if you had let your guard down that this wasn''t the case, but.... As expected, it''s not going to be that easy, apparently. "Rayne, don''t pile on the guilt. I used to have a party, and I couldn''t bear to watch you fall. Just come out, and let the princess go. If you do so, I guarantee your life and you will not be harmed by your people. When my friends are brought up, my feelings are momentarily shaken up. If giving myself away would keep us all safe.... No, wait, wait. It''s Arios. We can''t expect them to keep their word. If he leaves, that''s the end of it. That''s sad. You''re ignoring me? Arios laments in a theatrical tone. What are you up to? What the hell are you... But if you won''t show it to the world your sins will be paid for by your people instead! What? Do it. Arios gave an order to one of the knights. The knight approached the four pillars and touched one of them. There was a click, like a switch being pressed... Snap!And the pillar began to discharge. That was not good! An alarm goes off in my head. If this continues, everyone is in danger. I couldn''t think about the future when I thought that. ''''Boost!'''' I cast a spell. He jumped out at once! 257-Episode 257 Desperate Life Huh? You! As I jumped out of the shadows, I was immediately noticed by a few knights. The knights drew their swords and charged at me, but..... Get out of my way!Fireball Multi-Shot! He released a fireball and landed it at the knights'' feet. The knights were swallowed by the blast of fire. The power is narrowed down, so they won''t be hurt much. However, by giving them the fear of being suddenly swallowed by the flames, he succeeded in stopping them in their tracks. ''''Everyone!!!!'''' The pillars that began to discharge electricity began to glow blue. In response, a square pyramid of transparent walls formed. The transparent wall formed to cover everyone... At the top of it, the lightning strikes born on the four pillars converge. I can only have a bad feeling about it. I increase my speed further, but........ Hey, Lane! Huh? Arios slashed at me. Unlike the other guys, his speed is an order of magnitude higher. I couldn''t avoid it and pulled out my Kamui to catch it. ''''Move, Arios! ''Haha, what''s the rush?Are those people that important to you? Of course! ''Kuh-ha-ha!Hahaha!Yes, your face. That''s what I wanted to see. For mocking me so much you''ll have to pay for it! ''I can''t keep up with Arios'' stupid delusions!Get out of my way! I don''t like it. More importantly, it''s the start of a fun show. Here''s something you should see, Rain. What...? Arios snaps his fingers. As if in conjunction with that movement, the four columns glow. The light converges on the apex of the wall of the quadrangle... Immediately after. It was a lightning strike and it went down on everyone! ''Ahhhh! While she couldn''t move, only Tania was able to spread her wings. She stretched her wings to protect everyone.... A lightning strike struck its back. It hurt Tania''s back and wings, as if the blade was raging. ''''Kuu........'''' As the thunderstorm subsided, I saw Tania''s battered and bruised form. Everyone screamed. ''Tania!Are you okay?Hey, are you okay?! "Ugh, shut up I''m a dragon race. ''Take it easy, sir!Sola and the others are now diminished in their abilities because of the magic locks! ''That''s right!It''s impossible to take an attack like that and stay unharmed! I''m fine, I''m fine... Through the transparent wall, Tania looked at me. ''''Rain, we''ll be fine.......................so go ahead and take out that brave man! Tania.........ugh! He pulls his body up a few gears. I shake the Kamui with all my strength and cut it off with Arios. ''''Hahaha, you''re feeling better now. Shut up! ''But you''re moving more slowly than before, aren''t you?You seem to care about those guys that much. I told you to shut up! "What do you think would happen if I did this? Stop.... Arios snapped his fingers again. The lightning strike fell again... ''Unyaah! In his captivity, Kanade forced himself to move his body and kick up the lightning bolts that were falling. No matter how much the cat spirit race, they can''t nullify magic. And moreover, they are now restricted in their abilities. ''''Auuuuuuuuuut! Lightning strikes ran through Kanade''s body. He would remember the pain as if he was being slashed by a sword. Kanade''s face contorts and a scream spills out. Tania screams loudly. ''Kanade!How reckless you are! I don''t want Tania to tell me. I don''t have to!Even if your power was suppressed, you''re the dragon race, so you have a certain resistance to magic in your own way. But you, the cat spirit race...! ''Ummm....that hurts so much....'' How is it possible to...? I can''t let Tania hurt you all the time. "...Kanade.... We''re friends ... hmmm ... we''re all in this together at all times. Ugh...! Tania struggled to break the locks, as if they were applied to the battered but inspired Kanade. But there was no escaping the lock that held her body and her magic in check. ''It''s a wonderful friendship, it''s inspiring. But how many more rounds can you withstand? Arios, you...! "Haha, you''re moving around a lot again, Rain. Do you think you can beat me like that? It''s Arios'' plan to hurt everyone. Get me so worked up that I''m losing my cool and my judgment... I know that. I know that, but........ "d*mn it! I can''t stop the blood rushing to my head. My dearest friends have been hurt and treated so badly I can''t keep my cool! "Make gravity control!Matter creation! We need to defeat Arios as soon as possible! To do this, I''m going to use every ability I have. I have doubled the gravity on Arios. On top of that, I''ve created an earthen wall to surround Arios, blocking his movements. If I can hit them with magic in this state...! You really have a lot on your mind right now, don''t you?Are those people that important to you? ''Of course!You lie here and I won''t let you mess around anymore! Oh, my God Rain. That''s why you''re screwed. What? Instantly, a killing spirit hit him from right beside him. Reflexively, he held Kamui up like a shield. Immediately afterwards, there is an impact like a collision with a carriage. He couldn''t withstand it and was blown away. ''''Ignitorance!'''' Holy Arrow! Red and white twin blasts flew at me. I was out of stance and unable to avoid or prevent them. ''''Guh!'''' It''s a direct hit, and you''re in terrible pain. "You may be screaming about your buddies and your companions, but I have friends too. Did you forget that? Aggus, Lean and Mina were standing behind Arios. d*mn.........how could I forget the three of them.... Normally you wouldn''t make that mistake! My fall also unlocked my abilities, and Arios broke free from the wall of dirt and regained his freedom. ''Haha, you''re hapless, Rain. You look good crawling on the ground like that. Arios... you...! I love the look on your face. There''s still time. Now, you have more time to entertain me. Arios raised his hand to signal the surroundings. The knights rushed in all at once. ''''Kutu........! Forcing his aching body to move, he judges the knights. Catching or avoiding the sword... He strikes a counter and takes away the power of the fight. The opponent is just following Arios'' orders. It''s not the knights'' fault. There''s no way they can kill me, and inevitably, I''m asked to go easy on them. Seeing me like that, Arios scoffs at me. ''Oh, come on. You''ve been pushed to this point and you''re worried about your opponent?You''re really ... you''re a disgusting person, you know. The sight of that hypocrite makes me cringe. Hey! I want that guy hunted down thoroughly! As for Arios, he''d like to see me put my hands on the knights. Then the treason would be applied in earnest and........ More than anything else, it would be fun to do so. But ... I''m not going to let you down. I''m not going to take a life that has nothing to do with helping everyone else. If I did that, I would not be qualified to stand next to everyone else. I can''t face Kanade and Tania, who present themselves and sacrifice themselves to protect their friends. I will never do what Arios expects me to do. But.......... We''re going to be impoverished. Eventually we''ll be cornered, and we''ll take a decisive blow... and that''s the end of it. Before that happens, we must somehow defeat Arios or save everyone else, but.... d*mn it, I don''t know what to do! I can''t think of any way to defuse the situation. They are trapped in a cul-de-sac with no way out. 258-Episode 258: Awakening Everyone was hurting. Kanade, Tania.... And Rain. A bad brave man had made a terrible mess of things. Why would he do this? How can you laugh? We didn''t even do anything... Ugh...! The last time I was held captive by a human At that time I was so frightened, I was crying all the time... We couldn''t do anything. I didn''t do anything. But now it''s different. It was different then. I was angry at a man who had done something terrible. The blood rushes to my head. I''m afire. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. Unforgivable. I was ... really angry. But..... What can I do? If what that man said is true, then the magic lock on his neck can be removed immediately. Then you''ll be able to wield your power. But..... I have no power. I can''t beat the bad guys. So what do you do to help people? ........and that''s hard to do. A transparent wall like the surrounding wards. If you use the subspace, I think you can get through it without any problems. But with my current strength, I''m limited to one person at a time. Even if I save one person........ In the meantime, everyone left behind will be badly hurt. If this is not done well, a brave man will be angry with me for doing something without permission, and everyone will be... Oh no...! No, no, no, no, no, no, no! I can laugh now. It''s all because of you. And then you leave, and then.... I don''t think I''ll ever laugh again. ''Ugh...'' What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? I''m trying desperately to think, but I don''t know what to do... I start to cry at my own inadequacy. ''Nina, it''s okay,'' Tina, who was in the birdcage, reached through the gap and patted me on the head. "...Tina........ I''ll keep Nina safe. But....I... You don''t have to worry. I''ll protect you, not just Nina, but everyone else, of course. I agree.... Don''t let them take away what''s important to Nina twice. Tina is cheering me up in a time like this. I can''t do anything about it. ''Nya, you don''t have to worry about Nina... ah! I''ll take care of this..... Kanade and Tania laugh. I''m sure it must be very painful and hard... But he smiles to keep me from worrying. ''Nina, you have to keep your head up. In a situation like this, the one with a broken heart loses. My heart is... ''We are the strongest species. We are not the kind of beings that would be caught in such a trivial trap!I''ll show you a brilliant comeback in no time. It''s all about not giving up! I''m not going to give up... The words of Sola and Luna inspire me. If your heart is broken, you lose. That''s right, I thought. If you give up, it''s all over there. But..... People aren''t giving up. Even though we''re in this situation... Even when she''s in pain, even when she''s in pain, she doesn''t give up. Rain is the same. I''m still fighting desperately for my life. What about me? I was just about to give up. I can''t do anything. You''re not strong enough.... My heart was about to break. ''I........'' I thought I was getting stronger. I met everyone and I could laugh... And now that I can use my powers as a god, I can... It made me stronger. I thought it made me... wrong. I''m not yet... I''m not really strong. I''m still weak. I''m still the same as I was when the humans were picking on me. Because it was so easy to give up. I was a broken man. But ... but still! It''s not over yet. We can start over. You can get back up. I''m not done! ''Nina...?What''s going on? Tina seems to have noticed a change in me, and she looks at me in wonder. I smiled at her, and she smiled at me. It''s okay ... that''s it. What? I''m always getting help from everyone else. That''s why I''m going to save you all... this time. I reached for the magic lock on my neck. ''''Nina, that''s...!But what do you do at this point in time?Not with Nina''s help.... I know, I know, I know... I can''t help everyone with my current power. Then what can I do? The answer is simple. You just need to be strong. Forget my weakness. Have a strong mind. You can be like everyone else, that''s all. It''s okay, that''s all... I''m going to be strong. Nina...? ''Be able to stand next to everyone, next to Rain........chest out, side by side.... Be strong........be strong........! He took a deep breath, huffing and puffing. Then I let it out slowly. I repeat that several times and let my mind settle down. I can feel my mind clearing up like the surface of the water without a single wave. It''s okay ... I can do it. Say goodbye to the weak me. I will be strong. I will..........! Let''s go... I put pressure on my hand and removed the magic lock. It was an act like the hatching of a butterfly coming out of its trapped shell.... ''Huh!!!!'' My body was wrapped in light. 259-Episode 259: Reversal What the hell...? Suddenly, a light flooded the quadrangle cage. With expressions of surprise on their faces, they all stopped moving in unison. There is a tremendous amount of light, so much so that the world is dyed white. I can''t keep my eyes open. ''''Kutu...!Everyone....! What''s going on? Is everyone okay! Soon, the light gradually fades. The white world begins to fade in color. Eventually, the light subsides completely. In order to confirm what has happened, all those present look at the square pyramid cage. Then.......... ...hmmm! Nina in her adult form?There was a figure that looked like a Hair shining golden like a bundle of light. The fox ears that popped out of it. Its body had grown up and changed from a girl to an adult one. Her age in appearance is almost as old as Kanade and Tania. No? Maybe even higher than the two of them. There was a unique vibe that only adults had. As if to indicate that she was Nina, her hairpiece and clothes were still intact. However, her three tails had increased from three to nine. It was a big fluffy tail, but now it was smartly and sleekly extended. ''''What!!!?'''' What surprised me the most was probably me and my friends. That little Nina........turned into an adult! Me and my friends are stunned, forgetting the situation we''re in. The first to move in that situation was Nina. ''''Hmph!'''' He waves a long, outstretched hand in the air, as if he were cleaving the air. As if to match its movements, a door to the sub-space connects to it. There are six of them in total. Including herself, Nina jumped into the subspace with everyone else. Seeing this, Arios''s face twitches in astonishment. ''''Wha...?How can you use your powers, you fool!And what the hell is that kid''s transformation...? While Arios was surprised, a subspace opened up behind me. Kanade, Tania, Sora, Luna, and Tina. And Nina. My precious friends showed up. They all seemed to be unable to keep up with the suddenness of the situation, and their eyes were black and white. ''Hmm ... thank God, guys. Just hold on........right? Meow, meow...?Nina....what is it? Yeah, I''m... Nina chuckles ... and makes a dignified expression. Nina puts one hand in subspace... And when I pulled it out, a key that seemed to belong to the magic lock was in my hand. The knight who was said to have held the key was hurriedly searching his own pocket. ''''Yes. The key.........'''' Oh, thank you... Kanade, with a pop, took the key and removed the magic lock. As it is, Tania, Sora, Luna and Tina are also set free. ''Nina, what is that figure...?And that power.... With Nina''s power, it would have been impossible to transfer multiple people at the same time. And to search for the key to the magic lock from such a large area with so many people, with pinpoint accuracy and in such a short period of time...................that would have also been impossible. And yet........why? I don''t know, I just wanted to help everyone, you know? I just wanted to help everyone and I thought that I needed the power and I wanted it so badly, and that''s what happened. Hmm........maybe Nina has ''awakened'' Luna says as she cures Kanade and Tania with magic. ''Awakening...?'' "It is a rare occurrence among our most powerful species. It allows us to evolve through a variety of processes. It can gain the same power as when it reached maturity. That''s the power. ''That''s a new one I didn''t know that either. ü٤Τ΁hԒ顢˷ʤΤˤƤ⡢ޤ˩`ʤҙѤƤޤʤơã ˱ơʤҤä귵ä򤢤 ʤʤ ʥǡ˥顢˩`ʡƥʡߤʤ򱧤롣 褫äˤ褫ä ˤ`쥤 ơߤʤo¤ǤƤơޤᤨ뤳ȤǤơˤ褫ä ⤦쥤͡ФϺg˛ʤΤ裿 ˥衢˷ʤΤäơҤ⤹줷ΤۥȡƤޤ餤줷Τá ɤ顢ʤߤǤ͡Ϥȡ򤫤ƤޤߤޤǤǤ⡢Ϥޤ쥤ȻᤨŤƤޤ衹 ŤƤ BʤƤȤϿȤϤʤơ ~ĤäƤ Ǥ⡣ rֲۡĤޤƤޤˤʤä ⤷⡢ΤޤޤߤʤȻᤨʤä顭 ˼ȡäƤޤˤʤä 顢񡭡 ߤʤȟo¤ٻ᤹뤳ȤǤơ줷Τ 쥤εǡ⤦ɷǡ褷褷һˤǤФäʡäʡǤ⡢⤦ƽݤ䤫顭ɷǡɷ򡭡褷褷褷褷 ƥʤ^ǤƤ롣 餤 ĸ˱ƤߤǡʤäĸΤȤ˼ Τޤ¤˽ꤿȤɡ 櫓ˤϤʤ áȫTǤáĤȫTԚˤã Ҥ˷äꥪwФ ˷ꤷơTʿ_Ҥ˷ꡢiuäƤ Ϥʤ ߤz ͬrˡΤw褷ƥꥪʳ餤ĤȤ ꥪϺΤ򄇤ߵȤơ˷ߤĤ롣 lã΃Wаħ򤹤Ĥϣ rǰ\ǰϤͤäԤä äĤƤʤǡȤƤ뤫飿 ˤΤϡ ˡ⣡ ȥˤä 褦Τ餹ȤˤʤäƤʡ ӄݤˤ ɤơ˹ äʤȤ򤹤Ĥʤ顢ΕrԤäƤ衣˼鷺Α餷ͤȤäͤ ʤΤȤ顢˽_򎆤zߤʤ˼äΤǤ礦͡Ǥ⡢Ϥޤˤˮ󤸤ʤ ꤬Ȥ ˤ˼ФơĤĤƤޤˤʤ롣 줯餤ˤ줷ơ ơm⤷ä áʤðL餬W餦Wߤ𾴤٤ڤʤFȤ` ϤáƤᤨʤ𾴤Ǥ櫓ͤRҊԤ ΤȤϡǤˤηˁƤ⤦ޤ衹 դʤá椱餴ȤаħƤޤ뤫áĤ򚢤 Фʤۤɤ˶त ˤˏäƤʤΤǡ櫓ˤϤʤ ˡꥪȤg_롣 ~~״rωʤ ⤦ؓݤʤ _˵δϡޤǤʤ ֲơFɢơϣФ롣 ߤʡã ã 260-Episode 260: Rapid Advance The first to move was Kanade. ''Ikkyuyo!I''m going to pay you back for everything you''ve done for me, with interest!Mmmm. Kanade still had some damage from the lightning strike. Even though he had been healed by Sora and Luna, it couldn''t be an immediate and complete cure. However, despite Rain''s concerns, Kanade was very active. He dodged all the swords of the knights that were rushing in like waves from all directions, all at the threshold. He leaned his face, turned his body away, and crouched down to crawl.... He completely saw through the stormy onslaught of the knights. ''''Nyahhhhh................................Unya! A counter blow exploded. A few knights were blown away collectively. The other party was a hundred battle-hardened knights who belonged to the headquarters of the royal capital. However, they were as good as babies when it came to Kanade. No matter how sharp the slashes were, they would never hit Kanade. And then.........a painful counter. Kanade''s fist shatters the steel armor and blows its body away like paper. It''s like a storm. Once swallowed up, there is no way to escape. There is no way to resist in the face of its power, you can only prostrate yourself. ''Kanade, you can put up a fight, but take it easy. Those people are just being ordered around, they''re innocent. ''I know!But I don''t mind having you come along for a bit of exasperation! ...be moderate. Rain chuckled back. A disaster for the knights but... Even though it was an order, he turned his blade on us. I''ll have you give up the pain........ Partly because of the anger at being hurt by his friends, the current Rain was thinking colder than normal. ---------- I''m guessing you''re the guy I''m working with. d*mn it...! Tania was confronted by Mina. Tania''s injuries were the worst of all, as she had been hit by lightning strikes several times and was defending her companion. Even Sora and Luna''s magic couldn''t completely heal her, and she would have to rest for several days to fully heal. However, she showed strength without the slightest hint of that. He smiled wryly, not taking a step back in front of Mina. In contrast, Mina was in a cold sweat. Mina had been hurt before when she had fought Tania. Maybe she was thinking back to that time. ''''You couldn''t give me an arm and a leg when you did it before... are you going to do it?'''' ''''Huh....... of course. As a member of a brave party, we can''t leave beings like you on the loose. "A party for the heroes... hey. I don''t think you guys are all that important to me.It''s a silly party where you get to do whatever you want. Are you going to taunt us? Oh dear. Do you realize that you''re being a bit of an idiot if you''re getting worked up about it?Self-aware idiots are so out of control! Holy Arrow! Mina runs out first and releases her magic. Tania''s power would allow her to intervene in Mina''s power and counteract the magic. When we fought before, that''s how we showed the difference in power. But this time, I won''t use that move. ''''Teeee.'''' What...? Tania waved her hands as if she were a mosquito to ward off... With that alone, he played off Mina''s magic. ''''Wow, how could my magic be so easily..........'''' Well I guess I''m next in line, huh?Just so I''m clear, I don''t think you''re gonna call my bluff like you did before, okay?This time I''m pissed off too and I''m going to get serious about it! Tania spread her wings and converged her magic power. Feeling the enormous amount of magic power, Mina lets out a small scream. With a grin at Mina''s frightened appearance like that... Tania unleashes her special dragon breath! It involves Mina and a few other knights.... He also collapses part of the ruins and cleaves them all. ''''Hmmm ... well, I guess that''s about it? ---------- ''Aggus!Stall for me, and I''ll blow it up in one fell swoop! Oh, okay! Aggus will be the vanguard and Lean will be the rear guard. The two of them will face off against........ "Hahaha, there are only two of you to deal with us?Huh, we''ve been underestimated. Oh my dear sister. Are you a little scared...? The duo of Sola and Luna stand in front of Aggus and Lean. It seems that no matter what time of day, these two are together. However, Luna was somewhat taken back by Sola, who was giving an eerie laugh... Sola''s anger is understandable. Although she''s usually calm and collected, she just doesn''t show her emotions, but she has great feelings for her friends. She cares for them just as much as Rain does. That friend was hurt. They were treated unreasonably. The people who seem to be in league with the mastermind are right in front of her. Sola''s anger had swept over the top and she was entering uncharted territory. Luna has always had a thought. Although she teases her sister occasionally........ I''m careful not to step over the line. When she''s really angry, Sora is........bad. ''''NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU! "Gravity Wall! Aggus charged in. If it was Sora and Luna, the wizard type, they would have decided that it was better to attack than to be on the defensive. Luna created a magical barrier and received a blow from Aggus. ''''Aggus, Sots, just hold it down!Red Crimson! Leanne continues to release her magic. Aggus holds Luna down just in time and.... He retreated at the perfect time. The Red Lotus Fireball tried to envelop Sora and Luna, but... ...What''s with all this childplay? Heh? Sola carelessly put her hand into the fireball. On the contrary, the flames dissipated. Sola interfered with Lean''s magic with an overwhelming amount of magical power. She reconfigured the structural formula on the spot and neutralized it. The principle was the same as what Tania had done before. However, Lean, who is unable to do such a thing, has blackened his eyes as if he doesn''t understand what has happened. It''s not that.......how can you mimic that bullshit strongest species?It''s crazy, it can''t be! ''What are you mistaken about?Sola is a spirit race, you know?I''m an expert in magic. From Sola''s point of view, your magic is a child''s play with fire itself. Nah, nah... Do you mind?I will teach you the real magic. Taste it for yourself. Oh, no... With herself at the center, Sora let the magic circle unfold. Seeing this, Luna hurriedly turned backwards. Luna understood at a glance. What Sola was about to use was a super-grade magic. It''s not a make-believe threat like Tania used before, it''s a real blow. Moreover, it''s filled with all the magical power possible. I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Knowing this, Luna lowered herself with her head in her hands. ''''Foolish act, reflect on that with your own body.......Ixion Blast! An extreme thunderstorm was released, summoning the otherworldly phantom beast. The lightning blew like a storm. Aggus and Lean were blown away like paper. At the same time, the knights who swarmed around them were also blown away. With a grin, Sora laughed... Seeing her sister like that, Luna shivered with a wobble. 261-Episode 261: Pursuit Battle Everyone is doing great. Tearing and tearing and tossing the knights.... He also overkilled Aggus, Lean and Mina. No, they probably weren''t dead but... It was overwhelming. The next thing you know, the battle was turned upside down... No one can stop us. ''d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!What''s this?How could this happen!!!! Arios was screaming like he was going crazy. ''This time I''m going to take that Rain guy...!And yet, why...! Arios! Rain, you.... From where to what point did Arios plan to do this? I''m not sure about that yet, but... There''s no doubt in my mind that he was manipulating you. This thing it hurt all of us. I could have held out for him. But he was messing with our people. I''ll never forgive him...! I don''t know what you''re up to, but... I will crush you to pieces! "d*mn...! Arios ran away. Even though his head was bleeding, he was still able to assess the situation. I''m not going to let him get away! "Tina, take care of Nina!There''s something outrageous going on here but that body is probably still getting used to it. Nina is doing a lion''s share of the work, opening up about ten subspaces at the same time....... His forehead is covered in sweat. It''s probably getting tired from the sudden and rapid growth and the fact that it''s exercising its power beyond its original limits. I need someone''s support. ''''Roger that!I''ll take care of it. What about Rain''s husband? I''m going after Arios. We can''t just let this thing run wild. Take care of yourself! Yeah, I''m fine! Axe and Cell call out to me. ''Rain, we''ll take care of things here!I''m not going to let you hurt me anymore, your precious friend, on my pride! Rayne killed that hero. Okay!Axe, Cell, please! Nodding firmly, I followed Arios. ---------- Arios left the ruins and fled into the wilderness. He locked on to its back with a pitter-patter and continued to chase and chase. I''ve trained a lot of things to chase wild animals. Even though my opponent is a brave man, I can''t lose if it''s physical strength. ''''Tch........persistent! Soon after, Arios seemed to realize that he couldn''t escape, so he stopped and confronted me. As it was, he drew his sword and held it ready. I also pulled out my Kamui and held it ready. ''I''ll judge you directly with my own hands!Oh yes, I should have done this in the first place. I should have done this instead of going through the motions! Don''t think it''s going to be easy. f*ck you!Don''t think that a mere Beast Tamer is an enemy to me, a brave man! That Beast Tamer beat you once, you know. You. We barked at each other ... and once again, me and Arios collided. ''Pssst!'' Blades clash and antagonize each other. Arios''s strength is strong. He has grown far more than before...............He is pushed in just in time. So this is the power of the blood of the brave! "Hahhhh, GigaVolt! What? At point-blank range, Arios'' magic exploded. There''s no evading it! Then..... Matter Creation! I built a wall of dirt to block the space between me and Arios. However, that doesn''t prevent it from happening. Arios'' magic shattered the earthen wall and pressed even closer to me. ''''Guuuuut...! A lightning strike hits me and causes me intense pain. However, it''s not unbearable. It seems that by using the earthen wall as a shield, I was able to reduce its power to some extent. ''''Haha, haha........you piece of shit.......! It seemed to be an attack that was prepared to self-destruct, and Arios had also received some damage. ''''I am a brave man........you''re imitating me like this......!d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it! Arios glared at me as he spat out a curse. Sharply. Muddled. He glares at me with dark eyes. When I was a member of the party, he wasn''t a guy who looked at me like this. His arrogance was there for a long time, but........ But I''ve never seen eyes like these before. What is it that drives Arios to such an extent? Arios what are you thinking about? What...? ''You think Arios is backing out of this case, don''t you?I don''t know what kind of trick you pulled, but you framed me for the murder. Isn''t that right? .... Arios doesn''t answer this time. He remained silent. No ... it wasn''t complete silence. He''s twitching........and smiling a small smile. That''s something that makes my hair stand on end just listening to it........ It was a horrible laugh, like a collection of all kinds of malice. ''Yes, yes, yes!If you know that much, you don''t have to hide it anymore!Rain, as you say, I set it all up! Why would you do that...? You know why. Because you''re not part of the solution!I''m so annoying!It''s because he''s annoying! Honestly, I feel like those emotions are something I should have as an outcast from the party, but... While swallowing these thoughts, I listened to Arios'' story. ''''Since then... since then everything about me has gone crazy...'''' That time? "I am the hero, I am the hero!You can''t lose to a Beast Tamer, you mustn''t, you mustn''t, you mustn''t! Arios, you... No way.... Is that what you''re holding a grudge against me for? Did you try to get me to fall for such a trivial thing? I''m stunned. I was wondering if there was a deeper reason... There''s not a shred of decent reason. It''s just a personal grudge. And it''s selfish, selfish, with no need for sympathy.... But..... Perhaps it is because of such reasons that we can hate them so deeply. Rather than having this and that roundabout reason at its core........ One simple reason is all it takes for a person to move forward, surprisingly enough. In Arios'' case, he''s moving in the wrong direction, but... In a way, it might be my fault that he has become so out of control. I''m in a position of bravery, and my pride is extremely high.... Such was the taste of defeat for Arios. Not to a demon race, not to a demon king, but to the same person. And to the same person he had exiled. It must have been quite a shock. I felt like I finally understood what drove Arios to go to such lengths. Jealousy. Irritation. Hatred. Those emotions were what drove Arios. After all, people are driven by their emotions. ... well. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to feel sorry for you. I''ll make sure to repay the part that was done to me. So you do admit it?You know what you did to me? Yeah, yeah. It was all me!But what would you know about that?A brave man or just an adventurer - which one do you think people will believe?What are you gonna say, "I''m actually the guy who did it"?Haha, try it. No one will believe you! ''Surely no one would believe me if I told them. But ... what if Arios himself had confessed? What... what? I sneered and laughed. He showed her the necklace-shaped magic tool that Sarya-sama had entrusted to him. 262-Episode 262: Reversal, Reversal, Great Reversal What''s that...?Yeah?I''ve seen you before... yes, that''s the collar the princess wore, isn''t it? Good answer. You remember it well. We''ll have to look for the princess too. So ... what''s up with that necklace? Arios says in dismay. I guess he doesn''t doubt that he believes he has the upper hand, even though the matter is not yet settled. I wonder where that confidence comes from. But it''s nothing but carelessness, so it''s very helpful for us. ''''This thing was entrusted to me by Sarya-sama, and it''s a magic tool with a bit of power. ...what? Although Sarya''s succession is low, she is a full-fledged royal. There are times, such as during emergencies, when you have to make your voice heard by many people. That''s when I use this magic tool. No way.... Arios'' face turns blue. He could imagine the effects of the magic tool. ''''What you just said was delivered to King''s Landing through this magic tool. I''m sure all the people of King''s Landing, everyone in King''s Landing will be listening to it.'''' Wouldn''t you believe me if I told you this? "Rain, you aaaaaaah! A furious Arios slashed at him. However, his sword muscles are rough due to being controlled by anger. Avoid it with room to spare.... He ejected the Narkami wire on the counter. He used his fingertips to finely manipulate the wire to restrain Arios''s body. ''''Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! That''s a special version. It''s so strong, no amount of Arios can break it. I noticed that the sounds of the struggle coming from the ruins had disappeared. Probably everyone was overpowered. If there wasn''t such a thing as a magic lock, everyone wouldn''t be behind. ''''There was a match, wasn''t there?'''' d*mn it...! Arios glared at him. However, his body was bound and he couldn''t move. Eventually...... Giving up, Arios stopped resisting. He slowly relaxed from his body. ''Abominable but it looks like I''m losing this one. It''s very rare that you can honestly admit defeat. ''I''ll admit it this time. I didn''t expect Rain to have such a magical tool in his possession. I must be sorry for underestimating you. Arios was strangely calm. Even though it had been exposed that he had tricked me, he still had room to spare. What does that mean? But it won''t be like this next time. What did you say? You know, I screwed you over. I''ll admit that. But it was in the best interest of the country. I feared what would happen if a man with the most powerful species in the world became an A-list adventurer and had a certain amount of power. Arios, you...! I''ll admit I went a little too far. But I''m not wrong. I''m proud to say that I did the right thing. As a painful excuse, but.... But it''s still not conclusive. Arios was just trying to bring me down. If that''s all you''re looking at, you''re still just barely safe. I haven''t committed a fatal point.......A line that should not be crossed has not been crossed. Hence......... You may be punished somewhat, but your freedom will not be taken away. You can keep your status as a brave man. That''s probably how he thinks of it. This guy........what a nasty guy. Haven''t you ever heard of the word "remorse"? I''m tempted to just cut it off. If I leave Arios alone, it might happen again. He might mess with his friends. The moment I thought that, I felt angry. Arios had hurt my people. He messed with my people, the ones I care about. He has hurt them all! .... I silently set up my camouflage. Arios'' face scrunched up slightly. ''Are you going to kill me?'' .... Hmmm ... all right. If you can do it, go ahead and do it. With Arios'' provocative words, I raised my Kamui. If I could swing the blade down here, I could break the gloom of the future. I won''t be charged with a crime as self-defense. Just......... I''m going to stop. I put the camouflage back in its scabbard. "Ha-ha, just as I thought. You don''t have the guts to kill somebody. You''re a chicken. ''Yes, you may be right. It''s just.... I give Arios a cold look. Although he went out of control when Tania was hurt before... This time I won''t make the same mistake as I did then. I''ll never be like you. .... I won''t be the kind of scum that hurts others for their own ends, their own desires. d*mn it...! Arios twisted his face in an abhorrent manner. ''Remember................................next time! No, there won''t be a next time. Suddenly, a third party voice sounded. The voice just now was........! Lady Sarya! When I turned around, I saw Sarya-sama with a knight who looked like an escort. The fact that Sarya-sama is here........ The analysis of the magic tool is over and everything has been found out........ What is the result? Miss Lane. I need my necklace. Come in. The necklace was returned to Lord Sarya. Sarya deactivated the necklace. She wants to keep what we are about to talk about between us. Well that''s the way it is.d*mn, I didn''t know the princess was working with Rayne... Seeing Sarya-sama''s words and actions, Arios seemed to realize that we were connected side-by-side. He had a very regretful look on his face. ''''Sarya-sama. What do you mean by Arios not being next...? The word is true. There will be no more for this man. I cannot decide his treatment until my father returns, but he will probably be stripped of his bravery. What the hell is going on? This seemed to be unexpected and Arios shouted loudly. ''''What do you mean by that?Is this about me trying to trick Lane?Sure, it may have been an overreach, but it''s all for the good of the country... Do you expect me to believe such a lie now?Besides ... the evidence is out there. Sarya-sama took out a magic tool. It''s the magic tool that contains the image of me killing the adventurers. Arios'' face turns blue. No, it is beyond blue and has turned white. ''''After analyzing this grimoire I have found the true footage. True footage...? The recorded Ms. Lane is another person''s disguise. "The person who recorded Ms. Lane was transformed by another person who first used a magic tool to record and copy her image. By using it, he was able to create an image of Ms. Lane as if she had committed the murder. Speaking of which........I remembered something. Arios was wearing a pair of Date Glasses out of character. If that''s a magic tool that observes an object, records and copies its appearance....... After removing the false data and analyzing the true footage we have recorded footage of you killing the adventurers, Arios the Brave! Geez ... that''s it! ''Your own murder, disguised as Miss Lane, has backfired on you. He was completely trapped, it seemed. Arios no longer seemed to be able to speak and was lazily sweating. ''In the incident in the village of Pagos, you had an adventurer on your hands. But that story has drifted away because there is no complete proof... but this time it is different. Here is the complete proof. We have proof that you killed innocent adventurers for your own personal gain alone. That''s outrageous. This kind of thing is unforgivable, even for a brave man! Like a judge pronouncing judgment, Lady Sarya says in an extremely stern voice. ''Arios Orlando!You have no right to call yourself a hero! Wha.........? Arios shuddered as if he''d been struck by lightning... Then he gulped and nodded. That was the moment when Arios'' heroic life was completely over. 263-Episode 263: Capricious... Brave man... no. Bind the traitor Arios. The two knights moved at Sarya-sama''s command. Arios is already bound by Narkami''s wire... As expected of a knight of the King''s Capital, I should say, but I still don''t let my guard down and approach cautiously. ''''Ridiculous.......this me is a traitor?It''s impossible, I''m a brave man I''m a brave man! ''Lord Arios you were indeed a brave man. You had the power to be called that. Then why is this happening? You are all strength and no heart. Sarya-sama says quietly. Those eyes are somewhat shaky.... He seemed to be feeling sorry for Arios. ''Don''t ... don''t ... look at me like that!I''m a brave man, I''m a brave man! Arios rambles on, but Lady Sarya no longer returns his words. She simply gives the knight a capture order in a nonchalant manner. ''''Arios........'''' Hey, don''t look at me like that, Rain...! Arios just barely bit his back teeth. ''You........you''re the reason I''m here because of you.......! ''Lord Sarya''s orders. Lord Arios, I would like to take you into custody. Please, please be quiet. With a thank you, the knight tries to restrain Arios... Shut up! Arios shouted loudly and forcefully untied the wires that were tangled in his body. If he did that, his flesh would be ripped open. In fact, Arios would bleed, but... That didn''t stop him. ''You''re holding me to this?I am a brave man!There''s no way they would approve of such a joke!You''ll be sorry in hell! What? Geez! A certain amount of damage should have been accumulated... Arios flashed his sword and took down the two knights in an instant. ''d*mn it!'' They say a wounded tiger is more formidable than a wounded tiger That''s exactly what happened. Right now Arios is like a hunted tiger, flailing like a beast. We should have settled this before this happened... My mistake. I should have beaten you more thoroughly. ''Back off, Lady Sarya!It''s me. Mr. Lane? The knights retreated, shielding Sarya-sama behind their backs. After making sure of that, they rushed at Arios. ''''Stay quiet! "Rain, rain, rain, rain, rain, you!!! My power is as strong as the cat spirit race but........ So now Arios has comparable power! His eyes are bloodshot, and he has a shape I''ve never seen before. It''s like a ghost. The body''s limiter must be off due to being trapped. With a ridiculous amount of ridiculous power, I''m gradually pushed down. ''''Not good........! You''re all alone in this situation! Geez! He loses the race and Kamui is played. Arios''s deadly blade is closing in. ''''d*mn! The first blow was defended by Narkami. It pierced through the small hand and tore through the arm, but it was not a fatal wound. However, it was only temporary. Arios quickly brings his blade back and fires a second blow. This time it''s inevitable! I can''t help but close my eyes. Gasp! A moment later, there was a roar. A sound like a lightning strike.......and then a shock. ''What the...?'' When he opened his eyes, he saw a battered Arios. Arios''s feet were charred. Don''t tell me it''s really a lightning strike...? Uh....uh... This time the limit seemed to have been reached and Arios fell to the ground. Looking at the twitching and trembling, it seems he just fainted. ''''Mr. Lane!'''' Sarya-sama rushed over here in a hurry. ''''What the hell was that...?'''' No, it''s just... I don''t really understand it either... I looked up at the sky and saw the blue sky. The sun was shining. If that''s the case, then magic? But Sora and Luna weren''t here. Besides, if that was magic, it looked familiar. ''....Iris? ---------- Hmm.... There was a girl in the distance. She was sitting on a handy rock as a chair, lazily looking at the sky. ''''Rain-sama hasn''t changed in her stuffy ways, has she? A magic sniper at very long range. You''ve accomplished a tremendous amount, but the person in question has a cool face. He seems to think it''s only natural to be able to do this. And that''s as it should be. She is a celestial tribe that is said to be the strongest of the strongest. ''''Well........Rain-sama is a person with very keen instincts, so she might be found even at this distance. Let''s take some time off before that happens.'''' Girl..............................Iris got down on the ground. She brushed the dust off her panting and buttocks........ Then he speaks over his back. ''So ... what can I do for you?'' ''Could it be that she is here to condemn me for my actions? ''No, sir. Mr. Reese has ordered me not to worry about Mr. Iris. I don''t blame you for any of the things you have done. I just........I wanted to thank you for this time. Are you thanking me for this? Iris gets a quizzical look on her face. That''s just as well. This time, in order to humiliate Rain, Monica has cooperated with Arios. And yet, at the last minute, she interfered, taking away the opportunity to kill Rain. Isn''t that uninteresting from Monica''s point of view? Iris would expect that.... It seemed to be out of place, and Monica smiled. ''''If Rain-san had been killed there, Arios-sama would have been killed on the spot as well. That would have been a problem for us as well. Not Lady Rayne, but that brave man...?But that brave man is finished. He did a lot of things in my case, but this time, he''s even more foolish than that. As the human princess named Sarya would say, it''s over. That''s exactly what I''m going to do, Mr. Reese. I see.....I see. Hmph, I understand a little bit what you guys are thinking about. But then it would be a problem. I don''t like that brave man. Oh, I thought I owed you a favor. "I''ve done you a great favor by letting you go. Therefore, I have no reason to smile at you. It''s a cold one, isn''t it? I don''t need you to tell me that. Iris turned around and.... Monica was already gone. It''s not like they''ve done anything to her. There is no indication that they are being monitored. I''m sure they simply came to tell you that you don''t have to worry about what you''re doing. Apparently, it was not a lie that he was free to do so, and Iris analyzed the current situation. ''''Well the brave man has fallen and Rain-sama has grabbed the light. I don''t know what''s going to happen now, but it''s going to be quite tricky... and it''s going to be interesting. Iris laughed a small laugh... Then, like a mirage, the figure disappeared. 264-Episode 264 Afterwards...Part 1 A week has passed since then. I can''t say I''ve been able to relax... It''s been a busy, stormy week. First, the reopening of a murder case during a promotion exam. I helped with that. Thanks to Arios''s suicide bombing and Sarya-sama, I was completely exonerated. However, I had to re-investigate the case in order to finalize the details of the case, and I had to cooperate with that. The investigation was to be conducted again and of course, Arios was not involved. I was interviewed again, and I was present at the scene of the crime, etc. However, since I was completely cleared of all charges, I won''t be treated as a criminal. As a collaborator, I contributed to solving the case. Rather, the knights regretted that they had obeyed Arios'' order and turned their swords on him, and they were treated well incessantly. Some called for severe punishment of the knights who had joined Arios. However, since they were soldiers, it was difficult for them to disobey the orders of their superiors. I understand their position, so I didn''t say anything more than necessary. This was a decision we all made together. That''s why I was spared the harshest punishment, but..... He''s been punished in various ways. You''ll just have to accept that. Anyway.... Once the re-investigation is done, we''ll already have a complete set of evidence. The investigation won''t take long, it will only take a few days. And.........Arios will be found guilty. ---------- The audience room of the royal castle. Kneeling in front of King Argus and bowing before him are Arios and his companions. Everyone is uniformly pale and sweating unpleasantly. ''Face up,'' Argus says, but none of them respond. ''Face it,'' Once again, when Argus said it, only Arios slowly raised his face. The expression on his face was........very painful. ''''We will now begin the trial, albeit briefly. Shot by Argus'' stern gaze, Arios gave a small shudder. ''''Brave Arios. You killed an innocent adventurer despite your position as a brave man. You have a very selfish motive for killing an innocent adventurer in order to bring down a former member of your party. What do you have to say about this? ''Well I don''t remember doing anything like that. It must be some kind of mistake. The third princess, Sarya, has a magical tool in her possession, and many people have heard your confession. That''s not all. We have analyzed the mages that monitor the examination room and they have recorded you murdering someone else. And yet, you don''t remember anything about it? Yes, no. Arios turned blue in the face but.... And yet, he said it flatly. I suppose this is what is meant by having no shame. With all this evidence, he could still claim that he had nothing to do with it. Sarya, who had been standing next to the king, almost sighed in deep disgust. ''That I have done something to bring down my former comrades I will admit to that. But that was only for the sake of the country. He''s a dangerous man with several of the most powerful species in the world. If he turns against his country, what kind of damage can be done? ''And you dare to use dastardly means to do so?Is that what you mean? Yes, that''s right. Argus listened quietly to what Arios was saying without changing his complexion. It was difficult to detect any emotion from his expression and it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. ''''Then how do you explain the matter of killing the adventurer?'''' ''That was probably deliberately created by someone to trick me. I suggest that the analysis of the magic tool is not yet fully completed. If the investigation is truly complete, I am sure my innocence will be cleared. ''I see. And your record of murder is also false? Yes, sir. Argus'' words stop. Here. Arios decides it''s time to fold up and adds more words. ''''It''s my fault for bringing about an incident like this one. I feel unworthy of my own inadequacies, pity... and resentment towards the despicable criminal. Hmm... so? Can you give me a chance?I''m going to exonerate myself of the charges brought against me with my own hands. Does that mean you''re going to investigate this case? Yes, sir. I will find the real culprit and make him pay for his crimes. The flow of the scene was tilted towards Arios. The surrounding dignitaries were listening intently to Arios'' talk, occasionally giving him a phase. Lean, Mina also saw that the atmosphere of the place was flowing in their favor, and her complexion was brightening. There was no way Arios was going to murder. This is some kind of mistake. The two seemed to think so, and the tension was less than it was at the beginning. It''s just........Aggus kept a blank expression on his face. He turned his gaze somewhat harshly on Arios. ''''I see, I understand what you''re saying. These are the words of Arios, a brave man. I suppose that your words do not lie.'''' Now....! Did you really think I was going to say that I was going to allow you to reopen the investigation into this case? Argus has always maintained a blank expression on his face, but... His expression changed drastically. He stared at Arios tightly with anger as fierce as a fierce fire. He put so much strength into his hands that the armrest of the throne was about to break. ''''You ... you ... fool! What? Arios''s body jolted under the fierce reprimand like a lightning strike. ''''To refuse to admit guilt at this point in time and pile on unseemly excuses... the height of folly!You are still a hero! But I''m not going to lie... The evidence is complete. I''ve examined it in every possible way and I''ve come to the conclusion that you are the only culprit. And yet you took advantage of my absence to make a move in my absence. Ggh...! Do you think I simply left King''s Landing to do official business?Don''t you think there was another purpose? Well, you''re not gonna... ''''The real purpose was to find out about you. When you''re in King''s Landing, you''ll inevitably miss the details that happen in the provinces. In King''s Landing, I would miss the details of what happened in the countryside, and it would be a message game, and the correctness of the report would be distorted. That''s why I went there myself to confirm the truth. And the result was ... much worse than I could have imagined. Ugh, cuh... ''''As for this matter, you wielded your power as a brave man and moved the knights around on your own. Not only that, you''ve been brainwashing some knights with authority with magic in order to keep them under complete control, right?Would it be Lean or Mina? Lean shuddered. It was apparently Lean''s doing. ''''... enough.'''' Argus let out a tired breath and... Then he turned his eyes like a bug to Arios. ''I''ve tolerated your actions so far because you are a brave man but it was a mistake. It was a mistake. What do you mean... Fortunately, that mistake can be righted. Argus rises from his throne and pronounces his sentence on Arios. ''Arios Orlando!As of this moment, I''m going to disqualify you from being a hero! What...? "And you are hereby imprisoned for the murder of an adventurer!My people are just as guilty! Leanne and Mina shuddered and paled. ''The treatment will be notified in due course. For now, you can stay in prison, cool your head and reflect on it! How can this be possible?I''m a hero!I can''t believe you don''t want this me..........and you''re suicidal by doing that!Do you want to die against a demon race! Forgetting that the other party was the king, Arios shouted loudly. Immediately, the surrounding knights rushed over and restrained Arios'' body. ''''Wait, why........stop!Don''t touch me! How could you let this... oh, God...! Leanne and Mina were also restrained. Aggus was also restrained but he didn''t lash out and remained meek. ''Stop!Don''t touch it!I''m a brave man, I''m a brave man!It''s the chosen one!And yet, this.... this can''t be happening!It shouldn''t have been... what the hell is this! "Shut up, you fools who call yourselves heroes!It is unpleasant just to hear your voice. O knight, let those men be locked up in prison! Thus.... Arios was stripped of his bravery and imprisoned. 265-Episode 265 Afterwards...Part 2 Hello, Mr. Shroud. I visited the Adventurer''s Guild in the royal capital. Nanari-san greets me with a smile. But her face immediately clouds over. I bow my head as it is. ''''I am truly sorry about this matter. Not only did I falsely arrest Shroud-san, but I also turned my blade on him afterwards.......It may not be a good idea to say it, but our guild and all adventurers deeply regret it. Later on, I, the guild master, will be issuing a formal apology. ''Well don''t worry about it so much. It''s not Nanny''s fault.... ''No, that''s not how it works. As a member of the guild, I have a responsibility to you. I will do all I can to help. ''Then I hope you don''t mind too much. It''s Arios who''s to blame, because, to put it bluntly, everyone else is a victim. ''''You are really kind, aren''t you, Mr. Shroud? He''s just like my sister said he was. Oops, this was a secret. I don''t know what they say about me...? I mean, wait a minute. I flushed it out, but didn''t it contain a surprising line of dialogue? ''Didn''t you say that Nunnery-san is the guild master or something...? ''Oh, yes. That''s right. ...why? ''''Well, I''m puzzled as well, but due to the recent incident, the higher-ups, including the former guild master, were made responsible for the resignation and for some reason I was appointed to replace them. ..... Mr. Nunnery said with a troubled look on his face. I was surprised. I never thought the aftermath of that incident would appear in this way.... But I might be able to rely on Nunnery-san as the guild master. He''s someone who can do the job in any way. ''''As such.......as a guild, we intend to do everything, so if there''s anything we can do, please don''t hesitate to tell us. ''Well okay. I''ll indulge you then. First of all, please take a good night''s rest. There are many tourist facilities in the capital, so you can relax. Of course, we''ll hold the cost for you. At the very least, as an apology........ I''ll do that. So, what''s the business you called me out on? Nanalee told me that she had something important to tell me, so I visited the guild. ''Oh, yes, of course. I almost forgot about it without thinking. I would be very angry if I forgot to tell you something very important. You look a lot like Natalie, but.... Is there something somewhat careless about it? Mr. Shroud, do you have your adventurer''s card? I do. Natalie has told me once that it''s best to keep it under your skin, so I try to carry it with me except when I''m sleeping and bathing. ''Then could I borrow that one?'' Your card?Um ... yes, go ahead. I handed the adventurer card to Mr. Nunnery as he told me. Then Nunnally held a magic pen. It''s a special magic tool that uses magic to write letters. I used it to write something on my adventurer''s card. Good, that''s it. Here you go. I receive an adventurer''s card from Nanalee-san. ''''This is........'''' ''Congratulations, Mr. Shroud. Mr. Shroud''s promotion to the rank of A has been granted. ''Snap, snap, snap, snap,'' said Nunnery, smiling and clapping her hands. ''''The results of the promotion exam are not particularly problematic. Therefore, Shroud-san''s promotion to the A-rank was unanimously approved. I don''t think this is enough of an apology, but...'''' Oh, I see... To tell you the truth.... I had forgotten all about the promotion exam. I fell into Arios'' trap... We''ve been separated from everyone else. With Sarya''s help Really, it was an intense day. So intense that I''d forgotten all about what had happened before the incident and the examination. But........I see. I was able to get promoted to A-rank? It was oddly nostalgic when I became an adventurer and started with an F-rank. It feels like a long time ago, like years ago. I met Kanade. Meeting Tania. Meeting Sora and Luna. We met Nina. I met Tina. I was in good company. I think that''s why I''ve been able to make it to this point in my life. Because I fell into Arios'' trap and was separated from everyone else for a time, I understand the importance of friends. Once again........thank you. First of all, I murmured in my mind. I''ll be able to speak directly to him later. By the way, I''m separated from everyone else right now. Everyone was undergoing a health check now. They put me in jail for a week.... On top of that, they had some kind of magic lock on him. It''s not surprising that they are in poor health. That''s why I asked Sarya to give me a health checkup. Sarya kindly agreed to let me have a health checkup. I am grateful to her. She has always been a great help to me, hasn''t she? The man is a princess, but that''s not the point. I wanted to thank you for something soon. What kind of thing could I do that would make Sarya-sama happy? Mr. Shroud?What''s going on?You seem to be spaced out. Oh, sorry, sorry. I''ve been thinking about a lot of things. ''''Huh, that can''t be helped. From what I''ve heard, it sounds like there''s really a lot going on. But now, please listen to me properly, okay?Even though I''ll send you some materials later, it wouldn''t hurt to listen to the explanation about A-ranked adventurers, you know. I know. I''m not dawdling. I''m listening. ''''Yes, please. Now, first of all, the authority of an A-ranked adventurer........ After that, Nunnery explained to me for half an hour.... I left the guild. ---------- The next day. I went to a room in the royal castle and found everyone there. The health examination was held at the royal castle and........ By the time they finished, it was late at night and they stayed in the castle as it was. Lately, I''ve been staying at the castle because I''ve been in Sarya-sama''s care for a while now.... Of course, we''re in separate rooms from everyone else, so we haven''t seen each other in a day. I''ve been too busy to talk to them properly since the case was solved... It''s going to be a long time since we''ve been able to talk slowly. ''''Ah........Rain.....'''' The little Nina noticed us and gave me a poofy hug. I take Nina firmly in my arms and stroke her head. ''How was your health test?'' I''m fine....Problem ... none. Ehem. For some reason, Nina looks like she''s good at it. I felt like Luna had been influencing me lately. ''I see. I hope it''s not a problem...'' Nina has been transformed into an adult by the mysterious power of The Awakening, but... After that fight, he quickly reverted to his original form. Under what conditions did he change into his adult form? Why did he return to his original form? Many parts of it are a mystery. It seems that Luna doesn''t know the details either, and they can''t even determine if it''s harmful to her body or not. That''s why I was most worried about Nina during this health inspection, but....... I''m glad to hear it''s all OK. ''What about everyone else?Are you okay? "Ugh ... Rain, I''m screwed ... I''ve discovered that I have the incurable disease of ''eat something sweet or you''ll die''. Now a cake ... or a cookie if you don''t have one? ''As you can see, Luna is well enough to utter her usual crap like this, so don''t worry about her. Oh, and of course, Sora is fine, too. The twins were the same as usual. It was really the same as usual, which was both reassuring and a little funny at the same time. ''No problem for us either!However, we''re a ghost, so we don''t have any physical problems. ''Sure, maybe, but you might be at risk of getting a mental illness, right?Are you okay? It''s okay. We have a thick heart. I don''t have time to suffer from that kind of disease. Yeah. I''m glad to see you''re doing well. Tina was moving her doll''s body around seldom, as if to show that she was fine. I know she''s fine, so I want her to calm down a bit. Even though she''s a doll, if she moves boldly like that.......she''s going to see a lot of things. ''What about Kanade and Tania?'' Nyan. I''m good to go, too. I''m full of energy and full of food! ''You''ve been eating a pile of bread all morning, haven''t you? How can you eat that much you don''t know if you''re getting fat? ''Meow! Do you think so?I think you can pinch the side here.You knobbly cat. Pinched Cat! Apparently, they are both in good spirits. They are full of smiles and seem to be happy and healthy. Now I know that none of them are in trouble. I''m relieved. If something were to happen to all of us.... I''m not going to be able to forgive Arios ... and myself. ''By the way, what was Rain doing?'' Oh, yeah. Would you listen to me?Actually, in the Adventurer''s Guild.... I''m gonna tell everyone that I got promoted to grade A and... We also talked about a lot of things. We talked a lot to fill the time we had been pulled apart. It was so warm... It was a tender time. ''....Yeah? How long have we been talking? A few moments later, there was a knock on the door with a bang. ''Excuse me,'' Somewhat later, the door opened, revealing Lady Sarya. ''Please excuse me while I talk to you. Mr. Rayne, do you have a moment to spare? Well... yes. I do, but what is it? ''My father ... wants the King to talk to Mr. Lane. 266-Episode 266: Next Generation Sarya showed me to the king''s private room. Apparently, this is the king''s private room, which is completely private. It was a room where the king could feel at home. And it''s a great place to talk about something you don''t want anyone else to hear. Now if you''ll excuse me. After ushering me in, Sarya-sama leaves the room. Me and the king are the only ones left ... somewhat awkwardly. Or rather, I''m nervous. This continent........or rather, there is only one country of people in this world. Rollees. That''s the name of this country and the only country of people. But that doesn''t mean that other countries have been destroyed or that humanity is being hunted down. In the past, there were countless countries in disarray. There were countries on all five continents, and there were more than ten of them. Some countries formed friendships and developed together.... Some countries have repeatedly fought wars and bogged down in mud. And the reason why the world has changed is because of the Demon King. How did the Demon Lord appear? What is its purpose? There''s still a lot to figure out, but... When the Demon King appeared, the world changed forever. The Demon King''s power is so great that.... And the threat of the demon race and demons under their control could not be discarded. One after another, the country was destroyed. Furthermore, the western continent was completely taken over, and the northern continent became a lawless zone... When that number was cut in half, humanity finally realized. This is no time to fight among ourselves. If we don''t join forces, we will only perish. The human race was then united to face the Demon King. After that, the conflict continued, and the war was at a standstill.... It continues to this day. In this way, people became one. All the nations were united. The king standing in front of me is the one who will carry such a nation. It''s strange not to be nervous. I know we''ve talked about this before, but it''s not something you get used to going through... Good to see you. I didn''t bother you? ''No, no, it''s never like that...'' ''You don''t have to be so rigid. It''s an informal occasion now. Though ... the conversation will be heavy and demanding. I didn''t want to hear the second part of the story... What the hell are we talking about? Well, I have a vague idea. It''s probably about Arios'' ..................brave man involved. "First of all I must apologize. I''m sorry. What? The king bowed his head. An unprecedented incident. The king who binds everything together, bowing to an adventurer.... What''s going on?Oh, please raise your head. ''Arios has tricked you into doing something stupid and has put you and your friends in danger. It was my decision to give Arios his freedom. I had a knight on guard, but I never thought he would do something like that. I was hoping that you would somehow wake up for the future of humanity, but no, I''m sorry. That''s an excuse. No. I don''t think it''s the king''s fault. It was Arios'' fault, not the fault of the others. "...I''m sorry. I''m sorry for making you say that. It''s not... All right. I''ll do you a favor this time. I don''t really care. I was giving Arios some freedom to oppose the Demon King. It''s not hard to understand. They had a proper knight on guard and....... The rest is now only Arios'' responsibility. But I would like to make amends. Let me give you something solid and tangible as an apology, not a reward like the one I received for saving Sarya. I know it will be difficult to see how something like this could be an apology but I still want to make the least amount of progress. What do you want? ''Well I''m afraid you''re going to have to come up with something out of the blue. I can''t come up with a pompous idea. ''''Well can we talk about it another time?If I think of anything, I''ll be there... ''All right. Well, if you say so, I will. This isn''t the end of the story... is it? Hmm. You''re a pretty good judge of character, aren''t you? ''If it''s just about what we''re talking about now, it''s something you can usually talk about in front of everyone. The main topic............................something you can''t talk about casually in front of everyone. It''s something you want to keep as secret as possible. Something like that? You''re really quick on your feet that''s impressive. I feel a little embarrassed when the king, the Wise King, tells me that. ''Let''s be monotonous ... will you be the next brave man? Huh. As expected, I didn''t expect that story, and I''m confused for a moment. ''''I''m........a brave man?'''' ''I''ve stripped Arios of his bravery. He has done so much. And although we are still investigating, many other outrageous deeds have come to light. The same is true of my companions. I was wrong. I had to wait and see how they would fare because they had the power to oppose the Demon King, but I didn''t do that and should have been imprisoned immediately. Where is Arios now? Prison. My men are in prison as well. What do you do with it? You''ll be executed. The king answered immediately without hesitation. He was too resolute in his attitude, which surprised me more than him. ''''Death penalty.......... That''s quite harsh.'''' That''s all he''s done. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, he may not even get the death penalty. Okay. Don''t feel sorry for me. Arios hurt my people. That is unforgivable. It''s just that ... I felt sorry for him. But in spite of that.... Still, we had a party at one time. We were friends.... I just don''t plan to make this public. What do you mean? ''Already the folly of Arios'' folly is known to the people, and his fame has fallen to the ground... but still, what happens if you put a brave man to death?You''ll understand. There''s a lot of anxiety and unrest out there. If the only brave man who could oppose the Demon King was put to death, there would be great confusion. What would happen if the Demon King awakened?Most people would think that this is a good idea. It''s like leaving river reinforcement work in progress. We don''t know when it will rain heavily and the river will collapse. That''s the kind of thing you have to live with, and that''s why people don''t think well of you. For that reason, Arios will be laid low by his illness. When the time is right, he announces that he has died of his illness. Instead, I announce that the next brave man has appeared. Oh, well that''s just, well. ''And I want you to be that brave man, my lord. You have the power to do so. And you have the courage to be worthy of the name of a brave man. Will you do me a favor? I''m.... 267-Episode 267 Celebration I met up with everyone in a room in the royal castle and left the castle without further ado. When I looked at the sky, the sun was shining. White clouds were slowly swimming in the blue sky. ''''Nnya... It''s a nice day today. Kanade, walking next to me, stretched gingerly. She seemed vaguely happy, her tail wagging. ''''Hmmmph~'''' Sora and Luna were humming in sync. Since they are of the spirit race, they must like the warm sunshine. When I see them like this, I think they''re twins. I''m sure you''re not the only one. Do you have any more time after this? Tania, walking on the other side of the street, asked me that question. ''Time?Of course there is but what''s going on? ''There''s a part of me that needs you to go out with me. Of course you won''t say no, will you? Yeah, sure. Okay, then, one for one. I''ll show you... okay? I do! Nina and Tina on top of her head come around in front of me and say cheerfully. The two of them are totally the best of friends. But still......... Where would you like them to go out with you? ---------- The place we were led to was a small dining room. It is not a place that is integrated with the inn, it is only serving rice. For that reason, it is a somewhat pricey place. For some reason, I was made to wait outside the restaurant. Everyone entered the restaurant and I could hear some kind of happy voice. What is this all about? Hey, Rain. As I wondered, Kanade came out. ''I''m all set!Well then, come on in. ''Oh, yeah...'' I walked into the store, with Kanade pushing me back.... "Grade A promotion.... ""Congratulations!" Pamphlet!And the crackers rang out. Confetti fluttered through the air. I roll my eyes in surprise at the suddenness of it all. ''''Uh, is this...?'''' ''Congratulations on Lane''s promotion to A-Level...'' Kanade says with a smirk. ''My...?'' We were all talking about how we''ve had a lot of things happen to us, but we''ve made it through, and we want to celebrate that. So, why don''t we have a surprise party?That''s what we were talking about. Tania added. ''I see, you went out of your way for me...'' I looked at everyone and they smiled back at me. Seeing those smiles gave me an indescribably warm feeling. After the last incident.... Once again, I felt the happiness of having everyone around me. It''s nice to have friends. I really feel that from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. I''m glad you''re here. Mwahhhh. Surprise! Come on, Rain. The star of the show should take a seat. There''s plenty of food and drink waiting for you. Eat up! Sola and Luna led me to take a seat. The preparations were already complete and there was a lot of food laid out on the table. It looks like a jewelry box with all the colorful dishes prepared. ''Congratulations once again, Rain''s husband! Congratulations. Thank you. I asked Nina to pour me a drink and take a sip. As if on cue, everyone else began to eat their food and drink as well. ---------- ''Huh, I''m so full...I can''t eat anymore...'' With a very satisfied look on her face, Luna leaned against the back of the chair and rubbed her stomach. Looking at her sister like that, Sora sighed as if she was dumbfounded. ''''Utterly, you spoiled sister........Rain is the star of the show today, right?Where are the messengers who forget that and work so hard to drink and eat? I''m here! You''re a stupid little sister... "Foolish sister!What''s that power word?! Well, it doesn''t matter, does it?I''m glad you''re thinking about me, but it''s more fun when we''re all rattling around together. It''s Rain!I was hoping you would say that! Luna happily bashes us on the back with a bash. Is she a little drunk? My cheeks are red. I''ve heard that the spirit race is good at drinking.... "Whoa! There were several empty liquor bottles lying next to Luna. Too many to count. After drinking this much, as expected of the spirit race, Luna would get drunk as well. ''''Nyaah... The food and the alcohol are both delicious!I''m going to order some more! Oh, Kanade. Canade, can you get me one as well? A beef steak, a lamb steak and a pork steak for three people each. Tania, you eat a lot of food. We can''t lose to you!This body can eat, so if you don''t take advantage of an opportunity like this, you''re missing out on a lot of food! There''s a lot of food and it''s all delicious. Nina, you need to eat more! We know you can grow up, so make sure you get plenty of nutrition while you can! Is that...? ''Yes!So, from here to here on the menu, additions and more! It''s been a really long time since I''ve been in a place like this, so everyone was smiling and enjoying themselves as much as they could. That''s fine but..... Hey, Sora. Yes, what is it? Everyone''s been ordering in, but are you sure the bill is...? Since it''s a surprise, I''m not paying for this place. Basically, I''ve got the wallet in my hand, but... These days we all have a certain amount of money for each of us in case something goes wrong. Even if we put that amount together, I don''t think we''d be able to pay this much... Well, if it''s not enough, I can pay for it. ''I see, you''re worried about that. Then there''s no problem. I''ve received a lot of money from the state for the last one........no. I received a nuisance fee. I''ll stop asking after the fumigation. Sola was very chipper. I was more impressed than dismayed. ''Let me tell you something, I didn''t use any illegal hands, did I?It''s what that princess has offered to do. Sarya? ''I want to apologize for any trouble I''ve caused you.... You said so. I don''t think it''s Lady Sarya''s fault, but.... Well, it would be rude to return it now, so I''ll take advantage of the favor. "Hey, hey, Rain. Kanade, with a slight tint to his cheeks, called out to me. I can smell the alcohol. He seems to be drunk in his own right. ''''You were talking to the king, weren''t you?What did you talk about? Ah. I''m still curious, right? Well, I was originally going to talk to everyone at the right time, so there''s nothing wrong with talking about it... The content is just what it is, and I''m curious about my surroundings. I looked around the store lightly. The store is rented out, and there are no customers other than us. It seems that they''re trying to impress us, and the clerk is basically waiting in the back. Well, I guess this is okay, huh? Actually.... Actually? ''Will you be the next hero?He asked me to join him. ''Hmmm, nyah. To the brave....? The Kanade yelled in surprise.... But I said no. ""Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Next, everyone else, except Nina, was surprised. 268-Episode 268: Walking as an Adventurer ...Huh? Amidst everyone''s surprise, Nina looked unsure of what to expect. ''Um ... guest?'' What? The clerk looks at me weirdly. ''Oh, no, no, it''s nothing!I''m fine. Really?If that''s not a problem.......yes. If you have any additional orders, please feel free to give me a shout. The clerk smiled and disappeared into the back again. ''''Huh...'''' To think that if he''d heard what you just said... Heartbreaking. ''Well everybody be quiet, okay?I don''t know why you''re surprised, but it''s what it is, and I don''t want others to hear too much about it. ''Uh-huh. I''m sorry... When did you get to that point? ''I mean, what happens to Arios?There are too many things I don''t quite understand. Everyone looks at me in wonderment... I nod my head when I see that. ''Huh?Didn''t I tell you? Don''t talk to me!I don''t know anything. ''I know that Arios was captured, but as for the brave... oh, I see. Come to think of it, we haven''t talked about it yet. On the way, because Arios was about to trap me and everyone else, I completely forgot to tell him about the situation, including the fact that I have the blood of a brave man. This is a good time to talk about it. The fact that I have the blood of a brave man. Arios was disqualified from being a brave man and imprisoned. And that the king asked him to become the next brave man. I explained them all together. ''I see. So Rayne''s ridiculous tame ability is because she has the blood of a brave man. That explains it, and it makes sense. Part of me nodded with a look of approval as I spoke... ''Yes!That dumbass finally got caught!And he''s been imprisoned!Suck it up. I''ll bring you some food, you know. Hmmm, it''s so interesting to flick his favorite food in front of the prison, but instead of giving it to him, I''m going to eat it right in front of him. Some are laughing their asses off at Arios'' arrest... ''''That''s great, isn''t it a great promotion. Sola is very proud of that as a Rain messenger. Part of me was very impressed. ''''Hey, hey, so we''re going to be the brave party now?'''' ''Hmmm, I might be asked for an autograph or something. Hmm. I''d better practice my signature now. I don''t like to stand out, but it doesn''t feel bad to be respected. Hmmm. We were all paranoid about this and that. I''m sorry to be the one to stab you in the face with it, but.... ''''Uh I told you before, but if you were talking about a brave man, I would have said no.'''' Silence. And ..... ""Why?!" Everyone''s eyes widened in amazement as they layered their voices in a splendid manner. ..........By the way, Nina is pompous and self-paced. ''''Um........customer?'''' Hahaha, you know, it''s nothing. Anything. Don''t worry about it. ''Huh...'' I manage to cajole the clerk and make a gesture to everyone to be quiet. ''I can''t let anyone else hear this kind of talk so... let''s keep the volume down, shall we? ''But, but but... why?I could be a brave man, but to turn him down....hey, hey, why? Kanade looks like he doesn''t understand and asks me questions. Everyone else feels the same way. Well, it''s not hard to understand how they feel. It''s a huge promotion from being a mere adventurer to a hero. Normally, there''s no way I''d turn it down. But..... Ummm ... what can I say? It''s hard to put into words what''s on my mind right now. But I want to face everyone properly so... One by one, though poorly worded, he lays out his heart in words. ''I''ve spoken to Kanade and Tania before but if there''s anything I can do, I''ll do my best. I''m willing to do whatever it takes. That''s what I was thinking... but I don''t think I''m ready for it yet. Meow?Ready? I guess that''s the kind of thing you need to be prepared to do as a brave man. I have become a brave man. My goal is to defeat the Demon King. ......It''s not that simple. The qualification of being a brave man is heavy. It''s incredibly........probably even heavier than I imagined. You have to accept the expectations of the people and.... Basically, failure is absolutely unacceptable. And above all, the brave must put the mission of the brave first. For example, do you save the lives of your friends or take the life of the Demon King? What if you encounter such a choice between the two? You have to be able to toss the demon king without hesitation. That''s what being a brave person is all about. I''m not yet prepared to go that far. When the time comes, I don''t think I can sacrifice everyone else but I''m not sure I can. ''That''s an extreme, Thora thinks, but...'' No, no. No, that''s not entirely true. You know from the last incident that you never know when you''re going to get into a situation, right? ''''Ugh well that''s just the way it is...'''' And when it comes to fighting the Demon King, danger is inevitable. Forcing your companions to fight like that is like sacrificing them... and to be honest, I can''t help but think that''s a bit of a stretch. ''Rain is too kind. You don''t have to worry about us, do you? That''s not how it works. They''re all very important to me. If I can do it, if I have the power to do it.... She wants to defeat the Demon King and bring peace to the world. But when it comes to forcing my friends to risk their lives in order to do so, I can''t help but feel lost. If you say I''m naive, you''re right, and I can''t argue with you about anything. But..... He''s a very important friend to me. They''re as important to me as my own life ... or even more so. ''You care about it too much, don''t you, Rain?I feel like I''m thinking too much about the mission of a brave man, but I''m not. Well, I guess you could be right. Why don''t you take it easy? It doesn''t work that way. You have to think properly and face that responsibility or you''ll end up like Arios. ''Ugh I hate that. It''s incredibly convincing. Right? I say lightly and jokingly. Tania chuckles. ''And I think there are some things you have to be an adventurer to do. Yeah?What''s that about? A normal... boy, a normal Ken? Nice try, Nina. I''m sorry... So that means you''re asking for it, right? Well, I guess that''s pretty much it. Before I knew it, it was in quiz form. ''When you become a brave person, you can''t take on normal requests. If a brave man were to accept a request easily, everyone would ask for it... and if you have time to do that, proceed with your journey to defeat the demon king. Well, I suppose that''s what being a brave man is all about, isn''t it? ''That might cause some people to be able to help, but they can''t. I don''t like that....I don''t like that, I don''t. Yeah ... that''s the kind of person Rain is... right? Yeah, I think so. We like it that way. Nina and Tina laughed in agreement with my thoughts. Everyone else gave me the same look. Everyone else is with me.... Thanks for being there for me. I can move forward with confidence. A friend is not just a friend in a fight. It''s the kind of thing that supports your heart when you''re with them, and that''s how I felt again. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time with us. That''s the answer I came up with. ''I see... yeah!That''s a very Rain-like answer. I think it''s a good one. Kanade smiles and agrees with me. As if that was a signal, everyone else nodded their heads as well. ''''Of course, if the war against the demon race starts in earnest or something like that, we''ll do our best to do that as well. ''But if Rain refuses to be brave, it''s going to be a vacancy, isn''t it?Is that a problem? ''No problem. It looks like I''m not the only candidate for the next brave, there are others. Huh, well you''re not going to end up like that scrappy brave next time, are you? ''Tania, that''s quite a bit to say... well, I can''t argue with that, and I rather agree with you. It''s what Lane says. They giggle at each other. ''I don''t think we need to worry about that. The king is a wise man, so he won''t make the same mistake again and he''ll think of various countermeasures. Well, it''s not like we''ll be deciding on a brave man any time soon. ''Somebody refused, so they couldn''t decide right away! Don''t say that. Luna pointed out to me, and I gave her a pained look... Everyone laughed at me when they saw me. 269-Episode 269: The Fallen Hero In the underground prison of the castle, where not a single ray of light shone, Arios was in the dungeon. Arios had been put in prison before, but the situation was completely different from that time. One by one, the prison was assigned to him, and he was completely separated from his friends. Three more magical locks were placed on him, completely sealing his power. In that state, he was chained and his physical freedom was also sealed. ''''d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it...!What the hell is this?Why should I, being a brave man, have to go through this! Despite being deprived of his freedom, Arios still continued to spew his resentment. How had he ended up in this situation? Why are we being treated this way? All of those things are self-inflicted, but........ There is no understanding of this and, of course, no remorse. He just barked that it was unreasonable. He was like a child. He was scolded for being naughty... But he is indulged without remorse. That''s exactly what Arios looks like now, and nothing has changed. ''Aggus!Lean!Mina! I call out the names of my friends, but there is no response. And so it should be. Just in case, Arios and his companions are being held in separate locations. ''Can''t you hear me?Agus!Lean!Mina!Can you guys manage to break the lock?Can you hear me?! Arios relies on the strength of his friends, but there is no response to that. In the first place.... Even if his friends had been here, they would not have been able to meet his demands. Or they might not have responded. Although his companions also obeyed Arios and acted in an augmented manner.... When you consider the basics, the source of all this is Arios. Arios''s hindsight is what brought his friends together.......and he fell as a result. Would he lend his strength to Arios as such? Will they still turn to the same trust? It''s something that even a child could understand with a little thought, but Arios never notices it. All he can do is conveniently call out the names of his friends. ''''Well that''s pathetic, Arios. You''re...! The next thing I knew, Argus was in front of the prison. It wasn''t so much that he came to talk to me as that he came to check on me. ''Is your head cold?'' ''Get me out of here now!I''m a hero!I don''t remember being treated like this! ''Huh ... apparently you haven''t learned any of this after all you''ve been through. I didn''t do anything wrong! ''You think it was the right thing to do to try to bring down an innocent man and kill multiple adventurers for it? That''s not... ''That''s not all. I''ve heard that he had one adventurer on his hands during the demon case on the southern continent as well, although I don''t have clear proof. It sounds like he did a lot of other things as well, right? Ggh..... The intimidation radiating from Argus was too much for Arios to say anything. ''Is there one thing you need to tell me today?'' ...What...? The day is set for your repentance. The day after tomorrow. What...? Arios was shocked. He didn''t believe the words of death penalty that Argus had uttered. This was because he had often received similar warnings in the past. But Argus never really gave out punishment... All of them had ended in attempts or greatly reduced sentences. Hence the thought that there would be no death penalty this time, either. It would just be a threat. He was relieved to be so hawkish. But now........Argus had serious eyes. ''''Ho, are you serious!I am a brave man...! I''m not done. I have revoked your bravery. Now you''re nothing but a fool. I''ll be d*mned... You have until the day after tomorrow. You have until the day after tomorrow to face your sins and reflect on them, if at all. Argus turned his back and walked away. Arios was stunned as he didn''t even try to hold him back. ---------- How did you... how did you... Arios cowered with his head in his hands. He couldn''t stop thinking about the word death penalty that Argus had told him. I''m a brave man. I am a brave man and yet I am worshipped by all people. And yet, why is it that..... Yeah, it''s Rayne. It''s his fault, it''s crazy, it''s his fault, it''s Rain...!Of course it is! No matter how you think about it, it''s nothing but recrimination, but no decent words can reach Arios right now. His hatred for Rain grows as he spits out resentment as if he were spitting a curse. He turns someone else into his enemy, distracting him from the crime he has committed. It was a way of escaping reality that Arios had been doing until now. ''d*mn it, d*mn it!d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!Me, me, me, me in this place!It can''t be over, not here! Twice he was defeated by Rain. She shattered my pride and locked me in a miserable cell. It''s all Rain''s fault. I can''t die before I can avenge this. I must strike back. Yes, I''m right I am the one. That''s why Rain has to cry and beg for forgiveness...! When the flames of hatred were kindled to their fullest extent. What...? With a thud, the knight on guard collapsed. As I wondered, a familiar figure appeared. ''''Monica........! Shh ... you mustn''t scream so loud, Lord Arios. Monica said this in a hushed voice, then rummaged through the fallen knight''s body and took the key to the prison. She used it to open Arios'' prison. ''I am sorry for the delay. I''ve come to help you. You''re going to help me...? Yes, of course. We''ve already rescued the others. Well you''ve done a great job. That''s Monica, you can count on her. No. I only work for you, Arios. But the king says I''m a traitor and I don''t know what to do after this. ''Don''t worry about that. I have someone who is very dependable. Now, Arios-sama you will go with me to your people? Monica laughed as she said this. She had a terribly distorted smile on her face. 270-Episode 270: Saryas... The day has come for us to leave King''s Landing. A lot of things have happened. I feel like I''ve been staying there for a very long time. I''ve learned my lesson about false accusations and being locked up in jail and all that stuff but.... But through this incident, I felt as if the bond between us was deepened one more time. Maybe that''s the only thing I should say is a blessing. ''Well, I can''t do it without thinking like that,'' With a bitter smile, I walked through the gates of the royal castle. A soldier led me to a certain room. I knocked and walked in.... Welcome, Miss Lane. Lady Sarya greeted me with a smile. The maidservant prepared tea and sweets.... He leaves the room as it is. I suppose that''s what Sarya-sama wanted, but isn''t that a little too unguarded? A princess in a country alone with a man... No, I''m not going to do anything. Well, I don''t feel bad if it''s a sign that they trust me. I''m just happy that they''re trusting me. Have a seat. Yes. Excuse me. I sit down in front of Lady Sarya and have a cup of tea. ''You are leaving King''s Landing today, aren''t you, Miss Lane? Yes, I know. I just wanted to call you down to say hello properly. I''m sorry. ''''No, don''t worry about that. Sarya-sama has helped me a lot, so I wanted to say hello too...'''' ''I see. It''s a relief to hear that. But I need to ask you to do one thing more than just say goodbye... Please?What''s that about? Would you like to marry me? Buhaha! Tea in the windpipe...! I mean, what are you doing in front of the princess? Wouldn''t that be disrespectful to me? I thought about such an unimportant thing as I goggled and choked. ''''Say, Sarya-sama ... please don''t make that kind of joke out of the blue. You''ll be surprised, as expected. Oh, I''m serious. "Whoa! I''m miffed again. Fortunately, I didn''t have any tea in my mouth, so I didn''t blow it out. I look at Sarya-sama. She has a gentle smile on her face, but her eyes are serious. It''s not in the mood for a lie or a joke or anything like that. ''''Well ... why is that?May I ask why? ''I''m not sure. I''m not really sure either. What? ''''I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to embarrass Ms. Lane, but ... well ... I suppose. After a moment of thoughtful gestures and time, Sarya-sama slowly spins his words. ''''I am royalty, so I am not free to choose my partner. However, I don''t think there will be any problems with Mr. Lane. ...Have you heard about me from the king? Excuse me. I was just curious. Then it makes sense. I think it''s normal for royalty to think that if it''s with me, who is qualified to be a brave man....... But......... Sarya-sama makes a statement that I didn''t expect. ''''But ... even if Mr. Rain wasn''t the one my father wanted, I might have sought him out. ''What?It''s.... ''I felt like I could be happy with Mr. Lane. I thought we could have a very enjoyable married life together. I''m a woman before I''m a princess and I''m a woman... and in my own way, I have a longing for marriage, you know? It is said a little mischievously. Maybe that''s the point of laughter, Sarya-sama. Simply put, it''s love at first sight. ''Eh ... no, that''s not ...'' Are you serious? He tried to ask that question back, but quickly closed his mouth. Sarya-sama''s expression didn''t change. She has a gentle smile on her face, and yet she has a serious look in her eyes. And you know I''m not one for jokes and lies like this. That''s why Sarya''s feelings are genuine. I have to answer for it. Well when was that? ''Of course, the first time I saw you, Miss Lane it was when you helped me out. That carriage... ''''Please keep it a secret from here on out, but.......Actually, I was very frightened at that time. As a princess, I thought I was prepared for this, but when my life was actually in danger, I couldn''t help but tremble... I shrank back in the carriage. I suppose that''s not surprising. Lady Sarya is a strong person. And she''s an intelligent person. But she''s a princess, otherwise she''s just a normal girl. She doesn''t have the power to fight, nor can she defend herself. That area would be left to the guards. She won''t be strong enough to be attacked by a demon and remain unconcerned. ''''But........Rain-san saved me. It may sound like a clich, but at that time Rain-san was like a prince on a white horse to me. It''s also... I think that''s too much of an overestimate. But I don''t talk about it. The feelings and emotions that Lord Sarya feels belong to her alone. How can I deny that? No, I can''t do it. Do you think it''s childish? No, I don''t. Thank you. It''s nice to hear that from our own Rain. Jeez. I thought I''d only be invited today to say hello... I didn''t realize that such a large bomb had been planted on me. Come to think of it, this is the first time I''ve ever been confessed to. I''ve been on a lot of adventures in my life and I''ve never had such an experience. What should I say to him? And how do I feel? I thought about this and that, but I couldn''t come up with an answer. My mind is going in circles... I felt like I was going to get wisdom fever. ''''Hmph. Now, don''t worry too much about what I said. As if seeing through our feelings, Sarya-sama gives a small smile. ''''It will be selfish of me, but I wanted to tell you how I feel because I don''t want an answer right now. ''That''s ... but are you sure?It seems like a bad idea for a man to put it on hold... ''It''s okay. I just had a feeling that if I rushed the answer now, I''d be screwed. I honestly can''t say for sure. I don''t know what I''m talking about, but I''m not sure. I''m really not very good at that kind of stuff, you know? Therefore, I will be looking at the opportunity with an eye on the opportunity. And if there is an opening, I will make a crack at it. Snap....? Yes, with a snap. Phew. The expression was funny, and he laughed along with Sarya-sama. 271-Episode 271: Someday Then Sarya and I talked for an hour or so about trivial matters... Then I gave a firm greeting and left the royal castle. Afterwards, we met up with everyone in the square... ''Huh?Sola and Luna. And Nina and Tina? The four of them were nowhere to be found. It was just Kanade and Tania. ''They said they were going to do some sightseeing in the capital. They said they were going to have a tour of the capital. ''We can''t leave Rain alone, so we''ve decided to split up. Oh, we''ve already agreed to meet up with you. According to Kanade, we''re supposed to meet up again in this square in two hours. Our departure will be delayed, but.... Well, maybe a little bit. I don''t know when I''ll be in King''s Landing next, and I''ll let you do what you want. ''Are Canade and Tania good for tourism? ''''Nya. I don''t know what to say, but I''d rather be with Rain.... I''m not ... well, I don''t want Rain to be alone, do I?And if you stay with the upside-down cat there, he might do something weird?I''ll be there with you as a chaperone. ''Upside down cat!I don''t know what that means at all, but I feel like I''m being belittled! ''Where I''m going isn''t much fun, is it?Is that what you want? Where are you going? The Adventurers'' Guild. ---------- I visited the Adventurer''s Guild with Kanade and Tania. ''''Oh, Mr. Shroud. Welcome. Nanalee greeted me with a smile. ''How have you been helped?As I recall, Mr. Shroud is leaving King''s Landing today, isn''t he?I don''t think I''m here to take on any requests... I just wanted to say hello. Thank you for everything you''ve done for me. No, no, no, I haven''t done anything...!Please take care of my sister when we get back to Horizon. He asked me to. First objective accomplished. What''s next.... He looked around the guild. Then he spotted the people he wanted in the common room. ''Axe, Cell.'' Calling out to the two of them. ........For some reason, Cel was stepping on Axe with a cold look in his eyes, so it was extremely hard to talk to him. Oh, it''s not Rain. And Kanade and Tania. Hey there. What are you doing...? Discipline. You''re gonna discipline...? ''I''m trying to discipline them like this because Axe''s mistake made me lose half of my client fee. It hurts to have half of the commission fee disappear, but the sight of Axe getting his head stepped on while on his knees is indeed a pity. "Ugugu...............Yo, Rain. I''m glad to see you''re doing well. ''Oh, oh. Axe is fine ... can I say that? Yeah, this isn''t as bad as it sounds. Wow, the ladies were pulling away. ''Also, as we''re doing this the view is spectacular. What? The cell turned red and hurriedly suppressed her skirt. Cell was kicking Axe upside down. However, it seems to be an everyday occurrence, and the surrounding adventurers continue to talk as if nothing is happening. ''''Nya........you don''t see us, do you? I don''t have to worry about my underwear being visible. Tania''s Betrayal. I''m afraid I''ve gone off on a tangent. "Uh ... now, you got a minute? Yes, of course. He sits down in the chair. Axe gets up and sits in the chair, wobbling, too. Then we all sit around the table. ''What''s going on?'' "I''m leaving King''s Landing today. So I just wanted to say hello and thank you to you both. Again, thank you. You two were very helpful to me that time. Well, it''s not that big of a deal. But if you say you care about it, why don''t you buy me some good food and drinks? ''Don''t thank me. We just did what we thought was normal. Cell said with a smirk on his face while hitting Axe. The gap between the actions and the lines is so intense that it''s a bit scary. ''''Nya........Cell is pretty hard on Axe, isn''t he? Is it possible that this is the flip side of love? Stop it. Don''t say those stupid words. Cell denied Tania''s words with a straight face. Axe cried out sullenly. ''Well, well that''s beside the point. I''m sure you''ve been rescued. If you want to buy me something to drink, I don''t mind, okay? Oh, my God, are you sure? I''m leaving King''s Landing today, so maybe some other time but that''s fine. We''ll have a leisurely drink then. Oh, you know what I''m talking about. That''s what I''m talking about. You''re in good shape. No, that''s okay. A man''s got to be a man. Oh, dear. So you don''t mind that I''m a woman and can''t get to know Axe, right? Isn''t that right? I''m sorry. Axe got down on his knees without a pause. No, down on his knees? Anyway, he apologized to Cell with all his might. Well, I can say that it''s typical of Axe. ''Speaking of which, what are you two going to do now?Still in King''s Landing? No. We''ll be leaving King''s Landing in a little while. ''King''s Landing attracts a lot of adventurers. There''s so much competition it''s a pain in the ass. ''Axe would have said something like, "I''m just going to push through and not lose, no matter what opponent I have. That''s a bit surprising. You''re right. What? ''Axe said that at first, but...'' ''Cell''s pissed at me. What are you going to do with all that inefficiency?I can''t stay at the inn if I can''t take on the request. I wonder if you''ll be able to work out the kinks in that area?Or whatever they said, and it was a mess. "Haha. It was easy to picture the scene and I couldn''t help but smile. ''I think I''ll just try to circle around King''s Landing for a while and then, when I''m ready, I''ll move to Horizon. I see. Well, I guess we''ll have to wait until then to drink. I''m looking forward to your buying me a drink. I''ll see you later. Cell and Axe smiled at me and.... I smiled back at him in response. And then.........we shook hands, which was not possible before, and we said goodbye. Hoping to see each other again.... We each go our own way. 272-Episode 272 Home Ground The journey back was smooth. We didn''t find a carriage being attacked by a demon like we did on the way there... We were able to proceed without incident. ........Well, Sola and Luna were having a hard time getting drunk on the carriage. There was no reason to rush, so I asked them to proceed as slowly as possible so as not to put a burden on the two of them. Thanks to that, it took a week when it would have taken five days....... At any rate, I''m safely back in Horizon. I open the door of the house, thinking nostalgically of my home after a long time... ""Wow...." When I opened the door, everyone got a subtle look on their faces, all together. It had been sitting there for over a month, so there was dust everywhere. The plants and trees in the garden are all over the place. It looks like we''ve reverted to a haunted house. I''m sorry that I''m tired after a long journey, but I couldn''t leave it here. I don''t want to sleep in such a place, do I? So we decided to clean up immediately. ''Nya, my nose might be itchy from the dust..................hah! ''Oh, my God!Hey Kanade, can you not sneeze in here?It''s going to get dusty. ''Well, even if you say so, we''re sensitive to noses and such... hiccup! Oh, my God, you sneezing cat... Sneezing Cat! Shh! Nina was sneezing too, as if the dust was painful. ''Ugh ... sorry, come on.'' ''Nope. Nina''s fine, don''t worry about it. It''s racist! You''re my brother. So you want me to blame Nina too?Kanade is an animal. U....well, that''s... Am I a bad boy? ''Uh-uh!No, it''s not!Nina is a good girl, all right. Everyone was sweet to Nina. Is she sweet, or is she adorable? It''s a youngest son position. ''''Ghehee...'''' Sola and Luna were lying on the couch, unable to recover quickly from their carriage sickness. Their faces are dead, but will they be okay...? "Sola, Luna. Are you okay?Do you want some water? Thank you.... I want... but I''m only interested in a little... Hey, I''m on it. It''s been a while since we''ve been home, so Tina is in ghost mode, not a doll. Maybe it''s easier to move in a ghost''s body, but she was crisper than usual. She telekinetically carries a glass of water jug and takes care of Sora and Luna. On the other hand, he manipulated the broom and cleaned the floor with a rustle. He even manipulated a rag and wiped it clean here and there... That''s great. Hmm?What? ''Tina, what''s with the power up?I don''t think I was able to do that many things at the same time before... Hmmm, what do you think? Why is that?Well, let''s just say it''s convenient! You told me later that.... It seems that when you are possessed by the doll Ganz created, you are constantly releasing microscopic magical power. It''s as if she''s in a state of muscle training all the time. Since she was doing that, Tina''s magic power was raised to the bottom.... It seems to be that he was training his magic power unintentionally. ''''Well, I can''t afford to lose, either. I couldn''t leave it to Tina alone, so let''s just do a quick cleaning. With a rag in hand, I faced the dirt of the house. ---------- We all cleaned up the house and tended the garden.... And while I''m at it, I''m going to fix the damage... I did this and that, and by the time it was all over, it was completely dark. We''re all tired, we don''t have time, and it''s hard to prepare dinner now. Therefore, we decided to eat out today for the first time in a long time. We''re going to go to a place where we can have a meal as well as an inn. The waitress looked at me and was surprised to see me. She''s a waitress who did a lot for me when I used to go to this restaurant. ''A familiar waitress,'' she said. ''Isn''t that Mr. Shroud!As I recall, I heard you went to King''s Landing.......did you come back? ''Yeah, just after lunch today. And I''ve been cleaning the house and I don''t have the time or energy to cook anymore, so I thought I''d eat here today. There''s seven of us, but is there any room at the table? ''Yes, yes, of course!Seven of you, Mr. Shrouds, let me show you around. Why do you say that out loud? I''m a little embarrassed to say this, but.... The Shroud? Hey, hey, Lane''s back. ''You were going to take a promotion exam, weren''t you?What was the result? People rushed in to hear the waitress'' words. ''Nyannya!Nyango! ''Why are Sola and the others attracting so much attention...? Oh, come on, can''t you get that? Hearing Sola''s words, one of the people rushing in laughs and says ''''Rain and his friends you guys are the heroes of this city. That hero has vacated the city he''s been back for a while. Well, you''ll be the center of attention. ''And what can I say, I''m not enough without the Shrouds. It''s boring and lonely.......so I''m glad they''re back. Welcome home. Various people from the city, adventurers, and others are talking to me one by one. What can I say...I''m happy. I am accepted by this town. The people of this town accept me as one of their own. Nyahoo. Rain, Rain. Yeah? It''s pretty cool. Well yes. I had a place to go and.... And there are people who welcome me. That makes me very happy. ''Hey, hey, Rain. Hey, Rain, how was King''s Landing?Tell me a story. Yeah. Well, I''ll have a drink with you then. That day, we ate and drank late into the night It was the first time in a long time that we all enjoyed being together and having a hangover. 273-Episode 273 Together with Kanade and Tania... Hmmm. Kanade stretched out wide, as if bathed in sunshine. A bouncy smile. Her tail was wagging and wagging, looking very happy. It''s a beautiful day, isn''t it? It''s a perfect day for a walk. I agree. It''s been a long time since I''ve had this kind of time to relax, so it feels even better. ''Yeah, yeah, exactly that!Also ... nyah, I''m glad I''m with Rain. Kanade says, shyly, for some reason. ''Yeah?I don''t know about you but I''m glad you''re with me too, Kanade. Oh, really? I''m not going to lie. Kanade is always cheerful and upbeat. I feel better when I''m with you. Heh heh heh heh, I see. Yeah. It''s a good thing that I''m able to make Rayne feel better. Glad to hear it. Hey, why are you trying to set up a conversation without me being there? Tania, who was taking a walk with me, glared at me with zit eyes. This morning, after we had breakfast .... As we were taking it easy, Tania invited me to go for a walk. Then Kanade joined her and the three of us went outside.... I invited them out for a walk, you know. The planner, so to speak!Don''t you think you''re both having fun without me? ''I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do that, but... I''m afraid you''ll have to apologize for this now. ''Apology?Um ... what do you want me to do? Well.... He takes a gesture that Tania would consider. And you hadn''t really decided. ''Well ... let''s lock arms with me. What? Arm in arm with Tania? Imagine the scene As expected, I blush. ''That''s, how do you say...no?'' Why? No, because, you know, it''s not good. A lot of things. I''m the good guy. So, do you have a problem with that? ''When you put it that way...'' Look, look. Rain has to humor me. Now be still and lock arms with me. After saying it herself, Tania seemed to be a little embarrassed as well, and her cheeks had turned a faint shade of vermilion. However, she doesn''t seem to have any intention of retracting her previous statement, so she holds out her arms to me. Kanade was shivering for some reason. ''See?'' ''Well...'' Hmm. Okay, okay. It''s a little ... well, quite embarrassing, but if that''s what Tania wants. With that in mind, I link arms with Tania. ''Huh.'' Tania made a strange sound. When I looked at her, I saw that she was redder than before and her whole face looked like an apple. Her tail was swaying impatiently from side to side behind her. ''''This, this is... well... how embarrassing...'''' Yeah, right?So, that''s about it.... No, you can''t!This is how Rain has to humor me. Well it''s my lordly duty! What duty is that? You stretched out like that...............................frightening kid! Kanade made a funny face and looked rather frustrated. Then his face becomes a face of determination for something. It''s getting closer and closer.... Nyan! Kanade hugged his other arm. ''Ka, Kanade! ''Ta-ta-ta-ta-ta if you''re arm in arm with Tania, wa-ta-ta-ta-ta if you''re arm in arm with me! ''No, but this is...'' Maybe it''s because I''m hugging you so intently, but the distance is close. It smells softly like a sweet girl.... Not only that, but that........soft and elastic feeling. Unyaah........this is so embarrassing....... Oh my God, Kanade is so unfair to imitate me... Tania''s going to sneak out! Otherwise, it''s not like he''d even notice that it''s Rain. ''Well, I agree with you on that...'' Right? I don''t know, but there was a strange sense of solidarity between the two of them. ''''That''s why ... this isn''t the time to be fighting here. We need to get them to be aware of it first.'''' ''Yeah, I know. I understand. I totally get it. Then let''s get together. Nyan! They both turned to me at the same time and... She blushed and shyly came at me gingerly. ''''Uh, um ... Kanade?Tania?What are you two doing... Hey, Rain do you want to go for a walk like this? Sometimes...this kind of distance isn''t so bad, you know?Come on, you might find something new. Even if there was such a thing, I''d probably have to deal with shame before I could find it. I mean..... Aren''t you two ashamed of yourselves? You seem to be pushing yourself. ''Well ... I guess we''ll just stop doing this, won''t we?'' Why? Does that ... bother you? ''I don''t think so, or rather, I feel sorry for you both...'' Meow? What do you mean you''re sorry? I''m sure I would embarrass you both even more if I said this... But that doesn''t mean I''m going to leave you alone. ''''Uh ... don''t get mad at me, okay?'''' Yes. Yeah. The ... well ... chest is hitting me. A slight silence. ''''Huh!!!'''' It was somewhat, and their faces turned vaguely red. They hadn''t thought that far about what would happen if they crossed their arms. But they didn''t want to leave... "Oh, I''m guessing! They all said something strange. ''Look, look. Let''s go, Rain!I don''t care if it''s this much of a cat! Hmmm. Rain, you''re such a little girl, you''re so embarrassed. They were both saying ''ko'' in rapid succession, like chickens. They look extremely upset, but........ But he had his arms firmly around me and wouldn''t let go. When this happened, I gave up and decided to go out with them. ........By the way, it was difficult for the people in town who knew about us to chill out, and some of them looked at us with tremendous jealousy. After all, let''s not let this happen again. 274-Episode 274: Soras Cooking Class It''s early afternoon one day. The warm sunshine is so pleasant that I doze off. Maybe I''ll take a nap.I think, but I''m somewhat thirsty. I leave my room and move to the living room. ''As you can tell by touch, the carrots are hard. They''re so hard you could drive a nail through them if you froze them a bit. Yeah, he''s hard, you know? ''''So I swing the knife down with the intention of killing with a single blow. Specifically, like this!sir. Boom. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. When I see Sola swinging the knife down like she''s about to kill someone, I rush to stop her. ''''Oh, you''re Rain? ''Hello.'' Hi... Nina, who was with me, bowed her head and greeted me. Both Sola and Nina had their aprons on. Looking around, I see meat and vegetables. And a case of condiments. Finally, there were pans, bowls and other cooking utensils on the floor. ''''Well what are you two doing?'''' ''Nina wanted to learn to cook, so Thora decided to teach her. Oh, my God. I can''t help but let those words spill out. Staring at me, Sora glares at me. ''''What''s that reaction? You look as if you''ve been told the world will be destroyed tomorrow. I wonder if it''s something close to that in terms of mood... What do you mean? ''Well how could Sora teach Nina to cook? I can''t forget the food I ate at Sora before. ''Of course, in a bad way.... ''''Of course. I''m not as good a cook as Luna, but Sola, if you put your mind to it, you can make something there, too. It''s nothing more than teaching her the basics. I don''t know the basics of knocking off a carrot on the top row. ''How did Nina get into cooking?'' Hmmm... I was hoping that Lane and everyone else would have some... Nina says, looking a little embarrassed, but happy to have imagined the moment. I''m glad for that feeling. If possible, I''d like to support her. But the fact that Sora is a teacher..... ''Well maybe you should get Luna or Tina to teach you how to do that?'' Well, you can change the date. ''Rain. If you heard from me earlier, are you trying to take Sora out of charge? Uh ... it''s ... To be frank, you are right. I feel bad for Sola, but I don''t think I can properly play the role of a cooking teacher. It reminded me of the food Sola ate before. Ugh..... I''m getting sick to my stomach just remembering that. That''s surprisingly rude of you, Rain. ''I feel bad, I know, but I''ve been fed some crazy stuff before. Ugh I''m sorry about that. It seems to be remorseful and aware, and Sora''s face became bitter. However, motivation immediately pours into her eyes. ''''But Sola is a woman who grows every day!You can overcome your weaknesses without leaving your past mistakes intact. It''s just the right time. Let''s show you how Sola''s cooking has improved, while you teach Nina. What? Is that something I''m going to eat again...? I''m going to run an errand. "Circle bound! A rope of light binds me to my body. "Wait, you''re even using magic? ''Come on, Nina. Let''s keep cooking. Just in time, I''ve found someone to feed you. Hmmm... I''ll do my best. Ignoring my protests, Thora teaches Nina how to cook. ''Huh...'' I''ll just give up now. Let''s just wait until the food is ready. You know what, Nina? Cooking is spirited. Ki....ai. And guts. If you have those two things, you can probably get by. Also, if you think about the people who will be eating your food when you make it, you can make it work rather well. Sometimes the desire to feed someone else can have surprising power. Hmm. The only thing I was worried about was the sound that sounded roughly unbecoming of a dish, "Dodanga-tan........ ---------- Sorry for the delay, Rain. Hmm. The food seemed to be ready and the spell was lifted. When I moved to the table, the food that Sora and Nina had made was placed on the table. ''''Is this.......steak?'''' Slightly burnt, but nothing else odd. It smells good, and usually looks delicious. What do you think, Rain? I''m sure Sola can teach you how to cook, too. Isn''t that right, Nina? Yeah. I''ve learned a lot, you know? Hearing their words, I know why the food worked so well for them. Sola basically comes around to teaching... Nina was the main cook, so it wasn''t like she was going to make a big mistake. I mean........well, it doesn''t really matter. Thora and Nina made this dish for me. Anyway, let''s have a taste of it. ''''Well then, I''ll take it. Crunch, and take a bite of the steak. A good amount of juices flooded my mouth, spreading the flavor of the meat. The thicker sauce tangled with it, raising the flavor many times over. The burnt part was a bit bitter, but the crunchy texture was enjoyable instead. ''Oh....'' What do you think? What do you think? Yeah, it''s good. I did it! Yay for... Thora and Nina were happy to hug each other. Thora was supposed to be playing the role of a teacher, but before she knew it, she was in a position with Nina. ''This proves that even Sola can teach you to cook,'' Nina. From now on, if you ever want to cook, you can tell Sola. Um... please, I''ll do it. Yes, sir. I''ll take care of everything. Sola could teach her to cook very well. Nina was able to make a great meal. They were in a good mood. Watching the two of them made me feel a smile on my chest. It made me happy to see everyone getting along with each other as well as myself. I hope that this kind of scene can continue forever. ''''........'''' Suddenly, Nina was staring at us. ...staring at the steak, to be exact. She''s drooling a little. "You want some, Nina? Is it okay?Rain''s, and yet.... Nina made it, so you should eat it too. Also, as a teacher, I have to eat Sora too. Come on, let''s all eat together. Hmm. Yes, sir. The three of us ate the food Nina had made for us and... It was a relaxing and peaceful time. 275-Episode 275: Shopping for a Fuss Old man. This vegetable looks very tasty. Do you grow them at your place? Oh, yeah!Our farm has good soil. And I put plenty of fertilizer on it, so I know it will produce good vegetables. Oh, that''s great, old man. The vegetables say they''re happy to have you growing them, too. Haha, that''s one thing... but it happens... I''m sure he has a big heart. Since he''s such an old man, I''m sure he''ll indulge me at least a little. You''re no match for Tina... okay!Ten percent off! One more word! Mmmm ... then it''s 20 percent! Yes! After some unfamiliar offense, Tina was buying vegetables at a 20% discount. Tina is in a doll''s body now, so there''s no way she can hold the vegetables, so I hold them for her. ''Rain, Rain. I''ll take the luggage, okay? Luna, who is accompanying me on the shopping trip, says something like that. ''''Hmmm ... you''d better not, wouldn''t you?It''s pretty heavy. I''m a little out of shape. It''s a good thing I do. Oh. Luna took the package from me rather aggressively... Pfft! She flipped over on the spot and was crushed by her luggage. I hurriedly lifted my pack and woke Luna up. ''Are you okay?'' ''Ugh it was a hell of a lot of weight. I thought I was going to go under. ''Rain has a contract with Kanade and he''s very powerful. That kind of Rain is so heavy, that''s pretty much it, right? ''The reclusive spirit tribe has to be quiet...'' Today, I''m out shopping with Luna and Tina. There''s no particular meaning to this combination, it''s just duty. It''s really just me and Tina, but.... Perhaps she is at an age where she wants to help out with something, Luna came along with her. By the way, you did a great job earlier. Hmm?What''s up with you, Master Lane? Bargaining. You don''t just haggle, you praise them. I couldn''t do it that way, so I was very impressed. Tina''s like a warrior housewife. Thank you. But being called a housewife makes me feel a little awkward. And I don''t have a partner. Hahaha................. Tina let out a grand sigh, as if she was worried about the lack of a partner. ''You don''t have to worry so much about it, do you?Isn''t Tina the most popular person in town? I was able to bargain, largely due to Tina''s clever storytelling skills, but.... But that''s not the only reason why Tina is so loved by everyone in town. At first, people were afraid of her as a ghost, but that''s not the case these days. With her cheerful personality, everyone in town naturally smiles and becomes friends with her as a matter of course. I''m jealous of Tina''s popularity? Hmm?Isn''t that kind of Luna popular too? Mmmm, I''m aware that I''m popular too, but I''m being treated like a grandchild. It''s impolite. She''s such a bewitching, s*xy lady!Don''t you think so, Rain! ''Ah, haha ... yeah. Yeah. I''m at a loss for comment. ''Well it''s all well and good to chat, but we need to make sure we do what we''re supposed to do, which is to shop. What else was left? The rest is just small, everyday items. These are not much, and we don''t have any problems, so Rain''s husband can go home first. ''What?You can''t do that. I''ll stay with you until the end, properly. ''No, no. No, no, no. You can leave it to us. Or rather, the rest of the shopping is mine, and I don''t want you to ... well ... to follow me. While Luna''s cheeks are slightly stained, she suddenly looks away. Have I done something........? But you know, I don''t think it''s right for me to leave you two to it. ''Uh... so could Rain''s husband wait outside the shop for me?That''s the maximum concession we can make. ''Why can''t you just follow me into the store?'' I can''t help it. Yeah?What? What I''m about to buy is just plain old!That''s why I don''t want you to follow Rayne! I''m sorry. I bowed my head deeply to Luna, who blushed and said. ---------- Despite a lot of things going on, we managed to finish our shopping. All that''s left to do is to go home and... Ah! On the way home, Luna suddenly shouted loudly. ''''It''s gone, I forgot to buy it...'''' What''s going on, Luna? It''s a thing!Argh!I told you Tina when you were following me! Oh! Tina nodded with some kind of satisfied look on her face. But I have no idea what she''s talking about. ''''So, we''re going back to buy some things! Oh, hey!Luna! Before he could stop her, Luna ran the way she had come. ''Tina, let''s go after Luna,'' Uh ... let''s not do that. Why?I don''t want you to be left alone... ''Well yes, what Luna wants to buy is a pair of panties. I forgot to buy a spare pair of panties. Because of the problem of the panatsu, it''s better to leave her alone. ''Okay okay okay, just don''t call me panties. I''m more embarrassed than I am. A bit of waiting. Out of breath, Luna came running in. ''You''re early. You could have chosen more slowly.'' I can''t just relax when I''ve got Lane and the others waiting. ''Really?But, uh ... you''d better choose those things properly, wouldn''t you?I mean, it''s so important to me... Does it matter?What does that mean? Luna''s gaze turned to Tina. Quickly, Tina looked away. I have something to be ashamed of," she said, and her attitude made Luna jittery. Tina ... what in the world did you say to Rain?I feel like I''m being terribly misunderstood. ''Well, um ... what Luna forgot to buy were panties and ...'' No, no, no, no, no!I already bought my panties!I didn''t go back to buy those things! So please don''t call me panties in public... Hmm. This is what I got. Hey, Rain. Me? Luna handed me a palm-sized bag. Apparently this was the original purpose of the shopping. However.........what is this? Well do you mind if I open it? Hmm. I ask permission and open the bag. Then a brand new wallet comes out from inside. ''Is this...?'' It''s a wallet. Don''t you see it? ''No, I know that, but... what?Do you want me to take this? Hmm. It''s a gift for Rayne. We paid for it together. But... why?It''s not even my birthday... It''s my way of saying thank you. I''ve always been indebted to Rain, you know. Every once in a while, I like to do this to show my gratitude. So go ahead and take it. Thanks for the help. I''ll take good care of it. I thought it was just a shopping spree, but I didn''t realize there was a surprise hidden in there. I had a feeling that today was going to be a good one. 276-Episode 276: At the end With Monica''s guidance, Arios arrived at a small town in the south, far away from the royal capital. In case you''re wondering, the city is named Fram, but it might be more accurate to call it a village. Although there are many buildings, most of them are private homes and there are no commercial or entertainment facilities. There are no other distinctive features, just a cafeteria that serves as an inn for the town''s residents. However, being in the countryside was a plus for Arios. The events in King''s Landing would be known to many people... The notoriety of Arios the Brave had reached this country town. However, due to its rural location, no one came face to face with Arios in person. We were able to stay at the inn without anyone noticing Arios''s true identity. After checking in, I moved to my room... Oh, Arios! Thank God you''re okay. Leanne and Mina were in the room. There was also Aggus in the back. Leanne, Mina and Aggus. Why are you guys here...? We were in jail too, but Monica''s friends saved us. Like Leanne said, I was helped by Monica''s people. Aggus, you want one too? ...Yeah, yeah. After all this time, Arios remembered to wonder. It wasn''t so much distrust as.... A mildly uncomfortable feeling, like a small fish bone stuck in his throat. Monica was a knight in the service of the country, and since she was under the king''s edict, she should have a high status. And yet, she was willing to abandon that position to help herself. What are his intentions? And who is this person who is helping Monica? A lot of things are bothering me, but... Arios abandoned his thoughts for once. His body was exhausted from being kept in prison for so long. He couldn''t stand and sat down on a chair set up in the room. ''You guys got help from Monica too...'' Does that mean Arios is Monica? Yeah. You saved me from a close call. I owe you a debt of gratitude. No, of course not. I''m on the side of Lord Arios.... No, I''m on the side of Arios and his friends. This action against Arios and the others was unjustified and could not be overlooked. ''Right, right?We''re not doing anything bad. ''There is no such thing as a problem with what Arios, a brave man, does. He must have had some deep thoughts that we couldn''t even imagine. At this point in time, Lean and Mina refused to admit that they were wrong. Even though Arios was leading the plan........ There was no remorse for their complicity in bringing the innocent Rain down and using unwarranted force. These women didn''t really think they were guilty of it themselves. They didn''t think for one second that they were guilty. They did not face up to their sins, but ran away if it was inconvenient for them to do so. If he was questioned, he would retort and try to cover it up with force. And then he thinks he has solved the problem and is over it. I''m sure the bill will be paid for that someday.... We continue to distract ourselves from that reality. They continue to pretend not to notice. Like Arios, the girls were falling away. Seeing them, Monica laughs. She laughs very contentedly. However. There was only one person who had a different idea. ''''Arios one thing about King''s Landing, why did you do that?'''' Aggus gave Arios a stern look as he questioned him. ''If you wanted to talk about it, I explained it to you before we executed it, didn''t I?Rain is a pain in the ass and will eventually get in our way. We''ll get rid of him before then. It''s quite simple, isn''t it? I''m sure Aggus would agree with me on that one. ''I certainly agree with you about getting rid of Rain. But. I haven''t heard of killing another adventurer for that. Arios gave a small cluck of his tongue at Aggus''s accusatory words. These days, Aggus had been interfering with Arios'' actions for some reason. This irritated Arios. The leader of the party was not Aggus, but himself. A mere warrior, Fuzzy, would dare to interfere with a chosen brave man.... The brainiacs who can only shield themselves should listen to what they say meekly, like a doll. To his companion, Aggus, Arios really thought that way. ''Arios is clearly the cause of all this. He is being judged by the king for going too far in killing adventurers. Do you understand? Well it turns out that everyone is okay. I don''t mind. Not good. We''ve been disbarred from the heroic party. What are we going to do now? I''m the only one who''s brave enough to do it. You''re just an extra, Aggus. Can you just stop talking like you own the place? Arios and Aggus'' gazes collided and sparks flew with the beehive. Seeing this, Lean and Mina panicked. Hey, let''s not... let''s not fight about this stuff, okay? Okay? ''Arios, Aggus I think it''s time for us to pull together and get out of this crisis. Well that''s true too. Aggus pulled back honestly. ''Well I guess I went a little overboard too. Forgive me. Surprisingly, Arios also withdrew honestly. The apology that spilled out of his mouth was genuine. ''''.........Hmph. Looking at Arios and the others, Monica seemed to be enjoying herself. What did their faces indicate? If they had been able to realize what Monica was thinking at this stage, the fate of Arios and the others might have been different. ---------- Night. Called by a letter, Arios went outside the inn. When he went around to the back, he found Monica looking out at the moonlit night. ''Arios-sama, I''m sorry to call you outside. Monica noticed Arios and bowed her head with a smile. ''It''s fine. I don''t mind this much. Arios responded in a generous manner. Having been helped by Monica, Arios had a reasonably soft attitude towards her as well. ''So ... what''s going on?If you''re going to summon me to a place like this, do you want to keep it a secret from everyone else? Yes, that''s right. Monica gave a gentle smile as she continued her story. That smile was like the Virgin......and the devil. ''''As for what we''re going to do.......before we talk about what actions we''re going to take, there''s something I''d like to suggest to Arios-sama. What do you propose? Let''s get rid of Mr. Aggus. Monica said, still smiling, as she smiled the same way. ''What does that ... mean?'' ''It means exactly what it says. Mr. Aggus seems to be alienated from Arios-sama. It''s like he''s holding a fire, and it''s imperative that it will become a problem if it continues. Then I thought it would be better to deal with it before it happens. You want me to kick the party out? No. As I said, I think it''s best to get rid of them. It''s... Arios choked on his words as he guessed what Monica wanted to say. Although Arios is the embodiment of the word "selfish", as expected, he has not fallen so low as to put his hands on the member he has been with for many years. We almost confronted each other earlier, but that doesn''t mean we would be stupid enough to kill them. ''''Well Monica. I''m grateful to you. You have helped us out so many times. I don''t know what I would have done without you. ''''I am only acting for Arios-sama.......for the sake of the heroes. ''I may be right to accept your words like that. But to kill Aggus, I can''t believe you''d kill him... Arios was stripped of his bravery. He was sentenced to death. He lost everything he had. And the only thing left for Arios to do is..... Friends. Aggus, Lean, and Mina. They''re the only ones left. I can''t afford to lose them. I can''t do that. It was then that Arios remembered Rain. He thought back to Rain''s image of his fellow comrades. Arios''s bad feelings about Rain were unchanged. However. Just now, just for this moment, he felt that he could understand a little bit of Rain''s feelings about taking care of his companions. But......... Even if ... even if Mr. Aggus betrays Lord Arios? What did you say? Monica spilled out a devilish whisper to shake Arios'' mind. 277-Episode 277: A dark night chat I''m back. Iris called out to him as she returned to a mansion. There was not a single noise in the mansion. There was no light, and the moonlight coming in through the windows was the slightest source of light. It was an eerie sight, as darkness seemed to be crawling all over the place. ''''Huh, welcome back. As if such darkness was condensed, a shadow appeared. The demon tribe that rescued Iris and worked in the dark in the shadows.......Reese. ''''Monica told me that you saved the Rain Shroud? I''m sure it''s all clear? ''Yes, no problem. My goal is to establish a relationship with you as an equal. Let''s swear that we won''t do anything to limit your behavior unless you act so recklessly. I would have thought you''d be pissed off, but it''s hard to get a handle on what you''re doing. I guess you could say I got one. Giggling, Reese chuckles. Iris is in an unusually good mood, and she''s in an unusually good mood, huh?He wonders. ''One question, if you don''t mind. Yes, what is it? Why are you in such a good mood?I helped Lady Rain and kicked off the brave man you were supporting. So I was wondering why you are happy about it. As for answering that question, I don''t mind, but I''m sure Mr. Illis has an idea of what you''re talking about. Well, if you say so, then I must be right. Let''s see if we can''t come up with some answers. Rhys snapped his fingers and out of nowhere, a chair and table appeared. Wine and fruit are on the table. Rhys takes a seat first and drinks the wine. It was as if he was trying to show off that it wasn''t poisoned. ''If you''ll excuse me,'' Iris also took a seat and brought the fruit to her mouth. The taste of the fresh flesh of the fruit spread and made her feel happy. I don''t think it''s indeed poisonous at this point in time. Even if there was a poison in it, though, it''s almost impossible for a poison to be effective against the Heavenly Clan. ''''With the last incident, Lady Rain''s stock has risen greatly and the fame of a brave man has fallen to the ground. It would have been quicker to kill them in a crisp manner, but for some reason you don''t do that. ''Oh my. Mr. Iris, you have some radical ideas. Reece says mischievously, but without regard, Iris continues to talk. ''I don''t intend to kill the brave men. Then what is your real goal?The answer is ... take sides, right? Hmmm.... you''re right. Like a teacher saying well done, Reese smiled. ''''As Iris-san said, my goal is to get the brave men to side with the demon race. ''''That brave man.... well, he''s not a fragile human being, but that doesn''t mean he''s so broken-minded as to side with the demon race, does it? That''s why I had them fall in. Arios is far from being a saint... Even though he was disbarred, he''s still a brave man. And he''s a human. Normally, they wouldn''t take the side of the demon race. But what about now? Disbarred from being a brave man, sentenced to death, fallen to the point of....... The only person he can rely on is Monica. And she really believes that it''s Rain''s fault that she''s in this situation, and she''s growing resentful and hateful. In other words, he''s in a runaway state. He can''t be expected to think intelligently. But if Monica can get in there and manipulate it........ It would be possible to take the side of the demon race. ........Hearing Reese''s plan, Iris let out a sigh. ''''Did you cause all that commotion in order to corrupt the brave? ''Of course. Mankind''s most powerful being takes a turn for the worst and becomes its worst enemy. It''s quite an interesting scenario, don''t you think? It''s in bad taste. ''Hmmm, that''s a compliment to me. Rhys smiled good-naturedly at the fact that the plan was going the way he wanted it to go. From what Monica had reported, Arios had fallen well. He had heard that it was only a matter of time before he crossed a decisive line that would prevent him from ever returning to the human side again. It was irresistible. His plan snapped into place like a puzzle piece and went exactly as he had envisioned. Reese was even ecstatic at the sense of accomplishment. ''What about the halfway point in getting to Lady Lane? ''''That human is quite dangerous, you know. Although he''s not as dangerous as Arios-san, he has a thick bloodline in his own right. And he has several of the strongest species with him. When it comes to enemies, it''s quite troublesome. In fact, something like this happened, where the resurrected demon race was immediately killed. He beat me, too. ''''Yes. From the demon race side, they are the next most troublesome opponent after Arios-san. So, I thought of eliminating them if possible...'''' "So you''ve gotten involved in the affairs of King''s Landing, You are correct. With a pause, Rhys continues to speak. ''''It''s only because the main dish is Arios-san. The primary goal is to corrupt him. If we fail, we will eliminate Rain-san. That''s what I was thinking. I see... ''''I succeeded in corrupting Arios-san, so I left Rain-san alone. If I get too greedy, I might end up failing. Since we were able to achieve our top priority goal, I guess that''s good enough for now.... Did you prioritize corrupting Arios over eliminating Rain? The reason for this is because Arios has more god blood in his blood? I can''t believe I missed Lane for that reason... Maybe Reese is surprisingly out of it. Iris thought about that. It was true that Arios might have more blood in his veins. But it''s Rain''s that''s really troublesome. Once they were relative, they would understand. Rain has the power to surpass Arios. Reese made the wrong choice. He should have gone after Rain instead of Arios now. The true enemy for the demon race would be none other than Rain........Iris thinks. More......... Even if he thought that, he wasn''t going to tell Reese about it. It''s partly because he hasn''t decided if he''s going to be an ally yet... Before that, Iris would never sell Rain. He would never do it. Rain would risk her life to stop herself from running off. He taught me about the warmth of people. Although Iris has done a lot of things, but........ I don''t intend to fall so low as to sell out my benefactor. ''''Well, let''s talk about Arios-san so much. Even though we''ve almost succeeded.......we haven''t yet reached the final stage, you know. We''ll need to continue to monitor its progress.......it would be laughable if we were to be happy with it and then later say that it failed in the end. ''If I''m going to speak my mind, I think there''s a chance I might fail...'' There''s no denying that. No one is ever 100% sure about anything. But if you fail, that''s okay. Is that...? ''Let''s just say that Arios-san has other uses for us other than asking you to join us........ We''ll have more details when Iris-san is on our side. ...I see. It was obvious, but they didn''t trust him completely, apparently. Iris felt that again, and she braced herself. Then Rhys stood up and offered his hand to Iris. ''Iris-san, is it time for you to give me an answer?Will you join us in destroying the human race? I don''t... "...Huh. Apparently, you''re still confused. Seeing Iris lost for words, Rhys looks troubled. However, he quickly switched to a smile. ''''Well, I won''t be in a hurry, nor will I try to rush you. It can''t be forever, but I''ll wait patiently.'''' I''d appreciate it if you would. ''Just ... you could at least do me a favor, right? 278-Episode 278: Homecoming I''m going to eat Tina''s special lunch at home and... Afterwards, we all relax and have a cup of tea. ''''Nyach!'''' Kanade, who had his mouth on the teacup, raised his tail high with a bleep. ''Oh, sorry. Was it hot?'' No, I''m fine. I have a catnip, so...................hmmm. As I watched Kanade struggle with the hot tea, I felt like I was back to my normal routine. Everyone else seemed to be somewhat relieved as well. ''''Rain, do you have a minute?'''' What''s going on, Luna? I just need some time off. You''re not busy, are you? Yeah, I''m busy... The sudden bombshell made me yell out loud. What''s going on!And everyone was surprised. ''You''re free, you say... eh, eh?Did I do something wrong?Or maybe you''ve been frustrated... wait, Luna. Why don''t we talk about it first? Hmm?What are you in such a hurry for? ''''Of course you''re upset, you a**h*le sister.......a**h*le for short! Whew! Sora''s genius fell on Luna''s head. ''Oh, oh my.......my head is dizzy. I can see the stars....'' ''I''m totally ... sorry, Rain. I gave you a weird misunderstanding. This boy was just going to ask for a break. Oh, that''s right... So why is Rain so upset? No, since you asked for time off I thought you were going to leave the party... Hm?Why do I have to leave my party?I''m not thinking about that for a second. So, if you say it the way you just did, it could be taken that way! Meeeeeeeee! Once again, Sora''s pompousness exploded. Luna became teary-eyed and held her head in her hands. ''Ugh my sister is violent. My sister has to be pitied, you know?'' An uncreative sister must be disciplined. What''s the point of it all? Mildly confused, Sola explains on behalf of me. ''I''m sorry. Luna said something strange and confusing to me. I was hoping you could take a week off. ''That''s fine but are you going somewhere?'' ''Well...'' Sola looked away awkwardly. It''s like she''s hiding something. It''s strange. ''Sola, are you hiding something from me?'' Well, that''s... If you''re in trouble, I want you to talk to me properly. I''ll do something for you. I''ll help you out. We''re all on the same side. ''''........If you say so, I can''t keep quiet. In truth, I didn''t plan to manage on my own with Sora and the others and get Rain and the others involved, but....... Sola takes a cup of tea once. The hot tea seemed to have calmed her down and her expression softened somewhat. ''''Well I was thinking of making a homecoming once. "You''re going home to the home of the spirit race? Yes, sir. I was bracing myself for some crazy story to come out because of the mysterious look on my face, but... It was nothing like that, it was just a normal story. ''Actually, I got a call from my mom. Mr. Al? I''ve seen some old names. We haven''t seen each other since then. Maybe I should say hello to him once in a while. ''Maybe you should come back to your hometown once in a while and show your face? ''No I want you to follow me as a witness as I go to King''s Landing to demand an apology and compensation...'' What? Apology and compensation.........what the hell does that mean? Seeing my surprise, Sola looks somewhat resigned, saying that it''s only natural to be surprised, while continuing her story. "Actually........it seems that my mother heard from somewhere that Sola and the others were captured and almost executed for the earlier incident. Luna''s face turned blue and trembled as she remembered her mother''s anger. So much so that it must be outrageous for Al to be angry. I heard that Sora was bludgeoned during one of the earlier fights... The part about being afraid of getting angry was probably inherited from his mother. ''''So, my mom contacted the Cat Spirit Clan and the Dragon Clan.......I mean, Suzu-san and Milua-san and shared the problem with them.......'''' Geez. I can''t help but let out a voice like that. Suzu-san cares about Kanade so much that she goes out of her way to bring him back to the village. Al-san may be a bit of a laissez-faire person, but somehow, he cares about Sora and Luna. Milua-san.........dotes on Tania. What would happen if such three people found out about the previous one? ''My mother would probably invade King''s Landing. Aren''t your mothers just a little too...? Tina was pulling a face. Maybe I''m pulling a face too. Al-san and the others, if the strongest species at the top of their respective races attacked the royal capital....... This, I''m not kidding, the royal capital might be destroyed. Sola and Luna also seemed to have the same fears and looked troubled. ''''Right now, it seems that they are gathering in the village of the spirit race to discuss their future plans. So I was planning to have Sola and Luna go there and convince them not to do anything stupid. ''''I''m glad you''re worried about me, and I''m glad you''re mad at me, but as expected, it''s too much to invade the royal capital. Oh, well... I think I fully understand the anger of Al and his team, but.... But that doesn''t mean I want you to attack the royal capital. ''''It would definitely be troublesome, so I was planning to go alone with Sora and the others...'''' I don''t think that''s true, you know? The objection came from an unexpected source. Nina. While staring at Sora, she speaks desperately, though in a faltering tone. I think it''s our.......everyone''s problem. And ... I don''t think it''s a problem for us ... right?Because ... friends, ''Yes, well yes, Nina is right. Sola was wrong. Well frankly, there were some things we weren''t sure we could convince you of, so it would be great if you all came. ''Sure, we''ll follow you!I have to tell your mother not to do something stupid. I think my mother has a soft spot for me, and if I tell her not to, she''ll listen to me. Well, on that point, I''d certainly be better off going with you. ''Sure, I''ll go with you. I can''t leave that to Sora and Luna alone, you know. ...and that''s why. Our next goal, our destination, has been decided. The place is the village of the spirit race. Kanade, Tania, Sora and Luna our three mothers must be stopped from running amok. 279-Episode 279: Return to the Spirit Tribe Village As soon as you think you''ve returned to Horizon from King''s Landing, you have to leave the city again. Even though I''ve rested, it''s still very hectic. After getting ready, we left the city and went to the Lost Forest. It''s a tricky place, but the entrance to the nearest spirit tribe village is here. I moved to the place where the entrance is set up, where there is a large tree. ''''Stop.........'''' A voice sounded out of nowhere. ''''From this point forward, the village of the spirit tribe ... those who are not involved ... much less the humans, cannot be allowed to pass. Turn back. It''s not Al''s voice. He looked quite young, and I got the impression that he was about the same as Sora and Luna. Well, it''s hard to say, since it''s just his voice. ''Who''s not involved?'' We are all related! The two of them manifested the feathers of light that are usually hidden by magic. A startling, gasping sound could be heard. ''''Is that feather ... our kind?I mean, could it be that your face is...? Space distorts like a mirage... A girl appeared from it. Her light blue hair is like water. She''s older than Sora and Luna, but younger than me... or is she? We were both wearing the same kind of clothes and... On its back, I could see the glowing wings. Definitely, the spirit race. Probably they are the guardians of the entrance here in place of Sora and Luna. ''''Yuki!'''' Oh, how are you doing? Sola and Luna smile. Apparently, they know each other. "Long time no see, Sora, Luna. I heard from Al-sama that you''re doing well. The three of them smile and hug each other. Are they friends? The girl from the spirit race called Yuki says in a shattered tone, unlike earlier. ''''Why are you here?Oh, are you planning to go back to the village by any chance? No, sir. "We are here to stop you, mother and friends. Oh, that sort of... Yuki looked terribly disappointed. She seems to be extremely depressed when she finds out that they are going home temporarily. Why is he so depressed? Does he miss his friends? Who are your people? They''re all part of Sora''s people. Kanade of the cat spirit race, Tania of the dragon race, Nina of the god race, and Tina of the ghost race. And that is our master, Rain! ''Master...?Huh?What does that mean... Rayne is a Beast Tamer, and I and Sora have made a deal with Rayne. What?You know, a spirit race makes a deal with a human... For a moment, Yuki stared at me with a tremendous amount of force. But it was really only for a moment... Yuki quickly clears her throat and smiles at him. ''Sorry. I couldn''t help but scream out loud, surprised that I wasn''t even expecting it. Oh, no I don''t mind. ''My name is Yuki. If you are the Lord of Sora and Luna, then you are worthy of it for me. Please take care of them. Nice to meet you too. And don''t worry about your tone of voice. Are you sure? ''Fine. I''m not that great, and besides, I''m glad we''re getting along better in our normal tone of voice. Tsk. Oh, did you get tongue-tied? Well, I''ll do it. Yuki returns to her smile. Was it my imagination...? ''Anyway, though, if Yuki is the gatekeeper, it''s easy to talk. Can you take Sora and the others back to the village? No. What? It seems that she didn''t expect to be rejected, and Sora looks puzzled. Instead of her, Luna asks her why. Why is that?I can''t think of any reason why our homecoming should not be allowed. It is true that we have abandoned our gatekeepers, but no one complained about us the last time we came home. ''I don''t have a problem with Sora and Luna. The problem is ... the people there! Yuki pointed at me with a stern face and bishops. ''''We can''t let a human into the Sacred Spirit Tribe''s village! It''s a complete reversal of the previous situation, and I''m hit with hostility. Have I done something to offend you...? Nya, but that''s funny, isn''t it? ''Rain would have normally entered the spirit tribe''s village the other day. He''s not going to complain, okay? The chief approved of me. Ugh. Yuki flinched at everyone''s covering fire. Could it be that it wasn''t the will of the spirit race, but Yuki''s own decision...? ''''Well why am I not allowed to enter the spirit race''s village?Just because you''re human is a bit thin on the ground for a reason, but... can you tell me more about it? I thought that if you behaved like that, you would get angry and reveal your true nature right away. Well what''s that supposed to mean? Okay. What? This time, I''ll make it a point to allow you to enter the village of the spirit race. But if you do anything weird you know what I mean? Yuki nailed me with a terrific look on her face. I don''t know what kind of thing you''re referring to when you say it''s weird, but.... I''ll be careful. Now Yuki is a bit scary. ---------- Oh, I haven''t had air in a while. I stepped into the village of the spirit race again. The city is covered with fresh green leaves in the clear air. The crystal-clear, clean water flowing through the city seems to soothe my soul just by looking at it. It may be an exaggeration, but the expression "paradise" is appropriate. That''s how good it is. It''s as beautiful as ever. It''s a far cry from our home. Yeah?What''s it like in Tania''s place? Um ... do I smell sweat? I''m sure you can imagine what it''s like to be in the village of the dragon tribe. I''m sorry for Tania, but I don''t want to go to the home of the dragon tribe. That''s the right thing to do. They''re so focused on fighting that they''re practically invisible to the rest of us. Well, that''s more than I can say for myself. While talking about this and that, Yuki led me to the chief''s house. ''''........'''' All the while, Yuki was staring at me. Plenty of hostility. Quite a bit of staring. Really, I wonder why...? I don''t mean to be rude, but.... Is it because they are a spirit race, after all, that they don''t like humans? I''m friends with Sora and Luna, and I''d like to be friends with them if I could, but... Here you go. We arrive at the chief''s house with no idea how to break the ice. It can''t be helped. I''ll think of a way to break the ice with Yuki later. For now, I have to do something about Al-san and the others. We have to convince them somehow. ''Excuse me........'' We should burn it all down! As soon as I entered the chief''s house, I suddenly heard a boisterous line. I saw four people gathered around a round table. Suzu-san, Al-san, and Milua-san. And the head of the village of the spirit race. A man of the spirit race who seemed to be a caretaker was waiting behind them, but he looked uncomfortable. DON''T!And Mr. Milua taps the table vigorously. He looks ridiculously angry. She puffs out her cheeks like a child, blushes and says in a loud voice. ''To my Tania-chan ... to my sweet little Tania-chan ... to my sweet little Tania-chan ... to my sweet little Tania-chan ... to be a joke. I can''t believe they gave it to me, man... and I''ll never forgive them!That country should be burned to the ground, immediately and immediately! It was going to take a lot of convincing. 280-Episode 280: Enraged Mothers Calm down, Milua. We don''t like the idea of humans, either, but to destroy a country is indeed... The last time I saw you, you looked so dignified, the chief of the spirit race.... He seemed to be pushed by Milua-san, who was now sullenly being pushed by Milua-san, who was uttering extreme opinions. ''You''re going to show mercy to the silly person who hurt our Tania-chan?That''s impossible. The death penalty is the only option. Why does your mind go to such extremes...? What mother wouldn''t be angry at someone hurting her child? Mmm. Mmm. The chief doesn''t seem to have any words to reply to the most correct argument. He looks at Suzu, who seems to have given up on admonishing Milua. ''''Suz, do you agree with Milua, too?'''' Hmmm, yes. Suz opens her mouth as she takes a sip of the tea on the table. ''''I agree with Mr. Milua. Yeah. I want an apology and compensation, not to the point of destroying the country, but to the extent that it''s possible. Also, I''d like to submit a remedial plan to prevent this kind of thing from happening again in the future. ''Suz did the same thing as Milua...'' "I''m leaving it up to Kanade''s free will, so basically she''s responsible for whatever situation she gets involved in. But that''s it, this is it. Like Milua-san said, there''s no parent who doesn''t get angry when their child is hurt. Suzu''s smile is the same as usual, but she must be extremely angry on the inside. You can feel the anger in the air to the point that you can feel the air tingling and shivering. ''''Ah, Al is........'''' The chief looked at Mr. Al as if it was the last rope. ''Hm?Do you want my opinion on this, mistress? Yeah, that''s right. What''s Al going to do about it? ''''Well........I''m a laissez-faire person by nature, and I have no intention of interfering in the affairs of Sora and Luna. I have no intention of taking any more action than necessary in this case either. Oh. First of all, that''s what you get when you lose a human being. Hmm?What does that mean? The spirit race hates humans, so it''s not a problem...? It''s just that.........it doesn''t feel so good. I''m still a mother, after all. Although she''s a bit of a neglectful mother, she still thinks pretty well of Sora and Luna. For the third time........I''m their mother. Mmm.... The chief looked very troubled, as he was unable to convince Al-san, who was the one we were counting on. Then he seemed to notice us there and his face brightened as if he had found hope. ''''Oh, you guys...'''' It''s been a while. Did you hear about this one?If that''s the case, welcome... ''Tania-chan! Pfft! As if to interrupt the conversation, Mr. Milua rammed into Tania. Tania let out a strange scream as she was hugged with all her strength. ''Tania-chan!Tania!Tania!Are you okay?Are you hurt?Does it hurt?Doesn''t that scare you?Your mom''s here, you''ll be fine now. Well, don''t panic. I''ll be fine. But! Tania soothed Milua while Al and Suz turned to face us. ''Long time no see, girls. Good to see you all. Mm, it''s been a long time. You''re looking well, Mother. Nyanka, mom, you look exactly the same. A mother and daughter were happy to see each other after a long time. It''s a warm and welcoming sight. By the way, why did you and Kanade come here?Are you here to see me, by any chance? ''Hmmm, you''re right in a way, but...'' "We are here to stop you, Mother. "Stop? Suz-san and Milua-san nodded their heads together. It''s like they don''t understand what they''re talking about at all. We are doing the right thing.... You don''t expect to face opposition from your daughters. Well, I can''t say I''m wrong, so it''s a delicate matter... Mother. Don''t do something so stupid as to attack the human nation the royal city. Tania convinced her to do so, pulling Miss Milua away. ''No wonder Mom and the others are so angry, but we''re safe. Yeah, yeah. We''re all good. ''And it wasn''t the whole of humanity that was complicit in the evil. It was orchestrated by a fool, a brave man, and the rest of us are not to blame. So we should stop talking about burning down King''s Landing and all that sort of nonsense. No! I can''t ask you that. My daughters'' persuasion is kicked to the curb. ''''Even without the 10,000 steps to burn down King''s Landing........'''' We need you to take responsibility for putting little Kanade and her friends in danger, and we need you to show us some good faith. Mr. Milua and Suz were stubborn. Well, it was a matter of course to be angry and... Besides, they both love their daughter. This time, the commotion was bound to happen. The concubines didn''t say anything crazy, did they?All are legitimate rights. Al-san has a point. However, we can''t allow a situation like that to happen, like attacking the royal capital....... We continued to try desperately to persuade them after that. ---------- Hmmm... I''m tired. We''ve talked about a lot of things since then. Before I knew it, the sun had gone down and it was nighttime. I''m slowly convincing him, but I haven''t been able to convince him completely yet... The discussion will be carried over to tomorrow. Today, we were to stay in the village of the spirit race. In my assigned room, I relaxed my shoulders and took it easy. We only talked about it, but I was extremely tired because of the content of the discussion. ''Oh, by the way, you said there was a hot spring,'' It might be just the thing for a tired body. Shall we go? Just as I was thinking about this, there was a knock on the door of my room. ''Yes?'' Good evening. Yuki? When I opened the door, I saw that Yuki was there. Yuki alone and no one else was in sight. Yuki doesn''t seem to like me but... What the hell do they want with a guy like that? I wondered, but invited him into the room anyway. ''Do you want a cup of tea?'' I don''t want it. You know, like candy... I don''t want it. It''s just so d*mn ugly. Really, I don''t know why people hate me so much... I came to talk to you. ''Yeah, I hear you. What''s the story? ''I''ll tell you straight. Break up the party with Sola and Luna. 281-Episode 281: Im a friend "...why would you do that? I was told to dissolve the party out of the blue, and as expected, I was upset. However, Yuki just looks so serious... I quelled my upset when I realized I hadn''t said that in jest or harassment. This is a very important story. So I have to be firm...........I have to listen to him with a firm attitude. With that in mind, I faced Yuki straight away. ''''The reason is simple. It''s because I''m Sora and Luna''s friend.'''' What do you mean...? You''re putting Sora and Luna in danger by being with you! Those words were sharp as arrows and pierced my heart. ''''Those two were reckless enough to leave the village and I was against them leaving the village. Because it''s not. The world out there is full of danger. There''s no reason for us to jump into danger when we could just stay in the safety of the village. It''s... ''Al-sama said he''d leave it up to Sora and Luna to decide, but this isn''t the result of that. The humans did a terrible thing to me. I''m not going to say anything. ''Can we just leave Sora and Luna out in the open?It''s not okay. The two of you should be returned to the village now. So you want me to break up the party? Yeah. Yes. They were so stubborn. They won''t listen to me. I don''t know what I''m going to tell them. But if you say you''re going to break up the party, that''s the end of the matter. ''Maybe so, but...'' If we don''t, it could hurt Sora and Luna again, you know? What? His words are above all heavy and sharp... It cut deep into my mind. ''If you really care about Sora and Luna, dissolve the party. Send them both back to their villages. I''m.... As expected, I''m not so much a demon as I am a demon that I want answers right now. Yuki takes a step back. ''You''re going to convince Al-sama and the others, right?I don''t know how it''s going to turn out, but it''s going to take a few days to get your thoughts together and give me your answer. Okay, all right. I''ll think about it. You''re human but I can tell you care about Sola and Luna, and I can tell you care about them. I know that Sola and Luna care for you, too. I''m going to know that much. I see. ''But at the end of the day, Thora and Luna are hurting. Don''t forget that. Yuki turned her back on me and... He left the room without once looking back. I could only watch his back and couldn''t call out to him any more... I was nodding to myself. ---------- The next thing I knew, it was morning. It was as if he couldn''t remember when he went to bed or when he slept. He just didn''t get much sleep, apparently. His head was heavy and the sleepiness was clinging to him. ''Phew.'' Anyway, I can''t keep this up. I wash my face with cold water and shake off the sleepiness alone. ''''Well what am I going to do about it?'''' Washed face intact, no water to wipe off.... I''ve been thinking. I kept thinking about it. Should I break up the party for the sake of Sora and Luna? Same goes for everyone else, if that''s what you''re saying in the first place. Don''t make me go along with this adventurer thing... Each of you should stay quietly in your villages. Nina and Tina don''t have a village to return to, but if you tell them, someone will be happy to accept them. But the thought of losing another companion... No, no. Don''t think about all the bad things. Once I''m aware of Yuki''s words, I can''t do it anymore... Shouldn''t we get rid of the party?That''s all I can think about over and over again. But I don''t want to do that, so.... It may not be fair, but let''s hold off on that for now. Fortunately, or perhaps I should say, Yuki has given me a bit of a reprieve. There is no rule that says you have to follow what she says. If anything, it''s Yuki who is the outsider. It''s just..... I don''t want to ignore Yuki''s words as she is thinking about Sora and Luna so straightforwardly. I don''t know what will happen, but I want to give you a proper answer. I want to think a lot ... a lot ... a lot. ''Good.'' I toweled my face, dripping water, and I walked out. ---------- After breakfast and a quick break.... Once again, Mr. Al and his team will be persuaded. Al-san and the others'' arguments will not change. Arios was the cause of the outburst, and the knights and adventurers who received the order are not to blame. However, the king who appointed Arios as a brave man is responsible. It''s the responsibility of the person who stands at the top to bear this responsibility as a matter of course. Without a proper apology and reparations, he would never be able to satisfy himself.... That''s what I was told. Unlike yesterday, I will destroy them without question!My opinion of the situation was smaller. Maybe seeing my daughters made me feel a little cooler. Maybe this could be resolved if things went well. I came up with a plan, and after the discussion with Al and the others was over, I headed to the chief. ---------- I was just telling the chief about a plan. I asked Sora and Luna to help me out a bit. Now if we can make good time and things go the way I think they should, we''ll be able to stop Mr. Al and the others from running amok. Please, I beg you, let it work. I don''t want to see an all-out war between the most powerful species and humans. ''Well...'' It''s going to take time to see the results of my plan. So all I can do now is buy myself some time. I have to somehow placate Al and the others so they don''t explode and buy us some time. Apart from that, I have some other things I need to do. While we were preparing for this and that and discussing it, the day was slipping away. The time passed surprisingly quickly. Is that how busy we are? ''Mr. Al,'' Hmm?What is it, Rain? I knocked on the door of Al''s house. Al-san appeared at the door. I heard that Suz and Milua are staying at Al-san''s house. I glanced behind the door and saw no one in sight. ''Are you alone now?'' Hmm. Tin and Milua are at the chief''s. To the chief?And why is that again? Don''t tell me you''re trying to secretly convince the chief to be on your side...? I have such fears, but I know it is only a concern. "Both Suzu and Milua are the second most important people in their respective villages. I have to say hello and everything. I see. So, what happened to Rain?What do you want, mistress? I need to talk to you. Is this a good time? "Hmm. Mr. Al stared at me. ''I hear it''s a different story than this one?And I saw it as serious in its own right. How do you know? I''ve lived a long time. I can tell from the look on your face what a little boy of Rayne''s age is thinking. I can''t compete. "Hmm. So are you okay? Yes, that''s fine. There is one condition, though. What is it? "Take a bath with your mistress. After a full 30 seconds of freezing thoughts. What? I would spill out a voice that was outrageously goofy. 282-Episode 282: naked relationships Hiffiiiiiiiiiiiii. Hot water. White steam. As if enjoying them, Al-san had an ecstatic expression on his face. This is an open-air bath built in the village of the spirit race. Right now, it''s reserved for me and Al-san. Why do we have these things? The answer is that Al made it as a hobby. How did this happen...? I can only turn my head in the direction of the day after tomorrow and avert my gaze from Al-san. I just want to talk to Al-san, but I find myself getting caught up in the forceful pace of the conversation and taking a bath with him. I know it''s a breach of etiquette, but I had a towel wrapped around my waist. However, Al didn''t have a towel wrapped around his waist. Hiding it is a shameful thing to do! I can''t look directly at him. We can only talk about it while looking in the direction of the day after tomorrow. ''''Hmm........ku.......puhaaaaah!After all, it''s good to drink in the bath!It''s paradise! Al brought his drink into the bath and drank it with a happy face. That''s what a playboy does.... Do you want a drink, Rain? No, no. I''m good. Really?You don''t have to be shy, do you? It''s not that I don''t want to refrain from... I mean, why are you taking a bath? Don''t you know?You know what they say. It''s important to keep up with the naked crowd. How do you know that story? Mr. Al, are you actually a people person? Here, have a drink. No, because... ''Do you mean to tell me that you can''t drink from a mistress? Tangled drinks? You''re such a pain in the ass when you''re drunk, you know that? I''m going to have something important to say to you now, so I can''t drink, as expected. Hmm, you must have something important to tell me. Mr. Al gets serious, too. I thought he was drunk, but apparently not so much. Come to think of it, the spirit race is very good at drinking. ''''Then let''s make this our last drink. Mr. Al took a swig of liquor down his throat and... Well then, let''s hear what you have to say. He said this with a scowl on his face. You can try to tell me something important. I''m angry with the human race because of this incident, but I will listen to what Rain has to say. Well, I''m not... I''m not going to blame Lane for anything, okay? ''What?Um, what did you mean by those words...? Hmm?Well, that''s just what I meant. I have no intention of blaming Rain, as a mistress. Uh ... a few more details. Haha, that was a bit too mean. I teased you because Rayne seemed to care about it. It wasn''t your last drink.... I know that Sora and Luna were treated badly because of what happened. Rain thinks it was her fault. How could you... ''You want to ask me how I knew?Hmmm, you haven''t lived long. It''s not so easy to know what a child is thinking. For Al, who has lived for over 100 years, I''m like a child? Well, you would be. I can''t help but chuckle. I''ve not been with them for a long time, but I can tell that Rayne has a serious personality. I don''t know the reason for this, but I''m wondering if this is my own fault. Sora and Luna the problem wouldn''t have happened if you hadn''t brought everyone else into the fold?That''s what you''re thinking, isn''t it? Ha, did you see the whole thing... Chuckle again... Then, with a sigh, he exposes his heart. ''But ... that''s not something I realized on my own. A little bit of stuff happened that made me realize it... Anyway, I didn''t think about it. Even after this whole thing happened, I didn''t notice it, I didn''t think about it. "Hmm. ''We all take it for granted that everyone else is there... without questioning it... even if it''s in danger... haha. Oh. The words don''t come together well. Instead, all I can do is sigh with an inexplicable self-loathing. I''ve met everyone and traveled with them. We have been adventurers. We thought of each other and felt a bond with each other. There was no doubt about that. However. By being together, they were putting everyone at risk. This is a good example of that. Is what I''m doing the right thing? If you really think about everyone else, wouldn''t it be better to get rid of the party? Yuki''s words to me triggered me to think about all those things. The truth is, I should have realized that on my own. I didn''t notice it until Yuki told me... or maybe I just looked away. I''m too comfortable now, I''m happy... Maybe I''ve been spoiled by everyone. I ..... Here. There he is! With a pop, Al-san gives me the keys to the game. It''s surprisingly powerful, and I felt a little dizzy. What are you doing...? You look like you''re lost in an endless stream of unimportant details. It doesn''t matter, it doesn''t matter...! It doesn''t matter. ''I dare you,'' Mr. Al assured him, ''it''s a trivial idea. It''s a trivial idea. Or perhaps it''s more of a pompous idea. Is it too much to ask...? ''Why should Lane be responsible for everything?You think you''re a guardian of sorts, don''t you?Well, if they''re all children of lesser age, they''re certainly responsible for their actions but that''s not the case. We are all adults. We all bear the responsibility for our own actions. That is the norm, and Rain doesn''t need to be concerned about it. But... Hm?But Nina, the daughter of the gods, is still a child. She may have some responsibility for that, but still, she is a great adult at heart. You are prepared to bear the responsibility for your own actions, don''t you? It''s presumptuous to blame yourself for all of this. Al-san''s words echoed deep in my chest. However, that wasn''t enough to resolve my worries; rather, it was like I was lost in an even deeper maze... What should I do? I was lost again. 283-Chapter 283: Mother reaches I get out of the bath and go back to the room I was assigned. Right now I want to take my time and think alone. Thinking back to Al''s words, I try to think about everyone again... Good evening, Miss Lane. Hi. Hey, man, we''re here for you. ''Mr. Tin!Mr. Milua, too.... For some reason, Suzu and Milua were there. They seemed to be fresh from a bath and were also warm. Also, they smelled good from the soap. They look younger than Kanade and the others, or maybe they''re just like normal girls, so.... It''s a bit annoying to be shown that kind of vulnerability. ''What''s going on?You wanted to see me? Yeah. I was trying to convince Miss Lane. Persuasion? Isn''t that what we''re supposed to do? ''You are opposed to us attacking King''s Landing, aren''t you, Rain? Yeah, yeah. That is, of course. We''ve talked about that a lot... And, unable to convince him, the conversation ends up on a parallel track. ''Maybe you''re ready to change your mind?'' No, it''s not. ''Or rather, we''ve come to the conclusion that we should persuade Mr. Lane to do something about it. Well...? I don''t know what the two of you are looking for. They say I''m often blunt, but for once, I think I''m outside of that adaptation. ........right? Can you be more specific?I''m not sure... I''m sorry. Here''s the thing, Wow. I lose my balance as Mr. Suzu pulls me back. My head is sitting side by side with Zsu-san and Mirua-san, while........ In other words, I would be on top of their thighs. It was a double knee pillow by Suzu and Milua-san. ''''Oh, um.......what is this?'''' ''Hmph, we thought we''d try to melt you down with our adult charm to appease Rain-kun. I was wondering... I think it''s hard to get a sense of adult charm out of the two of them in their appearance. However, there was no way I could say such a thing, so I kept my impressions to myself. That and the word "nostalgia" gave me some idea of what they were thinking about. ''''Maybe, but... you two want me to be on your side, right?I don''t want you to stop us from attacking King''s Landing, but on the contrary, I want you to agree with me. So, persuasion. ''Yeah, yeah, that''s what I''m talking about!Lane, you''re so smart. So I think we''ll entertain ourselves like this. ''You don''t have to do that but...'' He tried to get up, but Suzu was holding his head firmly in place and he couldn''t escape. It''s impossible to resist the power of the strongest species of cat spirit race, and even more impossible to resist the power of Suzu-san, who stands at the top of the race. I gave up and decided to wait for the two of them to get bored. ''''Ehehe, how do you like it?Does our kneeling pillow feel good? What do you think, Miss Lane? ''Um ... yes. It honestly feels good. A warm, soft lap pillow. And a gentle pat on the head. They look so young, yet their gestures are unmistakably my mother''s.... Remembering my late mother made my tear glands flutter a bit. However, I can''t just soak it up. This is a chance to have a long talk with both of them. Even though I''m in this position, I''m going to try to persuade them. ''''Um........Suzu-san and Mirua-san, do you really plan to attack the royal capital?'''' It''s just that Kanade-chan and the others were bullied and you can''t just do nothing about it. Any brave man or knight who bullied little Tania will be beaten to a pulp! ''''We, the strongest species and humans don''t have diplomatic relations with each other... rather, we''re not even a country... but we do have a certain amount of relations with each other. If we sit back and do nothing here, we might be seen as lowly ourselves. ''You can''t do that!It could happen again, because it could happen again. We''ve got to make sure it''s nailed down. I see what you mean. I know it''s an extreme statement, but people don''t learn if they don''t make mistakes. It''s a painful experience that makes you grow and build up strength and knowledge that you don''t want to have to go through that again. On the contrary, if you don''t go through the pain, you don''t grow. Nothing will change. If we don''t properly reflect on the case that led to the unjust arrest and detention of Kanade and the others in this case, something similar might happen again. Suzu and the others are working to avoid that. Thus, if one listens to only part of the story, Suzu and her friends'' claims are perfectly natural and highly legitimate. But..... ''First of all, the knights and adventurers who captured Tania and her friends are going to be sandbagged!Also, the country''s heavyweights who gave the brave men their own authority are going to get full blown!And then, from then on, the brave man who hurt Tania-chan............is put to death. Ufu, ughhhh. It''s seriously threatening to destroy the country. As expected, that''s too much, so we have to find a compromise somewhere. Well, for this amount of time, if the plan I have in mind works, we should be able to work it out, but....... ...do you have a minute? This is the time. I want to hear all I can. ''I understand the anger between the two of you but I also have one question. What''s this about? Well you''re not angry with me? What? Suzu looked at him curiously. Mr. Milua was also scowling. I can''t help but ask the two of them. "This time Arios the brave man was the main culprit and his target was me. In other words, Kanade and the others were involved in the incident because of me............The fundamental fault is mine. So......... "Huh? Suzu and Milua-san let out a sigh together. Then they give us a dumbfounded look as if they are twins, with a similarity that makes us wonder if they are twins. ''''I didn''t expect Rain-san to think like that...'''' I don''t want to say anything bad about Tania-chan''s su....benefactor, but it''s kind of a pompous thing to do, you know? I''ve been told I''m being presumptuous again... ''You''re so kind, Lane, I don''t blame you for worrying about it. But you don''t have to take on that much responsibility, do you? ''I mean, if you say that, you''re saying that I''m fundamentally responsible for sending Tania on the trip, right?We''ll be talking about how this wouldn''t have happened if we hadn''t sent him on the trip and kept him in the village all the time, right? It''s... That being said, that may be true. But, as I said, it''s sure to get everyone involved... ...phew. I want to take care of my people. But I don''t want them to get hurt. These two thoughts run through my mind in circles. No matter how much I think about it, I can''t find an answer, and my head gets heavy. What should I do...? I mean, what do I want to do...? "Hmm. Tin-san seems to have seen through my struggle and gives me a kind face. When I look at her, I see that Milua-san also has a motherly look on her face. ''''The problem with Rain-kun is that he thinks too much. But as Kanade''s mother, I''m happy for her. Yes, you''re right. If you''re that worried, it means you''re thinking about Tania and the others seriously. ''It''s ... of course it is. I''ll take it seriously. We''re all dear friends. Then why don''t you tell everyone about it instead of keeping it to yourself? You''re right, Suzu. But that''s... I''m not saying that you have to tell me everything. Everyone has a thing or two they''d rather keep to themselves. ''But I don''t think those concerns are separate. Because it has a lot to do with the future of your party, Lane, doesn''t it? ''We''ll all share those things, talk about them, find answers... isn''t that the best way to do it? It''s just that we all think it''s presumptuous. .... It was like the scales had fallen from my eyes. ''I see, I...'' You seemed to be thinking about everyone else, but as a matter of fact, you were only thinking about yourself.... They''re both right. Normally, this kind of problem should be shared and discussed. But I''m the one who thinks about it, not the one who wants to be told. I thought I had it all to myself and was trying to solve it. It''s no wonder they say I''m so presumptuous like this. I now understand how Suz-san and Milua-san felt. And I also understand how Al-san felt earlier. Thank you. I''m awake now. ''Yeah, yeah, you''re welcome. I knew you''d look better like that, Rain. By the way, our feelings have not changed. You can trust Kanade-chan and the others to take care of them, so please continue to take care of our daughter in the future. Yes! I nodded firmly, this time to make sure I didn''t make a mistake. 284-Episode 284: Rains Measures The next day. Sola and Luna are out on a quick errand and .... I gathered everyone else together and told them exactly what I was thinking and what was bothering me. The result...... Meow I''m an idiot for Lane. Yeah, you''re an idiot. You''re an idiot. Uh, uh... meh. Kanade, Tania and Tina all gave me zit eyes. The line "idiot" was also quite painful to hear, as if it was full of emotion. Nina didn''t call him an idiot, but he seemed to be angry in his own way. She puffed out her cheeks unusually. ''''Like being with Rain would put us in danger or something...'''' But if you think it''s your fault... Lane''s husband is such an a**h*le. Idiot, we had it. They all seemed very dismayed. ''I know that trouble is because Rain is so nice to you, okay?But, you know, I don''t know, um... ''Kanade, you should be clearer in these situations. Rayne''s thinking too much of an afterthought, no good. "Ug. You know, it''s nice of you to be concerned about us, but we''re not children. But we''re not children, you know. We think for ourselves and make our own decisions. Of course, if you''re with Rayne''s husband, you might be in danger. But we''ve made our own decision, including those things. We are prepared to do that, and we don''t want to put the responsibility on Rain''s husband. ''Yes, Tina''s right. We''re with Rain by choice!It''s funny how you take on responsibilities you don''t have to take on. Already, Rain is no good today! No I''m really, really sorry... I was going to tell you my problems and share my story... Halfway through, I was transitioning to my sermon contest. Well, it''s not going to happen, so let''s just be lenient and accept the criticism. ''Rain, Rain,'' Nina lifts my nodding face. I meet her gaze like that and she smiles at me. "I''m still ... a kid. But, hey ... I want to be with Rain. "...Nina.... Even if it''s dangerous, it''s still good to be together. That''s because I''ve decided that.....that''s what I''ve decided to do. So you don''t have to worry about it, Rain. "...Yeah, I guess so. Thanks, Nina. Up until now, I''d only thought of myself. I thought I was responsible for it all on my own, and I felt like I took it all on myself. But that''s not the case. I didn''t check everyone''s intentions. It''s not respecting them. It''s just smugness... I almost made a terrible mistake. If I''d continued to worry alone and made the choice to leave everyone else, the party would have really fallen apart. "Well, since Rain''s husband seems to be reflecting on it, I guess we''ll just leave it at that. ''Yes. If you''re too pushy, that''s going to make you feel bad about it. Hey, Rain?From now on, don''t ever think of something so stupid again! All right, I swear. Hmm, good. A smile returned to everyone''s faces after Nina. ''Well then, let''s get back to convincing your mothers. It''s about time you were awake, isn''t it? Last night, Al and his friends said they were up all night. I tried to talk to him, but he was still asleep. So I had to talk to everyone first......... ''I''ll have to persuade you but I honestly don''t know what to do about it. Mom, you''re a child, but you have a very stubborn streak. Hmm, my mother is the same way. She doesn''t easily give way to the things she decides to do, so... Al-san is not easy to deal with either. He''s the calmest and most extreme of the three. But I''ve got to try to keep up. Nina clenched her little fists and struck a spirited pose. ''Nina''s right. If we don''t stop Al-san and the others here, it''s going to be a horrible, horrible thing to imagine, because it''s going to be a very serious situation. Nya........mom would really attack the royal capital....... I''m with you... We haven''t heard about it yet, but how''s Rain''s husband''s plan going? ''I''m leaving that up to Sora and Luna, so it''s hard to say if they won''t return...'' Oh, my God! Suddenly, the door was opened vigorously. When I looked, I saw the chief of the spirit tribe standing at the entrance of the room, out of breath. ''''Nya, what''s wrong, are you in such a hurry?'''' Hey, cat with a deficiency of character. Watch your tone. A cat with a deficiency of character! Tania''s relentless tsking made Kanade look like a gauntlet. ''What''s wrong?What''s the problem? Oh, Al and the others have begun to say that they''re going to invade King''s Landing now! ---------- As I hurried to the entrance of the village of the spirit race, I found Suz-san, Al-san, and Milua-san. Each of them were dressed roughly, not much different from their usual appearance. However, the fighting spirit they wore was exceptional.... The three of them were so motivated that they were almost frightened. ''Hey, Mom!Where do you think you''re going! Of course, it''s the royal capital! You''re not done talking to us! Because, Tania, you keep talking so hard and interrupting your mother! They''re never going to get along, are they?So this is the end of the story. We are concubines, and we will do as we please. Oh no. It seems that Al-san and the others have reached the end of their patience. It looks like they''ve dismissed the conversation as over and started acting on their own. They had to somehow buy themselves some time until Sola and Luna came back! ''Wait!We haven''t talked.... It''s over. Crisply, Al-san interrupts me with a look of nonchalance. It''s like a different person from last night. What more can I do? How do I hold them back? I can''t think of a solution to break the deadlock, and I can''t move on to the next step. All I can do is to see Al-san and the others off.... You wait! A sharp voice interrupted, stopping Al and the others in their tracks. The owner of that voice was........ Luna!And Sora! Hmmm, it''s like perfect timing!I''ve been waiting for this kind of cue for a long time. Now, scrape off the dust!And be astonished!I am..... Shut up. Whew! Sola''s geniality exploded and Luna sank to the ground. The air is indescribable. ''''My apologies for being a spoiled sister who can''t read the air. Anyway.........Rain, sorry for the delay. Oh, thank God I''ve been waiting for you so long. ''''Because Sora is an excellent messenger who never fails the Lord. Hmph. Al seemed a little surprised when his daughters, who hadn''t been seen, appeared. However, he quickly erased his emotions and turned his shooting gaze to Sora. ''''Hmm. Sola, get out of there. Is Sola going to interfere with the mistress too? ''I suppose I''m going to have to interrupt you in a way. In the meantime........Mom, please listen to this side of the story. Sola said, and then she appeared from the back of the room.... Hello. And it''s been a while, Mr. Lane. It was Lady Sarya. 285-Episode 285: Reconciliation. And another... Al and others said. If the country would show proper sincerity, we wouldn''t have to think about it....... So I thought about doing exactly that. The village of the spirit race is connected to many places. The concept of distance doesn''t apply, and transfer magic is used to move around. If you use that road, you can travel to the royal capital in less than a day. What I asked Sora and Luna to do was to have them go to the royal capital and bring Sarya-sama to me. I''m sorry for the trouble and inconvenience this will cause.... I decided that unless I could get Sarya-sama and other royalty to act, I would no longer be able to stop Al-san and the others. It seems that the conversation has gone well... Sora and Luna brought Sarya-sama to us safely. Afterwards, the country and the strongest species discussed... The party was held. Yeah, I don''t think I know what I''m talking about. I don''t know what I''m talking about either. But it''s true. It''s happening right in front of me, in the present. "Ha-ha-ha, that''s good. Ha-ha-ha, that''s good. Drink some more, here. Yes, let''s have it. Al-san, his face flushed with alcohol, was pouring liquor into Lady Sarya who was sitting next to him. Sarya''s cheeks were slightly stained and she seemed to be somewhat drunk. However, she still seems to have room to spare and is drinking sake at her own pace. Oh, she''s drinking well. The mistress is not to be outdone!The spirit race must not be defeated by alcohol! Bringing up some unfamiliar logic, Al-san also drinks some more alcohol. He''s drinking it like water, but is it okay...? The spirit race seems to be very good at drinking, but still, I''m sure they drink a lot of it. ''''Nyah.......Rain. Why is this happening? Sorry, I don''t know. Ha-ha, I know. Kanade, who was sitting around the same table, took a sip of his drink while smiling bitterly. .........The discussion between Sarya-sama and Al-san and the others was held in the party alone. We had no choice but to wait outside the room where the discussion was taking place. The discussion lasted for several hours. Are you in confusion?Are you following the parallel lines? I was imagining all sorts of bad things about it going on for so long... The result was that they couldn''t have been more on the same page when the lid was opened. Sarya-sama handed over the letter entrusted to him by the king, and at the same time, he formally apologized as a nation. Mr. Al and his men accepted it and called off the invasion. Then, as a sign of fraternity, a banquet was held... The rest is as you can see. Everyone is getting along and drinking. Well, let''s just call it a success, shall we? "Humph, it''s because of me! ''What are you talking about? It''s all because of Rain''s plan to bring the princess to you. You mustn''t take credit for the Lord''s work. Mm. I think it''s nice to give a little credit. Hey, don''t you think Nina would like that? ...ahhh. Hm?Nina, why are you blushing? Are you embarrassed?I don''t remember saying anything so embarrassing? That''s not alcohol! Tania was right, Nina was holding a glass of liquor in her hand. Her face was red and her eyes were puffy... He wobbles his head back and forth. ''Oh, crap. I think I drank the wrong drink. Are you sure you''re okay? ''Nina is also the strongest species, so drinking alcohol won''t have a negative effect on her. It''s just that she''s still a child, so she doesn''t have a tolerance and she gets drunk easily like this. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa... That''s my big line. I''m not sure if that was the right line... ''Nina, you can''t take that anymore. Here, you can lie down. Hmm. We all took care of Nina. The person in question seemed to be feeling tipsy and comfortable. ''Kanade,'' Meow? Do you mind if I ask you about Nina?I''ve got some errands to run. ''Yeah, okay. I''ll take care of it. Thank you. I left the banquet hall. I continued on past a section of houses and moved on to a quiet plaza with lush greenery. It was surrounded by lush foliage, with a clear spring in the middle. I peered into it lightly and saw that it was surprisingly clear, and I could see all the way to the bottom of the lake. ''You''ve come.'' That''s the deal. Yuki showed up. ''Before the party started I was asked to make time and come here. ''So ... what''s the answer?'' He doesn''t like to talk in a roundabout way. Yuki asked me directly. My answer is already in place. "You know, the whole thing about bringing Sora and Luna back to the village... .... No. I think I was able to say it rather clearly. It was only a single word, but I think I was able to convey my intentions. ''....yeah. Yuki wasn''t angry or surprised, just quietly muttered a single word. ''If that''s what you''ve decided, then there''s nothing more I can do to interfere. Too bad.'' Sorry. How did you come up with that idea, if you don''t mind me asking? I''m selfish. What do you mean by that? To sum it up, I want to continue to be with you guys. He told her in the clearest possible terms and in a language that could not be misinterpreted. Yuki''s eyes roll back. ''''........Eh?That''s it? Yeah, that''s it. ''Wait a minute I said a lot of things, didn''t I?I warned you, didn''t I?He said that being with you might put Sora and Luna in danger. And yet, the answer to that is that you want to be with them... what?That''s it? Yuki was holding her temples, as if her head hurt. I don''t know how I feel. I''m sure you can understand why, because my answer is a very appropriate and selfish one. But I can''t explain it any better than that. That''s really all there is to it. I want to be with Sora and Luna. .... ''We always have and always will. We''ll laugh together, we''ll cry together, we''ll suffer together, we''ll have fun together ... and we''ll always want to do that. Are you willing to put Sora and Luna in danger for that? I''ll be fine. What? I''ll protect you. I''ve put my heartfelt determination into words. Everyone has everyone''s intentions. It''s not me who decides what individuals do, it''s you. I don''t need to be held accountable for my actions beyond that, and that''s an odd thing to do. But still, I think they have some responsibility for the dangers that may arise from being with me. So I..... I swore to protect him no matter what happened. I vowed to protect them so they would never hurt me again. So I decided..... ''Oh my God that''s not idealism or a dream. I''m not just a painful child who is blind to reality. It''s impossible to protect her from anything. ''Maybe. But I''m not going to give up before I do. You know... As expected, it''s impossible to protect you from even falling down while walking down the street. But when an incident like the one in King''s Landing happens, I will do whatever it takes to protect you no matter what. "...You''re going to say it outright. I wonder how prepared you are to do that? I''m willing to bet my life on it. Yuki was staring into my eyes. A little bit of time passed as it was.... With a huff, Yuki gives a small laugh. ''It looks like you''re serious.'' Of course I''m serious. I didn''t think there was any human being who could risk their lives for their fellow man, but I guess you''re wrong. Zero percent lie, 100% serious. You''re just plain stupid, aren''t you? Yuki was smiling happily, despite the fact that she was saying something thorny. The ruggedness that had been present has been removed and she has a girlish face for her age. Spinning around, Yuki showed her back. I''m not going to be able to get it right. ''''Hey, Yuki?'''' I approve of you. So you''re gonna keep your word, okay? Of course. I''ll see you later. Yuki waved her hand with a flutter.... And then I was alone. "Feng. I let out a breath and relaxed from my body. I was so nervous.... But I''m glad you admitted it. I''ll continue to work hard so that my words won''t be a lie. Once again, I made a strong promise to myself. 286-Episode 286: Secretly... The Sunlight Spring. In the resting place called that, I found Rain and Yuki. They were talking about many things... Yuki leaves first, and after a bit, Rain leaves too. .........Two shadows that were secretly watching his back. ''''........My sister. Have they not found out about us? ''''I''m sure they''ll be fine. Maybe it''s because this is the home of the spirit race, but both of them didn''t seem to be paying much attention to their surroundings. Sora and Luna had been secretly following Rain, who had left the banquet hall saying she had something to do, and Sora and Luna had been secretly following her. The reason is simple and clear. Because I''m curious. It was typical for these twins to have no regard for Rayne''s privacy at all. The truth is, Sora was against it, but Luna pushed her to the edge. Don''t you want to know about Rain''s secret story? So, if he said that, he couldn''t suppress his curiosity and peeked out with them, that''s what he was doing. ''And yet........I didn''t expect Yuki to have talked to Rain about something like that. I didn''t expect that. "Hmm. He said this and that, but he was really worried about us, wasn''t he? She''s a typical tsundere girl. ''You mustn''t say anything to tease me. In Yuki''s own way, she was worried about Sora and the others. But I''m afraid that''s a little unnecessary, don''t you think?It''s a bit presumptuous of us to say that we are in danger and that we must return to our homes. We will decide our own affairs, and we are not children anymore. We are not children anymore. Yes. For a moment, she spoke her thoughts and feelings about Yuki.... Then the twins close their mouths. Each one thinks about Rain. I am amazed. ''''That''s right. Protecting both Sora and Luna is a bit too idealistic, if I may say so. ''But that''s the beauty of Rain. It''s cooler to dream and keep trying than to just look at reality and give up. Yeah, that''s cool. Mm, that''s pretty cool. You look like you''re thinking about something. That''s where the twins'' cheeks turn vermilion. ''Luna, your face is red. That''s the kind of Sora that''s red in the face. ''''It can''t be helped. If you said something so cool, like you''re going to absolutely protect Sola or something like that I''d be thrilled. Myself, too, I have a tingling, if you will, of female instinct. Sora and Luna............................had the faces of girls in love. They glanced at each other''s faces like that. Since they are twins, their faces are almost identical. I feel as if I''m looking in a mirror, and I''m strangely embarrassed. Feeling compelled, Sora and Luna turn their faces away from each other in the direction of the day after tomorrow. They continue to talk as it is. ''''........Hey, my sister. What is it? ''Guess what Sora''s thinking right now?It is. Huh. Luna says she can read Sora''s mind now? It''s easy to do now with just Sola. You''re thinking about Rain, aren''t you? Yes, you are correct. ''Oh, it was easy to be recognized...'' That''s the kind of Luna you''re thinking about Rain too, isn''t it? Yeah, well, you see, it''s not, uh, a... Luna fumbled and panicked. Her usual irreverent attitude is nowhere to be found, she''s a shy maiden herself. Although her usual words and actions are maverick........ Luna is basically a maiden. Since she doesn''t show that aspect of herself and covers it up with her irreverent words and actions, it''s hard to be noticed, but... It seems my sister, Sora, can see that. ''Well my sister said she was thinking about Rain, how does that make you feel?What do you think? Of course I like it, I think of it as a way of saying I like it. Oof! Luna made a strange sound at Sora''s words in a direct manner. She felt embarrassed as if it was her own, even though it was an expression of someone else''s favor. ''''Originally, Sola had a fondness for Rain................................but this time, I can be sure. Sola.........likes Rain. I love her. ''Oh yes, Sora is bold...'' What about that kind of Luna? Me?I, uh... Luna squirms and is embarrassed. If there are other members here, what''s going on!I might have been surprised. I don''t have anything to think about as far as talking about it enough to be a tease... Thus, when it comes to a serious love story, Luna is embarrassed. She gets embarrassed. She is a maiden for some reason. ''....I, too, like................................ She says in a faint voice, her face turning red. Looking at her sister like that, Sora laughs gently. ''''Hmph, so Luna feels the same way as Sora. ''''It''s because..........................I''m going to fall in love with him when he says something that cool. ''Well, I guess that''s a foul thing to say to Yuki earlier. That''s right. It would be strange not to fall in love with it! So, I guess this means that Sola and the other sisters are both in love with Rain. Oh.... In the meantime, are Sora and Luna going to be rivals today? Mmm-hmm. Luna was getting back to her usual form, and she looked difficult. ''''Do I have to contend with Sora...? ''I don''t think it''s just Sora. Kanade and ... and maybe Tania is starting to like Rain too. ''Mmmm ... if you ask me, that''s the mood. Three rivals........what about Nina and Tina? ''Tina is........a bit troubling. I think there''s no doubt that she has fondness for him, but whether it''s a romantic feeling...in the same sense, I don''t know if it''s a romantic feeling...I don''t know if it''s Nina either. Whether it''s the affection she shows to her family or the love she shows to certain people... it''s a mystery. ''As for me, I have a feeling that sooner or later, both Tina and Nina will really like Rain... then we''ll have five rivals... mmmm!We''ve got to play the game now, don''t we? How ... is Luna going to beat Sora? Sola smiled a spare smile. It''s as if she''s saying that Luna is no match for her. Inspired by her sister''s attitude, Luna''s cheeks puffed out and she was motivated by mmmm. ''Even if my sister is the opponent, I will not be defeated. The heart of Rayne will win me over. ''Sora won''t be beaten either. Luna I''ll never be as good as Kanade or Tania. Rain and I will be your lover. Now you''re embarrassed, aren''t you? It''s in my head. ''Hmmm. Don''t be so embarrassed, my sister. I''ve been cool for a while now, so I was afraid that Sora might be superior to you when it comes to serious relationships, but.......I see. It seems that this is not the case. With this, my victory is possible. Mmm-hmm. The position was reversed and Luna laughed in a really fun way. That smile was even a bit villainous. Although she has a weakness for serious stories.......she''s basically a trickster and mischief-maker who stirs up the people around her. ''Sora,'' Luna held out her hand. ''We''ll do our best together, won''t we?'' Mmm! Knowing how they felt about each other seemed to increase their friendship as sisters, and Sora and Luna''s smiles were as bright as stars. 287-Episode 287: Two Bad News ........a few days later. Sarya-sama formally apologized for the one incident caused by Arios. He said he would make any kind of reparation... Struck by his straightforward attitude, Al decided to solve the problem without blame. And not only that, but an exchange between the spirit race and the country was established, although it was limited to Al-san and a few other individuals. It''s still a small stream right now... Eventually, there may be a resurgence of interaction between people and spirit races. I can''t help but hope. Incidentally, Suzu-san and Milua-san also seemed to have taken a liking to Sarya-sama, and had formed a personal exchange with her. To make a connection not only with Al-san, but also with Suzu and Milua-san, Sarya-san must be a pretty amazing person. She was just the daughter of a wise king. And......... So, thank you, gentlemen, for your help. The day has come for Sarya-sama to return to the royal capital. Someone has to accompany him to use the transition gate used by the spirit race, but....... Then the mistresses are off. Miss Lane, some other time. Together with Al-san, Sarya-sama disappeared inside the transition gate. I didn''t know Al-san was going to accompany her.... I heard he liked you a lot. Well, it''s no wonder, since she''s Lord Sarya. She''s a very attractive person, or rather, she''s full of charm. A few hours later.... Having accomplished our initial objective, we also decided to leave the village of the spirit race. Suzu and Milua, who are planning to stay there for a while while while we go sightseeing, came to see us off. ''Kanade, you''re going to be fine. You mustn''t eat anything that falls on the floor, okay?There''s no three-second rule, you know. Also, I think you can learn to be a little more girly. By doing so, you''ll appeal to Ms. Lane... ''Unya!Mom, it''s none of your business. Oh, uh-huh. They were still mother and daughter. ''Ughhhh, Tania. Are you going home?Can''t you stay with your mother?It''s time to stop the ordeal and come back to the village, okay?Don''t worry. If anyone disagrees with you, your mother will take care of everything! Well I''ll see you later, Mom. ''Wow, Tania, you''re cold!I''m a rebel, I''m a rebel! Tania and Mr. Milua.... They were saying goodbye to each other, which seems to be the case. Tania and Milua-san both seem to be having a hard time. Al-san, Sora and Luna hadn''t said their goodbyes, but is it okay? I was curious about that and asked them both... ''My mother is that kind of person, so I made it easy for her to say hello this morning. ''Be of good cheer,'' was all he said. Well, that''s easy enough for me, so I don''t have any problems with it. .........that was it. I felt that it was like Al-san and also like Sora and Luna. Finally greeting the chief, we left the village of the spirit race. We stayed there for a few days, and the purpose of our stay was to persuade Al-san and the others to run amok. We didn''t come here to play, but we were able to spend some quality time... Next time I had a chance, I simply wanted to come and visit. We walked through the transition gate and into the Forest of Lostness. I tamed the rabbit and was led to the exit, and walked down the road to the street and the path that led to Horizon. ''''.........'''' ''Meow?What''s going on, Rain?You''re kind of spaced out. Hmm?Oh ... no ... anything. Hey, are you sure it''s nothing?You need to tell us something, don''t you? It''s... I was about to say no, and then I suddenly had a second thought. They say it''s a bad habit to keep to yourself, and that might make the problem worse. Besides, it sounds like I don''t trust everyone, and again, I''m not sure if I should think about it. I guess I''ll have to confide in them honestly. ''Well, actually I have two pieces of bad news. Meow, two... And they''re both bad news... The two of them get a puzzled look on their faces. Seeing them, the rest of the group gathered around. As they walked, they all shared the two pieces of information together. ''Didn''t I tell you that Arios was imprisoned? ''Mm, I heard. I also heard that you were disbarred from being a brave man. It''s a shame, isn''t it? I think you''ll spend the rest of your life in jail. Sola and Luna were relentless. Well, I feel the same way, so I can''t speak for others. ''That Arios I hear he''s escaped from prison. Very? It seems to be a difficult word for Nina, so she tilted her head slightly. Tina explains to Nina in a cheerful manner. "You know, Nina. Breaking out of jail is a bad thing to escape from a prison without permission. Rain is out, huh? Haha, yeah. So you must be a bad boy, Rain. Hahaha, laughing... What the hell? He shouted loudly as he came to himself. Everyone else rolled their eyes in surprise. ''This isn''t public knowledge, so please don''t tell anyone. Uh-huh. All right. I''m just surprised to see that the brave man escaped from prison. Sarya told me about it. Wasn''t there a female knight named Monica?They say he''s the one who got Arios out of jail. Monica was an SS in the king''s service and an observer of Arios. However, it seems that she had been in touch with Arios from the beginning... The day before the sentence was to be carried out, he apparently disappeared with Arios and his friends. When I tell the story, Tania looks puzzled. I don''t know what that is. It''s not a good idea to be betrayed by your entourage. You can''t be sure that the king is really okay with this? ''Don''t say that. I heard that Monica served for years, so it''s hard to expect such a knight to betray her. Rather, I think it''s amazing that Monica would spend so many years in the bosom of the king. No, it''s not Monica, it''s the people behind it...? Once, I thought back to the night I met Monica face to face. From the conversation we had then, I could tell that someone was behind her. Is it an individual or a large organization? I don''t know, but..........................it''s definitely not a simple opponent. ''''In other words, that brave man, is he going to do something again? Now that we''ve lost that, what can we do? I''d better be careful, though. I know because I spoke to him in person, face to face, but Arios had become a lot crazier. He was an arrogant guy to begin with, but now it seemed so easy to do so... Maybe we should move on from here. However, I have zero information about it. I heard that Al-san and the others will pay attention and look into it too.... Right now, all we can do is wait for information to appear from somewhere. What''s the other bad information? It''s also related to Arios, but he has a legendary equipment called the Shield of Truth. And according to additional information provided by Sarya, she also possesses a legendary equipment called the Ring of Heaven. ''Since you''ve been disqualified, what''s the point of having that? ''''Even if they take away your qualifications, you won''t lose your brave blood. You''ll still be able to use your legendary equipment. It''s tricky... So.........the equipment confiscated during their imprisonment seems to have disappeared as well. In order, Arios and the others must have taken it with them. Or Monica. What Arios had in his possession was legendary equipment. It was left in a vault, it was not sloppily managed. I''m sure they used magic and kept it under strict control, but.... I''m more and more concerned about the background. It''s more like a knife to an idiot, or rather, the possibility of it getting out of hand has increased. ''Neither of you seem to have mastered it yet but that''s not going to be the case for a long time to come. I think you''d better be careful. I can''t think of any specific measures to deal with it, though. We don''t know where it''s lurking, and we don''t know what actions it will take. It''s quite a difficult problem. I don''t think there''s anything we can do about it right away, but I want everyone to be aware of it. Ragnar! If Arios has a plan, I won''t let him have his way. I won''t let the incident in King''s Landing be repeated. I was strongly determined to do so. 288-Episode 288: Alliance of Love After returning to Horizon, Rain and the rest of the group spent their days taking it easy. Even though they were taking it easy, they continued their activities as adventurers. Since they were promoted to A-rank, the range of their activities expanded even more than before. The number of requests with a high degree of difficulty has also increased. Even so, it didn''t seem to be a big problem for Rayne and the others, who were walking and working together with their friends to complete the requests smoothly. Then one day. Welcome, Tania! You''re in my way. Tania visited Kanade''s room. She was somewhat fidgety and unsettled. It was the same for Kanade, who was scurrying around and looking down the hallway, hoping that the other members wouldn''t see her. After confirming that no one was watching him, he closes the door. ''''Well then........'''' Shall we begin? When they are alone in the room, what will Canade and Tania begin to do? It''s.... So, you know, the other day I had Rain stroke me! Oh, that''s not fair. I can''t believe you didn''t do me a favor. You''re welcome. If you do something that makes you try a little harder in front of Rain, she''ll usually pet you. Isn''t that like a pet? Nya... that''s what it feels like when you say that... as Rain, I''m sure he doesn''t mean that, he''s just trying to be genuinely patsy. It''s just so insensitive. But I like it. Well I like it. Most of the time when maidens of their age get together, it''s usually to talk about love. Kanade and Tania are no exception. However, there''s one thing that''s a little different... How do I get Lane to turn on me? Lane did this for me today. ........and so on and so forth. They would report back to each other occasionally, and before they knew it, it was a regular meeting. By doing so, Kanade and Tania were making an effort to move their love life forward as much as possible. But it''s frustrating, isn''t it.......I think I''m showing off that I like you a lot. The same goes for me. I mean, I''m pressing my chest against your chest and all that, and you don''t even notice. They were both sighing at the same time. Couldn''t they just confess honestly? You might think so, but to begin with, we don''t have the guts to do that, which is why the two of us are talking about this and that in this way. The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you have to be so slow.Or maybe we''re not pushing hard enough? Hmmm.........I feel like it''s both. However, I have the feeling that Rain is avoiding that aspect of my life more than I expected. ''Rain is insensitive in some ways, but more than that, she seems to avoid looking at Sola and the others that way. Whether this is conscious or unconscious, I can''t say. Mostly, they''re afraid the relationship will fall apart because of the romance. Oh, I think you might be right. That being said, there''s a good chance of that happening. Kanade and Tania nodded yes and.... Sola! To Luna? Both of them were surprised when they noticed the twin sisters sneaking into the room before they knew it. ''You guys, when did that happen?!'' I didn''t hear the door open but... Humph, we don''t want anyone to hurt us. Use your magic and be a little.... Kanade and Tania let out a sigh as the twins gave them a bad look. If these two are serious, there''s no point in keeping the door locked. ''''So... what are you doing?'''' Tania glares at them. If you were just eavesdropping, you know what would happen, right? He was applying strong pressure like that. ''Actually, there''s something I wanted to talk to Kanade and Tania about. "Us? So I was looking for the two of you, and since you were just having a private conversation, we thought you might want to join us. ''You know ... it''s a private conversation, so I''m not going to do anything to make you listen. What the hell? Hing! It turned out to be eavesdropping, after all, and Tania''s proverbial cockles fell on Luna and Sora''s heads. They each let out a strange scream. However, it seemed to be tame, and the two of them only got teary-eyed. ''Gee, it''s a misunderstanding we want to have a private conversation too, that''s why we went in at this time. It seems that Kanade and Tania are having a private conversation, so that''s convenient for Sora and the others, and I thought I''d ask them to mix it up on the way... Meow?Did you two talk in private, too? What do you mean? Sola and Luna tell Kanade and Tania, who look at them curiously, very naturally. ''Sola and the others have fallen in love with Rain as well. I''ve been curious about her for a long time, but now I can say for sure that we are clearly in love with her. Yes, we want to be Lane''s lover. There was silence. Kanade and Tania rolled their eyes. A few moments later, Kanade''s tail turned upward, wagging and trembling. As if to imitate her, Tania''s tail also looked up. ''''Eeeeeeee! Soon after, Kanade and Tania''s surprised voices were heard. ''What?''What''s going on? Sleekly, he slipped through the door and Tina appeared to check on him. Kanade and Tania waved their hands to the side in a hurry. ''Uh-uh, it''s nothing!Nyanka! Yeah, yeah, it''s nothing! "...Really?Well, I won''t ask too much about that but Nina is taking a nap right now, so please be quiet! Tina pulled her face back and disappeared somewhere else. After making sure of that.... And just to be even more sure, Kanade and Tania ask the twins, keeping their voices low. ''''Wait ... what did you mean when you said that earlier?'''' Sora and Luna have taken a liking to Lane... That''s just what I meant. We''ve come to love Rain. Seriously? Kanade spilled out such a murmur at the arrival of a new rival, pining for his character. ''Don''t you think Kanade and Tania like Rain?And yet it seems unfair to us to remain silent. So it was decided that Sola and the others would be properly informed. Wait a minute. How did you know that we like Rain?I''ve never told either of you. Hm?Are you serious? It''s quite obvious by looking at their attitude. In fact, Kanade and Tania''s attitude was easy to understand. They liked to make contact with Rain occasionally, and would turn red when they were near her. It''s a full-blown maiden''s behavior, so it''s usually obvious if you look at it. ''''Haaah.......I didn''t expect Sora and Luna to join in as well. I wonder if this is called a pentagonal relationship? ''Don''t look at me like that. What are the chances of making progress with our participation? What do you mean...? Let''s form an alliance. Does that mean........a romantic alliance between......Rain? It''s actually possible. Sola''s suggestion was met with a bite from Kanade and Tania. ''Two instead of one, four instead of two. First of all, we must unite to make Rain aware of the fact that we are girls. Otherwise, we won''t even be able to begin the game. ''''After you''ve been made aware of it, let''s each do our best. And whoever wins Rayne''s heart, no hard feelings... what do you think? I''m in! I''m in! Fortunately for this, Kanade and Tania decided to form an alliance with the twins. To be honest, they didn''t know what to do about the situation enough to do so. ''Then it is settled. We, the four of us, will unite to make Rain''s heart fall! I''m going to make this love come true, I swear! ''''Oh!'''' Thus, the romantic alliance of Rain versus Rain was formed. What direction will it work in? Who knows.... 289-Episode 289: Each Thought On that day, I accepted a request to defeat the Minotaur that had appeared on the plains near the city. Since I had some family business to attend to, Kanade and Tania decided to take down the minotaur. The Minotaur is a monster that looks like a ravenous bull walking on two legs and carrying a weapon. It is categorized as a B-rank and is known to be quite a powerful enemy. It''s just........ Hey, Kanade, he''s coming your way! I got it! The minotaur swung his huge axe down, but it did not hit Kanade. Kanade''s figure became an afterimage and the axe passed through nothing. ''''Unyang!'''' As if in a flash, Kanade came around behind the minotaur. He struck a powerful blow to the back of the knee. Maybe it''s because it''s walking on two legs, but the minotaur''s kryptonite is the same as a person''s. The minotaur screamed and fell to its knees. ''''Now........'''' It''s over! Tania kicked the ground and jumped up. As it was, she crushed the minotaur''s jaw with her knee. He also spun around in the air. She cleaves her tail and strikes the minotaur''s face painfully. With a gurgling sound of a neck bone breaking, the minotaur sinks to the ground. Soon after, its body disappears and turns into a magical stone. "Hmmm. That''s what you get for me. ''Oh!I was going to top it off! The sooner the better. Even the B-ranked Minotaur was like a baby when it came to Kanade and Tania. They would have struggled more before... We''ve all grown up a lot, probably because we''ve had a lot of experience. I don''t think I''m going to let them beat me. It''s just.... "Hey, hey, Rain. Say something to Tania. You''re going to take all the credit for this. ''Lane would understand, wouldn''t he?He said it wasn''t my fault, it was that troubled cat''s fault. A troglodyte! They were talking to me, but I was thinking about something else now. ''Rain?'' ...What? What''s up, you just wandered off but you''re thinking? ''Oh, no I think I might have been a bit distracted by the fact that we finished defeating them without any problems. I''m sorry. You''ve got to get your head out of your ass. You can''t let your guard down, that''s what Lane said before. Yeah, that''s bad. While I apologize, I still think about another and a certain thing. ........The story that Al-san told me the other day in the village of the spirit race was actually not two, but three. Because the third one was uncertain... and because it wasn''t a matter of immediate concern, I had to put it off for now. The third one was..... "...Iris... Once, we were the strongest species that ever opposed each other. I thought I could finally understand you after making your words reach them so many times, but.... That''s where the end came. That''s what I thought.... It''s now possible that this may not actually be the case. I''ve been wondering about one thing about Al-san''s case. How did Mr. Al and his team know that Kanade and the others were about to be executed? Mr. Milua and others dote on Tania, but they don''t watch over her 24 hours a day. As the story spreads, Al and the others will eventually find out.... It was fast moving for that. When I asked him about it, Al-san said ''A girl from the Celestial Race came in contact with those in the village, and that''s where the information came from''....... The Celestial Race is extinct and there should be no survivors. Was there a surviving Celestial Race that I just didn''t grasp, or was there a surviving Celestial Race? Or ... or maybe ... Iris is alive. If it was possible, I''d like to see Iris again. And ..... ...I''d like to be in a relationship where we can laugh together this time. ---------- I''m back. Welcome back. When Iris returned to the mansion, she moved straight into the living room. Then, as if she had expected Iris to return, tea and sweets were prepared for her. ''Have you been keeping an eye on me? ''No, sir. I just thought that you would be back by now........ It was later than I expected, and the tea has gone cold. ''This will be fine. I''m tired and I''m in the mood for a cup of cold tea. Iris traced the air with her fingertips. Then a small piece of ice was summoned and plopped into the teacup. She stirred it with a teaspoon and made an iced tea. ''Phew, that''s calming.'' ''It was just an errand but are you that tired?'' It''s no wonder that you''re mentally exhausted to go to the place where the person who sealed me off in the past is there, even if it''s only to deliver a message. The content of the message would only stir the other party up. What was the point of doing that? Of course. If things go well, an all-out war between the most powerful species and humans... isn''t that pretty fun? I''m afraid that wasn''t the plan, though. ''What?Is that so? I was curious, and I was watching you for a bit but Master Lane intervened and put it away. Well, I''m sorry to hear that. He says it''s a shame, but he doesn''t seem discouraged by Reese. It''s as if he knew he was going to fail. Iris asks suspiciously. ''Were you expecting this too?'' To some extent. Reese replied with a cool face. ''I''m not convinced. If you expected it, why didn''t you take action?'' I don''t expect much, and if I fail, I''ll be fine with it. What do you want? Of course, it''s to destroy the humans. The mission of the demon race is to fulfill the will and wish of the demon king, right? And yet, there''s not much to do about it, is there? ''''We can''t be serious yet, you know. As I''ve said before, if we do too much while the Demon Lord is in a dormant period, he''ll get angry with us. If you implement a plan that doesn''t have a high success rate.......and it works, well, that''s fine. If it doesn''t, you can still stir them up. That''s how we''re in the process of planting seeds all over the place right now. How can you go so far? Reese said, as if playing a game. Iris felt threatened by his attitude. Reese looked like he was enjoying a risky game. If I were to compare it to walking a tightrope on a cliff without a lifeline with a blindfold on....... The danger, the thrill, the ecstasy. The destination can''t be anything but ruin. It''s out of the question to go along with that kind of Rhys. The Iris of old was trapped in a doomsday mindset, but.... I met Rayne and I started to look forward. How do we live?I haven''t decided that yet, but... At least I''m not going to take life for granted. What should we do? Iris is lost. Even if there is no place to go, it would be right to leave Rhys now. Never mind the debt of gratitude for your help. They are enemies to begin with. I''ve been invited by Reese to join me in my pocket. How about getting everything you can get? For example, Reese''s future moves, and the trends of the demon race as a whole. As for Iris, she would like to see Rain again. However, I don''t know how I should look at him. I think it''s too late for that. Then why not take the information about the demon race as a souvenir? I suddenly think about that. ''What''s going on?'' No, it''s nothing. I''ve stopped taking revenge against humans. However, I don''t intend to take the side of the humans like I did in the past. But.........I feel like I could be on Rain''s personal side. Although it''s not yet a definite decision, Iris decided a little bit on the path she would take. ''''So... is this the end of my work? Hello. Are you ready to join us, by any chance? ''No, I''m not sure about that yet. I just thought I could help you out a bit more, to see what you''d do. ''You are welcome. I won''t be relying on Mr. Iris''s help for a while but I''ll ask you to help me when you do. It''s just me and I''m busy with other things. What''s your new trick? ''''Yes. I thought I''d have the brave man completely corrupted and become an ally of our demon race. 290-Episode 290 Final About a month had passed since the commotion that had occurred in the royal capital. Arios'' escape from the prison had been communicated only to the knights and some adventurers, and a search for him was underway. Of course, the search for Arios was not just in the King''s Capital, it was taking place in various cities. Not only that, even the cities that seemed unrelated.......even the small villages were searched with an obsessive determination to never miss. The hand of the search also extends to the village of Fram. Every house will be searched. The momentum is such that not a single cat cub will escape. ........But they could not find Arios and the others. ---------- Arios and the others were in a cave near the village of Fulham. The knights and adventurers who were looking for them were approaching the village of Fulham. After receiving this information from Monica, Arios and his friends left the village immediately. However, they were not prepared for the long journey due to the unexpected situation. They haven''t even decided on their next destination. They decided to find a place to rest for the time being, so they hid in a nearby cave. I''m back. Oh, Monica. You''re back. How did you feel? Leanne and Mina greeted Monica when she showed up. Monica showed a troubled expression to those two. ''''It seems that the pursuer is still staying in the village of Flam. As expected, it''s impossible to go through the entire country, so I think it''s safe here but.......I think it''s best not to move now. It''s not like there aren''t any patrols, and if we move poorly, we might find them. After that, I think we should wait for Aggus-sama, who is investigating this area, to return. Well, thanks, Monica. I owe you so much for being here. ''''Yes, really. We''re magic-specialized, so we''re not suited to explore or anything like that and we''re sorry for the inconvenience. No, don''t worry about it. I will do whatever I can to help you all, Arios. Monica laughs, as if this isn''t even a hardship. As if soothed by such a smile, Leanne and Mina also laugh. Disqualified as a brave man, driven out of the country....... For Leanne and Mina, who have lost everything, Monica is like a lifeline to them. She helped them save themselves and also actively protected them afterwards. It was an environment that they could not help but depend on. ''Is Aggus here yet?'' Seeing the timing, Arios approached Monica. ''Perhaps. If you haven''t come back here, that''s probably what it means. ''Totally ... how much time do you spend just examining your surroundings? What do you need to know about this place? Mina answers Leanne''s question. ''We need to make sure we have an escape route so our pursuers don''t catch us, you know. Also, I want to make sure we have water and food if possible. We''ve got what we''ve got in the village of Fulham, but the more the merrier, the better. It''s a pain in the ass... oh my god, why are we doing this to each other? We must endure for now. One day, I am sure, we will be proven right in what we do. Yeah, that''s right. We didn''t do anything wrong! I don''t blame Arios for his sins, nor do I confront my own sins.... Only, Leanne and Mina are distracted from reality. This is a bad dream and one day they will wake up. And the time will come when they will be able to walk the path of glory again as a brave party. That''s what they believed. There was no other way but to believe it, because they were afraid to admit reality and looked away. ''Arios-sama, may I have a moment?'' Yeah, what is it? This way.... At Monica''s invitation, Arios moved to the entrance of the cave where Lean and Mina could not hear him. There, Monica looked how serious she looked, and after showing her hesitation, she softly cut her off. ''''About the matter of the other day, Aggus-sama........'''' ---------- Outside the cave - a short walk away - there was Aggus. He was not alone. A man who looked like an adventurer was with him. ''''Well Arios is in the cave up ahead. His companions are with him. Well, there''s no wonder you can''t find it here. He''s a brave man, even if he''s rotten. He''s very strong. Have you gathered the people? ''I''d say we''re looking at twenty adventurers and fifty knights. I don''t know about this. ''Indeed, it might not be enough when dealing with brave men. Adventurers are B-rated at best. But ... that''s what you''re here for, right? The adventurous man grins at me. "You''ll potion the heroes to sleep. And then we''ll overpower them all at once. Even if the potion fails, we have three backup plans. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Yeah, I''m on it. I''m going to do my job just fine. And in return I''ll do my job. I know. I''ll have my superiors work things out with you. Let''s just say... Aggus sold Arios and his men. In exchange for his own safety, he sold them information about Arios and his men, and also assisted in their capture. In doing so, he asked for a reduced sentence. Aggus had been distrustful of Arios for some time. I kept running out of control. They don''t leave out their surroundings. The wrinkles came to Aggus and the others, and it always bothered me. And then........the incident in King''s Landing. Arios'' outbursts were unstoppable and developed into a national disturbance.... As a result, he was stripped of his bravery. Not only that, he was also punished with the stigma of being a traitor. There was no way I could agree to that. I am not a man who ends up in this place. Unlike the short-tempered and shallow Arios........ Unlike Lean, who is selfish and has no idea what to do.... Unlike Mina, who blindly believes in God and doesn''t see things for herself.... I have the strength, knowledge and experience to continue to work in many places. I''m not going to have a heart attack with those people. And I''ll do whatever it takes to avoid that. Selling out your people is the worst thing you could do? I don''t care. For what it''s worth, human beings are always the prettiest of all. If there is a situation where you have to sacrifice one of you or someone else, no one else will help you. So there is nothing wrong with this. It''s a legitimate act. Aggus was thinking about that in his mind. He sold Arios and the others and thought it was a legitimate right to save only himself. ........Was it because he was thinking like that? He was not alerted to his surroundings and was late in noticing Solee,. ''''Gigavolt!'''' With a powerful voice, a thunderbolt rushed through the air and shot Aggus and the adventurer who was with him. His entire body was in intense pain and he was unable to stand and fell. ''''Gu........What, what is........? Aggus I''m sorry to hear that. What...?Ah, Arios...! Arios appeared out of the darkness. Arios wasn''t the only one. Leanne, Mina and Monica were with him. ''Monica told me. ''I heard you were trying to sell us out?'' How could you... ''Do you want to ask me how I came to realize that?Mr. Aggus was very cautious and took his time in preparing for this. I didn''t notice it at first either. But........I have a very dependable person on my side. ''''d*mn... but the siege should be complete by now. I didn''t think we''d be able to escape... Um... siege, like the guys who were surrounding us?I would have let them die, though? Leanne says simply. ''Leanne''s not lying. This one, too, because Monica told me about it. It looks like they were going to take us by surprise but we just took them by surprise in reverse and wiped them out. ''Stupid...'' ''You were going to drug us and take us by surprise, weren''t you?In other words, they knew that with simple force, it wouldn''t matter how many small fish like that were gathered. Then ... what would happen if we took them by surprise ... don''t you think we don''t need to think about the consequences? Aggus is completely speechless. In his mind, why?The words were repeated. How did this happen? Where did I go wrong? What led to that was..... Aggus''s gaze turned to Monica. ''It''s you ... you! "Hmm. Monica laughs coolly as she meets Aggus'' strong gaze. ''Arios that woman is dangerous! The blade sticks in Aggus'' hand. The one holding that sword is........Arios. ''''Are you begging for your life at this point in time?Would you stop this pandering and make a show of it you tried to sell us out. You betrayed us. This is unforgivable and it''s time for you to be judged now. The pain of a pierced hand makes Aggus realize that death is at hand. I don''t want to. I don''t want to die here. I want to live still. I am not a man to end up in a place like this! Aggus managed to move his lightning-burned body and tried to crawl away. However, there was someone to block it. ''''Earthbound!'''' Holy Arrow! Leen''s magic entangled Aggus'' entire body.... Mina''s magic pierced through my leg as if it were a no-no. ''''Lean, Mina.......wait, I.......! I''m really sorry to disappoint you but you''re just trying to sell us out or something. Do you want to die here?Agus you don''t need it. That sin, nothing but death will no longer be able to atone for it. For our future, Aggus ... be our bread and butter here. Aggus felt desperate as his former comrades gave him a cold look. Still unable to give up on life, he pleaded with Arios. ''I....I''m sorry!So, no more...! Oh dear, you don''t look good Aggus, you''re my enemy. You know what the enemy does. You know what they do, don''t you? Wait, no!I am, I am...! I''m sorry. He even carried sadness with him. Being stripped of his bravery and losing everything.... Still, he thought he had only his friends left. But it was an illusion. Aggus was about to betray them. That made me more sad than angry. ''Goodbye, Aggus,'' Wha...? Arios gave him an icy look and went straight to chopping off Aggus'' head. Aggus''s head rolled. ''''........'''' Arios stared at it with a complicated look on his face. That sword was wet with blood... Or perhaps it was like tears. But ... the fact that Arios had put his own people in his hands does not change. It does not disappear. It is recorded as something certain. In that moment, body and soul ... and their souls were completely depraved. ---------- He said he would clean up after the bodies and Monica stayed where she was. Arios and the others returned to the cave and began to prepare to move. Although they dismissed the pursuers that Aggus had prepared for them, it was safe to assume that the information had been leaked elsewhere. That''s why I decided to leave the cave immediately. ''''Hmph.......Thank you for your efforts, Aggus-sama. Thanks to you, I was able to stain Arios-sama''s soul.'''' Monica smiled with satisfaction as she looked down at Aggus'' corpse. It wasn''t Arios or Aggus who had set everything up.......it was Monica. It was all a lie to say that she didn''t know anything about her pursuers. Monica has Reese and other demons on her side, so she almost always knows about the movements of her pursuers. She also knew about Aggus''s betrayal. However, he dared to leave it alone. I left it at that in order to have my companions killed by Arios'' hands. And then........everything went Monica''s way and Arios fell. So this is what it''s like to not stop laughing. Grinning and smiling, Monica........ Despite his well-rounded appearance, he looked like a ridiculously evil demon. ''''Hmph, now we are ready. Fufufu, ufufu. 291-Episode 291: A Girl Wet in the Rain Unfortunately, the weather was unfortunate today. It hasn''t been raining since this morning, though it''s not so much a downpour as a downpour, and it never stops. I''d like to stay home and relax on a day like this, but unfortunately that''s not possible. We''re out of seasoning, and I have to go out and buy some more. ''Lane, where are you going?'' ''You''re out?Is it a fun place? Kanade and Luna, who were lounging on the living room sofa, looked at me. ''Shopping. We''ve run out of condiments.'' Well, while you''re at it, let''s get the ingredients for today''s meal. I want fish! I like my vegetables! You''ll have to talk to Tina, our cook, about that. Our head chef is Tina, so I can''t decide on the menu. Tina is a kind person, so if I say I want something like that, as long as it''s not something crazy, she usually responds to my request. ''Are you sure you''ll be okay on your own?Do you want me to come with you? It''s a bit of a spice thing, I''ll be fine on my own. It''s raining and Kanade and the others can go home and relax. I don''t like the rain... ''What, Kanade doesn''t like the rain? Cats don''t like to get wet! You don''t mind taking a bath? I like baths because they''re warm and comfortable. I don''t understand... Watching them interact with each other, I was somewhat relieved. I felt like my daily life had returned to normal. I''m off then. Have a nice day. Have a good day. They saw me off and I left the house. ---------- Walking through the rainy city with an umbrella. It''s raining, so there aren''t many stalls open. I had to walk to the shops, but I was able to get some good quality condiments instead. ''Since it''s on the way, shall I buy something sweet to take home? I want to see everyone''s happy faces and I think about that. I don''t know if they''re doing the stalls so... Let''s go to a sweet shop that does takeaways. The sweet shop is located on a street lined with shops, so we were able to move quickly. Because of the rain, there weren''t many customers, and our order went through quickly. We left the shop with enough buttercream sandwiches for all of us. I hope everyone is happy with them. Luna likes sweets and such, so I''m sure she''ll eat them with a smile on her face. Nina also looks happy.... Hmm? As I was walking along, thinking about everyone else, I suddenly noticed that there was a shadow on the narrow street off the main street. It was raining in its own way, but I didn''t have an umbrella. Instead, he is completely covered all over his body up to his head with what looks like a robe. ''''What is it...?'''' It''s not a familiar face. It''s hidden by the robe and I can''t really see it, but I''m pretty sure it''s someone I don''t know. And yet........for some reason, I''m curious. I couldn''t take my eyes off of that person... I can''t help but walk away from the scene. ''''Well let''s talk to him for a minute. This must be some kind of fate. With that in mind, I walked over to the robed man and quietly held out my umbrella. ''You''ll get wet and catch a cold if you sit here without an umbrella. ...? The robe shook slightly. Did he tilt his head? What are you doing here? I''ve been looking for someone. He said that in a small voice. It was a very beautiful voice. It was as clear as a bell ringing... Listening to it was mind-blowing, if exaggerated. Also, by the sound of her voice, she''s probably a girl. A little younger than me...maybe? It''s hard to say because I''m judging only by the voice, but that''s the impression I got. ''''If you''re going to look for someone, you should do that instead of staying here and going around the adventurer''s guild or the inn or something. I''m lost. I see. So that''s why I was at a loss here. ''Well...'' I''d be happy to show you around if you like, but.... I guess I''d better do something about the wet robes and stuff first. You''ll catch a cold if you don''t. I''ll take you to him. Really? ''But first, you''d better do something about your wet robe. Do you want to come over to my place because it''s close? .... oh, wait a minute? This makes it sound like I''m picking on her. I have a feeling that if I do this, I''m going to make her wary of me... "Hm. The robe boy gave a small nod. Apparently, he believed me. ''Well...'' What''s going on? No, it''s nothing. Let''s go then. I''m going to take Loeb''s baby home. I''m home. I call out to them, but they don''t really respond. I saw Kanade and Luna in the living room before I left, but I can''t find them either. Maybe they''re taking a nap or something. Come on in. Sorry to disturb you. The robe boy didn''t hesitate and entered the house easily. What would he do if I was the bad guy? Defenseless or unguarded... I''m worried about this boy. ''Shush!'' The robe boy sneezed. ''Are you okay?'' I''m fine. It''s just a little cold. You can get dressed anyway. And you can take a bath if you want. Do you have a bath? It takes a little while to get the water running. Thanks. She''s a girl who doesn''t talk much, so sometimes, but I''m not sure how to judge her. ''Whoa, Lane''s husband,'' Fluffy and Tina appeared from the back. ''''Welcome back, how''s that condiment you asked for?'''' Here you go. He handed the bag of spices to Tina. ''Good night. You mean ... what''s that, girl? I was lost and it was raining. I don''t want you to pick people up like a dog or a cat. Sorry. Well, that''s just like Lane''s husband. Can you get her changed? Hey, I''m on it. Tina disappeared into the back with a fluffy smile. Seeing Tina like that, the robed child rolled her eyes. ''Was that ... a ghost?'' Yeah. But he''s a good friend of mine. Are the ghosts your friends... Look, let''s deal with those robes first. Take the robe boy to the changing room. ''This is the changing room and the bath in the back. Wait here for a minute. Move to the bathroom and turn on the hot water. It will be full in ten minutes. If we wait a little longer, the water will fill up with........? From the bathroom, back to the dressing room... There was a naked girl. A wet robe at her feet. The naked girl must be the content of the child in the robe. ''''Wait ... you can''t take it off when I''m still here! No, I''m fine. It''s a giant ant!And... Suddenly, my gaze is fixed on her head. Two small horns were sprouting from the top of his forehead. That''s........the proof of the strongest species ''demon race''. 292-Episode 292: Demon Girl The strongest species is called "demons". As a characteristic, they all have horns on their heads. There is no specific number of horns, some have one, some have ten. Other than that, they are no different from normal humans. They age in the same way, and their appearance changes in the same way. The characteristics of the demon race are ... not set in stone. If it''s the cat spirit race, they have excellent physical abilities. If it''s the dragon race, they have good balance. The god tribe has special abilities. ........and so on......and so on......it is basic that each race has its own characteristics. However, the demon race does not have such characteristics. There are those who are superior in strength, and there are those who are superior in magical power. Some have special abilities that are not found in others. There''s no doubt that they''re stronger than humans, but.... Which side they excel in, it depends on each individual. The reason for this is that there are even more different races of demon race. The simplest one is the ''demon'' as its name suggests. They are characterized by the fact that they have horns, and are more powerful than the cat spirit race. There is also a demon tribe called ''spirit demons'', which is rare. They are said to be able to summon spirits from the underworld. In addition, there are other oddities, such as rakshasa, vampires, and yasha. They have the largest variety of the most powerful species. Like the dragon race, there seem to be many types of dragons, such as red dragons, blue dragons, yellow dragons....... Because there are so many of them, they are collectively included in the category of ''demon race''. The relationship between such demon tribes and humans is good. It''s not an exaggeration to say that they are the closest of the strongest species. After all, most of the demon tribe coexist with humans. The demon tribe mainly lives in the Great Eastern Lands. They live together with humans in the cities and villages. It is said that most of them are basically sincere and honest. That''s probably why people accept the demons and live together with them. To meet such a girl of the demon tribe in a place like this...it''s a surprise. Once the demon tribe has found a permanent home, they don''t move much from there. So the majority of the demon tribe are in the Great Eastern Land... It''s very rare to come to this central continent. ''''You''re... you''re a demon race, right? "Hm. The girl nodded with a coy smile. I didn''t need to check, but I knew it was the demon tribe. I get a little excited. Not in a weird way. As a beast tamer, I always get excited when I meet an unusual race. ''Rain, Rain.'' Kanade''s voice came from behind the door of the changing room. ''This is just what Tina asked me to bring........? The door opens, revealing Kanade, clothes in hand. His eyes roll up. ''''Ah..... Kanade''s gaze alternates between me and the girl. A naked girl with her clothes off. And I''m a guy. Kanade is pouting, then waning and shaking... Finally, she blushed and exclaimed. ''Nya, you''re doing nyah nyah nyah oh!I mean, I don''t know if I''ve encountered many opportunities like this all the time! I rushed out of the changing room. ---------- ........waiting in the living room for about 30 minutes. ''''Neeee .... "Hm. Kanade and the girl from the demon tribe showed up. Of course, the girl of the demon tribe is wearing clothes. The clothes must be Kanade''s. I''ve seen Kanade wearing them a few times. The size is perfect except for the chest... Her breasts seemed to be somewhat lacking and were downy. The girl''s cheeks were slightly stained, as she seemed to have warmed up in the bath. Her skin was as white and beautiful as ceramic, so you could tell that she was on fire. Her hair is also white. It was as smooth as silk thread and was tied up with a ribbon. She''s a beautiful girl, just like a doll. She told me what happened but Rain needs to be more careful.I can''t believe I''m going to see this girl''s ha...naked! Don''t you dare... I''ve never had anyone look at me either! No, you don''t have to show me...? Don''t make it sound like it''s obvious to see. ''Are you warmed up?'' Thanks. The girl bowed her head in a bow. Is she a girl who doesn''t show much emotion? His expression hardly changed. I could tell that he was just grateful. Maybe he''s not a bad boy. ''You can stay at home and relax until the rain stops. ...Are you sure?Doesn''t that bother you? No. Hey, Kanade. Yeah, guests are welcome! On second thought, I think I may be the first customer. We bought the house, but we''ve been out here and there... It''s not often you get a chance to welcome someone to the table. Thanks. The girl lowered her head again. ''I''m Rifa, demon tribe. I''m 15 years old. Nice to meet you. I''m the Rain Shroud and this is... It''s Kanade. I''m a cat spirit race, as you can see. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. ''I have other friends, but, well, I''ll introduce you to them when I get a chance. Why don''t you tell them about us? Tina appeared through the wall. ''You startled me,'' Rifa says in a matter-of-fact tone. I''m not sure if he''s really surprised. ''''I''m Tina Holli, the ghost. Nice to meet you! He said hello, slipped through the wall again and went somewhere else, then came back.... He would prepare tea and sweets to entertain Rifa. He had left his clothes to Kanade to prepare a lot of things for that purpose. ''''Oh.'''' Rifa''s eyes twinkled when she saw the sweets and tea laid out on the table. This kind of thing is a bit childish. ''''Can I eat them?'''' Come in. I don''t have any money, okay? I won''t take that. Thank you for this. He bows his head in a bow and then hands his sweets and tea in a polite manner. She''s a polite girl. Delicious. Thank you. We make our own sweets. Tina is a great baker. Oh, great. It''s only a compliment in a matter-of-fact tone. I''m not just saying it in a random way... I guess it''s just that kind of personality. I can kind of tell by looking at his eyes that he is seriously amazing and happy. I guess the other thing is the pace at which he eats his sweets. In the blink of an eye, it''s half full. I guess that''s how much he liked it. ''I''ll show you the town. When the rain stops, let''s go around the inn and stop by the adventurer''s guild, just in case. Thanks for the help. Meow?Speaking of which, how did Rifa get to this city? I''m looking for someone. Heh, I see. ''It bothered me because I was walking around in this rain without an umbrella and that''s why I brought you to our house. So that''s what happened. I thought Rayne had drunk it all on himself. I wouldn''t do that, would I? Nah I don''t even realize it. For some reason, it was Kanade who puffed out his cheeks. ''By the way, who are you looking for?'' I thought maybe I knew him and asked him about that. Hero. Hero...? ''We''ve defeated the demons, fought off the demons, and exposed the misdeeds of the brave to the light of day we''re looking for the heroes of Horizon by calling people. ...it was me. 293-Episode 293: Request and strength test I don''t think it''s fair to say that I am... They call me the "Hero of Horizon". I once exposed a rogue lord''s corruption and.... That''s what the people of the city called me after I defeated a demon tribe that suddenly appeared in the city. I''m not a hero, but........ I don''t feel bad about it, as it''s kind of a testament to the dearth of people in town. ''''Uh ... Rifa.'''' Hmm? Maybe you don''t know the name of that hero? I don''t know. Rifa gave a small nod. ''But I heard it was very famous. I figured I''d find you here in a heartbeat. I see. ''Does Lane know any heroes?If so, please introduce me. Rifa bowed her head in a bow. Then she looked at me with her straight eyes. Those eyes are so beautifully clear, they don''t seem to be thinking of anything bad. It must have some important purpose. ''''Well I''m that hero. I decided to reveal our identity honestly, thinking that there was no evil heart. ''''........Rain?'''' It seemed unexpected and Rifa rolled her eyes. She doesn''t change her expression much, so this kind of reaction is new to her. ''''Really?'''' It''s true. But you don''t look strong. It was a word that came easily to me. ''Rain is strong, okay?We''re signing up with the strongest species, and not only that, but we''re also a very good beast tamer. Kanade says that to follow up and takes a gesture that makes Rifa think. ''A contract with Kanade that''s great. And Tina?'' Yeah. We have a contract with Lane''s husband. But Tina is a ghost. Rain''s husband also has this crazy power called Phantom Tame. Huh, Phantomime...? He''d never heard of it, and Rifa was upset. Well, it''s a rare thing to use a ghost as an emissary. I''ve never seen one other than the uncle next door in my hometown. ''Well then ... but ...'' Rifa mumbled, mumbling and thinking about what it was all about. What on earth is the purpose of this? Rain. Somewhat later, Rifa looked at me. He had the most serious look on his face so far. ''I''m going to fight me.'' ''What?Why? I want to see what Rain can do. ''I don''t want to hear that...'' You can''t fight them for no reason. And moreover, the opponent is a girl. Well, since she''s the strongest species, maybe there''s no need to worry about that....... Still, when it comes to fighting, there''s a lot of hesitation. ''Can you tell me why in detail?I''m not exactly convinced that they want me to fight because they want to see if I''m strong enough. "Mmm. Rifa looked troubled. She seems to be somewhat hesitant about mentioning the reason. There''s a feeling that if you ask her persistently, she''ll tell you....... It sounds like an important reason for that, so I don''t want to force it out of you. ''''...Okay, let''s fight.'''' Are you sure? Good. I understand that it''s very important to Rifa so I''ll fight you then. I''ll leave it up to Rifa to decide whether or not to tell me why. Thanks. Only, I''m not that strong, so don''t complain if you''re disappointed, okay? ''Lane''s husband, how long are you going to be wrong about this?'' If Rayne''s weak, what''s going to happen to the rest of us? "Fun. ...Please don''t make us both feel like we''re being agitated. ---------- I couldn''t fight inside the house, so I moved to the yard. It was still cloudy, but the rain had stopped, which was just fine. I confronted Rifa about 10 meters apart. ''''Rain, go for it! Rifa works hard too! Kanade and Tina are cheering me on. Next to them, Luna was sitting on the ground, crunching down on a piece of candy she had brought from home. Mmm, I hadn''t heard of this event. I''m excited. Apparently he heard a story from somewhere and came to watch the show. Luna wouldn''t have to worry about getting caught up in the aftermath of the battle. Let''s go. Yeah, come on! Rifa kicked the ground and the battle began. ''''Phew!'''' Rifa charged in. Fast! It should have been about 10 meters away, but in an instant it was right in front of me. Apparently, Refa''s physical abilities are quite high. However, even I can deal with this much. Thanks to my contract with Kanade, I''m as powerful as the cat spirit race. Stifle the surprise right away. I calmly swiped the fists that Rifa unleashed with no hands. He didn''t expect to be able to stop it. Rifa rolled his eyes in surprise, then leapt backward in alarm to keep his distance. ''You do.'' I''ve been through a lot of trouble in my own way. I''m a little serious. The pressure released from the Rifa becomes stronger. I was naturally forced to take a stance. After a few seconds of standoff, Rifa charged again. There was no particular change in its speed. He said he was going to get a little more serious, but doesn''t that mean his physical abilities are going to increase? I''m wondering if... For now, I''m just going to intercept Rifa. Rifa''s assault is indeed fast. I think it''s beyond the limits of a person. But I''ve dealt with non-humans in my own way and....... Most importantly, your eyes get used to it for the second time. I cleave with my right arm and strike a counter blow as Rifa charges. That blow definitely catches Rifa, but........ What? Just before his fist hit Rifa, his body scattered four times. Refa''s body turned into countless black bats and scattered around him. ''''Nya!Hey, I turned into a bat! What does this mean...? "Well, well, well... It seemed unexpected and surprising to everyone watching the game. Meanwhile, countless bats were flying around.... They rallied behind me, taking me by surprise. Then the bat takes the form of a man and Rifa appears again. ''''What, what is that?'''' My ability. Rifa rushes in from behind. I tried to defend myself in a hurry, but I was so upset by the unexpected sight that my guard was delayed. ''''Guh!'''' The impact. Instantly, the heavens and the earth were reversed. I was blown away while spinning around in a circle, rolling over and over again on the ground. I finally managed to stop when I was able to stick my arm on the ground, but........ ''Duh........that one worked.......! It doesn''t seem to be a broken bone, but bruising is a certainty. I''ll have to do some healing magic myself later, or have Sora or Luna fix it. Finished? Rifa didn''t give a chase, but asked somewhat disappointedly. ''You''re strong for a human. But not to that extent.'''' Well it''s too early to tell. I don''t want to be defeated like this, my mere competitive spirit flares up and I stand up. Now ... it''s time to fight back. 294-Chapter 294 VS Ghost Race Do you want to keep going? Of course. Hm. That''s spirited. He has his fist in the air, but Rifa is standing there with his stick. He doesn''t react when he closes the distance a little bit, but shows an attitude of do as he pleases. After all, is he going to turn into a bat again and run away? But that''s a good thing. ''Let''s go!........boost! I used magic to increase my physical abilities before charging at it. Faster and sharper than before, but........ It''s sweet. Rifa didn''t show any signs of being upset, but turned into a bat again and avoided my attack. I thought I had caught him off guard, but I guess it wouldn''t be so easy. The first strategy failed. But there''s still no problem. We still have a plan. And one of them is........this. "Halt! What? Using his Beast Tamer ability, he gave the bats the order to stop. Countless bats trembled slightly and their movements stopped. I don''t know what the principle is but....... Bats are based on rifa. So there was an element of anxiety that I wasn''t sure if the instructions would work as well as they did with other animals... I won the bet. Rifa, which had split into countless bats, looked like it couldn''t seem to merge again and was looking right back at me. ''''d*mn ... this! However, it seems it''s difficult to keep the strongest species tied up for long periods of time. Along with a voice that sounds like I''m getting fired up, I can feel the sensation of orders being played out inside me. The bats regain their freedom and quickly gather in one place. Rifa manifests again. ''''Was that... what?'''' Seemingly wary of our abilities, Rifa asked, keeping her distance. ''''I''m a Beast Tamer. So..... ''I can''t control a normal person, but if I can turn into a bat I''ll be able to handle it...'' Even if I turn into a bat, I''m the most powerful species in the world. I can''t let a human control me. Well, there''s a lot going on there. Perhaps it''s because of the brave blood flowing inside me. Thanks to that, orders that would normally not be understood are also understood by Refa. However, as expected, I can''t explain that much. Since it''s like a mock battle, I can tell you that this is a Beast Tamer and that I used that ability. However, the blood of the brave is quite confidential information, so we can''t tell it to anyone other than those we can trust. ''''Let''s go. It seemed they were still going to continue, and Rifa took a stance. I thought the only way to convince him was to win, so I took a stance too. ''''Wha........? The suddenness of the situation startles me and I can''t help but stop moving. Rifa doesn''t miss the opportunity. ''''There''s an opening.'''' This time, Rifa jumped out of my shadow. That''s ridiculous! It''s like instantaneous movement. ''Kuh? Rifa jumped out of the air with the momentum of her leap, spinning around and slamming a kick at me. Although he quickly guarded it with his arms, the force of the kick was quite powerful and made him chattering and numb. Rifa further rotated her body like a dictatorship, and while in the air, she unleashed a series of kicking blows. One blow, two blows, three blows. I succeeded in guarding against the second blow, but I received a decent third blow. A shock to the head with a thud. It''s quite intense, and I lose consciousness for a moment. I managed to stay on my feet and endure the fall. A counterattack........or rather, a restraining blow to prevent further attacks, but....... Sweet. Once again, Rifa disappears into the shadows. This time it appears from the shadow of a tree a little further away. The ability to move between shadows...? We don''t have enough material to confirm this, but let''s assume for the moment that it''s something akin to instantaneous movement. It''s possible.... Matter Creation! He built up a stone wall around the rifa. On top of that......... Gravity reversal! What is this...? I doubled the gravity on Rifa. This would have trapped him inside the stone wall... It''s amazing what they can do. It''s a long story. But it''s still sweet. Rifa disappeared into the shadows, as if it didn''t matter whether he was surrounded by walls or doubled gravity, it didn''t matter. From my shadow again...? Maximum security.... I turn around at the right moment. "What? With perfect timing, Rifa emerged from the shadow of the tree behind him. Stamping on the earth, he thrust out a fist.... .... I stop him in front of Rifa. ''How''s that?'' Well you''re not safe from that blow. I''m losing. Rifa honestly admitted defeat and raised her hands as if to say surrender. Then he tilted his head in wonder. ''But why do you want my place?'' You should watch your back. Hmmm... a bug? Rifa tugged at her clothes and looked at her back and saw that there was a small bug stuck to it. ''I''m a Beast Tamer, but I also have some of the powers of an Insect Tamer. So I used that power to stick that bug on Rifa''s back. Is this worm ... enchanted? As Rifa says, it''s a magical bug called a reactor ant. It''s a worm, or rather an ant. It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for. It''s not enough to interfere with them, but... Did you detect the location of the apparition from where my magic was disrupted? Correct. But when did this happen...? Rifa looks surprised as she seems to have come to an answer on her own. ''That fancy ability you had earlier?That wasn''t to lock me in, that was a distraction to stick this bug on me...? And that''s good, too. He''s a smart kid. If you play with all our cards on the table, you might not be able to win. I guess you could say this is what I do. .... ''''I''m borrowing the power of a bug and... well, the power I got from the contract in the first place isn''t mine, so it''s not my own power. If it''s not a pure power contest or else I won''t be convinced, there''s nothing more I can do about it, so in that case, I''ll lose. No. I wouldn''t say that. Rifa gave a small shake of her head. Then, she turned her somewhat sparkling eyes to me. ''''Rain is strong. Stronger than me.'''' There''s no guarantee you''ll win the next one, though. No I don''t think so. Anyway, I lost. Rain''s power, I admit it. I''m sorry for acting like such a brat. Rifa bowed her head with a smile. He''s worried about the fact that he''s spoken this and that strong line. ''It''s fine. Confirming my power, that''s what Rifa needs to do, right?Then you can be sure of that as much as you want. Thanks. Rain is kind. ''Mmmm, yes!Rain is kind! It''s tough. After the game was over, everyone gave their impressions of this and that. No, it''s more of a miscellaneous impression...? Anyway, why don''t you come in and tell me why you''re looking for me? 295-Chapter 295: Please help me We went back to the house and moved to the living room. Once again Tina made me a cup of tea and.... In the meantime, I asked the rest of them to get together. Rifa''s story seemed to be quite important, so I thought it would be best to get everyone together to hear it properly. ''Surprise,'' Rifa looked at Tania and Nina and rolled her eyes. ''I didn''t know there was a dragon race and a god race too. My name is Tania. Nina... They greeted each other, and finally Sola said hello. Then we take our seats. I''m facing Rifa. Sora and Luna sat on either side of me, with Kanade and Tania each at an angle. Nina and Tina moved to sit next to Rifa. It''s like a circle around the circle. ''''Nya........next to Rain, it was taken.......'''' Those twins got to work fast......... Uh-huh. The game has already begun. For some reason, sparks were flying between Kanade and Tania, Sola and Luna... It doesn''t seem to be a fight, so I let it go for now. ''Well then, can you tell me a story? Rifa nodded with a coy smile and spoke of her purpose. ''Bok, I want you to help the demon race. The content of the story was more important than I thought it would be... and yet, it was a story I didn''t understand. What did it mean?I can''t help but nod my head. Seemingly sensing such a question, Rifa moved on to a detailed explanation. ''''I am a demon race. They call me a vampire, which is rare among them. Oh, I''ve heard of it!They''re a bad demon race that suck human blood. Kanade narrowed his eyes in alarm. ''I just don''t see Rifa as the kind of girl who would do that. ''There are vampires like that. But that''s only part of it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it. We live in harmony with humans. Yeah I''m sorry, I''m sorry I said that. Kanade apologized honestly, as he felt that Rifa wasn''t lying to him. Shaking her head as if she didn''t care, Rifa continued her story. "I live in a town called Krios, just a short distance from entering the University of Tokyo. ''Krios I''ve heard of it. Tania opened her mouth, as if she had an idea. ''''As far as the size of the city is concerned, apparently it''s not too different from this Horizon. It''s just that it''s a tenth of the population...um, I wonder if it was less than that?Anyway, the town is characterized by the fact that the demon tribe lives together. I''ve heard that the demon tribe''s abilities are used to their advantage and the place is quite crowded. Well, I''ve only heard about it, but I''ve never seen it in person, so I don''t know what it''s like now. Hom. Tania knows a lot about this. ''I used to travel all over the place before I met Rayne. I overheard some of them when I was there. Tania''s right. It''s one less thing for me to explain. A city where humans and the most powerful species coexist... I''d love to go see it if I get a chance. But maybe we can''t talk about such a leisurely story. Rifa''s face is very serious. ''''Right now, Krios is ... about to be destroyed. That''s not a gentle story what''s going on here? There''s a stampede happening. Sutan....pido? Nina didn''t seem to know and tilted her head in wonder. However, everyone else seemed to know, and their faces turned grim. ''''Mmm, is there such a thing as a stampede happening........'''' What''s that? ''''Stampede.......is a phenomenon in which a combination of factors causes demons to explode and multiply. Like a swarm of locusts destroying crops, a stampede would destroy the surrounding city, or something like that. "We don''t know much about humans but we do know about the demons that are our natural enemies. ''Ooh ... Sora and Luna, savvy ...'' Hmph. Don''t praise me. Praise, praise, praise. Which way? Okay, you two better shut up for a second. Just as the conversation started to drift off, Tina put a stop to it. As expected, her timing is perfect. ''There was a stampede near Krios. No, it can''t be... Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. No, no. Oh, no? We can handle a normal stampede, we can handle it. The ogre race is one of the most powerful species in the world. Its power has been proven earlier. That wouldn''t be serious yet, so if you give it your all, those demons aren''t your enemies. When the Stampede happens and you''re dealing with thousands or tens of thousands of demons, you''re going to have a tough time, as expected... From what I''ve heard, there are a lot of demon tribes in Krios. If people cooperate there, it''s not possible to have zero casualties, but I think we can control the Stampede. Since the problem is the problem, there will be reinforcements from the royal capital... That''s the kind of answer we arrive at in general. However, the fact that Rifa is asking for help like this means that she must be in an unusual situation. ''Normal, by that I mean........an unusual situation is occurring? Hmm. I''m picking up a series of stampede events. Consecutive...? It''s not normal. The Stampede is said to occur once every ten years or so. If it''s a precursor, it happens occasionally. Just as storms disappear naturally. The omens end up being only omens and rarely evolve into stampede. ''The first stampede happened a month ago. Three days to control it. Then a week later, the second stampede occurred. The third stampede was five days later. ''You''ve been up three times? It can''t be... ''The odds of something like that happening are like winning the lottery in a row...'' It wasn''t just me, everyone else was surprised. The fact that the Stampede is a series of stamps is such an unbelievable phenomenon. ''The demon race has its limits, too. People are even more so. There is no limit to the number of reinforcements that can come. We''ve built a defensive wall and turned the city into a fort, but how long can we hold out? Here, for the first time, Rifa showed a worried look on her face. I''m sure she''s worried about her friends and neighbors that she''s left behind in the city. I can understand that feeling. I was separated from everyone else just a few days ago, you know..... When someone you care about is in danger and you can''t see their face, it''s very unsettling. ''Oh....'' I found myself leaning over and patting Rifa''s head. ''Uh ... sorry, by the way.'' Hmmm ... okay. It''s a relief ... more. Rifa demanded, and I patted her head a little more. ''Hmm, it''s all right now.'' Once Rifa regained her composure, she returned to her original position. Tania opened her mouth when she saw the timing. ''So you heard the rumors about Rain, and you''re in reinforcements? No, no. Rifa shook her face at Tania''s question. ''''We can still subdue the Stampede. Right now, we''re just daring to cage it in order to limit the unnecessary wear and tear. Rather than suppressing it, we need to find out what''s causing the Stampede to fire continuously. Yeah, that sounds reasonable. ''My people have discovered that there is a powerful magical reaction away from Krios. A month ago there was a reaction from the time the first stampede occurred. It''s very suspicious. ''Could it be ... that the Rifa is artificially caused by the stampede?Is that what you think? "Hm. As if it was a correct answer, Rifa nodded with a cocoon. It''s not normal to artificially cause the Stampede, but..... But that being said, can''t the Stampede be a streak in and of itself? A lot of this incident is outside the norm. I''d better not take what''s happened up until now for granted. ''''We have determined that someone with a powerful magical power is causing the stampede. That''s why we chose to defeat it. But..... Rifa got a dark look on her face and... He slumped down to hide his face. The hand on his knee is squeezed tightly. It''s... We don''t know who we''re dealing with. But it turns out that even our most powerful species is no match for it. There are only a few existences that are comparable to the most powerful species. Or..........demon race. Hypothetically, we''ve decided that this enemy is as powerful as the demons. And so I''ve decided to ask for help. So you''re with me? ''I hear Rain has defeated the demon race. So ... so ... so ... Rifa''s voice shook with sadness. He was expressionless the whole time... His eyes moisten and his expression crumples as he crumples. ''Please ... save my people ... my family ... my friends ...'' 296-Episode 296: To Stop Tears Rifa bowed her head as she spilled out her polo-polo tears. Rifa must have been tense the whole time. Her friends were in a pinch and she was on a mission to do something about it........ You''re the one who held on, held on, and kept going... He must have come to me with a straw in his hand. And now my emotions have reached their limit and flooded the surface all at once. Thinking of my friends, my family, my friends.... I''m crying. I wanted so badly to stop those tears. ''It''s okay,'' He gently wipes Rifa''s tears away with his fingertips. ''I took care of that request,'' Can you help me...? Yeah, sure. Really...? ''It''s true. If Rifa is in trouble, if her family and friends are suffering I want to help them. I can''t say I can do everything, but I promise I''ll do my best. Thanks. Rifa stopped crying even as she sniffled smoothly. Gently wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.... Then he hugged me. "Thanks. Again, I repeated the same words. This time it seemed to contain gentleness. ''Well...'' Rifa moves away and looks at everyone once. ''That''s why I''m going to take on Rifa''s request. I made the decision on my own without asking everyone''s opinion, but... Are you going to ask for help if you can? Tania said something like that, anticipating my line. ''And I think you know exactly what I''m going to continue with...'' Furthermore, even Luna is able to anticipate the dialogue. ''Hmph, it''s a hit, right?'' Well but why? "We''re going to be with Lane all the time, aren''t we?I can vaguely predict what Rayne is thinking, or at least what the next line of dialogue is going to be. ''You don''t need to ask for help or anything like that. Our leader is Rain, so I think you can force us to be a little more forceful. For example, follow me.... ''Nya, pushy Rain that''s what it''s all about! Don''t digress, you delusional cat. "Delusional cat! Lately, it seemed like Tania has been giving Kanade a tweak every so often. Could these two perform their tricks and get a twist? Well, then... Of course we''re okay with it. I''m just trying to help Rifa. Everyone seemed to be moved by Rifa''s tears, and they agreed with a smile to ask for the request. Hearing everyone''s response, Rifa burst into tears again. ''Thank you. I''m so grateful. I managed to hold back the tears and Rifa bowed her head with a smile. At first she looked like an expressionless child, like a doll, but.... I don''t think that''s true, he''s probably a very emotional child. It''s just that she doesn''t show her emotions a bit. ''''Well then ... Refa. I''m sorry, but can you follow me to the Adventurer''s Guild for a moment? Why? ''When you make a request to an adventurer, you have to report it to the guild properly. I used to simplify the process or put it off... Right now I''m an A-ranked adventurer, so I don''t want to do anything appropriate if possible. I have to act in a way that will make me ashamed of being an adventurer... Unless we''re in a great hurry, we want to make sure we follow the proper procedures. ''Will Krios still be able to hold out? ...Yeah, it''s fine. After a few thoughtful pauses, Rifa nodded dully. ''''Everyone is strong. If you make it a goal to endure, you''ll still be fine. In fact, he said he would.'''' Okay. Well, I''m sorry, but you''re going to have to go to the guild for the formalities. It shouldn''t take too long. Okay, okay. Me and Rifa and Tania... and Tania, will you come with me? Yeah, sure. All right, everybody else, take care of the rest of the guys and get ready for the trip. We''ll need food, water, and if necessary, other supplies and equipment. I''ll need food and water, and if necessary, supplies and equipment. I''ll send for the carriage. The carriage... When they heard of the carriage, Sora''s and Luna''s tension slumped. The two of them are not good with carriages, so they are probably thinking that they will get drunk again. They heard that Krios was just a short distance into the Eastern Shore, and it wouldn''t take as long to get to the royal capital. However, since it would be more than a day for sure it would be tough for the two of them. Luna had a tremendous look on her face and was moaning in distress. Sora has a similar face, as do the twins. That''s how traumatized the carriage must have been. ''Oh, that''s right,'' Luna''s face brightened as something sparked in her mind. ''It''s Rain. The point is, as long as we have the means to get to Krios, it doesn''t matter if we don''t have a carriage, right? ''Yeah, well do you have any other ideas?'' ''You must let Tania ride on your back! I''m not a carriage man, but... It''s a joke. You''re lying. They were probably going to just let him ride on his back if Tania said they had to. "So, what are you going to do about it? I think I''m going to go through the Spiritual Village. Sora answered that instead of Luna. ''''As I recall, there was an entrance leading to the village right after entering the Eastern Continent. If we use that, we can travel to the Eastern Continent without getting on a carriage. After that, you might have to walk a bit, but... well, I think it''s faster than traveling normally.'''' But you''re okay with it?To use the village of the spirit race as a mere means of transportation....... This is why we used to use horse-drawn carriages and walk to get around, because we couldn''t do that.... Don''t worry. Even if the chief doesn''t like it, I''ll try to convince him. "I''d rather do anything than let that carriage, that devil''s weapon, ride in it! You don''t have to... They both said they hated the carriage with all their hearts. Well, I''ve heard that motion sickness is quite painful. For some people, I heard it''s tougher than a hangover. When I think about it, I wonder if it can''t be helped. ''''That''s why I and Sora are going to the village of the spirit race again to talk to them. I can''t join you in shopping, okay? ''Yeah, fine. Luggage carrying is not a problem if I''m around... Let us do the shopping! I''ll cut the price and stock up on good stuff. I''ll try to help you, too. Everyone is very motivated. I guess that''s how much they want to help Rifa. It''s not just me, but everyone else is thinking of Rifa as well... I''m very happy about that. It''s times like these when you feel a bond, a connection, with your fellow man. Thank you. Rifa also seemed to sense the thought, and once again, she uttered her thanks. Her face was a small smile. ---------- With Tania and Rifa in tow, we moved to the Adventurer''s Guild. It''s about to be evening... I don''t want to spend too much time on it, and I''m sure they still have a receptionist. ''Konni........'' ''Oh, Mr. Shroud! As I walked into the guild, my eyes met with Natalie''s. Then she packed up with a tremendous amount of energy. ''Good!I was just about to ask for Mr. Shroud''s house and I didn''t expect him to come to me!Thank goodness, this saved me a lot of wasted time. Wait ... oh, calm down. Why are you so upset? Natalie was in a panic, as if her daily calmness was a lie. If you look closely, you can see that her face is blue and full of sweat. She looked as if she had seen something terrible. I had a bad feeling. On closer inspection, the inside of the guild was as hectic as a battlefield. Guild staff members were running here and there.... Many more adventurers had gathered there. ''''Is this...?'''' What does that mean? I look at Natalie curiously, and she quickly explains. ''Mr. Shroud, I need your help!Near this Horizon we have a stampede! 297-Episode 297: Those who call the disaster There was a man on a cliff overlooking the Horizon. Would he be over sixty years old? There is a dignity that can only be found in those who have lived a long time. With a mixture of gray hair, he might look over sixty. That''s how old he looked. However, the supremacy he wore was not that of an old man. It was worthy of a warrior of successive battles, and if a half-hearted person stood in front of him, they would be overwhelmed by his supremacy and would be unable to speak. ''''Hmm.'''' The first man shifted his gaze from Horizon to the east, using the sword in his hand as a wand to support his body as he moved his gaze from Horizon to the east. To the east, the plains stretched out and a roadway stretched straight down the center of the plains. When I went off the road, I saw a forest. One by one, demons were appearing from that forest. They are multiplying like slimes, and it will never end any time soon. Slimes, goblins, orcs, ogres, chimeras.......and many more. At the bottom are the lowest ranked demons. Above was a variety of demons, even the A-ranked demons were gathering together. Stampede. A catastrophe caused by a mass outbreak of demons. That was exactly what was about to swallow Horizon right now. The first-year man who saw such a scene nodded in satisfaction. ''''The outbreak was a bit slow, but if they were able to induce a stampede of this magnitude, then I guess they did a good job. I have done a good job, myself. The first man looked back over his shoulder. Don''t you think so?It''s Reese. ''''Oh, you''ve noticed. How could he not notice? You may have suppressed your magic, but we''re your people, aren''t we?If you have your people around, you can sense it. ''''Hmm, that''s not usually the case. As usual, Weiss-san''s ability to detect signs is amazing. Did you show your face for a compliment? No, no. Of course, it''s your job. ''How''s your work going, Mr. Weiss? To be able to induce a stampede on such a scale in such a short period of time. It''s as good as it gets. We''ll see how it goes but I don''t like the idea of you doubting my abilities. ''I''m sorry. I''m not doubting Weiss-san''s ability. It''s just that this strategy is rather high on my list of priorities. I can understand that. I''m glad to see that you understand the importance of this operation. Are you mocking me?Maybe we can wake up the Demon King and he''s not so geeky as to not see the importance of that strategy. ''Hmm, yes. I beg your pardon. As they were talking, the roar of demons resounded at the bottom of the cliff. Before they knew it, the crowd of demons had more than doubled in size. ''''Then I''ll go and look in another direction on my own,'''' Yeah, you got it. ''Oh, yes. What''s going on with Krios? I triggered the stampede three more times. I think I can manage without you for a while. Well, that''s a relief. Reese chuckled. I''ll see you later. Bowing gracefully The figure disappeared like a mist, and then it was gone. ---------- Stampede...? The outrageous words that came out of Natalie''s mouth made me cringe. Tania and Rifa immediately turned stern as well. ''Is that true?I''ve never heard of such signs before... I can understand why Mr. Shroud would be suspicious. But we''ve had sightings from a lot of people and reconnaissance has been completed. A stampede has occurred in the east. Probably in another two hours or so, a swarm of demons will be coming to this horizon. Oh my God. I never thought I''d see the stampede happen at this point in time... It''s not normal. So if that''s the case, it''s still.... It sounds like it has something to do with the Krios case. Tania uttered that on behalf of my thoughts. I''m sure you''ll agree with that, Rifa nodded her head in agreement. ''''Hm. It''s very likely. It''s too convenient.'''' But I don''t see the point. The reason why I''m going after Krios is because it''s a city where the demon race coexists. Demons, the strongest species is a nuisance to the demon race. It''s not surprising that they would try to eliminate them if they had the opportunity. Just why go after Horizon? This is a normal city, and there''s no reason for demons or demonic tribes to target me. Did you find out that Rifa asked me for help and tried to sabotage it? No, that''s not right. Me and Rifa met just a few hours ago. I think the Stampede occurred before that, so the math doesn''t add up. There must be a reason why Horizon was targeted.... No, it''s not for now. First and foremost, we have to think about protecting the city. "Tania, I''m sorry. Can you get the word out?And I want you to gather them here. ''That''s fine but we can''t have Sora and Luna, can we?Those two said they''re going to the spirit tribe''s village, so I think they''re already out there. Shit, that''s what I thought. The Lost Forest isn''t eastward, so there''s no need to worry about the two of us getting caught up in it. However, having to face the Stampede without the two of us is honestly a bit of a heartbreaker. However, there''s nothing we can do about what we can''t do about it. I''ll have to do something without Sola and Luna. ''''Or rather........'''' Tania looks inside the guild and says quizzically. ''Not too many adventurers?'' Speaking of which... The guild''s staff has been scurrying around and... Among them, people who look like adventurers are tending to their armor. However, there are only a few of them. Normally there are more adventurers there, but..... They just haven''t gotten together yet? Well, actually... Natalie says apologetically. ''The timing wasn''t right, and more than half of the adventurers were out...'' Really? The only adventurers left are the people who are here now. How big is the Stampede? It''s hard to say, but I''m guessing it''s going to be around 20,000. 20,000... There are records of 100,000 demons occurring in the past, so it''s not like it''s an extreme stampede. It''s just that there are about 50 adventurers... Simple calculation results in a strength ratio of 1:400. As expected, it''s tough. ''''What about the Knights?'''' We''re not in a position to clear evacuation routes or prepare the city for a siege, but there are about 150 of them. But still, 200 people in all... I''ve requested support from the various guild and knightly branches, but we''ll see when... It''s quite a desperate gap in strength. A few thousand or so might be manageable with the help of everyone else, but........20,000 is indeed too much. Violence in numbers is rather overwhelming, and when it crosses a certain line, it becomes almost invincible. Even the strongest species will be swallowed up. If that happens........ Okay, let''s get as many allies as we can. 298-Episode 298: Opening of the war Tania invited Kanade and the others to join the guild and... That''s where Rain''s instructions came from. Kanade, Tania, Tina and Rifa intercepted the demon as it was. Nina was told to go after Sora and Luna and bring them back immediately. It was probably determined that Nina, who could move through subspace, would be the fastest. Since the other day''s awakening........ Nina''s strength had increased even though she was small, and if she was alone, she could jump a great distance. It would be possible to interrupt her from subspace and go straight to the village of the spirit race. And Rain......... I''ll bring reinforcements. And then he walked out of the city from the west side and disappeared somewhere else. What kind of reinforcements would they be? Isn''t it great that we can have enough people ready to face the Stampede at a moment''s notice? Rifa had been thinking about that, but... Two hours passed and Rain did not return. ''........escaped? Rifa couldn''t help but be suspicious of Rain. However, it can''t be helped. Although he has said so confidently, he doesn''t seem to be coming back. What is going to happen from now on is a disaster called Stampede. There is only the future of being overrun by a horde of demons. It''s no wonder that they are so frightened by it that they flee. Rifa comes to such a conclusion, but........ Suddenly, I wonder. "Hey, Kanade. Why are you doing sit-ups and push-ups from now on? ''We''re going to have to move a lot now. I need to unwind. That said, there are limits. You restless, flippant cat. ''You don''t think anything is okay if you put "cat" on the end! Don''t expect it. Tina answered! What is this lack of tension? Rifa was puzzled by the fact that Kanade and the others looked the same as usual. Even though the Stampede was happening... The Lord has escaped and now.... Why are you smiling? Why? Meow? Why are you smiling? Finally unable to hold back, Rifa asked straight away. ''The Stampede is right in front of us. Your master has escaped too. So how can you laugh at it? That''s not true. What? Although Rain is said to have escaped, Kanade is not angry, but rather calmly tells her off. Kanade''s attitude fills Rifa''s mind with more and more questions. ''Rain didn''t run away,'' But he didn''t come back. ''Hmmm, I guess we have a lot of work to do, don''t we?Maybe I feel like I''m being reckless and I can''t blame you for being a little late. Well, we''ll just have to keep up our game until Lane comes back. Hmmm... I''ll do my best. Even at a time like this. After all this. None of them doubted Rain. Rifa was a little envious of Kanade and the others, as they must have a bond so tight that she couldn''t even imagine it. Rifa was close to her family. Her parents and sister love her. She had a good relationship with her neighbors. They greet each other with smiles and occasionally send them extra food and other treats. That''s the kind of relationship I have with them. But there is no one to call a friend. Because Rifa is a bit young, and because she is doted upon, she has never fought side by side with anyone. This time, the role of calling for reinforcements was also a measure to keep her away from the front lines as much as possible. Such as it was, Rifa longed to fight alongside someone else, shoulder to shoulder. If they were kept away from the scene of the crime, they would be interested in the opposite. ''''Rain........come?'''' Here it comes. At Rifa''s question, Kanade nodded without hesitation. Everyone else nodded as well. Looking at them, the adventurers and guild staff didn''t seem to be doubting Rain either. They were determined to hold on until Rain returned, and they were definitely determined to hold on. There was no sadness there as before. Rain would take care of it. I had that kind of faith. ''''It''s ... weird.'''' From Rifa''s point of view, it''s an incomprehensible behavior. I don''t understand what people here are going through. It''s just.... Yeah, we''ll try. Strangely enough, I was motivated. ---------- ....30 minutes later. ''Here they come! One of the adventurers, who had been out scouting, ran into the guild, dripping with sweat. At the same time, a bell was rung to announce a state of emergency in the city. Perhaps because the knights were scrambling to contain the unrest, there was no terrible confusion. The townspeople go into their homes and pray to God. Those who can fight take up arms. Their hips are hunched over, but they never try to escape. They move to the battlefield, determined to fight to protect their families, their friends, their neighbors....their loved ones. ''This time, I''m going to take command! Stella shouted loudly at the high command post set up near the east gate. With that, the adventurers and knights gathered at the east gate picked up their respective weapons. Those that handle melee weapons in the vanguard. And in the rear guard, those that mainly handle bows and those that mainly handle magic are lined up. ''''Close the gate!'''' The guarded adventurers are stowed away in the city and the eastern gate is closed. On top of that, a ward is deployed by some wizards. They would not be able to break through without bringing out siege weapons. However, this is limited to how long the magic power of the wizards can be maintained. The first wave of the enemy is coming! The knight on guard standing on top of the gate let out a scream-like cry. Immediately after that, a gong!And the gates trembled. A large number of demons rushed in like a tsunami and crashed into it. It was as if the earth trembled from the power of the event. ''''Kuh........the gate! That''s all right!It''s partly because of the magic that makes it bearable! ''Then fight back!Whoever has the means to attack at long range must reap the swarm of demons from the top of the gate! At Stella''s signal, the adventurers and knights who had moved onto the gate beforehand held their weapons. Bows, spears, staffs, magic books.......with various weapons in hand, they stared at the swarm of demons that were rushing in. ''''Utete! At Stella''s signal, the attacks began at once. An arrow shot through the demon''s head........ Magic cleaves the swarm away. The demons that were trying to attach themselves to the gate were knocked down by those with spears and other mid-range weapons. ''''Ooh, that''s good.'''' That should work out rather well, don''t you think? Kanade and Tania, who were watching the battle situation from the same place as Stella, spilled such impressions. Stella''s slightly grim expression had softened as well. However, Rifa is different. With a stern look on her face........ I''m rather more difficult to make a face than I initially was. ''''No ... no.'''' Meow?What do you mean? We can''t keep this up. Hm?What does that mean? Stella gave her a strange look and asked Rifa what she meant by her statement. Although the two have never met before, Stella trusts Kanade and the others. Therefore, she also trusts the Rifa that Kanade and the others brought with them. If you have any problems, I would like your advice. "The Stampede is full of demons. Hmm, yeah. ''We''ll be fighting for hours. The way he fights, he won''t last an hour. Rifa''s words were to come true like a prophecy... An hour later. The battle lines were beginning to disintegrate. 299-Episode 299: The Power of the Strongest Species The enemy was a horde of 20,000 demons. Against them is a mixed unit of about 200 adventurers and knights. About 300 volunteer civilians have also gathered there, but.... They are a last resort and basically have no intention of putting them in the line of fire. There''s no such thing as a ploy against a horde of 20,000. We need a minimum number of them to make the plan work. The current strength gap is too large, and no matter what strategy we use, we will be overwhelmed by numbers. Therefore, we decided to keep it simple. A siege battle. Using the city''s gates as a shield, we would intercept the demons from an advantageous position. Fortunately, or should I say, the opponent doesn''t have much intelligence. They just charge in and there''s no way they''re going to sneak in and unlock the gates. They could hold out for half a day. In the meantime, if Rain, or even help from another city, could come to help, they could make it. Stella had thought of it that way. However, it had to be called a naive idea. ''''d*mn........these guys, one after another...! Hey! Don''t let up! I know, I know, I know, but...! The adventurers and knights at the front line intercepted one demon after another that attacked them without interruption, but.... Fatigue was beginning to set in. He''d been wielding his weapon for an hour without a break. It was strange not to be able to handle it. We tried to take turns for the first ten minutes, but... The area attacked by the swarm of demons is getting wider and wider, and we need everyone, including replacements, to deal with it in time. We all need to take care of this... I''m still in need of help... He kept moving at 120% of his strength. Naturally, he would run out of energy. I kept wielding my weapon with energy and a sense of mission to protect the city, but that was nearing its limit. As soon as I saw it, my movements became slower and slower. And the same goes for the wizards in the rear. They have been using magic to strengthen the gate for a long time. It''s not surprising that their magic power might be exhausted at any moment. It''s true, things got pretty dangerous in about an hour... Kanade''s face stiffened slightly. ''We can''t let this go on.'' Well, that means... Agreeing with Rifa''s words, Tania looked at Stella. ''We''ll be there. In the meantime, if anyone is injured or needs a break, let them back off. I''m sure we can buy you that much time. ...I''m going to have to rely on you guys again, aren''t I? Stella said in frustration. She must be frustrated that she is a knight defending the city, but her strength is not enough. Tania laughed at Stella like that. ''''What are you talking about?'''' Ouch. Tania decoupins Stella..... Then Kanade and Tina on top of his head laugh too. ''We want to protect this city too. We don''t have to worry about being weird like that.'' I know. It''s our town. It''s our job to protect it. Thank you. Meow. Kanade did some light preparatory work to relax her body. Then she put her hands on the ground and did her feet back. He lowers his body and builds up strength in his lower body. ''Ikidai-sai, assault cat! ''Unyaah! Oh, no! Kanade ran. The ground gouged out as if it had exploded and Tina was swept off the ground by the sudden acceleration. Without a care, Kanade runs through................and leaps in front of the gate. In one fell swoop, she soars into the sky and jumps over the gate. ''Even with this.....at least! He spun his body around in the air and fell like a meteorite as it was. Gong!A roar sounded, and a dozen or so demons were blown together. ''''Come together!'''' The demons attacked all at once as I hit them with provocative words. From the front, from the back, from the right, from the left, from the top....... A wave of demons loomed over them as if they were enveloping them from all directions. But Kanade didn''t panic and dealt with it calmly. One hit kill. Defeat all the demons in one hit to maximize the effect with the least amount of effort. One after another, the demons are blown away and their bodies turn into magical stones. Even so, the remaining demons are too numerous to count... Let''s go, Tina! Oh! Tania flew through the air with her wings sprouting from her back and Tina on her head. Tania blasted her prized fireball from above. There are demons everywhere. There''s no need to aim at them. Anyway, numbers are important right now, and I fired in rapid succession. ''''A must-attack, the great rotating magic ball! Above Tania''s head, Tina was throwing a light ball concocted with magical power. It struck the flying demons in the sky and shot them down one after another. By what mechanism, even if the demons tried to avoid it by turning sharply, the light balls had a sharp curve and penetrated the bodies of the demons as if they were automatically tracking them. Kanade, Tania, and Tina joined the battle lines. With the trump card thrown in, the demon''s marching speed slowed down. ''''As expected.'''' Seeing the three of them in action, Rifa was a little surprised. Even if they were the strongest species, their strength was a bit of a stretch. Basically, they''re definitely stronger than normal people, but........ It would be hard to find the strongest species that can be so active. Kanade may have a power comparable to the strongest cat spirit race, the Demon of Smiles, which is rumored to be the most powerful cat spirit race of all time. Tania might have power comparable to the strongest dragon race that is rumored to be the ''demon god-like infant''. He jumped down from the top of the gate and landed in the middle of the battle line. Soon the demons were rushing in........ Sweet. Rifa transformed its body into countless bats and scattered in all directions. The bats used their bodies as arrows to fly around at super speed. The demons that touched them were punctured or blown away by holes in their bodies... One by one, they are dying out. "Summoning My Family. The bats rallied, and the figure of Rifa appeared above the gate. That rifa''s shadow swelled up with a buzzing... In one fell swoop, two jet-black wolves appeared from within. They were so huge that it was hard to believe they had emerged from Rifa''s shadow, so big that they could reach five meters. ''''Go on.'''' At Rifa''s signal, the black wolf ran. It leapt high and landed with a resounding thud of the earth. At the same time, it swung its powerful arms like a log, or a row of fangs devoured it... He kicked about ten demons together and kicked them away. The other one landed supplely and jumped up to the highest speed at once, running through the crowd of demons in all directions. Due to its huge body and mass, it could become a deadly weapon simply by running. The demons were bounced off, trampled down..... There are screams of dismay from all over the place. ''I''m going with you,'' Rifa bit her finger. Blood trickled down... It floated up softly, as if defying gravity. The clots of blood, reduced to millimeters, drifted around Rifa by dozens.......enough to reach a hundred. Rifa raised her hand. ''''Drill.'''' As soon as he waved his hand down, clots of blood rained down on him. Like a sideways rain during a storm. The clots of blood pierced through the swarm of demons and exterminated them. And once more, Rifa bit her fingers with her sharp, extended canine teeth. More blood flowed than before. However, it does not fall to the ground, but gathers in the air again. This time, they converged in Rifa''s hands........ Eventually, it becomes a large scythe as tall as Rifa''s height. ''Bloodsize I''m going. Rifa jumped and.... He swung his blood scythe and reaped the battlefield. 300-Chapter 300: Vampire The demon race is subdivided into several species. For example, the demon people. They have an appearance similar to the demons in fairy tales, and have overwhelming arm strength. Although their overall physical abilities, including instantaneous force and speed, are inferior to those of the cat spirit race, their arm strength alone is unbeatable. Their strength far surpasses that of the Cat Spirit Tribe, and they are said to be the most powerful of the strongest species. For example, the Reiki. Although their physical abilities are higher than humans, they are far lower than the other strongest species. They are said to be the lowest among the strongest species. However, they are said to be able to manipulate spirits and are skilled at supporting them. And.........vampires. Refa. A vampire''s main characteristic is the ability to manipulate blood. They can make blood fall like arrows, or immobilize it and use it as a weapon. They can do such things. They can also give their own blood to their targets and make them their own family members. It is similar to the beast tamer''s mission, but slightly different. In the case of the family, the life and soul of the target is completely assimilated into the family. When the Lord dies, the Military dies as well. However, it is not the other way around. The fate of the family members is entirely in the hands of the Lord. Usually, they hide in the Lord''s shadow and become one with him. And if there is life, it will materialize to fulfill its role. The black wolf that Rifa has summoned is his family. It is also the military family that often turns their bodies into bats. They are borrowing the body of their dependents, a feat that is unthinkable for ordinary people. Since they are the most powerful species, it''s not surprising that they have powers that are out of the ordinary. ''''Phew!'''' As Rifa firmly stepped on the earth, she reaped the surroundings with her blood scythe. The crimson blade ran in a circle. The demons that touched it were instantly cut in two and scattered screams. ''''Wow, Refa is amazing.'''' Kanade couldn''t help but spill out a few words of admiration at the way he was fighting. He just didn''t stop fighting. Punching, kicking, blowing up with body blows.... They are overrunning the crowd of demons. ''Kanade, this is no time to be impressed! ''No!More hands! I know, I know, I know, but...! Has it been half an hour or so since the Kanades entered the front lines? The wounded adventurers and knights went back into the city once more to be treated.... In the meantime, Kanade and his team were attracting most of their enemies. So far, there was no problem. No matter how many of those demons flock together, it''s impossible to defeat the strongest species. It''s not called the strongest species. However.........if a demon with decent power attacks in a swarm, it''s a different story. Kanade and the others will destroy them accurately, but it can''t be done in a single blow like before. They also have to avoid the attacks, which takes time. In the meantime, other demons attacked and... I was jittery and trapped. Quantity rather than quality. The swarm of demons that never ceased to fall, no matter if they were defeated or not, as expected of Kanade and the others were feeling tired. Right now, they''re showing a lot of success with each and every one of them, but... There is no denying that fatigue can disrupt your concentration and sometimes lead to big mistakes. Something has to be done about it. But what can we do? With hesitation and impatience... "Dragoon Howling! A vision of a dragon rushed through the battlefield and swallowed the swarm of demons. ''''Nyah!That was..... "Uh-huh, I''ve arrived! I''m sorry I''m late. Sora and Luna I''ve got them, okay? ''Sola!Luna! ''Nina brought you here!Nice timing. Heh. Nina scowled and decided to make the sign. Tina landed on top of Nina''s head like that. She stared at the group of demons that were approaching, as if this was her stationary position. ''Yup, guys, do it! "''Ooooooh! ---------- Ixion Blast! Efreet Inferno! Sola and Luna''s super-grade magic exploded. A raging thunderstorm. A raging flame attack. Both of them descended on the battlefield and snuffed out the crowd of demons. ''''Unya-nya-nya! Kanade, by himself, charged at the demon horde.... He fired a series of fist kicks. They rampaged around like a storm, knocking down one demon after another. ''Nina, on our signal, go for it! Yeah. Now! Nina opened up a subspace and connected a hole right above the enemy. Tina slammed her magic power into it. Unable to respond to the attack from the blind spot, the demons screamed and fell down. ''''Even with this........at least! As if it were a tome, Tania unleashes a dragon breath. A rush of light clears everything away. The earth shook and a shockwave spread around them. Sora, Luna and Nina joined in, and it''s time for Kanade and the others to show their true colors. With the cooperation that can only come from being friends, they subdue the swarm of demons. Their power is so overwhelming that even Rifa, also the strongest species, couldn''t help but be surprised. This is the power of the girls. This is the bond between friends. But......... "''Gruaaaaaah! The demons still remained in large numbers. With the success of Kanade and the others, about 30% of them would have disappeared. But after giving them that many attacks and spending that much time, it was finally 30%. The rest were roughly 14,000 of them. That''s quite a desperate number. ''''Kanade, I''m sorry!I''m late! Stella! Stella appeared with the adventurers and knights once they had retreated. ''What do we do now?We''re still fine, but... The number of enemies is still extraordinary. We''re starting to get tired of them as well... All right. Let us handle it this time. You bought us some time so we could take care of our wounded. We''ll take care of the wounded next time. Meow?Aren''t you supposed to be in a siege? It''s time to start worrying about the durability of the gate. That''s something we must avoid. Hence, we will meet them here! Nah we''re very responsible. "Hahaha, as long as I''m around, there''s no problem!Such a swarm of demons, my supreme secret technique, the ultimate special killing technique, the ultimate supernatural astonishing technique, the Heaven and Earth God, the Heaven and Earth God, the Heaven and Earth God, and the Invincible, Invincible and Immortal Magic will reclaim them! Long..... ''I mean, it didn''t contain any ominous words...? Luna, who was always at her own pace at all times, eased the tension in everyone''s mind a bit. ''''Alright. Well then, guys, let''s go! You can''t let Kanade call the shots. Oh, come on. I don''t mind. You might as well be Kanade than me, you know. Whatever the case I''m in high spirits!Let''s go. Once again, Stella gave the order and.... The people who had gathered to defend the city held their weapons at the same time. ---------- The battlefield was chaotic. People and demons were clashing and splattering blood everywhere. An hour had already passed since the battle began. As time passed, the number of wounded increased, and there was no end to the number of people leaving the battle lines. However, the enemy''s momentum did not wane. The demons in the Stampede didn''t fear death, but repeated their assault like a madman. Their momentum pushed them to the point where Stella and the others were forced to retreat to the final line of defense. Kanade and the other strongest species were doing very well, as expected, due to their ridiculously high ground power, although they were getting tired. One person has killed 1,000 to 2,000 demons. But other adventurers and knights can''t do that........ Looking at the overall battle situation, it was currently being pushed by demons, and it was only a matter of time before the city of Horizon turned into a battlefield. It couldn''t go on like this. Everyone thought so and felt impatient, but there was nothing they could do about it. And then........finally the demon reached the gate. 301-Episode 301 ''No!They''re at the city gates! Luna said in an impatient voice while firing off a series of magic. Kanade, Tania and Nina, who were fighting nearby, turned around and looked towards the city. A group of demons had formed a spear-like formation and were repeatedly charging towards the city. The adventurers and knights banded together to prevent them, but that didn''t last for long. The fierce attack is incessant, and they are pushed, creating a hole in the ground. Demons rush in from there........ One by one, the demons attached themselves to the gate. The remaining adventurers and knights on top of the gate tried to intercept them, but there were just too many of them. While one of them is defeated, three of them climbed up, making it impossible to deal with them. ''''Luna, can''t you just use magic to blow them all up together! The others will be blown up all together! Tania''s screaming question was answered by Luna, who also gave a screaming answer. ''It''s no good because it involves my fireball and breaths too. Then we''ll have to ask Nina to send Kanade...'''' Oh I''m sorry, dear. If you don''t have a clear destination in mind it may be difficult to transfer. Then I''ll run over there and... uh-uh, get out of the way! The demons swarmed the straw as if they wouldn''t let that happen, and Kanade yelled loudly, annoyed. He threw a series of fists and kicked while spinning further. It''s like a solitary piece of music that blows away everything it touches. But even if that could defeat the enemy, he couldn''t move from the spot. I wanted to head to the rescue, but it was impossible for me to do so. ''Where are Sora and Tina! ''If it were my sister, she would be hitting a bunch of magic down the road!Once my sister is gone, even more demons will come flooding in, so it''s hard to reassign them. Tina, it''s a distraction over there, but it''s still difficult. Not cool.If this is the case, it''s going to be a joke and it''s going to become a joke......that demon child! Tania looked around in a panic and... A short distance away, he found Rifa struggling alone. Rifa had honed her coordination with the residents of Krios and the demon race that lived there, but this was the first time she was fighting alongside Kanade and the others. Unable to coordinate well, they fought away from each other to stay out of the way... As a result, he had to isolate himself alone. ''Well, isn''t it bad?Rifa seems to be pretty strong, but it''s hard to have that many by yourself, no matter how many. Oh my God, one problem after another...! ''I''ll go to Rifa''s place!Mmmm. Kanade made an oversized jump and flew through the air like a launched shell. No, it ran through the sky. As it was, it drew a parabolic line.... Rifa landed snugly next to the fight. As he landed, he crushed the demon that was there from above. ''''Surprise.'''' Rifa looked at Kanade as he fell from the sky and said with a completely blank expression. ''''I''ll help!'''' Hmm. With the addition of Kanade, Rifa began to fight spontaneously. After all, it must have been tough as expected to take on that many by one person. Because of the strongest species, they will not lose, but fatigue is accumulating. However, with the addition of Kanade, he was able to relax his body and mind.... ''That''s good for that one. And..........as for the crucial gate.... What should we do? Tania is lost. Before she knows it, she''s in a position to command her friends... By nature, I am not good at this kind of brain work. Basically, it''s easier for me to go on a rampage. I''m very grateful to Rain for always being in charge. Did I have to turn my head this much while fighting? It''s unusual. Are they really human? Aren''t they the most powerful species in human skin? Tania couldn''t help but think about that. ''''Anyway, I have to do something until Rain returns...! What are you going to do? I''ll let Luna and Nina handle this one! Without waiting for an answer, Tania sprouted wings on her back and took off. She moved to the gate at once, kicking away the demons that were attacking her from the sky as well. She landed in front of the gate with great force. The ground cracks from the impact, but I can''t pay attention to that. I don''t have time to worry about it. Everybody get down! At Tania''s shout, the adventurers and knights on the gate fell down with their heads in a hurry. What was Tania trying to do? I don''t know about that, but I understood from experience that it was bad. Tania spread her wings wide... He used his breath to reap the entire gate and the swarm of demons. However, it''s not a serious breath. It''s a breath that was considerably added or subtracted and its power was attenuated. It didn''t destroy the gate........ But I was able to blow away the demon that attached itself to the gate... He succeeded in kicking out the demons that were trying to climb over the gate and lurk in the city. Still, they couldn''t be relieved. Soon, the reinforcement demons rushed in and tried to swallow Tania and the others. ''''Hah! Stella''s sword sliced through the demon that was about to attack Tania. ''Stella!When did you- ''Same with Tania. I knew I had to defend the gate, so I lowered my lines to this point. No, I should say I had to lower it... or should I say I had to lower it... anyway, no more. I know! This is the final line of defense. There''s a city behind this one. There are people without power. We will stop them here. Tania and Stella are determined to do the right thing, but Despair comes to shatter that resolve. ''What, what was that...'' Stella murmured with a shocked look. Following her gaze........Tania is also stunned. ''''Is that........a demon?'''' A huge mountain-like thing was moving. As if it didn''t matter what your friends were, it trampled the demons that spread out in its path.... Walking with the earth ringing. Giant Tortoise. It is a giant tortoise-shaped demon that is as tall as a small hill. Its speed is extremely slow, but its attacks can destroy walls and gates with a single blow. Furthermore, its shell is higher than steel, and its defense is also high. It''s an A-ranked demon. ''''What the hell is that monster...! This is not good, Tania!That''s the Giant Tortoise. If that thing attacked us, the gate would easily break down. Then I''ll take you down before that! Tania unleashes a deadly Dragon Breath. How many breaths today? As expected, he was feeling tired. Still, it''s a full-force blow. The only ones who could resist this would be the strongest species or demon race of the same S rank. That''s what I thought... What? Giant Tortoise has his arms, legs and head retracted into his shell and is now on the defensive. That''s when Breathless takes a direct hit... After the explosive flames cleared, Giant Tortoise resumed his steps, sticking out his limbs and head as if nothing had happened. ''''Isn''t that strange!How can you take a direct hit from my breath and not be affected by it? ''''The Giant Tortoise''s abilities are high, but it''s especially good at defending itself. It''s said that very few can break through that defense... hence, it''s categorized as an A-rank. Oh my God, you silly turtle! Annoyed, Tania was wishy-washy and ruffled her hair. That''s how impatient and confused she must be. ''If it comes to this, shall I fight in my original form...? I can''t lose to a turtle like that if I take dragon form. Tania thought and thought about it. It''s just that the damage to the surroundings is going to be terrible, she thought. Basically, the adventurers and knights are gathered at the gate, but even so, not all of them. There are people here and there forming ranks and fighting hard. If you''re not careful, you''ll end up involving those people. ''''Kutu.......what should I do.......! "...why don''t you just do this? What? Fireball Multi-Shot! Multiple fireballs flew out of nowhere and exploded at Giant Tortoise''s feet. No damage was done to the Giant Tortoise, but.... The giant tortoise gets stuck in a large hole in the ground, and the giant tortoise gets stuck in it. The one who sees the weaknesses and acts on them... Lane! Sorry I''m late. 302-Episode 302: Reliable reinforcements It took longer than I thought it would. I hurried back.... The battle had already begun, and it was quite a mixed bag. Stella and the others had retreated to the final defense line. Although Kanade and the others are also doing their best, the demon''s momentum still hasn''t waned. But ... that''s it. I won''t let them get away with it any longer. We can''t let them do that. "Rain! Wow. Tania hugs me with tremendous force. I couldn''t cope with the suddenness of the situation and was pushed down to the ground as it was. ''''Ta, Tania...?'''' ''Already ... that''s enough!You''re late, Rain! While I was on top of her, Tania smacked me on the chest. ''I believed you would come for sure, but it was so late that I thought something might have happened... Oh my God, you''re a terrible master for making me worry about you!You should be reminded of that, right? I''m sorry. I''m sorry. ''''Oh well, fine. I forgive you. He stood up and patted Tania''s head, and she turned her face away from him. She must be embarrassed, seeing her cheeks turn vermilion. I felt like I hadn''t seen Tania so emotional in a long time. That''s how worried she was.... Also, he must have been trapped in this situation. ''Nyah, Rain! ''I''ve been waiting for you!It''s too late! Now you''re safe. Hmm, I''m starting to feel like I can do better... Yeah, let''s do it! They all recognized us, too, and made a joyful, enthusiastic noise that made me happy. We have to live up to that expectation. ''You''re back,'' There was a lot of bats flying around and a lot of rustling and... They gathered in one place and Rifa appeared. ''I thought you''d escaped,'' I''m not going anywhere. Didn''t I give my word to the Rifa? ? "Helping. ''Oh....'' Rifa rolled her eyes in surprise. Could it be that he had forgotten his promise? I''d be a bit shocked if that was the case. But well.... It means you are willing to keep your promises properly. And that you will help your fellow Refugees as you promised. I want to show those things with my future actions. ''''But what are you going to do?'''' Rifa glanced at the swarm of demons. The Giant Tortoise is stuck in a hole, unable to move. However, the other demons were still alive and well. In large numbers. What are we going to do with them? You think you can deal with one person ... and just one person? Rifa''s eyes held such a question in them. ''I''ll take care of it,'' So I said once and for all, emphatically, to dispel the question. ''How?'' Thus. I chanted Fireball I sent it right up. As it was, it made a flower of fire bloom in the sky. Rifa looked at it curiously. He tilts his head slightly. ''''What, was that?'''' That''s the signal. A signal? It''s a signal to the faithful reinforcements that you''re coming. Out of nowhere, I heard the earth shaking. And ... the roar of the beasts. Wolves, lions, tigers, bears, elephants, hippos, rhinos, hawks, eagles, crocodiles....... All sorts of animals were approaching from the north and south, interrupting the herd of demons. They marched in with a fierce momentum that made the earth smoke. As it was, the animals were bitten by the demons as if they were striking the side of the pack of demons. Wolves and other animals, with their sharp fangs, devoured the flesh of the demons....... Elephants and other large-bodied things can gain momentum and run over... The hawks and other winged things will swoop in from the sky and... The animals showed their full specs and kicked out a bunch of demons. There were roughly 3,000 of them. Although they were less in number than the demons, I chose only those animals that had power comparable to a C-rank. Hence, with such a large number of them, we can''t lose. ''''........'''' Rifa was stunned. Tania and Stella were also stunned. Everyone else ... the adventurers and knights were stunned as well. ''''Wha.......what is this?'''' Rifa blurted out, as if to represent everyone''s feelings. ''Why the animals...'' ''I told you.I''m a beast tamer. You don''t think... you''ve tamed this many? No, that''s not possible. I can''t tame 3,000 animals in any amount of time. I''m apparently a branch of a brave man''s family, so there''s no limit to my growth, but....... Still, 3,000 is not possible. It''s beyond the realm of humanity. Then what''s the problem? The simple answer. "I made a provisional agreement with only the leader of the herd. Then the ones under your control will do what you order them to do properly. There are fewer objects to sign a temporary contract with. ........I should have given a convincing explanation, but for some reason Refa remains stunned. ''Even if it''s just the leader, there should be a good number of them. How many?'''' Well ... maybe a hundred? Hi, Hundred... There aren''t that many different kinds of animals I''ve collected, but... One leader per species, not just one. Sometimes there were multiple herds acting together, and in those cases, we had to sign up several leaders. As a result, it''s taken me a long time to get to this point... And we were to make a tentative agreement with about a hundred animals. ''Funny. There''s supposed to be one we can tame. Yeah, well, I''m a bit of a special case. ''A special among specials it''s just plain strange, to say the least. There can''t be a hundred. Well, it''s Rayne. Rifa didn''t seem convinced, but Tania seemed to be taking things in stride as normal, though she felt like she was doing something about it. ''Well, whatever it is,'' I pulled out my camouflage and set it up. ''I''ve brought reliable reinforcements. You all did a great job, and now we''re even. ''Yeah. Honestly, it would have been a bit of a mess if it hadn''t happened but Rain made it work. Now it''s time to fight back. Tania laughs wryly. ''''Good grief ... as usual, Rain is outrageous. However, since you''ve done that much, our knight can''t afford to fall behind either. Stella also tried to regain her spirits and gave the order to her men. The look of despair had disappeared from the adventurers'' faces, and they had become vibrant and hopeful. Everyone was looking forward to everyone else. Because I had brought reinforcements it wasn''t just because I had brought reinforcements it wasn''t just because of that. Rather, it was because I came back. That''s why I was able to get back into the swing of things. As such, everyone and he was full of strength. Somewhat embarrassed but.... If we were able to bring hope to everyone, we are proud and very happy. Seeing us, Rifa made a strange face. Maybe she doesn''t understand the source of our power, our hearts. It''s just........ It''s not bad. Rifa also gave a small laugh. ''Rain,'' Rifa lined up next to me the scythe of blood, is that it? Anyway, he also readied his weapon. It was as if he was going to keep his back... Let''s go. Oh! Responding forcefully, me and Rifa ran towards the crowd of demons. 303-Episode 303: The Upset of the Blackout I don''t think this is happening. The demon tribe that was observing the Stampede on the cliffs...Weiss'' eyes widened in astonishment. The plan was going well. We were able to trigger the stampede without any problems, and it had grown to as large as we wanted it to be. The swarm of over ten thousand demons turned their course to Horizon. There''s no way we''ll be able to reinforce them in time. Defense is pointless. The Horizon was supposed to be wiped off the map today, this day. Weiss knew that there were multiple strongest species. However, he had decided that it wasn''t much of a problem. An ordinary strongest species would not be able to overcome the Stampede. Those who stood at the top of the strongest species and........ Or if it was a race that specialized in combat, like the Heavenly Race, or maybe it was a different story. But the cat spirit race, the dragon race, the spirit race, the god race.... And it doesn''t make sense for the demon race alone. It would extend the time to perdition and not die. It''s just that. You can''t save the Horizons from perdition. Or so I thought. Or so I judged. And yet ... what does this result mean? What the hell is going on right in front of you? Weiss couldn''t understand the scene happening below him, and he couldn''t help but groan with his head in his hands. ''''What the hell is that human...?To defeat my plans in such a foolish way... The animals that were called in as reinforcements were kicking off the pack of demons with great vigor. Wolves and other animals were biting off small demons such as goblins........ Rhinos and other medium-sized demons, such as ogres, are blown away by... Elephants and other animals trample large demons such as king lizards. A herd of demons being overrun by a herd of animals. It was a joking sight. However, it is not determined that demons are superior to animals or have stronger power. Not all animals surpass demons, but........ Some battle-savvy animals have better fighting skills than demons. Otherwise, the demons would have destroyed them long ago and the wild animals would have become extinct. However. But that doesn''t mean. Who would really think of hitting a demon with an animal? Who would ever think of subduing the Stampede with animals? It was beyond Weiss''s comprehension. Unbelievable. I can''t believe it. Unbelievable. Looking at the scene in front of me, I felt dizzy with a headache. Must I admit that my plan has failed? Horizon is only an insurance policy. The real deal is Krios. It was mentioned that Krios might not be enough... So he decided to have Horizon destroyed as well. But that failed. There''s still a lot of fighting going on but... The swarm of demons had been completely pushed down. There were still a good number of them left, but it would only be a matter of time before they were completely overrun. ''''Oh dear.......what would Reese say about this kind of thing? That hurts my head.'''' Weiss wondered if he would join the ranks. But he quickly dismissed the idea. Multiple strongest species. Hundreds of humans. And a herd of animals. It was impossible to fight against them, no matter how many demons they were. They would be easily defeated. If you use special measures, or........it''s possible. However, that''s just the way it is. It is not possible to use it casually in such a situation. "I can''t help it.......I''ll just give up on this town. Weiss let out a sigh and.... The next moment, the figure disappeared like a phantom. ---------- This is....the last time! Kanade whirled his right arm around and slammed his full strength punch into the King Lizard. His huge body was launched into the sky like a cannonball and turned into a star as it was. The rest... Magic power flew in all directions to explore the demon''s reaction. The reaction ... not a single one. It would be annihilation. ''Rain!I''ve been watching from the sky, but the rest of them are gone. I''m just checking to make sure you''re okay, okay? That''s what Tania and Nina would say, so it wouldn''t be a problem. They were able to control the Stampede. ''Rain, can you give them a victory?'' Stella would ask me to do that. ''What?Why me?Stella''s in total command, and yet... ''You deserve Rain more than me. Everyone in town recognizes you. ''That being said... oh no. All right, I''ll do it. I''ll do it. It''s not really my pattern, but... But since Stella says so much, I decide to take it on with open arms. I move to the front of the gate. In front of the adventurers and knights looking at us, I thrust my right hand up....... We won! "''Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!'' ---------- With everyone working together, we managed to conquer the Stampede. The hard part, however, is yet to come. First, we had to treat the injured. Nearly 500 people fought and nearly half of them were seriously injured. Nearly 100 of them were so seriously injured that they could not move. We helped with the wounded. I can use my heels, and Sora and Luna are experts in magic. Tina has the knowledge and skills to heal them properly, and Nina keeps a lot of wounding medicine in subspace. Kanade and Tania were able to carry various supplies from place to place with their pride and skill. Unfortunately, some of them couldn''t help, but... Still, thanks to everyone, we were able to help a lot of people. It''s not just the people''s problem, but the reconstruction of the city is also a big problem. Although we managed to hold out against the demon attack, the east gate has completely stopped functioning. The damage to the area around it is also largely tattered. It will take some time for the city to regain its original form. But fortunately, or perhaps I should say, we have no trouble finding funds for reconstruction. Having conquered the Stampede, we''ve gained a large amount of magic stones. If we make good use of them, the funding problem will be solved. While there are many other problems........ The people who had survived the Stampede were already walking forward. In the midst of all that, I was........ All right, thank you. You''re a lifesaver. Gawd! He patted the lion''s head and placed a large chunk of meat in front of it. The lion happily sucked the chunk of meat into his mouth.......but it was too big to carry it around, so he called several lions, who seemed to be family members, to help him carry it around. ''''Fuu........'''' Lane, we''re about to run out of meat. It''s okay. That''s the last of the carnivores. Next time I''ll be a herbivore so... Yeah, I''ve got a bunch of vegetables that look good. Kanade showed me a pile of vegetables in a rear car. There are several rear cars lined up behind it with the same pile of vegetables. And ahead of me is a herd of animals. These are the animals with whom I''ve made a tentative contract. I''m giving them rewards, but it''s hard because there are so many of them. Thanks to the large number of magic stones, I don''t have to worry about money, and I''m able to prepare the rewards properly, but..... It''s half the work, and it''s about to get dark, but I can''t finish awarding the rewards. This could be an all-night job... He smiles bitterly, but, however, he must do his best to keep his spirits up. The animals are not unscathed, and some of them are wounded. As a beast tamer, I have to respond to them as best I can. Thank you. He stroked each one''s head and thanked them repeatedly for their help. 304-Episode 304: Trust We ended up working all night to thank the animals for their help. I managed to finish by thanking the last animal at the end of the day. There is still a lot of work to be done, but as expected, I''m at the limit of my activities... I returned home, feeling woozy. ''Hey guys....goodnight....thanks for staying late, really, for staying with me...'' Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. "Don''t tell me you''re tired, it''s even more mind-numbing you tired cat... I''m exhausted... Kanade and Tania meander from side to side, heading down the hallway that leads to the room. Tina calls out to their backs. ''Oh, Kanade, Tania. What are we going to do about dinner?'' ''I can wait...'' I want to go to bed now too. They said this and disappeared into their rooms, each of them disappearing into their own rooms. ''Sora and Luna...'' Sola and Luna had run out of steam before they returned to their room and were lying shoulder to shoulder on the couch. I can''t thank them both enough for working so hard to get to this point. ''Sora, Luna. You''ll catch cold if you sleep here, right? Okay, Tina. I''ll get you two up to your room. Yeah? We''re both light, so it''s not a problem. More importantly, Tina.... I glanced at Nina and saw that she was slumped. Her eyes were half closed and her head was swaying from side to side. ''Ta-ha, Nina looks like she''s at her limit. That''s why Tina takes care of Nina. Roger that! I took Sora and Luna to my room and... Tina took Nina to her room and.... Finally, I was able to get everyone to sleep. No, I don''t mean everyone. Tina and Rifa are still there. ''Tina and Rifa aren''t going to sleep?'' We''re ghosts, you know. I don''t get tired, and I don''t get sleepy. I''m a vampire. Night is the best time to be a vampire. It''s morning. I see. It''s good to see you. "...phew. However, Tina was slightly wobbly. The outline of her body appeared to be blurred for some reason. Nope. I''m a ghost, so it''s natural for them to be blurry... It''s kind of like she doesn''t feel energetic and doesn''t feel her usual strength. ''Maybe Tina''s tired too?'' What makes you think that? ''Why, if you ask me why I don''t have a clear reason. I can only answer that it''s somehow. I just feel like Tina''s not the same right now. It''s not like he''s tired or anything, but he''s a little tired. Maybe he used too much magic power. ''Then maybe you should get some sleep.I think just lying down would make a lot of difference. Well, I''ll take it. Are you okay on your own? You''ll be fine. Or is Rain''s husband trying to get into the noisy damsel''s room? ''No, no, I didn''t mean...'' Ha-ha, just kidding. Well, I''m going to go lie down too. With a fluttering wave of her hand, Tina also disappeared in the back. .........or rather, I don''t want you to go through the wall. I want her to fly down the corridor because everyone will be surprised, but.......well, she looks tired and I''ll tolerate her today. ''Is Refa okay?Are you pushing yourself? No, I''m fine. Rifa nodded coyly. She doesn''t seem to be straining. Vampires are tough, aren''t they? Or is it their youth? No, no, no, I must be young. Then I''m sorry, but I think I''m going to bed too. I''m tired as expected I''ll talk about Krios in the afternoon, okay? Yeah, okay. Good night. Good night, then. Wait, Rain. I was about to move to my room when Rifa grabbed my hand. When I turned around, I saw Rifa with an indescribably complicated face. She looked at me and tried to open her mouth.... But I mean in words, and my mouth is shut. You have something to say, but you can''t seem to put it into words. Nope. It''s more like I''m lost. I don''t know what to say, because I can''t digest the feelings inside me. It was like that. What''s going on? I don''t want to rush her. I tried to sound as gentle as I could and waited for Rifa to get her words together. ''''I........'''' Somewhat later, Rifa opens her little mouth. The way she looked at me was filled with apology, as if she was already sorry for some reason. ''''I''m sorry.'''' ''What?Why are you apologizing? I thought it was Lane. What do you mean...? ''When the stampede broke out near this city and Rain disappeared when he called for reinforcements I thought Rain had escaped. I had my doubts about Rain.... I see. So, you''re sorry. I''m ashamed of myself. Rayne kept her promise. And yet... Okay. I put my hand on Rifa''s head with a pop. As it was, I somehow stroked Rifa''s head. ''''Rain...?'''' I don''t blame Rifa for feeling that way. We only just met. We don''t know much about each other. If you ever had any doubts, I think it''s only natural. Rain..... That''s why I''m doing my best. What? ''I''m going to do my best to get Refa to trust me. I''m going to do my best to make sure that he doesn''t suspect me anymore. So why don''t you stay a little closer to me?I promised to save Krios, and I will keep that promise. Thank you. Rifa hugged me. As it was, she buried her face in my chest. ''But you don''t have to try so hard. ''What?But.... I already believe in Lane. A strength is put into his hugging hands. ''I didn''t believe it at first. I doubted it. But now I don''t. Rifa looked up at me. The emotion in those eyes.............trust. Looking straight at me......... He has absolute faith in me and.... Rifa''s straightforward gaze is directed at her as if she''s surrendering her heart to him, as if she''s telling him her thoughts. ''I trust Rain,'' Well thank you, Rifa. Hmm. He stroked Rifa''s head and his eyes narrowed in a pleasant way. It''s like a cat. Somehow it reminded me of Kanade. ''''Huh........'''' I can''t help but yawn. ''Lane, are you sleepy?'' Yeah, I''m in for a long night, indeed. My story is over. You can go to bed. Hmmm.... Rifa looked somewhat sad, even though she said she could go to bed. That''s true. So if I sleep, Rifa will be alone........ I''m going to miss it until everyone else wakes up. However, I can''t stop thinking about what''s coming up later, and I can''t stop sleeping too... Uh ... well, I''ll sleep with you then. I feel like I just said something outrageous... I was getting quite sleepy, and my mind was so foggy that I couldn''t think properly. Hmm. I''m going to sleep with Rain. Can you sleep? It''s morning, so get some sleep. Okay. Okay, let''s get some sleep. Hmm. I moved to my room with Rifa and we went straight to bed together. After that........Kanade was surprised when he came to wake me up, but that''s another story. 305-Episode 305: Seems to be a friend I woke up in the afternoon and Then I had a rather late dinner. We continued on and went out again to buy and pack our things. After a light meeting, it was unanimously decided that we should leave for Krios immediately. And so........it was nighttime when all the preparations were in order. ''Nya, it''s getting to be this late,'' What do you think?I don''t think it''s safe to leave at this time of night... Even though you can go through the Spirit Tribe''s village, the entrance is the Lost Forest, right?I don''t think it''s a good idea to push through that place in the dark. Humph, I have no problem with that. Luna says confidently, trying to allay Tania''s concerns. ''We need you to come over here,'' I was led to the end of the corridor after being told that. There is nothing else but an ornamental vase on the floor. ''''Well what''s this all about?'''' At first glance, it appears to be nothing. But if I channel my magic like this... Luna''s hand glows faintly. The magic power must be visibly converging. When I traced the empty space with that glowing hand, the space wavered like the surface of water. The entire wall glows vaguely.... Soon I could see the trees growing quietly in the darkness of the night beyond. It''s a view I''ve seen somewhere. ''''I mean........is this from the village of the spirit race.......? ''Mmm!Mmmmmmmmmm, yes it is!I have connected this house to the village of the spirit race with magical power. Well, how is that possible?No, it''s actually possible... ''''It''s just a matter of adding one more transition gate and setting its destination here. It''s a rather simple task for Sola and the rest of the spirit race. Isn''t that a problem? I know. Nina''s right. Wouldn''t they be mad at us if we did this without permission? I didn''t give you permission. I got permission. It''s a hassle to go to the Lost Forest every time you need to go to the village. That''s why I talked to your mother and the chief and asked for permission. But as soon as Nina called me, I had to put off setting it up. They say they''ve been granted permission but are they sure about that? I can''t believe that I''m going to install a gate leading to the village of the spirit race in my home. This is in the city, and if it''s not good, there''s a chance that other people could break in. ''''This could be trespassed into by people in the city, is that okay? Tania asked such a question, apparently with the same concern. Luna then threw out her chest in a proud manner, as if to say that she had been thinking about that possibility. ''''Hmph, it''s as if it''s not a problem!Only our spirit race can open the gate that leads to the village. Other races........no matter how much magic the humans pour into them, they won''t react. And since it''s usually so transparent and assimilated to part of the house, it''s not likely to be noticed first. I see. That''s good. Well, let''s get on with it, shall we? You''ve taken up so much of my time, you''d better hurry up. Hmm. Rifa nodded enthusiastically. Then he moved to the front of the transition gate and stepped out... before he stopped and spun around to look back at them. As it was, he looked at everyone and bowed his head in a bow. ''''Please. Help my friends and the people of Krios. I can feel Rifa''s straightforward thoughts. Kanade lightly tapped Rifa''s shoulder with a plop. She smiles at Rifa, who raises her face, and smiles at her. ''''Of course!Let me handle it. The Stampede that happened in this city is probably an enemy of Rifa and the others and we''ll let them pay for it. "One of the strongest species in the world, Sora is willing to help. "Hahaha, you''ll rue the day you made an enemy of us! We''ll do our best too! Yeah I''ll do my best. Everyone''s fired up enough. Let''s go! Finally, I put it all together and went through the transition gate. ---------- After passing through the transition gate, it was the village of the spirit race. There is no concept of time or distance, and we move in an instant. The ability to create something like this makes me realize once again the amazingness of the spirit race. ''''Oh, wow.'''' Rifa''s eyes widened at the awesomeness of going through the transition gate, as if it was her first time going through it. However, her expression hasn''t changed much. She seems to be a child who doesn''t show her emotions of joy and anger very much, so she must be the one who is surprised even by this. ''Hmmm, of course you do!Isn''t our spirit race amazing? ''Yeah, great. Amazing. ''Hahaha!Rifa has a lot to offer!I don''t like the idea of being a first-class citizen. Sola''s claws fell on Luna. ''Be quiet, Luna. It''s nighttime.'' "Oh, oh my God I''m going to fall asleep too... I feel a bit sorry for her, but I can''t interrupt her because what Sola is saying is too right. ''''I''ve already received permission from the chief to use the transition gate as you wish. Let''s go to the transition gate in the direction of Krios. Well, as I recall, the Krios area is... well, it''s this way. Guided by Luna, who had been revived from the power of Sora''s Genkotsu, we walked through the village for a bit. Soon, I saw a door of light, which looked like another transition gate. ''''It''s here! This transitional gate is in Krios? ''To be exact, it''s close to Krios, and it''s about an hour''s walk, but I thought it would be much quicker than taking a carriage or something. Yeah. Thanks, both of you. "Huh. Huh. I stroked Sora and Luna''s heads with my reflection and they both looked ecstatic. Seeing this, everyone else looks envious. ''''I........have never had anyone stroke me before........'''' My family. It feels good. Nina, Tina and Rifa stare at me and I feel a strange sense of urgency. ''Well I''m in a hurry right now, so I''ll see you later, okay? Yeah, I promise...? Okay, I''m going to have fun! Strokes. The three of us get excited. If this is the least I can do, I''ll do it anytime. As expected, I''m busy right now, so I''ll have to put it off. ''''Well then........'''' Oh, he''s been waiting for you. Let''s go through the transition gate immediately. As I was about to say that, a familiar voice came from behind me. When I turned around........it was Al-san. ''''Mother?'''' What''s going on, Mother? Sola and Luna looked surprised. They said they had permission to use the transfer gate, but they hadn''t expected Al-san to be here. ''I have heard the general situation from my daughters. You guys are going to Krios to help the demon tribe, right? Yes, I know, but... Then you must be accompanied by your mistress. What? Surprised by the sudden turn of events, I couldn''t help but shout out loud. I''ll follow you, I said........ Mr. Al is temporarily at the party? That''s the perception, right? Mm, that''s not a problem. I didn''t say anything... For better or worse, you are a foolishly honest man. You don''t need to use magic to know what''s on your mind when it''s simple. Should I make an effort to hide my heart a bit...? But, Mom. Why? ''Hmm. It''s been quite a while since your mother, a hassle-free, withdrawn, lazy master, went out, hasn''t it? Luna. You need to learn some more respect for your mother and how to talk to her, don''t you? Meeeeeeeee! This time, Luna was in tears after Al''s complaint. ''''What. If you''re in trouble with the demon tribe, you''re welcome to help them. However, the village has to be protected, so no one but the mistress can move. I can count on my mom to follow me around. Mm-hmm. Sola is a sweet little girl, isn''t she? Mother, are you all right?Isn''t he old enough? It would be a shame to be a child if I were to slip and fall over in excitement! Luna. You will learn, my Lord. The second time the proverbial bone dropped and Luna turned over on the spot, jerking and shaking like a fish washed up on a hill. This mother and daughter are so wild.... Therefore, my mistress will follow. Of course, do you understand? Al looked at me intently. Otherwise you''re in for a hell of a lot of trouble, right? It was almost threatening. ''Of course. I won''t disagree with you. Although we were surprised by the sudden turn of events, if Al-san was on our side, we couldn''t be more reliable. Thus, we added the strongest helper we could find, Al-san, to our side and headed for Krios. 306-Episode 306 Clios The transition gate led into the forest. It was a place similar to the Lost Forest, with trees growing deep. Al-san explained to me that the spirit race likes nature, so they install the transition gate in such a place.... ''''Light!'''' Sola and Luna magically created lights to illuminate our feet and where we were going. I took the lead and pushed my way through the ivy and bushes, pushing my way along the beast path, making the walk a little easier for everyone else who was following. And so we walked for about half an hour. Soon we reached the forest path. The path was neatly laid out and there was no difficulty in walking. ''Um, right or left...'' It''s this way. I took out the map and was about to check the location when Al pointed to the left without hesitation. ''You know it?'' Hmm. I''ve been to Krios several times. That''s unusual. ''Mmm. Do you, like Luna, want to call your mistress a lazy, helpless, lazy mother who is a reclusive, useless nitwit? ''I don''t think Luna said that much either... no, I didn''t mean that. I just thought it was unusual for a spirit race to go to a human city. Oh, I see. Oh, I see. I have no use for human cities. But Krios is another example. That''s where the demons are, too. There are also demon tribe acquaintances, and I occasionally show my face there. I see. As we walked, we passed through the forest road in about 20 minutes. By the time we exited the forest road, the sky was beginning to brighten and our vision quickly expanded. ''''Is that........'''' We saw a huge lake in the distance. It was so huge that it could be mistaken for an ocean. The buildings were lined up on such a lake. It''s a city. The city is built on top of a giant pillar. ''Krios was a city built on a lake...'' Everyone seemed to be surprised, and they all rolled their eyes. ''Krios is a special city. "Krios is a special city, and in order to protect itself from demons and beasts, it built a city on the lake and obtained a natural fortress. ''How did you know that, Al?'' The Spirituals were instrumental in its construction. What? I''ve never heard of such a thing. The two daughters didn''t seem to know and were surprised again. ''Why would the spirit race be lending their power to the humans?It doesn''t make sense. Krios was created a long time ago. At that time, concubines and other spirit people had a good relationship with humans. ''Does that mean the city has been around for over a hundred years?Ho-ho-ho, it''s amazing. "Hmmm, my mistress has done a lot of work on this project. You must admire her more. Mr. Al looks good at it, but.... This guy is really involved in a lot of places. It''s hard to believe that he''s a spirit race, he''s very facetious. ''''Well ... how shall we get to the city?'''' Once we need to check the situation, we need to move into the city and hear from the representatives. Although the bridges extending from the north and south of the city connect to the edge of the lake respectively... That''s where the demons were gathering. It''s too many to count. Due to the influence of the Stampede, they must be in the middle of a battle right now. I don''t think it will reach 10,000, so it''s not impossible to force our way through, but.... Our goal is not to subdue the stampede, but to defeat whatever is causing it. We don''t want to use unnecessary power here and get exhausted. ''''Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Is there any better way? Well...... Don''t worry. Leave it to the mistress. I was trying to figure out how to move into the city when Al stepped forward. As it was, he threw out his chest confidently. ''What are we going to do, Mother?'' You are to do this. Al-san snapped his fingers, and a magic circle unfolded as if to envelop us. As it was, we were swallowed by the light... I noticed that the landscape around me had changed dramatically. I should have been far away from the lake, but suddenly I was in the city. Perhaps it was Krios. ''''Is this........transition magic?'''' But all our men at once and without chanting your mother is still a monster. You should admire them for their brilliance, ha ha ha! Mr. Al is smiling like he''s good at it, but.... Oh, hey. What the hell are they... He just came out of nowhere, didn''t he? Are you a demon...? The people around us were wary of our sudden appearance. It''s natural. Well, maybe there wasn''t a better way to do it, but....... I wish you had at least said a few words to me, Al. ''Well, we''re...'' Rifa! I was about to explain that it wasn''t anyone suspicious when a loud voice rang out from the crowd. The one who emerged through the crowd was a woman with horns, just like Rifa. She was shorter than me, but not small considering she was a woman. Her face looks a lot like Rifa''s. I wonder what Rifa will look like in 10 years time? She''s very beautiful. No, I mean beautiful and ... handsome? I am very aware that it is disrespectful to have these impressions about women. But it is true that I had such impressions. Her nose was slender and her eyes were crisp. He had a dignified expression on his face, and I could sense his strong will. ''''Oooh, you''ve returned safely! I''m back. Rifa steps forward and embraces the woman. They knew each other........or perhaps they were family. Rifa had a calm and gentle face that only family members would see. And from the pattern so far........ ''You''re the ones who drove Rifa to this point?Thanks!My name is Rezona, Rifa''s mother. Nice to meet you! I knew it, or rather, it was Rifa''s mother. Nice to meet you. I''m Rain Shroud. And this is.... I''m going to introduce you all to.... Long time no see, Rezona. I was about to introduce Al-san to her, when Al-san grinned wryly. Seemingly noticing such Al-san, Rezona-san gave a friendly smile. ''''Ooooooh!Just when you think you look like you''ve seen one, it''s Al!You''re alive? We''re alive!You do not kill a mistress without permission, my lord. ''Haha, sorry, I''m sorry. It''s been decades since we last met, right?He never showed his face, so I guess he''s just sitting out in the woods," he said. Don''t talk about her like she''s dried up, at all... As expected, he couldn''t stand to be treated like a dried-up person, and Al-san became puffy. But since appearances are appearances, it seems like the kid is just sulking. ''Oh, good, good, sorry about that.'' Don''t pat my concubine on the head! Rezona patted Al''s head. In this way, they are an adult and a child. It''s hard to believe they are the same mother. ''So, why is Al here?Are you lost? There''s no way!We have come to your rescue! ''Oh, really?If Al can help, it''s a hundred men!Rifa, you did a great job. I didn''t expect you to bring Al along as a helper. No. Hmm?What''s the difference? I brought my helper with me, Lane. Al is a bonus. Oh, as an added bonus... Al-san was soberly shocked by Rifa''s unconscious venomous tongue. ''Rain, come here.'' Oh, yeah. While I was concerned about Al-san, I left her alone for the moment and stood in front of Rezona-san as Rifa called me. ''''Rain is my helper. ''Hmm?This person?Seriously, it''s this guy? Hmm. Seriously. You don''t look so strong... Lane''s strong. I know she''s strong. "Law. Hearing Rifa''s words, Rezona-san''s mouth formed a smile. Then she stared at me. Our gazes cross. I felt a strange pressure, but I felt it was rude to look away, so I looked straight back at her. Soon after, Rezona nodded in satisfaction. ''Good!Good. I trust you. I mean, it''s not every day you hear your daughter say this but no, it''s not polite to talk like that. I''m sorry, my friend. Please help us help the city! What, no... Rezona bowed her head. I''m flustered by her sudden action. But what I should be doing is not scowling... You must respond well to Mr. Resona, who has gone so far as to show proper sincerity. I will do my best. Thank you! Rezona smiled and held out her hand to me... I smiled too and squeezed his hand back. 307-Episode 307: Operation Meeting and Mothers Power Rezona-san led me to the mansion of the Lord of Krios. I heard that this place is currently being used as a meeting room for Stampede countermeasures. It seems that the lord offered it to me as a larger room would be easier to use. It''s very different from the previous lord of Horizon. ''''It''s nice to meet you. I am the Lord of this Krios, my name is Kais Speria.'''' Nice to meet you. I''m Rayne Shroud. The Lord of Krios was quite old and had a staff in his hand. His hair was mostly gray, too. However, he had eyes so sharp that it was hard to believe that he was an ordinary old man. His tone was calm, but he had a unique awesomeness that comes with age. It seems that he doesn''t serve as a lord for Italy. ''''You''re Rain-san.......could it be that you''re called the Hero of Horizon?'''' ''What?Do you know? Of course I do. You''re famous, you know. When you''re in my position, you naturally hear about it. A lot of things... you know. I''m curious about the implications. How much do they know about me? I''m sure he''s known for his brave blood, but... well, he''s not the kind of person to talk about it here. ''''If you say that someone like Rain-san has come to your aid, then we can also have hope. Oh, I''m counting on you. I nodded my head firmly as Mr. Kys and Ms. Rezona told me that. ''Can you tell me the situation first?In case you''re wondering, Rifa has explained it to me, but I wanted to check again. Yeah, I know. It seems that Rezona-san will be the administrative facilitator of this strategy meeting, so she steps forward and begins to explain. That the city has been attacked by countless demons due to the sudden occurrence of the Stampede. That it''s not just one time, but multiple times. The fact that the volunteer demons headed to the place where there was a high magical reaction, judging it to be man-made, but were returned. ........Those things were explained to me. It''s the same as the information Refa heard beforehand. The only difference is that the situation is more urgent than what Rifa had told me........ The Stampede had already entered for the fourth time. Although they are trying to fight a caged battle, the damage is steadily piling up. Fatigue was building up and food was getting low. They were told the bad news that they couldn''t keep it up too long. ''Then we''ll have to hit the source soon... where is the enemy''s position? ''It looks like you were moved somewhere else a while ago, but now you''re back. Here it is. Rezona spread a map on the large table and pointed to a corner of it. ''South of Krios ... the forest area?'' Do you think so?With Rain''s ridiculous tamer ability, I think we can manage it rather well. ''What?What''s that d*mned tamer ability? I''ll tell you later. Mr. Rezona showed interest in a strange way, and his daughter Rifa was softly passing the conversation on. ''''Oh well. The enemy is lurking in an old castle in this wooded area.'' There''s a castle in here? I don''t know much about the history of the castle, but I don''t know much about it. And I don''t care. I know for a fact that the bastard who murdered our people is here. Mom, stop talking. Yeah, I''m sorry. I''m sorry. What is the reason for this...? All mothers of the strongest species have their own peculiarities, and Rifa''s mother seems to be no exception. But we can''t help you because we have to protect the city. I''m sure you''ve all heard of it. I hope you understand. I''m fine. You''ll be glad you did. You see, the enemy is not only strong but also very cunning. As recently as the last time... "Kukuku. A terribly grating laugh sounded as Rezona-san''s words were interrupted. The owner of the voice was the lord''s soldier who was waiting at the edge of the room. His expression was unrecognizable, as he had his head down. He just laughed and shook his shoulders in a terribly funny manner. He just smiles in a very funny way and shakes his shoulders, "Hahahaha, still plotting foolishness. It would be better if you were to be destroyed by my master! What are you ... who are you? Realizing that it wasn''t his subordinate, Kaiz-san let out a sharp voice. As if in response to his voice, the soldier''s figure changes. Their bodies swell up and their armor melts. Their skin turns black and wings sprout from their backs. Its appearance is that of a demon itself. ''''Fool, a Greater Demon? ''There''s a grade A demon in town! The other soldiers hurriedly readied their weapons, but the Greater Demon''s attack was faster than that. ''Burn in the flames of hell and regret the folly of defying that one! Jet black flames are released. In front of them were Sora and Luna it was Sora and Luna and Nina. Sora and Luna by magic. Nina opens up the subspace and tries to prevent the jet-black flames, respectively. However, there were people who moved faster than that. Al-san and Rezona-san. ''''Dimension Territory.'''' Mr. Al instantly builds a magical structural formula to unleash his power. It''s impossibly fast and precise. It seems that the magic unleashed is something that interferes with space. Squishy space distorts and traps jet-black flames within it. Finally, with a snap of his fingers, Al-san snapped his fingers and the distortion of space was restored and the jet-black flames disappeared as if nothing had happened from the beginning. ''''Bloodaxe!'''' Rezona bit her thumb roughly and manipulated the blood flowing from it to refine the crimson axe. As it was, she approached the Ark Demon with wind-like speed and swung the crimson axe down. ''''........Ah?'''' The arc-demon seemed unsure of what had happened and spilled out a guttural voice. Soon, its body slowly split off to the left and right... He will die and turn into a magical stone. ''''Hmph. If you want to defeat me here, then you''ll have to give me an S-ranked demon instead of an A-ranked one! What a surprise. That''s about as much as you can take us by surprise, isn''t it? I looked at the two of you in victory and, what can I say...you guys are the exception, right?I was tempted to make a tweak to say. ---------- We''ll see how it goes. Let''s call this meeting back to order and... Rezona said apologetically, "As you can see, there are people who hide in the city. As you can see, there are people who disguise themselves as humans and sneak into town. "As you can see, there are people who have infiltrated the city and are trying to shake us up with all kinds of clever tricks. That''s why I can''t leave this place. Well that''s a problem. With Rezona-san''s power, those demons wouldn''t be the enemy. Defeating the mastermind behind causing the Stampede may possibly be possible. But before that, it would be meaningless if the city that should be protected is brought down. It was natural and understandable for Rezona-san to stay behind to protect the city. ''''Hmph, there''s no problem. After all, we have your mother over here.'''' ''Yes. With my mother, it''s a hundred strong. Hmm?What are you talking about, girls? Concubine will stay in Krios. "What did you say? Sola and Luna were surprised. Somewhat, Sola''s tone seemed to break down. ''Is your mother not following you?Are you skipping work?Haha, well, it''s gotten messy, hasn''t it?It''s a typical reason for your mother. After all, she''s the first recluse in the army, and she''s a slack-jawed neat guy, a straight line, adadadadadadadadahahahaha! Luna screamed with tears in her eyes as Al-san gave her a grilling in the temple area. That hurt........ Don''t be a quiet one. Of course you want to stay behind to protect Krios, don''t you? ''But mother. Isn''t Mr. Rezona in there? Rezona isn''t running well on her own, so the mistress needs to lend a hand. If it wasn''t a problem, we wouldn''t have been in this big of a problem in the first place. ''That being said, I suppose...'' "I don''t want to abandon the same strongest species, and humans...well, we can''t afford to lose the likes of them. I will help you. It''ll help. It''ll be a lot easier to defend the city if Al is here, you know. And then.... Hearing about the enemy, figuring out how to get around, discussing the defense of the city... I spent about two hours working out the plan. I''d like to take more time to think about it, a few days, but I don''t have that much time. If possible, I''d like to take down the mastermind as soon as possible, even if it takes every minute. ''You said it was Rain?'' Yes, sir. The fate of us demons and the people of this town it''s up to you. It''s all yours! I''ll take care of it. I will definitely live up to this trust. With a strong determination, I nodded my head firmly. 308-Chapter 308 包囲网 Al-san used his transition magic and we moved to the front of the forest area at once. ''''Here?'''' There is no man''s hand in it, and there are no roads to follow. At best, it is a beastly path. The vegetation is dense and dense, blocking out the sunlight from above. Visibility is quite poor, it''s still day, but it feels like night. There are vines growing all over the place, so we will have to be careful about our footing. The place looks like a hassle........the plants and trees look annoying. It would have been better if... Burn it down? Rifa uttered such a boisterous thing, as if she was interrupting Tania''s dialogue. ''''Nya.......not only Tania, but also Rifa saying such a boisterous thing......'''' "Did you have the brain-muscle virus?Mmmm, we need the right treatment. You''ll remember this later...? Tania glared at her, and Kanade and Luna both whistled in the direction of the day after tomorrow. ''You''re not going to burn it down?'' ''''No, that''s not it. If you do that, it will be difficult to proceed in the opposite direction, and to begin with, it''s not just demons that are in this forest. There are also ordinary animals. I don''t want to take away their homes or kill them in any way. I see. Rain is kind. For some reason, Rifa made me a good boy. Was it a compliment? ''Then how do we proceed?Shall Sora get the lights ready for you, just as she did when she came to Krios? We''ll do some spotting and stuff. I can... if something happens, I can just pop into subspace... right? Hmm. We''ll listen to everyone''s opinions and come up with a solid plan of action. From here on out, it''s the enemy camp. There''s also information that the demon tribe has been struck back, so the enemy probably isn''t taking a relaxed stance. They should have fortified their defenses in their own way. You have to advance through a place where visibility is poor and movement is difficult, while being even more wary of the enemy. It''s quite challenging. The demon tribe that said they had been struck by a return attack may have lost their strength here.......and that may be the reason for their defeat. As much as possible, I don''t want to use the extra strength here. Capturing this forest isn''t our main goal. The primary goal is to defeat the enemy that seems to be the demon tribe hiding in the deepest ancient castle. In that case.........shall we go with that? ""Huh?" ---------- His name is Agni. It is a weapon made with old time technology and its type of name is called a golem. His rank is A, but his power is said to be comparable to some S''s. Such is the case with Agni, who, although a demon, was given a name by the Lord who used him. Agni was proud of that. He worked hard every day to ensure that his loyalty to the Lord was unquestionable. His main duty is to guard the Lord. Currently, the Lord is in an old castle deep in the forest. Agni has scattered his men all over the forest and even set up traps. As a precaution, he has also developed wards to reduce the power of enemies who invade the forest. Finally, he himself becomes the castle''s gate guard. With this, the forest had become a complete fortress. An ordinary person would not be able to reach the back. The strongest species and so on are indeed a different story........ Even so, it couldn''t be unscathed, and a lot of energy would be lost. The strongest species that were depleted were not the Lord''s enemies. Alternatively, you can take them down yourself. The defense here is ironclad. Agni thought to himself. ''Lord Agni, we have an intruder! One day, such a report was brought to me by a subordinate. Could it be those guys from Krios? Maybe they are still resisting in vain. Mocking in his mind, Agni asks his men. ''How many enemies do you have?'' Eight no, maybe seven. That''s a vague answer. I''m sorry, sir. There''s a puppet in the mix and it''s hard to tell because I''ve heard reports that it''s been moved. Well, if that''s the way it is, it''s the way it should be. And the enemy is the most powerful species. "Law. Hearing that it is the strongest species, Agni spilled out a joyful voice. Due to the fact that the golem is a contraptional golem, its expression does not change, but its emotions are properly inhabited. There was a tinge of amusement in the voice that spilled out of Agni''s mouth. He was a loyal vassal of the Lord, but he was also a warrior. There was something about fighting a strong enemy that he enjoyed. ''''They are the cat spirit race, the dragon race, the spirit race, the god race, and the demon race. There are two spirit races and one other. And one human. The puppets are one. I''m afraid so. What can I do for you? We will do what we must. As always, exhaust the enemy and destroy each one. If they are difficult to defeat, make it your goal to wear them down. In the end I''ll be out, or the Lord will take care of it. Ha! My men bow and leave. ''Multiple strongest species......maybe I need to leave this time. Agni was made only to fight. The only reason for his existence is to show his strength in battle. It would be a great honor to fight the strong and take their heads off. Agni remembered that his heart was in a state of excitement. Some time ago he had been attacked by the demon tribe... At that time, the Lord stood in front of him and he had no opportunity to show his power. But this time was different. The Lord has something to do and is holed up in the old castle in the back. So you have to fight him. That''s exactly what I''m hoping for. And the opponent is the strongest species. It''s going to be more fun to fight than the small fry coming in. There is no shortage of enemies. Rather, it''s the best opponent you could ever have. ''Come on, come on. You''re going to make my day. ---------- About two hours have passed since the report of the enemy''s discovery. There''s still no progress. There has been no report of annihilation of the enemy, or even that the enemy was returned...nothing. As expected, Agni was dubious and called his men to him. ''''What happened to the enemy that was reported?'''' What, that''s... What''s going on? "...I''m sorry!We''ve lost them. What did you say? Agni couldn''t help but strengthen his speech. As if pushed by the power of the words, his subordinate shuddered and trembled. ''''How did you lose them?How could you be so careless?Or did you underestimate them? Oh, no!There''s no destruction phase. It could be a human, but the opponents are several of the most powerful species. We had the utmost vigilance and were challenging them. "Hmm. That''s true, Agni calmed his anger slightly. His own subordinates are all soldiers of a hundred battles. If they were human, they might have a little playfulness, but.... He would never do such a foolish thing against the strongest species. And yet, the fact that he lost sight of them meant that they were better than him. What kind of opponent would take his own subordinates for a cue? Agni became curious about the enemy and his abilities. ''Tell me what happened then,'' ''''Yes. First of all, I refrained from attacking them at first, luring them deeper into the forest so that they couldn''t escape easily. On the way, the enemy stopped and I decided to see what happened. After that, the enemy used what looked like a smoke screen. Judging that they have seen our intentions, they attacked us all at once on the spot. The enemy retreated towards the backcountry. It was a coincidence, but we were able to lead them to a place where there was no escape. We surrounded the enemy with all our might and tried to annihilate them, but then the enemy disappeared. Gone?How did you say it disappeared? ''Suddenly the contours of my body collapsed... it was like water popping. In retrospect, it could have been fake. I see. Agni decided that his men were probably right in their guess. The enemy had made a fake of himself and used it as bait. There was no doubt in that answer. However, two questions remain unanswered. He had heard that the five most powerful species were the cat spirit race, the dragon race, the spirit race, the god race and the demon race, but did any of them have the ability to create elaborate illusions? If it''s just an illusion, it could be created by magic, but if it''s magic enough to trick your subordinates for a long time, it should be tough even for the spirit race. It might be possible if it was a special ability possessed by the divine race, but I''ve never heard of anyone with such an ability, even Agni who has lived for a long time. Another question is, where did the enemy disappear to? The scene should have been completely surrounded by his men. There was no way they could fly away, let alone on the ground. And yet, where did they go...? The enemy''s actions were unpredictable, and Agni was just as troubled as his men. It was then. With a bang, there was a strange sound from the ground nearby... followed by a large hole. Well it looks like it''s going to work. What came out of it was ... a human. 309-Episode 309 Guardian of the Iron Wall When we got to the ground, we were right in front of the old castle. Me, Kanade, Tania, and Rifa jumped out of the hole, in that order. Then I pulled up Nina, Sora, Luna, and Tina. ''''Wha...? The place I left was right in front of the old castle. And there were multiple demons in front of the gate. One of them........the golem sounded surprised. Well, no wonder he was surprised. If a person suddenly came out of the ground, I would be surprised too. ''Humans and the strongest species I see, you are the intruders. The golem had quickly regained its composure. This intimidation, this calmness........probably a famous demon. Since he wasn''t a demon race, it would be someone who was charged with guarding the old castle, right? How in the world did you come under my siege? As you can see, we''ve been moving underground. Perhaps because the demon race lived in Krios, the magical power they leaked out had changed this place into a special environment. Because of this, many animals had grown bigger than normal. We tamed the large moles together and had them digging through the ground....... However, digging a hole that even a large mole can pass through is very difficult for one person, so it took some time. But thanks to that, we were able to cut deep into the enemy''s camp without encountering any enemies and without consuming any unnecessary strength or magic power. When I told him about the mole, the golem spilled out a voice that sounded aghast. I couldn''t understand it because his expression didn''t change, but he even seemed dumbfounded. ''''Maybe I know how that guy feels. Normally I wouldn''t expect them to come through the ground. Rayne has some crazy ideas as well as some crazy abilities. For some reason, everyone was understanding of the enemy, too. Strange? Me, I think I''ve come up with an idea that deserves a pat on the back... Hey, boy. Hang in there. I was comforted by the younger group of Nina and Rifa. ''But I''ve received reports from my men that you guys suddenly went ballistic and were lost without a trace. What about it? Uh ... that''s just a decoy. I don''t know if I could teach you everything, but these anomalous moves basically only work once on the first time you see them. It would never work again with someone who had seen it once. Deciding that, I decided to teach them honestly. ''''I had Sora and Luna use magic to create an illusion of us. A phantom?I''ve never heard of an autonomous operating illusionary magic. I set the projection position of the illusion magic to the back of the monitor lizard. I tamed the monitor lizard and made it run at random. You have to be very careful because of the vegetation underneath your feet to notice that the illusion magic is set on the back of the monitor lizard. It ends when the magic''s effective time has passed........ .... The golem made a gesture as if it were holding its head and then wobbled as it was. What was wrong with it? ''I think you''re dismayed by Rain''s insanity,'' Hmm. Even those of us who are well versed in magic couldn''t think of something like placing illusionary magic on a lizard''s back. That spirit girl is right. To think like that you, where have you left your common sense? Don''t make people sound like they have no common sense. No. No, you don''t. Kanade and Tania said that without hesitation. If you''ve been listening quietly for a while now, which side are you all on? Of course, we''re on Rain''s side, but we''re also appalled at how insane she is! Even though they''re enemies, I know what it''s like to be surprised and dismayed. Totally.... I thought these interactions were less common these days... They still have a difference in perception between them. I''d like you to get used to it. Well, enough small talk can we get through that? Stop laughing. I am the guardian of this gate. I won''t let a single antling through to that man. The golem readied its fist. As if in response to that movement, the demons who seem to be my subordinates expand around them. ''I know we just met, but I don''t rather dislike you. They don''t try to take you by surprise, they don''t use cowardly hands, and the golem is only facing us straight up as a gatekeeper. It''s like a warrior with a noble soul. Although he is a demon, I liked his character. ''Odd. I like you too. It would be a shame to leave you as a human. Thank you. ''If you''re going to turn back now, we''ll let the moment pass. What do you think? Do you think I''ll turn back? I don''t think so. Well let''s do it. Oui! The barking golem answered and the battle began. ---------- ''Kanade, Sola and Rifa with me!Everyone else, take care of the rest! "''Roger that!!!! Responding quickly to my instructions, everyone took their places. Kanade, Sora and Rifa beside me. Tania, Luna, Nina and Tina deployed behind me to deal with the other demons. ''I won''t let you get in Rain''s way! You can eat this too! First, Tania fired a fireball and Luna shot the same fire magic. The raging karma fire enveloped a few demons and turned them into charcoal. ''''Ikudei, Nina! Yeah...! Tina settled into her usual position, above Nina''s head, and generated a rod of light and a ball of light with her magic power. Shooting the ball of light with the rod of light.... In addition, he also swung out the light stick and threw it at the demon. The demon was caught off guard by the two-step attack, and although it could avoid the ball of light, it couldn''t avoid the rod of light, so it fell with a direct hit to the head. ''''Good..............'''' The demon tries to distance itself once from Tina''s anomalous attack, but Nina won''t let it. She connects the sub-space and grabs the demon''s legs to get in the way. In the meantime, Tina''s attack bursts with a rainstorm... It was a brilliant partnership. They seemed to be breathing more and more together these days. Would Tina be most comfortable on Nina''s head too? Lane, we''re going. Yeah. Rifa, too! Yes. We have to do our best. I ran alongside Rifa and we ran together. At first, we were close enough to be shoulder to shoulder. When we got close to the golem, we took a large distance and expanded to the left and right. As it was, I attacked as if to pin it down. ''''Fireball!'''' Bloodsize! I burst my magic into the golem''s feet, stopping it from moving, and at the same time, blinding it with a cloud of dirt smoke. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Rifa generates a blood scythe and slashes at me. Geez! What? As the dust cloud cleared, he could see Rifa''s blood sickle being played. The golem isn''t doing anything. It was just standing there leisurely. Its armor was too hard and thick, so the blade couldn''t get through and must have been played. ''''Sweet, daughter of the demon race! The golem''s large body moves. He swung his arm out, trying to punch Rifa away with his giant fist. ''''Rifa!'''' Quickly, I ejected Narkami''s wire towards Rifa. Rifa read our intentions and grabbed the wire. Gosh!and the wind was born, and I shuddered just thinking about how powerful it would be. ''''Vortex Lance!Ignitorance!Icicle Lance! Sora unleashed three magics at the same time. A spear of lightning, fire and ice struck the golem, causing the magic to interfere with each other and explode. A huge blast of flame rises to the sky. My hair and clothes rustled as the heat wave blew up, causing my hair and clothes to shake. If you don''t keep your head down, you''ll be blown away as it is. ''''With this much power........! No, not yet. Rifa held the blood sickle up again. Out of the corner of his eye an unharmed golem stepped out of the flames. 310-Episode 310: Defeat Guardian This guy....!How hard is it to be unharmed by Sola''s magic? They are especially excellent in defense. It''s better to think that an ordinary attack won''t work. However, I didn''t expect it to go this far either, but....... If me and Rifa''s physical attacks can''t get through, I thought that if it was Sora''s magic....... But the result is this. What should we do? Oh, oh, oh! A golem rushed in, shaking the earth. It was like a heavyweight carriage used in war. It would mow down and trample everything it touched. ''Rifa take care of Sola! Yes. Sora''s low strength prevents her from moving quickly, but I''m in a bad position. I jumped to the side to avoid the golem''s assault. Rifa also leaped with Sola in her arms and landed on top of the gate to do it. ''Like a little mouse.................Run away naaaaah! The golem howled powerfully and struck a nearby rock. The rock shattered into pieces, and countless pieces flew like arrows. ''''Bloodshot.'''' Rifa promptly turned his blood sickle into a blood bullet and intercepted the pieces of rock. However, it was difficult to shoot them all down, and countless small wounds were created. ''''Nunn! Continuing, the golem pulled out a tree and lifted it lightly and threw it at him. ''''No way!'''' What a stupid power. Not only is it defensive, but it''s also half the offensive power. Fireball! Aeroblast! Me and Sora unleashed our magic almost simultaneously and intercepted the tree that had been thrown at us. The tree shattered, splinters flying... As if to use it as a cover, the golem dares to charge again. ''Pass.'' Heehaw! Rifa threw Sola towards us like she was handling a ball. I catch it in a hurry. In the meantime, the golem caught Rifa and laid waste to her tiny body........ Just when he thought he was going to do it, Rifa''s body turned into a myriad of bats and scattered around him. The bats gathered at a distance, and Rifa took shape again. ''''Rifa, are you alright! I''m fine, but... Rifa ran with a difficult look on her face. I generated the blood scythe again and slashed at the golem. To match, I close the distance and thrust the Kamui at a right angle. As if to call it futile, the golem doesn''t even take a defensive stance. The two blades are played by the armor that has an altitude far beyond iron. ''''As long as we don''t break through that armor, we won''t stand a chance. Lane, what do you want to do? ''Well...'' From the feel of the blade crossed, the golem''s armor seems to be made of a special ore. It seems to be similar to glass. ''''In that case, is it worth a try? What do you have in mind? I''ll apply the spell first. On my cue, Sola, hit me with all the magic you can find. Finally, Rifa will decide. Are you okay? I think I can do it. Okay?The magic that Sola unleashes is.... After specifying the magic to be used, I step forward first. ''''Is the strategy meeting over?'''' ''You must be so confident that you''re waiting for me to be disciplined. I''ll take the best of you. And then I will defeat them. And in doing so, I will prove my worth more than ever before. It''s not that he''s a battle fanatic, but he seems to find more value in fighting and showing his power than ever before. To be a demon and yet have a heart this big.... I felt a little disappointed that we were relative as enemies. ''Let''s go!'' Hey. As per the plan, I''ll charge in first. The golem seems to intend to stand up to receive it head-on, and instead of trying to aim at Sora and Rifa, who remain behind, it swings its powerful arm at me. Goh!And with a disgusting sound, the golem''s fist closed in. I shake off the disgusting thought that if it were to hit me directly..., I keep my mind calm and keep my body low to avoid it. The next two blows were passed off as I rolled forward, and that''s my turn. Fireball! A blow at close range. A blast of fire engulfs the golem, but.... But that''s it, as if to say, what''s the matter, the golem emerges from the flames unharmed. ''Fireball Multi-Shot! What?Don''t be so dexterous as to release the same magic multiple times at the same time. But you won''t be able to defeat me with that level of magic. Fireball Multi-Shot! Repeatedly raining down flames. Again and again, the fireball hits the golem and engulfs its body in flames. However, the damage is zero. The golem is standing comfortably, as if to show some leeway. ''''Fireball Multi-Shot! ''Was it a mistake to admit that you were an idiot ... and a good opponent? The golem spilled a frustrated voice at me repeating the same action. Still, I struck a series of fireballs. I avoided the golem''s attacks, or prevented them with the abilities I gained by signing a contract with everyone else....... In all, I hit the fireball nearly ten times. After all, they couldn''t do any damage. However, the golem''s armor had been heated red from being hit by the fireball over and over again. It''s about time. ''''Sola, now!'''' Yes, I understand. Giving a signal, Sora quickly chanted a magic. ''Blizzard Storm!!!'' A blizzard blew in. Countless grains of ice swirled around like a tornado and struck the golem. Under the embrace of the ice storm, the golem''s armor froze in a flash. ''''Guh........This is it! Rifa, don''t do it! I''m on it. Rifa bit her thumb and bled. The blood gathered on Rifa''s right arm and turned into a huge stake. ''''Bloodbunker, let''s go.'''' Rifa runs through at once and slams her fist into the golem''s chest. As if in sync with that movement, the blood stake moves loudly with a bang and is ejected forward at super speed. Gah! A sound like dozens of pieces of glass smashing together echoed, and a stake of blood pierced the golem''s chest. A red tip poked through the back. Rifa pulls the blood stake back and jumps backwards to get a distance. ''''Guh, oooh........! The hole in the golem''s chest spreads out around it with a cracking sound of cracking. Eventually it spread to the limbs...............................Finally it broke down and its entire body shattered. The golem, which left almost exclusively its head, collapsed to the ground. ''Victory.'' Rifa, who had stabbed her tome, decided to make the sign, somewhat proudly. His expression didn''t change much from the usual, but I could somehow tell that he was happy. ''''Gu........why.......why do I lose.......? The activity didn''t seem to have stopped yet, and the golem groaned as it said so. All that vaunted armor has taken its toll. What, you think...? It''s kind of like glass. It''s brittle to sudden temperature changes. What''s that called... thermal expansion?Glass has a low thermal conductivity, so it''s hard to withstand sudden changes in temperature... somewhere, I remember that. When I was little, all I did was train as a Beast Tamer, but every once in a while, I was forced to read books with miscellaneous information like I just mentioned. It was strange at first, wondering what it would do for me, but now it''s helped me tremendously. Could it be that this is the kind of future I was expecting? If so, how much did my parents know about the blood of the brave? I''m starting to wonder about it now. However, there is no way to be sure anymore, though. ''''I see.......I was overconfident in my own power, I guess.......'''' That''s just the way it is. You''re strong enough. You were a good opponent. ''Well I''m glad to hear you say that, even though you''re an enemy...'' The light fades from the golem''s eyes. ''Farewell, d........strong man.......'' And the guardian was completely silent. He was an enemy and a demon, but he was a brilliant guy. I said a light, silent prayer in honor of his power. 311-Episode 311: Heaven and Devils Thought Well I didn''t know Agni was going to get hit. I feel like saying good grief. You can''t even fulfill a job as a gatekeeper. Weiss'' words didn''t show any trace of compassion for his subordinates. Usable or useless. That''s the only basis for judging everything. If it was Reese who had fallen, then Weiss might have had a thought. However, the one who fell was a demon, his own subordinate. Weiss wasn''t compassionate enough to have a thought for such an opponent. The only thing better than Agni........ It can''t be helped, I will have to intercept them. It is unavoidable that we have to stop the work, Weiss took a step back, sighing again. The magic supply from Weiss was cut off, and the magic circle that had been deployed at his feet disappeared. That magic circle was created to cause a stampede.... There was the problem of having to pour magic power into it at all times. In order to make Krios fall, they were going to generate stampede in two more places. By doing so, Weiss and..........................and Rhys'' objective. However, it would be useless if Weiss was killed before they could achieve their objective. Although it''s an abomination, we must stop now. ''Do ... what do you want?'' Oh, so you''ve noticed. Reese appears from the shadow of the pillar. It''s a replay of the last time we met again. ''I''ve told you before. I will not let you mistake the signs of my people.'' I''m happy for you. So what''s going on here? No, I just thought I''d help you. Power? We''re under attack by the humans and it''s not looking good. So I thought we should come prepared with some reinforcements. "Hmm. As for Weiss, Reese''s offer was somewhat irksome. However, it would be meaningless if he stuck to his strange pride and the plan itself failed. If that happened, he would be looked down on even more. That''s not all. This plan is important to Weiss and others in its own right. ''''........I understand. Although it''s irksome, I''ll accept Reese''s reinforcements and all that. Oh, you''re more open-minded than I thought. I can at least read the situation. Even though they are the most powerful species, I''m not going to let them beat me but there is still a chance that it could happen. In order to eliminate that unlikely possibility, I''m going to ask for Reese''s help. It''s a reasonable decision, right? ''Hmm, I like the way you calmly analyze the current situation and take reason instead of pride. ''I don''t feel like I''m being complimented so what are the reinforcements?'' I''ll take this one first. Rhys snapped his fingers. The shadows at Reese''s feet spread out in a circle, and countless demons gushed out of them. How did he summon the demons? That''s not lost on his compatriot, Weiss, either. Reese is often devoted to his fellow man, but on the other hand, he is secretive in not revealing his hand. Weiss is aware of this, so he doesn''t want to question the source of Reese''s power now. What kind of principle is that?But I just let it slide and throw the words out. ''Are these demons your reinforcements?'' No. This is just a bonus. The real deal is here Monica. Yes, sir. Monica continued to appear. Weiss was surprised to see that there was no sign of her earlier. He convinced himself that Reese must have had a hand in it somehow. ''It''s nice to meet you, Mr. Weiss. I''m Monica Eclair. It''s a pleasure to meet you. The people Reese keeps... Weiss turned his eyes on Monica as if he were looking at something trivial. What good is a human being? Although he didn''t put it into words, his gaze told her so. ''Sure, Monica is human, but she''s very good, isn''t she? Human? Yes, it''s my favorite. "Hmm. Reece is the best demon race among his companions. If you''re going to let that Reese say that much, you might as well not insult him just because he''s a human. Weiss changed his mind about that. ''''Oh well. I''ll let you lend me your strength, human.'''' ''Yes, sir. My Lord is Lord Rhys, but at this time, I swear I will risk everything for Lord Weiss. Monica bowed grudgingly. ''''Well, Reese goes so far as to say. I''m sure this human is capable in his own right but I wish you would have sent a Heavenly Clan to listen to him anyway. ''Hmmm.......I thought about that at first. However, Iris-san is still confused......I''m starting to feel like it''s almost impossible these days. I''m not sure it''s going to be easy to get her to fight a human. ''What''s that. Then you didn''t have to help them, did you? ''No, no, that''s not true. If you don''t want to do it, you just have to make them do it. And if that doesn''t work? You''ll be ready when you are, and I''ll be ready when you are. You''re inedible, you know that? "Thank you for the compliment. Reese smiles at him. That smile was as innocent as a child''s.......at the same time, the cruel side of a child''s nature was also on display. ---------- Hmmmm. The top of the roof of the old castle. There was the figure of Iris. She sat down, using a small projection as a chair, and listened intently. He could hear the conversation between Weiss and Rhys. Since they are the strongest species, they have excellent hearing. They aren''t using magic, nor are they using skills. It''s so simple that it''s unlikely to be detected. It''s not like Mr. Reese doesn''t trust me. Well, that''s to be expected," he said. You''ve been holding off on answering and yet you''ve been helping Mr. Lane from time to time. They didn''t want to be trusted to begin with, and they don''t trust us either. So there''s no such thing as a shock. Iris was rather masterful. ''''But........I''m curious about the other cues. What is Reese up to? Iris considered its purpose, but quickly abandoned the thought. There are too few decisions to make. I''d like to have a little more information. ''''However, I''m also curious about Rain-sama... the demon race called Weiss. Why do you have so much confidence in him? He said that he didn''t feel like losing even if he had to face multiple strongest species. Could it really be possible to do such a thing? Indeed, the demon race is an S-rank in the same category as the strongest species. An S-rank means a judgment that there is no more. So even if it''s the same S-rank, there''s a range from pin to pin. If Weiss is an S-rank that stands above the top, then Rain and the others might be in danger. However, Iris''s impression would be that it''s not. She doesn''t feel like she is powerful enough to overwhelm them even if she were to take on multiple strongest species. If he has that much power, there should be a pressure that cannot be hidden, no matter how much he tries to hide it. Weiss can feel the pressure of a strong man as a demon race, but........ It''s not overwhelming. It''s below Iris. Perhaps it''s lower than Reese? Iris made such an analysis. ''But that didn''t sound like a lie or an exaggeration, it felt like you meant it... so do you have a plan?No. It shouldn''t be your intention to be attacked inside the old castle. And the way to do that........is it skill? Mumbling to himself, Iris thought about the power of the Weiss. And so I''ve been thinking a lot about it... What do we do after that? I haven''t actually decided on that. After you hit on Weiss''s abilities, will you let Rain know about it? Or do you just turn a blind eye to it? Or do we fight together? The answer was not set in stone. I had almost lost all intentions of taking Reese''s side. I owe Reese a debt of gratitude for his help. But that doesn''t mean I''m going to bend my will to do something I don''t want. Reese''s goal is to destroy humans. In other words, to fulfill the Demon King''s wishes. In the past, Iris also wanted to destroy humans, but........ The feeling was cleaned off now. Fighting Rayne, listening to Rayne''s words, looking into Rayne''s mind... As a result, the vengefulness mysteriously disappeared. The thoughts that arose instead were........ Well, well, well. What can I do for you? 312-Chapter 312: Brother Unya........nyah! Eat this! "''Dragoon Howling! Kanade''s fist, Tania''s tail, and Sora and Luna''s magic intercepted the demons. We rushed into the old castle and searched inside for about thirty minutes. We still haven''t found the demon race that we thought was the mastermind. Instead, demons appeared and attacked sporadically, but everyone had fought off all of them. Seeing the extent of their activities, Rifa looks impressed. ''''Amazing.'''' You''re all very resourceful. You''re the same strongest species, but you seem to be stronger than me. Experience?But I don''t think there''s more to it than that... Rifa looked at everyone with a somewhat envious look in her eyes as she said that. ''''Does Rifa want to be strong?'''' Yes. A quick answer. Any reason? I want to be like my brother. Does Rifa have a brother? Yeah. One upstairs. I''m so proud of you. Rifa is always expressionless, but right now she had a vaguely proud look on her face. That''s how much she cares about her brother. However, his face would soon turn dark. It was a face that looked like it might start to cry if it were to happen. ''''What''s the matter...?'''' ''I''m sorry. I just got a little sentimental about my brother for a minute. Maybe.... Hm. My brother is already gone. He died in here. I remembered that before we were approached, the demon tribe attacked us and we were returned to them. The participant at that time........must be Rifa''s brother. ''''So that''s what happened.........'''' I''m proud of you. And I''m going to get even. Rifa gripped the hilt of the blood-generated scythe tightly as she said this. It wasn''t hard to understand Rifa''s feelings, but even so, she felt a little too enthusiastic. It would be better to relax his shoulders a little. However, that would be quite difficult to do in this situation. What''s a good way to do it.... ''''Well if you don''t mind, can you tell me about Rifa''s brother?'''' I suddenly thought of something like that and asked him about it. Rifa had a very kind face when she mentioned her brother. ''''Why?'''' ''Sort of. I''m not saying you have to force yourself if it''s hard to think back, but... No, I''m fine. It''s hard to hear about your brother''s death. But I''m happy to remember him. It''s all right. Okay? Hmm. Okay, yeah. Looking lightly ahead, Kanade winked at me as if to say, leave this one to me. It seems that he sensed our situation before he said anything else. It''s really a dependable companion. I''ll take advantage of everyone''s goodwill here, and I''ll focus on talking with Rifa. By doing so, I want to unwind her mind. ''''My brother is very smart. That''s not only that, he''s strong. He''s one of the best of us. One of the best of the demon tribe... well, I can''t imagine how it would be. Why? ''The strength of the strongest species is off the charts, so it''s hard to imagine it close to home. That''s right. Compared to Rifa, how strong is your brother compared to Rifa? A thousandfold. What? My brother is a thousand times stronger than me. With a somewhat proud face, Rifa was clear about it. Probably Suz-san or Al-san, they''re in that class. I somehow understood that they must be that strong. Well, as expected, a thousand times more is probably an exaggeration, but....... On the contrary, it proves that Rifa adores her brother that much and how proud she is of him. ''I admired my brother and tried to become strong too. I trained for it. That''s why the Rifa is so strong. ''But I''m not there yet. I can''t reach my brother''s level. My brother is a thousand times stronger than me. There''s an extra digit. Then you''ll have to work harder to be strong. Yes. If there''s anything we can do to help, we''ll help. Really? Of course. Well then, no. I''m still good. He was about to say something and Rifa swallowed the words. What was he about to say? I''m curious, but before I can ask a question, the conversation moves on to the next. I want to be strong like my brother, but he doesn''t think well of me becoming strong. Is that so? Yeah. He said I''m a girl and I should be doing something girly, not fighting or anything like that. I see. Well, that makes sense, doesn''t it? Do you think I should just be a girl? I wonder... Maybe it''s an anachronistic idea, but I think girls should just be girls. Well when I look at you all, I feel like I''m going to be blown away by that idea. ''''Mm. Rain is with her brother. Rifa puffed out her cheeks in a huff. ''I want to be like my brother. And yet, your brother tells you not to be. ''You''re mean,'' I don''t think I''m being mean to you. Why? I know this because I''m a guy too, but guys are a bit selfish and have a tendency to want their girls to be like them. Especially when it''s someone you care about. Well a man''s mind is complicated. He''s not very convinced. I don''t blame him for that. There''s a certain kind of imposition of what I want it to be like. ''Rain might be a lot like her brother. Is that so? "Hm. Rifa was staring at me. ''....Stroke my head. ''What?Why? "My brother used to stroke my head a lot. So pet me too, Rain. I don''t know what the reason is, but... He gently stroked his head, hoping that Rifa would want him to. ''Aww,'' Rifa looks ecstatic. Since she looks so comfortable, I can''t help but put my hand into stroking her. Rifa''s eyes are glazed over, and she''s almost drooling a bit.... Not long after, their gazes focus on each other with a huff of realization. ''Watch out. I was about to be taken prisoner. ''Well ... you like it?'' Yeah. Rain''s stroking feels good. It''s no better than your brother''s. Thank you? It''s a compliment, in case you''re wondering, right? ''Stroke me some more,'' Good. As much as you want. It''s not as big a deal as this, so I continue to stroke Rifa''s head. Slowly and gently. Poppin'' lightly. And so, how much time has passed? .........brother....... Rifa spilled a single tear. She must be remembering her brother. I felt uncomfortable and gently wiped Rifa''s tears away with my fingertips. When I felt that touch, Rifa looked at me in surprise. ''''Ah........Rain. I''m sorry. Did I remind you of something painful? No....it''s never been hard for me. It''s your brother. But I was crying. Oh, I see, I was crying. He seems to realize that he''s crying now. The tears touched Rifa''s hand. ''''..........'''' Rifa slumped again as she stared at her wet hands. He froze in the same position... Eventually, he closed his hands tightly. It was like a scene of determination. I''m sure he''s thinking about his brother and his friends in his heart. How should I face them, what words should I say to them, how should I treat them? I''m sure he is in the process of transforming those thoughts into a strong belief. Rain. Somewhat later, Rifa looked up. Her eyes were not wet with tears. Instead, they were full of strong, strong determination. Let''s go. Yeah. Taking Rifa''s hand, we head to the deepest part of the old castle with our friends. 313-Episode 313: Marionette Master The deepest part was the throne room. Although it was decaying, there were traces of ornate decoration in places. The throne room is wide enough to allow for a bit of exercise. At the far end of it is a throne that is in tatters. A man sat there. He''s far older than us he''s old enough to be a first-timer. His hair, which is mixed with white hair, is slicked back. It''s a black coat that he wears. ''Lane, be careful. I know. I didn''t need to listen to Rifa''s advice, but my instincts told me that was someone I shouldn''t underestimate. He may look like an old man, but inside he''s a completely different animal. Just confronting him like this makes sweat run down my back. ''''You guys are the intruders?'''' The old man opened his mouth. His voice was wrinkled, but full of a soul-shaking menace. ''Let me at least introduce myself. My name is Weiss. It''s the Lane Shroud. Hmm?The one Reese was talking about. "Lease? Well that''s a gaffe. That''s all right. You''re not gonna be around much longer. Weiss stands up. Everyone took their positions. ''Seeing as how the daughter of the demon race is here, you have come to disturb me, haven''t you? "So, I''m assuming you''re aware that you''re generating the stampede? Yeah, yeah. You admit it so easily, don''t you? I don''t like useless communication. Besides, it''s not something I''m going to keep hidden. Who the hell are you?Why are you doing this? As you may have guessed, I''m a demon. You...? I knew he wasn''t an ordinary person. I had heard about it from Rifa but still, I didn''t know this old man was a demon race. Compared to the guy who appeared in Horizon before, many things are different. ''''Hmm. That face looks like you''ve seen a demon tribe before, right?Mostly because I''m different from him, I suppose. Do I look that obvious...? At a time like this, though, I can''t help but think about it. "Just as there are various strongest species, there are various demon races. Well, this figure is a magic-created temporary one. I see... Well let''s leave the lecture to it. Let''s get started, shall we? Magic and fighting spirit emanate from Weiss'' body. ''''Let''s let us even the strength gap first?'''' Weiss snapped his fingers. As if in response to the sound, Weiss''s shadow spread out in a circle. One by one, demons are pouring out of the shadows. It''s like half B-rank and half A-rank demons, I guess. And......... It''s been a long time, Miss Lane. Do you remember me? You''re Monica, right? A woman appeared from the back, clad in knight''s armor. She was holding a drawn sword in her hand and had a bewitching smile on her face. ''''You seem to remember me. That''s good. I''d be a bit dumb if you forgot,'''' Why are you here? ''It''s a simple answer. I mean, I don''t have any other answer. It''s because I''m on the side of the demon race....... Are you a demon too? No. I''m human. "Humans on the side of the demons...?Monica, what the hell are you... ''''Hmph. It will be fun to chat with Rain-san.......but that''s for another time. Right now, I''m one of Lord Weiss''s pawns. Monica said and lined up one step behind Weiss, her sword at the ready. It''s a seamless stance. The sword is not an ordinary one either, and when you see the letters engraved on the blade, it looks like some kind of magic sword. The best way to do this is to have a good idea of what to expect. Nah don''t you dare underestimate us. I think we''re pretty good at that. Do you think we''re stronger than we are? If you stand up to them, there will be no mercy! I''ll just say it. Weiss says confidently. Even though he has to deal with such a strongest species, he doesn''t show an ounce of agitation or timidity. He has absolute confidence and does not doubt his victory. It''s better to assume that there is a hidden agenda. Be careful, everyone. The confidence he has in himself does not come from simple bravery, but from a certain amount of calculation. You''re saying you have a plan to win against all of us? I think it''s a trap. ''I don''t know, but we need to be extremely vigilant. If there are traps, let''s be careful to deal with them quickly. Hmm. That''s pretty cool and intelligent for a human. I''m a little impressed. You''re not like the demon tribe that rushed in like a wild boar before. Huh! Rifa bared her sharp, elongated canine teeth and glared at Weiss as if she were going to bite him. If he wasn''t with us, he would have jumped straight at him. Seeing Rifa''s reaction, Weiss says, as if remembering. ''''Hmm. Come to think of it, I''ve seen that little girl''s face before. It resembles the earlier demon race.'''' "...I''m your brother''s sister. I will avenge my brother! "Oh, I see. Weiss laughs happily. He reacts like a child who has found an interesting toy. ''Rejoice, daughter of the demon race. Let''s get you together with your brother. What are you...? Weiss swings a right hand to the side of the head. Everyone braces themselves as soon as possible but.......nothing happens. When I looked at Weiss quizzically, he revealed a grin and a smile full of malice. And then.........that malice is revealed. A path extended from either side of the throne. Perhaps it was a passage that led to the king''s private room and so on. Multiple figures appeared from there. ''''Wha...? There were four men and women who appeared. Their faces look inorganic, as if they have masks on, with no signs of life. Their movements are awkward, as if the bones in their limbs were broken. And ... they all had horns on their foreheads. ''''Don''t tell me they''re hostages! ''That would be a useful move, though. Unfortunately, I don''t think so. I didn''t anticipate your attack when I killed those men. So what''s the... ''Oh ... ah ...'' Rifa? He noticed that Rifa was acting strangely. She looked at one of the demon tribe men and her body was shaking with a shocked look on her face. The emotions floating on his face cannot be expressed in very few words. However, if I dare to put one thing into words........ Joy. ''....Brother........'' What? So.........you don''t think that demon tribe guy is Rifa''s brother? But the man doesn''t seem to notice us.....Rifa, and he doesn''t respond in any way. He just moves awkwardly like a doll, and then follows behind Weiss. ''''This is........'''' I''ll show you what I can do. Weiss says with a look of enjoyment on his face. He looks really happy.... And it was ugly. ''Demons are similar to demons in some ways. Each one of them has their own original abilities. The demon race you once defeated had the ability to divide itself into beasts and divide itself endlessly... self-propagation. Where did you get that...? Well. I''m not going to give you that much credit. But I will give you my power. My ability is control. Operation...? ''''This is how I can connect the threads of magic and control the subject at will. Upon closer inspection, five.....There were a total of ten threads of light extending from Weiss'' fingertips. Those threads were connected to the people of the demon race. ''''No way........'''' You''re getting the idea. Well this thing is already dead. Huh. And now she''s my puppet. You are a loyal servant and will do anything I ask of you. Like, for example, this. Weiss crooked his fingers lightly, and Rifa''s brother moved. Perhaps it was the remains of the fight with Weiss, but many parts of his body were injured. Still unconcerned, Rifa''s brother waved his arm. Blood flew out from the wounds on his arm, and it generated into a small spear. It flies straight to......... What? It grazed Rifa''s cheek. Her cheek was cut and a small amount of blood flowed. ''Like this I can make my own sister attack me. You can force her to do anything you want, just like controlling a doll. Henceforth, I am known as. Marionette Master. You! This guy.................I will never forgive him! 314-Episode 314 VS Monica Rifa, can you do it? Yeah. I''m fine. I know it must be a shock to see your brother in that situation, but Rifa was a strong boy. Even though she had tears in her eyes from grief, she looked straight ahead and showed her will to fight. ''''Well, Rifa, I''ll team up with Tania and ask you to deal with the small fry. And then......... Wait. I''m going to fight my brother. Rifa?No, but that''s.... I have to let my brother go and it has to be me. Okay. It''s supposed to be harder than anyone else. I''m supposed to want to cry. And yet, she''s still trying to move forward. I can''t stop Refa from doing that. The only thing I can do is to support her. "Tania. Sola. Yeah, we''ll take care of it. I''ll try to support the refs exactly. They both seem to have figured it out right away. They nod powerfully and dependably. Their faces are filled with anger. They must be angry at the foreign law that doesn''t consider the people of Weiss as people, too. ''''Then Rifa, Tania and Sola, I want you to take care of the people of the demon race who are being manipulated by Vice. Yeah. I''ve got it. "Kanade and Luna, take Monica. There''s something creepy about that guy. Be careful, though. Ra-nya! "Hmph, you''re going to regret your foolishness! Nina and Tina, take care of the mooks around you. I want to... I''ll do it! Politely, Weiss waited until we gave him instructions. There''s a section that is underestimating us, such as going to the trouble of explaining our abilities. If you want to insult me, it''s fine to insult me. I''m going to make you regret each and every joke you make. Let''s go, guys......... ""Oh!" ---------- Mmmm! Kanade understood Lane''s words about Monica being a creepy opponent. There was no doubt that she was just a human being. But I can''t see the bottom of it. How much power does he have? What abilities do they have? It was as if he had no idea what to expect, as if he was hiding behind a gentle smile. So, Kanade decided to go without reservation. Right from the start, full throttle, full power. He charges in at a super high speed, to the point where you''d think he might leave an afterimage. The impact spreads to the extent that the floor made of stone is cracked. With the same momentum, he swings his fist at me further. Impact. Kanade''s fist caught Monica''s chest. Monica kept her smile on her face... And the next moment, its body shatters into pieces. ''''Nyah!'''' I had too much momentum and I did it...? Kanade stiffens involuntarily. Kanade sweats unpleasantly and gets confused. However, Luna was calm. ''Kanade, that guy is a hallucination! What? You''re right. The voice came from Kanade''s right side. He shook his fist reflexively, but it only cleaved in the air empty. ''''Huh? Now you''re out of luck. Monica appeared from Kanade''s left side. As if oozing out of nothing, Monica''s figure appeared and slashed Kanade''s shoulder with her sword. Kanade was able to avoid serious injury by retreating his body momentarily. However, Kanade was greatly confused by Monica''s movements, which were literally divine. The voice came from the right...! ''Kanade, calm down!I think he''s probably using some kind of hallucinatory magic. Can''t you block it? I can''t! ''He said it proudly with his chest! Although Luna seemed to be talking in vain, while doing so, she was observing the situation calmly and desperately turning her head to analyze it. ''''What do you mean...?The first body was a magically created hallucination... but then the voice?You created an auditory hallucination and then disappeared yourself and then... mmmm?The magic power to create so many illusions in humans... not just magic power, but technology... Monica had split into eight people and were slashing at Kanade at the same time. Even though it was the cat spirit race with amazing physical abilities, this was indeed inevitable. Wounds were forming all over Kanade''s body. ''''Is that the extent of it?Being the strongest species isn''t much of a stretch, either. ''Mwah!I''m so mad!I''m going to show you the power of the most powerful species. The canade leapt and rose wide, right above him. It spun around in the air and fell headfirst. Just before he did so, he thrust out his fist and hit the floor with great force. Gosh!And then a roar sounded and a shockwave splashed around. ''''Mmm!'''' Luna''s voice sharpened as she noticed something. ''Kanade, now that''s another shot! ''What?Oh, yes! As he was told, Kanade jumped up into the air and hit the ground again. A shockwave spread, and Monica''s illusions wavered. Seeing this, Luna realized that she was not wrong. ''Kanade, they are all illusions! What do you mean? This Monica or whatever the hell she is, she''s not here!It''s activating illusionary magic remotely!So there''s no point in thinking that you can just hit the body or anything else! Oh, my God, is that possible? I am also surprised, but there is no other reason to explain the current phenomenon. You will be able to find out the best way to get the most out of your own personal computer. Moreover, that illusion, all of which have the troublesome property of having substance. It''s not to be underestimated! Isn''t it too crazy! With a screeching voice, Kanade punched down the approaching Monica. However, he didn''t feel a response, and the fog dissipated as if melting into the morning sun. It would be easier if it just disappeared... New monikers emerge from the shadows of the pillars. Their numbers grow more and more with each passing hour... Kanade and Luna were now surrounded by more than ten monikers. ''Oh, you''ve found out what I''m capable of. That''s as good as it gets. When dealing with the spirit race, it''s easy for them to lay bare what kind of magic you are using. You have a lot of room to breathe for a man like that. You know why I can afford it, don''t you? Huh. Luna bit her back teeth in frustration. Kanade had a bad feeling about his companion''s situation. ''Hey, hey Luna. If you understand the principle, you can defeat it, right?We can handle it, right? I can''t do it. What? ''How is it possible to do such a thing just because we know that you are using illusionary magic remotely?This part of the story remains a mystery. With time, we might be able to figure out what the mechanism is... Hmmm, I wouldn''t give him that kind of time. Oh, no! Luna was also the target of the attack, and she fled to Kanade in a hurry. She was good at magic, but she wasn''t good at close combat. ''''Unyan!'''' Ignito Javelin! Kanade''s fists and Luna''s magic shattered the visions of the three Monicas. However, as if laughing at such resistance, four new visions of Monica appear. ''''Ki, there''s no end to it, this. ''However, it has to be done. I can''t leave it to Rain to deal with this mess. Yeah, right!Yeah I''ll do my best. I''m glad to hear that you''re motivated. That''s a lot of leeway! Do you think you can defeat us easily? ''As expected, I''m not so vain as to think about such things. My role is to take care of you guys. The cat spirit race and the spirit race.......they''re both troublesome opponents, you know. Weiss-sama won''t become a threat to you, so I''ll stop you here. As he said that, Monica''s phantoms slashed at him all at once. Kanade and Luna managed to find an opening while judging them. However, Monica was a cunning opponent. She would fight Kanade and Luna in a solid way, without exposing any weaknesses. As I just put it into words, the main goal is not to defeat them, but to keep them stranded. Kanade and Luna bristled because they knew that, because they knew that. They wanted to defeat Monica now and join Rain. ''Aww, this guy is so annoying! I agree with you! "Hmm, you''re going to have to stay with me, aren''t you? The multiple visionary Monica laughed bewitchingly and wielded a sword at each of them. 315-Episode 315: A Gentle Sleep, Part 1 Rifa, Tania and Sola confronted the demon clans that were being controlled by the Weiss. Rifa called out to Tania and Sora standing next to her while focusing on the enemy in front of her. ''''Tania, Sora. I want you two to deal with someone other than your brother. Can you do that? Of course you can, but... ''Are you sure?That would mean that Rifa.... Like I said before, I''m letting you go, big brother. I have to. "Okay, fine. I won''t let Rifa get in the way. Go ahead and do your best. Killing my brother once more by my sister''s hand. That may be very cruel, but.... But Rifa herself wanted it. He couldn''t do anything to overturn that determination, and if he could, he would respect it. Seeing Rifa''s strong determination, Tania and Sola decided to give way honestly. ''Let''s go, Sola! Yes, Tania! First, Tania and Sora moved first. Tania used her fists and tail with great dexterity to strike the two demon clans. Sola also used her magic to attack the two demon clans. Their attacks were flashy, and at a glance, they could understand that it was a diversion to keep Rifa out of their way. However, the other party was once dead and in a state of manipulation. Although he has been turned into a soldier by Weiss, he does not have the ability to think for himself. Easily riding on Tania and Sora''s diversions, the four demons left the scene. And Rifa and her brother....................Carus is left behind. ''''Brother........! ''Guaaaah.........! With a beastly roar, Calus pounced on him. With a tremendous leap, he pounced on Rifa in one flight. Rifa didn''t panic, but responded calmly. He immediately bit his own finger and shed blood. The blood generated a scythe and intercepted the approaching callus. ''''Phew!'''' He cleaves the scythe wide open, diagonally down and up. The sharp blow splits Kalus''s leg and knocks his body to the ground. But Kalus doesn''t stop. The blood flowing from his leg is transformed into armor and draped over his body. The blood-generated armor has blades that cut through everything it touches. Carus pounces on Rifa with a beastly movement. ''''Guh!'''' Rifa catches it with her blood scythe, but she can''t kill the momentum completely. Kalus pushed him back two or three steps, and he took two or three steps backwards. Seeing this as an opportunity, Carus opens his hands wide to hug Rifa. Even if I say hug him, he is still clad in blood armor like a blade. If they do that, there''s no way they''ll be safe. ''''This!'''' Rifa leapt his scythe upwards from underneath him and bounced Calus off the ground. In the meantime, he tried to regain his stance, but Kalus was better at it. Kalus spun his body in midair and regained his stance in an instant. That was faster than Rifa. He also turned the blood flowing from his legs into a tentacle of blood. The tentacles of blood stretched out and intertwined with Rifa''s limbs. Then, when Rifa''s movement was blocked, Carus landed on the ground. He closes the distance again and thrusts his sharply extended canine teeth into Rifa''s arm. ''''Ugh...! Rifa let out an involuntary scream as Callus'' canine teeth dug deep into her arm. A searing pain spread and blood flooded out. Unable to endure the stimulation, Rifa''s face contorted and a slight tear appeared on her face. Still, Carus didn''t pull away from Rifa. Biting at his arm, he pushed his canine teeth further into the air... It was bone crushing and arm biting. It was the beast itself. ''''Kuuuuuu.......brother! More than the pain of having his arm eaten, Rifa remembered the pain in his heart. She felt an inexplicable sadness at the sight of her brother''s coming of age. Crying, ranting, raving... I want to pretend I didn''t see it all and block it up. But I can''t let you do that. I have to save my brother. Kalus would never allow a demon race like Weiss to use him for his own good. He may not be conscious, but his soul will remember the unbearable humiliation. That''s why I have to unleash myself. Determined, Rifa grabbed Carus''s head as he bit into her arm. As it was, he crushed it with a crushing force, just barely tightening it. Since he was already dead, he would not feel any pain. Even though Kalus didn''t scream when his head was squeezed, he didn''t scream, but bit into Rifa''s arm. However, the brain that controlled his body was screaming. Willingly or not, if the brain that controlled his body was damaged, there was nothing he could do about it. Rifa continued to squeeze Carus''s head, transmitting a certain amount of damage... Suddenly, the strength in Kalus''s jaw relaxed. Without missing the moment, Rifa kicked Kalus away and pulled him away. ''Perforate!'' Rifa shot a blood bullet and gave chase. He ran the blood bullets at super speed to fill up the space. In contrast, Carus lost his stance, but did one hand in front of him and deployed his blood shield. The blood bullets collided with each other, and gah gah!And a roaring sound. ''That''s my brother,'' Rifa continued to shoot blood bullets, buying time and thinking of a plan. Even though he was fighting with all his might, he still couldn''t deliver a decisive blow. This is despite the fact that he''s in an unconscious state. If Carus was in perfect condition, Refa would have already sunk to the ground. If it''s Kalus now, he has a chance to win. However, with their strength in the balance, it''s hard to make a final move. What should he do? There is no time to get lost. I''ll put it into action immediately. ''''Eyaaaaah! After shooting out the blood bullets, he generated the blood sickle again and slashed at it. As expected, too much blood was poured out and I felt lightly dizzy. While holding it back, he cleaves to the side while spinning the scythe. Carus generated a blood sword to counter it. He catches the scythe head-on. The power is almost even. The scythe and the sword became an antagonistic form, and they put their strength into their hands holding each other''s weapons. ''''Kuuuuuuuuuuuuu! Guaaaaaah!!! Rifa sounded like she was in pain. Carus sounded like a beast. They each shouted high and continued to shout high, and a battle of wits ensued. ''''Huh?'''' For a moment, the strength from Rifa''s hand gripping the scythe was removed. Even though he was in a state where he had no ego, Carus, who was skilled in combat, would not miss the opening. He put in a lot of effort here and forcefully drew his sword out. ''''Ugh! A sword of blood dug into Rifa''s abdomen from the side. Flesh rips. Blood floods out. Still, Carus does not stop. With his own hands, he cuts both sides of his sister''s body up and down. In a moment, despite his lack of ego, Kallus is certain of victory. This target was dead. Or mortally wounded. There was no more use. We will find the next one. Deciding that, Kalus tore his gaze away from Rifa and looked at Rain and the others, but.... Carus doesn''t realize that it was a blunder. ''....Sweet! The rifa that should have been cut off in both directions moved. Its body morphed into a myriad of bats, moving behind Kallus to reassemble. A cut was carved into its abdomen, but not very deep. After receiving the blade, it transformed its body parts into bats, splitting them apart, giving Kalus the illusion that he had received a fatal wound. If Kalus had the ability to think properly, he wouldn''t have fallen for this kind of trick. However, the fact that he dared to be attacked made it more true, and Kalus was successfully fooled. ''''This is........the end! Rifa, who had gotten behind a completely defenseless Kalus, used the last of her strength to generate a stake of blood. He thrust it into Kalus from his back. The blood stake pierced Calus''s heart with precision. The tip of the stake protrudes from his chest. ''''Gah........! Callus jerked and twitched and.... The strength drained from his legs and he fell straight down. 316-Episode 316: Gentle Sleep, Part 2 Brother..... Rifa put the stake back in its original blood and put it back inside him. Then he sees his brother lying on the ground. Callus doesn''t move. No wonder. No matter what kind of creature, the heart is one of the vital points. As long as it''s crushed, it can''t be alive. Even if it was controlled by Vice, it cannot continue its activities. And yet........ Ggh..... A groan spilled out of Carus'' mouth. He''s still alive! Confused, Rifa reflexively braced herself. Seemingly unable to put any strength into his body, Carus only moved his head and looked up at Rifa. And then.........smiled. ''''.........Rifa.......huh.......'''' Brother! That smile was one that Rifa knew. It was the smile of a kind brother who had turned it on himself over and over again. The idea that it might be a trap or something like that was blown away... Unable to resist, Rifa ran to Kalus and picked up his body. ''''Brother, brother! What''s the matter.........Rifa.......? Brother, I''m losing consciousness. It was impossible. His heart was crushed. He was already dead to begin with. But Carus was spinning his words firmly. As he had always done, he said kind words to his sister. ''''You''re getting stronger........'''' Do you remember that fight...? ''I''m sorry, but ... or should I say ... while I was being manipulated, I was still ... conscious. I''m sorry........ ''Noooooooooo!It''s not your brother''s place to apologize! I don''t know what''s going on. Still, I''m sure it''s my brother who is in front of me now. A miracle has happened, a kind brother has returned. Convinced of this, Rifa hugged Carus. Such a sister, Carus also tried to hug back........ But his body didn''t have the strength to move, and the fingers of his hand only moved slightly. ''''Pathetic, nah.......I want to stroke Rifa, but I can''t move my body anymore.......'''' .........brother....... I''m sorry... ''Don''t apologise don''t apologise!I''m fine! Unable to hold back, Rifa burst into tears. Once you start crying, you can''t stop. The tears flowed from one after another, one after another. ''''........Rifa.......'''' It''s my own fault for making my sister look like this. Painfully aware of this, Kalus summons the last of his strength. He uses up all of the little bit of soul he has left without leaving a single piece of it. And then......... ''Oh....'' Okay, okay. Carus gently stroked Rifa''s head. There shouldn''t be any strength left in him, but he should already be dead... He only thought about his sister and gently stroked the head of his beloved family. ''''Onii........chan.......! Rifa couldn''t stop crying. She wanted to stop crying for the sake of her kind brother. Still, the thought of him doing so much for me still boggled my mind helplessly. So, at least. ''''........hmm.... With tears in my eyes Rifa smiled at him. Because she always smiled, as if she was returning the favor after Carus patted her on the head. So I smiled back, albeit while crying. ''''Ah........I knew it.......'''' Seeing her sister''s smile like that, Carus looks filled. ''''Finally, to........meet Rifa.......'''' My brother...? Well.... Once again, Carus patted Rifa''s head and.... And then the strength drained from his hands. ''Brother?'' Rifa called out to him, but there was no answer. Carus smiled and quietly broke things off. ''''Huh........! Callus was already dead. Now that was an illusion. Still. Every word we''ve exchanged. Every heart we''ve ever had. Surely, it was here. ''Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. It was the wail of Rifa''s soul. 317-Episode 317: VS Weiss With Kamui in hand, I cut off Weiss several times. Weiss was using the magical threads that controlled the people of the demon race as a weapon to receive our attacks. He also attacked us at the right time. This was the second time I was fighting the demon race. However, this is the first time against a humanoid. I paid meticulous attention and alternated between attacking and defending so as not to show an opening. Fortunately, or rather, I''ve been able to fight alone so far. But ... it''s strange. It''s not as if it''s moving halfway through, or sometimes it suddenly becomes slow. That happens, but our attack never reaches it. It''s as if it''s being played with...? Well it''s about time. What did you say? I mean, look at that. You''ll see what''s interesting. Weiss retreated backwards, taking a wide berth. I even went to the trouble of doing this. Thinking that the possibility of a trap is unlikely, we stop our hands for the moment as well. It was at that time. An intense shout ran through the battlefield, shaking it. That voice was........Rifa! I hurriedly turned around and saw that Rifa had tears in her eyes. ''''Brother........!Big brother, big brother, big brother! "Rifa ... this is ... What do you think? It''ll be fun. Weiss''s mouth twisted into an ugly smile. ''I got to see my brother again, the one I thought I''d never see again. That''s very touching.'' Was that... your doing...? Yeah, I know. Why did you.... do that...? You''re asking a strange question. Must be funny, right? As if it were natural, Weiss answered that. He doesn''t mean to stir us up, but he has a look on his face as if he has no other answer than that. Ah........................I see. I''ve just figured it out. This guy............is an enemy! You! Huh? The next thing I knew, my body was moving. As I ran, I sent a needle flying from Narkami to check him. I also flew the wire and restrained Weiss, and then slashed at him with a Kamui. However, the opponent would not be easily beaten either. Despite being restrained, I scoff at my freely movable fingers, and with a number of threads of magic power stacked on top of each other, I turn them into a shield to prevent my attack. You''re in the middle of talking to me and now you''re going to attack me out of the blue. This is why humans are........ Shut up!I don''t want to hear another word about you! My body is hot. Anger builds up one after another, and I can''t help it. I tried to stop my runaway body and calm my raging mind, but what little reasoning I had left.... But in the end, those things will soon disappear. Anger. Anger. Anger. Endless rage drives me forward. Demons are not only incompatible with people, they are also incompatible with other creatures. They are the natural enemies of all living things. So it''s understandable that they will turn on each other. I can understand that they fight and die as a result. Just........but I can''t allow you to treat the other''s corpse like a toy, trample their dignity, and hurt a girl like Rifa. I will never accept such a thing. Only this guy.........! ''Oh dear ... to fight in anger. Humans are so stupid. If you do that, you''ll never be able to exert your ten powers. Threads of magical power extended from the fingers of both of Weiss'' hands. Ten in total. As if there was no need to manipulate the corpse anymore, all of them were directed at me and turned into an attack. The ten threads of magic power swirled erratically like living creatures as they attacked me. From the front, from the back, from the right, from the left, from the top....... It''s biting me from every possible angle, blocking my escape route. Fireball Multi-Shot! The three threads of magic approaching from in front of you, intercepted by magic.... Matter Creation! The thread of magic looming from the blind spot produced and received a wall of stone. ''''Sweet.'''' What? Ten more threads of magical power were woven out. They were approaching from directly above and raining down on me like a meteor shower. ''''d*mn!'''' It''s not over yet. Ten more threads of magic power were added to fill the space. A total of thirty threads of magic power. They unfold like a prison, blocking my escape route.... And then it goes through the body. ''Guh!'' I just can''t avoid it, and I get hit in my right arm and right leg. It''s like being pierced by a needle, and the wound itself is small and bleeds little. However, the pain is considerable, and the numbing shock spreads when I try to move my body. ''''How''s it going?This is my power. .... My magical thread is a combination of offense and defense. It doesn''t give your opponent a chance to escape, nor does it allow them to attack. .... ''''Let me tell you, this is not the limit. There are still dozens of threads of magic... Shut up. Hmm? It hurts, but I don''t care about that kind of thing. My right arm and my right leg are pierced, and even a light movement of my right arm and leg sends a shock, but I don''t care about that stuff. I can''t care about that. Because there are people who are more hurt than me. Losing my brother.... And then he uses your brother as a tool of war. Rifa''s heart is hurt more than anyone else in the room. The guy who did such a joke. Demon tribe........Weiss. I will never forgive you! 318-Episode 318: VS Weiss, Part 2 ''Oh, oh, oh! "Hmmm....just charge in like an idiot. Weiss spills out a disappointed voice when he sees what we''re doing here. He turns his pitying gaze towards us and raises his right hand. "I heard from Monica that you do a little bit, but........you''re only human. To be trapped in anger in the middle of a fight is nothing short of foolish. I''m tired of it. I prefer to die. Weiss swung his right hand down. Multiple threads of magic power were closing in like a guillotine. My mind was filled with anger right now. Everything was dominated by my anger at Weiss. Such a situation. There''s no way I''d be able to make a calm decision or deal with the situation in a normal way. There''s no way I can do it, but........ What? It was only when I came here that Weiss let out a surprised cry. I had prevented all of them from tangling multiple threads of magic with my Kamui. It required not only power, but precision work. ''''Silly me!There is no way that such an imitation could be done by you, who are controlled by anger! Don''t underestimate it. Indeed, it''s tricky to let anger take over your mind. Just like when I fought Arios before.... It reduces your vision and your concentration. In fighting, anger is only a hindrance. But right now I was in a completely different situation. The anger ... too much fierce anger, on the contrary, was sharpening my mind. The fierce anger was giving me more power than this. Hurting Rifa''s heart, torture your brother''s soul... There was no way I was going to allow that kind of vise. My burning heart was giving me more power than I''d ever had before. Anger over a certain line is not a weakness, it gives you strength. I understood that very well. ''Whoa! Ignoring the pain, he jumped into Weiss'' bosom. Weiss hurriedly formed a shield with a thread of magic power, but he didn''t care and slammed his fist into it. The impact was like hitting iron. This one''s fist shatters and blood floods out, but........ Still, it didn''t stop. The fist broke through the magical thread shield and dug deep into Weiss''s abdomen. ''''Gaha!Bah, stupid...! Don''t think you can do anything else!Don''t think I''ll be laughing at you forever!I''m going to erase that grin on your face! d*mn you humans!Don''t get carried away on a whim. Weiss waved his hands with a look of rage as he was hurt. The collection of magical threads spins at high speed, cutting up everything it touches and returning it to dust. Normally, I would have no way to avoid it, nor would I be able to prevent it. Even though I''m under contract with the most powerful species, I''m still basically a human. I don''t have any exceptional abilities, nor do I have any special powers. I can''t catch an attack as powerful as this one. I shouldn''t be able to do that, but....... What? Weiss was astonished. The answer is quite simple. It was because my figure, touched by a collection of magical threads, disappeared like a mirage. ''''Erased to pieces without a trace?No, no way.......where the hell is it?! I''m here. What? As I walked behind Weiss, I slashed at his back with my Kamui. Perhaps because I was upset, Weiss'' movements were slow. Leaning back... In the meantime, I swung the Kamui out further. I''ll make the Narkami even more closely together and eject the needle at zero distance. ''''Guuuuuuut! Weiss is a demon race and has excellent abilities in both offense and defense. However, it seems that when receiving so many attacks in succession, it is indeed not possible to be unscathed, and a pained look was on her face. ''''You.......what the hell did you do just now.......what did you do?! It''s not much of a magic trick. I just created an illusion of myself and took advantage of the insect''s nature of escaping from its natural enemies to create an illusion of me. At first, I didn''t know that there was a way to evade this, but.... When I saw Rifa transform into countless bats and avoid attacks, I thought that if I had to........................it was a flash of inspiration. However, I have neither the righteousness nor the obligation to explain such things to Weiss. Ignoring Weiss''s question, I slammed in more attacks. At close range, I mainly use Kamui''s slash as the main attack, mixing in kicks in between and hitting a series of attacks. If the distance opens up, I''ll use Narkami''s needles and wires to keep him in check, while hitting him with magic. The battle was paced by me. Weiss is being pushed around. However, as expected of a demon race, I should say. Its durability is outstanding, and even though I gave it an attack that reached a hundred, it''s still going strong. ''''This is.......not good. You''re a very calm analyst of the situation, aren''t you? I''m not a lowly creature, like a demon, but I have the proper knowledge. Come to think of it, the demons I fought before also tried to retreat honestly when the situation got worse. I see, they certainly seem to be different from demons. I have the ability to properly analyze the situation I''m in. But you know what? In my book, you''re no better than a monster. You''re just like a monster, hurting others to satisfy your own desires. You''re on the same level as a monster. So there is no way I will allow you to escape. Vice you will be defeated right here! "I''ll do it for a human being. I''ll admit that you''ve exceeded my expectations. It won''t be like that again. Don''t think there will be a next time! Hm. Now it''s getting better. You can''t seriously think that you can defeat me.................... Suddenly, Weiss began to writhe and suffer. She bent her body into a crouch and thrust her fingers into the area of her abdomen. Repeatedly repeating the gouging motion, she began to sweat a great deal of fat. It''s a good idea to have a good idea of what to expect.My body.........my body is hot as a flame.......! It''s finally working. "It''s working, huh?What the hell did you do...? This guy is done. So I''m going to teach it an honest lesson. I take the needle out of Narkami and show it to Weiss. "Is that needle wet at the tip?No way...! It''s kind of like poison. This needle is coated with the bodily fluids of a reactor ant. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. Well, even if it interferes, it''s not much, so it''s usually harmless. You....! But ... but ... It''s different if you take it into your body. Even a person can suffer quite a bit and if you''re a demon race with higher magical power, the effect is doubled. What do you think, will it work? You! A furious Weiss pounced on him, having been treated well. He''s simply angry at being hurt himself. It''s only a shallow anger. That would only lead to strangling himself. "Come on. I attack Weiss head-on. With a sharp, beast-like movement, Weiss first flashed his right arm in a flash. Following that movement, a thread of magic power attacks from diagonally above. Since it''s like being poisoned, Weiss''s movements are slow. Thanks to that, I was able to avoid it with plenty of time to spare. However, it seems that Weiss has predicted that too. He continues to swing his left arm and aims to take a shot right after he avoids it. He was probably aiming for a time when I couldn''t avoid it. However, we also predicted that he would act like that. I have predicted dozens of patterns of attacks from Weiss, but....... It''s the simplest attack of them all. You''re probably angry, poisoned, and quite incapable of thinking. It''s time to hand over the reins. ''Gravity reversal! I flipped the gravity on me and floated up into the air, avoiding Weiss'' attack. Just as I was upside down in the air... In that state, he meets eyes with Weiss. Aiming at those eyes, he ejects a needle from Narkami and crushes his vision. Weiss writhes and........ In the meantime, gravity in the normal direction. As soon as he landed on the ground, he ran and reduced the distance to zero. ''''Now........'''' You... ''It''s over! I drove Kamui''s blade deep into Weiss''s abdomen.... In addition, the blade was reversed and sliced directly upward with the blade in that state. 319-Episode 319: The End of the Feast Why am I the one who''s going to become a human being? Weiss kneeled on the floor while shielding his chest from the slashed abdomen. He doesn''t seem to have any strength left to stand up anymore, and his body just shakes weakly. However, he didn''t mentally give in, and he glared at us evasively. ''''You''ve beaten the odds, haven''t you?'''' Kill me. There was no way to turn this situation upside down, and Weiss seemed to feel the same way, so he uttered a line that honestly acknowledged his defeat. Instead of saying that a human is a human, he was honest in his own way. Well, maybe it''s just the prevailing vainglory of not being able to show a hapless appearance against a human being who is looking down on you, but. ''''Of course, I''ll take you down here. But first, I want to ask you something. That''s why I dared not to miss the vital point and finish it off with a single blow. ''''What do you want to ask me...?'''' You were the one causing the stampede, weren''t you?You did the Horizon stampede too, didn''t you? .... ''You don''t have to answer. I''m almost certain of it. This guy can control them at will, whether they''re alive or dead, by connecting a thread of magic power to the target. Then, wasn''t this guy controlling the demons? Wasn''t it controlled so that the stampede would happen? When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. Or rather, there is no other possibility. So the predictions of the demon tribe were spot on. However, a mystery remains. "Why did the stampede happen?What do you want? .... You''re not going to talk, are you? .... Weiss looked at me, but remained silent. His mouth remains tightly shut. Although he didn''t say the words, it was as if he was telling us to kill him quickly. ''''As expected, you won''t be able to break my mouth easily? You understand it well. Well that''s it. I readied my Kamui again. I don''t think that I''m going to be able to do that to someone who can''t move anymore............. I''ve often been called naive, but after doing all this and making Refa suffer........ I have no intention of forgiving Weiss for doing that. Besides, if we let it happen here, it will happen again somewhere else. I''m sure of it. That''s what this guy is... our enemy. That''s why we''re hunting. "Rain. When I looked back at Weiss, wary to make sure he didn''t run away, I saw Rifa coming towards me. She has a dignified face, but........ I can see the traces of tears around his eyes and my heart hurts. ''''........Where''s your brother?'''' I''ll be fine. I sent your brother home. Okay. Thanks. Rain. I didn''t do anything. ''No, if it wasn''t for Rain, my brother would still be suffering. So ... thank you. Rifa''s face contorted slightly as she remembered her brother. But she didn''t shed a tear, she held back. She''s a strong girl. If I was in the same position, I don''t think I could have been like Rifa. ''Let me do it,'' It''s... I immediately understood what the word meant. That''s why I''m confused. Rifa wants to avenge her brother''s death with her own hands. I have no intention of denying revenge. However, that can be a burden on the mind. Thoughts that are too strong, no matter what kind they are, can put a certain amount of overload on your mind. However, there are times when letting them go can clear the mind. With that in mind, I couldn''t deny it... Okay, okay. After thinking about it for a moment, I decided to give it to Rifa. After all, the person who has the right to toss Weiss is none other than Rifa in this place. So I decided to leave it to Rifa, even if it would be a burden. It''s best. Thanks, Rain. I give way to Rifa and I step back. Of course, in the meantime, I continue to be vigilant. Weiss isn''t capable of fighting anymore, but... Still, there''s no telling what you''ll do when you''re hunted down. My last will be a little girl like you. I''m going to avenge my brother. Well, you can do whatever you want. Yeah, whatever. Rifa generated a blood scythe and swung it wide. In contrast, Weiss is kneeling on the floor and not moving. Either he can''t move, or he''s completely given up........ ''''It''s........over. Rifa swung the scythe of blood and.... Idiots! Just as the blood scythe was about to be swung down, Weiss moved. Showing an amazing instantaneous force, he pounced on Rifa. Probably, he''s planning to make her a hostage or something. It''s just.............I expected him to show one last bad move like that. So I won''t panic. I can deal with it calmly. ''''Gah! Weiss was about to jump on Rifa, when suddenly he was blown away as if he had been hit by something. As it was, he rolled on the floor, blew off, and crashed into the wall. The wall was cracked with such force that a considerable roar could be heard. It seemed to be a considerable impact, and Weiss was suffering and writhing in agony like a fish washed up on a hill. Walking up to such Weiss, Rifa raises her blood sickle again. ''''What........what.......happened now.......? I could see your bad behavior coming. That''s why I''ve taken care of it. I manipulated gravity to generate a repulsive force field between Rifa and Weiss. I didn''t think that Weiss would be quietly defeated in any way. That''s the insurance for that. "Thanks, Rain. That''s fine. Let''s just get this over with. Yes. You.........you people.... It''s over. ''Silly!This me, this me, in this place...! Goodbye. In a straight line, Rifa swung the blood scythe from top to bottom. Zah!There was a sharp slashing sound of the wind. ''''.........'''' Weiss'' movements stop with a snap. His voice stops coming out. It''s a little... Its body split off from the center to the left and right. Blood didn''t spurt out, but instead a black mist flooded out. Eventually, its body turned to dust and disappeared into the sunlight. ''''........'''' Seeing that Weiss had completely disappeared, Rifa slowly released her stance. Releasing the blood scythe and letting the blood back into his body. Then, Rifa let out one small breath. Gently, he put one hand to his chest. She looks up at the ceiling and opens her mouth in a small way. What did I mumble? I can''t hear it either, and only Rifa knows that. 320-Episode 320: The end of a moment and the next upheaval Li... "Hmm. I was just about to call out to Rifa when a bewitching laugh sounded. I turned around while reflexively holding up my Kamui and saw Monica. ''''You........! I might be pissed off too. Monica speaks of such things, but the smile on her mouth does not disappear. Rather, it becomes a deeper, more distorted smile. It''s not a good idea to have a good time. Mmmm I''m sorry I can''t stop it. Behind Monica, Kanade and Luna were sitting flat on the floor with their backs to each other, spilling out a rough breath. They were sweating profusely and felt exhausted. Unharmed against those two. And to be tossed around like that........ Are you sure it''s a person? I can''t underestimate that. I set up my Kamui and shift into a combat stance, but Monica sheathes her sword. ''''...What do you mean?'''' Thankfully, since Master Weiss has been defeated, there''s no reason to fight Mr. Lane and the others here and now. Will you not avenge the Lord? ''My Lord is a different one. I''m only here as a reinforcement. .... ''Master Weiss has been defeated and we can no longer cause the stampede. Our purpose will not be fulfilled either. I would like to get even, but it''s still pointless. It''s not a good idea to act emotionally, even if it was planned from the beginning. So I''m going to stop here. Unlike Weiss, you''re a talker. "Hmm. I have no idea what Monica is thinking. However, it seems to be the word of truth that she has no intention of fighting. She seemed to be making small talk, and I couldn''t sense any fighting spirit in her. But that''s no reason for me to break my fighting stance either. If you''ve got a good idea of what the demon tribe wanted to do in this case, you should be able to find out. We''re not going to let her get away that easy. ''''You look like you have no intention of letting her off easy. You can read minds? Mr. Lane is very straightforward. I''ve been told that often, but I didn''t expect to hear it from Monica as well. I''m not sure how to describe it, but it''s a complicated feeling. We''re supposed to be enemies, and yet Monica''s attitude is so friendly, even friendly. Are we really enemies? When I do this, sometimes I''m tempted to doubt it. ''Well, I''ll let you get away with it. I can''t be caught here. Are you expecting me to just admit it? You don''t need Mr. Lane''s permission. Besides ... my body is not here. "?.........! A thought occurred to me and I ejected the Narkami needle. I should have been able to see it, but Monica didn''t try to avoid it. The needle stabbed into Monica''s leg........but slipped through. ''An illusion....?'' Rain that guy was using a hallucination spell... I think the body is somewhere else... Kanade and Luna, who looked exhausted, told me that. ''I didn''t think you could do that to someone...'' I''m a little different. Who the hell are you?What are you up to? Hmmm, that''s a secret. Monica plastered a smile on her mouth like a child would. ''It''s just...........................goodbye to this. Since we''re here, how about we make a deal with one? "Deal? ''We ask each other one question. And to that question, I''ll answer it honestly how about...? I have a lot of doubts about whether Monica will answer honestly. And I have concerns about what kind of questions she''ll ask, and that''s where I''m concerned. But it''s also an opportunity. Monica was with Arios. So it''s possible that they are still together. It could be an opportunity to get a clue to Arios on the run and.... I dare to take you up on your offer here. Okay. I''ll take the deal. Thank you. Now, may I begin? Yeah. Go ahead. So ... Mr. Lane, are you going to be the next brave? No. After a bit of hesitation, I decided to answer honestly. Monica was in a deep part of the country, so she seems to have some information about the brave men. She probably knows about the branch family as well. If that''s the case, there''s no point in cheating poorly, so I said my true intentions in order to seal the deal. ''''Really?'''' I''ve been told that before. But I''m not a character. When push comes to shove, I''m willing to fight, but for now, I''m going to be a regular adventurer. Thank you for taking the deal properly. Monica still smiled and bowed her head lightly. Really, it''s a disruptive opponent for the pace. ''''Next time it''s my turn, okay?'''' ''Yes, go ahead. Mr. Lane has spoken the truth and the deal is done. I promise to tell you the truth without lying to you, too. However, there is only one question, okay?What would you like to hear? ''Well...'' It''s a pretty important question. I can''t ask the question right away, and I think carefully about the question. Monica said that she was sent as a reinforcement for Weiss. In other words, she was in touch with the demon race. Perhaps the Lord is also a demon tribe. If that''s the case........ Is Arios also involved with the demon race? ''You can ask me anything you want, although I''m not going to be able to think about it for a few minutes. Okay. I''ve decided. My question is.... What are you going to do with Arios? He asked. Probably, Monica did a handout and let Arios off the hook. I''ve heard that story from Sarya-sama. After all that has been done, Arios is not going to be able to regain his bravery. And it''s unlikely that anyone would swear an oath of loyalty to Arios like that. We have to assume that they are helping him for a purpose. And what is that purpose? I had a hunch, but I felt it was very important, so I put it to the question. ''''..... Monica''s eyes widened in surprise. ''What''s wrong?''Can''t you answer that? ''''No ... my apologies. I didn''t expect you to ask me about Arios-sama, so I was inexplicably surprised. This might be something Rain-sama can''t underestimate....... What''s the answer to your question? ''''Yes, I''ll answer that right now. As for Arios-sama, well, there''s a lot going on, so I can''t say a single word, but still, if I had to describe it... Monica smiles and utters her purpose with an extreme smile. ''I thought I''d have you be the seed for a new war. The war...? Of course, I mean the war between the demon race and humans.... ''What?But that''s ... no. I''d like to think it''s a lie, but unfortunately, there''s no indication that he''s lying to Monica. She is using Arios to provoke another war between demons and humans. He must be serious about such a plan. The question is how to use Arios, though... Well you couldn''t have asked for a better service. Monica was gone, as if to say her duty was done. Monica''s smile was burned into my brain, and a bad premonition swelled in my mind. It''s ... a new sense of warfare. 321-Episode 321 Return and Report Welcome back, Monica. I''m back, Mr. Reese. At the place named the Black House, Monica met up with Reese again. She kneels on the floor and bows her head as it is. ''''I''m sorry, Reese-sama. As I reported earlier with magic, that plan failed...............and Weiss-sama was also destroyed. I tried my best, too, but I was not able to make a step forward. ''It''s okay, Monica. I''m sorry about Weiss, but you will not feel responsible for that. If I had to assign blame, it would be on me. Because it is my fault for misjudging the power of the person known as the Rain Shroud. Oh no...!There is no such thing as responsibility to Mr. Reese. I do not ask for such a thing. When Reese apologized, Monica was instantly flustered. She was in a hurry to not do that. Her appearance showed a strong respect for Reese. It was as if there was no sign of the same bewitching spirit that he had shown in front of Rain. Just as a believer believes in God. Like a child loves their parents unconditionally. Monica was showing emotions close to those to Rhys. If Arios had been here, he would have been surprised. You can look like that too......... I thought it was a good strategy, even if I had to do it myself, but to be cut down so easily like this.......it really, really hurts my head. For Reese, this plan was located in a rather important place. Hopefully, he would be able to awaken the Demon King, who was in a dormant phase. With that in mind, he decided to make a proper plan and take on the challenge in a reasonable body position. That''s also why I asked my compatriot Weiss to go out and do it. However, the results are scattered. Not only would the plan fail, but they would also lose Weiss. It was quite a blow. When he reflected on such current information, Reese suddenly remembered Iris'' words. When had he said that it was better not to underestimate Rain. Was that what he was referring to? Could it be that Iris knew of Rain''s power and expected this to happen? No, no, no. Reese gives a small shake of his head, saying that this is not possible. Rain Shroud is qualified to be a hero, but the god''s blood flowing through his body is thin. If you convert it numerically, it''s less than half of Arios''. It''s impossible for such a human to surpass the demon race in the normal course of events. The reason why Vice was broken was probably due to some accidental factor, a combination of bad luck. Rhys assumed that. ''Master Reese,'' Hmm?Something. Do you have any plans for the future? ''Well we have a number of small plans in motion, but I don''t have any plans for you to move on at this time. That''s how much effort he put into the Weiss operation. A pretty painful miscalculation. ''Then would you give me permission to move? ''What?What''s on your mind? ''I had an idea, or rather, something I''ve been thinking about for some time. Monica tells Reese her plans in a small voice, as if she''s telling a private story... Hearing this, Reese nodded several times in admiration and made a pleasant smile. ''''That sounds like a good... yeah, I think it''s a very good plan. It might be rude of me to say this to you, but I didn''t expect Monica to be able to come up with such a plan. Hmph, it''s a nice growth. Thank you. So can we get on with the action? Yes, sir. ''It''s bad. I just got back. No, don''t worry about it. I''m more than happy to work for you, Mr. Reese. I''d rather have a lot of orders from him. Monica smiled. That smile was full of trust in Reese. No, I would call it more than trust. It''s not just a mere top and bottom relationship.... There was something deeper than that in it. ---------- Although I don''t think there is no doubt that Weiss is the source of the problem, I still did a search inside the old castle and the surrounding area, just to be sure. This is because I thought that perhaps the cause of the stampede might lie elsewhere. There was no need to be too cautious just because of the content. But it seemed to be a groundless fear, and we didn''t find any problems. After confirming this, we left the old castle and returned to Krios. ---------- "''Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!'' Back to Krios and into the city.... The people of the city suddenly cheered when they spotted us. ''''Nyan!'''' What...? Kanade and Nina were startled, both with their tails twitching upside down. ''What''s all the fuss about?'' Hm?Everyone''s got a smile on their face, for some reason. Sola and Luna were quizzical. Tania and Tina felt similarly. The only one, Rifa, was calm. Calm........did you expect this to unfold? As such, I''m not particularly surprised. ''Well ... rifa. What? Do you have any idea what the situation is?If you know, you''ll tell me what it''s all about? ''The people of Krios are flippant. The result. I''m sorry. Could you try to be a little more specific? ''Well...'' How can you not understand what you just described?But Rifa doesn''t bother to explain it properly without being bothered. I''m sure one of my colleagues sensed that I had defeated Weiss. Naturally, the story is spread throughout the city. That''s when we came back. Rain is something of a hero. There are a lot of flippant people in this town, so we''re going to welcome them with open arms. That''s all. ''Uh....'' After a curt explanation, I somehow understood the situation. ''Rain. You have to respond to everyone. ''What?Me...? Lane is our leader. Then our leader will have to answer for it. ''Well...'' It''s embarrassing and out of character.......but Rifa has a point. I stepped forward and pumped my fist up as if to declare victory. After a moment of silence........ "''Ooohhhhhh! The people''s cheers echoed once more. 322-Episode 322 Goodbye? After being welcomed by the people of Krios, we moved to the lord''s hall. There, we reported what had happened to Kaiz-san and told him that the incident had been settled. ''''Thank you, Rain. Thanks to you guys, this city has been saved. You are the heroes of this city. Well, no, I mean... After hearing the report, Kaiz-san bowed deeply on the spot. Sure, we defeated the Weiss that caused the Stampede, but....... But he''s just an adventurer. In contrast, Kaiz-san is a lord and is in a position to rule the city. It''s not the kind of thing that such a person would bow down to. When I tell him that........ What are you talking about? If it wasn''t for Mr. Lane and his friends, this city would have been destroyed. Even if we had been lucky enough to have escaped them, we would have suffered a terrible loss. It''s... well... I wasn''t sure if I agreed with the idea that the city might be destroyed, but since it would be a lie to deny it, I nodded vaguely. ''But it was averted. Thanks to Rain and the others. Then it''s only natural to show your gratitude. Of course, I will prepare rewards and other benefits separately, but......But first, I want to thank you. As the ruler of this city, and as a person living in this city. So, please allow me to do this much. Rain, Rain. Gently, Kanade whispered in my ear. ''''Well I know Rain is humble, but at a time like this, it''s better to receive a proper thank you, right?It''s meant to make the other person look good, but more than that, you have to properly accept someone''s favor. Well that''s true too. It''s an itchy part, but sometimes it''s necessary to be honest. Kanade is right. ''Well you''re welcome. Yes, sir. He exchanged smiles with Mr. Kys, followed by a handshake. The people around me who were looking on were cheering. ''Hey, Mr. Kais-san. Hey, yeah? When the cheers had settled down, Tina, in doll form, on top of Nina''s head, called out to Ms. Kaisu in such a way. ''Yes, how can I help you?'' Lane''s husband seems to be quite tired. So we''ll talk about the details, and today, it''s okay if Rain''s husband goes to the inn first? Tina?I''m not tired of it... Shh. I would be lying if I said I wasn''t fatigued, but not so much that I couldn''t talk about various things like future consultations. I try to argue with that, but Tina stops me from whispering. Can you keep up with the conversation?And so Tina looked at me. Tina is a bit too flippant at times, but basically, she''s a very smart woman. She must have had something in mind. ''....Could Rain''s husband go check on Rifa? Gently, I was overheard. Rifa is not here. He is separated in front of the lord''s mansion because he has some business to attend to. Perhaps she went to Rezona-san''s place. ''''Rifa, I think there are a lot of things to do, so I want you to stay with Rain''s husband. "...Okay. I''ll take care of Rifa. That''s what I''m talking about, Tina. You''ve seen a lot of things. After what I learned about your brother... I''m sure he''s had a lot of conversations with Rezona and is having a lot of feelings about it. Tina seems to be worried about that. Really, she''s a well-considered person. ''''Well then, I''m sorry, but I''ll let you take care of the situation. Okay. We''ll take care of it. Leaving the rest to Tina, who replied reliably, I left the lord''s mansion. ---------- We walked around all over the city of Coruscia looking for Rifa. Along the way, I was approached by many different people. All of them thanked us and, at times, asked us to shake their hands. It seems that our thing has already spread to the entire city. Is this what Rifa had said about being in a good groove? With a light chuckle, I looked for Rifa. And then........I found Rifa and Rezona-san in the cemetery, far from the center of the city. Both of them are holding their hands together, closing their eyes and praying. Who are they thinking of? I don''t need to think about that. I don''t want to get in the way, but I''m also wondering what condition Rifa is in. For now, I wait at a distance and I pray for Rifa''s brother''s peace, too. ''Rain, were you there?'' Hey, what''s up, bro? After they finished their prayers, they noticed us and approached us in their usual manner. I don''t think they had been praying earlier. Maybe the two of them have settled on your brother. ''Excuse me, did I interrupt you?'' That''s no problem. I''d rather welcome my brother to the party. ''What?Why? "I beat the bastard demons. With Rifa''s help, I put Kalus to sleep. It was all thanks to you. I didn''t do much. The only people who worked hard were my people and the Rifa herself. I don''t care what my brother thinks, all right? I''m grateful to my brother. That''s what''s important. So, take it easy. What a pushy person. Maybe I shouldn''t be thinking about this, but is this person really Rifa''s mother? Their personalities are too different....no. Is it because of this reverse personality that my daughter, Rifa, has grown up with her own pace? It''s a mystery. So what''s going on? "I just wanted to have a quick word with Rifa... All right. All right. Well, I''m gonna go run some errands. I''ll see you later. I''ll see you later. With a fluttering wave, Rezona left the cemetery. He''s a fast-paced person. Is Rifa like this? Lane, you wanted to see me? I''m just checking in. How is it? I don''t know if it''s going to happen. Yeah. Seeming to have understood our intentions, Rifa gave a small nod. Then, she bowed her head in a bowing motion. I''m grateful that you''re worried about me. I''m fine. Are you pushing yourself too hard? ''No, I''m really okay. If you cry all the time, you''ll worry your brother. So I''m just going to keep looking forward. Yeah. You''re strong, Rifa. Oh. It seems that doing so to Kanade and the others has become a habit, and I can''t help but nudge Rifa''s head. ''''Mmmm...'''' Rifa didn''t seem to be reluctant, in fact, she seemed to be happy about it. She even held her head out to me and urged me to stroke her with her attitude. ''''Huh ... soothing. Rain''s hands have a healing effect. Is that a compliment? Biggest. ''Oh yeah...'' I knew Rifa was a bit of a confused girl. ''Thanks, Rain.'' Yeah? Thank you for saving the city. You''re welcome. A lot of things are still bothering me, but.... Let''s stop thinking about those things now and take the words from Rifa in a straightforward manner. "Bok, I want to thank you. I don''t mind. That''s not true. It''s not nice. I''m grateful. I''m not looking for anything in return, so I really don''t have to worry about it... However, from Rifa''s side, is it difficult to do nothing? ''''Then why don''t you show me around Krios? A guide? ''I''ll be staying in Krios for a while, and I''d like to have a look around while I''m there. But I don''t know what to expect. I need a guide. Okay, okay. I''ll take care of it. Yes, please. We have a deal. Is there anywhere else you''d like to see? ''Well there''s a lot going on, but I can''t miss the souvenir shops and stuff. I want to pick up some souvenirs before we head back to Horizon. ...back? Rifa tilted her head slightly and said curiously. ''Rain, do you want to come back?Back to Horizon? Hmm?Well, well. I''m based out of Horizon, you know. So you''re saying goodbye to me and Rain? Yeah, I guess so. Okay. Rifa looked like she was about to start crying. 323-Episode 323 Contract What''s going on, Rifa? Well I''m not sure. Immediately, Rifa returned to her usual blank expression. She just glanced at us repeatedly, somewhat restlessly. ''The thought of saying goodbye to Rain made me sad. ''I see but I''m not leaving anytime soon. Like I said before, I''m going to stay in Krios for a while to see how things go from here on out. Yeah. Yeah. Although Rifa nodded her head in a persistent manner, she seemed somewhat unconvinced and was uncomfortable until the end. ---------- Night. Normally, this is the time when everyone is asleep, but on this day, at any given time, people''s cheerful voices could be heard in the city. Repeated Stampede outbreaks. The people of Krios, the strongest species, were prepared for the city to be destroyed... but it was overturned just in time. The demon race, the mastermind behind it, had been defeated and saved by the heroes of Horizon. To celebrate this, the feast continued until late at night. ''''Phew!The wine of victory is good, huh? Rezona was one of them, drinking with Al in the lord''s house. He was drinking endlessly, like water. You are drinking endlessly, like water. This is some fine wine.You need to learn to savor it a little more carefully. All right, that''s all right. A drink is a drink. Drink big. That''s what it''s all about. Well, it''s a celebration. I''m not going to tell you anything. Here, you can have a drink, Al. Here, Al, drink more. Drink some more. Drink till you drop. Rezona, her face red with alcohol, poured a new drink into Al''s cup. He was quite drunk or suspicious at hand, and it would overflow a bit. Al held up a finger as if to say it was a waste. Then the liquor that was supposed to overflow and fall to the floor stops in midair and floats. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a great deal more to say about it. "How can you use that kind of magic? "Hmph, not a drop of alcohol can escape my mistress'' eyes as long as they''re black. As I was showing a ridiculous amount of power and talking about something infinitely unimportant, the door to the guest room slowly opened. From there, Rifa popped up. ''''Oh, what?You''re a riffer. Do you want to drink with me? ''No, I don''t want to drink. More importantly, I need to talk to your mother about something. ''What?The story?Does it have to be now? Not that it''s a bad idea, but the sooner the better. Okay. Then can we do it here?Al will be with you, though. Yeah, okay. You look troubled. Why don''t I consult with you? Actually.... ---------- ..... Nina held a large cup with both hands and gulped down the liquor that was being poured down in a single gulp. It''s a sweet juice-like liquor, so she likes it. He smiled at me. But he was also drunk and his face was flushing. In addition, my body began to sway unsteadily from side to side. Are you okay, Nina?You shouldn''t drink too much. I''m a very strong..... I''m the strongest species in the world. I don''t care about alcohol.... ''My line!I feel like everyone''s been cracking up lately! No, it''s not, Nya. It''s not true, nyah. Blatant provocation! You''re all drunk. You should take your time with that drink. I know. Oh, Tania. It''s almost empty. I''ll pour you a drink. Thanks. Everyone was enjoying the banquet in their own way. Seeing everyone''s smiling faces makes me happy too, which makes me happy. I wish this kind of time could go on forever...but is it a luxury to think so? Rain. When his name was called, he turned around and saw Rifa. She''d disappeared for some time, but apparently she''d been back before I knew it. ''Where have you been?'' Hmm. I need to talk to your mother. "Consult? What was bothering him? Is it because of your brother? Lane, I need you to do something for me. Yeah? You have to make me Lane''s. Whoa! I cringe at the sudden bombshell. The alcohol is in my trachea........! Meow, meow, meow...!No way, Rain, you''ve already put your hand on Rifa...? Hey, what''s going on, Lane? "Geez, you don''t have to... geez, geez. I didn''t do anything. ''Huh?Lane, aren''t you pleased? When I was in a panic, Rifa tilted her head in wonder. Did she want me to be happy to hear that line, and did she just say something like that? If so, it''s the exact opposite. Instead of rejoicing, I would be in a panic. "What''s going on with you all of a sudden...?Why would you do that? Now I know why I''ve been so bothered during the day. I want to be with Rain. I need to repay you, and I want to spend more time with you. ''Don''t worry about ingratitude or anything like that... and didn''t we talk about getting a tour of Krios, or something like that? ''Then we''re not equals. I''m going to have to repay the favor by doing something better. So I thought about it. But I couldn''t figure it out so I asked my mom for help. ''....Could it be that Mr. Rezona has asked you to say that line? Yeah, she told me. What is that man thinking? I exclaimed in my mind. ''Your mother said the man was a figment of that line. ''Well?''Ichiro? No, it''s not, how should I put it... ''Hey, hey. I mean, if Rifa wants to be with Rain, does that mean she''s going to join our party? As if to help out, Kanade asked Rifa such a question, as if he was in a constant state of trouble. Upon receiving the question, Rifa lightly glances down and thinks about it. Somewhat later, she opens her little mouth. ''....Yeah, I guess so. I''m sure you''ll be happy to know that I''m not the only one. I want to repay the favor. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I''m not dabbling. I''m not there, but they all sent me the same zit-eye as Kanade. Why...? ''Well are you serious about that?Have you thought this through properly? Of course. That''s why I talked to my mom about it. What did Mr. Rezona say? He said I could do what I wanted. If you have Rezona-san''s permission, what do I have to say about it? Besides, Rifa looks like this and has a good idea. You''re not just saying that you want to be my friend lightly. ''....Yeah, I get it. I''m fine with it. What do you guys think? I think it''s a good idea. I''ll be sad to say goodbye to Rifa here. I don''t have a problem with it either. Newcomers are welcome. Well, I guess I''ll have another junior colleague in my life!We''re going to get some bread in the dash! You wanna come with me? We''re with you. No problem for everyone. ''Well you''re welcome, Refa. Yes. I hold out my hand, and Rifa seems somewhat happy to hold ours. "And I want to make a deal with Rain. Rifa too? I''m not going to be the only one. So I''m signing up. ''Well ... yeah, all right. So, let''s make a deal. I can''t say for sure, but maybe we can sign up with Refa as well. I''m not going to say now that there''s no way I''m going to sign a contract with the most powerful species, and... Besides, now that he knew where he came from, he decided that such a thing would be possible. He bit his fingers and used the blood to draw a magic circle on his palm. I''ve done this so many times that I''m used to it. ''''My name is Rain Shroud. I will make a new contract and create a bond here. With an oath in my heart, with hope in my heart, with strength in my hands. Answer. What is thy name? "...rifa.... A magic circle is carved into Rifa''s body. ...Is that it? Yeah, we have a deal. I hold out my hand to Rifa again. "It''s good to see you, Rifa. 324-Episode 324 Next Generation The party continued late into the night. We had been threatened by the Stampede for a long time, but that was finally resolved. The joy was considerable, and it wasn''t just the adults who were making a lot of noise, but the kids too. Of course, the kids weren''t drinking alcohol, but juice. Such a party took place.... And the next day. More than half of the adults in town had a spectacular hangover. "Oh my God, I have a headache. I can''t believe I''m going to get a hangover.......d*mn, that''s awful. I''ve had too much to drink as expected........oh no, I have a real headache. I''ve got a real headache. I visited Mr. Kys''s mansion, and on the way there, Rezona and Al were lying on the floor, jerking and twitching. They looked like fish washed ashore. Apparently, they got carried away and drank too much. The strongest species is strong against alcohol, and usually they don''t get a hangover....... There was a large number of liquor bottles lying around them, and I thought to myself that this was no wonder that even the strongest species had a hangover. By the way, everyone was still asleep. Although we didn''t have a hangover like Rezona-san and Al-san, we stayed up late and must still be sleepy. I need to talk to Kais-san about the future, but we can tell everyone about what we''re going to do later. So I went to Kais-san''s place by myself. ''Oh, yes. Okay. We were not allowed to meet with Mr. Kaiz right away, but were shown to one of the guest rooms. I sat on the sofa and took a sip of the tea that was served to me. It''s after an unprecedented series of stampede incidents. There is a lot of work to be done to rebuild the city and help the victims. There''s a lot of work to be done, such as reviewing the defense system and future measures.... I don''t have any complaints about this situation, since it''s not an unavoidable occurrence of unexpected work. It''s not like I''m busy, so I''ll just take it easy. Besides, I guess it''s just a good time to gather my thoughts. A lot of incidents happened in rapid succession and I couldn''t slow down and expand my thoughts. This is a good time. Let''s take a moment to collect our thoughts. Right now, the question we need to ask ourselves is, how do we move forward?That''s what I mean. I will continue to work as an adventurer, but it''s probably best to set a policy that is rooted in the roots. I felt that it would be bad to be passive, like I was doing up to now, asking for help when I was asked to do so. Why was it bad? The situation around us is changing. It''s getting pretty messy... There are two things I''m concerned about. First, the movement of the demon tribe. Aiming at Krios, the demon tribe has created a stampede. Probably, the stampede that occurred in Horizon was also the work of that Vice guy. It''s impossible for a demon tribe with that kind of power to exist in such a short period of time.......or rather, there was no way they could be there, so there was no doubt about it. The purpose of targeting Krios could be said to be related to the demon race, but....... If that''s the case, it''s a mystery why Horizon was targeted. It''s not a special town where the strongest species live together. It''s an ordinary city that can be found anywhere. ........well, Kanade and the others, it may be unique in that there are multiple strongest species. ''''Hm?And if that''s the case, the demons are after us? ...or maybe not even that. If they''re targeting us, there must be a different way to do it. It''s a bit too sloppy to call it an individual crime. There are plenty of ways to escape. That means that the target is the town itself... or the people who live there. Or was it the people who live there? Weiss didn''t spit out his purpose until the end. Perhaps it was such an important strategy. What is the first thing a demon race thinks about? ...for the Demon King, right? Awaken the dormant demon king. The demon race should be working with that as their primary objective. If that''s the case........ Can''t we think of the previous incident as something that was necessary to awaken the Demon King? For example, by causing the Stampede, it causes a lot of casualties. By offering those people''s souls, you awaken the Demon King......... ''''Well that''s not quite right.'''' Not a bad line, I suppose, but the mystery still remains. Why did they go after Krios? If you''re going to give up a lot of souls, it''s obviously better to aim for a normal city where there are no demon tribe. Nope. Horizon was also targeted, so isn''t it a mystery when you think about it? Rather, the mystery never comes up, and it''s not particularly problematic behavior... No, I''m getting confused. I''m thinking about this and that so much that my thought process seems to short-circuit. I abandon my thoughts for now. ''I''ll have to gather some more information before I can say anything. Lately, the demon race has been moving more and more. I''m also worried about what Monica said... You''d better pay attention to what the demon race is up to in the future. ''''Speaking of Monica, I''m wondering about Arios. Arios escaped from the prison with Monica''s help. That has been firmly established. Hence, the two of them must still be working together. And it turns out that Monica is connected to the demon race. If that''s the case, then Arios is also involved with the demon race....... No, is that too soon? As expected, it''s unlikely that Arios would cooperate with the demon race. Perhaps he doesn''t know about the connection between Monica and the demon tribe and is being used for good. However, the recent Arios was somewhat in danger mentally, so it''s not necessarily true that he has a change of heart and won''t cooperate with the demon tribe. ''''The demon race, Arios... it''s a lot to think about,'''' Oh dear, he sighed. I want to discuss these and other things with Kaiz-san. ''''Well come to think of it, Kais-san, you''re late, aren''t you?'''' It''s been some time, but he hasn''t shown up yet. What is the urgent matter prolonged? Excuse me. There was a knock on the door with a bang, and a woman appeared. That woman........was wearing the ''Shield of Truth'' that Arios must have had. 325-Episode 325: New Hero Hello. The woman entered the room and greeted him calmly with a gentle smile. She seems calm and collected. She wears a soft vibe and has a gentle smile that suits her well. I wonder if she''s around my age? No, maybe up a notch or two? Her shining golden hair, which looked like it had been gathered by sunlight, was long and stretched to her waist. They were held together with long, thin ribbons to make it easier to move around. She was tall for a woman, not much different from me. Her body is well-built and I can see that she is well trained. The armor is light, perhaps for ease of movement, but it is only light enough to guard the vital points. On top of that, he wears a cloak. And.................and on his back is a shield of truth. ''''Eh.........?'''' Hello. I was puzzled, and he greeted me again. That''s when I came to myself. I don''t know who the woman is, but since she''s greeting me, it would be rude if I didn''t respond in kind. Hello. Yes, sir. When she returned the greeting, the woman chuckled, somewhat happily. ''Are you Lane Shroud?'' ''Oh, yes. Are you...? Nice to meet you. My name is Chiffon Nox. Feel free to call me Chiffon. Mr. Chiffon? Chiffon is fine. ...Chiffon? Yeah. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Shroud. Chiffon bowed with a bow, and I hurriedly bowed too. What a .......................She has a unique atmosphere. I found myself being swallowed up by her pace. ''''You can call me Rayne, too. Okay Mr. Lane. Yes, sir. The whole ''you-name-it'' thing was a bit rude. ''I''m sorry to be so abrupt. But I really wanted to say hello to Mr. Lane. Greeting?Sorry. I''m just having a hard time wrapping my head around the situation, but... Oh, you''re right. I don''t explain myself properly. Once you decide to do this, you''ll be tempted to run too fast. I''m........ Master Chiffon. I was about to explain, when Kais-san appeared. He seemed to be in some kind of panic. ''''So you were at Rain-san''s place. I was surprised to see you disappear so suddenly...'''' I''m sorry. I just couldn''t resist when I heard you were here, Rayne. ''''The two of you are not forbidden to meet face to face... but since you haven''t officially announced Chiffon-sama yet, you shouldn''t act too lightly...'''' ''Yeah, I''m really sorry. But now that we''re face to face like this, I guess we''ll just have to do it, won''t we? You''re totally sure. Teh. Mr. Kayes shrugged his shoulders, dear, and Chiffon smiled like a child. He seemed to be a calm person at first, but he seems to have a rather childish side to him. ''''I''m sorry. I''d appreciate it if you could explain it to me soon...'''' Oh, yeah. I''m sorry, I just can''t help it. Chiffon straightens his posture and introduces himself again. ''''I am Siphon Nox. I''m the next brave generation.'''' ---------- Chiffon had been an adventurer not long ago. He was a veteran who had reached the A-rank when he was only 20 years old. Incidentally, he had the two names of ''Golden Blade''. Help the weak and crush the evil. He was called that because of his remarkable activities that embodied those words. One day, Chiffon was summoned to the royal capital. She was summoned by King Argus. Could she be promoted to the S rank of her dreams? Or had he unknowingly done something that could have crossed the king''s mind? Half in anticipation, half in anxiety, Chiffon went to the royal capital. And then........Argus asked him to be the next brave man. It was so unexpected that at the time, Chiffon fainted while standing in surprise. It was too embarrassing an incident. If possible, I would erase the memory completely, but even now I cannot forget it, and it is firmly imprinted in my mind as Chiffon''s black history. After coming to myself........ Chiffon was briefed by Argus. That Arios, the former brave man, was stripped of his title due to a fatal problem. That there is not only one person who can become a brave person, but several, who exist. That one of them is Siphon. That''s how it was explained to me. Chiffon is an A-ranked adventurer. Considering that he will grow even more in the future, his abilities are perfect. His character is straightforward, and when he finds someone in trouble, he can''t help but help them. I''ve been given the reputation of having no complaints about my character. Therefore, he was named as the next brave man. Hearing this story, Chiffon fainted again. It''s not possible for me to be chosen as the next brave man. Yes, this is a dream. It must be a dream. I let go of my consciousness with that thought in mind. Of course, it wasn''t a dream... After Siphon came back to himself, Argus proceeded to talk. As a brave man, I want you to embark on a journey with the goal of defeating the Demon King. I will spare you the support for that purpose. Of course, I won''t force you to do so. For now, can you think about it for a week or so? Hearing such a story, Chiffon replied on the spot. If it''s okay with me........ Chiffon is a woman with a strong sense of justice. For one reason or another, she came to believe that evil is unforgivable, hence, she became an adventurer who can relate to and help many people. The Demon King, who threatens people''s peace, is nothing but ''evil''. If the mission is to defeat him, I''ll gladly accept the mission. My body, my soul. I''m sure that even if it rots, I''ll be able to complete my mission in the end. Chiffon told Argus this and then..... And a new brave man was born. ---------- ...I see. When I heard how Siphon became a brave man, I was convinced. We''ve only just met........ Indeed, he seems to have a strong sense of justice. Unlike Arios, he seems to be worthy of being a brave man. Because of the failure that was Arios.... The selection of people must have been done carefully to avoid repeating the same mistakes. As a result, Chiffon was chosen. I can''t say I''m comfortable with that, but........ I want Chiffon to be a great brave man that everyone will recognize. ''''Since I became a brave man, I''ve worked hard for many things with my friends. I''ve been busier than an adventurer, but I''ve also been fulfilled. What''s the equipment? ''''It seems that the legendary equipment that the former brave man had collected was stored so tightly that I was able to get my hands on it. At first it was thought that a traitorous female knight had stolen them, but the king kept the real ones elsewhere just in case. So the lady knight got a fake in her hand. That''s what I mean. As expected, or rather, a shrewd king. By the way, that female knight is a...? His name is Monica. Again, that name... You''re going to see that name out there in a lot of places, and you''re going to see connections in a lot of places. My head hurts. Sharing information with Chiffon.... You''d better report back to the guild later, too. By the way, what other equipment do you have? I got a lot of support money for my other equipment, so I got a little greedy. Chiffon flicked his tongue out and said so with a frightening smile. At first she seemed calm and collected, but.... Talking to him in this way, he seemed to be quite friendly. ''By the way, what brings you to Krios?'' ''I heard that the stampede is happening continuously. It sounds like they were really just going to send a group of knights, but it''s not like there''s a lot of stampede going on, right?I thought maybe it was my turn, so I forced myself to run over. Oh, yeah that''s great. ''What?What? ''''Knowing so much about the former hero, Chiffon''s actions seemed like an outrageously great thing...'''' Haha..... Chiffon chuckled, as he seemed to know Arios to some extent. ''''But it seems I didn''t have a chance. I guess Rain-kun had it sorted out.'''' Sorry. I didn''t mean to take the credit for it... ''No, I don''t care. I don''t care what credit I get. More importantly, I''m glad that the people of Krios were saved. When Chiffon said that, he smiled very clearly. From the bottom of her heart, she seems to be thinking about the people of this city. If there is a saintly woman, is it like her? So, um, there''s a reason I''m here today to say hello to you, Lane. Reason? Um, well, you know....well, can you give me your autograph? Chiffon changed his previous attitude and held out a piece of colored paper and a pen with a sparkle in his eyes. 326-Episode 326 Does the position seem to be reversed? ...Yes? What is Chiffon saying? I can''t understand, and I can''t help but spill out a goofy voice. ''''Ah........'''' Seeing such a reaction from us, Chiffon blushed shyly. However, the colored paper and pen in her hand are still held out to us. As it is, with a feeling of half expectation and half anxiety, I say it again. The actuality of this is that it''s a very good idea to be able to have your signature. Um... no... what? So I''d like an autograph. The sign... that sign?You know, that sign that famous people write their names on? Yeah, I do. ...why? I don''t understand Chiffon''s behavior at all, and I''m pouting. Why would you want my signature? Maybe you want me to cosign for you? Or are you making up a suitable reason to do a handwriting analysis? I don''t know what that''s all about, but.... Chiffon only seems to be serious and does not retract the colored paper and pen that is offered to her. ''''You know, I''m, um........I''m a fan of Rain-kun! ''What?Fans? What does that mean...? It doesn''t make more sense. ''What does it mean?Hey, I don''t understand what you''re saying... That''s why I''m such a fan of you, Lane!I''ve been a fan of you, Rain, since before you were a brave... adventurer. ...why? Not only is Chiffon an A-rank, but he''s also been an adventurer longer than me. In case you''re wondering, I''m also A-ranked, but that''s only recently. Also, I''ve been an adventurer for less than a year. I don''t think there''s any element of me that you admire...? When I tell him that, Chiffon''s tone gets even stronger, as if to say that it''s outrageous. ''Lane, I think you''re amazing! Oh, wow...? ''''First of all, Rain, you destroyed the Thieves'' Jet Black Fang, didn''t you?That was a tricky opponent for us to deal with back then... but Rain-kun destroyed it as soon as he became an adventurer. Then he exposed the misdeeds of the Horizon lords and defeated the demons as well. And then you slayed the demons of Pagos... How could Chiffon know so much about me? Stalker?How rude of me to think about it. ''Well those things are true, if you want to call them true, but I didn''t do them alone. It was all because of my friends, and my power isn''t much of a stretch. ''But you''re the leader, Lane, aren''t you?So you decided what to do with the party, right? We''ll see. Well, then, I think you''re doing great, Lane. Chiffon has a very warm expression and speaks slowly. ''''I think it''s great that you destroyed the bandit group and defeated the demon race, of course. I think it''s an amazing power. But, you know, those things are trivial to me. What do you mean? The most important thing is not what you''ve accomplished, but what you think and do. What was on your mind... ''Lane, you acted for someone else, didn''t you?Being able to work for someone else and not for yourself I think that''s a hard thing to do. I wasn''t close enough to see it, but I could tell that you were acting for someone else. It''s very palpable. That''s why I admire you so much, Rain. Um... uh, thanks. I was quite embarrassed because he said that with very straight eyes. But it also made me happy. I''m the kind of person who behaves badly at times, but..... Still, you weren''t wrong, it was like you were told so. It''s a great feeling to have someone affirm you. Just by receiving that kind of affirmation, I can feel like doing my best in the future. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work. I''m glad to hear that from Chiffon. No, you''re welcome. No, no, I''m the one who... I''m more.... Um. When it developed into an unfamiliar concession, Kaiz-san softly opened her mouth. Sheesh. I had completely forgotten about Kaiz-san. ''''Chiffon-sama. I understand that you''re happy to see Rain-san, but if you keep that matter to yourself........it might be taken as if the hero-sama is favoring an ordinary adventurer. I''m not one to be a favorite. I know that, but some people just don''t take it that way. Huh... it''s a pain in the ass. I don''t know the usual chiffon, so it''s hard to say... Chiffon seemed rather relaxed when he was talking to Mr. Kays. It''s more like he''s forgiving or trusting his heart. Maybe Kaiz-san is a good understanding for Siphon. I caught a glimpse of such a relationship. ''''Also, could you sign Rain-san''s signature later?Now, you have other things to talk about, don''t you? ''Yeah, I guess so. I''m sorry. I''m just so happy to see the real Rain in person. Judging from Mr. Kys'' dialogue, it seems that the main issue is separate. Well, that''s true, too. It''s not normal for someone who is supposed to be brave to come to me simply to ask for my autograph. You will find a lot of people who have been in the market for a long time. ''''Give me your signature later. ...not yet. ''Master Chiffon........'' ''Wow, I know. That was, well I was just kidding. It sounded like he was serious, but I didn''t want to tweak it. ''''Well actually, I have a favor to ask of you, Rain. A request. You asked for me? It was a strange story. I don''t know what Chiffon is capable of but.... If you''re a former A-ranked adventurer and a current hero, it must be quite something. And yet, he goes out of his way to ask other adventurers for help. Is it necessary to have manpower....... Or are you facing a problem that you can''t solve on your own? If you can, I hope it''s the former... but is it? What I''m about to tell you is confidential, please. Of course, you can decide whether or not to accept the request after we''ve talked, but I don''t want you to divulge the contents to anyone. All right. I promise. ''Yeah, thanks. I''m working on my primary objective right now, which is to collect the legendary equipment. Do you think Krios is equipped for this? No, I don''t think so. ''Huh?Then why are you here? I just told you.I couldn''t leave it alone because it''s a crazy thing to have so many stampedes. The king stopped me, but I ignored him. I know it''s just been a short time since I''ve known you, but... Chiffon seemed like a very good person. It wasn''t easy for him to run to Krios even though he was being stopped by the king. Also, when we talk like this, I feel somehow at ease. It''s probably because of the atmosphere that she has. It''s strange to compare her to Arios, but........ It seemed like Chiffon would be a very good and brave man. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I''m going off topic again. Okay. So, what does the request have to do with the equipment? ''''Yes, that''s right. What I have in my hand right now is the Shield of Truth and the Heavenly Ring that I inherited from the previous hero. There''s only one more piece of equipment left.......the Comet Sword. Sword of the comet... When I was traveling with Arios, I heard something about it. It is said that a sword was forged by a certain strongest species using the shards of stars flowing through the sky as material. It is said that its blade cuts through everything, and also that even if you use it a thousand times, it will not spill a single blade. It has been decades since the last war with the demon race. I''ve heard that the Sword of the Comet was lost somewhere during the post-war uproar, but did Chiffon ever find it? So, here''s the sword of the comet. Hmm? Chiffon gently placed his sword on the table. ''Have you already found it?'' Yes. He answered easily. I thought he was asking for help in finding it, or maybe he had found a place but needed help because it was a tricky place. ''It''s just that there''s a problem... can you try pulling it out?'' I''m not a very good soldier. You''re out of here? Lane, you have the same blood in your veins, don''t you?I have no problem pulling it out. Oh, okay. I''m embarrassed by the ridiculous blurbs. Seeing me like that, Chiffon chuckles happily. ''''Then.........'''' Do as you''re told and pull out your sword, but you can''t pull it out? No, it''s not stuck. It''s not stuck, but it''s faintly moving. It''s just that.... ...It''s a mess. When I managed to pull out my sword, the entire blade was rusted and tattered with blade spills. It''s hard to believe that it''s a legendary piece of equipment. ''I don''t know what happened to it, but it was like that when I found it. What are you doing with this? ''Of course we''ll fix it. It''s just that we don''t have the strength to do it, so... please. Could Rain and the others help us? A request came in from a new hero. It was to repair a legendary sword. 327-Chapter 327: Oriental Meow?Repairing the sword? After I finished talking with Chiffon, I went back to the inn. It seemed quite some time had passed, and everyone was already awake. I was pissed off that I had gone out alone without saying a word... And then I explained the situation to them. ''Can you fix your legendary equipment, Rain?Rain, you''re not a blacksmith, you''re a beast tamer, right? No, Kanade. Rain could do better than that. Yeah. This is about as normal as it gets, taming special animals and all that.And I''m sure you''ll fix it up with a look on your face that says, ''Oh my God.'' ''You know ... I understand that it''s insane, no matter how much you think it is. Besides, you can''t do that. There is no such animal that can learn to do blacksmithing work if you tame it. I''m not sure. Rifa said as she cocked her head to the side. It''s somewhat strange to have Rifa with me even after the case is solved. Once again, I wonder if Rifa has joined the party. One of these days, Rifa''s presence may become the norm. I hope that such a day will come soon. I can''t help but wonder if the new brave man is here.......is that guy okay? Tania asked me that while making a quizzical face. She seems to be lightly distrustful of people because of what happened with Arios. I answer with a laugh. ''I think I''ll be fine. In order to avoid a repeat of Arios'' mistake, there should have been a rigorous screening process this time around. Besides.... And? ''We talked lightly, but she seemed like a very nice person. Compared to Arios, she''s probably an angel. ''I see. Well, if Rayne says so much, it''s a relief. But ... the new brave is a woman, isn''t she? And they seem to be good friends, don''t they? Sola and Luna looked at me with zit eyes for some reason. I didn''t do anything wrong, did I? ''Oh, yes. Our new hero is a woman. Her name is Siphon Nox. She''s a bit older than me. I''ve heard he has friends, but I haven''t met that one yet. Well, we''ll have a meeting later on, so we''ll get to know each other better then. ''Isn''t it possible that Rayne has lost her mind to that female hero? ''What?What''s that? Do you think you can do anything to a brave woman in the presence of our people? I don''t know what you''re trying to say but I''m not. It''s impossible to be a man and a woman when you''ve only known each other for a short time. Well, there is love at first sight in this world, but..... I''m not like that, and Chiffon doesn''t look like that either. ''''For now, that''s enough about Chiffon I want to talk about repairing the sword. The legendary sword? I know about it. It''s called the Sword of the Comet, right? You''re very knowledgeable. I haven''t had a ghost in my life for very long. Nah Tina beat me to the knowledge. It''s all very disheartening... What do you mean?We''re not a silly character! When we''re all talking together, we tend to get sidetracked like this. But I think it''s fun to do that, these days. I''ve actually seen it myself, and it doesn''t look like a very legendary piece of equipment. What kind of state are you in? It''s all rusty and spilling over, and if you used it as a sword, it would break in a heartbeat. Your legendary equipment is ruined. Why are you acting like that? ''What do you think?I don''t know that part. I talked to Siphon, but she doesn''t have any idea either. The Shield of Truth was properly kept by the spirit race. The Heavenly Ring had been used to seal Iris and kept at the shrine. However, the Comet Sword was left in the field, apparently left in a rather sloppy situation. Perhaps it was on the verge of rotting away through the years. ''Don''t they normally keep swords too? Rifa has a good point, though. But the legendary equipment used by the brave men is tricky and difficult to handle in many ways. When it comes to the equipment of a brave man who saved the world, it is very rare. Apparently, there were more than a few people who got greedy and tried to keep it for themselves. Of course, the country had strict controls on them, but........ It is said that one of the greedy ones was in a good position to do so. As a result, the Sword of the Comet was lost by the hands of that fool. Looking at the past records, both the Shield of Truth and the Heavenly Ring were said to have been lost several times. They too were done by human hands. It''s quite a messy, awkward and irredeemable story. ''By repair, do you mean sharpen?Or do you want to retype it? They''ll have to re-sharpen it. A little sharpening won''t help with that one. Hm?Then why do we need to get involved?None of us have any blacksmithing skills. ''Like the legendary former blacksmith, now fallen and drunk, who will get back on his feet by reuniting him with his son? Kanade, what are you talking about? He looked at me like I was an idiot! The story Kanade tells is a common staple in stories. However, this time it''s different. ''It''s going to take a lot more than me, it''s going to take all of us. Meow?Ours? ''''I heard that if you want to re-fight your sword, you have to go further east of the Eastern Continent to the easternmost city, Kagne. Kigu... right? ''It''s a city with its own culture. I''ve never been there, so it''s hard to describe it in words, but it''s the birthplace of the katana Axe uses. I''ve never been there, so it''s hard to describe it in words, but it''s also the birthplace of the katana that Axe uses. There are other unusual clothes called kimonos. In summer, there is a fire flower called Hanabi that blooms. Apparently they have a quaint and unusual culture. Even without this incident, I would have wanted to visit this place at some point. It is said that the Sword of the Comet was made in Kagne. So I''ll have to go to Kagne to repair it. Mm-hmm, yeah. But what do we need to do? ''It''s a legendary sword, so it''s not just a matter of simply striking it again. It looks like the power in the sword is missing, so we need to perform a ritual to rekindle the new power. You know, it''s possible that these powers are... Yeah, he''s relying on everyone else''s help. The last time they created the Comet Sword, more than a thousand people had poured their magical power into it. The result was a legendary piece of equipment that had the power to defeat and destroy the Demon King. One might think that they could strike again in the same way this time. However, that''s not a very practical method. There''s no way it would be easy to gather a thousand people with a reasonable amount of magical power. It would take quite a bit of time. Even if they were able to gather them, it would be a massive activity. The chiffon, the comet sword. We can''t keep them hidden. With the demon race actively moving, what if those information is passed to them? First of all, there is no doubt that we will be sabotaged. ...and so on. That''s why it''s not practical to get a bunch of people together. I see. So, since we''re only a few people away, we should be able to fix it without any problems. I mean, what''s the point of having me and Sora around, right? Is that so? Hmm. I heard your mother once told me that the magic contained in the legendary sword is the same amount of magic as her own. Sora and the others don''t have as much magical power as my mom but if you can put them together with Luna as a set, I''m sure you''ll get the same amount of output. Sola and Luna looked more reliable than usual. ''Are you sure you want to be further away from Horizon?'' I''ve contacted them, so there''s no problem. It''s hard to refuse a request from a brave man. Also..........personally, I want to take on this request. What... so? ''Cause he''s a cute kid?Rain''s husband is a man, too. No, no, no. Everyone gave me zit eyes and I hurriedly excused myself. ''''After I said earlier that it wouldn''t be a problem....but just in case, I want to check what kind of person Chiffon is. 328-Episode 328: To the East From what I''ve talked to him, Chiffon seemed like a good person. He seemed to have a personality worthy of a brave man. But maybe it''s just my eyes being knotty. Maybe he wears a mask and really has the same personality as Arios. By accepting this request and accompanying me, I wanted to see Chiffon''s personality........ Well, I think it''s probably okay. I can''t say I have a good eye for people, but still, Chiffon seemed like a good person. Chiffon didn''t seem like he was lying when he talked about being there for someone else. You might say I''m being naive but.... After all, I''d rather believe it than doubt it. "Ah!Good morning, Mr. Lane. Morning. As we leave the inn and move to the entrance of the Krios, we see Chiffon already there. When she finds us, she smiles and waves at us. Our work in Krios is done. Everyone in the city is strong, and the damage from the Stampede will be able to be recovered soon. I''m worried about what the demon race is up to, about Arios... It''s not something that can be solved or looked into by staying in Krios. So I decided to make Chiffon''s request a priority for now. ''Sorry, am I late?'' ''Nope, not really. It''s still before our appointment, so don''t worry about it. Besides... Chiffon lightly averted his gaze and chuckled awkwardly. ''''I haven''t had any companions come over either...'''' Come to think of it, I was alone with Chiffon. I haven''t seen my mate yet, have I? ''Nyah, late?'' Ugh. Kanade''s casual words pierced through, and Chiffon made a gesture of holding his chest. ''I''m sorry my mate isn''t a slut. ''Uh-uh, no, you don''t have anything to apologize for!Yeah, everyone''s late! Chiffon was heavily depressed and Kanade was hurriedly following up with him. ''''Well ... what do we do?I wouldn''t mind stretching our departure if it''s not too urgent. ''''No, we can''t be bothered, and we can''t take it too slow, either. Hang on a minute, I''m going to go back to the inn now and slay my friends....nah, I''m going to beat them up. Cutting up...? What''s that fancy word? I was in a hurry to correct him, but I could hear him well enough. ''Oh, I''m catching up,'' ...Oh. I heard a soft, lazy voice and a lazy voice. I turned around to see two women. One was older than me ... even older than Chiffon, maybe late 20? She looks like an adult woman, tall and selfish in her body''s unevenness. Her long hair was curled in waves and her eyes were soft. She had a book down on her hip. Was it her weapon of choice? The other girl is a bit younger than me. She''s short and compact, if I do say so myself, and has sleepy eyes, and wears a kind of dazed look. She has sleepy eyes and a vaguely absent-minded atmosphere. She was carrying a huge shield and sword on her back. Both are about her own height. What on earth would she use them for? Oh, millefeuille!Chocolat! Seeing them, Chiffon''s cheeks puffed out and his eyebrows lifted. ''It''s already too late!You said you''d be after me soon, so I left first... well, you were sleeping through two nights, weren''t you? Well I''m sorry. The pillow is soft and comfortable, so I just... Oh I''m sorry. Calm, laid back and.... They have a somewhat similar vibe to each other. ''''Oh, could this one be, Rain Shroud?'''' And your merry men? "''Hilarious!''? Kanade, Tania, and Luna got a goofy look on their faces. The rest of them are not particularly different, heh. ''Don''t be rude to me all of a sudden. I''m sorry, Rain-kun. Well ... are these two, by any chance? Yeah. That''s my guy. This is Milfeuille Blossom. I''m mainly in charge of recovery and support. I''m Millefeuille - nice to meet you! Please feel free to call me mille-feuille! Okay, I''ll take Rain. Hi, Mr. Lane. Millefeuille bowed slowly. It''s a very beautiful bow, so I wonder if she''s some kind of a decree.I thought to myself. ''So, this is Chocolat Latente. She''s the tank for my party. Oh. I''m Chocolat. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Rain. Oh, I can be Chocolat, too. Yeah, nice to meet you. Chocolat. This one seemed to be just as fast-paced. Somehow, it seemed to be similar to Luna. Chiffon in the vanguard, Chocolat in the tank, and Millefeuille in the healer. They were one person short compared to Arios'' party, but it was still a good balance. Millefeuille and Chocolat also give off a vibe that they''re not just a bunch of guys, even though they look like this. From the way they carry their feet, it''s clear that they are quite skilled. Perhaps in non-combat situations, they relax, relax, and rest their bodies. ''''Is that all of them?'''' Yeah, I guess so. Eleven people in all. It''s quite a large group. When it comes to repairing the legendary equipment, they might run into interference from the demon tribe. Once again, they might have to face off against Monica or........or even Arios. With that in mind, it''s probably not a lot, but a reasonable force. ''''Let''s go then.'''' I''d say yes but before I do, there''s something else. For some reason, Chiffon chuckled. At the same time, a lot of footsteps could be heard. Doubtfully, I looked at the direction of the sound... ''Oh, come on, you''re not going to go without saying anything?Don''t do anything stupid! Quite so. At the very least, let him see you off. Mr. Lane. Thank you so much for this opportunity. Rezona-san, Al-san, and Kaiz-san came to see me off. Not only that, the people of the city also gathered one by one. Rezona-san continues to stay in Krios........ Al also seems to have a lot of stories to tell, and he''s with Rezona. Thanks, man!You are the heroes of this town! Come on down and have a good time. The whole city is welcome to join us. ''Please take care of Rifa. That girl might be a bit confusing, but she''s a very nice girl. Everyone in the city had a smile on their face. To be sent off like this... It''s a little unexpected and inspiring. Rain, Rain. Yeah? I''m glad you guys got the message that Rayne is kind. That''s good. Kanade smiles at me. I laugh softly, too. "Yeah, that''s good. I''m so glad I was able to help and assist such good people. ''Let''s go, Rain. There''s a new adventure waiting for us. Well, let''s go. We took the first step and we were off on a new adventure. 329-Chapter 329: The Alliance is established Arios, Lean, and Mina were visiting a mansion located in a forest on the western edge of the central continent. It was surrounded by tall trees and even in the daytime, the interior was dimly lit. There was nothing popular about it. However, the inside of the mansion was cleaned up. ''''Is this...?'''' It''s a gorgeous house, but it''s kind of dark. Monica. What are you doing here? Arios looked quizzically at Monica, who was standing at the back of the line. However, there is no hostile kind of emotion in his eyes. The only question is that I don''t know why I was brought to this place. ''''First of all, please come this way,'''' Monica led the way and led Arios and the others into the guest room. There were sofas and tables and other reception sets in place, plus tea and sweets. ''''It''s a delicate time right now, so we''re only serving tea, but if you''re hungry, we can prepare a meal for you as well,'''' No, I''m not. I''m okay with it. I''m not hungry. ''I ... would you mind telling me a story, too ... or better yet, talking to me?Monica said that if we come here, we''ll have enough strength to stand up as brave men again... If that''s true, it''s very gratifying. It''s just that you haven''t explained to me how it''s done at all. I''m not doubting Monica, but when she''s rushed to this point, I''m curious. ''I''m sorry. I''m sorry, but there are some special circumstances that I kept under wraps until the last minute to prevent the information from getting out. But you don''t need to do that anymore. I''ll tell you everything. Arios and the others sit on the couch and Monica sits down facing them. ''The way Arios-sama and the others gain power it''s simple, make an alliance with my Lord. ''Lord?Alliance? To tell you the truth, I am in the service of a certain person whose orders I have been assisting Arios-sama and the others. I would like you to form an alliance with him. That way, my Lord will be more than willing to help and Arios and the others will gain even more power. Hmm.... Interesting story, Arios wondered if he should form an alliance or something. Arios had been expecting Monica to take orders from someone for some time. He was too good with his hand on many things, including when he was saved and when he told her about Aggus'' betrayal. Either he had a collaborator, or someone higher up to tell Monica what to do. Arios stared at that, as he wasn''t stupid either. ''''Well for now, can we meet with Monica''s master?We may or may not join forces, then. ''Arios, are you sure?It''s as if we don''t know what kind of person he is, you know? ''If you believe Monica''s story, she''s someone who''s done a lot for us. At least he''s not the enemy. I think I''ll go with Arios for this one. I don''t mind hearing about it, and I''m interested in hearing about how it can make us stronger. ''''Well I understand. We need the power to fulfill our mission. For now, let''s trust Monica. The brave men''s qualifications have already been revoked, but Mina still speaks the word mission. No matter what position they are in, they believe that what they have to do will not change.... Or are you escaping by not looking at reality and assuming that. ''Thank you. I''m relieved that Arios-sama and the others told me so. Monica smiles happily at having gained unanimity. There is not an ounce of evil in her, she feels relieved that she was able to do her duty. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them. It sounds good to say that he trusts Monica that much, but....... In fact, he''s just giving up his thoughts. It''s natural for Monica to cooperate with her brave self. There''s no way she''s going to cheat a brave man. I''ve been thinking like that. The first thing you need to do is to get your hands dirty. He took it for granted that the glory was still going on. ''So, what''s this thing with your Lord?'' Yes, I''ll get him for you. Please hold. Monica bowed and left the room. Arios, Leanne and Mina were left in the room. ''I wonder what kind of person Monica''s master is?I knew you were a knight? ''I don''t know. It''s not out of the realm of possibility, but I''m thinking of someone much different. What does that look like? ''Well...'' The abominable thing is that they have become rebels against their country. There is no such thing as a knight who would cooperate with us. If there is, it will be limited to those who, like Monica, have been "pretending to be knights". I''m not sure if I''m going to be able to find a way to make it work. Are you a criminal? No, the power it has is huge for that. We could set up a mansion like this one, build a huge information network.... It''s not something that can usually be done. Then what possibilities are left? A nobleman with power to rival the king? Or the most powerful species. He thought about this and that, but lacked the information to make a decision. ''Well, I''ll see you soon. I can''t help but speculate about this and that. That too, I suppose. Oh, he''s here. The door opened and all three of their gazes focused on it. First, Monica appeared to lead the way... and then Reese. ''''Huh?'''' Arios, Lean and Mina look in amazement. Rhys was dressed in a gorgeous dress and adorned himself with a floral hair ornament, but it was impossible for him to hide the black magic that flowed from his body. However, it''s impossible to hide the black magic that flows from her body. It''s a good thing that you can''t get away with it. Arios and the others are not so out of the loop that they don''t realize that....... At first glance, I noticed that Rhys was a demon, and my face stiffened as I realized that he was a demon. Rhys smiled as he enjoyed the reaction of Arios and the others. ''''It''s nice to meet you. I am Reese, the Lord of Monika. Nice to meet you thereafter. I didn''t expect a demon. Arios says with a bitter look on his face. He had thought about the possibility of being an outsider. But, of all things, a demon race? Seemingly unsure of how to react, Arios and the others close their mouths. However, as if they had expected such a reaction, Rhys does not panic and continues to talk at his own pace. ''''Arios-san and the others are a brave party. I understand that. Even if I, as a demon race, offer to help them, it''s normal for them to be confused and have suspicions that there is a backstory.'''' "...You''re quite imposing, aren''t you?Do you think the demon tribe will show up in front of us and stay safe? ''''We''re in a discussion right now, you know. I trust that Arios-san and the others won''t be so rude as to suddenly slash at us. Humans and demons were natural enemies, and it was unlikely that they would ever discuss it. Even if they suddenly slashed at each other, that would be enough to make self-defense work. However, it was also true that I would feel somewhat hesitant if I was told this from the front. It''s normal to feel hesitant and unable to be ruthless at some point against someone whose words can be understood. ''''........Fine. Let''s listen to the story first. ''Arios!This could be a trap.... What, just for real?Are you sure?He''s a demon, okay? Mina and Lean are surprised, but Arios calmly admonishes them. ''If you called it a trap, you wouldn''t be going around like this. If she hadn''t helped us, she could have just killed us. I can''t say for certain what her intentions are yet but at least it''s worth listening to. You''re very good, Mr. Arios. Hmmm ... well, I hope Arios says so. Lean seemed somewhat trapped, but in the end, he decided to leave it up to Arios to decide. ''''........I understand.'''' Mina seems to feel the tug at her more than Leanne does. She doesn''t say much, just one word, she tells him so. Still, agreement is agreement. With the approval of his friends, Arios proceeds to talk. I have heard from Monica that you can help us, what is this about?You want us to join the demon race?To me, a brave man? ''''No. I don''t want you to be a demon race, I want you to be on my side. "Hmm? Right now, I''m in a state of rebellion, having broken away from the main forces of the demon race. Are you breaking ranks? I have no problem with that perception. Afterwards, Rhys told Arios and the others about their situation. Recently, a change has occurred among the demon race. Instead of following the demon king who destroys humans, some are choosing the path of coexistence with humans. Reese is one of them. Of course, it''s not an easy path. Not only will the humans not believe him, but his fellow demons will also try to kill him as a traitor. It''s frustrating, but without power, he can''t realize his ideals. For that reason, I want Arios to join me. We will lend our strength to each other to achieve our mutual goals. Rhys explained that. It''s hard to believe that, but........ But it''s true. All right, I believe you. After thinking for a while, Arios accepted Reese''s words. However, it didn''t mean that he completely believed what he just said. If Reese''s story is true, and humans and demonkind coexist in harmony, then I can be a key player in that and become a hero again. Even if it''s a lie, as long as you have a use for it, you can use it. You can use them, he thought. ''Thank you, Mr. Arios,'' So, I guess from today, we''re all comrades in arms? Yeah, it''s nice to meet you. Arios and Rhys shook hands and smiled together. Behind them, Monica laughed. She was smiling a terribly distorted smile while bowing so that no one could see her. 330-Episode 330: In the Shadow I''m a foolish, brave man. While Arios and Rhys are in secret talks... Someone was sneaking a peek at the scene. It was Iris. Using magic, she was sneaking a peek at the room. By the way, it''s not summoning magic. It''s just ordinary magic. Since she is the strongest species, she can use that much magic. ''''Totally.......don''t you ever think that you are being tricked?No, as expected, he''s probably thinking about it. Even if you''ve been tricked, you can just use the other person.......is this what that brave man was thinking? Even so, it''s stupid, Iris thinks. Even if it''s using them.... On the other hand, haven''t you considered the possibility that you could be taken advantage of? Have you not considered the possibility that they are better at it than you are? ''Well, you''re not thinking about it. If you were thinking about it, there''s no way I''d take you up on your lease proposal. Iris let out a disgusted sigh, "Oh dear. The thing that Reese is trying to coexist with humans is a downright lie. There was no way such a demon race existed. It was just a way to get Arios on his side. How could you even see through such a simple lie? That brave man, maybe not as long as I thought. Iris thought about that. ''''I don''t really care about that brave man. What matters is ... me. It''s time for me to decide where I''m going too. I don''t feel the desire to kill all humans. I haven''t lost my hatred of humans, but.... But some people are like Rain. Some people are warm. Now that he knew that, he wasn''t going to live only for revenge like he had done before. Hence, I will not be on Reese''s side. The reason I''m with you now is to get some kind of information about Reese as a way to repay you for your debt to Rain. There''s no other reason. ''Although, yes, it''s not going to work. Reese doesn''t completely trust Iris. It''s partly because Iris is withholding her reply on whether or not she''ll join him... But more than that, it''s because Iris'' attitude has changed. I don''t remember him hesitating to kill humans before. In fact, I used to be willing to do it. But now Iris is different. I don''t kill humans at all. On the contrary, he even avoids getting involved. With an attitude like that, it''s no wonder he can''t get any trust from Rhys, but....... However, there was nothing that could be done about it. The vengeance that was in Iris had been cleaned out in the fight with Rain. I don''t want to kill humans indiscriminately anymore, like I used to. After meeting Rain, Iris changed. Nope. I was made to change, I should say. Changing the minds of the most powerful species. That''s how powerful Rain is. Iris thought so. ''''However, it''s troubling, isn''t it? I would never take Reese''s side, but that doesn''t mean I can''t say that I want Rain to be my friend. Of course, I really want to work with Rain. It would be so much fun to do so. But after all that, what kind of face should I put on to say that? And.... I''m not like you, Miss Lane. I''ve already killed a number of people. Unlike Rayne, these hands are stained with blood. I never used to care about that in any way, but.... It bothered me terribly now. Compared to Rayne, I was starting to feel like I was helpless. ''Hmmm ... I can''t help it. Nevertheless, I think it''s best to consider that there''s no more respite. It''s been a good amount of time since he''s huddled with Reese. As for Rhys, it''s probably time to hear Iris'' response. He doesn''t want to say anything to rush her, but still, there is no doubt that he is waiting. Also, he will have some sense of Iris''s true intentions. If they don''t side with us, what will they do? It''s normal and they''ll just take care of it. ''''I don''t mean to lose, but... no. That human has a nasty feeling about it. Iris considered Monica more dangerous than Reese. In terms of simple combat power, Reese would be far superior. It''s hardly ever the case that a single human has more combat power than a demon race. However, I felt something eerie about Monica. It was as if she instinctively didn''t want to make enemies.... Such a sense of urgency. Hello. While I was thinking about this and that, Reese came over. It seems the meeting with Arios is over. Seeing that he was smiling with a satisfied smile on his face, it seems that he has succeeded in getting Arios to join him. ''''Good day to you. How was the brave man?'''' ''Yes. He promised us that he would join us. Isn''t that the deal? ''There was no sign of that, but... well, either way, Arios-san can''t turn back now. There''s no other way for you to stay with us. ...I see. So ... it''s time for me to hear your answer, Mr. Iris? It came. Iris was inwardly bitter. ''Of course, I won''t show it,'' he said. ''I suppose so. I''m sorry to keep you waiting, but I think it''s about time I had an answer for you.'' Can I get my hopes up? Yes, of course. That''s a relief. But ... but before you do, I need to ask you to do one thing for me. Work? Yes, it''s my job. Reese chuckled. Iris had a bad feeling about this. ''It seems a new brave has appeared recently. ''The new brave...?Not Mr. Arios? ''No, it''s a different person. From what I''ve heard, it''s a female brave. Has there been a generational shift?Iris thought. A change of heroes doesn''t take place unless there''s a lot of work to do... Well, that''s no surprise, Iris agreed, after all that he''d done. ''So, what''s wrong with this new brave?'' Go kill them. ...Yes? The request was so straightforward that Iris couldn''t help but spill out a goofy voice. However, Reese''s expression remains the same. Carrying a smile, he repeated the same line. ''''Please go and kill the new brave. ...Why is that? It''s obvious, isn''t it? We demons are a hindrance to them. It''s... ''Of course, there will be other brave candidates. If we kill them, there will be new brave men again. However, the fact that they were sent to the next one means that the quality must be inferior. Also, it would take time. There''s no harm in killing them here. It makes sense. Iris thought so, but on the other hand, she was bitter. He was being tested. Rhys was finally getting to grips with his own unwillingness to be proactive. As long as he killed the new brave man, that was good. If not, I''ll give up there. Thinking about this, Iris is lost for an answer. "I........ Iris opened her mouth softly after a moment''s hesitation. 331-Episode 331: Traveling with the Hero Party We left Krios for Kagne, the easternmost city on the Eastern Continent. Unfortunately, there is no gate to the village of the spirit race near Kagne, so we can''t move all at once. So we have no choice but to walk steadily. There is also the means of a carriage, but Sora and Luna all appealed to me with tears in their eyes, and I gave up. Chiffon and the others have gladly accepted the idea of going on foot. Are they really brave? It''s so different from Arios and the others that I can''t help but think about that. ''''Hey, hey, Rain-kun,'''' As we walked down the street, Chiffon lined up next to me. ''Lane, you''re a beast tamer, aren''t you? ''Yeah, but. As you can see. I glanced behind me. Two bears with bags on their backs are walking behind us. They are the bears I tamed to carry my bags. ''Do they do everything you tell them to do, Rain? Well, yeah. Dancing and doing tricks? Well that''s a bit of a stretch. If you''re ordered to do something you can''t do in the first place, you can''t follow it. Well, if you take the time to prepare for it, there''s nothing you can''t do... It''s no longer a beast tamer, it''s a circus performer. It''s amazing. ''What?What? I was amazed at the beast tamer''s ability to follow a bear like that. No, I don''t think so. Rather than a beast tamer, I guess it''s Rain-kun who''s amazing. How did you come to that conclusion again? I''ve never been told before that the Beast Tamer is amazing. No wonder. In the public eye, the Beast Tamer is said to be the weakest job that can only assist. It''s quite surprising that Chiffon would say such a thing. I can''t help but be surprised. ''''Is that so?I think the Beast Tamer is awesome. When I told him my frank opinion, Chiffon made a strange face. It''s not like he''s paying attention to us, he seems to really think so. ''''Because you can subdue animals, right?If you''re an amazing person, you can even obey demons. That''s not something most people would be able to do... and if you can do that, I''m sure you can do a lot of things. Really? Yes. I''m going to ask you to carry your stuff for me, like you''re doing now, Lane. This is very important. When traveling, food and water are necessary and someone must carry them. But that person can''t participate in the battle because they will get tired. Then, it''s essential to be down in strength. See, who else can cover this problem but the Beast Tamer, right? ''That being said, well, I suppose you could say that, but... hmmm...'' Maybe it''s because I''ve been called useless a lot, but I don''t really get it when people say I''m amazing. It''s true that my abilities as a beast tamer are said to be substandard, but.... But that''s just what blood does. If I were a civilian, I wouldn''t have been able to do this much. ''''Well that''s fine with me. But more importantly, can you tell me about Chiffon? Me? I''m interested in Chiffon as a brave man. Me?Huh, I see. Thanks. Why do you thank me? ''''However, there''s not much I can tell you. I''ve only recently become a brave man, and I haven''t achieved greatness like you, Rain. You are very humble. I want Arios to hear what you just said. ''Chiffon looks like he has plenty of accomplishments ahead of him. ''Really?Hmm. I''m glad to hear you say that, Rayne. It makes me feel like I can do my best. Well, I guess I''ll just have to try to beat you to it. This is the best way to get to know each other. I hope we can be friendly to each other and improve our relationship. "What''s that word you write ''nemesis'' for ''nemesis''? Sounds about right. That''s nice. Laughing and chatting leisurely with each other, we continue on our way. ---------- Meow...! Nugu....! There was a figure watching Rain and Chiffon''s conversation with resentment from a short distance away. It was Kanade and Tania. Both of them looked very frustrated, with a handkerchief they had prepared from somewhere in their mouths. ''Look, look, Tania!Now, that man just dyed his cheeks! To come out of nowhere and try to take our position... oh my god, that''s what people do! I''m curious about Rain and Chiffon. However, since they have no particular business to attend to, they are unable to speak to each other. A strange atmosphere was forming, so they couldn''t even interrupt the two of them. The two of them were experiencing quite a frustrating feeling with these thoughts. Furthermore, Sora and Luna, who were walking behind them, were rather calm. They walked at a leisurely pace while talking with Chocolat. I see. It''s not easy being a tank, is it? No, not really. ''Sola and her team are in the rear, so they rarely get to be in the vanguard. I think it''s amazing that Chocolat is doing a great job of being a tank. Yeah, not so much. They have a unique vibe, and they seem to be on the same page. They each had a smile on their faces and were talking. ''''By the way, are you two good?'''' Hm?What? It''s Chiffon and Rain. If you leave them alone, they might develop a rapport. Is that all right with Sola and Luna? Sora and Luna were a little surprised to see Chocolat, who seemed to be dazed and watching closely. What can I say, he''s a member of a brave party. It''s quite hard to be underestimated. ''''Mm. We''re not in too much of a hurry, you know.'''' ''It''s just vain to be blatantly attentive, like Kanade and Tania. We just need to take a wait-and-see approach and proceed with caution. Oh, that''s surprisingly calculating. I''ll give you more credit than that! That''s the spirit race. That''s amazing. ''Fuhahahahaha! Chocolat complimented her and Luna gave a high smile with her chest. They were strangely on the same page. ---------- Rain. Yeah? As I walked to the front of the line with Chiffon, I was yanked out of my clothes with a scoop. I turned around and before I knew it, Rifa was right beside me. ''''What''s going on?'''' "Enemies. What? For a moment, I''m a bit of a goofball, but.... I quickly realize the meaning of the word, stop and look around. You don''t see any people or demons. I close my eyes and concentrate. ''''........I don''t even feel a sign of them. "Hey, Rifa. Do you really have enemies? Chiffon doesn''t seem to understand either, so he asked Rifa that. However, I believe Rifa. I''m not a girl who would tell a lie like this and....... Best of all, that''s what my people say. If I don''t believe it, who else will? "Chiffon, you''ve got to have enemies. ...Yeah, I get it. I believe it too. Siphon also drew his sword and readied himself for the enemy to come at any moment. Thank goodness you believe me. Just stay alert for a bit... A stinging hostility fell from the sky, as if to crush us. 332-Episode 332: The Power of a New Hero Grua! It was a wyvern that fell from the sky. And there are five of them. Wyverns are demons that are categorized as C-ranked and do not have that high of an offensive power. Normally, they attack with their sharp claws, and sometimes, when they are cornered, they spit out breaths like a dragon. However, it''s not that powerful, so it should be able to withstand it without problems. The tricky part is that it flies fast in the sky. If you don''t have a long-range attack, you could be attacked and chased around one-sidedly, or something like that. However, we won''t have to worry about that. ''''Hmph, a wyvern. I was just having a moment of leisure!I hope my oh-so-awesome magic makes it all go away! ''Sometimes, I think, Thora worries about her sister''s poor vocabulary. "Ha-ha, now my magic... GigaVolt! While Luna was in the middle of saying something, Chiffon cast a spell. As Arios once showed, a thunderbolt is released from his hand. Shiden twisted like a dragon and rushed up to the sky........ And then, the wyvern took a bite out of him. The wyvern, whose entire body was entangled in a powerful lightning strike, biked!I shuddered. He let out a scream that made the metal scrape together, and then dropped straight down. ''One piece first!'' ''Oh!My place in the game! ''Are you in shock? You''ll be next. Four cows left. They did not cower even when their friends were killed, but rather attacked more fiercely than ever before, as if they were revengeful. They soared high into the sky and swooped down against the sun. It''s quite a well thought out attack. ''''Sweet!'''' Chocolat stepped forward and held a huge shield at the ready. The enemy had the sun at his back, but that didn''t seem to matter to Chocolat. With a firm movement, she was able to catch all of the simultaneous attacks of the wyvern, all by herself. ''''Anti-heel!'''' When the wyvern stopped moving, Milfeuille cast a spell. It''s a move that seems to have been prearranged. The wyvern and the others who were about to be hit by the chocolates were enveloped in light. It''s similar to the light from using the heel, but it''s somehow uncomfortable. What is it? As we were wondering, the wyverns suddenly began to suffer. Even though we didn''t do anything to them, the wounds started to appear on their bodies by themselves. It was getting bigger and bigger... Not long after, the wyvern and the others collapsed as they reached their limit. ''What, what?Now that''s a nasty phenomenon... It''s not like it doesn''t belong to you. That''s my magic. Millefeuille said, somewhat proudly. It''s true that the current phenomenon happened after she cast the magic... But what the hell is going on? It was a magic I''d never heard of, never seen before. Was it healing magic because it contained the word "heal"? But the current phenomenon is the exact opposite of healing... ''''Actually, you see - the magic now can cause the exact opposite effect of healing magic! The opposite?Which means that maybe.... ''''Rain-san, I think I understand! As you have guessed, the current magic is a kind of offensive magic that gives the target an excessive amount of healing power to disintegrate the body in the opposite direction! I''m not impressed. Whew! It was a compliment, what a compliment, and Myrfeuille smiled meaningfully. ''Hey, the fight isn''t over yet! Last one is coming! Tania and Kanade said that in a strong tone, as if they were alarmed. Come to think of it, or rather, I haven''t done anything yet. One good thing around here.... What a thought, but Chiffon moved before me. ''''Since we''re going to be here, I''m going to show Rain-kun my power! Chiffon is full of motivation. With a strong smile on his face, he runs towards the wyvern. ''''Gigavolt!'''' The same magic as before. But its target is not the wyvern. It''s its own sword. What...? The purple electricity entangled in Chiffon''s sword. The purple electricity charged as it was, making the sword its home. The sword and magic are one. And......... "Thundering Sword! Chiffon''s strike cut through the wyvern like paper. Furthermore, the lightning strike granted to the sword burned through the body of the wyvern. It is truly a one-hit kill. It might be safe to say that there are no enemies before a technique that combines sword skills and magic. It was that powerful. Everyone who saw Chiffon''s special move also widened their eyes in surprise. Of course, I was surprised too. ''''Amazing, that''s........'''' Hmmm, isn''t it? Somehow, Chiffon seemed to be good at it. "It''s called a magic sword. It''s a combination of magic and sword, my special move. Magic and sword it''s amazing. I never thought I''d come up with that idea. It was a lot of work. But was it worth the effort?It''s a nice touch, don''t you think? Yeah. I honestly agree. You did it. Rayne said nice things about me. Chiffon was innocently happy to see... Then, with a sigh, he decided to make the sign. 333-Episode 333: Girls Talk Hmmm..... Kanade, shoulder-deep in the hot tub, his tail quivering with a purr. Then, she made a melting face and deflated her entire body. ''Bath, that feels so good!'' Yeah. It''s a nice miscalculation to have such a big bath. Tania, who was also enjoying the bath, smiled as the heat of the hot water stained her cheeks slightly. It had been a week since the group had left Krios to travel to Kagne. During that time, there were five days in the field. Staying at an inn in a small town or village between the roads, two days. Naturally, you can''t take a bath while you''re in the field. There was no lake nearby, so we couldn''t even bathe in the water. When I had to, I could only wipe my body with a towel wet with water. In addition, even if you are able to stay at an inn, it is a small place and there is no bath in many cases. The first inn did not have a bath, and could only sleep. However, the second inn was properly equipped with a bath and... The women are enjoying their first bath in a long time with a big smile on their face. ''''It''s a nice bath. ''Yes - I think I''m going to melt...'' A bath is just life. Chiffon, Millefeuille, and Chocolat''s brave party were also together, enjoying their first bath in a long time. Although there were no other guests, it''s quite rare to find a bath where so many people can be together. ''''Hohoho.'''' Luna looked at the three members of the brave party and nodded in some kind of agreement. ''''Pine, bamboo, plum.......?'''' Chocolat was one of Sola''s friends. ''You know what ... are you two that particular about size?'' It''s natural! Luna pauses stiffly, saying in a loud voice that seems to echo outside. ''The size of her breasts is a sign of motherhood!Hence, every man in the world is looking for a bigger chest!If you have to be, don''t you think that because you were born a woman, you have to be big, don''t you! ''Oh....'' As if impressed by Luna''s momentum, Nina clapped her hands with a snap. ''Oh, mate,'' Chocolat was also impressed and asked Luna to shake her hand. Luna wordlessly shook his hand and responded firmly. ''We, the Poor Tits Alliance. Let''s get rid of those hated fatties! Let''s do it. "...Huh?Am I one of them? Before I knew it, Rifa had also been grabbed by the hand and pulled into the company. But it''s not so much a matter of shaking off the hand as refusing to do so, as it is of taking it easy and soaking up the hot water. "There''s a lot of things going on at your party too, isn''t there? You too. Tina and Millefeuille seemed to hit it off, standing next to each other, enjoying a bath together. Tina was a ghost, but somehow, she was enjoying the bath in a mood. Next to her, Nina was still just as relieved. Three fluffy tails were wagging silently in the hot water. ''Hey, hey,'' Yeah? Gently, Kanade spoke to Chiffon. Tania followed suit. You''re a fan of Rain, aren''t you? I''d prefer you call me Chiffon, not you. It''s a bit distant and we''re traveling together. Well, it''s a request I''m making. Well then, you can call me Kanade too. I''ll be Tania. Kanade and Tania felt Chiffon''s straightforward emotions and said so. ''Yes, thank you. ''Kanade, Tania,'' So Chiffon is a fan of Rain, right? Yes, How did you know about Rain? ''''When you''re as active as you are, Rain, even when you''re far away, sometimes your valor arrives. In my case, I was active as an A-ranked player all over the place, and I had many opportunities to hear stories like that. So, as I heard those stories, it just kind of turned into an admiration. Nya ... is that just longing? Kanade gave Chiffon a wary look. Tania had the same look in her eyes. Chiffon must like Rain too, right? Isn''t this a new competitor? They were thinking about that. It''s a really obvious attitude... Chiffon, who immediately sensed their feelings, chuckles. ''''Hmmm ... I guess I''m just longing for it right now.'''' Oh, good. Is it now...? You never know what''s going to happen. Neither do I. So I can''t make any promises about what will happen. Chiffon is pretty mean, isn''t it? I''m sorry. While talking about such things, Kanade and Tania were aware that their wariness towards Chiffon was fading. Not in the sense that they were rivals in the Rain relationship... Are you really a brave man with a right mind?The suspicion that this was the case was slowly disappearing. It was because Kanade and Tania had been in contact with the previous brave Arios for a long time that they couldn''t immediately trust the new brave Siphon. Perhaps Siphon might be the same type of person as Arios. He kept having such suspicions. But after spending time with......... We took a bath together and... Literally, their suspicions have been erased by their naked association. The two of them are the strongest species, so they have excellent intuition. That intuition told him that Chiffon was the right person. ''''Well it doesn''t matter if Chiffon becomes my rival. What? ''Hmmm, what can I say?I didn''t mean it that way I''m sure Chiffon wouldn''t regret it, no matter what the outcome is. We''re going to be good rivals for sure. That''s what I was thinking, Kanade. I was thinking the same thing. ..... Chiffon put a gentle smile on his mouth. ''''Rain, you have some very nice company. ''Phew, if I do say so myself, I look great! Really, you shouldn''t have said that line to yourself. "Chuckle. The three of us laugh. The effect of the naked association seemed to be in full effect... Kanade, Tania and Chiffon looked like the best friends they had known for years, that''s what they were. ''But that was awesome,'' Huh? Chiffon''s. You know, that one. ''I can''t understand that one. Poor vocabulary cat. Can''t argue with that! Do you mean... the magic sword? Yeah, yeah, that one!I''ve never heard of putting magic in a sword. Well, I''ve been to many places. I''ve been to quite a few places and I''ve never heard of such technology. ...Yeah, I guess so. Following their words, Chiffon''s expression changed to one of melancholy. Was there some kind of gaffe? Seeing Chiffon''s face, Kanade and Tania were confused. ''''Well I''m sorry. Did I make you feel weird about it?'''' No. We don''t mind. I just wondered if I made Chiffon feel bad about it. It''s just that... you know. I just remembered something. Is it okay for us to hear what you remember? ''Yes. It''s...yeah. I hope you''re listening. Like a reminder of the past Chiffon softly opens his mouth while keeping his gaze far away. ''''My magic sword is something that has been passed down in my hometown. Not everyone can use it, but it''s a special move that has been handed down to some people in my hometown. Meow...? A special technology that can be passed down only to the homeland. It sounds like something I''ve heard somewhere........Kanade tilted his head slightly. Think, think......... And we learn that it''s a similar story to Rain. Just as there is a hidden Beast Tamer home... It wouldn''t be strange if there was a village that would inherit the hidden magic sword. Kanade understood that. However, there is something that bothers me. Just like Rain one day, Chiffon has a lonely look on his face. ''''Well may I ask you something?Now, Chiffon''s home is...? No. Sorrow, regret, anguish, anger.......a mixture of emotions, Chiffon answered shortly. She dipped into the hot water up to her shoulders and looked up at the steamy ceiling.... I close my eyes and tell him the truth about what happened in the past. ''One day I was attacked by a demon... so, you know...'' ...Yeah, I see. Chiffon and... Kanade and Tania make indescribable faces. Seeing this, Chiffon hurriedly smiles. ''''Oh, it''s not that I don''t care anymore, right?It was a long time ago, so I''ve got my mind in order and I''ll be fine. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.I''ll help you as much as I can. I wish I could do something for Chiffon. Yes, thank you. Chiffon thanked them both and relaxed in the wide tub, arms and legs spread out, as if enjoying the bath again. A smile appeared on her face. ''''........nyah.'''' But from Kanade''s point of view, there''s something shadowy about Chiffon''s smile... Unlike Rayne, he still seemed to be stuck in the past. 334-Episode 334: Maidens Mission, That is... ''Meow, meow, meow, meow!Nyan~. Kanade was in a terrific mood. The reason for this was simple. When Kanade arrived at the table in the cafeteria, he was eating a pile of fish with a very happy look on his face. ''''You eat so well...'''' Tania, who was eating lunch with him, seemed to be dismayed by Kanade''s appetite. Tania is also a pretty good eater, but........ He''s no match for Kanade with a fish in front of him. ''Well, that''s okay, isn''t it?It''s my favorite thing to do. We''re on the road to Kagne, but.... We were about to run out of food and water, so we decided to stop in a town on the way to replenish our supplies. We split up and shopped for things... On the way there, we decided to have a good time to eat. We went into a random diner, and there was a dish with fish as a matter of course. Dongdairiku is reasonably close to the sea. So it seems that fish can be stocked normally. Knowing this, Kanade''s eyes twinkled and he ordered a large amount of fish as a matter of course... And here we are. "Nyahoo, I''m so happy.......I want to live my life buried under a fish. As I brought the fish dish to my mouth with both hands, I started to say an unfamiliar dream. I don''t mean to be rude, but is it okay?What a thought. Kanade is on a tremendous high... For the cat spirit people, fish may have a matrimonial effect on them.And I think. .... Suddenly, Tania was staring at Kanade. To be more precise, she stared at Kanade''s sides and around his arms. ''''Nyan?'''' Jeez... What, Tania?I wouldn''t give you my fish, would I? Kanade seems to have mistakenly thought the fish were being targeted, so he does it behind him to protect his food. ''No, I don''t. I don''t give a d*mn about the fish.'' What does it matter?I can''t believe you don''t know how wonderful fish are........nyah. Poor Tania must have a poor tongue. Hey, why should I feel sorry for you over a fish? Well, I''m not trying to make a point, but... The next moment, Tania utters a shocking line of dialogue that seems to freeze the air. ''Kanade have you gained weight?'' ''''What?!!!?'''' Unvoiced screams... And then, Bishiri!And Kanade froze. A fish skewer falls out of his hand and........ I mean, look out. I hurriedly caught it with my plate. "Woah, woah, woah, woah, woah... Kanade, trembling like a broken doll, asked Tania fearfully. ''Huh ... have you gained weight?'' Yeah. Meow! Easily affirmed, Kanade let out a scream for the second time today. That scream was echoed throughout the city, or something like that. ---------- Hmph! The next morning. Dressed in a rough outfit, Kanade looked motivated, with a beehive wrapped around his head. It took him some time to get groceries and other supplies, and he was going to stay in the city for a bit longer... In the meantime, Kanade........ I''m going to lose five pounds, I swear! And I''ve decided to go on a diet. To my eyes, Kanade isn''t fat at all, in fact, she looks thin... That''s it. I guess there''s something called a girl''s feeling that guys don''t understand. I''ve decided to support Kanade''s dieting efforts by playing the role of a supervisor, rather than trying to meddle in her affairs. Let''s get on with it, then. I''ll do everything I can to help you. Okay, coach!Kanade, I''ll do my best! Coach? Yes, Coach! Is it... broken? Oh well. Well then, let''s do some running first. After all, when it comes to dieting, I think exercise is the best way to lose weight. Yes, Coach! Although Kanade''s tension was bothering me, I still decided not to worry about it and set off on my run. I might get in trouble in the city, so I run around the outside of the city. It would be about ten kilometers around the city. It''s a small town and that''s about it. Then it''s a start. ''Unyaah! Kanade started off in an all-out dash. Naturally, there was no way she could catch up and I would be left behind. ''.........in moderation.... Even though I knew there was no way they could hear me, I couldn''t help but say those things to myself. ---------- And then.... It started with running, then strength training, dieting, healthy foods that are reputed to help you lose weight... I tried many different diets. And the results, wow! How come I haven''t lost any weight? At the inn at night, Kanade, on the scale, let out a mournful cry. ''Well, you won''t lose weight in a day,'' I''ve been working so hard! Keep up the good work. Dieting is not done in a day. It''s a maiden''s fate. ''Ooohhhh! Tania''s harsh words caused Canade to scatter tears. 335-Episode 335: Scary Story and Great Blaze It was a very hot night. I drank a cold drink at dinner to cool myself down, but the effect didn''t last long... I didn''t do anything but get moist and sweaty. ''Hahhhh ... it''s hot, it''s hot. I''m going to melt........ It''s hot because you think it''s hot. It''s hot because you think it''s hot. It''s not a problem as long as you keep your mind in order and stay sharp. ''Feelings don''t change the temperature. Is Sola stupid? Can I hit you? Domestic Violence! Sola and Luna are playing with each other. And not long after, they were sweating and limping. For whatever reason, they are so close, they are both in the same room at the inn outside. ''It''s hot...'' ''It''s hotter now Sora it''s Luna''s fault. I don''t know. Mmm.... You''re in my way. As Sora and Luna were lying on the bed, the door opened and Tina came in. The door must have been opened by telekinesis. ''Hm?What''s wrong with you? It''s especially hot tonight, isn''t it?That''s why I wondered about this. I rented a kitchen and made it. A glass of clear blue liquid floated fluffily in the air. They fit into the hands of Sora and Luna, respectively. This must have been due to Tina''s power. ''Ooh, it''s cold and sweet! He said cold twice. Immediately, the twins sipped the drink. It seemed to be cold and refreshing, and their lazy faces turned into crisp ones. But only for a little while. The tangled heat seems to get the better of me and I soon wilt. ''Ugh, I hate the heat. Can''t the temperature go down about fifty degrees right now? Then you''ll be on ice... You guys don''t like the heat? You see, it''s as good as it gets... Well I got an idea! Tina chuckled and gently moved her face closer to theirs. ''Ghost story?'' "A ghost story? We tell chilling stories to cool off the nerves. There''s even a story about how they get through the summer in Kagune, where I''m going. Yeah Yeah, well it will be interesting to see. A ghost story won''t surprise or frighten Sola and her friends, will it? Hmm. Then I can get serious, right?Despite my appearance, I''m good at telling ghost stories. When I was alive, they called me ''Tina-chan, the messenger of fear''. ''When a ghost says it, it''s subtly convincing...'' ''Well, things are a test. Let''s hear it. Okay. Tina snapped her fingers. As if to match that, suddenly, the lights in the room go out. ''''Whoa!'''' What? It was Sora and Luna who were already surprised. ''''Well, let''s begin........'''' A fireball floats in the air, illuminating only the area around Tina''s face. There was also a cold wind blowing out of nowhere. This is also due to Tina''s magical power. It''s quite a fine art. "This is something I heard from my friend, but... "Gokuri. Sora and Luna scrunched up their faces as they were unintentionally consumed by the atmosphere and Tina''s tone of voice, which was full of atmosphere. And then........the ghost story begins. ---------- As it turns out, Tina''s ghost story was outrageous. Sora and Luna screamed repeatedly, crying and begging her to stop. Tina apologized for scaring them too much, and after two ghost stories, they were done. Maybe it was because the ghost stories had chilled my liver plenty, but I didn''t feel the heat so much anymore. Despite the scary thought, they could now sleep peacefully. Sora and Luna put on a comfortable face and laid down on the bed. ........30 minutes later. Sola and Luna were still squirming on the bed, still unable to fall asleep. ''My sister,'' What is it? I have to go to the bathroom. ''Odd. Sola needs to go to the bathroom too. That said, they didn''t want to get out of bed. ''You''re not going to the bathroom?'' I want to go. But I''m scared. ''Well....'' What Sora and Luna are thinking about is Tina''s ghost story from earlier. It was about a monster lurking in the darkness that turned into a look-alike of itself and was replaced by the person in question before you knew it. Naturally, the hallway is dark. You could call it dark. What if the monster from the ghost story is lurking in there? What if they get replaced before you know it? Normally, I would have laughed it off as impossible, but Tina''s considerable acting skills made it impossible for me to do so. Rather, she was too curious and couldn''t help but go out into the hallway. ''''Ugh........it''s leaking.......'''' Oh, no, no... However, they were also reaching their limits. If they didn''t, they would eventually break down. Then we have no choice but to act. ''My sister we are fortunate in that we are two. We can keep an eye on each other. Then what does it matter if the monster is there? ''Well then, let''s hold hands and go to the bathroom. Hmm. Sola and Luna got off the bed and held hands in a tremendous rush. Then, they stepped out into the hallway in fear. It wasn''t completely dark, as the moonlight was shining through the windows. However, there were places where the light couldn''t reach, so I was still uneasy. ''''Ugh ... to be frank, I''m freaking out. Let''s never hear a ghost story again... They huddle together and walk slowly down the dimly lit hallway. The bathroom is at the end of the first floor corridor. If they walked normally, it wouldn''t take them more than a minute to get there. But the two of them are holding back their urine now, so they can''t hurry to avoid irritation... Moreover, he was waddling because he was wary of the monster. Nevertheless, I managed to reach the bathroom. ''''Whew ... mission accomplished! You can''t be too careful. You have to do your business and get started and be done with it. ''Hmm, yes. We''ll keep it in mind until the end. Now, let''s go to the bathroom. Sola and Luna reached out and.... He tries to grab the doorknob, but before he can, their hands collide. "..... With a bang, their gazes collide in the darkness. ''It''s my first.'' No, Sora first. Sola and Luna stared at each other, seemingly without the spirit of giving in. Both of them were already at their limits. I am your sister. Then, don''t you think it''s only logical that you should give it to me! ''No, I don''t think so. If Luna is the sister, then she is the one who should be handed over to her sister! ''Insolence!We can''t allow that to happen! I will never give it up!Sora is first here! Forgetting that it''s the middle of the night, the two of them argue loudly, which leads to failure. ''''Mmmm!!!'''' You know what? ''''Pyaaah! Suddenly, a third person''s voice sounded, which startled Sora and Luna to their core, and they were so startled that they sat back down. Looking up at their faces with tears in their eyes, they see Rain holding a portable light in her hand. What the hell, it''s Rain. The two are relieved and relax their bodies... In addition, I also relax my lower body, which has been holding back a lot of things. ''''Ah,'''' ...what happened that night. Lane witnessed the whole thing, and for the sake of their honor........ Also, I was asked not to speak out while crying, so I kept my mouth tightly shut and didn''t speak to anyone. 336-Episode 336: Rifas Meal Well that''s about it, isn''t it? It''s not that big of a place, so we had a bit of a hard time replenishing food and water... Still, I was able to get enough for my needs. It was more than one person could carry, and I had arranged to have it delivered later. That should be enough. I looked at the sky and saw that the sun was just above us. ''It''s lunchtime. ''''We''ll have lunch first and then we''ll meet up with the others to discuss the future... Can we leave tomorrow?'''' While thinking about our future plans, we look for a place to eat to satisfy our hunger. However, the place is limited because it is a small town. In the end, we decided to eat at the inn we''re using now. ''Oops.'' I found Rifa and Nina. I wonder if they''re having lunch too? I was trying to share a table and... I witnessed an outrageous scene and panicked. ''''Uh ... hmmm ...'''' Hmm. Rifa bit Nina''s arm! Nina trembles lightly, but she doesn''t try to shake Rifa, as if in agreement. As it is, she lets Rifa take over and.... Rifa is a rifa, and while looking somewhat satisfied, she chuckles and sucks Nina''s blood. ''''Wait ... Rifa, Nina. What are you doing? Oh....Rain. Hi......... Uh, hello. We were both very calm. I feel like an idiot for being so upset, alone. ''Why is Rifa biting Nina...? Food. What, food? Yes, it''s a meal. What''s this all about? I''m a vampire. Blood is food. ''Oh, by the way...'' I was upset by the shocking scene, but... As Rifa says, vampires, a type of demon race, sometimes use blood as their diet. It seems that they sometimes run out of blood because they need it when they use their abilities. At such times, they get supplied by others. ''I''m not picking on Nina, I''m not picking on her. Do you understand? ''Oh yeah, I guess so. I''m sorry. I spoke too soon. ''Okay. It''s normal to be surprised. While talking about this, Rifa continued to slowly suck Nina''s blood. Each time she did so, Nina twitched and shook her body. ''''Nina, does it hurt?'''' Heh, I''m fine. A lie..... A strange, s*xy breath spilled from Nina''s lips. Does it feel good? "When you suck blood, a special anesthetic comes out of your fangs. It''s to eliminate pain and as a thank you for sharing your blood. As if to answer my question, Rifa told me something like that. ''''Whew ... thanks for the treat. You''re welcome. Satisfied, Rifa removed her mouth from Nina''s arm. Although the bite marks from the canine teeth left behind.... Rifa flicked it off and it went away quickly, too. Apparently, they have a great aftercare system. ''''Rain........what''s wrong?'''' We''re going to get some food. Why don''t you eat with me? Yeah, I was going to. We got to a table together. At that point, they move their seats and lead me to the middle. I''m going to have to.............. I''ll eat it with you. "Rifa drank blood? ''Blood is necessary for the use of our abilities and hunger is not satiated. Rice is rice, and you have to eat it properly and separately. I see. I ordered grilled fish, Rifa ordered grilled meat, and Nina ordered a salad set. It''s interesting to see how each of us has our own personality, even if it''s just one thing we eat. Rifa and Nina and I enjoy chatting until our ordered meals are served. It''s an ordinary conversation, but it''s fun. ''Jeez,'' Suddenly, Rifa looked at me. To be precise, she was looking at my neck area. ''What''s going on?'' Does Rain''s blood taste good? No, I don''t know ... well, you never know. Can I try it? Apparently, Rifa wasn''t satisfied yet. She would stare at me while giving me a greedy look. That and the occasional licking of her tongue. I can no longer do anything but giggle. ''''Uh ... please be gentle with me.'''' Are you sure? Don''t hurt me too much, okay? I''m on it. Rifa dropped to her knees on the chair, looking somewhat happy, although her expression didn''t change. Then she put her mouth to my neck and........ Ammo. Gently, I thrust my canine teeth into it. A tingle of pain runs through me, but it quickly disappears. Instead, a sweet, numbing sensation spreads. Indeed, it doesn''t hurt at all............................it feels good. I feel like I''m drunk, and my body is starting to feel fluffy. What about Refa?I wonder if my blood is enough for you? Curious, I lightly moved my head and looked to the side... Whew...! Rifa had a twinkle in her eye, as if she''d never seen it before. ''I''ve never seen blood like this before. It''s sweet and rich and smells deep........mmmm. Wha...? Rifa is absorbed in sucking my blood. I''m starting to feel lightly dizzy because I keep sucking. Oh no, is it anemia? I never thought I''d be drunk to such an extent... That Rifa guy is forgetting to take it easy.......or is he sucking blood as hard as he can? At this rate, it''s as good as it gets... No....you know what? Just when I thought it was bad, with a huff, the weight of the rifa on my shoulder disappeared. I turned around and saw that he had moved to the seat next to one of them, in a blood-sucking position. ''''........Huh?'''' Rifa, that''s too much. Nina, meh, she gets angry. That seems to have reminded her that she had lost herself, and Rifa looks apologetic. I''m sorry, Rain, I''m sorry. I''m sorry, I was out of line. ''Don''t worry about it. I''m a little surprised, but it''s nothing special. I didn''t know I was going to be like that. It seems that he is proud to be a vampire, and Rifa was rather seriously depressed. He seems to think that it''s the same as a beast to forget oneself and suck blood. Hmmm. Uh ... that could be me. What do you mean? It''s like there''s something wrong with my blood. Oh. Thinking for a bit, Rifa mumbled a small word as if she was convinced. I explained to Rifa before this that I also have the qualifications of a brave man. The qualification of a brave man means that you have inherited a small amount of God''s blood. In other words, it''s different from an ordinary person''s blood....... I think that''s why Rifa got carried away. "Oh, I''m sure. I don''t blame her for losing her temper. I''m sorry for what I''ve done. I''m sorry. All right. Just take care of yourself in the future. And now, does that mean I can have another drink? Oh, yeah ... once in a while. Rifa bit at a tremendous rate and replied with a bit of a drawl. ''''Yes. Hmmm.'''' We''re not early, are we? I was thinking about that when I saw Rifa smiling at me. 337-Episode 337: Riffas Ability After we finished resupplying, we left for Kagne. The purpose of our journey was to repair the legendary equipment, the Sword of the Comet. Considering Chiffon''s mission, we want to hurry as much as possible, but....... But that doesn''t mean we have to use a carriage or other means to use the carriage and have Sora and Luna down for repairs. Although it would take time, we chose a slow........but a sure way to move forward. While keeping an eye out for demon attacks........or kicking them away at times. We walked along the street and headed east. ---------- We resumed our journey and the first night. We decided to camp in a square some distance from the road. We build a fire and set up a simple tent to keep out the rain. Then we prepared a meal, and we all ate our food around the fire. ''Well, we''ll go ahead and say goodnight then,'' Yeah. I''ll take care of the guards. Yes, please. Good night. Good night. Good night. In one of the two tents, the chiffons have disappeared into one of the tents. First, we were in charge of guarding it. The second half is Chiffon and her friends'' turn. That''s how we''ve been rotating ever since we left Krios. If we mixed up the members of the party to keep watch, without party barriers, our coordination would improve, but..... Since this was a temporary party, there was no point in thinking about the future now. It was concluded that it was better to prioritize safety than that and work with a familiar partner, so the current form was taken. ''Mm.....................You''re on guard today too? You''re bored.'''' Luna, you shouldn''t talk like that. Meow, meow, meow, meow. "Ggggghhh. Luna smirks at Sora as she pokes fun at him for biting her. ''But I agree that you''re bored,'' Even Tania would do that... Because demons don''t come after you at night. Well, that''s just the way it is. During the day, we are not as vigilant as we should be, as we prioritize speed and are sometimes attacked by demons. But night is different. They are on high alert to see if demons are lurking in the darkness. Several of the strongest species are on alert. No demon would be foolish enough to jump into such a situation. As a result, the situation didn''t make much sense to keep watch at night. ''''But there might be an attack when we let our guard down. Let''s keep a good lookout.'''' I know. I won''t let my guard down again. Already?So, does that mean you''ve been caught off guard before? Sora asked curiously, having heard the story firmly. Tania gets a look on her face that says, "Shucks. a?Nothing at all,a she said. I''m curious. I''m worried about you, too. Well, I wouldn''t let my guard down. I''m not. You say, but what''s the real story?Canade. I care. Nya. Actually...... ''Kanade!You say anything weird, and I''ll never agree to it! While everyone was happily talking, Rifa was quietly drinking the hot soup. Drinking the soup bit by bit, she let out a relieved breath and sipped at the cup again. ''Oh, yes.'' Suddenly remembering, Rifa placed her cup on the ground. Then he looks at me and asks. ''I have a question for Rain.'' Yeah?Do you want to hear it? Lane made a deal with me. Isn''t that right? ''Yeah, right. I signed a contract. And... oh, I see. I think I''m starting to get it. "What do you get when you sign up with me? So that''s what you''re saying. This is the second time I''ve talked about this story, as it was with Tina, so I kind of knew what to expect. Whoa, this is getting old. Do you miss it? ''I said the same thing to Rifa when I was in my house. I wonder what Rain''s husband got by signing a contract with us. I''m very concerned. I''d be disappointed if I wasn''t good at what I do. ''I know!I know that feeling. I know that feeling... I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown too, until we found out that I had the ability. That last bit of violence doesn''t make sense. How did you check it? ...What was it again? It took us a while to find it, after trying this and that, and it took us a while to find it. But that''s just not how it works right now, is it? I don''t want to make too much noise since we''re in the middle of an encampment. It might attract demons, and it''s bad for the sleeping chiffons. ''''Too bad.'''' Rifa says sorry, with a face that doesn''t look sorry. Although she is a child who has difficulty expressing her emotions........ I''ve come to understand somehow, even though we''ve known each other for a short time, that I''m seriously disappointed in these situations. I would live up to your expectations if I could, but... So, what do we do now? Grul...! At that moment, the dog that had been tamed beforehand and waited nearby stood up and let out a low growl. He stared at the bushes a little further away, baring his fangs. ''Looks like we have to deal with the demon first before we can reveal Rifa''s abilities. It could not be a passerby or a normal animal. No one but a demon could be someone that a dog would show so much hostility towards. Or it could be a bandit, or some kind of fierce beast... either way, it''s an enemy. "Preemptive strike. Rifa bit her thumb and generated bullets with the flowing blood. After deploying them over a wide area, he ejects them at high speed. The blood bullets pierce the bushes and pierce something lurking behind them. ''''Giggling?'''' I heard a demon scream. Was that an orc? Thinking about how stupid it is to try to attack when everyone else is there. Well, orcs are not very intelligent, so that''s no wonder. ''''Kanade and Tania, stay together. Sora and Luna are alerted to the surroundings as it is. Rifa, Nina and Tina, cover me if anything happens. After giving the instructions, I head to the back of the bushes. In the meantime, we need to make sure that we have defeated the demon or not. I make my way around the side and move to the back of the bushes. At that moment........ "Gee! One of the surviving orcs struck me with a club in hand. It may have been intended to take us by surprise, but this one is poised to attack us at any moment. As long as we handle it calmly, we''ll be fine. As if to keep my spirits up, I glared at the orc........ Gee! Suddenly, the orc stopped moving. He fell to the ground, as if he was in a golden bind, seemingly only able to move his fingertips. ''''Eh, what?'''' It was unexpected for us as well as the orcs... I''m startled and pause for a moment. I was wary that it was some kind of trap, but there was no sign of that. For the time being, I''ve put a stop to it and collected the magic stone while I still have it. ''''Nya........Rain, what was that about?'''' He just stopped moving, didn''t he?No, stuck, might be more accurate to say. No, I don''t really understand this either... I go back to the guys, tilting my head. Then, after making sure there are no problems around, I tell them what I just said. ''''So........that''s why.'''' Congratulations, Lane. For some reason, Rifa congratulated me. ''Maybe that''s what you got for signing up with me. ''What?That one?But I''m not sure what I did... I think Rayne got his powers through his magic eye. Nya.........the magic eye, that magic eye that can paralyze or charm an opponent when you stare at them? Yeah, your evil eye. "Seriously? That''s an insanely powerful ability. ''I''m a vampire, a rarity among the demon race. Some vampires have magical eyes. That''s why I think Rain got the magical eye. I don''t have it. I see. The evil eye. What will I do with this newfound ability in my hands?What can we do? I''m going to think about it carefully. 338-Episode 338: To Make Your Dreams Come True She is a certain demon race. She is an unusual species among them, and her population is small. Hence, she often suffers hard times. She often suffers a lot. Her life has been full of difficulties. It''s not an exaggeration to say so. However, she didn''t let that stop her from being a person. No matter how hard she had to go through, no matter how much pain she had to endure, she tried to stay upright. How was she able to do that? She has a long life expectancy due to her special breed. Even if you don''t do anything, she will live several times as long as a human. If you take proper care of your health, you can live twice as long. Having spent so much time in this way, she has come into contact with many humans. Since the race of demon race basically coexists with humans........ I related to many different people and shared the same time with them. As a result..... She knows that humans are harder and more painful to deal with. Humans are vulnerable creatures. Their physical abilities and magic power are less than half that of the demon race. They are also mentally unstable and often hurt other members of their own race. And their life span is about 100 years at most. From the point of view of the demon race, what an imperfect creature they are.... Physically and mentally immature and weak. They are easily injured, unable to recover and crumble just like that. She has seen many such people. Seeing those people made her heart ache. Because, to varying degrees, she had been hurt in the same way. So I thought I knew how she felt. Hence, at some point, she came to have one thought. I want to save humans........ ---------- ...phew. One of the several squares in Kagne. Iris was on a bench set up there. Given the orders given to Rhys, he couldn''t stand out. I try not to cling to any signs of sharpness and pretend to be an unremarkable, ordinary citizen. Of course, the wings are stowed away. But even so, Iris is still a ridiculously beautiful girl, so she''s been stealing the gaze of men on the street. While noticing this, Iris pretends not to notice and ignores the gazes of the men. Or rather, she couldn''t be bothered with such things. There are other things that I need to think about. ''''Killing the new brave.......haha, that''s a tricky request. If this new brave thing is as powerful as Arios, there''s no problem. I''m probably vastly superior to him. Iris thinks about such things. It''s not bragging, it''s a judgment based on objective facts. In fact, Iris has that much power. But the problem is not the power. Iris has no intention of killing any more humans. Her fierce vengeance is gone, and now there is only hesitation. ''''Above all, I didn''t think that Master Lane would be with me...'''' Iris was saved by Reese, but.... However, he thinks the real benefactor is Rain. He put himself on the line and tried to save Iris. He tried to cleanse her of her tainted soul. I don''t remember forgetting that, not for a moment. I would not be able to step on that favor. If I did that, at that moment I would fall to an outcast who was no better than a demon. ''''As I thought, is this the right time for you to be here? Cooperating with Reese was already not an option. Then leave her and..... Leave and then what? I would love to go to Rain''s place, but I can''t do that shamelessly, however. But that doesn''t mean I have anywhere else to go. ''''........Let''s just travel at random, shall we? It occurred to me. A trip without a destination, just wandering around. That might not be a bad thing. Hmmm........what is the purpose of my life? ''''I''m ... sorry.'''' Yes? Suddenly, Iris was approached. She looked to the side and her eyes widened a bit. There was a woman from the demon tribe. She had a single horn sprouting from her forehead and a soft-looking face. ''''Excuse me all of a sudden. I just wanted to ask you a few questions...'''' What is it?The way? No. Well.........are you by any chance the strongest species? How did you come to that conclusion? As if on guard, Iris'' eyes narrow. Although Iris has decided not to lash out senselessly... If there''s a fireball coming at you, of course you''ll shake it off. ''''Oh, I''m sorry. You''re cooperating with them? Yes, sir. The demon tribe woman smiled with a smile. ''''My plan........if you can help me with my plan to create an ideal land. The woman''s smile is gentle... That''s what made it so tender, like Our Lady. 339-Episode 339: The rumor of Kagne The journey was good. A few days earlier than expected, we were able to reach the city one day before Kagne. It''s a day''s walk to Kagne from here. Half a day by carriage. If we were us, there''s no way we wouldn''t be able to reach it today if we pushed ourselves.... After all, you shouldn''t take it too far. I decided to take a good rest in the city just one town away. "I''m alone, do you have a room available? ''Yes, I''m free. Shall we have a room for one person?Or would you prefer to stay in a room for two or three people, etc.? I asked the receptionist at the inn and got a surprising answer. It seems that this town is close to Kagne, and is considered a trading base, where various people come and go. I thought the inn would be crowded, and at worst, I was prepared to camp out in the field, but....... I didn''t think there was enough room for everyone to have one room. "Two rooms for three. One room for four. One room for one. That''ll be fine. May I share a room with Lane? That''s fine with you, isn''t it? Munchies.........those two will attack you whenever they have a chance. That''s not to be scoffed at but that''s some ballsy shit. Every once in a while, a fight breaks out that I don''t understand. It doesn''t seem to be a fight or anything like that, so I''ve decided to let it go... but what is it? What do you think?Do you want to take a break right away? I am a bit tired. I''m a bit of a recluse, so I''m going to stay in my room and rest. ''Don''t tell me you''re a recluse. Sola will be resting in her room as well. Sola and Luna lead the way... Kanade, Tania, Tina, and Nina. That, and Millefeuille and Chocolat, headed to their rooms on the second floor of the inn. They''ve been camped out until they arrived in this town. Everyone must be exhausted. I want you to take a good rest for the rest of the day. I still have some energy left in me, so let''s find out what we can about Kagne. ''''Rifa and Chiffon don''t need to rest? No, I''m fine. ''I''m fine too. I''m not a brave man, you know. What do you want me to do? So I''ll take you up on your offer. I asked Rifa to replenish the food and water. The rest of the trip is about a day''s journey, but you never know what''s going to happen. I don''t want to go out without anything. Chiffon and I decided to split up and gather information about Kagne. What kind of city is it? What is happening now? Is there anything I should be aware of? When I went to the pre-arranged meeting place, Chiffon was already there. ''''Sorry for the delay. Did I keep you waiting? ''Nope, not really. Don''t worry about it. Chiffon chuckles after he says this. ''It''s kind of like a date, that exchange you just had,'' Well, come to think of it. Suddenly I felt embarrassed. ''Hmph, are you embarrassed?'' Don''t make fun of me... Lane, you''re pretty new at this. With all those pretty girls around. Come on. You''re all just friends. ''Huh... I know you''re sincere, Rain, but being insensitive is sometimes a sin, isn''t it? ''Well what are you talking about?'' ''I wonder. I can''t say more than that, so you''ll have to think it over later. Oh, yeah. I nodded almost subconsciously, feeling a pressure that was hard to resist. Girls are so scary sometimes. ''Then let''s get the information straight, shall we? Yeah. Exchange the information gained from the interviews. The result...... For some time now, the number of travelers from Kagne has dropped dramatically. Also, some people have gone to Kagne and never returned. However, the roads are not blocked off, nor are there any kidnapping incidents in Kagne. It''s only that the residents of Kagne, or travelers, are voluntarily staying in Kagne. ........Such information was laid out. ''I thought it would be bad if there was some kind of trouble, so I looked into it just in case...'' ''Brilliantly, there could be some nasty stuff going on...'' So far, I can''t feel a clear-cut case... Still, isn''t there something to it?I suspect that this is happening. People who headed to Kagne haven''t come back ... no one is going out of Kagne ... hmmm, what does this mean? ''The lords of Kagne are blockading the city or something... but I don''t hear about it. It''s not like there are zero people from Kagne. So you want to stay? Well, I suppose it could be, but... Apparently this phenomenon has been happening for a while now. So maybe it''s just a transient thing. Maybe in a little while, people will resume coming and going as usual. ''No, it''s hard to say. We, who haven''t seen Kagne''s current situation, won''t be able to come to a conclusion by discussing this and that here. ''''It doesn''t seem like there''s any immediate danger, but.......maybe we should be careful just in case. Yeah, I guess I would agree. Now all we have to do is go to Kagne in person. If it''s unfounded on our part, then so be it. If there''s something going on, we''ll respond accordingly. Lane, I''m home. Welcome back, Refa. Just in time, Rifa came back. ''Do you have food and water?'' I''ve made arrangements. They''ll get it to you before you leave tomorrow. Yeah. Thanks. "Hm. Rifa offered me her head, as if to say, "Stroke me," she said. As requested, I stroked it. ''Huh.'' Rifa looked comfortable. When Chiffon saw that, he got a tingling look on his face. Does she want to stroke it? "Hm. If you want to stroke it, it''s fine, Rifa offered her head towards Chiffon. ''''Uh...eh...eh.'''' Chiffon stroked Rifa''s head with a sense of trepidation. Then her face feels like it''s melting. ''''Huh ... it''s nice to say this. Rifa-chan''s stroking sensation is the best. Yeah? ''Yeah. Reminds me of a cat I used to have. I''m like a cat? That seemed to be a bit frustrating, and Rifa got a subtle look on her face. She looks young, but she''s the strongest species. As expected, her pride would not allow her to be treated with a cat. ''Oh, sorry. I''m just looking at it the same way in the sense that it''s cute, I don''t mean to belittle it or anything like that. No, it''s fine. Thank you very much, Rifa-chan. You''re welcome. Satisfied, Chiffon moved away, looking somewhat satisfied. ''Chiffon, you have a cat?'' ''Yeah, it was. It was cute. The fact that it''s in the past tense means that he''s probably gone. ''It kind of reminds me of that girl. Saying that, Chiffon had a slightly shadowy expression on his face. ''''I wish I could meet that girl.......and everyone else.... Guys? Oh, no. It''s okay. I''m sorry I said the wrong thing. Chiffon would cheat by saying.... His attitude was oddly disturbing. 340-Episode 340: A town surrounded by fog The next day. We finished our preparations and left town early in the morning. We were able to proceed without incident... We were able to get close to Kagne in the early afternoon, much earlier than planned. ''And yet ... this is kind of amazing. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. There was a fog. Even though it was past noon, it didn''t disappear and dyed the surroundings white. ''''The source of the fog seems to be........Kagne.... Extreme weather?Or..... Millefeuille and Chocolat get a quizzical look on their faces. It seems that although Millefeuille is also using magic to investigate, the cause of this is not clear. ''''Nya.......Kagune is not exactly a city of fog, is it? ''It should be. It''s a city that''s growing its own culture, but it''s not exactly famous for its fog. ''Yeah, I agree. I''ve never heard of anything like that before. Kanade''s question was denied by me and Chiffon together. Then, for some reason, Kanade gets zit-eyed. ''Unya. We''re both breathing great. It''s like we''re practically tied together. It''s like we haven''t just met, but old friends from way back. It''s like an old friend or something. For some reason, Tania, Sora and Luna join in, and everyone''s face becomes indescribable. I didn''t do anything, did I...? All right, all right. Hey, everybody, calm down. I know how you feel, but for now, you might as well concentrate on the task at hand. Unusual fog. You should be wary. Tina and Rifa said the most important thing and everyone meekly withdrew. ''''There''s no reaction from the enemy, is there?'''' ''''That''s right - there''s no reaction from demons or anything like that. Naturally, there are no demons either! "Hmm. I thought for a moment that it was a demon I didn''t know, or a demon race, but it doesn''t seem to be that way. Maybe they are more sensitive because of what happened with Krios. ''''For now, let''s go inside. There''s no point in sitting here and watching.............of course, I''ll be on guard. Yes. Chiffon and I agreed on this. Everyone else didn''t seem to disagree, and we each nodded in agreement. Then, let''s go. While bracing myself slightly so that I could slip out of my weapon at any time. We stepped into Kagne. ---------- As we entered the city, the fog became even thicker. My vision was pretty much restricted and I couldn''t see ahead. About five meters away, the fog almost took away their vision, and they could only see their feet or not. Despite these conditions, Kagne''s people were in good spirits. There were no people holed up in their homes, and lots of people were usually walking around outside. There were also stalls and other stalls here and there, and a vigorous call to action. ''''How unexpected this is,'''' Yeah. I agreed with Kanade''s impressions. Since it''s foggy like this, I would have thought that the people in the city would be anxious or frightened... But he wasn''t actually like that, he was just having a normal day. No ... it was more than normal, they seemed to be in good spirits and happy. The faces of the occasional person I could see were all filled with smiles. ''''Danger, is.......no?'''' I guess. Looks like there''s nothing to see here. Or rather, peace itself. I agree with Rifa. If this is not peace, what is it? It''s just.... I felt a little uncomfortable. It''s hard to put into words, but it feels distorted or something.... There was something unnatural about the smiles the people of the city were giving me. But I don''t know more than that. There''s no indication that anyone is being harmed or anything like that... We''ll see what happens. We''ll go to the inn for a while. ''Yes. I''d like to get some accommodations early, and maybe we can get a lot of information from the people there. Chiffon and I agreed, and we decided to find a place to stay. It''s in a deep fog, so it''s going to take some time to get there, but.... After about thirty minutes, we were able to find an inn without incident. Although we were a large group of eleven people, we got a room with no problem. Now, let''s go ask around. I''m trying to be enthusiastic, but.... "...phew... Nina looked extremely sleepy and let out a sluggish yawn. Maybe she hadn''t rested since she had just arrived in Kagne, so her fatigue was showing. When I looked, I saw that everyone else seemed to be in a similar state of mind, and they all seemed to be tired, depending on the individual. ''Everyone seems tired, so we''ll have to wait until tomorrow to ask them about it. ''Yes. I don''t think there''s any danger, so I''m all for it. It''s a soft bed!I need to take a hot bath too! Oh, Luna!I won''t allow you to run off by yourself. Luna and Sora ran upstairs with dada dada. That seemed to relieve everyone''s tension, and while laughing, they each headed to their rooms. Although they rested in the city on the way........ I''m not completely exhausted because I haven''t taken the time to settle down. Let''s take a good rest today. Deciding that, I too went up the stairs of the inn. ---------- ...? I thought I heard voices. I was in a deep slumber of consciousness, and my body wasn''t moving properly... I''m vaguely aware that I''m asleep now, I think. It''s not a lucid dream, but sometimes, I wonder if there are times when I can understand my own condition while sleeping, like that? .........n....... I heard the voice again. It was interrupted and I couldn''t understand what it was saying. But ... what is it? I missed it so much, I felt like I was going to cry just listening to it...I didn''t understand the emotions I was feeling. Rain. Come on, Rain. This time, I heard a voice clearly. As if drawn to that gentle voice, my consciousness surfaced. ''''Hmm........'''' Lane, are you awake? Slowly, he raised himself up and looked to the side. There he was........ ...Mother? 341-Episode 341 Happy The one who was smiling gently beside the bed was my mom. I can''t blame her for oversleeping, even though she had a look on her face........ It doesn''t make the smile disappear. It''s fake or dreaming. I don''t have any of those sensations, and I feel that my mom in front of me is definitely ''real''. How can you say that?It''s hard to say, but... I guess the answer is that I''m the son. I can firmly feel the parent-child bond between me and my mother. There''s no logic to it.... But, sure enough, it''s my mom that''s in front of me. Why is she here...? Lane? Oh no, no, this is not... Hey! Ow! He was decapitated with a bang. ''Are you still spinning in your sleep?'' ''What?No, not really, but... The blow now woke me up completely. ''But there''s no way my mom is here...'' I knew it. You''re still sleepwalking. This is my house and my inn. You deserve to have me here, don''t you? The inn...? Yes. Didn''t you and your father open the inn a while ago? Dad?Is Dad there? I''m making breakfast for you all downstairs. Oh no... Why are you surprised? Because your mother and father, more than ten years ago... ...wait. What was I going to say? I can feel the words I made up in my head rapidly falling apart like a string unraveling. ''Ten years ago?'' ''Well... what?What was I going to say?Mom, have you heard of it? How would I know? Ow! Once again, he decoupled me. ''You''re still sleepwalking, aren''t you? For heaven''s sake ... wash your face and come downstairs. Ladies and gentlemen, you''re already awake. All right. Strange...? What was I going to say? It''s so easy to forget, so maybe it''s not a big deal. But it''s oddly stuck, and I feel like it''s something I shouldn''t forget... It bothers me a lot. But I can''t put it into words. While I was doing this, "something" rapidly flew away from my memory, and I felt as if I would never be able to pick it up again. Really, I don''t know what it is. I sigh on the bed, not knowing what I want to do. My mom chuckles at me. "Rain. Yeah? Good morning. ...Good morning. It''s supposed to be just a greeting, but why? It stung me so much that I almost cried. ---------- Good morning. Oh, Rain!Good morning! Morning, Rain. Good morning. It''s a good morning! When I went downstairs, I saw Kanade, Tania, Sola and Luna. They each give me a cheerful greeting. ''Rain, did you sleep just now?'' How do you know that? Because I''m still a habitual sleeper. ''What?Where? The one on the right. I put my hand to the side of my head as Tania told me to, and I felt a bobble of hair. I can''t believe I was in front of everyone in this situation... It is indeed embarrassing. ''I can''t help it. Just stay put. Tania chuckles a small smile and sits up and moves in front of me. As it is, she corrects my sleeping habits with a hand comb. ''''~?'''' Tania is humming a tune and seems very happy. I''m just fixing my sleeping habits, so what makes her happy? Here you go. That''s about as good as it gets. Thank you, Tania. ''It''s fine. It''s your wife''s job to take care of your husband. Yeah? I think I just heard an unfamiliar word...? Nah Tania, that''s not fair. I suddenly realized that Kanade was looking at Tania with a resentful look in his eyes. Somehow, she felt like a sulking child. ''I would have wanted to take care of Rain too. I''m Rain''s wife too! ''Hmmm, there''s only one Rain, so the sooner these things happen, the better. You yammering cat. Mmmm, but, but I''m not the only one... ''Rain, your clothes are a bit disheveled. My wife, Sora, will fix it for you. Rain, I''m going to fix you up. Now, sit down there. It''s like being gingerly pushed and taken care of by the twins. I mean, I think Sora and Luna said something funny too...? ''Oh, you''re late!I mean, they beat me to it again! You''re a slow learner. You toro cat. That sounds like a very tasty name, doesn''t it? Does that make sense...? While I''m doing that, Sora and Luna adjust my clothes. ''Yes, this should be no problem. Thank you. Well, by the way. Rayne is my husband, and I want her to be strong. If you do that, we''ll be happy to have you as a wife. "It, Hmm? Who''s this wife you''re talking about? When I asked the question, everyone scowled. Then they let out a sigh. ''Rain I''m still awake. Even I''m properly awake. ''You tell me that yourself...?Well, Kanade''s right, you''d better shang it. ''But this is just as cute as it gets. Kuhuhu, you get your husband''s cute. That being said, it''s probably a valuable place to be. Rayne''s always been solid. What are you guys...? ''''Oh god...Rain. No matter how sleepy you are, I''m going to get a little sad when you say things like that, okay? Kanade says, with an angry, sad look on his face. ''We''re all married to Rain,'' What? ''And yet you say things like you don''t know about it...you''re too sleepy! No ... wait. Sure, polygamy is allowed and legal in this country. It''s not a problem. But you''re all mates, not wives. I can''t remember ever being married to... no, no? When I tried to deny that there wasn''t, many memories came to the surface. That I confessed to everyone and we were in a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship. Then that we had a successful relationship. And that I proposed to him, he accepted me, and we had a ceremony. All of those memories popped up all at once, spreading to every corner of my mind as if to overwrite the memory... Then you start to take that for granted. ''Well ... right?'' Why did I think I wasn''t married or something? It''s so rude to everyone to mistake it for a dream. ''I''m sorry ... no, I''m really sorry. I guess I was still sleepwalking. Meow, are you finally awake? ''There''s no need to apologize so much. I came here to say hello to Rayne''s dad and mom but it was a bit of a forced march, wasn''t it? They''re tired. ''Yes. If you''re sleepy, then you can rest a little longer, okay? Do you need me to sleep with you? No yes, I''m fine. I think it''s going to be okay. It shouldn''t be a problem. This should be the correct reality. ''What, Rain''s husband, is he already up your ass? With such a voice, Tina appeared with the sound of footsteps. Those feet........were firmly visible there. 342-Episode 342: Phantom Dream Tina?Is that body...? My legs are in place. Her body isn''t translucent or fluffy and floating. Now Tina looks like a normal person everywhere... For some reason, I feel incredibly uncomfortable there. ''What''s the matter, Rain''s husband?What''s wrong with us? Well no, it''s nothing. What was I thinking? I can''t believe that Tina feels different about being a normal person... It makes it sound like Tina isn''t a normal person. It makes it sound like the right thing to do. It''s not good. I can''t believe I''m being rude again. Maybe he''s still sleepwalking, after all. ''What''s Tina doing?'' I was helping Rain''s husband with his father. I didn''t want him to let me stay here for free, after all. I thought about what I could do to help, so I decided to help with the food. Okay. Tina''s hungry. I''m on it!.........but Rain''s husband''s father and mother are there too. The pressure and.........uh, don''t set the bar too high. I''m looking forward to it, Tina. I''m counting on you, Tina. You''ve been listening to me? In the back, Tina gave a sharp tweak to the twins, who secretly added to the conversation. Watching such an exchange, they naturally laughed. What can I say.... It''s peaceful, laid-back and restful. I suppose the word "happy" could be applied exactly to a scene like this. By the way... He scurried around the ground floor. ''Where are Nina and Rifa?'' I don''t see the two of them. Are they still sleeping? Nina and Rifa went for a walk. They''re going to do some sightseeing in Kagne as well. It''s been a good amount of time, so I''m sure he''ll be back soon. Not long after, Nina and Rifa showed up, as Kanade and Tania had said. Only, they weren''t alone. Nina was being held by an adult woman. That person looked a lot like Nina. Nina had awakened and performed an adult version before, but........ It''s close to the state it was in then. Take the awakened Nina and grow another five years or so.... If you add some color on top of that, this is what it would look like, wouldn''t it? Rifa was holding hands with a man from the same demon tribe. It''s Rifa''s brother, Carus-san. ''''Rain........you''re awake? I''m home. Nina and Rifa smile at me, and I respond with a smile too. ''Good morning. Are you two out for a walk? Hmm ... with your mother. I''m with my brother. I see... so... so...? For some reason, I felt a tremendous sense of discomfort. Nina taking a walk with her mother? Rifa taking a walk with Mr. Carus? For some reason, it didn''t feel like that was possible. Why would I think that? In fact, they''re right in front of me. It''s not an illusion, it''s right there. ''Neeee....Rain?What''s going on?You look so difficult. ''What?Oh, no.... Kanade asks me, and I come to myself. At the same time, the feeling of discomfort is rapidly disappearing. ''''It''s ... nothing. It looks like I was still sleepwalking.'''' Nina''s mother is here. Mr. Callus is there. It''s not wrong. It''s the right thing to do. It''s the right thing to do. So it''s not a problem. I made that decision and decided to just forget about it instead of pursuing the strange feeling I was born with. "I don''t see Chiffon and the others, but are we going for a walk? Meow? What? Kanade and Tania gave me a strange look. It''s not just the two of them. Sora and Luna, Tina, Nina and Rifa..........they all make suspicious looks. ''''Nya.......who''s Chiffon?'''' ''Hey Lane, did you hook up with a girl somewhere else again?'' ''Don''t make it sound like I do that all the time... or do you really not know?Chiffon? ''Chiffon.......do you know Luna?'' I don''t know. I''ve never heard of it. Who is that, Rain, and who is it? Who, of course... ...Who are you? I can''t answer the question myself, but I can''t answer it. A moment ago, I''m sure I had a solid memory, information in my head... They are rapidly disappearing and gone. It''s as if a thick fog has settled in my head and is preventing me from exploring my memories... I can''t remember anything. ''Nyah ... Rain, are you okay?What''s wrong with you today? ''Maybe he''s still tired?You only arrived in Cagney yesterday. Why don''t you get some more sleep? Kanade and Tania are worried about me. I''m sorry...but what is it?This feeling? What in the world is this........ ...wind. There''s no way I can come up with an answer, and I''m left with an indescribable sense of frustration. I''m going to go for a walk, too. I''m not sure how I feel about myself. In order to sort it out, I decided to take a breath of fresh air for a while. I left the inn and walked slowly. It''s a walk to calm my mind, so there''s no particular destination. I''m going to be able to walk around the city and breathe in the fresh morning air. ''''Fufu........have I calmed down a bit? I felt a sense of lightness. But the uncomfortable feeling that lingers in the corner of my mind won''t go away anytime soon. What does this mean, really? "Hmm. Suddenly, I heard a familiar laugh. I looked in that direction... Hello, Miss Lane. ...Iris? 343-Episode 343: Reality Silky silver hair. Flaming crimson eyes. A black dress with lots of frills. It''s the Celestial Girl, Iris. Could she be alive? What a thought, but I didn''t know he was really alive... ...Huh? Why was I thinking that Iris was dead? It couldn''t be that way. In fact, Iris is right in front of me. She doesn''t seem to be injured at all, and she''s looking good. It''s been a while?I guess that''s okay. You look good, Iris. Huh. After staring at us for a few moments, for some reason, Iris let out a sigh. She looks somewhat dumbfounded. However, he switches his expression as if it can''t be helped. The usual smile disappears and she asks with a serious face. ''''Rain-sama, do you believe that the current reality is the correct reality?'''' ''What?What does that mean...? The scene in front of me now. The people lined up in front of you now. Is it there?Are you sure about that? It''s a... Iris'' words shook me hard. A sense of discomfort I''ve been feeling since the morning. It grows louder and louder and becomes something I can''t ignore. Am I........forgetting something? No, it''s not. It''s not that we''re forgetting, it''s that we''re losing sight of it. What we used to take for granted is being painted over into something else. Memories are being ... rewritten. What are those memories? What was lost? The answer is..... Gu..........? I get a severe headache and fall to my knees in place. I don''t want to remember. I need to remember. Two conflicting emotions are raging in my head. They become pain, and they make my mind wander. ''Ah ... geez ... this, this memory ...'' About my mom and dad. Kanade and Tania, everyone. About Iris. A lot of memories run through my head. My instincts warn me that I shouldn''t move on. But it''s...no...no. If I do something that makes me stop here, it would be betraying me. I would be betraying myself. And that''s why I''m going to... Whatever happens, whatever lies ahead! Oh... The sound of breaking glass echoed in my head. Like a lie, the headache disappeared. At the same time, the right memories began to flood in all at once. d*mn.........what am I.......? The headache is gone, but I''m confused by the sudden surge of information that''s flooding me. As I unconsciously hold my head down, Iris calls out to me with a worried look. ''''Rain-sama, are you alright...?You''re confused, aren''t you?I know, because I was one myself. Iris what is it? Yes, I do. You''re alive... ''Hmm. From the looks of it, it looks like you''ve regained your memory. That''s good. If Rain-sama is also taken in, I don''t know what I''ll do............. Iris! I let the emotions that were bubbling up in my head take over and I hugged Iris. I''m not going to be able to let go of my hand, even though her lovely, uncharacteristic voice spilled out. ''''Thank God........I''m really alive, thank God.......'''' Oh, uh, Miss Lane?Well, um........holding a damsel in a sudden embrace is not the right kind of thing for a righteous lord to do, is it? I''m sorry but we''re just a little bit closer now. ''''Oh dear, the inevitable. It''s only for a little while, okay? Oh ... a little bit. Iris smiled softly and held me in her arms as she was being held. ---------- I''m sorry. I''m fine now. After five minutes or so, I regained my composure and let go of Iris. Then she gives me a grin. ''Oh my, are we done?I would have liked to have enjoyed a few more passionate hugs. "...don''t tell me. I''m just really glad that Iris is alive, so I''m just going to. Thank you. It''s simply wonderful to hear that you''re so happy about something as simple as me. Iris gives a small smile. That smile isn''t the fake one I saw earlier. It''s the real Iris'' smile. "I''ve got a lot of questions to ask you, but... How could he have been saved in that situation? What did you do after that? Why are we in Kagne? There are plenty of things I want to hear. However, there are things that must take precedence over that. First of all, let''s talk about this situation........ ''Yes, I do. You may have a lot of questions, but please be patient for now. If you don''t get over this situation, there''s no point in talking about it. Let''s settle down and talk, Iris invites me to a bench in the town square. I sit down next to her and open my mouth, carefully searching for the words. ''Is the scene in front of me right now ... a fake?Phantoms and dreams... something like that? The answer is yes and no. What do you mean? What kind of impossible situation did you experience, Master Lane? Well there''s a lot of things, but I guess the biggest thing is that my mom and dad are alive and somehow they run the inn here. I see... ''By the way, by the way, from the way you talk, Iris is having an impossible experience too, isn''t she? I feel the same way about you, Miss Lane. I am reunited with my departed family and friends. I''m sorry, I''ve heard some strange things. ''Please don''t apologize. If you say so, I''ve heard the same thing about you. Iris smiled at him, as if it was no problem. Seeing that smile, I suddenly felt a sense of discomfort. I don''t think this Iris is fake or anything now.... But the smile on his mouth seems to be different than before. It seems to have become softer or gentler........ It''s like a spine is being removed, isn''t it? ''Can I help you?'' I was staring at Iris'' face and she looked at me in wonder. ''Oh, no. It''s nothing. Well ... so you''re sure that both me and Iris are having an impossible experience, right? Yes. A reunion with someone who is supposed to be dead that would be impossible. ''Normally, that''s the kind of nonsense you''d expect from a fake or an illusion. But... It''s so realistic... I couldn''t believe that my dad and mom were not very good, but they didn''t seem to be fake or illusory. They were really there, they were really alive. Your parents are real. They''re not fake or anything like that, but they''re definitely the parents who were in Ms. Lane''s memory. I knew it... ''It''s just an illusion. It''s there and yet it doesn''t exist. It shouldn''t have really been there. ''Yes, that''s true. However, even though it is an illusion, you can touch it and actually talk to it. It''s more like a living phantom. "The illusion of life... It raises a lot of questions, but... The fundamental mystery is. Why does such a thing exist? That''s what it boils down to. Does Iris understand what''s going on now? ''Yeah, yeah. I understand. This was the work of a single person. His name is Alpha. He''s a demon. 344-Episode 344 Utopia Demons...? Are you suggesting that this case involves the strongest species? I mean, demons.... Like the Rifa thing, there''s been a lot of edge lately. Can you tell me more about it? Yes, of course. Though I don''t know much about it either... Here''s how Iris sums up her story. The culprit in this case is a demon race named Alpha. He seems to be a very special kind of dreamer demon. The ability of the dreamer demon is to control dreams at will. They can show you happy dreams and nightmares as they please. This may sound like an unassuming ability, but in fact, it is a very powerful one. For example, you can keep having extraordinary nightmares. Since dreams are deeply connected to the mind, such a thing can have a serious effect on you. It''s not a simple matter of mental illness. It''s like a direct attack on the mind, and it can be crippling. Worst of all, it can be death as the mind is destroyed. Physical combat power is low but... A dreamer demon is superior in other abilities. A woman named Alpha, such a dreamer demon, is the one who caused this incident. Using her abilities, she draws those who live in or visit Kagne into a false reality where she thinks they are happy. Those who are taken in by the false world cannot understand that it is a place that was created. Indulging in the happiness in front of them becomes the top priority and they cannot think of anything else. ''''So..... ''I can''t believe that''s happening...'' It seems that I was caught up in something terrible without realizing it. But what is the purpose of this demon race called Alpha? They take the people of Kagne into their dreams and, for lack of a better word, restrain them. What purpose does he have in doing that? When I asked Iris about it, she was extremely confused. ''''How... it''s so unbelievable that it makes me suspicious of it, but from what I''ve heard, she wants to make people happy. ''Happy?That''s ... what? ''The word is true. Alpha wants to make people happy, and she is using her abilities to make people happy, and that is why she is causing this to happen. If you believe her words, there is no malice in it, what there is is pure goodness. The Alpha really believes that the dreamer will be happier, and he is using his abilities to do so. Listening to Iris, I''m equally confused. He says that the root of this incident is not malice, but good intentions. I''ve been involved in a lot of incidents in the past, but I''ve never seen a guy working with good intentions. Is it true?I doubt it. But......... You''re not being harmed. At the moment, he''s just being shown a dream. And it''s not a nightmare, it''s a happy dream for him. I can''t feel the malice of the person called Alpha. ''Why would this person called Alpha do that?'' That''s ... I honestly don''t know. I haven''t had that in-depth conversation with her either. Where is Alpha now? ''I don''t know about that either. It disappeared as soon as we started working on it. It''s a mystery to me, and even with my superior detection skills, I can''t find it. Hmm. The enemy''s purpose and motives are a mystery. How do we deal with it? How am I supposed to act? I''m a little confused. ''Come to think of it, how does Iris know about the Alpha?You seem to know a lot about it, but... ''Well...'' Iris looked like a giggle. She looks like a child who''s been found naughty. She wandered to the right and left, her gaze wandering to the left. Slightly, he turned to me. ''''Actually, I have cooperated with Alpha-san. ...Yes? ''I had to go to Cagney for a little business and was approached by Mr. Alpha. Mr. Alpha was looking for someone with a lot of power to carry out his plan. So..... Have you offered to help Iris, the Celestial? Yes, you''re right. So, has Iris complied? Yeah, that''s right. Iris'' eyes began to swim again. She''s aware that she''s done something bad. ''''Why did you do that...'''' ''There''s a lot going on, and I''m having a hard time with it myself... and I''m wondering if working with Mr. Alpha will solve that problem.I thought to myself, "Well, the problem is never solved, and on the contrary, I''m trapped in a dream. Well, the problem wasn''t solved; on the contrary, I was trapped in a dream. Iris made a bitter face and clicked her tongue in a small way. She must have felt humiliated to be trapped in her dream. ''So Iris was trapped in a dream too? Yes. But I''ve managed to find myself again. Alpha''s dreams are gentle and comforting. But they were never kind. ''Well yes. I can see that now. My dad and mom were alive and everyone was happy. That may seem like a kind and happy world at first glance. But it doesn''t feel right. It''s very distorted. ''Mr. Alpha is trying to make the unhappy one happy. From such an Alpha-san''s point of view, I''m sure both me and Rain-sama are unhappy. ''It may look that way but I''m the one who decides that. I have no intention of leaving the decision of whether I am happy or unhappy to others. It''s something I have to carry on my own. Yes, that''s right. That thought is the reason why Lady Lane was able to wake up. ''It''s because of Iris. If you hadn''t approached me like this, I''d still be stuck in my dreams. Huh, your modesty. I''m sure Miss Lane would have woken up sooner or later even if I hadn''t spoken to her. What do you think? Iris tells me that, but I''m rather unsure. That''s how comfortable that world is. It''s a good thing that you''re able to get the most out of the game.Do you accept Mr. Alpha''s dream? I don''t think so. Like I said before, I don''t think what the Alpha is doing is the right thing to do. Showing them happy dreams and just immersing them in a gentle world. It seems like the right thing to do, but it''s also terribly distorted. I was so happy to see my dad and mom again, and that made me so happy. But originally, they are gone. I shouldn''t be able to see them again. If you twist such an obvious thing, there will be a reaction somewhere. It might be an exaggeration, but it might disturb something like the reasoning of the world. ''Anyway, I won''t start without looking into things. Besides, I''d like to talk to the Alpha as well. Wouldn''t it be quicker to knock him down? ''It depends on how they come out, but I wouldn''t want to do that if I could. For the moment, it doesn''t seem to have any bad intentions. If we can solve the problem by talking it out, then what''s the point? Feng. Lady Rain is as sweet as ever, isn''t she? It''s... But perhaps that''s why it''s so typical of Lady Lane. Iris laughs, as if she can''t help it. I was a bit surprised. They''re going to say a lot of things, aren''t they?I was ready for that... Are you stepping up to the plate? So, what are you going to do now? For now, I just want to check on everyone again. 345-Episode 345: Each Happiness Oh, Rain!Ka....eri? When I return to the inn, Kanade greets me. At first she smiled, but when her gaze shifted to Iris, who was with her, her tail became a hatena mark. It continued and changed to a surprise mark. ''''Eeeeee, yi, Iris!What, why?Why is Iris here! It''s been a long time, Mr. Kanade. How have you been doing? ''Yeah, I''m fine - and don''t get me off track! Did I just go off on a tangent? Iris looked like she was just saying hello as normal... Rather, did Kanade get carried away with the story? Really, it''s been a while!Well how long has it been?How are you?How is your journey going? A journey..... Apparently, in Kanade''s mind, Iris is supposed to have gone on a journey. It seems that the memories of her might have died or something like that have been overwritten. ''''........Rain-sama, please adjust the story appropriately. Iris says softly, in a whisper. ''Yes, the journey is going well. Well, that''s great!But why is it here? It''s just a coincidence. ''Ummm... I''m glad to see Iris again, but I''m finally coming to you, even if you say I''m doomed... Rain! Yeah? ''Well, well, you know..........Rain is our husband!You''re not allowed to get along with other girls, you know! Oh, dear. Iris laughs happily. Come to think of it, I forgot it was set up that way. So many things have happened in the last few hours... I didn''t really remember it rather seriously. ''Nya... but I''m not the only one who''s a wife, Tania, Sola and Luna are too... hmmm, is it possible for Iris to be added to that?'' Oh, would you like me to join you? ''If you say that Iris really likes Rain, then yes, I''m fine with that. Iris is welcome. ''Oh dear. Thank you for that, phew. Don''t get me started on the story... That Iris guy, he''s definitely enjoying himself. ''I''d like to ask Kanade something...'' Yeah?Meow-ni? Are you happy now? ''What''s up, all of a sudden. Well ... yeah, of course I''m happy!After all, I got to marry Rain, ke-ke-ke-ke-ke-keh! Kanade says with a very radiant smile. She looks happy from the bottom of her heart, and it makes me feel warm as I watch her smile. Apparently Kanade is still in a dream. I understood that, but........ What are you doing here, Miss Lane? Realizing that this one had a delicate look on her face, Iris asked in a whisper. ''No, how can I say........you dream of marrying me, is that what Kanade wants.......is that what you mean?'' ''''Oh my.........what do you mean by that?I''m not a very good judge of character, so you''ll have to make it clear to me. You know for sure... I don''t know what you''re talking about. Giggling, Iris laughs. It seems that her slightly nasty side hasn''t changed. ''''Well I''m sure you are very concerned about this as Rain-sama, but let''s leave it at that for now. First of all, we should check on the current situation of all of you.'''' Yeah. I''ll think about it later. For now, as Iris says, I want to know what''s going on anyway. ''Kanade. Where is everyone else? ''Tania said she''s going to teach Tina to knit in her room. Sola and Luna are going to be taught to cook by their stepfather and mother-in-law. ...Oh my goodness, they love you. You didn''t say anything about who you were working for. You said it would be later, but Iris is teasing you. Aren''t the wings on Iris''s back really the wings of a demon? What a thought, I can''t stop thinking about it. What about Nina and Rifa? ''Well I''m not sure about those two. I think they said they were going somewhere, but where was it? Appropriate.... ''But don''t worry about it. Nina''s with her mom and Rifa''s with Kalus! Nina''s mother and Mr. Callus...? I frown a little. Nina''s mother is actually missing. We don''t even know if she''s alive or dead. As for Mr. Carus..... He''s already gone. I''ve seen it with my own eyes, so I''m sure of it. Nina and Rifa seem to be trapped in a dream of someone who isn''t there now. ''Hmmm...'' For now, I was able to check on everyone''s situation. I''d like to have a face-to-face conversation with the other members who aren''t here, except for Kanade, but that can wait for later. But there are more things I want to ask about. ''Is Kanade........happy now?'' Meow?What''s wrong with you all of a sudden? Just tell me. Are you happy? ''Yes, of course!Because ... ehehe, I got to be with Rain. Do you want to do this all the time? Of course! Even if it''s not something you grabbed for yourself? ''What?What does that mean? Kanade gets a scowl. A curious look on his face.........Then his expression changes to one of wonder. ''''Huh?Oh, when did I ever get to be like this with Rain...?I always seemed to be a bit jittery...?Huh? Perhaps Kanade has not fully embraced the dream. He seems to have a small sense of discomfort with the reality in front of him, and he feels uncomfortable. ''Rain-sama. With the current situation that I don''t understand, it''s not a good idea to stimulate you too much...'''' Yeah, I know. I don''t want to force you to wake up. So..... I''ll be waiting for you. With that word, I walked out of the inn. ''Miss Lane, is that all right?Kanade seemed slightly uncomfortable with this reality. Maybe if we talk about it in a logical way, you might notice it. ''Maybe so but maybe it''s not enough. I think if I don''t defeat my own dreams, I''ll be trapped again. Besides.... Is it bad to be immersed in a dream? I can''t say no to that yet. ''What will you do next, sir?'' I''m worried about Chiffon and the others. 346-Episode 346: The Happiness the Hero Wants ''Iris knows about Chiffon, doesn''t she? As I walked around town looking for Chiffon and the others, I asked Iris, who was walking next to me, about that. ''Huh?'' I mean, if I told you the name Chiffon, you wouldn''t respond with a response of "Oh, really?So you know. Uh.... what a trivial slip-up I made. Iris made an awkward face and huffily looked away. It''s very suspicious. Was he planning something? ''I''m sure little is known about Chiffon being the next brave man. .... It''s a bit of a stretch to say that we''re all going to the same place by chance, don''t you think? .... He was looking into Chiffon or had a purpose in mind. ''''I understand, I understand......I''ve lost. ''It''s Iris that bothers me. I mean ... I don''t want to have to fight again, if possible. I remember the time I fought for my life with Iris. I had no other choice but to fight back then, but.... If possible, I don''t want to fight with Iris again. Dear Rain......... So, please. If it''s something you''re thinking about, I want you to tell me. If it''s something that''s troubling you, you''ll tell me. I''ll help you. You are the same as you were back then, absurdly good-natured and somewhat dangerous... but you still have a very kind heart. Iris stared at me while slightly staining her cheeks. The emotion in those eyes is........trust? And is it kindness? I knew Iris was different. She''s completely different from the last time we fought. Her personality is the same as before, but she''s become more rounded, or... more like a possession that has fallen from her. I understand. I''ve been blurting out the details about me, but what has happened and what I''ve come to think about? I''ll tell you all about it. Really? Yes. I''m a man of my word, you know? If you like it, then what? Huh, you remembered that one. Iris laughs like a naughty child. These things don''t seem to have changed. ''''Don''t worry. As I said before, I like you, Rainsama. I''ll keep my promise to you. Well then.... It''s just that ... it seems there are more important things to do than deal with me at the moment. Glancing over, Iris flicked her gaze away. I followed her gaze and.... Chiffon! There was a brave man who was missing. ---------- "Hmm, I''m very nervous. ''Well...'' In contrast to Iris, who seemed to be enjoying herself, I was in dire need of help. What kind of situation is Chiffon in right now? In order to confirm this, we decided to observe them from a distance first, and we are following them. In doing so, for some reason, I had to get in tight with Iris. We hid in the shadows, so that our bodies were stacked on top of each other... It''s like a lover having a secret rendezvous. What''s wrong, Miss Lane?You''re blushing. Iris was grinning, looking like she was having a great time. ''''Aside from the tail, why do we have to be so close together.......? ''Oh, of course. If you don''t stand on your own, you will be found easily. We don''t have the skills to follow someone. Then, in layman''s terms, don''t you think it would be more difficult to understand this way? It''s... You may or may not have a point.... To tell you the truth, though, I do enjoy the pleasure of seeing Miss Lane snuggling up to me. Hey. Pardon me. I can''t blame Iris for this, although I sigh with a sigh of relief. Not in a weird way, but somehow, I was enjoying this time. Before, I rarely had time to talk to Iris slowly like this... I''ve been caught up in some unusual circumstances, but I''ve found this time to be fun. However, I really can''t just enjoy it. We have to do what we have to do, and we have to do it right. ''Where''s the chiffon?'' Don''t worry. He doesn''t seem to notice us. We''re gonna keep following Chiffon and... He stopped shortly afterwards. Chiffon joined a man and woman who looked like an old married couple. They seemed to be very happy and talking in a friendly manner. ''''Is this your family?'''' ''Maybe. Normally it would be grandma and grandpa, but... For that, Chiffon seemed too friendly. He''s smiling and occasionally touching the old couple''s body with a plop. When you''re our age, you start to treat your grandparents with a certain amount of respect. When you''re a kid, you''re not reserved, but when you''re an adult, you learn to be civil. But Chiffon''s attitude is not a so-so attitude towards his grandparents. But Chiffon''s attitude is not the same as that of her grandparents, but more like that of her own parents. A child is always a child........ We continue to be rather friendly with our parents. Well, that''s a generalization that doesn''t apply to anyone else. I''m not quite sure what kind of relationship we have, and I''m just watching it happen.... Chiffon walked out with the old couple. As he followed them, he saw them enter a restaurant that specialized in food. ''''Meals.......it looks like. What did Rain-sama think?'''' Grandparents or parents, I''m not sure about that part but if you''re thinking about it, it''s usually a family dinner together. That''s true. That''s exactly what I''m saying. It''s a common, common sight, just like any other. Yeah. It''s a normal sight. I mean.... Chiffon is happy with that kind of normalcy, that''s all. Maybe she couldn''t take it for granted. What kind of past could she have? What experiences have you been through? I''m strongly concerned about her. ''''At first, I guess this is what we have to say about the brave girl. From the looks of it, she seems to be completely trapped in a dream. That''s painful........and considering the fact that our brave companions are invisible, they must be trapped in their dreams as well. What do you do now? ''Well...'' At any rate, I would like to meet and talk to the Alpha who caused this to happen. If I don''t know her, I can''t make a decision on what to do or how to move forward. ''I need to talk to Ms. Alpha. Iris, do you know where she is? I don''t know. After I helped him, he disappeared somewhere... and then I got trapped in a dream, just for a while. So I completely lost track of him. ''I see... so let''s make finding Mr. Alpha our next objective, shall we? But what will you do?Kagne is a big city. If you include the surrounding areas, the area to be searched is huge. It''s not easy, but we can''t do it alone. Then get some help. 347-Episode 347: Dialogue, Part 1 We made a tentative deal with a few stray dogs and asked them to search the city for Mr. Alpha''s scent on Iris'' body... But you won''t find it. Yeah. In front of me, the dogs looked troubled and cooed and whimpered. They couldn''t find their target and came back. ''Alright. Thanks for your hard work. Here''s your reward. I pat the dogs on the head and give them the meat on the bone that I bought in advance. Are you sure?He looked at me like, "I''m sorry," but when he took a bite of the bone-in meat in his mouth, he ran off happily. ''You''re rewarding me for my failure? You did your job. I''m not gonna be a dick about not getting it right. What are you going to do now?Shall I use wild birds next? ''Wild birds have good eyes, but they don''t have an excellent nose like dogs do. I think it''s a very fine line between what we can expect and what we can expect to achieve. So you have a better idea? Well...... It''s not like we''re going to find Mr. Alpha with the methods we''ve been using. We''ll have to go with some kind of entanglement. Then..... ...Okay, let''s give it a try. For coming up with your next plan so easily, Master Lane is out of the norm... It''s not that I''m substandard, although Iris says it with a dumbfounded and impressed look. There is no limit to what one person can do.... I''m always getting help from someone else. That''s all. So don''t be conceited, don''t be smug.... I think we need to continue to be honest with someone. ---------- All right, we''re all set. I''m sorry, but we''re gonna need your help again. I signed another tentative contract with the dogs I mentioned earlier. The dogs didn''t seem to have any problems.......if anything, they were wagging their tails in a motivated manner, as if they were trying to redeem themselves. ''You''re going to use the dogs again?But you failed once... Now, I''ll change it up a bit. Follow in the footsteps of the Alpha, not the man himself. Footprints? ''The dream encompasses the entire Kagne. I don''t think we can remotely control all of this, as expected, so I think Alpha is somewhere in this city. So far? Yes, I can''t argue with that. ''Of course, I''m hiding out to avoid detection. But we can''t stay in hiding all the time. We have to go out there to buy food and other things. I have to get in touch with someone, somewhere. Some people cut ties with the mundane world and live completely self-sufficient... but I don''t think we can afford to do that while maintaining our dreams. So..... ''I see. You mean, following in the footsteps of Mr. Alpha, who inevitably leaves behind when he goes out, right? Correct. It''s a bit of a detour, but this should help us find Mr. Alpha. The dogs do their best once again and we follow the trail. The first step is to go downtown, where various shops are lined up. The dogs will lead you to a small restaurant at the far end of the street. From there, we follow more footprints, but... When we came to the outskirts of town, the dogs were lost again. They are wandering to the right and left, whimpering in confusion. They can''t seem to trace the scent any further. ''It''s not a river or some other place where the scent is broken. So that means........ Warding...? Maybe it''s the right thing to do. No wonder the dogs fail twice. I mean, they should have at least considered the possibility of warding...hmmm. Maybe it''s because everyone else is taken in by the dream, or maybe I was in a hurry and missed some minor possibilities. I need to calm down and keep my cool. That''s what I told myself as I gave the dogs their reward and parted ways. ''I guess we''ll have to find our own way down the road. ''''Fortunately, I think we''re halfway there. Now if we could only manage the wards... Couldn''t Iris disarm them? "If it''s something used in battle, such as defensive wards, you can break them by force, but if it''s a hallucinatory ward that deceives the place, it''s difficult. If it''s okay to bomb the whole area, we can blow them all up together, but....... No, okay? ''Yes. I was hoping you would say that. Like Tania, why does the strongest species have a tendency to lean in the direction of the most dangerous ideas...? Are they a fighting race...? Well, no need to push the boundaries. What do you mean? ''We''ve tracked down the store where we think Mr. Alpha might have a foot in the door. Then it''s going to be an endurance battle, but all we have to do is ambush him there. I see. Well, now that you mention it, I suppose. Once Iris is convinced, I go back downtown and make a stakeout near a small store. Iris and I hide in the shadows and wait for Mr. Alpha to arrive. ''He doesn''t show up very often, does he?'' We''ve only been on the stakeout for a little while now. We''ll just have to be patient. I don''t like to do the simple things. No well apparently we won''t be kept waiting. A woman appeared. A single horn sprouted from her forehead. Her hair was parted to the left and right around that corner and flowed over her shoulders. She was quite beautiful, although she wore a somewhat reserved air. I think ten people out of ten would fawn over her. She wears wide, loose clothing. Clothes..........is it? I''ve hardly ever seen the type before...well, is this what a kimono is called, passed down to Kagne? That woman is heading straight for us. Stopping in front of us, she bowed lightly and gave a gentle smile. ''''Hello.'''' Oh, yes ... hello. I can''t help but reflexively return the thank you for my too-normal attitude. However, Iris next to me has a stern look on her face. ''How do you do, Alpha-san?'' Iris said with a spine in her voice. I knew it, this is Alpha-san........ At first glance, I understood it intuitively, but.... However, I can''t hide my confusion about showing up so easily like this. As if reading my mind, Alpha-san opens her mouth. ''''I''m sorry. I wasn''t trying to hide my appearance.......I was concentrating on maintaining the wards earlier, so I naturally did something that kept both people and animals away. I apologize. ''Well I mean, do you admit that you are creating this status quo?'' Yes, I know. It was easily admitted. Normally in these situations, there is a development of denial or bluntness...? Besides, I can''t sense any kind of malice from Alpha-san. He seems to be a different type of person in many ways than the ones I''ve dealt with in the past. This could be dangerous. I brace myself and continue the conversation. ''There''s a lot of things I need to ask you about, okay?'' ''Yes, that''s fine. I showed up like this to talk to you guys. Talk to us?It was ... for what purpose? ''You are the ones who have awakened from my dream. Why are you doing this?Why do we walk through the painful reality?I wanted to ask you about that. Also, if I could, I wanted you to embrace my dream again. That''s no different than a declaration of hostility... But even at times like this, I didn''t feel any hostility or malice from her. On the contrary, I felt her concern and kindness towards us. She considers her own actions to be an absolute good...? Otherwise, I can''t explain this attitude. ''Well....'' Alpha-san suddenly looked troubled. He looked at me a few times and clammed up... oh, so that''s what he meant. ''My bad. Come to think of it, we haven''t introduced ourselves. Whatever you''re dealing with, at least have the decency to show it. My name is Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer. Thank you. I am Alpha. I''m a demon of the dreamer demon species. And I am a happy dream guide. 348-Episode 348: Dialogue, Part 2 ''I know Alpha wanted to talk to you, but can I ask you a lot of questions first?'' ''Yes, that''s fine. It''s one of my goals to convince Mr. Rayne of that. Thank you. It may be premature, but he doesn''t seem like a bad person. She has a friendly personality and she''s very easy to talk to. Well she''s the one who created this situation, and she''s not someone I can let my heart go to. ''''Then let me ask you straight up.......why are you doing this?'''' ''You''re really straightforward. Huh, I don''t hate people like that. Mr. Alpha laughs gently. It''s extremely difficult to do things when you''re shown such an attitude. The opponents I''ve confronted so far have almost always been hostile to me. Iris next to me has also been hostile when I''ve confronted her. However, that was not the case with Alpha-san. ''Don''t you think the world is full of unreasonable things?Sickness, accidents, crime, malice - they come at us in unexpected ways with their fangs. Only a handful of people are able to resist them. Most people are swallowed up, hurt and unhappy. Well, there''s no denying it. While there is a bit of exaggeration, it doesn''t mean that Alpha is wrong in what he is saying. ''I want to save people who are unhappy. No, I want to get rid of the misery itself. For that reason........ Did you create this situation? Yes, that''s right. How on earth did you do that? ''Using my abilities as the strongest species, and with the help of Mr. Iris there,'' I saw Iris look away awkwardly. She seemed to be remorseful. ''What exactly is the method...'' ''''I''m sorry, but that''s a secret. At the moment, we don''t know how Rain and the others will work so we can''t add to the uncertainty as much as possible. You''re right, I''m not naive enough to blurt out important information. Why would you want to save the unfortunate? ''There''s someone in need right in front of me. Reaching out to that person ... that''s all it takes. "Reaching out... I wouldn''t care deeply if I was merely lending a helping hand or helping out. But to let them dream happy dreams and escape reality... "Do you think my dreams are an escape from reality? How could you... Miss Lane has a tendency to show her face. Iris said with a slightly nasty look on her face. As if that was no doubt, Alpha-san also nodded with a slightly troubled look on her face. Am I that much in your face...? I don''t intend to do it, but I''d better not get involved in any betting. ''You know what I mean, Mr. Lane and Mr. Iris, because you''ve been through it at least once.My dream is both a dream and a reality. They can be there as certainties. But it''s only a dream, right?You''ll wake up one day. ''No, it won''t be. It''s still precarious at the moment but once the procedure is fully completed, the dream will become a reality. I mean.... Does that mean you can rewrite reality the way you want it to be rewritten? That''s just like God. ''You''ll just have to believe me, sir, but I have no ill will. Showing people dreams and hurting them I don''t think about such things. The only thing I''m thinking about is. I just want to create a happy world. Is that why you kept my people and the people of Kagne in your dreams? I swear, you can''t force it. Those who don''t have scars in their hearts are unaffected. Only the wounded will respond to my dreams and accept them for what they are. Did you find my dream compelling? It''s... I don''t think so. The dreams that Alpha-san showed me were full of happiness, to the point that I naturally accepted them. But that didn''t mean it was.... Can''t you accept my dream? Seeming to have seen through our hesitation, Alpha-san asks quietly. ''''I wanted to ask you something as well.......why are Rain-san and Iris-san awake?Why do you reject your dreams? You know what to do. Iris replies firmly for me. ''A dream is just a dream. A dream is just a dream. There is no point in clinging to them. We are living in the present. That''s why we have to move forward. Dreaming is nothing but a meaningless, foolish escape from reality. What''s wrong with escaping reality? ... what? ''The reality is full of hard things. Who decided that you have to confront it?Running away is evil, is that what you''re saying? It''s... ''Maybe you can say that because you''re strong, Iris,'' he said, ''but not everyone in the world is like that. But not everyone is like that. Some people are weak. They can be overwhelmed by a painful reality. That''s why I decided to show them my dream. To help those people. .... Iris stopped speaking. She listened to Alpha''s words. Maybe she herself is lost somewhere. ...like me. "I woke up.... Maybe the world Alpha is trying to create is very kind. Everyone can be happy and never get hurt. That''s why I felt lost. Maybe Alpha-san is right?What a thought. But. After what Iris said earlier, I can make up my mind. I''m alive now. Those words hit me hard in my chest and broke through my doubts. "Because I''m alive. ''Cause you''re alive?As Mr. Iris said, what do you mean by that? I mean it just the way it is. If you''re alive, there are times when you''re happy and times when you''re not. That''s the nature of life, that''s what it means to be alive. .... ''And yet, to cut out the good and eliminate all the bad is just too convenient. You can''t say you''re alive then. You have to take it all in, the good and the bad, and move on. If you don''t do that, you will never grow. I''m sorry. Alpha-san, who was quietly listening to the conversation, let out a small sigh. The emotion in her eyes........is resignation. ''I don''t mean to deny the words of Rain-san and Iris-san, but..................after all, those are the words of the strong. They don''t think of the weak as if they were the weak. Don''t think that everyone can live like you guys. One small wound can be fatal to some people. But that''s...! ''''It seems that the conversation has broken down. That doesn''t mean I''m not going to act like I''m going to get rid of you or attack you right now, but at least get out of my way. If you''re going to walk away from Kagne, I''ll swear that I won''t do anything. Well.... I tried to keep him back, but before I could, a white fog enveloped Alpha-san. Soon the fog would disappear, but.... Alpha-san is already gone. ''He got away, didn''t he? ...or should I say, missed. It''s not quite so easy to judge. ''Dear Rayne. What do you plan to do now?From the way Alpha was talking, though, it seemed like if you didn''t walk away, you could use your powers if you got in the way. I''m going to stop the Alpha. Partly because my friends and Chiffon and the others are trapped in a dream... More than that, I can''t accept a world like this. If you dream, you will be happy. Sure, you may be right. But what do I do when the dream comes to an end? Mr. Alpha, who creates dreams, is not immortal. One day the dream will end. And there will come a time when you will have to face reality. If you''re dreaming, you won''t grow, you''ll degenerate in reverse. And when you wake up the first thing you will definitely be crushed by reality. Like Iris said, it''s seriously just an escape from reality... We are only depriving them of the opportunity to grow and, conversely, to degenerate and make their ruin definite. That''s how I see it. Which argument is correct? That''s for people to judge later on.... I''m living in the present, I just have to believe in what I think is right and push forward. "Hmph, it''s just like you, Rain. I was hoping you would say that. Iris smiled very happily when she heard my thoughts. ''About the future but first I want to wake up everyone. ''''That''s right. We''re short on hands, and without those girls, we''re pretty much down to our strength. Just before that... "Before that? ''Can you tell me a story about Iris?That was the deal, wasn''t it? ...You remembered. Iris sighed, feeling like a child whose mischief had been discovered. 349-Episode 349: I Want to Help Mr. Alpha didn''t seem like the kind of person who would lie. So, nothing will happen to him for a while, and he''ll be able to live a normal life. That''s why we decided to talk to him first, without rushing. If we return to the inn, Kanade and his friends will be there, so we can''t talk to them calmly. So we moved to the park in town. ''So nothing has changed in the park or anything else? It''s still beautiful.'''' .... What is it?You know, I wasn''t expecting that look. I also have a heart for nature. The only thing I don''t like is people. ''Well I''m sorry. I may have been a little prejudiced. ''Well, it can''t be helped. I''ve shown you a lot of things in front of Miss Lane. Do you hate people now? I hate you. While answering clearly, strangely, I didn''t feel any kind of hatred or killing intent from Iris. Before, she had given off a sharp hint that she would be cut off if she touched him.... That''s not true now. He was very calm and collected. ''Has anything happened since then?'' You seem to be surprised at the change in me, but it was Lady Lane who made me do this. Me? ''Meeting you, talking to you, fighting with you they have changed the way my mind is. And about that, well I don''t feel bad about it. "...Iris... Oh... Iris looks like she''s huffing and puffing. What is he talking about to himself? I blush and get shy like that. ''Wow, you were talking about me, weren''t you? Then I heard about Iris. What''s happened since then? What have you done? Fortunately, or should I say, we have time. I listened to those stories slowly. ''''So..... ''Oh, I see, that''s what happened to Iris...'' The demon race helped me, recruited me, did some work... It''s an indescribable feeling to know the blankness of Iris''s time that I hadn''t known before. I''m glad that Iris is alive. I just can''t believe she was saved by the demon race.... And they are being recruited. Will Iris cooperate with the demon race? If so, would they turn on each other again? Iris is.... I won''t. What? ''You want to ask me if I''m going to cooperate with the demon race?'' ...Was it possible that I was in your face again? ''Yes, extremely. Phew. Iris laughs happily. Since she really looks like she''s enjoying herself, our tension disappears. ''''I owe a debt of gratitude to the demon tribe for saving me, but I won''t cooperate. Why is that?From Iris''s point of view, it doesn''t seem to be a problem to cooperate... oh, no. Not that I want you to cooperate, of course. ''''Well it''s true, Lady Lane is right. Even now, the fact that they hate humans doesn''t change. However......... But? ''''........In that case, you would have to fight with Rain-sama again, wouldn''t you? I don''t want to do that. He smiles like a frustrated child, which is typical of Iris, and says so. ''I see.......good. I don''t want to fight with Iris again either. Is that because I''m so strong? Say it to yourself. Hmm, it''s true. Totally.... Iris laughs, and I laugh along with her. Suddenly, as I do this, I feel like I''m on the verge of tears. I can''t believe I''m going to be able to talk to Iris again. I can''t believe we''re laughing at each other. It''s an exaggeration, but it''s a dream come true, I think. That''s how much not being able to help Iris had affected me. ''If you''ve told me a lot of things, then you''re not going to follow the demon race anymore, are you? ''Yes, I do,'' she said, ''but that doesn''t mean I''m going to sell out. I owe her a debt of gratitude, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to sell out everything I own. What I do with it is up to me. Well, good, but then what do we do now?Assuming you''ve solved this case you''re involved in now, I''m asking you what happens afterwards... What can I do for you? As if to say, "I''m in trouble," Iris put a hand to her cheek and tilted her head. I don''t think it''s an act. It''s like she can''t really decide what to do from now on. Nope. Not so much deciding, but rather not thinking about it? My whole purpose in life has been revenge. But now I don''t intend to kill people for nothing. That would leave us with nothing, nothing at all. That''s... but in other words, you can do whatever you want, you can do anything you want, can''t you? That''s true, that''s true. But it is also true that when you are given such freedom, you do not know what to do. The shame of it is that I don''t know how to do it alone. That said, Iris was like a lost child. She doesn''t know what to do on her own, she just looks anxious. She can''t move without a signpost, so she goes back and forth on the same path. I can''t leave Iris alone now. Such a strong feeling comes up. Someone has to be there for her. Someone needs to back him up. This time, I need to make sure I don''t make a mistake. If that role is required........ Why don''t you come with me? Those words came naturally. Iris scowled. ''Huh?'' Come travel with us. Come be an adventurer. How about that?I''m sure it will be fun. ''But that''s not...'' You don''t like it? No, no!No way! Then come with me as soon as I solve this case. I want you to join my party. I would love to be with her, I strongly believe. ''But I''ve killed a lot of people. My hands are stained with blood. I can''t be with someone like Miss Lane with such a person... Okay. I don''t care. Yes ... no, but ... that easily ... Sure, Iris has sinned. Maybe she can''t pay for it. But, you know, she''s still alive. You can still walk forward. So ... if you want to share that path with me, why not?There''s no such thing as a sinner having to be alone. But I''m afraid Lady Rain and the others are in trouble. Yeah, that could happen. But if something goes wrong, I want to be with Iris. That''s what I want to do. You are selfish, Miss Lane. Iris gave a small smile. It was the smile of a girl of her age. ''''Can I hold off on responding?Let me think about it some more. All right. I won''t force you, and I don''t want to rush you. Take your time and think about it. Yes, thank you. 350-Chapter 350 Exposure For now, let''s end the Iris recruitment story. Now we need to figure out how to wake everyone up from their dreams. We''ll discuss measures to do that. ''By the way........what kind of dreams are you and Kanade and the others having? ''Well...'' Thinking back to each of them, I put them into words one by one. ''Nina was with your mother, wasn''t she? She didn''t usually show it, but I think she misses her mother. They were separated a long time ago, and it seems like she''s still missing him. ''''I see.......I''m sure of it. That child of the divine race is still very young. It wouldn''t be unreasonable for her to seek out her mother. ''Tina ... did she come back to life because she had legs?She seems to have accepted that she''s a ghost, but I guess there''s still a part of her that wishes she was alive. That makes sense. We all want to be alive. ''Rifa you were with your brother who was supposed to be dead. Your brother died not long ago, so I guess he hasn''t gotten his mind around it yet. I don''t know the person, but if Lady Lane says so, then it must be so. It''s just that the four of them seem to be having the same dream. ''Kanade, Tania, Sora and Luna I''m not sure about them. Don''t you understand?No discernible change? ''No, there are some, but I don''t know why I''m dreaming about it...'' Is that a dream? I explain the current situation of Kanade and the others to a dubious Iris. The four of them, all four of them together, are dreaming that they are married to me for some reason.... ''It''s funny. The four of us, all four of us........there''s a part of me that doesn''t understand why I''m dreaming about that. According to Alpha-san, we''re supposed to be having happy dreams. .................... For some reason, Iris let out a deep sigh. Then, she turned her eyes on us, which were rather sharp and accusing. ''''I knew Rain-sama had a dull side, but I didn''t expect her to go this far...'''' What, Iris?Um ... why am I being stared at? Are you an idiot, Master Lane? He flinches when he suddenly hits me with curses. ''''Even insensitivity can be too much, you know how to hurt them, right?Please think a little more about your partner. If you behave like Lady Rain, you''ll have women crying all over the place. ''Well, um ... why is Iris angry?'' It''s a powerful reflexive way to say sorry, but.... But there''s no point in apologizing with just words. We need to find the cause of the problem and understand it properly. It can''t be helped. Normally I shouldn''t be the one to say this kind of thing, but unless Rain-sama is aware of it, I don''t think we''ll be able to move forward with the situation. Well ... if you can, can you tell me what you can do? Let me give you a hint. Mr. Kanade and the others are dreaming that they''re married to Miss Lane... is there any doubt about that? ''Oh, yeah. That''s right. Then the answer is no other, and it''s very simple. To marry Miss Lane is their dream. They are happy. ''Well maybe it''s not...'' After being told this much, I understood indeed. I see. I can''t help but be angry at Iris for being called ridiculously dull. Rather, it''s natural to be angry. ............Although I try to analyze it calmly. The truth is, I''m so upset that I want to scream, yeah, yeah, yeah. My head is spinning and I can''t find the right words to say. Still, I manage to calm my mind and get the words out. "Kanade and the others........have.......romantic feelings for me? Yeah, you''re right. .... What are you doing here, Miss Lane? .... Miss Lane?Miss Lane? .... ''You seem to be lightly disorientated by surprise... haha, dear. How in the world can one be so insensitive and yet so pure? I had a feeling that Iris was saying something, but I couldn''t hear anything now. ---------- I''m sorry, I''m a little... no. I''m quite distraught. After five minutes or so, I came back to myself and bowed my head to Iris, who was dumbfounded. I''m not going to say this at all, but Rain-sama is sloppy. It''s hard to believe that he was the one who defeated me. ''No, I''m... sorry. I''ve never had any experience in that area before, so I didn''t know what to do... I lost my hometown as a child, and since then I''ve been struggling to live, and I haven''t had time for love... After joining Arios'' party, I was desperate in a different way and... Therefore, it''s as if I have no experience. I mean, that''s an excuse. I don''t know how long it''s been going on, but... Kanade and the others have those feelings for me. I''m sorry that I didn''t realize that, and it''s solely my fault for not realizing that. "What should I look like in the future when dealing with Kanade and the others... ''Miss Lane, you''re missing the point. Right now it''s not about how to deal with these girls'' feelings, but how to wake them up. ''Well, that''s right I''m sorry, really, I''m sorry. I guess I''m still confused. Really, you''re not very good at romance, are you? Don''t you dare... Well, okay. I suppose that gives me a better chance. What did you say? ''It''s nothing. Instead, we need to figure out a way to wake up Mr. Kanade and the others. Iris is right. We need to make that one a priority and act accordingly. If we fail.... Kanade and the others have been trapped in their dreams for a long time. ''If ... if the girls want to keep dreaming, then what will you do, Lady Rain? It wasn''t impossible. I was trapped in a dream myself at first and... It''s a very pleasant place to be, more than anything else, and I''m very happy there. I want to stay, even if it''s just an illusion. I denied the dream, but maybe Kanade and the others will accept it. If that''s the case.... ''I''m sorry to say to Kanade and the others, but I''m going to force you to wake up. ''''Oh. That''s a bit of an unexpected answer... I thought Rain-sama would respect everyone''s feelings and say it was inevitable at the time. ''If I could have been truly happy, I would have, but that''s not true. I can assure you now. Alpha-san''s dream is nothing more than a dream. Just an illusion. I talked to Iris, I talked to Mr. Alpha in person... Any hesitation I had at first is gone. What Alpha-san is doing is wrong. I was able to say that. ''''Then, shall we move on with the policy of making Kanade-san and the others wake up? Yeah, I''ll do that. Let''s go see her immediately. Just like with Miss Lane, if you take the time to talk to her, she might wake up. Uh ... sorry. Give me a minute. What''s the matter? ''No, I mean I don''t know how to face Kanade and the others now that I know how they feel, but I need some more time to relax. ...a maiden? Oh dear, Iris let out a deep sigh. I''m sorry. 351-Episode 351 Are you happy? All right. See you later. You''re all set. ''That''s good to hear. So what kind of answer will Lady Rain give to the feelings of Mr. Kanade and the others? "...aren''t you being mean to me? I''m sorry. It''s a rare thing to see Lady Raine get this flustered. Iris smiled happily. The wings on her back were turning into those of a little devil......... ''I''ll get to that point ... it''s not fair, but I''ll put it behind me. I feel like talking to Kanade and the others now would only confuse them, and besides, it''s something he found out about without his intentions. I don''t know what to think about that. That''s really not fair. Ugh..... But, Raine-sama''s sincerity in trying to face them head on. I can have a good feeling about that. Well, considering the insensitivity I''ve had up until now, it''s plus or minus zero. "...Is Iris trying to compliment me or put me down? Hmm. Now, which one is it? It''s just a bad minute. No, well, it''s not what I deserve. ''I''ll put waking up Kanade and the others first I agree with you on that. It''s probably best not to talk about anything else right now. Where are Kanade-san and the others? I think he''s at the inn. So, me and Iris moved to the inn. "......... Iris looks a little uncomfortable. If you think about it, this is the first time Iris has seen Kanade and the others face to face since they fought in the Zith village. Maybe that''s why she''s feeling awkward. ''''........Ah......'''' I wanted her to calm down and get back to her usual form. I think about what I can do to help, and I hold Iris''s hand. Feeling someone''s warmth calms us down. Iris is the most powerful species, but.... I figured that the way my heart was, it wouldn''t change, so I did it. ''''........Rain-sama.......'''' I''ll be fine. Thank you. Iris''s smile returns as the excess strength is released from her body. "It''s just........you should refrain from suddenly grabbing the maiden''s hand. You might give them the wrong idea. ''What?No, it''s not.... Shall I be mistaken? What? Hmmm, just kidding. Oh, man. In many ways, I''m being pushed around by Iris. It''s good to see you''re feeling better but.... I wondered if I was getting a little too energetic. ''Ah, it''s Rayne! The door to the inn opened, revealing Kanade. Next to her, Luna is also there. You''ve got a great idea. You''ve come to the right place. Hmm?You were looking for me? ''Mmm!Thought I''d better go grocery shopping for some dinner. So what do you want to eat tonight, Rain?I will make it! Nya, I''ll make it with you. Hmm. It''s a joint effort by our wives. Oh I feel sorry for Sora, but you can rest assured that we won''t let her get away with it, okay? After all this time........it''s really after all this time, but I didn''t know they thought of me that way. I''m sorry for being late in realizing it, but at the same time I''m happy. Whatever it is, it''s nice to be favored. ''Rain?What''s going on?You look kind of difficult. ''Oh ... no, it''s nothing. It''s more than that... Oh, it''s Iris. Good to see you again. What''s going on? Hmm?.........oh?It''s really Iris, if you ask me!It''s been a long time! Hmm. How do you do? Luna seems to be genuinely happy to see Iris again and has a nice smile on her face. ''Hm?Does Kanade know that Iris is there? Yeah. I ran into him the other day. ''I see. You should have told me but it''s been a really long time since I''ve been here, so I was surprised. ''Yeah, it''s been a really long time. The last time I saw you... when I saw you... what?What was it? Have you lost your mind, Kanade?Iris and... hmm?What is it? Their memories of the fight with Iris seem to have been tampered with, and they look dubious. I don''t dare to point it out because it''s more convenient for me right now. If I explain it from the beginning, I''ll have to explain the dream, too. ''Well, well, it doesn''t really matter, does it? More importantly, may I have a word with you? Meow?I don''t mind, but.... Well, I don''t mind. I''m not in a hurry to go shopping. So ... are you two happy now? ''What?What does that mean...? Hm?I''m not sure I understand your question? They look at me curiously, and I take over Iris'' words and ask them too. ''Now, do you want this time to last forever do you think so? ''Well, I''m not sure what Rain and the others are trying to say but of course! Kanade says with a smile. ''I am happy now!Hence, you''ll want this to last forever. Isn''t it obvious? Luna says with a smile. ''Do you want to do this all the time?'' ''Yes!Because you and Rain finally got together and... what?But when did I confess to you...? ''They want to stay like this for as long as possible. It''s not everyone''s....hmm?When did this time start in the first place...? Kanade and Luna tilted their heads in a small way as they felt something tugging at them. They groaned. It doesn''t look like they can''t wake up right now... However, I could see the potential. They hadn''t fully embraced the dream, and somewhere along the line they seemed to have doubts. ''''Well Rain-sama, if you keep pushing, you might be able to wake up. Iris gives me that kind of advice in a whisper.... ...No. Let''s not go any further for now. ...Why is that? We could have woken up unscathed, but not all of us. We don''t know how it will affect us, and we''ll have to wait and see, little by little. Fortunately, we have some leeway now. ........Totally. It''s a very sweetheart of a fellow human being, isn''t it? But that''s just like you, Rain. I''m so relieved that nothing has changed. Iris smiles serenely. The emotion floating in her eyes is kindness. I can''t believe I can see this kind of expression on Iris'' face... I can''t help but be surprised. I thought she was a kind girl at heart but.... Before, it was hard to see the gentleness because of the vengefulness on display. But now, she is rather calm. What has changed her? Maybe I had something to do with it? If so, it seemed like a very nice thing to do. ''Nyah, Rain?Are we ... forgetting something? Mm, I don''t feel so good. ''Think about it. That''s all I can say right now. Meow? Where is everyone else? Well Tania, Sola and Tina are at the inn. Do you think Nina and Rifa have gone off again? Yeah, thanks. He thanked them and turned to go inside the inn. Before that, he looked at Kanade and Luna again. ''Kanade, Luna I trust you. Meow? Hmm? They looked dubious, but right now, they didn''t say anything more. I moved with Iris into the inn. 352-Episode 352: Where is Real Happiness? Afterwards, I spoke with Tania and Sola. Their reactions are much the same as Kanade and the others. Although they were trapped in the dream, they were not completely immersed in it. They seemed to feel something uncomfortable. I believe it. With those words, I left Tania and Sora and.... Continuing on, we decided to look for Nina. ''Well where is Nina?'' A girl of the gods, I believe. What kind of dreams did she have? You dream about being with your mother. Who is Nina''s real mother? ...missing. Well..... Nina usually didn''t seem to miss her mother... My eyes are a hell of a knothole. How could a child ... and a little one like Nina be okay with being away from her mother? Even if on the surface there is nothing there, deep down inside, she must have been searching for her mother. I''m not sure what I''ve done not to notice that until now. ''''Rain-sama, you don''t have to worry about it. Did you read what I was thinking again? It''s easy to understand. Totally.... Iris doesn''t try to be mischievous and says with a serious face. ''It''s a flaw of Rain-sama''s that she carries everything on her back just because she''s a companion... but it''s also a virtue. Keep a good distance and don''t make a mistake in adding or subtracting. ''That being said I think I know I''m being too nosy or too concerned or something. Treating someone''s problems as if they were your own, even though they are your friend, is an extreme act. In other words, it''s an inflated arrogance to think that you''re the one to solve all problems. But still. Even so. After all, I do care about Nina. I can''t help but care about my friends. Because.... I think that''s what being a friend is all about. Oh, man! When I told her my thoughts, Iris gave a wry smile. But it wasn''t a disgusting kind of giggle... It was somewhat gentle, like a parent looking out for their child. ''''It''s just like you, Rain-sama,'''' Yeah?I know it''s called hubris, but I don''t blame you... ''But only if you stick to it.... That''s the reason why everyone chooses to be with you," she said. I, too....wish to be with you. "...Iris... Phew, too much chatter. As if to say the story is over, Iris is one step ahead of me. I feel like I could touch Iris'' heart now... Have they not yet opened up to you completely? Or..... Does Iris have any doubts? Miss Lane?You''re going to leave me behind. Oh, yeah I''m sorry. I was just spaced out. ''Hmph, get a grip. You''re not just a vague cat, Kanade. Is that phrase popular...? Well. I''m curious about Iris, but... They say you can''t chase two rabbits without catching one, and right now we have to put Nina first. ''Which one should we look for?'' ''Well let''s find a park or a street lined with stalls or something like that. And if I''m going to take a walk with my mother, that''s probably the theory. Yes, sir. It''s just... Iris looked at me. I met her sharp gaze and nodded back. Then I looked around. ''You''re surrounded.'' Yeah, that''s right. A stinging killing spirit flies in from all directions. Because of the fog, visibility is poor and we can''t see anything that looks like an enemy. But there''s something out there, and it''s definitely targeting us. ''Are they the assassins of Alpha-san?It''s reasonable to assume that he hated us and tried to eliminate us by force... No, I don''t think so. Is that so? ''Mr. Alpha said he wasn''t going to do anything to mess with us for a while. He didn''t seem like the kind of person who would break that promise, did he? I understand what you''re saying, Rain-sama, but I''m glad to hear that it''s easier for me to understand and talk to you, Alpha-san''s assassin. Now, if that someone surrounding us isn''t an assassin for Mr. Alpha.... There are going to be other forces at play. It''s quite a messy situation. Do you have any idea who Iris is? "The demon tribe that''s helping me.... ''I don''t remember being an ally from the beginning,'' said Iris, adding more words. ''Either way, let''s check out the other party first. Rain-sama, may I leave the other half to you?'''' Yeah, I''m on it. After a firm nod, we cover each other''s blind spots and are back to back. Then I hear a small laugh from behind me. ''''Hmph.'''' What''s going on? We killed each other back then, and I never thought I''d end up having your back. Life is a strange thing, isn''t it? Well but it''s not bad, is it? Yeah, it''s not so bad. Almost at the same time... As the enemy attacked, we moved to intercept. "Come on. "Come on, otherworldly fire. Iris summoned the Red Lotus Flame and intercepted the attacking black shadow. The black shadow, swallowed by the flames, let out a scream of gangs. As it was, it turned into dust and turned into a demon stone. ''''Are you a demon...? Yeah, I''m sure! This one also passed through Kamui and cut both black shadows. In the thick fog, the enemy that was visible was ... a monkey. Of course, it wasn''t an ordinary monkey. It had what looked like horns growing here and there on its body, and its mouth was filled with uneven fangs. It''s a demon that looks like an ape, a night monkey. ''''Alpha-san is using a demon........?No, that''s as good as it gets.... I don''t think so. I agree with you there. Create a dreaming ward that covers Kagne... On top of that, using a demon, that''s too much. Even the strongest species is completely overcapacity. ''''It''s hard to think, but is this demon a product of chance...'''' Or maybe it was another one of your enemies. Alpha''s problems alone are quite troubling... On top of that, there could be other enemies lurking around. That''s a bit of a headache. Anyway, what we have to do now is... ''''We''re going to destroy the demons here so that no one in the city will be harmed! It was really reassuring to have Iris on my side. He was breathing perfectly, and the coordination worked well. However, there were a lot of enemies. Due to the fog, I couldn''t get an accurate count, and I couldn''t help but become passive. Still, I keep fighting... "Huh? He heard the commotion and saw a small child at the edge of his vision. ''Not good!'' Kyahhhh! In response to the child''s screams, the demons all change their targets at once. From here, they won''t be able to run in time. I can imagine the worst possible scenario, but........ Huh! Heroes are the ones who appear in a pinch. Chiffon appeared out of nowhere and cut down a demon that attacked the child. 353-Episode 353: As a Hero Mr. Lane, are you okay? ''Chiffon!Why are you here... Chiffon is supposed to be trapped in a dream. So how could it be... Miss Lane, it''s... Oh, oh, yeah. I have questions, but I don''t have time to pursue them. We need to make intercepting the demons and the safety of the city''s people our top priority. ''Come. Otherworldly fire. GigaVolt! Iris and Chiffon used their magic to reap the demons all at once. Huh! I cut down the guy who was left behind with my Kamui. With the addition of Chiffon, the battle line was exceptionally stable. As expected of a new hero. That fighting power can be summed up in one word: amazing. ''''Fufu........is it something like this?'''' Soon after, the demons were eradicated. Just to be sure, I used several dogs to look around the city, but I didn''t find any demons. It''s a relief to know that we didn''t find any demons. After that, we''ll take the kids back to their parents and.... We moved to an unpopulated square and heard from Chiffon. ''There''s not much I can tell you, though. How did Chiffon end up there? ''It was just a coincidence. I was shopping for something my mom asked me to do, and I heard some fighting noises... so I went to see what was going on... and Rain and... that boy?was fighting a demon. Chiffon looked at Iris, and the girl?He gave me a questioning look. ''She''s Iris. A friend, a potential new companion. What? What? Iris makes a startled sound and I spill out a similar voice. ''''I........are you a friend of Rain-sama''s?'''' ''What?No, I''m going to, but... Maybe I was the only one who thought that? ".........Hmm, it''s nothing. Just because I''m a little surprised, doesn''t mean I don''t like it. Good. Here''s the thing: "I''m very self-conscious. Please don''t get me wrong. I was about to get back on my feet when he said. ''Yes, I see. It''s nice to meet you, Mr. Iris. My name is Siphon Nox. I''m a bit of a hero, but I''m still a hero. It''s nice to meet you. It''s Iris. After shaking hands with Iris, Chiffon looks at me. ''''Rain, how did you guys become demons?'''' That''s ... I''m not sure, to be honest. What, you don''t get it? ''I was walking around town with Iris, and then all of a sudden, he appeared. Did it happen to enter the city by accident, or was it someone else? I have no idea, do you? ''Yeah, well...'' We can''t leave it alone now that we''ve seen it. Anyway, I''m going to look into it now. If that''s the case, I''ll help you with that. Are you sure?You''re on your way to run an errand, aren''t you? ''Yes, but I''m a brave man. I can''t just leave the people of this town knowing that they might be attacked by a demon. If there''s anything I can do, I have to do everything I can. As if doing so was a given, Chiffon said once and for all. Perhaps, but Chiffon is still trapped in her dream. Still, he never forgets his mission. I''m taking the sword for someone else. It''s not a very good idea, but it''s not something I would normally do. I understood once again why Siphon was chosen as a brave man. ''''Chiffon, there''s something else I want to ask you, okay? ''What?What kind of things? ''I want you to report back to the guild. There''s no guarantee that the demons won''t invade again, and when they do, they''ll need someone other than us to help them out. You''d better report it to the guild and ask them for backup. ''Right, that''s true too. But why me? ''''I''m just an ordinary adventurer, you know. Rather, it would be quicker to talk about all sorts of things if Chiffon, a brave man, went there. I don''t know what kind of risk I''m taking by acting with Chiffon, who is trapped in a dream. Maybe I''ll end up being at the mercy of Alpha-san...I want to avoid acting together until I can figure out a few more things. That''s my true feelings, and sometimes that''s the reason why I''m separating from Chiffon. ''''Even if it''s not me, I think Rain-kun is also very well known.......'''' ''In a situation like this, titles take precedence over name recognition, right?That''s why Chiffon is the right man for the job. ''When you say that, well ... yeah, I get it. If that''s the case, I''ll report back to you. What about Rain and the others? We''re going to look around the city some more. Maybe we''ll discover something new. You know what''s out there, right? I know. And Chiffon, just in case. Yes. He smiled and waved and parted ways with Chiffon. We were able to part ways swiftly. ''''Rain-sama, what will you do after this?As originally planned, with the aim of waking up your people? ''I need to talk to Nina and Rifa and Tina. But it''s not as simple as just waking everyone up and then it''s all over. Someone sent a demon into the city to take advantage of this incident. We don''t know what their purpose is, but........ He''s the kind of guy who uses demons. It wouldn''t be for any decent purpose by any stretch of the imagination, and we can''t overlook it. ''''One problem after another...'''' ''It''s a headache. But for now, let''s just digest what we have to do, one by one. There''s no other way to do it and maybe something will come to you sooner or later. ''Well, come to think of it, it''s a little late for that now. What is this? Does that mean Iris is going to cooperate with me?Will you work together to solve this case? I''ve been working with you somehow since you woke me up, but.... What does Iris want to do?What are you going to do about it? I don''t think I heard that part of the story clearly. ''Really, it''s a bit late for that now, isn''t it? Iris let out a sigh, feeling somewhat dumbfounded. Then she turned her straight gaze to us. ''''I''m willing to cooperate with Rain-sama. It''s just that I don''t like humans. I don''t care what happens to the people of Kagne. I see... Only I, personally, cannot forgive Miss Alpha. Therefore, I will turn against her. And why is that? ''I, too, was at one time caught up in her dreams. I had a happy dream that my family and friends were alive. And it was ... tremendously unacceptable. Iris bit her back teeth gingerly, as if to endure something. Then she grabbed his chest with a trembling hand. ''Father was there. My mother was there. My best friend was there. They were all laughing. It was a very happy dream....that''s why I can''t forgive them. Mr. Alpha stepped on everyone''s death. He thought it was the right thing to do and pretended it wasn''t. You took the death of everyone from me. Just in time, the corners of Iris''s eyes hung up. She was showing a tremendous amount of anger. The feeling is not hard to understand. It''s sad and very painful when someone you love leaves you. Still, the memory of that person''s death is an important one. It can''t be replaced by anything else, it''s an absolute thing. To dream of Alpha''s dream is to forget it. It means to be deprived of a precious memory. Some might think that as long as you''re happy, that''s all that matters... Me and Iris are not okay with that. On the contrary, we are the type of people who get angry when something important is taken from them. That''s why I''m going to fight with you. ''Yeah, all right. Can I count on you? Yeah, you can count on me. Iris ran her hands up her skirt and gave a clean bow. 354-Episode 354: Female Knight and Wizard ''''Hmm... that Heavenly Clan, they were sent to a place like this. There was a shadow observing Rain and Iris from a distance. If it was at a distance where the naked eye could see them, Rain and Iris might have detected their presence. However, the other party was using magic to observe them from a very long distance. As expected, neither Rain nor Iris have the skill to naturally detect long-distance detection using magic. Unless you are aware of it, it might be different if you are unaware of it, but it is difficult to notice it when you are not conscious of it. And the identity of the one observing from afar is........ ''Oh, it''s really a pain in the ass to have to come to this easternmost city. Excuse me, Mr. Lean. It was Leanne and Monica. The girls were given two missions. One was to prevent the brave men from repairing the Sword of the Comet, which was their goal. And the other was..... ''''There''s a good chance that the Heavenly Clan will betray you... is it true? ''Yes, I thought it was quite possible. Mr. Reese has said so, and I''m of the same opinion. I see. It''s not so strange. He ratted us out before. The second order given to Leanne and Monica. It was to administer a certain treatment if Iris was separated from them. Seeing Iris working with Rayne, Lean grinned at her. ''''As for me, I don''t mind if you betray me. I haven''t thanked you yet for the joke you did for me. ''''I don''t know what Lean-san is feeling, but if you can bear with me until the truth is known for sure. I have high hopes for Ms. Iris-san, and so does Mr. Reese. He was a force to be reckoned with, even though he was a terrible character. Lean looked bitter, still holding on to the fact that he had been betrayed before. Who was the one who broke the seal on him? It''s us. And yet, they forgot that favor and bared their fangs. That incident was a contributing factor, and like rolling downhill, our honor has slipped away from us. It was unforgivable. Leanne had been thinking about that.... In the first place, the act of breaking the seal is itself evil. Lean and the others didn''t do a good thing, they did a bad thing. As a result, they got what they deserved. It was retribution, and it was natural. And yet, Lean is turning away from that fact. They take it for granted that it''s not their fault, and they blame Iris for everything. They haven''t grown up at all. Nope. In a way, they had grown up worse than before. Her thinking had become even more distorted, and she was becoming even less able to judge good and evil than ever before. Monica sneered inwardly when she saw Lean like that. Just as Reese wanted, the souls of Lean and the others were turning black. One after another, they are accumulating dirt and reversing. At this rate, they will be able to fulfill the Lord''s wishes without any problems. Monica shivered slightly, rejoicing from the bottom of her heart that she was able to help Rhys. ''Hmm?What''s wrong? No, nothing... I shouldn''t, Monica admonished herself. She couldn''t help but get excited, and she had a slight attitude. It wasn''t always the case that everything would fall apart because of those little things. Monica disciplined herself and continued. ''''I mean, if the Celestial Race betrayed us, you can''t just kill them, right? ''Yes, I do. I will kill you to kill you, but it is imperative that certain steps be taken. That''s what Master Reece wants. Honestly, it''s a pain in the ass. I mean, it''s messy?At least we''re dealing with the most powerful species in the world....Well, I don''t feel like I''m going to lose a normal fight... Lean said with a confident face. When he fought Iris before, he was overwhelmed even four to one. Even though he had such a bitter past, now, he is showing confidence. The reason for this is because he trained under Rhys. As it is, he will be useless. Because of the lack of power, he might fail at a crucial point. With such fears, Lean sought more power. As a result, she decided to train under Reese. Leanne thinks that training is a bother, but... Encouraged by Mina and encouraged by Arios, he made it to the end. As a result, he was able to achieve a significant increase in power. Now, even if I take on the strongest species, I won''t lose. Even if it''s one-on-one, I''m confident that I can overrun them. There is but........ That''s the tricky part, isn''t it? I mean, you have to keep them from moving while you''re doing it.It''s going to take some time to get ready over here. Well that''s the problem, but isn''t that why Master Reese gave you that wand? I''m sure. Leanne twirled the wand in her right hand. It was an unusual cane, with most of the handle of the staff being made of glass. The handle is long, or perhaps spear-like. I''m not going to be able to get rid of it. You can turn it around and spin it around. You can spin it around, or tap the ground with a bang. Although Lean is handling it rather roughly, the wand is not damaged, and not a single scratch is left on it. Seeing this, Lean smiles. ''''As expected of a legendary equipment ''rainbow crystal''. You can tell that it has great power just by holding it. A member of the heroic party that defeated the former Demon King.... It is the equipment used by wizards who are called heroes. It is said to contain a high level of magic and the ability to manipulate space. Originally, it was kept tightly in the royal castle. However, it was stolen by Monica during the recent breakout from Arios. Although the legendary equipment dedicated to the brave was grabbed by a fake and she failed to retrieve it... The other equipment had been properly obtained. ''With that staff, I thought it would be possible to perform certain procedures against the strongest species. Well, I think it''s going to be rather easy. Thanks, Monica. But are you sure about this?I''m going to take this stuff. ''Yes, of course. Because Arios-sama is the true brave man, and it is only fitting that his companion, Lean-san, has it in his hands. Hmm. Well, yeah. I''m the most appropriate. Leanne is in a good mood, even though she is only being cajoled. Although she had a troublesome personality, she was actually easy to handle. ''''So... from Monica''s point of view, what do you think of that Heavenly Clan?If you''re with that piece of trash, I think it''s safe to assume you''ve already betrayed us. Sure, I''m working with Mr. Lane but it''s still hard to say. What? Isn''t that a confirmed betrayal? ''As expected, we didn''t expect Kagne to be in this kind of situation. I don''t think we could blame you if you decided to temporarily help us... to get through this situation. Well, it''s... oh my God, that''s a pain in the ass!Why is this happening to me? Even for Leanne and the others, Kagne''s anomaly was unexpected. Who would have thought that a special ward that could swallow an entire city would be developed? Can we assume that those wards are slowly growing in size? Fortunately, or perhaps I should say, Lean and his friends are not trapped in their dreams. This is because Lean''s happiness is a snobbish thing like money and honor, not something that can be obtained through dreams. Monica''s happiness is unhappiness itself for others. It is similar to one of the behavioral principles of the demon race, the annihilation of humanity. If you try to realize this dream, you will bring unhappiness to others. So don''t get caught up in your dreams. ''''d*mn, the most powerful species is always willing to take care of you at any given time. ''''It''s certainly a hassle, but I thought it would be an opportunity for us as well. Thanks to you, the repairs to the Sword of the Comet have been stalled. ''Well. I can compliment you on a job well done on that one. He was always a supercilious leaner. ''By the way,'' Yes? How do you think we can keep throwing more demons at them? ''''That''s........I can''t really recommend it, though. Both Rain-san and Iris-san would be difficult to defeat with a demon of this level. In the first place, Iris-san is still........ The goal isn''t to defeat them, it''s to wear them out. If you get hit by a bunch of small fry in rapid succession, you''ll be exhausted. If you tire them out that way, it will be easier to do whatever happens later on, right? It''s... So, hooray!Hmph, I''ll let you experiment to your heart''s content with the power of the Rainbow Crystal to manipulate space. 355-Episode 355: Invisible Malice Since then, I''ve strolled around the foggy city and talked to Nina, Tina and Rifa. All three of them seemed uncomfortable, though they were still trapped in their dreams, but they all seemed to be feeling uncomfortable. If there was some kind of trigger, they might be able to get themselves back. However, finding that trigger is difficult. What words would trigger it? Or is it actions instead of words? Or it has to be in a completely unexpected and unthinkable way. We don''t have all the ingredients to determine that yet. If I could, I would keep everyone awake, but.... While the situation has changed, I can''t say too much longer. Perhaps, but it turned out that there was a third force that was different from Alpha-san. That person would be able to do things like unleash demons on the city without a care in the world. It would be dangerous if left unattended. So......... ''''I''m going to leave Alpha-san temporarily unattended and look for someone who is controlling a demon, or who is doing something related to it. Iris says in a dumbfounded way. From Iris''s point of view, I guess it''s ridiculous that I''m scrambling for someone who has nothing to do with it. I don''t blame her for thinking that way. Well, how should I put it, because this is who I am. Other than that, it would be more efficient to pretend you don''t see it? ''Maybe, but I don''t want to. But I don''t like it. We can''t help everyone and everything in need in the world. I can''t even be arrogant enough to help them. But. What if there are people in need within your reach? What if there''s someone I could help by moving? In those cases, you want to do something about it. Otherwise, you might end up regretting what you should have done back then. I don''t want to do that. Well it''s just my complacency to say it. Yes, it''s all very self-congratulatory. Ugh..... But.........well, I don''t hate you like that, Miss Lane. Iris laughs, as if she has no choice but to go out with me. After all, Iris seems to have changed. Thus, showing a pure smile has happened before. But it was only for a little while. But now it''s different. As if doing so was natural, she smiled innocently every so often. What kind of change of heart it was, I don''t know... Iris looked so beautiful now. ''''But, Lady Rain. How will you seek out the third force?You used your dog earlier and didn''t find anything, did you? It''s quite tricky when it comes to someone who escapes a dog''s ability to detect you. There''s a good chance he''s using magic or some other special ability to hide. I''m going to need some help from Iris. Me? Can you use Iris''s summoning magic to summon a bee called Earlby? Bees...?Yeah, yeah. It''s possible, but what''s the point of doing that? Well, we''ll see. ''Huh...'' Iris seemed to be unrepentant, but she exercised her summoning magic as she was asked. The magic circle unfolded in the air and a bee appeared from it. He quickly made a quick tentative contract before he flew off somewhere else. ''''That''s it,'''' What are you going to do with those bees, sir?I''ll have those bees look for you? Half right. Bees don''t have the amazing detection abilities of dogs, but.... But you can fly. Change from a flat search to a three-dimensional search. If you do that, you''ll discover something new.So I thought. Nice to meet you. At my signal, the bees take off into the sky. Its speed is quite impressive and it disappears from sight in a matter of seconds. ''Now all we have to do is wait?'' No. I''d like to make one more move to fit it in. ---------- A back alley in an unpopular back alley. Then there was Leanne and Monica. They are sneaking around like they are trying to sneak out of the public eye. It''s suspicious from all angles, but no one pays attention to it. Or rather, there is no one else. This is because the area is undeveloped and seldom visited by people. They walked into a house while keeping an eye on their surroundings. The house was so dilapidated that it could not be described by any other word than "abandoned". The walls were leaning, the windows were cracked and there was a huge hole in the door. As they moved into such an abandoned house, they let out a single breath. Catching their breath.... Then, I focus my magic power on my hand. Reacting to that magical power, something like a vortex is created in space. It connects with another space and forms a single hole. What overflows out of it........are demons. One, two, three........ Magic power was being concocted and one demon after another was being born. Seeing this scene, Lean pasted a grin and a vicious smile on her mouth........ Come on. Otherworldly fire. Such a voice sounded. Immediately after, gosh!The abandoned house is blown away along with the demons with a roaring sound of. ---------- My cheeks tug at my cheeks as I look at the crumbling abandoned house in front of me. Iris, in contrast, smiles with a satisfied smile. ''''Hey, Iris.......wasn''t it too much to blow up all of a sudden?'''' Oh my. You don''t need to be shy when it comes to spawning demons. Well, maybe so, but ... hmmm. I feel like a villain, and it''s a bit complicated. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s amazing how easily you found the enemy like this. I couldn''t have done it without the help of Iris. The other plan is a very simple one. I''m going to cast a physical enhancement spell on Iris and then ask her to search for signs. I''m going to detect Earlby and........ By superimposing the information obtained from Iris''s detection of the enemy, the location of the enemy has been derived. It''s a haphazard way of searching the entire city, but... Iris''s basic abilities were too good, so we were able to get to the answer fairly quickly without taking too long. Without Iris'' help, it would have taken much longer, and I don''t think we would have been able to find it before then. Well, I won''t deny that, but it was Rain-sama who thought of such a plan. I think you deserve some credit for that. Anyway, without further ado let''s get down to business. We have confirmed that someone who looks like the enemy is creating demons in an abandoned house. However, I didn''t confirm its detailed appearance. Who is this person from where? What is the purpose of this? We need to make sure we''re in the right place. Me and Iris brace ourselves firmly so that we can move at any time. In that state, we gradually approach the crumbling abandoned house. The enemy is an opponent that uses magic power to create demons. It''s hard to believe that he fell with the current blow. ''''........'''' I don''t think he''s fallen down, but for some reason he doesn''t show up. Maybe he got away? Nope. The perimeter is surrounded by tamed insects and animals that have formed a siege. Even if they were able to escape, they would be reported immediately. If they didn''t, then ... the earlier blow killed them? Buried in the rubble of an abandoned house? I don''t think it''s that simple. That figure I''ve seen before. I think the two people I know - Monica and Leanne - are the ones who have survived. "Hmm. Iris takes a step forward. She pointed her right hand toward the ruins of the abandoned house and deployed some kind of magic circle. Like the magic of Sora and Luna, she seems to be searching for something. ''''...I see.'''' What have you got? The enemy seems to have escaped. There''s a slight magical reaction. He probably used some kind of magic. Magic.... The Lean I know hasn''t learned any escape magic. It''s just that it''s been quite some time since we broke up, and I wouldn''t be surprised if she''s acquired some new powers. We need to be vigilant. "Mr. Rayne, do you have any idea what the third force is? Yeah. I can''t say for sure because it could be a misleading trap, but it''s probably one of Arios'' friends. 356-Episode 356: The enemy of the enemy is a friend ''''Oh my god, what the hell is that Heavenly Clan?! On a hilltop, far from the abandoned house we had just left. Barely able to see the abandoned house, Monica and Lean were in sight. Leanne puffed out her cheeks as if to appeal to them that she was in a bad mood and waved her wand around in an eighth-grade manner. The legendary equipment hits the ground with a crunch, but she doesn''t pay attention to that as if it''s not a concern. ''''Fuu, he suddenly hits me with an attack magic!It''s not like you have to check inside first, or talk to them, or anything like that! It was a good idea to use my illusionary magic, just in case. It wouldn''t be surprising if Rain would have found out where they were. After deciding that, Monica decided to create an illusion of their own and see what happened before summoning the demon for the second time. That decision was the right one. Rain and the others immediately found their place. A sudden surprise attack was indeed unexpected, but..... Thanks to the cautious Monica, the two of them didn''t have to get into a tight spot. ''I was going to bump the demon again, but this isn''t going to work,'' ''They''ve been attacked once, and they seem to be on high alert. It''s not going to be as easy as it has been in the past. "I mean. That Heavenly Clan attacked us out of the blue, didn''t they?Isn''t this already a confirmed betrayal? ''Well...'' Monica thinks. Did Iris make sure she was looking at us? Were you aware of that? It was an indescribable place to be. It wasn''t like he was going out of his way to be found, and he was trying to keep the signs and such to a minimum so he wouldn''t be found. However, Iris was intelligent. Even though she knew Monica and Lean were there, she might have tried to attack them. It''s possible that she unleashed her attack magic without caring. ''''Well it''s hard to say for now. In the end, Monica made the decision to wait and see. Looking at the situation, Iris is not white. With a reasonable degree of certainty, we should assume that they''ve already lost their touch. But Iris is Reese''s favorite. I don''t want to give up on Iris so easily here, for the sake of my beloved Lord. ''We''ll have to wait and see. It would be easy to cut it off, but it would be useless if we failed to do so. ''''It''s so boring. I''d love to make that unprincipled Heavenly Clan guffaw. ''Of course, it''s imperative to be prepared for that. When the time comes.... I know. I''ll do whatever Monica and the others say. Leanne grins. He''s imagining the moment and is amused. ''But hey, we can take care of that useless guy, can''t we? Is this about Mr. Lane?Well if you can eliminate it, you might as well do so. Fortunately, or rather, this is an opportune time. Rain''s companions are trapped in their dreams. They are not incapable of action, but even so, their movements are certainly slower than normal. Their defenses are thin... Now, it''s not impossible to deliver a painful blow to Rain. ''What do you have in mind?'' "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. ---------- But what will we do now... We leave the abandoned house and take a look around the city. We''re on alert, but it doesn''t feel like we''re going to be attacked a second time. The enemy must be cautious after our surprise attack. "Rain-sama''s companions are still in a dream and the brave men are still in a dream and on top of that, a third force has appeared. It''s not too bad, the situation has become chaotic. My head hurts... Hmm. Would you rather be buried in Alpha-san''s dream? Is that a bad idea? ''What?That''s where you say it clearly. Because you won''t be happy. Unusually for Lady Rayne, you reject their ideas and arguments. The only thing is.... I thought about it over and over again. But the answer remains the same. You can''t be happy in your Alpha''s dream. It''s that or nothing. "Since you''ve come to that conclusion, I suppose there''s only one course of action that I can take? ...right? Mr. Alpha will probably never disarm the dream from himself. And we''ll never admit it. Our arguments will never mix, and they will always be parallel. When this happens, there''s only one solution. Defeat it with force. ''''.........So that''s the decision you made? ? Suddenly, a voice echoes from behind me, and me and Iris both turn around at the same time. How long have they been there? The figure of Alpha-san, with a somewhat lonely and sad face. When did it happen........I''m surprised, but when I think about it, Kagune is wrapped up in Alpha-san''s wards. In a way, everything is in Alpha-san''s hands. As long as we''re in this city, our actions must have been detected. ''''It''s a pity. If possible, I wanted you to understand my ideals, but...'''' That''s not possible. Make all people happy. I think it''s a great idea if that''s the only thing you can cut out of it. I just can''t get my way to do that. You''re immersed in a happy dream world but it''s an escape from reality. It''s escaping from happiness by turning away from the hard stuff. ''What''s wrong with escaping reality?You''re going through a hard time, you''re hurting emotionally and physically, and yet you still have to stand up to it? I don''t mind if it''s only temporary. We all need time off. But when it''s permanent, it''s a different story. We''ll stop there, lose our ability to move on and then we''ll just rot away. Is that wrong?I don''t think there''s anything wrong with that, as long as you''re happy to the end. ''That''s not good enough. Just because you''re feeling happy doesn''t mean you''re really happy. ''''........I don''t understand what Rain-san is saying. After all........it seems that in the end, we have no choice but to show by force which is right. We''ve fought a lot of battles in our lives, against a lot of people. I didn''t want to be like that with Ms. Alpha if I could. She''s pure. Although her means are biased, her action philosophy is the desire to do something for someone else. Unlike previous enemies, she is not evil. I found that very difficult to do. Nevertheless, we cannot retreat here. Because I can assure you that Alpha-san''s methods are wrong. Because I''m holding onto my beliefs, too. So I''m going to do what I think is right. That''s all. ''Well let''s get this settled. I will be waiting for you at my castle. With a bow, Alpha''s figure disappeared as if it were melting into the air. It wasn''t the real thing, but an illusion, I guess. This is inside Alpha-san''s world. So it''s as easy as creating your own alter ego. I have to deal with such a person. It''s going to be quite a painful experience. The absence of everyone else is quite unsettling, but... But I''m going to do my best to help those people. Miss Lane. Yeah? "...Iris... I''ll do my best for Lady Rayne. ...Oh, thank you. Yeah, you''re welcome. Iris smiled gently. 357-Episode 357: Great sense of discomfort and great impatience Mr. Alpha thinks that dreaming is a blessing, but.... But we''re not okay with that. The conversation is completely parallel, and it can''t be resolved peacefully when it gets to this point. Which is the right thing to do? We''ll have to settle this with force. ''Alpha, you said you would wait in my castle. Was there ever a castle in Kagne? Let''s get a better view of the city first, see if we can get a better view of the city. He and Iris went to the entrance of the city. There was a watchtower set up to guard against demons and bandits. We jumped onto the roof further up from the watchtower. "Hey, hey. What are you guys doing? The gendarme at the watchtower notices us and asks us in confusion. To that, Iris returns with a smile. ''Don''t mind me. We just need a quick break.'' Is there a more sane excuse? I looked around the city while sweating profusely. The visibility is quite poor due to the fog, but I can still see what I can see. A tower can be seen in the center of the city. It''s not very wide, but it''s quite tall. In any case, it is penetrating the clouds. With something like that, I would have noticed it, no matter how much fog there was... That''s it. Maybe it was cleverly hidden by Alpha''s power. The fact that he lifted it means that he welcomes us. It''s probably an indication that they want to settle the matter. Let''s go, Rain-sama. Yeah. Mr. Alpha must have had a lot of resolve and caused this incident. However, the resolve is not lost here either. I can clearly assure you that this is wrong........ So we beat it head on. Not long after, we reached the tower. It must have originally been a park. The tower looms unnaturally in the midst of the lush nature. There are no guards. There were no guards. It was probably Alpha''s way of saying that he was welcome to come in at any time. However, we are not good-natured enough to believe that completely. I''m sure Alpha has already identified me as an enemy. It''s a certainty that they will interfere in some way, so it''s best to proceed with caution. ''''At a time like this, the absence of Kanade-san and the others is quite painful. I think I''ll be fine. What''s the...? ''Even if you''re dreaming now, you''ll wake up. I believe that. You believe in your people, don''t you? Of course. I can''t say that there is anything at all that makes me uneasy... But it''s in times like these. I want to rely on my friends and trust them. ''That''s lovely. I''m a little jealous of you and your companions who have that kind of relationship. A compliment? Of course. "Well thank you? Yeah, you''re welcome. Now we step into the tower and.... Yeah. What''s going on? As for the rest of what you just said I believe in Iris as well. What? I know we''ve fought before but now I trust you as a dependable ally. .... ''I really want to say mate, but that''s not yet agreed to by Iris and... what''s up with that?With a "plop, He had an interesting look on his face that I had never seen before. Nope. Would it be rude to call it interesting? When I was seriously thinking about such things, Iris chuckles a small smile with a chuckle. ''''Hmph.......really, Rain-sama is already.......'''' Hey, what''s going on? No. It''s nothing. That being said... It looks like everything. I guess that means Lady Rain is Lady Rain. I don''t know what the hell that means. That''s all right. Now let''s go. Withdrawing my bewildered hand, Iris opened the door to the tower, looking somewhat amused. I don''t have the faintest feeling that I''m going to settle with Alpha-san from now on. Well let''s not think too much about it. ''''Rain-sama,'''' Yeah. After changing my mind, I stepped into the tower with Iris. The tower is a very simple structure. It''s about twenty meters in length and width, and it''s probably about five meters high. At the end of the room, you can see a staircase leading to the upper level. Other than that, there''s nothing special about it. ''It''s a simple room, isn''t it?'' Only, that''s why I doubt there''s any kind of trap. I''d like to tame the rats and let them search the room, but.... I''m afraid I can''t see any sign of the little animals. Miss Lane. Leave this to me. What are you going to do? It''s easy. Iris smiled a good smile and said Come on. Otherworldly fire. Suddenly the whole room burns down. "Iris! Apparently, there''s no traps. What the hell are you doing all of a sudden...? We don''t want to go through all that trouble, do we?Then they burned the room down as fast as they could. .... Tania says she''ll burn the place down if she has to, but... I didn''t think there was a girl who would run it. Maybe Iris is actually a good match for Tania. Don''t tell me you''re going to burn it down every time you go upstairs? Yeah, that''s the plan, sir? Aren''t you tired? That''s not a problem. There''s no limit to my summoning magic, and my magic mileage is very efficient. I see. It''s up to you. I decided to give up my rebuttal and let it happen. ''But...'' Iris''s eyes sharpened and she shifted her gaze to the stairs. With that, I pulled out my camouflage. ''It looks like we have a visitor.'' Yeah, I know. The ones that came down the stairs were countless demons. 358-Episode 358: Hold hands, but ignore the heart Did you get through the ten levels in half an hour? As the Alpha waited for Rain and the others on the top floor of the tower, he detected the lower levels of the tower and scowled slightly. This tower was part of Alpha''s wards, allowing him to probe his opponent wherever he was. He was going to clash with Rain and the others, and although he was observing the target....... I''m surprised at the unexpected speed of his advance. ''Iris-san is the strongest species..........................Moreover, she is a heavenly race with particularly superior power. Wasn''t he just a beast tamer? You may have gained a reasonable amount of power because you have the most powerful species in your ranks... Even with that in mind, it''s a lot more powerful than I expected. Why?Alpha wonders. Alpha lived a life that was basically out of the mundane world. A world where everyone is happy. Because he has been studying for its perfection, he is unfamiliar with the world''s affairs. That''s why I''ve never heard of Rain''s activities. It may be presumptuous of me, but I think it''s Rain-san, not Iris-san, that we should be wary of. Monica was also on the top floor of the tower. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. After being approached with such a story, Alpha decided to form a temporary alliance with the girls. However, he did not trust them. I don''t know much about the girls, but they are inexplicably fishy. At first glance, they seem friendly... If you do, you will feel the danger of a smile and a bite in your throat. Therefore, we may think of them as allies, but never as friends. When the time comes, you can cut them off without hesitation. If necessary, I can beat them down, but not only that. All for the sake of an ideal world. In order to make his dream come true, Alpha will continue to walk forward. ''Rain-san is stronger...?'' ''Yes, I do. I think I''m better than you, Iris, both in mind and body. It''s hard to believe... that humans can outperform the most powerful species? ''Mr. Lane is a bit of a special person. Besides, as proof of that, Mr. Lane once defeated Miss Iris, right? Humans ... the celestial race? It was impossible, Alpha tried to laugh at Monica''s story. However, Monica only looked serious and didn''t seem to be lying, although she wasn''t very serious. If this was a lie, she would be one hell of an actor. Since she was using the strongest species, I thought she was not just a mere mortal. However, I didn''t expect that she would be able to overcome the Heavenly Clan. As expected, I didn''t expect that. With that much power, he might lose. Alpha became impatient........ At the same time, why?It was frustrating, almost like an impatience to be able to do so. I must have gone through a lot of things to become that powerful. It wasn''t all good, and I must have experienced things that made me want to cry, and tremendous despair. So why don''t you embrace your dreams? Refuse to be happy? Why? Why? Why? Mr. Alpha? Oh, no. I''m sorry. I was just spacing out. When he came to himself, Alpha coughed lightly, looking embarrassed. ''How are you and the others doing, Rain?'' ''''Well ... yes. We''ve just broken through the 40th level. It''s really........tremendous. Lean is using the power of the rainbow crystal to summon the demons to intercept them, but..... Those seem to have all been fought off. At this rate, I may have to rely on the guardians of the tower. I''d avoid that if I could, but... If we''re shy, Rain and the others will soon get here. So, what if they lose? You can''t do that. I can''t allow my dreams to be crushed here, ever. I have to make people happy. It is my mission to make people happy. That is the purpose of life. That''s why I will never lose. Muttering again to declare war, Alpha clenched his fists tightly. ''Mr. Alpha. I''m going to go and help Leanne, if you don''t mind? ''Yes, that''s not a problem. Maintaining the towers and wards will be no problem for me alone. Okay, you can take care of the rest. Monica chuckled and went down the stairs. Seeing her back, Alpha gestured for a moment to think about it... After a bit, I return my consciousness to Rain and the others. ---------- The tower is 100 levels in total. In the 80th level section of the tower, there was a lean figure. ''''Mm........'''' Grasp the rainbow crystal and use its power continuously. He summons demons by connecting the interior of the tower to the space outside the city. It is used to intercept Rain and the others. However, because the Rainbow Crystal is a legendary-grade equipment, it consumes a lot of magic power. Although Lean was able to manipulate a thousand magics, there was still a limit, and fatigue was beginning to build up. ''''Ah, I''m so tired... but... I should stop now...'''' Try harder. Oh, Monica! Leanne looks like a child who''s been found naughty. ''Oh, how dare you say that now...'' I don''t mind. More importantly, I''m sorry to ask you to do such a difficult job. ''Oh, oh...?I know, right? And this is a lot of work. ''But could you hang on a little longer?I don''t have enough magic power to handle the rainbow crystal well, so... ''Well, I''ll do my best if Monica says so, but. There''s no point in sending those demons, right?It''s not a situation where you can catch them by surprise, and they''ll be easy to fight off. ''No, it makes sense. Even if you''re dealing with a small fry, you''ll still get some fatigue. Just like Lean-san just now. "Hmm. ''That kind of fatigue is something you can never ignore. If it builds up, it may start out OK, but it will break down later on. Yeah, I see. But then, in the end, it''s only the demon tribe that gets the benefit of the alpha, and we''re just setting things up. No, I don''t think so. What? In short.... Monica says with a smile. ''We can use you as a stepping stone, Alpha, too. 359-Episode 359: Moyamoya Mmmm. On the first floor of the inn, Kanade looked gloomy. She was looking out the window in a daze, with her cheekbones in place. His tail was wobbling...wobbling...and occasionally wagging as if he remembered. ''What''s up, Kanade?'' Tina came down from the second floor, thumping the stairs with a thumping sound. She noticed Kanade in a daze and moved closer. ''Hmmm ... what a haze.'' Was Lane''s husband having an affair with you? ''Rain wouldn''t do that! Oh. Kanade bang-bang-bang on the table, showing a huge reaction. Tina, who was only going to tease him a bit, is surprised by Kanade''s reaction. ''Rain would never do that! Oh, I''m sorry. I just wanted to tease you, but I didn''t expect Rain''s husband to do something like that. f*ck it. Kanade puffed out his cheeks while ''Mostly, I don''t know how long it took Rain to realize how we felt. You can''t have an affair with Rain like that. ...What a terrible thing to say. Well, I can''t deny it, but... They had a strange trust in Rain. ''''So ... why do you look so melancholy?'''' Hmmm.... Kanade spun the words one by one while wagging her tail with a twitch. ''''How ... strange?'''' Strange? Well, let''s say I have a fish in front of me, right? You really like fish......so? My excitement was at an all-time high with my favorite fish in front of me. You can grill it or eat it raw. I''m just trying to enjoy it as it is... and then I think, ''Is this real fish? Is this a real fish?And... What''s that? I don''t understand it either. We don''t know more about... Kanade let out a sigh, and Tina let out an exhale as well, following suit. As it was, an indescribable air flowed... Suddenly, Kanade turns serious. ''We''re........happy now, aren''t we? Yeah. But you know, I have a feeling there''s something different about it. .... Tina remains silent. That''s because she felt something in Kanade''s words........ Because I couldn''t stop thinking about it. "I''m happy, but I''m happy, but I''m a little hazy. I feel like I''m forgetting something...I''m not sure if it''s really worth it. Well as a matter of fact, I was thinking something similar. It all started when I talked to Rain. At that point in time, I started to feel some kind of discomfort. What is that like? I can''t explain it specifically, but... My chest is buzzing and I''m not sure I can keep it up.The other me seemed to be appealing to him. ''Mmm,'' ''So Kanade and Tina were thinking the same thing as Sora and the others. Oh, Sora. Luna and Tania. As they were thinking, Sora, Luna, and Tania appeared in a new place. The three of them seemed to be thinking about the same thing, and each of them talked about their thoughts. ''I can''t put it into words well but I feel terribly unsettled. You could say that the world has deceived me, but I can''t recognize the reality in front of me as reality. There is a disconnect. ''I have no idea what my sister is talking about but how I feel like I''m dreaming. It doesn''t feel real. Yes, that''s exactly what I was thinking. I didn''t care for it at first, but now I don''t know why I don''t care for it at all. What does this mean? We all groan and think about it. But no answer is forthcoming. It feels like we''re one step closer... The last step doesn''t work. The strange, uncomfortable feeling of having a small bone stuck in my throat won''t go away. It''s not going to go away.... I was one of the girls, after all. I''m home. Nina and Rifa came back to the inn. When they saw them, Kanade and the others looked at them, oh?I think. I don''t see Nina''s mother and Carus, who were supposed to be out for a walk together. Are they acting separately? I think about that, but when I see the expressions on their faces, I know it''s not the same. Nina and Rifa........looked like they were about to cry. But they don''t feel like it''s hard or sad. It''s as if their tear glands were unintentionally loosened by touching old fond memories....... That''s what you look like. ''Nyah ... Nina, Rifa. What''s wrong? My mother isn''t here. Your brother''s gone, too. Meow?What do you mean? ''It''s not like we''re... separated, is it?Um... what do you mean by that? After a short pause, Rifa answers Tania''s question. ''We are...'' ---------- How much do you think it is now? I think I''ve climbed quite a few floors, but I still can''t get to the top. ''Miss Lane, are you feeling strong?'' Yeah, that''s not a problem. He has the strength he got from making a contract with Kanade, so he''s not a problem when it comes to physical strength. Iris is also using the wings on her back to move halfway around, so she won''t be too tired. ''''It''s just.......as expected, it''s a pain in the ass to deal with this many.'''' Well I hope you''ll be able to put an end to this for good. The physical fatigue is still fine. However, the mental fatigue is tougher in its own way. The fight has been going on for a long time, forcing me to concentrate for long periods of time... My mind felt worn out. Is Alpha-san creating a demon? Or....or has he joined forces with a third force? I hope it''s the former, but it''s called optimistic hope, and it''s probably the latter. ''''Oh, we''ve found another transition gate. I climbed the stairs and found a transition gate that connected space to space. It was wavering like a mirage, and demons were showing themselves from it. It must have been left behind by a third party in the form of a trap. ''''Go away.'''' Iris waved her hand, and the transition gate disappeared along with the demon. It seems that with the application of summoning magic, it''s possible to interfere with the transition gate and erase it. ''''This is the fifth...............................It''s really tricky. But I think we''re getting closer, step by step. In fact, the number of demons had been decreasing. It can''t be called zero, but compared to when I started climbing the tower, it''s less than half of what it was when I started climbing the tower. A certain amount of fatigue is building up, but........ That should have put the enemy on the back foot. Is it about time for the end of the line? I hope so, but I don''t think we''re going to get there easily. Oh, is that a flag? ''I didn''t mean to, but...'' ''''But since you say such a thing, Rain-sama, it seems that a new enemy has appeared, doesn''t it? The sound of tapping down the stairs. The sound of three footsteps, not one, but three. There was a slight one, and the one who showed up was.... ''Millefeuille?And chocolates and ... chiffon! 360-Episode 360: Hope to be a dream Chiffon, Millefeuille, and Chocolat showed up. The three of them were fully armed and exuded a fighting spirit that was almost visible to the eye. ''''........Rain-kun. What? Chiffon opened his mouth to represent the three of them. I don''t feel like I''m being manipulated or anything, but... But something was at stake. I had this impression. ''Lane you are trying to end this dream, aren''t you? Chiffon?You don''t remember... ''Yeah. Now I''d say it''s normal I don''t have any problems. Chiffon smiles. It''s a very sad smile that makes my heart tighten just looking at it. ''''I remember all the times I was chosen as the new brave...meeting Rain-kun, asking him to fix the comet sword, and then coming to Kagne...'''' So why are you blocking our path? Chiffon doesn''t respond to our question, but continues to speak. ''There''s one more thing I remember. That I got to see my mom and dad again here. It''s... ''My hometown was destroyed by a demon. My father and mother, my brothers and sisters, my friends, they are all dead and I never dared to dare again. .... But ... but?Here, we can see each other again. We can spend the same time with everyone again. ''''Does that mean........that Chiffon has accepted Alpha-san''s dream.......? Yes. The answer came back quickly. If I could, I wanted it to be some hesitation or inability to answer... or something like that. Or that he was acting out to fool Alpha-san. But I don''t get that feeling at all. I can feel the fighting spirit from the three of them, although I can''t sense any hostility from them. They are in a battle stance, not letting it go any further.......and they are ready to fight. ''''Why are you doing this........'''' That''s my line. Chiffon says with a sad look on his face. He looks sad and says ''Rain, why don''t you accept your dream?I ... I know. What? Lane, your home was destroyed by a demon. It''s... ''So I know how you feel, Rain. I know what it''s like to have your hometown destroyed as well, so I know what it''s like. How hard, painful and sad it is. You don''t want to admit that reality, and you don''t want to throw it away...do you? Well yes. I won''t deny Chiffon''s words. I thought I had my mind in order about my hometown.......but that was a lie. I just turned away from my own mind and pretended to be organized. It''s still stuck in the deepest part of my mind. Because I lost my home. I was unprepared, unprepared for it. My sweet dad and mom were killed. My aunt and uncle, my friends, the animals I played with...they were all killed. How could I forget such a thing? There''s no way I can get it all straightened out. They say that time will tell, but.... Sometimes it''s not. Sure, I haven''t completely blown it off. I still remember some things. Then let''s embrace the dream together, shall we?That way, you won''t have to go through the pain. You don''t have to get hurt anymore. ''....I understand how Chiffon feels. Are millefeuille and chocolates on the same page? ''''Well as for me, I have a lot on my mind, but it''s my job to help Chiffon. I''ll support Chiffon in whatever he wants to do. Apparently, Millefeuille and Chocolat are not deeply trapped in their dreams. However, it seems that Chiffon''s allies are absolute, and there''s no atmosphere of an easy way out. You have to do something about Chiffon, after all. ''''........Rain-sama, what are you going to do?'''' Iris asks in a small voice. ''''Well if I could, I''d like you to understand it in words, but...'''' ...It doesn''t sound like that, does it? ...right? Chiffon says he''s not trapped in a dream right now... I guess my mind is trapped and I can''t see the reality. ........no. It''s not that you can''t see, it''s more like you''re looking away. My words can''t reach you in such a state. Then, first of all........ ...it''s going to be rough, but we''ll have to use force. ...Oh. It''s rare for Lady Raine to have a rough treatment. Well this is the situation. We don''t have a choice in the matter. I must quickly repair the Comet Sword. The third force is probably the ones who are trying to sabotage it... What would happen if I spent a lot of time in this place? Maybe it''s too late now, but I want to avoid being on the back foot as much as possible. ''''........Can Iris ask to deal with Millefeuille and Chocolat?You''re both pretty good users, are you okay...? Oh my. Who do you think I am?The strongest of the strongest.......they are the Heavenly Clan, phew. It''s terribly encouraging. I used to tremble at the sheer force of it when I confronted it... I can''t believe how dependable you are when you''re on our side. Now that we''re all gone.... But I felt like I could handle it if Iris was there. Me and Iris get ready. Seeing this, Chiffon and others also get ready. "You''re not going to step aside, are you...? There''s no reason to step aside. I can understand why Chiffon was so upset. I, too, was somewhat shaken up by the dreams of my dad and mom. I''d be lying if I said I didn''t hesitate. But still. About this. If there is something wrong with what Alpha is doing, I can assure you it''s wrong. So we''re going to stop him. I''m gonna wake him up now. I don''t want to do this. Chiffon said as he shouted, and the edge of the battle was opened. ---------- Is it you who we''re dealing with?She''s a cute little girl! Milfeuille, don''t be alarmed. He''s a Celestial. Millefeuille opened her grimoire and Chocolat stepped forward with her shield at the ready. An unimaginable amount of fighting air was blown out of her from her dainty appearance. An ordinary person would probably faint just from being exposed to that fighting spirit. The name of the new brave party wasn''t justified. However, Iris is even more extraordinary than that. She is the strongest species that specializes in fighting, created by the gods to fight evil beings. The celestial race surpasses all creatures. You''re going to have to be careful not to get caught in the middle. I''ll go easy on you, but........please don''t let me down, okay? As for Rain, I thought I was asking you to buy some time, but.... Iris was showing a reasonable amount of motivation and was smiling happily. It''s a good thing that Iris is also Iris, and she may be quite the battle maniac in her own right. ''''It''s almost as if we can''t take them on, huh? I''m gonna have to change that perception. To the two men who were full of motivation, Iris showed them a smile that was only generous. I''ll be entertained.'''' Iris shifted into combat mode and spread her eight wings wide. 361-Episode 361: A Meaningless Battle Come on. Here we go. Come on, otherworldly fire. As if to see what''s going on first, Iris summoned the flames. The raging flames like a dragon attacked Millefeuille and Chocolat. It is a caustic attack that makes you doubt whether they are really holding back. The red lotus fire consumes the two of them........ Before he could do so, Chocolat stepped forward with his great shield at the ready. ''''My protection is ironclad, my dear. The industrial fire attacked Chocolat. No matter how strong the shield is, it won''t be able to prevent everything. Iris thinks so, but........ What is this...? As soon as Chocolat''s great shield seemed to be enveloped in light, it became huge all at once. The unexpected sight stunned even Iris as expected. The industrial fire landed on the large shield. The flames are scattered like a storm, but the mighty wall-like great shield protects everything. Not to mention Chocolat, none of the attacks have reached Millefeuille at all. ''''Holy alooh~'''' There was a somewhat distracted voice, and an arrow of light shot out at Iris. It was probably millefeuille magic. The arrows of light were bigger and faster than those used by ordinary priests. However, from Iris'' point of view, it wasn''t much of a threat. She flapped her wings and tried to evade... Blake. What? Suddenly, the arrows of light split apart. One to two, two to four, four to eight... In the end, there were thirty-two of them and they fell on Iris like rain. ''''Kook.......come on, otherworldly flames! As expected, it was difficult to avoid it. Iris immediately summoned flames to offset the arrows of light. ''''What... what was that...?'''' ''''Hmph, I''m very good at arranging magic! So, I can do things like this. The millefeuille produced another arrow of light. This time, instead of splitting it up, he merged it together. In this way, he created an extremely large arrow of light and shot out. ''''Even the acrobats are surprised...'''' Dumbfounded rather than impressed, Iris intercepted the arrow of light with her summoning magic. It didn''t end the action there... Come on, otherworldly flames. Come, glow of sorrow. Come on, thunderbolt of annihilation. He exercises summoning magic in rapid succession. Endless multiple consecutive attacks. This is the true essence of Iris. ''''Your defensive performance is surprising, but how do you defend against multiple attacks?I''ll have to take a look. Flames, ice and lightning are closing in on Chocolat and Millefeuille from every possible angle. There is no room to escape. However, Chocolat does not panic. The mille-feuille does not show any signs of impatience either. Chocolat held the shield up again with a vaguely fearless face. After placing the bottom of the shield on the floor and holding it firmly in place, she shouted loudly. ''All-around defense, that''s it! The shield transforms again. This time, it doesn''t simply become huge, but spreads up and down, up and down, left and right, drawing a curved surface. Eventually the shield formed a circle and completely wrapped around the chocolates and millefeuille. ''''Wha.........That''s not possible! As you can imagine, while Iris is surprised... Multiple attacks slammed into the shield that had transformed into a spherical shape. Although a continuous roar echoed, it never broke through Chocolat''s steel walls. When the attacks ended, the shield slowly returned to its original form. Is that shield a living thing? Isn''t that a foul play? It was Iris who couldn''t help but think about that. ''''Hmph.'''' After returning the large shield to its normal form, Chocolat proudly stretched out his thin chest. ''I can''t understand Iris''s attacks, it''s as if she''s saying that. ''''Your attacks won''t get through. It''s weak.'''' Nope. Chocolat actually had a mouthful. ''Heh....'' Iris twitched at her temples. If we''re going easy on her, we''ll be in a good mood. Let''s see if we can strike a full blown blow and still say the same thing? Although Iris is thinking about things, as expected, she won''t do it. If you try to give it your all, you''ll likely destroy this tower........ More than that, if he killed someone again, he would have no face to match Rain. ''But ... it''s tricky. Both Chocolat and Millefeuille are quite strong enemies. If you don''t put your mind to it, it may be difficult to defeat them. But you don''t have to defeat them. Rain and Chiffon moved to the upper level. Seeing that the sound was echoing from the place where the sound was echoing every so often, they must be fighting over there. It''s just a matter of helping Rain... There was no need to force Chocolat and Millefeuille to be defeated. If the brave man is neutralized, the two of them will naturally give up too. ''''........Oh?'''' After thinking that far, Iris felt uncomfortable. These two........are they fighting seriously? Do you have a moment? ''Oh, what?Do you want to surrender?We''re tolerant, so we''ll accept your surrender. No, sir. Iris pulled a smile on her face. Why is this woman so good at turning people''s emotions against them? Resisting the urge to reflexively attack, I continue to ask questions. ''I fought with you guys and came to a certain conclusion... may I ask you a question? Yeah, whatever. You have any questions? Millefeuille responds at her own pace. It was really the same Mirfeuille as always. ''''The new heroes seemed desperate to not end this dream but you guys are not. .... I don''t think I''m that attached to this dream. It''s just my opinion, but I honestly don''t see how it could have gone either way. .... Hey, can you tell me what''s going on?What do you guys ... think about dreaming? 362-Episode 362 For Friends Millefeuille and Chocolat looked at each other. There''s only one answer, right?And he seems to confirm it with a glance. ''I affirm if Chiffon wishes it.'' Millefeuille and Chocolat say with their mouths agape. After receiving such an answer from the two, Iris thinks for a while and asks again with one eyebrow furrowed. What do you mean by that?I don''t quite understand it, and if you don''t mind, could you elaborate on it for me? I mean, it''s not that hard to understand. ''It''s simple. If Chiffon wants to dream, we want it too. That''s it. Not exactly. I mean, there''s no rule or mandate that says, "Because Chiffon did this, we have to do this, too. ''We just want to give Chiffon what he wants. So we''re affirming that we dream. Iris gets an increasingly difficult look on her face as the millefeuille and chocolates are explained to her. She looks as if she was told to solve a very difficult problem. I don''t understand the two of them. But for now, let''s listen to them some more. We continue talking like that. ''''Well, I mean ... since Chiffon-san wants you to dream, you guys are in favor of it. Is that what you mean?'''' ''Well ... right?Simple answer, right? ''Huh ... why would you do that?It seems to me that there is no initiative on your part there... ''No, it''s not. We always act for Chiffon''s sake. What Chiffon wants it''s what we want. How did you come to such an answer... Because.... Millefeuille and Chocolat looked at each other once. A small nod and..... I say in a voice. ''We''re friends,'' .... Mirfeuille is not only my friend, but also my dearest friend. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that we are best friends who are connected by soul. We want to do something for them. If they want it, we want to give it to them. It''s a natural thing to do. ''You may not understand what you''ve been called the devil! But that''s what human beings are like! They follow their emotions without regard to gain or loss. Chiffon has been hurt a lot. I''ve cried a lot. So it''s okay to take a little break. She has no right to complain. I see........and Iris understood their arguments. How foolish it was to be driven by emotion. To be incapable of acting intelligently is nothing short of calling me an idiot. ........I would have come to such a conclusion before. However, Iris is different now. People can be driven by emotions.... Sometimes we act irrationally. People''s emotions, love, friendship ... and compassion for others in our hearts. That''s what I learned from my encounter with Rain. But. I dare say. Are you an idiot? Wha...? Having their arguments cut to pieces, Millefeuille and Chocolat pulled a face. In contrast, Iris was only calmly........but showed a slight irritation. ''''For the sake of our friends?For a friend?Did you accept your dreams for that reason?What can I say ... it''s still just a stupid word. Are you trying to pick a fight? Chocolat glares at Iris, oozing with anger. Iris''s words deny the feelings of Chocolat and the others. It''s like saying that friendship is also a sham. There is no way I can allow such a thing. Although Chocolat is usually laid back, but........ Only this time, he released his rage like a fierce fire and stared hard and fast at Iris. ''''The word we are idiots........what did you mean by that?Can you tell me more about that part of the story?As the case may be I won''t allow it. The millefeuille was also showing strong anger. Its power far surpassed that of the raptors, and if there was an opening, it was ready to eat their throats. Even though she received the anger of such two people, Iris kept a cool face. Even so, she did not erase her feelings of dismay........ But the dialogue seems to continue, and he slowly admonishes her, like a teacher teaching a poorly made student. ''I didn''t mean to call you stupid for your friendship. Well, I didn''t mean to call you stupid for your friendship, and I apologize for that. What do you mean by that? You''re fools yourselves, I said so. Are you trying to pick a fight? To the two men who wore swordsmen''s expressions, Iris did not lose her stance of being dumbfounded. ''For my friend''s sake, for my friend''s happiness. ''No thanks about it. I think it''s a wonderful thing. It''s all well and good, but you have given up thinking for yourselves. You think for your friends, and then you stop and don''t think beyond that. What if you keep on dreaming, so that you may be severely handicapped? It''s... ''Isn''t it important to have your own thoughts, properly, until the end, rather than abandoning your thoughts? There seemed to be something in Iris'' words that made Millefeuille and Chocolat flinch slightly. However, that''s not enough to cancel out their beliefs, they said with a strong tone of voice. ''''........Still, I want to make what Chiffon wants come true! So? ''Are you positive about dreaming, Millefeuille and Chocolat yourself?Or is it negative? It''s the chiffon... ''So forget about Mr. Chiffon for once. This is a hypothetical. If Mr. Chiffon wasn''t there, what would you think about dreaming? I don''t think that''s a good idea. After a little hesitation, Millefeuille spun the words to deny the dream. Chocolat nodded, as if to follow suit. ''Dreaming is a blessing. But, after all, it''s only an escape from reality. I don''t think it''s good.'''' ''But you don''t know this, but Chiffon has been hurt a lot! Isn''t it your friend who wants to heal that heart? ''Isn''t it because we''re friends that we need to stop making mistakes? ? Iris''s words stabbed deep into their hearts. ''You guys think it''s bad to dream, don''t you?Then you should stop Mr. Chiffon. Even if Chiffon-san wants to dream, even if she cries out, she should definitely stop it. No, it''s not... No, but... Millefeuille and Chocolat showed their hesitation on their faces, as they couldn''t strongly deny Iris'' words. To those two people, Iris blurted out more words. With the experiences he has gained, with the feelings he has gained. She speaks her own words. I don''t just coddle them, but sometimes I''m hard on them. Even if you have to fight against them, you have to think about them and put your beliefs to the test... what you think is right. Isn''t that what it means to truly care about the other side? I''m sure you''ve been thinking about the past while putting your hand on your chest and saying that. Yes.........Rain was always thinking of me. She melted my frozen heart with her warm smile. And when I did something wrong, he did his best to stop me. Even if we had to fight against them. Even if it meant fighting. Isn''t that what it means to truly care about someone? Just like Rain did for me.... Because she has come to think that way, Iris can''t affirm the thoughts of Millefeuille and Chocolat. She would absolutely deny that thought. I have learned that lesson. Miss Lane taught me that. Therefore, I will do as I please. You, on the other hand, only indulge Chiffon instead of following your own beliefs. Are you really sure that this is the right thing to do? Millefeuille and Chocolat were unable to say anything. They were greatly disturbed and didn''t know what to do. I''m not sure what to do. You will be able to find out what you should really do now, Millefeuille and Chocolat.Can you think about it again?And if you''re going to fight me on top of that, then I''ll do my best to deal with you. 363-Episode 363: Its Spicy Chiffon! Mr. Lane! He pulls out his Kamui and cuts it to chiffon. The sound of blade and blade intersecting. The sound of iron popping. Their power is almost even with each other. Just barely and the blade is against each other. ''What are you going to do here, immersed in your dreams, running away from reality and all that?You''ve just been chosen as the new brave, Chiffon! ''It''s ... I know that!Now I''m an a**h*le. Instead of fulfilling my assigned role, I''m running away, turning away, pretending I didn''t see it ... and throwing it all away!I don''t deserve to be a brave man! ''So long!If you understand that! More! Chiffon says, with a face that spits out his soul. His face was filled with sadness and pain. ''What I''ve lost is right in front of me! Huh! ''I can have that warmth in my hands again that I''ll never have again!I can be ... happy ... and I can be! It was just a dream... ''Yes, but!Maybe so, though! Spitting out your soul, looking painful and bitter... Chiffon''s anguish was evident. She understands. That the happy reality she could see now was only a dream. She knows that it is her role to proceed with the journey without being distracted by it. I know it all, I know it all. And yet..... I guess you can''t help but hope for a dream. It''s a very warm place. "Chiffon, don''t get caught up in your dreams!Sure, it could be warm. Sure, it could be happy. But it''s something we''ve already lost. We have to acknowledge that and move on. It''s our duty as the rest of us! Once, he gets out of range and uses Narkami''s needle to check him. However, as expected of the current hero. He doesn''t intercept with his sword, he just twists lightly to avoid everything. This, it''s not something that can be seen... Even if I could see it, there''s no way my body could keep up with the movement. Chiffon........looked like a child who was about to cry. Huh...! He looked exactly the same as he did then, laughing softly and saying, "Welcome home... It''s... I was told the same thing by my mom. She said good morning to me with the kindest face I can remember. I can understand Chiffon''s feelings painfully. ''And ... there was that girl too. My precious sister. My sweet little sister........and the sister who died defending me.......'''' Covering up? My hometown was destroyed in a freak attack. My mother and father then my sister and I managed to escape. Chiffon stops fighting and talks about the past. He puts his own thoughts into words, as if appealing to me to understand. "But a demon caught up with me in the middle of the fight... ...and then what? "She ... she ... my sister, she said she was going to be the bait. She started running in the wrong direction all of a sudden and I tried to stop her, but I couldn''t get to her in time. .... ''I''m your sister I had to protect her but she helped me in reverse...'' It''s... How hard was it for me? How much pain did he suffer? I could imagine it, but only Chiffon knew what was really going on. Now, I couldn''t say that I could understand. ''I regretted it. I regretted it over and over again, and not a single day went by that I forgot about my sister. I will never let that tragedy happen again. Because of that thought, I accepted to become a new brave man. Then.... ''We don''t have time to stop here. I have to quickly repair the Comet Sword and resume my journey. I shouldn''t have to... but I... but I...! I can see Chiffon''s heart oscillating between her mission and her desire for happiness. ''''It''s hard...!I''ve worked so hard to support my mission... but it''s still hard for me! ...chiffon... I''ve lost my father and mother... my sister, and it''s very painful... that wound is still with me. It never healed, I could only cover it up.......but in a sudden moment I remembered it, cried, screamed, and took it out on them....... Chiffon was crying. She was raggedly shedding tears. I can hear her heart screaming. I can tell that she is pleading for no more. Chiffon is a very strong person but.... But in a way, he must be very weak. For losing his family, for not being able to help his sister. It''s a burden that weighs on me and binds my heart and keeps me in pain. ''But ... I was able to meet my mom and dad here. I was able to see my sister''s smile again. But that''s not... "I wouldn''t mind dreaming as long as I get to see my mom and dad again. I''d like to see my sister again. I don''t care if it''s a dream I want to live this dream forever. Because ... I''m happy. Saying that, Chiffon looked very tired. ........Somehow, I understand Chiffon''s present. She must have been trying her best all along. Losing his hometown and regretting not being able to protect his sister...I think he''s used that as a springboard to keep on running. But you can''t keep running forever. If we don''t take a break somewhere, we''ll get crushed on the way. I''m sure Chiffon was on the verge of getting crushed. He had to stop, but he believed he had to keep running because of his past experience... It never stopped him in his tracks. That was probably why he could have become an A-ranked adventurer at his age. But it was an impossible act... He must have been almost on the verge of collapsing. That''s when I was taken in by Alpha''s dream.....................and I accepted it myself. It was too comfortable and gentle. "Hey, Mr. Lane, What... what? ''I want to be happy I want to stay here and dream a gentle dream is it wrong to want that? .... I can''t say that it''s offensive to understand all of Chiffon''s thoughts and feelings. But I can understand some of it. I''ve lost my home too. And because I was reunited here with my family who were supposed to be gone. Because I experienced that joy and happiness at least once. And yet. I know what I''m going to say. It''s too late to change. No one can deny the desire to be happy. It''s not a bad thing. Then.... But you can''t dream here. 364-Episode 364 Looking Forward How could you...? Upon receiving my answer, Chiffon glares at me. He even showed anger at not being understood. Chiffon holds his sword. He seems to be in a state of extreme excitement, and his breath is heavy. If I make a mistake in answering him, he will slash at me again. But. I lowered my hand holding up my Kamui. On top of that, I open my mouth. ''''Because........'''' I came to this city, and for a time, I was trapped in a dream. Then there''s something I''ve been thinking about. Something I''ve been thinking about. I was actually going to talk to Mr. Alpha about it, but.... But now I have to convince Chiffon that I''m not going to be happy. ''Dreaming about it won''t make you happy. You''re simply postponing your sorrow. It''s not... ''That''s right. Even if the dead are brought back to life they might have another accident, or they might get sick. There''s also old age. You will always have to say goodbye again. It''s a... After all, it''s only for a short time. Each time you have experienced happiness, you will experience sadness in equal measure. What''s the point in repeating the same thing over and over again? ''But... but still, I get to see the people I loved again...'' ''Yeah, yeah. I''m glad to hear it. In fact, I was happy too. I was so happy to see my mom and dad, I was almost in tears. But that''s not the same thing. What is...? No matter how hard it was, that past is what made me the person I am today. My hometown was attacked by a monster, and my father and mother and everyone in the village died.... I was so sad, and I cried all the time. I can''t tell you how many times I wished I could bring him back to life if it were possible. But. I overcame that past to become the person I am today. All the painful and sad things I''ve gone through are a part of me. When I dream here, I forget all those things. To dream here is to pretend that the past never existed, to deny yourself...it''s just too lonely. ''That''s ... but ... but ...'' ''The death of a loved one is, in a way, an important part of what makes up who we are. You could say it''s a memory that''s engraved in your soul. If you forget that and become immersed in your dreams the dead person''s true soul will not be rewarded. .... Above all else, There are words that I want to say, most of all, to those who wish for their dreams. I have words that I want to touch the hearts of Alpha and Chiffon. I''m going to say it now. You can''t let your loved ones see you dwell on your dreams and run away from reality all the time, can you? H..........? ''We may see him again in our dreams, but his soul is not there. I''m sure he''s with God, and he''s watching over us. And yet, you''re soaked in dreams and false happiness...don''t you think Chiffon doesn''t think anything of it, showing you that?For me, it''s an embarrassment. I...am... ''My dad and mom are very sweet people. If I''m immersed in my dreams, they may look annoyed, but I don''t think they''d ever get mad at me. But ... you want to show your significant other how cool you are anyway, don''t you?I don''t want to show them that I''m an escape from reality, I want to show them that I''m strong enough to face up to the reality of their difficulties. By doing so, I want to truly reassure my mom and dad. Isn''t that so, Chiffon! .... The sword Chiffon held at the ready slowly descends. He turned his head and looked down. What does he look like now? What are they thinking about? I don''t know. I don''t know.......but I believe the words will reach me and I will spin my thoughts. ''The truth is, Chiffon understands, doesn''t he?He said, "I can''t keep going like this. I need to look forward, I need to walk away. It''s not......... ''If we continue to run away from our dreams, we will only become decadent. I understand that kind of logic, and I also understand the emotional story of not having a face to match the soul of someone who really matters. Chiffon is a smart man. If I didn''t say this or that, he probably would have realized it in a haze. I don''t think so... I want to dream...! Chiffon looked up and looked at me. He had a desperate look on his face, and.... Then why do you look like you''re in pain? H..........? Chiffon''s face contorts widely. It makes me want to cry, to be angry, to run away... You have a face with a complex combination of emotions. ''''Even Chiffon must know, I can''t go on like this........ You''re chosen by the brave men, so you can''t be this weak at heart. I was just holding my feet up, just for a moment. I''m.... So ... it''s time for you to wake up. The reality may be hard and sad and heartless enough to make you want to cry, but... I''m...! ''But there''s more to it than that. There''s a proper warmth to it. There''s something tender. So..... I am...! Chiffon shouted with a blood-curdling force. ''''Huh!!!'''' He stared at me with tears in his eyes, full of tears in his eyes. One last game. Just like that, he kicked the ground and closed the distance between us all at once. That''s fine. If you say you can''t control your emotions, I''ll make it right. I will cut off Chiffon''s unrequited love, sadness, and everything else. So.........don''t cry anymore. ''''Uhhhh! The evil eye... activate! What? Bikung, Chiffon''s body trembles and his movements stop. When it turned out that I got the magic eye in the contract with Rifa.......Chiffon and the others were asleep, so they didn''t know about it. Partly because I was worried about control........ I kept it as a trump card in case of an emergency. That decision was the right one. I was able to use it at the perfect time and... At the optimal time, he was able to block Chiffon''s movements. ''Sleep now.'' I ran next to Chiffon and hit him with a Kamui blow as we passed each other. Of course, he hit her with the belly of the blade and avoided the slash. ''''Ah.........'''' A definite response. Chiffon''s strength slipped from his legs.... I''m sorry, you know Mr. Lane... Finally, he apologized and passed out. 365-365 episodes to the top floor He was able to safely dismiss Chiffon. Only Alpha-san is left. We''ll talk to him or force him to break the wards. That''s the end of it. ''''It''s just ... what about Chiffon?'''' I can''t leave a fainting Chiffon alone in a place like this. I don''t think we''re going to be hostile anymore, so I can wait for her to wake up....... Now that Chiffon has also been defeated, I want to hurry up if I can, as I don''t know what kind of action Alpha-san will take. However, we can''t leave Chiffon alone........ Oh, Miss Lane? Up the stairs, Iris appeared. Behind her, Millefeuille and Chocolat are also there. Seeing them acting together, I wonder if they''ve reconciled? "Chiffon! Millefeuille and Chocolat spur on to see Chiffon on the ground. They immediately pick up Chiffon and look at his face. ''''Don''t worry, she''s just passed out. I don''t think he''s hurt most of the time.'''' Is this, uh, Mr. Lane? How could you afford to go easy on a chiffon? ........Perhaps deep down, Chiffon was also lost. That''s why I couldn''t give it my all, I guess. If Chiffon is seriously rejecting me, then you can use your special trump card the magic sword. I don''t know what would have happened if she had unleashed such a powerful attack. But Chiffon didn''t do so. He just fought normally with his sword and didn''t try to use a magic sword or even magic. He didn''t seem to be aware of it, but after all, I think he had a hesitation. It was probably a fetters and restrained his actions. ''Millefeuille and Chocolat, can you stay here and watch Chiffon?I can''t leave you alone in a place like this, and someone has to stay behind. I don''t mind if you do. ...and Rain is going to end it? Yeah, I''ll end it. He nodded firmly at Chocolat''s question. ''Well I''ll take care of it. I''m on a mission. Millefeuille and Chocolat also seem to be convinced that the dream is over. Maybe it''s because of what Iris did to them, but.... What on earth did they do? I''m curious, but I''ll answer that question later. Right now, we have to move on. Let''s go, Iris. Yes. As Rain-sama said.... Iris and I climb the stairs. We move up a few floors, but no new enemies appear. Strange? Physically, we should have reached the top floor by now. And yet, the protection is not just getting thicker, it''s getting thinner... could it be that you''re censored? Chiffon and his friends are the last keystone and no more? Alpha-san should have felt that he was cautious or shrewd........he should have felt that he was not such an easy opponent. Even if Chiffon and the others broke through, it wouldn''t be surprising if they had a second or third wall ready to go....... Miss Lane. Yeah? I appreciate the question, but for now, let''s concentrate on the task at hand. The answers will come to you naturally. Well yes. Iris is right. We shouldn''t let our doubts get in the way of our thinking. We''re almost at Alpha''s throat so be on your best guard. ''Thank you, Iris. You''ve helped me to keep my cool. No, you''re welcome. I''m sort of a loyal servant of Lady Rayne now. What''s that? Yeah, I guess that''s what I''m thinking about. I don''t know, I don''t know...? And then I''m thinking about something else. Focus I need to focus ... I need to focus. Right now, I''m just going to focus on solving Alpha-san''s case. And ..... So this is the top floor... You''re right. You can see the sky, and there are no stairs of any kind. In other words, this is the end of the line. The top floor is quite large, unlike the previous floors. It''s about ten times as wide as it is long and wide. It''s so wide how it''s made. ''We''ve been waiting for you,'' Right at the top of the stairs, I saw Alpha''s figure. No one else was there. Strange? There has to be a third force that is creating demons... Is it remote from the tower? I''ll stay alert, but... Now, let''s just focus on talking to Mr. Alpha. "I''ve come this far, Mr. Alpha. We have to stop your dream. Hmm, let''s settle this one. Me and Iris each took a stance. When Alpha-san saw that, her face becomes slightly grim. ''''........Can I ask you one last time?Are you guys not willing to accept my dream? "No. Me and Iris, with a piquant voice, answered immediately. I''m not going to deny all of Alpha''s dreams. If it was a temporary refuge, I don''t see anything wrong with that. But to stay in your dreams, that''s not okay. It''s not right. You won''t be able to escape the pain by doing that. On the contrary, it will weaken your mind and cause more fatal damage. No matter how hard the reality is, you have to stand up to it and be strong. ''''I''ve taken you up on your words and lent you my strength, but that''s why I have to correct my mistakes. Will you be prepared to do so? I guess that''s the answer, after all... Alpha let out a small exhale. You should have expected our answer. He should have understood that we wouldn''t fold. Then the only thing left to do is to clash our beliefs with each other. And the last one standing is the winner. "Then.... Mr. Alpha looked grim. The atmosphere was filled with a fierce fighting spirit, so much so that the atmosphere was hot. And......... ...phew. He let out a small breath again. At the same time, the fighting spirit fizzled out. The grim expression disappears and the face becomes calm. I don''t know the reason for the change, and while me and Iris are pouting.... ''I understand. I''ll take you both at your word and disarm the dream with an open mind. Mr. Alpha would say something like that. 366-Episode 366: Not a solution... The end is too quick and easy. Hence, I suspect a trap. ...what did you say? ''I''m losing. I''m disarming the dream. It''s not a mishearing, it''s just that I can''t believe it. However, as expected, I can''t believe it honestly. Alpha-san doesn''t seem like the kind of person who''d be willing to take revenge, but..... I don''t know what I''ll do when I''m trapped. Iris seems to have the same idea and doesn''t let her guard down. She glares sharply at Alpha-san. ''You''re awfully honest. When I spoke to you not long ago, you didn''t lose your attitude of never giving in. Are you planning something? ''''Well it''s no wonder you think so. I''m sure Mr. Iris has a valid concern. Oh my...? Again, it was honestly affirmed here, and Iris looked like she was out of sync. Something''s not right, is it? Mr. Alpha seemed to be a quiet person, but within him, he seemed to have a very strong core. For the sake of his ideals, to share the happiness he believed in with people. He seemed to do everything in his power... ''This tower was created by me. Hence, I can get some idea of what happened inside, even at a distance. You mean...? ''I was watching the fight between Miss Lane and Miss Iris. I listened to what they said to each other, which was uttered in the middle of it. Alpha-san gently placed her hand on her chest. Touching the heart behind it, as if to expose it to the surface....... He spun the words quietly. ''I knew I was right. That''s why I put this plan into action. But ... now that I''ve heard the words of both of you, I can''t be proud to say that I''m right. That means our words have reached Mr. Alpha. If that''s true, I''m glad to hear it. Even though we''re at odds with Mr. Alpha. But I never once hated them. I''ve never harbored any hostility. Although our beliefs are different, Alpha is thinking about people. He thinks and acts for someone else. In truth, he was slightly hesitant to turn his blade on such a person. If you don''t have to do that, then you''re welcome. ''Dear Rain, you must not believe it easily. It could be that it is a trap. ''Iris is a skeptic...'' I''m afraid Miss Lane is too good-natured to be true. It''s hard to deny it because it''s something I''ve been told by my friends often. ''Don''t worry. My words do not lie. I don''t intend to fight with the two of you, and we''ll unlock the dream in turn. Why don''t you disarm it right away?Isn''t that just to buy time? ''''Eh, no I don''t mean that. ''Oh....'' Iris spills out a goofy voice, as if she had forgotten the result. It''s rare to see such carelessness. Maybe Iris was actually being cautious, too. Has she loosened up somewhat by talking face to face with Alpha-san? ''I will obey everything Mr. Lane and the others say. If you don''t believe me, then feel free to restrain or incapacitate me. No I wouldn''t go that far. In the meantime, I''ll come down the tower with you. We can''t disarm the dream if we stay here. Do you believe me? I believe you. When I answered immediately, Alpha''s eyes widened in surprise. Iris next to her has a smile on her mouth while making a look of relief. ''I think I''ve said it somewhere before but it''s better to believe it than to doubt it. If that betrays you, well, I can''t blame you. I''ll just be lenient and accept the consequences and then ... well ... we''ll figure it out. ..... Alpha-san laughs a small laugh, as if he can''t stand it. ''''You really are an interesting human being.......just like that guy.'''' That man? ''He''s someone I loved. A man so innocent, so pure, like a child. Where is this man now...? They''re gone. I had some idea of the answer, but.... When I finally hear the answer, it''s indescribable. After all, this person knows the pain that tears your heart apart. He suffers from that pain and cries.... It was because he had experienced such feelings that he tried to save others. Though his methods were warped... But I could tell that the thought was a solid one. So let''s get off the tower. ...Mr. Alpha. Yes? ''I cannot approve of your methods. Dreaming does not, fundamentally, make you happy. I''ll confront you on that point as often as I can. Yes. So, what can I say.......please continue to be an Alpha. .... Mr. Alpha''s eyes widened once.... Next, he smiled softly. ''Yes. Let''s make a pact. Yes, I promise. We shake each other''s hands. At this moment, Alpha-san and I have a real connection to each other.... The case in Kagne has been solved. .............................That''s what I thought, at that time. ''Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations.........'' Therefore, let''s not have any development in which you two hold hands. A woman''s voice came out of nowhere. It sounded familiar... I mean, it''s not so easy to forget that. ''Monica! It''s been a while, Miss Lane. A giggle is heard. I hurriedly look around, but I can''t find Monica. It seems that Iris is also using her magic power and detecting it, but.... You can''t. Even with my help, I cannot locate Monica-san. The most powerful species ... and powerful enough to deceive the celestial race, Iris? Is there such a thing in the world? ''''It''s useless. My illusions are not easy to break, even for the strongest species. That was proven in my battle with Kanade-san and the others. Why would Monica have the power to... ''I''ve been trained that way since I was very young. And ... a little too chatty, I suppose. Have you been working out? It''s like... You sound just like me. ''''My illusion and Alpha-san''s ability to show you your dreams..........They go very well together. It would be a shame to leave it like this and lose it, so I''m going to rob it, just as it is. 367-Episode 367: Nightmare Ugh...! Suddenly, Alpha let out an agonizing scream. She struggled in agony while hugging herself. ''''Alpha-san!'''' ''Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!There is an alien power inside me........this power.......! Mr. Alpha thrusts his claws into his own chest. It''s as if he''s trying to get rid of a parasite that''s rampaging inside his body. His face is filled with anguish. It is sweating profusely and its complexion is turning bluer and bluer. Mr. Alpha! Run away from the......... There, the words were cut off and Alpha''s whole body trembled with a jolt. The tips of her limbs turned black, as if they were being invaded by something. It eventually spread throughout her entire body........ ''Aaaaaaah! The darkness swelled and popped. It looked like an incubation... It''s... Demons...? Me and Iris'' dry voices echoed. Both of us looked sternly at Sol. Just like the demon race we faced one day, its huge body was the color of darkness. In a manner of speaking, it retained its human form, but........ There are no eyes, mouth, nose, or anything else on what appears to be a face. "Turning the strongest species into a demon race...?I don''t think that''s possible... Or maybe not. What''s going on? ''Alpha-san''s dream has not yet been unlocked. I mean..... ''''........That demon race is a dream product created by someone who took Alpha-san''s power?'''' ''Maybe it will be something like that. Though, since it''s Alpha''s dream, it will be properly substantive. Disgusting sweat runs down my back. An artificial demon race created based on the strongest species. It''s like an S-rank multiplied by an S-rank....... I can''t imagine that power, to say the least. ''''Mr. Rayne can go either way because of my Lord''s wishes.......but we can''t let Mr. Iris go unnoticed. As long as you defy us, you will die here. ''I see. So you were suspicious of me from the beginning, weren''t you? Well, if you continue to be ambiguous like that, it''s only natural....... Now please continue to dance with my vision with grace. That would be the signal. A jet black doll moved. Its body would be about five meters long? I was hoping that if it was that big, it would have been killed for speed... What...? The jet-black puppet moved as fast as the wind and blasted its powerful arms. It was inevitable! Matter Creation! It created a wall of stone and used it as a shield. The jet-black doll shattered it with ease, but its momentum waned. He held Kamui to the side to catch it... At the same time, he flies backwards himself and is blown away. He rolled on the floor with a rumble and finally stopped after flying about ten or so meters. ''''Rain-sama!'''' Geez I''ll be fine, somehow!More importantly, watch out!Not only does this guy have a ton of power, but he''s also insanely fast! The jet-black doll was already in a chase position. In order to stop it, he unleashed his magic with all his might. ''''Fireball Multi-Shot!'''' Multiple fireballs envelop the jet black doll and explode in a huge explosion. The jet black doll is based on Mr. Alpha... The demon race I fought in Horizon before was based on people, but after defeating them, they were safely protected. With that in mind, there was probably no need to go easy on them. Or rather, I can''t afford to go easy on them. If we did that, we would be swallowed up in one fell swoop. "Come on, Flame of the Otherworld! Iris used her summoning magic to cover the flames with flames. More explosive flames and roaring sounds. From the top of her head to her toes, the jet-black doll was engulfed in flames without a trace. It would be nice if it would fall over with this, but that would be called a naive idea. Me and Iris are working our magic to hit more of the chase.... What? Instantly, I felt a tremendous chill. The feeling of death. ''Iris!'' I jumped sideways from the spot and took off in a big way, holding Iris even more. Immediately after. Zan! Numerous black blade-like things flew out from the explosive flames and pierced the space they had been in earlier. ''''What is that thing! The smoke cleared to reveal a jet black doll. Like a cactus, countless blades sprouted from its body. Stretchable. The hardness could be changed at will. Such blades sprouting all over its body........ We can attack all at once. Is that about it? What a pain in the ass this is not going to get you anywhere near a careless person. That said, the enemy seems to be able to deal with long distances. It''s not a good idea to let them dictate the pace of your attack. ''I''ll just have to take the risk and jump into my pocket and do all the damage at once..........or else Iris will have to take cover. ''All right. But ... if I had just a few more hands ... Iris is right, it''s honestly too much for the two of us to deal with on our own, to be honest. If only we all were here...! I couldn''t help but think so. I just forgot that at this time. ''''Unyaahhhh.......'''' Out of nowhere, such a voice came out of nowhere. This voice....from the sky? I reflexively looked up. Nyan! Kanade fell from the sky and struck the jet-black doll with a painful force as it was. 368-Episode 368: Onyase As expected, they weren''t expecting a surprise attack from the air, and the jet-black doll received a decent blow from Kanade. It staggered and fell to one knee on the ground. ''''Rain, nyatase! Striking the jet black doll, Kanade landed on the ground with a supple movement. As it was, she waved her hand and rushed over to me. ''''Rayeen-!!!'''' ''Kanade!It''s........dangerous! The jet-black puppet generated a blade from its body and ejected it at Kanade as it lost its stance. However, Kanade didn''t panic. Three more figures descended. ''''Bloodsize, let''s go.'''' Tina, that''s a home run. ...like... Rifa, Tina, and Nina. Rifa generates a sickle of blood and plays the black blade. Tina strikes the black blade with the bat that let her magic power pass through it. Nina opens up a subspace and dumps the black blade into it. I should say that''s as good as it gets. The jet black doll flinched slightly before everyone''s overwhelming offensive power. However, it only lasted for a moment. It immediately dissipates the killing spirit and enters the attack stance again. Only........there were two people who wouldn''t allow it to happen. ''''Dragoon Howling!'''' This time, Sora and Luna descended from the sky. At the same time, they unleashed their magic and bombs exploded around the jet black doll. It doesn''t end there. Just as a tome, Tania in dragon form flew in. I can''t have any of this! A must-kill dragon breath. The jet-black doll was swallowed up, as if a giant pillar of light stood up. The magic of the spirit race and the breath of the dragon race. The two caused mutual interference, increasing their power many times over. After that, Tania transformed into her puppet form and descended. Perhaps they all rode on Tania''s back to get here. ''''Everyone! Rain, I''m late! ''I mean, I''m sorry!We were into all kinds of weird stuff and didn''t really know what was going on... But I''m awake. So I rushed over and attacked the enemy-like thing anyway. Enemy, right? Rifa asked such a question while tilting her head slightly. She looks the same as usual, apparently. It feels like it''s been an awfully long time.... My tear glands loosen up a bit. ''No thank you for the help, thank you. Thank you, both Nina and Tina. Heh-heh-heh. I would run to the ends of the earth for Rain''s husband! That''s really ... encouraging. Hmm. I don''t know, it''s suddenly a very lively place. ''Oh, no!It''s Iris! ''You''re alive... or rather, why are you with Rain?What?No, but ... I think I met Iris somewhere? Everyone, including Sora and Luna, were surprised to see Iris standing next to me with a natural look on her face. Like me, they probably thought she was dead, so it''s not hard to understand how they felt. My memories of the dreaming seem to be hazy and not as vivid as they should be. But I don''t have time to explain it now. "Sorry, guys. We''ll explain later!Now, can you help me take that guy down? I know it looked like that, so I just attacked him without question, but are you still the enemy? "What if I''m on your side, you runaway cat with no idea what''s coming next? ''It''s no longer about anything, is it!I mean, Tania was attacking you too! We were still in the middle of a battle, but from time to time we would spill out into distracted conversation. That''s what makes me smile, because it''s just like everyone else. ''It''s like a demon tribe person named Alpha-san being changed into a demon tribe. It''s similar to what happened with Horizon, so there probably won''t be a problem if we defeat them. What would you do if life were one and the same? We''ll find a way to help and then we''ll do it. ''Good grief, our Lord says the hardest things without hesitation. But it''s Rain, apparently. Rifa nodded yes. ''And now we have Iris, too! That''s reassuring, nyan!'''' I mean, you really are on our side, aren''t you?You don''t want to antagonize us like you did the last time? Tania gave him a questioning look. Taking it head on, Iris gave a small smile. ''Yes. Yes. It''s no problem for you to believe me. I will swear that I am on Rain-sama''s side. Who do you think they''re swearing to? "By my late husband, my family and my people. That was an incredibly heavy word for Iris. Tania seemed to sense his resolve and seriousness, and nodded in satisfaction. ''Ok. I believe those words. But please don''t pull me down, okay? ''Oh, dear. Tania, you are powerful enough to hit me with such words?When you fought me before, you were out of breath like an old man. Well..... Hmm..... There''s something disturbing in the air! Fight, d*mn it. I''m done messing around. It''s coming. "...and... Tania and Iris were dreading being scolded by the two youngsters. As you would expect, being scolded by the two little ones is very bearable. I know exactly what I mean. It''s kind of an irresistible atmosphere, isn''t it? ''Miss Lane. Iris lines up next to me. ''Ladies and gentlemen, you''re awake. And the timing is perfect. Did you think this was going to happen in the first place? ''No, indeed, the timing is a coincidence. I just knew that you would wake up. ''They trust you, don''t they? And why is that? I don''t have a good reason for it, but it''s just one of my guys. Apparently that one word was enough to get my thoughts across. Iris smiled gently. I''m jealous. I mumbled something small. I tried to ask him back. Lane, they''re coming! Kanade''s sharp voice flew out. When I looked, I saw that the jet-black doll had regained its stance and shifted into an attack stance. I have a lot of stories to pile up... Now let''s deal with the problem at hand. We''ll beat the jet black doll and save Mr. Alpha! Everybody, let''s go! 369-Episode 369: Counterattack starts "....! The jet-black doll lets out an unspeakable scream. It''s an unpleasant sound, like scratching a mirror. Both fists are laced together and hit the ground. Intimidation...? No, this! Hey, everybody, look out!They''re coming from below! I had a bad feeling and jumped wide side to side from the spot. Slightly delayed, a little, he broke through the ground and zang!And countless black spears grew out of the ground. ''''Nya fu. This much........nya!You just grazed my tail! Hey, be careful with that. A tail cut off or something, you won''t have any characteristics. ''I still have ears!I mean, they didn''t cut me off! Kanade and Tania were talking lightly. They seemed to be avoiding them with a good amount of time to spare. Sora, Luna and Iris magically retreated into the air. Nina puts Tina on top of her head and transitions into space. Rifa transformed into a bat and evaded each of them. ''''........! What the hell is this...? The jet-black doll howled again in an inarticulate voice. In response, black spears sprouted again and again from the ground. It was like the Sword Mountain in Hell. ''''You can''t get close to it carelessly...'''' In that case, this is.... Let Sora and her team handle it. We''ll lead the way. What''s my big line? Thora, Luna and Iris stepped forward. ''''Dragoon Howling!'''' "Come on, otherworldly fire. Sola and Luna''s magic exploded, and on top of that, the flames that Iris had summoned landed. If it was just one of those demons, it would be powerful enough to obliterate them without leaving a trace... "....! The jet black doll is still alive and well. It seems that it wasn''t no damage, and small wounds are visible. However, it couldn''t be a big blow, and its movements were not slowed down. However, it was able to stop the attack. As if that was enough, Sora and the others retreated and........ Next, Tina and Rifa stepped forward. "Rifa, one for one! Yeah, I''ll try. Tina generates a bat of light with her magic, and Rifa generates a bullet of blood. Rifa tosses the blood bullet lightly in front of Tina. More home-run hitting, baby! Kaan, with a pleasant sound, Tina strikes with the bat. That''s absurd!It was a stunned attack. It seemed that the two people''s magic power meshed well, and their power was outstanding. The blood projectile struck by the bat shattered the black spear and did not stop, piercing the jet black doll''s abdomen. ''''Ura-la-la-la! Here, here, here, here. Tina swung the bat and.... Rifa shoots blood bullets over and over again. Is such an attack, is it possible...? "....! The jet-black doll is frightened by Tina and Rifa''s combined attack, and takes a step or two back. However, it''s still not enough to make a thud. It howled as if it couldn''t afford to lose, and this time it produced black arrows inside. Ejecting them all at once, I aim at Tina and Rifa. ''''Bloodshot.'''' "Ignytranslation! Rifa, Sola and Luna intercepted the black arrows. Every single one of them shot down. However, it seems that the enemy can unleash an inexhaustible stream of attacks. The second attack, the third, the fourth...They prepare for one attack after another. There is no end to this. On the contrary, they will be slowly and gradually overwhelmed. The only way to get out of this situation is.... Nina, let''s go! ... hmmm. It''s Tania and Nina. At full throttle with a single shot! Tania unleashes her special dragon breath. The breath is thinner and narrower than usual, but its brilliance is several times greater than normal. Probably by compressing the area of effect, the power is amplified many times over. ''''Open.........'''' Nina spun around and moved her hand, and a hole opened up in space. Tania''s breath was sucked into it. ''.........Open it up again.'' This time, Nina spun her hand around in the opposite direction. Then, countless holes in space connected around the jet black doll. From there, Tania''s bracelets popped out of it all at once... "....! Breaths pouring down from all directions burned the jet black doll''s entire body. It''s a rough job of diffusing the dragon tribe''s special strike and showering its entire body with it. It seems that this is indeed irresistible and the jet black doll writhes in pain. The way is now open. An opening has been created. All that''s left to do now is to give it a tremendous blow. "Kanade! Yeah! He joins hands with Kanade and applies it all at once to the jet black doll. Perhaps it''s because everyone''s attacks are working, but there''s no interception. ''''Let''s go!'''' Me and Rain''s combined attack! Power flows in from the linked hands, and Kamui heats up. When he pulls the trigger, the power flows into the blade at once, and it takes on a fiery aura. And then ... all at once, it slams into the jet black doll! 370-Episode 370: Beat the Nightmare I''ve fought off Suz and Iris, Kamui''s full strength. I thought that this would be........ ''''Huh?'''' The jet-black doll had most of its upper body melted away. However, the lower half of the body rose and swelled unnaturally... Not long after, the top half of his body regenerates. ''Oh, gross...'' Kanade was pulling back a bit. ''''We are still in Alpha-san''s dream. And the other party is the demon race that Alpha-san was based on. Then......... Are you free to rebuild from a state of certain death?So everything is possible...? You''re right, Miss Lane. Hey, that''s not fair!How do you expect me to beat that guy? Tania pulled a face. Then she looks at me. Everyone else looks at me, too. As the leader of the party, I have to live up to everyone''s expectations. "......... Think about it for a minute. Okay, let''s do it! I''ve come up with a plan. Seeing me like that, Iris is surprised. ''What? You''ve already come up with one? Monica must be interfering in some way to manipulate Mr. Alpha. I''m going to blow the core of it. Do you have any idea what that core might look like, Lady Rayne? No, I have no idea. So I''m going to blow up all those jet-black dolls without leaving a single piece of them. .... What''s going on, Iris? ''''No........it''s too bold a strategy, but it''s certainly the best one under the current circumstances. It''s a good idea to come up with such a strategy in a flash. Is that ability to think like that part of your power of thinking? Iris gave him such a dexterous, impressed look that he was dumbfounded and impressed. ''I''ll take care of it all at once. Everyone do as I tell you. When Iris gives the signal, do your best to ask for it. Oh, and don''t cause any damage to the tower or the city. I''ll toss you into the air. I understand. I didn''t ask for the details of the operation, and even though it was supposed to be a reckless request, I agreed in two words. Maybe, but..... I think Iris trusts me. That''s why he has such an attitude. I''m very happy about that... I steeled myself to not disappoint him. ''Multi-boost!'' First, I used magic to increase everyone''s physical abilities. Then I''ll give you instructions. "Everyone move in a circle around him!Sola and Luna by magic. Nina acts in one set with Tina and moves in transition. Don''t get any closer than a certain distance, invite them to attack! La nyah! Everyone ran with Kanade in the lead. They ran around the jet-black doll as I instructed. Although attacks would occasionally fly in, Kanade and the others would easily avoid them. Their original physical abilities were high.... Plus, he''s now in a state of magic-enhanced ability. Even if it''s a jet-black puppet attack, it''s not that difficult to avoid it. ''''A light attack, as if to provoke it! Okay! Immediately, Tania shot out a fireball. Everyone else also fired a series of attacks at the level of intermediate magic. ''''........! The jet-black doll howled in annoyance. Still, everyone still didn''t stop attacking. As I instructed, they hit a series of light attacks. Right now, I''m like a commander. I keep track of everyone''s movements and tell them what to do next. This is also probably one of the Beast Tamer''s ways of fighting. ''''Now!Sola and Luna, Nina and Tina, attack the blind!The rest of you, get in his bosom and launch him into the sky! "Hmph, this time I''ll show you my greatest strength... "Flash Impact! ''You can''t help but deprive me of my cue, sister!Yeah, flush impact! ...Jampu. My spinning ball! The four of them exploded their attacks and the jet-black doll was on its back. I could just blind them, but it seemed to be too powerful. I was able to block my opponent''s movements, so, well, let''s call it a happy miscalculation. ''With me!'' With me! Mine! ""Combination!" Kanade, Tania and Rifa dive into the bosom of the jet-black doll and release their fists in unison. They continue to connect with a kicking attack, and finally, a spinning kick. ''''........! The jet black doll was blown into the air by the overwhelmingly powerful attack. Now, no matter how high-powered the attack was, no matter how many high-powered attacks it hit, there would be no damage to the surroundings. ''''Irisssss!I mean...what? Phew, I''ve been waiting for you. I''m ready for you. Iris''s long hair was fluffy and swaying as if she were in a weightless state. Not only that, but it had a pale glow to it. In addition, it had nearly doubled in length and stretched down to her feet. And most of all, the wings on its back. The eight bird-like wings had disappeared, and instead revealed huge butterfly-like wings woven with light. Its size must have been about three meters long? It''s bigger than his own body. That figure...? ''''Oh. Rain-sama has never heard of The Awakening? ''What?Iris is able to move into an ''awakened'' state on her own!I mean, that''s not how you''re supposed to look! "I''ll explain in detail later but this is my ''awakening''. In this state, I can truly unleash the most powerful blow of all. Iris stared at the jet-black doll floating in the air. Now, let''s finish that white shot of demise! The world was engulfed in light. Goooooooooo!And the atmosphere could be heard raging and raging. At the same time, a shockwave was scattered throughout the area. Its power is considerable, and if you don''t fluff it up, you''re likely to roll over. ".........is it over? Somewhat later, I opened my eyes and saw a clear sky. There was no jet black doll anywhere. ''Ah.'' Out of nowhere, a faint light gathered and it took the form of a person. Soon after, the light became Mr. Alpha. ''''Hmph, it seems to have worked. That was a fine command, Lady Rain.'''' Iris was back to normal before I knew it. Call me brilliant in my command, but.... At the end of the day, it seems like Iris has swept everything away. I''m not sure if I''m surprised or not.... I don''t know how I managed to beat Iris, I thought sincerely. 371-Episode 371: Suddenly…… Mr. Alpha! I picked up Alpha, who was lying on the floor. I touch her wrist and check her pulse, and she responds, though weakly. He''s also breathing. ''Mr. Lane. Where''s Mr. Alpha? She''s weak, but I think we''ve got her out of it. ''Well that''s good to hear. Although he is the one who caused the troublesome incident, he is by no means an evil one. ''Yes. It''s just that what happens later on... We''ve got all this stuff going on. I feel it''s hard to say no blame at all. The strongest species doesn''t belong in human society but.... But that doesn''t mean we can''t just leave it at that, if something happens. If you do that, you can do whatever you want. It''s not like anything terrible is going to happen, since no harm is being done.... ''''Ummm.......let''s see if I can get Rezona-san to help me out. ''Krios I know someone in the city where the demon clans gather. Maybe he can help me. How can I get them to come in? "How to say it, I''m not seducing you. After all, Rezona is Rifa''s mother. There''s no way I''m messing with my own mother. Just get out of the tower. Yes. The fog was beginning to clear, probably due to Alpha''s fainting. The tower also continued to vibrate with minute vibrations, giving a hint of collapse. ---------- Everybody okay? Meow, I''m fine! The fall of the tower is getting harder and harder... A little while after we went down, it melted into the air and disappeared. If it had stayed there, it would have been thrown into the air. It''s horrifying. Everyone is safe. Iris is okay. Mr. Alpha is okay. Good. I think we just escaped. Hey, Rain. What''s going on after all? I went to Rayne''s anyway, but we don''t know what we''re up against. Iris is with you, too, with a look on her face, as if it''s a given. Hmm. There''s a lot going on about that. I''ll explain it all later. More importantly.... I look around. ''Nyan?What''s going on, Lane? I''m just wondering if there are any dogs or anything else. Doggy. What do you want to do? ''Monica must have been close by. She might still be hiding somewhere, watching us. Monica I don''t like that guy... Kanade''s tail hangs down in a henpecked heap as he remembers his previous bitter battle. ''I''d like to use a dog or something to keep you alert... hmmm... would it be difficult?'' Dogs have an excellent sense of smell, but if they can''t smell the target, there is no way to track it. They are sensitive to malice and other things, so they might bark at you if something happens... but I doubt it. Master Lane. In that case, would you like me to take a look around the city? Are you sure? I can fly on my own, and I know Monica''s presence. I think I''m the best person for the job. It''s, well... Wouldn''t you just disappear?I worry about that. It seemed to show on her face, and Iris gave a small smile. ''''Hmph, there''s no need to worry about that kind of thing. ''Well...'' It''s rude to hide out again now that you''ve shown up like this, and I, too, would like to talk to Miss Lane. I promise to come back properly and not run away. Uh I''m sorry, I don''t mean to worry you. ''No, I''m glad you feel that way. Huh. Iris spread her eight wings. ''''Then I''ll go.'''' Take care of yourself. Huh, who do you think I am?It''s the deadliest, most powerful species. ---------- It doesn''t seem to be a problem. After flying over the city of Kagne in a manner, Iris came to that conclusion. I looked for Monica''s figure, or any sign of her, while on guard, but I couldn''t sense a shred of her. Monica is able to control her illusions at will, but... But there was no escaping Iris''s keen eyes completely. It was impossible to hide out without leaving a shred of a sign. Hence, Iris decided that Monica would be gone. ''''Nevertheless, I''m tired...'''' Prolonged combat. And the full-throated attack after shifting to the awake state. As you would expect, the exhaustion is so great that I''m afraid I''ll fall asleep if I''m not careful. Now, let''s go back to the lodge where we were supposed to meet. I''ll tell Miss Lane that there is no problem and then what should we do?If I could, I''d like to be with Lady Lane... ...Hahaha, zannen... What? Suddenly, there was a chuckle. ........huh? Iris let out an inaudible scream as a sharp pain shot through her chest. When she looked down, she saw a human hand growing out of her own chest. A hand pierced through the flesh, revealing a hand drenched in blood. At the end of that hand, a glowing sphere was grabbed. ''''This.........is.......! "As expected of you, you can''t do anything about the space-jumping attack, and you look exhausted... hahaha!As expected of a legendary equipment, the Rainbow Crystal. It''s got amazing power. You are... a party of... His name is Lean. And I don''t have to remember it. There''s no way this wound is going to save you, hahaha! Ggh...! You thought you were going to betray us.I didn''t see that coming. It''s obvious. So, we''re going to stick to the plan. That''s why we''re going to do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I''m going to take the whole thing and use it for myself. Oh...! Iris grabbed the hand that was growing out of her chest and clawed at it. At least, just this one person...! I don''t care if I have only one arm, I''m going to take you with me. But I don''t get any strength. My whole body is rapidly cooling down and my vision darkens. ''''.........Rain............'''' Iris fainted as she spoke her beloved''s name. 372-Episode 372: Between Life and Death I''d like to talk to you about many things, but first I want to relax from the battle. With that in mind, I was returning to the inn to rest... Iris! I rushed downstairs to the first floor of the inn when I heard that a seriously injured Iris had been found. I found Iris, whose chest was wet with a lot of blood, lying on the table. Next to her were Sora and Luna, who were casting a recovery spell. ''Iris, are you alright!Iris! Rain, calm down. I know what you''re thinking, but if you''re too distracted, you won''t be able to see anything. I''m sorry. Tania admonished me to regain my composure slightly. Then I ask Sora and Luna. ''How''s Iris'' injury...?'' Well it''s pretty bad, to put it bluntly. I''ve healed his injuries. But he is not awake. Little by little, his vitality is diminishing and it''s possible that his soul was damaged. Sora and Luna looked bitter. Although Iris was drenched in blood, there was nothing that looked like a scar on her. The two of them must have treated her. However, her eyes remained closed and the interval between her breasts going up and down was terribly slow. ''''d*mn........why is this happening! Neeee....I wonder if it''s that woman, Monica, who did this...? ''I don''t know. The guy has considerable power to create illusions, but I don''t think that''s enough to make Iris look like this... ''Either there are hidden powers that we don''t know about. Or there''s someone else. I suppose we''d better think of it that way. Yeah, we should be careful. It''s possible that they''re trying to get to us, so we have to be careful. Kanade looks at me with concern. ''Nyah ... Rain, are you okay?You look terrible. I''m sure you''re tired from the fight, and you need to get some rest... No, I''m fine. But.... ''Sure, I''m tired, but I can''t rest at a time like this. But thank you for worrying about me, Kanade. He managed to smile and pat Kanade''s head. Because of times like these........ It''s times like these that you have to keep your cool. Don''t get burned out, don''t get in a hurry, and make sure you know what you need to do. Take a deep breath. "...Okay. I was able to calm down, albeit a little. What should we do now? Two. Making sure everyone is safe. And, two, you need to find a way to help Iris. I''ll just be a minute. I walked out of the inn and sent the dogs and the birds. They will be in charge of the perimeter vigilance. It wouldn''t be easy to break through the vigilance nets, both in the air and on the ground. But the enemy is the one that broke through Iris'' defenses. There is a high possibility that they are using some kind of force attacking us. It could be a special ability of the strongest species or perhaps a magical tool. Since it is hard to imagine the strongest species attacking their fellow countrymen Iris, the most likely possibility is the latter. ''''Um........there was. We found a reactor ant, which is said to be able to sense the flow of magic power. They breed everywhere. I''m going to use them and ask them to join the alert. If some kind of magic tool is being used, this should be able to detect it. It''s not perfect, but.... I did the best I could. I''m going back to the inn. Sorry to keep you waiting. What are you doing here? Check the perimeter. There''s no guarantee they won''t continue to come after you. I tell him that I''ve set up a warning net of dogs, birds, and reactor ants. Then Rifa heads to the entrance of the inn. ''I''ll help you,'' Rifa bit her finger, letting the blood flow. As the blood swelled, two wolves appeared, two wolves. ''These boys are good. Let them be alerted together.'' Yeah, that helps. With Rifa''s help, that''s a hundred man power. If we create this much of a warning net, the enemy won''t be able to get to us easily. We can''t let our guard down, but........ For now, I think it''s safe to focus on Iris'' problems. ''Sola, Luna. How''s Iris'' condition? "Uh ... I''m sorry. We''re doing our best to cast a healing spell, but... ''It''s still very likely that your soul is damaged. When this happens, the best we can do is to maintain the status quo, and recovery is....... Well.... I guess there was no way to beat them. Sola and Luna also looked frustrated. But I don''t want to give up here. I could have made peace with Iris. She could have laughed at me like a normal girl. And now I can''t believe it''s over... We can never admit that! Is there any way to... I think I know a way to help Mr. Iris. Mr. Alpha? Alpha-san, who should have been asleep on the second floor, came down. Her body should have been in tatters due to the recoil from when she had been turned into a demon race. In fact, it was wobbling... If Kanade hadn''t rushed over to him in a hurry, he would have just collapsed. ''Now you have to sleep...'' ''''No........As a result, I hurt Iris-san because of me. I have to take responsibility for that. If there''s anything I can do, anything at all. Mr. Alpha looked very strong. I can see that he is prepared to take his responsibility head on and take it seriously. I want any information I can get right now to help Iris. Besides, I can''t interfere with Alpha-san''s resolve. ''''........What do you mean by that idea?'''' It''s about getting help from the most powerful species. The most powerful species...? I''ve heard that there is a powerful species on the northern continent that can heal any wound and has the power to bring even the dead back to life. 373-Episode 373: Healing Agent The most powerful species with the power to heal... Indeed, that might help Iris. However, the bottleneck is that the place where the strongest species is located is the northern continent. The three central, eastern and southern continents are the realm of people. The west continent is the realm of demons and demonkind. And the northern continent.......is shrouded in mystery. What kind of terrain is it? What kind of plants and animals live in the area? We don''t even know if it''s inhabited by people, demons, or the most powerful species.... It''s an uncivilized place where many things are shrouded in mystery. ''''What is the name of that strongest species?'''' ''I''m sorry, I don''t know about that. On the northern continent, there''s the strongest species with excellent healing abilities.... Literature..... how reliable is it? ''''I have no problem with that. It''s a certainty that has been recorded by successive generations of demons. However, it seems that for some reason, there is no detailed information on them, and we don''t know their names, but... I see... "The Northern Continent is uncharted territory. Going to such a place is quite dangerous. We might as well look for other ways to get there.'''' No, I''m coming. .... When I answered immediately, Alpha-san rolled her eyes. ''''Well did you listen to me?'''' Of course. If you go to the northern continent, you might be able to help Iris, right? ''Yes, but there''s a lot of danger...'' The most dangerous thing in the world right now is Iris''s life. If there''s even a one percent chance of saving Iris, I''ll do whatever it takes. ...It''s just like Lane, isn''t it? Mr. Alpha smiled, first in surprise, then softly. ''''Maybe I''ve been defeated in that regard. With someone as pure and strong-minded as Miss Lane, my dreams wouldn''t work.'''' I''m not sure. It''s hard to say because I was dreaming normally at first. The only reason I was able to come back to reality was definitely because of Iris. Iris saved me. So now it''s my turn to help. ''Of course we''ll come with you! You''re not going to ask me to wait for you because it''s too dangerous, are you? Kanade and Tania come forward. ''Yeah, sure. We need everyone''s help. Hmm. Use my power to the fullest! Sora will do her best for Rain and for Iris. I''ll hang in there, okay? We''ll do it too! Yes. They''re all very spirited. That''s very encouraging. If you all stay together, you will be able to help Iris for sure. I''m sure of it. ''Oh but I''m sorry. Sola and Luna. And Tania and Tina will stay home. ""Why?" All four of them shouted loudly together. ''''Hey Rain. Aside from the dumb twin spirits, what do you mean I''m staying home? "Dumb twin genie! Why can''t we stay at home too?I can''t convince you! Tania and Tina crowd me. Sora and Luna behind them, who can''t move as they continue to treat Iris, look very unhappy. ''Wait, I''ll explain it to you properly. It''s not because we don''t want to get involved in something dangerous or anything like that like we did before. What''s the reason, then? ''First of all I want Sora and Luna to continue to take turns treating Iris. We can''t just stop in the middle, can we? "Oh. Sora and Luna both shouted together, as if to say, "Oh, that''s right. Because they reacted like that, wouldn''t Tania call them goofballs or something...? ''Tina, take care of Sora and Luna for me. They''re both going to be using magic all the time, so it''s going to be pretty hard... and I think it''s essential to support their personal lives. Tina, a former maid, would be perfect in that area, right? Yeah, well, it''s a role that suits us fine. Tania would like to ask for three guards in case of an emergency. Why me?Maybe even a brain cat? That''s a terrible thing to say, meow! ''If there''s an enemy whose physical attacks don''t work, it''s going to be tough with Kanade, isn''t it?Tania is an all-rounder in that regard. ''Mmmm ... it''s frustrating, but I can''t argue with that. ''Given the possibility of a battle, Tania is the best choice. Please. Does that mean you''re relying on me? Of course. .... Huh? For some reason, Tania smiled a sloppy smile and spilled out an unfamiliar voice. ''It''s nothing,'' Soon, he returns to his crisp face. What was that...? ''If that''s the case, I''ll help Sola and the others. I''m not as good as you two, but I do know how to heal. Thank you. Alpha also offered to help me. When I heard that Iris''s soul was damaged, I was desperate... But now I see hope. It''s small and slight, but I''m going to grab it! Hey, hey, Rain. The northern continent is an uncharted territory, isn''t it?How do you get there? ''That''s the problem...'' I don''t want to spend too much time on it. If possible, I''d like to go through the village of the spirit race, as I did when I came to Kagne. I glance at Sora. She seems to have figured out what I want to ask, and after thinking for a moment, she opens her mouth. ''''I''m not sure if there''s a doorway leading to the northern continent, that''s a bit of a stretch... sorry...'''' You don''t have to apologize. I just think my mom would know. Mr. Al.... Would they still be in Krios? He mentioned something about staying for a while, so I think it''s possible. ''For now, we can either head to Krios or we can''t go through the spirit tribe''s village, because either way, we''ll need to get back to Krios. We''ll probably have to use a carriage, but I wish we could move faster... It''s no use wishing for the impossible. Yes, Rain. You can move to our village from here. ''What? You can do that? ''You built a path from the house to the village, didn''t you?It''s possible to make a new path in the same sense as that one. We can''t connect to any place from the village, but as long as we connect to it, we can connect to it as much as we want. ''Oh, I see. Come to think of it, you used to connect the road from the house to the village. ''In truth, it is forbidden to build gates here and there... but it is an emergency now. Your mother and the chief will forgive us. Well, I don''t care if they don''t allow it. ''Yeah ... thank you, Sola, Luna. This will buy me a lot of time. My slim hopes seemed to grow a little larger. ''Wait for me, Iris.........'' I gently stroke Iris'' cheek as she looks distressed. I will definitely help her. I''m going to make this face smile. I''m not going to let you break your promise to make a contract, since you haven''t fulfilled it. I will help you. I''ve made up my mind again. 374-Episode 374: Malicious Inflation Thanks for the help. Leanne opens the door to the mansion and spills out her good mood. It''s Reese who greets Leanne. Welcome back, Leanne. And .........and Monica too, thank you. ''Yes. Thank you for your kind words. Following Leanne back to the mansion, Monica looked at the Lord and bowed her head. They looked into each other''s eyes and gave a small smile. There, she could see other emotions than just the master-slave relationship. Not friendship, not infatuation, not respect or esteem... If we were to compare it to a parent-child relationship, it would be a parent-child relationship. An emotion similar to that is flowing between the two of them. I''m so tired. I''ve consumed a lot of magic power. Leanne sits down on the couch just inside, spilling a whiny line, and sits down on the couch. As it was, she leaned back and gagged. ''Good night, Leanne. So........what happened? ''Huh?You haven''t received a report from Monica? ''Not yet this time. He''s been busy with a lot of things over there too, so I didn''t think it was necessary to force him to report back. Oh, yeah. Listen to me, it''s been a crazy night. I''m supposed to be here just to keep an eye on the Celestial Clan, but I can''t seem to figure out what''s going on. I don''t understand the case? ''Well...'' Leanne explained the events that were happening in Kagne. That a deep fog had enveloped the people and that they were trapped in what seemed to be an illusion. That it had been caused by one of the most powerful species. With the help of Rain and the others, the case was solved. ''''So........that''s why. It''s an illusion. It has something in common with Monica''s ability. ''Yes. As Master Reese said, it was similar to my abilities. It made it easier for me to move around in many ways. ''Well I''ll get more details from Monica later on about that one. So ... what do you mean by Mr. Iris not being here? Oh, yeah. He thought he was gonna f*ck us over. I knew it.... It seemed to be expected, and Reese wasn''t particularly surprised. He just looks very disappointed. ''I was hoping that Iris-san would be able to help, or be an ally... hmm. It''s not so easy to get things right, is it? Well, I don''t blame you.He''s the kind of ungrateful guy who doesn''t mind breaking promises. Leanne was still holding onto the fact that she had been betrayed before. ''''So ... what''s your treatment, Iris-san?'''' I''ve done what you asked. Hey. Lean took the rainbow crystal and lightly waved the tip of his wand. Then a sphere of light appeared. It floated fluffily and settled into Reese''s hand. It''s his soul. I''ve been able to gouge it out of him with this rainbow crystal. This is.... Lightly stroking it as if examining a sphere of light... Then Rhys smiled deeply. ''''It''s wonderful. The soul of the strongest species........and the soul of a Heavenly Clan that should have been extinct. It has tremendous power. If this is it........'''' The Demon Lord''s awakening was another step closer. Rhys mumbled the rest of the lines in his mind. ''''Oh?'''' After stroking the sphere of light a few times, Rhys gets a strange look on his face. ''This........not all souls, is it? ''What?What do you mean? Part of it is missing. There must have been some kind of mistake in the extraction of the soul. Oh, my God, really?I thought I did it right... Leanne reflects on her actions. By separating herself from Monica, she thoroughly hid her presence. Then, when the other party was caught off guard, he struck an unexpected blow. The attack of the rainbow crystal that transcended space did indeed catch Iris, but........ ''''Uh ... if you ask me, maybe I wasn''t as responsive as I thought I was?I''ve been failing.... Lean sweats lazily. Because Iris showed desperate resistance. The ability of the rainbow crystal is low. It''s bad that Monica has no backup. Although I think of this and that excuse, it''s hard to come up with a good one. ''''Well, it can''t be helped.'''' What? ''''Lean-san has only had the Rainbow Crystal in her hands for a short while. And yet, it would be difficult for even Lean-san to handle it perfectly. ''Well yes, yes!Even a genius wizard like me can''t seem to find a legendary piece of equipment. Leanne found that she wasn''t going to be offended, and she was instantly on top of it. Seeing Lean like that, Reese inwardly let out a sigh of dismay. After all, should I have been the one to go there instead of someone like this? However, the peculiar signs of the demon race are difficult to hide from the strongest species of heavenly race, Iris, even if they are dealing with humans. ''''........well, okay.'''' He was able to get his hands on the soul of Iris. Although it is imperfect, its power is considerable. It''s within the range of my expectations, and if it''s this good, there''s nothing wrong with it. In fact, I''d say that it went rather well. ''You must be tired, Mr. Lean, aren''t you?How about we have a bath for you? ''What? Seriously?Wow, that''s a big help! Just thought I''d take a bath! Monica, could you give me a tour of Mr. Lean? Yes, I understand. Oh, yeah. Why don''t you come in with us? Well...? ''That''s fine. Monica must be tired, and you should go rest with Leanne. Yes, thank you. Leanne took a giddy step. Monica bowed and disappeared to the back of the mansion respectively. ''''Huh...'''' Alone, Rhys smiles ecstatically while staring at the sphere of light...........................Iris'' soul. ''''Ah, Demon King-sama.......soon I will be able to wake you up. Then.........then........ Destroy everything in this world. Reese''s cold, cold voice echoed softly in the mansion. There was no one to hear those words, except Reese. Malice........swells up. 375-Episode 375: Helper ''Oh....'' When he opened his eyes, he saw the ceiling of the inn''s room. Millefeuille and Chocolat were lying on the bed. They don''t look particularly strange, they just seem to be sleeping normally. ''''Well, I........'''' Why are we here? I thought ... and then I quickly remembered. ''I see...I did something that betrayed me, and that''s how I lost to you, Rain...'' Think back on your actions. Ahhhhhh...! I put my head in my hands. ''''I, how dare I.......run away from the easy way just because it was hard.......Ugh, I am so ashamed. I''m sure that Rain-kun must have experienced painful things too, and yet I''m... oh my god, I''m really a person... Huh, a deep sigh escaped me. Disappointment in myself. ''''I.......don''t have the qualifications of a brave man, do I? Take the easy way out and don''t try to fight your way forward.......too bad. It''s really embarrassing. Now that I''ve fought Rayne-kun and I''ve seen his strength with my own eyes, I understand. Having the strength to keep walking forward, no matter what, is what is very important. I had forgotten that. I''m not going to be able to call myself a brave man, but.... ''''I mean........it''s no better to give a short answer here and just quit. Report everything, and then Argus-sama will be the judge of me. If I give it back because I''m not qualified here, that would be too irresponsible and I''m just running away. Right now, I have to try to keep being me. I made a mistake. But it''s not all over. You can walk again. Yes, that''s what Mr. Lane taught me. ---------- The girls went to the inn where they were staying, as Chiffon had woken up. I opened the door and walked into the room. I''m sorry! I''m sorry. Sorry. Chiffon, millefeuille, and chocolates are lined up next to each other, and suddenly my head is bowed. I''m amused by the suddenness of the situation. ''''Uh...?'''' ''I''m really sorry, Rain-kun.......I have a proper memory. I mean, I was acting almost entirely on my own volition... and I wasn''t being manipulated. Does that mean you''ve fought me? Yes. ''''I''m really sorry I caused you so much trouble.......I''m so sorry! Chiffon has bowed his head over and over again. Sooner or later, it looks like she might even get down on her knees. ''''Oh, no I don''t mind. But.... ''Because I really don''t care. I think I know how Chiffon feels, in my own way. I was trapped in my dream at first, too. If it wasn''t for Iris'' help, I might not have been able to wake up. Thinking about that, I can''t blame Chiffon for that. ''''Thank you ... you''re so sweet, Rain. I don''t think so. No, I think it''s sweet. I guess that''s one of your virtues, Lane. ''Well...'' Whoa. He''s embarrassed. Hmmm, you''re so cute! You two should be more careful. Excuse me. ''Haha....'' I was tense after what happened with Iris.... I looked at the three of them, who were good friends, and I felt a little more relaxed. ''By the way may I ask you to tell me what has happened since then?Well I''m embarrassed to tell you this, but I just woke up a while ago, so I didn''t know what was going on... ...Yeah, okay. What is the situation now? It''s somewhat daunting to explain that. ''''Actually....'''' Alpha was persuaded and the wards were lifted. That although the fog was still there, it would clear up in a day. And.........that Iris had been hurt. That she is severely injured and is heading to the northern continent to find a cure. I will explain those things. ''I didn''t know that was going to happen...'' Chiffon''s face was dark. Millefeuille and Chocolat also had a very difficult look on their faces. I think they each feel a responsibility. I know that the three of us have a strong sense of responsibility, even though we''ve only known each other for a short time. "Mr. Lane. Yeah? Is there anything we can do to help? It''s... To be honest, there is. There is an awful lot. When you go to the northern continent, you still can''t get rid of the uncertainty. We''ll have to split up the party, so our strength will be cut in half. What if we can make up for that by having Chiffon and the others help us? Also, if you could get Myrfeuille to participate in Iris'' treatment? I think it will be a lot less of a burden on Sola and Luna. ''To be honest, it helps a lot. But Chiffon and the others are a party of the brave. ''''Yes, we do. Our mission is to travel to defeat the Demon King. That will be our first priority. To that end, repairing the Sword of the Comet will be our top priority. Then.... But! Chiffon says in a strong tone. ''''I''m one person before I''m a brave man. If someone is in danger... and moreover, if I''m part of the cause of that, I don''t think I should overlook it. ...chiffon... Please. Let me help you. Let me help you with that. I think it''s a responsibility. Likewise. Millefeuille and Chocolat said the same thing. ''Yeah I get it.'' Well then.... I need you to help me save Iris. ""Of course!" The three of them nodded together, looking powerful. 376-Episode 376 Whatever We finished our preparations in three hours. Since we''re conquering uncharted territory, I really want to take more time... I can''t spare a minute now for Iris. So I made only minimal preparations. After that, I had Sora and Luna make a gate for me, and then I went to Krios via the village of the spirit race. Fortunately, Al-san was still staying there. I''ll meet with him immediately and explain our situation. ''''Mmm.......I didn''t know that was going to happen. Knowing that Iris was in danger, Al-san made a bitter face. He was concerned about many things, so he was indeed worried. ''''I heard there is a strongest species on the northern continent that is skilled in healing. Do you know anything about it, Al-san? I have heard that story. It''s just that ... well, what did I say?I don''t remember the story because I heard it a long time ago. I''m sorry. No but they do exist, don''t they? Hmm. I''m sure of it. I''m just glad to hear that. Alpha was not the only one who affirmed the existence of the strongest species that is skilled in healing, Al also affirmed the existence of the strongest species. The two of them are smart and possess a wealth of knowledge. If these two people''s words were in agreement, then it would be almost impossible for them to be disinformation. ''''However, the Northern Continent.................also ridiculously troublesome. ...Is that all you have to do? I can''t believe I let Al say this much. Is it a pretty horrible place to be? I''ve heard all sorts of troubling stories. There are demons that are far more powerful than normal individuals. It''s a breeding ground for unseen plants and animals. And I''ve also heard that there is more than one powerful species. ''Multiple...?Is that someone we don''t know about? Hmm. It seems there is a strongest species unknown to the mistress. Not only is there a species called the bearer of healing, but there are other species that you don''t even hear about....... Well.... That''s not all. The door opened, revealing Mr. Rezona. ''Mr. Rezona!'' Long time. Oh, my little girl. How are you doing? So-so. A mother and daughter rejoicing in their first reunion in a long time. Even at a time like this, it was a little dusty. ''You''re going to the northern continent, right?I''ve got a little something for you, too, but I''ve been gathering information. Thank you. ''Al mentioned a lot of things, but what''s more troubling is that there''s no city for humans to live in, right? ...I see. Rezona''s point is a hoot. The place we''re going to now is an uncivilized place, so naturally, there''s no such thing as a city. Perhaps there might be a few people living here, but.... There would be no such thing as a city in a village or settlement. That would make it impossible to take a break. It''s also difficult to replenish food and water. ''''Also ... the lack of a map is also quite tricky. Oh, you know what I''m talking about. Meow?I might get lost without a map... but... does it really matter that much? I explain to a curious Kanade. ''It''s not just the fact that I''m lost, it''s the fact that I don''t know what''s ahead of me that''s the trouble. ''Well you may not know for sure, but if you proceed with caution, it won''t be a problem.I can''t help it if there are traps in place, but if there''s a cliff or a ravine, I''m sure we''ll find it right. ''But we''re going to be on the lookout for that kind of danger, aren''t we?That would, of course, slow us down significantly. Oh. ''And if you find that the road you''re on is a dead end, you''ll have to turn around and go back. That''s a big time loss. That''s the last thing we want to do right now. I see........it''s essential to keep moving forward safely and reliably on the ground. ''Oh....'' Nina''s a little girl, so I suppose it''s no wonder... Kanade is an adult, so he should at least have some knowledge about maps. Well, he didn''t have one, which is probably why he was so exhausted when he first met them. ''''So here''s the map.'''' What? Mr. Rezona releases the rolled up paper to us. I take it hurriedly and open it. ''''Is this ... a map of the northern continent?'''' Compared to the common maps sold in the Central Continent and elsewhere, they are much less accurate. It only gives a rough topography and some simple information. However, there is a big difference between having it and not having it. If you write down the information you get on this map, you will be able to explore more smoothly. Where did you get this stuff? ''Some of the demon tribes that live in this city are old ladies and old men like Al. Well, it''s not going to be perfect, it''s going to be sketchy, but it''s better than nothing. ''Like a concubine is a bit of a stretch. She''s so cute and lovely. I went door to door with all those people and found them. Thank you for taking the time to do that. Oh, that''s good. I owe Rayne and the rest of the city a debt of gratitude. If there''s anything we can do to help, we''re happy to do it. It''s cool. Ha-ha, you''re cool. I''m cool! Resona-san was in a good mood after Rifa praised her. At first glance, it''s hard to tell.... Actually, he loves kids, doesn''t he? ''''It''s a relief to have a map. And the rest of it is a way to get to the northern continent...'''' Since it was uncivilized, of course there were no bridges or anything like that. "Well, don''t worry. The gate to the northern continent is in the village of our spirit race. Of course, you can use it without any problems. Thank you! Doesn''t it bother you that you keep coming back? Al laughed off Riffa''s concerns. ''That''s not true. The chief is at the mercy of his mistress. He won''t look good, but when he does, he''ll punish you with an iron fist. ........I felt a little sorry for the chief. Anyway, that''s not a problem. Although we are in the southern part of the northern continent we will see to it that the girl gets a proper send-off. It''s my way of thanking you for your hospitality to my daughters. I''d like to come with you guys but I''m sorry. I can''t leave the city behind. I haven''t fully recovered from the Stampede incident, and I''m sorry to say that I''m going to have to help you. ''No, I''m fine. You''ve given me a map and provided me with transportation you''ve done so much for me, and if you want more, you''ll get a bee in your bonnet. It''s our turn to go on. Can we get on with our journey to the Northland? ''Well...'' I''m ready to go, but will everyone else be okay? I turn around and look at everyone. ''I''ll be fine. I''m full of energy and a full belly!I''ll do my best to do a lot of work, okay? Yeah. I''m also... I don''t have a problem either. Everyone seems to be OK with it. Then let''s move on. Let''s begin the journey to help Iris. We are heading into a strange land. We don''t have much information, and we don''t know what''s in store for us. Moreover, half of our companions are away at Kagne. It''s not looking good. But we are not going to give up. No matter what happens we will just keep going! 377-Chapter 377: North Continent We''ve arrived. Using the transition gate via the village of the spirit race, they arrived at the northern continent. The scene there was........ Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Kanade was right, it was normal. The rolling plains spread out. We could see a forest in the back on the left. Further back, a small mountain. To the right, a rather wide river flowed by. It extended far, far back, and it was impossible to tell from here where the source was. As one would expect, the road is not well maintained, but.... There''s nothing to write home about, it''s a very normal scene. ''You''re right Kanade-san, it''s normal... I was imagining a more frightening scene. ''Yeah, yeah. There are large trees that are many times larger than I am, flowers I''ve never seen before, and birds that make strange noises like "kukeke" and so on. Chiffon and Kanade talk about their images of the northern continent. As a matter of fact, I had a similar image. Because it''s an uncharted territory.... Perhaps it was because I had the impression that uncivilized = ridiculous place, but all I could think of was a bad image and a tremendous scene. In reality, it doesn''t seem to be like that, but.... I was relieved, or perhaps a little disappointed. I don''t know what they are saying. It''s just that it''s an uncivilized area for humans, and the most powerful species live there. So it''s only natural that we should cultivate a better place to live, right? Al was right. "Just be careful, okay?It may look ordinary on the outside, but who knows what''s lurking behind the scenes? If you think it''s a baby rabbit and you''re not careful, it could be a monster. Proceed with caution. Okay. Then I must return to Krios. I regret that I can''t go with you, but you must be careful, my dear. ""Yes." This time they all replied together. Seeing this, Al-san smiled with satisfaction and disappeared into the transition gate. ''''Well then, let''s start attacking the northern continent. I''ll do my best. Nina clenched her little fists together, showing her motivation. She must be worried about Iris. It''s a motivation I''ve never had before. She''s a sweet girl. ''Huh.'' Nina''s cheeks dyed as she couldn''t help but be a good girl. But she immediately looked comfortable and offered her head to me. ''''Nya-woo........'''' Mmm. Kanade and Rifa''s envious glances. Maybe they were trying to say that this was not the time to be doing this. That''s certainly true, so I moderated my nodding and unfolded the map first. ''Rain-kun, what do we do now?'' ''Well...'' The map Rezona gave me had the general topography of the northern continent written on it. This part of the map was the coast, and the mountains beyond here. And this area is a forest........and so on. However, there is no information about where the strongest species we are looking for is located. That''s why I have to guess where the strongest species lives based on the general terrain, but.... What''s the normal thing to do, here or there, right? There are plains in the northeastern and northwestern parts of the northern continent. The rest of the country is not suitable for peaceful living, with forests and cliffs. It''s just..... It''s possible that you''d be better suited to live in the forest. Rifa is right. For example, the spirit people make their home in the forest and... I don''t know, but there could be the most powerful species that live on steep cliffs. In fact, it could be the strongest species that lives in the sea. The strongest species are the ones where people''s common sense doesn''t apply. It wouldn''t be at all surprising if there was a strongest species living in the middle of a volcano. Considering that, I don''t know where to look for it. "...let''s go to the northeast and northwest plains first. Our common sense may not apply to this place, but the chances are pretty good that this is where they live. Even if we don''t find him, we might be able to get some clues. As long as we have no other choice, I''m going to try and do that but what do you guys think? ''Yeah, I think Lane''s right. Nyan. I guess I agree with Mr. Kanade. I think that''s a good idea. I agree. Okay, I''ll do it. We unanimously decided to head for the plains. The plains to the northeast are slightly closer. Let''s aim for that one first. We should go. Yeah. Kanade nodded vigorously and carried a large luggage bag containing food and water in a heap. I''m sorry to let a girl carry such a large package, but........ In fact, Kanade is the most powerful of all. I have a contract with Kanade, so I''m there too.......but I''m still not as powerful as the strongest species. I have a luggage bag that is one size smaller than Kanade''s. Chiffon also carries a similar luggage bag. As expected of a brave man. I''m not in contract with the strongest species, but that''s a hell of a lot of power. ''''Hmm...? Suddenly, Chiffon looked at me. ''''Rain-kun, weren''t you thinking about being rude just now?'''' ''What?It''s not like that, but... Didn''t you think you were very powerful for a girl? That''s what I thought. ''That''s no good. It''s not a particularly pleasant word to say. Uh, I''m sorry. Girl it''s a tough one. "Oops. After a short walk, I found a wolf. It doesn''t seem to have any hostile intent, and it doesn''t suddenly attack us. Rather, it seemed to be interested in us and approached us with a toteote. ''Just as well. Give me a little help. I''m trying to tame the wolf for directions... ''What ... you can''t sign a provisional contract! What the hell happened? The artifice for a temporary contract would be bounced back. 378-Episode 378 Small... I''m a beast tamer. At first everyone said I was substandard or something, and I wasn''t even aware of it... Recently, I''ve learned about my origins and other things, and I''ve gained a certain amount of confidence in myself. I''m not saying that I''m going to be able to do everything ... but I''m confident that I can tame a normal animal. I have that kind of confidence that if I didn''t have any problems with my physical condition or anything like that, I would have a 100 percent chance of succeeding. And yet..... How could it fail...? Again, I can''t tame the wolf. Strange. I''ve never done this before. I get upset and stand on a stick. The wolf sees me like that. On! He purred sharply and kicked the ground vigorously. Just like that, dada dada!He rushed at me. ''Whoa!'' He took a decent hit from the rush and was pushed down. It was more forceful than I expected, and I couldn''t resist. The wolf went straight to my chest and opened its mouth. I could see a number of sharp fangs lined up. And then..... Lane? Uh ... yeah, I''m fine. I responded to Kanade, who gave a near scream, saying it was no problem. The wolf on top of me... He was very happy, buzzing his tail to the side and licking my face with a pert lick. He was drooling. I don''t know why, but he seemed to have missed me a lot. I didn''t even feed her, and we just met, so why is that? Lane, are you okay? Kanade and the others came running in. And then I see the wolf on top of me and I cringe. ''Whoa!This girl is pretty big........ Really I don''t think I''ve ever seen a wolf this big before. Lane, are you okay? Chiffon was right, it''s a very large wolf. I wonder if he''s as long as I am? The black fur that covered his entire body had a color scheme I hadn''t seen before, with the tips of his hair glowing red. The claws on the ends of his hands and feet were sharp as blades. But he seemed to be concerned about me, and he curled the tips of his limbs up tightly so that his nails would not pierce me. His tail is very large. It was about the same size as its body, and from a distance, you might not be able to tell which one was the main body. And upon closer inspection, I saw that it had small horns on its forehead. Although it was small, it was as sharp as a spear and firmly asserted its presence... ...and the corners? I can''t help but cringe at something that would be impossible for a normal wolf to see. I''m not looking at it wrong, but it''s growing well. This guy...... I''m not a wolf. Rifa says as if to preempt my answer. ''Alright. Good boy,'' "Cun. Rifa guided the wolf down from on top of me and then stroked its head. The wolf seemed to miss Rifa as well, and it spilled out a pleasant sound when its head was stroked. Or rather, it wasn''t just Rifa. He was also very friendly to Kanade, Chiffon, and the fearful Nina, who was afraid to touch him. You''re very clever. Will you be my family? "Won. Shame. The wolf shook his head. Did I understand what you just said...? If that''s the case, then his intelligence is pretty impressive. ''''Is this kid a demon?'''' ''I don''t think so...'' It''s not surprising that Chiffon thinks so. He has characteristics that ordinary wolves don''t have, and his intelligence and power are unusually high. But it''s impossible for a demon to miss people. Unless it''s a monster tamer using them........ I didn''t do that, and I can''t. So, then ... what the hell? Really, it''s a mystery wolf. "Meow... Kanade stared at the wolf. The wolf also stared back at her. ''''........nyan! On! They bark at each other. It''s as if they are having a conversation. ''Kanade, do you think you might be able to recognize the sods? Ummm ... I don''t have any proof. After a beat, Kanade utters his own conclusion. ''''This girl........is the strongest species, isn''t she?'''' "What? Me and Chiffon''s surprise coincides with each other. However, Nina and Rifa are not surprised to see that I had come to the same conclusion as Kanade. ''''Is that true?'''' ''I don''t have any evidence, so I can''t rule it out. But there''s no way a normal wolf or any of those demons could push down a Rain who is under contract with me. Come to think of it, yes. "The fact that Rain can''t make a provisional contract is understandable if she is the strongest species. No matter how many Rains you have, it''s not possible for them to make a provisional contract with the strongest species with impunity...hmmm, but Rain will be able to pull it off? Don''t be ridiculous. You''re right, I can''t. There''s no way you can use the strongest species in a temporary contract, even if it''s this contract. "Also, it''s going to be like my intuition, but.......I feel some kind of sympathy for this girl. It''s a feeling that only our strongest species can have, or perhaps an atmosphere of companionship. I see... When Kanade, the strongest species, said it, it was rather convincing. ''''You''re the strongest species?'''' On! The wolf barked cheerfully, whether he knew about our question or not. 379-Episode 379: Now on hold The wolf leads the way with a tat-tat, nimble step. After a certain distance, it stops and looks back at us. As we get closer, it resumes its pace again. Not long after, it stops and turns its gaze to us. ''''On!'''' One purr. It seems to be telling me to come quickly. It doesn''t speak, but it seems to be a very clever boy. He wants to take us somewhere, and he''s been doing this for a while now. I''m not sure where he''s going, but.... Probably our original destination, the northeast plains. We can see that we are moving in that direction. Same destination. And we don''t have any other clues. So I decided to follow this girl. If it''s a trap, that''s fine with me. No matter what the difficulty, we will just defeat it together. It just........doesn''t feel like a trap, though. I don''t know if she''s really the strongest species or not. But I don''t feel any maliciousness at all, in fact, I feel favoritism. It''s probably okay. My personal instincts and my intuition as a Beast Tamer tell me that. "...Hey, Rain. Yeah? As I follow the wolf, Kanade comes toting up and lines up next to me. He glanced at us and quickly removed his gaze from us. He seems to be squirming and uncomfortable for some reason. What''s wrong with him? Kanade, what''s wrong? ''Well..... I don''t know if it''s a good idea to talk about this kind of thing when Iris is having a hard time... but I''d like to at least confirm it, or else I just can''t relax... Well...? You don''t get the point of talking about Kanade. There''s something incredibly difficult to say. There''s something you want to tell me, isn''t there? Yes. Then I''m listening. I''m all ears. Can I...? Of course. You see, I seem to be a no-good, or rather, insensitive person, so it would be very helpful if you were to tell me clearly if something was wrong. I know this is a time like this but... no, I think it''s better to talk about it, so it doesn''t become a problem later. Well, I''ll just say it, okay? Kanade looked nervous. Besides, her cheeks were tinted cherry red. Her eyes also seemed to be filled with heat somehow. Right? Oh, that''s... oh. The dream that Kanade and the others had is that they would marry me. So that''s what they were feeling.... It was only when Iris pointed this out to me that I finally, though, became aware of it. I knew I had to talk to her once I had solved the case. However, because of what happened to Iris afterwards, it had completely slipped my mind. ''Nya.......you know that reaction, after all. Um, well, how do you say... After hesitating, I nodded my head in a persistent manner. There''s no point in cheating, and as expected, I don''t want to act like I''m running away here. It''s a time like this, but........no, it''s because of times like this that I have to face her feelings. If we miss this moment, we don''t know when we''ll be able to talk to her again. ''Oh, you know ... if you had a dream about me, I think you''d already know that. Sorry. I didn''t understand until Iris pointed it out to me. Kanade turned red up to her ears. I love it. I mumbled in a voice so small that it seemed to disappear. If I had to, I would have missed it, but as expected, I shouldn''t do that this time. I firmly heard it. I firmly engraved Kanade''s words in my mind. ''''Ah........'''' Kanade looked extremely embarrassed and looked away from me. It''s like she can''t look directly at me now. He''s so stiff and restless... The cat ears are flapping and the tail is wagging and moving impatiently. ''Well, I''m...'' Do you accept Kanade''s feelings? Or do you want to say no? Either way, you have to say the right words. I need to say something. I think so, but I''m pathetically unable to formulate a word. My mind is a blank slate. It''s an excuse, but I just see Kanade and the others as friends, but I don''t look at them like that.... So I can''t get my thoughts together. I have no idea what kind of reply I should give back. Kanade should be very brave right now, but.... I, on the other hand, how pathetic. I could see that Iris was stunned. ''Oh, duh, I''m fine!'' What? ''Because I don''t think I want Rain''s answer right now or anything like that. When Kanade says that, I don''t feel like I''m pushing myself too hard. It''s not like she''s paying attention to us....... The line seemed to come from the heart. ''I don''t know, I think that thing was an accidental confession I didn''t really mean to confess so abruptly, you know?Rayne''s so blunt, I was going to take a lot more time and take it slow. I''m sorry. ''Oh!I don''t mean to accuse you of anything!I just don''t want you to worry about it. Kanade looked directly at me, while blushing. Then he laughs softly. ''Now that I''m in this kind of situation I''m not really thinking about getting a response or anything like that. It''s not just me, I think it''s Tania, Sola and Luna as well. The first thing I have to think about right now is Iris. So, it''s okay. It''s... ''Also, there''s no need to force yourself to reply even after you''ve been able to save Iris. Probably, from Rain''s point of view, it would be a sleep deprivation... and I''d rather have you think it over carefully than force you to reply in such a situation. We''d be more than happy to oblige that way. ''Kanade is ... is that right?'' Yes. Without hesitation, Kanade answered immediately. ''For now, just let me know how you feel. I don''t want anything more than that.'' With a chop, Kanade kicked a pebble on the side of the road. The pebbles are rolling around. But ... if you make them wait too long, they will sulk, right? Yeah, okay. Me and Kanade. Tania, Sola, and Luna. I need to figure out what I want to do with our future relationship and what I should do with it. 380-Episode 380 To the North Did I follow the wolf and walk for a day or so? Of course, there are breaks in the middle of the day. At night, the wolf returns to us, curls up against me, curls up and falls asleep on its own. Is this wolf the strongest species? Will it have the power to heal? I''m curious about a lot of things, and I want to ask, but I can''t get the words out of my mouth. What a pity. Well, I''ll try to think positively that I''ve got a clue now. If I keep thinking backwards, my mind will get overwhelmed. Then morning comes again. Perhaps we''re moving towards the northeast plains but.... Off.... After moving some distance, the wolf stopped and looked at me as if he wanted to say something. He''s stamping his feet on the spot. It looks frustrated but........sorry, as expected, I don''t know the words. ''''Nyan.'''' "Woof. Suddenly, Kanade started a conversation with the wolf. ''Unya?'' On, off. Meow, meow, meow. "Cunn. From the side, it was quite a mysterious sight. Can a cat talk to a dog...? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well do you understand what that guy is saying? ''Sort of...'' Can''t you hurry it up?He''s going to say, "You know what? This is going to take a lot of time or something like that. I see. Surely, from a wolf''s perspective, we''d feel very slow. It would be very frustrating, since wolves are said to travel quite a distance in a day. However, what is to be done about it? I have the power I got from my contract, and Kanade is a cat spirit race, so I can run for a long time. However, the other three are difficult. ''''Rain.'''' As I was troubled, Rifa approached me. Somehow, I feel like I''m looking smug. ''Let me take care of it,'' You have a solution? Yes. Rifa nods one nod and bites her thumb, making it bleed. ''Come,'' As the blood fell to the ground, it was not absorbed by the soil, but turned into a scene that seemed to ripple across the lake. Four huge wolves, which Rifa had taken as her attendants, appeared from there. ''You can ride these boys,'' There were four of them? There are two fighting children. The other two are just kids. ........Beast Tamer, but I can''t tell them apart. ''Boku and Nina are small, so they ride together. The rest of us, one by one. You''re a lifesaver. Thanks, Rifa. A lift. I stroked his head and he looked ecstatic. He offered me his head as if to say more, so I stroked him some more. ''''Nya........'''' Hmm.... I like.... Aside from Kanade and Nina, for some reason, even Chiffon was envious of them. ---------- The rest of the trip went well as we changed our mode of transportation. The speed increased at once, digesting the itinerary at many times the speed of the original plan. And then ... two days later. We arrived at the northeastern plains where we had originally set our sights on. A village had been built there, albeit a small one. Countless tents had been erected in the center of the vast plains. Were they nomads?But it turns out to be a surprisingly sturdy tent that is not easy to move around in. A fence has been built at the back of the village, where cattle are allowed to run free. There were also a few sheep and small dogs mixed in. And ... the masters of such a village had dog ears and big dog tails. A species that seemed to be similar to the cat spirit race, Kanade, but decidedly different. This might be a maybe. On! "Oh? The wolf barked one, and the villagers noticed us. By the way, I had Rifa''s subordinates retracted because I was afraid I would provoke them senselessly. ''''Sakura or. You''re back?How''s it going... oh, and what about you guys? "Womp! Well I liked it, so I brought you here. Hmmm ... well, that''s good. It''s nice to be able to make your own decisions like that. Great. Hahaha...! The wolf was very happy to be patted on the head. ''''Hmmm........the cat spirit race, the god race and the demon race. Your compatriots are all here, aren''t they? And two humans........it must have been very difficult for them to come to this place. Come on. Let me serve you some tea. ''What?Oh, yes ... thank you. Perhaps the strongest species in the northern continent might not be friendly. Because of that thought, he was puzzled by the soft response. Was I being too cautious? While loosening up a little, we were led to a large tent. It was clean inside and fully equipped with all the necessities of life. ''''Here you go. I made sure to keep the cat spirit tribe''s young lady lukewarm. Thank you, sir. At first we had a cup of tea. It was quite bitter, but strangely tasty and addictive. Before I tell you the story, let''s introduce ourselves. Yeah. I am the Rain Shroud. I''m human. My name is Siphon Nox. I am also human. ''I''m Kanade. As you can see, I''m a cat spirit race. Nina.... The gods......... "Rifa. Demons. He overheard our introductions and tilted his head curiously. ''Before I introduce myself, allow me to ask you a question. Rain is....oh, can I call you by your name? Yeah, go ahead. So Rayne is one of their most powerful species? Rain is our master. Hey. Kanade makes a statement that could be strangely misunderstood, and he gets upset. ''My mate, my mate!Kanade''s statement now is because I''m making a deal with these girls... Okay, so it''s a contract? ''I''m a Beast Tamer. So I signed a contract, so I didn''t mean to be weird when I said that... Oh, wow. He gave me an interesting look. ''The strongest species of them and their contracts........I see, I see. I''m sure you''ll find it interesting when you live long enough. It''s really interesting. Well...? Oops, sorry about that. So much for the derailment, I guess I''ll just introduce myself. Come on, Sakura. On. The wolf moves next to her. She strokes its back gently and slowly opens her mouth. ''My name is Sigle. This boy is Sakura. He''s the strongest species known as the burrowing wolf tribe. 381-Chapter 381: The Wolf Race What''s needed is to find modest room in one''s room in addition to find modest gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas in addition to gas. What you need to do is to find what what you need in addition to find what you need in addition to find what you need in addition to find what you need in addition to find what you need in addition to find what you need in addition to find. What is needed is to find a modest buried gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank in addition to a gas tank. They are proud to work for others, and have a strong sense of justice and courage. Their powers are similar to those of the Cat Spirit Tribe, and they have high overall physical potential. They cannot use magic. That said, their physical abilities are high, and they can run like the wind and knock down large trees with their bare hands. However, their physical abilities are inferior to those of the cat spirit race. The Cat Spirit Tribe is the one with the highest physical ability, and there is a barrier that can never be surpassed, followed by the Netherworldly Wolf Tribe. If a numerical value were to be displayed, would it be as good as the dragon tribe? The cat spirit tribe boasts of its overwhelming physical abilities, while the dragon tribe is an all-rounder who can do anything. Then what about theѽ wolf tribe? One of the most important things in life is to find a way to find a new finder. Although it''s not an inexhaustible energy........ Its power is outrageous. For example, by wrapping it around you, you can gain the physical abilities of a cat spirit race, albeit for a short time. For example, by compressing it and releasing it like an arrow, it can be used to attack from a distance. For example, it can ignore the laws of physics by using its fighting spirit. ''''........I see.'''' After receiving such an explanation from Sigure-san, I was able to get a full understanding of the internet wolf race. At times I thought that since there was a cat spirit race, it wouldn''t be surprising if there was the strongest species with the characteristics of a counterpart dog....... I didn''t think you were really there. It''s quite interesting. As a beast tamer, my blood is boiling and I want to ask more questions about this and that. ''Oh, yes. That''s my little grandson, Sakura. Here, Sakura. Say hello. On! Sakura barked emphatically. ''Nya ... you''re so fluffy.'' It''s so warm in here. Kanade and Chiffon were looking kind of happy. They had hugged each other a few times before coming here. They must be reminiscing about that time. ''For all intents and purposes, doggie. Ha, ha, yeah. The internet internet search engine is one of the most popular search engines in the world. The favorite part of the internet search engine is that the gangster''s job is to find what you are looking for. One of the two characteristics of the wolf tribe is that they spend their early years in the form of a beast, just like Sakura. And when they grow up, they turn into human form. Well it''s interesting, if I do say so myself. We don''t know much about it either, but it''s said that the beast form is more resistant to disease. That''s why weak children may be in the shape of a beast. I see, and while I agree, I''m curious about Sakura''s parents. Sigre seems to be my grandmother, but what happened to her father and mother? Are you just out of your seat or........ Well, I can''t ask this kind of question out of the blue, so I''ll swallow this question. ''''It seems that we had a visitor on this continent, so I asked Sakura to go check on him, but.......I didn''t expect you to bring him to the village as well. Saying that, Sigle-san looked at me with a vaguely troubled look. No, it''s not just me. He''s looking at me and Chiffon. She doesn''t seem to be too concerned about Kanade and the others. ''''Well I''m sorry. Did I bother you in any way? No, I don''t think so. I know. I''ve had a bad attitude and if you try to hide it, there''s a good chance you''ll have problems later. So let''s speak frankly. We the wolf tribe don''t like humans very much. It''s... It may sound like a bad start, but there''s no getting around it. You need to correct your residence and listen carefully. One more characteristic of theѽ wolf tribe is that they have a particular master. Lord? You serve the person you have decided to be with and follow them with the determination to devote your whole life to them. Our ancestors found their own personal masters and served them with all their might...............but that is not the case anymore. Why? I was betrayed. Letting out a deep sigh, Sigle-san continues to speak. Human beings are greedy creatures, you know........they may seem like decent people at first, but as time goes by they become greedy. Or they become arrogant. They take our cooperation for granted and feel nothing for it. It''s also... ''Not all of them, not all of them. But the majority of the Lord became a fool unworthy of service and we were dismayed at man. We were dismayed. And then we stopped getting involved and moved to this continent........ It''s painful to hear. I don''t know which one of us has done something to alienate the XTW tribe, but....... What a stupid thing to do. ''It''s a lot like the spirit race, isn''t it? Chiffon spills such impressions. The spirit race that cut off relations with people because of the destruction of nature.......certainly similar. ''''But........then why bring us here?'''' ''To be honest, I didn''t mean to. It''s just that this girl seems to have taken a liking to you guys...Sakura is still very young, but she has a keen eye for it. I''m sure you''re not a bad person if you''ve taken a liking to Sakura. That''s what I thought. Which means that if it weren''t for Sakura, we wouldn''t have gotten to this point and... Even if they had arrived without guidance, could they have been chased away? ''Nya, thanks. Sakura. Good, good. Wafu. Kanade was smiling and stroking Sakura. Sakura licked Kanade''s hand with a perturbing lick while looking pleasant. ''''But I had no idea that there was such a powerful species as theѽ wolf tribe. It''s been a few hundred years since I''ve been out of contact with humans and they''ve disappeared before the spirit race, so that''s not surprising. Not so long ago... Really, what have they done to you in the past...? ''So how did you get to this point?What can we do for you? Oh, yes. There are a lot of things that are bothering me, but those questions can wait. For now, I have to find a way to help Iris. ''''The reason I came to this northern continent is to help a certain girl. Oh. The boy''s name is Iris. A Celestial race that is said to be extinct. The Celestials...? Sigle-san seemed to be surprised by this information and her eyes widened. ''''Actually.....'''' That Iris was badly injured and her soul was damaged. That he had come to this northern continent after hearing that there was a powerful species with the power to heal. I briefly explained how we got to this point. Sigure-san says, somewhat emotionally. I''m sorry. It''s not too late to help your fellow countrymen, but we don''t have the power to heal. Yeah, what is it... Was Mr. Alpha''s information wrong? It''s almost as if desperate emotions are taking over my mind. Just so you know, there''s another strongest species on this northern continent. Mr. Sigle continued to speak such lines. 382-Chapter 382: The Phoenix What? Are there other strongest species out there? Did you know that there''s a plain just like this one to the west of here? ''Yes. I''ve never been there, but I have a map. Yeah. I see you have a map of this continent. I don''t know who made that map, but he''s good at what he does. I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but I''m getting off track. I got sidetracked. I don''t like it, but one gets more talkative as one gets older, you know. Sigure-san gives me a charming smile. Similar to the spirit race, I heard that they were dismayed by the humans and disappeared.... You''ve been pretty friendly to me and Chiffon for that, haven''t you? I''m telling you that Sakura misses us, so she trusts us, too. My grandson trusts us, so I trust myself. Is it really that simple? I don''t think he''s lying when he says he trusts me. So I think there''s something else going on, something to make me believe. What''s up with you? Oh, no it''s nothing. I shouldn''t have to. I''m curious, but now I have to hear about the other most powerful species. Can you tell me about the other strongest species? Yeah, that''s good. Sigle nodded one nod and then spoke slowly. ''''On the plains west of here, there''s an entrance to a vast dungeon. No ... or should I say former dungeon?'''' ''Ex...?What do you mean by that? The most powerful species in the world lives in that dungeon. It''s a dungeon. I see... It''s a ridiculously powerful species to use a dungeon as its home. Normally you wouldn''t think of such a thing, and even if you did, you don''t have the power to do it. As expected of the strongest species, it should be called the strongest species. It seems that this one is also substandard. ''''They''re not like us, they take on a different appearance in their childhood, it''s not like that. They are very similar to humans in appearance. It''s a good thing that they have the ability to manipulate fire, right? "Flames ... so you don''t have the ability to heal? No, Mr. Sigre shook his head. Then he combines words and information while making a thinking gesture. ''Even though they control fire, they don''t specialize in offensive abilities. They have the power of healing that Rayne seeks. It''s called "healing fire," right? The flame of healing... ''Its flames are flames, but not violent, very gentle. It doesn''t burn your skin; rather, it envelops you warmly. It is said that it can bring even the dead back to life....... Really? That''s all I''ve heard, that''s all. We know a lot about the phoenix tribe, but as expected, we can''t say for sure if they have that much power. Well.... Not everything was going to be the way I wanted it to be, and I was a little disappointed. But the way was clear. The strongest species, the one with the power to heal, did indeed exist. Now if we could only somehow get them to cooperate...! What brought the phoenixes to the northern continent? Uh... that''s the thing, though. Mr. Sigre looked very bitter. ''I have a feeling it''s not very good. ''''Basically, they''re just like us and the spirit race. They took advantage of humans and moved to the northern continent where there were no humans. They were about the same time as us, so I guess they don''t have a record of it. I see... There''s just one big problem. Is there a problem...? They''re so hostile to humans. According to Mr. Sigre..... It was said that in the past, people and the phoenix tribe walked the same path as good friends. However, when people learned that the phoenix tribe had the power to bring even the dead back to life, they sought them out. I want you to bring back my family. I want you to revive my friends. The desire didn''t stop there.... I want you to tell me how to come back to life after death. I want you to teach me how to become immortal. You have to make unreasonable demands. So the phoenix tribe, like the gang of gangsters, tried to distance themselves from people. But people won''t allow them to do so. Just like they did with the heavenly tribe in the past........ He tried to go out of the way of man to do something out of the way. As a result ... there was a conflict between the people and the phoenix race. And the relationship went to its worst. It is said that the phoenix tribe fled to the northern continent while considering man as a complete enemy. ''''My God.... I''ve been told horrible stories and I can''t help but get my head in the sand. I don''t know who or what they are, but people in the past can go off on a tangent. ''Well with a background like that, it might be even more difficult. Chiffon says, her face clouding over. That''s right, she was right. The phoenix tribe didn''t like having their power used, so they moved to the northern continent. And we have relied on the power of the phoenix tribe to get here. There is no way to believe that things will develop smoothly. What''s the reason why one can''t find a favorite internet search engine? The internet internet search engine is one of the best ways to find out what is going on in addition to what is going on in addition to what is going on in addition to what is going on in addition to what is going on in addition to what is going on. They may shun you, but they don''t attack you. But if they do, it''s a different story. But the phoenix tribe is different. If they see a human being, they will attack him/her without question. That''s exactly how they''re treated with demons. Noooooooooooo... we''re not monsters. Kanade''s lips twitched in disapproval. I understand that feeling. I can understand it, but........I can also kind of understand the feelings of the phoenix tribe. According to Sigre-san, it sounds like he had a pretty bad experience in the past. That is........just like Iris. If you suffer that kind of thing, you can''t help but look at people as the enemy. I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about the phoenix tribe. I don''t mind giving you the details, but nine times out of ten, they will attack you. I''m sure the entire tribe will do as they please. I can see that happening in the future, but.......what do we do? Of course I''ll be there. When I answered immediately, Sigle-san rolled her eyes. ''''Didn''t you listen to me?'''' ''I''m listening. Maybe they''ll attack you without question, right?We don''t even have time to discuss it, or rather, it''s hard to convince them in the first place. Since our goal is the ability to heal, there''s a good chance it''s going to get even more complicated. If you''re so sure... why are you doing this? There is a child in pain. I had a bad experience in the past, and I''ve been living in the dark ever since... I can''t forget the empty smile that Iris sometimes shows me. The empty smile that says, "I don''t care about being alive...that kind of empty smile is burned into my brain and won''t leave. ''I.........I want Iris to laugh. I want to see that smile from the bottom of my heart again. I wish from the bottom of my heart that I could have that smile back. ''So no matter what happens, no matter what''s waiting for me I''m just going to keep pushing forward. 383-Episode 383: Face to Face It''s only because Sakura has taken a liking to you. On! Are you sure you''re seeing things right?Sakura barked as if to say, "I don''t know what to do. Her tail was bobbing and wagging, and she was looking at me constantly. Well I''m glad that he misses me, but I haven''t done anything to make a good impression on him so far. I wonder why? If that''s the plan, I won''t do anything to stop it. Also, since you''re going through the trouble. I''ll give you some help with that. Sakura? "Womp! Good, good answer. Then you can go with Lane and the others. So that means........you''re going to visit the phoenix tribe and you''re going to take Sakura with you? ''What?Are you sure? ''I could explain it to you, but it''s a bit complicated. What you need to do is to follow a guide. Also, the phoenix tribe is no stranger to the internet search engines. They have a bit of a relationship with you, so maybe they''ll listen to you without being hostile to you. Thank you. You''ll thank me after everything goes well, then you''ll get your thanks right away. "Haha. Mr. Sigre is very kind. It''s not very nice to be affectionate to people, but it doesn''t look like it. Although I''m curious as to why he treats me so well........ That can wait. For now, let''s make it a priority to go see the phoenix tribe. ---------- Once again, Rifa summoned the wolf of the family, and with Sakura in tow, we headed west. According to Sigre-san''s explanation, it would take about two days for Sakura''s feet to reach the dungeon where the phoenix tribe lives. That prediction was correct. After three days and a bit of running through various roads we reached the entrance to a dungeon at the foot of the mountain. ''On!'' ''This is our destination,'' barked Sakura just before the entrance to the dungeon, as if to say. ''''This place ... sure is a dungeon. It would be about five meters wide and three meters high. It''s a dungeon with a wide path. I could see the gate right away. It looks very sturdy and has something like a magic circle carved into its surface. It is probably a gate with a special seal on it. Because of this, it is well protected. There is no need to set up guards, right? A big gate... Perhaps it''s because Nina is small, but the gate looks very large. Even if it wasn''t locked, is this something that could be moved by one person? Mmmm... it won''t open. Rifa tried to push the gate, but it didn''t budge. If the power of the strongest species doesn''t work, it''s best to assume that there''s a key, a seal, or some other kind of trick being applied. I''m not sure what we should do about it, Rain.I''m not going to turn back now that we''ve come all the way here, but... do you have a doorbell or something? ''Nya ... do you want me to knock?Goggle-boom!And... That''s not a knock, that''s a knockout. Sometimes I''m not sure if Kanade is a bloke or serious. Maybe she''s a bit of a natural. Spending time with her, that''s how you get to know a new side of her. That seemed like a very nice thing to do. And I digress. ''Well, what do I do now?'' Do you want to call out to them? Or do I try knocking? Wahoo. When I was troubled, Sakura popped her paw on the door. Then the magic circle engraved on the door shines dimly. A faint grain of light is emitted, and eventually it spreads over the entire door. Soon after, the door opened with a gurgling sound. ''''Eh........Sakura, did you manage to open the door?'''' On! Isn''t it amazing, Sakura barked while being somewhat proud of herself. ''''Since you said something about the Netherworld Wolf Clan having a connection with the Phoenix Clan... so I wonder if that''s why you were able to open the door?'''' ''''Perhaps Chiffon is right. It''s probably a system that uses magic or something to authenticate an individual, and then opens up when the Task Force or the phoenix tribe touches it. It''s a hell of a technology to develop such a thing. The phoenix tribe may not only have strength, but also a great mind. But, Rain. Yeah?What''s the matter, Kanade? The door is open, but can I go in without permission? Maybe we shouldn''t do that. According to Sigre-san, the phoenix tribe is completely hostile to people. If it''s everyone else, but if me and Siphon are with them, it might be quite difficult. ''''If we get into a battle in the dungeon, we won''t be able to escape easily... and we don''t know our way around, so we might get lost. Let''s not push ourselves and wait here. Maybe the phoenix tribe inside will have noticed that the door has opened, and I''m sure someone will come in a while. Let''s do it. Rifa nodded at the beginning, followed by everyone else agreeing. Well ... what happens now? The first thing that would come up would definitely be the phoenix tribe. Will they suddenly attack us, or will they listen to us for a bit? I don''t know what will happen at all. ''''I thought, but........'''' Nina raises her hand timidly. She seems a little nervous because she''s about to meet the phoenix tribe....... ''The phoenix people don''t like humans, so Rain and Chiffon are going to sit out for a moment... hmmm, maybe it''s not so bad. I don''t agree. While Kanade agrees, Rifa shakes her head. ''''If you do that, you''ll get into trouble later on. It would be better to have Rain and Chiffon there from the beginning so they won''t give you some strange misunderstanding.'''' What do you think, Mr. Lane? I met Chiffon''s questioning gaze... After thinking for a bit, I open my mouth. ''''Well Rifa''s right, if you''re hiding from us, it might make things even more complicated later on. They might attack us out of the blue, but that''s just the way it is. Let''s do something about it. Yes, sir. As the future course of action was being decided, footsteps could be heard from the depths of the cave. Finally, the phoenix tribe? Nervous, but watching over the situation... What, uh...? A frightened girl appeared from the doorway. 384-Episode 384: Doesnt listen to the story She''s a girl about the same age as Kanade. First and foremost, the first thing you see is her fiery red hair. It''s darker than Tania''s, yet it shines brighter than Tania''s. Such hair is long enough to reach her waist. And her ears are long, as if they were pointed as well. They are pinned to the side and have a unique shape. He is neither tall nor short. Normal. The clothes she wears are somewhat revealing, making it a bit difficult to look at her. After the red hair, another distinctive feature is the collar. She was wearing a collar with a bit of a charan and a chain attached to it. It was very carefully and finely decorated, and adorned with jewels. It doesn''t seem to be a slave, so is it a type of accessory? ''Hey, why did the door open... and was someone out there?Um....what? Meow-hooo! The girl''s eyes turned to Kanade. Kanade smiles and waves her hand in a swallowing greeting as if to say that she''s not an enemy. ''''Nya........nyaho...?'''' The girl returned the same greeting in a disciplined manner. ''''Eh, cat spirit race...?Why did you come to our home...? Hey there... Yoo-hoo! ''What?Huh?There''s a god race and a demon race.......what does that mean...? The girls looked confused and fuming. She looked at Kanade, then at Nina, then at Rifa... And then you look at me. "...and... For some reason, I freeze up. Maybe they''ve realized that I''m human. But it''s not like he''s going to attack me out of nowhere. Can we talk about this? Hello. My name is Rain Shroud. I''m an adventurer. .... I''m sorry to ambush you like this. You''re the most powerful species known to man, the phoenix race? .... ''You may be surprised to see me out of the blue, but I need to talk to you for a moment. Actually..... Pi. "Pi? ''Pyahhhh! Suddenly, the girl let out a rather unusual scream. She became teary-eyed and rattled and shivered in fright. ''''Ni, ni, ni, human!The way it looks, the presence of it, it must be human! ''What?No, no, wait. You can''t just go in there like that... ''Uhhhh!Humans.........just go away! The jewel embedded in the collar shone. At the same time, the girl''s hair swayed. Furthermore, red light spilled out of the fiery colored hair. This is it! I''m not sure what''s going on, but I had a bad feeling anyway. ''Wait, I need to talk...! Mr. Lane, look out! Before I could finish, Chiffon was in front of me. At the same time as I held up the shield of truth, flames danced around the girl''s body. ''''Hey, don''t come here! The flames rising from the girl''s body bared their fangs at us, as if to follow the movement of her arms. ''''Kuu! The compressed flames slammed into the shield of truth, and Chiffon looked pained. It wasn''t just the heat, he was feeling a lot of pressure. ''''This oh!'''' The girl screams and more flames are born. She was supposed to be in the center of the flames, but she didn''t suffer a single burn. In fact, she even seemed to be comfortable with the heat. She could control the flames as if they were her own, and she could control them at will. This is probably one of the abilities of the phoenix tribe. Oh, my God, calm down!We''re not the enemy! Yeah, calm down. Kanade and Rifa call out to them, but the girls seem to be in a complete panic. The words don''t seem to have reached them, and they just keep hurling flames at me. ''Nina, please!'' Hmmm. Nina moves her hand around in a circle. Following that trajectory, a hole is created in space. ''Pow!'' Flames are dumped into subspace. Or lead them in a completely different direction. That''s how you prevent the girl''s attack, but soon after, Nina looks impatient. The girls'' attacks don''t stop at all. Like a storm, one after the other, flames come rushing in. Nina deals with them one by one, but her hands can''t keep up. ''''Kook........Fireball Multi-Shot! Since it''s in a cave, the power is minimal. Unleash multiple fireballs to cover Nina. Bloodshot. GigaVolt! Uh-oh! Rifa uses blood bullets, Chiffon uses magic, and Kanade throws stones at them...each intercepting the flames. But even so, it''s difficult to completely block the girls'' attacks. The overwhelming amount of flames pushes them jittery. If you''re going to fight, but if you''re going to be on the defensive, it''s pretty tough. But that doesn''t mean I can''t fight a girl who is supposedly of the phoenix race.... What to do! ''Aaaaahhhh!'' Sakura''s howl echoed. It reverberated through the cave, enveloping the girl in a weapon of sound. ''Pyah!'' It must feel like a gunshot to her ear. The girl jerks and shudders, then squats down, holding her ears. The flames subside and the heat wave disappears. Without missing the moment, Sakura ran. She goes to the girl in a straight line and, with the governor, pulls her body close to him as if she were going to hit him. ''''Piyah! The girl is pushed down by Sakura. She doesn''t seem to understand what has happened, and she''s in a state of confusion, with more tears oozing down her face. Sakura gets on top of her and licks her face with a peroration. ''''Huh...?'''' The girl glues her eyes shut and looks like she''s ready for life... but then she realizes that she''s just being licked and opens her eyes in horror. Then she sees Sakura on top of her and scowls. ''''........Sakura-chan?'''' On! Sakura barked on top of the girl, buzzing her tail. Seeing Sakura like that, why was the girl here?I get a look like that. They knew each other, apparently. So, did Sigle-san say that he should stay with Sakura? Why is Sakura-chan with a human... "Wahhhh. ''''....What?Momo-momo, could it be that........we''ve been caught by a human! Wahoo! He did this and that and he did this and that and he did this and that and a lot of horrible things to me and... hahaha. Wahhhh.... Sakura spilled out a squeal that was somewhat dismayed. ''What?What? No?Then..... Humans. There are humans! Finia is under attack! Get your people over here, and don''t let a human live! From the back, more phoenix people. Like the girls, they have flames on their bodies. This is not good. If they attacked us in such numbers, we couldn''t do anything about it. Rain-kun, we have no choice but to retreat...! I was willing to do some recklessness to help Iris, but.... I''m not being reckless any more, just reckless. Sakura came over here in response to my voice. Then we left the cave together. 385-Episode 385: Reappearance When we showed up, the phoenix tribe was on high alert. We tried to get them to listen to us, but they weren''t in the mood for that....... I can''t find a solution at all. It''s better to ask for assistance from Sigle again than to persist here. We came to such a decision and returned to the internet internet search engine room tribe''s village. The whole thing is a bit of a mess. Seeing us returning exhausted, Sigle-san chuckled. ''''It''s insufferable.......we were warned beforehand and yet this is how it turned out. I don''t blame them. The phoenix tribe is completely hostile to humans. They are treated like demons. How can you be safe? ''At first there was a girl who came out on her own and if we had all been attacked out of nowhere, it would have been a close call. Well, the girl... what was she like? ''Well she has red hair. Is she about the same age as Kanade?Also, he had a distinctive collar. Oh, yes. That''s probably Finia''s little girl, isn''t it? I''m sure that''s part of the reason why she was saved. If it was another phoenix tribe, they would have been burned with even more powerful firepower. Do you know him? ''She''s a good friend of Sakura''s. I know him well. After all this time, what''s the relationship between the Netherworld tribe and the phoenix tribe? I was in such a hurry that I went straight to the phoenix tribe, but.... It''s possible to find a way to make use of the gasoline in addition to gasoline. What''s more, what''s more, it''s possible to find some kind of breakthrough in the search engines. What''s the reason why one''s favorite internet search engine is usually the same as the next. What I wanted to ask, Chiffon asked for me. It''s not a bad thing, in fact, it''s a good thing. Then.... Could you be the go-between?That''s what I''m talking about. I''m sorry, but I can''t have that guy. Anticipating Chiffon''s words, Sigle-san shook her head. ''''I know what''s going on with Rain and the others. I''d like to cooperate with them as well. In addition to the fact that it''s not easy to find what you need to find in addition to find what you need to find. ''Nya you''re just trying to mediate between us and get us to listen to each other, but what are the chances of that happening? The phoenixes don''t hate humans, they see them as the enemy. If I were to use an analogy..... Suppose a human suddenly came to the Cat Spirit Clan''s daughter. What would you do if the human had a demon with him and told you that he was a good guy and that you had to listen to him? "....is extremely alarming. So that''s what it means. To the phoenix tribe, humans are just like demons. According to the story, the phoenix tribe was treated badly by people, just like the Heavenly Clan. If that was the case, it was a story that I would have to agree with. Nevertheless, there was no option to give up here. No matter how unlikely it is. No matter how little hope there is. You have to do everything in your power to save Iris. ''And on top of that, please. Please, could you ask me to act as an intermediary? I say with my head down. A troubled voice falls from above. ''Oh dear you don''t hesitate to say that after what you just said. Yes, sir. ''''Did you conclude that it might cause trouble for us, the entireѽ wolf tribe, as well? I will do my best to intercede in that case. I think what Rain says is a child''s ideal of wanting this and that, and I think it''s a juvenile story. ''I think I know the reality. I understand that it''s a bluish idealism. But that doesn''t mean I want to give up on it. "You think you can be a stickler for ideals? I can''t do it by myself. But I''ve got people I can count on. Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. With you guys, you can do anything. We can achieve the impossible. That''s what I believe. .... Sigle-san stared at me. Her eyes are calm, but the pressure in them is strong. If I were to look away, I might be tempted to look away. But I would never do that. In order to convey our intentions, and to have them recognized. I stare back at him. "...Huh... Soon after, Sigle-san let out a breath. It was as if he was smiling bitterly. It''s a good thing you''re so stubborn. It''s been a long time since I''ve met someone like Rain. Well...? ''I can''t decide whether or not to be an intermediary, yet. It''s not a decision I can make on my own, you know. But I promise you that we will discuss it together. Really? One of the most important things in life is to find internet search engines. What''s more, the whole gang is very weak against an upright person like you. Thank you! And you also have a connection with him. What exactly is a connection? But before he could ask that question, Sigle got up from his seat. ''Well we need to hold an urgent meeting. Sakura, call everyone together and gather them in the square. On! ''We''re going to have to go straight to the meeting, so Rain and the others can rest here. You must be tired from the forced march. ''Well ... yes. Well then, I''ll take you up on your offer. Me, Kanade and Chiffon could still see room for me, Kanade and Chiffon... But the younger group of Nina and Rifa were a bit depressed. Let''s take a break here, as they said. ---------- The noise in the square grew louder and the gathering began. And how much time had passed? I think it''s been three hours, but there''s still no sign of it being over. I head out of the tent. ''What''s going on, Lane?'' I''m just checking on him. I think you should take a break too, Lane... ''I''m fine. I''m not pushing myself, and I''m taking good care of myself. I shook off Chiffon''s gaze and went outside the tent. Then, not long after, I saw Sigle-san. He was alone, and there was no one else in the room. ''Oh?What''s going on? ''Well I''m just wondering what''s going on, a bit of a look at what''s going on...'' Yeah, I see. I''m sorry to keep you waiting. It''s been more difficult than I thought it would be but it''s time for a break. I''m sorry to take up your time, but you''ll have to wait a little longer. Yes, I understand. As it is, Sigle and I somehow get a breeze. The wind on the northern continent is refreshing and comfortable. ''''........'''' .... There was a moment of silence and then... Is there something you want to ask me? As if he could see through my mind, Sigle-san says something like that. ''How did you know?Could it be........ It''s not like the wolf tribe has any special powers or anything. It''s just that Rain is easy to find. Ugh.... Am I that easy to understand...? I''m starting to get a little curious about this because it''s something that a lot of people say to me. ''Um ... why are you being so good to us?'' Well let''s just say it''s a fate. 386-Episode 386: Old Edge Is this a connection? Mr. Sigle looked into the distance. She looked nostalgic, as if she was soaking up memories of the past. ''Rain and Chiffon aren''t normal people, are they? What? One of you is the brave one, right? ''You knew about this! I can''t help but shout out loud. But you can''t blame me for this reaction, can you? It''s never before that someone you''ve just met can detect your identity. Is it possible that the observational power of the wolf tribe is incredibly good? Or is there some other factor? Or perhaps there is some other factor. What''s more, it''s not just a matter of finding a new burberry bags. The internet internet search engine is one of the best ways to find what you are looking for. It''s just that I''m a bit of an oddity. Strange...? I was at a brave party once... a long time ago. What? I scream loudly again. He gives me a look that says, "Quiet, what a look... No, but it''s not like I have a choice, is it? I didn''t expect Sigle-san to be enrolled in a brave party.... There''s no way I can imagine that. ''Speaking of brave parties... when was that?'' Popping, Arios and others came to mind, but that''s indeed not going to happen. I''ve never heard of such a thing, and I have a feeling that they would be easily endeared to you with such a group of people. ''''Oh yeah.......it''s so long ago that it''s not easy to remember. Really....how unexpected. In the past, our old internet search engine tribe used to be with humans. They didn''t have much love for each other back then. I see. So I was at a party with a brave man who asked me to join him. ''''It''s possible for the strongest species to join the party.......'''' ''That''s not what Rain would say. I have a lot of the most powerful species with me. Ha, that''s true too. I can''t help but laugh. After all this time, my party is pretty special, too. With the exception of Tina, we''re all the strongest species... Tina is also a ghost, a bit of an oddity... It''s a party I''ve never heard of anywhere else. I don''t often think of everyone as being different or anything like that, as I see them all as dependable companions rather than the strongest species. I traveled and did a lot of things with the brave men of my day. The internet search engine optimization service is one of the best ways to find favorite internet search engines. I would have tried every possible way to get him to be your partner. This old lady''s love story is so boring. No, it''s very interesting. I''m the one who seems to have been confessed to by Kanade and the others now. Sigure-san''s story is very helpful and I want to hear more about it. However, now is not the time to talk about love. Let''s get back to the topic at hand. ''''Since you were at a brave party, you''re talking about us? Yeah. The two of you smelled just as brave as that brave man. It''s the smell... I can''t help but put my arm in front of my nose and sniff it with a sniff. Naturally, I don''t smell anything in particular. Seeing me like that, Sigle-san laughs happily. ''It''s not that kind of smell,'' he says. Well, I guess I didn''t say it the right way. The internet internet search engine is one of the best ways to find internet search engines. What you need to do is to find a room in your favorite room in addition to find a room in your favorite room. It''s because Rayne and Chiffon smelled something that an ordinary human wouldn''t. You get it from a gut feeling... it''s amazing. There''s a reason you think you''re so nostalgic. So, who''s the brave one? ''The brave one is Chiffon. I seem to qualify for that too, but I''m turning it down. Did you say no?Why again? I guess being an adventurer suits me better... Well........maybe that''s why Sakura missed you so much. When I say that, Sigle-san gets a complicated look on her face. Why does he look like that? Well, Was I looking at it wrong?What a thought, Sigle quickly switched his expression to a normal one. He continued to talk as if nothing had happened. If I''m being nice to Rayne and the others, it''s for that reason. Do you understand? ''Yes. Thank you for telling me all about it. ''No, no, Rain would have been curious about it. I''m not afraid to answer this much. .... Yeah?Is there anything else you want to ask me with that face?There''s probably still time to talk about it, you know. Well, I''m not sure I can answer everything. ''So ... you looked difficult just now, but what is it? ''Well...'' Is this about the cherry blossoms?When I told you that Sakura had fallen for us, the look on your face changed. I''m sure you''ve got a lot to learn. I''m not sure if it''s because of the brave man''s keen sense of observation, or if it''s an ability unique to Rain. Or is this an ability unique to Rayne? I''m sorry, if it''s too hard to talk about, it''s not... No problem. Just in time for you to hear it. A little bit later, Sigle beckoned me to join him. I went straight out of the village. It is possible to find out what you need to know in order to find what you need to know. What is the reason why one can''t find what he or she needs in addition to find what he or she wants in addition to find what he or she wants in addition to find. Because of their strong life force, it''s also hard to have children...........or something like that. Anyway. What''s more, what''s more, it''s not easy to find children in Task Force. The only larvae are the gasoline engines. Don''t you have any other children? The closest one by 30 years. Can we really say it''s close? By human standards, they are now parents and children. ''Maybe that''s why Sakura doesn''t hate humans. Unlike us, they don''t have a lot of affection for them. However, they are regularly told not to get involved with humans, so it''s not that they miss everyone. When I say this, Sigle looks a little stern. I can feel the pressure. For the first time, Sigle-san gives me a sharp look, and I''m slightly pressured. ''Only, that boy has never known despair. He doesn''t know the disappointment of being betrayed by a human. Even if he was wary, he can''t think beyond that, he doesn''t know real pain. It''s... ''Sakura misses Rain and the others........no, she misses Rain. I don''t know if she has her own standards, I don''t know if she has her own standards, but she''s forgiving. So please don''t do anything to betray Sakura. If you do anything to betray her, then I won''t know what I''m going to do then either. ''''....I understand. I promise that I will never do anything to betray Sakura. It''s deeply engraved in my mind as if I were taking Sigre''s words to heart.... Then he gave a firm nod. ''You look good,'' What? You''ve got some real brave blood in you. If something happens, I''m sure you can trust Sakura with it properly. It''s... What does that mean?I was just about to ask, when I heard the sound of light footsteps approaching with a tat-tat-tat. I turned to see Sakura wagging her tail. ''On!'' Wow. Sakura runs straight at us and is pushed down as she is. She licks me all over my face with a lick, and I''m sticky all over the place. What''s wrong, Sakura? "Wahhhh. Oh, I see the meeting is over. So you came to call me. Thanks. On! Well thank you, Sakura. "Cun. Sakura purred sweetly as she and Sigure stroked her head together. 387-Episode 387: Go through the trial We move to the square in the center of the village. Me and Chiffon lined up beside each other and confronted Sigle-san. The internet internet search engine is one of the best ways to find what you need. What''s more, it''s also a good idea to try to find a new addition to the gasoline engine. "I didn''t expect this to happen... If you want to help us, first of all, show us your power. What you need to do is to find what you need to find. Such a conclusion was reached in the earlier meeting. As humans, me and Chiffon are going to duel with Sigle-san. We show our power by fighting. It''s a similar development to the time of the spirit race from some time ago. All we have to do is fight and win, so it''s easy to understand, but....... But that doesn''t mean it''s going to be easy. After all, they''re the most powerful species I''ve ever known. And it''s a species I''ve never known before. We have no idea how powerful they are or how they will fight. Therefore, the chances of victory are unknown. But. Mr. Lane, good luck with that. Oh! After all, giving up is not an option. If this is the only way to go, then we will go forward without hesitation. If there is an obstacle, I will overcome it no matter what. Now...are you ready? Sigle asked quietly. Maybe it''s because he has a fight ahead of him, but I can sense a sharp fighting spirit. I think he''s quite old, but I shouldn''t be fooled by that. He must be a very strong man, as he''s even fighting on behalf of the Cryptozoic Wolf Clan. That''s exactly why he could have the power of Suz-san. ''''I''m always...'''' I don''t have a problem with it either. Okay, let''s get started. Sakura, give me a sign. On! Sakura squeaks in a high-pitched voice and the match begins. ''Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!'' Sigle inhaled deeply and then exhaled forcefully. It seemed to be triggered by that, and something like a blue-white flame enveloped her body. ''''What is that! This is your fighting spirit. I''ll show you how the Wolf Clan fights. Mr. Sigre held both fists in a hunchbacked position. What are you going to do? Unable to read the action, me and Chiffon braced ourselves for each other. ''Huh!'' Sigure-san thrusts both fists forward. With that, a blue-white flame.......fighting qi takes shape and is ejected like an arrow. Fast! He kicked the ground and avoided the fighting arrows while trying to bring his body down further. Siphon took the same action and avoided it as well. ''''Guh! I couldn''t completely avoid it, jittery and grazed. Even though that was all it was, there was a tremendous shock, as if an attack magic had exploded at close range. Even for a moment, I felt as if my consciousness was about to be taken away. Chiffon also seems to have sensed the horror of it, and her face is twitching. ''''And that''s outrageous.......If I hesitate or anything, I might get hit in the blink of an eye. We''re both here, and I''m kind of sorry, but I don''t know if I''m going to be able to say that. Yeah. Let''s give it our all. Me and Chiffon looked at each other and nodded as if signaling. Then, we turned our palms to Sigle-san. ''Fireball multi-shot!'' "Gigavolt! Countless balls of flame and undulating lightning bolts like dragons aimed at Sigle. It''s an all-out blow with no restraint. As expected, I don''t expect to win with this, but I might be able to do some damage to it. I was hoping for that, but........ Well, it''s time to get some more shots in. Sigure-san once again ejected his fighting arrows. Although smaller than the previous one, he seemed to be able to fire them in rapid succession, intercepting all of our attacks. As expected, this is unexpected. Not only can it deliver an enormous blow, but it can also fire continuously. When it comes to long-range attacks, isn''t it almost perfect? So, should it be a close call? ... hmmm. I glanced at Chiffon and she nodded lightly. Apparently, she had the same idea. ''''Fireball multi-shot!'''' Once again, he created multiple fireballs. However, the target is not Sigle-san. He landed the fireballs around it, causing a cloud of dirt smoke to fly up. It''s a simple distraction, but it''s better than nothing. Me and Chiffon each draw our weapons and jump into the dust cloud. I can''t see it from here either, but I remember the general location. I''m going to run that way, but.......but Sigle-san is nowhere to be found. I''m going to search for the surroundings in a hurry, but again, she''s not there. "Ah, that?Where on earth...? ''This is.........?Chiffon, up there! What? Feeling a strong pressure from directly above, I looked up at the sky and saw Sigle-san flying freely in the sky, clad in fighting spirit. ''''.......Oh no!'''' Chiffon is stunned, but I''m sure I have a similar look on my face. I had heard that by wearing the fighting spirit, you can do many things, but.......I didn''t think you could fly. No, that''s........isn''t that a foul thing to do? Look, look, I don''t have time to be surprised. Sigure-san shot a fighting arrow from the sky with a spare smile on her face. 388-Episode 388: Go Through the Trials, Part 2 Huh? The arrows of fighting spirit rained down like a rain. Due to the continuous firing, it would be less powerful than the first blow, but I don''t think I''ll be able to see that with my own body. ''''It would be too foul in many ways!You ... fireball multi-shot! Me too ..........Levine Thunder! I shoot out multiple fireballs again and aim at Sigle-san in the sky. Siphon unleashes a wide range of lightning magic that seems to cover the sky. A two-person attack that doesn''t leave any gaps. Sigure-san further increased her flying speed. That''s not all. ''What?Yea, all those attacks now I don''t expect them all to be direct hits, but I was expecting at least one. ''This ... could have been conspired against. What do you mean? ''''The Exploratory Task Force explained that the gang is a race that uses fighting qi and can do anything.......that''s probably a lie. It''s not a lie, it''s more accurate to say that it''s not telling the whole story. It''s not just that you can do everything. I suppose the real power of the Crypto-Wolf tribe lies in their super-high-performance mobility that allows them to make those tricky moves you just saw. "...maybe you expected this to happen and didn''t tell the whole story? I guess. As if to acknowledge our answer, Mr. Sigle in the sky grins. "Hmm, I wonder if you notice that. "Hmm, I wonder if you notice that. It''s the wrong person. I''m sorry. It''s just that I don''t trust people easily, even though Sakura is in love with them. I wouldn''t expose my skills to someone like that. It''s plausible. I guess the problem is that I was too trusting of Mr. Sigle in this regard. I should have been somewhat suspicious. But I''m not very good at that sort of thing... You might say I''m naive, but I want to be me, no matter where I am. Well, let''s continue the battle. Ours is a tribe that specializes in mobility a tribe that uses the earth and sky as equal footholds and runs through everything. For example, we can do these things too, okay? What...? Sigle-san disappeared. It''s like the person I was talking to before was actually an illusion, and then he disappears and is gone. It''s not that I''m hallucinating, but the chiffon next to me is upset too. Disappearing magic? No, this is.... Chiffon! What? As soon as he could, he hugged Chiffon. Shortly after that, gosh!And then there was a sound as if the wind was blowing in, and something passed through. I reflexively returned my gaze to the top and saw Sigle-san''s figure. "Wow. It''s amazing that you avoided that one. I''m going to give you an honest compliment. It''s a good thing that you were able to sense the slightest disturbance in the air and defend the child on the spur of the moment, isn''t it? Was that Mr. Sigle? That''s right. A skilledѽѽ wolf tribe can move so fast that its appearance is not visible. Moreover, its movements are not two-dimensional, but three-dimensional. Not to brag, but no one has ever caught me before. Now ... do you want to continue? Of course. Oh. When I replied without pause, Sigle-san raised one eyebrow as if he was surprised. I''m definitely going to save Iris. No matter how difficult the road may be, giving up is not an option. Hmmm ... well, all right. I''ll see how long I can keep saying those words. We entered the super-accelerated state again and Sigle-san''s figure disappeared. The air is disturbed by the sounds around us. It''s probably trying to get us upset by moving in a hurry. Me and Chiffon keep our backs to each other so that we can be attacked from any direction. ''''Rain-kun, what should we do about this?Honestly, I couldn''t think of a hand...............................Can you get Mr. Sigle? Hopefully, What? You can? But I need Chiffon''s help. Do you trust me? Of course. I can rely on Chiffon to give me an immediate response. I''ll do my best not to betray that trust. I see. I''m sure you''ll try. The pressure being released from Chigre-san grew stronger and I got a tingling, numbing sensation. ''Chiffon, on my signal...'' Yes, I understand. We tell them the plan, and then we wait for the moment. We were on maximum alert for our surroundings and the time had come. ''''Huh?'''' Mr. Sigre suddenly appeared in front of me. This time I couldn''t perceive it. It''s like we''re frozen in time. But I was right on target. I could predict that if I said something provocative about being caught, they would come after me. And my prediction was spot on. However, you can''t win just by leading an attack. We need to shut down their overwhelming mobility. The evil eye..........activate! Additionally. Stop! What? I''m going to hit him with words that carry power. I receive two bondage type moves........but even so, Sigle-san''s movement doesn''t stop. Although it has slowed down to the point of being visible, it still remains at an overwhelming speed. However, that''s to be expected. ''''Matter creation! A wall of dirt was generated around me and Sigle-san. ''''Chiffon!'''' Yeah, let''s go!Paralyzed Thunder! White lightning poured down from directly above. No matter how good my mobility was, there should be no way to avoid this. However, I caught Sigle-san just in case. In that state, we were bathed in white lightning together. ''''Guh! While it''s not attack magic, it hurts in its own way. However, it''s not unbearable. ''''d*mn........This, this is.......! Although she is conscious, she seems unable to move any further and kneels down on the ground. I''m receiving the same magic, but thanks to the ability of ''State Disablement'', I''m nothing but pain. ''''........I didn''t expect that I would be forced to kneel. Although there is a part of me that was a bit underestimated, I didn''t expect it to go this far................It was a brilliant combination, but was that something that was discussed in advance? No, it was an impromptu idea. ''So much in such a short time ... a sure-footed force of will. A strong heart. I''ll lose. As if to say surrender, Mr. Sigle raised his hands in the air.... At that moment, everyone who was watching the duel and the rest of the internet internet search engine tribe let out a loud roar of cheers as they held their breath. 389-Episode 389: The coming ruin Uh ... it''s so depressing. It''s Leanne who walks through the empty plains, blurting out such a blur. She clutches tightly to her favorite piece of equipment she recently received, the rainbow crystal. ''''Excuse me.'''' Monica is standing next to Leanne, looking apologetic. She takes a step back to follow her. ''''Lean-san, I can''t believe you''re going to be asking for help again so soon after you just had it moved the last time. ''Absolutely........and we''re going to the northern continent. There''s no good food and no soft beds. We''ve got nothing. Begrudgingly, Leanne says with a lot of frustration. After returning from Kagne........ What awaited Leanne was a new job. It was said that there was a strongest species unknown on the northern continent. Information from those who were watching Chiffon had revealed this to be the case. That strongest species is a dangerous being. Trapped by blood and destructive impulses, it is useless to discuss. If it''s not done well, the road to reconciliation between people and the demon race will be closed. So, I want you to gather some serious information. And if possible, annihilate the strongest unknown species. That''s what Reese told me........ Without much rest, Leanne and Monica were sent to the northern continent. ''I thought we could get some rest. Oh God, I''m craving a thick, fatty steak.'' I''m really sorry... Well, that''s fine. I know it''s a hassle to say the least, but I''m looking forward to being able to use this girl in a big way. Leanne looks at the rainbow crystal. Its face is that of a child who has gotten her favorite toy. She thinks back to the time she took Iris by surprise. Even though he was caught by surprise, he defeated the Heavenly Clan, which is said to be the strongest of the strongest, in a single blow. What an amazing power. With the Rainbow Crystal, there was nothing he couldn''t do. He can defeat any opponent he makes an enemy against. ''''Hmph........'''' Drunk with power, Lean unwittingly raises the edge of her lips. Let''s wield all the power we can against the strongest species we have ever known. People overwhelm the strongest species. It would be so much fun. Just thinking about it makes my heart itch in my chest. Maybe it was because he was trapped in dark thoughts, but Lean didn''t realize it. That a slight shadow was beginning to dwell on the rainbow crystal. As if to reflect the mind of its owner, the crystal was slowly beginning to turn black. Looking at Lean like that, Monica thought back to her conversation with the Lord. ---------- The strongest species unknown in the northern continent? A room in a mansion. Monica, who was talking alone with Reese, scowled. I''ve never heard of the strongest species on the northern continent. However, if Reese says so, then it must be a certainty. After dismissing the question, I asked myself what I should do. ''''What should I do?'''' ''Will you take Mr. Lean and go to the northern continent?So, please gather information on the strongest unknown species. Are you sure it''s just a matter of gathering information? ''''Well if I''m going to be honest, I wish I could borrow some of your soul, just as I did with Iris-san. Okay. Now, please do as you''re told. It should have been incredibly difficult to do, but Monica agreed without hesitation. There was no great confidence that Reese would succeed at what he wanted to do. If anything, the odds of success would be low. Still, if Reese wants it, I''ll just be a loyal pawn and push on. Why would he go that far? How could they carry out such a reckless thing? The answer is simple. If it weren''t for Reese, Monica wouldn''t be here. She would be dead. To Monica, Reese has saved her life. It''s not just that. In a way, she feels close to her parents. It''s Monica''s belief that she will do anything for Reese. ''Monica, you don''t have to do it,'' Reese says softly, as if he could see right through Monica''s mind. He gently strokes her cheek and gently combs her hair with his other hand. ''Sure, I want information on the strongest species. If possible, I want to take away their power as well, and I want to eradicate them so they don''t hinder us in the future.'''' In that case, I''m going to... ''It''s fine. If that causes me to lose you, I''m not going to be able to regret it. So, please keep it to the basics, just to cover for Leanne. Reese, who said that, had a gentle face that was unthinkable for a demon race. He wasn''t spouting sweet words to manipulate Monica in a good way........ It''s clear that he truly cares for her. It seems that Reese''s heart was conveyed to her, and Monica''s face became enraptured. ''''Thank you, Rhys-sama. It makes me so happy to hear such words from me, a human being. ''Sure, you''re human. I''m a demon. But I think of Monica as a daughter. That was Reese''s unmistakable true intentions. ''That''s why I don''t want to do anything that would put you in great danger. If it''s about me... I do care. I don''t care if thousands or tens of thousands of other people die, but Monica''s life is much heavier than that. Thank you. ''I''m glad you feel that way for me?When the need arises, I''ll have that life in my hands. Yes, sir. It''s just ... now is not the time. We don''t need to risk it all for nothing. Huh?Monica tilted her head slightly. Considering their purpose, there''s no way they can leave the strongest unknown species alone. We need to take action before it develops into a troublesome situation, but.... But Reese says there''s no need to push it. ''Are you sure you want to leave it alone?'' ''Oh, you don''t have to leave them alone. We can take the power away, or we can destroy it. Well, that would be ideal, so a devastating blow would be a realistic range, wouldn''t it? But I don''t have to do that...? Let''s get Mr. Lean to do it. ''For Miss Leanne?But even though she has the Rainbow Crystal in her hands, with her abilities... It''s okay. Does Monica think that thing is really a rainbow crystal? Isn''t it? It''s an extremely troublesome item that looks exactly the same, but is a different item inside. If you use that thing well, it''s possible to eradicate Lean-san alone. 390-Chapter 390 Qin Mu Hui ''No, brother. Did I say Rain? I''m honestly impressed. If you look closely, you have very clear eyes. Yes, next to my husband... or maybe even better than my husband. Have you been drinking, my guest?It''s a special kind of sake made in this village. It has a characteristic slightly bitter taste, but isn''t that an addictive feature? Surrounded by many people from theѽ wolf tribe, we were all drinking together. With the victory over Sigre-san, me and Chiffon were recognized by theѽ wolf tribe. However, we have never actually exchanged words. So a social gathering was to be held, but..... What is this joviality? Do they really hate people?He''s so friendly and kind to me that I wonder. ''''Fnya.......this drink is so strong.......my head is spinning.... Kanade, are you okay?Do you want some water? Hiccup. At some distance, Kanade, Rifa and Nina, also surrounded by the gang of gangster gangsters, were drinking. It''s a good idea to find a new addition to your favorite internet search engine. In addition to the fact that it''s not easy to find a new addition to the internet, it''s also not easy to find a new addition to the internet. Nina continues to drink at her own pace, and I''m a little worried. ''There you go, guest!Don''t look at the day after tomorrow, now you can talk about things with us. You girls, keep drinking, too. You don''t have to hold back just because you''re a girl. You, on the other hand, could be a little more reserved... Shut up!I like to drink. I won''t tolerate anyone interrupting my only pleasure, even my own people. Ha, ha... I knew it, or rather, Chiffon was also confused. I know exactly what I mean. I can''t believe it when they show me a smile like this and say that they hate people. You have to be able to find a whole lot more than one way to find out. ''''Rain-kun, do theѽ wolf tribe really hate humans? That''s a question I''ve been thinking about, too. Ho-ho-ho, you guys look surprised. Mr. Sigle showed up. In his hand was a bowl full of liquor. You can''t find out what is going to be the best way to find out what is going to be the best way to find out what is going to be the best way to find out what is going to be the best way to find out. It''s not just that he''s powerful, he''s also a tremendous drinker. ''''Well ... it may be strange for me, being a human being, to ask this, but are theѽ wolf tribe really misanthropic?'''' I hate them. Humans have repeatedly acted foolishly in spite of our repeated warnings. And in the end they have wiped out one of the most powerful species in the world. Would that be the Heavenly Clan? If you were looking at those days, I can understand Sigle''s disappointment. The internet internet search engine is one of the best ways to find what you need in terms of gasoline. Therefore, for those who have once given your heart to someone you will find yourself in this situation. I see. I wonder if it''s similar to a stray dog that snarls and threatens when it sees people, but becomes extremely friendly when it''s owned. Well, I never imagined I''d ever smile and drink with a human again. ''Really?Then why? Partly it was a show of strength. But it''s the bond between us that has touched us more than that. Bond? We improvise without talking to each other. The only way to do that is to trust each other. I''m amazed at how many people can still do that. Hundreds of years after we moved to the northern continent... people have changed too. How stupid people have been in the past. It''s just second-hand accounts and we don''t really know anything about it. But I was hoping they''d be different. I''m sorry. I''m sorry to be such a sadist at this celebration. No.... I''m sorry to have to ask you to set this up, but.... As far as Iris is concerned, I can''t truly enjoy it. So it doesn''t matter what kind of story they tell me. Rather, if it''s related to the subject first, I''d welcome it. ''For now........let''s have a drink and talk about the future. Uh... yes! It''s a good idea to find an internet search engine that will help you find what you are looking for in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want in addition to what you want. ''''Well........first of all, I''ll tell you about the relationship between our gang of gangsters in addition to the phoenix tribe. Yes, please. ''We have a reasonably good relationship, partly because we''ve both been disappointed in humans. We live in different places now, but at one time, they used to live together. Why separate? We got into a bit of a fight. Did you get in a fight? Is it trivial, given the use of words like "conflict" and "breakup"? As if my guesses were correct, Sigle continued to talk leisurely. ''Nah, it''s not that big of a deal. We had a disagreement about something, and we were right. No, no, no, we''re right, we''re right. It was a clash of willpower and willpower, and neither of us took a step back... and finally, we had to play the game. ''What?Is that a duel like the one we had? Chiffon shouts in surprise, but Sigle-san shakes her head in denial. "If our strongest species were to duel, it would be a terrible thing. That''s why we decided to settle it another way. Is that...? Lace. A race...? The dungeon where the phoenix tribe lives is quite deep. There are only about three levels of dwellings, and the rest of the dungeons are left alone. Demons seem to be coming back, but the phoenix tribe doesn''t seem to care about them. So we made a rule that the first person to reach the lowest level of such a dungeon is the winner. ''I see ... that''s certainly a race. Since then, the race has become a regular part of the gang''s routine, in order to strengthen the friendship between the whole gang of gangsters and the phoenix tribe. I don''t think Sigre-san would be talking about something completely unrelated. Talking about the race with the phoenix tribe means........ Do you think... we''re in that race? Correct. Sigle laughed like a successful child. ''''It''s just right, it''s time to race. I''m going to enter Rain and Sakura as representatives of theѽWolf tribe, what do you think? Won''t that be rough...? It''s gonna be rough. It was Mr. Sigr who said it salaciously. However, he doesn''t seem to be talking about bad jokes or jokes. In addition to the fact that the phoenix tribe is hostile to humans, it''s doubtful that they''ll listen to you properly, even if we were to mediate. At best, they''ll be driven away. At worst, the whole gang will be considered as enemy enemy. It''s also... Really, what did our ancestors do for us? Probably similar to what they did to Iris and the rest of the celestial race... I''m not a party to it, but it makes me very uncomfortable. ''If we just want to compete in the race, I think we can handle it. I think the backlash will be mandatory but I think there''s a good chance that they''ll allow us to participate, to crush it ourselves. Bullying... ''If we can compete in the race and show Rain and Sakura doing well, or maybe the phoenix tribe will change their minds and listen to us. Like we''ve been moved........ I don''t know if it will work or not... It''s up to me and Sakura no. It''s up to me. "What do you say we give it a try?Even if Sakura is with them, there is still a risk and some phoenix tribe hates humans to the core. They might try something. Even so, if there is any chance, I think this is the only way. Let me do it. Oh. Quick answer. ''If that''s the only way to get the phoenix tribe to listen to me... if there''s even the slightest chance of helping Iris, I''ll just do what I can. Yeah, you look good. I''m hoping that Rayne might be able to do that. It''s really........reminds me of that guy. Does Sigle-san, who says that, remember the former Lord.........the brave man? He said it in a very sincere tone and looked nostalgic. 391-Episode 391: Return to the Phoenix Family Village Just before a dungeon we came to the phoenix tribe''s village again. I think back to the last time. As soon as we saw each other, they attacked us out of the blue. I couldn''t even get them to listen to me. Will it be okay this time? I can''t help but worry. It''ll be fine. Seemingly reading our anxiety from his expression, Sigle-san says in a firm tone. ''Last time it was just Sakura, but this time I''ll be there. I''m sure the phoenix tribe doesn''t know my face, so well, they''ll be wary of me, but I''m sure they won''t attack me all of a sudden. I''m sure they''ll listen to you. Well that would be nice. But still, what kind of a position is Mr. Sigle in? I know you''re not the leader of your village, but you''re representing your village in a duel with us and... Thus, you''ve been with me on important occasions and... If you think about it, you have great authority, and yet you are trusted by a large number of people. I''m curious though... We can listen to the story later. For now, let''s just focus on the phoenix tribe. "Hoisa. Sigle-san touched the door with a pop. The door lit up as before, and opened slowly. ''Who''s there?Sigre, but... ''Oh, you''re Mr. Sigle? A familiar voice came from the back. With the sound of clattering footsteps, a girl shows up. The girl who greeted us last time and attacked us without question. ''''Ah, Sigle-sama!And Sakura-chan. He smiles at Sigure-san and Sakura, then his face hardens when he sees us. It shakes and shakes, and then quickly becomes teary-eyed. Her hair begins to sway and shake, releasing grains of red light. ''''Pya, pyaaaaah!I''m human, human, I''m going to be eaten! Calm down. Is this a repeat of last time? Just when I had some apprehensions, Mr. Sigle stepped forward and patted the girl''s head. ''Huh! ''I can understand your surprise, though. Just so you know, the two of you over there are harmless. But, by the way, he''s a human being...? ''I can assure you that the two of you are harmless. Or do you not believe me? ''Yeeeee!Oh, no. No way!I would never doubt the words of Lady Sigre!I mean, it''s not something I can interfere with, wow. I don''t know, but I was so upset that I felt sorry for her when I saw her. I''m not sure if Sigle-san is more amazing than I thought, or if the girl has that kind of personality... it''s hard to decide. ''''Finia, what are you making a fuss about?'''' One more person who looked like a phoenix tribe appeared. Judging by his appearance, he was probably around thirty? She''s tall and generally slender. She''s not pretty or beautiful, but she''s cool. ''I could hear her voice deep inside, couldn''t I?For heaven''s sake ... if you''re my daughter, you should try to be more relaxed. I''m sorry, mother... Apparently, they were a mother and daughter. If you take a closer look, you can see that their faces are vaguely similar. ''''Isn''t that.......oh my, isn''t that Sigle? It''s been a while. ''Yes, I suppose so. It''s been a year since the last race, right?And..... He looks at me. Its gaze is very sharp. If there was power in its eyes, it could have been pierced as it was. ''''I see. So this is why Finia was making such a fuss........Finia.'''' Ha-ha-ha. ''I''m sorry for being so harsh earlier. Once the humans have arrived, there''s no point in panicking. That''s my girl. Do your best to be that girl. Yes, sir! Are you a tough guy?I thought, but I guess not so much. He scolds where he should scold and praises where he should praise. I guess that''s the kind of person he is. ''So ... Sigle, what does this mean?I can''t believe you brought a human to the village. I''ve got a representative from this year''s race. ... what? This year''s representative is my grandson, Sakura, and the human man there, Lane. Excuse me, could you repeat that, please? Have I gone deaf?The question was asked back. However, her face is already starting to pull away. Sigle-san says to her in a nonchalant manner. ''''The representative of this year''s race is Sakura and the human Rain there, right? You''re kidding, right? I''m serious. ''''Such a joke.......are we trying to pick a fight with the phoenix tribe? Gosh!And the rage swells up. No.........this is now a killing spirit. An overwhelming killing spirit that even has mass is slammed into just me and Chiffon. If I were to be frightened, I''d almost be frightened, but....... But if that happens, I might embarrass Sigle-san. I manage to hold back and confront the woman. ''''Heh.'''' Eventually the killing spirit subsided and a little bit of admiration spilled out. ''''It doesn''t sound like it''s just a human being, does it? All right, let''s hear the details. I''ll take you to the chief. Thank you. Come in the back. Oh ... just so you know, if you do anything crazy, I''ll burn you down on the spot, and I intend to do so. Um... yes. I''ve been hit with a tremendous thick nail. I''m not going to do anything bad with this one. No, I''m not going to do anything weird in the first place, though, am I? ''Heh........'' Since we''re talking about dungeons as dwellings, I may be rude, but I had a dark image of it. But that''s not the case. It seemed they had processed it afterwards themselves, and the passage was wide and well-lit. Occasionally, they would pass through a large room. It''s so beautiful that it''s hard to believe it''s in a dungeon. I''m sure they must have spent a long time renovating it to make it more livable. Looking at this dungeon, I felt as if I could understand a part of the history of the phoenix tribe. ''''Please wait for a moment.'''' When we arrive in front of one of the rooms, we are stranded. Only a woman is in the room. Perhaps this is the chief''s room. We''re going to report what we''ve come to and decide what to do in the future.......right? And then, about ten minutes of waiting the door of the room opens to reveal a woman. ''Come in.'' It''s time to go. I brace myself and walk into the room. Huh? For some reason, there was no one inside. 392-Episode 392: Im the Leader I was told I would be led to the chief, but there was no one there. Could it be........could it be that the chief can''t be adapted to humans or something? Totally. After looking at me in a panic, Sigle glares at the woman lightly, as if to say, "Oh dear. ''I''m not too impressed with your pranks, are I? Hmph. What does it mean? As I wonder, the woman moves to the back of the room and turns around. She sits down in a chair that appears to belong to the chief as it is. ''''I am Elfin I am the chief of the phoenix tribe. What? So this was the chief? There were times when I wondered if it might be... He had decided that there was no way the chief was going to visit him in person, and he had ruled out the possibility that he might. Hmm, I shouldn''t. Assumption limits one''s vision. I thought about that and reflected on it. ''And this is my daughter, Finia. Yello, yello, nice to meet you! He was biting. Maybe it''s not just that she''s afraid of people, but she''s not good at standing in front of people. ''Totally I was wondering what you''d do since you''re giving me a meaningful stare alone. Were you trying to hide the fact that you''re a chief to see your reaction? ''I''m just as guilty, since Sigle was on board too. Though I''m not one to feel guilty about my human counterparts. I can see the strong hostility towards people from every word. Thanks to Sigre-san, I''ve managed to have a dialogue with him.... If it had been just us, we would have ended up getting attacked. Thank you, Sigle, for that. ''So...'' Mr. Elfin glares at us, and then looks at Mr. Sigle. ''What do you mean by a human representing the race?Can you tell me more about it? Yeah, of course. As a matter of fact... The reason why we came to the north continent in search of the power of healing. The internet internet search engine is one of the most convenient ways to find what you need. What''s more, what''s more, you were chosen as the representative of the race. The whole thing was carefully explained to you in order to explain these events in order to you. After listening to the story, Elfin-san put his hand to his temples, as if he had a headache due to being told the joke. Then, a deep sigh. ''''........For the time being, I understand the situation. Oh, yeah?Then...... ''But sir!We can never allow a foolish person to represent the race! Why? ''Such a thing is unheard of!There''s no way I''m going to accept that! With a pizzazz, Elfin-san says with a feeling of being unattached to the island. Sigre-san said that he would manage it, but........will he be able to manage this? I don''t feel like there''s anything I can say to that. But we did have a rule that we could choose a delegate to represent us in the race, didn''t we?And there''s no rule against choosing a human being as a surrogate, is there? ''That''s true but I don''t think we need to talk about that kind of thing,'' ''Maybe so, but it''s not a clear violation of the rules, so don''t you see the problem?If it really doesn''t work, you should have described it from the beginning. The fact that it didn''t means that you had an acceptable mind, that if it did, it had to be done, didn''t it? It''s both a quibble and an overly forceful theory, isn''t it? People aren''t the only ones who race, you know. My partner is a cherry. So what''s the problem? ''''Are you crazy enough to make your lovely grandson your human counterpart?'''' That''s how much I trust this guy. Hmm.... Sigre''s words made Elfin-san look like he was thinking. Could it possibly work out like this? "....The race is not a sacred ritual. Elfin-san seemed unsure of her decision and was talking to herself. If there was one more factor that would push him back, or maybe he would be convinced....... Unfortunately, I''ve only just met Ms. Elfin, so I don''t know any information that would push her back. ''Elfin or...'' As if to say, "I''ll take care of it," Mr. Sigle went next to Mr. Elfin. ''Since you''re here, why don''t you take advantage of this race? "Use? If you take on a human-sacred pair, you can take on Finia... ...hmm. As it is, they begin to whisper and have a secret conversation. I don''t know what they''re talking about but.... The first word I heard, ''use'', bothers me. I hope he''s not planning something bad. Sigure-san has an air of seeming to think about bad things sometimes. ''''........I understand.'''' The two of us continue to talk in secret for five minutes. When Sigre-san quietly leaves, Elfin-san looks at me. ''Human, what''s your name?'' Lane Shroud. Well, Rain. I''m going to specially recognize you as the representative of the whole tribe of Task Force in addition to the whole gang of gangsters. Really? However! Elfin-san''s thin fingers pointed at Chiffon and Kanade. ''''That human over there and that cat spirit tribe over there you two should be offered up as hostages. What? ''Just because Sigle trusts us doesn''t mean we trust him either. Basically, humans are the enemy. If you still want us to trust you... And in exchange, you''ll give us both of them as hostages? That''s the way it is. I will not guarantee the lives of the hostages if they think something stupid. Without that much assurance, I can''t allow a human being to participate in the race, and I don''t think the rest of us can either. No, sir. The truth is, I have to accept that... But then I found myself saying those words. Everyone cringes. Both Elfin-san and Sigle-san, eh?I''m surprised to see that. ''I understand what you mean, Elfin. I suppose it''s only natural that you can''t trust humans, and it''s only natural that you should have insurance for that. In that case.... ''''But Kanade and Chiffon are both my friends. Even if it''s for the sake of trust, I''ll never do anything like selling out my friends for that purpose. .... Elfin-san rolled her eyes and was surprised. He hadn''t expected to be hit with such a response. ''''Kukkaku.'''' Sigre-san laughs happily. Rayne is a much more interesting person than I ever thought she would be. Well you''re certainly not the same as the people you hear about. The refusal to give up the hostage also took things in a slightly, different direction. It wasn''t a bad feeling, and although it was slightly, it seemed to have softened Elfin-san''s mood. ''But there''s nothing convenient about not offering up anything, just asking for it. If you won''t give up your hostages, we won''t allow a human being, Rain, to compete in the race. Nor will I give you the opportunity to change our minds. Still.... I don''t want to be the one to sell out my people. Just as I was about to say that, I was tapped on both my shoulders with a pop. When I looked, I saw Kanade and Chiffon each put a hand on my shoulder. ''Nya, thank you, Rain. You''re worried about me, right?I''m so happy. But we''ll be fine. Don''t worry about it. You can give them up for what they want. They both say things like that, but I''m still not convinced. As if to unwind such a stubborn heart, Kanade says, "It''s just that I''m a hostage in case something happens. It''s just a hostage in case something happens. What are you going to do about it, Rain? I would never do that. ''Then it''s not a problem. I trust Rayne, so I hope she trusts me too. ''Yes, yes, Kanade, you''re right. You can trust us and feel comfortable sending us as hostages. That''s... that''s not the right word. I couldn''t help but laugh. But the thought of absolute rejection was gone. The resistance is still there, but.... But the two of you have said so much. And yet, if you refuse to do so, that would mean that you don''t trust them. ''''........I understand. I accept those terms. It''s a wise decision. I would never do anything to harm either of you... ''If you don''t plan to do something foolish, we won''t do it. For we are not like humans. I understand. I trust you. Thus.........in exchange for Kanade and Chiffon being held hostage, I was allowed to participate in the race. Not only for the sake of Iris, but also for the sake of Kanade and Chiffon, I''ll do my best to deal firmly and honestly with them and make them trust me. 393-Episode 393 Each Thought "Uh-huh. Leanne and Monica, looking in a good mood, were walking across a certain plain on the northern continent. Leanne is light on her feet and humming a tune. Monica, on the other hand, is quiet. ''''When you asked me to go to a place like the Northern Continent, I thought, eh... hmmm... well, not too bad.'''' Lean''s objective is to observe the movements of Rain and Chiffon, who are believed to have moved to the northern continent. I obtained information that the brave candidate and the current brave have headed to the northern continent. Although I didn''t get to that objective... It''s not a normal thing for two people like that to move to an unexplored area. They may be planning to do something detrimental to themselves. That''s why Reese decided to dispatch Lean. And one more thing. The investigation of the strongest unknown species that is believed to live in the northern continent. And, if possible, the taking of their power or the destruction of their villages. I hate hassle. For Lean, who professes to do so, this case is too much trouble. If it were true, she would refuse and laze around in bed. Or go to the city and enjoy shopping. But this time it''s different. ''Will it still be plants and animals and all that?Basically, it''s no different than what you see in the center or something like that! Leanne paces along, looking at the plants and the occasional animal she passes. She still seems to be in a good mood. Lean''s gaze was directed to her right hand. To be precise, it was the rainbow crystal held in her right hand. ''''I thought it was troublesome at first, like the northern continent or something, but................................when I think about it, it''s a good opportunity to test this girl. Hmph, what kind of power will she show me? Leanne laughed, looking like a child given a favorite toy. The power that had defeated even the Heavenly Clan was mesmerizing and swallowing her up. ''''Don''t take it too hard, okay?'''' As if to remonstrate with Leanne, Monica, who will accompany her, said You''ll be fine. After all, I have a rainbow crystal. And the demons are keke! A demon that looked like a giant bird, three times the size of Lean, appeared. It stays in the air, flapping its wings in the sky above, and turns its sharp eyes on Lean. Lean, in contrast, grins. It''s as if a good testing partner has appeared. ''''Will you not look down on this Lean-sama by a demon?Windcutter! Lean magically creates a blade of wind and shoots it at the demon. The air is so compressed that you shouldn''t be able to see it, but... The demon sensed the sign, and swung to the right to avoid the magic. However, it was a decoy. The real attack is separate. ''''Rainbow Crystal!'''' Lean holds up her wand and a light lights up at the tip of it. Lean''s other hand shakes in response to it. ''''Windcutter!'''' He casts his magic again. But this time, he didn''t hit it head-on. Using the power of the rainbow crystal, he leapt through space and made it explode inside the demon''s body. The body was torn to shreds from the inside, and the demon crashed down with a scream of demise. Seeing this, Lean laughs happily. ''''Hahaha, it''s still amazing, amazing, though!That''s a legendary piece of equipment with a hell of a lot of power. Wavering, a slight amount of darkness spilled out of the rainbow crystal. It clings to Leanne''s arm as it clings to her.... However, it disappears quickly before the person in question even notices it. ''''Well it''s about time. Hmm?What did you say? No, I didn''t. Yeah?It''s okay if it is, but........well, let''s just kill them all, shall we? Without knowing or realizing anything, Lean continues on to the northern continent. ---------- Listen to me, Finia. "Oh, no! When the mother and daughter are alone, Elfin gives her daughter a stern look. Apparently nervous at such a mother''s atmosphere, Finia''s back is peaked. Seeing her daughter''s condition, Elfin wonders. ''Why are you nervous?'' I mean.... ''Goodness. You are a very clever and strong child, but your heart is not quite there yet. Even though you have important things to talk about, I didn''t realize you would be nervous even when talking to me, your mother. I''m sorry... It''s okay. I don''t mean to blame you. If there is something that is lacking, you can make up for it in the future. But I''ll do my best. I get stiff and nervous with my mother. That was a girl named Finia. She has a triple score: very timid, shy, and negative thinking. She''s quite a tricky girl. ''''So, talking about the race the phoenix tribe will be represented by me, Finia and you. What? ''Why are you surprised?We talked beforehand about doing it that way this year. Yes, that''s true, but since it seems that humans are going to be there, I don''t think it would be better if I wasn''t... ... Gently grasping his hand to calm the fumbling and panicked Finia, Elfin moves his face closer to hers and says ''This is your chance,'' Chance...? ''''Because of your character, there is some doubt in the village about your abilities and qualities. I''m sorry... ''But what if we can make this one work?I''m sure there will be a lot of voices reviewing you. That''s, uh... but can I do that...? ''You can do it. I''m proud of you, and you''re a fine daughter. "...mother... Finia gives a small smile at her mother''s kind words. ''Also, they''re human. It''s no big deal.'' Is it okay...?Humans are so fierce and evil, always planning the darnedest things... ''Yes, you are right. Humans are stupid and irredeemable. I''m starting to freak out. ''Oh, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to scare you, you know?I just wanted to say that humans are stupid ... and therefore a lowly species without much power. Not strong enough? Yes, it''s nothing. I''m just a human being. We''re all just stupid beings. There''s not a chance in hell that our most powerful species will ever be defeated by such a thing. There is one thing about the phoenix race that Sigle does not know. It is that they are overwhelmingly proud and look down on humans as a lowly species. They never doubt that they are the strongest. I don''t doubt that humans are a lowly species. The entire race has had this kind of thinking. Not only do they look at humans as enemies, but they look down on their existence. That''s what Sigle didn''t know about the phoenix tribe''s underbelly. It''s no wonder Sigle doesn''t know about it. The phoenix tribe only looks down on humans, but they are rather friendly to other races. They''re especially friendly with the same powerful species, theѽWolf tribe, who live on the same continent. One of the most important things you can do is to find a new addition to the internet. In a way, it was no surprise that Sigle was unaware of the overwhelmingly low regard for humans. ''Watashi.......can I do it?'' Yes, you can. I''m so proud of you, you''re my daughter. But we''ll do our best. Finia gingerly clenched her little fists. 394-Episode 394: Lets Deepen Fellowship That day, they were to stay in the phoenix tribe''s village as it was. Kanade and Chiffon were in a different room because of the hostage situation. Nina and Rifa. And Sigle-san and Sakura are also with them. "Hmm. The room we were shown is a bit small for five people to use. However, it seems to have been neatly cleaned, there is no dirt and it is clean. The bed is also prepared with a soft futon and pillows, so you are not being treated coldly. Maybe it''s because Sigle and Sakura are there. If it was just us, I don''t know what would have happened. For that, I''m thankful to Sigure-san and Sakura again. But.........I''m still restless. Will Kanade and Chiffon be okay? Would they have been put in jail or something else for being a hostage? Have you been treated coldly or badly? I''m so worried about the two of them, and I''m so curious about them. He paces around the room in circles for no reason. ''Are you restless?'' Unlike me, Sigle-san was relaxed and poised. ''''Yes, well...'''' We''ll be fine. It''s true that the phoenixes are hostile to humans, but we promised them that we wouldn''t hurt them if they didn''t do anything. What are the chances of breaking it? None. If you break your word, the phoenix race is less than human. I''m not going to be able to admit that to you, though. Is that the way it works? That''s the way it is. If Sigre-san says so, then maybe my worries are unfounded. I don''t think it''s possible to say I don''t care about it completely, but.... I guess I shouldn''t be overly concerned about it. Otherwise, I won''t be able to relax and rest. The race is tomorrow. We need to rest and regain our strength and make sure we''re in good shape. Well done. Suddenly, he got off the bed where Nina had been sitting and headed for the entrance to the room with Totete. ''Nina, where are you going?I think it''s time for you to go to bed. Uh, well, I mean... yeah. I don''t know why I''m blushing. Did I say something weird? Hmm. Rifa looks into Nina''s face. Then, tilting her head slightly, she says salaciously. ''The bathroom?'' What? Do you have to go to the bathroom?Then I''ll be there. Ugh.... Nina looked extremely embarrassed. I thought she was still a child, but she''s still a girl. It seems to be embarrassing to be asked about such things so frankly..... I may have been a little uncaring. You should reflect on that. If that''s the case, I''ll have to join you. This is based on a dungeon, so it''s a bit complicated. I''m sure you''ll be safe with Sigre. I''ll see the three of you out of the room Wafu. Sakura and I are alone with Sakura. He walks over to me with Totetete and looks up at me, wagging his tail. ''What''s going on?'' On! Do you want me to pat you on the head? Wafu. As if to say it was the right thing to do, Sakura offered me her head. I don''t know if it''s as requested, but I nudge its head. ''''Hahaha...! He looked extremely happy. His tail was buzzing from side to side, and I wondered if it would tear off and fly away.I''m worried about it. ''Well it might be a good time to do so. Tomorrow I''ll be teaming up with Sakura for the race. I think it''s important to work together in this kind of thing, so I''d like to get to know them as well as I can while I''m at it. Hey, Sakura. On! Why is Sakura being so good to me?I''ve heard a lot of things from Sigre, but I haven''t heard anything from Sakura. I''d like to hear from him, if possible, as to why. ''Ooh ... on!On-on. Naturally, I don''t know what Sakura is saying. I''m a beast tamer, but as expected, I don''t know the language of animals. But........somehow, I understand how Sakura feels. If I say so myself, it''s like she likes me. ''I guess that part of it comes down to why. Hmmm, it''s frustrating not knowing the words. Oh...? Hmm?Are you worried about me?Ha-ha, it''s okay. I''m not trying to be difficult or painful, you know. Thank you. Sakura is a very sweet girl. On! I stroked her head again and Sakura purred happily. Watching her, I felt like an idiot for being troubled by the fact that I couldn''t communicate with her. It''s true that we don''t understand each other. I don''t understand what Sakura is saying. But I felt that the heart of the person is communicating with her. I feel that if we are together in this way, there will be no problem. Do you think Sakura trusts me? On! Then I''ll have to make sure I can live up to that and not betray you. Come here," he beckons. Sakura looks even happier, but climbs onto my lap. "Oh, it''s so fluffy. Sakura is pretty big, so when she gets on my lap, she''s full of fluff. Even so, I hug her big body tightly. Then she looks so happy and licks my face with her hands. I have to do something," she says. There''s a girl I really need to help. Wafu. So ... can you help me tomorrow? On! Yeah, thanks, Sakura. We''ll keep it together. Ooh-oh! He stroked Sakura''s head again, barking at her as if to tell her to take care of herself. 395-Episode 395: Race Start! Night is breaking and morning is coming. However, I don''t know if the sun is up or not because I''m in a dungeon. The time interval is going to be a little strange. At any rate, the next day. The next day, a race to find modest gasoline in addition to gasoline in addition to gasoline in addition to gasoline is being held. A lot of gangsters and phoenix tribe gathered in a large room. Among them are Kanade and Chiffon, who were separated as hostages. It''s a good thing that they didn''t seem to do anything in particular. And me and Sakura in the center. Elfin-san and Finia. Sakura, hang in there!Let''s show them the power of our tiny wolf tribe! "Brother, I''m counting on you!As a representative, go for it! The folks of the Crypto-Wolf tribe are giving me quite favorable support. It''s a good idea to find a new addition to the family. On the other hand, the phoenix tribe, on the other hand..... Wha... why is a human being here? Elfin-sama, you can burn that thing, if you want! Don''t worry, I forgive you! There was a tremendous amount of hate being directed at them, and stinging glances and words were flying from all over the place. Even when I visited the village of the people-hating spirit race, nothing like this happened. This time is completely different. Isn''t there really an attempt on my life?I felt a sense of crisis, and even though I didn''t do anything, my fatigue piled up. Is it really possible to win over the phoenix tribe from this situation? ... no. That''s just not a good sign. It''s not a question of if I can do it. It''s that I will. Not for me, but for Iris. Then I''ll be the judge. Sigle stepped forward. ''''This dungeon is made up of ten layers in total. There are three layers here. After the fourth layer, it''s untouched, and there are demons and traps.'''' Living on top of a demon is amazing for the phoenix race. It''s usually unthinkable. Is it only possible for the strongest species to do this? The first team to return to the site with the treasure from somewhere on the tenth level wins. It is possible to interfere with the other team and steal the treasure. Well, you can''t let your guard down until the end. Do you have a minute?With those rules, wouldn''t it be a melee at the start of the season? It''ll be fine. To make sure that doesn''t happen, we''re going to give you different ways to get in and out of the dungeon. It''s a dungeon, so there are many ways in and out. I see. Then there''s no chance of it suddenly becoming a melee. There''s been a lot of thought put into this race, as it''s been done so many times. Are there any other questions? What level of interference with the other team is allowed? It''s up to each of us to decide. ''It''s also...'' I can''t help but pull a face at the words that could be taken any way. You can''t expect the phoenix tribe, which considers people as enemies, to go easy on you, although Sigre-san says he expects each of you to have good sense. In fact, they''d rather come out aggressively on the offensive at the drop of a hat. We.........or rather, it''s quite unfavorable for me. The fact that the other side will do whatever they want doesn''t mean that we can''t help them out and do whatever they want. Because of that kind of relationship, there''s a possibility of being beaten unilaterally if you''re not good at it. But.........is that why? Even if I win in my favor, the phoenix tribe won''t recognize me as a powerful person. Only when I''m at a disadvantage, and have a strong strength and heart to overcome adversity, might they change their minds about humans. Perhaps Mr. Sigle had thought that far ahead before setting up this rule. Speaking of strict, it''s quite strict... But if it''s the only way, let''s do it. Do you have any other questions? I don''t have one. On. There''s nothing else I want to know. I nod like I''m okay with it. Can I ask you a question? Mr. Elfin opens his mouth. After glancing at me, he says with a laugh. ''''You say that it''s possible to interfere with the other team... but what happens if you end up killing them as a result of that? I told you I''d leave it to your discretion. Is that your answer? Yeah, I know. "...I see, I get it. Huh. One last time, Mr. Elfin laughs. It''s a vicious smile that makes me cringe. This.........don''t try anything during the race. And it''s not just interference, it''s an attack. If you''re not careful, they will come after you and try to kill you. I''m prepared for that. What about cherry blossoms? I''m completely wrapped up in our situation and convenience. I''m sorry about that... Gulu.... Ouch. Sakura snorted grimly and bit my leg lightly. I look to see what''s going on and see Sakura staring at me. Her eyes are as if she''s telling me not to think about trivial things. Maybe it''s rude to treat her like a dog, but.... They also say that dogs are very perceptive and can understand people''s minds. Maybe that''s why Sakura could see through my hesitation. And maybe he''s angry at me for not underestimating himself, I promised you yesterday that we would work hard together.... Why would Sakura trust me so much? That''s the part that''s a mystery to me, but... But I''ll have to do my best to respond well. I''m sorry. Off.... We''re in this together. On! Yeah. Now we''re all on the same page. There is no longer any doubt in our minds. No matter what difficulties lie ahead, Sakura and I will do our best to overcome them as best we can. Are there any more questions? Yeah, I''m fine. Me too. Then let''s start the race. Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! After a short pause, he shakes his hand down. Begin! The race has begun. 396-Episode 396: Good at Amae Me and Sakura go down the right aisle, while Finia and Mr. Elfin go down the left aisle. Soon we can no longer see each other and can only hear our partner Sakura''s breathing. ''Even though it''s a dungeon, is this area maintained?'' Currently, there are four levels. Even though it''s not a residential area, they''ve probably put up a barrier to prevent demons and other things from entering, and are probably making the rounds from time to time. Perhaps that''s why it''s just as clean as the third level, and there are no demons to be found. ''''I''d like to make my way to the lower levels as much as possible before the demons are out. Oh. Yeah?Sakura? Sakura takes my pants in her mouth and pulls on them. It''s as if she''s telling you to come over here. ''Do you happen to know where the stairs leading to the lower level are? On! A powerful squeal. I can feel the confidence that I''m in charge. I''ve heard that this is Sakura''s first time plunging below the fourth level, but... Maybe it''s because he''s a part of the burrowing wolf tribe, or maybe it''s because he feels something. ''''Alright, I''m begging you! Whomp! Sakura ran off at a brisk pace. There is no hesitation at all in that run. You''re reliable.......This is not the time to be impressed. If I''m taking it easy, I''ll be left behind. I rush out and follow Sakura. I run through a straight line and turn right and left. And then I arrive at..... .... .... It was a dead end. "Sakura? ...Oh. Sakura lowered her head in a way that seemed to be inexcusable. It seems that she is aware that she did it. ''''Kuhn........'''' This is different, something is wrong. It wasn''t supposed to be like this..........................and that''s how Sakura sounds. I don''t understand the words, but I can somehow understand what she is thinking. She seems to be in a tremendous hurry. ''I don''t care. Oh...? I pat Sakura''s head as if to calm her down. It''s true that we can''t lose this game, but that doesn''t mean I''m going to put the blame on Sakura alone. Let''s do our best together. On! Sakura seemed motivated and squealed again, with an effort to regain her motivation. Then it sniffed and began to find its way to the lower level. It whirled around in place, sniffing for a scent. Grrrr. Grrrr. Grrrr. Is he confused? He spun around on the spot so much that he was suspicious of the situation and didn''t want to leave. Rather than......... Oh? Apparently, he''s confused. From Sakura''s reaction, there''s a path here that leads to the lower levels. But there are no such things in sight and therefore, why?I guess I''m confused. ''Hmm,'' Do you believe in cherry picking? Or do I look elsewhere? If you have to choose between those two, it''s settled, right? Now, me and Sakura are partners... and friends, in fact. Then you have to trust Sakura. Yeah? I suddenly noticed a crack in the floor around where Sakura was hanging out. It wasn''t something that would come naturally, but a crack that looked like it had been made artificially. When Sakura put her nose close to the crack, she could see the hairs swaying slightly. That means........is the wind blowing from that crack? Sakura, get out of the way. After calling Sakura back, she casts a spell. Fireball! When the fireball landed, the floor collapsed in a circle, unable to withstand the impact. I looked into the room, being careful not to fall, and saw five layers of flooring. I see, the ceiling is about to collapse. That''s why Sakura must have reacted here. But there were no stairs in sight, and she was confused......... ''Well, there''s no rule that says you have to use the stairs to get around, you know. Well done, Sakura, good job. On! Realizing that it worked, Sakura instantly feels better. She stretches her chest wide and looks dignified, like she''s done it. Then she stares at me. Her eyes are shining and her tail is wagging from side to side. Praise, praise, praise!He did his best to appeal to her. He patted Sakura''s head, chuckling at such a sight. ''''Thanks. Thanks to Sakura, we were able to move to the fifth level in no time.'''' Ooh ... on, on. Wow. Sakura was very happy, but also thrashed her body to me. She is being spoiled tremendously. Since the reaction is so big, I can''t help but spoil it, or maybe I just praise it.... Sakura is a sweetheart. I suddenly think. By the way, how old is Sakura? I''ve heard you''re Sigre''s grandson, so I don''t think you''re any better than me... Well, that''s okay for now. We''ll hear about it after it goes well. All right, let''s keep it up, Sakura! On! 397-Chapter 397: Sense of Violation Yeah, yeah! Looking a bit hunched over, Finia pays off her right hand to the side. Following its trajectory, a flame is born and swallows the crowd of approaching demons. The flames of the phoenix tribe are the flames of purification. The demons that were evil beings were not allowed to stay in this world and everything was returned to ashes. ''''Yes, I did it...! Finia takes a small gut-punch as she is able to defeat the demon properly. Looking at her daughter''s condition, Elfin sighs with relief. ''Oh, mom, did you see that?I have to get the demon... ''''Of course, I was watching you. I hope that a demon of that level, I hope you can easily get rid of it, but... well, before, if you got close to it, it would run away. ''Ugh ... sorry ...'' ''But this time we were able to defeat it properly. Let''s call that a good thing. You did well. Uh-huh. Finia smiles happily at her mother''s praise. However, Elfin''s face quickly turned stern. ''''But you shouldn''t be satisfied with this level of praise, right? ''Well...'' ''You are my daughter. You are the daughter of the chief of the Phoenix Clan. You will have to take over my position sooner or later. You will grow up more and more for that. Okay, yes. It''s the usual story. Elfin is basically strict with his daughter, his heiress. He praises her properly when he does, but other than that, he tells her to be strong and correct. It''s a mother''s love that she wants him to become a great chief. However, Elfin''s thoughts are sometimes heavy. Finia likes to be alone, and she''s not good at leading anyone. She''s not the type of person to stand in front of someone, rather, she''s more suited to support them, isn''t she?I think. I''ve tried talking to Elfin about it a few times.... ''What can you do with such weakness? You are the next chief, you should have more strength. I''m going to get such a light sermon. Each time I do, my heart gets heavy. Each time it makes me feel depressed. Finia thinks. I''m not suited to be a chief, and I don''t want to be a chief in the first place. She was simply born the daughter of a chief. ''''Finia, is there something wrong?'''' Oh no, Finia came to herself when Elfin approached her. As usual, she was apparently lost in a labyrinth of thoughts, thinking about the next chief. ''''........watashi, will I really be able to do well?'''' Feenya let out a sneaky sigh, trying to keep her mother from noticing. ''''Finia, I''ll go first. I''ll never allow a human to defeat me, you know. Yes, sir. They arrived at the sixth level. At a reasonable pace, it could be said to be a good achievement. An ordinary human would not be able to catch up with the girls. However, the other party is a person who is recognized by Sigle. If you''re not careful, what will happen to you? But I have to do my best. Finia was determined to do her best as best she could. The undeserved expectations were nothing but pressure... I simply want to live up to my mother''s expectations as a child. ... Mother? Suddenly I noticed that something was wrong with my mother. She had a difficult look on her face. Had I done something wrong? I can''t think of anything in particular, but there have been a lot of things I''ve done that were unintentional There''s no way for Elfin to raise his voice or raise his hand in anger. He''s just blithely angry. But that''s what''s scary to Finia. It seems like she''s being dumbfounded, and she''s afraid she''ll be abandoned sooner or later... I can''t help but get freaked out. ''How ... did you ... do ...?'' ''''........Does Finia know what demons live in this dungeon?'''' ''What?Umm, um ... just in case. This feeble girl actually has the distinction of having a ridiculous memory. Once she sees something, she almost never forgets it. No matter how much time has passed, no matter how trivial the matter, she can recall it immediately. The demon you just defeated - was it one that inhabits this dungeon? It''s... uh... Come to think of it, it was a demon I had never seen before. Realizing this, Finia looked curious. ''''It was a, well, it was the type of demon that wasn''t in this dungeon, but.......why?'''' ''Was there a type of demon we didn''t grasp?...No, that''s not possible. I did a careful investigation when I lived here. There should be little chance of an unknown demon being present. Well, he could have snuck in from the outside, you know. ''And there''s only one entrance to the dungeon?You''re telling me that you''ve moved to the sixth level under everyone''s radar? Oh, it can''t be... sorry. ''There''s no need to apologize for that. There is no need to apologize for anything, because we may discover something new by raising the possibility that there is no such possibility. It''s okay to say more without fear. Yes, yes.... If she could do such a thing, she wouldn''t have this kind of personality. She secretly hoped that she wouldn''t say anything reckless. ''So, but if you didn''t blend in from the outside.......did it spontaneously occur in the dungeon? ''It''s not impossible but I''ve been living here for over a hundred years. I''ve never heard of anything like that. Oh, I see... No. That doesn''t mean it''s never going to happen. Well ... there''s a high probability of that. We did investigate the dungeon, but that was a long time ago. Since dungeons are like living things, it''s possible that some elements will come together to create new monsters. Elfin didn''t think it was a big deal and came to that conclusion. However, Finia was not convinced. Only on the day of the race, a new kind of demon would suddenly appear. Would it be such a convenient thing to happen? Oh, um... How can I help you? Well, you know, it''s not like there''s anything else going on, you know? Is it something else?Does Finia have any idea what it is? ''Uh, no, I''m not saying that, but... I just feel like there''s something about it that''s tripping me up... maybe, but... but... It''s possible that it''s artificial. ''''Hmmm........That''s an interesting opinion, but as expected, that''s not going to happen. Creating a new demon is not something that can be done artificially. Well, if it''s a legendary equipment........no, you''re thinking too much. Oh, I see... I''ll get there first. There''s no way I''m going to lose to a human. Uh-huh. ........at this time. If Elfin had thought a little more carefully about Finia''s words, he might have been able to avoid the tragedy that awaited him down the road. However, she never realized this, and mother and daughter were moving deeper into the dungeon ... closer to the tragedy. 398-Episode 398: The Beginning of Chaos Hmm. I''m currently on the seventh layer. I think we''re progressing at a rather good pace, but I''m not sure how Elfin-san and Finia are doing. Therefore, it''s hard to judge whether they are dominant or inferior. Not that I''m hoping to clash with the two of them, but.... Even if they continue to win without incident, will they really be recognized by the phoenix tribe? I feel like I can only show my power if I can manage the elfin-san and the others who are obstructing me. However, I don''t want to fight as I please, and if I can, I''d like to keep it that way....... ''''It''s a dilemma........'''' Wufu? Sakura, walking tote tete next to me, looks up at me curiously in response to my mumble. While patting its head, I hurry onward. Can you show your power or not? Will they recognize me or not? I don''t know which way it will turn out, but the minimum requirement is that I must win this race. First we have to win the race.... If it works, good. If it doesn''t, then we''ll think about it again. Grrrrrr...! In the meantime, we''ve got enemies. There are more and more of them as we move down through the lower levels. They are high level demons in their own right, but thanks to Sakura''s presence, they don''t suffer at all. It''s simply because of the strength of Sakura, but... Not only that, it''s as if he''s reading our thoughts, and he always provides support where we want it. It''s a breath of fresh air. ''You''re amazing, Sakura. How do you make it work like that? On! Somewhat proudly, Sakura squealed loudly. ''''Pyaa!'''' In response to Sakura''s voice, a familiar voice comes from a little distance away. Oh. I meet eyes with Finia as she appears. My body and thoughts freeze in surprise at the suddenness of the situation. Furthermore, Elfin-san appears from behind Finia. ''''Huh?'''' Our eyes meet as well. And ..... Human! Oh, no! A wave of fire is created and spreads out as if to fill your vision. There''s no room to avoid it! Then. Fireball! I cast a spell and offset the flames with flames. The attempt worked, and I managed to escape from Elfin-san''s flames. ''''Do you want to prevent my attack? That''s quite a feat for a human.'''' Don''t you think it''s a bit harsh to attack out of nowhere...? What''s the problem with the rules?If a mere mortal dies here, who cares? It''s only human. The misanthropy of the phoenix tribe is much higher than that of the spirit tribe. I could understand what Sigre-san meant about seeing people as enemies, I could see it firsthand. It can''t be helped if this happens. Or rather, in a sense, I wish for it to happen. If we could clash head-on and subdue the two of them on top of that, there was a good chance that the other phoenix clans would recognize us. I''ll take advantage of this situation to the contrary! Sakura, I need your help! Finia, I''m coming! Me and Elfin-san call out to our respective partners, but they don''t respond well. I look at Sakura to see what''s going on, while being ready to move at any time... Glululu...! He looked in the direction of the day after tomorrow and let out a low growl. Finia also looked in the same direction as Sakura and made an anxious face. ''''What, what''s this sign........?I have a very bad feeling.......ugh. ''Finia?What is the matter with you? In front of a human being, such as.... Oh, mom, there''s something very unpleasant about this........oh, what''s this, this is very malicious.......human?But it''s more than that... Finia was rattling and shaking as she hugged herself. ''What is it?'' And what''s going on with Sakura? In an obvious anomaly, me and Mr. Elfin and I released our battle stance. Then we moved to our respective partners. ''Sakura, what''s going on?Could it be that the demon has appeared again? Grrrrrr...! Sakura continued to growl, as if she didn''t have time to answer my questions. I followed the tip of her gaze. Then I heard the sound of knocking footsteps. That number was for two people. After a little while, I see a shadow, and I can see its main body. Its true identity is......... Haha.... I''m really here. Lean! Long time no see, little trash. How are you doing? Monica appears from further back. ''You guys, why ... no. For that matter, how did you get here! How did they get inside the dungeon under the watchful eye of the phoenix tribe? How did Leanne and Monica know about the phoenix race in the first place? Since they went through the village of the spirit race to get here, it should be unlikely that they followed us. If that''s the case, did they get the information on their own...? And then they started planning and working on something unrelated...? Should I lament the timing of this........? Or should we rejoice that we happened to have an opportunity to squash their scheme? Either way, it''s extremely troublesome. "I''m sorry to tell you so early, but I''m going to give you a really nice present. Lean grinned. Then the transparent wand in her hand glowed black. 399-Episode 399: Hold Hands Now The space distorts, limpidly. That distortion grows larger and larger as it swallows us up. ''''d*mn!'''' I had an incredibly bad feeling about this. Me and Sakura jump backwards and run away. Likewise, it seems that I felt a disturbing feeling, and Elfin-san also leaves the distortion. It''s just..... Finia! Finia had missed her escape and was being held by the distortion. Her hands were about to be dragged along, as if the distortion was biting her. Her daughter might be in danger. But the other man was unidentified. If she moved carelessly, she might end up getting hit as well. Such a thought seemed to have worked, and Elfin-san hesitated. Then.........it''s my turn here! Finia! What...? He takes Finia''s hand while trying to avoid distortion. Then he tries to pull her up, but Kuh..... Finia doesn''t move as if she has been fixed in space. On the contrary, she was being drawn more and more into the distortion. ''''On!'''' Sakura joins me and pulls Finia along with me. Still, it''s not strong enough. I get pulled in a little bit more... ''Hahaha, goodbye! We were swallowed up by the distortion, with Leanne''s laughter in our ears. ---------- ...here? I found myself looking at the sky. I lightly moved my gaze and saw grass and dirt in my vision. Apparently, this is not the phoenix tribe''s home, but outside. Why am I sleeping here...? .......and Finia and Sakura! My foggy mind cleared up and I thought back to the situation before and after. I hurriedly got up and looked left and right. A short distance away, Finia was lying on the ground. Further away from that, Sakura''s figure was further away. ''Finia, are you alright?Finia! First, I go to Finia. I hug its body and call out to it strongly. ''''Hmm........hmm?'''' With a light shake, Finia slowly opened her eyes. It''s like she''s somewhat sleep-deprived. Only, gradually her eyes became more and more focused... Two, human! He screamed and jumped up and away from me as he ran away. I held my head and cowered as it was. ''My mother is gone!I''m the only one...?So that means you''re alone with a human! Well...? ''Don''t eat, don''t eat, please don''t eat! ''What?No, um ... I''m not going to eat it, okay? No, no!My mom said. If you do anything bad, the humans will eat you, she said! ''Well...'' ''You must be eating me too!Pacifiers!Luring them out to a place like this, and then they''re going to meet each other! On! "Phiap! I was having a hard time dealing with the situation, and before I knew it, Sakura, who had woken up, was approaching me and buzzing loudly near Finia. The voice startled her, and she jumped in a small way. She turns her lucid teary eyes, which are on the verge of breaking down, to Sakura. ''''........Sakura-chan?'''' Oh. Ooh-ooh. "...this human wouldn''t do that? On! I''m not sure, but they seem to be having a conversation. From the side, Sakura only makes a waning noise, but Finia seems to be able to communicate with them. Is it because they are the strongest species together that this is possible? Um.... There was a little while, and Finia was talking to me in a timid manner. ''''Uh, well........hehe, I''m sorry for the strange misunderstanding. Sakura-chan, you didn''t do anything or do anything........ ''Oh, yeah. If you understand, that''s fine with me. So....can you tell me what''s going on...? About that... I look around again. I''m pretty sure it''s outside, but I have no idea where we are. I''m sorry. I''m sorry. I don''t know what happened to me either. ''Oh, really ... oh, um, what about your mother?'' I don''t think we''re close. Maybe we''re the only ones who were sent here. I don''t understand why only me, Sakura and Finia are in the same place, and only Elfin-san is sent to a far away place. Spatial transfer.........is it? It''s only natural to think that we''re the only ones who got caught up in it. We don''t know what happened, but we know exactly who did it. Lean must have sent us out there somehow. We don''t know how or why, but... It''s bound to be a dull affair anyway. I have to go back to the phoenix tribe''s village as soon as possible because of Kanade and Chiffon. ''''Ugh, no way... what am I going to do...'''' You know what? ''Hi, hi! Because of the circumstances we can''t do anything about it. Why can''t we work together in a time like this? As I said this, I gently held out my hand to Finia. 400-Episode 400: In a mess Will you help me? Yes, cooperation. I don''t have a clear idea of what it is and I can''t really explain it, but I don''t think it''s a race anymore. Why were Leanne and Monica in that place? I don''t know about that but he must be thinking about some bullshit again anyway. They weren''t surprised to see me, so is their aim here? Or are they collectively trying to harm the phoenix tribe as well? Finia doesn''t know about Lean and Monica, so she can''t explain it well. If I take the time to explain it to her, she might understand, but I don''t want to lose any extra time at this time. ''So, for now, let''s form a partnership. I think it''s best that we do so. "Well, uh... Finia doesn''t answer immediately. She makes a thoughtful gesture... Next, he looks at me with suspicion. Oh, you''re up to something........is it possible that you''re up to something? Uh ... it''s ... Of course we have no plan. What happened with Leanne and Monica is an irregularity for us, too. But there''s no way to prove it. The phoenix tribe is hostile to humans, so they can''t trust me with their words alone. Oh dear. I have to convince them of this somehow, but I don''t know what to do. ''Ongh.'' As I racked my brain, the cherry next to me barked. Nope. Rather than barking, it''s more of a narrative atmosphere, a somewhat gentle purr. ''''Wafu............on, on. What, Sakura-chan? On! Ummmmm... Apparently, Sakura has convinced me to do so. Finia''s expression, which at first contained a grimness, gradually changed to a softer one. ''''........Wha, I understand.'''' After a while, Finia looks at me like she''s ready to go. In her eyes, the color of doubt is still the same. However, I could also see the slightest trace of other emotions as well. ''''What did Sakura say?'''' ''Oh, I can trust you...'' So, do you believe me? It''s unbelievable. I''ve been told that humans are savage, fierce, cunning... and so awful!I''m sure he''ll see an opening for me too...............wobbling. I wouldn''t do that, though... But..... Finia says in a somewhat softer tone, though her gaze remains stern. ''''For now I''ll trust Sakura-chan. Okay. Thanks. ''Oh, don''t get me wrong!Oh, I didn''t believe you, I believed Sakura-chan. That''s good enough for me. Thanks to Sakura, the place seems to be coming together somehow. Once again, thanks to Sakura. When things settle down, I''d like to treat you to something delicious. But still........it''s such a lot of work just to convince Finia alone. As for Elfin-san, it will be even more difficult. I''m worried about Kanade, Chiffon, Rifa and Nina. Will they be able to handle it? I need to find out where we are and what happened to us. I''ve got to get back to my people and find out what''s going on. ---------- Upon returning to the village, Elfin gathered the others and explained the situation. That all of a sudden, a human other than Rain had appeared. With that person, Finia had disappeared. Unfortunately, the person who seemed to be reinforcements was missed. After explaining all this, Elfin says with a stern face. ''''Let''s execute the hostages. The person who called himself Rain had cowardly taken his friends and snuck them in. Not only that, he kidnapped his daughter. It was an extremely despicable crime. It is absolutely unacceptable. The phoenix tribe will not succumb to this foolish act. They must challenge it with a resolute attitude and give it the retribution it deserves. ''''Yes!Kill it, kill it! I still don''t trust people! One after the other, people are voicing their approval. Every one of them included anger in their voices, and they looked uncanny. Nina shrugged at the scene. Rifa stood by her and protected her from the maliciousness of those around her. ''Calm down,'' Sigle calls softly to the heated Elfin. ''We haven''t decided that Rayne and the newcomer are connected, have we?This could be the work of a completely unrelated third party. One of the werewolf tribe is defending a human being? I hate people. But Rain is an exception. Rayne is the one that we the whole gang of gangsters approved of. What a waste of time. Huh... that''s an insult to the whole gang of gangsters? If that''s what it sounded like, then it must be. A disconcerting atmosphere flows between the two of them at a statement that not only disgraces Rain, but also the finder wolf tribe. Their gazes clash with each other in a beehive....... It''s a bit of a stretch, and Sigle lets out a sigh. It''s a good thing that we don''t have to fight here. That''s exactly what the enemy wants. What do you mean by "enemy"? ''If I told you now, you wouldn''t listen to me, so I''ll get back to you later. More importantly, I don''t want the hostages to be executed. Why?Are you saying that after all of this, that human still hasn''t done anything about it? That''s what I''m thinking. And you don''t, do you? ''Of course. After all, despite your presence, I shouldn''t have allowed a human or anyone else into the village. We should have gotten rid of them immediately. Calm down. Regardless of whether or not you''re doing this with malicious intent, as of now, you have Finia on the other side. I think it''s best to leave a hostage on the premises in case of emergency. Does that mean we''re going to get a hostage? I think that would be best, don''t you? ''''Well yes. You have a good point. As for the execution of the hostages, we''ll wait for a while. Sigle gently breathed out a breath of relief so that no one would notice. Somehow, the immediate execution of the hostages was avoided. However, it wouldn''t be for long. If this uncertain situation continued, it wouldn''t be surprising if the anger of the elfin and phoenix tribe exploded again. ''''We have to do something before that happens... but Rain, Sakura, how are you doing right now?'''' 401-Episode 401 True Strategy There were countless entrances to the dungeon, so they entered and exited from a place that was not controlled by the phoenix tribe, which meant that they had entered and exited from a place that was not controlled by the phoenix tribe. ''''Hahaha, Monica, did you see that?That useless, surprised face! Yes, he was very surprised. I opened my mouth wide open and everything... Laughing loudly, Leanne seems to be having a lot of fun. Monica is smiling as well, as she matches her.... His face is somehow inorganic, as if he''s saying that he''s only smiling because Lean is smiling, too. You have to be able to find out what is going to be the reason for this. ''''By the way, theѽ wolf tribe and the phoenix tribe.......?How did you know about those guys? I''ve never heard of them before. Mr. Reese knows a lot of things. ''''Hmmm ... you certainly look smart. Besides, I wonder if you''ve been a demon tribe for many years, do you get a lot of information? I don''t know all of Mr. Reese''s sources of information, so I can''t say for sure, but there are probably a lot of different ways to get the word out. Well, that''s what I''m talking about. We want to live amongst ourselves, but we''re not so ordinary. Yes, of course. Mr. Reese is a very noble man. Monica smiles at me. This one is a genuine smile. She is honestly expressing her joy at the Lord''s praise. ''''Theѽ wolf tribe and the phoenix tribe are trying to kill Reese, right?I had a confrontation in the past and they resented me or something. ''Yes, we do. That''s why we have to get rid of these two species somehow. ''That''s all well and good, but... why now?If you''ve had the information for a while, why didn''t you do it sooner? ''''The opponent is the most powerful species. And when you''re fighting two species, it''s not going to be smooth. Well, that''s just as well. But I''m with Mr. Lean now. "Whoa? Monica gives Lean a look full of reverence and respect, as if she were directing it at her Lord. Receiving such a gaze, Lean''s face was surprised, but not unconcerned. ''''Lean-san, who has gained the power of the Rainbow Crystal, has no enemies. Oh, yeah? ''''Until now, we were hesitant to attack because we didn''t have someone as strong as Lean-san... but now it''s different. Lean-san is here. So I''ve decided to reach out. I see. It''s nothing more than blatant flattery, but... Even so, Lean was in a better mood than ever, and her smile couldn''t be hidden. It''s a good thing that you''re a beautiful beautiful beautiful wizard.It''s not that easy, it''s more like it can be done... let''s do it! That''s very encouraging. With my power and this rainbow crystal, the most powerful species or not, that''s just a twist! Lean spun the rainbow crystal around and then held it ready. But Lean didn''t notice. She didn''t know anything. That the real Rainbow Crystal looked like a different shape. That what Lean was holding in her hand was called the Dark Crystal, a cursed tool that ate the malice and soul of its owner and grew. Monica knows about the Dark Crystal, but she doesn''t talk about it. We will only talk about it as a rainbow crystal. There is a purpose for doing so. ''''So, what do we do now?Anyway, I flew the obtrusive mooks somewhere far away. ''That''s the thing.......you don''t know where you flew Mr. Lane and the others to? ''Hmmm, it might be a bit difficult. I''m still getting used to forced long-distance transfers. So the transference is completely random. Well.... But I''m pretty sure he flew pretty far away. I don''t think he''s anywhere near it, unless he''s very lucky. ''''...Okay. Then it looks like we can decide not to get in the way and act accordingly. What is it?What''s next? Lean''s eyes sparkle. She seems eager to use the power of the rainbow crystal. It''s as if she''s a child who has gotten her favorite toy. However, the toy was not funny, as it could easily kill people. Well, don''t you think it''s a bit of a hassle? ''''I thought this was the surest way to be sure. No matter how many Leans you have, you can''t take on all of the two most powerful species at the same time, can you? Uh ... well that''s just the way it is. ''So let''s take it easy when it seems easy. Let the two races fall out and when they''re exhausted, we''ll put a stop to it... how about that? ''''Well I thought it would be a hassle or something, but after thinking about it, it sounds like it would be fun.'''' Lean reacts strongly to the part about making them fall out. She even had a twinkle in her eye. They say someone else''s misfortune is the taste of honey.... Lean''s character was advancing it on the ground, and it was quite rotten. ''So let''s go in that direction ... let''s talk some more about it. Okay. While discussing about the future, Monica glanced at the rainbow crystal.......and the dark crystal. Lean didn''t seem to notice, but a mischievous jet-black aura was flooding out from time to time. It saw an opening and tried to swallow Lean. ''''........That''s enough.'''' Hmm?What did you just say? No, I didn''t. Monica smiled. In her mind, the true strategy, known only to herself, was being constructed. ---------- We had a tentatively contracted wild wolf and Sakura to explore the surroundings. As a result, they found an ocean a short distance away. Also, we learned that there was no human settlement in sight. I compare the information Sakura and the others brought back with the map Rezona-san gave me to find the current location. As a result........we found out that the place we are in is somewhere in the northern continent. I received Finia''s opinion and verified it many times, so I don''t think there''s anything wrong with it. But........the problem is that we don''t know where in the northern continent we are. I''m in a place that neither Sakura nor Feinya know about, and I don''t know how to get back to the village of the Netherworld tribe or the phoenix tribe. ''''Good grief.......we have to get back soon. What will Mr. Elfin do after we''re gone? Most people would think that we''re in cahoots with Lean and that we''re up to something. In that case, I''d be worried about Kanade and Chiffon, who are being held hostage. Of course, I''m also worried about Nina and Rifa, whom I left behind in the phoenix tribe''s village. ''''Calm down, don''t be in a hurry.......'''' Impatience narrows your vision. Or so I tell myself. ''....Good. We were able to put together a plan for the future. I call Sakura and Finia. Sakura chirped cheerfully, while Finia came over here with a timid look. ''''As I told you earlier, we''re currently lost in the northern continent. I think we need to find our way back to the phoenix tribe''s home as soon as possible. ''Yes, yes ... yes,'' But I think I''ll put that on the back burner. What? The sudden declaration made Finia look surprised. However, I''m not saying this without thinking about it. ''''Before I return to the phoenix tribe''s village, I have some things I have to do. Do I have to do... things? It''s about catching the people responsible for this, Leanne and Monica. 402-Episode 402 Go ahead What''s on your mind right now, Mr. Elfin? Suddenly, Leanne and Monica show up...and what do they think of me disappearing with Finia? Maybe he was just mad. My ploy was to have Leanne and Monica lurking in the dungeon beforehand to try and cheat. I think my thinking is leaning more towards this. If the two of them were in a dungeon that no one was supposed to be able to enter, I can''t help but think so. Really, those two, where did they appear from..... Well, I''ll think about that later. Anyway, Mr. Elfin...and the other phoenixes will think I''m working with Lean and Monica. I have to get them both to deny that. Also ... they''re probably planning some more nonsense anyway, so I have to stop them. We have to stop that too. ''So, but, um... what are we going to do?We don''t even know where we are... Oh.... The two of them are dreading it, but they have a plan. ''With time, we can return to the phoenix tribe''s home. Make a tentative agreement with a large number of animals and search for a village using human tactics. This way, it might take some time, but we''ll be able to find them for sure. However, we don''t have time right now. There''s no guarantee that Lean and Monica won''t make the next move... Most of all, I''m worried about Kanade and Chiffon, who are being held hostage. That''s why I''m going to find them another way. Instead of going back to the phoenix village, let''s go find Leanne and Monica first. Well that''s the hard part, isn''t it...? No. With those two on the trail, it''s not so hard to track them down it''s pretty easy. I don''t think he''s going to stay in the phoenix tribe''s village like that. Once outside, he should be making an encampment to rest his body for his next move. A fire is a must when camping. Not only does it keep you warm, but it also serves the purpose of keeping animals and demons away. Only people can use a fire. No one but Leanne and Monica would use a fire outside in a situation like this. We can look for that. Nah, I see... but how? ''''I''m going to need some help, but, uh, I saw you on the way to the Phoenix Clan''s village, so maybe you''ll be around here... oh, there you are. After finding the all-red bird and calling it in, he makes a tentative contract. ''It''s ... what ... what is it?'' This bird is called a plover. See, it''s all red as fire?So, hydrilla. Nah, I see... It has an interesting habit of resting its body near a hot spot. It seems that its basal body temperature is low, so it naturally looks for a hot spot. It has an amazing ability to detect heat from several kilometers away. Oh, and then.... Feenya seems to understand what I''m thinking, and she gets a convincing look on her face. ''''Yeah. First of all, I''ll have this guy call his friends........ As the distinctive chirping sounded, about ten more hydrillae appeared. All tentatively contracted. ''''Please. I asked them to fly in unison. A myriad of fluttering feathers sounded. A dozen or so hummingbirds flew in circles above us, probably looking for a heat source. Perhaps they are looking for a heat source. And about half of them flew to disparate places... The other half of the group gets together and flies in one direction. ''Let''s keep up with that group,'' Okay. On! ---------- It''s been a while since I ran through a strange land. Even though I have the strength that I signed a contract with Kanade, I am indeed starting to run out of breath. Without paying attention to me, the hydrilla continues to fly straight ahead. If this wasn''t for Leanne and Monica, I would cry. ''''Ho, really.......is that human up ahead?'''' Finia is riding Sakura. Sakura''s strength is limitless, or she doesn''t look as if she''s tired. ''I''d like to think they''re aiming for the fire since the five birds are reacting, but if this is just a wildfire or something, I''m going to cry. Well, it''s possible... ''If it''s a wildfire, I don''t think it''s going to happen because you can tell from a distance by the smoke or something... wait. Stop. Huh...? I noticed this and quickly ducked into the nearby bushes. Finia was scowling, but Sakura seemed to understand what I was trying to say and continued to duck into the bushes. ''''What''s going on...?'''' Don''t be silly... Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bonfire. I couldn''t see anyone, but the bonfire was still burning. Perhaps they are temporarily out of their seats. "Ta, bonfire! Good. Looks like you got the right answer. What are you going to do...? I''ll wait for Leanne and Monica to come back and... no. But first, let''s do a little splash. What do you want me to do? ---------- ''Hahaha, phoenix tribe?What''s one of them?They''re so badass. Phew, that went well. Lean and Monica next visited the village of theѽWolf tribe. There, they used Monica''s power to pretend to be the phoenix tribe and call the demons to them. They were successfully tricked, and their hostility towards the phoenix tribe was growing. If they repeated the same thing to both races, it would soon lead to an all-out war. Then they would have to crush each other... Beat the last one left. It''s an easy job. Not only that, but it''s a lot of fun. The strongest species dancing for good in the palm of my hand it was so funny I almost couldn''t stop laughing. ''''Ah but I''m a bit tired from all the times I''ve transitioned and summoned them...'''' ''Then let''s take a break, shall we? We''ll leave it at that, and you''ll be ready to camp in no time. ''I''d prefer a bed if it were true. Well, you can''t be that extravagant. Leanne and Monica returned to the encampment. They rested by the fire. It was comfortable and I couldn''t help but get depressed. ''....What? I feel a tingle, and I wake up at once. But my body doesn''t move freely.........................and I fall to my side. 403-Chapter 403 The catch is over What''s going on... What is this...? Leanne tried desperately to get up. But her arms and legs were numb and she couldn''t put any proper strength into them. It was all she could do to move her fingertips, and she could only struggle. ''''This........bee.......?'''' Suddenly, I saw a bee fly out of the corner of my eye. I''ve never seen one, but I know it. I''ve heard of them before from Arios. It''s an Earlby, a bee with paralyzing venom. There was a time when Arios had complained about the cowardly hand he had been dealt when he fought Lean, sometime ago. Lean huffed as he remembered that time. ''''No way, this couldn''t be........the work of that little fish.......'''' You''re right. ---------- Swiftly, we were able to find Leanne and Monica. We also managed to paralyze them by asking Earlby to do a favor for us. It was a perfect achievement. "When did you... or rather, how did you know where we were... You don''t have to tell him the law. Shh.... Lean tries to force his unrestrained body to move and reach for a clear wand that looks like it''s made of crystal, but Grrrrrrrr! Sakura turns around and stops him by intimidating him. ''Oh, and you, too... um, don''t move, okay?Really, please...? Fearfully, Finia had tied Monica up behind her back. People seem to be scared even if the other party is paralyzed, and they are very jittery. However, it''s better than being caught off guard. Although Finia is frightened, she is proceeding with things carefully so as not to be counterattacked. If this is the case, even if they counterattack, they won''t be delayed. Resistance is useless. Seemingly understanding that, Monica remained quiet. I don''t think he''ll be caught honestly. He may not be able to resist now, but if he sees an opening.......he''s definitely thinking about it. I''ll have to make sure I don''t get distracted. ''''Well.......why are we here?How could he do that?What the hell are they up to?You''re going to get it all out. Oh, God, I''m such a little piece of garbage...! I''d love to say it, but that can wait. ''What?Are you sure you want to...?I think it''s a perfect opportunity... Finia scowled and questioned him. All the while, she tightened Monica''s restraints firmly. Although there is a frightening part, she''s basically an excellent child, right? It''s not the daughter of the chief of the village, as it were. That''s what I''m talking about. It''s true that there''s a lot to learn. Then.... ''But most of all, right now, I have to get back to the phoenix tribe''s home. Maybe they think I''ve been sneaking my people around and, besides, I don''t think Leanne and Monica just showed up to harass me. I''m sure they''ve got some nonsense going on. We have to do something about that first. Nah, I see... Does Finia disagree? Well, you see... ''There''s no need to panic. I''d like to hear what Finia thinks is an honest opinion. Feeling lost, Finia''s eyes darted this way and that. After a bit, she returned her gaze to us. ''''Oh, um........watashi too.......well, I think that''s fine. I''m not sure if it''s possible to tell the truth if I question him now. First of all, I think it''s best to clear up any misunderstandings... and avoid any unnecessary disputes. Thank you for your input. My opinion is valuable?Is that, you know, really? Yeah?Of course. If I''m alone, I''m bound to have a limited view, so I need someone''s opinion. Besides, Finia is Elfin-san''s daughter, so it would be very helpful to know how to think and so on.......yes, that would be very helpful. Thanks. .... I don''t know why I''m pouting. Did I say something funny? Finia? ...What? He was out of consciousness and shivered at my question. "Thank you for my help... Finia? "I shouldn''t be happy about being praised by a human... ah, but this thrill... uh, is it because I''ve never been praised like this before?But..... On! Wow! With a single sound from Sakura, Finia jumps up.......and then her eyes come back into focus. ''Oh, that...?Sakura-chan? Wafu. Oh, yeah I''m sorry. I guess I just kind of lost it. She''s this girl and I''m sure she''s got a lot going on. I''m curious, but.... Like I said before, now I have to quickly clear up the misunderstandings of Elfin-san and the other phoenix tribe. The questions will have to wait until later. ''''Lean, Monica. Do you know how to get to the phoenix tribe''s home from here? "...and... Well, there''s no way I''m going to give you a straight answer. When it comes down to it, the interrogation... I don''t have to think about it, but I''m just not good at it because I''ve never done anything like that before. I''m also very unsure if I can get them to talk well because I don''t know what to do. Would I be better off not relying on these two and trusting my own strength? If you''ve decided to do so, I''d better move quickly. "Sakura, Finia. Can I have the place to myself for a moment? ''Well yes, yes. That''s fine, but what are you doing? ''''Assimilate the hydrilla boss and lead the rest of the flock to search the area at once...'''' I got halfway through and noticed that Finia was scowling. Come to think of it, you don''t know about assimilation. I''ll briefly explain assimilation. In the meantime, since I''ll be completely vulnerable, can I ask you to take care of Leanne and Monica? I explained so that they couldn''t hear me. It might be a bit of a heavy role for Finia, who seemed unsure of herself. However, considering the current situation, I think this is the best thing to do. ''''........Wha, I understand.'''' After interrupting a small hesitation, Finia nodded with a coy smile, as if she had made up her mind. ''''Wow, watashi............I''ll manage it!I don''t mean to be a downer, but I''ll do my best. I, too........care about my mother and everyone else.......and I don''t want to hate you for no reason........so I''ll do my best. 404-Episode 404: A Mysterious Person Okay, let''s just wait here for a while, okay? With that, Lane sat down on a reasonably sized rock. And when he concentrated on something.... I can feel my neck drop and I can feel the strength leave my body. Probably, they used something called assimilation. Looking up, I saw a plover circling around as if to signal us. Then it flew away, taking the rest of the flock with it. ''Wow, that was amazing...'' Transferring consciousness to another creature and controlling it at will. I didn''t know there was a human being who could do that... I''ve heard from my mother that humans have a fragile personality and a rotten soul. I also heard that they don''t have much power, but they have a loud voice and can only scream. But......... Rain felt somehow different from that human. At least, his power is real. I don''t think there are usually people who can use something like assimilation. ''''Hey you. What? I''m talking about you, you in your fancy, skimpy, overdressed suit. The person who had transferred us to this place was staring at us. His eyes are so vicious. I can''t help but feel frightened. Seeing me, the human''s face became more and more vicious. "You need to free us now! What, what? Come on, let''s get the restraints off me. I''ll forgive you now. What is it...? Don''t these people understand that they are at a disadvantage...? I''m supposed to be restrained and unable to move, but I''m very uptight about it. ''But, but...'' Hey, you think you can do this to us and get away with it for free? Well, uh... how is it going to turn out? You will. You''ll be determined. After all, I''m a member of a hero''s party. You see what happens when you treat me like this, don''t you?Execution, execution. They''re going to cut your head off with a sharp slash. Huh? I can''t help but let out a little scream as I imagine the scene. The humans who see this smile wickedly. Well, I''m not a demon either.If you''re going to let me go right now, I can give you a special miss. I''m so sweet! Well, you can''t say that... How do I...? The fact is that this person is in custody. Normally, watashi is in control of this place. But ... what if this person is not lying? He''s really a member of a brave party and has a hell of a lot of power... What if he could get out of the restraints on his own? If that''s the case, then I''m in a position where I''m in control. What would be the consequences of going against them? ''''Ugh........'''' I have a very bad feeling about this human being. He could easily take a life, such a bad vibe. Maybe I''m the predator. I''m scared, I''m scared, I''m scared. But. It''s ... no! ...Huh? Ms. Lane has entrusted me with this place. We can''t.... we can''t just throw that job away! Mr. Lane probably trusted me with this place because he believed in me. He put his trust in me. Why?I sometimes wonder. We''ve only just met and it''s not supposed to be a trustworthy relationship... But Mr. Lane has put his heart into Watashi. I need to respond to that, I think. ''Duh, you can''t!I''m not going to let you go. Are you kidding me?I am the one who told you to let me go!You''re saying I''ll still forgive you now. No, you can''t!Absolutely not! You''ll be sorry later on, I promise. You''re gonna regret it. "Huh. I can''t help but feel frightened as the killing intent slaps me through the rage. There''s something wrong with this human being. I can''t believe I''m feeling such a bad feeling.......my body is shaking. I can''t help but say, "I''ll let you go after all. I am........ On! Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan''s robust cries lead me back to myself. ''Wufu.'' Sakura stands next to me. She said, "It''s not just Watashi, I''m here......... ''Wow, watashi.......I will never let you guys go! Tsk. Thanks to Sakura-chan, I managed to avoid giving in to the humans. ''''Wahoo.'''' ''What?No?Because I was trying to repay Mr. Lane''s trust...? That''s what Sakura-chan said to me. How dare I try to live up to the trust of a human........ It''s not possible in the normal course of events. ''''Yes, well.........maybe. Mr. Lane trusted me with my wattage. Leaving my defenseless body in his care, he entrusted me with managing the enemy. That''s not a normal thing to do. We had just met, and besides, the two of us were almost enemies. But, as if that didn''t matter, Rain did what she thought was right. That''s what I like about him, even though he''s human. That''s why I want to respond to him. As Ms. Lane trusted me. I''m going to have some faith in Watashi, too. As a step towards that, I''ll defend this place to the hilt. Sakura-chan I will do my best, so will you help me? On! Leave it to me, Sakura chirped strongly. 405-Episode 405 Accelerating... My God, is this going to be a big deal? Yeah, that could be a problem. Kanade and Chiffon, who were being held in prison, felt a sense of urgency. They didn''t know the situation outside. However, an elfin appeared earlier and told them something they hadn''t expected. That Rain had left a companion lurking outside. That he used that companion to kidnap Finia. That he should be decisively sanctioned for nothing more than an insult to the phoenix tribe. It was unheard of in their sleep, and Kanade and Chiffon could only be surprised. ''''Who is this person other than Rain-kun and me?'''' ''Unyan I have a bad feeling about this. Did Monica or something show up again? "Monica? ''Oh, you don''t know Chiffon? Well, um... Kanade shared Monica''s information with Chiffon. ''I didn''t know there was such a knight... umm, a former knight?It''s only been rather recently that I''ve formed a deep connection with the King''s Capital... but I don''t know if I''ve ever heard of a knight with the power of illusion. Maybe he''s been hiding it. It''s just that he seems to have a very bad temperament. ''''Hmmm ... maybe you should report to the king when this is all settled. If it works out... The phoenix tribe on guard had doubled in number. Occasionally, they would give me a stern look, or say some boisterous words like they should be executed immediately. I don''t have a feeling that this can be resolved safely. Kanade and Chiffon broke out in a cold sweat. ''''Kanade.......Chiffon!'''' Oh, Nina!And Rifa. Nina and Rifa come in and Kanade smiles. Only to find out that it''s not just the two of them, but Sigle and Elfin are also with them, and her smile is drawn. Elfin turns his hostile gaze to Chiffon... Next, he gives Kanade a disappointed look. ''Did you know?'' Meow?What are you talking about? That''s what I''m saying... that the human being had his people in hiding and was planning to kidnap my daughter. ''Lane wouldn''t do that!Don''t think that''s a mistake. I saw the moment of the crime with my own eyes. There is no mistake. But it was just someone else, wasn''t it?How do I know if that guy is connected to Rain? ''My daughter disappeared with the humans, that should be enough proof. They are stupid and shallow humans. Perhaps they were after Finia all along. ''Well...'' Kanade wanted to deny it out loud. Rain wouldn''t do that, there must be some kind of mistake. But when he looked into Elfin''s eyes, he couldn''t speak. Determined that it was Rain.... There was anger at the people who had done the stupidest thing. There was anger at having my daughter taken from me. Maybe no words will reach her now. I could bring Rayne here or.... Or maybe he wouldn''t take it seriously without his daughter, Finia. Kanade had a gut feeling that this was the case, and he couldn''t get the words out to deny it. ''You will be in prison too,'' Nina and Rifa are also put in jail. When Sigle sees this, he chides them. "Well, Elfin," he says. The boy is the strongest of them all. To put one''s own people in jail is... Since that human brought him here, there is a very good chance that he is an enemy. We can''t let the enemy roam free. Mmm ... stubborn. At Elfin''s strong willed words, Sigle gave up trying to convince him. ''''Um........'''' Chiffon makes a fearful sound. ''''Sigle-san is right, Kanade, Nina and Rifa are the strongest species, so can''t we let them out?I don''t mind staying in jail. What are you planning to do? What? From Chiffon''s point of view, it was purely out of concern for Canade and the others. However, Elfin did not see it that way. ''''It''s impossible for a human to say such a thing. What you just said, there must be something behind it, right?Do you think I would be fooled by such nonsense? No, no ... I''m not planning anything. It''s just that Kanade-san and the others.... "...phew. Elfin snickers at Chiffon, who is desperately trying to excuse himself. ''Do you think I would believe you if you showed up like that?You think you''re going to let yourself be taken in by compassion?You have been underestimated. There is no way you can ever trust a human being again. Foolish, selfish, self-absorbed, helpless beings who can only think of themselves...such people are the enemy. From the elfin who said that, I felt a strong hostility towards humans...no. Beyond that, I even felt hatred. It''s not just the elfin. The phoenix tribe who were guarding the prison also felt the same emotions. ''''This is........'''' Maybe it''s not good..., Chiffon muttered in his mind. If they had been able to show their strength in the race, or maybe they would have been recognized. However, the situation was made worse by an unexpected intruder. Instead of being acknowledged, they ended up being viewed as the enemy to the maximum extent. We are not planning anything, but the unexpected intruder disrupts the scene. Suspicion leads to suspicion, and hostility leads to hostility. Like an intricate web of threads, it''s difficult to undo... What on earth can we do about it? Chiffon thinks desperately about it, but he can''t come up with a solution. I can''t help but feel like I''m giving up. ''It''s okay,'' However, Kanade hadn''t given up. Seeing Chiffon''s dark face, Kanade turns to smile. ''''Canade-san has a way out...? No, nothing. I don''t know what to do. Well then.... But Rain will be fine. Kanade''s words had a powerful ring to them. ''I''m sure Raine can handle it. Well Lane, you are a very... reliable... man. You can trust Lane. Nina and Rifa seem to agree with you, and they don''t seem to doubt their own Lord. The heart that believes........this bond of trust may be the source of their strength. I''m not going to be able to say that I''m not going to be able to do anything about it. Chiffon thinks about this. So.... what do you plan to do now? ''Well...'' Elfin often thinks about Sigle''s question. And. "...let''s go hunting. He spoke of a plan that would make things even worse. 406-Episode 406 Hunting A bit of exploring around with a flock of plovers. We found them! Dungeon we found the phoenix village. Thank goodness. There was a possibility that they had been flown ridiculously far away, but that wasn''t the case, they seemed to be surprisingly close. Probably about an hour''s walk away. This would allow me to get back soon. Hmm? Just as he was about to release the assimilation, he saw the phoenix tribe. One, two, three.......one after another. They became a group of three and unfolded around them. Their appearance was as if they were hunting........ Nope. I suppose he''s actually hunting. And that target is probably me. ---------- Well, welcome back. When I returned after releasing the assimilation, I was greeted by Finia. The color of expectation in her eyes as she wondered if she had grabbed some information. ''''Well I found the phoenix tribe''s village. It''s about an hour''s walk south of here. Oh, really?Thank goodness........you weren''t transferred to a strange place, were you? Finia seemed relieved and happy to have found her way home. But I can''t be honestly happy. There was no way I would be welcomed back to the phoenix tribe''s village like this. Maybe........from the other side, I''m the villain who used Lean to kidnap Finia. There''s no way they''ll listen to my request, and even before that, from what I saw earlier, they''ll probably attack me immediately. Crap. A lot of things are messed up because of Leanne and Monica''s unnecessary actions. I have to recover somehow, but I can''t think of a way to do it. ''Oh, um...what''s going on?'' Oh? Finia and Sakura looked at me with concern. Apparently, frustration was evident on their expressions. ''''Uh........'''' There''s no point in hiding it. I honestly told them about the scene I saw earlier. Finia''s face turns pale. However, does the fact that she reacts like that mean she''s a little worried about me? I''m glad of that, even at a time like this. ''Uh, uh ... gee, let me explain that it''s a misunderstanding!I''ll do my best to explain it to you, too. ''Probably not. I don''t think they''ll listen to me properly. He thought back to the sight of the phoenix tribe hunting with a deadly look on their faces. Even if Finia stood in front of him, it was unlikely that he would listen to her. It would be a case of being forcibly protected. Unfortunately, there''s no way to prove it. The phoenix tribe would have you believe that I''m connected to Lean and the others in the background. I have no material to deny that. It''s also a bad character Lean thing. If I bring her in front of the phoenix tribe, she might say or do something to show that she''s one of them here to set me up. Although I caught him to prevent him from doing any more unnecessary things........ It''s a slightly weaker material to prove my innocence. If only I could at least bring the voice of my heart to the surface. If Sora and Luna had been there, or maybe they could have been. But the girls would have to let Iris continue her treatment. There''s no point in asking for something that isn''t there, so we have to come up with another breakthrough. ''''.........'''' Suddenly, I noticed that Finia was looking terribly serious. She seemed to be thinking about something, mumbling softly. ''Finia?'' .... Well ... hey, Finia? ''What?Oh, hi, hi! Finia jumps up with a whimper. ''I''m sorry I seem to have startled you. ''What''s wrong?'' Well, you see... Her gaze wavers as if she were lost. Maybe he has something to say. If that''s the case, let''s wait and see what he has to say. You can''t rush a child like this. It''s important to calm him down so that he can speak for himself. That''s it! A bit of waiting. Feenya seemed to have her mind firmly made up and looked straight at me. "Wow, can you not leave it to me? What do you mean by that? I''ll try to convince my mother to give it a try. I had an idea on how to do that. If I can persuade Elfin-san, the chief, I can stop this commotion. Just.........it''s rude to say this, but is it possible for Finia to do that? Personality-wise, I think it''s very difficult. As if reading my thoughts, Finia piles on the words in a desperate manner. I''m sure you are very anxious about leaving it to me, but..........................I''ll do my best! Why do you care so much? Because this isn''t right. Finia looks forlorn. She looks down and grabs her clothes tightly. ''My mom and everyone in the village... well, they''re usually very kind. But right now I''m afraid... or hunting... you can''t... you can''t do that. I can''t.......I have to get this over with. I see. I naturally loosen my cheeks and pat Finia''s head with a pop. ''''Hee!'''' Finia''s a sweet girl, isn''t she? ''Huh...?I''m...kind? 407-Episode 407 for the first time Yeah, Finia is a sweet girl. Suddenly, I was thrown out of the village and... I''m supposed to be working with someone who is supposed to be a terror... Normally, I think you can only think about yourself. What''s going to happen to me now... or if I''m going to get home safely. But that''s not the case with Finia. She puts herself on the back burner and thinks about her parents and her friends. It''s a sign that this child has a very kind heart. ''''I''m........kind........'''' Finia looks up... Next, he waved his hands in a rush. It''s not true, that''s not true. I''m not going to be nice to you just because I''m a bad boy... I don''t think so. Finia would be nice to you. I said what I was just thinking about. ''It''s... but it''s normal to think about your mother and your friends... hmmm...? ''The fact that you can do that normal is very important. The fact that it''s so normal makes it quite difficult to do... and I think Finia is admirable. Oh, no... Finia looks puzzled. Then she puts her hand on her own chest and says as if to confirm the thoughts lurking behind it. I''ve never heard anyone say that to me before. Is that so? ''''Well, you know... more confidence and being a great next generation... well, it''s all about that...'''' ''Finia is Miss Elfin''s daughter, you know. I suppose I can''t blame you for that but I''m sure you''ve had your share of compliments. ''Yes, yes but it was also about power. I''ve heard that I have a great deal of power and people have praised me for it. My mother, too, praised me, but I didn''t have complete control over my power, so I had to wear a collar. A collar?You mean that collar? Yes, yes.........this is a power control device.........what. Without it, you won''t be able to use your power normally, and you may even go out of control........ It seems that she has remembered a lot of unpleasant things, and Finia''s eyes are spinning around. I gently hold her hand to calm her down. ''''Don''t be in a hurry,'''' ''Oh....'' We can talk slowly, at Finia''s pace. And then you can tell me what you want to say? Mr. Lane... Finia crackled and blinked repeatedly. Then she took a light, deep breath.......and opened her mouth again. ''''And anyway, well........watashi, I was only ever praised for my strength. Rather, I''ve always been a bit of a spoiler when it comes to my personality.......so, well.......this is the first time I''ve ever had someone say that I''m kind........ He smiles softly and softly. ''I''m glad........'' That smile is so beautiful you can''t help but admire it. It''s cute. I can''t help but spill those words out. ''Huh!'' With a blur, Finia turned bright red. Aww, she panicked and went into a panic all at once. ''''Wah, wah, it''s so presumptuous to think that I''m so cute...!You will be punished!I''m sure God will tell you not to get carried away or something! Well just relax for now. Now that was a bit disingenuous to say. This girl doesn''t seem to have much confidence in herself so... And yet, if I said it was cute, it would confuse you. But I''m pretty sure I meant what I just said... I hope that one day they will understand. I wish they would have more confidence in themselves that they are pretty. To get back to the point... Yes, sir. I think I''m going to adopt Finia''s plan. ''What?I don''t know. Are you sure? Hey, you okay? I''m fine, sir I was just too nervous. I''m beginning to wonder if I''m okay with it, even though I''m in favor of it. However, I don''t have any other effective method right now. I couldn''t think of a better plan than what Finia suggested... You''ll just have to bet on her. ''Wow, wow I''ll definitely convince my mom!Mr. Lane is, well, for a human being he''s better than I thought he would be. Thank you. Oh, but... Suddenly, Finia looks worried. Aside from your mother, you know, it might be hard to convince the others... ''Really?I have a feeling that if it''s the chief''s daughter, it''s the others who are easier to convince. Well, you see, it''s not that I haven''t been properly recognized... oh, no, I''m not being bullied or anything. I wonder if she''ll listen to me properly or not.......well, she won''t, will she? They don''t listen to what I have to say.... We were talking about showing what we can do in the race, and... The phoenix tribe, just like the gangster tribe, also value power? And Finia is not that powerful enough. I remember the first time I met her, she attacked me with tremendous force. Was that not enough power? Out of control? If that''s the case, it seems like Finia''s potential is a hell of a lot of potential. As expected of a chief''s daughter, I guess. However, she seems to believe that she has no talent. That belief is also evident in her somewhat jittery personality. If you have more confidence in yourself, you''ll be able to change. I''ll be fine. What? You''ll do fine, Finia. You should have more confidence. But I''m no good, and I can''t control my powers and no one will believe me. I''m a believer. Finia pouts. ''I know we just met, and I''m human and I may not be trustworthy, but I''m serious. But I''m serious. I''m sure Finia would. Why is that...? ''An instinct I''ve lived with all my life as a beast tamer...?Calling it a hunch might sound appropriate, but it''s not a fool''s errand. Even with this, I think I have a good eye for people so I''ll trust Finia. That''s the first time anyone has ever said that to me. Finia rolled her eyes, seemingly surprised. Why?There are also a lot of questions that abound. It''s just not a bad face. I think this kid needs to look forward to more than being freaked out. I think a lot of things would change if he did. He''s probably got the specs to do that, and more importantly, he''s got a very serious personality. It''s just a little backwards, and it''s hard to tell. ''''Ah, um........! Yes. I... but I''ll do my best!I''ll definitely convince your mother of that! I''m counting on it. Okay. Finia nodded firmly while hanging on to her words. Her appearance is one of a kind. She was shown to be dependable, and even though it was small, it gave her hope. 408-Chapter 408 Dive In How do you feel about...? "...Yeah. I don''t think there''s anybody down the road. Let''s go. Ha-ha-ha. I used insects to search the surroundings and found no reaction from the phoenix tribe. There''s noѽ wolf tribe either. After firmly confirming that, we move forward. Finia was determined to persuade Elfin-san and all of her friends to join us. However, the phoenix tribe people who went out to hunt me are acting with at least three people. It''s not a matter of one on one, but when they''re all together, the conversation often gets complicated. It seems that Finia, too, is indeed tough on several people all of a sudden. So, I decided to proceed without being spotted by anyone first. On top of that, if there was a phoenix tribe that was acting alone, Finia would persuade them to do so. If there are no phoenixes, she will go further back and aim at Elfin-san''s place. That''s the kind of strategy that will be taken. ''''Fugu, fugu, fugu!Mmmm! Leanne and Monica were still restrained and carried on Sakura''s back. Carrying them around was nothing more than luggage, but they couldn''t leave the two people who were the real culprits unattended. We have to take them both with us, and after Finia''s persuasion, we have to turn them in to Elfin-san and the others that these guys are the real culprits. If I don''t, even if I succeed in persuading them, I won''t be completely exonerated. By the way, I kept my mouth shut because it was too noisy when I made a noise. Even so, they are still mooching and flailing around and are somewhat noisy. I wish I could use sleep magic, but as expected, I haven''t mastered such advanced magic. ''''Ohh........'''' Sakura spilled out a tired squeal, apparently fed up with Lean chirping on her own back. She seemed to be in a stifled state and her tail was hanging down. Monica, on the other hand, is quiet. Maybe she''s looking for an opportunity to escape, be careful. ''I''m sorry, Sakura. I''m sorry to bother you. On. Sakura barked, as if to say, "Don''t worry about it. She''s a sweet girl. ''''I''ll prepare a special meal for you once this case is resolved, okay? Hahaha! Sakura seemed to have imagined that moment, and she was almost drooling. Seeing Sakura like that, Finia chuckled. ''''Huh........Sakura-chan, you''re a cash cow. Off.... I''ll make you a nice dinner, okay? On! They are good friends of mine. I''ve heard that the gangster tribe and the phoenix tribe have been interacting with each other for some time now, and I''m sure they usually play well together like this. I''m not going to be able to find a way to get rid of it. At the same time, I felt a stinging pain in my chest. I brought the two of them into the fray by bringing an unnecessary spark. I''m sorry about that. I have to fulfill my responsibility at the very least. We have to resolve this incident properly. I made up my mind once again. "...stop. I said in a hushed voice, and Finia and Sakura immediately stopped. They follow me and hide behind a tree. Gently, I looked out and looked ahead. Three men who looked like the phoenix tribe could be seen. They were slowly moving forward, as if they were searching for something. Although they are not armed, they are able to manipulate fire, so they probably don''t need such things. ''''D-Does, what should I do?There''s a place to hide up ahead.......................aha. Now, can we convince three of them? No, it''s okay. It''s going to be all right. What? I made a tentative agreement with the squirrel in the tree. However, this one isn''t the strongest species, it seems to be a squirrel that evolved on the northern continent in its own right. I''d like to investigate and observe it next time if I have time. We asked such a squirrel to move and went to the bushes next to the phoenix tribe. There, I dared them to make a rustling sound. Naturally, the phoenix tribe was like, "What the hell!And then he reacts. Once you''ve successfully gotten their attention, take the squirrel further away. Of course, at this point, I remember to make a sound on purpose. The phoenix tribe chased the squirrel... He just disappeared into the distance. ''Okay, it worked.'' .... What are you doing, pouting? It''s amazing.... how you can control animals like that. ''I''m a beast tamer, you know. It''s easy enough to be a squirrel. ''What?But.........that squirrel is a rare species that can even take down a demon called a needle squirrel.......Huh, I don''t think it''s something you can normally control. ...Is that so? Yeah, yeah. .... .... Well, okay. You''re sure you want to do this? What has been put to use is inevitable. Without thinking too much about it, let''s rush ahead for now. ''''.........Rain-san, you''re such a strange person. Really? It''s so strange it''s hard to believe that I''m the person your mother asked you about. It''s, uh ... it''s like you''re closer to me than I thought, well, that''s how it feels. You''re close, and that means.... I guess that means they''re somewhat familiar with you, right? I''m glad if that''s the case. There''s also the reason why I want Finia, the phoenix tribe, to be able to help me... Even if that wasn''t the case, I''d still want to be friends with them if I could. So I''m glad if it''s getting closer. ''Oh...!Well, there were people out hunting again. All right, all right. I''ll take care of it again. Only the most powerful species, Finia has very good eyesight. Besides, she also has the ability to detect the presence of her own kind. Thanks to her, she was able to go deeper and deeper. We began to see many phoenix clans, and their numbers were increasing. If they were found, they would immediately be surrounded and that was the end of it. However, in other words, their growing numbers meant that they were getting closer to the village. You can''t get a return on your investment without risk. Determined, me, Finia, and Sakura with me and our captives, proceed further back. ''Awwww.'' This is.... Finally, the entrance to the village was in sight. But......... More than a dozen phoenix tribe members were standing guard around the entrance, looking tense and tense. 409-Episode 409: Strategy change That''s a lot of people, that''s a lot of trouble... What should I do? Let''s just try it out for a while. I made a tentative agreement with the small animals as I have been doing. I''ll have them sneakily move them around and make a rustling noise. ''''Hmm?What''s that noise? Who''s there? Okay, you two go check it out. It could be a diversion. The rest of you will stay here and secure the entrance. Two of them, I was able to pull them apart, but the remaining eight or more remain attached to the entrance. The two who pulled away also returned in about five minutes. ''''This........is an ironclad defense. How are we going to get in? Hmm. I look around to see what''s going on and think of a plan. Finia, who is next to me, gives me such an expectant look. Sakura was also staring at me as if she was expecting me. I want to come up with a bizarre plan and meet the expectations of these two. I want to meet them... I can''t. ''Eh....'' It''s impossible to slip through that ironclad defense without anyone noticing. Oh, no... Or you could take your time... or maybe not even that. The more time you spend with them, the better prepared they will be. More than now, a full-blown ''hunt'' will begin. Besides, once the strings are twisted up, they will become more and more complicated and intertwined. If possible, it''s best to untie them at the earliest opportunity. However, we can''t just plunge in with nothing. If you fail, it''s the end of the world. There is no do-over. What do we do about...? Oh, um... Yeah? Finia looked at me, as if she had made up her mind to do something. ''Uh, well, you know...'' ''Relax. If you need to talk to me, I''ll listen, and I want you to make sure it''s in Finia''s language. ''Oh....'' What''s going on? "...Rain, you always give me the words I want to hear. And, you know, you''ve got my back. He''s human, but I can count on him. ''Really?I''m not sure but I''m glad you''re right. Well, I''ve got an idea. Finia squeezes her hands in front of her chest and appeals to me in a desperate pose. ''W-why don''t you catch me? ---------- Hey, it feels like... I know, I know. Human scent and presence. Don''t come any closer. ''Straight up and openly ... are you making fun of me?Oh well. All hands, let''s go for it! Oh, um... Fearful of the tense atmosphere, I gingerly stepped out of the shadows. Then everyone''s faces went wide with surprise. ''Finia!'' Thank God you''re all right. I was worried when I heard you''d been framed by the humans. But that''s funny, isn''t it?I thought I smelled a human and a hint of a human, too...? Yeah, about that, Sakura-chan. On! The one who showed up was Sakura. On her back, she had a woman named Leanne and Monica on her back... In addition, he had a rope in his mouth that restrained Rain-san behind his back. ''''Well, about that human being.........I caught him. ""What the hell?!" Everyone was surprised all at once. Maybe they think it''s because of me. Ugh.........maybe it''s a fair assessment, but I''m a little depressed. ''''Oh, no ... that''s great, Finia. Well done! It''s a big deal. I''ve been reviewing it. Heh, heh, heh... All right. All right, we''ll start questioning these people right now. You two, report to the chief! Come on, Finia. Give them to me. Um, about that... wow, can you just let me handle it? What? ''''First of all, I think we have to report to the.......mother......chief. And I think it would be quicker to talk about all sorts of things if these humans were there with you.... Maybe so, but if that''s the case, why don''t you let us handle the rest? ''Oh, yes. Finia''s been through a lot and she''s probably tired. You need to rest. "With an ear to ear... It''s a plausible statement, and for a moment, I almost nodded my head and said I understood. But I can''t do that. If I do, the strategy I worked so hard on is par for the course. ''''Uh, um ... wow, let me do it! Finia? I''m the daughter of a chief. I have to show you that I''m growing up, I have to show you that I''m growing up properly! I say with gusto. It''s a bit pushy, but I hope you agree...? I look at everyone''s faces in horror. ''''I can''t believe that Finia said this...'''' ''Oh, I see, it''s grown up before I knew it...'' They all looked very emotional. Ugh........guilt. Fundamentally, even if it''s to solve this case, I feel very sorry for it already, like I''m betraying everyone. ''''Alright, I''ll leave it to Finia then. We''ll keep a lookout on the perimeter just in case. Oh, please. Smiling, I walked through the door and into the village. I came to an empty place and let out a big breath, Fuhaaahhhhhhh. ''''Ugh, it worked.......it worked, right?'''' Yeah, I think I''m okay. It was Rain who replied. He smiles as if to praise me for my efforts. ''Pretend you caught me and then go straight to the village to infiltrate.......yeah. I think it''s a very good plan. In fact, this is how it works, you know. Yeah, heh, well it was a bit of a close call, but we managed it. If it''s impossible to sneak in, then you can go head-on with an open mind. With that in mind, I came up with this plan. What would happen if I betrayed him? I''m sure it would be a very unfair gamble, but Mr. Lane trusted me. Then I have to respond to that. Even if they are fellow human beings. Now that he trusts you, you have to do your best. I....will do my best! 410-Episode 410: Will You Jailbreak? Try! ''Unyan...'' Inside the prison, Kanade''s tail wagged restlessly. Sighing, he looked out of his prison and sighed again... The cycle kept repeating itself. ''Kanade, are you okay?'' "Oh, Chiffon. Yeah, I''m fine. I''m just worried about Rain... ''Yeah, well I''m sure you''ll be fine, Rain, as long as you don''t have to go through any serious trouble, but I still think that maybe...'' Like Kanade, Chiffon''s expression becomes melancholy. Rain isn''t the only one to worry about in this situation. Kanade and the others, the strongest species, are only being caught to avoid being disturbed and will not be harmed after this. However, the chiffon is different. He is a human and an enemy of the phoenix race. Such a Chiffon, I don''t know what will happen to him after this. There is also the possibility that he will be executed..... It''s not that Chiffon isn''t aware of this, but....... Still, I''m more concerned about Rain. Other people than myself. Chiffon''s personality was very evident. ''A demon appeared or a girl named Finia was kidnapped, Rain would never do such a thing... I wonder why people don''t understand anymore...'' It''s not easy. I had my doubts, too, at first. Whether he was following or not, Rifa made a subtle statement. ''I, ha ... from the beginning, I believed it, right?You helped me ... because you helped me. I guess I''m like Nina. Rain saved me. They are a softie. ''Ummm ... Rifa, your tsukies are so sharp. But I don''t hate you two like that. Heh. Nina happily hugged Rifa. Rifa''s cheeks are slightly reddened instead of her usual expressionless........ Although her expression has not changed, she must be embarrassed for some reason. ''Oh, wait a minute. There''s a lot of commotion out front. Taking Chiffon''s words as a cue, the four of them look out of the prison. Multiple footsteps and rustling. At times, they could hear what sounded like cheers. ''''What''s going on?I''m sure something happened, but... I don''t know if that''s a good place to start, you know? Nina looked troubled and... Then, he taps his palm, as if he has an idea. I''m going to ... try it. Meow?Try what? Eavesdropping ... listening. Nina spun around and rotated her right hand and made a hole in space. Then a voice comes from that hole. Rifa tilts her head in wonder. ''''What did you do to this?'''' I''m just connecting the space and picking up the sound from there. You''re very handy. Heh. Rifa is impressed and Nina is embarrassed. On the other hand, Chiffon is stunned. ''''Wow, amazing power........I knew the strongest species had bullshit power, but not like this. With this power, we can wiretap all we want. You can gain an overwhelming advantage in information warfare. It might even be possible to control the battlefield by yourself. Once again, Chiffon felt the bottomlessness of the existence of the most powerful species. ''''Well?'''' Hmmm.... It seems that only he can hear me, and Nina is eavesdropping with great concentration. Somewhat later, her face became grim. ''''What should I do...?'''' Yeah?What''s the matter, panic. I think Lane''s.... caught... ""What?" As if to say that this was ridiculous, the three of them were surprised. But Nina was cringing and dismayed, proving that her words were not a lie. ''What do we do...?'' What''s the situation? I don''t know... I heard something about... catching Lane... M..... Rifa gets a difficult look on her face. I was hoping that it was some kind of mistake, but as far as Nina''s story goes, it''s not going to happen. That''s what I decided to do but I''m not pessimistic. If I have the time to cry and lament, it''s many times better to think of a solution to the situation. Rifa spins her thoughts at high speed. And then he arrives at a certain conclusion. ''''Everyone.'''' Meow? Let''s get out of here. Meow! At the boldest suggestion, Kanade turned his tail upside down with a peon. Likewise, Chiffon also has a stunned expression on his face. However, she quickly discarded her feelings of surprise and became a face that seemed to gauge Rifa''s true intentions. ''''What do you mean by that?If we run away now or something, Rain-kun''s position is going to be even worse... It''s still bad enough. It''s... That''s right, so Chiffon can''t say anything. ''''No more. They could hurt Rayne. Do you want to break out of jail and support them before that happens...? Yes. But it''s... uh-uh. It might be a possibility after all. After having come this far, I don''t think there''s anything we can do about it.......we have to think about Rain''s safety first and foremost. If the worst happens, we won''t be able to resolve the misunderstanding. Before that happens, we have to clear the bare minimum........ Chiffon puts a hand to his chin and thinks as he mumbles. He is the leader of the new brave party and the brains behind it. By nature, he''s good at thinking about this and that. I''ll expand my thinking to the maximum and come up with the answer that I think is the best for the current situation. The best answer, that is ...........................to ensure Rain''s safety. If we break out of jail, things will likely get even more complicated, but if something happens to Rain, everything will end there. Rather than thinking about the future, we have to think about the now. I came to that conclusion. ''Alright, I agree with you. Let''s get out of here. What ... is it okay? I think that Mr. Lane is in danger. Okay, we''re getting out of here! It was Kanade who instantly reversed his opinion. Not only was she concerned for Rain''s safety as a companion, but the desire of a maiden in love to worry about the person she loved was there. A maiden in love is invincible........and prone to run amok. Whenever an idea came to mind, they did it immediately. Kanade shook his fist wide and slammed it into the prison that confined them. 411-Episode 411: In a mess Noooooooooooooooo...! The tip of the canade''s cat ears chattered against the tip of his tail. The hand that had struck the prison was red. That''s just as well. This is a prison to keep our guilty compatriots.......the phoenix tribe locked up. It is not half-built, and even if you are the strongest species, it is difficult to escape from the prison. That''s how sturdy it was made. ''''Shh, numb.......'''' Hey, you okay?Mr. Kanade, is your hand swollen? Uhhhhhh, that hurts. "Kanade, no idea. Ugh. Rifa''s relentless words made Kanade look hurt. Chiffon thinks about following up with something, but Rifa''s words are so reasonable that he can''t say anything. ''Kanade, think about it some more.'' Ugh.... You couldn''t do better than us, could you? ''Qualified?........Ah! Yeah. I''ll take care of it. Nina spun her hand around and opened the subspace. A rummaging gesture as if she were exploring something. When she pulled her hand out somewhat, the key to the prison was in her hand. Although the prison is sturdy enough to prevent the strongest species from escaping, it is not a complicated enough mechanism to seal its ability. Even though it was a prison to lock up criminals, at most they were guilty of hurting their countrymen in a fight....... It''s not made to be absolutely unmissable. Hence, Nina could use her abilities without any problems. Of course, it was possible for her to break out of prison immediately. However, since she didn''t know what the situation was, if she did something poorly, there was a risk that her position would be even worse. Therefore, he had to stay quiet for the time being....... ''''The key........is open, huh? Using the key she had stolen through subspace, Nina unlocked the prison. At about the same time, multiple footsteps were approaching. ''I heard some noise,'' a voice said, ''I''m going to go check on you. ''Canade''s going to do something extra.'' I''m sorry. Don''t worry. Kanade looked seriously depressed as Nina comforted him. ''Anyway ... let''s get out of here as soon as possible. So, we need to get to Rain-kun''s place as soon as possible! ''Ra-nya!Nina, get in. Hmm. Kanade shouldered Nina. She starts running in that state. As expected of the cat spirit race, I should say. That leg strength is number one. I run with a momentum that makes Chiffon leave Rifa behind. ''''Fluffy........! However, it seemed that the comfort of the shoulder carriage was subtle, and Nina was bobbing up and down. She seemed a little drunk and her face was blue. ''''Hmm.......this way!Everyone follow me! As they approached the fork in the road, Kanade thought for a moment before deciding on a path and getting his feet moving again. He does not encounter the phoenix tribe. He seems to have avoided the crisis with his natural good instincts. ''''Kanade-san, that''s amazing.......'''' Yeah, wild guess. Oh, hahaha I call it wild. It''s a cat. As Chiffon and Rifa exchange swallowed words, Kanade, who is leading the pack, continues to run in search of Rain. Cats have a better nose than people, though not as good as dogs. The person they look for is the one they are always with. And most importantly, someone they love. There''s no way he can''t find her! Kanade, with a strange sense of mission, desperately searched for Rain''s scent and signs of her, and moved forward on her feet. ''''Nyah!'''' What''s up, Kanade?Stop abruptly. Lane, did you find it? "Hawa... This.... Kanade''s expression becomes grim as he shoulders Nina, who turns her eyes round and round. She looks glaringly at the end of the dimly lit passage. ''Is that Rain-kun up ahead?'' ''Nope ... no sign of Rain down the road. Okay, then what? I think it''s a bad sign... a demon. Rifa''s question was answered by Kanade with a tense look. Chiffon made a dubious expression at the answer. ''''Demons?This is still the third level, right?Shouldn''t the demons be on the fourth level and below? ''That''s what I''ve heard, but ... what do you think?I do have a feeling... hey, what do you think Rifa? ''Yeah, I can feel the demons too. Maybe a lower level demon took advantage of the commotion. Meow.... Is he okay?And Kanade is worried. If it''s the phoenix race, those demons won''t be a threat. I don''t know much about them, but they are one of the strongest species. Normally, its life would not be threatened. But what if they have a natural enemy like the spirit race? What if a child who doesn''t yet have the strength to fight encounters a demon? There are no guarantees of absolute safety. There is always a way out. In his long life as an adventurer with Rain, Kanade had learned that firmly. ''''Uh-nya........'''' Our goal is Rain. The safety of the Lord comes first. For that reason, we don''t have the time or luxury to worry about anything else. Not that we do. What would Rain think if he knew that the phoenix tribe might be in harm''s way and he missed it? He''s kind. He won''t be angry. But he''ll hurt you for being so kind. "Kanade. Nina? Shall we go? ...Yeah! That one word gave Kanade a push. Siphon and Rifa nodded emphatically as if that was fine. Kanade and the others changed directions and headed towards the place where there was a sign of a demon. ''''What?This is..... What I saw there was.... 412-Episode 412: I Want to Persuade But My Mother Is Scared Finia! After some time of walking, he was brought to the room of the chief, Mr. Elfin. When Mr. Elfin saw Finia, he broke into a smile and ran out. He held his daughter to his chest with the same vigor. "Wha.........? Thank God I was worried about you. "...mother... Are you hurt?Did the humans do anything terrible to you? ''Well ... well, yeah. It''s okay. Well that''s good. Elfin-san gave me a gentle look for the first time. I had the impression that he was a strict person... I guess she''s a mother for what it''s worth. She was very worried about her daughter........Finia, apparently. ''I thought my heart would be out of control when you disappeared...'' And I''m sorry I was worried about you but I''m fine! ''Yes, it would seem so. That''s my daughter my daughter you''ve come back to catch a foolish person. Guillory stares at me. It''s like a needle sticking in me, and my gaze hurts. It''s quite powerful. ''Well Finia, you''ve done well. But you must be very tired.Leave the rest to me and get some rest. "Well, uh... It''s okay. These humans are going to make you sorry that they took you and that you were ever born. We won''t let them get to you again. No, it''s not that, it''s just... Finia seems to be unable to spin words well and is fumbling and panicking. In the preliminary meeting, it was decided that Finia would try to persuade Elfin-san first, but....... How hard can it be? I''m planning to be quiet at first, as it might make things even more confusing. However, I can''t just let Elfin-san punish me like this... When the time comes, I may have to change my plans and come forward. ''''Huh........! Suddenly, I meet eyes with Finia. Somewhere in her eyes, she looks at me like she''s asking for help. I''m........ I''ll be fine. He murmured in a voice that only Finia could hear. At first glance, it was frightening... But she''s a strong girl to the core. A little bit, but spending time with her has helped me understand that. So we should be able to manage this situation. Believing that, I looked straight at Finia as if to deliver this thought. ''''........Ha, yes.'''' Did the thought reach you? Finia nodded with a cocoon and then faced Elfin-san again. ''''Oh, um ... well ... mother ...'''' What is it?You can''t wait to get to your room.... Oh, I need to talk to you! Talk? It''s not... not Ray... It''s about the person... Hmm.......what is it?Talk to me. For now, Mr. Elfin has taken up a position to listen to me. Would I be able to convince him successfully? I''m on edge, but I watch the development quietly. ''Oh, um ... that person ... well ... he didn''t kidnap me ...'' What''s going on, Finia?I can''t believe you''re suddenly saying that. The guilt of this person is obvious. The only thing left to do is to condemn him, right? No, it''s not... well... Mr. Lane a man''s person didn''t do anything! What? It''s the female human beings that Sakura-chan has in her custody that are to blame! Somewhat at a loss for words, Finia ended up saying it emphatically. Elfin-san was surprised by her daughter''s reaction, rolling her eyes. Perhaps she had never expressed her intentions in such a strong tone before. Finia is such a meek child that it makes me feel that way. ''''Mmmm! Lean is making some kind of noise, but she can''t speak because her mouth is covered. I didn''t want her to say anything unnecessary, so I did this, but..... He was right, apparently. If I''d kept my mouth free, I''d have said I was one of you. Watch out. "All those girls it''s all my fault and Miss Lane, you know, she didn''t do anything wrong, okay?It''s true. ...Do you have any reason to believe that? ''Nah, I don''t... but it''s true!Shh, trust me, Mom! .... There are pauses that make you think. What answers will be given? What I do next will determine my fate. ........Okay. What? ''We''ll take your word for it, Finia. The human man there had nothing to do with it, did he? Then let him go. Mom! What ... Instantly, Elfin-san''s disposition changes. It goes from a calm mother''s face to the face of a shura who will do anything to protect her child. ''''Did you expect me to say that?Did you ever think you''d believe in humans and such? Oh, mother...? ''Finia, poor little thing you are still so young. Hence, you have been tricked by a human. No, or have you been brainwashed?Either way, it''s inexcusable. Mom, no, no, no.I don''t think so... Stay back, Finia. What? The words are quiet, and yet the pressure is phenomenal. A jolt makes Finia shudder, and she closes her mouth, seemingly unable to defy him. So far, I guess. Finia has done well, or rather, she has worked harder than I expected. But I guess this is the end of the line. The only thing left to do is to do something on your own. I untied the rope I had left ready to be untied at any time by myself and confronted Elfin-san. ''''After all, it seems you were planning something foolish. Embracing Finia, what are you planning to do?'''' ''I''m not planning anything in particular... but still, if I had to say it, I''d have to talk to Elfin-san and clear up any misunderstandings. Misunderstanding? ''''I have nothing to do with this matter. I have no desire to harm the phoenix tribe. This is all a misunderstanding. Hmph. Mr. Elfin gave a small laugh... And gosh!The negative aura is so strong that it makes a sound, "I''m not going to repeat that nonsense again, human! 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