《Two Saints Wander off into a Different World》


 CH 1

    Author: ¥«¥ä (Kaya)


    The Day We Fell


    It was 7 PM on a Friday night, and the May holidays were over. Chiharu quickly cleaned up her desk and prepared to leave.


    ¡°Oh, Asou. That¡¯s unusual, you leaving on time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m meeting a friend for drinks tonight.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯re really going to meet a boyfriend aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha. If only that were true. See you later then.¡±


    ¡°Bye.¡±


    Chiharu lightly brushed of her superiors words and quickly made her way out of the office building. She would then catch a bus to the nearest train station. And there she would meet her friend, Maki Aida.


    It had been three years since Chiharu started to work at this distribution company. She worked in sales. Even if there was some overtime, it wasn¡¯t one of those black companies. However, the building where she worked was in an industrial park with lots of warehouses, which was far from any train stations. As Maki had been transferred to a different office in the spring, this was the first time they would be drinking together in over a month.


    Chiharu arrived at the closest station. It was the beginning of summer, but the night air was still cold on her skin as she tightly wrapped her pink cardigan around herself. The sweet, flower-print skirt moved in the wind, as did her loose, wavy hair as she ran to the spot where her friend would be waiting. Many men turned their heads when she ran by, however, Chiharu had never been hit on by a man in her life. Chiharu was under the impression that this meant she was not very popular, but the few men that ever asked her on a date, were always the serious type who only thought of marriage. In other words, she was too delicate looking, that it was hard for people to casually approach her.


    She arrived at the lion statue. Her friend was waiting there in a black pantsuit with beautiful black hair that just missed her shoulders. As always, Chiharu was taken by how cool she looked. It warmed her heart.


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but smile. Chiharu Asou. Maki Aida. Close friends called them by their first names. They had joined the company at the same time and had immediately formed a friendship. And that friendship became stronger once they found out that the other could really hold their liquor. Maki was cheerful, tidy and mindful of others, but also had a carefree side as well. While Chiharu seemed soft and kind but could be rather dark-sided. But that made them a good team. Ever since then, they had gone out to drink like this. They were such good friends that they would even go on trips together.


    They entered a nearby bar and were led to a private table. It was a good thing too, considering their purpose today.


    ¡°What will you get, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯ll start off with some potato shochu. On the rocks.¡±


    ¡°Hah, as cool as ever, you are. Starting with shochu. And on the rocks. Well, I think I¡¯ll have pure ginjo sake. In a wooden cup.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Maki, you¡¯re starting with sake¡­and ginjo sake¡­ This bar has a great lineup.¡±


    There was something that looked off-putting about the way the waiter looked at them, but they didn¡¯t mind. Not today.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s make a toast.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, let¡¯s do a classic one.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Cheers to being dumped!¡± ¡°Cheers to being dumped!¡±


    ¡°Damn it. I won¡¯t deny that we saw less of each other once we started working, okay? But, it¡¯s been five years! And this is a really important time in our lives as adults. What¡¯s wrong with me working hard at my job!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Exactly!¡±


    ¡°I wear out the bottom of my shoes every day at work. Then I get home all tired. It¡¯s me that wants to have dinner made and feel some relief!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Exactly! Oh, waiter, I¡¯ll have a lemon highball now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, give me one too. I wanted to spend time with him just as much as he did, but our days off would never align.¡±


    ¡°Exactly! Exactly! Oh, I¡¯ll have an omelet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll have some takoyaki. Also a radish salad. But still he¡­¡±


    Maki was starting one of her drunken rants.


    ¡°I totally understand, Maki-chan. Let me guess what your boyfriend said. Oh, not boyfriend, Mr. Idiot.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­that¡¯s quite mean¡­¡±


    ¡°You may be able to get along by yourself. But a girlfriend should not get by alone. I have to support you¡­¡±


    Chiharu said with a mocking gesture.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right, Chiharu¡­are you the devil?¡±


    ¡°What, no. Maybe God.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good one.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You worked hard to be able to provide for yourself! That¡¯s what being an employed adult is about. Am I wrong, Maki-san?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not at all.¡±


    ¡°You are working hard even if you might actually like to be indulged. That¡¯s what it means to work in society. Am I wrong, Maki-san?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. By the way, isn¡¯t it wrong that I have to look after new people who say they can¡¯t do anything, live with their parents and leave unfinished work for me? Chiharu-san?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is very wrong, Maki-chan-san.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you should just say Maki-san.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    They were both face-down on the table now. To put it simply, both of them had lost their boyfriends to new employees who had joined the company in the spring. Why was there even a tutor system?


    No, it was a good thing for veterans to teach newcomers, but this resulted in new couples at an alarming rate. Chiharu continued.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s way too early to be thinking about marriage, but it was him who was trying to rush me into it you know? And I did tell him that it was too early. But then he said he wanted me to stay home. I think not!¡±


    ¡°Well, you do look like the type guys would want to protect.¡±


    ¡°But how is it strange for me to want to work a little bit longer? I¡¯m not even a veteran yet!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard, but working is very fun¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Next time, I¡¯ll fall for someone who can support me in my job and life as much as I support him.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Someone like him should fall for that sweet newcomer and disappear!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡±


    ¡°Wh-what is it?¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, I don¡¯t know about your boyfriend, but my ex¡¯s new girlfriend¡­¡±


    Chiharu emptied her highball in one gulp.


    ¡°Waiter, red wine, in a decanter!¡±


    ¡°You keep going. Aren¡¯t you mixing them a bit much?¡±


    ¡°Two glasses!¡±


    ¡°Me too?¡±


    ¡°So,¡±


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re going back on topic¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything that she has and wears are expensive brand items.¡±


    ¡°Hoho. Chiharu, does that mean?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s squeezing him dry.¡±


    ¡°What an idiot, your boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Ex-boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what he deserves!¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    The decanter was now empty. Neither of them had meant to drink so much, but they had started with too much momentum.


    ¡°On to the next bar!¡±


    ¡°Yeees!¡±


    They no longer cared about their exes. They had alcohol and friendship. They drunkenly left the bar, arm in arm and in the best of moods.


    Then they fell.

 CH 2

    ¡°You are probably hiding her!¡±


    ¡°But you have been checking every day for half a year now.¡±


    ¡°It has been half a year since the last Saintess passed away. And the Miasma from the Shadow World only increases.¡±


    ¡°But there have not been any reports of health concerns yet.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps for the human territories. But unlike your lands, our elven territories are directly facing the Shadow World. The Miasma is on a completely different level to this country!¡±


    ¡°That being said, it is up to the Creator to summon a Saintess from other worlds. Just because the Temple happens to be in human territories, does not mean that our country has the means to do anything.¡±


    In a place that looked like an office, a blonde haired man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties was shouting at a silver-haired elf who appeared to be a similar age. The scene was being witnessed by a beastman who leaned against the wall and a red-headed dwarf who sat by the table and drank ale. This scene had repeated itself nearly every day for the past six months.


    This was the Sun World. It was said that the Creator made the world out of boredom. The world was largely split into two. The Sun World and the Shadow World. While they faced each other, there was no communion between them, as the Shadow World offered nothing but Miasma. It was believed that when God created the Sun World, he pushed everything he didn¡¯t need to the side and sealed it into the Shadow World, which became the Miasma.


    The Miasma would flow through mountains and enter the underground dungeons and give birth to monsters. Monster formed from Miasma would turn into magic stones, which enriched the Sun World. As long as the dungeons were properly managed, the Shadow World was nothing but a resource for the Sun World. However, Miasma would also leak into the Sun World through the sky. If this became too thick, people would become ill and crops would die. It was up to the Saintess to purify the world of Miasma.


    Unfortunately, there were no Saintesses with such abilities native to this world. And so they had to be brought from other worlds. One each time. As long as that person was here, then the Miasma could be purified.


    However, the previous Saintess was dead for six months now. And there were no signs of a new one appearing in the Temple. According to historical records, even the longest stretch had been three months.


    While people weren¡¯t falling from ailments just yet, the thicker Miasma caused people to become irritable, and there was a rise in criminal activity. What would happen if this continued for another six months?


    It was the king of the humans who sighed with exasperation. Why couldn¡¯t the Creator have made his own Saintess along with this world?


    ¡°Also, every time you keep the Saintess in human territories. The purification would have been much faster if she came to our lands. Our lands become thicker with Miasma every time there is a new Saintess. What do you say to that!¡±


    ¡°You may think that way, but it is not as if we are keeping them here. What are we supposed to do if she says that she is afraid of riding an airship?¡±


    The king was reminiscing. The previous Saintess had been a quiet person. She had made a small fruit garden and vegetable field inside of her shrine in the royal palace. There she had lived, rarely speaking to anyone. But when she did greet visitors, she would offer delicious sweets and tea. It was not as if she disliked the company of others. However¡­


    ¡°And then she said that she was afraid of beastfolk. But she did show an interest in trains fueled by magic stones. She even visited the Dwarf kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. They say that she really enjoyed the Dwarven food too. But she did not stay that long.¡±


    The old dwarf chimed in with a slow voice. The elven youth walked around the room irritably.


    ¡°Why does God always summon from the same country? Every single time it is a timid person. I¡¯m sure the next one will visit the Dwarves but refuse to ride airships as well. But the only other option is to cross through the mountains¡­¡±


    ¡°Ladies tend to hate the mountains and its bugs.¡±


    The beastman muttered. Perhaps he was in the canine family. His almost white, ash-colored ears grew from the top of his head, his hair was long and flowed down to his back. He also had a tail that swayed quietly behind him.


    ¡°I know! That is why we use airships!¡±


    ¡°The beastfolk are just as troubled as you. Their people have become restless. If she is so afraid of them, maybe we could put her in a cage and take her there¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid? As if she would want to visit their kingdom in such a state!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the same with the elf country too.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    The king of the humans said as he furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°There is no point in complaining now. Unlike you lot who have retired, I am still the king of my country. So please allow me to do my job¡­¡±


    Out of nowhere, a sudden sharp ringing could be heard. The atmosphere in the room changed in an instant.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°The coming of the Saintess!¡±


    ¡°Quickly! To the Temple!¡±


    The elf and the beastman rushed out of the room. Their servants shortly followed after them with exasperated expressions.


    ¡°There is no need to rush. People are stationed in the Temple at all times¡­¡±


    The king said tiredly. The dwarf laughed and said:


    ¡°But they have waited so long. And also, something feels different this time. This Saintess must be quite powerful. We should go and see her as well.¡±


    ¡°Well, nothing good will come from leaving everything to those two.¡±


    At the same time, Chiharu and Maki were slouching with crossed arms.


    ¡°What? What?¡±


    ¡°Just now, my stomach felt like how it does when you go down a slope in a car.¡±


    Chiharu seemed frantic, but Maki replied to her lazily.


    ¡°I guess so? But Maki-chan, look at this place.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    They were supposed to have been at the bar only a moment ago. They had opened the door and went outside. So why were Chiharu and Maki now sitting down on a hard stone pedestal? Why were they in a cathedral-like place with such a high ceiling? Why were they surrounded by so many foreign people?


    ¡°Two Saintesses?¡±


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    That was what they heard.


    ¡°Is this a film set?¡±


    ¡°Their Japanese is very fluent. Maybe they are extras. We¡¯re probably in the way, let¡¯s move.¡±


    Maki slowly stood up but immediately sat down again.


    ¡°Nope, my legs have gone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just drag ourselves off then.¡±


    They held on to each other as they slowly descended from the pedestal.


    Just then, there was a screeching sound as a door was opened. A large person held the door open as a man with long hair came running into the room.


    ¡°Where is the Saintess! Ohh! Oh?¡±


    He froze. Behind him, the larger man followed as he walked slowly. Huh? Dog ears? When they looked down they could see a big furry tail wagging behind him. As drunk as they may have been, they were modern people. This situation was impossible.


    ¡°Another world¡­summoning¡­¡±


    As Chiharu mumbled in shock, Maki began to walk towards that man with her wobbly legs.


    ¡°Rasche!¡±


    No! That¡¯s just a human with dog ears and a tail! Maki slipped through Chiharu¡¯s fingers and would not be stopped. By the way, Rasche was the name of the Maki¡¯s family¡¯s golden retriever. Chiharu had seen pictures before. But didn¡¯t he have folded ears?


    ¡°It¡¯s short for Patrasche.¡±


    ¡°Do you want him to die?¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but make a joke, but Rasche was 12 years old this year and would likely live a long life. Maki had been so fond of the dog that she said parting with him was her only regret when moving into her own place.


    Maki swayed as she approached him, her arms stretching out to his ears. The man with dog ears looked both a little concerned and a little happy as he stared back. Then he picked Maki up as he would a child and lifted her into the air. High. High. Maki giggled like a little girl.


    Oh, this was bad! Chiharu frantically ran forward to make him put Maki down, but something tripped her. Yes, it was her right leg that had tripped her left. Oh, right. I¡¯m so drunk¡­


    She thought as the ground came closer to her face. Just then, someone rushed from the side and caught her. It was the other man.


    Ah, such long ears. Smooth white hair. Blue eyes. What a pretty older man.


    But, I¡¯m sorry. No one should ever pick up a drunkard with hands around their waist and lift them in the air like that.


    Obviously, she puked.


    The Temple went dead silent. Then there was pandemonium. The dog-eared man and the long-eared man could not move from shock for quite some time.


    Translator¡¯s Note:


    Patrasche is the dog from The Dog of Flanders.


    Also, isn¡¯t this chapter¡¯s title the best?

 CH 3

    ¡°What is this!¡±


    The king and the dwarf had arrived at the scene. There were two girls with black hair that were groaning on the floor. The two who had arrived first were now covered in filth.


    ¡°It reeks of alcohol.¡±


    The dwarf mumbled.


    ¡°It appears that the current Saintess is of a drinking age then.¡±


    The king called after the priests who were frantically running around the room.


    ¡°The Saintess is not feeling her best. Hurry up and take her to her room so she can be cleaned. Aeris, Zynis, you two should take a bath. Then you can tell me about what happened in my office!¡±


    The priests and knights immediately began to move. There were also two handmaidens who had had to wait idly for six months who looked excited to have something to do again.


    ¡°Sir knight, please offer the Saintess your shoulder.¡±


    ¡°Would it not be faster to carry her?¡±


    ¡°She will surely expel something again if you did that. We must not allow her to sway too much, move her slowly.¡±


    Like this, nearly unconscious Maki and the very conscious and alert Chiharu were taken to their rooms. Indeed, Chiharu thought. Imagine if the first time you were carried like a princess was because you were being cared for as a drunkard.


    The two were quickly cleaned with warm towels before being made to drink water that had a citrus smell. Then they were given pajamas that looked like bathrobes.


    ¡°The talk can wait for tomorrow.¡±


    They were told as they were put into bed. Chiharu had resisted the idea of separate rooms, and so they shared a bed that was still spacious with two people in it. Seeing that they had settled in their covers, the handmaidens bid them goodnight.


    ¡°If you require anything, just ring the bell by the pillows. Now, goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Um.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Chiharu said in a quiet voice. The handmaid¡¯s smiled and left.


    Maki was sleeping peacefully next to her.


    ¡°You really are something, Maki-chan. Thank god tomorrow is a Saturday.¡±


    She had no idea what was happening. But they hadn¡¯t been asked to do anything impossible as was usual in these other world scenarios. They seemed to be kind people, seeing as that man had picked up and played with a stranger like Maki. She did not know what the future held, but she decided to just sleep for now.


    It did not take long for there to be two sleeping people in the bed. The crowd who had gathered outside of the room, ears pressed against the door, sighed in relief.


    ¡°Well then. Let us return to my office. Sera, you will come as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The king said to one of the handmaids. Two guards then moved to stand by the door. Then they went back to the office. In the office, waited the elf and beastman. Both were only half dry and had serious expressions. Aside from them, the chancellor, prince, king, dwarf and the handmaid called Sera were in the room. Then the king opened his mouth.


    ¡°Well, as they both had bangs, I could not tell which was the Saintess. Who of the two had the mark? Sera.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sera hesitated.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Um, they both had the mark.¡±


    Both the prince and the chancellor, who had not been to the temple, shouted in surprise.


    ¡°Good lord! Two Saintesses this time!¡±


    ¡°What does it mean? It has no precedence.¡±


    The king furrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°Not only that, but this time it took six months for one to arrive. These are strange times. Chancellor, had there been any divine revelations?¡±


    ¡°I have heard of no such reports.¡±


    ¡°Then that means there are two of them. Or double the purification ability. Or maybe each has half of the power. In any case, thanks to the previous Saintess living so modestly, we have plenty of funds to accommodate two. As there are two this time, their responsibilities in each land might also increase. Well, we will send them out within reason. It should not be a problem. That is all.¡±


    ¡°May we not have them start tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°We will follow the Saintess manual. They will likely consider it for a month, at worst for half a year before accepting. The thing is to allow them to live quietly and peacefully so they do not go mad at first.¡±


    Here the hard-faced Aeris added.


    ¡°Then perhaps it was a good thing that there are two of them. They do seem to be acquaintances.¡±


    ¡°She was not afraid of beastfolk.¡±


    Zynis said. Aeris smirked and cupped his chin with his hand.


    ¡°Yes, now that I think of it. You may finally have a Saintess willing to visit your kingdom. She even appeared to enjoy some height. I dare say she may be able to ride the airships. Perhaps we can send one to the beast kingdom and one to the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°You are getting ahead of yourself Aeris. Really, three-hundred-years-old and you still have not calmed down¡­¡±


    ¡°But, Arthur.¡±


    ¡°Women of other countries tend to prefer quietness. You must avoid giving them any pressure.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, fine.¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡±


    The dwarf mumbled.


    ¡°What is it? Grudo.¡±


    ¡°Would such a quiet woman drink to the point of vomiting?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Had you noticed that, Arthur?¡±


    The king furrowed his brows again. Zynis and Aeris frowned. That had been quite a shocking experience for them.


    ¡°Well, they were summoned with the weight of the world on their shoulders. It would make anyone sick.¡±


    ¡°That will be the official story then. In any case, I¡¯ve become tired of this boring palace life. Things are starting to get interesting.¡±


    Said the king and Grudo.


    ¡°Tomorrow. We will see how they are doing, and talk if they are able.¡±


    And so it was decided. As everyone left the room, the prince approached Aeris.


    ¡°Um, Aeris. What did you think of them?¡±


    ¡°That is a difficult question. When I first saw them, they were curled up on the floor. And when I helped one of them who was about to fall, I only saw the back of her head. Just as I thought she had looked towards me, she discharged, you know. I only saw that she was short and had black hair.¡±


    ¡°That seems to be a feature of the other country. I expected that. I want to know what else was different.¡±


    ¡°She stank of liquor.¡±


    ¡°So she must be an adult then. I wonder if I we will be able to get along.¡±


    ¡°Prince, Saintesses do not bear children. It is out of the question for them to marry into the royal family. And it is still too early for you. You are only eighteen.¡±


    Aeirs said with finality.


    ¡°Well, I am still an adult. And it is not as if there were any divine message about them not bearing children. Just because it has been so until now, it does not mean that these Saintesses are the same.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can hold whatever dreams you want. Zynis, you look very happy.¡±


    ¡°Aye. I became the first beastman to touch a Saintess in many years.¡±


    ¡°It is almost surprising that the Saintesses of old did not fear beastfolk, now. I am not sure how I feel about them yet. But I doubt I shall be bored at least.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    They left the room, along with the prince who was still annoyed at being treated like a child. They would get a good look at their faces tomorrow. And then Aeris noticed it, the air in the palace had become perfectly clear.

 CH 4

    Chiharu was the one who woke up first. There was a slight pain in her head that remained as proof that she had drunk way too much the previous night.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in college anymore, that was dumb¡­ Alcohol deserves better.¡±


    She mumbled. Then chuckled over the fact that she should really be feeling apologetic toward that man who had caught her.


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±


    She sat up suddenly.


    ¡°Ah, aghhh!¡±


    She held her head as she looked around the room. This room was about three times the size of her own room, and she was in a huge bed. She looked to her side, Maki was still sleeping. Chiharu fell back into the bed and assessed the situation.


    Unfortunately, Chiharu had never lost memory of events no matter how hard she drank. Temple. Saintess. Two. Beast. Elf. This was too much to be some elaborate prank.


    ¡°We must have been summoned to another world. It must be¡­¡±


    But then what should they do? Let¡¯s organize things in order of priority. Also, when was Maki-chan going to get up? Chiharu became a little annoyed, and so she pinched Maki¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Buwahh. Ouch! My head hurts a little!¡±


    ¡°Only a little! Good morning, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Good morning. Hmm?¡±


    Maki¡¯s expression rapidly changed. Chiharu knew. Maki too never lost her memory no matter how much she drank. And so she said.


    ¡°Rasche.¡±


    ¡°Agh! Stop it, Chiharu! I might die of embarrassment.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t die. The worst came after that.¡±


    ¡°Aghh. I wish I could erase that from my memory¡­¡±


    Maki sunk back into the bed. Then she covered her eyes with her hands and mumbled.


    ¡°Hey, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t have ears and tails like that right?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I think he was over 2 meters tall.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The other one had long ears.¡±


    ¡°For real?¡±


    They fell silent. They lay in the bed and stared at the ceiling.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Do you think we will be able to go home?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    Maki¡¯s voice was shaking now.


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°We can think of the bad things at night. We should focus on what to do know while it is still bright.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so cool even at times like this.¡±


    Maki said with just a slight sniff of her nose.


    ¡°It was a temple. Saintess. Two. The foreign people said so with perfect Japanese. Also, Rasche.¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a beastman.¡±


    ¡°I feel like he had gentle eyes.¡±


    ¡°Well, I haven¡¯t seen any flaws yet.¡±


    Chiharu suddenly looked less confident as she continued.


    ¡°Actually, we already proved to ourselves that we have horrible tastes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    They both looked at the ceiling again. Chiharu¡¯s boyfriend was a tutor. He worked in the same department as her. He had been so dependable, and while a little on the serious side, she had really like him. She really had. The ceiling began to blur.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°We can think about the bad things at night.¡±


    Chiharu also sniffed.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Now, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do until we find out what is going on.¡±


    ¡°We should be careful not to answer anything until we have time to listen and think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just going to put this out there. I don¡¯t want to fight no Demon Lord.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Exactly!¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t follow any marriage route either.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Exactly!¡±


    ¡°Since it seems we came all the way to another world.¡±


    ¡°So it seems!¡±


    They looked at each other.


    ¡°Good food and alcohol.¡±


    ¡°Beautiful sights and culture.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t miss those.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t miss those.¡±


    They giggled.


    ¡°Okay, but first we need to find work.¡±


    ¡°You really like to work, Chiharu. We should find out why we are here first. Let¡¯s ask them and gather information.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Chiharu rang the bell that was by her pillow. The door opened exactly one second later, and the two handmaids from the previous day entered the room. Chiharu froze, still holding the bell. That was fast. They smiled at her.


    ¡°How are you feeling this morning?¡±


    They asked.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m a little hungover, but I¡¯m fine. Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°I am called Sera.¡±


    ¡°I am called Hanna.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Asou, this is Aida.¡±


    ¡°Assoo and Aiiida.¡±


    ¡°¡­Something like that.¡±


    Chiharu had given their family names out of habit.


    ¡°We¡¯re very sorry about last night.¡±


    Maki said as her head popped out next to Chiharu.


    ¡°It is fine. We are happy to see that you look well this morning. Would you like to take your breakfast now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    Miso soup was the best for the day after drinking, but they couldn¡¯t be too picky now. Wait, this was miso soup!


    ¡°The last Saintess had this made through various testing.¡±


    ¡°Saintess¡­¡±


    ¡°His Majesty will tell you the details.¡±


    So saying, they prepared miso soup, rice balls, eggs and pickles for us. The miso soup had the kind of nostalgic taste that reminded you of your grandmother¡¯s house. The broth smelled of dried sardines, kelp, and a little shiitake mushrooms. Chiharu and Maki ate their breakfast and enjoyed some black tea afterward.


    ¡°Your predecessor said that she wanted to drink grin tea, but we did not know how to make it. But she knew how to make miso, because she had made it where she came from.¡±


    ¡°Grin tea?¡±


    ¡°She said it was a light green and most fragrant tea.¡±


    ¡°Oh, green tea. It¡¯s steamed instead of fermented.¡±


    ¡°Steamed?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think you steam it a little, and then squeeze and roast it repeatedly.¡±


    Maki knew a lot, surprisingly.


    ¡°But I would think black tea is harder to make since it has to be fermented.¡±


    Maki said as she cocked her head to the side.


    ¡°Oh! You must share this skill with the producers!¡±


    Sera requested most passionately.


    ¡°Uh, I do know how it¡¯s made. But I¡¯m not sure if it will¡­¡±


    ¡°The craftsmen will cover for that through trial-and-error!¡±


    And so it was somehow settled. Maki had gotten her first job here.


    That aside, they needed to wash up and get changed after eating. They could get water at the press of a button here. The toilet didn¡¯t have a flush, but it was immediately decomposed and turned into fertilizer. So it was very sanitary. Things were looking pretty good.


    Apparently, the clothes that they had been wearing yesterday were being washed, so they had different clothes prepared for the day. First, they wore a cream colored one piece. It was loose around the arms and the hemline went down to their ankles. Over this, they wore a beautifully colored one piece that looked like a yukata without sleeves. This one went down to their calves. A belt went around their waist and it was done.


    Their hair was just brushed and left untied. Chiharu and Maki stared at each other.


    ¡°This reminds of that thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that thing.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t remember it.


    ¡°With the castle! And the dancing sea bream and flounders!¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s Otohime-sama.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right!¡±


    Sera was wearing a type of maid outfit. But it looked a little eastern? Chiharu thought.


    Taking a closer look, their clothes were made of several layers and had quiet colors. Oh yes, the manners and customs of a foreign land! Chiharu became very happy.


    ¡°These were modeled after the garments of your predecessor¡¯s country.¡±


    Oh, I see! She was quite busy, eh? Well, she must have been treated very well then. That¡¯s good.


    ¡°Preparations have finished. What will you do know?¡±


    Sera asks.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I am sure you would like to know what is happening. You can either call his majesty here, or you can go and see him in his office. You may also choose to stay locked up in here and see no one until your heart is ready.¡±


    ¡°See no one?¡±


    ¡°It is said that the Saintess, I believe it was five generations ago, she was afraid of non-humans and never did get accustomed to living here. Your predecessor was also unable to be comfortable around the beastmen¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, Rasche! Are there many of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are about a tenth of the population.¡±


    Maki became very excited.


    ¡°These beastmen, are there all kinds of¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, that can come later.¡±


    Maki grew sullen.


    Sorry. But, really.


    This place was not their land. They were at a disadvantageous position. So¡­


    ¡°We will go and see him.¡±

 CH 5

    Sera opened the door. There were two knights standing watch just outside. Apparently, they were going to escort them to the king¡¯s office. One walked in front, the other in the back. They walked as they took in their surroundings that they had not been able to focus on yesterday. There was no carpet on the floor. The windows were small, but there were candles placed at just the right places to keep the hallway well-lit. There were also intricate carvings on the ceiling and walls.


    It did not take too long for them to reach the office. The guard who stood in front of the room announced their arrival.


    The two awkwardly shuffled in. It was a bright room with a large window. There were several people waiting inside.


    One person sat behind a large desk. Next to him, sat a middle-aged made with a big forehead. On the other side was a man with white hair whose hands were laid on the desk. There was a small desk near the window where a small bearded man sat. Next to him was a sparkly, prince-like person. And then there was Rasche, who stood leaning against a wall. Oh, wait. One of the beastmen. He seemed to smile upon seeing Maki.


    Everyone stood up at once, which scared the two a little. The man with long ears looked like he wanted to say something, but the man behind the large desk held him back as he began.


    ¡°It is an honor to meet you, Saintesses. I am Arthur, king of the human territories within this Sun World. In your country, I would likely be called Arthur, son of Wildom. We do not have family names here. May I introduce everyone else first?¡±


    The two nodded. So the tired looking man with blonde hair was the king. King of the human territories, he said. Chiharu worked her brain.


    ¡°And this here is Aeris of the elven territories. He is over 300 years old, but freely moves between countries as a goodwill ambassador.¡±


    She looked closer at Aeris who bowed and saw that he wasn¡¯t quite the old man with white hair that she had initially thought. He was youthful, with silvery hair and long ears.


    ¡°And this is Grudo of the dwarven territories. He was a good alchemist back in the day, but has since retired. He also comes here as a goodwill ambassador to play, I mean, to commune.¡±


    He just said play. The old man¡¯s eyes were glimmering as he bowed politely. He looked like a child who had found a new toy.


    ¡°The one leaning on the wall over there is Zynis, of the beastfolk territories. He has a most peaceful disposition and is also staying here as a goodwill ambassador.¡±


    In other words, the other beastfolk weren¡¯t peaceful?


    ¡°I hope there is no misunderstanding. The people of the beastfolk territories love to fight, but they are not violent.¡±


    Okay. This is a lot of information.


    ¡°That is the chancellor. The younger one is the prince.¡±


    ¡°I am called Morse.¡±


    ¡°And I am Edwy. Father, you really skimped out on our introductions!¡±


    ¡°Perhaps.¡±


    Perhaps. Chiharu chuckled inwardly. Edwy shrugged. It seemed that this was business as usual for them.


    ¡°Well then, may we hear your names, Saintesses?¡±


    The two looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°Maki Aida and¡±


    ¡°Chiharu Asou.¡±


    ¡°Aiida and Asoo. The previous Saintess only wanted to be referred to by her family name.¡±


    ¡°Oh, if it is normal to use your first name here, then please do.¡±


    ¡°Then, Maki and Chiraaaru it is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s close enough, I guess.¡±


    And so introductions were finished.


    ¡°Great, now will you sit down?¡±


    They sat down on a sofa, and the others in the room also found their individual seats.


    ¡°Now, I am sure you must be very surprised to be so suddenly summoned to this world.¡±


    They nodded. Then the king began to explain to them how this world worked.


    ¡°In other words, your god just brought us here without permission.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    The king said apologetically.


    ¡°But why? We are just average people. We don¡¯t have any special abilities at all.¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°Saintesses always say that. They do not understand why they were brought over here. But that does not change who they are.¡±


    ¡°But how do you know!¡±


    Maki pressed.


    ¡°Because the palace was cleansed the moment that you arrived. Also¡­¡±


    ¡°Also?¡±


    Arthur glanced over to Sera.


    ¡°You have the marks on your forehead.¡±


    ¡°Mark?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at one another. Nope. The bangs covered it. Maki then says to Chiharu:


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s raise our hair together now.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°Go!¡± ¡°Go!¡±


    Wh-why!


    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Saintess¡­¡±


    ¡°God¡­¡±


    Before they knew it they were surrounded by the others, and their emotional exclamations. However, as for the two concerned¡­


    ¡°3 x 3 Eyes!*¡± ¡°3 x 3 Eyes!*¡±


    Can I please faint? Surely I should be allowed to lose consciousness at a time like this. Chiharu thought as she stared hard at Maki¡¯s forehead. She could tell by Maki¡¯s surprised expression that she had the same thing on her forehead too.


    ¡°No, now that I really look, that¡¯s not an eye. It looks like a gem. Maybe an opal.¡±


    Maki says. Chiharu tries touching her forehead. There really was something there. How had she not noticed until now? It was hard, whatever it was.


    ¡°We came to another world and turned into freaks¡­¡±


    Maki says sadly. No, that¡¯s not the worst of it Maki-chan! Now we¡¯ll never get married. And I was only just dumped. I¡¯ll never meet anyone now¡­


    ¡°How beautiful! Just like your predecessor, it suits you two very well.¡±


    The chancellor says with a bright smile.


    ¡°And to think that it has grown so much in just one day. This is astounding.¡±


    The king adds. Grown? It¡¯s going to get bigger!?


    ¡°Chihaaaru, don¡¯t look so surprised. I shall explain.¡±


    The king says. And so the two face him and sit upright on the sofa.


    ¡°Sera, is this not the first time a Saintess has not fainted at this point?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If my memory serves correctly.¡±


    But I did want to faint. Really.


    ¡°As Saintesses gather Miasma, a rainbow-colored gem is created on their foreheads. It will plop right off once it has grown a little larger.¡±


    I almost fainted once again. From what I could feel, the thing was the size of my thumbnail. And that would just plop right off¡­


    ¡°Chiharu, be strong!¡±


    ¡°Ughh. Plop off¡­¡±


    ¡°It does make me wonder. Is there a dent after it comes off?¡±


    ¡°A den¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru, it will not dent. Do not worry. They say that there is no pain as well. Once it is gone, your forehead will be normal again, before it slowly generates a new gem. Your predecessor only made one gem a year by the end.¡±


    Right, one a year.


    ¡°And at first?¡±


    ¡°Well that is, um¡­¡±


    The king¡¯s eyes swam awkwardly before landing on Sera.


    ¡°It should be once a month for the first couple of years.¡±


    ¡°Oh, just once a month. Then that¡¯s perfectly¡­not reasonable!!¡±


    Chiharu said as she jumped to her feet. She could understand the need to purify. But to have to excrete it as well!


    ¡°AHHH!¡± The room gasped.


    Plop. The rainbow-colored gem fell to her feet. Chiharu slowly brought her hand to her forehead. Yes. There was no dent. It was smooth.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Dear god. Chiharu, 25 years old. Has fainted for the first time.


    The last thing she saw was a flash of white hair in the corner of her vision, and then she thought she felt a strong hand support her.

 CH 6

    ¡°Just as we expected. It was unbearable for a young lady.¡±


    Grudo said kindly. No, I can bear it just fine? Maki raised her chin.


    ¡°Maki, you are the first Saintess ever who has not fainted.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite active, so small injuries are nothing to me. But Chiharu is always careful and always dependable. I think this was just too much for her for once. AH.¡±


    The gem fell from Maki¡¯s head as well.


    ¡°What are we supposed to do with this?¡±


    ¡°These are much better in quality than the magical stones found in the dungeon. Though, most Saintesses hated the idea of selling something that came out of their bodies, so we will not force you. But it would definitely help.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho.¡±


    Maki¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Chiharu, Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Uhh, ummm¡­¡±


    Maki shook Chiharu, who was for some reason leaning against Aeris on the sofa.


    ¡°We can sell these things!¡±


    ¡°Maki, stop acting so violently.¡±


    Aeris scolded her. What was up this guy? Did he think he was in charge of her? Whatever. I¡¯m the one who is going to be reprimanded about not waking her sooner if I tell her later.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°¡­sell?¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°I thought I heard something about selling.¡±


    ¡°These. We can sell them.¡±


    Chiharu looked at the gem in Maki¡¯s hand and scowled. Still, she inspected it and asked:


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The king was so surprised that he had become speechless.


    ¡°Ah, maybe he doesn¡¯t understand. Uh, so, money, sell, how much?¡±


    ¡°Chihaaaru, I do understand you. I am just, just a little surprised.¡±


    The king scratched at his eyebrows.


    ¡°Just one of those stones can fuel a train for a whole month. With this size, it would be nearly 1,000,000 gil, I would say.¡±


    ¡°And how much is 1,000,000 gil?¡±


    ¡°You use yen in your country I believe? Chancellor!¡±


    The Chancellor moved one step forward.


    ¡°With a place to stay, a family of four should be able to live off of 200,000 gil a month.¡±


    ¡°I see. So it is not too different from yen then.¡±


    Chiharu nodded satisfactorily.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. We will be able to live off of that.¡±


    ¡°What a relief. Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. What are you two talking about?¡±


    The king said frantically. Chiharu and Maki looked at him with confusion.


    ¡°Well, we need to make money to pay living expenses.¡±


    ¡°And I want to sightsee too.¡±


    The king sighed and massaged his temples. Grudo had been laughing in the back for a while now.


    ¡°Please listen carefully. You two are Saintesses summoned by God. You take risks in order to purify the world. All of the Sun World is indebted to you. You are to be praised by all.¡±


    ¡°Is that right.¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, yes. Nevermind. The point is, you do not have to worry about lodging.¡±


    ¡°Oh, we get a house! Yes!¡±


    The king asked Maki and Chiharu to stand up and brought them toward the window.


    ¡°There, that villa over there. Can you see?¡±


    ¡°Woah, the white walls are so cute.¡±


    ¡°Is that an orchard and a field? There is even a garden.¡±


    ¡°That is the Saintess Villa. It is where you two shall stay.¡±


    They looked dumbly at each other for a second before smiling, then they high-fived each other.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    Grudo asks.


    ¡°It¡¯s something you do with friends when you are happy and having fun.¡±


    Maki explains.


    ¡°Hehe. Will you do it with me then?¡±


    ¡°Of course, here.¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°This is quite fun.¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru, with me as well.¡±


    ¡°Aeris? Okay.¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°Ooh, this is good.¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru, me too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Just call me Edwy.¡±


    ¡°¡­Edwy.¡±


    Slap! Edwy laughed happily.


    ¡°King?¡±


    ¡°I am fine.¡±


    Maki¡¯s gaze turned to Zynis.


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    Slap! It was more of a low-five, but his tail was wagging energetically. He smiled as his eyes met Maki¡¯s.


    ¡°Have we settled down now?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You are guaranteed clothes, food and shelter. And you will also be given a monthly salary. I believe it is 1,000,000 a month. Sera?¡±


    ¡°Yes, your majesty. However, previous Saintesses have used very little of it. And so there is an additional, most enormous fortune remaining.¡±


    ¡°Then you can freely use that as well, as long as it does not harm any civilians. Do you understand?¡±


    The two nodded.


    ¡°There is more I would like to talk to you about, but that can wait for tomorrow. When you feel that you are ready to listen again, please let me know. Though, it would help if you did not take too much time.¡±


    ¡°We understand.¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru, Maki.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I cannot apologize for it. But we are very grateful that you have come to our world.¡±


    The king gave a deep bow. The others in the room followed.


    They couldn¡¯t quite tell him that it was fine, that they did not care. There was no replacing what they had lost. They stayed silent and nodded. That was all that was needed now.


    For some reason, Aeris, Zynis and the prince were escorting Maki and Chiharu back to their room. Then, Maki suddenly stopped.


    ¡°Chiharu, let¡¯s not go to the room now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Uh, Sera?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We want to eat lunch outside. Can you prepare it for us?¡±


    ¡°Of course. The Saintess Villa is already prepared for your arrival. Will you go now?¡±


    ¡°No, somewhere close by. We can go right now.¡±


    Sera began to order another servant.


    ¡°Well then, please excuse us.¡±


    ¡°Excuse us.¡±


    ¡°What, me too?¡±


    ¡°Prince.¡±


    Aeris and Zynis then dragged the prince, who had looked like he wanted to stay with them.


    ¡°That was my chance to get to know them! And I knew a good place to eat.¡±


    The prince said dejectedly. Aeris replied quietly.


    ¡°Edwy, you must not be fooled by how cheerful they appear. It has taken every previous Saintess a whole month to be able to talk about the mark on their heads. And they have done it in just one day.¡±


    ¡°I think the marks are beautiful.¡±


    ¡°And yet, what would you think if such a gem sprouted from the palm of your hand all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    The prince looked at his hand.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°And they are women. It is not something easily accepted.¡±


    ¡°But, they were well enough to want to go outside.¡±


    Aeris sighed.


    ¡°It was probably too depressing for them to return to their room.¡±


    ¡°Depressing¡­¡±


    ¡°It makes you think of so many things. It is better to be out under the sun at such times. Maki and Chihaaru must have similar minds to us elves.¡±


    ¡°And I am sure that they would prefer to be away from strangers at such a time.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so, Zynis?¡±


    ¡°I do. Do not worry, prince. Maki and Chihaaru will come to terms with what happened eventually.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    Edwy said begrudgingly. Then he suddenly smiled.


    ¡°Even so, when they said ¡®how much?¡¯ I have never seen father become speechless like that before.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It was a sight to behold.¡±


    Zynis laughed. It was a warm, bright day in the Sun World. They looked out the window and saw that Maki and Chihaaru were slowly walking toward the garden. They sent a silent prayer in hopes that the spirits of the Saintesses¡¯ would also become sunny.

 CH 7

    It was quite the luxury to have lunch prepared for you in the garden. They would not have been able to ask for it yesterday. However, it seemed that being overly modest here would probably only make them worry. Or so Chiharu thought, and so she had declared that she wanted to go out to the gardens.


    The season seemed to be the same as Japan. As they looked at the garden with its beautiful rose-like flowers, a table was set out with some light dishes for them to eat.


    ¡°We prepared some refreshing drinks for you, but please call if you prefer some tea instead.¡±


    So saying, the guards and even Sera moved away to where we couldn¡¯t see them.


    Chiharu and Maki sat down in their chairs. The wind was refreshing.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t able to ask about whether we could return.¡±


    ¡°There was hardly an opportunity to.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was too shocked.¡±


    Both touched their smooth foreheads at the same time.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s growing again.¡±


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t fall off this time. Can you imagine accidentally dropping something worth a million?¡±


    A small gem was already taking shape on their foreheads. But wasn¡¯t it supposed to be just once a month?


    ¡°I know! What if you covered it with a net, kind of like those hothouse mangoes?¡±


    ¡°Aah, so it will fall off when it is ripe and the net catches it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But then I¡¯ll look like I¡¯m injured.¡±


    Chiharu protested. Maki thought about it.


    ¡°Oh, I know. That ninja thing.¡±


    ¡°Ah, a headband?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you can put a Saintess mark on it.¡±


    ¡°Saintess mark? ¡­like a third eye?¡±


    ¡°No waaay.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Both of them looked up in despair. Then Chiharu said:


    ¡°Realistically, I think we should cover it with a ribbon and tie the bow on the side of our heads.¡±


    ¡°Ouch. I can¡¯t do that as a 25-year-old.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s better than a net or a bandanna. And dropping it too.¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    ¡°So in other words¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°He said ¡®once a year¡¯ at the end.''¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°That means we¡¯ll die here without ever going back, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    The sky was blue, and the wind brought the scent of flowers with it. The food smelled good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t fight on an empty stomach.¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re a ninja now?¡±


    ¡°We already rejected that option.¡±


    Their breakfast had consisted of rice balls, but lunch was centered around bread. The first thing that caught their eyes was the salad. It was shredded carrots and radishes that were marinated and placed into small white bowls. The subtly sweet and sour flavor was a great appetizer. Next was thin slices of what resembled French bread that was covered in blue and yellow pastes. There was also thin slices of ham and fat omelets that were half the size of the palm of your hand. There were also oysters that were cooked in a golden oil and stuffed with meat.


    Once they took their first bite, they could hardly stop. Of course, this was not an amount that they could actually finish. However, the food had just the right kind of spices that kept the food delicious even after it cooled down. And they wanted to take at least one bite of everything.


    Once they were satisfied, they tasted the drinks that had been prepared.


    ¡°It smells like grapefruit. Maybe it¡¯s water with just the peels inside?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not sweet, but it¡¯s refreshing. I feel like I drank this before?¡±


    ¡°Last night, before bed.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±


    Some things were best left forgotten. The sky was so blue today. Maki thought.


    ¡°What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of how much money we have, or our position as automatic gem production machines, I would still like to have a job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°But if we have clothing, food, and shelter secured for us, we should start with something that we want to do. I think that it¡¯s part of our job to use the money as well.¡±


    Chiharu said. They didn¡¯t have to start some big initiative just yet, they should try and use the money that had been saved for them.


    ¡°I want to go to Rasche¡¯s country!¡±


    ¡°You mean Zynis.¡±


    ¡°Right. I wonder if they are all like him. Do you think there are cat people too? What about pandas?¡±


    ¡°I doubt there are so many different types.¡±


    ¡°They also said something about a train.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that would be fun! I wonder if they sell food inside?¡±


    ¡°I bet they do. It¡¯s an old style after all. There will be tea that¡¯s not in plastic bottle and sandwiches.¡±


    ¡°Maybe the tea will be in unglazed pottery.¡±


    ¡°That you can toss out the window when you¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°Maybe each train station will have their own special foods.¡±


    ¡°Like lunch boxes.¡±


    Both of them were now quite carried away with making future plans.


    ¡°I wonder what Aeris¡¯ country is like.¡±


    ¡°He is an elf. They live in forests.¡±


    ¡°I read somewhere that they mainly eat thin cookies and avoid any meat.¡±


    ¡°And they like archery.¡±


    ¡°Why do they need bows if they don¡¯t eat meat?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe they do eat meat then.¡±


    ¡°We will have to learn more about this world if we want to travel.¡±


    ¡°Research first, huh?¡±


    After that, they continued to discuss what they would do, until Sera called to them.


    That night, Edwy was making preparations to go to sleep.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask them their ages after all, but they are probably close to mine. But they seemed pretty mature, so maybe just a little older.¡±


    There were paintings of the past Saintess¡¯ in the royal palace. They all had dark hair and eyes and were generally short in height. The prince had seen these painting since he was young and been enraptured. And now there was one before him. Specifically, Chihaaru.


    Of course, Maki was splendid as well. However, while Aeris had gotten there first, the way Chiharu had fainted only to come back with the most pragmatic reaction was something he could not forget.


    Of course, he had the resolve to protect his people as the next king. But he also wanted to protect Chihaaru¡­ Edwy was already considering changing everything for Chiharu at a moments notice, if she would only ask. Just then¡­


    ¡°Edwy, do you have a moment?¡±


    ¡°Aeris, Zynis. It¡¯s rare for you to come to visit so late.¡±


    His senior friends had come to take him somewhere.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Well, you will see.¡±


    They were headed for the Saintess¡¯ room. There were two guards by the door, along with Sera, the King and even Grudo.


    ¡°Father, you¡¯re here too?¡±


    The king gestured for him to be silent. Quiet? But why?


    This room was a normal guest room, there was no sitting room inside. In other words, Chihaaru was just behind the one door. Of course, so was Maki.


    He tried to quiet the beating of his heart as he slowly walked closer to the others. And then he was startled.


    There was a faint crying sound from the other side of the door. He couldn¡¯t understand what was being said, but he could tell that they were taking turns saying something and crying. Edwy looked at Aeris and Zynis. They nodded. They had told him to not be fooled by how cheerful they looked. So that¡¯s what they meant.


    They kept watch by the door, praying together until the sounds disappeared from behind the door.


    They prayed that the darkness would at least be kind to the two.

 CH 8

    The next day, Maki and Chiharu were in the king¡¯s study.


    ¡°Are you prepared to hear more now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please tell us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. That being said¡­¡±


    The king began.


    ¡°The most important part was told to you yesterday. You two should live the rest of your days here as you please. As I said before, all necessities will be provided for you. If there is anything that you want, you need only tell us. I will do what is in my power to help.¡±


    Rest of your days. So it was true. But she had to at least ask properly. Maki thought.


    ¡°So we can never return?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am sorry. No Saintess has ever returned.¡±


    She had thought as much. Their mouths trembled a little as the king continued. He knew that these two would be able to accept it.


    ¡°And so¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Today, Aeris and Zynis will talk.¡±


    ¡°I will go first.¡±


    Aeris began.


    ¡°Of course, Saintesses purify the world of miasma by just existing. However, these human lands are much farther from the shadow world than other lands. Our own territories are along its border, and the miasma is thicker there. As you can tell by how the palace was purified in one day, it is much faster in areas close to the Saintess.¡±


    Here he stopped and looked hard at Maki and Chiharu as if to confirm something.


    ¡°If possible, it would be of great help if you could come directly to the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°And the beast lands as well.¡±


    ¡°Do not forget the dwarven lands. Eh, Maki and Chihaaru?¡±


    Grudo said with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Us dwarves are famous for making cider.¡±


    Maki¡¯s eyes lit up. Cider!


    ¡°Hey, Grudo, play fair! Why must I explain the troublesome part only for you to come in like this!¡±


    Aeris said frantically.


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru. We elves have wine. And not only that. But honey wine as well. It is made from the honey of bees in our own elven forests.¡±


    Honey wine! Chiharu¡¯s eyes also lit up. And then both of them looked towards Zynis with mounting expectations. Zynis scratched his head with a slightly uneasy look.


    ¡°We beasts do not care for such drinks. But, we have skewers of layered meat that are broiled and covered in a special sauce. It is very popular among travelers.¡±


    They thought that it sounded similar to a kebab, and their eyes danced with joy. Aeris saw this and his hopes rose. He would tell them more about their famous dishes to persuade them. However, there was one thing he needed to tell them first, for fairness sake.


    ¡°There is one thing.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu gulped.


    ¡°Unless we are to take a much longer route, we will have to cross the sea. This means going by airship.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!!¡±


    ¡°Uh, what was that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!!¡±


    Perhaps he was hearing them wrong.


    ¡°Just now¡­¡±


    ¡°I will go.¡±


    Maki said without hesitation. Grudo was in a fit of laughter.


    ¡°It looks like even elf ears lose their sharpness after 300 years.¡±


    ¡°That is rude, you are nearly the same age as I.¡±


    Aeris grumbled. And then he asked the two with a concerned voice.


    ¡°These airships will fly quite high. Can you handle such heights?¡±


    Maki answered him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really like high places. But it doesn¡¯t really bother me if it is very high.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you must have traveled on an airship before?¡±


    ¡°Not an airship, but an airplane.¡±


    ¡°And what might that be?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a metal vehicle that flies in the sky at incredible speed.¡±


    ¡°The previous Saintess made no mention of that.¡±


    ¡°It must have become common later on then.¡±


    From the sounds of it, their two worlds moved at the same pace. The previous Saintess had arrived 60 years ago, so she might have experienced the war when she was a child. Before her, it would have been someone from the Taisho or Meiji periods. She would have to ask about it later.


    ¡°I would like to hear about this vehicle you speak of.¡±


    Grudo said with much interest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can. It is very complicated, but I will try.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I would expect nothing more as it is not your profession.¡±


    ¡°Grudo, stop changing the subject.¡±


    ¡°Pardon me.¡±


    Aeris said with annoyance.


    ¡°Now, it would help us greatly if you could come as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡±


    Maki hesitated. Maki, huh? Aeris thought that it would be Chihaaru who would object. He waited for her to continue.


    ¡°I talked about this with Chiharu yesterday, but both of us are still very ignorant about this world. We can communicate for some reason, but I don¡¯t know if I can even read yet. Geography and History. How people live, the value of things. We want to study these a little before leaving.¡±


    ¡°Also, if we are going to go and purify as part of our job, then we need to consider how many days is the most effective to stay, and what order we should travel as well.¡±


    Chiharu added after Maki.


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    Chiharu continued.


    ¡°What about the budget?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room fell silent.


    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t know. Um¡­you know, transportation fees, hotel fees, food etcetera.¡±


    ¡°We understand, Chihaaru. It is just that¡­I had had not thought of that.¡±


    Aeris answered.


    ¡°Not thought of it?¡±


    Chiharu scowled.


    ¡°I did not even think that you would agree to go. The previous Saintesses were mostly very quiet and, um¡­not that you two are not graceful ladies in your own way.¡±


    Aeris said in a panic. Graceful? They both narrowed their eyes.


    ¡°Well then, we elves shall prepare a private airship just for you.¡±


    ¡°The dwarves will private a private train then. You will have 3 cars all to yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Then you will have a private elephant in the beast land.¡±


    Wait a second. A private airship, private train. Private¡­elephant?


    ¡°The larger elephants are good-tempered and move slowly. You will be able to enjoy the journey. And a special basket will be made to ride in.¡±


    Zynis said with a smile.


    Ah, I know! Maki said joyfully.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a shallow basket weaved from branches that you can sit in, right?¡±


    ¡°Hm? Guests will ride in large box-shaped baskets.¡±


    Box-shaped?


    ¡°Like a bird cage?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Like a basket to keep a wounded bird inside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that sounds like a cage.¡±


    Hearing Maki say this, Aeris suddenly turned around as if remembering something.


    ¡°Zynis, you did say something about preparing a special cage, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°A figure of speech.¡±


    Zynis said hurriedly.


    ¡°It is to protect Maki and Chihaaru. It must be shaped like a box to protect them. Otherwise, they might come from above in packs.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other. They? Packs? Both of them suddenly thought of a certain Hitchcock film. Hahaha. As if.


    Suddenly, the air in the room shook. The king shouted in surprise.


    ¡°What? It is not the day that the scheduled delivery is supposed to arrive! Zynis! Did you have it come early?¡±


    ¡°No! I have not made any contact, as I thought we should wait for the Saintesses to settle in. Wah!¡±


    I gust of wind came into the study, documents fluttered around as two shadows appeared on the wide balcony connected to the window.


    Maki and Chiharu had covered their faces at this sudden occurrence, but they slowly raised their heads as the wind died down.


    ¡°There.¡±


    ¡°There.¡±


    The two shadows said, their large wings spread out in front of the sky.

 CH 9

    Maki and Chiharu looked towards the voice and saw the newcomers just as their wings folded neatly. Bird people! Maki looked at Chiharu excitedly. So there were others aside from dog people after all!


    They were a pair; a man and a woman. Their folded wings were white like a dove. As for their bodies, they were much like Zynis with wings. Human, but slightly taller than most. Also, both of them had hair that was as white as their wings. Their eyes were yellow.


    ¡°Why did you come here?¡±


    Zynis said in a severe voice.


    ¡°This is the office of the king. There are separate landing areas for birdfolk. Did you leave your manners at home?¡±


    ¡°You are one to speak of manners, Zynis. As if this human king who attempts to hide the Saintess deserves any respect.¡±


    Hide. Arthur sighed.


    ¡°It is no secret. The Saintesses have only arrived two nights ago. It is because of fools like you who cannot control themselves, that you were not immediately informed. And that was my decision, not the human king¡¯s.¡±


    Zynis said.


    Maki had been very excited at the sight of these guests, but she quickly realized that the atmosphere in the room was quite different than what she felt.


    ¡°How did you even find out?¡±


    ¡°The miasma has thinned.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°It is a level that most people would not have noticed. Yet we birdfolk have a stronger affinity with the air than other beasts. And the only reason we could think of for this change was the Saintess.¡±


    And then their eyes turned to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°And then we came here, and just as we thought, the level of miasma is much lower in the human territories. You said it was the day before yesterday, Zynis. But it is not possible to purify the land so quickly. The king must have been hiding the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°And I am saying that you are wrong. Does your ruler know about this?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Everything was left to us.¡±


    So saying, the two bird people entered into the king¡¯s room.


    ¡°Two? Which one is it?¡±


    The female one said as she beat her wings.


    ¡°Kyah!¡± ¡°Kyah!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu both closed their eyes in surprise. But they were simultaneously pleased by how cute they sounded.


    Not that that was important now.


    ¡°What are you doing! You surprised Maki and Chihaaru!¡±


    Aeris immediately came forward to protect them. He always tried to protect them. And Chiharu didn¡¯t hate this at all. For some reason.


    ¡°Sister, which one is?¡±


    ¡°Brother, they both have the mark.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu both felt their foreheads. The wings had beat at them in order to move their bangs. The really could have just asked them. These guys were dangerous. Maki thought with suspicion.


    The sister spread her wings yet again. And just as everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn towards her¡­


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Chiharu had been captured by the brother. He had suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her. Just as she lost her balance and was about to fall, she was scooped up. Now, Chiharu was being carried under his arm, and could not move. At first, Chiharu looked on dazedly like a cat, as she was hoisted by this 2-meter tall birdman. But she quickly began to resist. Though there was not much she could do while being suspended in the air. She tried hitting the arm that was around her, but he didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Do not struggle, Saintess. We will fly in the sky. Do you wish to fall?¡±


    He whispered into her ear, and a chill ran down her spine. But I¡¯m not good with heights!


    The sister held the others back with her spread wings as the brother moved to the balcony. Wait, wait! Are we really going to jump from the balcony?


    ¡°We will now take you to the beast territories. You will be returned once things have settled there. Until then, we promise to treat you well.¡±


    This is a very bad start! I am not something that can be rented out! And what about the sea? Chiharu thought morosely. Maki¡¯s voice shouted at her.


    ¡°Chiharu, relax!¡±


    Just as Chiharu allowed herself to relax and droop inside of his arm, something came. It was the same moment that the brother looked at Chiharu quizzically.


    It was a roundhouse kick from Maki that came flying. Maki knew karate. A drunken Maki had once boasted that she could perform such a kick on anyone who was at least 170 cm tall. However, this guy was 2 meters. Chiharu ducked as low as she could to stay out of the way.


    Bam! Maki¡¯s foot landed on his shoulder, and for a moment he was stunned, as the strength left his body. Now! However, Chiharu was not quite as fast. Before she could start struggling again, he quickly tightened his hold on her. If this was how it was going to be!


    Chiharu allowed herself to go even limper inside the birdman¡¯s grip. And just as he tried to adjust his hold on her, she bent backward as fast as she could. Boom!


    ¡°Gyaa!¡±


    She heard a voice that sounded like nothing she had ever heard before, and then her head began to hurt. She had gone wild when his grip had loosened and slipped out of his hold. Good! Aeris was quick to sweep her off the floor.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    The birdwoman quickly went to her brother who held his face and stumbled. Zynis and the prince stood in front of Maki and Chiharu, who was supported by Aeris.


    ¡°Calm down!¡±


    The king¡¯s voice shouted. His office was a wreck. Documents were scattered, the bird people moaned, the Saintesses were frozen near the wall, the guards were about to attack.


    Thinking about it now, he really should have left it to the guards from the beginning. Or so Maki and Chiharu thought, as one rubbed at her sore foot and the other her head.


    ¡°Do you intend to start a war?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. This is all the fault of the humans.¡±


    The sister accused. The kings replied in a quiet voice.


    ¡°It is true that Saintesses have not been sent to the lands of the beastfolk. But that was something that the Saintesses of old had decided by themselves. Taking them by force may have resulted in faster purification, but what of the strain on them? How could we treat them like that, when they came all the way here after being separated from their families? Saintesses are not objects. We cannot lend them out against their will.¡±


    ¡°We must give them to time to get settled. They have only just arrived the day before yesterday.¡±


    Zynis adds.


    ¡°But that does not match the speed of purification.¡±


    ¡°It is likely because there are two of them.¡±


    ¡°Two¡­¡±


    Come to think of it, Maki remembered. They knew that both of them had the mark, but then why had they only gone for Chiharu? She didn¡¯t want to be abducted, but it was a little damaging to her confidence to not have been chosen. However, they later asked about this and were told that they chose the one who looked easier to carry. Chiharu was not happy about this, which Maki found amusing.


    ¡°We were just in the middle of discussing the possibility of them visiting the beast territories, but now they are likely to never come. All because of you.¡±


    Zynis grumbled. The two bird people looked at Maki and Chiharu with surprise.


    ¡°They would come this time?¡±


    ¡°That is what I said.¡±


    Maki then realized something.


    ¡°Is this the reason that the basket is shaped like a box?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because this tribe of curious and quick-tempered people would try to take you away.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu had now learned this first-hand. They would definitely be riding in the cages without complaint now.

 CH 10

    I had really thought that your chief would come here directly.¡±


    ¡°I as well.¡±


    Zynis and Arthur said.


    ¡°Our chief did want to come, but was persuaded that we would get here much quicker, as we are younger.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. It is very troublesome when strong curiosity meets quick action. Maki, Chihaaru, please come here.¡±


    As they had been called by the king, Maki and Chiharu hesitantly made their way to the window, trying as to avoid the two bird people as much as possible.


    ¡°Look up at the sky. See, above the city.¡±


    It was the window that they had seen the Saintess palace from yesterday. They now saw a blue sea sparkling in the sunlight and the city that stretched below the royal palace. This was a port city. No wonder why the clams had been so delicious. Chiharu recalled their lunch yesterday. She would have to ask if they had sashimi next time. Seagulls flew in the sky. Seagulls? They looked very big.


    ¡°Those are bird people. They are a very curious race and have crossed the sea from the beast lands in just half a day. Some come here to trade, others to sightsee. If there is someone they like, they might whisk them off their feet and into the clouds, much to the people¡¯s pleasure, and we usually have a very friendly relationship with them.¡±


    ¡°Usually?¡±


    ¡°We have nothing but trouble when it comes to Saintesses. As they so love to travel, they do not understand the feelings of a Saintess who does not wish to leave the palace. And they have tried to abduct them many times in spite of warnings. They would often appear at the Saintess palace without warning, making them highly disliked by your predecessor. She especially disliked the chief.¡±


    ¡°And so we did not want to tell them until you got settled a little.¡±


    Zynis said. And then the brother butted in.


    ¡°But the sky is so fun!¡±


    Have you no shame! Chiharu thought with contempt.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you would drop me if I moved!¡±


    ¡°I said that you would drop if you moved.¡±


    Grrrrrr. Perhaps he did. But it was still aggravating. I know what to do!


    ¡°Saying that I would fall in that situation is the same thing as threatening meee. Ah, that was so frightening! Bird people are scaaary.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Chihaaru, you poor thing. Those scoundrels were most annoying when we were still conducting experiments with our airships as well. There is no need to consort with these bird people. Damn it. We elves are not like those ruffians, rest assured.¡±


    Oh. I¡¯m so sorry. It seems like I accidentally fooled a different, decent person. It hurts my conscious.


    ¡°Chihaaru¡­¡±


    The king massaged his temples. Sorry, I was talking like a child just now.


    ¡°No, we bird people are not scary! I only told you the truth so you would not be in danger!¡±


    Still going on, huh?


    ¡°Ahhhh, being pulled so suddenly gave me a fright!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not frightful, it¡¯s not! See? I will do it properly next time.¡±


    The brother said frantically, but Maki and Grudo were holding their stomachs and laughing.


    ¡°Why are you laughing!¡± ¡°Why are you laughing!¡±


    Both Aeris and the bird brother asked at the same time, which only made them laugh louder. Hmmm, I better stop it here for the sake of Aeris and his pureness. The bird brother acted like a child, so a child¡¯s revenge was all that was necessary.


    ¡°I am sure you two have had a great shock. But the fact that Saintesses could not be sent to the beast lands has been a disadvantage to us as well. Even when an outrage like this occurs, we can do no more but give a warning, as we must avoid a diplomatic problem. Though, we should have had better security. We will do what we can in regards to security measures. I hope that you can forgive us.¡±


    The king said. Chiharu¡¯s eyes caught Maki¡¯s and they thought the same thing. It could not be helped.


    ¡°We forgive you.¡± ¡°We forgive you.¡±


    ¡°I am grateful.¡±


    ¡°It is deplorable that such a person is to be the next chief. You two, you are the ones who should apologize, Sauro and Saikania.¡±


    Zynis urged.


    ¡°I was wrong to be in such a rush.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been as rough as my brother over here.¡±


    ¡°Saikania! Apologize!¡±


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    They didn¡¯t seem sincere one bit. Oh, dear. Maki asked them a question.


    ¡°Were you really going to take Chiharu and fly over the sea?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Though, carrying someone that far is really hard. I would have probably dropped her along the way.¡±


    This guy. Chiharu was burning with rage as Maki calmly continued.


    ¡°It would be painful to be carried the whole way. I would like to ride in a basket.¡±


    ¡°A basket?¡± ¡°A basket?¡±


    Sauro and Saikania said in unison.


    ¡°You know what I mean, Chiharu? Like in those cartoons. You tie a bunch of string to a basked and the crows take you away.¡±


    ¡°There is no such cartoon.¡±


    Chiharu said flatly. She didn¡¯t want to agree with her.


    ¡°That is true. I had thought to carry you myself, but it would be much easier to do so as a team, if we are going long distance. We are forbidden from anything related to airships as the pull of levistones makes them unstable, but perhaps we could balance it out with three people?¡±


    ¡°Then you will be able to put multiple people inside, and tourists to the beast lands will increase!¡±


    ¡°Us dwarves are glad to help with any interesting enterprises, you know?¡±


    See? I knew that this would happen! Though, the king was still massaging his temples.


    Yes, it does seem interesting. It is interesting. If this had been suggested in the beginning, I would have been excited, I would have wanted the bird people to carry us. I would have lined up for hours and paid to buy tickets.


    But that was scary. It was scary.


    ¡°Sorry, Chiharu. I know you were scared. I should have thought about that.¡±


    Maki tried to take out a handkerchief, but she didn¡¯t even have one. And so Aeris softly wiped away her tears.


    ¡°Is she crying?¡±


    ¡°I am crying.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The bird siblings rushed over to Chiharu and raised her high into the air. Ah, it was the same thing that Zynis did with Maki. No one was fast enough to stop it. These guys were so fast. Damn it.


    Clink. Oh, my million.


    ¡°AH!!¡± ¡°AH!!¡± ¡°AH!!¡± ¡°AH!!¡±


    I¡¯ve had enough of these bird people!


    And yet, it was only the third day.

 CH 11

    In the end, their third day did not consist of any fruitful discussion of future plans, and the two went off to bed exhausted.


    Chiharu had always hated noisy alarm clocks, and in Japan, she had always used an alarm clock that sounded like the song of a little bird. She had used this for 10 years. On the other hand, Maki was good with getting up in the morning, and so she had never needed an alarm clock. And so Chiharu had always dreamed of waking up to the real sounds of a bird¡¯s voice.


    It had happened when she was in university. She had gone on a trip with her friends. They walked a dark path in the night, the rich natural scenery around them, as they headed towards the place they would be staying at. Chiharu had been excited about the morning. The result was¡­


    ¡°GIGII-GGUGUU-GYAGYAAAA!¡±


    ¡°Kkkkkeen-kkkeeekkkeeen¡±


    ¡°GYOO-GYOOGH!!¡±


    ¡°CCHI-CHI-CHIII!¡±


    ¡°SHUUUT UPPP!!!¡±


    She woke up in a rage. It was probably the sparrows in the city who were the most relaxing to listen to after all. She realized that the chirping of the many birds in the wild had an almost violent volume.


    Chiharu told Maki of this story in the morning.


    ¡°Yeah, I get it. I totally get it. I mean, I just got it. Small birds can be annoying as it is. And now we have these big ones.¡±


    The two were still sharing the same bed. They lay on their backs and stared at the ceiling. A gentle morning light was leaking from the curtains, but there was a large shadow from behind. The shadow flew, it¡¯s wings beating loudly and several voices could be heard from near the balcony. What happened to security? There were angry voices of what were probably the guards that could be heard from under the balcony.


    ¡°It¡¯s them, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, are you still curious about other types of beastfolk?¡±


    ¡°Well, as for that¡­¡±


    Maki grew a little silent.


    ¡°So if this is what the bird people are like, then if there are cat people too, would they also be two meters tall and like to get cozy with humans?¡±


    Chiharu shivered a little. Being surrounded by lots of cats was happiness itself. But not if they were two meters tall.


    ¡°Zynis was fine, but what if the other dog people were really interested in humans?¡±


    Chiharu imagined a dozen dog people pouncing onto her. I wonder if ¡®wait¡¯ would work on them?


    ¡°Le-let¡¯s save the beast lands for the last.¡±


    ¡°We can go once we get more accustomed to this world.¡±


    Knock-knock. The sound echoed from the door.


    ¡°It is Sera.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    It was unusual for her to come without being called. Sera opened the door and came inside. Then she smiled with a troubled expression.


    ¡°I am terribly sorry. The chief¡¯s son did return yesterday, but apparently, he has bragged to the others about having spoken to the current Saintesses.¡±


    That bastard! They had barely exchanged a proper word.


    ¡°Furthermore, the sister also told the others that the two Saintesses were very cute. This information has spread throughout the birdfolk network and to the whole country. And so many have flown here by night to see you.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they told to give us some time to adjust?¡±


    ¡°I do not know if the importance of that was understood by them¡­¡±


    Sera said with some embarrassment. Night Flight!


    ¡°In any case, the people here will have this all sorted out. So if you could please just stay here in this room. Your breakfast will be brought to you immediately.¡±


    Sera said and then left the room. Maki opened her mouth.


    ¡°Do you think they have this under control?¡±


    ¡°No way. Those bird people don¡¯t listen to what you say!¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Poor Arthur.¡±


    Well, they weren¡¯t really sure how their relationship was in terms of power. It seemed that there was no actual fighting, but it did not seem that Arthur had much authority either.


    ¡°What do you think needs to be done?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best to let them do what they want. But I just don¡¯t want them to be forceful like they were yesterday.¡±


    Chiharu said.


    ¡°Sorry about that, Chiharu.¡±


    Maki said a little dejectedly. Chiharu replied:


    ¡°And so I will go myself.¡±


    ¡°To the beast lands?¡±


    ¡°No. At first, they were talking about the miasma and acting all serious, but they clearly just want to see a Saintess and carry her away. Saying no won¡¯t do anything. They will wait for their chance and try to kidnap you. I think it¡¯s considered very funny for them.¡±


    ¡°It did seem that way.¡±


    ¡°And so¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°I will show my face to prove that there really is a Saintess here. And I will let them see me being carried at least once.¡±


    ¡°I see. You are going to appeal that this Saintess is fine with birdfolk, but that you are not ready to travel long distance yet, but will very soon.¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    Today they also wore the one-piece and layered oriental dresses. There were many combinations of color that made dressing very fun. Maki and Chiharu quickly washed up and faced each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And then they opened the window to the balcony, where all of the noises were coming from.


    And finally, everything became silent. Even the soldiers below the balcony fell quiet in surprise.


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes scanned the scene before them. There were birds everywhere. What about him? Where is he? There. If only I could punch him!


    ¡°Sauro!¡±


    She called him, and he came forward with the loud flapping of wings.


    ¡°Ohhh.¡±


    ¡°The Saintess.¡±


    ¡°There are two.¡±


    ¡°That one is tiny.¡±


    ¡°Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°She called the chief¡¯s son by name.¡±


    Hey, who called me tiny!


    ¡°Chihaaru! Maki!¡±


    He smoothly descended as the other birds made way for him. They couldn¡¯t deny that he looked very cool doing this.


    ¡°Everyone wanted to see you two. I told them that you were not likely to visit us until you were settled. But if you cannot come, that only means that we must visit you. And so I brought them all.¡±


    He was hopelessly optimistic and a man of action.


    ¡°But you were told to wait until we had adjusted.¡±


    ¡°And have you adjusted?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    What was this? It was tiring. I guess they wanted to wait nearby until we were adjusted then.


    ¡°Sauro, this is just a guess, but your chief is here isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°How did you know! He is over there.¡±


    Arthur was in the garden since the early morning and talking with someone with large white wings. Oh, there he goes massaging his temples again. Chiharu signed. Her eyes met Maki¡¯s and Maki nodded before shouting.


    ¡°Saikania!¡±


    ¡°Maki!¡±


    The sister bird came down with a smile.


    ¡°Take us to the chief.¡± ¡°Take us to the chief.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Chihaaru was so scared last time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine as long as it¡¯s not without warning. Slowly, okay.¡±


    And as all the other birdfolk watched, the bird siblings picked up the two Saintesses and slowly carried them down to the gardens. Ah, my underwear is visi¡­no, it¡¯s not.


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru. I am sorry to disturb you so early in the morning.¡±


    King Arthur said.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. But what is happening?¡±


    Chiharu asked.


    ¡°So you two are the current Saintesses then.¡±


    Said someone who looked a lot like Sauro. He was probably the chief. Someone who had long wished to meet a Saintess, but had been hated by the previous one. In Japan, they called such people stalkers.


    But now he must be too old to fly such long distances. He looked tired.


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru, this is the chief of the birdfolk. Miragaia. Miragaia, these two are the current Saintesses, Maki and Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru.¡±


    The chief repeated the names as if they were close to his heart.


    ¡°Forgive me for disturbing you in the morning. But we just had to look at your faces.¡±


    That was really all it was with these bird people. That was enough for them to cross the sea.


    ¡°Chief Miragaia.¡±


    ¡°Call me Mira.¡±


    ¡°Chief Mira, we have only just yesterday been invited to the beast lands, the elf lands and the dwarf lands for the first time. And it is only our fourth day in this country.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    He looked as if he was hearing this information for the first time. Was he really the chief?


    ¡°Maki and I love to travel. We would be happy to be carried by the bird people, as long as it is not too sudden.¡±


    ¡°In that case!¡±


    ¡°We will go to the beast lands eventually. But, we want to educate ourselves first. And do some planning before setting off.¡±


    ¡°So an immediate departure¡­¡±


    ¡°Is not possible. There is so much to get used to, we are just trying to adjust to the differences here.¡±


    Miragaia looked very disappointed at this.


    ¡°Mira, you must get it through your thick skull that you lot have done things that deserve severe dislike.¡±


    Arthur said. Chiharu continued.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t come so early in the morning and without warning. Also, don¡¯t kidnap us either. Let us meet at normal hours like normal people.¡±


    ¡°Would you meet with us if we came?¡±


    ¡°Of course. As long as it¡¯s not without warning.¡±


    Miragaia¡¯s face lit up then.


    ¡°Then would you fly with me a little? Only Sauro and Saikania have had that honor. But I have wanted to do this for so long.¡±


    What a child. Inside. Chiharu looked at Maki. It¡¯s your turn, Maki.


    ¡°Alright, Chiharu. Then I¡¯ll go with, hey, wha, ahhh¡­!¡±


    Feel the horror of being suddenly taken away, Maki-chan! Chiharu¡¯s gleeful laughter echoed throughout the gardens. Spreading a warm feeling in the atmosphere. Except for Maki.


    Yes. At least her underwear wasn¡¯t visible.

 CH 12

    Miragaia had said it would be a quick stroll, but he ended up flying way up high.


    Maki said something to him and pointed in different directions and he would take her there.


    ¡°Maki seems to be very calm about it.¡±


    Arthur muttered.


    ¡°Maki is more accepting of things and people as they are.¡±


    Chiharu replied.


    ¡°And so you must be extra cautious to make up for that?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly¡­¡±


    She wasn¡¯t being cautious for Maki¡¯s sake. She just didn¡¯t like being in situations where she had no control. Of course, being easily swayed might look cute and have helped her keep her boyfriend¡­ But still.


    ¡°Maki¡¯s chill and accepting personality is what I like about her. You can relax when you are with her.¡±


    Chiharu said.


    ¡°And so there were a lot of people who tried to take advantage of that in the other world. People thought that she was too generous and lacked firmness. She would be hurt by people who forced their ideals on her, only to be disappointed later on.¡±


    ¡°Do you think then, that she is trying to show everyone how she truly is?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t want to think too deeply about her friend. And of course, there were many things that you just had to endure when you had a job. But they both made an effort to be pleasant company when around each other.


    ¡°Something about you reminds me of my dead wife.¡±


    ¡°Dead¡­ Edwy¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°She was very weak physically. She passed away as soon as he was born. Everyone said that she could not be queen, and that she would not have children. But she was strong and supported me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it was¡­an honor.¡±


    Perhaps that was why the prince was so spoiled. Arthur grinned a little and continued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I would call it an honor. My wife could be very black-hearted.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But I am not black-hearted? I¡¯m just uh, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I am just a little more honest than most.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. My wife must have also been very honest. Surely.¡±


    Arthur looked up at the sky.


    ¡°We had grown up together. I think that we knew each other quite well, but I often wish that I had known how she thought a little more when we were adults.¡±


    ¡°I can honestly tell you my own black-hearted thoughts if you wish.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! As I thought. She would often talk to me like that. It brings back memories.¡±


    ¡°She was not only your wife¡­¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°But a very good friend to you then.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes.¡±


    Arthur said with a gentle expression.


    ¡°CHIIIHAAARUUU.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    Maki had come back. She came running towards Chiharu as soon as Miragaia let her down. I would probably be wobbling on my feet for a while in her place. That¡¯s Maki for you. Chiharu thought.


    ¡°I got to see the city from above the palace! There a plaza with a fountain, and stalls, there were food stalls!¡±


    ¡°Food stalls! Coins! We need some change! Arthur, please convert our millions into coins!!¡±


    ¡°Uh? What?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, calm down. It¡¯s ridiculous to convert a million into coins. Well, we should be fine with maybe ten thousand per person. Let¡¯s have the magic gem sold properly and convert twenty thousand into coins.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. Maki and Chihaaru. It is too early for you to leave the palace grounds.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu swung around. Arthur pointed at the bird people.


    ¡°It¡¯s not only the bird people that will swarm around you if they hear that the Saintesses are here. It will be dangerous if security measures are not put in place.¡±


    ¡°There are people who would want to hurt us?¡±


    Chiharu asked. Arthur answered.


    ¡°I do not think that anyone would want to deliberately. Except maybe the Doom Church. But they have been silent recently.¡±


    Wait, wait. Doom Church! That sounds terrifying! Why was he saying it so casually? Arthur continued before she could interject.


    ¡°But more importantly, many people would come to catch a rare glimpse of the Saintess, and I fear that you may be crushed.¡±


    ¡°Then we will never be able to leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki¡­¡±


    The king became flustered at Maki¡¯s mounting sadness. He had little choice.


    ¡°Arthur. Is this the extent of the human territories?¡±


    ¡°No, this is the shore of a huge continent. There is much more to see along the coast and inland as well.¡±


    Hmm.


    ¡°Well then, might there be a country where women can wear veils when leaving the house? Or maybe we could disguise ourselves¡­¡±


    ¡°Veils¡­ I believe the women of the desert countries do that. Though, that would still draw attention, I think.¡±


    ¡°But it won¡¯t cause a crowd to show up, would it?¡±


    ¡°I do not think so. I see. That could work. Although your hair and eyes are also unusual.¡±


    ¡°We can wear wigs.¡±


    ¡°And your eyes?¡±


    ¡°We will just look at the ground.¡±


    ¡°But your height.¡±


    ¡°We will say that we are children.¡±


    ¡°¡­You want to visit the street stalls that badly?¡±


    ¡°YES.¡± ¡°YES.¡±


    ¡°¡­It cannot be today, but I will arrange for it to be done.¡±


    ¡°AWESOME!¡± ¡°AWESOME!¡±


    They would be allowed to leave! Arthur grumbled to himself as the two rejoiced next to him.


    ¡°You can wear wigs and pretend to be noble children. That way no one would think it strange that you have guards. Edwy did it often. No, maybe we should just publically announce that you are the Saintesses and have Edwy show you around. We could assign much more guards if you are with the prince. Yes, I will discuss it with Edwy and Sera. No, first we must decide when we will make the announcement.¡±


    He seemed to decide, and then:


    ¡°Miragaia, this generation¡¯s Saintesses say that they will meet with you. So you must go through the proper steps. And do not rush anything. Let them be, should they refuse! Also, one more thing. Since you are here, there is some business to discuss. Please come to my office with me. Well then, Maki and Chihaaru, you haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, have you? You should go back now.¡±


    He said and walked away quickly. Miragaia looked longing at Maki, but he was at least satisfied enough now to go and follow Arthur obediently. The other bird people seemed to have calmed down, now that they saw their chief¡¯s wish was fulfilled after so many long years. And they talked amongst themselves with some emotion. As for Sauro¡­


    ¡°Do you like high places too, Chihaaru?¡±


    He invited her, but she¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not prepared to go so high yet.¡±


    ¡­refused him. Still, she did have him carry her directly back to the balcony. Maki was completely used to it now, and Chiharu felt that she was getting close. It was a good thing that they hadn¡¯t eaten yet. Sauro and Saikania would eat somewhere else, and so Maki and Chiharu were left behind with Sera.


    ¡°That was just splendid. You dealt with those birds without causing a fight.¡±


    ¡°I guess it was like an unrequited affection he had for many years. Perhaps.¡±


    ¡°The people of this world feel more strongly about the Saintesses than either of you realize. It may feel like a burden at first, but I am sure you will get used to it. Now, you should eat your breakfast.¡±


    Yesterday they had eaten the food of this world. There was soft bread that was the size or your palms, and jam, hams, and soups. And today there was rice.


    ¡°I thought this yesterday as well, but what do you use for the soup?¡±


    Chiharu asked Sera.


    ¡°Kelp and dried fish. We also add dried mushrooms.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. But I guess they didn¡¯t learn about bonito flakes.¡±


    Sera seemed oddly excited.


    ¡°According to the records, a Saintess long ago said that she wanted to eat bonito flakes. However, we did not know how to replicate it. Fortunately, we had seaweed and small fish to make these other two things. The mushrooms were added to complete the flavor.¡±


    Interesting.


    ¡°Do you two know anything regarding the making of it?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t. It has something to do with mold I think, I have no idea how it is done.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡±


    ¡°Mold, you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But, mold is usually bad for you, so it¡¯s difficult to do.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I see. But perhaps the elves and beastfolk can study it, as they have longer lives. It is definitely something to consider.¡±


    And then they were served tea after breakfast.


    ¡°Huh, Sera, this¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s green tea¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it? So this is what it is! The color is a little on the yellow side, but as it was just the right season for harvesting the leaves, we tested some of the methods that Maki suggested to make this.¡±


    ¡°While it is called green tea, it¡¯s mostly just the color of the leaves. The actual tea is generally quite yellow. And this tastes exactly like it.¡±


    ¡°I see, so it was quite simple to make after all. If only your predecessor could have drunk this¡­¡±


    Sera seemed very moved. But really, we should be the ones that are moved, seeing as they made this in just two days. Both of them felt a sense of warmth over Sera¡¯s affection for the late Saintess.

 CH 13

    They finished breakfast, and as they had not been told anything today, Maki and Chiharu were relaxing on the balcony and looking outside. It seemed that Arthur was currently very busy preparing for something.


    The bird people had finally taken the hint and only looked at Maki and Chiharu from afar.


    ¡°In spite of what just happened yesterday, I¡¯m quite used to them now.¡±


    Chiharu said to Maki.


    ¡°Mmm, so you are calm now?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Mostly.¡±


    Chiharu wasn¡¯t usually such a cautious person. She didn¡¯t cry and make a scene. But she had been on the edge for these past three days. And while Chiharu would joke about having a dark streak, Maki knew that she was just honest, and was actually the sweet girl that her appearance suggested. And so it was a little refreshing for her to see Chiharu so upset at the bird people and torment them a little. She was funny when she was angry.


    ¡°By the way, what were you talking about with Arthur?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right, right. It was a sad story. His wife died when they were still young.¡±


    ¡°The queen, huh. I see. So that is why Edwy doesn¡¯t have a mother.¡±


    They gazed at the bird people that flew above the palace.


    ¡°He said that she was similar to me. That she was also blackhearted.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Blackhearted¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so rude, isn¡¯t it? I let him know that I was just an honest person.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But as of now, Arthur seems the most mature and reliable person here.¡±


    ¡°He is the king.¡±


    ¡°Were you shook?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°When he said you were like her.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. No, no. You can¡¯t win against the memories of someone dead. Especially if they say that you are similar.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s true. Even if you did date someone like that, you wouldn¡¯t know if they were jest remembering through you, or if they really liked you.¡±


    ¡°But in the first place, don¡¯t you think there is little room for romance right now?¡±


    Chiharu suggested.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been four days since we arrived. We have only met the king, the prince. Grudo, Zynis. Aeris and the bird people. I just don¡¯t see it.¡±


    ¡°What about our guards?¡±


    ¡°They do look pretty cool.¡±


    She had taken note of that.


    ¡°I wonder how previous Saintesses got married.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like an amusing story, we should ask Sera about it later.¡±


    ¡°Maki, there is one thing I¡¯ve been thinking about.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°As for me, I don¡¯t think that I need to worry about marriage or anything until I hit thirty.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, I myself had been thinking about it a little.¡±


    ¡°You were dating for 5 years after all.¡±


    It was kind of sad.


    ¡°But, wasn¡¯t the marriageable age in Japan during our predecessors time, somewhere around 20?¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    ¡°I wonder what it is here?¡±


    ¡°Are we too late?¡±


    ¡°No one has asked us our ages, right?¡±


    They looked out into the gardens.


    Yes. Their marriageable age would be whenever they felt like getting married.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Edwy.¡±


    The prince was waving at them from the gardens. Then Sauro descended right next to him and they started to talk. They seemed to be fooling around.


    ¡°Oh, right. He is supposed to be the next chief. So they are both princes. I guess they are actually good friends then.¡±


    The prince was now running away. Sauro flew behind him and picked him up before shooting up, high into the sky.


    ¡°Woah. He¡¯s clearly used to that.¡±


    ¡°Edwy, that¡¯s amazing.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, were you only scared?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I was just scared that my own will had been ignored. I don¡¯t mind flying. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    Chiharu looked at Maki.


    ¡°I think I would prefer the baskets.¡±


    ¡°Haha. I thought so. I knew that it was something that you would have come up with, normally.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for getting angry at you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You were scared.¡±


    ¡°Saintess Maki, Saintess Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Sera?¡±


    ¡°The king would like a word with you after lunch.¡±


    The food stalls!


    Arthur, the prince, Zynis, Miragaia, Aeris, Grudo and the chancellor were all gathered together in the now familiar office.


    ¡°Ah, Maki and Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°We have put much consideration into it, and seeing as you two have adapted much better than we expected, and that you actively wish to go outside, we have decided that your journey to the other three territories will begin one month hence.¡±


    Ohh, here we go.


    ¡°But first we would like to send out official notices to all the lands and announce you two to the world. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Well, this won¡¯t be very grandiose, will it? Like, having the bird people carry us around over the heads of citizens.¡±


    Maki asked. What are you saying, Maki-chan! Just look at how Miragaia¡¯s eyes are sparkling.


    ¡°That is a splendid idea!¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    Chiharu said flatly.


    ¡°Maki-chan, this is no time for jokes. It¡¯s not even funny.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Arthur opened his mouth hesitantly.


    ¡°What about a parade?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I did not think so. It was just a suggestion. Well then, what about if you stood on a raised platform over the castle gates and waved at the people?¡±


    ¡°We could do that.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That should be good enough for the citizens. But you must also meet with envoys from the other territories. It only need be a general introduction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°When you are revealed to everyone, we will send out messages requesting that you be given space, as you would want to move and look around. I think that will help avoid any possible chaos.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°But.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at Arthur with bright, expectant eyes.


    ¡°We still cannot unleash you into the city without some kind of plan. Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    ¡°We will say that you are taking noble children from the inland territories on a tour. With a good enough disguise, they may pass for children of about 12 years of age. Most of the people outside of the castle should recognize the prince.¡±


    ¡°He is constantly sneaking out, after all.¡±


    ¡°Cough-cough. Chancellor!!¡±


    ¡°It is fine. I already knew.¡±


    Edwy looked very embarrassed.


    ¡°Of course, you will be given proper guards. While I am sure onlookers will be curious, they should not give you any trouble. Maki and Chihaaru, I am sure you will enjoy a pleasant and natural experience in the city.¡±


    ¡°I will be happy to escort you, Maki, Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°We might as well go too then.¡±


    Said Aeris and Grudo.


    ¡°I am sure you two would want to see¡­¡±


    ¡°The airships and airport.¡±


    ¡°The magic trains and station.¡±


    ¡°YES!¡± ¡°YES!¡±


    ¡°Ahh, Maki and Chihaaru. You also said something about wanting to study, I believe?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it would be nice if we could be taught either in the morning or the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Well then, you will be taught lessons in the morning. With some planning, you should be able to go out to the city every now and then. Now, please take this.¡±


    A servant brought over a small leather pouch.


    ¡°Here is 10,000 gil from this month¡¯s salary. It is 9 silver pieces and 10 small silver pieces. If you need to buy something that is more expensive, you can put it on the royal tab. Or just make the prince pay for it.¡±


    Finally, something fun was awaiting them!

 CH 14

    After that, Sera excitedly helped them select clothes to wear for their city excursion.


    As they would be disguised as boys, they chose dark pants, cream-colored shirts, and a tunic that went over it. The hemline was much shorter than the types that women wore. And then came the wigs. The most common hair color on this continent was a dark blonde color. The bangs were on the long side to cover their eyes as much as possible. As long as they did not wear makeup, they could pass for very girly-looking 12 year-olds. Or in other words, younger versions of the Prince.


    ¡°Oh, this one looks good.¡±


    Maki says.


    ¡°Yes, this one looks quite similar to the suit that you were wearing. Though, it did look like something that a man would wear. Is it a recent fashion in your country?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about recent. It¡¯s just, uh, a type of uniform for working woman I guess. Some people wear pants and some people have skirts that cut off at the knees.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only at work though. You can just wear whatever you want. Many women wore pants there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. Well, that is¡­¡±


    Apparently, she felt that women should only wear long skirts.


    ¡°With this tunic, you could gather it together from the waist to the hemline, so it¡¯s more comfortable. Also, I think it would look cute if you wore harem pants underneath that.¡±


    ¡°What are harem pants?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very loose around the legs and tight around the ankles. Like the sleeves of a one-piece dress.¡±


    ¡°Sleeves of a one piece. Sleeves. I see. I see. I will have a prototype made immediately!¡±


    Haha. She was fast. Chiharu liked being fashionable and would have fun experimenting.


    However, their magic gems were growing again.


    ¡°Do you have any ribbons that wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You could use a wide ribbon that is the same color as your hair to wrap around it¡­like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s good. It doesn¡¯t stick out too much.¡±


    In front of the mirror now stood two boys. While their hair looked a little scruffy, they seemed like they came from good families.


    ¡°No one will know that you are Saintesses now!¡±


    Sera said proudly.


    And from the next day on, they spent the mornings studying under Aeris, Grudo, and Zynis as they learned about the other three lands. A private tutor was also hired to give them lessons on the human territory¡¯s geography and history. And their afternoons were spent going out into the city.


    Aeris, Grudo, and Zynis went with them the first time that the prince took them out. It was quite the sight, as they were also surrounded by guards. And in spite of how surprised they felt, the people treated Maki and Chiharu politely as if they were children of nobility. It was possible that the people saw through their disguise, but no one was rude enough to say anything about it.


    Of all the human lands, it was Arthur¡¯s kingdom alone that was connected to the other three territories. Bird people flew over the city, and there were elves and dwarves on the streets as well. Some of them even had their own stores, and so things were peaceful, with no resistance against anyone who was different.


    Eventually, their daily ¡®sneaks¡¯ into the city were public knowledge, and while the guards continued to accompany them, they only needed one chaperone. And since they all wanted to accompany Maki and Chiharu, there was great competition to fill this role. Those that were defeated were forcefully dragged back to the castle and made to work. In fact, the prince and three ambassadors had many responsibilities, including dealing with guests from each country, and they could be afforded little time to rest.


    It was hard to describe just how much Maki and Chiharu enjoyed these outings.


    What was most surprising for them, was the huge cases that everyone carried. Some people had wheels on theirs and pulled them like shopping carts. And they did it with just one hand.


    ¡°Look, that woman is carrying that huge thing as if its nothing!¡±


    Grudo explained to the two shocked women.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember your lessons? You studied about these floating stones that come out of monsters.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ah, those things that make stuff float?¡±


    ¡°You said that it was like a levistone, remember?¡±


    ¡°I did hear something about them being used in airships.¡±


    Grudo continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to find stones that are big enough to lift airships, but the smaller ones from smaller monsters can be used to make your luggage lighter.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t they start floating up in the air then?¡±


    ¡°Heh, look at this.¡±


    Grudo showed them the bag he was carrying.


    ¡°Oh, there is a dial on it.¡±


    ¡°Try holding the bag with one hand and turn the dial with the other.¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay, oh, woahhh!¡±


    As she turned the dial, the bag became lighter and lighter.


    ¡°You can adjust the effects of the floating stone with the dial. It means that heavy things and lighter things can be made to have the same weight.¡±


    ¡°So that cart over there.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is a floating stone installed in the base.¡±


    And the trains were the ultimate example of this stone¡¯s use. There were five connected cars that were about a third of the length of the train cars in Japan. And they were being pulled by a horse. A horse.


    ¡°Thanks to the floating stone, a horse can pull five cars without issue. If anything, it is necessary to make sure that it is not too light, to maintain a balance.¡±


    Grudo had helped in developing them, and so told them of the many troubles that they had faced.


    ¡°It was also very difficult to dig the tunnels under the sea. While we dwarves are masters of digging underground, all would be lost if the caves crumbled even once. We based our work on old traditions of digging under the sea that have been passed on from ancient times. And it took us nearly 100 years of digging and reinforcing to complete the tunnels.¡±


    But now they could reach the dwarven lands in just 4 hours.


    ¡°That being said, we will stop at the halfway point to visit the mermaid island. So it will be driving for two hours, an hour break on the island, and then another two hours to reach our destination. Usually, the train will come twice a day, in the morning and evening.¡±


    The mermaid island sounded interesting, but then the train arrived in front of them and the passengers came out. The first car carried people that looked very rich. From the second car on, the people seemed more normal.


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru, are you interested?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It takes quite a lot of money to be able to travel. And so just being able to ride the train would put you in the wealthier class. Thought, the wealthy will often charter a private train.¡±


    They looked towards the first car. It appeared to be separated into private compartments. From the second car on, they were normal seats that faced each other.


    ¡°However, there are small-time merchants who need to travel, and people who visit relatives in far-off lands. Some people try to make a name for themselves in other countries. Many adventurers come from the human territories to farm magic stones in the dungeons. There are cheaper but cramped seats available for such people. Those seats are in the second and sometimes third cars. The rest is for luggage. Since the announcement about the Saintesses¡¯ arrival, many people are coming from all over, and so we have increased the number of runs.¡±


    From the second and third car came happy families, brawny men and a group of children. Their clothes were dirty.


    ¡°Who are those children?¡±


    ¡°They must have come to live with relatives. Either that or they are being sent to an orphanage. Likely, they are children of adventurers who have met some misfortune.¡±


    So this was not exactly a kingdom of dreams. There was a large gap between the rich and the poor. Maki and Chiharu watched quietly from afar as the children held each others¡¯ hands tightly and moved along.

 CH 15

    While they did leave the palace every day, they did not use that much money. Still, Maki and Chiharu did not like having to ask the Chancellor every time they needed something, so it was decided that they would have their own bank accounts.


    Yet another gem had fallen from their heads, and so both had a hefty sum of five million each in their accounts after selling them.


    Their salary as Saintesses was kept separately, along with the previous Saintess¡¯ fortune. On top of this, Maki received royalties for her green tea and Chiharu for her women¡¯s pants.


    ¡°The money from those will also be put into your bank accounts.¡±


    Sera explained. These were made as normal civilians, as they did not want to cause an uproar at the merchants guild. Thanks to this, they did not have to go to the king or Chancellor every time they went out.


    The two would go to different stores around the city like this. And as the guards would not follow them inside, it was a time where they could relax a little. They even bought a bag that Grudo had suggested to them. It was a very big bag, but they enjoyed taking it with them as they went shopping.


    They were also used to the bird people now, and it was a common sight to see what looked like two young boys with a large bag being carried down from their balcony by the bird people. Those who worked at the castle knew that this was the afternoon excursions of the Saintesses, and looked at them fondly.


    These peaceful days passed quickly, and now the castle was full of representatives from other lands. After receiving the notice, it took the beastfolk ten days to arrive as they traveled through the dwarf lands. The elves arrived in just one day by airship. The humans from inland took ten days to arrive, and it was also ten days from the southern lands. But now everyone was gathered for the unveiling ceremony.


    There were no problems between countries now, and as it was a rare occasion, many people gathered from the city to the castle.


    Maki and Chiharu greeted all of the eager faces with smiles, never once making a less than pleasant face.


    ¡°I must ask that you stop going out to the city for now, as it is now safe.¡±


    Said Arthur.


    ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we understand.¡±


    They had replied without complaint.


    ¡°Uh, Aeris, Zynis.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you not think that Maki and Chihaaru have been acting strange recently?¡±


    ¡°You thought so too?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, they seem to be living calm and peacefully every day¡­¡±


    Zynis said, while Arthur and Aeris wore concerned expressions. However, Arthur continued.


    ¡°Yes, that is all well. But, think back on those first few days.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Indeed, they did seem more full of life and energetic.¡±


    He agreed.


    ¡°Compared to those days, it is as if a thin wall has developed between us. It is very irritating.¡±


    ¡°What could be the reason for it?¡±


    ¡°¡­I cannot say that I do not have an idea.¡±


    ¡°What is that? Aeris?¡±


    ¡°The inland people.¡±


    ¡°There is a prince and princess that are close in age with Edwy. They came early to talk with him I think. What of that?¡±


    ¡°The usually sociable Maki and Chihaaru seem to be avoiding them.¡±


    ¡°I had not noticed that. I am sure Edwy would know about¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chihaaru may seem full of life. But they are from a foreign land. It is not as if they do not have a sensitive side. Perhaps we should talk with Sera and their guards. It is necessary for them to be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will do that.¡±


    It was not as if there was no reason for it. Maki and Chiharu were quite fed up in fact. Things had been intense from the get-go. They had first met with the inland people in the gardens before the official greeting. It was when they were playing in the gardens with Sauro and Saikania and some small children of the guests from the southern lands. The small children were laughing as the bird siblings picked them up and flew in the air.


    ¡°Oh, the current Saintesses must have a lot of free time. The castle is busy taking care of the guests, and here they are, frolicking with the bird people.¡±


    They turned around and saw about ten people looking at them as they stepped out of three carriages. Unlike this country, these women wore one-piece dresses with skirts that puffed outwards. The men wore jackets and scarves around their necks.


    They were clearly the royal family of some country. It was likely the middle-aged man among them that had spoken.


    Sauro and Saikania scowled at them, but Chiharu stopped them from saying anything. It was not good for them to say anything careless before being properly introduced.


    The chamberlain who was leading the guests frantically came forward.


    ¡°These are the current Sai-¡±


    He began to introduce them, but¡­


    ¡°No need for that. I want to go rest.¡±


    The man said, and ignoring Maki and Chiharu, they walked quickly away. The young man who was about Edwy¡¯s age glanced at them with a bored expression and passed them. As for the young lady, she looked at Maki and Chiharu up and down and snorted before turning her back and walking away.


    ¡°Sauro, Saikania. What was that?¡±


    ¡°Inland royalty most likely.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they come here to meet us?¡±


    ¡°I think so. But I do not know much about those countries.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Oh, well. It was not as if they wanted to be presented before everyone. It was a silly ceremony that they were a part of through necessity. They would do what they had to, and return to their peaceful lives. That was what Maki and Chiharu thought.


    However.


    For some reason, the speed at which the magical gems generated would not slow down, and they would constantly be popping off of their heads, even when they wore a ribbon.


    And this was witnessed by the inland people.


    ¡°How utterly filthy.¡±


    ¡°Bodies that gather miasma.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t they just hole up in their palace and stay there forever?¡±


    They said. The guards even tried to rebuke them for this, royalty or not. But Chiharu and Maki would not allow it. Still, if they thought that it was filthy, then they shouldn¡¯t have come to see them. And yet they would come to gawk and throw insults anyway.


    And then the incident occurred just as Maki and Chiharu had had enough.


    It was right after a banquet on the eve of the unveiling ceremony. Maki and Chiharu were talking to a cute princess from the southern lands. This princess and the children of her attendants had taken a liking to Maki, Chiharu, and the bird people. The other adults had looked at this warmly.


    ¡°Princess Meiya. I would advise you to keep your distance from these Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but why, Princess Chouze? We are having so much fun talking.¡±


    The small princess asked with puzzlement. They clearly knew each other. Maki and Chiharu braced themselves for more annoying behavior.


    ¡°But do you not know, Meiya? These Saintesses gather miasma on their foreheads. They will contaminate you if get too close to them.¡±


    ¡°Chouze, I have learned it just recently. The Saintesses purify our world of miasma at their own expense.¡±


    ¡°They are foul because they have to collect the miasma to purify. Now, let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°I refuse. I prefer the company of Maki and Chihaaru.¡±


    The young Meiya said flatly. Wonderful!

 CH 16

    The adults from the southern region were shocked at this, and so they berated her.


    ¡°Chouze, you go too far. You are being rude to the Saintesses who are loved by God.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Saintesses are exchangeable things. God will drop a new one in three months even if these two happened to disappear. These tiresome ceremonies are a waste of time. The Saintesses should be shut up in their palace and purify the miasma there.¡±


    So said the inland prince who had come to see what was happening.


    ¡°Exactly. It is as my brother says. I have heard that all the previous Saintesses were poor even in their own country. And yet here they are given good clothes and have enough to eat. It is most annoying that they let this get to their heads.¡±


    But we weren¡¯t letting it get to our heads at all. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and sighed.


    ¡°I heard rumors that they are wasting a fortune in the city just to play, and doing little else.¡±


    That was too much for Chiharu. Don¡¯t talk about money so lightly!


    ¡°You say that we are spending a fortune, but are you aware of how much we spend in the city in one day?¡±


    ¡°How should I know something like that!¡±


    ¡°It is under 1000 gil for lunch and snacks at food stalls. Even when we buy any items, it is around 5000 gil. And we are using money that we¡¯ve earned ourselves.¡±


    The other adults all murmured with approval. This was good. It was wonderful.


    ¡°But, you have guards! Also, you are robbing prince Edwy of precious time!¡±


    ¡°We have guards whether or not we are in the city. Edwy is our friend, and we enjoy his company.¡±


    ¡°You what!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the inland princess? I would have thought they¡¯d teach you simple things like the prices of products.¡±


    ¡°But, my uncle told me so!¡±


    ¡°Well, excuse us then. It looks like this conversation is too hard for a child like you. I see some rare sweets over there. Why don¡¯t you go try some?¡±


    Everyone was so childish! Chouze snarled at Chiharu who was waving her away.


    The inland prince could not help but snort when he saw this.


    ¡°Sweets, you say. Saintesses, I think it is you two who would find such delicacies a rare treat. Why don¡¯t you try some? You gluttons.¡±


    While they were both princes, this one was nothing like Edwy.


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru, what is it? Are you alright?¡±


    Edwy himself had come to see what the commotion was.


    ¡°Prince Edwy!¡±


    Chouze threw herself onto Edwy¡¯s arm. He scowled at this but gently tapped her on the shoulder in a brotherly way.


    ¡°Chouze was trying to separate me from Maki and Chihaaru. She said that I would be contaminated by the miasma. But we were having so much fun just talking together.¡±


    The small princess blurted before anyone could say anything. Hahaha. I love tattletales, Chiharu thought.


    ¡°Chouze, were you really getting involved with Maki and Chihaaru again?¡±


    Again? He knew?


    ¡°But¡­ It is your castle Edwy, and yet they walk around like they own the place. But they just look like beggars with rocks on their heads. And they even play in the city. They do not care at all that everyone else is busy planning this ceremony for them.¡±


    ¡°Chouze, how can you say that! What kind of education are they giving you over there! The disrespect is beyond what is acceptable. They are the most important people in this world! I don¡¯t care how young you are, this is unforgivable. Norfe, take Chouze back to her room.¡±


    ¡°Edwy, what are you saying? We are invited guests here. Why should we be the ones who have to leave?¡±


    ¡°Norfe. Remember just why you were invited. It was to honor these Saintesses who crossed between worlds in order to purify this one. Maki and Chihaaru were mature enough to prevent this from getting too out of hand, but this is going too far.¡±


    ¡°But it does not change the fact that they are a money pit.¡±


    ¡°Duke Adol!¡±


    Duke Adol was the middle-aged man who had insulted them in the gardens. He was the inland king¡¯s younger brother.


    ¡°We are made to contribute yearly donations to a cause when we don¡¯t even know if they will be of any use.¡±


    ¡°It is for the benefit of the whole world. As royalty, you should know just how much you are indebted, even if you cannot see it.¡±


    Just how important Saintesses were, just how much of a burden they were to each country, and just how that was interpreted by everyone. Those were things that we should probably find out. I¡¯ve been holding back until now, but these people should know too. Maki thought with annoyance. And then:


    ¡°Enough already!¡±


    She shouted. Everyone fell quiet. Chiharu moved closer to Maki.


    ¡°You are free to choose just how much we are worth, or if we are worth anything at all. It is none of our business.


    She looked at Maia kindly before her eyes moved to Chouze, Norfe, and Duke Adol.


    ¡°If you say that we are living lavishly, then throw us out into the streets. If you do not want to spend any money on us, then don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Ho, the Saintesses don¡¯t need it.¡±


    Duke Adol said mockingly.


    ¡°In exchange, give us back what you have taken from us.¡±


    ¡°Taken from you? What are you talking about!¡±


    Duke Adol said with suspicion.


    ¡°We came from a prosperous country. I had dozens of clothes for each season. I had food to eat every day and could buy things from all over the world. I rode trains every day.¡±


    ¡°It has been recorded, that all Saintesses were poor.¡±


    ¡°How long ago was that? Times have changed since the last Saintess.¡±


    Maki continued.


    ¡°And so, having different clothes every day, food to eat and being able to leave are not considered luxuries to us. There was an uncountable variety of sweets where we came from.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you should ask for more.¡±


    She was getting side-tracked. Her annoyance was causing her to throw out random complaints.


    ¡°Then, I want my family.¡±


    Maki said quietly.


    ¡°Your family?¡±


    ¡°The ones who gave birth to us, raised and loved us. Give them back.¡±


    Everyone gulped.


    ¡°Return us to the families that lost their precious daughters.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Our families would be so worried now, staying up all night just looking for us. Return us to them.¡±


    ¡°But God¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s so convenient to blame God for the bad things. But you are happy to receive any blessings. I wonder which of us are the real gluttons.¡±


    ¡°!¡±


    Then Arthur came and spoke.


    ¡°Duke Adol, your complaints about the inlands do not concern the Saintesses. It seems like the previous Saintess being so quiet has caused you and the others to forget your debts. This is a grave matter in terms of diplomacy that I will pursue. For now, you will apologize to the Saintesses. And then you will leave.¡±


    The three of them did so without any sincerity and left.


    Later on, Sera was called to the Saintesses room in order to make contact with Aeris.


    Maki and Chiharu wore thick, heavy robes and visited him when it had become dark. Zynis was also called.


    ¡°This was quite the day for you two. I can¡¯t apologize enough, on their behalf.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t do that. There are many people, with different ways of thinking. There is no reason for you to apologize, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then, what is it? Maki and Chihaaru.¡±


    Aeris asked gently.


    ¡°To-today, we talked about our families.¡±


    ¡°We just couldn¡¯t be alone after that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, we¡¯re supposed to be adults¡­¡±


    ¡°I just want to meet my mom and dad again¡­¡±


    Aeris and Zynis gently held them as they gazed at the floor. And still, Maki and Chiharu refused to cry out loud. They repressed their sobs, even as their tears soaked into the shirts of the two men. While it pained Aeris and Zynis to see this, they held them tenderly in the places of the father and mother who couldn¡¯t.


    The next day, Maki and Chiharu met the worried Arthur, Zynis, and Aeris with smiles and appeared before the civilians in the morning to wave. After that, the two said they wanted to rest before the final banquet in the night.


    But when night came, the two were nowhere to be found.


    Notes:


    Maki and Chiharu spend roughly $10 for lunch and snacks. $50 for other shopping in one day.


    Duke Adol = Inland King¡¯s brother


    Princess Chouze = King¡¯s daughter


    Prince Norfe = King¡¯s son

 CH 17

    A short time before the final banquet, Sera went to Maki and Chiharu¡¯s room to help them prepare. As the two did not take long to prepare, she would only have to give a little advice and quickly fix their hair. Sera wished that she could help them more, but they tended to be a little reserved when it came to help, so there wasn¡¯t much she could do.


    However, there was no answer when she knocked. Everyone in the castle was quite disturbed about the events of the previous day, but the two had acted normally. Perhaps they were tired, Sera thought.


    Even so, she needed to help them get ready. She slowly opened the door and went inside. But the only movement from within the room was the gentle swaying of the balcony curtains. There was no one here. And the bed was neatly made.


    ¡°Did they go outside?¡±


    ¡°No one has left through this door.¡±


    The guard replied, and Sera inspected the room again. She discovered that a sheet of paper had been left on the table. There were no bags inside of the closet. Sera had a bad feeling about this. She rushed to the king¡¯s study.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Saintess Maki and Saintess Chiharu are nowhere to be found! And this was left in their room!¡±


    It looked like a note. Arthur and Aeris both looked at it carefully.


    ¡°What does it say!¡±


    ¡°Give it to me! What, it is a foreign language that I cannot read!¡±


    ¡°Call a scholar! It is likely something very simple. Bring a character table. Also, search any places that Maki and Chiharu are likely to go!¡±


    The king barked, but Sera replied fearfully.


    ¡°It seems that they did not leave through the door. But the bags that they always use are missing, and the balcony window was wide open¡­¡±


    ¡°Call the birdfolk too! It is possible that they went out into the city.¡±


    The castle was in an uproar. First, Sauro and Saikania were called.


    ¡°Arthur, you wanted to see us?¡±


    ¡°Sauro, Saikania. Did you carry Maki and Chiharu while they were disguised as boys today?¡±


    ¡°No, we have not.¡±


    Sauro said. Saikania nodded.


    ¡°Maybe they aren¡¯t disguised? Or they could have mingled with the civilians and gone out of the castle gates¡­¡±


    The time for the banquet had already arrived.


    ¡°We brought one!¡¯


    A scholar who was in a festive mood over the banquet arrived.


    ¡°Oh, this is all hiragana characters. Hiragana is the what their children first learn in their country.¡±


    ¡°Nevermind that! Translate it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes-yes. Uh, from Maki and Chiharu. Yes, it was definitely authored by them.¡±


    ¡°And the contents!?¡±


    ¡°Yes-yes. Uh, ¡®chotto¡¯ which mean ¡®a little¡¯, and uh, ¡®tabini.¡¯ It is a suffix word, meaning ¡®socks.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Socks?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe it means to travel.¡±


    ¡°Travel¡­¡± ¡°Travel¡­¡± ¡°Travel¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Demasu,¡¯ ¡®tabi ni demasu.¡¯ I think it means that they will go on a journey.¡±


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®Shinpai, shinaide, kudasai¡¯ that means they do not want you to worry.¡±


    ¡°How could we not worry! Where did they go!¡±


    ¡°That is all that they wrote.¡±


    Arthur slammed his fist on the table.


    ¡°Those inland bastards. We should have done better to shield them from them!¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu were so calm and collected¡­ It seemed as if they were not bothered. I am sorry.¡±


    Edwy said with a dark expression.


    ¡°But we did know that something was not normal with the way they were acting recently!¡±


    ¡°Sera, had you not heard anything?¡±


    ¡°They seemed very annoyed by the inland people, but, they laughed and said ¡®we can¡¯t be bothered by such small things as adults. It¡¯s like taxes.¡¯ At least until yesterday. But it did not seem like they were disturbed enough to want to leave.¡±


    ¡°Arthur, what will you do about the banquet?¡±


    ¡°We will have to say that they are tired and resting. After that, we must have a meeting with only representatives.¡±


    ¡°But, where could they be traveling¡­ Maki and Chiharu would never break their word¡­¡±


    Edwy looked up with realization on his face.


    ¡°The train. Father, the trains! Maki and Chiharu would immediately try to leave this country. But two noble boys without guards will surely draw attention. We should send someone out immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Chancellor, send out people to investigate!¡±


    ¡°Right away!¡±


    It was then announced to the others that the Saintesses were tired, and so while the guests were disappointed, the banquet continued and ended without the Saintesses ever appearing. The only thing left for them to do was finish their work as diplomats, sightsee, and leave.


    But after the banquet, representatives from each country were called to an emergency meeting.


    And unlike during dinner, Arthur was here with a severe expression.


    ¡°I am sorry to keep you here at this hour. Let me be frank with you all. The Saintesses have vanished.¡±


    Silence spread.


    ¡°They left a note saying that they will be traveling. We now know that they have taken a train. They are headed for the dwarf country now. However, we are not sure where they are exactly at this moment.¡±


    ¡°There was an official visit planned soon after this very ceremony, so why¡­¡±


    The elf representative mumbled.


    ¡°Perhaps they didn¡¯t want to stay here another minute.¡±


    ¡°Chief of the birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°My son was insulted by them as well. But I hear that their attitude towards the Saintesses was most extreme. Especially yesterday.¡±


    Miragaia said as he gave the inland people a meaningful stare.


    ¡°Afterall, the people who caused the uproar are still here.¡±


    If Chiharu were still here, she would have been quite surprised at how thoughtful the birdman seemed at this moment.


    ¡°Hmph. Arthur, perhaps it is this country that has not treated the Saintesses adequately.¡±


    ¡°What did you say!¡±


    It was the beastfolk and elves who stood up from their seats.


    ¡°Even if they are gone now, God will just bring down another one. Why are you all so worried?¡±


    ¡°You. Were you not listening to Maki when she shouted yesterday? Saintesses or not, they have families, they have their own lives. And yet they are forcefully torn from all of that when they come here. Even if it is the will of God, it is a grave thing. You should know that well after yesterday.¡±


    But¡­¡±


    ¡°It took six months for these Saintesses to arrive. And for some reason, it was two that came. They say that God created this world on a whim. How can you not understand that he may destroy it on a whim as well?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Arthur looked at everyone and continued.


    ¡°We will, of course, search and if possible, bring them back and start their journey again properly. But there is no guarantee that something like this won¡¯t happen again. These Saintesses are active, and we do not know when or where they will appear in a different country. And so I wanted to tell you now. Also¡­¡±


    He looked harshly at the inland people.


    ¡°There is one country that needs to reconsider its stance on God and the Saintesses. You are therefore banned from entering this country until there is an official apology. Tell that to your king.¡±


    ¡°The people will not stand for this.¡±


    ¡°The dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°The beastlands.¡±


    ¡°And the elven lands. We will all break off with any relations with the inlands. This will continue until Arthur accepts your apology.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. There was hardly a relationship between our countries to begin with. We will be leaving then.¡±


    The inland people said as they stormed out of the room.


    ¡°I can only hope that their king understands the impact of delayed imports of magic gems. Should we send some bird people to tell him?¡±


    ¡°I am not that kind. It will take them 10 days to return. It will then take several days to fix this problem, supposing that they understand the message properly. It will be hard for their people, but it has to be like this, or they will just repeat the same mistakes. They need to suffer a little for once. Also, Sauro and Saikania.¡±


    Arthur sighed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you two say that you didn¡¯t carry the Saintesses?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t carry any Saintesses dressed like boys. If you meant Saintesses dressed like girls, we did carry someone like that.¡±


    ¡°Such trickery. We could have moved much faster had we known this.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu needed their freedom. That is what we thought.¡±


    ¡°It seems that you two may have already grasped the root of the problem then.¡±


    During this time, Maki and Chiharu were already inside the inland region of the dwarf country.


    ¡°Maki-chan, I just realized something.¡±


    They were pretending to be siblings who were traveling to meet relatives that were adventurers. Chiharu, the younger of the two spoke sadly.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be able to drink alcohol in this disguise.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Their journey had only just begun.

 CH 18

    While Arthur had been harsh in his dealings with the inland nobles, Maki and Chiharu had already made up their minds about leaving before that.


    It¡¯s not that it was so bad, making money off their magic gems without doing anything, it was a good life in a way. If anything, they deserved more for being forcefully brought here in order to churn rocks out of their foreheads.


    Arthur, Aeris, Zynis and Grudo had treated them very well. Edwy had become like a younger brother to them. Sera, while still in her thirties, had been like a second mother. The people of the castle were kind and warm.


    But still, they had to pass guards every time that they left their room. They needed disguises when going out to the city. They were treated like delicate glass sculptures that would shatter from the smallest scratch.


    Maki had not enjoyed that. A luxury trip around the world may have been waiting for them. But it would have felt suffocating when they were constantly surrounded by guards, by the king and his servants.


    And they had seen poor children in the city, people doing their best to live their lives. It may have indeed been best for them to shut themselves inside of the Saintess Palace, like their predecessors. Silently purifying the world of miasma. It would be even better if they occasionally visited the three countries most close to the shadow world. Then, no one would be able to hurt them.


    ¡°The thing is, Chiharu. We¡¯ve already died once, I think.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re alive, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. But I don¡¯t think that the Maki over there, who was lovingly raised, will ever be back. It ended at 25 for her.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    ¡°When I think of it like that, what¡¯s the point in living in fear, and shutting ourselves in the palace? Even if we asked, we couldn¡¯t work the same jobs we used to, those jobs probably don¡¯t even exist here. That being said, it just doesn¡¯t suit me, staying in the palace forever.¡±


    ¡°I have an interest in libraries, so I could probably manage it for a while.¡±


    ¡°You could, Chiharu. But not me. Not now. I just want to go outside more. Without worrying about being watched.¡±


    That¡¯s the conversation they had that night.


    ¡°Maybe we should just leave then.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Private airships, privates trains. Who needs them. How is that any different than what it¡¯s like here? We are just normal citizens. We can ride in the second car.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as tough as you, Maki. Things get on my nerves pretty quickly, but I know how to handle money.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    The incident with the inland people only made their decision easier. It wasn¡¯t just a few people who disliked the Saintesses. Many people hardly grasped what they were, they seemed unrelated to them. And the further their lands were to the shadow world, the less value the Saintesses seemed to have. It was important to understand this reality.


    They would ride the train. Not as sons of nobles, but dressed as common people. Maki and Chiharu used their height difference to pretend to be a brother and his younger sister. They had lost their parents and were now going to meet some relative who would take them in. The relative was their mother¡¯s cousin. An Adventurer who explored dungeons.


    The bird people could cross the sea in three hours. The train took five. How long could they run without getting caught? They would try to arrive in the town further in from the closest town by the shore without getting caught. It was the deepest dungeon town. They didn¡¯t care where they went, as long as they were alive. So they may as well go to one of the three territories and collect miasma.


    They withdrew some money from the bank. Fortunately, they had private bank accounts. They even bought old clothes to wear. And different colored wigs.


    They would leave as soon as they had fulfilled their duty as Saintesses. When they were presented to the common people.


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t carry any Saintesses dressed like boys. We carried Saintesses dressed like girls.¡±


    ¡°Sauro, thanks.¡±


    ¡°We bird people are not bound by anything. We are free.¡±


    ¡°I know that well, Saikania.¡±


    It was obvious from the day they met. Maki and Chiharu chuckled.


    ¡°So, you two stay free as well. But are you sure that you do not want to cross the sea?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too scary.¡±


    ¡°I probably wouldn¡¯t drop you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not enough.¡±


    Thankfully, the bird people were on their side. The bird people rarely cared if they were busy, and visited them whenever they liked. But they had become friends eventually. And so they carried Maki and Chiharu to the train station when they were ready. And then Maki quickly put on her boy disguise.


    ¡°Two children¡¯s tickets to Noir.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Just children?¡±


    ¡°We are going to meet a relative.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, hold tight onto your bags. You can find instructions on choosing an inn once you arrive at Noir station, so you should check there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You take good care of your little sister.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The old man who sold them the tickets looked warmly at the two children holding hands. But they were really 25. And so when he was later asked:


    ¡°Did you see two noble boys here?¡±


    He said:


    ¡°Who knows. They sure didn¡¯t buy any tickets from me.¡±


    That was all he could tell them. Maki and Chiharu had gone to the small store in the station with sparkling eyes. They carefully chose bottles of water and fruit juice and some sandwiches, before getting into their car. There was something a little too cheerful about them for children who were just orphaned, but it didn¡¯t bother anyone too much. The place had an all-around festive mood due to the unveiling of the Saintesses.


    It was during the afternoon when Maki and Chiharu got in the train and found their seats, which were four empty seats facing each other. The trains were full of excited people who had seen the Saintesses.


    ¡°Hey, the seats near those kids are empty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how lucky. It would be squishy if it were four adults, but it should be fine with young children.¡±


    Two men came towards them now. They must be adventurers, as they were tough and brawny looking. One was human and the other was a dwarf.


    ¡°Ho, mind if we sit here?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Perhaps these kids had never seen adventurers before because while they consented, they just stared at the two men with open mouths.


    ¡°Is it so unusual to see a tall dwarf then?¡±


    The two kids nodded.


    ¡°I am on the big side for a dwarf.¡±


    Well, he was really the size of an average human. He was also quite wide and looked like it would be cramped if they sat side by side. And so the kids said:


    ¡°Uh, could we take the window seats then?¡±


    And so all four were able to sit comfortably.


    ¡°Is this your first time on a train?¡±


    The kids nodded.


    ¡°While this runs underground, the walls are all illuminated. So you can clearly see outside. And it ain¡¯t just walls all of the time. You can see underground lakes as well. Don¡¯t you miss it.¡±


    ¡°Underground lakes!¡±


    ¡°What? Haven¡¯t you heard of them? This tunnel connects underground areas that already existed. And so we will occasionally pass through open caverns and lakes. Dwarven skills are impressive, eh?¡±


    The kids immediately pressed their noses against the window.


    ¡°Haha. It¡¯s a little too early to be looking.¡±


    A bell started to ring.


    ¡°And now, we¡¯re off.¡±


    The dwarf said, and the train started to move.

 CH 19

    They looked at the lights that shone softly on the tunnel walls through the window. While it was  called a train, there were no rails, and the cars were pulled by horses. And the tunnels were not always the same width, as they spread out or became narrower as they continued.


    ¡°So, Grudo helped make this¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh? You two know Grudo?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. Well, he is famous.¡±


    Maki had mumbled without thinking, and so the young dwarf had asked her quizzically. She lied frantically.


    ¡°He is famous. He spent so much effort on opening these tunnel and creating these trains. He¡¯s developed many other things too, truly a hero for us dwarves.¡±


    Maki felt proud for some reason.


    ¡°Look, the tunnels widening. We are coming out to the first great hall. The train will slow down a little here, so you can take in the view.¡±


    Said the kindly dwarf who sat with them.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kaider. That one is Nyran.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m Norfe. My sister¡¯s name is Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Inlanders.¡±


    Maki chuckled awkwardly. When they had discussed which names they would use:


    ¡°It should be the names of people that we don¡¯t care about, just in case we are caught and they are implicated.¡±


    Chiharu suggested, which led to this. Their new friends had even assumed that they were inland people because of it. Chiharu was still holding a grudge.


    They looked back out the window as Kaider suggested, and saw that the train was now moving at a slower pace.


    ¡°Woow!¡± ¡°Woow!¡±


    It was a limestone cavern. Lanterns lit the chamber, and milky-white stalagmites covered the walls and floor. Past the field of stalagmites, they could see a great lake that glowed with a green hue. The ceiling was so high that they could not even see it. It was all shadow.


    ¡°The lake looks quite shallow, but it can become very deep. There are rumors that it connects to the sea. However, only the merpeople know the truth of this. And they like to keep their secrets.¡±


    ¡°Merpeople?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you inlanders don¡¯t see much, do you? Just as the birdfolk are in the sky, the merpeople love to play in the sea, and are a curious race of people.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember hearing about the merpeople when we studied about the beast lands.¡±


    Said Maki.


    ¡°They are too free to be able to manage. The sea is its own independent realm, unconnected to anywhere else. They will be selling souvenirs on the next island, so you can look forward to that.¡±


    He said. The free merpeople of the sea also came out and sold souvenirs on dry land, huh. It was hard to imagine. Just as they were passing the lake, Chiharu felt something watching her. She looked up.


    ¡°An eye¡­¡±


    ¡°Eye?¡± ¡°Eye?¡±


    Kaider and Nyran said in unison.


    ¡°Eye, I locked eyes with something. Oh? It¡¯s coming closer.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Nyran stood up, just then, a large eye peered into the train window from outside.


    ¡°A Gazer! Why is it here!¡±


    The two men immediately tried to grab their swords, but their weapons were with their baggage. The train conductor must have noticed the monster, because the speed suddenly increased, and the Gazer drifted away from the train.


    Maki and Chiharu froze, the other passengers were all talking at once, Kaider and Nyran wiped at the sweat on their brows.


    ¡°We let our guard down¡­¡±


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t a dungeon. There should be no monsters here. And the window was closed. There was nothing that we could do.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, you two must have had quite the fright. Most people would never see such a monster in their whole lives, unless they are adventurers, you know?¡±


    ¡°Eye, our eyes locked¡­but it was just an eye¡­¡±


    They looked at the shuddering Chiharu with much concern.


    ¡°These monsters come after you if you lock eyes. So you must not do that. But how could you know, eh?¡±


    Of course, they couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°You should remember it well, if you ever mean to become an adventurer, Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t¡­yes.¡±


    Maki just let it go. The Gazer could not keep up with the trains speed, and so it had just gone off somewhere.


    ¡°There are ways to handle them if you know that they are there. But the first thing to remember, is to not look them in the eye.¡±


    Chiharu nodded. But how could you not look at something that was staring at you?


    Nyran then gave Maki and Chiharu some dried fruits to cheer them up. Chiharu nibbled the fruit, but could do little to hide how rattled she was. Nyran saw her and was reminded of ¡®a small critter.¡¯ One that you wanted to feed many times. Was there a sign somewhere that said ¡®don¡¯t feed them too much¡¯?


    Maki and Chiharu were oblivious to the rude thoughts in his head, as they continued their ride to the merpeople island. While Nyran continued to feed them pieces of dried fruit, Kaider went to talk to the conductor.


    ¡°He said that they would recruit adventurers on the next train going in the opposite direction. Hopefully, one of them is an archer. Bah, this one wasn¡¯t suited for us anyway. We should just continue on to the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The train was now going upwards. The lights started to become brighter, and when they were finally out of the tunnel, a vast sea spread out when you looked out of the window.


    ¡°Woah!¡± ¡°Woah!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t like looking at the sea from the faraway castle, or even seeing it from the port. The sea took up the entire view from the window. If you looked back, you could see the human continent in the distance, and in the front, was the tall mountains of the dwarven continent. They were now in the merpeople island in the center.


    The train came to a quiet stop. While it was a station, they only needed to step out of the car to be on the ground. There were several stores lined up here as if waiting just for them. They sold drinks and food. And at a short distance away, near the shore, were the merpeople.


    ¡°See, there they are. They sell accessories made of scales and coral and clam trinkets. You should go take a look if you have the coin to spare. But the train will leave in an hour, so be sure to come back with plenty of time left.¡±


    They promised Kaider that they would. It had somehow been decided that they would sit together again.


    ¡°Chiha-, uh, Chouze. I¡¯m going to check that store over there. So you go and see the merpeople¡¯s store first.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Norfe.¡±


    Maki then went running off to the food stalls. Her sharp eyes scanned the different stores before targeting something.


    ¡°Mister, I¡¯ll take one of those.¡±


    She pointed at a bottle. It was a type of light red hamanasu wine. There was nothing in the sea that was sweet enough to make wine with. And so the merpeople used the berries that grew near the coast to make wine. A certain clerk near the port had told Maki that this was a beautiful drink that warms your body, and was very popular among women. It was what the merpeople island was most famous for.


    ¡°Oh, my. How old are you, boy? I very much doubt that you are of drinking age.¡±


    ¡°I may be small, but I¡¯m almost 14. But, it¡¯s not me who is going to drink it. Look over there. Those guys asked me to buy it for them.¡±


    Maki pointed at Kaider and Nyran.


    ¡°They¡¯re looking after my sister while I go and buy stuff for them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, you should be taller at fourteen.¡±


    ¡°My father started to grow pretty late as well. I¡¯m going to be huge very soon.¡±


    ¡°Is that so. Well, alright. You just need one?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take two.¡±


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    Maki accepted the two bottles and put them in her bag. Now, off to the merpeople store. Huh? Kaider and Nyran were gone.


    ¡°Why are there so many?¡±


    The old man said. He was looking at the merpeople store. Maki looked too and saw that there was a crowd of merpeople behind the store that Chiharu was standing at. Had something happened?


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Maki dashed towards her.

 CH 20

    Chiharu saw Maki run over to the food stalls, before making her own way to the merpeople store. Her heart soared just thinking about the coral accessories.


    The pretty trinkets were lined on a tablecloth over the counter. The seller was a merperson. She looked like anyone else at a glance, but her ears looked more like fins as they opened and closed. Gills went down from her ears all the way to her shoulders. The lips were thin and the mouth wide. The eyes were small. Luscious hair went all the way down to her back. She stood on two legs, but her fingers and toes were webbed, and she had tough skin that protected her from the sun. In other words, she was incredibly beautiful.


    Many customers were seeing merpeople for the first time, just like Chiharu, and they all looked on in wonderment at the sight.


    ¡°Hello, cute girl. Have a look at these accessories.¡±


    Chiharu broke out of her trance and looked down at the table.


    ¡°Give me all of it.¡±


    And she almost said it too. That was how beautiful they were. But she wouldn¡¯t say it. The scales had a large variety of colors, and they were thin and clear, like they were made of glass. There were earrings made of layers of scales that trilled when you shook them. A necklace made of a light pink coral that had been polished. One hour wasn¡¯t enough to look at everything, Chiharu thought. Then a shadow fell over her.


    Hm? She raised her head. The clerk who had been there a moment ago was nowhere to be found. Instead, a beautiful, youthful merman was standing next to her. Chiharu looked dumbly at him, making a note of how the men were also beautiful.


    Then his hand stretched out, and he slowly raised her chin towards him.


    ¡°Beloved child of God, let me see your face.¡±


    Chiharu froze. Something moved at the corner of her vision. It was his hair. It moved. It was wiggling.


    The young merman¡¯s hair moved to push up Chiharu¡¯s bangs. His eyebrows narrowed.


    ¡°Why must you cover such beautiful obsidian eyes? And also the mark of God¡¯s love. Why is it sealed?¡±


    He whispered.


    ¡°Huh? Uh, because, um¡­¡±


    It was because she didn¡¯t want to lose 1,000,000 gil by accident. But that wasn¡¯t easily explained. She frantically searched for something to say.


    ¡°I understand. The human world is hard to live in. Now, come. What is your name?¡±


    ¡°Uh, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Chihaaru.¡±


    Oh, damn it. She had said it. He repeated the name gently, then suddenly picked her up.


    ¡°Huh, wait, what?¡±


    ¡°Can you swim? It is no matter, a boat has been prepared for you. I will teach you to swim eventually.¡±


    ¡°What, no, what?¡±


    ¡°Now, let us go to our country together. Do not worry, there are land people there too. You can remove the seal there, and live freely.¡±


    He immediately began to walk towards the sea. And in that direction, were an alarming number of merpeople.


    ¡°Oh, beloved child.¡±


    ¡°Beloved child.¡±


    ¡°Oh, God.¡±


    ¡°Come with us.¡±


    What to do! What to do! Then a voice rang.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait! What are you doing!¡±


    The young man scowled and said:


    ¡°You came with someone else? Hm? A boy. No. Another beloved child?¡±


    Chiharu nodded frantically.


    ¡°Let me down. We have to visit the three other territories.¡±


    ¡°Why must you? You can just live in the sea.¡±


    ¡°No-no-no. I am human. And we are in the middle of traveling.¡±


    Actually, they only just started to travel two hours ago.


    ¡°But how? I came after sensing the presence of the beloved child. And now you say you did not come here to leave with us?¡±


    ¡°We need to get closer to the Shadow World and help purify the world first.¡±


    ¡°That can be done later. How long has it been since a beloved child has visited us? We will take the other one too. Now, let us go.¡±


    By this time, Maki, Kaider, and Nyran finally caught up with them.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going anywhere! I know you merpeople are fond of children, but this is kidnapping. She has business in the Dwarven lands. Let her go.¡±


    ¡°Please let me go.¡±


    Chiharu added after Kaider. The merman looked at them sadly. Oh, no. This was just the same as with the bird people. She needed to make things clear.


    ¡°We will come to visit you when our business is done. So please let us go now.¡±


    ¡°And when will you be finished? Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be that soon, but I promise that we will come back.¡±


    He looked at Maki.


    ¡°We will.¡±


    Maki swore. He sighed and let Chiharu down. Maki quickly stood next to her.


    ¡°But could you at least show your faces to the people of the sea?¡±


    Kaider and Nyran accompanied them suspiciously as Maki and Chiharu were led closer to the other merpeople. Hands came out to touch them, hold them, pat them on the head. This continued for the rest of the time they had left.


    This was part of the tax that Saintesses paid. Maki and Chiharu did their best.


    ¡°Now, it is time.¡±


    Kaider called.


    ¡°Beloved children, you must return after the end of your journey.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will.¡± ¡°Yes, we will.¡±


    The youth said, letting go of them with much regret.


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    They ran back to the train. Their seats were still empty, and they sat down in relief.


    ¡°That was tiring.¡±


    ¡°Traveling is hard.¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha.¡±


    Kaider was amused by this.


    ¡°No. You know, most people do not encounter Gazers, or kidnapper merpeople when they travel?¡±


    ¡°The merpeople seem to really like people, just like the birdfolk did.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think so. Wait, the birdfolk were after you too?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they almost took off with her.¡±


    ¡°It was just a coincidence! It was because I was easier to carry.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Nyran burst into laughter.


    ¡°Well, you do seem like that type.¡±


    What type? Even so, this whole ¡®not listening to what people are saying¡¯ thing¡­ They really did have their heads in the clouds and sea. Chiharu sighed. But it was at least preferable to the malice of the inland people.


    ¡°And I really wanted to buy some accessories as a souvenir¡­ Maybe this is a warning that I shouldn¡¯t waste money.¡±


    Chiharu grumbled. Kaider looked at her with an exasperated expression.


    ¡°Chouze, you haven¡¯t noticed it yet?¡±


    ¡°Noticed what?¡±


    He pointed at Maki with his chin. Maki-chan? Oh.


    They looked at each with surprise. When had they put this on us? On our hair and body, and even our pockets. They were overflowing with scales. Huh.


    ¡°They must have really liked you.¡±


    Or they were just marking their territory. The two quietly removed the scales and neatly packed them into their bags. They may be able to sell them later. They would have to, as it took up too much space.


    It was yet another incident for them, but at least they had got some wine and scale accessories from it. So it was all good in the end. Or so Maki decided to conclude. But all of the dwarves they had met until now were kind and fun people. If they could only get to the Dwarven lands, then everything should be okay.


    The train¡¯s bell echoed over the merpeople island, signaling their departure.

 CH 21

    After safely leaving the merpeople island, Chiharu and Maki rode the train through the second great open space in the tunnels. This time, they did their best to ignore any looks coming from out the window, even when they felt it staring at them. And still, the Gazer came.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t look at it this time. I promise!¡±


    Excuses were made, but when their eyes had met for a second, the Gazer looked very happy.


    Such small incidents occurred along the way, but they safely reached Noir in the dwarf lands. By this time, they were feeling somewhat affectionate towards the Gazer and prayed that the archer wouldn¡¯t kill it.


    It was now in the evening.


    As they stepped out of the train, they could see the town and its many lines of short buildings stretch out both inland and towards the sea. There wasn¡¯t much open land near the shore, as small mountains were close by. It was slightly past these mountains that their destination lay.


    Maki quickly looked at her surroundings. Where was that place the old ticket seller had told her about? Ah, there it was. And another thing. There. The carriage station.


    ¡°Kaider, Nyran, thank you for helping us. Well, goodbye.¡±


    Maki said to them hurriedly, Chiharu too bowed her head and the two of them tried to rush off to the carriage station.


    ¡°Wait, wait. Where¡¯re you going?¡±


    ¡°Where? To the town of Garonce.¡±


    ¡°It will take an extra hour to get there. And there are not many inns.¡±


    ¡°But, we already decided. It¡¯s hard to adjust once you change your schedule.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a carriage leaving for Garonce in 5 minutes.¡±


    Some passerby had overheard them and muttered this before walking away.


    ¡°Good. You buy the tickets, Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Ah, hey!¡±


    The two split up. The younger sister went to buy some deep fried fish. Then she immediately went to the bakery next to it before running back to her brother.


    ¡°Oh, I guess I have no choice then.¡±


    ¡°Are you going too?¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave those two alone.¡±


    ¡°But there are no Gazers or merpeople on land.¡±


    ¡°I just feel like there¡¯ll be something.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, you¡¯re probably right.¡±


    Kaider looked up at the sky.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just me, but it seems like there are a lot of bird people up there. Could it¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡±


    They were just in time. There were carriages with three rows of four-seats. They were on the large side. The floating stones meant that weight was not a problem, but the mountain roads in the dwarf lands were not wide. And so it was necessary to use carriages like these for transportation. The passengers were two children, Kaider and Nyran, and the man who had muttered to them a moment ago. The rest of the carriage was full of other baggage.


    ¡°Huh? Kaider, Nyran.¡±


    The two children with bags looked at them with puzzled expressions.


    ¡°Well, we decided that it won¡¯t be too bad to go to the next town.¡±


    ¡°Oh. So we¡¯ll sit together again.¡±


    The older brother seemed quite happy about this, and so the two were glad of their decision. The sister sat next to them and cut open some bread with a knife in order to stuff them with the fried fish. She made two of these and cut one in half and the other into three pieces.


    ¡°Here. I was worried because the fish was so big, but it seemed to work out.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re giving it to me?¡±


    ¡°Because there¡¯s still quite some time until dinner.¡±


    The sister also gave the other passenger some bread. While it was slightly cold, the fresh fish was seasoned with vinegar and salt, which went very nicely with the bread. After that, the siblings shared a bottle of fruit juice that they had bought at the station.


    The carriage had windows on both sides. As it was going up a mountain, you could occasionally get a good view of the town of Noir. When the sun started to set, lights began to slowly appear throughout the city.


    ¡°Hey, Norfe, Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Norfe answered without taking his eyes away from the scenery.


    ¡°What are you two going to do in Garonce?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only one stop for us. We are headed for Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Gromble. But that¡¯s the deepest dungeon town. And it is close to the Shadow World. It is no place you ones so young.¡±


    ¡°But, we think our mother¡¯s cousin is there.¡±


    ¡°Cousin?¡±


    ¡°An adventurer.¡±


    ¡°But adventurers will move from dungeon to dungeon like the wind. Though Gromble is vast, and many end up staying there¡­¡±


    ¡°We have to go. We have to see it.¡±


    Norfe said as he looked on ahead. They decided that it was better to not ask any more questions.


    ¡°But where are you going, Kaider and Nyran?¡±


    ¡°We are¡­¡±


    ¡°Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. We are adventurers, after all. We were just thinking of going to Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. Have you been there before?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we have. It¡¯s practically our home base. We just got a little bored, you know, and were spending some time in the elven dungeons.¡±


    A little bored? Only a child would fall for that excuse. Nyran thought.


    ¡°Oh, and then from the elven territories, you went to Arthur¡¯s kingdom. Did you ride an airship?¡±


    ¡°We did indeed. Airships only fly once a week, you know? It was actually my first time riding one.¡±


    Hmm. They were falling for it. Airships were expensive. Too expensive for any adventurer to ride. Indeed, Kaider and Nyran had things they wanted to keep hidden as well. They couldn¡¯t talk too much, as their story wouldn¡¯t survive any scrutiny.


    ¡°Ah, we have now reached the highest point of the road. The rest of the journey to Garonce will be downhill.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The children looked forlornly at the sea. The carriage slowly descended the mountain road.


    ¡°Agh.¡±


    Suddenly, the children looked downward and held their faces.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Kaider asked with concern in his voice.


    ¡°My right eye¡­¡± ¡°My right eye¡­¡±


    They said.


    ¡°Right eye?¡± ¡°Right eye?¡±


    What did they mean?


    ¡°Ugh, aahh, just, hehe. It¡¯s nothing. We¡¯re just playing.¡±


    ¡°You should choose one, instead of laughing and acting in pain at the same time.¡±


    The children said ¡®Does it ache? It does, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ to each other as they giggled while looking down, there hands on their foreheads. Then they seemed to grasp something and put it in their bags.


    ¡°The miasma is thicker now.¡±


    ¡°You can tell?¡±


    ¡°Kind of¡­¡±


    Indeed, Noir was facing the sea, so the miasma could escape. But the dwarf villages in the mountains were different. Of course, as the dwarves often worked in the mines, they had a higher resistance to miasma. But humans were more likely to be affected by it. There were more adventurers now who were becoming crazed. And that is why he did not want them to go to Gromble.


    They were all deep within their own thoughts, as the carriage descended into Garonce.

 CH 22

    The carriage came to a halt.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived in Garonce. Do you folks have an inn to stay at?¡±


    The driver asked them. Kaider quickly replied.


    ¡°Not yet. Is there an inn here that we can take these children to?¡±


    ¡°They were all packed because of the Saintesses recently, but I think there should be some that are open today. I would recommend the White Horse Inn up ahead. Well, it is really the only place.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good.¡±


    Let¡¯s go then. Just then, there was a loud fluttering of wings and a bird person descended.


    ¡°You! Why?¡±


    ¡°I could ask you the same question.¡±


    Kaider and the bird person glared at one another. The bird person looked away with a turn of his nose and addressed the two children.


    ¡°I could carry you to the inn.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no thank you. It¡¯s supposed to be close by.¡±


    ¡°I could carry you to the next town.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too late tonight.¡±


    ¡°But I can fly during the night.¡±


    ¡°Night is for sleeping.¡±


    ¡°But I would really like to carry you to the inn.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki looked at each other. Well, this was typical of a bird person. Yeah.


    ¡°Maki, uh, I mean, Norfe. Are we moving on tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°No, I think we should stay here for a day, because of how thick the miasma is.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Chiharu looked at the bird person and said:


    ¡°We¡¯ll be here tomorrow, so can you carry us then? We¡¯ll come here after breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow. Alright. Just call if you get in any trouble, someone will come.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The bird person flew away. The driver looked at them curiously.


    ¡°Are you two friends with that bird man?¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯s a friend of a friend.¡±


    ¡°Huhhh, I¡¯ve never seen one up this close before. They are an impressive sight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but just in appearance. Okay, well, we¡¯ll be going to the inn now!¡±


    ¡°Aye, be careful.¡±


    ¡°Wait-wait!¡±


    Kaider called frantically.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the same inn. It¡¯ll be easier if we go together.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    And so the five of them went towards the inn together. Apparently, it wasn¡¯t unusual for children to travel alone, and so the two were able to smoothly get a room together. Meals were served in the dining hall on the first floor.


    ¡°Hey, over here!¡±


    Kaider called them over to their table. They looked for the menu.


    ¡°These places generally don¡¯t have menus. You have one choice, which is whatever they want to serve.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take four plates of what you recommend, and two cups of apple wine!¡±


    ¡°What!¡± ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Eh? Can¡¯t we have a little wine?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have some too.¡±


    The brother said.


    ¡°It ain¡¯t for children.¡±


    ¡°But, isn¡¯t there no age restriction here?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t grow if you drink, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You kids should stick to cider. Two ciders please!¡±


    The two children looked very annoyed. Perhaps they wanted to be treated like adults now. Nyran chuckled.


    They were quickly served some stew, bread and some sort of meat. The children¡¯s portions were much smaller. Maki and Chiharu quietly ate spoonfuls of stew. It had a complex yet rich taste. Large chunks of vegetables and meat were inside. A part of them wanted some chopsticks.


    ¡°You can use that knife there, yes, cut the meat into smaller pieces. Yes, like that.¡±


    The kind dwarf instructed as they ate. They couldn¡¯t finish the bread and meat, so they gave their meat to Kaider and Nyran. The younger sister wrapped her bread in a handkerchief to take back. Now the two children stared wistfully at the apple wine. Still, they seemed to enjoy their cider well enough.


    ¡°So, will you be heading to the next town tomorrow?¡±


    Kaider asked the older brother.


    ¡°No, we will stay here for one day. And then leave the next day.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you need to hurry to Garonce?¡±


    ¡°Abrupt change is part of the nature of traveling. But why are you two leaving tomorrow?¡±


    Norfe asked. It seemed to Kaider that it was normal for people to go and rely on people who were headed in the same direction. But these two children seemed to be different. But why? Kaider was a little annoyed by this.


    ¡°Well, we do actually have to stop by the capital before going to Gromble.¡±


    ¡°But, Nyran¡­¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not as if you two know that your cousin is there for sure, right? If you have the money, why don¡¯t you just stop by the capital of Grid for a while? I know a safe and cheap inn.¡±


    They didn¡¯t look convinced. Nyran continued.


    ¡°This is the country of blacksmiths. They know how to use fire, and they make the best cooking tools. The capital has the finest steamed and roasted meats, and the biggest variety of baked pastries.¡±


    Ah, that did the trick. They had a very different look in their eyes now.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t taught any of that.¡±


    Is that right?


    ¡°There are also hot springs in the towns along the way.¡±


    ¡°Hot springs?¡±


    Oh, even better.


    ¡°Yes, natural, hot water. You can even have them reserved. It¡¯s quite popular with adventurers and families.¡±


    ¡°The capital is in the valley, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes it is. I¡¯m surprised you knew that.¡±


    ¡°Well, yes.¡±


    The brother thought about it before saying:


    ¡°If we do go, we¡¯d want to stop by the towns on the way. We might stay more than two nights at some places. So it would be better to go separately.¡±


    ¡°Good, but we aren¡¯t in any rush. We can go to the capital together!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll discuss it with my sister. We¡¯ll give you an answer tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay, well, we¡¯ll be going to our rooms now. Thank you for everything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    The siblings went upstairs together. Then the brother came back down and said something to the innkeeper. The innkeeper smiled and said she would bring it to their rooms. Was it hot water?


    ¡°Nyra, weren¡¯t you against it? You said I cared too much about those children.¡±


    ¡°Did I? I was only concerned about taking a detour, as we are supposed to be making a report. I have no issue if they come with us.¡±


    ¡°There is something about them. And I sense a purpose there that I can¡¯t quite understand.¡±


    ¡°There is also Ornie.¡±


    ¡°He almost blew our cover. What is a bird person doing all the way over here? Well, they do appear almost anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Still, that sister does seem to attract just about everyone.¡±


    ¡°Chouze?¡±


    ¡°Norfe as well. And I can almost understand it¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t mean it in any strange way!¡±


    Next to them, a worker brought up a bucket of hot water to the second floor.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Here, one bucket of hot water. That will be 100 gil. Also, this. That will be 500 per bottle. Half of it is for the bottle itself. It would only have been 300 if you drank it downstairs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It is a gift. So that is 1100 gil altogether? Here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    The door closed.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, I¡¯m impressed!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing Chiharu. You just need to use your head. Now, let¡¯s get cleaned up and open these bottles!¡±


    ¡°Alcohol!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    They used the hot water to clean themselves. It was mostly just cold sweat that they had to wipe. Their hair felt quite damp by now, but they couldn¡¯t wash their wigs, so they just had to bear it. Lastly, they washed their undergarments and hung them up to dry. As they didn¡¯t know what could happen, they opted to wear their day clothes instead of pajamas.


    ¡°Now, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Maki-chan.¡±


    Maki took out the two bottles of Hamanasu wine and two bottles of apple wine and placed them on the small table.


    ¡°This is today¡¯s haul.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so cool, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°So awesome!¡±


    ¡°Ahahaha. Now, which should we drink first?¡±


    ¡°I heard that each town has a different kind of apple wine. Let¡¯s try that tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess we should avoid overdrinking.¡±


    ¡°Alright, cheers.¡±


    They drank directly from the bottle.


    ¡°Ahhhh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so good.¡±


    As it was a simple drink made in every town, the alcohol content was quite low. But that only meant that the flavor of apple was strong, leaving a delicious mildly sour and richly sweet aftertaste.


    ¡°I feel so alive.¡±


    ¡°So do I. Hey, Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think is the one following us from the castle?¡±


    They were not so childish as to believe that they were really free.

 CH 23

    ¡°Definitely not that bird man.¡±


    Maki said. Chiharu thought about it and answered.


    ¡°He must be part of Sauro¡¯s birdfolk network. I don¡¯t think he is related to the castle.¡±


    ¡°So much for wanting us to be free.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the result of Sauro acting freely as well. I¡¯ve given up in regards to him.¡±


    Chiharu sighed. It was better to accommodate them a little, than to outright resist them. However, it was not easy for her as a Japanese person, who disliked saying things clearly. It made her think how hard it must have been for the previous Saintess.


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think Arthur or Aeris knew.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°Grudo.¡±


    ¡°Grudo.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    Grudo had always watched us warmly and carefully as we went out into the city. He must have had an idea that we would run away.


    ¡°So, is it Kaider?¡±


    ¡°I think that he is just a friendly dwarf.¡±


    ¡°Nyran.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the same.¡±


    ¡°The fifth man.¡±


    ¡°I think it is him.¡±


    He had watched from afar and came in to help them.


    ¡°Maki, do you want to be completely free?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. To be honest, I still feel like I¡¯m suffocating at this point. Not only with this mystery man, but I¡¯m a little annoyed by Kaider and Nyran as well.¡±


    ¡°Mmm, they were a little forceful.¡±


    ¡°They should just leave us kids alone.¡±


    ¡°Well, that wouldn¡¯t be so easy¡­¡±


    Chiharu chuckled. Because she knew that if their positions were reversed, that Maki would do the same.


    ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t think the miasma would be so thick here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    They had already generated a full gem since they crossed the ridge. Another was already growing on their foreheads now.


    ¡°One a day. Three in three days.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to lose two just because you made three.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going to amount to a lot if we stay for a whole month. It¡¯s too bad that we can¡¯t sell them.¡±


    ¡°We need to get rid of these scales.¡±


    ¡°Scales.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes became vacant.


    ¡°Those mermaids were really scary.¡±


    ¡°They surpassed the birdfolk for sure.¡±


    It had been a long day.


    ¡°We should open the hamanasu wine after all.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s drink that too.¡±


    The hamanasu wine was a little sour, but also mildly sweet, and tasted like the bitter ground cherries she bit into as a child. They slowly took sips as they thought back on the day. No, it was better to not think about it.


    Chiharu looked at Maki, who chuckled. Chiharu said:


    ¡°If we want to keep running from everything, we should just sneak out of this inn right now and have the bird people take us far away.¡±


    ¡°And then we¡¯ll just get caught by another friendly dwarf, I think.¡±


    Maki said with a little exasperation.


    She reluctantly drank the last sip before continuing.


    ¡°We¡¯re moving forward and having fun now. That is fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hope you can get more alcohol tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try!¡±


    It had been a while since they last crawled into separate beds. Before she fell into a tired sleep, the last image that appeared in Chiharu¡¯s mind was the worried face of Aeris.


    I¡¯m doing fine. Don¡¯t worry.


    Breakfast was a light vegetable soup, a slice of meat and some jam and bread. And you could have as much bread as you wanted. Chiharu was handling the meat carefully. It was ground meat and chopped vegetables that had been compressed, sliced and roasted. Kind of like a meatloaf. It wasn¡¯t as juicy as hamburger steak, but it smelled of herbs and was delicious. Yes. So good.


    ¡°Have you never eaten sausages in the inlands?¡±


    Kaider saw how serious Chiharu was as she ate, and asked the unfortunate question.


    ¡°They taste different at every inn, don¡¯t they? Chouze really likes to eat. Don¡¯t let it bother you, or you¡¯ll be asking her every time we sit down to eat.¡±


    Maki said for her.


    ¡°But still, right, Nyran? The inlands¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaider. How was the airship?¡±


    Maki said as if to interrupt Kaider from inquiring any further.


    ¡°A-airship?¡±


    ¡°Commoners or adventurers like us would usually not be able to ride on them, right? I was thinking about how amazing it must have been.¡±


    Hmm, back to that. So they weren¡¯t fooled after all. Nyran thought with a grin as he saw Kaider become a little flustered. This was amusing.


    ¡°We-well, it was amazing.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh.¡±


    ¡°Uh, your sister seems to have finished eating.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Kaider, Nyran, my sister and I are going to spend the rest of the day meeting with the birdfolk and seeing the rest of the town.¡±


    ¡°Ah, uh, right.¡±


    The two children went up to the second floor.


    ¡°Norfe won that round.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think he would counterattack like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just bad at this, Kaider.¡±


    ¡°It just came out.¡±


    Kaider scratched his head.


    ¡°Well, we have no business in this town. Might as well make sure they are alright.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    After they had finished eating, Maki and Chiharu left the inn in order to meet the birdfolk as they had promised. They left their large bags inside and carried smaller ones on their shoulders.


    ¡°You came.¡±


    The birdfolk were waiting restlessly.


    ¡°My name is Orne. This one¡¯s Puel.¡±


    ¡°Uh, call us Norfe and Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Not Maki and Chiharu?¡±


    So they did know. Just like with Sauro and Saikania, Puel was also a woman.


    ¡°Yes. We are hiding, after all.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Where should we take you?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere high, so we can see the town and the surrounding terrain.¡±


    ¡°I am fine with just being taken around the town a little.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu had different answers.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to run now.¡±


    Maki started to run down the open street, and Orne swept down and picked her up into the air. She had practiced doing this at the castle with Sauro. Chiharu was still too scared, and so she was only carried to a nearby area.


    The children of the town gathered when they saw this.


    ¡°That looks fun.¡±


    ¡°I want to do that.¡±


    They looked on with envy. Dwarf children were a little smaller than children of the same age. They all had matching red hair and bright brown eyes. Chiharu was 155 cm, Maki was 165 cm, Grudo was about 150 cm. Grudo was considered about average for a dwarf, which made Kaider quite tall at 170 cm. Aside from being short, dwarves were also known for being powerfully built.


    ¡°Puel?¡±


    ¡°I do like to carry children, but it can be dangerous when they get scared.¡±


    That¡¯s true.


    ¡°Go and ask your parents if you can play with the birdfolk and be carried up in the air.¡±


    Chiharu told them, and they all scattered in different directions. After a few minutes, they returned while dragging skeptical-looking adults.


    ¡°Oh my. There really is a bird person here. But, are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, just tell them not to be scared and not to move around.¡±


    Puel answered. Chiharu flew first to show them. And without looking the least bit displeased, Puel took all of the children into the air one by one. Eventually, Maki returned, and Orne joined in the play. This went on until midday.


    Kaider and Nyran watched this from a short distance away.


    ¡°They clearly have some strong connection with the birdfolk. They would not be able to be carried like that unless they were with birdfolk for a while.¡±


    ¡°But you were with them since you were young, and they always dropped you.¡±


    ¡°By Orne, yes. I guess I was too heavy.¡±


    ¡°Huh? It looks like they are leaving with the other children?¡±


    ¡°It seems that they¡¯ve been invited to dinner.¡±


    ¡°Well, we might as well go to the inn then.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say no to that. It¡¯s good to relax once in a while.¡±


    Kaider looked up at the sky. He didn¡¯t know if it was just him, but the air seemed cleaner than usual.


    ¡°So, do you think they are from the midlands and not the inlands? Well, the three human territories are all connected. You can¡¯t really tell just by their names or appearances. But there are hardly any birdfolk near the inlands.¡±


    Their boring days were becoming more interesting. He looked forward to testing Norfe again tonight.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I think that you¡¯ll lose. Also, you better tell Orne to keep quiet. Or you¡¯ll lose before it even begins.¡±


    Yes. Sometimes having a childhood friend around could complicate things.

 CH 24

    Maki and Chiharu were invited into the children¡¯s house, and their eyes wandered around with interest. The ceiling and doors were low, much like old Japanese houses, but not too low for Maki and Chiharu. The plastered walls were bright, and the furniture was relaxing and made of wood. They could see a large oven in the kitchen where the mother stood.


    ¡°Many travelers have been coming through here recently, because of the Saintesses. Things have only just calmed down, but they will probably be taking return trips starting tomorrow. So it will be quite lively again.¡±


    The mother said as she served them some cold meats. It was served with thinly sliced bread. The steamed meat looked like chicken, and it was also sliced and served on a plate.


    ¡°See, you put the meat on the bread and pour this dressing on top.¡±


    This slightly sour ham sandwich was very delicious.


    ¡°So, how old are you two? Human children are so much taller, I just can¡¯t get a grasp on their ages.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I am 14 and my sister is 12.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, so you can drink apple wine then?¡±


    ¡°We can!¡±


    ¡°We can!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. Well, I just happen to have a special, homemade apple wine. Would you like to try it?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    The homemade apple wine was much sweeter than the one at the inn.


    ¡°I use apples that are from a relative in a neighboring village, and they are much sweeter. However, the alcohol is also stronger, so you can only have a little.¡±


    ¡°The cider is much better. Here, have some cider.¡±


    The children said as they shared some of their drink. It was a very pleasant lunch.


    ¡°Oh, but the air really has improved. I feel like it started ever since the Saintesses came. The miasma seems to have almost vanished. There should be less trouble in the town now.¡±


    ¡°There was trouble?¡±


    ¡°Dwarves are tough people, but you know, half a year without a Saintess will do it. But humans are much weaker, and the effect of miasma is stronger in them. Passing adventurers become troublesome. I heard that there was a lot of fighting in Gromble. In fact, I would have stopped you two from going if things hadn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. It is a rare thing to be able to play with the birdfolk. Thank you for that.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t exactly something that they could take credit for, and so they felt a little bad. But still, considering how much the birdfolk had troubled them up until now, they felt that accepting this gratitude was nothing.


    ¡°Another house is serving the birdfolk some lunch right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They did no more flying that day. Instead, they spent the time checking out the different shops in the village. According to the shop owner, humans especially liked to buy bags that used the levitation stones. And that the bags sold near the capital had large varieties of designs and functions.


    ¡°You two were flying, weren¡¯t you? Then you should have one of these pouches, and not a shoulder bag. That way, it won¡¯t move around.¡±


    They were recommended a pouch that had two belts that crossed around your waist.


    ¡°See, normally it would be positioned in the back, but you can turn it to the front so it won¡¯t get in the bird person¡¯s way. The birdfolk should use pouches like this too.¡±


    Come to think of it, they had never seen them carrying any bags.


    ¡°Orne, Puel, come over here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What do you think about this bag?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like having things dangle under me.¡±


    ¡°What about this one?¡±


    The one with two belts was pretty cool looking.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°You could move it the front when you are flying.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you. You can try putting it on and flying.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Orne put it on with glee.


    ¡°You try this one.¡±


    Puel was given a yellow pouch. The two of them flew around and adjusted the pouch to the front and back. Eventually, they came back down with satisfied expressions.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that our hands can be free for small luggage.¡±


    ¡°Now I can carry Maki and Chiharu while carrying something else.¡±


    Hey! We¡¯re Norfe and Chouze! Chiharu frantically signaled to them. The birdfolk looked surprised for a moment. Hmph.


    ¡°Old man, I¡¯ll take this.¡±


    ¡°Really! This one happens to be an original of mine. I hope that you¡¯ll tell the others about it.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu could already imagine the bird people flocking to this store.


    ¡°How many do you have in stock?¡±


    ¡°After selling two to the bird people, and another two if you buy these, there should be four left.¡±


    ¡°You might want to make some more in a hurry. The bird people are really sensitive to trends. I think.¡±


    ¡°Really? These weren¡¯t selling at all until today.¡±


    ¡°I think they¡¯ll be bragging about these to the others a lot in just one day¡­¡±


    ¡°I, I see. The bag itself is ordinary, so I just have to mass produce the belts¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure people will be imitating it soon, so you should sell as many as you can.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, young lady.¡±


    And then from the remaining pouches, they asked him to reserve a red one and a green one, and to give them to Sauro and Saikania when they came. After all, they were guaranteed to come.


    He also gave them some advice about the merpeople scales, saying that they could be sold at a high price at the capital. Scales that have not been processed were quite rare, and they were in high demand by craftsmen. They would sell for an even higher price in the elf country. And so they would have to visit this capital soon.


    At the same time, in Arthur¡¯s country of Midland, there was one person who was preparing to go on a journey as the guests started to leave.


    ¡°Aeris, wait!¡±


    ¡°No, I will not.¡±


    ¡°What use will it do, for you to leave? We do not even know where in the dwarven territories Maki and Chiharu are.¡±


    ¡°No, the birdfolk definitely know.¡±


    ¡°But do you really think that Miragaia will tell you?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡±


    The birdfolk and elves were rivals in a way when it concerned the Saintesses.


    ¡°And people will recognize you.¡±


    Aeris was about to refute Arthur. But he really was much too famous. Not only had he lived for many years, but while elves were supposed to die with blonde hair, he had lived past 300 and his hair had turned to silver. Still, he had maintained his youthful appearance. And what¡¯s more, he had helped create new things, such as the airship and become well known in just about any country as the White Philosopher.


    ¡°I will use a disguise.¡±


    ¡°Aeris. What if we find her first, you will not be able to meet with them if you are off on your own.¡±


    ¡°But I am worried¡­¡±


    Aeris clenched his fists. Chiharu. Maki too. Perhaps they had endured something else and were now crying. What if they had encountered trouble in an unknown land. He could not just stay here and do nothing.


    ¡°Oh, well. I had wanted to keep this quiet for just a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Grudo?¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling that they would do this, and I had assigned guards to protect them, a while ago. I believe they should be with them right now. So I wouldn¡¯t worry. Aeris, I would be much more concerned about you than Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Grudo, you knew about this? And you said nothing?¡±


    ¡°I did not lie. All I am saying is that I considered the possibility that they would leave.¡±


    Arthur massaged his temples.


    ¡°Aeris, we will have to send soldiers to the dungeons eventually, when the elves and dwarven territories request it. I will send you to go with them then, so please wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°So the six months of absence really did take its toll.¡±


    ¡°There are apparently more monsters than ever before. They say that Adventurers are not enough to deal with them now.¡±


    It could not be helped. Likely, they were all headed for the same place. Aeris could only pray that they would stay safe until then.

 CH 25

    The capital of Greige was closer to the beast country than Garonce, and far away from Gromble. But they did not have a specific destination, to begin with, and there was more meaning in purifying places that were well populated.


    That was what Maki and Chiharu told themselves, but deep down, they wanted to go to the capital in order to eat meat and snacks while selling off their mermaid scales. The incredibly suspicious mystery man had straight up disappeared in Garonce, much to their surprise. However, as if in exchange, they could always see a bird person hiding nearby since that afternoon, of course, with a pouch around their waist. And the two felt conflicted.


    Furthermore, they had somehow found themselves traveling with Kaider and Nyran again. Every area was purified of miasma when they stayed, but there was no end to it either, so they decided to only stay one day in each place before moving again.


    And there was no guarantee that their wigs wouldn¡¯t move.


    ¡°It¡¯s so annoying having to avoid people¡¯s gaze. Because you don¡¯t want them to notice the color of your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you just have to insist that its brown.¡±


    ¡°You have it easy, Chiharu. You can play the useless little sister and people don¡¯t talk to you so much. But when it comes to me¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaider, right? He really likes to talk to you, Maki.¡±


    ¡°If you only knew half of it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m enjoying myself thanks to your sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    ¡°Now, now. We will be going to the hot spring town of Corail tomorrow. And you know what that means, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hehe. I¡¯ve stocked up already. And we will finally be able to wash our hair.¡±


    Well, one was hardly going to get drunk enough to pass out with apple wine. But Chiharu was still worried about something.


    ¡°There is a problem though.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t we be in separate baths?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°It would be fine if we were alone, but knowing Kaider, he might say that you should go with them.


    ¡°No. No way.¡±


    Maki shivered.


    ***


    Chiharu had been looking at Maki in lazy amusement then, but now she looked worried.


    ¡°Norfe can come with us. Chouze, we will stand guard by the entrance, so wash up in a hurry and come back out.¡±


    ¡°What? What the? We won¡¯t be able to relax at all.¡±


    Maki grumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯re a man, aren¡¯t you? Wash up, take a dip and be done with it.¡±


    Kaider said dispassionately.


    ¡°Are you serious? It¡¯s a hot spring. You take your time soaking in it, get out once to cool off, and then soak and relax in it again.¡±


    Maki said with exasperation.


    ¡°Well, the boy is right. Hot springs are meant to be enjoyed leisurely.¡±


    The innkeeper offered.


    ¡°Also, I have a scar on my back, so I don¡¯t want to go in with anyone.¡±


    This was an excuse that they had come up with together.


    ¡°Do you think us Adventurers are not covered with scars? A man shouldn¡¯t care about that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean. And I am not such an old man to be able to see it like that.¡±


    ¡°O¡­ld¡­man¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaider, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°I am only 120!!¡±


    ¡°And Nyran?¡±


    ¡°25.¡±


    ¡°See? I¡¯m grateful that you want to guard my sister, but not if you¡¯re going to rush her. She won¡¯t be able to relax.¡±


    Kaider looked towards Chiharu with a sad expression.


    ¡°I would like to take my time in there.¡±


    His shoulders slumped.


    The hot spring that bubbled out of the mountain depths, flowed slowly down levels carved into the rocks until it reached the river below. As there was a lot of water, the midway levels had the most comfortable temperature. And here there were partitions that allowed them to be used separately.


    However, the locals did not care for these partitions, and men and women and families used the baths together. Those who liked hotter water would go to the higher levels, and those who preferred it cooler would go down.


    ¡°Its normal for local families to go in together, so you two can go on ahead.¡±


    Said the innkeeper.


    ¡°But, we¡¯re 14 and 12.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you are still children. Besides, the locals will leave you alone if there are families or women there already. Now, I wouldn¡¯t advise that you go late at night, but if you go to the top baths early in the morning, you can watch the sunrise.¡±


    They were sure that you were allowed to drink at 14 and 12 in Garonce. Sometimes they were treated like children, and other times they would be treated as adults. Maki wondered at just how lax things were here.


    But Chiharu¡¯s eyes were sparkling.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. They would have to give up drinking wine in the hot spring and make do with a toast of cider in the morning light.


    And so they didn¡¯t raise any more arguments that night and quietly bathed alone. Then, while it was still dark, they snuck out of the inn. They followed the path up the mountain for 10 minutes until they reached the recommended spot. Thankfully, there was no one there.


    They held their bottles of cider as they relaxed in the hot water and stared out as the sky grew brighter. They were close to the place where the water gushed from, and so it was quite hot. After a while, they would sit outside and allow their bodies to cool off as they drank. They felt like they had been released from everything, like they were free inside and out.


    ¡°Well, we should get out soon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Just then.


    ¡°¡­I thought I heard Norfe¡¯s voice from over here.¡±


    It was Kaider.


    ¡°Wait a minute, Kaider. You worry too much.¡±


    ¡°But it is too dangerous for children to be alone.¡±


    ¡°You should respect Norfe¡¯s wishes a little¡­¡±


    The locals would leave them alone. But people that weren¡¯t locals?


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Both of them had washed and dried their hair yesterday, so they had it tied up to keep it dry. Just now, they were sitting on the edge of the bath as they were considering getting out. Kaider and Nyran¡¯s eyes went first to their hair and were just about to go down to their pale bodies.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    The smaller one screamed.


    ¡°S-sorry.¡±


    The two frantically turned around and hurried away.


    ¡°Maki, let¡¯s get out while we can.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Maki! Hurry up and get changed. We¡¯ll return to the inn from the other side.¡±


    ¡°The other side?¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    Chiharu rushed Maki into changing, and they quickly made their way down the other side. When they were sure that no one was watching, they put on their wigs. Maki was still in shock.


    ¡°Maki, they probably didn¡¯t realize that it was us. It¡¯ll be fine if we pretend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Pretend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We weren¡¯t wearing the wigs, so we would have been seen as two women.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah you¡¯re right.¡±


    Maki was still not in control of herself.


    ¡°Come on! It¡¯s not like either of us are that memorable while naked!¡±


    ¡°Hey, now. I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡±


    She was recovered enough to make a rebuttal!


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re fine now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll just act like we enjoined a morning bath. Let¡¯s pretend to be excited as we return. And of course, we didn¡¯t meet anyone.¡±


    ¡°No one.¡±


    Now, time for some acting.

 CH 26

    ¡°Norfe, Chouze, where were you two!¡±


    It was unusual for Nyran to call to them. Norfe replied as he always did.


    ¡°Where? We were at the hot spring.¡±


    ¡°No, you weren¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes we were.¡±


    ¡°But we didn¡¯t see you.¡±


    Chouze said in a small voice.


    ¡°Huh? You came to see?¡±


    ¡°Uh, not to see, to search. You know?¡±


    Nyran said a little flustered.


    ¡°We were fine. The innkeeper told us. The locals will avoid places where families or women have gone inside. So it was safe¡­ What happened to you two?¡±


    Kaider¡¯s face was buried in the table, and Nyran had a hand on the wall and was looking down.


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. We went up to the top because we wanted to see the beautiful sunrise. But there were two women up there, so we went on the opposite side. The sunrise was so pretty.¡±


    ¡°It really was. Huh? Kaider? Nyran?¡±


    Norfe and Chouze were talking happily, but then they stopped to look at Kaider and Nyran with surprise.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯ll tell you from now on. But don¡¯t act so strict next time, okay?¡±


    Norfe said with a little exasperation.


    ¡°Hey, Norfe. Since it was far away and so dark, maybe the two women they saw were actually children?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°No, they were definitely women.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that, you idiot!¡±


    ¡°What, so you saw?¡±


    Norfe asked with deep interest.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see! I didn¡¯t! But, it kind burned into my eyes¡­¡±


    ¡°What an idiot¡­¡±


    Nyran looked up at the ceiling as Kaider let it slip.


    ¡°Horrible.¡±


    Both of them were annihilated by Chouze¡¯s small voice.


    Maki and Chiharu left them and returned to their room, where they celebrated their success.


    ¡°Burned into your eyes? Who says that?¡±


    Maki said in a huff.


    ¡°Kaider, of course.¡±


    ¡°Well, leaving that aside, the problem was that our black hair was in view.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t seem to be focused enough on our hair, so we¡¯re probably fine.¡±


    They were not sure if that was a good thing.


    ¡°Anyway, we will continue to feign ignorance! Ahhh, I want to stay here for a long time.¡±


    ¡°We can come again!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. We should keep moving for now.¡±


    Corail had a warm climate due to being on a mountain with hot springs, and there were some unusual fruits here. There was one that was a soft, green ball that when peeled, was white on the inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s like lychee.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah.¡±


    As there was not a lot of them, they were very thankful to the innkeeper who had served it to them as a breakfast dessert. Even Kaider and Nyran, who had not had much of an appetite, accepted the fruits, and they all headed to the capital in a better mood.


    As for whether or not Kaider and Nyran were truly sorry.


    ¡°I do think that it was careless. We don¡¯t know who might have been there, so we should have been careful. But I was sure that I heard Norfe¡¯s voice.¡±


    ¡°But they said they were on the other side, so that¡¯s probably what you heard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, probably. But still¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You know, it was a sight for sore eyes.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re such an idiot.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are you going to pretend that you didn¡¯t see anything?¡±


    ¡°¡­I did see¡­¡±


    They were not.


    ¡°They were very slender. With pale skin and curves that, and the contrast with the black hair was¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait-wait-wait a second.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They had black hair.¡±


    ¡°Ah, AHH!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Is there anyone else with black hair? Kaider, you locked eyes, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. But the body was more¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn, you are so stupid.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright. Uh, the eyes¡­were black¡­¡±


    They looked at each other.


    ¡°The Saintesses!¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses!¡±


    ¡°No, it can¡¯t be.¡±


    ¡°After all, the Saintesses were being unveiled at the same time we were in Midland.¡±


    ¡°How could they come to Corail so quickly? No, no. And there¡¯s no one else here that looks to be a part of their party.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Still, it would at least explain the miasma getting thinner¡­ We should have looked more closely.¡±


    ¡°And you were so harsh with me, Nyran.¡±


    ¡°Idiot. I¡¯m talking about during the unveiling ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    ¡°If they really are the Saintesses, they will need guards.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to protect the little runts and make reports to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This is all so confusing.¡±


    And so the two men savored that small happiness, and continued on to the capital, without knowing that they were actually guarding the Saintesses.


    It took 10 days to reach the capital. As they slowly descended from the last town, they came into a wide valley and the capital of Greige entered their view.


    ¡°Look at the castle.¡±


    ¡°Castle?¡±


    There was no large building in sight.


    ¡°Maybe it is hard to see if you are used to seeing the castles in Midland or the inlands. Look, you can see smoke rising near the blacksmith¡¯s district.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the blacksmith district. I see. You mean that two-story building that looks like a gymnasium?¡±


    ¡°Gymnasium? I don¡¯t know what that is, but yes. Where a lot of buildings are crowded together.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­it looks very cozy.¡±


    ¡°Right? This is the kingdom of smithing. Even the royal family have to be good blacksmiths. And so there is a smithy in the castle as well. You could even say that it is the center of origin for the blacksmith district.¡±


    ¡°I see. This is your home, right Kaider?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know all the best and cheapest places. We¡¯ll take you two there.¡±


    ¡°But we need to find an inn first.¡±


    Norfe said.


    ¡°Uh, are you sure that you don¡¯t want to stay with me? It¡¯s pretty big, and my mother and brothers would be overjoyed.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re very grateful, but we can¡¯t impose on you like that.¡±


    ¡°Kaider, let them.¡±


    Nyran interjected. They evaded the worried Kaider as the carriage stopped in Greige.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take see you to your inn. But we have business to attend to after that, so, unfortunately, you¡¯ll have to have dinner alone. We¡¯ll be back in 2 to 3 days to tell you are plans, so enjoy the capital in the meantime.¡±


    ¡°I know, and we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Still, the town seems a little more excited than usual.¡±


    Nyran said as he got out of the carriage and looked around. Birdfolk were noisily descending from the sky.


    ¡°Is it Orne again? How annoying.¡±


    Orne¡¯s pouch was brown. These two proudly showed their green and red pouches.


    ¡°Sauro and Saikania!¡±


    ¡°Sauro and Saikania!¡±


    ¡°Ma-, no, uh¡­Norfe and Chouze.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Soldiers are being sent to the dungeons from Midland.¡±


    Sauro whispered into Chiharu¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Aeris, Grudo and Edwy are coming.¡±

 CH 27

    Aeris is coming! Chiharu was shocked. Midland was Arthur¡¯s country. They had discussed going to the dwarf country first, and the elf country was supposed to come later. And they had never heard anything about sending troops to the dungeons.


    She wanted to ask questions, but now did not seem like the right time.


    ¡°Signal us if something happens. We¡¯ll take you away if you ever need to leave.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the bags.¡±


    Sauro and Saikania slapped the pouches around their waist and smiled. Then they glanced quickly at Kaider and Nyran and flew away.


    ¡°Norfe, Chouze, why are you¡­¡±


    Maki and Chiharu answered Kaider.


    ¡°We know those bird people. They are friends with Orne.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know, Kaider? Birdfolk often play with children in Midland.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    He had indeed seen many birdfolk flying around the port towns.


    ¡°Now, will you introduce us to an inn?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. It¡¯s close to the station where we¡¯ll stop.¡±


    There was a large inn there.


    ¡°Cozy inns are nice as well, but these bigger places have great facilities and the people leave you alone. And it¡¯s pretty safe as well.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll stay here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything crazy, okay?¡±


    ¡°Kaider, we¡¯re grateful and all, but you can¡¯t watch over us forever, you know? And it would be easier for us if you let us go.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaider.¡±


    Nyran came in again.


    ¡°Goodbye then. We¡¯re going to go sell these mermaid scales!¡±


    ¡°Alright, see you later.¡±


    Kaider looked worried as he walked away. It was just the two of them in a foreign country. They could at least read and write, but they had really been thankful that the dwarf looked out for them. But Maki felt that a 14-year-old needed to at least show this much independence. Chiharu chuckled as she watched Maki do her best 14-year-old boy acting.


    The inn really was big. It had two floors and half of the first floor and the entire second floor were rooms. The rest of the space was for the dining hall and bar. But it was wide enough that they could avoid getting tangled with drunkards.


    ¡°Okay, what should we do, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I think we have no choice but to move to plan B.¡±


    ¡°Already, huh? I guess you are right.¡±


    ¡°We will have to go out into town tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do that then.¡±


    While it was late, they went to the dining hall to see how it was like. There didn¡¯t seem to be any rude customers here. As they ordered a dinner of soup, bread, and boiled meat:


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m 14 years old. Can I get a drink?¡±


    ¡°Can you drink? I wouldn¡¯t recommend it, but you aren¡¯t restricted by age.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so what do you have?¡±


    ¡°The apple wine is popular. The stuff here is known for being very tart. Also, we have ale from the human territories.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have two ales.¡±


    ¡°Coming right up!¡±


    Their drinks arrived.


    ¡°Ahh, we are finally free!¡±


    ¡°Sort of. Cheers!¡±


    They clinked their wooden mugs together. They had been served wine back at the castle, but never ale. So this was their first time drinking it.


    ¡°Ahhh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    The ale bubbled gently in their mouths. It wasn¡¯t chilled, but there was a scent of grain and mild bitterness. It felt like a waste to drink it in one gulp, so they slowly savored it until their dinner arrived.


    They started on the boiled meat first. The chunk was about half the size of a fist and was light on fat and very soft. The blocks of root vegetables that were cooked with the meat were also soft. They broke them up with a knife and fork as they ate. And took sips of ale in between. And then they when that was done, they wiped their plates with the bread to finish the meal.


    As the two of them ate, they realized that half the people in the dining hall were drinking.


    ¡°Look, Maki-chan. There are quite a lot of women here too.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t see any human women, but there are plenty of dwarves here drinking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s similar to a bar in Japan.¡±


    ¡°It is. I think plan B might just work then.¡±


    ¡°It will.¡±


    The next day, the two decided to stay another night. Then they went out into town. While it was a strange thing to ask the inn they were staying at, they asked about other inns where a lot of humans were staying or inns that were popular.


    As there were a lot of adventurers and merchants there, the inns seemed to crowd the blacksmith district. But they were also told to be careful when choosing a place, because there were also a lot of rough people.


    They went around to different stores during the morning in order to find the store that the shopkeeper in Garonce had told them about. There they were able to sell most of their mermaid scales.


    ¡°These kinds of materials are quite rare for this inland capital. And mermaids usually don¡¯t sell their scales. Thank you for bringing them!¡±


    The shopkeeper was overjoyed. They were a sign of goodwill from the mermaids, but there was too much for them to keep carrying. They were sold for ten thousand gil per piece. And they had over two hundred of them. Of course, they kept a few as souvenirs. But now they were overloaded with money, and so they went to the merchants guild to deposit it. They were able to use their names, ¡®Maki¡¯ and ¡®Chiharu¡¯ for the accounts and no one knew they were the Saintesses.


    While it was still too early for lunch, they could not resist trying some of the snacks that were being cooked in front of the stores, and so they bought some. It was like a crunchy cracker. Not super sweet, but the taste of slightly burnt flower was the most appetizing and they felt that they could keep eating. But they ended up just sharing one cracker.


    After that, they went to see the inns in the blacksmith district. They walked for a while, searching for the slightly expensive inn that was recommended. Oh, there it is!


    It was a great two-story building, with a large entrance hall with comfortable-looking wooden sofas. There were stairs in the front, and to the left side was a counter where they received guests. There was a large door to the right that was opened and connect to the dining area. The second floor was for the rooms.


    ¡°Do you need something?¡±


    An elderly person, who appeared to be an employee, asked them.


    ¡°Ah, uh, we wanted to eat lunch at a nice place.¡±


    ¡°I see. It will not be cheap. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Then come this way.¡±


    Maki looked at Chiharu. Yes. Good. They weren¡¯t treated carelessly just because they looked like children.


    The dining hall was large, and the tables were covered in white tablecloths. The building was a typical dwarven structure made of wood and gave an overall bright impression. They were led to a table.


    ¡°Here is the menu.¡±


    They were handed the menu. Oh! They could pick their own food. Maki and Chiharu looked through it carefully. They were far from the sea, so the only fish here was trout. But there was a wide variety of meat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the light fish course. My sister will have the mutton course.¡±


    ¡°And do you want any drinks?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some elvish white wine. My sister will have a glass of red wine.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    While it was a course, it was light, with ham and vegetables, light soup and dessert. Maki¡¯s trout was covered in a citrus sauce, and Chiharu¡¯s mutton had a berry sauce. This went very well with the wine.


    There was something about these ordinary children eating fish and mutton in so good-mannered a fashion that caught people¡¯s attention.


    Most people would think that they were nobles in disguise.


    ¡°Let¡¯s choose this place.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    The inn they were currently staying at was nice. But they didn¡¯t need Norfe and Chouze any more. They would act tomorrow. It was time for plan B.

 CH 28

    It was difficult to drink alcohol without feeling uneasy about being a child, and others would worry about you.


    If this disguise was only a means to escape from the castle, to begin with, then shouldn¡¯t they return to being adults? This was Plan B, also known as ¡®The Plan to Disguise Ourselves as Normal Human Women.¡¯


    Kaider had not contacted them for two days. His job was probably keeping him busy. Maki and Chiharu had caused them enough delays as it was. And so they had felt a little guilty and were relieved that he had not tried to contact them yet.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have time to worry about two strange children.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    Maki said, as if to convince herself. She was also just a little bit sad.


    But it was not all bad, and the two of them had decided to leave their inn and move to a new one. It was the White Lily Inn. They didn¡¯t know if the name had anything to do with it, but there seemed to be many sophisticated-looking dwarf women staying there. And so they knew that it would be safe for them.


    First, they changed into the women¡¯s clothes they used to wear in the castle, then put on a robe over that and left the inn. And after making sure that their hair was covering their foreheads, went into a lady¡¯s clothes shop. This is where Chiharu came took the lead.


    ¡°I wanted to order some dwarf clothes since we came all the way to this capital. But we don¡¯t have enough time. You wouldn¡¯t happen to have anything I could wear right now, would you?¡±


    ¡°You are small for a human, so I think that we should have something. But your older sister is bigger than most dwarven men¡­ Oh, I know. We can do something like the Midland clothes you are wearing now, and just layer these. The two of you are too narro-, I mean, you two are slender, but this should work well for you, even if it is a little short.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. Can we try a few on?¡±


    Indeed, dwarven women were voluptuous and had very pretty physiques. The two women acted like typical young tourists who were excited at being in the dwarf country. But what was wrong with that? And so they both bought two pairs.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to be recognized when we go out. Do you have any wigs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do!¡±


    And so they bought wigs as well.


    ¡°After all, dwarves are known for having red hair. Our eyes are brown. We cannot change our eye color, but it is not the same for our hair. Wigs are very popular among dwarven women.¡±


    How convenient. Still, blond hair was apparently deemed excessive, and most of the wigs here were brown.


    The clerk said passionately:


    ¡°This bright chestnut hair will suit you. It will go perfectly with your dark eyes. Oh, are they actually black?¡±


    ¡°No, look more clearly. Our eyes are reddish brown. You know, they say that the Saintesses who recently arrived have black eyes. I wouldn¡¯t dream of saying mine was the same.¡±


    ¡°I understand that completely. But I am so glad that the Saintesses have come. The miasma in this city has become a lot thinner, you know?¡±


    ¡°The human territories too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we are all so thankful for them.¡±


    ¡°So thankful.¡±


    They bought a bright chestnut color wig and an even brighter brown one. Then they sold their old clothes as they would be too heavy to keep carrying around. After that, they borrowed a mirror to add some light makeup and style their hair.


    ¡°Oh, you look so beautiful. This Midland style of wearing it might become the latest fashion.¡±


    They turned out looking cute enough to receive this praise from the clerk. They looked a little younger than their age, due to having to cover their forehead with their bangs. But they were still larger than dwarven women, and so even Chiharu appeared like an adult. Now no one would think it odd if she was drinking. She was able to relax now that she was finally dressed like a woman again.


    Maki and Chiharu were in high spirits as they left the store when a birdman dropped down in front of them. It was Sauro.


    ¡°It is today. The Midland soldiers are arriving today.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°There are too many monsters in the dungeons now, and the adventurers can¡¯t hold them off anymore. And as they cannot send so many new adventurers with little notice, they decided to borrow soldiers from the human territories.¡±


    ¡°But what about the dwarven soldiers?¡±


    ¡°Among the three lands of this continent, beastkin, elves, and dwarves are all superior to humans in terms of strength. But many do not like to use swords. So much so that elves stick to using bows. And so it is difficult to gather enough useful men.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t this the blacksmith country?¡±


    ¡°It is really more of a farming and cooking country. Also, Maki and Chiharu¡­¡±


    Sauro had an unusually troubled expression.


    ¡°Aeris is worried about you two. To be honest, I don¡¯t like elves, and the chief and Aeris do not get along, as they fight over the possession of the Saintesses. But still¡­¡±


    Still?


    ¡°We are the same in some ways. We didn¡¯t get along at first, but we started talking about you a lot, and when I was still at the castle, we would trade information about you two.¡±


    Uhhh, off-putting¡­ Could they be fan number 1 and 2?


    Chiharu and Maki looked at each other. Setting that aside, they did not want the kind Aeris to worry about them. Chiharu took out a small bag from her suitcase.


    ¡°Give this to Aeris. Tell him that we¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°Should I tell him that you are here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him! We, we want to be free for just a little bit longer.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll come again.¡±


    Sauro placed it carefully into his pouch and then flew away with a flutter of wings. When they looked back down after seeing him off, Maki and Chiharu saw that they had attracted attention. This was not supposed to happen! Damn it, these birdfolk! The two of them hurried away in a huff.


    ¡°How unusual. Human girls.¡±


    ¡°They were kind of big, but still cute.¡±


    ¡°Nah, they¡¯re way too skinny!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but they still had curves where it mattered.¡±


    ¡°Did you see how thin her waist was?¡±


    ¡°I did!¡±


    ¡°And the brown hair.¡±


    ¡°That pointed chin.¡±


    ¡°So pretty.¡±


    So it had not been the bird person who attracted attention after all. The dwarven men talked excitedly for some time after that:


    ¡°Did you see them?¡±


    ¡°They are way too big.¡±


    ¡°They also looked so underfed.¡±


    The women giggled but also said:


    ¡°Did you see?¡±


    ¡°That waist.¡±


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous.¡±


    ¡°And that one piece. Don¡¯t you think it was pretty how they layered it?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. It was so adorable how the cream-color peeked from underneath.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we check out that store?¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The women were also very excited. Maki and Chiharu had not realized how unusual it was for young human women to visit the city.


    They returned safely to the White Lily and were just about to order their dinner when an elderly dwarf gentleman approached their table. He looked like a wealthy merchant.


    ¡°Excuse me, beautiful human daughters. You two seem to be alone, and I was wondering if you would like to eat with us?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were surprised, but,


    ¡°Thank you so much, but we are fine.¡±


    They said.


    ¡°Then how about a drink together after dinner? You see, I have a wife, and I thought that you might prefer to sit with us.¡±


    At this, he glanced to the side. Puzzled, they looked too and saw that a young dwarven man was staring at them. His eyes were shining, and he was about to walk towards them when the merchant-like man¡¯s stare gave him pause.


    And it seemed that the young man wasn¡¯t the only one who had been watching. This¡­was awkward¡­


    ¡°Oh, uh, thank you. We would be happy to drink with you after dinner.¡±


    ¡°Brilliant. I am Edmond, representative of the Edmond Company. I will come again when you are finished eating.¡±


    And so Edmond returned to his table in the back. It seemed that he was eating with another, younger dwarf.


    ¡°Maki-chan, why are we being stared at?¡±


    ¡°Maybe humans are rare?¡±


    ¡°But people treated us pretty normal when they thought we were kids.¡±


    ¡°Because we are so ravishing?¡±


    Maki posed with her chin in her palm and fluttered her eyelashes. Chiharu almost spat out the apple wine she was drinking but managed to stop herself. This was a special apple wine with mild sweetness. She was not going to let it go to waste. But more importantly, had she just heard people sighing around them?


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Chiharu felt that her voice shook a little.


    ¡°Are we actually popular here?¡±


    ¡°While it is very shocking¡­¡±


    Maki looked down and massaged her forehead. Was she turning into Arthur?


    ¡°We are¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Not supposed to stick out.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Where had they gone wrong?


    The answer: Plan B.

 CH 29

    Still, as they tasted the local vegetables and grilled pheasant, they eventually stopped caring about the looks they were getting. And the mildly sweet and strong apple wine that the waiter had recommended went very well with their meat.


    Dessert was a hearth-baked souffle.


    ¡°Please eat it quickly.¡±


    The waiter had said, and so they ate the souffle, which was so spongy and soft, and melted hotly in their mouths. They sighed with contentment before remembering that they were being watched.


    ¡°Chiharu, do you think that they¡¯re thinking that we eat too fast?¡±


    ¡°I hope so. They may become annoyed at us and look away.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Maybe I should start burping.¡±


    ¡°Rejected!¡±


    Maki-chan, that¡¯s crossing the line.


    ¡°Mister Edmond requests that you two drink with him after you are finished eating.¡±


    Said a waiter who had noticed that they were finished.


    ¡°Mister Edmond is a regular here. The kindest man.¡±


    The waiter assured them. Maki and Chiharu were relieved and followed the waiter to where Edmond was sitting.


    ¡°Thank you for accepting my invitation.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you for having us.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s choose a drink, shall we? I am guessing that you¡¯ve tasted their special apple wine already?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we have. I do enjoy good sweet wine, but I feel that this one really enhances the flavor of the food.¡±


    ¡°Hm, then what about this apple wine here? It is also a mildly sweet apple wine that has had dried pieces of apple peels inside it for two hours. The smell is divine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡±


    They said with beaming faces.


    ¡°Very good. Allow me to introduce you to this man while we wait. This is my son, Kreis.¡±


    ¡°I am Kreis. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I am Anne.¡±


    ¡°And I am Mary.¡±


    They could obviously not say Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°The Edmond Company mainly handle leather goods. Do you know those bags that use levitation stone?¡±


    Edmond said.


    ¡°Oh, is that so. Of course, we know about them. They are very important for us in our travels.¡±


    ¡°Ho ho, indeed.¡±


    Edmond smiled. The son asked:


    ¡°I am very curious about new things. Tell me, how are the human territories lately?¡±


    The son looked to be about the same age as Kaider. His curly red hair flowed naturally to the back, and he looked sharp and handsome.


    ¡°Well, we did stop by a Midland port town on our way here.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu assumed that he would want to hear something that would benefit his business, and so they talked about the clothes, bags, and food they saw there, and also the noble ladies they saw in the castle.


    Edmond watched the two as they keenly detected what he wanted to hear and chose subjects that he was interested in. He had instinctively approached them out of concern but ended up enjoying their time together.


    ¡°I see. By the way, are you two here to sightsee?¡±


    Maki glanced at Chiharu. Yes.


    ¡°Our father is in Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Gromble! Ahh, they sell magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°Which companies carriage did you use?¡±


    ¡°Uh, a public one.¡±


    ¡°But that is so dangerous!¡±


    Kreis clearly wanted to question them further, but Chiharu looked at Edmond with pleading eyes. Help.


    ¡°Now, Kreis, the girls don¡¯t want to talk about that.¡±


    Kreis closed his mouth with a discontented expression.


    ¡°Anne, Mary, I am sure you are quite confident, as you made it all the way here safely. But there will be more ruffians on the way to Gromble. You seem a little oblivious to the way people look at you, but humans and especially young women would draw a lot of attention here. My son is just worried about that.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. If you would like, we can provide a carriage and guard for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Chiharu looked a little uncomfortable.


    ¡°We are very grateful, but¡­ We can¡¯t ask you to do that¡­¡±


    She said and looked down. Kreis practically stood up.


    ¡°No. It is only normal for us to help a troubled person from a foreign land. Please, rely on us!¡±


    He said with conviction. What a cute person. I sometimes visit the human territories, but it¡¯s not often that you see someone this small. She is still bigger than many dwarves, but smaller than me. And that delicate neck and shoulders. She looked fragile. Chiharu had no idea that such thoughts were running through Kreis¡¯ head. Well, it was likely that many of the other dwarves watching them were thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Thank you. We intend to stay here in the capital for a while, so we might just take you up on the offer when the time comes.¡±


    Maki said. Right then, they heard a door opening, and the room seemed to fall quiet. Edmond looked and said:


    ¡°Well, this is unusual. It¡¯s the third son and his chaperone from the castle.¡±


    ¡°Third son?¡±


    Chiharu wondered.


    ¡°Did you see two human children around here? A brother of 14 and a younger sister that is 12. They had dark blond hair.¡±


    They knew that voice. Uhuh. No, no one could tell.


    ¡°I am very sorry, Kaider. But we do not give out information about our customers unless it is important.¡±


    The owner said politely. Kaider seemed annoyed by this and continued.


    ¡°Important? Two children alone in the dwarf lands? I am just worried about them, but I suppose that is not important to you.¡±


    Kreis chuckled.


    ¡°Two humans traveling together, that does sound familiar.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. Some people really are generous. But perhaps they felt suffocated and had to get away.¡±


    Maki said with a meaningful voice.


    ¡°Oh, indeed. But do not worry, we will not allow you to feel suffocated.¡±


    As they talked, they continued to listen in on Kaider.


    ¡°I suppose I have no choice.¡±


    Yes, you do! You¡¯re going to tell him? Really?


    ¡°Two humans that fit your description did come for lunch yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Two children?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But their manners were so good, that I thought they must be nobles. They even enjoyed some wine.¡±


    You¡¯re going to tell him that too?


    ¡°There is no doubt about it. It¡¯s Norfe and Chouze.¡±


    At what point was he sure of it? Chiharu quipped internally.


    ¡°But I have not seen those two since.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. I told them to wait for a few days! Could they not wait for three days!¡±


    Sorry. We waited for two days. After that conversation, his footsteps approached them.


    ¡°Edmond, Kreis!¡±


    ¡°It has been a while.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to find you in the capital.¡±


    ¡°Well, my father called me.¡±


    They were acquaintances! Kaider was now at their table. It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine. We¡¯re wearing makeup after all.


    ¡°I see you have company. Please excuse me.¡±


    Kaider said politely.


    ¡°Huh? Have I met you two before?¡±


    You have. We were even traveling together. Though, I will never say that.

 CH 30

    Well, in times like this¡­ Chiharu went back to making her usual troubled expression. Kreis saw this and came to her rescue.


    ¡°Kaider, don¡¯t you have any better pick up lines?¡±


    ¡°What! No, really! I have seen¡­¡±


    Said Kaider. His eyes went from their hair to their body as if he was trying to remember.


    ¡°Black hair, I think¡­¡±


    ¡°Horrid.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Chiharu said without thinking.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. But I think that this is the first time we¡¯ve met.¡±


    She said softly.


    ¡°Forgive me, that was rude of me. I am a friend of these two. My name is Kaider, and this is Nyran. Uh, we are looking for two human children. Did you happen to see them anywhere?¡±


    ¡°I believe that we would have noticed seeing any children here that were humans like us. Unfortunately, we have not.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­that is too bad.¡±


    ¡°What, Kaider? Does it bother you so much?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching them ever since we sat together on the train. But they said they were going to Gromble alone. But we¡¯re headed there with the soldiers in just two days. I thought that we might as well take them with us.¡±


    ¡°Take them? Like as an attendant?¡±


    ¡°Yes, or they could help the cooks. I hear that they do not have enough hands from Midland, as this was on such short notice. They are both very independent, and wouldn¡¯t expect any direct help. But they are too skinny to become Adventurers.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I will continue to look for them. Excuse me, ladies.¡±


    And so Kaider and Nyran left the restaurant.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember him being like that.¡±


    ¡°He finally matured.¡±


    Edmond said as Kreis tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Uh, that nice man¡­¡±


    Maki asked.


    ¡°Ah, Kaider? He is a little rough, being an Adventurer and all. But he is also the third prince of this country.¡±


    ¡°Prince?¡±


    ¡°Prince?¡±


    Him? Kreis continued.


    ¡°Being a capable blacksmith and leading the people has always been seen as proof of being a royal in this country. Kaider as well. He is an odd one though. He insisted that blacksmiths needed to know how to use a sword, and so he went out to become an Adventurer.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    Edwy was such a prince-like prince.


    ¡°I feel like it might be safer for you two to move with the Midland troops as well.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll only get in the way of their very, very important work. After all, we¡¯re just going to meet our father.¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°No, no, no. If anything, it might actually be more dangerous to travel with so many soldiers and Adventurers.¡±


    Kreis said indecisively.


    ¡°Really. But please come to use if you need help with anything. We¡¯ll be at our store for the next two to three days.¡±


    Edmond said and showed them where it was located.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you so much.¡±


    They continued a light conversation after that and tasted the apple wine that had been enhanced with dried apple peels. And then they walked Maki and Chiharu to their room. The people in the dwarf country were all very kind.


    ¡°So, Kaider was a prince¡­a prince¡­heh.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, that¡¯s rude. And he was so nice. But¡­haha.¡±


    The two of them spent the next few minutes laughing in their room.


    ¡°No, no. He¡¯s so nice and is still searching for Norfe and Chouze. His appearance aside, he is clearly a prince at heart.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by appearance? Kaider is quite handsome?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­ Did you always like them buff?¡±


    ¡°For the most part, yes. I mean, his thick red hair is wavy like a lion.¡±


    ¡°A red lion. Hehe.¡±


    ¡°The nice forehead and angular features. The bright brown eyes.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, you aren¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a general observation. I actually thought he was your type?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah! I didn¡¯t even notice. I was too busy trying to trick him. That¡¯s right, to generalize, Kaider is quite handsome.¡±


    Maki said in agreement.


    ¡°I feel bad that he¡¯s still looking¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    They felt guilty. About that, and about laughing.


    ¡°But more than that, plan B. It totally failed.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d get so much attention.¡±


    ¡°What will we do now?¡±


    The two of them rolled onto the bed and started to think.


    ¡°Well, I guess we have to move to Plan C.¡±


    ¡°I suppose.¡±


    ¡°But still, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Plan C is not enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Where should we go?¡±


    They looked up at the grains of the wooden ceiling. Chiharu opened her mouth.


    ¡°1, have the birdfolk take us to the beastlands.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Chiharu. I just thought of a crazy future where we are surrounded by bird people.¡±


    ¡°2, have the birdfolk take us to the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master Chiharu. They probably wouldn¡¯t agree to that.¡±


    ¡°That Miragaia! Well then, 3. We¡¯ll follow the soldiers to Gromble.¡±


    ¡°I think that could work.¡±


    ¡°4, we just relax and enjoy traveling the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Totally.¡±


    ¡°5, we backtrack.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We can stay at the hot spring for a week.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They could take it so easy. But.


    ¡°The miasma is already thin over there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s still thick in Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Alright, so our destination. Let¡¯s say it at the same time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Here we go.¡±


    ¡°Here we go.¡±


    They nodded at each other.


    ¡°Gromble.¡±


    ¡°Gromble.¡±


    Right?


    ¡°Hmm, I wonder why?¡±


    ¡°An old habit from Japan? I don¡¯t feel like I can have fun when others are working hard.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re adults, after all. We can¡¯t just throw away our responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°Adults, huh? Well, we did have a nice long 12 days vacation at least.¡±


    ¡°It was so fun. Even though there was a guardian half of the time.¡±


    ¡°Though, they spied on us.¡±


    ¡°Prince.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    They rolled around laughing again.


    ¡°But, we won¡¯t return so easily.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s ask Edmond for help.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s.¡±


    They needed to get some rest for tomorrow. But¡­


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Your face during dinner¡­when you fluttered your eyelashes.¡±


    ¡°Ughh. I didn¡¯t think you would find it so funny¡­hehe.¡±


    It took them a while to fall asleep.


    In the dwarf castle, Aeris was holding the bag that was from Chiharu.


    ¡°So many magic gems. She had hated the idea of growing these so much, but they were going to places thick with miasma on their own. What sense of responsibility. Chiharu, I hope that you are not suffering. I wish that I could at least be by your side.¡±


    Sauro was staring at Aeris after handing him the bag.


    ¡°Aeris, she isn¡¯t suffering at all. They¡¯re having lots of fun, actually.¡±


    ¡°No, no. They probably want to return, but cannot. What about their travel expenses?¡±


    ¡°They seem to be richer.¡±


    ¡°What about strange men following them around?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Well, he couldn¡¯t say there wasn¡¯t one. But Sauro knew that there was nothing he could say to satisfy Aeris. Still, it was getting tiresome, so he did hope that they would return soon.

 CH 31

    The next day, Maki and Chiharu went out into the city, were shocked at the attention they got, and quickly returned to the inn. Even during the afternoon, there were enough people there to create lines.


    ¡°Haha. Our economic impact.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re really helping their business.¡±


    Still, they didn¡¯t want to rely on Edmond¡¯s help, but they had no choice. And so they decided to take him up on his offer. They visited his store, all the while drawing more attention.


    ¡°Oh, you finally came.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for annoying you like this.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Chiharu trailed off and so Edmond shooed away the spectators. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and nodded. Then they pulled off their wigs.


    ¡°Black hair! Could you two be the Saintesses?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, yes.¡±


    ¡°So that is why the miasma has thinned recently..¡±.


    The two fixed their wigs back on as Edmond muttered with satisfaction.


    ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t hear anything about the Saintesses coming with the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we arrived three days ago from Garonce.¡±


    ¡°With Kaider and Nyran.¡±


    Edmond was surprised by this.


    ¡°The third son was your guard? But¡­¡±


    ¡°No, we were disguised. As siblings of 14 and 12.¡±


    ¡°So the children he was looking for yesterday was¡­¡±


    ¡°It was us.¡±


    Maki said apologetically.


    ¡°However, it would take nearly a week to travel through Garonce. Maybe 10 days with women and children. And he never found out?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Is the prince blind?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say¡­¡±


    Maki chuckled.


    ¡°It is no wonder that he thought he recognized you then¡­ Heh, hahaha.¡±


    The sophisticated men burst into laughter. Well, it was pretty funny. Though, we were really desperate.


    ¡°This was just a disguise to escape the castle, but Kaider and Nyran caught us early, I mean, they kindly looked after us.¡±


    ¡°And so you had to remain in your disguises. I see. So that is why there were no rumors.¡±


    He nodded to himself.


    ¡°However, I think it was a good thing. You would have been immediately recognized if you changed back into ladies.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu felt this very clearly today and yesterday.


    ¡°But why did you have to slip away from Midland like that? Was there a problem in that country?¡±


    Edmond asked with concern.


    ¡°Oh, not at all. If anything, they treated us very nicely.¡±


    ¡°But we were just normal working civilians in our own world. It was suffocating to be treated as important.¡±


    ¡°They were going to send us to these dwarf lands on a private train.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu explained. They had been so nice, that it was hard to tell them that it wasn¡¯t what they wanted.


    ¡°I see, I see.¡±


    And then he asked somewhat dubiously.


    ¡°So why have you come to me today? I doubt it was to tell me your troubles.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the truth is¡­¡±


    The two explained that they wanted to go to Gromble and that if they were going to do that, they would like to do so as helpers like Kaider had suggested.


    ¡°Why do you want to go to Gromble so much?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We traveled a lot since entering the dwarf lands, and the miasma thins faster if we are around. Just like it has here. We think that we should keep moving forward.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu both put a hand to their forehead and removed the gem from under the ribbon. Mysteriously, it always fell off at around the same time for them.


    ¡°Oh, the Saintess gem¡­¡±


    The two Saintesses smiled uncomfortably, but Edmond was shaking with emotion. They were almost childish for escaping the stifling castle, and yet they were responsible enough to continue on their path as Saintesses.


    ¡°I will give you whatever help you need. Except, there is no way that I could allow Saintesses to work as helpers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but we know how to cook a little, and can clean too. I think we can survive a week of that.¡±


    ¡°But, could you not reveal your identity and join the group? It will raise the morale of the troops and everyone will breathe so much easier.¡±


    Chiharu thought of Aeris. I¡¯m sorry.


    ¡°No, we want to do what we can. Besides, I¡¯m curious to see what we will get to eat as the cook¡¯s helper.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be anything fancy like you could eat at the White Lily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°¡­I suppose you won¡¯t change your minds.¡±


    Edmond sighed in defeat.


    ¡°In that case, how can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this time we want to disguise ourselves as commoners who are brothers. We are going to Gromble to meet some relatives.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, the third son will recognize you.¡±


    ¡°We will change our wigs and I will be a younger brother instead of a sister. But it doesn¡¯t matter if he recognizes us. He doesn¡¯t know who we are, after all.¡±


    And so they asked if he had any old dwarven clothes and if he could trade their nice bags for old ones.


    ¡°This is getting quite interesting.¡±


    ¡°We are going to the castle for the interview as soon as we are finished with this disguise.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I will write you a letter of recommendation then. And it might be best that you don¡¯t return to the inn today. I will have your belongings brought back here, and you should stay at my house tonight. Also, I would rather not lie to my wife. May I tell her and my son the truth?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. And yes, of course.¡±


    Their bodies would create the magic gems whether they liked it or not. And to Maki and Chiharu, these gems were proof of the people¡¯s suffering. If they could not turn their backs on it and run away, it was best to face it head-on.


    But.


    They didn¡¯t feel like returning meekly either.


    They cut the bright brown wigs to a more boyish length and made them dirty with sand. And instead of ribbons, they had old handkerchiefs wrapped around their foreheads to match their old clothes. They were taller than most dwarves but still looked convincing as human boys.


    ¡°Oh, I would never take you for Saintesses now. Maybe that third son will be fooled again. But still, I would think that something might give it away. Though, you do wear those pants with the confidence of a man.¡±


    Edmond said with approval.


    ¡°It was normal for women to wear pants in the country that we are from.¡±


    ¡°And girls and boys exercised just the same at school.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a fantastical place that must be.¡±


    ¡°Alright, we will go to the castle now.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Gaining entry through the gates is not too difficult, but it would be easier and quicker if you told the gatekeeper that you are there for the job. Hmm, maybe I should send a servant with you¡­¡±


    ¡°That would look even stranger. See you later.¡±


    The two of them set off cheerfully. There was no sign of the two women who had acted so elegantly before.


    ¡°But I highly doubt that Grudo left them completely alone.¡±


    Edmond muttered to himself.

 CH 32

    Maki and Chiharu were tasting freedom again. Or more accurately,


    ¡°Oh, there are human boys.¡±


    The stares seemed to say. But they were used to it, and so they did not care. They didn¡¯t know if the position was still open, and so they needed to hurry.


    Chiharu talked to Maki as they jogged towards the castle.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan. What is freedom anyway?¡±


    ¡°I think I was free in Japan.¡±


    ¡°Work five days a week and be lazy for the other two days. But even in those two days, I would spend a lot of it stocking up on groceries and cleaning my room. I didn¡¯t have that much time to myself.¡±


    ¡°Still, I could buy the books I wanted and watch funny videos.¡±


    ¡°I could eat what I want and make my own decisions in life.¡±


    ¡°Like going on dates.¡±


    ¡°Or being dumped.¡±


    ¡°Right, oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t care about it anymore, though.¡±


    Okay, it still hurt. Just a little.


    ¡°An overly anxious elf.¡±


    ¡°A worrywart king.¡±


    ¡°An easygoing beastkin.¡±


    ¡°Birdfolk. Merpeople.¡±


    They looked up into the sky and waved. Surely, they were watching over them.


    ¡°A kind dwarf.¡±


    ¡°And a prince.¡±


    ¡°Those two.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They laughed. Still, they hurried towards the castle.


    ¡°It¡¯s the people of this world that I keep thinking about.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What we are doing right now. Maybe it is something that we decided on ourselves?¡±


    ¡°¡­It is something we decided.¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re free then.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    They weren¡¯t running away. They were moving forward. Somehow. Just thinking of it like that allowed them to breathe much more easily.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s choose our own path and move forward.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Now, to the castle!


    ¡°That¡¯s unusual. Children of the human tribes.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re trying to reach some relatives. And we heard that we could go to Gromble while working.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I think the position is still open too. Just go in straight through here and you will see a large barracks. Go ask the people there.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you!¡±


    The dwarf castle was really flat. The building had two stories, with the left side echoing with the sounds from the smithy. The right side seemed to be for living quarters. The castle was filled with not only dwarves, but humans who were preparing for tomorrow¡¯s journey, and so it was very lively.


    And the barracks was close by.


    ¡°Um, we¡¯re here for the catering position!¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, go tell that old man over there!¡±


    It was evening now, and preparations for dinner had started. And so they headed towards the middle-aged, slightly balding man that had been pointed at.


    ¡°Um, we¡¯re here for the catering!¡±


    They shouted.


    ¡°What? Who are you two?¡±


    ¡°We heard that you were hiring people to help during the trip to Gromble.¡±


    The man stared at them.


    ¡°Show me your hands.¡±


    They showed him their palms. They were smooth.


    ¡°Hmph. Interesting. So, you wish to go to Gromble?¡±


    He put a hand to his chin and considered it.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to test whether or not you will be useful. Peel those potatoes.¡±


    There was a basket full of potatoes there.


    ¡°You can wash them over there. Here are the knives. Put the peeled potatoes in here. Let me know when you are finished.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It was very sudden, but they had to do it. First, Maki washed the potatoes, and Chiharu peeled them. When Maki was finished, she helped peel them as well. They were careful but also quick. When they were done, Chiharu gathered up the peels while Chiharu washed the potatoes again.


    ¡°We¡¯re finished.¡±


    ¡°That was slow.¡±


    Their shoulders slumped.


    ¡°But you are good with your hands. Better than nothing I suppose. 5,000 gil a day. You will be free when you¡¯re not preparing food and cleaning up. However, most of the time will be spent traveling. You will have three meals a day and sleep in a tent. At least until Gromble. How¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°My name¡¯s Paulo. What¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kenneth. This is Ryan. My younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Brothers, huh? You look alike. But you¡¯re so skinny. You better eat as much as you can while you¡¯re with us.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to start tonight?¡±


    ¡°No, there is someone who is helping us, so we would like to come tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°We leave in the morning. So you better be here very early.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    We¡¯re hired!


    ¡°We got hired!¡±


    ¡°Good for you!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    They reported it to the gatekeeper. Something about how their hands slightly ached over doing something that they hadn¡¯t done in a while made them very happy. And like that, they returned to Edmond¡¯s mansion.


    That night.


    ¡°Prince Kaider, are you leaving tonight as well?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°By the way, I heard that the cook hired some helpers.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°They were human children. Quite rare.¡±


    ¡°Human children!¡±


    Kaider jumped on the gatekeeper who was talking to him. It was not impossible that they would come to him.


    ¡°What did they look like? Uh, they were brothers who looked poor and had light brown hair. Ah, they were also quite cheerful.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t have blonde hair?¡±


    ¡°It was brown.¡±


    ¡°Was one an arrogant kid?¡±


    ¡°They were very pleasant.¡±


    ¡°Was there a girl who always looked down?¡±


    ¡°Both were boys.¡±


    So it wasn¡¯t them. If Maki and Chiharu had heard this exchange, they would have been exasperated, annoyed and then laughed. They had no choice but to act like that because of Kaider. However, just as Kaider was about to leave the castle, someone came to stop him.


    ¡°Prince Kaider, you are supposed to dine with the Midland people tonight!¡±


    ¡°Tsk. Tell my brothers to do that.¡±


    ¡°But you are the representative of the dwarf team!¡±


    And so Kaider and Nyran solemnly returned to the castle. Ah, Norfe, Chouze, I hope that you are doing well.


    During that time, Maki and Chiharu were cheerfully enjoying their dinner.


    ¡°To think that you two were the Saintesses¡­¡±


    Kreis seemed just a little disappointed. He was honored to be able to meet them. However, there was now no possibility of love.


    Dwarves, beastkin, and elves all lived to be 300 years old. On the other hand, humans could barely live to be 100. Unlike the other races who stayed young for many years, humans aged rapidly. So while romance between them may occur, marriage between different races was not very common. Because it was too hard when one died.


    And yet Maki and Chiharu had been appealing enough to make him ignore that. But Saintesses have never married before. But they at least wanted to enjoy this night.


    ¡°So Anne and Mary are¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They smiled. It was nice to be called by your real name. They talked about fashion with Edmond¡¯s kind and calm wife. Or talk about their travels with Kaider and Nyran.


    ¡°Now, Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    When they were finished eating, Edmond smiled and said,


    ¡°You will be children again starting tomorrow. But today, you are grown-ups. Kreis.¡±


    And then Kreis brought over a steel plate and some ham.


    ¡°Now this is the man¡¯s job.¡±


    He said as he began to slice the ham into thin sheets, which Kreis would cook on the steel plate. When it started to sizzle, Emma put the slices onto some bread.


    ¡°Now, try it.¡±


    Both of them took a bite. The ham was hot and the juices and oil spread in their mouths as the bread softy enveloped it.


    ¡°Take a sip of this as well.¡±


    It was the apple wine from last night. It washed away the slight oily taste from their mouths. Only the soft smell of apples remained in their mouths.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    ¡°This is actually a winter dish. People make it at home, so it¡¯s not served in restaurants very often. I wanted you to have some. Now, eat some pickles too.¡±


    They had already eaten a lot for dinner, but somehow, they could eat even more when wine was involved. Emma was just like a mother to them. Was Sera alright? They wondered.


    And so Maki and Chiharu were able to once again experience the warmth of the dwarves during their last day in the capital.

 CH 33

    The next morning, they put their scales, money and valuable items in their pouches and attached them tightly around their waists before putting their shirts on. The wigs went on after that, and once they picked up their old, worn-out bags, their disguises were complete.


    ¡°Edmond, Kreis, Emma. Thank you so much for your hospitality.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu thanked them once again.


    ¡°No, thank you. We had a wonderful time.¡±


    ¡°Maki, Chihaaru. Thank you for visiting the dwarven territories.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourselves too hard.¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    They replied, and then ran off.


    ¡°I wonder if we will be able to meet them again?¡±


    ¡°We should visit them next time.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s true. We can bring some good alcohol as a gift.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. They did seem to like eating quite a lot.¡±


    Kreis and Edmond said to each other. Emma was holding her hands together tightly and praying for the safety of the two Saintesses.


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Good morning.¡±


    ¡°Ah, good luck, you two.¡±


    They greeted the gatekeeper before rushing toward Paulo. There was already a line of soldiers waiting in the training grounds in front of the barracks.


    ¡°You two barely made it. Is that all of your belongings?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll introduce you two to everyone gradually. We will wait here for now and listen to the representative¡¯s speech before riding the carriage.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    They left their larger bags with the carriage and then participated in the departing ceremony.


    ¡°These kinds of things rarely happen, you know?¡±


    ¡°These kinds of things?¡±


    Paulo was surprisingly talkative, and he and the others taught them a variety of things.


    ¡°Like there being too many monsters in the dungeon. And having to send for soldiers over a lack of Adventurers. This is only possible because Midland is on good terms with the three territories, but this is still a very impressive lineup.¡±


    ¡°It really is. We do see Prince Edwy here and there, but even the White Philosopher is here.¡±


    Here and there. There wasn¡¯t much reverence in their tone. Well, he had seemed quite familiar when guiding them through the port town.


    ¡°The White Philosopher?¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t know someone so famous? Most elves have golden hair, but he has white hair. He is the philosopher, Aeris, who invented the airship.¡±


    One of the young cooks explained to them. And Chiharu had thought he was just a retired elf who had too much time on his hands and was a worry-wort. Well, he didn¡¯t look any old than 30. And his hair had seemed more silver than white. Chiharu was very surprised by this. But there had definitely been something majestic about Aeris as he stood his platform, wearing his white robes with golden lining. And there was also something about him that looked tired.


    ¡°And the bird people. They are carefree and appear almost anywhere. But to have four of them participate in such an official way¡­¡±


    ¡°And Prince Nyran represents the southern territories. All three territories and both human territories are represented, it seems.¡±


    All of this information was quite new to them.


    ¡°Um, Prince Nyran¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, the one next to Kaider and has blonde hair. I think he was the second or third prince of the southern territories. They have so many princes and princesses there that I can¡¯t keep track of them.¡±


    ¡°There are so many of them, and so he must be one of the ones that were sent out to different castles.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. He used to be smaller than Prince Kaider, but it turned out that he was much more reliable than him, as he was quite reckless. And so now he watches over Prince Kaider.¡±


    So there were three princes, not two. Kaider was a dwarf but the size of a slightly short human. He now wore a uniform of deep green and had a sword at his belt as he faced the troops. His red hair was blowing in the wind. Nyran was wearing a dark orange uniform. Perhaps it was a sign that he was from the south.


    ¡°And it¡¯s that rascal who is the commander on this expedition. Our Prince Edwy is still young and seems a little weak.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? Appearance aside, he is a heavyweight among the three territories and is a good friend with the royal families of the human territories. In spite of his young age, he has an important part in Midland¡¯s diplomacy. Besides, you know. He is very popular with young women.¡±


    It seemed like Paulo was strongly partial to Edwy.


    ¡°So I guess the inland humans didn¡¯t come after all.¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t have the same sense of danger, as they are the furthest from the shadow world.¡±


    ¡°By the way, have you heard the rumors about them insulting the Saintesses and being banned from entering Midland?¡±


    ¡°I did hear that. Damn it all. Who do they think they owe their peaceful existences to?¡±


    So the inland people were not liked here either. Still, Chiharu wanted to visit it at least once. Maki was probably thinking the same thing. They caught each other¡¯s eyes and smiled mischievously. One day. In secret.


    ¡°Now, the representatives are going to make a speech.¡±


    Kaider took a step forward.


    ¡°Soldiers of the human lands! I thank you for coming. Monsters now prowl the dungeons in numbers not seen before, as the miasma has grown thick. While two Saintesses have come to our aid, they are young, frail women. We cannot allow them to shoulder the burden completely. We must face this danger together!¡±


    It was a simple speech, and an enthusiastic cry came from the troops. The delicate Saintesses also raised their voices. So did Edwy, who was wearing a blue uniform.


    ¡°While the dungeon exists in the three territories, we are all comrades of the Sun World. We will help each other!¡±


    And now, applause.


    ¡°Aeris, the white philosopher will act as the staff officer. Sauro, Saikania, Orne, and Puel will be messengers. From the human territories, Edwy, Nyran and I will participate. Let us fight together!¡±


    A great cry erupted.


    Maki and Chiharu had only seen Kaider as being a busybody and Edwy as being kind up until now, and so they were both surprised and thoroughly entertained by this display of coolness. I mean, they were princes! In uniforms! Giving a speech! And they were acquaintances. They shouted happily and waved their hands. People who saw how excited they were just smiled gently. But the bird people who were watching from afar just shook their heads in exasperation. Aren¡¯t you trying to stay low? Really.


    It would be possible to move quickly by horse if there were fewer people. However, with many people and lots of luggage, it would be more efficient to use carriages. They had sent word out in advance and ordered for food and fodder, but they would need to bring food with them as well to feed over 100 people. Maki and Chiharu were riding one of these carriages. Thankfully, it was a season for good weather. They climbed to the top of their carriage, which was carrying bags of hay, and made a space for themselves to sit in and enjoy the journey.


    It wasn¡¯t quite as comfortable as the carriages meant to have passengers, but it did give them a 360-degree view. They would start at Greige and pass through four different towns on their way to Gromble. They would mostly be going up and down mountains on their way to the dungeon. As the two of them watched Greige disappear into the distance, Sauro flew down to see them. As the carriage used a levitation stone, an extra birdman did not cause much of a strain to the horses.


    ¡°You found us pretty quick, Sauro.¡±


    ¡°I can spot Maki easily no matter what she is wearing. We bird people have good eyes.¡±


    ¡°You can see us from that far away?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s like how you can tell if the grass is edible no matter how big or small or dark or light it is. It¡¯s the same thing. Maki and Chiharu are Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°That seems a little too easy.¡±


    ¡°I never thought about it too much. But the humans and dwarves and even the elves didn¡¯t realize anything. So it must be a beastkin thing.¡±


    ¡°I see. Who waved at us yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Orne was watching.¡±


    ¡°I thought so!¡±


    ¡°Hey, do you want to fly with us?¡±


    ¡°But it will draw attention.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe when we reach Lapondo? Don¡¯t you want to see the view from high above, Maki?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s done quietly after we finish work?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Sauro said, and then he flew away with a flutter of wings.


    ¡°Chiharu, did he just compare us to food?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it means that we¡¯re important.¡±


    Their next stop was the farming town of Lapondo. It produced most of the food consumed by the capital of Greige.


    ¡°Mister Paulo said he would take us to the market tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to buy food supplies. But I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The birdfolk were flying high above them. Chiharu and Maki looked up into the sky and waved.

 CH 34

    For lunch, they did not use fire, but instead, ate premade food in the main square of the village they stopped by. The party arrived in Lapondo in the evening and set up camp around the mayor¡¯s mansion.


    Maki and Chiharu had work to do now. As Maki was a little taller, she was made to run around and do errands, while Chiharu peeled vegetables nonstop. Aside from ordering her to peel vegetables, no one paid her any attention. The vegetables were then dumped into the soup pot and it began to bubble with a delicious smell.


    When the sun set and the soup was ready, several large grills were prepared in the garden and a fire was made. The head cook stood in front of the grills and started to cook the meat. Soldiers and Adventurers lined up by these grills while holding their soup and bread. When the meat was ready, the cook would give each man a few large slices of meat. It wasn¡¯t until after everyone had finished having their second helpings that the cooks were allowed to eat.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I saved some meat for you two.¡±


    A small pot of soup had been set aside for them and a single grill was used to cook their meat. By the time they were able to eat, Maki and Chiharu were starving after working so hard for the first time in a while.


    The meat sizzled while the cook seasoned it simply with a little salt and pepper. They sat down on the ground and stabbed the meat with a fork and brought it to their mouths. What part of meat they would get was mostly up to luck, but on this day, Maki and Chiharu were very lucky. It was red, dense meat that had been grown in the mountains. With one bite, it was a tug of war with your fork. When they chewed it off and ground it between their teeth, the meat¡¯s juices flowed into their mouths. It was delicious.


    ¡°Here, eat as much as you can before it¡¯s all gone.¡±


    Paulo added more meat to their plates.


    ¡°Here, you want a drink too?¡±


    ¡°It might be a waste to give it to children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some!¡±


    A young person had come them with some ale. It was Jean. He was carrying ale in a barrel.


    ¡°Well, you know, ale is like a water substitute.¡±


    No, it wasn¡¯t. Still, Maki and Chiharu had finished soaking up all their meat juices with their bread, and so they were very prepared to end their meal with a drink with the others.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They felt very satisfied.


    ¡°Now, one last bit of work to do!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    They had to work with some of the soldiers whose turn it was and wash the dishes before going to bed. They slept in inns when they could, but when there weren¡¯t enough rooms, they slept in tents. Instead of pitching a huge tent, everyone had small, single-person tents that they slept in. As Maki and Chiharu were learning how to set their tents up, the bird people came.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not going to fly then?¡±


    ¡°Sauro. It¡¯s too late.¡±


    ¡°But the night sky is so beautiful. You can see the lights in the town.¡±


    It was the job of the cooks to go shopping early in the morning. And then they would continue to travel. There really was no time to go around flying.


    ¡°Do you ever get in trouble for flying around here?¡±


    ¡°No one gets angry at us.¡±


    ¡°Well, people might get angry if it is us.¡±


    The other cooks were now looking at the bird people with interest.


    ¡°Paulo.¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh. What is it?¡±


    ¡°I want to borrow these children for a bit.¡±


    ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take them to the sky.¡±


    ¡°Uh, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It is fine. I know them, and they are used to it.¡±


    ¡°Kenneth, Ryan. Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Paulo was surprised that the bird people knew his name, but he was even more surprised that they wanted to fly with the children. Oh, well. Perhaps they were just really bored.


    ¡°Do not stay out too late. You have an early morning.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Ryan, can you run?¡±


    ¡°You better pick me up properly, okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The two of them began to run in the open field. First, it was Maki. And then Chiharu. Sauro and Saikania picked them up and rose into the air. Their white wings glimmered from the light of the fires below for a moment, then they disappeared into the night sky.


    ¡°That was impressive.¡±


    ¡°Those two are clearly used to doing that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very unusual to be friends with the bird people, unless you¡¯re royalty. Isn¡¯t it, Jean?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is definitely something strange about them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just until Gromble. We don¡¯t know anything.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    If she was wearing pants, Chiharu could run and jump up just fine. The camp bonfires grew rapidly smaller. Not being able to see the ground like you could during the day actually made it less scary, she realized. Once they had gone high enough, Sauro and Saikania flew more slowly. They could now see the town of Lapondo underneath them. The main street of the town was lined with lampposts. Soldiers were moving by the bonfires around the mayor¡¯s house, lanterns separated the town districts and a soft glow came from the windows of the houses. When she looked to the mountains, she could see faint light coming from the small villages that dotted the area. And when she looked up, the sky was slightly brighter than the rest, making the outline of the horizon very clear. And above that was a large moon and a sky full of stars.


    The sun world and the shadow world. The sun, moon and stars of this world. The laws of physics were completely different here compared to earth. There would be no end to it if she kept thinking about it.


    ¡°You will be able to see the sea if we fly even higher.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Thank you.¡±


    While it was early summer, the night wind was cold. Flying during the night had been much funner than she had expected, but she was ready to go home.


    After being let down by the bird people, Maki and Chiharu dove into their tents.


    ¡°So that¡¯s not Norfe?¡±


    ¡°Chouze wouldn¡¯t be able to fly like that.¡±


    The three princes had been watching them for a short distance away. They had come to watch when they heard that the bird people were flying with children.


    ¡°Kaider, Nyran. By Norfe and Chouze, do you mean those Inlanders?¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. Not that Norfe and Chouze. It¡¯s the names of these two children that we¡¯ve been traveling with until recently. They said that they were going to Gromble, but we separated in the city.¡±


    ¡°And those two were often surrounded by birds. They said that it was normal for children to play with birds in Midland. It¡¯s not like that at all in the south, so I was rather impressed with Arthur¡¯s country.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Edwy looked serious.


    ¡°Well, the birdfolk do like children and will sometimes play with them. However¡­¡±


    Edwy hesitated and Kaider and Nyran looked at him suspiciously.


    ¡°There are no children other than me who are close enough to the birdfolk to be carried.¡±


    ¡°But Norfe said¡­¡±


    ¡°Norfe. Norfe, eh? And Chouze? I see.¡±


    Edwy smiled sarcastically.


    ¡°Edwy, what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Those two. Do they know how much we have been worrying about them?¡±


    ¡°Edwy?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m going back now.¡±


    This was all because they had listened to the bird people.


    Plan C. It was about to fail.

 CH 35

    Sauro and Saikania were very happy to have been able to fly with Maki and Chiharu again. Chiharu was able to fly much better than she had back at the castle, and they felt that traveling and growing was the best thing for humans to do.


    It was mostly because Orne had bragged about flying far with Maki or about how much fun he had with Chiharu. Maki and Chiharu were theirs.


    ¡°Sauro. You looked like you were having fun.¡±


    What a surprise. It was Edwy. He was standing in the shadow of the mansion¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Ah, yeah. It is fun to fly with children.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But you never flew with any children besides me back in Midland. Actually, you never had that much interest in people to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Is-is that right? Maybe it means that I¡¯ve grown since then.¡±


    ¡°Huh. But those children seemed like they were used to it. But flying with birdfolk is quite difficult.¡±


    ¡°They were just really physically capable.¡±


    ¡°The small one didn¡¯t look too strong.¡±


    Edwy said teasingly. What¡¯s this? He seemed different today. Then Edwy turned to Saikania.


    As if to defend the ¡®small one¡¯ the Edwy referred to, Saikania said,


    ¡°He was flying perfectly fine.¡±


    ¡°There was a lot of flailing.¡±


    ¡°No there wasn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°I thought the kid would fall at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of Chiharu like that! She has improved so much!¡±


    Saikania¡­


    It was hard for the birdfolk to trick people. Sauro sighed and looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    Edwy laughed.


    ¡°No-no-no. Uh, Ryan. Yes.¡±


    ¡°Sauro?¡±


    Edwy ignored Saikania as she frantically made excuses and looked at Sauro. Sauro looked away. Edwy continued.


    ¡°I wonder what Aeris will say when he learns that you two have been hogging Maki and Chiharus and having all the fun.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°What will happen?¡±


    What will happen?


    ¡°Even when they have returned to the castle, they won¡¯t give you any information about Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure about Aeris, but the elves would definitely do that.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t tell you anything either.¡±


    ¡°Edwy.¡±


    Sauro looked ashamed. Edwy continued.


    ¡°I thought we were friends.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But I couldn¡¯t betray Maki and Chiharu¡¯s trust. I wanted to free the Saintesses who felt like they were being trapped.¡±


    ¡°Sauro, have you, as the future chief, or even me, have we ever been free? People say that you do as you please, and I am able to leave the castle in disguise, but we are still bound by our duties as princes. Maki and Chiharu were treated well at the castle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    That was true. However.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. I¡¯m sorry. But Maki and Chiharu did their duty by your country. And they were brought here by force and made to work for this world. We can¡¯t compare ourselves to them.¡±


    ¡°I know! I know that, but I was so worried! And yet! You were all so carefree! And you yourself tried to take them away by force in the beginning!¡±


    Sauro looked a little troubled as he patted Edwy on the shoulder. There was no point in digging up the past. This was the sadness of those without wings. The Saintesses had often been so close by.


    ¡°At least, Maki and Chiharu are now with our troops. They are in your sight. Isn¡¯t that fine?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not! You can go to them and say that you like children, but what excuse can a prince use to talk with some cook apprentices?¡±


    So that was it. Sauro laughed.


    ¡°Kaider would have barged right in.¡±


    ¡°That meathead!¡±


    Kaider had left to become an Adventurer as soon as Edwy was born, and so they were not very close.


    ¡°By the way, he said that they traveled together.¡±


    Edwy scowled in irritation.


    ¡°Amusingly, he had no idea who they were.¡±


    ¡°Still! I wish I could have been with them too¡­¡±


    ¡°You can accompany them the next time.¡±


    ¡°Next?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Maki and Chiharu will return to being shut-ins in the castle?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°As for me, I¡¯ll follow them anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Sauro.¡±


    ¡°Me too. Especially since Chiharu can fly much higher now.¡±


    ¡°Saikania.¡±


    They were too free. Edwy started to sulk a little. Then Sauro said,


    ¡°You could always expose their identities and then protect them. But instead of sulking about being left behind, I suggest your observe Maki and Chiharu a little. They are so different now then they were at the castle.¡±


    Even after hearing this, he still felt that they had caused him to worry so much. Tomorrow. One day. Yes, he would observe them for one day. Edwy looked at the group of tents once and then turned back to the mansion.


    The morning of the next day, Maki and Chiharu pulled their aching bodies off of the hard ground and dragged themselves out of the tent in order to help with breakfast. Breakfast consisted of soup, bread and a lot of sausages which were cooked on the large grills. While they were called sausages, they weren¡¯t encased in a skin. It was ground, seasoned meat in the shape of a thick bar, like a meatloaf. So all they had to do was slice it before cooking. This could then be placed on or sandwiched in bread.


    As for lunch, they had asked the town of Lapondo to prepare it. And so the food for the soldiers was brought from several inns. This was a good way of spending money on each town they visited.


    After breakfast, they accompanied Paulo on his shopping before departure.


    ¡°The cheese in Lapondo is very famous. But it doesn¡¯t last long, so we¡¯ll eat it today. Look forward to it for dinner.¡±


    Aside from the cheese that would be eaten quickly, they bought hard, long-lasting cheese and some root vegetables.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Chiharu suddenly stopped. She smelled something sweet. A batter made of flour was being spread over a pan. Then it was flipped over and an amber mixture was poured over it. Then it was folded in half and then three more times before it was complete.


    ¡°Do you have any change?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you have money with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Alright, you can go then.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°But come back quickly.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Madame, I¡¯ll take two of those!¡±


    ¡°Coming right up.¡±


    ¡°What is that amber colored stuff?¡±


    ¡°This? It¡¯s boiled tree sap. It has an interesting flavor, but is very good.¡±


    The two of them bit into it.


    ¡°It¡¯s hot, but delicious.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, hot.¡±


    ¡°Right? It tastes the best when it¡¯s hot.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu bit into their food as they returned to Paulo.


    ¡°Is it good? Tree sap tastes different in every country. You should remember that. Still, haven¡¯t you just eaten breakfast? I guess it¡¯s different when you¡¯re still growing.¡±


    Indeed, Chiharu felt that they might be eating too much. They both looked down at their stomachs. Hmm, it was probably still fine. They were moving, so it would be alright. They hurriedly ate what was left. Now, to carry the baggage.


    After that, they continued to follow Paulo and help with his work. Then they got into the carriage and stared at the sky. In the afternoon they rested and played with the birdfolk. Edwy watched them the whole time.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with you today, Edwy? You¡¯ve been staring at the cooks all this time. Are you really so interested in those children?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still eighteen. Maybe he wants friends.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran said to him. But he didn¡¯t care.


    How hadn¡¯t he noticed it before? How cute she looked when she turned up to face Paulo and nod. The way she ran around. She was easily distracted and would stop in her tracks. It was almost always because of food. Even with her different hair and boy¡¯s clothes, it was definitely Chiharu. It was even more obvious with Maki next to her. They covered their foreheads with large handkerchiefs, and today they had removed another magic stone from it.


    And why did she always seem to be thinking about Aeris? Whenever Chiharu had time off, she would always look worried and search for him. But Edwy was there too. Grudo as well.


    His heart ached. Still, it was as Sauro had said. He had never seen Chiharu look more lively. Never seen her look at the sky with such calm, peacefulness. Never seen her run with so much energy. Never seen her open her mouth so wide to bite into bread.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. It¡¯s time for dinner.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m going to eat with the soldiers today.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hey.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the prince of Midland, though. Ah, oh well.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran watched as Edwy walked towards the soldiers. How would they explain this to the others?

 CH 36

    The soldiers lined up for their food and then ate together peacefully. Maki and Chiharu had now been working for two days, but as they were very good with their hands, they were put in charge of serving the soup.


    It was very easy. While it had been years ago, they had done it many times when serving their school lunch. Children would often complain if their portions had too many vegetables or too little meat. Edwy watch from afar as Maki and Chiharu excitedly served the soup. He felt that his eagerness to take them back with him was weakening.


    It had been fifteen days since Maki and Chiharu had left the castle. And while Grudo had sent guards, and while the birdfolk watched over them, they probably would have fared just as well if they had been alone. Perhaps both of them never wanted to be protected or treated as if they were special.


    When the line was almost finished, Edwy entered at the end.


    ¡°You¡¯re the last one, so you get a big scoop!¡±


    Chiharu said as she poured it into his bowl. Just then, Edwy grabbed her wrist.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Her dark eyes looked up at him quizzically. Yes, it really was Chiharu.


    ¡°Edwy¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. I found you. And Maki.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes widened as she froze. Maki looked surprised as well. Yes. I was stupid for not being able to see it, but they weren¡¯t so smart either. There is no way people wouldn¡¯t notice if you started flying in the sky.


    How dumb were they to be surprised at this, when they had not been cautious at all?


    His worry, his anger. All of it began to crumble.


    ¡°Chiharu. You¡¯re so dumb!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. That¡¯s no way to speak to a lady.¡±


    ¡°Lady? Where?¡±


    ¡°Uh, um, shut up!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Edwy burst into laughter. Maki frantically called to him.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. Be quiet. We don¡¯t want to draw attention!¡±


    ¡°Nothing will draw more attention then flying with the birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh. Sauro!¡±


    The people around them now recognized the prince and began to talk amongst themselves.


    ¡°Hey, you. Take your dinner plates and move to that corner! You¡¯re in the way!¡±


    Paulo said to all three of them after seeing the scene they were creating.


    ¡°Fine. Edwy, sit over there!¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t run away. Hold this for me.¡±


    Edwy was handed three bowls of soup and then left alone. Maki picked up three plates and went over to the grills in order to get the meat. Chiharu took three cups to where the barrels were. Edwy felt very uncomfortable allowing the girls to do this for him, but he waited quietly.


    ¡°Alright, we can talk while we eat. Anyway, good work today!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They clinked their cups together. They were drinking ale. That was strange. He had meant to find Maki and Chiharu and cause an uproar.


    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    While Edwy was used to dining in the mayor¡¯s mansion, it was not exactly enjoyable. The only thing he liked about it was seeing how uncomfortable Kaider and Nyran were as well. I don¡¯t like them. Edwy thought with a sigh. They treated him like a child.


    ¡°Edwy. This is what we cooked today. It¡¯s boiled potatoes that have been cooked on a grill with cheese on top. You should eat it while it¡¯s still hot. See. Hah-ha-hot.¡±


    ¡°Ffff, hah, quickly, quickly.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ahh.¡±


    There were lots of potatoes with strips of meat on top.


    ¡°Ah, hot. It¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°Right? It¡¯s delicious. We got this cheese in Lapondo.¡±


    ¡°They say it¡¯s really famous.¡±


    They ate in silence after that. At the castle, Maki and Chiharu had eaten like the nobles. And they had acted as ladies in front of the ambassadors. But now they were sitting on the ground crossed legged and opening their mouths wide to be filled with potatoes.


    ¡°Ah, the meat is so good too!¡±


    ¡°This is the meat that Paulo was marinating in sauce last night.¡±


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s so good.¡±


    They finished off the mugs of ale with their food. It was fun. This dinner was much more fun than most meals.


    ¡°Edwy.¡±


    Maki began. Chiharu also sat up straight and looked at him.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Everyone was so worried about you two.¡±


    The two of them looked like they were going to cry.


    ¡°Why did you leave the castle without saying anything? If you told us, we could have helped you enter the dwarf country in disguise.¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t tell you. And you say disguise, but we would have still had guards around us, wouldn¡¯t we? Besides, Arthur, Aeris, Grudo and Zynis all have their own important roles. Even you Edwy. You had enough to worry about in dealing with the other countries.¡±


    ¡°I was so busy then. If I had even a little free time, I went with you two to the town. It was just so fun. But I never stopped to think about how you two felt.¡±


    And that was why he couldn¡¯t stop the inlanders from saying such things. Edwy remembered this and clenched his fist.


    ¡°Are you thinking about the inlanders?¡±


    Chiharu asked quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sure that was the main reason why you wanted to leave.¡±


    ¡°No-no.¡±


    Maki shook her head and laughed.


    ¡°Yes, it annoyed us a little. But it¡¯s really nothing. We had decided way before that.¡±


    ¡°Way before that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve always worked for entire days and made a living for ourselves. It was hard being taken care of so well just because we were Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Maki¡­¡±


    ¡°It might be hard for you to understand, Edwy. But hard work and the struggle to live can be very rewarding if it is a decision that you made on your own. But as a prince, you are not free with how you can work.¡±


    Edwy felt a little hurt by this. He had not been born a prince as a choice. He didn¡¯t like that she said he wouldn¡¯t be able to understand them because he didn¡¯t know what it was like to be free.


    However, Maki and Chiharu had not wanted to be Saintesses either. Perhaps that was something that he needed to understand.


    ¡°I do not want to be treated as a prince or eat fine meals with the mayor. However, it was still my decision to remain a prince. Is that it?¡±


    ¡°As Saintesses, we will purify the miasma. But we wanted freedom in our actions until then. No. That¡¯s just me trying to sound cool. We really just wanted to run away from it all.¡±


    Maki said with a sad smile.


    ¡°And Chiharu just got pulled along with me.¡±


    ¡°We decided on this together, Maki-chan.¡±


    The two of them looked at each other and laughed. Right now, their boy clothes seemed to suit them.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. You should come back soon.¡±


    ¡°Apparently, we¡¯re not sufficient company.¡±


    It was Kaider and Nyran. Maki and Chiharu looked stunned and quickly faced the ground.


    ¡°Ah, you are playing with the other children then. How nice.¡±


    Edwy looked very annoyed at Kaider¡¯s remark. But he then grabbed Maki¡¯s shoulder and answered.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happier with friends close to my own age. You two can deal with the adults.¡±


    Kaider, Nyran. It¡¯s because you two always run away that I end having to talk to them. Edwy thought.


    ¡°It¡¯s too much trouble. I prefer to be swinging my sword.¡±


    Kaider scratched his head. It was no use. Edwy sighed and was just about to stand up.


    ¡°Edwy would also prefer to swing his sword or fly with bird people.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Chiharu stood up and shouted at Kaider.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you find it troublesome. You should do it. Edwy is still a child, isn¡¯t he? How can an adult like you push your work onto a kid?¡±


    ¡°What! This has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who is now enjoying being with my friend. It does have something to do with me. If you want to call him a child, let him be free during the night, at least. Edwy, let¡¯s go. Sauro¡¯s waiting.¡±


    ¡°Ah, uh, sorry. I¡¯ll show up later.¡±


    Edwy said, and the three of them left. They looked very small from the back. And since it was night, the fact that they could not see colors sometimes made the truth more visible.


    ¡°Norfe? Chouze?¡±


    Nyran muttered. But neither of the two children stopped. Kaider said lazily.


    ¡°I made the little ones angry. Oh, well. I guess we better go then.¡±


    ¡°Hey, you should stop treating Edwy like a child. Humans are adults at 18.¡±


    ¡°You did it too.¡±


    Nyran turned around again and watched the three as they left. Maybe he had only seen what he wanted. Well, it was time to go back to work.

 CH 37

    ¡°Chiharu. What happened? You do know that we have to go back soon? You shouldn¡¯t be so angry.¡±


    Chiharu didn¡¯t answer. She just kept walking.


    ¡°Chiharu¡¯s just venting.¡±


    ¡°If you say so!¡±


    Chiharu was fuming as she replied.


    ¡°We were able to travel safely because of those two. At least for the first half of the trip. But I remembered the sadness of playing the part of that quiet younger sister.¡±


    ¡°What? So you weren¡¯t getting angry on my behalf, Chiharu?¡±


    Edwy said with a little disappointment.


    ¡°There was a little of that. Right Maki-chan? But we were sort of angry at being treated like children again.¡±


    ¡°For Chiharu, she is usually very talkative. So it was painful to have to be silent.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s just your own fault for dressing as children.¡±


    ¡°You say that, Edwy, but it was even worse when we dressed as adult women in Greige.¡±


    ¡°You did that¡­ Really, you two are too much.¡±


    Edwy was amused and exasperated.


    ¡°I feel a little better knowing that you weren¡¯t enjoying it the whole time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re terrible!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Sauro and Saikania!¡±


    They had now reached the bird people.


    ¡°So you got found out then.¡±


    ¡°We sure did.¡±


    Though, they had known that it would come, ever since they left the capital and headed for Gromble.


    ¡°Since you came all the way here, why not fly in the night sky with us, Edwy?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think I will, Sauro.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu too.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The three of them flew together for the first time. Flying in the night sky like this was incredibly fun and it was something they had not been able to do back at the castle.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu, I will have to tell the people at Midland about this.¡±


    ¡°I know. But allow me to talk to Aeris first.¡±


    Chiharu said, after making up her mind.


    ¡°You should do that. I¡¯ll tell me him to come and meet Sauro.¡±


    Edwy said and then left.


    ¡°I wonder if Aeris will be angry?¡±


    ¡°Of course, he won¡¯t be. It¡¯s Aeris. Chiharu, we¡¯ll have to apologize.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    After a while, a tall elf walked quietly from the mansion.


    ¡°I heard you wanted to see me, Sauro.¡±


    Aeris said after glancing at the two children to the side. Chiharu had not seen him in a while and thought that he looked tired.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Hey.¡±


    Sauro muttered and then pushed Chiharu forward. Aeris narrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°What? Do you want an autograph or to shake hands? Regardless, it is too late for children like you to be out. I will meet you tomorrow, go back to your bed now.¡±


    He said with a kind expression. The White Philosopher. Everyone¡¯s hero. He was clearly used to this kind of thing.


    Chiharu took out a magic stone from her pouch and handed it to Aeris.


    ¡°Thank you, boy. But I do not accept gifts. Let me return this to you. Wait¡­¡±


    Aeris stared intently at the stone now. Then his other hand rose towards Chiharu¡¯s cheek. It was shaking.


    ¡°Your face. Let me see your face¡­oh¡­¡±


    Chiharu allowed her cheek to touch his hand. He was silent as she raised her face to look at him. His eyes were closed and tears were running down his face.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a dream, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    As Aeris hugged her tightly, Chiharu could do nothing but apologize.


    ¡°Maki. Where is Maki!¡±


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    ¡°Maki!¡±


    He hugged Maki with his other arm.


    ¡°I was so worried about you two!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°And why are you dressed as boys?  What would you have done if you encountered danger!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°I was, I was so!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry.¡±


    What else could they say to the worrywort elf?


    ¡°I kept telling you that they were alright.¡±


    Sauro muttered with annoyance.


    ¡°How could I believe you until I saw them for myself? Oh, was it very hard for you two? Did you have enough money?¡±


    ¡°We sold the scales from the merpeople to get money.¡±


    ¡°Merpeople! Those free-spirited sea creatures! They are called the birdfolk of the sea! How could this have happened?¡±


    Aeris said in despair. These Saintesses attracted the worst people.


    ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with being free spirited? It¡¯s better than being a worried shut in.¡±


    Sauro continued to mutter.


    ¡°I tried to search for you!¡±


    ¡°Aeris, thank you.¡±


    They said. And Aeris hugged them tightly again.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s return to the mansion.¡±


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re not returning. I just wanted to tell you that we¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°What! But where are you going?¡±


    ¡°To the tent that we were given as cooks.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous at all.¡±


    ¡°How can you sleep in such a place?¡±


    ¡°We slept just fine?¡±


    These two!


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. You two don¡¯t possibly mean to go all the way to Gromble while looking like¡­¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°We are.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    Aeris was in shock.


    ¡°People would just be confused if we came out at this point.¡±


    ¡°The mayor especially.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m relieved now that we¡¯ve been found out. Now I won¡¯t feel anymore guilt!¡±


    The two of them smiled gleefully. And so Aeris gave in.


    ¡°Everyone thinks they are boys. They should be fine, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Saruo. It must be nice to always be so carefree.¡±


    Aeris said with a sigh. Still, he was relieved that the problem that had been worrying him for half a month had been resolved.


    ¡°Then I will sleep in the tent too.¡±


    ¡°That will draw too much attention! The White Philosopher in a tent!¡±


    ¡°And in the Saintesses¡¯ tent.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re disguised!¡±


    ¡°Then I will also wear a blonde wig.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still the only elf here. They¡¯ll recognize you!¡±


    ¡°Then what do you want me to do!¡±


    ¡°Go back to the mansion!¡±


    ¡°Go back to the mansion!¡±


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu¡­¡±


    Don¡¯t look so sad¡­


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ¡°Huh, Maki? What is?¡±


    ¡°You can carry Chiharu for a while. That should tide you over until tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. In that case¡­¡±


    ¡°Whaaat?¡±


    Aeris sat on the stairs and placed Chiharu on his lap. Then he rested his chin on her head.


    ¡°Hmmm. I like the way you think, Maki. This is good.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan! Aeris!¡±


    ¡°Think of it as a penalty for worrying him!¡±


    But you did the same thing, Maki.


    ¡°Then Maki can be with me.¡±


    ¡°But we always fly together!¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Chiharu laughed at them arguing. Then she realized how warm his hand was and how warm her back felt against him. It wasn¡¯t so much a penalty as a reward.

 CH 38

    After being satisfied by having Chiharu sit on his lap, Aeris returned to the mansion. Chiharu and Maki were so small and cute. He would meet them again tomorrow. But in any case, there were people he needed to talk to in order to vent his frustration.


    ¡°Edwy! Grudo!¡±


    ¡°What? Aeris, you disappeared before we were finished. You too, Edwy. Think of your elders a little. It is hard work dealing with important people.¡±


    Grudo said quietly.


    ¡°Grudo, we are nearly the same age. And that¡¯s not what I want to talk about!¡±


    ¡°Aeris, I know. But that can wait.¡±


    Edwy stopped Aeris with a hushed voice.


    ¡°Well then, good night. Thank you for that wonderful dinner.¡±


    Grudo said. Kaider and Nyran had already left, and so Grudo and Aeris had been left to do all the social niceties themselves.


    ¡°These young people! Especially that Kaider!¡±


    Grudo grumbled as Aeris led him to the room he had been given. Once they were inside,


    ¡°Grudo, you knew about it?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Grudo suddenly looked uncomfortable and became silent. So he did know! Aeris was about to unleash his fury when,


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I couldn¡¯t tell you, but I actually lost sight of Maki and Chiharu from the beginning¡­¡±


    Grudo said sadly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I knew that they would slip out of the castle, and so I sent guards to watch them. But they never saw them leave. They ended up contacting me and saying that the Saintesses didn¡¯t escape. It seems that the birdfolk knew about it, but I decided not to tell you, as you would just be worried.¡±


    ¡°Grudo, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Edwy, don¡¯t look at me like that. The thing is, I never was all that worried about Maki and Chiharu. Why should I be? Seeing as how cheerful they looked. And they headed to the dwarf country. We like to take care of people.¡±


    Then who was that man they had met in Noir? Maki and Chiharu regretted being so anxious about him when they heard about this later.


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t know either, Edwy?¡±


    ¡°I found out yesterday. I figured it out when I saw them flying with Sauro and Saikania.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Grudo asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. They¡¯ve been working as helpers for the cook. They¡¯ve been traveling with us ever since we left the capital.¡±


    ¡°My goodness¡­¡±


    Grudo¡¯s mouth dropped open.


    ¡°He-hehe-hehehehe. That is brilliant! That is wonderful! How lively they are! This generation¡¯s Saintesses! Hahaha!¡±


    He held his stomach as he burst into laughter.


    ¡°That Sauro. And you too Grudo. Why can¡¯t you think about things more seriously? What were you going to do if something happened to them? Damn it.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Aeris. I was so worried that I didn¡¯t know what I would do. How could you have been so calm?¡±


    ¡°Though, it did seem like they had been perfectly fine.¡±


    Edwy and Aeris both sighed.


    ¡°So, we have to decide what to do now.¡±


    ¡°They want to continue to travel to Gromble as the cook¡¯s helpers.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well that is very amusing.¡±


    ¡°Grudo, stop it. Still, it is true that the whole operation will turn into chaos if they are suddenly revealed.¡±


    ¡°I have not heard of anyone trying to target the Saintesses yet. We should let them do as they please.¡±


    After deciding this, they all sat down. They had been talking so frantically that they had remained standing up until now.


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    Grudo scratched his chin as he continued.


    ¡°Aeris and I have both lived for three hundred years, and yet I have never seen the miasma grow thinner this quickly.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember how many Saintesses I have seen come and go, but none of them were as lovely as Maki and Chiharu. But then again, the threat of the miasma has never been so strong as now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just your own personal taste. All the past Saintesses were gentle and quiet but wonderful people.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say, because all the past Sainesses liked you, Grudo. But they never took to elves and beastkin. I was never able to find out if they were wonderful people or not.¡±


    Aeris answered. Both of them had lived for a shockingly long time. Saintesses were usually summoned at the age of twenty. Even if they lived long, it would only be an additional sixty years more or less. Edwy listened with interest and wondered how many generations they had witnessed.


    ¡°Arthur told me. That time when Chiharu had a terrible shock about the creation of the magic gems, he became curious and had people look into it. Saintesses create those stones. Everyone knows it, and no one questions it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean that in spite of there being two Saintesses, the stones were being created at too fast a pace.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Aeris took out the stones that Chiharu had given him.


    ¡°This much since the last time. Even though they are in a place where the miasma is thicker, they are creating one stone a day at this rate.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Grudo muttered.


    ¡°The last Saintess only made one a year. And the Saintess before her made one every few years.¡±


    ¡°So then¡­¡±


    ¡°It is possible that Maki and Chiharu have created enough stones for a lifetime. That¡¯s what this means.¡±


    ¡°Preposterous. We don¡¯t even understand what kind of strain it puts on them! The lifespan of a Saintess is the same as other humans. But that is only when they made stones slowly in the human territories!¡±


    Aeris began to feel a little anxious.


    ¡°While I am worried about Maki and Chiharu, isn¡¯t this only because the miasma is thicker now?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The dungeons are brimming with monsters as well. That has never happened before. And there are supposed to be more human Adventurers that go there now since the railway has opened¡­ There are more people fighting, and yet it is not enough.¡±


    ¡°Grudo. Maybe there are more magic stones coming from the dungeon as well?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Yes. I will have to find out.¡±


    Two Saintesses. If there was a meaning behind it, and it wasn¡¯t by a whim of God¡­


    The three of them hoped that this meaning would at least be kind to Maki and Chiharu.

 CH 39

    The next morning, aside from an incident where an elf tried to blend in with the soldiers in order to receive soup from Maki and Chiharu, and was escorted away by the prince of Midland, things went relatively smoothly. And so the party was able to leave Epina for their next destination safely.


    ¡°Why did he think he could do it secretly?¡±


    ¡°He already sticks out for being 2 meters tall.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki were exasperated at how Aeris put them on a pedestal.


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that he looks better now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. His face seems brighter.¡±


    They were glad that they didn¡¯t have to hide from someone who was important to them anymore.


    The had left Lapondo and gone through Epina. The next town was Shiel. You reached it by passing the high mountain pass of Epina, where it lay in a deep valley. There was a small dungeon in this town, and a lake that appeared to have flowed out from the dungeon. And just in front of it, lay the lively little town.


    From on top of the mountain, it looked like a bowl with a mirror on the bottom that reflected the sunlight. Maki and Chiharu watched from the wagon, enjoying the view as the lake slowly became level with them.


    ¡°I wonder if we¡¯ll have fish tonight?¡±


    ¡°Oh, do you like fish, Ryan?¡±


    Paulo had heard Chiharu¡¯s mutterings.


    ¡°I do. But we haven¡¯t had much fish since leaving Noir.¡±


    ¡°What did you have in Noir?¡±


    ¡°Fried fish! I sandwiched it in bread.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that does taste good. Now listen to me, Ryan. This mirror lake, you can catch sea fish in it.¡±


    ¡°Uh, but isn¡¯t the sea like 10 days away?¡±


    ¡°It is. And while the water is from the dungeon, there are rumors that it connects to the sea somewhere underground. They even say that merfolk come out at night.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk!¡±


    ¡°Exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    If anything, it was chilling! Chiharu thought for a second that she heard the scales jingling in her pouch.


    ¡°What? You two look strange all of a sudden. Who doesn¡¯t want to see a mermaid?¡±


    ¡°Well, they were very pretty.¡±


    But they also wanted to take us into the sea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to go ahead and buy some fish for dinner. We¡¯ll have deep-fried fish tonight!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Chiharu and Maki were now very much looking forward to dinner.


    But traveling on the mountain pass was slow, and it wasn¡¯t until the evening that they arrived in Shiel. The cooks had to start making the soup in a hurry. Tonight, it would be a soup made from the dried meat, mushrooms and wheat noodles they had bought at a town on the way there. They just had to put all of these dried ingredients into boiling water and add some salt. And then some herbs were sprinkled over it to finish it off. While they did this, filleted fish from the lake was covered in flower and thrown into a shallow pan with oil. And like that, the fish was fried.


    Then they passed them out to the soldiers as soon as they were cooked. The warm soup and hot fried fish was very effective in relaxing their bodies which were tired from the journey.


    Maki and Chiharu knew they were being ill-mannered, but they sandwiched their fish in bread as they talked.


    ¡°I thought someone might come today. But they didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even see Sauro.¡±


    They lazily enjoyed another dinner that night.


    As for the leaders, they had been invited to the mayor¡¯s house. And a very serious discussion was under way.


    ¡°Of course, I understand that you wish to hurry to Gromble. But as you know, what is happening in Gromble, is also happening in this dungeon. Please, if you could only lend us your soldiers for just one day.¡±


    Apparently, there were monsters constantly coming out in their dungeon. They did not have enough Adventurers here to deal with them. And there were many monsters from the very depths that were coming up. The mayor continued.


    ¡°Not only that, but as the danger in Gromble increases, fewer Adventurers are coming to us. Monsters have never come out of Shiel¡¯s dungeon up until now. But now it is very possible. As you can see, Shiel is right next to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Please, please consider it.¡±


    Kaider folded his arms upon hearing this. The others all turned their eyes towards him.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°Kaider, what do you think? You know the most about dungeons. Midland¡¯s soldiers weren¡¯t sent to Gromble alone. They were sent to the dwarven lands. We will follow your orders.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Nyran, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°While this is unexpected, considering that we had assumed that help from Midland would come much later, I do think we could spare a few days.¡±


    ¡°So you think Gromble is still fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Kaider unfolded his arms.


    ¡°Edwy. Would you mind sending the soldiers into Shiel¡¯s dungeon for one day?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, then, mister mayor. We will do what we can tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you so much.¡±


    The soldiers would probably be happy about it. They would be bored after spending so many days traveling and training. And so they were all told of it that night, and the camp was full of excitement.


    The next morning, the soldiers were separated into groups and entered the dungeon.


    ¡°Maki, now that I think of it, the only monster we¡¯ve seen is a Gazer.¡±


    ¡°And we didn¡¯t learn much about them at the castle either.¡±


    The cooks and about half of the soldiers stayed in the town.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong little boy? Didn¡¯t you come here because you wanted to become an Adventurer?¡±


    One of the bored soldiers who had stayed asked her.


    ¡°No, we just came to meet some relatives. We lived in Midland before, and aren¡¯t interested in dungeons.¡±


    Maki answered.


    ¡°So I don¡¯t really know what¡¯s happening, other than that the soldiers are going inside.¡±


    ¡°I see. Did you know that monsters are weak to metal?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and beastkin can tear them up with their claws. Elves use arrows to shoot them. However these monsters will come at you with incredible force if they see you. Those who are hit will be injured, and even if they are not, the monsters will suck all the energy out of you. You will weaken and die. And so the beastkin are at a disadvantage. Dwarves are not very good with weapons. Elves are not too interested in hunting monsters. And so it is humans who are the most efficient. Of course, if you are no good with a sword, they¡¯ll just knock it out of your hands and you¡¯ll be dead.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    She had no idea.


    ¡°Um, what about Kaider? He¡¯s a dwarf.¡±


    Maki asked.


    ¡°Kaider is not only large for a dwarf, but he has a rare skill with the sword. He is also a magnificent blacksmith. They say that warriors make the best blacksmiths. He is the only reason that people don¡¯t say that the dwarves rely on humans entirely.¡±


    ¡°I see. So he¡¯s really strong.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no need to worry about him.¡±


    What a relief. Maki sighed.


    ¡°Our own Prince Edwy and Lord Aeris are seeing the dungeon today as well. Prince Edwy is surprisingly strong, but I¡¯m a little worried about Lord Aeris. He¡¯s terrible with the sword and bow.¡±


    ¡°Is that so.¡±


    ¡°Well, he is more of an intellectual.¡±


    Both Edwy and Aeris seemed to be liked by their men.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn to go. I¡¯ll be off then.¡±


    ¡°Good luck!¡±


    The soldier disappeared into the dungeon in order to trade places with the others. The returned soldiers looked as if they had accomplished something. Their eyes shone with pride.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going well.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But I hope Edwy and the others come back soon.¡±


    Even if he said they¡¯d be alright, she was still worried. Both Maki and Chiharu felt restless.

 CH 40

    They ended up killing monsters in many layers that day, and it was expected that monsters would not be overflowing in the dungeon for quite some time. Of course, some soldiers had been injured, but most of them were safe.


    They would be heading from Gromble tomorrow. It was a special night, and the soldiers were allowed to drink, which meant that the barrels of ale and apple wine were taken out. And so began the feast by the lake, whose mirror-like surface beautifully reflected the moon.


    As Maki and Chiharu were helping with the cooking, they still had to work while the others were drinking. But the soldiers had fought very hard, and so it could not be helped.


    Eventually, they were able to settle down and eat. And just when they started to line up for apple wine¡­


    ¡°Ah, the entertainment!¡±


    The soldiers began to shout.


    ¡°What do you think it is?¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s karaoke?¡±


    ¡°Or some kind of parlor trick?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Chiharu. What if they ask us to do something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know. Dumpling ears.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so old. And stupid. They don¡¯t even have dumplings here.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Then how about that dance we did last year during the welcome party for the new employees? The one where the men and women danced together.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll ask us where the song came from.¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll ask us to do anything, in the first place.¡±


    ¡°But as an adult, you never know when people will ask you to do something. So it¡¯s best to be ready. Now, apple wine! Apple wine!¡±


    Maki excitedly turned back to the barrels.


    ¡°Kenneth! Ryan!¡±


    ¡°Ggg¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­ At least let me drink one sip first¡­¡±


    ¡°That can come later. Go and fly!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Fly?¡±


    Maki said stupidly. When she turned around, there was a straight path from the lake to the apple wine, like a runway.


    ¡°Ma-, no, Kenneth and Ryan! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°No-no-no. Why?¡±


    Sauro and Saikania were waiting for them. The birdfolk seemed to constantly want to carry them.


    ¡°No-no-no. If anything you people should be carried!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing amusing about seeing humans get carried!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu resisted as hard as they could. But it was no use against drunkards.


    ¡°But it is amusing!¡±


    ¡°FLY! FLY!¡±


    The crowd of men began to chant.


    Sauro and Saikania were smiling more than usual. Their faces looked a little red. Maki shouted.


    ¡°You¡¯re beastkin, but you drank! Who gave them alcohol!¡±


    ¡°Just a little.¡±


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    Flying under the influence was probably illegal here. However, the chanting did not stop.


    ¡°Maki-chan, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°Well, the only people we were seriously hiding from already know. We might as well go.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Chiharu wasn¡¯t very enthusiastic about it. But Maki raised her hand.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go.¡±


    ¡°GO! GO!¡±


    And so Maki started to run as fast as she could, away from the barrels. Sauro swooped down, picked her up, and lightly rose over the lake!


    ¡°Save some of the ale for me!¡±


    Maki¡¯s voice rang. Everyone laughed.


    ¡°You go too, little guy!¡±


    ¡°This is tyranny!¡±


    ¡°Go!¡±


    It was no use. In despair, Chiharu raised her hand.


    ¡°Here I go.¡±


    She declared, and started to run. Saikania picked her up and rose into the air.


    ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s better at it than Prince Edwy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because he¡¯s lighter. Oh, they rotated. Wow!¡±


    Amazing! After being flung around by the birdfolk, who had become bold through the alcohol, Chiharu was thankful that she hadn¡¯t drunk first. But then again, Maki seemed to be enjoying herself. Acrobat flight? How cool was that?


    After much excitement, Chiharu was about to ask Saikania to put her down again, when she suddenly noticed something. She felt a stare.


    ¡°Saikania, uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. Shhh.¡±


    A stare. To the left? There was an eye. But this was the sky, and yet right next to her¡­a Gazer!


    ¡°We¡¯re returning to land now!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    But why? I thought these monsters didn¡¯t leave the dungeon? Someone had said that on the train¡­ Oh, yes. It was Kaider.


    ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s following us!¡±


    Just then, she felt an impact. And then Saikania¡¯s tight grip around Chiharu loosened.


    SPLASH! After a brief sensation of weightlessness, Chiharu fell into the mirror lake.


    ¡°Chiharu! Saikania!¡±


    She thought she could hear Maki shouting.


    ¡°Chiharu! Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Maki. Calm down. We¡¯ll land first!¡±


    There was more than one Gazer. Sauro dodged the Gazer that chased him as he rushed towards land. On the ground, the soldiers were not so drunk as to not respond.


    The Gazer slowed down when it saw the soldiers. Sauro glided over the ground and dropped Maki.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Maki was about to jump into the water, but a soldier stopped her.


    ¡°And what use will you be in there! Leave it to us!¡±


    But once the soldier jumped into the water, his movements became slow. On the other hand, the entire sky was the battlefield of the Gazers. The soldiers frantically prepared boats and arrows, the scene seemed to be falling into a stalemate. But then¡­


    ¡°The bird people!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s their second form.¡±


    Maki looked up to watch. While they were still humanoid, their talons grew longer and they now had very sharp-looking beaks. There were four of them.


    ¡°Sauro! Saikania!¡±


    They nodded at her and then flew off with a flutter of wings. These white birdfolk had a wingspan of three meters. The Gazers were eyeballs that were one meter in diameter, and there were ten of them floating in the sky.


    By now, a whole minute had passed. Chiharu! Chiharu!


    She had to be fine. She hadn¡¯t fallen from a high place. And we had all gone to swimming school as children. Chiharu knew how to swim.


    Maki stared at the water as she tried to pull away from the soldier who held her back. Was that bubbles? It was bubbles. A wave appeared on the surface.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a fish.¡±


    And then Chiharu burst out of the water with such a loud exhalation that Maki and the others heard her.


    ¡°Chiharu! Good! Huh?¡±


    Chiharu wasn¡¯t even swimming, and yet she was moving in the water towards them. Someone was holding her.


    ¡°Merfolk¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s merfolk¡­¡±


    It¡¯s merfolk! And then a Gazer caught sight of them and plunged down towards them.


    ¡°No! Chiharu!¡±


    The birdfolk were too busy fighting the others. However¡­


    Slap! The Gazer went flying back. They could see the shapes of Merfolk dancing over the water.


    ¡°The merfolk hit it back!¡±


    More and more of them came up and protected Chiharu from the Gazer until she reached dry land.


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    She was soaking wet, but otherwise, unhurt. Maki and Chiharu held hands and turned to the merfolk.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°This is why we asked you to come with us, precious children. The land is a hard place to live on.¡±


    The young merman said.


    ¡°Not yet! There are still too many Gazers! Take these two away and tell the birdfolk to fall back! We must fight on land, and not in the sky!¡±


    It was Kaider who barked this order in a loud voice.


    ¡°It is you!¡±


    ¡°The interfering dwarf. The Gazers are attracted by our precious children. Only fools would try to fight them in the sky. You must lure them to the ground.¡±


    ¡°Tsk! I know. Edwy!¡±


    ¡°I heard! Sauro, come back! Bring them to the ground!¡±


    The entertainment tonight had certainly taken quite a turn.


    ¡°This is the reality.¡±


    ¡°A world of monsters.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu whispered to each other in shock.

 CH 41

    If it was on land, it meant that it was Edwy¡¯s time to act. He immediately started to give out orders.


    Maki and Chiharu were moved to an area that was about 100 meters away from the lake. Then a fan-shaped space was created out from that point, and it was surrounded by soldiers. The birdfolk chased the gazers into it. A row of archers stood in front of Maki and Chiharu, and from there, they shot their arrows at the oncoming gazers. However, the gazers were very quick, and the arrows did not seem to find their targets.


    Finally, a single gazer was struck by an arrow, and let out a dim light before disappearing. And with that, a magic stone fell to the ground.


    ¡°It disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Monsters are like objects made of miasma that have a will. They are made by God, but they are not living creatures, it seems. That¡¯s why they leave the stones and disappear.¡±


    This was explained to them by a young merman who stayed beside them as they watched in shock.


    ¡°Merfolk usually drive the monsters away. Or we just escape into the water. This is also my first time seeing a hurt monster disappear.¡±


    For some reason, he said this with a pained voice.


    Eventually, half of the gazers were gone. The remaining gazers that approached were now met by soldiers with swords. And the soldiers cut them down without hesitation.


    Why? Why were they coming towards Maki and Chiharu? When there was only one gazer left, Chiharu suddenly felt an eye on her.


    Above? She looked up to see a different gazer staring quietly at her. Why are you looking at me? Chiharu reached up with her hand. Maki did the same next to her.


    ¡°Chihaaru?¡±


    The young merman asked quizzically. All the while, the gazer was descending and it was about to touch Chiharu¡¯s outstretched hand. But then, there was a sound of something cutting through the air, and the gazer split into two pieces. A magic stone fell on the ground.


    Ahh, why does my heart hurt?


    ¡°Chouze. Norfe. What are you doing? That¡¯s a monster.¡±


    ¡°Nyran¡­¡±


    Chiharu said without thinking.


    ¡°I see you still attract all kinds of things. I was so worried.¡±


    Nyran said as he sheathed his sword. He touched Chiharu¡¯s wet hair and looked at her for a moment before brushing it back.


    Ahh. Merfolk. Gazers. How could we hide it in this situation? Chiharu looked at Maki and shook her head with exasperation.


    Nyran brought his face close to Chiharu and whispered in her ear.


    ¡°The handkerchief on your forehead. And your wig. They have come off.¡±


    Chiharu immediately brought her hand to her head. It must have been when she fell in the lake. Oh, no. It didn¡¯t matter if they were disguised or not when around the merfolk, but with the soldiers¡­


    Just then, they heard a shout coming from the front. The last monster had been slain.


    ¡°Maki-chan, what should we do?¡±


    ¡°I think you can faint, maybe.¡±


    ¡°Faint?¡±


    ¡°Well, you were attacked by gazers and dropped in the lake and miraculously saved by merfolk, weren¡¯t you? Even one of those would be a good enough excuse to faint.¡±


    ¡°Excuse to faint¡­¡±


    Maki was laughing mischievously.


    ¡°Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Merman.¡±


    ¡°Call me Amia.¡±


    ¡°Amia.¡±


    The young merman smiled gently.


    ¡°There are not many lakes and rivers in the dwarven lands, and so it was difficult chasing after you two. I¡¯m glad you took the scales. It made it easier to find you.¡±


    ¡°Chase after us? How?¡±


    ¡°The world of water is much larger than what land-dwellers think. That¡¯s how it is.¡±


    Well, thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°I am glad I could be of use to the beloved child. Maki.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Come to the merfolk island again. Promise me.¡±


    Maki nodded.


    ¡°Now, Chiharu, you may faint.¡±


    ¡°What? What!¡±


    ¡°Hurry! I will cover you in a cloth!¡±


    ¡°Uh, alright.¡±


    Chiharu let the strength go out of her and pretended to faint as she fell to the ground.


    ¡°Ryan! Ryan!¡±


    ¡°This young one has fainted from shock! You must help him!¡±


    ¡°(You¡¯re a terrible actor, Amia.)¡±


    ¡°(So are you, Maki. Besides, they¡¯ll just think merfolk are like that.)¡±


    Edwy and Kaider ran to them first. Aeris followed them from behind.


    ¡°Oh, not, not Chiha-, ohh.¡±


    ¡°Aeris!¡±


    ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    ¡°I will carry him.¡±


    Edwy quickly remonstrated Aeris while Kaider reached out to Chiharu.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll carry him.¡±


    ¡°Nyran?¡±


    ¡°I saw him collapse.¡±


    ¡°Alright then.¡±


    ¡°Maki, are you sure?¡±


    Edwy asked with a puzzled expression. Maki nodded.


    ¡°Everyone, thank you for helping my younger brother!¡±


    Maki thanked all of the soldiers with a loud voice.


    ¡°What a terrible thing to happen.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s okay.¡±


    The soldiers said. And then Nyran carried Chiharu to the mayor¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re Amia, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re the prince of Midland. You¡¯ve grown.¡±


    He had met Edwy and Arthur a long time ago.


    ¡°Do you think we could talk?¡±


    ¡°I have no business here now. I will be leaving.¡±


    ¡°Just let me ask you one thing. Is something happening that it was so important for you to protect them by traveling all the way here?¡±


    ¡°Why are the beloved children sent to the human territories instead of the other three? Think about it. Even within caverns underground, the monsters are excited. Excited with joy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°This is as far as we can protect them. It is up to you now.¡±


    Amia glanced back at Edwy once before returning to the lake without another word. Kaider looked confused as he asked,


    ¡°Edwy. What is going on? Who is the beloved child? Why were those two boys targeted?¡±


    ¡°I do not know. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°But something is different.¡±


    No matter how much Maki and Chiharu may want to hide it, it was not likely that they would be able to anymore.


    ¡°I will tell you what I know. But let¡¯s clean up here first.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±

 CH 42

    Edwy and Kaider made sure to post some guards to search for any remaining gazers. Then they had the other soldiers rest, before they retired to the mansion.


    In the meantime, Maki and Chiharu were resting in Aeris¡¯s room. Nyran had gone with them, and he now leaned against the wall and folded his arms, refusing to leave.


    ¡°Ry-ryan. I was very worried.¡±


    ¡°Aeris, I was so worried too.¡±


    ¡°I am no use in battle.¡±


    Aeris groaned as he slowly held Chiharu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°You should at least go and take a bath. It is early summer, but you may still catch a cold. Besides, you smell like merman.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I stink?¡±


    Chiharu sniffed at her arms. Amia hadn¡¯t smelled like anything. It must be the lake.


    ¡°You should go too, Maki. It¡¯s that door over there. You can wear these for now. I will have your things brought over.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    They took Aeris¡¯s shirts and went to take a bath. Aeris sent word to the servants so that their belongings would be brought to the mansion. And he also ordered some hot tea.


    ¡°It must be nice to be the Philosopher. If I ever said that they smelled like merpeople, Chouze would have looked at me with cold, judgemental eyes.¡±


    Nyran muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because of how you act during the day. I am grateful that you accompanied them on their way into the dwarf lands, but¡­Chouze? Ah, so that is what you called her.¡±


    ¡°They went by Norfe and Chouze. They pretended to be dirty, sibling commoners. So we didn¡¯t treat them too carefully. Well, Kaider was quite nice to them.¡±


    ¡°You have my thanks. They do not like it when people fuss over them too much.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why¡­ Norfe always seemed a little annoyed.¡±


    Nyran thought back on these fond memories. Though, it was not even that long ago.


    ¡°I wish I could have seen them.¡±


    Aeris said with a gentle expression.


    ¡°So, you are going to tell me everything, aren¡¯t you? I hope you are not underestimating me just because I am a fifth son.¡±


    ¡°That is not it. None of this was planned by Midland or the elves.¡±


    Just then, the door opened and Kaider and Edwy entered. Grudo was with them.


    ¡°We gave a brief report of the night¡¯s events to the mayor.¡±


    ¡°We should all settle down now.¡±


    ¡°Where are they?¡±


    ¡°Bathing.¡±


    Aeris was the ¡®White Philosopher.¡¯ He was treated like royalty. And so his room was very large and all five of them could sit comfortably inside. However, Nyran and Aeris continued to stand. All of them looked like they weren¡¯t sure of what should be said, and a long silence followed.


    During this time, Maki and Chiharu were enjoying their bath. While it was a little cramped, the tub was made for human guests, and so they fit in just fine.


    ¡°We were able to wipe ourselves when we were staying at inns, but it¡¯s hard when we live in tents.¡±


    ¡°My wig got all sweaty.¡±


    They washed their hair thoroughly and put on Aeris¡¯s shirts. Of course, they had to roll up the sleeves about five times and the hem nearly dragged on the floor. But at least no one would complain about seeing their legs.


    And so they opened the door. Oh, everyone was here. They all looked back at the same time. Their eyes widened.


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu tilted their heads. Edwy shrieked and covered his eyes.


    ¡°Aeris! The sheets!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Aeris and Grudo were quick to act. They began to wrap up Maki and Chiharu in sheets, as the two stood there in surprise.


    ¡°You two! You are no longer in disguise! You cannot¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? But our feet weren¡¯t even showing.¡±


    ¡°They were! Like¡­from the side¡­¡±


    Edwy turned to the side. His face was bright red. He could not quite tell them how the breast pocket was pressed up a little, or how the wide neck showed most of their shoulders, or how the thin material left little to the imagination.


    ¡°Re-really? Sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­¡±


    Edwy would probably faint if he ever came to Japan. Maki and Chiharu thought as they looked at him. Behind them, Aeris was wiping their hair with a towel and a very pleased expression on his face. Kaider looked at Edwy and said,


    ¡°Bah, it is quite fine. They are not even showing that much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst.¡±


    Chiharu blurted through narrowed eyes.


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    Nyran said with a laugh.


    ¡°It is Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Chiharu replied honestly. This seemed to surprise one of them.


    ¡°Huh? Chouze? Where is Norfe?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The room fell silent.


    Maki stood up as she was rolled in sheets. Chiharu stood up as well.


    ¡°Kaider.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for taking us from Noir to Greige. It helped us a lot.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They bowed.


    ¡°You two. What? The hair¡­those women? Norfe?¡±


    Kaider was very confused. Nyran was rolling his eyes. Aeris took a step forward and coughed.


    ¡°Kaider. Nyran. They may be rolled up in sheets now, but they are in fact, this generation¡¯s saintesses. Maki and Chiharu. Thank you for helping them in Noir.¡±


    He didn¡¯t have to introduce them as rolls. They introduced themselves with a little indignation.


    ¡°I am Maki. I am twenty-five years old and work as a Saintess.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu. I¡¯m twenty-five and also work as a Saintess.¡±


    ¡°My hobby is wearing disguises.¡±


    ¡°My hobby is getting abducted.¡±


    ¡°Twenty-five?¡±


    ¡°Kk¡­ahahaha!¡±


    What? That? Chiharu thought. Edwy was shocked. Nyran just laughed. Kaider was so confused as Grudo forced him to sit on the couch. So much had happened already, but now Maki and Chiharu felt very tired.


    ¡°Now, you two should sleep in my bed tonight. You can listen to us talk as you sleep.¡±


    Aeris said gently. And so the two of them headed for the bed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Norfe not talk back before.¡±


    Kaider said with surprise as he watched Maki go. That shiny black hair. The white neck that peeked from over the sheets. That angle when she turned to look back.


    ¡°The woman at the hotspring¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stupid.¡±


    Kaider fell silent.

 CH 43

    Maki and Chiharu planned to listen while they rested, but they were so tired that they fell asleep.


    Chiharu had been surprisingly calm when she had first fallen towards the water. She had taken swimming lessons at school a long time ago, and so she could swim just fine. However, the impact she felt when she first hit the water had robbed her of a sense of direction at first. The moonlight had not been bright enough to show up on the water, and even if she knew that she would float to the top, having to hold her breath in the darkness had made her feel afraid.


    Still, she pushed those feelings aside and tried to rise to the surface. It was then that something wrapped around her waist. She nearly exhaled in shock, but then she was immediately pulled out of the water.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°How sad. Do you not remember the scales?¡±


    ¡°The merfolk¡­¡±


    The young man!


    ¡°Now, the gazers are after us. Catch your breath as we head towards the shore.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Chiharu wiped her face with her sleeve. The young merman held Chiharu as he swam adeptly in the water. Behind them, she could hear splashing.


    ¡°I am using my tail to fend off the gazers.¡±


    Interesting. But why were the gazers¡­ They arrived on land before this could be answered, and she reunited with Maki.


    Nyran had carried her like a princess after that. Was this a romantic situation at last?


    Chiharu thought for a split second before remember the smell of the lake and how she had felt like a drowning rat. It was not romantic at all. Even if the person was a prince or the chief of the sea.


    Chiharu would later talk to Maki about this in a heated voice.


    ¡°I do like the idea of being swooped off my feet like that. But, doesn¡¯t it only happen when you¡¯re in trouble or in pain? Is that when you fall in love?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. You mean like someone who helps you when things are hard?¡±


    ¡°It was hard and embarrassing. I felt both sorry for him and annoyed. That¡¯s all I felt.¡±


    ¡°Annoyed?¡±


    ¡°Like, I wanted to be left alone and was also worried about my weight.¡±


    ¡°I get it, Chiharu. Maybe only people who are capable of enjoying romantic scenes become romantically involved?¡±


    ¡°But I am rather romantic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an insult to people who are.¡±


    In any case, the five men were relieved when they heard that Maki and Chiharu had fallen asleep.


    After hearing about the matter of the Saintesses leaving the castle, Kaider said,


    ¡°In other words, the Saintesses were disguised as Norfe and Chouze. That¡¯s why they were women at the hotspring, daughters of noblemen in the capital, and now they are Kenneth and Ryan. I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°And they have been let loose for half a month in the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Let loose¡­¡±


    Nyran chuckled.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure that your sarcasm comes from the fact that you were completely fooled all of this time.¡±


    Edwy said. Kaider looked annoyed.


    ¡°Kaider.¡±


    ¡°What is it? White Philosopher.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Women at the hotspring?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡­¡±


    Kaider looked uncertain.


    ¡°I was looking for Norfe and Chouze and¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°I saw a woman with dark hair from far away.¡±


    ¡°So you were peeking.¡±


    ¡°He totally was.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Kaider was cornered. Nyran was still laughing. You were there too!


    ¡°Ohhh, we have more pressing matters to discuss!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Kaider insisted. And the Midland people drew back.


    ¡°Still, why did they do it when they were being taken care of so well?¡±


    ¡°You saw Norfe. They are strongly independent.¡±


    Nyran answered Kaider¡¯s question. Hmm. He was very observant. Edwy thought with a little irritation. However, they had to move on.


    ¡°Well, enough about them leaving the castle. They are safe now, anyway. The problem is the gazers.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They were clearly targeting Norfe and Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Why? He didn¡¯t want to hear about versions of Maki and Chiharu that he didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But they were nearly taken away by the merfolk on the merfolk island as well. And they are quite friendly with the bird people. I also heard that a gazer came to see Maki and Chiharu on a train.¡±


    ¡°That! I have not heard that before. So that is when they met the chief.¡±


    ¡°The birdfolk didn¡¯t make a report?¡±


    ¡°Like saying that they are safe, or that they know where they are.¡±


    ¡°They just do as they please.¡±


    But enough about them. There was no way to control the birdfolk.


    ¡°The merfolk chief said that the monsters were happy. And he said to think about why the Saintesses were sent to the human territories.¡±


    ¡°Do they know something?¡±


    ¡°Merfolk have been around since the beginning. They know God¡¯s will and the workings of the world. It is said that they have watched over the world throughout history. Kaider and Nyran, you two met with the chief as children, didn¡¯t you? Those bonds are important.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Are the Saintesses summoned because the monsters have grown loud, or have the monsters grown loud because of their appearance? And what is their relation to miasma? There are many mysteries.¡±


    Edwy said quietly. Kaider scratched his head and said,


    ¡°Well, we can always kill the monsters as they increase. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to have the Saintesses stay in Midland? The miasma is thick here. However, it¡¯s become thinner at a rapid pace ever since Norfe¡­Maki arrived. I understand that people want the Saintesses to visit. However, there is no guarantee of their safety when this close to the dungeons.¡±


    Nyran nodded.


    ¡°There will be nothing we can do if we lose them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ¡®there will be more after three months.¡¯¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡±


    Kaider and Nyran turned on Edwy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. That is what the inlanders said to Maki and Chiharu during the unveiling at the castle.¡±


    ¡°They said that!¡±


    ¡°Damned inlanders!¡±


    ¡°By the way, it was the stupid royals, Norfe and Chouze that said it.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Nyran and Kaider said in unison.


    ¡°They used those names then.¡±


    ¡°I like them even more now.¡±


    ¡°I want to take them home with me.¡±


    ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T!¡±


    The three midlanders said together. There was as short stare down before Aeris spoke.


    ¡°We will have to look into the circulation of magic stones and the amount that is imported to each region. At the same time, we should find out how the miasma has changed in the elf and beastkin lands since Maki and Chiharu came here. If the other lands experienced the same change, then there will be no need to make them go to those places.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you seem to have had a change in opinion.¡±


    ¡°Grudo. I do not know how much of a burden the generating of these stones is for them. The elves are important to me as well. But so are Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Everyone nodded. Except for Edwy. He looked at Maki and Chiharu as they slept. And then felt embarrassed about how rude he was being.


    ¡°The problem is that they will clearly not wait around quietly.¡±


    He said. And he was right.

 CH 44

    It¡¯s fine, it¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re good at doing that.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said casually.


    This was when they were told that they could continue on to Gromble as long as they remained disguised and lay low.


    Edwy narrowed his eyebrows. ¡®I would say it¡¯s quite the opposite,¡¯ he grumbled. But the two seemed to have been offended at the idea that they had not been lying low up until now.


    After all, had they not been doing just that? Sure, they had escaped from the castle, but they had been found in just one month. They had done nothing but sightsee since then. And the matter with the gazers was clearly not their fault.


    They said as much.


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t have left the castle without saying anything in the first place!¡±


    ¡°And disguised yourselves.¡±


    But to the two Saintesses, it was because they wanted to avoid trouble, that they had disguised themselves.


    ¡°You have an answer for everything.¡±


    Kaider said, somewhat happily. Maki then clapped her hands together and said,


    ¡°Well, in any case. We will continue to work as apprentices for the cook. But we will stay with Edwy and the others at night, where there will be guards. When we reach Gromble, we will stay at a health resort near the town. Then when everything is finished, we will return with you. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That way, you can avoid getting into any danger. And you will be able to drink without anyone bothering you.¡±


    ¡°DRINK!¡±


    ¡°DRINK!¡±


    Their eyes lit up.


    ¡°And you can bathe everyday.¡±


    Their eyes lit up even more. Edwy was starting to understand how to handle them.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice that you do not want to inconvenience Paulo. We will just tell the soldiers that you are children of a noble family who had run away from home. So you can continue to wear your wigs and disguises during the day. But come back after dinner. Then we can drink together.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu had not nodded so readily and with such bright expressions in a long time.


    Paulo and the other cooks were happy that they were safe. And when told that they had been runaways, looked completely unsurprised. It seems that they had already sensed something. And while they were surprised that Maki and Chiharu would continue to help, they did not object, as they were understaffed.


    It would take two days to reach Gromble, and they would pass through a town on their way. Maki and Chiharu had heard that it was the largest tourist site along the mountains, and they had high expectations. Of course, as the miasma had become thicker, Adventurers had become more active, and so the health resort was somewhat dreary these days.


    Like before, they rode in the back of a wagon with the other belongings and traveled leisurely through the mountain road. When they passed yet another ridge, they saw a basin surrounded by four mountains.


    ¡°Look at that!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more amazing than Shiel!¡±


    While there were mountains on all four sides, the mountain with the dungeon¡¯s entrance was much taller than the others. And there were large pillars made of stone.


    ¡°They may look like normal pillars from here, but they are actually hundreds of meters tall. So this is a sight you can only enjoy from this distance.¡±


    Paulo explained to them lazily.


    ¡°Not only that, but there are also hundreds of small caves. Look, to the left.¡±


    They looked to the left where there was a lake around the mountain. A river ran from it and spread to the farm lands.


    ¡°Unfortunately, there are no sea fish here. But the water flows out from some of the caves and collects here as this lake. The water is very clean, and the fish that live in it are delicious. Also, there is enough farmland here for the people to live independently.¡±


    Then he coughed loudly.


    ¡°While I¡¯ve never heard anything about it being connected to the sea, you two better keep your distance.¡±


    ¡°But what about during the day¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    It could not be helped. Paulo continued, as if to try and dispel the awkward air.


    ¡°The dungeon is in the center of the mountain. It apparently branches out into many paths and is very difficult to navigate. No one has ever reached or even knows where the deepest level is.¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°There is a large town right in front of the dungeon¡¯s gate. And behind that town is the health resort. That is where we will stay tonight.¡±


    Gromble was split into two like a gourd. The smaller part was the health resort.


    ¡°Still, the dungeon is usually not very busy during this time of the year. It is usually the worst during winter.¡±


    The river that ran from the lake flowed next to the health resort and connected with another river from the opposing mountain. Along with the crops, there was a beautiful field of red and purple.


    ¡°Lavender and sage. Both are fragrant herbs and are famous here. We came at a good time.¡±


    They were probably not lavender and sage. Maki and Chiharu had an automatic translation ability that changed words into the closest match in Japanese. After all, while the wild lavender that Paulo showed them on the side of the road was purple, it was taller than Chiharu. And the large flowers were shaped like thistles and were bunched up like gladiolus. Chiharu reached up to pluck one. The flower was as large as her palm and had a calming, fresh scent.


    ¡°I think these would dry really nicely.¡±


    ¡°I want to turn them into potpourri and put them by my pillow.¡±


    ¡°Good idea!¡±


    Yes, this was it. This was the kind of wandering journey that they had wanted!


    Maki and Chiharu would not be able to follow the others into the dungeon tomorrow. They didn¡¯t know how the monsters would respond. They would help feed the soldiers who stayed while the others went in. And then spend the rest of the time in the health resort.


    They could walk leisurely amongst the tall lavenders with friends. They could take sandwiches with them and eat them in the fields for lunch. Perhaps there would be potpourri classes they could take. Also¡­lavender ice cream.


    After thinking of all this, Maki scowled. She had remembered eating lavender ice cream a long time ago, and how it had tasted rather bad.


    There were three types of ice cream that Maki had not enjoyed in her life. The first was bamboo ice cream, which had powdered bamboo leaves inside. It was wild and supposed to be healthy. The second was seaweed ice cream. It was a little slimy and smelled like the sea. The taste was indescribable. The third was lavender ice cream. It smelled wonderful. But did it have to be ice cream? Maki wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Oh, but the lavender ice cream tasted great!¡±


    ¡°Uhhh. Maybe I just don¡¯t like ice cream with strong smells.¡±


    On the other hand, she had eaten too many delicious types of ice cream to count. But her number one was hojicha tea ice cream. The smell of the tea and the mild bitterness was the perfect combination for her mature palette. She also enjoyed brown rice tea ice cream. Her second favorite was egg ice cream. It was like a milkshake with a strong egg flavour. Her third favorite was loquat. No, maybe it was strawberry. There were too many for her to decide.


    Even if some turned out to be bad, she would always try out the local flavors.


    They arrived at the health resort while she considered all of this. As there were few guests now, they said that at least half of the soldiers would be able to sleep at the inn. And as they had to sleep in tents for so long, they were very happy.


    Maki and Chiharu had less work to do, but the work was still hard. They did their best and then returned to the inn.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. We have prepared everything for you.¡±


    They had come to Aeris¡¯s room after taking a bath. Edwy was smiling as he handed them some wine glasses.


    ¡°You can take off your wigs here. I don¡¯t think your hair is even dry yet.¡±


    Aeris said as he picked up a towel. He had become quite fond of drying their hair.


    The glasses were filled with red liquid. Wine? Or not. The glass pitcher had several red flowers inside that sunk to the bottom. They looked at it quizzically, and Grudo explained.


    ¡°This is apple wine. They put fresh sage flowers into the bitter apple wine. It can only be made here during this season.¡±


    From what they saw, the flower was large and had only one petal, like a hibiscus.


    Chiharu liked jasmine tea, and enjoyed lavender ice cream, unlike Maki. Maki looked at her cup suspiciously. Chiharu grinned happily. And then they both took a sip.¡±


    ¡°This is good¡­¡±


    ¡°This is good¡­¡±


    Was it from the flowers? There was a slight sourness that was quite different from apple that spread through their mouths. A mild bitterness followed. And the scent of the sage went up through their noses.


    ¡°It is very popular with ladies.¡±


    Grudo said with a smile.


    ¡°Though, I do prefer ordinary apple wine myself.¡±


    Kaider put in. While everyone had preferences, drink was drink. Now, for tomorrow, they would drink a few cups.


    And so, in this land that was far away from the castle, they enjoyed their drink until late into the night.

 CH 45

    The next morning. After helping to make breakfast, Maki and Chiharu watched as the soldiers left. All of them would be going at once on the first day.


    ¡°This is a health resort, so you should relax and stay low here.¡±


    Edwy insisted.


    ¡°Gromble is a big town, so as royals, we will be treated well by the mayor. And when we¡¯re not, we¡¯ll probably be in the dungeons. But then again¡­I¡¯d be worried if you weren¡¯t nearby as well¡­¡±


    Edwy was still being a little tedious.


    ¡°Well, we are both seven years older than you. So you shouldn¡¯t worry.¡±


    Maki said. He looked a little crestfallen then.


    ¡°I do want to stay close to you, Maki and Chiharu. But as a researcher, I must observe the monsters of the dungeon. I believe that it will benefit you two in the long run. Now you two stay safe.¡±


    Aeris said as he hugged them. The magic stones were being created at a much faster pace ever since they reached Gromble. They could now make two in one day.


    ¡°Well, I will stay behind.¡±


    ¡°You proved to be surprisingly worthless, after all. But perhaps you are still better than nothing.¡±


    Aeris said, referring to Grudo¡¯s useless guards. Then he and Edwy left together.


    ¡°Ah, well. Maki, I¡¯m surprised at how well you can hold your drink.¡±


    That was all Kaider could say.


    ¡°Uh, maybe when we get back, we can see who can drink more.¡±


    ¡°Nope. Drink is meant to be tasted and enjoyed.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But there is still a lot that we haven¡¯t tasted together. So let¡¯s drink when we get back.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    I happen to be here too¡­ And I¡¯m just as strong as Maki, you know? Chiharu thought as she watched them and grinned.


    ¡°And you Chiharu. Don¡¯t get kidnapped again, alright?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Goodbye Nyran.¡±


    Nyran laughed and brushed the hair away from Chiharu¡¯s face before leaving with Kaider.


    ¡°The discrepancy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gap in prince power.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing.¡±


    They started to laugh, as if to try and forget about the loneliness.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. What are your plans for today?¡±


    Grudo asked.


    ¡°We were thinking of taking lunch out with us and seeing the lavender fields.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess I will rest in the inn. You have guards, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. You can rest. We me be out for a while, as we¡¯re taking food with us.¡±


    ¡°Be careful.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu took some sandwiches and water and went out to the lavender fields. They had a guard follow them from a short distance. They still weren¡¯t used to this kind of thing, and didn¡¯t like it at all. But there was no helping it. And they knew that they should be grateful.


    The two of them had once visited Hokkaido together. That¡¯s when they had eaten the lavender ice cream in fact. The tourist site was a farm where beautiful fields of lavender grew over vast hills. They were able to walk through it as the wind blew through the flowers.


    Maki and Chiharu talked about their memories there as they walked towards the hill. There had been lavender caramel and lavender cookies. It was always food. But there was also soap, purified water and hand cream as well.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a lot closer than I thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, uh, wait. My perspective is messed up.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    They both looked up at the field in shock. It was as if they were in a jungle.


    Was this a field? The lavenders were planted in rows and there were no other plants at all. However, where could they walk? They had been in sunflower mazes that had more obvious paths to walk in. But these lavenders were so tall that neither of them could see ahead.


    ¡°Walk¡­¡±


    ¡°Where can we eat¡­¡±


    ¡°Eat? What are you two talking about!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Something jumped out from the tall lavender plants.


    ¡°Is it a Koro-pok-guru?¡±


    ¡°Those mythical things?¡±


    ¡°How dare you. Well, I don¡¯t know what that is, but it sounds rude.¡±


    It was a dwarf girl.


    ¡°I was wondering who it was talking so mindlessly during harvesting season. A couple of humans, huh? That¡¯s unusual!¡±


    She was about 130 cm tall. She wore a dwarven one-piece and a white apron tightly around her waist and carried a basket on her back. Her hands were on her hips now and she looked at them up and down with a glare.


    ¡°Tourists? Is that what you are?¡±


    ¡°Uh, we came with the Midland soldiers. We help the cooks.¡±


    ¡°But the soldiers just went off to the dungeons? Did they leave you behind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they will be fed at the inn.¡±


    Perhaps the girl liked that her face was closer to her level, because she only talked to Chiharu.


    ¡°So is that why you¡¯re so idle? Oh, that¡¯s not it!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all out of work, aren¡¯t you? What about pay? Are you paid daily?¡±


    Chiharu was taken aback. This girl kept pushing and pushing.


    ¡°Yes, every day.¡±


    ¡°Then that means!!¡±


    The girl thrust out her finger and pointed at them.


    ¡°You two are unemployed!¡±


    Oh. Well, now that she mentioned it¡­uh¡­ Unemployed¡­ They were supposed to be Saintesses. They even made magic stones.


    The girl grinned at them.


    ¡°Then I shall tell you something very useful.¡±


    Huh? To us unemployed people?


    ¡°It happens to be harvesting season now, but we don¡¯t have enough hands. If you help us, we¡¯ll pay you 5,000 gil a day. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°Uh, but¡­¡±


    ¡°You two are rather tall. And since we are just harvesting the flowers, I don¡¯t see why we shouldn¡¯t use your height to our advantage.¡±


    Indeed, someone as short as her would not be able to reach them.


    But¡­ They had come all this way here to relax. But the girl continued.


    ¡°Of course, it includes lunch. We¡¯re all going to gather together and cook some meat.¡±


    Meat! Maki and Chiharu¡¯s faces changed instantly. The girl laughed in triumph.


    ¡°You¡¯re still growing, after all. Also, we have snack time in the morning and afternoon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Employees acquired!¡±


    And so Maki and Chiharu were led away by the Koro-pok-guru, no, dwarf girl, and disappeared into the lavender jungle. The guard had no time to stop them.


    On the other hand, the Midland team were currently moving through the town of Gromble. The Adventurers who watched them did not seem very welcoming to the soldiers. But why?


    This was because, the fact that there were more monsters now meant that they didn¡¯t have to go in very deep in order to acquire magic stones. But what if monsters started to come out of the dungeons? Well, they would just make as much money as they could and then escape Gromble when it became too dangerous.


    The inns didn¡¯t mind. They got more customers this way. However, the soldiers did not go out shopping or use money. Would they even sell the stones to the town? People wondered about these things, and so many of them were not too happy about this visit.


    Monsters overflowing? That had never happened before. What had the country been thinking? Inviting all of these people.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the feel of this.¡±


    ¡°It must be an effect of the miasma.¡±


    ¡°It makes you only able to think about yourself.¡±


    The miasma made your emotions run wild. It meant more fighting. Not only that, the miasma increased your own greed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember it being like this before.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not even that far from the health resort, but it¡¯s completely different.¡±


    ¡°It really is.¡±


    It was a good thing that Maki and Chiharu were left behind. This would clearly not be an easy job like back in Shiel. That is what the three princes thought.

 CH 46

    They followed the dwarf girl, and to their surprise, the field was not as jungle-like as they had expected. There was a clear path to walk under the flowers. But the space was a little low for Maki.


    ¡°Ouch, ouch.¡±


    She kept saying, and was likely hitting her head against something. After a while, they came out into a large clearing. A lot of other dwarves were gathered here and relaxing. In the center, there was a large pot with something sweet inside, and a large grill had also been prepared.


    ¡°Hey! I got new workers!¡±


    The girl shouted.


    ¡°Good job! Oh, are they human children?¡±


    The resting dwarves gathered around them.


    ¡°They were traveling with the soldiers as cooks. But now they¡¯re unemployed because they were paid by the day. And so I asked them to help us.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t wrong. Her explanation was technically correct. Still, Maki and Chiharu weren¡¯t quite satisfied with it.


    ¡°Will the soldiers hire you again when they return?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But we¡¯re not sure when that will be.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. The next five to six days are very important for us. It would be great if you could help.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re beginners.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Just pick the flowers and toss them into the baskets.¡±


    ¡°Then we should be able to manage.¡±


    ¡°Good! It¡¯s a deal then! Bring it over here!¡±


    He meant the large pot of soup. The purple soup smelled like sweet potatoes.


    The two of them accepted their cups with hesitation.


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know about sweet potato soup?¡±


    They were asked. They only knew about potato soup.


    ¡°Well, try it.¡±


    When they put their spoons inside of the soup, they found small and flat dumplings. Then they blew on them and bit into them. The dumplings were soft but chewy and went well with the sweet soup.


    It was a hot day in early summer, but they drank all of the hot, sweet soup while blowing on it. Ahh, it was so good.


    ¡°We have this in the morning. In the evening, we¡¯ll eat some steamed buns.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do the job!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do the job!¡±


    ¡°Do you want more soup?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    And so they both had a second cup of soup.


    ¡°I¡¯m Stilla. What¡¯s your name? Oh, Kenneth? Ryan? Now, I will teach you how to gather the flowers.¡±


    Apparently, the dwarf girl¡¯s name was Stilla. And so Maki and Chiharu shouldered the baskets and followed her into the fields.


    ¡°They were such pretty human children. It will be very bad if the mayor sees them.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we should hide them in the fields during the day.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. And then they will be able to help us more.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu had no idea of this conversation that took place behind them.


    So, what was lavender gathering? Apparently, you just needed to grab the flowers and pull downward, and they would come off. And then you just tossed them in the basket behind you. Toss. Toss. Toss. Toss. But the flowers were quite big, and so the baskets became full quite quickly. When that happened, you returned to the clearing and someone would take the flowers to a storage shed to be dried. And you returned to picking.


    Lavender flowers blossomed from the bottom to the top, in that order. So you could go to the field every day and there would still be flowers.


    ¡°What were you two doing?¡±


    Grudo asked as they returned tired that day. He sounded a little exasperated.


    ¡°But you know, these things give you a real sense of accomplishment.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. The basket slowly getting heavier. Oh, and watching the wagon get full of flowers from your basket.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s nice to sweat like this.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said.


    ¡°I know what we should do on days like these.¡±


    ¡°Grudo, do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Well, I have to agree.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll drink ale tonight!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu always seemed much more relaxed when they were with Grudo. Maki and Chiharu had concentrated on their work without even realizing that Edwy and Aeris had not contacted them. Grudo had rested at the inn and their guard had been forced to help watch the pot with the dwarves.


    Still, there was someone who noticed Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Hey, look at them.¡±


    ¡°They seem like the right age.¡±


    There were Adventurers who were staring at Maki and Chiharu as they returned from the field.


    ¡°A good job to finish with.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t make any money now that the soldiers are in the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it then.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll stop at the inn and watch them first.¡±


    During this time, Edwy was very irritated that he was unable to enter the dungeon.


    ¡°It is very rare for human royalty to come here.¡±


    ¡°This is to continue good relations concerning the magic stones.¡±


    And so he had to continue to attend dinners along with Nyran. During the day, he had to take tea with other powerful neighbors.


    But Aeris and Kaider, who was dwarf royalty and therefore not worth very much in the eyes of the mayor, were allowed to go to the dungeons with the soldiers.


    And the dungeons were not peaceful.


    The dungeons of Gromble were big and deep. So even if there were 100 soldiers in there, it would not have been impossible for Adventurers to go in and hunt. That¡¯s how many monsters there were.


    However, the Adventurers were not that desperate, and so they just wandered around the town instead.


    At first, only half of the soldiers were going to be sent in, but they were all sent in the end.


    It was the fourth day now, and he was still forced to have dinner with these important people.


    ¡°It should be time soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough.¡±


    In the hall, there were two human children with sand-colored hair who were helping with the food. As it was unusual to the dwarves, the guests were amused.


    ¡°Are they inland children? Why are they working so far from home?¡±


    ¡°I only talked with them a little, but that seems to be the case. But they were unable to make a living there, and so they came here.¡±


    That¡¯s what Edwy and Nyran talked about on the balcony after getting away from the others.


    ¡°Oh, but you are our honored guests. Please come inside.¡±


    It was the mayor. He was about 250 years old and likely to retire soon. But he had developed this dungeon town and been mayor of Gromble ever since the beginning.


    ¡°I must have drunk too much. I needed to cool off out here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that is no good. There is an arbor over there. Please let me take you there.¡±


    The mayor said as he touched Edwy¡¯s waist. Edwy moved away.


    ¡°I think we will have to return to our main objective soon. We are very grateful for your hospitality, but I will go to the dungeon tomorrow. Thank you for welcoming us.¡±


    He said flatly.


    ¡°Oh, dear. But I hope you will at least stay, Prince Nyran.¡±


    ¡°No, it is my job to go to the dungeon. For Gromble¡¯s sake, I will go tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    And then the mayor went back inside.


    ¡°Can I be honest with you, Nyran? Something about him disgusts me.¡±


    ¡°You too? On the first day he muttered something about how he wished I had visited when I was younger.¡±


    A chill ran up his spine.


    ¡°What if the child waiters¡­¡±


    ¡°I doubt it. They did not seem afraid in the least¡­¡±


    They muttered together in the garden.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I now feel the monsters are more decent.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go to the dungeon tomorrow. We will.¡±


    And then they would take Maki and Chiharu with them and return to Midland.

 CH 47

    Five days after they started to work as flower pickers, Maki and Chiharu had gotten into the rhythm of it. They started near the clearing and went in the opposite direction before coming back. When they did this twice, they were given snacks. This consisted of sweet soup, but the soup and dumplings within were different each time. The base was always potatoes, but sometimes there would be beans or sesame seeds in as well. Sometimes the potatoes had something mixed in with them. In any case, sweet food tasted especially good when you were tired.


    They made two more rounds and then it was midday. For some reason, the guard was helping with the cooking. A large grill had been brought out and some meat was being cooked in lavish amounts. However, Maki and Chiharu were after the vegetables.


    Of course, they would eat the meat as well. However, the small vegetables that resembled paprika or corn or other summer vegetables were especially delicious. Vegetables that were too big or too small to sell were brought here and cooked.


    They rested a little here before making two more rounds and coming back. Then they ate steamed buns and then did three more rounds before finishing.


    And at night, they would drink with Grudo. Sometimes the bird folk would fly over them to see how they were doing.


    They were currently having an afternoon snack on their fifth day.


    ¡°You know, it really is nice to live like this.¡±


    Chiharu said happily.


    ¡°It really is.¡±


    Maki said as she picked up a flower. And then tossed it.


    ¡°To be honest, when I was still a student, I had this dream of getting a part time job harvesting corn. And then going on a trip with the money I made.¡±


    ¡°But wouldn¡¯t you need a bike for that?¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s ignore that for a moment.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Also, maybe harvesting kelp? I could work on an island for one month, and with the money¡­¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that also be hard without a bike?¡±


    ¡°Or even harvesting sugarcane.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Chiharu seemed to really like the idea of a part time job in the farming industry. Chiharu and corn. Maybe. But Chiharu and kelp or sugarcane? It didn¡¯t suit her. Besides, it would mean going far north or south in Japan.


    ¡°Well, maybe you do need a motorbike for that. But I was mainly scared of being alone. That¡¯s why I never did it.¡±


    And there was also the matter of physical energy. Kelp and sugarcane seemed very heavy.


    ¡°And the dream has now come true.¡±


    She looked like she was going to dance. Maki opened her mouth.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t break into a song.¡±


    ¡°I-I won¡¯t. What are you talking about!¡±


    Chiharu said in a flustered voice. She finally woke up from her little dream.


    ¡°But, well, it¡¯s nice to be able to move your body.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s not bad at all.¡±


    This flower harvesting would end in another two to three days. After that, they were going to cut the stems. But that was for the men to do, and so Maki and Chiharu¡¯s jobs would end there. They would do their best until then.


    Just when they were about to come out on the other side¡­


    Maki disappeared.


    ¡°Huh? Maki?¡±


    Chiharu took a step towards where Maki had been.


    Something wrapped around her head. Then in her surprise, the basket was pulled off of her back. Then her body was pressed down and she was gagged. Something else was wrapped around her body and then she was thrown onto a wagon. Straw was then thrown over her. She didn¡¯t even have enough time to scream.


    Maki! Maki! As she moved around, she hit something.


    ¡°Mmm¡­Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    It was Maki. At least they were together. Chiharu was relieved. But at the same time, she thought that it would have been better if one of them could have called someone for help.


    There was no point in moaning against the gag, so she stopped to think. What had happened? Judging by what she had seen from the corner of her vision, there were four men. They had been waiting there in order to kidnap them. They had been targeted from the beginning.


    Were they after the Saintesses? Probably not. Sadly, they didn¡¯t even seem to be recognized as women.


    So were they after children? But they didn¡¯t look rich enough to be taken for ransom?


    As slaves then? No, there were no slaves in this world.


    No matter how much they struggled, they could not get out of the wagon. And they could not drop anything like Hansel and Gretel. In that case, they should at least try to take note of the direction they were going in.


    However, they had eaten so many snacks and worked all day. Their bodies could not lie. The comfortable rocking of the wagon that was carried by levitation stones was like a lullaby to them.


    And so they slept as the wagon entered the back gate of a mansion and entered the garden and stopped by a door. Then someone knocked on the door with an air of familiarity.


    ¡°Tell your master that we got our hands on something very unusual.¡±


    ¡°He is not in a good mood today. The princes have gone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s even better. We found two pretty boys.¡±


    ¡°Hey, do not say that out loud! In any case, I will deal with this. Just wait a moment.¡±


    The nervous man said as he went back into the mansion.


    The men moved the hay from the wagon.


    ¡°Hey, these two are unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Of course, they are. They were tied up and left here for two hours.¡±


    ¡°I hope he comes back soon. We can¡¯t leave them tied up for too long.¡±


    Just then, the door opened.


    ¡°The master will see you. Come this way.¡±


    The men smirked and then picked up the two children. They held them like princesses.


    Luckily, Chiharu and Maki were still sleeping. Maki would not have been happy to know this was her first time.


    ¡°They look to be about twelve. The poor things.¡±


    ¡°Still, they are so skinny.¡±


    ¡°He likes them like that. And at least we get paid.¡±


    They were led to a dimly lit room where the children were then laid out onto beds. The mayor arrived just as they were both untied.


    ¡°Ohhh. Blonde hair. We don¡¯t have their type here. Take off their gags.¡±


    They did. While there were marks on their faces, it was still clear that they had smooth skin.


    ¡°Ohh, it¡¯s smooth like cream. Small mouths, small noses, long lashes.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s fingers traced the lines of Chiharu¡¯s face.


    ¡°And this one here.¡±


    The mayor looked at Maki and seemed like he was about to drool.


    ¡°Such relaxed limbs. This is the moment before a boy turns into a man. How wonderful!¡±


    Everyone else watching was disgusted, but they wanted their money.


    ¡°No one will follow them, will they?¡±


    ¡°They apparently came with the Midland soldiers, but they were ignored after coming to Gromble. They were forced to work in the flower fields to survive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, and their family?¡±


    ¡°They were supposed to have come to Gromble to rely on relatives. But since they never went, that story is very suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Hmm. All the better. I was getting so bored now that those arrogant royals are gone. Good. I shall buy them.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    As this dark transaction went on, Maki and Chiharu were in a deep sleep.

 CH 48

    One hour later.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t returned yet. Usually, they would have been back by now and gone on their next round.¡±


    The guard said with a puzzled look.


    ¡°Indeed. And they worked so seriously and quickly up until now.¡±


    Agreed the dwarf who was in charge of snacks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go and have a look.¡±


    ¡°You can enter the ridges if you crouch.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    However, no amount of searching led them to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Stilla? It¡¯s Kenneth and Ryan. They are nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°They were supposed to be doing this row here.¡±


    ¡°But they aren¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡±


    Stilla then gathered all of the dwarves together.


    ¡°What is it? We were almost finished.¡±


    ¡°Kenneth and Ryan are gone. Has anyone seen them? Did they feel ill and return to the inn?¡±


    ¡°No one went in the direction of the inn. Well, except for one wagon that was carrying straw.¡±


    Said a dwarf who was working in the direction of the inn.


    ¡°However, you wouldn¡¯t have been able to see that if you were working in the field.¡±


    ¡°I could though, mister tall man. Look, go over there and crouch till you are the same height as us.¡±


    The guard did as he was told. The guard had thought the entire field looked like a jungle, just like Maki and Chiharu, but you could actually see clearly ahead at 140cm above ground level.


    ¡°So where did they go?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you said something about a wagon?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was carrying straw.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t need straw during this season and it¡¯s not the time to harvest it. Is it not strange then that a hay wagon would pass through here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is strange.¡±


    ¡°What if they were kidnapped?¡±


    The guard looked surprised.


    ¡°Which way did the wagon go!?¡±


    ¡°I think it was in the direction of Gromble.¡±


    The guard started to run.


    ¡°Wait. Just listen to this!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The mayor of Gromble likes children. Human children.¡±


    ¡°Children! Human!¡±


    The guard went running.


    Of course, the wagon was no longer on the road towards Gromble. And so the guard went running to the inn where Grudo was.


    ¡°They¡¯ve been kidnapped!? And there¡¯s a possibility that the mayor of Gromble has them. Hmmm¡­¡±


    Grudo started to think.


    ¡°They may still come back. However, we should consider the worst possible scenario and go to Gromble. You go on ahead and tell Edwy. Then we will meet up in the inn that the other soldiers are staying at.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Grudo quickly prepared to leave the inn and then followed the soldier to Gromble. It was evening by the time they arrived.


    ¡°Grudo!¡±


    The guard was waiting for him at the inn.


    ¡°The four representatives are in the dungeon today, and it is not known when they will return. Kaider and Aeris are camping down there as they go deeper.¡±


    It was already night.


    ¡°And what of Edwy and Nyran!¡±


    ¡°They were held at the Mayor¡¯s mansion up until yesterday, so they hurried off to the dungeon today and have yet to return.¡±


    ¡°This is not good. We cannot just go and pursue them either.¡±


    Grudo was annoyed. He was a researcher and technician, just like Aeris. He didn¡¯t enjoy socializing and he did not want to meet the creepy mayor. But he didn¡¯t have a choice.


    ¡°Alright. I shall go to the Mayor¡¯s house today. I will take two guards with me and we will check the place. You must send a messenger into the dungeon and contact Edwy or one of the others.¡±


    While all of this happened, Maki and Chiharu were just about to wake up from their deep sleep.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ugh¡­my head hurts.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ah, Maki!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu! Ouch!¡±


    Perhaps it was dehydration. Perhaps it was from being carried while bound up. Their bodies ached all over.


    ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a dark, but a fancy room. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an inn.¡±


    ¡°Maki. We must have been kidnapped.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This whole thing reeks of criminal activity.¡±


    The room had a simple bed, a small writing desk and a chair. There was nothing else. There was one window near the ceiling, but it was too small for either of them to fit through.


    ¡°They clearly don¡¯t want us to escape. But I can¡¯t understand why they would want to kidnap us. Maybe it¡¯s to sell us as workers. Or they know we are women and they¡¯ll send us to a brothel.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they know. At least this room is nice. But what could be the reason?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. We have to get up. We¡¯ll be at a great disadvantage in this position.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    And so they held their aching heads as they got out of bed. Just then, the door swung open.


    ¡°Oh, you are up.¡±


    It was on old dwarf and what appeared to be two servants. One of them was holding a pitcher of water. Maki and Chiharu stared at it hard.


    ¡°So you are thirsty. Thomas. The water.¡±


    The servant poured them some water to drink. They were a little worried about what was in the water, but they felt they would faint from a heat stroke if they didn¡¯t drink it. And so they did.


    The old man watched them carefully.


    ¡°Now, you must be worried and wondering why you are here.¡±


    They nodded.


    ¡°You were abducted by former Adventurers and were about to be sold.¡±


    I knew it. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°And one of my servants just happened to witness it. Don¡¯t worry. They have since been caught.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is your voice changing? Well, that¡¯s fine.¡±


    He said with satisfaction. Then he got closer to the bed and looked at Maki before touching her chin.


    ¡°You have blonde hair and dark eyes. Long lashes that are very cute.¡±


    Ew, gross. Maki felt goosebumps all over her skin.


    ¡°What do you think? You could work for me in this mansion. I would be glad to hire you.¡±


    As if!


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s already been decided that we¡¯re to return with the Midland group and work for them.¡±


    ¡°I see. I see. But there are many monsters in the dungeon. It might take them a while to return. What will you do until then?¡±


    ¡°Uh, pick flowers.¡±


    ¡°The flower picking has ended. How will you live?¡±


    They still had money left from the scales, from working as cooks and from working as flower harvesters. But it didn¡¯t seem like something they should say here. He looked at Maki and Chiharu as they struggled for an answer. His expression was full of satisfaction when a knock was heard at the door.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    The old dwarf said with annoyance.


    ¡°Um, you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°Tell them to come back later!¡±


    ¡°But it is Grudo¡­¡±


    ¡°He should have died a long time ago! Oh, well. Fine, I will go.¡±


    He then turned around to face Maki.


    ¡°In any case, you must rest here today. Your food will be brought to you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait-¡±


    But he ignored them and left.


    ¡°Gross.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem!¡±


    ¡°But it is.¡±


    Maki insisted.


    ¡°How come you were taken by merfolk and I get a creepy old man. And he thinks we¡¯re boys.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see the difference.¡±


    ¡°But what about my chastity?¡±


    ¡°Well, sure. But this is all made up by him, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He said that they were caught, but he probably sent them in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I think so too. But I would never have expected the reason.¡±


    ¡°Oh, stop.¡±


    Maki groaned. Chiharu muttered.


    ¡°What will happen if he finds out we are girls?¡±


    ¡°I hope he¡¯ll throw us out.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound very safe either.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. We have to look for a chance and escape. And then we should shout very loudly. The old man is attacking us!¡±


    ¡°We have to get out of this room first.¡±


    ¡°He said that Grudo was here! He must have gotten suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Should we wait for him to help us?¡±


    Maki straightened her posture.


    ¡°No, let¡¯s do what we can first.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And so they inspected the room carefully.

 CH 49

    The result was that they had no hope of escape. The window had bars and their heads could not even fit through them. Still, Maki pulled herself up and was able to see what was outside.


    ¡°It looks like a back yard. I think someone would notice if they were close by, oh, there is someone. A boy. Oh, he noticed me. But he just glared. Oh, now he¡¯s turning up his nose¡­he left now¡­ He showed 0 signs of wanting to help me.¡±


    Maki hung down from the window frame. Chiharu wondered if she should say anything before opening her mouth.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s jealous that you¡¯ve stolen his master¡¯s affection.¡±


    ¡°Ughh!!¡±


    Maki dropped down.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything! And it¡¯s not affection!¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    It was no time to tease her. The room had a bath and a toilet but neither came with windows. The door was locked.


    They tied to leave the room when dinner was brought to them, but they were stopped. However, they were able to observe that there were no guards in the hallway. That meant they might be able to escape if they could just leave the room.


    However, they had no opportunity to get out. At night, they pushed the writing desk to the front of the door before sleeping, but there were no signs of anyone coming. Two days passed like this.


    So why had no one come to see them? It was because of Grudo¡¯s efforts.


    ¡°Well, well now. Surely you can humor an old man who is not long for this world.¡±


    Grudo said as he followed the mayor around for the entire day. As he was the inventor of the train and had helped promote the use of magic stones, the accomplished dwarf was not someone who could be treated as a nuisance. And so the mayor invited the powerful people of the area and tried to entertain him.


    However, Grudo would not let the mayor out of his sight.


    ¡°What do you do as mayor?¡±


    ¡°Give me a tour of your mansion.¡±


    He said as he followed him around. And when it was night time¡­


    ¡°I can hardly sleep now that I¡¯m old.¡±


    He said as he wandered through the hallways at night with a guard. And this had happened when the mayor had finally acquired a human that he liked. He wanted to slowly get them to open up to him. But now he couldn¡¯t even meet them.


    It was just as Maki, Chiharu, the Mayor, and Grudo were all starting to feel incredibly frustrated, that someone different came to Maki and Chiharu¡¯s room to serve them food.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re that boy from the yard.¡±


    ¡°Here. Your food.¡±


    The boy glanced at them and tried to leave.


    ¡°Hey, wait!¡±


    He only tried to leave faster when Maki went to stop him. And so Chiharu called to him.


    ¡°If we get out of here, you¡¯ll have him all to yourself.¡±


    The boy stopped.


    ¡°We were taken by force. We would leave if we could, but we¡¯re locked up in here. We don¡¯t even have a contract as workers.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Maybe the person who brings us our food just happened to forget to lock the door¡­¡±


    The boy looked at the floor and said,


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. The master will be sad.¡±


    ¡°What! Why do you care!¡±


    ¡°Kenneth. Be quiet.¡±


    Chiharu signaled to Maki.


    ¡°Is he a good person?¡±


    ¡°We were starving inlanders when he took us in and gave us work and food. Even when we get older and he has no need for us, he looks for jobs for us to do. And I never had enough to eat in the human lands.¡±


    Maki¡¯s eyebrows twitched. Hmm. It sounded like a nice story at first, but the ¡®no need for us¡¯ part sounded horrifying. Be quiet for just a little longer, Maki. Inlanders? Huh.


    ¡°We followed soldiers from Midland because we were looking for our parents. We don¡¯t want to work here. And I¡¯m sure you would rather us not be here as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The boy continued to look at the floor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come again in the evening. If you turn to the left after leaving, there is a back exit that will take you to the back yard.¡±


    He said.


    There is an important dwarven guest here. But the master is growing annoyed by him. After tonight¡­¡±


    The boy looked at Maki and Chiharu. They gulped.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to leave.¡±


    And then he closed the door.


    ¡°Ughhh.¡±


    ¡°Maki, calm down.¡±


    Chiharu tried to comfort her.


    ¡°So he will come back to bring us dinner. And he will forget to lock the door. That¡¯s when he wants us to escape.¡±


    ¡°Will it really go so smoothly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it will at all.¡±


    ¡°Uh, then why are you going along with it, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I just want something to change.¡±


    ¡°Right. But that kid will probably get in trouble if we leave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s probably a good thing. Then he¡¯ll get thrown out.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that! I don¡¯t want him to get involved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we have to plan this. Okay?¡±


    And so they started to plan their escape. And then they took a good nap.


    During those two days, what were Edwy and the others doing?


    ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s already been two days!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re almost at the entrance! In any case, we need to make the soldiers and Adventurers retreat!¡±


    They were desperately trying to escape the dungeon.


    ¡°Damn it. I¡¯ve crawled in dungeons for years but this has never happened before!¡±


    A seasoned Adventurer muttered.


    ¡°What the hell is happening? The monsters are so active now. And they keep coming from below!¡±


    This was what all of them were thinking. But Edwy knew. He knew that Maki and Chiharu were close by. So this is was what it was like for the monsters to go wild.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    Edwy muttered. The two of them were so unpredictable, but they also kept their promises. They should be with Grudo at the health resort. So there must be some reason that they were now close to the dungeon.


    There were so many monsters that the soldiers could barely keep them contained by the entrance. And so Grudo¡¯s message had not reached Edwy.


    It was too late. No, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered if they had come sooner. They kept rising up no matter how many they killed. As if they were waiting for their turn.


    ¡°You¡¯ve wasted my time.¡±


    He could not help but be furious at the mayor.


    It didn¡¯t matter how hard the soldiers and Adventurers fought.


    ¡°The monsters are coming out.¡±


    If they didn¡¯t, the soldiers would all die.


    ¡°What will happen when they get out?¡±


    He didn¡¯t know. The monsters would be attracted to the living.


    ¡°Edwy. Choose a soldier that can be used as a messenger.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Nyran. We¡¯ll have the Mayor prepare in advance.¡±


    Unfortunately, Gromble did not have a strong castle. And so the people went into the buildings. Those who could went into their cellars. The Adventurers of the town gathered together and joined the soldiers as they fought the monsters that came out of the entrance.


    ¡°Half a day more.¡±


    If they could only reach the surface without losing any men. And so Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran swung their swords.

 CH 50

    ¡°Have the civilians flee because they can¡¯t hold back the monsters? Ridiculous! Why did he come all the way here in the first place!¡±


    The mayor shouted at the messenger that Edwy had sent. It had taken a month to travel here and they had been fighting in the dungeon until recently. And so the messenger could not hide his anger at this reaction.


    ¡°We are risking our lives out there. You should not speak like that!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! It¡¯s your job.¡±


    Grudo saw that the mayor did not care at all, and said,


    ¡°They will blame you if members of the dwarven, Midland and southern royal families die here.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what? But I didn¡¯t do¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be remembered as the mayor who did nothing?¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    ¡°No one is asking you to go to the dungeons to save them. You just have to tell your people to stay inside. Everyone should know, since the Adventurers have been spreading the news about the dungeons. People will obey if you talk about it.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°It is just a matter of you using this to your advantage or not.¡±


    ¡°¡­Tell the people then. I will have to gather together the leaders of every district first.¡±


    The mayor began to act.


    Things moved quickly after that. He had become mayor due to his abilities after all. As Grudo had said, each district leader had sensed that things were wrong. And it was almost night time. So there was no issue with asking everyone to stay indoors. What would be a problem, was if this continued for several days, but there was no answer to be had yet.


    Furthermore, the Adventurers who remained in town were forced to gather together.


    ¡°Mayor. Is there no large building or field near the dungeons? The soldiers will likely be very tired when they return. Many will be wounded. And if the monsters come out, there will be more fighting as well. We need fires and a place for them to rest.¡±


    ¡°There is a wide-open field in front of the dungeon. There is also a building that the guards use to rest. Why not use that? But it will only house about 100 people.¡±


    ¡°There should be about 200 including the Adventurers.¡±


    ¡°We can have the Adventurers wait at the entrance. While they buy us time, half of the returned soldiers can move to the town.¡±


    Just as the order was given, noises were heard from the back of the mansion.


    ¡°What is it? During such an emergency!¡±


    ¡°Ah, that is Maki and Chiharu!¡±


    Grudo shouted without thinking. There they were. But what were they doing? They had a boy with them.


    As for how Maki and Chiharu had escaped¡­


    ¡°Here¡¯s your food.¡±


    The boy brought them their food and tried to leave.


    ¡°Wa-wait a minute. Wait until we finish eating.¡±


    ¡°What? You do know that monsters are coming out of the dungeon? There¡¯s an uproar. I¡¯m busy right now. I won¡¯t lock the door after I leave. That¡¯s enough, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Tsk. It can¡¯t be helped then, can it, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Chiharu picked up the bread and wrapped it in a handkerchief and stuffed it into her pouch. It was a good thing that it hadn¡¯t been confiscated.


    ¡°Emergency food acquired.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    After that, Maki quickly grabbed the knife and moved behind the boy and flashed the blade in front of his face. During that time, Chiharu grabbed the remaining knight and fork.


    ¡°Now, if you could take us to the exit.¡±


    ¡°What? I already told you about the back door!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll find us right away there. Take us to the front door.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s where they¡¯ll really find you!¡±


    ¡°Look here, you¡¯re our hostage. Now go.¡±


    ¡°Uh, ah¡­¡±


    Chiharu was holding a knife and fork in her right hand and opened the door with her left.


    ¡°All good.¡±


    ¡°Right. Now go.¡±


    Considering that they were the same height, the boy should have been strong enough to escape. However, he was quite intimidated by Maki at this point and seemed to have no intention of resisting.


    ¡°Hey, what are you¡­ Danam?¡±


    ¡°Tsk. They found us. Hey, move out of our way unless you want him to get hurt!¡±


    They were spotted after all. Maki¡¯s threatening voice had alerted the servants of the house.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    ¡°Your pervert master had us locked up! Now take us to the door!¡±


    The servants shrunk back. They knew what they were talking about.


    ¡°But, he is near the door¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you care about what happens to him!?¡±


    Maki shouted. Chiharu used her knife to look menacing as they watched.


    ¡°A-alright¡­¡±


    And so they were led to the door.


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    ¡°O-over there.¡±


    Alright, they would rush through it now! Everyone would think that the boy had been threatened. There were plenty of witnesses.


    They both looked at each other and began to dash forward. Their plan to act as villains was a success.


    ¡°But, what if we threaten them and run, but still get caught?¡±


    Maki heard Chiharu¡¯s idea and asked her about the possibility of failure.


    ¡°If that happens, then we¡¯ll use our marks.¡±


    Chiharu said as she pointed at her forehead.


    ¡°The mark of the Saintess.¡±


    They both fell silent.


    ¡°That won¡¯t look cool.¡±


    ¡°I do want to avoid it.¡±


    ¡°Seriously.¡±


    Chiharu didn¡¯t reply to that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere where there are a lot of people, so we don¡¯t get caught. And then we can shout, ¡®is there anyone from Midland here?¡¯ and attract attention.¡±


    ¡°Alright. But I don¡¯t know if I can look evil.¡±


    ¡°We have to try.¡±


    And so they did. Maki turned out to be quite good at playing the part when it came to it.


    It was just as they were making a run for it that Grudo saw them. However, they could not change their plan.


    ¡°We¡¯re going where there is a large crowd!¡±


    They shouted at Grudo.


    ¡°Wait! It¡¯s dangerous out there! Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    He shouted at them, but they did not hear him. They ignored the shocked servants as they continued to run.


    However, there were hardly any people around. It was no wonder. The mayor had ordered everyone to stay inside.


    The only place that seemed crowded¡­


    ¡°Chiharu, up on the hill! Let¡¯s go there!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The two of them headed for the field where there were fires and groups of Adventurers. Right in front of the dungeon.

 CH 51

    Go and stop Maki and Chiharu!¡±


    Grudo shouted. Two guards started to run after them. However¡­


    ¡°Oh, no. Someone is chasing us!¡±


    ¡°Run faster!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu saw that two strangers were chasing them, and so they only started running faster. Then the two guards shouted.


    ¡°Lady Maki! Lady Chiharu!¡±


    But their voices did not reach them. That¡¯s when the birdfolk swooped down.


    ¡°Sauro! Saikania!¡±


    ¡°Where were you all of this time! We can¡¯t chase after you if we can¡¯t see you!¡±


    ¡°We were caught and¨Cthat mansion¨Cand¡ªwe¡¯re being chased!¡±


    Maki shouted at Sauro as they ran.


    ¡°Tsk. I¡¯m picking you up.¡±


    ¡°Ah, wait! You bird people! Don¡¯t take them away!¡±


    Sauro and Saikania picked Maki and Chiharu up and flew towards the dungeons. In the meantime, Orne and Puel tried to stop the pursuers.


    ¡°Stop this! We¡¯re from Midland! Monsters are coming out of the dungeon. Stop Lady Maki and Lady Chiharu!¡±


    The birdfolk were spreading their wings and blocking the way, but they hesitated when they heard these words. Indeed, it would be dangerous for them to be close to monsters. But could they trust these two men?


    ¡°Hey. Hahh¡­ What are you doing? Hahhh¡­¡±


    Grudo had finally caught up with them.


    ¡°Sir Grudo. The birdfolk have taken Maki and Chiharu away.¡±


    The guards said.


    ¡°Grudo. Are you with them?¡±


    The birdfolk asked.


    ¡°Orne, you should remember. They were with us the whole time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡±


    He didn¡¯t remember things he wasn¡¯t interested in.


    ¡°More importantly, Maki and Chiharu have gone towards the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Sauro and Saikani took them.¡±


    ¡°Idiots! It¡¯s about to overflow with monsters!¡±


    Grudo shouted in a panic. Then Orne said,


    ¡°Grudo. I¡¯ll take you there.¡±


    ¡°We-well, I haven¡¯t flown in a while. But that will be the fastest way. Thank you, Orne.¡±


    Orne picked up Grudo, who was small but heavy, and flew up into the air.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I can never get used to this. Dwarves belong on the ground. I have no idea how humans adapt so¡­¡±


    Grudo grumbled as they flew away.


    Maki and Chiharu were let down in the field in front of the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Sauro and Saikania stayed with them as guards. Adventurers had gathered together in the field.


    ¡°Eh? There are children here. Hurry up and go home.¡±


    ¡°But we were trapped in the house. We only just escaped.¡±


    ¡°What? This is such a bad time! Monsters are about to overflow from the dungeon. All the other town residents have locked themselves up in their houses!¡±


    ¡°What of the soldiers?! The soldiers who went in the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°Do you have relatives in there then? They are trying desperately to come back now. Don¡¯t worry, Midland soldiers are very strong.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were relieved to hear that. Even if the situation was dire, Maki and Chiharu didn¡¯t actually have a house they could go and hide in. And so they preferred to stay here where there were a lot of Midland people.


    ¡°Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Grudo! Orne!¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­hahhh¡­ Finally¡­¡±


    Orne slowly let Grudo down. The dwarf started walking towards them on shaky feet.


    Maki and Chiharu went to him. They finally felt safe.


    ¡°And what are you doing, you old dwarf? This is an emergency! If you know these kids, take them away! We¡¯re starting to hear noises from the dungeon entrance!¡±


    With that, they looked towards the dungeon. It seemed like a lot of people were going to come out. Grudo saw this and made a decision.


    ¡°Alright. Sauro, Saikania. Take Maki and Chiharu back to the health resort. That is quite far from the dungeon, so the monsters shouldn¡¯t be able to reach them.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    ¡°What about you, Grudo?¡±


    ¡°My heart can¡¯t take another trip through the air. I will wait here with the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Sauro. Saikania. There¡¯s no time to lose!¡±


    It was better that they didn¡¯t slow the others down. Chiharu decided. Sometimes the weak had to run.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Maki.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll only get in the way if we stay here! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡¯


    However, Maki and Chiharu were not carried up into the air.


    ¡°Soldiers!¡±


    An Adventurer shouted. And then one after another, soldiers began to roll out of the dungeon. Those soldiers quickly regained their balance and held their swords ready as they looked back at the entrance. Then Edwy and Aeris rushed out along with many other soldiers.


    ¡°Monsters are coming! We don¡¯t know how many! Surround the dungeon in a semi-circle! Take the wounded to the back!¡±


    Edwy shouted the command in a voice that sounded raw from so much shouting.


    ¡°Your Highness, we will stand in the front. You should go to the back and catch your breath!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    The Adventurers surrounded the entrance while the soldiers lined up behind them. In the meantime, soldiers were still rushing out and moving into position.


    ¡°Here they come!¡±


    The shouts came from Kaider and Nyran, who had been holding the rear.


    There was a shudder in the earth and then a loud buzzing sound that started to get bigger.


    The first monster to come out was a gazer.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gazer!¡±


    They were not too difficult when in a dungeon with a roof. However, the sky was the limit once they got out. There was nothing you could do when they flew high into the air.


    ¡°Sauro. Saikania. Contain the gazers! Don¡¯t let them get away!¡±


    The birdfolk hesitated upon hearing Edwy¡¯s order.


    ¡°Go! We¡¯re with Grudo. We¡¯re going back to the town! Help Edwy!¡±


    ¡°I guess we have no choice. Let¡¯s rush back to the town.¡±


    ¡°Grudo. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    The birdfolk watched the gazers from afar. One, two, three¡­before they knew it there were countless numbers in the sky. Some looked at the soldiers while others looked at the town.


    And amidst that moment of tension, four-legged monsters started to come out of the dungeon.


    Like the gazers, they had dark bodies oozing miasma. This made the shape of their bodies undefined. They came in various sizes. The smallest were like dogs. The large ones like calves.


    The sun was starting to descend. The monsters were here. It was a moment that should have been full of fear, but it was oddly quiet. To Maki and Chiharu, it was as if the monsters were trying to feel with their entire body, the brightness of a sky they were seeing for the first time, and the night¡¯s breeze.

 CH 52

    It seemed like it would be an act of suicide to try and return while it was this quiet, and so the two of them decided to stay with Grudo and try to remain hidden. However, all of a sudden, one of the gazers turned to look at Maki and Chiharu.


    Chiharu wanted to believe it was just her imagination, but it looked as if the gazer¡¯s eye had lit up with happiness. After all, hadn¡¯t Kaider said that you must never look a gazer in the eye? Maki and Chiharu held onto Grudo and tried to look away.


    However, more and more gazers started to look. After a while, the soldiers noticed this change, and their heads turned to search for whatever it was that had got the gazers¡¯ attention.


    ¡°What? What is happening?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran said to each other. They could not take their eyes off of the monsters, and so they did not know that Maki and Chiharu were there.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. Why are they here!¡±


    Aeris¡¯s voice suddenly boomed.


    ¡°What? Maki? Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they be at the health resort!¡±


    ¡°Norfe!¡±


    ¡°No, Kaider. Don¡¯t look behind you. The frontline will crumble!¡±


    ¡°Tsk!¡±


    However, it was already happening. The monsters seemed to all be looking towards Maki and Chiharu, and the soldiers were all starting to look as well.


    ¡°This is bad!¡±


    Just as Nyran muttered this, the monsters started to move towards Maki and Chiharu all at once. They pushed away any soldiers that were in their path.


    Maki and Chiharu watched this unfold as if they were watching a movie. There was a cluster of eyes above their heads. And in front, there were large, four-legged monsters. They came near Maki and Chiharu but were then still and quiet. Eventually, there were so many that they could see nothing else.


    ¡°What¡­this¡­¡±


    Grudo muttered. The monsters did not attack. They just stood quietly near Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°I bet you would be shaking your tail if you had one.¡±


    Maki said to one four-legged monster that was close to her. To her, it looked like it was shaking an invisible tail.


    ¡°Maki, that¡¯s not some cute and fluffy animal. It¡¯s like that because of the miasma.¡±


    ¡°I know, but¡­¡±


    The thing that was black and seemed to fade into the air was very thick miasma.


    Their foreheads were throbbing so hard that it hurt.


    ¡°But, it seems like it wants to be petted.¡±


    ¡°Maki, what are you saying! It will suck the life out of you and weaken you!¡±


    ¡°Grudo. I know that, but¡­¡±


    Still, there was something about the monsters that moved Maki and Chiharu. Their hands stretched out.


    A gazer descended in front of Chiharu. And she raised her head. It brought its head under her hand as if it was a cat who wanted affection. Without thinking, Chiharu spread out both arms and moved towards it.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Clink.


    A magic stone fell to the ground.


    ¡°What the¡­the gazer disappeared¡­¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s arms were still stretched out as she stood there stunned.


    Then the next gazer came in. They also came to Maki as if waiting in line. Their invisible tails wagging.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it.¡±


    Chiharu said in a shaking voice.


    You were born as monsters. Why do you want to disappear?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu? What are you saying?¡±


    Grudo asked her. You could not hear the monsters. There was no way to know what they were feeling.


    However, the monsters shook when Chiharu talked. It was as if they were happy.


    ¡°Hey, are those big eyes not for seeing the outside world? You have bodies that offer freedom of movement instead of just floating around as miasma. But you disappear without seeing anything.¡±


    Maki also spoke.


    ¡°Are those legs not for stepping on the earth and traveling far?¡±


    It¡¯s fine. The monsters seemed to say as they shook. We saw enough. And then they disappeared into the air, leaving only a magic stone. They would return to the shadow world and then come here again.


    Why? Grudo wondered. He had been feeling something for a while now. But he shouldn¡¯t. Were these the emotions of the monsters? Grudo looked at his hand that supported the backs of Maki and Chiharu. The Saintesses. It was coming through them.


    If our lives are to fade away again, it should be by your hands, beloved children.


    Chiharu and Maki could not stop crying. These were the monsters that Kaider, Nyran, and Grudo claimed were dangerous. These sweet, precious creatures. The monsters were asking to be erased and returned to magic stones.


    Maki looked at Chiharu. Her face was a mess. Chiharu wiped her face with her sleeve.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look so good either, Maki.¡±


    Maki wiped her own face.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°I think we have no choice.¡±


    Both of them removed the handkerchiefs from their foreheads and took off the wigs. Their hair spread out around their faces.


    ¡°Hah, that feels better.¡±


    ¡°It really does.¡±


    Their foreheads had throbbed painfully ever since they came to this area.


    ¡°Grudo, hold me up.¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do!?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice. They want us to do it. These adorable creatures.¡±


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu¡­¡±


    Grudo called their names and pleaded. The two of them stretched out their arms. It was as if they were hugging someone.


    Grudo¡¯s hands were at their backs, and he could feel the shock every time a monster vanished. Maki and Chiharu looked at each one before touching it. The monsters shrank as if time were going backward. Then they vanished, leaving a magic stone. Let¡¯s meet again. Maki said. Goodbye. Said Chiharu.


    Clink. Clank. The stones fell to the ground along with the sounds of something else falling. It was the magic stones of the Saintesses that fell from Maki and Chiharu¡¯s foreheads. How many had fallen already? It wasn¡¯t just one a day now, but Maki and Chiharu were making a stone every few minutes, and the burden was great.


    Still, Grudo could do nothing but support their backs.

 CH 53

    What was happening around Maki and Chiharu?


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    Aeris was speechless.


    ¡°I have never seen anything like it. The monsters are gathering tightly around Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    To be exact, they were gathered so tightly around them, that along with the monsters in the sky, it looked like Maki and Chiharu were surrounded by half a sphere.


    ¡°We have to save them from the monsters! The life will be sucked out of them!¡±


    ¡°But if we attack from the outside, it might affect them on the inside!¡±


    Edwy hesitated. The soldiers and Adventurers also did not know what to do.


    ¡°They¡¯ll have the life sucked out of them if we do nothing as well. Besides, it¡¯s good for us that the monsters are all gathered together. Let¡¯s kill them while they are distracted!¡±


    ¡°Kaider¡­ Very well. Spread out and attack!¡±


    And so the soldiers faced the monsters. However, the monsters did not look at the soldiers. And neither did they resist.


    The strangeness of this dampened the excitement of the soldiers and Adventurers. Some of them stopped swinging their swords as the cluster of monsters grew smaller.


    ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    ¡°But, we can¡¯t kill defenseless beings¡­¡±


    ¡°They are monsters! We¡¯re the ones that will die if they turn around with their fangs!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    And just as the soldiers tried to face the monsters again¡­


    Clink. Clink.


    ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡±


    ¡°Clink. Clink. Clank.


    It was coming from the center of the group of monsters. Everyone started to listen.


    Clink. Clink.


    ¡°I can see now! I can see them inside! Maki and Chiharu are there! Grudo is supporting them!¡±


    A birdman¡¯s voice echoed.


    ¡°So Grudo is with them¡­¡±


    Aeris muttered. He was right between them!


    Clink, clank.


    ¡°There! Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu could now be seen from the ground through the monsters as well. However, their hands were reaching towards the monsters. Edwy shouted.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Clink.


    ¡°It disappeared?¡±


    Clink.


    ¡°Maki?¡±


    Clink.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Clink.


    There was no mistaking it. The reason that the number of monsters was rapidly falling was because Maki and Chiharu were erasing them.


    And then he saw something shining fall from their heads. Clink.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Saintess!¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°They are here.¡±


    Soon everyone was whispering it. Clink. There were only a few monsters left now. Maki touched one. It disappeared. Clink. Chiharu touched one. It disappeared. Clink.


    ¡°You¡¯re the last ones now.


    The gazer shook with pleasure.


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Farewell.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu raised their hands to the sky. Clink. Clink. Clank.


    The stones glimmered as they fell from their heads. Now there was not a single monster around them. All that was left were magic stones that were so numerous they covered their feet.


    ¡°Maki? Chiharu?¡±


    Grudo called them. But the two stayed still.


    ¡°Maki¡­Chiharu¡­¡±


    Grudo wailed.


    ¡°No, this can¡¯t be. Not this.¡±


    ¡°Kaider.¡±


    ¡°Why have they fallen?¡±


    ¡°Kaider!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t accept this! I won¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°Kaider.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking them back.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Where? Anywhere. Away from here. Where they can rest.¡±


    ¡°There is no such place.¡±


    Aeris said as Kaider and Nyran became frantic.


    ¡°No Saintess has ever returned. Oh, Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    Aeris knelt down by the fallen Saintesses.


    ¡°If I knew this was going to happen, I would have locked you up in the castle. So you would never suffer. You would be safe.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Edwy.¡±


    Edwy stood next to Aeris and put a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu would not have been able to stay in a cage like a bird. They would have escaped.¡±


    ¡°And disguised themselves again.¡±


    ¡°Making us worry.¡±


    ¡°But as long as they were safe, that would have been fine.¡±


    Edwy also knelt by Maki and Chiharu.


    Kaider and Nyran as well. And the soldiers and Adventurers also knelt. They were praying for their souls. For the two Saintesses who gave their lives to stop the monsters.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Flap.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy.¡±


    Flap-flap.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Sauro!¡±


    Edwy held back his tears and glared at the birdman through swollen eyes.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you put Maki and Chiharu in bed?¡±


    ¡°Sauro. Let us pray first. Pray that their souls can rest in peace.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What, Sauro!¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t hurry, they might catch a cold.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Humans are weak. They will catch a cold if they sleep on the ground.¡±


    ¡°But these two are¡­¡±


    ¡°They are in a deep sleep.¡±


    ¡°What? Sleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sleep.¡±


    On closer inspection, their backs were slowly moving up and down. Edwy put his hands over their mouths. It was warm.


    ¡°They¡¯re alive! Maki and Chiharu are alive!¡±


    The soldiers raised their faces. Kaider and Nyran jumped to their feet.


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry them.¡±


    ¡°No, I will.¡±


    Grudo sighed.


    ¡°You two. This is no time for that. Someone, bring a stretcher!¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°You are probably very tired from being in the dungeons. The last thing we need is for you two to drop them. Now, we must go to the mayor¡¯s house.¡±


    And like that, Maki and Chiharu were carried back to the house they had tried so hard to escape.

 CH 54

    After Maki and Chiharu were carefully carried away, what was left in the area was a mountain of magic stones and tired soldiers and Adventurers.


    Aeris did not leave Maki and Chiharu, and Kaider and Grudo went with them, so that left Edwy and Nyran to clean things up.


    Everyone was still shocked about what Maki and Chiharu had done, and that they had fainted, but they still had work to do.


    ¡°Soldiers of Midland and you brave Adventurers. I am thankful that your hard work helped bring an end to this turmoil. Of course, you will be paid after we sell the magic stones, so do not worry.¡±


    Edwy told them after they had finished.


    ¡°Hey, Prince Edwy.¡±


    One Adventurer called out.


    ¡°Who were those two?¡±


    It was something they had all wanted to ask. That¡¯s what it seemed like.


    ¡°They¡­¡±


    What could he make public about them? It was the kind of thing that the kings of each country were supposed to decide. But these soldiers and Adventurers had witnessed something. And how could he explain it to them? They all waited as Edwy thought about it.


    ¡°The truth.¡±


    ¡°Nyran.¡±


    ¡°Even we don¡¯t know. Just tell them the truth and your feelings towards the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Nyran encouraged him, and Edwy made his decision.


    ¡°As you have all probably guessed, those two are this generation¡¯s Saintesses.¡±


    The crowd was a mixture of surprise and nodding.


    ¡°But they were dressed in such filthy clothes¡­¡±


    These Adventurers didn¡¯t miss any details. Edwy thought.


    ¡°Ah, the thing is, they were disguised as cooks.¡±


    The truth.


    ¡°Those two kids. The ones that were attacked by gazers and fell into the lake.¡±


    The Adventurer said.


    ¡°Ahh, them.¡±


    ¡°So it was wigs.¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses were feeding us.¡±


    The soldiers said in surprise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how, but they got rid of the monsters. If they had such power, why didn¡¯t you use them first?¡±


    There you go. The question.


    ¡°Then let me ask you this. Have ever heard anything about Saintesses killing monsters?¡±


    ¡°¡­No. I haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°In other words, no one knew that they had such power. That is the truth.¡±


    ¡°So you didn¡¯t know. Indeed, you all looked very surprised when it happened.¡±


    The Adventurer said thoughtfully.


    ¡°No Saintess has ever come so close to a dungeon before. The only role a Saintess is given by God is to exist. And so they have always stayed quietly in the castle. However, no Saintess had arrived for six months, and the miasma thickened. That is why they came this close to the shadow world for the first time. And this is the result.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°However, let me say this. You all saw them collapse.¡±


    The crowd muttered in agreement. They were all worried.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know how much stress it caused their small bodies. We don¡¯t even know if they will ever wake up again.¡±


    Edwy choked on his words. No. He could not let his anxiety show here.


    ¡°Some people say that purifying the world of miasma is all they do. However, Maki and Chiharu were torn from their beloved families and summoned here. Do you really want to press this burden of killing monsters on those weak Saintesses, just because they have power?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying! We are Adventurers!¡±


    ¡°We would never do that!¡±


    They replied in anger at Edwy¡¯s words. Good. Of course, he did not really consider them to be weak.


    ¡°The Saintesses have performed a miracle and stopped the outbreak of monsters. But we cannot rely on that. We must deal with the rest ourselves.¡¯


    The crowd shouted in agreement.


    ¡°Now, we can only pray for their recovery. That is all.¡¯


    The dungeon was quiet. The monsters must have stopped increasing in number. That would mean their mission in the dwarf lands was complete. After telling his soldiers to rest, Edwy and Nyran hurried to the mayor¡¯s mansion.


    Of course, not all of the Adventurers were good people. In fact, it had been Adventurers who kidnapped Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Do you know who that man was, Nyran?¡±


    ¡°The one who was talking? He is famous. A veteran who is considered a leader. A very good Adventurer.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why he wanted to make things clear. I¡¯m relieved.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have to make them keep it a secret?¡±


    ¡°There is no point in doing that. Besides, I would rather have the truth out then twisted rumors.¡±


    Even the truth could be received differently. Some were disgusted by the idea of Saintesses making monsters vanish. Others saw them as a threat to their jobs. Rumors of the Saintesses were generally positive, but they all spread.


    Maki and Chiharu were brought to the mayor¡¯s mansion by the soldiers. There, they were taken care of and guarded.


    ¡°Why are you bringing servants here!¡±


    The mayor said indignantly.


    ¡°Shut up. They were the ones that rushed out of here a little while ago.¡±


    Grudo snapped. The mayor went pale. At least they were unconscious now, so he might still get away with it.


    ¡°I have to talk to you about matters including the dungeon. Come.¡±


    Grudo said.


    ¡°Grudo. Aside from fame, what right do you have to give me orders?¡±


    ¡°If you want authority, Kaider¡¯s here as well.¡±


    ¡°We want to ask you some questions. We can do it here as well, but you won¡¯t like it.¡±


    Kaider was enough to break the mayor¡¯s resistance.


    ¡°Now, as for the dungeon, we have succeeded in cutting down the number of monsters.¡±


    ¡°Thank you very much. I had some silly little report earlier about the Saintesses doing something.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t a silly report. Surely you know that the Saintesses have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Of course. This time, there are two of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The truth is, they have been with us all this time in secret. They were kept at the health resort, since the dungeon was too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Ohh. Well, you should invite them to this mansion.¡±


    Grudo sighed and shook his head.


    ¡°They already were. And by force.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean!¡±


    ¡°Those two.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­you mean the orphan boys I was considering hiring.¡±


    ¡°They are the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°No-nonsense. They are boys.¡±


    ¡°They disguised themselves for their own safety. Of course, they had no idea it would end up putting them in danger, mayor.¡±


    Grudo glared at the mayor now.


    ¡°I-I only wanted to help them since they had nowhere to go.¡±


    ¡°Then why did you lock them up in a room?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Grudo! How much do you know!


    ¡°I hire people who are starving. I pay them properly. What is so wrong with that!¡±


    ¡°It is a crime to kidnap people!¡±


    ¡°What? What could you mean? I may receive services and pay for it, but I don¡¯t keep track of what they are doing.¡±


    Grudo sighed.


    ¡°Do you know the birdfolk?¡±


    ¡°Those sky creatures who don¡¯t listen?¡±


    ¡°They never forget a face they are interested in. They already captured the Adventurers who delivered something to this mansion.¡±


    ¡°What! I don¡¯t know anything about that!¡±


    And then Kaider said,


    ¡°You did well managing the dungeon. You also helped develop the town of Gromble. And it is not a crime to hire starving boys from other countries, regardless of your tastes. The fact that you have grown arrogant and fat means nothing as long as it does not lead to embezzlement or uprisings.¡±


    ¡°Prince Kaider.¡±


    ¡°However, there are boys that you haven¡¯t hired that are in the house. It is known among the Adventurers that they will be paid for bringing human boys to you. And now we have proof.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°This is all very troublesome. My job is to fight in dungeons. This was really work for my older brothers. However, it involves the Saintesses.¡±


    And then Kaider said,


    ¡°The king will know about all of this. You will stay here until there is word from the royal castle. And don¡¯t you dare try to escape. Dwarves don¡¯t have many friends outside of Midland.¡±


    The mayor¡¯s shoulders drooped as he was dragged away by the soldiers.


    ¡°I doubt it will be that harsh.¡±


    ¡°He will lose his position and lands. But I bet he will continue to live in exile.¡±


    Now they could finally go to Maki and Chiharu. They hurried to their room.

 CH 55

    Maki and Chiharu were taken to a proper guest room, not to the room they had been locked in.


    There, they had been put into comfortable clothes and were now sleeping peacefully. Thankfully, they did not seem to be in any pain. Aeris sat by them and did nothing else.


    ¡°Aeris. You¡¯ve been here all of this time?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I keep thinking they will disappear if I let them out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°But you said it yourself. No Saintess has ever returned.¡±


    ¡°Still, I am worried.¡±


    Aeris softly touched Chiharu¡¯s hair. Kaider sat near him and watched over Maki.


    ¡°They faced those monsters with such thin frames. It looked like they were saying something¡­¡±


    ¡°¡®See you again.¡¯ I think.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°They were saying goodbye.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Just then, Edwy and Nyran entered.


    ¡°You must be very tired.¡±


    ¡°How are Maki and Chiharu?!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re resting.¡±


    They sighed in relief.


    ¡°I explained things to the Adventurers and soldiers. Grudo. Surely you know what had happened. You were close to them.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not sure where I should start¡­¡±


    Grudo put a hand to his chin and thought.


    ¡°It seemed like Maki and Chiharu understood what the monsters were saying.¡±


    ¡°Do monsters even have hearts?¡±


    Kaider said darkly.


    ¡°Adventurers often die. Monsters attack them and suck the life out of their bodies. How can you do that and have a heart?¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps they are like babies.¡±


    ¡°Babies?¡±


    ¡°Their lives are like a circle. They were able to see the outside world, and so they wanted nothing else. And so they allowed the gentle hands of Maki and Chiharu to turn them into magic stones. That¡¯s what it looked like to me.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that. Monsters are resources left by God. But it is hard to gather them. That¡¯s why there are Adventurers. I can¡¯t suddenly see them as babies.¡±


    ¡°We can just do things as we always have.¡±


    Grudo looked gently at Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°I just think these two are exceptions.¡±


    Edwy muttered,


    ¡°The Adventurers asked me this. If they could erase monsters, why not do it in the beginning?¡±


    ¡°What! What a thing to use the Saintesses for!¡±


    ¡°I think they were only asking because it would come up later. However, if this is the cost of them facing the monsters, I don¡¯t want them near a dungeon anymore.¡±


    ¡°That is good. Perhaps the monsters were happy to see them. But it seemed very painful for Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Even after their faces had been wiped, you could tell the two had been crying.


    ¡°Later, I will send men into the dungeons to search the place. It will take 4 to 5 days. Unless Maki and Chiharu wake up before then.¡±


    ¡°I will stay.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°At least, Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran have to make reports and send the soldiers back. We¡¯ll be going to the elf lands next, and that will be in the south. In other words, Nyran must contact them in advance.¡±


    Nyran nodded.


    ¡°It will be faster by boat then to go through Midland. After making a report at the dwarf castle and Midland, you will have to go back to the south and then to the elf lands. You will be very busy, Nyran.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking as if you are not going to come too, Grudo.¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to go? I only came to help smooth things out in the dwarf lands. Also to find Maki and Chiharu. The young people should go to the elf territories.¡±


    Grudo said with a snort. The three young ones glared at him. But Grudo ignored them.


    ¡°Hey, Aeris. Let¡¯s stop by at Corail on the way back.¡±


    ¡°A good idea. Hotsprings. I can help take care of Maki and Chiharu¡¯s glimmering hair.¡±


    ¡°And we can drink every night like back at the health resort.¡±


    ¡°Yes. With our adorable Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s not fair, you two!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too old to be giving in to such vices?¡±


    Edwy and Kaider were very angry now.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we are old, that we can indulge.¡±


    ¡°At least, we will not be spying on them as they bathe.¡±


    ¡°Th-that wasn¡¯t¡­!¡±


    Just then, Chiharu began to move.


    ¡°She¡¯s saying something.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Aeris put his ear closer.


    ¡°¡­¡®You¡¯re the worst.¡¯ She said.¡±


    Kaider became quiet. It wasn¡¯t clear if she had really said that.


    The two of them slept for the entire day and woke up at night the following day.


    ¡°An unfamiliar ceiling.¡±


    ¡°Maki¡­¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I wanted to say that first.¡±


    They rolled on their beds and laughed.


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s something heavy here.¡±


    A head with white hair was lying on Chiharu¡¯s blanket and breathing gently. It was Aeris. He must have been watching over them all of this time. Chiharu reached out and touched his head.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    He suddenly got up. Chiharu¡¯s hand fell.


    ¡°Chiharu! Maki!¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He picked up Chiharu¡¯s hand and pressed it to his forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad¡­ I was afraid you would never wake up.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. If anything, I feel really good. Right, Maki?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡±


    And with that, Maki sat up and stretched her arms.


    ¡°Maki. You shouldn¡¯t move so suddenly. You¡¯ve slept for an entire day. Please, please be careful.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. But I really do feel good. Chiharu?¡±


    Chiharu also got up. Aeris supported her as she rotated her arms.


    ¡°Huh? My shoulders aren¡¯t sore anymore! They were so sore ever since we came here!¡±


    Just then, the door opened.


    ¡°Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Edwy.¡±


    Edwy rushed inside.


    ¡°Thank god. How do you feel? Yes, you look much better now.¡±


    And then he tore away Aeris, who was still holding Chiharu¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care how old you are.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±


    Then Grudo, Kaider, and Nyran entered and celebrated with them.


    Grumble.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki held their stomachs.


    ¡°Your stomach is more honest than you are.¡±


    Said Kaider.


    ¡°It would have been polite for you to ignore it.¡±


    Maki retorted.


    ¡°Haha. I see you really are back to your old self.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am. But thanks for worrying about us.¡±


    ¡°Uh, of course.¡±


    Kaider and Maki looked away awkwardly. Chiharu watched them with a chuckle.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go eat. For Maki¡¯s sake.¡±


    Edwy said.


    ¡°No, wait. Chiharu¡¯s stomach was grumbling too. Why does it look like I¡¯m the hungry one? That¡¯s not right, is it?¡±


    ¡°Can you walk? Maybe I¡¯ll carry you.¡±


    ¡°I would prefer to eat here.¡±


    Chiharu said with a blush.


    ¡°Huh? Chiharu? Why are you pretending to be ill? This is ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Well, you said it yourself, Maki. Romance only comes to those who can appreciate a romantic setting. And I happen to find this romantic.¡±


    ¡°I suppose¡­ Tsk. To think you would win like this¡­¡±


    Maki said as her shoulders drooped.


    ¡°What are you two talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ehehe.¡±


    ¡°Ehehe.¡±


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll have the food brought to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    And with that, the darkness was lifted and the mayor¡¯s mansion became a cheerful place.

 CH 56

    ¡°Hey, Saintesses. Give me some soup.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t call me Saintess. I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said as they served the soup.


    ¡°So, the long and skinny one is Maki. The small one is Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Long and skinny!¡±


    ¡°I wish that at least one person would say my name right.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu grumbled. But they preferred to work as cooks than to stay around Edwy and the others. There was no need to disguise themselves now. And so they left their black hair out and wore a simple one-piece dress with an apron. The soldiers and Adventurers all thought that they looked cute and pretty, but were too shy to say it.


    It was also determined that there was no more need to socialize with the nobles here, and so the princes and Aeris all waited in line with their bowls. It was a nice atmosphere, where rank no longer mattered.


    ¡°Ahhh. It seems we¡¯ll have to stop by Kaider¡¯s castle on the way back after all.¡±


    ¡°And we¡¯ll have to visit some mayor on the way.¡±


    ¡°Well, it will probably look bad if we passed them by without visiting.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a little official business. And then you can eat delicious food. Wouldn¡¯t you two like that?¡±


    Kaider said.


    ¡°How rude. We¡¯re not just obsessed with food.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have said drink.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. As long as there is drin-, that¡¯s not it at all!¡±


    Maki-chan. Well done!


    ¡°There are so many people that want to talk to us that it makes it difficult to eat. And they only ever serve wine at these fancy dinners. I do like wine, but I want to drink the local stuff. Like that apple cider that Maki got. It was really good.¡±


    ¡°Well, we drank it in secret. So I felt a little guilty.¡±


    ¡°You two¡­you did that when you were with us?¡±


    ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t say that¡­¡±


    Maki looked a little uncomfortable. Nyran chuckled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why it¡¯s a problem. They are adults.¡±


    ¡°But you¡­¡±


    ¡°So Maki and Chiharu were really enjoying themselves.¡±


    Edwy said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. We had to wear wigs and disguises and couldn¡¯t talk much. The only fun we had was smuggling alcohol up into our room.¡±


    Chiharu said thoughtfully.


    ¡°Compared to not having to wear a disguise and being able to drink as much as you want as a part of socializing¡­¡±


    Maki added.


    ¡°Well, we have to do it all of the time. I¡¯m used to it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Good for you, Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t treat me like a child.¡±


    Still, Edwy looked a little proud. See, he was childish. Chiharu thought with a chuckle.


    ¡°Well, we would actually prefer it if you just stayed in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Aeris?¡±


    ¡°The elves aren¡¯t that interested in other people. Even if princes from another land come to visit, they will only be moderately curious.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aeris coughed.


    ¡°I think you will be able to have some freedom in the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked surprised. After all, they had been told,


    ¡°The monsters become more active when you two come near the dungeon. So you should stay near the human lands to be safe.¡±


    ¡°We can go?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Just stay away from towns that have dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Aeris, we cannot decide such a thing until we return to the castle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. However, I think they deserve to have some fun.¡±


    While it may not be soon, eventually. The day may come when they could visit the elves.


    ¡°Well, you haven¡¯t been to the south yet. You know, they make rice and beans there. And it¡¯s quite warm, so there are lots of fruits.¡±


    ¡°Rice! I haven¡¯t eaten rice since we left the castle!¡±


    ¡°Fruits! Yes!¡±


    Nyran told them.


    ¡°The dwarves mainly use wheat. I don¡¯t really like rice and their individual grains.¡±


    Kaider scowled said this with a scowl. Maki was amused at the idea that he was a picky eater.


    ¡°What about fried rice?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s when you fry rice with meat and eggs.¡±


    ¡°What? I never heard of such a thing.¡±


    Said Nyran.


    ¡°Maybe the last Saintess didn¡¯t care about such things. But it¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°Fried rice balls and rice soup.¡±


    ¡°Doria. Chicken and egg bowls. Beef bowls.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s all that? Do they all use rice?¡±


    Kaider and Nyran asked.


    ¡°They do. It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    ¡°Uh. I don¡¯t want to go to the dungeons. We can go south and have Maki and Chiharu cook for us.¡±


    ¡°Saintess Cooking. That sounds good.¡±


    They all started to think about the food that they liked.


    Of course, none of them had any intention of running from their duties. Not these people.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been two months since we came to this world.¡±


    ¡°And now we know that we don¡¯t have to run away.¡±


    Everyone had been kind in the dwarf lands. Even though they were humans, or boys, or young women. People were nice to them. It had nothing to do with being Saintesses.


    ¡°If you are talking about going somewhere, you cannot exclude us from it.¡±


    ¡°Sauro. Saikania!¡±


    ¡°Are you finally going to cross the ocean?¡±


    ¡°No, we aren¡¯t. I don¡¯t want to be carried for three hours!¡±


    While their first meeting had been horrible, they were now very good friends with the birdfolk.


    By the way, you¡¯ll need to fly high or the merfolk will knock you down. Just like with the gazers.¡±


    They also knew the merfolk. And the monsters.


    Maki and Chiharu looked up at the sky.


    They had really just been bearing it. They couldn¡¯t understand why they had been brought here and it seemed unfair. Even though they were treated well, they couldn¡¯t always accept it as it was.


    But now they started to feel like they fitted in.


    Good food, good drink, and pleasant companions. What else did you need in life? Maki and Chiharu took in a deep breath.


    ¡°Romance! It¡¯s romance!¡±


    ¡°Romance! It¡¯s romance!¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡±


    Kaider looked at them suspiciously, but they ignored him. In any case, they would go to the elf lands. To the south.


    ¡°Ah, Zynis.¡±


    ¡°I had forgotten.¡±


    Or the beastkin lands? They wouldn¡¯t run anymore. So where should they go to find more good food, good drink, and wonderful people? Under which sky would they go next?


    The journey of two Saints who were forced to travel- no, the wandering journey of the two saintesses will continue.

 CH 57

    Chiharu: Saintess. A good friend of Maki. Age: 25.


    Maki: Saintess. Was summoned along with Chiharu. Age: 25.


    Edwy: Prince of Midland. Age: 18.


    Aeris: Elf. White Philosopher. Age: over 300.


    Grudo: Dwarf. Invented the train. Age: over 300.


    Kaider: Third prince of the Dwarf Lands. Adventurer and Blacksmith.


    Nyran: Fifth prince of the south lands. Adventurer and chaperone to Kaider.


    ¡°Maki. It sure is peaceful now.¡±


    ¡°It really is. I can hardly believe it considering how it was recently.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were talking while they looked at the garden from the castle balcony.


    When they thought back on it now, their travels had been going well up until they were kidnapped by the mayor of Gromble.


    Though, if Edwy had heard them, he would have said:


    ¡°No, things went bad the moment you left the castle.¡±


    Of course, he would. As for Kaider¡­


    ¡°It was when the merfolk tried to kidnap you.¡±


    And Nyran¡­


    ¡°What about when you were attacked by the Gazer by the lake?¡±


    He would probably say that. But to Maki and Chiharu, there had been nothing worse than being held by the mayor.


    ¡°Well, the stuff with the dungeon couldn¡¯t be helped.¡±


    Maki said. But it wasn¡¯t exactly true. And then Chiharu added:


    ¡°Well, at least it¡¯s all been resolved.¡±


    Who cares if we slept an entire day after that. They thought.


    ¡°And we ended up at the dwarf castle after all.¡±


    ¡°Kaider¡¯s ¡®house.¡¯ Come to my house! He said. But it¡¯s a castle!¡±


    Maki said as she angrily raised a fist into the air. Chiharu said,


    ¡°Now, now. He is a prince after all.¡±


    And then she covered her mouth to stop herself from laughing.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide it, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    Well, they had seen the castle from the outside when being interviewed as cooks. But now they could see inside.


    At first, they had wanted to continue helping in the kitchen. But they were persuaded that Saintesses were officially above royalty, and so they were forced to present themselves at court.


    Along with Edwy, Chiharu was escorted by Nyran and Maki by Kaider as they greeted the king. They were both wearing their layered, formal dresses now, and the hall erupted into cheers. Chiharu had thought this the last time she was here, but the dwarves seemed to care a lot about fashion. But as they were just one race, the trends did not change often. And so they became excited when the saw something new.


    When Nyran and Chiharu appeared together, many people said that they made a good-looking couple. As Nyran had lived at the castle since he was a young boy, many of the dwarves were very fond of him. Even more so when he began to act as a bodyguard fo Kaider. Still, as the life spans were different, there were no women who started any serious relationships with him.


    Even if they were different in height or size, humans looked better with humans. The dwarves said as they nodded to each other. But then they gasped when Kaider and Maki walked in together. They looked perfect together! Prince Kaider!


    While not as tall as a human, Kaider was still quite tall and muscular. And so dwarven women looked very small next to him. But Maki was just a little shorter than Kaider and incredibly slender and delicate-looking as she held onto Kaider¡¯s arm.


    It wasn¡¯t bad. Yes, it could work. They looked nice. That¡¯s what the gazes in the audience seemed to say.


    On the other hand, Maki and Chiharu¡¯s minds were somewhere else. Back at the castle in Midland, they just had to smile and be quiet. And so it was there first time in a place like this. And they were quite nervous and stiff. Kaider patted Maki¡¯s hand as if to encourage her. Maki gave him a reassuring smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. You shouldn¡¯t be nervous.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. This is nothing.¡±


    But in the heads of those that watched it looked like:


    ¡°Maki, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m with you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Kaider. You are so reliable.¡±


    Of course, Maki and Kaider had no idea that this was so.


    Nyran seemed worried as he saw how small Chiharu¡¯s steps were.


    ¡®I hope she¡¯s not going to trip on the carpet.¡¯


    But in the minds of those who watched:


    ¡®What a delicate princess. I must protect her.¡¯


    Aeris and Grudo were also there. The king was grateful that the monsters of the dungeon had been reduced to a normal level, and the ceremony was soon finished. After that, the soldiers and Adventurers split from the officers and two separate parties were held. This was so the soldiers could enjoy themselves without worrying about formalities.


    Of course, Maki and Chiharu tried to go with the soldiers, but they were promptly caught by Kaider, Nyran, and Edwy.


    ¡°Surely you weren¡¯t thinking about forcing all the work onto me?¡±


    The prince said with a smile as he pulled them away. And so Maki and Chiharu were forced to attend.


    There were Kaider¡¯s father, mother, brother #1, brother #2, brother #1¡¯s wife, brother #2¡¯s wife, brother #1¡¯s three children, and brother #2¡¯s two children. And then there were other relatives as well. They were all big dwarves like Kaider.


    ¡°So these are the humans that Kaider was running around in search of.¡±


    ¡°No. They are the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Of course, the fact they are Saintesses is important. But what is most important is that Kaider finally found someone and had grown attached to them. Now that is rare.¡±


    Kaider¡¯s brother said to his wife.


    ¡°You sure are skinny, Saintess. What do you eat?¡±


    Said one of the children of the second brother.


    ¡°Saintess, this outfit you are wearing¡­¡±


    Said the daughter of the first brother. Her eyes were shining as she looked at them. She looked about the same age as Maki and Chiharu. In fact, the king and queen didn¡¯t look that much older than them either. Aside from the very young children, it was hard to tell who was older than Kaider. This was one thing that was annoying about races with a long life span.


    Of course, Maki and Chiharu wanted to ask what they meant about Kaider¡¯s fate and about finally meeting someone, but they found it difficult to enter the conversation. And without ever getting to touch the food and drinks on the table, the party ended with them being confused and surrounded by dwarves.


    They continued to smile politely until the end. This resulted in them being seen as ¡®polite and quiet Saintesses from another land.¡¯ Later, Maki and Chiharu would hear about this with much surprise.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯m so tired.¡±


    Maki said as she fell onto the bed in the guest room.


    ¡°It¡¯s unlike you to sound so defeated, Maki.¡±


    Chiharu said as she sat heavily on the sofa. Maki¡¯s face remained in the sheets as she muttered.


    ¡°Being out in society is completely different. That Kaider! He said we would only have to be there for a short while, and then we could eat as much as we wanted!¡±


    ¡°Things really are different here. Uh, do you want some tea?¡±


    The guest room had a tea set and a place to boil water. Of course, it used magic stones to heat the water.


    ¡°This is the dwarf lands alright. They really think of everything.¡±


    Chiharu said as she boiled some water and smelled the tea leaves she had found.


    ¡°You seem really tired Maki, so I¡¯ll avoid anything too strong.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I don¡¯t want anything smelling of flowers right now.¡±


    Knock-knock. Maki raised her face.


    ¡°Oh? Visitors? I wonder who it is.¡±


    A voice rang on the other side.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aeris and Grudo. Can we come in?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other in surprise. What could it be? In any case, we should open the door.

 CH 58

    They opened the door and Aeris and Grudo entered the room. Both of them were carrying large baskets.


    ¡°Something smells nice.¡±


    Chiharu said as she sniffed the air. Aeris scanned the room and then approached the table where tea had been prepared. Then he opened the basket.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    It was full of delicacies that they had wanted to eat at the party but were unable to. Then Grudo opened his basket.


    ¡°Drink!¡±


    ¡°Drink!¡±


    There were small cups and many bottles inside.


    ¡°I thought you hadn¡¯t been able to eat much since you were surrounded by dwarves.¡±


    ¡°You probably didn¡¯t have time to get a drink either.¡±


    They knew.


    ¡°Of course, Kaider and Edwy knew about it too. But young men are not allowed to visit ladies so late at night.¡±


    Grudo explained. Aeris then added,


    ¡°But it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s us.¡±


    ¡°No one will suspect anything.¡±


    ¡°I am a veteran. And I don¡¯t have any silly pride as a man. Now, eat up.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu laughed at this rare joke by Aeris. Then they sat down and started setting the food while the drinks were being poured. As breakfast was sometimes eaten in this room, the table was quite large.


    ¡°The wine tastes so much better when I think about how bitter the other two will be.¡±


    ¡°That is so true.¡±


    Aeris and Grudo said mockingly, but Maki and Chiharu were too focused on their food to hear them. There were vegetables that had been cut into bite-size pieces and also meat for the main course. There was also bread that you could put them on. Maki had already sandwiched her meat in the bread and was eating it.


    Chiharu cut out a bite of fruit cake and brought it to her mouth.


    ¡°Wait-wait-wait. Chiharu. You should eat the meat first.¡±


    ¡°Why? No one¡¯s watching us?¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t. We have to eat dessert together. So eat your dinner first.¡±


    Maki instructed. And so Chiharu somberly pushed the cake away.


    ¡°Well, you two. If you are going to eat meat, then have this too.¡±


    Grudo said as he poured them some red wine. That would go really well with the meat. And so Chiharu happily brought the meat to her mouth. The meat was also cooked in red wine, and it fell apart in her mouth.


    ¡°This is mutton. And this is chicken. It¡¯s really good.¡±


    Grudo said as he pointed to some meat cooked in herbs. It was cut into smaller pieces.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s so juicy.¡±


    ¡°This skin is covered in salt and herbs and is really crispy.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu talked in surprise as they ate. Grudo looked very happy as he explained each item to them.


    ¡°Yes, that. The skin has been covered in honey. The honey is from the elf territories. They usually use tree sap that has a distinct smell. But today is a special day, and so they used honey.¡±


    I see. I see. Chiharu thought that she would like to taste the tree sap one as well.


    ¡°Speaking of honey, the elves are really good at acquiring such blessings from nature. I remember being able to harvest honey close to where I grew up. The bees are hard workers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Aeris. It was really surprising the first time I saw it. Those bees were so much larger than the ones in the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. If you ask me, it¡¯s the bees that are everywhere else that are too small.¡±


    Those two must have not been able to drink much at the party either. They talked happily as they drank.


    ¡°Hey, Aeris. How big are these bees?¡±


    Maki asked with deep curiosity. Maki. Chiharu sighed. She hadn¡¯t asked this question herself for a reason.


    ¡°Yes, about this big.¡±


    Aeris made a large circle with both of his hands.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    Grudo also made a circle. Chiharu had already had enough of this subject. And she drained her cup of wine.


    ¡°What are you saying, Grudo? Your hands are much too small. It¡¯s like this.¡±


    Aeris made another circle with his bigger hands.


    ¡°Too small? Ahahaha!¡±


    Grudo laughed as if this were very funny. Maki then asked Aeris hesitantly.


    ¡°Uh, are they like small gazers then?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Oh, you¡¯re right, Maki. Since they both fly. That¡¯s a good comparison. Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Aeris seemed very amused. However, Chiharu was rubbing her forehead. She looked just like Arthur.


    ¡°It¡¯s because the bees are so big that honey is cheap in the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°I see. By the way¡­¡±


    Maki began. Chiharu glared at her. But Maki didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°Are there any other useful bugs?¡±


    ¡°There are. For instance¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahh. Uh. Um¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°My throat is starting to hurt.¡±


    ¡°Oh. But Chiharu¡­¡±


    Maki suddenly realized her mistake. She didn¡¯t mind talk of bugs at all. However, it was an issue that girls were split on. Some were fine and others hated it. Chiharu was the later. She generally did not like things that wiggled or had lots of legs, including that black one that showed up in the summer. But bees were fine. Even if they were a little big. But anything else¡­


    ¡°There are silkworms that spit out silk thread.¡±


    There! Wiggly! Gross! No, maybe it wasn¡¯t too bad? No, it was too much.


    ¡°About this big.¡±


    ¡°Uh, um. Aeris. I would like to eat dessert now.¡±


    Maki interrupted him.


    ¡°I see. The one that Chiharu was about to eat was very good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that cake looks very good too.¡±


    Maki said with excitement. Aeris looked happy as he continued to talk.


    ¡°Yes, that one uses honey. They stretch the batter out with flour and then spread oil over it before folding. Then it roasted with lots of nuts and honey. Ah, Chiharu. You have honey on your chin.¡±


    Aeris¡¯s voice was sweet like honey.


    ¡°Hmm? Here?¡±


    ¡°On the other side.¡±


    Aeris stretched out his hand and wiped it with a napkin. Chiharu quietly let him.


    So sweet. Maki looked away in order to avoid laughing, and her eyes met Grudo¡¯s. Grudo chuckled in exasperation. Maki then picked up a piece of cake and tasted it. Yes, it was really sweet.


    They finished off the meal with some apple wine. And then Grudo and Aeris left, both in a good mood.


    Of course, Maki and Chiharu were also satisfied.


    And so they turned off the lights and snuggled into bed. It was just as they began to doze off, that Chiharu mumbled.


    ¡°Maybe we shouldn¡¯t go to the elf lands.¡±


    Bugs could not be ignored. Maki laughed. She was a little drunk.


    ¡°We¡¯ll think about it tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡±


    And then they fell asleep.

 CH 59

    Well, it had been stifling in the dwarf castle, but it wasn¡¯t because of their position. It was just because the dwarves were very kind and friendly. Perhaps too much so.


    In other words, there were a lot of people like Kaider, who seemed to like to take care of others.


    They would constantly talk to them or try to put them alone with Kaider or Nyran.


    ¡°You youngsters should have some time together.¡±


    They would say. And yet they would constantly be watching them as well. Had it not been only a two days stay, Maki and Chiharu would have been very stressed out.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My mother, brothers, and their wives really like to fuss over people.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We were expecting it.¡±


    Maki chuckled as Kaider apologized. As long as there was no ill intent, it was good to receive kindness as kindness. They were good people. That was all that mattered.


    ¡°But to be honest, I want to get away from here.¡±


    It was the same with young people in any country. Especially if they were single.


    Even Edwy had worked hard for 2 days as a representative for Arthur.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m the one who should get to make sweet and bitter memories, since I¡¯m younger. Why is it that Aeris and Grudo get to enjoy their time with Maki and Chiharu?¡±


    Edwy mumbled.


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t get to experience such things anymore, in our old age. You should be kind to us older folk.¡±


    Aeris said. But Maki hadn¡¯t forgotten that ¡®sweet moment¡¯ he had had or the fact that Aeris was still not retired. And so she felt a little bad for Edwy, who was completely fooled by Aeris. In fact, Aeris had as many years ahead of him as Arthur. And so Maki thought it was very deceptive of him to act as if he were an old man who didn¡¯t have much time left.


    Maki also knew that Chiharu was fooled by Aeris as well, but she didn¡¯t feel sorry for her in the least.


    Edmond was also invited to the castle, and they were happy that they got to talk with him.


    They promised to meet again before separating.


    After those 2 days of rest that were really about diplomacy, the company moved on to Noir. Maki and Chiharu returned to their cooking duties. While they didn¡¯t want to disguise themselves as boys again, wearing dresses and staying in the carriage all day wasn¡¯t fun either. And so they wore their boys¡¯ clothes but excluded the wigs. And then they rose in the back of a wagon with the luggage.


    The dwarf lands had many mountains, and they went up and down quite a few on their travels, which meant the scenery was always changing. As they excitedly climbed up the mountains, the trees became smaller and of a different variety. Sometimes the air would suddenly feel cool, and they would find a small river with beautiful, clear water. Or sometimes there would be waterfalls.


    After fully enjoying the sights, they would pass out soup and then drink wine with the others. Then they would retire to an inn instead of a tent, and go to sleep.


    Once everyone was asleep, quiet movement would be heard from Maki and Chiharu¡¯s room.


    ¡°Quietly okay? Quietly. Are the lights off? Okay, now I¡¯m going to open the window.¡±


    Maki said in a hushed voice. The two of them always took a room with a balcony. They said it was so the birdfolk could visit them. But there were other uses at night.


    The two slipped out of the window and then waited for a few minutes. After a while, something came from the sky. It was black, which made it hard to see in the night sky.


    ¡°Come here. That¡¯s a good boy.¡±


    Chiharu called in a soft voice. It was a gazer. It came down to the balcony and swayed happily.


    ¡°Did you have a lot of fun?¡±


    The gazer swayed.


    ¡°You can go and play more if you like.¡±


    It¡¯s fine. I saw enough.


    ¡°I see. Then come here.¡±


    The gazer touched Chiharu¡¯s outstretched hand and then shrunk down. A second later, a magic stone dropped near their feet. Maki whispered,


    ¡°Only one today.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel any other eyes on us.¡±


    Chiharu squinted at the night sky. There were a half-moon and several clouds that cast shadows.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go back in, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They quietly closed the window again.


    Once that was done, the shadows underneath the window also disappeared.


    After the incident at the dungeon, especially after the incident at the Mirror Lake, Maki and Chiharu started to feel that something was watching them. In fact, it had increased once their identities had been exposed, but there was something different about some of them. They were a little sad.


    And then one night, when Maki had been looking out of the window, a large eye looked back at her. Maki thought it was very impressive that she hadn¡¯t screamed. Her first thought was¡­


    ¡°If the soldiers see it, they will kill it.¡±


    And so she called Chiharu, and they had gone out onto the balcony.


    ¡°Hey, you. Come over here into the shadows!¡±


    Maki scolded the gazer as she checked to see if there were any soldiers watching. Good. There was no one.


    The two of them crouched so no one would be able to see them on the balcony. And then Chiharu talked to the gazer.


    ¡°What is it? Did you come out of the dungeon?¡±


    I guess. I wanted to go where it was bright. And I came out. The gazer swayed slowly. For some reason, Maki and Chiharu were able to tell what the gazer was thinking.


    ¡°You¡­went out¡­¡±


    And I¡¯m too tired. I want to go back. But I can¡¯t.


    ¡°You do?¡±


    Yes, beloved child. Send me back.


    Chiharu raised her hand and the gazer approached happily. Then it turned into a magic stone.


    ¡°It was relieved. And said thank you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I felt it too. Oh, another one is coming.¡±


    Maki looked up at the sky. They sent three gazers back that night.


    It was from then on. Maki and Chiharu only wanted rooms with balconies.


    Of course, the birdfolk were happy about it, but balconies also made rooms more dangerous, from a security point of view. It was Nyran who persuaded Edwy to agree to it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why there¡¯s a problem. The soldiers will be patrolling the ground.¡±


    ¡°Well, I suppose it is better than when they slept in tents.¡±


    Once the two had been given permission, they started to drink less and wait for the monsters at night. They could have just ignored them, but they felt sorry for the lost monsters. Besides, even if they missed out on some sleep, they could just take a nap in the wagon on the following morning.


    There were fewer monsters the closer they got to the capital. And there were nights when there were none at all. Also, it seemed that it was only gazers that were able to leave the dungeon without any of the guards noticing. And they never saw any four-legged monsters.


    Furthermore, they rarely had visits after leaving the capital, but the two of them still stayed up late and waited, just in case. They had decided to do this until they left the dwarf lands.


    But neither of them knew that Kaider and Nyran watched them every night, their swords ready.


    ¡°Ah, I guess they are finished for the night.¡±


    Nyran muttered. And then Kaider said,


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. Why are Maki and Chiharu so kind to those monsters. It¡¯s like they are in a different world.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I feel like I¡¯m seeing some story.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s silhouettes appeared in the moonlight. They always looked at the moon a little before going back to their room.


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°The moonlight is nice.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡±


    The light of the moon made their bedclothes look a little seethrough.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And the two hopeless men felt rewarded.

 CH 60

    Once they arrived in Noir, Maki and Chiharu learned that the soldiers would be going to the human territories by boat.


    ¡°We came by train because it was an emergency. But it¡¯s cheaper to go by boat when you have over one hundred soldiers.¡±


    And so Paulo and the other cooks would accompany the soldiers and take the three-day voyage.


    This meant that Maki and Chiharu would have no work to do for a while.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they had boats.¡±


    Chiharu said as she looked at them longingly. They might not have been discovered had they escaped by boat in the first place. No, they would have been caught in Noir either way. So it was good that they had taken the train.


    ¡°In spite of the levitation stones, there is only so much you can carry by train. And so it gets expensive.¡±


    Edwy explained.


    ¡°Going by boat would be nice if we had the time, but we have to hurry to the elf lands, so it cannot be helped. As for whether you two will go to the elf lands as well, we can decide that after we return to Midland.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki replied. Maki had a thought. Chiharu was still staring at the boat as if she really wanted to ride it, but that¡¯s not what Maki was thinking about. Train or boat. Which one would protect them from the merfolk? If this continued, Chiharu would start talking about taking the boat and going to some island. Chiharu underestimated the ease at which others found it to abduct her.


    Indeed, the merfolk had saved Chiharu in the mirror lake at the perfect time. She was grateful for that and they intended to visit their country once things had settled down.


    However, that was once things settled down. But only one of three lands had been settled. And so going by sea at a time like this would definitely result in her being abducted.


    Maki was thinking about it seriously. It would be better to go through the merfolk island where they could stay for exactly one hour.


    That was what Maki thought, but the truth was that Chiharu had just happened to be closer. She had just happened to fall into the lake. The merfolk loved the two Saintesses equally. In other words, Maki was in as much danger as Chiharu.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan. About the boat¡­¡±


    Chiharu started talking dreamily.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. You used to want to go to a far off island by boat back when you were a student, right?¡±


    ¡°How did you know? But yes, and speaking of kelp¡­¡±


    She started to talk. Well, it was better that she talked about kelp than boats. Regardless, they would not be taking the boat. She nodded and listened to Chiharu, who was now talking about going to a sugar cane island. Maki still thought kelp and sugar cane would be too heavy for Chiharu to carry.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They would be riding a private train. Grudo, Aeris, Edwy, and those related to the Saintesses were the only ones allowed on board.


    ¡°Huh, where¡¯s Chiharu?¡±


    Edwy said as he looked around. She had been there a moment ago, talking about sugar cane.


    ¡°Chiharu went to the store.¡±


    Sauro said. He had come to see them off. Sauro and Saikania were able to fly at the same speed as the train. And so they would head towards the merfolk island once the train left.


    ¡°You might as well ride with us.¡±


    Edwy said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times already. It¡¯s not that I hate trains. I just don¡¯t want to go underground.¡±


    Apparently, the birdfolk were very particular, and they did not like being underground. It made them uncomfortable.


    ¡°But more importantly, shouldn¡¯t you help Chiharu? She¡¯s being surrounded again.¡±


    ¡°What! Say that first!¡±


    Chiharu had just been out to buy some fruit juice, when she was surrounded by shouts of ¡®It¡¯s the Saintess!¡¯


    ¡°Phew. That was crazy.¡±


    ¡°We already had juice prepared for you. We know very well what you and Maki like.¡±


    ¡°But, Edwy. Buying stuff at the station is part of the fun of traveling.¡±


    ¡°Fine, but you should at least tell someone before going off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, all right.¡±


    Chiharu looked a little smaller after being scolded by Edwy.


    ¡°Heh, Chiharu got in trouble.¡±


    Maki said jokingly.


    ¡°Well, I got two bottles of juice, but I guess you won¡¯t be needing any, Maki. Oh, well. It was freshly squeezed porapora fruit which only grows in the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Oh. They sell that in bottles now? Very interesting.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Grudo. Is that a good thing?¡±


    ¡°It is, Maki. The porapora fruit is very nutritious but quite sour. Because of that, people didn¡¯t eat it for a long time. But now sweeteners have become cheap, and it is sold like this as a delicious drink.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but Edwy did say that juice was prepared for us¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Maki. We didn¡¯t prepare porapora juice.¡±


    Edwy said apologetically. Chiharu held up a bottle and waved it in front of Maki.


    ¡°Sorry for teasing you, Chiharu. Please give me that.¡±


    Maki apologized. There were some things that were more important to a woman than her pride. If you could get new juice with just a few words, then it was a bargain. Chiharu looked proud.


    ¡°Hehe. Oh, I suppose you can have it then.¡±


    However, Nyran and Aeris looked at them with exasperation and said,


    ¡°All this over juice¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wander off again.¡±


    They were both scolded.


    They went inside the private train and saw that the interior was much the same as the last time they were on a train.


    ¡°I expected something a little more extravagant.¡±


    Chiharu said.


    ¡°Of course, such trains do exist, but we thought you two wouldn¡¯t like it. After all, this is still work.¡±


    Said Edwy.


    ¡°I see. Yes, this is more relaxing.¡±


    ¡°It really is.¡±


    After that, they told Edwy amusing stories about their last train ride.


    ¡°And then¡­by the time we arrived at the second clearing, I felt an eye on me.¡±


    ¡°An eye. I see. That is interesting, Maki and Chiharu. I myself have never felt someone¡¯s stare.¡±


    ¡°Neither have I.¡±


    ¡°I have been an Adventurer for many years, and it has yet to happen to me. It would make hunting so much easier¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmmm. Hunting, huh? Well, I guess it¡¯s the system in this world. Hey, Maki-chan. Why are you looking down?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu? What is it? Why are you looking at Grudo all of a sudden? Is Maki sick?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that¡­¡±


    Just then, Kaider and Nyran put their hands on their belts.


    ¡°I¡¯m full of regret!¡±


    ¡°We should have known after watching every night! We¡¯re so stupid!¡±


    Outside of the train¡¯s window, a gazer was looking in at them.

 CH 61

    ¡°Kaider, Nyran. Calm down. Edwy, would you please stop the train?¡±


    ¡°Stop the train! Do you mean to appease the monster!? No! We will increase our speed and escape them.¡±


    Maki raised her head and pleaded with him. But Edwy tried to do the opposite. Outside, there were one, two, no¡­five gazers.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what effect it has on your body every time you calm them. Edwy is right.¡±


    ¡°Aeris, you may say that. But you¡¯ll continue to separate us from the monsters, won¡¯t you? Besides, we won¡¯t know how far we can go unless we experiment.¡±


    ¡°Still, you are not even prepared to face them now. This dungeon might be very different from the last one!¡±


    Aeris said hoarsely. Chiharu spoke quietly.


    ¡°Stop the train.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran sighed.


    ¡°Edwy, do as they say. We¡¯ll protect them.¡±


    ¡°¡­Very well.¡±


    By the time that Maki and Chiharu got out of the train, there were over 10 gazers waiting for them. Not only that, but four-legged monsters were also walking out of the darkness. Chiharu and Maki tried to walk forward, but Kaider and Nyran stopped them. They felt the excitement of the monsters as well as nervousness. They were all worried.


    ¡°What happened? You¡¯re all so far from the dungeon.¡±


    Chiharu said to the gazers.


    Dungeon. Don¡¯t know. We were born here. We saw many bright things and things that ran.


    ¡°So you were born here.¡±


    Yes. I want to return.


    ¡°Were you all born here too?¡±


    Maki asked the four-legged monsters.


    Yes. In this wide space. We ran when the bright things were gone. But we have had enough.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other.


    ¡°Then come here.¡±


    And then, one by one, the monsters silently turned into magic stones.


    ¡°Are there any more?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t sense any.¡±


    Chiharu said as Maki looked around. Now, it was finished.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    They both said. Kaider, Nyran, and Edwy looked at them with pained expressions.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? We¡¯re fine.¡±


    ¡°But this isn¡¯t something you get used to.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But the fact that we can do this¡­¡±


    Maki said with a laugh.


    ¡°¡­Surely, it means that we should do it.¡±


    ¡°Should do¡­¡±


    ¡°At least, as much as we are able.¡±


    Chiharu said as she patted Nyran on the back.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. The next train will catch up with us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. We should hurry.¡±


    They stayed silent for quite a while after returning to the train.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. How do you feel?¡±


    Aeris finally said.


    ¡°Yes, I feel fine.¡±


    ¡°If anything, I feel quite refreshed.¡±


    Maki said as she shrugged her shoulders.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Kaider began as he stared at the ceiling.


    ¡°I knew that you two were doing that every night.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked surprised. But Edwy and Aeris did not.


    ¡°Since when? Kaider?¡±


    ¡°After the incident at the mirror lake.¡±


    Chiharu muttered in shock.


    ¡°So, from the beginning¡­¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell us, Chiharu¡­¡±


    Aeris asked sadly.


    ¡°You¡¯d be worried.¡±


    ¡°There must be more to it than that.¡±


    ¡°Nyran.¡±


    Chiharu looked downward.


    ¡°I felt sorry for the monsters.¡±


    ¡°Sorry for them?¡±


    ¡°You all don¡¯t understand. But the monsters never hurt us. They don¡¯t suck our lifeforce. They just want to return to the miasma¡¯s circle of life.¡±


    ¡°Circle of life¡­¡±


    ¡°I think that happy life like humans and dwarves roam this world. But in this world, miasma also has a life and roams.¡±


    ¡°But, still!¡±


    Edwy let out a shout.


    ¡°We¡¯ve always been taught to hunt dangerous things. Things that drop magic stones. How can we allow you two to approach such a danger?¡±


    ¡°I knew you would say that. But¡­¡±


    Chiharu looked at Maki and nodded.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I noticed while traveling in the dwarf lands. There was a monster that was lost. It was tired and wanted to go home. And it was only us who could quietly send it back.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a monster that was lost¡­¡±


    Edwy said. Then Nyran opened his mouth.


    ¡°Well, we saw it. So I will believe that there are monsters who are lost.¡±


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    Chiharu said. Then Maki added.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that we kept it a secret. But there is something else I want to talk about.¡±


    ¡°What? Maki?¡±


    Kaider answered.


    ¡°The monsters here weren¡¯t from the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°What? What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°They were born here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Grudo had been silent up until now, but he suddenly muttered.


    ¡°Indeed, this chamber was here from before, and we just connected the railway tunnel to it. However, it is still not a dungeon. Besides, this is so far away from the shadow world. Monsters appear in dungeons because they are close to it.¡±


    ¡°So, there were never monsters here before?¡±


    ¡°Well, there were, rarely. However, if what you say is true, then this railway is in danger¡­¡±


    Grudo looked pale.


    ¡°Amia said he either fled or hit monsters with his tail when encountering them. So maybe monsters do appear in caves naturally.¡±


    ¡°Maki, that¡¯s rather important information you are saying there¡­¡±


    ¡°How often have monsters been spotted?¡±


    ¡°Just once every few years.¡±


    ¡°In that case, we can just come here now and again and calm the monsters.¡±


    Everyone looked at Maki with exasperation.


    ¡°Surely it is not that simple¡­ Is it that simple?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Grudo and Aeris asked.


    ¡°Well, it did make us very sad at first. But we¡¯re fine now. The monsters are happy to turn into magic stones. We wouldn¡¯t want to go and do an entire dungeon, but it¡¯s not much trouble to meet lost monsters and return them to the circle of life.¡±


    Maki said. And then Chiharu continued.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s to be our job, we want to get paid.¡±


    This was most surprising. Maki burst into laughter.


    ¡°Well, you won¡¯t have to hire Adventurers, right? So¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, you¡­¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t eat if you don¡¯t work. But you should be paid for work.¡±


    Chiharu said with a smile. Edwy remembered something as he saw that Kaider and Nyran were speechless. Yes, Chiharu had always been like this. When she had talked with his father about the magic stones. It had been very amusing. Edwy chuckled at the memory. Aeris and Grudo now looked relaxed.


    ¡°Very well, Chiharu and Maki. We will discuss it with the king.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Kaider. The king will understand. He knows that the Saintesses are very independent.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t about the reward, but about their safety. The Midland people seemed to feel that the discussion had ended satisfactorily, but Kaider and Nyran were not convinced. And like that, the train continued on to the merfolk island.

 CH 62

    While everyone felt very cautious once they reached the merfolk island, Amia was nowhere to be found. There was a different, beautiful merman who was younger than Amia and about the same age as Edwy.


    ¡°Amia can¡¯t come because he is busy. He was very disappointed.¡±


    They were told. Then Chiharu said,


    ¡°I see. He helped us at the mirror lake. And so I wanted to say thank you.¡±


    And then,


    ¡°In that case, tell those people over there. They passed through the water road and went to the mirror lake.¡±


    He pointed to a group of beautiful merfolk of various colors that were staring at them. Maki and Chiharu were filled with gratitude when they thought about how these people had hit the gazers with their tails. Of course, there were other merfolk gathering around as well.


    ¡°Oh, this is something.¡±


    ¡°Surprising, isn¡¯t it? If you only knew how we felt. Besides, they even tried to take them into the sea.¡±


    Edwy and Kaider were talking.


    ¡°Um, thank you for saving us at the mirror lake.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki said after approaching the merfolk. Then they bowed their heads.


    ¡°Please raise your heads, beloved children.¡±


    And so they raised their heads. Before they knew it, the merfolk were right in front of them. One of the merfolk then raised his hands to Maki¡¯s cheeks and then brushed the hair out of her face.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    ¡°The mark of God¡¯s love.¡±


    The merfolk murmured. Maki¡¯s eyes were wide as she stood frozen.


    ¡°Human skin is so warm.¡±


    He said. His skin was cold and smooth.


    Yes, it would be rather shocking. They were so close, and their hair moved. Chiharu was glad that she was just a spectator this time. She stood next to Maki and nodded.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    However, there were two Saintesses. Before she knew it, other merfolk were touching her cheeks and brushing her hair. Eventually, hands held her shoulders as she was led towards the others by the waves. Ultimately, her past experience did not prove to be very useful here.


    ¡°I sense the presence of the chief. So you are wearing the scales.¡±


    One of them whispered.


    ¡°I use it as a good luck charm ever since I was saved.¡±


    Chiharu answered, and the merfolk smiled happily. Next to her, Maki was still frozen as she was carried away. It always seemed like one of them was calm while the other was panicking. Chiharu thought.


    Behind her, the others were consoling the elf, who seemed quite angry.


    ¡°The merfolk know that the train will depart in an hour, so they won¡¯t push it. More importantly, why don¡¯t we buy some of that? They¡¯ll be very happy, won¡¯t they?¡±


    Nyran suggested.


    ¡°You know, the hamanasu wine!¡±


    ¡°Of course! Standing here and watching the merfolk will only make you angry. We might as well go and buy some wine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    And so the two elderly ones left for the store.


    ¡°Phew. In a way, he¡¯s the hardest one to handle.¡±


    Kaider said.


    ¡°No, if anything, I think he is the easiest.¡±


    Nyran answered.


    ¡°Aeris just likes the Saintesses.¡±


    Edwy said. Then Kaider and Nyran looked at him apologetically.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe you shouldn¡¯t just look at him as if he were an old man.¡±


    ¡°Old men can be difficult.¡±


    ¡°So which is it? Is he an old man or not?¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the problem. But, well, it was perhaps good that he experiences this at his young age. Kaider and Nyran thought.


    Maki and Chiharu finished their meeting with the merfolk without any trouble, and they waved their hands at them before returning to the train.


    Still, Maki looked like her soul had left her body, and so Chiharu said to her with an air of self-importance.


    ¡°Maki-chan, you¡¯re a Saintess too you know? So you shouldn¡¯t assume that you¡¯re the only one that won¡¯t get abducted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk.¡±


    It was Nyran who said this. Besides, they had both been taken away. Maki looked tired as she said,


    ¡°I get it, Chiharu. Still, these merfolk sure are beautiful¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was too shocked to notice it much the last time, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen such beautiful people!¡±


    Chiharu said with some excitement. Maki muttered on.


    ¡°And it was these beautiful people who touched my cheeks or held my shoulders as I was marched off. You¡¯d think it would be very romantic.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, it lost all sense of romance the moment you chose the words ¡®marched off.¡¯¡±


    Chiharu joked. Maki continued.


    ¡°I wonder why it doesn¡¯t feel romantic.¡±


    Why indeed. Chiharu thought about it. Oh, it must be that.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of their hair.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that.¡±


    Nyran butted in again. Ignoring Aeris, Edwy would have a difficult time. Nyran thought. These girls were clearly not the romantic types, and would they ever be?


    ¡°Oh, maybe it¡¯s the scales!¡±


    Said the dwarf, who didn¡¯t understand romance either.

 CH 63

    Several people were shocked by what happened at the merfolk island, but as Chiharu was used to it, she was the quickest to return to normal.


    ¡°Now, Edwy. We¡¯ll arrive at the first chamber soon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we will. I know.¡±


    ¡°So, can you stop it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Chiharu smiled at Edwy. Not understanding, Edwy smiled back. Then Nyran suddenly raised his voice.


    ¡°Chiharu, you¡­¡±


    Chiharu nodded.


    ¡°This time I¡¯m going to be one step ahead. We¡¯ll go outside and try calling the gazers.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°We can leave once we know there aren¡¯t any. Right?¡±


    Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran looked like they wanted to say something, but in the end, they kept quiet as the carriage was stopped. Aeris and Grudo watched over them silently.


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki was better now, and so Chiharu pulled her outside. Kaider and Nyran followed after them. Chiharu and Maki stood side by side and looked up. They came. One. Two. Three. There were no four-legged monsters.


    ¡°So few.¡±


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    The gazer swayed as they talked to them.


    I am sure. They said.


    Chiharu and Maki had never seen a gazer refuse to become a magic stone. They wondered what god had been thinking about when making these creatures.


    God, huh. Before thinking about how this world worked or the meaning of the monsters, Chiharu thought of this god as the culprit who had brought them here. The anger she had pushed away into the back of her mind began to return then. Chiharu had to take in a deep breath to calm herself.


    Of course, it was important to think about why this all happened, but there was still never going to be a way to undo what had been done. So for now, it was more important to think about what would happen in the future, then why the past had been the way it was.


    Chiharu tried to maintain a normal facial expression, but her fists were clenched. Maki patted her gently on the back then. And like that, her anger disappeared.


    ¡°I understand how you feel.¡±


    She said.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think you always have to be looking forward.¡±


    Yes, there were times when you could feel depressed. She should share these feelings with the others.


    Chiharu got back on the train and asked them.


    ¡°What do you do when you¡¯re feeling down?¡±


    They all looked at each other uncomfortably. Then Edwy said,


    ¡°Kaider, Nyran. You¡¯re just the right age for this. Please tell us.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®just the right age¡¯?¡±


    Nyran grumbled. Kaider looked uncomfortable as he said,


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t feel like that very often.¡±


    And then Nyran said,


    ¡°Sorry, neither do I.¡±


    And the others all nodded. Chiharu could hardly believe it.


    ¡°But, what about when your sword training isn¡¯t going well?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll train if I have time to feel down.¡±


    It was no use. They were all meatheads. But what about Edwy?


    ¡°What about when things go bad diplomatically?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that those old people don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Uh, he was a tough one. What about Grudo and Aeris? They had a lot of experience.


    ¡°What about when things go bad while developing things?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Trial and error is the only way.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t have time to feel depressed about things.¡±


    What? Then what about this!


    ¡°What about when you are heartbroken!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happened to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happened to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happened to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happened to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s never happened to me.¡±


    Those handsome bastards!


    ¡°We-well, Chiharu. We can always just drink something.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes, Maki-chan. That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°Also, umm¡­¡±


    Maki folded her arms and thought about it. Chiharu became impatient.


    ¡°For instance, turning the lights off in your room. Then you sit down in a corner and hug your legs while you cry and cry.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes.¡±


    ¡°Or you put on dark music or watch a sad movie.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Overeating¡­¡±


    ¡°That! I do that!¡±


    Chiharu was relieved by Maki¡¯s answers. They were girls after all. Huh? When Chiharu looked around them, there were people rubbing their eyes or looking up or staring at them with sad eyes. Even the servants were trying not to cry¡­


    ¡°Chiharu. So that is what you¡¯ve been doing.¡±


    ¡°Uh, but it¡¯s normal?¡±


    Chiharu replied to Edwy. Maki looked away.


    ¡°Chiharu. You don¡¯t have to sit in the corner of the room anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to go to you either, Aeris.¡±


    Chiharu said. Then she turned to Maki. This time she nodded.


    ¡°Chiharu. I will practice sword-fighting with you when you feel like that.¡±


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary.¡±


    Maki was trying to hold back laughter as she saw Chiharu reply to the meatheads. Hmph.


    She started to feel like none of it even mattered. And something welled up in the pit of her stomach. Maki-chan?


    ¡°Pppfftt¡ªkk¨Chahahaha!¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    ¡°Heh. Hahaha!¡±


    How could they stay gloomy when no one in this world seemed to feel down?


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°Laughed¡­¡±


    ¡°And Maki¡¯s smiling¡­¡±


    And so the train was filled with smiles as Chiharu and Maki rode it back to Midland.


    That is, until they saw Arther and Zynis waiting for them at the station.

 CH 64

    Once they reached the station, Edwy was the first to jump out.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Hmm. It seems you were able to fulfill your role. Good work.¡±


    Arthur said as he unfolded his arms and his expression softened a little. Zynis also nodded as he stood next to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hear your report back at the castle.¡±


    Arthur said as he glanced at the train.


    ¡°Yes, they came back with us safely.¡±


    ¡°I see. Sauro told me about it, but I wanted to make sure with my own eyes.¡±


    Edwy looked at him with suspicion.


    ¡°I know that you are worried about Maki and Chiharu. But for you to leave the castle¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm. You¡¯re a sharp little one, Edwy.¡±


    Zynis said.


    ¡°Previously, you would have just hopped around with joy at your father welcoming you. But now you¡¯ve learned to think.¡±


    He continued with a nod. Arthur looked a little embarrassed. Edwy was a little exasperated that Zynis always treated him like a kid, but he wasn¡¯t angry like he usually was. He wondered why.


    It was, in fact, because he had accomplished a single great task. He had gained enough confidence that he no longer cared about what other adults thought of him. Of course, Edwy was not aware of this change yet.


    ¡°I would like to know the reason. But first, I will bring Maki and Chiharu and Kaidar and Nyran out.¡±


    Edwy said. And then Arthur and Zynis replied.


    ¡°Yes. And we have carriages to take us back to the castle today.¡±


    ¡°Though, the birdfolk were loudly insisting that they could carry them.¡±


    Edwy returned to the train and called to the others.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    Chiharu looked at him and whispered,


    ¡°Was he angry?¡±


    Maki didn¡¯t really care and was willing to accept what fate had in store for them. After all, they had been right to leave the castle. Edwy looked at them and laughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right. You don¡¯t need to worry. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He offered his hand, but¡­


    ¡°Well, since we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran escorted Maki and Chiharu out of the train first. Edwy wanted to click his tongue in irritation. Oh, well. There would be plenty of time with them at the castle.


    Zynis saw Maki and Chiharu come out of the train and he laughed as if relieved. He lowered his posture a little and waved. Maki didn¡¯t hesitate to jump into his arms. Somehow, she found his presence very comforting. Maki wondered why that was as she buried her face in Zynis¡¯s stomach.


    Zynis hugged her gently, this time carefully so as not to pick her up off of the ground. You must not pick up a Saintess. He knew this very well. He then nodded kindly towards Chiharu. Chiharu walked up to him, and he hugged her with his other arm.


    ¡°I was so worried.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Maki apologized willingly. Chiharu was saying something, but it was muffled, as her face was pressed into him. It was probably an apology as well.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad you are all right.¡±


    Grudo and Aeris slowly came out of the train as well. And there was a sense of relief in the air for a while.


    ¡°Cough. Cough.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked up.


    ¡°Arthur.¡±


    ¡°Arthur.¡±


    Arthur spread his arms out awkwardly. However, they could not jump into the arms of a king. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and laughed.


    ¡°Now, there is your carriage.¡±


    But Arthur¡¯s voice was drowned out by the sound of wings.


    ¡°Sauro and Saikania!¡±


    Sauro and Saikania ignored Arthur, who was shouting, and they landed in front of Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°So you were faster than the train after all.¡±


    Chiharu said with a careless laugh. Maki was surprised and was about to tell her something, when¡­


    Huh? Huh?!¡±


    Saikania moved behind her back.


    ¡°See! I keep telling you to be careful so that you don¡¯t get abducted!¡±


    Maki groaned. But, Sauro and Saikania were friends? Why would I be cautious? Chiharu shouted in her head. But¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re being abducted yourself!¡±


    ¡°Me! I¡¯m just following you!¡±


    As if! Sauro was holding Maki and Saikania was holding Chiharu. And before either of them knew it, they were up in the sky.


    ¡°While it wasn¡¯t made official, your disappearance would have made the people worry.¡±


    ¡°You should show yourselves to them.¡±


    Sauro and Saikania said. And so they flew over the town and towards the castle at a low altitude.


    ¡°That does make sense¡­¡±


    Chiharu muttered. Maki nodded and whispered back.


    ¡°But they totally just want to brag about how they¡¯re carrying the Saintesses.¡±


    However, the town¡¯s people soon noticed Sauro and Saikania. And then they saw the black hair.


    ¡°The Saintess!¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    They shouted and waved their hands. The smaller children tried to run and keep up with them. At the same time, they saw the carriage driving away from the station at a great speed. While they knew that the others wouldn¡¯t see their expressions, Maki and Chiharu smiled and waved. They were moved and felt warm inside.


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°What, Maki-chan?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re wearing skirts.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. They waved at the soldiers by the castle gates and then landed in the garden like they always had. They would have been exhausted had this happened on their first day. But they were used to flying now.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t stop Chiharu from complaining.


    ¡°I told you not to do it so suddenly, Sauro!¡±


    ¡°But at least the people are relieved.¡±


    ¡°You could have warned us!¡±


    ¡°But you would have chosen to go by carriage.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I would have! Saikania!¡±


    There was no point in arguing with Sauro. But Saikania only shrugged her shoulders. Hmph. You couldn¡¯t talk to either of them.


    Just then, Maki stopped laughing and grew tense. Maki-chan? When she turned around, Maki stepped in front of her and raised her arms as if to protect her.


    Chiharu peered over Maki¡¯s shoulder. Aeris? No. Some blonde elf was looking down at them. This person hadn¡¯t been at the ceremony. The elf looked at Chiharu and scowled, before raising a hand to cover his mouth and look away.


    ¡°This generation¡¯s Saintesses are a rowdy bunch.¡±


    The voice was cold, unlike Aeris. And then he turned back to them and said,


    ¡°You should stay in the castle and be quiet. Do you enjoy getting the world involved in your antics?¡±


    Things never seemed to stay peaceful for long.

 CH 65

    Getting the world involved? It was this world that pulled us into it all. Maki was about to say this, when Chiharu pulled her shoulder and said,


    ¡°Hey, Norfe. I don¡¯t think they are like that. We just saw them on the train.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Maki looked shocked for a second before replying.


    ¡°Oh, yes. Chouze. King Arthur and Prince Edwy were with them as well.¡±


    ¡°And that white-haired elf and the big beastman!¡±


    The blonde elf looked at them with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Two black-eyed and black-haired little girls who are carried by the bird folk. You cannot be anyone but the Saintesses.¡±


    He said. Maki wanted to say something about the ¡®little girls¡¯ part, but she held it in.


    ¡°Look closely. My hair is dark brown, and so are my eyes. Besides, the birdfolk often carry children.¡±


    She said. Of course, there were no other humans here with hair that was as dark as hers.


    ¡°Hmm. I suppose it does look a little brown?¡±


    The elf said as he looked at Maki. Chiharu pressed further.


    ¡°Hey, Sauro. Didn¡¯t you also see the Saintesses at the station?¡±


    Sauro was used to this.


    ¡°I did. Both of them. They were with Arthur and Zynis.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I am sorry then. I mistook you for someone else.¡±


    The elf apologized. At least he was aware of his own rudeness. Of course, he had not actually mistaken them.


    ¡°Even if you thought we were someone else, you shouldn¡¯t say such rude things.¡±


    Chiharu said with a serious expression. Then she turned around and urged Maki to hurry up before the others arrived. They could already hear people talking near the gate.


    ¡°Sauro, Saikania. Take us to the balcony!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    They left the elf, who looked on as they rose into the bright sky. And in a minute, Maki and Chiharu were returned safely to their room. ¡®Don¡¯t look up!¡¯ was the one thought that had been in their heads.


    ¡°Lady Maki! Lady Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Miss Sera!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re okay! I was so worried!¡±


    Sera had been waiting for them in the room. Her eyes were full of tears.


    ¡°Please tell me if there is anything that¡¯s bothering you! I¡¯ll deal with those inlanders for you!¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Chiharu then recalled all that had happened regarding the inland people. But she was more concerned over the fact that they had caused Sera to worry so much.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We thought that telling you about it would put you in trouble, so we kept everything a secret.¡±


    ¡°In trouble! Those people! They were quite stubborn for a while after the economic blockade, but they finally gave in and apologized!¡±


    Economic blockade? Chiharu and Maki looked at each other with surprise. Just then, Sauro entered the room without permission and called to them.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. Everyone will be here soon. I think they¡¯ll call for you.¡±


    ¡°Sauro! Saikania! You two are to lead your tribe one day, and yet your careless actions have caused us much trouble!¡±


    It was quite true. Chiharu was impressed by Sera¡¯s reading of the situation.


    ¡°But, it did help us out in the end so¡­please don¡¯t blame them too much¡­¡±


    ¡°Lady Chiharu, you are too generous. They have been nothing but trouble for you since the beginning.¡±


    Chiharu wondered if she was being praised or it was just that the birdfolk were being dissed. Just then, voices rang from the hallway.


    ¡°It looks like they came here directly.¡±


    Sauro said. Saikania suddenly started looking at her nails. Birdfolk had wonderful ears.


    The voices stopped by the door and became louder.


    ¡°Oh, how rude of them all!¡±


    Sera said with narrowed eyebrows.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s Edwy.¡±


    Said a voice that was not Edwy¡¯s.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t use my name.¡±


    ¡°True. After all, Arthur is here as well.¡±


    Sera looked towards Maki and Chiharu. They both nodded. It was true that they had returned ahead of the others without saying anything, after all.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door opened just as Sera said this.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    And then several people entered the room. The person in the front said¡­


    ¡°Ahh! It¡¯s you two!¡±


    It was the blonde elf. Then he saw the birdfolk behind them and became angry.


    ¡°And them! I knew it! You lied to me!¡±


    He shouted. Maki sighed with exasperation as Chiharu opened her mouth.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°But you suggested that you weren¡¯t the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°And why should we tell you who we are?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    The elf stumbled.


    ¡°But there is no reason to hide it!¡±


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have if you were nice.¡±


    Chiharu said quietly. The others all watched in silence.


    ¡°Just because we are in the castle, does not mean we are protected by everything. We have to defend ourselves from ill-intentioned people. You said the Saintesses were causing chaos. We aren¡¯t so childish as to expose ourselves in front of people like you.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    He could not say it now. It was merely words that had fallen from his mouth because they had been so small and cute¡­ Just then, Aeris interrupted them.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°This one is my nephew. He is not yet matured and always worries and is impatient.¡±


    Everyone there wanted to point out that Aeris had just described himself. Or at least, comment on how they were clearly family in that regard.


    ¡°I bet he hasn¡¯t even introduced himself yet.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me. I am Van. My mother is Aeris¡¯s younger sister.¡±


    The blonde elf said. Chiharu and Maki saw that they did look a lot alike.


    ¡°I thought you were assisting the Prime Minister back at home? Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right! I shouldn¡¯t be wasting my time here! Nyran! We must go to the elf lands at once! The dungeons are different now, and no one knows what will happen. I thought I would be able to meet you sooner if I just waited here, but now I think I should¡¯ve gone by airship!¡±


    Van said rapidly. The others all looked annoyed. Clearly, this kind of thing was not new to them.


    ¡°Really. He is like you when you were all irritated about the Saintess¡¯s arrival. You really are family.¡±


    Grudo said with a laugh as he looked at Aeris. Aeris grimaced.


    ¡°Being frantic never speeds anything up.¡±


    He muttered. Even at 300, he still grew and learned.


    ¡°Now, Van. We weren¡¯t exactly traveling leisurely ourselves. We returned earlier than the soldiers, after all. But in any case, we shouldn¡¯t talk about this in front of the Saintesses. They are tired. Let¡¯s go to Arthur¡¯s study.¡±


    ¡°Yes, uncle.¡±


    Van said quietly and followed after Aeris. But then¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have bothered you. Excuse me.¡±


    He said to them first. And then¡­


    ¡°About my study. I wish you wouldn¡¯t make it your meeting spot without my permission.¡±


    Arthur muttered. He glanced towards Maki and Chiharu before leaving. The others all left as well.


    ¡°What did that have to do with us?¡±


    ¡°Was he just venting?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu thought with exasperation.

 CH 66

    ¡°What was with him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    One thing was for sure, this Van had made their return to the palace feel rather uncomfortable.


    ¡°That one just talks too much. Still, there does seem to be a problem.¡±


    Sera told them.


    ¡°In the first place, there aren¡¯t many dungeons in the elf territories. And there aren¡¯t many elves either. So they do not really care¡­or you could say, they are a little more merciful when monsters rise from the dungeon in small numbers. However, they say that there are so many monsters now that even human Adventurers do not want to go there. And so they are asking for help.¡±


    That sounded really bad. However¡­


    ¡°The Midland soldiers have been gone for nearly a month. And they had to fight in dungeons along the way. They must be so tired. Besides, they are still on the ship.¡±


    Maki muttered. Sera answered gently.


    ¡°Yes. This time, soldiers will be sent from the south land of Roland. In fact, the elf lands are on the other side of the sea of the south lands.¡±


    ¡°But they don¡¯t have trains, do they?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Chiharu. However, it would take much longer to come here and take trains to the elf lands by passing through the dwarf territories. And so it is best to go there by boat.¡±


    I see. Maki was satisfied with this, and so she decided to relax on the sofa with Sauro and Saikania. However, Chiharu was still wondering why so much noise was being made in Midland.


    ¡°Well, as things have turned out to be so abnormal in the dwarven territories, they want someone who is experienced to lead the soldiers.¡±


    ¡°You mean, they were waiting for Kaider and Nyran to come?¡±


    ¡°Mostly Prince Nyran. It will raise morale to see your own prince lead the way. Of course, they also wanted Prince Edwy to join.¡±


    Sera said in a timid voice. And so Chiharu told Sera all about Edwy.


    ¡°Oh, Edwy. I heard that he did good work in the dungeon, but we only saw him during the march¡­¡±


    And then she told her about how cool he had looked as he commanded the soldiers and negotiated or managed things.


    ¡°Edwy is quite popular in town as well. I would really like to tell them about what he did.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I am sure we can schedule a trip where you can go without disguising yourselves. There is no need for that, now that you have been revealed to the public.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±


    ¡°I think you should have dinner with His Majesty and Lord Zynis tonight.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Chiharu sat down on the sofa and looked at Sera with a smile. For a while, they would be able to relax.


    That evening, they ate in the king¡¯s own room, and so it wasn¡¯t stiff and formal. And while the people present were an impressive bunch that included foreign princes and ambassadors, they were all very friendly with each other.


    Furthermore, Kaider and Nyran were working as Adventurers, and so they rarely visited the Midland palace. In fact, the last time they visited was during the presentation of the Saintesses. And that had been unofficial, so they had not joined the feast or any of the parties. Well, it was really just because neither of them could be bothered to attend.


    In any case, they were a little nervous. They didn¡¯t mind talking about the dungeons and monsters and how they related to the Saintesses. Or how the Saintesses had dealt with them. Those reports were easy enough.


    However¡­


    ¡°I see. So you two accompanied the Saintesses all the way to the city of Greige.¡±


    ¡°And protected them. All without knowing it.¡±


    Arthur and Zynis said. Somehow, they were both very intimidating. Yes, it was true that they had protected a young boy and girl. And something very lucky had happened during their travels as well. And surely there was no problem with that. Yes, no problem at all.


    Maki and Chiharu took no notice of the nervous atmosphere as they enjoyed talking about the dwarven lands.


    Once the food was finished and the drinks came out, Chiharu decided to ask about what would happen next. Van had been quiet all of this time. What was going on?


    ¡°So, uh, what are you going to do in the elf lands?¡±


    ¡°Ah, Chiharu. What a thing to ask.¡±


    Arthur rubbed at his temples.


    ¡°Huh? Arthur?¡±


    What was the problem? Chiharu wondered. Van answered.


    ¡°What are you talking about? We are leaving tomorrow.¡±


    Tomorrow. Why couldn¡¯t they let everyone rest a little longer? Still, perhaps it was that much of an emergency. It was not her place to make any comment about it. In that case¡­ Chiharu and Maki turned towards Kaider and Nyran.


    ¡°That¡¯s rough. Maybe you guys should get some early sleep?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourselves too hard.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran looked at them uneasily.


    ¡°Uh, we can talk about that tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu, you two should get some rest as well.¡±


    Chiharu glanced at Maki. Maybe they didn¡¯t want to rest before them. Maki nodded.


    ¡°All right. We¡¯ll retire to our room then.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡±


    It was Van. What was it now?


    ¡°No, we can talk about this tomorrow.¡±


    Arthur tried to interrupt him, but Van continued.


    ¡°But the Saintesses will not have enough time to prepare unless they know it¡¯s tomorrow.¡±


    Prepare. Right. Chiharu thought.


    ¡°We have to see you guys off. So, what time is it?¡±


    Everyone fell silent. Hmm? Van looked at Chiharu with exasperation.


    ¡°See us off? No, you are obviously going to come with us.¡±


    We are? What?


    ¡°I told you. You must have their permission first.¡±


    Arthur said frantically.


    ¡°And how was I going to get that if they didn¡¯t even know we were going?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I hope you weren¡¯t planning on making them stay behind my back?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not. I wouldn¡¯t do that. It¡¯s just that they must be tired. We could discuss it later.¡±


    Arthur was gesturing to them to return to their room quickly. It seemed like a good idea.


    ¡°Well then, excuse us.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you Saintesses!¡±


    Slam. Maki and Chiharu returned nervously to their room and collapsed on their bed.


    ¡°Did you hear that, Maki-chan?¡±


    ¡°I did, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going with them.¡±


    ¡°Seems like it.¡±


    They both stared at the ceiling. Then Maki opened her mouth.


    ¡°Arthur doesn¡¯t want us to go. And Kaider and Nyran tried to stop it too.¡±


    ¡°But Van talked about it like it was already decided.¡±


    Chiharu said.


    ¡°Aeris said that it¡¯s better if we don¡¯t go near the dungeon. Because the monsters get excited.¡±


    ¡°Yes. So why would Van want us to go?¡±


    They thought about it and then answered at the same time.


    ¡°He¡¯s a researcher!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a researcher!¡±


    He clearly wanted to witness the reaction of the monsters.


    ¡°He¡¯s Aeris¡¯s nephew, after all.¡±


    ¡°What should we do, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Uh, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You know, remember the bees?¡±


    ¡°I bet they have more there than giant bugs.¡±


    ¡°So¡­?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and grinned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    ¡°To the elf lands.¡±


    And so their journey would continue.

 CH 67

    While it seemed clear that people wanted them to go, it hadn¡¯t been officially decided yet. Still, they didn¡¯t unpack their bags. They could just put on a new change of clothes and do the rest tomorrow.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan. This is the palace, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was thinking about it too.¡±


    It had become a habit for them towards the end of their trip. But surely the monsters wouldn¡¯t come all the way here¡­ Still, Maki and Chiharu went out to the balcony, quietly, so the guards wouldn¡¯t hear them. Then they sat down.


    At night, the castle was illuminated by magic stone lamps, but those too were turned off at midnight. And so it was nearly pitch black outside. Underneath the railing, they could see the faint outline of the town below. The lighthouse by the sea was one of the few visible lights out there. Though, the moon¡¯s reflection could also be seen on the water.


    ¡°The nights sure are dark in this world.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s dark no matter where you go. But I find it relaxing too.¡±


    Dark nights were like a danger warning telling you to go to sleep.


    ¡°And yet here we are, wide awake.¡±


    Said Chiharu.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Said Makii. Then they looked up at the night sky.


    ¡°Ah, so they are here after all.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it was just that we hadn¡¯t noticed before.¡±


    A small, small gazer approached. It was about twice the size of a human fist.


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡±


    Chiharu asked and the gazer answered.


    A dark place. Sometimes, there was lots of water. I followed the fast thing and came to a wide place.


    ¡°And did you see a lot?¡±


    Chiharu asked quietly.


    Lots of things. But not enough.


    ¡°Then, why did you come to us?¡±


    Nice smell. Relief. And then it twirled around.


    ¡°Cute.¡±


    ¡°Cute.¡±


    The two said as they saw the gazer turn.


    Good bye.


    After a while, the gazer seemed to grow bored, and turned away. Their backs are black. Chiharu thought. Then she asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to return into a stone?¡±


    Not yet. I want to see more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go around following people.¡±


    Why. They look so warm.


    ¡°Because people grow weak if you touch them. And then they cannot see things.¡±


    Do they dissapear.


    ¡°If you touch them too much, yes.¡±


    That is not good.


    The gazer swayed as if it was thinking.


    ¡°Come when you are tired. I¡¯ll turn you into a magic stone.¡±


    Okay.


    And the gazer slowly drifted back into the night sky.


    ¡°It was so cute.¡±


    Maki said as she put both hands on her cheeks. Then Chiharu said,


    ¡°It was cute, but this is not the underground. It would be fine if it was a weakened gazer. But I wonder if one as healthy as that one won¡¯t cause trouble.¡±


    ¡°Healthy? It looked pretty dazed to me.¡±


    Maki said with a chuckle.


    ¡°But, they were here before, weren¡¯t they? And no one noticed. There was no trouble, right?¡±


    ¡°If it really is the same as before¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    Maki turned to her. Chiharu was staring at the sky with a harsh expression.


    ¡°Two Saintesses. Thick miasma. Dungeon troubles. Monsters in lakes. Weren¡¯t all of those things unprecedented?¡±


    ¡°True. So it wasn¡¯t that no one noticed. They weren¡¯t here before. So something is happening now. That¡¯s what you think, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. But that gazer seemed different. And that makes me wonder. What if we left a dangerous monster to wander through the town?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°But still, I can¡¯t turn them into a magic stone by force.¡±


    No other monsters came that night. But Maki and Chiharu were so anxious that they didn¡¯t feel like returning to their rooms.


    In other words, they did not get much sleep that night.


    Knock-knock.


    Knock-knock.


    ¡°Lady Maki. Lady Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ah! What time is it? I don¡¯t have a watch. Uh, come in, Sera!¡±


    Maki jumped up at Sera¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Chiharu. Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Get up! The elf lands!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Honey wine!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what got you!¡±


    Chiharu finally got up. Sera then came in. She was chuckling.


    ¡°You just came back from a long journey. It¡¯s no wonder you are tired.¡±


    She prepared their breakfast and continued to talk.


    ¡°Lady Maki and Lady Chiharu. I have heard people saying that you two will travel again when you have only returned tomorrow. Surely, I must have heard wrong¡­¡±


    She was mad. Sera was mad. Maki and Chiharu traded awkward glances.


    ¡°We just heard about it last night. But they didn¡¯t give us any details.¡±


    Chiharu was still drowsy, so it was Maki who answered.


    ¡°That silly elf boy even said that you two could travel empty-handed because they would prepare everything for you in the elf lands¡­¡±


    Boy¡­ He was probably over 150 years old¡­ They did say he was the Prime Minister¡¯s aide¡­


    ¡°But you¡¯ll be stopping at the south lands as well. And yet that elf didn¡¯t even think about¡­¡±


    The south lands, huh? Yes, the food should be good there¡­


    ¡°As his uncle, that damned elf should control his nephew. But I think he stayed quiet because he doesn¡¯t want Lady Chiharu to go. Damn him!¡±


    Damned elf? The White Philosopher? Maki didn¡¯t know how to react, so she turned to Chiharu.


    She was sleeping.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Ah.¡±


    ¡°The elf lands!¡±


    ¡°Honey wine¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph! You better get ready or we¡¯ll leave without you!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m up!¡±


    Maki sighed and turned to Sera.


    ¡°Miss Sera. We will have to go eventually. And we were able to get plenty of rest on our way back from the dwarf lands. I promise you, we won¡¯t push ourselves too hard.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyebrows lowered. She knew there was nothing she could do.


    ¡°I do not mind that you must leave, Lady Maki and Lady Chiharu. But those selfish, barbarous elves¡­¡±


    ¡°It will be fine. Don¡¯t worry. He always helps us. And I feel like it would be better for us to go.¡±


    Yesterday, she and Chiharu had decided to take a firmer stand in this matter regarding the monsters.


    Maki turned to Chiharu. She wanted to see her resolve.


    ¡°Hey, Chiha-¡­. Wake up!¡±


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    What happened to the cool Chiharu from last night? Maki was a little baffled.

 CH 68

    Once Maki had woken Chiharu, they quickly ate the breakfast that Sera had prepared. Then they rushed off to Arthur¡¯s office.


    ¡°Ah, there you are. I¡¯m sorry, you two must still be tired.¡±


    Arthur looked quite tired himself. Grudo and the prime minister were also present. Aeris, Zynis, Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran were absent.


    ¡°Aeris was so excited that he went to prepare the airship. Edwy, Kaider, and Nyran are probably making personal preparations. As for Zynis¡­well, you know.¡±


    Arthur had read the question on Maki¡¯s face. And then he continued.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. I heard about what happened in the dwarven dungeons. To be honest, I can hardly believe it. Are you really all right?¡±


    ¡°So far, nothing has happened.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu showed him that they could move around just fine. Arthur seemed to be relieved at this. But then he looked at them seriously and said,


    ¡°But if what I heard is true, I think there is even less reason for me to allow you to go to the other territories.¡±


    ¡°Is it because of Van?¡±


    Chiharu asked.


    ¡°Elves are not even that annoying. Well, no, they are. But not nearly as annoying as those bird people.¡±


    Arthur said as he massaged his temples.


    ¡°So, whose idea was it for us to go?¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but wonder this.


    ¡°It was Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Edwy?¡±


    ¡°And Kaider and Nyran agreed with him.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other. That was odd. Hadn¡¯t Edwy been so worried about them?


    ¡°After he returned to the castle, he felt the warmth of the people who had been worried and hoping for the Saintesses return. Something about it all felt strange, and then he met Van and made his decision.¡±


    ¡°He decided that after feeling their warmth?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Arthur saw how confused Maki and Chiharu were and he chuckled.


    ¡°Apparently, the Saintesses he knew from the road were too different from the Saintesses the people here knew about. Every time they would talk about how worried they were and how relieved they are now, he would want to say, ¡®no¡¯ and ¡®they are not that weak.¡¯¡±


    Arthur put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his folded hands.


    ¡°He said that if you were left in the castle, you would just get involved in some trouble again and eventually escape. And that it would be better if you were close by.¡±


    How rude! Maki and Chiharu thought. But they were smiling. Close by. Chiharu repeated quietly. Not kept away where they were safe. But, close by.


    Of course, it was still out of concern for their well being. But now they wouldn¡¯t have to feel like they were being imprisoned. Both Maki and Chiharu¡¯s eyes were shining bright and gentle.


    So, my son has returned a little more mature than he used to be. Arthur thought. Edwy was now capable of brightening the faces of women.


    Bam!


    ¡°Saintesses! The airship is ready for you!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait. First, they have to be told where we are going so they can prepare!¡±


    Just then, the door opened and two elves entered.


    ¡°Van. Aeris. This is the room of a king¡­¡±


    Arthur narrowed his eyebrows. Zynis followed the other two and he apologized with a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to stop them.¡±


    Aeris finally collected himself and looked at Maki and Chiharu with gentle eyes. When they stood next to each other, it was easy to see the resemblance between uncle and nephew.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. I won¡¯t force you¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t force you. But would you consider accompanying us to the elf lands?¡±


    Chiharu recalled something. When Aeris had first made this request in this very room. Two months had passed since then. But now she could fulfill that promise. She turned to Maki. Maki nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go!!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll go!!¡±


    Everyone seemed to be relieved. Then Van said,


    ¡°Everything will be prepared for you there. The only thing you need is the clothes on your back!¡±


    It was just as Sera had said. Why was he like this? Maki thought it was funny, but Chiharu turned an expressionless face towards him.


    ¡°The clothes on our back? How many days will it take for us to get there?¡±


    ¡°Well, two days to the south lands and only one day from there.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s three days. What are we supposed to do during those three days?¡±


    ¡°That¡­you can just continue as you are.¡±


    Damn researcher! Chiharu looked at Van with cold eyes. Van took a step back.


    ¡°Besides, why are we going there?¡±


    ¡°Because of¡­um. To collect the miasma¡­¡±


    ¡°And what are we supposed to do on the way?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ You can stare into space¡­¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes turned even colder. Then she turned to Arthur, who was chuckling quietly. He quickly stopped.


    ¡°Did you hear that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s true that we only need to be there. At least he¡¯s not lying to us.¡±


    As Chiharu looked Van down, she left Maki to finish the conversation.


    ¡°As we heard about this yesterday, we talked about it as well. And we¡¯ve been wondering about how we can participate.¡±


    ¡°How? What do you mean, Maki?¡±


    Aeris looked at her quizzically.


    ¡°It¡¯s like Chiharu says. We don¡¯t want to stare into space as mere tourists.¡±


    ¡°I see. However, it really is enough that you gather miasma.¡±


    ¡°But we do that automatically.¡±


    Aeris thought about it for a moment.


    ¡°You could help the cook¡­¡±


    ¡°Uncle! How can you ask that of the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°But they make a really good soup.¡±


    Maki was starting to find these two rather amusing together. However, there was no time. Maki turned towards Grudo.


    ¡°Grudo. Are you going too?¡±


    ¡°Aye. Kaider is enough as a dwarf representative, but I want to see the dungeons and magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Then Chiharu and I will work under Grudo as Magic Stone Researchers.¡±


    ¡°Magic Stone Researchers?¡±


    The others all repeated in unison.

 CH 69

    ¡°Magic Stone Researchers?¡±


    Came the surprised voices. Maki nodded.


    They had been thinking about it from the beginning. What were these stones that the cute gazers were turning into? What about the stones on their foreheads? How were they different from the magic stones from the dungeons?


    It was time for them to face these problems. Chiharu had hated it at first, but two months had passed, and she was now accustomed to it.


    ¡°We can sense the voices of the monsters.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the reports. But it¡¯s not something I can easily believe.¡±


    Arthur said with a serious expression. That was no surprise. Maki thought.


    ¡°At the same time, we also feel something from the magic stone. It¡¯s weak, but there is something like warmth.¡±


    Maki said. Then Chiharu continued.


    ¡°At first, I thought it was body heat that they maintained after falling off of our heads. But the gazer stones are also a little warm. And it continues. Maybe the voices of the gazers and the warmth from the stones¡­¡±


    Chiharu looked towards Grudo. He answered.


    ¡°Hmm. It just feels like a cold rock to me.¡±


    ¡°I would like to hear more about this.¡±


    Aeris said excitedly. Maki answered him.


    ¡°I think its a good opportunity. We want to know more about the monsters and magic stones. And we can talk about the differences.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t know if it will mean anything in the end. So we won¡¯t ask to be paid. We just want to be given the positions of assistants to Grudo.¡±


    Then Chiharu turned to Arthur and said with a smile,


    ¡°Then we¡¯d have a purpose for going. And we wouldn¡¯t just be there doing nothing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Arthur cupped his chin and thought.


    ¡°If you promise not to do anything that is dangerous.¡±


    Arthur looked at Aeris and Grudo.


    ¡°I won¡¯t push them into doing such a thing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a repeat of the awful thing that happened in Gromble.¡±


    ¡°In that case, fine. Maki and Chiharu. Will you go to the elf lands as assistants for Aeris and Grudo?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    And like that, it was officially decided that the two of them would travel to the elf lands.


    The airport was on the route to a port town called Tram.


    There was one flight to the elf lands every week, and while it was costly, anyone could ride it. It was made in this location as a compromise, as it could not be too far from either the castle or the town.


    ¡°We actually passed by this place many times, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even notice it, Maki-chan.¡±


    They looked up in awe at the airship.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not surprising, since it¡¯s only ever here when it lands. And the private ship is not that big.¡±


    Aeris said this proudly. The main airship could carry 20 to 30 people. But Aeris¡¯s private airship was smaller and could only carry about 10 people.


    Maki and Chiharu had heard the word ¡®airship¡¯ and thought of something they had seen back in Japan. A more typical dirigible, that was like a giant balloon with just a small area with seats on the bottom.


    However, how could they describe what they were looking at now? Hmm. A house. No, more like a room. It was a rectangular box that was the size of a small house. It even had windows and a door.


    Apparently, the levitation stones made the box light, and then they used magic stones to move the propellers. In other words, this rectangular box was going to sway around in the air.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to sway. It¡¯s very comfortable.¡±


    Aeris insisted. But the two were still hesitant. Had they seen anything so fantastical since coming to this world? No, they had not.


    However, there was also a reliable pair there as well. Kaider and Nyran were standing by the airship, wearing the same Adventurers clothing that they wore during their first encounter. Yes, these two had come to Midland by airship in the first place. So they had been in it. And so Maki and Chiharu felt that it must be safe.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s off to the elf lands next.¡±


    They said casually with a raise of their hands.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not dressed as a boy this time.¡±


    Maki said with a little embarrassment. They were both wearing a short one-piece dress with pants underneath. It had been Chiharu¡¯s idea, and Sera had them made. The clothes were very easy to move in, so they would be fine even if they were abducted by the birdfolk again. It puffed out near the ankles, just barely covering them, which gave them a feminine touch. In fact, the castle soldiers and maids had been staring at them for quite a while.


    ¡°Not that you looked terrible¡­¡±


    Kaider said as he scratched his nose.


    ¡°But you look much better as you are now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re one to talk.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Maki pointed her nose away, and so did Kaider.


    What was going on? What. Chiharu was a little surprised, and so she turned to look at Aeris. Aeris looked down at her and the corner of his mouth curled a little.


    I had no idea. I didn¡¯t realize that such a nice thing was happening. Well, no, it did seem quite likely. Chiharu told herself. But then again, maybe it was just that Kaider was such a meddler.


    In any case, things were starting to get interesting. Aeris looked at the smiling Chiharu with gentle eyes, then he raised his voice.


    ¡°Now, all aboard!¡±


    To the weird-looking airship! They were off to the south lands.

 CH 70

    They¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Zynis and Arthur were on the castle balcony and watching Aeris¡¯s airship floating and swaying off into the distance. Well, Aeris would have been angry if he heard them use those words. However, it was definitely odd seeing a box flying in the air like that.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Zynis turned around. There were three dog people behind him. One was ash-colored, just like him. The other two were a pale, golden color. While the golden pair was a man and woman, they were all much smaller than Zynis.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be late. However, I wanted to see Maki and Chiharu¡¯s cheerful departure.¡±


    Zynis said as he returned to his room. The ash-colored dog man wagged his tail as he replied.


    ¡°Do they really have such worth? Mother is fighting monsters at the frontlines of the beastkin territories.¡±


    ¡°I heard the Saintesses are just lazily eating and drinking as they travel.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Zynis looked at his son, who seemed very bothered. This dogman appeared to be about 20, but he was actually almost 100. Usually, he was with Zynis¡¯s wife and fought daily in the dungeons.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you think, Dilon. What about you, Ortha and Corete?¡±


    Zynis asked the golden dogfolk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t agree. They are doing what they can. Mother just likes to fight, that¡¯s why she is there. And you deal with diplomacy because you are good at it, father. Besides, previous Saintesses never went outside, so this is a huge improvement. Please introduce us one day.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care either. Also, they were pretty cute.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. That just sounds like a convenient excuse to me.¡±


    Dilon said with annoyance. Ortha was Dilon¡¯s older sister. She was 130 years old. But she looked to be the same age as Maki and Chiharu. Her pale but rich golden fur was from her mother. Corete was Zynis¡¯s nephew and was the same age as Ortha. He seemed to never feel stressed wherever he went, and so he was often sent on special missions.


    Zynis sighed inwardly. It was an important time and he had some reservations about bringing his inexperienced son on this mission. However, Ortha, who was unlike her parents and rather small in stature, was already active in special missions within the human territories. Dilon was also small for a beastkin, but he wanted to fight on the frontlines. And yet he had been assigned to this mission against his will.


    Could he succeed when he was this emotional? Zynis was worried. But Arthur had assured him.


    ¡°Zynis, you saw what happened with Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Arthur.¡±


    ¡°He has grown so much in just two months. There are not many opportunities for beastkin to leave their territories. It will be good for him and for your people.¡±


    Arthur patted Zynis on the back consolingly.


    Yes. His body was too big for him to blend in with the humans. And so he would have to leave it to them.


    Just then, there were the sounds beating wings by the window. It was the birdfolk.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit tiring flying across the sea.¡±


    ¡°Most people aren¡¯t as stupid as Sauro and Saikania.¡±


    They were birdfolk that lived within a limited area and didn¡¯t travel long distances. Of course, that limited area still had a radius of dozens of kilometers. While Sauro and Saikania¡¯s tribe were more fit for traveling long distances, they attracted too much attention on land. That¡¯s why Arthur had gone out of his way to call birdfolk that had brown feathers. The feathers were a glossy, burnt brown color with white on the inner side. Their eyes were light brown. Perhaps it was because of this, but they looked more thoughtful than Sauro.


    ¡°Have the Saintesses left already?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just a moment ago.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! I wanted to see them!¡±


    The birdfolk moaned.


    ¡°They were so cute.¡±


    Ortha said.


    ¡°We should have just come by train. I always wanted to ride a train. But the thought of being under the ground just makes me sick.¡±


    ¡°We can wait for the Saintesses here after we finish our mission.¡±


    However, they were typical birdfolk inside.


    ¡°Now, Kleo and Kaela. I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you, but I must explain your mission.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s serious voice echoed. He sat down behind his desk, and the others all settled into chairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have all heard the news. But we received a warning from the merfolk.¡±


    ¡°It was something like ¡®beware of the inland mirror lake.¡¯ That doesn¡¯t really tell us anything.¡±


    Dilon said. Arthur nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we are having the beastkin help us.¡±


    Arthur said as he touched the wrinkle between his eyebrows.


    ¡°There has never been any animosity between the human tribes. However, I¡¯m sure you all remember the recent incident where the Saintesess were insulted by the inland people.¡±


    Everyone nodded. The story had spread to all of the other lands.


    ¡°It was so unreasonable that we cut off all trade with them temporarily. The thing that should have hurt them the most was the import of magic stones. However, they do not seem to be affected at all.¡±


    They imported the same amount once trade had continued. Of course, the inland people apologized before too long, but it seemed almost like they did it out of boredom. As if they were humoring them. That¡¯s what Arthur thought.


    ¡°Something is happening there. It was when we started to suspect this, that Amia gave us the warning. It¡¯s very rare for merfolk to send humans a warning. Of course, it¡¯s very like them to send a warning that we can barely make sense of.¡±


    Arthur said with a sigh and then he rubbed his face tiredly.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ve already sent out some human scouts. However, I want the beastkin to avoid any main roads and search the area around the mirror lake from the mountains. If necessary, you can also infiltrate the nearby town.¡±


    Arthur said as he looked at the others.


    ¡°Thankfully, the Saintesses are headed to the elf lands. I heard that the merfolk saved them from the gazers when they were at the mirror lake in the dwarf lands. That being said, Maki and Chiharu claim that the monsters would never attack a Saintess.¡±


    ¡°As someone who fights in the dungeon every day, that is hard to believe¡­¡±


    Ortha muttered.


    ¡°Kaider and Nyran witnessed it.¡±


    ¡°Kaider and Nyran? Then it must be true.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran were trusted by other dungeon crawlers.


    ¡°Zynis and his team will go from the mountains. Kleo and Kaela can go from the sky. Don¡¯t do anything dangerous, but gather as much information as you can.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    They all nodded.


    The dwarves, including Grudo, and the elves, including Aeris, had spent the last 300 years inventing useful magic items. All of these required magic stones, which meant that the number of monsters had to be increasing to make up for it. Had they not been developing these magic items, they might have realized this sooner.


    Something was happening. Well, it had been happening for the last 300 years.


    Arthur saw the scout teams off and then looked in the direction that the airship had gone. It would be best if the scouts found nothing. And it would be best if the Saintesses could live in peace.

 CH 71

    While Arthur was watching the beastkin head towards the inland region, Maki and Chiharu were relaxing in the airship. It was just as he had wanted.


    There were several small sofas in the airship and also a table. There was also a simple sink. The pilot¡¯s seat was in the very front. As it was made especially for Aeris, the handle was much too high for Maki or Chiharu to control comfortably while sitting down. While Aeris piloted the airship most of the way, Van would sometimes take his place. Maki was surprised that he could be useful sometimes.


    They were not flying too high, and so they were able to see the land below very well. When they looked to the side, they could see birdfolk flying in the air. If their eyes happened to meet, they would wave at them cheerfully.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s not affected at all when the birdfolk get close?¡±


    Chiharu asked.


    ¡°Airships are very heavy crafts. It took so much testing to find the right balance of levitations stones to keep it in the air. And while the birdfolk used to mock us up in the air, we were too busy fighting the wind back then.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Aeris. Knock it off with the boring stuff.¡±


    Grudo interjected just as Aeris was starting to get into his long-winded speeches.


    ¡°Hmm. Well, it took us a long time to develop it.¡±


    Aeris ended with a chuckle.


    ¡°The birdfolk don¡¯t bother us anymore¡­ However¡­¡±


    Just then, they heard a thud come from the ceiling.


    ¡°Sometimes they rest on top of the airship when they are tired.¡±


    Aeris said with a look of annoyance.


    ¡°But three hours of flight is nothing to them. They are really just resting on top because they find it amusing. Damn them.¡±


    Indeed. Chiharu thought.


    They passed the town of Tram, where the castle was, in no time. Then the airship continued on by the sea towards the south. The sea was blue and there were sandy beaches and cliffs that were hit by white waves. When they turned their eyes inland, they could see flatlands and wheat fields. To the west, there were mountains and forests.


    ¡°So, that direction is inland?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Once you pass the low mountains, you will see vast fields where they grow grain. The inlands are connected with Midland and Lowland to the south.¡±


    As Aeris was piloting the ship, Grudo explained this to them.


    ¡°Both Midland and Lowland are on low grand. So there is just a river that makes the border. And there are several bridges over them. However, the mountains form the borders for Highland. So there are not as many ways to go there.¡±


    ¡°Is there any procedure for crossing the border?¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡±


    Kaider interjected. He looked very bored.


    ¡°After all, what did you even do in the dwarf lands?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We just bought tickets and got on a train until we reached it¡­¡±


    ¡°Right? Well, it¡¯s the same in the human lands.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    They had studied some of this at the castle, but it was different when you were actually traveling. Edwy looked at them a little uncomfortably and then opened his mouth.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. You may not want to hear this, but the actions of the inlanders during the unveiling made a lot of people angry. In fact, Highland blocked their roads after the incident.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu started to feel bad when they heard about what had happened.


    ¡°There is no reason to feel bad. This is a problem that affects our whole world. The reason that I brought this up is because I don¡¯t want you to think that you¡¯re safe, just because you¡¯re around humans. The borders are no longer blocked. And it¡¯s possible that there are people who might want to harm you.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They replied. Edwy had become a little more serious after traveling in the dwarf lands. Chiharu felt that he had come to respect their independence a little more.


    Boys grow up so fast. She thought with a warm look.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s land once so we can rest.¡±


    Aeris called out. Indeed, he had been piloting for 3 hours now. It would be good for him to take a break.


    And so he landed the airship quietly by a riverside town. Apparently, they often used this small airport. So their arrival didn¡¯t cause a commotion.


    ¡°Well, we can eat lunch here. Now, Edwy. That¡¯s your job.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    And so Edwy led them away from the airport and to the town. Then they went to the river.


    ¡°We¡¯re still in Midland. And this is a place I sometimes visit. Here!¡±


    Edwy pointed. It looked like a row of small cottages were floating on the river.


    ¡°A floating cottage?¡±


    Chiharu said with surprise.


    ¡°Do they have them in your world too? They are built during the summer and taken down in autumn. There are rooms inside of them where you can eat.¡±


    ¡°They had something similar. They were built on the sea and you could stay in them. I never actually went to one, but I always wanted to.¡±


    ¡°So, that means your dream has come true.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Chiharu looked happy as she turned to Maki. Maki was looking at the river as she said,


    ¡°We would be able to swim if we brought our bathing suits.¡±


    ¡°In the river?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The river was shallow but the current was fast.


    ¡°I guess we can still put our feet in it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    And then Kaider asked them,


    ¡°What¡¯s a bathing suit?¡±


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s something you wear when you go swimming.¡±


    ¡°Swimming? But you¡¯re a woman?¡±


    Right. You weren¡¯t supposed to show much skin in this world. Maki remembered.


    ¡°Yeah. They taught you to swim back in school. Most people there can swim.¡±


    ¡°However, clothes just for that¡­¡±


    ¡°So it doesn¡¯t bog you down. They are cut off around here and stick tightly to your body.¡±


    Maki said as she held her thigh. Kaider looked around awkwardly as if to make sure that no one else was watching.


    ¡°It-it¡¯s really that short?¡±


    He whispered.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. A lot of them were in two pieces so your midriff was exposed.¡±


    ¡°Your stomach! What kind of world¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Kaider. Your face looks red. Are you hot?¡±


    Nyran walked up to them.


    ¡°No, we were just talking about bathing suits.¡±


    ¡°Wait, Maki. I don¡¯t think you should talk about that!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Nyran looked at Kaider suspiciously.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I-I¡¯ll tell you about it later.¡±


    ¡°You will?¡±


    Nyran tilted his head in puzzlement as they returned to the rest of the group.


    ¡°Maki-chan? Kaider?¡±


    Kaider seemed to be unable to look at Chiharu in the face. He couldn¡¯t even look at her body. After all, the bottom only went up to there. There. Chiharu realized what was happening.


    ¡°You¡¯re horrible!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault!¡±


    It was Maki¡¯s fault. Maki said she was sorry as she rolled on the floor with laughter. Nyran still looked confused. Oh, well. At least he wasn¡¯t the one that Chiharu was angry with. Now, it was time to eat lunch.

 CH 72

    While they were a little surprised by it all, the group made their way to the river cottages where they could hear the murmur of the water. The cool wind blew in from the windows in a most delightful way.


    ¡°There were also places where you could eat over a river, but I never got to go to any of them.¡±


    Said Chiharu, who was especially happy.


    ¡°However, you can¡¯t choose from a menu here. It¡¯s all boiled fish. Can you eat fish, Maki, and Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Of course, they can. I saw them hogging down fried fish before.¡±


    Kaider said. While it was true, he could have used different words. But the food arrived before they could complain.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    Each person was served a large soup bowl with a lid over it. Then a basket of sliced bread was placed in the center of the table. Then the waiter pulled the lids off of their bowls and the fumes and the smell of spices filled the air.


    A large, white fish was in the center of the soup bowl as it peeked out from the golden soup. There were also black clams that they remembered eating back at the castle. But what was the yellow, long thing?


    ¡°Ah, the yellow stuff. That was scraped off a sea snake.¡±


    Edwy said light-heartedly.


    ¡°Scraped off¡­¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes seemed to lose focus. But Maki¡­


    ¡°So this sea snake must be pretty big then.¡±


    She sounded interested.


    ¡°Yes. They are a mere 3 meters long. But are as thick as a grown man¡¯s arm. There is lots of edible flesh and they are especially good in soup. Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Yes, snake, yes. But 3 meters seems quite big? Uh, soup? So, it tastes good. I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, very. It¡¯s quite popular with women, for beauty purposes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it must be the collagen! Yes, I¡¯m eating this!¡±


    Chiharu recovered. She didn¡¯t like to look at such wormy things, but she could eat them.


    The shrimps and clams were out of their shells and the whitefish had no bones. She wasn¡¯t sure about the sea snake broth, but the meat was like jelly. The whole thing was so delicious that she used bread to scoop up every last drop. As for the men, they had two servings.


    After the meal, they were served large cups of citrus water.


    ¡°We should take a short walk around town before returning to the airship.¡±


    Edwy suggested. And so Maki and Chiharu decided to walk through the town by the river. While it was a riverside town, the river connected to the sea, so it was also a seaport in a way. Unfortunately, the market had already closed. Still, Tram was filled with the smell of unfamiliar spices and eye-catching tapestry. It did not take long for them to find things they wanted to buy.


    However, the trip would be quite long. It would just be baggage if they bought stuff now. And so Chiharu only bought some twirly-shaped sweets that looked like they would last long. She put it carefully in her bag so they wouldn¡¯t get crushed.


    The others all wanted to tell her that she was better off getting a pretty handkerchief or a scarf, if she was worried about space. But they held their tongue.


    While the others watched Chiharu become excited, Maki quickly finished her own shopping. It was just like when they had traveled in the dwarf lands.


    And then they returned to the airship.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pilot it this time.¡±


    Edwy said as he grabbed the handle. It was a little high for him, but Aeris had been thorough when teaching him how to pilot it.


    ¡°Can I sit next to you?¡±


    ¡°Nyran. Sure. You should take this opportunity to learn.¡±


    Aeris sat down next to Chiharu. Chiharu sat next to him, and Grudo and Kaider sat on the opposite side. Van was sitting further off and talking happily. After a while, Maki and Chiharu started to feel sleepy.


    And so Aeris moved so that Chiharu could rest on his shoulder.


    ¡°Uncle¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that the wisdom of age?¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°Wh-, no, I¡¯m just¡­¡±


    Kaider looked away. Maki was leaning on Chiharu as she slept. Aeris thought that it was very cute.


    ¡°Grudo and I are at an age where we can live as we like. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    Aeris said to Kaider with a grin.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s true that we are very proud of Grudo. And we respect you as well, Aeris. However, I think you have always lived as pleased.¡±


    Aeris chuckled.


    ¡°Well, then. It¡¯s because I lived as I pleased up until now, that I will continue to do so.¡±


    He said. And then he picked up some of Chiharu¡¯s hair and enjoyed the sensation.


    ¡°Tsk. Most people cannot live so freely.¡±


    Kaider said as he looked at Maki. Of course, for him, the bigger problem was that he didn¡¯t know his own feelings.


    ¡°Well, they must be tired. They went out on the balcony last night as well.¡±


    ¡°The gazers?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t really see. But that was probably it.¡±


    ¡°I see. To think that gazers would come all of the way to Midland¡­¡±


    ¡°According to them, there were gazers in the past as well. However, they only appear now because of the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°We just don¡¯t know enough about the magic stones or the monsters.¡±


    Aeris said with annoyance. Then he continued as if suddenly remembering something.


    ¡°That being said, while you have been useful, I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good thing to snoop around a lady¡¯s room at night.¡±


    ¡°Are you jealous?¡±


    Kaid asked. However, the old were wise.


    ¡°To be honest, yes.¡±


    He answered plainly.


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯ve looked rather red for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Hey, shut up, Nyran. Chiharu might wake up¡­¡±


    Kaider looked a little frantic.


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping soundly.¡±


    Aeris said.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because Maki talked about swimming in bathing suits.¡±


    Kaider said hesitantly.


    ¡°Bathing suits?¡±


    ¡°Swimming?¡±


    ¡°They are tight clothes that come up to here.¡±


    Kaider showed them.


    ¡°What? And they have nothing under it?¡±


    ¡°Edwy, keep your eyes up ahead!¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, yes?¡±


    At some point, Edwy had become distracted by their conversation.


    ¡°And she said the top and bottom are separate and they show their stomach.¡±


    ¡°Their stomach?¡±


    ¡°Their stomach?¡±


    ¡°Their stomach?¡±


    Everyone looked at Maki¡¯s stomach. Then they turned red and looked away. Except for Grudo.


    ¡°Being young is so troublesome. Oh, some of you aren¡¯t young.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Aeris shot back with a red face. Then Nyran mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad that Chiharu wasn¡¯t awake.¡±


    That was something they could all agree on.

 CH 73

    That day, the airship landed in a Midland border town. The river that was the border was quite narrow. If you looked upstream from the bridge closest to the sea, you could see a series of arched bridges along the river. There were seven in all.


    Edwy, Grudo, and Van were going to take care of securing their inn. And so Maki and Chiharu had come to see the bridges with Kaider and Nyran. Aeris was doing maintenance on the airship.


    ¡°It would be nice if we could go down the river from the top.¡±


    Chiharu said as she gazed at them.


    ¡°What is so interesting about bridges?¡±


    Nyran asked.


    ¡°What? I think it¡¯s interesting. Besides, you can see the different flowers that are growing on both sides. Imagine relaxing on a boat with the blue sky above you. Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡±


    ¡°Is it? I think it would be more amusing to swing a sword around.¡±


    They both looked puzzled. Perhaps here, people didn¡¯t think about having fun after work as much as other places.


    Maki and Chiharu stood on the bridge closest to the sea and stared dazedly at the people and carriages that moved. There were no cars, and the carriages weren¡¯t much faster than the people walking. Some were carrying very large bags. There weren¡¯t as many people as in Tram, but as it was the border, there was a decent amount of traffic.


    The people also looked the same as anywhere else.


    ¡°Now that I think of it, Norfe and Chouze didn¡¯t look different, did they?¡±


    Maki suddenly said.


    ¡°You mean as humans? Well, most people in Midland have blonde hair. Especially close to the royal family. As for Lowland, they have blonde and light brown hair. Highland people tend to have dirty blonde hair. But there is not a huge difference between countries.¡±


    Nyran answered. As for Nyran, his hair was closer to a very light brown and was cut short. It was just like the small princess, Meiya.


    ¡°The land is only divided into three because it is so large. I¡¯m pretty sure they are all equally rich.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about inland?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. Of course, I don¡¯t really know much. As I was mainly in the dwarf lands.¡±


    Nyran muttered.


    ¡°I see. You were raised in the dwarf castle since you were a child, right?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t that young. I was 10-years old. I had lots of brothers in Lowland, so I wasn¡¯t ever lonely. But I wasn¡¯t lonely in the dwarf castle either. You know what it¡¯s like in the dwarf castle, don¡¯t you Maki?¡±


    Maki suddenly remembered. All those brothers and relatives. They were very friendly.


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Not only was I not lonely, but I sometimes wanted to be left alone, I guess?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why Kaider would always go off somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°That was until you turned 16. By then, you got taller than me and became skilled with a sword. I was surprised by how fast humans grew. Still, it was good for us in the end.¡±


    Kaider joined in.


    ¡°We really don¡¯t know much about humans in the dwarf lands. While we might grow slowly in 30 years, they grow in only 10. They are also faster in their lessons, including swordsmanship. And they become adults. I got to see all of that closeup. Now, no one in the castle will look down on humans.¡±


    That was the strength of humans. They grew quickly and multiplied quickly.


    ¡°However, how are things between humans?¡±


    Chiharu asked. She was thinking about the town of Tram.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know since I¡¯ve never been inland. But I felt like there was something special about Tram. It¡¯s similar to other towns in that there are lots of people walking around. But in Tram, there were dwarves, elves, and beastkin. Even birdfolk flew in the sky. There were elf and dwarf merchants that sold goods as if it were the most normal thing.¡±


    ¡°But I think there are some people who don¡¯t like it. Isn¡¯t it true that there are no airships that go to the inlands?¡±


    Maki continued. Kaider and Nyran weren¡¯t sure how to respond.


    They would often travel to the elf lands and beast lands in order to fight in the dungeons. They even went to the human lands sometimes. It was obvious to them that they would meet different people in each place, and those places would have their own customs.


    They were surprised that the Maki and Chiharu¡¯s minds would go there after seeing how nice Tram was. In the first place, the inland people didn¡¯t like non-humans. And yes, they didn¡¯t use airships.


    ¡°The inland royals should send their princes and princesses to one of the other territories while they are still young.¡±


    Chiharu suddenly said.


    ¡°Yes. Not just inland. Every country should do that.¡±


    ¡°You two¡­¡±


    Kaider and Nyran were surprised. But Maki and Chiharu couldn¡¯t understand why.


    ¡°In our country, even common people go abroad to study. Sometimes it¡¯s only two weeks. But it could be for years.¡±


    ¡°Even more people go just to travel.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Even if you¡¯re young, you can still save up money to go abroad.¡±


    ¡°Your world seems very rich indeed.¡±


    Kaider said.


    ¡°Well, some places were, some places weren¡¯t.¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°I think one day, it will become the job of Saintesses to take people with them and travel around the world. And not in disguise.¡±


    ¡°We can be like tour conductors, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°We can be a Saintess Traveling Agency. No, Saintess Tourists? No, that sounds weird.¡±


    ¡°And so we need to travel a lot in preparation!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Kaider and Nyran smiled at them.


    ¡°Uh, we should return to the inn soon.¡±


    Kaider said. Nyran walked protectively behind the three of them as he thought to himself.


    ¡°A Saintess traveling agency¡­ I never thought of anything besides killing monsters. But they are so quick to move to the next thing. Even crossing borders.¡±


    Chiharu had been laughing about something when she turned around and looked at Nyran.


    ¡°Nyran! Hurry!¡±


    She called. I¡¯m not slow. I¡¯m being cautious. He swallowed those words and quicked his pace just enough to catch up with them. In any case, there didn¡¯t seem to be any reason to worry. Besides, he had rested on the ship, so he wouldn¡¯t have much trouble guarding them at night.


    The first day of the trip seemed like it would end peacefully. And so Nyran allowed himself to relax just a little.

 CH 74

    On the first night, they stayed at a fancy place that felt more like a hotel than an inn. But they had to go easy on the wine, as they would be traveling again the next day. They would finally be arriving in the southern territory of Lowland. And the day after that, they would set off for the elf lands.


    ¡°Are there any customs that are very different in the south compared to Midland?¡¯


    Chiharu became worried and asked Nyran.


    ¡°Not really. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°Ahh. Well, I¡¯m the fifth prince. Meiya is the youngest child and the fifth princess. No, the fourth? No, I have three older sisters and she¡¯s the younger sister that is considerably¡­¡±


    Nyran sounded confused.


    ¡°You have four older brothers. Three older sisters. Two younger sisters. There are ten of you in all. Only the youngest was born much later than the rest. Right?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Thank you, Kaider. My younger sisters were born after I left, and I don¡¯t even know which of my older sisters are married.¡±


    ¡°It gets even more confusing when you add your cousins.¡±


    Kaider said sympathetically. Chiharu said,


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. Yes, there are many of them. And they are very friendly. Perhaps too much so.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s just like the dwarf castle?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So, be prepared for that.¡±


    While it was a lot, it was nice to know that the south lands were warm and friendly. Chiharu was quite happy about this information.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting Meiya.¡±


    ¡°You know her?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was Meiya who defended us from the inlanders during the unveiling.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t she like 8 years-old?¡±


    ¡°I think so. But she was very brave.¡±


    Chiharu said as she remembered that moment.


    ¡°None of the adults would say anything. But she remonstrated the inland princess.¡±


    ¡°I see. She¡¯s grown up since I last met her.¡±


    Nyran looked happy.


    ¡°The first prince is the future king. The second will assist him. The third was sent to the beastlands¡­¡±


    He said. Hmm. Hmm¡­


    ¡°The fourth was sent to the elf lands¡­well, he might have already returned.¡±


    ¡°Returned?¡±


    ¡°They wouldn¡¯t keep him there forever. Those who are sent to the three territories will eventually need to get married.¡±


    ¡°I see. What about you, Nyran?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too early for me. I will wait for things to settle down first. I think I should like to marry someone who will come with me to the dwarf lands.¡±


    That was no surprise.


    ¡°Well, maybe you should search for someone in Midland.¡±


    ¡°People in the south are on friendly terms with the elves, but don¡¯t know much about dwarves. So that may be a good idea.¡±


    While Nyran and Chiharu talked, Edwy and Kaider listened behind them.


    ¡°I thought Nyran preferred Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Still¡­ It¡¯s true that he thinks a lot about her. Maybe that is why he keeps his distance. I don¡¯t know. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right to assume he has romantic feelings just because of his age.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a strangely decent opinion coming form you, Kaider.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. What is that supposed to mean.¡±


    Edwy said the rude line and then turned his head away.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to rest for the day. Maki and Chiharu, I hope you won¡¯t go out into the balcony secretly anymore. Kaider and Nyran will do it with you.¡±


    He said. If they were going to do it anyway, then they should do it while being protected. Of course, he wished he could be the one to stay with them, but it was obvious that guards should be stronger.


    ¡°Hey! Oh, well. Yes. Maki and Chiharu, what will you do? Will you be ready in about an hour?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu had not expected the others to accept this nightly duty so easily, and so they were surprised.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    They said.


    ¡°Sorry, but would you mind if I went too?¡±


    Van asked hesitantly. He had made such a bad first impression and had yet to make up for it. And so he kept a low profile most of the time. However, if there was a chance to see the Saintesses doing their job, he could not stay quiet.


    Maki and Chiharu looked at one another. And then they looked at Aeris. Aeris chuckled.


    ¡°He¡¯s much more proper back at home. I could stay with you if you are worried, but wouldn¡¯t it better if there weren¡¯t too many people there?¡±


    He said. If that was what Aeris thought¡­ And so Maki said,


    ¡°You can come with Kaider and Nyran. But there is no guarantee that any monsters will come. Also, you must be quiet.¡±


    And so she gave her permission.


    One hour later. As it was summertime, Maki and Chiharu wore thin pajamas.


    ¡°You should be wearing robes!¡±


    Kaider had scolded them at first. But they ignored him and went out onto the balcony. It was already dark outside.


    ¡°There is no tunnel her connecting to the dwarf lands, so there may be no gazers here.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll have to cross the sea if they want to go to the elf lands.¡±


    They talked leisurely and ignored the guards that stood behind them. This was the first time that Kaider and Nyran had guarded them while being this close. They looked up at the sky anxiously. However, before they were able to see anything¡­


    ¡°There.¡±


    ¡°Above.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu pointed. One, two, three, and four¡­


    ¡°Hey, how many of them are going to come!¡±


    Kaider hissed. Van took in a deep breath. Nyran crouched a little and touched the pommel of his sword.


    ¡°It looks like there are seven of them. What a surprise. So many. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Chiharu said calmly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­ What is she saying.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet, Van.¡±


    ¡°From the mountain? Not the sea? Did you float all the way here because no one noticed you when you came out?¡±


    Chiharu was talking a lot.


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re tired. Then, I¡¯ll return you to a magic stone.¡±


    The gazer trembled a little and then approached Chiharu and Maki. Van was about to jump forward, but Nyran stopped him. Van turned to Nyran as if he could not believe what was happening. But he quickly turned back to Maki and Chiharu.


    The gazer rubbed against Maki and Chiharu¡¯s hands. Yes, like it was being coddled. Then it glowed faintly before shrinking. There was a clink as the small stone fell to the floor. In just a brief moment, all seven of the gazers disappeared.


    Chiharu and Maki leaned out over the balcony.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s all for tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And then they quietly picked up the stones.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there will be anymore tonight.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    They said to their guards. Then they returned to the room and turned up the lights a little.


    ¡°You¡­the monsters¡­are you alright¡­¡±


    ¡°Van. Calm down.¡±


    Chiharu hadn¡¯t smiled towards Van once since they met, but she now turned to face him. This was because for once, he was more concerned about them as friends than as a researcher who was interested in monsters.


    Chiharu glanced over to Nyran. This was because it seemed like Van would be worried no matter what they said to him.


    ¡°Van, calm down. They¡¯ve done this before. And as of now, there have been no negative side-effects.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Nyran turned to face Van and then grabbed him by the shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes¡­¡±


    We saw them do this nearly every day, so we¡¯re used to it. But maybe we were like this the first time. Nyran thought.


    ¡°Nyran. Van. Can I talk to you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, he seems fine now.¡±


    ¡°Alright, can you sit down then?¡±


    Chiharu made everyone sit on the sofa.


    ¡°What? Shouldn¡¯t you two get some rest?¡±


    ¡°Kaider. Nyran. Do you mind?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Chiharu and Maki were so serious that it was almost scary.


    ¡°The gazers. They said that they went over many mountains.¡±


    ¡°Mountains? Not the sea?¡±


    Chiharu nodded. Nyran stood up suddenly.


    ¡°Do you mean, they crossed the border?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Impossible. There was no dungeon there.

 CH 75

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to call the others.¡±


    And so Kaider hurried off to call them.


    ¡°What is it? Chiharu and Maki.¡±


    ¡°So, it was dangerous after all!¡±


    Aeris and Edwy looked very worried. Grudo was yawning.


    Chiharu and Maki shook their heads. Then they made everyone sit down before Chiharu repeated what she had just said to the others.


    ¡°The gazers said that they came over the mountains and not the sea.¡±


    ¡°What! Lowland is connected by a river. So that means they came through the mountains near Highland¡­¡±


    Edwy said with surprise.


    ¡°Yes, while they are low, there are mountains near the border of Highland. Chiharu, do you know which area they came from exactly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. They just said that they crossed several mountains and were tired.¡±


    Chiharu said as she shook her head.


    ¡°This is the border. Maybe it was near the mountains of Lowland.¡±


    Nyran said with a scowl.


    ¡°Did they just come out of a cave? Or is there a new dungeon¡­¡±


    ¡°Surely not. That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Grudo said. He was no longer yawning.


    ¡°Calm down. Yes, there are occasionally monsters in the tunnels under the sea. That just means there are a few monsters in the underground caves. If not, we would have seen more up until now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­many things have been happening recently that never happened before. In any case, each country must share information and we must be cautious.¡±


    Everyone nodded at Edwy¡¯s words. However, Grudo tended to see things more optimistically.


    ¡°We¡¯ll tell you if something happens again. Sorry, to call you all here.¡±


    Chiharu said. And so they all retired for the night.


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I got the impression of mountains as well. But I don¡¯t know where they were.¡±


    ¡°If we were back home, we¡¯d recognize the place immediately if it was on TV.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    They no longer thought much about turning gazers into stone. What was troubling them was that they didn¡¯t know what was normal and what wasn¡¯t for people in this world.


    ¡°Maybe we should have described the mountains to them.¡±


    ¡°But they weren¡¯t particularly unique.¡±


    It could not be helped. The only thing they could do now was to make sure they weren¡¯t too tired the next morning. And so Maki and Chiharu got into bed.


    They took it easy the next morning, and spent three hours traveling, including lunch, and then arrived at Bakka. This was where the Lowland castle was located. Now the mountains that would have seemed close to the east in Midland were far away. There were more flatlands here. But there were also some hills and trees that were green and beautiful.


    ¡°There are rice fields.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you recognize them? I thought you would.¡±


    Nyran said a little teasingly. While it was too early to harvest, the green ears of rice spread out before them. Perhaps they were using the flatlands as is, because they weren¡¯t organized into neat squares. But otherwise, the scene was full of nostalgia for them.


    ¡°They¡¯re slowly increasing the amount that they produce.¡±


    Whether he was in the dwarf castle or out adventuring, Nyran always seemed to know about the country.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will increase even more if you two help spread some delicious dishes.¡±


    ¡°I hope so.¡±


    Nyran had been piloting the airship in the morning, so he seemed a little tired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you manage to make the airship tilt to the side when it¡¯s made so that it won¡¯t, no matter what the birdfolk do.¡±


    Those were Aeris¡¯s words. While Nyran was usually good at anything, he did not like piloting airships. It was rare to see him scratch his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like flying with birdfolk either.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡±


    Kaider agreed. If Orne and Puel were there, they would have said that would rather carry Maki and Chiharu as well. There was a trick to flying with birdfolk. You had to relax your body and let them control you. This was not something the two warriors liked to do.


    As their leisurely journey was coming close to an end, Maki and Chiharu stuck their noses to the window and enjoyed the view. More and more houses could be seen as they approached Bakka.


    ¡°The buildings are all white!¡±


    ¡°But the roofs are orange. It¡¯s so pretty!¡±


    In Tram, the castle had been on slightly elevated ground. And it was the same for the castle in Bakka.


    ¡°So many cottages.¡±


    Chiharu said. Nyran answered.


    ¡°Cottages? I don¡¯t know what you mean. But as there are many relatives, the castle itself is like a small town.¡±


    As Nyran said, there were large mansions on both sides of the castle. It was very odd.


    The town square was just outside of the castle gates, and the rest of the town spread out from there. There was also an inlet with a small port and a few sailboats and fishing boats were currently docked there. And a white, sandy beach spread out on both sides of the inlet.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a southern island.¡±


    ¡°Blue seas, white beaches, white sails and houses with orange roofs. And then there¡¯s the castle. It really is pretty.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Bakka really is beautiful when seen from the sky.¡±


    Nyran agreed as he looked out the window. Just then, the birdfolk changed directions and flew towards the beach.


    ¡°Where are we going to land?¡±


    ¡°Between the inlet and the beach.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯ve gone on ahead. To the beach.¡±


    ¡°They usually follow the airship until the end.¡±


    Aeris cocked his head to the side as he controlled the airship. The airship slowly descended.


    ¡°Woah, the waves look pretty wild. The water turns white when they crash.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, the wind seems calm. Hmm? There is someone on the beach. Van!¡±


    ¡°What is it, uncle?¡±


    ¡°Look at the beach for me.¡±


    Elves had good eyes.


    ¡°The beach? Well, the waves look rough. Hmm. Yes, and there are people there too. Almost like they are watching the sea for something. Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Aeris sounded suspicious.


    ¡°Is it¡­merfolk?¡±


    ¡°Merfolk?¡±


    ¡°Merfolk?¡±


    ¡°Merfolk?¡±

 CH 76

    Maki and Chiharu frantically searched from the window. Maki had always had good eyes. As for Chiharu, she used to wear contact lenses, but her eyesight had improved upon coming to this world.


    ¡°So, what I thought were white waves, was really the sunlight reflecting off of their scales¡­¡±


    ¡°How many are there¡­ There are more than we saw on the merfolk island.¡±


    Maki muttered as she turned around and said to no one in particular,


    ¡°Is the merfolk kingdom close to Lowland?¡±


    Maybe there were a lot of merfolk near Lowland, just like there were a lot near the island. So, was the merfolk kingdom in-between Lowland and the island? They would have to go there eventually, but they had never learned about its location.


    However, everyone traded glances but kept silent. It was no wonder. Because they didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°Do you know anything, Aeris and Grudo?¡±


    Edwy finally asked.


    ¡°I have heard about it being an island that was near the border of Midland and Lowland.¡±


    ¡°But I heard it was closer to the elf territories.¡±


    Grudo and Aeris replied.


    ¡°In other words?¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°No one knows.¡±


    ¡°Then how were we ever supposed to visit it!¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    ¡°You had plans to go?¡±


    ¡°Amia invited us. We were supposed to go once things settled down.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    Chiharu interrupted her.


    ¡°Maybe finding it is the quest!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s way too hard! We¡¯ve only been in this world for two months! Even the 300-year-old elf and dwarf don¡¯t know!¡±


    Maki put her hands on her head and tousled her hair.


    ¡°Also, Chiharu. This involves you just as much as it does me.¡±


    ¡°Right, sorry!¡±


    Chiharu said. Maki sighed and then asked again.


    ¡°Argh. But why would there be so many here if they didn¡¯t live nearby? Is there a merfolk store here too?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Nyran shook his head.


    ¡°Merfolk can be seen here occasionally, as the beach is very beautiful. But I¡¯ve never seen this many gather here before. That¡¯s probably why the birdfolk came to watch.¡±


    And then Nyran turned to Aeris and said,


    ¡°Aeris. After we land at the airport, I would like to stop by the beach before we head to the castle.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. But it would be best to take Maki and Chiharu straight to the castle.¡±


    ¡°We will lose a lot of time if the merfolk catch the Saintesses. So that is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We will split into two groups.¡±


    And so Kaider and Nyran would stop by the beach before going to the castle.


    The airship flew slowly around the beach and then headed for the port. Then it landed.


    They got out one by one. And though airships were in no way unusual, a crowd had gathered around.


    ¡°What? Did information about the Saintesses leak? Ah.¡±


    As Kaider looked around them, he suddenly noticed something.


    ¡°What is it, Kaider?¡±


    ¡°Maki. And especially Chiharu. Don¡¯t come out yet!¡±


    ¡°What? But we already did.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    When the crowd began to open before them, a merman draped in thin cloth walked out towards them.


    ¡°Beloved children.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s that young guy we met on the island!¡±


    Chiharu shouted in surprise.


    ¡°So you remembered me.¡±


    ¡°Of course we did. It was only two days ago.¡±


    Chiharu chuckled. That meant that this young merman swam all of the way here in just two days. But it was not too strange, as they were just as fast as the birdfolk, if not faster. However¡­


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°I would like to talk by the sea, if that¡¯s possible.¡±


    Chiharu looked at Maki. Then they said,


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    And they nodded and started to walk towards the sea.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu! Don¡¯t go!¡±


    Kaider shouted.


    ¡°It will probably take longer if we don¡¯t go.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you come too if you¡¯re so worried?¡±


    After all, they had decided not to go off on their own anymore.


    ¡°Tsk. We have no choice. Nyran and I will go then.¡±


    ¡°No, we will all go.¡±


    Edwy said.


    ¡°There is no point in going to the castle without Nyran.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s true. Then we¡¯ll all go. Uh, hey! Maki and Chiharu!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were walking ahead with the merman.


    ¡°Even if they aren¡¯t getting abducted, they are too spontaneous. We have to catch up with them! Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Why wouldn¡¯t the Saintesses act like normal ladies? Kaider knew he was being unreasonable, but he still felt annoyed as he chased after them.


    ¡°It¡¯s the white philosopher.¡±


    ¡°The royals.¡±


    ¡°Then who are those girls?¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses!¡±


    The voices rang around them as they followed the merman to the beach.


    Many merfolk were standing near the rushing waves. A short distance away, Lowland soldiers were watching them with an air of nervousness. A few of them had gone out to talk to the merfolk, but it seemed like they were being ignored.


    ¡°That is my father.¡±


    Nyran muttered.


    ¡°His Majesty himself?¡±


    Kaider was surprised. This was highly unusual. The king himself had come out to talk to them.


    ¡°So, here is another person who is too spontaneous.¡±


    ¡°Kaider. My father is much the same. He came all the way to the train station, remember?¡±


    ¡°Unlike Midland, my home and Nyran¡¯s have a lot of people to act as helpers. There is no need for the king to go wandering around. His guards must have a headache.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same with the Saintesses. It really cannot be helped.¡±


    While the guards watched, the merman led the Saintesses over to where the Lowland king was standing.


    ¡°We have come to meet the Saintesses. We have no business with Lowland. You can return to your castle.¡±


    He said as he pointed in the direction of the castle. The people around them were more annoyed than the king was.


    ¡°How dare you treat the king of this country like that!¡±


    One of the guards said as he stepped forward. But the king stopped him with a hand. Then he looked at Maki and Chiharu, and then glanced toward Kaider and Nyran.


    ¡°So, you have nothing to say to Lowland. Very well. We will wait here until you are finished with the Saintesses.¡±


    The merman looked like he was going to say that that won¡¯t be necessary. But the king continued before he could.


    ¡°After all, the Saintesses were originally invited to our castle.¡±


    So it was you who ruined our plans, the words seemed to say. The merman fell silent and then took Maki and Chiharu towards the waves. Maki and Chiharu bowed to the king and then followed after the merman.


    And then, all at once, the merfolk surrounded them. It was hard to believe that they had looked so indifferent a moment ago.


    The king sighed and said,


    ¡°Nyran. Kaider. It¡¯s been a month since I last saw you two. I feel bad for keeping you so busy.¡±


    Kaider kept his eyes on Maki and Chiharu as he said,


    ¡°I know how it can be when a dungeon is involved. Please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Nyran nodded.


    ¡°Father, will you please tell us what is happening here?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°There is not much to explain. A few hours ago, I heard that a crowd of merfolk had gathered to our beach. I was told that they had business with Lowland, but when I came, they say they do not. But they wouldn¡¯t tell me why they were here either. And so we¡¯ve been in a stalemate.¡±


    The king said with a sigh.


    ¡°I had no idea that they were waiting for the Saintesses. Maybe I should be relieved. I¡¯m too surprised to know what to say. In any case, so they are this generation¡¯s Saintesses. They seem quite normal to me.¡±


    He said rudely. It was then that Aeris caught up with them and said in an exasperated voice.


    ¡°Dark eyes and hair. Short and quiet. The Saintesses were always like that. No more and no less. What were you expecting, Kilian?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But since they apparently stole my son¡¯s heart, I expected a little more glamour.¡±


    ¡°They didn¡¯t steal anything.¡±


    Nyran was annoyed that such rumors had spread.


    ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t choose a woman just because she was glamorous.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you like Saintesses to be plain.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Nyran couldn¡¯t help but answer to the king¡¯s teasing. Still, he kept his eyes on Maki and Chiharu the whole time.


    ¡°Still, what are they talking about?¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, it¡¯s an invitation to the merfolk kingdom.¡±

 CH 77

    In the meantime, Maki and Chiharu were surrounded by happy merfolk.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I forgot to introduce myself last time. I am Saia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. There are none among us who do not know those names.¡±


    Saia smiled gently. But he quickly turned serious.


    ¡°Our chief has not yet returned.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he say something about having something to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He did not like to miss the chance to meet with the beloved children, but there was something that had been bothering him. And so he left with a few others. And they have not returned.¡±


    ¡°Where did they go?¡±


    ¡°To the mirror lake.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu gulped.


    ¡°So far¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, you are wrong. It is not the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I am talking about the inland mirror lake.¡±


    ¡°So, there is one here too.¡±


    ¡°I have been there before. It is every bit as beautiful as the lake in the dwarf lands.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu thought back on it. While it was beautiful, a lot had happened there.


    ¡°Did you send anyone?¡±


    ¡°We did, but the inlanders have so many boats out, it is hard to search through the lake. But our kind is hardly ever injured or delayed due to water, so I don¡¯t think anything happened to the chief.¡±


    Indeed, it was hard to think that anything could have gotten in Amia¡¯s way. But the chief was gone. That was all Saia had said. But it was obvious that he wanted help.


    He wanted them to go and take a look. However, what could Maki and Chiharu even do? And so Maki said,


    ¡°Well then, if you don¡¯t mind me being honest, why don¡¯t you ask Arthur or the king of this country for help?¡±


    Saia shook his head.


    ¡°We are people of the water. We are sometimes lumped in with the beastkin, but we are not part of the three territories, especially not with the humans. No one is our ally and no one protects us. That balance will be ruined if we ask for help. It will mean trouble eventually. And so we can not let others become involved¡­¡±


    Saia looked towards the shore.


    ¡°Amia just followed the water path to see what was bothering him. He didn¡¯t get involved in anything. And so he is not to blame. If something did happen, it is the other people¡¯s fault. However, blaming them will mean fighting. And so¡­¡±


    Saia looked at Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°As people who belong to no country, we came to ask for your help, beloved children.¡±


    Maki folded her arms and sighed.


    ¡°You do know that the inlanders hate us?¡±


    ¡°I have heard rumors.¡±


    ¡°If we went to most countries in disguise, the royals would be notified, and we might get scolded a little, but that¡¯s all. But what about inland? Those people said it would be fine if we disappeared because a new Saintess would just be summoned.¡±


    She unfolded her arms.


    ¡°In spite of calling us beloved children, I feel like you¡¯re asking us to do something really dangerous.¡±


    Maki said to Saia with a severe expression. For Maki personally, she did not feel particularly close to Amia. She just thought of him as the somewhat silly guy who adored Chiharu.


    However, why had he gone inland? It must be to investigate the miasma and monsters. In other words, he must have done it while thinking about Maki and Chiharu as well.


    Still, there was Chiharu. Maki didn¡¯t mind walking into danger, but she didn¡¯t want to allow Chiharu to get involved in that. Chiharu was much smaller than her and not as athletic.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    Just as Maki was going to say no, Chiharu interrupted her.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°No, Chiharu. This isn¡¯t a fun field trip where we can play dress-up. If the inland royals find us, they might even kill us.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    Chiharu continued.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forget the time he saved me at the mirror lake. And I think Amia might know a secret about the monsters and magic stones. If that¡¯s what he¡¯s investigating, should we really be going to the elf lands?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    Her once shy friend was starting to become a lot cooler recently. It was true. They had only just recently declared that they would work to do research on the magic stones.


    ¡°Besides, he really did help me when I was drowning. I don¡¯t see how I can abandon my rescuer when he¡¯s in trouble.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. We won¡¯t have much fun in the elf lands anyway if we are worrying about him. But still¡­¡±


    Maki folded her arms.


    ¡°There is no point in going if you are useless. Will we really be able to do anything?¡±


    ¡°Of course, we will.¡±


    Chiharu insisted.


    ¡°Maki. Were you thinking about going without telling anyone?¡±


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    She had thought that would be the only way.


    ¡°We decided not to act secretly anymore, because it made people worry. So, even if I can¡¯t be useful, surely the people that come with us will be.¡±


    ¡°Uh, we can¡¯t just leave everything to others, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°But, I really don¡¯t think I can do much. Though, I do have really thick skin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure that has anything to do with it.¡±


    Maki pointed out.


    ¡°Besides, were you listening to Saia? We¡¯re not allowed to get the other territories involved.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The merfolk can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk¡­¡±


    ¡°People who guard or care for the Saintesses and just happened to come along and do something¡­and just happened to gain information¡­ I don¡¯t think it is related to the other territories.¡±


    ¡°That is some trickery¡­¡±


    Was it alright? Maybe it was.


    ¡°Beloved children. We are able to leave the water, but we draw so much attention. And there are many people near the mirror lake, so we cannot go up onto dry land. I won¡¯t ask you to help the chief if he is in trouble. We just want information. We want to know what has happened.¡±


    Saia pleaded with them.


    ¡°Information, huh? We might be able to do that.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    ¡°That might be all we can do. You¡¯re fine with that? Also, if it looks like it will get dangerous for Chiharu, we¡¯re going to turn back immediately.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. The chief would be furious that we even asked such a thing of you.¡±


    Saia shrugged his shoulders as if to say it could not be helped.


    ¡°The chief is very important. As for contacting us, you should be able to find one us in any large lake or river.¡±


    Saia said. Then he hugged Maki and Chiharu before returning to the sea with the others.


    Maki and Chiharu watched them leave.


    ¡°What did you think of that?¡±


    ¡°I enjoyed it. You don¡¯t see many guys as handsome as Saia.¡±


    That wasn¡¯t the problem. They had just accepted a very dangerous mission. But they were both as easygoing as ever.

 CH 78

    Nyran approached as Maki and Chiharu stared at the sea.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Nyran. You guys.¡±


    ¡°Would you mind telling us what happened?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Sure. Can it be here?¡±


    ¡°No, we should go to the castle for now. My father will be there. I would prefer to introduce you in an official manner.¡±


    Father! The king! The two of them became a little excited. And so they were quietly led back to the carriage and then headed for the castle.


    At first, there was some argument over whether they should rest or get changed first, but it was decided that the talks could not wait. And so they were led to King Kilian¡¯s study. It was much larger than Arthur¡¯s and was more like a small conference room.


    ¡°Now, people of the hunting party that is headed to the elf lands, and Saintesses. Welcome to Lowland. I am Kilian, the king of this country.¡±


    He introduced himself for the benefit of Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    They introduced themselves simply.


    ¡°And this is my heir, Zolan. And this is Aaron, who has returned temporarily from the elf lands.¡±


    Two of Nyran¡¯s brothers were present. And just like Nyran, they had flaxen hair and hazel eyes. And while they differed in age, there was a strong resemblance in the family. Zolan¡¯s hair was combed back, while Aaron had long, slightly curled hair. So it was easy enough to tell them apart. Both of them bowed while looking at the group curiously.


    ¡°So, under normal circumstances, a visit from the Saintesses would be a most wonderful thing. However, there are some matters that concern me.¡±


    Kilian began. Just a moment ago he was calling them plain. Though Nyran with amusement.


    ¡°Would you please tell me why the merfolk were gathered at the beach? While they said they had no business in Lowland, they were seen by many people. And they are now restless because of it.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu glanced at each other before saying,


    ¡°They came here because they knew we were coming. That is all.¡±


    Maki said this and then fell silent.


    ¡°I doubt so many merfolk would gather here just to see the Saintesses. Besides, they were talking for way too long.¡±


    Kilian said calmly. Maki was wondering how she could prevent Lowland from getting involved. She then pointed to Nyran and said,


    ¡°They do, though. Just ask Nyran.¡±


    Kilian looked to Nyran.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯ve seen it get much worse on the merfolk island.¡±


    He said with a nod.


    ¡°Hmm. But how did they know that the Saintesses were coming? Why didn¡¯t they go to Midland? There are still questions left unanswered.¡±


    Kilian looked at Maki. Maki looked straight back at him. Hmm. She clearly wasn¡¯t the type who was weak and would escape.


    ¡°Alright, then we should talk about tomorrow¡¯s plans.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±


    While it might have been rude, Make interrupted him. Just the truth. Plainly. Everyone looked at her with surprise.


    ¡°Things have changed. We won¡¯t go to the elf lands tomorrow. We¡¯re going to head inland.¡±


    Silence fell over the room. Edwy was the first to recover.


    ¡°What? What are you talking about? Maki and Chiharu. Aren¡¯t you two going with Grudo as part of the magic stone research team?¡±


    He said it slowly, as if he were telling the others about their purpose.


    ¡°That was the plan. But we now have a new mission as part of the magic stone research team.¡±


    Maki said stiffly.


    ¡°Mission? That¡¯s a strange way to put it. Maki and Chiharu. What did the merman tell you?¡±


    Aeris asked quietly. Maki glanced at Chiharu again.


    ¡°He said that their chief went inland and has not returned.¡±


    She answered. Kilian was the one to react.


    ¡°What! Why did he even go to a place where there is no sea!¡±


    ¡°He went to the Mirror Lake.¡±


    ¡°The Mirror Lake! Well, that place is connected to the sea. However¡­¡±


    Kilian put a hand to his jaw and tilted his head.


    ¡°Merfolk do as they please. Sometimes they just go somewhere and don¡¯t come back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and so it should be of great concern if even they are worried. That is what I thought.¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°There are many boats on the lake and also guards. The merfolk are not able to search the place by themselves.¡±


    She continued. The others were so surprised by all of this, that they didn¡¯t know how to reply. Finally, the first prince, Zolan, looked at Maki and said,


    ¡°You say you are going to go inland. Well, how do you intend on doing that?¡±


    ¡°We will ask the birdfolk to take us partway. Then we will ride a carriage.¡±


    ¡°So reckless. That is the kind of thing a spoiled princess would say.¡±


    Zolan spat. Maki didn¡¯t disagree with him. They should go to the elf lands tomorrow. Kaider and Nyran had waited for so long. And the elves wanted them to hurry. Of course, no one would appreciate this sudden change in plans.


    On the other hand, the Midland party knew that Maki and Chiharu weren¡¯t ¡®spoiled princesses.¡¯ But they also knew that it was reckless. They seemed conflicted.


    However, there was no need to reply to everything. In the first place, whether the Saintesses went to the elf lands or not, it had nothing to do with Lowland. Maki glanced at Zolan, who was narrowing his eyebrows, and then she turned to the Midland group.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that this is so sudden. But he saved Chiharu¡¯s life. And they want us to search for information they can¡¯t get in the water.¡±


    Maki said apologetically. And then Nyran and Kaider said,


    ¡°Maki. It really is reckless.¡±


    ¡°For your own safety, I cannot permit it.¡±


    That was their answer.


    ¡°Yes, it is reckless. However¡­¡±


    Chiharu said in a quiet voice.


    ¡°Amia saved me when I was drowning. I don¡¯t think I could do anything in the elf territories if I knew he was still lost.¡±


    ¡°Then we should return to Midland and ask for father¡¯s help. Maki and Chiharu. You two don¡¯t know anything about this world yet. You won¡¯t be able to find anything.¡±


    Edwy said as if pleading. Chiharu shook her head.


    ¡°They wanted the Saintesses to do it.¡±


    ¡°I will go with you.¡±


    Aeris declared.


    ¡°No. You stick out too much, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°However, I do not want to worry about you being so far away again.¡±


    ¡°Aeris, we¡¯re not going to disappear. And we know where we are going.¡±


    Chiharu said to him.


    ¡°You all have to go to the elf lands. It¡¯s your job. Nothing should get in your way. But¡­¡±


    She said as she raised her head a little. Then she continued in a clear voice,


    ¡°If you would like to guard the Saintesses from the shadows, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    ¡°What arrogance¡­¡±


    Zolan muttered. While everyone was speechless, one voice could be heard laughing.


    ¡°I like them. They know they lack strength, and so they are prepared to rely on others. I will go.¡±


    It was the fourth prince.

 CH 79

    According to Nyran, the fourth prince was his older brother, who had returned from the elf lands.


    ¡°Aaron. But you¡¯re supposed to return to the elf territories.¡±


    ¡°The only people that need to go are Nyran and Kaider. I¡¯m not even an Adventurer. Besides, since I¡¯ve been away for so long, fewer people inland will know my face.¡±


    Aaron replied to the king. Chiharu looked at him. No, they looked so much alike that anyone would see he was royalty at a glance. However, she kept this to herself. As for Maki, she was a little blunter.


    ¡°No, we don¡¯t want to go with royalty. Can you please introduce us to someone who won¡¯t stick out? Like a merchant.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not satisfied with me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, not in that way.¡±


    ¡°So you are unsatisfied?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki and Aaron glared at each other.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Why are you acting like it¡¯s already been decided that you¡¯ll go at all? It¡¯s too dangerous. And this is inland. I feel bad for the merfolk chief, but we can¡¯t risk losing the Saintesses.¡±


    Kaider said. Maki replied calmly.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need your permission, Kaider.¡±


    ¡°What! You are being willful!¡±


    ¡°I know that I am! But sometimes you have to do things, even if it is willful!¡±


    Now it was Maki and Kaider who were glaring at each other. However, Kaider¡¯s eyebrows lowered.


    ¡°Please. Only be that way when I can protect you. I¡¯m worried.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Kaider¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh, can you two do this some other time?¡±


    Kilian interrupted them. Maki and Kaider quickly looked away.


    ¡°What should be done¡­¡±


    Kilian said as he held his head. And then Edwy answered.


    ¡°It cannot be helped. We must send them out.¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    Chiharu smiled. Yes. Chiharu looked cute when she laughed. Edwy almost smiled himself, but he forced himself to keep a straight face.


    ¡°They¡¯ll just run away by themselves if we don¡¯t let them go. So it would be better to just accept it now.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Maki. Aaron shouldn¡¯t have too much trouble blending in with the inland people. In fact, he often runs away and disguises himself as a commoner in order to play around, just like you two. And so you should allow him to accompany you.¡±


    Uh, run away and play around? How rude. Maki thought.


    ¡°And I will go as well.¡±


    Edwy said, much to her surprise.


    ¡°Edwy. Uh, you¡¯ll stick out too much.¡±


    ¡°What? I won¡¯t stick out if I wear a hat.¡±


    ¡°But your eyes.¡±


    ¡°There are plenty of inland people with blue eyes. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    ¡°But I do. In spite of what you might think, I¡¯m used to living in town. Besides, what do you think I¡¯ve been doing all of this time?¡±


    Indeed. And so they were all in agreement.


    ¡°But, what about the elf lands?¡±


    ¡°I was just an extra anyway. Nyran is the main person who must go. He can just say that the Midland prince was tired from his dwarven journey.¡±


    ¡°Arthur will be very sad if something happens to you. You are his only son.¡±


    Chiharu said quietly.


    ¡°But it was our world that took you two from your parents. If you two are going to be put into danger, then I cannot stand by and watch.¡±


    Chiharu was surprised. Since when had Edwy become so strong? They stared at each other for a while.


    ¡°Hey, you two. So, in other words, you¡¯re going to dress up as merchants and do a little digging, right? There shouldn¡¯t be anything dangerous about that!¡±


    Aaron said. Chiharu and Edwy looked away from each other.


    ¡°Then it will be me and Edwy who accompany the two saintesses. We can move around while pretending to be merchants. And then perhaps we can have a few more people come who won¡¯t draw attention.¡±


    Aaron started to say. And so Maki interrupted him.


    ¡°Um, that won¡¯t do. It can¡¯t look like Lowland is involved.¡±


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    Aaron said with a grin.


    ¡°We¡¯re just going as guards for the Saintesses. It is all just a coincidence that we were there.¡±


    ¡°It seems too extravagant for guards¡­¡±


    Chiharu looked a little dazed. How had it come to this? They had wanted to go with some merchants.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. I brought back a lot of Soluna oranges from the elf lands. We can sell those. They are very popular inland. Even if we stick out a little, people will be happy.¡±


    Aaron said as if it had already been decided.


    ¡°Also, it will take three days by carriage to go to the mirror lake after we cross the border. And it takes three days to get to the border from here. So, what will you do?¡±


    He asked Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°We were going to ask Sauro and Saikania to take us. Of course, they would stick out if they went all of the way. So they would take us to a town close to the border. Then we would go by carriage.¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought of that. Aeris¡¯s airship would draw too much attention, so we can¡¯t use that¡­ But I haven¡¯t been carried by the birdfolk since I was a child.¡±


    Aaron said with a chuckle. Maki laughed too.


    ¡°Well, no one is forcing you to come with us.¡±


    ¡°No, it will be a good experience for me. Besides, if I don¡¯t go, you¡¯ll have no shadow guards or Soluna oranges.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re petty.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. And you¡¯re ungrateful.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t even want you.¡±


    They glared at each other. Would they be alright? Chiharu was unsure.


    However, Aaron was quick to move. Within the day, he ordered that the Soluna oranges be prepared to be taken out, and he sent out some guards on horseback to move ahead of them. This was so they would arrive at the border town at the same time as the birdfolk.


    As their plans had changed so suddenly, Aeris, Kaider, and Nyran were incredibly worried. However, Aeris still had to take the airship to the elf lands. And he also wanted to see the dungeon with his own eyes.


    Furthermore, he knew that as an elf, he wouldn¡¯t be any help to them anyway. And while Kaider and Nyran wished their duty didn¡¯t demand they be elsewhere, they knew that they couldn¡¯t ignore it and follow the Saintesses. If they did, it was Maki and Chiharu who would be blamed.


    And they had to think of all of the other people as well.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. I wish you didn¡¯t have to go.¡±


    Aeris said sadly. Chiharu took his hand and looked at his face.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going in secret this time. And Edwy will be with us. So we¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Let me at least replenish myself of you first.¡±


    Aeris said as he sat down and pulled Chiharu to his side.


    ¡°You too, Maki.¡±


    And so Maki sat on the opposite side of him. Aeris held them on both sides in order to recharge from their energy, or something. And then he let them go.


    Maki and Chiharu then moved over to Grudo and hugged him from both sides. Grudo then patted them gently on the hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried about you two at all. You should do what you feel is best.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Kaider and Nyran watched on a little jealously, but they were not bold enough to say they wanted to be replenished as well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t work at night anymore.¡±


    That was all that they could say.


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    And so Kaider and Nyran had no choice but to look them in the eyes and cling on to those words.

 CH 80

    As for the birdfolk¡­


    ¡°So, that¡¯s why after riding the boat, we want you to take us close to the border town while avoiding any places where people might see us.¡±


    Maki said to Sauro. He was listening quietly with folded arms.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    He called Saikania. They stared at each other for a moment.


    ¡°Should we call them?¡±


    ¡°We have no choice.¡±


    They said. And then Sauro glanced at Maki and Chiharu before flapping his wings and taking off somewhere.


    ¡°Uhh, where did Sauro go?¡±


    Maki said frantically.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about my brother. There are four people to carry, right? So he went to call for help.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, that¡¯s right. It would be too hard for just the two of you. Sorry for not noticing.¡±


    ¡°You two are fine. Because you¡¯re both so light. And we¡¯re used to carrying Edwy. But, that other one? No way. He¡¯s not used to being carried, and he¡¯s heavy. And he¡¯s not cute either. That¡¯s no fun.¡±


    ¡°Hey-hey-hey. I understand that he¡¯s heavy, but your standard for fun is strange.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about Maki? That¡¯s the only standard.¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And so the birdfolk decided to help them. Saikania stared at Chiharu and said.


    ¡°I wish I could go with you inland. There is this upward current that is very fun.¡±


    ¡°No-no-no. I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°But Chiharu, you¡¯ve gotten so much better at flying.¡±


    ¡°No way! I still have a ways to go.¡±


    ¡°Really? But white wings draw so much attention. These wings are good for flying high, but not for sneaking around.¡±


    Saikania sounded very disappointed.


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad. It would be really comforting if you could be with us.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re so cute, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t want to fly! People will¨Cah!¡±


    Saikania and Chiharu flew out of the castle, which resulted in them being seen by many children. Chiharu was just glad she was wearing pants under her skirt. Seriously.


    Still, they had gained the help of the birdfolk. And so the next day, Maki and Chiharu appeared in the departure ceremony and smiled and waved at the people as they got on board the ship. Once the town was far away, the birdfolk quietly picked them up, along with Edwy and Aaron, and they flew away.


    It was unlikely any of the soldiers on the ship would say anything. Regardless, they were told honestly that the Saintesses had to leave on an emergency mission with Aaron.


    The Saintesses and Edwy ran on the ship¡¯s deck as they took off. But Aaron¡¯s takeoff was more awkward, and people chuckled as they watched.


    It was Orne and Puel who came to the ship. This was because they were used to carrying heavy men. However, Sauro had only left during the afternoon of the previous day. Orne and Puel mainly stayed in the dwarf lands. But Sauro was with them during the ship¡¯s departure.


    Maki and Chiharu shivered with this realization. How fast were these birdfolk? It was clear now that they had been serious during their attempt to abduct them and carry them across the sea.


    The four birdfolk and four passengers went around the port town and flew for an hour. Then they landed near an empty area beside the road.


    ¡°O-one hour is too long.¡±


    Chiharu said as she collapsed. Aaron also wobbled and fell to the ground. Maki and Edwy looked at them with exasperation. But Chiharu thought Edwy and especially Maki, were the weird ones. Think about it. It was like riding a rollercoaster for an hour.


    Still, Chiharu turned to Saikania and said,


    ¡°Sorry for making you carry us for so long. You must be tired.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute, Chiharu. I¡¯m not tired at all.¡±


    Saikania was fine. She was paired up with Sauro, after all. She was only a little bit bigger than Chiharu, but had so much strength.


    ¡°Chiharu. We have to get changed now. Edwy and Aaron too. Put on your commoner clothes!¡±


    Maki ordered.


    ¡°Hey, what are you two doing!¡±


    Aaron looked around frantically. It was empty land with a grove surrounding them. But there was also a road nearby. There was no place to get changed.


    ¡°Huh? We¡¯re getting changed.¡±


    By this time, Maki had already taken off the pants under her skirt and put on some boy pants. She had changed like this a lot during gym class when she was in high school. Chiharu was also changing into her young girl outfit, though, she was still shaky on her feet. Of course, she still had her pants on.


    ¡°Alright, I need to change my top, so turn around. You too, Sauro.¡±


    However, she was wearing an undergarment underneath her clothes. It was like a t-shirt.


    ¡°Ah, wait!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu changed quickly, while keeping an eye on Aaron. Then they switched their head ribbon for a handkerchief and put their dirty blonde wigs on. Now they looked like inland children with long bangs. Edwy also got changed and put on a wig that was the same color as Aaron¡¯s hair. Now he looked like a Lowlander who had just recently become an adult.


    Then the three of them told Aaron to hurry up and get changed as well.


    The four of them faced each other.


    ¡°Edwy. I don¡¯t think that wig is enough for you.¡±


    Even with the wig and the commoner clothing, he stood too much like a prince, and was also too handsome.


    ¡°And you two have changed too much. You¡¯re like, super commoners.¡±


    ¡°That sounds quite rude. But we are commoners.¡±


    Maki muttered.


    ¡°But, speak for yourself, Aaron. You look like a commoner now too.¡±


    ¡°It just means I¡¯m a man of the people.¡±


    He said angrily. But he was Nyran¡¯s older brother. While he didn¡¯t necessarily stick out, he was still good-looking.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine Maki-chan. It just means we¡¯ll stick out even less.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so¡­¡±


    Maki said with a pout. But Chiharu, who had been wobbling around a moment ago, started to urge them on.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s head to the next destination.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Sauro, please take me.¡±


    ¡°Alright, trade.¡±


    ¡°Trade?¡±


    Maki asked. Then Sauro looked up at the sky and shouted loudly. Then four birdfolk descended in a flutter of wings.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Aaron¡¯s voice echoed dumbly.


    ¡°I can fly for hours when I¡¯m alone, but even I won¡¯t last long if I have to carry someone. And so I called in some replacements.¡±


    ¡°Called? When?¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s voice was shaking a little.


    ¡°Hmm? In the beastlands, of course.¡±


    ¡°But how?¡±


    ¡°Is there a problem? Are they not enough?¡±


    ¡°No-no-no-no, they¡¯re enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. While you can¡¯t see them, there are about 20 others here too. They¡¯re flying a short distance away so they don¡¯t attract any attention.¡±


    ¡°20! Uh¡­thank you¡­¡±


    ¡°They were all so happy to come. It was hard to narrow the numbers down.¡±


    Sauro said with a smug expression.


    ¡°Oh, uh. How nice.¡±


    ¡°Right? Alright.¡±


    Sauro¡¯s face suddenly turned serious.


    ¡°There is still some distance to travel to the border town. So we should move on to the next point.¡±


    He said. And with that, the four of them were surrounded by the birdfolk and quietly escorted away.


    That summer in Lowland, it was said that merfolk gathered by the beach as if the bless the departure of the soldiers, and if you looked up into the sky, you would see a group of beautiful white birdfolk flying up high. The miasma seemed to grow thin, then. And the people spoke the names of the Saintesses with a feeling of gratitude.


    ¡°I said that I didn¡¯t want to draw attention¡­¡±


    But Chiharu¡¯s muttering was lost in the wind.

 CH 81

    How many hours did it take for them to reach the border town? They took several breaks, each one longer than the previous one. And the birdfolk traded places at least four times.


    ¡°Agh, I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Even Maki was exhausted. Chiharu wasn¡¯t able to say anything. Aaron got up on shaky legs and thanked them.


    ¡°It would have taken three days by carriage, and that would have also drawn a lot of attention. It¡¯s because of you that we were able to come here so quickly and unnoticed. You have my gratitude.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t to it for you. It was because Maki and Chiharu asked us.¡±


    Sauro answered bluntly. He merely glanced in Aaron¡¯s direction and then muttered to himself.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not easy for a big human to be carried such a long distance. The royals of Lowland are not as bad as I thought.¡±


    Chiharu found this comment amusing. She managed to stand up and turn to Sauro.


    ¡°There are lots of children in the Lowland castle. Including one who we befriended during the ceremony. Maybe there will be more birdfolk near the castle now. And they can play with the children. Then it will become normal to ¡®have the birdfolk carry you.¡¯¡±


    Sauro looked at Saikania with an expression of realization. Yes, yes. Chiharu thought she heard them say. But she wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Chiharu, I am not sure if those words are a blessing or a curse. But as the birdfolk have little interaction with Lowland, it may be a good thing. But for now, it just seems like a curse.¡±


    Aaron muttered with exasperation.


    They had landed just a short distance away from the border town. And someone was already there, waiting for them.


    ¡°Now, people will notice if we stand here for too long. Aaron went through the trouble of sending his men ahead. So let¡¯s hurry up and go.¡±


    Edwy said. Maki and Chiharu nodded and turned around in order to thank the birdfolk one last time. Perhaps they felt that there was no need for modesty once they had carried them, because all twenty birdfolk hugged Maki and Chiharu tightly, before leaving with expressions of regret.


    ¡°Now, many birdfolk know how close the human lands are. It¡¯s thanks to you, Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Sauro said. He was the last one to leave.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go with you, but be careful.¡±


    ¡°Come back soon.¡±


    And then he and Saikania flew off. Chiharu watched them fly away and muttered.


    ¡°I feel like we unleashed something that wasn¡¯t supposed to be unleashed.¡±


    Maki patted her on the shoulder and said,


    ¡°It would have happened sooner or later. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The carriage that was provided had a roof, and there were lots of oranges piled up in the back.


    ¡°Now we look like proper merchants.¡±


    Maki said as she looked at it with satisfaction.


    ¡°Do you want to sit with the driver or under the roof?¡±


    Aaron asked as he held the reins. They wanted to be able to see the scenery, but there was only space for one person to sit next to the driver. As for the back of the carriage, the tarp roof was tied in the back, but there was opening there that you could see out of.


    ¡°We¡¯ll sit in the back. And then we move to the cargo if we get tired.¡±


    ¡°I see. We¡¯ll arrive in the town in thirty minutes, so hang in there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu smiled and ran to the back. The first carriage started to move slowly, then Maki and Chiharu¡¯s carriage was next. And then after there was some distance between them, the last carriage moved as if a coincidence.


    ¡°To be honest, I thought they were just acting like spoiled princesses at first.¡±


    ¡°You must be so surprised.¡±


    The two princes talked in the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Yes, I see them differently now. I¡¯m impressed that you can fly with the birdfolk without getting tired. For me, I was so terrified and exhausted. But they did it without complaining at all. They don¡¯t even complain about riding in the back of a carriage like this.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s Maki and Chiharu for you.¡±


    Edwy felt a sense of pride when listening to Aaron praise them.


    ¡°They are so small and cute, that you think you have to protect them. But they will run out and do everything by themselves.¡±


    ¡°I heard about that. I was surprised when they started the journey dressed as Saintesses, but I was even more surprised when they started changing their clothes outside.¡±


    Aaron said with a red face. If Maki were there, she would have said,


    ¡°What are you saying? You couldn¡¯t even see anything.¡±


    Edwy thought with a chuckle.


    There is no end to it when talking about their good points. So, let¡¯s talk about the magic stones.¡±


    ¡°The Saintess¡¯s stone? The one on their foreheads?¡±


    ¡°No. The Saintesses can turn monsters into magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. To be honest, I find it hard to believe.¡±


    ¡°Van was like that until he saw it too.¡±


    ¡°Really? I thought he didn¡¯t go to the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aaron looked confused for a second. If it wasn¡¯t in the dwarf lands, then where¡­


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Yes. On the road.¡±


    ¡°In Midland¡±!


    ¡°The last time was in a border town. We could see Lowland on the other side of the river.¡±


    Edwy said this as if to say that this concerned Lowland as well.


    ¡°One of the gazers that they met had apparently come over the mountains.¡±


    ¡°It said that? A monster?¡±


    ¡°Yes. A monster.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses can speak with them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Aaron sometimes went to the dungeons while he was in the elf lands, and so he knew more about monsters than most humans. The elves were not very passionate about fighting, and so sometimes monsters would come out of the dungeons when there weren¡¯t too many human Adventurers around. However, the elves didn¡¯t care unless they attacked someone. And even if they did attack, the elves would just sigh and shoot them down with their bows.


    It was because of this, that they weren¡¯t able to react in time to the sudden rise in monsters and miasma. And so things had become very dangerous.


    ¡°Still, I want to believe.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to believe it until you see it. There¡¯s no point in spending time trying to persuade you.¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡±


    Edwy was rather harsh.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to believe. You just have to understand why the Saintesses accepted this request from the merfolk.¡±


    ¡°I suppose there is a possibility that something is happening inland.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Edwy nodded as if to say, ¡®well done.¡¯


    ¡°They will be a brother and sister of 14 and 12. This is the Aaron company, and you are protecting them. And so you must treat them as if they were ordinary, hard-working children.¡±


    ¡°But they are princesses.¡±


    ¡°They worked as the cook¡¯s helpers back in the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Aaron was shocked.


    ¡°I have too little information. These are not the Saintesses I was expecting at all.¡±


    ¡°Well, you made too many assumptions. So in a way, it¡¯s your own fault.¡±


    Edwy said harshly.


    ¡°We will be brothers, so you can call me Ed. I¡¯ll call you Aaron.¡±


    ¡°And them?¡±


    ¡°Norfe and Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Norfe and Chouze? But those are the names of the prince and princess.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many babies were named Edwy and Aaron when we were born?¡±


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. It¡¯s quite natural, actually.¡±


    ¡°Now, I will spend the rest of our time telling you how great Maki and Chiharu are.¡±


    ¡°Give me a break¡­¡±


    Of course, Edwy would do no such thing. They did not have the energy to share information with each other during the remainder of the trip.

 CH 82

    Maki and Chiharu sat in the back with the cargo. They dangled their feet down and watched the scenery.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we dressed like this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lot easier to move if I wear pants underneath this one-piece dress. But it¡¯s a little hot. It¡¯s perfect for flying, though. Still¡­¡±


    Chiharu felt a little gloomy.


    ¡°How long were we in the sky? To be honest, wasn¡¯t it just as long as crossing the sea?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I wouldn¡¯t say anything to Sauro, but I bet it would only take 3 hours to fly to the dwarf territory from here. Also¡­¡±


    Maki seemed hesitant to speak.


    ¡°Maybe he feels more confident now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    The wind felt comfortable.


    ¡°Well, now they know that there are small children in Lowland that want to play with them.¡±


    ¡°What a cute sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Ki-kids are fine. They always enjoy it.¡±


    Chiharu muttered as she looked to the side.


    ¡°Eventually, they¡¯ll have a team of birdfolk in Lowland. People might train with them from childhood and be able to take messages to other places.¡±


    ¡°¡®Changes in the dwarven dungeon. Questing help immediately.¡¯ Like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Because birdfolk messengers aren¡¯t very reliable by themselves.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. Yeah, they are too free.¡±


    Currently, it was probably Maki and Edwy who were able to fly with the birdfolk for the longest distance. Though, Chiharu wasn¡¯t that bad either. The truth was that it was much more likely that Maki and Chiharu would be asked to work as messengers, rather than having some Lowland birfolk team set up.


    The carriages started to go up a hill as they headed for the border town. A forest spread out at the bottom of the hill, and the carriage was moving down the road that winded through it. The dwarf lands had many ups and downs in the terrain, but the journey between Lowland and Highland was relatively gentle.


    Flatlands stretched out on the other side of the forest, and beyond that, was a blue sea.


    ¡°Ahh, it feels so nice.¡±


    ¡°It almost makes me forget why we are here.¡±


    ¡°Hey, we¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡±


    They heard Edwy shout from up ahead.


    ¡°This town is our first stop.¡±


    ¡°I hope we can take a bath.¡±


    ¡°I doubt it.¡±


    ¡°But my muscles are so sore.¡±


    ¡°Mine too.¡±


    But they wouldn¡¯t expect such luxuries for a while. Maki and Chiharu continued to sit in the back and watch the town¡¯s scenery as they traveled to the inn. The people here looked similar to the people who lived by the Lowland sea. But perhaps there were more people with dirty blonde hair. Just like Maki and Chiharu had now. Merchant carriages were not unusual. And so they just looked like a brother and sister who were enjoying themselves. And the people just smiled at them.


    The carriages stopped slowly at the inn. Maki and Chiharu hopped out and walked to the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°You two are really starting to look as if you are related.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s no good, Edwy.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The way you talk. People will think it¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°I-I see. Uh, no. You are right.¡±


    Aaron chuckled as he saw Chiharu admonish Edwy.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the one who isn¡¯t able to disguise himself at all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. Well, maybe it is. I am so used to being around people that are older than me.¡±


    Edwy grumbled.


    ¡°We will stay at this inn tonight. As we will be leaving early in the morning, you should all get a good rest tonight.¡±


    ¡°Can we explore the town a little after getting our room?¡±


    ¡°Well, it should be safe here. What about you, Edwy?¡±


    ¡°I told you to call me Ed. I¡¯ll go with you, Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go then! Ed!¡±


    They took two rooms, as was expected.


    This wasn¡¯t the only town near Highland¡¯s border. However, this was seen as a checkpoint for trading, and so it was quite prosperous. And many special products, such as dyed cloth, were sold here.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll buy something for Sera. Oh, wait. Nevermind.¡±


    ¡°Is it because our journey just started?¡±


    ¡°No. But these are special items from the border town in Lowland. She will wonder why we have them when we were supposed to go to the elf lands. ¡®I would never have imagined that you two would put yourselves in danger. What is that useless elf?¡¯¡±


    ¡°You sound just like her, Maki-chan.¡±


    Chiharu was impressed. Even Edwy was holding his stomach and laughing next to them.


    ¡°So I can¡¯t give anything that would be evidence.¡±


    ¡°Ho ho. Alright, Maki-chan.¡±


    They looked at each other and laughed.


    ¡°Ah, that food over there looks interesting.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Chihaaru.¡±


    ¡°Edwy, watch your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Ah, wait! Chouze!¡±


    ¡°Just a little!¡±


    Chiharu and Edwy went running off. In the meantime¡­


    ¡°Mister! Please give me 4 of those small things.¡±


    ¡°Aye, coming right up. Are you old enough to drink, boy?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for my older brother. See, over there.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that handsome man.¡±


    Edwy stuck out after all. Oh, well. In her heart, Maki was shaking her head.


    ¡°Also, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? It¡¯s a kind of dried meat that is made by stretching out the meat and seasoning it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take these too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The man was quite happy that this merchant child was buying a lot.


    ¡°This is our first time traveling inland with our older brother. Have you ever been there?¡±


    ¡°Have I? Of course, it¡¯s just right over there. In fact, they have much the same traditions as us. So don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think of it, we haven¡¯t gotten any fish from inland recently.¡±


    ¡°Fish? We¡¯re going to the mirror lake in order to sell some Soluna oranges.¡±


    ¡°Soluna oranges? Would you sell some of them to me too? My wife just loves them.¡±


    ¡°I can bring a little bit if you like.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Still, we¡¯ve never been unable to get fish before. There must be some serious shortages. If there are no fish, you might have trouble selling your oranges as well.¡±


    ¡°If that happens, we¡¯ll go to a different town.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring you some oranges then.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Maki hurriedly put the food into her bag and then ran to the others, who were walking towards her.


    She delivered the oranges, and then they had dinner. Hot water was brought to their room so they were able to freshen up before bed.


    ¡°It¡¯s too bad that these disguises mean we can¡¯t drink out in the open.¡±


    Chiharu muttered. She was not happy that only Aaron and Edwy were allowed to have ale with their dinner.


    ¡°We had to drink water. Water! Though, it was good water.¡±


    It was cold water drawn from a well. It was the best thing to have in the summer.


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that, Chiharu. So here!¡±


    Maki said as she took out two small, pretty bottles from her bag.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    Chiharu gulped.


    ¡°Is it what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes shone.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cool, Maki-chan!¡±


    ¡°Yes, and?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so pretty.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha!¡±


    Maki looked over her should with a hand on her hip. And then she brushed her hair out of her face with her other hand.


    ¡°It comes with some dried meat as well.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan! You¡¯re the best!¡±


    ¡°Well, save the rest.¡±


    And so they both sat down. Chiharu took out some sweet snacks from her bag and added them to the pile. Then they clinked their bottles together. Just then¡­


    ¡°Hey, you two¡­huh?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°No, Maki-chan, you¡¯re supposed to scream.¡±


    Chiharu joked. Apparently, they had forgotten to lock the door.


    The person who had come in without knocking was Aaron.

 CH 83

    ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that the local Nezu wine? Surely you didn¡¯t go out today to¡­¡±


    Maki spread out her hands and shrugged.


    ¡°We went out because we wanted to see the town. I just bought this along the way. Regardless, there must be an emergency for you to come in without knocking? Chiharu and I were about to enjoy a girl¡¯s party.¡±


    Maki said bluntly. Chiharu looked at her with excitement.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®girl¡¯s party¡¯? Anyway, I was going to ask if you needed anything. But it looks like you¡¯re really enjoying yourselves already.¡±


    Then he stepped into the room without any hesitation and confiscated the bottles from them.


    ¡°Kids shouldn¡¯t be drinking. Now hurry off to bed. Really, what is wrong with Saintesses these days.¡±


    He muttered to himself as he left the room.


    ¡î


    Aaron held both bottles in one hand and opened the door to his room and said,


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. They were about to have a party.¡±


    He showed Edwy the bottles.


    ¡°I thought they would be tired, so I went to their room to give them some ointment. But I forgot all about it because I was so exasperated.¡±


    ¡°And then you took their drinks. You have a long way to go, Aaron.¡±


    Edwy also sounded exasperated. Then he chuckled.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Besides, they are both grown adults. 25 years old.¡±


    ¡°What? 25? That¡¯s only 2 years different than me. You must be joking.¡±


    ¡°They are the same age as Nyran. They may look younger because of their height, but they are grown women. So you must treat them as such.¡¯


    ¡°But, still¡­¡±


    After seeing them in their disguises during the day, it was hard to not see them as children.


    ¡°They really looked like they wanted to drink our ale during dinner as well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they just wanted the meat. Or, that¡¯s what I thought when I gave them some of mine.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. They just found it too awkward to reject you. I saw it on their faces.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡±


    So much that had happened today was confusing. Aaron scratched his head.


    ¡°Well, then. We should go soon, so you can really come to understand Maki and Chiharu. Though, it doesn¡¯t really matter if you do or not.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What are you saying?¡±


    Aaron tilted his head to the side. Edwy took out a small paper bag and accepted the two bottles from Aaron.


    ¡°Do you think they will give up just because you took their drink? With those two, it¡¯s much better to act with them instead of trying to stop them.¡±


    He said. And then he left the room.


    ¡°Uh, hey. Wait a minute. What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    Aaron ran after Edwy.


    ¡î


    ¡°What was that? He comes in without knocking and then steals our drinks. How rude.¡±


    Maki was quite prickly. Chiharu was also disappointed.


    ¡°Ahhhh. I really wanted to drink that Nezu wine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a rice wine made near the Lowland sea, combined with the Nezu fruit.¡±


    ¡°Ohh, Maki-chan. It looked so good.¡±


    Chiharu lamented. Maki grinned mischievously and rummaged in her bag and came out with two more bottles!


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought we might all drink it together, so I bought four. But I don¡¯t care about that anymore. Let¡¯s drink.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you, brother.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your brother.¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°Now, we should lock the door this time. That¡¯s what started this whole problem.¡±


    Just as she stood up to lock the door, they heard someone knocking.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. It¡¯s Edwy. Can I come in?¡±


    ¡°Edwy, wait just one minute. Chiharu, did you hear that? He¡¯s so polite. There¡¯s a certain fourth prince who could learn from him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here too.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, there¡¯s some other guy here too!¡±


    Maki was being extra rude. In the meantime, Chiharu put the bottles back into the bag. Maki slowly opened the door.


    ¡°What is it? Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Uhh. Nothing much. It¡¯s awkward standing in the hallway. Do you mind if we come in?¡±


    Maki glared at Aaron for a second, but then opened the door and invited them in.


    ¡°I came to return these.¡±


    ¡°The Nezu wine!¡±


    Chiharu was overjoyed.


    ¡°You two are both adults, after all. It was a ridiculous thing that they were confiscated. Also, if you want¡­¡±


    Edwy then took out the small paper bag and handed it to Chiharu.


    ¡°What is this? It smells nice.¡±


    Chiharu said as she sniffed at it.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Nezu fruit after it¡¯s been soaked in the Nezu wine. They cover them in sugar and let them dry out in the sun. It should go well with the wine.¡±


    ¡°Wow. Thank you.¡±


    There was something childish about how happy Chiharu was. Edwy smiled.


    ¡°Well, then. We won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡±


    He said as they were about to leave.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Maki?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, I have no choice. This is out of respect for Edwy.¡±


    And with that, Chiharu took out the two other bottles from the bag.


    ¡°Y-you have more!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Taking away their drinks wasn¡¯t going to solve anything.¡±


    Edwy said with a sigh as Aaron looked on in shock. And then he thought for a while. Maybe he had gotten too used to Maki and Chiharu, and it was he who was starting to lose sight of what was normal.


    As Edwy wondered about this, Maki waved a bottle in front of his face.


    ¡°Well, I originally bought four so we could all drink together. So you might as well drink with us now.¡±


    She said.


    ¡°Do you mean it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just one bottle won¡¯t affect us tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Then I accept. Aaron?¡±


    ¡°Uh, thank you.¡±


    The first sip of the Nezu wine was quite sharp at first, but then a mild aroma like that of pine needles filled your nostrils. And then the sweetness of the rice lingered in your mouth.


    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Nezu wine is pretty great.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said as they enjoyed their wine. Edwy looked at them with gentle eyes. Edwy was quite strong when it came to alcohol, as he had to drink it a lot socially. But he felt as if he was getting drunk off of one sip as he watched them.


    Chiharu nibbled on a piece of the sugared Nezu as if it were precious.


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy some more for you if you like it.¡±


    Edwy said. Chiharu shook her head.


    ¡°I think it tastes so good because we¡¯re eating it here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    While they were drinking the Nezu wine slowly, the bottles were quite small, and so they did not last very long.


    While they wished that they could drink more, the small drinking party came to a close, and Maki and Chiharu went to bed with a feeling of happiness.


    Edwy and Aaron returned to their room. It was clear that Aaron had something on his mind.


    ¡°We should get some sleep as well.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°While it was one day, I¡¯ve been swung around a lot and¡­¡±


    ¡°By the birdfolk?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°I know what you mean.¡±


    Edwy said with a snort. He supposed that there was now one other person who had awakened to Maki and Chiharu¡¯s appeal.


    ¡°But for some reason, I¡¯m not mad about it.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯d like, I can talk all night. About how wonderful they are.¡±


    ¡°No thanks.¡±


    ¡°By the way, you¡¯re royalty and not even an Adventurer. I understand that you see yourself as a man for the common people, but you should do something about the way you talk.¡±


    ¡°I do. When I¡¯m making a public appearance.¡±


    ¡°Really, I don¡¯t see how you are able to treat Maki and Chiharu like children.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t anymore.¡±


    Edwy wasn¡¯t necessarily sure if that would be good for him or not.


    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s get some sleep.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Good night.¡±


    And that was how their first night ended.

 CH 84

    As for what Zynis and the others were doing during that time. First, they headed for Zynis¡¯s workroom which was on the first floor of the castle. Here, the men and women took off their clothes separately and then carried bags on their bare backs.


    Dilon had always thought that it was stupid that they had to take their clothes off, but Zynis and Corete didn¡¯t seem to mind at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s a matter of having fur or not. Skin is skin.¡±


    ¡°I understand that alright? But, why do you wear clothes when you¡¯re in your first form, father?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to wear clothes, but I am just doing it for humans. Besides, Leia likes it when I do.¡±


    ¡°Ah, mother. She does like your first form. You better go home soon, or she¡¯ll come for you.¡±


    ¡°She should come then. I¡¯m sure Maki would be happy and so would I.¡±


    As Dilon and Zynis talked,


    ¡°Is this really something you have to talk about while you¡¯re not wearing clothes? That¡¯s what you should really be embarrassed about.¡±


    ¡°S-sorry, Corete.¡±


    Dilon looked a little red, and then he relaxed. Within seconds, ash-colored fur began to cover his entire body and his bone structure began to change. And like that, he transformed into a bear, which was his third form. The bag was still on his back.


    And then a door opened and two very large ash-colored dogs and two yellow dogs came out of the room that faced the outside.


    ¡°Lord Zynis. Good day.¡±


    There were other voices too.


    ¡°Oh, their third form. I¡¯m glad that I was able to see it.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh. I want to pet them¡­¡±


    They heard people say as they headed for the mountains behind the castle.


    ¡°This is why I don¡¯t like being in my third form in human towns.¡±


    Dilon grumbled. Corete chuckled with a nod.


    ¡°Indeed. The look in their eyes change. I don¡¯t want to think about what would happen if we were caught.¡±


    They would be petted all over, for sure. And so they all rushed to the mountains. They planned to run along the mountain until they reached the mirror lake, and then they would cross the border. Beastkin would be able to make the trip in a single day.


    Up in the sky, brown birdfolk could be seen flying. They would cross the border by evening, then they would reach the inland mirror lake.


    This mirror lake, much like the one in the dwarf lands, was at the base of very high rocky mountains. There were many holes in the western mountains, and it was said that the water poured out of them. But this was not known for certain.


    Regardless, the lands were used as a health resort for the royal family. As it was in a high place, it was cool during the summer and warm in the winter. And so tourists would visit it during all seasons of the year.


    Rivers flowed from the lake itself, and they cut through Midland and eventually connected to the sea.


    However, there were rumors that this lake connected to the sea outside of the rivers as well. This was because sea fish could sometime be caught in the lake. And they were very popular in the town.


    The group stopped in an open area that was close to the mountain on the east side, and offered them a view of the town from afar. The birdfolk descended as well. Just then, Ortha stood up and changed into her first form.


    ¡°Hey, sister. What are you doing!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Dilon?¡±


    Dilon quickly looked away from her lack of clothes with a shiver. Ortha looked exasperated.


    ¡°Come on, turn around now.¡±


    ¡°What? No way.¡±


    ¡°Just do it!¡±


    Dilon turned around reluctantly. What he saw was a dog with golden fur who was standing on two legs. While she wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes, he hardly noticed it.


    ¡°Really. Why are boys always so lazy when it comes to transforming? Yes, it¡¯s easier to do it all at once, but if you do it by steps, then you can put your clothes on.¡±


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t know that you could do that¡­¡±


    Dilon¡¯s ears drooped.


    What? Didn¡¯t you know that you could transform just your arms and legs?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I knew that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the full-body version of that. Father, why didn¡¯t you teach him?¡±


    ¡°Should I?¡±


    ¡°Of course? How can you not think so when you look at Dilon?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Zynis tilted his head. He also stood up and became a dog with soft ash-colored hair that was standing on two legs.


    ¡°So you can do it! Then why didn¡¯t you do that in the castle! We wouldn¡¯t have had to separate!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know?¡±


    ¡°Well, never mind. You try it.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡±


    Dilon didn¡¯t seem to like his father very much. However, there was no harm in trying. And so it was with a little excitement that he imagined himself standing on his two feet. When he stood up and opened his eyes, he saw that he was now in the same shape as his father.


    ¡°Hmm. So you can do it.¡±


    ¡°It was so easy¡­ How could I have not done it for 100 years¡­¡±


    Dilon said weakly. Zynis said,


    ¡°Regardless, we have to get changed. I feel like it doesn¡¯t matter if we have fur or not.¡±


    ¡°Of course it matters. Damn it.¡±


    This calmness was likely the reason that Zynis was chosen as a goodwill ambassador.


    The human form was the first form. The second form was only a partial transformation. This was used mainly when they fought against monsters. And the third form was a complete beast.


    The further you went, the more tiring it became. However, the third form was so enjoyable that it made it all worth it.


    They now returned to their first form in order to talk.


    ¡°First, Kleo. How did the town look from the sky?¡±


    Zynis asked the birdfolk.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know much about this town. And so I can¡¯t say anything for certain. But there were too many soldiers.


    ¡°I see. According to Arthur, this is a place where the royals come when it¡¯s too hot. So I don¡¯t think it¡¯s strange if there are a lot of soldiers. What made you decide that?¡±


    ¡°I would understand if they were just guarding the villa. However, there were many boats in the lake, and most of them were filled with soldiers.¡±


    Zynis crossed his arms and nodded.


    ¡°I see. Yes, it does seem like something is happening. Very well, we will just check the area today. And tomorrow, we will put on disguises and enter the town. Ortha and Corete will be fine, I¡¯m sure. But how long can you stay in different forms, Dilon?¡±


    ¡°Currently, I return to my first form during the night. And it takes several hours for me to transform again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine for your age. I would like to go myself, but I can¡¯t. After all, being 2 meters tall will mean I¡¯ll attract too much attention.¡±


    Zynis said with a look of disappointment.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll start scouting when the sun goes down. Kleo and Kaela, see as much as you can while there is still light.¡±


    He ordered. The birdfolk rose into the air again and the dog people sat down on the ground. It was clear that they had a problem, but they were also excited.


    ¡°It¡¯s too peaceful back in the castle.¡±


    ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°No, nevermind.¡±


    He felt bad for Arthur, but Zynis couldn¡¯t help but be amused by all of this. And so the corner of his mouth rose slightly.

 CH 85

    When the sun had set, and the birdfolk returned, Zynis and the others began to move. They would split into four groups and search the area around the lake.


    While it was night, there were boats floating on the water, and torches that used magic stones reflected brightly on the surface.


    On the side of the lake that was opposite to the villa, there were steep cliffs. And just like the mirror lake in the dwarf lands, there were caves where the water seemed to be pouring from. However, the cliffs were not too high, so you would be able to climb them from the other side and get a good view of the surrounding area, including the town and villa.


    Zynis was currently standing on top of the cliff. The air that blew from the lake moved his ash-colored fur.


    ¡°My first form feels the best for this place. I see. It¡¯s important to know which skin to inhabit.¡±


    He said as he pointed his nose windward. If Dilon were there, he would have muttered, ¡®That¡¯s not what I was trying to say¡­also, you may think that you sound cool when you say that, but you really don¡¯t.¡¯


    ¡°However, this side of the lake is clearly thicker with miasma. I didn¡¯t notice it during the day. But we¡¯re much farther from the Shadow World now that we¡¯re inland. So it should be thinner than it was in Midland.¡±


    Zynis sniffed in different directions.


    ¡°Hmm. This way.¡±


    He headed to the north side of the cliffs where the lake ended. There were several small caves here as well. There was one cave that you would be able to enter from the ground, and there were four soldiers guarding the entrance. Two soldiers blocked the cave. And two guarded it from a short distance away. He could feel the miasma coming from the rocks of the cliff.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange that there are guards here at all. Why are they protecting this cave? Hmm.¡±


    Then the guards turned and seemed to be looking inside. At the same time, a small group of people approached them. They were dwarves who were escorted by soldiers. As Zynis continued to watch, a group of dwarves and soldiers went inside the cave as another group came out.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Dilon.¡±


    Dilon approached him quietly.


    ¡°There¡¯s a dwarf settlement over there.¡±


    ¡°A settlement?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a short distance away from the town. There are only about ten houses, maybe. It doesn¡¯t seem like they are being forced to stay there, but isn¡¯t it strange that there are enough dwarves here to create a settlement?¡±


    ¡°Look.¡±


    Zynis indicated towards the cave.


    ¡°Ah! I see. They are being made to work then. But I¡¯ve never heard of ore being mined inland.¡±


    What Dilon was saying was true. It wasn¡¯t that the human territories had no natural resources at all. But they had no problem leaving the mining and smithing to the dwarves, since they were so skilled at it.


    ¡°They seem really exhausted. Dilon. Go and follow them.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Dilon disappeared quietly.


    Zynis stayed up and watched the cave for the whole night. But aside from the dwarves and soldiers leaving after a few hours, nothing else changed. However, even when the cave should have been empty, there were still four soldiers guarding the entrance.


    When he returned to the first spot in the morning, the others were all gathered there and had returned to their first form. Zynis also transformed and asked them to make their reports.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡±


    Ortha began.


    ¡°I tried walking through the town once everyone was asleep. I didn¡¯t notice anything strange. If I had to point out one thing, it would be that I barely smelled any grilled fish, in spite of being so close to the lake.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Next.¡±


    Zynis said as he nodded at the brisk report.


    ¡°My turn.¡±


    Corete said.


    ¡°I mainly watched the lake. There were so many lights on the boats. I knew there had to be something.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Zynis urged him to continue.


    ¡°Half the time they watched the water, the other half they watched the sky.¡±


    ¡°And what was there to watch?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why they were watching the sky. However, I found out why they were watching the water.¡±


    Corete looked serious.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Zynis. I don¡¯t know what you are thinking, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wrong. They were looking for the merfolk.¡±


    ¡°The merfolk¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t unthinkable. After all, the lake was supposed to be connected to the sea. There were always rumors about people seeing merfolk.


    ¡°And how did you know there were merfolk?¡±


    ¡°Because I saw them.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Their heads came out of the water. But the humans didn¡¯t notice them.¡±


    ¡°What? They are so stupid.¡±


    If the merfolk were stupid for poking their heads out when there were guards on the water, then the guards were even more stupid for not noticing them. Zynis looked a little exasperated.


    ¡°So much for being careful when going to the mirror lake.¡±


    Dilon said. He was about to say more when Ortha interrupted him.


    ¡°So, Corete. There is more, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seemed like the merfolk were interested in the villa. Of course, there were even more lights over there, and they could not get close.¡±


    ¡°But merfolk will walk on the land like it¡¯s nothing. Just like birdfolk can live in the sky and on land, the merfolk can live in the sea and on land. There is probably something they want to do, if only they could get out of the lake.¡±


    Kleo, who hadn¡¯t been part of the night reconnaissance, said.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­¡±


    ¡°Before we start speculating, it¡¯s your turn, Dilon.¡±


    Dilon looked surprised and then straightened his posture.


    ¡°I checked the area behind the town. And I discovered a small dwarven settlement. There appeared to be a family living in each house, because I saw children. We think they are working in the cave near the lake, but we don¡¯t know what they are doing exactly.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk and dwarves. Is this really inland?¡±


    Ortha looked puzzled.


    ¡°I was watching the cave. Soldiers and dwarves went in and out, but I wasn¡¯t able to learn anything other than the fact that they were guarding the entrance.¡±


    Zynis said. Then he looked towards the lake.


    ¡°Also, the miasma is very thick here.¡±


    The others nodded.


    ¡°Now, this is not enough information to take back with us. What are the merfolk trying to do? What is happening in the town? We need to investigate this further.¡±


    Zynis decided their direction.


    ¡°Corete, Ortha, Dilon. You all go to the nearest town and disguise yourselves as merchants and then return. You can conduct your business while you investigate.¡±


    The three nodded.


    ¡°I and two of the birdfolk will stay here and continue to search. I want to see if I can talk to the merfolk during the night.¡±


    The birdfolk nodded. However, they seemed a little restless.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Would you mind if we went out a little farther during reconnaissance?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It would look strange if you just flew here all day.¡±


    ¡°Good. It looks like there is going to be a complicated wind current. I want to go and check it out.¡±


    ¡°Uh, right. Very well.¡±


    Kaela seemed very excited about it, but Zynis looked a little disturbed. But birdfolk would always be birdfolk, regardless of their color.


    ¡°Well, until tonight, then.¡±


    Everyone moved in order to fulfill their role. This was the morning of the day that Maki and Chiharu reached Lowland.

 CH 86

    Thud. Thud. The sounds could be heard from outside the door.


    ¡°Hmm. Still angry, I see. How long does Chouze intend on keeping him like this?¡±


    ¡°Norfe should be arriving soon. I¡¯m sure that he will know what to do.¡±


    The two guards in front of the door whispered to each other. Then, a smiling Chouze walked by. She was followed by two maids who were pushing carts and a serious-looking man who carried a big wooden box.


    She didn¡¯t even glance at the guards as one of the maids knocked on the door.


    The thudding stopped, and the room fell silent.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in then.¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t received permission yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s been waiting for us. We got some fresh fish today.¡±


    Chouze ignored the maid who tried to stop her, and forced the door open.


    The door opened to reveal a brightly lit room. There was was a balcony that faced the lake that had two glass doors. You could freely go out to the lake. The summer wind caused mild waves to appear on the lake¡¯s surface, but it was very calm compared to the sea. There appeared to be a door to a bedroom to the left, but it was currently closed.


    There was also a large sofa in the living room that faced a window. It was on this sofa, that someone who Chouze adored, slept.


    Another thud could be heard as something hit the sofa.


    ¡°Amia. It¡¯s me, Chouze. How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Do I look well to you?¡±


    The thudding became louder.


    ¡°We brought fish from the lake today. I also brought a chef, so I am sure you will enjoy it.¡±


    A thud was the only reply that could be heard.


    Chouze went around to where Amia was and sighed.


    Amia was wrapped in a thin cloth and lying down on the sofa. He was leaning on one elbow and staring at the lake. His hair was beautifully white, and it swayed in the air like seaweed in the water. His skin also shone in the light. He was muscular and well proportioned up to the waist. Everything below that was that of an impressive fish. The tail fin would occasionally hit the sofa, as if he was annoyed. That was what was making the thudding sounds earlier.


    His face looked expressionless at first, but his eyebrows were slightly narrowed and his pale blue eyes suggested that he was not happy.


    And yet, he was incredibly beautiful.


    Usually, there would have been a lot more members of the royal family here. They always went to the villa by the mirror lake in order to escape the heat. But this year, many had gone to the highlands in the northwest, and the others remained in the royal capital. So it was just Chouze who remained here.


    She had been so bored and even thought about going home. But then she heard word that some fishermen had caught a merman. And that was how she first met the beautiful Amia.


    She had never seen anything so beautiful inland. Of course, you could easily go and see them if you took the train to the dwarf lands. But Chouze had never gone there. And there were no plans to send her. A short while ago, she had finally been able to visit Midland again. Ever since she was young, she had wanted to visit the other three territories.


    And so she had become terribly excited when she saw Lord Zynis and Lord Aeris in Midland. Even Grudo seemed quite adorable to her, but dwarves were starting to show up more often even inland, so they were not particularly rare now.


    But everyone seemed so busy and so she didn¡¯t have an opportunity to talk with them. And if they did have any spare time, they spent it with the Saintesses. But her older brother and the inlanders who came with them disliked the other three territories to begin with, and so she wasn¡¯t even able to ask if she could meet and talk with them. Even Prince Edwy wouldn¡¯t talk to her like he used to.


    On top of that, they had to leave before she got to enjoy the town of Tram.


    She had been feeling quite low when the news of the merman reached her.


    There had always been rumors about people seeing them by the lake. Of course, she wished she could see one too, but did not really expect it to happen. Chouze looked at Amia with an enraptured expression. Oh, how his scales glimmered beautifully in the light!


    ¡°I don¡¯t want any fish. Return me to the lake.¡±


    Chouze had met the merman who was trapped in the net, and she invited him to the villa. He had come willingly, but after telling her his name and talking briefly, he became very grumpy and hadn¡¯t changed since.


    He would complain about the fish being cooked wrong or about the beds being too hard. Then he would tell them to call someone who understood his needs.


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯ve only just got here. I wanted to hear about your country.¡±


    ¡°Then come to the merfolk island. There are lots of us there.¡±


    ¡°But father would never allow it. Oh, Amia. It¡¯s said that no one knows where the merfolk country is. Is it true? Where is it?¡±


    ¡°No one knows because it is a secret. How can you not know something so simple?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to know.¡±


    Chouze continued to talk as if she didn¡¯t notice that Amia was annoyed. But then Amia interrupted her.


    ¡°Um, can you see that rock over there that looks like coral?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°Coral? I¡¯m not sure what you mean. But perhaps you are talking about the rock that is known as the ¡®Elf¡¯s Hand¡¯? I think that it is disturbing.¡±


    This rock looked like a hand that was thrusting out of the water.


    ¡°It¡¯s dark in that area. Something is gathered around it. What is it?¡±


    ¡°Oh. Yes, I do see it now, but I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°You do?¡±


    ¡°They say that we must not go near the shore on the other side because it is dangerous. There are mines. Recently, soldiers have had to guard it against dangerous creatures. Do you know about them, Amia? In the beastlands, they have vampire bats that live in caves.¡±


    Surely there must be similar creatures here. There was a part of Chouze that wanted to see them, even if it was just a little.


    ¡°Mines? I thought that digging was a job for dwarves.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re surprising clueless, Amia. They have places to mine inland as well. But I believe there are some dwarves that work here.¡±


    ¡°Have they been here long?¡±


    ¡°No, I think it was after I was born¡­¡±


    Chouze tilted her head to the side. She wasn¡¯t very interested, and so the details escaped her.


    ¡°There is some place that you can go in order to meet the dwarves.¡±


    That was all Chouze cared about. Even if it was the result of bringing criminals and their family from the dwarf lands.

 CH 87

    The man that came with her then stepped forward and spread out a cloth. And then he began to skillfully prepare the fish. After a short while, the slices of raw fish were placed beautifully on a large plate.


    ¡°Prince Amia. How about this? I heard that the people by the coast have a custom of eating fish raw like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want it. More importantly, take me back to the lake. I¡¯ve already talked to you for several days. You said you only wanted to talk for a short while.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I have not been satisfied yet. Amia, you¡¯ve barely told me anything but your name.¡±


    ¡°Are all humans so dull-witted? My father and brother will not be happy when they find out what you are doing.¡±


    ¡°What I am doing?¡±


    ¡°You are keeping me here as a prisoner.¡±


    ¡°A prisoner! I am only keeping you here as a guest. Is there anything that I can get for you, Amia?¡±


    ¡°I want to return to the lake.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯ll go away if I return you to the lake, won¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°This is going nowhere.¡±


    After that, Amia refused to reply, no matter how much Chouze tried to talk to him. He just stared at the lake.


    ¡°Well, I shall visit you again later.¡±


    Chouze said before going out into the hallway. She sighed. After they had walked a little, she turned to her maid and said,


    ¡°Oh, he was so beautiful today as well. Prince Amia. I don¡¯t care if he doesn¡¯t talk. As long as he stays here.¡±


    ¡°Still, Princess Chouze. I think you should return him soon.¡±


    The maid said rather bluntly.


    ¡°In the first place, you ignored the warnings about it being dangerous this year and came to the lake. And then you captured a merman on top of that. Oh, when the others find out about this, you will be forbidden from going outside.¡±


    ¡°Captured! He is a guest!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s half fish. And yet you tried to feed him raw fish. How frightful.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see what¡¯s wrong with it.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t return him to the water soon, he¡¯ll get all dried up and die.¡±


    ¡°What a horrible thing to say! You¡¯re the one that¡¯s frightful!¡±


    No, what is frightful is your obsession and will to keep him locked up, even when he could die. The maid almost said this but held her tongue. Recently, even the oldest and most loyal servants in the palace were being let go over minor issues. And so she hesitated in saying exactly what was on her mind.


    Chouze had always been a dreamer, but was still an honest girl. The maid didn¡¯t understand what had happened.


    ¡°If only Prince Norfe was here¡­or¡­¡±


    He was gentle with his younger sister, and so she wasn¡¯t sure that he would deal with the situation calmly. It would all be fine if he just returned the fish to the lake. But what if he hurt him instead? The maid shook the thought out of her head. And then she followed after the princess.


    Amia watched Chouze and the others leave the room. Then he hit the sofa once with his tail and let out a deep sigh.


    The lake was shallow. He had known this, and yet he was lured by the miasma and went close to the shore. It was his own fault. He was annoyed at his own stupidity for getting caught in the net. But had he really wanted to get away, he could have cut it and escaped.


    However¡­


    ¡°Would you please come to my villa?¡±


    The young human girl had said. There was something about her that reminded him of the beloved children. That was his downfall. She didn¡¯t even have the same hair or eyes. However, he thought there would be no harm in indulging her for a while. And now look where that led. His tail slapped down on the sofa in frustration.


    She was probably doing it with pure intentions. However, her head was so full of herself, that she was incapable of thinking about anyone else. Even merfolk were like that at her age.


    If she was an enemy, he could eliminate her. He didn¡¯t care if she was royalty. He would get rid of anyone that he disliked.


    He could also just slip out on his own, but the thought of the grieving child was too much for him. He was also unable to treat her coldly. It was a rare moment where Amia was truly unsure of what to do.


    In other words, he was well aware that he was in a very ridiculous situation. And that made him a little frantic.


    ¡°I can only hope that Saia doesn¡¯t get ahead of himself.¡±


    He muttered. However, Amia had no way of knowing that it was much too later for that.


    ¡î¡¡¡¡¡î¡¡¡¡¡î


    ¡°Norfe. Chouze!¡±


    A voice called from the front of the carriage. Maki and Chiharu were still sitting in the back and enjoying the scenery. They replied just as loudly.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Maki stood up on well-balanced feet. She passed through the other luggage in the back and stuck her head out by the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°There are soldiers by the town¡¯s exit. That¡¯s very unusual.¡±


    Aaron said. Maki stretched her neck and looked ahead.


    ¡°There really are. They¡¯re checking each carriage too. But¡­¡±


    She squinted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s about searching for something? It¡¯s probably just to keep dangerous people out. It should be fine.¡±


    Maki said, as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal. Aaron sighed.


    ¡°Look, we¡¯re a group of people who are trying to sell oranges in a time like this. We look pretty suspicious. So, where¡¯s this confidence even coming from?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like we can do anything now. If we have no choice, then we should act boldly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡­but. Hey, Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. What he¡¯s trying to say, Maki, is that we should be careful.¡±


    ¡°I know that. We¡¯ll be careful in the back.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please do.¡±


    Maki returned to the back.


    ¡°Edwy. Be careful about how you talk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I will.¡±


    ¡°Now, we¡¯re almost in Nelis. Once we get in, we¡¯ll have to rent a room at an inn and then secure a spot in the market place.¡±


    Chiharu was in the far back and dangling her feet carelessly. That being said, it was tough having to sit on a hard wooden board for such a long time. Sometimes, they walked next to the carriage or slept between the cargo. The road hadn¡¯t been easy.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Ultimately, we didn¡¯t really learn anything other than that the princess went to the villa and they aren¡¯t able to get fish from the lake anymore.¡±


    ¡°Princess. What a joke. It¡¯s that little girl, right?¡±


    Maki snorted. Chiharu chuckled but then remonstrated her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. If you really do just see her as a little girl, you should be nice.¡±


    ¡°Well, they really annoyed me.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t argue with that. I¡¯m still not sure why they treated us like enemies.¡±


    Maki was a little exasperated that Chiharu didn¡¯t seem to care much, in spite of all that had happened. Still, she continued.


    ¡°Really. And you know, they don¡¯t actually contribute much money to the Saintess in the first place? While they will pay larger sums if the Saintess Palace needs some construction work or other such things, normally, most countries pay the same amount they would to a single knight.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s cheap. If a Saintess is purifying the land of miasma for the same salary as a knight, then I don¡¯t know why they¡¯re complaining. In fact, we¡¯re doing it right now! It¡¯s starting to annoy me.¡±


    Chiharu batted the air as if she could see the miasma around her. However, her body would suck it in regardless. Maki couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Haha. It¡¯s no use. Though, to be honest, the miasma here is just as thick as it was in the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The magic gems are created very quickly.¡±


    Chiharu touched her forehead and then her chest. This wasn¡¯t for the royal family. They were doing it for everyone else. It couldn¡¯t be helped. She would forget the pain that she had felt in her chest at that time. And like that, the carriage that carried the Saintesses, entered the town.

 CH 88

    ¡°Alright, next carriage¡­¡±


    The soldier said unenthusiastically. And the carriage started to move again. It was quite late in the afternoon now, and the entrance was busy with people either preparing to leave the town or enter.


    The clothes here were similar to what they had seen Chouze wearing. Inlanders had not been influenced by the saintesses much in terms of fashion, and the clothing was quite western. The men tended to wear dark pants and plain, undyed shirts and vests. As for the women, they generally preferred one-piece dresses with fluffy skirts. Maki and Chiharu watched a man, who had rolled up his sleeves since it was summer, talk to the soldier.


    ¡°How long is this going to continue?¡±


    ¡°At least until Princess Chouze arrives.¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t like this last year. And there were many more members of the royal family last time.¡±


    ¡°We lowly guards don¡¯t know anything about that. Anyway, are you carrying anything suspicious?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not. What are you trying to say? Even dwarves wander around in this town. The only people you should be suspicious of are elves and beastkin.¡±


    The soldier and the man started laughing. Apparently, they knew each other quite well. It seemed like they felt this couldn¡¯t be helped if it was for Princess Chouze. It reminded Chiharu and Maki of how Edwy and Arthur were adored in the town of Tram. However, that didn¡¯t match with their impression of the proud royal family. And Chiharu tilted her head with a puzzled expression.


    However, they were also curious about this talk of dwarves. And it sounded like it was not unusual for them to be around here.


    ¡°Alright, next. Hmm, now here¡¯s an unfamiliar face.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re merchants from Lowland.¡±


    ¡°Ah. You¡¯re the most suspicious person of the day.¡±


    The soldier said happily. The townspeople that were nearby started to laugh.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, your hair and eyes do seem like they are from Lowland.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s where I was born.¡±


    The soldier must have been incredibly bored, because he now looked at Aaron with interest. Then he looked at Edwy and whistled.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. Your brother is quite handsome. You better keep him away and hope that Princess Chouze doesn¡¯t see him. She¡¯ll force him to talk with her, and he won¡¯t have any time to conduct your business.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound he¡¯s the only one of us who is handsome.¡±


    Aaron said with annoyance. Everyone laughed.


    ¡°Yes, of course. So, what will you be selling or buying? I must warn you, we have no fish to sell now.¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯ll just be selling. We have lots of rare Soluna oranges. Also, I want to show my younger siblings Highland while we¡¯re here.¡±


    Aaron gestured toward the carriage. Maki and Chiharu poked their heads out from under the tarp and bowed. The soldier saw them and nodded. Then he took a look at the cargo and put a hand on his chin.


    ¡°I see. Soluna oranges, huh? That¡¯s mighty thoughtful of you. Are you going to sell them at a specific store?¡±


    ¡°No, we have no connections. I was thinking about selling them at the market, if there is one.¡±


    ¡°Ah, then you should go to the merchant guild.¡±


    ¡°I see. Thank you. And by the way¡­¡±


    Aaron suddenly thought of something.


    ¡°Why are you doing this? Is there a criminal lurking about?¡±


    ¡°Oh, not at all. Though, there have recently been some odd stories. Something about the merfolk and other things like that. We¡¯re just being extra cautious for Princess Chouze¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk? So deep in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they say. Oh, also, some Midland folk came a few days ago to sell merfolk scales.¡±


    Should he really be saying all of this? Chiharu wondered. Weren¡¯t soldiers supposed to be a little more tight-lipped?


    ¡°Huh, merfolk scales? You almost never see them in Lowland.¡±


    ¡°In Highland as well. And the person who was selling them had hair that was a rare ash-color.¡±


    ¡°That is unusual.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t cause too much of a commotion while you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The soldier said as if a final warning, but he then let them go right through and even gave directions to the merchant guild. Chiharu waved at the soldier as he saw them off, and he smiled and waved back. Then Maki stretched her hand out to the cargo and called out.


    ¡°Old man!¡±


    And then she threw two of the oranges at him. The soldier caught them.


    ¡°Consider it a bribe!¡±


    Maki shouted, and everyone laughed. The soldier smiled and waved the oranges in the air. Maki waved back and then muttered,


    ¡°This sure is a nice place.¡±


    Yes. It¡¯s no different from Midland.¡±


    While the people who walked around the town looked busy, they also looked calm and friendly.


    ¡°But the miasma is still thick.¡±


    ¡°And there are apparently merfolk.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°We better be careful.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They had not come here to sightsee, so they tried to stay focused.


    After spending the night in an inn, the group was welcomed at the market the next day, where a spot had been made for their carriage.


    ¡°People who sell vegetables have to deal with a lot of heavy cargo, so it will be easier if you can park the carriage right behind your stall.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. As it¡¯s summer, there aren¡¯t many people selling root vegetables now. Well, I might come and buy from you later.¡±


    The market manager said as he left them.


    ¡°Hey. Ed, Norfe, Chouze. Let¡¯s sell some Soluna oranges!¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The town¡¯s people had already gathered with glimmering expectation in their eyes. And so it was necessary to start selling them soon. The crowd murmured restlessly as Aaron and Edwy took the boxes down. Then they lined up in front of their stall.


    That being said, it was 300 gil for 1 orange, which was hardly cheap.


    ¡°Little boy, I¡¯ll take one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that will be 300 gil.¡±


    ¡°Little girl, I¡¯ll have three.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s 900 gil.¡±


    These oranges were quite a luxury for the common folk. Most people only bought one. And at most they would buy five. Regardless, they all seemed happy as they left. They would probably share them with their family.


    The customers kept coming, and so Maki and Chiharu continued to sell them.


    ¡°Those two are pretty useful.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    After taking the boxes down, the two of them just stared and watched Maki and Chiharu work. Then Maki shouted at them.


    ¡°Ed! Aaron! Why don¡¯t you go peddling if you have nothing better to do!¡±


    ¡°Peddling?¡±


    They looked dumbfounded. Maki was so annoyed that she left Chiharu alone and walked over to them.


    ¡°We¡¯re so busy that we don¡¯t have time to talk to anyone! Put some oranges in a box and go around the market so you can listen to rumors and gather information!¡±


    ¡°Oh. Ohh¡­¡±


    ¡°Edwy, you should try talking to the young ladies!¡±


    ¡°Uh. What¡­¡±


    Then she returned to the stall.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We didn¡¯t come here to sell oranges.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The two of them picked up some smaller boxes and filled them with oranges. Then they went around to the other stalls so they could sell the oranges to people who couldn¡¯t leave their spot. Maki saw them talking and also accepting things, and she sighed with relief.


    ¡°While it was us who was asked to do this, we might as well make use of any help that we can get.¡±


    ¡°Look at Edwy. He¡¯s surrounded by women.¡±


    ¡°I knew he would be.¡±


    They were so distracted that they forgot about their customers.


    ¡°Are you worried about your brother?¡±


    An old lady who had bought three oranges asked them with an amused expression.


    ¡°No. I was just thinking about how he is popular no matter where he goes.¡±


    Maki answered.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll know what that¡¯s like in about three years. See, you¡¯re already starting to draw attention.¡±


    The old lady said as she looked to the side. Maki and Chiharu looked as well. There was a small group of girls who appeared to be around 15 years old. They were looking at them and giggling to each other. Well, to be precise, they were looking at Maki.


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°You have a very unusual eye color. They¡¯re already talking about the Lowland youth who is cool but has a face like a girl¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Whaaat.¡±


    Maki looked awkward. Chiharu burst into laughter.


    ¡°Norfe, in a way, you are popular with all kinds of people.¡±


    ¡°Be quiet. That was pretty traumatic¡­¡±


    Maki said as her head dropped. Well, at least this time it was just young girls. It would be fine.

 CH 89

    ¡°The market sure is lively today.¡±


    Corete craned his neck. Apparently, some group of people had brought a new product to the market. And when he looked closer, he saw that a young boy and girl were selling Soluna oranges.


    ¡°Soluna oranges, huh. They aren¡¯t exactly rare back home, but I guess they don¡¯t have them in the human territories.¡±


    He muttered as he saw the townspeople gathered around in order to buy the oranges. Then he turned to Dilon, who was standing behind a small table that displayed ornaments made of scales, and said,


    ¡°We¡¯ve been here for three days now. I think we got all of the information that we can get. We should pack up the store now. Besides, I bet Zynis is tired of living in the forest.¡±


    ¡°If anything, I bet father is enjoying being able to run around in the mountains every day.¡±


    Dilon said with an annoyed look. He was so lively no matter where he went.


    This was his first mission in the human territories, and the special humanoid form took a lot of concentration. It was him and not Zynis who was feeling tired. However, the girls who gathered around to see the unusual accessories were very cute. And he did not mind the way they looked at his ash-colored hair with admiration. Yes. It wasn¡¯t bad at all.


    ¡°Oh? It seems they are walking around with the oranges as well. That way, people who can¡¯t leave their stall can also buy some.¡±


    Corete sounded impressed.


    ¡°But you wouldn¡¯t be able to sell the scale accessories like that.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Regardless, we already sold the unprocessed scales to a craftsman. So selling the accessories is just a way to make a little extra money and something we could use for cover.¡±


    It was easy to bring up the merfolk when you were selling the scales. And they were able to learn that a merman had been caught near the villa. Perhaps the rumor about ¡®being wary of the mirror lake¡¯ had something to do with this ¡®captive merman.¡¯


    Zynis was currently looking into it during the night.


    ¡°Oh, too bad. The oranges got sold out before they reached us.¡±


    ¡°You sure like fruits, Corete. Well, I¡¯m bored of tending to the store. Maybe I¡¯ll go scouting and buy some oranges along the way. There seem to be less customers now.¡±


    ¡°Then buy some early-ripening grapes as well.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Fine.¡±


    Dilon jumped over the table and began to slowly walk through the market. It was said that inland people were prejudiced against non-humans, but he had asked a dwarf who had come to buy some scales, and was told that such sentiments were not common. In fact, many people had stared at his unusual ash-colored hair, but he never felt anything other than curiosity in their looks.


    Well, he did see annoyance on the faces of other young men. However, there was none of that now. When he looked at the market, he saw that everyone was focused on the two young men who were carrying the empty boxes. And also on the young boy and girl who sold the oranges. Even the young men were looking at them.


    Well, they were traveling merchants who would only be here temporarily. There was no point in being annoyed by them. Dilon told this to himself as he stood in line to buy some oranges.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the young man with gray hair. Did you come to buy the oranges?¡±


    An old lady who had already finished buying some started to talk to him.


    ¡°Yeah. My friend really likes them.¡±


    ¡°How many do you want?¡±


    The boy had a pretty high-pitched voice. It would probably deepen soon.


    ¡°Uh, I¡¯ll take three.¡±


    When he looked down, he saw that the boy with blonde hair and black eyes was looking up at him in surprise. No, the eyes were dark brown. Dilon was surprised as well.


    ¡°Rasche¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±


    The girl said from the side as the boy muttered.


    ¡°R-right. Sorry. You just look like a friend.¡±


    ¡°No, he doesn¡¯t. If anything, they aren¡¯t even the same species.¡±


    The girl butted in again as the boy apologized. Not the same species? Dilon wondered what she meant by that. Still, he accepted the paper bag of oranges and handed them the boy his money. The boy held Dilon¡¯s hand and put the change in it.


    Just then¡­


    ¡°AHHHH!¡±


    A scream could be heard. Dilon and the boy turned around in surprise. Suddenly, there were many more young girls there from all over the town. And they were looking at them with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The two looked around in confusion. Finally, the small girl next to the boy sighed.


    ¡°Those girls followed you here. And now you¡¯re standing in front of the Lowland boy everyone is interested in. Also, you¡¯re holding hands.¡±


    The two looked down in surprise. They had frozen while still holding the change. Perhaps it looked like they were holding hands at a distance. They frantically pulled their hands back.


    ¡°Uh, um, I look forward to tasting them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, ah. We¡¯ll probably be selling them tomorrow as well. So you should come again.¡±


    Their awkward conversation ended there and they turned away and walked in different directions.


    Oh. This was scarier than being looked at with descrimination. That was what Dilon thought as he rushed back to his store.


    ¡°I heard a lot of noise. Did you learn anything?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have time for that. Girls are scary.¡±


    ¡°Selling Soluna oranges at this time of the year is very suspicious. Damn it. You really can¡¯t do anything, can you?¡±


    Corete glared at the still shaken Dilon. Then he looked at the two men who were selling the oranges. There was something about them that seemed familiar to him.


    ¡°Seslan? No, he should be in the beast territories. And the hair is different as well. Besides, the other one¡­ Hey, Dilon. Look at the shorter one over there. Doesn¡¯t he look like someone?¡±


    Dilon was still not himself.


    ¡°The one selling the oranges? Smaller, oh, I see. The hair color is wrong, but the face and eyes look like Arthur. No, he¡¯s too young. Edwy? Is that a wig?¡±


    ¡°And look at the taller one.¡±


    ¡°Taller? Oh, Seslan? No, but he looks like him¡­¡±


    Dilon and Corete looked at each other.


    ¡°What would Midland and Lowland royalty be doing here?¡±


    ¡°And in disguise. Well, one of them, anyway. Besides, this mission was due to Arthur¡¯s request. I didn¡¯t hear anything about a separate team.¡±


    ¡°Besides, weren¡¯t they supposed to be in the elf territory¡­¡±


    Both of them folded their arms and stared at the two men selling oranges. The shorter one must have noticed this, because he looked at them and then looked away. Then an expression of surprise appeared on his face as he looked back at them. They could see his mouth shape the name ¡®Dilon?¡¯


    ¡°It¡¯s confirmed then. That is Edwy.¡±


    Dilon had also played with Edwy when he was younger. Now that he thought about it, his scent had seemed familiar.


    ¡°The boy said that they would be selling oranges tomorrow as well. That means they will be staying here. Tonight, then.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    That¡¯s when it would happen.

 CH 90

    Once the flow of customers started to die down, Maki and Chiharu talked about all the mistakes they had made.


    ¡°First, maybe you shouldn¡¯t have handed him the change like you would in Japan?¡±


    Chiharu pointed out.


    ¡°But, I couldn¡¯t exactly throw it into his hand.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. But you didn¡¯t have to hold his hand like that.¡±


    Chiharu said as she took Maki¡¯s hand and pretended to put change into it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a convenience store. I mean, the girls seemed happy. Even older women seemed happy. Now that I think about it, even the older men were happy.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh. I just cannot help that I¡¯m an expert at customer service.¡±


    ¡°You might want to tone it down. It¡¯s important that we don¡¯t stick out.¡±


    This time, Chiharu didn¡¯t stick out at all. It was because people thought that she was a child who was too young to be interested in anyone. It was a rather comfortable feeling.


    ¡°Also, you really need to stop shouting ¡®Rasche!¡¯ every time you see someone that looks dog-like. That guy wasn¡¯t even the right color.¡±


    ¡°Uhhh. But, didn¡¯t he look like a younger Zynis who had turned into a human?¡±


    ¡°He did! I got a good look at him while you two were getting busy!¡±


    Chiharu said dreamily.


    ¡°It was like if you took Zynis¡¯s kind eyes and made them sharper. Same with the jawline. Add some youth and irony as well. If only he had some dog ears.¡±


    ¡°You sure studied him, Chiharu.¡±


    Maki was impressed.


    ¡°Stories are more enjoyable when you get to watch instead of having to be the protagonist.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Chiharu knew this after being abducted several times.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Ed! And Aaron.¡±


    The two of them had returned from selling oranges.


    ¡°We were talking about how trouble sucks when it happens to you, but it¡¯s fun for everyone else to watch.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re terrible.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki said and then burst into laughter. However, Edwy looked at them seriously.


    ¡°You must be talking about that ash-colored youth. What happened!¡±


    ¡°Ed. Be careful. This is not the place to talk about it. We should return to the inn once.¡±


    Aaron also looked serious. Maki and Chiharu stopped smiling and nodded. And with that, they decided to return to the inn earlier than scheduled.


    As it was still too early for dinner, the four of them gathered in the room together. Maki had been quiet up until now. She sat down on the bed and then asked them the question. Chiharu sat next to her and looked at Edwy.


    ¡°So, what about that guy with ash-colored hair?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know him.¡±


    ¡°And you, Aaron?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know him directly. Not me.¡±


    There seemed to be a hidden meaning there. If not him, then who?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a bad thing. I just wasn¡¯t expecting to see him. So I needed some time to recover.¡±


    Edwy sighed and then sat down in the chair. It was rare to see Edwy like this.


    ¡°Maki. Did that ash-haired man look like anyone to you?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me and Chiharu thought he looked like a young Zynis. But surely¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s Zynis¡¯s son. His name is Dilon.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other.


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why they look so similar.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why he¡¯s so handsome.¡±


    ¡°Handsome?¡±


    Edwy asked. But they ignored him.


    ¡°Wait, but he didn¡¯t have the ears?¡±


    Chiharu said. Edwy¡¯s reply was most surprising.


    ¡°Ah, he must be using a special form. He has turned completely human. Apparently, it¡¯s quite difficult to do, and I¡¯ve never seen it done before.¡±


    ¡°A special form!¡±


    What a fantastical idea. Chiharu said excitedly. No. No. This was no time for that.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it strange that a beastman came all the way here, and is even doing it in disguise?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I was surprised. However, they weren¡¯t trying to hide from us either. They were acting quite boldly. Whatever it is, I don¡¯t think it is something that would be bad for Midland.¡±


    Interesting.


    ¡°If anything, we look more suspicious.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll at least want to know what we are doing. I suspect that they will try to contact us.¡±


    Edwy sunk even deeper into his chair as he said this.


    ¡°The problem is knowing how much to tell them.¡±


    ¡°True.¡±


    As Aaron and Edwy talked, Maki asked them with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Why not tell them everything? We¡¯re allies, right?¡±


    ¡°If they knew that we brought the Saintesses to such a dangerous place, do you think you would be able to continue to move so freely?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°Dilon is quite stubborn. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if Ortha was here too.¡±


    Who¡¯s Ortha? Maki and Chiharu seemed to say. And so Edwy explained.


    ¡°Ortha is Zynis¡¯s daughter and Dilon¡¯s older sister. She is a lot more accommodating.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu nodded. And then Aaron said,


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to tell them everything. Especially the part about these two being Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll figure the rest out as we go along.¡±


    The four of them nodded and decided to meet at the dining hall after they prepared.


    Maki arrived first and sat at the counter, where she began to talk with some of the staff. Almost every inn had a bar, and many people from around town were present. After a while, the doors opened and the young man with ash-colored hair came in with another young man.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards them at first, but they quickly lost interest. However, the man with gray hair looked straight at Maki.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, from the market. What do you want?¡±


    Maki said casually. The man scratched his head for a moment and thought.


    ¡°You. Where¡¯s your¡­uh, older brother?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh. I¡¯ll go and call him then.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Maki slid off her chair and ran up the stairs to the second floor.


    ¡°Oh? Have you made new outsider friends then?¡±


    As the two sat down at a table for four, the waiter talked to them. While he was teasing them, it wasn¡¯t malicious.


    ¡°Well, meeting them in Highland is quite a coincidence. I thought we could trade business information.¡±


    ¡°Of course. If I knew you guys were coming, I would have told all the women in the town.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. I enjoy their company, but not when there are so many.¡±


    ¡°You poor thing.¡±


    The rest of the customers laughed when they heard this. It didn¡¯t take long for the others to come down from the second floor.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to a table where all six of us can sit down.¡±


    The one selling the scales said. But Maki stopped them.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Chouze and I will eat at the counter.¡±


    ¡°That would be best.¡±


    Aaron agreed. And so Maki and Chiharu nodded and moved to the counter, where their feet dangled above the floor.


    Dilon and Corete admired how well-mannered the children were as they turned back to Edwy and Aaron.


    ¡°So, it is you, Edwy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you. Dilon.¡±


    They seemed relieved now that they were certain. They ordered their dinner and finished their introduction before the ale arrived. It was a calm atmosphere.


    ¡°They sure are good-looking.¡±


    ¡°My eyes are blessed.¡±


    ¡°The one that¡¯s not Dilon looks more like Rasche in color.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, weren¡¯t you the one who just told me to stop doing that?¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    As they giggled, someone called to them from the other side of the counter.


    ¡°You two seem to be enjoying yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Just look at them at that table. Aren¡¯t they all handsome?¡±


    ¡°I suppose. But they¡¯re still just men. No matter how good-looking.¡±


    The man said with a shrug as he poured himself another cup of ale.


    ¡°More importantly, this place is about to be filled with a lot more drunks.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Chouze, let¡¯s go back to our room.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They got off of their chairs and headed to the table.


    ¡°Ah, Norfe, and Chouze. You should go and get some sleep. We might be going out after this.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    They nodded at Aaron and then went upstairs.


    ¡°What good kids.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Though, they can be tough.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Aaron and Edwy had strange expressions, which puzzled Dilon and Corete. They would soon find out what they meant by that.

 CH 91

    Maki and Chiharu returned to their room, and after making sure that no one was near their door, they sat down on their beds and faced each other.


    ¡°They did say something about how it would be better, in the long run, if our identities remained secret.¡±


    Chigaru started lazily.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s just keeping us away because he can¡¯t be bothered to explain anything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right.¡±


    Maki folded her arms as she continued.


    ¡°So, we can either do something or just sit around quietly.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan. There¡¯s another option.¡±


    Maki unfolded her arms and leaned forward. Chiharu put a single finger up to her lips and looked at her mischievously.


    ¡°We can¡¯t search for the merfolk alone. But we can¡¯t move with Aaron, Edwy, and Zynis¡¯s son either. However, there is something that only we can do, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°Just us? Saintesses¡­the gazers!¡±


    ¡°Correct!¡±


    Chiharu clapped her hands.


    ¡°The border town between Midland and Lowland was the last one, right? And just look at how thick the miasma is here. I think there are definitely stray gazers around.¡±


    ¡°I think they should be alright if they survived this long without us. Still¡­¡±


    Maki looked outside of the window.


    ¡°I feel bad for the gazers who say they are tired as they sway in the air.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They cross over mountains like that.¡±


    Both of them thought back on the gazer they had met in the border town. Had it wandered around for a day longer, it would have likely attracted attention and caused a big scene.


    ¡°But if we called gazers from this window, people will see them. What should we do?¡±


    Chiharu tilted her head and thought. Just then, she heard footsteps coming up the stairs. They stopped right in front of their door, and then there was a knock.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aaron.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the prince has become wiser.¡±


    ¡°I can hear you.¡±


    Maki chuckled as she opened the door.


    ¡°Aaron.¡±


    Aaron glared at her, but Maki took no notice.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to inform you, but we¡¯ll be leaving the inn for a while. I¡¯m sure this will be very worrying for you, but just stay here quietly.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re 25. You don¡¯t need to worry about us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the last person I¡¯d believe.¡±


    Aaron growled. And then he returned to his room once before going down the stairs.


    ¡°Is he gone?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s gone.¡±


    Maki stood up and looked at Chiharu. If they couldn¡¯t do it from the window, that meant they had to go outside. But Chiharu was still dressed as a young girl. They wondered if it would be better to change.


    ¡°Are you thinking that it would be difficult for me to move? It¡¯s actually quite easy since the skirt is shorter than the ones for adults. Besides, if we get caught outside, it might be better if I¡¯m still Chouze.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. You rode in the carriage like this and sold everyone oranges. It should be fine.¡±


    Maki nodded. And then Chiharu stood up.


    ¡°So, what should we do?¡±


    She asked. Maki grinned and pushed up her hair.


    ¡°I just talked to some of the people that work here. I said that I wanted to meet one of the girls I became friends with today. And I wanted to do it without my older brother finding out about it.¡±


    She answered.


    ¡°Maki-chan, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡±


    Chiharu was exasperated.


    ¡°Oh, but they were very understanding. They said that it must be hard to live in his shadow.¡±


    ¡°Stop that. It¡¯s too funny.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s stomach started to hurt from laughing too much.


    ¡°There¡¯s a door on the opposite side of the stairs that leads to a staircase that¡¯s just for people who work here. And if you go down there, you can go out the back of the inn. They say that if we stay out too late it might get locked. But I¡¯m sure it will be fine. And then we can go to the mountain from there.¡±


    Maki said. And like that, the two of them snuck out the back of the inn. They avoided being seen and went up a path they had seen during the day that led to the mountain. As they would get caught if they used any lights, they had to depend on the light of the moon.


    ¡°Haah. Haah. We¡¯ve gone pretty far now.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Oh, I can see the villa and the lake from here.¡±


    While Chiharu was panting, Maki seemed like she was still full of energy. Still, Chiharu felt that she had become a lot tougher compared to before. Once they were high enough, they moved over to a spot under a tree where they were less likely to be seen. Then Maki and Chiharu stretched their arms to the sky and tried to search for the presence of gazers.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    A voice suddenly called from behind them, and Maki was so surprised that she jumped. As for Chiharu, she was too scared to move.


    When they fearfully turned around, they saw someone with short, brown hair. When they looked behind the person, they saw large, brown wings.


    ¡°It¡¯s a non-white¡­Sauro.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t compare me to him.¡±


    The birdman stared at Maki, who was the one who had said Sauro¡¯s name. This complete lack of tact. He was indeed a birdman. After thinking this, Chiharu wasn¡¯t nervous at all.


    ¡°Your hair is unnatural. It must be a wig. And you have black eyes. That means¡­¡±


    ¡°We discovered the Saintesses!¡±


    ¡°Kaela¡­¡±


    Another birdperson appeared. The first one was touching his forehead. Yes, birdfolk generally traveled in pairs. Maki recalled.


    ¡°Woah! So small! So cute! She¡¯s just like Saikania described!¡±


    The smaller birdperson started circling around Chiharu.


    ¡°Umm.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What?¡±


    ¡°We came here in secret, so could you keep it down?¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. We¡¯re also on a mission.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were very disappointed. However, this was no time for that. For now, they had to figure out what was going on. And so Maki decided to try and talk to them.


    ¡°Um¡­ahh!¡±


    Something had rubbed against her foot.


    ¡°What? What? Ahh!¡±


    As she moved around frantically, something moved between her legs. It was furry.


    ¡°Uh? What? Woah! Ah!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so surprised.¡±


    Something said under her arm.


    ¡°Of course I¡¯d be surprised! A two-meter doggy just popped out of nowhere!¡±


    Maki shot back.


    ¡°Doggy? Oh, you must mean dog. So the dogs in your country must have been small.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Zynis¡­¡±


    Before she knew it, Maki¡¯s arms were around the large dog with ash-colored hair. And yes, that gentle voice was Zynis¡¯s. That being said, a dog¡­ Maki looked at everything from the head to the tail. A two-meter dog was the same size as a sofa for three people. And so when he stood, his face reached her chest.


    The nose on its gray face started to sniff at Maki. Woah. So big. That¡¯s the only thing she could think of. Maki was quite stunned.


    ¡°You look well.¡±


    Zynis said with satisfaction. Chiharu then wobbled up towards them.


    ¡°Zynis.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Chiharu. You seem well too.¡±


    Without saying anything, Chiharu put her arms around Zynis¡¯s neck and buried her face in his fur. Maki held him just as tightly.


    ¡°Hmm. What? Do you miss your home?¡±


    Zynis¡¯s tail wagged gently. However, they were not feeling that sentimental. They just wanted to bury their faces in some soft fur. It was so fluffy. It was heaven.


    ¡°Zynis. We were talking to the Saintesses before you interrupted.¡±


    Kaela said with some annoyance in her voice. Chiharu remembered and pulled her face out. They hadn¡¯t been talking at all! She always had an urge to fire back when the birdfolk talked, and that had brought her back to reality.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We were going to ask them what they were doing here.¡±


    The other birdperson said. And then Maki raised her head from the fur. Yes, they had something to do.


    ¡°Zynis. And you two birdpeople! Could you stand back?¡±


    ¡°Also, please don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    The atmosphere had suddenly changed. Maki and Chiharu stood very straight. While they were suspicious, the three newcomers moved back. Then Maki and Chiharu looked up at the sky.


    ¡°There.¡±


    It was a gazer.

 CH 92

    During that time, Edwy and Aaron were also at the mountain which Dilon and Corete had led them to. After all, there was a small open space here that Zynis had made his base.


    ¡°Huh? Father is not here.¡±


    ¡°Neither are the birdfolk. I told them to gather here.¡±


    Dilon and Corete looked around as if something was wrong.


    ¡°Ortha went to take some scales to the villa. They liked her, and so she¡¯s being hired temporarily.¡±


    ¡°So, she came too.¡±


    Edwy wasn¡¯t surprised by Dilon¡¯s explanation.


    They acted separately in order to avoid drawing attention, and then after reuniting at the foot of the mountain, they talked about what had happened.


    ¡°Beware of the mirror lake. What a vague thing to say. That¡¯s very Amia.¡±


    ¡°Are you close with the merfolk chief, Edwy?¡±


    ¡°No, he treats me like a child. However, as I was with the Saintesses, he did give us a vague warning.¡±


    ¡°The Saintesses¡­¡±


    Dilon touched the back of his head with a conflicted expression.


    ¡°Father and the birdfolk seemed to be so taken in by them. Are they really that special?¡±


    Edwy looked at Dilon with an exasperated expression.


    ¡°Good or bad? Adorable or admirable? All of that is beside the point!¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡±


    Dilon was overwhelmed by the force in his words. But it seemed like he was just praising them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it clearly. We do not have the authority to decide if the summoned Saintesses are good or not.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No arguments. They were torn from their families in order to be brought here. How do you think they would feel if you said they were a disappointment?¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe¡­¡±


    Dilon muttered vaguely, but Edwy had no intention of letting them off so easily.


    ¡°What if it was Ortha?¡±


    ¡°My sister? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure their families felt the same. But could you imagine if Ortha was sent to a different country alone, where there was no beastkin?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen your kind before. Why aren¡¯t you human? I wish you were quieter. You¡¯re too normal. Stop being spoiled. What if people said those things to her?¡±


    Dilon¡¯s hands tightened into fists. The Saintesses¡¯s were getting a similar amount of attention as any other girl around him, and yet he had felt that they were being spoiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have heard about the inland incident. But Dilon, what really hurts someone, is not what the enemy thinks, but careless words from those who are close to them.¡±


    Dilon couldn¡¯t reply to that.


    Just then, Corete raised his nose to the sky.


    ¡°The wind has changed. The wind that¡¯s rising from the lake has the scent of Zynis, the two birdfolk, and two humans in it. Below.¡±


    ¡°Below? But we passed through there.¡±


    Dillon said. And Corete answered.


    ¡°They must have come after then. I didn¡¯t notice because of the direction of the wind. Besides¡­¡±


    He said as his nose wrinkled.


    ¡°Hey, Dilon. About the miasma¡­¡±


    ¡°Aye. It¡¯s been rapidly getting thinner since yesterday. Oh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Both of them looked upward.


    ¡°The miasma is gathering together?¡±


    Edwy looked down with realization.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu! Those two are always so¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Edwy didn¡¯t answer them. Instead, he said,


    ¡°How do we get down!¡±


    ¡°Down the road there. The miasma is coming from the same direction.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°He-hey.¡±


    ¡°Prepare your second form!¡±


    Dilon and Corete were shocked by Edwy¡¯s words at first, but they quickly returned to themselves. The miasma. Second form. It was likely a monster.


    The four of them rushed down the hill. They quickly sensed that Zynis was close by.


    ¡°Over there! What!¡±


    There stood Zynis, in his third form, and two birdfolk. And in front of them, stood a young boy and girl. And in the sky above¡­


    ¡°I can¡¯t even count them. Gazers¡­¡±


    There were so many that he muttered out loud. The monsters looked just like they did when facing an Adventurer in a dungeon. Like they were about to attack. And to Edwy, Maki and Chiharu looked a lot more nervous than they had been at the border town. Next to him, Dilon and Corete changed shape. Their nails became strong and thick. Their maw extended and their fangs sharpened. It was their second form. On close inspection, the birdfolk also had their claws out.


    ¡°Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    To Edwy, it seemed that the monsters reacted to his voice, and grew larger. As Dilon and Corete moved in to attack, Zynis stepped in front of them.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°But!¡±


    ¡°They told us not to interfere.¡±


    Zynis¡¯s calm voice made them pause. Still, they remained on their guard as they looked at the boy and girl and the gazers.


    ¡°They are so wild.¡±


    ¡°Agitated. You were supposed to grow slowly but were unleashed too early. You became gazers too soon?¡±


    ¡°The cave was small and you couldn¡¯t grow. Do you want to get bigger? You don¡¯t want to return to a stone?¡±


    It was if they could hear the sounds of agitation. However, while they seemed nervous, the boy and girl faced them quietly.


    ¡°So, do you want to travel outside a little?¡±


    The gazers swayed to the side.


    ¡°What are those two saying?¡±


    ¡°Shh. They are able to hear the voices of the monsters.¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    Edwy scolded Dilon. Next to them, Corete and Aaron watched in disbelief.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to travel? Oh, you sure are willful.¡±


    The girl said. And the gazers buzzed angrily. However, it seemed more like they were sulking and muttering. Sulking? That was ridiculous. Dilon shook his head.


    As they talked, the boy and girl seemed to grow less nervous, and they even smiled.


    ¡°What should we do then?¡±


    Why was that even a question? Monsters should be defeated. That was it. Dilon was incredibly annoyed by the boy. Now that he thought about it, this was the boy who had been selling the Soluna oranges. He recalled the dark eyes and the hands that had held his. No, they hadn¡¯t done that. Dilon shook his head again.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just all join into one big gazer? If you¡¯re too small, you can become bigger.¡±


    The girl said innocently.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never done that before? Of course, you haven¡¯t. But you¡¯re made of miasma, aren¡¯t you? Can¡¯t you just all gather together?¡±


    What a ridiculous request. Suddenly, Dilon felt sorry for the monsters. The monsters in the sky seemed confused as they started to converse with each other.


    ¡°What? You¡¯ll try? Yes. We¡¯ll watch.¡±


    As if they represented the others, two small gazers came out to the front and faced each other.


    The boy and girl held their hands together in front of them as if they were praying.


    As the two gazers quietly came together, their large eyes closed and then stuck together. Then their silhouettes seemed to blur, and then it grew larger and a single eye opened.


    ¡°It worked!¡±


    The gazer blinked slowly.


    ¡°How do you feel? You feel good?¡±


    Apparently, they didn¡¯t feel agitated anymore. Upon seeing this, the other gazers started to melt into each other.


    ¡°He-hey, maybe three is too¡­oh¡­uh¡­ Isn¡¯t that too big? I told you.¡±


    The girl said with exasperation. Still, they continued to melt together until there were only five large gazers in the sky.


    ¡°You calmed down now, so you don¡¯t mind returning to magic stones? Why are you in such a rush?¡±


    The boy said with a sigh.


    ¡°Oh well. Come on then.¡±


    The boy and girl stretched out their hands. The gazers approached as if they wanted to be petted. And then the stones clinked to the ground.


    ¡°Impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the power of the Saintesses.¡±


    Before they knew it, there was not a single monster left. Dilon, Corete, and Aaron stood there in shock.

 CH 93

    ¡°Haa¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure what was going to happen there.¡±


    The boy said with a sigh. The girl picked up the stones.


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Edwy.¡±


    When Edwy called, they both casually turned around. Then they saw how worried Edwy and Aaron looked, and they looked just a little guilty.


    ¡°Maki. Didn¡¯t you say that you were 25 and that we didn¡¯t have to worry about you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and you don¡¯t. But we didn¡¯t say anything about sitting quietly.¡±


    ¡°You always have an answer for everything.¡±


    Aaron scratched his head with annoyance. Maki watched him with amusement, then she looked behind him.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s Zynis¡¯s sons.¡±


    After all, they had the same face. As they had talked before, Maki stepped forward in order to greet them, but the distance remained the same.


    ¡°Uh.¡±


    ¡°AH.¡±


    It was no surprise. After all, Dilon and Corete had taken a step back without thinking. Maki wondered what was going on when she suddenly felt a chill in her chest. Ah, yes. They had been watching what they did to the gazers. So they were scared. I see. Once Dilon and Corete realized this, they looked away with awkward expressions.


    No one had ever been afraid of Maki and Chiharu before. If anything, people had been desperate in their attempt to protect Maki and Chiharu from the monsters. Either that or they would just watch as the monsters were turned into stone. But that was because they were close.


    This couldn¡¯t be helped. And she would remember it. This was the reaction of a normal person. If anything, it was good that they got it out of the way now. Maki would not have to be surprised the next time that this happened.


    And so she did not go any closer to Dilon and Corete. Instead, she turned around to face Chiharu. It¡¯s fine. She smiled. Chiharu had a hand to her chest as she looked at Maki worriedly. Chiharu was sad too. They were both sad.


    Chiharu had touched her chest like that at the Midland castle as well. Sorry for laughing at you at that time. It hadn¡¯t even stung this much when the inland strangers had talked to them. Maki maintained her smile as she looked down.


    ¡°Back then, everyone here was a stranger, Maki-chan. So we didn¡¯t care what people said. They had nothing to do with us.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t need to say anything. Chiharu understood.


    Yes. This was their world now. And so it hurts to see someone they thought was a friend shrink back.


    Maki looked like she was going to cry, and so Chiharu slowly approached her and threw her arm around her.


    ¡°To think that there are some who can¡¯t even see the truth. Dogmen and youth are not what they used to be.¡±


    The voice of a birdman echoed in the silence. And they heard someone move behind them.


    ¡°Woah! Huh? Oh.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to act so surprised.¡±


    Said the big dog that pushed its head between them.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m surprised! A 2-meter dog just appeared between us!¡±


    The morose atmosphere was gone, as Maki joked and Chiharu threw her arms around Zynis¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Dilon. Corete.¡±


    Zynis¡¯s soft voice echoed. Maki shuddered when she heard the names. She sensed someone coming towards them from behind. They continued to hold onto Zynis.


    ¡°Huh? Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Something passed both Maki and Chiharu. Before they knew it, there were two very large dogs in front of them. Their ears were drooping a little sadly. One was ash-colored and looked like a smaller version of Zynis. The other was a light yellow and was very large.


    ¡°These two learned your great secret as Saintesses before they learned about how cute you can be. And so they were surprised. They are still young.¡±


    Zynis said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°I was shocked.¡±


    Their voices rang. Maki hesitated for a moment. But Chiharu stretched out her hand immediately.


    Dilon was next to Maki and Corete was next to Chiharu. Maki looked at Corete and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Lass-¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Well, they do look a little similar in color.¡±


    Chiharu interrupted her.


    ¡°You could have at least let me say it.¡±


    ¡°I thought we agreed to stop doing that.¡±


    As they stretched their arms out, the large dogs moved under them. And like that, their hands hesitantly started to pat the dogs, which were nervous and stiff. After a while, their tense bodies started to relax.


    ¡°See? The Saintesses are not scary, are they?¡±


    Zynis said teasingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s horrible!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so quiet and calm!¡±


    Chiharu and Maki said angrily. And then Dilon and Corete said,


    ¡°You¡¯re not quiet at all.¡±


    ¡°But, you aren¡¯t scary. You¡¯re warm. Just like us.¡±


    The words echoed in Maki and Chiharu¡¯s ears, and then they turned to each other and nodded.


    ¡°Hmm. One of them is unfortunate.¡±


    ¡°One of them does not pass!¡±


    And then,


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean, I don¡¯t pass!¡±


    Dilon shouted.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was you¡­¡±


    ¡°Self-destruct.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡­¡±


    Dilon shook angrily. However¡­


    ¡°You still have a long way to go.¡±


    Zynis said, immediately silencing him. It was rather sad to have to be told such a thing from a father who didn¡¯t know how to read the room. However, they did learn something. These two humans were no different from the others. Just like we can transform, they were humans with a unique power. That¡¯s all.


    Well, they were still very strange.


    ¡°Aaah, the miasma is getting thinner.¡±


    Corete muttered. The air around them started to feel clearer.


    ¡°Oh, no. We have to hurry back before they close the back door.¡±


    Maki said frantically as she looked at the sky.


    ¡°You. Is that how you two slipped out?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it later!¡±


    Maki ignored Aaron¡¯s exasperated voice as she started to run. But Edwy came in to stop her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it being closed?¡±


    ¡°Edwy?¡±


    ¡°After all, I¡¯m sure you told them that you wanted to go somewhere while keeping it a secret from your older brother?¡±


    Maki¡¯s shoulders slumped. How did he know? Edwy was surprisingly formidable.


    ¡°Uhh.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just tell them that we caught you anyway. And then we can all return through the front.¡±


    I see. That seemed like a good idea. However¡­


    ¡°But being caught by my older brother will make me look stupid. I don¡¯t think my pride will allow me to¡­¡±


    ¡°Pride? You do realize that we already found you?¡±


    ¡°Gg¡­¡±


    Indeed, they did look quite stupid. And Edwy was angry. Maki¡¯s instinct was ringing a warning bell. It was best to obey them in this instance.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go back together.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    And then Edwy turned to face Zynis and the others.


    ¡°Well then. See you tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll move at the same time as today.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked up at Edwy in surprise. Edwy nodded and said,


    ¡°We are going to rescue the captive merman.¡±


    Captive! What an idiot. Chiharu recalled Saia¡¯s face. I don¡¯t want you to help him. I just want information. That¡¯s what he had said. He was so wrong! Damn it.


    Chiharu grumbled like this in her heart. Edwy urged her on, and without looking back, he said,


    ¡°It¡¯s thoughtless friends that hurt people. I told you that.¡±


    She felt a chill in spite of it being summertime. Perhaps it was because it was night.

 CH 94

    After some time had passed, they returned to the inn from the front door. The person who was at reception looked up in surprise.


    ¡°I was so worried because you were late. It¡¯s a good thing your older brother caught you and brought you back.¡±


    The receptionist laughed at the sight of Maki¡¯s pathetic expression as she was escorted by Edwy and Aaron.


    ¡°Sorry for making you worry.¡±


    She apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    And then Maki was pulled into a corner.


    ¡°So, how did it go?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. She never even showed up¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Well, that¡¯s too bad. But you know, merchants come and go. Perhaps this is for the best for whoever this girl is. She might have been someone¡¯s younger sister, anyway.¡±


    The receptionist said with a look towards Chiharu. You wouldn¡¯t let your own younger sister go out at night, would you? That¡¯s what it sounded like.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Next time, I¡¯ll be calmer when looking for someone.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But it seems like it would be difficult to keep those brothers of yours off your scent?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know the half of it. It¡¯s annoying how they¡¯re the only ones that are popular.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Well, keep trying.¡±


    The receptionist patted Maki on the shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you for everything. Good night!¡±


    ¡°Aye, have a good night.¡±


    The receptionist watched the four of them leave and then a thought suddenly occurred to him.


    ¡°Huh? Why is the younger sister there too? Did he take her with him? Surely not.¡±


    He tilted his head in puzzlement.


    ¡°Well, maybe she just followed after him? In that case, it¡¯s a good thing that girl never showed up.¡±


    He decided. In a way, they were saved by the fact that he was nice. Maki and Chiharu hadn¡¯t put too much thought into their plan, and it was full of holes.


    Edwy and Aaron stopped in front of Maki and Chiharu¡¯s room.


    ¡°Ahhh, what a shock that was. I didn¡¯t expect those guys to combine like that.¡±


    Maki said, ignoring what was important.


    ¡°Forget that. There was a lot more that I found shocking.¡±


    Aaron said with exasperation. Next to him, Edwy chuckled.


    ¡°Maki, your hand.¡±


    He said as he showed his own palm to her.


    ¡°Like this?¡±


    Maki put her hand on top of his. Edwy held it tight with both of his hands. They were warm.


    ¡°These are the hands that return monsters to magic stones. I am fond of these gentle hands.¡±


    ¡°Edwy¡­¡±


    She could stand hardships. But kindness was no good. Tears welled up in Maki¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Uh, hey. Chiharu. Do something!¡±


    ¡°Huh? You do something Aaron. Or you, Edwy. Hug her!¡±


    ¡°Hug her!?¡±


    Edwy had been about to wrap his arms around Maki, when she finally returned to her senses. Maki pulled her hand away.


    Then she wiped her face with her sleeve.


    ¡°Your turn, Chiharu.¡±


    She said as she stretched out for Aaron¡¯s hand. After everything that happened, Maki didn¡¯t hesitate to extend her hand. That¡¯s the kind of person she was. Chiharu thought this warmly. If it were her, she would be cowardly and that incident in the castle would have caused her to close up.


    ¡°Be fair.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Aaron gently held Maki¡¯s hand and turned it around.


    ¡°This hand. It¡¯s just a normal hand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡±


    ¡°It really is.¡±


    Edwy listened to this conversation that lacked any romantic undertones, and he sighed in relief. Of course, he was still holding Chiharu¡¯s hand at this point.


    It was clear that Maki had only involved Chiharu as a way of hiding her own embarrassment, but Edwy was happy none the less. Of course, he hadn¡¯t comforted Maki because of any hidden intentions. But Maki was more hurt than Chiharu, and Maki was very important to Edwy. And so he wanted to let her know that she had nothing to worry about and that he thought highly of her.


    It hadn¡¯t even occurred to him that he should comfort Chiharu as well. Her hand was so small in his, and there was something about it that made him feel lighthearted. Edwy wondered if this was how the Gazers felt.


    Chiharu seemed to be chuckling to herself, and it was as if the area around her was glowing. Before he knew it, he realized that all three of them were staring at him.


    ¡°Uh, you can let go now?¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh, yes. Sorry.¡±


    Edwy quickly let go of her hand. Then he coughed as he returned to reality. He looked around to make sure that no one else was watching them, and then he whispered quietly.


    ¡°So, we¡¯ll sell the oranges tomorrow again. And then we¡¯ll leave the town in the afternoon and return at night in order to infiltrate the villa. Ortha will then help us save the merfolk chief. And then we¡¯ll follow the dog people from the mountains. They¡¯ll help us escape.¡±


    The two nodded.


    ¡°I would actually prefer it if you waited for us.¡±


    Edwy said, but the two of them shook their heads.


    ¡°I know. Well then, have a good night.¡±


    And so their long day came to an end.


    The next day, they checked out of the inn and went out into the market. However, as they had finished questioning people on the previous day, and had received information from the beasts, Edwy and Aaron left the selling to Maki and Chiharu, and they went off to make arrangements.


    ¡°Soluna oranges! This is the last day! We¡¯re almost sold out!¡±


    Maki shouted loudly. They hardly had any left, as they had sold quickly. However, by now it seemed like everyone in the town who wanted the oranges had been able to get them.


    ¡°Just half a box now. We could sell the rest on the way or just eat them ourselves.¡±


    Maki muttered after there were no more customers and she looked into the crate. Chiharu nodded dumbly. Their activity last night had resulted in a lack of sleep. While she seemed to be enjoying herself, everything after they had been carried by the birdfolk since Lowland, had been very tiring.


    But then she suddenly shook herself out of it.


    ¡°No, no. This is the day.¡±


    She muttered to herself as she started to line the oranges up, even though it was unnecessary. The old man who sold vegetables next to them looked at her worriedly. Maki was also looking at her with some concern. But the rest of the town seemed to be getting more lively all of a sudden.


    ¡°Mister, what¡¯s happening?¡¯


    She asked the old man.


    ¡°Ah, for several days now, there have been rumors about Prince Norfe visiting. So it is probably that. See, that group coming near the entrance. That¡¯s them. Look, it¡¯s Prince Norfe!¡±


    Norfe! Those terrible royals. The old man and the other townspeople seemed very happy. But all of those memories at the castle were very bitter for Maki. No, that wasn¡¯t even the important part. They had assumed Norfe¡¯s visit would be days later. So how would this affect their plan to save the merfolk chief?


    Indeed, Maki could see Norfe riding a horse now. That proud and not exactly unhandsome face had remained in the corner of her memory. So, that¡¯s why he was able to arrive early. He was in a very small party.


    For now, they would probably be fine if they stuck with the others in the market and made sure that they didn¡¯t draw any attention. And so, even when Norfe entered the market and smiled to the people, Maki acted normally. When she saw him like this, Maki was surprised to see that he seemed like a normal prince. He was loved by his people and didn¡¯t seem so pompous.


    Maki then turned around, thinking that she would hide Chiharu behind her. That¡¯s when something bright rolled away in the corner of her eye. Why was that orange rolling away?


    ¡°Oh, I dropped one.¡±


    Apparently, Chiharu had been in a daze again and had dropped it. It was so sudden that Maki had no time to react. Chiharu immediately ran after it.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    As Chiharu jumped out to grab the orange, a horse raised its legs in surprise. And then a different horse moved towards her.


    ¡°Now, now! Calm down. You¡¯re used to being around a lot of people, aren¡¯t you? There, there.¡±


    A commander that was on a large horse had arrived, and the surprised horse started to calm down. However, Chiharu was still crouching on the ground. Though, she was clutching the orange tightly.


    ¡°You jumped out in front of a horse. What a dangerous thing to do!¡±


    The commander who came down from the horse was none other than Norfe. What should I do! Maki thought frantically.

 CH 95

    Norfe scolded her.


    ¡°But¡­the orange¡­¡±


    Chiharu said with her brain that wasn¡¯t quite working yet. She didn¡¯t even realize that she was talking to Norfe.


    ¡°Orange? Ah, that Soluna orange.¡±


    Norfe saw the orange that she was carrying and sighed with exasperation.


    It wasn¡¯t just Norfe. Maki was exasperated as well. To be precise, she was shouting internally. ¡®We¡¯re 25 years old. Aren¡¯t we 25 years old? And you¡¯re chasing oranges¡­¡¯ At the same time, she had been so worried. And that feeling turned into anger. She could not help but shout out loud.


    ¡°Your life is more important than an orange!¡±


    ¡°Norfe¡­¡±


    Chiharu was at least calm enough to not call her Maki. On the other hand, Maki had forgotten that they weren¡¯t supposed to draw attention to themselves. And she was now a little frantic.


    ¡°Well, she seems to be sorry.¡±


    Norfe said with a smile. He had been quite surprised by Maki¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°But!¡±


    Maki was about to protest, but then she suddenly returned to herself. Norfe thought it was because she had realized that she was talking to royalty.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Food is also very important.¡±


    He said to Chiharu. She nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    She said as she tried to stand up. But she could not. Her legs felt weak. Though, it was evident that she would have had an easier time if she only let go of the orange.


    ¡°Is that orange so precious to you?¡±


    Norfe said with a chuckle as he saw the flustered girl. Then he picked Chiharu up and put her on her feet. Chiharu froze with surprise. However, the villagers who had been watching excitedly now roared and applauded cheerfully. Norfe nodded satisfactorily at his people.


    ¡°Uh, um¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like you are too shocked to stand. I am sorry. Allow me to make up for it by inviting you to the villa, so you can rest.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. I can walk.¡±


    ¡°But you couldn¡¯t even stand?¡±


    Indeed, that was true. But this was not right. Besides, this was Norfe! The mean prince! Chiharu had just realized this. She would have done something wilder if she wasn¡¯t afraid of falling again.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll take care of my little sister! It¡¯s fine!¡±


    Maki frantically tried to take Chiharu away.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the one who was shouting. Her brother.¡±


    ¡°Norfe!¡±


    Chiharu also stretched her hand out to Maki.


    ¡°Careful there. You might drop your orange again.¡±


    Chiharu realized this and fixed her grip on the orange before accidentally falling into Norfe¡¯s arms.


    Why was this happening¡­


    ¡°Norfe and Chouze, eh? I must say, those are some great names for a brother and sister.¡±


    The real Norfe said with a laugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also buy the rest of your oranges for the villa. Now, you can take down your stall here and pick up your sister at the villa when you¡¯re done. That way, she¡¯ll have plenty of time to rest.¡±


    He said to Maki before starting to walk away.


    ¡°Uh, hey. Wait! Ah¡­¡±


    As Maki stood there, a knight approached her.


    ¡°You should hurry up if you don¡¯t want her to stay for too long.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, fine.¡±


    Maki muttered as she began to fold their tables.


    ¡°You should consider yourselves lucky. You got to speak with Prince Norfe himself and sell all your oranges. And you¡¯ll get to see the villa.¡±


    The old man who sold vegetables said to her from the side.


    ¡°But we were planning on leaving town today. This is all a lot of trouble.¡±


    Maki replied without thinking.


    ¡°I¡¯m supposed to wait here until my brothers return, but I can¡¯t do that now. Mister, could you tell them what happened when they arrive?¡±


    Maki asked him.


    ¡°Sure. Don¡¯t worry. Go off and enjoy the villa!¡±


    Maki put everything into the carriage and then picked up the box of oranges and rushed towards the villa.


    While it was a villa, it was only about 10 minutes away on foot.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m fine now. You can put me down. I¡¯m sure that I¡¯m quite heavy.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re not heavy at all.¡±


    Norfe said. And he was definitely carrying her as if she was light.


    ¡°Um.¡±


    ¡°Chouze, right? Can you peel that orange for me?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I want to eat it.¡±


    And so Chiharu had no choice but the peel the orange. Then Norfe opened his mouth as if he expected her to feed him. Chiharu wasn¡¯t sure what to do, but when she looked to a nearby knight, he just shook his head. And so she hesitantly threw a piece of orange into Norfe¡¯s mouth. Norfe chewed and swallowed it before saying,


    ¡°Delicious. How much do they cost?¡±


    ¡°300 gil for one.¡±


    ¡°300 gil, huh? A single large Highland apple is 100 gil. Soluna oranges cost 200 gil if you buy them in Lowland. But I see that they are 300 gil in Highland.¡±


    It was shocking that a member of the royal family accurately knew the prices of food.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of transportation and personnel fees.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You don¡¯t look it, but you¡¯re surprisingly smart.¡±


    Chiharu felt very conflicted by this. An 18-year-old had just called her smart.


    ¡°Even if they are all human territories, this discrepancy occurs because people want things from the other three territories. Is it wrong to want my people to be able to buy Soluna oranges for 200 gil?¡±


    Norfe muttered and then signaled for another piece. Chiharu shoved it into his mouth and replied. Though, she did wonder if he was even asking her.


    ¡°Then you should just export your Highland apples to the three territories.¡±


    ¡°You really are smart.¡±


    Norfe said with satisfaction.


    ¡°Something that Highland has that the others don¡¯t. This is quite hard. Besides, we haven¡¯t had much interaction with them until now. Yes, it is difficult. But then the cost will all be on Highland. That wouldn¡¯t be right, would it?¡±


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t wrong to want to raise self-sufficiency rates. But Highland was too cold for Soluna oranges to grow.


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°P-please put me down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s faster this way.¡±


    And like that, Chiharu was taken to the villa.


    ¡°Norfe!¡±


    Chouze came running out.


    ¡°Ah, Chouze. How many times do I have to tell you to stop running like that? You¡¯re too old.¡±


    ¡°But, I¡¯m just so happy. Oh, who is this?¡±


    Chouze looked at Chiharu suspiciously.


    ¡°She jumped in front of my horse. And since she was unable to stand, I brought her back here so she can rest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m taking her to my room.¡±


    Then the maids came out frantically.


    ¡°That will not do. Even though she is a child, she is still a girl. We shall take care of her.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But more importantly, there is a merman! And I want you to meet him.¡±


    ¡°About that, Chouze¡­¡±


    Norfe finally put Chiharu down. As Chiharu wobbled on her feet, the maids escorted her away very roughly. You were carried by the handsome Prince Norfe who everyone adores! How dare you!


    ¡°I¡¯m taking him to the royal capital. Those are my orders.¡±


    What! Chiharu stopped in her tracks.


    ¡°What are you doing? Hurry along now.¡±


    The maids said as they pulled her away. Chouze was complaining to Norfe.


    ¡°No! Besides, he¡¯ll get all dried up.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk are able to live outside of the water for up to a month. He¡¯ll survive the journey.¡±


    That was new information! However, Chiharu was hurried away by the maids and was not able to hear the rest of their conversation.

 CH 96

    ¡°Did you really get carried by Prince Norfe while being covered in so much dirt?¡±


    The maids said in exasperation. Now that she thought about it, she was covered in dirt. She had been sitting on the ground when he suddenly picked her up and carried her here, so it could not be helped. Chiharu was then thrown into a guest room that was facing the lake.


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you enter the bed like that. Now, go out to the lake and brush off the dirt. Then you can curl up in a corner of the room!¡±


    And then they left her. Chiharu was a little stunned by their treatment of her, but she was comforted by the knowledge that it wasn¡¯t her fault. The only thing that she could be blamed for was chasing the orange. But who wouldn¡¯t chase an orange if it was rolling away?


    ¡°Most people would look around them before chasing it.¡±


    She thought she heard Aaron say. But it was just her imagination. And then Norfe had¡­ No, she didn¡¯t need to revisit those memories. And so Chiharu obeyed the maids by opening the door to the balcony. Then she stepped out towards the lake. Everything between the villa and the lake was covered in beautiful white stones. Chiharu was hesitant to get it dirty.


    However, it was better than getting dirt in the room. And so she started to hit her commoner skirt. Two guards stood a short distance away from her and stared with hostile expressions, but she paid them no mind. Were they guarding someone important? Chiharu wondered, but they gestured for her to quickly return to her room.


    It couldn¡¯t be helped. Chiharu returned to the room but didn¡¯t feel like sitting on the sofa. And so she sat on a wooden chair instead.


    Still, she was carried a lot since coming to this world. Even if she excluded the bird people, there was the merfolk. And Nyran. Chiharu wondered how Nyran was doing, but decided he was probably doing better now that he didn¡¯t have to worry about them. However, that made her feel a little depressed. And then Norfe. It was hard to think about it calmly, but somehow, none of it had been remotely romantic. That was odd. Chiharu sighed and her shoulders dropped.


    Knock-knock. She suddenly heard that someone was knocking on the door.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    Said a maid as she entered. She was carrying a tray with a pot and a cup. No, she wasn¡¯t dressed as a maid. This woman was quite tall and looked very out-going. Also, her face looked a little familiar. She seemed amused and also thoughtful.


    ¡°Zynis¡­¡±


    The person raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, they said that a commoner should bring a common child the tea. But, are you what I think you are?¡±


    Chiharu didn¡¯t understand what she meant, but she realized something else.


    ¡°Are you Dilon¡¯s sister?¡±


    ¡°Correct! Then you must be a Saintess.¡±


    The person put the tray on the table and started to circle around Chiharu.


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re very small. Just a little creature who is sitting politely in an empty room. I think mother will like you even more than father does.¡±


    Chiharu thought it was rather rude how she used words like ¡®small¡¯ and ¡®creature.¡¯


    After circling her several times, the stranger sat heavily into the chair on the other side of the table.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ortha. Zynis¡¯s daughter. Isn¡¯t the plan supposed to be put into action tonight? How did this happen?¡±


    She asked. And so Chiharu had no choice but to tell her that Norfe brought her.


    ¡°Over an orange? I didn¡¯t know that such stupidity was possible. Ahahahaha!¡±


    She rolled on the floor as she laughed. Chiharu was sure that this story would follow her around for a while. And she had only meant to show the proper respect that food deserved. She sighed with resignation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to tonight¡¯s plan?¡±


    Chiharu changed the subject. Maki would likely arrive soon. She should find out as much as she could before then.


    ¡°There is a merman five rooms down from here. We will enter from the lakeside and free him. That¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°But there are guards out there.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be so nervous around me. We look the same age, don¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Uh, um, sure. I saw that there were two of them.¡±


    Well, she thought they were guards, anyway. Ortha then made a slashing motion over her neck with a finger. No way!


    ¡°Hahaha. Just kidding. We¡¯ll distract them and rescue the merman when they are gone. Either that, or we will have them sleep for a little while.¡±


    Ortha said as she made a fist. Chiharu looked at her wide-eyed. She was better off not asking for more details.


    ¡°I would have thought Amia would just leave by himself.¡±


    Chiharu said as she tilted her head.


    ¡°Oh, you know the chief? I thought it was strange as well. But I wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the room. It¡¯s guarded all day long.¡±


    Ortha stretched her neck.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen this with the birdfolk. But the merfolk are just the same. You can¡¯t control them. Oh, did you see father¡¯s transformation?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. He was very big and beautiful.¡±


    Chiharu said with a sigh.


    ¡°Who cares about beauty. In fact, most beastkin think he is a little underwhelming. I honestly prefer people with a more intimidating aura. But that¡¯s just my personal taste.¡±


    Ortha was very scatter-brained, which Chiharu found amusing. And she also wanted to see what such a beastkin would look like.


    ¡°You get stronger after you transform. But you¡¯re already strong before you do. Anyway, you know the chief, so that means you¡¯ve seen merfolk before.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I saw that them smack around gazers with their tails.¡±


    ¡°You saw that? You have to tell me about that some other time. Anyway, that¡¯s how strong they are without weapons. So there is no way that the chief can¡¯t escape.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    Chiharu had been thinking the same thing.


    ¡°Still, we don¡¯t know what is happening. But if the chief stays any longer, the merfolk will not be silent. And so we bring him back by force if we have to.¡±


    Declared Ortha. Chiharu suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Norfe said something about that!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He said he¡¯s going to take the merman to the royal capital. It was an order.¡±


    ¡°He said what?!¡±


    Ortha stood up.


    ¡°What is Highland thinking? The merfolk are not from the beast lands, so we can¡¯t launch an official complaint, but it will definitely cause friction between the countries. Who knows what the merfolk will do. But they won¡¯t be able to attack inland either. What will happen?¡±


    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Ortha shook her head and turned to Chiharu.


    ¡°Oh, no. I stayed for too long.¡±


    However, the person who didn¡¯t wait for an answer and opened the door was¡­


    ¡°Chouze!¡±


    ¡°Norfe.¡±


    Maki was panting as she held a box of oranges. Several maids were also with her.


    ¡°You. You should have said something if your brother was coming.¡±


    Rebuked the maid who had thrown Chiharu into the room. But Chiharu thought with annoyance that she had hardly been given the time to do that.


    ¡°So, your brother is the orange seller that people have been talking about. Did you know that this child came here with sand all over her clothes?¡±


    Said the maid as she rubbed up against Maki. Maki pulled away.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. She fell. I am grateful to Prince Norfe, and to all of you as well. Thank you for taking care of my sister.¡±


    She said politely. The maids squealed and giggled as they stared at Maki.


    ¡°My, what dark eyelashes and eyes! It¡¯s just like the rumors said! I¡¯ll bring you some tea.¡±


    ¡°What about Prince Norfe?¡±


    ¡°The older maids have claimed Prince Norfe, and we aren¡¯t even allowed to help. And so we¡¯d rather be here.¡±


    This was not the kind of thing to talk about in a place like this. Ortha watched them with amusement. Then she looked at Maki like she was about to say something.


    ¡°You can leave now. Take the oranges and go.¡±


    They said to her. And so Ortha was driven out of the room. And the person who entered the room after she left¡­


    ¡°Brother said that he won¡¯t talk to me until he¡¯s cleaned up. Is it true that the orange seller is here?¡±


    It was the real Chouze.

 CH 97

    It could not be helped that everyone in the room froze up. The younger maids had basically been caught slacking off. And Maki and Chiharu had already met Chouze as Saintesses. Of course, they had tried to keep a distance from her as they were annoyed. So they did not have that strong of an impression of her.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re the one they were talking about.¡±


    There was no tradition of kneeling before royalty in this world, so Maki just bowed politely.


    ¡°My, what unusual hair and eyes. The thin jaw and long eyelashes. You¡¯re just as the maids described!¡±


    The maids looked away uncomfortably. They had not intended for their gossip to be heard by their master.


    Hmm. While it was true that Maki made a pretty boy, Chiharu had the same eyes, thin jaw, and long lashes. They even had the same wig color. So it was odd that Maki was the only one to get so much attention. Such were the thoughts in Chiharu¡¯s head.


    Maki seemed a little disturbed by the excitement on Chouze¡¯s face. However, this was taken favorably, as it was apparently the natural reaction of a boy that age. After all, she had not noticed that they were Saintesses.


    ¡°Um, I think it¡¯s time I take my sister and leave. Thank you for everything.¡±


    Maki quickly thanked her and then signaled to Chiharu. Chiharu picked up the orange that was left after feeding Norfe, and rushed towards Maki.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the child that my brother was carrying earlier.¡±


    Chouze said as she looked at the orange.


    Maki was known as the youth with a beautiful face, but Chiharu was just the orange girl. That didn¡¯t seem very fair at all!


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re feeling better now. Oh, I know. I¡¯ll let you see the merman before my brother finishes getting changed.¡±


    ¡°Princess Chouze!¡±


    One of the maids practically screamed.


    ¡°I just want someone beautiful to meet someone beautiful. What could be wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°The merman being here is supposed to be a secret.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a secret, though? After all, he is here by his own free will.¡±


    ¡°However, such a fish¡­¡±


    Apparently, the maids were scared of the merman and did not want Maki to meet him.


    ¡°Oh, surely you do want to meet him?¡±


    Chouze asked Maki innocently. This was a great opportunity. However, it might affect their plans tonight. Maki hesitated.


    ¡°The merfolk are legendary. So I would like to meet one. But I¡¯m not important enough.¡±


    She said with a shake of her head.


    ¡°Oh, how modest of you. Well, Amia can refuse if he wants. And you. Orange girl. He might just like oranges, so you can come too.¡±


    Chiharu, now known as ¡®orange girl,¡¯ looked at Maki. What should we do? We have no choice but to go. And so they decided to take her up on the offer.


    ¡°As for the rest of you, stop slacking off and go back to work.¡±


    Chouze did not forget to rebuke the maids as she took Maki and Chiharu to the room that was four rooms down the hall.


    The guards looked displeased when they saw Maki and Chiharu, but they could not go against Chouze. She knocked on the door and then entered without waiting for a reply. Maki and Chiharu stepped inside hesitantly.


    ¡°Prince Amia. I brought something very unusual today.¡±


    Chouze said in an excited voice.


    ¡°That is unusual.¡±


    Came the lazy voice. There, on the sofa, was sprawled a large merman with glimmering, milky white scales. Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but mutter to herself.


    ¡°It¡¯s a big tuna¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh. That¡¯s even worse than me calling someone ¡®Rasche.¡¯¡±


    Maki said frantically.


    ¡°Oh, Prince Amia is interested.¡±


    ¡°Are those Soluna oranges?¡±


    Chouze looked at Chiharu with shining eyes. To be precise, she was looking at the orange that Chiharu was holding. See? Didn¡¯t I say so? That¡¯s what it looked like she was saying. Chiharu had no choice but to nod as if she was impressed.


    ¡°Let me eat that.¡±


    Amia said. And so Chiharu tried to pass the orange to Chouze.


    ¡°You. I want you to peel it for me.¡±


    He said. Chouze nodded gracefully. It was only natural, since this was the kind of work that maids would do.


    And so Chiharu was forced to approach Amia. He told her where to stand with his eyes, as he did not want Chouze to see him as he ate. Chiharu moved hesitantly as if she was afraid.


    ¡°Why are you here, beloved child?¡±


    Amia whispered. Chiharu peeled the orange and separated the pieces as she answered.


    ¡°I should be asking you that, Amia. Saia is worried.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. This is bad.¡±


    Amia muttered with a troubled expression. His tail slapped the sofa weakly.


    ¡°Ah, Princess Chouze. Merfolk really are as beautiful as they say.¡±


    Maki coughed and then addressed her. Now was the time.


    ¡°We¡¯ll come to rescue you tonight, on the lakeside. It¡¯s time for you to return.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need help. But I suppose I have no choice. I really am tired now.¡±


    Amia said as he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Orange.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to eat it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my favorite.¡±


    Chiharu sighed and started tossing them into his mouth.


    ¡°Delicious.¡±


    Amia said loudly. Then he opened his mouth again. Chiharu threw more orange pieces inside.


    ¡°Well, it was a good thing I brought the orange girl with us.¡±


    Yes, yes. The orange girl who fed the prince and the merfolk chief. That¡¯s me. Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but be a little sulky. Once the oranges were gone, Amia said,


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    What did he mean by leaning forward like that? Chiharu rummaged in her pockets for a handkerchief and then wiped his mouth.


    ¡°Mm.¡±


    She supposed that was a satisfied grunt. Just then, someone knocked on the door and then entered without waiting for a reply.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    The person who came in was Norfe. Both of them came in without waiting. They were very rude siblings.


    ¡°Norfe!¡±


    Chouze brightened up at the sight of him. Norfe glanced at her before turning to Amia. Then his eyes widened. Chiharu was used to seeing them, but she supposed that it was different for most people.


    ¡°Merman and orange girl.¡±


    Enough with the ¡®orange girl¡¯! Chiharu¡¯s shoulders dropped. Then Maki interrupted them.


    ¡°Well, we best be going now. Princess Chouze, thank you for letting us see such a beautiful person.¡±


    Chouze then gave them permission to leave, though she seemed very reluctant to do so.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose you must. You may leave.¡±


    Chiharu rushed to where Maki was standing. Then they both bowed and hurried out of the room. The guards glared at them as they ran down the hallway and to the door. When Maki was sure that no one was watching, she whispered to Chiharu.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Edwy and Aaron will come, since they would be recognized. We have to leave town. Or the whole plan will be ruined.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Also, you¡¯re going to get lectured later, Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°What? But it was out of my control!¡±


    She groaned. And so they ran from the villa, got made fun of in the market square, reunited with Edwy, and then left the town. Not returning immediately would have invited suspicion.

 CH 98

    Norfe would have liked to have asked Chouze why the orange girl had been in the room, but he decided to greet the merman first. After all, the merman on the sofa looked familiar to him.


    Chouze was too young to remember it. However, the royals of every country must meet the merfolk chief when they are young. That¡¯s why Edwy remembered Amia as well.


    ¡°Merfolk chief.¡±


    ¡°So, you remember me, human child.¡±


    ¡°I remember meeting you when I was very young. What brought you to a place like this?¡±


    Norfe couldn¡¯t help but ask the question.


    ¡°I merely answered the request of the child.¡±


    Amia said as he looked at Chouze. She was smiling happily at him.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. Why are you even in Highland in the first place?¡±


    ¡°I was in the lakes of the dwarf lands last month.¡±


    Amia said. It was as if going from lake to lake was the most natural thing for him.


    ¡°Well¡­that is¡­ But merfolk are almost never seen in these parts.¡±


    Surprisingly, Norfe seemed to realize that something was going on. Amia leaned on his elbow and shrugged carelessly.


    ¡°I could ask you the same question. Why are you here, when it¡¯s not even the hottest season?¡±


    It¡¯s odder that you are here. Norfe was at a loss for words, however, this was the reason.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think that it was you, but I heard the news that a merman was taken by the mirror lake. And I was ordered to bring this merman to the royal capital.¡±


    Amia raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°The royal capital? Of Highland? But there are no waterways that connect to that city. It¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Yes. And so a large lake will be prepared. You can stay there¡­¡±


    Norfe was sweating as he said this. In fact¡­


    ¡°I want to see the captured merman. So bring him to me. There is a large lake near the palace if it needs water.¡±


    That was the actual order. He hadn¡¯t really thought much of it at first. But now that he was facing Amia, the whole thing looked incredibly insolent and rude.


    ¡°Water that does not move? It will not do.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall prepare clean water that flows. Will you come then?¡±


    Norfe was persistent. Unlike the other royals who were merely curious, Norfe had always wanted to invite the other races to Highland. Even if it was not possible now, they could draw water from the mountains in a few years¡¯ time.


    ¡°I discussed this with that child already. If you want to meet us, you should come to the merfolk island. There are always many of us waiting there. They especially enjoy meeting children.¡±


    ¡°However, we would have to pass through Midland in order to reach it.¡±


    Norfe wanted to tell him that it was no easy thing to do.


    ¡°Borders may as well not exist. Besides, you are all humans.¡±


    ¡°Maybe that was so in the past. But royals cannot just pass through Midland. There is no way to avoid traveling through Midland or Lowland in order to visit the other territories.¡±


    ¡°And you do not want to do that?¡±


    Norfe nodded.


    ¡°Still, the Highland capital is not so enticing that I would go against my instincts in order to visit.¡±


    ¡°If not you chief, perhaps some other merfolk can?¡±


    ¡°I doubt anyone would want to visit.¡±


    Norfe was troubled. An order was an order. Failing was not an option. Chouze watched them both with a worried expression.


    ¡°Will you not consider it? Think about it for one day.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    The chief would not budge. Norfe bit his lip. But¡­


    ¡°I will visit you again tomorrow.¡±


    He said as he tried to leave the room.


    ¡°Norfe¡­¡±


    ¡°Chouze. You come too.¡±


    Norfe said to her as he looked back. Then they both left the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfect. If I run away, then he¡¯ll have an excuse for not being able to take me back to the capital.¡±


    To Amia, Norfe was also a child.


    He could leave right now if he wanted to. Amia thought as he looked out the window, where the guards stood. With a swing of his hand, they would fly into the air. However, if the beloved children were going to come for him, that would be more amusing. His tail slapped the sofa happily.


    At the same time, Maki and Chiharu were on a road that was quite far from the lake town. Aaron was very angry with them. To be precise, he was very angry at Chiharu.


    ¡°Why is it always you!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sorry. By the way¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way?¡±


    ¡°No, um, yes¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you really sorry!¡±


    And on it went. However, the reason that it went on longer than it should, was because Chiharu was quite distracted. She kept looking at what was behind Aaron. As for why that was¡­


    ¡°I had heard the rumors, but the upwards wind current in Highland sure is nice.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only one day from Midland.¡±


    ¡°Next time, we should quietly sneak into the royal capital.¡±


    Very loud indeed.


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Ahh! But, um, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t see anything.¡±


    Aaron did not look behind him. As for Maki¡­


    ¡°Huh. So this is the current Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just as Sauro said. She looks very easy to carry.¡±


    ¡°And very cute, just like Saikania told me.¡±


    She was surrounded by brown birdfolk and seemed quite stunned.


    ¡°Edwy, Zynis. Isn¡¯t this supposed to be a secret mission?¡±


    Maki asked.


    ¡°I heard that it was. That¡¯s why I invited eagle birdfolk, because they don¡¯t draw attention when flying up high.¡±


    Answered Edwy.


    ¡°Hmm? We didn¡¯t come here for any mission.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just sightseeing in Highland.¡±


    ¡°Because Sauro told us that once we cross the sea, all the human lands are connected.¡±


    ¡°And while we birdfolk don¡¯t like flying long distances, if we do our best and cross the sea, we can then play as much as we want!¡±


    The birdfolk said. That Sauro! He always brought the most troublesome types. She wasn¡¯t sure how many of them there were, but with so many noisy brown birds around, Maki was reminded of sparrows. And they would still stick out, no matter how high they were.


    ¡°Since they came all the way here, I asked them to carry us to the villa. That will be faster.¡±


    Edwy said with a shrug. It was like he didn¡¯t care much anymore.


    The carriage they had used was already being driven to the next town. Maki and Chiharu were supposed to rescue the merman and then fly with the birds to the border.


    ¡°You can fly during the night as well?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s harder to see, but normal flight shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    Kleo said.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s practice!¡±


    ¡°Practice?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much experience carrying humans. So we want to practice to see how long we can carry you.¡±


    ¡°Practice for you!¡±


    Chiharu was surprised. Even though they weren¡¯t Sauro, they were just as odd. Then Kleo turned to Chiharu.


    ¡°Now, baggage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not baggage!¡±


    ¡°Line up! First, you must fly down towards their backs and grab onto them before rising into the air. After that, we¡¯ll do it while they are running. Start!¡±


    ¡°Are you listening?¡±


    However, Maki and Chiharu, and even Aaron and Edwy as well, were forced to train with the birdfolk until the sun came down.


    ¡°Ah. It¡¯s perfect, thanks to you¡­¡±


    Maki sat down and looked at the sky. Even though they were small, these birdfolk were strong. In fact, the birdfolk were still flying around energetically after training. Maki was sure that people would be able to see them from the road. Chiharu, who was sitting next to her, said,


    ¡°But, Maki-chan¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why did everyone need to train? It only needed to be one birdfolk for each human.¡±


    Maki looked at Chiharu with surprise.


    ¡°Chiharu. It took you that long to notice¡­¡±


    ¡°So-sorry¡­¡±


    Chiharu was tired as well. After all, so much had happened that day.


    And then the night of the mission arrived.

 CH 99

    At a time when most people were asleep, Maki and Chiharu were with Zynis and the others at their campsite. As they had moved at the beginning of the night, they were hidden by the darkness, and no one knew of their presence. It was there that they rested a little and waited for the signal.


    This was the plan.


    Apparently, there were dwarves who were mining in a cave that was close to the lake. They were still in the early steps, but had recently dug up a vast chamber. And gazers were coming out of it.


    And while they worked during the night as well, it seemed that the working environment wasn¡¯t that harsh. Zynis had watched them for several days and then visited their settlement directly in order to speak to them.


    All of the dwarves had some reason that prevented them from returning to the dwarf lands. They were suspicious at first, but Zynis told them about his friends from the other territories, including Grudo, and they slowly started to open up.


    Even in the dwarf lands, there were rumors that the inland country was full of discrimination, but that hadn¡¯t been the case in this town by the lake. The people who worked at the villa did tend to look down at them, but it wasn¡¯t too bad.


    However, monsters would sometimes come out while they were mining, and so they had to work with guards in the area. Not only were the monsters scary, but it was a little stressful to have the guards watching them at all times. They said with a laugh.


    Apparently, Zynis had asked the dwarves to create a commotion near the caves. They would shout and say that monsters were coming out of the cave in order to distract the soldiers. A similar incident had occurred recently, so the soldiers would be wary of this happening.


    Maki and Chiharu laughed when they heard this. It must be related to yesterday. But it was quite strange to think that it was just the day before. It felt like a long time ago.


    While Maki and Chiharu couldn¡¯t hear anything, the ears of the dogs, who were in their third form, began to twitch.


    ¡°It¡¯s begun.¡±


    There was movement at the villa. It was time to put the plan into action.


    Maki, Chiharu, Edwy, and Aaron were then picked up by the birdfolk, and were raised into the air. The dogpeople dashed through the trees along the lake and headed for the villa.


    On the other hand, Maki and the others were let down on the other side of the lake, facing the villa.


    ¡°We will be able to see the chief¡¯s room from here. As soon as the guards near the window move towards the caves, we¡¯ll move as well.¡±


    Kleo explained the plan quietly. As Maki and Chiharu couldn¡¯t actually see what was happening in the villa, he explained it to them.


    ¡°The soldiers on the lake have moved first. The boats are moving towards the cave. Alright, now the guards by the room have been called. No, wait, something is strange on the lake.¡±


    ¡°Strange? What do you mean?¡±


    Edwy asked. This was not part of their plan.


    ¡°Bubbles are rising to the surface. That¡¯s¡­it¡¯s merfolk.¡±


    Even Maki and Chiharu could see the bubbles. The boats with the lanterns were moving over the black surface of the water. And it looked like a lot of fish were gathered together. However, upon closer inspection, you could see that they had merfolk heads, and they were quietly moving to the shore.


    ¡°Hey, Edwy. Why don¡¯t we just let the merfolk help him?¡±


    Chiharu asked. Edwy shook his head.


    ¡°That would be bad. If they had to ¡®save¡¯ him, it would create hostility between the inlanders and the merfolk. We have to make it so that he visited on his own and then left by himself. The merfolk merely came here to greet him. Aaron!¡±


    ¡°I know. We have to reach the chief before the merfolk do, and release him. Birdfolk. I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    And so the four humans were picked up by the birdfolk. They would fly down from the cliffs to the other side of the lake all at once. They had plenty of experience when it came to rising in the air. However, when it came to plunging down¡­ Chiharu prayed that she would be able to handle the fear.


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    AAAHHHH! Chiharu screamed internally. The sense of a steep drop and the flight just barely over the surface of the water. Chiharu couldn¡¯t even close her eyes as she saw the surprised expressions of the merfolk rush passed her. But it was true, they reached the chief¡¯s room in no time.


    Tonk. They landed quietly on the ground. The only reason they didn¡¯t collapse, was because of the training they had earlier. The only thing that made Chiharu feel better, was seeing that Aaron looked quite pale. On the other hand, Edwy and Maki looked just fine. How tough were they? Never mind, they were on a rescue mission now. The birdfolk moved away so they wouldn¡¯t draw attention. And then Edwy looked into the room and gestured for them to come.


    He opened the balcony door wide and they quietly entered the room. Where was the chief? There! He was reclining on the sofa just like he was during the day. His tail hit rhythmically on it.


    ¡°Amia!¡±


    ¡°Beloved child. You came.¡±


    ¡°What you do mean, you came!¡±


    Chiharu was surprised by how bored he looked. Then she inspected him. He was two meters long. It would be difficult to carry him, but they could manage it if all four of them helped. Now, what would be heavier? The head or tail. Well, the head was heavier, but the tail was hard to grab.


    ¡°Maki and Edwy, carry the head! Aaron and I will carry the tail!¡±


    Chiharu ordered as she grabbed onto the tail. Woah, it was heavy. On the other side, Maki put an arm around Amia¡¯s head and tried to lift him.


    ¡°Edwy! Aaron! Hurry up!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t carry him without your help!¡±


    Chiharu and Maki said. However, Edwy and Aaron did not answer. They were sighing and looking somewhere else.


    ¡°Edwy?¡±


    ¡°Aaron?¡±


    They called again.


    ¡°Chief.¡±


    Aaron said in an exasperated voice.


    ¡°Amia. Enough already.¡±


    Edwy sounded a little angry. And then Maki and Chiharu let go of Amia in surprise.


    ¡°It¡¯s finished? How boring.¡±


    Amia said as he shifted his weight. What Maki and Chiharu felt next, was some kind of energy swirling around him. It was like wind, but it was warm.


    Amia wrapped himself in a cloth and then stood up from the sofa.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    As Maki and Chiharu looked surprised, Edwy sighed.


    ¡°Chiharu, you¡¯ve been carried by him before. I don¡¯t know why you would even think you could carry him.¡±


    ¡°But he has a tail¡­ Huh? Where did it go?¡±


    Chiharu looked at Amia¡¯s feet with surprise.


    ¡°He¡¯s like the dogs, and can transform. Isn¡¯t that right, Amia?¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Amia nodded. His arms had stretched out and pulled Maki and Chiharu closer to him.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you just get up and go to the lake?¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but ask. Amia looked a little conflicted.


    ¡°First it was because he couldn¡¯t be bothered to. Then he started enjoying being rescued by you two. Isn¡¯t that right, Amia?¡±


    Edwy said. Amia ignored him and said,


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go to the lake then.¡±


    And then he pushed Maki and Chiharu¡¯s backs as he started to walk.


    ¡°What? Couldn¡¯t be bothered? That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°And you involved all of these people? Really?¡±


    Chiharu and Maki muttered.


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask you any difficult questions. I think I understand now. They say that you are proud, noble, and free. But now I see you¡¯re just spoiled creatures.¡±


    Edwy muttered. But he was ignored once again. Well, as they had to leave anyway, the others were forced to follow the chief. However¡­


    ¡°Are you alright, Prince Amia!?¡±


    ¡°Is the chief safe!?¡±


    The doors swung open and in walked Chouze and Norfe.

 CH 100

    While the merfolk chief had already left the room, he turned around when he heard Norfe and Chouze¡¯s voices.


    ¡°Children. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. I will go now. We should meet again on the merfolk island.¡±


    Then he turned back to the lake and took another step forward.


    ¡°Please! Please wait. We haven¡¯t finished talking yet. I invited you to the royal capital.¡±


    ¡°And I refused.¡±


    ¡°However, you said you would consider it for a day.¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I¡¯m already bored. I¡¯m returning to the sea.¡±


    He shrugged away Norfe¡¯s request and started to walk again.


    ¡°The Lowland boy¡­two of them? Why are you here?¡±


    Chouze said in a small voice. Norfe seemed to calm down as he took in the situation. The chief was now walking smoothly on two feet, and he had the two Lowland children on each side of him. And there were two adult men standing by the window as if urging them to hurry.


    ¡°What happened to the guards! Ah, so they are at the cave.¡±


    Norfe came to the conclusion on his own. Then he shouted towards the hallway.


    ¡°There are intruders in the merman¡¯s room! Call the soldiers!¡±


    The royal guards that came with him would not have left. And so one of the servants ran to go and call them. However, the chief knew that this was an emergency, and he was not about to wait around for their arrival. He silently started to walk to the lake.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    However, no one obeyed him.


    ¡°Amia. You should let go now. We¡¯re just slowing you down. The birdfolk will carry us. See, the merfolk are here for you!¡±


    As Chiharu talked to Amia, the merfolk started to come out of the lake.


    ¡°That Saia. Always getting in the way!¡±


    ¡°You disappeared without saying anything! Of course people would be worried!¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    He tsk-ed! If anything, Chiharu was impressed by how spoiled he was. Just then, four big dogs jumped out from the shadows.


    ¡°How long do you mean to hold the Saintesses? Let them go already. And go back to the lake.¡±


    Said the grey dog, who was Zynis. It was unusual for him to sound so stern. Chiharu and Maki looked at him in surprise.


    ¡°Monsters have actually appeared in the cave. The soldiers will not be able to return for a while. It¡¯s your chance to go!¡±


    And so the chief reluctantly let go of Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Chief!¡±


    Norfe shook off his guards and ran outside. Amia slowly turned to him and their eyes met. That¡¯s when a flutter of wings descended near the dogs. And in spite of it being night time, they looked pure white. Behind them, brown birdfolk descended.


    ¡°What? Birdfolk? And this big dog! Beastkin! Why are you here?¡±


    Norfe was stunned by all of this as he turned to the chief. Just then, countless merfolk came out of the water.


    Dear brothers in Japan. I¡¯m living happily in another world. How is Rasche doing?


    Currently, I¡¯m in a really loud place. It¡¯s strange. This was supposed to be a simple job involving secretly finding information about the chief, Amia. Information that can¡¯t be found in the water. It might involve some people from Lowland. But that couldn¡¯t be helped. We would just search for information for a few days and leave quietly. That had been the plan.


    But then a lot of birdfolk came. Beastkin dogs as well. Oh, they really look like Rasche too. And then all these merfolk arrived. Also, there¡¯s this prince? Well, three of them. And one princess. Am I crazy? You¡¯d think so.


    ¡°Maki-chan. Pull yourself together!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°This is an emergency. It¡¯s no time to be losing consciousness!¡±


    Maki had been trying to escape from reality, but she returned after receiving a good shaking from Chiharu. Just then, all of the beastkin looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Gazers¡­¡±


    ¡°What!¡±


    Soldiers started to run from the cave as they chased after the gazers. But then they saw what was happening and froze.


    ¡°What the¡­¡±


    None of them could do anything. If just one person moved, the balance would be broken. They needed to escape quickly, and yet only the time seemed to pass.


    The first to move were the gazers.


    Maki and Chiharu could tell that the monsters recognized them. And as they joyfully approached Maki and Chiharu, the oblivious guards attacked them.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    A high-pitched voice echoed in the night air. It was Chiharu.


    ¡°Gazers. Wait up in the air!¡±


    Chiharu wasn¡¯t sure if they would understand her, but they obeyed and gathered together over their heads.


    ¡°Amia. Go!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing will be solved unless you leave!¡±


    Amia touched Maki and Chiharu lightly on the cheeks and then returned to the lake. And one by one, the merfolk followed their chief into the water.


    ¡°Amia!¡±


    Chouze¡¯s sad voice rang in the air. Amia turned to look at her.


    ¡°Child.¡±


    He said in a loud voice.


    ¡°Please stop casting so many nets into the lake. Then we might meet again.¡±


    He said with a smile. And then he went into the water. It was a promise to visit this lake again.


    Once the last of the merfolk had disappeared into the water, Maki and Chiharu saw a familiar pair of white wings.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you promise not to come because you draw too much attention?¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but say to Sauro, but Norfe realized his identity at the same time.


    ¡°You. You¡¯re the Midland birdman! You and the beastkin. Is Midland trying to instigate something!¡±


    See! Chiharu thought with annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not from Midland.¡±


    Sauro declared as he combed back his short hair with his hand. Who would believe that!


    Chiharu screeched in her heart. At the same time, Norfe raised his voice in anger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you. You¡¯re from the castle in Midland. The one who never works and is always playing with the Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°You. Now that I think about it, you¡¯re that rude royal.¡±


    ¡°Wha-¡±


    If anything, Norfe was more angry about being recognized so late. Sauro didn¡¯t reply. He just opened his wings wide and then declared,


    ¡°Borders have no meaning to us. I just came to Highland to sightsee.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    ¡°Same here.¡±


    The other birdfolk declared.


    ¡°Then why are the beastkin dogs here!¡±


    Norfe demanded.


    ¡°Sightseeing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sightseeing.¡±


    The beast answered.


    ¡°And these Lowland boys?¡±


    Norfe thought it was ridiculous but was at a loss for words. It was then that Chouze asked the question in a small voice.


    ¡°They ran away from home. I¡¯m here to take them back.¡±


    ¡°But they were selling oranges!¡±


    ¡°It must have been part of the disguise.¡±


    Suggested Sauro. Maki and Chiharu were very annoyed now. It was true that they had originally been headed for the elf lands. And the oranges were used as a disguise. So Sauro wasn¡¯t actually wrong. However, who was sent back home by so many birdfolk after running away from home?


    ¡°Are they so important for all you to come¡­¡±


    Maki had been thinking this for a while. The only one here who seemed remotely normal was Norfe. However, the birdfolk ignored him.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s take the little runaways home. The Highland air is wonderful!¡±


    He declared. And then Maki, Chiharu, Edwy, and Aaron were picked up.


    ¡°The upward current is especially great!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to the royal capital next time!¡±


    The other birdfolk informed Norfe as they took flight.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    Chiharu had survived all of the training, and yet when so many wings started to beat at once, she could not stop her wig from blowing off. Her long hair blew in the wind. Norfe saw it and shouted.


    ¡°You! The orange girl!¡±


    No! I mean, yes. But, no! Chiharu protested wordlessly. The gazers looked startled.


    ¡°No! Maybe? That hair! You are the Saintess!¡±


    Norfe realized it on his own. It was no wonder¡­ Chiharu thought her eyes met his for a second. They had been wide with shock. However, Chiharu and Maki were quickly taken away by the birdfolk, and the gazers followed them.


    The only thing that remained now was some stunned soldiers and the prince and princess of Highland.

 CH 101

    And so Maki and Chiharu were carried by the birdfolk, and just according to the plan, they were brought to a checkpoint in the mountains that was far away from the road. This way, it wouldn¡¯t matter if someone tried to chase after them. They had no reason to disguise themselves as merchants now. If anything, their purpose was to get to Lowland as soon as possible.


    The empty area they had chosen was quite large, and once Zynis and the others who were running below also arrived, it became quite lively. They would all camp here for the night.


    They also found it quite amusing that the gazers had followed them all of the way here. And while the birdfolk were wary of them, the gazers remained very quiet. They had been suddenly unleashed from the caves. And they had likely enjoyed being able to fly in the open air at night.


    For a moment, a ring had been made around the gazers, and some were in their second form and seemed to have their guard up. But once Maki and Chiharu quietly returned them to magic stones, the birdfolk all breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°We¡¯ve never seen it up close before.¡±


    Saikania said with deep interest.


    ¡°I thought this in Gromble too, but does it really not affect your body at all?¡±


    Sauro sounded worried.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. But thank you.¡±


    Chiharu said. And though she was actually tired, she turned to face Sauro with her hands on her hips. Sauro tilted his head as if he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°You promised that you wouldn¡¯t come inland.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    He finally looked a little guilty when Chiharu said this.


    ¡°And you even suggested that the other birdfolk should go to Highland to sight see.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±


    Now he looked smug. She could understand how gazers felt, so Sauro was even easier to read. But that just annoyed her even more.


    ¡°Maybe it will be good in the future. But this time, this job was supposed to be a secret. It seems like you hindered Zynis and the others. It could have resulted in Arthur¡¯s country taking the blame.¡±


    It wouldn¡¯t do if people thought that they were always listening to Sauro¡¯s unreasonable requests. Especially since this time, it affected the chief of the merfolk.


    ¡°Why do you care so much about borders? We happen to be in the beastkin territories, but as the lands connect, we often visited the dwarf and elf lands. They have never told us not to come. It was the same in Midland.¡±


    Chiharu felt that there was no point arguing. And she was all the more impressed with Norfe, who didn¡¯t back down when facing the birdfolk.


    ¡°But even Norfe said it. You were stationed at the Midland castle, weren¡¯t you? So it¡¯s no wonder that you¡¯re associated with Arthur. This kind of stuff is going to cause him such a headache!¡±


    Chiharu persisted. There were future matters to consider. She needed to tell him this.


    ¡°Then everyone else should change.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Up until now, I hadn¡¯t really gone to Highland, because it seemed kind of unpleasant. But maybe that was my mistake. We should always go wherever we want regardless of borders. Well, at least us birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°Your mistake¡­¡±


    ¡°I am saying that they thought I was giving Midland preferential treatment. I had no such intention. The chief just wanted to be near the Saintesses, and we had just gone to visit Edwy. The message was just something we took on the way.¡±


    That was clearly your main job. Chiharu was exasperated but also in danger of being convinced. She felt a wave of fatigue fall over her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care anymore. I just want you to listen properly next time.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Chiharu knew that he didn¡¯t, but she was too tired to go on. She wanted to rest. However, as things had moved so fast, they didn¡¯t have any tents. Thankfully, the weather was nice, and it was summer. So she could sleep on the grass.


    However, Chiharu and Maki had worked hard, and there was a reward waiting for them.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. Come.¡±


    Zynis said in a gentle voice. He was lying on the ground, and now he turned over onto his back. He was saying that they could sleep on top of him.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    And so they waddled over to where Zynis was.


    ¡°Hey, father. Two is too much. One of them should sleep with me.¡±


    Said Ortha. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other. I prefer Rasche¡¯s color. Chiharu, since you¡¯re smaller, you go to Ortha. Fine. Then you go with Zynis, Maki. Okay. They agreed.


    Then they heard the flutter of wings.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    It was Sauro. His wings were gently crossed in front of him.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep while wrapped around my wings. These are the best feathers. Baby birds love them.¡±


    Feathers! Sleeping while wrapped up in beautiful white feathers! Chiharu nearly started to walk towards Sauro, but Maki stopped her.


    ¡°But Maki-chan. Feathers¡­¡±


    ¡°Control yourself, Chiharu. The owner of said feathers is Sauro.¡±


    That shook her out of it. That¡¯s right, they may be feathers. But they were attached to Sauro! It was ridiculous.


    ¡°Maki. You just had to interfere.¡±


    Maki glanced towards Sauro and chuckled. While she had left the scolding to Chiharu, she was also annoyed at the free birdfolk. And so it was what he deserved.


    And so Maki leaned on Zynis¡¯s stomach and Chiharu lay on Ortha¡¯s. And on the grass, they fell into a deep sleep before they had any time to enjoy the feeling of the fur. In any case, they had accomplished the mission that the merfolk had asked them to do. It was the end of a very long day.

 CH 102

    The next day, the birdfolk patrolled the area from up high. But they did not see any pursuers.


    Indeed, no one had seen them enter the villa. The birdfolk and dogfolk had insisted that they were just sightseeing. And the merfolk left by themselves.


    Even if they had been pursued, on what grounds could they be caught? While Chiharu¡¯s wig had come off, they could just insist that the Saintesses were not there.


    ¡°We must return to make a report to Arthur. Though, I wish we could escort you back to Lowland.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re fine. Besides, this is probably the fastest way.¡±


    Maki said with a laugh to the worried Zynis. According to their plan, Maki and Chiharu were going to be carried to Lowland by the birdfolk.


    ¡°We¡¯re not in a hurry this time. And we plan to stay at an inn on the way.¡±


    Maki said as she looked towards Aaron and Edwy. They nodded silently. Then Zynis turned to the birdfolk.


    ¡°Are you fine with this, Sauro and Saikania?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not. But there¡¯s something that we have to do now. We¡¯ll tell you once we see Maki and Chiharu off.¡±


    Sauro said with a longing look towards Maki and Chiharu. Maki and Chiharu would have also felt better if Sauro and Saikania were with them. They wanted them to accompany them to Lowland, but this could not be helped.


    ¡°There will be a worrywart elf waiting when you return to Lowland. There won¡¯t be any problem if you just say that Maki and Chiharu were in the elf lands. I will try to catch up with you as quickly as possible. But you must hurry.¡±


    Sauro said. It was unusual for him to be so serious.


    ¡°I understand. Sauro.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Be careful.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    The corner of Sauro¡¯s mouth rose just a little, and then he signaled to the other birdfolk.


    And like that, the Saintess¡¯s group flew off into the distance all at once.


    ¡°Sauro. What are you planning to do?¡±


    Zynis asked him as they watched the sky in which Maki and Chiharu had disappeared.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask the chief to send birdfolk to the inlands.¡±


    ¡°What! I thought that the birdfolk didn¡¯t want to go inland. Don¡¯t you say that it¡¯s too formal?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think that it¡¯s more because they just treat us as carriers. If it¡¯s boring, then we have no reason to go.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Zynis.¡±


    Sauro looked him straight in the eyes.


    ¡°While people say that we birdfolk are free, it is especially true with our generation. The chief is often troubled because of us. But I am not like that. If we are free, then we should act like it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Yes, you all seem so relaxed.¡±


    Even when the Saintesses were gone, the remaining birdfolk were loud and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Zynis watched them with a look of exasperation.


    ¡°And so I won¡¯t be so strict. I will send out whoever wants to go. Even if there are dozens of them.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious!¡±


    Dilon interrupted.


    ¡°I am. There is strength in numbers. To be honest, you are most worried about the area around the inland capital, aren¡¯t you, Zynis?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°They will likely reject an offer to send birdfolk. And so I will send many of us before they can reject us. That would allow us to scout out the area in advance. It will also serve to make an impression on the inland commoners.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you were thinking so far ahead.¡±


    Zynis sounded impressed.


    ¡°Half of it was my idea, Zynis.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡±


    Sauro nodded at Saikania¡¯s words.


    ¡°After all, the inland upward current is so amusing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you care about!¡±


    ¡°Besides, we have to go to Lowland anyway. The children are waiting.¡±


    ¡°You only care about playing.¡±


    Dilon shook his head with exasperation.


    ¡°And what¡¯s wrong with playing? I don¡¯t know about you, Dilon, but Ortha and Corete enter dungeons because they enjoy the fighting.¡±


    It was true that the dungeons weren¡¯t an obligation. The beastlands generally did not need any human Adventurers. It was because they had enough beastkin fighters. Why did they have enough? Because a lot of them enjoyed fighting.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that we enjoy fighting. But if you say that you birdfolk get a similar enjoyment out of sightseeing in the human territories, well, I can only object.¡±


    ¡°Wait. You can only object?¡±


    Ortha did not agree with Dilon¡¯s words.


    ¡°Even if the birdfolk are free, they are still part of the beastkin territories. Their actions will affect the reputation of all of us. We are used to the birdfolk behaving like this, but it is different inland. It is quite possible that they will lump all of us beastkin together. Why do you think Arthur sent us out in secret?¡±


    Ortha and Saikania glared at each other.


    ¡°I will tell not just Mira, but the other beastkin through Mira. Is that enough?¡±


    Sauro said. Ortha and Saikania turned their noses away from each other.


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    Sauro muttered.


    ¡°Out of everyone here, it was just me and my sister who saw the Saintesses at Gromble.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Zynis asked.


    ¡°There were so many monsters that you couldn¡¯t see anything else. And yet they were all turned into magic stones. At the time, I was sick with worry for Maki and Chiharu. But thinking back, it was quite incredible. But that¡¯s not what I was trying to say.¡±


    Sauro turned to Zynis.


    ¡°The monsters were obeying Chiharu.¡±


    Zynis looked at him questioningly. They had seen what they did two nights ago. Sauro continued in an annoyed voice.


    ¡°I knew that they could understand each others¡¯ will. However, I didn¡¯t know that they would obey orders.¡±


    Sauro recalled when Chiharu had shouted for them to stay in the air. It was nice seeing that side of Chiharu as well. But that wasn¡¯t what he should be thinking about now.


    ¡°What would happen if Chiharu ordered the monsters to attack?¡±


    Sauro was imagining all of the monsters gathering around the Saintesses. What if Chiharu could control all of them?


    ¡°As if Maki and Chiharu would do such a thing.¡±


    Saikania said as she made a fist and hit Sauro lightly on the shoulder


    ¡°You¡¯re not very smart, older brother. So there is no point in thinking about it now.¡±


    ¡°Saikania, that¡¯s no way to talk to your older brother¡­¡±


    ¡°What? If such a thing were to happen¡­¡±


    ¡°Were to happen?¡±


    ¡°It would be if Maki and Chiharu were in danger. Then what is it that we should do?¡±


    ¡°Keep them out of danger.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Saikania smiled. What? It was that simple? Sauro felt much better.


    ¡°I see. I guess I really am not suited for thinking. Well then, we must rush back to Mira in the beastlands.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Ultimately, you did help us. As for Mira¡­ No, nevermind. Be careful!¡±


    As Zynis said his farewell, the birdfolk took off into the sky.


    ¡°Except for Sauro and Saiknania, the other birdfolk have returned inland.¡±


    ¡°Were they even listening to what was being said?¡±


    Corete and Ortha muttered as they watched. However, Dilon only seemed to be lost in thought.


    ¡°What is it, Dilon?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, nothing. I was just thinking about how Sauro and I are practically the same age.¡±


    ¡°Really. Young people are so much trouble.¡±


    Ortha said with a snort.


    ¡°Our chief is still in good health. Mother will probably be next. After that is undecided.¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to be a candidate?¡±


    ¡°Of course, not. But Sauro¡¯s so free in spite of being next in line.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°So I think that I should be more free too.¡±


    Dilon said as he looked up at the sky.


    ¡°You¡¯re so arrogant.¡±


    But he ignored his sister. Zynis chuckled. His son was not very flexible about such things.


    ¡°You are the one who binds yourself. It¡¯s up to you to be free or not.¡±


    Dilon looked to his father.


    ¡°Yes. The person who is the most free amongst us dogfolk. That¡¯s you, father.¡±


    ¡°You should live as you see fit.¡±


    They stood side by side and looked at the sky.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s return to Arthur. Damn it. Cleo and Kaela seemed to have gone off somewhere.¡±


    It was fine to dream, but reality was here now. They nodded at Ortha¡¯s words, and the four of them changed forms and then hurried off towards Midland.


    With the information that there were several dungeons inland.

 CH 103

    On the other hand, Maki and Chiharu were taken to a village near the Lowland mountains within that day. And after staying there for one night, they were carried to a castle town called Bakka. They had only meant to gather information, but as the whole affair had become quite larger than that, they could not just go through without saying anything. And so they all had to appear somberly before the king.


    However, it wasn¡¯t all bad.


    ¡°Chiharu, Maki!¡±


    Aeris had been waiting at the castle. Apparently, he had returned after seeing Grudo and Van off and making a report of the dispatch of soldiers.


    ¡°Aeris!¡±


    He embraced both of them tightly. While they had decided on their own to go out, they had still been flung around by the situation, and they were tired. It had been a while since Maki and Chiharu felt such relief.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. So this is the White Philosopher.¡±


    Aaron muttered in surprise. The White Philosopher was known to be of a calm disposition, who was only interested in research and going to Midland for fun. He was supposed to be a solitary figure. And when Aaron had seen him at the elf castle, the person seemed to match this description.


    The straight back, long strides, and flowing robes. The downcast eyes and the intricately braided platinum hair that hung ever so gently over his face. His appearance was enough to cause younger elf servants to sigh. But it was said that no one ever caught the interest of the White Philosopher. However, that was clearly a lie.


    The proof was in front of him.


    ¡°Chiharu. Maki. Did anything happen to you? You look so tired. You should have ignored those pesky merfolk.¡±


    After embracing them tightly, he leaned forward and cupped Chiharu¡¯s face as he gazed into her eyes. Maki chuckled to herself and took a step back in order to see better.


    Chiharu didn¡¯t feel any guilt as the Philosopher¡¯s hand rested under her chin, however, from afar, this looked like lovers speaking to each other softly, and some of those around them blushed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. But it was pretty hard¡­¡±


    Chiharu began to say. However, Aeris embraced her once again.


    ¡°Oh, I know. I know. It¡¯s fine now¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh, huh¡­ I think it¡¯s you who isn¡¯t fine, Aeris¡­¡±


    Even with her face buried in Aeris¡¯s chest, Chiharu¡¯s voice reached Maki¡¯s ears, causing her to chuckle even louder.


    ¡°White Philosopher. We are trying to talk here. Surely you are finished now.¡±


    Finally, King Kilian complained with a loud cough. He had lost patience and come out himself in order to hear their report. Even Arthur would have likely done the same.


    Royals in this world were not too strict when it came to formalities, and they cared more about efficiency.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was just so worried.¡±


    Aeris said as he took a step behind Chiharu and Maki.


    ¡°Uh, there is no need for you to be here, Philosopher.¡±


    ¡°I will accompany them from here to the elf lands. My presence should not be a problem.¡±


    Aeris insisted. Aaron looked troubled, but Maki gave him a look that said it was alright, and so Aaron nodded.


    ¡°Father. I don¡¯t see why he can¡¯t remain. He already knows everything. More importantly, I think we should move to the office.¡±


    He was able to settle the matter, and so they decided to move to the office.


    Once they all sat down in the office, Edwy represented them and explained what had happened. Of course, he left out the parts where Maki and Chiharu snuck out at night, and the part where they were drinking in secret.


    ¡°There are dungeons inland? Outrageous. But it¡¯s the farthest away from the Shadow Land¡­ And weren¡¯t you just going to get information about the chief¡­? But you helped him and returned¡­¡±


    Kilian couldn¡¯t help but groan as he listened. Well, that had been the plan, Maki and Chiharu thought with a far away look.


    ¡°I suppose the one thing we should be concerned about, is that Chiharu¡¯s wig flew off and they might have recognized her as a Saintess. But we could just say that we didn¡¯t know. After all, the merfolk and the birdfolk left such a strong impression, that even Aaron and I would have easily been forgotten.¡±


    Edwy ended his report. What? Wasn¡¯t it Edwy who captivated all those young women from the town by the mirror lake? Maki recalled how both of them had gained so much attention as the handsome brothers. However, she kept such thoughts to herself.


    ¡°The birdfolk, eh¡­¡±


    Kilian said with a far away look. In fact, birdfolk had been visiting the castle in great numbers since a few days ago. The children were happy to play with them and be carried into the sky. It caused quite an uproar.


    Kilian muttered about this for a moment, and then Aaron looked at Chiharu with realization. Chiharu tried to avoid his glance.


    ¡°Chiharu. You knew this would happen, didn¡¯t you¡­¡±


    ¡°N-no, I didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    Chiharu insisted.


    ¡°By the way, king¡­¡±


    She talked to Kilian in order to try and change the subject.


    ¡°Call me Kilian. I heard that you call Arthur by his name.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Kilian.¡±


    Chiharu said.


    ¡°We were also carried by the birdfolk when going and leaving. Of course, so was Aaron. You said that the birdfolk were carrying children?¡±


    ¡°Aye, yes.¡±


    ¡°The birdfolk will carry adults as well. After all, they carried Aaron and Edwy.¡±


    ¡°Adults¡­¡±


    ¡°With a little practice. I think they will be delighted if you asked them.¡±


    To Maki, Chiharu sounded like the devil whispering into his ear.


    ¡°I see. I will ask  them then.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Kilian had almost played into Chiharu¡¯s hands, but a word from Aaron brought him back.


    ¡°We will have to pay attention to any movement inland as well then. I have to contact Arthur. But more importantly, Aaron, Edwy, and the Saintesses.¡±


    The four nodded.


    ¡°We will head to the elf lands immediately.¡±


    Edwy declared for the others.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I am here.¡±


    Said Aeris. While he had lost his composure earlier, his words still had weight, since he was the White Philosopher. Kilian looked relieved as he turned to Aeris.


    ¡°You may stay here for a few days first.¡±


    ¡°No, I have plans. Killian, unfortunately we must leave by airship at once.¡±


    He said. And then he turned to Edwy.


    ¡°Leave your belongings. We leave now. As for Aaron.¡±


    ¡°I am fine. But the Saintesses¡­¡±


    Aaron nodded and looked at Maki and Chiharu. But Aeris was the one who answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Sera brought extra belongings just in case. She said that elves were not very perceptive when it came to such things.¡±


    Miss Sera¡­she had been grumbling about elves.


    ¡°Well, we shall leave now.¡±


    Aeris said. Maki and Chiharu turned to look at Kilian.


    ¡°Thank you. You and the people of Lowland have been very good to us.¡±


    They said with a bow. It wasn¡¯t just Aaron. The people who had taken the carriage on ahead or the other drivers. They had been helped by quite a lot of people.


    ¡°Good. It was no trouble.¡±


    And then Kilian smiled in a unkingly way.


    ¡°Now, I better go and speak to the birdfolk.¡±


    There would likely be many more of the birdfolk in Lowland soon. It was with this premonition that he left the office.


    ¡°Well, Maki. Chiharu. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here too.¡±


    Aaron said.


    ¡°But to be honest, I¡¯m quite tired.¡±


    Maki admitted.


    ¡°I am sure that you are. And so I think we will stop somewhere on the way.¡±


    Aeris whispered.


    ¡°Stop somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Stop somewhere?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I had plans?¡±


    Aeris said as he looked around and made sure that no one was watching. Then he turned to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°We have an airship. It won¡¯t matter if we are late by one day.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu nodded eagerly. Edwy and Aaron looked exasperated.


    ¡°There is a beautiful island on the way to the elf lands. We will stay there tonight.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s eyes shone as they looked at Aeris. Their wandering travels were finally going to begin!

 CH 104

    And so Aeris took Maki and Chiharu towards the airship. On the way, they saw many birdfolk in the castle garden. They were carrying the children up into the sky as concerned adults watched. They could see Kilian as well.


    ¡°Ah, wait a minute!¡±


    Maki said suddenly. Then she ran to the closest bird person.


    ¡°Ahh. Now that she¡¯s getting involved with them, our trip shall be delayed.¡±


    Aeris muttered a little bitterly.


    Just as expected, Maki was quickly surrounded by the birdfolk. After a while, some of them took off into the sky and then returned a few minutes later. They were holding something that was small and folded. Maki took a few merfolk scales out of her pouch and handed it to them. It looked like she was trading.


    ¡°Oh, they are actually being reserved. I¡¯ve never seen a reserved bird person before. They took the scales when Maki showed them in the light. Those scales really are pretty, you know? I knew birdfolk would like shiny things!¡±


    Chiharu sounded quite impressed. While crows liked sparkly things, not all birds did. Edwy chuckled as he listened to her. While Chiharu didn¡¯t seem to realize it, she was being rather rude. But then again, Sauro and Saikania would not have been bothered at all if they heard her.


    ¡°Ah, she¡¯s coming back.¡±


    Maki jogged back on light feet.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    As it was past midday and they were a small group, they were able to reach the airport without attracting much attention.


    Chiharu stared at the square ship. It was hard to believe that it had only been a few days ago that she was surprised by how strange it looked, before stepping inside.


    However, it is all finished. Now they were beginning a journey that would take them to the elf lands.


    ¡°We must catch up with the advance team so we can go to the dungeon. I¡¯m sure Kaider is happy to swing his sword, but Grudo is not very active, and I¡¯m sure Nyran is having a difficult time.¡±


    Edwy muttered as he too looked at the ship.


    ¡°Ye-yes. Kaiser and Nyan. Hmm.¡±


    Chiharu frantically looked towards Maki. Maki looked a little tired. She must have forgotten. When she looked up, Aaron was looking at her with an exasperated expression. They couldn¡¯t help it. These past few days had been very hard.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s over now. We have to switch gears and keep moving.¡±


    This was said by Maki. Huh? How did she sound so cool?


    ¡°I think that¡¯s what Kaider would say. Now, Chiharu. We decided to rest, so let¡¯s rest tomorrow. And then we can work hard after that.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    She was just copying Kaider. Yes, those guys were never depressed, and they wouldn¡¯t blame them for acting. If they did say anything, it would likely be about how they drank in secret or how they snuck out or how she dropped the orange. And so she just needed to keep that information from them. Chiharu looked up.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing? We¡¯re leaving.¡±


    Aeris called. And so the four of them got onto the airship.


    They would travel by airship on the same route that they had traveled by ship previously. Chiharu looked at the town of Bakka, which was growing farther away.


    ¡°I think it was this area where the birdfolk carried us.¡±


    She said.


    ¡°Let me see. Yes, it was around here. Ah.¡±


    Just as Aaron moved next to Chiharu and looked out of the window, the airship began to shake. And their vision was filled with white and brown feathers.


    ¡°Damn it. I can¡¯t see anything. They really are troublesome.¡±


    It seemed like some of the birdfolk from the castle had come to see them off. Whenever their eyes met through the glass, they would wave. But after a while, they got bored and flew back to the castle.


    For the next three hours, Aeris and Edwy took turns piloting the airship.


    ¡°Look up ahead. We¡¯ll be able to see the elf lands soon.¡±


    Aeris said from the pilot¡¯s seat. When they looked, they could indeed see the shadow of the land.


    ¡°Now look down.¡±


    And when they did, they saw that there was a small island with a forest in the center. The side that was owned by humans was just sharp cliffs, but the elf side was a white beach.


    ¡°An island!¡±


    ¡°An island!¡±


    ¡°This is where we will stay tonight. It¡¯s very close to the elf lands, so we can leave tomorrow in the afternoon. You can rest until then.¡±


    Aeris looked at Maki and Chiharu with a worried expression.


    ¡°This is an uninhabited island. So you will have to sleep in the airship and we won¡¯t be able to eat anything fancy.¡±


    ¡°An uninhabited island! Amazing!¡±


    Maki was overjoyed and Chiharu was grinning. If he was being honest, Aeris was afraid that they wouldn¡¯t want to stay at an island like this. And was prepared to fly to a health resort that was by the shore of the elf lands. But seeing their reaction now, he was quite happy he had brought them here.


    He then carefully landed the airship on the beach. As there was no port, he had to search for a place that was flat. Maki and Chiharu were so excited that they nearly flew out, but Edwy stopped them. Aaron was to go out first and make sure that it was really safe.


    ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Is there something dangerous here?¡±


    Aaron put his hand behind his head and looked a little troubled.


    ¡°Nothing dangerous. But you are still Saintesses. That means you¡¯re important.¡±


    ¡°Important¡­¡±


    Wasn¡¯t a prince more important? Oh, well. They now had permission to go outside. And when they did, they saw a vast white beach.


    ¡°Wow¡­¡±


    As they ran along the water¡¯s edge, the waves splashed at their feet and then drew back. The evening sea reflected the light and sparkled. Behind them, Edwy and Aaron were likely standing watch. Aeris was probably tying the airship down. However, there was no one in front of them. It was as if Maki and Chiharu were the only people in this world.


    They could see the elf lands in the distance. The waves crashed at their feet. The wind was just slightly warm, signaling the end of summer as it blew through their hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    Chiharu muttered as she looked at the sea. Maki turned to her in surprise. Chiharu¡¯s eyes were just a little red.


    ¡°I felt so stifled and held back. But now I feel sad that there is no one around.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki silently offered her hand.


    Chiharu looked puzzled.


    ¡°Yes. Give me your hand.¡±


    Chiharu did, and Maki squeezed it.


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And so they held hands as the waves silently came and pulled away.


    ¡°Ah, why don¡¯t they call for us?¡±


    Edwy asked as they watched from afar.


    ¡°I could hold their hands if they wanted. I could even embrace them.¡±


    ¡°Can you?¡±


    Aaron sounded exasperated.


    ¡°Well, if it is what they wanted, yes.¡±


    Edwy turned a little red. This prince was still too inexperienced, and could not hold Maki and Chiharu¡¯s hands by himself. It was then that Aeris completely ignored them and caught up with Maki and Chiharu.


    And with his big body, he wrapped his arms around both of them as they held hands.


    ¡°Ahh, I am so jealous!¡±


    ¡°Edwy. You need to be bolder in order to go against the White Philosopher.¡±


    ¡°Bold? I see. But I¡­¡±


    Just when Edwy made his decision and took a step towards Maki and Chiharu, the two of them laughed and slipped away from Aeris. Then they ran towards Edwy and Aaron. Maki grabbed Edwy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Edwy. Let¡¯s go and gather some firewood!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh. Okay.¡±


    Edwy looked a little embarrassed. At the same time, Chiharu called to Aaron.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I will wait with the Philosopher.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Chiharu looked a little puzzled, and then she grabbed Edwy¡¯s other hand.


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go get the firewood!¡±


    They pulled Edwy away towards the forest.


    ¡°Ahh. He is probably very red right about now.¡±


    ¡°While they treat him like a little brother, that¡¯s not bad either.¡±


    ¡°Not bad?¡±


    Aaron looked at Aeris with an exasperated expression. Aeris just grinned back.


    ¡°Use what you can. Isn¡¯t that the key to getting what you want?¡±


    ¡°I wish all of the elves in the castle could see you now, Philosopher.¡±


    ¡°They will see more than enough of me tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to deny it.¡±


    Well, at least he was aware.


    ¡°We have magic tools for making a fire, so we don¡¯t need firewood. But I suppose it has its charms.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    That night, they had a simple meal around the campfire. And perhaps it was a more memorable event for Edwy than it was for even Maki and Chiharu. It was just a little chilly for a summer night. But the fire was hot. Chiharu¡¯s cheeks looked soft on the other side of the flames. Her dark eyes seemed to dance when they caught the light. And the friendly banter seemed to continue on forever.


    Of course, they had no idea that the light of the fire showed their position in the darkness of the night. From the sea and sky.

 CH 105

    Chiharu wasn¡¯t great when it came to getting up in the morning. And so she always used an alarm clock that sounded like a bird chirping.


    Yesterday, after they had talked around the fire, they returned to the airship in order to sleep. The sofa in the airship could turn into a bed if you put down the armrests. And there were sheets and blankets underneath.


    ¡°It¡¯s very rare to have to sleep inside of the airship, but I often rested here while we were still constructing it.¡±


    Aeris said as if lost in his memories. At first, Edwy and Aaron had insisted that they would sleep outside. But it wasn¡¯t as if there were any enemies for them to fear, and so it was settled that they would only leave when Maki and Chiharu had to get changed. After all, Aeris said he would sleep inside as if it was the most natural thing. So it would be strange if Edwy and Aaron were the only ones to sleep outside. Aaron then whispered to Edwy.


    ¡°Edwy, I¡¯m quite sure that you will regret it if you don¡¯t sleep on this ship.¡±


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll sleep here.¡±


    Edwy said with a red face. And so it was decided.


    Chiharu was so excited and kept talking about how she would wake up to a beach that was blindingly bright as the sun reflected on the white sand, or how she would wake up to the sounds of the sea that she would hear all night.


    However, something was now covering the windows from outside, and they were so loud that she couldn¡¯t hear the sounds of the waves. The sounds of flapping and even splashing. In the first place, the window had been open during the night, but now they were closed and the curtains were drawn. Edwy and Aaron stood by the entrance with tired faces. It seemed like they were there in case someone tried to get in.


    ¡°Good morning, Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Morning.¡±


    Said Edwy and Aaron.


    ¡°Morning!¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­¡±


    Edwy nodded with a chuckle.


    ¡°The birdfolk arrived early this morning. Thankfully, you two didn¡¯t wake up. However, when we went outside, we saw that there were also merfolk, for some reason.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were not surprised.


    ¡°Not only that, but they say that they are here to ¡®sightsee.¡¯¡±


    Aaron added.


    ¡°Sightseeing? Like Sauro talked about at the mirror lake?¡±


    ¡°Surely not¡­¡±


    It had not even been two days since they had left Sauro and Saikania. Two days.


    ¡°They¡¯re here. Those white ones.¡±


    Aaron said with vacant eyes.


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other. From Lowland to Midland. And then probably the beastlands. A strange light is seen by the shore of the elf lands and there is a report about an airship. Then they come here.


    ¡°How much energy do they have¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing that the birdfolk don¡¯t rule the Sun World.¡±


    They muttered. Aaron replied.


    ¡°You can¡¯t rule anything if you just play all day.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    As there was no point in complaining, they got dressed and then went outside.


    ¡°Maki!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Sauro and Saikania came immediately. Aeris hadn¡¯t been on the ship, but they found him on the beach, talking to the merfolk.


    ¡°I thought you had business to attend to. Didn¡¯t you go back to the beastlands?¡±


    Maki asked Sauro.


    ¡°We did.¡±


    ¡°So why are you here now?¡±


    ¡°We flew.¡±


    ¡°I know that! I¡¯m asking you why you are here!¡±


    ¡°Because we finished our business.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­¡±


    Maki sighed.


    ¡°Brother. I think you have to explain it a little better than that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Saikania. That¡¯s right.¡±


    Maki raised her head at this surprisingly decent observation from Saikania.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Sauro thought for a moment and then explained.


    ¡°First, we went to Midland and made a report to Arthur. And then I went back to the beastlands and talked to Mira and we had a meeting with the other birdfolk. And just like we suggested, the plan to send lots of birdfolk inland was immediately accepted, and we gathered all the volunteers during that day. I rested that day and saw the volunteers off. And then it was just as I was feeling bored that evening, when word of you leaving Lowland reached us. I was considering going to the elf lands to meet you, but then there was a report about a bonfire being seen on this island. So I came to sightsee.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you just need to say ¡®sightsee¡¯ to make everything okay?¡±


    Sauro looked away.


    ¡°Maki-chan, that¡¯s not what¡¯s important.¡±


    Chiharu said to calm her down. To be honest, she could hardly believe this stuff about the meeting being held and gathering volunteers and sending them all off on the same day. However, that wasn¡¯t important.


    ¡°What do you mean by inland volunteers?¡±


    Sauro glanced at Chiharu and then to the sky.


    ¡°Up until now, there were conflicts because we had no interest in them and never spoke with them. And so now, it¡¯s time for them to know who we birdfolk are. In other words, we have to go and play there regularly.¡±


    ¡°Brother, you always say what you really mean towards the end.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Saikania admonished him.


    ¡°Well, we just thought we could send a lot of birdfolk over and do some scouting along the way.¡±


    Yes, that was easy to understand.


    ¡°I just heard from Aeris. You¡¯re going to be here on this island until the afternoon, right? Would you like to fly above the island? I can even take you out to sea.¡±


    Sauro said. But Maki had other ideas.


    ¡°We came all of this way to the beach. So we want to spend time here. Right, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Uh, yes.¡±


    Chiharu didn¡¯t really care. She wanted to gather sea shells more than she wanted to swim. After all, that was something you did on the beach too.


    After that, they hurriedly ate their breakfast and drove the others out of the airship. Then Maki pulled out some small clothes from her bag.


    ¡°Ta-da!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my shorts.¡±


    ¡°Shorts¡­¡±


    Maki looked quite pleased as she showed them. They were the kind of shorts that the female birdfolk often wore. Chiharu had always found it odd that people would get angry if they showed their legs, but no one said anything about the birdfolk.


    ¡°Birdfolk are tall, so I think it should fit.¡±


    ¡°Where did you¡­¡±


    ¡°I traded it for some fish scales in Lowland.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s when you did¡­¡±


    Chiharu remembered what Maki had been doing when they left the castle. She had been negotiating with the birdfolk.


    ¡°Now I can swim in the sea.¡±


    ¡°Okay. But I¡¯m going to play by the beach.¡¯


    Chiharu replied to the excited Maki.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to swim? I¡¯m fine with just feeling the waves on my feet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡±


    ¡°But I can still play without worrying if I have this.¡±


    And so the two of them got changed and stepped out of the airship.


    ¡°Chiharu. It¡¯s dangerous, so don¡¯t go too far out¡­huh?¡±


    Edwy gasped as he approached them.


    ¡°Maki. Where do you want¡­woah!?¡±


    Aaron nearly lost his balance.


    However, Maki and Chiharu didn¡¯t understand why they would be surprised, since they constantly saw the slender bare legs of the birdfolk. In comparison, their legs were a little thicker and shorter.


    ¡°Oh, you won¡¯t be too hot like that. Now, let¡¯s go to the beach.¡±


    Aeris said calmly as he pushed their backs and walked towards the sea.


    ¡°He-hey¡­¡±


    ¡°Aeris, wait. They need something to cover¡­!¡±


    But Aeris ignored them. Amia was waiting for them by the beach. Saia was right behind him.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    Amia tried to hug them as if it was the most normal thing, but Aeris stopped him. Amia squinted his eyes.


    ¡°White Philosopher. I finished talking to you. Now I have business with Maki and Chiharu. This summer sun must be tiring for your old bones. Why don¡¯t you go and rest under a tree?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so old that I need to rest in the morning, thankfully. Well, if you have business with them, make it quick.¡±


    Amia¡¯s white hair was bathed in sunlight and the light that reflected off of it looked like fire and water. Aeris¡¯s intricate platinum braids blew in the wind. It was clear that Amia was annoyed, by the way his hair moved. At the same time, Aeris¡¯s green eyes had a sharp light in them.


    ¡°A fight between equals¡­¡±


    But Maki and Chiharu just wanted to play at the beach. And yet, their vacation seemed like it would never begin.

 CH 106

    Maki watched excitedly as the two tall men glared at each other. In the meantime, Chiharu ignored them and moved towards the water. It wasn¡¯t just Sauro, but the men in this world were quite tiring if you faced them on every issue seriously. If they wanted to fight, let them.


    Oh, wait. Edwy was different, thought Chiharu. He was mature. She thought on the gentle face of Edwy, who she saw as like a younger brother, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. The waves came up and tickled her feet. Then they drew back and took the sand with them. Chiharu¡¯s curly hair moved gently in the wind.


    It was so quiet.


    She looked down and took another step forward. The waves crashed at her feet. She took another step, and the waves drew back.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    A voice came from behind her.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    Maki had finally come.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Why can¡¯t I be allowed to enjoy this vacation for just a second!¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    Chiharu turned around with annoyance. Maki looked a little troubled as she held her hands up.


    ¡°Look at reality.¡±


    Maki said as she pointed ahead. A crowd of merfolk were there, watching Chiharu¡¯s every step. And in the sky, flew a flock of birdfolk.


    ¡°I knew that. I knew¡­¡±


    She was just pretending that they weren¡¯t there.


    ¡°Chiharu. Maki. This¡­¡±


    Saia approached them and tried to give them some thin cloth. It was soft and yet strong. Thin and yet opaque. Very strange.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Asked Maki. And so Saia spread it out and then expertly wrapped it around Maki¡¯s waist so that it hit the floor. The extra fabric hung in the back. And all of this was done without touching her.


    ¡°This is the thing that all the merfolk wear!¡±


    Chiharu shouted as she circled around Maki.


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s pretty, but I was going to go out for a swim. It will get in the way.¡±


    ¡°Maki, should you really be saying that after getting something so pretty? That¡¯s not very lady-like.¡±


    Chiharu said with exasperation as she folded her arms.


    ¡°Chiharu, excuse me.¡±


    Saia then wrapped up Chiharu in a similar fabric. Now their legs were mostly covered.


    ¡°It¡¯s so light, smooth, and easy to move in!¡±


    ¡°This was weaved with the webs of water spiders. They will not get in the way when they are wet, so you can swim in them. It¡¯s a very mysterious fabric.¡±


    Saia explained to the overjoyed Chiharu.


    ¡°Really? Huh. Wa-water spider¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Are you interested? I can show them to you.¡±


    ¡°Uh, no. I think I¡¯m fine.¡±


    It was a subject better left untouched. Chiharu closed her eyes to the materials.


    Then Saia knelt before them, and first he took Maki¡¯s hand and then Chiharu¡¯s. And he placed them on his forehead.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. I did not know that things would get so dangerous. And yet I have troubled you greatly over our chief. I am so sorry.¡±


    He apologized sincerely. When they thought back on it, they had known there was a risk, but they could not abandon Amia, who had saved them. Chiharu thought that it couldn¡¯t be helped. However¡­


    ¡°Exactly. Besides, not only did it turn into a huge deal, but it would have been resolved even if we didn¡¯t go. Actually it might have ended sooner if you didn¡¯t ask us to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Saia¡¯s eyes wandered. But¡­


    ¡°Our chief had gone missing, and I did become a little frantic. However, I believe that it was because you two were there, that he came back quietly, and it did not cause more of a commotion than necessary.¡±


    He said with another bow while still on his knees.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s fine. Besides, nothing happened in the end?¡±


    Chiharu said. Maki squinted at her suspiciously.


    ¡°Chiharu. Thank you!¡±


    Saia raised his head and looked at Chiharu with an honest expression. However, Maki did not miss the slight curl of his lip when he did so.


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    Saia turned to Maki now. He was still kneeling. Maki looked down at him. For the others that were watching, it would look like they were staring into each other¡¯s eyes. Like a knight who was swearing his loyalty to Maki. Chiharu felt quite excited.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    Came Aeris¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Did you finish fighting?¡±


    Chiharu turned around. Now that she was distracted, Maki addressed Saia. And her expression was not sweet.


    ¡°Chiharu is the only person I have in this world.¡±


    ¡°What a coincidence. I feel the same way about the chief.¡±


    There was no smile on his face either.


    ¡°A coincidence.¡±


    Maki said with annoyance.


    ¡°Chiharu and I. We wouldn¡¯t sacrifice others to save ourselves. Don¡¯t compare us.¡±


    ¡°You say that, and yet you¡¯ve already involved so many people?¡±


    Saia said with sarcasm in his voice.


    ¡°I knew people would say that. It troubles me as well. If we just stayed in the castle, no one would talk and perhaps no one would be hurt.¡±


    Maki said as she looked Saia right in the eyes.


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you do that?¡±


    Saia said, as if it was what they should be doing. However, Maki snorted. Oh, she had already experienced this before, with those inlanders. She wasn¡¯t going to feel hurt anymore.


    ¡°What makes you all so confident?¡±


    ¡°Confident?¡±


    Saia sounded puzzled.


    ¡°This confidence that we Saintesses are objects that you own.¡±


    ¡°God sends the Saintesses to us. It is obvious.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡±


    Maki sighed derisively. It was unusual, but Chiharu had been very vocal when it came to this rescue mission. And Maki had ultimately agreed to it. She wasn¡¯t as desperate as Chiharu was. And so she wasn¡¯t as tired mentally or physically. And so she had thought about it more.


    This mission had been quite dangerous. And yet Saia had asked them to do it as if it was nothing. This far exceeded the carefree nature of the birdfolk and merfolk.


    The inlanders had looked at them with undisguised malice. However, Saia was different.


    ¡°We Saintesses are disposable compared to the chief. As long as he is saved, the rest doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    As the words came out of Maki¡¯s mouth, Saia became speechless.


    ¡°Or were you not thinking that far? What a coincidence, Saia.¡±


    Maki said as the corner of her mouth curled.


    ¡°Yes, this world is nothing to me compared to Chiharu. Don¡¯t think that we¡¯ll save it without condition.¡±


    Many people thought that they were just lazy and spoiled. And so Saia was shocked by how low her voice was. This was not like a Saintess at all.


    ¡°Maki. What happened?¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Saia looks just like a castle knight.¡±


    Aeris said as he noticed the tense air. But Chiharu was oblivious. Maki relaxed.


    ¡°Oh, we just get along very well. We were talking about what is important to us.¡±


    ¡°I see. How nice.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki said as she brushed up her bangs.


    ¡°Now, Chiharu. Apparently we can swim in this cloth. Let¡¯s go into the water!¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, I suppose so. It¡¯s a vacation, after all.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s have the merfolk take us out to sea!¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know about¡­¡±


    And just like that, Maki and Chiharu were taken out to the water.


    Aeris watched them with concern. Next to them, Amia said,


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re not going to hurt them.¡±


    ¡°Merfolk do not think like humans. Humans can¡¯t breathe underwater.¡±


    ¡°They know that. I think¡­anyway. Ah.¡±


    Amia sounded less sure by the second. Still, Maki was pulled into the water. Aeris was worried, but could do nothing at this point. She jumped and plunged into the water. But then her face burst out from the surface.


    ¡°Haha! How fun! Chiharu! You try!¡±


    ¡°Uh. I don¡¯t want¡­ Ah!¡±


    Chiharu was also pulled towards the water and jumped. She seemed a little angry, but seemed to not dislike it either.


    ¡°So beautiful. They are so lively. It is like watching life itself. Don¡¯t you agree, Saia?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Amia.¡±


    Saia was looking down, as if refusing to look at the Saintesses. Amia glanced at him before returning his gaze to the sea. Then he started to talk as if to the water.


    ¡°The god of creation would not have wanted to save the world by sacrificing people.¡±


    Saia raised his face in surprise.


    ¡°The monsters, us, the Saintess. All of us are creatures that live in this world. No one should be sacrificed for the benefit of others. While the monsters are killed, it is part of the cycle of life. They are not being sacrificed. And yet, the Saintesses are consumed in a one-sided situation. It is sad. We cannot forget that and treat them with disregard.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Saia. Perhaps I should put it like this.¡±


    Amia looked at Saia and put emphasis on every word.


    ¡°Through this rescue mission, Chiharu awakened to an ability to control monsters.¡±


    Saia remembered Maki¡¯s words. This world was nothing compared to Chiharu.


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a fool. Don¡¯t forget what is important.¡±


    Amia said. And then he followed the Saintesses into the sea. This world was nothing. It was he who had forced those dark words from her mouth.


    Saia could only stand there, stunned.

 CH 107

    ¡°Aah, it¡¯s one thing with Maki¡­but even Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that, Edwy?¡±


    Edwy watched Maki and Chiharu play in the water with a worried expression. Aaron just chuckled.


    ¡°Still, I¡¯ve never seen women play in the water before.¡±


    ¡°I could hardly believe it. And they seem accustomed to wearing bathing suits. Look how natural they are in the water. Ah.¡±


    ¡°She jumped out of the water and was caught by the birdfolk. Maki really is used to them. Ah, she fell.¡±


    But as she fell through the air, Maki put her hands together beautifully and dove into the water. And then her face immediately popped out from the surface.


    ¡°That surprised me. So it was on purpose.¡±


    ¡°They are moving around so much that their legs are showing.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just us that are here. I think it¡¯s fine.¡±


    Aaron sat down on the sand. Edwy also sat down somberly and sighed.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just going to see it as a side benefit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re young.¡±


    ¡°Yes, compared to everyone else.¡±


    Edwy shrugged his shoulders. He would never catch up to Aaron or Nyran, no matter how hard he tried. And so there was no point in being upset.


    ¡°In the palace, it was always me and Norfe who were treated like children. I thought that I would get bigger one day and catch up with the others. But the gap between us was never filled. Hell, even Aeris and Zynis treat my father like a child.¡±


    ¡°Norfe, huh? From what I saw at the villa, he¡¯s grown up a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He is a little proud for my liking, but he¡¯s aware of his responsibilities and cares about his people. But I don¡¯t know why he acts that way around the Saintesses.¡±


    Edwy recalled the way Norfe had been during the unveiling. And what he saw at the villa had been no different.


    ¡°Perhaps for him, you and the others are the ones who changed.¡±


    ¡°Us?¡±


    Aaron pointed his jaw at Aeris, who was watching over the Saintesses.


    ¡°I understand that they are important, but to outsiders, they are being pampered to a surprising degree. We¡¯ve never seen birdfolk and merfolk become attached to people like this before. And so I think some will object to it.¡±


    ¡°Object.¡±


    Edwy had never thought about it.


    ¡°Other people cannot see the pain that they experience. I think most citizens are very thankful for what they do. But as the Saintesses are human, it¡¯s hard for some to not compare. They are living too lavishly. They are too blessed. Things like that.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    This was a view that he would have to consider carefully when he had time. But not now. The hand that brushed away the wet hair, the delicate arms, the white feet that sometimes showed from below the water. Right now, he could do nothing but watch Chiharu so that he would never forget.


    He didn¡¯t care if Aaron was grinning next to him. It was fine. He was young.


    Maki and Chiharu came out of the water before it was midday, and they all ate an early lunch and then took a short rest. And then it was time to leave for the elf lands.


    ¡°Being caught in a fishing net and being carried by Saintesses. Both were very amusing experiences.¡±


    Amia said before they left.


    ¡°If you call it carrying. You were too heavy.¡±


    Chiharu pointed out.


    ¡°But it was cute seeing you try.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem. You shouldn¡¯t make Saia worry so much.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    As Chiharu looked at him worriedly, Amia nodded with satisfaction. Next to her, Maki looked straight at Saia, but he would not meet her eyes.


    While the merfolk just waited idly, Chiharu had practiced flying with the birdfolk in spite of being scared and was exhausted now. And yet she was still worried about Saia. Perhaps this was better than any words that could be said. But if he didn¡¯t feel anything, there was nothing to be done.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Aeris said. The merfolk were sad to see them leave, but the birdfolk followed them off of the island.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t able to get enough water, so you won¡¯t be able to shower. I¡¯m very sorry. But we¡¯ll be landing directly in the palace gardens. So you will have a room immediately.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. We had a lot of fun.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Chiharu laughed dryly when she heard Maki say they had fun. Chiharu never did like roller coasters. Or heights. And yet she had felt like she was a dolphin in a show.


    Hm? What¡¯s happening? I don¡¯t even like swimming, but I¡¯m suddenly swimming very fast. Especially that moment she had shot out of the water. That hadn¡¯t been fun at all. Chiharu thought that maybe she was starting to fit in with this world more than she had known.


    And so the airship took the two satisfied Saintesses and headed to the elf lands. However, Aaron¡¯s expression was dark.


    ¡°Hey, Aeris. Are we really going directly to the castle?¡±


    ¡°What? Because we didn¡¯t tell them in advance? It should be fine. In any case, Maki and Chiharu will have to meet the king. It will be quicker this way than returning to the laboratory.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re being too optimistic.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu didn¡¯t quite understand what this conversation meant, and they turned to look at Edwy. He just lightly shook his head to the side. He too had not visited the elf lands much, and didn¡¯t understand. However, the elf lands were right under their eyes. Maki and Chiharu were quickly fixed to the window.


    ¡°Hills.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought the elf lands would be deep in the forest.¡±


    From the window, they could see that the elf lands were vast stretches of land with gentle hills. There were forests and rivers as well. But the land where people lived was surrounded by fences, and not inside of the forest. They could see many houses there, and small white dots that might have been sheep. People seemed to be moving horses and with carriages. Some even saw the airship and waved.


    ¡°There are a lot of flat lands and hills near the palace. But you will see more trees and forests the closer you get to the Shadow World. The dwarf lands had similar plantlife to the human territories, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    Aeris asked them as he piloted the airship.


    ¡°Like the human territories? Yes, aside from the fruits, it seemed quite similar. Are the elf lands so different?¡±


    Chiharu turned her head and asked. Aeris nodded.


    ¡°It is quite strange, but is different in the elf and beast lands. They say that it has to do with the miasma from the Shadow World, but no one knows for sure. I¡¯m sure I told you before, but most things are bigger.¡±


    Were the sheep and horses also bigger? They started to get excited by the thought. Or were they? Horses were already big. Chiharu and Maki started to worry.


    ¡°Look. You can see the palace from here.¡±


    And so they went closer to Aeris.


    ¡°Woah, it¡¯s so big¡­¡±


    The Midland castle had been a complicated structure that was on a hill, overlooking the sea. The dwarf castle had been big, but it also felt like it was part of the town. The Lowland castle felt like a collection of large mansions.


    However, the elf castle was on wide, flat ground, and almost looked like a single town by itself. There was a vast garden, and in the back they saw a huge three-story building that was likely the castle where the king lived. From above, they could see that it was shaped like a rectangle with empty space in the center, showing there was a large courtyard. A white pattern ran through the green garden, and they could see carriages moving towards and away from the buildings. Each road led to a different large castle. And to the right side, there was a large forest and to the left, a large lake.


    ¡°As you two were expecting, there are elves that live in tree houses deep in the forest as well. However, the king lives here. It is said that dwarves were called here a long time ago, and they built this castle with stone bricks. While elves did not meet other races too often back then, they wanted to make a place that everyone would feel comfortable in.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why it looks close to a human castle.¡±


    ¡°Most castles are made by dwarves, regardless of country. So it is not exactly human. Anyway, let¡¯s go down.¡±


    Aeris said as he quietly landed the airship near the largest of the castle¡¯s entrances. Then things suddenly became very noisy outside of the airship. Aeris heard this and clicked his tongue.


    ¡°So this is what happens, even when you don¡¯t tell them. How annoying. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t want to return to the elf lands. Aaron!¡±


    ¡°I know. Maki. Chiharu. Listen carefully.¡±


    Aaron called them with a serious expression.


    ¡°Aeris is very popular in the elf lands. You may be surprised, but all we have to do is overcome this obstacle and meet with the king. Then our business is finished. Stay behind Edwy and me and we¡¯ll quietly go to Aeris¡¯s room.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu gulped. Elves were generally not interested in people. It didn¡¯t matter if they were a prince or a Saintess. Well, it was more that they weren¡¯t interested in ¡®humans.¡¯ So, was Aeris like some kind of idol here?


    They had not imagined this situation at all.

 CH 108

    ¡°Listen. Aeris will go out first as bait. People will gather around him, so you will use that opportunity to quietly leave through the door. Maki, you walk behind me. Chiharu will be behind Edwy. Walk into the castle like you don¡¯t know anything. Once we are inside, we will go to Aeris¡¯s room, since it is the closest. Do you have your bags? Hold them up to your chest if you can.¡±


    Really? Was it such a big deal? Maki and Chiharu gulped.


    ¡°We have them.¡±


    They both held the bags up to their chest as if they were shields. Sera had filled the bags with extra clothes. Aaron saw this and nodded.


    ¡°Alright, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aeris looked at Maki and Chiharu and then nodded as if to reassure them. Then he took in a deep breath and opened the door of the airship.


    ¡°It¡¯s the philosopher!¡±


    ¡°The White Philosopher!¡±


    Aeris acted as if he couldn¡¯t hear these voices. He just walked casually towards the castle entrance. However, just as his foot was about to tough the stairs, he was surrounded. It was hard to tell the ages of people who lived so long, but to Chiharu, most of them seemed to range from teenagers to people in their twenties. There were about thirty of them, and they were mainly male. They had rushed towards Aeris, carrying stacks and stacks of documents.


    ¡°Lord Aeris. Please forgive us. We just saw the airship. Would you please look at this idea I had?¡±


    ¡°This is the plan for a small airship that uses levitation stones.¡±


    The four who remained in the ship stuck their heads out from the door and watched this scene.


    ¡°I see. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s an idol. He¡¯s just a popular philosopher.¡±


    Chiharu said with a relieved expression. But Maki shook her head.


    ¡°Not so fast, Chiharu. Look at the top of the stairs.¡±


    There was a short flight of steps leading to the castle entrance, and at the top of these stairs, was a group of about twenty women.


    Chiharu saw them and sighed with amazement. They were all so beautiful. They were tall and had golden hair that shone like the sun, and eyes of the deepest green. Their hair was bound up on top of their heads.


    And while Aeris generally wore simple gowns that were black or white, it appeared that women dressed quite differently. They generally wore a plain one-piece dress underneath, though the sleeves spread out more than they did on the men. Furthermore, they wore several layers over that of varying colors. It was very pretty.


    While Maki and Chiharu¡¯s clothes were held together with a kind of belt, their clothes fitted tighter and they used buttons and strings to hold it together underneath their chest. As for the area above the buttons¡­


    ¡°Uh, you know, elves in the stories are¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it, Chiharu. I know. I¡¯m more shocked than you are.


    Maki said as she slapped Chiharu¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°That¡¯s just ridiculous. Isn¡¯t it enough that they have pretty faces!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair that the gods favor the elves so much.¡±


    They nodded to each other. However, Aaron ignored their reaction and called them. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t agree, however, elves were not romantic options, and besides, he was used to seeing them. So it was neither here nor there for him. He was quite uninterested.


    ¡°Now, we must go through the entrance behind the guards to the left. From where we are, the left side would be best. Alright, follow me.¡±


    And so they followed Aaron¡¯s signal and left the aircraft while trying to act natural. They headed towards the guards as if they had meant to all along. It seemed like the youth that surrounded Aeris had not noticed them. However, as the women were at the top of the stairs, they saw them.


    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that Aaron?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen the one next to him before. He has beautiful blue eyes. Maybe he is from Midland.¡±


    They heard the voices. However, the four of them pretended not to hear as they rushed to the entrance. Just a little farther. But then they heard the voice.


    ¡°Aaron.¡±


    It was clear and a little high-pitched. Aaron looked like he had been caught. A woman had stepped forward from the group of elves. She was a little shorter than the others. She appeared to be similar in age to Edwy. Not quite twenty. And she had large, cute eyes.


    ¡°It is the fifth princess. I didn¡¯t realize.¡±


    But Maki and Chiharu had no idea what he was talking about. However, they were very taken in by her beauty.


    ¡°Aaron. If you have returned to the castle, you must meet my father. And who are these guests?¡±


    Her voice was soft but also admonishing.


    ¡°But that¡¯s what we were trying to do.¡±


    Maki muttered. Aaron nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Maki.¡±


    ¡°Aaron?¡±


    Aaron turned around and faced the direction of the stairs. Then he bowed.


    ¡°We were headed there right now. These are friends from Midland.¡±


    When he said this, the other three bowed as well.


    ¡°Oh, in that case¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, princess. We must go and meet His Majesty, as you say. Excuse us.¡±


    Aaron interrupted her and then led the others into the castle. Make and Chiharu could feel the eyes on their backs.


    The guards seemed to recognize Aaron, and after exchanging a few words, they nodded and let them through. While they did glance at Edwy and looked surprised at the sight of Maki and Chiharu, they were satisfied when they saw the hair and foreheads.


    ¡°She¡¯s really insistent, that person. Now, let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    While Aaron said this, Maki and Chiharu nearly stopped in their tracks. Though you could go to the main hall from the front entrance, the side entrance connected to the hallway that went towards the living quarters. This hallway was very big, and light flooded in from the windows over the wall tapestries.


    They were likely telling some kind of story. They didn¡¯t know if it was embroidery or woven like that, but there were depictions of people and the changes of the seasons.


    They stared at the walls in awe until Aaron chuckled.


    ¡°It seems like those who live long end up having too much time on their hands. That¡¯s why they can make things like this.¡±


    He said with a little bitterness.


    ¡°While the Midland castle has similar works that the elves sent, these are so much more impressive.¡±


    Edwy said as he gazed at them.


    ¡°Now, we must go up to the second floor. The room isn¡¯t far from there.¡±


    Aaron called them. And so they put their hands on the beautifully decorated hand railing as they climbed up the stairs. As soon as they were on the second floor, Aaron inserted a key into the lock of one of the doors and opened it without hesitation. Once they were all inside, he locked the door again. Maki watched him suspiciously.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a precaution.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Now, there is a bedroom and a bathing room in the back. So you can go and clean yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    If they were being honest, they were quite sweaty, and so they were grateful. And so Maki opened the door to the bedroom.


    Then she closed it. She looked worriedly at Chiharu, who hadn¡¯t moved.


    ¡°Maki, what are you doing? You need to hurry up and prepare.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. But¡­¡±


    ¡°What? We won¡¯t look.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a very insensitive thing to say. And that¡¯s not what I mean. Here.¡±


    Maki grabbed Aaron¡¯s arm and took him towards the door. And then she opened it.


    ¡°What is it? Was Aeris hiding something strange again¡­¡±


    And then Aaron closed the door.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Edwy asked as he saw how troubled Aaron was.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first princess.¡±


    ¡°First princess?¡±


    They had called that other woman the fifth princess.


    ¡°Maki-chan. I think we might be in the way if we stay here¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, it¡¯s probably not that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, if you think about it, Aeris is quite handsome. So it¡¯s not surprising that he has a lover or two.¡±


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to think about it to realize that he¡¯s handsome. Also, yes, it would be strange to have two. No, that¡¯s not what I mean¡­¡±


    Chiharu looked a little depressed, and Maki frantically tried to cheer her up.


    ¡°He finally got to return to his home after such a long time. I don¡¯t think we should bother this reunion for him.¡±


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re completely wrong. Right, Aaron? Say something!¡±


    Maki was at a loss, and so she turned to Aaron.


    ¡°Chiharu. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m quite sure that Aeris doesn¡¯t have a lover.¡±


    ¡°Then who is that inside of the bed?¡±


    ¡°In the bed?¡±


    Upon hearing this, Edwy opened the door to the bedroom. Then he closed it. He was stunned.


    ¡°I saw a bare shoulder¡­¡±


    In spite of the situation, Maki couldn¡¯t help but be amused by how pure Edwy was.


    ¡°Just say you saw a naked woman in the bed. Geez.¡±


    ¡°Surely Aeris wouldn¡¯t do something so indecent¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not indecent.¡±


    Aaron finally said.


    ¡°The princesses of the castle are trying very hard to earn Aeris¡¯s attention. But I didn¡¯t think any of them would be waiting in his bed.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not his lover?¡±


    Maki asked for Chiharu. Aaron shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a lie that he only cares about his research.¡±


    ¡°What a relief. Otherwise, I would never have forgiven him.¡±


    Maki said as she cracked her knuckles.


    ¡°Why are you the one that¡¯s angry?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t forgive anyone who does that to Chiharu.¡±


    Just then, they heard the sounds of a key entering the door. It was Aeris. He entered the room and hurriedly locked it. But before he did, they saw the crowd of women behind him.


    ¡°I finally arrived. That¡¯s why I hate being here.¡±


    Aeris looked like he was out of breath. But then he noticed that the others were quiet.


    ¡°What is it? Don¡¯t you need to take a bath, Mak and Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Uhh.¡±


    Maki wasn¡¯t sure how to respond. Then Aeris opened the door to the bedroom.


    ¡°Damn it. Let¡¯s go and meet the king so we can leave.¡±


    He said as he closed the door and rubbed his forehead. He strongly regretted coming to the castle.

 CH 109

    What should we do, Aeris?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Time was passing as Aeris stood there with a much more serious expression than usual. The men were troubled over this dilemma. But Maki was different.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this straight. Who is that person? Is she your lover?¡±


    Maki crossed her arms and asked Aeris. Aeris replied frantically.


    ¡°Lover? Certainly not. She is one of the princesses. In fact, she is married¡­no, she¡¯s a widow now.¡±


    ¡°A widow?¡±


    ¡°A widow?¡±


    Maki and Edwy said at the same time. It was not particularly unusual to be widowed when they lived so long. And remarrying was just as common. Maki had been relieved to hear that she was married, but she couldn¡¯t keep silent once she heard that the woman was a widow. She had plenty more to say, but Chiharu suddenly pulled at her clothes.


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    Maki turned to her with a worried expression. But Chiharu looked quite normal now. Yes, she did. However, Maki suddenly felt a chill. Chiharu looked straight at Aeris.


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Chi-Chiharu. It¡¯s not that. Never.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    His shoulders slumped.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Just throw her out.¡±


    Aaron muttered from behind her.


    ¡°Aaron, a lady cannot be treated in such a fashion. Still, what can I do¡­¡±


    He really could not think of anything. They needed her to get dressed and leave. But that required going into the room and persuading her. And he didn¡¯t want to go inside.


    ¡°Aeris. When you came in the room earlier, there were people behind you.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the fifth princess kept following me from the entrance. But I managed to brush her off, as I had an audience with the king.¡±


    However, something told them that there was still someone waiting behind the door.


    ¡°The fifth princess. So the younger sister of the first princess.¡±


    Chiharu muttered.


    ¡°Are they close?¡±


    ¡°They are not close at all.¡±


    ¡°Aaron¡­¡±


    Aeris didn¡¯t feel that it was right to speak so boldly about the royal family. However, Aaron did not care.


    ¡°They are nearly 200 years apart. And yet they are rivals for Aeris¡¯s affection.¡±


    ¡°Aaron! I do not care for her at all! It¡¯s just that I played with her when she was little, and she seems to have misunderstood something.¡±


    ¡°Well, there it is.¡±


    Chiharu folded her arms and looked at Maki.


    ¡°Wh-what? Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan. I want to take a bath already.¡±


    Maki had been watching the scene excitedly and was taken aback.


    ¡°Uh, right. Yeah. We¡¯re all sweaty.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯ll be so much trouble to talk her into putting on her clothes and leaving.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes. I don¡¯t want to do that.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to let them fight.¡±


    A silence fell over the room.


    ¡°Di-did you say fight?¡±


    Maki¡¯s voice echoed in the silence.


    ¡°Maki-chan. I¡¯m going to open the door.¡±


    ¡°Wa-wait, Chiharu!¡±


    But even Aeris¡¯s intervention was ignored as Chiharu opened the door.


    ¡°Lord Aeris! Oh, who might you be?¡±


    The person on the other side of the door was the fifth princess. But when her shining, beautiful face caught Chiharu, she looked very confused. Chiharu spoke without emotion.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    After a second of silence, the princess¡¯s servants began to talk.


    ¡°How dare you speak to the princess with that voice!¡±


    ¡°So rude.¡±


    ¡°This is why I don¡¯t like humans.¡±


    Maki was annoyed as she listened in the back. However, it was clear that Chiharu didn¡¯t want her to join them.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t want to come inside?¡±


    Chiharu asked. The fifth princess managed to reply.


    ¡°This is Lord Aeris¡¯s room. What authority do you have to be here?¡±


    Chiharu chuckled.


    ¡°Authority? I was called here as Aeris¡¯s guest. I have his permission. Now come in.¡±


    Of course, she had no such thing. However, the princess and her servants had no way of knowing this. The men behind her were overwhelmed as well. And so they all entered the room quietly. Then they saw Aeris standing awkwardly in the back.


    ¡°Lord Aeris!¡±


    The fifth princess tried to run to him, but Chiharu stopped her with a raise of her hand.


    The princess couldn¡¯t help but stop. Chiharu was angry. And that was a rare thing. Maki clenched her fist in front of her chest.


    ¡°That¡¯s not where you should go. Go that way.¡±


    She said as she pointed to Aeris¡¯s bed room.


    ¡°Th-that is¡­¡±


    The princess¡¯s face reddened. She looked to be in her twenties. But to be honest, both Chiharu and Maki looked older than her. But Chiharu did not allow the blushing woman to phase her, and she opened the door without hesitation.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    And so the fifth princess took a step into the room and gasped.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s all this noise?¡±


    ¡°How shameless!¡±


    ¡°If anything, it is shameless for someone like you, who has never been married, to come in here.¡±


    Now that the fight had begun, Chiharu shrugged her shoulders and closed the door.


    ¡°Chiharu, wouldn¡¯t it be more entertaining if you left it open?¡±


    ¡°But then she won¡¯t be able to get changed.¡±


    Maki was enjoying this now, but Chiharu was not in the mood. She was still angry.


    There was a lot of noise coming from the bedroom for a while, but then the door finally opened, and out came the fifth princess and her servants. She was soon followed by the first princess. In human years, she would be a little past thirty, which made her look quite nice standing next to Aeris. She was very beautiful as she stood there with her hair tied loosely to the side. Of course, she was wearing clothes.


    ¡°Aeris. You are quite cruel. Not only do you rarely return, but you kept me waiting so long.¡±


    She said sweetly. Maki thought she could hear the sound of a vein bursting on Chiharu¡¯s head.


    ¡°Princess. You go too far. No matter how many times you request it, I cannot oblige you. You must search for someone else to spend the rest of your life with.¡±


    Aeris said. He sounded both annoyed and polite.


    ¡°Sister. Let us leave for now. I do not like to think what will happen if father learns of this.¡±


    ¡°And what is that to me? Love should be free. I doubt anyone takes interest in my affairs at this point. Even father said that I should do as I please.¡±


    Chiharu just opened the door without saying a word. But the first princess¡¯s mouth curled with irony.


    ¡°Get out, is it? Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯m a princess?¡±


    Chiharu kept her silence and opened the door even wider.


    The first princess turned to look at Aeris.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be staying for a while. We¡¯ll have time to talk later.¡±


    She smiled and then left the room.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    The fifth princess said goodbye to Aeris and then frantically left the room.


    Chiharu slammed the door shut and turned around.


    ¡°Well, then.¡±


    The others suddenly felt quite nervous.

 CH 110

    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll use the bath then.¡±


    Chiharu said with a smile.


    ¡°Uh, are you sure? Chiharu?¡±


    Maki asked, but Chiharu just pulled her into the room. The door closed quietly. After some time, the others could hear the sounds of running water.


    ¡°What should we do, Aeris?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Aeris said to Aaron. His eyes went to the bedroom door, and then to the window.


    ¡°She should have been angry.¡±


    ¡°She was angry.¡±


    ¡°Was she?¡±


    Aeris sounded uncertain.


    ¡°While she is not my lover, I have no right to make excuses.¡±


    ¡°Damn it. It¡¯s very troublesome how bold even women are.¡±


    Aaron said with visible annoyance.


    ¡°To be honest, things are moving too quickly that I don¡¯t understand it. I am shocked that a woman would do such a thing. But is it your fault, Aeris?¡±


    Edwy asked. Silence fell over the room.


    ¡°Aeris might have trouble explaining it. He¡¯s an elf. He doesn¡¯t really understand why we find certain things strange.¡±


    Aaron said.


    ¡°Elves are generally hunters. You might wonder why then they leave the dungeons to humans, but it¡¯s because they think it¡¯s pointless to hunt monsters when you can¡¯t eat them.¡±


    ¡°Really? But Aeris is a researcher of magic stones. And it seemed like there were many who were interested in the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, if they find something interesting, they can become obsessed and bear results. But those that are obsessed with research only want to research. They don¡¯t want to gather the stones. Sericulture and beekeeping are very popular, as is textiles and decorations. And they tend to have lots of love affairs.¡±


    ¡°Lots of love affairs¡­¡±


    ¡°This is because both men and women like the strong and the perfected.¡±


    Edwy thought about how humans seemed to prefer cute and gentle women. In fact, this was really just his own preference.


    ¡°So even if it¡¯s annoying, they don¡¯t think of it as bad or have negative thoughts. Just as you saw earlier.¡±


    Aeris shrugged.


    ¡°However, what will Chiharu think? I don¡¯t even know what I want her to think.¡±


    He chuckled. He had not been so drawn to anyone during the last three hundred years of his life. And so he himself did not know what he wanted to do.


    ¡°However, I do not mind these fluctuations of my heart.¡±


    It was not bad. However, he wouldn¡¯t mind if it stayed high either.


    As for what Maki and Chiharu were doing then.


    ¡°Maki-chan. You go in first.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you sure, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    Chiharu smiled. Maki seemed unsure, but disappeared into the bathing room anyway.


    As Chiharu was covered in sweat, she remained standing so that she wouldn¡¯t touch anything. And she thought back on what had happened. It would soon be three months since they came to this world. Had the wounds of her broken heart been healed? She put a hand to her chest.


    She still felt a little pain. But now, the face of the new girl was more prominent than the co-worker she had liked.


    Chiharu had known it from the start. She saw that the new girl was drawn to him. And he was clearly not oblivious to it. But she wanted to believe. That there was a real bond between them. It was not something that could be broken so easily.


    Ultimately, she realized that bonds were brittle things. Chiharu made a tight fist.


    Still, I¡­


    Chiharu thought. She had known, but had she done enough to stop it? It was he who had confessed to her. Had she been so sure that he wouldn¡¯t betray her? Yes, Chiharu had been testing him. And she lost.


    Maki quickly washed up and came out of the bathing room.


    ¡°Your turn.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡±


    Maki watched her with concern as she went to take a shower.


    She knew that Aeris cared for her in a way that was different from a guardian. It wasn¡¯t just because she was a Saintess. And she liked it. Aeris was important to her as well. Aside from Maki, she felt more relaxed with him than anyone else. But she wasn¡¯t sure if that was love or not.


    She touched the large button and the water stopped. Chiharu asked herself.


    What if someone, say the princess from earlier, what if she took Aeris away? Just like she had lost her old co-worker?


    If it¡¯s not enough to just watch. Will you fight? This time.


    A drop of water fell to the floor.


    It¡¯s not about winning or losing. It¡¯s not even a fight. I don¡¯t want my feelings to be rushed because of someone else.


    Chiharu lightly dried herself off and left the room.


    ¡°Chiharu, woah.¡±


    Woah? Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s better. You had such a severe look in your eyes so I was surprised.¡±


    Maki said as she helped dry Chiharu¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to rush, right?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Sure.¡±


    Maki said, even though she didn¡¯t know what Chiharu was talking about. If that¡¯s what Chiharu wanted to do, then she should do it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s show our foreheads.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Are you in battle mode?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a fight. However, if the only way for her to go against those beautiful people was to use her status as a Saintess, then she would do it. Maki raised her bangs and Chiharu tied her long hair up so that her forehead showed. They were wearing the clothes they got at the Midland castle, but she didn¡¯t mind. It was pretty enough. They looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°Good!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say hello and then go sightseeing!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    When they opened the bedroom door, the men all turned around at once. Their eyes widened a little. Their foreheads were usually covered with a ribbon, but they were completely exposed now.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful.¡±


    Aaron couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    ¡°Ew, what?¡±


    Maki laughed. But Chiharu walked straight towards Aeris and looked up into his green eyes. Such kind green eyes. Eyes that looked only at her. Aeris raised his right hand and slowly touched her forehead as he moved towards her just a little.


    The princess taking him? Impossible. There was no need to even fight. What those green eyes gave Chiharu was unwavering confidence. She smiled. Aeris breathed in and there was a heat in his green eyes.


    But before he could do anything, Chiharu moved away. And he slowly lowered his hand, as if with great regret. While it was a small sprout, there was something there that could grow. He felt as if this was proof of that.


    Edwy had been watching this quietly.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s hurry up and meet the king so we can go exploring!¡±


    ¡°I want to leave this castle and relax in the town!¡±


    The two said. Edwy hid the slight hurt he felt and said,


    ¡°Really, you two are supposed to be part of the research team. You said so yourself.¡±


    He didn¡¯t forget to remind them. Oops. They said with a laugh, not knowing what was in Edwy¡¯s heart. Still, Edwy was happy to see them laugh. He had matured a lot on their travels.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go then. To this place where the hunters wait.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t scare them, Aaron. It¡¯s just a simple greeting.¡±


    Maki had still not learned that things do not go away so easily.

 CH 111

    The five of them left the room and then Aeris and Aaron led them to the castle audience chamber.


    ¡°An ¡®audience chamber.¡¯ How excessive.¡±


    Maki said with a tilt of her head.


    ¡°After all, in Midland and Lowland, we just went to the king¡¯s study, didn¡¯t we? Though, they were pretty big.¡±


    Chiharu nodded.


    ¡°Think back. About how it was like in the dwarf castle.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah.¡±


    They had been made to wear formal clothing and were escorted. Maki thought as Aeris spoke to her.


    ¡°It is the first time a Saintess has come to the elf lands. I think they will want to do something special.¡±


    ¡°So, the Saintesses are not on a secret mission after all.¡±


    Aaron replied. Maki and Chiharu felt a little bad.


    ¡°But it¡¯s fine. When you two were unveiled, Arthur told the other countries that you don¡¯t like to stick out. And so we should treat you more modestly.¡±


    ¡°Arthur? I see. That¡¯s nice.¡±


    Maki was relieved when Aaron told her this. Yes, while Aeris was a prince, elves were not very curious about others. In fact, the princesses earlier had no interest in Maki and Chiharu as Saintesses. They didn¡¯t even see them as rivals. So it must be fine. That¡¯s what Maki thought as she looked at Chiharu, whose expression was a little stiff.


    ¡°Woah. There are guards at the entrance.¡±


    Maki said excitedly.


    ¡°Damn it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Aeris and Aaron wore hard expressions. When the heavy doors opened silently, they saw that there was a long carpet that stretched out towards the throne. And on both sides¡­


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    Maki muttered. That¡¯s how many elves had come inside. The crowds began to buzz as soon as Maki and Chiharu entered. Maki didn¡¯t know anything about formeral elven attire, but they all wore pretty clothes with glimmering patterns. While Maki couldn¡¯t help looking around, Chiharu stood without moving and raised her head.


    Then they were ordered to come before the king. Maki was escorted by Aaron and Chiharu by Edwy. And Aeris walked slowly behind them. Maki and Chiharu could tell that everyone was staring at their foreheads.


    The throne was on an elevated platform that was three steps high. And sitting on the throne was the first old elf they had ever seen. He had platinum hair and a long beard.


    ¡°Santa Claus.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Chiharu.¡±


    Well, he didn¡¯t have a big belly, but he did look like he might give children some presents. Regardless, Maki and Chiharu were suddenly less nervous. And next to the king was someone who appeared to be about the same age as Aaron, and looked a little bit like the king.


    The king stood up slowly and with the support of the young man, came down the steps to stand before Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°So, you two are the current Saintesses.¡±


    ¡°My name is Maki.¡±


    ¡°My name is Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°And I am called Bartfon. I am the current king. And here is Toul, who will be the next king.¡±


    Then he held both Maki and Chiharu¡¯s hands. While they had been quite surprised to see so many people, Bartfon was a little like Arthur in that he didn¡¯t come off like a noble. And so Maki and Chiharu were relieved.


    ¡°Ever since we heard news of your arrival, the miasma has started to thin. However, it has been especially fast since yesterday. It¡¯s practically gone completely now. I am in awe of this power. It¡¯s like suddenly being able to see.¡±


    He laughed kindly.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean to overwhelm you like this, but everyone so desperately wanted to get a glimpse of the Saintesses, and so they all gathered to the castle. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re very surprised.


    But now that they have seen the mark on your foreheads, things should settle down a little. I thank you for visiting the elf lands.¡±


    He said, and then looked to the side.


    ¡°Aaron. And Edwy, huh? Human children do grow so fast. I am very impressed.¡±


    He talked as if he were their grandfather. Edwy¡¯s expression was hard to read. Was he happy or not happy? But he greeted him properly all the same.


    ¡°Forgive us for the delay. There was some pressing business we had to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Aye, it is fine. I heard about what you did in the dwarf lands. We know that Midland has a responsibility to protect the Saintesses. Do not worry.¡±


    The king shook his head and then looked over to Toul. Toul nodded.


    ¡°Aeris. I hear that my mother bothered you again. I am sorry.¡±


    He said with a grimace.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. While she is your mother, she can do as she pleases when it comes to love. I am just sorry that I cannot give her the answer she wants.¡±


    Aeris replied calmly. Mother! Maki and Chiharu looked at each other. This person was the child of the woman in the bed? It was very confusing to be in a country where people lived for so long!


    ¡°So you were there too. It must have been shocking for ones so young.¡±


    Toul said with a laugh before reaching out a hand to their cheeks, much like Aeris did. However, Aeris stopped him.


    ¡°They are not children. They are grown women. Do not touch them so casually.¡±


    Aeris said as his hand went around Chiharu¡¯s waist, completely ruining his own argument.


    ¡°Really, Aeris! So the rumors were true! They are adults!¡±


    Chiharu thought that Toul¡¯s eyes went to her chest for a second, but she wasn¡¯t sure. Regardless, it was very rude.


    ¡°By the way, I must speak to you about work. Aeris, Edwy, and Aaron. Come with me to another room.¡±


    ¡°Work? I planned to show Maki and Chiharu the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°There is no time for that.¡±


    ¡°But Maki and Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought it was decided that they are not to go near the monsters.¡±


    ¡°¡­So it¡¯s about the dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Apparently, something had happened in the dungeons.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. I¡¯m sorry. I have to talk with him.¡±


    Aeris said apologetically, but Maki and Chiharu just shook their heads. The king saw this and said,


    ¡°Hmm. Then I will have one of the princesses guide you. Given your age, maybe the fifth princess would be best. Rhea!¡±


    He called. For a second nothing happened, then the beautiful young elf they had seen earlier stepped out of the crowd with a somber expression.


    ¡°Rhea is my youngest daughter. She is calm and gentle, so she will be perfect for the task.¡±


    Were all parents so blind?


    ¡°Rhea will need some help. I will go too.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you too, Aila? That would be a comfort.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    The first princess stepped out gracefully and smiled as she looked at Toul.


    ¡°What, Toul? You¡¯re frowning.¡±


    ¡°I wonder who is the reason for that.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. As I am older, it is clear that I am better fitted to showing them around.¡±


    ¡°No, sister. I will go too!¡±


    Sparks flew between the two sisters.


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this have nothing to do with us?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu whispered to each other.


    ¡°My daughters are so cute no matter how old they become. I am sure you will have a great time, Saintesses.¡±


    The king said, before leaving with the others, who looked a little worried. Maki and Chiharu were immediately surrounded by elves. It was a little intimidating to have so many tall elves look down at them. On one hand, Makie was very curious as well, and looked back at them with interest. Chiharu stood straight and had a cool expression. And as the purification was something tangible, the elves could not help but be drawn towards them.


    ¡°What was all that about elves not being interested in people?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re way too interested.¡±


    They muttered to each other. But it was drowned out by the whispering of the elves.

 CH 112

    ¡°So, what¡¯s happening?¡±


    Like Grudo, the elf king was about the same age as Aeris. And so when not in public, they acted casually around each other.


    ¡°There are more monsters than we expected. According to the birdfolk, monsters are starting to overflow from a dungeon that is about two weeks away from here.¡±


    It was Toul, and not the king who replied. While he would not take the throne until the king¡¯s death, it was clear that preparations were being made for the change.


    ¡°While the elf lands are close to the Shadow World, the dungeons here are smaller than the ones in the dwarf lands. If anything, the problem is the thickness of the miasma. I thought that things would improve just a little if the Saintesses came here directly. So this is a surprise.¡±


    He seemed a lot older when he talked. Even when they traded places, the ¡®I¡¯m sure it will be fine¡¯ mentality would likely remain the same. Perhaps it was this carefreeness that caused those who surrounded him to become anxious, and they grew to be more capable as a result. Both me and Van, for instance. Aeris thought with a sigh.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the problem? I won¡¯t be much use outside of research regarding magic stones. And Aaron and Edwy won¡¯t be able to do much either.¡±


    Aeris sounded a little annoyed. He was worried about Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Aeris, it¡¯s fine. They are tougher than you think. They acted quite proper when they left the castle.¡±


    Edwy remonstrated.


    ¡°I see that you¡¯re still impatient as ever.¡±


    Toul said with amusement. However, his face then stiffened and he began to talk.


    ¡°It takes two weeks to reach the dungeon. But the ship from Lowland only just arrived. I¡¯m afraid that the soldiers will not reach it in time.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but what does that have to do with us¡­ Ah, the airship!¡±


    Aeris said, and Toul nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯ve temporarily stopped all scheduled flights for the airship. It can carry about thirty passengers, but we should be able to squeeze about forty inside and take them to the dungeon within two days. But we would also like to borrow your private airship.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s sightseeing could wait. Besides, it would not be bad for them to tour the royal capital in a carriage.


    ¡°Of course, you will have to pilot it, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°There are others who can do it.¡±


    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s difficult to learn.¡±


    Toul said, and Aaron came to a realization. So that was why only Edwy and Aeris seemed to be able to handle it correctly.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°With two airships, we should be able to send about fifty men to the dungeons. Three trips should be enough. Thankfully, we¡¯ll have enough magic stones, due to the Saintesses. This is an emergency.¡±


    Aeris looked quite troubled as Toul spoke.


    ¡°I am sure that Maki and Chiharu would tell you to go.¡±


    ¡°And they will tell you to do the right thing.¡±


    ¡°Edwy. Aaron¡­¡±


    They knew this because they were with Maki and Chiharu for the merfolk rescue mission. They would want Aeris to do his job. Aeris sighed.


    ¡°Fine. When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Early tomorrow morning. So rest well tonight.¡±


    ¡°Edwy.¡±


    ¡°I know. I will accompany you as a pilot. Aaron.¡±


    Edwy and Aeris looked towards Aaron.


    ¡°Yes. I will stay with them as much as possible.¡±


    So only Aaron would be staying behind. While he was a little worried, he nodded steadily.


    As for what Maki and Chiharu were doing during that time¡­


    ¡°So, this is the mark of the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so small.¡±


    They were surrounded by nosy elves. And the first and fifth princesses were doing nothing to stop it. They just watched. Maki became a little annoyed.


    ¡°Hey, Princess One and Two. Aren¡¯t you going to show us around?¡±


    It was rare for Maki to talk like this to strangers. But then again, she had met them earlier.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I want to do that.¡±


    ¡°Eh? But didn¡¯t the king ask you? And you volunteered, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The first princess let out an exaggerated sigh.


    ¡°Haaaa¡­ This is ever so tiresome.¡±


    ¡°Are you a child now! No, you¡¯re just old.¡±


    ¡°Old! How dare you. Elders should be respected¡­you little brat!¡±


    ¡°And now you¡¯re calling people brats. You¡¯re contradicting yourself.¡±


    Maki said as she held her hands behind her back. She was clearly very annoyed. Chiharu sighed.


    ¡°Maki-chan. It¡¯s not a big deal. We can just ask these people.¡±


    She said as she lowered her face a little.


    ¡°Would any of you be able to show us the castle?¡±


    She asked apologetically. This was how Chiharu usually acted.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I would love to.¡±


    Both the men and women around them were quite happy.


    ¡°As you can see, we don¡¯t need you anymore.¡±


    Chiharu said as she raised her chin. But she didn¡¯t even look at the princesses.


    ¡°What! After we said that we would show you around!¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Maki interrupted.


    ¡°Sister¡­¡±


    The fifth princess muttered with exasperation.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to show us around either.¡±


    Maki retorted. They had hardly ever gotten into arguments with other girls in Japan. Chiharu found the whole situation to be quite unbearable. And so she ignored the two princesses and just started to walk. The elves began to follow her while they talked noisily. Then the two princesses followed. Maki kept her arms behind her head and leisurely followed them from the back. In spite of everything they said, the princesses were going too. This was rather amusing.


    ¡°So, where should we go first?¡±


    Chiharu hadn¡¯t really been thinking when she stormed out of the audience hall. And so she suddenly stopped and asked the elves. However, the elves were just talking loudly to each other, and none of them offered her an answer. The princesses were fidgeting in the back. This did not escape Maki¡¯s notice. Was it just her, or did they actually want to show them around?


    Chiharu then looked at Maki and saw that she was looking at the princesses. Then she sighed as if she had no other choice. She turned back to Maki. Maki-chan. Which one? Chiharu mouthed. The first princess. Maki replied silently. Chiharu nodded. Then she smiled at the guard.


    ¡°Mister guardsman. Please open the door.¡±


    And then the large door was opened. Chiharu turned around. Good.


    Maki stepped forward and grabbed the wrist of the first princess. In the meantime, Chiharu grabbed the wrist of the fifth princess.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    The princesses hardly understood what was happening as they were rushed through the doors. Maki was practically jogging.


    ¡°The princesses are going to guide us!¡±


    She shouted to the people behind them.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    The princesses said as they were pulled along. But since the king had originally said that the two princesses would lead them, the others just watched, even though they were surprised. Once they were out into the hallway, Chiharu smiled.


    ¡°If we were bad people, this would look like we were kidnapping the elf princesses.¡±


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s a bit old to be called princess.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it was you.¡±


    ¡°Grrr.¡±


    The two princesses now realized that their hands were being pulled, and they frantically pulled away.


    ¡°Really. This is why I don¡¯t like humans.¡±


    The fifth princess started, but Chiharu interrupted her.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯ve been with Aeris for a while.¡±


    Oh, that would hurt. Maki almost felt sorry for the fifth princess.


    ¡°And I¡¯ve never heard him say such things about humans. And he¡¯s never been unable to understand something just because he¡¯s an elf.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡±


    She looked down, quite frustrated.


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re not royals, we humans are taught not to judge people by preconceptions. What is the matter with you two?¡±


    Chiharu folded her arms and glared at them.


    ¡°Is it because you like Aeris? That¡¯s not a good reason.¡±


    ¡°B-but, with fewer rivals¡­¡±


    ¡°Does Aeris like women who would kick down their rivals?¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­¡±


    They both hung their heads. Both of them were over a hundred years old. Maki felt a little disappointed.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to stop trying, if you like him. However, I don¡¯t want to be involved in that. I heard about how wonderful the elf lands were, and I wanted to enjoy it.¡±


    Chiharu let the truth spill out then.


    ¡°Of course, we also came to purify the miasma.¡±


    Maki quickly added.


    ¡°Ye-yes. There are many great places to see in the elf lands!¡±


    Upon hearing Chiharu¡¯s words, the fifth princess suddenly raised her head and her face lit up. Oh? Could it be¡­?

 CH 113

    Creatures of the Elf Lands


    ¡°In that case, what place do you recommend first?¡±


    Chiharu asked excitedly. The fifth princess was quick to begin explaining.


    ¡°Indeed. If you want a nice view, then going into the deep lands would be good. There is an elf settlement with a giant tree that is most wonderful. Elves were originally people of the forest, and so elves that were raised in coastal lands always dream of going once in their lives.¡±


    ¡°I see. I want to go then.¡±


    Chiharu had a dreamy expression. A giant elf tree? It was the ideal kind of scene that you¡¯d find in a story book.


    ¡°But it happens to be close to a dungeon. And I heard that the two Saintesses are not going to the dungeons on this visit. So I suppose we will just have to look at it from a distance.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Our names. I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    The fifth princess looked a little embarrassed.


    ¡°My name is Rhea. Chiharu, Maki.¡±


    The way they said Chiharu was always odd. Still, Chiharu was starting to find the fifth princess a little endearing.


    ¡°What? Why are you three so friendly all of a sudden? Weren¡¯t you rivals a moment ago?¡±


    The first princess looked angry. Maki smirked as she stood next to her.


    ¡°Now, now. Aila, was it? I see what¡¯s going on here. You want to be friends too, right?¡±


    ¡°What! Don¡¯t you know who I am? I am the mother of the next king. A grown woman who has raised children. Why should I want to be friends with the likes of you!¡±


    She snorted and turned her nose away. However, she did nothing about the hand that Maki had on her shoulder. Maki replied with a flat voice.


    ¡°Oh, well. I was hoping to have someone more experienced come with us. But I suppose us young people will have to go by ourselves.¡±


    Then she let go of her shoulder and pushed Rhea and Chiharu¡¯s backs as they started walking.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°Uh? What is it now?¡±


    Maki asked without even turning back.


    ¡°Yes, I am worried about leaving you young ones by yourselves. And so it is up to me, as one with more knowledge, to lead and monitor you.¡±


    Maki swirled around.


    ¡°Is that so? Still, it¡¯s quite late today. I think we should have tea somewhere and plan on where to go tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°What about the hothouse?¡±


    ¡°hothouse? At the end of summer?¡±


    Chiharu asked with a puzzled look.


    ¡°The place is left open during the summer. It¡¯s a relaxing place with many kinds of plants. However, you¡¯ll see plants that are only grown in the elf lands as well, or so they say.¡±


    ¡°They say, huh?¡±


    ¡°Well, yes. The people who come from other lands. For us they are ordinary plants you see anywhere. I wouldn¡¯t know if they exist anywhere else.¡±


    That made sense. Maki then said with amusement,


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to this hothouse and be shocked by all the rare plants!¡±


    ¡°That is very good!¡±


    ¡°Sister, you¡­¡±


    Rhea couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her oldest sister, who was now fully on board. Then she signaled at a servant who stood nearby. The servant did not show any surprise at Maki and Chiharu¡¯s behaviour, and instead just nodded before leaving. Chiharu guessed that they were going to go and prepare some tea.


    The hothouse was right next to the living quarters of the palace. However, the palace itself was very big, and so it took them a while to actually reach it.


    ¡°Since there is some time until dinner, I brought you some refreshments.¡±


    The servant said as they put it on the table, along with the tea. However, Maki and Chiharu were quite preoccupied.


    ¡°Wha! What is! Whoa!¡±


    Maki said loudly. Chiharu was just frozen. Around them, what looked like leafy white carrots were walking around on two legs. Not only that, but they were gathering around and even trying to climb up Maki and Chiharu. But they didn¡¯t even have hands.


    ¡°So you don¡¯t know? They are Mandragora that will be leaving this place soon.¡±


    ¡°Well, so you found something they don¡¯t have in the human lands! Maki and Chiharu. You must be so pleased!¡±


    The princesses said happily.


    ¡°Mandragora?¡±


    ¡°Uh, do you mean those things that can kill people with their screams?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were frantic.


    ¡°Well, I heard that the other countries are strange, but I had no idea they had such frightening plants.¡±


    ¡°You know, you can just stay here forever if you want.¡±


    Rhea and Aila looked at them sympathetically.


    ¡°No, no. Mandragora are fantasy creatures. There were no moving plants in the country that we came from!¡±


    Maki was busy brushing the carrots off her clothes. However, after realizing that they weren¡¯t dangerous, Chiharu looked at them with deep interest.


    ¡°That being said, I¡¯ve never seen them be so friendly to anyone. When they are ripe, Mandragoras split into two or three at the roots, so that they can move to a different place. So they are usually constantly on the move, and have no time to play with people. Still, they shouldn¡¯t harm you either.¡±


    Aira was tilting her head to the side. However, Maki and Chiharu had an idea about why this was happening. All living creatures seemed to like the Saintesses.


    ¡°They are actually kind of cute.¡±


    Chiharu squatted down and let one of them climb onto her hand.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have a face. But I guess their roots act as arms.¡±


    As Chiharu made a bowl with her hands, the Mandragoras started to climb inside.


    ¡°Hehe. It tickles.¡±


    As Maki looked at Chiharu with exasperation, a Mandragora started hitting her leg as if upset.


    ¡°There are two of you, so why don¡¯t you give us some attention too? Oh, fine.¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but find it cute when it was angry, and so she too squatted down and offered them her hands.


    ¡°Sister. This¡­¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s the power of the Saintess¡­ Hmm¡­¡±


    The two princesses were quite surprised at the sight. By the time the servants started to wonder if they should say something, as the tea was getting cold, they could suddenly hear some noise coming from outside. And then Aaron and Edwy came rushing in.


    It was then that the Mandragora surrounded Maki and Chiharu as if to protect them from whatever was approaching.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°You two. Really, now¡­¡±


    Aaron and Edwy said with a sigh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re so upset. We didn¡¯t do anything this time, did we?¡±


    Maki said.


    ¡°Hmm. Interesting. However, they are in the way.¡±


    Aeris muttered with a hand on his chin. Then he walked up to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s first words to him were that he should be careful so that he didn¡¯t step on them. Aeris had no reason to care, as they would continue to grow no matter how many he trampled over or pulled out, but he didn¡¯t want to make Chiharu sad, and so he stopped.


    And then all of the Mandragora turned around to look at him at the same time. Well, it was hard to even tell which side was the front or the back, but it seemed like they did have a face after all. And they stared at Aeris for a while. Or so it appeared. Get out of the way. No.


    That¡¯s what it looked like.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s a friend.¡±


    Chiharu said. Then the Mandragora turned to look at Maki.


    ¡°Oh, uh, yeah. It¡¯s as Chiharu says. He¡¯s a good person.¡±


    After this reassurance, the Mandragora parted, leaving a path for Aeris. Aeris then moved forward as if this was to be expected.


    However, the others¡­


    ¡°The Mandragora can understand the Saintesses¡­¡±


    The princesses were very surprised by this.


    ¡°That¡¯s a natural reaction.¡±


    ¡°You know what¡¯s really strange? Aeris demanding some Mandragora to move.¡±


    Aaron and Edwy sighed.

 CH 114

    Fly Far Away


    ¡°Chiharu. Are you alright then?¡±


    Aeris was clearly worried not just about the Mandragora, but also whether or not she had trouble with the princesses. Chiharu didn¡¯t notice this though, and she just smiled as she replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. The Mandragora are nothing but nice.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm.¡±


    Aeris flicked off one of the Mandragora that had been clinging to Chiharu. Immediately, the others swarmed around Aeris and began to slap his feet with their roots.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t do anything to her. It¡¯s just that you are all in the way right now.¡±


    Aeris said to them, but of course, they did not understand.


    ¡°Aeris. I¡¯m having a lot of fun right now. I¡¯ve never seen such creatures before. Please don¡¯t treat them like that.¡±


    Well, there was nothing to be done if Chiharu was asking him. Behind them, the servants had been kind enough to prepare a new set of food and hot tea.


    ¡°Aeris. Mandragora aren¡¯t even harmful to people to begin with. Now, they¡¯ve brought us some tea. Maybe you should calm down and have a seat.¡±


    Aaron said. Aeris hesitated for a moment, but then he stepped away from Chiharu. That¡¯s when he finally noticed that the two princesses were there.


    ¡°First Princess. Fifth Princess.¡±


    Upon hearing those words, the first princess¡¯s shoulders dropped.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do this anymore! You blockhead! I thought you were like that to everyone, but you get all soft around Chiharu. What about all those years I looked up to you!¡±


    She shouted.


    ¡°Oh, so you two are on a first name basis now? That¡¯s nice.¡±


    Aeris seemed like he was used to her fits.


    ¡°We¡¯re not close at all! Also, why must you call me ¡®First Princess¡¯? Call me Aila, like you used to. You¡¯ve built this wall ever since I returned to the palace. But I! I¡­!¡±


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    The fifth princess stopped Aila. Chiharu had been standing behind Aeris and watching them. She knew how hurt they had looked when Aeris had walked past them without noticing at first.


    Still, what could she say? Things never went the way that you wanted them to. It wasn¡¯t as if Chiharu could do anything about the way that Aeris felt. And there was no way for her to measure how great or how long lasting their love was. Chiharu looked down at the Mandragoras as they shook their leaves. The sisters would just have to console each other.


    ¡°In the first place, if you liked Aeris so much, why did you go off and marry someone else? Besides, I heard that you were very happy. It¡¯s preposterous that you suddenly claimed to have always loved him.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re just a little brat who knows nothing of love!¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes. I had no idea that mature love is all about kicking and screaming.¡±


    ¡°Grrr.¡±


    So they were rivals after all! But before Chiharu could say anything in exasperation, Aaron sighed and interrupted them.


    ¡°We have something very important to discuss, so please be quiet, princesses.¡±


    Aaron was being much more mature. When Aira and Rhea had sat down quietly, Edwy then stood up and slowly walked over to Maki and Chiharu. The Mandragoras swayed their leaves as he approached, but they weren¡¯t cautious like they were with Aeris.


    ¡°Will they let me touch them too?¡±


    He said as he stretched out a hand towards them. Then he gently picked one up. And while it moved around, it did not resist.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it cute?¡±


    Edwy looked happy.


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu. You can stay right there, but listen to me. We¡¯ve been told that monsters are slowly starting to come out of the dungeons. And so we will have to go quickly by airship. And¡­¡±


    Before Aaron could finish, Aeris continued.


    ¡°Yes. And they want to use my airship. I¡¯m very sorry, but both Edwy and I must go with them.¡±


    He seemed terribly disappointed. Edwy kept quiet as he picked up the Mandragoras and put them back down. As for Maki¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. We were just talking to the fifth princess about sightseeing somewhere in the elf lands.¡±


    She answered. Of course, she did feel sad, but they hadn¡¯t come here to play. Just then, something like dandelion fluff came floating towards her. Well, it looked like dandelion fluff, but it was about half the size of Maki¡¯s face. She grabbed it without thinking. Woah. It was so soft.


    ¡°Oh? I don¡¯t think that there were any cotton trees here. They must have come in from outside. That¡¯s unusual.¡±


    The first princess said with shining eyes.


    ¡°Cotton tree?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something that only exists in the elf territories. A very tall tree with white flowers that bloom in the summertime. And when the summer ends, their seeds are carried away in this big fluff. I don¡¯t know if the seeds have a will of their own, but they catch the wind and fly far away. It¡¯s only during the autumn that they lose their power and fall. That¡¯s when they are gathered and put into blankets.¡±


    ¡°I see. So I shouldn¡¯t catch them then. Okay, you can fly away now.¡±


    However, there wasn¡¯t enough wind in the hot house, and so the fluff that Maki caught just drifted back to the ground.


    ¡°Chiharu. I¡¯m going to go outside so it can fly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go too!¡±


    The two looked at Aeris and Aaron, and they nodded in reply, and then followed after them.


    ¡°Still, it¡¯s very strange.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu walked carefully so that they didn¡¯t step on any of the Mandragora. But there were so many of them there, that it looked like the whole ground was moving.


    Finally, Maki and Chiharu got out of the hothouse. That¡¯s when they saw that the windows of the palace were crowded with elves. Some of them had even stepped outside.


    ¡°I wonder what happened?¡±


    Maki looked at the elves and then to the sky. She saw that even more of the fluffs were floating down around them.


    ¡°Woah. There must have been a strong wind somewhere. Look, it¡¯s your friends. Go and join them.¡±


    Maki said as she threw it into the air. She thought it turned around once, as if it didn¡¯t want to leave, but then it was caught by a slight breeze and rose into the air.


    ¡°Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Chiharu. Look up there. There are so many of them.¡±


    The sky was almost filled with white.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. Not above. Look down.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Down? I already saw the Mandragora.¡±


    Maki was about to say that she wanted to look at the sky, but then she froze.


    There were so many Mandragoras in the palace garden, that it looked like it was swaying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think this is kind of bad?¡±


    ¡°It totally is.¡±


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can talk to them¡­¡±


    Just then, there was a gust of wind, and all the fluff rose into the air.


    ¡°Woah, it¡¯s so pretty.¡±


    ¡°Fly, fly far away!¡±


    And as if Maki and Chiharu¡¯s voices were heard, they were carried by the wind, and flew far away.


    It was the birdfolk that had created the wind.


    ¡°They are always so popular with strange things. Well, this season is dangerous, because they get tangled in our wings. So it¡¯s best that we blow them away.¡±


    Sauro said as he watched from a distance with a smug expression.


    ¡°Sauro!¡±


    ¡°Saikania!¡±


    While they had only parted recently, Maki and Chiharu were almost about to cry out of gratitude. However¡­


    ¡°But, what do we do about these noisy things?¡±


    Sauro and Saikania said with puzzled expressions as they looked at the Mandragoras at their feet. The two never looked very heroic for long.

 CH 115

    Now, Go Forth


    ¡°I¡¯ll try talking to them a little.¡±


    ¡°Talk? To them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    So saying, Chiharu and Maki sat down heavily on the ground. The elves stirred when they saw this, but the two could not be concerned with such things. Their skirts spread out as they sat, and the Mandragoras gathered around them.


    ¡°They kind of remind me of the gazers.¡±


    ¡°They do. So cute.¡±


    However, this was no time for that.


    ¡°You guys don¡¯t really know why you¡¯re here, do you?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt that they had just come because they wanted to. The gazers didn¡¯t speak with clear words either. However, they could somehow tell what they were feeling.


    ¡°But, don¡¯t you have to go out and multiply?¡±


    Chiharu asked. Oh, that¡¯s right. They seemed to realize. And then they spread out like waves, with Maki and Chiharu in the center.


    ¡°Now, do your best and go out as far as you can.¡±


    ¡°If you take root too close to each other, you¡¯ll have to compete, and won¡¯t be able to grow as much.¡±


    No, we¡¯ll grow big and leave again next year. That¡¯s what it sounded like they were saying.


    ¡°Okay, then you should start your journey now.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s voice spread out to the Mandragoras. And the sea of Mandragoras began to move. By the time the last one moved away regretfully, the sun was already starting to set.


    ¡°Ooph.¡±


    ¡°Phew.¡±


    They stretched their stiff bodies as they stood up.


    Sauro and Saikania, who had been watching the whole scene, let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Now, since the fluff also flew away, we should go and rest.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Sauro, Saikania. Aeris and the others will be leaving. But we¡¯ll be staying near the castle.¡±


    Chiharu said. Maki put her hands behind her head.


    ¡°The elf princesses are going to show us around.¡±


    She explained.


    ¡°Hmm. Well then, we will stay here in order to play with y-¡­in case something happens.¡±


    ¡°We can carry you any time that you want. And that includes the heavy princesses.¡±


    Sauro had every intention of playing, and Saikania seemed like she was provoking the princesses. They were already getting angry. Damn it.


    Chiharu just shrugged her shoulders as if it couldn¡¯t be helped. In fact, she was actually glad they were here.


    ¡°Now, you must be tired. Let¡¯s return.¡±


    Aeris called to them, and so they said goodbye to the birdfolk. Apparently, an inn had been prepared for them, so there was no need to worry.


    That night, they had dinner in their room with just Aeris, Edwy, and Aaron, and then retired for the night. However¡­


    ¡°As Edwy will be gone tomorrow, we should do it tonight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we don¡¯t know what will happen, and it could be bad if Aaron was the only one here.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were in Aeris¡¯s room now, and they said that they would search for the presence of gazers, and if needed, return them to magic stones.


    ¡°In the first place, what will you do if someone sees you doing that?¡±


    Edwy asked worriedly. However, Maki said,


    ¡°Well, the elves already saw all those Mandragoras moving. They now have a very strong impression of the Saintesses. Unlike the dwarf lands, I don¡¯t think there is much point in hiding it.¡±


    And Chiharu continued.


    ¡°About the Mandragoras, even we¡¯re surprised. Though, it wasn¡¯t exactly the first time something like that has happened. I think it was the same with that fluff that stuck onto Maki. I¡¯m sure everyone in the castle knows about it now.¡±


    Then she looked out of the window. The others followed her gaze, but they didn¡¯t see anything.


    ¡°Don¡¯t surprise us like that, Chiharu. I thought there were gazers out there.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. But¡­¡±


    Chiharu said to Edwy before looking towards the window again.


    ¡°I can sense them, but they¡¯re still far away.¡±


    Aaron asked, and Maki nodded. Chiharu had a faraway expression on her face. As Maki and Chiharu were normal people, they could not read each other¡¯s minds. However, they could hear the gazers. While they hadn¡¯t reached the castle yet, they sounded tired and like they wanted help. Not only that, but Chiharu then sensed that the gazers were happy now that they were getting closer. And so she told them to wait just a little longer.


    While Chiharu focused on the gazers, Maki did what she had to. She turned to the others.


    ¡°There are a lot of them. Maybe the ones that came out of the dungeon are headed here too. While Chiharu is telling them to come slowly, you must tell the elves to have their guards ready, as they might need to fight them.¡±


    While Maki¡¯s words brought up several other questions, there was no time for that. The castle would likely move if Aeris gave the word.


    ¡°Will it be in the garden?¡±


    ¡°Yes. There¡¯s more space there.¡±


    And with that, Aeris quickly left the room. Chiharu looked a little dazed, perhaps because she had been trying to talk to the gazers.


    ¡°Chiharu, let¡¯s go to the garden. And I will talk to them now.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. It¡¯s fine. But if you could just lead me by the hand.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Edwy took her outstretched hand.


    ¡°Then I will lead you.¡±


    Aaron said as he opened the door. Edwy then guided Chiharu through and out to the hallway. Maki also listened to the voices of the gazers as she followed from behind. She could guess at what Chiharu was saying from sensing their reactions. Since it was quite late, there were not many people awake in the castle, and so this odd procession did not attract much attention.


    When they reached the entrance, Aeris rushed back towards them, along with the future king, Toul.


    ¡°For now, I¡¯ve gathered the castle guards. We¡¯ll station them in places where they won¡¯t stick out. Is that fine?¡±


    ¡°As we won¡¯t be harmed even if the monsters touch us, they must not attack them unless Edwy or Aaron tells them to. However, that doesn¡¯t include situations where someone else is being attacked.¡±


    Maki said to Toul.


    ¡°Um, is Chiharu really fine? She seems dazed.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine.¡±


    Maki answered for her, and Aaron nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go out into the garden then.¡±


    And so the group walked out of the castle and stopped near the center of the garden. They stood on the stone path that led to the gate.


    Lamps that used magic stone were then set in a circle around Maki and Chiharu. Like that, the royal palace was illuminated by a soft light in the middle of the night.


    And then soldiers with bows were placed around them in the shadows. There were likely others lurking in the darkness with swords, but Maki could not see them.


    Chiharu gently let go of Edwy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Maki-chan. Let¡¯s hold hands and call them together. There are a lot of them this time.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s left hand went inside Maki¡¯s right hand. Then their voices rang together.


    ¡°Come.¡±


    ¡°Come.¡±

 CH 116

    With Those Gentle Hands


    ¡°Come.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu called, but it seemed like nothing happened for a while.


    It was right when the nervous soldiers began to relax a little. One of them noticed it.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t loud. The soldier was looking up at the sky where the light didn¡¯t reach.


    Dark shadows were appearing as if to block all of the stars in the sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s the gazers¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re huge.¡±


    ¡°And there are so many.¡±


    The sky had been filled with pretty fluffs that evening, but to the elves, it was now blackened out by gazers.


    Of course, Edwy and Aeris knew. It hadn¡¯t been like this when the monsters overflowed from the dungeon. Aaron as well. The gazers that he had seen by the mirror lake had been in greater numbers and moved with more vigor. These gazers were quiet. They were like old people who were at the end of their lives.


    Just then, there was the faint sound of a bow being pulled. Perhaps someone could no longer stand the fear.


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Maki¡¯s voice rang in the quietness. Chiharu was focusing on the monsters. Maki kept an eye on the monsters as she stayed near Chiharu. But she also kept an eye on their surroundings. She was a Saintess but looked like a knight.


    ¡°Stop it.¡±


    At the same time, an elf¡¯s voice rang. It was likely their commander. The soldier who had nearly shot his arrow, quickly stopped.


    In the silence, Chiharu¡¯s voice echoed.


    ¡°I see. You came from the dungeon.¡±


    The dungeons were crowded. There were too many of us. Before we knew it, we were pushed out into the wide space.


    ¡°Did you get to see different things?¡±


    Yes. Bright and colorful things. Warm, living creatures. And small friends.


    ¡°Friends? Oh, the Mandragoras.¡±


    Those on land and those in the sky. All of the creatures made by God.


    ¡°Like the fluffs.¡±


    The others could not hear the gazers. So it looked like Chiharu was muttering to herself while staring at the sky.


    The little friends returned to their duty of creating more life.


    ¡°So, do you want to return to magic stones?¡±


    Yes. We are so tired. Let us go back. With your gentle hands.


    Chiharu and Maki looked at each other and nodded. Then they let go of each other¡¯s hands. Aeris, Edwy, and Aaron all turned to the soldiers and raised their hands. This was the signal. Do not interfere.


    Finally, the gazers descended quietly. And then they formed a line in front of Chiharu and Maki.


    The soldiers could not help but gasp when they saw the gazers vanish as if time was being rewound.


    Clank. Clunk. The magic stones fell to the ground. One by one, as if talking to them gently, the hands of the Saintesses turned them back to magic stones. And occasionally, there would be a warm sparkle of light, and a magic stone would fall from their foreheads. It was a beautiful, mystical sight.


    ¡°Ohhh.¡±


    One of the soldiers fell to his knee, and the others started to follow.


    ¡°Tsk. And you think you can protect the castle!¡±


    Their commander said in annoyance. He looked up at the gazers warily. However, he was not sure if he should rouse the soldiers to defend, or allow them to revere the Saintesses. But he saw that there were some soldiers who continued to have their bows ready, and that there were not many gazers remaining, and so he decided to wait.


    However, that Saintesses. His eyes moved to the tall one. While she was returning the gazers to magic stones, she continued to look at her surroundings. She knew that some of the soldiers were kneeling, and she also watched the soldiers who had their bows ready.


    Was that just her role? Or was it a strength born from having someone to protect? It was interesting.


    That¡¯s when he noticed that there were no more gazers left in the sky.


    ¡°Hey, you.¡±


    Maki¡¯s voice echoed. She was looking at an especially small gazer. It was about the same size as the fluff.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we meet in Midland?¡±


    The gazer spun around.


    ¡°Ah, I knew it. You¡¯ve grown a little.¡±


    Maki said. And then the gazer turned around again and said,


    It was a good day. And a good night. Many lives are moving around.


    ¡°Oh, you not only grew larger, but wiser.¡±


    The gazer spun around again.


    I came because you two are interesting. And I have more friends now. I followed the bird people and crossed the mountains. And the great waters.


    Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and chuckled.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve seen enough then?¡±


    Not yet. I think there are much more interesting things to see.


    ¡°So you won¡¯t go back yet.¡±


    Not yet. But I won¡¯t go close to anything warm.


    ¡°You¡¯re so smart.¡±


    The gazer spun around again before disappearing into the night sky.


    ¡°Why did you let it escape?¡±


    The commander asked.


    ¡°You unleashed a gazer into the wild.¡±


    Maki turned around and tilted her head to the side.


    ¡°It said that it wouldn¡¯t go near anything warm. Besides, it wants to see more. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand how you feel, but we aren¡¯t hunting monsters here.¡±


    The commander¡¯s eyes went down to the pile of magic stones on the ground. If they weren¡¯t hunters, what were they?


    ¡°These are just tired and lost monsters from the dungeon. We are helping them return to the circle of life. We are just answering their requests.¡±


    ¡°A monster¡¯s request?¡±


    ¡°They want to return to magic stones. We would not do it forcefully if a monster doesn¡¯t want to. Of course¡­¡±


    Maki looked at the commander and smiled a little mischievously.


    ¡°That was the first time a monster ever refused.¡±


    The tall Saintess had black hair that seemed to melt into the night as it swayed. Her eyes were also like the night, and they sparkled in the light. It was beautiful.


    ¡°What is it, Hou?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    One of the soldiers asked him, and the commanders moved his eyes away from Maki and shook his head.


    ¡°Search to see if there are any gazers left! Split up into eight groups!¡±


    He ordered.


    ¡°I doubt there are any.¡±


    Chiharu said. The commander nodded as if he knew, still, the search continued. Even if it was true, this was their job. He would have to talk to them later in order to better protect them.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the end of that.¡±


    ¡°We should rest for tomorrow.¡±


    The two Saintesses said light-heartedly. It was as if this miracle was an everyday occurrence to them. The commander was so stunned that he could not say anything. In the meantime¡­


    ¡°Good job everyone.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    The two said as they started to walk back to the castle. Even Aeris and Aaron were leaving. Wait. Wait. We can¡¯t work without understanding what is going on.


    ¡°Hey, wait! I need an explanation!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t that be tomorrow?¡±


    That¡¯s the problem! The commander was more shocked by their nonchalance than anything else that had happened that day.

 CH 117

    The Importance of Security


    ¡°Saintesses, I¡¯m very sorry about this. But after tonight¡¯s events, we must reconsider the security of this place. And it would be very helpful if you could at least explain to us what happened tonight.¡±


    The tall Saintess did not try to hide her annoyance. The small one must have been sleepy, as she had a vague expression. Hou changed his strategy.


    ¡°Well, if Aeris or Aaron fully understand the situation, that is fine too. The Saintesses are leaving tomorrow with the princesses, yes? We want to make plans tonight. It¡¯s for their safety.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    ¡°Still what? Aeris?¡±


    The commander and Aeris seemed close.


    ¡°I will be separated from Maki and Chiharu starting tomorrow. And so I want to spend as much time with them as possible.¡±


    ¡°Are you stupid! Besides, this ¡®separation¡¯ is just a few days.¡±


    Hou was quite exasperated.


    ¡°Look here. If you¡¯re leaving, that means security will be even more important.¡±


    ¡°I will go then. I think that I know the most about the situation anyway. Aeris and Aaron can escort Maki and Chiharu to their room.¡±


    Edwy interrupted. Then he signaled for the others to take the tired Saintesses away. They watched them walk away, and then Edwy invited Hou to his room. And in spite of not even inviting them, Toul and the two other princesses followed them.


    So there were three royals who were just there to watch. However, Edwy was competent enough to order drinks for all of them.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s so much younger than them.¡±


    This Midland prince was really just a child in comparison. Hou had always expected that being in charge of security in the elf lands was back-breaking work. Seeing as how people like Aeris and the royals just did as they pleased without much sense of danger over anything. And he became sure of it after seeing Edwy.


    As he was the Midland prince, Edwy had been given a large room, and they were all able to sit in it comfortably.


    ¡°So, about the Saintesses. This business about turning monsters into magic stones, as you saw today, we¡¯ve already reported it to the king.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I have heard it as well. However, this has not been discussed with anyone else yet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we didn¡¯t know either.¡±


    Toul nodded and the first princess agreed with him. However, Hou was not satisfied.


    ¡°Still, it is quite troublesome if us guards are not aware of such things. I heard that the Saintesses like to sneak around in disguises. And so I thought that a small team of guards should be the minimum. Of course, I intend to go as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already worth several soldiers by yourself. That should be enough.¡±


    ¡°But if what happened earlier were to happen every night or during the day? No, we must have several teams take turns watching the area.¡±


    Edwy shook his head.


    ¡°Perhaps that looked like a lot of gazers to you, but I¡¯ve seen Maki and Chiharu surrounded by more of them. And several times. The monsters only come out at night. And they never harm the Saintesses. And so there is no need to fear the monsters. If anything¡­¡±


    Edwy¡¯s blue eyes moved towards Hou.


    ¡°Fearing or avoiding the Saintesses because they can turn monsters into stones¡­that is what will hurt them. And so¡­¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°What you should be careful of, is the malice of others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    It wasn¡¯t his job. That¡¯s what Hou wanted to say.


    ¡°Sometimes you end up hurting those you are supposed to protect. People ask why the Saintesses don¡¯t purify all of the monsters. They forget that they were summoned here by god, and they see them as nothing but tools to be used.¡±


    Edwy continued.


    ¡°Of course, that includes soldiers and ordinary people as well.¡±


    Silence fell over the room.


    ¡°Indeed, they turned those monsters into stone as if it were nothing. Some people will start to think that it¡¯s foolish to send Adventurers and soldiers to the dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Sister, what are you talking about? There are some people who are good with bows, but that doesn¡¯t mean they should be forced into making archery their profession. It¡¯s all up to them.¡±


    Oh? Edwy thought. The princesses were surprisingly capable of having decent thoughts.


    Edwy nodded at them and then turned to Hou.


    ¡°So you should protect Maki and Chiharu to a degree that it doesn¡¯t bother them. However, the soldiers should know that monsters tend to gather around them, and while the Saintesses do have the ability to purify them, it causes a great strain on their body and mind.¡±


    Hou couldn¡¯t help but mutter. They didn¡¯t look that exhausted.


    ¡°I said body and mind. To the Saintesses, the monsters are just living creatures. It hurts them to have to end the lives of creatures with emotions.¡±


    This was all very difficult for Hou to understand. He didn¡¯t even see the monsters as living creatures.


    ¡°After all, they wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to step on the Mandragoras. They even returned that fluff to the air.¡±


    The fifth princess said as she recalled the scene.


    ¡°Perhaps this is difficult for a soldier like you to understand. And so we will try our hardest to protect them from the malice of others. Won¡¯t we, sister?¡±


    ¡°Of course. While we may be rivals, they are Saintesses who God invited so that they could purify this world. Yes, we shall treat them well.¡±


    So they¡¯re still rivals then. Edwy thought with amusement. Then the fifth princess turned to Hou.


    ¡°We were going to make plans about the sightseeing, but that¡¯s when the Mandragoras started to go mad. And so we haven¡¯t really decided on anything yet. However, if they like to eat, I think I will take them to the honey workshop in the royal forest. And if they are interested in clothes, I will take them to the fabric workshop, where they can see the silkworms and weavers.¡±


    She said.


    ¡°Hmm. Well, I suppose you won¡¯t need much protection if you¡¯re going to the honey workshop. But there are many more people at the fabric workshop¡­ Even if we don¡¯t take monsters into account¡­¡±


    Hou thought about it for a moment, and then he said to the princesses,


    ¡°If you do end up going to the fabric workshop, we will have to send more guards, but I will make sure that they do not draw too much attention.¡±


    ¡°Very well. We will also watch the Saintesses carefully.¡±


    The first princess said with a nod. And then Hou stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Well then, see you tomorrow.¡±


    He bowed to Edwy and then turned to the royals.


    ¡°Your Highness, how long do you intend to stay here? I am sure Prince Edwy is very tired.¡±


    ¡°But this is such a rare visit, I don¡¯t see the problem.¡±


    ¡°There is a problem. Now please leave.¡±


    ¡°Edwy. Let¡¯s have a drink together when things settle.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you were after from the beginning. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    The three left so£íberly as Hou drove them out of the room.


    ¡°Well, well. They are a little similar to Aeris and Van.¡±


    Edwy sighed. He would have liked to spend time with Maki and Chiharu as well, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Still, Aaron and the fifth princess would take care of things here while they were gone. He had to fulfill his duty first. He told himself this as he prepared for bed.

 CH 118

    Let¡¯s go to the honey workshop


    The next day, Edwy dragged away the reluctant Aeris. And so it was just Maki, Chiharu, and Aaron left at the castle.


    ¡°Can you believe that just yesterday morning, we were playing with the merfolk?¡±


    Chiharu said to Aaron, but he shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°I was more surprised by the fluff and the Mandragoras. They don¡¯t have Mandragoras in Lowland, and so I found them so amusing when I first came here. I remember playing little tricks on them back then. But they just walk forward and do little else. I never saw them gather around a human like that before.¡±


    Ah, perhaps that¡¯s what it was like seeing it from the outside. Chiharu had been shocked when the gazers turned out to be friendly. And so she didn¡¯t think much when it happened with the cute Mandragoras. That¡¯s why all the exercise she got at the beach had made a bigger impression on her.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What is?¡±


    Unlike the gazers, she couldn¡¯t communicate with Maki without saying anything. Chiharu realized that this was becoming easy to forget, which showed just how much she was getting used to this world.


    ¡°More importantly, we¡¯re going to the honey workshop today!¡±


    Maki shouted as her eyes shone.


    ¡°Oh, Maki. While the royal honey workshop is in the forest over there, it is still quite a distance away. So we must leave immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Maki replied to the first princess. The two seemed to get along rather well now. Chiharu and the fifth princess looked at each other and chuckled.


    The royal forest. In other words, the vast forest that surrounded the castle. However, the workshop was deep within this forest. Still, there was a stone path that led to it, and they would be heading to it by carriage. And four guards accompanied their carriage.


    ¡°Two are for us, and the two in the back are to protect you, Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s that security guy from yesterday.¡±


    The guy who had remained calm even when the gazers came out, and Maki and Chiharu started turning them into magic stones. This man who was likely a commander, had made an impression on Maki. He had talked to them directly, after all.


    ¡°Hou is in charge of security at the royal palace. I suppose he would be called a captain of the guard in other countries?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s really important?¡±


    Maki was surprised as she looked at Hou from the carriage window. He had a serious expression and was watching his surroundings.


    ¡°Maki¡­¡±


    Aila looked at her sympathetically.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°You are irreplaceable Saintesses. In other words, you have a right to receive the highest level of security.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were surprised.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve been treated very well up until now. But I never really thought about it like that.¡±


    ¡°Neither have I. It¡¯s no wonder there was such a commotion when we left the castle.¡±


    It was a little late for them to feel bad about that.


    ¡°Left the castle?¡±


    Rhea asked.


    ¡°Uh, nevermind. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Chiharu said a little frantically. And she quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°Huh? Then why did the merfolk casually ask us to go on an investigation inland?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. You finally realized, huh?¡±


    Maki¡¯s shoulders drooped.


    ¡°Inland? You two went inland?¡±


    Rhea was quite sharp, which made her difficult to talk to.


    ¡°Huh? Yes, quite recently.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you were late in coming to the elf lands. But I haven¡¯t heard anything about the inlands suffering from miasma. Maki, Chiharu. What is going on with your priorities?¡±


    ¡°Uhhh, Rhea. You¡¯re quite harsh. We did have a reason.¡±


    While Maki was struggling to come up with an explanation, Aaron acted like he had nothing to do with it. Just then, they heard the sound of someone hitting the roof of the carriage.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    Maki was saved by Aila¡¯s voice. As they were not out in public, Maki and Chiharu quickly jumped out of the carriage. They were shocked at how unexpectedly large the facility was. After all, they had been traveling through a forest. But in front of them now was a series of buildings made of large red bricks.


    There were large doors in each building where cargo was being carried out. And there were smaller doors for people to use. As each building had different kinds of windows, it was clear that they had different purposes.


    ¡°This one is the office. That one is the factory where the honey is packaged, and the large building over there is where they make honey wine.¡±


    Rhea explained.


    ¡°Honey wine!¡±


    ¡°Honey wine!¡±


    This was it. Honey wine was the reason that they had wanted to come to the elf lands. It had been nearly four months since they came to this world. And now they were finally going to be able to drink honey wine! Rhea looked a little exasperated by how happy the two were.


    ¡°I see that you wish to go there immediately. However, we will save that for last.¡±


    She knew that if they drank that first, they wouldn¡¯t even go to the other places.


    ¡°First, let¡¯s go and meet the people who make it.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu raised their hands energetically. They knew that it was important to be able to see the faces of the producers.


    ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll have work for us, like that time I gathered flowers.¡±


    ¡°And perhaps they¡¯ll serve honey wine during lunch.¡±


    ¡°And honey cake for snack.¡±


    Aaron looked at them from behind with a sad expression.


    They did not enter the office building, but walked right past it instead. There was a vast clearing here where a carriage was being loaded before setting off into the forest.


    ¡°Is it those people?¡±


    ¡°Are they moving the honey?¡±


    As Maki and Chiharu talked, Rhea turned towards them.


    ¡°As there is still some distance to the hive, we should get on that carriage when it returns.¡±


    ¡°Hive?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°What hive?¡±


    ¡°The producers¡¯s hive, of course.¡±


    Just then, there was a loud buzzing sound that came from the forest. It sounded like an old refrigerator, or the outdoor unit of an air condition.


    ¡°Oh, how unusual. The producers have come. And so many of them.¡±


    The things that buzzed as they came out of the forest, were a group of honey bees with beautiful black and yellow stripes.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling, once I heard the buzzing.¡±


    Could Maki and Chiharu have said anything else?


    ¡°Princesses, Saintesses. There are so many of them. Please stand back.¡±


    Just then, Hou stepped forward and pushed them into the passage. Even then, the buzzing continued to get closer.


    ¡°The stripes are so pretty. Very pretty. But why can I see them so clearly? I can¡¯t even see the sky.¡±


    Maki muttered out loud. Chiharu was so fixated on this scene that she couldn¡¯t even blink. The stripes looked so clear? Of course, they were. Aeris had told them about this.


    ¡°They are so big. The same size as a circle you make with both hands.¡±


    ¡°Aeris¡¯s hands, that is.¡±


    And that didn¡¯t include their wings. These curious producers of honey had come out in order to look at Maki and Chiharu.

 CH 119

    Seeing a tourist attraction or being the tourist attraction


    Upon seeing this sight, an elf that had been carrying a box quickly rushed towards them.


    ¡°Did something happen? It seems like the producers are very excited.¡±


    This elf was especially tall, and had eyes that were deep green like the forest.


    ¡°Hey, Yowl, what¡¯s happening? We don¡¯t understand the way that they think. I don¡¯t believe they will become hostile, but I¡¯ve never seen them in such numbers before.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s what I want to ask, Hou. After all, the usually hardworking producers have abandoned their job in order to come here in large numbers.¡±


    ¡°So then it must be¡­¡±


    Hou looked at Maki and Chiharu with a suspicious expression.


    ¡°The two Saintesses are the reason.¡±


    Well, it was not really a surprise.


    ¡°Uh, but we didn¡¯t attract so many things like this in the human and dwarf lands, okay?¡±


    Maki insisted.


    ¡°It¡¯s only in the elf lands that so many creatures have gathered like this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Hmm? Is that all he has to say? But while Maki was making excuses to Hou, Chiharu was being surrounded by bees.


    ¡°Woah, Chiharu. Damn it.¡±


    Maki was past being surprised or even scared. She waded through the bees.


    ¡°Yes, sorry, moving through.¡±


    What are you doing? Oh, it¡¯s a Saintess. It¡¯s another Saintess.


    ¡°Another Saintess? What?¡±


    Maki was a little disappointed when she sensed what they were thinking.


    They are so small. The Saintesses are small. That was what the bees were saying.


    Maki wanted to say that they were the ones that were big. Especially their wings, which sent a cool breeze towards them. They were also surprisingly quiet.


    Go and tell mother. Tell her that the Saintesses are small. Okay.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute. What¡¯s the point in telling that to the queen? Hey!¡±


    After the bees had a little conversation, some of them flew off into the forest.


    ¡°Do you think the queen bee is going to come out now?¡±


    Mother won¡¯t come out. She is busy taking care of the small ones. That¡¯s very important.


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    While it looked like Maki was just talking to herself, Yowl explained to the others what was happening.


    Why haven¡¯t you two been raised properly? What have the humans done to you?


    Maki heard Aaron burst into laughter.


    ¡°No, we are just like this. We¡¯re adults.¡±


    Oh. Oh. At this size. Adult. The bees started to fly in a circle around Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Hey. We came here to sightsee. But now we¡¯re the attraction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good one, Maki.¡±


    Chiharu chuckled. She now had one bee on her left shoulder and another on her head. Apparently, she already felt quite comfortable around them. Maki looked exasperated, but it was then that a bee landed on her shoulder as well. Its legs were on her shoulder, and its hands were on Maki¡¯s head.


    Okay. You should move in that direction.


    ¡°What are you, a navigator?¡±


    Maki blurted out.


    ¡°Well, we should move as planned then. Let¡¯s go to their nest.¡±


    Said the fifth princess in a calm voice. As for the first princess? She was chatting excitedly as she tried to touch the bee that was stuck to Chiharu. Ah. Uh. Everyone averted their eyes.


    After that, they got on the carriage as planned and headed to the forest. When looked at closely, the large honey bees were covered in fine hairs. They had compound eyes that reflected the sunlight and beautiful striped patterns on their stomachs.


    Before they knew it, the bees were not on just their shoulders, but also their laps. There was even one who was riding on Aaron¡¯s shoulder as he sat there seriously.


    ¡°I have to focus on security, and must decline.¡±


    Hou said with a stern face. Everyone else was covered in bees. Eventually they entered a narrow road that led to an especially large tree. It was so big that ten people would still not be enough to wrap their arms around it. And when you looked up, you could not see the top. There were several holes within the trunk that looked like they would barely allow someone to squeeze through.


    This is our home. The bees said proudly. And then they flew up all at once.


    I want to show you inside. There are lots of little babies. However, it¡¯s too hot for people to come inside. So you will have to look from here.


    ¡°We do have people go inside to accept the honey. But only a few are permitted. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Explained Yowl.


    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly fine. But this is such a large tree. Is this the entire nest?¡±


    Maki asked. Yes. She heard the bees answer.


    ¡°This tree is still alive. They are very good at using the hollowed out space within.¡±


    Yowl said proudly.


    Just then, an elf slid out from the entrance. He was holding a small wooden bucket in his hand.


    A gift from the queen. A gift. The bees became so excited that their wings beat louder.


    ¡°They want you to take it.¡±


    The elf¡¯s hands shook a little as he offered them the bucket. It was filled with a thick, milky white liquid.


    ¡°She said that you should lick it a little every day. Then you will grow up properly.¡±


    ¡°What? We¡¯re already grown. If anything, we can only grow horizontally now!¡±


    Maki protested. The other elves gathered around the bucket.


    ¡°This precious¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s royal jelly.¡±


    Just then, an especially large honey bee flew out of the tree.


    Older sister. Older sister. They could hear the bees murmur.


    I see. I see. The bee flew in circles around Maki and Chiharu. Then it said,


    It was just as mother said. There is something that you two are missing in order to live in this world. You will get it eventually if you continue to eat and drink here. But there is a lot of it in this special honey. You should eat it every day until it becomes cold and the leaves start to fall.


    And then it beat its wings and flew back to the tree.


    ¡°Oh, uh. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were very surprised, but they shouted as loud as they could without coming off as rude.


    After that, they were shown around the nest until all the bees had had their turn to come out and see them.


    ¡°It took longer than I expected, but now that we finished saying hello to the producers, it¡¯s time to go to the factory where the honey is put into jars.¡±


    Said the fifth princess.


    ¡°Yes! And then it¡¯s time for the honey wine!¡±


    ¡°Honey wine!¡±


    ¡°Honey wine!¡±


    ¡°Even you, sister? I suppose it cannot be helped.¡±


    We¡¯ll take you there. We¡¯ll take you. The honey bees said. And like that, they returned to the office.

 CH 120

    Yowl¡¯s Tribe


    When they returned, they saw that from the office to the workshop, everyone who was free had gone out to see the honeybees. Of course, some of them had gone out to see the Saintesses as well.


    ¡°Yowl!¡±


    A few that were just as tall as Yowl now came running towards them.


    ¡°Why are the bees getting so excited?¡±


    ¡°They are apparently very happy that the Saintesses have come.¡±


    Yowl said with a smile. Maki and Chiharu were very curious about him, as he seemed to act as a sort of interpreter for the honey bees.


    ¡°Um, Mister Yowl. Are you able to hear them speak?¡±


    ¡°Aye, Saintess.¡±


    Yowl and the others smiled gently at Chiharu.


    ¡°Our tribe originally lived deep in a forest that was very close to the Shadow World. We didn¡¯t meet with other elves very often. If anything, we were closer with other living creatures. And so we naturally started to be able to understand each other. And now they share these gifts of nature with us. In exchange, we help them build better environments for their young and drive away their enemies.¡±


    Yowl looked very happy when he saw that Maki and Chiharu listened to this with wide eyes. And so he continued.


    ¡°That being said, this is no longer an age where we can just live deep in the forest. And since we are able to hear their voices, we come out here in order to work.¡±


    Chiharu looked at Maki and then asked a question that had been on her mind.


    ¡°Can you also hear the Gazers too? What about the Mandragoras?¡±


    This time it was Yowl¡¯s eyes that widened with surprise.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ve never even seen a Gazer. And speaking with a Mandragora? The thought has never occurred to me.¡±


    Yowl then looked at the ground. The others did as well.


    ¡°Oh, it looks like nearby Mandragoras have followed us.¡±


    Chiharu chuckled as she squatted down and let a few of them climb onto her hand.


    ¡°Now, you left your roots, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s time to go far away.¡±


    Yes, far, far away. The Mandragoras started to walk.


    ¡°I-I could hear it. Your warm feeling and a sense of duty to go somewhere far.¡±


    Yowl and the others were putting a hand to their ears as they tried to listen to the faint sounds.


    ¡°But I cannot hear them clearly. Does it really sound like ordinary words to you two?¡±


    Chiharu brushed the dirt from her hands and stood up. She was still looking at the Mandragoras as they left.


    ¡°Yes, it sounds normal to me.¡±


    We have to go. Far away.


    ¡°They¡¯re saying ¡®we have to go. Far away.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Truly!¡±


    Yowl and the others were stunned. They then swarmed around Maki and Chiharu as if they were bees.


    ¡°I heard that you two came to the elf lands in order to purify them. Would you please come and visit our homeland once you are finished? There are many plants you won¡¯t see anywhere else, and there other creatures that we can talk to.¡±


    They began.


    ¡°Still, there are certain things that we cannot understand. But if you were to come and to talk to them, I think we should be able to understand each other better!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    While the two were nearly persuaded by their sheer passion, Maki suddenly put a hand on her hip.


    ¡°So, what merit is there for us if we go?¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    What was she saying now? She clearly had every intention of going already. Chiharu thought with exasperation. Yowl and the others must have assumed that they would agree immediately, as Maki and Chiharu were so kind to living creatures. They were surprised by Maki¡¯s words and began to speak amongst themselves.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, the previous Saintesses were shut-ins. They never even came out to the three other territories.¡±


    ¡°But these ones have. I just hope there is something there that they like.¡±


    Like this, they turned to the princesses and Aaron as if for help. Aaron just shrugged his shoulders and said,


    ¡°Drink, food, and anything interesting.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Yowl and the others started discussing the matter and then turned back to Maki.


    ¡°To begin with, honey wine is our speciality. Every settlement has their own style of honey wine.¡±


    Maki¡¯s eyes glimmered.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any fancy cuisine, but we have various salads and soups made of natural ingredients from every season. There are also various meat dishes that have resulted from our hunting. And if you were to visit near the end of autumn, you will be able to eat the panma fruit, which is rare in other lands so that it¡¯s often referred to as the queen of fruits. It¡¯s so very juicy and rich in flavor.¡±


    Chiharu gulped.


    ¡°Furthermore, there are countless trees that are so tall you cannot see the top. The rocky mountains that connect to the Shadow World have several rivers flowing from them. And if you want, the birdfolk can take you up to a beautiful waterfall that we call the ¡®Sky Garden.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°And by this waterfall, you can find the nests of rock swallows.¡±


    ¡°And I suppose you use their nests for some special dish?¡±


    ¡°Eat their nest? Hardly. The nests often contain rare strands of purple Arachne web, and so we gather it after their eggs have hatched.¡±


    Suddenly, the place seemed a little less inviting. Chiharu wasn¡¯t quite as enchanted as earlier.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go as soon as we get permission!¡±


    But Maki decided first. Oh, well. She did want to see the sky garden. And so Chiharu nodded.


    ¡°Of course, I shall accompany you as your guard.¡±


    Hou suddenly added.


    ¡°Hou. Don¡¯t you have to stay in the palace¡­¡±


    ¡°I will take a leave of absence if I have to. These two are much too reckless to be left alone with people who have no sense of danger.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I will accept no arguments. Besides, none of this would have happened if you princesses had just stayed in the palace quietly.¡±


    ¡°Oh! Fine! I will also make a request to my father. So stop this lecturing.¡±


    The first princess said as she covered her ears and interrupted Hou.


    ¡°You¡¯re very brave, Hou.¡±


    Aaron whispered to him. It was fine that he wanted to protect them. However, Aaron knew that even with guards, these two would end up getting involved in something.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t gone to all three territories yet, so I don¡¯t know when it will happen. But we¡¯d be very happy to visit when things have settled down.¡±


    Maki declared.


    ¡°Hou, if it wouldn¡¯t be too much trouble, we¡¯d like for you to escort us when the time comes.¡±


    Maki said. And she had been so resistant to being bound up before. Either she was getting used to this situation or she had some other notice. Maki looked at him straight in the face, and Hou looked back at her. Perhaps it was a challenge. Chiharu sighed. Romance only came to the romantic. Damn it.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t see it for you two.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Oh, nothing. Now, let¡¯s go to the honey wine.¡±


    ¡°But first, you must watch them being put into jars.¡±


    The fifth princess said.

 CH 121

    Fun Days


    While it was called a factory, all they did was pour the honey into jars. As they accepted the honey from the bees directly, there was no need to separate the honey from the comb. In the first place, the honeycombs here were large, just like the bees themselves, and so the honey was scooped out in buckets when removed.


    That being said, old honeycombs were occasionally given to them as well. And these were carved out and processed. Since the honey and the wax were already separated, the whole task of putting them into jars was quite simple.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of this that honey has become much more affordable. However, most places here make their own honey, so the honey here is mostly exported.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so the honey dishes we ate at the dwarf castle were¡­¡±


    ¡°They were definitely made with our honey.¡±


    Chiharu listened to the fifth princess as she watched the honey being put into jars. The honey was poured out of the buckets and into filters. Then they came down like strings as they filled the jars. For some reason, Maki started to look restless.


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, uh, we¡¯ve seen it now.¡±


    ¡°But I want to see more. They¡¯re going to make candles and hand cream out of the wax.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, we can see that later. Right?¡±


    Chiharu shrugged. And then they both turned to look at the fifth princess.


    ¡°I suppose I have no choice. Let¡¯s go to the brewery then.¡±


    She must have realized that Maki had reached her limit, and she finally agreed.


    The brewery was just a short distance away from the factory. There was a place in the far back where the honey wine was prepared, and towards the front were rows of barrels. The place had a smell that was a mixture of bread and alcohol.


    ¡°Those look like wine barrels.¡±


    The fifth princess looked to Chiharu.


    ¡°But unlike wine, they do not last very long.¡±


    She answered.


    ¡°Over there is where the honey, water, and yeast is mixed. It will be ready to be shipped in about two weeks. After that, it will be good to drink for one month.¡±


    ¡°Does honey wine really need to be that fresh?¡±


    ¡°The alcohol content will only get stronger. And so honey wine is only sold close to the brewery. In fact, most people will just make it themselves. It¡¯s often a town effort.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s like apple wine in the dwarf lands. Every town has their own.¡±


    Maki clapped her hands. So that¡¯s why they had never seen honey wine in the other territories. It was then that the fifth princess, who was walking in front of them, slowly turned around.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s time to have a taste.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Maki made a fist in front of her chest. Apparently, they often had visitors here, and there was an order to the tasting.


    ¡°First, we¡¯ll try the two weeks one.¡±


    Small glasses were filled with honey wine from the barrel. It was a little red and looked quite thick. Maki and Chiharu raised it hesitantly to their lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s so sweet! I didn¡¯t expect it to be this sweet!¡±


    ¡°But the alcohol is also very strong. And I can feel it bubbling on my tongue.¡±


    And then they drank the rest.


    ¡°Yes, it is quite strong. So you should be careful.¡±


    After that, they went on to the three weeks and four weeks wine.


    ¡°Oh? This one isn¡¯t sweet anymore.¡±


    ¡°If anything, it¡¯s like wine with very little tartness.¡±


    The fifth princess nodded.


    ¡°They will become a little more sour from this point on. People who like it will drink it like this, or else you can blend it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°The most popular is the two weeks one. We have some over here that has been mixed with fruit juice. It¡¯s very easy to drink.¡±


    This time the cups were a little larger, and their contents looked like a thin orange juice.


    ¡°Woah. It¡¯s so smooth and refreshing. But the flavor of the honey is still rich and the alcohol is quite mild.¡±


    ¡°This must be Soluna oranges! I could drink a lot of this stuff by changing the juice.¡±


    They were both smiling broadly as if they were the embodiment of happiness.


    ¡°Now, I think that¡¯s enough. If you want more, I¡¯ll have some served tonight. As for lunch, I had actually been planning to have a picnic in the garden¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Why don¡¯t we just do it then?¡±


    Said the first princess as the fifth princess put a hand on her cheek and seemed to be thinking.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I think the producers might come.¡±


    Indeed, while there were not a lot, they could see that there were bees flying around outside. They had come to get a glimpse of Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Well, it should be fine as long as there are not too many? It would be nice to eat outside if we can. It¡¯s such a beautiful day.¡±


    And so it was decided that they would eat outside. The group went out and spread the food out on the grass. The factory workers also had food brought to them from the castle. And so those who could rest also came outside and ate with them.


    Of course, the honey bees came to watch them and seemed very amused.


    After that, they went to the textiles factory and befriended some giant silkworks that nearly knocked them over. Then they were surprised by the flying silkworm moths before trying out their hand at weaving. Before they knew it, a whole week had passed.


    ¡°Huh? Now that I think about it, Sauro and Saikania said that they would be with us, but I haven¡¯t seen them even once yet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. And didn¡¯t Aeris and Edwy say that they would come back in four days¡­¡±


    They had been having so much fun that they had forgotten all about the others who were hard at work.


    ¡°I heard that they had no trouble taking the soldiers to the dungeon. However, they could hardly leave once they arrived. And so they are waiting there so as to be able to act at a moment¡¯s notice.¡±


    ¡°I wish they would have told us.¡±


    ¡°As if it would have made a difference.¡±


    Aaron was glaring at them.


    ¡°Well, they would have wanted you to enjoy your time here without worrying about them. Besides¡­¡±


    Aaron looked up. Maki and Chiharu raised their heads as well.


    ¡°There is hardly any miasma left. And so you two have fulfilled your duty.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. And so you should relax as much as you want.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, I think you¡¯ve been relaxing a little too much, sister. You¡¯ve been ignoring your public duties.¡±


    ¡°Grrrr.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu became teary-eyes by these kind words from Aaron and the two princesses. Even if they knew that just being here was helping, it was nice to actually hear someone say it.


    However, they felt like they were forgetting something.


    ¡°Ah, Sauro.¡±


    Just when Chiharu finally remembered¡­


    ¡°What is that!¡±


    The first princess pointed at the sky. They all looked up at once.


    ¡°Sauro? Saikania?¡±


    ¡°And there are many other bird people.¡±


    ¡°But what is it that they¡¯re carrying?¡±


    A flock of birdfolk and something suspicious. Chiharu had a bad feeling about it.

 CH 122

    The Mystery Box


    The suspicious looking box had ropes attached to it, and it was being carried by two birdfolk. In towns, they had often seen people use magic stones to help carry heavy luggage. These stones were even used in trains and airships to make them lighter and also power them. And so even a box of this size should not be too difficult to carry if they were using magic stones.


    However, the problem was what they were carrying inside of it.


    The birdfolk quietly landed and set the box gently on the ground.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    Saikania said with a smile as she walked towards them.


    ¡°We wanted to be with you, but there was trouble in the beast lands. And so we had to go back.¡±


    She said with an annoyed shrug. However, another voice then rang behind her.


    ¡°Maki! Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Zynis? And Ortha?¡±


    Surprisingly, the cheerful voices that came after were from Zynis and Ortha. The two of them came down from the strange box that the birdfolk were carrying. Maki and Chiharu looked at it with serious expressions.


    ¡°It¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, isn¡¯t it? The thing I accidentally mentioned.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan, there¡¯s no doubt about it.¡±


    But before they could talk to Zynis, Sauro moved in.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. The thing that you requested has finally been complete!¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t request anything.¡±


    Maki muttered, but no one heard her.


    ¡°Now, come over here.¡±


    He pulled them past Zynis and Ortha and towards the box. It reminded them of the boxes in Ferris wheels. Zynis was looking at it as if there was nothing he could do.


    There were two benches facing each other, and there was plenty of legroom for four people, even beastkin. There was even space underneath the seats to stash your belongings. But while the windows were made of glass, the outside was reinforced in a way that looked very much like a cage.


    ¡°I kind of feel like I¡¯m in a dream.¡±


    Chiharu muttered. This too was lost in the wind.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it heavy?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°These kinds of manmade contraptions can be fixed with magic stones. It¡¯s just like the trains. They can become lighter. That means the weight is adjustable after people go inside.¡±


    They answered. And then¡­


    ¡°Well, it was actually finished a while ago. And we now know that it¡¯s quite useful for short distances. This was the first test flight at a longer distance. However¡­¡±


    Zynis folded his arms and sighed.


    ¡°It should be quite comfortable if they fly carefully. But do you think Sauro is one to be careful?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Besides, there will always be unpredictable wind currents. So there will be some rocking up and down.¡±


    Judging by Zynis¡¯s expression, Chiharu decided that he was downplaying it a little.


    ¡°Sauro. Father. I understand how you feel, but this isn¡¯t the time. We should talk in front of the king.¡±


    Ortha said. Zynis looked like he suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s something that involves the Saintesses as well. So you must come with us, Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    He said. Then he noticed the elf princesses in the back.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long, Your Highnesses. Unfortunately, this is an emergency. We must meet the king and the future king at once.¡±


    ¡°Zynis, it¡¯s very good to see you again.¡±


    ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Apparently, they were quite close with Zynis. After greeting him, they quickly gave the order and had the group escorted to the king.


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s go then.¡±


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. Come with us.¡±


    The fifth princess called, and Zynis told Maki and Chiharu to follow. He also called out to Sauro and Saikania.


    ¡°Sauro. Saikania. I know you don¡¯t like being indoors, but this is your duty as representatives of the birdfolk. You must come with us.¡±


    ¡°If you insist. We are envoys, after all.¡±


    Sauro said. And he and Saikania folded their wings. Maki and Chiharu walked on either side of Zynis.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. I see you¡¯ve really purified the place. There is one thing I realized after traveling to all three territories. The beastlands has the thickest miasma.¡±


    It was the first princess, Aila, who reacted to this.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been a week since they came here. But most of the miasma was gone on the first day. It seems to have continued at a rapid pace. However, we have yet to hear any news from the farthest regions. Would you tell us about how it went in the dwarf lands?¡±


    ¡°Well, the dwarf lands were the first place that the Saintesses visited. So the miasma was the thinnest there. However, it¡¯s not like there is a wall that separates the sky.¡±


    Zynis then explained it to her.


    In other words, the miasma became thinner the closer you got to the dwarf lands. It was only then that he realized just how thick it was in the beast lands. On the other hand, the miasma was starting to leak back into the dwarf lands as well. And so the area around the border with the beast lands was quite bad. Still, he barely noticed it there, but he could sense it increasing once he got closer to the elf lands, even though it wasn¡¯t as bad as the beast lands.


    ¡°While I¡¯m sure it¡¯s not quite back to normal yet, it is still a big improvement from before. After all, the Saintesses were in the dwarf lands for a whole month.¡±


    He concluded.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. Thank you. I¡¯m so grateful that you two came to the elf lands.¡±


    Said the first princess. Maki and Chiharu found it very heart warming. However¡­


    ¡°You say that now, sister. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be singing a different tune once Aeris comes back. So let¡¯s not get carried away.¡±


    Said the fifth princess, rather mercilessly. And they couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°I knew Maki and Chiharu would be able to befriend the troublesome princesses.¡±


    ¡°Did you say something, Ortha?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    Ortha had only been mumbling, so Maki and Chiharu pretended that they didn¡¯t hear it.


    And like that, they headed towards the audience hall. When the guards opened the door, this time only the king and future king were waiting inside.


    ¡°Zynis! Ortha!¡±


    Toul came down happily and hugged Zynis and Ortha. They seemed to be good friends.


    ¡°Father is the goodwill ambassador, after all. He has lots of friends in all of the countries.¡±


    Ortha whispered to them.


    ¡°While I¡¯d like to talk to you as an old friend, I suppose we have more pressing matters. After all, not only have you come from Midland, but you even brought the prince of the birdfolk with you. It must be very important.¡±


    Toul said. His expression quickly turned serious. In the meantime, the group walked towards the king.


    ¡°Zynis. And the rest of you. What happened?¡±


    Even the king seemed concerned for once.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long, Your Majesty. As you know, the dungeons in the beast lands are managed by the country. And while Adventurers are allowed to enter, it¡¯s usually people from out country, like my daughter, who hunt the monsters.¡±


    Zynis began. This explanation was likely for Maki and Chiharu as well. And so they listened carefully.


    ¡°And so we had decided that the dwarf lands could wait until matters were finished here. However, the monsters are increasing at an unexpectedly fast rate. And it¡¯s possible that we won¡¯t be enough to stop them.¡±


    ¡°Truly? Beastkin have never relied on Adventurers, but now¡­¡±


    The king stroked his beard.


    ¡°Of course, we have sent messengers to Midland and the dwarf lands as well. And they should send what men they can. However, as you know, there are many mountains along the border, and they will be forced to travel with small carriages. Obviously, airships are not an option.¡±


    So that¡¯s why airships were only used to travel to the elf and human lands. Maki and Chiharu realized this for the first time.


    ¡°And so¡­¡±


    Zynis turned to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°We have no choice but to rely on the power of the Saintesses. I came here to ask on behalf of the beast lands.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were quite taken aback.

 CH 123

    Someone to Protect


    Zynis continued to explain.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu. It hasn¡¯t been long since you last participated in a mission with us, has it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It was really something.¡±


    Chiharu had a far away look as she recalled the stubborn chief of the merfolk.


    ¡°You two and I were just supposed to be scouts.¡±


    ¡°But we ended up being part of the rescue mission.¡±


    Zynis and Chiharu chuckled together. However, his expression quickly became serious again.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known you two ever since you were summoned here. I felt terrible that I couldn¡¯t be by your side during hard times. And I felt that I should protect you more¡­ But¡­¡±


    But¡­what?


    ¡°After returning from the dwarf lands, Edwy said something to me. That the Saintesses are not such weak people that we have to protect them. We should talk to them properly so they can act as they see fit.¡±


    That was Edwy. Though he was not here, their rating of him increased greatly.


    ¡°However, you two immediately set off for the elf lands next. And I had my own mission to attend to. And so I didn¡¯t really have time to feel what Edwy had said.¡±


    Indeed. He hadn¡¯t even seen them leave on the airship.


    ¡°But fate unexpectedly had us cooperate on the matter of Amia. And I was able to witness your strength and resolve and realize that I had underestimated you.¡±


    Zynis said as he looked at Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°And so I will make an official request from the beastlands. It won¡¯t be anything too difficult. But I want you to help us return the monsters to magic stones.¡±


    Behind him, Sauro also took a step forward.


    ¡°While the beastfolk are all in agreement, I will also make the request as a representative of the birdfolk. Will you please accept our invitation to the beastlands?¡±


    Well, there was no way they could refuse. Maki was just about to answer excitedly, but then she felt someone squeeze her hand.


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Chiharu. She had been quick to accept the request from Saia, so why was she hesitating now? Chiharu never abandoned friends who were in need of help.


    ¡°Zynis. Sauro. Do you mind if Maki and I talk about it before answering? It shouldn¡¯t take long.¡±


    Chiharu was still holding Maki¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Indeed. I would not expect you to make a decision immediately. We will wait for a while.¡±


    ¡°Perfect. We can talk and catch up then, old friend.¡±


    Toul said happily as Zynis nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Maki and Chiharu to the antechamber then.¡±


    The fifth princess said. Aaron and Sauro went with Zynis. Maki and Chiharu were taken to the room and quickly served some tea.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Aila. What is it?¡±


    The first princess suddenly addressed Maki.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s an official request, you shouldn¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying this out of a selfish desire to have you two stay in the elf lands. But from what I¡¯ve heard, you¡¯ve been traveling almost nonstop since you were summoned. Yes, things were bad here, and they are likely bad in the beast lands. But they cannot rely on you alone.¡±


    ¡°Aila¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyway, you must think about it.¡±


    Then she left the room hurriedly.


    ¡°Hehe. You two are getting along well.¡±


    ¡°I wonder why? I guess it¡¯s because she¡¯s Chiharu¡¯s rival, but not mine.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t my rival. Hmph.¡±


    Chiharu said, and Maki chuckled.


    ¡°Still, this is surprising, Chiharu. I thought you would agree to go immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do want to go. Especially if it¡¯s for Sauro, Saikania, and Zynis. I don¡¯t even care if it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I agree. I knew you would say that. So why didn¡¯t you earlier?¡±


    Maki asked honestly. Chiharu glanced at her and then looked at the floor.


    ¡°Last time, when we went to help Amia.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I chose to go because I didn¡¯t want to regret not doing anything. But I ended up involving a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°Ah, well, maybe¡­¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ve been wondering if I made the right decision.¡±


    ¡°I think you did.¡±


    Maki said without hesitation. Even if you had doubts about different things, you had to do it once you made a decision. And if anyone should be blamed, it was Saia.


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not like we¡¯ll be running off like the other time. They are making an official request.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But still¡­ There is something that I realized recently.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Saia. I think we were just used.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you just realized that?¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m right?¡±


    They had had plenty of time to think recently.


    ¡°Sometimes I can be very easily persuaded. I don¡¯t like saying no, or doubting the intentions of others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. And sometimes people know that, and they take advantage of you.¡±


    It had happened often enough back in Japan.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that Sauro or Zynis are using us at all. But I¡¯m not sure about other people.¡±


    ¡°Other people?¡±


    ¡°Well, even Dilon and Corete were afraid of our power. How will we know if the others will be friendly towards us? What if they just see us as tools?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    This was strange. Chiharu had never been so pessimistic about things before.


    ¡°And what if something happened to you, Maki?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    So it was the same thing. Maki intended to protect Chiharu no matter what. And Chiharu felt the same way towards her. She was afraid that her whims would one day endanger Maki.


    ¡°Chiharu. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan¡­¡±


    They sat next to each other, shoulder to shoulder.


    ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, I felt like I had lost you to Aeris for a while.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Maki felt a little sorry for Aeris then.


    ¡°He treats me very well, but he clearly favors you, Chiharu. So does Edwy, now that I think about it.¡±


    ¡°Well, at least you have Kaider?¡±


    They both chuckled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Is it because they tend to live so long, or because they are so busy with work? I feel a certain excitement, but I don¡¯t want things to be laid out and clarified just yet.¡±


    ¡°I understand that.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s because of that, that I don¡¯t want to lose you, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. Yes. Me too.¡±


    She did not want to lose Chiharu. However¡­ Maki raised her voice just a little.


    ¡°However¡­ Nothing will begin if you just stay inside the whole time!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. Even if we shut ourselves up in the castle, incidents would still come to us.¡±


    Like the Mandragoras. And more recently, the honey bees.


    ¡°And so we might as well go to them ourselves, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true!¡±


    ¡°And if we can help protect important people doing it, wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu faced each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue to protect each other.¡±


    ¡°And move forward together.¡±


    They had made their decision.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s off to the beast lands!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    And so their journey continued

 CH 124

    Time to Take Off


    ¡°I wonder what they are thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Ortha. What we are asking them to do is very dangerous. It is no surprise that they¡¯d want to think about it.¡±


    Zynis answered as Ortha muttered.


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not as if the beast lands are completely united. The elf lands are connected to the human lands through use of airships, so they are quite friendly towards each other. But there are many humans and beastkin who have little interest in each other.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. We dog people do not mind. But it¡¯s hard to know what the cat people think, even though they have agreed. If anything, it¡¯s their agreement that is suspicious.¡±


    Ortha said with a chuckle.


    ¡°The birdfolk are difficult to read as well. Perhaps it is irresponsible to invite them during such a time.¡±


    ¡°It was decided properly in a meeting between the chiefs. So it should be fine, officially. However, some of the races can be very unpredictable.¡±


    But it was also true that there would be no end to it if they tried to protect the Saintesses all of the time. Besides, Zynis was looking forward to their visit.


    ¡°Keeping with tradition or only living on your own land. It¡¯s quite boring. I am curious to see what trouble Maki and Chiharu might cause there.¡±


    ¡°You are very strange, father.¡±


    ¡°Am I really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, in some ways.¡±


    Zynis thought about it. Unlike the other territories, the people of beast lands were divided. In fact, there used to be more races than there were now. The legends said that there were once cow and rabbit tribes, who were mostly herbivores. However, through marriages with humans and dwarves, they slowly started to disappear. And now there were only dogs, cats, and birdfolk left. The reason wasn¡¯t known. Perhaps there had just been more of them. Or they were tougher.


    ¡°It might have to do with how much freedom I have.¡±


    ¡°Father?¡±


    ¡°No, nevermind.¡±


    Speaking of the dog people, they were known to live in large groups and get along with humans.


    ¡°Still, we would have liked to have them stay in the elf lands a little longer. I wanted to show them the deep countryside, at least after the monsters settled.¡±


    ¡°Toul. You may want to do all of that, but I doubt you can leave this place. You are the future king, after all.¡±


    ¡°Mother. Eventually, I will be king. And then it will be even harder to leave this place. In that case, is it any surprise that I want to travel far away while I still can?¡±


    Toul had only been forced to become the next king, because the five princesses had all refused the position. And so the first princess had no answer to this.


    ¡°I wish that I could go with them and Zynis to the beast lands, but I will just have to wait.¡±


    ¡°I hope that one day, the times will change so that even royalty can travel as they please.¡±


    Zynis said to Toul. It was just the same with Arthur, he mused. These kings had too much work to do.


    ¡°Indeed. Oh, it seems like the Saintesses have returned.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu came out of the drawing room looking very cheerful. Their faces were bright.


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡±


    Maki said as she looked at Zynis.


    ¡°After discussing the matter together, we have decided to go to the beast lands.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    Zynis¡¯s kind eyes closed gently. Sauro saw this and acted.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Chiharu said frantically.


    ¡°We understand that you¡¯re in a hurry, but you flew all of the way here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    ¡°And what about the people being carried?¡±


    ¡°It should be fine.¡±


    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not for you to decide, Sauro.¡±


    Zynis and Ortha watched this and chuckled.


    ¡°Sauro, we¡¯re not as ridiculously strong as you are. Besides, Maki and Chiharu will need time to prepare. So you should let them rest for one night.¡±


    ¡°But the sky is so fun.¡±


    ¡°For you birdfolk, I suppose.¡±


    Ortha shrugged her shoulders. And then she turned to Maki and Chiharu and said,


    ¡°You can just prepare the same as you did when coming here. We¡¯re not going to ask you to go to the dungeons or anything. So you can bring the normal clothes you wear in the castle. And while there are representatives in the beastlands, there is no royal family, so you won¡¯t have to worry about any grand audiences. Just relax.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s eyes shone as they nodded.


    Ultimately, Aeris and Edwy did not return on the following day, when they were ready to leave. And even if they had returned, they would not have been able to keep up with the speed of the birdfolk. And since there was a limit to how many they could carry, it was decided that Aaron would stay behind.


    As Maki and Chiharu entered the box after Zynis and Ortha, Aaron spoke to them seriously.


    ¡°I am very worried about you two being sent there alone, but then again, you¡¯re with Zynis, who is maybe the nicest of the beastfolk. So I will believe that you¡¯ll be alright. But Maki¡­¡±


    Aaron said as he stared at her.


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re always so reckless. You nearly give me a heart attack.¡±


    ¡°Aaron¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Aeris and Edwy for you, so don¡¯t worry about that.¡±


    He said and then smiled. Maki felt her heart skip a beat. What was with him? He was always so serious and emotionless. He was Aaron. But he suddenly looked so handsome when he smiled!


    ¡°Awful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something you should be stingy about.¡±


    Chiharu agreed. Ortha just laughed. Aaron looked a little awkward after that, but he then took a few steps back. Then the first and fifth princess walked up to them.


    ¡°Even though you will be far away, you¡¯re still my rival. And if you hate to lose, you¡¯ll come back.¡±


    ¡°Sister¡­ You two haven¡¯t seen anything of the elf lands yet. You must come back and sightsee.¡±


    They said as they took Maki and Chiharu¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not your rival, Aila.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll come back, Rhea.


    Maki and Chiharu said with a laugh.


    ¡°Now, close the door. Here is the lock.¡±


    Ortha explained as she closed the door and locked it from inside. Apparently, they adjusted the weight from outside of the box. They could hear a dial clicking as it was turned.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s light enough now.¡±


    ¡°Are you all mentally prepared?¡±


    Saikania and Sauro said from outside. At the same time, the other birdfolk prepared to take flight. The flapping of wings could be heard, and then the box lifted off of the ground. It was quieter than they had expected.


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    ¡°Woaah.¡±


    It slowly rose into the air.


    ¡°Amazing.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know they could fly this delicately.¡±


    They said rudely.


    ¡°Well, perhaps their usual words and actions have given you a different impression. But Sauro and Saikania are considered to be the most brilliant of their generation. Among the birdfolk, anyway.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were shocked to hear this from Ortha. Zynis chuckled and said,


    ¡°The last part is important. There is no doubt that they are good, but they are so extreme sometimes, that other beastfolk and even birdfolk are sometimes repelled by them. But¡­¡±


    The box floated gently into the air. Little by little, their speed increased.


    ¡°They are brilliant.¡±


    The sunlight bounced off the strong wings above their heads. It was a beautiful sight. Maki and Chiharu watched the elf castle fade into the distance as they thought excitedly about their next destination.

 CH 125

    Let¡¯s Ride the Basket


    The birdfolk were likely holding back as they flew. However, they were still flying higher and faster than the airship.


    ¡°We¡¯re moving faster than any airship or carriage, and yet it doesn¡¯t really feel like it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell when you¡¯re this high up. But we really are moving fast, aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu looked down from the window and raised their voices in surprise. When they had gone inland in order to rescue the merman, the birdfolk had picked them up directly. So they thought they knew about how fast they were. However, they had not really been able to enjoy the view, since the wind pressure was so strong, and it was also tiring when you were carried directly.


    ¡°There is no wind pressure when you¡¯re in the box, so it¡¯s easy to breath. This really is quite comfortable.¡±


    Apparently, their flight course would take them along the beach. They were flying over the sea where they could still see land. As for why, it was obvious once they looked towards the land. While the elf castle had been on flat lands with moderate hills, once they passed that area, there was a vast forest and mountains in the distance.


    ¡°The border with the dwarven territories is somewhere within this forest.¡±


    Zynis casually offered the vague information. He clearly didn¡¯t really care about it.


    ¡°Well, there is a road that runs through the forest so that carriages can travel. However, the only thing you will find are small towns. There are no larger settlements.¡±


    Ortha said with a laugh. That¡¯s why the elves and dwarves did not interact with each other very often. However, as both races liked new things, they continued to trade and were not completely cut off from each other.


    ¡°The forest elves live on the other side of the castle, opposite of the dwarf lands. I wish I could see those elves, since it is said that they live in a large tree.¡±


    Ortha muttered dreamily as she looked down.


    ¡°You too, Ortha? We haven¡¯t gone there either! Then we should all go together once things settle down!¡±


    Maki said happily.


    ¡°Huh? You mean, take time off work?¡±


    Ortha asked as she looked at Zynis. He looked back at her with amusement.


    ¡°Father. That ¡®do what you want¡¯ look is very annoying. I¡¯m starting to understand how Dilon feels.¡±


    ¡°But you should do what you want. There is no law saying how much you have to work.¡±


    Maki heard this and wondered about something.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, it seems like the birdfolk do not work much at all. Are the dogfolk that different?¡±


    ¡°Well, now that you mention it, we dogfolk do enter dungeons all of the time. However, it¡¯s also because we enjoy it. Of course, there are people who are farmers as well. And the birdfolk often work as hunters who provide meat.¡±


    Ortha said and then continued.


    ¡°Hmm. But I think we still work without resting. It¡¯s just the normal thing to do¡­ Huh?¡±


    It was then that Chiharu made a suggestion.


    ¡°Then we should go as part of a tour!¡±


    ¡°A tour?¡±


    Ortha looked puzzled, and so Chiharu explained.


    ¡°If you enjoy working with everyone, then we should all go and travel together.¡±


    ¡°Together¡­¡±


    ¡°In our country, we have school trips and employee trips. In other words, we often travel with classmates or co-workers.¡±


    Well, perhaps those employee trips were going out of fashion. In fact, they had stopped doing them at the company where Chiharu used to work.


    ¡°So if you want to travel to the elf lands, Ortha, you should go with all of your friends from the dungeons.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the start of the Saintess Tourist Company.¡±


    ¡°Then that would make the fifth princess the head of the elf lands.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu became very excited. As the dogfolk were quite conservative, Ortha did not know how many of them would like to go on such a trip. However, she felt that at the very least her parents and Dilon would want to go.


    ¡°And so¡­¡±


    Chiharu said as she looked into Ortha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Just tell the birdfolk when you feel like traveling. And then Maki and I will make a fun itinerary for you.¡±


    Yes, like a family trip. She immediately thought of her mother and father doing their own thing and the exhausted Dilon being dragged along. It was just the same as always.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s nice. I think I would like that. I¡¯ll be sure to rely on you when the time comes.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You will be our first customer!¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Maki exclaimed. Apparently, the direction of the wind had changed, and the basket suddenly started to drop before floating back up again.


    ¡°That was a surprise.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like when a plane hits an air pocket. It¡¯s terrible.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu started to talk seriously.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu sure are interesting.¡±


    ¡°Yes. You just never know what they are going to do next. It¡¯s quite thrilling.¡±


    I see. This warm and fluffy feeling deep in my chest. It¡¯s excitement.


    While she didn¡¯t want to be as free as the birdfolk, it would not be bad to take time off of work and travel with others like they were doing now. Yes, not bad at all. Ortha¡¯s mouth curved into a smile.


    They flew for a few hours and then rested on some flat ground. The birdfolk traded places. Then they flew for a few more hours before resting again. They repeated this as they passed the dwarf lands and saw Noir below them, which was the last stop of the train.


    It was very fun talking about where they would like to go, but by the time that the sun came down and they arrived at the inn, Maki and Chiharu were exhausted. Even Zynis and Ortha were tired. And so the two were wobbly on their feet as they got out of the basket.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan. Isn¡¯t it amazing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Maki answered weakly to Chiharu¡¯s sudden exclamation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve become so much tougher.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It must be because of the birdfolk.¡±


    Maki said with a dry laugh. Saikania saw this and smiled.


    ¡°You get tired from just that? You two are so adorable.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s strange that you¡¯re not tired in spite of carrying us all of this way.¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but protest.


    ¡°Now, Maki and Chiharu. While we could not reach our destination in one day, this is still the beast land. Welcome to the town in between, Noctare.¡±


    The town in between. It had a nice ring to it. Upon hearing those words, the two raised their tired faces. They had been told that there was a small village by the dwarf and elf border. So, what about the beast and dwarf border?


    Just then, the birdfolk who had carried the basket suddenly looked in the same direction. Then they surrounded Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Oh, my. I see that these Saintesses are also loved by the birdfolk.¡±


    They heard the voice of an elderly woman. They could also see several figures on the other side of the birdfolk. Maki and Chiharu squinted through the darkness.


    ¡°Chi-Chiharu¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan. Those graceful movements¡­¡±


    Yes, the pretty triangular ears and the smooth fur. The complicated patterns and the long hind legs.


    ¡°It¡¯s a cat person¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cat person¡­¡±


    The town in between was a cat town.

 CH 126

    Cat People


    The person was older than anyone they had seen in this world. Still, she supported her curved back with a walking stick, and stood there proudly. And unlike Zynis and the others, she had small, triangular ears.


    ¡°So c¡­¡±


    ¡°So c¡­¡±


    ¡°?¡±


    Sauro looked at Maki and Chiharu curiously.


    ¡°Cute¡­¡±


    ¡°Cute¡­¡±


    They said in unison.


    ¡°That granny? But she¡¯s so wrinkled.¡±


    ¡°Future chief of the birdolk. You sure are rude.¡±


    Said the cat person with exasperation. Maki and Chiharu also felt a degree of regret over calling someone much older than them ¡®cute.¡¯


    ¡°Nevermind that. I was still old when I met your predecessor. And she too said that I was ¡®cute.¡¯¡±


    The woman said calmly, and with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Of course, your predecessor was also afraid of Miragaia and the dogfolk, and they were not allowed to get close. She was only comfortable around me and the dwarves. So I understand why they are annoyed.¡±


    She laughed with a refined ¡®hohoho.¡¯ However, her words were quite harsh.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Mira has some bitter memories. But not us. After all, we were assigned to take care of Maki and Chiharu, and have single-handedly helped them travel. I am confident in the fact that I understand the Saintesses better than anyone else in the beast lands.¡±


    Sauro wasn¡¯t moved by the old woman¡¯s sardonic words.


    When had they been assigned? Single-handedly? Understand us better than anyone? There was a lot to question about Sauro¡¯s claims, but Maki and Chiharu just chuckled. After all they had been through together, it was hard for them to not like him.


    Just then, someone raised their voice. The old woman had been so eye-catching that they hadn¡¯t realized that there was someone behind her.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be standing here all night if we have to listen to granny and the birdfolks¡¯s nonsense. Zynis, you and the Saintesses must be tired. While it is not very big, we have prepared a place for you to rest. And if you like, there is even a hot spring.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu practically shouted together. How long had it been since they last used a hot spring? It wasn¡¯t just Maki and Chiharu. Sauro and Saikania were also very happy.


    ¡°A hot spring, eh? It¡¯s been a while. The hot springs here are outdoors and very big. Maki, Chiharu. Come with me.¡±


    And just like that, Saikania smacked Sauro on the head.


    ¡°I think that our wings will get in the way. Really, you should know better as the future chief. We will use the largest hot spring ahead of the others. And we can meet up again for dinner.¡±


    And like that, the birdfolk went off without being guided. They had been closely protecting Maki and Chiharu up until a moment ago, but as always, they disappeared once they found something else to do. Besides, Saikania¡¯s reason for correcting Sauro had also been off. That¡¯s just the way that birdfolk were.


    The cat people that were left just chuckled. It seemed that they were used to this kind of thing. The cat person then explained to them,


    ¡°Well, the hot spring doesn¡¯t really belong to anyone. And so the birdfolk visit it whenever they feel like it. And though we tell them that we don¡¯t need anything in return, they often bring us unusual gifts, saying that they ¡®just happened to be carrying them.¡¯ So no one in the village really thinks ill of them.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Zynis clapped his hands as if he had just remembered something.


    ¡°Ah, yes. We have some honey with us, since we just came from the elf lands. Would you like some?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯d be very grateful. You know that we all love sweet things.¡±


    And then they accepted the honey and small barrel of honey wine that had been stored at the bottom of the basket.


    ¡°Granny, it¡¯s honey wine!¡±


    ¡°Yes. How wonderful.¡±


    Zynis quietly told Maki and Chiharu that the old woman was a rare cat person who liked to drink.


    ¡°We knew you were coming today, so we prepared a feast. Of course, we won¡¯t keep you up too late. But I did hear that you two like meat. And so we have prepared some skewered meat.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s eyes shone when they heard this.


    Wait a minute? Now that they looked closely, wasn¡¯t this cat person very handsome? Chiharu had a sensor for attractive men, and it was detecting something. While this granny is the same height as us, this man is closer to 170 cm, which was similar to a lot of men in Japan. And since so many of the men they had met here were very tall, it seemed very refreshing to Chiharu. He was also slender and graceful, with a very long tail.


    As for his eyes, they were almond shaped and pulled upwards a little. His eyes seemed to shift between green and yellow depending on how the light hit them. And his tail was long.


    ¡°Chiharu, stop focusing on his tail so much.¡±


    Maki said with a laugh.


    ¡°What? Was I thinking out loud?¡±


    ¡°No. But I can tell by your eyes.¡±


    He looked at them kindly as they talked.


    ¡°As we cat folk are smaller than the dog and bird folk, it was easier for your predecessor to feel easy around us. That being said, even with the trains, the human lands are very far from us. And we do not like to travel much, so most of us have never seen a Saintess. That is why this is such a great honor.¡±


    He offered both of his hands.


    ¡°My name is Kear. I will be the chief after Granny.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Maki.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Kaider was the last person they had been able to talk to without looking up. And while he had an unusual eye color, the shape of his eyes and the color of his skin felt very familiar to them. In a way, so did granny.


    ¡°Yes, your predecessor would say the same thing. She often took my hand and wept.¡±


    Said granny as she looked at Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°But you two seem to be fine.¡±


    ¡°We do feel nostalgic.¡±


    Maki answered.


    ¡°But unlike our predecessors, we¡¯ve traveled a lot and met many people and did many things. But it¡¯s still nostalgic.¡±


    She repeated the last part with a smile.


    ¡°While we won¡¯t cry, we are very happy.¡±


    I see. So this feeling of longing was because of nostalgia, and not because he was handsome. It was like looking at a far away relative. Chiharu thought.


    ¡°Too bad. I thought you fancied me.¡±


    Kear said with a wink. However, someone smacked him on the head.


    ¡°You are always like this!¡±


    ¡°No, it was a joke¡­¡±


    The person who had appeared was a cat person who was the same height as Chiharu and granny. The inside part of her ears were white, and she was very pretty.


    ¡°Now, you must be tired. I¡¯ll show you to the hot springs. I¡¯m Alyssa. Kear¡¯s wife.¡±


    She had blue eyes. Maki and Chiharu followed her happily. The tail that wagged behind her was white with gray stripes. Alyssa looked over her shoulder at Maki and Chiharu and said,


    ¡°I just thought I needed to do something if there was even a chance you could be fooled by him. But it was clearly not necessary.¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but say,


    ¡°Oh, uh, does he do that a lot?¡±


    They were in perfect agreement.


    ¡°He really doesn¡¯t mean anything by it. But people get confused when he¡¯s so nice to them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that would be quite a problem.¡±


    ¡°You understand what I go through?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Apparently, their friendship was now established. Maki followed them leisurely from behind. After walking a short ways, they saw steam rising up ahead, a small building had been built as if to cover it.


    ¡°You can get changed here. You know how to use it, right?¡±


    ¡°Are we allowed to take off all our clothes?¡±


    ¡°What an odd thing to say. Of course.¡±


    And so they changed and exited the building. In front of them was a hot spring that was at the base of a waterfall and surrounded by rocks. The hot water flowed gently down from above, and landed quietly.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as in the dwarf lands. There are different levels that you can go inside of.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Maki-chan. It would be nice to stay over a few days and check all of them.¡±


    They took their time, sinking into the water up to their chins and talked. Suddenly, a great gust of wind blew.


    ¡°You should do that then.¡±


    ¡°Who said that?¡±


    Maki moved in front of Chiharu. What Chiharu saw over Maki¡¯s shoulder was¡­


    ¡°A bird person?¡±


    Four of them, in fact. But none were Sauro. What was happening?

 CH 127

    The water¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    Maki¡¯s severe voice sounded. That being said, Maki and Chiharu weren¡¯t wearing anything. So it was still an awkward situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ramo.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Moa.¡±


    ¡°Alectro.¡±


    ¡°Erulian.¡±


    They introduced themselves eagerly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your names!¡±


    Maki shouted.


    ¡°But you just did.¡±


    ¡°If you say, ¡®who are you?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Then of course, we¡¯ll tell you are names.¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    Could anything be more annoying? Maki sighed deeply.


    ¡°Listen to me, alright? In the human world, it¡¯s a crime to look while a woman is taking a bath. And so when I said ¡®who¡¯ I was talking about someone suspicious. What are you?¡±


    ¡°I see. For that, I am sorry.¡±


    The birdfolk apologized. However, they did not go anywhere. Maki¡¯s head was boiling now.


    ¡°Look here¡­¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s scream overlapped with Maki¡¯s words. Well, it was more of a shout than a scream.


    ¡°GAAHH! Ga! Gyaaah!¡±


    ¡°You sure have a low voice, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°You do it too, Maki!¡±


    ¡°Fine! Gyaaahhh!¡±


    The four birdfolk looked a little frantic as Sauro, Saikania, and the others came flying down. Maki turned to look at Chiharu.


    ¡°Sauro came for us!¡±


    ¡°Gyaah!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Sauro isn¡¯t wearing clothes!¡±


    ¡°Woah! Neither is Saikania! Gyaaah!!¡¯


    It must be said, for Sauro and Saikania¡¯s sake, that while they were not wearing clothes, they covered themselves with their feathers. Beastkin were able to conveniently transform.


    ¡°Ramo, Alectro. What are you doing!¡±


    ¡°Bah! It¡¯s Sauro.¡±


    The bird person called Ramo said with disgust. That was when large gray and golden dogs jumped out. They flew high in the air towards the birdfolk. Oh, the birdfolk dodged them. The dogs landed lightly on the ground.


    ¡°Rasche! So cool!¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s Zynis and Ortha!¡±


    And then finally, Alyssa came in her human form, and assessed the situation. Then she brought them towels.


    ¡°Stop this already! How shameless do you have to be to disturb the Saintesses while they are taking a bath!¡±


    Her voice cut through the chaos and everyone paused to look at her.


    ¡°Very good. You are all calm now. Maki, Chiharu. Come over here.¡±


    She said as she spread out the huge towels in front of them.


    ¡°Uh, Alyssa¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Alyssa.¡±


    ¡°Yes, now come over here.¡±


    And though she was spreading the towels, everyone was still present. If they got out and were wrapped up in the towel, they would have to be naked in front of everyone.


    ¡°Anyway, can you all leave now?¡±


    Maki said. Ortha seemed to finally realize as she urged Zynis and signaled to Saikania. Saikania shouted at Sauro and he dragged away the other birdfolk. The place was finally quiet.


    ¡°Finally some peace.¡±


    ¡°I wanted to stay a little longer.¡±


    Alyssa looked at them with amusement and said,


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get out if you don¡¯t want to. I will guard the place you. Or would women be a problem too?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I wouldn¡¯t even mind Saikania or Ortha. I just don¡¯t want any strangers here. Especially not any men.¡±


    Maki said with a shrug. Then she sank back into the water. They had really not been able to soak in the water for long.


    ¡°Still, that was an impressive scream, Chiharu.¡±


    Chiharu said with a look of disappointment.


    ¡°Still, it seemed like they weren¡¯t going anywhere no matter how much Maki-chan berated them. And so I thought that we had no choice but to call the others and make a big scene.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t really kick anyone when I¡¯m naked.¡±


    ¡°Our defense ability is too low when taking a bath.¡±


    They said. And then Alyssa lifted her skirt so that she could soak her feet in the water.


    ¡°Ahh, it really is wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°Right?¡±


    As they relaxed like this in the water, Alyssa began to mutter to them.


    ¡°We beastfolk can change our shape, so we have a tendency of forgetting the importance of clothes.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, that does make sense.¡±


    ¡°But even then, we do have values that we share with you. Like men and women having separate baths, and that you are not supposed to try and look. But when it comes to birdfolk¡­¡±


    They had immediately known it wasn¡¯t Sauro, as they had brown feathers. These birdfolk had helped them in Highland, and were as fun-loving as Sauro. However, none of these were the ones they had met back then.


    ¡°There are legends of all kinds of races living in the beast lands long ago. But now it is just three, dogfolk, birdfolk, and us catfolk.¡±


    Alyssa said as she splashed at the water with her feet. Maki and Chiharu also got out and then sat down near the edge so that they could dangle their feet in the water. The cool wind felt nice on their warmed bodies.


    ¡°There is quite a variety in coats for dogs and cats. But only two colors for the birdfolk. The ones with white feathers like to fly long distances. While the brown feathers generally live in smaller areas.¡±


    ¡°Ahh. So there really are only two types.¡±


    Maki said. Chiharu felt the same way.


    ¡°The younger birdfolk like that they are so free. However, there are some who don¡¯t. Like the ones you just saw.¡±


    Alyssa said with a sigh.


    ¡°There are people like that everywhere. Sauro is free, but he has his limits. But these other birdfolk cannot tell freedom apart from lawlessness. They think that birdfolk must be free without limits.¡±


    ¡°So they¡¯re delinquents.¡±


    ¡°They sure are.¡±


    Alyssa looked at them curiously.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­like young people who are unsatisfied with life and end up succumbing to bad temptations?¡±


    Chiharu said. She wasn¡¯t quite sure herself.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t describe them like that. They don¡¯t have a shred of doubt about the way they live. They don¡¯t care if they inconvenience others, as long as they have fun. The only saving grace is that there are not too many of them.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they were kind of a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°I would say ¡®very.¡¯¡±


    Of course, they had been quite shocked by Sauro and Saikania who jumped in as well. Chiharu had even turned a little red. Though, there were feathers covering things. Barely.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting to get a little hot.¡±


    ¡°We should get out now.¡±


    The two could not even take a bath without an incident occurring.

 CH 128

    The Feast


    After warming up to the perfect degree in the hot spring, they got changed and went out to discover a delicious smell coming from the village.


    ¡°They have prepared a feast for you tonight. The whole village is waiting, so we should go.¡±


    ¡°A feast!¡¯


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go!¡±


    There was no way that they wouldn¡¯t go to a feast.


    ¡°Meat! Meat!¡¯


    ¡°Oh, so you are fond of meat, Maki?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Chiharu loves it as well.¡±


    ¡°Meat! The juices spread out over your tongue after one bite. The smells and intricate flavor put me in a trance.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait¡­¡±


    Maki frantically stopped Chiharu as she began to talk about meat.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we eat meat in the elf lands too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the food was great there. But Alyssa, I¡¯m sure the food in the beast lands is completely different?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t really know how different. Still, that is today¡¯s main dish!¡±


    Alyssa said as she pointed ahead.


    ¡°A whole roast!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this before!¡±


    There was a large skewer with several masses of meat on it. And it was being roasted above a fire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is roasted wild boar!¡±


    Alyssa said in a proud voice. Just then, they heard cheers from the people close to the meat.


    At the same time, there were small footsteps, and then small figures started to jump on Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Saintess!¡±


    ¡°The Saintess?¡±


    ¡°She has black eyes!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s like a night god!¡±


    They were the cat children. They held onto Maki and Chiharu¡¯s waists and looked up with adorable eyes that came in various colors. And on top of their heads, were cat ears that twitched!


    ¡°So cu-¡±


    ¡°So cu-¡±


    Maki and Chiharu muttered, and the children all tilted their heads to the side at the same time.


    ¡°Cu?¡±


    ¡°Cute!¡±


    ¡°Cute!¡±


    They really could not find another word to describe them.


    ¡°These Saintesses are weird.¡±


    ¡°They have weird faces.¡±


    Now that was harsh. And then a young boy came towards them from the fire.


    ¡°Hey, you kids. Can¡¯t you see the Saintesses are troubled? Go and wait for the meat.¡±


    ¡°Meat.¡±


    ¡°Meat.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    The children left Maki and Chiharu and ran off.


    ¡°Ahh.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu muttered. The boy shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°Still, you two ladies do look pretty weird.¡±


    He said.


    ¡°Hey, now that¡¯s hurtful.¡±


    ¡°Look here, boy. Uh, you could have worded that differently, you know?¡±


    The boy looked at them with exasperation.


    ¡°Anyway, the feast can¡¯t begin until we make a toast and you eat the meat first. Also, while I am considered a boy among cat people¡­¡±


    He looked at Maki and Chiharu with a serious face.


    ¡°At the same time, I¡¯m over thirty years old.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re older than us!¡±


    Now that they thought about it, Dilon was also around a hundred years old. And they had never met a beastkin who was younger than them.


    ¡°Humans grow up so quickly. But since you¡¯re younger than me, I¡¯ll hold your hands. Now hurry up.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what¡­.¡±


    While he was shorter than the two, he grabbed Maki and Chiharu¡¯s hands and started walking right in the middle of them.


    ¡°Mother, you hurry up as well.¡±


    ¡°Mother?¡±


    ¡°Irias seems to have inherited his personality from his father. He likes to rush things.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Alyssa¡¯s son?¡±


    She was so surprised that her heart almost jumped out of her mouth.


    ¡°Oh, yes. He is.¡±


    Alyssa said with a laugh.


    ¡°Now, here it is.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Maki and Chiharu. The meat has just finished cooking. Sit down here and let¡¯s make a toast.¡±


    ¡°Granny.¡±


    She looked very happy. Maki and Chiharu sat down on either side of her. Zynis, Ortha, and the bridfolk also sat close by.


    ¡°Uh, where are the birdfolk who came to the hot spring?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible to trap birdfolk in one place. But they will be judged by the chief later on. At the very least, they will not be participating in this feast, so don¡¯t worry. Really, they may be young, but that is no excuse.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am not capable enough to control the younger birdfolk.¡±


    It was rare to see Sauro looking this sad.


    ¡°Now, now. You are not the chief yet. It is up to Miragaia to do better in controlling them. However, Miragaia is too gentle. And the falcons have a tendency to get carried away.¡±


    They didn¡¯t ask for any more details, but it did sound like controlling all those free birdfolk would be very difficult. When they thought about it like that, perhaps Sauro and Saikania were actually more impressive than they looked.


    ¡°But more importantly, let¡¯s make a toast.¡±


    Granny said as she tried to get up. As Maki and Chiharu helped, everyone else got to their feet. And then they all raised their wooden cups into the air. They contained drinks like ale or honey wine. Some had non-alcoholic beverages. Maki and Chiharu had asked for ale.


    ¡°All of you. In just a few hours, the miasma has thinned considerably. This is all because the Saintesses visited the beast lands. And we cat people of this village are the first to have the honor of greeting them!¡±


    There was loud cheering and applause. They all looked at Maki and Chiharu with glimmering eyes. There was something very heartwarming about it.


    ¡°And now, a toast, to Saintess Maki and Saintess Chiharu!¡±


    Cheers! Everyone raised their cups and then tilted them into their mouths.


    ¡°Now, you two should get some of that meat. The children are waiting.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu grabbed their plates and went over to where the wild boar was cooking. Here, a large cat person was waiting with a knife.


    ¡°So, which part do you want?¡±


    They had not been expecting this question.


    ¡°The fattiest part.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the thigh.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    He then stuck the knife into the meat and cut out thick slices and placed them on their plates. Maki and Chiharu had expected him to just carve off thin slices, but they took their plates and returned to the table. Immediately after, the children happily created a line in front of the meat.


    The cut meat had a crispy skin on the outside, but it was fatty underneath, and then the meat below that was firm.


    ¡°That¡¯s why he cut such thick slices.¡±


    ¡°So we can taste every part.¡±


    ¡°Now, stop looking at it and eat it.¡±


    Granny encouraged them. And so they stuffed their mouths with the meat. The crispy skin was enhanced with herbs and salt, while the meat was textured and juicy. And all of it was enveloped by a thin layer of fat that seemed to melt.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious!¡±


    Their cheeks almost hurt.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the season for the fattiest boars, but there is a sweetness to the meat, and it really is delicious.¡±


    Granny looked quite happy.


    ¡°Well, we have plenty of other food that was picked from the mountain. So keep eating!¡±


    Everyone took advantage of the occasion. There was eating, drinking, laughing, and a little fighting. The kids were so excited to be allowed to stay up late, and they ran around the tables. People kept asking for more meat. And while the beastkin did not have their own special wine, Maki and Chiharu felt like tonight, they had gotten very drunk with happiness.

 CH 129

    Prairie


    While the villagers stayed up late and partied, Maki and Chiharu were tired from their journey, and so after they enjoyed the feast for a while, they became sleepy. It was unfortunate, but they had eaten so much meat and were satisfied. So they decided to leave a little early.


    ¡°The Saintesses are going to go to sleep?¡±


    ¡°Already?¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a feast!¡±


    The children surrounded Maki and Chiharu as they stood up. Of course, the children usually would have been sleeping at this time, but it was a special occasion.


    ¡°We had so much fun, but we¡¯re tired after traveling such a long distance.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m about to fall asleep, so I need to rest.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said with regret as they hugged the children that clung to their waists. It would be one thing if they were really just here to sightsee, however, they would be going to the dungeons tomorrow, which meant they would likely have to work.


    ¡°You can sleep here. It¡¯s very warm.¡±


    ¡°And if it gets cold, father and mother can warm you up.¡±


    ¡°They are very soft.¡±


    They were probably talking about their third form. Maki and Chiharu recalled the time that they had slept with Zynis and Ortha. The day they had slept against their soft stomachs. It was bliss.


    Dog fur was nice, but cat fur was also smooth and shiny. It was cool at first, but started to feel warm if you stuck to it. Chiharu had always been more of a cat person, and so she almost gave in to the temptation, but she practiced some self control. Even if they would be in their beast form, these adults were strangers. And while she did know granny and Alyssa a little, it would still be embarrassing. It would be even worse if it was Kear or Irias.


    But Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but think. Maybe it would be fine if it was the children.


    ¡°Hahaha. No, that will not work.¡±


    Zynis said to her.


    ¡°Huh? Were you reading my mind?¡±


    The children said without hesitation as they clung to Chiharu. She didn¡¯t mind the occasional insults.


    ¡°We beastfolk are generally in this shape. So it takes practice to shapeshift. And while there are some young ones that can transform into beasts, but most of them cannot.¡±


    ¡°I can do it!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do it yet. But mother says I¡¯m very close.¡±


    The children began to announce their progress.


    ¡°I see. That¡¯s very impressive.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re so close.¡±


    Said Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Now, children. Let the Saintesses get some rest. After all, we¡¯ll have to travel tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡¯


    ¡°Please visit again!¡±


    And so the children went away, and Maki and Chiharu were able to get some sleep.


    The next morning, they had some of the villagers guard the hot spring as they went inside, and so they felt quite refreshed as they finished preparing for the journey ahead. And in spite of partying late into the night, the villagers all gathered together in order to watch them leave.


    ¡°You must visit us again, when you are not in a rush.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we definitely will.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu squeezed granny¡¯s hands. Kear, the future chief, and his wife Alyssa smiled and nodded. And then the children ran towards them.


    ¡°Come back to us, Saintesses!¡±


    ¡°And bring your friends!¡±


    ¡°I want to see more humans!¡±


    ¡°I wish that I could visit your country!¡±


    They exclaimed loudly.


    ¡°My, my¡­¡±


    ¡°We really do need to set up a Saintess Tourist company when we get the chance.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu grinned at each other. How wonderful would it be if the different races could interact with each other while they were still young? The difference in size was not so great with children, and it was likely that the prejudices between beastkin, dwarves and elves would decrease.


    Of course, now was not the time. They had a job to do right now. And so Maki and Chiharu got into the box with Zynis and Ortha.


    ¡°Well, see you again!¡±


    They said, and then the birdfolk quietly took off. The waving catfolk and the village between the mountains grew smaller and smaller.


    ¡°So, how did you like the cat village?¡±


    Zynis asked as Maki and Chiharu enjoyed the view below.


    ¡°Yes, it was so¡­¡±


    Chiharu didn¡¯t know what the right word was.


    ¡°Maybe it was because of their size, but they felt quite close to humans. But it might also be because we never saw children or elderly beastkin before.¡±


    Chiharu nodded. And then Maki said,


    ¡°Aside from that, the hot spring was really great.¡±


    ¡°Yes. We now have one more place that we want to return to.¡±


    Chiharu said with a laugh.


    ¡°In fact, I have a reward for you two. At first I thought that it could wait for when we finish the work in the dungeons, but I asked Sauro, and he¡¯s going to take a longer route now.¡±


    ¡°A longer route?¡±


    ¡°A longer route?¡±


    They said in unison. Now that they thought about it, the mountain range that was the border to the shadow world wasn¡¯t getting any closer for a while now.


    ¡°Basically, we are going to dogfolk territory. See? Look down below.¡±


    When they did, they saw that they had now passed the forest and there was a vast prairie below them. Aside from small groves here and there, all of the grass was the same height. The color of the prairie seemed to change every time that the wind blew. And when they looked in the direction that was opposite of the mountains, they could see the glimmering sea. It went as far as the eye could see.


    ¡°Sauro will start flying low soon, so you should look at the ground.¡±


    Perhaps they had been alarmed by the shadows of the birdfolk in the sky, as a large herd of deers were bounding away.


    ¡°A lot of animals that are a food source for us live here.¡±


    What! These deers were for food then.


    ¡°Unlike humans, we don¡¯t have to raise livestock. Our lands are so vast that there is plenty for us to eat.¡±


    Indeed. Both humans and beastkin needed to eat in order to survive. Maki and Chiharu were a little embarrassed about their initial surprise.


    ¡°However, we don¡¯t go out of our way to hunt the larger creatures. And so we have a good relationship with them. Look over there. Near the forest.¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an elephant!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the elephant that promised to carry us. It has no natural enemies here, and lives a leisurely life. And so it will be happy to carry you if you ask.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    After seeing the elephant, the box rose into the air again and headed towards the mountains. On the way, they rested on some flat land, and then continued their journey. When the mountain got closer, Chiharu suddenly rubbed her arms with her hands.


    ¡°What is it, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    She felt uncomfortable, but she wasn¡¯t sure why. Instead, it was Maki who muttered an explanation.


    ¡°Chiharu. The miasma is so thick.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Zynis and Ortha were looking around as if they had just realized this.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Ah, maybe I didn¡¯t notice it at first, because I was close to you two.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s so thick and disgusting. Even more than inside of the dungeon.¡±


    Indeed. It was rushing into their bodies so quickly that she felt goosebumps all over her skin. It was moving faster than their ability to purify it.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been three days since we left the dungeon. And it wasn¡¯t this thick back then. I wonder what happened here.¡±


    Zynis muttered. But no one was able to answer him.

 CH 130

    In Front of the Dungeon


    While they felt a strong sense of unease, they still had to move forward. The mountains that separated them from the Shadow World were getting closer.


    ¡°I can see it!¡±


    Zynis said. Maki and Chiharu looked down from out of the window. There was a carved out mountain, much like the one they had seen in the dwarf lands, and in front of it was a wide open space where many people had gathered.


    ¡°What are they doing standing there? Why aren¡¯t they going inside!?¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s mother.¡±


    It was rare to see Zynis this annoyed.


    ¡°Leia? What is she doing?¡±


    Zynis¡¯s eyes were boring down into the ground as the box slowly descended towards it. Sauro and Saikania probably wanted to get down as soon as possible, but they were considerate of Maki and Chiharu, which the two were very grateful for.


    However, Maki and Chiharu¡¯s wish to descend in the corner so that they wouldn¡¯t draw too much attention was not granted. And the box descended in the middle of the crowd of people.


    There was a light clunk as the box touched the ground. Zynis seemed to have calmed down considerably by this point, and he looked at Maki and Chiharu with a serious expression.


    ¡°It seems like they are arguing about something. The dogfolk and white birdfolk are on the left, and the brown birdfolk are on the right. I don¡¯t know what they are talking about, but there is no point in staying here. Let¡¯s go. Are you fine with that?¡±


    Well, it was not as if they had a choice. They could see all the people outside, but Sauro and Saikania were standing close to the box. And on Zynis¡¯s signal, Sauro opened the door from the outside. First, Zynis and Ortha got out and looked around. Then they offered their hands to Maki and then Chiharu, and pulled them out.


    That¡¯s when the talking, that had not stopped with Zynis¡¯s appearance, suddenly became quiet.


    ¡°Are they the current Saintesses?¡±


    ¡°They do have dark hair.¡±


    ¡°And they are small.¡±


    ¡°Tiny.¡±


    Chiharu was annoyed by the number of comments about their height. She wasn¡¯t that much smaller than the catfolk.


    However, this was no time to be affected by such comments. They were so close to the dungeon¡¯s entrance, and yet the beastfolk were not even looking at it.


    ¡°Leia. I brought the Saintesses. But what is happening here?¡±


    Zynis addressed a golden-haired dog person who was standing to the left side.


    So this was Zynis¡¯s wife. Maki and Chiharu looked at her happily.


    ¡°Zynis. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    Leia had a rather low voice that was somehow calming to listen to, even though she was clearly irritated.


    ¡°Ever since this morning, the birdfolk will not listen to us. It would be fine if they were merely refusing to work. However, they are even getting in the way of our monster hunting. What do they think will happen when the dungeon starts to overflow?¡±


    ¡°Leia, don¡¯t bunch us up altogether.¡±


    Said a white bird person.


    ¡°Miragaia!¡±


    Maki shouted. He looked like an older version of Sauro, with longer hair and a more gentle personality. It was the current chief of the birds.


    ¡°Oh, Maki. And Chiharu. It¡¯s good to see you here.¡±


    Miragaia seemed incredibly pleased to see them.


    ¡°Tsk. The chief is biased towards the Saintesses!¡±


    Someone said from the right side.


    ¡°It¡¯s not biased. It¡¯s only natural to show respect to the Saintesses who purify this world.¡±


    Miragaia said in reply. But when Chiharu looked, she saw a brown-feathered bird person who seemed to be the same age as Miragaia. He was folding his arms and glaring. Up until the incident at the hot spring, she had a very good impression of them. And even though she knew that it was wrong to judge people by appearances, she couldn¡¯t help but feel dislike towards him.


    Then the brown-feathered bird person turned around. The usually large and beautiful irises were dark and cloudy. Chiharu felt herself take a step back.


    ¡°Well¡­well¡­¡±


    She had never heard someone talk so viciously.


    ¡°So this is the reason that my sons were disciplined.¡±


    He was the father of those rude birdfolk! As usual, Maki tried to move in front of Chiharu, but this time Chiharu held her back and stepped forward.


    ¡°The reason that your sons were disciplined was because they stubbornly tried to watch us at the hot spring. And they wouldn¡¯t leave when we asked them. It¡¯s not our fault. It¡¯s theirs.¡±


    Perhaps he had not expected them to argue back. The bird person became speechless.


    Chiharu was generally a forgiving person, but she disliked people who acted wrongly as if it was nothing.


    And so she could overlook a lot of the behaviour of the birdfolk, but not the ones from yesterday. On top of that, this one was trying to put the blame on them. Chiharu held Maki¡¯s hand then, and Maki squeezed back. It will be fine.


    ¡°We came here because we heard that the situation was dangerous. But I guess you have things under control. If you don¡¯t need us here, we will leave. What will you do!¡±


    Maki¡¯s cool voice echoed. The tension between the two groups seemed to relax, and they all looked at each other hesitantly. Then Leia let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°We are the ones to invite you, and now this happens. I¡¯m terribly sorry. I know that it¡¯s only an excuse, but we don¡¯t usually fight like this.¡±


    She shook her head as if to get rid of invisible cobwebs. It was no wonder. The miasma was even thicker down here. It wafted around and seemed to envelope them.


    ¡°A while ago, the dungeon monsters became more aggressive. And they keep trying to go upwards. And so we have no choice but to wait outside of the dungeon and hunt them when they come out.¡±


    Leia said as she looked towards the dungeon.


    ¡°As you can see, the entrance is very big. And so the gazers that come out from the top need to be taken down by the birdfolk. And yet the birdfolk have been fighting since this morning. Unfortunately, some monsters have already gotten away.¡±


    Chiharu followed Leia¡¯s gaze away from the dungeon and to the opposite direction. Then she touched her chest and closed her eyes. The beastfolk watched this and started to mutter to each other.


    Maki gently put a hand on Chiharu¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re still close by.¡±


    ¡°Yes. But more importantly, the monsters in the dungeon are getting restless.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I told the monsters in the dungeon to wait a little longer.¡±


    Maki also closed her eyes next to her and sensed the feelings of the monsters.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re saying that they waited all this time. And that they can wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s go to the monsters who are outside. Zynis!¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    Zynis had been watching over them, but he responded immediately as he turned to Leia.


    ¡°Leia. Give the order. The Saintesses will call the monsters now. Tell the others to move away from them.¡±


    ¡°Zynis. There¡¯s no need for this. It¡¯s an emergency, and our rank doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but¡­¡±


    It was an emergency, but the two were acting like they were in their own world together.


    ¡°Fine. It¡¯s my job, after all. Now, the Saintesses will start to purify the monsters! All of you! Give them some room! Stand back!¡±


    Leia¡¯s voice echoed around them. Now, it was time to work.

 CH 131

    Those who go round and round


    Maki and Chiharu stood side by side. Their backs were to the dungeon as they looked towards the forest in front of them. And from their foreheads, something beautiful and opalescent glimmered as they fell to the ground. New magic stones immediately started to grow on their foreheads.


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    ¡°The magic stones of the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so beautiful¡­¡±


    Leia felt that the hearts of the beastkin were calming down. And as she focused on the air around them, she did feel that the miasma had become thinner.


    ¡°So this is the power of a Saintess¡­¡±


    As Leia muttered, Chiharu called out to the monsters that had already left the dungeon.


    Like turning a switch in her heart, she focused on the gazers. Within the vast forest, she saw them moving towards settlements where people lived. As they were much farther away than the monsters in the dungeons, it was not easy to read their emotions.


    Chiharu closed her eyes tightly and narrowed her eyebrows. Connect. Connect. Connect to the tired, floating gazers.


    Maki felt her silent prayer as she kept her eyes on their surroundings. Even though Zynis and Leia were there, no, it¡¯s because they were there, she could not be insensitive to the fact that there were others who had less than good intentions.


    The incident at the Midland castle and the rescue mission of the merfolk chief. The others sometimes assumed that just because they cared for the Saintesses, everyone must as well.


    Maki did feel that the majority of the people they had met up until now were good. However, the most dangerous were people like Saia, the merman.


    ¡°That¡¯s what a Saintess is.¡±


    In other words, those who didn¡¯t even see them as real people. Those who seemed to treat them well at first, but would gladly cut them off if it suited them.


    However, was there really a danger of that happening here?


    ¡°The birdfolk.¡±


    Maki kept her awareness directed at them without looking at them directly.


    ¡°Their curiosity and innocence can be troublesome when pointed at us. However, we were still able to become friends with Sauro and Saikania. However¡­¡±


    Maki thought about it.


    ¡°Is it because Saintesses are good at gathering miasma and creating magic stones? Is that why some see us as objects?¡±


    Of course, she was probably overthinking it. However, the birds who had come to the hot spring did not do it out of malice. It was just curiosity. And Maki thought that was even more frightening.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Chiharu seemed to have noticed something.


    ¡°I connected. They seem tired after all. But also happy. They didn¡¯t know how far they would have to travel.¡±


    ¡°I see. Poor things.¡±


    If Chiharu had been able to connect, it would be easy for Maki. And so Maki closed her eyes and searched in the direction of the forest.


    ¡°Zynis. What are the Saintesses talking about?¡±


    ¡°Leia. You should already know. The Saintesses are able to hear the voices of the monsters. They must be listening to the gazers who are scattered in the forest now.¡±


    Leia muttered as she looked towards Maki and Chiharu. Leia was also fond of cute, small things. After hearing about the Saintesses, she had looked forward to meeting these cute and interesting people.


    And so it was quite regrettable that they had to meet under such tense circumstances.


    Chiharu was making a fist in front of her chest and her eyebrows were narrowed. Maki stood next to her as if for protection as she kept her eyes towards the forest.


    ¡°So cute¡­¡±


    Leia looked like she would melt just watching them, and so Zynis put an arm around her waist for support.


    ¡°This is not the time for that.¡±


    She said, slapping his hand. Ortha watched them with a conflicted expression. Still, the atmosphere was more relaxed than a moment ago.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    Maki looked up. It was a gazer.


    ¡°Look! A gazer!¡±


    A bird person who was flying in the air warned them. The gazer seemed to be swaying from side to side as it headed towards the Saintesses.


    ¡°Birdfolk. Do not touch them.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    They started to protest Zynis¡¯s command.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You can leave it to Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    Sauro said. And so they backed away. However, they were still cautious. As they waited, more and more started to appear in the sky. After a while, there were so many that it seemed like they were a part of the forest.


    ¡°To think that so many had come out¡­¡±


    Leia was in shock.


    ¡°Perhaps they have all been going out at night, when it¡¯s harder to notice them.¡±


    The gazers that Maki and Chiharu saw were all large, and very tired looking.


    ¡°It was crowded? Too many monsters? But you are monsters as well.¡±


    While the beastkin looked like they would pounce at any moment, the largest gazer came right up to Chiharu. She put her hands to both ears and tried her hardest to read its heart. It wasn¡¯t as if she would be able to hear its voice through her ears, but she felt like it would help her concentrate.


    ¡°In this life that goes round and round, I¡¯ve never had this many comrades.¡±


    Chiharu said. And the beastkin stirred in surprise.


    ¡°Shh. Be quiet.¡±


    Leia said in a sharp voice.


    ¡°As you taught us, we tried combining into one inside of the dungeon. But even then, it was too crowded and suffocating. Normally, we slowly grow larger and head outside of the dungeon. But we were now forced to rush out.¡±


    Why had they multiplied so much in the first place? Why were they in this situation? Zynis had so many questions. However, he knew that there was no point in asking them now.


    ¡°So, what happened inland. The gazers here all know about it.¡±


    We go round and around, after all. The answer came to Chiharu.


    ¡°Have you had enough?¡±


    The gazer swayed gently. It was about the same size as Chiharu, and it now pressed its forehead against her extended hand. And then as if it was collapsing into itself, it lost shape, and shrunk down into a magic stone that clinked onto the ground.


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    ¡°So this is the power of the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°How wonderful.¡±


    As the beastkin muttered in awe, Zynis, Ortha, Sauro and Saikania noticed that Chiharu was a little different from usual. She was wiping sweat from her forehead. And her breathing seemed heavier as well.


    However, Maki stood next to her and they nodded as their eyes met and she held Chiharu¡¯s left hand. Then she looked back at Chiharu in surprise, but Chiharu just shook her head and looked forward once again.


    And then she raised her right hand while Maki raised her left.


    ¡°Now, come.¡±


    We¡¯ll return you to magic stones.

 CH 132

    Worried about the little ones


    Everything after that was astonishing for the people of the beast lands. The gazers lined up politely. And one by one, they were turned into magic stones. The Saintesses stood there, kind and calmly, as the opalescent glimmers fell from their foreheads.


    It seemed that they were on the verge of danger, but there was no need to attack the monsters. They were just returning to their natural form now. That was all.


    ¡°Huh. So they can turn monsters into magic stones. That¡¯s impressive.¡±


    ¡°So the rumors about them were true. They aren¡¯t just cute, they can also defeat monsters.¡±


    Said Ramo and Moa, who were watching from the sky. However, they were caught by Sauro and Saikania, and were knocked out of the air.


    ¡°What are you doing! That¡¯s dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Yes! We were just watching the Saintesses purify the monsters!¡±


    ¡°You! You were supposed to have been punished for watching the Saintesses in the hotspring! Why are you free!¡±


    Sauro said angrily. Ramo and Moa showed no signs of feeling guilty.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so boring. Surely it¡¯s fine as long as we don¡¯t get close to them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!¡±


    Sauro scowled. This wasn¡¯t some kind of show that the Saintesses were putting on. And while Maki and Chiharu said that their bodies were fine, he wasn¡¯t so sure.


    ¡°Sonid!¡±


    Sauro called the chief of the hawks.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The chief with brown feathers came to them with a look of annoyance. However, his eyes narrowed when he saw Ramo and Moa.


    ¡°You two!¡±


    Sonid clicked his tongue at Sauro¡¯s words.


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal, father?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only for a short while.¡±


    It was just as Sonid was about to remonstrate them, while also being wary of Maki and Chiharu, that Sauro suddenly noticed something. The scene below them had suddenly become very quiet.


    ¡°The monsters.¡±


    ¡°They stopped.¡±


    Indeed, the gazers that had lined up in front of Maki and Chiharu had stopped as if confused.


    ¡°This is bad.¡±


    Sauro rushed towards them. Chiharu was falling backwards right before his very eyes. Maki was shouting her name. Would he make it in time? He had to.


    Sauro slid underneath Chiharu right before she hit the ground. Her light body hit him and bounced up before leaning limply onto him.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    Maki held onto her.


    ¡°Her hand was hot from the beginning. I think she had a fever.¡±


    Her voice was shaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s fine. Humans get fevers all of the time.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    Maki looked up as Sauro called in a gentle voice.


    ¡°The monsters are worried. Saikania!¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Saikania swooped down and made a suggestion to Maki.


    ¡°You two reduced their numbers quite a bit. So we should be able to handle the rest. What do you think? If you want us to do it, we¡¯ll take on the monsters.¡±


    She said, and then her hand transformed into the talons of a bird.


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool¡­ No! Sorry. I was so surprised that I lost my calm. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    Indeed, there were still a lot of monsters left. But it wasn¡¯t enough to cover the sky.


    ¡°Sauro. You take care of Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    ¡°Saikania. I¡¯m going to do what I can.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    Maki stood up and put a hand to her chest in order to listen to the voices of the monsters. Out of the two of them, Chiharu was actually better at this. But Maki was also a Saintess. And she could hear their voices.


    The small one is hot. Won¡¯t move. Is she okay?


    Surprisingly, the monsters were worried about Chiharu.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. This happens to humans sometimes.¡±


    Should I suck out the heat?


    ¡°Huh? No, no. The heat is also necessary. You don¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    Besides, they might just end up sucking the life out of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s just me now. But let¡¯s do it!¡±


    Maki stretched out both of her hands, and the monsters came forward as if they had been waiting. Even though she was alone now, the burden was the same. It would just take a little longer.


    Clink. It was quite late in the evening by the time the last monster was turned into a magic stone. Phew. Maki put her arms down as those around her clapped their hands. Some were even stomping on the ground and raising their voice. Their passionate applause enveloped the grounds.


    As she wiped the sweat from her forehead, Zynis and Leia approached her.


    ¡°Maki. You surprised me.¡±


    Leia said excitedly. Next to her, Zynis watched with kind, but also worried eyes. He was about to hug Maki, but she stopped him.


    ¡°I still have more work to do. Can you wait a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Work?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The monsters in the dungeon.¡±


    At those words, everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards the dungeon¡¯s entrance. It didn¡¯t look like anything was coming out. When they looked back at Maki with relief, she was already talking to the monsters while still gazing at the entrance.


    ¡°They said they can wait. So can they come out¡­?¡±


    Maki muttered. Leia grew tense.


    ¡°They say that they will stay away from anything warm, and won¡¯t suck anything. So can they come out?¡±


    ¡°The monsters?¡±


    ¡°Yes. They say that there are so many of them in a tight space, and it¡¯s suffocating.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    Leia crossed her arms and thought about it. It should be fine if they didn¡¯t attack anyone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to discuss it with the others. But can you really handle all of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The monsters want to be returned to magic stones. But they are so tired of waiting in such a crowded place. And they want to wait in an open area.¡±


    ¡°Will they really wait until morning?¡±


    Maki put a hand to her chest again.


    ¡°They said that they will.¡±


    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll hold a meeting right now. You should get some rest, Maki. Sauro has already taken Chiharu to a place where she can sleep.¡±


    Leia gave the order, and they and Zynis started to walk through the crowd.


    ¡°Now, Maki. Let¡¯s hurry up and go to the lodging house before this mob gets you. And I¡¯m sure you¡¯re worried about Chiharu.¡±


    Said Ortha.


    ¡°Yes. I think it was a fever because she was just tired, and not because of the magic stones. But I¡¯m still worried.¡±


    Chiharu had insisted that she would do it, and would not listen.


    ¡°This is a dungeon, after all. There aren¡¯t any luxurious inns, but there is a small lodging house for the occasional human visitors. Ah, there it is.¡±


    As Ortha and Maki rushed to it, one of the workers there happened to be walking towards them.


    ¡°Sauro should have brought Chiharu here.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Sir Sauro. I¡¯ll take you to the terrace room on the first floor then.¡±


    ¡°First floor? Shouldn¡¯t a woman be on the second floor? And besides¡­¡±


    ¡°That was the only room that a bird person could enter. Oh, but isn¡¯t it so romantic? Love between people of different races.¡±


    What was this worker going on about? Ortha and Maki¡¯s mouths dropped. Then they looked at Saikania. Saikania scowled and shook her head. It was ridiculous.


    ¡°But he was holding her so tenderly as he carried her into the room.¡±


    It was ridiculous. But perhaps it would be unwise to leave them together. And so the three rushed to the room.


    Thanks for reading. The series has recently been completed(Chapter 163) on Patreon, if you want to read until the end. There are also a few bonus chapters that will be posted soon.

 CH 133

    Enveloped in Wings


    They heard that the two had entered the room through the terrace, and so the three rushed to it immediately. There was indeed a large, double door connected to the outside, which would make it easier for birdfolk to enter if they folded their wings.


    Saikania was about to burst through the door, but Maki stopped her.


    ¡°Wa-wait. We should still knock first.¡±


    ¡°If you say so, Maki.¡±


    Saikania took a step back. Maki hurriedly knocked on the door.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Came Sauro¡¯s voice from inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s Maki.¡±


    ¡°Oh, come in.¡±


    While he was talking quietly, there was no hesitation in his voice. Ortha and Saikania looked at each other and nodded. Then Saikania opened the door.


    They saw a round table with two chairs in front of them that had been placed there so you could eat while looking outside. The bedroom was separate from it, and there was a large screen in front of the bed. That¡¯s where the voices were coming from.


    ¡°Sauro?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re here too, Saikania. Chiharu is sleeping, so keep your voices down.¡±


    They were relieved to hear Sauro¡¯s calm voice as they made their way around the partition. However, Maki was shocked at what she saw. There was a very large, double bed there, and Sauro was lying on it and looking quite cramped. Chiharu was lying right next to him. She was sweating and it looked like it was painful to breath.


    She was also wrapped up in Sauro¡¯s wings as if something precious. Saikania¡¯s wings shook as she sighed.


    ¡°Is that enough heat? Should I help you warm her up?¡±


    She said worriedly as she rushed to the bed.


    ¡°I could change my form too and stick close to Chiharu? I think this bed is too small for birdfolk anyway.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    Sauro seemed to understand it, and so he pulled away his wings with a look of regret, and got off of the bed.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    She rushed towards Chiharu and felt her forehead. While it was hot, it wasn¡¯t as hot as she had dreaded. And while she was relieved, she started to wonder if it wasn¡¯t because Sauro was so hot that Chiharu¡¯s temperature had risen. However, Maki had not been able to accompany her, so it could not be helped. More importantly, Chiharu seemed to be sweating now. Perhaps it would be better to help her cool off.


    ¡°It would be even warmer with two dogfolk.¡±


    ¡°Birdfolk are better at keeping warm, we just need more space.¡±


    ¡°No, it would be better for a small cat person to stick to her.¡±


    The three were having a dangerous conversation.


    ¡°Wait, wait. All of you, wait.¡±


    Maki said, and the three turned to look at her.


    ¡°I think her temperature has risen enough. She¡¯s not shaking anymore. I actually think letting her cool down a little will help her be more comfortable. So there¡¯s no need to warm her now.¡±


    ¡°But, chicks should be warmed.¡±


    ¡°Uh, Chiharu is not a chick.¡±


    Apparently, she was like a baby bird to Sauro.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of letting someone cool off. We have to warm her.¡±


    ¡°Do beastkin ever get heat strokes?¡±


    ¡°Heat strokes? We don¡¯t even get that hot in the first place.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It was no use. They couldn¡¯t think of anything but warming her. Maki was the only human here, and could rely on no one.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s just tired, but I¡¯ll stay with her tonight and watch over her. And if she doesn¡¯t start recovering by tomorrow, we can call for a human doctor.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    The three looked quite relieved to know that it wasn¡¯t serious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go and tell the others then. She has a slight fever and is mostly just tired.¡±


    ¡°Yes. This room is too cramped for all of us anyway.¡±


    So saying, Sauro and Saikania left the room.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think anything would happen. And I¡¯m glad that it was the case.¡±


    Ortha said with a sigh. Really. Chiharu was just warmed up a little. That was all.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that there can be romance between the different races. However, humans and beastkin will rarely be drawn to each other due to differences, including shape. And it is especially true for birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I think there¡¯s a big difference in how we think.¡±


    ¡°I understand that. Chiharu is always struggling. Well, I think she¡¯s mostly given up.¡±


    Ortha chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s much easier if you just stop trying when it comes to them. Really.¡±


    After that, some cool water and towels were brought to them, and Maki did her best to cool Chiharu down and make her drink water that night.


    ¡°Hmm. Huh? Maki-chan?¡±


    Chiharu awoke with the bright morning light. She saw that Maki was sleeping next to her. She wasn¡¯t sure what had brought about this situation. They had been turning gazers into magic stones yesterday and¡­ Ah.


    ¡°The gazers!¡±


    She shouted as she sat up. Her head hurt a little.


    ¡°Ouch. Is this a hangover?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Chiharu.¡±


    Maki opened her eyes as well.


    ¡°How do you feel? It¡¯s not a hangover. You had a fever and were put in bed.¡±


    ¡°But what about the gazers?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I returned them all to magic stones. More importantly¡­¡±


    Maki sat up and stuck her forehead to Chiharu¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Hmm. Yes. It seems like the fever is gone. Good. Now you should drink some water.¡±


    Maki got out of the bed and poured some water from the pitcher next to the bed.


    ¡°Here, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    The cold water poured down her throat and Chiharu realized that she was much more tired than she thought. After she was finished drinking, she lay down on the bed again. Maki also got back onto the bed next to Chiharu and began to laugh.


    ¡°Maki-chan?¡±


    ¡°If you only knew, Chiharu. When you fainted, Sauro caught you and carefully carried you all of the way here.¡±


    ¡°Ahh, how embarrassing¡­¡±


    Chiharu covered her face with both hands.


    ¡°And so we came back here frantically after I finished with the gazers. And then you were here in this bed¡­¡±


    Maki stopped there because she couldn¡¯t stop laughing.


    ¡°Hey, tell me the rest! What happened?¡±


    ¡°Chi-Chiharu¡­ You and Sauro were in the same bed and¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Do you mean¡­¡±


    With Sauro? Chiharu¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly.


    ¡°He had his wings wrapped around you as if protecting a baby bird.¡±


    Both of them laughed for quite some time after that.


    ¡°Ahhh, it¡¯s so funny.¡±


    ¡°Really, there really wasn¡¯t any point in worrying about someone like Sauro.¡±


    As they stared up at the ceiling, Maki suddenly became serious.


    ¡°The beastkin warm each other up when they feel ill. I realized yesterday that they see us like chicks or children¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. But we¡¯re nearly the same size as the catfolk.¡±


    After a short while, there was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Maki said, and then Ortha entered.


    ¡°How is Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°Much better.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    Ortha said in a relieved voice.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I have to talk to you about something.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the other gazers in the cave, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We decided what to do about them, and so we need you two to tell the gazers.¡±


    On closer inspection, there were small bags underneath Ortha¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Was there a very long meeting last night?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Well, how about some breakfast first?¡±


    They needed a good meal before going to work.

 CH 134

    No Fever


    Yesterday, they had started work as soon as they arrived in the beastlands, and then Chiharu had collapsed in the evening. Only Maki had had a light meal, so neither of them had eaten anything substantial.


    And since Chiharu was just recovering, breakfast was brought to their room.


    Ortha herself carried the large tray with something steamy on top.


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    What is this? It looks so delicious.¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but say.


    ¡°Father told me that you¡¯d want to eat something with meat. Well, this would usually be eaten for lunch or dinner, but we had some saved from last night.¡±


    The first thing on the tray was a large plate with a mountain of meat slices. And it was surrounded by much smaller bowls.


    ¡°And here we have beans, pickled Oilia seeds, steamed vegetables, ham, fruits, and bread.¡±


    The last thing that was brought out was some flatbread that resembled nan.


    ¡°You can eat it like that, but it¡¯s also good if you put this on top of the bread. And then we have some tea here.¡±


    A pot of tea had been prepared. Ortha raised an eyebrow and asked if they wanted some. They nodded. And so she poured the black tea into thick, white cups.


    ¡°Green tea isn¡¯t very popular over here. But the tea in this area is also good, so please try it.¡±


    That was how their breakfast started, and though it seemed a little heavy for someone who was recovering, it was incredibly delicious. There was no sauce on the meat slices, and yet they tasted of spices and light salt. It was surprisingly refreshing.


    ¡°This must be mutton.¡±


    ¡°We ate a lot of mutton in the dwarf lands! But it tasted different¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dwarves make a lot of stews?¡±


    Answered Chiharu as Ortha looked at her gently.


    ¡°The beastland territories that are close to the sea are especially warm, and so they produce a lot of spices.¡±


    ¡°I would have thought beastkin would dislike spices, as they have sensitive noses.¡±


    Maki thought about Rasche.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we have good noses that we can tell if spices are good. What an odd child you are. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be good to use too much of it, though. Well, how is the meat?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s slightly spicy but also has a complex flavor that is very different.¡±


    Chiharu said. Ortha nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°If you get bored of it, try adding some of the beans and Oilio seeds with the bread. Yes, like that.¡±


    ¡°Woah! It tastes different!¡±


    ¡°I think I prefer it like this.¡±


    The two continued to eat excitedly. In the end, the only thing that remained was the fruit.


    ¡°It looks like a watermelon.¡±


    ¡°Oh, very good.¡±


    They had green peels while some were red on the inside and some were green. Chiharu remembered that anything that was similar to what they had in Japan was automatically translated into that name.


    And so she picked up one of the pieces that were cut into small triangles and took a bite.


    ¡°Mmm! It¡¯s good!¡±


    ¡°So juicy!¡±


    They were very happy.


    ¡°It¡¯s still only just the end of summer. These watermelons are in season until pretty late.¡±


    ¡°It was only the middle of summer in Japan.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? Here they grow from the beginning of summer until autumn. And you can find them anywhere in the beastlands.¡±


    So they would be able to eat much more. Chiharu loved watermelons and was happy to hear this.


    Chiharu ate as if to make up for the lack of dinner last night, and before she knew it, her headache had gone away. Ortha looked at her apologetically.


    ¡°Maki. Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll head to the cave as soon as we wash up.¡±


    They answered. Ortha nodded.


    ¡°Then I will be waiting in front of the balcony.¡±


    After being told to come out from the balcony, Maki chuckled as she realized that she had yet to use the door. She felt like a bad person.


    The two quickly took a shower and then went outside through the double doors. But it wasn¡¯t Ortha who was there, but the birdfolk.


    ¡°Sauro. I heard that you carried me yesterday. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. So your fever has gone down.¡±


    Sauro said as he picked up Chiharu as if she were a child. This meant that he had to look up at her.


    ¡°Sa-Sauro.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes were moving a little frantically. Sauro ignored this as he pressed his forehead into hers.


    ¡°You¡¯re cold.¡±


    Saikania took Chiharu away from him with exasperation and put her down on her feet. Chiharu¡¯s face was bright red.


    ¡°Oh, is the fever coming back?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    Chiharu waved her hands in front of her face furiously. Maki was rolling on the floor and laughing.


    ¡°Sa-Sauro¡­¡±


    Maki wiped away the tears from her eyes and explained in Chiharu¡¯s place.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t even realize that you¡¯re handsome, do you?¡±


    ¡°Handsome?¡±


    ¡°Humans find you very attractive.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Sauro¡¯s eyes widened a little. Then he turned to Saikania, who was smiling.


    ¡°Sister.¡±


    ¡°What, brother?¡±


    ¡°Am I handsome?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I don¡¯t look at you like that.¡±


    ¡°Neither do I.¡±


    They both looked puzzled. Ortha, who was also laughing, tried to explain.


    ¡°Birdfolk judge a person¡¯s attractiveness based on their wings, skill at flying, and their ability to take action. They don¡¯t really care about the face.¡±


    Ortha chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s one way that father is a little different. He just does whatever he wants.¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t come off that way at all.¡±


    Maki thought of Zynis as being responsible and reliable.


    ¡°He¡¯s so reliable and cool.¡±


    ¡°Well, finding someone appealing is not the same as falling in love with them. Don¡¯t you agree, Maki and Chiharu? After all, it¡¯s just like how you may think Sauro is handsome, but you don¡¯t fancy him.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Sauro had been getting a little carried away by the initial compliment, and so he couldn¡¯t help but object a little.


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t be standing here and wasting time. We need to go to the cave.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Now that I think about it, the gazers are awfully quiet.¡±


    Chiharu put a hand on her chest. Maki also frantically searched for the presences in the cave.


    ¡°Ahh, they seem a little worried. They were waiting for Chiharu to get better. Let¡¯s hurry!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Even though some of them treated Maki and Chiharu like baby birds, many were worried about them. And that made them feel warm inside.


    That being said, a small part also felt that they were being made to work a little too much.

 CH 135

    Out of the cave, and to the wide world


    As they rushed to the front of the cave, they saw that many beastkin had already gathered there.


    It wasn¡¯t just Zynis and Leia, there was Miragaia and the birdfolk, as well as the catfolk. Nearly all of them were Adventurers. And while there were only a few, they also saw some humans among them with swords on their belts.


    On the other hand, most of the beastkin were unarmed. Apparently, it was easier for them to fight with their bodies. While Maki and Chiharu were a little intimidated by the amount of people gathered there, they were pulled forward by Sauro and Saikanaia, who walked boldly.


    ¡°Maki, Chiharu. Especially Chiharu. I¡¯m sorry to have to call you to work when you just fainted yesterday.¡±


    Leia looked worriedly into Chiharu¡¯s face. Perhaps it was because she had eaten breakfast, but she looked well. Zynis too inspected her with a concerned expression, but he quickly seemed relieved.


    ¡°You said that the monsters wanted to come out of the caves because there is not enough space? And they promise not to do anything?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They both nodded at Leia. She gave a tired laugh. There were bags underneath her eyes.


    ¡°We debated about it, and decided that it¡¯s worth a try. After all, we cannot deal with the situation with Adventurers alone. But then again, you might faint again if we only rely on you.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±


    Chiharu was about to say that she had just happened to be tired, but Leia shook her head and glanced at Maki. In other words, it was best to make the others think this so as to prevent them from being overworked in the future. Maki nodded and gently pushed Chiharu¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You birdfolk. I¡¯ll need you to spread out over a wide area so that the monsters don¡¯t wander too far away!¡±


    Leia said, and then Miragaia raised his hand. At the same time, the white and brown feathered birds flew up into the air.


    ¡°The rest of you will stay here!¡±


    Chiharu put a hand to her chest and closed her eyes as she started to talk to the monsters.


    ¡°You can come outside. But don¡¯t go close to any people. And don¡¯t go far away.¡±


    Finally. She could feel them thinking in relief, and Chiharu and Maki nearly burst out laughing.


    After that, they felt their joy at being able to come out into a wide open place.


    Before they knew it, the area was filled with the familiar buzzing that sounded a lot like bees. As everyone watched, gazers started to come out of not just the gate, but also the crack on top of the cave.


    ¡°They¡¯re coming out of there¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no wonder they were able to escape in spite of the cave being guarded¡­¡±


    They now knew why there had been so many monsters in the forest. After the first came out, the others kept coming out of the gate and all the cracks in the caves. Eventually, four-legged monsters started to come out as well. Things became very tense for a moment, and some of the beastkin transformed into their beast form. However, the monsters only walked a short distance away from the cave and then sat down quietly.


    As for the gazers, they were wandering around a little more freely. And so the birdfolk had to scare away the ones that were getting too close to the forest.


    ¡°Seeing them like this, you can tell that even monsters have different personalities, with gazers being more free.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the gazers were always the only ones to come to any of the towns.¡±


    The relatively smaller gazers were especially active. The beastkin were so stunned that they couldn¡¯t move. They had never been in a situation like this before, where monsters weren¡¯t attacking them.


    Maki and Chiharu had a feeling that these small gazers might do something, and so they called them over. The gazers came to them gladly, and it seemed like they were in this excited state because they had just been born. They were just like the gazers they had met inland, which was very amusing to Chiharu and Maki.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t calm down, why don¡¯t you combine into one?¡±


    Some of the beastkin watched the Saintesses talking to the monsters with expressions of disbelief. Maki felt a little exasperated. Hadn¡¯t they seen her turn all of those monsters into magic stones yesterday?


    On the other hand, the gazers agreed that this was a great idea, and they started to combine, one by one.


    ¡°But don¡¯t get too big. You¡¯ll just get in the way.¡±


    Maki said, and so they obeyed her. Once they had settled down a little, they started to drift away.


    ¡°They didn¡¯t have to combine right in front of us.¡±


    It was funny how it was like they were children who wanted to show off.


    Eventually, the beastkin started to become restless. Especially the catfolk. A few of them moved towards Leia and started to talk to her. Leia was shaking her head at first, but then she walked to Maki and Chiharu with a troubled expression.


    ¡°Um, the thing is¡­¡±


    What was it? Maki and Chiharu tilted their heads to the side.


    ¡°This might make you two feel sad, but there are some people who can¡¯t help but get restless around so many monsters. Some of them have this strong itch to hunt them down. The catfolk in particular. It¡¯s hard for them to let so many gazers drift by without doing anything.¡±


    It was clear that Leia was very uncomfortable. And when Maki and Chiharu looked around, they saw that the beastkin who had looked so stunned a moment ago were now looking at the monsters as if they were prey. Some of them seemed like they were on the verge of pouncing.


    If they were being honest, Maki and Chiharu did not want to see the gazers being cut down with swords. It was no wonder, as they could communicate with them. However, they also knew that what they were doing was not much different from the Adventurers.


    ¡°Wait. Let me ask the gazers.¡±


    It was times like these that Chiharu often took the initiative. Maki too listened to the gazers as she watched over Chiharu.


    ¡°Huh? Yes. Yes.¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice in surprise. Maki also gasped.


    ¡°What happened with those two?¡±


    ¡°Mother, the gazers must be saying something that is funny.¡±


    As Leia and Ortha talked, Zynis folded his arms and looked at the gazers above them. He was


    Smiling more broadly than usual, and his tail was wagging. It was clear that he was in a good mood.


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the boyish side that makes Zynis so attractive¡­¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡±


    Both of them were in positions of leadership here, and yet they had an odd side to them. It had troubled Ortha more than a few times.


    ¡°Oh? It looks like they have finished talking.¡±


    Apparently, Leia hadn¡¯t just been staring at Zynis the whole time. Maki and Chiharu looked both amused and a little troubled as they came to Leia.


    ¡°Um, about the monsters¡­¡±


    Chiharu opened her mouth.


    ¡°First, the four-legged monsters. They said that they can¡¯t be bothered and would rather have us turn them into magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    Maki was laughing a lot today.


    ¡°As for the gazers¡­¡±


    What did the flying gazers say? Leia and Ortha gulped and waited to hear the next part. At this point, Zynis had also joined them.


    ¡°They said that they are ready when we are when it comes to turning into magic stones. But they also said that they¡¯d rather it not happen by the likes of Adventurers.¡±


    ¡°The likes of¡­they said that?¡±


    ¡°They said that the Adventurers could try if they wanted, but that they shouldn¡¯t expect it to be easy.¡±


    Chiharu said with a troubled face. The gazers were kind and cute when around them, but she knew that it wasn¡¯t the case for others. As for Maki, she seemed to find it very funny. Once she calmed down, she said,


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it better if it¡¯s not one-sided? Now, Leia. Tell the others that they can attack if they want to, but the gazers will attack back as well!¡±7

 CH 136

    Squishy


    If you want to hunt monsters so much, go ahead. We were born to be part of a cycle anway. This was what the gazers had said.


    ¡°However, the four-legged monsters can¡¯t be bothered. They said that if you have to fight, it should only be against the gazers.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t be bothered¡­¡±


    Leia had a faraway look in her eyes. They had fought so hard against the monsters in the dungeon. Well, they did it because they enjoyed it, but she had also believed that it was for the benefit of all beastfolk. However, she now knew that monsters had a will of their own, and they found the whole thing to be a boring hassle.


    It was difficult to accept.


    That being said, the gazers were still up for it. And so the Adventurers were satisfied. Besides, this way there would be less of a strain on the Saintesses. There were no downsides at all. Leia was quick to see this and so she switched gears.


    The beastfolk gathered together and held a meeting. But they did wonder why they had stayed up so late talking the previous night. Had they known that they would be able to fight, things would have ended a lot sooner.


    And so under Leia¡¯s supervision, a clearing was made in front of the cave, and everyone who wanted to fight gathered there.


    Just as before, the four-legged monsters were sitting on the ground with disinterest, but some of the gazers gathered around as if they were curious to see what would happen.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    Said Leia.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    Several catfolk said as they stepped forward.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if this will turn out the way that you¡¯re all expecting.¡±


    And then one of them called out the gazers.


    ¡°Come at me!¡±


    The buzzing echoed around them, and then one by one, the gazers started to come towards them.


    Then the catfolk changed their form in a flash. It was their second form. Maki had already seen the dogfolk transform, but this was the first time she had seen catfolk do it.


    ¡°Ahh¡­¡±


    Chiharu held her hands together tightly.


    ¡°The paws! The paws!¡±


    Not the eyes.


    ¡°Yeah, I wonder if they have toe beans.¡±


    ¡°Well, Zynis had them.¡±


    ¡°Huh? How do you know, Maki-chan?¡±


    Chiharu had also been there that night when they returned from inland, and they had slept while leaning against Zynis and Ortha. She knew how wonderful their fur was. However, she had been much too embarrassed to ask if she could rub their bellies or look at their paws.


    ¡°It was back in Tram.¡±


    ¡°That far back?¡±


    They wouldn¡¯t have had any time to go out into town after returning to Midland.


    ¡°When we were busy and had to separate. Zynis transformed just his hand and showed me. Like this.¡±


    Maki made a gesture as if she was accepting something.


    ¡°I see. They would hold it up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. And so I was able to see it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. In any case, it¡¯s nice to know that there are toe beans on those palms of his.¡±


    As they talked like this, the catfolk began to jump towards the gazers, who had arrived but were still up at a great height.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    They jumped much higher than their own height and swung at the gazers. They thought they heard the sound of something cutting through the air, but perhaps they were just hearing things.


    Regardless, the gazers lost their shape and fell to the ground as magic stones.


    ¡°The gazer said that it had let its guard down¡­ Those were its last words.¡±


    ¡°Gazers¡­¡±


    There was nothing sad in its voice. It was just the truth. Upon seeing this, the other catfolk started to jump in the air as well. But the gazers also moved to a higher position. Now they were well out of reach, but would occasionally fly lower as if to mock the catfolk.


    ¡°The gazers seem to be having fun.¡±


    ¡°The small ones are especially active.¡±


    ¡°I guess they couldn¡¯t all unite. Ah, one of the catfolk has lost their balance!¡±


    Perhaps there was something on the ground, as he tripped over and fell. One of the small gazers then floated down towards him.


    As if being lured by this, the other small gazers also gathered around until the cat person was covered like a black clump.


    ¡°Huh, wait? Didn¡¯t I tell them that they shouldn¡¯t get close to any people?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did say that, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°What happens when gazers get close?¡±


    ¡°I think they get their life force sucked out and they die¡­¡±


    They looked at each other and started running towards the gazers. They could only sense curiosity and feelings of joy from the gazers. It was clear that they had forgotten their promise about staying away. But then again, it had been these people who had the gazers come close, as they wanted to hunt them.


    But the black clump broke away before the two reached it.


    ¡°Agghh!¡±


    The shout echoed, and then the cat person swung sharp claws to the right and left, turning the gazers into magic stones. The remaining gazers drifted back up into the air. Because it got boring? What were they talking about now?


    ¡°Come back! Fight! I¡¯ll shred you up with my claws!¡±


    The cat person shouted loudly.


    Maki and Chiharu thought that this cat person was a lot scarier than the gazers who had surrounded him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    They said and then tried to leave.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    A voice called out to them. It was the same cat person. They hesitantly turned around.


    ¡°Hey, you two.¡±


    They didn¡¯t want to answer.


    ¡°You can call the gazers, right? Then call them back here.¡±


    What was he talking about? Maki and Chiharu were stunned. And so the man repeated the order.


    ¡°Call the gazers. So I can tear them up.¡±


    He said as he raised his right hand and showed his claws.


    ¡°Yes, he has toe beans.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    But she had to joke to get through this situation. This brute of a man was talking roughly to them while flashing his claws. She was so scared that she could faint. Of course, it would be over if she did. And so Chiharu stopped herself.


    The others noticed the change and looked towards them.


    ¡°Maki? Chiharu?¡±


    Leia called. Well, it would be fine if the others were watching.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Stop! Don¡¯t come any closer!¡±


    Maki was angry now.


    ¡°What are you going on about? Do it yourself if you want to hunt them so much. Why should we have to help you?¡±


    ¡°AHH!?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are? Scaring a fragile woman with your claws like that. Ridiculous. I can¡¯t believe this!¡±


    She said, and then started to push Chiharu¡¯s back as they walked away. However, the man quickly moved up to them and grabbed Maki¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    Maki pushed Chiharu away a little and then turned around to glare at the cat. This seemed to make him recoil just a little.


    ¡°Why should we wait?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­I¡­uh¡­¡±


    It seemed that he didn¡¯t even know himself. He shook his head and then his hand stretched out towards Maki once again.


    This guy. Maki clenched her hands into fists. She checked her feet once and then lunged towards the cat person. And just like that, she slammed a fist into his stomach, and then took a step back. Behind her, Chiharu let out a small gasp.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Of course, Maki¡¯s punch would do almost nothing to the hardened body of the beastfolk.


    ¡°Good one, Maki!¡±


    ¡°Excellent!¡±


    Zynis and Leia shouted happily. But Maki wished that they had intervened instead.


    ¡°Ah¡­I¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you awake now?¡±


    Maki was still making a fist and looked like she was ready to pounce. The man brought a hand to his stomach with a puzzled expression. His other hand was swaying to the side.


    Maybe he needs another one. But before Maki could do anything, Chiharu stepped forward.


    ¡°Chiharu, it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Chiharu reached out towards the cat person. Then she grabbed his hand, which had fallen limply.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    And then a magic stone fell from Chiharu¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°Feel better now?¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes¡­¡±


    He was completely calm now, and touched his own forehead with a mystified expression.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s miasma, Maki-chan.¡±


    Chiharu said as she turned to look at the worried Maki.


    ¡°Miasma?¡±


    ¡°Yes, also¡­¡±


    ¡°Also?¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s mouth went close to Maki¡¯s ear.


    ¡°His toe beans were quite squishy.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    Maki had been so worried. Hmph.

 CH 137

    Suction Power


    The cat man shook his head and then walked away on unstable feet.


    ¡°Really, what was that?¡±


    Maki was still fuming.


    ¡°I think you were too close to see it, Maki-chan.¡±


    Maki tilted her head at Chiharu.


    ¡°Like I said earlier, the miasma.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡±


    As the two talked, the spectators started to gather around them.


    ¡°That was impressive, young lady.¡±


    ¡°What did you do? We use claws as our weapons, so I rarely see anyone punch like that.¡±


    And so Maki was surrounded once again. On the other hand, some of the cat folk were still fighting the gazers in the clearing. Apparently Chiharu had said something to the gazers, and they stopped getting carried away so easily.


    ¡°Uh, it¡¯s a form of martial arts from back home. I never thought I would actually use it.¡±


    Maki had never actually done it to someone before. That being said, it was only done to surprise him a little. She would have hurt her hand if she hit him harder.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Teach us how to do it.¡±


    The beastfolk shouted as they gathered around, much to Maki¡¯s annoyance. She told them that she didn¡¯t have the time, but they would not listen to her. It was no wonder, since Sauro was just the same. However, she was just about to have an important conversation with Chiharu. And so Maki was getting very annoyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s something we need to talk about.¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s small voice echoed.


    ¡°It¡¯s the short Saintess.¡±


    ¡°So they have business.¡±


    ¡°I guess it can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    The people who were around Maki muttered as they moved out of the way.


    ¡°Wait a minute! I mean, you don¡¯t have to wait. But why do you only listen to Chiharu?¡±


    Maki was right to question them.


    ¡°Uh, because¡­¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you feel bad if you didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t feel bad for me?¡±


    But they ignored Maki¡¯s question.


    ¡°This happened a lot in Japan as well.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­ It¡¯s not fair.¡±


    ¡°Now, now¡­¡±


    Chiharu chuckled.


    ¡°If anything, I¡¯m the one who is jealous that men treat you as an equal.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m jealous that they treat you like a girl.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu thought back on their life with nostalgia.


    ¡°But men in both places¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. They don¡¯t even realize how much we dislike the way they treat women differently.¡±


    They agreed. After all, even if a man treated you like a lady, it would all be for nothing if he was then rude to your friend.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure the beastkin didn¡¯t mean to do that. They¡¯re just impressed by your strength, Maki-chan.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right. By the way, about what you were saying earlier¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Come over here.¡±


    Chiharu took Maki and they moved away so that they could see the clearing where the others were fighting.


    ¡°Look. Where the gazers are gathered and crashing into people.¡±


    ¡°Let me see¡­¡±


    While it wasn¡¯t as much as before, there were some people who were surrounded by gazers. Chiharu had said something about miasma. Maki squinted her eyes. Miasma wasn¡¯t something you could see with your eyes, as it was more of a thickness in the air. And so it could be difficult to detect. Still, she could tell that it was thick around the gazers. As for the people nearby¡­


    ¡°Wait, wait. I can sense miasma inside of their bodies!¡±


    ¡°Right? Look at that person.¡±


    There was someone near the corner who was surrounded by gazers.


    ¡°He¡¯ll start becoming strange soon.¡±


    Chiharu said calmly. And her prediction became a reality.


    ¡°AAAAAAHH!¡±


    The man shouted, and then started attacking the gazers viciously. Someone tried to stop his reckless attacks, and ended up being attacked as well. Ultimately, the man had to be restrained.


    ¡°What is wrong with you! Calm down!¡±


    ¡°Keep holding him! Maki-chan, watch from a distance!¡±


    Chiharu shouted as she ran towards them and tried to put her hand on the man from behind. Maki watched this from a distance, just as she was told.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to touch his back and¡­no, wait!¡±


    Maki expected her to touch him gently, but Chiharu slapped the cat man hard on the back before turning to look at Maki.


    ¡°Ah, the miasma was pushed out!¡±


    Then she touched him again, this time softly.


    ¡°Uh, the miasma was sucked in.¡±


    When Chiharu moved her hand away, the other cat people let go of the man as if to see what would happen. Then the violent cat person looked around in puzzlement, as if he had just awoken.


    ¡°What-what was I¡­¡±


    ¡°You went wild out of nowhere and even attacked us. But you seem to have returned to yourself after the Saintess hit you. Still, I¡¯m the one that wants to know what happened.¡±


    ¡°I was surrounded by the gazers and started to feel dizzy. After that, all I could think of was defeating those who were right in front of me. I¡¯m not sure what happened after that¡­¡±


    ¡°I think the miasma got you. You should probably rest for awhile.¡±


    Chiharu said to the cat person.


    ¡°Oh, uh, thank you.¡±


    And then he wandered off somewhere.


    ¡°I¡¯m still not sure what happened¡­¡±


    The others muttered. And so Chiharu decided to warn them.


    ¡°In any case, please be careful so that the gazers don¡¯t surround you.¡±


    ¡°O-okay.¡±


    And then Chiharu returned to Maki.


    ¡°So?¡±


    She laughed.


    ¡°So?¡±


    Maki could only chuckle awkwardly.


    ¡°I realised it when you punched that guy in the stomach. The miasma flew out of his back and disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t suck it in as a Saintess?¡±


    ¡°If you did, I couldn¡¯t see anything. Maybe it flew out because you threw such a good punch. Anyway, I was able to see it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what I saw just now!¡±


    ¡°Right? And then I wondered if that was why they were acting strange. And so I thought that I should just suck in the rest of the miasma.¡±


    ¡°I see. That was very observant of you.¡±


    Maki was impressed by Chiharu¡¯s explanation. Leia and Zynis were listening right next to them.


    ¡°In other words, being attacked by monsters isn¡¯t about having the life sucked out of you, but having miasma put in you?¡±


    Zynis muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°But now that I think about it, casualties from monsters always happen within the dungeons, and I never really watched someone carefully as they were weakened by monsters.¡±


    ¡°I have.¡±


    Maki turned to look at Zynis.


    ¡°Yes, Zynis used to fight in the dungeons when he was younger. Before he became a goodwill ambassador.¡±


    Leia looked proud for some reason. Chiharu thought that Zynis must have been especially dashing during that time.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a number of people die.¡±


    ¡°Well, perhaps there are several steps. First they become violent from the miasma, and then they slowly weaken.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. However, we can¡¯t exactly put it to the test.¡±


    Now that two of them had gone down, the catfolk had become cautious. Fewer of them were surrounded by gazers now.


    ¡°Hmm. But I have a bad feeling about this. It seems like we¡¯re sucking in the miasma as well, but more of it spreads when the gazers move around like this. And so it¡¯s not getting thinner over all.¡±


    The miasma was thick in the area, and the catfolk looked like they were out of breath.


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough now. All of you! It¡¯s time to finish this!¡±


    The catfolk looked surprised when they heard Leia¡¯s voice, but they pulled away to the corner of the clearing while remaining cautious of the gazers. As for the gazers, they spread out, and looked a little disappointed.


    ¡°Do you think we can do it, Maki-chan? Let¡¯s try getting rid of some of the mana here.¡±


    ¡°Uh, you mean by our own will?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. We suck it in automatically, of course. But I wonder if we can accelerate it.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    And so Chiharu and Maki stretched out their hands. They thought posing might help.


    ¡°Come!¡±


    ¡°Gather! Huh? It¡¯s really coming! Ah.¡±


    Not only was the invisible miasma coming towards them, but a few of the nearby gazers also looked like they were being pulled as they turned into magic stones.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Are we vacuum cleaners now?¡±


    The highest suction power. The only Saintess in the world. The advertisement shot through Maki¡¯s mind.

 CH 138

    Overly High Adaptability


    ¡°Nevermind suction power.¡±


    ¡°Nevermind? I think it¡¯s very important.¡±


    Chiharu reacted to Maki¡¯s words, but Maki had already moved on as she quickly looked to the right and the left.


    ¡°Did anyone else see that?¡±


    ¡°If you mean the gazers disappearing, then I saw it.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Zynis¡­¡±


    The enemy wasn¡¯t to the right or left, but behind them. Well, except that Zynis wasn¡¯t an enemy.


    ¡°I like you two, and so I was watching with great amusement. However, no one actually sees the movement of miasma. And so I don¡¯t think anyone knows what it is that you two did.¡±


    Zynis said quietly. Maki sometimes wondered. Zynis was like the ultimate witness. He saw everything, but tended to find it amusing. She wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about that. He clearly enjoys watching us. Well, I guess it¡¯s fine, since he also treats us so well.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved that no one saw it. It¡¯s not like we¡¯ve ever been used for anything evil before, but if I¡¯m honest, it would be difficult to keep up if people started asking us to do even more work.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Yes, you¡¯ve worked very hard since your arrival. And yet I would not be surprised if they¡¯ve already forgotten that Chiharu had a fever.¡±


    Zynis muttered as if reminding himself. Maki suddenly remembered as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Chiharu. How do you feel now?¡±


    ¡°You forgot all about it too, didn¡¯t you, Maki-chan?¡±


    ¡°Sorry¡­¡±


    She had been thinking about it up until a short while ago.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s still better than those people who kept insisting they wanted to fight the gazers, only to get beaten and affected by them, and end up having to be rescued.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu, they can hear you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡±


    Chiharu chuckled at Maki¡¯s frantic voice. Clearly she had said this knowing full well that the catfolk were walking towards them. Maki felt a chill as she realized that Chiharu was still angry. One of the catfolk stepped forward as a representative, and apologized awkwardly.


    ¡°Saintesses. We are¡­uh, sorry¡­¡±


    ¡°We met a lot of people in the cat village, like granny and Alyssa. And none of them were the types to threaten a woman like that.¡±


    Chiharu said with annoyance. It was all a bit of a blur, but that had happened. It had been scary being followed and grabbed like that. And so Maki couldn¡¯t blame Chiharu for being upset. Of course, she also didn¡¯t want to say anything and have Chiharu¡¯s anger directed her way instead.


    ¡°While these are unusual circumstances, we can¡¯t allow the Saintesses to be overworked. Thankfully, the monsters are calm now. They will not attack as long as you do not attack them. So why don¡¯t you all calm down?¡±


    ¡°You are right, Zynis. We got over excited as this was something so different. So, you two visited the cat village? Thank you.¡±


    Well, there was nothing she could say to that. And so Chiharu calmed down as well.


    ¡°Now that things have been settled, we¡¯ll be holding a feast. I hope you two will join us?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    Did she sound a little too hungry? Well, Chiharu had been fuming a moment ago and was unlikely to change that quickly, so Maki had no choice but to answer like that for them. It wasn¡¯t that she was that excited for a feast.


    Maki told herself this.


    It was the day that Chiharu¡¯s fever withdrew, and only the second day since they arrived at the dungeon.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it an emergency request because the dungeon was overflowing?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already finished? Hey, do you think it¡¯s already finished?¡±


    They had to ask this question, as the scene before them was so lacking in any kind of tension. Several fires had been set up, and each one had a slab of meat being roasted over it. One had numerous skewers of chicken stabbed around it, while another had some meat they didn¡¯t recognize being spit roasted over it. The fires were set up like a barbecue, so that the juices of the meat went into a tray and would not be wasted.


    Of course, vegetables were also being grilled as well. Not only that, but since they were the Saintesses, they were served first. And like that, Maki and Chiharu had more food than they could eat sitting right in front of them.


    While only the human Adventurers were drinking alcohol, several of the beastkin had already started to get into fights, just like they had in the cat village. Others watched and cheered, and there was a lively atmosphere.


    ¡°Why do you look so unsatisfied? It¡¯s because of you two that this tense situation has been resolved. You should enjoy it with everyone else.¡±


    Leia was carrying a small barrel of ale as she sat down heavily in front of them. Zynis was smiling broadly as he enjoyed some meat close by.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you haven¡¯t had enough to drink, yes? Look, I brought some ale.¡±


    She said as she poured it into wooden cups. Of course, they accepted it gladly. Oh, hadn¡¯t Chiharu only just recovered from her fever? But Maki kept her mouth shut as Chiharu had glared at her.


    ¡°Ahhh! Drinking after a hard day¡¯s work. No, but really. How do you all adapt so quickly?¡±


    ¡°Adapt? What do you mean?¡±


    Leia looked at Maki quizzically. Leia¡¯s fur was golden, and looked exactly like Rasche.


    ¡°You¡¯re very cute, Leia.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Maki, are you already drunk?¡±


    Leia replied gently as Maki hugged her. She wasn¡¯t drunk, but she had suddenly started to miss Rasche.


    ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not it.¡±


    Maki said as she returned to herself and moved away.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all worried about the monsters?¡±


    ¡°Monsters? Ah, but didn¡¯t you say they wouldn¡¯t do anything as long as we left them alone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ No, but¡­ They were all fighting just a moment ago.¡±


    Maki was wondering about the monsters. The four-legged monsters that had been resting by the forest were now looking at them curiously and moving closer. And the gazers were flying like shadows above the fires.


    Apparently, these gazers had never seen fire like this before. And she could tell that they found it terribly interesting.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the beastkin. Even the human Adventures seem so used to this situation.¡±


    It was as if the gazers were now part of the scenery.


    ¡°And that is also because of you two. Thank you.¡±


    Well, there was nothing more to say about that now.


    ¡°Hey, you!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    Just as Maki had decided to stop caring and enjoy her drink, someone called out to her.


    ¡°That punch you threw earlier. Show us more of that.¡±


    ¡°The karate? I remember the moves, but I can¡¯t actually fight anyone, alright?¡±


    ¡°Moves? That¡¯s fine. Just come over here.¡±


    Maki looked towards Chiharu.


    ¡°After what happened yesterday, I think I¡¯ll go to sleep early today. But you can stay here, Maki.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Zynis. It¡¯s just over there.¡±


    Chiharu laughed at how over-protective they were.


    ¡°Really, I would actually like to watch your karate, Maki-chan. But I¡¯ll have to endure not seeing it. So you go and have fun.¡±


    ¡°It does seem quite fun. Alright, I¡¯ll go!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll watch you.¡±


    They said as they waved. However, Maki and Zynis would later regret sending Chiharu to return by herself.

 CH 139

    What fell with a splash?


    Something wasn¡¯t right.


    When Maki showed them her karate, the beastfolk became very excited. Many of them wanted to try it as well. But karate wasn¡¯t as simple as it looked.


    Besides, she had to move while pretending that someone was there. But Maki was a serious teacher, and the beastkin were attentive students. And so they all enjoyed their time together.


    And so even though the gazers started to move frenziedly above them, it was assumed that they had just become excited as they watched. They also didn¡¯t notice that the four-legged monsters had started to move towards the forest. Even the anxiety and anger welling up in her chest was something she dismissed as excitement from doing something that she hadn¡¯t in a very long time.


    After some time had passed, the beastkin returned to their tables and the gazers calmed down. Maki drank the last of her ale and then stood up.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to go rest now.¡±


    ¡°Maki, thank you for everything. Both yesterday and today. Since you two have brought down the number of monsters considerably, we should be able to manage from tomorrow. And I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll receive reinforcements in no time.¡±


    Leia also nodded gratefully.


    While she was tired, it had been an interesting day. But it was definitely a lot, considering Chiharu had just been sick yesterday. Maki thought as she looked up at the night sky. Chiharu was probably already asleep, but she should head back quickly anyway.


    This time she entered through the front of the building with a smile, instead of going through the window. Then Maki asked the people at the desk which room she should go to. She was told that their room was on the first floor.


    Yesterday, she had accidentally fallen asleep on Chiharu¡¯s bed, but there had actually been two prepared for them. Maki accepted the key and was about to head towards the room but suddenly stopped.


    Why had she been given a key? Well, there were two of them. And some inns had keys for every person staying in that room.


    Maki turned back to the front desk.


    ¡°Um, Chiharu, the other Saintess. She¡¯s already here, right?¡±


    ¡°No. We did hear that two would be staying, but you are the first one we have given a key to.¡±


    ¡°What? She¡¯s not here?¡±


    Maki froze.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    She said before rushing to the room.


    ¡°She must have gone through the window. Yes.¡±


    Maki was so frantic that her hands wouldn¡¯t move properly, but she somehow managed to push the large metal key into the keyhole and push open the door.


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    She said quietly. But there was no reply. It would be too bad if Chiharu was asleep, but it was so dark in the room that Maki was forced to turn on the light. Then she peered over the partitioning screen.


    ¡°Huh? Chiharu isn¡¯t here¡­¡±


    The bed had been made and there were no signs of it having been used. And when she looked around the room, she couldn¡¯t sense Chiharu¡¯s presence at all.


    Her heart began to pound in her chest and she felt as if something was strangling her lungs.


    ¡°Sh-she must be in a different building. Yes.¡±


    Their belongings were still in the same corner of the room. But perhaps it had been too much work for her to move it.


    ¡°But I still have to make sure. Yes. I won¡¯t be able to sleep soundly until I see Chiharu¡¯s face.¡±


    Maki muttered to herself as she left the room.


    ¡°Um, I can¡¯t find my partner. Is there another inn?¡±


    ¡°There is, but it¡¯s a rough place for Adventurers. I don¡¯t think that a normal lady would stay there.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­but can you tell me where it is?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in the back. But there will be many drunkards at this time of night. I can¡¯t recommend that you go. If you are worried, perhaps you should tell Miss Leia first.¡±


    The staff advised her kindly.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. It will be better to ask her than panic by myself. Thank you!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s very late. You should hurry up so you can rest.¡±


    And with those warm words, Maki ran out of the inn. The gathering was just over there. She could see Leia and Zynis talking happily.


    ¡°Oh, Maki? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. She¡¯s not in her room.¡±


    ¡°What? You should have the same room as yesterday.¡±


    Leia said with suspicion. But Zynis put out a hand in front of Leia.


    ¡°Zynis?¡±


    She asked. But Zynis turned to Maki.


    ¡°Maki. What about your belongings?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still there. Even if she got her room wrong, surely she would have taken her stuff?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. So something must be wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Immediately, a wave of anxiety rushed over her.


    ¡°Wh-what should I do¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    Zynis stood up and embraced Maki, who was starting to shake.


    ¡°Maki. Calm down.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It might be nothing. I know you two are close. Do you have some kind of special connection as Saintesses?¡±


    Maki suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Through the gazers! If Chiharu is connected to the gazers!¡±


    Yes, now that she thought about it, the gazers had been acting strangely! Maki was angry at herself for not realizing it sooner. However, she would do what she could now.


    She made a fist and pressed it tightly to her chest. Gazers. Gazers.


    What is it? She felt the emotions of the gazers. They did not seem anxious at all.


    What should she ask them? They didn¡¯t understand vague questions.


    ¡°Do you know where Chiharu is?¡±


    She asked bluntly. The gazers above looked restless.


    Some of us followed her¡­but we¡¯re not fast enough. Some of them have tired and fallen down.


    ¡°Fallen? What do you mean?¡±


    And then Maki could see it. Gazers that were chasing something at top speed. They were not able to maintain their shape, and they turned into magic stones as they fell.


    ¡°Splash?¡±


    A lake? Sea?


    ¡°The sea¡­don¡¯t tell me¡­¡±


    As Maki seemed to mutter to herself, Zynis and Leia watched. They wanted to say something but couldn¡¯t.


    It was the view from several gazers. Maki felt dizzy as she watched. However, the shadow that was likely Chiharu was only getting farther away.


    In that case, she needed to ask a different question.


    ¡°Tell me about what happened after Chiharu left the bonfires.¡±


    She could feel them thinking hard. Something approached Chiharu, wrapped around her, took her away.


    ¡°Wait, wait. She was kidnapped again?¡±


    ¡°Maki!¡±


    ¡°Leia, don¡¯t bother her.¡±


    They moved, stopped and flew up again.


    ¡°The birdfolk¡­don¡¯t tell me!¡±


    ¡°The birdfolk!¡±


    ¡°Wait. Another question¡­ Uh, what did Chiharu say?¡±


    Maki was already shaking, but she tried her hardest.


    ¡°She was surprised. And then she said Maki¡­help¡­¡±


    Tears fell from her eyes, but she had to hear the rest.


    ¡°They say that she was wrapped up in cloth and couldn¡¯t see. However, she was being carried. The person had whispered to her. Saying she will be freed.¡±


    You can do it. Hold yourself together Maki. Be strong.


    Maki cut off the connection to the gazers and planted her feet firmly in the ground.


    ¡°Chiharu was wrapped up in something and put in a box of some kind as she was abducted. The gazers sensed the sounds of wings. And they flew over some water, but they gazers don¡¯t know where.¡±


    ¡°The birdfolk? The birdfolk took her! Bring Mira and Sauro here!¡±


    Zynis shouted. Was it really the birdfolk? But they had said something about freedom. Wasn¡¯t that what Sauro always talked about? Maki shook her head. It wasn¡¯t about who was right or wrong. She couldn¡¯t blame herself right now.


    Right now, they needed to search for Chiharu. She couldn¡¯t forget what was important. Maki looked at the birdfolk rushing towards her with a desperate expression.

 CH 140

    Where Chiharu Went


    ¡°What is it, Maki? Why are you shaking so much?¡±


    The birdfolk rushed to her. But it was Sauro and not Miragaia who first noticed that Maki was acting differently. And she looked so pale.


    ¡°So you hawks are here too.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening this late into the night?¡±


    The leader of the brown feathers was clearly annoyed by Zynis¡¯s words, but they had gathered together and come quickly.


    ¡°Chiharu is missing.¡±


    ¡°Again!¡±


    Sauro¡¯s outburst would normally have been very funny. However, it was now a very serious reality.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have called all of us if she had just gone missing for a short while. Maki and Zynis. What happened?¡±


    Surprisingly, it was Miragaia who calmly understood the situation.


    ¡°First, as for how we know she is gone. Chiharu was supposed to have retired to the inn early tonight, as she had a fever just last night. And as you all saw, when Maki returned to the inn after showing off her karate, she found out that Chiharu had never come to the inn. And there were no signs of her having moved her belongings. That is the reality. Next, I¡¯m sure that you¡¯re all aware that a Saintess can communicate with the gazers. So this information is from them. Maki.¡±


    Zynis first explained the current situation to them, and then allowed Maki to take it from there. Maki told herself to calm down and then explained everything in order.


    ¡°From what the gazers told me, Chiharu was suddenly wrapped up in something like a blanket, and was put in a basket. And it seems like she¡¯s being carried over water.¡±


    ¡°Over water¡­ Like a boat?¡±


    Miragaia asked, but Maki shook her head.


    ¡°No. They heard the beating of wings, so they must be in the air.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous. You¡¯re making it sound like the birdfolk are the culprits.¡±


    ¡°Sonid.¡±


    Miragaia quieted the representative of the brown wings. Then he looked towards Sauro.


    ¡°Sauro.¡±


    ¡°I know. I¡¯ll check the box we used to carry them, and find out where Ramo and Moa are.¡±


    ¡°Wait! Ramo and Moa!¡±


    Sonid was both shocked and angry when the names of his two children came up. However, Sauro and Saikania ignored him as they flew off.


    ¡°Sonid, if you cause a scene, we will have to restrain you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you are a representative. If you have nothing to hide, then be quiet and wait.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡±


    Judging by the situation, it was true that those four were the most suspicious. After all, they had watched the Saintesses bathing and then escaped their punishment.


    Saikania was the first to return.


    ¡°The basket is gone.¡±


    She said. While her expressions were difficult to read, it was clear that she was frantic. After some time, Sauro returned as well. Several of the other birdfolk were with him.


    ¡°Ramo, Moa and even Alectro and Erulian are missing. These are the people who were supposed to be watching them. I brought them here for questioning.¡±


    The birdfolk looked like they had no idea why they were there.


    ¡°Where did Ramo and Moa go?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re always being punished, and keep quiet anyway. But now that I think about it, they did go out during the evening and have yet to return.¡±


    They were talking like they didn¡¯t understand why they were being asked such an obvious question. The others were stunned. Maki couldn¡¯t help but open her mouth.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no point in you monitoring them.¡±


    ¡°But we did watch them. Though, we were originally doing a different job, and were asked to step in because there was no one to do the monitoring. And while we did keep an eye on them, it isn¡¯t our job to stop them if they try to leave. Besides, Ramo and Moa are always like that.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the way of the brown wings.¡±


    Miragaia muttered, and Sonid averted his eyes. Miragaia glared at him and continued.


    ¡°Sonid. Right now, we will prioritise the search for Chiharu. You must gather together Ramo and Moa¡¯s followers. It¡¯s not like we know they are the culprits, but I want to know why Chiharu was taken, and where. Maki.¡±


    ¡°Mira¡­¡±


    Maki looked at the ground. She did not.


    ¡°Gazers aren¡¯t very fast. Some of them followed her, but they became exhausted. It was impressive that they were able to keep up at all. But I don¡¯t know how Chiharu is now.¡±


    ¡°I see. Maki, I want you to rest for tomorrow. I just hope that this ¡®water¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean the sea.¡±


    Maki knew that there was no chance of her getting rest when she was this worried. However, Ortha, who had watched the whole thing with a worried expression, stayed with her the whole night. And since Maki was already tired, she was finally able to fall asleep.


    The next day, Miragaia¡¯s ominous words became a reality.


    After hearing of the incident, other birdfolk outside of Ramo and Mora¡¯s entourage gathered together, and it did not take long for them to guess as to where Chiharu had been taken. But upon hearing it, many did not think it particularly strange. Of course, Sauro and Saikania were not among them.


    ¡°Inland?¡±


    Sauro was usually even more composed than Saikania, and it was rare for him to mutter something with such a stunned expression.


    ¡°Why are you surprised, Sauro? It¡¯s because of you.¡±


    The young birdfolk said with bewildered expressions.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that the human territories were so great? We brown wings can¡¯t fly as long as you. And so while we are very curious, we assumed that we couldn¡¯t cross the sea. But thanks to you, Sauro, we realized that we could rest our wings on the merfolk island. And so Ramo and Moa tried it and it was quite easy. If anything, we younger birdfolk probably don¡¯t even need to rest at all.¡±


    They said proudly.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what you¡¯ve been doing when we were out on a mission.¡±


    ¡°You white wings wouldn¡¯t understand, since you were always able to travel long distances. In fact, the white wings weren¡¯t remotely impressed that it took us this long to do it.¡±


    The young brown feathers said with a shrug in reply to Sauro.


    ¡°It is a good thing that your horizons have been widened. It is good that you can travel more. As a brown wing myself, I enjoyed working in the human territories. However, there is a limit!¡±


    It was Cleo, who was also a brown wing, that was angry. Cleo and Kaela were the birdfolk who had helped in the inland merfolk rescue mission. While they were full of curiosity, Maki had no memory at all of them ever slacking on the job. That was why she hadn¡¯t felt cautious when dealing with the brown birdfolk.


    ¡°So, they went to the royal capital inland, and out of curiosity, became friendly with the royals there.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if they were actually royals. But in spite of hearing that the inland people were prejudiced against beastfolk, they were very kind. And they were especially well received at the castle.¡±


    Maki, Zynis and Miragaia looked at them with unbelieving expressions.


    ¡°Ridiculous. Have you forgotten that there is an economic blockade due to their insolence against the Saintesses?¡±


    ¡°What does that have to do with us? You want us to be enemies with people who are nice to us?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there is no need to be enemies. However, it¡¯s true that they have a tendency to look down on us beastkin. Aren¡¯t you even a little suspicious about their intentions?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only you important people who think like that. We just did as Sauro said and traveled as civilians and made friends.¡±


    Sauro looked up at the sky. The birdfolk were free. He had not realized how immature they were to visit other countries while not understanding the people there. At the very least, the representatives of the brown wings should have been given the experience of going to the castles of other countries beforehand.

 CH 141

    Bird Cage


    ¡°However, that doesn¡¯t mean that she was taken inland.¡±


    Sonid said with a pained expression.


    ¡°I think they did.¡±


    Said one of the young birdfolk, without a hint of guilt.


    ¡°After all, the inland people told us all of the time about how the Saintesses were made to travel everywhere and work, even though they¡¯ve only just been summoned. They felt so sorry for them. They were like birds in a cage. And they said that the Saintesses would be able to live freely in their country.¡±


    Maki felt dizzy. She had not forgotten the way that the inland people treated them at the castle. There was no way that they would change their attitude so easily. There must be something behind it all.


    ¡°Hey, you.¡±


    Maki said, addressing the young bird person.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that it was hard for us, having to do all kinds of things and being busy after we came to this world.¡±


    ¡°Right? You seemed so overworked yesterday.¡±


    The bird person said with an innocent laugh.


    ¡°After seeing that, we realized that the inland folks were right. The Saintesses are being overworked.¡±


    There was so much fondness in his voice.


    ¡°However, there are only two things that actually hurt us here.¡±


    Maki continued in a low voice.


    ¡°And the other is your friends.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You wrapped her up in a blanket and took her away without even asking if she wanted to go. What about that is freedom! Is that what freedom is to you?¡±


    Maki¡¯s angry voice echoed around them.


    ¡°Because that is not the kind of freedom that Sauro and Saikania showed us.¡±


    The young brown feathers looked taken aback.


    ¡°Sauro.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    I¡¯ll get her back! Maki was burning with rage. Sauro picked up Maki and was about to take off, but Zynis and Miragaia stopped them frantically.


    ¡°Wait, wait. Why are you so quick to act?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Maki. You don¡¯t even know where she is. If you go without any preparation, what will you do if they pretend to be ignorant?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°You too, Sauro.¡±


    Zynis looked at Sauro quietly.


    ¡°As the next in line, should you really be charging into enemy land directly while carrying Maki? Isn¡¯t there something you and Miragaia should be doing first?¡±


    Sauro¡¯s tense shoulders drooped.


    ¡°You can feel responsible after this is all finished. There are many things that the birdfolk can do. You should do that first.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡±


    Sauro looked at Zynis and then said,


    ¡°About the basket that we think they used, if we carried it without resting, we would be able to cross the sea in about five hours. The birdfolk would be able to reach the sea from here in less than two hours. So even the brown feathers would have likely already reached the human territories by now.¡±


    ¡°This is bad. No matter how much we hurry, they will take her to the inland country. On the other hand¡­¡±


    Zynis turned to look at Maki.


    ¡°Is it possible for you to contact the gazers in the human territories?¡±


    ¡°It would be like a telephone game, but it might work. But gazers move slowly during the day.¡±


    Maki said. Still, she closed her eyes and desperately tried calling out to the gazers.


    ¡°Chiharu might be in the human territories already. Are there any gazers there that I can connect to?¡±


    As Maki said, this would likely be conveyed like a telephone game. However, there were no gazes floating around during the day, and so the chances of finding Chiharu were very low.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but there will likely be more gazers if she does reach it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    They were worried, but there was nothing that they could do. Leia, Zyniz, Miragaia, Sonid, and representatives from the catfolk and human Adventurers all gathered together with Maki and discussed what had to be done. As for Sonid, there were some who brought up his responsibility for not managing the brown feathers.


    ¡°We need as many wings as we can get now. We can deal with the rest after everything is done.¡±


    Miragaia declared.


    Then Zynis began to speak.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t confirmed it yet, but we believe that the Saintess was taken to the inland country. First, we have to decide how we will approach this.¡±


    ¡°They moved in a direction with water last night. In other words, a lake in this country, the dwarf country, and the merfolk island and Midland. We have sent birdfolk to all of these locations. They will be searching from morning and should contact us if they find anything.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miragaia.¡±


    ¡°The next thing to do is to explain the current situation to the human territories, dwarf territory, and elf territory.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that as soon as this meeting finishes.¡±


    They continued to decide what needed to be done.


    ¡°The dungeon team should be returning to the castle in the elf lands soon. It would be faster to have them go directly to the continent than come here first. At the same time, we should send extra messenger birds to Lowland.¡±


    Maki had been quiet up until now, but she suddenly raised her voice.


    ¡°What is it, Maki?¡±


    ¡°According to the young brown wings, she might have been taken inland. However, I don¡¯t understand the reason. Even though we do gather miasma, the inland people hated us. It wasn¡¯t just the childish anger of the prince and princess, even the servants and the king¡¯s brother. I¡¯m sure they aren¡¯t going to hurt her, but I don¡¯t know why they would want her there if they hate us.¡±


    ¡°Maki, that¡­¡±


    Zynis wanted to say that it was important to move first.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the magic stones?¡±


    Answered one of the Adventurers.


    ¡°There are no dungeons inland, so it may sound strange. But unlike the beastkin who fight monsters because it¡¯s ¡®fun,¡¯ or the elves and dwarves who fight because they ¡®have no choice,¡¯ humans fight because they really want magic stones.¡±


    Indeed, there were lot¡¯s of useful things in the human and dwarf lands that used magic stones.


    ¡°To be honest, I sometimes think about how nice it would be to be able to acquire magic stones as easily as you Saintesses. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t be good for our business though.¡±


    The Adventurer chuckled. However, Zynis and Sauro looked at one another.


    ¡°There was a dungeon inland¡­ Is that where they took her?¡±

 CH 142

    Chiharu, the Night Before


    ¡°The dungeon?¡±


    Said a stunned Adventurer. Indeed, they had not told the leader¡¯s of every territory about the dungeon yet. And so the humans here did not know about it.


    ¡°It was discovered recently. And while the news hasn¡¯t been made public yet, we know that there are gazers there.¡±


    Zynis explained calmly.


    ¡°Ridiculous. In the human territories! If it was left alone without anyone noticing, then civilians would get hurt!¡±


    ¡°We know that there is a dungeon inland now, but we don¡¯t know how big it is, and what they are doing about it. After all, they seem to be keeping it a secret.¡±


    The human Adventurers looked like they could not believe it.


    ¡°They are the farthest country from the Shadow World. So even if there is a cave, I don¡¯t know why there would be any monsters.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s the truth. I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes.¡±


    Zynis folded his arms and looked towards the sea. It was the direction of the human lands.


    ¡°They don¡¯t know how fond we are of the Saintesses, who have gone through the trouble of visiting the dwarf, elf, and beast lands.¡±


    ¡°Zynis¡­.¡±


    In spite of the royal family, the people in the town where Maki had sold the oranges were all friendly. She just hoped that Chiharu was alright. That nothing had happened to her. As she stood next to Zynis and gazed at the sea, Maki could do nothing but pray.


    ¡î¡¡¡¡¡î¡¡¡¡¡î


    The day before. Chiharu watched Maki walk away with the beastkin with a slight feeling of longing, and then slowly headed to the inn.


    Maki was always the center of attention. It didn¡¯t matter if she was around men or women. This was because Maki wasn¡¯t the kind of person to build up walls, and also because she didn¡¯t look very girly. But Chiharu was a little withdrawn, and even when she tried her hardest, she was always treated like a lady. And so she couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous.


    Men and women should be able to be friends. Even now, while Chiharu and Maki were busy working as Saintesses, they had a number of people that they could call friends. It was so wonderful to be able to live without everything being immediately connected to romance.


    When she had almost reached the inn, Chiharu turned back one last time to look in Maki¡¯s direction.


    Yes. She will continue to work hard tomorrow.


    Just then, she thought she heard the beating of wings. But when she turned to see what it was, something like cloth came over her head. The first thought that came to her was that it was similar to the water spider cloth that the merfolk had given her. Before she understood what was happening, something else was wrapped around her over the cloth.


    ¡°Hey! What?¡±


    She shouted out in surprise, but she was then picked up and held vertically.


    Well, that was a new one. Chiharu thought for a second. It was probably because the fever hadn¡¯t gone away completely. If there was one thing she should have been doing now, it was to scream at the top of her lungs.


    Chiharu finally started flailing her arms and grunted and groaned, but the person carrying her ignored all of this as they continued to carry her away.


    ¡°Now, here.¡±


    The voice was quiet, but she had heard it before. She was gently placed down in a sitting position, but for a long while, the person did not let go of her. Once Chiharu had calmed down, a voice whispered to her.


    ¡°You had a fever yesterday? And yet they still made you work so late? I used to think Sauro was a good, free person. But now he only cares about making you both work. It¡¯s not right.¡±


    Yes, that voice. It was that brown-feathered birdfolk. Nemo. And Moa. The ones who came to the hotspring!


    It¡¯s not right? But if they didn¡¯t do that, the gazers would have flooded into the beast lands.


    ¡°We will set you free. Just wait a little while longer.¡±


    The voice moved away from Chiharu, and just as she started to struggle again, she heard the sound of a lock clicking shut, and then she felt that she was floating. Floating?


    ¡°Is this the box we rode when coming here? Damn it. Am I being abducted?¡±


    Chiharu finally realized it. Indeed, this had happened often enough since coming to this world. Still, she had not expected it to happen again.


    ¡°Maki-chan. Help me! Maki-chan!¡±


    However, the cloth muffled her voice, and she could not get out. Not only that, but since she was wrapped up tightly, it was difficult to move her arms. In the meantime, she could sense that she was being carried up into the air. But the box did not let any of the wind get through, and so she was not cold, at the very least. However¡­


    ¡°Let me say this¡­¡±


    Even though she was wrapped up and in a box with no one else, Chiharu grumbled to herself.


    ¡°You guys are terrible at flying! It¡¯s shaking so much, and you keep going up and down. If you want to abduct someone, how about you practice first!¡±


    However, her mutterings were not audible to the birdfolk, and it wouldn¡¯t help them fly better anyway.


    ¡°I know. There must be something that I can do. Last time, I dropped the merfolk scales, but I can¡¯t even move my arms now. Besides, I sold most of them, and I don¡¯t even have the pouch with me. And the last time I was wrapped up, Maki-chan was with me. Maki-chan. That¡¯s it! The gazers!¡±


    Now that she had finally thought of it, Chiharu closed her eyes and concentrated.


    ¡°Damn it. I feel sick if I close my eyes and look down. Uhh, alright. I have to look up and¡­¡±


    She looked up underneath the cloth and then closed her eyes before calling out to the gazers.


    Precious child!


    There! Behind? To the side? Did the gazers follow me while I was frantic and couldn¡¯t do anything?


    She wasn¡¯t sure if they even called her precious child. But Chiharu was sure that they were trying to call her.


    ¡°Gazers. Gazers. I am¡­ Currently wrapped up in a cloth and flying in the sky. Can you see what is happening from the outside?¡±


    Two large shapes, like birdfolk. And two others on the side. But the moonlight is not bright enough to make out their faces. They are flying over the dark forest.


    She could hear the frantic voices of the gazers. We¡¯re not fast enough to keep up with the birdfolk. We¡¯ll be left behind. Precious child. Should we weaken the birdfolk? The gazer¡¯s emotions came to her like this. She could feel their anger.


    ¡°Weaken? No. No, you can¡¯t do that.¡±


    While Chiharu was happy to know that the gazers were following, she also felt a chill go down her spine. If I just gave the word, the gazers would surround the birdfolk and suck the life out of them. No, that¡¯s not it. They would invelop them in miasma and weaken them. She could not allow it.


    We¡¯ll follow for as long as we can. But if we get separated, call the gazers near your destination¡­


    There had been many gazers at first, but one by one, they grew farther and farther away. While Chiharu continued to be connected to them, she was still tired from her fever, and from being wrapped up. And so she eventually fell asleep.


    Precious child. You just have to say one word¡­


    The birdfolk let down the box once they reached the beach. When they saw that Chiharu was sleeping, they rewrapped her and then traded places before flying out over the sea. They didn¡¯t even see the gazers that were following them. They only felt a sense of elation at being able to free the Saintess.

 CH 143

    Birdfolk Festival(Highland)


    They say that if you kept traveling through the mountains behind the castle, you would reach the edge of the Sun World. Norfe gazed at the mountains and mused on how when he was young, he had once entered those mountains in order to see if it was true.


    In the end, after wandering through the mountains for half a day, the castle guards took him back. No matter how much he looked, the only thing he saw above the mountains was the blue sky and the flying birds. Were they really close to the edge of the Sun World? Even now, the question remained.


    Norfe glanced at the birds. Well, they looked like birds, since they were flying high in the sky. But they were actually birdfolk. If he asked them, maybe they would take him far away, so that he could see what was on the other side of the mountains. For some reason, there seemed to be a lot of birdfolk in the area recently.


    ¡°Norfe. What are you thinking about?¡±


    The person who talked to him was a beautiful bird person with white feathers. It was Orne. Normally, there was another white feather called Puel there as well, but for some reason, Puel generally stayed around Chouze. While Chouze could be a little arrogant, she was secretly interested in beastkin, and so she was quite happy. Norfe shrugged at Orne.


    ¡°Nothing important. When I was a child, I used to wonder about the edge of the Sun World. Also, don¡¯t call me by my name. I didn¡¯t give you permission. How many times do I have to tell you?¡±


    ¡°In that case, Norfe. I can take you.¡±


    ¡°I do not accept your offer. As if I would want to be carried like a child.¡±


    Just like that girl who sold oranges. No, she was actually a Saintess. The eyes that he saw when holding her were not black, but brown like a shiny chestnut. She had been so cute, that he had not noticed that she was a Saintess. However, when her wig was blown away, the hair he saw for a second really was black. And her eyes were black as they reflected the lanterns in the darkness of night. No matter how many times he thought back to it, it was definitely the Saintess he had met at the Midland castle.


    Saintesses were enveloped in miasma and gathered what was unwanted in the Sun World. What was unclean. That¡¯s why Midland, who was the closest to three territories, always looked after them. That was what he had been raised to believe.


    It was here, far inland, Highland. They were the representatives of the pure world of humans.


    But in reality, their lives were becoming richer through the magic stones that could only be acquired through the elf, dwarf, and beastkin lands, which were close to the Shadow World. However, as they were so far, the cost for shipping was much higher. This meant that they had to pay higher prices than Midland and Lowland.


    As the future king, Norfe¡¯s job was to do something about this lack of fairness. That was what he was taught.


    Norfe¡¯s father, who was always quite weak, was the current king. But recently, he had started to show himself less. And it was mainly the king¡¯s younger brother, Marquis Adol, who ruled the inland country. Both his uncle and the senior vassals told Norfe to be ready to inherit the throne at any time.


    However, in spite of these warnings, Norfe rarely took part in governing. And just like with the merfolk incident, he was usually sent around the country instead.


    Not only that, but the people of the castle were supposed to have hated the beastkin, but now they welcomed the birdfolk with open arms. In the first place, the people here lived so far away that many had never actually seen a beastkin or dwarf. So perhaps any perceptions of like and dislike didn¡¯t matter. And they just saw them as something rare.


    It was because of this situation that his failure to bring back the merman was not made into a big problem. It made him feel like he had wasted all of his effort. However, it seemed that it was a good thing in the end. And for some reason, he had not said anything about how the girl who was brought to the castle was actually a Saintess. It would be more accurate to say that he hadn¡¯t wanted to say it. Thankfully, no one else had actually noticed.


    Besides, what would happen even if he did make a report? She had come in disguise, so he should just keep it quiet.


    Norfe sighed as he watched the birdfolk play with the town¡¯s children. He remembered the words he had spoken with the Saintess.


    ¡°Selling apples at a high price, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that apples are sold almost anywhere, but Highland¡¯s are big and sweet. And they last longer.¡±


    Orne said.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You sure don¡¯t know much for someone who studies a lot, Norfe.¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop calling me that!¡±


    ¡°I normally stay in the dwarf lands, and their apple wine is especially good. However, when it comes to eating plain apples, they do not compare to what Highland can offer.¡±


    Orne¡¯s eyes narrowed a little.


    ¡°That¡¯s such a human thing to do, isn¡¯t it? Change everything.¡±


    ¡°A human thing¡­¡±


    Norfe glanced over to Orne. Come think of it, all he ever thought about was how he saw the Saintesses, or the birdfolk and dwarves. He never thought about how they saw the inland people.


    ¡°So, I suppose we should try flying over the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Why is that!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I was able to carry Kaider quite easily, and he is not a light one. A scrawny royal like you will be nothing.¡±


    ¡°I refuse!¡±


    Orne seemed to laugh a little at how stubborn Norfe was being, but then gazed at the garden too and said,


    ¡°While you are humans, people seem to be the same everywhere. However, there is something unpleasant about this castle.¡±


    ¡°Unpleasant?¡±


    Norfe was so shocked that anyone would insult the castle right in front of a member of the royal family.


    ¡°Why do they lie about welcoming us birdfolk? They grimace and scowl behind the scenes. So why do they praise us and mourn for the Saintess?¡±


    Orne generally stayed at dwarf castles. As Kaider was currently working freely as an Adventurer, he helped the Saintesses and cooperated with Sauro, but he also traveled freely when he wanted. And since traveling as a tourist was very popular among birdfolk recently, had come all of the way here.


    The birdfolk had never gone anywhere before, and so they were easily affected by how the people pampered and praised them. This was very annoying. Anyone who had any experience with humans knew that the things that came out of their mouths were not necessarily the truth.


    Had Orne been younger, he would have flown out of this disgusting place immediately, but he was an adult. For Sauro¡¯s sake, he would stay and watch just a little longer. Besides, mocking the prince was rather fun. And Puel seemed to like Chouze.


    However, this unusual birdfolk festival in Highland would not last very long.

 CH 144

    Suspicious Blanket


    One night, as Norfe relaxed in his room.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    Came a voice from the other side of his door. It was the voice of his usual guard. But it shouldn¡¯t have been him that was here today, Norfe thought with suspicion.


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Alan. Come in.¡±


    He called. The guard who slowly opened the door was an old acquaintance. He had been with Norfe since he was fourteen, and had been with him for five years now. He was a man that Norfe could trust.


    ¡°Your Highness. Things seem rather clamorous near the basement of the castle.¡±


    ¡°Basement? But isn¡¯t the temple the only thing that is there?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but¡­¡±


    The guard wasn¡¯t really looking towards the temple, but the garden as he answered.


    ¡°It seems like the birdfolk have brought in something fairly large a moment ago. Ever since they started coming here, they would occasionally bring rare things from the three territories, so we didn¡¯t really pay too much attention. But this time, not only is it quite late, but it¡¯s also very big. And they carried it to the underground.¡±


    Indeed, there was a temple inside of the castle. Saintesses were summoned every few decades, and so they knew that there was a god. However, he had not gone to that particular temple since he was a child.


    It wasn¡¯t until he visited Midland and met the Merfolk chief that the adults told him that there was no point in believing. That being said, seeing the shiny merfolk and birdfolk in Midland had only strengthened his belief that there was a god. Chouze had gotten very excited and would repeatedly ask to go back to Midland. However, they had stopped going at some point.


    Norfe thought back on these old memories and shook his head. No, those memories were no use to him now.


    ¡°The birdfolk can be troublesome, but I doubt they are involved in criminal activity. They are too simple-minded for that.¡±


    Norfe said. Alan shrugged his shoulders.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that they are simple, and perhaps it really is nothing. However, if it is happening right under your nose, wouldn¡¯t you be curious?¡±


    ¡°We royals must be calm at all times.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ So you are still saying such things, Prince Norfe. I thought that your time away had changed you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Alan. What are you talking about?¡±


    Norfe¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°You become such a bore when you are in the castle. It¡¯s unfortunate, because you had left to go to the villa, enjoyed your time on the road and talking to the people. You were even having so much fun with that cute girl.¡±


    ¡°You make it sound scandalous! I was only helping a poor girl who was selling oranges! Well, it¡¯s true that she was rather charming.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you tell Lord Adol that the girl was actually a Saintess?¡±


    ¡°Because I am not certain about it.¡±


    Norfe said, and then turned his face away awkwardly.


    ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t matter now. Your Highness, we must go to the underground.¡±


    ¡°Alan, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Prince Norfe. How long are you going to stand there and do nothing? This castle and this country will be yours. It¡¯s not your uncle¡¯s, or any of the others. I¡¯ve always been interested in rare things, and so I don¡¯t care how many birdfolk, merfolk or Saintesses come here. It¡¯s rather amusing. However, even you should realize that something strange is afoot.¡±


    Norfe realized how annoying it was when someone knew you for a long time. They just talked without restraint.


    ¡°The birdfolk can do what they like. However, I cannot ignore them if it involves the people of the castle. Is that it?¡±


    ¡°If you understand, then get off of your tired bum.¡±


    ¡°Shut up.¡±


    Still, Norfe got up to his feet. His heart was lighter than he thought.


    ¡°The underground temple? So it¡¯s that route.¡±


    ¡°Aye, it¡¯s been a while.¡±


    Norfe and Alan chuckled. They went out onto the veranda, which was connected to Norfe¡¯s room on the third floor. From there, they would be able to climb up the walls and reach the roof. The roof allowed them access to a secret staircase that would take them straight to an underground area. He and Alan had found it while they were exploring as children.


    ¡°Can you even climb?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been training. Of course, I can.¡±


    A grown adult was scaling the walls. It was quite amusing. Once he reached the top, he pulled himself up and looked around.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Norfe, over here.¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    He was talking as if Norfe was a child again, but it was rather comforting to him. Here, there were a row of statues that stood tightly next to each other. But if you took one step to the right and then two to the left, there was a gap. And just up ahead were the stairs downward.


    ¡°Judging by the dust, no one had been down here for a long time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    The staircase went alongside the statues, and so some light seeped through the cracks, and they were able to see where they walked. Once they were at the bottom, they were in front of the temple¡¯s summoning hall. He remembered thinking it was rather odd, since no one was ever summoned here. This place also had intricate carvings and statues that allowed you to slip through and go outside.


    ¡°So, it really is connected.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to fit through now that I¡¯m bigger. But I managed.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can. These areas were created as emergency escape routes for the royal family. What point would there be if adults couldn¡¯t use them?¡±


    The temple had lamps made of magic stones, and so it was dimly lit during the night. So even though no one worshipped here, it was still managed properly. They sensed a group of people entering from the hallway, and the heavy doors of the temple slammed open, and someone walked inside.


    ¡°The birdfolk and my uncle. And the castle guards. Why are they here?¡±


    ¡°Norfe, look carefully. The birdfolk are carrying something.¡±


    ¡°What is that? It¡¯s wrapped up in a blanket. Ah, it moved! It¡¯s a person!¡±


    ¡°Shh. They¡¯re coming over here!¡±


    Norfe and Alan hid behind a statue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t struggle, Saintess. We¡¯re almost there.¡±


    ¡°Mmm! Mmm!¡±


    Norfe and Alan looked at each other. The voice was familiar.


    The group walked up to the summoning table and pulled open the curtains and touched the wall.


    There was a loud clanging sound, and then the wall opened up.


    ¡°!¡±


    Norfe and Alan nearly gasped out loud.


    ¡°So it¡¯s in here. Even more lower.¡±


    The birdfolk were inspecting it.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do for us. I already feel sick being here. The underground is no place for birdfolk.¡±


    So saying, they handed over the wrapped up person to the guards.


    ¡°Is the Saintess¡¯s freedom really to be found down there?¡±


    ¡°While the underground is harsh for birdfolk, it¡¯s fine for humans. We made it very comfortable. Besides, she will only stay there for a short while as the others search for her.¡±


    ¡°Please treat her well.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we will. The miasma is so thin here, and it will be most relaxing.¡±


    So saying, the castle people took the struggling bundle and went further underground.


    ¡°Hey, brother. Will she really be able to live freely here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what they said. At the very least, it should be better than being forced to fight monsters until they kill you.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes. You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. We¡¯ll also need to hide for awhile.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    And so the bridfolk left the temple hall.


    ¡°What the hell is happening here¡­¡±


    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s go to the wall.¡±


    And so the two jumped out of their hiding place.

 CH 145

    Are you Stupid?


    Chiharu awoke suddenly. It was quite bright around her now. She was still wrapped up in a blanket, but her face was sticking out. And she could stretch out her arms and legs freely. Apparently, they had rewrapped her at some point. She then tried to sense their presence, but it seemed like the gazers had not followed her here. Hmm, wait. There was something.


    Chiharu moved her head and looked around.


    ¡°Above!¡±


    When she looked up, she saw that a small gazer was stuck to the corner of the box.


    ¡°You¡¯re that small gazer. The one I met in Midland.¡±


    The gazer floated out and then spun in a circle. It had been so small that it could fit in the palm of her hand. But it seemed to have grown since then, and she would need to use both hands in order to carry it.


    ¡°So you did follow me.¡±


    Chiharu could imagine the gazer sneaking in under cover of night and hiding near the ceiling. However, it appeared to have been searching for something fun to do, so perhaps it had only followed her because it was bored. Still, Chiharu was relieved. She felt a warm sensation.


    No friends. Nearby. Don¡¯t like the day. She felt it¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°Yes. But still, there should be other gazers close by once it becomes night time. And then I should be able to contact Maki.¡±


    The gazer spun in a circle and then returned to the ceiling. As the blanket was only loosely around her now, Chiharu slipped out of it and moved towards the window.


    ¡°Huh? There¡¯s no water below us now. If we¡¯re still in the beastlands¡­¡±


    This is where I first met you, precious child. She heard the little gazer¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Yes, I thought so.¡±


    Borders had no meaning to gazers, so it probably meant that she was close to the place where they had first met. In other words, they had crossed the sea and come to the human territories. When she looked down, she saw wheat fields instead of paddy fields. So she felt that they were flying in Midland, but trying to avoid being seen.


    Still, where was their destination?


    They had said that they would set her free. What did that mean?


    People recognized them as Saintesses no matter where they went. Perhaps it was true that they could live freely if they went somewhere remote. However, Chiharu did not want to live by growing all of her food.


    As she thought this, they moved away from the fields and approached the mountains.


    ¡°Surely not? Are they taking us inland? But we were just there? And isn¡¯t the idea of freedom there completely ridiculous?¡±


    But her thoughts were ignored as the birdfolk continued to move towards the mountains. Finally they landed in a clearing. Thump.


    ¡°You really aren¡¯t very good at this. I¡¯m surprised I was able to sleep at all. I must be really tired.¡±


    As she grumbled, the door opened.


    ¡°Now, Saintess. You must be exhausted. You should come out.¡±


    It was the four brown feathers. Uhh, Maro and Omi? Something like that.


    ¡°Ramo.¡±


    ¡°Moa.¡±


    That¡¯s right. And the others had longer names¡­


    ¡°Alectro and Erulian.¡±


    The four of them were standing there, looking a little tired. They probably thought they had done something very admirable. Their faces were filled with a sense of achievement. And so Chiharu could not hide her anger. She came out of the box on unsteady legs and put her hands on her hips.


    ¡°Hey! Abductors! Take me back to Maki-chan!¡±


    She could not help but shout at them.


    ¡°Cough-cough.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten or drank anything in a while. Here, have some food.¡±


    As Chiharu coughed, Moa took out a sandwich and water bottle and handed it to her. And while she was angry, she accepted it silently and sat down. Then she began to drink the water and eat the bread. She could not fight on an empty stomach. Besides, she had had a fever just the other day.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    While they had abducted her, it was important to thank people for food. Chiharu continued to sit there as she repeated her request.


    ¡°Now, take me back to where I was.¡±


    ¡°But if we took you back, they would force you to work again. We cannot allow that.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that I¡¯m fine with it. What gives you the right to decide what I should do?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because you are so overworked that you cannot make the right decisions. I heard all about it. About how much they made you work after you were summoned. More work than a bird person would do in their lifetime.¡±


    Indeed, she had done a lot of work. But she had been working just as hard back when she was in Japan. And it wasn¡¯t like it would continue forever. Chiharu knew that they were just making up for the six months of there not being a Saintess at all.


    ¡°Hey, Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    She didn¡¯t like how they called her that. And so Chiharu told Moa her name.


    ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you just saying that because you like them? And you can¡¯t say no, even though it¡¯s too much for you?¡±


    At least Moa was speaking some sense compared to the others.


    ¡°You¡¯re right that I¡¯m doing it because I like them. They¡¯ve been good to us. As for whether I¡¯m pushing myself too hard, maybe I am. But if I don¡¯t, there are people who will get injured or sick.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not something you have to worry about. It¡¯s the beast lands, after all.¡±


    Up until now, Chiharu felt that it was mostly the humans who had prejudiced feelings towards the three territories. However, according to Moa, whatever happened in the human territories was not their concern.


    She had not noticed it when in Midland. But perhaps there was a much greater distance between the humans and the other territories than she had thought. What if both sides didn¡¯t care about what happened to the other? A chill ran down her spine.


    ¡°And so we¡¯re taking you to the human lands, where they have promised to treat you better. You should stay away from the three territories.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute! Do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re talking you inland.¡±


    There was no way that they would treat Saintesses well.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that they said that we weren¡¯t needed? There was even a blockade!¡±


    ¡°I know. However, all of the good humans I know are from the inland country. I won¡¯t believe the lies.¡±


    ¡°Lies¡­¡±


    Was he stupid? Really?


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°They warned me about this. They said that you wouldn¡¯t believe me, because of what the others told you. And so I am to ignore everything you say and take you there.¡±


    ¡°You are stupid then?¡±


    ¡°We leave at night. You should rest until then.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    She could no longer hold back. However, while Moa did look at her with an expression of concern, they did not answer her after that. Chiharu could do nothing but pray to the gazer that was hiding in the box. Apparently, they are taking me inland. Tell the others to help me.

 CH 146

    Chiharu Does Her Best


    In the end, the birdfolk would not listen to Chiharu no matter what she said. And when she tried to walk down the mountain on her own, they stopped her. As it was day time, there were no gazers around, and so Chiharu had to give up being rescued immediately.


    If she was able to talk to a gazer, she felt that she would be able to convey to Maki what had happened to her. However, that would not mean that Midland and Lowland would immediately be informed, and would come to rescue her.


    In that case, she could not stop them from taking her inland. And if she couldn¡¯t change anything, then there was no point in being angry, as it would just make her tired. Once Chiharu had reached this conclusion, she wrapped herself up in the blanket and went to sleep. On the ground? She told herself that she was already used to it now. And like that, she recovered her strength.


    They had one more meal before it became dark, and then Chiharu thought they would set out again. But she was made to wait until it was quite late. And even when she tried to talk to them, only Moa would seem to understand. In exasperation, Chiharu wondered just how far they had been brainwashed. But judging by the incident at the hot spring, it was clear that they had been overindulged in the beast lands as well. They must have been living in a very small world.


    That being said, she didn¡¯t want to blame Sauro for exposing them to the wider world either. However, if she had the opportunity, she did have something to say to him.


    They should not rush things. Maki and Chiharu had always been able to stay light hearted both abroad and in their country. But perhaps their way of thinking was too extreme for the people of the Sun World. Perhaps it would have a negative effect on this world and its people, culture, and those cute creatures in the elf lands that all existed within a certain balance.


    Well, if she ever did get to return. Chiharu thought about the inland prince and princess and the king¡¯s brother and then chuckled. While her opinion of the prince and princess had changed a little after the matter with the merfolk, her first impression had been very bad.


    However, there was no way that the childish prince and princess thought about this troublesome abduction. In that case, the situation that she was facing might be more severe than she thought.


    It seemed like an odd thing to have to wait until things moved. Chiharu saw that the birdfolk were waiting until night, and thought with annoyance that they at least had the brains to keep out of sight. Still, she waited. Of course, the gazers had come out now, and she continued to keep them up to date.


    Apparently, Maki and the others now knew that she was being taken inland. We don¡¯t know the reason, but the birdfolk took her and are currently waiting in the mountains. The messages were slowly sent back and forth. The small gazer would float out of the open box and then return with a different gazer.


    This gazer had come from the deep mountains, and appeared to be very angry. It asked Chiharu if it should weaken the birdfolk. Chiharu was sad that even gazers would listen to her opinion when the birdfolk would not.


    I¡¯m fine, you shouldn¡¯t weaken living creatures. Just tell Maki-chan my location. Chiharu pleaded with them. Though it was getting late into the night, the birdfolk had yet to notice that there was a communications network of gazers. In spite of the fact that there were now many of them in the area.


    And when it was nearly midnight¡­


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    They said to her. However, she didn¡¯t feel like going inside willingly. But before she could do anything, they wrapped her up again and pushed her in. Freedom! Important! They ignored her shouts and took to the air. Likely with a crowd of gazers following them. This time it didn¡¯t take them long to land. The box opened again and they picked her up while she was still wrapped in the blanket.


    ¡°Is it really the Saintess?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the small one.¡±


    Small one? How rude. And that voice was familiar. It was that horrible Lord Adol! Chiharu suddenly realized it.


    ¡°Good work. Now the Saintess will be able to live quietly in the castle without doing any work. She can just stay in her room.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. They were forcing them to work by returning many, many gazers into magic stones. She even fainted from being overworked.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you saying that she can create a great quantity of magic stones before fainting?¡±


    ¡°They are not making magic stones. They are returning the monsters to magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes, indeed.¡±


    Lord Adol purred like a cat.


    ¡°Well, then. We must go down the stairs to the place I told you about.¡±


    ¡°Inside of the castle?¡±


    ¡°Yes. We have prepared a special room.¡±


    Then he told them to carry Chiharu. She was apparently at the inland castle. And they were going to one of the rooms. Chiharu desperately sent word to the gazers. As the birdfolk had large wings, they usually could not fit through doors. However, this passage was clearly large enough for them to walk in, and she could tell that they were going down stairs. How many floors was it?


    Then she heard the creaking of a large door opening. The birdfolk were saying that they could not go any farther, as it was underground. Hey, at least take responsibility for me until the end! Do you really think that anything good is awaiting me from this point on? Be a witness! Chiharu shouted, but her words did not reach them. She was then handed over to some humans, who carried her even more roughly than the birdfolk. And like that, she was carried down another flight of stairs.


    ¡°Are we really safe?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It is completely isolated from the other side.¡±


    She heard the ominous conversation. It sounded like they were saying that while they were fine, the same could not be said about her?


    After going down the stairs, they walked down a normal hallway. This continued for quite some time, and then she sensed that they had opened a door.


    ¡°Alright, get inside.¡±


    She heard a high-pitched sound and then the person who was carrying her seemed to crouch a little and move forward.


    ¡°Saintess, I am sorry.¡±


    She heard the quiet voice from under the blanket.


    ¡°What are you doing? Get rid of the blanket and come out.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes.¡±


    Chiharu was put on her feet and they unwrapped the blanket from her. Then she was made to sit down on something like a sofa. Chiharu sighed with relief and then frantically looked around. There were lights on, but it was still quite dim. As she thought, she was sitting on a sofa, and there was a table and chairs in front of her. At a glance, it seemed like a proper room.


    As she sat there without being able to move, the person who had carried her stepped outside while facing away from her. And then the door was immediately locked. She knew that she would be locked in. They had abducted her, after all.


    However, behind the iron bars, she saw a knight with an apologetic expression, someone who looked like a low ranking official, and the unwelcomely familiar face of Lord Adol.


    ¡°This is a prison!¡±


    ¡°You are wrong, Saintess. We have just prepared an underground room for you where you can rest quietly. There is even a bedroom beyond that door. In other words, it¡¯s a guest room with it¡¯s own living area.¡±


    ¡°Then why are there iron bars?¡±


    Indeed, the sofa was soft and covered with a cloth that had pretty flower patterns on it. Were it not for the iron bars, it would have been a nice room. However, it was clearly a prison. The knight was still looking down with shame. If that¡¯s how you feel, why don¡¯t you help me!


    ¡°Hey, hey, I understand what you want. You can ask for food through that wall over there. But first, you should rest.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Let me out!¡±


    Lord Adol laughed and then left with the others.


    ¡°What is this! You can¡¯t do this to me!¡±


    Just then, a small gazer floated down.


    ¡°So you followed me down here!¡±


    Beloved child. Listen to the presences. It sounded like a strong warning.


    ¡°Presences? Ah.¡±


    On the other side of the iron bars, beyond the walls, she sensed numerous gazers.


    ¡°Could it be¡­¡±


    There was a grating sound and then part of the wall started to be lifted.


    ¡°The gazers¡­¡±


    They were going to do something.

 CH 147

    The Underground Princess


    The lighting in the prison that they called a room did not allow her to see everything near the corners. However, she sensed the presence of shadowy monsters on the other side of the wall. And one after another, they were coming into the room.


    The small gazer floated up in front of Chiharu as if to protect her.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­¡±


    It seemed like a frightening sight, but no matter how vicious the monsters appeared to be, they could not harm Chiharu. If anything, they would just disappear if they touched her.


    ¡°Tell me. What happened?¡±


    She couldn¡¯t help but ask. That¡¯s how many monsters there were. And their emotions seemed to swirl around the room.


    But they did not answer. The four-legged monsters pushed their way through the iron bars. Humans could not get through, but the monsters were made of miasma, and so it was easy for them. It was likely that the inland people were very much aware of this.


    That¡¯s why they had locked Chiharu down here. She was an automated machine that would make magic stones.


    Still standing on her feet, Chiharu looked at the monsters with a troubled expression. They had been gathered in the other room, unable to go outside. They hadn¡¯t the strength to grow, and they could not return to their original form either. It must have been painful.


    She wanted to return them. That was the power of the Saintess, after all. However, if she did, she would be going along with Lord Adol¡¯s plan. Chiharu thought about it. Maki-chan, what should I do?


    She thought about Maki, who would still be in the beast lands. When the monsters started to move, the small gazer bumped into them as if telling them to stay away. Chiharu clenched her fist in front of her chest.


    ¡°I believe in you, Maki-chan. Not just you. Sauro, Saikania and Zynis as well. And Edwy and Aaron. And Aeris.¡±


    If Maki were there, she would have told her to not forget Kaider and Nyran, as they were also working so hard.


    ¡°Maki-chan. Yes, even if Lord Adol gains something temporarily from this, so what? He¡¯ll clearly be caught soon and lose everything. The monsters don¡¯t care what the magic stones will be used for. They just want to quietly return to the cycle of life.¡±


    Chiharu stretched out her hand to the monster in front of her. Are you sure? She heard the small gazer ask.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It really is.¡±


    The monster rubbed its forehead against Chiharu¡¯s outstretched hand, and then returned into a magic stone. It fell down onto the carpet.


    Upon seeing this, the other monsters were filled with joy. Chiharu softly touched her chest.


    ¡°Listen. I¡¯ll return those who just can¡¯t take it anymore. But if you can wait, please wait. Don¡¯t you want to stop the people who locked you in here?¡±


    However, the reply was not what Chiharu expected. No, I don¡¯t. They replied.


    We¡¯re just tired. We want to rest. It will be hard going into a small place again. But it¡¯s just part of the cycle.


    But our hearts are with you, beloved child. If it is hard for you, we will take away your sorrow. If you have a wish, we will make it come true.


    ¡°Oh, you always talk in riddles. You¡¯re saying that if I¡¯m consumed by anger, you don¡¯t know what will happen to me, right?¡±


    In spite of the situation, Chiharu chuckled. Now, let¡¯s think. She was mad at the people who did this to her. And mad at the people who would use the monsters in this way. Of course, they were likely the same person. The image of Norfe and Chouze by the lake suddenly appeared in Chiharu¡¯s head.


    Norfe had said horrible things to them in Midland, but in the lakeside villa, he had thought about his people, eaten oranges, and laughed. Chouze had been cold and looked down on the Saintesses and beast folk, and yet she had become obsessed with a merman. Could those two be involved in this?


    No, surely not. But this was no time to search for the culprit. She had to think about what she could do now.


    First, she would return the monsters who were in pain. The monsters swayed in the air with gratitude. And when Chiharu asked the ones who could wait to wait, she heard their affirmative replies.


    Maki-chan and the others will come and save me. I just have to wait. But what can I do in the meantime?


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll think about it while returning them to stone. Okay, line up and come to me.¡±


    Thank you. She felt their relief as the gazers that filled up the room started to decrease in number. Once there were only about half of them left, she heard a noise coming from the wall near the hallway. Chiharu stopped what she was doing and looked. There was a glass window in the wall that allowed people to look in from the other side.


    ¡°That¡¯s creepy.¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    Someone was on the other side and talking while they watched her. But she could not hear what they were saying. Eventually, a different window opened up in the wall near the floor.


    ¡°Huh? What?¡±


    A tray was pushed through. There was a steaming pot, a cup, some sweets and a light meal.


    ¡°I really am a prisoner.¡±


    She could do nothing but laugh. It was the kind of treatment of prisoners that she had read in novels.


    ¡°That being said, the room is fancy and the food actually looks good. So perhaps it¡¯s like being a princess being locked up in a tower.¡±


    Well, except it was underground instead of a tower.


    The window closed, and there were no signs of anything else happening. Chiharu had finished turning monsters into stones for the day.


    ¡°There¡¯s no doubt that they¡¯ll come to collect the stones. While I seem to be trapped in here completely, they¡¯ll have to send people to clean and do other things. Besides, it seemed like the opening for the food was connected to the hallway.¡±


    Chiharu counted all of the things that she had noticed.


    ¡°There must be something that I can do. I¡¯m not some princess. I won¡¯t give up!¡±


    After making this declaration, the remaining monsters suddenly became restless.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Someone is coming. Should we weaken them?


    ¡°No, no, don¡¯t do that. But they only just left¡­¡±


    Over there. The monsters directed her towards the iron bars and the wall that was on the other side of the door.


    The wall screeched as it moved. It sounded like a door that had not been used for many, many years. And then a hole appeared. And the person who came out was¡­


    ¡°You! The orange girl!¡±


    She had only just declared that she wasn¡¯t some princess. And yet she did feel like a princess locked up in a tower, as there was a prince right in front of her now. Chiharu¡¯s long day seemed like it would get even longer.

 CH 148

    The Secret Passage


    Norfe and Alan watched the suspicious bundle being carried in, and once the birdfolk were gone, they rushed out of their hiding place. There was a gaping hole where Lord Adol had entered, and it connected to a staircase that led underground.


    ¡°What is my uncle trying to do¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t be anything good.¡±


    ¡°Alan!¡±


    He said scoldingly. However, it wasn¡¯t as if Norfe was not suspicious. He decided to go down and check, but Alan stopped him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it! What if they see you?¡±


    ¡°See me? We¡¯ll just talk.¡±


    ¡°Norfe, think about this. Do you think Lord Adol will talk to you honestly?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Lord Adol had taken control of official business after his father became ill. And while his recent actions had been questionable, Norfe still believed that they could come to an understanding if they talked.


    ¡°You know how he is with you. He¡¯ll make some excuse and that will be it. Besides, what if he is doing something, and you expose him. Will the people in the castle believe you or him?¡±


    Alan¡¯s words stung Norfe. It would not be an understatement to say that the castle was currently filled with Lord Adol¡¯s men. But what could he do? He had only just reached adulthood.


    ¡°I know that it¡¯s because you didn¡¯t want to face the situation, that you obeyed every order that was sent your way. However, you cannot do that now. You must find a way to do something without Lord Adol learning of it.¡±


    Alan said. Norfe suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°From father¡¯s room¡­¡±


    However, this was information that could only be shared with the direct members of the royal family. And so Norfe hesitated to say it in front of Alan.


    ¡°Norfe. You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°Alan¡­¡±


    Yes, who cared about such old rules? His uncle was prepared to take over. Norfe had given up, thinking that the people didn¡¯t care who was king. And so there was no point in caring about such things now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head to my father¡¯s room.¡±


    ¡°The king¡¯s room. Very well.¡±


    And so the two rushed to the king¡¯s room. There were two guards standing in front of the door.


    ¡°How is my father?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness. His Majesty is likely resting.¡±


    ¡°I want to go inside.¡±


    The guard pretended to hesitate for a moment. However, who should he allow to enter if not the king¡¯s own son? And so the guards stepped away from the door.


    ¡°Father, I¡¯m coming in.¡±


    It was an emergency. He knocked on the door and entered. While it was late in the night, the lights were still on, and the king was sitting up in his bed and reading.


    ¡°Norfe. This is unusual.¡±


    His voice was weak and raspy. Norfe had not visited in a while, as he was worried about disturbing his father¡¯s rest. No, perhaps that was only an excuse, and the real reason was that he had not wanted to see his father.


    Norfe rushed to his father¡¯s bedside and kneeled. Then he grabbed his father¡¯s hand.


    ¡°What? You are acting like a child.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    ¡°Prince Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Alan.¡±


    Apparently, the king remembered who Alan was. Upon hearing this, Norfe raised his head in realization.


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. Something is happening below the temple.¡±


    ¡°The temple? No, you don¡¯t even need to explain. You wouldn¡¯t have come here unless it was serious.¡±


    The king said. And then he pointed to the tapestry.


    ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Norfe took Alan and they rushed down to the underground through the secret passage behind the tapestry. He had heard that this led underground. However, he had intended on learning about where it connected to after he became king. And so he didn¡¯t know where exactly it would lead, but he had no choice but to go and find out.


    After a while, the stairs hit a dead end. Alan pressed his ear against the wall.


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear any speaking voices. Also, don¡¯t you feel so much gloomier here compared to the king¡¯s room?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s as if¡­¡±


    What was he going to say? Norfe kept the word deep in his heart after thinking it.


    ¡°It¡¯s like before the Saintesses were summoned?¡±


    ¡°Alan, you¡­ No, nevermind that. Will it open if we push?¡±


    They put their shoulders and hands on the wall and started to push. However, they quickly stopped.


    ¡°Wait, it opens surprisingly easily. We just need to use our hands.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hey, there is even a handle.¡±


    He held it and pushed it so that it wouldn¡¯t make any sound. That being said, there was still a scraping noise.


    ¡°There¡¯s a light on. I feel as if we went deeper down than the temple. But is this still part of it?¡±


    Alan asked. Norfe shook his head.


    ¡°The texture of the walls is different. Alright, let¡¯s open it.¡±


    ¡°Aye.¡±


    What lay on the other side, was a small room. There were iron bars as well.


    ¡°Is this a prison? Who would have thought that there was a prison under the castle. And there is someone here.¡±


    ¡°You. You¡¯re the orange girl!¡±


    Norfe couldn¡¯t help but shout.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not! Well, maybe I am.¡±


    Chiharu retorted without thinking as well. And she immediately regretted the admission.


    ¡°Why are you in an underground prison?¡±


    ¡°So you really didn¡¯t know about this. In any case, it was Lord Adol who said that I have to be here.¡±


    Chiharu answered weakly to Norfe¡¯s question. She wasn¡¯t expecting much, but she couldn¡¯t help but wish that someone more reliable had come. Then she suddenly raised her head.


    ¡°Wait. Stop!¡±


    She shouted.


    ¡°Orange girl, we aren¡¯t even moving.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about you! But you should also stay still!¡±


    While they looked confused, her eyes moved around the room.


    ¡°What! Monsters!¡±


    ¡°Norfe, return to the passage!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t! The orange girl will be attacked!¡±


    Alan shouted. Norfe blocked Chiharu through the iron bars and faced the monsters.


    ¡°What are you doing¡­ I wanted to continue to hate you¡­¡±


    The prince had come down here for some reason, and while he was completely useless, he was acting based on impulse. And so he had completely forgotten that the orange girl was a Saintess, or that she could purify miasma. And yet he was still trying to protect her.


    But then why had he been so unpleasant at the Midland castle? Even if he denied it, it was true that it was what drove Maki and Chiharu from the castle. And so she could not help but let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Alright, you. I¡¯m fine. You as well.¡±


    Chiharu said to them.


    ¡°But the monsters!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You know it, don¡¯t you? That I¡¯m a Saintess.¡±


    Norfe kept his eyes on the monsters while checking to see Chiharu¡¯s hair in the corner of his vision.


    ¡°The black hair. So you were wearing a wig.¡±


    ¡°I had my reasons. It¡¯s fine. They won¡¯t hurt a Saintess. And I told them not to harm you.¡±


    ¡°You can speak with monsters?¡±


    Alan asked with a surprised expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so much speaking, as understanding each other¡¯s emotions. Yes, but maybe it is like talking.¡±


    Chiharu chuckled.


    ¡°Now, please listen. Why are there monsters inland? And below the castle?¡±


    Chiharu looked at Alan. It was surprising that the calmest person here was the attendant.

 CH 149

    The Pathetic Prince


    While he may have been the calmest one there, that didn¡¯t mean it would result in something that she would like.


    Chiharu didn¡¯t see herself as being some special person. She was called a Saintess and did work that only a Saintess could do, but that was simply just her job.


    However, she was under their castle. A lone, young woman behind bars. And yet the first question he asked her was not,


    ¡°How did you come to be captured?¡±


    Instead, it was,


    ¡°Why are there monsters inland? Ask them this.¡±


    And so she could not help but be disappointed. Chiharu folded her arms and sighed.


    ¡°Well, what merit is there for me if I do that?¡±


    ¡°Merit?¡±


    Alan repeated without taking his eyes off of the monsters. Chiharu explained it to him politely.


    ¡°This homeland that you care about so much is the one that imprisoned me. I don¡¯t want to be here. I¡¯m the one who is under harsh circumstances. Why do you think I would want to lift a finger to help people who don¡¯t care about me at all?¡±


    Was she taking out her frustration on them? Chiharu thought about it a little. She felt close to the monsters, and was not frightened at all by them. If anything, they had helped her more than the humans. She glanced at the small gazer in the corner. It was floating above the iron bars so that it wouldn¡¯t be seen.


    And she knew that the people of this world would not change easily, as they had seen monsters as things to be destroyed for many years.


    And so Chiharu decided that she would not have any expectations for these two. As long as she waited here quietly, Maki and the others would come and rescue her.


    But surprisingly¡­


    ¡°Yes, Alan. What the girl says is correct.¡±


    Norfe said as he turned his back on the monsters and began inspecting the lock.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to bring a locksmith to break this. It¡¯s simple, but very durably made.¡±


    ¡°Do you know where there might be a spare key?¡±


    ¡°Well, my uncle is the prime minister. He manages the whole castle.¡±


    Norfe shook his head at Alan. It would likely be very difficult to acquire. Norfe looked at Chiharu as she sat on the sofa. While Chiharu felt a little uncomfortable, she looked straight back at him.


    Though he had looked at her condescendingly when they were at the Midland castle, that had changed when they met by the lake. He no longer seemed to despise her. He looked like he was genuinely worried for her, while also struggling with something else. However, it did not last for too long.


    ¡°Orange girl, no, Saintess Chiharu. Give me your hand. I know that I have no right to say that after what we said in Midland, but will you let me hold your hand?¡±


    ¡°Norfe, you¡­¡±


    Alan seemed a little shocked. But he stood next to Norfe a moment later.


    Take his hand? What was this about? Norfe and Alan knelt down on one knee in front of the iron bars and then stretched out their arms towards Chiharu. Was this like one of those knight¡¯s vows? Chiharu wondered with disappointment. It was likely a situation that a lot of girls dreamed of, and yet there was an air of disappointment around her.


    Well, perhaps it was because it was Norfe.


    Still, Chiharu got up from the sofa and approached the iron bars. And after a moment of hesitation, offered Norfe her right hand. Norfe accepted it with both hands and pressed it against his forehead.


    Woah. If Maki-chan were here, she would be pointing and bursting with laughter. Chiharu thought, but accepted this quietly.


    In spite of the situation, Chiharu did not feel a shred of excitement. Also, while weak, she felt the presence of miasma from Norfe. Perhaps it was because he came to this room, or perhaps he had already had it. She could not tell. However, it dispersed the moment that Chiharu touched him.


    ¡°Saintess Chiharu, I apologize for the insolence directed towards you up until now. You are just a girl. An ordinary girl you could find anywhere. The kind who sells oranges.¡±


    Even when apologizing, he is rude. Chiharu was honestly annoyed enough that her mouth twitched. But he was still apologizing, so it could not be helped. And then Norfe looked up with expectation in his eyes. What? Chiharu tilted her head to the side, but then replied quickly.


    ¡°I forgive you.¡±


    Though, I don¡¯t want to! But I am an adult! Norfe looked relieved as he let go of her hand. So it had been the correct answer. Unfortunately, it wasn¡¯t a knight¡¯s vow or anything. Next, was the attendant.


    ¡°I, well, I am Prince Norfe¡¯s attendant, and did nothing to advise him against those actions. I apologize about having abandoned my duty. And so I too ask for forgiveness.¡±


    ¡°I forgive you.¡±


    This person called Alan was also filled with miasma. They both stood up with refreshed expressions. Then Norfe clutched the iron bars and said,


    ¡°I wish that I could unlock this and set you free immediately, but it would be difficult now. But I promise to do something, so will you just wait a little while longer?¡±


    He said.


    This. This was it. Had he said this from the beginning, Chiharu would have had no reason to complain. Well, while it was a little late, she would still give him a passing grade. Chiharu decided to talk to him properly.


    ¡°It seems like there is a cave here. And if you continue down it, there is a dungeon. And the monsters who were in there quietly¡­were awoken.¡±


    ¡°A cave? I didn¡¯t know that. And they kept digging?¡±


    Norfe was very surprised.


    ¡°The monsters have no perception of time, and so I don¡¯t know when it was. But I assume that there is someone close to you who knows.¡±


    ¡°My uncle¡­ Thank you, Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    And so without doing anything, the two disappeared behind the hidden door.


    ¡°Well, I doubt that I can count on them. A foolish prince and his foolish attendant. I have no choice but to wait for Maki-chan and spend time with the monsters. I know that she will come for me.¡±


    Chiharu muttered. Then she went to the bedroom that you couldn¡¯t see from the iron bars. And she dove into the bed and fell asleep. It had been awful being carried while unable to move. When she next awoke, the hallways window had opened, and her breakfast was pushed through.


    ¡°They are probably going to give me three meals a day, so I can count the days like that. I should eat and rest and regain my strength for now.¡±


    She told herself this as she ate her breakfast, returned a few monsters to magic stones, ate lunch and then rested, and then had dinner. It was after the day had passed that the door to the hallway creaked open.


    Chiharu was tense. While she doubted anything would happen, she hated talking to Lord Adol. However, it wasn¡¯t Adol who came, but Norfe. His hands were tied behind his back and he was gagged.


    ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m sorry. You too, Saintess.¡±


    It was the person who had brought her in yesterday. And just like that, the cell was unlocked and Norfe was pushed in. At the same time, the man pretended to squat as he dropped something. But then the door was locked again.


    Chiharu picked the object up. It was a small knife. He probably wanted her to cut the ropes with it.


    Still, to return like this in just one day. This was a pathetic and unreliable prince indeed.

 CH 150

    Movement


    Apparently, during that time in the beast lands, they found out that Chiharu had been taken inland, and decided what should be done next. By morning, the birdfolk were flying in every direction in order to send messages.


    First, there was the elf lands, where most of their fighting force was focused. If the dungeons had calmed down now, they would take as many soldiers as they could on airships, and then head for Lowland. They wanted to station their soldiers in the human territories so that they could move if it became necessary. Aeris would also take his own small airship and go to the human lands. Of course, Kaider and Nyran would accompany him.


    Messengers had been sent to the dwarf lands as well. And they had replied, saying that they planned to send a train to Midland that would carry personnel who knew about digging, in order to deal with the inland dungeons.


    Messages had also arrived from the merfolk. They were already traveling through the water roads and on their way inland.


    Messengers went to Lowland and Midland too, and each castle said that they would think of something. At the very least, they would not prevent people from the three territories from traveling through their land.


    ¡°Chiharu. This is really blowing up¡­¡±


    Maki became very worried, and seemed to shrink. Sauro probably wanted to go out in person, but remained in the command room with Miragaia as they gave out orders. Zynis and Leia had also gathered beastkin together in order to send them to the dwarf lands. After running quickly in their beast forms, they would use the trains to travel to the human territories.


    Trains were already being sent out constantly.


    ¡°Hey, what is that!¡±


    She heard a voice shouting from behind. Maki looked to see what it was.


    ¡°It¡¯s Aeris¡¯s airship¡­ But, I thought he was headed to Lowland¡­¡±


    Apparently, something unexpected had happened, and Zynis and the beastkin frantically moved out so there would be space in front of the cave. The airship floated down and landed there.


    As soon as it had landed, Edwy burst out.


    ¡°Maki!¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    Edwy looked around the clearing and then found Maki. He ran towards her and then embraced her. Normally, the prince would become red just because she held his hand, but there was no time for that right now. He was just worried about how Chiharu was after being torn away from Maki.


    Maki buried her face in Edwy¡¯s shoulder. She had thought of him as a younger brother, but just for now he was more like an older brother, and she felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.


    ¡°I heard about what happened. It must have been very hard for you.¡±


    ¡°Nevermind me. At least I¡¯m surrounded by friends. But Chiharu¡­¡±


    Maki knew that Edwy was secretly attached to Chiharu. Yes, he must be sick with worry over her.


    ¡°Each country is trying to do what they can for Chiharu. Of course, I am worried about her, but I¡¯m now more worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Edwy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Maki. Chiharu is always the one who is abducted, and we know how much you worry and suffer every time.¡±


    ¡°Kaider! And Aaron!¡±


    It was Kaider and Aaron who were standing behind Edwy.


    ¡°Nyran said that someone needed to be there to give orders, and so he took the large airship to Lowland. Because, well, it seemed like it would be best for me to move freely.¡±


    Aaron chuckled as he looked at Maki.


    ¡°Uh, Maki.¡±


    Kaider moved towards her a little hesitantly, and then just like Edwy, he wrapped his arms around her.


    ¡°She has gazers with her. They are fast and strong when they need to be. Though, I know you can¡¯t help but worry no matter what we say. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Maki nodded. She could feel his warm emotion and passion. He had a stronger, broader chest than Edwy. And as she was enveloped in the scent of his leather armor, Maki felt herself on the brink of tears.


    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡±


    ¡°G-good.¡±


    Maki raised her head and smiled before moving away from Kaider. Aeris then moved to her at an incredible speed, and he embraced Maki before either said anything.


    ¡°Aeris¡­¡±


    ¡°Maki. You did so well.¡±


    Why were they all so kind? Aeris was another one who adored Chiharu. And yet he was so worried about Maki. It¡¯s because they are like this, that both Chiharu and I want to help them, even if it¡¯s more than we can bear. We aren¡¯t being forced to do it. We did it ourselves. After all, they too are desperately fulfilling their own roles. It wasn¡¯t as if everything was being pushed onto Maki and Chiharu alone.


    Aeris then moved away from Maki and looked into her eyes as if to make sure that she was okay. Maki smiled and said she was fine.


    ¡°Well, it would be no surprise if you weren¡¯t fine. Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. At least until we rescue Chiharu.¡±


    It was then that Zynis, who watched them with folded arms, shook his head.


    ¡°Now, now, Aeris. Shouldn¡¯t you and the others be on your way to Lowland?¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Zynis. I think it will be best for everyone if we move freely.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. These aren¡¯t people who even obey orders¡­¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not as if we aren¡¯t thinking at all either.¡±


    Aeris insisted that they weren¡¯t just being difficult.


    ¡°Midland is closer to Highland. Besides, the king of Lowland, Arthur, is friends with the Highland king. And so I think it would be best to stay near Arthur and support him.¡±


    ¡°So you think the human kings should get involved?¡±


    ¡°Most likely, yes. It¡¯s been a while since the Highland king made a public appearance. And only humans should interfere in human matters.¡±


    ¡°Yes. While we are focused on saving the Saintess, we also have to be careful about the humans. It cannot be helped.¡±


    Maki was a little stunned when she heard this. Whole countries were going to act? That made it sound like war.


    ¡°Maki. What the inland people have done is that serious. They betrayed their fellow humans, the three territories, and God. However, this matter should be left to the royals and their representatives. What you need to think about is rescuing Chiharu.¡±


    Edwy smiled in order to assure her. Then he became serious again and turned to Aeris.


    ¡°Now, Aeris.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Zynis, we are now going to leave for Midland. We can carry about six to seven people. Is there anyone you think that we should take?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. The four members of the previous infiltration mission. And me.¡±


    Maki was surprised as she thought Zynis would stay in order to give out orders.


    ¡°Zynis, don¡¯t you have to stay and command the others?¡±


    ¡°Why? Leia is here. Besides, it would be better for me to stand in front of the humans as a representative of the beastkin. Leia agrees with me.¡±


    ¡°Alright then. Hurry up and prepare. What about you, Maki?¡±


    ¡°Oh, me¡­¡±


    He asked her suddenly. As she now knew what must be done, she had been planning on crossing the sea directly with Sauro and Saikania. But now she had the option of going by airship. While an airship was more comfortable, birdfolk were faster.


    ¡°Maki, that¡¯s why I came here. Right now, you and I are the only humans who can fly long distances with the birdfolk. And so we should go on ahead with Sauro and Saikania.¡±


    ¡°Edwy. Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°We should go to the Midland castle and tell my father the situation as soon as possible. Maki needs to be as close to Chiharu as she can, and soon. That way, they can communicate through the gazers.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Now they could finally act. Maki¡¯s eyes gleamed powerfully.

 CH 151

    Birdfolk and Merfolk


    They didn¡¯t bring any spare clothes in order to stay as light as possible. They put what they needed in pouches and then dressed for the cold. And like that, Maki and Edwy left Miragaia to lead the birdfolk, and headed towards Sauro and Saikania.


    ¡°It¡¯s two hours to the sea. We¡¯ll take a break, and then it will be another three hours to Midland. To be honest, we¡¯ve never traveled that far with a human before. Maki, Edwy. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m confident, but can you handle it?¡±


    ¡°Sauro, I knew it.¡±


    Maki chuckled. Sauro looked at her with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Because, ever since we first met you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You were so confident when you told Chiharu that you could cross the sea. But you weren¡¯t actually confident, were you?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    Sauro looked away. It was rare to see him look troubled.


    ¡°But you two are so much more important to me than you were back then. So I don¡¯t want there to be even a little danger.¡±


    ¡°Sauro¡­¡±


    She had only meant to tease him a little bit. But now she felt a tightening in her chest. What heartfelt words they were. It was like they were all trying to make her cry.


    ¡°It won¡¯t do if I can¡¯t move once we arrive. So I¡¯ll tell you in advance if it¡¯s too much.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡±


    ¡°Now, Maki. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Edwy said, and as the beastfolk watched, they ran until they were picked up by Sauro and Saikania. And like that, they vanished into the forest that would lead to the sea.


    ¡°To think that it¡¯s only been a few months since they were summoned¡­¡±


    One of the human Adventurers muttered.


    ¡°Most did not even expect them to be friendly towards birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. But these Saintesses are friendly not just towards birdfolk, but dwarves, elves and other beastfolk as well. And they even purified the three territories of miasma. They quickly made up for the six months where there were no Saintesses.¡±


    Zynis said with folded arms. He sounded so proud that one might think he was talking about himself. That¡¯s how he felt about what Maki and Chiharu had done. It was what everyone who lived in the Sun World felt. Our Saintesses.


    ¡°As they have secretly visited inland as well, they also owe the Saintesses a debt. It¡¯s too bad it was in secret.¡±


    ¡°Inland¡­ I don¡¯t really understand, as I was born in Midland. But is it true that they hate beastkin?¡±


    An Adventurer asked Zynis, who was thinking aloud. While many Adventurers who went to the three territories were considered to be wild, they were very curious, and did not fear the beastkin or dwarves.


    ¡°At the very least, the people that I met seemed to have no negative feelings towards dwarves and Saintesses. But they did treat merfolk like fish.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because they have never been to the merfolk island.¡±


    If they saw the merfolk standing and walking and selling items at their stores, they would see that they were no different from the other beastfolk.


    ¡°So all they need to do is to leave their country.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it¡¯s still expensive now.¡±


    Airships were out of the question, and even trains were still expensive.


    ¡°Well, we can think about all of that later. I only hope that they will return Chiharu to us immediately.¡±


    ¡°They will probably pretend to be ignorant. But I do hope that the little Saintess is able to return soon.¡±


    Everyone who knew her felt the same.


    On the other hand, Maki felt like she was seeing the serious side of Sauro and Saikania for the first time. While she didn¡¯t mind heights, Saikania was flying smoothly at an altitude so that they weren¡¯t affected by the forest¡¯s winds. And without loosening her grip on Maki, she flew all the way to the sea in two hours.


    They were let down once near the beach, where they stretched their limbs and prepared for the next flight.


    You had to use your muscles in order to stay in a position that made it easy for the birdfolk to carry you. Being carried took some skill as well. And so Edwy also stretched.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a short break.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    Sauro said, and so Maki walked towards the sea. While there was no time to go for a swim, she wanted to see the waves since she was here. The waves were a little strong, and some were quite big as they crashed on the shore. After a particularly large wave hit, she saw that a few unfamiliar merfolk had appeared.


    ¡°Uh, um. Hello?¡±


    She took a step back. It could not be helped, judging by her most recent interactions with them.


    ¡°Beloved child.¡±


    However, the merfolk moved towards her without reserve, and they took Maki¡¯s hands with their own, which were damp with seawater.


    ¡°We were waiting, as we heard that the beloved child and birdfolk would be passing through. We have a message from our chief.¡±


    ¡°From Amia? Then I must tell Sauro.¡±


    Maki wondered why they needed to tell her.¡±


    ¡°No, while these are difficult times, we wanted to greet you as we were so close. Now, if you could take us to the birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh, yes. Just wait a minute. Sauro!¡±


    As Sauro and Saikania had stayed close by, she didn¡¯t even need to call them.


    ¡°It¡¯s very unusual for you to want to talk to us birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°You must be the next chief.¡±


    The merfolk bowed their heads.


    ¡°We have seen from the sea that one of the Saintesses was taken away. Judging by the direction, our chief determined that they are headed inland. We have already sent an advance team to the mirror lake. However, there are no water roads after that. And carriages are too slow. And so we want bird folk to carry us to the castle from the lake.¡±


    ¡°You want us to carry merfolk¡­¡±


    Sauro was exasperated.


    ¡°It will not take you long to go to the royal capital from the mirror lake. Of course, we will send light merfolk to make it easier.¡±


    Sauro scowled. He was able to carry muscular dwarves like Kaider, but he was still only 170 centimeters tall. The merfolk were over 2 meters long. Could he carry them?


    ¡°The merfolk are fine being in the sky?¡±


    He understood that they really wanted to do something to help the Saintess. Under other circumstances, he might have found this amusing.


    ¡°When going through Midland, I will tell the birdfolk to go to the mirror lake. And I¡¯ll tell them to spread the word to the other birdfolk as well.¡±


    ¡°That is enough. Thank you, future chief.¡±


    The merfolk said with a bow. Then they all embraced Maki and then jumped back into the sea.


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve been hugged by all of the merfolk now.¡±


    ¡°Still, to think that birdfolk and merfolk would work together¡­¡±


    Edwy had an odd expression.


    ¡°Uh, is there something wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Especially at a time like this. That being said, I just wonder if once everything is over, that something troublesome won¡¯t come out of these two carefree groups coming together like this.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    As she had been helped by both the birdfolk and merfolk, she could not say any more than that.


    ¡°Now, we should head out again.¡±


    They had to go to Midland. And then inland.

 CH 152

    Inland


    They rested on a nameless, uninhabited island on the way. And so by the time they reached Midland four hours later, the sun had already come down. There was no doubt that if Chiharu were with them, she would have been very excited to be on that island. And the Midland castle too. It looked quite beautiful as it floated dimly in the back of the city, as lights began to appear.


    No matter what Maki saw, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder what Chiharu would have done. How happy would she have been? Such thoughts were accompanied by a painful throb in her chest.


    However, by the time that they reached the castle, Maki, Edwy, Sauro and Saikania were all exhausted.


    After being let down, Maki approached Sauro and Saikania. She saw how their shoulders heaved up and down, and was reminded of how much more tired they were in comparison.


    ¡°Sauro, Saikania. Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m totally fine.¡±


    He did not look fine. But as Maki wobbled on her feet, someone from the castle came running towards them.


    ¡°Sauro, Saikania. Leave the explanations to us. You two should rest for tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Edwy. But thank you.¡±


    And so the two were taken to lodging made especially for birds.


    ¡°Edwy. And if it isn¡¯t Maki.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Arthur.¡±


    After hearing word that Chiharu had been taken inland, dwarves and beastkin had come from the three territories. And so the people of the castle had their hands full in dealing with them.


    Once Edwy and Maki finished talking, Arthur let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°This problem is much bigger than just the Saintesses now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, father.¡±


    Edwy nodded quietly.


    ¡°It would be simple enough if we only had to punish the criminals for what they did. But apparently, it was people in the inland castle who planned this. But I don¡¯t believe that Kenneth, who is ill, would do such a thing. And Norfe is too young. In other words¡­¡±


    ¡°The culprit is Lord Adol.¡±


    ¡°I believe so. But we have no proof.¡±


    The wrinkles between Arthur¡¯s eyebrows deepened.


    ¡°I have not seen Kenneth ever since he fell ill. And so I left them to their devices, believing that they would handle their own problems. And now I am paying the price.¡±


    ¡°Who is Kenneth?¡±


    Maki asked. It was such a surprising question that the other two went silent for a moment.


    ¡°The inland king. He is very sickly, and has not been seen in public for nearly ten years now. After all, he didn¡¯t even attend your unveiling.¡±


    ¡°I only saw him once, when I was very young.¡±


    ¡°In other words, he is Norfe¡¯s father.¡±


    The two nodded. So the fake name she had used in the dwarf lands was also the name of the king. Maki chuckled to herself.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard news that Chiharu is already inland, and is currently resting in some mountain.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very frustrating to know we are on the same continent, but cannot do anything.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It seems that they are waiting for nightfall.¡±


    ¡°In that case, you should get some rest while you can, Maki. Sera will attend you, so please notify us if you hear anything.¡±


    Maki was honestly so tired, that she didn¡¯t have time to show how happy she was to meet Sera again. And so she just ate a light meal and fell asleep. Sera usually would have left her alone, but for this night, she watched over Maki as she slept.


    ¡°You poor things. They were told that they just had to be here, but this generation of Saintesses are working too hard. But Maki and Chiharu are so kind that they do not say no when asked to do something. However, that is no excuse to push so much work onto them.¡±


    She muttered. And then she quietly started to prepare the tea for when Maki woke up.


    As for Edwy and Arhtur, there was no time to rest.


    ¡°Father, I intend on infiltrating the inland country with Maki after this. As I am sure that Lord Adol will feign ignorance, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. You should do that. I will wait for Aeris, and once we are ready, we will head there by airship.¡±


    ¡°You are going too, father! That is very¡­¡±


    ¡°After being contacted, I have already sent out soldiers. They would surely have crossed the border by now. It¡¯s the same with Lowland. They will be sending out airships as well. And their king is also going.¡±


    Edwy was stunned.


    ¡°And of course, the future elf king, one of the dwarf princes, and Zynis, from the beast territories are coming as well.¡±


    Things were happening on such a large scale.


    ¡°The merfolk said they will be heading towards the castle from the mirror lake.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Normally, we should not intervene in whatever schemes are occuring within the inland government. But it¡¯s a different matter when the Saintesses are involved. And I am worried about Kenneth and Norfe. I will go and pretend to be visiting a sick friend.¡±


    Arthur rarely left the castle. Being king kept him very busy. That¡¯s why his eyebrows were always furrowed.


    Yet this matter was big enough to make him leave.


    ¡°We can easily handle Lord Adol and his cronies. The problem is whether or not Chiharu is safe, and whether the inland people will understand.¡±


    As Arthur muttered this, they received word from Sera.


    ¡°Saintess Chiharu has moved.¡±


    ¡°I see. We¡¯ll head out at once.¡±


    Arthur and Edwy rushed to Maki¡¯s room. When they asked for permission to enter, Sera let them in immediately. Maki was sitting up in her bed with a hand squeezed to her chest.


    ¡°There is a gazer outside with a message. Could you tell the guards that they must not shoot at it?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Arthur gave the order.


    ¡°After hiding in the mountain, she was wrapped up again, and taken to a castle.¡±


    This was the shocking news that Maki had heard. So the culprit really was Lord Adol. Apparently, Chiharu had been taken under the castle and locked up in an iron cell. But she was being fed. This information came to her in real time.


    As for this iron cell, it was connected to a cave with gazers. So Chiharu had been taken there in order to make magic stones.


    And then there was Norfe and Alan.


    After all of the reports were finished, Maki sighed.


    ¡°She said there is nothing she can do now, so she¡¯s going to sleep. That¡¯s so like her.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for getting us this information.¡±


    Arthur also let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Then we should work together with Norfe and Alan, and try to rescue Chiharu directly.¡±


    ¡°And we will use force to expose Adol¡¯s crimes. I¡¯m just glad that Norfe wasn¡¯t involved in them. We can get rid of the danger all at once.¡±


    Arthur and Edwy nodded.


    ¡°In order to do that, Maki. You need to¡­¡±


    ¡°Rest. Yes, I will. Just like Chiharu.¡±


    And so people were to gather to the inland country.

 CH 153

    Not One Good Thing


    Chiharu sighed and picked up the fallen knife. As the window in the hallway was not opened, she doubted anyone was watching. Still, she moved discreetly, just in case.


    And then she looked at Norfe, who was by her feet and not moving.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t move. He just wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t believe that your uncle would do such a thing. He would understand if you talked to him. And so you brushed away Alan¡¯s protests and charged. And then this happened.¡±


    The immobile mass suddenly moved.


    ¡°Well, welcome back.¡±


    Was she being mean? She took off his gag and then cut the ropes that bound his arms with the knife. It was difficult to cut the thick rope, and she was worried that she might cut Norfe¡¯s arm.


    Now that she thought about it, she should have cut the rope first and let him take the gag off by himself. But it hardly mattered now¡­


    ¡°Uh, let¡¯s sit on the sofa.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not so callous as to be able to relax while someone is lying on the floor.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Norfe fell silent. This must be a great shock to him. A withered prince was of no use to anyone. If only he would at least talk to her.


    ¡°Uh, there¡¯s only one bed. Do you want to sleep together?¡±


    ¡°Wh-hat did you say!¡±


    Norfe suddenly stood up.


    ¡°Ah, you got up. Now sit down on the sofa.¡±


    As he was already up, Norfe sat down grimly on the sofa.


    ¡°Though, if we¡¯re being serious, there really only is one bed. If you don¡¯t mind being seen from the hallway, you can sleep on the sofa. Or you can sleep on the floor in the bedroom.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will sleep here.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    An uncomfortable silence followed. Someone had once told her that Edwy and Norfe were the same age. That meant he was eighteen. Seven years younger than Chiharu. So he was still growing.


    And so Chiharu sat at the table and watched Norfe, who was sitting on the sofa and looking depressed.


    Grrr¡­


    The sound suddenly echoed. Norfe held his stomach in surprise.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten dinner yet?¡±


    ¡°Uh, um, yes. I haven¡¯t eaten since this afternoon.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    She could question him about what had happened later. Chiharu opened the door to her room and brought back something that was wrapped in cloth. And then she poured some water into a cup on the table and opened up the bundle.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that I saved this. It¡¯s better than nothing. maybe a little hard?¡±


    There was some bread and grapes.


    ¡°Why do you have that¡­¡±


    ¡°I keep some when there is too much food. After all, they will probably just throw it away if I return it, right? In that case, it¡¯s better to save it. See, it was useful once again.¡±


    ¡°Again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you about it. But you should eat first.¡±


    Chiharu moved the table so that it would be closer to Norfe.


    ¡°Ah, I could have done that for you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not very heavy.¡±


    Chiharu insisted as Norfe tried to get up.


    ¡°Now, eat.¡±


    Norfe gulped and then went for the cup of water first. And then he picked up the bread and slowly started to eat. Then he started to eat faster, until all five of the loaves were eaten.


    ¡°Those were from breakfast, lunch and dinner.¡±


    Chiharu said with a smile. Norfe looked like he didn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°In the first place¡­¡±


    Chiharu started by talking about the time she fell off a cliff in the dwarf lands. How the bread in her bag had helped her, and then how she was kidnapped in Gromble.


    ¡°Maki had it so hard, and I saved some bread that time too. But now that I think about it, it wasn¡¯t much use.¡±


    This really wasn¡¯t what she should be talking about now. Still, Chiharu¡¯s voice sounded gently in his ears. And it gave Norfe time to calm down, and stop feeling so angry and embarrassed about his failure.


    This current situation. A Saintess had been abducted and locked away. He had tried to do something about it, but ended up being locked down here as well. In other words¡­


    ¡°My country has been taken over.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Up until now, I was held up like an ornament. But now, my uncle will be the one who is ruling.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I will likely be sent off to some other country, where I will be involved in an accident.¡±


    Chiharu had no idea that things were moving in such a horrifying direction.


    ¡°What about Alan?¡±


    ¡°I told him to secure my father¡¯s safety first. My father is too weak to be moved from his room. And so I told Alan to lock himself up in the room with him. There are soldiers who took our side and are bringing them food.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ I had thought that you just charged in without any plans.¡±


    In spite of the situation, Chiharu chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much different. I knew that I couldn¡¯t do anything alone. And so I relied on Alan and my father. If something happens to my father, my uncle will have full control over the kingdom.¡±


    Norfe laughed self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°Not only that, but I had to rely on the birdfolk, who I had mocked so much. And I sent word to Arthur of Midland, asking for help to save my father. I can¡¯t even control my own soldiers. What kind of prince relies on other countries? I have no reason to exist.¡±


    ¡°You contacted Arthur! And the birdfolk?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Orne and Puel. Very strange birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡±


    Chiharu stood up and praised Norfe with a big smile on her face.


    ¡°Ahhh, when you were first brought in here, all tied up. I thought that I was right to think your were a stupid prince after all. But you¡¯re not! The birdfolk will reach Midland in less than a day. And if they use airships, the Midland people should arrive within a few days. We just need to hold on until then.¡±


    ¡°Stupid prince¡­¡±


    While Chiharu was excited, Norfe¡¯s shoulders were drooping.


    ¡°Do you want me to elaborate on that point?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Even as they spoke, monsters were floating towards Chiharu and being turned into magic stones. Others entered the cell and wandered close to the ceiling.


    ¡°You were surprised yesterday, but seem to have gotten used to them.¡±


    Norfe¡¯s eyes were moving busily around the room.


    ¡°You would have probably found it harder to accept if you were an Adventurer.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You can die if you let your guard down while hunting monsters. Monsters are bad and scary. And so Kaider and Nyran took a very long time to get used to them. They would always tell me to be more cautious.¡±


    ¡°Kaider and Nyran. That strange dwarf prince and the southern prince.¡±


    Norfe said slowly as if he was searching his memory.


    ¡°Yes. Though, I don¡¯t think they will be happy if they heard you calling them ¡®strange.¡¯¡±


    Chiharu had a nostalgic expression. Even though it hadn¡¯t really been that long since she last saw them.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing we can do now. Let¡¯s get some rest.¡±


    Norfe had never been talked to like this before, and he hesitated. She wasn¡¯t a maid or a servant. If he had to compare her to someone, it was like having an older sister.


    ¡°What is it? Your face has turned red.¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Even though there was a door between them, Norfe did not think that he would be able to sleep.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me? About the time you went to the dwarf lands.¡±


    ¡°Sure. But if I do¡­¡±


    Chiharu had a mischievous expression.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to talk about the mean royals who were the reason that we left.¡±


    Stupid. Mean. Not one good thing. Norfe¡¯s shoulders seemed to slump a lot that day.

 CH 154

    The Mirror Lake


    Maki rested up that night. She was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be able to move if she didn¡¯t rest, and she was also tired from her travels with the birdfolk. And so when she opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.


    ¡°Damn it! I slept for too long!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It would be no good to travel if you were still tired. You would not be able to move enough.¡±


    Sera said as Maki got up frantically. She would usually come into the room after Maki or Chiharu had called them, but she was already in the room now. And she immediately gave Maki some tea.


    ¡°Hehe. It¡¯s green tea.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Midland is not like your country, where there are big differences in the four seasons. So new sprouts grow out all of the time, meaning that you can always enjoy new tea. This is all thanks to you, Saintess Maki.¡±


    ¡°Oh, not at all. I just happened to know.¡±


    Sera had timed it so that the tea would be read when Maki got up, and it did wonders for clearing her head. She must have been very concerned about Maki.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about Saintess Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I thought she was in danger at first, because this was the inland people. They mocked us, saying that we were replaceable.¡±


    Maki said as she recalled the information that Chiharu had told her yesterday.


    ¡°But it seems like they are keeping her imprisoned as a way of easily making magic stones out of monsters. That angers me, of course. But it at least means they won¡¯t hurt her as long as she is useful to them.¡±


    She then finished her tea and stretched her limbs before getting out of bed.


    ¡°And so it¡¯s fine. Well, it¡¯s not fine.¡±


    Maki smiled wryly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the political stuff to Arthur and the others. So I can focus on freeing Chiharu as soon as possible.¡±


    She declared.


    ¡°Your wellbeing is also very important, Saintess Maki. Please don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I actually bought you a gift, Sera. But it will have to wait until this is all over. Because I left it in the beast lands.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I look forward to receiving it, once you two are together again.¡±


    And so she left Sera in order to talk to Arthur and the others about the future, and by midday, Maki left with Edwy and the birdfolk and headed inland.


    Their destination was the mirror lake. The birdfolk who would be carrying the merfolk had already left early in the morning. She didn¡¯t know how they would meet up. But nothing would begin until they went. The bridfolk were nothing if not a ball of action.


    ¡°As long as they think it¡¯s interesting, anyway.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. But I have no idea why they would find it interesting to carry some heavy merfolk.¡±


    Maki and Edwy would talk about such things.


    They took one break along the way and then headed straight for the mirror lake. The last time they had traveled inland from Lowland, they had taken multiple breaks and even stopped at an inn before finishing the last stretch by carriage. That time, the power and speed of the birdfolk was on a different level, and Maki and Edwy were now tougher as well. By the time that they arrived at a mountain clearing near the mirror lake in the evening, Maki had to chuckle at how much she had grown.


    ¡°The last time we were here, we snuck out of the inn, and then there were dogfolk who were scared of us.¡±


    The season hadn¡¯t even changed since then. But this was no time to be basking in such memories. Just then, she saw a bird person moving towards them from the lake. But the white feathers had only left Midland that morning.


    ¡°Sauro!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Mick. Were you able to meet up with the merfolk?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t as if they were hiding. They had been flying boldly in the sky, and they would have been visible from the lake. And so this bird person called Mick arrived as soon as Maki and Edwy¡¯s feet hit the ground.


    ¡°I suppose that you can say that we did.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s vague. What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    Mick hesitated.


    ¡°In any case, come to the lake villa. You will understand if you come.¡±


    ¡°Wait. We don¡¯t want the royals to find out that we are here.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem. The villa is under our control now. There is no danger for the Saintess.¡±


    Time seemed to stop after Mick said those words.


    ¡°Under control?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to explain! Just come with me!¡±


    It seemed like Mick was someone that they could trust. And so Sauro and Saikania suggested that they do as he said.


    ¡°Alright. And it¡¯s close enough to walk.¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that then. He-hey!¡±


    In spite of it only being a fifteen minute walk, the birdfolk ignored Maki and Edwy¡¯s protests and carried them away.


    ¡°This is where we escaped last time.¡±


    While it was only a short trip, Maki and Edwy looked a little tired as they landed in front of the room where the merfolk chief had been held, no, stayed because he couldn¡¯t be bothered to escape.


    When they turned around, they could see the mirror lake. Normally, the beautiful orange leaves of the trees would have been reflected in the water¡¯s surface. Normally.


    In other words, there was so much traffic going on now. The lake was filled with splashes as people swam to and fro. In other words¡­


    ¡°Maki. And the Midland prince. You¡¯re late.¡±


    ¡°Amia¡­¡±


    We¡¯re not late. And hadn¡¯t he said something about sending light merfolk so that it would be easier for the birdfolk to carry them? But Amia was incredibly heavy.


    A bench had been brought outside, and Amia was sitting gracefully on it. Maki watched him and recalled how hard it had been to carry his weight.


    ¡°Amia. What is going on here? I did hear from Sauro that you wanted merfolk carried to the inland castle, but why are you here too?¡±


    ¡°Well, we merfolk could not stay quiet after Chiharu was abducted.¡±


    Amia replied to Edwy as if this were a very silly question.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s just ignore the fact that the merfolk chief is here for now. What is happening in this villa?¡±


    Edwy¡¯s voice seemed to be shaking a little. There were no humans to be seen. However, there were a lot of merfolk moving around with curious expressions.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite simple. As it was an emergency, we took possession of the villa.¡±


    Took possession.


    ¡°What happened to the servants and guards¡­¡±


    ¡°The guards wouldn¡¯t listen to us, so they were put in the dungeons. The servants continue to work.¡±


    In other words, it had been taken over by force. That¡¯s what had happened.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, Saia said that they aren¡¯t protected by any territory, nor do they want to help anyone. He said that he wouldn¡¯t do anything to change the current balance.¡±


    Maki recalled with some annoyance.


    ¡°Hmm. That is also true. But the inland people are the ones who abducted the precious child first. It is the same thing as declaring war on us merfolk. We explained this to them very carefully. And it was only those who would still not listen that were put in the dungeons.¡±


    Amia said, as if there was no problem at all. Maki felt her head start to hurt. But she decided to leave the matter to Sauro and Edwy.


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case. Then this can be our base.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It should be fine as long as the prisoners are treated well.¡±


    They adapted too quickly! Sauro, Saikania and Edwy were already acting as if the matter had been settled.


    ¡°Then as a human representative, I will go and put the minds of the servants at ease. Maki, you should rest for a while.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss how we should go to the castle. Maki, you stay here with Amia.¡±


    And then they went off somewhere.


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, you should rest next to me.¡±


    Still stunned, Maki walked unsteadily towards Amia and sat down next to him. She missed Chiharu more than ever¡­

 CH 155

    Amia


    ¡°Amia.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, while we did meet once on the island, I haven¡¯t thanked you properly yet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. But now I know just how strong the merfolk are.¡±


    They sat next to each other and gazed at the lake. She felt that the merfolk would have dealt with the situation just fine, even if they hadn¡¯t come. Well, thanks to that, the trouble had been postponed, so she couldn¡¯t complain. Though she was still annoyed at Saia, who had pushed everything onto them because he couldn¡¯t be bothered to do it himself.


    ¡°About Saia¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, him.¡±


    And so even Maki felt cold towards Saia.


    ¡°You can be angry. You can even tell him never to show his face to a Saintess again.¡±


    ¡°But he was doing it for you, Amia. Also, isn¡¯t he pretty powerful?¡±


    ¡°Aye. He is the future chief of the merfolk. However, just because he was doing it for someone, doesn¡¯t mean that everything should be forgiven. After all, it wasn¡¯t just you precious ones, but even the birdfolk and southern lands got pulled in. And so no one would believe that it was just you two acting on your own.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s true. But we will probably have died of old age by the time Saia is chief.¡±


    Well, the root of the whole problem was that Amia was too free.


    As for Saia, he would likely be a lot of trouble for the next Saintess to come. Yes, perhaps she should write a note, warning the future Saintess about Saia. Maki decided this. Of course, she had never been able to keep a diary in the past.


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    Amia would likely live a lot longer.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say such sad things. No, wait¡­¡±


    His voice suddenly changed. He turned Maki¡¯s body so that she was facing him, and put his hands on her shoulders. Then he slowly looked at her up and down.


    Had it been anyone else but Amia, she would have likely punched them in the face for harassment. But she now saw him more like an uncle. Of course, Amia would have been very surprised if he knew what Maki was thinking. However, it seemed like Amia was seeing something completely different through Maki, and she did not feel like making any jokes.


    ¡°Something has changed. Maki, what happened in the elf lands?¡±


    ¡°Changed? What happened¡­ Too much happened¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you eat or drink anything unusual?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes, we ate a lot of unusual food.¡±


    She was taken aback by how serious Amia was. However, when it came to what they had eaten and drunk, there was one thing that was bigger than the others.


    ¡°Well, the best was the honey wine. There were all kinds. The sweetness and alcohol percentage changed depending on how much it had aged. But they were all so delicious.¡±


    Once everything here was finished, they would go back to the elf lands.


    ¡°Honey wine. No, it¡¯s not the honey wine.¡±


    ¡°Hm? Oh, yes. We got to meet all of the bees as well. I never thought that we would be able to communicate with bees and mandragoras.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­what about the queen bee?¡±


    ¡°She was busy with the young ones, so we couldn¡¯t meet her. But we got royal jelly as gifts. And we were told something. There was something that we lacked, and so we should drink it. Like a supplement.¡±


    Oh, Amia appeared to be deep in thought now. He really was a free spirit. That was fine. As Amia sat there in contemplation, Maki looked at the lake as if to rest after the tiring journey. While they had said that they took control of the place, the merfolk were jumping around happily. And she could even see townsfolk watching them from the shore. I suppose even if the villa had been taken, it wasn¡¯t related to them.


    Amia suddenly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Beloved child. We may be together for a lot longer than you think.¡±


    ¡°You always talk like this. I don¡¯t understand what you mean.¡±


    She wished that he would be clearer. Now that she thought about it, even when she had met him at the lake in the dwarf lands, he could have just told them that Saintess would be liked by monsters.


    Well, Maki also felt that there was no point in thinking too hard when it came to the birdfolk and merfolk.


    Leaving the playing merfolk aside, other merfolk and birdfolk had gathered in the large garden. And the especially large birdfolk were picking up the merfolk and trying to fly off. Ah, they failed. One more try.


    After several failures, one pair managed to fly in the air for quite a long time. After seeing this, the others paired up and took to the air. There were a lot of them.


    A moment later, Sauro came rushing back to them.


    ¡°Merfolk are heavier than they look, so I had my doubts that it would work. But it seems like it¡¯s not too bad once they are off of the ground. However, they won¡¯t be able to fly for too long. They won¡¯t last until the capital unless they take multiple breaks. Hey, merfolk chief. Do you really have to go?¡±


    ¡°I must go. This incident has angered all of the races, and the humans must know it. Or else the same thing will happen again.¡±


    And then Amia stood up and faced Sauro. They were both about two meters tall. The bird man with the white hair and feathers. The merman who shone like an opal under the sun. They were undeniably nice to look at, but¡­


    ¡°Amia is really heavy.¡±


    ¡°Maki, that is a groundless accusation.¡±


    ¡°But you were so heavy that we could barely pick you up.¡±


    Still, he insisted that he was going, so there was nothing to be done.


    ¡°As long as you help when we take flight.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I just have to jump, right?¡±


    Sauro picked up Amia and jumped. They rose lightly into the air and Sauro immediately flapped his large wings. Before she knew it, they had flown off somewhere, leaving Maki with her mouth hanging open. And after a while, they returned.


    ¡°That was quick¡­¡±


    ¡°It was perfect, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Saikania?¡±


    ¡°He jumped up at just the same time as my brother. And read the current of the wind so that he wouldn¡¯t be an extra burden. Even though he may be one of the heaviest of his kind, I think it¡¯s probably easy to fly with him.¡±


    Saikania seemed to have come out of nowhere as she sat next to Maki. It was true. Amia almost looked lighter than the other merfolk.


    ¡°He¡¯s strong and quick to make judgments about the situation. It¡¯s rare for a merfolk chief to be this brilliant. His predecessor had no interest in the other races. And the future chief has too narrow a vision. My brother is also brilliant. Perhaps it¡¯s what this age needs.¡±


    Maki had never heard Saikania talk like this before. She might have thought she was quite cool, but her first impression was not so easily erased.


    Sauro and Amia landed a short distance away from them.


    ¡°Yes. We can do it. But I don¡¯t know if it would be like this with the others.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    They were talking to each other.


    ¡°Hey, Sauro.¡±


    ¡°What is it, Maki?¡±


    ¡°Edwy and I are light. So I¡¯m sure the other birdfolk will be fine.¡±


    ¡°However, it will be different in terms of how you get tired.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want to leave Maki to the others.


    ¡°But I think that it would make a bigger impact if you took the merfolk chief instead of me. I can just make a quiet appearance.¡±


    ¡°Very well then. I will carry the chief.¡±


    And so on that night, many of the birdfolk took the merfolk and carried them off. Still, there were a lot of merfolk left by the lake.


    ¡°Saia. This place will be our base. Don¡¯t let the humans take it back.¡±


    ¡°Understood. Please be careful, chief.¡±


    Apparently, Saia was going to stay here and take command.


    ¡°You too, beloved child.¡±


    He added.


    When they were close to the castle, and resting in a mountain that would be their final base, Maki suddenly stood up. Her hands were shaking.


    ¡°What is it? Are you tired? You have to rest, or tomorrow will be hard for you.¡±


    Sauro was looking at her worriedly, and so Maki sat back down. As the others watched, Maki opened her mouth.


    ¡°Norfe was thrown into prison with Chiharu.¡±


    Things were moving much too fast. Sauro and Amia held their heads. They had to change their plans now. There would be no sleeping tonight.

 CH 156

    Everyone Together


    It should have been an ordinary autumn morning in the inland royal capital, but the place was in an uproar.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean, we can¡¯t enter the town?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an order from the castle.¡±


    ¡°What? Nothing like this has ever happened before. What is the reason!¡±


    There were three roads that led to the royal capital, which had steep mountains behind it. As there was no chance of them ever being attacked, it was not surrounded by any walls. And so people from all over were able to visit it freely. It was just seen as a lively town that happened to have a castle. However, as goods came in from all over, the roads were very wide.


    Normally, you would have been able to enter the royal capital freely, but on this day, soldiers stood guard, and since that morning, people were forbidden from entering or leaving.


    In comparison, Midland was a place with connections to the three territories, and had many merchants and monster hunting Adventurers, which meant there were a lot of problems. And so they had quite a lot of soldiers in order to keep the peace. However, in the southern country of Lowland, or the inland country of Highland, soldiers were seen as being more similar to police officers. They would mediate between residents who were fighting, and try to prevent problems from arising in the first place. And so they were few in number.


    The only soldiers were the ones in the castle. And their role was to protect the king and castle, as tradition dictated. But as they had never been invaded by another country, the people of the town rarely thought about their purpose.


    But now these soldiers were forbidding them from entering the town. Those who came early in the morning were generally farmers, and so not being able to do business for one or two days was not too big a problem. Still, they had never seen the soldiers use force like this before. And so they were anxious and confused. Many did not return, and there was now a long line of traffic near the entrance.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just tell us that we can¡¯t go in without giving us a reason. And how long is this going to last?¡±


    While the people were right to question them, the soldiers were unable to give them an explanation, and could only repeat that the orders were from the castle.


    The soldiers themselves could hardly believe what was happening. Late the previous night, the king¡¯s brother had called them in and said,


    ¡°Prince Norfe has taken the king hostage. He wants the throne.¡±


    Of course, they could not believe this. Furthermore¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that he has asked other countries for help. And so until the matter is settled, no one is allowed to leave or enter the royal capital. It will be your job to ensure this.¡±


    That was what he said to them.


    The king had been ill for a while now, and so everyone knew that his younger brother, Lord Adol, was running things in his place. Prince Norfe had not even been ten years old at the time, and so it seemed only natural for Lord Adol to take his father¡¯s place until Norfe was of age.


    And once Norfe grew older, he started to travel and work in other countries. And so the people knew about Norfe, and he was well received. While few had ever seen Lord Adol in person, it seemed to most that he was working hard to support the prince, and so he was rated highly as well.


    Besides, the situation had never been the cause of trouble before. Though, a few months ago, there was an incident where trade with the other territories was temporarily suspended, but it did not greatly affect anyone who wasn¡¯t directly involved in trading.


    Now that Norfe was of age, the people had assumed that Lord Adol would teach him for a few years and then Norfe would be crowned king. The soldiers had also thought this.


    And so they could not comprehend the idea that Norfe had started a rebellion, and was trying to take the throne. Why would he do that, if it would be his in just a few years? And what was this about being in contact with the other territories?


    They had all seen Norfe at the castle, and it never seemed like he was in a rush.


    ¡°Hey, what about the prince¡¯s personal guards? Surely they know what is happening.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡±


    Apparently, they had split into two sides. One side had locked themselve¡¯s up in the king¡¯s room. This was quite a blow to the guards who wanted to believe that the Prince was innocent.


    Besides, if Norfe was innocent, that meant that it was Lord Adol who was plotting something. However, while there may have been some friction with outsiders, the people did not feel that Lord Adol had made any mistakes. For instance, with regards to the recent welcoming of the birdfolk. The people had accepted this willingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! These birdfolk are from the other territories! Are any of you acquainted with them?¡±


    And so they had gone searching. But perhaps because it was night time, they were unable to find any of the birdfolk. In the end, they did not know what to believe. And so by morning, they soberly went out to close the roads.


    ¡°But surely we should be allowed to leave?¡±


    ¡°All traffic is forbidden.¡±


    There was a lot of chaos, but once the morning rush had settled, sounds could be heard coming from the direction of the castle, and people started to gather around. After some time, a rider appeared. He went to the plaza and spread out a sheet of paper, which he began to read.


    ¡°Prince Norfe has taken the king hostage. His demand is that the throne be passed to him. While the situation is still being resolved, it is possible that His Highness has asked the other territories for aid. And so until the matter is settled, no one, including citizens, will be allowed to enter or leave the capital.¡±


    It was what the soldiers already knew. However, the people were still confused, and they rushed up to the mounted soldier.


    ¡°Hey, you! What are you saying? Prince Norfe would never do something like that. He¡¯s an adult and practically king already. What point would there be in knocking down the frail king?¡±


    ¡°Other territories? But we aren¡¯t even fighting!¡±


    ¡°I heard that there was trouble before regarding the Saintesses, but hasn¡¯t that been resolved?¡±


    The soldiers knew that something was strange, but still had to obey Adol¡¯s orders anyway. But to the people, Lord Adol was just a representative until Norfe was old enough. They thought of him as an honest, good uncle who supported Norfe.


    And so when something seemed strange, they did not hesitate to say it. However, the soldiers could not reply.


    ¡°Hey, what is that?¡±


    Said someone who was near the back of the crowd as he pointed at the sky.


    ¡°A flying house?¡±


    ¡°Is that what I think it is? Those things that fly around in Midland.¡±


    ¡°An airship?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just an airship. There were numerous white-feathered birdfolk flying around as if they were following it. And they were carrying people.


    ¡°The birdfolk are carrying adults¡­and they all have white hair¡­ Hey, one is coming down!¡±


    However, in spite of flying very low, the bird person did not land, and continued to fly around as if to show off the person that he was carrying. The person who was being carried slowly brushed the hair out of his face. Then they went back towards the airship.


    ¡°Did you see that! The skin and hair that glimmered in the sunlight. The webbed hands. And those weren¡¯t ears, but fins!¡±


    ¡°A merman¡­¡±


    Cries of ¡®merfolk¡¯ began to echo around them.


    ¡°Hey! Over here! Hey, you! Person from the castle!¡±


    Someone who was riding a carriage near the entrance started to shout, and a soldier ran frantically.


    ¡°A dwarf and elf. And beastkin¡­but why¡­¡±


    ¡°Was the news from the castle really true then?¡±


    People who they had never seen were gathering at the royal capital now.

 CH 157

    Those Who Do Not Have


    Chiharu and Norfe were talking leisurely.


    ¡°Maybe you should rest a little.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine, since we¡¯re sitting down here while talking anyway. But aren¡¯t you uncomfortable, sitting there on the floor?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m leaning against the sofa. Besides, back in my country, you take your shoes off and sit on the floor a lot of the time.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t so much a conversation with Norfe, as Chiharu telling him interesting stories. Talking to someone else like this made her realize just how eventful her life had been since coming to this world.


    While she hadn¡¯t had the highest opinion of Norfe, he listened quietly, and without any rude comments. So not only was he a handsome young man, though not as handsome as Edwy, he was also a good listener.


    ¡°It will be morning soon, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to tell you about Gromble.¡±


    They were attacked by a bear, went to a hot spring, had been spied on, though that was a secret, and then they finally arrived at the capital. Just talking about this had made a lot of time pass by.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long we will be here, but won¡¯t you tell me about the rest of your travels one day?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is still so much to tell.¡±


    Norfe smiled a little sadly. He probably had an idea about what would happen next. However, he also had to admit that Chiharu knew more about that.


    ¡°Hey, it doesn¡¯t have to be while we¡¯re here, you know?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ But I don¡¯t know how I could ever go and face you. No, in the first place¡­¡±


    He could not continue after that. Norfe stared at the ground and became silent.


    He eventually did accept Chiharu¡¯s suggestion to sleep a little, and he was then chased off to the bed. Perhaps he was too tired to resist at that point. Once Chiharu saw that he was asleep, she moved back to the sofa that faced the iron bars.


    ¡°Surprisingly, he just does what he¡¯s told. Norfe. He¡¯ll generally listen to what you say if pushed. In other words, his uncle must have taken advantage of his nature while raising him.¡±


    After some time had passed, there was a creak, and the hallway door opened quietly. She had a feeling that the night was already over. Several people walked in. Chiharu leaned back into the sofa and crossed her legs.


    ¡°Hey, Lord Adol, is it? Is it fun being in control of a whole country?¡±


    ¡°Fun? There was no one else to do it, and so I was forced to. It is nothing but trouble.¡±


    He said with a sigh and a shrug of his shoulders. She had not met Lord Adol since the unveiling.


    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you trade places with the prince? Isn¡¯t he an adult at eighteen?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. But Norfe seems to have misunderstood something. He took the king hostage and said that he will take the throne now.¡±


    ¡°Huh, that¡¯s weird. Considering he would be king without doing anything. As long as his uncle stops clinging to the role of regent.¡±


    She thought she heard a faint noise coming from the bedroom, but she ignored it. She had already told him to not come out.


    ¡°He is still not ready to be king. I was thinking about allowing him to grow a little more first.¡±


    ¡°And what have you done to help him grow?¡±


    Chiharu asked relentlessly. However, Lord Adol did not reply. He just signalled to the soldiers who accompanied him.


    Five of the soldiers thrust their spears through the bars and towards Chiharu¡¯s face.


    ¡°Now, Norfe. You¡¯re here, aren¡¯t you? If you don¡¯t come out, this lady might get hurt.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t come out! If they wanted to hurt me, they wouldn¡¯t have locked me up in the first place.¡±


    ¡°The situation has changed. Besides, hurting you a little won¡¯t matter. We can still get magic stones as long as you don¡¯t die. Norfe, are you going to let that happen?¡±


    The bedroom door opened loudly. Chiharu shut her eyes in frustration. She should have been more severe when telling him.


    ¡°Uncle! Stop this! It has nothing to do with the Saintess!¡±


    Norfe moved between Chiharu and the spears and gestured for her to go into the bedroom.


    However, the spears moved to both sides of her, and she was unable to get away.


    ¡°If you wanted the throne so much, you could have talked to me and my father! It¡¯s not as if you are completely inept at goverening. And we royals are administrators of the people. There is no reason why a direct descendant must inherit the throne.¡±


    ¡°You may say that, but there is no reason anywhere to disinherit a prince who is not at fault. I cannot become king as long as you are alive.¡±


    ¡°I do not understand it! Why do you wish to be king so much!¡±


    ¡°You will never understand, as you only had to wait for it to happen to you.¡±


    Lord Adol whispered quietly. But Chiharu could see it. Lord Adol¡¯s body was filled with miasma.


    She didn¡¯t know why. However, since he knew about this cave, he might have been affected by the miasma little by little. As he grew angry and more selfish, the desire to become king must have grown inside of him.


    Chiharu glanced over to the cave.


    ¡°It¡¯s no use, Saintess. I¡¯ve heard reports of how you are liked by the monsters. They say that you calmed them in the dwarf lands. I didn¡¯t believe it at first, but just as a precaution, I had the monster cave blocked off.¡±


    Chiharu knew that it had been closed yesterday.


    ¡°Prince Norfe will die in the battle while we try to save the king. That¡¯s what the official story will be.¡±


    ¡°Uncle!¡±


    ¡°The Saintess will be useful. Leave her.¡±


    ¡°Uncle!¡±


    Norfe¡¯s shouts were in vain, and Lord Adol left them.


    One of the five soldiers put down his spear and took out the cell keys.


    ¡°Hey! Are you seriously going to kill the prince of your own country?¡±


    The soldier recoiled a little at these words, but it was clear that he still meant harm.


    ¡°I see. I have no choice then¡­¡±


    Chiharu muttered as she sat down on the sofa.


    ¡°This was the one thing I didn¡¯t want to do. But if it will save a life.¡±


    ¡°Chiharu?¡±


    Norfe called to her. Chiharu said quietly,


    ¡°Now, all of you. Gather around the spear wielders.¡±


    Immediately after, the shadows in the room started to move. The soldiers were surprised and looked up.


    ¡°Ga-gazers?¡±


    ¡°Now, go and play.¡±


    The gazers that had been stuck to the ceiling started to come down.


    ¡°Ah-ahhh!¡±


    After being hit by the gazes, the soldiers ran away. Of course, this included the soldier with the key.


    ¡°Ah, damn it! The door would have been opened if I waited a little longer!¡±


    Chiharu had sounded very confident, but she had actually been scared. And so she had given the order to the gazers too early.


    ¡°I¡¯m just useless when it counts! Damn it!¡±


    As Chiharu berated herself, the small gazer floated down to her.


    ¡°Huh? That door opens up?¡±


    There was a creak, and the door that led to the king¡¯s room started to open.

 CH 158

    Invasion


    After Chiharu sent them the information about Norfe¡¯s imprisonment, Maki and the others thought about what they should do.


    ¡°Chiharu said that if it were only her alone, they would likely not do anything to her. After all, they had gone through so much trouble to abduct her. But she doubts that Norfe will just be kept in the imprison. And she thinks that he knows this as well. It¡¯s just about what excuse they¡¯ll use now¡­¡±


    ¡°We must act quickly then.¡±


    Edwy nodded as Maki talked with a grim expression.


    Leaving the birdfolk and the merfolk aside, he could not not understand why Maki was worried about Norfe.


    Chiharu was what was important. That was all. Norfe may be royalty, but this was just some internal struggle in their country. Not only that, but he was also one of the people who had hurt the Saintesses. Why was she worried about someone who had said such horrible things to them?


    However, if that¡¯s what Maki and Chiharu wanted to do, then he had to accept it.


    ¡°Apparently, he asked Arthur for help. So maybe we should join Arthur before moving.¡±


    ¡°No, if we¡¯re going to move, it should be now.¡±


    Said Amia, who looked so relaxed even though they were in the middle of the mountains.


    ¡°We should assume that they already know what the birdfolk are doing. And this Adol person is likely making plans. Since he says that the prince has locked himself in the room and taken the king hostage, he will probably make it so that the prince dies in the ensuing struggle. However, Adol is the younger brother of that weak king, isn¡¯t he? I did not think that he was the ambitious type.¡±


    ¡°You know him, Amia?¡±


    Amia nodded.


    ¡°All human royals come to visit the merfolk king when they are young. Edwy and Norfe probably don¡¯t remember, as they were too young. Chouze as well.¡±


    ¡°But you looked like you didn¡¯t recognize Edwy and Kaider?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I remembered them. I just wasn¡¯t interested.¡±


    What a terrible thing to say.


    ¡°In other words, we should act as quickly as possible?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care about what happens to this Norfe human, but it will be very bad if Chiharu is somehow hurt amidst the chaos.¡±


    ¡°Amia¡­¡±


    The merfolk chief was too honest. And so Maki and the others decided to split up into two groups. One would rescue the king by entering his room from the castle roof, while another team would rescue Chiharu. Apparently, there were several escape exits from the king¡¯s room.


    ¡°They say that they were made as emergency exits, but I¡¯d be more scared about them being used during invasions.¡±


    Maki said with a tilt of her head. In spite of the situation, Edwy sounded like he was having fun as he replied.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never actually heard of such escape routes being used. My father thinks the dwarves just made them for fun.¡±


    Edwy said that he often played in these escape routes as a child.


    ¡°Uh, I thought only the king was supposed to know about them?¡±


    ¡°Ahh, well, I am his son.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±


    Maki had assumed that it was one of those secrets that are to be passed down to the first-born child alone, and only right before the death of the king. Regardless, they had learned about the secret passage through Norfe, and they would use it to rescue the king before Arthur and the others arrived.


    Right before dawn, as numerous birdfolk flew in the air and distracted the castle soldiers, Maki and the others descended quietly on the castle roof. Edwy quickly found the passage to the king¡¯s room. And while he looked back at Maki with a worried expression, he continued on.


    Maki remained on the roof. Here, she saw familiar faces.


    ¡°Orne! Puel!¡±


    As the three remembered the times they shared together, she also saw faces that brought less joy.


    ¡°There¡¯s Chouze and¡­those birdfolk.


    Maki didn¡¯t remember their names, but she clenched her fists.


    ¡°Prepare yourselves!¡±


    Thud. In spite of clenching her fists, it was her leg that moved. But what would have been a clean roundhouse kick was blocked by Amia.


    ¡°Amia, don¡¯t stop me! They are the ones who abducted Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Maki, I understand how you feel, but you¡¯ll only regret it if you hit someone who can¡¯t fight back.¡±


    Maki looked at them with realization. Not only were their wings folded back and tied up, but so were their hands and feet.


    ¡°We rarely change our forms, we can put away our wings and become like humans. And so we tied them up like this so they would not be able to escape.¡±


    Orne said with a bitter expression.


    ¡°As for Chouze, she is a child who doesn¡¯t know anything. So we secured her before she could become a hostage.¡±


    Puel explained. Maki told herself that all of this could wait until later. Just then, Edwy and several others came out from the secret passage. They were carrying someone.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°Chouze¡­?¡±


    As the king was lowered onto the ground, Chouze ran up to him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown into a lady¡­¡±


    Chouze could not say anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange that you can live in the same castle and now see each other, but that can be discussed later.¡±


    Maki said to no one in particular, and then she walked up to them.


    ¡°Um, excuse me. Yes.¡±


    She pushed past Chouze and slapped the king¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What are you doing to the king!¡±


    ¡°Father!¡±


    People shouted, but the birdfolk and merfolk restrained them.


    ¡°Just a few more times. Bear with me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. You must be the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Alright!¡±


    Slap. Slap. After a few more hits, Maki stood up with satisfaction.


    ¡°I got rid of all the miasma in your body. But it doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll get well immediately. You¡¯ll have to stay warm and get some rest. Now¡­¡±


    Edwy, Sauro, Amia, and Alan, who had come out of the king¡¯s room. All of them gathered around Maki.


    ¡°Hey, Sauro. You can¡¯t go through the passage with those wings. And Amia, you are a chief. What are you doing here?¡±


    Maki was surprised as she thought they were going to go with the human soldiers. And then she looked at Sauro and was even more surprised.


    ¡°Hey, Sauro. Your wings are gone!¡±


    He was just a normal handsome man now! Saikania was laughing, but there was no time for that.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not very balanced, but that can¡¯t be helped. My power is the same without the wings anyway. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Just then, the tied up birdfolk started to struggle. It seemed like they had something to say. Sauro looked at them coldly.


    ¡°Take off the gag.¡±


    He said. And Orne took the gag off of one of them.


    ¡°Sauro, stop! You know how painful the underground is for us! I heard that the Saintess is under the temple. And you already used so much power to erase your wings!¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Sauro looked exasperated as he signaled to Orne to put the gag back on.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need wings if they are getting in the way of what is important. And I do not care about my own pain if someone important to me is in pain.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t care about his wings. But Maki had to repress the emotion and feeling of gratitude that welled up within her, and go and save Chiharu.


    ¡°Maki.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Wait for us! Chiharu!

 CH 159

    Rescue


    If they were coming from a door that was connected to the king¡¯s room, then they were surely not enemies. And so Chiharu watched the door as Norfe stood protectively in front of her. However, the people that came out were completely unexpected.


    ¡°Huh, Sauro? And Amia?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here too.¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    ¡°And me.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    If someone was going to come to help her, she expected it to be Maki and Edwy. Of course, she was happy about the others, but more surprised than anything. Still, Chiharu finally felt a sense of relief at seeing Maki and Edwy¡¯s faces. Chiharu moved away from Norfe¡¯s back, and Maki grabbed her hands through the iron bars.


    ¡°Are you okay? Did anything bad happen?¡±


    ¡°It was bad while I was being carried, but well, this place isn¡¯t that uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°Those blasted birds! I really should have kicked them after all!¡±


    Chiharu laughed. On the other hand, Norfe was very surprised at her saying that it wasn¡¯t uncomfortable.


    ¡°What are you talking about! They were pointing spears at you a moment ago!¡±


    ¡°And now that I think about it, they were about to kill you, Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡­¡±


    Norfe looked down. And then Edwy walked up to him.


    ¡°Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Edwy¡­¡±


    ¡°There is actually a lot that I want to say. However, I will only say this now. We have the king and Chouze.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank you!¡±


    Norfe fell to his knees and showed his gratitude. Maki ignored him and looked at the bars.


    ¡°Now is not the time for that. Let¡¯s hurry up and get out of here!¡±


    It looked like the iron bars had been made here and then fitted in. They did not appear to be too strong, but they still did not budge when Norfe and Chiharu tried to move them. Of course, it was the same with Maki.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s our turn now.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    Amia and Sauro stepped forward.


    ¡°Huh? What are you going to do?¡±


    Maki said frantically. Chiharu looked at them and her eyes widened.


    ¡°Sauro, you don¡¯t have wings!¡±


    ¡°Now? Now you notice?¡±


    Maki said. But the others just watched quietly. Chiharu realized that it wasn¡¯t important, and decided to ask about it later. Amia and Sauro silently put their hands on the bars.


    ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    ¡°Hmmph!¡±


    And the iron bars were bent easily.


    ¡°That should be enough for Chiharu to come out. See.¡±


    Amia smiled. He was sparkling, in spite of being underground. However, the gap was only wide enough for a petite woman to pass through.


    ¡°Uh, what about Norfe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. You must go, even if alone!¡±


    Norfe said, but Chiharu still hesitated. Amia shrugged.


    ¡°Do we really have to help that one as well?¡±


    Maki looked at Amia with exasperation. Not only did he know that his name was Norfe, but he also knew that he was a prince. And yet he was talking coldly on purpose.


    ¡°But it¡¯s too narrow for an adult male to pass through. In that case¡­¡±


    Amia looked over to Sauro, who was folding his arms and watching. Sauro shook his head.


    ¡°When it comes to leg strength, I do not match you.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well then, Chiharu and human child. Move a little to the side.¡±


    While they didn¡¯t understand what was happening, Chiharu and Norfe moved away. And then Amia stood in front of the iron bars


    ¡°HAA!¡±


    There was a powerful kick, and a crash. The lock and entire door were knocked out of the frame.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Chiharu was stunned. But Amia just said,


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t much. Now¡­¡±


    ¡°Now?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t able to keep up. Then the small gazer moved past her. Now, beloved child. You must go outside.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Norfe!¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes!¡±


    Chiharu stepped out and Norfe followed her.


    ¡°Maki-chan!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    The two couldn¡¯t help but hug each other tightly. But now was not the time.


    ¡°Now, Chiharu. While the stairs are dark and narrow, let¡¯s do our best to climb up to the roof.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Edwy.¡±


    Just seeing her say this as she looked into his eyes made Edwy feel that it had all been worth it.


    ¡°Hmm. I can sense monsters in the area.¡±


    Amia muttered as he looked towards the cave.


    ¡°Apparently, there is a contraption in the hallway that opens up the border with the cave. That wall can go up and down. But I don¡¯t know where the contraption is or how it works.¡±


    Chiharu said apologetically.


    ¡°Hmm. I¡¯ll take a look then. Edwy, I¡¯ll leave the precious child to you.¡±


    ¡°Amia.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so worried, precious child. I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Sauro also signaled to her that he would stay. Sauro did not have wings. And Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but feel conflicted about him doing work outside of carrying them, but if she hesitated now, then the whole rescue would be delayed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then.¡±


    And like that, Chiharu was finally rescued.


    ¡°Now, while this divider looks like it¡¯s made of rock, it¡¯s probably wooden panels that are coated with plaster.¡±


    ¡°Otherwise, you would not be able to easily control it from the hallway.¡±


    Amia had no intention of going out into the hallway to begin with.


    ¡°It should be easier than the prison door. We just need to kick it down.¡±


    ¡°Together then.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡±


    They nodded to each other. Unlike before, they were more than confident.


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡±


    They didn¡¯t need to worry about anyone now, and so they kicked hard. And like that, the wall blew away from the other side.


    They heard loud buzzing, as if there were bees. And then one by one, monsters started to appear until there were too many to count. Amia pointed to the hallway door that was still open.


    ¡°Go out. During the cycle of your life, it would be good to get to see what is outside the dungeon.¡±


    As if encouraged by Amia¡¯s words, the monsters moved out into the hallway.


    ¡°You should be able to go through gaps that humans can¡¯t pass. Go out and help the beloved children.¡±


    Okay. The monsters seemed to say.


    ¡°But we can¡¯t even hear their voices.¡±


    Amia chuckled.


    ¡°Now, merfolk chief. Let us go as well.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Sorry. It must be hard for you, being down here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard on my body, but my heart feels good.¡±


    He said. But Sauro was covered in sweat. It must be very hard for him.


    ¡°To be honest, I did not expect the underground to be so bad. Just as we were made for the sky, you are made for the water. And yet you seem fine both in the sky and underground. I don¡¯t understand it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the gods wanted to leave some primitive creatures.¡±


    He joked. And then he let Sauro walk in the lead, and occasionally allowed him to lean on his shoulder.


    And when they got back to the roof, they saw that Aeris¡¯s airship was coming towards them from far away.

 CH 160

    On The Roof


    When Sauro and Amia came out onto the roof, Chiharu rushed towards them.


    ¡°Sauro! You¡¯re sweating so much!¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡±


    Sauro was being supported by Amia, but he nodded and then stood on his own. But he was still unstable.


    There was suddenly a swirl of wind, and then the usual, winged Sauro was there. His face also seemed less pale now.


    ¡°I¡¯m really not my best without my wings.¡±


    ¡°You say that, even after bending iron bars with your bare hands!¡±


    Maki joked. Well, Sauro would do it, the others thought. And there was now a relaxed atmosphere around them.


    ¡°Really, thank you so much.¡±


    ¡°What? It was nothing.¡±


    But Sauro looked happy because of Chiharu¡¯s gratitude. Still, his expression did not shift much, and he remained calm and cool, Maki thought. As Chiharu¡¯s face was beaming with genuine emotion, she did not joke about it further.


    Amia had taken a step back and was watching them with a smile.


    ¡°And thank you, Amia.¡±


    ¡°Beloved child, it was nothing.¡±


    However, he was not one to hold back, and so as Chiharu moved towards him, he wrapped his arms around her. The others sighed, knowing that it couldn¡¯t be helped if it was Amia. Maki realized that the birdfolk and merfolk might be even more special than she thought.


    In the meantime, Aeris¡¯s airship was moving even closer. It seemed like he was going to land right in the center of the castle garden.


    ¡°Even they did not prepare to deal with an invasion from the sky. Though they may have bows, the birdfolk will prevent them from hitting the airship. Besides, the soldiers look confused.¡±


    Apparently, these castle guards were not capable of dealing with the situation. Edwy analyzed them cooly.


    ¡°Of course. They were told that their own prince had taken their king hostage. Such things are hard to believe. Oh, the airship is going to land now.¡±


    ¡°Arthur has come, right? With Aeris. I wonder if it¡¯s alright. The king is going to come here directly.¡±


    Chiharu sounded worried. Maki talked to her in a stern voice.


    ¡°Chiharu. I hope you¡¯re not thinking that this is your fault.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes.¡±


    Chiharu looked at the ground. So she did blame herself a little.


    ¡°Look, Chiharu. If I¡¯m being honest, I did think we were partially to blame when we snuck out of the castle and caused the others to worry. But it¡¯s different this time. This was all the doing of inland¡­well, Lord Adol.¡±


    Norfe had looked up suddenly when he heard ¡®inland,¡¯ but this was no time to worry about him.


    ¡°You¡¯re the victim here, Chiharu. You were abducted, made to suffer, and locked away underground and behind iron bars. And they made you make magic stones, didn¡¯t they? And I heard they even pointed spears at you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the others on the roof gasped. Maki looked at the captured birdfolk from the corner of her eye. They had expressions of shock.


    ¡°You are being way too kind if you think that any of it was your own fault! In fact, this time, I won¡¯t forgive anyone who was involved in your abduction!¡±


    Chiharu raised her face.


    ¡°Okay. I get it. I¡¯ll stop thinking about what I could have done differently. And¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    Chiharu thrust her hand into her skirt pocket and took something out.


    ¡°See.¡±


    The familiar thing sparkled.


    ¡°A magic stone?¡±


    ¡°They did force me to make them, but I brought all of them with me. So they didn¡¯t get their way. The stones were so heavy that I thought my pockets would rip, but it seems to be fine.¡±


    ¡°Since when¡­¡±


    Norfe muttered. Chiharu smiled.


    ¡°Since before you arrived, Norfe. So I could run away at any time.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s why you didn¡¯t change when sleeping¡­¡±


    ¡°Chiharu. Really now.¡±


    She had worried, perhaps a little too much. But in the end, Chiharu was just Chiharu.


    ¡°Now, Maki and Chiharu. People will be coming out of the airship soon. See, the door has opened.¡±


    There were soldiers who pointed their bows and swords at the airshop, but the people that were inside, just walked out slowly as if they took no notice. Then the birdfolk descended quietly and walked while surrounding them. The soldiers stepped back as if they were pushed.


    Arthur was in the lead, while the youth of the other countries followed him. Arthur was the only king there, but Aaron and Nyran came from Lowland to the south, and the white sage, Aeris came from the elf lands. Kaider and Grudo represented the dwarf lands, and Zynis and Leia the beast lands.


    And from the other side of the gate, they could hear many voices shouting for the soldiers to open the gate.


    ¡°Now, what will Lord Adol do? Will he stay inside, or come out boldly?¡±


    Edwy¡¯s cold voice echoed.


    It seemed like he had chosen to come out boldly. They could only see his back from the roof, but Lord Adol and a line of men walked quietly out of the castle and towards Arthur.


    ¡°Well, well. King Arthur. I am surprised to see you visit us in your airship without any prior word.¡±


    Lord Adol spread out his hands and tilted his head as if he did not know what to do about this lack of manners.


    ¡°You are wrong, Lord Adol. I rushed all of the way here, due to a request from this castle.


    Arthur said without backing down.


    The castle guardian was very quiet, and so his authoritative voice could easily be heard from the roof.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen Arthur while he¡¯s furrowing his eyebrows, but he is actually quite cool when seen like this.¡±


    Chiharu whispered to Maki.


    ¡°That¡¯s true, but now is not the time to be thinking of such things.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Yes, this was no time for that. They were still talking in the garden.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this, but we made no such request. Now, please return.¡±


    ¡°I am also sorry. But the request was from the future king of this castle, Prince Norfe. Now, please step aside and lead me to the prince at once.¡±


    ¡°Prince Norfe? I see¡­¡±


    Lord Adol laughed most evilly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to do that very thing. But Prince Norfe has taken the king hostage. And so we have no time to deal with the other countries. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°The king has been taken hostage? What nonsense. Why would the future king do such a thing? Adol, get out of my way. I have business with Prince Norfe.¡±


    ¡°Out of your way? This has nothing to do with you. It¡¯s Highland¡¯s problem. You need not get involved.¡±


    ¡°Adol.¡±


    Arthur said. His voice was still calm.


    ¡°And what authority do you have to stop me?¡±


    ¡°Authority? I¡¯ve been governing this country for the sick king. I am the substitute for the king. As long as he cannot rule, then I am the king¡¯s replacement.¡±


    Arthur sighed deeply. Then he muttered.


    ¡°You fool.¡±

 CH 161

    Conclusion


    Arthur talked to Adol as if he pitied him.


    ¡°The king¡¯s role is to take on the burden of unifying the country. It¡¯s no concern of mine how roles are distributed within the county. However, when someone takes on the role of diplomat as a representative of the king, then they must have the backing of the other territories as well.¡±


    In other words, even though he may claim to be the king¡¯s representative, as long as the other territories didn¡¯t accept Lord Adol, he had no authority at all.


    ¡°In that case, kings of other countries have more power than you. Do you understand?¡±


    Lord Adol was likely stunned by this. They could see his back sway.


    ¡°Ah, this is bad.¡±


    ¡°What? Chiharu. Oh, you¡¯re right.¡±


    While Lord Adol was a concern, but Chiharu and Maki were now interested in something else.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that it was closed off with a divider. Maybe there was a different entrance?¡±


    ¡°What? We kicked that thing down.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But wasn¡¯t it made of hard rock?¡±


    ¡°It was just plaster.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki¡¯s attention had been diverted to the gazers that were slowly gathering together on top of the castle. Both of them usually saw gazers during the night. It was either the night or when they overflowed from the dungeons. And so they couldn¡¯t help but see this as a state of emergency. In fact, that¡¯s what it was.


    ¡°No, no, Amia. Why did you have to let the gazers out during a time like this? Things are already so tense.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but you two can control gazers just fine. I just didn¡¯t think that the wall was necessary.¡±


    There was nothing they could say to that. But while Sauro¡¯s face expression rarely changed, Chiharu saw that he looked at Amia with surprise for just one moment.


    In other words¡­


    ¡°You just did it without thinking, and then made up a random excuse.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Chihaaru?¡±


    ¡°No, nevermind.¡±


    Chiharu frantically waved a hand in front of her face. There was no point in exposing him right here.


    ¡°Alright, Chiharu. I¡¯ll keep on watching Arthur and the others. You watch the gazers.¡±


    ¡°Got it. For now, I¡¯ll put them where they won¡¯t draw attention. Uhh¡­¡±


    Chiharu¡¯s eyes scanned the area.


    ¡°Chiharu, have them gather here on the inner side of the wall, as much as possible.¡±


    She followed Edwy¡¯s advice and had the gazers move to an area where it would be difficult to see them from below. In the meantime, the conversation continued.


    ¡°In other words, as long as it is not clear where the king of this country is, and there is no representative, I, King Arthur of Midland, will temporarily represent Highland.¡±


    His voice was not only heard by Lord Adol, but by those on the roof as well. Even the people of the castle heard it, as they were all quiet and straining their ears.


    ¡°Thank you, Arthur. While I have been spineless, I can rely on Arthur.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    The king of Highland muttered as he lay down.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s continuing.¡±


    Maki said, and everyone¡¯s gaze moved away from the king and back to Arthur.


    ¡°It will only be for a short while. Under me, Prince Norfe will be able to study on how to be a leader. And eventually, he will be able to represent this country.¡±


    Any fears the people had over Arthur¡¯s claim disappeared once he promised that Norfe would one day rule. Even on the roof, there was an air of relief.


    ¡°H-however, surely the other territories have not officially accepted you¡­¡±


    Arthur turned around and pointed at those who stood behind him.


    ¡°They are proof that I have the permission of all the countries.¡±


    ¡°B-but, Highland does¡­¡±


    ¡°I should have realized it the moment the king fell ill and stopped appearing publicly. Perhaps you did have the ability to rule, but you¡¯ve lost the right the moment you commited the crime.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t committed any crime!¡±


    ¡°Then where is the Saintess that you abducted?¡±


    Before they knew it, the castle gates had been opened. It wasn¡¯t just the soldiers from the other countries, but the town¡¯s people had also entered the castle grounds and were listening.


    ¡°How weak is this country¡¯s security¡­¡±


    ¡°In the first place, even if there are gates, there is no castle in this world that shuts out its citizens. I¡¯m sure this gate was also usually left open.¡±


    Amia said. And he was probably right, given the reaction of the others.


    As for what was happening in the garden, Arthur¡¯s accusation seemed to embolden Adol once again.


    ¡°Saintess? Abducted? What could you be talking about?¡±


    He spread out his arms and shrugged.


    Well, it might be their turn to make an appearance soon. Maki and Chiharu became a little excited.


    ¡°Adol. Though you did abduct the Saintess, had you only shut her up in a castle room and treated her well, we would not have had to expose all your evil deeds.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Adol said angrily as Arthur talked in a pitying voice.


    ¡°Did you not know that Saintesses and monsters can communicate through the heart?¡±


    ¡°The heart?¡±


    ¡°And so through monsters, a Saintess can send information to another Saintess. Abducting a Saintess in order to create magic stones has become your downfall.¡±


    ¡°Surely not.¡±


    Adol turned around and looked to the castle. He might as well have been admitting it. Now, even those who had believed him would have their doubts.


    ¡°Y-you have no proof.¡±


    ¡°So you still deny it.¡±


    Arthur sighed. Then he looked up towards the roof and shouted.


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    As if he had been waiting for this, Edwy nodded towards Maki, Chiharu, Norfe and the king.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°Finally.¡±


    Maki was excited, and Chiharu a little tired as they were picked up by the birdfolk. And like that, they flew down to where Arthur and the others waited.


    ¡°You! Saintess! H-how did you get out?¡±


    ¡°You finally admitted it, villain! Chiharu has been contacting me about her situation!¡±


    Maki said angrily as she pointed a finger at Adol.


    ¡°The monsters¡­surely they don¡¯t actually¡­it¡¯s impossible!¡±


    As Adol grew pale, Maki chuckled and then turned to Chiharu. Unfortunately, no one, including Chiharu, pointed out jokingly that Maki was a Saintess as well.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Okay! Monsters! Come out!¡±


    In an instant, the monsters on the roof began to flood down as if they were crawling over the castle.


    It was like black water was pouring down, and there was something ominous about it.


    ¡°Stop! Wait right there!¡±


    And just like Chiharu ordered, the monsters stopped perfectly.


    ¡°I know that you tricked the birdfolk and abducted Chiharu! That you locked her up in a dungeon below the castle in order to make magic stones! Now, do not struggle so we can tie you up with ropes!¡±


    ¡°Ropes¡­ Maki-chan¡­¡±


    Chiharu muttered quietly at Maki¡¯s attempt at a signature phrase. But no one else noticed.


    ¡°Seize Adol.¡±


    Adol groaned at Arthur¡¯s words. It was clear that he had no will to resist now.

 CH 162

    To Be An Adult


    Once Arthur¡¯s knights had carefully but firmly seized Adol, Sauro and Saikania carried the king and the others and descended. Norfe was one thing, but the actual king of the country was being carried like a child under someone¡¯s arm. It could not be helped, as the king had no strength, but he had to chuckle, nonetheless.


    The people of the castle could not hide their surprise when the king and the prince appeared with expressions that showed that they were clearly on Arthur¡¯s side. However, their suspicion and disbelief about Norfe¡¯s supposed actions had now been addressed, and so they ultimately looked satisfied by this outcome.


    ¡°Adol.¡±


    ¡°Brother¡­ No¡­¡±


    Adol looked like he had given up on everything.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do this¡­¡±


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    Adol¡¯s mouth twisted sardonically, as if to ask why such a thing mattered now.


    ¡°As I took on your responsibilities as king, I started to have doubts and questions. About how this country has done nothing while it stands in the far north, left behind by the rest of the world.¡±


    Upon hearing this, confusion spread throughout the castle. Most of them did not feel as if they had been left behind.


    ¡°The three territories are far away. Magic stones and other products are expensive, if they even reach us at all. And since miasma is thin here, the blessing of the Saintess is almost meaningless. The king, who should have been developing the country, was weak. And the prince was irresponsible, and the princess a spoiled child.¡±


    If such were his thoughts, then shouldn¡¯t he have educated them as the king¡¯s replacement?


    ¡°Then I learned about it. That there was a strange entrance under the temple. It was a dungeon where monsters lived. Not only that, but you knew of it, Your Majesty. And yet you ignored it.¡±


    The people looked up into the sky and saw the monsters above the castle. Then they turned to the king.


    ¡°You probably thought it would be fine as long as they were locked away. Why! If you used them effectively, we could have acquired magic stones without relying on the three territories!¡±


    Even as he talked, a bed and blankets were brought out for the king. It was proof of how much the people of the castle cared about him.


    ¡°There is a reason that I did not make it public.¡±


    The king said softly.


    ¡°Adol. I am sorry to have put all of the responsibility onto you. However, regardless of the reason, abducting a Saintess and locking her up for profit. That is not forgivable.¡±


    The king explained why he had to do what he did. But he also revealed something that shouldn¡¯t have been revealed there.


    ¡°Take Adol to the prison.¡±


    And so Arthur¡¯s knights handed Adol over to the castle guards. Adol did not say anything after that. But he kept his head high as he was taken into the castle.


    Once he was inside, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to the king.


    ¡°All of you. I am sorry.¡± And then he coughed.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    ¡°I am fine, Norfe.¡±


    He stopped Norfe as he tried to support him. And then he declared in a quiet but firm voice.


    ¡°As Arthur said earlier, I will leave this country in his care for a while. I will do what I can to help. And I promise you, my people, that life will not change.¡±


    ¡°Randle, that¡¯s enough. I won¡¯t let this country or Norfe suffer. More importantly, you must return to the castle and get some rest.¡±


    Arthur ran up to him and supported his back. While they had not met in many years, they were the same age, and in the same position. And so they had been friends for a long time.


    ¡°If he is going to rest, use one of the guest rooms.¡±


    Chiharu said. And then she said more quietly,


    ¡°The king¡¯s bedchamber is connected to the monster cave. I don¡¯t think his health will improve if you bring him back.¡±


    The king¡¯s servants and guards nodded at Chiharu, and then they carried him away.


    Norfe remained.


    ¡°Due to High¡­no, my own inadequacies, we have caused much trouble for the other countries. I am sorry.¡±


    He then bowed his head. And then after raising it again, he turned to Maki and Chiharu. Chiharu clenched a fist tightly near her chest.


    ¡°And you, Saintesses. Not only do I apologize once again for our insolence during your unveiling, but from the bottom of my heart, I apologize for the great hardship you faced recently.¡±


    He had already apologized in the prison, and so Chiharu had forgiven him. The problem was Maki. Chiharu looked at her nervously.


    ¡°Chiharu, you¡¯re looking at me as if this is all about what I think. But you¡¯re the one who suffered. You should be more angry.¡±


    ¡°But Norfe was also thrown into prison. And he was almost killed.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the crowd around them gasped. Chiharu immediately regretted it. This had not yet been listed among Lord Adol¡¯s sins. Through being cellmates, they had formed a sort of bond, and she had lost her ability to see things from the outside.


    Maki seemed to realize this as well, and said with her eyes, ¡®we¡¯ll talk about that later.¡¯ Then she turned to Norfe.


    ¡°From what I understand, there was already an official apology regarding the unveiling, and now we have a private one. It¡¯s in the past now. But Chiharu was abducted and made to suffer. I cannot forgive that.¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t argue with her. She could forgive a lot when it came to what happened to herself, but had something like that happened to Maki, she would not have been able to forgive them.


    ¡°That being said, I know that it isn¡¯t wholly the responsibility of this country. And it¡¯s not for me to judge others.¡±


    And then she looked straight into Norfe¡¯s face.


    ¡°I hope that you become a good king.¡±


    Norfe bowed.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s happening? Why is my brother bowing to a Saintess? Why was my uncle arrested? Why are there so many people from the other territories?¡±


    Suddenly, Chouze¡¯s voice rang. Up until now, she had stayed near her father¡¯s side. And so Norfe had assumed that she had gone into the castle with him. He raised his head. He hadn¡¯t explained anything about the situation to her. He had always kept her away from anything too complicated, and just wished she could live peacefully.


    What he and the people of the castle had done to Chouze, was exactly the same as what Adol had done to Norfe. They had kept her away from learning about politics, so that she could not think for herself. The result was that she was a spoiled fifteen-year-old who acted like a child.


    Norfe walked over to Chouze and went down to his knees. She would not understand if he explained to her about their uncle¡¯s crimes now. It was as he was about to gently tell her that now was not the time, that a shadow loomed over them.


    ¡°Young child.¡±


    It was Amia.


    ¡°Your childhood has ended. In order for you to be able to live as a grown woman, you must learn many things from here on out.¡±


    ¡°But this is so sudden. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    She really did look like a child who was lost.


    ¡°You must be able to decide for yourself what it is you must do. You are no longer that child who was kept in the castle. Edwy is only a few years older, and yet he travels around freely and works on the behalf of others. And here is Norfe, bowing his head. Not for himself, but for his people. As a princess, you must think about what you can do for the country and people.¡±


    ¡°As the princess¡­ The people¡­¡±


    Her eyes went to Edwy and then to Norfe, who was looking at her worriedly.


    ¡°As the princess, I must be able to help my brother and father.¡±


    ¡°Yes. When there is time, you can come and meet us. And you might even go out of the country in order to meet people from the other territories.¡±


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°You should be able to do it, if you¡¯re not a child.¡±


    Like the Saintesses who flew freely with the birdfolk. To the beastlands, dwarf lands, and the elf lands.


    ¡°Brother.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Together, we will help our father support this country.¡±


    I doubt her willfulness will change very easily. Maki thought. But she kept it to herself.

 CH 163

    This Time


    After Chouze was taken to the castle as well, only Arthur and the others remained. Judging from past patterns, Maki was thinking absentmindedly about how Aeris was probably going to run up to Chiharu and embrace her.


    However, they just turned to face Maki and Chiharu. And then Arthur moved first. The rest followed as they fell to their knees and bowed their heads.


    ¡°Uh? What¡¯s this?¡±


    Maki sounded frantic. But Chiharu placed a hand on her shoulder and gestured for her to calm down.


    ¡°Saintesses. It¡¯s now been half a year since you were summoned to this world. You have visited all of the countries and fulfilled your role of purifying them. We are grateful to you.¡±


    Arthur¡¯s voice echoed. Chiharu glanced over to Maki.


    ¡°If our presence here can help the people even a little, then that is enough.¡±


    She said simply. If Maki was being honest, she would rather have them apologize to Chiharu instead. This whole thing seemed like it was for show, and she was a little annoyed.


    However, everyone in this world had prioritised their work over themselves. Though, perhaps they didn¡¯t see it that way. But due to being royals or leaders, they prioritised what they were supposed to do.


    So they must assume that the Saintesses were no different. But such a mentality was a little heavy for Maki and Chiharu, who were just normal people back in Japan.


    In the end, Maki and Chiharu were not only so busy that they felt dizzy, but one of them had even been abducted. Of course, some of it was their own responsibility, like how they had escaped from the castle. But it really had been a difficult time.


    As such thoughts swirled through Maki¡¯s head, Chiharu squeezed her hand gently.


    This was something they had to choose themselves. They didn¡¯t have to just go with the flow.


    That was the feeling she sensed. They couldn¡¯t become blind just because they were important to each other.


    Maki squeezed back and then nodded as if in agreement.


    ¡°Well then. We¡¯ll deal with the monsters. Maki-chan, are you ready?¡±


    She said quietly. Maki¡¯s eyes widened. She had forgotten about them completely. The gazers had gathered around the top of the castle like a dark cloud.


    It wasn¡¯t about hiding or not hiding them now. And so in the end, not just the people of the castle, but inland people who had pressed through the gate also saw Maki and Chiharu turning the monsters into magic stones.


    In the midst of the midday light, the monsters quietly made a line and approached the hands of the Saintess as if they were children. The initial fear and disgust of the monsters, and how the hands of the Saintesses turned them into those familiar magic stones. It was like something out of a story.


    Once all of the monsters had returned to magic stones, the Saintess with long hair began to sway on her feet, and the white sage rushed up to her and picked her up. This seemed to wake up the audience out of a daze, and they all left the castle. And the people recalled Arthur¡¯s promise that their lives would not change.


    ¡°Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Aeris¡­¡±


    ¡°So you were pushing yourself. You promised that you wouldn¡¯t when I am not around!¡±


    While Maki was worried about Chiharu, she also knew that she was just tired and needed sleep. So Maki was able to remain calm.


    ¡°I guess this had to happen. It¡¯s like the Chiharu special. It has to happen at the end of an incident.¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan. What are you talking about?¡±


    Chiharu chuckled in Aeris¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I mean it won¡¯t feel complete until Aeris the worrywart is there. Hey, Aeris. I¡¯m here too, you know?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you are. Maki. Now¡­¡±


    Still, Aeris did not let go of Chiharu, but embraced Maki with his other arm. Maki chuckled. How long had it been since worrier Aeris had hugged them both at the same time? But it finally felt like the whole incident had come to a close.


    ¡°Good grief, I did not expect to be sent to so many different places at this age.¡±


    ¡°Grudo!¡±


    After Aeris finally put them down, Maki and Chiharu ran up to Grudo and hugged him from both sides.


    ¡°Now, now. Stop hugging me so that I can see your faces. Ah, you look so tired. You did so well.¡±


    Grudo said. And then they hugged him again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about us.¡±


    ¡°Well, it sure is lively around here.¡±


    ¡°Me too.¡±


    When they turned around, they saw Nyra, Kaider, and Aaron.


    ¡°We rushed here from the elf lands, and yet he hasn¡¯t said anything.¡±


    Said Nyran with a shrug.


    ¡°I prefer just being near someone instead of saying something. It makes things easier.¡±


    Kaider replied.


    ¡°You never change, Kaider.¡±


    ¡°We just met recently. Of course, I haven¡¯t changed. More importantly, you did so well, Maki.¡±


    ¡°I guess.¡±


    Maki said a little bashfully. She and Kaider seemed to be refusing to look at each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Are you kids!¡±


    Chiharu said jokingly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not the right time. But you two have a tendency of disappearing when left alone. So¡­¡±


    Kaider started to mutter something. Was it a confession! Chiharu and the others were a little nervous as they watched while pretending not to watch.


    ¡°Um, when things settle down. Won¡¯t you, uh, visit the dwarf lands to sightsee again?¡±


    That¡¯s it? He was muttering and hesitating just to say that? Chiharu thought with exasperation.


    ¡°Oh, really? There are so many places in the dwarf lands that we haven¡¯t been to yet. Thank you!¡±


    Maki was overjoyed.


    ¡°Um, and sometimes we could go together and¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you agree? Chiharu!¡±


    ¡°Maki-chan! Uh, of course. But I think I might go to the elf lands and¡­¡±


    Chiharu did her best for Kaider¡¯s sake.


    ¡°Huh? Why? I¡¯ll go to the elf lands with you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Of course, you would.¡±


    She gave up. She would just have to go with them and be sure to make time so they could be together.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to rush.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You also promised to go inland.¡±


    Nyran interjected. When they saw them together Nyran looked a lot like Aaron.


    ¡°Well, that can wait. We must first let Maki and Chiharu rest.¡±


    Edwy interrupted them on purpose.


    ¡°Edwy. You too.¡±


    ¡°You have bad timing, Kaider. From here, I¡¯m going to be very busy in place of my father. It won¡¯t be fair if everyone else gets to take it easy.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just you. When it comes to the inland dungeons and how we regulate and allow Adventurers to enter, it will be the job of Nyran and I.¡±


    Kaider said. Nyran shrugged his shoulders as if to say that it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    ¡°In that case, the beast lands will take care of Maki and Chiharu. After all, the matter of the monsters has been mostly settled there.¡±


    ¡°Then the elf lands should be just fine.¡±


    Said Aeris to Leia. Zynis watched them with an amused smile.


    Not everything had been resolved yet. While the miasma had become thinner, it was still thicker than it should be.


    But everyone was here like this, and they could travel around and have fun, then life in this world would not be bad at all.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve had enough of being abducted.¡±


    ¡°You really do get abducted too often, Chiharu.¡±


    Why were they all laughing? Especially Sauro. Chiharu thought with a little annoyance.


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s all go inside of the castle. There is so much that we must do.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu followed the others to the castle.


    ¡°We¡¯re not¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not guests here anymore, are we?¡±


    It was true. They were heading to the castle in order to talk about the future of this world. They were doing so as residents.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t forget about Japan and my family.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m going to enjoy my life here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    A small gazer floated in the corner of her eye.


    ¡°It¡¯s the little gazer!¡±


    Beloved child. I¡¯m glad that you¡¯re alright.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you!¡±


    Now, I will go.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    There are so many places that I haven¡¯t seen yet.


    ¡°Just like us.¡±


    We will surely meet again, somewhere. And with that, the small gazer turned around and floated up into the sky until it disappeared.


    ¡°We should also¡­¡±


    ¡°Travel somewhere!¡±


    ¡°And this time¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll actually take our time and wander around!¡±


    One day, we¡¯ll be able to travel at our leisure. The two thought hopefully.

 CH 164

    Half a Year Later ¨C Part 1


    ¡°Wow, to think that there was such a place in the beast lands!¡±


    ¡°The grassy fields stretch out as far as you can see, and there are white mountains in the far distance. Though, I¡¯ve never been there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like the savannas in Africa!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like the savannas in Africa!¡±


    The view that they could see from the windows of Aeris¡¯s airship was something that Maki and Chiharu had never seen before.


    ¡°Up until now, the largest place we¡¯d seen was Hokkaido.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. And there were rolls of dried grass rolling around here and there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. But it doesn¡¯t even compare to this place. Ah, look over there.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an elephant!¡±


    The ground was closer now that they were preparing to land, and so the scene became much more clear.


    ¡°Normally, I would have taken Maki and Chiharu to see the waterfalls that are deep in the elf mountains by now.¡±


    ¡°Aeris¡­¡±


    As Aeris grumbled and steered the airship, Edwy looked at him with exasperation.


    ¡°You lost in a game of rock, paper, scissors, so you can¡¯t complain.¡±


    ¡°It is embarrassing that we decided on such a game, which is not logical at all.¡±


    Yes, they had rock, paper, scissors in this world as well. However, in spite of his expression not changing at all, Aeris thought too much, and he could not go by instinct. And so he would often lose.


    Maki looked at Aeris and wondered why he would decide that way to begin with. Of course, the reason that they did it was because Maki and Chiharu could not decide where they wanted to go. As they looked out of the window, Maki glanced over to Chiharu.


    Half a year had now passed since Chiharu was abducted by the inland people. And while she acted like she was fine, she had been wrapped up in a blanket and taken by force. The effects of being locked underground was big, and even though Chiharu rarely got sick, she stayed in bed for quite a while once everything was over.


    Saintesses continued to produce magic stones even when they stayed in bed. They hadn¡¯t thought much about it before, as it was all automatic, but it seemed to really be a burden on a weakened body. And so even after she appeared to have recovered, Chiharu was not what she used to be.


    In the meantime, Arthur worked hard with Norfe in order to reorganize the internal administration. While Lord Adol, who had abducted Chiharu, was the king¡¯s representative, he had not actually been incompetent at his job. What he had wanted to do was to make a country that was self-reliant. This included the magic stones.


    And so he had secretly opened the dungeon that he had found, and used some of the soldiers for special missions involving the hunting of the monsters so they could acquire the magic stones. Their lives would not be in danger as long as they were careful, and since the pay was good, there were some among the soldiers who were devoted to Adol, and did not think it strange that the Saintess was abducted.


    Apparently, they had brought in some shady figures from the dwarf lands as workers to dig in the caves. It was also discovered that aside from the castle, there was another inland dungeon where monsters appeared, near the mirror lake. This was very shocking, not just to the dwarf lands, but also Midland, as the dwarves would have been traveling on their trains to reach the inland dungeon.


    Each place had to flush out the crime within their own countries and offer their help to the inland country. So everyone was very busy during the past half year.


    In such a situation, Maki could not talk about wanting to go on a trip. Besides, she wanted to stay near Chiharu, whose health had not completely returned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stay in the castle and read books. You should go on your own, Maki-chan. I¡¯m sure the birdfolk will be quick to act if you ask them.¡±


    Maki did enjoy traveling on her own. However, she had discovered that it was much more fun to travel as a pair. And so she didn¡¯t feel like going out on a casual trip, just because she had some extra time now.


    However, maybe it didn¡¯t have to be a trip?


    Thinking this, Maki went to see Kaider and Nyran, who had stayed to take care of the inland dungeon.


    ¡°Hello. I came to see you again!¡±


    ¡°So you did, Maki. How is Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s mostly recovered, but she tires easily. So I don¡¯t think she¡¯s ready for a long trip with the birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Nyran answered as he glanced over in the direction of Midland. He was in charge of the mirror lake dungeon, while Kaider took care of the one in the castle. That was how they split the job as they worked. The reason that Kaider had been sent to the castle was so that the inland people would get used to seeing someone from the three other territories.


    ¡°How are the dungeons?¡±


    ¡°We went quite far down, but to be honest, there aren¡¯t enough monsters to have to call Adventurers from other countries.¡±


    Nyran pushed the hair out of his face and sighed.


    ¡°The one in the castle appears to be very old, and it¡¯s quite big as well. But I think that the best thing to do is to train the inland soldiers, pay them what they had given previously, and manage it like that.¡±


    Nyran suggested to Maki, much to her annoyance.


    ¡°No, surely they have enough people there. And it¡¯s so far.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t take long if you the birdfolk take you. Right, Sauro?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Sauro and Saikania enjoyed taking Maki around. As he was the future chief of the birdfolk, it was also his duty to have the inland people get used to seeing them.


    ¡°Many birdfolk will go, even if you tell them not to. And since no one has actually told them not to, numerous birdfolk have gone already.¡±


    ¡°I-I had a feeling that it was the case.¡±


    There was a freedom that weighed more than any sense of duty.


    ¡°Kaider is waiting. So you should go.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know if you can say he is really waiting¡­¡±


    Maki turned away.


    ¡°Well, even someone who is over 100 years old like Kaider will still live 100 years longer than a human like me. So people like them are really patient. If you go along with them, you¡¯ll just reach the end of your life.¡±


    ¡°I see. So our lifespans are different¡­¡±


    Nyran looked at Maki, who seemed like she had realized this for the first time, and he chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying that you have to do anything. However, if you do feel that you want to meet him, you should meet him as much as you can while you can. It doesn¡¯t have to be as a lover.¡±


    ¡°L-l-lover, that¡¯s not what I¡­¡±


    They weren¡¯t at that level. And Maki did not like to be indecisive.


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Since I¡¯m already here, I might as well go to the castle.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the Maki I know.¡±


    So she started to visit often. And she told herself that this was nothing like going on a trip.


    ¡°Kaider!¡±


    ¡°Ah, Maki. So you came again.¡±


    ¡°Though, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be of any use.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true. The morale of the people is raised by your presence alone. And I am personally happy as well.¡±


    Would the old Kaider have said such a thing while looking into Maki¡¯s eyes, without a shred of embarrassment? However, his eyes still shifted away slightly. Even the people around them thought it was frustrating and strange. Maki and Kaider had not changed much at all.

 CH 165

    Half a Year Later 2


    While the state of affairs had calmed down for now, even after half a year had passed, Prince Norfe was still in no position to be able to take on the responsibilities of the country.


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    ¡°You must be very tired, Arthur.¡±


    Aeris said to the king of Midland. Recently, his airship had become a taxi, and he regularly traveled back and forth between inland and Midland. You had to be quite tough to be able to easily travel between countries while being carried by the birdfolk, and Edwy and Maki were about the only people who could manage it. That being said, a unit of humans and birdfolk was being created with Lowland as its main base.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This has taken you away from the research you care so much about.¡±


    Aeris was a researcher. He had been the one who thought of the structure of this airship, and finished the design. However, ever since the Saintesses had been summoned, he had become very busy with matters concerning them.


    ¡°What are you talking about? My days have been incredibly amusing. And Chiharu is staying in Midland. What more could I ask for?¡±


    ¡°Aeris. You really are ridiculous.¡±


    Arthur sat down on the sofa and chuckled. Out of the two Saintesses, it was clear it wasn¡¯t Maki, who flew around everywhere, but Chiharu, who his heart was leaning towards. Just like how Prince Kaider of the dwarf lands had little interest in Chiharu.


    ¡°Aeris. You are usually the one who has others wrapped around your finger, so it must have been amusing to be wrapped around Maki and Chiharu¡¯s instead.¡±


    ¡°You are being foolish, Arthur. When have I ever had someone wrapped around my finger?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Well, I do not remember doing anything like that, but I will tell you, it feels rather good to be wrapped around someone¡¯s finger.¡±


    Aeris said with a grin.


    ¡°Sometimes I feel nervous due to not knowing what Chiharu is thinking, while at other times I am annoyed at her lack of awareness. But when we are standing side by side and looking at the same sky, I feel like I don¡¯t need anything else in the world.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like love to me.¡±


    ¡°Love.¡±


    Aeris repeated the words in surprise.


    ¡°Love. Is that like how you return to your room, and some woman has come into your bed without permission?¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, Aeris. Is that all you have experienced in life?¡±


    And you have lived for three hundred years. Arthur was about to say this, but didn¡¯t.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m the one who is in love now, does that mean it is my turn to go inside Chiharu¡¯s bed?¡±


    ¡°Bffha! Hey, Aeris! No, calm down! The airship is tilting to the side!¡±


    Arthur had spat out all of the tea he was drinking.


    ¡°S-sorry. But it¡¯s because you would say such ridiculous things, Arthur.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you who made such a ridiculous leap, Aeris.¡±


    Aeris¡¯s eyes had looked unsteady at first, but he soon returned to normal, and the airship became stable again.


    ¡°When you¡¯re in love, you know, you feel excited when you¡¯re with them. And you enjoy their company and¡­¡±


    Arthur had to wonder how he had gotten to be in this position to explain what love was to someone who was not only older than him, but three hundred years old.


    ¡°You¡¯ll want to touch their soft cheeks and hold them in your arms and never let them go. But at the same time, you¡¯ll want them to do anything that they want. Something like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes. So you do understand, damn it.¡±


    There was no need to explain it any further, and both Arthur and the servant who was there sighed in relief.


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s been like that ever since I met Chiharu. No matter how long I¡¯ve lived, old age never came to me. And yet now, time has started to move for me. This time, unlike the other humans that I saw off, we will grow old and die together. The thought of that fills me with deep emotion.¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait.¡±


    Arthur put his hand out and stopped Aeris. But Aeris didn¡¯t even look at him.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Aeris. You know that you¡¯re in love, but you aren¡¯t going to do anything?¡±


    ¡°What can I do but spend time together and protect her?¡±


    ¡°What can you do? There is¡­¡±


    Arthur looked towards the servant but then turned away.


    ¡°Well, you know. Up until now, you saw people go. But this time, you will age together and die together. In other words, you will be able to face Chiharu, not as an elf, but as a human.¡±


    Aeris narrowed his eyebrows.


    ¡°But no one would refuse the proposal of a Saintess. But the women of their country are so modest. It¡¯s unthinkable in the elf lands. But Chiharu is¡­¡±


    ¡°You really shouldn¡¯t overthink it.¡±


    Arthur shrugged. There were some things that faded away if you didn¡¯t acquire them quickly.


    ¡°Overthink it?¡±


    ¡°In other words, will you be fine if Chiharu were to marry someone else? For instance, Nyran.¡±


    In his heart, Arthur felt bad for using Nyran in this way. It was likely that Nyran had no such intention to begin with.


    ¡°Lowland royalty.¡±


    ¡°Or the birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°Ah. That is impossible.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there isn¡¯t any precedent. Or even Norfe.¡±


    Aeris looked quite surprised by this.


    ¡°While I have lost my wife, I am still young. Besides, I am quite handsome and also a king.¡±


    Silence ruled the airship for some time after that. Eventually, the airship crossed the mountain borders and entered Midland territory.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any feelings regarding Nyran or Sauro. But you, Arthur, I would abduct Chiharu myself before I let you take her. That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you don¡¯t see those young men as a threat. However, no matter how imperfect the young are, they are often drawn to each other. You should not let your guard down.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see. Yes.¡±


    Aeris agreed. And then he became silent again as he controlled the ship.


    ¡°I suppose Edwy is a candidate as well.¡±


    ¡°In a way, he cares for Chiharu more than anyone.¡±


    ¡°As family. As a younger brother.¡±


    ¡°I too had thought that I was fine with being family.¡±


    And how had those feelings changed? When Chiharu fully recovered her health, it was Aeris who suggested that they go out on a trip.

 CH 166

    Half a Year Later 3


    ¡°Take Chiharu on a trip? Isn¡¯t it too early?¡±


    She had only just recently returned to her normal health. Maki¡¯s expression turned serious at Aeris¡¯s suggestion.


    ¡°Hey, Maki-chan. I¡¯m fine. Besides, it¡¯s not like I¡¯m going to go out with the birdfolk. Aeris said he¡¯s going to take us on his airship.¡±


    ¡°But surely it is comfortable with us as well.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes. Well, being with you and Saikania is nice because I can feel the air.¡±


    Sauro had interrupted Chiharu, but he nodded with satisfaction when she said that the air felt nice.


    ¡°But it takes a lot of energy to be carried through the sky.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    You had to keep your legs still and maintain the same posture for a long time.


    ¡°And so I wanted to talk to you about where we should go.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s already decided that we are going.¡±


    Maki shrugged with exasperation.


    ¡°If anything, you should just think of it as treatment through a change of air.¡±


    Said Aeris. Maki nodded, realizing that it made sense. While Chiharu was more of an indoors person, staying inside the castle for half a year would do her no good.


    ¡°Maki-chan. The castle is very big, and there was even a library, so I wasn¡¯t bored. But, yes. I do think it¡¯s time to go out again.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how you feel, Chiharu. Then I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    As Maki had given her permission, Aeris nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°I also got permission from Arthur. As for me, I would recommend the elf lands. You know, didn¡¯t you want to see the waterfall that is deep in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°I do! And we might be able to see all kinds of fascinating creatures.¡±


    The mandragoras had been very fun to see in the elf lands.


    ¡°I see. In that case¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait!¡±


    The door burst open and Zynis walked in.


    ¡°Ah, Zynis. I haven¡¯t seen you in quite a long time.¡±


    ¡°Aeris, nevermind any of that. What¡¯s this about you taking the Saintesses on a journey without permission?¡±


    ¡°I do have permission. And Arthur agreed.¡±


    The two big men were over two meters tall, and they were quite intimidating when they faced each other like this.


    ¡°I just heard about it! Maki and Chiharu are going to travel!¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    Edwy entered from the open door.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we were all together like this.¡±


    Chiharu said happily. Indeed. While Maki met with Aeris, Sauro, Saikanai as well as Kaider and Nyran when going inland, it was different with Chiharu. Huh? Maki tilted her head to the side.


    But Edwy was in Midland, as was Zynis. And Aeris visited Chiharu every time he came in his airship. Sauro and Saikania were also said to visit quite often. So it really shouldn¡¯t have been that long at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re here as well.¡±


    ¡°Kaider! And Nyran!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Maki.¡±


    They had been working inland, but they were here now.


    ¡°In the first place, the idea was that we could all go on a trip together as a reward for all our hard work after the incident. And yet you started running ahead, Aeris.¡±


    So that¡¯s why everyone was here. Maki and Chiharu looked at each other and laughed.


    ¡°Uh, yes. I wanted to tell Chiharu and Maki as soon as possible. And¡­¡±


    ¡°Because you wanted to go to the elf lands, right? Damn it.¡±


    Zynis grumbled.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that? Besides, Chiharu wants to go.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Zynis shook his head.


    ¡°They have previous engagements.¡±


    ¡°Previous engagements?¡±


    ¡°Previous engagements?¡±


    Maki and Chiharu said in unison. While many of the royal family were quite odd, Zynis was calm and generally enjoyed his role of just watching over Maki and Chiharu. And so it was rare for him to clearly state his desires in this way. However, what was this previous engagement? They did not remember making any promises.


    ¡°Have you forgotten, even though it hasn¡¯t been a full year yet? Right after you were summoned, I told you to come visit the beast lands, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the elephants!¡±


    Chiharu exclaimed. And then Maki remembered the conversation as well.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You said something about it being like a cage. As for why¡­¡±


    Chiharu looked at Maki.


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll come in packs.¡±


    ¡°Because they¡¯ll come in packs.¡±


    Zynis had said something like that. After a moment of silence.


    ¡°Gg¡­¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s laughter echoed through the room.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to laugh so much.¡±


    ¡°I really do feel bad about what happened that time.¡±


    Saikania and Sauro looked very awkward as they shifted their wings. Yes, that time. The birdfolk had come and tried to abduct Chiharu. Who would have thought that they would eventually become such good friends.


    After their laughter echoed through the room for quite some time, Edwy clapped his hands and everyone¡¯s attention moved towards him.


    ¡°I understand why Zynis wants them to go to the beast lands, and why Aeris wants them to go to the elf lands. However, I too have a place that I want them to visit. In the first place, they haven¡¯t even seen much of Midland.¡±


    ¡°Well, they haven¡¯t gone on a food tour of Lowland either.¡±


    ¡°While they did travel a lot in the dwarf lands, they haven¡¯t been able to stay and enjoy a single town at all.¡±


    Indeed, there were a lot of places that they had never been to. And even if they went to them all in order, where should they start? Maki and Chiharu did not feel like they could decide quickly.


    Edwy let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°Well, it cannot be helped then. In order to make things fair, we¡¯ll settle it with rock, paper, scissors.¡±


    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡±


    ¡°Rock, paper, scissors?¡±


    Said Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s quite convenient, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Apparently, they had it in this world as well.


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°It will do.¡±


    ¡°No, wait.¡±


    While the others agreed, Aeris alone seemed frantic.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Aeris? Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t know what rock, paper, scissors is?¡±


    ¡°I do know. However, I¡¯ve never done it before. But I understand the principles.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve never done it either.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Apparently, Aeris and the birdfolk had never played rock, paper, scissors before.


    ¡°We do what we want. Why must we compete with others?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the birdfolk for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Of course, Sauro would say that.


    ¡°But why Aeris?¡±


    ¡°¡­Because I¡¯ve always done what I want¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the same as them!¡±


    Maki couldn¡¯t help but say. And while she didn¡¯t say it out loud, she thought, ¡®I¡¯m sure the merfolk chief would say the same thing.¡¯


    In the end, the minority opinion of Aeris was ignored. And as the results of the game dictated, it was decided that they would go to the beast lands first.

 CH 167

    Half a Year Later 4


    The airship slowly descended in the field of tall grass. To Maki and Chiharu, the fields of grass all looked the same, but the place that Aeris landed was like a clearing where there was no grass.


    First, Zynis and Edwy went outside. And then they called Maki and Chiharu. The two stepped outside hesitantly, but the air was surprisingly dry, and the smell of dried grass entered their nostrils.


    There was no sight of any elephants or living creatures. Instead, there were people who came out to greet them.


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    Chiharu couldn¡¯t help but raise her voice a little. Maki¡¯s eyes were shining. It was no wonder. Because not only were they cat people, but they were so tall that Maki and Chiharu had to look up at them.


    Zynis was likely around two meters tall, and the cat people they had met in the forest were on the small side. But these were just as big as Zynis. Not only that, but they had spots in their yellowish-brown fur. Perhaps they were closer to leopards and lions, rather than house cats.


    As Maki and Chiharu took in this sight, Kaider and Nyran stood protectively behind them. And then a moment later, Aeris came as if a little flustered.


    ¡°Oh, dear. While airships are convenient, it can be annoying when you want to play but have to pilot it.¡±


    ¡°Zynis! Aeris!¡±


    Said the large person who seemed to be the same age as them.


    ¡°Dios! I hope you¡¯ve been well!¡±


    ¡°I was surprised when I suddenly heard from you! After all, while this place is thick with miasma, there are no monsters. And so it feels unrelated to the Saintesses.¡±


    Dios replied to Zynis in a loud voice. He must be the representative here.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re not here on business, but for leisure. And so they¡¯ll be taking it easy.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    Dios answered, and then he turned to Maki and Chiharu.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard about the hardships you have faced. I am Dios, the representative of this area. While we can only offer you simple accommodations, I hope that you will be able to relax here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I am Maki.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Ohh.¡±


    Dios¡¯s eyes narrowed and his back seemed to curl up as he looked at them closely. His long tail waved back and forth behind him.


    ¡°From what I can see, this one is the Fighting Saintess and this one is the Healing Saintess.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu were so stunned that their jaws dropped.


    ¡°Hey, Dios! The Saintesses don¡¯t know about that!¡±


    Zynis said frantically. But it was too late.


    ¡°Fighting Saintess?¡±


    ¡°And Healing Saintess?¡±


    Where did those names come from? As far as Maki and Chiharu were concerned, Maki was just slightly more active, while Chiharu was a little quieter. But they were just two adults who weren¡¯t all that different. Had this just been the result of Maki being more impulsive?


    ¡°You know, the night that Chiharu was abducted. Maki was teaching the others some kind of martial arts known as karate. And it started to spread through the beast lands¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, I understand that. But why is Chiharu the Healing Saintess?¡±


    ¡°Because she healed the monsters and returned them to magic stones, even when abducted¡­¡±


    So it was still related to being abducted.


    ¡°Well, I suppose I should be thankful that they didn¡¯t call me the ¡®Abducted Saintess.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Chiharu¡­¡±


    At this point, Chiharu¡¯s tendency to get abducted was legendary. As if to prove this, they heard the ominous sounds of wings.


    ¡°Sauro?¡±


    ¡°Saikania?¡±


    But as the wings flapped and the dried leaves blew up in the wind, the people that landed were¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t get us mixed up with those flexible people.¡±


    ¡°They may have white wings, but they¡¯re city birds.¡±


    A number of large birds had gathered. Their wings were a mixture of brown and white feathers.


    ¡°Flexible? You¡¯re just a country bumpkin who doesn¡¯t know anything about the outside world.¡±


    ¡°Just white? Do you know how far these wings can fly?¡±


    Said Sauro and Saikania as they flew down.


    ¡°They are a minority tribe that live in this area. They are fiercely independent and full of curiosity, but don¡¯t really meet much with other birdfolk.¡±


    ¡°So are these birdfolk¡­¡±


    ¡°The ones that gather around the basket and try to abduct people.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    It made sense now.


    ¡°Haa¡­ This is why we should have gone to the elf mountains. It would have been nice and quiet.¡±


    ¡°Aeris.¡±


    Chiharu moved closer and patted him on the arm.


    ¡°Thank you for driving the airship all of this time. I hope you¡¯ll take us to the waterfall in the elf lands one day.¡±


    ¡°O-of course, I will.¡±


    He had always embraced Chiharu without restraint in the past, but now, his hands seemed to wander behind Chiharu as if not know what to do. And his face looked a little red.


    ¡°Are you a child?¡±


    Maki muttered, but it was erased by the loudness of the birdfolk.


    ¡°Oh, there¡¯s no need to worry about the birdfolk as long as you are inside of the basket. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll ride the elephants in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t want to ride the elephants if you feel sick, so there will be no drinking tonight.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Like that, Zynis¡¯s words dropped Maki from heaven into hell. However, the beast lands weren¡¯t famous for their alcoholic beverages to begin with, so perhaps it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    And then the birdfolk who seemed like they didn¡¯t get along with Sauro and Saikania were introduced. And once things calmed down, they headed to a village that was on a small hill a short distance away. It was a beautiful village that had rows of cottage-like structures. There were also a few trees growing in the fields of grass, which would provide shade during the day.


    ¡°So they aren¡¯t made of bricks!¡±


    ¡°I wonder where the wood came from.¡±


    Maki and Chiharu¡¯s eyes shone as they looked around. Then the catfolk, who were their hosts, gathered around them.


    ¡°It¡¯s from that far away mountain, but it¡¯s not difficult to bring things even if they are heavy.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. Because of the magic stones.¡±


    ¡°Now, let¡¯s take you to the guest house. You should rest a little first.¡±


    So saying, they entered the guest house that they were led to. While it was only one room, it was very big. You could host a small gathering inside.


    ¡°A hammock!¡±


    ¡°Are we going to sleep in these?¡±


    Dios nodded with satisfaction.


    ¡°Because humans don¡¯t like sleeping on the floor. While it can be difficult at first, it¡¯s great once you are used to it.¡±


    And so Maki and Chiharu approached the hammocks.


    ¡°Open it up and sit inside first. Yes, you¡¯re good at this.¡±


    While Maki would have had no trouble getting in, for some reason Chiharu was the first to try it.


    ¡°And then raise your legs, yes, you can sleep sideways. Now try moving into your preferred position.¡±


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    ¡°How is it, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so comfortable. Ahhh.¡±


    And then Maki, Edwy and so on tried, from lightest to heaviest.


    ¡°So it has no problem handling my weight.¡±


    Kaider sat on top of it carefully, but it seemed fine. Nyran and Aeris seemed like they were used to hammocks, and sat on them comfortably.


    ¡°There is only one guest house, so you can all rest here.¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡±


    Maki and Chiharu replied happily. Just then, there was the sound of something heavy falling from a hammock.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute. While they are young, sharing a room with women is, um¡­¡±


    Kaider¡¯s face had gone red.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, as long as we are separated when bathing or changing.¡±


    Maki, Chiharu, Edwy, Aaron and Aeris had all spent a night together in the airship before. So there was no point in being self-conscious now. However, when Maki looked over to Aeris, he seemed strangely stiff as he lay in his hammock. Has something happened to him? Maki wondered with suspicion.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you will work it out. Dinner will be served outside shortly.¡±


    Dios said with a laugh. And then he went outside. An awkward silence fell over the room.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Anyone who is worried can go out. I will sleep here with Maki and Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°Edwy!¡±


    Kaider¡¯s face was red, but Edwy just shrugged.


    ¡°You can go on about women or whatever, but we are traveling companions. If you sleep outside, Kaider, then it¡¯s Maki and Chiharu that will worry.¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s true.¡±


    Sometimes, Edwy did feel like the most mature person in the group, thought Chiharu. While he had been embarrassed back at the uninhabited island, he had grown. In spite of everything, they all decided to stay together. And after that, they enjoyed some roasted meat around the fire with the villagers.

 CH 168

    Half a Year Later 5


    The next day, they had an early breakfast and then it was finally time to sightsee.


    ¡°I had them send out a message yesterday, so they should be here soon.¡±


    Boom. Boom. Little my little, the sounds that shook their bodies came closer and closer. It was the elephants. A group of them.


    ¡°I expected the sounds of their feet to be louder.¡±


    ¡°I never really thought about it, but you are right.¡±


    There were already a mix of white and brown birdfolk flying in the sky. And so they were slightly worried. Eventually, five adult elephants and two child elephants stopped in front of Maki and Chiharu, who were waiting excitedly. Was it the same herd of elephants they had seen from the airship yesterday?


    ¡°They are so big¡­¡±


    ¡°Even the small ones are big¡­¡±


    Up close, they were so big that you couldn¡¯t see their whole body. But otherwise, they were the same shape as the elephants that Maki and Chiharu knew.


    ¡°Thank you for coming. Will you accompany us for a while as we sightsee?¡±


    A low, muffled voice came from the back of the elephant¡¯s throat, as if it was saying, ¡®of course.¡¯ And then it quietly raised its trunk.


    ¡°Alright, put the basket on top!¡±


    Dios shouted, and from the temporary platform, a basket that was made to fit the shape of the elephant was strapped on. It really did look like a bird cage.


    ¡°Two can ride in each cage.¡±


    ¡°Alright, Chiharu¡­huh?¡±


    Maki was about to get in with Chiharu, but then Edwy signaled to her with his eyes. Did he want to ride with Chiharu? But Edwy shook his head and looked to the side.


    ¡°Aeris¡­¡±


    He was standing there restlessly and then coughed.


    After an awkward silence, Aeris made his move.


    ¡°Um, Chiharu. Would you like to ride with me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Chiharu glanced at Maki. Maki gave her a thumbs up. Chiharu raised an eyebrow but then went in the basket with Aeris. It was kind of like a group date, and they were getting into a Ferris wheel. Maki thought with a chuckle.


    ¡°Edwy. Are you alright with that?¡±


    ¡°I am not. But Maki, you have other things to think about.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    As Edwy chuckled, he glanced to the side. Kaider was standing there.


    ¡°Woah! You surprised me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Maki. Would you ride with me?¡±


    ¡°Uh, okay. Let¡¯s go together.¡±


    ¡°Aye!¡±


    And so the two got onto the next elephant.


    ¡°So.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s me and you, Edwy.¡±


    ¡°I am actually quite popular in Midland.¡±


    Edwy sighed. Nyran shrugged.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Your Highness. We are the leftovers.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    And so the last pair were the two princes, which was, in a way, a luxurious combination.


    ¡°Zynis, what about you?¡±


    This time, Zynis was acting as a guide. He was just as busy as the king and Aeris, but he also did not want to get in the way of these youngsters. And so he took a step back. Well, Aeris wasn¡¯t young.


    As they talked, one of the elephants gently rubbed its trunk against Zynis. It was like it was saying, ¡®are you sure you don¡¯t want a ride?¡¯


    ¡°Thank you. But we are fine. Could you follow after the Saintesses?¡±


    Very well. And the remaining elephants started walking.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange feeling.¡±


    ¡°What is? Chiharu?¡±


    Chiharu was busily looking at the elephant¡¯s head, ears and trunk. As she flew with the birdfolk quite often, the view from atop the tall elephants was not special. However, the gentle rocking of the elephant and the admiration she felt for it was what made it enjoyable.


    ¡°While I like being in the castle, coming outside really makes you feel like you¡¯ve been freed from everything. It¡¯s a strange feeling.¡±


    ¡°Do you still feel too constrained?¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    She could not get used to the life of being a revered saint.


    ¡°Chiharu.¡±


    ¡°What, Aeris?¡±


    Aeris had been acting a little odd during this trip. He was more restless than usual. And while he had used to embrace Chiharu all of the time, he seemed more distant now. Chiharu felt a little sad.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Your hand.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    What about my hand? After a moment of hesitation, Aeris stretched out and gently lifted Chiharu¡¯s right hand and placed it on top of his left hand. He didn¡¯t squeeze it, but just placed it on top.


    But for some reason, this made her heart beat even faster than the times that he had embraced her. It was like her heart was at her fingertips.


    ¡°Once everything is settled, I would like to take you to a place where there is no one else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve already done that. Like now, with the airship. It¡¯s been so long since I left the castle.¡±


    ¡°Not like this.¡±


    Chiharu tilted her head and looked up at Aeris. He was always worried about her and concerned with her needs. What more could he do?


    ¡°Just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°The two of us.¡±


    Chiharu repeated the words. Just the two of them. And their joined hands.


    Something welled up from the pit of her stomach, and floated up through her hair and then left from the top of her head.


    ¡°Aeris, do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Apparently, I love you, Chiharu.¡±


    She had a feeling. But she also thought that there was no way that it was true. And she was scared that she could lose their current, sweet friendship.


    Even if she would have liked him to wait, what if he could not, and his feelings ended up changing? If that was going to happen, then she would rather stay as friends.


    As Chiharu looked down, she saw Aeris¡¯s large hand and her own small palm on top. And then Aeris¡¯s hand closed, gently enveloping hers.


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited three hundred years, so waiting a few more years is nothing for me. However, if there is even a little hope, I want you to tell me.¡±


    As friends. She had meant to say it. But why wouldn¡¯t her mouth move? Why was her heart beating so quickly? She felt that Aeris had smiled, and just as he drew her hand closer, Aeris¡¯s long hair flowed into her vision.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Woah.¡±


    A great blast of air was blown from the elephant¡¯s trunk and into the cage.


    ¡°Mister Elephant¡­¡±


    It blew at them once more, and then the trunk went back down. It was like it was telling them that since they were in the cage, they should be enjoying the view.


    ¡°Hehe.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡±


    Now that they weren¡¯t nervous, they started to laugh. After they had laughed for a while, Aeris embraced Chiharu firmly, like he used to do. Chiharu wasn¡¯t nervous anymore.


    ¡°Take your time and think about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    He was a fussy, worrywart elf, but he could wait for Chiharu. On that day, something that had been frozen inside of Chiharu had started to move.


    ¡°Ah, how annoying. Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Maki, woah.¡±


    In the meantime, Maki and Kaider were also being warned by their elephant. Really, didn¡¯t you come to see the view?


    And so the four of them behaved after that. They rode on the elephants and enjoyed their short vacation. And a few days later, they returned to Midland.


    ¡°So, two have changed, and four remain the same.¡±


    ¡°Father, don¡¯t speak about that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Arthur had greeted them with smiles, but with a glance, he noticed that something had happened.


    ¡°How about it? You can continue to rest if you want, but I think you would like to start doing something, Chiharu?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve regained my health, so I would like to continue to work with Maki.¡±


    ¡°There are still places where the miasma is strong. We would be grateful if you could go.¡±


    Chiharu and Maki looked at one another and grinned.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go traveling again. Including the places that we promised our friends that we would visit.¡±


    ¡°And we won¡¯t have to disguise ourselves this time.¡±


    Would it be Lowland next? Or the elf lands? Or perhaps the dwarf lands. This time, they planned to actually have a relaxing, wandering journey.

 CH 169

    That Time When He Was Exactly Her Type


    ¡°Still, I felt quite impatient.¡±


    ¡°You mean with those two?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A few days after they had gone to the beast lands in order to ride elephants and then returned to Midland. Maki and Kaider were enjoying themselves as they walked through the town together.


    The townspeople already knew Kaider and Maki quite well.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Saintess.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the dwarf prince.¡±


    They sometimes said. But they only smiled and watched the pair warmly. Hardly anyone would actually talk to or bother them in any way. In other words, Maki was able to live freely without using a disguise.


    ¡°I wanted to bring Chiharu as well, but it¡¯s like she is surrounded by Aeris. But Chiharu doesn¡¯t seem to mind really.¡±


    ¡°That damned elf is a little intimidating, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    Kaider spoke of Aeris with a serious expression.


    ¡°To call White Sage Aeris ¡®damned elf,¡¯ aren¡¯t you scared?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. What is scary is that slow, enveloping way that he dotes on her.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. Chiharu does have a cowardly side, so that might be just what she needs, though.¡±


    They talked like this as they walked. They didn¡¯t have anything to do in particular. As Maki felt restless when staying still in the castle, she had gone out for a stroll, and ended up bumping into Kaider, who was also leaving. And so they decided to walk together.


    ¡°Hey, there are stalls over there. I sense the presence of something that you would like, Maki.¡±


    ¡°What presence? Still, let¡¯s go!¡±


    They walked quickly to what was a seafood barbecue stall. Seafood on skewers were sizzling loudly as they cooked above charcoal.


    ¡°Jackpot!¡±


    ¡°I told you so.¡±


    Maki was amused at how Kaider acted as if this was some kind of great achievement. Still, he was right.


    ¡°Old man! Um, please give me that red stuff and that white one.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have the same.¡±


    ¡°Aye. Shrimp and squid.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s shrimp and squid!¡±


    She had said it vaguely, as things weren¡¯t always the same here as they were in Japan, but the Saintess translator was very simple.


    The old man handed them some well cooked skewers, and so they took it to a nearby fountain and sat down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start with the shrimp.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s peeled, which makes it easier to eat.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Hmm. Hmm.¡±


    The shrimps were so big that they wouldn¡¯t be sold on skewers in Japan. Maki took a bite from the side, and then slightly salted juicy flesh filled her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good!¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re already finished, Kaider?¡±


    ¡°Aye, it was just one bite, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    Maki thought that she would savor hers if no one else would, but ended up finishing hers in no time at all.


    ¡°Oh, so it was just one bite?¡±


    ¡°Right? Well, maybe it¡¯s not supposed to be, but it¡¯s so delicious that it¡¯s gone immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, really.¡±


    Of course, the squid was good as well.


    Maki put her hands on the rim of the fountain and gazed at the sea. While being with Chiharu was great fun, she also enjoyed being with Kaider, who she could be herself around. Maki smiled and let out a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scary.¡±


    ¡°Huh, what?¡±


    Maki was confused by what Kaider was suddenly saying, and so she looked at him with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I won¡¯t do anything in a roundabout way, like Aeris.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    And she meant it. That was what she thought. If Chiharu was here¡­


    ¡®Maki-chan. You¡¯re so dense.¡¯


    She would say angrily.


    ¡°In other words, I like you Maki.¡±


    ¡°Yes. What?¡±


    Maki thought about it. Why had the conversation gone in this direction? It was because of the shrimp and squid. No, that¡¯s not it. They had been talking about Aeris.


    Aeris was scary. Because he slowly enveloped and doted on you. But Kaider was different. But what did that mean?


    ¡°It means that I won¡¯t say it in a roundabout way. I like you, Maki.¡±


    ¡°What! What!!¡±


    Maki could not be blamed for rising to her feet without thinking.


    ¡°I like how you run to a food stall and order what you want without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you like?¡±


    ¡°I like how you always stand against the wind and advance by your own free will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s completely different from the comment about the stall¡­¡±


    Maki sat back down, this time a little less closely to Kaider. Her heart was beating a little faster now.


    ¡°I feel impatient too. I realized that just sort of being sweet was not going to be enough, and you may never notice my feelings for you.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. That¡¯s true.¡±


    Maki could only smile wryly.


    ¡°I never really saw you or the others in that way¡­¡±


    ¡°I know. But I would be happy if you will eventually.¡±


    Indeed, it wasn¡¯t roundabout, but very direct. Maki glanced over to Kaider. She had thought that he would be looking straight ahead, but he was looking at her.


    His green eyes were slanted upward a little, and he had the roughness of a true soldier. This face was framed by fiery red hair. If she was being blunt, he had the kind of face that she was attracted to.


    And so this face that she liked was looking straight at her as if to say that she was special. And then he smiled.


    ¡°No, damn it.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just that when I looked closely, you were completely my type.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that I am allowed to have hope?¡±


    Maki looked away again, held her slightly reddened cheeks, and hesitated just for a moment. And then she immediately stood up and offered her right hand to Kaider.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    Kaider looked confused as he looked at Maki and then her right hand.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start as friends!¡±


    ¡°I thought we were already friends¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be friends who are likely to become lovers eventually!¡±


    ¡°Maki, you¡­ You really are dashing.¡±


    Kaider stood up and squeezed Maki¡¯s right hand and then pulled it close.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    And just like that, Maki lost her balance and fell into Kaider¡¯s chest. And then his hand went around to her back.


    ¡°Wh-what is this?¡±


    ¡°Just a little practice for when we eventually become lovers.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too soon?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    However, they were quickly jeered and whistled at by those around them, and so the two moved away and sat back down on the rim of the fountain and turned their heads in the opposite direction. It could not be helped, as they were both blushing.


    ¡°W-we better head back then.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes.¡±


    Edwy watched them walk awkwardly back to the castle, and then he shrugged with exasperation.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s just us who will remain the same now, Nyran.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with that. It¡¯s more relaxing.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you may be right.¡±


    Perhaps she had been like an older sister that you worried about a lot to Edwy. While he did feel a slight pang, he was glad as long as the two were happy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that at all. In fact, since we¡¯re the younger brothers now, we can use that right to pester them.¡±


    Edwy said with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°In any case, if something does happen, it won¡¯t be for a long time. Right now, we should just enjoy our time together as friends.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Maki! Call Chiharu so that we can have tea together!¡±


    The lives of the two Saintesses would continue for quite some time.


    This is the final chapter! Thank you for reading.