ã€ŠA boy raised by the gods will be the strongestã€‹


 1 a baby picked up by the gods

    I have four fathers and mothers.

    I have four fathers and mothers who found me as an abandoned child and raised me.

    More than ten years ago, when I was still a baby, I was abandoned in the mountains where the gods lived.

    I don''t know why.

    It was said that there was a famine and wars were raging nearby.

    Perhaps the famine made it impossible to feed the children, or the war made it too impoverished, or perhaps both.

    It was the all-powerful god Reus who found me.

    He disguised himself as a peasant and found me on his way back from touring the city in the foothills.

    While walking along the riverbank, feeling tipsy, he finds me drifting down from upstream.

    They say I was in a small boat and was crying softly.

    My cries were so natural that they were almost seen off, Reus said.

    But I was swept downstream and didn''t fall into the waterfall.

    It was Reus who saved me.

    As he transformed into a giant eagle, he grabbed me and flapped his wings into the sky.

    He went straight to the mountain of the gods, Table Mountain, and showed me to his friends.

    Ronin, the sword god, looks into my face and says.

    Why a human baby? I thought it was a snack.

    Stroking the stubble and lamenting. In her hand she holds a bottle of wine.

    Milia, the goddess of healing, says.

    Indeed, that''s why men are like this. Look at this little baby, he looks like a marshmallow.

    Milia took me in her arms and smiled soothingly.

    It was Vandal, the god of magic, who stared at it boredly.

    He lets out a hoarse voice.

    ...... I don''t like children. They''re fussy and selfish.

    He took one look at my face and returned his gaze to the grimoire.

    There were three different attitudes, but Reus, the all-powerful god, knew that they liked me as a baby. That they liked me, a baby.

    In fact, when Reus announced that he was going to raise this baby, they had some difficulty, but they didn''t object.

    On the contrary, they started coming to me as a baby for whatever reason.

    When Ronin had completed his daily routine of 10,000 swings, he came to me and whispered, "Your hands are so small.

    You''ve got tiny hands. Well, when you''re a little older I''ll let you hold the sword and become my apprentice. Soon I''ll have the pressure of the sword to put out the candle.

    When Miria, the goddess of healing, finished talking to the earth, she came to me and took me in her arms.

    What a sweet baby. Oh, my maternal instincts are tingling.

    When she says that, she pops her breasts out and tries to feed them, but the goddess who has never been pregnant cannot feed them.

    When she gives up, she puts her breasts away and kisses me on the cheek instead.

    She is the sweetest girl in the world and I will make her the best healer one day.

    When Militia puts me back in my cradle, the Vandal, god of magic, comes in.

    The white-haired old man looks bored.

    He stares at me with a frown on his face, then his expression falls apart and he looks dumb.

    Seeing that face, I chuckle.

    The old man''s eyebrows droop.

    ...... You''re a baby with a great sense of humor.

    The old man murmurs and makes up his mind.

    "Very well. Will you take the boy as my apprentice?

    The vandal looks at me and murmurs, "This boy will become a powerful sorcerer.

    "This boy will become the greatest magician of all. He will be my successor.

    Thus, the three gods took a liking to me.

    Four if you include the all-powerful god who took me in.

    They became my father, my mother and my teacher.

    Selfish and selfish, they will be my strict and gentle teacher.

    They gave me a name, and unusually, the four of them, who fought over everything, agreed on the naming.

    They decided on my name with a single discussion without fighting.

    Thus I was saved and I had my name.

    The gods gave me a name.

    "Will

    That was the name.

    But it will take some time before I can perceive that I am Will.

    After all, I''m just a newborn baby.

    All I was good at was crying and rolling over.

    There was nothing else I could do.

 2 the three masters of a school

    About the time I could perceive the name Will, the gods began to quarrel.

    Differences in educational policies began to emerge.

    The god foundling, the all-powerful god Reus, who incarnates in all things and no one knows his true form, said in the form of a stag: "Will is a kind child.

    Will is a gentle boy. I want to raise him freely. I want him to grow up here in the mountains unbounded and without restraint.

    The rest of the gods agreed with this educational policy, but first Ronin, the God of Swords, said.

    He is the god of swordsmanship who governs the sword and is dressed like an oriental samurai. The curved blade he carries around his waist is an oriental samurai blade.

    Ronin holds up his sword and says, "It''s a good idea to raise your children to be unrestrained.

    but a man needs structure. But a man needs skill. I want this boy to learn the art of swordplay and become the best swordsman he can be.

    And let me hold a handmade wooden sword. I, a young boy, joyfully wield the sword.

    Seeing this, Milia takes the sword from me and hugs me.

    What do you mean? The boy will be surrounded by the animals of the mountain and will be a healer of their wounds. He will let them live their lives peacefully as animal healers. Swordsmanship is barbaric.

    "What!

    "What!

    Ronin glares at Milia, but to her it was an arm push to the curtain. She is a goddess of healing, but her abilities are comparable to those of the god of swords.

    And even though she is a woman, Milia is very strong-willed.

    The goddess of healing, also known as the fertility goddess, now lives in seclusion in the mountains, but in the days of the gods she led the charge against the evil gods, vanquishing all manner of evil. The god of swords was not to be feared.

    A one-eyed old man in a pointy hat watches their exchange. He may look like a sorcerer, but he was in fact a sorcerer.

    His name is Vandal. He was a god of witchcraft.

    He had retreated to Table Mountain to study the truth of witchcraft, buried under a pile of books.

    He''s the type of researcher so devoted to magic that he shaved his beard a few years ago, but he also had a word to say about my education policy.

    The boy is smart and intelligent. I want him to be my successor. I want to teach him to be the strongest and wisest.

    His voice was hoarse, but powerful and determined.

    That is to say, the gods'' educational policies were divided.

    Ronin, the god of swords, who wants them to master the art of swordplay.

    The goddess Milia who wants him to be a healer.

    Vandal, god of magic, who wants them to pursue the path of witchcraft.

    Three of them, three of them, not taking a step back.

    Sparks fly between the gods.

    They are like a powder keg, but an intermediary appears.

    But an intermediary emerges, the all-powerful god Reus.

    He is the chief god of this table mountain gods.

    He is a god of infinite visage, but in the form of a stag, with a commanding countenance and voice, he says: "Do not quarrel with me in front of your children.

    Do not quarrel in front of your children!¡¡If you fight any longer, I''ll take Will and travel to another world.

    Fearful of being robbed of their beloved child, rather than of being angered by the Lord God, the three of them stop each other''s arguments.

    --Ronin, for a brief moment, shows signs of backing down, then casually places his wooden sword at my side and the fight resumes.

    Milia places the herbs near me, and the Vandals put down the grimoire. The cunning Vandals place the candy on the grimoire, which enrages them both.

    As they were about to fight again, the all-powerful god Reus said.

    Come on, guys. Why are you trying to get your point of view across so much?

    Ronin replies.

    "That''s because she''s pretty, Reus. My sweet child should follow in my footsteps. By the way, he''s a great swordsman. I''m sure he''ll protect her in the future.

    Millia also replies.

    I completely agree with the first half. But it''s the tender heart that will protect her. The ability to heal others will be his food.

    Vandal nods.

    That''s right. But it is knowledge that will save the child. It is the knowledge of all things that will make her happy.

    I know that each one of them loves me, but this is not going to get us anywhere.

    Thinking that, Reus declares.

    I understand. If you say so, then so be it. But no fighting. If you fight, Will will take it away.

    Reus, after a beat

    "Will''s education takes place on a daily basis. Each in turn.

    And declared.

    "What does it mean?

    Goddess Militia asks .

    "That''s just what it means. Each of our children, Will, will be taught a lesson. That is, Ronin will teach him swordplay, Miria will teach him healing, and the Vandals will teach him magic.

    The gods heard the words

    "That''s a plan!

    The look on his face.

    Reus saw the expression on his face.

    There you have it. This child will be given the best education by the most powerful gods. In time, he will grow up, and when he does, I wonder what kind of an adult he will be.

    And let it slip.

    You may have more swordsmanship than the god of swordsmanship, more healing power than the goddess of healing, and more magical power than the god of magic.

    Or he might be a halfway decent adult whose swordsmanship was less than Ronin''s, whose healing was less than Milia''s, and whose magic was less than that of the Vandals.

    But none of that mattered.

    What mattered was what kind of person the child, Will, would become.

    As for Reus, I wanted him to have more strength of mind than strength of body.

    A strong heart that will not yield to any strong enemy, a righteous heart that will not tolerate evil, a compassionate heart that will show mercy to the weak.

    As long as I had those things, I didn''t care if I was the weakest man in the world.

    That''s how he decided to raise Will, but Reus'' fears were blown away in a few years.

    In the process of growing from a baby to an infant, Will shows glimpses of extraordinary strength.

    One day, Ronin, the god of swords, is training Will to become a swordsman.

    He was teaching him swordsmanship from morning to night, and Ronin jokingly said, "Will, I''m going to teach you how to use a sword.

    Will, cut down the giant tree in front of you and I''ll give you that dagger you always wanted.

    Really?

    Will is delighted, and quickly tears through the giant tree.

    You try to do what Ronin did with his sword, but it''s not that easy.

    --Three times, Will imitates Ronin as he swings his sword, and a flash comes out of the tip of his sword.

    The golden flashes from the blade hit the giant tree.

    The giant tree shattered.

    Seeing this, Ronin said, "Well done. As promised, the dagger will do," and hands it to Will.

    Delighted, Will goes to show off the dagger to his friends on the mountain, the animals.

    There appears the goddess of healing. She stands side by side with Ronin and sings the praises of Will.

    "That''s a great talent. Not only is she a healer, but she''s a first-rate swordsman.

    Of course, the kid was going to be a healer, but Ronin hadn''t heard that. It didn''t exactly fall on deaf ears.

    I''m just amazed at Will''s tremendous talent.

    Ronin walked to the place where the tree was and said to himself.

    ...... I told you to cut the tree, all right?¡¡But then Will''s guy crushed the wood.

    Grasping the shattered piece of wood, a smiling Ronin .

    It seems that Millia wants to be a healer and Vandal wants to be a sorcerer, but Ronin wanted Will to be the greatest swordsman of all.

    His decision was strengthened by seeing Will''s tremendous talent.

 3 Table Mountain Brave

    Will turned out to be a gifted swordsman, but he was also a gifted healer.

    In the spring of my fifth year, I roamed the mountains.

    Along with my wolf and bear friends, I fought the monsters of the outside world.

    I led the way and fought to protect my friends.

    I face the green ogre, a monster that has invaded Table Mountain.

    The green ogre is a green monster that comes into the mountain and devours the animals of the forest.

    Not content with just eating them, the green ogre slaughters the frailest of animals. They killed more animals than necessary to satisfy their cravings.

    We can''t allow such monsters.

    Armed with the mithril dagger Ronin gave me, I will destroy the green ogre.

    When Schultz, the quick wolf, has the ogre in his sights, I''ll jump in and deliver a flanking blow.

    The blow blows away his rusty sword, but it''s not enough. The ogre has monstrous physical strength.

    He swings his arm like a log, but it''s caught by the bear bee.

    The bear was the strongest man in the woods.

    I step back while the bee holds my opponent down.

    I will then thrust my silver dagger into his neck.

    No need to hesitate. This ogre reeks of blood. It was proof that it had killed many creatures.

    He is a moaning, falling ogre.

    Thus, I win the battle, but I see that blood is flowing from Schultz''s back, who first held the ogre''s gaze with a check on me.

    It looks like he''s been hit by an ogre.

    I put my hand on the wounded wolf''s back and cast a healing spell.

    Wolf Schultz''s body glows green and the wolf''s wounds close up.

    Wow!

    And the animals admire it.

    This is what I learned from Mother Militia. She wants to make me a healer.

    The animals say it''s good, they want you to be a healer and protect them.

    Yeah, that''s good. But I think my father Ronin wants me to be a swordsman.

    Why don''t you become a healer and a swordsman?

    That''s true. They call such a thing a holy knight.

    Then you''ll be a holy knight in the future.

    Schultz the wolf smiles, but I chuckle.

    "I think Dad Vandal wants me to be a sorcerer, though. Every day he makes me read thick textbooks and history books.

    "You don''t like to study?

    No way, I love it as much as I love swinging a sword.

    Then it''s annoying. Do I have to master sword, magic and healing?

    Yes.

    By the way, what do you call the one who''s mastered the craft?

    I give him a confused look and pause, "I don''t know.

    There''s a term for swords and magic alone, but there''s no term for sword, magic, and healing, all of which have been mastered.

    "Hmm, I''ll have to make a new one then.

    I had no idea if I would make it myself or not.

    How about calling it ''The Brave''?¡¡Isn''t it cool?

    "A brave man. ...... Yeah, it''s cool. But Vandal says you''re born brave. When you''re born, you''re born with a bruise somewhere on your body.

    I look around my body, but I don''t see any bruises anywhere.

    But Schultz says without concern.

    "A hero is not a job, it''s a title. My father used to say that. My father told me that the spirit to stand in front of those weaker than you, and to defend the weak, is what makes you brave. So, Will, you''re a hero now. We''re the heroes of Table Mountain.

    "Oh, right. ......, that''s right. Yeah, I''m the brave man of Table Mountain.

    Once again, I chewed on the word "brave".

    And as I carved it into my lungs

    "I''m the brave man of Table Mountain!

    And shouted.

    The words echoed in every corner of the mountain.

    Milia, the goddess of healing, let out a tear as her image flashed in her eyes.

    She was moved by the sight of Will, who had grown into a fine man.

    A few days ago you were a baby, but now you''ve grown up to be a fine boy.

    He''s also become a fine user of healing.

    He even learned the advanced magic of Instant Recovery.

    Of course, it was Miria who taught him, but I never thought that he would learn to use it at his age.

    Will''s talents as a healer may be on par with the legendary saint that Millia once taught healing magic to.

    No, even she would not have been able to use Instant Recovery at her age.

    That''s how outstanding Will''s talent was.

    Although she was excited about the future, there was one thing that worried her.

    I could see the cute little Will in Milia''s eyes.

    I mean, Will is so cute. If this continues, he might end up being courted by princesses from all over the world.

    Will''s appearance was as pretty as a girl.

    Not only that, but the boy, stronger and gentler than anyone else, was Miria''s pride and joy.

    She had Will''s image transferred onto the photographic paper and vowed to boast about it at the gathering of the gods.

    There was a gathering of the healing gods nearby.

    He planned to be a complete idiot there.

 4 a boy who aims for the truth of magic

    Will 7 years old winter.

    I was growing up, absorbing the teachings of the gods.

    On Water Dragon Day, Ronin''s Sword Art Workshop, on Fire Dragon Day, Miria''s Healing Class, and on Wood Dragon Day, Vandal''s Magic Class.

    So today we will learn magic from Father Vandal.

    You''ll be able to learn how to use them, and you''ll be able to use them as well. You don''t just decoct a random herb like Milia does.

    First of all, you are required to read history books as a classroom lesson.

    Why not a book on witchcraft but a history book?

    One day, wondering about being made to read a book that has nothing to do with magic at all, I ask, "What is the basis of magic?

    "The basis of magic lies in knowledge. To understand the vast system of magic, you need a basic knowledge.

    Besides," continues Vandal, "I want you to be smart.

    I want you to be smart. I want you to be a wizard who can learn more and see the big picture. So we''ll start with the basics.

    The Vandal first taught me to read and write, and then told me about the origins of this world and the history of this country.

    This kingdom of Midonia is a historic power at the center of the world. As the center of the world, it has always been embroiled in warfare, but Table Mountain is the only inviolable territory of nations. Do you know why?

    "Because Vandal Dad and his friends are there?

    That''s right. This Table Mountain is inhabited by gods. Instead of interfering with the world below, it has an unwritten law that the nations below do not interfere either.

    The "Friction Ratio?

    That''s a hard word for a child to say. Simply put, there''s a rule.

    I know the routine. Dad Ronin''s rule was to drink a drink every day. Milia''s routine is to wear a skin pack every day.

    My rule is to read a book every day.

    Yes, I try to read at least one book every day, just like your father Vandal.

    Isn''t it great?

    And the Vandal tries to hand me a book, but I balk.

    ''You read a book every day, don''t you?¡¡Then you will come up short. Next time I''m in town, I''ll buy you a new one. Just be patient with this one for now.

    No, it''s not. I read it every day with my dad, Vandal.

    "What?¡¡With me?

    I point to a thick book in the Vandal''s study.

    "I read this yesterday.

    I pointed to a grimoire called the Book of Fire Dragons, written by the ancient sorcerer Kal Rahab.

    No way, this was written in the ancient magical language.

    "Ancient magical language," says Father Vandal, "you talk a lot.

    It was a soliloquy. Don''t tell me you deciphered it.

    "Yes!

    And nodded vigorously.

    I can''t believe it. Is it true?

    Really. Okay, let me guess. Let me know the appropriate page.

    "Then page 211

    "211 or the passage on fire magic written by Cal Rahab. It''s an original by Khal Rahab. Let''s see, the chanting words are ''??????? ??? ?????? ??? ?????? ???''.

    The Vandal is checking the Book of Fire Dragons.

    "...... that''s right. Will, did you read and memorize this difficult book in just one day?

    "It was gibberish inside, so I worked very hard to learn it. You can always read it in your head once you know it, right?

    Vandal widened his narrow eyes and murmured, "This kid is a genius ......".

    ...... unbelievable.

    Still murmuring, I try to make the Vandal believe me.

    In some ways I still don''t understand, but the book made me able to do magic. Look.

    Then I open the window and point outside.

    I point outside the house and shoot a spell at the rocks outside.

    The magic of the flaming storm. It''s Firestorm.

    From my hand a small flame shoots out, whirling as it nears the rock.

    When it surrounded the rock, there was a flame storm.

    The flames burned bright and strong.

    What, Will, do you think you can use the Flame Storm at your age?

    Vandal looks astonished, but I''ve been working my magic without a care in the world.

    Seeing Will having fun with his magic, Vandal thinks, "This boy is a genius.

    This kid is a genius.

    Normally, a child learns magic as early as seven years old.

    Usually a child learns magic as early as seven years old, starting with the basics like "Ignite" and "Telekinesis" and learning the "Fireball" magic at around ten years old.

    But the boy is able to master the flame storm at the age of seven.

    Moreover, the spell was not taught by the Vandal, but learned it on its own.

    Vandal was not such a handy child.

    This boy is a gem that surpasses the magician Kirinji Vandal, who was claimed to be one of the best in hundreds of years.

    Honestly, I didn''t care about the Vandal when the all-powerful god Reus brought her to me. He didn''t frolic like Ronin or Milia. No, on the contrary, I remember the baby was fussy and disgusted.

    But look at that. In fact, touching the human child, Will, changed my mind.

    Knowing that there was a human child in this world with more talent and potential than him made the old tree''s blood boil.

    Maybe this child could reach the truth of magic.

    Mumbling.

    Many sorcerers have challenged the wisest sorcerers of the highest intelligence to reach the truth of magic, and this boy may be able to reach the truth of magic that they could not reach after all.

    Thinking this, Vandal relaxed his cheeks.

    The fact that he is not the one to reach the truth is annoying, but it doesn''t make him as jealous as he thought.

    Seeing Will''s carefree smile blows those thoughts away.

    The thought of your son surpassing you is all I can feel.

    "Countless wise men who have once challenged the truth of magic. I now proclaim that my son is the wizard. My son is the fulfillment of the sorcerer''s dream.

    Vandal, the god of magic, exclaimed in his heart and embraced his beloved son.

 5 a hunch of departure

    Lovingly raised by the best father and mother.

    I was trained strictly by the best of them.

    Then I grew up healthy and well.

    I will grow up to twelve years old without disease.

    Fifteen is the age of adulthood in this world, but by twelve most children have decided whether to follow the family business or something else.

    The child who follows the farm learns how to repair the plow and hoe. He learns the seasons for sowing.

    A child who inherits a fief begins training in the martial arts and vows to become a great knight.

    A merchant''s child learns to read, write and master the abacus.

    I, on the other hand, have been wondering what to do.

    Because my father and mother have differing opinions.

    Ronin naturally entrusts me with his sword.

    "It''s ridiculous for a man to waste time recovering and witchcraft. A man should hold the sword.

    Goddess of Healing Militia is a barbarian, and passes the potion.

    Will is a gentle boy. Will is a gentle child and should pursue the path of healing and become a mountain saint.

    Vandal, the god of magic, says . Both are trivial," he says.

    The truth of witchcraft is what man must learn. Only when you explore the depths of magic can you taste the preciousness of life.

    Each one makes a different claim. Their temples twitch. Ronin reaches for the sword at his hip, Milia wraps her body in magic, and the Vandals reach for their wands.

    Not only are they all in conflict with each other, but they are all enemies.

    As for me, I liked all three parents, and I can''t pick just one.

    I loved Ronin, Millia and Vandal in their own way.

    Not only did I love them all, I also loved what they were good at.

    I loved wielding swords, mixing potions, and reading books on magic.

    I want to master them. I learned many basics, but I wanted to master each one further.

    When you confess this in a tree, where the three of you are not present, a person who compliments you appears.

    It was a person in the form of a bird.

    His name was the all-powerful god Reus, the one who found me as a baby.

    He is known as the God of a Thousand Incarnations. He can transform into all forms.

    The fourth father, in the form of a chickadee, praises me in a sober and honest voice.

    Will, you''re wonderful. You are living up to the expectations of three selfish parents.

    Respond with a wry smile.

    "No, that''s not true. All of your training is really interesting.

    But you''ll have to choose one at some point.

    "I knew it, didn''t I?

    Yes. You have talents, but you will indeed be hard to master them all. You are no match for Ronin in swordplay, no match for Milia in healing, and no match for the Vandals in magic. Then we''ll have to go with the dragon''s head and the snake''s tail.

    I think it''s only fair to be the head of the dragon. And I think my father Reus said it was okay with that.

    "I changed my mind. You''re the best at what you do. That''s why I want you to be the strongest man.

    "What good will it do to be the strongest?

    "There is. You can protect your friends. You can protect your family. You don''t have to bow to an a**h*le.

    "The first two are fascinating,

    Do you want to be a strong man who can defend his friends and family?

    Yes, I want to protect the mountain animals. I want to help my mom and dad. Also at .......

    "But?

    "Maybe we don''t need to protect them. . something too strong.

    "Yes,

    Leus smiles broadly, "Ka ka ka! The corners of my mouth loosen as well.

    "I just wish you had a bigger perspective.

    "Bigger perspective?

    Yeah, it''s important to protect your family and friends. There are many things we can''t even protect. But I think you have the power to save more than that.

    "More stuff?

    Yeah. Look at the scene before you.

    "...... in sight?

    I stare at the familiar landscape.

    The mountains are wide open. Trees jump into view. Beyond is a man-made structure made of stone.

    That''s a city, right?¡¡Humans live here, don''t they?

    "Yes. That''s where the humans live. That''s one of you.

    But we''ve never met, have we?

    "Yes, we did. We were forbidden to go down the mountain.

    "Yes, there''s a lot of danger,

    "Yes. You''re a child and you''re in a lot of danger. So many temptations. And many enemies. But I''d like to see you travel there someday.

    "Over there?

    "Yes. There are a lot of people living there. Some good for you, some bad. But if you meet them, you''ll grow up. They''ll open up new possibilities for you.

    New Possibilities ......

    I looked down at the city again. I''ve always wanted to go there.

    "And you will leave some day. It was meant to be.

    "Fate--

    It is your preordained destiny. When I picked you up as my baby, I had an epiphany.

    "A revelation?¡¡Even though he''s a god?

    I chuckle at these ungodly words.

    I am called God, but I am not the Absolute. There are probably overwhelming transcendent beings in this world who have created gods. Or perhaps a regulator.

    Reus says with great emotion, but does not seem to be willing to expand on the subject.

    "Anyway, when I picked you up, there was a voice inside. Something whispered to me. This boy was going to save the world. That we would be the savior of the world.

    "Savior: ......

    I try to tweet, but of course, I don''t feel it.

    But Reus says, "Don''t worry about it. Even if you don''t feel it now, the time of destiny will come.

    Reus says like a prophet.

    There''s a messenger coming to release you into the sea. That''s the day we, the father and son, will say goodbye. But that''s not a sad thing. The departure is also the beginning of a new meeting. Neither the tyranny of distance nor the devil of time will tear the bond our parent and child have forged. No matter how far we go, no matter how much time passes, we are the best of both worlds.

    When Reus the chickadee said that, I nodded, "Yes.

    Then they went home together.

    Today, Mother Milia is working very hard to cook for me.

    By the way, she''s a goddess, but she''s the worst cook out of the five of us. But I liked her cooking the best because she worked the hardest.

 6 fourteen-year-old boy

    I turned 14 years old.

    Fourteen years, eleven months and a few days to be exact.

    That is, I was almost an adult.

    I could no longer be described as a full-grown adult - I was no longer a full-grown man.

    I had trained hard, but my body had not grown like Ronin''s.

    But it''s not as meager as Vandal''s, either.

    If I had to choose, I''d say I''d have to say I took my tits from Mother Milia. She was rather slender.

    Her face was also somewhat girlish. If you let her dress up as a woman, she would become a beautiful woman, Ronin said, and that''s what Milia was trying to do, but I resisted desperately.

    So, I''ve been able to avoid dressing up as a woman, but on my 15th birthday. That means she wanted me to dress up at least once before my coming of age.

    I''d hate to be made to dress up as a woman. The rest of the mountain people would laugh at me.

    So I turned my back to my parents as they prepared for Coming of Age Day and rode on the back of Schultz the wolf.

    I was going to take a walk in the mountains for a change of pace.

    On my friend''s back I became one with the wind.

    The wind is good to me. ......

    When I blurt out my honest opinion, my friend asks me.

    "My friend Will. Is it true that you are going down the mountain?

    "Where did you get that story?

    "My mountain buddies are whispering to me.

    "That''s Rick from Carbunkle. Well,

    "He''s a talker,

    "Yes,

    When I indirectly told him the name of the culprit, Schultz asked with a serious expression on his face, "And is it true?

    And is it true?

    "............ yeah

    I paused because I didn''t want to lie to my best friend.

    "Father Reus told me. Dad told me I would eventually go down the mountain. He said I''d eventually become a savior.

    The Messiah. Maybe this world needs a man like you.

    I''m sorry. I won''t be able to protect you anymore.

    What''s the matter with you. Will isn''t the only one defending the mountain. There are others on this mountain who are fierce.

    "Like Schultz?

    "Yes, I''m the best wolf. I''m the greatest wolf.

    ." "Yeah. And the bears are strong. I think they can protect the mountain without me.

    I hope the gods will cooperate with me when the need arises.

    Yeah. Apparently the gods don''t allow people to join in the fight, but maybe animals do.

    It''s like being pompous, but in fact, I''ve been protected many times.

    Yes. You''ll get along fine without me. ...... kind of misses you.

    "Hey, it''s not goodbye forever. Our bond is constant.

    Saying something like Reus, I hugged Schultz.

    He had the ruffled fur characteristic of a wolf, but the warmth that leaked out from underneath it was comforting.

    ...... Schultz, goodbye.

    "Don''t say things like "...... goodbye to this life

    Sure. Can we meet again some day?

    That''s right. After you save the world, you''ll be back here again. No, you don''t have to save it, you can come back. It''s your home. You can come back whenever you''re tired of fighting.

    "I''ll be back. After you''ve seen one end of the world. There''s no better place to be than here. When you come back, Schultz will have gotten a wife, and you''ll show me your child.

    "Don''t be a smart ass. But, well, that''s not so bad. Once we''re free of your good luck charm, you''ll have time to get a wife.

    "You''re going to marry Weiss, aren''t you?

    Weiss is a white-furred wolf in the mountains. Schultz and I have known each other since childhood, but they are both stubborn and do not fall in love with each other.

    I''d rather marry a bear than marry that tomboy.

    Schultz shyly turns his head away and leans in closer.

    I said goodbye for the last time, letting my scent soak into my body, but the motion stopped in mid-sentence.

    Schultz looks at the foot of the mountain with a mysterious expression on his face. --.

    "-- something is coming.

    I get the same look.

    I put all my faith in Schultz''s nose.

    "What''s it for?

    I don''t know. Maybe it''s a woman.

    "Woman?

    "Yeah, human.

    "The human woman--

    I''m at a loss for words because I''ve never seen a human female since I was born.

    I''ve seen a female mountain animal. Goddesses, of course. But I''ve never seen a human woman.

    This Table Mountain is a mountain and a sanctuary for the gods to dwell on and man is forbidden to come near.

    Human men rarely wander in or deliberately trespass, but no human woman has ever come here.

    That''s how steep the path to this mountain is.

    ...... human woman. Should I tell the fathers?

    It''s better.

    Schultz says, "I''m going to head to the bottom.

    What''s the matter?¡¡Aren''t you going to let us know?

    I thought so, but I''ll leave it to the birds. I''ll go help the woman.

    "Help?

    Schultz gave me a strange look and explained.

    I just magically enhanced my hearing and I heard a metallic sound. There are men in armor coming toward us. I think they''re following her.

    I see, but the men might be better off.

    "Mother Milia said. . that it was wrong to bully women by force.

    "I see, do you believe in that principle

    Yes, and besides, the heartbeat she gives off is very pleasant. How can a woman who can emit a heartbeat like this be a scoundrel?

    "You think you can hear her heartbeat from this distance?

    Schultz is surprised.

    Normally, even if you use the Hearing Enhancement magic, it would not be possible to distinguish the sound of a human heart from this distance.

    It''s an act that only a magical genius can do, but is Will still a genius?

    Once again looking at his longtime partner, Will, Schultz placed him on his back and started to run.

    He runs through the trees like he''s one with the wind, and then runs down the mountain to the women.

    When Schultz and his men arrived, a woman in white vestments and men in armor were engaged in battle.

 7 a blind shrine maiden

    On the road to the foot of the mountain was a beautiful woman.

    She was probably a little older than me, but she was pure and gentle, like a saint in a picture book.

    She''s even more divine than Master Militia, the goddess of healing.

    I couldn''t help but chuckle at Schultz''s words, but she was right.

    When she notices us, she asks us firmly, like a nun, "Is that you, sir?

    Is that man there the one who lives in this mountain?

    Yes,

    She smiles as she replies, "I''m sorry to step into the holy mountain where the gods and their relatives live.

    I am sorry that I set foot on the holy mountain where the gods and their relatives live. And I am sorry to have brought these people here.

    "Never mind about that. For all intents and purposes, the men look more like scoundrels.

    These men are probably part of a pagan group. They refuse to allow me to have contact with the heroes.

    "Brave?

    It''s about a boy who lived on this mountain and was raised by the gods.

    "Or is it me?

    "Excuse me, are you a black hair?

    Yes, but

    "Then surely you would be.

    I wondered why I couldn''t even be sure it was black hair, but I soon found out why.

    The silver-haired woman in the vestments was blind.

    She was blind.

    There was a mask around her eyes.

    She must have noticed that I noticed. She explains.

    "I am Lunamar¨ªa, a blind priestess dedicated to the Mother of Earth.

    "Earth Mother God

    I''ve heard of it.

    It''s the name of the ancient god who brought fertility to the land.

    She is known for her strict laws and every priestess who dedicates herself to the earth mother god takes her light away. They blind themselves at an early age.

    The priest who propagated the mother-of-earth religion said that if you do so, you will grow up to see things without evil thoughts and become a pure priestess.

    But it was a myth or legend, and I had never heard of a priestess imitating such a practice even today.

    When I tell this to Lunamaria, she laughs to herself.

    It''s true that it''s an old tradition. But the tradition is still alive. There are many blind priestesses besides me.

    "Why did that blind maiden come to this Table Mountain?

    "It''s ......

    I didn''t know if it was because I had an ulterior motive, or if it was because the enemy was attacking harder and harder.

    It seemed like both, but I had a feeling that I should be cheering for Lunamar¨ªa anyway.

    Schultz and I stood between the enemy soldiers and showed our willingness to fight.

    A gray wolf and a human child. A curious mix.

    "We''ll only cut you down if you come at me.

    "Slaying a child?¡¡I''ve heard that only priestesses are supposed to do the job.

    The men in armor begin to consult, but in the end they seem to have decided to cut me down by majority vote. My client wants Lunamaria dead, but he''s also interested in the brave men Lunamaria is trying to find.

    If you kill a hero while you''re at it, it''ll be great.

    They really don''t care about human life. I search for words while letting out a sigh.

    "Schultz, what do you say about these people?

    "You''re a scoundrel,

    Schultz the wolf cut down in one word.

    "That was it. That''s the scoundrel. Don''t be shy about these guys, do you?

    "Yeah, slit his throat.

    Schultz quickly goes for their throat whistles, and I will attack them as well.

    Of course, I won''t use a blade. But I will use body armor.

    If you can see, these guys aren''t that strong.

    They''re very sluggish.

    Their every move is very slow.

    I could have easily handled them without using a blade.

    I would use an old martial art I learned from Ronin.

    I could step into my opponent''s bosom and match my thrusts to his breathing.

    It''s a child''s fist, but the moment my opponent leans forward, I can land a sharp blow that will do massive damage.

    The villains writhe in agony as you strike your opponent''s throat, groin, eyes, and temples, precisely where no expert can train them to go.

    Hearing this, Lunamaria exclaimed in admiration.

    "The martial arts of the brave master are divine.

    That''s what God told me to do.

    "So you are the legendary child, the brave one, after all.

    I don''t think so. I was raised by my father and his family, but I don''t have the mark of a brave man.

    "Isn''t ...... marked?

    Lunamaria''s expression is lightly clouded.

    "The one who brings harmony between good and evil. The savior of this world. He was raised by the gods to be a true being.

    What''s that?

    It is an old saying in our Order.

    The only thing they have in common is that they were raised by the gods.

    But that''s enough. But that''s enough.

    Lunamaria said and flashed her right hand.

    Then she put it gently on the rogue''s chest.

    The villain blows off ten sumeres and breaks the trees.

    You''re a force to be reckoned with.

    This power is nothing more than the grace of God.

    "That''s amazing grace.

    But I had already crippled five villains.

    I thought I could easily eradicate them if I kept this up, but it was not to be, for the rogues'' reinforcements appeared from behind.

    The rogues came from behind with reinforcements.

    They were heavily armed.

    "...... It''s tricky. Some of them have magical weapons.

    Seeing the glowing shortsword, everyone seemed to be skilled mercenaries.

    "These men are probably mercenaries hired by the pagans. They should be tough.

    I guess so. I guess it''s not impossible to beat it. ...... or rather. Lunamar¨ªa, will you step back behind me?

    "I am flattered, but I am a priestess who has dedicated my life to God and the brave. I do not spare my life.

    "Even if you''re not spared, I am. Besides, the area is going to be red hot from now on. If you stay behind me, I can use the magic of the Wall of Firewall to keep it out.

    "Bright red?¡¡Do you use fire magic?

    "Incorrect. It''s not me who uses fire. It''s a lizard from the sky.

    "Lizard?

    As Lunamaria tilts her head, the sky goes dark.

    The previously bright surroundings are enveloped in darkness.

    No clouds have appeared.

    The sky was covered by a winged lizard.

    It was a dragon.

    The red-skinned dragon flaps its wings, leaking fire from its mouth.

    A wind surrounds them as if a storm is on the way.

    Lunamaria seems to have sensed the presence of fear in the wind and the dragon''s roar.

    It''s a dragon!

    That''s right. They''re not on Table Mountain, but there are a lot of them around. I guess those mercenaries took them with them.

    If you look at the mercenary''s clothes, they are not so worn out.

    They must have come here in the shortest distance from the city.

    They may have come through the valley, unaware of the dragon''s lair.

    You''ll have to pay for that shortcut.

    The red dragon stops hovering and swoops down, grabbing one of the mercenaries.

    It soars into the sky and unleashes the mercenary from on high!

    The mercenary screams, but the dragon plummets down and swallows the mercenary in its tracks.

    Every scream is devoured.

    The enraged fellow mercenaries try to fight back with crossbows and bows, but they cannot pierce the giant dragon''s scales.

    Instead, it spits its breath of fire above its head, creating a fireball.

    If I watched, not only would the mercenaries and the pagans be wiped out, but I couldn''t be a bystander.

    For two reasons. One, if the dragons were defeated, they would be sure to come back to bite us next.

    Even though I had only just met the priestess Luna Maria, I felt a strange closeness to her.

    I also felt a protective need to protect her. To me, she was already no different than my mountain companions.

    Another reason was that I didn''t want to leave her to die, even as a villain.

    These men are going to kill Luna Maria, but that doesn''t mean they killed her.

    Maybe they were just doing someone''s bidding.

    And maybe these guys have fathers and mothers, too.

    I don''t know if they are in this world, but it would have grieved them both.

    I can see Father Reus, Father Ronin, Mother Milia, and Father Vandal''s smiles.

    When I think of their faces, letting them die is not an option.

    So I pull out the dagger at my waist and release it.

    It''s a silver dagger, so it will pass through the dragon''s scales, but no matter how deep you insert it, it can''t seem to reach its innards. That''s how big the red dragon is.

    The subcutaneous fat is outrageous!

    If I were a normal person, I''d wound you, but I have a killer move.

    The special move is a technique learned from Ronin, the god of swords. It is a magic learned from the Vandal, the god of magic.

    Ronin''s swordsmanship was the total swordsmanship of turning a paper knife into a deadly weapon, while the Vandal mastered the art of granting magic to turn even a twig into a work of art.

    This means that if you give magic to brass, a metal that is easy to pass, its power is immeasurable.

    I stare at the dragons that lay waste to the pagans.

    My gaze crosses with the eyes of the merciless dragon, but I do not feel fear. No, on the contrary, the dragon seems to have sensed an unusual presence.

    This boy is dangerous to keep alive!

    Thinking this, the dragon tossed the half-eaten pagan, flapped its wings, and came toward you.

    "...... save me the trouble.

    We''d be glad to see the target shifted to us.

    It''s easier to pull off big moves when they''re away from the evil one.

    With that thought in mind, I chant the spell.

    "Freeze the winds of the void, freeze the winds of regret!

    Dominate the silence and freeze everything!

    As the chanting ends, the silver dagger is enveloped in ice. The cold air''s magic enveloped it.

    All that was left was to turn it into a flash of sword and unleash it.

    I unleash the sword flash I''ve practiced so many times on the dragon.

    It was something I''d done hundreds of times in practice, but it flew straight in real life.

    With a magical sword stroke that Rowen had admired for its strength and the Vandal for its brilliance, the dragon struck.

    Lunamaria, who had seen it from behind, was astonished. Of course, there was no light in her eyes, but her five senses were better than anyone else''s.

    The cold air of the boy''s magic was so cold that it stung her skin, and the wave of the boy''s magic seemed to envelop Lunamaria''s entire body.

    The power of his cold air magic sword would be tremendous!

    Lunamaria was sure of it, and she was not wrong.

    The cold-air sword tore through the red dragon.

    He tried to counter with his breath of flame, but the boy''s cold air iced the flames and cracked the dragon''s flesh.

    Like an ice statue, the dragon''s flesh is torn in half as it is pickled in ice.

    Inside the ice is a dragon with red skin and blood splattered all over it.

    It looks like a work of art, but most frightening of all is that the giant dragon was slayed by a boy of only 14 years old.

    I''ve never heard of such a boy.

    The pagans were running away, blabbing.

    When she was sure they had made a complete retreat, Lunamar¨ªa stood in front of the boy again and held out her right hand.

    I wanted to shake his hand.

    And I wanted to hear his name.

    When I told the boy about it, he smiled shyly and said, "My name is Will.

    "My name''s Will. It''s just Will. I''m just a commoner, but my mom and dad are gods.

    A boy, Will, smiling shyly.

    He didn''t look like a hero who had slayed a dragon, but Lunamaria was convinced that he was the hero who would save this world.

 8 ones first human friend

    They introduce themselves in front of the ice statue of the dragon, I tell them my name is Will and that I am the son of the gods. I also introduce my partner, Schultz.

    Schultz is wary of the unfamiliar woman at first, but when she bends her knees and smiles, he silently strokes her throat.

    Lunamar¨ªa also caresses Schultz''s weak points as precisely as if she were blind.

    It makes you wonder if this person is really blind, but Lunamaria denies it with a smirk.

    You''ve been acting a little strange, haven''t you? Doesn''t it seem as if there''s a light?

    "It''s hard to believe that I''m blind.

    If you''ve been blind since you were a kid, you learn all sorts of fine tricks.

    The technique?

    Lunamar¨ªa nodding.

    The senses other than sight become acute. The senses of hearing and smell are the most common, but also touch. --That''s right. Master Will, when I turn around, raise your right or left hand, please.

    Yeah, okay," says Lunamaria, turning back, as she honestly raises her left hand, "now you''re raising your left hand.

    "Now you raise your left hand. And with your fists clenched.

    "How did you know that?

    "It''s easy. It''s a movement of air. When you raise your hand outstretched, the air passes between your fingers and makes a unique sound.

    It''s amazing that you can figure that out when you can just guess right or left.

    "I don''t know if it''s great, but I''ve been living like this since I was a little girl, so it''s not hard to make a living.

    I don''t know if it would be rude to say, "That''s a lot of work.

    Well . I blinded myself because I wanted to, and I have no regrets about being a miko.

    "But how did that blind priestess get to this place?

    As I said at the beginning, I''m looking for a brave man to save this world. I believe it''s you.

    "I''m ......?¡¡But the markings are ......

    I don''t need a sign. Even if there were, I wouldn''t be able to see them.

    I guess you could call it a blind joke, but it''s not funny under the circumstances.

    "I was ordained by God. There will be a brave man on earth to bring peace to this world. And I can think of no one better than you.

    To be sure, I''m the only human in the land, but

    Then it''s a sure thing. Now, hero, please go on this journey to save the world with this Lunamar¨ªa.

    I''m not sure if this is a good idea.

    It was. You were raised by the gods, weren''t you?

    That''s right.

    Then I come to greet the gods. I ask that this Lunamaria be allowed to lead Master Will as a squire.

    "Forgive me. ......

    I put on my dads'' faces, but they put on a face of disagreement. I don''t have much to learn.

    Little me can''t leave. You''ll live here forever. I see a future where I''m persuaded to do so.

    When I explain that the only person who would be willing to send me out would be the all-powerful god Reus, Lunamaria says

    I''m sorry to hear that. I''m sorry.

    and shoulders.

    But that too for a few seconds, then quickly says with a smirk.

    "On the contrary, one of you agrees with me. Then we''ll rely on him. And it''s finally up to master Will to come down the mountain. Will wants to see the outside world, right?

    "...... Yeah, I''d like to see that.

    I will share with her the determination that I only told Schultz.

    I wanted to look out of the mountain.

    of course I love this mountain. I have my mother and father who I love.

    I love learning and studying. I love to play with my friends.

    But what you learn about the outside world.

    Hearing about the outside world from the animals makes me want to see the real world.

    The Vandal, the god of magic, said it was because I am the son of man.

    It''s hard to stifle the inquiring mind of man.

    Remembering the Vandal''s words that it is impossible for a god to kill curiosity, I finally decided to follow Lunamar¨ªa''s words.

    One day I will leave, baring my curiosity and inquisitiveness.

    Then there''s no reason why it''s a bad time to do it now.

    It seemed best to travel with her to the outside world.

    When I told this to Luna Maria, she smiled as if the petals were in full bloom.

    I''d never seen a girl her age smile before. It was a completely different smile than Mom''s.

    I watched her smile for a few moments and then I took her hand and headed up the mountain.

    Table Mountain is shaped like a trapezoid as its name suggests.

    On the flat part of the trapezoid is a vast forest, at the center of which is the palace of the gods.

    A palace is not the home of human royalty, but a modest building built with the help of forest beasts.

    But it was a decent size, with its own bedrooms, training room, library, and meditation room.

    I took Lunamaria into the parlor and gathered my father and the others there.

    Reus swooped down from the sky in the form of an eagle.

    Ronin comes straight from the training camp.

    He''s shirtless and has a towel over his shoulder.

    Milia is the second one to arrive, but when she sees Lunamaria, she says, "I''m going to put my makeup on," and goes away.

    Vandal is the fourth to arrive, but he doesn''t look at Lunamar¨ªa in the reception room, he only reads books.

    ...... I''m sorry for being such an oddball dad.

    I apologize instead, but Lunamaria shakes her head.

    "It''s natural, gods. I was the one who had the mischief to bother you,

    There are no doorbells in this mountain. Don''t worry about it.

    Calming her down with a joke, Militia, who has just returned from finishing her makeup, opens up and says, "My Will can''t give it to a little girl like you.

    I can''t give my Will to a little girl like you. I don''t know how you managed to seduce me, but you have to leave.

    It''s rude to say it out of the blue, but Lunamaria doesn''t seem offended.

    She loosens her mouth a little and whispers to me.

    "She sounds like your real mother. We have a wife and mother-in-law problem.

    Jokingly, the joke wasn''t off.

    I sighed heavily.

    Her name is Luna Maria. A blind priestess to the Mother Goddess of Earth. --She was my first friend. A human.

    I introduced them.

    Hearing those words, the gods looked at me and Luna Maria in turn with their respective gazes.

 9 Vandals ordeal

    "Why would a blind priestess in the service of the Mother Goddess of Earth throw powder on our Will?

    is Ronin''s words.

    "So it''s not like that. She''s giving her body to God.

    But you want to at least give me a kiss, don''t you?

    The word "kiss" makes me blush, but Lunamaria says flatly: "I am dedicated to God and the brave.

    "I am dedicated to God and the brave. If you wish, kiss or night out, Master Will.

    It looks like you''ll have a grandchild early.

    Ronin grinned and stroked his stubble.

    Say something," he said, looking at Vandal, who was much the same way.

    When you''re Will''s age, it''s not surprising that you''re interested in reproduction. I was thinking of summoning a succubus to teach you the mysteries of the female body, but that''s unnecessary if there''s someone willing to give it to you.

    "............

    I look at Milia for a last favor, but she seems to be the only one on my side.

    Militia hugs me with her plump breasts.

    If you teach my Will that kind of shamelessness, you''ll get your fingernails clawed off.

    and was threatening Ronin and the Vandals.

    The final war of the gods is on the verge of breaking out, but the all-powerful god Reus steps in to mediate.

    "Enough is enough, Ronin and Vandal. And you, blind priestess. Don''t taunt the gods too much.

    "It wasn''t my intention, but I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused,

    Lunamar¨ªa bowing deeply. She was an honest woman.

    Lunamaria looked up and asked Reus.

    So what do you think, Master Leus? I think it would be better for Master Will to travel and see more of the world.

    "I have discussed this matter with Will many times. I am subject to Will''s will.

    "Then--

    You are giving me permission to start my journey. The three gods interrupted Lunamaria''s words, "Wait a minute, miko!

    Wait a minute, miko. but the three of us won''t approve of Reus, the chief god.

    "God of the Sword: ......

    "Goddess of healing and god of magic. Will is our little boy. They say a little boy should be allowed to travel, but we don''t like that word.

    But Master Will wants to see the outside world.

    "It''s parental love not to show. It''s a vicious world.

    There are also beautiful seeds of goodness sprouting among them.

    "I''ll be evil before I see it. There are many temptations down there.

    I''ll prevent it.

    So you''ll prevent me from taking a stand. What do you say, if you can solve the ordeal for the three of us, you''ll allow Will to leave?

    "Is it an ordeal?

    Yeah, each one of you will give you a challenge, and you two will solve it.

    "Me and Mr. Will will go to ......

    Lunamar¨ªa mumbled something small like "our first time working together," but those around her ignored it and Lunamar¨ªa nodded widely.

    Okay. I''ll take that challenge.

    "Are you sure?¡¡If you lose, I won''t let you near Will ever again.

    "Then I was just that much of a miko. And I had a vision.

    "Visions?

    "It''s a video of traveling the world with Master Will. I saw it yesterday with the oracle. I''m sure we will overcome this challenge and travel together.

    I see, you''re very confident.

    Ronin stared at Lunamaria as she stomped on the price, then looked at Vandal, the god of magic.

    "Hey, old man, you first. Give him the wise harassment he''s earned by living so long.

    You little bastards. Respect the old man. ...... hmm, but okay, we can''t let pretty Will out into the world, so I''ll do my best.

    Poisoned as usual, the Vandals prepared the first ordeal.

    The Vandal took two cups and summoned water from his fingertips and poured it into the cups.

    What is this?

    When Lunamaria asks, the Vandal naturally replies, "It''s water".

    So it''s just water ......

    I guess so.

    I replied. But I don''t think the Vandals can just get you water.

    I''ll have to do something with that water.

    Just when I was thinking this, the Vandals were asking the impossible.

    Get back to the lone cedar at the foot of the mountain without spilling a drop of this water. You''ve got one hour.

    "Isn''t that too short?

    It wouldn''t take you more than half an hour to do it on a normal day.

    "Yes, but we also have Lunamaria today: ......

    She glances lightly at the blind priestess, but she teases her eyebrows lightly.

    "So this is how Master Will usually cultivates his concentration. I''m fine. I''m doing a similar training. I''ll probably be back at the same time.

    Determination burns through the mask, so I can''t say more than that.

    And it''s protocol to be tested.

    You can''t just ask for something kinder because it''s hard to accomplish.

    It''s now up to you to do your father''s hard work.

    With that in mind, Will quietly grabbed his cup and headed down the mountain. A little later, Lunamaria followed, but again, her movements were a bit faltering.

    Will walks at a leisurely pace without spilling a drop of water from the cup.

    His better-than-normal posture makes him look even cooler from the edge. The animals in the mountains praise him, saying, "Of course you do, Will.

    Each time I thank them and smile, but my face is smiling, but my heart is not.

    I''m not going to be able to make it because I''m not going to be able to make it at this speed.

    You look like you''re walking pretty fast, but that''s to an ordinary person. Lunamaria and others were lightly excited about setting a speed record for walking with a cup, but Will was short.

    He usually moves at three times this speed, or nearly so.

    He walked to the solitary cedar and back in less than an hour.

    Of course, even at that speed, he hasn''t spilled a drop of water.

    I haven''t spilled a drop of water now, but at this speed, you couldn''t make it there and back in an hour.

    So Will stopped and put his cup on the stump. He urges Lunamaria to do the same.

    Lunamar¨ªa is even more surprised when she is suddenly told to put the cup down, but she obeys my instructions.

    I am a priestess who has given her body and soul to master Will. I will obey any order.

    The flattering smile on her face was nice, but when I told her that she couldn''t make it in time, her expression became cloudy, as expected.

    "What should I do?

    And lightly flustered.

    "I''ll just have to triple the speed.

    But even as it stands, I don''t see how that''s possible when I''m about to spill water.

    "You can''t survive the Vandal''s ordeal if you don''t push it.

    I understand. But it would be a poor idea to take on the challenge inaction.

    "Yeah, I know that. I have a plan.

    I smiled and gave Lunamaria an earful.

    She listens and says, "Mmm-hmm. When I put my face up to her ear, it smells so good.

    When Lunamar¨ªa heard my secret plan, she looked up and murmured, "Will you be a genius?

 10 Wills secret plan

    Meanwhile, on the mountaintop.

    The Vandal is silent, his magician''s hat deep in the air.

    All the while, the hourglass falls silently, and Ronin, seeing the scene, says sarcastically, "That''s why the sorcerer Vandal is so relentless.

    The sorcerer Vandal is relentless. A trial ordeal or something like that.

    Unusually, Milia agrees.

    "Yes. Too bad. Poor Will, forced into such impossible conditions. When he comes home, we need to wrap him up in tits and make him a good boy.

    ...... or rather, you''re going to make my Will a motherf*cker.

    Yes.

    Milia responds immediately without misgivings.

    Vandalism.

    What''s so funny?

    No, it seemed like you guys didn''t believe in Will.

    No, it''s not.

    "Then why worry about it so much. I''m sure Will will come through this ordeal with flying colors.

    Will on his own. With his physicality, his balance, he''ll be back in less than an hour. But not if that Luna Maria girl is with him.

    What you put on piggyback does rock.

    "You don''t think Will won''t come back?

    "Unfortunately,

    Vandal lets out a loud laugh as they continue to say, "Oh, wow.

    "Woohoo, I knew you two were blind.

    Disgusting old man. You''ve prepared such a difficult ordeal.

    I know it''s a big deal, but I knew he''d figure it out. --In fact, he''ll figure it out.

    The Vandal said and pointed into the distance with his wand.

    He looked at the tip of his wand and saw Will and Lunamaria running at a trot.

    Oh, that''s cute Will!

    "Hey, did Will''s guys run that fast?¡¡Aside from Will, does little Luna Maria Luna spill water on you?

    But from a distance, there is no sign of water spilling.

    Isn''t it all spilling already?

    Miria doubted that possibility, but it was not like that either.

    Breathing on their shoulders, the girls came over and placed the cup in front of the desk that Vandal had prepared.

    The water was poured out in a row - it was not there!

    What''s in the cup is not water, but an object.

    "Hey, is this some kind of ice?

    When Militia noticed, she exclaimed, and Will nodded his head.

    "I was afraid of spilling it if I carried it in liquid water, so I magically turned it into ice.

    It''s true that ice can''t be spilled, but is it?

    Miria looked at Vandal fearfully, but the old man''s expression was the same as usual. His tone of voice was also .

    He spoke in a matter-of-fact tone.

    Of course you are.

    I assured him that he was.

    Is there

    Ronin is surprised.

    Vandal explains.

    "Of course there is. I told you to carry the water in a glass. I didn''t say that you shouldn''t turn the water to ice. It''s liquid on the way out and liquid on the way back to my hand, and as long as there''s not a drop on it, there''s no problem.

    And then Will put the cup on the ground and make a small flame around it. The water seems to thaw.

    In just a few minutes the ice becomes water. I hand it to the Vandal, and he sips it.

    "That''s good white water. You know the temperature. That''s my girl, Will.

    Smiling, Vandal pats Will''s head, "Pass me in," he says.

    Will happily accepts the old man''s hand.

    Will, who has thus passed the ordeal of the god of magic. Milia and Ronin seemed concerned, but the Vandals were not concerned at all.

    He was confident that Will would use his wisdom to solve the problem.

    In a way, this was a service problem.

    Of course it was hard for Vandal to be away from Will, but just as much he wanted Will to learn.

    I want him to go out into this wide world and learn.

    You can learn a lot on your own, but there will be great value in actually going out into the world to learn for yourself.

    Even Vandal, who lives cooped up in the mountains and surrounded by books, knew that much.

    He wanted Will, his best son and strongest disciple, to be bigger than he was.

    That is Vandal''s unspoken feeling.

 11 Ronins ordeal

    We successfully defeated the ordeal of Vandal, god of magic.

    I am pleased to give high fives to Lunamaria.

    Lunamaria admires my quickness to the max.

    I never dreamed I''d carry water to ice. Perhaps Master Will is a man of wisdom.

    "Brave man of wisdom?

    Yes, there are several types of brave men, and they are named according to their characteristics. If you are good with a sword, you are a sword hero, if you are good at protecting people, you are a shield hero, and so on.

    Oh, yeah. But for the last time, I''m not a hero. I don''t have the mark of bravery.

    Hey, Ronin," he said, and it was Millia who answered.

    Surely my Will doesn''t have any marks. We used to count the number of moles on each other''s body and there were no stigmata.

    "...... when to play like that

    I stared at Mom Miriam with jaded eyes, and she said, "When I was an infant, it wasn''t like we were counting each other.

    It wasn''t like they were counting each other, it was more like they were counting one way or the other.

    Well, you could say that.

    I stick my tongue out mischievously, and Ronin intervenes.

    But even without them, Will is the strongest man in the world. I could beat a brave man with one hand. That''s how well I trained him.

    Therefore, and Ronin announces the second ordeal.

    The second ordeal is the ordeal of me, Ronin, the God of Swords.

    Me and Luna Maria gulp and salivate.

    Even the first ordeal was pretty hard.

    We can expect the ordeal presented by the athletic Ronin to be several steps above the Vandal.

    As we watch with bated breath, Ronin loudly announces the ordeal.

    It''s a very Ronin-like ordeal, as Ronin calls it out.

    From now on, you will use your swords to fight the demons.

    "A demon with a sword. ...... It''s a simple ordeal.

    "Ronin doesn''t like slumber,

    I hear you.

    When Ronin stopped wasting his breath, he continued, "Now you''re going to fight the training golem I had the Vandal make for you.

    You will now fight the training golem I had the Vandal build for you. Only with a sword. No attack or strengthening magic.

    It was Millia who came out of the side.

    ''But that''s too easy, isn''t it?¡¡Will would take down even a level 5 golem with his bare hands.

    "Yes. So this time Will shouldn''t fight.

    "Huh?¡¡Can''t I fight?

    Yes, this is a test of courage and chemistry between the two of you. This is a test of resolve and chemistry between the two of you. Will will guide the girl and destroy the golem.

    But it''s not like Lunamaria has ever held a sword before.

    Then Lunamaria pulls a shortsword from her cloak.

    Although the Mother God forbids carrying a blade, the blind priestess is allowed to carry a weapon as she travels. I''ve been training since I was a child.

    Then we''ll figure it out.

    And Ronin says.

    ''Yes. This ordeal makes sense. but I am his squire. but I''m his squire, and it''s no good if the squire is weak. By all means, let me put you through this ordeal.

    "Good answer, little girl. Can I use a level 2 golem then?

    It''s fine. Master Will has been knocked down before, hasn''t he?

    I have. I think I was five years old, and I had already moved to level two.

    "Then you can afford it.

    Then Lunamar¨ªa draws her sword from its sheath and cuts the sky. She seems to be warming up.

    I want to give her some advice, but I can''t find the words.

    To begin with, I''ve never given advice to others.

    And I don''t know the point at which I struggle with level 2 golems, since they were treated as small fry at the time.

    (Well, that''s also a service problem. Lunamaria might take them down in a flash).

    So, I decided to watch the game without hesitation, but once the game started, things took an unexpected turn.

    Lunamaria began to be pushed.

    At first I thought her blindness was a disadvantage, but that''s not the case.

    Instead of being blind, she has better hearing than anyone else, and she can hear the working sounds of the golem, accurately avoiding the enemy''s attacks and taking advantage of the enemy''s opportunities.

    She begins her attack as gracefully as if she were dancing.

    However, although the golem is attacking unilaterally, it is the golem that has the upper hand.

    Although she was a master of the art, her attacks were completely unsuccessful.

    She accurately placed her sword in the golem''s joints and other parts of the body, but the golem did not appear to be hurt.

    "Maybe this isn''t level 2?

    He looks at the Vandal, but he slowly shakes his head.

    "You are the unmistakable level 2 Mad Golem. --but that''s Will''s specs.

    "Will specifications?

    You''ve been destroying Golems since you were young. That''s why I made the golem stronger so that it could serve as your training. To me it''s only a level 2 golem, but if I take it to the wizardry society they''ll treat it as level 10 at the very least.

    What, what?¡¡It is a guy called.

    ............

    You can''t speak out, but you can''t complain too loudly because you are the one who gave birth to that specification.

    "Besides, that young lady''s short sword has a sacred magic attached to it. It''s effective against the undead and evil beings, but it''s not particularly effective against magical creatures, is it?

    "Okay. Okay, then: ......

    and begins to chant to grant magic, but is stopped by Ronin.

    Oops, no granting magic. "Whoa, no granting magic. Let''s win the girl over with just a few instructions.

    "Only instructions are ......

    Lunamar¨ªa was clearly outnumbered and cornered against the wall.

    It was obvious that this inferiority came from a lack of offensive power, so there seemed to be no way to make use of it except to increase the attack power.

    The best way to do that would be to use magic to increase the attack power of the sword, but magic is prohibited in this trial.

    I must think of something else, but I can''t think of a way to do it.

    But if we can''t think of a way, Lunamaria will lose.

    We will be defeated.

    And we''ll never get to the outside world.

    So I will watch Lunamar¨ªa and the golem.

    It reminds me of something the Vandals taught me a long time ago about the properties of a golem.

    A golem is a magical creature kneaded out of mud. Golems, such as those made of iron, are difficult to destroy, but if you come across such a nuisance, exploit the golem''s weaknesses. The golem''s weakness is a magic character written somewhere on its body. If you delete that one letter, its command will switch to self-destruction and it will die immediately. That is the creature known as the Golem.

    I remember being taught something like that .

    After that, I almost forgot about it, but the knowledge was not in vain, as I managed to destroy it without having to exploit its weaknesses, regardless of whether it sent out an iron golem or a mithril golem.

    I used the magic of Analysis to strip the golem naked and find the place where the letters were written.

    The Mad Golem''s magic letters were on its back.

    "Lunamaria!¡¡Get rid of the initials on his back. And he will fall down!

    Hearing those words, Lunamaria nodded lightly and fluttered through the air, dodging the enemy''s blow.

    With the nimble grace of a street performer, she leaps onto the back of the mad golem and rubs her fingers to find the writing.

    Even though she is blind, Lunamaria, who is more sensitive than anyone else, finishes locating the letters with her tactile senses and shaves off the letters as I tell her to.

    When the initials are shaved off by the short sword, the golem''s command system is destroyed. Its body is also destroyed.

    The golem''s body, which was as hard as steel, becomes brittle as if it were turned into an earthenware vessel, unable to support its own weight.

    As it is, the golem collapses and returns to its original lump of earth.

    In other words, Lunamaria had won.

    She jumps on the spot, listens carefully to my position, and jumps into my chest.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Will!¡¡It''s like a genius warrior!

    She is older and a little taller than me, so when she hugs me, I just bury my face in her chest.

    She''s also so full for her age that she can''t breathe.

    My mother often does the same thing to me, but when Luna Maria does it to me, my face turns bright red.

    I feel both happy and embarrassed at the same time.

    That''s what puberty is all about, Ronin explains to me, but anyway, we''ve beaten Ronin''s test.

    Well done Ronin!¡¡And patted us both on the back.

    Just like an old man.

    "I''ll let you two travel together, but I don''t want to be a grandfather yet. Use proper birth control.

    And then laughed vigorously.

    Lunamar¨ªa is blushing, but I was the same way.

    Vandal says, "Oh dear, you''re a man without a sense of humor," but he''s laughing, so I assume he''s guilty.

 12 St. orchid

    Having completed the second ordeal, we eagerly seek the third, but the Goddess of Healing, who prepares the ordeal, says something outrageous.

    When she asks about the existence of the ordeal, she says to us

    "You''re going to give me a kiss in front of me.

    "............

    "............

    Me and Luna Maria are unconsciously silent, but I come to my senses quickly and ask the question again.

    "...... I think I heard you say, ''Do a kiss now,''

    "You didn''t mishear me. Give me a kiss.

    "Earlier, it seemed like me and Luna Maria refused to get into that kind of relationship.

    Of course, you still refuse to do that. Oh, you little girl, I won''t forgive you if you pretend to be my wife just because you kissed my Will.

    Milia jabbing her finger at him.

    Lunamaria has an indescribable look on her face.

    Well, it''s true that they have met and are going on a journey. And you''re Will''s first girlfriend, so I''ll allow you to kiss her. I don''t really want to, but if I''m going to kiss you behind your back, I want to see your first kiss right in front of me. No, I want to use the magic of the duplicate to paint a picture of it.

    Then Milia forms a copier with her hand, ready to take the kissing scene.

    I heard that she''ll give her approval if I can get a romantic shot, but naturally, I refuse.

    "Even you have no right to put that to the test. I refuse to do it.

    "Oh, I don''t want to go to the outside world.

    "I would love to go, but not that ordeal.

    Lunamaria is also not willing, right?¡¡When asked, she said, "No, maybe not ...... it would be easier if it could fulfill the ordeal and ......" and her cheeks colored.

    The sight of it makes Milia grin.

    I don''t like it. I''m sure you''ll be forced to kiss her without a second thought, so I''m going to suggest the opposite.

    You want to see the bond between me and Luna Maria, don''t you?¡¡I want to find out if we can continue our journey together, right?

    Well, let''s face it.

    Then you need a proper test. Some kind of test to see if you two can work together in the future.

    "Mm, you''re super right.

    As expected, Milia would listen to you.

    I guess she was wondering if a kiss was enough to get her to leave. I''m sure he thought I would oppose it, but I guess he didn''t calculate that Lunamaria would be willing to do so.

    Then it was Miria who, as an evil demon, would want to make it another ordeal.

    Miria crossed her arms and closed her eyes for a moment and began to think.

    After thinking for a while, Milia said.

    Okay. Then I want you two to go and get me some herbs together.

    "Herb?

    Really. Actually, I''ve been having trouble with makeup lately. I''ve been up all night, and it''s making my skin crawl. I need you to get me some herbs that are good for my skin.

    That''s a small price to pay, but isn''t that too easy?

    "No, it''s not. It''s the dragon''s pit that you two need to go down.

    "Dragon Hole!

    I raised my voice, but I think that word made Lunamaria realize that it was bad luck, too.

    "The dragon''s hole is a hole where dragons live?

    That''s right. It''s north of Table Mountain, but it''s too dangerous for the forest animals to go near it.

    You get the herbs in such a place.

    And for my mom''s beauty routine.

    I let out a sigh, but I''m not going to say no.

    Surely if we can venture through that hole together, we''ll be recognized as belonging to the outside world.

    Okay. I''m going to pick up the herb now, do you want me to tell you something?

    The orchid is a precious flower that doesn''t bloom much at this time of year. Don''t get burned by the dragon''s breath.

    Okay.

    There are ten levels of the dragon''s hole, but only the third and tenth levels have flowers.

    "Okay, what else do you need to know?

    "The deadline is tomorrow at noon.

    Looking up at the sky. It was already evening

    .

    All right. Well, I''m going out now.

    And turns his back to Milia, but Milia asks if he has a handkerchief or if he has forgotten anything.

    She treats you like a child, but she always does and tells you that she has everything and heads north with Luna Maria.

    We walked at a very fast pace.

    In no time at all, we left the abode of the gods and headed for the dragon''s hole.

    When we were gone, Ronin, the god of swords, spoke to Milia, the goddess of healing.

    I mean, Milia, you were going to let Will leave.

    "What''s that?¡¡What does that mean?

    No, because the ordeal you''re preparing for would have been a cakewalk.

    "I thought Will was going to refuse the kiss. That cat burglar seemed to be on board.

    No, no, not the dragon hole. Will would have a field day with that one.

    "Well. Will would have it easy. Safely and quickly.

    "Then the ordeal is as good as done.

    "My test is to bring the Holy Orchid plant to me.

    If you get it, you''ll be back soon.

    "I don''t know, ugh.

    Millia smiles suspiciously. It seems that she is playing a trick on you.

    This goddess has always been good at deceitfulness, and she is the one who is most against this trip to begin with.

    Milia has been catnip to Will since she was a child and most of all she wants to have him around.

    As a female parent, she can''t help it, but she seems to be very fond of Will.

    In that respect, Ronin and Vandal had in common the idea that a boy will one day go on a journey.

    --But actually Ronin was rooting for Millia. They are not the most aligned goddesses, but for once they are hoping for her wiles.

    All boys must leave some day, but Will thought it was too early for him, and the later the better.

    He wanted to spend a few more years wielding his sword and soaking in the rock bath and looking at the stars.

    That was Ronin''s untrue state of mind as the god of swords.

 13 the Forty-Fourth Wolf

    They march to the dragon''s hole, but before the dragon''s hole is visible, they start a fire.

    Set up camp there and spend the night.

    In the morning you will jump into the dragon''s hole to rest your wits.

    "Dragons are nocturnal. If we jump in now, we''re at a disadvantage. I want to be in good shape to take the plunge.

    I said so and put water in the pot I was holding.

    Cut the salted bacon and put it in and take out the broth.

    I put the vegetables I brought from home in the pot.

    Let it simmer and it smells good.

    Lunamar¨ªa

    "Master Will is a great cook,

    and compliments.

    I wonder.

    You are good at it. You are good at cutting bacon and vegetables. Thumping and rhythmic. That''s a sign of your proficiency.

    "It''s my turn to cook in the mountains. Mom and Dad used to take turns cooking, but now I''m part of the rotation. I''m a better cook than Mom. Only with a knife.

    Goddess Milia. I was surprised when you told me to kiss you the first time.

    Maybe my mom was joking, I don''t know.

    I looked at Luna Maria''s lips and wondered what would have happened if I had said yes and kissed her immediately.

    Her cherry-red lips looked so soft.

    You can''t help but feel a tint to your cheeks. I''m glad she has no light. I counted the prime numbers and tried to keep my cool.

    ...... Do you cook, by the way, Luna Maria?

    Yes. . because the miko has to do everything herself.

    "You don''t want to cut your fingers with a knife?

    "The fact that I''m blind makes me cautious, so I''m not.

    Good. So, if you''re traveling, maybe Lunamaria will make you one day.

    I''m not sure if this is to your taste. --I forgot to mention that I''m the one who basically prepares the food, since Will made it so casually.

    "Huh?¡¡It''s bad. Let''s take turns.

    "I am Master Will''s squire. My job is to take care of things around me. Henceforth, use me like a maid.

    Then she served bacon and vegetable soup on a wooden plate and handed it to me.

    She''s very handy and doesn''t seem to be blind.

    I take the soup and ask her, "Are you really blind?

    You''re really blind, aren''t you?

    "Yes.

    And then she took off her mask.

    Underneath the mask, she has a very neat nose.

    Her eyes look normal, but when she opens her eyelids, I notice that her eyes are cloudy.

    They are unfocused.

    "When I was young, to serve the earth mother, I lost my light. I took an elixir that blinded me.

    Why would you do that?

    "To serve the Earth Mother God.

    Were you born a priestess?

    She shook her head.

    No, I was born a poor farmer. I was the youngest of five children, but when my parents died of an epidemic, I was taken to the temple. It was there that I found out I had the aptitude to be a priestess, so I became one.

    Then it''s half compulsory.

    "No, it''s not. It''s fate. The day before I became a priestess, I heard the voice of God.

    "Voice of God?

    "Yes . I was to be a maiden. And ten years later she told me that I would meet the brave man to whom I should dedicate my life. The oracle has been fulfilled.

    Smiling Luna Maria.

    No sadness. Maybe for her, fulfilling her mission as a maiden is synonymous with breathing.

    So I didn''t say anything else.

    I ate the soup she served me and then we brushed our teeth together with a wooden toothbrush and wrapped ourselves in a blanket.

    At the moment of falling asleep, she said, "I heard a prophecy from God.

    The moment I heard the divine prophecy, the moment I felt the breath of God, I was so happy. --I am still. It''s so comfortable to sleep in front of the fire with a brave soul. I feel a sense of security as if I am protected by a great being.

    She said this and quickly fell asleep.

    Is it because she''s used to adventure that she can sleep in front of people she''s never met before, or is it because--

    On the other hand, I was perplexed by the fact that there was a woman next to me. I didn''t feel the presence of Miria and others naked in my bed, but the thought of Luna Maria next to me made it hard to fall asleep.

    I pulled my gaze away from Luna Maria to sleep and counted the wolves.

    The 43rd wolf brings me back to sleep, but then I have to count nearly 100 more wolves to fall asleep.

    The forty-fourth wolf was a male and female wolf, Schultz and Weiss.

    In their marital form, they were very close.

    Once again my thoughts turned to Luna Maria, and I managed to shake her off and sleep through my guts.

 14 blue dragon

    The next morning, I wake up.

    Then Luna Maria is making breakfast, as she declared last night.

    She made a nice chicken egg and bacon stir-fry, as if she had it beforehand.

    The bread was hard bread for a long journey. It was quite a hearty and tasty soup left over from last night, but when she finished eating, she started to change her clothes without paying attention to me.

    I turn my back to her in a hurry.

    "Hey! Don''t just take off your clothes!

    Okay. Next time I''ll ask permission to take it off.

    "No, I''m not, but you have to look at the guy''s eyes.

    With a big look on her face she asks, "Is there anything wrong with my skin?

    I have no guilt in my skin. I have no reason to be ashamed to be seen. I have no reason to be ashamed to be seen.

    "I have!

    and make him promise to refrain from doing so in the future.

    I understand.

    But I wonder how far she understands.

    She has been blind since she was a child and seems to be insensitive to the gaze of others.

    She also seems to have lived with a group of maidens, which adds to this.

    In a way, he might be as open-minded as Mother Milia.

    I''m sure you''re not the only one who thinks that, but you don''t say it, so you pack your bags and head for the dragon''s hole.

    The dragon''s hole is very close by. The dragon''s hole is located on the northern slope of Table Mountain, but it wasn''t too difficult to get close to it.

    The problem is getting in there, right?

    "Is it in?

    "Yes.

    There is a hole in the slope, although it would be easy to get in with a rope.

    No, it will be easy to get in, but what kind of guys are inside?

    "Isn''t there a dragon?

    "Basically, yes, but the dragons here change their homes very quickly.

    Why is that?

    "Maybe there''s not enough food for the big guys to live on.

    I see," nods the priestess, stating her prediction.

    "So it''s dangerous not to know what kind of dragon lives there?

    "Yes, Vandal taught me that in the Book of Eastern Warfare there is a saying. If you know your enemy and know yourself, you''ll never be in danger of a hundred battles. But you have to know your enemy.

    "I don''t think we''ll have time to pore over it,

    Look up at the sun. We have to be back by noon.

    Yeah, let''s not dwell on it. Let''s just go inside.

    And at the same time I''m going to go in.

    I drop the rope and go down first, but being a gentleman, I don''t look up.

    Luna Maria comes down after me and says, "yeah, yeah, yeah," but as soon as she gets down, I''m in the hole.

    The dragon''s hole is bigger than I thought. With a hole this big, even an old dragon could have a home, I thought.

    Cautiously, we entered the cave, but fortunately we didn''t run into any demons along the way.

    You''re in luck.

    As Lunamaria said, I disagree.

    The absence of the demons leads me to suspect that the owner of this hole is in danger.

    But even more fortunate is that we didn''t see anything when we came to the third level. Not even the dragon, the owner of this hole, is there.

    Will they be out for dinner?

    Maybe.

    It''s lucky. Because our goal is herbal.

    Lunamaria says so, and arrives at the third level.

    At the edge of it you will find a white glowing flower.

    There it is!¡¡That''s Seirangrass!

    Then quickly approach it and pluck it.

    The roots of the Orchid plant are shallow and easy to pluck.

    This is mission accomplished.

    As you let out a sigh of relief, you notice that the wind current has changed.

    ...... something is coming!

    At that moment, with a roar, a blue-skinned dragon arrived.

    It''s a blue dragon!

    Runamaria screams.

    Blue dragon is another name for sky dragons, a generic term for dragons that roam the skies.

    They vary in size, but this one was a good size. It was about the same size as the red dragon I killed the other day.

    The same size means they''re just as powerful. I stood in front of the Lunamar¨ªa and chanted a spell, creating a barrier.

    My decision was well-rewarded. As I create the barrier, the dragon lets out a powerful breath of flame.

    The flowers and plants around it turn to ash.

    That is what we would have become if we hadn''t created a barrier.

    Thank you, Master Will, you''re alive.

    Save those words until you beat him or get away with it.

    That''s true. But Mr. Will beat the Red Dragon with ease the other day. I don''t think he''ll lose.

    "I don''t want to be expected to be a warrior every time

    But not to fight is not an option.

    I don''t want to take my life, but I do want to strike a blow that will get me out of this nest.

    Reaching for the dagger at my waist, I draw it and approach the dragon.

    It''s not often that I get to take on a behemoth like a dragon, but I usually run into the bosom of people many times stronger than the dragon.

    Nothing is as scary as jumping into the bosom of Ronin.

    With this in mind, I jumped into the bosom of the dragon and slashed the dragon''s scales with my brass dagger.

    It''s as if it were a dagger that could cut through paper.

    I''m sure it''s made of mithril. And as I slash at it, the dragon fights back angrily.

    It swings its massive tail and tries to kill me, but I gallantly dodge the blow and fill the holy sword with magic and slash.

    The sword flash goes straight for the tail, but the tail takes a decent bite from the flash.

    Then the tail is cut off from the dragon''s body. I''ve succeeded in destroying the part!

    The tail is released from the dragon''s body and undulates. It was just like a lizard''s tail.

    The only difference between them and the lizards was that being cut off was painful.

    The blue dragon lets out a pain-filled roar.

    I catch it with my whole body and scream with the spirit of a breakthrough.

    Blue Dragon!¡¡Get out of this hole!¡¡Get off this mountain!¡¡Do it and it won''t take a life!

    I don''t know if my words were understood, but the dragon must have realized the folly of fighting me.

    It turns its back to me and flies into the doorway.

    Then it disappears into the sky.

    ...... Did we win?

    As the dragon disappears, I grumble, but it is Lunamaria''s words that assure me of victory.

    She jumps on the spot and approaches me. She hugs me tightly.

    "That''s the man, Will. After the red dragon, I killed the blue dragon. The dragon slayer.

    I just chased him away.

    She shakes her head as she tells only the truth from her cleavage.

    Her humility is also great. Now, brave man, let''s go back to the abode of the gods with these herbs and ask them to bless your departure.

    Lunamaria seems to be impatient to travel as fast as possible.

    Indeed, if we take it slow, it will be past noon, so we quickly pull out, but on the way back, we get caught up in something more troublesome than dragons.

    It''s a trap set by the goddess Milia.

 15 Millias plot

    We returned safely from the dragon''s hole.

    We tried to keep going back to the abode of the gods, but we stopped on our way.

    We ran into an acquaintance in the woods on Table Mountain.

    His name is Max.

    He''s a great buck.

    He is the leader of the deer, but something about him was troubling.

    He called out to him as a matter of course.

    He''s a friend, too.

    What''s the matter with you?¡¡Max . . with an unflattering face.

    "Oh, Will. As a matter of fact, it''s .......

    With a dark look on his face, Max speaks.

    He says that his daughter has fallen ill.

    They say she just got married this spring and she fell ill.

    That''s bad news. I''ll talk to Mother Milia later and make a potion for you.

    "Thanks, but things have changed so quickly. I can''t take that long. So I''m going to go find the drug now.

    That''s a big deal. --What''s the name of the herb, by the way?

    "It''s the orchid.

    The moment I heard the name, I looked up.

    I was taken aback by the cunning of Mother Militia.

    Seeing this, Luna Maria speaks to me.

    "Will, do you talk to animals?

    Oh, well, I guess Lunamaria doesn''t know animal language.

    "Yes.

    And explain the story to a nodding Luna Maria.

    She''s as surprised as I am.

    Well--well, that''s a big deal. And Master Militia is very crafty.

    That''s true. I''m sure she found out and made me go to the dragon''s hole. Maybe it was Mother Militia who told Max the names of the herbs.

    So it''s doubtful that Seirancho is the only one who can fix the deer''s daughter.

    Mother Militia is a genius at making potions. Maybe you can cure it with some of your own herbs.

    This is where you''re trying to find out if Master Will will give you the holy rancor.

    Maybe.

    Then let''s just give her the herbs. It''s probably testing the kindness of Mr. Will''s heart. Perhaps you''ll forgive me if I return empty-handed.

    I don''t think that''s possible. Milia is very strict about that, and to use such a ruse in the first place, you must want to get me rejected.

    "...... exactly. So you want to return without giving the drug?

    "............

    I see a stag named Max.

    His eyes were full of melancholy and sadness.

    It''s hard to ignore a friend with that look on his face.

    I take out the holy orchid in my backpack.

    I squeezed it, but I wasn''t sure until the very end.

    Should I give this to him or not?

    I hesitated for a few seconds, then I took the orchid--

    At that time, in the abode of the gods.

    Milia, goddess of healing, is happily cleaning Will''s room.

    Seeing her, Ronin, the god of swords, asks her, "Aren''t you overprotective, cleaning your son''s room at his age?

    "Aren''t you being overprotective, cleaning your son''s room at his age?

    "What are you talking about. Will is only 14 years old. He''s a child.

    "I''m 14 years and 12 months old. I''ll be an adult in ten days.

    Then you have ten more days to pamper yourself.

    Milia slaps the flap on the door.

    Ronin lets out a breath.

    A son at his age hides things under the bed that he doesn''t want his female parent to see.

    "Don''t take my Will with you. He''s not a slut.

    Well, there''s no bookstore in this mountain.

    Letting out a wry smile, Ronin changed the subject.

    ''Come to think of it, it''s almost noon and there''s plenty of time for that.

    What do you mean by "margin?

    I''m just saying I''m not going to panic about Will overcoming his ordeal. Overcome the test and you''re coming down the mountain.

    "Oh, that''s the thing. Don''t worry, Will will fail the ordeal.

    "Don''t lick the boy. I can drive away a dragon with ease.

    That''s true, only if you''re a lowly dragon. But you can kill a lesser dragon, but you can''t kill time. Not even the bravest.

    What does that mean?

    "It''s just the way it is. On Will''s way home, I placed a deer in need of the holy lancet. Gentle Will would give them some of the holy rancor he collected.

    "...... oops, what a cunning thing to do!

    Say what you will. It''s for little Will.

    Well, I know the feeling: ....... But what happens if Will goes back for the St. Rango?¡¡Maybe in the tenth level as well.

    Yes, there is. But it will take hours to get back to the dragon''s den from the forest where we met the deer, and hours more to get to the tenth level. It''s impossible.

    How about that?

    It was Vandal, the god of magic, who countered with a loud laugh.

    He approached with a broad smile.

    What was that laugh?

    It''s just that I''m tired of you underestimating Will''s abilities. I''m sure he can master the magic of the Flying spell and return to the dragon''s hole in a matter of minutes.

    You might as well go to ....... But there is no way to reach the tenth level. Because the tenth level is a dragon''s den and there are countless lesser dragons.

    There are red, blue, green, and many different dragons. But Will might be able to plow through them and get some holy orchids.

    I can''t.

    "Then you want to bet?

    Okay. What do you want to bet?

    "Very well. The right to a final embrace as Will departs

    I''d like to say, "Okay--I''d like to say it, but let''s not.

    "Cowed?

    Yes. I mean, I already know the result.

    Then Millia shows the image in the mirror in Will''s room.

    You can see Will running towards you with a smile on his face.

    He has more orchids in his hands than he can hold.

    Move the image to the Dragon Mountain''s tenth level.

    There you''ll find a number of bearded dragons.

    Their wings and bodies are damaged.

    So Will had gone through the tenth level alone to collect the holy orchid.

    Seeing this, Ronin saw it and muttered.

    ...... You''re an absolutely unfathomable child. I wonder how much stronger he will become.

    "Boys, if you don''t see him for three days, scrape him up. I can''t even imagine what kind of hero Will will come back as if he were to leave.

    Vandal, the god of sorcery, let out a sullen "...... humph" as she stared at Miria, the goddess of healing.

    But she seemed to acknowledge that Will had survived the ordeal.

    I''ll let you go on the trip, but only for a little while. I''ll put it back in the mountains in six months and I won''t let it go.

    Apparently, Millia admits her defeat and allows her to leave.

    The strongest opponents of departure, the hardest of the opposing factions, approve, and Will''s departure is decided, but then he is torn between how he will spend his last hours of adulthood.

 16 family circle

    Having brought back the holy rancor from the Dragon Mountain, Lunamar¨ªa and I are greeted and blessed by the full company of the gods.

    You have done well.

    Yay!

    "Gotcha.

    Good luck.

    Each is praised with the words of praise and permission from the gods to depart.

    Me and Lunamaria jumped up and down for joy, but Milia nailed it.

    "Okay, okay, that''s enough. I have given you permission to leave, but I have not given you permission to engage in impure heteros*xual intercourse.

    Milia interrupts between the two.

    Of course I wouldn''t do that, but it''s embarrassing to be told that to my face.

    Take a little distance from Lunamaria.

    It was the all-powerful god Reus who proceeded to talk to me, perhaps dismayed by such an exchange.

    Reus, in the form of a giant eagle, opens his mouth.

    "Anyway, Will''s departure has been decided. I will leave in ten days.

    "How come it''s not immediately?

    Lunamar¨ªa asks: "What does it mean?

    "There''s no deeper meaning. In ten days Will will come of age. It just seemed like the right time.

    Besides, and Reus looks over at the gods.

    "These men need to prepare themselves. Indulge them for ten more days.

    Hearing these words, Ronin took a gulp of his drink and said, "Well, it''s no use.

    Millia raised her hands with a flowery smile and

    The Vandal rubs his long beard and mumbles, "Make a formula for efficient use of time?

    I let out a sigh at the sight of his eagerness.

    This is going to be so adorable that I won''t have time to sleep for the next ten days, I thought.

    But I don''t feel bad about it.

    It doesn''t stop me from wanting to see the outside world, but as much as I can''t stop thinking about it, I also feel a tightening of my heart.

    After all, it is sad to say goodbye to the family.

    Although it is not a permanent farewell, it is certain that you will not see your family for a long period of time.

    To drown my loneliness, I''ve decided to become a child again for these ten days.

    I''ve decided to indulge mom and dad as much as I can.

    Thus, for ten days, Lunamaria and I will live our daily lives in the abode of the gods, but we will have different uses for the remaining ten days.

    Ronin, the god of swords, trained me with his sword, as usual.

    A man speaks with his back.

    And not a word of superfluousness. He spoke with the sword.

    He practiced from morning to night.

    Seeing this scene, Luna Maria

    "I now know the secret of your strength, Master Will. With such a rigorous training, you will become strong.

    I said, but I scratched my cheek with a poochy finger.

    Because she''s irrelevant.

    Actually, the practice you''re doing right now is very lukewarm.

    This is not the kind of training I usually do. Ronin cut a lot of corners to have one last chat with me.

    You won''t believe me if I explain to Lunamaria that I usually drop ten large trees from the top of the waterfall and cut them down at the same time.

    You will be able to find a lot more information about the particulars of the particulars in the article.

    That''s what Will wanted too, so he talked with Ronin from morning until night.

    I spent time that way with the god of swords, but my female parent, Milia, would only spoil me.

    She cooked my favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, bathed with me, and gave me new clothes.

    When we bathed together, he washed my hair with his special shampoo.

    Your hair is shiny like a girl''s. I take care of it on the journey.

    And being stroked by the hair.

    Militia had always said she wanted to raise a girl, and so she was fussy about beauty. She nails me not to come home too puffy.

    If you want a girl, maybe you should take a bath with Luna Maria. Her hair is a real pain in the ass.

    The beautiful black hair comes to mind, but it seems that Milia is not so bad either.

    You will be able to see that you are not a bad person, although she came to snatch our lovely Will out of the blue, but she has a good heart. If we met differently, I would have felt like a daughter.

    But Will can''t do it yet, and he is a fighter.

    I''m the only one who can bathe with Will. I''m the only one who can take a bath with Will.

    You can''t go in there when you grow up, as you would expect.

    Then Milia hugs me and says, "Shut up!

    I was reluctant to do so, but afterwards, every inch of me was washed, and we lay in bed together.

    Well, that was about as much as I could bear, considering it was only ten days away.

    When Ronin was not practicing his sword, he would stay in Vandal''s study and read with him. Conversation was almost non-existent.

    When the Vandals read, they are very focused.

    For three days he didn''t speak and looked like he was too lazy to go to the bathroom.

    I, his apprentice, was in a similar vein, and I could spend as much time as I wanted just reading.

    I would read novels that were popular in the city.

    The Vandal was reading an undeciphered book of an ancient magical civilization.

    Time just slows down, but the vandal murmurs to himself.

    "There''s a book you''ve been dying to read.

    and holds out a book at the back of the bookcase.

    "Read it on the road. It''s a good way to pass the time.

    "Are you sure?¡¡I know you said this was a bad read,

    This book was written by a man named Lin Bazam, a mad magician. It was called an evil book, said to bring evil to those who read it, and was considered taboo scripture.

    An inexperienced person like me was warned never to read it.

    Soon you''ll be an adult. You will know right from wrong. And I want you to be a grown-up, a man of the clear and the muddy.

    "I''m going to take a look at it.

    Well, you''ll be able to help a lot of people without being limited to evil and good. To do so, you should learn a lot of things.

    Okay. I''ll never waste the knowledge my dad gave me.

    "Waste is fine. I just want you to be able to make a choice. I want you to have the ability to pick and choose what you really need out of an endless supply of information.

    The Vandal looked far away for a moment, then returned his gaze to the book he was reading.

    I didn''t say anything else. I reread the novel.

    All the while, I was with the three gods, and Lunamaria was attentive and left me alone.

    I was out deep in the woods, training as a priestess, alone.

    Lunamaria found a waterfall and cleansed her body there. She practices being struck by the waterfall.

    She encounters a naked woman who prays to the gods.

    I got to see the hero I''ve always wanted to. He was a wonderful man. But looking at him, I felt so much evil.

    Watching her live so close to her family made me feel jealous.

    Lunamar¨ªa lost her parents and family when she was very young and since then she has been holed up in the temple as a disciple.

    She has been away from a warm family for years. You can''t help but feel jealous of their friendship, but the seriousness of Lunamaria cautions you against it.

    "You can''t envy them, if you''re jealous, your feelings will turn into jealousy one day...

    You tell yourself that, but no amount of water will make the affliction go away.

    As Lunamaria is anguishing, a little shorebird arrives.

    It speaks to Lunamaria.

    A priestess of the Mother God. You are in distress.

    "...... is that voice Mr. Reus?

    "Yes. You''re talking to me in the shape of a chickadee. You seem to be reserved when you see Will and the others.

    "Can''t you hide something from ...... God? That''s right.

    "You seem to envy your close knit family.

    "Yes.

    "Envy is not a bad emotion. . as long as it doesn''t turn into jealousy.

    "But I''m not sure. I feel like I''m going to get caught up in ugly feelings someday.

    "Then jump into that happiness yourself.

    "Jump in?

    "Yes. Will and the gods. They will welcome you gladly.

    --Milia might jealously torment you, jokes Reus.

    But I and others such as ......

    And then I hear Will''s voice in the distance.

    It seems he''s come to worry about Lunamar¨ªa, whom he doesn''t see much.

    Reus says.

    Will is just as you see. He cares for the gods as his father and mother and considers the mountain animals an important part of his pack. All that is dear to her is family. A blind priestess will not be a hindrance to them. No, she will treat you better than anyone else.

    The henpecked bird remains so prophesied, but Lunaria counters.

    Is that so?¡¡Then why doesn''t Master Will come closer?

    Hearing the sound, Will stopped a few dozen meters away.

    If they were family, their companions would have wanted to get closer.

    But Lunamaria was wrong about that.

    Reus says before flying off.

    "Will is stuck here because you''re naked. Beautiful naked girl, boys don''t get to see their daughters naked at their age easily.

    Hearing those words reminds me that I am bareheaded.

    There were only women in the temple, and you could expose your skin without a care in the world.

    But I remember that I shouldn''t expose my skin in front of the opposite s*x.

    I have never thought of my blindness as an inconvenience, but from now on I will have to be careful.

    Lunamar¨ªa wiped herself with a towel, wrapped herself in clothes and went to Will.

    Then, invited by Will, they all had a meal, a sumptuous meal, and there was also a cake baked by the goddess Militia.

    Ronin drank, and Milia cut up the cake. The Vandals read through the meal.

    Will looks at them happily and smiles at them.

    Lunamar¨ªa remembered the feeling of fun for the first time in a while.

 17 on ones departure

    This is how we spend our last days.

    Time flies inexorably.

    The day of our departure arrives.

    The day of coming of age. On the day of my 15th birthday, I packed my backpack and carried it out of the house.

    My family is lined up there.

    Ronin was drunk with a bottle of sake.

    He''d been drinking out of it.

    Milia, the god of healing, wears a lot of makeup.

    She doesn''t want people to see her puffy eyes.

    Only Vandal, the god of magic, seemed calm, but that was by comparison to the two of them.

    In fact, it was quite depressing.

    The all-powerful god Reus explains.

    These things bid farewell, but we will not turn you away now. They no longer welcome your departure.

    Ronin pokes me in the chest as Reus declares this.

    "Nice leather breastplate,

    "It was given to me by my dad Ronin.

    "Yeah, that looks better on you than full plate armor.

    Ronin smiles and thrusts out a fist.

    I''ll do the same.

    "That Militia guy is still picking on Lunamaria.

    If you look, Miria is lecturing Lunamar¨ªa about my favorite foods, bedtime, etc...

    Luna Maria was taking notes, too.

    She''ll make a surprisingly good wife and mother-in-law.

    You''re quick. And she''s a priestess. She''s married to a god.

    There is no law against divorcing God.

    That''s right. Even God comes down to earth to raise children in this age.

    Yeah. Well, that parenting is coming to an end.

    "Will you go back to heaven when you''re done?

    Now, what to do. It''s the new gods, isn''t it?

    The new gods are the gods who live on earth.

    Basically, gods live in the heavenly realm, but the gods who live in the heavenly realm are called the old gods.

    When I return to the heavenly realm, I''ll still come to see you.

    and turn towards Vandal and jump into his bosom.

    ...... Vandal Dad also says goodbye.

    The vandal hugs me. She is thin but so strong.

    This is not goodbye, this is the beginning of a new meeting. You''ll meet more friends on this journey. Maybe even meet a new family.

    I''ll be the first to introduce you to them when I meet them.

    Please do so. Now, if you talk too long, you''ll be sorry to say goodbye. So much for the hug.

    And then the Vandal took a step back.

    I thought it was typical of the Vandal not to be bitter.

    I stare at the Vandal for a moment and then announce my departure to Milia.

    I expected her to hug me and never let go, but surprisingly, she didn''t do anything.

    She just contorts her face into a snotty smile and waves her hands.

    "I''ve decided to let you travel, so I won''t say anything else, but you have to write me a proper letter.

    I understand. Mother Milia, don''t get into too many fights with Father Ronin.

    "I don''t have time for those drinkers.

    I say, "Thank you," and Milia gives me some potions that will help me in my adventure.

    I say thank you and turn my back on them.

    I turn my back on them, because if I didn''t, I felt like I was going to stay here forever to say goodbye.

    I wanted to leave Table Mountain early and go to town.

    Speaking of which, Will, I heard you''re going to be traveling, do you have any plans?

    "Come on, no plan,

    And staring at Lunamaria, she tells the gods what is in her heart.

    For now, I will follow the oracle to the north.

    "Do you want to leave the north or ......, this Midonian kingdom?

    And stroking his white beard is the Vandal.

    He knows the geography of this world.

    Lunamar¨ªa shakes his head.

    "No, I will go to the forest on the border of Midonia. I would draw the holy sword there.

    "Is the Holy Sword at the border a Durandal?

    "Yes.

    But that one is supposed to be reserved for the brave.

    I thought Master Will would be a brave man.

    I don''t want them to look at me like that.

    I''ll tell you again, I have the mark of a brave man

    "I believe that bravery is not a sign, but the heart of it. A kind heart to help the animals in the mountains, and even helped me when I was attacked by thugs.

    I''ll help anyone who comes along.

    "It''s not true. This world is more complicated than you think.

    Lunamar¨ªa says with a sigh, and Vandal nods in agreement.

    It''s true. People are colder than you think. Will will learn that on this journey. But--

    "But?

    "You get to know the warm side of the world. It''s a shitty world, but rarely are there good people who give you the illusion that the world is not a place to leave.

    I guess that means there are girls like Luna Maria.

    Yes. Not many priestesses are this pure, but there are others like her.

    And Lunamaria''s face tinted, but she didn''t argue. It''s time to leave.

    Well, I guess I''ll be leaving now.

    When Lunamaria said that, the gods looked at me with regret.

    They don''t move, but they still wave at me until I''m out of sight.

    After we''re gone, the gods murmur in a sorrowful tone: "Oh, little Will has departed.

    Oh, sweet Will has departed.

    Millia''s disappointment is tremendous.

    She is more depressed than the last time she had a grey hair.

    Even the daring Ronin shrugs his shoulders.

    "...... I''m burnt out.

    But Vandal was the only one who kept a relatively cool head.

    ...... Well, what was a journey can''t be helped. I just hope you come back with more.

    Vandal sums it up and returns to the lab.

    The two of them criticize the harshness of the situation, but Vandal doesn''t seem bothered by it.

    He just staggers off into the middle of nowhere. He looks quite shocked on the inside.

    The two gods let out a light smile at the sight.

    Milia carries Vandal on her shoulder and Ronin holds up a bottle of wine and says.

    Hey, old man. Hey, old man. Let''s drink today.

    What do you mean. I''ve been studying--

    The Vandal''s words stopped as an unexpected person responded.

    Even Milia, who doesn''t usually drink with me, said, "Let''s have a drink.

    I have no choice but to drink, I thought to myself.

    They''re right, you won''t be able to do anything today.

    You''ll return home and have a drink, but on the way, you''ll notice that Milia has noticed something.

    "Speaking of which, where''s Reus? I''d like to invite him too.

    It was the Vandal who answered the question.

    "Leus is a raven circling in the sky. He will want to stare at Will until we leave the sanctuary.

    "It''s not fair. We''re putting up with it.

    Well, come on. We''ve been monopolizing Will for the past ten days.

    Milia backs down as Ronin makes a rare defense.

    "Well, okay, ......, Reus, see to it that Will is okay.

    Miria grumbled and took a gulp of the House of the Gods'' highest drink.

    You are more than capable of drinking than Ronin, the drunkard.

    Meanwhile, circling in the sky, Reus looks down at the earth, leaning into the wind.

    There are two little dots.

    Will and Lunamaria.

    We''ve already walked quite a distance and it looks like we''ll be leaving the godspace safely.

    Reus was very tempted to follow them, but he stopped short.

    Reus is the closest to the old god among the new gods.

    The old gods must not leave the divine realm.

    He should be in the heavens.

    They must not interfere too much with the earth.

    Hence the seclusion here at Table Mountain, where he spent his days meditating.

    Remembering this, Reus circled into the sky and flew straight back to the mountain--

    They followed Will and his friends without a hitch.

    It is true that the gods had an unwritten law against interfering in earthly affairs, but there was no law against flying in the sky.

    It would be permissible to watch your beloved son from above.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most out of this new law.

    ...... Ronin and Milia will grumble, but that''s just one of the benefits of being the master of the mountain. You picked up my Will.

    Leus let out a sigh and flapped his wings further and flew through the air.

 18 the lord of a waterfall-pot

    I descend from Table Mountain, the mountain of the gods.

    I continued on through the great forest that surrounds Table Mountain.

    I see birds and fawns. This forest is a fertility forest.

    There aren''t many forests in Midnia as rich as this one.

    "I don''t know. I don''t know, I''ve never been down the mountain.

    I give the obvious reply, but in fact, my mind is not here.

    My first time down there, my mind is distracted.

    I was curious about the woods outside of Table Mountain.

    "That tree looks a little different.

    It''s called vegetation. Different regions have different trees.

    "I see.

    In warmer regions, the trees are more dense, small and jungle-like. In colder areas, there are more conifers and other trees.

    "Ronin Dad can''t go up north because he has cedar pollen allergy.

    I laugh and Luna Maria agrees.

    I suppose so. Well, it''s been quite a while since we left, don''t you think we should have lunch?

    "Good idea. . let''s have the sandwiches that Dad Ronin made for us.

    and Lunamar¨ªa begins to put down a sheet. I also start a fire and boil the water. Neatly.

    I''ll help you," she says, and sticks out her right hand and stops.

    "As I told you the other day, I''m Master Will''s squire. It''s my job to prepare the food.

    But it''s more efficient for both of us to do it together.

    "Now is not a rushed trip. I will travel slowly to the north. In the meantime, Master Will, enjoy your first taste of the Lower Mainland.

    For now, why not take a walk around here?

    I accepted the suggestion that I should go to the beach.

    No matter how much I said, it didn''t seem to change Luna Maria''s decision, and she was right, I was eager to enjoy the world below for the first time.

    I decided to go and see the waterfall I had just found.

    There is a waterfall at Table Mountain, but there are also fishes in this forest that are not found at Table Mountain.

    As fishing is one of my hobbies, I wanted to see what kind of fish were there.

    For that reason, I went to the waterfall basin, where I had a new encounter.

    I found a boy who was fishing in the waterfall basin.

    He''s probably younger than me. He looks to be around twelve years old. It was a boy with golden hair.

    He was tying a line to a wooden pole and dipping it into the waterfall. He seemed to be fishing.

    The scene reminds me of a scene from a novel.

    ...... Um, can you fish in a situation like this?¡¡You can ask, "What do I do?

    Murmur to no one.

    I''m nervous because it''s the first time I''m talking to someone other than Luna Maria. It''s the first time I''ve talked to a girl of the same gender.

    I thought that maybe we could be friends and the first greeting is crucial, so I cleared my throat and called out to her from behind.

    I cleared my throat and called out from behind me, "Oh, um, it''s nice to meet you!¡¡My name is Will!¡¡What''s your name?

    The boy who called out to me was quite groaning and also loud, so I called out to him, "Wow! and bounces in place.

    He was so excited that he almost dropped his fishing rod, so he rushed to catch it in the air.

    What is he up to?¡¡And looks at me, but seems relieved to find out that I''m human.

    Just blame him for being startled.

    "Don''t talk to me all of a sudden. I thought you were a bear.

    I''m sorry, you seemed to be having a good time, and I just wanted to say hi.

    "I didn''t expect to meet people so deep in the woods,

    That''s me too. It sounds like you''re pretty far from the village at the bottom.

    Yes, I''m a follower of a certain someone, sir.

    "Squire?¡¡Who?

    "The hero. I am the squire of the hero of the sword.

    Ahem, and a boy who throws out his chest.

    "Sword hero?¡¡Oh, you''re a valiant squire? Huh?¡¡But we''re not in the neighborhood, are we?

    You look around, but there''s no one there.

    I focus and widen my range further, but I don''t see any sign of anyone other than Lunamaria.

    "...... Well, the hero of the sword is at the edge of the forest. He''s waiting for me to catch a fish there.

    "Did you come here just to catch fish?

    "Yes. The Sword Hero insisted on eating the lord of the forest.

    "Lord?

    "Yes. In this forest here in this waterfall basin there is a fish called the Lord. An alien species from the east, a fish called the carpenter.

    Koytaro. It''s so big that it''s called the Lord.

    Perhaps.

    But that''s terrible. Letting a kid like you go fishing alone.

    Haha, I''m used to it.

    And the boy laughing to himself.

    Apparently, this kind of thing is common.

    If you want to eat melon in the middle of the night or Japanese food first thing in the morning, the hero of the sword seems to be a master of selfishness.

    When you pity him, he ducks his head and says, "I forgot about that.

    My name is Lynx.

    That''s a nice name. My name is Will. It''s nice to meet you.

    And, holding out his right hand, he shakes it.

    Following Ronin''s words, "From a strong handshake comes friendship," you put your strength into it, but do it at one-third of full power.

    The Vandal says that a normal person would break a bone in a handshake with full power.

    You''ll be able to see that it''s still pretty strong, or maybe Lynx''s expression is a little distorted, but once the handshake is established, the atmosphere of the place is relaxed.

    After that, they talk about nothing, but halfway through, Lynx realizes something.

    Oh, I need to get back to work now.

    "Work is koi taro fishing?

    Yes, I have. We''ve been at it for three days now, but we haven''t been able to catch anything.

    There''s no such thing as a Koytaro.¡¡Or maybe it''s the wrong bait?

    What do you use for bait?

    asked the boy, returning the fishing rod to him.

    "I use live ducks as bait.

    "A live duck?

    Look into the waterfall basin and you''ll see a duck. A thick string is wrapped around the duck''s neck.

    The duck is swimming at leisure.

    "............

    I may be a naive person, but when it comes to fishing, I am a fussy fisherman.

    The moment I opened my mouth to tell him that he would never catch fish with that kind of bait, the boy''s fishing rod bent.

    This is it!

    The boy''s face changes color. I can see that he is excited.

    That pull must be Koytaro.

    If you look, the ducks that were here just now are no longer on the water. Some kind of animal had preyed on it.

    The bait worked. And this could be a really big one.

    "Yes. Koytaro is very big.

    and pulls on the wooden pole, but it''s so big that it almost pulls the boy in with it.

    I support him from behind and pull with him, but the pull is extraordinary.

    What a pull. We''ll be pulled into the cauldron. Let go of my hand.

    I can''t do that. Bring Koytaro to the heroes, or they will fire your squire.

    They''ll eat you whole.

    The time is then. It is better than firing a squire.

    What about life? You''re so selfish and brave.

    But I didn''t speak of it.

    And we weren''t drawn into the waterfall either. And we didn''t get pulled into the waterfall either.

    The pole couldn''t catch such a huge fish.

    Lynx was disappointed that his rod had broken, but he could only be disappointed for a moment.

    The next moment there was a sound from the surface of the water, and then a huge fish jumped into the air.

    A giant carp, three times my size, leaps at Lynx.

    It looks like it''s going to prey on Lynx.

    What a monster!

    I''m dumbfounded, but Lynx has lost his voice too.

    He''s just standing there helplessly.

    The Lynx will be preyed upon by the carp. --If this is the case.

    But that''s not going to happen. My right hand was already stretched out to the dagger at my waist.

    I chant a two-character spell.

    "Zan!

    and the mithril dagger glows blue and the word Zan emerges.

    It''s a rune character called the oriental Chinese character.

    Zan means slash.

    Casting this charm made your sword flashes many times stronger.

    I''ll use it to slay Koytarou.

    I''ll cut Koytaro in half!

    A blue-white sword flash that runs past Lynx''s boy.

    It shoots straight at Koytarou and slices through the giant fish.

    Lynx watches, stunned, as the giant fish is torn apart in front of him. He cowers and mutters, "What a sword flash!

    What a flash. Not even a master of the sword could make a sword flash like this.

    The boy was staring at me as if pinched by a fox.

 19 Lynx boy

    I, who helped the valiant squire of the sword in this way .

    He thanked Koitaro for not being swallowed by him, but he also sneezed.

    He was covered in water when Koytaro hit him.

    He''ll catch a cold if he doesn''t, so I lead him to Lunamaria.

    Lunamaria had just finished boiling water and was getting ready to make tea.

    Lunamaria, do you mind pouring her a cup of tea as well?

    She smiles and agrees.

    Quickly as if he could see, he prepares three cups and pours the tea. Meanwhile, Lynx takes off her clothes and dries them off.

    "Milk, Mr. Will?¡¡Or is it lemon in honey?

    I''ll take the milk. Uh, Lynx?

    "I''ll take honey lemon, please.

    and Lunamar¨ªa prepares it quickly.

    I think she drinks it straight, by the way.

    I''m putting three cups of sugar in it.

    The cup is placed in front of you. It''s a wooden travel cup, but it looks like a sacred one, as if a beautiful priestess filled it for me.

    ............

    I sipped my tea in silence for a while, and then Lunamaria spoke to me.

    "Will, what is your relationship with this child?

    "Oh, I hadn''t introduced it. This is Lynx. I met her at the waterfall.

    Lynx nodded shyly and explained that his life had been saved.

    Well, a fish that big. I''d like to see it once.

    If you go to the waterfall, I''m sure you''ll find the body: ......

    I didn''t connect any more words because I remembered that Lunamaria was blind.

    "Well, it''s no fun to look at a carp. They''re muddy and tasteless.

    I hear the carp are not very tasty.

    Yes, I''ll fix a nice fish for you next time. If you want freshwater fish, it should be an eel or an ayu fish.

    "Eels are my favorite. It''s so good in a pie.

    I remember the pie Millia made for me.

    Saliva leaked out, but then I remembered we were about to have lunch.

    We share the sandwiches with Lynx and then we have lunch.

    Lynx''s eyes widen.

    "............

    What''s going on?¡¡Unpalatable?

    No, it''s not. It looks so good. But I''ve never been so nice to you before.

    "Will the hero of the sword not be taken care of?

    Yes, my parents are dead. My parents have passed away and I''m working as a squire to earn a living. --He was indifferent to his squire''s food.

    I''m not a bad person, but and a bitter smile.

    He just seems to be indifferent to everyone but himself and women.

    Is that so. That''s hard work. Well, you should eat. This was made by a samurai named Ronin. He''s a big man, but he''s a pretty good cook.

    The sandwiches made by Ronin are filled with so much meat and vegetables.

    It''s rugged, but it tastes great.

    The Lynx boy eats with trepidation. He''s a --

    Delicious!

    And to rave about.

    This white sauce is so delicious.

    It''s the secret recipe of the gods, a sauce called mayonnaise.

    "Mayonnaise?

    Lynx wasn''t the only one to raise a question mark.

    Lunamaria is also puzzled.

    Mayonnaise is a magical dish that was introduced to the world of the gods by aliens from another world. It''s made with eggs and vinegar, but it''s very long-lasting, tasty, and full of nutrients.

    It''s amazing . The gods know all this stuff.

    "Yes, I''m very knowledgeable about all dimensions, not just this world. Especially my father Vandal.

    It was also the god of magic, Vandal, who spread mayonnaise in our house.

    In the house of the gods you can eat something very rare.

    I am secretly proud of this, but when I see a little Lynx boy devouring a sandwich, I realize that it was a great luxury to be able to eat delicious, loving food every day.

    So, being careful not to brag too much, he asked the boy links.

    I see you got the fillet of Koytaro, are you going to take it to the brave men?

    Yes, as soon as we finish eating. . as soon as we finish eating.

    "I see. Carp doesn''t taste so good, though.

    But we still have to take it with us.

    The brave man seems to be more interested in curiosity than in taste. Perhaps, he says, you''ll get tired of it after one bite.

    "You''re so selfish. You are so selfish, sending your squire into this dangerous forest just to eat the carp.

    Lunamaria lets out a breath.

    "Is it dangerous?¡¡This forest?

    I ask her and she answers me.

    "This forest, which leads to the Mountain of the Gods, is known to harbor vicious demons.

    "I mean, did Luna Maria plow through such a dangerous place all by herself?

    I''ve been training myself to serve Master Will since I was very young.

    "That''s amazing. . the Lunamar¨ªa.

    It''s true.

    And the Lynx boy nods his head, but he finishes eating the last piece of sandwich with regret.

    He licks off the mayonnaise on the tip of his finger with his tongue and stands up, bowing his head with a smile.

    Thank you for saving my life and providing me with such a delicious meal.

    Return to the brave men of the sword.

    "Yes. That''s what a squire does,

    I look at the Lynx boy and turn to look at Lunamaria.

    She seems to realize I''m staring at her just by the movement of the air. She shakes her head lightly.

    "Links. If you don''t mind, we''ll follow you to the brave men of the sword.

    "Huh?¡¡Are you guys too?

    "Yes.

    "But it''s bad enough that you have to take care of me that much.

    It''s not much to take care of. Yes, I want to see a brave man''s face.

    "The face?

    Yes, I live in the country. I''ve never seen a brave master in my life. I want to see what he looks like.

    I''m not lying.

    I was interested in being a brave man.

    Lunamaria called me a hero, but I wanted to see with my own eyes what it was like to be a real hero.

    Okay, I see. Then let me introduce you to the hero of the sword.

    Yeah, nice to meet you.

    I held out my right hand and shook Lynx''s hand. The hand of a boy younger than me is very slender.

    As small as Luna Maria''s.

    And so I''m on a mission to bring the boy to the edge of the woods.

    It seemed like an easy task, but as Lunamaria cleans up after the meal, she blurts out, "This is not how it''s going to be.

    I knew this was going to happen when I brought the boy here, but I never thought that we would actually be traveling together. That means that the oracle of encountering a monster in the forest might be valid as well.

    A casual word, but the prophecy will be fulfilled in a few moments.

 20 a brave swordsman

    This is how we temporarily became a party of three.

    But what we do is the same as it was for the two of us.

    We just walk in silence to get through this forest.

    Any forest other than Table Mountain is new to me, but I can''t wait to go to a city or a village.

    "Huh?¡¡Will, you don''t know the town or village?

    "Yeah, well, you know--

    There was a slight pause because she wasn''t sure if she should tell you that she lived in the Mountain of the Gods.

    I looked at Luna Maria and she nodded. It''s not something to hide, I suppose.

    But it''s not like you''re going to blow the whistle, so you preface it by telling Lynx.

    "I actually lived on the Mountain of the Gods. Deep in Table Mountain.

    "There were people living in those mountains?¡¡I didn''t know that.

    Sort of.

    I''m not saying that the gods are my mother and father.

    That''s why the things down there are so rare. Everything you see is new.

    It''s funny. That sounds familiar to me.

    "Well, actually, I''m getting a little bored because the woods aren''t that different from the mountains.

    Occasionally you would see the occasional baby squirrel or deer, but they were also on the mountain.

    In fact, the mountains were more diverse, with carbuncles and elk as well.

    Not much difference except that the vegetation is a little different and not as impressive as when we first came down the mountain.

    But still, it''s an exciting experience to walk through an unknown place," he said to the boy, "but it''s not as exciting as the first time we descended.

    As I tell the boy, "We''re going to the edge of the forest," my vision is gradually opening up.

    I think I''ve arrived at the edge of the forest.

    I guess we''re on our way through the forest," said Lynx.

    "Is there a brave man of the sword around here?

    "Yes. If you hadn''t changed your mind, you''d be camping around here.

    And the Lynx leads without hesitation and finds a camp in the shade of the rocks.

    There are fine tents pitched and hammocks among the trees.

    All of this seems to have been prepared by Lynx, the valiant squire. The arrangements were hard to make.

    They were hard to arrange, but they were also hard to carry.

    It has its own professional walker and so on.

    "Squire and burden. You''re treated like a brave man.

    I looked around for the brave man, but I didn''t see him.

    But there are traces of a fire that had just been burning.

    Did something happen?

    And when I worry, Lynx says, "It''s all right".

    "I don''t have my bow and arrow set. And since the Brave Girls don''t seem to be there, they''re probably out hunting.

    "Brave Girls?

    "Yes. The exclusive cheering squad of the hero of the sword. They were selected from the villages and said, ''Kyah!¡¡Amazing!¡¡The brave man is lovely! And just keep it close to let the cheering go on.

    That''s awesome: ......

    And dumbfounded. Lunamaria also wants to say something, but no sarcasm escapes her.

    She senses something is wrong before I do.

    Lunamaria gives me a grim look and I immediately switch to a war footing.

    I will ask her.

    "You''re in danger.

    "Yes, there is a metallic sound in the distance. It''s the sound of moving armor and a sword swing.

    I have complete faith in Lunamaria''s hearing, so I never used the magic of Distant View or Hawk-Eye.

    I just tell her the direction. She pointed a white finger to the southeast.

    There''s a battle going on 100 meters from here. --There''s more than one.

    Perhaps you are the hero of the sword.

    Lynx nodded and I ran towards it.

    A battle between the group of supposedly brave swordsmen and goblins was taking place.

    A man dressed in a flamboyant outfit, who seems to be a sword hero, stands in the front line, and behind him a warrior, a priestess, and a sorceress.

    Further behind them are the brave girls.

    The brave girls are shouting yellow.

    Ooh! The brave girls are shouting yellow.¡¡Cool!

    "Goblin creepy!¡¡Get it done!

    Keep up the good work, hero!

    And with their support at their backs, the brave men and women are fighting.

    Brave men and women warriors wield swords at the front line. The priestess supports her with holy magic and the mage supports her with offensive magic.

    It''s a perfect match.

    It was a master stroke, and the goblins were falling one after another, but there was just one problem.

    That was an unusually large number of goblins.

    There must be thirty of them.

    That''s a bit of an army. Even a brave man must be hard pressed for this.

    But the brave man didn''t seem to mind.

    "Who do you think I am? I''m the strongest soldier. The strongest man never retreats. Don''t back down, don''t back down, don''t look back.

    And then he swings his sword and slays goblins one by one.

    He has a flowing sword blade, but he has a strong element of stiffness.

    He is a handsome man with a thin face.

    Lunamaria marvels at the movements of the Sword Warrior.

    This is the hero of the sword. --As expected of a brave man. He''s strong.

    Lynx explains.

    The Sword Warrior is the greatest wielder of the land. His movements are so fast that they could cut through even a swallow.

    It does sound amazing.

    And a snarling Lunamaria.

    Once again, Lynx seems to be admiring the Lord''s movements, but I''m the only one who feels uncomfortable.

    I just can''t talk about that feeling of discomfort.

    No, because.

    (...... This movement is the strongest in the country?¡¡Is it fast enough to slice through a swallow too?¡¡(Compared to Dad Ronin, it''s not so much yawning, but rather so brittle that it would make a dragonfly stop.

    That''s because I had the impression that

    Hmm, maybe the brave men below are crappy?¡¡I thought so.

    Or maybe you''re just not used to seeing other people''s swordplay and it''s actually super awesome.

    To find out, pull the dagger from your waist and swing it as fast as you can.

    The sword flashes from it. A sword blast . It flies straight to the goblin and blows the goblin away several dozen meters.

    But it is so fast that no one around it is aware of it. Even the brave party at the front didn''t notice.

    The brave man is stunned to see the goblin suddenly blown away, but he sees that everyone around him is

    "As expected of a brave man, blowing away goblins with just a sense of intimidation.

    and then inadvertently take credit for it by uttering the misguided line, "I know.

    That''s what I''m good at. That''s what I''m capable of. Ha-ha-ha.

    And then pushed further forward to the front.

    Seeing that, I

    "...... hmmm, could it be that the world down there is a lower level?

    You find yourself wondering if it might be.

    I''m puzzled, and then I notice that Luna Maria is looking my way.

    She''s the only one who seems to have noticed the sound of my sword.

    ...... At first I thought the Sword Hero was amazing, but Will-sama''s swordsmanship surpasses the Sword Hero''s. I didn''t know it was this good.

    Lunamar¨ªa dumbfounded, she continues in a whisper.

    The Sword Warrior seems to be very proud. Please do not hurt his pride.

    "...... I know,

    Whispering back, I decided to adapt to the ways of the world below.

    I save a third of my strength and join the front line.

    I''ve decided to support the heroic party while hiding my abilities.

    As I see it, the brave men will be defeated if we don''t do something about it.

    They have the advantage now, but there are still many goblins.

    By comparison, there are only four brave men.

    Their magic will eventually run out and if that happens the goblins will surround them and scatter their lives.

    The brave men had no moral obligation, but the lynx boy does.

    His salary apparently comes from a brave man, and a brave man is kind of hard to hate.

    His mistreatment of Lynx is unforgivable, but his willingness to stand in the front line of battle and ignore the dangers is likeable.

    As far as Ronin, the Sword God, is concerned.

    I just want to look good in front of the ladies.

    But the sorcerer Vandal would say: "I''m the better of the lot of men who can''t dress up, even in front of women.

    "I''m one of the few men who can''t dress up, even in front of a woman.

    And.

    I''m a Vandalist.

    I came to that conclusion and took up my dagger and began to support the brave men.

 21 Its not too low in the world!?

    I was determined to join the battle against the goblins, but I was also careful not to hurt the brave man''s self-esteem.

    I''ve seen up close how proud this brave master of the sword seems to be.

    He looks like the type who can''t bear to look good in front of girls.

    If you played too much in front of such a man, he would hate you.

    So you''re determined to fight as you stand him up.

    I swooped in line beside the brave man.

    "We''ll cover you.

    I say .

    The brave man looked at me scornfully at first, but

    "You must be the hero of the sword. Lynx has told me about you. You''re a better swordsman than he is.

    And a flattering grin on his face.

    "You know how to do it. My name is Levin, and I''m a swordsman. Well, try not to drag me down.

    And then he swings his sword, but he is still stupidly slow.

    And since you only see the enemy in front of you, you are indifferent to the back and sides.

    Naturally, the goblins will go for it, but I''ll take down the goblins that go for it.

    I''ll fight as slowly as possible, taking care to at least be less active than Levin.

    His companions were quite similar in ability, so I would alert them to the presence of enemies approaching from behind and secretly cast strengthening spells to support them.

    This is why the battle against the goblins is always in our favor. We will overwhelm the enemy to the end.

    That''s when the goblins get their bearings.

    It was probably an unnecessary encounter to begin with.

    They begin to retreat.

    Faintly, it''s over: ......

    I let out a breath and was relieved.

    Only, the actions of the hero of the sword go astray.

    "d*mn it, she''s trying to escape. You''re not going to run away. Take my sword of justice to the end!

    And start the chase.

    ............

    What an idiot.

    Doesn''t he know his own strength?

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us.

    ...... Well, if you''ve gone this far, let''s finish it.

    I admonish the brave man, letting out a breath as I whisper, "Brave man, this is enough.

    "My dear sir, this is enough.

    And, standing in front of him, stop him in a big way.

    "What the hell, kid, get out of my way.

    "I''m not a kid. I''m Will.

    Then, Will, move out of the way.

    I can''t do that. My brave friend, if you pursue it too far, you will receive a painful reprisal.

    "It''s not true. I can slice through a goblin.

    But in the meantime, the goblin becomes distant.

    The brave man blurted out "......" and sheathed his sword.

    I''m not sure I''m going to like it at all. It''s not going to be fun at all.

    The brave man grumbles, but at that moment a shadow swings from the tree tops.

    A goblin was lurking in the tree, watching for an opening.

    The goblin''s deadly blade stretched out straight. The goblin''s shortsword closes in on the hero''s neck.

    Naturally, the brave man is unable to react.

    Or rather, he''s too cowardly to react.

    Seeing this, I quickly swing my dagger.

    In a swift motion, I swing my dagger.

    My dagger fires a sword flash.

    It cuts the goblin to pieces, but the brave woman watches in amazement.

    Her friends, the Brave Girls, also notice.

    ...... What was that speed?¡¡Besides, it looks like a sword flash came out of the dagger?

    You idiot, only a swordmaster can fire a sword flash. Even a master swordsman can''t do that.

    "But now it looks like a sword flash came out of a sword: ......

    Illusion. It''s impossible to make a sword flash out of a dagger in the first place.

    The brave man''s subordinates are engaged in a conversation with him.

    I was going to call it an illusion because it was too much trouble and leave quickly, but the brave man''s temples were shaking.

    He seems to be angry with me for slouching in front of my friends.

    The fact that one of the brave girls is blushing when they see me doing well is also disgusting, and they don''t like the fact that Lunamaria, the Will Girls, is a beautiful girl.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find out more about this. It''s great to see that your swordsmanship surpasses that of a sword hero!

    And looks bitterly at the cheering Lunamaria.

    This isn''t going to go away, I thought, but my prediction was correct.

    The brave man pointed at me with a firm hand and said, "The boy over there, you''ve learned to be a pretty good swordsman.

    The brave man pointed at me and said, "This boy looks like he can use a fine sword. But I still didn''t like the way you jumped in front of me to stop the chase. Let''s have you reflect on that a little bit.

    and thrust the sword at me.

    I turn to Lunamaria and ask, "Does this mean we''re going to fight?

    "This is still a duel, right?

    Perhaps.

    I nodded to Luna Maria.

    I say, "Wait a minute," and I go to Luna Maria and ask her for advice.

    "I tried to cover him as little as possible to hurt his pride,

    I made a last minute error. As expected, Master Will''s abilities are outrageous. I wouldn''t let a brave man stand in my way.

    ...... Hmmm, the world down there is lower than I thought it would be.

    No, sir. Mr. Will''s level is too high.

    Lunamar¨ªa asserts.

    Then it is inevitable, but the question is, how to put this in order.

    "You''ve just traveled and I don''t want to fight with a brave man. I''m sure we''ll meet other brave men in the future.

    That brave man seems to be very persistent. Well, how about "lose but win"?

    The priestess tickles my ear.

    It''s a little annoying.

    But her advice was sound.

    I see.

    "Yes, that''s Mr. Will. Very intelligent.

    Vandal Dad also often loses chess games against Ronin Dad on purpose.

    You would do such a thing, Master Vandal.

    They say that if you push your opponent too hard, he''ll never play chess again. They say that in the mountains you can''t find a chess partner.

    And Lunamaria lets out a laugh when she says, "What''s the matter, boy!

    What''s up, boy!¡¡You scared out of your mind?¡¡You want to hang on to a woman?

    It would not go well with me to say that I''m hanging on to a woman out of fear.

    So I stand in front of him and accept the match.

    How do I lose without hurting his self-esteem, I thought.

 22 Levins true identity

    Lose intentionally to a brave man, the plan is set, but the details are not yet decided.

    It is hard to decide how to lose.

    It''s quite difficult to lose intentionally.

    Well, I lost!

    And if he fell over with an exaggerated performance, even a dullard would notice.

    Then it was inevitable that he would become even angrier.

    (That means you have to play a good game and lose by a good margin.

    I thought so, and I tried to fight it, but it was difficult.

    A brave man receives a wooden sword from his friends, gives me the same one and swings it around.

    It''s a serious blow without any reservation.

    Of course, you won''t catch Will with that speed.

    Will usually dodges swords three times as fast as this one. Ronin''s sword is even faster.

    Slowly he watches his opponent.

    Levin the Sword Warrior. Even when he was fighting the goblin, his movements were linear, and there was nothing contrived about his sword.

    The speed of the sword itself is reasonably fast.

    You''ll be able to see them up close and personal.

    But his movements are so monotonous that his next move is easy to see.

    This may be a trait of those who have not trained much in swordsmanship.

    Or perhaps it was a bad teacher.

    .

    (...... What a waste . (I think I have talent.)

    However, I couldn''t say that I was talented enough to practice with you.

    So I decided to take a quick loss.

    Twice or thrice, I''ll unleash a close blow, then pretend to be off-balance to entice my opponent.

    You''ll trigger the enemy''s attack, and you''ll catch your sword as he comes at you.

    Take the longest blow with your wooden sword.

    Unexpectedly, the blow is heavy.

    (...... I knew she was talented. Each blow is heavy.

    Even considering the size difference, the blow was strong.

    I was not expecting it, so I seriously lose my balance.

    As I was about to receive a serious blow, I lightly release my power and strike my opponent.

    Of course, I assume the opponent will catch it.

    Receiving my blow, Levin

    That''s a good one, boy, that was quite a blow.

    And then he would call the blow and attack.

    (--Not yet!)

    Thinking that, I step back only half a step and get lightly hit by the brave man''s slash.

    It was reasonably responsive, but I took the attack so as not to get hurt.

    At the moment of the attack, I made a pinpoint "barrier" so the opponent should have had a good response.

    Now if I could just blow back at the right moment, I should be able to lose comfortably.

    As I blow backwards, I open my eyes to check, and as I expected, the brave man seems to be satisfied.

    (......) Fufu, now the brave man has a flower. (Free at last.)

    I pretended to faint, letting out a sigh in my mind.

    My heroic friends and the heroic girls were praising him for defeating me and raising their hands.

    This is how I was recognized as a biting dog, but I didn''t care what others thought of me.

    Only Lynx was covering for me, and only Lunamaria knew what I was capable of, but I wanted to end this travesty and get to the city where humans live.

    Ten minutes later, I stopped pretending to be unconscious and stood up.

    "As expected of the hero of the sword, it''s amazing.

    And praise the opponent and say goodbye.

    A good-natured brave man

    I was a little tense. Well, I was just in the mood for letting the goblins go.

    And excuses and gives me a sign I don''t want.

    I take it with a lightly bitter smile and say goodbye to them.

    Me and Lunamar¨ªa go straight to the road and head north.

    Along the way, Lunamaria gives me a compliment.

    "That''s what I know of you, master Will. You are the best actor in the world.

    You''re exaggerating.

    I''m not exaggerating. I''m afraid I''ll be scouted by a traveling troupe along the way.

    Besides," she continues, "it''s very mature.

    "I''m very mature. I know what it means to lose, and I know what it means to make your opponent hold a flower.

    Well, I don''t want any trouble.

    It''s right. I know Master Will is a true hero, but the world is not. It''s a hassle to travel with a brave man at odds with him.

    You can imagine what it''s like to grow up in the mountains.

    He smiled back at her and kept pace with her.

    ...... You''re also a gentleman and a nice guy for matching your steps to the lady.

    And she blurted out softly.

    As Will and the others grew smaller, Levin grumbled.

    ...... That was quite a boy.

    "Huh?¡¡What did you say?

    Cousin Lynx asked me, "It''s nothing," I replied, and asked him if he had a fillet of Koytaro.

    Lynx smilingly pulls out a fillet of koi-taro.

    "That''s nice. Nice work.

    This is because of Will''s help.

    How about that boy?

    "Yes, you''re quite good at that--

    Lynx''s words stop mid-sentence.

    You think that Levin hates Will.

    That''s both a misunderstanding and a correct one, but I dare not correct him, but I take the fillet and give it to the cook.

    Ask him to make a pot.

    Ask him to make a pot of carp and serve it to the brave girls.

    Levin will eat too, but he''ll let them have it.

    "Uh-oh.

    And eat the carp with a grin.

    It was a little muddy, but it was delicious when fed to a pretty woman.

    And perhaps because it''s a fish from the east, it went well with rice wine.

    The Brave Girls.

    Master Levin is such a spoiled brat. I can''t believe you didn''t eat it by yourself!

    But Levin says, "Never mind," and feeds them carp, touching their breasts and thighs.

    Afterwards, the party continues until midnight, when everyone goes to their respective places of rest, but in the middle of the night, Levin gets up and heads to a nearby fountain.

    You head to the fountain and dip your hand in it.

    The cool spring feels soothing.

    Levin murmurs to the moon and confesses his feelings.

    "...... Do you think I''m a spoiled brat?¡¡No, I just can''t hold a knife or chopsticks now.

    If you look, both hands are red and swollen.

    They weren''t injured in battle.

    They were hurt when that boy struck.

    ...... d*mn it. That blow. Was it really just a boy?¡¡I''m a brave man with a sword.

    That blow . Will''s blow was a hell of a blow.

    The move he made before he delivered that blow was no ordinary one either.

    ...... Does this mean that the sword flash was real too?

    I can''t believe you used a dagger to fire a sword flash.

    Because you don''t believe it, you try to win the game and get rid of the anxiety in your heart, but you fail.

    The only thing I got out of the match was a loss of confidence and astonishment.

    ...... Is there a stronger man in the world than me? There is a man more powerful than me who has renounced his femininity and risked his life for the sword.

    And Levin removed the salami that had been squeezing his chest. There was a plump chest.

    "...... d*mn it, d*mn it,

    Levin, overcome by anger toward himself and resentment toward a boy stronger than he was, stripped off his clothes and jumped into the fountain.

    He decided to cool his head.

    ...... You said your name is Will. I''ll never forget that boy.

    When the name Will is engraved on his heart, Levin forgets that he is a brave man and a beauty in men''s clothing and swims around.

    Levin has the mindset of a gymnast, and when he moves his body, he forgets what he doesn''t want to do.

 23 a daughter who is being chased

    Knowing Levin''s mind, we headed carefree to the road, whether we knew it or not.

    When we left the forest, the road opened up and we soon saw what looked like a highway.

    When I found the road, I thought to myself, "So that''s the road?

    It was the first time I saw something that wasn''t on the mountain after descending.

    "Is there a road to Table Mountain?

    "No. . I''m the only human being who lives here.

    Well.

    "There have been animal trails and trails made by Ronin, but I''ve never seen them paved properly. It''s amazing.

    "There are cobblestone streets around the royal capital and major cities,

    It''s amazing . I want to see it.

    "Unfortunately, there are no major cities around the northern land we''re heading to,

    That''s a shame. I can''t wait to see the village and the city, though.

    Walk down the street while having a conversation with .

    It''s easier to walk than a forest or a mountain.

    Wow, I could walk forever on this one.

    I say, "It''s not safe, Master Will, step back," and Lunamaria warns me, "It''s not safe.

    There''s a carriage passing by.

    You''re right that it would be unfortunate if you were to be run over by them, so you have to move to the side.

    "I guess the carriage has priority down here.

    It''s supposed to be pedestrian-friendly, but anyone privileged enough to own a carriage would be conceited.

    "I see.

    It''s true that the people in the carriage are hunched over. On the other hand, a farmer who has an ass to carry his harvest on an ass will easily avoid us.

    "So many people use the roads.

    "The highway is the main artery of the country. It carries people, goods, and all sorts of things.

    Look around. There are travelers and merchants. They all have goods. Not only that, but I could imagine that they carried many different feelings on their backs.

    Walking together with people from all walks of life, with all kinds of emotions.

    It was more interesting than I expected to be in the mountains with my animal friends and human beings, whom I do not know.

    There are many things to think about, and travelers walking in pairs or more than one person will have many things to say.

    Winter is coming. I want to make some money and buy a warm coat before that.

    "The city of Northwoods is in a building frenzy right now. Lumber prices are skyrocketing.

    My daughter just had her second grandchild.

    Each of them has no context, but I am curious to hear them because I can only hear them in the world below.

    As I listen to their words, I hear the sound of the carriage again.

    This time I step aside without being alerted by Lunamaria, but I take her by the shoulders and force my way off the road.

    "Wow, what is it, Master Will?

    "No, I thought we were going to hit each other.

    If you look at it, the carriage was rougher and faster than the one just seen.

    It seemed to be oblivious to the people on the road.

    Auriga thought it was a horrible driver, but the figure in the carriage was surprisingly kind.

    He doesn''t seem to be the type of man who speeds and commands his fellow travelers to kick the shit out of him. A girl similar in age to me is riding in the carriage and seems to be taking care of her.

    As I''m pondering this, another carriage is approaching. At the same speed, another carriage is coming along the road.

    This one looks dreadful, both for its driver and its riders.

    They were armed with armor and weapons, and some were clad in the furs of barbarians and mercenaries.

    I wondered if

    "I wonder if the girl in the carriage is being chased?

    I''ve come to the conclusion that.

    It''s a standard development in adventure novels, but as I''m not well versed in the common sense of the world below, I can''t make a quick decision, so I ask Lunamaria.

    What do you think of those two carriages, Lunamaria?¡¡I looked like a girl being chased,

    I''m blind, so I can''t make that much of a judgment, but if you ask me, Mr. Will, it must be true.

    Hmmm, I don''t want to be judged by me as a hick.

    "I am relying on Mr. Will''s sense of justice and chivalry. And also my propensity to get into trouble.

    Lunamar¨ªa laughs lightly.

    I know, I''ve been in a lot of trouble lately.

    But all that trouble has been solved, and as a result, the people we saved were all good people.

    "You think it will happen again?

    "Yes, I believe so,

    Lunamaria says with an interesting expression.

    If the Mother Goddess'' priestess assures you, you may believe her.

    It''s easier to believe in what she believes instead of believing in yourself.

    And if Ronin, the god of swords, is here.

    "Save the woman for now, she may have some good luck later.

    And if Vandal, the god of magic, would say

    "Since the beginning of time, those who attack women in numbers have never been justified.

    I would assert that.

    With that thought, I made up my mind and started running.

    Quite fast.

    Naturally, Lunamaria couldn''t keep up with it, but.

    I said I would turn around.

    "Lunamaria is able to pace herself,

    I understand. But don''t be too hard on yourself.

    I know.

    And then speed up further.

    The travelers watch me as I move at wind-like speed, but it''s only for a moment. In the blink of an eye, I''m out of sight.

    But still, it''s a human foot. At this rate, the distance between me and the carriage will only increase.

    So I decided to use magic.

    First, I''ll look above and see if there are any birds. I''ll borrow his vision when I see the hawk. It''s the magic of hawk-sighting.

    Once I know the approximate distance of the carriage, I use the math I learned from the Vandal to measure the distance and calculate how fast I need to fly in time.

    After calculating this, I chant the Flying spell and soar through the air.

    I am freed from gravity. You feel like you are one with the sky, but when you reach the center of the sky, you calmly look down and descend.

    Then I landed on the hood of the carriage the girl was riding in.

    Auriga is not surprised.

    Auriga was just groaning.

    And there''s an arrow in his back. It''s a non-fatal wound, but he''s lost consciousness from the amount of blood loss.

    I thought to myself, "This is bad," and I slipped my face through the hooded window.

    The girl who was watching me said, "Wow! And surprised .

    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to scare you. But you do realize that this is an emergency, right?

    Yes, and shake your head at the girl.

    "Do you also understand that I am not the enemy?

    "I understand that too. You have a very kind face, and the bad guys just don''t show their faces.

    "Well, that''s fast and helpful. So, can I borrow this carriage now and rough it up?

    I guess the girl believed me.

    No, under the circumstances, I guess I had to believe her, nodding my head.

    Thank goodness she talks so quickly.

    I sat down next to the unconscious Auriga and borrowed the reins, but it was there that I first piloted the carriage.

    --Then I realize for the first time that I''ve never piloted a carriage before.

    What should I do, I thought, when a girl came along.

    Just in time, you move Auriga backward, lay her down, put her beside you, and ask her, "How did you get here?

    "It''s great that you''re galloping here, but I''ve never been in a carriage before.

    I am the daughter of the House of Anaheim. I''ve never driven a carriage before, of course.

    You too, you look weak.

    But I''ve always watched the controls from behind. I think pulling here will slow it down.

    And the daughter of the Anaheim family advised me to follow her advice, and I did indeed slow down.

    I thought to myself, "I can handle this.

    After hearing the general idea of how to steer the carriage, I decided to confront the rogue carriage approaching behind me.

 24 horse-drawn chase

    For the first time in my life, I was able to pilot a carriage.

    I often rode on the back of Schultz the wolf on Table Mountain, and Schultz was easy to ride because he could make his own decisions and move.

    The world below is a total inconvenience.

    I pouted in my mind and stared at the rogue carriage alongside me.

    On the other side of the carriage, the villainous driver looked vicious.

    Were you lurking in the carriage, boy?

    We came from the sky.

    But you won''t believe me.

    Well, a little boy like you is no bodyguard. Just give up and stop the carriage. And I''ll let you live.

    "I mean, this girl, uh, what''s your name?

    and ask the daughter of the Anaheim family.

    "I am Karen. I am the daughter of a Northwood merchant family.

    It''s a nice name.

    She says, "Thank you," and her cheeks tint.

    I smile back and turn back to the crooks and say, "You guys are going to do terrible things to Karen, aren''t you?

    "You guys are going to catch Karen and do terrible things to her. I can''t give her to you.

    "I won''t do anything terrible.

    What are you doing then?

    We''re just doing a favor for a rival merchant of the Anaheim family. They want us to capture their daughter Karen and take her hostage. We''ll take her and keep her as a hostage.

    "What if her dad doesn''t listen to that guy?

    Then every day, I''ll just cut off one finger and send it to you until you do what I say.

    The rascal declares so with a sneaky smile.

    Karen turns pale.

    "Negotiations are off. No, it''s a declaration of war. I will not go easy on evildoers like you.

    If I heard those words, Ronin would be celebrating and Miria would be taking pictures with her photographic paper.

    That much was obvious, but I didn''t care and moved the carriage body to the side.

    Our bodies hit the crooks'' carriage and the crooks get upset.

    "Are you stupid, you''re going to die with Karen!

    "No way, I have a secret. I just scared him a little before I tried the trick. Give up if you want to live.

    What a brave little shit. But it''s your lucky day when you get close.

    And then I see a figure from the rogue''s carriage jumping over to me.

    To deal with it, I temporarily leave the wheel of the carriage to Karen.

    She''s like, "What?¡¡Huh? I''m upset, but I say, "Just hold on".

    "I saw with my Takami magic earlier, it''s a straight shot ahead. There''s a bit of interesting terrain ahead, but we''ll settle it before then.

    I say casually.

    It''s an emergency, and she was even interested in piloting the plane, so I say "yes," and with a dangerous "yes," I tighten my grip on the reins with a dangerous hand.

    I''m reassured by that, and I confront the villain in the hood. He''s clutching his dagger.

    He jumped on our wagon in that situation, so he has a lot of physical strength and courage.

    He''s not to be underestimated as a rogue.

    In fact, this rascal was quite a force to be reckoned with.

    As the carriage swayed, he wielded his dagger with great dexterity.

    They traded shots, but not more than a few.

    If I were an ordinary man. If I hadn''t been raised by the gods, I might have been able to do what I wanted, but I was a man educated by the strongest gods.

    I am accustomed to fighting in such a rocky place.

    I remember training with Ronin, the god of swordsmanship, on the buffalo.

    Compared to that, the swaying of the carriage on the street was nothing.

    Keeping my equilibrium in check, I raised my dagger at my hip and swung it at his dagger.

    It was a battle between two daggers, but my dagger was a mithril dagger made of sterling silver, while his was an iron dagger, and the match was decided from the start.

    Crack, the dagger of the rascal cracked.

    A man with a shocked expression on his face.

    "What a stupid, weapons-destroying technique!¡¡What the hell is this thing?

    I''m a disciple of the greatest God of all time.

    Then I quickly jumped into the man''s bosom and pressed lightly on his chest.

    That was enough in the shaky car.

    The man loses his balance and staggers backward.

    He heads for the open carriage door and falls from there.

    He tumbles to the ground.

    In the blink of an eye, the man is getting smaller and smaller.

    He gets smaller and smaller.

    He doesn''t appear to be dead, but he''s probably hurt pretty badly. He''s on a roll, but he''s not playing for wins.

    I walk back to the young lady, who is stiff and will be holding the reins.

    When I returned, sure enough, Karen was frozen.

    In the height of her nervousness, she patted her chest as I took the reins from her.

    "I didn''t feel alive.

    And be relieved.

    She scurries backwards and sees that the thug is gone.

    You were defeated in the blink of an eye. That''s great. --Uh, what''s your name?

    "Will. It''s just Will. He''s a commoner.

    "Then you are indeed Mr. Will. Impressive. Or maybe he''s a famous swordsman or something?

    "I''m a complete unknown. I don''t think there are more than ten people who know my name.

    So this is where you make a name for yourself.

    And smiling Karen.

    I knew that was the case when I met her, but she seems like an optimist. Even under these circumstances, she keeps smiling.

    Then I''m sure she''ll laugh and forgive me for the plan I''m about to make. So I ask her.

    "What I''m about to do is pretty dangerous and will destroy this carriage, okay?

    I''m fine.

    That''s a quick answer.

    "Yes, I have full confidence in you, Mr. Will. I trust him so much that if he asked me to marry him tomorrow, I would be happy to do so.

    I don''t make those kinds of demands.

    And letting out a smile, they both smiled at the same time.

    Meanwhile, Lunamaria, who is quite backward. A chill runs down her spine.

    ...... "Mmm, I have a bad feeling. I''ve got a bad feeling about a woman approaching Master Will.

    And mumbled in his chest, but was looking ahead to the end of the street quite anxiously, although it was unclear what was going on. I was listening closely.

 25 Karen, daughter of the trade house

    I defeated the thugs who got into the carriage, but I''m not proud.

    There are still a few rogues left in the enemy''s carriage, and among them is a mercenary with an oriental samurai blade.

    The one who can master the curved sword, called the Japanese sword, is generally a powerful enemy.

    It reminds me of Ronin, the man who raised me. And what he said.

    Remember, no matter how strong you get, never let your guard down. Especially when there are so many of them. You only have two eyes in front of you, man.

    This is the secret of the Ronin style of swordsmanship.

    Fight one on one as much as possible, was Ronin''s teaching.

    And to avoid battle is the essence of the goddess of healing and magic.

    I remember the Vandal''s words.

    "Look, Will. One day you will be drawn into a battle for no good reason, but don''t think that swordplay and magic will solve everything. The most powerful thing in the world is wisdom.

    "Wisdom?

    As a child I asked Vandal, the god of magic.

    Oh, yes. Wisdom. The wisest man is one who does not rely on force but on wisdom. A brave man. One man can fight an army of ten thousand alone with wisdom.

    "An army of 10,000. .

    At the time I was so taken aback by Vandal''s words, but now I realize that he was right.

    Force is not everything.

    To prove it, and to put it into practice, I increased the speed of the carriage.

    I stand in front of the rogue''s carriage and drive them backward.

    Watching this, Karen''s face turns pale.

    She points forward.

    "Will, Master Will, you''re going too fast. We''re going too fast.

    If you look, you can see the cliff a few hundred meters away.

    There are sharp curves. If we keep going, the wagon will fall into the river.

    That''s okay, I have an idea. The problem is making sure the thugs don''t know the cliff exists.

    So you''re blocking the way.

    That''s right.

    But it''s all well and good to send the thugs down that cliff, but we''ll fall too. And the horses.

    "It''s okay.

    I take out the dagger and cut a slit where the horse is connected to the carriage.

    Now he should be able to swim by himself if he falls in the river. Horses are better swimmers than I thought.

    "Horses are nice, but what about us?¡¡I''m ashamed to say that I can''t swim.

    "It''s okay, we''ll fly.

    "Flying?

    I put my hand around the waist of the young lady, who was doing her best, and held her. Auriga....

    Wow. I''m surprisingly strong.

    And oddly enough, the young lady is impressed.

    I chuckle and walk straight out of the carriage.

    You won''t fall to the ground and roll around like the thugs before. That''s because I used the magic of flying.

    Normally, the flying spell makes an individual jump. It cannot make others fly.

    It makes your body as light as a feather and makes you flap your wings.

    But my flying is different.

    It''s the original magic invented by the god of magic, the Vandal.

    I studied and refined the magic of flight and that special magic was my flight.

    I could carry a grown man and a merchant girl as easily as I could fly.

    We would soar through the sky without rolling to the ground.

    And from there I''ll keep an eye on the whereabouts of the carriage.

    And sure enough, the thugs are chasing our carriage, not slowing down.

    They don''t seem to know that there''s a cliff ahead of us.

    Our carriage goes into the cliff, and the thugs'' carriage goes into the cliff too.

    The ruffians are thrown into the river.

    Woe is the horses of the scoundrels, but it is also a wicked idea to settle things without any sacrifice.

    It is the scoundrels and the merchants who hired them that should be angry.

    I change my mind and get down to the ground.

    Then I notice Karen staring at me.

    Did she hurt something?

    Or is she just too scared to do anything about it?

    When I ask her, she says she''s not.

    I was just admiring how nice you looked at ....... He''s like a legendary hero.

    "I''m honored to be compared to a brave man.

    Returning without incident, I shifted my gaze to her driver.

    I had almost forgotten that he was seriously injured.

    If I didn''t heal him right away, it would be fatal.

    With that in mind, I pull the arrow from his back and pour the holy power into it.

    You must cast a recovery spell made by Milia, the goddess of healing.

    In no time at all, the wounds are closing up.

    Seeing this, Karen rolls her eyes.

    Wow. I see you can also use sacred magic.

    I''m just doing a little apprenticeship.

    "It''s not that good. It''s a healing spell more powerful than the city''s priests.

    Karen is surprised.

    Well, we can''t say it''s a direct transmission from God, so we''ll have to be humble, but as we''re having this exchange, a familiar face comes from a distance.

    It''s Luna Maria.

    She''s breathing on my shoulder. She seems to have come at full speed.

    Ha ha ha ......" she said under her breath, "That''s my boy Will. I ran as fast as I could and I didn''t realize that you have already killed the rascals ......".

    You don''t need to be so breathless in your praise, but just in case, I''d like to introduce you.

    Karen, I would like to introduce you. This is my friend, Luna Maria.

    "This is Luna Maria from ''The Squire''

    Smiling. She seems to have an insistence on being a squire.

    Karen holds the hem of her skirt and says, "It''s a pleasure to meet you, Master Luna Maria. I am Karen Anaheim. Daughter of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce in the City of Northwoods.

    And smiled back.

    Karen noticed that Lunamaria''s gaze was off.

    "I wonder if you are ...... blind?

    She asks in a whisper. She nods because it''s true.

    Then Karen reaches out and takes Lunamar¨ªa''s hand in hers.

    "Thank you again, Squire Will. Let''s have a nice trip to the Northwoods.

    Well, has Master Will already bought your bodyguard?

    Lunamaria asks, but Karen shakes her head with mischievous eyes.

    She looks at me and says in a conciliatory tone, "I didn''t make an appointment, but someone as good as Will left me and my driver alone.

    I haven''t made any promises, but I don''t believe Master Will would leave me and my constellation unattended. I''m sure he''ll take you to the house.

    --Yeah?

    And then he adds, "Karen.

    It''s a bit forceful, but you certainly can''t leave her so far in the dark.

    I need to get her safely to the mansion in Northwood, or she''ll be awake.

    So I''ll take over the escort to the house.

    Karen jumps up and down when she hears that.

    I can lightly see the edge of the drawers.

    This is something Luna Maria would never do, but I''m learning that there are girls like this in the world below.

    (In a way, she''s just like Mother Militia.)

    With this in mind, we decided to head for the city of Northwoods.

 26 northward journey

    Northwood is the largest city north of Table Mountain.

    I knew it existed from the map Vandal had in his possession.

    It was close enough that on a clear day, I could climb up the mountain on a single cedar to get the outline.

    I had always wanted to go there someday, but I had never dreamed that I would head out this way.

    I''m now escorting the daughter of Anaheim''s merchant girl to the Northwoods.

    Squire Luna Maria and I, the three of us.

    Karen''s cabman, a middle-aged man, has been sent to stay in a nearby village to heal his arrow wounds.

    When Karen returned to the house, the plan was to have her housekeeper carry her back to the house.

    So this is the first trip of my life.

    Jumping up and down Karen.

    Apparently it''s fun to travel without company.

    I was excited about my first trip, too, and I could understand that feeling.

    When I told her I was excited, she asked me where I came from.

    "Why do you travel, Mr. Will?

    I get a straight face that says.

    I see the look on Luna Maria''s face and she nods lightly.

    I think it would be okay to tell her about the purpose of my trip and my birth, so I tell her.

    I tell her, "Well, you know. It''s a long story, but the short version is that I was raised by the gods who live on Table Mountain.

    Karen said, "Seriously! and puts his hand to his mouth.

    It is widely known that the gods live in Table Mountain, but this is the first time I''ve heard of children being raised by the gods.

    You''re like a celebrity. I was raised by a famous person.

    No wonder he''s so strong. Trained by Ronin, the god of swords, he has the wisdom of the Vandal, the god of magic.

    And the gentleness is due to Milia, the goddess of healing," he continued.

    Thank you. My mother and father trained me strictly from an early age.

    Yes, I can see that. He''s no ordinary man, judging by his movements. And how did this Son of God get down here?

    It was brought to Lunamaria.

    Our eyes are drawn to Lunamaria.

    Lunamaria clears her throat and begins to explain.

    I was orphaned by the Mother God and went to Table Mountain. There I met Master Will, the bravest of the brave, who had the potential to be a great hero.

    It''s true that Mr. Will is very talented.

    The two of you get on well with each other.

    My ultimate goal is to prevent the resurrection of the Demon King from coming back.

    "The demon king will return?

    Karen''s astonished face. I''m surprised, too.

    "You haven''t told me anything about that,

    "Sorry I was silent.

    Why?

    The gods of Table Mountain were so overprotective that I thought you might object to my departure if I told you. ......

    ...... That''s a fair observation.

    Ronin, the swordsmith Ronin, raising his voice

    Miria, the Goddess of Healing, who wonders

    I can see the figure of Vandal, the god of magic, opening his big mouth.

    In fact, Mother God informed me of the existence of a hero who would save this world, but she also suggested the existence of a darkness that covers this world. It seems that a group of pagans are plotting the resurrection of the Demon King.

    That''s the same group that attacked Lunamaria.

    Yes, they are plotting to resurrect the Demon King.

    "What happens if the Demon King comes back?

    ...... The world will be shrouded in darkness. It is the second coming of the Holy Demon War.

    That''s not good. ......

    The Holy Demon War is the name of the war between the gods and the demon king in the age of the gods.

    The gods led the race of light and the demon king fought with his dark kindred.

    It was so fierce that the battle changed the topography of this world, but the gods sacrificed a great deal to seal off the demon king.

    Incidentally, I heard that Mother Militia also participated in this war, but she doesn''t tell me much about it.

    It''s a horrible war. ......" when asked, she only gives a distant look.

    It''s a big deal if the demon king comes back. We have to do something to stop him.

    That''s why I have to go around the world. That''s why I have to go around the world to prevent the resurrection of the Demon King and to gain the strength to fight against him if he does return.

    So you''re going to find the Holy Sword in the northern part of the Kingdom of Midonia.

    Yes, the immediate goal is to draw that holy sword and make it an asset.

    Satisfied, I extend my gaze to Karen.

    I thought she would know more about the holy sword.

    ''''Karen is from the north, isn''t she?¡¡Do you know anything about the Holy Sword?

    Karen is stunned to hear that word.

    At first I thought it was because I''d never heard the word "holy sword" before, but that''s not the case.

    On the contrary, lately it seems that not a day goes by when you don''t hear the word "holy sword".

    What does this mean?¡¡When asked, she smiled and said, "This is a revelation.

    This is a revelation. Maybe I''ll become a part of your lore.

    Ahem, and after turning his chest back, he adds.

    The Holy Sword is now the property of Anaheim Corporation.

    To be precise, we own the land where the holy sword is stuck.

    says Karen. I''m surprised, but Luna Maria isn''t.

    When I ask her why, she says, "I thought it would be something like this".

    "Will is proceeding in the shortest way possible to be guided.

    Surrounded by the grace and blessings of God. I knew it would be easy to reach the Holy Sword.

    It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for, but it''s not a good idea to have a good idea of what you''re looking for.

    (......) I''m not a brave man.

    Will they be able to pull off the holy sword: ....... I''m sure that even if I did, I wouldn''t be able to equip it.

    It reminds me of the novel "The Legend of the Holy Sword" that was in the Vandal''s study.

    The holy sword stuck in the rock is specialized equipment for the brave. They seem to have forgotten that.

    But watching the two girls happily talking about the holy sword, I couldn''t help but feel that I couldn''t help.

    If Will-sama equipped the holy sword, he might cut the world in half," I walked behind them as they talked.

 27 Kukuriko Village

    Three men and a woman head north on the road, but never seem to get tangled up with bandits.

    Lunamar¨ªa chuckles at the mention of it.

    "Master Will, it''s not a story, you don''t have to meet the enemy every time you walk.

    It''s hard to believe that a saintly woman whose encounter was surrounded by enemies.

    Karen laughs too, but she had the same kind of encounter.

    But Karen ignores them and says proudly, "This is the security of the Midonian kingdom.

    This Midonian kingdom is one of the safest in the world. It''s so safe that a woman can travel alone if she doesn''t leave the streets.

    It is.

    Runamaria following.

    I came alone from the temple and didn''t see any demons, except when I went off the road by mistake.

    I see, that''s what it''s all about.

    There were certainly guardhouses and cavalry patrols every few kilometers.

    The roads are paved and well paved, and there''s nothing shady about them.

    Well, it''s best if you don''t get into any trouble. It''s important to be safe.

    Yes.

    And the ladies who nodded their heads in approval, but not to get into trouble, but to cause trouble.

    After a few hours of walking, Miss Karen sits there and flounders.

    Ugh, I''m so tired. Let''s take a break.

    Hearing those words, Lunamaria lowers her eyebrows.

    She lets out a breath.

    "...... Ms. Karen, didn''t you just take a break and utter the same line earlier?

    Yes, but a tired thing is a tired thing. Will, please give me a piggyback ride.

    Karen opens her hands and asks for me, but I can''t put her on my back because Lunamaria is in great shape.

    She seemed to be glaring at me through her mask, telling me that I shouldn''t spoil her.

    The look on her face was frightening, and it was certainly not good to spoil her too much, so I told her to walk on her own two feet, and Karen blurted out, "d*mn it ......" and started trudging along, but that was only for five minutes.

    I can''t do it~. I can''t walk anymore. My legs are sticks. Let''s stay in a nearby village.

    Karen makes such a suggestion, but sure enough, the area is dyed red.

    We need to set up camp or find a place to stay.

    I don''t feel comfortable leaving the young lady out in the field, and since she''s wealthy, I can''t afford to pay for the accommodation.

    I''ve decided to arrange a place to stay, but the journey of a few kilometers to the village seems to be difficult for her now.

    I''m thirsty. I want to drink juice.

    Karen looks hungrily at my back as she wriggles around.

    Lunamaria is dumbfounded and wondering if I should carry her on my back.

    I was going to do the same, but then an idea popped into my head.

    Now that you mention it, there''s a tradition I''ve been meaning to try.

    Is it a legacy?

    Yes, I have a book about an alternate universe that my dad had, and there''s an episode in it.

    "What episode is that?

    A hero named Cao Cao encouraged his thirsty soldiers that there was a plum tree on the other side of the hill. Then the soldiers thought of plum trees and salivated.

    I see, you''re imitating it.

    Nodding, I whisper to Karen, "Yeah," she says.

    "There''s a peach tree on the other side of the hill,

    Hearing those words, Karen''s face lit up from her groggy expression.

    "Peaches are eaten by the wise men of the East, right? I wonder how sweet they are.

    He stood up and ran across the hill at a trot.

    "You''re a cash girl,

    Luna Maria smiling at the scene.

    I let out a smile as we agreed and slowly walked up the hill.

    Karen looked down at us from the top of the hill and

    "This way!

    And waved them off.

    After climbing the hill and walking a few hundred meters, Karen puffed out her cheeks with a "pukhhhhhh".

    She looks at me and chastises me.

    "Master Will is a wicked one. He''s a liar. He tricked me out of my innocence.

    I''m sorry, I''m sorry, but you could still walk.

    "...... it is,

    The village is in sight, and we can stay there and have some juice.

    "Do you have peach juice?

    I can''t promise that, but I can get a hot meal too.

    Karen rubs her belly when she hears of a hot meal.

    She looks hungry.

    It''s been a long time since we''ve had a hot meal. We haven''t had a hot meal since the day before yesterday when we were so frightened of the attackers that we couldn''t find a place to stay.

    You''ve been on the run, haven''t you?

    Rest assured. With Mr. Will, every thug is a twist.

    And Lunamar¨ªa proudly says, arriving at the village.

    "This is a village. I''ve never seen a human settlement before.

    At the entrance of the village, there was a sign that said "Welcome to Kukuriko Village.

    The village is famous for its pumpkins".

    It seems to be a friendly and homey village.

    I walked into the village with a lot of excitement.

 28 pumpkin dish

    The village of Kukuriko, famous for its pumpkins, is a village at the foot of Table Mountain.

    The population is about 200 people.

    It is a small village located at the foot of Table Mountain.

    Its specialty is pumpkins, as mentioned above.

    It is also very close to the highway, so it seems to have a function as a post town. There were several inns.

    It''s hard to decide which inn to stay at.

    Karen and I said, "How about this inn with a sign that says, "This rest 40 shill"?

    and points to a fancy inn, but Lunamaria shakes her head.

    "Master Will, that''s not going to work.

    And a determined tone. I heard later that this is a guesthouse.

    I knew what it meant from the novel and I blushed.

    So we safely chose the inn for 60 shillings per night, including dinner and breakfast.

    When you enter the inn, the landlady brings you a tub of hot water. She said you can wash your feet with it to recover from your fatigue.

    Just follow the directions and you will certainly feel relieved.

    If you need more hot water, take two baths. Eight sills if you need to take a bath.

    I want to take a bath!¡¡And since Karen insists on renting a bath as well.

    Lunamar¨ªa seems to want to discourage extravagance, but doesn''t seem willing to refuse what the sponsors are willing to pay.

    When heading to the bathroom, she seemed happy to murmur, "I can wash my hair for the first time in a long time ......".

    This is the kind of thing that makes her a girl too.

    But I like baths too, so after they''re done, I thankfully give them to you and head to the dining room.

    We''re going to have dinner.

    The dinner the inn has prepared for us is a sumptuous one, mainly made of pumpkin.

    Pumpkin and pork stew.

    Fried pumpkin.

    Pumpkin pudding and bread with pumpkin kneaded into it was slightly sweet.

    I used to eat pumpkins in the mountains, but the taste of pumpkins in the region was very different.

    Karen seemed to be satisfied and even took a second helping of the pudding.

    On the other hand, Luna Maria ate small meals or rather very slowly.

    She was praying long before the meal.

    It is said that in the temple of Mother Earth, it was customary to be grateful for food, but it was not the custom to cook good food.

    She ate only mashed potatoes and green peas every day.

    Karen sympathizes with the "poor ......" but she doesn''t seem bothered and eats her food silently.

    However, she does have a taste for good food and occasionally smiles and says, "It''s delicious.

    As you watch her eat, you finish your meal.

    All you have to do now is to go back to your room and sleep.

    Since money is plentiful, I have reserved separate rooms for men and women.

    But when I tell Karen about it, she laments, "It''s so boring. I''d like to sleep next to you," she says.

    It''s a radical statement, but when Lunamaria glares at her, "...... Ms. Karen," she withdraws and heads to her room alone.

    When she''s gone, Lunamaria lets out a breath of air, "Fufu ......".

    She''s the type of woman you would never find in the temple, so she''s hard to handle.

    "I don''t know much about the world below, but I know she''s special.

    That''s right.

    But the fact remains that she too is an eccentric.

    Praying for a long time after a meal, let alone before a meal, would be considered an oddity.

    It''s not surprising that she is a priestess of the Earth Mother Goddess.

    We had a goddess at home, but we never prayed before a meal.

    I''m sorry.

    Miria is the goddess of healing. She is the goddess of earth''s fertility. We give thanks to her for the blessings of the earth.

    I see. Where is the cult of Mother God, by the way?

    It is on the south side of Table Mountain.

    Then it''s the opposite direction.

    That''s true. If you''re going to head out, it might be faster to cut through the mountains.

    If you need me, I''ll do it. I know a lot of loopholes in the mountains.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    I continue to ask her questions.

    ''Is it on the orders of a high ranking member of the Order that you are to be my follower?

    "No, the High Priestess Flora opposed my departure. Master Flora has treated me like a daughter.

    So why the trip?

    Because there was an oracle of the Earth Mother Goddess

    "An oracle. Is it something you dream about?

    It can take many forms. Sometimes it''s told to you in a dream, sometimes it''s told to you in broad daylight, and suddenly it echoes in your brain.

    "Does the oracle give other priestesses the same?

    It seems to be a rare gift, but it''s rare to hear the voice of God as often as I do.

    That''s why they call her "The Blind Master" in the temple. I think I''m being spotted.

    But it must be hard to travel alone if you''re blind.

    No, it''s not. I''m blind, but my hearing is good instead. That''s enough to make up for it. Also, my blindness brings me closer to God. I feel as if Mother Earth is always with me and I can feel her breath.

    Then she clasped her hands and prayed.

    She has a unique aura of the saint.

    Her divinity is so remarkable that you''d like to make your mother drink the nail polish, but you keep it in your mind, and then Lunamaria continues, "And--" she says.

    Now I have a brave man named Will with me. Nothing could be more reassuring.

    As long as I''m around, I''ll do my best to protect you, but I''m not a brave man.

    "Then it is safe to have a great hero on your side.

    And a smiling girl.

    She seems to trust me with everything.

    When I see that smile, I''m driven to chivalry.

    "Well, whether I''m a great hero or not, I''d like to be called a hero.

    Dad Ronin always says, "Be a man who can give 120%", not for yourself, but for others.

    Be a man who can give 120%" not for himself, but for others.

    For a girl named Lunamaria, he could have given her "123%".

    When I told her that, she smiled as if a flower had bloomed.

 29 ones daily life

    Drink tea infused with pumpkin seeds with Luna Maria.

    They each have a refill, drink up, and then return to their rooms.

    Take a quick peek at the ladies'' room, but it''s a twin bedroom. Karen has changed into a negligee and is sleeping "cooing".

    I''m sure she''s tired.

    And that was the word of Lunamar¨ªa.

    It must be.

    Nodding my head, I quietly closed the door and went back to my room, but it was Karen''s ploy.

    She woke up in the middle of the night, just as Luna Maria had fallen asleep, and headed to the communal bathroom.

    She would finish up there and not go back to her room, but open my room.

    I''m not in the habit of locking myself in my room, and it opens easily.

    Karen looks at me in my sleep and

    "Hmmm, you have a low guard, Master Will.

    And then, with a suspicious and lustrous expression on his face, he crawls into my bed.

    --Then she hugs my back and keeps the momentum going and does ...... nothing.

    I''ll sleep with you. I''m going to sleep with you.

    Karen is a princess in a good way. She''s very modest.

    And I''m so tired today.

    I''m not in the mood for that kind of thing.

    Karen was also reasonably sensitive to the subtleties of others, and she knew firsthand that this boy, Will, was not very good at that sort of thing.

    ...... I don''t want Master Will to hate me, so that''s it for today. But I''m going to enjoy a good portion of Will''s time by giving him a good smooch on the back.

    And hugged his back as hard as he could.

    Soon after that, I went to sleep, but the next morning, when Luna Maria arrived first thing in the morning after noticing that Karen was gone, she got angry and said, "What are unmarried men and women doing?

    What are unmarried men and women doing?

    The words were directed at me, even though I am apologetic, because I am not so sorry, but Karen is nowhere to be seen.

    Lunamar¨ªa must be dying to do the same thing. I''m not going to hog Master Will for myself. Now, let''s sleep together until breakfast is ready.

    And tell them that there is space available in the opposite direction.

    At those words, Lunamar¨ªa raises an eyebrow and says, "Mm-hmm," but eventually succumbs to temptation.

    Wordlessly, she walks in next to me and lets out a cooing sound in her sleep.

    Thus, I am surrounded by beautiful women on both sides.

    I''m not immune to women.

    I was accustomed to the softness of women''s bodies and their sweet smells since Mom used me as her pillow, but still, the saint named Luna Maria and the young lady Karen were exceptional.

    They were softer and smelled so much better than Mom''s.

    Disgusted by the tense girls, I let them do their thing and, per Karen''s suggestion, I fell asleep until breakfast.

    Woken up by a knock at the innkeeper''s door, I headed to the dining room.

    The menu consisted of bacon and eggs, bread, consomme soup, and yogurt.

    It was a standard meal.

    I don''t have much of an appetite in the morning, so this was good enough for me.

    Did you eat like this on the mountain?

    Karen asks me questions while eating a piece of bread.

    Yeah, well. . but sometimes, on the days when Ronin Dad would complain about wanting Japanese food, it would be Japanese food.

    "Washok ......?

    You look at me curiously.

    Japanese food is the food of the island nation of Penglai in the east. They drink rice instead of bread and miso soup instead of soup. For side dishes, grilled salted salmon or something else is the standard.

    "Well, that''s healthy.

    It''s not only healthy, it''s also very tasty. The sweetness of the rice and the flavor of the miso are worthy of special mention.

    Drooling lady. She seems to be a gourmand.

    When she gets back to the house, she declares she''ll have a cook make it for her.

    Well, I hear rice and miso are hard to come by around here.

    "So how do you get it?¡¡In Will''s House.

    "My dad is really into fermented foods. Miso is homemade. He ferments soybeans. Father Ronin would bring in bales of rice on his way to train.

    Suffice it to say, you have a hell of a lot of fathers.

    My mother often buys lotion from the land of Penglai. Well, it''s definitely not a normal house.

    When I let out a wry smile, I said, "Oh, talking about Mom and Dad makes me want to see them. I wonder if Mom and Dad are having dinner now.

    I let out a lightly homesick line, but it doesn''t mean I really want to go back.

    I''m still more adventurous in my mind.

    As proof, I finish my breakfast and itch to leave the inn.

    I can''t wait to get to the Northwoods town where Karen''s house is located.

    So, after finishing your meal, you cheer them on as you hurry to get out of the inn.

    Looking up, you can see endless blue skies. It was a perfect day for a trip.

    Meanwhile, on Table Mountain--a battle breaks out over breakfast.

    A battle has broken out over breakfast at Table Mountain.

    Meals in the abode of the gods are on a rotational system, with everyone taking turns, but today Ronin, the god of swords, is in charge.

    He boldly makes rice balls of codfish and kelp for everyone, but that''s the source of the problem.

    Ronin had inadvertently made a portion for Will as well.

    But the source of the conflict was not who would eat the leftover food, but the heartbreak of Milia, the goddess of healing, was gouged out when she saw the onigiri placed in the middle of nowhere.

    She cried, "Oooh!" and said, "That''s why I don''t like brainiac Ronin. You have no delicacy," she complains.

    Ronin must have been upset that I was gone.

    I say, "Why do you have so much makeup on?

    She has a lot of make-up on. This goddess is the most natural makeup artist in the world. The other day, the goddess of conspiracy hit on me to tell me how beautiful my skin is.

    "You''ve got rotten eyes, haven''t you?¡¡Or was it any woman?

    "What?

    Goddess standing on end. There was a flurry of emotions, but it was the elder god who calmed the situation.

    The Vandal, the god of magic, stood up silently.

    Enough, you two. Will has only been gone a few days. What are we going to do at this rate?

    "Hmm, this house isn''t worth anything without Will. I smell like sweat and I smell like I''m getting old.

    Do what you want. But will you at least go home. Do you want to not see him then?

    "Mugu

    And the goddess of silence. I''ll be torn apart if I can''t see Will, and I''ll be silent.

    But she''s not silent until the end. You''re going to eat a rice ball for Will to make up for the loss of appetite.

    Well, okay. Will''s face is solemnly forgiven. Huh, but my little Will. I hope he''s eating his breakfast.

    "You don''t need to worry about that. There''s a girl named Luna Maria with him. She''s older than Will, and she''s solid. She''ll make a good sisterly wife.

    "...... Hmm, how can an old man be Will''s wife?

    Tung, said back, Miria gulped down the miso soup in her cup. She doesn''t like bowls, so she drinks the miso soup in a cup, too.

    Now, this is how the gods were having their breakfast.

    She was having the same ''routine'' as always, except that her beloved son was gone.

 30 the city of Northwood

    Leaving the village of Kukuriko.

    Return to the main road and continue north.

    Where is the Northwoods town with the Cullen house?

    But Lunamar¨ªa shakes her head, asking, "I don''t know.

    I don''t know. I don''t carry a map because I''m blind.

    I see, so--

    and Karen''s own face, but she''s also very puzzled. The young lady is not very good at geography.

    I have no choice but to ask a merchant walking the streets.

    The middle-aged merchant is happy to help you.

    If you keep walking straight down the street you''ll be there tomorrow. Even if it''s a woman''s foot.

    Karen is a little chuffed at the word "woman''s feet," but the fact remains that Karen''s feet are slow.

    I thank the merchant.

    "Thank you. That''s very kind of you.

    With a bow of the head, the merchant

    "You are a polite boy nowadays. Are you traveling with your sister and sister?¡¡Take good care of him.

    The words.

    I think she thinks we''re brother and sister.

    I wonder if Luna Maria is her sister and Karen is her sister.

    You''re right that Karen is tiny, so it''s natural to assume that, and then Karen gets angry.

    That''s rude. Master Will and I are not brother and sister. We''re engaged to be married.

    but there are no more merchants.

    He seems to be complaining to me.

    I wonder when Karen and I got engaged, but it would be too long to argue, so I ignore it and continue north.

    True to the merchant''s word, we found a milestone on the way. The stone said a few kilometers to the Northwoods.

    If we continued on, we would arrive tonight, but we didn''t want to overwhelm the ladies, so we took a hotel in the inn town.

    You will spend the night there and the next morning you will enter the city of Northwoods.

    So this is the city of Northwoods.

    Overlooking the walled city.

    It is very unusual because there were no walls in the village of Cuklico or in the inn town. Of course, they are not in Table Mountain either.

    Wow, so this is the city wall. So it goes all the way around. I wonder if it''s there to protect the city.

    Yes, it is. These walls have always protected our city.

    Karen, a resident of the city, explains to me, "It''s not only that, it also collects taxes from the people who do business in the city.

    Not only that, but they also collect taxes from the people who do business in the city.

    and pointing.

    Indeed, there are guards at the entrance of the gate, confirming that the merchant carrying the goods has a bill of passage.

    If you don''t have a bill of sale, you can''t enter the city. We also charge a tax on the merchandise for issuing the bills of passage.

    Okay, so that''s how you collect taxes. --But we don''t have a bill of goods.

    "It''s okay,

    And Karen takes out a bill from her pocket.

    This is a special bill issued by the lord of this city. You can enter not only this city, but any city in this country.

    "Karen''s parents must have a lot of power,

    But his words are true, and half of the places you pass from now on are plastered with the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce logo.

    It seems that she is the daughter of the best trading company in the city.

    In fact, when the gatekeeper found out that Karen is the daughter of the House of Anaheim, he was very polite and attentive.

    You won''t be searched for your belongings like other passersby. It''s almost a face pass.

    "That''s the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

    Lunamaria also let out a sigh.

    In the town where she stopped on her way to Table Mountain, she was groped by an unassociable guard.

    I sympathize that it''s hard for a woman to travel alone, to experience such indiscipline and indiscipline, and I walked through the Northwoods gate.

    Karen''s family home, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, is located on a main street in the heart of Northwood.

    Right next to City Hall, a building even more magnificent than City Hall looms. Many merchants bustled in and out of the building.

    Naturally, you''d expect Karen to go there, but she''s not.

    A curious look explains to me.

    This is your father''s office. This is your father''s workplace, and he has trained you from an early age not to enter here without permission.

    I''m sure you have a lot to offer. I''m sure Karen''s father would want to know that his daughter is safe.

    It''s okay. I''ll be at home at this time.

    Looking at the big clock in City Hall, it is 9:00 am. He''s still at home at this hour.

    My father''s style is to have a wake-up morning coffee and go to business elegantly.

    I say. I ask her if it''s what''s called executive attendance, and she admits that it is.

    We silently follow Karen to a corner off the main street.

    The buildings on the large lot are growing. This seems to be an upscale neighborhood in the Northwoods.

    The largest of these buildings is Karen''s parents'' house.

    When you see her parents'' house, a shadow jumps out of its gate.

    My Master!

    And a middle-aged man who is changing his appearance.

    His name is Johan.

    He seems to be the butler of the Anaheim family.

    "Oh, Johan, good to see you.

    Karen smiles, but Johan can''t afford it.

    "I was so worried about you, miss.

    I was just going to the next town over to run an errand.

    He''s disappeared, and he''s never been heard from again. What happened to you?

    Oh, that''s right. I couldn''t fulfill your father''s errand.

    He stuck out his tongue, but Johan didn''t get angry.

    "That''s all right. As long as the young lady is safe.

    The butler sighs with relief.

    He seems genuinely concerned.

    He was relieved to see the unfamiliar boy and the miko beside his beloved daughter, but then he looks askance.

    "--And who are these people?

    "These gentlemen are the ones who saved my life and the lives of Auriga.

    "My God, my lady!¡¡I mean, Miss, what''s going on?

    Karen explains to the butler, who changes his hue again, that this is the only way he''ll ever know.

    I mean, the Garde Guards attacked the young lady and these people saved her.

    To be exact, Master Will was warriors all by himself.

    Karen adds, but Lunamaria is not displeased.

    Rather, she''s proud to say that she was praised by me.

    The butler, who understands what''s going on, relaxes his expression and sits back, bowing deeply to me.

    "I understand the details, sir. So you are the lady''s benefactor. You owe the lady nothing but Johann''s, no, the Anaheim family.

    A butler who bows his head so low he almost rubs his forehead against the ground.

    He''s that happy that he saved the young lady.

    I''m going to tell the master that the young lady is safe. The sir will be very happy.

    And then he takes us to the mansion.

    We are shown to the guest room, where we say goodbye to Karen for a while.

    She tells her father that she''s okay and wants to play dress up and entertain me.

    She smiles at me and

    "The whole Anaheim family will be here for you. Please be prepared.

    And said mischievously.

    I wondered what kind of hospitality the best merchant in the city of Northwoods would be like.

    I waited for the moment, half curious, half scared.

 31 Victor of Anaheim Corporation

    Luna Maria and I are kneeling together in the drawing room of the mansion of the Lord of Anaheim Trading Company, Viktor Anaheim.

    She is drinking a cup of tea served in a leisurely manner.

    I envy her.

    Lunamaria is amazing, she doesn''t seem to mind being shown into such a luxurious room.

    "I am a blind priestess. It''s the same in the room of kings and nobles as it is in the room of a beggar.

    Oh, yeah, right.

    "That''s why I gave up the light. To realize that we are all equal before God. --Oh, of course, Master Will is different. Will is the most special person in the world.

    A priestess of unconcern.

    Well, we''re all special. To someone.

    To sum it up in general terms, I waited for Karen to come back.

    It would be about half an hour. It''s not Karen, but Johan coming back.

    A middle-aged man in a butler''s uniform enters the room and cryptically says, "The master is waiting in the parlor.

    The master is waiting for you in the parlor. He would very much like to thank you.

    No need to thank me.

    I can''t do that. He would like to entertain the lady''s life-saver.

    You look at Luna Maria, but she proceeds to accept the thanks honestly.

    A journey must come with a price. And I will need Mr. Viktor''s help with the holy sword.

    Yes. I think the Holy Sword is on Viktor''s land.

    Yes, let''s go get some information about that, too.

    and head to the parlor with both of them

    .

    There he was, "Is the ball tonight? It was so well dressed Karen and her father.

    The head of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, Viktor was a medium height, romance gray gentleman.

    He bore a striking resemblance to Karen.

    I guess Karen took after her father.

    Viktor greets me with both hands as I enter the room and says, "Oh, you''re the hero we''ve heard about.

    He''s likeable right from the start.

    "I would love to have you as my daughter-in-law, would you be free tomorrow?¡¡I would like to mend the groom''s outfit.

    "I''ll pass on that. Instead, I would like to ask a favor from Mr. Viktor.

    "What is it?¡¡I want to give my daughter''s benefactor the best possible accommodations.

    It was a reliable word, so I felt free to speak.

    As a matter of fact, we were looking for the Holy Sword and I overheard that it belonged to Mr. Viktor.

    "Oh, that''s the thing. Are you looking for the Holy Sword?¡¡Are you a brave man?

    No, I''m just a citizen.

    "Hmm, then you can''t find it and equip it, but

    and gives me a look at Viktor.

    I''ll give that look to Lunamaria.

    "Master Will may not have the proof of valor, but he will soon awaken as a hero. But I want to get the holy sword first.

    Viktor lets out a "hmm" at that word and puts a hand to his goatee. He seems like a realist merchant, skeptical of the Lunamar¨ªa''s words.

    People do not awaken so conveniently.

    That''s what I thought, too, but she has an unexpected ally.

    "Father, I agree with you, Lunamar¨ªa. Father, I agree with you, Lunamaria, that Will is a special man, and I have a feeling he will awaken as a brave man one day.

    Do you think so too?

    "Yes, I was convinced from the first moment I met him. I knew this man had a special destiny.

    I thought I was exaggerating, but Viktor was surprisingly serious.

    ...... Hmmm, my daughter has a talent for futures trading.

    And clap your hands.

    "All right, all right. I''ll take the word of my daughter and of this holy woman.

    and he gives me permission to give you the holy sword.

    "The holy sword is this boy''s. The holy sword is this boy''s. The Lord of the land in which it is stuck says so.

    I wasn''t sure if it was such an easy decision, but I didn''t think it would work out so well.

    I heard from Karen the other day that the holy sword is stuck in the land that belongs to Viktor. But it takes a brave man to pull it off.

    You would pull it off.

    That means you can pull it out and do what you want.

    Yes.

    "I see.

    And I put my hand on my chin too.

    (...... Well, you''d have to say that to my daughter''s benefactor, who doesn''t hurt to put it in her eyes.

    In any case, I''m not a brave man, so I''m stuck.

    That''s what the shrewd merchant master thinks.

    In fact, he was more concerned today with how to treat me than with the holy sword.

    The only people here who really think the sword will fall out are Karen and Lunamaria.

    I''m sorry to tell you two, but there''s just no way I can do it. Well, if they don''t actually pull it off, they''ll give up).

    So I decided to forget about the holy sword and focus on how to fend off Karen''s marriage proposal during the Anaheim family''s hospitality.

    It''s not that I''m not interested in getting married, but I can''t just marry her when I''ve just traveled.

    I wanted to see at least half the world before deciding on my lifelong companion.

    I promised myself that, but then I caught a glimpse of Lunamaria''s face.

    Speaking of which, Mom said she wouldn''t allow you to marry Luna Maria, but what about her?

    Can the earth mother''s maiden marry?

    I was very curious, but I couldn''t ask her.

    Of course I couldn''t ask the naughty young lady who was saying, "I won''t let you go tonight," as she twined her arms around me.

 32 Anaheims feast

    We''re going to find out where the holy sword is and we''re going to head there--

    You will be taken to a banquet without.

    You are sent to attend a banquet to thank me for helping the daughter of Anaheim.

    Lunamar¨ªa is reluctant to obtain the holy sword as soon as possible.

    As a maiden, she is not fond of pomp and circumstance.

    I''m interested in the merchant''s banquet, so I persuade her to join us.

    "The holy sword won''t escape, and if I''m really a brave man, only I can pull it off, can''t I?¡¡There''s no point in panicking now.

    "...it is true, but

    But in the end, she didn''t wear the beautiful dress that the Anaheim family had prepared for her.

    "For a miko, this unadorned costume is the bridal gown and the garment of death.

    And go to the banquet in the usual simple clothes.

    Since I don''t wear nobleman''s clothes, I''ll wear traveler''s clothes too.

    Dressed up, Karen grumbles, but says, "I''m still happy to dine with Master Will.

    The Anaheim family''s banquet is held in a fine dining room.

    It is held in a simple setting where the Anaheim family usually eats.

    It''s a small feast.

    It was magnificent enough from the point of view of the common people," said the head of the family, Viktor. Even though I grew up in the mountains.

    The dining room of Anaheim''s house was so big.

    I wonder if my whole house would fit inside. It''s an exaggeration but it''s that big.

    The place is crammed with delicacies from the mountains and seas of various countries.

    As you are snacking on food made with ingredients you''ve never seen or heard of before, Karen speaks to you.

    "I''m so happy to be eating with you. I''d like to marry you.

    The father says to the daughter with a stain on her cheeks.

    "That''s not so bad. I want to see my grandchildren soon.

    Seeing her father''s eagerness, Karen says as if she had a brilliant idea.

    Well, I''d like you to take me with you on your journey to find the Holy Sword. It will be a good training ground for a bride.

    Karen is happy to say it, but the proposal is surprisingly rejected.

    "You can''t do that. We can''t put you in harm''s way.

    "Master Will is a unsurpassed hero. There is no danger.

    Still not good enough.

    Rejecting Viktor. He doesn''t seem to have an unprincipled soft spot for his daughter.

    "The Gard merchants will still come after you. Going out now is like jumping into the tiger''s mouth.

    At the mention of the name of the Garde Chamber of Commerce, even Karen has to snap at the mention of the name.

    The other day''s attack seems to have been traumatic enough for Karen.

    Watching this exchange, Lunamaria asks a question.

    It seems that the Garde Trading Company is behind Karen''s kidnapping.

    "You''ll have to ask them," jokes Viktor, "but they''ll give you all the details.

    It''s just a matter of economics. The Anaheim family has been the sole owner of the city''s timber for many years, and the new Garde business is trying to steal its interest.

    They have been hostile since, says Viktor.

    He becomes sullen when I mention the name Garde Trading Company.

    I can''t do without a drink, and orders the maid to bring me some wine.

    I casually watch the scene, but the maid''s face seems to be a little stiff.

    I whisper to Karen and ask her about it. She replies happily.

    ''...What is it?¡¡Are you looking for an opportunity to take me out to the same degree of elopement?

    She looks really happy when I answer, "It depends," she replies.

    "But first, I''d like to ask you something.

    Whatever.

    "What girl is the maid who just went to get the wine?

    Well, what do you want to do in front of an elopement?

    He mimics puffing up his cheeks, but I guess he doesn''t think I''m going to pick on him for no reason, he tells me.

    "I''m a recently hired maid. She''s very good at what she does, and she comes in handy.

    ...I see, these days.

    and she brings the wine in a tabletop bottle (decanter).

    I''m in the middle of pouring it silently to the Lord when I ask a question.

    "You''re like the daughter of a beast,

    She paused for a moment when I asked, "Is that right? And smiled.

    "You have a thousand foxes in your ears.

    The Thousand Foxes were a tribe that lived in the woods east of Table Mountain. They had white tips at the tips of their ears.

    "Your left, Your Grace. You know your way around.

    "We had a little exchange when we were in the mountains. They were good friends with my father Vandal. They traded materials for elixir and stuff like that.

    I see, my family has a good nose for collecting materials.

    I guess.

    And she bowed her head with a pecking order and returned to the pouring motion again.

    Everyone resumes eating their own food without concern, but I stand up abruptly and announce to Viktor, "Viktor, you had better not drink that wine.

    Mr. Victor, you shouldn''t drink that wine.

    The maid shudders when she hears those words and Viktor looks at her dubiously.

    He asks for an explanation, so I''ll give him one.

    The reason is simple. It''s because the wine contains poison.

    Everyone except me and the maid are astonished, but in a way, that''s the answer.

    Viktor sees through the maid''s suspiciousness and asks the daughter of the thousand foxes what''s going on, she breaks down in tears.

    I''m sorry. My mother is ill and I needed the money for her treatment.

    She confesses to him and tells him why she became a pawn of the Gald Chamber of Commerce, but a crime is a crime, and Viktor tries to capture her.

    But it must be stopped.

    Wait. Wait." "Yes, she has done a bad thing, but the real evil is the Gald Chamber of Commerce".

    My desperate persuasion is acceptable.

    I myself saved the lives of Anaheim''s father and son, but Viktor himself is probably a benevolent person.

    As expected, the maid was dismissed.

    But when I wrote to Father Vandal to have her mother''s medicine blended, Viktor seemed to be inspired and gave her a severance package.

    That''s very charitable of you.

    When I complimented him, he replied, "Not as much as you".

    "....I can''t believe you''re doing this for me.

    A maid in tears at our act.

    Master Will is merciful and Lunamaria is touched by it too.

    Thus, Viktor''s assassination was averted, but the next day, Lunamaria asks, "Will you also receive the oracle? And asked.

    I laughed and lowered my head.

    It was insight that saw through the poison.

    The maid was obviously suspicious, and the wine was a bit odd in color.

    "Is the color?

    Yeah, it was like milk mixed with milk. Then I remembered that my father used to get the milky white opiate from the Thousand Foxes.

    "How dare you go from such minuscule information to such a . That''s very impressive, Mr. Will.

    Lunamar¨ªa enthusiastically praised my reasoning skills.

 33 a lost forest

    I, who unexpectedly demonstrated the godlike reasoning power of magic.

    Afterwards, the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce increases its security.

    Not even a cat''s cub, let alone an assassin, is allowed in.

    The servants have been thoroughly vetted, but no other suspicious characters have been found.

    I think we''re okay for now, but that''s not the fundamental solution.

    Viktor lets out a bitter laugh.

    Karen is also frightened and wants to do something about it, but she refuses to do so.

    This is a dispute between the Anaheim and Garde merchants. We can''t involve the travelers. And you''re going to draw the holy sword, aren''t you?

    And then you are admonished.

    Lunamaria also said, "The only way to resolve conflicts between organizations is to solve them.

    And I want to draw the holy sword as soon as possible", so I decide to follow their opinion.

    .

    Incidentally, the Holy Sword is said to be located in the woods east of the city of Northwoods .

    Also known as the Forest of the Lost--

    It seems to be lodged in the heart of the forest, called

    Victor assures us that we have permission to enter the forest of wanderings and that if we can pull out the holy sword, he will give us possession of it as well, and we leave his mansion.

    Karen waved us off until the very end.

    Thus began the journey to get the holy sword.

    We return to the original twosome.

    Mr. Cullen was a noisy man, but I will miss him.

    "Yeah. It''s quieter.

    Lunamar¨ªa is classified as rather taciturn, not talkative.

    Doesn''t waste much time talking.

    Karen, on the other hand, talks like she was born out of the corner of her mouth.

    I didn''t get bored during the trip.

    "Well, it''s a good thing I''m not traveling to relieve boredom.

    "Then why are you traveling?

    I put my finger to my chin, "Hmmm," I croak, but I gather my thoughts and tell her.

    If I had to, I''d say it''s about spreading the word. If I spent my life in the mountains, I''d be a narrow-minded person.

    "Do you want to have a broader perspective?

    "Well. My mom and dad always told me to have a higher, wider view. Have a higher, wider perspective. To see the big picture.

    Can you feed?

    That remains to be seen, but the journey is fun.

    and walked out the gate in the city of Northwood.

    They scrutinized me as I entered, but they didn''t tell me how to leave.

    I guess they''d be too busy investigating the people who are leaving.

    We left the city without incident and headed east.

    The woods to the east, where the holy sword is pierced, is about four days'' walk from the city of Northwoods.

    If Karen had been there, it would have taken twice that long, but Lunamaria was in good shape and could arrive on a normal schedule.

    The forest was right in front of her.

    This is the forest of wanderers?

    Yes. There seems to be no mistaking the nickname.

    Viktor told me. Victor said that this forest is surrounded by a mysterious spirit power so they can''t cut down the trees. They say fairies live here.

    "Well, fairy.

    That fairy is going to lead the travelers inside astray.

    That''s not good news. Will you be able to get to the holy sword in one piece?

    "I don''t know about that, but I''m sure you will go to the Holy Sword no matter what the odds are?

    To which Lunamaria replies with a cheerful and immediate "yes.

    I knew the answer, so I''m not surprised now, but as we''re about to enter the forest, we find ourselves in the middle of a noisy crowd.

    The noisy people are coming.

    "Hey, brave man, the forest is in sight.

    "It''s kind of gloomy and scary.

    Don''t worry, you have the most powerful sword in the world with you.

    I think I''ve heard this yellow cheer before.

    And he was called the Sword Warrior.

    I turned around and there was a hero I''d met the other day.

    Did he say his name was Levin?

    He was a handsome, slender, handsome man with a female companion named the Brave Girls, a hero who filled his party with women.

    He walked bravely with his hands under his arm.

    At first he pretended not to notice us, but before entering the forest, he deliberately stopped and said, "...... oops, you look familiar".

    The squire, Lynx, also stops and bows his head with a smile.

    Good to see you again. It''s good to see you again, at the foot of Table Mountain. Is your name ...... Willie?

    "Mr. Will!

    And replies Luna Maria.

    You''re being wonderfully provocative.

    I was. I was. Excuse me, excuse me. I can''t remember the names of those weaker than me. I mean, I can''t remember the names of anyone in this world. That''s why they''re all called honey.

    Honey No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 don''t seem bothered by it, but instead praise it as "wild.

    Well, you''ll learn next time because you''re going to be a sight to behold, Bill.

    "Mr. Will!

    Raise your voice, Lunamaria.

    What I cared more about was why the brave man was here. I''ll ask him.

    The brave man says as if it were a matter of course.

    There''s only one reason for a brave man to come to this gloomy place. I''ve come to draw the holy sword deep in the woods.

    The Holy Sword is from the Anaheim Trading Company.

    "The holy sword belongs to the brave. That''s why only I can pull it out.

    So-so, so-so is the follow-up of the heroic girls No. 2, but they have a point.

    It was logical that the one who can pull out the holy sword should declare its owner.

    But will you pull the holy sword?¡¡The holy sword is said to be for brave men only, but I heard that you don''t know which one.

    Lunamaria asks.

    In this world there are heroes of the sword, of the shield, and of the wisdom.

    Whose equipment is the Durandal that lies in this forest is unknown.

    Levin answers that simple question.

    "Hey, hey! Are you worried about that?¡¡I''m a ''sword'' hero, I should be able to equip any holy sword.

    Well, that makes sense, but it''s baseless.

    But pointing that out wouldn''t stop him from entering the forest.

    If even Karen was here, she could insist that he not enter the Anaheim family''s land, but she isn''t.

    As I was thinking about this, Levin the Swordsman went straight into the depths of the forest.

    As I watched in silence, I saw someone pulling my sleeve.

    The person pulling my sleeve is Lunamaria.

    She''s not willing to fall behind the hero.

    She''s rushing to get in.

    Well, that''s fine, but the weird body closeness bothered me.

    He said he was getting into a rivalry with the hero girls.

    She''s a troubled maiden.

 34 trick

    A few days before me, Lunamaria, and our party of sword heroes entered the forest, a conspiracy was taking place in a mansion in the city of Northwood.

    It was a magnificent building on the main street, but it was strangely gloomy, probably because of the darkness inside and the participants.

    Everyone has a villainous face, and the room is filled with characters that could easily be illustrated in a novel.

    This building is the headquarters of the Garde Chamber of Commerce, and this is its meeting room, where the head of the Garde Chamber of Commerce and its executives are gathered.

    One of his men tells them of the failed abduction of Karen and the failed assassination of Viktor.

    The fat man clenches his teeth and slams his wine glass on the floor.

    There''s a crunch. The maid turns pale and begins to clean up, but the fat man says, "Never mind about that later! and make the maid step back.

    His name was Bonang Garde. He is the head of the Garde Trading Company, but he is as short-tempered and crude as he appears.

    He seems to be annoyed that the mission to destroy Anaheim''s commerce has been failing so often.

    How incompetent are you people? Can''t you kidnap a daughter? We have hired the most talented mercenaries.

    They all got pushed into the river.

    "Then what about the little girl of the Thousand Foxes, I had her carefully trained three months ago. I had her carefully trained three months ago.

    That too was discovered. The same boy who saved the daughter and her father.

    That''s totally superfluous. What''s the kid''s name?

    "It''s called Will,

    Will. Beating that mercenary was a brave thing to do?

    It''s not certain, but the boy is now headed for the Lost Forest.

    "A lost forest?

    The name of the place reminded Garde of the existence of the holy sword, and his expression is lightly distorted.

    I''m not sure if I''m right. I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it happen. I must make a move.

    And so Garde orders his men to dispatch a mercenary.

    Haha," he quickly arranges, but then he remembers his orders from the other day.

    Speaking of Karen Anaheim''s location, she is now in a villa on the outskirts of the Northwoods, protected by heavily armed soldiers. She''s being guarded by heavily armed soldiers.

    When he realized that his house was not a safe zone, he evacuated it. Viktor, you''re too clever.

    And then something occurs to me and I let out a rogue smile.

    But it''s good to be in the suburbs.

    The security is tight, though.

    "No matter how tightly guarded, there are limits as long as there are people guarding it. And then there''s this one I picked up the other day.

    And then the Garde announces his thoughts.

    His thoughts elicited a sigh of admiration and fear from his men.

    How brutal and cunning this man is! No ordinary man could have conceived of such a plan.

    That''s the man who built the Garde Trading Company in a single generation.

    Once again paying homage to the Lord''s prowess, his men began to work to ensure that his wiles would succeed.

    We walk through the forest, unaware that such a plot is being hatched in the city.

    This forest, commonly known as the forest of wanderings, is naturally shaped like a maze. It''s just as intricate as a maze.

    It gives out a compass, but of course it spins around.

    "It''s tricky. It can be difficult to find the holy sword.

    "Don''t be such a wimp.

    Lunamar¨ªa scolds me.

    I''ll do my best to find out. But how will the heroes of the sword get to the center?

    Their strategy is unknown because they are walking on different roads.

    "They don''t seem to be thinking about anything, so they''re going straight ahead. It''s a faster way to get to the center.

    And Lunamaria lets out a sarcastic remark.

    I think we''re stuck in the pit of overthinking.

    We''ve been seeing the same thing for a while now.

    If we don''t do something, we''re going to get lost.

    Or maybe we''re already lost.

    I didn''t know where we were now, or where we were going.

    We were about to get lost and turn into a skeleton, but just as I was imagining that ominous thought, I heard a sound from ahead.

    It was the sound of something running. And they are wearing armor.

    It doesn''t look like it''s the ...... heroes. They walk more wildly than they do.

    When I say that, Lunamar¨ªa nods.

    "It looks like you''re chasing someone.

    Lunamar¨ªa''s hearing is greater than mine.

    There''s no doubt about it.

    I turn back to her and say.

    "There are two things I see when I come down here.

    What''s that?

    One is that the gods'' common sense is the world''s common sense.

    It''s very real, Luna Maria, chuckling.

    The other thing is that if someone is being chased, he is definitely a good guy and the one being chased is a bad guy.

    Hearing those words, Lunamar¨ªa lets out a wry smile.

    Indeed, it''s been that way every time so far.

    Promises may be the truth of this world.

    Thinking that, I started running and decided to punish the villain who was supposed to be ahead of me.

 35 The Fairy Rille

    The mercenary-looking men in front of me were chasing a small child.

    That alone tells me that they are evil, but I was mistaken about one thing.

    The child in front was not a child.

    At least it wasn''t a human child.

    It was about the size of a human baby, but skinny.

    She looks like a doll.

    And on her back were wings that looked like insects.

    I''ve seen them in the drawings in the vandal''s study. It was probably a fairy.

    I thought so, and I told Luna Maria.

    This forest does seem to be full of spirit power. There are fairies.

    "Are you being chased by a fairy?

    Maybe so. I don''t know if that guy from the Garde Trading Company is just blinded by greed and is trying to catch a fairy or if he''s trying to figure out the way to the Holy Sword.

    "Are the villains from the Garde Trading Company?

    That''s right. Some of the guys I chased in the wagon before are in the mix.

    Look, there is a man who looks like an oriental samurai.

    What are the aims of the Garde Trading Company?¡¡I don''t think we''re here to get a fairy. Maybe they are after Mr. Will?

    That''s quite possible. Well, let''s hear it from them.

    The rogues, who had caught the fairy and tied her up in a noose, seemed to have noticed my presence as well.

    He''s smiling at me.

    "This one''s lucky. Just when I think I''ve got the highest-priced fairy, the kid I want shows up on my doorstep.

    "We''re good at what we do. God is watching over us.

    I could hear their sneering laughter, "Geh-heh," which just made me uncomfortable, but at the same time I could tell they were going to get rid of us.

    It was uncomfortable in itself, but at the same time, I could tell that they were going to get rid of us.

    You''re a pain in the ass. Garde''s husband rules the streets of Northwoods.

    I knew it was Garde''s order.

    "I''m not giving you orders, just business. Bring me your head and I''ll give you gold. It''s a business.

    Well, then we can''t lose. I don''t want to lose my head.

    "Ho hoax.

    And then the samurai says and pulls out a Japanese sword from the waist.

    It is blindingly fast.

    His companion cries out.

    There it is!¡¡Mishima''s Battoujutsu!¡¡No one could survive eating this.

    The game was decided early on.

    The scoundrels bit the margin, but Mishima was not laughing.

    He let the words out with a shocked look on his face.

    "What the hell, you little brat, are you using my Battoujutsu with that dagger?

    I drew the dagger at my waist and used it to defend against Mishima''s sword.

    I said I could dislodge his sword.

    My master was Ronin, the god of swords. My father''s sword is many times faster than yours.

    It was like a mosquito stopping, and Mishima raises an eyebrow when he says, "Pull it out!

    Pull it out!¡¡My swordsmanship is the best in Horai!

    but it''s only a matter of blowing it, a very accurate blow.

    If I weren''t the son of the god of swords, I might not have been able to counter them.

    It reminds me of Ronin''s training.

    Listen, swordsmen are very nimble with their movements. It''s lighter than a western longsword. So expect them to come at you from all angles.

    Then Ronin cuts the rope.

    Then the blade at the end of the rope comes at you from every angle.

    They''re serious. I dodge them briskly, but as you''d expect with 30 of them coming at me at the same time, there''s only one.

    My cheeks are cut, but seeing this, Mother Militia is furious.

    You delinquent samurai!¡¡What a training for my little Will!

    Then, Milia unilaterally beat up Ronin.

    Of course, Ronin rebelled, but he couldn''t help but be helped by Mother Militia, the strongest and most powerful of all, and the god of magic, Vandal.

    The Vandal, supported by the granting of magic, sipped his tea and let slip that he deserved it.

    Such a nostalgic scene came to mind.

    Or rather, there''s enough room for such reminiscences.

    Maybe it''s all the result of Ronin''s radical training.

    I thank Ronin and get into Missima''s bosom.

    It disappears fast enough to leave an afterimage, but Mishima has enough vision to catch it.

    He is proof that he is a formidable foe.

    But even if it can capture him, it''s not whether his body can react.

    Misima threw away her sword and tried to block the attack with her sidearm, but she couldn''t do it.

    I will attack with my fists, not my dagger. Even though I was a scoundrel, I didn''t want to kill people.

    However, my body technique is the strongest in the world.

    Bogo!

    The body of Mishima lifts up so that the back swells up with the sound of "I''m not going to let you go.

    The blow that goes into the vital point precisely, Mishima screams in agony, spitting out stomach liquid.

    .

    You''re going to faint as it is, but your companion who was watching you becomes pale and pale.

    I''m not sure I have the guts to maintain my will to fight after being so easily defeated by my friends who I thought were the strongest.

    They fled in a flash, but I smirked as I spun around with wind-like speed.

    "Leave the fairies alone.

    and they nodded, turning pale. I politely untie the fairies.

    The gagged fairy angrily kicks the ruffians, but it doesn''t seem to hurt much.

    She''s too small and slender.

    The villains bow to the fairy and turn to leave, but I say more amicably.

    "You forgot something.

    and points to Mishima. The villains were going to leave their friends behind.

    I wanted to leave them to deal with the writhing Missima, or rather, to take care of her.

    Once they had Missima in their arms, they quickly and quickly ran away.

    You''re a fast runner, aren''t you?

    And was stunned by Lunamar¨ªa, but did not seem to pursue. I''m glad that we were able to resolve the matter relatively peacefully.

    Thus, we drove off the Garde''s pursuers, and as a byproduct, I met a fairy.

    The fairy, presumably she is, jumps around me and says thank you.

    Boy, thank you. My name is Lil''. I''m the fairy of this lost forest.

    And she even introduced herself.

    I take her little hand and shake it.

    "It''s nice to meet you, Lil''. My name is Will. I came to this forest to find the holy sword.

    Then she said, "What? I''m surprised.

    "Does that mean that Will is a brave man?¡¡Awesome, wow, Geez!¡¡For the first time in a hundred years, this forest has seen a brave man.

    Their joy was tremendous, jumping among the trees.

    They never listen to me.

    This makes it hard to tell him he''s not brave, but I still decide to turn to Lyle.

    After she calms down, she shows me where the holy sword is.

    "It''s no problem, Will.

    She stopped at my shoulder and pointed in the direction of the holy sword.

 36 a holy sword that is supposed to be pulled out by only by the brave

    Lil'' on my shoulder is very excited.

    She''s talking to me, saying that she hasn''t seen a person outside the forest in a long time.

    "Hey, hey, is there still a war going on outside the forest?¡¡Eh, I don''t do that anymore.

    What clothes are in fashion now?¡¡I''m the most fashionable guy in the woods. This side tail, you know what to do.

    That baby is a human female, right?¡¡By the way, I''m not a gender. I''m a fairy.

    And then, it comes up.

    Honestly, it''s more annoying than Karen''s for whispering in your ear.

    But the directions are accurate. We''re chatting and the path leads you to your destination without hesitation: right through the trees to the left, through the trees to the left, and on your way.

    That''s accurate. It just looks the same to me.

    I agree with you. I suppose this forest is like a garden to a fairy.

    And the fairies will be delighted.

    "Well, this is my garden. You can walk with your eyes closed.

    In fact, fly with your eyes closed.

    But it soon hits a tree.

    You''re on ......

    and hold your nose. Lunamaria giggles.

    "The miko is amazing. How come you don''t fall down with your eyes closed?

    "I''m not blind. I''m not blind.

    "Yeah. Then how can you walk if you''re blind?

    It''s only a feeling . Just as you all don''t consciously breathe the air, I walk around unconsciously.

    "Geez, geez.

    And now on the shoulder of Lunamar¨ªa.

    The fairy only weighs about three apples, so it doesn''t seem to be so hard.

    After that, Lyle enjoys riding Lunamaria''s shoulder, but then suddenly says: "Hey, you guys are lovers?

    You can also have a good time with your friends.¡¡Have you had a kiss yet?

    "-gohohohohohohohoho.

    And cough me up. Listening nonchalantly to Luna Maria. Contrast.

    "From the looks of it, Will is very much inept. It''s hard on the Lunamar¨ªa, too.

    It is.

    And Lunamar¨ªa riding the fairies .

    Well, we made a hell of a tag team, but I digress.

    "By the way, Lil'', where''s the holy sword yet?

    Hmmm, it''s right around here.

    "Suddenly I''m not so reliable.

    No, sorry, I''m sorry, I''m not usually aware of the holy sword.

    Really?

    Yes, because it''s not something we fairies can equip.

    It''s true, but aren''t you the guardians of the Holy Sword?

    It''s what it''s supposed to be, but a lot of fairies are light people. And they''re often irresponsible. I wonder how many fairies remember their mission.

    A fairy in a pose that says, "I''m in trouble.

    We''re the ones in trouble.

    I was going to say that you need to be a little more in control, but that''s flattering.

    Ah!¡¡There it is, there it is! There''s the holy sword at the end of the road!

    Lil'' finds a path that leads to the place where the holy sword is.

    All''s well that ends well, she recites the words Mother Militia taught her and heads for the place, but there are people who have arrived before her.

    Some unexpected people had arrived first.

    It was a group of sword heroes who were ahead of them.

    They had gone straight ahead and arrived at the place where the holy sword is located before us.

    Abnegation, or rather, not thinking is the right answer as in life, but surprisingly, the brave men were in a subdued state of mind.

    They were nodding off in front of the holy sword they had longed for.

    What had happened?

    I''m going to talk to a female sorceress sitting on a rock.

    aren''t you with the heroic comrade of the sword? What''s wrong?

    She sighs and explains the situation to me with a "huh" sigh.

    "That''s where Levin is depressed, right?¡¡The brave girls are not even spoken for,

    Yeah, sure, why are you so depressed?

    That''s because I couldn''t pull my sword out.

    "Is a sword a holy sword?

    Yes. I''m a brave man, but I couldn''t pull off the holy sword.

    "I guess the holy sword and the holy sword didn''t go well together.

    I don''t think so. When he put his hand on the sword, he heard the voice of the holy sword.

    "The voice of the holy sword?

    Yeah, they said you''re not good enough for me, and that''s what they said.

    That''s probably worse than not being able to equip them in the first place.

    I try to comfort Levin, but he gets teary-eyed as I approach and says, "Yea, it''s not going to happen.

    "Yeah, don''t approach. Don''t come near me. I don''t need comforting.

    She seems very depressed, but seems to be concerned about what people think of her.

    "And don''t say a word about it, Amy.

    Amy would be a female magician.

    She counters, "What? I''m worried about you".

    That was too much. Who do you think I am? You''re the strongest and most courageous man I''ve ever met.

    "I didn''t even pull the holy sword out.

    The brave man seems hurt by the way he slurred.

    His eyebrows furrow and he growls. This would lead to a fight, but I guess that''s just the way it is after all the pompous things I''ve been saying.

    Even the rest of the gang starts to defend Amy, and they get even angrier, and begin to choke on them.

    I can''t stand to watch, so I intercede, but then the brave man turns to me.

    I mean, what are you. To begin with, this place is a sacred place and only the brave are allowed to enter.

    This is the land of Anaheim''s trading company, but the fact that he arrived here without any hesitation may mean that he was guided here.

    But even so, I''m sure the Holy Sword told him that he lacked the skill level.

    I''m going to give a constructive opinion.

    ''''Rather than arguing with my fellow countrymen, why don''t you train in the meantime and reach a level where the Holy Sword can recognize you?

    And when suggested, the brave man''s face turns bright red.

    Lunamaria murmurs in a whisper.

    ...... Master Will sometimes makes critical statements. The kind that pierces the heart.

    I wonder?

    When he was puzzled, a brave man stood up and said, "If you say so, then you should try your hand on the holy sword!

    If you insist, you should try your hand on the holy sword!¡¡If you deny yourself in an inanimate voice, you''ll understand how I feel.

    "If it''s that bad,

    Thinking that this is out of control, I put my hand on the holy sword. Then the voice of the holy sword echoed in my brain.

    This touch is human-- "This is the second time in a hundred years that a human has touched me. This is the second time in a hundred years that a human has touched me. And rarely on the same day.

    "Oh, the Holy Sword spoke.

    but Lunamaria does not seem to hear.

    Of course, the brave men and women.

    It''s a strange feeling, as expected of the Holy Sword, but the Holy Sword Durandal mercilessly denies me too.

    I admire the courage that has brought me this far, but I can only use it against those who are qualified and capable.

    Yeah. I''m not a brave man.

    "Yes. You''re not a brave man. That''s why I can''t be equipped--

    "What about the angry brave man over there?

    He is my rightful owner, but he has the qualifications but not the strength. He lacks skill, and his mind--

    I knew it. You''re always angry.

    Yes, I hope you have compassion for others--

    Worrying about the future of the brave together, Durandal says.

    But if you keep on working hard and don''t give up, maybe one day you will surpass me and take my hand--

    Can you tell them that?

    And Durandal says, so I tell him that, but the brave man won''t listen.

    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. You''re stuck, too. What do you think you''re doing?

    Because I''m not a brave man.

    "Why don''t you still pull it out. I was rejected by the Holy Sword, but I didn''t give up until the end.

    Hmmm, I don''t know if that''s a good idea, I thought, but when I looked at Luna Maria, she recommended it too.

    I believe that Will is the master of the holy sword. Please don''t hesitate to show your true colors to the brave men of the sword.

    Lunamar¨ªa seemed to be at a loss.

    So I''m going to get serious, even if only in form.

    I put my feet up on the ground, put some effort into it, and then I pull the holy sword with a loud "genuinely".

    "Boy, it''s useless. Only the chosen one can pull it off.

    And the moment you try to relax, it happens.

    Bokko!

    and the holy sword was pulled out.

    They were astonished to see it.

    The brave man was not surprised.

    What?

    And everyone else''s face. By the way, I''m surprised too.

    "I mean, isn''t the holy sword only available to the brave?

    When I looked at the blade, I saw that there was a rock and dirt stuck to it.

    It seems I had pulled out the holy sword with the rock.

    What a fool''s errand!

    The sorceress is stunned, but the Lunamar¨ªa is pleased.

    "That''s what Master Will is all about. You are indeed Master Will.

    I was about to celebrate, but the most confusing thing might be the holy sword itself.

    "What, what?¡¡Pulled me out by the rock, no!¡¡This is the first time in thousands of years.

    Durandal is bewildered, but is not inclined to rejoice when he sees the brave man slumped on his shoulders, disappointed.

    And you can''t travel with a rock in your hand.

    It''s no longer a holy sword but a blunt instrument.

    So she tries to return the holy sword to the brave, but this also hurts his pride.

    The sword is handed to the brave with a rock, and he drops it.

    Apparently, the sword with a rock is too heavy for an ordinary human being. .......

    He walks away with tears in his eyes after being shamed on top of his shame.

    He looks like a girl. You will be able to get the most out of this article.

    So I''m going to pretend it didn''t happen.

    I buried the holy sword back in its original place and wiped the sweat off my face.

    I will leave here with Lunamaria and the fairies in tow.

    Lunamaria insists to the end that I take the holy sword with me, but I forcefully turn back the way I brought her.

 37 Levins thoughts

    I was worried about the brave man, so I went after him.

    It seems that Lunamaria dislikes the brave man, but I didn''t dislike him.

    It seems that he is not detestable, or perhaps he is not a bad person.

    To find him, I stroll through the forest with Lunamaria, but soon find the hero.

    The fairy Lyle told me where to find him.

    But although I know where he is, Lyle''s expression is dark. Or rather, she''s frightened.

    ...... gee, this might not be good.

    What do you mean?

    Yeah. The brave man is going south, but there''s a swamp there.

    "Bottomless Swamp?

    "It could be something like . The Jabberwock lives there.

    "Jabberwock!

    It was Luna Maria who raised her voice.

    "You know her?¡¡The "Lunamar¨ªa

    "Yes . A legendary monster. A creature like a dragon and a leech, very evil.

    "I''m sure the heartbroken heroes will have a drink.

    And that is what was true, in the words of Lil''

    I can hear a brave man''s scream from ahead.

    It was a very pretty scream, even for a brave man.

    I think we''re trapped. We''ve got to get him before the Jabberwock comes.

    That''s smart, but it''s too late.

    And Lil'' strike a troubled pose. Yes, it''s too late.

    A few meters away from Levin, there''s already a creature with its mouth wide open.

    A giant winged leech.

    It''s the Jabberwock.

    To save Levin, I dove into the swamp and brought him back to shore.

    At that moment, I break free from the swamp with my flying magic, but the Jabberwock flies to bite me.

    I bare my fangs. It''s so fast that I''m trapped.

    "Master Will!

    Lunamar¨ªa changes hue.

    She tries to draw her sword, but I stop her.

    "Don''t worry, we''re trapped, but we''re not predators.

    I wish more for Levin''s rescue than for protection, and Luna Maria obeys.

    But Levin seems to be full of cynicism.

    "It took taking a wound to save you, Master Will.

    Levin seems to feel sorry for that statement.

    He nods his head and replies.

    "You could have just left me alone.

    Lunamaria seems to have snapped at that statement.

    "What do you mean? Don''t say anything to make Master Will sad.

    But I don''t

    "And don''t get me wrong. Will doesn''t help you because he''s you. Will helps you because he''s Will.

    "Because Will?

    It is. Mr. Will would not overlook a man in need. Any man. I will protect you even if it costs me my life.

    As Lunamaria and Levin were having such an exchange, Will twisted his body and avoided the Jabberwock''s attack.

    The Jabberwock was a powerful demon, but it had one weakness: it was a demon.

    It was that it was a demon.

    Will was a benevolent boy, but he was no saint.

    He''s not soft-hearted enough to go easy on someone who''s trying to eat him.

    Will puts his magic in the dagger and delivers a powerful blow to the Jabberwock.

    "Blow.

    and writes runes on his sword and shoots it straight into the Jabberwock.

    The Jabberwock reels from Will''s blow.

    He almost falls to the ground, but the evilest monster in the Lost Forest is there.

    The Jabberwock escapes the blow and runs into the swamp.

    Will fights off the Jabberwock, but Levin sees him and feels sorry for him.

    Blood is flowing from his shoulder.

    Luna Maria is tending to Will''s shoulder, but Levin feels uncomfortable and slips away.

    Levin could not thank the boy who had saved him.

    How shameful, he thought to himself.

    With tears streaming down his face, he ran alone through the woods.

    If there was a cliff nearby, he would have jumped straight into it.

    The brave Levin runs on forever, but eventually he finds himself in the open land.

    When he arrived at a spot in the forest, he cried out and cried all the way there.

    ...... I''m such a miserable guy. I can''t even thank the boy. ......

    I was saddened by my self-loathing, but regretting it now would not help.

    ...... and your friends will not forgive you. I''ve betrayed them by giving them too much hope.

    If I go back now, I''ll be confronted with three and a half lines.

    "Oh, I''d rather die.

    Levin tries to put his hand on the sword at his waist, but he shakes his head.

    ...... No, no, no. I''m ...... no, I have a mission.

    Levin took out a locket hidden in his chest.

    There''s a family portrait on it.

    No, a picture. Only he knows, but anyway, they were none other than his beloved family.

    ...... Dad and Mom, please forgive poor Levin. Please forgive Levin for not being able to rebuild your home.

    Apologies to the beloved family.

    In fact, Levin is from a kingdom in the west, where she was born the daughter of a nobleman.

    She was born the daughter of a nobleman, but from an early age she disguised herself and fought her way into the battle to take over her family.

    Her father, a warrior, gave her a strict education from an early age: "Don''t let my family die out in my generation," he said.

    Her mother, also a warrior''s daughter, told her, "You are a man from today. You are a man from today, and you must not under any circumstances do anything to defame the family name".

    It was a harsh upbringing.

    They took the doll away from Levin, who was at an age when playing with dolls was more fun than anything else, and put a sword in his hand.

    Levin, who is naturally slender, was trained harder than a man.

    But Levin endured it.

    And he got through it.

    because he loved mother and father.

    They were strict with their parents, but they were also kind, always cheering up Levin when he whined.

    When Levin''s hands turned red with blood beans, his father bandaged them up with gentle hands.

    When Levin fell ill with a high fever, his mother stayed up until morning to care for him.

    All in all, Levin became a great hero and took over the family name.

    Levin had worked tirelessly to live up to his parents'' expectations and love.

    But he ended up being abandoned by the holy sword and by his friends.

    ...... Father, Mother, Levin is still a bad boy. He doesn''t deserve to be alive anymore.

    Again the desperation, but it was God who descended there.

    This is not a metaphor. A god in the form of a giant eagle has landed in the woods.

    Reus, the faceless god incarnate in the form of an eagle, flapped his wings and said he would descend into the lost forest.

    What is troubling you, young man?

    "...... You?¡¡That divine aura, is God?

    "How I am the new God, the all-powerful God Reus.

    The Lord of Table Mountain: ......

    "Yes. Now I''m a bird flying over a young man for a reason.

    ...... What does that god have to do with a useless person like me?

    No, I thought it was none of my business, but it seemed to be on my mind.

    "...... Yes, it is.

    There''s no way to hide it now.

    And maybe Levin wanted someone to listen to his troubles.

    ...... I''ve been trying to become a hero since I was a child. But until today, no one has ever been rejected by the Holy Sword.

    That''s true, but that''s okay, isn''t it?

    "What ......?¡¡Is that okay?

    Yes. I''ve never heard of any brave men who were rejected by the Holy Sword, but it''s okay to have one of them.

    "............

    "There is more than one form of bravery. The brave men we know don''t have the marks of a brave man, but they are brave.

    "Is there a brave man without a stigmata?

    I do. To begin with, being brave isn''t a qualification. The presence or absence of a stigmata is irrelevant.

    I''ve never heard of such a thing.

    "For example, isn''t the boy who just saved you a brave man?¡¡He risked his life for nothing to save you. He even got hurt to save you.

    "............

    Levin to be silent.

    "...... think he''s a brave man. I think he will awaken one day.

    "The bruises of the brave, the stigmata or, as I keep saying, the stigmata are not everything.

    Is it?¡¡I was taught that this sacrament is everything.

    I''m not so sure. There are other heroes who do not have the sacrament. There are countless nameless heroes in this world. For example, the hero I knew was a true hero. A hero who died for his people. He was a nobleman of the west, but one day he died in battle. But no one knows why...no one knows why.

    Then God hangs up and continues.

    The reason is the disgrace of having died for violating a military order. But the world''s disgraced nobleman had his own reasons. Because of the looming banditry in his domain, he escaped from the king''s army and went to the rescue alone. As a result, the nobleman is killed and killed, but the village is saved. But a violation of military order is a violation of military order. The man''s house was demolished.

    "............

    Levin is silent.

    Because I knew the nobleman well.

    His name was Isak von Arenheimer, your father. He was stripped of his peerage, but do you claim that you are not a nobleman?

    My father is the proudest of all. Stripped of his title and whatever rumors are spread about him, he is a nobleman among nobles.

    The noble heart that protects the villagers is the bravest of the brave. You have the blood in your veins.

    "...... its blood

    "Yes. I don''t care about rebuilding our house. It doesn''t matter what the title of hero is. What matters is whether you can boast that you are Izaak''s son or daughter. I think that''s all.

    "...... I am the daughter of Izaak!

    "Then live proudly. That''s what living is all about.

    Leus says and flaps his wings again.

    Levin gazes at the figure.

    He decides to leave until the god is small and out of sight.

    ...... no more pretending to be something you''re not.

    Levin murmurs and takes a salami. Dressed as a man and changing his tone of voice to that of a man.

    "Don''t. --I won''t pretend to be something I''m not anymore.

    With that, Levin decided to return to his friends and apologize to them.

    For the past rudeness, for being so cocky, for pretending to be something they weren''t.

    Perhaps they will never forgive you, but you still want to say goodbye to your past.

    And so Reus had saved the young man''s life, but he was still circling above the Lost Forest.

    Just stop paying attention to Levin and shift your gaze to Will.

    Watching his beloved son from above.

    Leus isn''t sure whether to swoop down on him.

    He hoped that Will would come to Levin and implore her to tell him.

    But he doesn''t seem to need to do that.

    The boy, Will, was as kind as can be, and he was worried about the brave man who ran off with a thoughtful look on his face and went out to look for her.

    He was looking for the girl who had run off without saying thank you.

    It seems that Reus will no longer have to meddle.

    Glad once again to see the compassionate nature of his beloved son, Reus flew high into the sky.

 38 The Garde Trading Company-The Attack onslaught on the Garde

    I''m going to go find a brave man again.

    Lunamar¨ªa.

    "Gentlemen don''t want to be seen crying. It''s better to leave them alone.

    But that idea was wrong.

    To begin with, Levin the Swordsman was not a lord.

    No. He had been a man just now, but now his face was very soft and his chest was even more puffy.

    What happened in such a short time?

    Is there some kind of pond in this lost forest that turns into a woman when one falls?

    I thought so, but I don''t think so.

    She had met a god.

    She tells me that the god told her to stop pretending to be something she wasn''t.

    From the details, the god sounds like father Reus, but I''m more interested to hear what he has to say.

    "If you stop pretending to be something you''re not, could it be that you were always a woman?

    Yes, boy, I''m a woman. I''ve been traveling around dressed as a man.

    "It looks like he liked girls.

    It was an act or a performance. I didn''t want to be licked, so I surrounded myself with women.

    I see, if you play a womanizer that flamboyantly, you''ll be noticed in a way, and it might be difficult to be recognized as a beautiful woman in men''s clothing.

    I''ve been thinking that the hero who saves the world is the Brave Girls, so in a way it''s a good thing.

    And then the brave person apologizes for his or her past attitude and bows down.

    Boy, please forgive me for my past rudeness. And I am grateful for the gift of life that you just gave me.

    Levin bows his head deeply.

    "I don''t care about that. I don''t care.

    It would be nice to hear that.

    And then she will ask me for advice.

    "...... I''m going to go to my friends, but I''m a little scared. Will they forgive me?

    "I''m sure you''ll forgive me. This is not a comforting thought, but an honest one. Mr. Levin''s smile is much more appealing now than it was before. I''m sure he''ll understand what''s going on.

    I hope so. I hope so.

    When she says this, she declares, "The Brave Girls are disbanded.

    Let''s start from scratch. I don''t have time to keep the girls around, and I''m not yet a good fighter. I''m going to travel alone and build up my strength first.

    It may be for the best, but at least let Squire Lynx accompany you.

    He is a migrant squire, and he respected Levin.

    I thought it would be a negative for both of us to be separated.

    Understanding my intentions, Levin nodded his head and promised to see me again.

    Goodbye, I won''t say goodbye. I want to be a full-fledged hero and see the boy again soon.

    I''m looking forward to that day, but Levin is already a brave man. You''ve stopped pretending to be something you''re not and are about to embark on a new journey. Cowards can''t do that.

    Hearing those words, she loosened her mouth and

    Godly boy. Every word sticks in my mind.

    And laughed.

    I let out a laugh too. I let out a giggle because I''m God''s son.

    Then I want to be her friend and shake her hand. She accepts.

    We shake hands and exchange a few goodbyes, and then we walk in different directions.

    And I don''t have to go back to where I was before because Luna Maria has arrived.

    When we realized that we couldn''t equip the holy sword, there was no reason for us to go back there.

    The rest is up to the brave men and their friends.

    After realizing that, I decided to head out of the forest.

    By the way, the fairy I had just befriended was on Lunamaria''s shoulder.

    She''s going to walk us to the edge.

    I was grateful for that feeling, so I accepted the offer and we headed straight out of the lost forest.

    This is how I said goodbye to Levin and the others. We also say goodbye to Lil'' the fairy. We reached the edge of the forest.

    We passed through the dense forest and for the first time in a long time, we were bathed in sunlight.

    Luna Maria is

    "Ummm, that feels good.

    And to stand tall. I''d like to do the same, but before I do, I need to check.

    "I know you can''t equip the holy sword, but I think you should go back to Anaheim Trading Company and tell Viktor.

    I guess so. That would be good.

    I agree with you, but I also add: "By the way, you can''t equip it only ''now''.

    By the way, the only thing you can''t equip is ''now''. You will be able to do it someday.

    Are you still waiting for me to awaken as a hero?

    Yes. It''s strange that a man like Master Will doesn''t have the Stigmata of the Brave.

    I want you to give up, but I don''t think you''re going to give up forever. I wish she would give up, but she doesn''t seem to be willing to give up forever. The hardness of her will is even greater than the rock that the holy sword was stuck in.

    Once you decide, you feel like you''ll never leave.

    So I gave up and headed with her to the city of the Northwoods.

    The journey was slow and unhurried, but that was only the beginning.

    The second half of the journey is a bit rushed.

    Because along the way we came across a fast horse.

    The horse belonged to the head of House Anaheim, Viktor''s messenger.

    According to the messenger of the horse, the villa where Victor''s daughter, Karen, is staying is under attack by the Garde Company.

    It was attacked.

    He wanted you to save it.

    Imagining Karen''s dire straits, we headed at maximum speed to Anaheim''s villa on the outskirts of the city of Northwood.

 39 diversionary warfare

    Anaheim Trading Company villa. It''s even more opulent than I imagined.

    It''s well guarded and surrounded by a moat. But it''s surrounded by mercenaries who seem to be enemies.

    That''s quite a lot. How persistent is the Garde Company?

    It may be that this can only be solved by force.

    Lunamaria lets out a sigh and chants a spell. It''s the sacred language .

    As her body glows, a sphere of light with a holy blow catches the band of mercenaries.

    The more evil you are, the more offensive you are, the more powerful your attack is by sacred magic. It was effective against the bad guys, the mercenaries.

    The mercenaries are surprised by the surprise, but the rescue was expected, and they return fire immediately.

    Come on, boys. If you do this, His Majesty the King will intervene, let alone the city!

    Lunamar¨ªa''s anger doesn''t reach them either.

    "I''m aware of that. Garde''s master thought it was the last straw. Either the Anaheim house will fall or the Garde house will fall.

    "Then it is you who will perish!

    As Lunamar¨ªa declares this, I take a step forward and deliver a slash of the dagger, flicking one of the mercenaries'' weapons and kicking it in, knocking him out.

    I flick the weapon off one of the mercenaries and kick him, knocking him out.

    "Master Will is always kind. I would value the life of a scoundrel as well.

    That''s because there''s still room to spare. In a pinch, I might cut you down.

    I''ll be fine. At that time, I will chant the sutra in the manner of the Earth Mother Goddess.

    But for once, it might not be funny," joked Lunamaria.

    The mercenaries were thirty in number, with a few skilled hands mixed in.

    Karen''s guards were outnumbered, though she had ten of them.

    But the gap in strength will not be bridged by complaining.

    One by one we kill the mercenaries, and our numbers steadily dwindle.

    After Lunamaria and I defeated about ten mercenaries, we entered the villa.

    This is to defeat the mercenaries who have invaded the villa.

    You can hear sword fights inside the villa as well.

    You''ll see a man in a butler''s uniform fighting.

    He is the butler, Johan the Steward.

    He stabs the mercenary to death with his slender sword.

    He wipes the blood from his sword and turns to me, thanking me for the reinforcements.

    I knew you would come. I knew you would come.

    "I wish I could have gotten to you sooner. Is Karen okay?

    Yes, that''s the little lady''s room, but I have not allowed a single antling to enter.

    That''s great.

    If you look around, there''s a pile of bodies.

    They look like the ones Johan killed.

    Maybe he''s an experienced warrior despite his appearance.

    I never thought I''d see the raids again. Where does the Garde Company get all this money?

    As they said, this will be the last raid. They have hired a total of fifty mercenaries, thirty of whom are here today, and Master Will has already killed all the rest.

    It''s true that you took down a lot of roads and woods.

    Then they shouldn''t have any more pawns.

    And as I was talking, one of the mercenaries lying on the floor laughed, "Kukkuk ......".

    That''s the guy Johan stabbed just now.

    Apparently, he missed the vital point.

    No, he just missed the kryptonite.

    But the man didn''t seem at all grateful.

    Dumbasses. They think they''ve got a lead.

    What does that mean?¡¡We are winning. Thanks to Master Will, we''ve outnumbered you, and I''m sure there are more guards and Anaheim family reinforcements from the city of Northwoods heading our way.

    "You don''t even know it''s a ploy by Master Garde.

    "What!

    And quirked an eyebrow at the butler Johan .

    ''That''s what it is. We''re a diversion. We''ll draw the Anaheim private army and the Northwoods guards to storm the city while we do it.

    "Hey, f*ck it, you don''t have the strength anymore.

    Indeed, there is no human strength, but Master Garde has an artifact, a giant''s flute.

    "What, a giant''s whistle?

    A shocked look appears on Johan''s face.

    He begins to rattle and tremble.

    "What is the Giant''s Flute?

    I ask, and Johan speaks.

    The giant''s flute is used to control the One-Eyed Giant, Cyclops, who lives in this area. It was once used during the Holy Demon Wars, but it must have been a legendary flute.

    "Your master will know firsthand what a legend it is. They should be tearing down the walls of the Anaheim house by now.

    Again, chuckle, and laugh, but faint.

    Looks like he''s lost a lot of blood.

    Such a man should die. That''s what Johan seemed to think, but he couldn''t do that.

    I''ll cast a minimal amount of recovery magic. Not in hell but in the dungeons of this world he will regret.

    Johan didn''t get angry when he saw me casting a recovery spell. He just looks pale throughout.

    "It seems that Garde was an outsider who borrowed the power of demons.

    "Isn''t that surprising?

    I suppose so. But it could also be a bluff. No matter how hard he is cornered, if he uses his demon powers he will be hanged.

    Johan tries to convince himself of this, but he hears the sound of a window pane breaking.

    There''s also a scream like cracking silk.

    It''s Karen''s room.

    We rush into the room to find an ugly gargoyle inside. Fortunately Karen was still safe. Johan and I quickly stepped between Karen and the gargoyle and confronted them.

    "What is this monster?

    I calmly explain to the flustered Johan that it is a demon called a gargoyle.

    "It''s a monster called a gargoyle. They must have come in through the window.

    "But why

    I think that''s a silly question. This is a man who would use a giant to kill Mr. Viktor for an entire town. Summoning a gargoyle would be a piece of cake.

    And then I slash at the gargoyle with my dagger, clawing at it with an intent to kill. With a murderous intent.

    It slices through and vanishes with a single blow, but then I see several gargoyles outside the window.

    It seems to have summoned more than one.

    I point my hand out the window and throw a huge fireball at them, wiping them out.

    "Master Will is amazing. His magic is top-notch.

    Karen, who had just turned pale, said with a look of relief.

    She seems to have regained her composure.

    I''m going to see if there''s a basement in this villa.

    I was told there was a basement, so I told Karen to head down there.

    "I''m going to go straight to the city of the Northwoods. I''m worried about your father and the people in town.

    I understand. I wish you good luck.

    Leave the young lady to me. Johanan here will protect you with his life.

    And then it gets noisy outside.

    It seems that reinforcements have arrived from the city of Northwood.

    There were gargoyles and orcs around, but they were powerless in front of an overwhelming number of reinforcements.

    But that was part of Garde''s plan.

    His real target was not Karen, but her father.

    It was his plan to concentrate his forces at his villa and assassinate Viktor city by city with the Cyclops while he was at it.

    It was a clever and dubious plan, but I''ll give him credit for its effectiveness.

    To thwart Garde''s ambitions, I am about to leave the villa, but before I leave, I catch sight of Luna Maria.

    She seems to follow me as a matter of course.

    I would have liked her to stay at the villa, but persuasion would be futile. She was the kind of woman who would follow me anywhere, even to the depths of hell.

    Time is running out, so I walked out of the villa and rode the horse that the reinforcements had brought with them.

    I used the horse''s legs to get back to the Northwoods.

    I wasn''t used to riding a horse, but I was still moving many times faster than I could ride, and I could see the smoke-filled, mayhem-ridden streets of Northwoods.

    The damage was considerable.

    It seems that the Garde''s calculations were perfect, and it seems that it had penetrated the city perfectly where the guards had disappeared and entered the city without any resistance.

    The giant cyclops appears to have smashed through the Northwoods gate with ease and pushed straight through the city.

    ...... This one might not have made it in time.

    Seeing the devastation of the city, I fear for Viktor''s survival. Maybe it''s not a rescue mission for Viktor, but a revenge mission.

    But I changed my mind when I saw a dashing figure of my acquaintance in the town square, brandishing a sword.

    We were in time.

    And my "friend," she was a true hero.

    She was beautiful as she wielded her sword and fought for the city.

 40 Heroes show up late.

    Levin, the hero of the sword, forsaken by the Holy Sword in the Lost Forest .

    She accepted this and stopped pretending to be something she wasn''t.

    When she returned to her companions, she told them honestly that she was a woman and apologized for her past rudeness.

    Will had said they would forgive her, but that was too good to be true.

    After so much bravado and disrespect, Levin had been rejected by them.

    "You''re not very strong, but you were high and mighty.

    "There was a lot of s*xual harassment on a daily basis.

    "You made us want to believe that you were actually a woman.

    And complained, and was confronted with three and a half lines.

    As it was, the brave party was dismissed. The Brave Girls too.

    However, they suggested that they didn''t break up in the forest, but headed to town.

    "We''ve worked all this time, so give me your severance pay.

    Yes, yes. As well as the fees for playing us.

    They knew how much money Levin had deposited in the bank, and since he was willing to pay them, things went smoothly.

    They headed to the Northwoods and dropped off all their money at the bank there and distributed it to everyone.

    There was not a single gold coin left for the brave men, but he didn''t care.

    The only thing he worried about was how he was going to pay his squire Lynx''s salary from now on, but Lynx boy said in a conciliatory tone.

    "Don''t mind me, Master Levin. I''ll be fine for a while without pay.

    I think I understand why the boy said not to let go of this one thing.

    I thanked Lynx from the bottom of my heart and apologized for my past rudeness.

    I''m sorry I was so reckless the other day about wanting to eat the carp.

    Don''t worry about it. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Will.

    Yes. That''s how I met that boy.

    Levin lets out a smile, but that quickly stings the shadow on his face.

    ...... But despite my grandiose words to Will Boy about apologizing to my friends and starting over, I''m actually depressed. I never thought I would be so rejected by my friends. ...... Well, that''s just the way it is.

    "Don''t be depressed. We can start all over again. Let''s add some real friends to the party this time.

    And the links clenched their fists. His innocence was something for which the weak Levin was very grateful.

    Well, what will be, will be. I''ll just go to the Adventurer''s Guild and get some work done at .......

    And at the same time, I hear a sound in the distance.

    What, what?

    But when I looked around, I saw a giant standing at the entrance of the city of Northwoods, looking up at me.

    .

    Too much tremble at the hostility to it.

    But that''s no shame.

    Giants are demons that are rarely seen.

    They are a warrior race that waged war against the gods in the days of the gods. We''d be fools not to be afraid of them.

    As my father used to say.

    Don''t mistake courage for recklessness.

    And . Absolutely unwinnable battles should be avoided.

    That is the common language of the adventurers of this world, but Levin was unconsciously running to the giant.

    Levin was unconsciously running to the giant, as one of the companions he had just parted with was at the feet of the cyclops.

    She had bought some clothes with Levin''s fortune and was happily leaving the city, when she was met by an attack of the giant.

    Which is bad luck.

    Or was it Garde who was thwarted in his plan?

    It''s hard to tell, but Levin summons the courage to confront the giant and slashes at it.

    Levin''s sword pierced the giant''s leg, but the giant didn''t seem to feel any pain. It''s not that Levin''s skills are inexperienced. It''s that the cyclops is too big.

    The giant swings its leg as if to ward off an insect, but it only destroys the buildings around it.

    Levin dashes around and rescues his former comrades.

    "Levin!¡¡Why me?

    I''m not a brave man anymore, but I''m not a coward. I''m not a coward.

    But I''ve done terrible things to you.

    I''ve done worse. And it''s not just to help my friends, it''s to reaffirm them.

    "Reaffirmation?

    Yes. I guess I have my father''s blood in me, and if I have the potential to be a hero. And if I''m worthy to be that boy''s friend.

    "That boy is Will?

    Yes, I''ve heard that the boy is traveling with a maiden who saved a maiden on whom he had no connection. I heard that the boy rescued a maiden who relied on him without any connections and traveled with her. I heard he rescued a naive merchant girl and traveled with her. And he saved a nobleman and offered to be her friend.

    How precious it was. How happy it was, Levin says.

    "I want to work hard. For my friend. To shake that boy''s hand again. That''s why I helped you. I''ll keep the city safe.

    With that said, Levin left his companions in a safe place and headed back to the giants.

    The gap in strength between them was overwhelming, but Levin was unconcerned as he fought back.

    The giants are wily enough to move around, and they want to kill Levin, but Levin is unconcerned and swings his sword.

    Even as the Titans'' attacks intensified and their lives were in danger, Levin continued to fight, unconcerned.

    I swore a vow. To that boy. I swore I''d be a better woman the next time I saw her. I''ll never be as good as you!¡¡I can''t let you destroy my city!

    He shouted that, but his bravado would not last forever. Ironically, the reason for Levin''s defeat was that he was a brave man.

    He managed to stay on his feet, but as the giant rampaged, the buildings around him collapsed.

    Then he finds a child underneath the collapsing building. Before you can think, Levin is moving his body to save the child.

    He manages to push the child away from the rubble, but instead Levin is buried under it.

    A piece of brick hits Levin in the head, forcing him to bleed out.

    A shadow looms in Levin''s vision as he falls into a coma.

    A giant is about to swing its big foot down.

    This is this far for me too? Well, that''s alright. Now we can meet the boy without shame.

    In the afterlife, though, muttering, the shadow of a giant, feet looming overhead.

    Levin is directly crushed by the shadow.

    Crushed miserably like a toad.

    --It wasn''t to be.

    You can see that the giant''s feet had stopped just above Levin''s.

    There was a boy, all golden.

    Now there was the boy Levin wanted to see most.

    Levin says his name.

    "Boy Will!

    Hearing those words, Will chuckled and said, "I''m sorry to keep you waiting, Levin.

    "I''m sorry to keep you waiting, Levin.

    When he said that, he put his strength and bore the weight of the giant.

 41 Giant Slaughter

    I flew my horse to the city of Northwoods and dove under the feet of the giant.

    To save my friend.

    Lunamaria naturally stops me.

    "Master Will, no!¡¡Even Master Will cannot bear the weight of the Cyclops.

    Yeah. You''re right.

    And I ignored her opinion and ran to the foot of the cyclops.

    Why would you do such a thing?

    Lunamaria asks, but I don''t know what that is either.

    I just don''t want to see my friend crushed in front of me.

    That was the only reason.

    I dove into the giant''s leg and held it in both hands to protect my friend.

    It''s heavy. ......

    The weight was overwhelming.

    The giant was about ten meters long. Its weight is impossible to measure.

    It could be as massive as a small nobleman''s mansion.

    Supporting such a monster''s swinging leg was beyond the bounds of common sense.

    It was beyond reason.

    But I would have stopped it.

    Hold. Hold on.

    I''ll hold on. I''ll protect my friend and save her life.

    I unleash my magic and support.

    The giant was watching me, and he was smiling.

    They were laughing.

    Maybe she thought it was a futile act.

    The descendants of the evil giants who opposed the gods in the days of the gods lightly placed their weight on my feet.

    It seems to be trying to crush them gradually. It seems to want to play with my life and Levin''s.

    It''s a badass character, but I don''t care.

    All I had to do now was surrender my full strength.

    Seeing this, the hero of the sword said.

    "This is enough!¡¡The boy''s body can''t take it any longer!

    My bones are creaking.

    No, they''re broken. Crunching sound.

    At this rate, we will surely be crushed to death together.

    But I won''t stop.

    Why would you do that?¡¡How can the boy be so kind?¡¡Why do you do that for me?

    "It''s only natural to help your friends.

    "Aren''t you afraid?¡¡How can you have the courage to do that?

    It''s the same for you, too. He stood up to the giant even though he knew he would never win. He was trying to protect someone. I protected the city. I just followed Mr. Levin''s example.

    No, I got my courage from a boy.

    I''m really weak.

    I''m a weak woman who only cares about what other people think.

    Then I''m a weak man, too. I''m a man who doesn''t care what other people think, but I care what I think.

    "My eyes?

    That''s right. That''s me in the mirror. Dad Reus always told me. You should be someone who could look in the mirror in the morning and see his own eyes straight. Always make sure you''re not ugly and distorted when your face is reflected in his sword.

    I took a breath there and continued.

    I want to be someone who can give 120% for someone else. I want to make my mom and dad proud of me. And I''ll help you!

    And I would increase the power.

    I''m going to increase the power. Pushing the limits!

    I am a son of the gods, Ronin, god of swords, Miria, goddess of healing, and Vandal, god of magic!

    As he shouted that, power came from the bottom of his body, more power than ever before.

    And the giant''s feet, which would never have staggered, staggered.

    "This is absurd!

    Levin is astonished.

    This is the true power of Master Will: ......

    Lunamaria trembled with tears.

    Thus, I pushed aside the leg of the one-eyed giant cyclops and protected my dear friend from his leg.

    The two women watched in amazement, but the battle against the giant was not over yet.

    The second round was just around the corner.

    I''ve driven away the leg of the giant.

    The giant staggered and fell on his ass.

    He did not expect to be outmatched by a human as dwarf as ants. He seems to be incredulous.

    Now is the time to fight back, but I can''t move.

    I can''t move, because my arms and legs are broken.

    Levin cries apologetically at the sight of it, but Lunamaria is calm.

    Quickly she comes to me and casts a recovery spell.

    The green magic shoots from her palm.

    It felt so good.

    Thank you. You brought me life.

    You''re welcome.

    And smiles, but also gets scolded.

    ''''Master Will is being too reckless. Even a mother goddess of the earth can''t revive you if you are crushed by a giant.

    As a result, they didn''t crush me.

    "There are consequences. Please hold your horses for a while.

    Okay.

    And then he tries to get up before the roots of his tongue are dry.

    What are you doing, sir?

    We have to bring down the Cyclops. He''s still out to get us.

    "It will take another five minutes for the bones to heal. Until then, please rest.

    It''s impossible. He got up.

    Levin looks determined as he says, "You''ve got five minutes.

    "You have five minutes. I''ll take care of it. I''ll prove I''m a sword hero!¡¡Prove to be your father''s daughter!

    So you take your sword and challenge the giant.

    That''s impossible! You just got beaten back!

    I would like to stop her, but I can''t.

    Her eyes were filled with determination, and for now we must rely on her swordsmanship.

    But, sure enough, her sword has no effect on the angry giant.

    The giant swings his arm like a giant tree, trying to grab hold of Levin.

    Watch out!

    I''m screwed, or so I thought, and then magic comes flying in from the distance.

    It was a small fireball, but the giant''s movement stopped for a moment as it hit the cyclops'' large monocular.

    I looked in the direction the magic had come from, and there was my former comrade in arms.

    Levin shouts.

    Amy!

    The wizard called Amy and turned his nose up at her, "Humph.

    "Don''t take it the wrong way. I''m not fighting this monster for you. I just wanted to practice my magic for a while.

    You say that in a tsundere way, but obviously it was an excuse.

    "It sounds like you have a good companion, Swordsman.

    Lunamar¨ªa speaks the truth.

    I give it back to Lunamaria.

    Well, you seem to have a good group of ''they''.

    "Friends?

    I explain to a strange-looking Lunamar¨ªa that a group of brave men came from behind.

    A group of heroes has come from behind.

    "The warrior girl and the priestess. Looks like Squire Lynx is going to climb the city wall and shoot the ballista.

    If you look, the Brave Girls were also cheering for you from afar.

    When Levin saw that, he was overcome with emotion.

    Maybe he is a brave man after all.

    He moves many people by his actions.

    When he said this, Lunamaria let slip a word.

    The source of it all is Master Will. I''m sure you will meet more people and inspire more people in the future.

    Hopefully, you''ll be able to see the spectacle up close and personal," she continued, focusing on further recovery magic.

 42 Renamarias nap

    The third round, thanks to a brave man and his party stalling for time, my fracture is on its way to recovery.

    Of course, it''s not perfect, as it''s a first aid measure, but I''m still able to stand both feet on the ground and swing the dagger.

    As long as you can wield the sword, there''s no problem.

    Bracing my aching body, I draw my dagger and head for the cyclops.

    I tell Levin to fall back as I run straight to the giant.

    The giant throws a glancing blow at me, but I gallantly avoid it and leap into the giant''s arms and run up his arms.

    I won''t do anything foolish like attacking its arm.

    She runs straight for the giant''s head.

    Lunamaria remembers that the way they fought was like a myth, but I was just heading toward the giant in a frenzy.

    I only had to calmly stare at the giants'' weaknesses and deliver the strongest blow I could now deliver.

    I''m on the giant''s shoulders, and I put all my strength into the dagger Ronin gave me.

    I cast the granting spell the Vandal taught me.

    I apply the protection of the weak that Milia taught me.

    Put the power and magic in your body and apply it to your sword.

    Apply the strongest magic, the Sunlight, or Flare''s magic, on your blade to add the ultimate sword technique and release it as a sword flash.

    A dazzling light shoots from the dagger and envelops the area.

    If the blow doesn''t work, I''ll die and the giant will have me.

    But I have no regrets. I could still protect my comrades. I could have protected the people of the city.

    I''m sure my father would be pleased. I''m sure they''ll be proud of me.

    And with that thought in mind, I struck a blow.

    And with that thought, my blow was rightly rewarded.

    My blow blows off the giant''s head, one monocular eye in its entirety.

    Losing its head, the giant stumbled and fell. I crumpled to the ground.

    Thus I win. I saved my friend. I''ve saved the city.

    But there was too much fighting, and with the wound from before, I also crumple to the ground. I lose consciousness right then and there.

    Fatigue and pain surge through me, but I take it in and fall to the ground.

    Will-sama--

    I hear a familiar voice in the distance.

    Luna Maria comes running to me.

    She takes me in her lap and, with tears in her eyes, says, "You are the true hero.

    "After all, you are the true hero. You will bring the gospel to this world.

    I didn''t know how it was, but it was so comfortable on Luna Maria''s lap.

    I fell asleep, remembering the lap pillows my mother used to give me when I was a child.

    A few days later, I regained consciousness.

    I wake up in the guest room of the Anaheim Trading Company, where I was safe.

    When I wake up, Karen is beside me, jumping up and down happily.

    Will is awake. And it''s my turn to take care of him. This is fate.

    And, excitedly, Levin, who was waiting in the next room, comes in.

    She looks happy to hold my hand.

    "Will-boy, you''re awake. We were worried about you.

    She says that line from the bottom of her heart.

    Her hands are soft. It reminds me of being a woman again.

    "I''m so glad you''re okay, Mr. Levin. Are your friends okay?

    Yeah, Amy, the warrior and the monk are safe. The hero girls are safe. They''re all out in the open.

    "So, the party is breaking up after all?

    No, we''ve talked about it and decided to form another party. This time, not as subordinates and superiors, but together as equals.

    ...... Well, that''s good to know.

    And when you wake up, the pain is intense.

    "...... stay.

    "Don''t take it easy. You''re a wounded man.

    "Yes, but I''ve been sitting on my hands. Is Luna Maria safe?

    If you look, Lunamaria is not there. I was very curious about that.

    Oh, it''s her. She''d been working a recovery spell for a night or so afterwards. Then I spent two whole days doing water splash detachment and hoping for your recovery. Yesterday, I collapsed and fell asleep.

    "What?¡¡A water stain release is when you are covered with cold water. What do you want me to do?

    I didn''t force you to do that. I mean, I did, but I didn''t.

    "d*mn, now I have to help her.

    and got up and headed to the guest room where she was sleeping.

    There was the Lynx boy.

    He was beside Luna Maria with tears streaming down his face.

    ...... Why are you crying. Lynx, stop it, don''t give me that look, it''s like you''re--

    I staggered to Lunamaria''s side.

    When I finally walked over to Luna Maria''s side, she had a white cloth draped over her face.

    "......, that''s impossible. No, no." "No way. Why are you going to die. I haven''t told you yet. Thank you for taking me on the journey. Thank you for showing me that this world is wonderful. Thank you for letting me meet my best friend.

    I haven''t told you yet. .......

    I tried to mumble that at the end, but I couldn''t. I couldn''t speak. I couldn''t speak.

    I tried to break down and cry right there, but I couldn''t.

    I remembered my father''s words, "Men shouldn''t cry.

    But I didn''t cry because I remembered his words. It was because I didn''t have to cry.

    Crying over the chest of Luna Maria, who was presumed dead, I notice her breasts.

    Not for their fullness. It''s that her breasts are rising and falling.

    It was that she was alive.

    ...... Luna Maria, are you alive?

    When she screams bareheadedly, she twitches.

    In addition, the

    "Whew!

    And woke up yawning in place with a careless voice.

    She snaps out of her stupor and confirms the presence of the person who was on her chest, checking the sounds around her.

    The heartbeat is Mr. Will, or is it that you can''t cry?¡¡Why?¡¡Ha!¡¡What if there is severe pain!¡¡We have to cast a recovery spell.

    "No, no, it''s okay.

    I rush away from the Lunamar¨ªa who hugs me overprotectively, but I stare at Lynx reproachfully.

    He apologizes apologetically, but when I ask him why, he understands.

    I''m sorry. Earlier, a giant eagle god came to the window and asked me to cry: ......

    "You''re Dad Reus,

    I''d be flying over the mansion sending blame to my father who would be flying over the house, but I don''t know if he got it.

    But I know what my father is saying.

    "It was slumbering and I had to do something I didn''t need to do.

    Am I right? Not far wrong.

    For the first time, I am repulsed by my father''s desire to do more than I have to.

    "I don''t know, I don''t know why I bothered so much.

    There was a little bit of seriousness in that tone. If you''re around Mother Militia, you''ll hear it.

    "My precious little Will has become a rebel.

    and might make a fuss. Such impressions.

 43 a fresh departure

    We survived the giant attack this way.

    My father played a trick on me when I woke up, but otherwise, everything was fine.

    The master of the Garde Trading Company who caused the incident was rightly punished.

    He escaped for a while, but was captured in the border city and sent to King''s Landing. There he is awaiting trial, but Viktor of Anaheim''s merchant association says his head is sure to be hanged.

    He even brought a giant to destroy the city to kill me! Perhaps it''s fortunate that he only had to hang me.

    I say.

    Viktor doesn''t seem to have any sympathy for his former rival.

    But he doesn''t seem to be actively pursuing it either.

    He''s going to keep the Garde Chamber of Commerce employees intact.

    Or perhaps it was the skill of a shrewd merchant, but it was a good thing that few people were lost in this case.

    Thus, everything is going to be fine, but I will be staying at Viktor''s house for a while to recuperate.

    In the meantime, his daughter Karen motions and Lunamaria prevents it.

    It''s noisy but peaceful proof that I''m not displeased.

    Meanwhile, Levin the Swordsman, the brave, has taken the role of mediator for five days, but after five days he leaves.

    I heard there is a village in the east that seeks salvation. I''ll do my duty as a hero there.

    He smiled, shook my hand and departed.

    As we parted, Luna Maria whispered to me, "It''s possible that we could go together.

    "Or we could go together,

    I know it is her way of thinking, but I''ll just take the feeling.

    "I would love to come with you, but she said it would be dependent on me. Well, I''d be relying on her too.

    He''s grown up, hasn''t he, Master Swordsman? The next time you see him, he''ll be more mature.

    I guess so. If I were to become a legendary hero, he might take my Lunamaria.

    That''s not true. Even if I had to weigh myself against a thousand brave men, I would choose Master Will.

    The girl says it without any embarrassment or hesitation.

    Her expression is so serious that it makes me feel embarrassed.

    I give her a small thank you.

    I say in a small voice, but her voice seems to have been heard, and she smiles at me.

    Then, after getting into trouble with the Anaheim family for a while, we resume our journey.

    The Cullens, for example.

    "''It''s no good, I mean it''s not--it''s not--it''s a mistake. You mustn''t do that. You need to take a little more care.

    And keep me back. Physically.

    "Lunamaria''s recovery magic, the Anaheim family''s sumptuous food, and Karen''s delightful conversation helped me recover a lot. I''m over-healing from this. And I''m afraid I won''t want to travel if I keep being treated with such pomp and circumstance.

    "Then stay with Anaheim forever. I''m not asking you to marry me. Yes, you will be my personal bodyguard.

    It sounds fun, but I want to see more of the world.

    Maybe because he said in a strong and decisive tone, "I see ......," he blurted out, but eventually allowed to leave.

    But the search for the Holy Sword is over. What will you do next?

    I look at Luna Maria as Karen asks me.

    "I''m just trying to get some perspective for now, but I''d like to have a short term goal as well.

    The blind priestess answers her request.

    Then shall we go in search of the sacred shield that lies east of Midonia?

    "Holy shields?

    Yes, there is a dungeon where the shield with God''s blessing lies.

    It''s a good idea, but like the Holy Sword, only a brave man can equip it.

    It''s okay. Unlike the holy sword, anyone can equip it. However, once equipped, it cannot be deactivated again.

    I thought it was not a holy shield, but a cursed shield, but I did not speak of it and decided to head east.

    I wanted to have some kind of purpose in traveling around the world.

    It''s also interesting that once you equip it, you can''t take it off again. Whether I equipped it or not, I wanted to get it and study it.

    Give it to Vandal''s father, he''ll be happy to see it.

    For filial piety, I followed Lunamaria''s recommendation to head east to satisfy my own interests.

    The two of you leave the Anaheim mansion with great enthusiasm.

    The head of the house, Viktor, his daughter, Karen, and the butler, Johan, will see you off. All the servants of Anaheim will be there to see you off.

    Viktor will be

    I hope to see you again someday.

    And ask to shake hands.

    It was the same for me, so I shook his hand and said goodbye.

    He also gives me a pass engraved with Viktor''s family crest. It will let you into any city in the country.

    We thanked him and left.

    We walked the streets. The road goes on and on. And beyond that, the blue road.

    We walked all the way to the horizon.

    We walked out in high spirits, basking in the spring sunshine.

 44 in search of a sacred shield

    Table Mountain is also known as the Mountain of the Gods.

    Abandoned on that mountain, I was picked up by the gods who lived there and raised by them.

    First of all, Reus, the main god who picked me up, a god known as the all-powerful god and the faceless god, who is always transforming into something else, so no one knows his real face.

    I, his son, don''t even know his real face.

    Next, I''ll introduce you to the god of swords, Ronin.

    He is a samurai from the far east who became a god when he was mastering swordsmanship, and is a true swordsmanship fool.

    I studied swordsmanship with him and honed my skills. He also forced me to drink alcohol even though I was a child, so I learned the taste of alcohol.

    They are both male gods, by the way, but not all of them are male.

    I have a mother, too.

    Her name is Milia, the goddess of healing. The crimson of the Table Mountain gods and my mother.

    She''s a beautiful goddess, but she''s overprotective.

    She always spoils me and holds me close with her ample breasts.

    She always says, "If you do anything to my Will, I''ll kill you.

    She''s an overbearing mother and not a great cook, but I loved her very much.

    Finally, I would like to introduce you to Vandal, the god of magic, a one-eyed sorcerer with a wide-brimmed hat.

    An eccentric who has long ago holed himself up in the mountains to pursue the truth of magic.

    He was the one who taught me to write, to cultivate, and to practice magic.

    He was a great sorcerer and I think that''s why I can cast magic now without chanting.

    But I guess it''s also his fault that I''ve gone a little out of my league.

    --Is it the other gods'' fault too?

    As I''m remembering these gods, the priestess who brought me to this world smiles at me.

    Her name is Luna Maria.

    She is a priestess to the Mother Goddess.

    She is a blind woman who offered her light to the goddess at an early age and has lived according to the teachings of the earth mother goddess ever since.

    She received an oracle from the Mother Goddess and came to Table Mountain and invited me to the lower realm.

    I traveled with her through the kingdom of Midonia and learned many things together.

    I became friends with a beautiful woman in men''s clothing called the Swordsman, and I made friends with the daughter of Anaheim merchants, all thanks to her in a way.

    Thanking the woman who taught me that this world is big, I asked her as she walked in front of me.

    I heard there is a sacred shield in the east, where is it?

    Me unfolding the map.

    The kingdom of Midonia stretches from east to west, north to south, east to west, with Table Mountain at its center, and in the north is the city of the Northwoods, where the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce is located, and the Lost Forest, where the Holy Sword is located.

    I checked the map to see what was in the east, but there were no landmarks there.

    East of Midonia is the plains. There''s nothing to see here.

    Then it''s hard to find a dungeon with a holy shield.

    The sacred shield is in the dungeon where the prairie people are enshrined. Let''s contact the grasslanders first.

    It''s a good idea.

    And look around, but the road extends forever. I can''t see the horizon.

    "I grew up in the mountains, so I''m not used to seeing the horizon.

    Table Mountain is trapezoidal in shape, but you can''t see the horizon very well because of the lush greenery.

    If you go to the periphery, you can see far away, but we never went to the periphery.

    It''s somehow unsettling to see the mountains back home so far away.

    When I looked back, Table Mountain had gotten much smaller. If you keep walking like this, you''ll be completely out of sight.

    "I guess we should have gone home on the way.

    Seeing through my mind, Lunamaria asks me out of the blue.

    It''s a tempting proposition, but I shake my head.

    I swore to my mom and dad I wouldn''t go back until I was a big boy. They''ll laugh at me if I leave in less than a month.

    I joke when I continue, "Besides," I say.

    "If I go back to the mountains now, I''m pretty sure my mom would have me tied up. Physically. They''ll make you drink a potion that will make you lose consciousness and memory, and you''ll be locked up in the woods for the rest of your life.

    You may be right.

    Perhaps remembering the caustic nature of Milia, the god of healing, Lunamar¨ªa smiled and agreed.

    We headed east on the road, talking about the affairs of Mother Militia.

 45 mysterious priest

    North of here you will find a sign that says Marsa Plains.

    The road still continues to the east, but to get to the Marsa Plains, it seems that you have to cross the road to the side.

    The road is safer and more stable, but I''m worried about it.

    Don''t worry, we won''t run into any thieves early on.

    Confident Lunamar¨ªa.

    She didn''t see the oracle being attacked by thieves yesterday.

    And that good fortune is on her side as she prays to the Mother of Earth every day.

    That''s encouraging, but she has one misconception.

    Perhaps Lunamaria herself is lucky.

    The fortune cookie she had at the inn town where she stopped by was a winner.

    But I, standing next to her, am notorious for being unhappy and getting into trouble at every turn.

    When I told her about it, she replied, "It''s not like I''m attacked by thieves every time. It''s not a trifecta," she reassured me, but her smile quickly froze.

    Because as soon as we left the city streets, we encountered trouble.

    As expected, we didn''t run into any bandits, but we did run into something similar. It''s a band of goblins.

    A group of green goblins. Wearing ragged clothes and a rusty dagger.

    They look distinctly deadly, apparently after the battle. Some of them are wounded.

    Willie!

    And it threatens you in goblin language.

    Whether after fighting a human or a demon, I don''t know, but a battle seems inevitable.

    We may not have the will to fight, but they do. At least ten of them.

    "Lunamar¨ªa, we''re in a fight, you have to cover us from the rear.

    I get it!

    We stepped back and cast sacred magic, but as it turned out, we didn''t fight.

    To be precise, we didn''t fight.

    Before I knew it, there was a warrior standing at the back.

    He would have been fourteen or five years old.

    She looks about my age.

    She is a girl, and her hair is neatly pulled back.

    She wields a club called a flail and slays one goblin after another.

    She wields the flail deftly.

    Sometimes powerful, sometimes precise to her opponent''s weaknesses, sometimes rigid and soft.

    You are a deft warrior.

    That was my first impression.

    And I thought she was very beautiful.

    She was different from Luna Maria.

    Lunamar¨ªa was the ladylike and modest type, and this one was lively and dainty.

    In my surroundings, she was

    And imagining, she exclaims, "Son of the gods, Will, won''t you help me fight?

    ''Raised by the gods, Will, won''t you help me with the women fighting?

    The girl with the flail says out loud.

    It''s true, so you draw your dagger and take cover.

    "Sorry, I was just admiring you

    "Uh-huh, that''s just as well, I''m beautiful.

    Say it yourself?¡¡I thought, but I didn''t argue, I just introduced myself.

    "My name is Will, and you seem to know me.

    "My name is Leah, and I am a priest in the service of a god.

    "The same as Lunamaria.

    A better god than the gods that the little girl serves.

    As expected, Lunamar¨ªa was angry at her.

    But it was still her kindness that cast a protective spell.

    An oracle told me that a child of the gods was coming to our land.

    Will that help us?

    Yes, yes, you''re looking for the holy grail.

    "You know that too?

    "Don''t lick the miko. You know everything.

    And slay the goblin while saying, "Leah. I cut down a goblin as well.

    "Do you know where the holy shield is?

    I don''t know about that, but it would be nice to have me on board.

    "For example?

    Well, I''ll let you touch my tits when you miss your mommy.

    "............

    When I''m silent, the holy spirit of Luna Maria rises.

    I''m in time!

    and her holy blow strikes a group of goblins.

    The Holy Pillar''s magic bursts at the center of the group, wiping out the goblins in one fell swoop.

    Leah chuckles when she sees this.

    "Oh my... I''m a baked rice cake...

    This is not a baked rice cake. Don''t let holy Will lead you down the wrong path.

    "Well, you know, acting like a mother.

    I was entrusted by Master Will''s mother with Master Will.

    It''s not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you''re going to be able to get your hands on a new one.

    It''s a good thing that they are faithful to the words of the goddess Milia.

    Of course. You are Mr. Will''s mother.

    "Well, okay. I don''t want to be at odds with the god of healing, either. I won''t be overly tempted to join them.

    "Are we supposed to be friends?

    I ask with dismay

    .

    Of course, Will was brought up by some dirty little god called the Sword God to never refuse a girl''s request, right?

    You know your stuff.

    "I know how many moles all over my body when it comes to Will.

    She laughs and continues.

    ''A sweet girl like you would never let a girl travel alone.

    "Girls: ...... Yes, ......

    I see the goblins with their skulls destroyed by a direct hit from the flail.

    Even Ronin would not be so rough with them, but as she put away her flail and posed like a girl, she looked like a weak woman.

    Such a pretty woman is not worthy to travel alone.

    So I reach out to her.

    Then she squeezes it back.

    "Nice to meet you, Will.

    Nice to meet you, Leah.

    Thus, I had a second companion. The second companion was also a woman and even a priest.

    Puffing out her cheeks a little, Lunamaria said

    "You want all the maidens in the world to join you?

    I said.

    I''m not going to act like a harem, but Leah hugs me as if to provoke Luna Maria.

    I''d like to thank you, too. It''s a good idea to have a good time with them.

    "This is Luna Maria!

    And insisting she looked more childish and adorable than usual.

 46 hobgoblin

    Thus, a goddess of unknown affiliation joined us.

    Or perhaps I should say, I was forced to join her.

    Well, it doesn''t matter.

    As my father Ronin used to say.

    Traveling is companionship, the world is mercy. The more family, the merrier.

    Since that''s absolutely true, I don''t mind asking Leah, "We''re looking for the prairie people for a holy shield, Leah, I don''t have any idea.

    "We are looking for the prairie people for the holy shield, Leah, but I don''t know where they are.

    "Unfortunately not. I''m from the heart of Midonia.

    At the heart of Midnia is Table Mountain, but I wonder if it''s from the foothills.

    Well, that''s a shame. The shield is said to lie in the dungeon of the steppe people.

    It looks like a shield. I don''t know any grasslanders, but I do know that grasslanders live in tents called gers.

    "Gel, I''ve read about it in my dad''s book, Vandal.

    A gel is a mobile home, and is a favorite of the steppe people.

    In short, it was a luxury version of a tent.

    Grasslanders make their living by herding, so they are always on the move.

    At this time of year, they might have moved a little further north.

    And that was the word of Lunamaria.

    The warmer weather would allow grass to grow in the north.

    "Very well, then, let''s go a bit further north.

    And so we quickly find the steppe people.

    Discover the First Grasslanders!

    That''s Leah''s words.

    "A little girl. We shouldn''t scare her.

    For all intents and purposes, the girl in the braided national costume looked frail.

    In fact, when she sees us, she shakes and is wary of us.

    With awkward hands, I said, "Hey! And raise your right hand.

    The child of the prairie people

    "Hi, hi, forgive me.

    And run away.

    Seeing this, Luna Maria says.

    "It was rude of you to run away at the sight of Master Will.

    Leah agrees.

    ''That''s a rare combination, lass.

    The two of us are unusually in sync, but I''m a bit depressed.

    ...... Yeah, I''ve never had a kid hate me.

    In the mountains, wildcat cubs, fawns, little bears, all were friendly.

    I could have been friends with them all, but the prairie doesn''t seem to go like the mountains.

    And as he laments, he realizes that this is not so.

    It''s not us who are frightened of the prairie children, but the monster behind them.

    Before we know it, a large shadow has formed behind us.

    The shadow is staring down at us.

    And here comes the master of the goblins we just defeated.

    Hobgoblins!

    Leah yells and a huge goblin called the Hobgoblin clubs down.

    I dodge, shielding Luna Maria.

    There''s a huge hole where we were just now.

    "...... So this is a hobgoblin.

    I''ve seen groups of goblins in the mountains, but I''ve never seen hobgoblins before. ''Are they this huge?'' muttered Leah, denying it.

    ...... Ordinary hobgoblins aren''t this big. Maybe this one is a unique monster.

    "This is a unique monster?

    A unique monster is a unique monster, also known as a double-named monster.

    They are far more powerful than normal individuals and reign in the land with a different name.

    The girl in pigtails says while sitting up on the spot.

    The Green Ogre of Shattering: ......

    Apparently that''s his name, but he''s pretty strong.

    We each hold a weapon.

    I''ll take my mithril dagger, Lunamaria''s consecrated shortsword, and Leah''s flail, but the hobgoblin is unconcerned about that as he swings his club down.

    It''s too powerful a blow, so if you catch it, you''ll be crushed with your weapon.

    The three of you immediately saw this and each jumped backwards to switch to your signature timing.

    Lunamaria will use sacred magic from behind, and Leah will use her flail''s length for mid-range combat. I, on the other hand, follow the theory that my bosom is the safest range. Each of us was different, but the hobgoblin was quite strong.

    They repel Lunamaria''s sacred magic and even Leah''s full-length blow was non-lethal.

    Even my dagger couldn''t cut through them.

    It''s as tough as the cyclops we fought last time.

    Lunamaria and Leah insist on retreating, but I refuse.

    I think there''s a steppe people''s gel nearby, given the girl''s presence here. If we retreat, this creature should be headed there.

    That''s true, but sometimes you have to retreat.

    If Mr. Will gets hurt, it will cost him nothing.

    Yes, yes, what would you do if something happened to Will?

    "There''s nothing there. I''m going to take this guy down with a single blow now.

    "You can do that?

    Of course it''s possible. I have swordsmanship, learned from the God of Swords, and magic, learned from the God of Magic. Combine those two and you''re invincible.

    Declaring this, Leah says boringly.

    Doesn''t the healing you learned from the world''s most beautiful goddess help you?

    Milia, your mother''s teachings are often useful after battle. But I think she taught me the most. We saved a lot of the mountain people.

    Hearing those words, Leah nodded proudly, "Mm, good.

    I don''t know what''s good for you, but I think I''m willing to put my best foot forward.

    Lunamaria and Leah will pull her back. I don''t want to be collateral damage.

    I understand.

    "Li!

    And the two stepped backwards and picked up the bent-over girl and left her.

    When I''m sure we''ve made quite a distance, I look up at the sky.

    "O spirit that trembles the atmosphere, O king of thunder, who rules over your anger, help me!

    As I say this, the sky, which was once clear and sunny, becomes cloudy and black in the blink of an eye, bringing a thunderstorm.

    Sensing the presence of lightning, I leap up into the sky and unleash the magic of the Thunderbolt.

    I catch it in the air. I imbue the mithril dagger with lightning power and slam it at the hobgoblin!

    Alas!

    I thought to myself. This was my first time with this magic sword, but I was sure I''d hit it.

    This is the plain, and the lightning was unobstructed.

    Then I predicted that the lightning would behave legibly and fly straight through, and I was right.

    ............

    The hobgoblin who had been hit by the lightning strike stood there for a moment, wondering how powerful the magic sword of lightning was.

    For a moment, I wondered if it had withstood that magic sword, but that didn''t seem to be the case.

    The hobgoblin fell to the ground with a thud, releasing a cloud of white smoke.

    Seeing this, Lunamaria said

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    And was jumping up and down on the spot.

    Leah, on the other hand, hugged me more directly.

    For a moment.

    That''s my boy!

    I think I said, but I''ll correct myself soon enough.

    ''That''s my Will! Strong, good looking, nice, three things!

    It''s an exaggeration, but I''m glad everyone was uninjured. I thought so.

 47 a Jugatian village

    This is how I fought off goblins and hobgoblins, but then a girl who seems to be a grassland person greets me with a smile.

    Thank you for earlier. I am Ayesha of the Jugachi, one of the nine clans of the Marsa steppe.

    The head hangs down and the adorable braids fall off the shoulders.

    It''s so cute, but it''s Leah to verbalize it.

    "Oh my God, it''s so cute, I want to eat it.

    I know you''re joking, but please don''t do it because it freaks Ayesha out.

    Throw in the Saint Lunar Mary to calm her down.

    "It''s okay. It was just a joke.

    A smile would lighten the mood. As I was admiring her, Ayesha said, "That''s my girl, Lunamaria!

    Thank you for killing that band of goblins that have been plaguing the village. I would very much like you to come to my village, for the occasion.

    "Will you invite me?

    "Of course. I would like to entertain you with horse milk wine.

    Thank God for that.

    And thanked Ayesha and followed behind her.

    Behind her, on the other side of the hill, was a horse.

    Apparently she rode over. She was on an errand to a neighboring tribe.

    Are you going on an errand?

    I was just returning from delivering a delivery.

    "Is that where the goblins attacked you?

    Yes. --I was just picking flowers.

    "Picking flowers?

    Looking around, Luna Maria coughs lightly.

    Leah says in my ear.

    "The bathroom,

    "...... Oh, I see.

    Ayesha squirming and embarrassed.

    The poor thing skipped the subject and asked about the Jugati.

    There are nine clans in this grassland, so there are nine villages?

    ." "Well, there are groups that branch off from the clans, but basically there are nine large mobile villages. There are some groups that have branched off from the clan, but you can think of it as basically nine big mobile villages.

    The Jugati are the biggest of them all, ahem," said Ayesha, puffing her little chest out.

    I see. If we were constantly moving through these wide open plains, we would not be able to meet them.

    Yes. And the prairie people are shy, so they may be cold at first glance.

    I see. You can''t even get into the village without an introduction.

    "Basically, . . travel merchants are welcome.

    I''m thinking of moving to a merchant.

    While mumbling jokes such as, "That''s the village of Ayesha.

    That''s the village of Jugachi.

    "Oh, wow. . bigger than I thought.

    I thought it would be smaller because it''s a village of people living in a mobile home, but the ger itself is very large to begin with.

    Each one is twice the size of an ordinary farmhouse.

    "The people of the steppe are very kinship-oriented, so they basically live with their relatives. That''s why it''s so big.

    When the family grows to a certain extent, it is customary for the eldest son to be the first to become independent and set up a new gel.

    Isn''t that an unusual custom?

    But I don''t even know a normal village, so I can only wonder if that''s what it is.

    I looked at Lunamaria lightly.

    The mobile home itself is a rarity. I''d like to touch it later.

    . and commented to me.

    Surprisingly, she is a meek or rather curious saint.

    While having such an exchange, she approaches the village.

    Just in case, the village has guards and is wary of its surroundings, and who or what to do with Ayesha, who has brought an unfamiliar thing with her.

    A man in ethnic clothes shouts out, "Ayesha!

    Ayesha!¡¡Who are those things?

    Mr. Flagg, these aren''t suspicious people.

    They helped me.

    "Helped Ayesha?¡¡So that''s your benefactor?

    . so . And not just me, but the village. These men killed a bunch of goblins.

    "Hey, is it true?

    A young flag boy rolls his eyes, calling it impossible.

    "Aside from the goblins, their master, the hobgoblins, are so powerful and unmatched that several of the village''s vigilantes have been beaten back.

    But they, no, Mr. Will, managed to beat it.

    What, you think this boy beat you alone?

    "No, it''s not. I worked with a colleague to take it down.

    When I defend myself, Lunamar¨ªa says.

    That''s humility. As for the hobgoblins, it''s almost as if Master Will defeated them all by himself.

    Yeah, yeah. I mean, Will was enough to get rid of the goblins on his own.

    I''m a genius, is what they claimed, but they didn''t listen to me when I claimed that it was because of their rearguard and distraction.

    At this rate, I''m going to be misunderstood as being able to defeat the demon king on my own, so I''m going to change the subject.

    "Mr. Flagg, we have some information we need to ask you in the village, is it possible for you to let us in?

    The flag responds stridently.

    "By all means, tell him to stay in his village and rest. The Jugatchis will not be wronged by not being able to have a benefactor. The whole village will be treated with respect.

    And then head to the back of the village.

    He''s going to tell the chief about this. He''ll be gone as fast as the wind.

    He''s a busy man. He''s a busy man.

    Leah''s assessment, but she''s not wrong. Ayesha also laughs, "Yeah, I guess so.

    "But Flagg is the bravest man in the village. He''ll ride his horse and punch a goblin between the eyes ten meters away.

    That''s great. It''s called archery.

    Yes, I''m the best in the village. That''s why I''m so popular.

    Well, I could learn to shoot, too.

    "Do you want to be groomed?

    And that''s a question Lunamar¨ªa asks, but shakes her head.

    I learned all the martial arts from a young age, but I didn''t learn much about the bow. It''s not that I can''t shoot, but I''m not good with a cavalryman.

    You want to learn out of pure curiosity.

    I''m sure. If you master your archery, you''ll be proud of your father when you get back to the mountains.

    "Master Ronin the Sword God seems to be especially pleased.

    And Lunamaria smiles, but Leah chuckles.

    ''What about you, Miss Militia, the god of super beauty. I''m sure you want Will to be a gentle girl.

    "My mom said I was a minimalist martial artist, but I was more concerned with how to do the martial arts than mastering them,

    You are telling me where to use my power. You''re telling me how to use the power you''ve gained for justice.

    He said, "Yes, you''re right. He made a point of saying that being the best is useless if there''s no one around. That''s how I see it.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make it work.

    ...... Um, Leah, I don''t want you to hug me every time something happens.

    "Because Will is a very nice girl. Do you like Milia the best of the four gods after all?

    "That''s a tough question. I can tell you that it''s my mother''s favorite.

    "There''s only one goddess, right?

    Yes. --. well, no comment on that one.

    It''d be a terrible mess if my fathers heard about it.

    Leah seems to be light-hearted, and I think it''s best to keep her mouth shut.

    Then Luna Maria chuckles and

    "That''s Mr. Will. You''re as smart as a wise man.

    And praised me.

    Indeed, Leah and Lunamaria are both overreacting. I looked at the steppe girl to see Ayesha looking at me strangely, but she had a surprisingly normal expression on her face.

    I''ve heard that the steppe people can have up to three wives, so this kind of scene is not uncommon.

    Hearing those words, Leah said, "Grasslanders, wow! and entwine their arms with it.

    Luna Maria is copying me, too.

    If I become the prairie people, we''re in big trouble.

    I need to know where the dungeon with the holy shield is as soon as possible.

 48 welcome horse milk

    The elders of the Jugachi tribe were shaking and trembling.

    He was so old that he could barely stand.

    But his mind was still clear.

    You have done well to save my great-grandson Ayesha and this village.

    and asked for a handshake. His hands are strong.

    They used to be able to shoot a bow a mile away.

    But I''m more interested in what the elder said.

    Are you the great-grandson of the Jugachi chief?

    When asked by Ayesha, she laughed, "Heh, actually," she laughed.

    But," he corrects her, "the chief has 28 children, 92 grandchildren, and too many great-grandchildren to count.

    The chief has 28 children, 92 grandchildren, and too many great-grandchildren to count...

    It''s no exaggeration to say that most of this village is related.

    This is a terrible chief. Then the chief said, "Well, it''s still the same as a pretty great-grandson.

    Well, that doesn''t make a pretty great-grandson. I''m really glad you helped me. I''ve arranged a modest feast for you. Enjoy.

    Pop Pop, the chief claps his hands, and women in beautiful traditional costumes come over.

    They''re older than Ayesha. They look like their mother''s generation.

    They hold a bottle of horse milk wine in their hands.

    They say our guest drinks it in gulps.

    As an adult, I can drink, but not that much.

    But it would be rude to say no, so I go. It was like a burning sensation in my throat and stomach.

    Luna Maria said no for religious reasons.

    A priestess of the earth mother goddess says she must not indulge in pleasure.

    Leah says, "You''re such a prude," and takes a swig of horse milk wine. That''s a pretty good drink.

    After all three of us have our welcome drinks, the party begins.

    A circle is formed around us.

    The party begins around a bonfire and the clamor goes on.

    Lunamar¨ªa can''t drink horse milk, but she does drink loca tea, a special kind of steppe tea with goat''s milk.

    The tea is full of sugar and butter, and "it''s sweet and delicious," she said, relaxing her cheeks.

    I had a sip of it myself, and the unique aroma and gentle taste was addictive.

    I thought this was better than horse milk wine, so I switched to Roca tea from the second cup.

    In the steppe culture, people respect those who are good at drinking, but they do not seem to force their guests to drink, so the switch to Roca-cha was not a problem for me.

    It''s more like a girl who drinks like a wombat.

    Even the best drinker in Jukachi Village can''t help but say, "I can''t even get drunk like this.

    I''d like to be able to drink well someday, but I don''t want to be like her, I thought as I watched the woman who was drinking heavily.

    Lunamar¨ªa seems to have had a similar thought and laughs bitterly. While observing the amount of alcohol each of them had consumed, the dishes arrived one after another.

    Each one smells delicious.

    "A feast for the prairie people.

    ayesha to serve with a grin. Explaining the food.

    This is lamb stewed with tomatoes. Chili pepper accents. This is minced lamb bun. It''s juicy. The hamburger steak is also good.

    There is a lot of meat. The hamburger steak is served with a horsemeat hamburger steak, which I was convinced is a nomadic herder''s way of life.

    The juices of the meat spread in your mouth. It''s horse meat, so it''s refreshing.

    Even Lunamaria, who usually eats poorly, agrees that this is delicious.

    This is wonderful. I use spices and sauces to remove the smell.

    And was asking how to make it. He wanted to treat me to some of his adventures.

    Ayesha is kind enough to teach me, but minced horse meat is the only thing I can''t seem to imitate.

    Minced horse meat is made by placing the meat on the horse''s saddle and shaking it while riding. This is exactly how nomadic people prepare their meat.

    When I''m satisfied, Leah says, "I don''t have a big ass, so it''s impossible. I don''t hear that, but I ignore it.

    While we are enjoying the full nomadic course, a young man made of horse milk wine begins to dance.

    It was a simple, unadorned dance, passed down from generation to generation of nomads.

    As the nomads clapped their hands, we enjoyed the food and dance until late into the night.

 49 Stew in Jugachi Village

    The feast lasted until late at night, but it wasn''t done by dawn.

    The villagers would get tired, and so would we.

    I tell the head of Jukachi that we need to rest at the right time.

    The chief offers us a place to sleep.

    He offers us a place to sleep in his house.

    Are you husband and wife?

    And asked me. Maybe she''s asking if you can share a bed with her, of course, I''ll share.

    Leah grumbles, but if you ignore her, you''ll be assigned another bed.

    I thought we''d have separate rooms, but it looks like Gel doesn''t know the difference between rooms to begin with.

    "Yes, it''s nice and open. It''s nice and open.

    If you look at the village chief''s family, they all slept in the same space. Men, women, and children. But there is one space with a tent.

    It''s a room where children are made.

    I blush when I learn what it means, but I fall asleep without thinking too much.

    I''m tired from the long trip.

    I''m so tired after fighting a pack of goblins and hobgoblins today and being the guest of honor at a banquet until late at night.

    Exhaustion is wearing me down and I''m falling asleep.

    It''s all too soon. I''m falling fast asleep.

    The Sleeping Fairy stayed with me until morning.

    The next morning, I shook Leah awake.

    I stare blankly around.

    A woman in native dress is bustling about, doing her chores.

    The scene reminds me that this is Jukachi village.

    As I recall, I received a welcome in this village yesterday.

    Muttering that, I notice that Luna Maria is not there.

    Where could she have gone?

    And then Leah tells me.

    "The girl is out there milking the goats. She''s a guest, but she helps the girls in the village.

    "It''s just like Lunamaria,

    And look at the rear

    What, you think I''m not going to do anything?

    Not really, though.

    Then what is it?

    No, do we want to help Lunamar¨ªa too?

    "Milking a goat?

    "I''ll even carry the grass. I got a lot of good food yesterday. We owe you a debt of gratitude.

    "I think it''s a goblin slayer and we''ll call it square.

    But Leah eventually went with us.

    "If you guys work all day and I sleep till noon, you''ll think I''m a little b*tc*.

    Yesterday, I was going to tell her that she thought I had drunk ten glasses of horse milk wine, but I decided against it.

    I didn''t want to throw away a miko who is in the spirit of hard work.

    Me and Leah get permission from the chief and go out of the gel.

    Lunamaria is in an enclosure next to the chief''s house.

    She is milking the goats just like Leah said.

    The girls are milking the goats.

    "Wow!

    "Dexterity!

    "I don''t think I''m blind.

    I''m muttering to myself.

    I was aware of her dexterity, so I''m not surprised, but it seems to be an oddity to the people in the village.

    Well, I still have a hard time believing that she doesn''t have eyesight, too.

    The other day she told me I had a bad habit of sleeping and she brushed my hair. She used a comb to fix my sleeping habits.

    It''s great that she fixed it, but it''s also great that she noticed.

    They seem to be able to detect the slightest difference in airflow.

    He seems to be able to tell my hair by the difference in air resistance.

    Simple enough to hear the theory, but the perception was amazing to see it in action.

    Even the God of the sword cannot do such a thing.

    Once again, as I was marveling at Lunamaria''s abilities, she looked at me and smiled.

    "Your footsteps, Master Will. Good morning.

    Smiling. Her smile was like a saint in a religious painting.

    I guess she doesn''t like the fact that I''m staring at her, so she counters with, "I can milk a goat, too.

    --I try to resist, but the goat refuses.

    But the goats don''t like it.

    It was just like Mother Militia.

    She too did things that the goats didn''t like.

    When I pointed this out to her, Leah turned her nose away and said, "Then why don''t you do it, Will?

    Of course I''m going to do it, so I''ll take over.

    "You don''t have to put so much pressure on the goat''s milk. Just squeeze gently and it''ll come out fine.

    And run, in fact, the goats milk.

    Meh!

    And let out a happy squeal.

    Ayesha rolls her eyes.

    You''re good at that, aren''t you?

    That''s right. We had goats on Table Mountain.

    You''ve been living at the foot of Table Mountain.

    It was the summit, but I was too lazy to explain, so I said, "Well, that''s about it," and she seemed to agree.

    I grew up on the plains, and I want to climb that mountain one day.

    I''ll show you then. By the way, Ayesha, can I ask you something?

    This morning''s breakfast is goat''s milk stew and bread.

    No, no, I mean, we''re looking for the prairie people''s dungeon, do you know where it is?

    "That''s a prairie dungeon!

    Ayesha was surprised to hear those words and fell on her ass on the spot.

    Awww. ......

    And panicked.

    "What''s so wrong to ask?

    I ask her, but she affirms with a "hmmm".

    The prairie dungeon is a place where only a select group of prairie people can visit.

    "A sacred place?

    Yes. But it''s a more dangerous place to be, and it has a guardian and poses a danger to anyone who comes near it.

    "It seems like a lot of work,

    --But," he continued, "we don''t have a choice, do we?

    "We don''t have the option of not going, do we?

    Lunamaria is quietly making up her mind and Leah is also very motivated.

    Ayesha is dismayed by this, but she knows what we are capable of, so she doesn''t say anything.

    I understand. I''ll ask the chief for permission.

    Perhaps you can tell me where the dungeon is.

    Thank God for that.

    "But you have to promise me two things.

    "Two?

    Yes. The first is to make sure you come back safely.

    "Okay. I promise you that.

    And the second?¡¡I ask, and she says, loosening her mouth.

    Secondly, I want you to eat your breakfast that I''m about to prepare for you. Luna Maria''s special goat''s milk stew, which she worked very hard to make. The stew in Jugachi village is the best in the steppe.

    She said that and smiled like the prairie wind.

    I am

    Thank you.

    And thanked them and went back to the gel with them.

 50 grass dungeon

    Returning to the ger, we have a meal with the village chief''s family.

    The chief pours some stew into his mouth, but eats it all without leaving anything behind. It looks like he''ll live a long time.

    When everyone has finished eating, I ask the chief on behalf of the family.

    As I''m sure Ayesha has told you, we have come for the sacred shield in the prairie dungeon.

    ...... heard that. No, you don''t have to ask. I knew that a brave man like you would come one day.

    "Unfortunately, I''m not a brave man.

    "I see. No stigmata. But I believe it''s not the saints that a brave man needs, but his mind-set.

    My father said something similar.

    I guess . But, well, it really doesn''t matter this time. The holy shield isn''t a special equipment for brave men.

    That''s helpful. What does a holy shield look like?

    The holy shield was one of the artifacts given to the holy ones by the gods at the time of the Holy Demon Wars.

    "Artifacts, it''s a creature of God

    No. . . anything that can not only protect others, but also attack them, like a shield.

    "...... is an unusual shield,

    So. Well, no one from this village has actually seen the real thing, so it''s just a matter of lore. But that doesn''t stop me from knowing that deep within that dungeon lies a sacred shield.

    "...... sacred shield?

    I''m just going to let out a sigh.

    I''m a dagger user, so a shield isn''t an important piece of equipment for me, but I knew that Lunamaria wanted it.

    I''ve been leaning forward so as not to miss the village chief''s words.

    She thinks I''m going to be a hero, or rather a great hero, and she wants the right equipment for that.

    For me, the mithril dagger my father Ronin gave me is enough, but I convince myself that I might need a shield from time to time.

    (Maybe someday I''ll be able to protect my friends from the dragon''s breath when I face the old dragon.

    Envisioning such a future, I bowed to the village chief and asked him where the grassland dungeon was.

    The chief nodded his head.

    Alright. I don''t want anyone other than the grasslanders to take it, but if you''re not a grasslander, I''d like you to take it to you.

    The village chief assured me and marked the location of the dungeon on the map.

    The dungeon is a few li to the west of here. Take Ayesha with you as your guide.

    After saying this, the chief hugs me lightly.

    May the winds of the prairie protect you.

    Apparently it''s a good luck charm for the departure.

    After thanking the chief for his concern, we headed to the meadow dungeon.

    The prairie dungeon is located west of Jukachi village.

    It''s not particularly hidden, but its entrance is said to be modest.

    Even though it''s wide open on the magnificent plateau, it''s not easy for a layman to find it.

    It would be hard to find without a guide from the prairie people.

    And is in the words of Ayesha.

    She continues.

    Is that the first thing to do? Winning the trust of the prairie people. Mr. Will has managed to do that.

    I guess that means there''s still a first.

    Right. The second test is to get to the bottom of the dungeon, I believe it''s on the fifth level.

    It''s pretty deep, depending on how much space there is across,

    And that was the word of Luna Maria.

    Leah looks out over the meadow and says with a sigh, "With this much land, we could expand it horizontally.

    ''''With so much land, we can expand it as much as we want.

    An ominous prophecy, but not an unfounded prophecy.

    When I asked Ayesha about that, she shook her head.

    She says the dungeon is not so vast.

    That''s a big help.

    A relieved Leah.

    But at the lowest level, a third trial awaits.

    That''s the guardian you''re talking about, isn''t it?

    "Yes.

    He nodded seriously, "I don''t know what it looks like.

    The village does not even know what he looks like, but he seems to be a very powerful guardian.

    That''s scary. I hope we can beat it.

    It''s okay. Mr. Will is invincible.

    Runamaria says.

    Leah follows.

    "Well, our Will has a lot of room to maneuver. I feel like we''re finally going to have a hard time with the evil gods and demons class.

    I would like to say that it is like an example of overrating, but ignore it and I say.

    I wonder if that rock hole is the path to the prairie dungeon.

    Ask Ayesha and she nods.

    "Yes, it seems so. I''m glad you noticed.

    Blink your eyes.

    That''s quite a distance. Maybe even the prairie people don''t have eyes this good.

    I was trained by my father, Vandal, the god of magic. He would take a book I wanted to read and put it a few dozen feet away, and I was trained to read it.

    "...... is an amazing practice,

    Ayesha is stunned.

    I was trained to use the Distant View without magic, if my concentration is at its peak. Father Vandal says that magic is supreme, but he also says it''s not universal.

    Not always able to use magic, was Dad Vandal''s habit.

    Wonderful father. In fact, he''s been very helpful in our adventures.

    And is, in fact, helpful, although in the words of Lunamar¨ªa.

    Father Vandal was an eccentric sorcerer, but he was not a fool to neglect practice.

    He was a man who knew the emptiness of the theoretical theories, separating research from study and practice from practice.

    When he was young, he used to explore the world and collect artifacts and books of magic, while pursuing the truth of magic.

    I learned many things as a son from a god who knew the essence of such adventures.

    I was very fortunate. It made my adventures easier and gave me a better chance of avoiding the dangers of the people I was traveling with.

    I say goodbye to Ayesha for showing me the way.

    That''s enough to get you there. If you ride back, you''ll reach the village by evening. You take care.

    Ayesha returned to the village quietly, hoping to get inside the cave in a hurry.

    Before she left, she sloppily gave me a package.

    "Here''s your lunch. Have some for dinner.

    It was a sandwich-like dish if you look at it.

    The filling is not ham, but mutton. It looks delicious.

    Thank you, Ayesha. I''ll be sure to bring the sacred shield home to show you.

    "I wish you good luck.

    And then, running the horse as it is, Ayesha becomes smaller and smaller.

    We watch her disappear until she disappears, but then Leah breaks the ice.

    "Will is a natural harem, isn''t he?

    I wondered what the basis for such a statement was, but she explained.

    Normally I would take the holy shield back to the village, but in Will''s case, I would just plainly show it to ''you''.

    He can make a woman fall in love with him without even knowing it.

    "It''s a bit of a tendency to overthink things,

    I stare at Lunamar¨ªa as I defend myself, and she stares at me, too. No, she listens to me.

    You''re right, Master Will is like that. He''s equally kind and gentlemanly to all women. There are some men who are beasts, but I think most women will like that attitude.

    I suppose I should think of myself as well as Lunamaria, but they don''t make fun of me any more.

    The open-mouthed dungeon was looming.

    The grasslands are littered with animals, but strangely enough, there are none in the vicinity.

    The whole area is filled with a strange atmosphere.

    This is indeed a dungeon that can only be visited by a select group of grasslanders. It''s intimidating.

    And so, we went into the dungeon

 51 sleep in a river.

    Entering the dungeon, Luna Maria takes out a torch and lights it.

    The action was so natural that we accepted it, but when we thought about it, she didn''t need the light.

    I was grateful for the thoughtfulness with which she took the initiative to light it.

    She smiles and humbles herself.

    "We haven''t been without light since I was born. So I know the fear of the dark.

    When she voluntarily cut off the light, she was apparently confused and bewildered.

    When the visual information she had been seeing was cut off, she was terrified.

    It was terrifying to not know left or right, above or below, others or even herself.

    But it was only at first. When you lose your sight, you get less information, but in return you get information that you couldn''t see when you were blind. The loss of vision makes the hearing acute.

    A good ear isn''t going to do you much good.

    And although it''s Leah, "it''s not true," said Lunamar¨ªa shaking her head.

    Hearing sometimes surpasses sight.

    --For example, she explains.

    Throw a stone at your feet. Listen quietly to the sound.

    Thus, by studying the echoes of the cave, we can get a general idea of its size and structure. After that, you must turn right. To the left is a dead end.

    Leah heads to the left as Lunamaria declares it.

    She wants to make sure everything is true.

    "I''m not trying to be mean, you know, dungeons often have dead ends with treasure chests.

    But she doesn''t care, saying that she thinks such a shallow hierarchy of chests has already been recovered.

    Keep heading left and you''ll hit a dead end.

    "Awesome.

    Unusually, he looked at Lunamaria with respectful eyes.

    ...... and thus dungeon conquest is my specialty, so let me help guide you through the process.

    Leah and I nodded at those words. As expected, Leah doesn''t have any more difficulties.

    If it''s a quick and easy way to get through a dungeon, then so much the better.

    And a flip-flop rear. She doesn''t like dungeons because they''re gloomy.

    I thought it was typical of her, so I went down the dungeon without poking around.

    The first level is surprisingly narrow and maze-like, the first level is

    It just seems to get wider and wider as you go down the levels. Then we might run into a big monster.

    With this in mind, we set up camp at what we think is nighttime.

    We''ll go to bed early to keep our strength up.

    This isn''t a journey with a time limit. Let''s take it slow.

    And that was the word of Luna Maria.

    She slowly but efficiently boiled water and served everyone a cup of tea.

    Drinking it, she warmed herself up and put the sandwich Ayesha gave her into her mouth.

    It''s delicious. It''s a simple taste of lamb and salt and pepper, but you can still taste the flavor of the ingredients.

    Is.

    Lunamar¨ªa smiles and bites into a sandwich.

    Leah takes it to her mouth with gusto. She eats quite quickly, so the sandwiches fall to the ground.

    They are both extremes of eating, but both look good, so I thought it was fine.

    Then we all sleep in the tent we have set up, lying in the middle of the river. I''m in the middle.

    If I sleep on the edge, they start fighting over who should sleep next to me. Then I thought it would be easier to sleep in the middle to avoid getting into unnecessary arguments.

    I was right, and they settled down quietly in their own bedrooms.

    They seemed to sleep peacefully. Except that when Leah slipped out, reached under the covers and took my left hand in hers, Luna Maria countered with a request for my right hand.

    Well, if you''re just going to sleep holding my hand, there''s no problem.

    I used to hold your hand when I slept with Mother Milia.

    I convinced myself that maybe that''s what women are like, and I squeezed both of their hands together and fell asleep.

    Both Lunamar¨ªa and Leah would go to sleep satisfied, but there was only one problem with this method.

    (...... I can''t even scratch an itchy face!)

    I was fed up with the unexpected weakness, but when I heard the two girls'' peaceful sleep, I realized it wasn''t so bad.

    (Well, okay, I can sleep long enough to get a good night''s rest.)

    I noticed that the Sleeping Fairy had come to me as well, and I gave myself over to her.

    Then I was able to sleep soundly until morning. I was able to sleep peacefully.

    Only to wake up in the morning to find Leah hugging me like a pillow.

    Her ample breasts compressed my face.

    I woke up feeling like I couldn''t breathe.

    I mean, this is deja vu: ......

    And muttering reminds me of my days at Table Mountain.

    ...... Yeah. Whenever I sleep with my mom, she always wakes me up like this.

    When I woke up in the morning, I felt like my chest would overwhelm me, which was the daily scene in the mountains.

    I thought such worries would disappear once I left the mountains, but I didn''t think I''d have to worry about running out of oxygen even in the lower regions: .......

    I wonder if this is what history repeats itself.

    However, I''m used to this kind of situation, so I quickly escaped from the valley of Leah and headed straight to Luna Maria''s.

    I wanted to help her as she would be getting ready for breakfast.

    She was about to light the firewood, but when I used the Ignition spell to light it for her, she was delighted.

    Master Will has lit this fire for me, I must use it carefully.

    I said.

    I thought it was nice to be a woman.

    Then I''ll help her with the dishes and wash them.

    I expected to be served breakfast without incident, but when the breakfast was ready, Luna Maria said without a change in her expression.

    It''s time to go wake up Leah, Master Will. But don''t touch her breasts.

    A smiling Luna Maria.

    I''m sure she knows about the matter of Leah using me as a hug pillow.

    --I''m sure she''s not jealous, but I wonder if it''s just my imagination that she''s a bit angry.

    I''m not sure what line of dialogue to use in a situation like this.

    The god of magic didn''t teach me the right words for a situation like this.

    So I chose the "safe" option of "silence" and quietly woke up Leah.

    Of course, I didn''t touch her body with a finger, but with a voice.

    Whether she knew it or not, knowing me and Luna Maria''s heart, she woke up with a yawn and said, "Whew!

    "What''s on the breakfast menu?

    And said .

 52 chimaera

    The breakfast menu consisted of hard bread and consomm¨¦ soup.

    Leah bemoaned its crudeness, but the journey through the dungeon was long. It''s a long journey through the dungeon. I didn''t want to start out with precious bacon or anything like that.

    Couldn''t you just go heavy at the beginning and then cut back?

    And, in Leah''s words, the motto of this party is "quality and robustness, better safe than sorry," I told him, and folded the camp and went straight down the hierarchy.

    As Lunamaria pointed out, the second level is bigger than the first.

    The first level is more like a stifling natural cave, but from the second level, there are some paved paths.

    There''s a lot of manpower involved, obviously.

    Maybe it was a sanctuary for the ancients. Maybe it was a sanctuary for the ancients.

    Lunamar¨ªa says, but that was just a guess. Before you can find out, the enemy will be upon you.

    Kiki!" from a distance. And then came a group of big bats.

    "Giant Bat!

    Lunamaria exclaims.

    "You''re a big bat, aren''t you?

    "Yes. . is a classic dungeon monster.

    The bats are often herbivorous, though.

    "These guys are bloodsuckers.

    Well, if it was as big as a mosquito, you could at least give it some blood, but if these guys sucked it off, it would dry up.

    The size of a giant bat is about a hundred centimeters long. If I was bitten by that kind of person, it wouldn''t be any less painful.

    With that in mind, I took out my dagger and unleashed a flattening blow.

    The mithril dagger quickly sliced through the giant bat, but killing one of them didn''t seem to dampen their will to fight, or their appetite.

    There''s nothing to do but kill them all, and I kill the second one, but as I kill the second one, the third one and the fourth one appear.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find a way to make the most of your time with us.

    ...... These guys aren''t out for our blood, they''re running away from something.

    "Running away from something?

    Leah is crushing the fifth giant bat with a flail.

    I don''t know, maybe there''s something at the back of the dungeon.

    And, from the lower levels, say

    "Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

    I heard the sound of a large beast screaming.

    It sounded like a great beast screaming.

    "Master Will''s premonition is right. There''s something lurking on the third level.

    That was ridiculously loud. What a messy dungeon.

    Leah let out a breath, but did not say, "Let''s retreat here.

    "Well, we''ve come this far, we have to finish. And I''m sure Will can defeat any demon.

    Say it like it''s a matter of course.

    I see that Lunamar¨ªa has put her trust in me, too.

    "I know that you will overcome any challenge.

    He smiled.

    It was nice to be relied upon, but fighting a monster that roared across the hierarchy was very nerve-racking indeed.

    Being on the third level means that I''m probably not the guardian of this dungeon, and I wanted to avoid battle if at all possible.

    In order to avoid the battle, I''m going to do some reconnaissance.

    A military strategist called Songshi of another world has a saying: "Know your enemy and know yourself.

    If you know your enemy and know yourself, you''ll never be in danger in a hundred battles.

    This means that when fighting the enemy, you must be vigilant in gathering information.

    It''s a simple and obvious exhortation, but surprisingly, there are many people who can''t do it. Vandal, the god of magic, was saddened.

    Will, you are one of the strongest, but dream on your guard. No matter what kind of hero you become, death will always be with you. A hero who defeated the demon king was killed by a slime on his way back. A hero who won a war with a neighboring country was killed by an assassin on his way home. The week after his mastery of the art of war, the best martial artist in the world caught a cold and died. There are too many such stories.

    I respected both Sonshi and Vandal, so I respect their style. I will use it.

    I''ll cast the Invisible spell and search for the monster in the third level.

    With a roar like that, it must be a big monster! I thought it wouldn''t be hard to find it.

    And sure enough, it won''t be hard.

    It will capture a large four-legged creature wandering the dungeon.

    ...... Is that a chimera?

    A chimera in a dungeon is unusual.

    A chimera is an artificial demon made up of multiple demons. They are usually created by wizards who have fallen into the dark, but they are not found in natural dungeons.

    In other words, this dungeon is still man-made.

    Perhaps an ancient sorcerer had placed them in place of a guard, or a modern sorcerer had built a testing ground in this dungeon.

    I can''t determine which, but I know that they are a powerful opponent.

    That chimera is an orthodox type. Is it a lion for body and head, a scorpion for tail and a bat for wings?

    A typical chimera that looks like something out of a witchcraft textbook, but those basic ones are stronger, in the words of the Vandal.

    Things happen for a reason. Long spears and short axes are long for a reason. You wouldn''t want your knife as long as your spear.

    That''s right! The strong body of the lion, the powerful scorpion venom, and the jet-black bat wings all stood to gain .

    Realizing the folly of fighting the chimera from the front, I still decided to avoid fighting.

 53 search for matabi

    After confirming that the third level was a powerful chimera, I told Lunamaria and the others to avoid the battle.

    That''s what I''m talking about. That''s a wise decision. A true hero never fights in vain.

    I ask Will to stop talking for a moment, as he is going to take a long time, and then I turn my attention to Leah as well.

    Of course, I agree with Will, but even if we don''t want to fight, there might be three of us on the other side.

    I know. To the chimera, we''re stealers and bait. If they see us, they will attack us.

    "Transparent and deceptive?

    "I don''t think Chimera has a good nose for it.

    Then what do we do?

    "I have an idea, can you help me?

    Of course I will help. At your service.

    Lunamaria bowed grudgingly. Leah''s attitude was "I''ll do anything.

    I''ll take advantage of their behavior.

    Then I want you to go to the third level with me and look for these two materials.

    I give them a note. There is a picture on it.

    Leah seems to know what to make with it, but Lunamar¨ªa doesn''t seem to know.

    Well, that''s no surprise, since she''s blind.

    The herb is an intoxicating potion for some animals. I want you to help me find it.

    A certain animal?

    "Yeah, to be frank, it''s just a bunch of cotton balls.

    "Is it mataya?

    Luna Maria exclaims in surprise.

    "Is matrimony the kind of thing you give to a cat that makes it wobble and get drunk?

    That''s it. That''s it.

    It''s true that you can get a cat drunk if you have a herb with the same efficacy as matrimony, but you''re dealing with a chimera.

    But 90 percent of the body is a lion, a cat. My father Vandal showed me a book that said that the lions can be treated with catnip, too.

    "Really?

    Lunamar¨ªa looks at me in disbelief, but she finally agrees.

    If you say so, Will, then it must be true. And even if the matrimony doesn''t work, that''s that, we''ll just change our strategy then.

    In these situations, you can count on a woman who is quick to get hungry.

    Leah says it''s worth a try, too.

    But this is a dungeon, is it really that convenient?

    I will answer that question.

    The third level was a field-type dungeon. I only had a quick look, but the vegetation was the same as Table Mountain, so it''s probably there. This plant that gives the matrimony effect is commonplace.

    "Oh, so the third level is a field.

    It doesn''t last for long.

    For some reason the dungeons in this world are often like this. Part of the hierarchy is a plain, a forest, or a mountain.

    It''s a strange thing to think about, but it''s so natural that we are used to it.

    Why are there flowers and plants underground? Are there insects and animals under there? Why is there sunshine even though it''s underground?

    These are intriguing mysteries, but they are mysteries that the wise men of this country could not solve for hundreds of years.

    After all, it was supposed to be the legacy of an ancient magical civilization, but some wise men claimed it was created by aliens, or a space that intersected with a place called the Otherworld.

    The Vandals have been studying that area, and although I''m interested in it, I was grateful for its mysterious specifications for now.

    We can get fresh vegetables in the dungeon, and we can even get medicinal herbs, so that''s a good thing.

    I gave thanks to the first god who made this world and returned to the third level with my companions.

    Near the entrance of the third level is a forest.

    The sunlight, like spring sunshine, envelops us.

    Lunamaria extinguished the torch and Leah said, "Mmm! And to stand tall.

    "It''s nice to have some sunshine after all these years. Even if it''s made for you.

    The sun will be out at a later date, but for now, I have to find a substitute herb for mataya.

    You''re still a friggin'' grumpy little girl.

    I''m sorry.

    "I''m not trying to be mean. I just thought it was your style.

    Leah says this without malice, and then suggests that we split up.

    I braced myself lightly, but surprisingly, she insisted that she''d rather be on her own.

    I know more about herbs than any of them, and it would be more efficient.

    Maybe it''s true, or maybe he cares about Lunamaria''s lack of vision, but he also hates Lunamaria for not caring.

    And yet, he still talks hatefully to Lunamaria so that she doesn''t mind.

    "Hmph, instead of being blind, you have a good nose, so sniff like a dog and go find that herb you want.

    Maybe this is what is called a tsundere. I''ve read about it in Father Vandal''s office.

    Me and Luna Maria looked at each other and giggled as we went out to pick herbs.

    We''ll be looking for the silver vine.

    The silver vine is an ivy deciduous shrub. In fact, there is not just one kind of tabi, but several.

    Most plants in the family Mattachyceae have an intoxicating effect on cats.

    Furthermore, certain plants have been found to be effective for cats according to Vandal''s research.

    This time, we have to find the most effective one.

    The goal of this project was to find two herbs that have a positive effect on catnip, mix them together, and make a potion.

    Lunamaria is impressed when I tell her again about the secret.

    "So you''re also interested in cats, Master Vandal. So erudite.

    "Yeah. Vandal Dad was a cat person. Ronin was a dog person. My dad used to pick up stray cats and use them as errand boys.

    It reminds me of the cats of the past that my dad Vandal found for me.

    I love cats too. But I''m sure Mr. Vandal wasn''t the only one who found them.

    I cringe.

    I remember the day I picked up the kittens in the woods on Table Mountain.

    I once picked up two kittens meowing in the shade of a tree.

    They were a kitty and a brown tiger.

    There were already five messengers, and it was said that I couldn''t keep them anymore, so I remember wondering if I should pick them up.

    In the end, they were picked up and kept at home, but I remember my mom, who was allergic to cats, became unhappy with them.

    But you took care of it to the end and let it live a natural life, didn''t you?

    Lunamaria said as if she had seen it, and she was right.

    In the end, both Father Vandal and Mother Militia complained, but they gave me permission to keep the cat.

    Really, Will is very kind. Your kindness will save the world one day.

    Lunamar¨ªa smiled kindly as she said this from the bottom of her heart.

    It sounds like an exaggeration, but he didn''t hate to be praised by her.

 54 lucky number

    Thus, we divided into two groups and began to search for medicinal herbs.

    The search for medicinal herbs goes smoothly. When we find the first herb, I''ll have Luna Maria sniff it for us.

    She has no sight, but because of that, her other senses are better. Sniffing her surroundings like a dog, you will find herbs one after another.

    I''m very good at smelling flowers. Maybe I was a bee in a previous life.

    Think of it as a queen bee, not just a bee. That''s how noble and beautiful the Lunamar¨ªa was.

    I collected herbs in that way, but the second kind was hard to find.

    Maybe they don''t grow around here, I began to think.

    Well, I''ll just use one then. The effect is diminished, but it''s better than nothing.

    And so on, says Lunamaria.

    I''m sure Master Leah will find it. She''s a master at finding herbs.

    You said that to yourself.

    "Yes, it''s not bragging or bravado, it''s the truth.

    "You sound awfully sure. We haven''t been on this adventure together for very long.

    I''m new to the adventure, but we met once before that.

    "Huh?¡¡Do you know them?

    In a manner of speaking.

    Really. You didn''t act like that at all.

    Frankly surprised, Lunamaria murmured at a volume I couldn''t hear.

    ...... Master Will is truly good-natured. He''s too honest to notice such an obvious change.

    Next, Lunamaria looks me in the eye and says, "Hmm? And she says, "It''s nothing," she says.

    "Will, keep this to yourself. She has a tendency to hide her identity.

    I guess so. And you won''t even tell me the identity of the God you serve.

    Yes, I am aware of her identity. I''m aware of her identity, but please, no one has noticed for a while.

    "Okay. I won''t pry anymore either.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    Lunamar¨ªa says as usual and he hears a woman''s voice in the distance, "Oh!

    "Oh my goodness!

    She comes toward me with a wave of her hand.

    It''s Leah.

    She''s holding a basket of herbs under her arm with a big smile on her face.

    She seems to have picked the herbs we were looking for.

    The prophecy of the Mother Goddess seems to come true. While we''re at it, let''s have her tell our fortune for today.

    As it happens. --But I''ll read your fortune.

    Lunamar¨ªa smiles and reshapes her serious expression and prays to God.

    After a moment of silence she says.

    ............

    LUNAMARIA silence.

    "By the looks of it, it doesn''t look so good.

    ...... yes. But I found out today''s lucky number.

    Can you tell me?

    It''s two.

    "Two hey.

    As I was muttering to myself, Leah came over, breathless, and jumped into my chest.

    Will-chan, Will-chan, we''ve missed you. But I did my best to bring you some herbs. Be a good boy.

    I thought it was a child, but in my mind, Leah is no different than a big kid. I patted her head and quickly decided to make an herb infusion.

    Speaking of which, I heard that Leah is a master at making potions.

    Yeah, but Will will do it today. It''s like seeing how far you''ve come in your skills.

    "Okay. Look at the prowess of the Goddess of Healing

    and quickly grabs the right amount of the herb and decocts it.

    The two beauties watch in silence.

    ...... you''re good at it. I''m sure you''ll be able to find it.

    "The high road is the way. That''s what Mother Militia always says.

    "Nice goddess, I bet you''re proud of your big-breasted, beautiful mother.

    Sort of.

    And as soon as the exchange is over, finish decocting the herb. You put it in a vial and it becomes a green liquid.

    Ta-da! This is the Millia way of matrimony. Throw it in, and even the most vicious cat will show its belly.

    "That''s amazing, Mr. Will. This is as good as winning.

    "Don''t win. It''s a tool to avoid combat.

    Yes, it was. But I know it works on cats, but does it really work on chimeras?

    Try it.

    But actually, I''m already in an exciting mode.

    Making the potion was fun, but the real pleasure of the potion comes from the effect it has on you after you use it.

    My academic interest in whether or not my experience and theories would work in practice was dominating me.

    This is where you realize that you are a child of Mother Militia and Father Vandal.

    I handed each of them the finished vials and went directly to the chimera at the back of this hierarchy.

    Leah is...

    "We still have some time until the encounter, don''t we?

    and crosses his arms.

    Their chests are squeezing each other.

    Hearing this, Luna Maria also reacts.

    She says in her mind that she''s not sure if it''s the right thing to do, but she''s going to tell her to stop, since she''s about to lose her guard in the face of a powerful enemy.

    --But in the end, you forgive them for their actions.

    It reminded me of a prophecy I heard from Luna Maria earlier.

    I remembered the prophecy I heard from Luna Maria earlier: "...... Your lucky number is 2.

    I felt that if I pushed them away here, I''d be out of luck.

    Fortunately, I''ve already confirmed that the chimera is located at the end of this level, in the dungeon section.

    We won''t run into that strong of a monster.

    With that thought, I took the two of them and continued through the dungeon.

 55 chimerically

    From the forest back to the original cave.

    I didn''t have to tell them there was a chimera ahead.

    Both Lunamar¨ªa and Leah immediately felt the swift, swift air coming from the depths of the cave and let go of my arm.

    ...... That''s a lot to roar into the second level!

    Nodding at Lunamar¨ªa.

    "I sense an unusual presence. This may be the right thing to do, making the watermelon. If we fight normally, we will not come out unscathed.

    and each of them grabs a potion.

    Since there are only three bottles, we can calculate that someone has to guess one.

    What about the return shipment?

    That''s what I''m getting at.

    That''s what I''m talking about.

    But it''s true that there is no room for error.

    Well, I want to aim and hit the chimera in the face.

    And then quickly, that chimera appears in the distance.

    He''s staring at me from afar.

    "It''s the eyes. Or maybe it''s the smell.

    Maybe you''re sensing my s*x appeal.

    I let out a wry smile. It sure smells good on Leah. It looks like she''s wearing perfume.

    Perfume is dangerous to wear in dungeons, so I don''t want you to stop wearing it, but I don''t want you to stop wearing it because "not dressing up for a woman is as good as dying".

    Well, I''m sure there are monsters who avoid the unfamiliar smell of perfume, so let''s assume it''s a plus or minus zero.

    Now, as you''re having this exchange, the chimera comes close to you.

    I can feel the style of a champion in its gait.

    "That''s a king of beasts.

    "And I''m adding a male shell insect, the Scorpion. I''m adding a maniacal bat to the mix. You must be very confident.

    Leah replies, but Lunamaria makes a rare joke.

    I''ve been wondering for a while, I know the body of a lion, even the tail of a scorpion, but why the wings of a bat?¡¡There are better looking birds of prey wings like ......

    It''s true.

    Leah laughs.

    I let out a laugh.

    That''s true, but maybe that would be too much like a gryphon.

    I see that the ancient sorcerers were also obsessed with originality.

    I guess that''s what it is.

    When I finish, the chimera moves faster.

    It seems to have recognized us as bait perfectly.

    As I parried the chimera''s first blow, I said, "There weren''t many large animals on this level to feed on.

    There weren''t many big animals on this level to feed on this thing. I think it''s looking at us like we''re moving flesh.

    Tradition has it that the saint who once saved the country threw himself off a cliff and shared his flesh with a hungry lion.

    "What are you doing here. Do you want us to follow your example?

    You can''t imitate such a great saint. You can''t imitate such a great saint. But I will show you his one-in-ten thousand virtues.

    And Lunamaria throws dried meat.

    The chimera doesn''t even look at it.

    ...... failure.

    Of course. We''re obviously better than the dried meat.

    Is it true that women''s meat is more tender and delicious?

    "Well, you know. Most of the animals are better with the females.

    And Leah throws a vial.

    Thrusting her legs high into the sky, she shows her gorgeous form.

    Nryu!¡¡Goddess-style ball No. 33!

    I don''t know about you, but it seems to be a pitching technique inspired by the otherworldly game of baseball, but despite its ostentatious name and form, its accuracy is poor.

    I''m going to be flying in the direction of the day after tomorrow.

    ...... teppo

    And scratch your head and say sorry, Leah.

    I don''t care, she wasn''t counted in the force to begin with.

    It should be me or Lunamaria who hits the target.

    and regain your composure as you parry the chimera''s attack and cast the fireball spell.

    The fireball flies straight ahead!

    It hits the chimera directly in the face, but instead of bursting into flames, the chimera bites down on the fireball.

    You''re a ...... monster!

    I knew it was right to avoid fighting.

    I thought with all my heart that I was going to send a signal to Lunamar¨ªa.

    The fireball didn''t work, but I still thought it created an opening.

    Now it was Luna Maria''s turn.

    She hits me with a great shot.

    --It was never going to happen.

    Lunamaria''s throwing form was clearly lousy.

    It''s commonly known as the girl''s throw, and the potion flies on a wobbly trajectory.

    The control was only good as expected, but it was too slow and the chimera avoided effortlessly.

    Now you''ve lost two out of three.

    It''s a desperate situation, but Lunamaria and Leah were in a good position.

    The look on their faces, their cheering, said, "I''ll make sure they hit the target.

    Good luck, Will-sama!

    "Will, you can do it.

    It''s hard to believe that a miko wasted a precious potion, but I''m not angry.

    And moreover, I''m not in despair.

    All you have to do is give the potion a direct hit.

    I had a skill they didn''t.

    I had swordsmanship learned from Ronin, god of the sword, and quick thinking from Vandal, god of magic.

    I would fling the vial into the air.

    The action was so weak that Leah was surprised.

    "You''ll never reach the chimera with that kind of force.

    That''s okay.

    With that statement, I fire a flash of my sword at the vial in the air.

    The sterling silver dagger is drawn from the dagger case at my waist and releases energy.

    A line catches the vial and the liquid inside it is released into the air.

    What is this?

    Answer to an amazed Leah.

    "This way we can scatter it widely in the air. If the chimera moves a little bit, it won''t matter.

    In fact, the liquid, scattered in the air, sprayed directly onto the chimera''s face.

    The chimera flinches one moment when the liquid is in its eyes, but only briefly.

    In the next moment, it sprawls out on the ground with a pouting face.

    He was rumbling and purring like a cat.

    It looked like a big cat itself, proving Vandal''s hypothesis was correct.

    "A chimera is still a cat, though it is a chimera.

    The Vandals would be delighted to see this sight. But he is not here.

    Instead, I often watch the chimera''s behavior.

    Later I will write a detailed account of this in my journal, and I will tell you about it when I return home.

    I''m sure Father Vandal will be pleased.

    Thinking of his smile, I felt a little bit of happiness.

 56 Wills hobby

    Having successfully avoided a battle with such a powerful chimera, we .

    With a rumbling, slurping chimera at our side and a belly on display, we walk past it.

    "That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will. We made it through without a fight.

    "If only mataya was effective on all animals, we wouldn''t have to fight.

    I guess so. I don''t know what it feels like to be drunk, but I''m sure it''s pleasant.

    And then, after some conventional impressions, the fourth level comes into view.

    "Well, we''re more than halfway there now. All we have to do now is to defeat the guardians on the fifth level.

    "There may be chimera-class monsters in the fourth level.

    "Don''t say something scary. That''s the kind of thing that comes true when you say it.

    Sorry.

    Well, I''m not angry. What''s the fourth level like anyway?

    Lunamar¨ªa listens, "Wait," and listens carefully.

    I hear a sound. It''s a rushing river.

    "So there''s a river here?

    "Yes. There seems to be a pool of water in some places. It''s probably a lake.

    "I see.

    When I hear the words "lake, river," my spirits are lifted.

    Do you like to play in the water?

    Luna Maria asks me.

    I don''t hate it, but I like fishing more than anything else.

    Well, you enjoy fishing?

    It''s not a hobby. It''s my purpose in life.

    And that''s exactly what Leah said.

    In the mountains, there was nothing to do but read and swing my sword, but there were places to fish, so I used to go. I know all the fishing spots in the mountains.

    Once, I''ll tell you that I was fishing from morning to night and my mother was angry with me.

    That''s great. That''s great. Can you go and catch some fish, now that we''re setting up camp?

    Are you sure?

    I flush.

    "Are you sure?¡¡And you''re already reaching for a fishing rod in your backpack.

    "Oh, really.

    Totally, he''s a real fishing idiot. Well, okay. Me and Luna Maria are setting up camp, and you can go fish for a nice dinner while you''re at it.

    "Yes!

    And stand there cheerfully.

    Seeing the scene, Luna Maria and Leah observe each other''s expressions.

    The faces of both of them, both of them have the expression of "this is why boys are like this".

    It''s true that men are very excited when it comes to their hobby.

    Yeah. He''s always so lively, but when he hears that you''re fishing, Will, it''s very special.

    It''s the same old thing. Seriously, now, let''s get ready for dinner.

    Of course I will, but I can''t do anything unless I know what Mr. Will is going to catch.

    It''s a boy.

    "Are you a bad fisherman, Will?

    It''s not like that. Fishing is mostly a matter of luck, whether there''s a fish there or the fish are hungry. I don''t have any information about this place, and the odds of not catching a fish are much higher.

    Not really. I''m sure Mr. Will will catch a fine trout.

    "Bet?

    Okay.

    So, if Lunamaria''s prophecy comes true, you''ll have a monopoly next to Will tonight.

    Okay. Take care not to catch a cold tonight.

    "Come on, girl,

    They laughed serenely, like two sisters.

    Unaware that the two maidens were having such an exchange, I happily looked for a place to fish.

    No, but first, the bait.

    We always have a telescoping rod, line and hooks, but we do not always have bait.

    First you have to find the bait.

    The fourth level is a natural type of field like the third level, with soil.

    So I dig into the earth, thinking that if I dig there the earthworm will be there.

    I dug into the earth and found the worms. I dug into the soil and found the worms rolling in.

    A woman would have screamed at the sight of them, but to me they''re all treasure. Looks like a voucher to get a fish.

    So I catch the right amount and walk the field with it.

    I watch the river. We spent a lot of time fishing at Table Mountain, and the key to fishing is choosing the right spot.

    That''s all it takes, but now, will I catch it here?

    I set the bait on the hook and let the line fall in.

    There is a splash and a float.

    I listen to the murmur of the river and wait for the float to sink.

    Minutes go by and the float doesn''t respond.

    I wait patiently.

    I wait patiently.

    It''s not so much that I liked fishing, but I liked this time.

    I didn''t think about it; I just let the line fall in.

    I could even put a line in the puddle, in the extreme.

    Maybe what I am looking for is a dialogue with nature, a harmony with nature.

    I am analyzing myself in this way, but I shake my head.

    I shouldn''t, I shouldn''t.

    Today''s fishing wasn''t a hobby.

    This is fishing for my friends'' dinner. We must be serious.

    I could have stood here for an hour or two, but I pulled my rod and decided to change the point.

    I tossed the sodden worm in place, but I wasn''t satisfied when the fish splashed and ate it.

    ...... Well, that''s just another example of fishing.

    While letting such things out, I change the point.

 57 the sky in a dungeon

    I moved upriver, where I dropped my line in a spot covered with riverweed.

    There was a large tree shading the area, and I thought it looked like a fish.

    My analysis was right, and the fish were biting right away.

    As my rod bobbed and weaved, I lifted my rod and saw a fine trout.

    Oh, this is very impressive. Butter-baked trout would be delicious.

    At this point, the betting is on Lunamar¨ªa to win, but I do not know that fact. I''ll try for the second and third fish.

    The second one was a trout and the third one was an unfamiliar catfish.

    They all looked delicious.

    I would have liked to keep on catching more, but I guess this is about right around here. Taking more would have only spoiled the fish.

    .

    If it was a mountain, I''d dry it up, but I don''t have time for that right now.

    Don''t kill or take more than necessary was an important rule I learned in the mountains. I would follow that rule in the dungeon.

    So I gutted the fish on the spot and dumped it in the river, and I brought back a nice looking fish.

    Lunamaria grins at the sight of the fish and Leah grumbles because of the bet, but I''m in a good mood throughout. After all, it feels good to catch a fish.

    I handed the fish to Luna Maria, analyzing myself, and

    Thank you for your time, Mr. Will.

    And delighted.

    Leah says even more grumpily.

    ''I don''t like the idea of us being like a newlywed couple.

    I don''t want her to say that, but I ignore her sarcasm and tell her that I''ll handle the fish.

    Actually, I can slice a fish in three pieces.

    "Well, that''s great.

    "So let me cut up the fish.

    "Okay. I''ll leave it to you. To tell you the truth, I''m a little scared of fish.

    It''s hard to catch fish by feel and experience alone.

    And I''m sure Lunamaria, a girl, doesn''t like the smell of flesh. So I was happy to handle the fish.

    The trick to handling the fish is to use a sharp blade.

    It sounds obvious, but many people neglect to do this.

    It was outrageous to use an unused, rusty blade because they didn''t want to get fishy.

    So I pull out the sterling silver dagger that Ronin''s father gave me.

    Silver doesn''t rust, but I sharpened it every day. It''s just in case we meet a powerful foe, but I''m also prepared for this.

    A fisherman never knows when he will have the opportunity to catch a fish.

    It would be a shame to have only a rusty blade at that time.

    To whom is the shame of the fish?

    Fishing is a battle for life and a battle for life.

    Fishing is to take the life of a living organism and give it to you. Then the fish you catch should be cleaned, tasted and eaten.

    --Long story short, Mithril''s dagger was versatile. It goes right in between the flesh and bones of the fish.

    The Mithril dagger is used in battle, but I''m sure the dagger would rather be used to cook than slay humans and demons.

    With that in mind, I neatly grate the trout into three pieces and hand it to Lunamaria.

    Lunamaria grins as she tosses the fish into the pot.

    The rest of it is marinated in vinegar. They''re going to marinate.

    An hour later, the result is actually trout stew and marinade.

    Both are very tasty.

    The trout is well fatty, which gives the stew a richness. The marinade was a perfect match for the chopsticks.

    Complimenting Luna Maria, she shyly says

    It''s just the right material.

    And laughed.

    "No, you don''t.

    I have.

    "It''s the cooking skills of a Lunamar¨ªa.

    "Thanks to Will''s Trout.

    The question-and-answer session was going to continue, so I left the judgment to Leah.

    She judges by actions, not words.

    ...... burp

    And then, with an unladylike burp, he asked for a refill.

    "You seem to be a good cook, honey.

    I said.

    Apparently, he was very fond of Lunamaria''s cooking.

    Lunamaria is not a stranger to

    I''m glad you like it, Leah.

    I said.

    Leah quickly becomes a twinkle.

    "Or, don''t get me wrong. It''s just a recognition of your cooking skills. That doesn''t mean you deserve to be Will''s wife.

    I know, sir. To be beside Mr. Will, you must always be diligent.

    You know what to do. Now, eat this refill and we''ll camp here. I''ll be on guard first.

    In the dangerous levels of the dungeon, it was basic to sleep with a sentry on duty.

    Leah didn''t want to be woken up in the middle of the night, so she offered to take the first watch.

    Me and Luna Maria agreed and went to sleep.

    I took the second most troublesome guard, by the way.

    I thought the hardest work should be done by a man.

    When it''s my turn to stand guard, I look up at the sky.

    It was a dungeon, but the sky was full of stars.

    The stars were real.

    I don''t know what the theory is, but this dungeon has a sky. It''s a complete mystery.

    I''d like to solve that one day, but today I just looked up at the stars.

    I stared at the North Star I used to see with my father Vandal.

    Look at the constellation of river horses next to it.

    .

    The constellation of the river horse is composed of four first magnitude stars, but at the time I thought, how could it possibly resemble a river horse by itself?

    But now, as an adult. Looking up at the constellation of the river horses after their departure from Table Mountain, they looked different.

    It seemed to be full of dynamism, as if it was about to move.

    I spent the whole night looking at the stars with this thought in my mind.

 58 the undead of a tomb

    After successfully completing the camp, we headed straight to the fifth level.

    That was the end of the road, but the fifth level was a normal dungeon.

    There was no natural terrain or anything like that, it was all rock or stone pavement.

    There was a coffin or a cross on the wall.

    When Lunamaria touched the pattern of the coffin, she murmured to herself.

    Maybe this is a tomb area.

    "The Tomb of the Ancients?" ......

    Yes . The pattern was not that of the gods. It seems to be ancient.

    I''m becoming more and more convinced that this dungeon is a relic of an ancient magical civilization, but there''s a holy shield in this hierarchy.

    "Yes, if Ayesha is right.

    "I''m not the kind of kid who would lie, but I guess I don''t have a holy shield.

    Leah makes a spiteful gesture.

    "I won''t say I''m lying, but it could be after someone else has already taken it.

    That''s very likely.

    And find a pedestal in front of it.

    It was a pedestal with a strong religious aspect.

    On it lay a silvery white shield.

    What is that?

    Leah''s eyes sparkle.

    Lunamar¨ªa listens carefully and confirms the existence of the shield.

    It''s an unknown metal. It''s probably a holy shield.

    You even know what it''s made of.

    It is a process of elimination. It was made of neither wood, nor iron, nor mithril. It is a shield that is both rigid and flexible. I''m sure it has great power.

    Lunamar¨ªa elbows her shoulders and says, "Please equip it," but she looks at Leah and says, "You don''t have to be shy.

    They say it''s a treasure of the prairie people. It''s not like they made it. And I''m sure they''d be happy to use your shield for justice.

    I see.

    Well, it''s one thing to come this deep underground and not bring the shield back.

    I''m about to pick up the shield, but one thing bothers me.

    I look around restlessly.

    That reminds me, the guardian is gone.

    There''s definitely nothing there.

    I heard there is a guardian in the fifth level.

    Hesitating like that, Leah says, "Maybe the lore was out of place, or maybe the guardian was already finished.

    Maybe the lore is out, or the guardian has already done its job. If not, it''s better to be without one, so get your shields on!

    Okay.

    And lifting the shield, I put it on my left hand.

    The holy shield was a small circular shield, not held in the hand, but worn on the second arm.

    "It fits little Will.

    And that''s what Leah said, but some would argue.

    I would have preferred a more muscular warrior, though he fits the bill.

    It''s sorry, I thought, "Hmm? And also become .

    "I mean, what was that all about?

    I look around, but it''s only Leah and Lunamaria.

    I asked them about it.

    Hey, Leah, Luna Maria, what did you just say?

    They each shook their heads.

    "I wonder if I''m hallucinating ......?

    But I conclude that''s not true.

    "It''s not a hallucination, Will.

    "Wow, I heard that again!

    Where will it come from?¡¡And looking around, I notice that her shield is glowing every time she speaks.

    You''re right, it''s me, the holy shield, talking right now.

    Can you speak?

    Of course I can tell you a lot of things. Oh, but only my chosen one can hear me.

    Didn''t you just say something about a steel-plated warrior?

    That''s the opposite s*x''s preference. You have adventures with girls other than the ones you like.

    "Yes,

    Staring at Leah.

    "Well, look, it''s a holy grail. Why don''t we talk about it?

    "Oh, you know what I''m talking about. You know what I mean. A boy who is perceptive or well-adjusted is going to be very popular.

    You''re welcome.

    "No, I mean, you seem to have a quicker ability to accept reality, so I''m going to be honest with you, but right now, we''re surrounded by enemies.

    With those words, my gaze wanders and I look around.

    There is indeed an unusual atmosphere.

    Something with an aura of evil is crawling out from around me.

    I called Luna Maria and Leah to a pedestal and told them to get ready for battle.

    They too seemed to sense the evil, and I put them on their backs.

    Lunamaria says.

    "Apparently the guardian was used to appear when wielding a shield

    I guess so.

    It''s a cunning trick, you know, to get a shield and then surround you while you''re happy.

    "But the aura doesn''t seem so strong.

    "...... is not strong, but instead seems to be a lot of them.

    Lunamaria listens and counts the number of those who limp.

    The number that comes from her lips is lightly despairing.

    ...... One hundred, no, maybe two hundred.

    They''re all undead, right?

    Looks like.

    Already the first group of guardians surrounded us. Things that take human form but are not human.

    So we were surrounded by zombies.

    They were limping and moaning and begging for the flesh of the living.

    Usually, guardians are basically golems or something.

    Maybe the person who made this dungeon was a necromancer.

    "Oh, so that''s why there were chimeras too?

    Well, I''m just guessing, but it doesn''t matter. What matters is what we''re going to do with them.

    "Those zombies!

    "It''s nice to have no scruples to take down, but there are too many .

    We''re talking about 70 animals a head.

    "My shortsword is not that sharp.

    "I''m not so sure about my fitness either.

    "What are you talking about. We''re Team Will. We''re anything but impossible.

    And then Leah begins to chant a spell.

    Then her body is enveloped in holy power.

    She releases her power and unleashes it on a group of zombies.

    They are cleansed one by one as a pillar of light grows from beneath their feet.

    Reaper Removal, a turn undead magic.

    Don''t forget, I''m a priestess. Holy power is strong against the undead.

    "............

    I forgot all about being a priestess, and I can''t tell you.

    I look at Luna Maria. Of course, I''ve always known her as a pure priestess.

    She nods and casts the sacred magic of the Reaper Removal.

    Lunamaria''s magic was more divine and had a wider effect.

    Leah''s cheeks puffed up at the sight of it, but she managed to soothe them and they began to prepare for a hand-to-hand combat.

    The turn undead magic had reduced the enemy by half, but reinforcements appeared from the back.

    This time it was a large army of skeletons and bandaged men (mammy).

    Whoever created the guardian of this dungeon seems to be very fond of the undead.

    I''m sure he was a nasty and rude necromancer.

    And that''s what Leah said, and I agreed with her opinion.

 59 the power of a sacred shield

    The battle against the army of the undead continues.

    The undead have been halved by Lunamaria and her team with sacred magic, but the empty seats will be filled by reinforcements.

    Their magic isn''t infinite, so we''ll have to mix it with hand-to-hand combat around here.

    I''ll dive in and slice through the undead first.

    Slicing through the zombies is like cutting through cheese.

    It''s much different than cutting through a monster or a tree.

    It was easy to cut, but it was tricky because it was a corpse, so even if I cut its arm or its leg, it would still move forward.

    A quick glance to the side showed Lunamaria wielding a shortsword and sending magic into the approaching enemies, shredding them to pieces.

    Leah''s is "Uri-ryah! and wielded a flail while saying

    Not just the brain, but the whole body is crushed. The flail is an iron ball with a chain attached to it, a so-called bludgeoning weapon.

    It''s effective against heavily armed knights and the like, but it also works well with the undead.

    It kills zombies that won''t stop moving forward until their brains are destroyed.

    She seems to be the best asset in this place.

    And with that in mind, I fight.

    Thinking that magic is more effective than the dagger''s slash, I fire a fireball and cremate the undead.

    When monsters such as wraiths and wraiths that can''t be burned, I ask Mithril Dagger to give them holy power and tear them apart!

    .

    In this way the numbers steadily dwindle .

    There were quite a few undead, but their numbers were rapidly decreasing.

    If they continued to fight, at least they could find an escape route.

    When you breathe a sigh of relief, someone is going to come in and yell at you. No, an object.

    The holy shield in your left hand says.

    "Wow, you guys are strong. I''ve never seen my guardian beaten so badly.

    I''m sorry.

    "But you think you''ve won, but here''s where the dungeon guardian''s horror begins.

    "More reinforcements coming in?

    No, if not in numbers, then in quality. That''s the guardian of this dungeon.

    With a proud snort, the undead we defeated begin to groan.

    "What''s this?

    At first I thought the undead had begun to resurrect, but that''s not the case.

    Headless zombies, shattered skeletons, and soul-cleansed wraiths are all gathering in one place.

    No, not only that, but the undead still alive and well are being sucked into the mix as well.

    "So this is the ''quality'' you were talking about.

    "That kind of thing

    and in no time, the undead quickly become a mass.

    There appeared a spherical monster with an evil aura.

    Everywhere on the sphere are human hands, feet, and faces, with a large eye in the center.

    What is that?

    I thought I asked the shield, but it was Lunamaria who answered me.

    ...... this evil presence. Perhaps, but I think it''s Legion.

    "Legion ......

    Yes. A legion is an ancient monster that is described in the scriptures as an evil life-form rolled into one. An ancient monster described in the scriptures.

    "It looks strong.

    "I thought it was really strong.

    A gulp and a gulp, but there''s something else that''s bothering me.

    "By the way, Master Will, you''ve been talking to yourself a lot.

    "Huh?¡¡Couldn''t you hear the guy?

    I show you my left-hand shield, but Lunamar¨ªa looks dazed.

    ''No, I don''t hear you, sir.

    That''s right.

    And wondering, the holy shield says: "My voice can only be heard by those who wear it.

    My voice is only heard by the one wearing it. Hmm.

    That''s the way it is.

    Well, it''s a common setup, but I pulled myself together and took stock of my surroundings.

    The bodies have disappeared, and the number of wriggling undead has decreased significantly. It seemed like she could escape now.

    "You used good judgment not to fight the Legion, but to try to escape.

    "Stay away from danger, and you''ll have to flee.

    "Erudite.

    "Vandalism from my dad.

    I said and looked at the retreat, but there was a long line of zombies.

    I''d like to wipe them out with magic, but my magic is close to empty.

    I look at Luna Maria and Leah, but they, too, are gasping for air.

    This isn''t good, I thought, but it''s the holy shield that gives me a surprising suggestion.

    "Humph, this is where I come in.

    "Your turn?

    "I''ll tell you why they call me the Holy Shield. Do you know about the rumors about me?

    Well, the Sacred Shield in the Steppe Dungeon. The other one is cursed and can''t be removed once you equip it, right?

    "It was a misunderstanding. I''m not cursed. You can equip and remove it. But there''s a good reason for that misunderstanding to spread.

    Her? (The voice is female) explains and tells me to throw me as hard as I can.

    If the holy shield says so, I thought, I would, so I removed the shield in my left hand and threw it like a Frisbee.

    Then the holy shield flies in a straight line, scattering a roaring sound.

    A hole as big as the shield opens in the bellies of the zombies in a straight line. Dozens of them.

    When the shield loses its penetrating power at the dozensth one, it finally destroys the zombie''s head and comes back as if it were attached to a rubber.

    What the hell?

    Leah is astonished.

    Lunamar¨ªa is astonished, too. --Or rather, so am I.

    The holy shield comes back to me and clunk!¡¡And be mounted on the left hand.

    She says as a matter of course.

    "Heh, isn''t that great. This is my strength. My defense is impervious to any weapon and my homing instinct is to come back no matter how far I throw it. That''s why it''s called a sacred shield.

    I don''t know what part is holy, but it seems to be a great shield.

    I decided to greet the shield in my left hand again.

    "My name is Will, nice to meet you.

    "My name is Aegis. It''s nice to meet you.

    I thought the shield smiled at me.

    Of course, the shield doesn''t have a face, much less a look.

    Anyway, this is how we made our way out.

 60 Legions death

    Run on the freshly built corpse road.

    I''m in the back of the pack, of course. A necromantic monster called Legion will follow.

    Occasionally it will spit an acidic liquid that looks like vomit or throw bone spears.

    I block them with my shield.

    Kakin!

    I hear a metallic sound.

    I lightly peeked at the surface of the shield, but as expected of a holy shield, there was not a scratch on it.

    "hehehe, I''m a holy shield, I''m not afraid of this kind of attack.

    That is a blessing.

    You got the shield so you could protect your friends.

    I''m glad to see you, but should you wait until you''ve gotten away from this thing before you show your joy?

    So I throw the shield at you.

    As soon as you loosen your left hand''s attachment, you throw the shield at it.

    The shield flies through the air with tremendous force and plunges into the center of the Legion, but it doesn''t seem to have taken any damage.

    The holy shield comes back in a hurry.

    "Wow, what are you doing, Will?

    I''m sorry, I thought you might be able to take it down.

    "Holy shields are not that versatile.

    I know. Apparently, you have to beat him with your wits.

    It was Leah who slipped in.

    "Will, are you crazy?¡¡I''ve been talking to myself for a while now.

    A worried look in your face.

    This is a good time to talk about the holy shield.

    Luna Maria and Leah are enlightened.

    "I see, the holy shield can communicate.

    I guess. I''d like to get rid of him, but I''m just wondering if there''s any way to get rid of him.

    It would take a very powerful blow to defeat that monster.

    I guess.

    Even with the full power of Master Will, it would be difficult to beat him.

    I guess. But we have to do something about that. I mean, I just got an idea that there''s a big rock on the third level.

    "There was . . on the cliff.

    I think we can make it work if we use it.

    Maybe, but there''s just one problem

    "I mean?

    "I suppose Master Will is thinking of dropping that big rock into the Legion, but I don''t think it''s going to be that convenient.

    That''s true. To crush a legion, you have to nail the legion in just the right place.

    Yes, it would require someone to take the bait and draw the Legion to it. Of course, they can be crushed together.

    That means I can''t leave it to the girls.

    "...... Dear Will, no way.

    No way. I''ll pull him at the bottom of the cliff, and Lunamaria and Leah will drop a huge rock on him.

    "It''s not possible!

    You can. Leah is very powerful.

    So, in jest, Lunamaria raises her voice even higher.

    "That''s not what I meant. I''m just concerned for Master Will. Master Will is not a man who deserves to die in a place like this. Legion, guardian of the sacred shield, will pull you out if you drop the shield here. Now drop the shield.

    I can''t do that.

    And I immediately answer, "I''m not interested in shields to begin with.

    I''m not interested in the shield to begin with. But I''ve developed a kind of attachment, albeit a small one, to this shield. So I''m not going to let it go.

    "Mr. Will: ......

    "Will ......

    Lunamaria, and Aegis muttered to it, but it was Leah who pushed them back.

    Luna Maria!¡¡What are you talking about?¡¡The man does it!¡¡So, all a woman can do is smile and walk away.

    "...... Leah.

    If Will says he''s going to do it, he''s going to do it. If he decides to do it, he''ll do it, and he''s accomplished everything since he was a kid.

    How do I know this?¡¡Leah, with a targeted look

    "Shut up, rumor, rumor. And phrenology, it says so in the palmistry.

    I didn''t understand it, but I knew she was in favor of the mission and would cooperate.

    Hearing Leah''s words, Lunamar¨ªa nodded lightly.

    I understand. --I''m sure Master Will will do it. I can''t argue with that.

    She nodded her approval with a big nod of her head and agreed to help me with the mission.

    Then the two of us will go to the big rock first. When Mr. Will gives the signal, we''ll drop the rock.

    "And so, signaling with magic.

    and they run off.

    Legion tries to get at them, but I fire a fireball to stop him.

    Legion''s hostility turns to me.

    Yeah, that''s it. You''re going to hate me until you''re crushed on the rocks after this.

    With that, I also started to run towards the third level.

    Lunamaria and Leah split up.

    You''ll be able to get a good idea of what you''re looking for.

    (...... ) Having said that, is it really a good idea to leave Master Will alone?

    It''s not too late. Maybe it was oozing out of the action. Leah turned and scolded him severely for the action.

    "Luna Maria!¡¡Come on, pull yourself together. Don''t you trust Will?

    Of course I believe in it. But just in case something happens to Mr. Will.

    Then I''ll shave with you and play nun for the rest of your life in the middle of the world. I mean, it''s never going to happen.

    "............

    As I said before, Will is the most powerful person in the world, but it''s not his armaments, it''s his wisdom.

    "Wisdom?

    Never give up under any circumstances. No matter what the odds, think it through to the end. That is the most powerful weapon the gods have given her.

    "...... the most powerful weapon

    I mean, she doesn''t fight a battle that she can''t win. I''m sure this plan will work.

    Hearing those words, Lunamar¨ªa scolds her weak heart.

    Believe in Leah''s words.

    No, I believe in Will''s power.

    Will will get you out of this predicament.

    As soon as I shouted that, a signal rises from a distance.

    It''s the magic of the signal flare.

    They made eye contact and nodded.

    "I guess that''s my cue. I''m going to push you all at once.

    "Yes!

    But as expected, Lunamaria was a non-starter.

    The rock would not budge on Lunamaria alone. But Leah was different. When she

    "Woo-woo!

    I push the rock, and in a voice not unlike Otome''s, the big rock begins to move.

    With a thud, it begins to move, moving to the edge of the cliff, where it falls away.

    Yes!

    I did it!

    The two jumped lightly and gave each other high fives, but soon remembered that they didn''t like each other very much.

    --But they still look off to see what happened to the big rock.

    The two emerge at the bottom of the cliff and see that the rock has fallen down.

    Unfortunately, the sudden onset of fog and dust prevented them from seeing what was below the cliff.

    They looked at each other and rushed down the cliff.

    They might have more in common in that they were more concerned about Will''s safety than Legion''s death.

 61 grassland dungeon pleats

    When Luna Maria and Leah descended the cliff, the first thing they saw was a rock-covered legion.

    Although twitching, it was the last of the Legion''s life force. The crushed part is rotting away instead of repairing.

    But that doesn''t matter.

    What Lunamar¨ªa and the others wanted to know was whether Will was safe.

    Lunamaria and the others split up to look for him, but there was no one around.

    ...... no way.

    I have a bad feeling about this.

    Maybe it''s underneath this big rock, you think, and so you peer at it, or maybe Lunamaria is blind and concentrates on the area around the rock.

    Then I see something there.

    You notice that blood is flowing from underneath the rock.

    It''s not Legion''s blood. It''s because Legion doesn''t bleed.

    ...... something''s wrong.

    Lunamar¨ªa barely chooses a word.

    ...... impossible. Master Will is dead.

    Lunamaria says so and bursts into tears.

    ...... Oh my God, what a stupid woman I am. If I had known this would happen, I would have stopped Master Will at all costs.

    "...... because I took Master Will out of that happy mountain. I took him out of that happy mountain.

    ...... I don''t care about the Demon King. I don''t care about the Demon King, I don''t care if he conquers this world, Mother Earth, please revive Master Will.

    When Lunamaria is lamenting, Leah pats her on the shoulder.

    She did not speak hatefully, but said to a heartbroken Lunamaria.

    ...... Lunamaria.

    And.

    A simple hug might have brought a friendship between the two of them. But not here.

    Rather, the feud grows.

    Because Leah knows that the body under the rock is not Will.

    It was Leah''s prank to show any sign of grief.

    You felt bad, and soon you''ll come clean.

    "I mean, you''re such an idiot. Will wouldn''t die like this. It was chimera blood.

    "...... huh?

    Lunamaria turns to Leah.

    "Are you sure?

    True, I mean, I was wondering what it would look like if I didn''t say anything, but there''s chimera blood in there, because it''s green.

    It''s inconvenient to be blind in these situations.

    Leah blurted out and grabbed her by the shoulders, flipping Luna Maria over.

    "There''s a mark there, like they dug in the dirt. Watch, no, listen. It''s going to start moving.

    Then, as she proclaimed, it begins to twitch.

    "Well, no way.

    "Secret technique, the art of seduction!¡¡--Oh, my God. Well, Will can dig a hole and hide in it on the spur of the moment. Maybe you used the matrimony to lure the chimera out of its cave, got it to fight the chimera and Legion, and then dove in.

    ...... Mr. Will.

    Leah''s explanation had not fallen on Lunamar¨ªa''s ears.

    She concentrated on the sound of raking and shoveling. Seconds later, a gnarled hand emerged from the dirt. Will''s head, too.

    After all, Will had dived down into the hole and passed the rocks.

    When the dirt-covered Will emerged from the hole, he heard Legion''s death and then turned to face Lunamaria and the others.

    I''ve managed to stay alive.

    "Mr. Will: ......

    Lunamaria filled her eyes with tears and dove into Will''s chest.

    Leah silently watched it from a distance. Apparently realizing that the prank had gone too far.

    I escape from the dirt and embrace with Luna Maria.

    I enjoy her softness for a moment, but I can''t stay like that forever.

    Even though we''ve defeated the guardian, we''re in the middle of a dungeon.

    Besides, Leah was sitting on a tree stump and stretching boringly.

    There''s more to it than mockery and mischief.

    So I let go of her shoulder and we agreed to leave the dungeon.

    There was no reason for us to stay in the dungeon, so that opinion was accepted.

    And so we conquered the Dungeon of the Meadow.

    Compliments!

    As a reward for the magical coming back shield, a talking shield.

    As she leaves the dungeon, she speaks to me again.

    "Keep up the good work, Will. And your sisters.

    Of course, the voice is only audible to me, but still the holy shield seems to want to get along with us.

    There seems to be more to the journey and I was very happy to hear that.

 62 star someone was looking for

    After conquering the dungeon on the grassland, we''re going straight to Jugachi village.

    We''re going to report that we''ve got the holy shield.

    Leah says that we''re not obligated to do that, and she may change her mind and ask you for the shield, but Lunamar¨ªa and I argue that it won''t happen.

    ''The prairie people were good people. I wouldn''t say that now.

    "I''m not so sure. I''ve got a bad feeling about this.

    Is there any evidence?

    The question is, "What is a woman''s intuition?

    ............

    I suppose they would call it guessing, but I''ll just be silent for now.

    My hair-hair prediction spells bad luck. If I randomly pick ten hairs and there are more than two split ends, bad things will happen.

    Although you may think that just because you don''t take care of your hair ......, but still, not stopping at Jugachi Village is not an option.

    With that in mind, we headed to Jugachi Village.

    As we headed to Jugachi village, we were warmly welcomed by the villagers.

    When they found out that I had obtained the holy shield, they welcomed me with open arms.

    Oh, finally, the rightful owner of the holy shield has arrived.

    "To get the shield that the brave men of the village have tried and failed for hundreds of years.

    "What a great boy, maybe this boy will save the world in time.

    Seeing the welcome, Lunamaria says snidely, "Hmmm.

    "Leah''s womanly instincts are also unreliable. Not only did they take your shield, they welcomed it.

    "Nuh-uh-uh.

    We should put the hair-hair divination out of business and focus on cuticle care.

    But Leah seems to be happy to see things go peacefully, too.

    Well, we all make mistakes.

    And were receiving a welcome drink from the villagers.

    We get a cup of loca tea.

    We each drink a cup of tea and head for the chief''s house.

    The village chief is still shivering.

    But he was also glad to see us back.

    "That''s the kind of brave man I expected.

    They informed me that they would be having another banquet tonight.

    I feel bad about being welcomed every time, but I couldn''t say no to the shame of the village for neglecting the one who holds the holy shield.

    The chief told Ayesha, his great-grandson, to tell all the women in the village to prepare for the feast, and she was happy to do so.

    This is how we were received.

    The banquet that began a few hours later was as big as the last one.

    The party was nearing its climax, and it was almost at the end of its run.

    I quietly leave the banquet.

    The village youth flag said red-faced, "We mustn''t lose the guest of honor," but he let me go when I said, "I need to use the restroom.

    Please come back soon. Please come back soon.

    With the flag in my back, I headed for the grass.

    I went to the grassy knoll to do my business there.

    --Instead, I talk to the girl sitting there.

    It''s Luna Maria.

    She is alone, out of the party, looking up at the sky.

    Of course, she is blind and should not be able to see the stars.

    And then she gives me a story.

    ...... I wasn''t born blind. I was blind when I was a child.

    Are you looking at the sky with your memories of that time?

    It is. I''ve heard that the stars don''t change until tens of thousands of years later.

    Apparently. No one lives to be tens of thousands of years old, so that''s a guess.

    Vandal, the god of magic, says that this world is spherical and revolves around the sun.

    That sun also revolves around the universe called the galaxy.

    When I tell her this, Lunamaria smiles serenely.

    That''s a grand story. Is it true that the universe has been around for hundreds of millions of years?

    I hear those stories too.

    "Hundreds of millions of years ago, it would have been a different scene from this starry sky.

    I look up at the stars.

    I don''t know which star Lunamaria sees. No, I don''t know if she was looking at them.

    If I asked, she would tell me, but I didn''t dare ask.

    It reminds me of the words of the Vandal, the god of witchcraft.

    ...... "Not everyone has to look up at the same star. Each should have his own star.

    It''s called a natal star.

    Since it''s Lunamar¨ªa, I thought that the natal star would be beautiful, but it must be small and dainty.

    What about my natal star, on the other hand?

    I looked for it in the vast starry sky, but I couldn''t find it.

    I had no choice but to give up, but just as I was about to give up, I saw my own star.

    Lunamar¨ªa, who has been watching the night sky with her mask on, turns toward you and sees a light reflected in her eyes.

    It reflected the light of the moon, but the light seemed to shine brighter than any first magnitude star.

    (...... Maybe this is the star I''ve been looking for.)

    Murmuring that in his mind and then gazing at the stars with Luna Maria for a while.

 63 Dear Will,

    The next morning, we woke up and helped to milk the goats as we did the other day.

    Of course, Leah didn''t get up until breakfast time.

    She''s such a lazy girl, Leah.

    When I joke that I should roast Lunamaria''s nail polish for her to drink, she replies that she will have a stomach ache.

    But the only women I know are Lunamaria, Mother Milia and Leah.

    Ayesha pointed to herself and I added, "Ayesha too.

    ''There are only two kinds of girls at the moment. Luna Maria, the serious girl, Ayesha''s type of girl, and Mother Milia, the lazy girl that Leah would classify as. It''s just a 50/50 split, but I wonder which one is more common in the world.

    Lunamar¨ªa laughed at my question and

    I wonder which one.

    He laughed.

    That laugh seemed to have some meaning, but I didn''t understand it.

    As the conversation was going on, the goat milking was over and we started to prepare breakfast.

    Now it''s time for us Jugachi women to go. You two go wake up Leah.

    Okay," we both said, returning to the tent to find Leah asleep, "giggling" and puffing out her belly.

    She looks just like Mother Militia.

    Yes.

    Hmmm, and continue with Luna Maria.

    We slowly get Leah up and get her dressed.

    Of course, being a man, I don''t go along with the changing.

    I say to Leah as she changes in the curtain.

    Speaking of which, Leah, how far are you going to follow me?

    That''s right, even in the grave.

    "I''ve been to the tombs in the dungeon.

    I know, but that''s not what I mean. But that''s not what I mean. I mean, we''ll be in the same grave together.

    It''s not the East, so I don''t think they''ll be cremated and put in the same urn.

    "But I still want the grave next door!

    A confused Leah opened the curtains.

    For a moment, I thought, "Oh my God," and then I saw that she had already finished dressing.

    When I complained that she was absolutely top-notch at surprising people, she said, "Hmmm, I know, I''ll surprise you more tomorrow.

    I wondered what she was going to do ......, but I figured it would be an innocent prank anyway, so I ignored her and went to the breakfast table first.

    Afterwards, we slowly tired out.

    We had been walking and fighting all day from the streets of the Northwoods.

    Even for a child trained by the gods, you get tired. And it would be even harder for the woman, Luna Maria.

    That''s why today is a day of rest and relaxation, doing nothing.

    You''ll sit idly on the spot or sleep in bed, counting sheep all day long.

    Then you feel your strength recovering. You are filled with vitality.

    At night you are so energized that you want to run around the place.

    Okay, this makes me feel like I can go on a trip right now.

    Look at Luna Maria and she agrees.

    I''m feeling much better. I hope to leave tomorrow.

    That''s it.

    And when I look at Leah, she doesn''t seem to have any objections.

    So I tell her that I''ll be staying with her for one more night. The head of the village agrees, waving his white beard up and down, "Of course," he says.

    Ayesha happily walks around us saying, "Yay!

    You can stay with us forever.

    But that''s not really possible, so I''ll indulge for one more night and the next morning we''ll leave.

    I will have breakfast before I leave.

    But I notice someone who won''t get up at breakfast. It''s Leah.

    What a sleeper, I thought, and peeled off her covers to find a pillow.

    You touch it, but it''s not warm.

    He consults with Luna Maria to see what''s going on, but soon realizes that it''s her prank.

    Not just any prank, though, but an oversized prank.

    Under the pillow.

    "To Will

    My name was written in the handwriting of "I don''t know what''s going on," and I opened the letter.

    What''s going on, I wondered, and opened the letter.

    I open the letter and read it aloud to Luna Maria, too.

    "Dear Will.

    I may have crawled under my covers feeling naughty, but unfortunately I''m not there.

    I''m not in Jugachi Village either.

    But don''t worry.

    I wasn''t kidnapped and I haven''t disappeared.

    I said that I am a priestess serving a god, but I originally live in the sanctuary.

    My body is incapable of staying outside the divine realm for long periods of time.

    So I''ll go back to the sanctuary to cultivate my spirit.

    In other words, we''ll definitely have another adventure together!

    That''s almost the full text, but there is also a message to Luna Maria.

    "To the little girl who is reading this letter to me.

    --No, to Luna Maria.

    You are Will''s squire. Don''t forget that.

    Be a woman who can stand before Will''s mother and boast that you are a clean and righteous squire.

    Over

    It''s terse and twangy, but it''s a spoonful of affection.

    As evidence, Luna Maria is a little sad, "Leah ......".

    I missed you too, but if that''s the case, I had no choice.

    And it says in the letter that we will meet again some day.

    This is not a farewell, but a foreshadowing of a reunion, so I don''t feel too lonely.

    I tried to be cheerful and said to Luna Maria.

    Let''s get going. I''ll miss you a little, but I don''t have to worry about running out of food on the road anymore.

    ...... Leah was a gourmand.

    Lunamaria smiled and began to prepare for her journey.

    --Meanwhile, at Table Mountain, Will''s hometown, the God of Swords Ronin was practicing pulling out a large tree with his bare hands.

    Ronin, the god of swords, is practicing pulling out a large tree with his bare hands.

    He says with a "whimper" as he puts his strength into it.

    "...... is utterly pathetic. I only pulled ''only 10'' today.

    If you look at Ronin, you can see a huge pile of trees piled up in a heap next to him.

    Vandal, the god of magic, who was watching from afar, slowly walked up to Ronin and said, "You are doing this again, for nothing.

    You''re doing more harm than good.

    "...... What an old man!

    Don''t destroy the nature. . do not destroy nature.

    "Shut up, I''ll recycle it properly, and when it''s dry, we''ll make a log cabin out of it. I''m going to turn it into Will''s study room.

    "She''s already been on the road.

    I know, I know. But now she''s picking you up. I don''t like her, but I respect her persistence. I''m sure she''ll take Will home.

    ...... I''m not so sure about that. --. or rather, what a rumor!

    The God of Magic Vandal turned around and saw a girl about her age.

    A girl with beautifully coiffed hair.

    She''s got a bloody flail. She says she hunted a warthog along the way. I''ll eat it, he says.

    She''s an extraordinary girl, carrying a bloody boar, but neither Ronin nor the Vandals were surprised.

    No, only Ronin was a little surprised.

    Of course he wasn''t surprised by the blood or the girl''s power.

    "...... or rather, Milia, you''re back alone.

    Yes, I do.

    You didn''t bring Will home?

    "Yes.

    Say it plainly.

    "You promised me the wrong thing. Whoever wins at rock-paper-scissors would take Will home. I lost in rock-paper-scissors and you went.

    "Shut up. It''s a long story. Oh, I mean, I''m tired, can I undo the change?

    "Because youth consumes a lot of magic.

    It''s annoying.

    And then Leah, who was just a little girl a moment ago, no, Milia grew.

    Phew, all at once my breasts are tighter. Did my breasts grow even tighter than when I was a teenager?

    "Teat Monster

    "Shut up, swordsmanship fool.

    It''s a compliment. I mean, getting back to the point, why isn''t Will here?

    I didn''t have a choice. I couldn''t find an excuse to bring him home.

    "Pretext?

    If he looked a bit frazzled or homesick, I was going to knock him into a coma and take him home, but Will was undaunted by any monster he met. His eyes would always shine no matter what kind of enemies he met. Every time he found a new place, he was excited to see it. He was like a child.

    No god could have brought such a Will back.

    That''s right.

    And the goddess Militia says, but Ronin seems to agree.

    Even if I had gone, the result would have been the same, she says in her mind.

    Although Ronin would never say it out loud, he does seem to be able to compensate Milia for her exhaustion after a long journey.

    Casually holding the warthog, he returns to the house of the gods.

    Miria laughs at that, but Vandal asks her how she did it.

    "Didn''t Will know who you were?

    Yes, of course. She''s a perceptive girl, but more than that, she''s a pure girl.

    "Yes,

    But I guess Luna Maria knew that I was right. I''m afraid of women.

    And said Goddess of Healing Militia returned to our home after a long absence.

 64 court magician Anastasia

    We said goodbye to Leah and to the village of Jugachi, but neither of us was lonely as we were not separated forever.

    We headed to the road in high spirits, but on the way we noticed something.

    It''s nice to know that you got the holy shield, but you haven''t decided what you want to do.

    There is a goal. I have a goal.

    "...... is a joke, right?

    "It''s a joke.

    You say with a grin.

    "As expected, Mr. Will can''t defeat the demon king on his own. Besides, the demon king hasn''t come back yet.

    You can''t beat something that isn''t resurrected, right?

    It''s not pompous," he adds.

    Speaking of which, I hear there''s a group of pagans trying to resurrect the Demon King.

    Yes, a group called the Zodiac Order.

    Zodiac, the main deity of all evil gods, right?

    Yes. The pagans, who have venerated the Zodiac since ancient times, are planning to revive it.

    They''re a vindictive bunch, aren''t they?

    "Yes, it is. That''s vindictive. Probably still flying around the world trying to revive the Zodiac.

    I see.

    But notice something.

    "Huh?¡¡Come to think of it, when I first met Luna Maria, it was the pagans who attacked me.

    "Yes, it is.

    "Why did they attack Lunamar¨ªa?¡¡Even though killing Lunamaria won''t bring back the demon king.

    Oh, that''s it. That''s because I''m an oracle priestess.

    "Because I''m an oracle priestess?

    Yes. I have the power to see into the future and that makes me very troublesome. I have used this power to report to His Majesty the location of the infidel''s lair many times.

    I see, so it''s a grudge match.

    And I think there''s a sense of urgency that if we don''t, we''ll find a savior to save the world someday.

    "Savior.

    Lunamar¨ªa chuckles as she says it as if it were someone else''s business.

    "Master Will is rarely so insensitive,

    "Insensitive?

    Looking around, Lunamaria explains to me.

    "The savior is Master Will.

    "I''m the Messiah!

    Yes, I had a feeling that this was the first time we met, but the more we traveled together, the more I was convinced of that feeling.

    "Hmmm, like that''s an overestimate.

    The way you help people, the way you breathe out, the way you care for others, it''s all first-class.

    "--

    I tried to argue with her, but it would be no use.

    I mean, it was too soon, or rather, I saw a sight that would prove her previous statement.

    "There''s a battle going on in the distance.

    Lunamaria listened carefully and said, "Well, I guess so," she said, "I guess so.

    I''d have to help them here to prove I''m not the Messiah, but I don''t think that''s an option.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    Lunamaria grins and we run out.

    We were going to solve someone else''s problems, without learning a lesson.

    We were headed to a place on the side of the road.

    Some travelers were attacked by bandits as they were heading to the meadow. But that''s not what we thought.

    When the Lunamar¨ªa came to the battlefield.

    "Zodiac cult!"?

    I shouted.

    Surely these guys look familiar. A sorcerer in black, a warrior in black leather armor, and an infidel, to be sure.

    Then are those who oppose these men righteous?

    The synonym for evil is justice. In the dictionary.

    It was Vandal, the god of magic, who said, "I''m not going to be able to do anything about it," and I looked at him to make sure.

    I looked at my opponent to make sure of that. My opponent was well-dressed.

    They wore uniform armor. Maybe they are the knights of this country. They all wear the crest of the kingdom of Midnia.

    The man at their center was a bit odd.

    A figure that did not fit in with the bleakness of this battlefield.

    A girl in a wide-brimmed hat like the Vandal, dressed like Milia, and carrying a staff, obviously not suited for this bleak battlefield.

    She also carried a staff and was clearly a girl sorcerer.

    And at the center of it all is a woman.

    It was Luna Maria who murmured, "You understand?

    Do you understand?

    "Yes, approximately in the manner of

    "That''s a lot of Lunamaria.

    Then the girl opens her mouth to say, "We are the Knights of the King''s direct guard, we do not delay in such places.

    "We are the Kingsguard under the King''s direct command, we do not delay in such a place.

    It was quiet but interesting.

    As she announced this, her whole body was enchanted with magic and she released the fireball.

    It flies straight to the evildoers.

    One of the evildoers becomes a fireball, but his companions don''t seem to mind and slash at the girl.

    "Oh my, how dare you abandon your fireman friends. Now that''s what I call an evil man.

    With a look of heartfelt contempt, she puts her magic power into her staff and slays the evildoer with it.

    The pagan sprays bright red blood, but the girl, whose face is covered with it, says coldly, "The pagans have green blood.

    Some say that the evildoers have green blood in their veins, but that seems to be a superstition.

    But--" he continues suspiciously.

    "We won''t know for sure until we pull out the halavata. Come at me in turn, and I''ll examine you one by one.

    It was only a moment before the evildoers were horrified, but it was only a moment before they slashed at him at the same time.

    The sorcerer seemed confident in his skills, but he was not strong enough for a simultaneous attack. One sword is about to hit me. I swooped in and dispatched the sword with my dagger.

    The sorceress saw this and said.

    "Oh dear.

    I was surprised.

    Well, our little heroes have come to reinforce us.

    I''m small in stature, but I''m a force to be reckoned with.

    Yes, I know that.

    And she chuckles and says

    "I know everything about you, Mr. Will.

    And laughed.

    "How did you know my name? Just as I thought, another sword shot out.

    I dodged it and kicked the fellow.

    The evildoer blows away with great force, and the female magician, watching, is ecstatic.

    "That''s my girl Will. Wonderful feet. I''d love to be stepped on by your feet.

    "............

    Horrified, I looked at Lunamaria, but she too had a troubled look on her face.

    The girl, who was watching the scene, smiles and says, "I''m sorry.

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry. --My name is Anastasia, commander of the Third Division of the Kingsguard of the Kingdom of Midonia, and senior court magician by His Majesty.

    The court magician--

    This child, at this young age?¡¡But she sensed it and took off her hat with a grin.

    You''d think a little girl like this was a court magician, but I thought you''d believe it if you saw my ears.

    Appearing out of the hat were the longest ears I''ve ever seen.

    No, I''ve seen them before. A tribe that often appears in the books in the Vandal''s library would have ears like this one.

    I say the name.

    You''re an elf?

    She wags her finger nonchalantly.

    "I, Anastasia, am not an elf. I''m an Elder Elf of a higher order.

    Anastasia''s smile was bewitchingly beautiful, declaring that.

 65 William Alfred

    This is how I met the bewitching beauty of the elf, but now I was in the middle of a battle.

    That''s what the enemy''s magic reminds me.

    An air cutter called the Wind Blade attacks us. It was defended by Anastasia''s defense team.

    Now that you mention it, we''re in the middle of a battle. Shall we talk about this after the battle, Master Will?

    "Master Will wouldn''t do that!

    and Lunamar¨ªa strikes a holy blow.

    I''ll also use my holy shield to strike one enemy and throw it at the other.

    "Whoo-hoo!

    The holy shield flies away cheerfully and pummels the enemy with vigor.

    ''Yeah!¡¡''Don''t think that just because you''re a damsel that you''re weak in the physical arts,''

    You are right, but I am the only one who recognizes her as a maiden.

    To the enemy, she''s just a hard metal shield.

    As I was thinking this, Anastasia approached me, releasing a spell.

    That''s a wonderful shield. Is that the rumored Aegis shield?

    It''s amazing that you even know my name.

    I told you. I know everything about you, Mr. Will.

    I mean, you said you were a court magician, how did you know about me?

    "Actually, I was traveling around looking for Master Will, and I ran into these guys on the way.

    "I see.

    The enemy''s arrows come flying in. Anastasia burns it.

    "They''re a real pain in the ass. We can''t even talk. I suppose we''d better kill them all at once.

    And then she chants a spell.

    Meanwhile, her knights in the Kingsguard scramble to protect her.

    One for the Master Anastasia!¡¡Everyone, too, for Master Anastasia!

    to protect her, forming a formation with the slogan, "I''m going to protect her.

    Meanwhile, Anastasia chants the ancient magical language.

    O wavering power of the starry sea, lend me strength. Exterminate the enemy with a rain of stones!

    The ancient magical language, perfected by a beautiful melody, manifests itself as ''power''.

    Like slicing through the clouds, a stone blazed from space descends and crashes to the ground.

    It''s so-called meteo magic, but only the most advanced wizards could use it.

    "I''m not as good as Master Will, but I can do this.

    Anastasia smiles, but the power of her meteor is tremendous.

    As it fell to the ground with a roar, the pagans were blown away. No, it blows them away.

    Most of them could have died before the pain, but it seemed a little brutal.

    Well, Master Will is kind of you to have mercy on the trash. Later I''ll make a grave for them with an ice cream stick so you can have a peaceful mind.

    But as soon as he let go of his words, there was a glint in the dust.

    It seems that there was a survivor.

    The man who seemed to be their leader had put up a defensive position and escaped the difficulty.

    He held up his white blade and attacked Anastasia, but I blocked it with my holy shield and struck her in the back of the head with the hilt of my mithril dagger.

    "Well, that''s great. After all, Master Will is wonderful.

    I''ll be cracking up, and hold my own chest.

    I wonder if I should say thank you. I don''t know, but I want to shake her hand.

    To show that I''m not interested in antagonizing the Kingsguard.

    Well, shake my hand--

    Anastasia holds out her right hand to me.

    We shake hands and ask her about the situation.

    The way she greets you with a "thank you" by holding the hem of your skirt is like a lady.

    You look at her lightly, but you notice that Lunamaria is peeved and get to the point.

    By the way, Anastasia, I guess you knew about me.

    "The strongest child raised by the gods, the one who pulled the holy sword out of a rock, the one who slayed the giants of the city of Northwoods, is famous.

    "You''re that well known.

    "Among us, the Third Konoe Division,

    It''s local.

    Yes, local. In fact, we have been asked by His Majesty the King to search for a certain someone.

    "Really. What''s he like?

    "A child who went missing about fifteen years ago.

    "Fifteen years ago--

    Yes, that''s right. He was the son of Her Majesty''s legitimate son, but he became entangled in political strife. One of his maids went to Table Mountain, a neutral zone, to save his life.

    Wow, you went to the shelter of the gods.

    Yes. But the handmaiden was attacked by assassins on the way and lost her life.

    "...... poor thing

    What happened to that child?

    It was a mysterious-looking Lunamar¨ªa who asked so.

    Anastasia shook her head ruefully.

    ...... No one knows what happened to His Highness after that. But we have learned that around the same time a god found a baby that was swept away in the river on Table Mountain.

    "Wow, what a surprise.

    I say this as if it were someone else''s business, and Anastasia can''t seem to bear to look at it. She giggles.

    Why am I laughing?¡¡And when I turned to Luna Maria, she was flabbergasted.

    "Master Will is a smart man, but when it comes to himself, he''s sometimes out of it.

    He was puzzled, but Anastasia will tell you the answer.

    "Hmmm, I mean, here''s the thing.

    Anastasia and the knights of the Kingsguard crouched before me.

    "Your Highness William Alfredo von Midnia, we have been looking for you for the last fifteen years. We invite you to come with us to King''s Landing. I beg you to succeed to the throne and lead the land.

    "............

    I look behind me, but there is no one there.

    I guess His Royal Highness William Alfredo von Midnia means me.

    ...... Yeah!

    But their expressions were all serious.

 66 star bruise

    I didn''t know I was the prince of the land: .......

    No, we''re not sure yet.

    But it seems certain that it''s a possibility.

    Anastasia wants to find out.

    So she insists that we go to the nearest town''s boarding house or somewhere in the shade and count the number of moles on each other''s body.

    I mean, she''s just like Mother Militia: ......

    "Uh-huh, let''s count each other out. I''ll show you mine.

    And she rolls up her skirt and shows her inner thighs.

    Lunamar¨ªa "must not look

    and blindfold me, but I didn''t miss the visual information that came in before I was blindfolded.

    ...... that holy bruise. Are you a brave man?

    She smiles and affirms.

    "I am a tree hero. I am one of the few elves to be named valiant.

    That''s why you did the meteo thing so easily.

    Yeah, well, that''s an afterthought.

    My real skill," he continues, "is this.

    This.

    From beneath her feet, creeping plant ivy grows.

    It''s replaced by tree ivy and in no time it''s a simple hut.

    Gazing at it, she pulls my hand away. I wonder if she''s going to take me inside and count the moles.

    She''s one hell of a rascal, I thought.

    I wonder if Anastasia saw the look on my face and denied it was true.

    "I''m not a brave man, but Your Highness has a distinctive mole. There is a star-shaped mole on his right shoulder: ....... I would like to confirm it.

    "...... I see.

    If that''s the case, I thought it should be here and now, exposed to the light of day.

    I put my bags in place and take off my leather armor. Then I take off my clothes.

    Anastasia lets out, "Wow, you''re surprisingly muscular, I want to be held," but she doesn''t care and takes off her clothes.

    My right shoulder is exposed.

    And there it is--

    It was not a star-shaped mole, but an old wound.

    Anastasia''s expression changes for the first time at the sight of it.

    "No, no, no. There should be a star-shaped mole on Master Will''s right shoulder.

    "Unfortunately, I don''t know about that. I fell off a cliff when I was a kid. That''s when I got the scar. It was a childhood story, so I don''t remember if I had a mole.

    "Such an accident is ......

    Do you think this proves I''m not a prince?

    Playfully, she wasn''t convinced.

    "-No, I only know that right now, Master Will doesn''t have a star-shaped mole. I believe you are the prince of the land.

    She says in a reformed manner and invites me to come to the capital.

    "I do not ask you to ascend the throne. Now you are ill and have no idea what tomorrow holds. Let me be reunited with my departed son for the last time.

    "......, but I''m not.

    "Pretend is all you need. All you have to do is pretend to be my son. Then the king will be at peace.

    "............

    When you talk to me like that, I can''t stop following you.

    I have a promise to go to the capital.

    Your Highness is the man.

    It''s Will.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    With that said, there is a new addition to the group.

    You will travel with the bewitching daughter of the Elder Elves, a girl named Anastasia who holds the title of Tree Hero.

    Now, Anastasia has joined the group, but her subordinate, the Knights of the Kingsguard, has been prematurely disbanded.

    ''I thought you were going to escort me to the capital?

    No, it''s better not to do that.

    Anastasia shook her head.

    We got into a battle with the pagans earlier because we stood out. We are charged with the search for the prince, but we are also charged with the search for the savior.

    "Savior: ......

    Yes. We must find him as soon as possible and drive the demon king from our world. We must find him and rid this world of the demon king as soon as possible.

    I''m here for the man.

    Lunamaria says.

    Anastasia looks at Lunamaria with interest.

    "It is Master Will who will save this world. That''s the oracle I''m entrusted with.

    ...... Are you a priestess of the Mother Goddess. I see that Master Will is a prince and a savior at the same time.

    I think I said I had to get a baby as soon as possible, but it''s probably just my imagination.

    I say again that I''m not the Messiah.

    I''m not that kind of a man. I''m Table Mountain''s Will. I''m the son of the gods.

    So I said that and headed for the street to lead the way.

    I knew that if I stayed here, Anastasia and Lunamaria would start the "Will" battle.

    Maybe in the future I will save the world, but I won''t be alone. ¡¡It will be with the help of many, and as a human being in this world I will only defeat evil.

    That''s why I don''t think it''s appropriate to be called the savior of the world.

 67 Love is like growing a big tree.

    Me, Luna Maria, and Anastasia on the street.

    There were still many people. The streets were crowded as always.

    "Isn''t this road west to the capital?

    "Yes. King''s Landing is on the south side of Table Mountain, so we''ll have to do a quick detour.

    I see, I''m actually nervous because it''s my first time in King''s Landing.

    "Hmmm, that''s just like you, Will. If you''re nervous now, you''ll be finished before you reach King''s Landing.

    I''ll try not to be.

    I said and we headed west.

    "By the way, how does the Zodiac Order plan to resurrect the Demon King?

    "Gathering the blood of the Holy One.

    "Blood of the Holy One?

    Yes. They seem to be looking for the blood of the descendants of the gods, the blood of the royal families, the blood of the brave, the blood of the saints, the blood of the saviors.

    If you''re a girl, you can collect them all by yourself. And then he continues, "I see.

    "So that''s why you''re working in so many places.

    Yes, it seems that the pagans who followed me up the mountain wanted to prevent me from meeting Master Will and at the same time wanted my blood.

    It''s true that Luna Maria is a saint.

    "There is no such thing,

    Humility.

    There are few maidens as pure as Luna Maria. Compared to Anastasia this is obvious.

    Anastasia, who seduces me at every turn, and Luna Maria, who supports me modestly, are opposites.

    I would let Anastasia drink the claws of Lunamaria, but she is Lunamaria and a little too serious.

    I''m sure a middle ground between the two would be ideal.

    You''ll be able to find out if they''ve been in the same boat for a while.

    While I was thinking rudely, the sun was setting.

    We had walked a long way, and it was getting dusk.

    Camping is nice, but I''d like to stay at an inn.

    Look at their appearance. Dirty from lack of washing during the adventure.

    Even that dainty Lunamar¨ªa is covered in dust. She agrees and tells him that she wants to wash her hair.

    Hearing this, Anastasia smiles and

    Then let''s get a place to stay. Don''t worry. The sponsor is the king, so he can spend as much money as he wants.

    Anastasia smiling coolly .

    I casually take a double and a single room and try to push Lunamar¨ªa into the single room, but it ends up being me in a single and them in a double.

    Anastasia laments, "I should have stayed in a twin room if it was going to be like this," but this is what happens when you''re consumed by subterfuge.

    Despite Anastasia''s frustration, we enjoy civilized life for the first time in a long time.

    Luna Maria is going to take a bath immediately. She is heading to the bathroom.

    I can hear her humming lightly, "Mm-hmm. It''s nice to have a bath after all. It''s a girl around here, I thought.

    I, on the other hand, am a boy, so the bath can wait.

    I''ll start with the laundry.

    Basically, we each do our own laundry for the duration of the trip.

    At first, I was told that Luna Maria would be the one to do the laundry, but I didn''t feel comfortable with that.

    She''s not a laundress, and she wants everyone to be equal in this party.

    It''s a good idea to have a full duty system, but it was awkward to wash the underwear of adolescent boys and girls at that age.

    It''s a good thing that you can wash ...... mom''s underwear.

    I think of my mother reading a book while biting into a rice cracker.

    "Don''t you think that''s a bad thing to put that thing and Luna Maria together?

    With these impressions, the laundry was done and I rented a space to dry the clothes.

    All that was left to do was to hang them out to dry for the night.

    After finishing the laundry, I head to my room to take a rest.

    As I sit down on the single bed, I hear a thumping knock at the door.

    I say, "Come in," and the door is quietly opened.

    It''s Anastasia with a big smile on her face.

    "Please take a bath after Ms. Luna Maria.

    Anastasia would be next.

    Please call me Anna when you''re alone with me.

    And she puts her face to my chest.

    I let go of her shoulder lightly, thinking that she''s in trouble, and tell her again that it''s okay to be the last.

    I understand. Let''s go secretly drink the hot water oozing from Master Will in the middle of the night.

    "I think you''ll have a stomach ache.

    When I responded, she said, "No, you don''t.

    I would drink every drop of fluid from you ......

    And to look bewitching. You''re so s*xy you''re startled. It''s like a vampire.

    (Knights of the Kingsguard, sorcerers, elder elves, tree heroes, though the setting won''t be heaped up any more: ......)

    Just too bewitching and her approach is too radical, and when I remind her of that, she cries, "Yo yo yo ......".

    It''s terrible. Will doesn''t you like me?

    I don''t hate you.

    So you like it!

    Hey!¡¡He sticks out his face.

    "I don''t like you or didn''t you just see me?

    Oh, is there a right time to fall in love?¡¡Three minutes?¡¡Three minutes Three hours?¡¡Three days?

    For me, I think love is something to be nurtured slowly.

    So that''s about three weeks. After three weeks, I''ll go after you again.

    "............

    But that''s not to say that it still seems short.

    "Love is like a great tree. An elf proverb says, "Love is like a great tree. --"But I''m a tree brave and a plant can grow at will.

    Anastasia looks around the room and finds a potted plant.

    She says, "Yes," and releases her magic, and the potted flower blooms beautifully.

    "Let the dead tree bloom. Let the dead tree bloom.

    And with a hand on her own belly, she says.

    Now that you understand what she meant, I''m going to ask you to leave.

    She walks away quietly.

    Then comes Luna Maria after her bath.

    Of course she is not so vulgar like Anastasia, the saint, but still, no, that is why she is so s*xy.

    A girl smells good after a bath.

    You can''t help but admire it, but Lunamaria is a girl with good instincts. She might see right away that I''m blushing.

    So I clear my throat and change the subject with a cough.

    I wonder what''s for dinner tonight.

    The landlady says that the specialty of the inn is sauteed chicken. She will serve you a chicken that is freshly cooked in the garden.

    It looks delicious.

    I said that and my stomach rumbled.

    Apparently, she''s really hungry.

    Luna Maria chuckles and

    "It''s proof of good health.

    He said.

    That smile is like a clear stream.

    I still liked a girl like Luna Maria better than a girl like Anastasia.

 68 honest truth

    Thus spending time at the inn.

    In the middle of the night, Anastasia''s attack is expected, but Lunamaria avoids it by attaching a rope.

    Just to be sure, the door is securely locked.

    During the night, I go through what happened today before falling asleep.

    Anastasia, the ancient elven wizard. Commander of the Kingsguard and hero of the tree.

    Regardless of her origins and character, the information she brought me was surprising.

    "Master Will, you are royalty of the land. You are a prince.

    I never thought the day would come when such a thing would be declared.

    I once asked Ronin, the God of Swords, once.

    "Hey, Father Ronin, where was I born?¡¡What are real mothers and fathers doing?

    I was told from the beginning of my life that I wasn''t related to them. (Well, there''s no hiding it.)

    At the time, Dad Ronin said, "Look, Will, you came from a tree.

    "Look, Will, you came out of a tree, so you didn''t have a birth mother. So you didn''t have a birth mother.

    Of course, I knew at once that it was a joke. Ronin did not seem to want to mention this.

    Later, when I asked Milia, the god of healing, the same question, she said, "You gave birth to me.

    You were born of my stomach ache. Or the stork brought it in and then I ate a cabbage and I got pregnant".

    This too is obviously a lie.

    I can''t help but ask Vandal, but he starts talking about how to make a child and what life is all about.

    For three days and three nights he talks about life. Then, when it started to cover the birth of the universe, I cut it off and asked the all-powerful god in the branch of the big tree.

    Do I have a real father and mother, Reus?

    Reus, in the form of a raven, said bluntly.

    "Somewhere in this world. Somewhere in this world.

    Why did they leave me?

    I don''t know. Maybe there were compelling circumstances.

    "Hmm.

    "Will you want to meet your real father and mother?

    I shook my head immediately at the answer.

    "-No, I''m just curious. And I already have my mom and dad. Four. I don''t want any more.

    I''m glad to hear that. But maybe in the future you''ll meet your real parents. Then feel free to meet them. I''m sure they look just like their real parents.

    "Yeah. I''ll just show you my face. But my fathers are Reus, Ronin and Vandal, and my mother is Millia.

    "Tell them that, they''ll be happy with tears in their eyes.

    Instead, they''re going to hug you for three days and three nights.

    Hmmm, yeah. Well, the conversation is over. Ronin is looking for you.

    Oh, yeah. Today is sword flash day.

    And so I went to Ronin''s side at that time.

    My consciousness returned to the inn.

    My real parents.

    As a matter of fact, Anastasia''s statement was shocking, but not upsetting.

    I already have four parents. I can''t imagine two more on top of that.

    And even if you say that one of them is the king of this country: .......

    "It''s not like I''m going to be a prince and inherit the throne.

    I had never been in a court, but I was familiar with it from novels.

    It is a glamorous but scheming place.

    Every day, the beautiful princesses of the court jostle for power in fear of being poisoned.

    That''s all I can imagine.

    From what the vandal has told me, that image is not off the mark.

    Wouldn''t a lifetime in such a place be no different than living in prison?

    but I was still going to go to King''s Landing.

    I wondered what kind of people my birth parents were.

    And I wanted to say thank you to them.

    "Thank you for giving birth to me.

    and.

    "Thank you for teaching me about this world.

    and.

    "Thank you for letting me meet my mom and dad at Table Mountain.

    And .

    That was my untrue intentions.

 69 the capital of Alexes

    The next morning, when we wake up, we all head to the inn''s dining room to eat breakfast together.

    The first floor of the inn is open to the public, and you can find villagers who are not guests at the inn.

    They all seem to be interested in their sauteed chicken and omelets.

    We order the chicken soup and omelet.

    The omelet is made with lots of eggs and is very tasty.

    The eggs are fluffy and fluffy, and they use butter without being stingy with it, giving it a mellow taste.

    It was so flavorful that there was no need for ketchup.

    We savored it and talked about future plans.

    We can head to the capital, but will we continue on foot?

    "I never thought I''d let the future king walk

    I''m not a king, though.

    "Then I''ll arrange a stagecoach. At the next inn town.

    That''s one thing, but I''d rather not take public transportation.

    Why?

    There could be an infidel attack. After all, we only need to kidnap a savior, a hero, and a saint to revive the demon king.

    "No wonder.

    Therefore, a horse-drawn carriage is not an option.

    "Well, we''re not in a hurry, so let''s go around on foot and ask if we can rent a carriage in town.

    That''s the best. If you''re worried about money, don''t be.

    And she took out a leather bag from her chest.

    There''s a lot of gold in it.

    Wow.

    "It''s sponsored by His Majesty the King.

    "It''s reliable,

    and the three of them slowly finished their meal and left the inn.

    As promised, they walked westward on foot, looking for a carriage on the way.

    But it''s hard to find one conveniently.

    Only to find a horse-lender in the city on the way.

    "On second thought, maybe we shouldn''t care about the carriage. There''s three of us, we can just ride the horses.

    Is.

    And so borrow a horse.

    A reed and a chestnut.

    The reason for this is that Anastasia is not good with horses.

    I''m a wizard, so I can''t ride. And elves have lived in the woods since they were young, so they are not used to four-legged beasts.

    Then it will have to be me or Lunamaria in the back.

    "Come on, my horse.

    Smirk and insist on being ahead of the curve. There is power in that smile, and you won''t let Anastasia say a word.

    Thus, Anastasia has a firm grip on Luna Maria''s waist.

    The two are traveling together on the surface.

    Along the way, I casually ask, "So, Luna Maria is on her way.

    "So I see that Luna Maria is good at riding.

    Yes, I was trained in every martial art to be able to help Master Will in the future.

    The sword is better, too.

    I''ve never cut a man down yet, but

    That''s good. I don''t want to get blood on Lunamar¨ªa''s hands.

    ...... but there will come a time when the time will come. But there will come a time when I will bloody my hands to protect you, Mr. Will.

    ...... I''ll do my best to make sure that day never comes.

    And we rode forward with our horses.

    The speed of the horse rides up a notch.

    The roads are peaceful and trouble-free, and we pass through several inn towns.

    At this rate we''ll be in King''s Landing tomorrow.

    "I''ll meet the king there.

    "Yes. But first we have to meet with the ministers and the royal family. We have to prove that Master Will is the Prince-to-be.

    "It''s nice, but how

    To that question, Anastasia irresponsibly said, "Well? I''m not a minister, and then unleash the irresponsible words.

    I''m not a minister," he says irresponsibly.

    Well, it''s true, she''s the captain of the Kingsguard, and her authority will be until she finds me and brings me back.

    So I didn''t blame her and rode my horse.

    The capital of King''s Landing was in sight.

    The capital of Midnia, Alexes.

    I am simply astounded by its majesty and enormity.

    I''ve seen it on the map, but it''s amazing.

    Anastasia says proudly, "Uh-huh".

    "The biggest city in the country. No, it''s the biggest city on this continent.

    It''s amazing, I only know mountains, so it just amazes me.

    "So was I at first. I was overwhelmed when I was just out of the woods. I remember seeing endless cobblestones and being giddy.

    "Surely there are fine cobblestones leading to the capital.

    The endless cobblestones are overwhelming.

    As I gazed at the huge architecture of the royal city like a grown-up, I noticed that the girl in front of Anastasia''s face was blue.

    What''s the matter with her?¡¡I called out because I was curious, but Lunamaria smiled back at me.

    ...... nothing. Maybe I got drunk with all the people.

    That''s a lot of work.

    Lunamar¨ªa is a daughter who lives on the hearing aid.

    If there are more people, the amount of information increases dramatically.

    You''d hear human breathing, the pounding of the heart, the creaking of bones. You would hear the sounds of life. The sound of carriages moving through the stones, the cries of livestock, the scraping of dishes.

    It''s all in your head. It''s crazy not to be confused.

    I''m concerned about Luna Maria''s condition, but she smiles nonchalantly and says, "It''s all right.

    It won''t take long. It''s always like that. But more than that--

    "More than that?

    "--no, it''s nothing.

    Lunamaria is more than that, there is a sense of foreboding in the air from King''s Landing. I wanted to say that, but I couldn''t, because we were too excited about King''s Landing.

    You''ll hear about it later, but it certainly wouldn''t affect me if it was said now.

    I was that excited to see the capital in front of me.

 70 an inn in the royal capital

    "King''s Town is awesome!

    That was the untrue impression.

    I pointed at everything I saw, just like a good-for-nothing guy.

    Anastasia, what are those buildings over there?

    That''s a library.

    "That''s a library?¡¡I wonder how many books there are on the subject: ......

    It is said that "sixty-five and a half thousand and thirty-five books

    "Yeah, so much!

    I could read it every day and still not get through it. It''s dozens of times larger than the Vandal''s library.

    Your father must have quite a library, Master Will.

    I''m a bookworm.

    But still, there''s an upside to that. If I became king of this country, I''d give this whole library to Vandal Dad, I thought, but I shook my head in a panic.

    I shouldn''t, I shouldn''t, I''m getting greedy. It was a bad idea to get caught up in things and money, and this building was the property of the people to begin with.

    The real value of this building was that anyone who paid taxes could see it.

    It should not be monopolized.

    Reminding myself, I shifted my gaze from the library.

    The first thing you see is a tall building. There''s a tower-like structure in the center of the city.

    It''s a clock tower. The Tower of Kronos. It tells the time precisely in the ruins of an ancient magical civilization. It''s accurate to within a hundred millionth of a second.

    Yi, ichoku: ......

    It''s a number that makes me think of hiragana.

    I had at least a watch at home, but someone had to wind it up every day and there was a significant margin of error.

    "Wow, King''s Landing is amazing.

    "Hmmm, Master Will is as pure as a child and worth explaining.

    I didn''t know if I was being complimented, but I still asked one question after another.

    What''s that one?¡¡What''s that?

    and pointing a finger over and over again.

    Anastasia answers again and again with a smile.

    That''s Sir Guglium''s house. The greatest knight in the land.

    That''s the head office of the Eldonat Trading Company.

    "That''s the temple of the God of Light.

    She answers politely and kindly.

    Thankfully, I notice that Luna Maria looks unhappy.

    I ask her.

    ''Are you still sick, Luna Maria?¡¡Do you want to get a place to stay and rest before going to the palace?

    "No, that''s not why I''m here: ......

    Luna Maria looks exhausted. I think we should take a break.

    It''s okay.

    "It''s not like that. And I have a lot of preparations to make before I go up to the palace.

    "Such as?

    "Will, I''m ready for you. Your outfit looks great, but you need to be more formal.

    "I see.

    It''s true that if you''re going to meet with ministers and royalty, you''ll need to dress accordingly.

    So let''s get a hotel room somewhere and get ready.

    And Anastasia grasps my arm graciously and tries to take me to the castle-like inn.

    Luna Maria grabbed Anastasia''s arm with a firm grip.

    ...... Oh my, you''re stronger than I thought.

    ...... It''s a tuck-in hostel. Please don''t do anything strange to Mr. Will.

    "My goodness. I didn''t notice. It''s like a castle.

    After flattening her hands, Anastasia chose another inn on the main street.

    The inn is so grand that it could have been mistaken for a castle.

    When you enter the inn, the receptionist is friendly. Take one of the top two rooms, and a packer will carry your luggage for you.

    It''s different from other inns I''ve stayed at.

    This is the hotel. They give you the best experience and hospitality.

    And Anastasia takes the welcome fruit and eats the cherries.

    Munching and gagging, he flattened them out. The calyx of the cherries was tied neatly together.

    Mmmm, all good kissers can do this. Can you do it, Luna Maria?

    You can.

    And ate the cherries with rivalry, but it was quite difficult.

    I think that Luna Maria should ignore Anastasia''s provocation.

    While I was watching them, I was shown to a luxurious room.

    It''s a nice and fluffy bed, and if I were tired I''d want to sleep in it, but now I have to go to the tailor''s.

    But I have thirty minutes before the appointment with Anastasia.

    I have thirty minutes until my appointment with Anastasia.

    A large space and a magnificent structure jump into view.

    The size of the hotel does not compare to that of the inn in Shukuba-machi. The construction is robust and the furnishings are incredible.

    Vases are decorated with orchids and paintings.

    They all look expensive. You could spend an hour or so admiring them.

    Further exploration leads to the discovery of more than one of these rooms. The hotel has rooms with bathrooms and washbasins.

    One room, one room?

    And when I turned on the shower, what came out of it was hot water.

    Is it ...... magical?¡¡Central broiler style?¡¡Maybe they have a salamander.

    By the way, Table Mountain also had a shower. There''s hot water too. Vandal, the god of witchcraft, had made one, a magical one.

    I remember it was made for my mother, who loved baths and bathing, but it consumed a lot of magic stones.

    Just getting a tap, adjusting the water pressure, and running the shower was a pain in the ass.

    The hotel is quite luxurious, since all rooms are equipped with them.

    I lay back on the canopy bed and

    "Huh.

    I let out a sigh.

    "It''s good that my sponsor is the king, but I don''t think I''ll be staying in such a nice hotel in the future.

    With such a fine hotel, you won''t have to endure the shoddy innkeepers on your journey.

    The inn where I stayed with Luna Maria last time was a straw mattress where men and women slept in small groups.

    Compared to that, this hotel was a heavenly paradise.

    ...... It''s so fluffy. Do you want to sleep for ten minutes?

    I say that and close my eyes.

    Then in a flash, sleepiness comes and lulls me back to sleep.

    I wake up and say, "Aha!

    I realize that I slept too much.

    ''Oh no, oh no, I promised Anastasia: ......

    And looking at the equipped clock, several hours had passed.

    It is now night.

    It''s probably time for the tailor to be closed.

    I''ve been trying not to be late to meet up with ...... people.

    You''re caught off guard. . and lamenting, I hear a sleeping sound from the side.

    They belong to Luna Maria and Anastasia.

    It seems they came to wake me up and then fell asleep together.

    It seems that they woke me up and then fell asleep together.

    "Oh, my God, you look so pretty sleeping, I want to eat it.

    I can imagine them giving up on waking me up and starting to sleep together.

    The only thing that helps is that the battle didn''t break out there.

    ...... I''m sorry for my behavior. Tomorrow I owe Anastasia an apology.

    I muttered and decided to sleep again.

    Eventually, we slept with "Supi" until the next day.

 71 a tailor in the royal capital

    We went to bed with a bang, but the next day we woke up with the rising sun.

    It was Anastasia who said, "Whew!

    She looked at me, smiled, and said

    "It''s morning chun

    And laughed.

    I don''t know what it means, but I''m sure it means nothing.

    Ignore it and Luna Maria will wake up.

    She also said, "Whew!" adorably.

    Oh, and we ended up sleeping in the same room.

    It was a waste of room and board," he continued.

    "His Majesty wouldn''t be bothered by such a trifle," he continues.

    and tells me to start getting ready to go out.

    Let''s go to the seamstress first.

    Yes.

    And Lunamaria agrees.

    The two return to their respective rooms and begin to make preparations.

    Aegis, the holy shield that he had placed in the corner of the room, says.

    ''As you know, it takes time to get a woman ready. I think we''d better watch for an hour.

    I''m sure. Especially Anastasia.

    Reminds me of an elaborate haircut.

    "That''s why you should hang out with me in the meantime.

    And then you will be able to lash out.

    "Gorilla.

    "Trumpet

    "Pants

    "Willow

    The "chocolate

    But the occasional unintelligible word is mixed in because she''s an inorganic shield.

    What''s the meaning of stepchocolate?

    "Huh?¡¡Will, don''t you know about the chocolate?¡¡Seriously?

    I don''t know.

    "The girija is a kind of chocolate that women give out on Valentine''s Day.

    "Oh, that one,

    "You know about Valentine''s Day, don''t you?

    Of course, we are forced to participate in such events. Mother Milia loved it. And basically Ronin Dad liked to celebrate too.

    "Nice family.

    I just want to make some noise. ...... Well, it was fun.

    As I was exchanging words with her, it seems that Luna Maria came in.

    As expected of a saint, she was quick to get ready. A third of a normal woman.

    He who drowns in opulence cannot hear the voice of God.

    I assure you.

    On the other hand, Anastasia takes twice as long as a normal woman.

    From clothing selection to makeup, it takes a light hour. It''s just like Mother Militia.

    They are two extremes, but fortunately there is still time to spare.

    So I waited for Anastasia''s arrival and together we went to the tailor''s shop.

    Seeing Anastasia beautifully dressed, Aegis said, ''I admire a woman for dressing up.

    That may be true, but it was awkward to compliment her alone in front of Lunamaria.

    It''s a good thing that you''re a good friend of mine.

    It''s a good idea to praise them both.

    "Oh, yeah. I didn''t know that was possible.

    I first complimented Luna Maria''s biceps, which I thought was solid for a woman. They were very firm for a woman.

    Then I tell them that the color of Anastasia''s shoes looks just like the fur of a warthog on Table Mountain.

    They give her a subtle look, but are pleased.

    Aegis lets out a deep sigh.

    "What the hell,

    "No, I just thought it would be a long shot.

    And she was silent thereafter.

    I followed behind Anastasia without saying a word to her.

    She led me to a tailor''s shop in the main street of the capital.

    A luxurious and majestic-smelling, high-class tailor''s shop.

    If I hadn''t met Anastasia, I never would have met her.

    I''m nervous to be the first seamstress.

    What did you do with your clothes in the mountains?

    They bought it and my mom put it together for me.

    Well, Miss Militia, you are surprisingly good at sewing, aren''t you?

    "Well, people are not always what they seem.

    And then the owner of the store appears with a rubbing hand.

    "Well, well, well, Miss Anastasia.

    The plump owner, also smiling. It seems that Anastasia is a regular in this store.

    You''ll hear it.

    The underwear you''re wearing right now is also custom-made from this store. ......

    "............

    It''s not important information, but it makes me blush, as expected.

    Lunamaria must have thought that Anastasia was harmful and told her to finish her business quickly.

    Yes, I did. Will, let''s get you measured and get a new dress. How long do you think it will take?

    "Two nights

    "I''ll pay double the price, could you do it overnight?

    "Yes, sir.

    And bow to the shopkeeper. Take out a measuring string from your pocket and measure it quickly.

    The hand is familiar.

    Well, Will''s clothes are fine. ......

    Anastasia stares blankly at Lunamaria.

    Lunamaria is stunned.

    ''This is too plain to appear before a ministerial-level person. Shall I buy you a new costume, Lunamaria?

    "That''s fine.

    "It''s free. The state will pay for it.

    Then it is superfluous. In exchange for not receiving any support from the state, the Temple of Mother God does not have to pay taxes. It''s presumptuous for such a person to ask for clothes.

    "Don''t mind me. His Majesty''s purse is plentiful.

    No, it''s really unnecessary. To begin with, the cult of Mother God is based on simplicity. This one piece of vestments is all that is needed.

    "............

    Anastasia, with an interesting expression on her face and a resolute attitude, could not seem to say anything else.

    I, too.

    "It''s just like Lunamaria,

    And sent her a covering, so there was no need for a new outfit for Lunamaria.

    When the measurements were done, she went straight back to the inn, but Lunamaria never took a second glance at the glittering clothes that were laid out in the store.

    Her lack of greed is noteworthy.

    I look at the pretty and beautiful dresses in the store and imagine Lunamaria wearing them.

    Each dress accentuated the beauty of Lunamaria. Lunamaria was such a beautiful girl.

    But I also think "but".

    Lunamaria, a pure woman, would look best in the vestments of the Mother God.

    The clothes she wore fit her perfectly, as if God had made them for her.

    Lunamar¨ªa''s unadorned, pretty beauty was her speciality.

 72 Relax in the library

    Take a walk around the royal capital without going straight back to the inn.

    The guide, of course, is Anastasia.

    She fills me with curiosity.

    First, you''ll be taken to the Kronos Clock Tower, where you''ll get a bird''s-eye view of the city.

    The edge of the city is blurred. The streets are endless.

    If you went door to door, it would take you years to get there. That''s how big King''s Landing was.

    Anastasia will show you the most famous sights.

    First, we went to the famous fried chicken restaurant.

    Somehow they have a wax figure of an old man in front of the restaurant, and they serve you spicy fried chicken.

    I tried one, but it was out of this world!

    Wow!

    But Anastasia will tell you the secret.

    This restaurant is made by a man from another world. "This restaurant was made by a man from another world, using a secret recipe and eighteen spices.

    That''s why it''s so . . that''s why it''s so fragrant.

    Yes, it''s an appetizing taste.

    Anastasia finished eating the meat and sucked on the bone sensually.

    Lunamaria also ate with relish.

    The meat is delicious, but the skin is the best.

    ." "Yes. It''s crispy and spicy. I wish they would just sell the skin.

    "Hmmm, isn''t it?

    And licking their greasy fingers, the three of them left the table.

    Continue to visit the royal capital.

    The fountain square where you can throw a coin and be happy.

    A street performance taking place in the square.

    A peek into the pet store and more, and finally head to your real life.

    Is your real life ......?

    Lunamaria nodded her head, "Yes, I''m the son of the god of magic.

    Yeah, I''m the son of the god of magic. I can''t wait to hear about a facility with tens of thousands of books.

    "Oh, you''re headed to the library.

    Yeah. ." -- "Oh, is Luna Maria boring?

    In response to her concern, Anastasia says, "The Royal Library has a collection of books in Braille, too.

    "We also have books in Braille at the Royal Library,

    I''m glad to hear it.

    Voice bouncing Lunamar¨ªa.

    We headed to the Royal Library. The library building was still magnificent.

    "Do not burn books to keep warm, even if the people freeze.

    What''s that?

    It was Luna Maria who asked, but I answered.

    The second king of this country said, "Even if that generation starves, as long as intelligence is handed down, the next generation, their children, will not starve. It means that even if that generation starves, as long as intelligence is handed down, the next generation, their children, will not starve.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    Certainly knowledge is important. There was less knowledge and less wheat to harvest in the old days. We were even hungrier than now. But with the efficient cultivation of land, the creation of high-yielding varieties, mankind''s wisdom has been crystallized to increase agricultural and industrial output.

    You''re right, you are very knowledgeable.

    It''s all from my dad.

    A wise man is one who can learn knowledge honestly from others.

    And with that we entered the library.

    The sweltering smell of books enveloped us.

    Lightly - no, with a great deal of tension - we looked around the library''s collection.

    We stayed for more than half of the day, but a pile of books is something you never get tired of looking at.

    I would spend all day looking for a new issue of my favorite novel or a new series by my favorite author.

    I was often left toothless in the mountains.

    Anastasia was reading a tricky book on witchcraft. It was typical of her to put aside books on the cellblock arts.

    Lunaria''s expression would relax as she went to the Braille corner. She touched the display of the spine and looked happy to see it.

    Also, she is interested in the picture book, which has a three-dimensional mechanism when opened.

    After all, books are wonderful. There are three different personalities of men and women who can enjoy them together.

    --If I could prevent the resurrection of the demon king, I''d like to have a job making books.

    Thinking about this, I enjoyed the library until it closed.

    Then I return to the hotel and have a sumptuous dinner at the hotel''s restaurant.

    You will recharge your batteries for tomorrow.

    Tomorrow you will go to the palace and meet the minister there. If you can confirm that Master Will is the king''s illegitimate son, you will meet the king.

    Anastasia will give me a rundown of her schedule, but I thought, well, let''s see if it works out so well for myself.

 73 ecstatic Anastasia

    Arrive at the royal palace without incident.

    Is that natural?

    It''s certainly not likely that you''ll run into bandits or infidels in the middle of the traffic of King''s Landing.

    "But Master Will is known for his bad luck skills. Perhaps we may run into them.

    And while that is unusually Lunamar¨ªa''s joke, the joke is half true.

    I''ve run into trouble along the way.

    The trouble was a quarrel between a knight and a town girl.

    Hey, girl!¡¡You have no apology for bumping into my family''s treasured sword.

    "I''m sorry. Please forgive me.

    It seems that he bumped into the knight and touched his sword.

    The town girl has apologized many times, but the knight still can''t forgive her.

    "We can''t stay here. Come to my mansion and apologize. With all my heart.

    And try to take the town girl with you.

    You look like a jolly old baboon.

    Its purpose was obvious, so I step in to stop it.

    "This girl is apologizing for what she did.

    "What?¡¡The kid?

    A handsome knight gazing at me curiously.

    "My name is Will.

    "Will?¡¡That name sounds like a woman.

    The knight who let out a curt, high-pitched laugh.

    He looked like the type of man who wouldn''t understand if you told him off. He wouldn''t back down easily.

    --But I still didn''t want to settle it with violence.

    So I step in between the girls and apologize.

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry I touched the soul of a knight.

    "............

    The bellicose knight who thought I was picking a fight is stunned.

    --But he''s quick to show his bad character.

    "I''m not happy to hear apologies from people like you. Apologize to that girl.

    "This child has already apologized many times,

    "So, directly in the body--

    A knight in a hurry to suppress his true feelings.

    Without pointing out, I said, "Please forgive me.

    "Please forgive me as I apologize for her. I''ll do anything.

    You said you would do anything. Then go around and honk like a dog.

    It was Lunamaria who thought it was a good idea to bring such humiliation in the street. She was angry and even tried to draw her sword, but I held her down.

    ...... Lunamaria, let me take care of this.

    "Is

    I tell her in a whisper.

    "If I could solve this problem by simply bowing my head, it would be best. I don''t want to stain your beautiful hands with this prick''s blood.

    ...... Mr. Will.

    "Father Reus would say. It''s not shame to play the clown in the street. The real shame is in losing the human heart. This man may be shameless, but we shouldn''t be shameless either.

    I say so and say three times and one.

    But gracefully, brilliantly, powerfully.

    A spin, like a dancing swan.

    People gasp at its beauty.

    (This is an application of the healing dance after Mother Militia, the god of healing.

    It was a beautiful dance that could be compared to a swan.

    So, with the eyes of all present, I stepped in front of the knight and said, "Wow! And shouting loudly.

    Then the man, who had been concentrating on the dance, falls down with a "ah-hah".

    He falls on his buttocks miserably.

    The people around you who were looking at it start laughing.

    It''s pathetic. I''d be more surprised if you let it go around three times.

    When he hears the sound of laughter, the man finally realizes that he''s embarrassed himself and begins to get angry.

    He tries to draw his sword from his waist, but he sees the patrolling soldiers from a distance, so he spits, "Tut," and runs away.

    He seems to be well aware of his arrogance and lack of purpose.

    Then, after telling the patrolmen, we were released.

    The citizens who were there vindicated us.

    Well, that''s settled.

    The town girl I saved thanks me flatly when I say so.

    I tell her not to worry about it.

    She insists on thanking me somehow, but refuses, saying now is not the time.

    But Anastasia says.

    Oh, no thank you, but you can have a cup of tea in the cafe over there. Actually, I left something at the hotel and was going to come back.

    That''s a big deal. Okay, I''ll see you at the cafe over there.

    Then I''ll pay for it: ......

    Anastasia looks at her daughter''s appearance and shakes her head.

    "I''ll pay for it. If you say my name, I''ll pay for it.

    That''s not good, said the town girl, but we didn''t mind and invited her to the cafe.

    I didn''t say that the king would pay for it, but I figured it wouldn''t hurt to ask the king to pay for the tea.

    Thus we parted.

    When your daughter, Luna Maria and I entered the caf¨¦, we each ordered our own food and discussed what we should do if we ever met that kind of person in the future.

    The caf¨¦ on the main street of the capital was more expensive than I expected, but I got to hear many stories from the town girl.

    Lately, this kind of games are increasing.

    The king''s sickness has caused a disturbance in the security of the country.

    The knight who is supposed to protect the security of this country is, well, that''s true, but I couldn''t help but laugh at him.

    But I couldn''t laugh at him because the security situation would weaken the country''s strength while the Zodiacs grew.

    If only Master Will could correct the disturbances in the country in some way other than being king: ......

    And a seriously distressed Luna Maria, touching her own chin.

    I jokingly said

    "You don''t want me to be king of this country either, do you?

    I said.

    The town girl thought he was joking and responded.

    "Well, of course I won''t be able to marry you if you''re king," she said.

    Hearing those words, Lunamaria''s cheeks turned a rare bright red.

    The three of them are having such an exchange.

    The earlier knight looked unimpressed as he walked along.

    Indeed, I am disgraced.

    The irritated knight shouted at the citizen and kicked at the cat who was walking.

    The cat fell on the spot with a cry of "Whew!

    Hmmm, dirty cat. You''ve got a dirty shoe.

    Puffing and spitting, the knight disappeared into an alleyway.

    Watching from afar was Anastasia, who hurriedly approached the cat and cast a recovery spell.

    I''m not very good at ...... recovery magic. --But it looks like he was okay.

    The surviving cat was stunned, but soon remembered that the ''human'' was in danger and ran away.

    Anastasia looked at it sadly and said, "You need to be punished.

    ...... You''re going to have to punish me.

    -- and .

    The sickly knight heads straight for the brothel district. He buys a girl to put himself out of his misery.

    But your favorite brothel refuses to let you in. You got banned for roughing up a whore last time.

    ...... d*mn whore.

    and cursing, the knight changes stores.

    There are many familiar stores. And when you go into the alley, you can see a white leg between the alleys.

    The foot is so white and beautiful that you are startled by its beauty. They were as white as a corpse.

    But you soon realize it was not a corpse.

    Poking out of the alleyway was a beautiful elf.

    She wears a dress that looks like she''s half-naked. The figure is beautiful, but you can''t see her face. She wears a hood.

    ...... Well, I don''t care what she looks like.

    It''s impossible to have such a beautiful body and an ugly face. And even if she were, there are plenty of ways to make her stay without looking at her face.

    Once you''ve convinced yourself, you ask her for a price.

    She said bewitchingly, "I''ll take it for free .......

    "For free?¡¡Are you a beauty queen? It''s a mortal sin to be a bureaucrat in a colorful town.

    ...... No way, no way. --I''m just in love with a knight. Please hold me.

    What''s that, you say, the knight simply takes her into the dark, but that action is too stupid.

    "How long are you going to be with me?

    When the knight asked, the whore said with a smile that made the country tilt.

    It''s up to you, sir. No matter how fast or how long it takes ......

    "Isn''t she a pretty girl?

    And the moment the man''s consciousness goes dark. No, his vision became bright red.

    The knight falls to the spot when he sees the blood flowing from his body. You will be able to get away, but before you know it, the ivy is tangled around your legs and you can''t even move.

    Staring at it painfully is Anastasia, dressed as a prostitute.

    She said she seemed to despise the knight.

    Thank you. I''m willing to give my life so that I don''t stain the honor of finding Master Will with my blood.

    Saying so, Anastasia stomped on the knight''s head and had her men tie him up.

    "I would cut off your head and make you a Dullahan, but I''ll just send you to the front lines.

    He must be very good at it, because he can act so high and mighty with women.

    Go serve your country.

    Anastasia said "Bye bye! So with a grin and a wave of his hand, he left the rest to his men.

    When there was nothing left, you look up at the sky from the alleyway.

    The sky looking up from the alleyway was darker than the sky looking up from the main street.

    Anastasia let out a light sigh and said

    "...... fashions, I''m so much more rounded now.

    The cause was Will Boy''s fault, as mentioned above, but whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, Anastasia could not now measure it.

 74 Wills birth

    While drinking tea in a cafe, Anastasia comes back.

    She pays the bill and says goodbye to the street girl.

    The street girl bows her head to the end.

    We tell her not to mind, but when we leave her, Lunamar¨ªa says.

    "Master Will is a hero among heroes, but he is also a gentleman among gentlemen. He is the savior of all women.

    "Exaggerated

    What''s the big deal? Mr. Will''s swagger made the women onlookers'' eyes light up.

    Anastasia

    "Have you ever been in love, Luna Maria?

    I ask.

    "No," says Luna Maria, shaking her head emphatically.

    But I know what it''s like to be a woman in love. First your face flushes. Her breathing speeds up. Palpitations.

    You have a biological reaction to it.

    In many ways, I thought, that''s great, Lunamaria.

    Well, that''s not a bad conclusion. If Master Will is king of this country, he will have a high approval rating among women.

    About that, I don''t really want to be a king.

    I know, I know. But just a meeting with Your Majesty.

    I have to show the minister that I''m a real prince first.

    Is.

    And then the entrance to the royal palace comes into view.

    We entered through the service entrance next to it, not the main gate.

    As expected of the Commander of the Kingsguard, we were able to enter with an almost face pass.

    The palace of the capital Alexis is staggeringly large and staggeringly wide.

    It''s as huge as all the buildings I''ve seen in the capital combined.

    There are several large buildings in a vast garden, the most magnificent of which is apparently the main hall where the king resides.

    We''re not going to the main hall - but the building next to it.

    That''s where we will meet the minister.

    We enter another luxurious parlor and wait for the minister in the upper section.

    Isn''t the minister usually the top seat?¡¡But Anastasia says this is okay.

    Lunamaria is supernatural. There''s no up or down before the gods, apparently.

    Well, okay, I accept and look around the room.

    It''s not just the size and construction. but also the furnishings are magnificent.

    The first artifacts I saw were by a dwarf who was also a master craftsman.

    Next I saw a vase made by a Kobbit potter, in which a one-day orchid was placed.

    He changes the orchids every day.

    The idea of a rich person is amazing, I thought, and Lunamaria reacted with a twitch.

    As I focus my attention, I can hear the sound of a brisk walk from deep in the corridor.

    Her gait gives me a sense of a big shot. I can tell that there''s more than one person with him.

    When I tell her that it''s probably the minister, Anastasia replies with an answer.

    She continues.

    "It''s nice, though, that we''re not both nervous to meet the minister of our country.

    To say nothing of Lunamaria . I''ve been cut off from the world below since I was a child, so being called a minister doesn''t appeal to me. Oh, of course I''m not going to put on airs.

    No, no, no, Master Will is the royalty of this country, don''t act so proud.

    Anastasia continued.

    "The man you are about to meet, Lord Justice Krauss, is a very pleasant man. And he has a keen eye for detail, so I''m sure he will recognize Master Will as a real prince.

    "I don''t know. Where are the bones of a horse!¡¡I''m worried that I''ll be reprimanded.

    And then there is a knock on the parlor. It''s the minister.

    I''m finally getting nervous at this point in my life about what kind of person I will be and what I will be told.

    Staring at Sir Klaus.

    He must be about fifty years old. He was a gray-haired, romance-gray man. He had gray hair and was nearing the age of majority, but his spine was in focus and his face had no wrinkles, making him look young.

    He had a very dignified appearance. When you are thinking that this is a minister of a country, he suddenly burst into tears.

    "Oh ...... oh ......

    And with a groan, he collapsed on the spot and fell down in a flowing heap.

    "...... This is His Royal Highness William Alfredo. This is the man I have long sought, the man who will lead the land. The one who will succeed to the throne of the land.

    Klaus assured him and bowed deeply.

    I am.

    "...... e

    And you are frozen, looking embarrassed.

    Because I never dreamed that I would be bowed and embarrassed by such a high and mighty person.

    I then spent five minutes explaining that I wasn''t a prince, but Klaus didn''t believe me.

    Five minutes later, I exposed my shoulders.

    I wanted to make sure there were no moles.

    Seeing me bare on my skin, Klaus says.

    "Ho ......, Your Highness, it''s amazing. The way your muscles look.

    "............

    I want you to see the mole.

    "Not superhuman, but ideal muscle. I''m sure he must have worked out from an early age. Thank the gods.

    "You know that I was raised by the gods,

    I made Anastasia look into it.

    Glancing at Anastasia, she smiles.

    The absence of a mole is unexpected, but it''s wonderful to see a king''s illegitimate son raised by the gods. It''s like a classic literary, mythological tale of noble birth.

    I''m probably not a child of the king.

    On what basis?

    "Because I''m not such a gentleman.

    "Does the sight of this palace make you fidgety?

    "Yes, I''m a bit restless.

    That''s what you get used to. I used to be nervous the first time I came to the castle.

    And then Klaus pulled my hand away.

    It was pretty forceful.

    Oh, um, where are you going?

    "I was so convinced that William is His Highness, I thought I''d ask you to meet His Majesty.

    "Huh?¡¡Ew!¡¡Out of the blue!¡¡Is it okay?

    I''m with my son. You may meet me any time.

    No, even if that''s true, His Majesty is ill now, isn''t he?¡¡That''s what I mean.

    "He said he was feeling unusually good today. Perhaps he had a premonition that the prince was coming.

    So I was about to say, but I stopped. Lunamaria lightly put her hand on my arm and shook her head.

    "...... His Majesty is not long.

    That was her answer. I guess that means you should see him one last time, even if it''s not real.

    Her recommendation was reasonable, so I silently walked behind Sir Klaus and said.

 75 artifact

    His Majesty''s bedroom is in the main hall.

    We were told that he was resting there, but we could not go there.

    We were intercepted on our way there.

    When we tried to enter the main hall, the soldiers surrounded us.

    When Sir Klaus saw this, he was furious.

    "This me. No, this is who I think he is. I''m afraid it''s the king''s son.

    The soldiers flinched at the spiritedness of the rift, but it was the long-haired nobleman who stepped out in front of them.

    "Sir Klaus, is it true that they are your brother''s sons?

    "...... His Royal Highness Vermilion ......?

    Sir Klaus did not hide his displeasure.

    I ask Anastasia in a whisper.

    "...... is he?

    ...... Vermilion von Midnia. As you can see from the fact that he has the national surname of this country, he is a royal. Your brother, I take it.

    ...... It''s called a king''s brother.

    ...... Yes, Uncle.

    But there was no element of respect in her words.

    Apparently, he wants to be the king of the country. The current king has two girls, and he dreams of marrying one of them to his son and becoming the next king.

    But this long-haired, lank-tailed, bearded fellow (to quote Anastasia) was famous for running the government, lining his pockets, and neglecting his people. The severity of his politics is illustrated by the fact that only in the relatively stable state of Midonia does the number of revolts in his domain stand out.

    I would have liked to have been born at least five more miles away from the village next door. Hell is the domain of the king''s brother. There''s even a popular song that says "Hell is my brother''s domain.

    Now that I have a better idea of who my brother is, I''ll sum it up.

    ...... So that means he''s a no-show for the throne.

    "...... is on your left.

    As they were exchanging these words, Sir Klaus and Vermilion began to quarrel.

    "This is the son you have been looking for for so long.

    "Do you have any proof?

    None.

    Ha, ha, ha. I know what you are trying to do, you take some horse bones and give them to the puppet. You are a kingdom-sucking parasite.

    Klaus was disgusted, but he didn''t say, "That would be you.

    Instead, he says to look at me.

    "You''ll know this thing''s face is of your blood when you see it. It has a look. And it looks like you.

    "............

    Maybe Vermillion''s silence was due to the fact that he could see the slightest hint of his brother in my face.

    "There aren''t many children that look like me.

    Stuck for answers, Vermilion gets to the heart of the matter.

    "Talking will not get us anywhere. If you say that''s your child, show me the proof.

    "............

    Lord Krauss in silence. I''ve already confirmed that there is no mole on his shoulder.

    Realizing that there is no proof, Vermilion is bullish.

    "At that rate there''s going to be no evidence. Then you''ll walk away quietly.

    Yuck!¡¡But it was Anastasia who took a step forward, replaced by a twisted face, Klaus.

    "I have proof.

    It was an interesting expression, an attitude full of courage.

    Vermilion looks at Anastasia and says scandalously, "Who are you?

    Who are you?

    "It''s Anastasia, Commander of the Third Order of the Kingsguard, under Your Majesty.

    "Third?¡¡Oh, that recently founded small

    It doesn''t matter the size. We are charged with protecting His Majesty and finding the prince.

    So that''s what you brought with you here?

    It''s not a fake. But the fact is that there is no proof.

    You finally admit it.

    Yes, so I''m going to bring the proof.

    "How''s that for proof?

    "The evidence is deafening.

    Perhaps because Anastasia laughed bewitchingly, Vermilion flinched. He said hoarsely, to hide it.

    All right. Then bring me the proof. When I am satisfied, I will grant you a meeting with His Majesty.

    Is there a deadline?

    No.... --But, well, at the present state of His Majesty''s health.

    Then he grins and raises the corners of his mouth. A serpentine smile comes to your face.

    ...... I understand. I''ll get the proof right away.

    We backed away, once Anastasia said that.

    Back in the parlor, Klaus kicks a trash can off the edge of the room.

    He may be that annoyed, but he quickly regains his composure and bows to me.

    "Your Highness, I have shown you how unseemly this is. And I am sorry that this has come to pass.

    "Never mind. Sir Klaus. I mean, Anastasia seems to have a secret plan, so maybe we shouldn''t be so pessimistic.

    Oh, that''s right. Anastasia, you had the grand idea that there was some kind of secret.

    When all eyes were on Anastasia, she smiled and said, "Yes.

    I have a secret.

    Let''s hear it.

    They sat down and listened to Anastasia.

    Do you know the old castle at the border of this country, near the swamp of impurity?

    They do not know that. They don''t know that much about detailed geography.

    "Well, of course," says Anastasia. "Well, of course," says Anastasia, carefully explaining.

    "Further south from the capital, near the border, there''s a swamp called the unclean swamp.

    I remember this place being contaminated by a battlefield during the Holy Grail War.

    "You''re the man, Mr. Will. Great job.

    Anastasia says with a grin.

    "And since then, it has become a poisonous swamp, but there is an old castle there, and a mirror there called the Mirror of Truth,

    "Mirror of Truth ......, an artifact?

    That is correct. It is said that the artifact is a mirror that reveals the truth of this world. If I used the mirror, I could prove that Master Will was a prince.

    Yes, I''m sure you''re right. --But I have a feeling that there''s a lot of danger ahead.

    "That is also a good answer. The old castle is inhabited by a troll with two names.

    "...... troll with two names

    A simple troll is troublesome, but with two names.

    Everyone falls silent, but Anastasia says.

    But I''m sure Master Will will have no problem taking them down. The problem is that there''s nothing in it for Master Will if it gets this messy.

    "Come to think of it, maybe.

    There is no profit in this. Master Will, will you still go and get the Mirror of Truth?

    I thought for a while and agreed.

    The most surprising look on my face was Anastasia''s. She looked at me and asked why Master Will would take care of such a problem.

    She looked into my face and asked why Master Will was willing to take on such a daunting task.

    I put the thoughts in my head into words.

    "Because what''s in it for me, it''s in it for the king.

    What do you mean?

    I''m not a child of the king, but if I were, I''d want to make sure you know that. Besides, the mirror of truth will help you find your real children.

    Anastasia''s eyes widened in exaltation as she heard those words.

    Finally, she said, "There is no one in this world who can always act for others like Will. Even if he wasn''t the king''s own son, I''d like to see him rule the country.

    Hearing these words, Sir Klaus scolded her, "It''s not a very common thing to say," but the next moment he nodded his head.

    ...... No, I have no right to be angry with Anna. I''ve had a similar thought.

    I feel like they''re all too proud of me, but I decided to head south to the old castle.

    Sir Klaus will give me all the money for the journey along the way.

    I put a leather bag full of gold coins on the floor.

    That was enough to pay for me to stay at the finest inns every day.

 76 rabbit stew

    Aegis of the holy shield will question you if you are to leave in this way.

    ''I mean, since the minister is the sponsor, why don''t you just send one of the knights and get it quickly?

    You''re right, but it''s not possible.

    Anastasia says.

    "Act too prominently and Lord Vermilion will move. It will wipe us all out of the Mirror of Truth.

    So you''re traveling in secret, I suppose.

    "Yes, I will take advantage of the shade and leave this palace.

    "Will that fool the eyes of the royal brother?

    "There are countless loopholes in this castle. His Royal Highness wouldn''t know them all.

    and clicks the back of the painting in the parlor.

    Then there''s a rattling sound and a hidden door opens.

    It''s like a ninja house.

    Klaus laughed and affirmed.

    Indeed, it would be like an oriental ninja house. But even in Midnia, these tricks have been used extensively since ancient times. Royalty is always in danger.

    Incidentally, Sir Klaus'' ancestor seems to have been the one who made this contraption. An ancestor generations ago was ordered by the then king just in case.

    The king still hasn''t been through with it, but Sir Klaus sent it off, saying that his ancestors must not have expected their descendants to take advantage of it like this.

    Finally, he asks for a handshake. A strong handshake. It wasn''t perfunctory at all.

    "I feel we''ve gotten ourselves into trouble, but I believe you are the king''s son. I hope you''ll prove it.

    Its expression was too serious to deny as usual.

    I will try to ......

    Indirectly, we entered the loophole.

    The entrance to the passage was small, but the inside was reasonably large. It''s all stone and has magical lighting at regular intervals.

    They''re for royalty, so they must be lavishly made.

    We were grateful, but Lunamaria grumbled.

    ...... the people''s blood is being wasted.

    In other words, it''s true, but the complaint is misguided, as it allowed me to escape the castle without anyone knowing.

    I''m not sure if Lunamaria understands, but she doesn''t say anything else.

    After a short walk, it''s a dead end. Anastasia hits a switch of some sort.

    GoGoGo.

    And as the door opens, light leaks in, and outside the loophole is like a suburb of King''s Landing.

    "You don''t even have to go through the gates of King''s Landing, do you?

    "Yes. I''m sure the king''s brother will be watching the gate.

    The question is, will you make it to the old castle in one piece?

    I look at the two of you in turn.

    They look at each other as if to say, "What is going on?

    The blind priestess and the brave woman in the tree are unforgettable beauties once you see them. They''ll stand out just by walking around.

    Beauty is a sin," Anastasia was the only one who responded, but she seemed to have something to say to me.

    I''m a very beautiful woman, but Master Will is quite beautiful too.

    "I wonder.

    It is. She has a pretty, girlish face, and most of all, she has a charm that attracts others just by being there.

    Hmmm, that''s an overestimate.

    Is it an overrated thing . Well, there''s no hiding your presence. It can get you in trouble, but I''m sure Mr. Will will shrug it off.

    And then Anastasia walked out. She has a magic circle in her hand. It''s like compass magic.

    She can reach safety by taking the street, but she''s going to head south, discreetly, straight to the old castle.

    It''s also said that shortcuts will save time.

    However, there can be demons outside the city streets. Just as long as we''re not unlucky enough to run into them.

    But then, as soon as you say, you come across .

    After a short walk, a horned rabbit called a horn-rabbit emerges from the grass.

    It was a lowly monster, but it was famous for its ferocity.

    --It was also known for being eaten.

    They were just like rabbits except they had horns.

    So we''ll hunt the hornrabbit.

    We will fight it with daggers only, without using magic to avoid injury.

    Quickly cut the rabbit''s head off and then take the tail and hang it from a tree to bleed it out. Remove the entrails as well.

    After bleeding for a while, cut up the rabbit into pieces and put them in the pot.

    You should eat the rabbit as soon as possible because it is very fast.

    As I eat the salty boiled rabbit stew, I think to myself.

    After all, living in King''s Landing for so long makes you less of an adventurer.

    The rabbit stew that used to seem like a feast in the past seemed meager in front of the royal capital''s booze forest.

    But this would be a matter of habit.

    A few more days of traveling and you would have regained your senses.

    ......, right?

    As I finished my salty stew, I thought of the extravagant meal I had eaten at the hotel the other day.

 77 unclean swamp

    I''m healthy while I can bemoan the tastelessness of my meal.

    I''m healthy," muttered Vandal, the god of magic, who was watching Will with his crystal ball.

    After dinner, Vandal was curious about Will and was watching him with his precious crystal ball, but as if sensing a magical surge, a group of fussy people came running into the laboratory.

    "Hey, Vandal, you''re using a crystal ball all by yourself,

    Miria, the goddess of healing, comes to you with a change of expression.

    What?¡¡Vandal, don''t you have any feelings for your fellow man?

    Ronin, the god of swords, is coming too.

    The vandal says as if he had bitten down on a bitter worm.

    "You squealers are fussy. I don''t want to see my son''s face.

    That''s not going to help you keep your head above water with Will in front of you.

    Yeah, yeah.

    Two people struggling together. Thinking that this one will never leave under any circumstances, the Vandals compromise.

    The crystal ball of vision is finite.

    "I''ll have to. I''ll show you, but please don''t jabber in my ear.

    I know.

    Ronin looks into the crystal ball while rubbing his hands, marveling at his son after a long time.

    "...... Will, you''re a great guy, you''ve grown up.

    "Yeah?¡¡I look like I''m a little skinny. I wonder if I''m eating right.

    Neither of these fears are unfounded. I''m not getting any bigger and I''m eating well.

    "Vandal, you''re one of the people who see it regularly?

    "Oh.

    "I''ve been seeing Will from time to time lately," you say without offense, but before you two can get mad, you say.

    "I''ve been watching Will from time to time lately, and there''s one thing that''s been bothering me.

    "What''s bothering you?

    That''s right. --I''ll tell you what happened, because there''s no way I''m going to hide it from you, but now there are people claiming to be Will''s real parents.

    "My own parents?

    I can''t believe that''s what happened after I left the party: .......

    RONIN is also silent.

    Ronin is also silent.

    But I guess that didn''t sit well with Milia. I''ll choke him.

    "You swordsmanship idiot. Why don''t you say something. It''s going to give away our little Will.

    "...... seems to be.

    Says Ronin.

    But then he continues, " Will wasn''t born from a tree.

    But then he continues, "......Will didn''t come from a tree''s crotch either. I knew he had a father and a mother. I never thought I''d find one at my age.

    The way you talk, you''re not going to give them custody.

    "No way. It''s not that easy. --But I think it''s up to Will to decide.

    "That''s my little girl.

    "But I''m an adult. If you had real parents, you could choose to have them.

    This guy is crazy?¡¡And eyes widen in Miria.

    I look at Vandal to ask for help, but he seems to agree with me as well.

    I don''t give a shit about custody. But if Will wants to follow in his true parent''s footsteps, I think that''s fine too.

    Will will be a healer of mountain animals!

    Millia insisted, but Vandal had not heard.

    (...... I wish I could have let Will explore the truth of magic.

    But that''s probably a self-serving argument.

    If Will is indeed the king''s illegitimate son, then he must succeed to the throne of the land.

    It will be a hard life, but nothing can prevent you from being born to be king.

    Will was a "kid who could do something," Vandal thought.

    He still didn''t know what that was, but he had a feeling that ascension to the throne was also an option for Will.

    ...... heck.

    Will sneeze.

    "Are you okay?¡¡Have you caught a cold?

    And take out the nose paper and tinkle it for me, Luna Maria.

    "No, I don''t think so. I don''t know if anyone is gossiping.

    I say languidly, not knowing that the gods are watching with crystal balls.

    I look around again, but the plains are endless.

    I''ve walked quite a bit, but I haven''t seen as many monsters as I thought.

    Well, I guess it''s because I''m a good sport.

    Lunamaria smiles, but Anastasia calmly adds: "You can''t go to the swamp of impurity and take such a long time.

    "You can''t take that kind of time to go to the swamp of impurity.

    "...... Is it dangerous there?

    "Because it is a land ruled by a troll with two names

    And besides," he continues, "I''m concerned about the lack of an attack by the king''s brother.

    "I''m also concerned about the lack of an attack by the king''s brother.

    That''s because we scattered it well.

    "My brother is an idiot. I could have done a good job of that, but I don''t see a squirming presence behind him.

    "The mastermind behind the king''s brother?

    "Yes. ." "I think there''s an evil man behind him.

    The Zodiac cult.

    "We don''t know if he knows the king''s brother is an infidel and is helping him, but I think it''s safe to assume he''s cooperating with him.

    "You''re a wicked person for joining forces with people who are plotting to resurrect the Demon King.

    "I thought you wanted to sell your soul to the devil for his throne.

    I wondered if the throne was that attractive, if power was that attractive. The mountain-bred me did not understand.

    The only thing I know is that the unholy swamp is getting closer.

    The air has become stagnant and miasma-like.

    The plains have turned into a swamp, and the water in the swamp is stagnant.

    This is the unclean swamp? ......

    As the saying goes, it was a gloomy and depressing place.

 78 immortal troll

    Entering the swamp of the ungodly, it feels like the presence of monsters has become dense.

    There are monsters such as the frog, the flying fish, the gelatin wall, and the big tortoise.

    They all seem to be strong.

    We are not monster hunters, so we try our best to avoid battles, but some battles are unavoidable.

    After killing some poisonous frogs and gelatin walls, we headed straight for the old castle.

    Along the way, you''ll notice that some demons are down.

    There are clearly marks that look like they were cut by a metal weapon.

    ...... What''s this?

    Shortly after Lunamar¨ªa asked so, we also find a human corpse, which was dressed in pitch-black vestments.

    She was wearing an all-black vestment.

    "...... that vestment.

    It was a vestment that I''ve seen many times.

    I turned to Anastasia and she nodded in confirmation.

    "Those bodies are probably from the Zodiac cult.

    "I''m sure Lunamaria would agree.

    Yes, unless there is a local fad for pagan costumes. . unless there is a local fad for pagan cosplay.

    It doesn''t seem likely. --They thought we were coming here, so they got ahead of us.

    "It seems very likely,

    And Lunamar¨ªa looks at me worriedly.

    "You''re going to jump into the tiger''s mouth, aren''t you?

    That''s it.

    I admit it, but getting here and back was not an option.

    As I announced my decision, the shield in my left hand whistled ''Whew!

    "That''s what I''m talking about. You look great.

    . and say.

    Lunamar¨ªa respects my decision in the end, too.

    Maybe she''s given up on the idea that she''s not the type to listen to what I have to say.

    Anyway, we''re going inside the old castle.

    The old castle of the impure swamp is more solid than I expected. It should be untouched, but it''s still clean.

    I heard that magic prevents it from decaying.

    Magic is indeed a useful thing, but this castle was very gloomy instead.

    The atmosphere is as if it could be haunted at any moment.

    In fact, the castle was said to be a den of ghostly monsters.

    As you can see from the word "used to be", the current owner of the castle is a monster-type troll.

    It seems that the previous owner''s undead were driven out and two trolls took over the castle.

    "The ghosts are supposed to be immune to physical attacks.

    Probably possesses a weapon with a magic imparted to it.

    And from a distance, "Geez!

    We hear the screams of.

    We brace ourselves.

    ...... that voice is a pagan.

    ...... perhaps . . perhaps, but I suspect that the pagans were trying to steal the mirror of truth with their coloring.

    You''re a fool. It was originally intended to kill Master Will.

    When Anastasia said this, an object came flying out of the darkness ahead with great force.

    It was the corpse of an infidel.

    A corpse with its head bent in a different direction was flying fast!

    It was as if something threw it at us with tremendous force.

    The object was probably a troll with two names.

    This is when Anastasia finally speaks the name of the two-named monster.

    "The Troll of the Undying.

    That was his second name.

    It was a simple name, but it was strong.

    Anastasia explains in a sorcerer''s tone, "Trolls basically have the ability to ''regenerate''.

    "Trolls basically have the ability to ''regenerate''. They can heal instantly from a longsword cut.

    "What about immortal trolls?

    There are reports of people who were able to heal from having their arms cut off and tied together.

    What?

    It might raise some eyebrows because no one has ever come out of a fight with that troll unscathed.

    Did you let Master Will face such a dangerous monster?

    Lunamaria was furious, but there was no point in being angry now.

    Instead of apologizing, Anastasia let a tree grow out from under her feet and pierced the troll''s gut with it.

    "Gut them!

    A word that does not suit the beautiful elf, but under the circumstances, it is dependable.

    But the immortal troll lives up to its two names.

    With a grin, he tears the tree with his right hand and pulls the spilled innards back with his own.

    The wound quickly closes up.

    Watching the wound heal as it bubbles, I prepare for a long battle.

    In fact, the battle between us and the immortal trolls became a long one.

    I''ll be the vanguard, parrying the troll''s club with shield and dagger.

    Meanwhile, Lunamaria assisted me with supportive magic and regained my strength with recovery magic.

    Then Anastasia, the tree hero and court wizard, attacks.

    Giving up on her physical attacks with the tree, she creates a fireball that hits the troll, but whether it hits the head or the belly, it remains unperturbed.

    She could do some damage, but she would recover quickly.

    Thinking that just one was not enough, Anastasia created several fireballs and threw them in rapid succession, but they were still insufficient to deal with the damage.

    --Such a battle lasted for three hours.

    ...... monster.

    Breathing with both shoulders, I dodge the troll''s attack.

    As if on a spinal reflex, I land a dagger strike, but it has no effect.

    If this stalemate continued, we would be defeated.

    We were always in control, but neutralizing any attack would eventually put us at a disadvantage.

    Trolls have unlimited resilience. Meanwhile, our strength and magic were limited.

    What would happen if the two continued to fight was clearer than the fire.

    (......) It''s not good if we don''t do something about it. We have to do something to fix this.

    Anastasia, on the verge of running out of magic, looks at Lunamaria with a sense of sadness in the air.

    (...... I''ll have to do something here.)

    I put all my strength into my hand holding the dagger and shield.

 79 beyond the universe

    Killing an immortal opponent.

    Is such a thing possible?

    My first thought was to push him into a poisonous swamp along the way.

    I thought that if I threw him into the source of the miasma, he would sink forever in agony, but he would swim back to shore.

    I''m not sure if I''ll be able to find a way to get the miasma out of the swamp, but this is a swamp, not a volcano.

    And then...

    Look up at the ceiling.

    The old castle was as high as it was grand, but there should have been sky above it too.

    And that''s what''s above the sky.

    I thought so, and I spoke into Anastasia''s ear.

    It''s a little boring," says Anastasia playfully, but she doesn''t play any more because she knows that Lunamaria is stalling for her, and she listens intently.

    Gogo-go!

    Hmmm

    And when we exchanged, she instantly agreed.

    We look at each other and attack at different times.

    I deliver a flanking blow with my silver dagger, and she promptly fires off an energy bolt.

    The trolls are stunned by the barrage.

    I quickly tell Lunamaria to retreat.

    Lunamaria, step back.

    She steps back without a second thought. To her, my words are as good as an oracle. If I commanded her to march toward the cliff, she would do it without hesitation.

    Of course, I wouldn''t give that order.

    When I saw that Lunamar¨ªa had backed off, I''d throw Aegis.

    With a bang, the shield goes flying and hits the troll in the side.

    At that moment, Anastasia''s entire body, which had been chanting the spell beforehand, glowed blue-white.

    The elf girl unleashes the freezing spell.

    I dodge as if I had eyes in the back and it hits the troll''s feet. It freezes over in a flash, pinning the troll in place, but he chuckles and says, "I''m just going to have to get out of here.

    "How much more of this do you want me to be?

    It was a faltering common language, but it was definitely a human language.

    You speak it?

    And ask

    "You don''t want to learn a lowly language.

    Nazenalava--

    And the troll continues with a look of amusement on his face.

    "Hundreds of people are now dying on my behalf!

    This leads to a guffaw and a high-pitched laugh, which became his signature on his death warrant.

    Such a vicious troll should not be disposed of without hesitation.

    I will wipe them from this world through my plan.

    When I made this decision, I put my magic in my hands.

    "The cold air of the void.

    The fetters of grief and freeze everything

    Even silence is frozen!

    The same magic as Anastasia''s was used to create the "freeze", but with one difference.

    I''m sure you''ll be pleased with the results.

    "What?¡¡Will you can use the same magic at the same time?

    Separate magic is also possible.

    "How easily it is said. Only a few wise men can do that.

    "In the House of the Gods, it''s an essential ability,

    The god of magic Vandal, of course, could do the same for Mother Militia, and her open mouth became jammed shut.

    On the contrary, Lunamaria said proudly.

    Anastasia, you underestimate Will''s abilities.

    I didn''t mean to do that at all, but I guess I didn''t. I didn''t think that Master Will was capable of using magic at the same time.

    "As a sorcerer jealous?

    No way, it makes me want to be more of a future companion.

    It''s impossible.

    "Oh, you''re jealous?

    Not so. To become Mr. Will''s wife, you have to pass the test of the gods.

    As Lunamaria says this, the magic in my hands builds to its peak.

    The trolls'' faces contort as they watch. She sweats fat.

    But his tone is still stubborn.

    "Cookbook .......

    The trolls briskly destroyed the ice beneath their feet, which was frozen by Anastasia.

    The part where she tore off her leg to escape the freeze was typical for an immortal troll, but it was a bad move.

    Whether it was to show off its invulnerability, or whether it was overconfident, is uncertain, but without its legs, its mobility was indeed diminished. They can''t avoid my magic.

    "-Well, I wasn''t planning on letting her avoid it in the first place.

    The chanting and preparations are complete, and with those words I release the freeze.

    The water in the air is frozen by the overwhelmingly pale magic. No, the cold air extends to the troll in a straight line as if space is frozen.

    The moment the blue magic touched the troll, the troll - no, the world froze.

    In a flash, the freezing magic strips the troll of its body heat and freezes it in place.

    The troll couldn''t move a single step. He couldn''t even blink anymore.

    ...... wow!

    "...... is amazing.

    The two beauties were taken aback by my magic, but it wasn''t over yet.

    Anastasia, let''s go.

    Well, Master Will, you''re so heroic in broad daylight.

    She is joking but willing to cooperate.

    Anastasia will grow ivy from the ground and grab the iced troll with it.

    What is this?

    Lunamar¨ªa asks.

    I''ll explain.

    "Even though we put it on ice, the d*mn thing is alive. The ice will melt one day. So I''ll get the guy somewhere he''ll never come back before it melts.

    A place you''ll never come back to?

    I pointed to the heavens and cast an energy-volt spell and made a hole in the ceiling.

    Sunlight leaks out of it, reminding me of the sunshine.

    It reminds me that this eerie castle is bathed in light in equal measure.

    "Well, I don''t think that''s what Master Will is talking about!

    "That''s no way. Send him into space!

    Then Anastasia unleashes her magic and makes the ivy grow rapidly.

    The ivy grows endlessly. In the blink of an eye it crosses the ceiling and grows smaller and smaller.

    It''s true that if you send it into space it will never return, but is that possible?

    It''s possible.

    It was Anastasia who immediately answered, "Plants theoretically grow to whatever extent they are fed.

    Plants theoretically grow to their limits as long as they are fed and nourished. Particularly my ivy, which feeds on magical power and grows explosively.

    "But not until outer space

    Normally, this would be impossible. But with the combined power of my magic and Master Will''s.

    The moment Anastasia did so, I linked her right hand and sent the magic into the air with her.

    She smiled and said with a rose-colored smile, "This is our first time working together.

    This is our first time working together.

    The collaboration is a great success.

    Anastasia''s vines safely toss the immortal troll out of the atmosphere.

    She threw them into space.

    while still on ice.

    Surely the immortal troll will sit there and regret it forever. How I had wasted my life. No respect for life.

    A troll who had been thrown off the planet''s orbit would regret it, and eventually might even stop to think, but he would not pity it.

    That was the natural consequence of not respecting life.

 80 mirror of truth

    Having defeated the immortal troll, we rebounded on the spot, but we had a job to do.

    We were not to search for the Mirror of Truth, but to save the evildoers.

    "Save the pagans?

    Anastasia to look unbelievable.

    "They are our. No, they are the enemy of this world.

    "Maybe. But I can''t leave a hurt person behind.

    Anastasia managed to say something to her and looked at Lunamaria, but she said, "I don''t care what you say," she said.

    It''s a good thing that you''ve got a good idea of what you''re talking about. It was said that she healed the soldiers she had just fought without any hesitation.

    "Why do you do that?

    The reason is that the people who were in the Evil One''s vanguard did not want to fight. Many of them had their families taken hostage by the evil gods and had no choice but to fight. They were victims, so to speak.

    Some of them would have wanted to.

    There will be. But those people were brought up from an early age. No, they have been brought up from birth not to know the love of others. Even such a beastly man will be converted when he comes in contact with human kindness.

    "There are things you don''t do,

    Of course. But still, Master Will--

    and Lunamar¨ªa wraps her arms around you.

    "I''ll help you in any way I can.

    "Lunamaria ......

    I mutter to myself.

    "The pagans may come against you when you recover, but that''s all right too. Do as you will, Master Will.

    and cast a recovery spell on the still-breathing Pagan.

    The pagan said, "Pfft!" and looked at us with stagnant eyes.

    Me and Lunamaria cast the recovery spells in the order of how they seemed to help, saving a total of five lives.

    None of them turned their blades on us.

    None of them just apostatized.

    Some said thank you, some did not, but when one Zodiac leaked the information, others paid no attention.

    One Zodiac said.

    "I never say thank you. I can''t. I can''t thank you because I''m a believer in the Lord Zodiac--

    To each his own.

    But I can tell you one thing. Our people, now hiding in King''s Landing, will assassinate the king.

    How did you get such important information?

    "...... I''m a Zodiac, but I''m a Christian and the father of a child. I am the son of my father and my mother.

    The man broke off there and continued: "I''m a filial son, but I''d like to take care of my father and my mother.

    "I''m a filial son, but I''d rather take care of my mother and father. I want my own son to watch his mother and father die.

    I assured him so and left.

    I watched his back to the end and hurriedly searched for the mirror of truth.

    Fortunately, the mirror of truth was sitting in a prominent place.

    A magnificent hand mirror set on a central pedestal in what appeared to be a treasure room.

    A legacy of an ancient magical civilization, the artifact.

    You hold a beautifully decorated magic mirror.

    I look into the mirror and a holy being speaks to me.

    Will, son of the gods. Will, son of the gods, will bring harmony to the darkness and light of this world.

    Look at the faces of Luna Maria and Anastasia. They are equally surprised. Apparently the mirror''s voice can be heard by them as well.

    As I speak these thoughts, the shield in my left hand explains to me.

    "A series of artifacts called artifacts often can talk.

    Why?

    I asked in a whisper, but the answer I got was tasteless.

    "Well?¡¡Isn''t that the taste of the person who made it?

    ...... That''s right, well, I guess so.

    When I understood, I spoke to the mirror.

    "Mirror of truth. Son of the gods, in the name of Will.

    "Ask anything you want, I''ll just spin the truth.

    Thank you. I don''t have time for this, so I''m going to be blunt: am I really the king''s son?

    "It''s really straightforward.

    Aegis of the holy shield to tweak .

    I ignore it and wait for the words of the mirror of truth.

    Luna Maria and Anastasia wait with the same tense look on their faces.

    You can almost hear them gulping down their saliva, but after a few seconds, you''ll be astonished by the words brought to you by the Mirror of Truth.

    I, Will''s real parents are...

    Those who heard the answer swallowed the words equally.

 81 Malmuk, the twenty-four generals

    We who have gleaned the ''truth'' from the mirror of truth.

    None of us escaped the shock.

    None of us joked lightly.

    --No, there was one exception.

    Aegis, my left hand, was the only one who encouraged me, "Don''t fall down, Will.

    Thank you. But I''m not dwelling on it.

    "I know you''re not a child of the gods, but don''t worry about it. Your father is your father.''

    That''s the original. No matter what happens, my mom and dad are them.

    "Then why are you so stifled?

    That''s because Anastasia is too stuffy.

    Look at Anastasia. She was understandably bemoaned.

    I wanted to say something to her, but there was no time.

    We walked quickly back to where we had left our horses and rode off.

    "Anastasia, don''t be discouraged. I don''t want you to look like that.

    "...... is Mr. Will,

    Encouraging Anastasia to say, "This story is over.

    "This is the end of the story. From now on, let''s focus only on saving the king.

    Then Anastasia seemed to understand.

    "Okay. Then let''s head out.

    I put the whip in the horse and run at the front. Behind me comes Luna Maria and Anastasia.

    We gallop across the plain at twice the speed of our start and return to the capital.

    --We arrive at the capital.

    You''ll find the palace is noisy.

    What''s going on, Anastasia asks. Just then, her men have arrived.

    "Are you all right, Anastasia?

    "I and Master Will are invincible. What''s all the fuss about, by the way?¡¡Halloween will be a long time coming.

    But a bandit has broken into the palace where the princess resides. Probably Zodiacs.

    "...... bandits

    Anastasia is not surprised. Neither am I. This was expected.

    Lunamaria suggests we come to the rescue, but I disagree.

    Why?

    replies Luna Maria who asks, "Maybe it''s a diversion.

    Maybe it''s a diversion. The Zodiac said he was going to assassinate the king. I think it was a decoy that attacked the princess.

    And then more soldiers came. No, they''re trying to leave the castle.

    They say the cathedral is under attack by monsters.

    It was also the Zodiac cult''s idea.

    "Perhaps . His Majesty the King. So let''s go to the main hall of the palace.

    When I declare this, Lunamar¨ªa calls some of her men and tells them to go with me.

    Her plan works.

    As you approach the main hall, men who appear to be knights of the land come toward you with swords drawn.

    ...... You must be working for Sir Vermilion.

    I guess. I wonder if I brought the Zodiacs to you.

    "Perhaps. . so feel free to spill your guts.

    And her men would say, "Oh! and shouted at the knight. Apparently, they didn''t like it and this battle is where they want to be.

    They were a reliable bunch, both in terms of morale and in terms of ability.

    Whenever a knight appeared, Anastasia''s men would head for it, but soon their numbers would dwindle to zero.

    It would be perfect if they could make it to His Majesty''s bedchamber, but the enemy doesn''t seem to be that lenient.

    A man who seems to be a sorcerer of the cult has come with a golem.

    Seeing this figure, Anastasia lets out a breath.

    "What a tactless sorcerer.

    She says and continues.

    I know everything there is to know about Master Will. I know that he''s the nicest man in the world. And that he''s the nicest man in the world.

    I mean--

    And then she grows a bunch of trees from under her feet and makes an improvised golem with them. She seems to oppose the evil wizard.

    "I know. I know that Master Will would act proudly as the King''s Son!

    Anastasia declares this, and declares to take on the enemy sorcerer.

    I said I''d burn the image into my eyes.

    I nodded deeply and let her have this moment.

    Thank you, Anastasia.

    "I want to thank you, Your Majesty. Take care of His Majesty.

    And then she began to fight the enemy sorcerer with magic.

    The enemy sorceress also seemed to be quite strong. She was evenly matched with Anastasia, the hero of the tree.

    From what I''ve seen, the enemy is the better golem and Anastasia is the better fighter. Though seemingly evenly matched, I was confident of Anastasia''s victory.

    But time was running out, and I showed no sign of regret as I headed with Lunamaria to the king''s bedchamber.

    Behind the main hall. One of the finest and most magnificent rooms. That''s where the king lies down.

    On the way, I found the guards and some bodies that I thought were the courtesan''s.

    That alone was enough to make the enemy, the Zodiac Order, unforgivable.

    He did not hesitate to sell his own brother, the king of this country.

    If Anastasia had seen her brother''s face, she would have gutted him!

    Maybe. It would have been more fortuitous if she hadn''t been here in that sense. ......

    I just didn''t know if I should be completely happy about it.

    When I saw the king''s brother Vermilion in front of me, I was tempted to cut him down. But I didn''t want to kill a man. No matter how much of an outsider I was.

    I thought that, so I offered him my fist instead of my dagger, but Vermillion never showed any pain as he dug his fist into his face at the start of the attack.

    Ridiculous. Will''s punch would have knocked a bear into a coma. ......

    It was true, but I was calm. I soon realized that the person in front of me was a... No, I realized that the "thing" was not a person.

    Vermillion, unconcerned with the punches that had caused his face to change shape.

    His eyes were bright red and glowing. It was like a demon.

    No!¡¡He was a monster. A voice from the depths of his gut crawled out.

    "Hey, kid, I didn''t expect you back so soon.

    A low, heavy sound that seems to leak out of the depths of hell. It''s as if you have a lion in your belly.

    No, that might be closer to the truth.

    As the king and brother rapidly transformed their bodies, their true nature was revealed.

    ............

    It''s so horrible, Lunamar¨ªa is absolutely horrified.

    Let me put my thoughts into words for her.

    "It seems that the king''s brother has sold his soul to the devil. --He''s not human.

    A monster that happily accepts that consideration.

    Ha ha!¡¡That''s not true, kid. The king''s brother didn''t sell his soul to the devil. I took his soul.

    "You mean that there''s not much left in that disgusting body of yours left in the mind of a royal brother?

    That''s right, my name is the ancient demon. Malmouk, one of the 24 generals in the service of Master Zodiac. I have come back to life in the body of this vulnerable man.

    And your first mission is to kill the king?

    Yes. And the king''s blood will hasten the resurrection, Master Zodiac. And the country will be in turmoil. And chaos begets chaos. Chaos is the only feeling that will please the master.

    We don''t need that god!

    Then I put all my strength into drawing the dagger and letting it go.

    With a flash of the dagger I cut down my opponent. I pulled out my dagger with the intention of standing up to the old dragon. I let fly with my sword flash as if I meant to blow the head off the bull''s head.

    Ronin, the god of the sword, taught me the most powerful sword flash.

    My sword flash, praised by the god of swords as a once-in-a-century genius.

    The blow that had cut down every strong enemy I had ever faced, that blow was ineffective against this demon Malmuke.

    Malmouk took my sword flash with his right hand as if he was caught by a gentle breeze and squeezed it, saying: "Hey, this is my sword flash.

    "Oh, so this is the sword god''s way of flashing. I thought it was just a kid''s water gun.

    --It doesn''t seem to have fluttered. His hand wasn''t harmed in the least.

    "...... no way. So this is the 24 general?

    I''ve only heard of it from the Vandal, the god of witchcraft, but as expected of him, he had tormented the gods in the Holy Demon War. He seemed to be quite strong.

 82 a blow with all ones might

    I got the mirror of truth. I know the secret of my birth. I know the plot to assassinate the king.

    I wasn''t expecting that last one, but I must still save the king.

    With a quick glance at Luna Maria, she walks around and approaches the king''s bed.

    Nodding, Lunamaria nods. It seems that the king is still alive.

    Only, it''s not forever, and the look on Lunamar¨ªa''s face is telling. Maybe, but the disease is worse than we thought.

    And I knew that at the slightest hint of an opening, Malmuke would come after me.

    I''ll use Mithril''s dagger to slice through his belly to keep him away from the king.

    His belly will still be slashed, but he will recover on the spot.

    "The resilience of an immortal troll.

    Then Malmouk chuckles.

    "I don''t want you to be with the trolls.

    So he cuts himself open and sows his guts.

    Then his guts turn into a small demon.

    A troll cannot pull off this trick.

    And as the little demon attacks, I slash at it.

    I put all my strength into my sword flash, but it''s just as effective as the smaller demon. When it breaks in half it disappears.

    Oh, you''re good at that.

    "You''ll do what he does.

    I was thinking about how to take out Malmuke while I was trying to take out the second and third ones, if I say so boldly.

    (...... normal attacks won''t do.)

    I found out that sword flashes don''t work. Perhaps a magic sword wouldn''t do much good either.

    I had a feeling that he needed some kind of fundamental attack.

    This reminds me of the old days.

    "Look, Will, every demon has a weakness.

    The god of magic who teaches in the open-air classroom, Vandal . He teaches the young me.

    For example, some demons hide their weakness, the heart, outside the body. For example, some demons hide their weakness, the heart, outside the body.

    "What to do about such enemies?

    The young me asks.

    Find that heart and destroy it.

    "I see.

    --I''m back in the present and I''m looking for his weaknesses, but this guy doesn''t seem to be the type to hide his heart.

    So what am I going to do?

    Another past comes into play.

    "...... Will, you''re smart, but you tend to think too much.

    In the words of Ronin, the god of the sword, "The last man standing on the battlefield is the smartest man in the world.

    The last man standing on the battlefield is the smartest man, but the best looking man on the battlefield is the one who swings his sword without thinking.

    "...... swinging the sword without thinking

    That''s right. Don''t think wisely, trust your sword skills to strike a blow. That''s what being a man is all about.

    "Yeah, I do.

    I pretended to be convinced, but I wasn''t really convinced. I was a clever little boy, a boy who put the Vandal''s words before his own.

    --But.

    Both teachings were right. I would come at him and look for his weakness, and he would not show it.

    But the thoughtful blow and the unthinking one were both well-tolerated.

    Malmouk looks fed up.

    "Yeah, you''re even more annoying than I thought you''d be. They don''t die easily.

    I can hang on to you forever.

    Malmouk seemed to get really annoyed because he put his words into words.

    He changed what he was going to kill.

    He''s going after the king, not me.

    "My task is to kill the king and get rid of blood. Not you. I''ll kill him someday, but he''ll kill me first.

    Hearing those words, Lunamaria returns with her shortsword at the ready, but it was a fleeting resistance.

    She is blown away by the powerful magic.

    Lunamaria still tries to save the king.

    She scolded her wounded body and stood before the king.

    "What, girl? Why are you doing this to me?

    I do not serve this man. But this man is responsible for the fate of millions of people. I won''t let her take it from me.

    "I see. That''s brutal. Then you''ll die first.

    Malmuke raises his right arm, but it''s the guy''s death.

    I didn''t stop to think until the very last second. I fired the final blow without thinking.

    Just to save Lunamar¨ªa''s life. To answer her sacrifice.

    The mighty power that overflows from within me, it runs through the dagger and becomes a sword flash.

    It materialized as a powerful blow, but I didn''t hesitate to aim for the head.

    I aimed for the head, because I was sure it was the weak point.

    He was indifferent to attacks from the neck down. He didn''t dodge any blows, but he took them. He didn''t even seem to feel the itch of a blow to the heart.

    But the blow from the neck up was different. She guarded with both hands and sometimes used defensive magic.

    "You found a weakness, didn''t you, ......?

    "It''s because I didn''t stop to think about it until the end.

    "But if you know the weakness, it''s the same thing. Your attacks don''t work.

    When Malmouk said that, he stood his ground and cast a defensive spell, but the layers of defensive magic he put up were strong.

    An ordinary warrior''s blow would only be able to penetrate a layer or two.

    Even Anastasia, who was called the Tree Hero, only needed to penetrate about five of them.

    There are thirty-six layers of such defense.

    It was a barrier that could never be broken, but I overthrew it.

    "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    With a shout, he puts all the power and magic he can muster into the dagger.

    I swing it with such force that the dagger could break.

    In fact, the mithril dagger, called the incorruptible silver, creaks and cracks.

    The dagger my father Ronin gave me as a child screams.

    A dagger filled with memories squeaks and squeaks.

    But that didn''t loosen the power I held in the dagger.

    More important than the precious dagger my father gave me was Luna Maria.

    Because I wanted to make more memories with her.

    I wanted to see her smile forever.

    "Master Will--

    I thought I heard Luna Maria''s voice.

    I felt as if she opened her eyes and looked at me.

    At the same time, a seemingly infinite amount of power came from inside me.

    In response, Malmuke''s defenses begin to collapse.

    What?¡¡My defensive magic!

    Five layers, five layers

    Ten layers, the

    Twenty layers, the

    Thirty-five layers, and

    Defensive magic being broken in stages .

    It was as if the dam was about to break, but when it had finally destroyed the remaining thirty-sixth layer, Malmouk said, "That''s ridiculous!

    "How absurd!

    It was the last word in the world.

    Thus I defeated one of the 24 generals of the Evil Sodiac.

    I slaughtered the demon who also tormented the gods in the Holy Demon War.

 83 The Kings death, and--

    Having defeated the demon, I head to Luna Maria, but she smiles at me and

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    And smiled.

    He gave me the best smile in the world.

    My heart burned and my cheeks burned.

    It helps that Luna Maria is blind, but when I think about it, she can hear my heartbeat. She can hear my rapid-fire beating now. I hope she''s mistakenly thinking my heart is beating too fast, since it''s just after the battle.

    As I think about this, I realize that Lunamaria''s attention is now focused on my rear.

    I look in that direction and realize that the king is there.

    I remember that I''m here to rescue the king.

    You walk straight to the king and pay your respects to the king.

    The king is staring at me with his eyes wide open.

    He is staring at me with a smile on his face.

    I thought he had a lot of guts after the attempt on his demon''s life, but that''s not the only thing I saw.

    The king''s face was clearly devoid of life. His expression closely resembled that of a sick man, one who had been stricken by a deadly disease.

    --In other words, his life is drawing to a close.

    The king''s eyes seemed to reflect no demon, only me as I fought valiantly against it.

    Lunamaria seems to have noticed this, and as she prays to the Mother of Earth, she tells you to hold the king''s hand.

    "Will, Your Majesty doesn''t have time for this.

    I know.

    I answer shortly and lean in beside the king.

    I kneel down beside him and grasp the hand of the king of this country.

    The king said in a thin voice: "William Alfredo.

    "...... William Alfredo.

    It was the name of the king''s son.

    The name of a son who disappeared about fifteen years ago. The name of the heir to the land. --My assumed name.

    So I will call the king my father.

    "...... father, father.

    The king''s eyes narrowed when I said that.

    "...... William. Can you call me Father?

    Of course I''m William. I''m your son.

    ...... but I''ve gotten you into a political fight and given you a harsh fate.

    "Harsh fate?¡¡That''s not true. The gods who picked me up on Table Mountain were very good people. They were very kind people.

    ...... Well, that''s good to know.

    When the king says this, he praises the gods.

    ...... I''m sure they are good gods. I''m sure they are good gods, for they have raised my son, who is illiterate, to be so brave.

    The king of this country was not a king of great military prowess.

    He rarely went to the front and directed the cavalry from the back of the palace. He was also a man of taste who loved poetry and music more than hunting and martial arts.

    Hence, he was belittled by his vassals and led a coup d''¨¦tat fifteen years ago, which he must have been worried about.

    I''m truly glad that I didn''t pass my inertia on to my son.

    I squeezed his hand and said, "Dad, I''m going to hold your hand.

    ...... Dad''s not a coot. He''s just a gentle king. I''m your son. I''m my father''s son.

    ...... I''m glad you said that. I''m glad you said that.

    That was the king''s last word.

    The thirteenth king of this country. The man who sat on the throne of Midnia for so long let out a satisfied sigh and ended his life.

    I lightly stroke my father''s eyelids as his eyes widen.

    Then he closes his eyes. He never opened his eyes again.

    Thus I watched the king die. I couldn''t have averted his death, but I thought I had changed his fate.

    I''m still not sure if that''s good or bad, but at least Luna Maria seems to be satisfied.

    She bowed deeply to me and said.

    "''Dear Will,'' thank you for your help.

    I smiled back at her and said, "Thank you.

    These are short words, but they have a lot of meaning.

    Thank you for taking me on this journey, thank you for bringing me here. Thank you for being with me.

    --Thank you for being with me.

    Thank you for being with me.

    That was my true and unspoken intention.

 84 Wills lie

    Meanwhile, on Table Mountain, on the other hand.

    "Kill the king and I''ll die too!

    And raging hysterically was Miria, the goddess of healing.

    Although it was an unthinkable statement for a goddess of healing, Ronin, the god of swords, could not help but understand the feelings.

    It''s just that when this goddess goes on a rampage, Ronin has no choice but to be the one who holds her down.

    One or both of them always cut off first, but in the heat of the moment, Miria was the first to cut off. She gets emotional.

    It''s a bad role to play, but I''ll use my tongue to get the attention of the goddess.

    "Calm down, thick-skinned skank. The gods are forbidden to interfere with the earth.

    "Who''s a thick-skinned skank!

    A spinning kick from Millia comes flying in, but Ronin says as he dodges a paperweight.

    ''I''m more concerned with the interference.

    "I''m pretty sure that''s not true. I haven''t been God longer than you.

    "Then put that flail crap away!

    "I can''t, I want to see the king''s brain plasma in this.

    "So don''t be a jerk.

    Millia looks at Ronin with tears in her eyes and resentment.

    ...... don''t act like an adult. Are you sure?¡¡Will is going to become somebody''s kid, you know?

    It''s not your home. It''s the king''s son. He''s royalty.

    I don''t care if you''re a king or a beggar, as long as you''re not our child.

    That has nothing to do with it. We''re not related by blood to begin with.

    "What a heartless man

    "No, no, we may not be related by blood, but we''re still parents. That''s not going to change.

    Sniffling Militia. Apparently, she seems to agree that it''s a good argument.

    However, it''s annoying to see Ronin sniffing at the sleeve of her dress. It''s a good idea to make sure that you have the right information.

    To Ronin''s dismay, it was someone else who had paid attention.

    --He scolded Ronin as well, but the god of sorcery, Vandal, said

    Vandal, the god of magic, says, "Yeah, it''s fussy.

    "Yea, mayhem!¡¡I''ve been in people''s rooms for a while now, and I''ve been doing conjugal comedy.

    We are not husband and wife!¡¡The old sorcerer didn''t give him a chance to fight back.

    "You''ve been arguing for a while now, but what are you doing, based on information from a few days ago?

    The information from a few days ago, and refers to an update on Will that the three gods had seen in this room.

    Surely then, Will was the king''s illegitimate son, and was he not royalty?¡¡There was a strong suspicion that this was the case.

    And earlier, information from the Vandal''s Crystal Palace reinforced, or rather confirmed it.

    A scene of Will holding the king''s hand and murmuring, "Father," is sent to the gods.

    This image alone seems to suggest that Will is the king''s child and will be royalty, but the Vandals understand the nature of things.

    Still babbling, Miria babbles, so Vandal adds with a sigh.

    ...... "Rest assured, Milia, Will will not become royalty.

    ...... lie. Because he was the king''s child. It''ll be yours.

    I said not, I''m not. I mean, don''t you remember Will as a child?

    I can remember every single one of them. I can remember the first time Will laughed, the first time he cried, the first time he stood up, even the date.

    "Then you''ll at least remember that Will doesn''t have a star-shaped mole on his right shoulder?

    With those words, Millia was the first to

    "Ah ......

    And a surprised look on his face.

    "You seem to remember that look.

    Yes, I did. I used to count every mole on my body with Will.

    "Unilaterally.

    And supplementing Ronin.

    But," said Ronin, cupping his hand to his stubbled chin.

    "So how come Will''s guy is the king''s kid?

    Ronin is seriously distressed, but Milia also has a question mark on her head.

    Seeing this, Vandal said with dismay.

    Are you really gods. I don''t think your brains are full of it.

    I''m sure you can explain Will''s behavior if you say so.

    Of course. Who do you think I am?

    "The God of Magic Vandal?

    "No.

    The old man shook his head slowly and said, "I''m Will''s father.

    "I''m Will''s father.

    When he said that, Will assured him that he was a child of the gods and not a child of the king.

    Will attending the death of the king.

    Behind them are two girls.

    The two girls behind them are the blind priestess Lunamaria and Anastasia the Tree Hero.

    Anastasia wipes out the pagans along the way and comes to the king''s chamber.

    There she sees the king being taken up to heaven and a boy watching over her.

    A member of the Kingsguard tries to approach the king, but Anastasia gently stops him with her hand.

    The member of the Kingsguard gasps and nods.

    I was rash. They were upset that their father, Your Majesty, had been removed from office.

    Then he cut his cross to God and said a prayer.

    I am glad to see your son at the end of his life, even though he was suffering from an illness.

    When the Kingsguard said this, Anastasia said it without changing her expression.

    ...... Yes, it''s nice to see your ''son''. It''s good to see your ''son''.

    Hearing those words, Luna Maria comes to me.

    She asks, "Mr. Anastasia, have you not told your men the truth yet?

    ...... Ms. Anastasia, haven''t you told your men the truth yet?

    ...... sort of.

    replies Anastasia. A member of the Kingsguard asks curiously.

    What do you mean?¡¡What are you talking about?

    It was Anastasia, not Lunamaria, who answered.

    What Lunamaria is saying is this. What I''m getting at is that Master Will is not a child of the King.

    "What!

    The Knights of the Kingsguard look astonished.

    What do you mean?¡¡Didn''t the Mirror of Truth reveal Lord Will to be Lord William?

    Anastasia shakes her head.

    "On the contrary. The Mirror of Truth has revealed that Will is not a child of His Majesty.

    "Oh, no.

    The truth. --Well, that doesn''t matter. It doesn''t matter to Mr. Will.

    And Lunamar¨ªa nods, and she adds, "But His Majesty the King does not.

    Only, His Majesty is not. That''s why Master Will was lied to at the last moment. So at the last moment of his life, Will lied to his Majesty to remove the years of rancor from his soon-to-be death and send him to heaven.

    That is, Master Will redeemed His Majesty''s heart with a ''gentle lie''.

    "Yes, I know. Mr. Will is a very kind man.

    They both nodded at the same time, "So what about the real prince then?¡¡What is the secret of Mr. Will''s origins? And did not continue.

    What was most important, here and now, or in the future, was that there was a boy in this world who was as kind as Will.

    It was that he would stand in the camp of good and wield the sword.

    It promised a bright future for this country.

    The king, a national icon, was dead, but neither Lunamaria nor Anastasia was pessimistic.

    They thought that as long as there was a boy named Will, this world would never be tainted by evil.

    And perhaps that reasoning was correct.

    No one here had any doubt about it.

 85 leave the royal capital

    We are staying in the royal palace of the Kingdom of Midnia.

    The reason why an ordinary adventurer like me is in the palace is because I was mistaken for the prince of this country.

    After many twists and turns, that misunderstanding was cleared up, but behind the scenes, the Zodiac cult is stirring and the palace was attacked by them. We defeated the cult''s leader, a demon named Malmuke, and brought peace to the palace.

    --During the attack, the king, who was ill, was taken directly to heaven. I pretended to be the prince and held his hand as I watched him die.

    It pains me a little to deceive the king, but Lunamaria praises me.

    "Will has done a good thing. You should be proud.

    Her eyes sparkle.

    Anastasia, the leader of the Third Kingsguard who had been looking for me for years, smiles.

    "Master Will''s lips didn''t spit out a lie. They wove a kindness into them.

    They both give me praise.

    Justice Sir Klaus, who was trying to find the real prince, had similar words.

    "I may not have been the real Prince William Alfredo, but I have the same heart as a real prince. He loved justice and cared for others more than anyone else.

    Klaus praised me and then asked with a half-serious face.

    ...... a few people here know what happened, and if they shut up, you will be king of this country, but do you want to rule this country?

    At first I thought it was a joke, but there seemed to be more of a serious component.

    I was often at a loss for words and chose my words carefully.

    "No, sir. I''m not the king.

    "The king is not a man of character. It''s done with your soul. Your soul has the character of a king.

    I appreciate that, to the fullest extent, but we have a father and mother at Table Mountain, too.

    I looked in the direction of the mountain where the gods live.

    I thought I saw my mother and father smiling at me. If I become king of the land I''ll be hard to return home. Then they will be very sad. I wouldn''t want to make them sad.

    .

    --. and .

    I stare at the silver-haired priestess next to me.

    A priestess of the Mother Goddess, Luna Maria.

    She took me off the mountain for a month. I''ve seen many places, but I''ve only seen part of the world. I have yet to see the endless ocean. The scorching desert and the icy land. I met a lot of nice people, but I was not satisfied yet.

    I want to travel more. I wanted to see every corner of this world and meet more people.

    When he told her of this desire, Sir Klaus lightly touched his white beard.

    "I see. I see." "So you''d rather see everything in this world than everything in this country?

    Nodding with determined eyes, Klaus loosens his cheeks.

    "Fine. I won''t push you any further. You''re like a bird of prey that flies forever. A hawk is no longer a hawk when you attach a rope to it and tame it.

    Klaus used that expression and gave up on making me king.

    Anastasia lowers her eyebrows, "It''s a shame.

    If Master Will were king, I would be the first mistress.

    Quickly, Lunamaria stepped in between

    "Master Will will not have a mistress!

    But Anastasia mischievously says: "Oh, then you can have your real wife.

    Oh, so she''s your real wife. I''ll have her as my queen.

    But it seems to be hard to tweak it .

    In this country, of course, it was legal to take a wife in the cult of the Earth Mother God. On the contrary, the basic doctrine of the cult of Mother Goddess of Earth was

    "Produce more!

    It is their longing to fill this earth with the Son of Man.

    It is their longing to fill this earth with the Son of Man.

    Lunamar¨ªa snarled, "...... mmmm," and

    ...... The hardest part about maidens is that they can''t get married according to the commandments.

    And leaked. Although the cult''s doctrine recommends fertility, it seems that priestesses who serve the earth mother goddess are an exception. It seems that every religious order values virginity.

    Seeing a troubled Lunamaria, Anastasia crosses her arms with me as if to provoke me, but then politely shakes them off and asks Sir Klaus: "What do you mean by making me king?

    Where is the real His Royal Highness William Alfredo, who is joking about making me king?

    "Authentic or ....... I don''t know about that. Couldn''t you ask the Mirror of Truth?

    "There is only one event that you can ask the mirror of truth

    "Then we''ll be looking for you again, but we may not be able to find you.

    "............

    "After nearly ten years of searching, I have found you with what little information I have. After all, if you are not the real prince, there may be no prince left in this world.

    ...... was a reasonable idea, but wrong, and can not be pointed out.

    I couldn''t say irresponsibly, "Take another ten years to find something that might not exist.

    Does that mean there will be no more kings in this country?

    "No, it''s not.

    Klaus to answer immediately.

    "The king cannot be gone for long. I will mourn for the former king who was out of office for a while, but at the end of that period, one of my closest blood relations will take the throne. By the "King''s Election Council.

    "King Election Conference ......

    That''s right. The King''s Council is a council in which the country''s movers and shakers sit behind closed doors to decide on a king. Three days and three nights of endless debate.

    That''s a lot of work.

    "Yeah. . it breaks my heart to be old.

    I smiled to myself and Sir Klaus patted me on the back.

    "I''d really like you to stay in the palace and help me with all this, but that would be the same as putting shackles on your wings.

    Klaus looked at me with deep emotion and said.

    That''s not why I''m asking you to stay. But there will be a time when you will come back to the capital when you brand the world with your eyes. then I beg you to come to my house. You will always be welcome.

    Then he asked me to shake his hand.

    Shake his hand gashfully. The hand was thick and strong. It wasn''t a perfunctory handshake.

    I say goodbye to Sir Klaus.

    "Is there something in store for you, Master Will? It was Anastasia who asked me, "What do you want to do?

    ............

    I was lightly silent because I had no purpose.

    I''ve said I was going to look around the world in a grandiose manner, but I didn''t have much of a plan for the future.

    Of course, I am concerned about the Zodiac cult that is planning to revive the Demon King: .......

    While I was thinking about this, I noticed a dagger hanging on my hip.

    When I let go of the dagger, I found a crack in the mithril dagger.

    Is that a crack in ......?

    Lunamaria asks discreetly.

    ''Oh, yes, this is from the earlier battle''

    It''s cracked.

    Lunamar¨ªa''s eyebrows are lowered because she knows this dagger is important to her, given to her by Ronin, the god of swords. My father Ronin gave me this dagger when I was young and since then I''ve killed many enemies with it.

    Don''t let it get you down. All things come crashing down.

    To quote the words of the god of magic, Vandal.

    But it is of the finest mithril in the world. I will never have it again. And I was told it was a souvenir given to you the first time you tore up a large tree.

    I know. But Dad Ronin is being pimped out. It''s not a memento.

    That''s true, but--

    I look at Luna Maria''s face, which still doesn''t clear, and with a bang I put a light bulb on her head.

    "Yeah. I have an idea.

    Good thing?

    That''s right. Table Mountain is not that far from Midnia. I wanted to explore the north again, so that''s good.

    Picture a map in your head.

    Alexes, the capital of Midnia, is located roughly in the center of the country, but to the north is Table Mountain. That means you have to go around the mountain to get to the north.

    Indeed, it''s a way of getting to the north.

    "It will take longer to go around, so we''ll go through Table Mountain. Then I think I''ll go home and ask my father Vandal to repair the dagger.

    The Vandal god of magic is also skilled in metallurgy.

    Yes, I''m sure your father Vandal will have some ideas for you.

    Good things must come quickly, and me and Lunamaria look at Sir Klaus and Anastasia.

    They are dismayed that we are about to resume our adventure right away, even after a fierce battle, but they don''t seem to want to stop our adventure now.

    They just want to offer us some hospitality for one night.

    We gratefully accepted the offer and headed to Sir Klaus'' house.

    There, a delicious meal and a warm bed are provided and we regain our strength.

    The next morning, we say goodbye to Sir Klaus and Anastasia.

    Anastasia hugs me and says, "Happy Lord Will.

    I was expecting a more sulky, passionate farewell, but Anastasia says happily, "This is only a temporary farewell.

    This is only a temporary farewell. --"This is only a temporary farewell" - in the not-too-distant future, Master Will will return to this royal city to share my fate.

    Anastasia leaves the prophecy confidently as a witch.

    I look at Luna Maria and she does not speak. Maybe she was entrusted with such a prophecy by God. I had that impression.

 86 lost child

    Leaving Sir Klaus'' residence.

    Since Klaus'' mansion is located in the center of the capital, it took some time to get to the outskirts of the capital from there.

    The capital is that vast.

    "There can''t be many cities this big, can there?

    With great emotion, Lunamaria agrees.

    "In Midonia, this Alexis is the largest city.

    But there are cities on this continent that are bigger than Alexis.

    Your left. --Master Will is very knowledgeable.

    "I learned from my father Vandal''s classroom.

    "Being a hero, knowledge is also important.

    I''d like to visit those cities someday.

    "If you wish, Master Will.

    Lunamaria smiled at him.

    As the number of people beyond the walls of King''s Landing dwindled, her expression seemed to calm down.

    Pointing this out, Lunamaria says, "King''s Landing is a hotter place.

    ''The heat of the people in King''s Landing is incredible. There are so many people, it''s exhausting.

    Yes, it was hard on me as a country boy. . maybe it was hard on me as a country boy.

    I''m also from the country, but I''m more dependent on my ears for my life, so I''m in trouble.

    I see, and look at her face again. I closed my eyes on her.

    Lunamaria, a priestess of the Mother God, is blind. She had given her sight to the gods at an early age, and in exchange she had learned to hear them.

    She has relied on her hearing ever since. She has never been inconvenienced in her daily life, but the noise is the only thing she can''t stand, and since arriving in King''s Landing, she has sometimes looked melancholy.

    I''m sure you''ll be able to find out what''s going on in the world and what''s going on in the world.

    ...... It''s hard work for the maiden.

    I let out a few comments about the moon, and continued north, choosing the quietest possible path.

    The royal capital, Alexis, is connected to the city in all directions by roads. It was no exaggeration to say that all the roads in this country lead to Alexis.

    So you could easily get to the mountain where the gods live.

    The problem was the forest that led to the mountain of the gods.

    As expected, there is no road to the woods.

    No traveler loves the basic Table Mountain.

    Table Mountain is a sacred place where one should not come by without permission, and the woods around it are home to vicious monsters, so the hunters do not come near it.

    Look at the entrance to the forest at a distance from the road.

    We have to go through this forest now.

    That''s it.

    There is no other way in this forest but the animal trail. As for the monsters, they won''t be a problem as long as Master Will is here.

    "Well, I''ve been fighting since I was a kid, so I''m not going to lose now.

    Is it the road that is the problem?

    Lunamaria took a compass out of her pocket. The magnet went around and around. It never pointed north.

    The forest around here seems to be surrounded by a strong magnetic field.

    "I see.

    If you say you''re so sure, you didn''t know that.

    "Well, you know. I''m familiar with Table Mountain, but I know very little about its outskirts.

    That''s right. . so you''ll have to get out of this forest on your own.

    "Well. How did Lunamaria get through this forest, by the way?

    "I climbed Table Mountain from the west. There is no forest like this in the west.

    I see, and I was on the north side when I got off.

    "The north side was just as easy as the west side,

    "Well, let''s go around to the west.

    It would take a week or so to get there.

    "I''m not in a hurry to travel, but I don''t want to go that far.

    Therefore, it is unanimously decided to go through this forest.

    "Fortunately, the forest at the foot of the Mountain of the Gods is not that wide. We can''t get lost.

    That''s right. I''m a wild child raised in the mountains and Lunamaria is a priestess protected by God. It should be easy to slip away.

    That''s how I summed it up, but it may have been an easy decision.

    When we entered the forest in a calm and composed manner, we were lost as soon as we got there.

    We smiled bitterly, pretending to be comedians, but we couldn''t stop laughing.

    It is not unusual for adventurers to get lost and die in the forest.

    I see an ossified corpse next to a large tree. It''s probably from a herbivore, but I can''t be sure it won''t be us.

    I try to make my way through the forest, but the forest at the foot of the Mountain of the Gods is quite formidable.

    --A moment later.

    Me and Luna Maria look at each other and let out a loud sigh. Lunamaria, who usually professes that the number of sighs is the number of happiness that escapes her, let out a sigh, which is a true representation of the current situation.

    However, Lunamaria seems to be rather stubborn, or rather unwilling to admit the failure of "I".

    When I apologize, she says, "I''m sorry," she says, "Why are you apologizing? And asked back.

    No, because I said I would take the shortest way out.

    "I''m just as guilty, since I agreed to it. -- no, we just got ''a little'' lost, so we don''t have to regret it.

    But we''ve been lost.

    "I''m not in distress. I''m just a little lost.

    "I don''t even know if I''m north or south. It''s called distress: ......

    "I just picked the wrong route, that''s all.

    "I feel like we''ve been going around in circles on the same route for a while now,

    "It''s all in your head.

    "How many times have you seen the tree with the markers carved into it?

    That''s exactly what the ''tree'' did.

    "............

    "............

    They look at each other.

    A moment of silence.

    Lunamaria clears her throat, "...... and says, ''I''m sorry, sir.

    Yes, we''re as close to distress as we can get, but we''re good. We have plenty of food, and we''ll be able to get out of this forest soon.

    "You''re awfully confident.

    Will, your neighborhood is the safest place in the world. He''s a child of God and will always choose the right path.

    Even God''s children can get lost.

    I was going to complain, but things change before that.

    The sound of wind rushing into my eardrums.

    It''s the sound of a bow being squeezed and an arrow being fired.

    It''s as if a battle is going on a few dozen meters away.

    If I can hear it, then Lunamar¨ªa must hear it more clearly. I''ll ask her for details.

    "There seems to be a battle going on a few dozen meters away, is that correct?

    "As you can see. I hear the sound of dead leaves on the ground. A two-legged creature is fighting with a bow. It''s a demon. This one looks like a four-legged creature.

    I see, so it''s not a fight between centaurs.

    Returning with a joke, Lunamar¨ªa laughs lightly.

    "Yes, sir. The two-legged ones are probably hunters. They seem to be lightly armed and fight mainly with the bow. The four-legged beasts are very large.

    "Who''s outnumbered?

    "The Hunter. --." - "I think he''s hurt.

    Then we need to help them right away.

    "I was hoping you would say that.

    Lunamaria smiles and puts her luggage in its place. She took out only her beloved shortsword and ran out.

    I was already a few meters ahead of you. I knew the approximate distance of the battle, and I have no taste for looking at girls'' butts.

    Ronin''s son, the son of the god of swords, always turns his back to the girl and exposes his chest to the enemy.

    When Lunamaria saw this, she said, "That''s great, Master Will.

 87 forest beast

    Flying through the forest.

    Winding through the dense trees.

    The roots of the trees and the unevenness of the ground made it difficult to run, but you soon arrived at the scene.

    There is a furry man wielding a bow and a long-furred, bull-like creature.

    The man, who appears to be a barbarian hunter, calmly confronts the bull while shooting his bow with precision.

    There were countless arrows stuck in the bull''s body, but none of them seemed to be fatal.

    The bulls are two sizes larger than normal bulls and are wrapped in woolly body hair, so they seem to have better defense. The arrows didn''t pierce deep.

    What a troublesome creature.

    Muttering this, the hunter grinned. He bared his yellow teeth and agreed.

    Agreed. I''ve been a hunter for many years, and there aren''t many demons more troublesome than Berserker Bull.

    Is that a monster called Berserker Bull?

    Yes, a bull-type demon only found in this neighborhood. It''s a bull-type demon that''s only found in this neighborhood. Its meat is A5 and very tasty.

    No matter how good it is, it will be hard to hunt.

    Once again, the berserker bull looks more like a big monkey than a bull. It has the muscular body of a gorilla and the face of a bull, making it look ferocious. It''s also known as ''Violent Cow Monkey''.

    That''s right. So there''s nothing we can do to you. We just ran into him when we were looking for him in the woods.

    I see, you seem quite excited, can you avoid the battle now?

    Well. Do you want to ask her, just in case?¡¡I''m going to give you all the food, so please spare my life.

    The hunter''s words were ironic. The bloody eyes, excited snorting, and drooling from the mouth of the berserker bull make you realize that this is impossible.

    "You look like a carnivore, even for a bull.

    You''re right. You have a look on your face that says, "You can''t wait to eat us.

    Indeed. But we don''t have any reason to let you be eaten quietly.

    You know what I''m talking about.

    With that statement, the hunter takes two arrows from an arrowhead on his back and places them on his bow.

    I''ll show you something interesting for your prize.

    The hunter smiles fearlessly and shoots two arrows at the same time.

    The bow and arrow split neatly in two directions, hitting the bull''s right and left shoulders.

    Bersel Bull roars a painful roar of pain.

    Having been shown this wonderful technique, I honestly admire it and ask your name.

    My name is Will. What''s your name?

    My name is Zynga. I''m a hunter in this forest. What brings Will into this dangerous forest?

    "I had to go to the Mountain of the Gods. I tried to run the shortest distance and got lost.

    Haha, honest man, you are. The Mountain of the Gods is a forbidden area. You are honestly going there.

    It''s forbidden, but the gods are good people. They wouldn''t be angry if they had a good reason.

    It''s true that the gods are good people.

    "I agree with that.

    I am vehemently convinced that I am a child of the gods, but I could not come forward.

    That I am a child of the gods is not something that is particularly hidden. It is information that some people actively disclose, but this time I did not have time to explain it.

    I didn''t have time to explain it because the muscles of Bersel Bull, who had injured both shoulders, were abnormally swollen.

    Bersel Bull''s muscles enlarged with a pounding sound. He''s been shot in both shoulders, and it''s as if a "switch" has been flipped. It''s as if a survival instinct has been awakened.

    The arrows fall from Bersel Bull''s shoulders as his muscles enlarge, and blood gushes from them. Blood gushes from there, but when it subsides, it takes advantage of the enlarged muscles. It rushed forward at blinding speed.

    Watch out!

    I pushed the hunter out of the way and let him avoid the rush.

    Where we had just been, a cloud of dust filled the place and the huge tree behind it was shattered.

    Zinga whistles at the sight.

    ...... Oh shit. I''d be dead if it weren''t for Will.

    I was thanked, but there was no time to return the compliments by the book.

    I regrip my mithril dagger.

    I pump magic into the dagger, but I become a little impatient when I see Berserker Bull wrapped in his thick fur.

    (...... The dagger is cracked from the battle with the demon. (Don''t let it break if you send your magic power into it.

    This means that the dagger would not be able to send magic into the battle.

    This means that we must fight with a greatly reduced attack strength.

    As you panicked, you can hear Lunamaria''s voice from behind.

    "Will, it''s all right. Master Will will not be defeated by any monster.

    The cheering is unquestioning and unpredictable. Lunamar¨ªa seems to genuinely believe in my abilities. She''s like a little girl with a hero in front of her. I would like to live up to the expectations of the owner of those unblemished eyes - but as I hesitate, my left hand vibrates.

    "Will, you haven''t forgotten about me?

    "Ah, Aegis.

    He speaks to his shining shield.

    "You underestimate the power of your shield because you have been knocking down enemies with that one dagger since you were a child.

    Not really, but there''s no shield technology in Ronin''s school.

    "A flying, lopsided school of thought. Okay, then this Aegis himself will show you that a shield is a fine weapon.

    When he says that, Aegis glows even brighter.

    Watching this, Belsel Bull begins to get excited.

    "It looks like the enemy''s offensive power is up.

    "I''m making the cow excited. It looks like I''m glowing bright red to her.

    When I looked at Aegis again, the light was definitely red.

    ...... Are you trying to get me to fight a bull?

    You''re right, when Bersel Bull sees me in red, he gets excited and charges at me, and Will dodges it with a paperweight and hits me with a bokeh.

    That''s messed up.

    "But you can still do some damage. And now that your favorite dagger is losing its attack power, this one is stronger.

    Aegis assures me, and without taking my consent, begins to glow. It begins to glow so passionately that even I can see red.

    Totally ......

    As soon as I blurted out, Bersel Bull charged at me, but I watched his movements until the very last second and dodged with the smallest of movements.

    It was so close that part of my clothes could have been ripped off, but it was worth it.

    As the bull rushes past me, I hit the enemy in the head with my Aegis as hard as I can.

    A dull thud echoes through the forest.

    The bull staggers to his feet. He wobbles.

    Seeing this, Aegis proudly declares.

    ''Hmm. What do you think?¡¡This is what''s called a "shield bash. Top-notch warriors use this technique too. Ole!

    Look at the wobbling Bersel Bull. Indeed, the shield bash technique seems to be very powerful. Even the life-like bull is on the verge of a coma.

    But it was not fatal to Belsel Bull, nor did it take away his will to fight.

    Aegis says, stunned.

    That''s why I don''t like bull monsters. They have too much HP for nothing.''''

    "For all your bravado, is this the only way you can attack?

    I''m not going to use a special move against this cow. Therefore, I''ll just use my hands and shove!

    That means you''re going to have to do that one over and over again.

    "That''s what I mean. Look, there''s a second lunge.

    And sure enough, Bersel Bull is kicking up the ground on his hind legs. It rushed forward at a speed not quite as fast as the previous one, but as fast as it could be. I dodge it with paper, as I did before, and hit it with my shield as soon as it was in my pocket.

    Once again, a dull sound echoes through the forest. I deliver a more powerful blow than before, but the berserk bull still falls. Then he repeats the same action twice, and as expected, the tension builds. The fourth attack not only tore off his clothes, but also part of his skin.

    (...... I''m losing my concentration. And your strength is declining.

    If the battle continues like this, we might fall behind.

    A cold sweat runs down your back, but Zynga sees it coming and calls out to you.

    "Will, don''t get cocky. Your attacks haven''t been ineffective. He''s master of the woods. He''s proud. That''s why he''ll stand up to the blow over and over again. But he''s a creature. No man can take a blow to the head with a block of iron and be safe.

    That''s encouraging to hear. Indeed, my shield bash seemed to have done some damage to Bersel Bull. Its four legs were trembling like a newborn fawn. It felt like it could barely stand. One more shield bash to the head and it looked like I could take it down.

    I thought that this would be my next and last shot, so I focused my concentration.

    It might look smug from the edge, but dodging the bull''s charge was very hard. The bull was charging at you at bullet speed, and it takes a lot of concentration to dodge the attack, which could crush you if you make a mistake.

    --This is the last.

    As you dodge the bull''s attack, you put all your strength into it and swing your shield at the bull''s head.

    With a thud, a cracking sound can be heard.

    Yay!¡¡Critical. This one even got a skull.

    Aegis blustered, but I had a good feeling in my left hand too.

    I should have given him the best shot.

    I calmly analyzed that, but the bull was staring at me with his nose in the air.

    He''s kicking up the dirt with his hind legs.

    ...... still coming.

    Maybe this bull is immortal. Just as I broke out in a cold sweat at the thought, Lunamaria stepped in front of me. She pulls out a shortsword from her waist and says, " My twiggy sword is a berserker bull.

    ...... My twiggy sword may not be a match for Belsel Bull. But I cannot abandon Master Will.

    I want Lunamaria''s safety more than anything else, and I do not welcome her dedication to the cause.

    "Lunamaria, no. He''s immortal. Just get out of here.

    "I would rather slit my own throat with this sword than do such a thing.

    I pushed past Luna Maria and stepped in front of her, but she protested - but not before Zynga the hunter won it.

    ''Little girl, you stay out of men''s business.

    "Fighting demons is not a gender issue.

    A feisty little girl. Your noble heart is looking up, but this time you''re spinning your wheels.

    What does that mean?

    "It means no one has to fight anymore. Will won. That monster.

    The moment he declares this, Bersel Bull blinks. The giant plummets to the ground.

    His skull is caved in.

    A great deal of foam was coming out of his mouth. The black body is convulsing.

    "This is a perfect shield bash. I killed it with very little damage to the skin, so it''ll fetch a nice price.

    Zynga happily announced and pulled out a dagger from his waistband and began to peel off the skin of Bersel Bull. It''s a good idea to check on Master Will''s well-being first, and then thank him for his help," Lunamaria said with a sigh, but it seems he has a point.

    They say the fresher the skin of a berserker bull, the higher the price it sells. He wants to cut them up and take them back to the village.

    Lunamaria is a little taken aback, but I don''t care. I knew Zinga meant no offense, and I thought he was justified in his actions.

    If I could skin him quickly and sell the material for a good price, who cares? The hunter would make money, the merchant would get good quality pelts, and the one who bought them would be happy. No one will lose.

    Admonish Lunamaria as such and ask her to make you a cup of tea.

    It was just after the battle and I was thirsty after getting lost in the woods.

    Perhaps because I asked her to, she happily begins to prepare the tea.

    I''ll help her do the same.

    I could have helped you dismantle the zinga, but I''ve heard that flaying a berserker bull requires expert skill. Amateurs like me had no part in this.

 88 the liver of a wild animal

    After the dismantling of the berserker bull, the table is set on a stump.

    Lunamaria returned to the place where she had left her luggage and brought a set of tea utensils.

    The tablecloths and other items were properly drawn and prepared for a fine tea party. Meanwhile, I fetched water from a nearby spring to boil water.

    Acting in the right place at the right time.

    The hunter Zinga praises me as I wipe my bloodied hands.

    "I never thought I''d find such fancy things to drink in the woods.

    Lunamaria replies.

    A hot drink is the best thing to drink after a battle. It calms my troubled mind and soothes my tired body

    Lunamar¨ªa smiles and continues.

    The High Priestess who raised me always served warm herbal tea to the priestesses when they finished their training.

    That''s a clever high priest.

    The hunter Zinga said admiringly, and seemed to remember the necessity of thanking him.

    I thank you again, even though it became ambiguous in the middle of the battle.

    The hunter, dressed as a barbarian, bows deeply.

    He dresses like a barbarian, but inside he''s a gentleman.

    Bullshit it yourself, but he seems to be a good-natured person.

    With a thud, he puts Berserker Bull''s liver in the middle of the table.

    Blood stains the tablecloth, but he doesn''t care.

    "For your help, I give you this.

    "What is this?

    "It''s the liver of Berserk Bull,

    "............

    I fell silent because Berserel Bull''s liver was still beating. What a life force: .......

    This liver can be eaten as is or used in a secret potion. There are many uses for it. You can sell them fresh for a good deal of money.

    But I don''t think there are any merchants around here willing to buy material.

    "Well. . so I suggest you eat here and now.

    "You eat that guy: ......

    The image of the vicious Berserker Bull''s face does not whet my appetite. But it would be wrong to ignore it, so I''ll make a potion.

    I magically freeze a gall larger than a human head and toss it into my backpack.

    You can do magic too? I see you can also make potions.

    Will is one of the best swords, magic and healers in the world. He can make potions, elixirs, and potions in no time at all.

    No, it''s not.

    He is humble, but his words are discredited when he hands over a potion to heal Zinga''s wounds. Jinga had been wounded in the battle, but he recovered quickly.

    Wow, even Master Baba''s potion doesn''t heal this quickly.

    Lunamar¨ªa explains snidely to an astonished Jinga: "Master Will''s mother is the goddess of healing at Table Mountain.

    "Will''s mother is the goddess of healing in Table Mountain.

    "Oh my God, really?

    It''s true.

    "Seriously?

    Zinga is truly amazed that "she" had a son.

    Incidentally, Zinga''s "she" has more of a sneering component than a reverence component. My mother, Goddess Milia, a venerable goddess who fought through the holy wars, lives a life of self-degradation at Table Mountain. She is known for her selfishness, promiscuity, and love of alcohol.

    At least that''s what they say in the villages at the foot of the mountain. It was a bit strange that the distance between us was so close that the mystique had faded. Can such a goddess raise a child, Zinga seemed to doubt that she could.

    --I''ll just muddle through and say that both my father and I do the cooking and washing.

    I see, so if we can share the load in the family, we should be fine.

    Zinga laughed and continued, "He saved my life and healed my wounds.

    She saved my life and healed my wounds. I hear you''re on your way back to Table Mountain, but I hope you''ll come by my village.

    Zinga''s village?

    Oh, it''s close. I''d like to give the whole village a big welcome. The whole village would like a round of applause. It''s a parley night of drinking and singing. I''ll empty the village cellar.

    It''s not that bad. I don''t want you to do that for me.

    "I don''t care. What''s mine in the village is mine, and what''s mine is mine.

    Is it possible that Zinga is the son of the chief?

    No, he''s just a little bratty villager. But we in Barca know how to treat our guests.

    "............

    It would be unbearable to be taunted by the villagers, but I''ll be treated with open arms.

    I''m tired from running around the forest, but I''m more worn out than I thought from the battle. You wanted to spend the night in a warm bed.

    When I tell him honestly, Zinga shows his yellow teeth and pats me on the head.

    It''s good to be honest, Will.

    Yes, my mom and dad said the same thing.

    Nice family. That''s God.

    With that statement, Zinga gulps down the second cup of tea that Lunamaria just poured for him.

    Now, if you decide, you can start your journey. We''ll take the horns and other valuable parts as they are, but the meat and bones will be brought back later with the young ones from the village.

    I see the corpse of Berserker Bull, with its horns and other parts cut off.

    It was certainly painful to move this body. We need people.

    I could probably carry it myself, but I should have respected Zinga''s opinion, being a hunting expert.

    I''ll wear my most expensive horn around my back. I''ll take the bile you gave me. Lunamar¨ªa apologizes for being empty-handed, but neither the Mountain of the Gods nor the village of Barca had a culture that required women to carry heavy things.

    We continued on our way into the depths of the forest with great enthusiasm.

    Zinga''s gait was like walking through her own garden.

    He seems to know this complex forest terrain very well.

    If we listen to him, we''ll get to the village in a straight line. Later, I''ll ask him to show me the way to the Mountain of the Gods.

    With that in mind, I''ll follow Zinga''s big back.

    I was impressed by the barbarian''s distinctive fur and the way he walked with his wide gait.

 89 Barca Village Babasama

    I''m the bravest man in the village and all the women love to see me. I''m the bravest man in the village, and all women love to see me.

    The hunter''s zinga sings out of tune.

    The lyrics lacked literary sensitivity or even subtlety, but the singer seemed to be enjoying himself. But he suddenly remembers that he has a female companion.

    "--gasp, excuse me, excuse me.

    Then he scratched his head and sang another song.

    "We''re the genius hunters, we''ll shoot the target from a hundred yards away. I''ll pierce her heart, too.

    This time there was no vulgarity, but still there was no literature at all.

    Popular songs are like that. Simple lyrics, simple melodies, that''s why they are still alive.

    Lunamaria assures us.

    Father Vandal, the god of magic, said it too. A word mumbled by an ordinary man is more likely to impress people than a sentence written by a genius who has spent a thousand days working on it.

    The esoteric expressions of a sorcerer''s highbrow book are certainly not the ones you want to utter in your bathroom or on a forest lane.

    With Zinga''s song as background music, the forest opens up.

    Is that the Master Zinga''s village?

    "Maybe. Was it Barca Village?¡¡It''s a lot smaller than I expected.

    Zinga, who has been listening to my conversation with Lunamar¨ªa, interrupts the conversation.

    "Hey, hey, you can''t call someone''s village a daphnid village.

    I did not say that much, but it was certainly rude to say small in front of people who live there. I apologize. Then Zinga laughs, "Ha ha ha!

    "You''re as serious as ever, Will. No need to apologize. And it''s true that you''re small. And it''s not a village that sells its size. You can poke more fun at it.

    That''s indeed ......

    Lunamaria listens. I guess she could tell the size by the sounds of life.

    ...... It''s a village of about 500 people.

    That''s right, little girl. The population of Barca Village is 51. ...... Oh, fifty-two. Because the couple across the street hustled and had more kids last month.

    "You mean enough population that even Mr. Zynga can get an accurate figure.

    I''m curious about the "but," but yeah. It''s a really small village.

    and pointed to a sign at the entrance of the village. It says "Barka Village".

    As it says on the sign, the name of this village is Barka Village. It is the only village in the forest.

    Why is there a village in such a dense place?

    That''s because the villagers here are a bit of a freak.

    I''ll give you an explanation, but I''m sure he''ll give you a good one.

    If I tell you the truth, Master Baba will yell at me, so I''ll explain.

    "People of the Forest?

    Yes. The forest people are the forest people. They are said to be in the forests everywhere, but they reject civilization and subsist on the bounty of the forest.

    And Zinga draws a bow and poses. Emphasize the muscularity.

    Thus dressed in stinking fur, he draws his bow and gets his prey. He sells it off to traders outside the forest to buy iron products and grain from outside.

    "It''s just the people of the forest.

    "Yeah. Bartering is out of style nowadays.

    Zinga let out a sigh, but she doesn''t mind living like this.

    I ran away from home once and ran away from this forest, but I came back after about a year. The outside of the forest was full of excitement, but once you get used to the time here, the outside world feels less busy. I''m a city girl by all appearances, but I guess this life is better for me.

    Looks aside, even a bright guy like Zinga didn''t fit in with the outside life, this village must be a very nice village . I could guess that.

    It''s true that it''s a small village, but the people on the street are friendly. Even when they see me as an outsider, they greet me with a smile.

    Children were also running around the place looking happy.

    It was clear that the time was different from the royal city where I had stayed until the other day.

    At the mention of such an observation, Lunamar¨ªa agrees.

    My birthplace was a small village like this one. It is not a rich life, but it is a life rooted in the land. You can live surrounded by nature. Some scholars have said that this kind of life is called the slow life.

    "My dad said the same thing," said Vandal. Stress-free mice are the key. Mice that are stressed and unstressed live twice as long.

    Yes, sir. If I could prevent the resurrection of the Demon King, I would like to live the rest of my life in a village like this one.

    "You know--

    I casually agreed to that, but then I realized it was like saying, "Let''s get married when this whole Demon King thing is over. It sounded like a proposal.

    I''m embarrassed, and I blush, but Lunamaria doesn''t notice my complexion. --But she does notice a heartbeat.

    "Dear Will, you seem to be experiencing palpitations, what is it?

    I can''t tell you that I imagined you as a bride.

    I can''t say that I imagined you as a bride. So you can point out the appropriate building to muddy the waters.

    ...... That house is the biggest one. I think it''s the chief''s house.

    I guess my guesswork was right.

    Will, this is good.

    Zinga laughed vigorously and said, "Well, it''s still about the size of a pigsty in the city.

    It''s about the size of a pigsty in the city. It''s too rude to give the son of the gods a matron of honor, but you can still make yourself at home.

    Such a slight and the old woman comes out.

    She too is clad in furs. She has a tattoo on her face, but it was hidden by wrinkles.

    Hey!¡¡Zinga!¡¡If you trash the chief''s house like that, God will punish you.

    "How can I be a hunter for fear of God''s punishment?

    The old woman sniffs "hmmm" as Zinga replies matter-of-factly. I say, "Well, yeah," and she looks at me.

    "Who''s that boy over there?

    We looked at each other and I bowed and introduced myself.

    "My name is Will. I''m Will. I''m from Table Mountain.

    He''s the son of the gods. Master Baba.

    Zinga taps on the shoulder and complements. Master Baba''s eyes widen.

    "My God, are you the son of the gods?

    "Yes.

    "Looks like God ...... is not . . the Son of Man?

    "Yes, I was picked up by the gods when I was a baby. The gods picked me up when I was a baby.

    "I see, the gods raised a human child.

    Convinced to be convinced, the old woman opens her mouth and smiles. Some teeth had fallen out.

    So the son of a man raised by the gods saved the best kangaroo boy in Barca.

    "Yes, this guy saved my life. This man saved my life.

    Zinga explains the situation.

    Hmmm, and the old woman nods.

    I see. I see." "Such a thing. So this boy will not only save you but also bring wealth to the village of Barka.

    She must be referring to Belsel Bull, whom she had just defeated. She calls the village lad and orders him to retrieve the body of Belsel Bull.

    When she finishes her instructions, she looks at me again and bows her head.

    This is a man who is not my blood relative, but he is my grandson. I am grateful for your help in saving his life.

    In times of trouble, it''s mutual.

    "And I am grateful that you took down the big Berserk Bull. If left unchecked, it could have caused a great deal of damage to the village.

    And I can sell the pelts because I took them down without hurting them.

    Zinga making wakka with carrot and fingers. The old woman nodded and said, "Mm.

    "Demons are both a curse and a blessing for this village. You can sell their flesh and blood for a living.

    "Master Baba likes you, chief. The whole village will be at your service.

    The chief nods in agreement with Zinga''s words.

    "Of course. It would be a shame for the spirits of our ancestors if we returned a benefactor to our village without treating him well.

    Not wanting to feel cramped in the afterlife, the village chief announces a drinking party.

    "Treat them with the power to empty the brewery!

    The remaining women in the village smiled.

    "Baba''s forgiveness is granted!

    Now the meat of Berserker Bull is coming. I''m not going to spare you!

    "If people think that Barca Village is a stingy village, it will be a shame for generations to come!

    Young girls below, old men about the size of village chiefs above, and women of all ages raising their fists in the air. They seem to be as hospitable as they can be.

    Thank goodness. We sit down to repay their spirit.

    The choice seems to have been right, and the delicious smell is wafting in a moment.

    The smell of burning thick bacon tickles my nostrils.

 90 Lets Parry

    The specialty of Barca village is thick slices of bacon.

    Surrounded by dense forests and unsuitable for farming, a meat-eating culture inevitably grew up in the village. In this village, they hardly grow vegetables and get most of the essential nutrients from meat.

    I heard that if you don''t eat vegetables, you will get the Kuru disease?

    Lunamar¨ªa asks a simple and naive question, but Zinga replies, "I don''t know about that". He doesn''t like vegetables and doesn''t eat them.

    I''ll answer for him.

    "Of course the snow people in the far north can''t eat vegetables. Normally people get sick if they can''t get their vitamins, but these snow people get their vitamins from eating certain things.

    "A thing?

    "Animal entrails.

    and pointed to the liver of the berserker bull that Zinga gave me earlier.

    Well.

    Surprised Luna Maria.

    "Actually, animal entrails are full of vitamins. So the snow people get their vitamins by eating the entrails of seals and sea monsters.

    But there are some nutrients that you can''t take.

    Of course. But it''s a mystery to people that if that''s all they eat, strange bacteria can grow in their intestines, and they can also get the nutrients they need by encouraging fermentation.

    No way. You must be very knowledgeable, Mr. Will.

    "My dad taught me how to do it,

    And then she and I looked at Zynga, but his tummy was flabby. I wondered if there was some kind of fungus growing there.

    Perhaps because of this curious look, Zinga said, "My a**h*le is itching," and he stood up from his spot.

    He said he''s unavailable, so he''s going to help me carry the Berserker Bull with the village lads.

    I will try to help, but the chief stops me.

    "The village of Barca suffers from having a guest carry its goods.

    Once I was told that, I couldn''t force myself to do so.

    So I decided to have tea with Baba, the village chief, on the porch.

    I had a cup of Balka''s famous herbal tea and jerky as a snack.

    It was amazing that an old man like Baba could eat the hard jerky.

    Baba showed me his proud teeth, saying, "Woo-hoo-hoo, in this village, the first to die is the one with no teeth. Some teeth are missing, but I am relieved to see that I will still be able to live a healthy life.

    As I was reaffirming that teeth are the key to health, Master Baba suddenly spoke to me.

    Thank you for saving Jinga.

    "It''s what I deserve,

    He''s a noisy man. And he''s a do-gooder.

    "...... haha

    Chuckling because he couldn''t agree, Master Baba became serious.

    He lost his father before he was born. His father died before he was born and his mother raised him alone.

    "............

    It is difficult for a widow to raise a child by herself in the world below, but not so in Barka village. Every child in the village is a family, and when Zinga''s mother, Shizuku, was out hunting, the villagers raised Zinga.

    Your mother was a hunter, too.

    In this village, women can also use bows.

    Does that mean Master Baba is good with a bow?

    "Shizuku was better with the bow than anyone else, and better than anyone else at reading the minds of animals. And he had magical powers.

    "Is it a magical power?

    Yes. Shizuku saw what most people don''t see.

    Is it like a ghost or something?

    It might be close. It''s the Gate of the Otherworld that I saw Shizuku at.

    "Gates of the Otherworld: ......

    Yes, there is a gate to the other world in this forest. If you wander into it, you''ll never come back.

    Master Baba''s face becomes mysterious.

    There is a place in this forest where the gates of the other world are easily opened. No one from the village comes near it, but on rare occasions, a traveler wanders in and disappears straight into the other world.

    "Such a terrible place,

    It''s there. Shortly after you defeated Berserk Bull.

    "...... no way

    Very perceptive boy. That''s right, Zinga must have gone looking for the gate and ran into Berserker Bull.

    It''s a dangerous place, isn''t it?

    "Yes. Even the bravest man can''t come back through the gates of the other world.

    "How did Ms. Zinga get there?

    "He claims it''s a great hunting ground,

    You mean, Master Baba has a different opinion.

    Hmmm, yes. Perhaps, or perhaps not, Zinga is looking for the gates of the other world. To save her mother.

    "Save the mother ......?¡¡No way, Shizuku is at the gates of the other world?

    That''s right.

    "But Shizuku-san saw the gates of the other world, right?¡¡Then you could have avoided the gate?

    Well, if you''re a regular shizuku, you could have. No, he would have. But then Shizuku was in a hurry. Because his only son, whom he loved, was very ill.

    Zynga''s .......

    "The young Zinga was suffering from a high fever. A deadly disease called green fever. A disease that even the village apothecary could not help.

    "Green fever: ......

    A man with green fever dies within a week. Their brains and organs will boil over. To cure green fever, I needed a secret potion infused with unicorn horn.

    The place where the otherworldly gate appears is the perfect hunting ground - you went to hunt the unicorns that live there.

    "Nice deduction skills.

    Lord Baba''s eyes widened in surprise as they tended to be glazed over.

    "As expected of a man raised by the gods.

    "It''s not that big of a deal. One of my fathers is very good at this kind of thing.

    A sorcerer named Vandal is very fond of this kind of reasoning. Ronin sometimes rolls his eyes because he can deduce the truth from minuscule information.

    As his son, I was also trying to develop my antenna for information on a daily basis so that I could make use of it.

    As you may have guessed, Zinga''s mother went deep into the forest in search of the unicorn''s horn to cure her son''s illness. Shizuku would have been able to avoid the gates of the other world with ease, but she was in a hurry. His son''s life, and a time limit. Shizuku has crossed a line that should not be crossed.

    "You''ve driven the unicorn deep into the gates, haven''t you?

    "Hmm. Perhaps--

    But why did Zinga-san survive when Shizuku-san was trapped in the other world?

    That''s the irony of life. As soon as Shizuku left the village, a traveling priest appeared and magically cured Zinga of his illness.

    "Such a coincidence.

    No, the irony of fate. A mother enters the forest in a desperate attempt to save her beloved son. As if to switch with her, a saint comes to the village.

    Even Baba says regretfully.

    As a result, Jinga was saved, but Shizuku never returned to the village. Perhaps he''s still wandering the other world.

    Zinga was in that place to find her mother, who was trapped in the other world at an early age to save her.

    Yes. . but he doesn''t say it.

    "Can you rescue your mother from the other world?

    He looked hard at it. The fact that he started looking for the gates of the other world tells me that he found some way to do it.

    "I see, it''s not an inaction.

    "You''d be surprised. . a man who seems to have a head on his shoulders and no plan.

    No comment on that one.

    As I try to be blunt, I hear Lunamaria''s voice calling me from afar.

    The women of the village want me to taste their food.

    Many of the dishes in Barca Village have strong flavors, and they are worried that the guests will not like them.

    I don''t have to worry about it, as I can eat Mother Milia''s food, but I had no reason to refuse, so I went to the kitchen.

    But as we were leaving, Baba talked to me.

    "That girl over there looks like a priestess of the Mother Goddess of Earth.

    Good eye. She is a priestess of the Earth Mother Goddess.

    I knew it. But a coincidence is inevitable. It was a priestess who saved young Jinga. She was a priestess who stopped by on her way to train and saved Jinga.

    That means that Zinga was saved twice by the Mother of Earth, and she never would have met him if Lunamaria hadn''t told him to cut through this forest. I never would have met her if she hadn''t said she was going to plow through this forest.

    I know. He must be loved by the Mother of Earth.

    Then Baba said a prayer. The forest people seem to worship the Mother God.

    Later, he asked me to pray to Lunamaria at the village altar.

    I don''t think Lunamaria would refuse, so I promise to tell her, but then I ask her something that has occurred to me.

    You know, that priest who saved your village, what''s his name?

    I don''t need to ask, but I was curious. Master Baba was happy to tell me.

    The man''s name was Master Flora. She was a very compassionate and beautiful girl.

    He speaks the priest''s name nostalgically.

    When I heard the name, I mumbled, "Master Flora ......." It was a name that I had heard somewhere before.

    It''s because I think I''ve heard that name before. It seems like I''ve heard it just recently.

    The shield in my left hand chuckles as I think about it.

    "Did you know that, Will?¡¡The first phenomenon of aging is the inability to remember proper nouns.

    I''m only fifteen years old, I''d like to argue, but I can''t remember, so I can''t make a strong case.

    I''m a little nervous, but the holy shield says carefree.

    It''s no big deal that you can''t remember. Let''s get the Luna Maria out of here. When the men come back, let''s parley!¡¡It is.

    Tension Max''s Holy Shield . Being inorganic, she is not supposed to be able to eat food or drink. When I gave her that look, she said with a proud face.

    "Feasts are fun, even for inorganic objects. People''s smiles are the best treat.

    Well, that''s a pretty good idea. It''s something to learn from.

    While I was admiring these inorganic shields, the village entrance became noisy.

    It seems that the men of the village have returned.

    As if on cue, the party begins.

 91 family memory

    The men of Barca have retrieved the ingredients for the Berser Bull and when they return to the village, the women arrive with platters and bottles of wine.

    In the center of the village, the tables are crammed with food on stumps.

    The speciality of Barca Village is bacon.

    Bacon and eggs, bacon soup, thick slices of bacon steak, and side dishes such as mushrooms.

    There are also side dishes such as mushrooms.

    The meat is the main ingredient of the dish, but it is surprisingly light, which is probably due to the high quality of the bacon in this village. The fat is sweet and tasty.

    I''m afraid I''m going to get fat.

    And there are no signs of obesity, says Luna Maria, but it seems that only meat is hard for women. You look like you''re half full when you''re half me.

    As a priestess of the Earth Mother Goddess, she also wants to eat vegetables, but she is troubled by the fact that it is not customary to eat vegetables in this village. So she declares that she is going to pick wildflowers by herself and gets up from her seat.

    At the sight of her, the shield in her left hand said, "Charnes!¡¡We''ll go together and do naughty things in the dark! And intrigue me, but I''m not stupid enough to fall for such a move.

    And since I was the guest of honor at this party, I couldn''t leave easily.

    Master Baba and the village elders offered me a drink, but I couldn''t get it up.

    I sipped my wine cup as I stared at the back of Lunamaria.

    Seeing this, Zinga says.

    Well, Will can drink more than you think. It''s not always what it seems.

    "My father and mother are heavy drinkers,

    Vandal drinking sake, reminds me of Miria''s wine.

    I''m joking, but I actually add water before the sake is poured. I dilute it three times before drinking it.

    That''s smart. People in our village are drunkards. If we listen to them, we''ll surely get drunker.

    "Actually, I''m at my limit,

    Zinga laughed when I told him honestly and told the elders.

    "He just came of age not long ago. Stand back.

    The elders agreed.

    Thanking Zinga''s consideration, they exchanged pleasantries for a while before he patted them on the back.

    "Well, now you owe the hero a debt of gratitude. So next time, will you do me a favor?

    Whatever.

    Zinga grinned back.

    "Good word. Then you''re going to go over to the little girl and seduce her. Festival nights are the nights when women are more vulnerable and easier to seduce.

    "It''s the same way of thinking as ...... holy shields.

    It''s lightly disconcerting, but once a man''s worthiness to leave a woman alone is called into question, he has no choice but to comply.

    I could use some wildflowers too.

    The bacon was great, but as expected, I wanted something green. With that excuse to myself, I headed into the darkness where Lunamaria had disappeared.

    I walked through the noisy circle of villagers.

    The light from the campfire dimmed and behind it I saw Lunamaria.

    She was standing there with an indescribable expression on her face.

    Seeing Luna Maria, Aegis the Holy Shield says vulgarly.

    "You have a mysterious look on your face. I wonder if you''ve caught a glimpse of a mating scene between a young man and woman, as is often the case at festivals.

    "......

    I gave him a reproachful look and Aegis faked that he was just kidding.

    I ignore Aegis and quietly cuddle up next to Luna Maria. She notices me right away.

    "Dear ...... Will,

    Muttering to himself, Luna Maria. His words and expression were filled with melancholy.

    What''s wrong with you?¡¡I guess it would be more attractive to women if I could casually ask, "What do you want to do with me?

    After mumbling something like "uh, ......" or "uh, ......" or some other inexplicable phrase, I would just ask her straight away, "...... what''s going on?

    ...... Luna Maria, what''s going on?

    If Dad Ronin were here, he would say, "Kaa!¡¡It''s too direct! But fortunately, there was no one here but me and Lunamaria.

    "............

    "............

    For a moment of silence, a "giggle" escapes from the corner of Lunamaria''s mouth.

    What''s so funny?¡¡I''ll ask.

    Lunamar¨ªa answered in a pretty voice: "Because Master Will''s atmosphere is so serious.

    "Because Master Will is in a very serious mood.

    I heard that he looked as if he was going to face the demon king to save the world.

    I didn''t know if she had such a mysterious expression on her face.

    If I had a mirror, I''d like to see it, but I don''t have one, so I give up and ask Lunamaria.

    "I seemed to have a strange expression on my face, and so did Lunamaria. Is something wrong?

    I guess it was a surprise, she asked, "Me too? I was surprised.

    ''Yeah, he looked serious and listened.

    It''s nothing.

    And that was that. I look in the direction she was facing, but there''s nothing there. But I knew she had a very good ear.

    To see and hear the same sights as she does.

    I strengthen my hearing with magic.

    Then from behind the bushes I hear a child''s laughter.

    "Mom, festivals are fun. I wish every day was a festival.

    It was probably the child''s mother who responded to such an innocent line with the word "yes".

    A child''s smile is the most precious thing to a parent. You can hear the affection in her voice.

    Well. When Mr. Will comes back, we can have a celebration.

    Hey, I''ll ask my brother Will to come by the village again later. I''m going to learn swordsmanship when I come back. I want to be the hunter who can kill Berserker Bull.

    "Hmmm, I''ll have to get stronger for that. Mile has a weak body and needs to work out.

    "How do I get stronger?

    ." "Yes. . or drink ginger juice every day, which Miles hates.

    "Yeah, that''s too soon.

    That doesn''t make you strong.

    Boo.

    It was a conversation between mothers and children everywhere.

    I said similar lines to Mom Milia when I was a child. It was on the day of my birthday party, and she baked a birthday cake for me with an untrained hand. It was so good that I said "I wish every day was my birthday".

    My mother took my words seriously and said, "Every day is my birthday! And I really remember that he baked me a birthday cake every day. After the first week, I got tired of it and said that we would only have one birthday a year. --But I remember how happy I was to see you, and I remember feeling a warm feeling in my chest.

    Listening to the conversation between mother and child from behind the trees, I was filled with nostalgic feelings. I''m sure Luna Maria feels the same way. I''m sure Luna Maria feels the same way.

    (...... I remember that Lunamaria lost her parents when she was a child)

    I had heard that story when I first met Luna Maria. She told me that her parents had died of an epidemic when she was very young. It was before she could remember and she barely remembered her mother. So, what she feels now may not be nostalgia but curiosity. She may have been paying attention to the casual conversation between mother and child.

    When I point this out, Luna Maria looks surprised.

    I didn''t think so ......," she exclaims, but she seems to have quickly found her way back to her feelings.

    I guess so. Yes," he continues, "I guess so.

    I grew up without knowing my mother. My parents died when I was young and I was taken in by the temple. I wanted to be pampered and they were gone, so it''s a little strange to see a normal mother and child.

    "...... I see.

    Don''t look so serious. --Will, you have a hard life.

    "Yes, it''s true. . well, that''s what life is like when you''re a baby and they put you in a boat and float you down the river.

    Yes,

    "But luckily the gods found me. They gave me more love and affection than my own family. I feel lucky.

    Yes. But then, my parents were not to be outdone. I was raised by the High Priestess of Earth Mother and she was a strict but loving person. I''m happy enough.

    Yeah. It takes a lot of love to raise a girl as sweet as Luna Maria.

    Yes. Every morning we would get up before the sun rose, bathe in freezing cold water, go to the villages at the foot of the mountain to beg for alms, practice sword and sacred magic at noon, then prepare dinner, study by moonlight, and only once a year would the very kind high priest praise us, saying, ''You have done well, Luna Maria.

    Smiling Luna Maria .

    "............

    Lunamaria''s harsh environment was appalling, but what was even more surprising was that Lunamaria really recognized the high priest as a kind man.

    When I was injured in practice and broke a bone, the high priest exempted me from being hit by a waterfall the next day.

    And

    The high priest would only give us one more charcoal briquette in the middle of winter.

    And

    He presented a lot of stories that were not very kind.

    The only thing is that to Luna Maria, the high priest is a strict but kind person.

    She is the opposite of the doting mother, but if everyone in the world is like her, that''s not good enough.

    I felt this way, but I did not say it.

    It was obvious that today''s Luna Maria was interested in the "gentle mother".

    Lunamar¨ªa listens in silence to the conversation between mother and child in Barca Village.

    Now, I didn''t have the right words to say to her here and now, and I listened to the conversation as she did, and stayed there until the mother and child walked away.

    I missed my mother and child as well as her close family members. --The same way, I listened to the conversation between mother and child, until they walked away.

 92 a gate of a foreign world

    The mother and child, who were happily talking, leave, and we return to our seats at the banquet.

    A man in the village claps me on the back, but I don''t mind and accept his hospitality.

    For the next few hours, the men in the village drank heavily with me as a snack.

    As night falls, the crowd gradually dwindles.

    The least drunk people seem to be returning home.

    There may be no more hunting tomorrow.

    But everyone who went home in a tipsy mood seemed to be happy.

    As they remained at the banquet with these thoughts until the end, the village headman announced that the party was over.

    Will is on his journey back home. Tomorrow you will have a good rest, but the day after tomorrow I will have you depart.

    And he took care of me.

    I went to the chief''s house to find clean sheets and a fluffy futon at the ready.

    Tired from the long trip and the revelry, Lunamar¨ªa and I fell asleep and continued to sleep until nearly noon the next day. It was unusual for me, but even Lunamaria, who was regular as a chicken, overslept. She lamented that she was late in her morning prayers, saying she felt sorry for not being able to apologize to the Mother of Earth, but I thought it was good to be a human being who overslept once in a while.

    Then I spent the rest of the day doing nothing.

    I hadn''t had time to relax since I left the city of Northwoods, so it was a very comfortable time. Life is not so bad after all. We spent the whole day resting and recharging our batteries, and the next day we thanked the village chief.

    Thank you for the great entertainment and for the warm bed.

    What do you mean. You saved my zinga. Of course.

    That''s right. I owe my life to Baba, who saved my life.

    Bullshit Zinga. Master Baba was not dumbfounded and said, "Well, that''s about it. Farewell. See you in the not-too-distant future.

    We''ll see each other again in the not-so-distant future. I''ll come back when I''m in the neighborhood.

    Hurry or Master Baba will be in the grave. I''m too old for that.

    Zinga was rude, but Master Baba laughed and said, "Well, you have a point. I shook Zinga''s hand and said, "Again," and he shook it firmly. Zinga''s handshake was also strong.

    We are then seen off to the edge of the village and resume our journey.

    The villagers offer to take us to the edge of the forest, but as expected, we decline their offer. I thought I could handle it myself if I asked for directions.

    In fact, the path to the Mountain of the Gods was a complicated one, but it was not difficult. If you took the proper route, you could head for the exit. But it would still take two whole days for a layman''s foot.

    We walked in the order the villagers told us to follow so that we wouldn''t get lost. We continue walking, chatting casually with each other.

    It''s a pretty rough road.

    "You can see why there are more women and children with strong legs in Barca Village.

    "Yes.

    It is a pleasant forest by the way, and Lunamaria basks in the sunshine with her whole body. Her figure is as beautiful as a dryad tree fairy. I stare at her as I walk along, as if I were entranced.

    Then the landscape, which has been the same until now, changes. The dense woods have been replaced by a sunlit one. You were getting closer to the edge of the forest.

    After all, the woods are the woodsmen. If you take shortcuts, you''ll get lost. Haste makes perfect timing.

    Yeah. If we keep going, we''re going to reach the foot of Table Mountain.

    Letting out a sigh of relief, the sun goes down.

    As the sun is setting, a distant sound of explosions can be heard.

    We looked in the direction we heard it, but smoke was rising from deep in the forest.

    ...... That''s the village of Barka. I wonder what''s going on there.

    The explosion was away from the village. It was an explosion, so it is likely that the gunpowder for the arrow exploded.

    "That''s a lot of Lunamaria.

    When I admire her hearing and reasoning, I show off my powers of observation.

    "It seems that Jinga was the only person in that village who used explosive arrows. It''s a tradition that hates the use of things that are contrary to nature.

    Then by process of elimination, Mr. Zinga is fighting.

    If you''re just hunting, fine, but probably not . Mr. Zinga is a professional, so he''s not quick to use explosive arrows that hurt his hunted prey.

    So you''re in a situation where you''re going to have to use explosive arrows.

    Your answer. Now, let''s go back the way we came.

    "I don''t want to say that we are so close to the exit. There''s no way Mr. Will would leave his friend in danger.

    And Lunamaria smiles. It''s true, so I return the kibisu without excuse.

    It took me two whole days to get here, but it won''t take long to get back. Just go straight ahead and don''t expect to get lost. Besides, the occasional explosion that you hear will help guide you.

    With her good hearing, Lunamaria knew exactly where the blasts were coming from. Occasionally she would stop to listen, but she was able to return to Zinga without hesitation.

    A few miles back through the forest, I find Zinga drawing his bow and confronting Berser Bull.

    His first words are, "You''re going to wonder if it''s Belsel Bull again.

    I''m more concerned about ''here'' again. Mr. Zinga, can''t you give up on your mother yet? After all the danger you''ve put her in?

    I''m not that old to miss my mother that much.

    Then why are you here?¡¡I''m looking for the gates of the other world.

    "No. I''m looking for a unicorn horn. I need to cool my fever.

    Don''t tell me you''ve gotten sick again?

    "Unfortunately, I''m not such a sickly character. I''ll admit that I''m a beautiful, unhappy young man with a thin line.

    "............

    "Don''t look at me like I don''t know where to start. I''m looking for a unicorn horn for a mile.

    "Miles?

    Village boy. Mile''s got green fever.

    "What?

    "You''ll need a unicorn horn to save a mile. That''s why I came to get it.

    "Okay. I''ll help you.

    Two words.

    "Of course.

    If you get caught at the gates of the other world, even you wouldn''t come back.

    "I''m aware of that.

    "You''re still a man full of justice, man. Okay. There''s no point in stalling him, so I''ll ask you. Please, I beg you to join me in capturing the unicorn.

    Yes, sir. In the meantime, I''ll take care of that berserk bull.

    "Hey, hey, don''t say that lightly, like you''re smashing a cockroach in the kitchen.

    "Cockroaches are more troublesome. They''re quicker.

    Then I let the fire burn in my hands.

    "The Berserker Bull from the other day was so huge. He was powerful, like a monster with two names. But this one is not. This one was just an ordinary one.

    That means you are not my enemy, who learned magic from the god of magic.

    Scornfully declaring it in your heart, you unleash the magic you''ve collected in your hands.

    It''s a composite spell made up of "flame storm" and "flame storm". It''s called Hellfire.

    This spell, as the name implies, reproduces the flames of the Abyss on earth. It brings super-hot flames into this world, but the one I use is different from ordinary flames. The flames are small.

    This was done to keep the forest from spreading.

    It was designed to keep the beautiful trees on Table Mountain from being damaged, but that doesn''t make it any less powerful.

    No, in fact, my Hellfire was much hotter than normal.

    It''s so powerful that even Vandal''s father would be stunned.

    Even the witchcraft god would be amazed to see it strike Berserker Bull!

    The bull demon bursts into flames.

    In no time at all, the meat is seared and the air is filled with the aroma of deliciousness.

    As Zinga watches, he whistles in praise of me.

    You''re a great swordsman, but you''re also a skilled mage.

    But you''re no match for Zinga''s archery skills.

    Yeah. If I''m losing my bow skills, I''m out of a job, and I''m out of a job.

    With that statement, Zinga quickly pulls out an arrow from the quiver on his back and fires a rapid shot.

    The arrow shoots out and hits the second bersel bull between the eyes as it comes out of the trees.

    As expected, Zinga is a first-rate hunter. It seems he has killed many berserk bulls with his bow.

    --But deep in the woods I can hear the roar of the excited beasts. Apparently, there are still a number of them. It''s not enough.

    Is this forest a berserk bull''s paradise?

    Once every 20 years.

    "I mean?

    The last time they reproduced, I had green fever. That means when there''s an outbreak of green fever in this forest, they''ll be plentiful.

    Will Berserker Bull carry the germs?

    Look, I don''t know what the cause and effect is, but I can tell you that 20 years ago, my mother was hunting unicorns while knocking down Belser Bull. What I can tell you is that 20 years ago, my mother knocked down Belsel Bull and went deep into the woods to hunt for unicorns.

    Does that mean I have to recreate it?

    "I know. Are you scared?¡¡You''re not involved, no one will complain if you run away.

    "No way . I had to thank you for the banquet. Mile''s mother cooked up a nice thick slice of bacon for us. I owe you a meal.

    I replied and threw a fireball spell at a third berserk bull that emerged from the trees. The bull''s bristles burst into flames.

    Zinga''s lips quirked up at the sight of it.

    This is what the gods have raised. I''m lucky to meet a man like this for the first time in 20 years.

 93 into another world

    The bristles of Berserker Bull flare up.

    As we watched, we returned the bellows.

    "Will could easily take down a monster like that.

    It''s Zinga who asks the question, but I respond calmly.

    "A man of that size. But there''s an unsettled air coming from deep in the forest.

    Nodding seriously, Lunamaria nods.

    "There''s a very large object approaching from deep in the woods. Tear down the trees and take the shortest possible distance.

    "Lunamaria''s hearing is accurate.

    Does that mean that the one you just beat is still in the depths of the forest?

    It could be bigger than the last one.

    Lunamar¨ªa nodded seriously.

    "Then it''s a getaway move. It''s a way out.

    Avoid battles that can be avoided. We don''t have the sensibility that the only way to be an adventurer is to fight powerful demons, so we run off without hesitation.

    But the unicorn is deep in the forest where they come from.

    "Then when the giant species arrives here, we will take advantage of the gap and head deeper into the forest to switch places.

    That''s an odd move. But if you go any further, you might get pulled into the gates of the other world.

    "Can you tell that line to Mile''s mother, Mr. Zinga?

    "...... was a silly question. That was a stupid question. You''ve come this far and there''s nothing to be afraid of anymore.

    That''s true. The only thing to fear is your inner cowardice.

    Lunamaria says without fear.

    The gate of the other world that appears deep in this forest is said to be invisible to ordinary humans. It is said that no brave man would be able to return if taken in by it, but that was no reason to run back.

    Lunamaria says.

    "By offering my sight to God, I have been able to hear his voice. And the power of holiness dwells in his body.

    So you can detect the gates of the other world?

    "To some extent it is ......

    Nodding. He says he learned it from the High Priestess of the Earth Mother. There''s a gate to the other world and a way to detect it. It seems that she, who dedicated her light, is able to detect such supernatural things.

    Then we''ll advance with Luna Maria at the head. Now, when Belsel Bull appears from deep in the woods, we''ll run in as one.

    "Yes!

    "Oh!

    They responded without hesitation, so I unleashed my thunderbolt spell and defeated the Bersel Bull. At the same time, a giant berserk bull rushed into the area we were in, knocking down trees.

    We traded places and entered the forest.

    It seems that the big nose and ears of the berserker bull sniffed out our presence right away. He''s quick to turn and follow us.

    "You''re obsessed with us.

    You must have hunted quite a few of them, they must hate you.

    But Berser Bull grabbed his companion in front of him and bit him on the head. Fresh blood leaked out and drenched the trees.

    You''re not fighting back, you''re just hungry.

    It seems so. A boy raised by the gods and an unblemished priestess. It sure smells good, doesn''t it?

    When Zinga insists, he spins his upper body around and pulls out an explosive arrow from his back.

    You''ll be able to hit the big one in the face. The accuracy was superb. It was non-lethal, but it was enough to frighten the enemy.

    I would have liked to close the distance between them, but it''s not easy. This was no ordinary forest.

    "Sir Will, you are in danger. There''s an air different from this world.

    I have full faith in Luna Maria and I will take her at her word. I will avoid that path. Then a small Berserker bull that was about to be flanked by two dimensions swallows the space between dimensions and disappears.

    "...... Is that the Gate of the Otherworld?

    Yes,

    Lunamaria nods.

    ''It won''t be easy to come back to this world if it gets you.

    We have to be careful.

    And then Lunamaria tells us that there is a further gate ahead.

    We avoid that path, and the larger species avoid it.

    "Will it be possible that it can hear our conversation?

    "I think they hear but do not understand. I think the larger species have an instinct to avoid them.

    Zinga agrees.

    I agree with Will. I was going to invite him to the gates of the other world and ask him to leave this world, but I don''t think our dealers would be so willing.

    "That''s . It''s impossible to find a unicorn on the run.

    It is said that the unicorn is a phantom creature that hates noise, or even the sound of its clothes being rubbed against it. It seems impossible to capture a unicorn in this situation.

    --And we can''t keep running forever. We''re only slightly faster, but Bershel Bull has nearly infinite physical strength. At this rate, we''ll be supplemented at some point.

    We''ve got to change this.

    So I ask Lunamaria.

    "Lunamaria, your hearing is as keen as an owl''s.

    Thank you . This is also the grace of God.

    "I would like to rely on the grace of that god. Is there no gate of the other world near here?

    Lunamar¨ªa closed her eyes and cupped her hands to her ears. It was as if her whole being was focused on her hearing. A dozen seconds later, you get an answer.

    There is. There''s a cliff at the end of it, and a gaping gate at the bottom of it.

    I couldn''t help but let out a smile when I heard that.

    Because there was a gate in the best place.

    It''s perfect. This is all thanks to the prayers that Luna Maria says to the Mother of Earth every morning.

    You''ve come up with a good plan, haven''t you?

    Sort of.

    I say that and point to a large beehive hanging from a tree branch in front of me. It''s a beehive as big as an anthill.

    That''s a killer beehive. A very ferocious bee.

    I know. But the honey that can be collected from that hive is exquisite.

    "I know. Lunamaria often accompanies my tea. By the way, do you have any Killer Bee honey on hand?

    Nodding at Luna Maria. I borrow a jar of honey from her and lick it with my index finger.

    "Yes, it tastes good. Now, I''m going to throw this in Bersel Bull''s face, okay?

    It is against the teachings of Mother Earth to waste food, but Master Will would not waste food for no reason.

    "Of course.

    and I aim the jar of honey at Bercel Bull''s face and throw the jar. The viscous amber liquid spreads across Berseru Bull''s face.

    You blinded him with honey, Master Will.

    "As expected, Will is early.

    It is true that Berserker Bull is blinded by honey, but it is only for a few seconds. Wipe with your arm and immediately regain your vision. It won''t slow you down. Lunamaria and Zinga seemed to think so, but this is where I come in.

    I remember the words of the Vandal, the god of magic.

    "Listen, Will. You are the strongest man here in the Table Mountain.

    Thank you. It''s all thanks to my mom and dad''s training.

    Hmm. But the strongest one is ''human''.

    "Yeah. We''re not very good at our fathers.

    Oh, we''re still gods. Ronin, the god of the sword, taught you the best swordsmanship. But in swordsmanship you''ll be no match for Ronin. You''re no match for Myrian in the art of healing.

    "Not even witchcraft can beat Father Vandal.

    But you know what you''re missing. But you know that you are lacking. You are humbly aware that you are lacking in ability. You have reached the state of knowledge of ignorance.

    "Knowledge of ignorance?

    That''s right. The knowledge of ignorance is the humble admission of what one does not know and the willingness to make up for what one lacks. Few people can have this spirit. People are easily conceited.

    "You''re going to train yourself to death. You''ll have to be diligent.

    Yes, but you have a weapon that we do not have. But although you have no power, you have a weapon that we do not have.

    "Weapons?

    "Yes. The weapon is the Almighty.

    "Almighty?¡¡That''s a bit of an exaggeration. ......

    "It''s an exaggeration. If you don''t like it, you can call it versatility. No matter how much knowledge or skill you have, there are many things you can''t use. But you''re not. You have the wisdom to use your knowledge and skills.

    "I don''t know. I don''t think I can hold a candle to my dad Vandal.

    I can think on the table, but I''m not good at fighting and thinking. I''m not naturally athletic. Ronin, on the other hand, is quite good at fighting and thinking. And he has a pretty good grasp of the art of war.

    "What about Mother Militia?

    "He doesn''t think about anything.

    I couldn''t help but chuckle at the time.

    But your intuition is quite good. I often choose the best solution without thinking.

    That''s right. When Mother Militia lost her salt and sugar jars, she would take the correct one about ninety-nine percent of the time. She also had a special skill that allowed her to pick the right path and get back on track when she got lost (although if that one percent failed, she''d be cooked in a witch''s cauldron).

    Father Vandal lets out a wry smile as he sees me contemplating Mother Militia''s traits.

    Thus we gods have the strongest abilities, but we each have our weaknesses. But you don''t have one. Will, you have knowledge that rivals mine and yet you have unparalleled athleticism. I can move around with agility and versatility.

    My dad Ronin trained me since I was a kid.

    "Moreover, you have the instincts of a Miria. You unconsciously judge the best move. You have the ability to use what is in the place (the field) to defeat something stronger than you, a kind of giant killing.

    Squinting Vandal. It was as if he was truly pleased with my growth.

    I dwelled on the past for a moment, but I wasn''t old enough to dwell on the past.

    Besides, now I had to think about the monster in front of me. Bersel Bull was not a monster to be dealt with sentimentally. It was a monster that could not be defeated unless you deal with it with all your might.

    Pulling yourself together once again, you present your inner plan to Lunamar¨ªa and Zinga.

    Luna Maria and Zinga, can you help me take him down the cliff?

    Lunamaria answers immediately.

    Of course. But the demon is smart and cunning. How do you take it off the cliff?

    It''s easy. We just have to be more cunning than he is.

    In return, I point to Berserker Bull.

    "I didn''t throw honey in his face for a beauty pack. It was to exploit the habits of certain creatures in the forest.

    At the same time as explaining this, a heavy "bang" can be heard from behind. Lunamar¨ªa, who has a good ear, immediately recognizes it.

    It''s a hum. "That''s the sound of wings. ...... Master Will uses the habits of a bee to his advantage.

    "Correct. I threw a rock at the killer bees'' nest on the way here. I even smeared some killer bee honey on his face--

    After that, Lunamaria said with a flourish.

    The angry killer bees thought Bersel Bull was the enemy and attacked him.

    That''s right.

    And the word is true. Angry bees, provoked by the hive, are swarming in the face of Bersel Bull. The killer bee is a large species, but it is not a strong fighter. But for its small size, it is a fierce fighter and will relentlessly chase after its enemies once it has identified them. It is a true killer bee.

    The killer bee was about the size of a berserk bull''s thumb, but it was able to cling to them.

    He was attacked in the nostrils and eyes, and Bersel Bull reeled.

    Zinga saw this and laughed, "That''s nice," but he thought it would be difficult to lead Belsel Bull down the cliff with just this. A quick quick shot with the bow and an attack to the eye.

    Belsel Bull goes "Whoa! She looks up as if she can''t stand it. Seeing this as an opportunity, Lunamaria collects holy magic in her right hand and goes to the front.

    She must have thought that if she could just make it stagger back a few more steps, a dozen meters, she could drop it under the cliff. He would attack at the drop of a hat. I joined the attack, but my magic struck his leg, and that was the decisive moment.

    He staggers a few steps and falls off the cliff.

    Seeing this, Lunamaria''s expression relaxes.

    "That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will. The quickness with which you used the killer bee''s nest, and the precision with which you added your magic, it was like a wise man.

    Lunamar¨ªa complimenting my virtues afterwards. The usual "Here Will" has begun. But I think it''s also proof that the battle is over. As expected of Luna Maria, she only compliments me when she has time.

    --Was I wrong to feel that way? Or have I underestimated the life force of Berserker Bull? Or maybe it was both, but I was pretty sure that everyone in the group, including me, had let their guard down.

    The roar of the monster that should have fallen off the cliff is deafening.

    I saw that Bersel Bull had not yet fallen off the cliff. Beneath it a gaping maw had not yet been captured by the gates of the other world.

    He was still in this world, holding onto the cliff.

    He had jammed his right hand through the cliff and didn''t fall.

    It was horrifying in its stubbornness, but even more horrifying was the fact that he was more interested in satisfying his vengeance than his own.

    Rather than extend his free left hand to the edge of the cliff, Berserker Bull used his free hand to destroy the cliff. He strikes the cliff with his left hand. He delivers a full blow.

    Then the cliff cracks and falls.

    It was only a moment. We were too quick to react to Berserker Bull''s unexpected action.

    Hence, Lunamar¨ªa, who was closest to the cliff, was being swallowed by the cliff.

    It was like watching slow motion.

    She didn''t seem to understand what was happening either. Just reach out and let gravity take over.

    Zinga was just stunned, but I couldn''t sit idly by and do nothing. I reached over the edge of the cliff to save Luna Maria. I was millimeters away, but I couldn''t hold her hand.

    Soon, Lunamaria is small and fading away.

    She is being sucked into the gates of the other world at the bottom of the cliff.

    When you look at her, Berserel Bull, so massive in stature and presence, has already disappeared from this world.

    It was as if he had never existed in this world at all.

    So has Lunamaria.

    The world was impossibly quiet without her.

 94 alien unicorn

    When I saw that Lunamaria had been swallowed by the gates of the other world, I didn''t hesitate to jump off the cliff. Zinga, the hunter, grabbed me by the shoulders.

    "Hey Will, you''re not going to jump into the gates of the other world too, are you?

    "Dive

    You answer immediately without any hesitation.

    "Didn''t you ask our old lady in our village? When you go in those gates you''ll never come back. My mother was the same way.

    I know. But it doesn''t matter, we have to help Luna Maria.

    He looked into my eyes and saw that it was impossible to convince me. Zinga lets out a loud sigh.

    He pauses, then pulls something out of his pocket.

    ...... What''s that?

    It''s a ''ward-breaking spell''.

    "Warding off?

    "It''s just like it says. This is a talisman that can destroy the gates of the other world.

    I didn''t know I had that stuff.

    In the village, Master Baba said, "Zinga must have found some way to get it," and I''m sure he was referring to this.

    Wasn''t it hard to get one?

    Well. I spent a lot of money to get one. They were made with ink made by decocting the germ of a virtuous monk''s Buddha.

    It sounds like a blessing.

    It''s possible. You can use it to bring you back to this world from the other world. --But it will only work from within the other world.

    So Mr. Zinga was looking for the gates of the other world.

    That''s it. I wouldn''t have made it this far without you. So you can have this one.

    "Are you sure?¡¡It''s the last thing you want to do to save your mom, right?

    Yes. But this amulet is in a lot. It''s enough to bring you, the little girl, and your mother back.

    I guess that means you can''t pick up Mr. Zinga.

    "I wouldn''t mind. If it will bring her back. And it would be easier to do something with the most powerful child of God and a saint.

    Zinga said lightly, "Take care of it for me," but I knew. I knew the frustration of not being able to save my mother by myself. The heartbreak of leaving the fate of the person you love in the hands of others. Knowing that alone, I couldn''t hesitate.

    I took the talisman from Zinga and squeezed his right hand tightly.

    "I will bring home Luna Maria and Zinga''s mother, no matter what happens.

    Zinga smiles at the determined words.

    "I believe in you,

    With those words burned into my ears, I jumped off the cliff.

    With my mouth open, I jumped into the gate of the other world where the bull and the saint were swallowed.

    Kakon......

    Kakon............

    Kakon..................

    The next thing I knew I was in a haze.

    I was in a forest surrounded by a kind of fog.

    It took me a while to realize that it was an alien world. It''s no different from an ordinary forest, except there is fog and no sun.

    ...... Is this an alien world?

    Muttering, a familiar face chuckles.

    You are correct. Mr. Will.

    I didn''t panic because I knew the person wasn''t hostile. She was the sweetest maiden in the world. It was Luna Maria.

    She was apparently kneeling with me when I passed out.

    "Luna Maria. It''s good to see you again so soon.

    "I''m ten times happier. I never thought you would follow me to a place like this.

    A smiling saint. I feel as if her smile soothes everything.

    Of course. I would go to the depths of hell to save you.

    "Then I will go to heaven (Avalon) with virtue.

    You can do it.

    I smiled, and Lunamaria smiled as well, and looked into my eyes.

    We stare at each other for a moment, but the time doesn''t last forever.

    I hear a crunching sound as I step on a fallen leaf.

    Did you notice?¡¡The "Lunamar¨ªa

    Yes, of course, it seems there''s someone else in this world besides us.

    The two of them nodded at each other.

    I hope they''re not enemies.

    "At least it doesn''t seem to be Bersel Bull,

    While such an exchange is going on, you can hear a strident female voice.

    "Oh, by the looks of it, it''s not going to develop into a tutu. There''s no entertainment in the other world, so I was going to debagame you.

    "............

    "............

    I''ve heard so much dialogue in so many places that I forgot the words for a moment, but I soon realized who the woman was.

    Make sure of it.

    "You''re Shizuku, aren''t you?

    The woman was stunned to hear those words.

    You''re right, but have I ever met you?¡¡You look like a city girl, but when you went to the city, you could have picked up a girl in reverse,

    Hmmm, says Shizuku. You look just like Zinga when you are troubled. It''s not her looks, but her gestures are the same. Shizuku''s look is more like a pretty face.

    No, she''s not. I''ve never met Shizuku. But I know your son, Zinga.

    At those words, Shizuku leans forward.

    ''Really?¡¡I mean, she''s alive, isn''t she?

    Shizuku is heartily relieved and teary-eyed. It''s true that she recognizes that Jinga is a child with green fever.

    I''ll tell you what''s happening.

    "Please don''t be surprised, Shizuku-san. Actually, nearly 20 years have passed since then.

    "Seriously, really?

    A look of astonishment appears on Shizuku''s face.

    Perhaps time seems to pass more slowly in our world. Shizuku''s youthful mother''s appearance is proof of that.

    Of course. I''m a teenager.

    I guess that''s true. Time seems to pass differently in the other world than in the other one.

    I''d like to say that this is hard to believe, but we''re in another world. Everything is so different from that world. I''ve heard that kind of lore.

    It seems that the lore was true.

    You mean, time flies when you''re here?

    Yes,

    Then we better get out of here, or that Zynga guy is going to die of old age.

    "Yes, sir. Let''s get the hell out of here.

    I reach for the "ward-busting charm" talisman in my pocket, but it stops moving.

    This is because an unfamiliar sight jumps out of the corner of my eye.

    A beautiful horse with a translucent blue animal skin crosses your path.

    It has a magnificent white horn!

    Is that a unicorn?

    Lunamaria is also surprised.

    Unicorns are a rare beast.

    But Shizuku doesn''t seem surprised.

    Oh, the unicorn. I''ve seen them here in the woods from time to time.

    Maybe the phantoms usually live in the other world and occasionally come to our world.

    "Yeah. That explains why it''s so rare. --You know, you guys look so covetous.

    Shizuku''s words take us all by surprise.

    Actually, I want that horn now.

    I''ll bring it back to the village and save a boy named Mile.

    It could save the life of a boy named Mile.

    I couldn''t let that happen.

    I turn to Luna Maria, but she smiles at me as a matter of course.

    I knew you''d say you''d hunt the unicorn. Of course, so does this Luna Maria. Together we''ll get the unicorn''s horn and save Miles from suffering from green fever.

    There was no hesitation or confusion in the answer. Watching the exchange between me and Lunamaria, Shizuku nodded.

    I saw your exchange. You''re very kind people. Mile is from Barca, right?¡¡Then I''ll help you, too.

    You can''t do that. We have people waiting for Shizuku''s return.

    You don''t become an old man by making me wait a few days. Besides, Shizuku''s name will become a synonym for shamelessness if he abandons you and goes to see his son''s face.

    Says Shizuku with serious eyes. I can''t say no to you with such a look. Besides, time doesn''t pass by in this forest. The more you argue, the more time passes in reality.

    Mile boy is suffering from a high fever at this moment. I''ve got to bring back the unicorn horn as soon as possible.

    I''ll give Shizuku the Wheel of Fortune and run.

    She asks me as she runs with me.

    "What''s this?

    "This is the ward-breaking talisman. Use it to get out of here.

    Wow, that''s nice. My son''s Mother''s Day present to you?

    Use it carefully, and hang it around your neck.

    We continue to chase the unicorn.

    The unicorn immediately senses my pursuit and increases its speed. I can''t get as far away as I''d like, but I can''t get within range of its attack.

    d*mn it. ......

    I am annoyed at my own insensitivity, but I don''t have time to have a review meeting . Stupidly chase the unicorn. On the way, Lunamaria helps us out, but it''s just a stone''s throw away.

    The unicorn had the strength of a fast horse and the agility of a goat.

    Me and Lunamaria are sweating.

    ...... This is not going to be easy to catch.

    .......

    We look at each other and laugh.

    I remember a fairy tale called "The Urashima Taro" that I found in my father''s library.

    It''s a fairy tale from a different world. The Urashima Tarou is taken to a place called the Dragon''s Palace by a rescued turtle, but time goes by differently there than on the sea. Because he stayed in the Dragon''s Palace, Urashima Tarou spent decades on earth. Of course, then all his family and relatives would be dead. .......

    The moral of this story is that the passage of time should not be underestimated.

    Urashima Taro should be a lesson to us all.

    With that thought, I sped up even faster.

    You can''t catch the unicorn, but I had already given up on catching it head-on.

    Of course, I only gave up on catching it from the "front".

    If you can''t catch it from the front, then use the rear entrance. That''s what the sorcerer Vandal had taught me.

    Drive the unicorn into a corner, and there will be a line of arrows.

    Even though we hadn''t discussed it, Shizuku had walked behind the unicorn and blocked its way out.

    She would certainly do it. That''s what he had been doing.

    Shizuku hit the unicorn''s leg with an arrow and then closed the distance.

    Lunamaria admires that sight.

    "Shizuku''s quick thinking is great, but so is Will-sama''s ability to work together without saying a word.

    "Zinga and I fought so many times beforehand. I knew that parents and children breathe alike.

    "The personality is a little bit similar. The big-heartedness.

    That''s it.

    We''re smiling that spare smile, but it immediately falls apart.

    --It''s not because Shizuku failed to capture the unicorn. She was right in front of the unicorn, which had been shot through the leg, and had managed to capture the unicorn. But at the last moment, a last-ditch effort was made to interfere.

    A monster appears out of the forest and grabs the unicorn by the neck and bites it in the head. Naturally, the unicorn dies, but the monster wasn''t satisfied with just horse meat. It stared at us with bloodshot eyes.

    Lunamaria screams the monster''s name.

    "BERSEL BULL!

    How many times have I heard the monster''s name over the last few days? It''s been a long time since I''ve heard the name, but it looks like I''ll have to settle it here.

 95 a pledge twenty years from now

    Berserker Brule appeared without a trace. He was at the height of his excitement.

    Rightfully so. My trap had pushed him off the cliff, and before I knew it, he was trapped in the woods of the other world.

    I guess they were desperate to drag my guts out.

    I saw those murderous red eyes, but I wasn''t afraid.

    Rather, I calmly think about the aftermath.

    (...... The whole unicorn''s horn was eaten. (But a unicorn horn should be hard to digest.)

    This reminds me of the description in the biology book in the God of Magic''s study.

    --So now there''s still a chance that I can retrieve the horns if I cut open Bersel Bull''s belly.

    Once again, seeing the ferocious face of Bersel Bull, I focus my attention on the dagger at my hip.

    (With the flashes of sword I learned from Ronin, it would be easy to slit his belly open.

    But I can''t use the sword flash now. The dagger was about to be completely destroyed.

    And then magic?

    No, it won''t work either. Sure, you can do some magic damage, but you can''t give him a blow that will put him out. Our first priority is the unicorn''s horn.

    ...... cumbersome.

    This is an opponent that you can''t lose in a normal fight, but when the conditions for victory are narrowed down, it becomes tricky.

    It reminds me of the anomalous chess game I used to play with my father Vandal.

    Anomalous chess is a chess game in which the conditions for victory change. There are many variations, such as severe time limits, having to take the king and queen, fewer pieces, and so on. I did this as part of the training to be able to think as flexible as a reed, rather than as hard as an oak tree, in order to be able to cope with various situations.

    I guess the common denominator is that the time limit is very strict.

    The situation right now is the same as a fast one, pointing at a move within three seconds. If we don''t kill Berserk Bull soon, we''ll never be able to save the boy Mile.

    With that thought, I draw the dagger from my waist.

    At that sight, Lunamaria''s blood changes. She''s smart enough to know what I was going to do.

    "Master Will, don''t. That dagger won''t hold up to a flash of lightning.

    "Yeah. . might be irreparably broken.

    The dagger is a memento that Master Ronin gave me. It is a holy dagger that has helped many things.

    That''s why. If this dagger has saved 100 people and animals, then this dagger should have saved the 101st. Yes, this dagger is filled with memories, but it cannot be compared to human life.

    ...... Mr. Will.

    Lunamaria blurts out, and before she knows it, Shizuku, who had come to her side, plops his hand on her shoulder.

    Lunamaria. There''s nothing you can say. My husband was the same. When a man has these eyes, a woman can''t stop him.

    ...... Mr. Shizuku.

    The only thing we women can do is to help a man achieve his ambition. The only thing we can do is to help him achieve his true intentions.

    With a wry smile, Shizuku pulled out an arrow from his back quiver and fired two arrows at once. He writhes in agony as the arrows pierce deep into the berserk bull.

    Lunamaria nodded silently, chanted sacred magic, and began to check him with a holy blow.

    I was most grateful for the support of Barca''s best archer and this country''s greatest saint.

    They gave me more room to maneuver.

    Only, Shizuku was about to get a good shot at Berserel Bull when she stuck out to leave a big gap.

    His huge arm rushes right past her.

    Part of her clothing comes off--no, it was a blow that blew off, but she doesn''t seem to have taken the hit.

    ......

    and then, "There is no service time! and stabbed an arrow directly into his arm.

    Lunamaria follows suit and unleashes her sacred magic.

    Bersel Bull''s face contorts in pain.

    They will ensure that I cannot fire a second shot, and they will support me when I cannot.

    If I have their "cooperation," I''ll take a shot.

    With that thought in mind, I believe in them and put my strength into my sword.

    A sword technique called kensen that only a master swordsman can unleash. The slashing nature of the swordsmanship that comes from the sword.

    It takes a great deal of training and talent to unleash it, but I, the son of the sword god, could easily do it.

    --I was able to release it, but at the same time, an unpleasant sound rang out. It was a sound that went beyond the limits of the dagger.

    This dagger was given to me by Ronin, the god of swords, when I was a child. We''ve been in many battles together, but it''s finally coming to the end of its life.

    My duel with the demon was the decisive factor, but all the years of effort I''ve put into this battle have come to an end.

    So my Mithril Dagger was approaching its natural life span.

    Lunamaria was sad about it, but I have no such feelings.

    This dagger was certainly a precious thing, but I would have gladly discarded it if I could have saved someone else.

    The only reason I never had that chance was because I was holed up in the mountains.

    I summed it up in my mind and put more effort into the dagger.

    "Ichieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

    and unleash a sword flash.

    A sword flash from the bluish blade blade blade. It was different from the usual flash of a sword. Your mind seems thicker and bolder than usual. Perhaps the dagger you''ve known for so many years is thanking you and showing you more power than you''re capable of. I thought so. Our memories are transformed into power.

    It''s not a convenient idea. In fact, the flashes were more powerful and sharp than usual. It was coming toward Berserel Bull with the speed of a falcon. Bersel Bull could not avoid it. It was too fast, and he was unable to evade it.

    Although he has given up on evading, he has not given up on "living". Bersel Bull gave up on evading and went on "defense.

    Crossing his bristly arms, he intercepted the sword flash. His arms were as thick as logs and bulging with muscle. A mere sword could not cut through them, but my swordsmanship is godlike, and the dagger was made of the pure silver known as mithril.

    True silver does not corrode.

    True silver does not break.

    True silver is stronger than anything else.

    I have unleashed the full potential of my long-time partner.

    The best buddies unleash their sword flashes with the best results.

    Berserker Bull''s arms, thick as logs, will be sliced open.

    It''s as easy as slicing open a piece of cheese and revealing red flesh.

    Bersel Bull must have felt his arms being torn apart. He twisted his body to try to find his way out, but it was a fleeting resistance.

    The sword flash, which had reached near god speed, cut off Bersell Bull''s arm and went straight for his neck.

    The power of the sword flash never falters as it strikes at Bersel Bull''s neck. It means that his body and neck have said goodbye. Moreover, it didn''t have time to say goodbye.

    The bull''s head blows off with such force that you can almost hear the onomatopoeia. The bull''s head was blown off so fast you could almost hear the onomatopoeia. No way. I was staring at you in the air with a grudging expression on my face.

    I wanted to tell him that he was the wrong target, but I didn''t have time to tell him that.

    I was more interested in watching my longtime partner die. To see the friend who gave me my best shot, the friend who saved me from the onslaught of the vicious Berserk Bull.

    Enduring metal cannot be broken. But every thing has an end. The Mithril dagger was just now beginning to shatter.

    Small cracks were spreading across the blade. Cracks spread like a spider''s web, enough to shatter the blade. Finally, a slight breeze rustled and the dagger crumbled in response.

    I look at it with a sorrowful expression. I feel as if I am standing at a friend''s funeral.

    Luna Maria must have sensed that. She stands beside me and says a prayer.

    That was the best dagger I ever saw. He would have been happy to fight alongside Master Will.

    "That''s my line. I was happy to fight with you.

    "............

    As the two of you are feeling sentimental for a while, you notice that Shizuku has slit the belly of Bersel Bull''s corpse.

    He''s probably retrieving the unicorn''s horn. Lunamaria is flabbergasted when she sees it.

    It was. And so was I. Time flows differently here than it does in our world.

    You see, you don''t want to mess around and make Zynga look like an old man.

    "Mileage boy may not even need drugs anymore

    That''s right.

    Having said that, I went to Shizuku''s place and helped him retrieve it. Fortunately, Shizuku did a good job of dismantling it and already had the horns back. That''s the best of the foresters!

    With that praise, Shizuku wiped the blood off the unicorn''s horn and said, "Now, take this.

    Well, now take this and go back to your world.

    We were surprised at your words.

    "That''s not a very nice thing to say, Shizuku-san, I think you''re going to stay ......

    "I''m going to do it even if I don''t?

    Shizuku says it as a matter of course. It''s too much, I shout out.

    No, Shizuku, there''s someone waiting for you to come home.

    Lunamaria adds words in response to my voice.

    Yes, that''s right. Zinga is waiting for you to come home, Mr. Shizuku. Why would you not want to go home now?

    It''s true that I''ve gotten used to the easy life here, but that doesn''t mean I don''t want to go back.

    Shizuku said clearly and looked for his right shoulder. The battle had ripped off her clothing and her breasts were almost visible. But that''s not what''s interesting. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a torn amulet.

    What''s that?

    Me and Luna Maria raise our voices simultaneously.

    Correct. This is the warding-breaking spell that Will gave me earlier.

    "...... can''t go back to the world if it''s broken.

    That''s what I''m talking about. You saw the fight with Belsel Bull earlier, when you took a little hit.¡¡That''s when I got the amulet.

    Give up and strike a troubled pose.

    I try to reach into my pocket, but Shizuku stops me.

    "Oops, sweet Will, that''s not a good idea.

    She seemed to notice that I was about to offer her a talisman.

    "But...

    She won''t allow me to argue.

    Decades have gone by in the other world. My husband is dead and Zynga is the only person who wants to see me.

    But not you, Shizuku continued emphatically.

    There must be a lot of people waiting for you to return.

    "............

    I was silent because so many faces had flashed into my mind.

    The faces of the gods of the Table Mountain, the animals of the mountain, the Master of Viktor''s Trading Company, and the brave men of the sword also flashed in my mind.

    And I''m sure my son Zinga wants to see you too. Then it''s time for you to go back to your world.

    But we came to save you. You''ll go home without any success, and you''ll have a face to match, Mr. Zinga.

    There is. --There is.

    "............

    "It''s the smiles of people on the other side. More people will smile when you come back. Not only your family and friends will be saved, but more people will be saved in the future. And Zinga will be happy about that.

    Shizuku bit down and handed me the horn of the unicorn he was holding onto.

    This is the symbol. Take this and tell Zinga I''m doing a good job. Tell Zinga I''m doing a good job. That she''s watching over you from this side of the world.

    Shizuk-san: ......

    Come on, no more depression. Now go back to the other side. You''ll be lost for good if little Miles dies.

    "............

    There were no words to return as it was true. As Lunamar¨ªa moved to my side, she said with a mysterious look on her face

    "I should be the useless one to stay behind, but I can''t. But I can''t do that because I have to help Mr. Will save the world. ......

    She would be sorry to leave Shizuku here, too. She was biting her lip.

    But it''s true that we''re running out of time. Let''s do what she says here.

    "...... Okay.

    If I complain here, Shizuku''s decision will be in vain. So I prepare myself for Zinga''s revenge and grab the amulet.

    Then my body begins to glow.

    My body begins to reject this other world.

    Lunamaria follows suit.

    Watching this, Shizuku smiles and says, "That''s my friend Zinga!

    That''s my Zinga friend. I know the consequences.

    "...... This isn''t goodbye forever, is it?

    "Well, I don''t know about that. The connection between this world and the other world is cyclical. So it will be another twenty years before we see each other again.

    "...... is right there.

    I know. Zinga is married then, too, so she might be able to see her grandchildren. --Maybe even a grandmother at this young age.

    Shizuku smiled and waved his right hand. His right hand appears to be multi-layered.

    It seems that the line between our world and the other world has become blurred. Soon there will be a clear line drawn and we will never recognize each other again.

    Just before she disappears, I ask the seriousness of her face.

    How did you become so strong? How can you be so strong?" she asks, "to be a woman''s hunter, to venture into the dangerous woods to save your son, to endure the loneliness you willingly endure.

    To my last question, she replies, "What, is that all? "It''s easy," she exclaims.

    "Because I love my family. And you love them too.

    With these last words, we finished preparing to separate from each other.

    For the next ten seconds or so, I looked at Shizuku like she was imprinted on my mind.

    There was not a single cloud on her face. Once she gave me that look, I couldn''t grieve either. I promised to see her again in twenty years.

    Twenty years later, I was going to come back to save her with the life she had saved, the mileage boy saved by the unicorn''s horn, and her son Zinga.

    To make that dream come true I returned to my world.

    ...... ...

    ............

    ..................

    When I returned to the forest, it was Zinga. He must have figured it all out by the fact that I didn''t have my mother with me. I didn''t say anything.

    Just a moment later, when I tried to apologize, he raised his voice.

    "Twenty years later!¡¡Twenty years later. Your chance is not gone yet. We''ll have a chance to meet again in 20 years. --I''ll be happy to work with you then.

    Zinga said that and did not touch Shizuku any further.

    He never mocked me for not being able to save his mother, nor did he show his anger.

    --This is Shizuku''s son, after all. The same nobility is in him.

    I let that thought out in my mind and returned to the Barka village.

    We still have some work to do. We must use the unicorn''s horn, which we sacrificed for the time of their father and son, in the right way.

    I''ve spent a lot of time in the other world. I wanted to save a little boy named Mile who was suffering from green fever as soon as possible.

 96 dark clouds

    Head to the house of the mile boy.

    His house was a very average house in this village. It was a poorly built wooden house, but the inside was filled with warmth.

    His mother drew a cup of cold water and cooled the mile boy''s head with it. Green fever is a disease ravaged by high fever. The boy''s mother was right to do so, but her burden was too great.

    I see a vat of water.

    There is an ice cube about the size of a lemon. It''s not winter now. It must have been very hard to get ice that big. The edge of the skirt is torn up.

    It was evidence that her mother walked far and wide to get the ice.

    The image of Mother Millia came to me, and I wanted to say a word of thanks, but now is not the time.

    I should have worked to remove the source of the mileage boy''s fever as soon as possible.

    I said goodbye and rented the kitchen of the boy''s house.

    There was a fire in the kitchen and a pestle to boil medicine.

    I remember a saying that Mother Militia taught me how to make a potion.

    "My dear Will, the key to making a potion is to put love into it. If you make it with the other person in mind, it will be more effective.

    It is an unscientific term, and one that Dad Ronin and others have denied, but there is a basis for this, apparently.

    Vandal, the god of magic, nods his head in affirmation.

    It''s natural in Milia, but it makes sense.

    They say that if you treat them with love, they will pay attention to the details. For example, if you infuse the medicine with love, you will not make a mistake in dosage.

    If you remember the face of the person who is taking the medicine and have love for him, you would not try to use the whole root of mandogola by mistake. The root of mandogola is a deadly poison.

    However, adds the god of magic.

    "But if the dosage is properly followed, it will be an excellent potion. Drugs and potions are two sides of the same coin. So what I''m saying is that love is the best spice.

    Mother Militia knows that firsthand, so she would swear that mixing is love. I agreed with that opinion.

    That''s why I asked for honey for Luna Maria.

    "Will, master, do you use honey as an antipyretic?

    No, I don''t use it.

    Why then?¡¡Explain to Lunamar¨ªa the look on his face that says, "Mile boy is a child.

    "Mile Boy is a kid. I used to put honey in my medicine when I was a kid.

    It''s all about making it easier to take the pills.

    That kind of thing.

    That''s great, Master Will, and so it goes, but it was all taught by Mother Millia. I''m just following it to the letter.

    Milia''s teachings will certainly be passed on to the boy.

    Mile boy gulps down the bitter unicorn horn infused potion.

    In a daze, he drains the green liquid I infused and lightly opens his eyelids.

    ...... Mom, where are we?

    "Oh, boy. ......

    The boy''s mother smiles from the bottom of her heart.

    It was understandable. I was talking to my son for the first time in days.

    "We thought you''d never wake up.

    A mother bows to me with tears in her eyes.

    Reassuring Miles is what''s important now, and not accepting the thanks. I walk away quietly.

    Lunamaria quietly accompanies me.

    When you continue to the edge of the village, Zinga, who I thought I left behind, will come to you.

    "Hey, hey, you''re not going to leave the village without saying goodbye, are you?

    "............

    I was going to, so I couldn''t argue with him, and Zinga saw it all.

    "Well, we just had a party last time. You don''t want to have a party twice in a row.

    He said to me, "I''m sure you want to return to the Mountain of the Gods as soon as possible.

    "I''m sure you want to return to the Mountain of the Gods as soon as possible.

    I look at my waist.

    There was the shattered Mithril dagger from the battle.

    I wanted to be reunited with my father and his friends and have them see the dagger. I don''t know if I could fix it, but I wanted to tell you that the dagger, which had helped me for so many years, was broken, just in case.

    I''m sure Lunamaria is aware of my feelings. I bowed to Zinga and we left the forest together.

    --We walked through the forest. Some are watching and others are watching. The one watching is Zinga, whom I''ve just parted with. Its gaze is enveloped in warmth, but the watcher''s gaze is enveloped in hostility.

    The girl wearing a jet-black robe spits out a curse, her mouth twisted into a curse.

    Will, Son of the Gods ....... Son of Ronin the Sword God ......

    --The words "kill," followed, but Will and his friends were still unaware of her presence. But a confrontation with her was an inevitable fate.

    As if to prove it, a dark cloud has settled over Table Mountain.

 97 fireboat

    As we''re heading to the top of Table Mountain, Lunamar¨ªa murmurs, "It looks like it''s going to rain.

    It looks like it''s going to rain.

    And then the rain drops on my head.

    How did you know it was going to rain?

    I could smell the rain.

    It may sound obvious, but it was indeed Lunamaria that could detect rain with just a sense of smell.

    But even that Lunamaria can''t make the rain clouds disappear. The rain is falling on us without mercy.

    We have to find a place to take shelter. Fortunately, we find a nice salty cave a few dozen meters away.

    We rush in there.

    I let out a sigh of relief as I enter the cave, but I notice that my clothes are wet. Luna Maria says, "I can stand this much," but as a boy of her age, I can''t look at her white clothes when they are wet.

    You can see your underwear through them. Father Reus taught me that a man should always be a gentleman, so I wanted to dry my clothes first.

    So I looked for combustibles in the cave. The caves here at Table Mountain are often covered in flammable moss. We could warm ourselves up if we looked. I thought so, and I was right. A little further in, the moss was dense.

    I took it back with me, holding it like a pile, and lit it with the magic of ignition.

    The moss quickly burns, radiating heat and light. Luna Maria excuses me and takes off her wet clothes. It was obvious that she would avoid the warmth if she left her seat, so she counts the prime numbers in her mind.

    (Two, three, five, seven, eleven. ......)

    After a few minutes of fighting the affliction, our clothes were dry and we quickly put away the fire and left the cave. Then the rain stopped like a lie.

    It''s the Mother of Earth''s desire.

    A smiling Luna Maria. She was pretty dainty, but the scene from earlier was still very clear, so I climbed up the mountain without making eye contact. We tried to make our way all the way to the sanctuary - to the place where Mom and Dad were, but we couldn''t.

    There was someone who blocked us on our way.

    She stood in the middle of the road to the sanctuary. She was wearing a black garment with a hood. Her clothes were drenched. She must have been hit by the rain. But had he been standing here the whole time without sheltering from the rain? That''s a strange story, I snorted, and Lunamaria concurred. She warns me.

    "Dear Mr. ......, I think it''s a little suspicious. Don''t get any closer.

    Nodding.

    "...... I feel an unusual urge to kill someone in front of me. She wants to kill me.

    The black-clad figure, noticing that we''ve noticed the murderous atmosphere, grimaced and spun disturbing words.

    ...... Thank goodness you''re aware of my intentions. . that you noticed my murderous intentions.

    The moment he said that, the black coat falls to the ground. With a thud, it expands to the ground. It may look as if she had molted, but she hadn''t. The contents of the black robe simply shed their black robe with uncanny speed.

    The contents of the black robe jumped into my bosom at a speed that seemed to merge with the wind. The moment you could see, the opponent was already right in front of you. He had drawn his sword and was about to cut me in half at a moment''s notice.

    I subconsciously moved my left arm''s shield to block the enemy''s slash.

    Kakin!

    And then there was the sound of metal clashing.

    Lunamaria was the first to react to the sound and said.

    Master Will!¡¡Are you okay?

    Aegis mischievously replies with his left arm, "For now.

    Half the women in the world would be saddened if they got hurt if they got attacked like this every time.

    "Mother Militia, by herself, could shed half the tears in the whole world.

    I joke back at the irony and I brush my foot off.

    My right foot cuts through the air with a buzz.

    The holy shield is impressed by that sight.

    You know, you''re pretty impressive.

    "Bodywork is something my dad Ronin is very good at, too.

    No, no. That''s not what I meant. I just thought you were a feminist.

    "Feminist?

    No, because that girl you just tried to kick is a girl.

    "............

    I didn''t think it was possible, but the person who leapt backwards and dodged my kick was indeed a girl.

    I didn''t see her.

    "Humph, Will is very observant.

    My hair looked short from the front.

    It may sound like an excuse, but she had her long hair tied back and from my angle she looked like a boy.

    No boy has a pretty face like that. ...... Well, Will does.

    Thanks. ...... But that''s hard to do, too.

    The girl''s expression relaxes as they exchange such an exchange.

    The gods brought me up, so don''t underestimate me too much. Even though it looks like this, I am a master of the sword. If you''re not careful, I''ll cut off your head with the speed of a moment.

    Surely the murderous atmosphere you can feel from her is no ordinary thing. If you''re not careful, she''ll really have your head. But that doesn''t mean I didn''t enjoy beating up girls.

    ...... I know what you''re capable of. I think you''re a great swordsman.

    Thank you.

    But I don''t see why I should fight you. Why do you point your sword at me?

    It''s easy. You''re my avenger''s son.

    "Son of the Avenger ......?

    "Yes.

    "So you''re saying that someone from my mom and dad killed someone you care about?

    Yes. That''s why we kill them.

    No way. That''s a misunderstanding. There''s no way you guys would do that.

    In defense of the fathers, her expression changes.

    At the same time, it comes charging in at falcon-like speed.

    "I will not forgive you. --I will never forgive you. Your father, Ronin, killed my father. So I''ll kill you and let him twist your face into a smile!

    She lets go and unleashes a full-body blow. She bends over and dodges the attack, but she feels something hot on her cheek. It''s as if her skin has been cut.

    (...... I thought I''d dodged it.) What a sharp and powerful attack.

    A cold one runs down my back.

    If I don''t, I''ll lose, I thought.

    Now I have nothing to use as a weapon. I lost my dagger the other day.

    I have a shield that repels all attacks, and powerful magic, but I''m somewhat unreliable when the fight is against the girl in front of me. She is a wielder of the sword. Looking at her swordsmanship skills, it seemed that a defensive battle or magical attack would not be very effective. If you are on the defensive, they will be broken at some point and they won''t give you a chance to chant your magic.

    If you are fighting like this, you will lose.

    When I calmly grasp the difference in strength, I implement the most powerful tactics.

    I use the "strongest" fighting techniques I learned from the Vandal, the god of magic.

    I glance briefly at Luna Maria and we breathe together. You''ve traveled together for a long time, and you can breathe with her.

    When I''ve distanced myself from the girl in black, I throw my shield.

    "BABUEN!

    And the shield that flew out loud by itself, its trajectory was straight and easily avoided, but that''s okay. I thought that even if I could avoid the attack on the way there, the attack on the way back would be false. As expected, the girl was struck by the holy shield that comes back like a boomerang.

    "--Huh?¡¡I''m back.

    The girl who had never seen the holy shield before did not seem to know its properties. She didn''t hit it, but she managed to leave a small opening.

    I''ll take advantage of that opportunity. I have magic stored in my right hand, and I convert it into earth magic.

    Instead of hitting the girl with the magic power that has become destructive power, you shoot it into the earth.

    Then a large hole is opened on the earth and a cloud of dust dances. An unusual sound resounds, and sand and stones fly away. It makes the girl lose sight of me for a moment.

    It''s only a short time, but it''s enough time for me and Luna Maria to start running.

    We used our best tactic, the 36th Sense of Escape.

    She seemed to have a reason to fight me, but I didn''t. We should have avoided the battles we could have avoided. What''s ahead is the sanctuary, and those who aren''t involved are not allowed to enter. The gods will intervene if the battle takes place in the gods'' realm.

    Perhaps, the girl knew that and that is why she was waiting here in this place for the ambush. In other words, if they could escape to the divine realm, the immediate danger should have been averted.

    --That was the right idea.

    The girl who had been following our backs at first stopped moving when we entered the sanctuary. She stays there for a while and then stares at my back with a sharp gaze.

    "...... Well, okay. I didn''t think I''d get you here. And I''ll definitely see you again. When we do, I''ll take my revenge. I will lay your head on his grave and comfort his soul. That is my hope.

    She took a breath there and hollered out loud.

    My name is Hifune!¡¡Will, son of the gods, do not forget his name. It is I who will put a blade in your heart and pay for the ferry to the River Styx!

    With that last statement, she left.

    I chew on her words and her decision. I wonder if her words are true.

    ...... I wonder if that Ronin dad would do something so repulsive to people.

    Such a question arises.

    The swordsmanship god I knew was soft on drink and women, but he was a compassionate man. She was rough and crude, but she was not a man who killed people for no reason.

    She''s mistaken after all. --When I convinced myself that she was right, we continued on our way to the divine realm.

 98 returning to ones hometown

    At the top of Table Mountain, I make my way silently to the place where the Hall of the Gods is located, where I used to live. On the way, I was quiet because I was worried about what the girl said.

    A girl with a grudge against Father Ronin and a desire for revenge. Her sword was full of murder. Had Dad really done something to repel her?

    As I contemplate this, Luna Maria comes up to me.

    Master Will, it doesn''t bother me much. People will still hate you for your outrageousness. I didn''t know Ronin better than Will, but raising a man like Will means he must be of good character. Perhaps there were circumstances, or perhaps it was a misunderstanding.

    I come to the same conclusion as I do, Luna Maria . I''m so glad that you are concerned about me.

    And this is now the gods'' domain. We''re almost at the Hall of the Gods. You can ask him. It''s better to ask him directly than to worry about it.

    "Well, ......, isn''t that the quickest way. That''s the quickest way to go?

    With that thought, I quickened my pace and headed to my parents'' house.

    The first thing I tried to do was to say the name of the avenging swordsman "Hifune," but I couldn''t do it. But I couldn''t do it because the goddess of healing had already sounded the cracker before that.

    "Will!¡¡Welcome home!

    She rang the cracker vigorously and then opened the kudzu ball. Gold and silver threads and confetti danced from it. She welcomed me with a satisfied smile, as if she had boiled down all the happiness in the world.

    Moreover, that taciturn father of mine is also party-ready. His beloved Tsubagakuwa hat was red and white for the winter solstice festival. His tension was normal, but his eyebrows were lowered throughout.

    There''s no way you can be the first to have a serious talk after all this.

    I wanted to talk to dad Ronin first, but he looked at me lightly, but he looked serious for a moment and then immediately drank the Daiginjo. It was as if he wanted me to be happy to see my family again. I''m going to follow his advice.

    "That''s a great welcome. ...... It should be more normal.

    When I say my honest opinion, Mother Militia says, "No way! He sticks his finger up at me.

    Our precious son is home after a long absence, and it is frankly too much of a stretch to give him a normal greeting.

    It''s only been a month and a little over a month since I last saw you.

    "A day without you is a thousand and fifty days, so one hundred thousand x forty days would be four hundred days. Four hundred and twenty-four is ...... um, a lot?

    The goddess isn''t very good at math. Vandal''s father does the arithmetic for her.

    Nine hundred six hundred hours. ...... Is she really a goddess who has mastered pharmacy at all?

    I use my watch when I mix my pills. Come on, Vandal, where''s Will this morning?¡¡Isn''t it too late?¡¡What''s going on?¡¡You''ve always been so fidgety about it.

    Shut up.

    And I even got a hat that looks like a winter solstice chief.

    "This is the one you gave me to wear.

    "You''re wearing a rider''s hat.

    Hmph, the Vandal turns his nose away, but he''s still glad that I came back without incident. He turns to me again and says.

    There''s a saying, "Three days without a boy''s attention, and now you''re doing just that. You''ve only been apart for a short time, but you''ve become fearless.

    Thank you, Father Vandal. I''ve met a lot of people down there and learned a lot of things.

    Hmm, I see you''ve learned a lot of things that can''t be learned from books alone. It was a good idea to send you away.

    That''s a good thing. Now that you''ve done your homework, why don''t you call it a day?

    Goddess Militia was quick to add that, but I didn''t feel that way.

    It''s a big world. I have yet to see the vast desert to the west. Nor the glaciers in the north. Nor have I seen the countries of a different culture in the east.

    I see, your inquisitive mind is still unfulfilled.

    Yeah, I guess so.

    "Then go on your journey. Go see everything with your own eyes. You are young. You''re not old enough to be tired of traveling.

    Millia gave me a "what the hell, old man" look, but she also knows that I won''t bend my will. I nodded and said, " Well, it''s good to travel.

    ...... Well, it''s nice to travel, but you can only stretch your wings when you come home to your parents. Just take it easy for a while, okay?

    I said.

    If you look around, the house of the gods is beautifully decorated as it was on the winter solstice. It was obvious that Mother Militia had taken the time to decorate it. There are also a few mountain animals here and there. A squirrel cubs with acorns in their arms, a bear who brought honey, and my childhood friend Schultz the wolf who brought his bride.

    I have a sudden urge to get home. And I''m sorry to indulge their hospitality.

    Lunamaria also suggests you take it easy and tell them you''ll stay a few days.

    Mother Milia jumped up and down when she heard that and said, "I''ll have to make a good meal! I say, "I''ll make it for you! Vandal Dad says, "I''ll make it for you! And a rare flurry of expression. Mother Militia''s cooking skills are the worst in the mountain.

    The time passes peacefully, but I notice that there''s one person whose eyes aren''t smiling. I invite him to join me.

    ...... Ronin, would you mind giving me a little practice until dinner?

    Ronin, the god of swords, seemed to see my intentions and said, "No problem.

    Mother Militia asked, "Do you train on a day like this?¡¡I said, "Well, that''s why you''re such a swordsmanship idiot: ......", but he allowed me and Ronin to be alone with him. I heard that you''re going to teach Lunamaria how to make the House of the Gods'' special acorn pie while you''re at it. It was all Father Vandal who invented and taught her the recipe, though he said he hoped I wouldn''t have to suffer any misery on the journey.

    But even so, Lunamaria seemed happy. She bowed deeply, took the old god and goddess and went to the kitchen.

    Ronin and I saw them off and went to the training hall.

 99 training ground

    When I went to the training hall I had used to train in since I was a child, my father Ronin silently drew his sword.

    I took the short sword that was on the floor.

    I slash at him in silence.

    There''s a metallic sound and a crackling sound.

    "...... is a piece of work, Will.

    It''s all stuff my dad taught me.

    No, it has a wildness and wit added to the tachi-suji. This is the sword of a man who has experienced much practice.

    In fact, I''ve been fighting a lot of things.

    List them one by one.

    Crumbling mercenaries, Zodiac cultists, demons to demons, you name it.

    You''re packing a good experience. Men, if you don''t see a man for three days, you''ll have to scrape him off.

    When Father Ronin says this, he stops spitting and starts kicking.

    but it''s rare that he even uses a kick.

    That''s how strong you''ve gotten. If it keeps up, he''ll probably get past you.

    No way. It''s not possible.

    No, not really. If you don''t use your divine power, we''ll be behind.

    Then it''s okay to use Shenwei.

    A slight provocation and a sword shot.

    "This is one guy.

    But Dad Ronin seemed very happy.

    My purpose in life is to help me grow stronger. He seemed to be in love with my swordsmanship, which had grown so much stronger than before.

    Perhaps this would allow him to use his divine power. I was filled with faint hopes.

    By the way...god''s majesty is a power that only gods can use. The heavens will roar and the earth will split open. Any giant dragon can be defeated with a single blow. It was a forbidden secret technique. I''ve known of its existence since I was a child, but I''ve never seen it up close. I''ve always said that I wanted to be shown this technique someday, but not only Ronin''s father, but also Vandal''s father and mother Milia never showed it to me.

    This is a trump card, and it''s a seriously dangerous skill. If anything happens to my son, Milia will die of hysterics.

    So grumbling Ronin Dad. Basically, I can only imagine what a good-looking dad''s hesitation must be like to be in a very dangerous position. But I''m an adult, and I''ve traveled and experienced. It''s time for me to stop treating you like a child.

    Just as I was thinking that, Dad Ronin opens his mouth. Without pausing to attack, he says.

    ...... you ran into a strange woman on your way to this mountain.

    "............

    I fell silent because Dad Ronin''s face was unexpectedly serious and because I knew too much about him.

    I''ve seen him. She said my dad is my avenger.

    "I see. You tell me.

    ...... There''s no such thing as revenge. It''s impossible for my dad to do something that someone else would hate.

    "Hey, hey, is your father a saint?

    The god of swordsmanship who loves to drink, eat and train, that''s my dad Ronin.

    Ronin grudgingly affirms as he spins and blasts.

    Yeah, that''s right. Ronin, the God of Swords, is sorely lacking in drink and women, but otherwise he is the most powerful god.

    "So she was mistaken. It was a misunderstanding.

    No, it''s not a misunderstanding or a mistake. I''m the one who killed that girl, Hyphen''s father.

    "...... e

    He drops the shortsword in his hand. Seeing this, Ronin closes his sword. Their fighting spirit vanishes into thin air.

    What do you mean?¡¡Do you mean to say that Father Ronin killed the boy''s mentor father?

    "Oh, yeah. . it''s true.

    "Why do you do that? ......

    I said that, but I sensed the sadness in Ronin''s face and stopped talking. Father Ronin wouldn''t kill someone for no reason. There must be a deeper reason. I become silent at the thought.

    "............

    "............

    After a few minutes of silence, Ronin sensed my seriousness and asked me if I wanted to go for a walk. The sun had long since gone down, but we walked on without a care in the world.

 100 Ronins Old Story

    It was dark and the road was steep, but we didn''t care. It was a familiar path, and we were not trained to be dented by this.

    Stepping over a huge fallen tree, Ronin began to tell an old story.

    You know that there are new gods and old gods in this world.

    "Yeah, I know. Ronin, I know you guys are the new gods.

    Yes. Me, Milia, and Vandal are the new gods. Do you know the difference between the new gods and the old gods?

    The old gods were involved in the creation, and the new gods became gods after the creation of the heavens and the earth.

    That means the old gods have a long history. That means the old gods have a long history. The new gods are the newcomers.

    I''ve heard stories of former humans becoming gods.

    Some people are like that. I mean, me and the Vandals.

    "Father Ronin was originally human too?

    "Yes, I was born in the human world and raised as a human. Born in the human world and raised as a human. I was born and raised as a human being, mastering the sword and reaching the realm of the gods, and I was turned into a god.

    I thought you didn''t want to be a god?

    I didn''t want to become a god at first. At first I had no intention of becoming a god. The Vandal bastard became a god because he wanted to be able to continue his studies forever, but I was more like an accident, a god chosen by the old gods to become one.

    Do you regret the way you talk to me?

    "Somewhat. I wanted to live as a man and die as a man. But now I don''t regret it.

    Why?

    "I feel grateful that I became a god so I could cross swords with my son. I''m grateful for that.

    Then Ronin smiled and put his hand on my head. It was a big, heavy hand, but strangely comforting.

    I walked the mathematical distance from the training ground. We get close to the top of Table Mountain.

    From there I look down on the outside world.

    You can see an endless forest at the foot of the mountain and a human city in the distance.

    I come from a land far to the east of this country called Horai. There are many warriors there, called samurai, who hold swords like me.

    Ronin continues quietly.

    I was born into a family of swordsmanship instructors from a small clan. But, fifth son. I can''t take over the house and I can''t find a good adoptive family. So I decided to take the plunge and live by my own skill.

    You traveled all over the country like that while training as a swordsman.

    Yes. I trained myself in various countries, in the land of the great desert between Midnia and the Great Plains, in the land of the nomads. But one day I realized the limits of my abilities.

    "So soon?

    Yes, I felt the limits of my style. I have spent my entire life with the sword since I was a child, and I have realized that my sword is just an extension of the dojo sword.

    Ronin reminisces about those days while holding onto his stubble. It''s embarrassing to remember my youthfulness.

    That''s why I''ve decided to find a master. I decided to find a master who was worthy of my elevation and respect, and I set my sights on him.

    It would have been hard to find.

    "Well . Even though I was struggling with the limits of my abilities, I''m a genius at swordsmanship. An ordinary boy couldn''t be my master. You must be even more of a swordsmanship fool than I am to be my teacher. --So I went around the world and raided dojos.

    "...... but a dojo troll ...... well, is that just like my dad?

    He smiles bitterly, but Dad doesn''t seem bothered at all as he continues, "When I hear that there''s a powerful swordmaster in the north, I storm in there and smash the sign.

    If I heard we had the greatest swordmaster in the north, I would march on him and smash his sign. If I heard that the best swordmaster was in the south, I would line up my master and apprentice at his dojo and make them get down on their knees.

    "............

    All I can do is laugh dryly as the hellscape of those days emerges, but Ronin doesn''t seem to want to talk about the saga. I''ll get right to it.

    Well, I must have been ecstatic at the time. Maybe I was just mistaken when I said that I was on the edge, and I had reached the top of my strength. Maybe that''s what I had come to think. But that arrogant thought, if I had seen her, it would have gone away immediately.

    "So that''s Dad Ronin''s mentor.

    Yes,

    Father Ronin chuckled and spoke the name of his master.

    "The Goddess of Swordsmanship.

    That was the name of Dad Ronin''s mentor, who would later be called the God of the Sword.

 101 Saint Kamizumi of the Sword

    A few decades ago, when he was still human, Dad Ronin was still struggling to meet a man who was stronger than he was.

    He was tormented by the conflict of not being able to meet a man stronger than he was, while still having doubts about his own strength. But the day will come when his tengu nose will be broken.

    Ronin learns that in a small country west of Midonia there is a man called the Swordsman. To find out if he is the Swordsman''s master, Ronin heads to the mountain where the Kamiizumi is located, but there he has a shocking experience.

    For the first time in his life he meets a man who is stronger than him.

    The man looks like a poor old man.

    In fact, when Ronin saw him, he was working with a hoe in hand.

    It was hard to believe that he was an old man who had been nicknamed the "Sage of Swords", but the house where he lived had a sign that said "Kamiizumi Style" on it.

    Ronin looks at the old man quizzically, but does not let his appearance deceive him and challenges him to a fight.

    He challenges the old man, who is enjoying a bowl of rice, to a challenge.

    "So you''re the Kamiizumi?

    "How

    I''ve heard that poor old man is the best in the country.

    That''s a misnomer.

    The old man bashfully scratches his head.

    "What. So you''re as good as you look. An old man like you can''t be the best in the country.

    That''s right. I''m the best in the world.

    "It''s .......

    Ronin frowns at the too great a statement.

    You said it, old man. I''ve been kind to the old man, so I thought I''d just take the sign and leave it at that.

    What. You''re a dojo-killer.

    "It''s not that big of a deal. I''m just looking for a man who is stronger than I am.

    I see, you''ve come this far in your quest for strength only.

    "Yes. I want to be stronger.

    I can make you my apprentice. I just wanted a young one to chop wood.

    "I''m a wood chipper?¡¡Don''t lick it, old man.

    "I thought you were kind to old people.

    "Some people are better than others. I hate old men who talk too much.

    I have no desire to be liked by you. But you have to show that this world is still wide open. That is what those of us who have tried to master the way of the sword should strive to do.

    Says old man Kamiizumi, and brings a dagger from the back of the house. No, it''s not even a dagger, it''s a poorly made knife.

    You''re not going to f*ck me with a fruit knife like that, are you?

    That No Way!

    Ronin was annoyed by these words. But old man Kamiizumi doesn''t seem bothered and holds a fruit knife.

    "When you master the way of the sword, a knife like this will be as good as the holy sword. Especially when you and I are as far apart in skill as we are.

    "...... friggin'' old man

    Ronin puts his hand to his sword at his waist.

    "Not outright anger. How can I control my sword if I can''t control my emotions? --Well, I guess that''s no use to you now.

    When the old man said that, he let Ronin draw his sword and said, "Pull out. The Ronin, who had already lost his respect for the old man''s spirit, drew his sword from his waist and slashed at the kamiizumi.

    Of course, it wasn''t a killing blow, but it was enough to cut off his arm. It was a blow that the old man assumed that a swordsman would be prepared to do that, but there was no way that such a sweet blow could have passed for the Swordsman.

    The old man''s movement was like running water as he exchanged Ronin''s slash, and then he thrust the fruit knife into Ronin''s neck with a smooth movement as if he were one with the wind.

    The movement was so natural that Ronin didn''t even have time to blink.

    Silly. What a move. I couldn''t react because I have eyes sharper than a hawk''s (......).

    It is often stunned by the fact that it is too much, but soon realizing the difference between the old man and himself, Ronin immediately got down on his knees. Rubbing his head on the ground, he spat out the words that spontaneously escaped from his body.

    "I beg you to take me as your disciple.

    An old man who was stronger than he was. I was attracted by his strength, but I was also impressed by his deep humanity.

    If you should be taught a sword, this is the man. No, it has to be him. It was such a feeling of destiny.

    Old man Kamiizumi recognized Ronin''s talent. This arrogant young man could go on forever. Later, the old man said he felt his destiny.

    Thus the old man took the "second" disciple.

 102 The Book of Dragon and Tiger

    Well, this is how I became a disciple of Sage Kamiizumi, but my master at the time already had a disciple.

    Ronin the Sword God explains the situation at the time.

    ...... Could that possibly be the case, Mr. Hifune, ......? Our ages are too different.

    Well. If she''s his brother''s apprentice, then he''s the old lady. So no. Well, not too far off.

    "So, is it possible that Father Ronin''s brother''s apprentice disciple is Mr. Hifune?

    You''re right.

    My master, the holy kamiizumi, was famous for not taking disciples very often. However, even such a master was not able to overcome the advancing tide of age, and in his later years, he took two disciples.

    "One of them is Dad Ronin,

    And then there''s Toushiro, the father of the hifune.

    "Toushiro ......

    "You''re the guy I killed.

    "Dad!

    Why are you raising your voice?

    "Because Dad wouldn''t kill someone.

    No way. Can''t you see what I have hanging around my waist? I gave you an alias for this a long time ago.

    Lifting the sword at the waist with a click.

    The "...... manslayer knife

    Yes. All swords are tools of death, and all swordsmen are homicidal maniacs.

    No. My father''s sword doesn''t kill.

    "Maybe that''s why it''s so bad. Maybe they don''t want to kill you, so they can cut you up as if you were tofu.

    The father looked melancholy for a moment and then spoke about Kamiizumi and his brother, Toushiro.

    I told you how I met my master. I challenged him to a fight to see what kind of a man he was, but he was beaten back by his size.

    Father Ronin was truly horrified and said.

    "They call me the God of Swords, but I think the greatest swordsman in the world is my master.

    "Are you that strong?

    "Oh, strength is endless. I''m familiar with all schools of swordsmanship, yet I move without belonging to any school.

    "Amazing ......

    It''s a great skill to be able to master any school and then leave it behind. You are truly a man beloved by the sword.

    "You can''t do it either?

    It''s impossible. I thought I created the Ronin style of swordsmanship, but the influence of my family''s dojo sword is still very strong. No matter how barbaric it looks, it still has a certain elegance to it.

    But the master says differently.

    "Crude and vulgarly unkata. It''s an obscure kata. And yet it is far more refined than dojo swords.

    "...... such a swordsman.

    Oh, there you are. That''s the Kensei. That old man has a habit of only living for a hundred years and has reached a level that no one has ever reached before.

    Wow. You can''t be jealous when you get there.

    You''re right. I didn''t feel any jealousy at the time either. I was just afraid and admired it.

    Dad Ronin proudly says.

    (Even Dad Ronin looks like this: ......)

    Dad recalls with a boyish expression. I only know my father when he was my father, but I know that he had a boy and a young man too.

    I trained hard to be closer to that master. I can''t become a swordsman. But you can become a disciple of the Sword Master. As one who was taught by him, you can live your life with pride. So I practiced with my brothers and sisters.

    You also respected Kamiizumi-san, didn''t you?

    Yeah, he''s one of those guys who was fascinated by his master''s swordsmanship. I heard that he was only a month ahead of me when he started, but he treated me like my own brother without giving me any seniority.

    Dad Ronin closes his eyes and talks about those days.

    If ever there was a golden age in a man''s life, it would be those days.

    God of the sword Ronin asserts.

    The time when the god of swords, Kamiizumi, trained Ronin. The so-called apprenticeship period had a great influence on Ronin''s personality development.

    He would wake up and go to the falls with his brother Toshiro. It was a rough trip that seemed to freeze his blood, but Ronin didn''t mind it at all. But Ronin had no trouble at all, because after the training came the reward.

    The swordsman''s sage did not have the lechery that is typical of difficult swordsmen. Of course, he was strict in his training, but at the same time, he had a warmth about him.

    Whenever he returned from a trip to the waterfall with his brothers and sisters, a hot pot of food would be served to them.

    The Swordsman served a pot of vegetables and animal meat cooked in an iron pot. Despite being the greatest swordsman of all time, he chopped his own wood every morning, cooked his own food and served his disciples.

    ''I owe you.''

    And never speak of such a thing.

    Just say

    "Do you taste good?

    A wrinkled face was twisted into a grimace and only said shortly.

    Ronin''s family was the dojo master of a small clan in Penglai. Even a small clan comes from a family that is the master''s swordsmanship instructor. If it were my father, I would never have done something like this.

    It was Ronin''s father who would not even share a room with his second son or younger, let alone serve him a meal.

    The dojo masters he had defeated so far were probably similar. At least none of them cooked for their students.

    A few weeks after knocking on the door of the Kamiizumi style, Ronin felt that this was where he belonged.

    Ronin trained in such an environment. He respected his master''s competence and personality as much as possible, but he also respected his brothers and sisters.

    Actually - or not? As expected, Ronin had a cocky personality, or rather, he was not very good at socializing even back then. Even when he was in Hourai, he would often get into fights with his students and other brothers. It was this that led him to run away from Hourai.

    Ronin had a tendency to get upset easily, and he hated getting along with others. He took pride in being the best, so it''s not hard to imagine that he didn''t get along with his brothers and sisters, and that''s how he treated Toushiro.

    That''s why Ronin was lashing out at him from the very first day he started.

    "Hey! Don''t give me your brother''s hand just because I joined a month early!

    As I explained earlier, he treated Ronin with respect, as if he were treating his elders rather than his brothers and sisters.

    Don''t get carried away just because you''re a little more skilled.

    Not for a moment, the brotherhood was one of the few men stronger than Ronin.

    But the sniveling Ronin was always cutting off his lashes whenever he came close to his face like a scoundrel.

    I can''t help but laugh when I imagine those scenes. I''m sure he would cut off his brothers and sisters the same way he cut off his mother Miria.

    But Toushiro was a really good person and did not take Father Ronin up on his offer.

    Ronin, your swordsmanship seems wild, but it''s actually delicate. There are times when you could have used a little more force.

    Uhee, and rebound Ronin. But in the end, he adopted Toushir¨­''s opinion and improved his swordsmanship.

    Your kesa-slashing skills are excellent, you should teach me sometime.

    Again, I''ll be able to get rid of it, but in the end, we''ll be waving a thousand kesa-slashes together every morning.

    I''m so full. You have a cold, so eat now while you can.

    This eats honestly without woo-hooing and splashing. People have to eat when they can. But later on, when Toushir¨­ catches a cold, Ronin does the same thing and shares his food with him.

    Or as Mother Militia would say, "A saint! I guess that''s what it means, but it''s true that Tohshiro was a saint.

    Within a month, he had gotten his hands on Father Ronin and reluctantly had him call him "Brother".

    We slept and woke up together, went to the falls together, poked at the pots and pans together, swung our swords together. The three of us would take a rock bath together. Well, if you keep doing that, you''ll get to know each other.

    It''s a bit of an embarrassment for Ronin''s father, but I think they must have liked each other a lot. You will be able to see that the two of you are opposite in character, but it is precisely because you are opposite that you were attracted to each other. --But there''s nothing disturbing about what I''ve just heard. If Father Ronin''s words are not a lie, then Father Ronin killed his sibling.

    ...... When Dad talks about Kamiizumi and Toshiro, he looks very calm. It''s just like when he''s at home with Mom and Dad Milia and Vandal. I can''t believe that such a father would have killed Mrs. Toushir¨­. So that''s a lie, right?¡¡You didn''t kill Mr. Toushiro, did you?

    My father replied seriously to my serious question.

    He slowly shakes his head to the side and says, "No, it''s the same.

    No, it''s the same. I killed Toshiro. I killed my only friend.

    "............

    It''s hard to believe, but there''s no point in asking anymore. Wait for the next word.

    "After that, Toshiro and I had a friendly competition under our master. We became known as the dragon and tiger of the Kamiizumi school.

    "Dragons and tigers, they look strong.

    Well. But the greatest swordsman in the history of swordsmanship was a man''s son too. He was a man of destiny. So he entrusted me and Tooshiro with a secret book of his sword techniques.

    "The Secret Book ...... Gokuri ......

    A book of secrets from the world''s greatest swordsman. I''d like to read it. Is it in the house of the gods? While I was thinking about this, Ronin''s father continued his story.

    Just before he died, the greatest swordsman of all time summoned Ronin and Toshiro separately and put down the two scrolls.

    This is the Book of Dragons and Tigers, the secret book that will be known as The Book of Dragons and Tigers in later life.

    The Book of the Dragon and Tiger is a book that contains the secrets of the Kamiizumi school of swordsmanship. It is a book that should be coveted by anyone who aspires to the way of the sword. I''m also intrigued by it.

    "Did you become the strongest because you read the Book of Dragons and Tigers?

    "No way. . but .

    Dad Ronin''s response was terse.

    "You weren''t interested?

    There it is. I want to be the strongest. I''m so tempting I''d drool all over my body.

    But--and Dad continued.

    The Dragon and Tiger Book didn''t work with only one of them. It can only be effective when you understand both books.

    "Both ......

    The Book of Dragons and Tigers is a pair of books. The Book of Dragons and Tigers is a pair of books. It is also known as the Book of Mind and Technique. It was a book that only had value when the two were read and understood.

    Then you should have cooperated with the other one''s successor, Mr. Toushiro, and figured it out.

    Smart. Well, I guess I will.

    The way you talk, you''ve tried it.

    Of course. Both Toshiro and I are swordsmen who want to be the strongest. We will show each other the Book of the Dragon and Tiger and train together. To begin with, my master gave me and Tooshiro one by one in order to literally connect technique and heart. It was to let people know that the essence of Kamiizumi''s style is in the technique and heart.

    So you two have worked together to master the Kamiizumi style?

    No, I couldn''t do that.

    What do you mean?¡¡Was it that difficult to get to the depths?

    "No, I don''t know that. It''s true now. But Toshiro and I were never able to master the secrets of the Kamiizumi style. --Because...

    Dad, with his distinctly serious expression. I gulp down a mouthful of air.

    As my throat trembles, Dad Ronin speaks out with a shocking truth.

    That''s because I killed my brother, Toushir¨­, before I could master the secrets of the game.

    Ronin tied it off blandly and without blame, and then turned his back to me.

    I could hear Mom''s voice from afar. She''s worried about us and worried that our supper is getting cold. I''ll get hurt if I don''t, Dad finally let out a grunt and melted into the darkness, returning to the house of the gods.

    I stared at my father''s back and followed him silently.

 103 Separation from my family, again????

    Millia Mom, in a bun bun

    What''s going on with you and being so late?

    And blame Dad Ronin.

    Dad Ronin

    I''m with you, which will slow you down. What do you expect me to do?

    I said back.

    "............

    The dumbfounded Mother Militia. Father Vandal exclaimed loudly, "There''s one for you," and began to serve the food. Then we thanked the mountain for its blessings and ate our dinner.

    Father Ronin and I acted as if nothing happened.

    This was not the kind of talk we should have had at the dinner table. It''s not the kind of talk you would have had at the dinner table, much less in front of a family that is happy to be home after a long absence.

    Mother and father and all the animals in the mountains were so happy to see me back that they gave me shape. It would be unworthy of a child of the gods to hinder them.

    So I was careful not to look depressed, and kept choosing my words so that he wouldn''t know I was feeling down. The sensitive Lunamar¨ªa didn''t seem to notice either, so it must have succeeded. As I concluded that, I voiced another concern.

    Just as everyone finished their main course and was about to start on dessert, I pulled out the remains of a crushed mithril from my pocket.

    It was a mithril dagger given to me by my father Ronin. It was the last remnant of my partner''s sword that was shattered in a fierce battle the other day.

    When Ronin saw the remains of Mithril, he rubbed his stubble and said.

    Hey! This guy''s terrible! Did he fight a giant dragon?

    It could be similar. I fought one of the 24 generals, Malmouk.

    "An ancient demon. .

    "And also with a large species of berserker bull at the foot of this mountain

    "A large breed of Bersel Bull?

    Milia standing up with a bang. Large breasts shake.

    "Not a super-dangerous monster. And this is a good year for Berserker Bull. We''ve stumbled upon a hell of a thing.

    It reminds me of a powerful enemy we fought so often in the forest. There were certainly some that were many times larger than the normal individuals. Maybe it was the biggest one ever! I''d like to break the record for the monster book in dad''s office, but I won''t tell you because I''m too upset to tell you.

    --She''d be upset if I told you.

    Milia hugs me tightly and smothers me with her ample breasts. Puffing and panting, I hand what''s left of the mithril to Father Vandal.

    I came back to this mountain to have this dagger fixed. It was nearly broken in the battle with Malmuke, but it was completely destroyed in the battle with Berserk Bull.

    Cured, I guess. ......?¡¡He apologetically offered it to me, but when I looked at Vandal Dad''s reaction to receiving it, it wasn''t very nice.

    I took it with a frown and sent the magic power, did a structural analysis, took out my glasses and examined them closely.

    After a brief examination, Father Vandal said simply.

    "You can''t.

    And.

    I knew it.

    I won''t bite. Father Vandal was a god of magic and metallurgy. I don''t think the world''s greatest swordsmith could help you if such a man had done his research.

    To be more precise, he could refine the dagger again using a secret potion, but that would be considerably less powerful. It''s no longer mithril. It''s just a piece of junk that will hold you back.

    "............

    That''s okay!¡¡I can''t be proud of it. On the journey ahead, you will inevitably fight the Zodiac cult and you will also face powerful demons such as Berserker Bull. At that time, poorly equipped equipment won''t be able to protect you, let alone Lunamaria.

    Considering that, there seemed to be no way to reuse mithril through sentimentality.

    Now say goodbye to the partner you fought with for so many years in your mind. I will ask father Vandal to make a memorial service for me. He graciously accepts, puts the mithril away, and says, "I''m going to recycle this mithril.

    I think it''s a very good decision not to reuse it, but I need a new weapon to replace it.

    Father Vandal can''t keep his long white beard and begins to think. First, he says, "Let''s make a wooden sword out of ash trees in the storeroom," but it''s rejected by Mother Militia.

    "What''s the point of giving Will a wooden sword now? It would make no sense to give Will a wooden sword at this stage.

    It was a good argument, so Dad Vandal was silent, but when Mother Militia then made an incomprehensible suggestion, he rejected it, as expected.

    It''s a boy''s flail, after all. It''s the child of the gods to be a warrior with a bludgeoning weapon.

    It''s not, and both Dad and Luna Maria. Millia is discouraged, but she doesn''t forget to poke at it.

    I mean, what''s your idea, then?¡¡I won''t admit to being stronger than a mithril dagger and less destructive than a flail.

    The one who answered the call was also Vandal Dad. He could not keep his beard on, but he had an idea.

    "Speaking of which, did you know that there is a city called Arkham just west of Table Mountain?

    How could I know that?

    Mother Militia strutting her stuff. Instead it was Luna Maria who answered.

    I know. I remember stopping by once before I came to the mountain. --I think we were preparing for the festivities then.

    Ha!¡¡Lunamar¨ªa, a priestess of the earth mother goddess, with an expression on her face that says: "Yes, it was.

    Yes, it was. As I recall, the city of Arkham holds a martial arts tournament every three years.

    "The Art of War: ......?

    Mother Millia to be in hiragana. What''s that?¡¡It is an event as the name implies.

    "It is an event that does exactly what its name implies. The Earl of Arkham assembles the best warriors from around the country and pits them against each other.

    Well, barbarians. That''s why the men of the world below

    I agree, the winner of that competition is given a magnificent sword every time.

    Oh, I mean, you''re going to enter that tournament and get a great sword.

    Yes.

    And the god of magic, Vandal .

    I believe the prize this year is a sword made of Damascus steel.

    "Oh, a Damascus steel sword. That''s as good as mithril.

    Dad Ronin marvels.

    That''s not it. Will''s limbs have grown and he''s become a fine warrior. Maybe this is a good time to switch from daggers to swords.

    Exactly. If you want to be the best, you have to choose the sword.

    The god of swords has given his seal of approval. It seems it''s time for me to graduate from the dagger.

    I was going to let him master super close quarters combat with the dagger before moving on to the sword. So it''s about time. I suggest you go to Arkham.

    Me too.

    "Me too!

    But Ronin then makes a surprising suggestion.

    "Well, it''s time to do something about it. This time I''d like to come with you.

    Millia frowns at the suggestion. It''s not like she''s a goddess to cut a mensch.

    What?¡¡What is that, why are you trying to keep up with Will?¡¡You swordsmanship idiot.

    "Yuck, old goddess. You served Will last time.

    Hearing those words, Millia starts to panic and says, "Hey, it''s nothing. I mean, don''t give me away, you idiot," she glares at Ronin''s father.

    I look at me blankly, and Lunamaria looks at us weirdly.

    Later, Mother Milia and Father Ronin have some exchanges, but in the end Father Ronin wins. In the martial arts tournaments held in the Earl of Arkham, swordsmen have a better chance of winning. I couldn''t compete with the theory that I, the goddess of healing, had a better chance of winning than I did.

    Is ...... going to be your father?

    "Ah An?¡¡Complaint?

    No way. It''s the opposite. If my dad is on, he''s a sure bet to win. But isn''t that too cheesy?¡¡God in a human tournament.

    "Don''t worry, I''m just a swordsman outside the divine realm. I''m just a swordsman outside the divine realm.

    Like invincible without the "Shenwei ......

    but he didn''t object to me going down. but I didn''t think I could overrule my father''s promise to follow me. I was looking forward to going down there with my father.

    Okay. Then tomorrow we''ll head down to Arkham together.

    "That''s my boy, you know how to talk.

    Father Ronin smirkingly sips his sake. We''ve come to an agreement, but as usual, Mother Militia is going to complain.

    Wait, wait, I don''t mind having this swordsmanship idiot along for the ride, but I don''t think I''d mind it being tomorrow.

    "Well, since you''re back after all these years, you should rest your bones a little more.

    The Vandal, god of magic, also provides cover. I look at Lunamaria, but she nods at me.

    You''re right. I guess we still have a few days before the martial arts tournament, so I''ll stay in the mountains for a few more days.

    That''s the spirit. So it''s parley night until the last minute of the convention.

    Miria, the goddess of healing, rolls up her sleeves and declares her cooking skills. Lunamar¨ªa hurries up and says, "I''ll help you, too!

    I said. I think he was really worried about Mom''s cooking skills. As much as I love her loving acorn pie, I decided to leave everything to her as it would be better if she helped me with it.

    The next few weeks will be like the old days.

    In the morning, she practiced her sword with Father Ronin and worked up a sweat. In the afternoon, you take a lecture on magic from Father Vandal. In the evening, you make a bath from the wood we gathered together. Mom won''t ask you to join her, but you decide to take a bath separately for the men and women, thinking it would be too embarrassing in front of Lunamaria, and that it would be too lonely for her to be alone.

    After getting out of the bath, they eat dinner and watch the stars together. Mother Miria wishes on a shooting star, Father Ronin looks for his host star, and Father Vandal talks about the connotations of the stars. Me and Luna Maria gaze happily at the scene.

    "The gods are so close.

    Yes, even though they usually fight a lot.

    They say the more you fight, the closer you are to each other.

    Yeah. I read a story once about a gray cat and a reddish-brown mouse, and it said, ''You must fight with each other. I think it was something like that.

    "It''s Thomas and Jell-O,

    "Oh yeah. Oh, you''ve read Luna Maria too?

    No, I''m blind. Our High Priestess Flora was reading to the children at the foot of the mountain.

    "Yes, the high priest is here: ......

    The end of the sentence was small because the name Lunamaria had mumbled sounded familiar.

    High Priestess Flora: ...... Oh, I remember.

    "Did you know?

    Yes, Master Baba of Barca Village mentioned the name.

    Well.

    A surprised Lunamar¨ªa.

    A long time ago, I heard that you passed by the village of Barca and saved Mr. Zinga, who was suffering from green fever.

    I see, it seems likely. I heard that Master Flora spent her youth traveling the world looking for the path to salvation.

    You''ve been on an apprenticeship, haven''t you?

    Yes. He has used his healing magic and knowledge of pharmacy to help a lot of people.

    "Looks virtuous.

    "Yes . . has the highest moral character of the Order of Mother God

    Wow. I''d love to meet you sometime and learn a lot from you.

    Yes, sir. Master Flora is eager to see Master Will.

    Really?

    Of course. The reason I left the cult of Mother Earth in the first place is to bring Master Will back with me, so please come home with me to see Master Flora.

    I''d like to say, "Okay," but first I have to go to a martial arts tournament. --I would love to, but I have to go to a martial arts tournament first.

    I was. Of course, let''s get that out of the way first. "I''m going to compete in the Arkham Martial Arts Tournament--

    Ronin comes in close to interrupt Lunamaria''s words.

    "No, man. Our goal is to win the tournament.

    I look at Luna Maria with a light chuckle.

    "I guess so. It''s not going to stop unless I or my dad wins.

    Then you have nothing to worry about. I''m sure Mr. Will will be the winner.

    You know how the blind priestess is.

    Ronin chuckled and patted me and Lunamaria on the shoulder.

    Well, I guess we''d better get going. If we stay in the mountains until the last minute, we''ll be late.

    It''s not Ronin''s style, but it''s true, and you''re right, so you''ll be leaving the next day. You''re good because you''re sympathetic," Mom says sarcastically, but she thinks it''s bad to make you late for the tournament by forcing you to stay too long. At the end, he sees me off with tears in his eyes.

    Be careful, Will, be careful with the fresh water. Don''t let Lunamar¨ªa''s scent fool you. Also, you need to brush your teeth every day and make sure you gargle and wash your hands--

    "I know, Mom. I''m not a kid anymore.

    What are you talking about. That''s the little Will who was sleeping with me last time.

    It seemed like Mom was just forcing herself into bed: ....... I would like to say that, but I know that this is a place where a hug is more necessary than an objection, and I hug my mother.

    I hugged my mother, who was very slender, unlike her image. She was so delicate that she felt as if she might break at any moment.

    (...... I never knew my mother was this small.)

    No, I was growing up. I looked at my body again and my limbs had grown. Before I knew it, I was taller than Schultz the wolf.

    (...... leaves old mother and goes on a journey. (If I return, my mother will have more gray hair)

    It is a poem from a book of poems I read long ago. It didn''t feel right at the time, but now I can see the meaning and merit of the poem. You let go of your mother''s shoulder, lost in your own emotions.

    Well, Mom, goodbye again. But I''ll see you again soon.

    Really?

    It''s true.

    Really, really?¡¡What month, what day, what time, what minute, what second to come home to?

    I can''t promise that, but it won''t be long.

    "...... Okay, I get it. I''ll be patient. But you should really take care of yourself.

    I know, I know. Bye.

    With one last reluctant wave, he waved to Father Vandal and the mountain animals one last time.

    See you later, guys.

    Of course, the animals in the mountains cannot speak human language. But their expressions and gestures were filled with sadness and love. Like my mother and father, they saw me off.

    I walked down the mountain, reeling backwards.

 104 a journey with ones father

    But why did Master Ronin decide to participate in a martial arts tournament?¡¡I''ve always thought of myself as the type of person who wanted to watch Mr. Will grow up.

    Well, what''s that, that''s just a whim.

    Ronin scratched his cheek, but I knew why. Then my father told me why he was coming down the mountain with me.

    Probably because at Arkham''s martial arts tournament, the hyphen shows up. To kill my son.

    I don''t know how my father got this information, but there was a clear indication that he was willing to clean up his own mess with the hyphen.

    How would he do it?

    Will he turn Hikune back at the martial arts tournament?

    Or, he could be intentionally killed in the middle of a martial arts tournament, so that he could defeat his enemy. Aside from the former, the latter was not a very nice vision of the future.

    (...... If that''s the case, I''ll have to do everything in my power to stop it.

    I still didn''t believe that my father had maliciously killed Hifune''s master, Tohshiro. I thought there must have been some compelling reason, but no matter how much I questioned him, he never gave me any details.

    This will only come out when she faces Hifune. I thought so, but that opportunity would come sooner rather than later when I went to Arkham. So I hurried on my way, but the basics of my journey were not going well. Along the way, I came across a group of ogres.

    Not goblins or kobolds, but ogres, of all things!

    I was disappointed, but my father was a strong man.

    "It''s better than dealing with the small fry. Here''s a test run of that wooden ashlar sword the Vandals gave me.

    You can''t help me with that tone of voice, can you?

    Don''t spoil it. If I get serious, you''ll kill me instantly.

    Yes, but you''d be putting your beautiful son in a bind.

    That''s impossible. I don''t work out that soft.

    It''s true, though.

    Oh dear, and draws the sword of Toneriko. Lunamaria offers to help you, but I refuse.

    You may come up against Miss hyphenated at the tournament. And with unknown and powerful opponents. I need to develop a sense of victory.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    Take a step back and put your short sword away. But I''m a little concerned, and I ask Dad Ronin if he''s okay.

    "I''m not in the least bit concerned about Master Will''s sword skills, but I''m not sure that wooden stick is going to do him any good.

    "You''re worried about your daughter, too. But don''t worry. Those sticks are a work of art.

    "It just looks like a wooden stick.

    It''s not just a stick of wood. It''s a sacred tree that grows at the far end of Table Mountain. It''s an old tree, hundreds of years old.

    "Well, wow.

    "It''s actually awesome. Vandals are overprotective. You have the best weapons available.

    It''s a wooden sword, but it''s easy to put magic into it, right?

    That''s right. The wooden sword will multiply Will''s magic many times over. It''s the perfect weapon for Will, who is also a great sorcerer.

    Ronin declares, and my wooden sword begins to glow. It begins to glow blue-white.

    See how blue the aura is, young lady? It''s also an ashtray.

    "All the way to the blue?

    "Not so. It depends on its owner''s characteristics. Blue or blue is a holy aura. Evil can be red or purple.

    I see, that''s why Master Will is so blue.

    I''m impressed because I didn''t know, but I didn''t have time for that. A swarm of ogres was attacking me. They must have thought that a battle with me was inevitable, so they focused on me as if it were a reckoning.

    A hand-made club and stone axe attack is thrown down, but I calmly dodge them and unleash a slash of my wooden sword.

    --An "impulse".

    An ogre that blows away with a single blow. The "impulse" attribute of the strike is so well-defined that it feels good.

    That''s a hell of a blow, my son.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    "But I''m not going to use ''Slash''. The ogre has a high life force, so ''urge'' is not a good choice.

    I knew that, but I didn''t want to take away your life for no reason, even if you are an ogre.

    Because I''m a soft touch, but my father Ronin was the mastermind behind my personality, and it''s gotten me this far. I wasn''t going to change that easily.

    So, I attacked them with my body armor, but the ogre''s numbers were dwindling. You are a creature of violence, but that is why you are vulnerable to violence. It is likely that the DNA is built in to avoid defying creatures much stronger than you. They retreat like a spider''s spawn.

    You can call yourself a Spider-Ogre from tomorrow.

    Dad Ronin spat it out and turned to me. Ruffling my hair, he said.

    Well done. That''s my girl. Well, I thought I might as well take a few of them down.

    "That''s for next time.

    You''ll do the same next time. But, well, you can play your cards right against the ogre, but not at a martial arts tournament. The most famous swordsmen gather.

    I know. I''m the son of the god of swords, too. I won''t fall behind by pretending to be an immortal.

    "So you''re going to slay the participants in some cases?

    Ronin listening to the reminder.

    He''s convinced, but he doesn''t believe it. He doesn''t think I can kill people. But he''s right. In fact, I have yet to cut a man down. It''s partly because I''ve never had to, but also because I''ve inherited the gods'' kindness. It worked for me until now, but I''m not sure if it will work for me in the future.

    The other day we met up with Toushiro''s apprentice, Hifune. You''ve only faced a few of them, but their abilities are beyond belief. He was an unkillable opponent and no guarantee of victory. Since such an opponent was seriously attempting to kill me, I would lose unless I was prepared to do so.

    If that happens, I''m going to die. .......

    I''m sure you''ll be able to see the profile of Luna Maria and she''s looking at me with concern.

    (...... Don''t.)

    You''ve made her worry. A man should never let a woman worry at any time. The gods taught me that, so I smiled and moved forward.

    My father was looking at me meaningfully. Maybe he came with me on this trip to help me be a spoiled brat. I thought so.

 105 the old shopkeeper and daughter of a general store

    I was going down the mountain with my father Ronin and Luna Maria, but it was very strange.

    ...... This is the first time I''ve been down the mountain with Dad Ronin.

    No, the gods don''t let you go down the mountain easily, and I''ve never been down there with another father.

    (But it''s pretty easy to get down.)

    When we left the sanctuary, I was expecting some drastic changes to occur in my father''s body, like a shock wave, but it went through so easily that I was disappointed. Dad talks about it.

    We gods of Table Mountain have an unwritten law not to interfere in the lower realms, but that doesn''t mean we can''t go down there. In fact, we used to go shopping a lot.

    I''m sure you''ve been out shopping for rice and miso.

    There you go. I didn''t take you with me because it would have been too much of a fight.

    By the way, continue with .

    "When we leave the divine realm, our gods'' abilities will be greatly reduced. We will be unable to use our divine powers.

    "Does that mean you''ll be as strong as a human?

    "Well. But you can still kill an untrained minnow in the blink of an eye.

    If I win a martial arts tournament, that means I have a chance.

    "This guy is so cocky.

    Dad lightly pokes me, and Lunamaria watches it with a smile, but utters a question.

    ?.

    The fortress city of Arkham is located in the west of Midonia.

    As its name suggests, the fortified city is the cornerstone of the western defense of the Kingdom of Midnia, but it has never been attacked by a western enemy in its history. The fortress surrounding Arkham was therefore useless, but still, as the face of a fortified city, it was home to the garrison of the Midonian army.

    The martial arts also flourished and were known for the many schools of warfare that competed with each other. Ronin used to defeat the dojo when he was young.

    In such a martial arts city, the Arkham Martial Arts Tournament was held every year (Farewell to the Family, Again).

    This year, too, the best of the best are gathered from all over the kingdom.

    The central streets of Arkham City were packed with people. People who appeared to be martial artists were strolling about.

    Oh, great! Swords and axes, spears and bows, you name it.

    It''s a little too much sword.

    That''s right. A man''s weapon is his sword.

    Ronin showing off his sword.

    "There are many martial artists. Some of them are bare-handed.

    "It''s a pervert who challenges a weapons convention with his fists. That looks really strong.

    I''m getting excited," said Ronin. I''m looking for a place to stay as I feel like I''m about to join hands with the other martial artists.

    I''m going to find a place to stay.

    But with a boom like this, it can be hard to get a place to stay.

    Lunamar¨ªa makes a common sense statement, but her impressions are spot on. Every inn was full.

    All the inns on the main street are listed as full. The inn on the backstreets were either told it was impossible or charged ten times as much as it was supposed to be.

    At ......, the rest of the lodgings are for the "Bring Your Own Inn".

    I took a quick look, but it was full too, so I couldn''t do anything about it.

    By the way, I heard that in the Citadel of Arkham, innocents are thrown in jail.

    The rain and dew seems to be holding off.

    "I don''t think they''ll be able to go to a convention instead.

    Indeed. But this is a trap. You''re a loose end, but you don''t have a place to stay.

    "Yeah, I was worried when I got there, but I didn''t think I''d stumble before I got there. I was worried about it when I came out, but I didn''t think I''d stumble before I got there.

    "I''m not ready to give up yet,

    I suggest that Luna Maria .

    ''Let''s go downtown for this kind of thing.

    I guess it''s the same with the inn downtown.

    "The inn is, but you don''t have to stay at the inn in a foolproof manner.

    I see, it''s all the rage now.

    Yes. It''s also called homestay.

    "We''ll be staying in a civilian home?

    "Yes.

    That''s what I''m talking about.

    "I''m used to traveling.

    A bashful Lunamar¨ªa. The cult of the Mother Goddess is not a well-to-do cult. They are basically penniless when they travel asceticism and roam the world begging for alms. Basically, he asks citizens for lodging and shelter.

    The world is not as bad as it used to be.

    That''s right. Moreover, there is a Church of the Mother of God in Arkham who stayed with us last time. It may be presumptuous of me, but I''ll ask him again.

    We are on our way to downtown, but there''s trouble again.

    The door of the tool shop where Lunamaria stayed last time has numerous "repossessed" letters on it. It seems to be in the form of a debt, so we go in and ask the girl who looks after the store.

    From behind the counter, the

    Welcome!

    I hear a voice, but I don''t see the voice. Lunamaria explains to me, looking around, "That''s the grandson of the owner.

    I think that''s the owner''s grandson. How nice of you to help her, so young!

    Lunamar¨ªa walked around behind the counter, smiling. There is a girl about seven years old. The girl with braids bowed her head and said "yes" and brought a pedestal from the back and peeked out from the counter.

    The girl popped out and smilingly repeated her earlier words.

    Welcome, blind priestess and her companion.

    Her carefree smile was the very definition of a signboard girl, and I visited her to see how she was doing now.

    It''s been a while, Aina.

    "Yes. Ms. Luna Maria.

    It''s been a few months, what''s changed?

    The store was filled with the words "Foreclosure" and "Sold" outside the store, as well as inside the store.

    ...... This is that one.

    Aina is reluctant to talk about the situation. She is shy about telling outsiders what''s going on. You may be a businessman''s daughter, but now that you know this much, you can''t afford to walk away. So I asked you to tell me what happened, but the owner came from the back as he heard the words.

    He doesn''t hide his grumpiness as he says, "Master Luna Maria, good to see you.

    "Long time no see, Master Luna Maria," he says without hiding his grumpiness.

    Mr. Weitz, it''s been a while. What is the meaning of this tragedy?

    "...... can''t say that,

    Why?

    "I''m a businessman, too, and I''m determined.

    That''s right!¡¡I can''t say that I was tricked by a crook and robbed of my store''s title!

    My granddaughter Aina raises her voice, but seems to be saying it naturally, not on purpose. Weitz gives her a look of a chuckle.

    "Oh my God!

    "I can''t believe you cheated a good citizen. We have to get the Bill of Rights back at any cost.

    He thought there was no longer any way to hide it. Weitz admits it.

    ...... I''m actually embarrassed to admit that I got into a fictitious profiteering scheme and had my property seized.

    When I look at my granddaughter Aina, I put my hand on her head and said, "I was hoping to pay for her schooling. ...... grandpa," she says with moist eyes.

    It''s a very good idea to have a good idea of what you''re going to do.

    Yes. He was a poor kid who lost his parents when he was very young. Before they died, they promised him a place at the Royal Academy.

    Then we have to fulfill that promise.

    I would like to, but if the store''s rights were to be seized, I wouldn''t be able to live tomorrow, let alone at the Royal Academy.

    So we can get the store''s title back?

    Yes, but is such a thing possible?

    It is possible.

    And then the door of the store is opened. There was a rogue-looking merchant and a group of hard-charging mercenaries. For all intents and purposes, they were debt collectors, but their imaginations are not far off.

    The crooks let out a line that sounds like something out of a three-sentence novel.

    "Hey, old man. How do you think you''ll pay off the debt?

    The rogue merchant watches the scene with a smirk on his face. They threaten Mr. Weitz, shouting at the top of their lungs.

    "Pay your ears before today or I''ll take your granddaughter.

    No, please don''t do that. This is my life''s work.

    "Then put your ears to the fire and pay your debt.

    "Huh, but that debt you guys owe ......

    "You think we offered you a fictitious money-making scheme?¡¡What''s your evidence. It''s your fault you''re out of business, isn''t it?

    But all the potions we stocked were rotten.

    You''re not in control.

    The laughing crooks. They quickly snap at you and try to grab Aina''s arm.

    "You can''t pay your debt, so give it up. You''d make a good whore if you trained at the brothel early. You could be a high-class whore at Madame Barafly''s.

    The villains with their vile smiles. At last my patience was exhausted.

    I thrust my wooden ashlar against them and said.

    "Scoundrels, get your filthy hands off me!

    "What?

    The ruffians turn around and look at you with a great expression. I''d like to cut them down on the spot, but these guys are no different in settling things with violence.

    Gentlemen demand their bill of rights back, but they are not one to follow such a sound argument. Then I challenge you to a duel, the way they do. Fight for the store''s rights, I say. But they answer with a sneer. We already own the rights to the store, I answer with a sneer. So I take the leather bag from my pocket. I take the leather bag from my pocket and place it on the table.

    ...... What''s that?

    Thugs staring at you with a puzzled stare.

    It''s all I have. I''ll put my money on the line for that, too.

    Hearing those words, the thugs looked at each other, then burst out laughing.

    "Hey, did you hear that? This kid is going to fight.

    "And for pennies like this,

    "You can''t even buy a store doorway with this.

    I was filled with derision, but I was serious.

    "You''re afraid to lose to me, then.

    "...... What the hell, kid?

    "Because it''s not.

    "Because that''s what it is. It''s small change to you guys, but it''s still a lot of money. If you beat me, you get everything you want.

    "............

    "But if you''re not in the game, you must be scared.

    The thugs are blushing at my provocation, their faces red as boiled shrimp. This will work, I thought, but it looks like I need another push. I''m still hesitating. But Dad Ronin and Luna Maria will help us.

    Dad Ronin shouts loudly.

    Hey, hey, this kid scares you. I''ll take my chances. You guys are gutless. Okay, I''ll give you a price.

    Then father Ronin put the sword on the table.

    This is Hourai''s work. This is Hourai''s work. I won''t say a house, but we can buy a carriage.

    A merchant with a keen eye on Dodanuki. Apparently even a scoundrel is a connoisseur. And as a final push, Luna Maria steps forward. Write your name in pen on the certificate you''ll receive for Aina.

    If you lose, Will, sell me out at the same time.

    The rogues look at the merchant. The merchant''s greasy eyes are on the limb of the Lunamar¨ªa. There is not a merchant in the world who does not recognize her value. And the trader, who was hired by the villain, says: "Very well.

    Very well. But I want the playing field to be fair.

    We were stunned, not expecting the word "fair" to escape from the villain''s mouth, but we listened.

    A huge debt is at stake. It''s a huge debt.

    I won''t do that, but I won''t say anything if you do it right, either.

    "Then I have just the thing. It''s a martial arts tournament in this city. If you enter now, you''ll be in the same group for the preliminary round.

    I guess it comes down to order.

    Yeah. My people will be in that round.

    You mean, if I win that qualifier, I win?

    That''s what it is.

    "I''ll do it.

    How about that?

    A merchant with a twisted mouth.

    Yeah, that way you can''t get any tricks up your sleeve.

    "Very well. Now I''m going to enter in your name.

    Thank you for doing the entry.

    When he said that, the villains let out a meaningful smile and walked away.

    As they leave, Aina cries and comes running over. She looks terrified. As she''s comforting her sobbing, Mr. Weitz comes in.

    "Goodness, what boys. A great deal of courage.

    My mom told me that men have guts, women have charm, and God''s children are both.

    But are you sure you''re okay with that kind of match?

    It''s wishful thinking. You can''t cheat in a martial arts tournament than to fight on the spot.

    That''s true, but ......

    Old man Weitz says with a bushy beard, but there seems to be a hint of unease. But I didn''t mind and got to the point.

    By the way, Mr. Weitz, I couldn''t afford to be a lodger for the martial arts tournament. If you don''t mind, would you mind if I stayed?

    What, I didn''t know that. Of course you''ll stay the night. I mean, I''m not going to shamelessly let my benefactor sleep in the field.

    Weitz smiles and orders his granddaughter, Aina, to bring the sheets from the warehouse.

    Thus, Will and his friends have found a lodging, but there are those who are gloating behind the scenes.

    They are the merchants and thugs. The thugs are calling the merchant''s name.

    "But Master Bask, they''re idiots.

    "Kukku, huh?

    That''s right. You don''t know that we have a mercenary who was runner-up in the last Arkham Martial Arts Tournament.

    Yeah, it''s a stranger. I don''t have any vital information.

    But the sword they bet on, it was a gem.

    "Women too.

    "Yes. Women are especially good. They''ll sell for a good price in the slave market.

    Can I have a taste of it before I enslave you?

    "Don''t be an idiot, it''s worth less.

    "Chee ......

    He was a scoundrel who lamented the Lord''s stinginess, but Basque was ready to taste it. Because he was fascinated by the beauty of the Lunamar¨ªa.

    ...... shall I take you as my mistress rather than sell you as a slave?

    A small leak, but to make it happen, we must first crush the kid until he''s dead. We''ll go to our trump card, the mercenary.

    The mercenary is in the guest room in a corner of the Basque house. It was originally made for noblemen to stay there, but now it''s nowhere to be seen. It had been used as a training room for the last tournament''s runner-up, the mercenary Gordeau.

    Gordeau, a man on a quest for strength alone. He trains with the steam coming off his body. This time, he wanted to win the martial arts competition to avenge his last victory, but this man was more of a disciplinarian. Even if he won the tournament, he would not stop training himself.

    When Basque saw Goldor, he muttered, "A man like the god of war.

    You''re a real warrior man. I am very grateful to have this man in my employ.

    They are interested in nothing more than strength, so they are willing to help you as much as they can, as long as you give them a training room. It''s cheap and easy to use. They''re much easier to use than those guys I was just talking to.

    That poor boy. I wanted to give him justice, but I didn''t know it would end like this. Kukukuuku ......

    As the merchant fantasized about how to dispose of the store he had acquired, where to sell Aina and Dontanuki, and the sensual and decadent days with Luna Maria, he kept letting out a vile laugh.

    Little did they know that the crooks they had just met were up to their necks in such a devious manner.

    Will and his friends were gathering their wits for tomorrow''s martial arts tournament qualifiers.

    Weitz is excited to get a turkey from the butcher and stuff it. Aina and Luna Maria happily sang an herb song.

    "Coco Coco Show!¡¡Pippi and peppers!¡¡Lololo Royal Rosemary!

    Apparently, this is how Arkham''s daughters learn to fill their turkeys with herbs and spices. I remember back in the mountains, my mother used to sing these songs while cooking. But she was very tone deaf and changed the lyrics every time. Maybe that''s the secret to her bad cooking.

    But fortunately, Luna Maria was a great cook and Aina was a very promising girl. The grilled turkey is very delicious.

    And she cut me the fattiest and tenderest part of the turkey.

    I want you to do well at the tournament tomorrow.

    Aina says, but Mr. Weitz says something outrageous.

    "It''s true. It''s just that I''m in love with you, Will.

    Aina turns red in the face. Lunamar¨ªa chastises Weitz.

    "Mr. Weitz, your grandchildren won''t like it when you tell jokes like that.

    I knew it. Will''s fianc¨¦e is Master Lunamar¨ªa. My grandson is no match for him.

    Now Luna Maria''s face turns red.

    "Wow, I''m just a squire,

    Seeing this scene, Mr. Weitz happily sipped the wine on the table. It was their first reunion in a long time, and the drink was delicious.

    Our evening passed in this way. Incidentally, the next morning I''ll have a soup of leftover turkey bones. It''s also very nutritious and I felt very energized.

 106 unmeasurable

    The next day at noon, we leisurely head to the martial arts tournament.

    I''m glad they entered.

    Is.

    I''m smiling and so am Lunamaria. But Dad Ronin was not happy.

    d*mn it, what''s with the order in the preliminary round? Who''s an idiot?

    They''re trying to shorten the duration of the event by holding qualifying rounds.

    "Thanks to that I only have to enter in the evening

    It''s not good for parent-child conflicts.

    Lunamar¨ªa with a grin. When you give up, Ronin asks you, "Well, well, whatever," he says.

    "If I''m going to move you, you''re going to have to win the preliminary round, son.

    I know. If you''re going to lose, you''re going to lose to your father or Mr. Hyphen,

    I wish I could have said, "I''ll beat you all up there, but, well, you can''t beat me.

    Once I regained my good mood, my dad went along with the last adjustment. A quick hand meeting at the venue.

    Then, when the fates would have it, the Arkham Trials qualifier.

    Now, what kind of qualifier is this?

    And listen to the words of the presenter who came to the hall. The sorcerer-like man begins to explain.

    This preliminary round will decide who will go to the main competition.

    Someone asks, "Do we suddenly qualify in battle?

    "Are we going to qualify for a battle all of a sudden?

    "No, we will first measure the combat power.

    The top of it will play a random match, and if you are the last one standing, you pass.

    Looking around the venue, there are about 30 people. Considering the space available for the game, the foot-slicing line is about the top eight players.

    Then we can''t afford to play around. We need to get a real high score.

    I see a machine that measures combat power. It''s a magical one, and apparently it gives you a number when you apply a physical attack or a magical attack here.

    I don''t care if it''s physical or magical.

    They say you can choose which one you are good at, but I was a hybrid type of warrior, good at physics and magic.

    On the contrary, it''s difficult.

    And yet choose both.

    If either is OK, then choose them all at once. The teaching of the gods is simple and clear. So you put your magic into the wooden sword of Toneriko and get into a position to release a sword flash.

    The sky blade slayer!

    The air razor blade hits the measuring instrument.

    A thumping sound fills the hall. At the roaring sound, everyone in the hall looks back.

    "Hey, hey! There''s this monster?

    "What was that noise, was that an explosive?

    "The measuring instrument is dented at ...... and it''s made of mithril. ......

    Various voices rang out and everyone looked at the display counters on the measuring instruments. They''re wondering how much power an attack like that will have.

    I''m also curious because it determines whether or not you pass or fail. I take a peek at it, but the number written on it is unexpected.

    77

    "Huh?¡¡That''s it?

    It''s a letdown. In fact, the warrior who challenged me in front of me shot up to 108. And it was just a physical attack. His attack was patronizingly crappy.

    ...... Well, that''s about it. I still have a lot of work to do!

    I said that and looked at the judge. I asked him if I could pass.

    He told me that I could probably do it by the skin of my teeth, so I went straight back to the waiting room.

    I passed the first round with flying colors, but the audience''s attention was not on Will.

    When the runner-up of the last competition, Gordeau appears, he instantly takes the attention of the audience.

    He raises a large axe and slams it down on the measuring instrument.

    The numbers he gives are

    244

    The venue was .

    The audience was buzzing.

    This instrument maxes out at 255, so you''re way over the limit.

    I heard the last winner was 180, so I guess he''s better than the winner in terms of power alone: ......

    The participants are astonished. Some even withdraw from the qualifying round because of Gordeau''s sheer power.

    Gordeau''s steel-like muscles were enough to awe an ordinary warrior.

    The room was buzzing, but some of the administrators were buzzing in a different way.

    The next challenger appeared and attacked. The number was twenty-five. It''s clear that this is a mechanical anomaly, and the tournament officials are astonished when they examine the machine. They analyze the record (log) and find something outrageous.

    ...... The previous challenger''s numbers are also crazy. His attack has destroyed the machine.

    No, no, no, that''s not possible. It was already broken at the time of his attack, wasn''t it?

    It can''t be. The only unusual waveforms in the log are his and the last participant.

    What does that mean?¡¡Officials are clamoring for the name of the challenger who hit the extraordinary number with a pale face.

    ...... registered name Will.

    The record that the boy by that name logged

    Ninety-nine

    That means it was unmeasurable.

    But the convention officials kept the numbers quiet. I couldn''t tell the higher-ups, and I still thought it was some kind of mistake. But they still declared Will to be a passer of the first round and allowed him to participate in the second round, the actual competition.

    Due to the mass exodus of participants, there were surprisingly few participants in the second round. You only had to beat two of them to be matched with Goldor.

    Well, no matter how many participants, only one will make it to the finals. With Lunamaria and Dontanuki at stake, we can''t lose.

    Once again, you are fired up, but soon it''s time for a direct confrontation.

    Will takes down the two participants with a swift attack, and Gordeau takes down his opponent with even greater speed. One of the warriors seems to have been hit hard enough to run into the wall. The place is in an uproar.

    ...... You are indeed a cruel man. You are that merchant''s boy.

    He may not be a born sadist, but his grueling training appears to have desensitized him to the pain of others. He seems to have a troubled personality that cannot feel compassion no matter how far away his abilities are.

    "Looks like you need some moxibustion.

    That''s what Ronin said, and it may be true.

    But that muscular body is tricky.

    She''s clearly the stronger of the two. If it came down to a showdown, we might lose. --And so I was going to try to come up with a plan for the match with Gordeau.

 107 a disturbing shadow

    The gain of the mercenary Gordeau was an axe.

    He wore an axe larger than a man''s body. He looked like a mythical warrior as he effortlessly lifted a huge axe that an ordinary man could not lift with three men assembled. His employer, Basque, said.

    Once again, as I was basking in the glory of Gordeau''s fury, a scoundrel as bad as Basque called out to me. Two merchants, both of whom are famous for their cunning, smirked at you.

    "Well, well, well, Mister Basque, you''ve always been a wonderful operator.

    "Well, well, well.

    How can you hire such a mercenary?

    It''s a habit.

    Hahaha, and a chuckle breaks out.

    I hear you got the downtown weitz store. I heard you got the Weitz store downtown.

    Soon, though. It''s taking some time, but we''ve got interest instead.

    "Interest?

    A beautiful woman with a blade of work and a beautiful woman. --And...

    "And?

    And the blood of a beautiful boy. Well, we don''t particularly want it. But there will be blood at the festival.

    Then he pointed his opera glass at the stage. Basque had no taste for cruelty, but he still wanted to see a good-looking boy become a lump of flesh.

    Unaware that his master was watching, Gordeau held up his axe.

    The thought of killing the boy in front of him with it gives him a little pang of guilt.

    Just can''t go easy on him.

    He may look like a slender, powerless boy with a wooden sword, but he''s got to be quite capable. If you were to go easy on him, you might even lose, so Gordeau was serious about crushing him.

    "We must make up for last time!¡¡Fist King Jabba, wash your head and wait for me!

    The last time I got revenge on the Fist King who beat Goldor in the final. This time I wanted to beat him and prove that I was the best fighter in the land.

    To do so, we can''t just stand here and stumble. I''m sorry for the boy, but I was going to turn him into a lump of meat right away.

    Gordeau waits impatiently for the signal to start the game. When the referees gave the signal to start the match, he would end it in a half a second. Goldeau has the strength to swing an axe that fast. No warrior was ever going to beat him if he put his training to the test.

    That was the consensus of the people in the hall, not to mention Gordeau and his employer, Basque, but there were two people outside of that perception. One was his opponent, Will, and the other was his parent.

    Aina, the toolmaker''s daughter, fearful in the face of Gordeau''s overpowering aura, says to Ronin beside her, "Lo, Ronin, come here," she says.

    I think you should abstain, Ronin," she says.

    "Abstain?¡¡Why?

    "This man, Mr. Goldow, is very strong. He''s very muscular.

    Well, one look at you and you''ll break my back. Even though the rights to the store are at stake, I don''t want you to scatter your young life.

    Old man Weitz also follows his granddaughter.

    As expected of Will''s master, even Lunamaria looks a little worried.

    Ronin says as if to comfort her.

    If I wanted to kill Will, I''d have met many people who wanted to kill him.

    But that mercenary is something else. His body is too different.

    Well, those muscles are awesome. If you take Will''s strength as 10, he''s got to be 50.

    Five-fold. I still think we should pull out with honor.

    Old man Weitz turns pale.

    "There''s no honor in retreating. And there''s no honor in retreating, much less running away to a winnable game.

    "Can you win?

    Aina shouts.

    You can win.

    Lunamar¨ªa asserts.

    Master Will was raised by the strongest gods. He has overcome all odds since he came down here. He is not a man to be defeated in a place like this.

    But that guy is strong.

    Yes, but you can''t lose. But there''s no way I''m losing.

    Once again, Lunamaria says, she notices that her palms are wet.

    (...... I know I''m a worrier.)

    Will is the strongest boy ever . Even so, you never know what will happen to him in the world of battle. There is no shortage of victories for a warrior to be killed by a nameless villager in the end.

    ............

    "You don''t know how great Will is for a new girl you just met. And Luna Maria''s daughter doesn''t have much faith in Will yet. My son will never be dismissed by that man.

    Pausing to say, "Oh man," Ronin assured him, "That guy''s five times as powerful as Will.

    It''s true that he''s five times as powerful as Will, but you can''t beat him on power alone.

    What do you mean?

    That means he can blow Will''s head off in 0.1 second and he''ll stun him in 0.01 second.

    "...... huh?

    When Aina said this, the audience erupted in cheers.

    It was the signal to start the match.

    At that moment, Gordeau''s axe swings down with momentary speed and cuts off Will''s head.

    "Master Will!

    Lunamaria screamed, but Ronin was calm. She was not at all upset that her beloved son had been killed. Lunamaria wanted to protest, but the feeling was more daunting. The one who brought harmony to this world, the one raised by the gods, is dead. It felt as if the world would disappear. Despair reigned in Lunamar¨ªa''s heart, but it was Will himself who delivered her from her despair.

    Will thought his head had been cut off by Godot''s axe. But the decapitation was something else.

    "The afterimage!

    To Lunamaria''s astonishment, Ronin murmurs, "You''re right. Then he adds, "Don''t take your eyes off her.

    Keep an eye on her. Will will decide in a second.

    Ronin says so, and Will does it.

    The afterimage causes Will to dodge the blow from Goldor and appear above Goldor. Normally, he would be unprotected in the air, but Will was anything but.

    "Ugh, there''s more than one Mr. Will!

    "Uh-huh.

    In fact, there was more than one Will. Five wills had appeared in the sky. The crowd is throbbing, but they are not an illusion. They are just afterimages of the fastest moving wills.

    Even Goldor didn''t seem to know which one to attack. But he''s a top-notch warrior, and he''s come up with a way to attack five men at once.

    Ridding himself of the giant axe, he''s ready to kill five wills at once.

    It was the best decision, but it was not the strongest.

    Will was waiting for the moment when Goldor would use Cleave. Will took that moment to step into Gordeau''s bosom.

    Will is now muttering to himself.

    "...... It''s an afterimage.

    Just as he murmurs this, Will''s ashlar wooden sword flashes.

    A powerful blow, a blow filled with the magic of "despair", strikes the head. The overwhelming speed and power of the blow to the head makes it impossible for anyone to stay conscious. He was blown a few meters away and was completely unconscious.

    The judge looks at me with a puzzled look on his face. He still can''t believe that someone as small as I am could overwhelm a man of great strength like Goldor. But he eventually realizes this and grabs my hand, lifting it high in the air.

    Then the place erupts in a roar of rage.

    "d*mn, what a kid!

    "A blow to the previous runner-up. A monster.

    We have a new champion.

    The bellowing goes on forever. This is how I was promoted from a mere participant to a potential winner.

    Watching Will''s game from a distance is the female swordsman, Hifune.

    She didn''t miss Will''s every move.

    "That''s the Son of the Sword God. Qualifying is easy.

    Muttering this, a martial artist dressed in modest clothes appears. Lightly alarmed, but not bothered by the lack of murderous intent, he calls out to me.

    "That boy is funny.

    The martial artist says.

    "I know that. But she''s mine.

    Hifune drew his sword from his waist and thrust it at the martial artist.

    If I seize it, I''ll cut you down to pieces.

    Oh, that''s a scary thing . But a martial arts tournament is only a matter of time. It depends on the combination.

    That''s true. But she and I are going to win. We''re going to win.

    That''s a big one. Would you be able to say the same thing if you played me on the way?

    "Great, you. What''s your name?

    "My name is Fist King . Fist King Jabba.

    "Heh, never heard of it.

    "You don''t even know the name of the previous winner. Chuckle.

    The Fist King says this and takes out an apple from his pocket.

    Toss it into the air and fist out at a momentary speed.

    The apple was drawn by gravity and fell to the ground. It had taken on a different shape from when it was thrown. It had been shattered. It would not have happened without multiple fists locked in at considerable speed.

    So, young lady, good-bye. If we meet at the battle.

    The Fist King smiles wryly and walks away.

    As if to replace him, the man in black appears.

    "You''re quite an interesting man.

    "Clown

    Hifune retorts. I''m not sure if he said that to the man in black or to the Fist King, but the man in black doesn''t seem bothered by it, saying, "The number of fists you added to your apple is about two or three.

    "I''d say you''ve added a couple of fists to the apple.

    In fact, it was a thirty-six, but he was not willing to cooperate with the man''s speculation, so he did not answer anything. He didn''t say anything else, since that wasn''t his main point either.

    What do you want, by the way?¡¡I''ll kill Will in the near future as promised, but

    I''m not worried about that. If you play Will, you''ll win.

    "Then I wish you wouldn''t have come so far.

    Hifune does not hide his disgust. The man in black says without caring.

    "Well, so be it. We''d rather kill that boy any way we can.

    Why do you care so much?

    "That one is the sworn enemy of our Zodiac cult. The one who could be the light to save our world. Twice she has burned us down. He has killed one of our 24 generals. I want this done as soon as possible.

    Then don''t worry. Our intentions may not be the same in death, but our purpose is the same.

    "I don''t doubt your abilities--but

    "But?

    "But this martial arts tournament will be attended by an unexpected ambush.

    You mean the god of swords.

    I look at Will and the squalid man who is celebrating his earlier victory.

    "Yes. We didn''t think the gods would come into the war. It could bring our plans to naught.

    "Are you out of your mind to kill Will?

    Yes. You can''t overpower the gods either.

    Yes. Yes, it''s bad.

    "Then--

    "But we will not retreat. Seeing that man and that man''s son makes my blood run hot. I can''t run away here. My feelings of vengeance will fade and I will feel sorry for my master father if I cowardly run away from it.

    "So the plan goes on?

    "Yeah. That''s not a bad story. You want to kill a boy named Will. I want revenge on Ronin, the god of swords. Conflict of interest.

    "That''s right. We just gave you the information. If that''s all it takes to get rid of the boy, I''m superimposed.

    "Then you can rest easy. I will kill her.

    That''s a brave word. You''re very dependable.

    The man in black smiled wryly and left.

    Hifune stared at his back with a scowl, but never pointed it out. You''ll be able to find out what''s going on with the boy, Will, by simply exchanging information with the man in black to begin with. I wasn''t interested in what he was up to.

    The man in black turned his back to Hifune and let out a brooding laugh.

    "But well, she''s an easy girl, she''ll dance on your palms.

    You murmur meaningfully, but immediately look at the hall.

    ''''But the participation of the God of Swords is still an uncertain factor. Even though his power is limited, he is still a god. We should take some countermeasures.

    The man in black then turns to the martial artist he saw earlier.

    "He''s a few steps behind Hifune in terms of strength, but he''ll be fine as a replacement.

    So I approached him verbally and decided to lay down some stones.

    He also excused his men to make a thorough "meeting" with the tournament officials.

    The man in black had no inherent military prowess, but instead had a wisdom second to none. A strong mind that didn''t mind being called a villain. These two were essential to success in the Order.

 108 Zodiacs adultery plot

    We didn''t know that there was a lot of intrigue going on behind the scenes, and once we were selected to participate in the main tournament, we went back to Mr. Weitz''s store to have a light victory celebration.

    Yay!¡¡My debt is now cleared!

    Rejoicing Aina.

    Weitz seems unimpressed.

    "I never thought Will would be this strong. I was so worried I couldn''t sleep last night.

    "Hmmm, Will, you''re slim on the outside. But he''s the strongest.

    "You were so worried about me just now.

    Ronin teases, but Lunamaria defends.

    I''m not worried. I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay. As it turns out, there was no such thing as a contingency.

    Well, frankly, there''s no way Will is going to fall behind at the local martial arts competition level.

    That''s right. That''s the winner. Oh, and by the way, what was Ronin''s result?

    Speaking of which, the treatment. I''m not going down.

    and proudly presents the certificate.

    It''s a real sword god.

    "Congratulations, Dad.

    But Dad didn''t seem particularly happy.

    Perhaps it was a combination of factors, so I ventured to ask.

    "You''re in the same boat as Mr. Hifune, aren''t you, Dad?

    What, you''ve seen the battlefield?

    Yes, I only remember Mr. Hifune''s and my dad''s.

    "I see. Why are you so worried. At least we''re assured of a runner-up finish.

    "I''m on pins and needles now to see who I''m going to play in the final,

    That''s me anyway.

    "...... Really?¡¡Didn''t Dad come here on purpose to defeat Mr. Hifune?¡¡I''m going to give her my head.

    What''s that?

    No, I have a feeling that

    "Does it say good-naturedly in my face?

    No.

    Then I wouldn''t do anything stupid.

    Ronin assured him and took out a bottle of sake from his pocket.

    Let''s celebrate Will''s victory and debt cancellation. Let''s celebrate Will''s victory and clear your debts. Sake until morning.

    Then Mr. Weitz will bring you a bottle of wine. They''re happy to get rid of the debt. And they don''t know much about our situation. So we might as well curry favor with them here. To keep them from worrying, I pretend that I really enjoyed the victory party.

    The next day, I''m awakened by Luna Maria. My father drank so hard that I unusually couldn''t get up on my own. Meanwhile, Ronin''s father had arrived at the venue ahead of me. Dad''s game is in the morning.

    We''ll get ready slowly and go to the hall. I didn''t panic because there was no way my father was going to lose. Sure enough, the first round ended in one second. His opponent surrendered after his clothes were cut off.

    That''s my father''s way of winning, and I''ll play the first round, too. My opponent in the first round was the sickle chain user. Ronin said that a sickle smith is a biting dog, but in fact he was a biter. The way he waved his sickle in the air was seamless.

    The way he wielded his sickle was seamless. ...... This makes Mr. Goldor is much stronger than that.

    As expected of the previous runner-up, we reevaluate him again, but the evaluation never reaches him. He was so shocked that he decided to go back to the country to pursue a priesthood. I''m sorry to hear that, but I also think he''d be happier there.

    Now that I''ve had enough time for such musings, I''ll defeat the sickle chain user with a single blow. My dad and I are through the first round. It''s a tournament system, so we have to win four times to win.

    Me and my dad will win the second round, too. That makes us the favourites, but there are two more who stand out. One, of course, is Hifune. She, too, had a series of stunning victories that showed the difference between her and her opponent. If all goes well, she''ll face my father in the semifinals.

    My opponent for the semifinals, on the other hand, is going to be Jabba the Fist King. He''s coming through just fine, too. He won more loudly than we did, and he was getting a lot more praise than we did.

    Another win!

    Every time he won, he would say so and get the audience excited. I would like to follow his performance, but I can''t help but watch him. I''m still wondering what they''re thinking about, Hyphen and Ronin.

    No, in a way, the idea of hyphenation is easy to understand. He''s trying to satisfy his vengeance by killing me in front of his father. I''m not sure what he''ll do when he''s in front of me, but at least the fight with his father will be exciting.

    The problem is with your father. I''m still trying to figure out what my dad thinks. Are we going to turn on the hyphen, or... As I ponder, I realize I''ve been summoned by the judges.

    It seems that your semifinal against the Fist King is coming up.

    I may have to change my mind. So I decide to kill Fist King.

    I''m sorry, I was going to beat you after I saw your move because it''s a training exercise, but I''m worried about Dad''s match, so I''ll end it with a single blow.

    Hearing those words, the Fist King''s temples twitched.

    "...... You''re going to defeat the Fist King with a single blow?

    Those words were the last words of the Fist King.

    As soon as the start of the match is announced, I walk into his bosom with uncanny speed and slash him with my wooden sword.

    The Fist King collapses with a crunch.

    It was too fast for ordinary people to understand what had happened, but the crowd and the judges seemed to know that the Fist King had lost. When the crowd cheered, my victory was announced.

    That was amazing. Are you invincible, Mr. Will?

    Will''s epitaph will say so. And he lived a long life.

    You are proud of your victory, but it''s not really that overwhelming.

    It was all over in an instant, so Fist King Jabba looks weak, but he''s a pretty formidable opponent. He''s at least as strong as the man you just fought, Goldor. In fact, it might have been because he didn''t have time to go easy on you that you had to decide the game in an instant.

    We don''t know, but now is not the time to discuss Jabba. There was no time to respond to the crowd''s enthusiasm. The crowd seemed to want to hear the victory comment, but they ignored it and went to the side of Lunamar¨ªa. There are also Mr. Weitz and Aina.

    Here it is. Over here.

    Aina congratulates me on my victory as she offers me the seat she saved for me. I say thank you and I ask Luna Maria.

    I ask Luna Maria, "What happened to your game?¡¡I heard it was held at the same time.

    It is what it looks like. It''s been like that for a while now.

    They remain motionless in the center of the stage, watching each other.

    They seem to be watching each other to see where the other goes. Luna Maria will ask you.

    ''''I''ve heard that battles between masters can be decided in an instant. Are the two of you carefully plotting your opponent''s moves?

    Perhaps.

    "Then I can''t take my eyes off of you for a second--

    At that moment, I say the words.

    Luna Maria, you two are on the move!

    "What?

    A moment later, the two begin to act simultaneously. They move like running water and accelerate their bodies as they go. The moment you realized, you two had spat each other out.

    What speed?

    "It''s reaching god speed. Their speed is not human.

    The two appear all over the stage as if to prove it. They spit at the center of the stage and fight at the edges, spinning each other in the air like a juggler. The scene is so fantastic that the audience is simply stunned.

    This is the battle of the gods. But what is this girl following me at this speed?

    I don''t know what happened to Luna Maria. I wasn''t sure if I should tell her, but after much deliberation, I decided to tell her.

    ...... such a situation.

    "Do you think my father killed Mr. Tojiro?

    I don''t know about that, but I''ve come to the same conclusion as Mr. Will.

    "I mean?

    Whatever your past is, it means you believe in Master Ronin.

    I sympathize with her sincere answer. I knew I was right to talk to her. Once again I''m impressed by the brilliance of Luna Maria, and I watch the game.

    Dad Ronin''s match with Hifune was coming to a climax.

    Although they move at god''s speed, they are both human, and have a limit to their physical strength. Ronin doesn''t seem to have inexhaustible energy after leaving the divine realm. It''s slowing down.

    hifune''s hands are increasing.

    ............

    Lunamar¨ªa''s expression is cloudy. Even she seems to think that Ronin is outnumbered. That assessment was correct.

    (mr. hyphenated, more than I expected.)

    I thought that being a disciple of my brother''s son meant that I should be inferior to him, but I''m afraid I was mistaken. I don''t know about Toushiro''s ability, but at least Hifune''s ability is better than mine.

    (...... If it were purely swordsmanship alone, it would be better than me.

    You''ll have to use your magic to win.

    This was going to be hard on Ronin who had just come down to the world below. Ronin was a dweller on the Mountain of the Gods, usually able to unleash his power without reservation. On the other hand, much of his power is limited in the world below. You said that you just can''t use your divine power, but your muscles and other attributes seem to have lost a lot of their strength.

    I don''t think you''ll lose--but you won''t be able to win easily.

    Especially since Ronin, the god of swords, is a gentle god, and I had a suspicion that Dad might lose during this match on purpose. Hence, I was always watching your expressions and movements.

    Clutching the wooden sword of Toneriko.

    (...... If Dad was going to die, I had to step in and save him.

    It was against the law, and that''s what would anger my father the most, but I wasn''t going to let my father''s life fall apart in a place like this.

    I watch with a nervous look on my face, but someone calls out to me.

    ...... Will, it''s Will.

    A voice that seems to speak into my brain. I soon realize it''s someone''s telepathic voice.

    (Is that voice dad Reus?)

    As I responded, a giant eagle swooped down from the sky. When it lands next to me, everyone around me winces, but it''s only for a moment. My eyes are glued to the heated game in front of me.

    The eagle doesn''t seem bothered by it and opens his mouth.

    "Good to see you, my son.

    "Long time, Reus Dad,

    "I''d love to give you a hug, but this is not the time.

    That''s right. I''m not sure when I should help you.

    You think Ronin came here for a place to die?

    "No?

    "No different. He is always looking for a place to die. But this is not the place to die.

    What''s the big deal, you''re under pressure?

    How many years did you learn that man''s sword? Does his face look like he''s being hunted down?

    "I don''t see .......

    Dad''s eyes glazed over.

    ''That one is going to be a build-up of energy, a blow for blow after blow.

    That''s right.

    Reus affirms.

    "You''re going to look for an opening and go for the Battoujutsu, Dad.

    My prediction was spot on. She had countless hands, but soon her manpower was diminished. She did not have unlimited strength.

    Luna Maria, who was overhearing our conversation, asks me.

    "Did Master Ronin dare to let Hifune hit you?

    I guess so. I was dodging in the nick of time to conserve my energy while also taking away my opponent''s energy.

    "...... well, it''s not like . It''s as if I''m playing with my life.

    In fact, a man''s life is such a bargain. It''s just a gamble.

    Reus nodded his head.

    I tried to tell him that the art of Ronin swordsmanship is to seek life in death, but I couldn''t do that. My father was about to decide the game.

    Just as he was running out of moves, Dad Ronin glared at Hyphen. Then he jerked back. He used a feint of the eye. A murderous stare is sometimes worth more than an ordinary slash.

    Knowing your father''s swordsmanship, I know his thoughts very well. This is your best chance to learn the art of battoujutsu, but Reus denies it.

    "No!¡¡Now I''m typing!

    "............

    What could be wrong with that? The timing couldn''t have been better. I wondered if father Reus knew any swordsmanship, but his voice didn''t reach father Ronin.

    As Ronin took the Battoujutsu stance, so did Hifune, sheathing her sword. It seems that she also intends to use her Battoujutsu to attack you.

    The tiger''s roar!

    "Instant kill!

    The two of them were shouting each other''s special moves. They were released at about the same time, but Dad Ronin was still the better fighter. --But father Reus'' ominous premonition was right.

    They were almost simultaneous battling techniques, but it was Hifune''s sword flashes that reached him first.

    You can see that father was hit on his right shoulder by the flash of his sword.

    Lunamar¨ªa shouted at the top of her lungs.

    How?¡¡Mr. Ronin was slightly faster. ......

    I was the one who answered that question. I''ll explain why my father''s swordplay was delayed.

    "...... I see a spell on my father''s right leg.

    "Spell!

    Lunamar¨ªa is puzzled. It''s true that she is blind and the curse will be hard to see. But if you look hard enough, you''ll see that your father''s right leg is covered with an evil aura.

    I saw a suspicious-looking man at the back of the hall. He''s wearing a pitch-black robe and muttering something. A curse is escaping from his lips.

    I think that''s what put a curse on my father.

    Can you do that?¡¡It''s in the game.

    That''s because we''re in the game.

    "I see. As expected of Ronin-sama, he couldn''t even detect the movement of the hall when he was confronting Mr. Hifune.

    That''s probably part of it. ......

    I didn''t entirely agree with Lunamar¨ªa''s thinking. I didn''t think the old man would fall into the trap so easily.

    I think I agree with Reus, pointing his beak at the convention officials.

    "Well, looks like that guy''s got a hand in it.

    There was a tournament official who was talking to the group in black.

    "It looks like they''ve been running a dragon vein under the war stage to make it easier for magic to pass through.

    "...... such a nonsensical measure

    "And they''re a Zodiac cult.

    "Looks like it.

    Biting their lips. I wonder how much more cowardly they are. As I thought the other day during the king''s attack, I could no longer tolerate their cowardice and vileness.

    (...... Maybe we need to defeat them to travel the world.)

    Once again, the decision was made, but more importantly, it was now the stage of warfare that had to be watched. Ronin, who had been hit by the blow, sat down on the spot, while Hifune, who had dealt the blow, held his sword up high. She''s trying to put an end to Ronin.

    I can''t let that happen!¡¡Thinking this, I was about to burst onto the stage, but I was stopped by Father Reus.

    "Father Reus, why?

    "Don''t panic, Will. Look at the look on her face. Are those the eyes of a killer?

    "............

    Indeed, Hifune''s eyes were bewildered. They were as moist as a newborn fawn.

    Raising his sword high, he lowered it and nodded as he said, "I don''t want to win my revenge this way.

    ...... I don''t want to win my revenge this way.

    When he said that, he turned to the Zodiac cult and exploded in anger.

    I am the best disciple of Toushir¨­ the Swordsman!¡¡We don''t need such a shameful victory!

    The men in black grit their teeth at that word.

    "The little girl. We set you up for this.

    I didn''t ask for that.

    "If you don''t kill me now, you will be my enemy!

    "Don''t you dare. A thousand of you will be kicked to the curb.

    That was the signal for the parting of the Order of the Zodiac with Hifune.

    The men in black gritted their teeth as they walked away.

    Hyphne stared at them scornfully, then turned to Ronin and said, "Look, Ronin, I''m going to kill you here.

    "Look, Ronin, it wasn''t mercy not to kill you here. It''s just pity. You owe it to yourself to see your son killed. I will see the gods raise up their men in the finals.

    Next, her gaze turns to me.

    Eyes filled with anger and sorrow crossed with mine. A battle with her seemed inevitable.

    Ronin just stared at it languidly.

    It ended like this in the semifinals between Dad Ronin and Hyphen.

    After being cut by Hyphen, Ronin received medical attention from Luna Maria and headed to the back of the hall to be left alone.

    Ronin''s friend and god, who also fathered a son, said he would fall on Ronin''s shoulders.

    Why did you deliberately take the Zodiac''s plan? Were you going to give your life for that girl?

    Reus asks bluntly.

    Ronin also returns bluntly.

    "That''s what I was going to do in the beginning.

    But," Ronin continues.

    "I found out, sword to sword. The girl''s sadness, her love for her master. It wasn''t enough that she killed me.

    "Will you have to kill Will too, or will she never move on?

    I was convinced. So I played into their mother-in-law''s hands.

    Ronin holding the wound. Lunamaria''s healing magic is impressive, but as expected, the pain is still there.

    It''s just that the pain in that girl''s heart would not be like this, I thought.

    I see, so you''re going to leave it all to Will.

    Yeah, my sword is a hard sword. Will''s sword is a soft sword. Maybe I can break the girl''s heart.

    "Well. Will''s sword is truly a living sword. Touching his gentle soul may be a chance for him to know the truth.

    It was a hinted way of saying. It seems that Reus knows all the circumstances.

    "...... d*mn it, that''s why you birdie. Doesn''t he know everything?

    "Quite a difficult character, if you explain to the people around you, there would have been another way.

    I don''t like excuses and excuses and constipation.

    "Huh, well. All will be over soon. Our son will put the girl out of her misery.

    When Reus tied it off, Ronin nodded his head.

    Just as a parent, Ronin felt sorry. It''s a good thing that you''re a parent, because it''s a very good thing that you''re able to do.

    ...... But, well, Will is getting better. He''s a lot more mature than I am.

    Ronin proudly praised his son, who is not here.

 109 Ronins past

    Ronin''s past--.

    The young man Ronin sees is his fellow student''s younger brother, Toshiro.

    His handsome face and intelligent appearance. I''m sure he''d be a ladies'' man, but there was no woman on this mountain.

    It''s a waste of money, but he doesn''t care.

    I don''t care about women.

    I''ll tell you what.

    He doesn''t drink much, and I wonder what he enjoys doing in life. Ronin''s love of women and alcohol was incomprehensible to him.

    Speaking of incomprehensible, so was his swordsmanship.

    His swordsmanship was even better than Ronin''s.

    He was a better swordsman than Ronin, who spent his childhood training with the sword. Moreover, Toushiro never learned swordsmanship from anyone, he was almost entirely self-taught.

    Before I met the Kamiizumi-sama, there was no one to teach me how to use a sword.

    It seems that Toushiro is from a farmer''s family in Hourai. He was raised in a far inferior environment to Ronin, the son of the master of the dojo, and yet he came to surpass Ronin. I don''t like it. So he lashes out at you at every opportunity, but instead of taking it into consideration, he is a good-natured guy who trains with Ronin.

    ............

    I felt like I was losing not just my sword skills, but my personality as well, but this man was not sarcastic, and before I knew it, a friendship had grown up.

    A friendship was formed while they were eating the same kettle of fish.

    Ronin and Toshiro were always working together, and together with their skills, the villagers at the foot of the mountain called them the dragon and tiger of Kamiizumi.

    It''s not a bad feeling, but one day Ronin realizes that he''s not the only one.

    He''s not just a good-natured young man.

    One day, the dragon tiger of Kamiizumi has a request from a kingdom. Technically, it was his master, but he didn''t want to bother him, so he gave his apprentice the job.

    The job is to hunt a dragon that is avenging the kingdom.

    It''s a complicated job, but I took the job out of training, and Toushiro and I went to the village that was suffering from the dragon. A village burnt to the ground. The smell of burnt corpses stinks.

    Toshiro and I will stay in the villages to prepare for the dragon''s return. But the dragons were cunning and fled as soon as we arrived. We couldn''t finish him off.

    After an endless game of wrangling, Toushiro, thinking that this is not the way to go, proposes that we split up. The dragon is cunning, but not very strong. Accepting the proposal, Ronin and Toushiro each head for the village.

    As a result, Toushiro shoots the dragon, but Ronin shudders when he hears his methods.

    He discovers the true nature of Tohshiro. The cruelty and ruthlessness of his methods.

    To make it easier to capture the fleeing dragon, Toshiro has pulled off an extraordinary trick.

    The plan was to let the dragon storm the village, fill up on its belly and then take the dragon out.

    Ronin blamed him for this, of course, but Toshiro said casually.

    If it went on too long, there might have been more damage. Besides, I want to return to my training as soon as possible.

    Toushirou said without changing his face. His eyes were as beautiful as a clear stream. She doesn''t feel the slightest bit guilty and doesn''t understand the meaning of what she has done.

    According to him, his family was very poor and lived a deprived childhood. He once nearly killed his brothers in a brawl over a rotten radish. A famine ended his boyhood with no happiness. Unable to eat even rotten daikon radish, Toushiro''s family all starved to death.

    He has lived alone ever since, roaming the world.

    Kenjutsu was his life''s bread and butter.

    It was a life that Ronin, the son of a dojo master, could not understand, and Ronin did not blame him for anything he said, but he looked at his back and thought, "To be strong, you must be strong.

    It''s not just a matter of time before you''ll be able to get the job done. --If that''s the case, then I''m going to...

    Ronin murmured casually and philosophized unusually, but in the end no answer came to mind.

    Thereafter, they returned to the bower and swung their swords as if nothing had happened.

    They worked hard and devoted themselves to the path of the sword.

    But those days were coming to an end.

    A few years later--" "Bakkyaro!

    Bakkyaro!¡¡Don''t die!¡¡Old man!

    The young Ronin''s scream echoes through the bower.

    Hearing this, Kensei Kamiizumi replies bluntly.

    "Your voice is as loud as ever. Your neighbors are going to complain.

    The bower of the swordsman Kamiizumi is deep in the mountains. It''s dozens of miles to the next house. No matter how much he shouted, it would never reach the neighbors, but he joked.

    No other person Ronin has ever known to joke so fearlessly at the point of death. He is infinitely free from death. I wondered if mastering the sword would give me this kind of spirit. I envied him.

    But Ronin did not praise him.

    "d*mn you, old man. You''re always busting your ass, and now you''ve fallen ill so easily.

    "It''s not such a noble disease. It''s just life. It''s just life.

    I thought you were immortal.

    "I live an infinitely longer life than man, but I am neither immortal nor immortal. I am of predestined life. I am.

    "Cut your fate to hell!

    "Not so fast. No matter how you master the sword, you can''t change your fate.

    I''m going to change that.

    "I see. Good luck.

    and Kamiizumi closes his eyes. For a moment, Ronin panics, thinking he''s dead, but Kamiizumi opens his eyes and says, "It''s May.

    I won''t go down yet. --By the way, speaking of fate, I have a child.

    "Kids?¡¡To you?¡¡Surprising.

    "I''m human. Sometimes you have to love someone.

    You mean, you can be inspired by anything?

    Yes. I loved a woman once. A woman from Penglai. She was a walking maiden. I met her on my way to training and we soon fell in love. She gave birth to a child.

    "What''s your name?

    "Kasehana

    Nice name.

    The "will

    With a grin, Kamiizumi smiles.

    "But I parted from the priestess and her daughter.

    "...... bereavement?

    No, I threw it away.

    "............

    "I was crazy about the sword back then. I was fascinated by it. I wanted to make my sword the most powerful ever, and I didn''t care about my wife and children.

    "You left your wife and child and ran away to the path of the sword.

    That''s right. You''re no better than a motherf*cker.

    I bet. Well, I''m not qualified to laugh at you.

    I''m the same way," he said, and with a sympathetic smile, Kamiizumi took Ronin''s hand with a gesture.

    "You''re not.

    "Nah ......

    Ronin flinches at the sheer force of it.

    "What, old man, are you getting old?

    Yes, I did. And now I regret it. I gave up something I loved.

    I guess that''s why I was able to master the way of the sword.

    No. That''s why I never mastered the way of the sword.

    "............

    It''s true that I''m the best swordsman who ever lived, but I''m not there yet. I couldn''t master the best of them all. Do you know why?

    I don''t know.

    "It''s because I''ve never had something to love. It''s because I haven''t held a sword for someone else.

    "For someone who loves ......, ......

    When a man has something he loves, he multiplies its power many times over. When you hold a sword for someone, you can exert more power than you are capable of. That''s why I was on the opposite side of the strongest path.

    "............

    "Look, you don''t want to be a man like me. Hold the sword for someone else. Find something to love.

    ...... That''s a bit of a stretch,

    No, you''re all right. You haven''t fallen into the path of shura and the d*mnation yet. We can still turn back. No, we will turn back. Someday you''ll meet someone more important than you, someone you love. Cherish that encounter.

    Kamiizumi finally said as he squeezed Ronin''s hand tightly.

    "Listen. You''re a person who can love people. Use that power to the fullest. --You can use it to its fullest extent.

    Finally, he said the name of Ronin''s brother''s apprentice, but he could not get the words out until the end. The life of Kamiizumi was over.

    Thus ended the natural destiny of the man who was hailed as the sage of swords.

    The man who was hailed as the greatest man in history died easily. He left behind nothing but a rotting arbor, a crude sword and a pair of books of secrets.

    No, he really left behind something more important, but the two disciples Kamiizumi left behind did not recognize it right away.

 110 Hifnes past

    When the swordsman Kamiizumi died, one problem arose. That was what to do with the secret book he left behind. The book is called the Dragon and Tiger Scroll. It was the best-kept secret written by the man known as the Sage of the Sword who devoted his life to writing it.

    According to his last will and testament, these two books were to be divided between two disciples, but the question was which one would get which book.

    The book of the Dragon and Tiger is clearly different in content.

    The Book of the Dragon, also known as the Book of Technique. It was a coveted book that contained all the techniques of the Kamiizumi, special moves that neither Ronin nor Toshiro had yet learned.

    On the other hand, the Book of the Tiger, called the Book of the Mind, was mainly mental and thin in content. Its physical thickness was also four times greater.

    Then the value of the dragon''s book would naturally increase. I knew that Toushir¨­ would naturally want the dragon''s book. So I''ll take the initiative.

    I''ll take the dragon''s book. I''ll take the dragon''s book because it''s better looking. And you loved the cat that lived in the boathouse. You said you were more of a cat person than a dog person and the dragon book belongs to me.

    It was a difficult habit, almost an accusation, but surprisingly, Toushiro agreed.

    In the first place, your teacher''s will states that you were given the Book of Dragons, so I have no objection to that.

    Maybe it''s because I''m stronger than you.

    You''re going to give the Book of Dragons to Ronin, who laughs at you.

    "Hey, hey, you''re not really going to give it to me?

    "I''m really going to give it to you, but

    You don''t mind. The Book of Dragons contains a lot of special moves you don''t even know about, you know.

    I know. But Master Kamiizumi told me at the moment of death. What I really need is the Book of the Tiger.

    "What?¡¡You talked to your master about the Book of Dragon and Tiger?

    Of course, you didn''t tell me.

    No, no, I talked about it.

    But that is a lie. I didn''t talk to Kamiizumi about the details of the Book of Dragon and Tiger.

    (...... I guess his sibling Toushiro is prettier after all.)

    Such childish thoughts would arise, but Ronin shook his head. He thought it was childish. Change your mind.

    Okay. I''ll take the dragon book. You''ll take the tiger''s book.

    No problem.

    Also, if you would like to make a suggestion, how about we train together?

    "I mean?

    "I''ll learn new special moves as I read the Book of Dragons. You can pass on your master''s heart to me while reading the Book of the Tiger.

    "I see, that''s nice.

    When he said that, he held out his right hand. It took a moment for him to realize that it was a handshake. Ronin had lived a life devoid of such a sound mind. But Ronin, who was not young enough to pick a fight with his brother and sister, squeezed Toshiro''s right hand back and said, "The old man is gone.

    He said, "We''re doing almost the same thing now that the old man is gone, but it''s nice to meet you.

    Well, keep it up.

    After letting out a wry smile, Ronin and Toushiro resumed their training.

    More than ten years later, they have been training together. They hid in the mountains and wielded their swords. At night they would read to each other about what they had learned from the book of secrets, and when it was over, they would talk about the way of the sword over dinner.

    Occasionally they talked badly about their master who had died before them, and drank wine with him. For lack of money, they drank the cheapest liquor from a liquor store at the bottom of the hill or homemade doburoku, but the taste of the sake didn''t matter.

    But the taste of sake didn''t matter to me. I was happy to drink with someone who wanted to follow the same path.

    One day, when he was packing his master''s belongings, he found a letter. When she looked at the name of the sender, it was written as Kazehana.

    It takes you a while to remember the name.

    ...... that''s the name of my master''s daughter.

    "The name of the master''s daughter?¡¡Kamiizumi-sama had a daughter?

    Yeah, I heard that the seeds you sowed a long time ago bore fruit.

    And then you realize that a girl named Kazehana lives not far away.

    Well, let''s go check on the girl.

    "If she''s the master''s daughter, she can''t be beautiful. And she''s an old woman.

    "I don''t want that. I just wouldn''t dream of it if my master''s daughter were in need.

    I see, you''re right.

    The master must have been sorry to announce his daughter''s presence at the time of his death. I felt it was my apprentice''s duty to take that regret away.

    Head to the foot of the mountain. The village where Kazehana lives comes into view, but Ronin and Toshiro soon sense something is wrong. The smoke is clear from a distance, and the smell of burning wood. Among them is the smell of blood. You immediately sense that a battle has taken place.

    ...... No, not a battle, but a massacre.

    I find the villagers dead in a brazen manner. It looks like they were attacked by a large bandit gang.

    "d*mn, if only we had arrived a little sooner.

    "Repentance is not the way to begin.

    Now I''m looking for my master''s daughter, Kazehana," continues Toushiro. Ronin follows suit and hears the sound of a sword in the village square.

    A woman''s body is lying there. You''ll recognize her immediately as Kazehana. She bore a strong resemblance to the swordsman Kamiizumi.

    Seeing the body of his master''s daughter, Ronin''s mind is filled with anger, but he is controlled by Toushiro.

    "Toshiro, why don''t you stop. We have to get the master''s daughter''s enemy.

    "I know that feeling,

    Toushiro also seems to be angry, but there''s something else that''s bothering him more than that. He looks at the girl who is standing in front of her mother''s corpse, wielding a sword.

    What the hell is that skinny girl?

    "You have a Japanese sword . And that sword blade.

    "It''s the Kamiizumi way!

    With a shout, the girl swayed her body and slashed at the thief.

    Her movements were like running water and her swordsmanship was lightning-quick. It was hard to believe that she was a girl of her age, but her movements were definitely Kamiizumi''s style. I immediately recognized her as Kazehana''s daughter.

    Blood is blood, then.

    "Do you take your parents'' enemies yourself?

    Look, all the bandits who attacked the village had been cut down by her. She didn''t need Ronin and Toshiro to help her, but she had exacted her revenge.

    The girl said she would eventually kill the last bandit, and would go around to the front of the bandit who was demoralized by the slaying of his companions.

    Death to the scoundrels." ......

    So he said and stabbed the thief to death. There was no hesitation, but it was natural. No one will remain silent after his mother and village companions were killed. But Kazehana''s daughter did not become a murderer trapped in revenge. She stabbed the last bandit to death, then picked up the fallen hoe and dug the hole. At first I thought she was crazy. Because he began to bury not only his mother and the villagers, but also the bodies of the thieves.

    Why would you do such a thing? When I asked her if she didn''t hate thieves, she said flatly.

    "Even ...... scoundrels can''t leave it alone. If you leave it alone, an epidemic could break out.

    Besides, the

    "If you die, you''re all Buddha, that''s what my mother used to say.

    A girl who tells it off matter-of-factly. That''s how I met Kazehana''s daughter, Kamiizumi''s grandson, "Hifune".

 111 Blackout (additional modifications)

    Hifune, a girl I met in a smoky village . The moment she saw her mother and the villagers killed in front of her, she was awakened. She became aware of the blood inside her. She had never held a sword since she was born and yet she was able to wipe out the vicious thieves.

    What I also liked about him was his gentle nature, showing mercy to the corpses of the bandits even when he killed them. No master swordsman could match that kind of spirit. No, only Sage Kamiizumi might have reached it. So Hifune was also her grandson.

    But she was still young. She was at an age when she would have been hard to live without the protection of adults. After their master''s death, the disciples had no reason to be reluctant to help. Ronin and Toshiro try to make ends meet, but it is refused by Hifune. Instead, she begs him to teach her the sword.

    "The sword?¡¡Are you going to be a swordsman?

    "Yes.

    Say shortly Hifune .

    ''''I''m the granddaughter of the Swordsman, aren''t I? Then you''ll be a master swordsman.

    "Earlier you were muscular against the bandits,

    "When I saw my friends in the village and my mother''s body, my blood boiled. The next thing I knew, I was holding a sword.

    It''s called The Awakening. Blood is blood, right?

    The earlier move of crossing swords with the thief was not that of an amateur, but was clearly a talent. If it was your first time holding a sword, your talent could be comparable to that of the Sword Sage Kamiizumi.

    "If I may say so myself, I think I have a talent. I could be a swordsman.

    The logic is right, but what does a woman have to do with mastering the way of the sword?

    "Anachronism

    Hifune says good grief without changing his expression.

    On the other hand, Toushiro has a different opinion than Ronin.

    The woman''s skill with a sword is necessary in this troubled world. And she is the granddaughter of Master Kamiizumi. She must have great talent.

    Hearing those words, hyphenated, the woman tightly linked arms with Toushiro.

    Women have a soft spot in their hearts for sweet-talking men. They believe the words of a gentleman like Toshiro rather than the righteousness of a squalid man like Ronin.

    Well, okay. Anyway, we can''t leave you alone.

    Nodding twice with a nod of the head. And so we began to live together.

    A few years passed.

    Life for three people, a man and a woman, was different than it had been before. We ate whatever we ate and drank and slept together as long as there was meat and drink to be had, but not when you had a daughter old enough to sleep with. Renovate the master''s pavilion and make a room for Hifune.

    I''ll provide you with the right clothes. It''s an outrageous expense, but I''ve never felt the pain. On the contrary, living with her was a lot of fun.

    Ronin and the others were not so good at cooking, so Hifune cooked for them.

    I''m a culinary genius, despite my appearance.

    The hifune, who calls himself a "good friend" and turns a few ingredients into a feast.

    Ronin, who ate rudely and moaned, and Toushiro, who ate cleanly without wetting the tips of his chopsticks.

    The training the three of us did together was fun too.

    A large number of logs are poured downstream from upstream, and the one downstream cuts them down. They would take turns felling trees and cutting logs.

    Or the three of them would hunt the boar, the lord of the mountain. One of you will act as bait and lure it out, one of you will fight back and drive it away, and one of you will kill it. The boar is then taken apart and made into a boar pot.

    One day you will find a wounded lyunks and you will keep it. Because of the covetous look in his eyes. She was like a girl of her age and loved cute animals.

    ...... How old are you, by the way?

    One day, wondering, Ronin asks.

    Hyphen is the grandson of the master, but the master was a living spectral being for many years, and Hyphen''s age was also unknown. She smiled mischievously and put her index finger to her lips

    The "secret

    I said.

    Incidentally, the Kensei Kamiizumi looked about seventy years old. People in the village said that he hadn''t changed his appearance for thirty years. They look like hermits...but there is a race in this world that specializes in battle. They fight until they die, so their youth is unusually long. Maybe Hifune is one of them.

    "...... Exactly, they''re both monsters.

    Ronin let out a breath while remembering his master.

    Thus the ordinary life goes on, but it was not forever. One day, the day of farewell will come. It''s because the offer of an officer has come to Takashi. A messenger has come to take you in as a swordsmanship instructor for a small country.

    When he heard the offer, he didn''t just say yes--he was rather distressed.

    Rather, he was troubled. Ask him why.

    Why don''t you take an officer''s position. Aren''t you a fine swordsman?

    Let me pull it out. You don''t think so.

    "I don''t want to serve the court. But if you''re going to have a hyphen, you''d better settle down somewhere.

    "I''m assuming the hyphen will follow me.

    In fact, you''ll follow me, right?

    When I looked, Hifune was getting ready to leave.

    Surely he''ll follow me. I''m surprised, though, as you seem to have taken to him.

    "Oh man, you don''t know a woman''s mind.

    Ronin asks, looking out for himself.

    But I didn''t think you''d accept the hyphen," he says. I thought you would be a bad influence on my training.

    Hearing these words, Toushiro pondered for a moment and then said in a casual tone of voice: "That girl is my master''s daughter.

    "That girl is my master''s daughter. Maybe she can help me master the inner workings of the art. I thought so. And if she gives birth to a child, a strong child will be born.

    "............

    Ronin''s tone was so indifferent that he was immensely disappointed, but Toushir¨­ noticed and loosened his mouth.

    I''m just kidding. I don''t like children.

    Then he wants to shake your hand. I think he''s decided on an officer.

    I''ll be an officer. And you will?

    There''s a mountain called Sumeru Mountain in the east. I heard that the gods are training there, so I''m going to go there.

    "It''s like going to a bar,

    "It''s not the gods that can train me.

    "Swordsmanship is a foolish answer. By the way, the Book of Dragons, have you cracked the hidden code?

    No, not at all. How about you?

    Here too. The Book of Tigers is said to contain the spirit of Kamiizumi''s style, but I can''t find anything in it that leads to the depths.

    I guess I''ll just have to give up. Maybe it''s a thankful reminder from my master that the best technique is to create it yourself.

    Maybe .......

    Toushiro looked disappointed when he let out that.

    Ronin squeezed his hand as if to comfort him.

    It''s not goodbye for now. It was the kind of handshake you''ll see if you''re still alive.

    After so many years of training together, the two part ways.

    It''s true that their separation was not a lifelong farewell. However, that reunion is neither beautiful nor pleasant. On the contrary, it will be a slaughter of swords against each other. But they don''t know that yet. At this point they were still "friends. At least that''s what Ronin thought.

    More months have passed since then. Ronin took refuge at Mount Sumeru and became a god.

    Tohshiro served a country and became a swordsmanship instructor.

    Hifune apprenticed with him and became a respected swordsman.

    Everything seems to be going well, but there is one person who is not satisfied.

    He rose to a respectable position in society.

    He mastered the art of the sword and was respected by all.

    He was adored by disciples like his daughter.

    But he had a hunger that was unfulfilled. She had a hunger that never ran dry.

    "I wanted to be stronger. I want to acquire the inner wisdom left by my master.

    I was beginning to think so.

    That thought grew stronger day by day, until one day it exploded.

    When he called for his brother, he pulled out his sword and slashed at him.

    It was an experiment to recreate his master''s secret technique. He ripped through his brothers with his sword. The two brothers, who were far apart in strength, were cut down one by one.

    You aren''t good at living. That''s why I''ll kill you!

    "Shhh, master ......, why are you suddenly ......

    One of the older brothers says breathlessly.

    You didn''t come out of nowhere. From the start you''ve been an experiment in proficiency. Why else would I take any disciple other than ''Hifune''?

    I can see the madness in his eyes. Maybe the farmer who beat him to death and robbed him of his vegetables as a child had the same eyes.

    Did the man go mad at this moment, or was he mad all along?

    The dojo is bathed in a sea of blood, but as he cuts down the fourth brother, Toushiro realizes that he''s not the only one.

    After all, one must have the Book of Dragons and Tigers as one in order to master the secrets of the art.

    And .

    I noticed that

    It was raining.

    It rained endlessly.

    It seemed to freeze this world in place, but Hifune walked on, not caring. She had been asked by her master, Toshiro, to run a messenger for him.

    Hifune was on his way to Mt. Sumeru with a secret mission to find Ronin, who had become the god of the sword. His mission is to find Ronin there, but when he arrives at Sumeru, he finds that he has been mishandled.

    The villagers at the foot of Mt. Sumeru tell him that Ronin has left to meet Toushiro. I heard that they were saying something about the news of the insects: .......

    Totally out of time. Ronin is always like that.

    Remembering the day we said goodbye, Hikune turned back the way he had come, but on the way, his footsteps quickened. For some reason I had a bad feeling.

    ...... I smell blood.

    Of course, there were no dead bodies around. But I can only think that the sixth sense stimulated Hyphen''s sense of smell and he could smell something far away. It is paranormal, but it can only be interpreted as such, so much so that Hifune''s heart lurched.

    ...... why. What is this feeling ......

    Fighting down his horrible heart, he returns to the dojo, only to find his former "family" there, clutching the bloody sword.

    Ronin, the god of the sword, is standing in the dojo. In front of him lie the bodies of Hifune''s brother apprentices.

    His hair stands on end. I can see the faces of my mother and the villagers who were once killed by the bandits.

    Who in the world would do this!

    I confront Ronin about the culprit, but he is mute. He looks at his right hand and sees a familiar book. It''s the Book of the Tiger. It''s covered in blood.

    It was also covered in blood. ...... No way.

    Before you can confront Ronin, you open the sliding door of the dojo. It was the bloody corpse of my master.

    You have my father in your hands!¡¡You killed my father to keep the Book of Dragon and Tiger to yourself!

    Ronin did not react to those caustic words.

    He just looked at her with sad eyes and said.

    "I killed Toshiro, that''s a fact. I make no excuses.

    You''ll be able to take the dragon''s book that Toushiro had been clutching.

    Even if I told you that, you wouldn''t be convinced. Let''s have a fight here.

    Hyphne immediately draws her sword and slashes at you. I''ve trained with Ronin and his skills are not that far apart. If it was me now, I would win, so I unleashed a blow, but the God of Swords and Hifune''s abilities were farther apart than I had imagined.

    With a single blow, Ronin said he would stun Hifune.

    I won''t ask you to forgive me. On the contrary...you should hate me. The Book of Dragons and Tigers is yours. Read it and learn the master''s secret techniques. Then you can challenge me again. Use the secret technique to kill me. It is your destiny.

    Ronin says this and walks away.

    In his waning consciousness, he says

    "Well, wait. ...... Ronin ......

    Eventually he lost consciousness completely, but when he woke up a few moments later, amidst the blood and guts, a vengeance washed over him.

 112 the true secret

    "Kill!

    Hifune wakes up, sweating all over.

    You check your surroundings, but there''s no body of your brother or Toushir¨­. Not even blood or stolen goods.

    Naturally. This is Arkham''s city inn. This isn''t Toushir¨­''s dojo.

    Remembering that again, Hifune is often stunned, but he quickly remembers what he must do. The time on the clock told the time of the final.

    All she had to do was head to the final of the Arkham Martial Arts Tournament and slay Ronin''s son, Will, there.

    What Ronin had done to Hifune, he would do to her.

    You''ve got to make Ronin feel the same way you did when you took away his happiness.

    I have a secret plan for that too. ......

    Staring at the Book of Dragons and Tigers on the nightstand.

    I learned the depths of ...... is a deer.

    Hifune had mastered the secrets of the tiger''s book his grandfather had left him.

    She had mastered a secret technique that neither the god of swords nor her father could master.

    It''s called

    "Heavenly breath breath breathable sword

    This is the secret technique that the man known as the "Sage of Swords" devoted his life to studying and perfecting.

    Using this technique, he could kill any man with a single blow. It was a technique that could bring salvation to any man.

    It was just the right move for Hikhune, whose mind was left in a hole after her master was killed. It was just the right move to make the man who killed his teacher''s father regret it.

    And to bury those raised by the gods: ......

    I don''t consider myself inferior to the boy, but the boy was a genius, gifted by the god of swords, the god of magic, and the god of healing. I knew that he was overwhelmingly powerful. That''s why I didn''t touch him until he had mastered this secret technique.

    But Hifune learned this secret about a year ago. She took the ultimate skill that only one person in the world could master. There was no longer anything to fear.

    Master ...... I will definitely take your enemy. I will kill the one raised by the gods and inflict hellish torment on Ronin.

    Hifune swears again to his dead master and unleashes the Heavenly Breath Life Sword.

    The supreme art of battoujutsu, the art of battoujutsu at the speed of the gods, cuts through the air. The speed was so great that space-time seemed to be distorted. A few moments later, a tremendous whirlwind arises. The furniture inside the room is torn apart.

    By the way, even this one is kept to a minimum. Would you be able to blow away half of the inn if you put your mind to it?

    The gods have raised me, so wash your head and wait.

    Grumbling, Hifune cleaned up and went to the hall.

    Meanwhile, I was in the backyard of Mr. Weitz''s tool shop. There I talk to Dad Ronin.

    "I don''t think my father killed Mr. Tojiro.

    I killed him.

    You had a compelling reason to do it. --For example, they were cutting at you.

    "Even if it''s ............, it''s no substitute for killing your friend. I could have cut you down without telling you.

    If it had been cut, my father and I would never have met.

    Maybe. But you can''t change history. Then the best thing to do now is to teach you the secret.

    "Depth?

    "It''s the Heavenly Breath Live People Sword

    Such a feat.

    Oh, this is the most powerful Battoujutsu. There is no faster sword than this one. Even the soaring falcons can pursue it.

    It''s an amazing feat.

    "But there is also a problem,

    "Problem?

    That''s because I didn''t know this secret art. The Book of Dragon and Tiger says this secret technique can only be learned by a truly pure-hearted person. That''s probably why Toshiro and I couldn''t master it.

    I wonder if I can do what you couldn''t do,

    You can. You were raised by the gods, you know.

    With a wry smile, Ronin teaches you the Heavenly Breath Life Sword from one to ten carefully. From stance to sword grip and return, everything. It''s a very simple technique, but halfway through, I notice that it''s very simple.

    ...... That''s a technique for swords, isn''t it?

    Yes. Of course it can be converted to a sword.

    Yeah, I understand that, but if you follow this pattern, it''s not as deadly as it could be.

    Did you notice that too?

    "Yeah. You can''t beat your opponent with this. On the contrary, it seems to be very weak.

    That''s the thing. Both Toshiro and I realized it halfway through. We came to the conclusion that there must be a real pattern in the Book of Dragon and Tiger somewhere.

    "I see, I guess so: ......, no.

    I tilt my head and say the question in my mind.

    "Hey, Dad, didn''t Kamiizumi give you the Book of Dragons and the Book of Tigers, and you gave him the Book of Tigers?

    Yes, but

    The Book of Dragons is also known as the Book of Tricks and the Book of Tigers is the Book of the Heart. You were more talented than your father, weren''t you?

    It was also in the Master''s office.

    "Usually I feel like it''s the other way around.

    "What''s the reverse?

    Since Toushiro-san is the strongest disciple, I think I should have given him the Book of Dragons, which contains the strongest techniques.

    Indeed. But then again, master was a bit of a whim.

    I don''t know. I guess that means something.

    I often ponder. Why did he give the Book of the Tiger to Mr. Tojiro? Why did I give him the Book of Heart? Then a light bulb goes on in my mind.

    That''s right!¡¡So that''s it!

    "Oh, come on, Will. Have you lost your mind?

    I know. I found out why you gave the Book of the Tiger to Miss Tohsilou. I know why you gave the Book of the Tiger to Miss Tojiro. And I also know the secret of the Heavenly Breath Life Sword.

    "What?¡¡What we couldn''t spend half our lives trying to master in a single moment?

    I''m sure Mr. Hyphen could have learned it too.

    "She has two secret books. I''ve studied them and practiced for years. Do you think that just because you heard the outline of the inner secrets, it made you think of them?

    Well. But it''s not that hard to do. And it wasn''t my strongest move.

    "What?¡¡What does that mean?

    That''s it. ......

    I whisper to my father. He listens with a sincere look on his face, and his expression is strikingly surprised. I wasn''t sure if he was surprised at my talent or at Mr. Kamiizumi''s deep thoughtfulness, but he was convinced of my victory.

    Maybe you are the rightful successor to the swordsman Kamiizumi. I will not be defeated by Hifune, who has become a swordsman.

    Yeah, I''ll win. Then I''ll free Mr. Hifune from the persistent disease.

    "Let him. She''s my friend''s daughter. And she''s the granddaughter of the master.

    Nodding, he returned to the main house, took Luna Maria and the others, and headed to the site of the final.

 113 final match

    The final venue was boiling.

    People from all walks of life in the city of Arkham were gathering, waiting for the game to begin.

    Seeing the enthusiasm, Lunamaria let out a line of admiration.

    It''s amazing.

    Yeah. People have come to see me and Mr. Hifune, haven''t they?

    Hey, Will, look at the odds. The odds are stacked against you.

    "I don''t admire gambling.

    Well, that''s what I thought. Oh, it''s closer than you think.

    If you look at the odds, the odds were very close.

    "I thought it would be more remote,

    "You and Hifune had a good winning ways. A layman can''t tell the difference in strength.

    It''s a very good thing that you''re able to get a good idea of what you''re looking for.

    "...... Dear Ronin, let me be frank with you, who is stronger, Master Will or Ms. Hyphen?

    That''s a hippo. It''s the wrong year.

    Will Master Will lose then?

    "The dreaded thing about swords is that just because you''re better than them doesn''t mean you''re going to win. I think Will will win.

    A relieved Lunamar¨ªa, but that would have been a comfort. I myself doubted if I could beat Hyphen.

    Their overall combat power is almost equal, but when it comes to swordsmanship, Hifune is probably a cut above. Furthermore, Hifune''s aggressive style is incompatible with it. There is no time for magic chanting. So it''s a sword fight and we''re at a disadvantage.

    But you won''t know the game until you get your shoes on.

    I said this to reassure Lunamaria and was about to walk up to the stage, but on the way I was accosted by my father. He stopped me and silently handed me the sword at his waist.

    This is ......

    "Higo Dodanuki

    I know that, but it''s a very important sword.

    That''s why I lent it to my son. You want to use the Heavenly Breath Life Sword to win the match, don''t you?

    "Yes.

    "Then use a sword that is easy to machete.

    "Okay. Thank you.

    Taking it in stride, Ronin looks away with a grin. Staring at our exchange with a look of hatred is Hifune on the other side of the war stage. She shoots us an icy stare. Her whole body radiates murderous intent.

    She can''t help but want to kill me. Soon she''ll come onstage and provoke me.

    The gods raised me. Are you finished saying goodbye to your father?

    "We''re not the last, but we''re done.

    Then come on up on the stage, or do you have not the slightest bit of courage? Or don''t you have a little bit of courage?

    "No way.

    And I''m going to step onto the warrior stage.

    When you step onto the warrior stage, you feel an intimidating feeling as if you were being pricked by a needle. I was almost swallowed by the spirit, but I defeated Hifune''s aura and put my hand on the sword at my waist.

    (...... comes first in the opening.)

    Considering Hifune''s murderous spirit and personality, there''s no reason why he won''t decide on the first attack. It is easy to predict that she will unleash her strongest technique from the start.

    In fact, she has the secret technique of Kamiizumi''s style, which unites battoujutsu and raiding.

    "Instantly destructive

    This technique was powerful enough to literally kill an opponent in an instant.

    This was a powerful move that could literally end an opponent''s life in an instant. Even that Ronin''s tongue was riveting in its power, but I took it with the utmost care.

    Without hesitation, I catch the blade that slashed at my carotid artery with my Higo Dodanuki.

    Kakin.

    A metallic sound is heard, which signals the start of a deadly battle.

    When the first blow didn''t get through, Hifune unleashes a second and third blow with a flowing motion. When I catch them, I also counterattack. I unleash multiple attacks equal to Hifune''s sword speed. She manages to dispose of them.

    They seem to be of equal offensive and defensive strength.

    This is going to take a long time. I thought so, and my prediction was correct.

    In fact, over the next hour we will continue to exchange sword fights. At the center of the war stage, or at the edge of the war stage, the location changes as the moment demands, and we fight for our opponent''s life. Their tense expressions and well-trained swordsmanship fascinated the audience.

    Wow!¡¡What the hell, these guys!

    "Last year''s finals look like a game.

    "It''s not human stamina to go through an hour of sword fights like this.

    To those voices Hifune replies sarcastically.

    The way you work out is different than you ordinary people.

    I let out a bitter smile. If you think of Ronin''s training, you can imagine the horrific training he received. I''ve heard that Ronin was somehow lenient with me, so I''m sure that Ms. Hyphen¨¦ must have undergone a tremendous amount of training.

    I laughed at the thought of it, but she didn''t seem to like it. In the middle of a spatting match, kicks are flying in.

    That''s disgusting.

    "I''m sorry. I don''t mean to make fun of you. I just thought we''d both have a hell of a youth.

    No doubt. But you must have lived a life of sunshine.

    "Yes,

    "Meanwhile, I live in the shadows

    Was it hard?

    "No way. It made me stronger. It''s made me feel alive.

    "Is it so much fun to get revenge on Dad Ronin?

    "It''s no fun. But I don''t know what else to do with my life.

    Then comes a powerful slash. I take it.

    You didn''t just block that blow.

    "Surprising?

    No more killing spells

    "I see. But is it really?

    What does that mean?

    No, her sword was filled with mercy. It was full of murderous intent, but it was also kind. She went for the vital point in the shortest possible time so that I would not suffer. So it was very easy to read.

    "............

    "You''re a very kind person,

    "I am not a gentleman!

    As I shouted that, another powerful blow came.

    When I defeated the blow, I said, "That''s the same behavior as before.

    That''s the same behavior. Maybe it''s just that Miss Hifune is a naturally kind girl. She''s a woman who can''t kill people.

    "Maybe. But I''m going to kill you.

    "I know it''s not the right thing for the son of an avenger to say. But I dare say it. Vengeance is pointless. What''s the point of taking revenge?

    "I can caress my master''s soul.

    Your father wouldn''t want you to kill someone.

    What do you know about my father?

    All I know is that Mr. Toushirou lost his way in his search for the ultimate path of the sword.

    "............

    "You know that I won''t argue with you.

    ...... Yeah, I know. I know that my father tried to kill his older brother and take the Book of Dragons from Ronin.

    Then you know it was a tragic accident. Ronin just turned it around because he had to.

    Maybe. But still, Toushiro-sama is my only parent. He''s the only master on earth. ......

    Hifune shuddered in wailing in sorrow as his body shook to his soul.

    I know the truth, but this feeling will not stop!¡¡There''s nothing we can do about it now!

    She swung her sword in a big way. The way she swung it was so seamless. Now I was ready to strike a crushing blow, but I dared to let it go. That will anoint her with anger.

    ...... will not allow it. I will not allow you to sympathize with me and come into my heart.

    I''d rather you fight for that reason than cross swords with me to avenge my father.

    ...... You still have to kill him. Otherwise, I can''t move on.

    I think. So let''s get this over with.

    When I suggest that, I sit down with my sword.

    Seeing this, Hifune does the same.

    "So you''ve mastered the Heavenly Breath Living Man Sword?

    Yes. However, I think I''m the real depth of the story.

    Let me pull it out. There is no way that you, who was raised by the gods, could master the ultimate inner secrets.

    I''m not so sure about that.

    Then they focus on each other.

    A swordsmanlike air arises between them. A razor-sharp air fills the air.

    Sensing an unusual presence, Lunamar¨ªa shouts.

    "Master Will, I believe in your victory.

    Father Ronin watches them with a warrior''s vibe.

    The audience must have sensed that the game was about to be decided right now. They are watching us with bated breath.

    The moment all eyes are on us both, we move at the same time. At the same moment and at the same time we put all our strength into the hilt of our swords. Almost at the same time, the two swordsmen unleash their battoujutsu.

 114 heavenly-breath-living sword

    "Heaven''s Breath Live Man Sword

    We both shout out the name of the secret of profanity.

    We both shout the name of our original school, the beginning of our grudge.

    Many people have been hurt over this secret ceremony, but this ceremony can heal and save everyone. It is a technique to wipe out the past.

    I believe that.

    Meanwhile, Hifune seems to believe that this secret technique is the art of murder, the ultimate killer technique. In fact, I couldn''t help but see such potential in the battoujutsu that is delivered at impossible speeds. But that''s why she''s no match for me. She''s no match for me, who is aware of the essence of the art.

    I draw my sword in a fluid motion and release it, but in the process I turn it upside down.

    Instead of the blade, I point the back of my sword at my opponent.

    Of course, the back of the blade won''t cut the opponent, but the speed is increased by rotating the blade during the battoujutsu. You can reach the sword before your opponent. This means you can perform the Battoujutsu faster than Hifune.

    Guon!

    The roar from the sword, my Higo-Dotanuki''s peak reaches Hifune''s side at the same time as it reaches the audience''s ears. I heard the sound of Hifune''s ribs cracking.

    Hearing that sound, Hifune collapses. Why did she do it?¡¡fainted while making an expression of "I don''t know what to do!

    The crowd''s shouting echoes. Will-calls echoed as victory was secured, but I wasn''t in the mood to bask in the afterglow of victory. Rushing to the supposedly seriously injured Hifune, you cast a recovery spell.

    Fortunately, the bone was only broken, but I still kept casting my recovery spell. After a while, Hifune woke up, but she didn''t lash out or swear. She just said, "Why ......? And asked why.

    Why would I mean why I lost. I will tell you the cause of her defeat.

    You didn''t understand the essence of the Heavenly Breath Life Force Sword. This technique is only perfected when you let go of your killing intent.

    That''s the one.

    Yes. By adding rotation to the sword, you increase its speed many times over.

    But that was supposed to be the ultimate secret of Kamiizumi''s style. Why sacrifice lethal force?

    That''s because it''s the most powerful secret technique of the Kamiizumi style. The Ronin school is not a killing technique. The Kamiizumi style should be the same. The sword isn''t just for killing people.

    "...... I remember reading in the Book of Tigers that the art of ikito is the secret of the Kamiizumi style.

    That''s true. Actually, however, the Book of the Dragon and Tiger, the Book of the Tiger, which explains the importance of the mind, is more indicative of the essence of the Kamiizumi style.

    "...... essence

    A sword is for making people live. The sword is for making people live. I''m sure Kamiizumi wanted to tell you that. And he entrusted the most important lesson of the Kamiizumi school to his first disciple, Toushiro-san.

    "............

    Mr. Toshiro was more talented than my father with his sword. But he saw that you lacked the strength of heart. That''s why he wanted to give you the Book of Heart and tell you that the sword is the heart.

    It would be ....... My master''s quest for strength led him to fall into the Shura realm. He killed his brothers and slain his friends and tried to monopolize the secret book.

    The truth is, I was a weak-minded person.

    I know that ...... . . so I followed him.

    She shed tears for the first time and revealed her true feelings.

    ...... I really wanted to be with you guys. I wanted to be with the two of them as they bickered and argued with the drunkard Ronin. But I also knew my master''s heart was weak. I wished I wasn''t there for him. That''s why I was at that time ......

    The day Ronin told him he was going to train at Sumeru, and the day Toshiro decided to become a swordsmanship instructor, Hifune was torn between the two. Which one to follow. She chose Tohsilou after agonizing over this for the first time in her life.

    Can he say that he has no regrets about that path?

    If you had chosen Ronin as your teacher, you would have been able to be a part of the family with this boy. You could have lived, learned and grown up with this boy.

    Then Hifune''s life would have been very different. He would have become a stronger swordsman. She would have smiled more honestly.

    Thinking of this, tears kept flowing from Hifune''s eyes.

    ...... Mom, I''m...

    Hifune cried. She cried without fear of being seen, body or soul.

    She looked like a child''s girl, but no one laughed at her.

    --Except for one malevolent man.

 115 martial arts championship

    As the winner of the Arkham Martial Arts Tournament was being decided and his name was being announced, the man in black stepped onto the stage and undermined our battle.

    It would have saved us the trouble of fighting each other, but I never thought we would pull off such a travesty. The Swordsman''s granddaughter has a bad name.

    It was the bishop of the Zodiac cult who had driven Ronin to his defeat the other day with his adulterous plan. His name was unknown, but he had a grim face and personality.

    But if I handed the boy a Damascus steel weapon and allowed him to continue his journey, my position within the order would drop. We can''t let him return alive.

    So saying, the man in black begins to chant a spell. He continues to cast spells with a dour, brooding pronunciation and meaning. Then a man in the hall lets out a groan.

    He falls to the ground and an evil aura emanates from his body.

    "Jabba the Fist King! Your fists couldn''t even be as powerful as your mouth, but as a substitute?¡¡I will grant you the status of a glorious 24 Zodiac general.

    Then Jabba the Fist King vomited and spat out a pitch-black substance. The amount of vomit was extraordinary, and it seemed to spit out all the water and organs of his body. No - in fact, King Jabba vomited out all his organs and died.

    What a miserable thing.

    Lunamaria turned away, but quickly got on the stage and took a fighting stance.

    "Master Will, this is Lunamaria,

    Thank God.

    Honestly thanking him for his help, I try to return the tondagi to Ronin''s father. But it''s refused.

    You can keep it for a while. I won''t help you take down Zodiac.

    Why?

    Lunamaria asks.

    Because the gods can''t get involved in the quarrels of the world below, especially those related to demons.

    But they tried to eliminate Master Ronin with adultery.

    Well, but we could have avoided that. If I get involved in this anymore, the great men of heaven will have me arrested.

    "What the heck,

    He may be a junkie, but he''s doing the math. I mean, I''m not the kind of guy who struggles with a demon like this, Will.

    As soon as I say this, I unleash my sword flash and deliver a blow to the demon''s body.

    The demon Vassago, born from Jabba the Fist King, has a look of anguish on his face. Just as my father declared, my abilities have improved considerably.

    Your battle with Hifune made you a very skilled fighter. You used to be the strongest kid in the world but now you''ve become a swordsman who can add a new best to your head.

    Maybe there''s room for this, Lunamaria thought, but the wholesaler doesn''t seem to be putting it down. The demon Vassago, born from Jabba, took the form of King Jabba as he filled his body with magical power.

    "Good job kid. But my power isn''t this great. I can also use my abilities as an alternative.

    Say that and stick out your hands countless times. He''s not just moving his hands at high speed. She''s actually increasing her arm count and her hand count.

    Hundred fists!

    While shouting, the pressure of countless fists approaches. The power is so great that I''m blown away by the wall with no time to defend myself.

    Guffaw!

    Me vomiting blood. I''ve accumulated more power than the devil, but I didn''t take into account the dependents. As expected of the previous winner. The synergy between the well-honed martial arts and the power of the demon was terrifying.

    Lunamaria rushes over and cures me, but I quickly push her away and unleash a slash. One of the demon''s arms is blown off. A large hole appears where Lunamaria was just now.

    (...... This is not good.) If this continues, not only am I in danger, but also Luna Maria is in danger.

    Not only that, but the people in the hall were also harmed. Looks like quite a few of them have escaped. They will be the victims if they continue to flee.

    The thirty-sixth total is all that''s left to escape.

    In the teachings of the gods, escape is a virtue, but in this kind of situation, it is a shame. He was a son of the gods only if he fought to the end and let the citizens escape. So instead of running away, he confronted the demon, but each time he received a fist. He takes multiple blows to his right arm, his left leg, and his stomach, all of which bleed internally.

    All the while, Lunamaria attacks me with her sacred magic, but the damage doesn''t seem to be coming through.

    (...... This could be a losing proposition.)

    Just as you think so, a sword flash flies in with uncanny speed.

    The sword flash immediately cut off the right half of the demon''s arm. That''s ridiculously powerful and fast.

    Who in the world?

    And then I saw that it was Hifune standing there. She staggered to her feet and clutched her sword.

    With a broad smile she said, "Raised by the gods, I will help you.

    Raised by the gods, I am with you.

    It''s the power of a thousand men. But Mr. Hifune is in ruins.

    but now is the time to use this sword. It''s time to use my father''s sword. It''s time to save your friends. If my arm breaks off at this moment, I have no regrets.

    Mr. Hifune: ......

    I was overcome with emotion, but there was no time for sentimentality. The demon attacked, regenerating my slashed right arm. The hyphen stood between me and the demon and swung his sword at me.

    The cowering demon. There''s a small opening.

    Will!¡¡I''ll stall for time. How long does it take you to deliver a killing blow?

    "I will unleash a magic sword filled with forbidden magic. I''ll take five minutes, no, three.

    "Then make a quarter.

    Saying this, Hifune began to fight the demon. Originally, Jabba, the Fist King, was a biting dog in front of Hifune, and although she may be used to that treatment, Jabba was still strong, having gained the power of the demon.

    But still she was more than an even match. She slashes her opponent to the point and deals damage.

    Meanwhile, I''ll chant forbidden spells.

    I chant an explosive counterspell and send it into the sword.

    I choose the explosive because I saw the demon''s regenerative powers. You''ll have to kill it all at once without letting it regenerate. That would be the right choice, but I will soon regret it.

    It was an even contest at first, but the hyphen was outnumbered.

    ...... still took some damage from the earlier battle.

    Even opponents who would be overwhelming under normal circumstances are no match for the accumulated damage.

    Even the Swordsman''s granddaughter would have difficulty in dealing with the 24 generals.

    Maybe you''ll only last two minutes, let alone four.

    Just when you think that, a man enters the fray.

    It was the God of Swords who squeezed the devil''s fist as he swung it down on Hifune.

    Father Ronin!¡¡God shouldn''t interfere in the quarrels of the world below, should he?

    Yeah, I know. So now it''s not God we''re fighting. It''s not Ronin, the god of the sword, it''s just Law, the fighting enthusiast.

    Such poor excuses make the upper half of the kimono peel off. When you put pressure on it, it makes the top half of your body rise up.

    "I''m not trying to save my son or save Hifune, Lord God. It''s just that the blood of the fighting enthusiast has been spilled.

    When he says that, he gives a thrust that is unlike any other swordsman.

    Bogo!¡¡With a dull thud, the demon''s belly caves in, and Hifune stares at it. He has a thought. He was inspired by your kindness in saving him from his former enemies. But instead of patronizing him, he grabs the devil''s arm.

    Will, Master Law can''t hold the devil down forever. Are you ready?

    Of course . . ......, but this state of affairs will hurt my dad too.

    "Kaa, don''t be pathetic. Rip me apart.

    I can''t do that.

    "Then avoid the moment the sword flashes land.

    "That''s not--

    I couldn''t keep saying, "No way," because I felt like you could, and now was not the time to argue. I felt like I could do it, and now was not the time to argue.

    I believed in you and moved to the Battoujutsu stance.

    "You don''t mean to tell me, Master Will, that you are using both the Heavenly Breath Life and Magic swords at the same time?

    Lunamar¨ªa shouts.

    "Oh, it''s multiplied!

    "I can''t!¡¡Using two magic swords at the same time with the speed of a battoujutsu and a magic sword is too much work for your body! It''s too much strain on your body!

    I don''t care if you have a body.

    I don''t want to . ...... And no matter how many times Master Will uses such a big move in a live performance.

    I can. I know a woman who sacrificed herself to save her ''beloved family''.

    I see in the back of my mind the face of Shizuku in Barca village.

    She sacrificed her time for her beloved son. She jumped into danger to protect the son she loved. I remember her words.

    "What should I hesitate to do to save my family?¡¡If I was put in a similar situation again, I would make the same choice again. I would save my family the same way again and again.

    In fact, she saved the "village family" Mile. She put the life of a little boy Mile, whom she''d never met, before seeing her beloved son, before me and Luna Maria.

    Her noble spirit of self-sacrifice, I wish I had a fraction of that in me.

    Mile''s mother is also a person to be reckoned with. She, too, was willing to sacrifice herself to save her beloved son. Her icy hands, the edge of her skirt as she walked through the rough streets, were one form of "love.

    People call it self-sacrifice, but underlying it was "love".

    Love not only saves people, but also increases the power of those who have love many times over.

    I saw their "love" and felt their love, and it made me feel many times stronger. No, I became stronger. It was by watching them that I was able to see the true nature of the Heavenly Breath Living Man''s Sword and the true meaning of the sage Kamiizumi.

    Transform their "love" into power. Loving others proves that making the most of them is the strongest technique. Grant Higo Dontanuki a spell and unleash it with the Kamiizumi-ryu inner secrets.

    The magic sword is released without any hesitation, amplifying its power many times over with the fastest battoujutsu. I silently stare at its trajectory. Lunamaria watched it anxiously, but my fears were not in the least bit unfounded. I trusted my father. Because I knew there was love in him. And I knew that my loving father would avoid it.

    He grinned and kicked the devil in the face. He freaks out slightly. As if watching the moment, my sword flash struck the demon. As the specialized explosive magic sword reaches the demon, Dad Ronin dodges it with a flick of his sword. The sword flash lets out a roar as it hits the demon.

    Boom!

    As the earth-shaking sound of the hall is reflected in the hall, a blast is created in the hall. Citizens who were surrounding the venue desperately grabbed at the objects in place. The man in black says, "Bah, stupid! and blows up and faints. It seems that when you summoned the demon, it took a lot of your strength. He only had the strength of a baby.

    And you know what happened to the demon?

    "Dirty fireworks.

    The more Father Ronin expressed it, the more it was scattered.

    The demon that had taken Fist King Jabba''s body was blown to pieces. There was no way to regenerate.

    So we had won this battle.

    I thrust my right hand out and shouted.

    We won!¡¡We won!

    When Lunamaria heard the declaration of victory, she smiled and said, "Will is a warrior hero.

    "Master Will is a hero of the Warriors. He won the martial arts tournament, saved the heart of Mr. Hyphen and kept the demons away.

    Dad Ronin nods in agreement as Lunamar¨ªa sums up.

    "Well, you''re quite a man, my son.

    It''s a ridiculous term, but no one in the room would deny it. Even the girl who hated me so much just now was silent in her agreement.

    That''s how I won the martial arts competition and got the Damascus Steel Sword.

 116 The father-son confrontation????

    After winning the martial arts tournament, I''m going to stay in Arkham for a while. Instead of providing fan service to my new fans, I will quietly help Mr. Weitz''s store.

    I got my store back, but Mr. Weitz''s store is not as busy as it used to be. And I needed a man. Me and Ronin''s dad took on the carpentry work, fixing the storeroom and the bridge.

    Mr. Weitz and Aina showed their appreciation and made me a snack.

    While munching on them, I talked with my father about the future.

    What about Mr. Hifune?

    "Is the wound healed?

    Yeah, I''m using Lunamar¨ªa''s recovery magic to patch the bones together. It should make a perfect connection by now.

    Then we need to talk to him once.

    Maybe now she doesn''t need to be told anything else. You can either ask her to Table Mountain or you can ask her to come on my trip.

    Yeah. It''s time to get it out.

    Then he took a baked snack from Aina. It was very sweet and gentle.

    While my father and I were having this exchange, there''s a girl packing up at the inn. It''s Hifune. She checks to make sure she hasn''t forgotten anything and says, "Okay," and is about to leave.

    There''s no problem, of course, since I paid the rent, but there was one miscalculation. The maiden of the earth mother goddess was waiting for me at the door.

    She was standing there with a meaningful smile on her face.

    "Does ...... stalk people in the teachings of the Earth Mother Goddess?

    At times, and in some cases. And if you have a less-than-submissive female swordsman in your life, I''m going to have to stick around and turn her on.

    "Change of mind?

    It''s about reversing a decision once made.

    "I know indeed.

    "Then you''re going to turn around.

    I can''t do that. I kept getting in trouble with Will and Ronin.

    "I''m sure they don''t mind. It''s just his personality.

    "Then I''ll mind for three. I know the shame. I couldn''t be more picky after all the trouble I''ve caused you.

    It''s not a spoilsport.

    "Then what is it?

    "There''s no point in asking. They''re family.

    "...... family?¡¡They

    Yes. Mrs. Hyphen must have lived with Ronin when she was a little girl. Then she was family.

    "Then Will?

    "Mr. Will has always said that all of his friends in this world are his family.

    "A woman who tried to take her own life?

    "Because you tried to take your own life. What better way to get to know someone than by exchanging lives?

    "............

    "And my mentor used to say,

    Your teacher?

    "Yes. The high priest. She used to say all the time. Do you know what is the strongest magic?¡¡With Lunamar¨ªa.

    "The most powerful magic?¡¡What is it?

    "It is to shake hands with the person who came to kill you. It''s to make friends with the people who came to kill you. He always said, "Then you will be able to cross any strong enemy.

    ...... is indeed the strongest.

    I was convinced, but that didn''t mean I could use the most powerful magic. I am a swordsman. Swordsmen couldn''t use magic. So hyphenated a decision.

    ...... "I can''t become a magic swordsman yet. But I would like to use some of that lovely magic you mentioned.

    "Great mindset.

    She smiles like a mother goddess of earth.

    "In the meantime, I wonder if Will will wait for me.

    "Master Will has been waiting for you forever. If you get into trouble somewhere, I''ll come to you right away. I''m that sure of it.

    That''s a reassuring ''family''

    With a flattering smile, Hyphen returns to her pack and speaks to Lunamaria.

    I thought I was the unluckiest girl in the world. That it made me strong. But I was wrong. If I could live like you, if I could just be there for you, if I could just be there for Will, I''d be stronger. So I''m leaving. To be the woman I''ll be by his side. And I''ll be the woman who can say he''s family. Until then, have Will wait for me for a little while.

    The word, however, is delivered.

    Without missing a word, Lunamaria let Hifune''s words burn into her ears and looked away from her. A moment later, when she told Will the words, he looked disappointed, but quickly regained his composure.

    This isn''t goodbye, Luna Maria.

    Lunamar¨ªa affirms clearly and immediately.

    "Of course. We''ll see you again soon. And in the not-too-distant future.

    Lunaria told her beloved Lord with a confident hunch.

    When Dad Ronin told her that the hyphen had departed

    I see.

    I said, "I''ll be a better woman next time I see you.

    "I''ll be a better woman next time I see you.

    And continue.

    I think that''s true, so without arguing, Dad Ronin changes the subject.

    By the way, how do you feel about the Damascus Steel Sword as the prize for winning the Arkham Martial Arts Tournament?

    I''m sure he said it to comfort my heartbroken heart, but maybe he really cares about it. It''s because my father loves swords. I will honestly tell you what I think.

    I''ll be honest. It''s a longsword type thing, but it''s a lot easier to hold than I thought.

    I''ve been using daggers all my life.

    Yeah. I liked the daggers because they''re small enough to get around, but there''s something to be said for the long ones.

    Wiggle it around.

    That sounds good. You''re getting used to it. Hey, Will. I didn''t end up fighting you at Arkham Brawl, did I?

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry.

    "I was looking forward to it,

    Me too.

    "If that''s not a compliment, then you''re going to have to play me like a filial pi?ata.

    Father Ronin lightly touches his hand on the hip Higo Dontanuki .

    "Huh?¡¡You want to play here with Dad?

    "In the mountains we would have done it under the blue sky.

    Training. You''ve never really fought me before.

    Yeah, but I think I can fight for real now. I feel like I can do more than ever before. Of course, not as a god, but as a man.

    But still, you''re the best swordsman, right, Dad?

    Gulp and salivate.

    Ronin, the god of swordsmanship, is a genuine swordsmanship idiot who became a god of swordsmanship when he kept wielding his sword. His skills are probably higher than any other in the history of swordsmanship. It''s possible he''s even better than the famed swordsman Kamiizumi. It was a tremendous pleasure to work with someone like that.

    All right. Let''s play. No, you''ll play.

    Bowing with a bow, Ronin chuckles.

    That''s my boy. Let''s play this game. ...... but first, little baby girl.

    When Ronin says this, Lunamaria comes out of the shadows.

    I don''t want to hide anything from you, but I''m going to have a fight with my son and I don''t want anyone to get in my way. I don''t want anyone to get in my way.

    Sensing Ronin''s spiritedness, Lunamaria turned away and said, "I understand. On the way, she turned around and said, "Don''t let either of you get hurt.

    "Neither of you may be hurt.

    Lunamar¨ªa''s concern for me and my dad

    I know.

    "Oh.

    And replied and looked off her back.

    When Luna Maria disappears, Ronin jokingly says: "It''s embarrassing to lose in front of your lover, isn''t it?

    It''s embarrassing to lose in front of your girlfriend, indeed.

    I joke back at the joke.

    "I''m not your girlfriend. You''re the one who doesn''t want to lose in front of a young woman.

    "This guy is a pain in the ass.

    Ronin Dad starts to step. I think my dad is in better shape when he''s moving stealthily than when he''s poised.

    I''ll follow your lead.

    Nice move. I''m in love with it.

    It''s the Ronin way.

    That''s me. That''s me. The greatest swordsman.

    But that may be until today. Mother Militia said that masters exist to be surpassed by their students.

    "Don''t listen to that old woman.

    If you say the word "old," your mother will be very angry.

    "There will be more fine lines and wrinkles . That''s a good sign.

    Then Ronin reaches for the hilt.

    I do the same thing.

    We whip around in concentric circles, smacking each other''s lips as we draw our swords at the perfect moment.

    Only the sound of slicing through the sky echoes around us.

    Their swords went to each other''s necks.

    The outcome of the battle will be...

    A few days later, we resumed our journey.

    Dad Ronin went straight back to Table Mountain and we headed in the opposite direction.

    Lunamar¨ªa says, "It''s lonely," but she doesn''t keep him or ask him to come with us.

    The gods have their work to do. The journey of salvation is our mission. It would be our greatest pleasure to be watched from afar.

    He was right and so we continued on our journey without feeling heartbroken, but as we traveled along the way, Lunamaria spoke to me as if she remembered.

    Speaking of which, Master Will, what happened to the game the other day?

    You mean the game the other day, me and my dad.

    Apparently she was a little curious, but she wasn''t sure whether to answer.

    I didn''t want to make a secret for her, but I still wanted to keep the outcome of the game between us. So I said, "Well, I guess so. The Damascus Steel Sword was a good sword," I said to Lunamaria, flippantly.

    "Who do you think won, Lunamaria?

    When the question was returned with a question, Lunamar¨ªa replied without offense: "Of course, Master Will.

    Of course, it''s going to be Master Will. After all, Master Will was raised by the gods and is the strongest warrior hero. After all, he was raised by the gods and is the greatest warrior hero of all.

    She smiled and the early summer sunshine lit up her smile.

    Her figure was as pure and beautiful as a mother goddess of the earth.

 117 Goodbye Arkham

    You are the winner of the Citadel Arkham Martial Arts Tournament.

    The Lord of Arkham City asks me to stay in Arkham, but I politely decline. ¡¡I didn''t belong here. And I''m traveling to expand my horizons. There is little to be gained by staying here.

    I had a knighthood and a claim to the realm ready to go: ......

    I thanked the Earl of Arkham for his reluctance and left the city.

    "I''m going to miss this.

    And that''s the words of Aina, the daughter of a toolmaker who took care of me. Her grandfather also sends his best wishes.

    I have no feelings for Earl Arkham, but not for them. I feel a pang of sadness, but still I am leaving.

    The blind priestess Luna Maria sees you and modestly advises.

    Master Will, our journey has just begun. Would it not be good to rest here for a while?

    It was obvious that they were concerned, so I appreciated the sentiment, but there were two reasons why I couldn''t stay with Aina and the others.

    The first is that I don''t want to bother them. I don''t have the money to feed two customers in a tool shop that''s still not running well.

    The other reason was that I didn''t think staying here would cause any physical trouble for them.

    My arch-enemy, the Zodiac cult, might fall into their hands.

    At this thought, Lunamaria agrees with a stern face.

    ...... Master Will''s guess may be correct. Their clutches are steadily closing in on us. The Order was involved in the recent martial arts tournament.

    "Yeah ......

    Involvement means giving my information to confront the female swordsman, Hifune, with my information. Tampering with me during the tournament. And by turning the winner of the last tournament into a demon''s vessel, ruining the tournament.

    All of that was a conspiracy on Zodiac''s part, but there was certainly an aspect of me that got a lot of people in trouble.

    I had thwarted the Zodiac''s evil plan many times, and I was in danger of being killed.

    There''s a good chance that Aina and the others will be in trouble if I stay here. So I''ve made up my mind.

    Luna Maria, I will stand up to the Zodiac cult. Aggressively.

    Hearing those words, Lunamaria looked surprised for a moment, but quickly regained her respectful expression and said: "I''m glad you made that decision.

    I''m glad of your decision.

    Smiling at the end, Luna Maria. Originally, she had come for me as the savior of this world. She was truly happy to see me finally come to that realization.

    I was awakened to my mission because of the tyranny of the Zodiac cult, but it might also be because of this smile. That''s how nice the smile of a Luna Maria is.

 118 Where there is light, there is always darkness.

    Now that we''re out of Arkham, we need to discuss where to go.

    "Taking down the Zodiac cult is one thing, but I don''t know where they''re based. Do you know where Luna Maria is?

    "I''m sorry, I don''t know.

    "Yeah. That''s a problem. If we don''t know where we''re based, we can''t figure out what to do about it.

    "You can''t put up a fight without any information.

    "Well . If you know your enemy and know yourself, you''ll never be in danger in a hundred battles.

    "That''s Songzi,

    "Yes, the words of an otherworldly soldier. It''s also the grateful words of my father Vandal.

    "Inefficiency is certainly not a good thing. Let''s gather information on the Zodiac cult first.

    It''s a good idea. --By the way, now that you mention it, what is the Zodiac Order?

    "We, Mr. Will ......?

    Lunamar¨ªa staggered a few steps mentally. That was too elementary a question, as expected.

    "Oh, no, I know the basics, indeed. I just don''t know it in depth.

    "And Mr. Will grew up in the mountains.

    "Yes, yes. My father and mother didn''t teach me much about mundane things.

    Will, you don''t need to know anything else!¡¡I think they are both the best educators, but their teaching style is a bit biased," says Mother Militia, who hugs me and tells me not to touch the world, and Father Vandal, who tells me not to touch the ancient knowledge.

    I think that''s the best educator in the world," Vandal says, explaining with a wry smile.

    The Zodiac Order. The Zodiac cult is a group of pagans who follow the Demon King Zodiac, who caused the Holy Demon War.

    Wait for her next words without saying that you know it.

    Its birth is said to be the moment when history was written in this world, or even before. And that they are the ones who started the Holy Demon Wars.

    "You''ve been conspiring for that long?

    We don''t know that. Some say it was originally a mutual aid organization formed by a group of masons. They switched from the mason gods to the Zodiacs.

    I wonder what happened. Changing the God we believe in.

    I don''t know, but one thing I do know is that the Zodiac cult is the very darkness of this world. The human kings and the various orders in the camp of light have always been hostile to them. Even the king of this country has sent out many defeating armies.

    "And yet I could not destroy it.

    Yes . The camp of light has made many declarations of eradication, but after a time the cult will be revived. -- as if to illustrate the words of their doctrine, ''Where there is light, there will always be darkness''.

    "Can''t you make peace?¡¡Can''t we meet in respect of each other?

    It would be impossible. Their doctrine is chaos and confusion. The more chaos this world becomes, the more the evil Zodiac thinks it will enjoy. And the chaos will be sacrificed to Zodiac''s resurrection.

    So they are not compatible with each other.

    That''s what it is. And they''re not just after chaos, they''re after noble blood as well.

    I remember you saying that when we first met.

    Lunamar¨ªa nods yes.

    As I explained to you, they want the lives of the brave men and women of this world to be sacrificed to the resurrection of the evil gods. I''ve been told that offering their blood will speed up the resurrection of the evil gods.

    So that''s why Lunamaria was targeted.

    Yes. Also, royal blood is a valuable sacrifice for them.

    Would you substitute a sheep for me? --I have to stop the Zodiac from coming back either way.

    Yes.

    I found out more about the cult. I guess we''ll have to knock down the cult to get the pillows up high enough to sleep.

    "Yes. . it will be difficult to get around in this world.

    Yeah. So first we need to find out what their situation is "right now".

    "That''s why, I have a better idea.

    "Measure?

    "Yes. To be precise, it wasn''t my plan, but that of our high priestess, Master Flora.

    Master Flora - you were the teacher and mentor to Lunamaria, I believe.

    Yes. Master Flora is also the supreme leader of the Mother Goddess Order. That means she''s always checking out what the Zodiac Order is up to.

    Well, I guess I do have some good information.

    I haven''t seen you in a while and you might have some new information. I thought I''d go back and check on you.

    That''s a great idea. I mean, we''ve been talking about meeting up for a while now, so this might be a good time to do it.

    Having said that, ask Lunamaria where the headquarters of the Order of the Mother God are located.

    It is northwest of Midnia.

    "We''re in the west, so we''ll have to head north. That''s close.

    "Yes . . is right under your nose.

    All right, then, let''s get on with it.

    "Yes.

    Lunamaria emits a bouncy voice sound. Apparently, she''s very much looking forward to her homecoming, or rather, to seeing Master Flora.

    She''s not much older than me. She was supposed to miss her family for a long time. It''s only a temporary homecoming, but I''m sure it will comfort her.

    And it''s not a social call to see Flora. He must be a fine man, a priesthood who raised a personality named Lunamaria. I also wanted to meet her to see what kind of person she was.

    I intend to stay with Luna Maria for a long time. I hope she''s good with the gods.

    With that in mind, I headed north to the road leading north.

 119 a mysterious pair

    As I was walking along the street leading to the location of the Mother Earth cult, I came across a strange pair of guys.

    They were two people wearing pitch-black hoods.

    At first, I thought they might be a father and son who make a pilgrimage together, but that''s not the case.

    They seem to be grown up.

    The smaller woman''s voice was clearly that of an adult.

    Excuse me, are you sure this is the path that leads to the Temple of the Mother Goddess?

    He was much older or thicker than an adult. I had to watch my ears carefully or I might be mistaken for a man. I glanced at Luna Maria and she said, "It''s a woman.

    This road does indeed lead to the Temple of the Mother Goddess. Are you on a pilgrimage?

    "It''s something similar.

    The tall man replied. This one had a voice so beautiful that you might mistake him for a woman. My first impression was that they were the complete opposite, or perhaps the exact opposite, of a strange duo.

    They were strange but not bad people, and when I showed them the way, they gave me some dried meat and dried mushrooms. They said they were the best of the best brought from their respective villages. After taking them, we invited them to a tea party.

    We had walked a lot and their clothes were dirty. I thought they were tired. They looked at each other and began to murmur something or other. They talked for a while, and then they seemed to agree.

    "Since we''re here, let''s have it.

    Hearing the answer, Lunamar¨ªa smilingly began to set up the table.

    They chatted and leisurely sipped the tea Lunamar¨ªa had made for them. All the while, the duo didn''t take off their hoods. From what I saw earlier, they seem to be on edge.

    "Are we that suspicious?

    A dejected Lunamar¨ªa.

    Well, to the son of the gods, a blind maiden, you know.

    Comfort me.

    It was inevitable.

    But the duo is wary, but not hostile. They don''t talk about themselves, but they don''t hide information about the roads they''ve traveled or other towns they''ve visited.

    We saw thunderclouds on the way and it will rain, he said.

    That was gratifying information. We started to pack up our tea sets and other things to get to the inn earlier. I thought we were going to head to the temple together as they helped us, but they insisted on taking it slow for a while longer. It seems that he doesn''t want to go with you.

    ...... There must be some reason for this.

    There was no disagreement, so we walked on down the street.

    Two of us stare behind us through our hoods.

    The taller man says apologetically, "I hope I didn''t offend you.

    "I hope I didn''t offend you.

    The petite woman affirms .

    "Of course. But we are fugitives and cannot associate with others until we have achieved our goal.

    It''s not worth it.

    The tall man says so and they too start out on the street.

 120 The Dwarves and the Elves

    We are only a few days away from the Temple of the Mother of Earth when something strange happens.

    We''ve found a checkpoint at the end of the road.

    Lunamaria frowns and says, "That''s strange.

    This is strange. This road belongs to the Temple of the Mother Goddess. Even the king of Midnia isn''t supposed to have a checkpoint.

    Then the cult of the Mother Goddess might have installed it. It''s too shabby for that.

    A checkpoint that looked as if it were made of scrap wood found here and there. It looked like it was built just now.

    And the people questioning the travelers at the checkpoint were a little strange. They weren''t humans.

    It was dwarves and elves.

    "Elves to dwarves?

    Lunamaria is surprised.

    ''Yeah, some people have pointy ears and a barrel of booze structure.

    It''s definitely elves and dwarves. But that''s strange. They are supposed to be like dogs.

    I hear you''re the worst of the bunch.

    It''s unthinkable that these two tribes would be holding a checkpoint in such a place.

    Is there a reason for this?

    Lunamar¨ªa nodding.

    I was coming to the same conclusion, so I headed to the checkpoint with her.

    At first, I was going to talk to her under false pretenses, but I doubt it will be necessary. Elves and dwarves were an odd pairing, but they did not smell dangerous. If it were only humans, I would have suspected the Zodiac cult''s involvement, but the Zodiac cult is a bunch of racists. Non-human members are not allowed to join the order. The possibility that they were Zodiacs was slim to none.

    So I''ll let Lunamaria do the talking.

    Lunamaria agrees and reveals her identity.

    "What are you doing, elves and dwarves?¡¡This is the road to the Temple of the Mother Goddess that is inviolate to all. By whose permission we are building such a place, such a checkpoint.

    It was the dwarves who were irritated by the words.

    It was not that they were accused of building a checkpoint, but that they named the elves before they did.

    "Say ''Elves'' to the dwarves.

    They will protest off the mark.

    Then.

    "Dwarves and Elves

    And now the elves are chagrined.

    It seems it''s true that they are close to each other. But if so, why are these two races building a checkpoint in a place like this?

    I ask bluntly.

    Then they answered almost simultaneously.

    "Because our chief''s daughter was kidnapped by their chief''s son".

    "Because our chief''s firstborn son was abducted by their chief''s daughter.

    They finished saying it almost simultaneously and stared at each other.

    "Pull it out, your late son is a shit.

    "Shut up, it''s your daughter''s fault.

    Whizzing and scattering sparks.

    Later, the two camps exchange verbal abuse, but to sum up their story, it seems that the children of their respective chiefs have eloped.

    So they want to set up a checkpoint here and capture them.

    ...... was a more outrageous reason than we thought.

    dumbfounded Lunamar¨ªa.

    "I don''t hear that very often. Elves and dwarves eloping.

    "Yes. I''ve never heard of it. And I''ve never heard of an elf ''prince'' and a dwarf ''princess'' eloping: ......

    "...... never heard of it

    Elves are a race of both men and women with fine eyebrows. They are very beautiful to humans and others, and are looked upon with envy. The dwarves, on the other hand, are a race of men awarded a barrel of bearded wine and women a barrel of "a little" bearded wine, and are not popular among humans or other races.

    How did they fall in love, the bearded woman and the beautiful man, instead of the beautiful woman and the beast? I was very curious, but before I could even think about it, the silhouette of the pair I had just met flashed through my mind.

    A tall man wearing a black hood and a petite woman.

    Maybe they are the elven prince and the dwarven princess.

    Lunamaria seems to be thinking the same thing and looks at me, "Master Will: ......" Perhaps, or perhaps it is, but the question is what to do about it. ¡¡Should I tell the elves and dwarves who are arguing at the checkpoint?

    If they escaped, the Elf and the Dwarf would go straight to war. If you listen carefully, you''ll notice a lot of disquieting remarks.

    Should I help them and provide them with information about the pair? If they are captured and returned to their homes, at least war can be avoided.

    You''d have to forcefully separate the two you love, but that was still better than a war.

    ............

    I worry.

    I''ve never been so distressed in my life, and I''ve made a decision.

    Let''s go talk to those two guys at ...... and see what they have to say. On the other hand, there''s also the phrase "listen and don''t talk".

    "That''s Mr. Will. You are in command.

    "Say it after the success.

    I''m sure Master Will will have it all snugly in place.

    Lunamar¨ªa''s trust is strong, but I''m not so sure.

    I''ve killed a number of demons.

    I''ve beaten a bunch of mercenaries.

    I''ve beaten demons.

    But I''ve never made love between a man and a woman.

    And I''ve never acted as a go-between for two species that are at odds with each other.

    Landing this case well seemed to be as difficult as slaying three of the 24 Zodiac generals at the same time.

 121 mandorah

    With your back to the checkpoint, you go back the way you came.

    We will be reunited with the two guys from earlier.

    They are clearly wary, but when I tell them that we are not enemies and that there is a checkpoint ahead, they stop and listen to me.

    They both take their hoods off at the same time. There was a handsome elf with a face so handsome it could have been mistaken for a woman, and a dwarf woman with a slight beard.

    They were both extremely rich in the blood of their own kind. Children of the chief, indeed!

    They looked at each other and said.

    "You know that we are the children of the chief, did you hear from each of us?

    Roughly. . they''re eloping, aren''t they?

    "Yes, it is. You saw it at the checkpoint or something. Neither elves nor dwarves will listen to each other. All they care about is to separate us.

    It seemed so. I didn''t know they even built a checkpoint.

    "We are genuinely in love with each other.

    The lamenting dwarf princess, the elven prince to support her. No matter how many times I see it, it''s a curious pairing. --But their love for each other is palpable. I am no longer willing to turn them in because their races do not get along with each other and it would lead to war.

    Of course, I''m not ready to just sit back and watch them fight.

    I ask them, "Are they in love?

    They are in love, aren''t they?¡¡We want to be together, don''t we?

    "Yes. I want to be in the same grave.

    "So you are headed to the Temple of the Mother Goddess?

    Runamaria asks .

    "Yes,

    The doctrine of the Mother of Earth was "fertility". The god of marriage, whose doctrine is "Be fruitful and multiply. She also promotes inter-marriage between many races.

    Some say that if you join the Mother of Earth and receive her blessings, it will be easier to have children among different races. They are betting on it.

    And perhaps the elves and dwarves know this too, so they set up a checkpoint and wait.

    Sorry. Sorry for the inconvenience to my people.

    As much as I would like to say don''t worry about it, the atmosphere of the elves and dwarves was unmoved by leverage until this case was resolved. It also gave the impression of a strong determination not to let anything pass. As long as they walk on two legs, no one will be let through.

    That meant that not only they, but also we couldn''t go near the Temple of the Mother Goddess.

    It also meant that we wouldn''t be able to see High Priestess Flora.

    To remove the checkpoint, we have to let them achieve their goal or lose their goal. As I said before, I''m not going to sell these two. So I was going to work to eliminate the purpose.

    They are happy when I tell them that.

    Really?¡¡Are you going to be on our side?

    "Master Will is on the side of the damsel in distress.

    Lunamaria answers for me and, on the whole, she is right.

    But elves and dwarves are a stubborn people. They will not readily admit to us.

    The best thing would be to get the Elven Chief and the Dwarven Chief to recognize their marriage, is that possible?

    "Absolutely not.

    Two people who are huddled together.

    The head of the elven chief is as hard as a layer of granite while the head of the dwarf chief is as hard as a layer of oak.

    He would not under any circumstances change his mind, he said.

    This elopement was carried out after three years of opposition.

    Even if he were dead, he would not admit to their relationship.

    Lunamaria says ruefully.

    No, maybe she''ll appreciate it a little more if you die. Maybe they''ll say that I should have put some rape flowers in front of the grave and listened to you a little more.

    The elven prince says in a self-mocking tone.

    Maybe your place will give up drinking for three days if I die.

    And sarcastically agree, but that was a hint.

    ...... not that inflexible. Then we''ve got a plan.

    The words startled Lunamar¨ªa.

    "You''ve already found a brilliant idea!

    Sort of.

    Like an ancient warlord.

    That''s an exaggeration. And you guys gave me a clue as to how to do it. And the otherworldly stories I found in my father''s study.

    "We?¡¡And an otherworldly story!

    Heartfelt was the key word, and the title of a book I used to read came to mind.

    What is the title of the book?

    "Romeo and Juliet

    I don''t want to be presumptuous, but it didn''t sit well with Lunamaria, who is not familiar with otherworldly books.

    "I''ll tell you about it later, but the book will be very helpful in solving this case. But I need a certain herb to carry out the plan in the book.

    Some medicinal herbs

    As expected of an elf prince, there were several herbs in the luggage. But conveniently there was no herb that I wanted.

    What I want is mandogora root.

    "Is Mandogora. The drug.

    "I wonder if they sell it back to Arkham.

    The elven prince claps his hand as I say this.

    I saw a Mandogora in the woods we passed the other day. I was in a hurry and didn''t pick it.

    It''s a lucky break. Let''s go to the place now.

    We immediately agree to Lunamar¨ªa''s proposal.

    We can certainly get it back to Arkham, but our funds are not plentiful.

    And if we waste time here, the other travelers will suffer as well. The elves and dwarves were running the checkpoint at a brisk pace, never letting anyone through.

    If the travelers were left stranded, the cult of the Mother Goddess would hear about it. Although the Mother Goddess is a peaceful group, she would not be pleased. Instead of a war between elves and dwarves, the cult of the Mother Goddess might intervene. That was not a nice future.

    So we chose the method of procuring Mandogora locally.

 122 an impromptu four-person party

    It was in a dense forest at the side of the road that the Elven Prince saw Mandogora. It was a gloomy forest that even the local hunters would not go near.

    The reason for passing through such a forest was, of course, to escape from his pursuers. Eloping is hard work.

    Such a trite thought occurred to me, but I never verbalized it. Instead, I''ll do what I forgot to do.

    Along the way, I''m going to say my name.

    My name is Will. Nice to meet you.

    Will is the one who was raised by the gods of Table Mountain.

    The complementary is Luna Maria .

    They are lightly surprised by the words, but soon say their names as well.

    My name is Arwick. Son of Synturan, Chief of the Elves of the West.

    I am the daughter of an earthly dwarf chieftain, Ravali.

    Finally, when Luna Maria says her name, they know each other''s names.

    "I''m sorry I didn''t get to tell you the first time we met,

    Raverly says apologetically, but we don''t care.

    People are different in their circumstances.

    After hearing those words alone, I asked them how they got together.

    "Is it okay for you to be here. What is this, out of the blue?

    Raverly''s face turns bright red as if she had been drinking fire wine. Although she looks like a big sister, she is surprisingly innocent.

    It is Erwick who proudly tells me how they met.

    With a beautiful song, he tells the story of their meeting.

    Our meeting was fate.

    One night when the moon is at its greatest, the prince of the forest people goes hunting.

    He finds the beautiful princess with a sprained foot.

    It''s a beautiful poem that rhymes. Raverly is turning red. Irwick doesn''t seem bothered and before I know it he''s playing his harp.

    "You shouldn''t be the beauty, shame on you.

    "It was a very beautiful woman who misspoke.

    They''re both joking, but the gist of it is that they happened to meet by chance in the forest when Erwick was out hunting. It was there that they fell in love at first sight with each other.

    That''s a common story.

    "Do you fall in love so quickly?

    Raverly answers my question.

    There''s no right time to fall in love. Sometimes you can meet and fall in love in a second. Didn''t you get your heart racing when you first saw this young lady?

    Raverly''s unexpected counterattack makes me blush lightly, too.

    I blush lightly because I remember how I felt the first time I saw Luna Maria.

    A beautiful maiden being chased by a villain. The first human woman I''d ever seen.

    The memory of that moment was so vividly imprinted in my mind that I could remember how the Lunamaria breathed.

    --For a moment, I stared at the present Lunamaria, but I was afraid I''d be redder than Raverly if I continued, so I returned to the topic at hand.

    There''s definitely more to this dense forest than a mandogora.

    That''s true. . because it seems to be a forest that the nearby villagers don''t even go to.

    "Because Mandogola hates the earth that man has trodden.

    While exchanging like that, Raverly asks.

    Arwick answers.

    "Sorry to ask you a basic question, but what is a mandogora?

    "You don''t even know that?

    I''m sorry.

    "I''m not angry. It''s knowledge that is not necessary to know what is valuable.

    A mandogola is a root vegetable in the shape of a person.

    "Yeah, like root vegetables. Like radishes and carrots?

    "Yes. Its effects are so far-reaching. I use it to make all kinds of elixirs and potions.

    However, it is very toxic, so the dosage and usage must be strictly adhered to.

    "Wow, that''s some material. Is it expensive, by the way?

    Raverly winces as Arwick growls at her.

    "Why didn''t you pull it out the last time you were walking by?

    You seem angry, but there''s a reason for that, and when Arwick is about to tell him, Lunamaria shouts.

    Silence, everyone!¡¡There''s something unusual about it.

    I immediately get into a combat stance, but they are both looking at each other in a daze. It''s partly because they don''t know how good Lunamaria''s hearing is, but still, prince and princess, I think they are somewhat out of touch.

    I take a step forward as if to protect them.

    Then a black shadow leapt out of the darkness.

    I dodge the black shadow''s attack with the sacred shield in my left hand.

    Guru...

    The black shadows stare at me vindictively.

    Arwick and Ravali widen their eyes. But soon I see that the black shadow is a demon.

    "These are black dogs (hellhounds)?

    Correct. It looks like we are in the Forest of Monsters.

    I take down an attacking hellhound with a shield bash.

    The black dog crawls over.

    I didn''t see him the first time I visited.

    I guess I got lucky.

    I can see why the local hunters don''t stick around, either.

    Raverly said and took out a large mallet he was carrying. It looks like she will join the battle.

    She raises the mallet wide and brings it down.

    Thud.

    and a loud bang. Minced meat is ready in an instant.

    In your village, she is known as the princess of minced meat.

    The origin of the name is approximate, one can imagine. His prowess sounds very dependable.

    On the other hand, Irwick seems to be a supportive type of warrior.

    When he summons the Wind Spirit, he plays the harp and sings the Song of Battle. It lifts our spirits and increases our attack power.

    Leaving them in charge of the rear, I draw my Damascus steel sword and charge forward.

    The hellhounds were not powerful demons, but there were at least thirty of them around. Since they are demons that take cooperation, we were at a disadvantage if this became a long-term battle. So, we wanted to take care of them all at once without being too cautious with our forces.

    You swing the Damascus sword, the prize for winning the martial arts tournament. I hadn''t put any magic into it, but the Damascus sword quickly sliced through the hellhound''s flesh.

    Its sharpness is no less than the Mithril dagger I used to carry. The length of the dagger makes it easy to put a lot of force into it, and it''s very comfortable to use.

    This one might just be as good.

    If you look at it, even Lunamaria has drawn her sword and is fighting back.

    It''s an impromptu party of four, but it''s well balanced.

    I am a magician, Ravali, a warrior type, Arwick, a support person, and Lunamaria, a monk type. This might be the best party to fight any strong enemy. Yes, I can. As evidence of this, the hellhounds are rapidly diminishing in number and quickly losing their will to fight. When one of them abandons the front, it seems to follow suit and begins to flee. Eventually, when the front can no longer be held, the last one is killed by Ravali.

    Looking down at the pathetic minced hellhound, I announce the end of the battle.

    The battle is over. They''re beasts and I don''t think they''ll attack us again.

    A beast does not attack what it once perceives to be a strong man.

    They don''t seek revenge for their emotions like humans do.

    Lunamaria knew that very well and suggests a break.

    "We haven''t found the mandogora yet, but the battle has roused everyone. I''ll make you some herbal tea and we''ll look for it after we stay the night.

    There was no one to turn down the proposal, so we began to prepare for camp. Me and Luna Maria set up camp, while Arwick and Raverly wove the ivy. We carefully weave together the ivy of the largest plants, the hardest plants and the hardest plants. This ivy, by the way, is my secret.

 123 ones best assistance

    Erwick and Ravali find a fountain and fetch water.

    Me and Luna Maria will look for wood to build a fire. We''ll each set off in a different direction.

    Along the way, I wondered if this was the right distribution of forces, but Lunamaria

    It''s okay.

    I assure you.

    Ms. Lavery''s ability as a warrior is beyond reproach.

    It''s true. She''s a princess, so she''s a bit ladylike.

    That is. But the threat of the hellhound has passed. No problem.

    "I hope so.

    "Master Will is a worrier,

    Then you pick up a dead tree that fell to the ground.

    Also, lovers should always leave each other alone. If you balance the force distribution, you''ll end up with Master Will and Mr. Irwick.

    "I could have gone it alone with three others.

    Poo, you don''t like being alone with me so much?

    Luna Maria puffs her cheeks out adorably.

    Thinking that if I complained anymore, I might not be able to drink her delicious herbal tea, I silently picked up a dead tree.

    But then again, maybe Master Will has a tendency to get into trouble.

    I''m sure you''ll run into a herd of hellhounds that you didn''t run into when it was just the two of you.

    "This may also be a test of God,

    "Mother Earth?

    Yes. The Mother of Earth is famous for inflicting hardship on the brave.

    "I''m not a brave man, but

    But it''s more than that. But they''re more than just brave men.

    So you''re going to give me more hardship than a brave man?

    Crossing her arms and frowning, Lunamaria "chuckles".

    I laugh along with her.

    "I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have laughed.

    I guess it was because I thought it was true.

    "Yes. . has been a constant struggle since we began our journey.

    "But we''ve been through it all.

    I know. That''s Will for you. Raised by the gods is a great name for him.

    I had a Spartan education in the name of gifted education. But I have my fathers to thank for that, considering it was all about overcoming challenges.

    Thank you again the next time you''re back home.

    Yeah. --Well, now that we have plenty of dead wood, let''s get back to camp.

    Yes.

    Lunamaria agrees, but stops the moment she returns the kibisu.

    What could have happened?¡¡And when I stared at her, she was sniffling and sniffing.

    She reminds me that she has a good nose.

    Instead of giving her sight to the gods, she has the power to feel the breath of the gods. Her sense of smell is keen.

    "It smells sweet and sour. It smells like rotten, high quality fruit.

    Smells like rotten fruit.

    With those words, you get an idea of what Lunamaria smelled.

    No way. ......, no, it must be.

    I go backwards and rake the soil.

    Removing the dead leaves and brushing away the humus I find the stem and leaves of the plant.

    A piece of the root was sticking out, and there was an obvious face.

    It''s a mandogora. This one''s lucky.

    "So this is the smell of Mandogora.

    Lunamaria peers over her shoulder.

    "Yes, that''s right. Father Vandal uses it a lot, so I remembered the smell.

    That''s my boy, Mr. Will. --Would you like me to pull it out for you?

    I can''t let Master Will do the dirt work," she says, rolling up her sleeve and trying to grip the stem with a "yup," but I stop her in a hurry.

    "No, Lunamar¨ªa, don''t pull it out!

    "Huh?¡¡But wouldn''t you use this to make up for the elves and dwarves?

    Yes, but when Mandogora is pulled out, it screams. There''s a ''curse'' on his voice that kills anyone who hears him scream.

    "Well, ......

    Putting his hand to his mouth, a surprised Lunamar¨ªa.

    "So you can''t collect a mandogora?

    No, I got the hang of it. The effect of the scream is supposed to be about a 20-meter radius, so we''ll have to use a dog or something to pull it out.

    That would kill the dog.

    Yeah. I''ve always said that Vandal Dad is sinful material.

    ...... right.

    Well, I''ve already taken care of that.

    That''s what I''m talking about, Master Will.

    Receiving the accolades, he goes straight back to camp, but Lunamaria''s expression turns grim.

    There''s a battle going on in the camp. I thought perhaps Mr. Raverly and his men were fighting.

    That''s a big deal.

    We rushed back to the camp.

    There was a battle going on. The hellhounds we had just driven off have reappeared.

    "Those are the ones you saw earlier.

    I think you learned your lesson in the last battle.

    I should be, but there''s something wrong with me.

    If you look closely at the black dogs, they all have bloodshot eyes. Their eyes are driven by fear. I saw those same eyes earlier when they were on the run. No, they were even more gripped by fear than before.

    "These guys are afraid of something.

    The stagnant eyes, the chaotic drooling, it was like a rabid dog.

    It must be something or someone was attacking us.

    We don''t know what that thing is, but we know it''s a very bad one. At least the hellhounds know that we are weaker than it is.

    We wanted to turn the game in our favor before that thing showed up.

    I throw the sacred shield in my left hand.

    She was

    "BABY!

    And then he flew with great force, hitting the heads of the hellhounds.

    "Heh heh, long time no see!

    I''m glad to see you''re pleased, but I quickly begin chanting the spell.

    I choose the Tornado spell because there are so many of them and they are so dense.

    One by one, the tornado rips through the hellhounds and winds up in the air.

    The tornado blew away a dozen or so dogs and the battle was in our favor, but only for a short time.

    From deep in the forest, we notice a presence creeping down through the trees and approaching us.

    Lunamar¨ªa was the first to notice it.

    Berserker Bull ......, no, something more will emerge from deep in the woods.

    And then he said.

    Erwick and Raverly tense up at these words. They tighten their grip on the battle stance, but it''s useless in front of the monster.

    A huge black shadow enters, tearing through the trees. The monster, which looks like an even bigger version of a large dog, a hellhound, swings its right paw down as a greeting.

    That right paw alone was as huge as a hellhound. Naturally, its power was so great that it tore apart the ravers. --It doesn''t, it just leaps backward as fast as it can. But the aftermath of the attack was so great that the ground they had just been on was severely pierced and damaged by the shock wave.

    A pebble strikes the head, leaving Erwick bleeding.

    "Erwick!

    Shouting the name of his beloved lover Ravely. The canine monster doesn''t care and tries to attack them.

    But it is prevented by Luna Amalia.

    She attacks the monster with her oversized holy power.

    With her magic she incarnates the holy bow and shoots through it.

    When the monster is hit in the face by the holy bow, it flinches for a moment and then slackens its attack. Meanwhile, Lunamaria tells Arwick and Ravali to fall back. They obeyed her instructions.

    I applaud Lunamaria''s calm action.

    Thank you. It was a red-faced indignity to be praised by our hero, Master Will.

    "No, it''s not. Cool head, as usual. --But what''s this guy?

    The dog was staring at us from a few dozen meters away, letting out a low-pitched growl. It was so powerful that it threatened to break our hearts.

    At first, I thought it was the legendary Cerberus.

    That''s different. Cerberus would have a lot of heads.

    If not two, then not an orthoros either.

    It''s just a big Hellhound in appearance.

    Hmmm, then this one is

    As I come to a conclusion, Erwick''s words come from behind me.

    Will, that''s probably a Hellhound with a second name. A nearby villager told me. They say that there''s a monster in these woods called a beast of beastly blood.

    I would have liked to have told you that information earlier, but Erwick says that the villagers exaggerated it so much that they thought it was a con job.

    It seems that it wasn''t a concoction, but the reality outweighed the rumors.

    The two named Hellhounds have resumed their attack as Lunamaria summed up.

    It still seems to be aiming at the Lunamaria that I just attacked. I had read the beast''s attack, and I''ll flank the enemy at the shortest possible distance with a sword strike.

    Zach!

    It''s satisfying to cut through the meat, but it couldn''t break it down to the bone.

    The two-named hellhound is just as thick as it looks.

    Isn''t my swordsmanship, which I improved during my fight with Mr. Hifune, ineffective: ......

    He mourns, but does not despair.

    Putting magic into the sword, it strikes with two and three blows.

    Each time, the two-named hellhound contorts its face in pain and lets out a roar.

    It was a roar that shook my heart, but it wouldn''t kill me. But it won''t kill you. It''s not the effect of Instant Death but the effect of Convocation.

    The roar echoes throughout the forest. Hearing it, more and more of the Two Hellhounds'' men are gathering.

    One by two, the number of Hellhounds will increase with every passing hour.

    Is there a whole forest of hellhounds gathering here?

    Maybe.

    Something does not come from nothing. Perhaps this most powerful Hellhound is being used with these two names.

    ...... I''m confident we can beat them if we take the long game. But if I''m surrounded by hellhounds.

    Glancing at Erwick.

    His vision seems to be limited by the blood loss he just experienced. He has been largely unable to participate in the attack. Ravali seems to be doing his best to protect the wounded Irwick, too.

    Lunamar¨ªa, too, is struggling, surrounded by a dozen or so Hellhounds.

    (...... has about ten minutes to go)

    It would be impossible to kill two hellhounds within that time limit.

    (--with normal hands, that is.)

    If you can''t win in a normal fight, use the "arrows".

    This is the secret of the Ronin school of swordsmanship.

    It was also the essence of Vandal-style magic.

    Also, Mother Militia said, "Backhanded cheating is good! is the motto.

    Fight smart and win smartly is the common language of the House of the Gods.

    So I shout as I fend off the attacks of the two Hellhounds who come at me, trying to cut my throat.

    "Don''t look at me, Irwick and Raverly!

    It is human nature to want to look at them if they ask you not to, but they have built up a trustworthiness through their many battles, and they immediately agree.

    After confirming that no harm will come to them, I focus my magic power on the tip of my sword.

    The strongest magic, in a sense, that I learned from the Vandal, the god of magic.

    Flashing

    Unleash.

    Flash Magic is, as its name implies, a magic that unleashes light. It is a primary magic that emits a dazzling light and has no offensive capabilities. But, according to the Vandal, the god of magic, there is no magic more powerful than this.

    Most creatures have sight. Most creatures have sight. Used well, it will get you past any opponent.

    As he said, it was effective against the monster in front of him. They are dogs, of course, with good noses, but that doesn''t stop them from relying on their eyesight to attack. If we can take away their sight for a few dozen seconds, we can make as many moves as we want.

    Having reaffirmed that my flash magic is effective, I finish off the two-named hellhounds - instead of doing so, I unleash a flash of my sword on the hellhounds surrounding Lunamaria, and then fire on the hellhounds that were about to attack Erwick and his friends. I throw the magic of the sphere at them.

    The Hellhounds flare up and I tell them to fall back.

    Are you going to back off?¡¡I think it''s a good decision, but this forest is their forest, it will soon be surrounded by them.

    That''s the idea. I''m going to go to a place and I''m going to trap them there.

    What do you have in mind?

    Raverly asks me with faint hope, but I have no power to see the future. But I had the wisdom to use what was there and overcome a powerful enemy.

    Everyone believe me.

    With those words, Luna Maria wordlessly follows me.

    Irwick and Ravaliereley look at each other in silence and follow behind me.

    Along the way, a few hellhounds attack, but as I cut them down with my sword, I ask Raverly, "Is that thing ready, sir?

    "Is that thing ready?

    "The one in the example?

    "The tools we use to collect mandogolas. I just had it knitted with ivy.

    "Yeah, there is that, but

    Erwick took out a rope from his back.

    The rope I had woven from the ivy just now is so fine that it''s hard to believe it was improvised. As expected of the forest people, it was made by the elves.

    That''s as good as it gets. Then may I have it?

    There''s no reason to say no.

    Erwick is willing to give it to me.

    Watching her, Lunamaria chuckles. I wonder what''s funny.

    "No, I''m just glad to see another one of Master Will''s wacky tricks.

    I see. But that''s not so much of a novelty as a trick.

    No, I''m sure they will use the devil''s advocate. So what do we do?

    It''s nice to have a good setup.

    Praise the Lunamar¨ªa and talk about the plan.

    I''m going to use this rope to set a trap.

    "A dog trap?

    Yes,

    But does it work with those two names?¡¡With such a meager rope.

    "This trap is not about the size of the individual

    "What kind of magic do you think makes that possible?

    "It''s a secret . It''s no fun to tell.

    That''s not a very boyish thing to say.

    I wonder if I inherited my mother''s mischievousness.

    The face of the Goddess Militia comes to mind, but I knew that her unique personality would not be explained in a few words.

    Mr. Raverly, and Mr. Irwick, please believe Master Will. I have never failed in a mission when Master Will had this look on his face.

    It sure feels like a luxury. So what are we doing?

    "This strategy may fail if it is interrupted by hellhounds along the way,

    You can create an environment in which you can play with your nicknames in a tandem, right?

    That''s what I mean.

    Then leave it to me. This mallet is going to fire.

    With that statement Raverly begins to spin and twirl the mallet. Then he kicks away a crowd of attacking hellhounds. Arwick sings a specially made battle song he composed for Raverly.

    As the song resonates, Lunamaria also slashes through the dogs with her shortsword.

    Each of these three warriors is skilled and breathes well together.

    There aren''t many demons that can defeat this trio. And not even a dog can break through. Unless, of course, it''s a monster dog.

    While the hellhounds were being kicked around, only the two-named hellhounds rushed forward and broke through without a care in the world. No, the trio dared to miss it.

    Lunamaria, one of the three players, saw the monster running through the forest and muttered to herself.

    "Will-sama, please be safe.

    Although Lunamaria always admires Will, in the end, her worries eventually win out. I''ve seen how strong he is, but still I can''t help but imagine the "what ifs". Of course, I never had a "what if" before.

    I just don''t know if it will be forever. One wrong move can lead to death for any hero.

    --What if Will is dead?

    Since she began this journey, she has occasionally imagined it, but each time it gnawed at her heart and made her wince. I feel a darkness in my heart that is more terrible than when I lost the light.

    So although Lunamar¨ªa vowed to protect Will at all times to prevent that from happening, she felt as if Will had always protected her since she made that vow.

    She thought of the face of a kind boy who would always be there to save her from her plight.

    He was raised by the gods and it may be presumptuous of a priestess to protect him, but I can still help.

    Now is the time.

    Lunamaria slammed her shortsword into her right hand and drove it through the hellhound.

    You have to make sure that Will is ready to do the trick.

    That''s all the help Lunamaria could give right now.

 124 cry of death

    With the help of my companions I was able to confront the two-named hellhounds with a tern.

    Thanks to their courage and dedication, I tighten my grip on the rope in my right hand.

    The plan we''re about to follow is very simple, but it''s simple enough to be risky. After all, I have to wrap this around the monster''s neck.

    As I stare at the monster, the holy shield speaks to me.

    Are you out of your mind?¡¡I can''t believe I put a noose around that monster''s neck.

    I''m trying to be sane.

    "It''s too hard. And that creature can''t be strangled with a noose this big.

    "The only people who could strangle him are Dad Ronin and Mother Militia in snapping mode.

    "If you know that, why do you do such nonsense?

    "That''s not nonsense. It''s meaningful.

    Then I slash at him with my Damascus sword.

    The two-named hellhound was ready for battle, but I could still see how he came out. Carefully observing its movements, it looks for an opening, but after a few minutes of watching, the conclusion it reaches is despair.

    "It''s even faster than I thought it would be. And it''s more seamless.

    The two men who were enraged by the flash magic were not blinded. It''s going to be hard to blind them again to create an opening.

    d*mn it.

    You say it like it''s somebody else''s problem, but his attacks are getting stronger. At first he taunts you with his shield and sword, but before you know it, he''s bleeding all over you.

    "This is bad. This is bad...it might kill me, not to mention the operation.

    "I don''t like that. When you''re dead, I''ll be left in the woods.

    "I apologize profusely for that.

    "No need to apologize. I''ll take care of it.

    Really?

    "True, true

    "How, by the way?

    "Try it out for yourself. So throw me.

    Okay.

    When you talk to me that way, I just follow. I unleash my sacred shield, my partner.

    The holy shield is a magical shield I got in a prairie dungeon. It can talk and it''s intelligent. It''s also very powerful. A typical power is the ability to throw it and it comes back with a mind of its own. Most people don''t imagine the shield boomeranging back in, so they can outwit it.

    But the two-named hellhound is a wild creature and shouldn''t be able to speak his mind.

    I''ve been thinking about this while watching the behavior of the holy shield I threw, but as expected, her first attack was dodged by a lateral movement. --The two-named Hellhound seems to be expecting that attack as well, although the boomerang attack is the only way to get home. I''m paying attention to the rear.

    I''ll just have to find my own way, not believing the big words of the sycophantic shield--just when I thought that, the holy shield makes an unexpected move.

    "If you think my only attack pattern is a shield bash and a boomerang attack, you''re wrong!

    The holy shield shines brightly as it declares this out loud.

    I''m not going to be able to say that you can''t use simple magic (instant).

    Yes, she too can use her "flash" magic!

    Even the two-named woman didn''t think that such a small piece of iron could do magic. I''ll have a second flash today!

    But the second flash did indeed manage to close your eyes. Also, since the flash of the holy shield isn''t that powerful, it only lasted a dozen seconds before it took your sight.

    ''''That''s enough, though.

    I sheathed the Damascus sword and took out the rope that was strapped around my waist. I put it around my neck with two names.

    Now I am ready for my ruse.

    When I said this, the holy shield

    "Hohehe ......?

    She screamed in a careless voice.

    "That''s the end of my preparation.

    There are some finishing touches left to do, but we''ll take care of the rest.

    I pull out my Damascus sword again and recoil at him.

    "Well, in this case, I guess I can use the Ronin cursing technique.

    In the House of the Gods, swear words are basically forbidden. My mother wanted to raise me in a polite manner, and when Father Ronin would say a swear word, he would finally bring out his baby and threaten me. But Ronin would occasionally give me a course on how a man should learn to swear.

    If you use swear words to lure your enemy out of the room, it works very well. A single word can sometimes be better than an army of 10,000.

    The pompous Father Ronin is right. In fact, I light the fuse of anger of the two hellhounds by this verbal abuse.

    He''s a big, stupid dog. Do three rounds of woofing and I''ll give you a bone.

    Those words made the binomial stand on its head.

    Of course, I said it in dog-speak, so it worked.

    Actually, I''m fluent in dog-speak. I grew up with Schultz the wolf at an early age, so I can use their language naturally.

    Growing up in the natural surroundings of Table Mountain was helpful after all this time.

    The educational philosophy of the gods also helped.

    Remembering that everything in life is a learning experience, I thanked them again and invited the two-named to the supposed place.

    The supposed place was the place where I had just come from with Luna Maria.

    The holy shields are

    "That''s where you and the miko fondled each other.

    And mangled, but completely ignore and hang a noose on "a certain" thing that is there. This is the link between a certain thing and a named one.

    Wow, that''s a pretty good link.

    "You know the hard words,

    "Ahem, I''m still going by the doctoral character of the shield world.

    It''s a low-level industry. Thinking this unspoken, I make the final adjustment.

    I put my magic in my right hand.

    "Oh, finally, a forbidden spell.

    "Yes, but I didn''t save it for nothing. But I wasn''t saving it for nothing. I was saving it for later.

    "Can you do it now in one fell swoop?

    "No . A single blow in any condition is difficult. But now I can freeze him in place, both of his feet. I can rob it of its mobility.

    With that affirmation I begin to chant.

    "O inexhaustible stream in the air.

    Wed to the icy wind and speak the truth of oblivion.

    Give the raging beast the judgment of silence!

    When chanted in the ancient magical language, the moisture in the air begins to freeze. Diamond dust dances around the area. As the ice queen begins to perform, the temperature around me drops dramatically. A wave of blue-white magic begins to flow from my right hand and is released.

    It strikes the two Hellhounds in a straight line.

    At first, he tries to avoid the magic, but soon realizes the magic''s speed, superior tracking, and takes a defensive stance.

    "You are very intuitive for a beast. --But I guess I''m not very good at defense.

    You should have avoided it even if you had to, but you can''t keep choosing the best move in the world.

    The time has come for this giant monster, the king of the forest, to pay his tribute.

    The two named ones are instantly frozen after receiving my magic, True Freeze, in their paws.

    Two of its front legs are encased in ice.

    The back legs are still intact, but the beast''s mobility is drastically reduced as its front legs are trapped.

    "This is where you want to end the game, Will.

    She speaks to me with a fighting spirit, but her prediction is not correct.

    ''Huh?¡¡Then what do you do?''

    This is how it''s done.

    Gripping the holy shield, I turn my back on the two-named Hellhound.

    "The thirty-sixth hour is the time to flee.

    "It''s all dressed up, but the point is to get away.

    "It''s a strategic retreat,

    "Well, it was smart of you to take away the mobility so that you could escape properly.

    You know what I mean.

    With that said, he fled like a rabbit.

    There''s a reason why he ran away at such a speed that he became one with the wind.

    One or two of the Hellhounds'' maneuvers were silenced, but not entirely. Its hind legs were still intact. And a horde of hellhounds had gathered around him. Their numbers were quite formidable.

    Two, the moment he moved to follow us, he would have sentenced himself to death.

    Three, as soon as he dies, this space will be filled with death.

    "Huh?¡¡What does it mean to be filled with death?

    That''s how it works.

    Once I''m sure we''re some distance from the "death zone," I''m going to go do some reconnaissance and throw the holy shield.

    "Aye.

    Then the holy shield flies to the place where we had just been.

    What was there was a shocking sight.

    "...... What''s this? Everyone is dead.

    Holy Shield Aegis is speechless

    .

    "............

    As far as the eye could see, there was a dead dog. A great fishing hellhound was foaming at the mouth and twitching.

    ''What does this mean?¡¡Will

    The holy shield asks confusedly. I announce to her with the telepathic tale.

    I told you about Mandogora.

    "I heard that earlier when I was explaining it to Luna Maria and the others.

    The mandogora is a cursed plant that screams when its roots are pulled out. Anyone who hears the scream will die instantly.

    "Ah!¡¡Maybe these guys have heard of it!

    "That''s what I mean. Two-name Hellhound''s neck is attached to a rope, and the other side of the rope is attached to a mandogola.

    "So you''ll be out of there in time.

    "So when we''re gone, the two named ones will pull out Mandogora and and they will destroy themselves.

    Aegis heard the concluding remarks

    ''Wow, wow, Geez!¡¡Will is a genius!

    He praised me.

    You can praise me later and make sure I have two named deaths to show for it.

    "Oh, yeah. Well, you know, the big doggie.

    When you look for the largest corpse, it immediately catches your eye.

    In the center of the Hellhound''s body is a single body.

    It''s the beast with the two names, the beast of blood.

    He lay there as if he''d been stuffed.

    Oh!¡¡This could be a big win!

    The quick-tempered Aegis yells out, but on the way, Futana jolts and shudders.

    "...... Hi, hi. You''re still alive?¡¡Could this guy be immortal?

    To calm the panicked Aegis, I immediately head to the battlefield and attach my shield. Then I draw my sword and confront him, but in the end, he never wields it.

    When he locks eyes with me, he loses focus and falls to the ground. Blood is pouring from every hole in his face. It seems that the Instant Death curse has finally taken full effect.

    Mandogora''s instant death is amazing. It killed them all.

    "Will''s great at using it, too.

    It was great, great, great, great, but I can''t keep rambling on and on. After confirming the death of the two names, I tried to go to Lunamaria''s rescue, but I couldn''t do it because Lunamaria came to my rescue.

    I couldn''t do it because Lunamaria came to my rescue.

    She was

    "Mr. Will, are you okay?

    And jumped into my chest.

    I think I missed a few hellhounds along the way. He was wondering if I was in any trouble.

    The ones I did miss were killed instantly with a single blow. It''s like killing two birds with one stone.

    "This body is ......

    "Will took care of everything,

    And Shield says, but her words are heard by no one but me, so I tell her that I defeated them in Mandogora. Lunamar¨ªa is genuinely surprised and impressed by my plan.

 125 Fort of the Dwarves

    "I know Master Will would have had a great plan, but it''s even more than I imagined. I never imagined that you would use Mandogora in that way.

    The dwarf princess Raverly also agrees.

    Really, that''s an unbelievable boy. Are all the children of the gods this clever?

    I don''t know any other children of the gods, so I can''t say for sure, but there aren''t many people who are so good at this kind of trickery. But I''m not proud of that, and I take the mandogora that Futama pulled out for me.

    Our goal is not to kill dogs. Our goal is to use it to make a certain elixir. I wanted to make the elixir right away.

    I made a fire on the spot and took out my kit.

    Do you carry that around with you?

    "Because I am the son of the goddess of healing.

    "That''s right. Goddess Milia''s prize child.

    He said he wanted to show off to the world, so it''s not a secret: ......

    Of course, I couldn''t bear to do that.

    But my mother taught me how to make a class of potions in the open air.

    Normally, making a secret medicine requires workshops and laboratory-class facilities, but the Miria style of medicine science doesn''t need any of that.

    Medicine is love!

    I could see Mother Militia''s face as she explained the essence of the Militia way of medicine, shaking her chest.

    I put the mandogora into a mortar, dispelling the illusion as it tried to smother me with its chest.

    The mandogola is a very delicate plant and must be grated slowly or it will lose its medicinal properties.

    "You are very sensitive for a fearsome figure.

    But it is one of the five most medicinal plants of all. It''s a must for all the medicines I''m going to make.

    The thing is, Will, what kind of a potion are you going to make?

    "I''ve heard that it''s the medicine that will save us,

    "There is more to it than that. I have also heard that it is a potion that can bring elves and dwarves together.

    "Manipulate the spirit?¡¡Like an evil magician.

    No way, I wouldn''t do that. We''ll just chastise them. I just want them to understand that their ignorance causes them to lose what''s really important. I just want them to understand that.

    When I said so, I told them the effects of the secret potion, the details of the operation.

    Kimberly and Irwick were speechless when they heard my words.

    ........................

    I didn''t know that there was a plan. I had no idea.

    What a conspiracy.

    They both let it out, but only Lunamaria was confident.

    I believed in you, Master Will. That''s why Master Will is so conspiratorial in his thinking.

    Some would say it''s a pity. Well, I''ll take Vandalism''s word for it.

    While thanking my father, Vandal, for his help, the secret potion is ready.

    If you drink it here, everything will be fine - but the place is important. We will leave the forest and return to the road that leads to the Mother God''s Highway.

    We returned to the road and headed north. After three days of walking, we could see a large building in the distance.

    ...... There wasn''t a building like that until a few days ago.

    When I''m wondering, Lunamaria asks me.

    "What is wrong with you, Master Will?

    No, there''s a fort-like building where there was a checkpoint the other day. They didn''t rebuild it in such a short time, did they?

    "Is the building so magnificent?

    Lunamaria is blind. You can tell the structure of the building by the air flow, but as expected, you can''t use that technique from this far away.

    "Yeah, it''s a little fort. No, it''s a small castle. It''s built of stone and has a nice moat.

    Well, it''s . But until the other day there was only a shoddy building, why, suddenly,

    "Maybe I took a wrong turn?

    I don''t think that''s likely.

    "Yeah. . there''s only one road here.

    "Is it possible that you are being turned into a raccoon?

    You were a raccoon at Lunamaria''s. At Table Mountain they called it a fox. --Well, I don''t want to wake up in the morning in a cesspool anyway.

    As I was having such a conversation, a laughing voice jumped into my ears.

    When I looked at the owner of the voice, I saw the dwarf princess laughing.

    I thought you were a boy with no common sense, but you don''t seem to know what a dwarf is capable of.

    "The awesomeness of the dwarves, could it be that the dwarves built the fort?

    Of course I am.

    "It''s not even a week old yet,

    Three days and a town could be built by a dwarf. And the Dwarves of the soil are great architects.

    Wow. . the Temple of the Gods took ten years to build.

    "Ask our village and I''ll show you something more magnificent in a month.

    Proudly says RAVERLY.

    Erwick agrees.

    The elves and dwarves are like dogs and monkeys but when they work together, this will be a piece of cake. The dwarves will design and build. The elves will find good wood and stone and the spirits will carry it.

    "It''s a dream collaboration,

    Yeah. I wouldn''t be working together except for this.

    If we can clear up our misunderstandings on this one, maybe we can start a construction business together.

    Lunamar¨ªa summed up with a grin and we headed for the fort-like checkpoint.

    There''s a long line of people there.

    It seems they are examining everything that sits in the temple. They even examine the inside of the peddlers'' bottles. Well, it''s true that a god of magic would have no trouble getting inside the bottles.

    But this time I didn''t want to break through the checkpoint with such a foolproof method, I wanted to make the checkpoint itself useless.

    I didn''t want them to do anything stupid after that, and I wanted their blessing on the marriage of Arwick and Raverly.

    So I tied Raverly up in the bushes as we had discussed and took her straight to the checkpoint.

    Because of the dwarves at the checkpoint, there was immediately a great deal of commotion.

    Oh, the princess! This is the princess.

    "There''s a Raverly who''s been kidnapped by a bloody elf.

    It was worth it to build the checkpoint.

    The dwarves quickly come running over, but show their displeasure that Raverly is tied up in a noose. I''ll give them the excuse I had prepared in advance.

    I saw this girl wanted in the last inn town. I didn''t want her to escape, so I tied her up in the noose, but she was not harmed.

    The dwarves look at Raverly''s face instead of mine, but she agrees with a "hmm".

    ...... Well, I don''t care if the princess comes back this time. Boy, good job. I''ll give you the bounty that was in your handbook.

    One of the dwarves takes some gold out of the leather bag, but I''m adamant about it.

    "No, I don''t want it yet.

    What, then it''s free?

    No, we''ve broken our bones and caught them, so we can''t give them away just yet.

    What do you mean?

    "That''s just what it means. The elven prince who took the girl, he too has a bounty on his head. If you keep the girl, he will come to you. Seize her and you will get his bounty.

    "It doesn''t matter. All we need is Princess Raverly.

    The dwarves insist, but of course the elves retort.

    Are you breaking the pact? We captured the princess and the prince together and swore to capture the rest until the end. Do dwarves not honor their pledges?

    The proud dwarves could not be bothered to speak to me in such a manner.

    I will release Raverly from her bonds and place her in a cell shared by elves and dwarves. Raverly obeys.

    Once in the dungeon, Raverly will be

    "...... is such a hassle.

    He whispered to me in a whisper, but I affirmed it.

    ...... All things are important in production. The public is moved by the captive princess and the prince who gallantly rescues her.

    Oh, man, you''ve got a lot of chutzpah on your hands, don''t you?

    "Because I am the son of the gods.

    With a grin, I told her my intentions.

    In a few days, Mr. Irwick will be coming to help you, and in the meantime, please do not touch the food served by the dwarves.

    "It''s a tragicomedy, isn''t it?

    Yes. If you''re a glutton and you don''t eat a meal and you''re too skinny, the dwarves will notice the thought.

    "I think it''s a nice touch, but I''m really gluttonous.

    You''ll be fine. I made a pill that won''t make you hungry.

    Gently hand it to Raverly, but she squeezes it.

    "Don''t want it. It''s really hard when you don''t see Irwick. It makes me lose my appetite. Besides, you don''t want any of this stuff in your stomach, do you?

    "Yes. . it will last longer.

    Then let''s fast. Irwick won''t eat, so I''ll have to endure the pain.

    "It''s a noble idea,

    I parted from her with praise and waited for the time to pass.

    Meanwhile, the dwarves treated me as a guest of honor, but I refused to eat a meal served to me on account of my religious fast.

 126 fruit of love

    Many times during the night, my stomach churned, but the thought of Raverly and Erwick fasting and I just didn''t feel like eating.

    The holy shield in my left hand is a

    "You really are the boy who looked up.

    He complimented me on that.

    Lunamaria is more respectable.

    There is no doubt that she will probably cut off food or even water until this operation is successful. There was also no doubt that she would pray all day long for the success of the mission.

    And so a few days pass. The dwarves were distressed at the princess''s despondency, and just as her stomach was empty, the prince appeared. He appears proudly in front of the fort and announces himself.

    My name is Arwick. Son of Synturan, Chief of the Elves of the West. I have come to rescue my beloved princess.

    The dwarves, in response to his brave words, "What! But the elves secretly thought, that''s my prince. However, the elves wanted him to return, so I did my best to capture him.

    The dwarves and elves rush out of the fort with their weapons, but I seize the moment to unlock Raverly''s prison. I follow behind them with a nonchalant look on my face and watch Arwick''s grand stand.

    Erwick fighting with his slender sword. Neither dwarves nor elves aimed at killing Arwick, so the battle was quite frustrating.

    However, the elves and dwarves were outnumbered, and the battle was getting worse and worse.

    A certain dwarf''s hammer snaps Arwick''s rapier, robbing him of his fighting power. The dwarves try to capture him with a lasso, but Lunamaria cuts through them.

    She severs the rope with a stunning kesa-slash.

    Lunamaria screams like a goddess of war.

    My name is Lunamaria. I am a priestess of the Mother Goddess Order.

    By righteousness and love I intervene in this quarrel!

    The elf says to Lunamaria, who tells him in an interesting manner.

    The Order of the Mother Goddess is not supposed to intervene in the quarrels of the world.

    This is a road administered by the Mother Goddess Order. You''ve built a fort there, and that kind of language cannot be overlooked.

    I said that''s too much for .......

    The elf looks at the dwarf with a vindictive look in his eyes, but the dwarf ignores him with a "hmm.

    "This is too late for that. What is the bother with the boy and the priestess? Tie him up!

    The dwarf says with gusto, he sounds like a bad cop, but the cops in the story should have been brought to justice here. I like promises, and I wanted it hard, but it seems that Raverly had the same idea.

    He kicked the dwarf who was about to capture Erwick at just the right moment.

    Ravely!

    Erwick plays a beautiful voice.

    "Erwick!

    Raverly called back in a thick but loving voice.

    They continued to enter their world for a moment, but when Lunamaria coughed lightly, they remembered their part in it.

    They clasped hands and said to the screaming elves and dwarves.

    "To the elves and dwarves, put away your swords.

    His voice was full of dignity. That''s the children of the chief! For a moment, the elves and dwarves relax their attack, but then they say: "Erwick!

    "Cease useless resistance. You do not know what we have suffered at your service. We''re going to have to deal with these loathsome dwarves.

    You''re more in tune than I thought.

    Returning the joke, the elf cringes.

    "Ravely too!¡¡You run off with the elves. You bring shame to the dwarves.

    Love has nothing to do with race. I mean, I think everyone realizes that there is a possibility that dwarves and elves can get along. The possibility that dwarves and elves could join hands in peace.

    "There is no such thing.

    "Really?¡¡Then what is this fort?¡¡I don''t care how good the dwarves are at building, they couldn''t possibly build something this impressive in a week.

    Mmm.

    It was only possible because of the cooperation of the elves. They found the good trees and transported them for me. They sent spirits to help us build it.

    "............

    Yes, this fort is the proof. My elves. You know this. You have noticed that dwarves are a quiet but hardworking people. They are easily misunderstood. Together you must have noticed. Their simple, honest nature.

    "............

    Both species are speechless. It is true that the elves and dwarves who have been creating together for the past few months have begun to form a friendship and cousinhood. It is true that by working together, a kind of friendship and cousinhood had begun to grow.

    They respected each other''s work. The elf had come to respect the dexterity of the dwarves and the dwarf had come to respect the wisdom of the elves in the use of nature''s gifts.

    The two sides had been bickering for hundreds of years and would not easily reconcile, but they could be open to change. Many began to think that way.

    Erwick and Raverly took a gamble on that, but they thought too soon.

    The age was not yet mature enough for subhumans and subhumans to understand each other.

    The dwarf exclaimed.

    "I do not care what the princess says.

    Even the elves raise their voice.

    "Even though he is the son of the chief, no, that word cannot be overlooked because he is the son of the chief.

    Instead of understanding each other, they ended up being mean to each other.

    Weapons begin to point in each other''s direction.

    Raverly and Arwick, thinking that a battle will break out rather than a reconciliation, decided to take out the vial they had in their pockets.

    What''s in that vial?

    An elf asks, but Erwick speaks honestly.

    "This is a poison. Drink it and you will die a sleepy death.

    "What, what?

    The dwarf shakes his beard.

    This will finally get us alone together, won''t it?

    "Oh.

    Raverly and Irwick smile at each other.

    I guess the only way for us to get together is to go to heaven.

    Some religions say that those who commit suicide go to hell.

    I don''t care if I''m in hell, as long as I''m with you.

    "Me too. I love you, Raverly.

    That''s me too.

    They say that and sip on a vial of salve.

    "Wait, wait!¡¡You''re a heartbreaker.

    "Don''t hurry!

    The elf and the dwarf desperately want to stop it, but they can''t stop the young man whose fuse of love is lit. They gulped down the liquid in the vial and spat blood and foam from their mouths.

    The dwarf and the elf scream in astonishment at the sight of it.

    "Arwick!¡¡How ridiculous!

    "Let it out!¡¡It might not be too late!

    The elf and the dwarf jammed their fingers down their throats, but the sparkle never returned to their eyes as they lost focus.

    They died in silence.

    They committed suicide by poisoning themselves, but their fingers remained entangled and untied.

    Some dwarves tried to unravel them, but others stopped them.

    ...... Don''t do it. Let them do what they want.

    ...... risked their lives to be with them. We have no right to separate them.

    That was the consensus of both races.

    So with their deaths I finally understood.

    That you can''t tear apart what you love.

    That they meant business.

    How stupid we were.

    The deaths of Arwick and Raverly finally woke me up.

    Was it too late to wake up?

    Will sees a dwarf in tears and shaking his shoulders.

    He looks up to the heavens and sees an elf in wailing sorrow.

    They are the guardians who have served them since they were young. These are the ones who least expected it to end this way.

    No, they are not the only ones. All present were grieving. They were saddened. Regretted. I wanted with all my heart to turn back the clock.

    But the hands of the clock will not begin to turn backwards.

    For a while the dwarves and elves tried to stand by them, "We were fools," they lamented, and for days they stood by the corpse and then built a communal grave.

    There was talk of taking the bodies home, but most said that they would rot in this temperature. Also, they wanted to be buried together. The two tribes worked together to build a simple grave, and then they were buried as is.

    After saying their final goodbyes, both races returned directly to the forest and cave.

    When I saw that the last of the elves had left with Lunamaria, I said goodbye to Arwick and Ravali and marched north. We resumed our journey to the Temple of the Mother Goddess.

    Now that the checkpoint was abolished with their deaths, there was nothing to stop us. A week''s walk north and we''ll find the temple.

    --That is if we keep walking.

    We''ll go north for a couple of days and then we''ll turn around. Then we''ll go back to where the checkpoint was and we''ll dig up the graves of Arwick and Ravali.

    Before she dug up the grave, Lunamaria prayed to the Mother Goddess and asked for her forgiveness.

    Oh, Mother Mother Earth, forgive me for my actions.

    The grave robbery is hard on Lunamar¨ªa, a devout believer. I suggest that I''ll do it alone, but Lunamaria shakes her head firmly.

    No, the Mother of Earth would be upset with you for being a jerk and doing nothing.

    I declared this and sped up the digging. I thought this was useless, and I feared for her peace of mind by ending the unpleasantness quickly.

    I let them dig the grave for a few minutes. I find a wooden coffin. There are two of them. Two of them, of course, belonged to Irwok and Ravely.

    When they opened the coffin, they found a dead body.

    As a matter of fact, they were alive. Or the corpse had vanished without a trace.

    Lunamar¨ªa is checking for a heartbeat and a pulse, but they are both dead for real.

    Only, strangely enough, their bodies hadn''t decomposed. Even at this time of year, there was no sign of decomposition.

    It was some kind of trick. A person with good instincts would have thought so, but fortunately, it was only me and Luna Maria who "knew the trick all along".

    With a relaxed look on our faces, we take a vial from our pockets and pour it on them.

    They were doused in the green liquid. Then, after a few seconds, the body twitches.

    Immediately, their chests move up and down and their complexion returns to normal. Their complexion changes beautifully from the dark-brown complexion they had just had to a pale, flushed complexion.

    Lunamaria, who has a good ear, should have heard a comforting heartbeat.

    Lunamaria looked at me with deep pleasure.

    "Success, Mr. Will.

    And his eyes sparkled.

    "I''m not going to fail. It''s our lives on the line.

    I winked at him with one eye closed, and the first thing he woke up to was a wide-eyed Erwick, looking puzzled.

    This is ......

    Your memory is a little cloudy. Well, I''ve been dead for nearly a week.

    "So much?

    It may have only been a flash in the pan for Mr. Erwick and his team.

    Lunamaria chuckles.

    Yeah, we feel like we just took a poison pill. I can still feel the bitterness in my mouth.

    It''s a hallucination, or rather a taste. Anyway, it looks like Mandogora''s potion worked very well.

    "...... suspended animation

    Erwick mumbles and seems to be trawling through the threads of his memory. He closes his eyes for a few seconds and then gasps.

    What?¡¡And so it was. We were pretending to be dead in order to enlighten the stubborn elves and dwarves.

    "Did you forget that too?

    "Could be a side effect of the drug. That''s understandable. You were in a state of suspended animation.

    Lunamar¨ªa defends.

    "I''m all right. Well, you''re back. But the question is, are they enlightened?

    About it, Lunamaria explains.

    "All the elves and dwarves who were after you were deeply sorry. We cried and cried for days over the dead bodies.

    "Really. It hurts my heart to hear that.

    "Then will you understand us if we go back now?

    That''s right. If we go back now, surely they will have another answer for us. But let''s not be so hasty.

    Yeah. We''re free now. Why don''t you and I travel together for a while, Irwick?

    "But you ......

    "I agree with that. If you were to be accepted by both races, would you still live your life in one of the villages?¡¡It may be the only time you and your wife are together.

    "I see, that''s a good point.

    Satisfied, Erwick squeezes my hand tightly.

    "Thank you in any case, Will.

    "Never mind. We''re going to the Mother God''s Temple. Goddess of the Mother of Earth is the god of marriage. God will be pleased with her if she is Cupid of Love.

    That''s right. Maybe Master Will was born with the favor of the Mother of Earth.

    Lunamaria says happily, "God of swords, God of magic, God of healing, God of all-powerfulness, God of earth''s favor.

    ''God of swords and god of magic, god of healing, god of all, god of earth''s favor. I''m going to be so full.

    The gods of elves and dwarves will love you. The god of the hunters and the blacksmiths.

    "Is it too much?

    When I say that, they laugh and say, "Of course.

    Afterwards, the four of us chat for a while, and then it''s time to say goodbye.

    Irwick and Raverly pack their bags and tell them they are going south on the road.

    We''ll do what Will suggested and go home slowly with a hot spring or something.

    It''s a honeymoon. Ravely smiles happily.

    We wish them well on their journey and continue north.

    Now we''re headed for the Temple of the Mother Goddess.

    We were both sad to see each other go, but this was not goodbye forever. They walked away from each other, their steps full of hope in the midst of their loneliness. I saw their backs many times and it was beautiful to see the love that grew between them and their different species. Growing up in the mountains, I had no desire to marry, but watching them made me think marriage was a good thing. I glanced at Luna Maria and she seemed to feel the same way.

    Love doesn''t matter what race you are. Even tribal barriers drive it. Maybe even between organic and inorganic matter.

    Watching them made it seem like such a dream come true.

    Aside.

    Raverly and Irwick return to each other''s home after a year.

    It has taken a year for them to return to each other''s home, not to enhance the "dead" effect - but to make them feel that they are dead.

    Circumstances have arisen that prevented them from returning to the village.

    It wasn''t trouble, it was a celebration. And, lo and behold, Raverly was pregnant. She was pregnant with Erwick''s child.

    Raverly was so chubby among the dwarves that even she hadn''t known she was pregnant.

    She did not need to pray before the Mother of Earth to conceive.

    Normally, children are hard to come between a dwarf and an elf. It was proof that they had worked hard and that their love was true.

    What would the people of the village think when they saw the "proof"?

    It was unclear, but Irwick and Ravali gave birth in a village on the way and returned to the village when mother and child were stable.

    --The people of the village welcomed them and the fruits of their love with open arms.

 127 trade city of Sille

    I walked for a whole day on the road to the Temple of the Mother of Earth. How many times have we walked this road?

    We were caught in a Shakespearean elopement between an elf prince and a dwarf princess, and we wasted quite a bit of time.

    "Well, it''s not a journey with a time limit,

    And just when you think that since they are happy, there is nothing wrong with it, you notice that Luna Maria has a difficult look on her face.

    What''s wrong?¡¡The "Lunamar¨ªa

    No, I have a bad feeling about this.

    "A bad feeling?

    "Yes, I''ve walked this road many times. I''ve walked this road many times, but I''ve never seen such an ominous atmospheric movement.

    "An ominous atmospheric movement?

    I looked up at the sky and saw that it was indeed a strange color. It looked like it was going to rain at any moment, yet there was not a drop of rain in the sky. A warm breeze and dense clouds were stirring my anxiety.

    Lunamaria was also a priestess who could receive oracles from God.

    She had the mysterious power to see the future.

    It was bad luck for her to have an ominous premonition.

    Trusting Lunamaria''s intuition above all else, I decided to stay one night ahead of schedule at an inn. There, I decided to wait for the weather to recover before continuing north.

    Was I making the right decision?

    --At least that decision certainly delayed our journey to the temple.

    Staying at the inn has led us to meet an emissary of a house.

    The messenger was the steward of Viktor''s trading company.

    The butler, who once wielded a sword with you to help the young lady of Viktor''s trading house, came to the inn and asked to see you.

    As soon as he saw me.

    Oh, Master Will, I found you at last.

    I was in tears. Hans added that he was moved by my fine figure.

    "If the men do not agree for three days, scrape off the surface," he said, "I now understand the meaning of those words.

    You''re exaggerating. --But, Hans, what is it?¡¡That look: ......

    If you look at Hans''s butler''s uniform, it was in tatters.

    He never dressed like this when he was at Viktor''s house. He cared more about his appearance than anyone else. And yet, dressed like this rag, it''s extraordinary.

    My words remind him of his mission, Hans. He didn''t mention the dirty butler''s uniform, but bluntly explained the situation and asked for help.

    Will, I beg you to save our trading company, the trading city of Sylre--

    We felt an unusual presence in the desperate faces, the dirty clothes, and the words of distress.

    In fact, Hans, the butler, collapses when he finishes saying them.

    He''s worked night and day to find me here.

    Lunamaria rushes to give me a recovery spell and a tonic potion to nourish me.

    We soon find out that it''s not important, but after resting for a full day, the next day we hear from Hans, the butler, to find out more.

    The Viktor Trading Company is one of the merchant associations that are powerful in the northern part of the Midonian kingdom. They mainly dealt in lumber and stone, and made a fortune by selling and exporting them.

    As for my connection, when Lunamaria and I began our journey, I rescued a young lady who was being attacked by mercenaries hired by a rival trading family.

    The head of the Viktor family was very grateful and lent me generous assistance thereafter.

    I can roam freely because of a passbook issued by the Viktor Chamber of Commerce. And when I went to the city where Viktor''s branch office was located, they gave me plenty of food and information.

    But what happened to this important supporter of mine that she is in trouble?

    I ask Hans, the butler, who has recovered his health.

    "Yes, sir, but your daughter''s life is in danger.

    "Did something happen to Karen?

    Yes. At this rate, the young lady is going to be sacrificed to the sea god.

    "The Sacrifice of the Sea God--

    That''s not very accommodating, is it?

    Frown.

    The trading city''s vital trade route has been cut off by the sea god''s anger. I have decided to sacrifice a young girl to appease the god.

    So Karen is the one who was chosen to do it.

    "Yes--

    Hans exudes a look of frustration.

    I don''t know why the daughter of a prominent Victorian family was chosen, but this is not a situation that can be overlooked. I''m going to tell the old butler that I''m going to save Karen.

    Are you sure?

    "Of course. I am indebted to the Viktor family in no small measure.

    "Thankfully,

    Anticipating this, Luna Maria tells me that she''s already packed her bags. I compliment her on her skill, and she replies with a smirk.

    I didn''t think Master Will would leave the Viktor family in danger. That''s why I made all the preparations while Hans was asleep.

    I''m sorry. I''m sorry to go home again.

    "Do not be bothered . The Temple of the Mother of Earth does not flee.

    Lunamar¨ªa says jokingly.

    "Yes,

    "And it might be a good idea to go to the trading cities. There is a lot of information in a trading city.

    You might even get some information on the Zodiac cult, I suppose.

    That''s what I mean.

    "Yeah. Let''s keep a positive attitude. Now, let''s just keep going.

    "Yes.

    Ready to go, we paid for the inn as it was and headed east.

 128 a taste for tea-drinking

    The trading city of Sille is located in the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Midonia.

    It is located in the Gulf of Mesili, a natural harbor, which is enriched by trade with the Spice Islands and the East.

    It is known as a scenic port and is a city that every traveler wants to visit at least once.

    "You are very knowledgeable, Mr. Will,

    That was Lunamar¨ªa''s words.

    "I learned from my father, Vandal. I''ve always wanted to see it, but I never dreamed it would come like this.

    Me too. People who come to the Temple of the Mother of Earth often go on their honeymoon on their way home. I''ve heard it''s a very charming city.

    "I would love to see the sights when I have time, but now is not the time to relax.

    Looking at the face of Hans the butler, rocked by the carriage, he too affirms.

    "You will continue on to the Anaheim Trading Company''s villa. Victor will be there and we''ll talk about the details with him.

    Viktor, the master of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce, a name I miss very much.

    The master of the chamber of commerce who looked after me when I first came down from the mountains, a very capable and thoughtful man. He was so kind that I promised to see him again, but I never dreamed that we would meet so soon.

    It was a bit ironic that I got the opportunity to see his daughter in danger, but it was still a pleasure to see him.

    I walked over to the Anaheim Trading Company''s mansion and headed to the office located there.

    I wasn''t in the parlor because Mr. Viktor is very busy.

    It''s your daughter''s crisis, but he''s in charge of Anaheim''s business association, and they receive a mountain of paperwork from all over the world requesting settlement.

    Buried in the mountain of paperwork, Viktor carefully reads and signs each document one by one. He doesn''t even have time to look at us even though we''ve come in.

    But he is happy to see me again.

    "I''m sorry. Please wait until I finish looking over this document.

    He said in a leisurely tone.

    I waited as he said and he read the document in three minutes and twenty seconds and signed it.

    Well, that''s great.

    That''s what Luna Maria said.

    It''s true that reading a document of that thickness in such a short time is tremendous.

    But I know someone who reads faster than he does. Father Vandal.

    There are sixty-five hundred and fifty-six books in Father Vandals'' library.

    You can''t read them all at the speed of an ordinary man.

    It was routine for the Vandal to finish them at three times the speed of Mr. Victor.

    Lunamar¨ªa was truly surprised when I told her that.

    "Can''t you get into your head at that kind of speed?

    "I don''t think it''s coming in. That''s why Dad isn''t reading a book, Vandal, he''s remembering. He''s remembering.

    "Memory ......?

    Page by page, he said, "I burn it into my brain. He remembers it like a photographic paper and remembers it later when he needs it.

    "Well, ......

    Lunamar¨ªa puts her hand over her mouth and is surprised.

    So sometimes I''m walking down the street and I suddenly burst out laughing because I remember the contents of a book, or I''m taking a bath and I think of a magic theorem, and I suddenly start writing naked.

    "Hmmm, that''s just like you, Vandal.

    "Yes.

    This is a little off topic, but Viktor probably reads the documents in the same way. He must remember only the important parts and not the unnecessary ones.

    If he remembered the whole pile of papers, no matter how big his brain was, he would surely get a flat tire.

    Thinking this way, Viktor smiled and said it was a brilliant thought.

    I got into the habit of doing that after so many years of settling papers. You can''t remember everything like your father did, but the point is that you only need to remember the important wording and numbers.

    After generously showing off her work ethic, tea is brought to the office at just the right moment. Before you know it, Hans, the butler who left the room, has the maids bring you the tea.

    As expected of a professional butler, I''m impressed, but I''d rather talk about Karen than tea.

    I suggest that, but Viktor lets out a bitter laugh.

    "No, my daughter is in danger," he says, "but it''s not a matter of what happens today or tomorrow. We can afford to serve tea to our guest. Since you are visiting the Anaheim family, I would like you to drink the spice tea imported from the Spice Islands.

    "If you say so, Viktor,

    and Lunamaria happily sipped her cup.

    Lunamar¨ªa was fidgety about the unfamiliar smell of tea.

    Lunamar¨ªa, who has a good nose and a taste for tea, finds the unknown tea very interesting. If you have the time, you can afford to drink a cup of tea.

    I slowly sipped my cup and enjoyed the spice tea.

    It was very pungent and tasted sweet. I never tasted anything like it at Table Mountain. I wanted to give it to my mother, also a tea drinker, I thought.

 129 sacrifice of the sea god

    After swallowing the Spice Islands specialty tea, Viktor cut to the chase.

    First of all, I want to thank you for coming all the way for my daughter. After all, you are a righteous man.

    Viktor bows deeply to me, who is younger than his daughter.

    He is one of the greatest merchants in the country and a remarkable man who grew in power not by bloodline, but by his own strength. It''s not easy for such a man to bow. It was proof of his greatness.

    Such a man would be afraid to keep his head down, so I ask him to lift it, but still he does not hide his gratitude.

    "No, you helped me the last time I was in the Garde Trading Company. If it weren''t for you, they might have been sitting in this chair.

    That''s the worst thing that could happen.

    "Yeah. So I can''t thank you enough. And since you''re here, you''ll be helping my daughter again, won''t you?

    "Of course. Karen is a very important ''friend'' of mine.

    "A friend. As far as I''m concerned, you''re my fianc¨¦e.

    It would be offensive to say that it''s not, indeed.

    There has been talk for a long time about getting Karen and I engaged and becoming the heir to the Anaheim family. Each time I said no, but he hasn''t given up yet.

    Well, that''s for another time. I will not be your wife, but the wife of the god of the sea.

    "The sea god''s wife ...... is going to be sacrificed, right, Karen?

    Yes, I''m sure Hans has given you an overview. I''m sure Hans has given you an overview, but let me elaborate.

    Viktor said, getting up from his seat and pointing behind me.

    There is a map of this area, a so-called nautical chart.

    You know that this is a trading city, but since it is a trading city, you can see that it is built on trade with other cities.

    "Yes.

    "I think there are a number of lines extending out and they will intersect in one at sea.

    "Is . . passes between the islands.

    "That is the lifeline of this trading city, Sille. Ninety percent of ships cannot come or go unless they pass through there. But we can''t go through there now--

    Mr. Viktor paused there to take a breath and continued, "Because that''s where the sea gods are rampaging right now.

    "Because right now, that''s where the sea gods are rampaging.

    You''re the god of the sea.

    Yes,

    "Would God do such a bad thing?

    It was a simple question for Lunamar¨ªa, but Viktor laughed and said, "Haha.

    Will, not all gods are as good as your parents. And he is a god of the sea, but he is a rough god of sorts.

    "Aragami?

    A god who fails to become a god. A storm god is a god who fails to be a god. They''re usually violent and annoy people.

    "I see.

    "That is the monster that failed to become a god long ago. I don''t know if he''s hungry or not, but in a hundred years he will wake up and storm the shipping lanes.

    "You are strangely punctual for a violent person.

    No, this time it was a 900-year cycle. He was up early.

    I guess I''m getting old. Vandal Dad is a strange early riser, too.

    "Maybe.

    Letting out a wry smile, Viktor. He seemed to feel the same way.

    "I wanted you to wake up right on time here. Maybe then my daughter wouldn''t have been a candidate for the sacrifice.

    Do you have to sacrifice Ms. Cullen to him?¡¡Why don''t we just take it down?

    At Lunamaria''s question, Viktor silently pointed to the side of the shipping lane.

    There was a huge snake painted on it. The giant snake was clinging to a large ship.

    What a big snake ...... or is it a dragon ......?

    When I say that, Lunamar¨ªa

    "Is it such a big snake?

    And lived to ask. explain to the blind Lunamar¨ªa.

    "The great merchant ship is like a small boat. I can''t believe these monsters exist.

    Well, so much.

    After all, this thing is a mythical creature. The Sea Serpent. The monster that was said to drink the seven seas dry.

    Viktor spits out.

    "It''s certainly not going to be easy to beat this one.

    Exactly. Our predecessors knew all too well what he was capable of, so they compromised with him by offering a sacrifice at his once-in-a-100-year awakening.

    "Sacrifice so you don''t troll the shipping lanes?

    Lunamaria asks, but Viktor shakes his head.

    "I don''t know. It''s just that our ancestors did. When it emerges, we sacrifice it and don''t use its passage for a while. In years or decades, when he goes to sleep again, we''ll use it again.

    The point is, there''s a tradition that sacrifices can hasten a sea serpent''s return to sleep.

    That''s what it is.

    You''ve been offering sacrifices without any proof?

    Lunamaria screams of blame.

    "Let''s face it. --But blaming our ancestors won''t help. What matters is that the merchants of this city believe in the ''lore''.

    "So Karen sacrificed

    Oh, yes. In this city there is an organization called the Council. They run this city and they choose the daughters of the houses on the council in turn to be sacrificed. I am on that council, by the way.

    I see, so that''s why Karen has been chosen.

    That''s the way it is. I''m from Northwoods, but when I expanded my business here in town, I bought a share of the council. It was cheap, so I jumped on it, but that''s the word on the street.

    So it was the turn of the daughter of the owner of the stock to be sacrificed.

    Oh, when I bought it, I didn''t think I would have a daughter, and I didn''t think the resurrection would be a decade early, so I calculated that even if I did have a daughter, I wouldn''t be a "maiden" anymore. It''s a bit of an excuse,

    "There''s no point in regretting it now. And I want to put an end to that bad lore.

    "Will you ......

    Mr. Victor looks at me with confidence.

    "Maybe this is God''s plan.

    Lunamaria gives me a similar look.

    "Yes, I''m going to save Karen. No, I''m going to save the city.

    And with that declaration, the door opens with a click. Then a familiar face comes in.

    "That''s my master, indeed. The hero of the heroes, the hero of the brave, my master!

    With wind-like speed, she dives into my chest and hugs me.

    The speed is like a renowned martial artist, Lunamar¨ªa said, but she silently overlooks Karen''s actions.

    As you can see, Karen is in good spirits, but still she must be lonely.

    She was chosen as a sacrifice and must have shivered every day.

    Karen is getting thinner and thinner as proof.

    She was a little plump when we last parted, but now she''s light as a cotton ball. I''m sure she was so worried about her food that she couldn''t even finish it.

    I think that Lunamaria immediately realized that and only now was she being selfish.

    --For about thirty seconds.

    Karen holds her breasts close for thirty seconds. I guess she thought she needed more educational guidance than that. I pull Karen away from me, and with a serious look on my face

    "So let''s figure out a way to avoid sacrificing Ms. Cullen.

    I declared.

    Karen stared at me regretfully, but she didn''t say anything selfish because of the importance of the proposal.

 130 Wilhemina

    Then we hear a whole lot of information about the Sea Serpent, about this city and about the Council.

    To make a decision on anything, you need information.

    To fight without information is a fool''s errand, as my father Vandal says.

    After a few hours of listening to the summary, we all have dinner and sleep in the room we were assigned for the day without making any conclusions.

    Sleeping Creatures Grow Up!¡¡It''s in bed to collect your thoughts!

    These are the words of the cerebral goddess Mother Militia, but surprisingly, they strike at the truth, or perhaps even more useful than the words of Father Vandal.

    A tired body and mind cannot come up with a good strategy.

    So I accept the hospitality of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce.

    Today, the cook was upset because he didn''t know he would have guests, but he still gives you the best food. The Anaheim family seems to eat good food on a regular basis. There are delicacies from the mountains and the sea that you can''t eat on the road.

    Once you''ve tasted them, you''ll be able to talk to Karen. When it''s time to go back to your room, take a bath, brush your teeth and go to bed. Sleep like mud and wake up just as the chickens start their nap.

    You have slept so far because you are tired from the long trip, but I will tell you that Lunamaria slept until a similar time.

    But she was regaining her full strength and her mind was clearer after a good night''s sleep.

    The sacred shield against the wall

    "Oh, your green gauge is maxed out!¡¡Have you got a good idea?

    And call out to me.

    Good morning!¡¡Aegis. Yeah, I''m floating. It''s perfect.

    As I answered my partner, there was a knock on the door. It seems that Luna Maria is also awake, and she has an offer to come with me to Viktor''s office.

    Apparently, she''s convinced that I have a great idea.

    Now, let''s go show it off.

    I feel like I''m being overconfident, but it''s not the first time, so I go straight to Victor''s office, where I declare: "Mr. Victor, I have decided.

    Mr. Victor, I''ve made up my mind. I will offer a sacrifice!

    Viktor sat back when he heard the suggestion, but Lunamaria was at ease.

    She seems to believe in me after all. She believes that I will never give up on Karen. To repay that trust, I told Viktor the details.

    ............

    Viktor listens to my words seriously. His first words took me by surprise, but his trust in me has not been lost. He listens to me sincerely.

    In order to respond to Viktor''s trust, I explained to him carefully and respectfully.

    "...... I see, so you mean sacrifice, but it''s a fake?

    "Yes, it''s a trap to lure the Sea Serpent. . is a trap to lure the Sea Serpent.

    "Surely the Sea Serpent would love the flesh of a maiden more than anything else. Perhaps he will accept your invitation.

    We will lure him into our favored waters and hit him with a fleet of trading cities.

    "If the entire fleet of trading cities can be mobilized and the gods raised up to help us, or maybe it''s possible: ......

    Hmmm," says Viktor, stroking his fine beard, "I''ll have to convince the council of the trading city to do it.

    But to do this, I will have to persuade the council of the trading city to allow me to move the fleet. The fleet cannot be run by me alone.

    "I understand that. So I would like you to address the council directly.

    It''s impossible. Sacrifice is a Council tradition. It is not easily reversed.

    "What if there was a substitute for Karen?

    "There is no such thing as ......, no way ......!

    Viktor looks at Lunamaria, but Lunamaria slowly shakes her head.

    ''At first I tried to convince him that I would take that approach, but he refused. He said he didn''t want to put me in danger.

    "Yes. Even mimicry is dangerous. We cannot take the place of an unrelated miko.

    Besides," Viktor continues.

    Tradition dictates that priestesses cannot be sacrificed. Hundreds of years ago a kind-hearted priestess took her place, but the seerpent did not sleep well. From then on, it was said that priestesses are no good. Well, they shouldn''t be allowed to take your place.

    You don''t want to take the place of a scapegoat, but Viktor''s daughter is okay with that, right?

    Of course.

    Then adopt the child. An adopted daughter should have no problem taking her place.

    "Well, yes, that''s true, but as I said before, who would undertake such an imitation?

    Viktor racked his brain, "I don''t think I have any idea of such a girl" and "should I ask her for money", but there was no need to do such a thing .

    "You don''t have to sacrifice anyone. "You don''t have to sacrifice anyone, because I will take your place.

    "............

    Mr. Viktor is silent at that word.

    "What ...... can you say again?

    Viktor will ask you back, but you may be surprised.

    Because my gender is male, and it is a girl who must be sacrificed.

    It would be quicker to show you a truth than a hundred words.

    With that in mind, I''ll have Lunamaria put on a wig, a woman''s false hair that I borrowed from Karen.

    I''ll put the wig on me. It snaps into place.

    The jet-black hair stretches to my shoulders and makes me feel like a girl in the blink of an eye.

    Victor is speechless again at the sight of me. You seem to be surprised in a good way.

    "No, I thought you had a woman''s face, but I didn''t expect you to look like this.

    "Ever since I was a child, my mother made me dress up as a girl. According to my mother, I was born the wrong gender.

    "I understand the temptation to say that, but it pains me to use you, an unrelated person, as bait. But it pains me to use you as bait, a stranger.

    Then the pain will remain . As long as there is that bitterness, there will be no end to what will help Mr. Viktor.

    Thank God. I will arrange for you to be adopted right now. What''s our name going to be?

    "In Wilhemina then.

    Nice name.

    Viktor assures me and says, "Give me your makeup, clothes, and anything else you need".

    Thank you, sir. Now when you are ready, go to the council and tell them that I will be your sacrifice. In exchange for that, you will agree to send a fleet in exchange.

    "I''ll try, but would you be willing to take that kind of a deal just because the sacrifice was on your behalf?

    That is Victor''s bargaining power as a merchant. If you fail, you can dare me to make a real sacrifice.

    "You cannot be sacrificed.

    "It''s better than giving up Karen. We may not have the support of the fleet, but we''ll fight in the spirit of taking it to the other side.

    "Will, you can go to ...... and see. Let''s do it.

    But even after I told him my business, he kept staring at me intently. He seems to be wondering if it really is a girl.

    Lunamaria jokes, "I''m not sure.

    "Mrs. Anaheim might not be a bad idea. Mr. Viktor doesn''t seem to have a wife.

    I said. I joke back too.

    "Mrs. Anaheim isn''t bad, but Karen''s mom is not going to be a good fit for me,

    "It''s true that playing the role of the mother of a selfish young lady is not easy.

    He let out a light laugh and concluded that.