28 feel sorry for the time being.

The next day, I'm supposed to help search for the book with Wolfe as my companion. How dare I help them find it when they can't find it?

"Well, first of all, I talked to His Majesty about setting up a ward, and he gave me permission to set it up in the city for a certain period of time.

Oh, my!

But he said he couldn't give permission because the castle already has several other wards in place.

I see. ......

After consulting with Marito, it was decided to avoid having the castle warded.

In the event that you have any questions concerning where and how to use the internet, you can call us at the web site.

If there are any more abnormalities, we will remove them immediately. And just to be on the safe side, he asked me to avoid using it on the entire city from the start. The ostensible reason is for the healing effects of the wards.

But I can confirm that it's not for the whole city. ......

You'll have to spread it out over a period of days. Lacula, do you know where you're going to put it first?

"......"?

Don't think you're allowed to make cute gestures.

This is what I usually do.

Hmm, tell me.

We're going to search on the assumption that the book is in Tarz. We're going to search on the assumption that the book is in Taze. First, we'll set up the gates of the city walls so that they're within range, and then we'll surround the city starting from there.

"Mm-hmm.

"However, before spreading it out inside, make a circle around the city walls so that it covers them. There's no guarantee that they won't take it out beyond the walls. Do we have enough gear?

I'm sure we can get around the mainland ......, but then we won't have enough for the inside of the mainland .......

We're not allowed to install it all at once anyway. We can proceed with the preparations and install it as soon as it's ready.

Okay, sir. Then we'll install the gates and walls today!

"If the warding tools are ready quickly, we can install them along the route to Gurne, as well as inside the mainland. I'd also like to directly investigate the ruins of the bandits' base.

A walk through the mountains and forests ...... sounds like a lot of work.

But in order to clear Maja's suspicions, we need to check the area she searched. I'll give you this, and you can keep a copy.

I'll give you a copy of the map of Docola that I borrowed from Marito.

"What's this?

"It's a map of Tarz used by Docora. It's inscribed with markings of used and unused bases, as well as possible candidate caves. The knights had already surveyed it. It wasn't too hard to borrow.

"Well, this is going to make the search much easier!

The only reason I borrowed the map was to investigate the resources in the cave that I'm working with Ban, a merchant in this country. We'll be alternating between the base and the cave, so it'll take some time.

That's true. That's true, but it's also possible that there are hidden resources in caves, so it's convenient.

"I think we'll be able to spare enough materials to temporarily ward off the ruins of the base and the caves.

For now, these are the ways to buy time against Lakra.

First of all, have them set up wards around the mainland and surround the city for a long time.

At the same time, we'll send them to the bandits' strongholds and caves to delay the final investigation of the castle.

After that, you can finish deciphering the book in your free time. Marito and I thought that once the book was deciphered, it would be safe to return it to Mejis.

As for Lakra, it would take some time, but since the book was in Tarzan territory, he would have to search for it without the risk of it being taken out of the country.

In addition, although the true intention of Mejis is not clear, it is nominally to prevent the spread of necromancy. There is no denying this strategy.

The other problem is the identity of the other searchers who are probably working behind the scenes. We'll just have to find out who they are.

"Phew, it's done!

Set up a warding in front of the castle gate and go outside. I set up the wards as I rode my horse around the mainland so as not to leave any gaps in the range.

I started in the morning, and it would be dusk soon, so I was tired.

We borrowed two horses from the barracks. One of the horses was ridden by Lakra, and the other was ridden by Wolfe.

I learned to ride with Wolfe, but Wolfe was able to ride before me, and someone else still can't ride without me.

No, I'm scared of this horse. It's a lot bigger than the horses you see at the track, and yet it's as fast as they are.

It's impossible for an amateur to ride a thoroughbred. It's like asking me to drive a moped at 80 kilometers per hour on the highway.

When I went to return the horse to the barracks, I saw the Iliad.

"The Iliad. You're usually patrolling the streets.

"The barracks outside the city walls are under the jurisdiction of the Ragdolls. Even though they leave it to the guards, they still come here from time to time to check on things. What's wrong with you?

"I rented a horse and rode around the city walls with Lakra. He wanted to see the difference between us and Mejlis.

Well, how did it go?

There are no walls like this in Mejlis. Even the cathedrals in the Holy Land don't have walls to give the faithful a better view.

That's a lot of caution for a place with so many demons.

No, instead, they have multiple layers of wards that prevent demons from approaching unless they are very large.

I see. Warding is a useful thing. And the ability to preserve the scenery is also a big plus.

Speaking of which, we're thinking of exploring the caves tomorrow.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm strong.

I'm not sure I trust you. I'll show it on my face.

Oh, you don't trust me, do you?

Well, that's because of what you've done.

"Mmm!　Then I'll prove it to you!

And then, Rakura immediately creates a ward around him.

The cubic warding that was set up around Lakra in almost no time at all was like a thick translucent glass.

This is my signature defensive magic!　I'm sure you're not the only one.

So, Wolfe, give it your all.

Yes, yes!

Wolfe spins his arms around and stands in front of Lakra. Breathe in and kick the ground.

It's a simple ramming attack combined with a release of magic power, but the power rises just by the haphazardness of its output.

"Taaaa!

The roar and impact of the fist reaching the ward is transmitted through the air. But the fist did not go beyond the boundary.

"Oh!

Shoshou, my hand, it hurts.

That's what I'm talking about.

She stroked the teary-eyed Wolfe's head to comfort him. Rakhula is proud of himself.

What do you think?　How hard is this without any process?

That's impressive. What do you think, Iliad?

"Oh, it's magnificent. The magic is built around him, so it'll be tricky if we allow it to develop. It would be difficult to neutralize him with a small magic seal stone.

The bigger it is, the harder it is to neutralize.

Yes, well. I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

"Lakra, can I try it too?

Ilias seemed to be interested in the strength of the stone.

Yes, of course.

"All right, I'll go with the scabbard.

Ilias raises his sword. Ilias raised his sword, still in its scabbard. He kept the sword in its scabbard, because if he slammed the bare blade into the too-hard warding, there was a good chance that the blade would spill.

Ilias stopped in front of the warding and swung his sword.

It's a good thing that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.

The sword swung down in a straight line. But the sword was blocked by the warding.

"Mmm, it's really hard.

"......

Lakra's expression hardens. I'm not sure what to do.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

It's a great ward. It would be difficult even for me to blow this up unless I really wanted to.

Don't try it. Don't try it. It'll probably blow up the entire warding.

You're right, Ilias. I'm sure you're one of the five best in Tarz. ......

Ilias can't hurt Lakra with a simple attack. But if he really tried, he could blast through the wards with unbelievable speed.

Even in Lacla's eyes, the Iliad seemed to be exceptional.

But now you've proved it to Master Shosho. Iliad-san aside, Shosho-sama is not enough to break this ward!

Lakra turns around in the ward. It's true, but it's annoying.

I'm not sure what to do.

"Of course, of course!

I look around, and I find something good. I picked up a shovel that was propped up against the wall of the barracks.

You can't break this ward with that, can you? This warding is also under your feet. There's no point in digging!

"Well, this is just right.

I put the shovel on the ground and lifted a slightly larger stone nearby.

"Hmm?　Are you switching to rock throwing?

No, I'm not going to do that, it's bad for my back.

Put the stone aside and switch to a shovel. He thrusts the shovel at the place where he moved the stone.

"Master Shoushou?

"Good, this should do it.

Lift the shovel and go in front of the warding. Then he pours the contents of the shovel onto the ward. Naturally, the contents of the shovel are blocked by the warding.

"What the hell is ......?

The ward above Lakra's head is filled with earth. It's a cube, so naturally the soil on it will spread without spilling.

It's a translucent warding with good visibility, so you can see it clearly from the inside.

You can see a large number of insects and worms lurking under the stone.

"Uh, um, um, Shosho-sama?

Now, Lakra was able to move within the wards. Since he could do it instantly, he didn't need to move around himself all the time. In other words, this ward is not something that can be moved.

In other words, in order for him to leave the place, he has to release the ward.

No, it's still hard. Let's go.

How dare you come up with such a terrible idea as a matter of course?

Wait, wait, wait!　Please let me move this!　At least let the bugs go!

"At least let me get rid of these bugs!" "Bang, bang, bang on the warding from the inside and call for help.

You'll get your hands dirty.

I'll wash them!　I'll wash them! I'll get clean water and wash them for you!

I'll get you clean water!

I can only use this form of warding!

Oh, that. We could just deactivate it and immediately blow it away with a wind spell or something.

If you do it at the wrong time, the magic will explode in this locked room.

If you can conjure it up in an instant, you can do it.

You might be able to, but ...... you can't!

For a moment, he tried to do his best, but the risk of failure seemed to have crossed his mind, and he lost his concentration.

It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

That's true. You can temporarily prevent it, but if the object remains directly above you, you'll be ......

I think we should make it a conical or spherical warding, and then make the surface more bulletproof.

Yeah, that's a good idea.

"Please don't make us both talk about anything serious, do something!

After that, when I really tried to leave Lakra behind, she started crying and Wolfe said he couldn't leave her alone, so I asked Ilias to wash her off with water magic.

But I was so relieved that I released the ward, and ended up covering my head with the water that was still on the ward.

"Terrible, Master Shosho is a terrible person!

He sat in a chair in the barracks and complained as Ilias dried him off with his warm air magic.

I pointed out the shortcomings of the wards that you were so proud of, and now you're talking nonsense.

No, I think that's just plain human. ......

Shishou, don't be mean.

I'm not sure if it's mean or not, but Lakra is far superior to me in terms of strength. It's just that you've surpassed it with your wits.

I'm telling you, what happened after that was terrible!　I've been in serious trouble, but you left me there like you didn't really care!

I was satisfied. I was satisfied.

I wish I could've spent my first day with the gentle Master. ......

What a coincidence. I miss the adult charm of Lakra.

It's a sad affair. ...... Okay, I'm dry, Lakra.

Thank you, Mr. Iliad!

I'm sure you're right. I'm sure there's a mutual attraction between similar people.

But brainy and clumsy are not the same thing. If you don't understand the difference, you'll suffer badly, mostly at the hands of the Iliad.

"Well, let's go to Dog Bone for dinner. What about Lacula?

Well, I don't have any money on me at the moment.

I'll pay for it. Are you sure you don't want to eat meat or something?

Yeah, well, is there a reason not to?

Oh, no. There is no Hinduism that regards cows as sacred, and no Islam that abhors pigs in this world.

I was prejudiced to think that people of faith would be resistant to killing and eating living things.

"Certainly life is precious. That's why we are grateful for the life we have.

There are no religious constraints, and we simply remember to be grateful for food. It is similar to the Japanese "Itadakimasu".

No problem then. It's going to be one of the places we should stop by when we come to Tawais. Let's go.

I took Lakra's hand, who was tilting her head, and half-heartedly led her to Dog Bone.

The territory of Mejis, including the natural surroundings of Taize, its neighboring country of Ghane with its plains, and the wilderness located next to it, does not face the sea.

However, it is said that the price of salt is two orders of magnitude cheaper than the price in the neighboring countries.

However, it does not change the fact that salt is a luxury item and a rare and valuable commodity.

L'aquila is a place where you can enjoy dishes that make the most of the characteristics of salt. Of course, it is not only the existence of salt. Surrounded by mountains and forests, Taiz has a wider variety of herbs and spices than other countries, giving it a wider range of tastes.

Recently, a rare forest with high magical power has been discovered where the Kuro Wolves live. If the unique herbs and herbs found there can be found in the market, the surrounding food culture will be further improved.

So, it was good until I let Lakra enjoy the developing culinary culture of Tarz.

It was not that Lakra was weak in alcohol, but he was not able to control himself.

He had a good meal, good drinks, and forgot that it was his own money and ordered more.

As a result, I was forced to take the long way home via Maja's church with a drunken cleric on my back.

He is physically more mature than Ilias and Wolfe, but inside he is still a child.

You're all smashed up, aren't you?

It's not like it's your first time drinking. It wasn't the first time I'd seen you drink, but you were crushed when I looked away.

I don't think he drank too much, but he was drunk. I think she's more drunk than drunk. She's emotional until she's halfway through, and then she gets sleepy after a certain amount. That's what I think of her.

Indeed, she is sound asleep rather than deeply intoxicated. That is to say, if I had knocked him up, he would have woken up, but I want my labor back.

You could've brought it back.

I don't have a place to stay.

Well, of course you can, kid. Right?

I'm not starving for a girl who's been drinking herself to death. Especially if it's for a future relationship. So don't stare at me like that, Ilias.

You're still a man. I don't mind you having a deep relationship with a woman, but I don't think I'll be able to sleep well if you're in the next room.

That's true. It's not like we have a special proclivity to let our neighbors hear us.

We've been living under the same roof for a while now and haven't had a single problem. I feel like you can trust me on that.

I'm still very careful. After all, I'm living with two girls of my age.

Knocking on the door before entering the bathroom or the other person's room is a matter of course. Even when I am using a room, I am careful not to cause trouble for the other person.

Try to have a lucky escape. The Iliad's uncontrolled fist would be a dead end.

Well, that's ...... true, yeah.

"Well, that's true, yeah." "I'm renting a room and I'm not bothering the landlord. I stay out when I have to.

Good point. ...... By the way, I'm sure I'm not misremembering when you occasionally stayed out, am I?

Well, let's go home, Wolfe.

Yes, Shishou!

Hey, why are you ending the conversation so abruptly? Hey, wait!

I'm not a child, so I'll refrain from inquiring about your private time.

--------------------------------------

This is an abandoned house in the TARDIS homeland. After the death of the old man who was the landlord, the building was given a brief respite until a new resident appeared, but there was a figure that should not be there.

The man slipped through the closed door without even touching it.

The man walks on without leaving a footprint on the dusty floor.

Covered entirely in black cloth, the man moves through the vacant house like a disembodied ghost.

He arrived at a place that used to be a bedroom. However, there are no traces of people sleeping there, and only a crystal is crudely placed.

It was the same one used by the Yugra cult to communicate with their headquarters in Medis.

The man's hand touches the crystal and it glows slightly.

"Let's hear your report.

A voice echoed from the crystal, the voice of the one who had spoken to Ucka after Rakura's report.

"Lakra has set up detection wards at the city gates and walls with the help of those reported today.

"I see. It's a slow but steady process. It seems true that we have found a decent collaborator.

Tomorrow they'll search the site of the base based on the map Docora left behind.

Shouldn't we immediately expand the wards? Are they planning to expand the area while they're waiting to see if the tools are ready or not?

Any further instructions?

We'll just have to wait and see. Concentrate on not finding the book until we know where it is. And I've sent your people to you. Let's meet up and get ready first.

"That's great. Then I'll stay in the shadows for now.

Don't forget to check the wavelengths of the magic waves generated by the wards Lakra set up.

I've already done that.

That was unnecessary. Is there anything else to report?

The collaborator's appearance is somewhat unusual. Dark hair, dark eyes. I sense little magic, but no sign of concealment.

Hmm, that's the kind of appearance you'd expect from a demon, but I'm guessing it's just unusual.

And there seems to be a white black wolf girl by his side as a guard. I'm not going to talk about the level of sophistication, but the inherent magical power is immeasurable.

"I heard that Tarz has recently started interacting with the Kuro Wolves. I'm guessing they've hired someone capable to guard them.

He also seems to be in contact with the Iliad-Ratzel.

"That should be the most alarming thing. She's the female knight who won the Tarzian sword fighting tournament.

That's true. I don't want to go head to head with that thing that killed Dokora, even if we're all friends. That's all I have to say.

All right. Let me know if you need anything.

Yeah.

Communication is cut off. The man threw a cloth over the faintly glowing crystal.

When the cloth was completely covered by the crystal, the man had already melted into the darkness.

--------------------------------------

I'm currently hiking in the mountains.

Today I'm heading for the cave that was the base of the bandits that I first conquered with Ilias.

The bandits were headed by a huge man named Gidou. Since it was the closest base, we could meet in the morning and arrive there by noon.

The party consisted of Ilias, Wolfe, and Lakra.

Thanks to Ilias, the leader of the party, weeding out all the weeds, we are moving more smoothly than before.

In the past, we had to move quietly because of the surprise attack, but this time we are moving forward with the intention of making a path.

However, my memory of yesterday has gone ......

It's a lot of weight to carry.

It's not heavy!

Skinny or fat, a sleeping adult woman is heavy enough!

Heee!

Ilias should have carried her in the first place.

But when he tried to do so, Grandpa Kara's wife scolded him, saying, "It's a man's job to carry a girl on his back! I had to carry her on my back.

At first I felt like I was getting a perk, but after a few hundred meters, I couldn't afford it anymore!

As we climbed the mountain, chatting with each other, we arrived in no time. The sword of the Iliad had scattered most of the trees and plants in our way.

The silent roar of their progress reminded me of a heavy machine, yes.

"All right, Ilias, rest a while. I'm going to take a quick look inside.

...... Yeah, call me if you need anything.

I'm going in, I've missed this. There is no body left, but it still smells a bit bad, as if Dokora had collected it for necromancy. Hmm, I wonder if this stain on the ground is blood.

The air is a bit polluted, shall we purify it?

Can you do that?

Of course!

When Lakra uses her magic, she feels as if the air around her is flowing. And after a while, the magic stops working.

Well, that's convenient. It's not just the smell around you, the quality of the air has changed.

You feel comfortable, as if you were in a clean sterile room, instead of a dank cave.

The air tastes better now!

The magic of the air is also cloudy in places where people have died, so by preparing the air in this way, we can restore it to its original environment.

I've been thinking about it for a while.

Yes, it is difficult to purify that area, but the scope is gradually narrowing.

Magic to improve the environment, that would be one of the spells I would like to see in the world of Earth (here).

I'd like to teach it mainly to countries that have factories sprawling all over the place.

After that, I put up a simple warding, but it failed of course. Now that I've accomplished my goal, it's time for me to do mine.

I look around the cave and take notes on the ores floating off the walls. As you would expect from a cave that was used as a base, you won't be able to find anything valuable, but it can't be helped.

There were no natural discoveries, but we did find some of the bandits' equipment left behind.

Most of the used goods seemed to have been left behind. Only those items that could be used for money seemed to have been recovered. I also found a wooden box full of magic seal stones.

It is said that you need to spend some money if you want to buy an amulet, but most of the ones here are small and of poor quality.

In order for this to work, we'll need to throw them into the magic range.

They are small enough to be used for escape to interfere with detection magic, but it is difficult to use them for other purposes.

For example, the magic seal stones used in the armor of knights are beautifully cut and polished into a spherical shape. They are also of a certain size.

There is no ...... size that can be processed. I don't see any use for them at first glance, but I'll take some.

I'll throw a few of them in my pocket and meet up with Lacla. I'll put them in my treasure box when I get back.

I don't have many personal things since I came here. The wooden stick that is my partner, my clothes, and the small wooden box that I keep secretly at home, the treasure chest, are my personal belongings.

It is a container that satisfies my childish desire to pick up even small things in this world where things are rare.

At the moment, it contains large acorns and beautiful stones that I picked up on my walks.

In the future, you may want to prepare a larger box to collect mementos of your adventures in this world.

After that, we also went to investigate a small cave that serves as a landmark. This cave is not large enough to be inhabited, but as we proceeded, we found a place where underground water was gushing.

I'm going to get a bottle of water and bring it back home to have its composition checked.

No results in the end. ...... It's a waste of time and effort. ......

Today's location was originally the home of a different bandit than Docora's crew.

I whispered to Lakra on the way back. I haven't told Ilias about the book.

Lacla says it's okay to tell him, but we're a bit annoyed.

This is because Ilias overheard the conversation with Docola and knows that Docola left a parting gift for him.

Although he doesn't know about the story of how he went to get the book with Grandpa Kara afterwards, there is a high possibility that he will be able to relate to the story if he hears about the book. This would expose a lot of information.

As a knight, Ilias is obligated to report to his superiors, and if he simply explains the situation to them, he will be forced to bear the burden of informing them. If I were to explain the situation to him easily, he would have the burden of tipping him off.

This expedition is just a resource survey. I'd like to tell you about it at some point, but the whereabouts of the book is something I'm not telling even Maja.

What's more, Ilias doesn't like the idea of deciphering the contents with Marith.

She doesn't like the idea of us going down the path of evil. Not as a knight, but as a roommate and a friend.

However, it is difficult for the Iliad to interfere with Marito's decision. In that case, the only person he could consult would be his close friend Maja.

Maja is tolerant, but not when it comes to taboos such as necromancy. I have to fulfill my position as the Archbishop of Yugra.

Holding a secret is full of pain. If it is revealed before I can explain it to you, the relationship may even deteriorate.

Those who want to live a safe life should not have big secrets. Nevertheless, I can understand and sympathize with Marito's position.

I wonder if Mejis is simply keeping these books under seal, or if he is studying them in secret.

The fact that he controls the books is confirmed by the existence of Lakra, but we still don't even know what the threat is.

--------------------------------------

I see him as I make my way back. He was whispering to Lakra.

I can't make out what he's saying. I can't hear what he's saying, but I'm hesitant to force myself to listen. I guess they have their own secrets.

Lakra is a good man. He's straightforward and a good priest. She is also a very attractive woman with many lovely qualities.

We had a strange distance at first, but now we have the same kind of relationship.

He responds to different people like a mirror. My relationship with him is now as friendly as a casual exchange of words.

Although he sometimes gets angry, it is not so bad if you consider that he has become less reserved.

My relationship with Lakra must have changed in a similar way.

He now has someone he can talk to more easily. That's a good thing, though. .......

"Ilias, are you tired?

Wolfe looks at me and calls out to me. He must have come to our side because he and Lakra were whispering. This girl is very perceptive. No, too good.

Considering her history, it's no wonder she's been living more honestly. That's how desperate she is not to let her present life slip away.

That's how much fear of the past remains. In fact, as he crawled under the covers, Wolfe occasionally shivered.

That's right. I can't wait to get home and relax.

"Doesn't the Iliad ever talk to the Shishou?

"Talk about what?

"He's got a lot on his mind. It's like when I dragged Wolfe out of the woods.

Hmm, he thinks. I know he's thinking about a lot of things on a regular basis.

As physical labor is not his forte, it must be his way of life.

But judging from the way Wolfe said it, can we assume that he's up to something?

Is it with Lakra?

"No, Lacla's not thinking about anything.

That's a terrible thing to say. But does Lacla have a hidden agenda?　If that's the case, then the reason he's interacting with Lakra right now is also because of ....... No, no, no, maybe they're just friends.

...... Hmmm.

It's annoying, he tends to dislike excessive interference. But he's still aware that he's dependent on me, and it's ....... not a good idea to break that relationship.

I've maintained a close relationship with my mother's friend Maja, but I've never had a relationship with someone I've known as an individual like him.

I'm not sure how far I should go into this. But if I could, I would. .......

I'm confident in my swordsmanship, but I'm not used to this kind of thing.

If I could make friends with you by cutting you, I would cut you in half in an instant.

"Iliad, that's scary.

She's scared of me. I don't want her to be scared of me. It's hard to be scared after a hand-to-hand fight. I have to be careful.