Book 2: Chapter 6

And then, another several days later──

「……I see. So you’re closing the store.」

「Yeah. It’s due to times endin’ up like this.」

The proprietor of the 『Steel Fish Store』, Galadd, shamefully answered to Shion’s words.

「That’s true.」

Shion also nodded to Galadd’s words.

Galadd also had his daughter Carol to think about. Not wanting to stay in a turbulent country is surely justified parental love.

「……What will you do from now on?」

Nino looked straight at Galadd and asked that.

「I was thinkin’ of goin’ to the Cylus Empire that has a lot of Metalio but……Carol is a half after all. I think it’d be a 10000 to 1 worst case scenario there but, I was thinkin’ of headin’ to the Canal Kingdom which seems like the safest choice.」

The Canal Kingdom is a gentle country where all races get along and live together.

There weren’t any particular points of special mention as a country, but seeing as how they have faith in the God of Light Raidolg, there weren’t any walls between races like the St. Altlis Kingdom.

For that reason, it was also the country with the most number of halves and quarters of every race.

「That might be good.」

「Yeah, I’ve already had various things delivered over there.」

「Will you run an inn again?」

In response to Nino’s words, Galadd said “that’s the plan” and smiled.

「So you guys’re departin’ today too.」

「Pretty much.」

That’s right, Shion and Nino were also planning on leaving the St. Altlis Kingdom.

Now where the situation had accelerated to the point where the word 「war」 had appeared in rumors even among the general public, orders under the name of an 「appeal for cooperation」 from the royal family started to reach every guild which should have originally been neutral.

Stationing changes within every guild had already happened, and personnel that were mankind races other than Humans did not remain in the guilds within the St. Altlis country.

Within this state of emergency where the guilds were in chaos, stories of fleeing abroad even among Human adventurers began to appear.

That was also something that probably couldn’t be helped. If one thought about it as their own social position changing from an adventurer to a mercenary employed by the country, it was only natural.

There were even rumors on the streets that the royal palace seemed to be discussing an adventurer conscription law.

「There’s no point in staying in this country any longer.」

Galadd also nodded at Shion’s words, but he didn’t know his true intention.

Shion was planning on leaving the Shutaia Continent.

If a war were to start, there would be nowhere that Shion would need to control the finer circumstances.

It might also be possible for him to join some country and do something about the war, but Shion had no intention of doing that.

「I see. Well, take care.」

「Yeah. Is Carol in the middle of packing?」

「Pretty much. Should I call her over?」

「No, it’s fine. Just give her my regards for me.」

Saying that, Shion took Nino and went outside the 『Steel Fish Store』.

The back alley was deserted, and there were many closed stores.

The public atmosphere had started to accelerate towards war to the point that there was nothing that could be done about it anymore.

「What will you do?」

Shion answered to Nino’s words.

「We’ll go home.」

「Not that. After this, what will you do?」

Nino asked him that question once again.

The 「after this」 contained the meaning of what would Demon King Vermudol do in regards to mankind’s territory.

「I will watch the situation. It doesn’t seem to be at a level where we need to do something.」

A war between fellow mankind had no connection to the Mazoku whatsoever. While they are crushing each other, just like how they will not have the leeway to think about the Dark Continent, it could be said that the Dark Continent will be safe during that time.

「Hーn」

Nino seemed to still want to say something, but she sank into silence without saying anything.

Shion placed a hand on that Nino’s head, and hit the Holy Silver staff that he held in his other hand on the ground.

Seeing as how they were leaving this continent, he would have to say goodbye to the name of 「Shion」 as well.

「War, huh.」

Shion curved his mouth, and smiled.

If there was no enemy on the outside, they would seek the enemy on the inside.

For mankind, it was a situation that couldn’t be thought of as anything but having an instinct for that sort of strife.

Just what in the world could be obtained from fighting against fellow mankind who was at a relatively close culture level.

Shion couldn’t think of it as anything but being more foolish than Gramfia who sought a culture that wasn’t in the Dark Continent from another place.

「……Let’s go, Nino.」

「Un.」

When Shion pulled Nino close to him, Nino wrapped her arms around Shion’s waist and hugged him.

The bodies of those two were engulfed in a faint light……Shion called their destination to mind.

「──Gate」

Together with the light residue, the figures of the two of them disappeared.

Adventurer Shion.

Adventurer Nino.

The two Adventurers that were famous within the St. Altlis Kingdom, on this day……went missing.

The two who had been expected to be war potential in times of emergency had no traces of crossing the national borders, and were rumored to have gone into hiding somewhere, or maybe even assassinated but……even those who excelled with behind-the-scenes rumors were unable to catch hold of traces of them.