Book 2: Chapter 15

The western part of the Zadark Kingdom, which was in the Dark Continent, was the land where the legend of how the Hero party had once invaded remained.

Currently, under the command of the Western General Sancreed, it had become the stronghold of the Western Army that boasted outstanding morale and control.

Right at the same time that Vermudol’s group was eating their skewers, there were two Majin walking along the coast of that western land.

The two were wearing matching armor, and those that saw them would tell that it was the official equipment of the Western Army.

「So, this doesn’t match at all either……. Just assembling Shariano’s new products doesn’t mean that it’ll all work together.」

「Well, I’d like to instead appreciate the effort that was put into it, you know? Just how much did all of that take.」

「Look, there was a time where that guy didn’t show up even after we invited him to drink for a while, right? It seems that he was saving up money at that time.」

「Uacchaー……So it was that. I completely thought that he was running around to buy a new sword again.」

「Right, right, there was that kind of rumor. There’s no way that’s the case……Ya sure he didn’t find someone that he liked?」

They were in the middle of patrolling, but now that there was a new Demon King, there was no way that there would be any Majin that would cause problems, and so they were doing their patrol duty while having a carefree chat.

What is why when they discovered “that”, it was understandable that they were at a loss for words.

「Oi, what’s that……?」

In the Dark Continent that was surrounded by the constantly rampaging 『Sea of Farthest Ends』, there was not a single person that went out of their way to go out to sea.

It was for this reason that the two were unable to understand what the thing that had barged into their view was.

It was a ship.

However, the sails were broken, and that ship that had been reduced to a wreckage that was only tossed about by the waves looked like a jail that floated on the sea. Maybe it was simply a coincidence, but it was drifting towards the coast. The soldiers that were in the middle of patrolling didn’t know what a 「ship」 was to begin with, but they were just barely able to understand that it was a man-made object.

What came into their minds was the word 「Hero」.

Although they were able to shake off that word by thinking that there was no way that would be the case, they at least understood that that thing that the Dark Continent did not have was definitely something that was related to Humans.

「……I will keep watch on that thing. You go and make a report!」

「O, ou. Be careful!」

At the same time they said that, one of the soldiers quickly ran towards their subdivision.

Most likely, there would be a messenger that would be sent from there to the Western Army headquarters……But at any rate, it wasn’t a problem that could be dealt with with just the two of them.

「Still, it sure is huge……what is this.」

The object steadily got closer.

The object that seemed to have become battered from the raging waves, it actually did not have the strength nor ability to be able to cross the 『Sea of Farthest Ends』 and come this far.

It was because of that that it was impossible to be the Hero’s ship……but there was no way that the two soldier men would have known that.

Before long, its anchor was dropped, and the ship came to a stand still.

The male soldier placed a hand on his sword, but changing his mind after thinking that there was nothing he could do with that at this distance, he started to think about the on hand magic that he could use.

However, before long, when he noticed that a small boat came out from the ship and were approaching, the male soldier stared at the thing that was flown on that small boat.

It was a white plain flag.

He had heard that flags were things that represented a mankind’s affiliation, but that white flag had nothing on it.

On the small boat, awfully short and stout members of mankind that totally resembled Norms were on board.

Although they looked like they were strong in fighting strength, he couldn’t see any possessions that seemed like weapons.

While taking a posture so that he could fire his magic at any time just in case, the male soldier asked for their identity.

「You all over there! What business do you have with this land!」

「We were adrift and came here! We have no hostile intentions! What country is this!? Is it the Canal Kingdom!?」

「This is the great Zadark Kingdom! If you say that you have no hostile intentions, then wait right there!」

「We had injured and sick people! We’re also out of food and water!」

「Shut up! Just wait right there……Captain, it’s over here!」

The male soldier that was having the conversation with the ship called out to the man that was running at the lead of the group of around ten of his companions that came from the Western Army headquarters.

「What is that huge thing……Mu, and what are those guys that are riding that thing that looks like piece of wood over there?」

「Yessir, it would seem that they are a group of mankind that were riding on that gigantic thing.」

「I see, so those are mankind……This is also my first time seeing them, but they look just like Norms.」

「Yes, I was wondering if they were actually Norms……It seems that they were “sent adrift” or something.」

「What is that, some kind of new technique of mankind or something?」

「Dunno……」

In the Zadark Country that has no sailing culture, they naturally had no word for 「sent adrift」.

Therefore, this was also a natural response.

「Also, they seem to have sick and injured people. They also don’t have any food or water.」

「Fumu. If they are mankind, then it isn’t our problem, but they couldn’t be Norms that did a strange experiment and ended up like that, could they……if they are, then it would be a problem to leave them like that.」

「Wouldn’t it be fine to just ask them?」

「That’s true too. Oーi, what race do you all belong to!?」

Hearing the male captain’s question, the people on the small boat shouted back.

「We are all Metalios! We were escaping from the St. Altlis Kingdom! Please, help us! We’re already at our limit!」

Hearing that voice, the male soldier whispered to the captain.

「Metalio……that was a companion of mankind, wasn’t it.」

「Yeah, that’s right. However, despite that, they are saying that they were escaping or something……Are they criminals or something?」

「Either way, they are part of mankind, aren’t they. Shouldn’t we destroy that huge thing as well?」

「No, no, wait. A report should have been made to Sancreed-sama. There is no way a serious affair like this is something that we can do about.」

As the soldiers were thinking about how to deal with this, suddenly, a bead of light appeared before their eyes, and stretched out.

In the spot that the gigantic clump of light had burst open, a single man stood there.

The Mazoku Hero, the Western General Sancreed.

The man that gave courage and hope to the Mazoku that saw his figure had now appeared at this place.