Book 6: Chapter 25

Just like how there is the Grand Altlis Temple in the St. Altlis Kingdom, there exists a Temple of Wind that worships the God of Wind Wyrm in the Jiol Forest Kingdom.

However, that building is not something meant to symbolize Wyrm’s influence and authority, but was purely created only for the sake of having the people offer up their prayers to God.

Therefore, unlike the Grand Altlis Temple, the Temple of Wind isn’t that gigantic of a building, and if it were to be described, it was a temple of a common size.

Incidentally, the Temple of Wind wasn’t only within the royal capital Roumrelus, but existed within every city of the Jiol Forest Kingdom, and all of these had no differentiation and were called a 『Temple of Wind』.

If it is a temple worshipping the God of Wind Wyrm, then they are all a Temple of Wind.

The difference in how temples should be in every country was a problem of difference in perception towards faith.

The St. Altlis Kingdom──or rather Humans, have the tendency to have visual hallucinations of the Gods’ figure in the places called temples.

So to speak, they are able to feel the extraordinary beings called Gods in places that were separated from everyday life.

In contrast, the Sylphid feel signs of the Gods in everyday things such as a sudden blow of wind and the downpouring light.

And then, the Metalio who worship the God of Fire Agnam, there were many who believed that God’s will appeared within the blazing fire of the forge.

Mankind has no technique to knowing if their respective perceptions were correct to the Gods, but in the end, it could only be summed up as a difference in form of their respective beliefs.

In any case, with that sort of reason, the Temple of Wind wasn’t big like the Grand Altlis Temple, nor did it have a proper noun attached to it.

However, limited to the Temple of Wind that was in the royal capital Roumrelus, right now, it had turned into a bit of a tourist attraction.

The man called the Temple Knight of Wind, who was the purpose of the people visiting the temple──Nefas, gazed at his sudden visitors with a sullen face.

「……Well, I understand the reason. Normally, this would be a talk where I would send you away after asking why to came to me but……」

The Temple Knight of Wind Nefas threw that sort of cutting remark at the man who was drinking tea in front of him.

The man called Sancreed──all he knew was that he was a somewhat important Mazoku in the Zadark Kingdom, but in any case, when he was asked to meet with that man, when he was suddenly asked for that by Luuty, that was a story from this morning.

Without waiting for his answer, both Luuty and Sancreed barged into Nefas’s room that was on the second floor of the temple.

Sancreed was also a person who just happened to be there when Nefas had turned into a Temple Knight of Wind, so they were technically acquaintances.

Thinking that he might be able to hear stories about Nino, who was his unrequited love, if things went smoothly, Nefas was also eager about meeting with Sancreed.

But, the first thing that came out of his mouth was 「Do you know anything about the Human called Seira」.

He certainly knew her, but for it to be about Seira of all things.

They hadn’t gotten well with each other ever since the day of the school entrance ceremony, and right to the very end, she was a person that joined together with Kain Stagius and completely got in Nefas’s way.

Well, after all this time, Nefas was self-aware that his past self had many haughty parts to him, and even the Kain that he was so displeased with, now he felt that he could more or less accept him.

However, with Seira, ultimately, right to the very end, he had nothing but memories of quarreling with her.

Thinking back on it, he even felt that about forty percent of his trouble in interacting with Kain had Seira as the cause.

As far as Nefas was concerned, Seira was someone to quarrel with, not a friend he got along with.

What did Sancreed come to ask about such a person.

「……In other words, does that mean that you don’t really know about Seira?」

Looking a bit disappointed, Sancreed placed his teacup back its saucer.

「I wouldn’t say that. There is also the matter of the contents of the question……see.」

「Do you recall the words “Fire Charge”?」

「I do recall them. She would shout that for some reason. But well, I didn’t pay much attention to it and ignored it. To begin with, that is a Magic Sword……no, I guess it wasn’t a sword. A Magic Spear? I don’t think that there is a point about it to pay any particular attention to though.」

「……Is that so.」

So Nefas really is the same, is what Sancreed thought.

There was no one who paid special attention to Seira’s 『Fire Charge』.

Could it really be that Sancreed paid too much attention to it?

Due to hoping that it might be the answer that he was seeking, he might have been bent on it for his own convenience.

If one had the ability for it, it was possible to use magic without casting the chant or activation words.

It would be normal to think that Seira did that and attached her own original words of 『Fire Charge』 to a Magic Sword that was activated wordlessly.

Or maybe it wasn’t such a roundabout method, as it was also possible to view it as her simply using the Magic Sword by casting her own independently developed chant or activation words.

「Just what are you so troubled over?」

「It’s nothing much. I am not satisfied with my current self……that is simply all there is to it.」

「Hn? Well, it’s not like I don’t understand you. For me, I became something that separated from the framework known as a Human, but after becoming like that, I came to realize that the place I thought was my limit was actually nothing more than a waypoint.」

The current Nefas had turned into a race that should be called a Shinjin.

It was easier to say that he had become closer to a Sylphid than a Human, but corporeally, it could even be expressed as becoming closer to a Mazoku.

A tough body, a great reaction time, strong magical power, and then a long lifespan.

Rather than happiness from obtaining all of that, his feeling of losing his bearings was bigger.

How Nefas finished up without feeling unease towards the sudden transformation was without a doubt thanks to the Sylphid of the Jiol Forest Kingdom.

Plus, Nefas didn’t regret a single thing about it.

Not about how he followed Nino at that time, nor about what happened after that……

With himself becoming an existence that surpassed Humans, he even thought that one of the obstacles between him and Nino who was a Mazoku had decreased by one.

……Well, in exchange, a new obstacle called Elriol had increased though.

Since the current Nefas wasn’t so heartless that he could bluntly refuse the easy to understand affection that was shown towards him, he became anxious over how he had become a bit attached to Elriol.

「……」

「……」

Maybe because she couldn’t stand seeing the two of them be in silence from being immersed in their own respective thoughts, Luuty, who had stayed silent as if she were some kind of ornament up until now, cleared her throat.

「And so, seeing as how you still haven’t sent us out……Nefas-kun, you have something in mind, is that was this means?」

「……Well, it’s not like I don’t have something.」

「You have something?」

Seeing Sancreed reflexively lean forward, Nefas spoke with “it isn’t much but” as the preamble.

「Rather than asking me, I think it would be better to hear it from the person herself.」

「……I wouldn’t be having so much trouble if I could do that.」

「That’s right, it’s not like you don’t know about the current situation in the St. Altlis Kingdom.」

Both Sancreed and Luuty replied with looks of amazement.

If they had a means to meet with Seira, they wouldn’t have come here and done that from the start.

「I am saying this while being aware of all of that. Ahー, in other words. Seira herself is planned to come here. For me, I have no recollection of constructing anything that could be called a friendly relationship with her, but it seems that she is personally coming here to play as a friend.」

Nefas tapped on the desk and made an irritated expression.

「I don’t understand the meaning of it though.」

「I don’t get it either. But well, a major part of it is probably the country’s situation.」

Nefas was well aware of the fact that Seira had no reason to come and meet with him.

Plus, she wasn’t a person with enough free time to go out of her way to come and make fun of Nefas’s current state.

In that case, he could only think that the top brass of the country had sent Seira thinking that they wanted to do something and make use of Nefas’s power.

Thinking about the influence of the existence called the Temple Knight of Wind, that was quite reasonable.

Besides, having received a letter of apology and request from Duke Necros who went out of his way to go through his father, he was unable to refuse them.

「……Well, the reason aside, it means that she is coming to this country, right?」

「That’s how it is.」

「Got it. I’ll go greet her.」

「Eh, wait……」

Just before Luuty could stop him, Sancreed transferred off somewhere.

While still having her hand extended out, Luuty turned her gaze towards Nefas.

「……I wonder how he plans on searching for someone who he doesn’t know the face of.」

「Eh? He doesn’t know her face?」

Nefas reflexively asked that.

「I wonder about that. As expected, it would be suspicious for him to be walking around alone like that……」

「Haa. Well, I will get in contact with King Sarigan. Sensei, I believe it would be best if you chase after him.」

After Luuty nodded, she quickly left the room to catch up with Sancreed.

Thinking “it’s pretty far to get to the national border, I’ll just borrow some random carriage……”, Luuty headed to the rental carriage shop.

Although Luuty had extensive knowledge, as expected, she wasn’t well-informed about the properties of Transfer Magic.

Transfer Magic, it certainly was possible to reach a place of destination in an instant with it, but it was unable to designate a person as the transfer location, and coordinates needed to be designated.

Therefore, it was unsuitable as a means of movement in cases where the other party’s accurate location was unknown.

That is why──

「……Mu.」

「Ara.」

Shortly thereafter, Sancreed and Luuty ended up encountering each other at the rental carriage shop.