Book 6: Chapter 28

「Erm……You are Luuty-sama, aren’t you?」

After timidly approaching Luuty, Elriol asked that.

「Yes, I am Luuty Rigas.」

However, the inside of Elriol’s head was filled with questions.

Why was Luuty in a place like this?

What was with these Goblin corpses?

What were these traces of destruction?

Just what happened for it to turn out like this?

Sinking into silence even though she wanted to speak out these questions that came to her mind one after another, Elriol continued to stare at Luuty.

After all, the other party was their hero, Luuty.

With the other party being a person that appeared in the Hero legends, Elriol found it extraordinarily hard to question her.

「Ahー……You’re making a face that’s wondering why we’re here, aren’t you?」

「Y, yes. Could you please give us an explanation?」

Being told that, Elriol made a relieved expression.

Luuty nodded, and made a sweet smile.

「Actually, I heard from Nefas-kun that a guest was coming from the St. Altlis Kingdom. Seeing as how the Heavy Equipment Chivalric Order is here, I think this was unnecessary now, but touched by the words of Sancreed-dono of the Zadark Kingdom here who said that he couldn’t just do nothing as a part of a friendly nation, we came here to see if we could help out even just a little.」

「R, right. Now that you mention it, I……have met with Sancreed-dono over here before.」

「……Yeah.」

After Sancreed gave a nod, Elriol once again surveyed the surroundings.

「And so, these Goblins are an encounter from the result of that……may I take it like that?」

「Yes, an unpleasant number of Goblins were lying in wait along the highway. Well, I don’t think that mere Goblins would be a match for you, the Heavy Equipment Chivalric Order, but I am sure that there is no need to show our guest such an unpleasant scene. With that sort of meaning, I think it was good that we came.」

「Th, that is true……isn’t it. You have our gratitude.」

Seeing Elriol nod, Luuty nodded in response.

「It’s great that you understand. Well, it would be a problem to stand around in a place like this for too long. There is only a short distance left, but may we travel together with you?」

「I……do not mind but.」

When Elriol turned around to look at the carriage behind her, Seira, who was peeking from the window, waved her hand.

「I don’t mindー. Rather, Luuty-sensei, won’t you ride on my carriage?」

「Seira-sama, that is a bit……」

Seeing the follower’s look that displayed disapproval, Luuty lightly raised her hand and declined Seira’s invitation.

「Fufu, it’s fine. We came here by horse after all.」

Saying that, Luuty nudged Sancreed, who seemed to want to say something, with her elbow.

「Well then, let’s talk again later!」

「Yes, at our leisure.」

While looking at Luuty who was riding together on Sancreed’s horse, Seira breathed a sigh with a *hou*.

「Hey, hey, Ietta. The one riding together with Luuty-sensei on that horse, do you think he’s her boyfriend?」

「I wonder about that. Zadark Kingdom……Then that means, I believe that gentleman is a Mazoku.」

「It doesn’t matter, that sort of thing.」

Seeing Seira say that sort of thing so easily, Ietta felt a headache.

Most likely, she, the daughter of a duke house, had formed a relationship with the person called Kain of the Stagius Baron House, but it wasn’t a problem of that sort of level.

After all, one was someone made out to be the bitter enemy of mankind, and the other was a hero in the Hero legend.

If they really did have the relationship of being lovers, it surely wouldn’t end with just an uproar.

It was there that a doubt made her raise her head.

「……Nn?」

「What, what’s wrong, Ietta?」

「Ah, no……Even though that gentleman is a Mazoku, I was wondering if he cut down those Goblins.」

Ietta also knew that the Zadark Kingdom was known as a country of Mazoku.

The fact that he was an inhabitant of that place, that naturally meant that the man called Sancreed was also a Mazoku──moreover, he was surely a powerful Majin. In that case, naturally, Goblins should be similar Mazoku companions for him.

However, in reality, the cut up corpses of Goblins were scattered about, and since Luuty carried nothing but a wand, that surely meant that the one who cut them up was Sancreed.

「If it bothers you, wouldn’t it be fine if you just ask the person himself?」

「Eh? Ah, no……」

As expected, Ietta was unable to ask about something like that to the person himself.

Let alone not being acquainted with him, he was of a country they had practically no friendly relations with, and moreover, to ask a Mazoku party 「Why did you cut down and kill your companion Goblins?」, there was no way she could do that.

「Hーn. In that case, I’ll ask him about it later.」

「Heh?」

「For some reason, that person, he looked like he wanted to talk to me. So wouldn’t there be a chance for me to ask?」

「Is, is that……so?」

After Ietta asked that sounding puzzled, Seira nodded with an expression that said she was convinced about it.

「Un. I mean, that person, he was looking at me the whole time. If you’re saying that he doesn’t have anything to talk about despite that, then the fact that I am that beautiful of a girl had captivated him can be the only reason left, right?」

While ignoring that second half, Ietta thought about the meaning of that.

A reason why the Zadark Kingdom──a person, most likely with a position high enough to talk with the hero Luuty as an equal, would want to interact with the daughter of the Necros Duke House, which was a leader of the Moderate Faction.

If there was a political objective to that, Ietta would also need to be present during that time.

「Is that, so……」

「Ah, look, look, see that! They’re fighting again! Ahaha!」

Seeing Luuty hit Sancreed’s back, Seira laughed.

However, Ietta couldn’t laugh at all.

The fact that the Jiol Forest Kingdom and the Zadark Kingdom have an intimate relationship was something that Ietta knew as well.

However, she didn’t think that they had formed a relationship where the hero Luuty would treat them as close friends.

The group advanced without incident, and before long, the gate to the royal capital Roumrelus came into view in front of them.

Seeing the members of the Heavy Equipment Chivalric Order, the soldiers saluted, and the people along the road looked at the group with curious gazes wondering what was going on.

They created a commotion, however, they were gazes where fear couldn’t be felt at all.

The carriage advanced down the noisy main street.

「Uwaahー……It’s kinda amazing, isn’t it. It’s like the royal capital from not too long ago.」

「……That is true.」

Of course, the royal capital that Seira was talking about wasn’t this city of Roumrelus, but the St. Altlis Kingdom’s royal capital, Edius.

Not too long ago, the royal capital Edius was filled with liveliness just like this city of Roumrelus.

The desertedness that occurred immediately after all of the races other than Humans had left all at once Due to the effects of the Demi-Human Argument was truly something terrible.

Right now, the royal capital had finally regained some liveliness, but even so, it couldn’t be said that it had the same liveliness that it once had.

To Ietta, Seira’s remark even sounded like intense cynicism.

「Uwaa……Ah, that accessory looks nice! Hey, hey, do you think we’ll have time to go around the street stalls later?」

「Ah, yes. I believe that would be fine……」

There were various stores along the main street.

From food to accessories, to questionable tools, there were even street stalls that sold bows and arrows and daggers.

Within this vaguely chaotic scenery, Sylphid, Beastmen, Metalio……and then, of course, even Humans were mixed in.

Excluding the fact that the Sylphid ratio was on the high side, it could be said to be the exact same scene of the royal capital of the past.

The scene that the St. Altlis Kingdom had lost, was here.

「……っ」

Unwittingly, Ietta was biting her lip.

Why, did her beloved country turn out like that?

Where did they go wrong?

When did it stop?

「Ietta?」

「……No. That’s right. Let us go around the street stalls without fail. I believe it would be good if we buy plenty of souvenirs. Considering your role, I believe that you can put some of it down as trip expenses.」

Seeing Ietta say that and smile, Seira spontaneously burst into laughter.

「Uwaah. Ietta, you’re so bad!」

「Ara. Well then, will you stop?」

「Nuh-uh, I won’t! So, about how much is some? Would it be about one small gold coin?」

「……I think we could manage with a single large silver coin.」

While having that sort of conversation, Ietta thought.

I shall burn this scene into my eyes, and convey the size of what was lost to the king.

Surely, if they were to start now, they should be able to make it in time.

Suppressing the Demi-Human Argument supporters and reopening diplomatic relations──that would surely be in the best interest of the country.

「……May I?」

The carriage door was lightly knocked on, and Elriol’s voice could be heard.

Ietta ended her thoughts, and slightly opened the window that was installed on the door.

「Yes, what is it?」

「We will be arriving at the Temple of Wind shortly. There, we will temporarily return to the royal castle, but on this occasion, if there is anything that you would like to convey to the king, I will inform him of it.」

There were many things she wanted to convey.

However, that was not something for Ietta to say as she was playing the role of being Seira’s attendant.

And then, even if she was in her original position of being a royal palace knight, she should abstain from doing that, and that went even more if it was just Ietta’s personal opinion.

「……Let’s see. Well then, please tell King Sarigan that Seira-ojou-sama was deeply moved by his consideration.」

「Understood. I shall convey that to the king without fail.」

When a building that looked like a temple soon came into view, Seira pushed her face against the front window, and stared at the temple with intense concentration.

「Se, Seira-sama. As a lady, that is a bit!」

「Ehー, I mean. Come on, look! Compared to the Grand Altlis Temple, it’s way smaller, isn’t it? Why?」

「It is because in this country, the temple does not possess that much power. Come on, get away from the window!」

After Ietta pulled her back to her seat, Seira pouted looking dissatisfied.

「Cheー, even though I wanted to look at it some more.」

「……You can see it as much as you like later, can’t you. I am begging you, please conduct yourself as a lady when in front of people, okay?」

「Leaveー it to me! I, am a girl that can do it when I put my mind to it, you know?」

She was worried. She couldn’t do it when they met with the hero Luuty earlier.

After swallowing what she wanted to say, Ietta said “that’s true” and displayed agreement.

It would be unbearable to make Seira angry from saying something poorly.

「……You’re making a face that says you want to say something, aren’t you?」

「That isn’t the case at all. I believe in you after all, Seira-sama.」

「Good! I’m famed for always surpassing expectations after all!」

Those definitely weren’t words of praise.

Without letting those words that she thought out, Ietta made an ambiguous smile.

While looking at the landscape within the premises of the Temple of Wind, Ietta quickly felt stomach pain start to appear out of anxiety.