Book 8: Chapter 3

The atmosphere that Seira was clad in as she had her spear at the ready was sharpened, and the masked man was clearly displaying a shaken look.

「O, oi. Hold on a sec. As expected, going against a normal girl is……」

「There’s no use……in arguing!」

Seira’s spear was thrust out, and the masked man hurriedly intercepted it.

But, in the next moment, a new attack came rushing the masked man.

They were consecutive attacks of the spear that were unleashed one after another. Although they were gradually increasing in speed, the masked man continued to just barely intercept them.

The masked man steadily grew accustomed to the speed, and at that instant──the continuous spear attacks were suddenly interrupted, and a side sweeping attack assailed him.

Even if it was a part that didn’t have a blade, being struck by Seira’s spear that was entirely made of metal would be the same as being struck with a club.

「Gugah!?」

The masked man completely tumbled to the ground from that attack that caught him off guard.

「That hurt……Tte, uoh!?」

While rolling away from the pursuing attack that Seira made as she was trying to thrust at him, the masked man somehow managed to stand up and fixed his posture.

「W, wait a minute!」

「What, are you begging for your life?」

「That ain’t it! You, you don’t get the situation, do you!?」

Hearing the masked man’s words, Seira tilted her head seeming as if she wanted to say “what are you talking about”.

「The situation or whatever doesn’t matter. Are you trying to make an excuse for being in that appearance that is clearly that of a pervert?」

「Th, this isn’t like it’s my preference……Tte, that sort of thing doesn’t matter! That man over there, he was deceived by a wicked Mazoku and fought against me! Then I, in order to save him……」

「Hold on a sec.」

Seira interrupted the masked man’s lines. And then, while keeping her spear turned towards the masked man, she groaned with an “nnー”.

First, she turned her gaze to Kain, and then to Ein, and then she returned her gaze back to the masked man last.

「Where is the wicked Mazoku?」

「It’s that girl over there!」

「Seira, that’s……!」

After stopping Kain who raised his voice at the masked man’s words with her hand, Seira once again groaned with an “nnー”.

Feeling that there was a chance at persuading her, the masked man, with all of his strength, shouted while making hand gestures.

「There is still no telling what that wicked Mazoku over there is scheming in this town! But, it’ll be too late if something’s done after something happens! Cooperate with me! It will eventually be for that man’s sake!」

「Yup, I got the gist of it.」

「Then……!」

Seira pointed her spearhead at the masked man who tried to approach her.

「As I thought, you’re the bad one here. Rather, I don’t get what you’re scheming, but I don’t get what it means to be wicked. I, hate that sort of way of thinking that the Temple has.」

「Wh, what are you saying……」

「I get that you’re moving with your own justice. But, I also get that you’re not thinking about anything. If you do any more than this, I’ll have to stop being Seira the individual, and have to fight you as the daughter of the Necros Duke House, you know?」

「That would be troubling.」

The one who answered Seira wasn’t the masked man……but a single young woman that came out from an alley.

The one to first react to the cherry blossom color haired young woman that expressed a gentle smile, was Kain.

「……Senpai?」

「Good evening, Kain-kun.」

Quelia Lewistale. She is the daughter of the Head Priest of the Grand Altlis Temple, and the senpai that Kain and the others relied on in the Edius Adventurers School.

Having seen that figure of hers, Kain made a relieved face. He thought that if it was Quelia, she would be able to resolve things in this place.

「How about this, Seira-san. Breaking this all up, out of consideration of me.」

「……Breaking up?」

「Yes. This person over here will give up on that Mazoku over there for today, and Kain-kun’s group will treat it as if what happened today never happened. I believe that would be the best solution to ending this quietly though.」

Seira quickly covered Kain’s mouth as he was about to say something, and smiled towards Quelia.

「That’s sounds quite convenient for the Temple’s side though. Are you purposely saying that?」

「Ara, is there something that you do not like about it?」

「Yes, there is. Isn’t there a loss for Kain and Ein’s injuries.」

「Of course, we will take response for Kain-kun’s injuries and treat him at the Temple, you know?」

「……Hーn?」

When Seira, who was smiling off against Quelia, turned towards Kain, she grinned.

「Kain, why don’t we go back. Can you carry Ein?」

「Ah……Un. But……」

「It’s fine, it’s fine.」

Seira started making preparations to go back while urging Kain, and the masked man looked vexed as he watched over them doing that.

Before long, after Kain finished putting Ein on his back, Seira took the lead and went past the masked man’s side.

And then, the moment she went past Quelia’s side, Seira whispered to her.

「Qu-senpai, you were the mastermind, weren’t you?」

「What ever might you be talking about?」

Once again exchanging smiles, Seira went past just like that, and Kain who carried Ein on his back also followed after her.

The two of them continued through the main street that had no people, and before long, Seira opened her mouth.

「So, it’s not like I understand the whole situation yet. Is it true that Ein is a Mazoku?」

「Nn……nnー, it’s not like I’ve heard it from the person herself though.」

「Hーn. Well, there are various things that I can understand with that, I guess?」

In response to Seira who walked in front of him while saying that, Kain called out to her filled with hesitation.

「So, um.」

「What?」

「If Ein really was a Mazoku……Seira, what would you do?」

Hearing those words, Seira came to a complete stop and turned around.

「I wouldn’t really do anything though? Even for me, if it’s Mazoku acquaintances, it’s not like I don’t have any.」

「Eh? You have some?」

「It’s not like I really know them though. They looked like they were on good terms with Luuty-sensei and Nefas.」

「Eh, ehh!? That’s my first time hearing that!」

Being a member of the Hero party that defeated the Demon King Shuklous and then the Great Demon King Gramfia in the past, and the previous board chairman of the Edius Adventurers School, Luuty Ligas.

And then, even though he went to the Edius Adventurers School just like themselves, the one who suddenly became the Temple Knight of Wind, Nefas Albania.

Seira smiled at Kain who was astonished by the fact that those two were on good terms with the Mazoku and that Seira was acquainted with some.

「Pretty much. Girls have a lot of secrets after all.」

「Ehhー……」

In response to the dissatisfied looking Kain, Seira replied with a grin. And then, she suddenly erased that smile.

「But, what will you do? Won’t that white pervert target Ein from tomorrow on as well?」

「S, so you think that really happen huh……」

「Of course I do.」

Kain groaned with an “uーn”, but even so, he didn’t stop walking.

Gradually, people started to return to the main street……and the sound of hustle and bustle also spread.

「Looks like they undid the blockade. So they more or less kept their promise.」

Seira made a bored-sounding snort, and Kain breathed out a breath of relief.

「In any case, first, let’s go to my house……」

「Ahー, Kain, I found you!」

A voice that could suddenly be heard interrupted Kain’s line.

At the same time as that, seeing that their Adventurers School friend, Sharon, was running towards them from the front with her staff in her hands, the two of them stopped walking.

「Jeez, I told you that you can’t just leave me behi……tte, ehh!? Ein!? Eh, what, why!? Hey, what happened!?」

Seeing that Kain looked troubled, Seira lightly shrugged her shoulders.

「E, erm. Sharon, we’ll explain things later. In any case, why don’t we head to my house?」

Pacified by Kain who started walking, Sharon followed along while having a worried look as she gazed at Ein.

Then, Seira, who followed behind them, came to a complete stop, and muttered as if talking to herself.

「If you follow any more than that, I really will turn this into a political issue. Well, I’ll make it an uproar before that though. Is that alright?」

At the same time that she finished saying that, the several presences that Seira felt faded away.

After waiting just like that for a while as if checking something, Seira suddenly laughed and spoke to herself.

「……I might have my hands full with the matter of Ein though. But Kain still has a long way to go too. As I thought, I need to go along with him.」

「Huh? Oーi, Seiraー?」

In response to Kain who could be heard from in front of her, Seira turned her best smile towards him.

「Ah, un! Sorry, sorry!」

Running up, Seira caught up to Kain’s group, and started walking next to him.