CH 100

While the merfolk chief had already left the room, he turned around when he heard Norfe and Chouze’s voices.

“Children. Thank you for your hospitality these past few days. I will go now. We should meet again on the merfolk island.”

Then he turned back to the lake and took another step forward.

“Please! Please wait. We haven’t finished talking yet. I invited you to the royal capital.”

“And I refused.”

“However, you said you would consider it for a day.”

“No, I didn’t. I’m already bored. I’m returning to the sea.”

He shrugged away Norfe’s request and started to walk again.

“The Lowland boy…two of them? Why are you here?”

Chouze said in a small voice. Norfe seemed to calm down as he took in the situation. The chief was now walking smoothly on two feet, and he had the two Lowland children on each side of him. And there were two adult men standing by the window as if urging them to hurry.

“What happened to the guards! Ah, so they are at the cave.”

Norfe came to the conclusion on his own. Then he shouted towards the hallway.

“There are intruders in the merman’s room! Call the soldiers!”

The royal guards that came with him would not have left. And so one of the servants ran to go and call them. However, the chief knew that this was an emergency, and he was not about to wait around for their arrival. He silently started to walk to the lake.

“Wait!”

However, no one obeyed him.

“Amia. You should let go now. We’re just slowing you down. The birdfolk will carry us. See, the merfolk are here for you!”

As Chiharu talked to Amia, the merfolk started to come out of the lake.

“That Saia. Always getting in the way!”

“You disappeared without saying anything! Of course people would be worried!”

“Tsk.”

He tsk-ed! If anything, Chiharu was impressed by how spoiled he was. Just then, four big dogs jumped out from the shadows.

“How long do you mean to hold the Saintesses? Let them go already. And go back to the lake.”

Said the grey dog, who was Zynis. It was unusual for him to sound so stern. Chiharu and Maki looked at him in surprise.

“Monsters have actually appeared in the cave. The soldiers will not be able to return for a while. It’s your chance to go!”

And so the chief reluctantly let go of Maki and Chiharu.

“Chief!”

Norfe shook off his guards and ran outside. Amia slowly turned to him and their eyes met. That’s when a flutter of wings descended near the dogs. And in spite of it being night time, they looked pure white. Behind them, brown birdfolk descended.

“What? Birdfolk? And this big dog! Beastkin! Why are you here?”

Norfe was stunned by all of this as he turned to the chief. Just then, countless merfolk came out of the water.

Dear brothers in Japan. I’m living happily in another world. How is Rasche doing?

Currently, I’m in a really loud place. It’s strange. This was supposed to be a simple job involving secretly finding information about the chief, Amia. Information that can’t be found in the water. It might involve some people from Lowland. But that couldn’t be helped. We would just search for information for a few days and leave quietly. That had been the plan.

But then a lot of birdfolk came. Beastkin dogs as well. Oh, they really look like Rasche too. And then all these merfolk arrived. Also, there’s this prince? Well, three of them. And one princess. Am I crazy? You’d think so.

“Maki-chan. Pull yourself together!”

“Chiharu…”

“This is an emergency. It’s no time to be losing consciousness!”

Maki had been trying to escape from reality, but she returned after receiving a good shaking from Chiharu. Just then, all of the beastkin looked up at the sky.

“Gazers…”

“What!”

Soldiers started to run from the cave as they chased after the gazers. But then they saw what was happening and froze.

“What the…”

None of them could do anything. If just one person moved, the balance would be broken. They needed to escape quickly, and yet only the time seemed to pass.

The first to move were the gazers.

Maki and Chiharu could tell that the monsters recognized them. And as they joyfully approached Maki and Chiharu, the oblivious guards attacked them.

“Wait!”

A high-pitched voice echoed in the night air. It was Chiharu.

“Gazers. Wait up in the air!”

Chiharu wasn’t sure if they would understand her, but they obeyed and gathered together over their heads.

“Amia. Go!”

“But…”

“Nothing will be solved unless you leave!”

Amia touched Maki and Chiharu lightly on the cheeks and then returned to the lake. And one by one, the merfolk followed their chief into the water.

“Amia!”

Chouze’s sad voice rang in the air. Amia turned to look at her.

“Child.”

He said in a loud voice.

“Please stop casting so many nets into the lake. Then we might meet again.”

He said with a smile. And then he went into the water. It was a promise to visit this lake again.

Once the last of the merfolk had disappeared into the water, Maki and Chiharu saw a familiar pair of white wings.

“What? Didn’t you promise not to come because you draw too much attention?”

Chiharu couldn’t help but say to Sauro, but Norfe realized his identity at the same time.

“You. You’re the Midland birdman! You and the beastkin. Is Midland trying to instigate something!”

See! Chiharu thought with annoyance.

“I’m not from Midland.”

Sauro declared as he combed back his short hair with his hand. Who would believe that!

Chiharu screeched in her heart. At the same time, Norfe raised his voice in anger.

“I don’t believe you. You’re from the castle in Midland. The one who never works and is always playing with the Saintesses.”

“You. Now that I think about it, you’re that rude royal.”

“Wha-”

If anything, Norfe was more angry about being recognized so late. Sauro didn’t reply. He just opened his wings wide and then declared,

“Borders have no meaning to us. I just came to Highland to sightsee.”

“Me too.”

“Same here.”

The other birdfolk declared.

“Then why are the beastkin dogs here!”

Norfe demanded.

“Sightseeing.”

“Yes, sightseeing.”

The beast answered.

“And these Lowland boys?”

Norfe thought it was ridiculous but was at a loss for words. It was then that Chouze asked the question in a small voice.

“They ran away from home. I’m here to take them back.”

“But they were selling oranges!”

“It must have been part of the disguise.”

Suggested Sauro. Maki and Chiharu were very annoyed now. It was true that they had originally been headed for the elf lands. And the oranges were used as a disguise. So Sauro wasn’t actually wrong. However, who was sent back home by so many birdfolk after running away from home?

“Are they so important for all you to come…”

Maki had been thinking this for a while. The only one here who seemed remotely normal was Norfe. However, the birdfolk ignored him.

“Now, let’s take the little runaways home. The Highland air is wonderful!”

He declared. And then Maki, Chiharu, Edwy, and Aaron were picked up.

“The upward current is especially great!”

“I’m going to go to the royal capital next time!”

The other birdfolk informed Norfe as they took flight.

“Ah.”

Chiharu had survived all of the training, and yet when so many wings started to beat at once, she could not stop her wig from blowing off. Her long hair blew in the wind. Norfe saw it and shouted.

“You! The orange girl!”

No! I mean, yes. But, no! Chiharu protested wordlessly. The gazers looked startled.

“No! Maybe? That hair! You are the Saintess!”

Norfe realized it on his own. It was no wonder… Chiharu thought her eyes met his for a second. They had been wide with shock. However, Chiharu and Maki were quickly taken away by the birdfolk, and the gazers followed them.

The only thing that remained now was some stunned soldiers and the prince and princess of Highland.