CH 441

“Please don’t push! Verna-sensei and Minister Basleigh will be waiting for you when you get to the other side, so please follow their instructions.”

“We’ve got plenty of houses prepared for you! Please keep your valuables close to you!”

–Today, with less than four days to go, we had finally decided to move the inhabitants of the town of Gust. It was early in the morning when it was still dark, and my family and I were in the middle of managing the line and calling out to people.

Nora stayed behind to help lead the way with Verna-sensei, Basleigh-sensei, and Nina.

The size is a little larger than the other towns, so the move will likely last until the last minute. The residents on their way to the transfer magic circle were not so dark in their expressions, since they were able to come to a clean decision to some extent, but they were nervous about the teleportation.

“Lars-sama, are you sure this town will be safe ……”

“We’ll take care of it. We’ll try not to do any damage to the houses.”

I smiled back at grandpa’s anxious words, who smiled back at me and stepped on the magic circle. Nearby, Hauzen-san is being spoken to.

“It’s great that the guild is defending the town itself, but lives are important. Please don’t be reckless. You can build a town, but you can’t bring people back to life.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. I’m not going to make my family feel sad.”

The uncle raises one hand and moves forward to start talking to another person.

The plan is to send the inhabitants home for the night, and then invite the knights from the other side for the night, so that we can prepare for the defense of the town. In two days they will all be in the Royal Capital and ready to go ……

“Lars, what do you think?”

“Dad. Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with the transfer magic circle. There are some houses on the other side, and we can use the theater. Prince Orden is waiting over there to recruit people to live in his castle, so I don’t think we’ll have any trouble finding a place to live.”

As for work, we’ve been given permission to do miscellaneous tasks such as cooking and sewing for the people of Gust, and to open a simple stall.

In addition to that, Roy and the other adventurers from the guild, who are exclusive to the royal capital, have agreed to help us with our hunts because there is a high probability that we will have food problems if the number of people increases. Of course, adventurers from the town of Gust will accompany them.

“It’s finally here ……”

“Sarge is also here, so If my surprise attack is successful, I can destroy them individually. While Makina and the others have been training for this, I’ve been practicing so that my plan will be easy to follow. Mom and Dad, are you sure you want to be last?”

“Yes. Well, I’m not nervous since you guys are here, you know? Yeah, this way, please.”

“Roen-sama, we’ll leave it to you.”

“Yes. Of course.”

As my father was approached by the townspeople and went to deal with them, I was busy organizing the line. Mizuki-san, Yifa, Gibson-san, and the rest of the guild helped me out, and the line was steadily filling up.

Well, there were some unexpected people, too.

“Hey, don’t mess up the line there! Order, order!”

“Why are you talking so high and mighty, Brao! When we get to the Royal Capital, are you going to jail again?”

“Shut up!”

“Do you want to go!?”

“Come on, come on, don’t fight!”

“Ne-, Nerine ……”

“Oops ……. S-See you later, Brao …….”

“Hey, you can’t just run away alone!? O-Ouch!? I’m, I’m sorry! Don’t pull on my ear!?”

Brao and Nerine-san, Ryuuze’s parents. They’re not very helpful because they’re quarrelsome, but they’re doing their best to help the townspeople.

And–

“If there’s anything you need, we’ll get it for you, so just tell us.”

“I’m counting on you, Sorio-san. Well, there’s no safer place than the Royal Capital.”

“Sir, what do we do with the livestock?”

“I don’t think it’ll be too long, but in the worst-case scenario, I’ll come back here.”

“T-That’s a bit ……”

–These are the people from Bryon Trading Company, Luciel’s home. My dad, Soria-san, and Brao are in the same class, which reminds me of our A-Class. So, for the first time in a long time, I hear the voice of one of my classmates.

“Hey, Lars! How are you doing?”

“Oh, it’s Jack! That’s what I should be asking you. What about the store?”

It was Jack, the man I hadn’t seen in a while. He came up to me, pulling a cart, and started laughing and explaining what had happened.

“Yeah, we had a big bargain sale, and we sold a lot, but there was a little leftover. I asked Naru to freeze it so we can eat it when we get there. Nevertheless, it turned into quite the big deal, huh.”

I nodded to Jack, who raised an eyebrow as he looked at the line, and pointed to the cart.

“That’s why I came up with this plan. At the very least, we can protect everyone in town. Also, can I buy all the fish? We have a lot of people at home, and I’ll use them for cooking. If Naru froze them, it should be fine for a while.”

“Are you sure? Well, I think you can afford it easily, though. Oh right, I don’t see Makina and the others.”

“They’re in training, everyone is. Kudelica is at my house in the royal capital. Ryuuze is here, right?”

“Yeah. There’s a kid I don’t know too, but …… are they that good? It looks like everyone won the last time, so they can’t be any stronger than Sarge.”

Jack, who was there when I befriended Sarge, shrugged his shoulders and said that if they were human, there wouldn’t be many people who could beat me, Tigre-sensei, or Sarge for that matter. 

“I guess it’s best not to let your guard down. The Gospel’s Descent …… and within them, the so-called Ten Chief Priests are the most inhuman of them all. “

“Are you serious, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you say that before. If there’s anything I can do, just let me know, okay? I’m not really a fighter, though. “

“Thanks. Jack has connections to the shopping district, so it would be great if he could check on the people there.”

“Leave it to me! I’ll be on my way then. See you soon!”

“Yeah, let me invite you to my house, I’d welcome it if it’s Jack.”

Jack disappears with his parents into the magic circle, and I go back to organizing the line, and the day ends with me handling more people than I know how many I sent over there.

“Fuh …… I guess that’s it for today.”

“Do you want to go over there?”

As I lean my back against the wall of the gate and look at the darkened slope, my brother comes over with a cup. I drink it down in one gulp and then open my mouth.

“Puha~! Thank you, brother, no, I think I’m going to rest here today? There’s still tomorrow, after all. Why don’t you go and see Nora since she’s over there?”

“That’s good, but for today, I think I’ll talk to Lars for the first time in a while.”

“Good idea. Let’s go into the house for now, I’m quite tired myself, as expected ……”

…… Aina’s not here, but it’s been a while since we’ve had dinner as a family …… When I left on my trip, I thought I wouldn’t be back for a while, but you never know.

“Mu, so this is the town of Gust.”

“Oh, you’re a knight, aren’t you? We have prepared an inn for you, this way please.”

Oops, now it’s the knights’ turn to come over here, I thought, trying a little harder, so I started showing them the way with my brother.

<Reflexion Castle: Prison>

“It seems that people have started to move out of the town of Gast.”

“Yes. I helped lead the way yesterday, but I guess that’s just like the Irving family. It went smoothly. So what is it that you want with Aiatsubus after all this time?”

Aiatsubus is imprisoned in a prison with magical wards.

And then there was Basleigh and Himmel. And then there was Retzel, Irumi, and Reiss, all talking face to face. Unlike usual, they looked at Aiatsubus and Retzel in turn with serious faces and asked them questions.

“I still have a few questions for Aiatsubus. You’ve seen it too, didn’t you, that black haze? I’ve lived a long time and I’ve never seen anything like it. I see it as something a little different from magic or skill.”

“I see, you want to get information out of her.”

Himmel crossed his arms and said to Retzel, who smiled and nodded deeply, then turned to Aiatubus and continued.

“In fact, who are you people? There are too many mysteries, like the Founder Apollos.”

“What do you mean, Doctor?”

“Irumi, even before I met you I was in the Gospel’s Descent, but at least the Gospel’s Descent existed before you were born. Apollos is now less than fifty years old, and he was in his thirties when he kindled the Berias Kingdom.”

“So? The Founder is very good at manipulating people, so he’ll at least entice the king. “

When Reiss hurried him to the house, Retzel shrugged his shoulders.

“Now, now, please be patient with me a little longer. The main point is that they did not have a base at that time. They were not scattered in different countries, and there was no one that can be called a follower. The only thing I heard about them was that they had a close aide of people called the Ten Chief Priests.”

“What exactly were you doing when you met him?”

“Yes, that’s a good question …… Believe it or not, I was on a wandering trip. We met in a certain town in Berias. He didn’t tell me where he was from, but for some reason, he was obsessed with the Berias Kingdom. I think that was in his late twenties.”

Retzel said that he found it interesting that he didn’t know who he was, and that he went along with him and entered the Gospel’s Descent because he thought there might be something positive for him.

But–

“As a result, he got Everlide, curry favour on the King of Berias, practically had the actual power of the Everlide Kingdom, and even increased his followers, but other than controlling people’s minds, I thought he was just a man. If it were only about strength, the Ten Chief Priests would be stronger. After obtaining the Everlide, he began to work in the dark to obtain the territory of the Reflexion Kingdom, but I don’t know his ultimate goal either.”

“Hmm …… He’s a creepy guy …… Now that you mention it, it seems that he’s ignoring the other countries and only messing with the Reflexion Kingdom.”

“Yeah. I think it’s someone who has a grudge against the Reflexion kingdom, but I wonder if there’s such a person …… It’s true for the current king, but the previous king is quite that good person too, after all.”

When Himmel put his hand on his chin and said that, Aiatsubus, who was lying on the bed, quietly opened her mouth and began to talk.

“…… Who are we and who is the Lord? Kukku …… I think you’ll find out soon enough ……? If the Ten Chief Priests are coming in the going to the town of Gust, you can bet on it.”

“……”

When Basleigh glared at her silently, Aiatsubus chuckled.

“Honestly, you guys are strong. Retzel is strong too, but I didn’t think that I, One of the Ten Chief Priests, would be captured in this way by a child named Lars, a beautiful woman, and a little girl. Well, it’s okay for me since I’m not suited for combat. But Akzeryus and Sherida are strong, you know? It will be fun to see who dies–“

“……!”

Before she could finish, Basleigh took out a hammer and swung it across her face, shaking the prison.

“…… No one will die, because it’s Akzeryus who will die. Do you think I don’t know who you guys really are?”

“……”

Brings her face closer and says so to Aiatsubus in a low voice, and Aiatsubusu squints and laughs grinningly. It’s a tense situation, and Reiss grabs Basleigh by the shoulders and pulls her along as she asks. 

“Do you have something to do with this Akzeryus, teacher?”

“…… No, he resembles a man that badly dumped me a long time ago.”

“You’re letting out that much killing intent because of that!? …… Even I know that is a lie, you know?”

“Now, now, now I told you this before, Reiss-chan? There’s a lot going on with people. You have some too, don’t you? Retzel and Irumi-san have some too. If the day comes that I’ll talk about it, please listen.”

“……”

Reiss let out a sigh and moved away from Basleigh and started to ask Aiatsubus.

“So, what is it with you guys after all? I’ve been investigating, but for someone who’s supposed to be his close aide, you’re not around him. But you’re not doing anything to capture the territory of the Reflexion Kingdom. I think it would be faster if you guys did it.”

“That’s exactly what ‘things’ are. Apollos-sama and …… Oops, can you go somewhere else now? It’s not good for my wounds, after all. I don’t know anything and I won’t say anything. Please leave me.”

The group left the prison after seeing Aiatsubus, who smiled slyly and pointed to the entrance as if to say, “The way home is that way.”.

“Hmm, I’m sorry you had to come all this way, but no harvest.”

“No, it’s not a problem. If it were so easy to make her talk, we wouldn’t have any trouble. At any rate, the Gospel’s Descent …… The Founder Apollos, huh, how interesting.”

“His Majesty might know something about it, Big Brother. We’re about the same age. Later …… I’ll have to ask grandma.”

“His Majesty is too busy to do that right now. I think asking Grandma will be fine. But she doesn’t know anything about people who have a grudge against the Reflexion Kingdom, does she?”

“Well, let’s just give it a try …… Starting tomorrow, I will be stationed in the town of Gust. I’ll be taking Retzel and the others with me.”

When Basleigh suddenly turned serious and said that, Himmel was surprised, and Retzel and Irumi raised their eyebrows. 

“Are you insane? It’s true that we’re not going to do anything, but are you going to take someone who was once a member of the Gospel’s Descent? The rest of the group won’t stand for it.”

“…… Of course, don’t tell Lars-kun and the others. I’m going over there on my own accord. You’re interested too, aren’t you?”

“Certainly. It would be great if you could take me with you. I was planning on going by myself, though.”

“I thought that would be the case. You slipped out on your own and I, who was supposed to watch you, chased after you.”

“I wonder if it will be okay ……”

Himmel tilted his head as he watched Basleigh snort confidently as she walked down the aisle.

In the meantime, Retzel has a question on his mind.

“(It is natural that there is some kind of mystery, but there is one more thing that needs to be revealed. I don’t know why Aiatsubus was so wary of the Treant kid …… the thing that is with Lars-kun. It’s true that they may have a grudge against us for producing a fake Treant called Qliphoth, but that’s not the case–)”

As if there was no time to check either way, he left the castle and headed for the house where he was under house arrest with his hands in the pockets of his lab coat.