Chapter 469
The Last Day of the Festival (War) Merrymaking
※Author's Note: Warning!! There are two updates today.
Those who haven't read the [Horribly Vast Disparity (Goddess Power)], please head there first!
『By holding the divine sword that my brethren transformed into, hero-sama should be able to use your original power.』
「Ah, yes. Thank you so much.」
Kouki kept sending glances to the side. Aularodde-san was staring at empty air with a dead gaze. This looked awful. In various senses.
「Umm, you mentioned fusion......will Aula's personality be alright?」
『It's fine. There's no problem.』
I'm only feeling anxiety......Kouki thought, but from the corner of his sight, he could see Aularodde heartily drinking energy drink that she was still hiding in her attempt to recover mentally, so he judged that there was no problem.
「So, Foltina-sama. About before――」
『I understand. About whether there is a risk of infected species approaching Synclea is it?』
She must have been investigating even while granting her divine protection. Moana and Koone and others who felt nervous again from Kouki's question were immediately given the answer.
『Rest assured. I cannot detect any presence of infected species including in the adjacent seas.』
「Is that so......that's great......」
Relieved sigh came out from many people.
『But, when it comes to inside the sea......it is a vast area and also overflowing with sea-dwelling infected species. It will be hard for me to detect it if one blend among them, so I shall continue to be on guard against the water surrounding Synclea.』
「Eh? The sea is overflowing with infected species?」
『Yes. They are species that cannot live on land, so they aren't a threat, but the miasma is also reaching the sea creatures.』
They were fundamentally living offshore deep inside the sea all the time. Apparently they wouldn't really approach the sea near Synclea that wasn't too deep.
Although, it should be truly a life-threatening sea voyage for people who came from the other side of the sea.
「So it's like that. That's why Dark Beings dislike sea. They instinctually have to avoid it no matter what.」
Another question was answered like that while learning that there would be no problem with Synclea in any case――
『It's a good country. Any of its town is overflowing with vitality.』
It was Foltina-sama's monologue. Apparently that muttering came out unconsciously.
It must be the result of her recovering her power slightly. It seemed that it was also possible for her to obtain visual information from afar. She must be able to finally take a proper look at the other side of the world now that her consciousness was awakened with clarity.
She sounded happy and deeply moved. She was making a gentle and warm expression toward Kouki and others.
Until that moment.
『Oh? There are many voices praising me. It's from this town. I'm feeling an atmosphere that is similar to religious faith......』
It was Myuu who realized first. 「Ah」 As soon as she raised her voice,
「G-Goddess-sama! Myuu think it'll be better if you don't look-!」
『Hm? What are――people are gathering to worship me? Is that......a, portrait?』
「Ah」 also leaked out from the mouths of Kouki and others. Especially Koone. Cold sweat flowed out from her skin like rivers.
『I can't see clearly but, they're calling out my name so is it a picture of me? No however, the appearance of my past vessel should also have spread until the other side of this planet......no, really who is that?』
It seemed she could slightly see the picture that was drawn. Foltina-sama's mouth was hanging wide open.
Most likely she had seen the townspeople doing idol worship toward that painting that was decorating an assembly hall or some other place. In other words, perhaps, it was the best painting in the town.
Certainly from Foltina's perspective it would naturally make her went Really who's that?
「Fo, Fo, Fo-Foltina-sama! My deepest apologies! That is a case of mistaken identity!」
『Mistaken identity......』
Koone's mouth didn't work well that she sounded like she was making a strange laugh when calling Foltina's name. She also stepped forward while prostrating on the floor. She started making a desperate excuse.
「That is the painting of the wife of the person who created that storage for blessing power, and provided tremendous contribution in saving Synclea! That town got directly saved by that wife so, sooo......」
『So?』
「Because of that person being too beautiful, the people there misunderstood that she's definitely the goddessss......」
『Because of too beautiful......』
Somehow it looked like goddess-sama was staring fixedly at the town's painting. It seemed that she wanted to look even closer, so Myuu quietly took out the painting in question from her treasure warehouse and offered it. It was the painting that was made very well done to be given as souvenir.
Foltina's gaze got glued to it!
『This is......me』
「No! Or rather, those people might got killed if demon king-sama learn this so we will confiscate them right away! All of them! That's right-, we might as well tell them about the true appearance of the current Foltina-sama while we are at――」
『After they have acknowledged this existence that is like the incarnation of beauty?』
Foltina's gaze turned toward Kouki. Her gaze seemed as though she was looking for help.
「I-it'll be fine. Goddess is already beautiful enough after all......」
Just to clarify, the hero of this world in the past was also quite a beauty. She was charming enough that it was understandable for a goddess to borrow her appearance.
But however, the level of the adult version Yue-sama was just too high, to a degree that the goddess herself got perceived as "the incarnation of beauty".
『If I copy this person's appearance......』
「That's the only thing you absolutely mustn't do. I firmly object. It will throw me into a deadly battle to protect you from that guy who turned into demon god.」
Kouki made a proclamation that absolutely wouldn't yield for even an inch. Foltina who lost hope was shrinking *shi na shi na shi na shi naa~*. Back to her original form of sphere of light.
And then she spoke a sentence.
『......The hurdle, is high.』
Aularodde was grinning really widely. Want to be a shut-in? You want to be a shut-in right? You don't want to disappoint them don't you!? I get ittt, that feeling, I reaally get itt~~! I was a bit filled with killing intent buut, if it's now we might be able to become mega friend? She was making that kind of face. It made others wanted to punch her.
Everyone's gaze turned toward Kouki. Do something quickly, that's your role as hero! It was that kind of gaze. Kouki felt like his eyes would roll back unconscious. The hurdle was super high.
He desperately wracked his brain and got an idea 「That's right!」. He asked with half not giving a damn anymore about something that he was planning to ask later when things were calmer. Because this was something that was just right to divert the topic.
「Foltina-sama! There's something I wish to ask!」
『Forgive me, hero-sama. I don't know of other existence with beauty that rival her......』
「It's not that――can I ask about the creation of the world?」
『The creation, of the world?』
「Yes. About the origin world. Like the root of the nine worlds, or the story about the great record depository where the world tree and all the answers can be found. Story that connect to full picture of the world――」
『How did you know that?』
The atmosphere instantly changed. A pressure that electrified the skin assaulted Kouki and others.
It wasn't at the level of hostility. But, presence of refusal and wariness clearly turned into an intense divine majesty that was oppressing Kouki and others. How her tone that was always polite when talking to Kouki had changed also showed how strong her wariness was.
Kouki turned her gaze toward the children. Koone had lost the strength in her legs. Hinata also seemed unable to stop her body from trembling. Even Myuu was looking grave, but she still had the leeway to grasp the two's hands to reassure them.
Rather, it was Moana and Spenser and the others who were looking overwhelmed. Old Kalagura didn't understand the meaning of the divine pressure that was being emitted and seemed to be confused.
In any case, Kouki judged that he had to respond sincerely and braced himself.
He braced himself,
「Aula told me.」
「Kouki-sama!?」
And easily sold out Aularodde. Because it couldn't be helped. He couldn't do something like lying toward a goddess. This was the fact.
Foltina's gaze finally changed from 「This fellow might be no good」 to a scorning gaze that was saying 「This fellow is a hopeless case」.
『It's a matter that human children shouldn't know. Why did you tell them?』
Her speaking tone toward Aula also changed. Though it was only a matter of time for this one.
Perhaps because they were brethren, Foltina's divine pressure was mercilessly and unreservedly descending on Aularodde. Aularodde was trembling while muttering au au with tearful eyes like a kid who was being scolded by her mom. She sat femininely on the floor.
「Becauseee, they looked like they were going to save the world for me, I actually didn't want to talk but......I was so tired already, my brain wasn't working normally at allll......」
It was puzzling. The words that she were spewing felt terribly annoying, like there was this shamelessness from her tone. Anyway the excuse that Aularodde was saying felt like that.
In fact, it was the truth that she was extremely exhausted at that time, that was why she easily yielded against the demon king's negotiation tactic in the form of cajolery and threat. She wasn't lying.
Aularodde had completely stopped trying to look her part as a goddess to a refreshing degree that it seemed to make Foltina's anger left instead.
She once more took the form of this world's hero and let out a lo—-ng sigh to show her exasperation while drawing back her divine majesty.
「Foltina-sama, if it's something that you absolutely cannot tell us then I won't ask anymore. After all I only asked that question half because of curiosity.」
『......How honest.』
「I swear, I won't lie to you. That's why, I want you to believe that we really want to revive all the branches of the world tree and return the worlds to their proper state, that we only want knowledge about the world in the hope that it can assist us in our effort or prevent us from committing a taboo because of our ignorance, and that we won't abuse our knowledge for malicious purpose.」
『......』
Foltina was keeping silent and staring fixedly at Kouki to carefully digest his words.
And while he was exhausting his vocabulary, Kouki hit upon a realization of why something among the explanation that Foltina gave them before this was bothering him.
「Aa, that's right. About Foltina-sama's explanation before this. There was something that made me think that it's strange.」
『......Which part?』
「The barrier to prevent invasion to this world――that means, you were aware of it weren't you? That at the very least the "calamity" wasn't an existence that was born somewhere in this world, but an existence that came from outside.」
『......』
「In addition, putting aside me who am a hero, how Nagumo and others were able to teleport to this world with their own power to save me is also questionable.」
『......』
「Perhaps, there is a setting to the barrier. A setting that define what kind of intruder you want to reject. That was why, Nagumo and others who weren't included in that definition didn't get rejected by the barrier.」
The something that produced that miasma. If that kind of existence was the kind of "intruder" that Foltina rejected, it was hard to accept her explanation that the calamity was an unknown to her. She should have a degree of knowledge about it. At the very least she had enough information to be able to create a barrier that could reject only such existence.
That hypothesis of Kouki got implicitly affirmed.
『Say that you are correct, what about it?』
「I think, this is an example that can become of help for us just like I said before. What kind of existence the "calamity" was? When we ran into something similar while going around the worlds, knowing that would make it easier for us to deal with it. It might become assistance for someone, and we might be able to avoid danger beforehand.」
He wasn't as good at talking as a certain agitator, but he wanted to believe that he was doing a good job in giving persuasion for someone like him. If this was no good then he would stop trying, Kouki decided. Kouki let tension left his shoulders in satisfaction.
His stance of leaving the decision to Foltina apparently helped in making the scale of her decision-making to tilt in his favor. A second later, she let out another sigh.
『Very well.』
Certainly, it would be scary instead if people who were able to voyage between worlds and also had the ability to interfere with the world tree's branches only had meager knowledge about this topic. And most of all, they were already hearing a lot from Aularodde, and on top of that looking from the character of this generation's hero......Foltina nodded after her thought reached that far with a godly dignity enveloping her.
『I shall believe in you, hero-sama. And also to the people who you believe in.』
「Thank you very much!!」
Kouki bowed his head energetically. Foltina smiled wryly seeing that, however, she immediately wore a severe expression next.
『However, I will only tell this to hero-sama and Aularodde.』
Kouki ignored how Foltina stopped using suffix only for Aularodde while,
『I will leave it to your judgment of who to tell and how much you will tell them. Consider this as the proof of my trust on you.』
「Yes. I'll bear it in mind.」
Kouki looked back over his shoulder and ran his gaze on the others. Koone and the others nodded back to him, at the same time everyone other than Aularodde and Kouki got enveloped in pure white light.
「Aula and I will listen while healing the Blessing Tree and Foltina-sama. I think it'll take quite some time......」
「Leave everything else to me, hero-dono. Glassnerde will give everyone a warm welcoming. In any case a new shrine maiden has also just been born, so it'll become a revelry outside.」
Old Kalagura was showing a bit of excitement knowing that the goddess was going to be healed, even so he gave a deep bow and promised to entertain the guests.
「Fufu, you hear him. We're going to enjoy ourselves ahead, Kouki.」
「It's the last festival of this trip nano! Kouki-oniisan, do your work properly! Nano!」
「Koone is still curious with a lot of things but......yes, Mi-chan and Hi-chan will go home when the sun set, so Koone will go ahead to have fun!」
「I was worried for a moment there about how things will turn out but, fufu, I'm relieved seeing that it looks like there will be good result even if it won't be the best possible one.」
Moana and Myuu and the others also didn't seem to have any objection.
Kouki turned his gaze back toward Foltina and lightly nodded. Foltina put on a faint smile and nodded back.
Right after that, the shrine was filled with pure white light and everyone other than Kouki and Moana got returned to the surface from the shrine.
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The town of Glassnerde was showing an unprecedented level of hustle and bustle.
The sound of musical instruments and singing voice were resounding endlessly from the center of the town. People were dancing with each other as they pleased, while on the other side precious livestock got used for a lavish banquet.
「Nuhee~, so tired~」
「Ku-chan, great word out there nano. Now now, have a glass nano.」
「You were very popular there. Now now, please try the fruit here too.」
Koone was sitting on the exclusive seat for the shrine maidn while getting entertained by two beauties at both sides in a sense. She looked a bit tired, just like she said.
Almost two hours had passed when Myuu and others came out to the surface. The west sky was starting to be tinged red. The veil of night would descend in two or three more hours.
Kalagura had loudly proclaimed how the royal sisters had been bestowed with divine protection, and how the small queen was even granted with a familiar and became the new shrine maiden. In addition the people of Glassnerde also heard about how the Blessing Tree was being revived. It sent them to boisterous dance.
A banquet was prepared in less than an hour, and after that they feasted and danced and made loud noises.
Even during the preparation and also during the banquet, people kept coming toward Koone to give their greeting and blessing without end.
She wouldn't feel this tired if she was facing the lords of Synclea. After all she was used to receive greeting.
However, the people here had been locked inside this world of death while waiting all these times until now for generations. So to say their emotion had swollen to an epic proportion......
In order to answer their expectation, Koone endeavored to desperately adlibbed in acting suitably not only as a queen, but also as the shrine maiden who could be said as the goddess's apostle. That resulted in the current languid Koone.
Myuu gently pressed a glass of drink on her lips and she gulped it slowly. She also let Hinata wiped the drip on the corner of her lips before saying aa~nn to have her feeding her.
「Is this......happiness?」
She must be very tired to unconsciously let those words slipped out like that.
She almost hadn't slept at all since yesterday with development after development coming like surging waves the whole time. No matter how firm her determination was, her body was still immature. It was only natural for her to end up like this.
Seeing that, Moana and Spenser and others were picking up the slack as the festival's main star right now. The words that came out from Moana's mouth only sounded like a siscon boasting about her little sister, but the people were also happy to be able to hear stories about the shrine maiden, so it was a Win-Win climax.
――You alright?
「Hm? Fufu. Yes, Koone is alright~. Thank you, Nyun-chan♪」
The half-tree half-human beautiful girl riding on her shoulder, a familiar of Foltina and also a sacred treasure bestowed on the shrine maiden had been given the name Nyun.
The name came from Myuu's otaku knowledge. Her appearance looked like a dryad, so she picked the name from a tree spirit who appeared in Greek mythology. Everyone else agreed anonymously because the name sounded cute.
Also, if asked why Myuu knew about such existence, of course, it was because papa's room had a lot of books like fantasy monster picture book, or cute legend explanation book.
By the way, because in the end she was a personification of nature, only Koone who had heaven's blessing art "Sympathy" could hear her words. ......Somehow it felt like Myuu was normally communicating with her when deciding the name, but let's just say that there were always general rule and exception for everything.
「Will Kouki-oniisan and Aula-oneesan make it in time?」
They could go home on the appointed time on their own if they wanted. After all Hajime hadn't forgotten to hand a Fairy Key to Myuu too.
Although, it would fell discourteous to go home while only leaving behind a note. But, if they instead waited for Kouki and ignored the return home schedule, the unreasonableness of demon king papa might descended on the hero.
「The revival of the goddess is something that ought to be prioritized after all, perhaps it will be better if you contact your father to tell him the situation.」
「Myu! Myuu will do that if they still haven't come back when it's time nano.」
Myuu and Hinata were talking about their return with her between them. Koone's carried away expression because of her mini harem situation instantly became cloudy.
「So you two will soon return home......already. ............Please come to play again okay!?」
Koone was making a smile that was obviously forced to cover up her depression. Myuu and Hinata looked at each other. A beat later, the two of them kindly smiled together.
「Of course nano. Or rather, next time it's Ku-chan who should come nano. To Japan, and also to Tortus! Myuu will make Ku-chan totally addicted to otaku culture so prepare yourself nano!」
「Besides we will still be able to talk through the phone even after we go home. It looks like a great task will be waiting for Ku-chan after this, but we will still call you without any reservation. Fufu, please keep us company when that time come without feeling annoyed.」
「Mi-chan, Hi-chan......yes, yes-! Koone is a master of slacking after all! Please call anytime you like! Even work will be finished in a flash by Koone so Koone can go over there no matter what! When people talk about capable queen they're talking about Koone!」
A little bit of tears were gathering at the corner of her eyes from loneliness and happiness while she pulled her hands that were being held from left to right and pressed them on her chest. The warmth of Myuu and Hinata's hands were transmitted to her.
It was exactly at such timing that a young lady who came to clear up the used utensils saw the three girls snuggling and smiling and pressing their forehead to each other and she froze.
「I see, so something like this also exist......」
It seemed a door to a new world was opened for the young lady. She made a very nice smile before she collapsed on her knees. It seemed that she lost the strength in her legs and waist because the sight was just too precious.
Although not to the degree of this young lady, the other people who also happened to saw the three little girls also seemed to feel that there was something inviolable with their friendship atmosphere.
The three girls then started talking with each other joyfully once more. In order to not disturb them, everyone only watched them from afar smilingly with not a single person trying to approach.
Like that, the three shared their last time in this trip together until it was time to go home――
Or that was the plan. For them to be unable to do so might be because of the destiny power of these three girls who were special even in their respective world.
Kyaaah, there was a scream. It wasn't a cheer. The atmosphere of the town that was filled with bright laughing voices was torn apart by that scream that was filled with sense of crisis.
Everyone gasped and turned their gaze toward the direction of the voice. It came from the direction of the harbor.
There,
「Eh? ......Mias, ma?」
Someone's muttering reverberated awfully clearly. It was impossible, and yet there was certainly black miasma there.
A lump of miasma about the size of a baby was floating. It was as though it was observing the people who were gathering at the center of the town.
Everyone froze for a moment. Their mind blanked.
Right after that, the lump of miasma moved. Wings spread out. Four limbs and a long neck grew out. A reptilian head took form.
It was a small black dragon.
Its jaw opened. Its wings also flapped.
It attacked the prey before its eyes――the elderly woman who was the first one screaming! It all happened so sudden that don't mention the woman, even Kalagura wouldn't make it in time.
The woman's windpipe was definitely going to be bitten off――right at that moment.
*Baang* A dry plosive sound rang out. There was also a small scream 「Hyowah!?」, though it was drowned by that' sound.
The miasma black dragon――the infected species that resembled the shadow dragon they fought this morning burst and dispersed like gas.
Everyone's gaze moved toward where the plosive sound originated like there were magnet pulling them.
「The effect is weak.」
There was Myuu there holding Donnerr. She looked gallant with the way she was kneeling on one knee, her right arm straightened while her left arm was supporting the curvy gun. It was a beautiful shooting posture. Her eyes were sharp, as though her usual childlike naivete was just a lie.
It seemed that she had swiftly drew out and shot the gun in order to save the woman. The startled Koone was toppled over backward.
「Kalagura-ojiisan!」
「My thanks.」
Even with the head exploded, if it also had the ability to transform into miasma then it would be able to recover. It seemed that Myuu's prediction was correct. The small shadow dragon regenerated in the blink of eye.
But, it didn't manage to take action anymore. The instant that Myuu managed to buy was enough to rescue the woman from the danger.
Kalagura's blessing art made it in time. A super localized blazing whirlwind swallowed up the miasma and burned it to nothing.
A nearby youth quickly helped the elderly woman to stand up and evacuate her.
Somehow there was no victim thanks to Myuu's fine play. But, everyone could only pat their chest in relieve for a brief moment. The alarming situation caused the place to fall into uproar.
「Quite downnn!!!」
Kalagura's loud rebuke thundered. A pressure that felt like it slapped the face was emitted from him.
「Nobody is to act on their own! We're entering the alert status! Search for enemy presence in all directions thoroughly!」
As expected from the people of the town that had survived for thousands of years until now. They moved swiftly after they had regained their senses from the impossible situation.
But, it seemed that the enemy's movement was even faster.
「Elder! East! A swarm of fliers!」
「The number!」
「T-they numbered......」
「......What's wrong! Report quickly!」
「E-estimation......a thousand-. No, it's even more! The distance is 300! They're absurdly fast! They're heading straight to here! The camouflage isn't working!」
「What did you say......」
Even Kalagura seemed to be taken aback by this.
Certainly it wasn't rare for infected species to crowd with their fellow species. However, it was rare for a group of this scale to move all at once. Furthermore, they were heading straight toward Glassnerde that should be hidden behind camouflage. Therefore it was unthinkable that this large group's movement to this direction was just a coincidence.
「Kalagura-ojiisan!」
「! Myuu-dono!?」
Myuu had climbed up a tall tree before anyone noticed. Even her outfit was changing. Her upper body was attached with a lot of equipments while below she was wearing hotpants and short boots. It was a combat outfit. Her face that was wearing one lens type sunglasses was looking toward the east.
「There's a big black dragon in the middle of them nano! It's the dragon that we should have defeated this morning!」
「Black dragon? The small one just now was......」
「Sorry nano! Perhaps, a fragment of its miasma latched on the ship until here nano! Based on the black dragon's ability to become miasma, perhaps, its real body is actually somewhere else and it can sense the location of its offshoot!」
The information that was rattled out rapidly contained a lot of supposition. However, its authenticity was high based on the situational evidence. If not, then how could it possibly see through this town's camouflage?
Moana and the others looked pale. It was them who invited danger to this town.
「No need to apologize! It's our foolishness for being too festive and unable to detect such thing despite having fighting infected species for so long! Besides, my grandfather was able to take care a danger of this level while laughing. There isn't anything to worry about!」
A well-projected voice rippled through the town. It seemed that he intentionally used wind blessing art to amplify his voice. Surely those were words that he intended to reach the people of Glassnerde.
Even for them an attack from more than a thousand infected species wouldn't be easy to endure. It was a number that was impossible to repel without sacrifice. The number of sacrifice would increase even more depending on the ability of each individual enemy. The story about Kalagura's grandfather wasn't a lie, but even at that time the number of the enemy didn't reach 300.
「Come, this way! Let's go into the shrine once more. Evacuate together with the shrine maiden!」
At the very least nobody within sight showed any dissatisfaction or objection to Kalagura's words. The people of Glassnerde must have constantly lived side-by-side with danger and death all these times until now. After their temporary shock had passed, everyone moved with a look of determination.
But, additional bad news arrived as though to mock their resolve.
「There's a mixed pack of different race from the south! There are about as many! They might be lured by the loud migration of the first group!!」
The first one who moved the moment she heard that report was Moana.
「Onee-chan!?」
「I'm going ahead to BD! Even though I'm not familiar with the control I can at least intercept them as a fixed artillery! I'll hold the south! Spenser! Guard Koone and the others to evacuate then follow me! The wheelhouse is the safest place!」
「Understood!」
She applied heaven's blessing art to herself and strengthened her physical ability. She was running toward the harbor with incomparable speed then anything she could do before.
Myuu jumped down from on top the tree and landed on the ground. At the same time Koone's phone rang.
『Koone! I heard the situation from Foltina-sama! Hurry to BD, no, evacuate using teleport to Synclea just to be safe!』
「Eh, but, what about Kouki-sama?」
『......Actually, it seems there is another swarm that got attracted by the current group and approached from behind. But don't worry. Foltina-sama has a plan. After she recover a little bit more, she'll deploy one more camouflage barrier over the whole battlefield and do something about the majority of the attacking monsters, though it will use up most of her strength again.』
With that, even though it would cost a lot of power, they would be able to endure the battle here without allowing any more infected species in further distance to notice anything.
『Kalagura-san, you're there right?』
「Yes, hero-dono.」
『Moana should be activating BD. Work together with her and hold out somehow for thirty minutes. We also have to concentrate over here to heal Foltina-sama to the necessary level without letting any power leak out.』
「Understood.」
Kouki gave an instruction with a very grave tone. Koone couldn't say anything back right away, however, she looked toward Myuu with a firm will. That was because Myuu had the key to open a gate toward Synclea.
Koone's eyes were filled with rejection. She who was a queen and also the shrine maiden couldn't turn her back from this place and run away.
Both her big sister and Kouki said "run""be protected".
She understood that they said that because they held her dear. She was fully aware that she would only be a hindrance even if someone who wasn't a warrior like her stayed in the battlefield.
But, still......
「Leave it to me nano.」
Koone's feeling that was in the realm of selfishness, was accepted with a fearless smile by the friend before her.
「Kouki-oniisan, sorry but Myuu can't do as you ask nano.」
『Eh?』
The moment she said that, Myuu took Koone and Hinata's hand and ran. Kalagura and Spenser and others were taken by surprise and chased after them in panic.
「Mi-chan, where're we going!?」
「To where Ku-chan want to!」
Myuu said such thing while muttering something. Instantly, her short boots was enveloped in faint crimson light. Then the moment she kicked lightly on the ground, Koone and Hinata whose hands were joined with her also lightly floated to the air together. It was the function of the boots that had been enchanted with gravity magic.
They landed on the rooftop of the first-aid station. Myuu then took out the sniper rifle "Schlaagen" while speaking to Hinata.
「Sorry for dragging you into this nano, Hina-chan. If you can't agree no matter what then Myuu will send you――」
「I will not let you say anything further than that. I too feel that turning my back from here is going against my self-respect.」
「Myu! Myuu thought that Hina-chan will say something like that nano. Ku-chan can also use blessing art for combat right? Let's stop the enemies that slip through the front line together nano. To protect the injured people of Siltrayte.」
「Y-you two......」
Myuu and Hinata took Koone's feeling into consideration and tried to do what even they could do. It made Koone felt like the inside of her chest got squeezed tightly.
Of course, Kouki greatly objected to that.
『N-no way, absolutely no! Myuu-chan and the others fighting alone even though I'm nearby is totally a no no! This isn't a game! The enemies will try to kill you mercilessly! It's a real battle!』
「We know nano.」
「We understand.」
If it was a real battle where life was at risk, furthermore one where the fate of the world was at stake, then these two girls had already experienced it. Kouki didn't know what to say for a moment. Certainly......these two would really understand it, he thought.
Myuu spoke using that opening. She unfolded the stands from the barrel of the sniper rifle "Schlaagen" and fixed it on the rooftop. Then she loaded the rifle with a bullet that was dyed red.
「Kouki-oniisan, don't worry nano. Myuu had said it before but, Myuu already finished with the Gate preparation, and if push comes to shove Myuu will throw Ku-chan on my shoulder and run away nano. Myuu will also contact papa in the worst case. Yue-oneechan and the others will come running anytime, so there's no worry for this battlefield in the first place nano.」
『It's not that kind of problem! In the first place letting kids fighting is――』
「Even kids can lose what's important to them by running away nano.」
It wasn't just about the life of their important people. Even dignity, trust, the future, something......
The people here had been forced to live a life that was far removed from what was generally "normal". The three girls here were especially so.
Myuu peered into the scope and breathed slowly just as she was taught. Inside the zoomed up sighting, it felt like her eyes met with the shadow dragon's.
She breathed out, and stopped breathing.
「Myuu won't miss.」
Because she had trained that much. Because she had won over her papa's trust――she pulled the trigger.
There was a thunderous roar. At the same time the bullet that was clad in crimson light soared. It slipped through the vanguard of the swarm that had closed the distance until one kilometer and shot toward the center.
――!!?
It felt like the target let out a voiceless scream. The shadow dragon vanished. Behind the other side of the blazing tsunami that manifested in the sky.
It was a special bullet that had the highest class wide range flame element magic "World-Destroying Flame Wave" sealed inside it. Myuu guessed that if it was an offshoot then it might be wary against gravity ball's absorption, so she instead shot a dispersing type attack. It seemed that it was the right choice.
In addition it splendidly hit. The conflagration burst out from inside its body. The space was filled to the brim with flame without any time to run away. The others around it also got dragged into the flame. It must be a serious hit to them.
The frontline stirred. Kalagura and Spenser and his men who caught up to them in front of the first-aid station were looking at the eastern sky with a dumbfounded look while standing still.
「Kouki-oniisan, if Myuu can be honest, Myuu has been deflating my age.」
『What are you saying so suddenly!?』
「Myuu, has actually turned seven years old!」
『What do you mean!? No, you're coming out at this timinggg!?』
It was the right timing. She disclosed a secret――that was the premise to make Kouki understood.
「Umm, please don't be angry but」
『I'm already angry because you didn't listen to me though!』
「Papa, doesn't trust Kouki-oniisan as a bodyguard at the slightest from the start!」
「Eh!?」
It was Koone who raised her voice in surprise. She had heard about the story behind the trip, so she also knew the reason why the demon king family wasn't coming here.
『That's, because that guy also hate me――』
「That's not it.」
Second bullet loaded. This time it was a yellow bullet.
As expected it seemed the shadow dragon was wary against gravity attack. It seemed to have split itself to the edge of the swarm and reformed itself once more there although it had been drastically downsized. Myuu matched her timing with that――and sniped.
This time lightning burst in the sky like spider web. Combined with the attack before, several hundred infected species fell to the ground. Naturally the shadow dragon that received direct hit was also screaming and dispersing again.
Myuu immediately loaded the next bullet. She planned to reduce the number as much as possible before the enemies arrived at the frontline.
「Papa understand what kind of person Kouki-oniisan is nano. Kouki-oniisan is someone who will choose the faceless masses rather than your own important people. There is nobody less reliable than that as a bodyguard for when it's most important, papa said.」
「Ah」
『......Uguu』
As expected it was Koone who raised her voice. She must be remembering when Kouki weighed between her sister's order and the people of the rear territory and chose the latter. Certainly, Kouki was that kind of person. That was why he was the hero.
Indeed. Certainly, there was no one more inadequate than the hero to be entrusted with an irreplaceable someone.
Of course, Kouki would fight to the death with everything he had. There was no doubt he wouldn't hesitate to die if it was to protect Myuu and the others. But, even so, if he was forced to make a choice......there was no doubt that he would choose the many no matter how much he would hate himself because of that. Kouki himself didn't make any objection because he himself thought that he would surely act like that.
「That's why, although it's the truth that Kouki-oniisan is convenient to chaperone us......there was another condition, the true one so that Myuu could go to this trip without bothering papa and others nano.」
Myuu found the shadow dragon hiding at the back of the swarm with its size shrinking to the third of its original size. 「400 meter is no different than a stone's throw away. ――Myuu'll finish it with this」 She said as she sniped for the third time.
Perhaps she was able to somehow understood the shadow dragon's movement when taking emergency evasion, the bullet that was fired with a slightly deviated trajectory approached the dodging shadow dragon as though it was being pulled by magnet and hit.
White smoke instantly spread to a wide area like a smokescreen. The miasma and also nearly fifty more small infected species at the surrounding were all turned into stone and fell to the ground.
At the same time, BD was also launching a furious bombardment at the south side. The sight of a large type infected species whirling in the air together with flame blast and cloud of dust could be seen.
The frontline fighters finally understood that all those that just happened were the doing of the guests and cheered loudly.
Fuu, an exhale.
「Be strong enough to protect yourself.」
That was the condition for Myuu to be allowed to travel to other world without any family accompanying her. The passing mark required to fulfill that condition was extremely severe.
「Myuu had trained intensely for more than one year in the delayed space of Hour Crystal nano. Until Myuu was given the passing mark. Myuu has lost count how many times Myuu had gotten killed by Endou and killed him back in the practice game nano.」
「Why does Endou-sama came up there!? What do you mean by killed and killing!?」
Hinata-chan who heard this for the first time got heavily shaken. It couldn't be helped because she didn't know the existence of the fully immersive VR training game, artifact version using soul magic that once locked Yue and Kaori inside it because of accident.
In any case.
「Papa said this to Myuu nano. ――Make me accept by strength. Push through with your wish till the end. If that's really a genuine wish, then you can choose and decide it by your own from now on, he said.」
That was why, for the sake of her own wishes that wanted to support the feeling of her friend who didn't want to run away, that wanted to save the people of this town, she decided.
「Boysss! It's party time nano!!」
Her treasure warehouse shined once more.
Right after that, rainbow colored smoke burst up on the rooftop of the first-aid station. Appearing with striking poses were the multi-legged demons――the Deadly Sins squad, Demon Rangerrrr!!
「Lu-chan and Bel-chan and Ma-chan are bodyguards! Sa-chan, go with everyone to the eastern frontline! Beat them up nano!!」
HIIーーーーHAAーーーー!! Such high-tensioned yell resounded. Three of the seven multi-legged golems each took position at the edge of the roof, while the remaining four jumped down from the rooftop and landed in front of Kalagura and the others.
Kalagura was too shocked and took a distance with super speed backstep. Sa-chan aka Satan-san who seemed to understand the situation held a hand toward him.
Somehow, Kalagura vaguely got the feeling that he was saying 「Want a ride? We're bound for the fun fun frontline」.
Although, it was a fact that there was no more time.
Although the shadow dragon's figure couldn't be found, the small winged dragons were scrambling over each other to be the first one devouring the townspeople.
There would be a great difference at the frontline depending on whether Kalagura was there or not.
「Please go, Kalagura-sama! Koone, Koone is going to fight from here! As the queen of a friendly nation, and as the goddess's shrine maiden!」
Koone's agitation had settled down and she declared with dignity. Perhaps it was because of Myuu's words. Kalagura seemed to see something from her. He narrowed his eyes and his expression became solemn, as though he had been bestowed with an important order.
「As you will」
He only replied briefly like that before jumping on Sa-chan's back. The girls then saw them off flying to the frontline in a blink of eye with jet booster roaring behind.
『Aah geez, put in some good words for me when you're telling Nagumo about this trip! Also, just retreat temporarily even from the slightest danger! Your job is only to buy time and no more okay! Absolutely don't do anything reckless!』
「But, you won't mind even if we defeat them right?」
『Stop that, those words feels like bad luck for some reason. It's a material from some anime anyway right? Geez, really the apple doesn't fall far from the tree!!』
Kouki must wanted to hurry and get back to concentrate to his task quickly. He only left behind a rough reply at the end before cutting off the communication.
「With that said」
The frontline's offense began. Various blessing arts rose to the sky like fireworks, shooting down the winged dragons one after another.
Sand cloud rose and became barrier, or perhaps entangling an enemy and forcefully dragging it down to the ground, sand was hardened into a cone shape and fired randomly as surface-to-air bombardment. The town's defensive facility also started working.
「Etemp-tan, you're there right?」
「Since when you noticed, Ojou-sama?」
Appearing as though oozing out from Myuu's back was a beautiful fairy Etemp-san with three pairs of wings on her back.
「There's no way papa won't send a trump card as bodyguard! In that sense too there is no danger to Myuu!」
「What keen insight! As expected from Ojou-sama! Hey, demon king's beloved daughter!」
「Stop with the flattery! It's embarrassing nano!」
「Then, allow me to express my greeting once more! The transcendental pure and lovable type genius beautiful girl fai――」
「Please take care of the south side Etemp-tan! Myuu want you to help Moana-oneesan nano! Ku-chan, Hina-chan, let's fight back to back nano!」
The ignored transcendental (abbr.) fairy Etemp-chan, even so she stubbornly made the Miledy pose――right hand on the waist, left hand over the eye with horizontal peace sign and Wink! And one leg lifted up fixedly!――before obediently flying to the south.
In emergency she would be able to return back with super speed flight that left afterimages behind, so Myuu judged that she would be more useful in protecting them by reducing the enemy number at the frontline. There were also the Deadly Sin squad here already.
「Then, I too. ......I command you under the name and blood of Fujiwara Hinata. Come forth, my Zenki――Yaya no Hidzuki」
She held a single charm. Her eyes were closed as she chanted the words of contract.
「Oh my, as expected from Hinata. Battle breaks out everywhere you go to. Is it perhaps a present from you for me♪」
Mountain Ooe's Shuten Douji. The strongest oni had descended. Koone and Spenser and others had seen her once from projection, even so they were holding their breath from seeing the demonic beauty from right this close.
「You are here not for playing, Hidzuki. Please go to the south side too.」
「Your safety......I see, it's already taken care of. Fufu, looks like the opponent will be quite a challenge there♪」
「K-keep it in moderation, Hidzuki! Don't destroy any building, human, or ship――」
Hidzuki-san charged toward the south frontline in great mood. The shockwave from her step on the ground broke the first-aid station's roof. 「Ah, ouch!」 Such voice could be heard from below. Perhaps someone got woken up there.
Hinata was worrying Will it be alrightt~ even while releasing a pipe fox to be a guard and also scattering talismans to create ten "Shikis" all at once to take position around the building.
「Err, Spenser! If there are enemies approaching from the ground then please take care of them!」
「What about your majesty! We should stay as your guards――」
「No, Koone too might be able to be of use. This child is telling me how.」
At that timing, several winged dragons finally slipped through the frontline. There were also infected species that looked like iguana, dozens of them crawling on the ground in high speed from the south. Perhaps they were drawn by the miasma and weakened humans inside the first-aid station. They were heading straight this way.
Koone's hand reached toward her shoulder. Nyun lovingly jumped on it. Right after that, it radiated pure white light while transforming. A staff that was created from the Blessing Tree――perhaps it ought to be called as wisdom staff――settled on Koone's hand.
Following Nyun's guidance, she used <Regeneration> like usual. A bud came out from the staff and it bloomed into flower in the blink of eye. Dozens of seeds then spilled out from there.
「Hear my prayer――o wind」
A wind blessing art was casted with just that. It planted the seeds to the surrounding of the building.
Like that,
「For the trip's finale――」
「This is not bad.」
「Ahahah, you two are too gutsu! Koone's friends are all crazy kids!」
The three laughed together, fearlessly, elegantly, cheerfully.
Rifle bullets shot through the faraway enemies one after another. The enemies that had advanced until middle range were assaulted by purifying white flame and curse of mind befuddlement from mantra, and when they reached until close range the ground suddenly broke and powerful plants shot out to entangle them with ivies or absorbing their life to be nourishment.
The three little girls who miraculously met and nurtured friendship with each other despite being born in different worlds were fighting back-to-back like Hajime and Kouki and Kousuke when they were protecting the fairy world's Heaven Tree in the past. They were protecting each other while not allowing even a single enemy approaching.
Naturally, barrage from gatling gun and missile from Deadly Sins ranger, the pipe fox's fox fire and the fierce attack from the "Shikis" that didn't fear death, and the iron wall protection by Spenser and his men were also with them.
Even at the frontline, Deadly Sins ranger and Etemp & Hidzuki, and also BD were rampaging.
Then, the result went without saying.
This battlefield that was filled with sense of crisis at the beginning, couldn't possibly meet defeat.
Like that.
『Everyone, good job hanging in there. Now I shall――what's the meaning of thisss?』
Foltina-sama's hysterical voice that nobody had ever heard before resounded.
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「Papaaa! Myuu's homeee!」
「We have returned home.」
Myuu and Hinata had safely returned home in Nagumo family's house.
Myuu dived into her papa's arms. Hinata was fidgeting as Kousuke who came to pick her up patted her head.
「Myuu, did you have fun?」
「It was the greatest nano!」
「Hinata-chan too?」
「Yes-, Endou-sama!」
The two who were asked how did their trip went were answering like that with a wide smile. There wasn't any cloudiness in their face. Those were lovely smiling faces that showed that they really had fun.
Hajime and others also smiled seeing that.
That was why,
「Ah, that's right nano, paap.」
「Hm? What?」
「This is the replenishment request list nano. Kouki-oniiisan said that he needs them in a hurry.」
「......Replenishment request? Why did he give them to Myuu? Or rather, I should have filled the ship's treasure warehouse with enough stockpile for a year easily......did you guys hold a lavish feast or something ?」
「In a sense nano. It was like a lavish festival banquet super fever nano! Especially the last day!」
Hajime felt a bit suspicious, even so he accepted the list while nodding smilingly and saying I see I see. He dropped his gaze calmly to read the content――
A beat later, his head moved like an unoiled machine to look down at Myuu with his expression still smiling.
「Myuu, what kind of festival it was?」
Yue and others tilted their head seeing Hajime's reaction. Only Hinata was smiling wryly. While Kousuke was looking puzzled seeing Hinata's expression, Myuu answered with a wide smile.
「Of course, it's a war festival where bullets and magic and miasma are flying everywhere lavishly and you fight with your life on the line nano!」
The air inside Nagumo family's house froze. Yue quietly took the list from Hajime's hand. Then when she checked the content while holding it up so Shia and Sumire and others could also read, the amount of ammo consumed that was written there made them unable to stop making tsukkomi of which war they had participated in.
Remia mama almost lost consciousness when she imagined the trip that her daughter had gone into. Tio hurriedly supported her from falling down. Even Yue and others looked put off saying things like 「How did it become like this......」「Wasn't it the easiest world?」.
「Papa?」
Hajime quietly took out the smartphone that could make a call to another world and made a phone call while still smiling.
『H-hello――』
「Aa~maa~noo~gaa~waa~kuu~~~~~~n?」
『!!? You're calling the wrong number』
*Click* The call was cut off. Hajime papa's expression was gone completely.
「Papaaa, calm downnn! There was a situation that caused this nano!! Aah, you opened a gate!?」
「Eh, Mi-chan!? Hi-chan!? What's wrong!?」
「Ku-chan runnn! Take Kouki-oniisan to somewhere far awayyy!!」
「Endou-samaa! Please stop demon king-sama! Even though everyone had just managed to overcome a great danger! The people of Glassnerde will be too pitiful if the demon king descend there-!!」
「No, I don't know what do you mean though!?」
It became extremely chaotic for a while.
After Myuu explained the situation in general with a rapid-fire talk, Hajime regained his calm somewhat easily, because in the beginning he was also already resolved to some degree when he sent Myuu away.
After that, the talk naturally moved to Myuu telling the tales of her travel. She also distributed the souvenirs while splitting her share from Hinata's share. Myuu and Hinata were absorbed in telling their tales. It seemed they had a lot of fun. The living room of Nagumo family's home was filled with smile and warmth.
But, as expected the tempestuous last two days and the feeling of relieve of being home had left their effect. The two quickly reached their limit. They started dozing off in the blink of eye.
「For now, let's break off for today.」
「Myu~」
「Myuu-chan, let us talk again tomorrow.」
「Hina-chan, see you tomorrow nano~」
Even though they looked like they would nod off even now, Myuu and Hinata exchanged those parting words and went out of their way to hug each other.
Everyone couldn't hold back their smile while Kousuke brought Hinata home, and Remia too led Myuu to take a short bath before going to bed.
Even the sensation of her mother's hand caressing her cheek lovingly, and also the sound of the door being closed softly weren't being registered in Myuu's consciousness that was already in the height of sleepiness.
「Nnyaa......tomorrow~, gonna need to prepare for school......make a plaan~............for inviting Ku-chan......nyufufu-......good grief, it'll be super busy nano......」
Her consciousness turned off.
The last night of the trip where there were too many things that happened.
Myuu's expression as she fell asleep looked very satisfied and happy.
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AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
Thank you very much for following Myuu's spring break for so long!
As you can see the things that I want to write keep increasing as I wrote, it will make me happy if everyone can enjoy it even then.
About the update, please allow me to take a break next week.
Actually I updated consecutively this time because personal business that I have to do in the middle of September has been piling up (sweat).
And so, the next update is planned to be at 7 October. Best regards!
※Material introduction
- I'm already tired, my head isn't working at alll
From Korok of [Legend of Zelda -Tears of the Kingdom]. The Korok that was so tired and couldn't move. Even though I thought it was cute at first, before I noticed the image in my head became that of a blank expression of an oppressed Korok......I think it's possible.
- Your role right
From Monster Hunter's [Cutting tail is your role right?]. (TN: I think this is referring to useless or parasite player)
- I won't miss / I'll finish it with this
From big bro Rusty of [AC 6]. He is always cool anytime anywhere. His coolness when sniping is abnormal. He is really the big bro. In other words, cool.
- You won't mind even if I defeat him right.
From Archer of [Fate/Stay Night].
- Aa~maa~noo~gaa~waa~kuu~~~~~~n?
The image is from One Way Road of [To Aru] when calling the name of Kihara-kun.