"Are you okay down there?" I heard Satou's voice in my head.
"I'm fine," I take in a deep breath. "Just catching my breath. My armour will need some repairs, though. It turns out dragon bone is sharp enough to slice clean through it."
"How bad is it?"
"Not too bad, just a small hole through the front and back."
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Perfectly," some blood still remains on my armour, but the hole in my shoulder has already healed. "I drank a potion already, so everything is fine."
Looking up, I can see the massive dent I made in the airship. The metal has been bent around me, and I can't believe I managed to do something like that. I pick myself up from the small mountain of dirt that was built up behind me and push my way out through the bent and torn hull.
A small crowd of people had gathered around the airship, and the soldiers of the capital were barely able to keep them back. Plenty of nobles were mixed in with the commons, and acting just as rowdy as they were, they shuffled and pushed to get a better look at what was happening.
Satou was just finishing sliding down a rope from the bridge when I exited. He winced when he saw my shoulder.
"That looks worse than you made it sound," He said.
"It's fine," I smile. "I've already treated the wound. But if you are feeling bad for me, I have a feeling a grumpy noble is about to arrive, and you can deal with him for me."
I look up and see small lifeboats floating down, containing all the people I evacuated to Twilight. The island itself looks pretty beautiful against the backdrop of the rising sun. I have a feeling that sight will cause me problems later on. I can already hear mutters in the crowd about wanting to visit my island.
But I can see my biggest problem in the lead boat floating towards us. The soldiers manage to push the crowd back so no one gets crushed by the landing lifeboats, at least, but there is one grumpy face I spot. Stepping out of the lifeboat, the duke glares at me before walking off. Hopefully, he won't start any trouble, but on the upside, it doesn't look like Viola ended up punching him.
"Kura."
Mia hopped on my back, and I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see the sylph she rode down from the island. She rubs her head into my cheek like some kind of cat, but it isn't that I don't, it's her hair keeps smacking me in the face.
"Were there any problems with the people on Twilight?" I ask.
"Mmm…" Mia frowned and let out a groan as she glanced towards the duke.
So he really did cause problems.
"Was he that bad?"
"Yeah," Mia nodded before adding. "Sara."
"Did she manage to handle him?"
"Yeah," Mia nodded again.
Since it was Sara, I doubt I have to worry about him causing any problems with his treatment later on. If it was Viola who she said handled it, I doubt I would be able to sleep tonight.
"Mia, you shouldn't have run off, I complain."
Nana hugged both Mia and me from behind, crushing Mia between my back and her big cushions. I can hear Mia grumbling something, but Sara and Henry arrive and…
"What happened to your shoulder?" Sara managed to ask almost at the same time as Henry.
"It's fine, I've already taken care of it with a potion."
Plear steps into view with Viola, and for some reason they have that trumtised man with him who is still muttering, "Their monster," repeatedly. He's tied up for, and those two are keeping a close eye on him.
"Who is he?" I ask, hoping to change the subject away from my shoulder.
"One of the enemy," Pearl nodded.
"You must have sent him over by mistake," Viola added. "The Duke wanted to kill him, but since you caught him, we decided to stop that until you say to hand him over."
"Kura,"
"Kura, we haven't finished talking."
But my attempts to change subjects failed as Sara and Henry closed in.
"What happened to your shoulder?" They both asked.
"I don't want to answer that."
I want to back away from them, but Nana is standing right behind me.
"Why not?"
Those two are really in sync today.
"Because you will yell at me if I do."
<0>
I collapsed onto the picnic blanket Lulu had laid out as soon as Sara and Henry were done with me. They really did yell at me for doing something so stupid and made me promise never to do it again. Never thought I would have to make a promise to never stand in front of a crashing airship.
Nibbling on the cookie Lulu handed me, I glance around. Everyone seems to be doing fine right now. The guards have arrested the attackers, the wounded have been treated, and Duke Vistall is yelling at his remaining loyal retainers. The crowd of onlookers have grown, but more soldiers have arrived, so none of them is getting close to us.
"Sir Pendragon," Baronet Jelil, the mithril explorer known as the "Scarlet Nobleman," approached Satou, but I doubt I would have to worry about that.
"Hey, check out that red armour."
"Isn't that Jelil, the Scarlet Nobleman who defeated the floormaster?"
"Now there's a fine man. If I were ten years younger, I'd try to snag him myself."
"Ga-ha-ha, more like thirty years…"
"Then does that mean the black-haired fella next to him is the young leader of Pendragon?"
"What, that kid?"
"He doesn't have a sword or a staff. Gotta be some noble kid who looks up to Jelil, right?"
"Yeah, he's got no muscle, either…"
No, the crowd might start some rumours Satou will need to worry about, but he should be able to handle those himself. I'm more interested in the way the crowd has started to part. There was some shouting, but most people moved on their own.
It must be someone famous or important, as the rest of the onlookers stop looking at Satou and Jelil and turn towards the parting crowd. Soon, a tall man with a large spear appeared with Miss Helmina, a gun user from the Shiga Eight at his side and several holy knights trailing behind them.
"He looks to be a military man. Is he an acquaintance of yours?"
"You don't know him? That's Sir Zef Juleburg the Unstoppable, the leader of the Shiga Eight."
Jelil corrected Satou as I got to my feet.
"He must be here to recruit Jelil."
"That's gotta be it. Maybe he's even looking for a successor."
"That's our leader Jelil for you!"
Jelil's party had their idea of what was happening, but the man didn't look to their leader or even glance his way.
The crowd suddenly stiffened, and Pearl and Nana jumped in front of me with their weapons raised. Juleburg must have used an "Intimidation" skill, but I didn't feel a thing. Instead, I step between Nana and Pearl, and Juleburg stopped in front of us.
"That was quite a baptism by fire." Juleburg glanced me over. "You're smaller than I expected."
"Not something I can…"
"I am Zef Juleburg the Unstoppable, First Seat of the Shiga Eight. I have come to request a duel with you, lady hero."
The onlookers started talking loudly after that declaration. Juleburg held a magic spear with a white handle and a bluish adamantite-alloy spearhead, which made the crowd gasp in admiration. It was a nice spear, and judging by the amount of magical energy I feel coming from it, that beautiful spear isn't just for show.
I really don't want to do this. I just got ramped by an airship and fought against multiple attackers. The last thing I want right now is another fight. But I can tell her won't take no for an answer. That look in his eyes is all I need to know that a fight is unavoidable. Maybe I shouldn't have washed away most of the blood on my shoulder, so I would have an excuse to get out of this.
"Here I come!" he said.
Without waiting for my answer, Juleburg dismounted from his horse and swiftly charged toward me. I jumped back, but his reach with that spear allowed him to keep up with me, so I changed direction. Rolling forward, I kicked Juleburg's leg as I passed him, but he quickly rolled to his feet.
"Not bad, I can see why the king recommended you," He said, readying another attack. "Now, draw your sword."
Since the chance to get out of this match has long since passed, I draw both my holy swords, causing the crowd to go wild. I can hear some comment on my swords, while others make remarks about bragging to their friends about being able to see them.
"So you're finally rising to the challenge, are you? Then I'll let you have the first move. Come at me, lady…"
"Hey! Stop, stop!" My saviour was an unlikely one. Duke Vistall, the man who won't stop glaring at me, managed to rescue me from this fight. "Do you not see this disaster?! His Majesty's airship was attacked, and yours truly, a noble leader of the kingdom, was nearly assassinated! Stop playing around like this and go chase the criminals who ran off with my Holy Ch—I mean, my daughter!"
Spittle flew from the duke's mouth as he shouted.
"Hero Kura, is a larva in danger?"
Central should still be keeping an eye on her. The child in question, her mother and a few knights and servants escaped the airship before the attack. The lifeboat they used landed safely, and a few of the attackers on the ground met them and, according to Central, are escorting them towards the capital. Satou comfirmed it wasn't a kidnapping, so I left them alone and focused on stopping the airship.
"Pssst, master. If the duke's daughter has been kidnapped, isn't this Team Pendragon's time to shine?"
"Let's-a gooo…?"
"Scrambled eggs, sir!"
I heard Arisa, Pochi and Tama speak up from Satou's side.
"Forgive me, Lady Hero. I know I am the one who requested a sparring match, but I must request a postponement for now."
Juleburg gave me a bow before the duke started spitting again.
"This is no time to be talking to a lowly knight…"
"I must now go recover the stolen Holy Chalice. I will send an emissary to you in the next few days; I hope you will show me what you're truly made of then." Juleburg continued ignoring the duke.
With a final flourish, Sir Juleburg disappeared into the throng, flanked by his Holy Knights and Lady Helmina. Duke Vistall, seemingly appeased, retreated to the side of his waiting wives. Jelil and the Red Dragon's Roar to saddle their horses and thunder off after them.
"…Holy Chalice?" Mia asked.
"No idea," I was curious what that was, too. "Might as well check things out. Mia, but could you summon some sylphs?"
"Mm. Got it."
Mia began using the Spirit Magic spell "Create Wind Spirit" to summon multiple sylphs. They looked like semitransparent women. The crowd exclaimed when they appeared, but I ignored them. Mia summoned three of them, so I just took her and Nana with me. Everyone else wanted to come, but I convinced them to stay and help the wounded. The sylphs carried Nana, Mia, and me away; they lifted us into the air, some distance from the main road, flying toward Labyrinth City.
<0>
"Hero Kura."
Unexpectedly, we ran into a familiar face, or should I say seven of them. Seven identical faces called out to me in perfect unison. They were Nana's sisters, and I hope they weren't the reason why there are several overturned carriages on the roadside.
"Mia and I are here, too, I declare."
Nana spoke up as the sylph dropped her. I brought her because I knew she wouldn't obey me if I told her to stay behind, hearing a kid was in danger, but I am glad things turned out this way.
"Nana," her sisters replied, then faced Mia. "Princess."
"Not princess." Mia frowned. She doesn't like being called "princess" for some reason, but never says why. "Mia."
"Lady Mia," the sisters corrected.
Mia nodded, looking satisfied.
"Erm, do you know these young ladies?"
A middle-aged man approached us. He looked like a merchant and came from the direction of the carriages. Now that I get a closer look, it is worse than I first thought. Multiple carriages have turned over, and several horses were on the ground foaming at the mouth. Their luggage and goods lay scattered all over the road and grassland beside it. The overturned carriages and piles of luggage were blocking the road as well.
I don't want to believe that Nana's sisters caused this mess, but it is getting harder to ignore the feeling that they were. Just what could they have done to cause such a scene? I'll get some answers from them later, but as their master, I should apologise on their behalf.
"Yes, I'm sorry if they caused any harm," I bow, making the man look even more nervous than he already is as he glanced off to the side.
I followed his eyes and saw how Nana's sisters managed to cause so much damage. At the edge of a forest, a giant creature that looked like a cross between a crab and a spider sat with its legs drawn inward. It was a level-30 monster called a long-legged spider crab. It looks like it has been tamed.
Judging by the wreckage, it was clear what had happened. The sisters must have emerged from the forest riding that long-legged spider crab, plunging the merchant's caravan into absolute chaos. Panic had set in instantly; the horses had shied and bolted, causing the drivers to lose all control in a desperate attempt to veer away from the approaching monster.
"I will explain the situation to Hero Kura. You take charge of the repair work, Ithnani."
Ithnani nooded and walked back towards the carriage. Oh, I forgot I'd given them names. It has been too long since we last saw each other.
"Nana, help your sisters with the cleanup, please."
"Yes, Hero Kura."
Once Adin had explained the situation and introduced me to the merchant, I stepped forward. I offered to cover the full cost of the sisters' destruction.
"Lady Kura? Are you by any chance the same hero known as the 'Pirate Hunter' Liquor Marquis Hero?"
"I wasn't aware of the 'Pirate Hunter' nickname, but I did take care of some pirates along the sugra route, and I am a Liquor Marquis in the Kingdom of Sorcery, Lalagi."
But it wasn't like we went out of our way to hunt those pirates. Satou did sneak off a night to take out some of their hideouts, but we mostly just attacked pirates who attacked us first. But we did keep running into one pirate ship after another. And Satou was at the helm all those times leading up to those attacks. I'll have to ask him later whether he steered us towards those pirates on purpose.
"I thought as much! You may not remember him, but my uncle is the captain of a merchant ship. You saved his life and several other friends of mine as well."
He gave me the names of the people I'd apparently saved. I honestly can't remember them, but I've saved so many people in the sugar route that it is no wonder I can't remember all the names. So, I put on a smile and pretended that I knew exactly who he was talking about.
"I see, so I saved some friends and family of yours," I say. "So about the damages."
"There's no need to reimburse me. Our goods are all packed very thoroughly, and none of the carriages has broken axles," he rattled off eagerly. "Truly, it must be fate that I was able to meet the person who saved my uncle and friends. We'll be staying in the capital until the new year—please come see us if you need anything. I'm afraid I can't give it to you for free, but we'll certainly give you the deepest discounts we can!"
It was clear he had no intention of accepting coin for the damages. Given that his ships ran the sugar route, however, his inventory was likely stocked with high-end wares. I decided to pay him a visit later.
A sudden stir from Nana and her sisters cut short my conversation with the merchant. Turning, I saw the gathered travellers staring in disbelief as the homunculi effortlessly heaved the wreckage aside. They were clearing the road with such mechanical efficiency that neither my interference nor Mia's magic seemed necessary. Even so, feeling restless on the sidelines, I turned back to the middle-aged merchant to help him salvage what remained of his scattered cargo.
Or that was what I was going to do, but…
"Hey now! What fools dare block the road?! Move your carriages aside and make way already!"
A shout cut through the gridlock of carriages, jagged with rage. I peered through the chaos to see a young knight carving a path toward us, his blade bared and dripping with threats. It was one of the men who had abducted Duke Vistall's daughter. I had been hunting them when I'd stumbled upon Nana's sisters, so in hindsight, it shouldn't have shocked me that the wolves were circling so close.
"My apologies, Sir Knight. We'll have them all moving again by the fourth cycle, if you would be so kind as to wait just a little longer, please. It's not much, but allow me to offer these as an apology…"
"You dare mock me, lowlife?!"
Money meant nothing to the knight; as the merchant stammered an apology with a fumbling hand extended, steel cleaved the space where the man's head had been a second before. I pulled him back just in time and grabbed the knight's arm.
"Let ahhh!"
The knight let out a cry, and I squeezed his wrist hard enough for him to drop his sword. Once he dropped his weapon, I threw him off his horse hard enough to knock him out.
"What do you think you're doing?! Do you not see the family crest of Duke Vistall?! If you turn your sword on us, you are declaring rebellion against the house of Duke Vistall!"
A peacock of a noble strutted through the street, his two knights bullying the traffic into the dirt. Following them was a blank, black carriage—an absurd shield for a man who had recently conspired to assassinate Duke Vistall. The irony was as thick as his ego: he moved as if he were under the duke's protection, yet he hadn't even bothered to have the Vistall crest on his armour or carriage. He must have been accustomed to spewing this nonsense.
"He already hates me," I reply, knocking the man out with a 'Stun Shot' spell.
The two knights were dealt with in the same manner.
"Aah! It's the nice hero lady from the airship!"
Somienna, Duke Vistall's youngest daughter, leaned out the window of the carriage and pointed at me. I'm glad she didn't appear to be restrained or otherwise trapped.
"She was on that airship?! Then they must be pursuers!"
One of the knights beside the carriage cried out, causing everyone in their group to draw their swords.
"Somienna! Stay inside!"
"But, Mother—"
The duke's first wife pulled Somienna back into the carriage as the knights split into two groups. The four closest to me rushed forward while the rest turned, guarding the carriage as it started to turn, but…
"Um… why am I not in the carriage?"
Somienna blinked and looked around, confused. Even the knights stopped in their tracks at seeing her suddenly appear beside me. I had grabbed hold of her with the 'Magic Hand' spell before her mother pulled her back inside and then teleported her to my side with 'Space Magic'.
"Sorry, please bear with this situation for a while," I tell her before turning to Nana, who was already moving toward me. "Nana, can you and your sisters protect her?"
"Yes, the larva will be safe with me, I vow."
Nana quickly scooped up Somienna and ran back to her sisters, who in turn made their own promises to protect her as they formed a human wall around the kid.
"Somienna!" The kid's mother poked her head out of the carriage. "Somienna!"
"Stay inside the carriage, my Lady!" the knight-commander barked, her voice cutting through the chaos. She didn't wait for an acknowledgement before issuing her commands: "Squad One, keep the hero busy! Squad Two, form a perimeter around the carriage! Squads Three and Four, retrieve Lady Somienna—once she's secure, we fall back!"
The merchants started to flee into the forest as the knights began to charge. I'm glad I didn't have to yell at them to get them to run. Now the field is clear, so we don't have to hold back.
"Mia, focus on thinning their numbers."
Still in her formal dress, Mia nodded. Soon, a cloud appeared in the middle of the knights rushing Nana and her sisters, causing several to drop to their knees and cover their eyes. The sisters shouldn't have any problems dealing with the remaining attackers. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Nana herself isn't already strong enough to defeat them all by herself.
I don't bother to draw either of my swords as the knightly men and women charge closer. I simply stun them all with 'Stun Shot' spells until they are all on the ground. Apart from nearly getting hit by a man Nana sent flying with a shield bash, I had no problems at all defeating this group, so I approached the carriage, knocking out the guards and then the duke's wife as she tried to flee on foot.
When I turn around, I see Nana and her sisters have begun tying up the knights that attacked them. You might think it was strange to see a man smiling at this as he was restrained, then tied up, but then again, his head was resting against one of the sister's cushions. That smile soon vanished when a female knight kicked him despite being tied up herself.
"You who would bathe the streets of Shiga Kingdom with blood! We are the noble Third Regiment of Knights, the patrollers of the capital! Put away your swords at once, or you will be considered bandits and executed!"
As soon as the fighting came to an end, the knights of the royal capital finally arrived. But since they arrived, I let them take the people we captured into custody, as well as Somienna. Nana and her sisters were against that, but I don't want to deal with the duke. Then, once we had gotten the merchants' carriages back into working order, we headed back to the others.
"Well, if you'll excuse us, then."
"Please be sure to visit us. Our shop is at 30 Coin Street."
"Yes, I certainly will!"
With that promise to the merchant, we left. Mia's sylphs carried us into the sky with little effort.
"Master! We're flying, I declare!" Number 8, no Huit shouted.
Nana's other sisters were also excited by the flight. They weren't as expressive as Huit, but they seemed to be enjoying themselves. Speaking of Huit. I had her send that long-legged spider crab that had started the whole affair to a nearby mountainside until I could figure out what to do with it.
On our way back, some birdfolk soldiers and Wyvern Knights demanded identification from us, but they didn't keep us too long once they saw my ID.
<0>
We had been gone less than an hour, but nothing had changed. The duke's party was long gone, but the rest of the group stood exactly where we'd left them, still waiting for carriages that hadn't shown up.
"Did everything go well?" Satou said, coming over to us.
"Yeah, everyone was captured, and Somienna is now with the guards, so everything worked out," I replied. "We also had an unexpected reunion."
Satou glanced over my shoulder and saw Mia fending off the attention of the Nana sisters. Only Nana and the former Number One Adin weren't competing to carry her.
"Glad to see Nana's sisters are doing well," Satou asked.
"We have finally returned to the service of our hero. From now on, we seven shall serve below Lady Mia and our other seniors, like Nana, to devote ourselves to working for our hero." Adin spoke pretty normally compared to Nana and her other sisters.
"Were you able to visit the grave?"
"Yes, we visited our former master's wife's grave and buried his mementoes there."
At least everything went well with them. I was worried they would end up in some crazy situation or get lost.
"Even more shieldmaidens?"
"What's she gonna do with eight of them, fight a demon lord's army?!"
"She is a hero after all."
"C'mon, let me have one!"
As we spoke, the crowd started making comments. They must have gotten pretty bored with waiting by this point. At least none of them looks like they are going to come over and bother us.
"So, master, are we going to keep waiting here?"
"Hmm…" Satou thought for a moment. "It's not really that far. Why don't we just walk? That's okay with you?"
"Yeah, if they were sending someone to pick me up, I doubt they wouldn't have shown up by now."
Baron Muno should be staying somewhere within the noble quarter in front of the castle, and Satou said he and his group would stay with them, so we are heading in the same direction. I was meant to go to the castle, which is a distance away, but I can hire a carriage after parting with Satou.
"Is that all right with you, Lady Karina?"
Karina nodded in response. Her golden curls bounced along with something else that reminds me how unfair the world can be. It makes me wonder how Satou hasn't fallen for her when his eyes nearly fall out of their sockets watching a bounce like that.
"Tama's fine, too…?"
"Pochi's okay, too, of course, sir."
Tama and Pochi, who were being held up like dolls by Seis and Huit, chimed in cheerfully after Karina. The affinity for little ones clearly ran in the family; Nana's sisters glowed as they hoisted the animal-eared duo into their arms. Fünf attempted to do the same with Mia, but was met with a short "no," and stood there, looking dejected.
"Are you coming with us or staying, Henry?" I asked the noble girl who had been looking my way for a while now.
"Yes," Henry nodded, but her lady in waiting tried to say something that was ignored. "My parents must be worried about me, so I will go with you since I will get to see them and put their worries at rest faster this way."
In the end, her lady in waiting was powerless to stop Henry, so she organised the other maids who came with Henry. There was a knight too, but he was among the wounded and wouldn't be joining us.
"All right, let's get going," Satou said as he turned and led the way towards the gate to the royal capital.
We now had a big group of over twenty people, with Nana's sisters having arrived. The gawking crowd had doubled in size while I was occupied with the sisters. It was a slow, gruelling crawl to clear them, but once we left that wall of stares behind, the journey to the capital became a blur, bringing us to the gates before I could even catch my breath.
"Biiig…?"
"It's way bigger than the Labyrinth City gate, sir!"
Tama and Pochi stared up at the colossal gate, their excitement rippling through the rest of the group. It loomed like a distant cousin to the Arc de Triomphe, a bold monument to the Shiga Kingdom's immense wealth and storied culture. Intricate carvings spiralled across its surface. There were elaborate carvings on it, as well as several hidden runelike circuits in the shadows.
"Line."
"I suppose that's to be expected when you're entering the capital of a big kingdom."
Mia and Arisa let out collective groans at the sight of the snaking queues clogging the gate. Disregarding the throngs of merchants and commoners, we steered ourselves toward the lane reserved for the aristocracy, where polished carriages stood in a sparse procession. Since most of the noble traffic had already cleared, our wait was mercifully brief. Before long, the gatekeeper waved us forward.
"This is the nobles' line. If you belong here, please show me proof." The gate knight's voice was tense.
"Wow, he's got a babely voice."
"Babelyyy…?"
"It's better to let baby boars grow up big before you hunt them so you get more meat, sir."
The guard's harsh gaze softened as the chatter of Arisa and the children drifted from behind me.
"I am Satou Pendragon, vassal and hereditary knight of the Muno Barony. This young woman to my right is Baron Muno's daughter, Lady Karina Muno." Satou gave introductions and showed his noble papers and Karina's papers from her lady-in-waiting, Pina. "To my left is a vassal and knight from Seiryuu County, Kura Suou and the daughter of Count Seiryuu Henrietta Seiryuu."
I showed him my ID, and Henry showed him hers.
"My apologies, but I'll have to inspect these."
The knight scrutinised the papers, then us, his eyes flicking over our faces with clinical detachment. He had the "Analyse" skill, so he was probably making sure we were who we claimed to be.
"Forgive my rudeness, Ladies. Sir Pendragon, if it would not be too much trouble, might I ask why nobles such as yourselves are not riding in a carriage?"
"We were on the airship that made an emergency landing here earlier. As no one came to pick us up, we decided to walk and enjoy the view of the capital, and perhaps pick up a cab along the way."
Satisfied, he offered a curt apology for not having a carriage we could borrow and waved us through.
"…Hmm?"
After we passed through the gate, Arisa rubbed her eyes and blinked several times.
"What's up?"
"I thought I saw something strange next to the castle there…"
"Oh, yeah. It's a cherry blossom tree."
According to Eluterina, the general manager of the Echigoya Company, the famous "Royal Sakura" tree began blooming around this time every year. It wasn't blooming the last time I was in the capital, so I was looking forward to seeing it. I just wish that every time I hear about the tree, it isn't followed by the ladies at the company surrounding me and asking if Satou's "Kuro" persona would enjoy having a date in sight of the tree.
"The same size as the castle?"
"It's not that surprising, is it?"
This world had Mountain-Trees and even the World Trees that stretched into outer space. A tree around the size of a castle wasn't too unusual.
"Mm, normal." Mia nodded sagely.
"Yeah, I guess so." Arisa seemed to remember the giant trees and nodded, but she still had a strange expression on her face. "So even though it's that big, it's not the Unwithering Sakura Tree, huh?"
"Yeah, I don't think making a wish under this tree will guarantee the wish comes true."
Arisa was obviously thinking of the sakura tree from that famous video game series.
"That's too bad." Arisa grinned and turned the subject back to reality. "So there are sakura trees in this world, too."
"I hear the ancestral king Yamato got them from the elves."
"The ancestral king again…? It's like the legends of Kukai the monk." Arisa sounded sceptical of the old stories.
"Now, now. I heard the cherry blossoms bloom in the royal capital around the new year—we should all come have a flower-viewing party when they're in full bloom."
"Ooh, nice! You should make sakura mochi!"
"Sure," Satou nodded.
While Arisa's lessons on the art of flower-viewing enchanted the younger children, I found myself drifting into fond memories. The trance broke only when a sharp tug on my sleeve. Huit was hopping up and down as she pointed.
"Hero Kura, Hero Kura, I see a carriage without a horse, I declare."
Looking in the direction she was pointing, I saw a carriage that looked like a nineteenth-century automobile. The carriages themselves were automated golems; we'd seen a few in Ougoch Duchy.
"That's a golem carriage," I told her.
And it turned out I would be in for a long walk of answering questions.
"Hero Kura, the flowers on the balconies are pretty, I report."
Huit clung to my arm, her small hand guiding my gaze toward the blossoms trailing from the houses above. They really were beautiful. So were most of the other things she pointed to. She asked questions about some things and found some weird stuff, but most of the things Huit pointed to were beautiful or very cute. But I feel like someone is glaring a hole through the back of my head ever since she took hold of my arm.
"Huit, you are inconveniencing Hero Kura, I report," Nana said.
"Am I inconveniencing you, Hero Kura?" Huit asked.
"No, it's fine," I say, despite the slight pain in my arm from her constant tugging.
For some reason, that feeling of a hole being burnt into my back only seems to get worse. I'm starting to feel nervous to even glance over my shoulder as Huit shoots Nana a look with a self-satisfied huff. She had the same blank expression as Nana, but I'm sure that was her version of a smug smirk.
Spanning wide enough for four carriages, the road from the west gate lacked regulation; without traffic signals, intersections frequently devolved into gridlock. Without signs or signals, traffic frequently ground to a halt at busy crossings, though the pace remained far gentler than the frantic snarl of modern streets. The sidewalks were largely ignored; travellers preferred the unpredictability of the open road, turning the thoroughfare into a mingle of horses, wheels, and wandering feet.
"It appears to be primarily humans here."
Watching the stream of pedestrians, Liza quickly delved into her Fairy Pack. She retrieved a handful of cloaks, draping them over herself to hide her shimmering orange scales and lashing tail, while doing the same for Tama and Pochi until their telltale ears and tails were safely tucked away.
According to Satou, the royal capital was 80 percent human. The remaining 20 percent were primarily scalefolk or beastfolk, while there were fewer than three hundred fairy races all told.
"Master, is there discrimination toward nonhuman races in the royal capital, too?" Lulu asked.
"I think it depends. Apparently, there are beastfolk merchants and ambassadors from nonhuman countries. But I imagine it's not as bad as in the northern parts of the Shiga Kingdom." Satou told her.
In Seiryuu City, most demi-human races, except some fairies, were only allowed to exist as slaves. Even with my hero title, I had to keep Pearl as a slave because things were so bad. I should probably change that soon, now that I have connections and will be given a high enough noble rank to protect her without that slave status.
"There are lots of different kinds of carriages, too."
"Yes, and there are other beasts pulling carriages and carts besides horses, like the runosaurs and dullalkosaurs we saw in the old capital."
Lulu and Liza were talking as they walked side by side.
"Gorgeooous…"
"Very amazing carriage, sir!"
Overtaking us with a heavy, rhythmic rumble, a massive three-story carriage surged ahead. The Shiga Kingdom's flag billowed from its perch, and the prominent crest of the Ministry of Labyrinth Resources was painted on its side.
"Wow, that seems excessive," Arisa commented, looking at the escort.
Ten knights rode beside the carriage along with several mounted soldiers.
"It is an official kingdom carriage. I think that's a normal amount of guards." Satou replied to her.
"Hmm, you think so."
"Hero Kura! Hero Kura, over there! A huge turtle is pulling a cart, I declare!"
Huit turned me as she hopped up and down while pointing towards a giant tortoise lumbering down the street with a six-wheel cart in tow.
"I'm surprised it doesn't dent the cobblestones with all that weight," Arisa remarked.
"Maybe it's reinforced with Earth Magic?" Satou replied.
After watching them pass, we continued walking down the street. Huit kept twisting, hopping and pointing whenever something caught her eye, but it wasn't too painful on my trapped limb she's pulling around.
"Sir Pendragon! Miss Hero!"
We stopped when we heard someone call out. I spotted a familiar face leaning from a carriage window, a high-ranking official from the Celivera explorers' guild, known primarily for his drinking prowess during our frequent guildmaster-led celebrations. Having travelled on our same airship, he and his team were currently in the process of delivering the floormaster's spoils to the king.
"The nobles' quarters are some distance away, and there aren't many cabs in this area. Would you like a ride at least partway?"
"I truly appreciate the offer, but we've got a big group here…"
"That's all right. There are two more carriages behind us, and we'd feel safer having mithril adventurers like yourselves and a hero's party along with us."
"Ah, right." Satou lowered his voice. "You don't have any knights…"
"Yes, did you see the Ministry of Labyrinth Resources carriage pass before we did? That was a decoy. Our plan is to quietly make our way to the royal castle while any ruffians are distracted by that one."
But despite the lack of knights, the real convoy wasn't undefended. Multiple guild workers, who were former adventurers, were riding on or beside the wagons. But their numbers still seemed a little low for such a valuable delivery. So, in the end, we agreed to ride with them.
We wouldn't all fit in one carriage, so Satou, Karina, Pochi, Tama and Pina rode in the first carriage. The rest of Satou's group and Karina's maids rode in the second carriage. Henry and her maids rode in the third. That left my group and Nana's sisters spread out, sitting on top of the second and third carriages alongside the visibly armed guild workers. The second and third carriages were as tall as a two-story building and slightly wider and twice as long as a normal carriage, so we had a good view and plenty of room.
The executive I was riding with revealed that he and two other colleagues with the "Item Box" skill had secured the most valuable floormaster loot within their personal inventories. At the same time, the rest were carried in high-capacity Magic Bags provided by the royal family. The trunks, precariously stacked across the roof and on the cramped floors, were little more than a distraction. Some were even packed with malfunctioning magical trinkets—bait intended to misdirect or confuse anyone daring enough to cast a prying spell.
"Looks like some thieves went after the decoy!"
A guild employee called out as smoke filled the street, not far ahead of us. A sudden roar erupted through the haze. A burst of flames ignited near the centre of the square, casting long, dancing shadows against the buildings. High above, hidden on a rooftop, a criminal guild mage had laid a "Fire Circle trap". Caught between the choking smoke and the wall of fire, the knights and soldiers were effectively blinded, frantically searching for an enemy who held the high ground."
"Wow, criminals in this kingdom sure are bold," Viola commented as masked men and women rushed from a nearby alley.
"No… We hardly ever have idiots who try something this bold." The executive told us.
I could barely make it out, but I could see that the knights and soldiers had engaged some of the thieves who were unlucky enough to run into them. To call it one-sided was an understatement, as most of those thieves were killed after one or two swings of the guards' swords.
That mage could be a problem, but I spotted Satou throw a stone through the window of the carriage he is in, and hit him in the stomach, knocking the mage out, who then falls from the roof. Luckily, the mage hit every balcony on the way down, stopping him from dying from the fall. Unluckily for the mage, he landed at the feet of a royal knight who wasted no time in stabbing him through the chest.
The knights and soldiers soon began counterattacking. A wind magic user cleared the smoke, and then a massacre began as every thief was cut down. I had to look away. Blood was getting everywhere, and they didn't spare any of the attackers. Even the thieves who tried to run were chased and killed. Before long, the fight was over, and city guards arrived to drag the bodies from the street.
"Looks like they took care of things. Let's keep moving, too." The carriage started moving again not long after the executive spoke.
There were a few wounded people who got caught up in the fight, leaning against walls and craddling their wounds. We didn't stop, but I didn't ignore them as we rode past. I secretly cast healing spells without them knowing, treating those I spotted, leaving them looking around, confused as they tried to figure out how their cuts and broken bones had healed.
<0>
"Pretty snug for a baron's mansion, isn't it?"
As we parted ways with Satou and his group, along with Karina and her maids, I heard Arisa's comment. She wasn't wrong. Arisa hadn't been lying; compared to the typical image of a noble's manor, Baron Muno's capital house was underwhelming. In reality, it was a perfectly respectable size for a baron—and luxurious enough to make any modern Japanese person feel like they were living in royalty.
But Count Seiryuu's manor was nearly three times the size as we dropped Henry off at her capital home. A beautiful garden, strong-looking knights guarding the gate, and a large fountain by the front door. Henry invited us in for tea, but I had to decline since we were expected at the castle and I shouldn't keep royalty waiting. Her parents were at the royal castle already, so we couldn't borrow their carriage. Still, Henry lent us some of the horses her household knights used. We had to ride two to a horse, but thanks to her, we cut our travel time in half.
"Welcome, Hero Kura,"
Even though we didn't tell anyone we were heading to the castle, or when we arrived, the moment we did, maids lined up to greet us. A butler bowed his head while we dismounted from our horses.
"Thank you for the warm greeting," I smiled in return.
"Hero Kura, the king asked me to show you to the guest wing," the butler said. "We weren't aware your group grew in size, so some of the rooms are still being prepared. Refreshments have been laid out for you and your companions, so please rest while we get everything ready. The king also said he would like to meet with you and will send someone to collect you when he is through with his meeting."
"I look forward to meeting him," I nod. "And I am sorry for the trouble I caused."
They probably heard about Nana's sisters joining my group somehow and are rushing to prepare rooms for them.
"Did Sir Juleburg pass along the message he was asked to deliver?"
I blinked as the butler asked me that. It will probably get Juleburg in trouble if I say he challenged me to a duel. Still, I have another reason lined up that won't cause anyone trouble.
"He was unfortunately called away to deal with trouble involving Duke Vistall." I wasn't sure I was allowed to talk about it in detail, so I left it at that.
"I understand," the butler nodded. "Allow me to pass it on in his place. The king wishes for your promotion to take place before the new year. You will be promoted to vicecount in two days during the welcome banquet for the visiting nobility."
"I see."
So it is happening sooner than planned. It shouldn't be a problem now that I have an answer to the husband problem.
"Now, please follow me," the butler turned. "The guest wing is this way."
I catch some people casting glances at Viola as we begin to walk. I could understand if it was just the maids since her male form is pretty handsome, but a lot of the guys are looking at her two. A few knights even whisper something to each other before one of them runs off. I hope it isn't a sign of trouble.