「Fuu……」
Kouki naturally leaked out a deep sigh like that. Kouki was sitting down on the bed of a guest room inside the palace that was given to him while making a wry smile toward himself who was like that.
When he looked over the room, the quality of every furniture that was put in minimum there wasn’t bad. At the very least, the bed he was sitting on was soft. However, it had so little decoration that it could be said to be simple, it looked inferior when compared to the guest room in Hairihi kingdom no matter how Kouki looked at it.
It showed the current pressing situation of the country, so Kouki fell backward and lied down with his expression staying complicated.
He instinctively leaked out a sigh 「Fuu……」 once more from his mouth. It seemed he was far more fatigued than he thought.
He hadn’t reached the limit of his stamina at all, but the core of his body and the inside of his head felt clingingly heavy. To speak in the meaning of mental fatigue, his current condition was truly in a state of total exhaustion.
Kouki lifted one of his hands to block the sunlight shining in from the window. When he was staring at his hand in a daze, the sensation of “that time” was revived vividly.
(tsu, ……I, killed, huh.)
The sensation of cutting apart flesh. Blank gaze. Spurting out blood……
「Uuh」
He unconsciously felt desire to vomit and he crouched on the bed.
(It should be, the correct choice. ……It was a race against time. ……In order to save Moana-sama and others. ……That’s why, it’s not a mistake, that’s how it should be……)
To persuade himself, to convince himself, he repeatedly, frantically muttered that the option he picked “should be the correct one” over and over.
──Even though I don’t understand what is correct?
──Despite I, not trusting myself more than anyone?
Each time Kouki yelled inside his heart that he should be correct, the cold voice of himself was echoing. That voice sounded as though it was the voice of his other self that he confronted once at the 【Cavern of Ice and Snow】, the figure of himself smiling coldly suddenly crossed over at the back of his mind. Clad in black holy armor, white hair with black streaks coloring it, and then dark red eyes like monster……
「tsu」
Kouki sat up in a flash and he shook his head. It was his bad habit since the legendary decisive battle. When he noticed his thought was falling into an endless spiral. What’s more it was bad thought he was falling into.
In order to renew his feeling for the moment, Kouki recalled the events after he reached the palace.
「It was dreary but, the audience hall was really beautiful huh.」
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The audience hall where Kouki was made to pass through in order to formally introduce him to the palace people was so impressive and beautiful to the degree he unconsciously leaked out such monologue.
It was a chalk white space without a single smudge. There were several pillars with beautiful and detailed engraving that would make anyone sigh in admiration. It seemed the hall was structured to make use of sunlight using mirror reflection to shine even the inner part, and because of that ventilation of light that wasn’t unlike air ventilation, crisscrossing pillars of light were showering inside the audience hall regardless of the place being deep indoor.
And then, Moana when she was sitting on a chair that was made from the same chalk white stone like the building was also positioned under the crisscrossing light pillars, making a beautiful sight that would cause anyone to hold their breath.
Due to everything in the surrounding was white, her chocolate colored skin was really standing out. Her pure white full dress that was beautiful while being simple was also fitting her perfectly that it made him comprehending 「I see, she is really a queen」. On top of that, the white hair which was possessed only by her alone also really gave out the impression of mysticism.
At her surrounding, aides, soldier force, royal guards, and so on were standing by in rows. Because Kouki only saw Moana in her traveling clothes all this time coupled with her warrior attitude, when he was led inside the audience hall as the last one among that line up, he spontaneously stopped walking when he saw her dressing up like that.
He immediately came back to his senses and walked until his designated position, but looking from how Moana’s expression became slightly bashful, she must have noticed how Kouki became fascinated.
Feeling really embarrassed that the inside of his heart was seen through by an older girl, Kouki shook his head while moving the focus of his recollection toward another point.
「Nevertheless……as expected, everyone is having expectation huh. ──toward the hero.」
A gloomy feeling welled up inside him. The people inside the audience hall, regardless whether they were military or civil official, everyone were holding expectation toward the existence of “hero”.
That could be said to be natural.
In the large scale battle five years ago, Synclea kingdom lost all members of the royal family with the exception of Moana and Koone. Not only that, they naturally also lost a lot of soldiers.
The power of
That was how powerful the
He was truly a monster. Most likely he was being at his most powerful ever. And then, nine out of ten cases, he the
The prospect wasn’t bright.
At such time, the existence of a hero of another world appeared together with the oracle of Faltina.
If those people were told from Moana’s mouth that the hero used technique of another world, that the miasma didn’t affect him, and then he defeated
But, even though he understood that……
「……It’s heavy.」
To the degree it felt like he was going to get crushed.
Once, when he was summoned to Tortus, he thought he could anything. He thought there was nothing he couldn’t do. He didn’t even notice the “weight” of the words save the world, rather his heart was feeling exaltation the more people were holding expectation toward him.
Right now……those expectations were simply, simply, nothing but terrifying.
The possibility of him betraying those expectations. The possibility of failure. And also, the possibility of him making mistake.
Aaa, he wanted to run away. But, he had promised, to fight himself, and to fight his heart that wanted to avert his eyes and ran away. Because at that time, he had made a promise, with the girl who was his childhood friend, and with his best friend who came risking his life and punched him.
There was no way, he could run away……
Aa, agonizing.
「BAA────NN!! Looking like a princess, but actually might not be a princess-!? iiit’s Kooneee!!」
「Hiih, what’s going on-!?」
Serious-san was blown away along with the room’s door.
Kouki who was immersed in his thought got caught by surprise and he reflexively jumped on his bed. Incidentally he was also screaming pathetically like he never before.
Koone didn’t even pay attention to such Kouki and stepped on the collapsed door while entering the room. She then pointed sharply at Kouki. She even winked *pachin-* while she was at it.
「Hero-sama! Koone thought that perhaps you are feeling fretful, so Koone come here for you!」
「Eh, fretful? Rather, the door……」
Kouki was wondering how did the door get blown away and his gaze glanced alternately at Koone and the door she was stepping on.
However, as expected Koone didn’t pay it any attention.
「Koone will give you a tour of the capital! Now, let’s go!」
「Do, don’t pull at me. Or rather, Koone-sama. Have you asked permission? If you go outside as you pleased, you will get scolded by Spenser-san or Donar-san again you know?」
「Koone think, that going out mean going out of the capital! In other words, inside the capital is the same like in the palace! Koone isn’t going out!」
「Tha, that’s too much of a broad interpretation isn’t it……」
Koone theory was surging out. Koone’s hand beckoned at the wryly smiling Kouki as though to say 「It’s fine so shut up already and follow Koone!」. She was really masculine.
Normally he would want to accompany her. However, currently he wasn’t feeling good at all.
Kouki didn’t know how much the people of the capital were aware about Kouki and the matter of hero, but he entered the palace by going through the main street together with the soldier force and Moana. Naturally, a lot of people witnessed Kouki riding the same Arous with Moana and Koone.
If he went outside to the capital, perhaps he would be looked at with those eyes of expectation again. Above all else, his heart was awfully tired right now and he wanted to rest slowly.
And so, Kouki tried to speak 「No, I……」 with reservation but,
「Koone Body Attack!」
「Guheh!?」
Koone-tan was always abrupt at any time. Due to the unleashed flying body attack, Kouki was pushed down on the bed. Koone who was straddling Kouki was making a smug face. But, right after that, her expression quietly changed. Kouki held his breath toward that jade eyes that were staring at him fixedly.
「Hero-sama. No matter how much we pray at a place where there is nothing, nothing will happen you know? That’s why, first we should see, hear, and feel. Koone think that those has to be done.」
No good idea or anything would emerge even if he fidgeted hesitantly inside the room like this. Kouki spontaneously opened his eyes wide, feeling as though himself until just now was seen through.
In a complete change, Koone smiled brightly and,
「Koone also want to listen about the story of another world! Please teach me about the hero-sama’s world while also learning about this world! Koone want to know!」
「Ah, yes……I guess. Then, let’s go.」
Kouki kept getting toyed by the quickly changing aura and expression of Koone, however, he nodded thinking that what Koone said also had truth to it, and he requested her to give him a tour of the capital for a change of mood.
But, at that time,
「Wha, what!? The doo is-. What happened!? Kouki, are you saf──」
Moana-sama who seemed to come to visit Kouki made her entrance.
And then, the queen-sama──or rather the severe siscon saw it. The figure of the little sister she doted straddling a man on the bed. Looking closely──Kouki’s excuse was that he reflexively caught in his arm Koone who jumped him so that she wouldn’t be hurt, that was really what happened──Kouki’s hands were holding the waist of her beloved little sister.
I see.
「Faltina-sama hath spoken. She said, kill Kouki.」
「That’s a lie-. I mean, this is not what it looks like! This is misunderstanding, Moana-sama!」
Kouki who instantly guessed how Moana mistook the situation was desperately attempting to resolve the misunderstanding. But, not reading the mood in this kind of time was Koone-tan Quality.
「Onee-chan! It’s amazing! Hero-sama, he is really hard!」
Kouki wished that she would attach more detail like “the abs is” or something without fail. He didn’t know whether Koone aimed for that or if she was just an airhead, but in any case, Kouki now acknowledged Koone as a troublemaker.
Although, he had no leeway at all for speaking out his complaint. Moana-sama whose expression had turned into one resembling a Hannya mask was reaching toward the sword on her waist that she seemed to always carry around,
「HEAVEN’S JUDGMENTTTTTT-」
「Hiiih, don’t use real swordddddddd-」
She assaulted the scoundrel that “toyed” with her beloved little sister.
Even while screaming, Kouki wasted no time to hold Koone with one arm while moving out of the way. At the same time his other hand created a miniscule barrier on his palm and averted the sword attack. For the moment the sword was still sheathed, so he wouldn’t get cut, but Moana’s Hannya face made him thought of a naked blade, so Kouki was desperate.
Moana who was slashing down from a forced stance because of her agitation had her balance crumbled when her sword was parried. Like that she collapsed on top of Kouki.
Kouki erased the barrier and immediately caught Moana.
There,
「Moana-sama!? Just now, a loud voice was──」
The strongest royal guard captain who doted on the two sisters like father made his entrance.
The captain witnessed it. The scene on the bed, where the pair of sisters who he thought as his own daughters, were being embraced by a man with both his arms.
「HEAVEN’s PUNISHMENTTTTTTT-」
「Hiiih, this is a misunderstandingggggggg-」
The sorrowful scream of the hero-sama echoed once more in a corner of the palace.
By the way, Kouki caught Spenser’s attack using both his feet. In doing so, Spenser flopped down and his face dove on Kouki’s important part, while Kouki was fainting in agony, Kouki who was embracing Moana and Koone with both his arms while holding Spenser on his important place with his legs were seen by the people of the palace who were rushing into the room. It went without saying how screams were raised.
「Uu, that was a horrible experience……」
The disheartened voice of Kouki echoed in the bustling shopping district of the capital. Beside him, Moana and Koone were walking with their faces hidden by wearing hood. Moana looked apologetic while Koone was laughing cheerfully.
「Koone-tan! You troubled Kouki, so reflect a bit on your action!」
The two had more or less finished apologizing to Kouki, but it was doubtful whether Koone was reflecting from her outward appearance. Moana scolded Koone, something that she rarely did.
「The flustered hero-sama was interesting I’m sorry!」
「That’s amazing, Koone-tan! You are able to apologize properly!」
「No, it’s doubtful that she is apologizing, or rather it feels like I’m getting dissed……」
Kouki was staring fixedly at the elder sister who was completely pampering her little sister, and Koone who was understanding various things somehow and did what she did.
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「Now now, hero-sama. Koone will let you to eat the capital’s specialty food! With Onee-chan’s money!」
「Leave it to me Koone-tan! Onee-chan has been saving a lot of my pocket money for this kind of time!」
An unexpected truth was shed on light. It seemed the money that queen could use for her personal use was given with pocket money system.
When Kouki was introduced in the audience hall, there was a tottering gramps that looked like he was going keel over anytime, but that gramps was actually civil official chief (a position like a prime minister), and he was introduced as the one who took charge of the financial affairs too.
The tottering gramps handing over pocket money toward Moana-sama who accepted it with a pleased face……
Kouki imagined such scene and for some reason he felt warm and fluffy.
But, for the time being, he guessed that he should say what ought to be said.
「Moana-sama. Aren’t you too weak against Koone-sama’s casual coaxing?」
‘Isn’t she too pampering toward her little sister who actually might be black hearted in truth?’ Kouki tried saying that while smiling wryly.
But, the one who objected wasn’t Moana, the objection came flying from a small gangster.
「? Hero-sama wishes for an eight year old girl to pay? Is that so? The penniless and jobless hero-sama!」
「Gofuh!?」
「Understood. The eight year old girl Koone will treat the penniless adult hero-sama! ……It’s just a pocket money that Koone saved earnestly, but Koone will use it for hero-sama’s sake!」
「It’s fine! I get it already so please stoopp! The gaze of the surrounding is painful!」
Koone tilted her head with a wondering expression ‘Is that so?’. Kouki thought. This little girl, she absolutely did what she did intentionally.
Little girl these days was terrifying. Kouki recalled the daughter of the demon king that crossed his mind, and then he also imagined the scene of that terrifying little girl who inherited her father’s disposition taking the hand of this little girl before his eyes who was actually black hearted, where the two of them were getting along well with each other. His body shivered. It was truly a terrifying imagination. Just like a nightmare.
Kouki casually made an oath. ‘Let’s not provoke the little girl to the best of his ability’, like so.
Then, at that timing Koone quietly ran off, perhaps she discovered something at the road ahead. While thinking ‘she really move around abruptly huh’, Kouki followed behind Moana who was chasing behind Koone in hurry.
「……That’s」
Ahead of his gaze, Koone was skillfully slipping through the crowd of people. Seeing that, Kouki unconsciously raised a voice of admiration.
It seemed no one noticed the small Koone rushing below them. Surprisingly, it seemed Koone sensed the awareness within the field of vision and gaze of people, so by avoiding that awareness she was able to take covert action that would make even an assassin to feel shocked.
「Koone has a good mind. No, perhaps I should say that she has good sense. She read the thought and feeling of people to a surprising degree. To the level that can make you think that perhaps she has a mind reading ability.」
「Sensing the thought……」
Moana spoke while watching Koone slipping smoothly through the crowd.
「That movement that cannot be noticed by other people, it seems that it’s also the application of that. Something like, by looking, hearing, and feeling carefully, she can understand what someone is focusing on.」
「Is that how she sneaked into the baggage of the soldier force before……」
「Yeah. Amazing right!? That’s my Koone-tan!」
「Tha, that’s right. In a sense, it’s really amazing……」
An elder sister boasting of her little sister with a triumphant look. Certainly what she mentioned was amazing but……
When Kouki saw Koone sneaking into the back of some fruit seller, he couldn’t help but spontaneously thought that it was really a waste of talent.
In the fruit store that seemed to be ran by a married couple, colorfully juicy fruits were lined up inside, the husband was livelily raising his voice to attract customer from behind the goods’ shelf.
Koone-tan was creeping up behind him. And then,
「BAA──NN!! This is the one who hallucinate to be a princess since who know when! Kooneee!!」
「GYAAAAAAH, what is this-!?」
The husband was toppled over. Suddenly behind him an explosion reverberated, which might be caused by blessing art, and at the same time someone appeared while raising a loud voice. There was no way he wasn’t surprised.
The husband looked behind him while falling on his butt, there he found Koone who was smiling widely with both her hands going banzai and his shoulders slumped down. With a small voice 「Koone-sama again huh……」 his expression turned troubled.
「Uncle Geor, Koone came! Three kukuri please!」
「Thank you for your patronage. That’s what I want to say, but please spare me from the surprise each time you came, Koone-sama.」
It seemed that Koone was a regular customer of this store, and she was also a habitual criminal who surprised the owner while she was at it.
「Ahahahah, it doesn’t matter about my husband, but Koone-sama, if you don’t act in moderation then the soldier chief will scold you again.」
Neglecting his husband who was still falling on his butt, the madam with large built selected the fruit for Koone quickly. Moana who chased after Koone handed over money toward the woman who was really like an auntie of the shopping district.
「I’m sorry about Koone every time. She seem to be really pleased with the fruit of this store.」
「My, this is your majesty. Today both of you sisters are going out it seems. Well, please don’t worry about it. No matter what he say, but my husband too is looking forward to Koone-sama’s visit after all.」
「Thank you for saying that.」
Kouki watched over the exchange between Moana and the married couple from a step away.
It seemed that Koone’s entrance also caused the surrounding people to notice that the royal sisters were here, but affection could be seen from their expression. It wasn’t excessive respect, but something that could be thought as coming from exceedingly close relationship. But, by no means the people were looking lightly at the sisters, it was obvious even just from a glance that everyone held respect and affection.
It seemed that the distance between the royal family of Synclea kingdom and the people was extremely small.
But, what made Kouki curious wasn’t that. If it was about a royal family who was openhearted and friendly, he was already acquainted with princess Liliana. For Kouki this wasn’t something that was that unusual.
While Kouki was staring fixedly at that point he was curious about, the married couple noticed his gaze and called out to him.
「Oh, that person there……by any chance, is he the recently rumored hero-sama?」
「Eh? Ah, yes. I’m called like that more or less.」
「Oh my, in that case then this three kukuri is not enough, I have to give a bit of extra. Setting that aside, is something the matter with this? It seems you are keep staring at this since some time ago.」
Saying that, the madam clapped *pon-* on it, at the sword that she was wearing on her waist.
Yes, the married couple of the fruit store were carrying sword. When he looked really closely, not to mention the shop owner, even the shop employees at the neighboring shops who were calling at Koone, and also most of the people who were coming and going, everyone were carrying the minimum arms.
They were just a shop owner, just a person who seemed like a normal housewife, but everyone was carrying sword on their waist.
Kouki asked with a bit of bewilderment.
「Excuse me, both madam and sir are this shop’s owner right? Not actually a member of the soldier force that is helping here in your off-day?」
「? Yes, yes. Both of us has been doing business here for a long time though……」
「Err, then, why are you carrying sword?」
From the look of the madam who didn’t understand why Kouki asked her that, it seemed civilian carrying sword was something really normal in the capital, it didn’t look like there was any particular circumstance.
「About that hero-sama. This place is the world’s front line you know? Although the soldiers are the specialist of the battlefield, but there is also no reason that fruit seller cannot fight, the
「Ma, madam is fighting?」
「Yes, yes, I will fight you know. That is if this capital becomes a battlefield. Of course, I’m praying that it won’t come to that. But, not doing anything, not able to do anything, and die simply, something like that, I’ll have none of that. It’s nothing big, I have been slapping my husband routinely everyday. One or two
After saying so, the madam laughed heartily while slapping her husband who was making a pathetic expression beside her repeatedly.
Front line──Kouki felt it for real just how far the meaning those words had.
The people remaining in this capital, all of them had the resolve to fight when the time came. They were spending their days with the resolve for all the capital’s people to be counted as war strength.
When Kouki looked at Moana beside him, her gaze dropped down with a silent expression. She was feeling down──but that wasn’t really it. She was calmly, accepting their resolve, it was that kind of expression.
Koouki looked over his surrounding.
Without knowing whether it was tomorrow or some other day, the next moment they might be thrown into battle with their right to live on the line. The people were living with such resolve.
*Drip*, something spilled out inside his heart.
「Isn’t it, scary?」
The madam’s expression turned puzzled. And then, while laughing heartily she,
「That’s, obviously it’s scary! But see, look, the kukuri of our store, if it’s for the sake of making the customers able to enjoy this then, well, I’m going to work a bit harder. Right, dear?」
「Well yeah. If we don’t sell kukuri, who will then sell kukuri in the capital. As a fruit store owner, I’m not gonna allow the guys doing their best fighting to be unable to even eat a kukuri.」
The shop owner shrugged and lightly washed the kukuri his wife picked before handing it over. Kukuri was a fruit with an appearance like a yellow apple. Koone quickly nibbled at it. Her eating manner was so hearty it made him wanted to tsukkomi just in where she was a princess.
Even while chuckling, Moana also put the fruit into her mouth while urging Kouki with her gaze 「Try eating it」.
Kouki felt his heart whirling from the madam’s words while tried a bite of the fruit. Right away, thick sweet and sour taste spread inside his mouth, and a rich aroma tickled his nose. If he had to guess, then plum had the most similar taste with this fruit……but, it had a good flavor that he couldn’t just eat at a moment notice even in earth.
「Delicious……」
「Right, right!? This is Koone’s recommendation, so that’s natural. Koone think that it’s only natural!」
For some reason Koone made an awfully smug face more than the married couple fruit seller. While her mouth was smudged all over with fruit juice. The madam was laughing heartily once more while politely wiping Koone’s mouth. Moana went 「So, sorry to trouble you」, even though she was the queen yet she was feeling obliged. The husband looked at such Moana and smiled.
Kouki who was staring at them took one more bite of kukuri. For this, for the sake of the people who wanted to eat this, the married couple fruit sellers would fight when the time came. He took a bite while chewing on their words.
Bright moon shined brightly at the peak of the night sky.
Kouki who was led around by Koone until the sun fell was now leaning on the railing at the guest room’s veranda while staring at the moon tiredly. The capital was different from the city in earth, the brightness had completely submerged and the city looked quiet.
Even coldly the mystical moon was reflected on the oasis, making a sight where it seemed there was twin moon. It was really a great view. The sparkling water surface was also wondrously beautiful.
Kouki’s gaze dropped at the moon wavering on the water surface without any particular reason while recalling Koone’s tomboyish act and the easy big sister who was merely doting. A small smile emerged on his lips.
He recalled the later matter after he ate kukuri at that fruit store.
The next place he was guided toward was the best weapon shop in the capital.
When Koone made her entrance with 「BAA──────NN!! This is the one who make anyone challenged to reexamine the definition of princess! Kooneee!!」 from the back entrance of the shop, a boy about the same age with Kouki went 「GYAAAAAAAH, Koone-sama came out againnnn!?」and toppled over backward.
With the ferry rower to cross the oasis river that they visited next, she intentionally leaped out from underwater while saying 「ZABAA────────NN!! The one who won’t be able to deny if asked whether she is a parasite in the palace!? Kooneee!!」 . 「GYAAAAAAAH, why is it always from underwater every time!?」 the rower uncle yelled so while toppled backward and fell into the river……
But perhaps it was the usual thing, because the uncle returned to the ship normally with a smile while saying 「Please spare me from that anymore」, and his clothes along with Koone were dried using blessing art……
Then she circled behind the royal guard led by Spenser and the soldier force led by Donar who were actually following Kouki and others while surrounding them in all directions, made her appearance 「BAA──────NN!! Don’t think I’ll be a princess till forever! Kooneee!!」, and smashed into pieces the confidence of the royal guards and soldiers 「GYAAAAAAAAAH, your highness!? Why is your highness over there!?」……
The nickname of chaos in three seconds after appearance really suited her.
But, for Kouki, Koone who was such unprecedented tomboy was not just a mere girl who loved prank anymore.
「See, hear, and feel, is it……」
Perhaps, the people who Kouki met and exchanged words directly with today were picked by Koone. People that possessed words that could possibly influenced Kouki the most.
If not, then there was no way that Kouki’s heart could be currently shaken to this degree even though they were only exchanging brief words.
「Everyone……were really lively.」
The people he met, every single one of them possessed confidence of their way of living. They were proud of themselves.
What should he do so he could have confidence about himself like them? Could he be proud……could he believe?
「If I fight like I’m asked in this world……will I understand?」
But, like that, what would be different than the time when he was summoned to Tortus……
Kouki shook his head. He was about to fall into an endless spiral of thought again. He was summoned, experienced his first kill, heard the circumstance of this world and the story of the people living here……his heart was completely tired.
‘Let’s rest for today.’ Deciding that, Kouki turned around.
「Good evening, this is Koone.」
「HIIIIIIIIIH!? Since when!?」
With a bright smile, Koone-tan was right behind him when he noticed. Kouki’s scream echoed.
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