Arifureta After II   The Determination of the Queen

Inside the corridor of a magnificent palace before the dawn, hurried footsteps echoed.

The servants who were already starting to work turned their gaze in wonder about the loudly stamping footsteps, there their expression turned startled because they recognized the figure of the high official with a grim expression. That was because the high official of the divine country wasn't a commendable character with the habit of waking up before the dawn.

The male high official turned through several passages, and before long he arrived in front of a room that was guarded by soldiers armed with firearm. Even though the guards recognized the high official's face, but they instinctively put themselves on guard seeing his unusual state.

「You guys, announce my arrival to his majesty quickly! This is an emergency business-」

「Silas-sama. However, his majesty is still in the middle of his rest……」

The male high official who raised an angry voice――Silas was answered by one of the guards, but Silas cut him off with angrier voice.

「I don't care-, wake him up! Quickly! I told you this is an emergency-」

「Ro, roger!」

One of the guards called out to inside the room. After a while, who came out was a woman wearing thin clothes with a displeased expression. When the guard explained the situation, the woman's expression was becoming even more displeased even while she drew back into the room.

Silas was tapping his foot in irritation while waiting. The guards were stirring awkwardly seeing that.

After a while, the displeased woman just now showed out her face with her clothes in order this time. And then she prompted Silas to enter.

Silas entered the room by pushing aside the woman and he ignored the small curse of the woman that came from behind while heading toward the door inside the room. The room he was currently in was the room before the bedroom. It was a place for reception.

He knocked on the door a bit roughly, then he obeyed the voice「Enter」coming from inside that was said with a voice that sounded deliberately bad-tempered and he opened the door.

「Silas. Do you really have a reason to rouse me out from bed?」

It was a man who was past his middle age. He was gulping amber colored alcohol that was poured into a glass while asking that. Although his appearance was only wearing a gown, his eyes' sharp glint and grim expression had the pressure that naturally overpowered anyone who saw.

This man was the king of Sky Divine Country Qwailent――the usurper Gregor Cluzet Qwailent.

This king who had lived until now by stealing from other people since the time he had awareness of his surrounding would easily turn his back on other even if it was his trusted confidant. Silas knew that. This man's overwhelming violence, and his craftiness that fully made use of that violence, and then his atrocity that was deeply dyed by his pillaging nature, his aura that came from all those wasn't just papier mache.

Such atmosphere would usually make Silas shrank into himself, however this time Silas only gulped his saliva and opened his mouth.

「The mother ship Ostinato, fell. ――It was shot down.」

「……What did you say?」

A mother ship getting shot down had never happened since the founding of the country. Gregor's eyes slightly opened wide from hearing that report. His pressure was increasing further than before while he urged Silas「What happened?」to continue.

「Last night, a sky battlecraft that belonged to Ostinato returned back alone. The pilot was a man named Higgs from Glowser squad. His sanity was mostly lost, so it was difficult to question him about the circumstance, but according to him, they were attacked by two monsters in the middle of a battle against Avenst, and then Ostinato got shot down.」

「Monster? Is it about Bovid's squad? Indeed, their skill is like a monster but――」

「No, that's……he said that they were done in by a man who fired a bombardment in the level of a mother ship's main cannon by his lone self, and a black dragon that flew in the speed of sound while manipulating flame and wind at will.」

「……Redo the questioning. No matter how you think, he must be crazy. Don't tell me, you aren't waking me up because you swallowed that kind of nonsense right?」

Gregor whose displeasure was increasing drastically had his finger gliding toward the gun placed on the desk. He must be thinking that if Silas was that kind of incompetent, than he didn't need him anymore.

Silas continued his report even while he was trickling cold sweats.

「Of course, I'm reporting this after confirming that it's not nonsense. After the questioning, we sent a call at Ostinato using wide area communication. But, there was no result. And then when we sent an investigation unit at the place where Ostinato fell……」

「It was true?」

「Yes.」

The investigation unit here referred to a unit that mainly investigated the land. They were mostly unarmed, in exchange their airship was fast and thickly armored, the unit members were also wearing special protective clothes that could defend against the black rain's encroachment for a little while.

The component of black rain that had been raining down for many years on the land was also included by a lot into the moisture in the air, so even if someone didn't get touched directly, their body would get eroded just by breathing the air. To investigate the land, what was needed wasn't respiratory device that purified the air, but a fully sealed protective clothes with oxygen tank.

Therefore, even if they were called as investigation unit, but their activity on the land was limited timewise……

「It was an investigation unit that was sent urgently, so they didn't look around for much detail but――」

Silas was at loss for words. His lips distorted as though he was hesitating and choosing his words carefully. Gregor urged him「Doesn't matter, just report it as it is」in irritation.

「It seems that the exterior of Ostinato, its 3-gun turrets as well as the ship's rear bottom are gouged out wholly. The sky battlecrafts onboard are mostly gone, most of the important spots were blown off as though they were exploded from inside. And then……about the crews……」

「Hmph. They are annihilated anyway right?」

「Yes. But, it seems that the cause wasn't just the black rain.」

Saying that, Silas took out a data storage of recording video inside the mother ship that was brought back by the investigation team. Silas's expression was pale for some reason. Gregor received the data storage while looking suspicious and inserted it into his personal console.

What was projected in the display was……

『That guy-, that guy is coming-. Run away quickly-』

『Stop-, it's me! Don't shoot-』

『Noooo-, no moreeee-. The voice won't go away-. Someone-, hel――』

『Aa, aAAAAAAAAAA-』

『Die-, DIEEEEEEE-』

It was a scene of chaos and madness that would make one covered their eyes. The recording was only showing the crews of Ostinato. However, everyone was fighting, bawling, or desperately running away as though they were being chased by something unseen.

And then, the people who lost their sanity early attacked the people nearby, and then the stray bullet from the attempt to counter attack that would attack other people……after that it was just like a stone that rolled down a slope. It was a crucible of madness that created unseen terror and excessive paranoia against the comrade before them.

「What, is this……」

「……」

Silas couldn't answer at the mutter that unconsciously came out from Gregor's mouth.

Before long, when the madness reached its peak, everywhere inside the ship exploded unnaturally, and Ostinato ultimately crashed to the ground. The lightning strike inside the sea of clouds further destroyed the inside of the ship, but someone must be displaying their last obstinacy, because the ship recovered its floating power for a moment just before it crashed on the ground and it somehow avoided complete destruction. Even so the ship still exposed a figure that looked atrocious even just from looking.

「Silas, what happened with Ostinato?」

「I don't know. We cannot confirm the existence of intruder from the ship's recording. Just what is "it" the crews were frightened at……or perhaps, it might be the "monster" that Higgs was talking about.」

Inside the room became deathly silent. It was an eerie silent that would make one wanted to express it by saying it was like even the insect was holding breath.

「……What about the battle record against Avenst? You will know what was "it" Ostinato was fighting from there right?」

「That's, because of the explosions from unknown cause, all the record inside the ship except this one was destroyed and couldn't be recovered.」

Perhaps, that too was the work of the "monster"……even without putting it into words, the two of them thought of the same thing.

Silence ruled the place for a while. Gregor was looking across the window at the sky that was nearing dawn while he suddenly gulped down his alcohol. He drank directly straight from the bottle. Its alcohol content was high and quite some amount was remaining in it, but he drained it dry without feeling bothered by that.

And then, he threw the bottle to the floor that it broke into pieces. He wiped his mouth roughly and looked at Silas with a fiercely blazing gaze.

Silas's body jumped while he fell into hallucination as though he was being glared by a wild beast. Gregor made a grin that displayed his brutal nature and gave his order.

「Summon the ship captains. Everyone of them except the defense fleet.」

「Wha-, that's……. Your majesty, you will finally take care of those guys?」

「Yeah. The struggle of those Avenst bunches was a suitable amusement. I don't know what they are starting to raise, but this time they overdid it. I'll have them disappears now.」

By no mean Avenst had succeeded in applying guerilla tactics against the divine country. In the first place there was overwhelming difference in resource and technology between the two sides. If Gregor felt like it, it was a trivial matter to annihilate them.

They were surviving solely because battle that happened unpredictably became Gregor's amusement. That was all.

But, as expected the prided mother ship of the divine country getting shot down was a situation that he couldn't turn a blind eye on. Because they introduced themselves as country of god that ruled the sky, they couldn't have themselves got even a single scratch from the like of pirate. This concerned the dignity of the nation.

Therefore, he would overwhelm them with all his forces excepting the fleet that was left behind for the country's defense. He would exterminate them from this world, not leaving a single dust behind.

Silas lowered his head wordlessly and turned on his heel in order to accomplish his task.

「Come to think of it, that princess too should be in a suitable age about this time……kukuh, maybe it's also not bad to take in the royal blood. Or perhaps, I should even show how the last royalty fall in front of the survivors.」

A delighted laugh echoed.

Gregor Cluzet Kwailent――he was without a doubt a usurper.

The gigantic mother ship Avenst was moored in the valley of a cloud mountain..

The mother ship of divine country Ostinato that Hajime sank was also gigantic, but Avenst was two sizes larger than it.

Although, if it was asked whether its majesty surpassed Ostinato because it was superior in size, then the answer could be no other than "No".

After all,

「……The gun turret, has a lot of laundry aired there.」

「……The deck, hath plantation spreading through the whole thing there.」

Hajime and Tio who were observing the gradually nearing Avenst using binoculars muttered so spontaneously.

Yes, the mother ship Avenst was horribly peaceful from the outside. The gun barrels and turrets on the exterior were linked with each other by wire and laundries were hanged in a row there. A panty of some madam was hanging on the tip of the main cannon. Honestly the two of them couldn't help but felt their strength drained from them seeing that.

In addition, there was a splendid plantation on the deck. There were a lot of people taking care of it diligently even now. And then, on top of such deck children were running around energetically. There was even a daredevil that slid down something that looked like a slide that stretched to the outside from the deck until the bottom of the ship in one go.

「I, it's more or less treated as the "royal capital", so it's attaching importance to the livelihood or something……in the first place, Helmut had collected the dragon core of the monarch dragon that became its driving force, so even though it has weapons but they won't work satisfactorily. And so, if that's the case then it's better to use it for valid practical use……」

Roze made that kind of justification with her cheeks reddening slightly in shame.

Actually this mother ship Avenst was the battleship that the prince once created using the dragon core of his partner. Although, its dragon core was taken out by Helmut, so right now it was moving using only sky core, and the most it could do was only flying just barely.

Knowing that, Hajime threw a questioning gaze of what they would do if they were discovered by enemy, to which Roze puffed up her chest and pointed with her finger.

「It's fine. Its weapons are mostly not functioning, but the thickness of its armor is top class even among the existing airships in the present time. Even if it got hit by the main cannon of a mother ship, it is able to endure several shots with room to spare. What's more, airships protecting Avenst are always at its side.」

Looking closer, there was an airship moored beside the mother ship Avenst.

Airship Averia――it was the sister ship of Roze's battleship Rozeria. If it had to be said then Rozeria put importance on speed and maneuverability, in contrast Averia was a battleship that put importance on firepower.

These two ships had protected the descendants of dragon kingdom Avenst until now, said Roze proudly.

Hajime was glancing at such girl while cocking his head in puzzlement inside his heart.

(Just two ships, what's more their mother ship is not even in destroyer level……they are really pulling through continuously until now while burdened with protecting baggage? Is there just how much the difference in skill between the two sides? No, even so……)

Hajime turned his gaze to Tio. Coincidentally Tio also turned her gaze to Hajime at that time, so their gaze met and their expression was at loss for words. Roze herself said that they had protected all these continuously until now, but perhaps, that was……like that the two of them reached the same conclusion.

While they were doing that, the mother ship Avenst was gradually getting closer and closer.

Naturally the existence of the airship Rozeria was also noticed by the other side, so the people who were tending to the plantation, and also the children were gathering toward a spot on the deck bustlingly. That spot must be the spot where Rozeria would come alongside.

Roze waved her hands energetically. A loud cheer was raised just from that. It seemed that her popularity was becoming of a queen.

The Crow siblings and Bovid and others of sky battlecraft squad also came out to the deck and started the preparation to transfer to Avenst.

When the airship came alongside the mother ship Avenst, the deck of Avenst was jammed with people. Although Hajime had fixed it to a certain degree, but Rozeria was really in a terrible state. It seemed that it was enough to make the expression of the people welcoming the queen to turn pale.

「Everyone, there is no need to worry. We were attacked by Qwailent, but it's as you see! I and also Kuwaibel are safe!」

「Piih!!」

When Roze lifted up Kuwaibel high with both her hands, joyful cheers occurred once more. Roze hugged Kuwaibel back on her chest and lifted one hand to calm down the cheers, and this time she raised her voice with a meek expression.

「But, a lot of pilots offered their precious life in order to let us survive. Please direct your feeling toward the brave warriors who are unable to go back home. And then, please give them praise. We are protected by them.」

The sky battlecraft pilots were lining up on the deck. Sobbing voice resounded from here and there from the people who didn't see the figure of their important people that they should have seen off at the departure. Bovid and others put their fist on their chest and looked up to the sky. That was the salute in dragon kingdom. They offered a silent prayer at their comrades who had gone ahead of them.

The people on the deck naturally also offered a silent prayer.

Silent prayer was spreading in the sky where gentle breeze was blowing.

After the silent prayer continued for a while, an aging man stepped forward in front of the crowd.

「Roze-sama, welcome home.」

The white haired man with splendid moustache bowed his head deeply with his back kept stretching straight.

「Gramps. I'm back. Was there any problem?」

「None, there wasn't any such thing. This Sabastian Orto is entrusted with looking after this place during Roze-sama's absence. No problem would occur that easily as long as I'm here.」

This man who answered calmly yet with a definite confidence seemed to be Roze's trusted retainer. His appearance, his way of speaking, and his atmosphere were absolutely that of a butler despite the normal work clothes he was wearing. Hajime and Tio had a thinking in regard to this man.

That thought was,

『『Almost』』

Hajime and Tio spontaneously retorted. 'If only his name wasn't "Sa" but "Se", they would be able to proof the existence of the implicit rule shared through parallel universe that speaking of butler meant "Sebastian", and yet!' was what they thought.

When the alternate world duo who didn't read the place's atmosphere made a complicated expression, Roze mistaken that expression thinking that the two of them were getting bored, and so she started to get down the ramp in panic. She did that while calling Hajime and Tio's name by attaching '-sama'.

Naturally, there was no way the people didn't get suspicious when they heard their queen calling others using '-sama', and as their representative Sebastian raised a question.

「Roze-sama, can I ask who are these two people?」

「They are guests. This gentleman is Nagumo Hajime-sama, and this lady is Tio Claus-sama. They will be staying in Avenst for a while. ……They are important, really really important people, so please take care of them absolutely politely.」

「……Roze-sama's, important, person?」

Gramps's gaze seized Hajime. Knowing the meaning of that gaze, Hajime averted his gaze. 'This is because you said important "people"', Hajime retorted inside his heart.

「I'm sorry to be rude, but Roze-sama, more specifically what kind of acquaintance they are for you? By any chance, are they from Qwailent?」

「No, Gramps. They aren't related with Qwailent. That, about their background, saying it here is a bit……. Anyway, I request this to Gramps no matter what! Please give them our greatest hospitality! ……No matter what, we have to please Hajime-sama.」

The last sentence was said in small volume that couldn't be heard by the people at the surrounding, but Sabas who possessed the ears of an excellent butler caught it perfectly. Sabas who had taken care of Roze since she was born loved Roze like she was his own daughter.

And that master of his that should even be called as his beloved daughter was now desperately trying to please a man that he didn't know……

'Okay. I don't really get it. In other words, he is enemy isn't he?' He concluded.

Of course, Roze whispered that in the meaning that she wished for Hajime to be pleased with Avenst. She understood that if Hajime felt like it, then it didn't matter what Tio wanted, and so Roze made that utterance because of that, but the eyes of gramps Sabas who didn't know one bit about that instantly turned into the eye of a killer. While smiling friendlily and gently.

「So that's how it is. Well then, I will immediately prepare the room and meal. Nagumo-sama, Claus-sama, if any of you need something, then please order anything from this Sabas without any reservation.」

As expected from the steward that directly served the royalty. He showed a truly elegant manners. While smiling friendlily, and gently. With the eyes of a killer.

Thinking that for now he should clear up the misunderstanding before this gramps gave them trouble, Hajime opened his mouth.

「Aa, Sabas-san? I'll say this because it seems you are having a misunderstanding, what queen-san there is saying doesn't mean like that okay? Or rather, I'm a married man. See, this woman here is my wife.」

Saying that, Hajime grasped Tio's arm and jerked her to the front. For some reason, Tio bowed her head gracefully while saying「Nice to meet you, thank you for always taking care of my husband」, she was making a greeting as though she was meeting the superior of the company where her husband was working for some reason.

It seemed that it was something she wanted to try saying at least once after seeing an afternoon drama. Tio was giving glances at Hajime saying「How's that? How is that? Didst I look like a wife just now?」.

Hajime smiled wryly thinking that this wasn't that kind of situation, even so he brushed Tio's hair unreservedly. Tio's cheeks were dyed red from a sweet pleasure that was different from when she got slapped.

Even seen from the side, it was obvious in a glance that the relationship of the two wasn't something shallow.

When Hajime tried to look at Sabas thinking that the misunderstanding must be solved with this……indeed, it seemed that the misunderstanding that he was a scoundrel aiming at their important master was solved, but in exchange a new misunderstanding seemed to be created.

The eyes of Sabas whose body was trembling all over were moistening with sadness and,

「Roze-sama……gramps feels really sad-」

「Eh? Eeh? Wha, what's wrong gramps!? Why are you suddenly looking like wanting to cry!?」

Roze-chan got flustered. Gramps's hands gently grasped Roze's shoulders and he opened his mouth in admonishment.

「Roze-sama――you must not commit adultery.」

「Gramps, is your head okay?」

Roze tilted her head wondering, 'has he finally starting going senile?'. Behind her the Crow siblings were making an amazed expression, while Bovid was desperately enduring his laughter.

「Indeed, gramps was looking after Roze-sama strictly. I am keeping a watchful eye at Roze-sama even in regard of the matter of love. Even though currently there is hardly anyone with lineage that is a good match for Roze-sama, there is no way I can just leave Roze-sama to any man. Therefore, the love letter for Roze-sama from those people who doesn't know their standing, I tore up and discarded all of them after I inspected them but……」

「Eh!? Please wait a second. That's the first time I heard that though? There is someone who gives me love letter? In this Avenst? Or rather, what do you mean by inspecting them and then tearing them up!?」

Roze's popularity in Avenst was high. And then, she was living with the people in the same ship, and she was always talking with them normally, on top of that she was treating everyone amiably. She was boasting a tremendous popularity among the young men.

Of course, Roze was idolized as a queen, and those men didn't believe that they would be able to build a really good relationship with Roze, the most that they did was only writing up their heart's feeling and sent them to her. And it was done by a considerable number of people.

However, Roze had never received something like a love letter even once. She had also never getting confessed at. She was at that age, so it wasn't like she didn't have interest for that, but she thought that no one was thinking of her like that because her social position was in the way.

But, she never thought, that it was like that because……

Roze-chan morosely pressed her question to the gramps, but it didn't reach the ear of the brooding gramps.

「Roze-sama, please give up your idea! To aim at a man who is married……even before thinking about the moral as a royalty, it's already mistaken as a human! Please, think again and stop from something like a looting love!」

「Really, what are you saying gramps!? I'm going to stuff you into Rozeria's main cannon and blast you off you know!?」

The people of Avenst stirred.「Her majesty is, looting love……holy cow」,or「She abducted a man she is pleased with, altogether with his wife……as expected from our queen」, or「My, love letter……」, or「Or rather, just who is that man who shot through Roze-sama's heart?」, or「That breast. That beautiful black haired woman is his wife……how envious, I'm jealous」, or「You, you like that kind of woman more than me? Then, look forward to an encounter at the next world okay」, or「Wai-, that's a joke. I only have feeling for you-. Ah, wait, don't push! I'll fall, I'm going to fall-, sto-, aa~~~~-」, those voices could be heard.

Roze desperately raised her voice in denial. However, putting aside the male camp, the female camp's misunderstanding was also unexpectedly not really clearing up. It seemed that the female camp of Avenst knew quiet welt that their queen who was at that age was a hidden pervert.

Roze who got lukewarm gazes directed at her no matter what she said yelled「This is misunderstanding~~~~~-!!」resoundingly through the blue skies.

Two whole days passed since Hajime and Tio arrived in mother ship Avenst.

During that time, Hajime and Tio received the greatest hospitality possible from Roze and others.

At the first day, Roze gathered the top brasses and shared the information regarding the circumstance and background of Hajime and Tio, so the top brasses with Sabas whose misunderstanding was solved at the forefront were giving their hospitality by their own initiative, to the degree that was desperate. Hajime and Tio tasted a treatment a bit like VIP.

They had their fill of various cooking that was using the mysterious ingredients of this world. The foods fundamentally were grain, fruit, and vegetable, but those products had extremely good flavor from the grace of the sky core's effect, coupled with the skill of the cook, it was enough to satisfy both of them.

They were also guided to a floating island that possessed a large lake. The water that was flowing out from the floating island dispersed midair and turned into white mist which was covering the whole island, that sight truly should even be called as a secret region that was covered by a mystical veil, to the degree that just by being able to look at that made the two thought that it was worth it to come to this world.

Also, the sky cores that were dotting the lake's surrounding seemed to possess the property to take in the humidity in the air and turned it into spring water. The fact that its nature was subtly changed due to that area and the environment caused Hajime's blood as a transmutation master to boil up.

Hajime also exchanged a piece of god crystal with the craftsmen of Avenst who were handling the sky core and they had discussion. They got along greatly with each other. The expression of Hajime who comprehended the various natures of the sky core looked pleased with himself.

There was also the matter of the misunderstanding about Roze's illicit love with the married couple spreading, but the people of Avenst also came into contact with Hajime and Tio with immense curiosity. Someone would surely call out to them kindly when they walked inside the ship.

And the best thing in the two's opinion was that they were able to see this coexisting livelihood of dragon and human.

Human and dragon flew around to patrol and repair the ship's exterior, to harvest on the floating island and deliver luggage, and sometimes just to dry the laundry. The human and dragon that became partner numbered very few if seen from the whole, even so the good old way of living of this world could be found there. It was something that Tio admired very much.

In general, the country aboard the ship called Avenst really matched Hajime and Tio's preference whether in the people's trait, their senses of value, and also their way of coexistence. It was a comfortable country. At the very least, it was far better than the trait of the country that tried to kill them without question and spewed out outrageous remark to Tio the very first time they met.

And then, when Tio and Hajime welcomed the morning of the third days they were enjoying enough this country called Avenst and this world.

The two were waiting for the appearance of the sun for who knew how many times at the front deck of the mother ship Avenst.

There, a voice that was filled with faint nervousness and resolve called out at them.

「……Hajime-sama, Tio-sama. What do you two think about our country?」

When the two looked back across their shoulder, over there was Roze who was holding Kuwaibel in her arms like usual. No, it wasn't just her, the Crow siblings and Bovid, Sabastian, and then the top brasses of Avenst starting with the captain of airship Azeria were arrayed there. Everyone was making a complicated expression like a traveler that was made to stand in the fork road.

「I think it's a good country. I can even think of it as normally comfortable even without the hospitality.」

「Is, that so. I'm, glad to hear that.」

Roze's expression who heard that showed a wry smile. She must have guessed it. That the thinking if they could moved the emotion of the two, then perhaps Hajime would change his mind and gave them their help, such thinking didn't work.

「As expected, something like a status of being our hero, it's not enough as compensation isn't it?」

「You already knew that right from the start right? A man who will change his mind easily after receiving that much hospitality, do you think that kind of man can be expected to become anything like a hero that saved a country? Something like that just isn't in my nature, and it don't even suit me.」

「Fufu. Indeed, when I think back about your deed when cornering the mother ship of Avenst, the title of hero really don't suit you Hajime-sama at all.」

「Now you have said it queen-sama. ……Conversely, it feels like it's you who become a bit unbound from something instead.」

While the expression of the top brasses looked frustrated and pained, it was only Roze whose eyes were containing resignation along with a vague resolve.

Roze took a deep breath at Hajime's pointing out so.

「Perhaps. During these two days, I have been looking at the two of you all the time. Even when you two were having fun, I saw that your heart is unwavering. Why? Even though all these nice people might die, how can you still abandon them? What a terrible person. I also had that kind of thinking.」

「Hmph? You think differently now?」

「I will lie if I say that I'm thinking completely differently. Because no matter what, I am an absolute ally of Avenst. But, somehow, the two of you, aren't inhuman people who doesn't show interest to us……let's see, if I have to say, I come to think of the two of you like a "large tree".」

Hajime titled his head not understanding what Roze meant. In respond to that, Roze talked while choosing her words. The top brasses who were making complicated expression were also lending their ears to Roze's speech.

「An unshakeable existence, that is just existing there. Sometimes it protected us from cold rain, or softening the illuminating sunlight. But, it would never hold out its branches because it is asked, that kind of existence.」

「……That's a strangely fitting phrase.」

Roze chuckled while saying「I'm honored with your praise」seeing she was able to make Hajime blink.

The eastern sky was starting to grow light bit by bit. The dawn was near. Roze turned her gaze at the eastern sky that was starting to brighten while adding on her words. The top brasses were also lending her their ears silently.

「At that time, when the sun came out, the two of you said to me that "this world is beautiful". I had forgotten that all this time, but certainly, even when it has ended up in this state, this world is beautiful. Even though it's this beautiful, even though it has been broken like this, but mankind is still not repenting. ……I thought, just for a little. Taking back our country, defeating Helmut, and then taking back the world before this――is there any meaning in those?」

The top brasses were suddenly starting to get noisy. That was only natural. After all, their king was blurting out something that sounded like she was denying mankind's continuation.

「A destructive thinking huh? But I think that you were persuading us really desperately considering all that though?」

「Of course. Because it was something that I only thought for a bit, I'm not throwing away our dearest wish or anything.」

Relieved sighs were leaked out. The top brasses were stroking down their chest.

Amidst them, Roze talked to Hajime who was tilting his head wondering just what was it she wanted to say.

「Surely, there is no meaning in it.」

「In your dearest wish?」

「No. In being saved.」

Kuwaibel cried out sounding vaguely troubled. It was Kuwaibel who sought help the first time at Hajime and Tio. However, he didn't seek help to break the deadlock in the dangerous situation of that time. He was seeking for the salvation of the dragon kingdom itself from Tio's overwhelming presence that his senses as a monarch dragon detected.

Guessing what Roze wished to say, the expression of the top brasses looked taken aback and turned into a vaguely troubled look.

「We surely have to save ourselves by our own effort. If not, in the world after it is saved, we will surely walk on the path that destroy the world once more……that's what I think.」

「I think it will be fine if it's the people of dragon kingdom though?」

「No. As long as we don't even massacre all the people at the fight against Qwailent, the one living in this world won't just be the people of dragon kingdom. Even if we tell them let's live in repentance after having everything ended by a supernatural existence, just what kind of persuasiveness that can be found from that kind of words?」

After having their country destroyed by an incomprehensible existence that suddenly appeared, there was no way the people would then lend their ears toward the preaching of the people of a dead country who didn't even really fight.

The overwhelming power that Hajime and Tio displayed was a lethal poison in a sense. If such power could be wielded, then the wielder would undoubtedly be able to force their will to happen. Seen from the view point of people who were lamenting powerlessly, the people who were reaching out their hand toward their dearest wish, it wasn't an exaggeration even if such power was called as a magic with unequalled charm.

Therefore, Roze who was charmed and became captive of that power where she then asked for help, after she saw the figure of Hajime and Tio living a really normal daily life, showing admiration and wonder at everything in the trifling ordinary day, it seemed that her boiling mind recovered its calmness.

「Originally, we should also say "Don't get involved, this is our problem" about Helmut's subjugation too, but……」

「You are awfully different from two days ago huh. Well, those are admirable words but……my wife said, 'I want to beat up Helmut-kun viciously until you cannot even recognize how he looks like!', so just give up on that.」

「N, no, Goshujin-sama? I, didst not really speak that far……」

Actually, Hajime-san also thought that he wanted to go and took a look at an "evil" dragon. This wasn't just a mere dragon they were talking about. It was an "evil" dragon. 'Isn't that tickling the soul!' Though currently it was a serious scene, so he read the mood and kept such thinking only in his heart.

「I see. Then, we will fight in the world that stop raining. We will pray for your success in Helmut's subjugation. And then, if possible, it will make us happy if you will remember us, the dragon country Avenst, oh horrible dragon knight-sama from another world.」

「I told you already right, I'll pray, so that the dearest wish of you all queen-san and others can come true. Or rather, what's with that horrible dragon knight-sama huh. As I thought, you are holding a bit of grudge aren't you?」

「Who knows, what are you talking about?」

Roze said that while chuckling.

It seemed that she really wasn't planning to request the two of them to become their proxy in war anymore.

There were two kinds of victory. A meaningful victory, and a meaningless victory. Surely the path Roze and others was walking on was filled with hardships, but if they were looking for the former, then they had to fight by their own. Her smile was a bright one must be because she had clearly realized that and resolved herself.

The top brasses were making a troubled expression at their queen's decision, but when Roze looked back and asked「Is there any objection?」with her gaze, they bowed their head unanimously. And then, when they lifted their head back, the same resolve and determination like Roze were dwelling in those eyes.

「Hajime-sama, Tio-sama. I'm glad I can meet the two of you. Please, stay healthy.」

「Ou, you guys too. I won't forget about the people of the sky who are living together with the dragons.」

「Roze-dono. I'm praying for a limitless happiness for thee, and for thy important people.」

The morning sun showed its face. Warm light filled the world from beyond the sea of clouds.

Hajime and Tio shook hand with Roze, and like that, they were about to part――

「-, Cross Bit!!」

Suddenly Hajime yelled. Right after that, the huge flash that was launched from the sun assaulted the flank of mother ship Avenst.

Hajime defended against that attack using barrier that was formed by the Cross Bits he secretly deployed two days ago when they arrived at this ship.

Thunderous sound and impact shook the world. Roze screamed and she was about to tumble down, but Tio helped her to stand still.

Because the barrier didn't cover the whole ship, the extremely violent flash was making mother ship Avenst to tilt with its after wave. The top brasses on the deck were falling to their knees altogether.

Was it ten second, or one minute?

The flash fired from the sun was vanishing as though it was melting into the empty air.

「Hiding in the sunrise, they are acting witty.」

When Tio and Roze turned their gaze toward the sunlight at Hajime's mutter――

There were countless black dots there.

It wasn't just one or two. A great number of black dots could be seen inside the sunlight that was illuminating the world with blazing light.

No, those were, what appeared with the sun on their back using that light to hide their figure were――

「Qwailent's fleet……no way, why are they here!?」

Roze's words that sounded like a scream resounded.

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.

Just, one more chapter……you know?

Next time the update plan is at 6 P.M Saturday too. That's the plan.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.