Chapter 122 (2/2)

[ [Just what we wanted! (Ja!)] ]

Sure enough it caused Kaori and Teio to heat up even more. Yue also slowly got up.

[Wa, the three of you wait a second! To suddenly start fighting…..or rather, Nagumo-kun*lol whoops i didn’t notice i had kun and san mixed up here, thanks gimme_breack and maniac88*! Stop them!]

Shizuku was sweatingly and flustered around trying to do her best to arbitrate the situation. And quickly came to the conclusion that she wouldn’t be able to stop them herself! So she gave up and turned to ask for help from Hajime who was the cause of this dispute.

Hajime just casually said…..

[It’s impossible. I’m sluggish…..]

His magical power was already drastically decreased and he became sluggish. He didn’t seem to have any intentions of moving.

To begin with, a small quarrel was an everyday occurrence, rather it was more like a kind of communication for the girls, so Hajime didn’t pay much heed to it.

[P, people like you are~]

However, Shizuku was still oblivious towards her surroundings then, a cheek began to twitch.

Then, a hanya-voice called out to Shizuku.

[Shizuku-chan! Please take that back!]

[Ar~e? Since when did I get pulled into this!?]

Quite naturally, Shizuku’s participation in the war was decided.

[Sa~a, princess, let’s both step up together! You’re an barrier expert right? I’ll leave defences to you and Suzu over there!]

[Eh? Me as well!? Why!?]

[Suzu was also casually included!?]

Teio with her draconic strength held Suzu and Ririana’s necks like a kitten and dragged them. [Princess…..I’m a princess…….], Ririana muttered out with empty feelings.

[……Shia, I’m entrusting you as the Vanguard]

[A, alright! I won’t let anyone get near Yue-san!]

Full of spirit. It seemed that Shia served as Yue’s vanguard. She got up from Hajime and started twirling her arm around.

[……Hajime, wait for a bit. I’m going to beat them and come back]

[O~h, do it in moderation~]

[……After we’re done fighting we’ll embrace again]

[Anytime is fine~]

[……N~]

With that, the female members (except for some) left towards the deck with the atmosphere filled with fighting spirit. Although the deck was a moderate size it couldn’t be said to have actually been enough. Surely It’ll likely be good battle training. It’s necessary for Kaori to get used to Nointo’s body so moving around is a good idea. Since there’s no telling what kind of ordeals they’ll be facing at the great labyrinth, [Harutsuina Sea of Trees], it’s good to train even if only a bit.

However it was unknown whether Yue and them had that in mind though.

After a while, roars and explosions were beginning to be heard. Kouki and them were startled. They had anxious expressions, wondering if it was really alright to just leave them as is.

[They’re having fun huh~]

However, Hajime’s impression was just that.

[……Or rather what’s with you, Nagumo…..]

[As expected, you’re quite outrageous….]

The bridge that was only filled with men now, after looking at the bored Hajime, Kouki and Ryutaro were half amazed and half concerned. He wasn’t phased at all with that riot that the women started, it seemed to have been completely natural so they were impressed as men.

After that, Yue and their fight ended after terribly scaring the Demi-humans, and finally the Sea of Trees were beginning to appear up ahead. Although it sounded as if the first to scream out was the emperor…….it must have surely just been their imaginations.

While quietly worrying for the emperor’s safety, they began to prepare and land at the Sea of Trees.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

With the sun hiding its face, the curtain of night fell down.

The interior of the Sea of Trees was illuminated by Fair Bergen as people produced orange lights. Normally, no matter how busy they are with reconstruction, the time for pleasures of family meals and family time would be long past, and the serene silence would be flowing in the air.

However, the current Fair Bergen was as if the night and day cycle were reversed, it was wrapped up in clamor. People were busily running to the right and left. People started gathering in the village outside of Fair Bergen, it appears that people were arranging the soldiers and instructing them.

Towards that clamor, while looking out the window that was left open to let in the evening wind, one of Fair Bergen’s elders, Alfrerick Hapisuto of the forest people had a slightly indescribable expression while holding a document in one hand.

In the contents, was a report about accepting in several thousands of their brethren back, it was that kind of document. The other elders were also helping out to split the work.

[Fu~u….Cam. Is our brethren truly coming back?]

[…..You’re still saying that kind of thing. I’m not going to keep reassuring you every time you ask, just hurry up and finish preparing to accept them]

When Alfrerick began talking, as if the room was alive a person’s presence appeared. Beside Alfrerick was the Haruia, Cam, who had concealed his presence.

Cam and the Hauria tribe came back through the gate ahead of Hajime and them to tell of the Demi-humans being liberated. And used the telepathy stones to increase efficiency of the preparations to accept in their people, that was their roles as volunteers.

[I know that. It’s just that, it’s still just to hard to believe. That Empire is really liberating our brethren……]

[That’ll be proven in a few hours from now. Ma~a, I can understand your feelings. …..For us, if it wasn’t for boss, never in our dreams did we think something of this scale could be done]

[Boss…..the qualified person—Nagumo Hajime, huh. If that story is true then, he is not just my granddaughter’s but all of our brethren’s savior. We’ll have to think of a way to repay him…..]

[Boss probably doesn’t expect any of those kinds of things. Rather than that, quickly move that hand of yours. The reports are stacking up again]

Cam who heard a report from the telepathy stone, glanced towards Alfrerick for an instant. Although something was said to Cam through the telepathy stone, he only looked out into space, his appearance had no openings at all either. On the contrary, intense drive appeared from his lack of presence.

They once had an expression of resignation towards their expectation of their clan being executed……you’d never think they were the same person. Their original gentle atmosphere was also nonexistent now, instead they had a sharpness that seemed that it would cut anyone who just touches them.

In fact, that sharpness had already been shown.

That was because as soon as Cam came to the elders and told them to prepare to accept in the slaves which will be liberated, no one, not even Alfrerick could believe his words but, on that occasion, one of the elders felt that Cam’s behavior was irreverently and unpleasant, so they started throwing out words in contempt at Cam and even tried to get him to kneel down forcefully.

Even if they’ve avenged the Kumaninzoku before and helped out when Fair Bergen was attacked by the demons and empire, the values that the Usagininzoku were seen in where likely not able to change so quickly.

However, towards that action due to fixed values, he returned it with severe murderous intent. The moment that one of the elder’s subordinates tried to touch Cam, just where were they hidden, simultaneously the Hauria tribe appeared and placed their blades on all of the elder’s necks.

Naturally, the man who was about to confront cam also had a blade pointed at him, it turned into a situation where no one moved a muscle. Filled with murderous intent, if you spoke poorly, there’s no doubt that they’ll bear their fangs, Alfrerick was somehow able to resettle peace in that situation.

In an instant, they occupied Fair Bergen’s elder meeting who carried the highest power, and, made them all breakout into cold sweat with their fierce murderous intent, for the time being they decided to trust them and see what happens. Or rather, they couldn’t do anything but that. The Hauria’s blades which were on the scruff of their necks were dangerous.

[Oji-sama*Grandfather*, preparation for the meals are complete. This is the quantity left after consumption]

A lovely voice just like a bell ranged out and pulled Alfrerick out of his recollection which made him break out in cold sweat.

[Mu, Arutena huh. Thanks for the hard work. But, you keep going back and forth*unsure, ????????????????*, don’t stress yourself out]

[I’m just fine. My brethren are coming back, I can’t just sit and do nothing]

Arutena took on a resolute attitude as Alfrerick was worrying. However, after passing on the report to Alfrerick, strangely she began to fidget restlessly. Though Alfrerick was dubious, he noticed that his granddaughter was frequently glancing towards Cam, and somehow guessed what she had in mind.

[If you’re anxious about him, how about hearing about it from Cam?]

[! N, no, I wasn’t particularly thinking about Nagumo-san……]

[However, I never said anything about a man did I?]

[Oji-sama! No way, please don’t find faults in others words like a meanie!]

Alfrerick was visibly pleased while watching his granddaughter who was restless, he may have been serious about it?-she thought.

Due to Arutena’s personality and figure, there have been many marriage proposals since her birth but, up until now she’s rejected them all, the person in question wanted to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps and work for the country rather than thinking about marriage. That’s why he had never had this kind of discussion until now…..

From within Alfrerick, his foolishness and teasing as a grandfather started to rise up.

[Fumu, that man is definitely your benefactor but, he doesn’t think of you as special? Or rather, to be specific he was helping out the Hauria tribe? Although you shouldn’t think too much into it…..it’ll be difficult to get him to become your partner]

[I’ve already said it~, it’s not like that! Mou~! I heard that Nagumo-sama was bringing back our brethren, so I was only a bit interested about it. Yes, that’s the only reason!]

With a puffed out face, Arutena started to leave the room and Alfrerick secretly let out a sigh.

Then, at that time, Cam who was quiet until then, unexpectedly called out to Arutena.

[Miss Arutena]

[Eh, ehtto, yes? Cam-san. What is it?]

Cam had a smile as if he was amused at something which made Arutena reply back wryly. Cam reported smiling as he saw Arutena who was cautious.

[Although it seems as if boss allows many women to serve him, the fact is, he’s fairly single-minded. And, the “special” positions have already been covered, as so, it’s immovable. It’s possible to get closer towards those seats but, you’d likely need a substantial amount of trust for that]

[Wa, ha~a…..Ehtto]

Cam was fearlessly grinning at the puzzled Arutena.

[By the way, according to boss’s actions, the closest person towards that seat is……my daughter Shia. After all, the reason why he helped us bear our fangs at the Empire was because, “For the sake of Shia’s smile to not become clouded” he said]

[! Is, is that so?]

[That’s right. If it was for Shia’s sake, Boss would take on a country’s army. Right, all for Shia’s sake. Fufufu]

[ ! ]

Arutena sensitively guess that he was basically implying, [You can’t win against my daughter!].

Actually, Arutena was the same age of Shia who was 16 years old. Therefore, having been compared with another girl of her age and told that she wouldn’t even be a proper match…… there was no helping that she was angry.

[When you say Shia-san…..you’re talking about the one with the pale bluish hair right. Allow me to say that I don’t think I’m inferior to her. Though there is definitely a difference in the amount of time spent together……even I would, with the same amount of time given to me……]

[*light hearted no’s*Iya, iya, our Shia is an extremely special existence, as expected, miss Arutena should stop from doing such useless things for your own sake, allow me to give you some advice. If you miss the marriageable age it’ll become a very bleak thing]

[That’s uncalled for!]

[Ha~a. Cam, would you leave the teasing of my granddaughter at that……]

The huffing mad Arutena and the grinning Cam. Alfrerick let out a grand sigh as he looked at the two.

The reason why Cam was provoking Arutena was because he was a bit meddlesome.

Of course, he was not going against Arutena, he was going against Shia. The relationship of Shia and Hajime when they left the Sea of Trees could be said that Shia was rushing it. That is, as long as you’re looking at appearances only, Cam had felt that their relationship had become quite intimate. After one push, make sure to rush straight beyond the goal!

That one push, in other words it was a detonator for Arutena to start scheming, If Shia had heard it, [That’s extremely uncalled for!] she’d say in anger.

Cam chuckled to himself as he had lit up Arutena’s feelings of rivalry. The appearance of a girl whos decided to love without hesitation and resort to anything was…..incredibly devilish.

Then, at that time, all of the sudden the outside became noisy. It wasn’t the same noise from running around like before, it was the noisiness of tension from an unexpected situation. They even began to hear roars.

[What’s going on!]

Alfrerick suddenly stood up from his seat and walked up to the window. Then he saw the cause of the commotion.

[Pillars….of….light?]

Exactly according to those words, light as strong as the sunlight during daytime was shining down onto the trees, no, the light was incomparably strong, that, rather than just the trees it lit up past them and lit up the plaza of Fair Bergen.

The situation was currently unknown, Alfrerick had his eyes wide opened and a calm voice resounded.

[Don’t worry, Alfrerick. Boss has arrived]

Right, the identity of the light which illuminated Fair Bergens plaza, was the searchlight of the airship “Feruniru” which has arrived in the skies of Fair Bergen.