76 76 "Invitation from the Emperor" (2/2)

Of course, you have to hunt the demons (us).

Yeah, that's for sure.

I'm pretty sure she's pissed off that we're being hunted for points.

I mean, I understand the hero system and the point system, but why can't I just work with you guys?

”Don't you know?　Demons are a natural thing to be defeated in this world. In fact, most of them are resources for humans. What would happen if you allied with these demons to invade the human country?

Ah, I see. Somehow I figured it out.

”I mean, that would put Amanes in a pretty bad position globally

I'm not sure if I'll be targeted as a demon and a scourge of the world. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make your life easier. So I want to avoid that as much as possible.

Certainly. I don't want to put Amanes in a difficult position that he would have had to work so hard to get.

So what should we do?

We can't just go on the offensive. Is there a way left, then?

Yes, now that I think about it, I might have gotten hot and bothered when I heard that Lily was kidnapped.

If you think about it calmly...the first thing to do is to talk to them and ask them to return the hostage.

He's a brave man and a human being. I'm sure he'll understand.

”Kyou-sama. Just so you know, if you want to talk to that man, it's a wish you won't get.

But then Phytis, who must have read my thoughts, precedes me with a nail.

”Yeah, why?

”That man is the most insolent of all the brave men. A self-centered thinker, worthy of the name of emperor. He is a king who thinks the world revolves around him. If he were to try to negotiate with us, there's no telling what he might ask for.

Indeed. It is even rumored that he even used his own brother as a puppet, thereby usurping the throne and making him the current emperor.

Wait, what is that, a disturbing rumor.

Isn't this the kind of setting you'd expect to find in a story about the slow life?

Oh, and don't get me started on how it stopped being a slow life a long time ago.

I'm going to ask them to negotiate with you. ......

That's impossible. The man would only want to control another country.

”By the way, not so much.

A moment later, an unfamiliar boy's voice echoes through the place.

Amaz and I, and even my mother, were surprised to hear it and turned around to look at the sound of the voice.

There was a small figure, wrapped in a white robe.

He's about 150 or so in height. It's hard to tell if he's a man or a woman, partly because of the robe.

His voice is like a boy's and a girl's if you listen carefully.

Hey! Nice to meet you all. I am Tsurugi, one of the Seven Heroes. I'm Tsurugi, one of the Seven Great Braves. I have come to deliver an invitation from the Emperor's heroes.

With that, the person who called himself Tsurugi turned his attention to me and Amanes and threw a letter in his hand that appeared to be an invitation.

You can find details about the place and date there. I've written a detailed description of the place, date and time, so please bring as many people as is convenient for you.

It's a good thing that you're able to get your hands on a few of them.

I'm going to have to say goodbye to this for now. Oh, yeah. You are the rumored ”cultivator” Kyou-san, right?

The next moment, the white robed hero who called himself Tsurugi found himself standing right in front of me.

What?　How did you move in the blink of an eye?　Instantaneous movement?

...... I see, that's definitely Kyou-san.

The person who called himself Tsurugi looked into my eyes, wearing an air of melancholy.

The eyes through the robe almost suck me in, and for some reason I feel nostalgic, but when I blink again, Tsurugi is no longer in front of me, and he has returned to his original position.

I'll leave you now. Please do not forget to bring your 'seeds' with you.

As well as the fact that the brave man who called himself Tsurugi said that and entered the Demon King's castle deep into the realm where only demons exist, how he entered the castle remains a mystery to me, but when I noticed it, the figure had completely disappeared.

...... Is that the rumored Tsurugi?

When I looked at her, I saw that she was also unusually nervous, and even a cold sweat was running down her cheeks.

What kind of brave man is that, by the way?

I don't know.

Heh?

He's the most mysterious of all the seven heroes. His gender, his title, and his abilities are all a mystery. Why he's in the Empire of Albus now is a complete mystery.

It seems that the brave men and women on the other side are not just the imperial heroes.

I've been thinking about this, but I was still uncomfortable with what she said just before when she left.

Why did he mention the topic of ”seeds” at that time?

This is what the goddess asked me to collect and it should not have been known publicly.

Even so, I took the invitation lying on the table, broke the seal and looked inside, and everything made sense to me.

I see. I'm sure that I was destined to meet this imperial hero in the end anyway.

It was a literal invitation, but it was also a dueling letter.

Because the words on that paper were my destination itself.

I would love to talk about your three species and ours.

We'll be waiting for you to come to our castle soon.

--”Rostam the Impaler.”

A journey to find the seeds of the six World Trees entrusted to us by the goddess, and to plant them.

The time for its conclusion was approaching.