54 Rescue strategy (2/2)

The first time was in the Republic of St. Renaria.

The second time was in the Kingdom of Rox.

But there's something different about the atmosphere of the last time we met.

I have the feeling that you are looking at yourself with much more glamorous eyes than before.

Also, compared to the last time we met, I'm somewhat shabbier.

''How did you know you were coming here, Raina?''

That was always the question. Obviously, this goddess had been waiting for him. She knew in advance that she was coming here.

I don't feel like I'm being watched. I wonder how she is monitoring my movements.

'Well, I wonder why?'

Raina giggles.

Seriously, what is this goddess thinking? We can't be too careful.

”Hey, Kroki. I know you're going to that labyrinth too. Can I come with you?

Then he comes to himself.

'I'm not going to go help Rage.

I turn my head to the side and answer coldly.

Rumor has it that Raina and Rage are lovers.

It didn't feel like that when I met them before.

But according to Nat's information, there's no doubt about it.

And seeing as how she wants to help Raige, the rumor is true.

To be honest, I'm jealous of Rage. You can't just take a beautiful goddess as your lover while you have all these amazing beauties like Sirone and others in your life.

I'm so jealous that it brings tears to my eyes.

I want to make out with such a beautiful woman myself.

It's a good thing I already have Kuna. But I can't erase the envy in my heart.

Maybe that's why I don't feel like helping Raige.

I think it's narrow-minded, but I couldn't help it.

And I don't think I have to help them.

They are strong. The girls around them, not just Rage, are excellent.

I don't think that Rage, with Sirone and all those beauties at his side, needs any help from me.

It's a good thing that you're able to have a good time with them.

Worrying about myself was just meddling.

So I won't worry about it anymore.

I'm going to let myself be on my own.

'Huh, I don't care about Rage. I just want to be with you.

Raina says that and comes closer to my face with a charmed smile.

Wait! It's close! It's close!

I am now wearing my armor, but I am holding my helmet under my arm. In other words, it's in the face.

That's why I'm thrown into a daze when Raina's super beautiful face comes at me.

Would she lie like that to save Rage?

There's no reason why Raina would want to be with him.

”She's all cheating. You should be able to keep me company when she's not around. It was hard for me to get out of it. If you miss this opportunity, you don't know when you will see him again.

Then Raina takes her arm.

'Wait!　Leena!

I'm confused.

Could that girl be Kuna?

Coona isn't in his element yet, so I'm letting him rest in his own compound in Nargol.

When I told her I was going to the Haybos gods to save Nat, she wanted to go with me and it was hard to calm her down.

I hope he's a good boy.

But how does Raina know that?

'Let's go, Kroki. If we use the transition gate that Chiyuki set up, we should be able to get there in no time. Let's go from there.

Raina said and tugged on her own arm.

I haven't said I'm going with her yet. But for some reason I can't disobey Raina.

I'm being dragged along like Donna Donna's calf.

The freedom fighter girl Sisyphe.

Ha!

I swing my wooden sword at Novice.

'Yup!'

However, the wooden sword is easily dispelled by Novice's wooden sword.

''Yes!!!''

Sister Kayna's stick swings at Novis from the side.

But Novis dodges it easily by flying backwards.

My sister Kayna and I move away from Novis and keep our distance.

It takes two of us, me and Kayna, to fight, but we're no match for Novis.

As expected of a brave man of fire, he is sometimes called a brave man of fire.

I quit: ......

Suddenly, Novis releases his stance.

'What's the matter with you, Novis!

'No. You can't improve with Sisyphe. ......

'Excuse me!　You're the one who asked me to come with you to practice your sword!

In the first place, me and my sister Kayna are going with you for sword practice, which is what Novis asked for.

I'm sure you've got no choice in the matter. ...... It's a good thing that you're able to do that,” he said, ”because it's the only person around who can help you with your sword. And since I can't let them get hurt, I can't even get serious about it ....... This isn't a good training partner.

Novis says in a regretful voice, but saying that doesn't help.

'I'm already ....... Even so, I can't deal with you. But what's really going on here all of a sudden? Do you want me to come with you to sword practice?

I wonder.

Why does he suddenly want to be strong and ask me to be his sword partner? This has never happened before.

But Novice doesn't respond to his words.

''Well, that's what happens after seeing a brave man of light.

Sister Kayna!

Kayna's sister laughs and hugs Novice's back.

I sigh when I hear that.

It seems that she still has a rivalry with Rage-sama. But no matter how hard I try, I don't think Novice will be able to beat Rage-sama.

But it's good to try to be strong.

When Maddie saw the dark-haired sage, she said she had to work hard too, so she went to the witchcraft society in Ariadia to study. That's why she's not here right now.

We are now practicing our swords in the backyard of the Temple of Ishtia.

Normally, men are not allowed to enter here because it is a place where the laundry of the priestesses who serve Ishtia, the goddess of love and beauty, is hung out to dry.

But I have been asked to work at the Temple of Ishtia on several occasions. I have become friends with the temple maidens at that time, so I am allowed to use the temple as a special guest.

The Temple of Ishtia is very generous in the way it treats me, a Feria faithful, with kindness.

If this were a Feriah Temple, I would be forced to convert.

To begin with, it is generally said that the Feriah and the Ishtia faithful do not get along with each other.

But that's because they don't like Ishtia, because of their dislike for the goddess of marriage.

Because according to the teachings of Lord Feriah, the goddess of marriage, it's good to be faithful to one's husband. And Feriah is also loyal to her husband, God King Odis.

On the other hand, the Goddess of Beauty, Ishtia has had several male goddesses as lovers.

In other words, Lady Ischthia was contrary to the teachings of Feriah.

This is why the Feria congregation dislikes the Ishtia congregation.

But it wouldn't be a problem if I, as a Feria follower, didn't care about it.

And unlike the Republic of Ariadia, the power of the Ishtian Order is strong in this Free City of Thessia, and it would be unprofitable to go against them.

But as long as you don't mind their doctrine, the priestesses who serve Lady Ishtia are all very easy to get along with.

I was just a child when I arrived in the city, and I was under the care of the priestesses of the Ishtia Order at that time.

So I can't say anything.

And now in the backyard are me, my sister Kayna, and Novis, as well as the temple priestesses who have become friends with Nora.

Some of these priestesses are obviously here to see Novis.

Even if they can't match Rage-sama, Novice is amazing enough. I don't think there is any need to be so mean-spirited about it.

''Haha ....... I don't know if you can beat Rage-sama or not, but I think you should learn from a real martial arts teacher, not me.

I say, and Novis shakes his head.

'I've been thinking about that too. I had a fight with a famous swordsmanship teacher before: ....... All of them refused to let me in.

'Ah. Come to think of it, that's happened to me before: ....... Then there's no one around here to teach you the sword. ......

Novis had destroyed one of the swordsmanship dojos before.

That swordsmanship dojo didn't seem to be of a very good nature, but no one would teach Novis a sword after what happened.

'Then why don't you ask the brave man of light to teach you, boy. He's strong, and he should be able to handle the boy swinging his sword with all his might.

Nora, who was watching beside him, called out to him.

'Don't be a boy, Mr. Nora. I'm not a boy anymore.

'Oh, I'm sorry: ....... I forgot how quickly humans grow, my apologies.

I don't know how old Nora the Elf is, but she has probably lived for more than 100 years.

From that Nora's point of view, all humans are children.

'But Novis. I think Mr. Nora has a point in what he said.

I think what Nora said is a good idea.

I don't know if you'll tell me, but Master Rage is strong. It would be much better than what we're dealing with.

'Sure it is, but ....... It's something.

Novis looks kind of uncomfortable.

''Well, it's certainly just because of the reason. You wouldn't want to ask the brave man of light to teach you a lesson~ Then Novis, why don't you get a lesson from the sword maiden?

Sister Kayna says with a smirk.

I don't know what the reason would be to dislike Rage-sama.

'The maiden with the sword?　What's that, sister Kayna?

What, you don't know, Novis? He's one of the Brave Men of Light. He wasn't around when I got here, though. They say he's a better swordsman than the Brave Man of Light.

Really, Kayna!

Novice's surprised voice.

Come to think of it, I've heard about it from Chiyuki-sama, too. I heard that Rage-sama has a woman called the Sword Maiden as a companion other than the women who hid in the labyrinth with him.

If I'm not mistaken, her name is Shirone.

That woman is beautiful, just like the other women with Master Rage. Rumor has it that her swordsmanship is such that she seems to dance.

However, I heard that she is separated from the Raiders.

They should be in the far north by now.

But ....... 'How do you get a lesson from that person?　You're far away, aren't you?

'Yeah, that's the thing, Sisyphe. Everything seems to be coming here. It's like Leiria is going to pick up that sword maiden.

'Oh, really?'

Leiria-san has gone to the Temple of Raina in Ariadia on an errand for the Order.

I hadn't heard what the errand was, but I didn't think it was such an errand.

'I see, so the sword maiden is coming here then. I'm sure she's beautiful after all. Ehehehe.

The bottom of Novice's nose visibly stretches out.

I don't know what I'm thinking at all. I'm a little angry.

In all likelihood, Novis won't get the chance, since Lady Rage is here.

But I'm curious too. What kind of person is he?

I'm not Novice, but I want to learn the sword too.

Because if I can be strong, I want to be too. Miserable is the misery of being weak.

Lady Syrone, Maiden of the Sword. I wanted to meet you.

”Novi~!

Suddenly I hear a voice, this voice is familiar.

It's someone I've known for a long time, appearing with the voice.

”'Justy!

My voice and Novice's overlap.

The one who showed up was someone Novis and I have known since we were kids.

His name is Justia. When I call her, I shorten it a bit and call her Justy. She is a priestess in the service of Lord Ishtia.

She is a girl of my generation who I met when I first came here. She had played with me, Maddie and Novice when she was little.

That Justy comes running in with a thud.

'If you're back, you can call out to me, Novis!

Then he hugged Novis. I guess Justy hadn't seen Novis since he came back.

'Guffaw!

Novis makes it sound painful.

Justy is a pretty fat girl, even to me as a woman. And sometimes she's as powerful as a man's face. Novis looks pained, not happy to be hugged by a girl, but pained.

In fact, she is the sister of the brave Gaudan of the earth. I found out about that just the other day.

I was really surprised when Justy told me about it.

Come to think of it, the two of them are somewhat similar.

”Oh, Sisyphe. Are you here?

Justy says as he hugs Novis.

Ever since I was a little girl, Justy has liked Novis and for some reason, he sees me as an enemy.

Justy apparently thinks that I like Novice. It's not true.

But it's not fun to be noticed and then told as if I wasn't there.

'You were there all along and you didn't know it, Justy?　Sorry, I'm not as big as you.

I laugh and say, looking at Justy's belly.

'Yeah, Sisyphe. Your breasts are so small I didn't even notice them.

Nah!

My breasts are not on the small side by any means. At least they are bigger than Maddy and Nora's. In short, Justy is too big.

But Justy's breasts are big, but his girth is also quite large, so it's not frustrating at all. But it's a little uncomfortable.

”Hey, you're just fat!

'I am not fat!　I'm just a little chubby!

Me and Justy glare at each other.

'Wait, wait, wait!　You Novices are foaming at the seams!

My sister Kayna, who was watching beside me, steps in between.

When I look, I see Novice limp in Justy's embrace, blowing bubbles.

Kyah: ---- Novis!

Justy stops hugging him and shakes Novis.

Fearful Justy strangles Novis, who was called the brave man of fire. I thought so.