Volume 15 (1/2)

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Half a day's walk froic City Sharia, not even an hour by horse, there lies a city ruin

Or rather, what remains of a castle

Great coluround, stone slates scatter about

This must be how the Parthenon would look after further deterioration

It ht to behold once upon a time

It gives the impression of a relic of history

”What's left of the Scotts Castle, a relic from when mankind battled Laplace It was said that thousands caainst the Deht, and it was captured”

Explains the beautiful girl with golden braided hair besides me

Graceful exterior, clad in expensive travel wear, a charisure obvious even from afar

Indeed, the one and only Ariel Anemoi Asura

Was that explanation for me?

With that in lanced around me

Luke and Sylphy stand not far behind

A little further back, Roxy, Zanoba, Cliff and Elinalise

Nanahoshi+ ahead

Ariel looks towards me, there's no one between us

”Ariel-sama sure knows her stuff”

It would be rude to ignore her

With that in ently smiled in response

”Folktales of this area often mention this topic”

”Are you interested in folktales?”

”To develop relationshi+ps with the aristocracy of the area, that is also necessary”

Ariel explains as a matter of fact

Memorize local history in order to befriend the local aristocracy

She has it tough

”But coius-sama from here?”

”To be honest, I don't really knoe do next, but”

I look towards Nanahoshi+ in front of us

Carrying a heavy backpack,straight ahead

She told us to just follow along, but can we really get there from here?

Froic Circle in this location

”I' would be a bother”

Hearing what I said, Ariel laughs out loud

”Rudeus-sas Even if he isn't the king of a country, he's still called [King], a true hero! A few guests

like us shouldn't be a bother”

”If you say so”

I glance behind us

Me, Nanahoshi+, Ariel, Sylphy, Luke, Roxy, Zanoba, Cliff, and Elinalise

9 in total

I thought it's a bit too

For royalty, guests come in tens, just us few can't count for much

By the way, Norn refused politely because of school work

Maybe she's worried about her pro and studies after joining the student council

Well, if I really brought her along, then I'd have to bring Aisha too This works just as well

”Perugius-san he spent sodom, as an equal of

King Asura He would bring an entourage nu in the tens or hundreds to the royal palace Someone of his stature won't be troubled by a

uests”

”Ah, I see”

Ariel's charis to the ear

Anyone would be bothered to have guests arrive unannounced, but hearing this fro of a deal

” If he got tired of the court life, uests too”

”Maybe But if that's really the case, then Nanahoshi+-sa”

”I don't think Nanahoshi+ is the kind of person that worries over these things”

Speaking of that, I recall how Ariel ended up co

Back then, hearing Nanahoshi+ ius, I couldn't contain my excitement

The Arius

Even I have heard of that name before

Not long after I came to this world, I read about him in a book

400 years ago, a hero of the Laplace Can

In it writes that he controls 12 faed Laplace with his companions

After Laplace was sealed, as tribute to his exploits, the new era is naon era” in his honor

Arius did not become head of a country, rather he sits afloat Sky Castle [Chaos Breaker] and travels the world

Of course I'm excited to meet someone of that caliber

No matter what, a castle in the sky!

Laputa ho![1]

I ought to be busy with research and child-rearing

But I still want to go

Even if only once

I'ot the better of him

But Papa will definitely bring so back for you!

Sylphy's concerns were the complete opposite of my selfish self

She asked Nanahoshi+

”Can Ariel-sa as well?”

”Ariel?”

Nanahoshi+ looked troubled

Ariel has solicited her on many occasions

Nanahoshi+ wields tredo her into her circle

But Nanahoshi+ wants to avoid entanglement with this world That would just be a bother

”Yes Perugius-sa tiht within Asura court Ariel-sama,

she looking towards the future, I'm sure she would want to meet someone like him”

Ariel has connections all over the place

All preparations to one day take over the Asura throne

It would be a tough fight, possibly an impossible one

I don't know Ariel's plans after she graduates in a year

Will she continue to gather strength here, or will she head back to Asura for a fight to the death?

As long as it doesn't endanger ive her a hand

But her position there is still uncertain

To be honest, I don't want to involve enuinely want to offer support for my wife

However, Ariel doesn't seedom

Sylphy has a kid now, so I doubt she plans to leave Lucy behind for so so risky

Still, I doubt she's ready for goodbyes yet, and has been giving her all for Ariel's sake right now

This is probably one of those cases

In the battle for the throne, connections are everything

Particularly, if she can obtain the backing of Ardom, then her path for the throne would surely

be easier

”Well, I have been in your care That's fine, bring her”

I thought for sure that she would refuse, but Nanahoshi+ okays it

Afterwards I heard that while I ay, Nanahoshi+ got a lot of help from Sylphy

Bringing her ic when she got sick

Although she stopped after Lucy was born, she used to come by often for baths

”Really? Thank you very much! I'm sure Ariel-sama would be pleased”

Sylphy clenched her fist and brightly smiled

As a result, Ariel and Luke joined the party as well

Sylphy said Ariel was unusually excited about this

No matter their station, everyone reacts the sa someone so famous face to face

I'm excited too

He's the real deal, a genuine hero

Hopefully he's easy to get along with

Speaking of which, I just remembered

A long tiius's subordinates

Just before the Metastasis Event

I ht

If I recall, back then he suspected me as the person behind the Metastasis Event and attacked me

Ghyslaine was able to talk him down He doesn't seem like a bad person, but he did try to kill me once

That makes me nervous

No, no reason for the erous just because his subordinate was

Besides, if Perugius-sama had detected the Metastasis event and wanted to stop it

Then he deserves praise for acting on his own initiative

But if I was killed back then

Forget it, what's done is done

Water under the bridge

For our initial greetings, I shouldn't be looking to fight

Forgive and forget

”We're here”

While I orrying over these things, Nanahoshi+ stopped at the center of the ruins

Middle of nowhere

Despite what I think, if look carefully, on the ground rests a stool-sized stone

A stone monument

Monument of ”Seven Great Major Powers”

The faint light that extrudes froraved there

Seems like these are everywhere, even here

”Nohat?”

”We call him”

Having said that, Nanahoshi+ drops her baggage and takes out a golden flute

Not a finger hole on it, so more properly a whistle

Nanahoshi+ placed it against her lips and blew

Fuu-!

No whistling

Just the sound of blowing air

Maybe a dog whistle?

”No sound?”

Cliff exclaimed

”Humans can't hear it Just wait, he'll be here soon”

Having said that, Nanahoshi+ sat on a rock besides her

A sound humans can't hear

Yet it can reach Perugius

That should be impossible in normal circumstances

In other word, that flute is a ic item too

”Cliff”

Suddenly Elinalise yelled at Cliff with a straight face

”What is it?”

”While we're still here I have to say this Where we're going isn't a place to joke around at Remember to watch your mouth”

” I get it I am not a kid anymore”

Cliff pouts like a kid that just got lectured

Then Elinalise presses herself against Cliff, whispering into his ears

Cliff sees as an apology

”What sorts of statues will a castle in the sky have, I can't wait to find out!”

Zanoba is his usual self

Once set to to visit Perugius, he i soius-sama] and packed up the

Ruijerd that I e

I doubt there's an opportunity, but he probably wants to do soadi

Truly enthusiastic for his work

By the way, Ginger isn't here

Zanoba ordered her to protect my family

Even though Ginger obviously wanted to co

Well, for me the more protection for them the better, so one more doesn't hurt

But it's not like I' leave of absence either

”Don't always push your hobbies onto others After all, that guy is over 400 years old already”

”Hahaha, isn't Badigadi-sama even older? The older they are, the more they can appreciate the craftsures”

”Oh Really?”

Far in the sky, so

”He's here”

Just as Nanahoshi+ said

He appears

Literally, in a twinkle of an eye, he suddenly appears

Golden hair, a buttoned-up, white outfit like a student's uniform

Probably a handsome face hidden behind that yellow mask

The mask in the shape of a fox

A large dagger hangs down his waist

”Aruht, present”

Truly abrupt Feels like he just materialized in the center of us

I guess he flew?

At the speed of light, he flew all the way from the castle in the sky

Just the way he showed up when the Fedoa Region disappeared

Abruptly, Arumanfi turns towards me

Does he remember me?

I'ain

Secretly I open rip my staff

But Arumanfi doesn't seem to remember me

Instead of me, he walks before Nanahoshi+

”Today you've brought a lot of people”

Arumanfi looks around him, as he said to Nanahoshi+

Nanahoshi+ said [Oh] as she nods

”It's fine, right? As long as under 12 people”

”The number doesn't matter, however”

Arumanfi looks towards Roxy

”No Magic Race”

”Eh, W-why?”

Roxy looks like a cat ater poured over it

”In the Sky Castle, Magic Race are not allowed”

”I-is that so”

Roxy sunken, her shoulders droop

Perugius waged battles against the Magic Race during the Laplace Can

Can't be helped if soic Race remains

”No matter what?”

”Perugius-saic Race”

I have forgotten, since this area doesn't share ic Race, but hatred towards them still runs deep

Perugius ends, but he's also a witness to war

Perhaps like Ruijerd, he has memories that can't be erased of those battles

But only Roxy is left out, I feel bad for her

”No, it's fine In that case, I'll stay hoius -sama as well I still have school work to

do, so just as well”

Her shoulders drooped, a flat refusal

But looking carefully, I see sorets

She turns to me with a forced smile

”Rudi, I'll take care of the house”

”Okay I'll ifts back”

”Don't worry about that, just a kiss is fine”

That, I do immediately

A whole ten seconds, Roxy's heart races, ed, its nuclear warhead loaded, fire! [2]

”Thanks”

”No, the pleasure is mine”

Still a little upset, but with her face red, Roxy backs aith a slight smile

I will shower her with affection when I get back

”Done, are you?”

Aruoodbyes

He handslike a baton

I turn around to look, see a similar one

”Hold this”

I take it and follow his instructions

A golden baton around 20 CM in length, soraved on its surface

Magic crystals nested on top and bottom

Another ic item?

”Nohat?”

”Just hold still Perugius-sa you to the Sky Castle”

Ah, teleportation ic item for that

So this exists as well

How convenient

Eh? I thought humans cannot be summoned?

No, this is teleportation

What's the difference?

Use this baton to teleport over to the Sky Castle, is that hoorks?

”Ah, what about the return trip?”

”The way back, so similar”

Arumanfi replies as a matter of fact

In that case, then it can be done

If I have to walk horown up already

I feel reassured with that said

”Everyone got it? Hold on tight”

Nanahoshi+ nods after checking up on everyone and confirms with Arumanfi

”Just a moment”

Aruht

Reporting back to Perugius that the preparations are ready, I suppose

” This is kind of exciting”

”Indeed”

Ariel and Sylphy banter

It is kind of exciting

A wry smile from Luke

Say, with teleportation

If it fails, where would we end up?

Kind of scary

Even soius could make a mistake After all, he's only human

”Oh?”

While I was thinking about it, I suddenly feel heat co from the baton

Feels likesucked in by it

What happens if I let go right now?

Would it fail?

But for this to happen all of a sudden, soht

”Eh?”

I look around

Everyone's gone

No, I caught the moment when Sylphy disappeared

Only Roxy and I remain

Eh?

They left without me?

At that moment, my conscious fell into the baton

When I ca in a completely white world

Nothing at all, a completely white space

I feelin the distance

Like a fish hooked on a powered fishi+ng pole

So towards the same location

So that's what being summoned feels like

Speaking of which, this space

Feels like I have been here before

Ah, as it?

Oh yeah, Hitogami

It feels a little vague, but this looks just like when Hitogami appears in my dreams

The only exception, is my body isn't from my previous life

Like running in athat way

Then, light appears before me

The light outlines a sophisticated ic circle, which sucked me in

Returning to rounded

”Ha!”

Like waking up from a dream

Did I lose consciousness?

No, not at all

I really was flying through a space of nothingness

”So this is Perugius's teleportation ic”

What a strange sensation

But, I have experienced so similar once before

The Metastasis Event

Back then, it felt like flying in the air as well

Well, there's one difference from then

A sense of assurance

If the Metastasis Event is ju a taxi

A feeling of safe travels

” This feels familiar”

Sylphy murmurs softly

Ah, she felt it as well

”Yeah”

I look around as I replied

Ariel, Luke, Zanoba, Cliff, Elinalise, and Nanahoshi+

Everyone but Nanahoshi+ and Elinalise look baffled

Regardless, everyone arrived safely

”What an incredibly large ic circle”

Cliff, speaking to himself

Finally I noticed s

We stand above a giant ic circle

Maybe 10 meters radius

Carved directly frohout

Faint light shone froic

The water aside, I have seen these lights before, exactly the saaritto Continent

In other words, another type of Teleport Magic Circle

This baton and that water ic requires all sort of preparations

”Wow”

Stealing ic circle

Sits a gigantic castle

Taller than a 50 floor skyscraper

Wide too, not lanky, but full-frame and sturdy

Not unlike ain to check

Even withof this size

Like building a castle atop of the Tokyo Dome

This is the castle in the sky?

Although I saw it froe

No, of course, considering the presence of it just from a distance

”Incredible, it's even bigger than the Asura palace!”

Hearing Sylphy's voice, I looked down

In front of the castle is an equally large garden

Trees of all kinds and flowers of all colors planted everywhere like a maze

Before the garden a s under the sun

Even froarden is

”R-Rudi Look back”

”Oh?”

I turn back as Sylphy instructed

Out of the olden fence

A sea of clouds extends in every direction

”Clouds”

Inelementary school

What lies before us looks just like that

But, to see it withus, that's a first for me too

Why is watching the clouds fro experience?

This must be why mountaineers climb mountains

Cliff and Luke were stunned, their mouth open ear to ear

Ariel too, her eyes wide, looking towards the open sky

A scenery that takes your breath away

It can't be helped

No airplanes in this world, no concept ofeither

No chance of ever experiencing a scene like this

Suddenly, Sylphy grabs me by the hem

”Ugh I don't do well in high places”

I look down, Sylphy's legs have given out

If you knehy did you come in the first place?

Such a hard worker

Well, if she couldn't walk anymore, then I can carry her over

”Sky Castle [Chaos Breaker], is everyone enjoying the view?”

Suddenly an unfa behind us

I look back in a hurry, a feure stands before us

Like a statue, just outside of the ic circle

Her near-white, golden hair drapes down her shoulders, wearing a white mask of a bird

Can't be sure if she's huure looks female

She wears a gown-like white robe, holding a ic staff

The staff carries a ic stone, opaque and dark

Without a doubt, a particularly expensive one

Inis aboutexpensive

Even more expensive than my precious staff

What's exceptional about her isn't her gown or staff

But what's behind her

Startlingly, fros

”A Heaven Race?”

That pair of wings hold an overwhel presence

Despite that, her person is that of eerie cal her presence

A fee sensation

She quickly bows her head once we exchanged a glance

”Everyone, it's an honor for you to come”

Hoell mannered

Even with sonorant of etiquette as me can tell that her movement is well practiced

”I aius-sama, Sylvaril of the Void Please allow me to lead everyone towards Sky Castle [Chaos Breaker]”

”Guardian Knight of the Second Princess of Asura Kingdom, Luke Notos Greyrat at your service It's an honor to be at your presence I'll be in

your care”

Luke returns the greeting

He stands before Ariel, flashi+ng a gentle smile towards the woman named Sylvaril

Sylvaril isn't particularly tall or short, but she should still be within his strike range

No, no

That's not what he means, this is just courtesy

”This is the Second Princess of Asura Kingdom, Ariel Anemoi Asura”

With Luke's introduction, holding her skirt, Ariel curtsey

Also a practiced motion

Not so I could learn

Afterwards, each of us make our self introduction

Cliff and Zanoba both racefully

Perhaps a the people here, I know the least of etiquette

”Oh, everyone, it's an honor”

Although her thoughts are opaque, her actions have been courteous to us

Finally, Nanahoshi+ answers her casually

”Been a while, Sylvaril-san”

”E well?”

”Just a slight discomfort”

Only a short conversation between them

But they seem comfortable with each other, so it's probably fine

”Then, this way please”

Sylvaril turns and starts walking forward, without a sound

Her head alown, she host

Nanahoshi+ follows behind without any concern

We exchange a glance and follow

Sylvaril advances straight through the garden

In front a huge set of doors

Rather than doors, they're more like the Arc de Triomphe

Standing in front of it, Zanoba says with so with a hushed awe

”Wohat an incredible relief”

Although uninterested in everything but figures, Zanoba still recognizes art when he sees it Perhaps there are sos in common here

I could not tell at all whether these engravings are good or bad But if Zanoba says so, then it

After all, soed to take his breath away

Paying more attention now that he mentioned it, they are indeed quite beautiful

A doorway like the Arc de Triomphe, even the interior is covered in intricate relief

No matter what, with all these delicate patterns all over, you can't help but look up

Walking and looking, I heard Sylvaril explaining from the front

”This arc is hand Maxwell Maxwell-saical construction His extant work is also available within the palace of Holy Milis Kingdom-”

”Ohhhhhh!”

Zanoba suddenly shouts

Sylvaril turns around in confusion

”Is there a problem?”

”W-well! Where is Maxwell-sama presently?”

Zanoba stares excitedly at a particular corner He's tre

What's over there?

But I really have no idea what's he looking at

”Dark Dragon King Maxwell-sama wanders the world If he's still alive, he is probably still wandering somewhere”

”I-is that so, such an a person yet yet”

Zanoba can't contain his excitement

Well, Zanoba never could contain his excitement

”May we continue?”

”Oh, oh yeah I'm very sorry It was just too beautiful to pass up”

”Is that so Once you enter the castle, there're plenty other outstanding works too We'll be happy to satisfy you”

Finishi+ng in a gentle tone, Sylvaril moves ahead

She's probably s under that mask

At the same time, Zanoba rushes over besides me

He shoves his mouth near my ear and quietly asks

”shi+sho, did you see?”

”Eh?”

”Huge discovery! Fortunate that we came I really need to properly thank Nanahoshi+ for this”

A huge discovery?

Seems like Zanoba and I pay attention differently

”I'ure out what you discovered Can you properly explain it to me e have the time?”

Zanoba looks visibly disappointed, hearing that from me

”What? shi+sho didn't notice?”

Zanoba retreats back a few steps

I' this stuff

”Mm?”

As we pass the door, I noticed so from Sylphy before me

”Eh?”

Sylvaril stops, turning around to look at Sylphy and me

Although hidden behind her mask, I can feel the mood shi+ft beneath it suddenly

Rather, maybe it's us

”I-is there a problem?”

I hesitantly ask Sylvaril

Last time Arumanfi abruptly attacked

I don't want that to happen again

If that's possible, then I really hope we can talk it out and avoid a

Even if it isn't, and so bad really does happen, at least we should retreat as soon as possible

Although I have soo hoht

”No It's nothing particular There are quite a few people like you on earth”

”Is that so?”

What does she mean by people like us?

Makes me nervous

Don't tell me ould be trapped as soon we enter the castle?

I should keep my demon eye open