Volume 4 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1 - To Beyond the North Wind 1

Darkness was spreading without end

Jet black space However, countless dots of light were scattered within the darkness They were like the radiance of stars coloring the space

But──the sun God Apollo talked about the true identity of the lights

「Princess Every single one of those is gate to a sanctuary」

「Oh my……」

Cassandra was astonished

Both of thee side by side

However the carriage wasn't pulled by horse but by tans The pure white sacred birds that were also Apollo's divineand advanced through the air

……When Cassandra noticed, she was already being placed on the swan carriage

And then, there wasn't the figure of Goddess Athena anywhere

「Apollo-sao to?」

「Fufu You will understand sooner or later」

The golden haired sun God dodged the question with the s faht toward the direction the carriage was heading to

Scraggyin the jet black sky

……It was similar ould be called an asteroid in the space of earth

「More iht now I have to finish a ain!」

「Ye, yes」

The captured Cassandra wasn't being treated roughly

Apollo was extre with tolerant in his interaction with her

But, he didn't show any sign of releasing Cassandra He requested her to help with his search of his so called ”birthplace” Cassandra also couldn't possible harm the mood of the sun God and she follohat she was told

After a while, the carriage of swans landed down on the land

As expected, the asteroid's ground only had rock

Cassandra walked together with Apollo on top of it while opening her eyes wide

「My There is a shrine!」

「A guard is settling down here since who knohen」

The sun God was heading toward a shrine raved with carving were lined up, supporting a nificent stone roof There was also similar shrine at Cassandra's birthplace, Troia

And then, there was a stone stair at the entrance──

A black haired youngthere He seemed to be at his early twenty

There was no divine atmosphere that could be felt froh the confused Casandra and the brazen Apollo were approaching, the youngthat seemed to be a small stone slab with both hands and peered into it

「My?」

Cassandra noticed It wasn't a stone slab

「That is the thing called s that you knohat this is even though it doesn't look like you're fro man finally lifted his face

He was handsoainst the sun God beside her, but he had a look that orthy to be called a handsoaze and expression that he wasn't even trying to hide

The young aze toward Cassandra's beautiful face

「You caical world somewhere aren't you?」

「Yes I am Cassandra of Troia」

「Oh, a famous person huh The cursed prophet Even I know you」

「Is that so?」

「Well yeah ……Well, there is no signal or Wi-Fi here, but the s Thanks to that I can hear ame, it's useful to kill tier is gone though」

He sies that could only be heard at earth

The young man was obviously the sa 」

Apollo spoke

「There is no ular point of diverse worlds isn't it?」

「That's right This is a special territory in order to observe the countless existing ical worlds and the space distortions that are the gate to them We call this place the 《observatory》」

「I believe that previously there was soh?」

「You uy wasman smirked

His s

「Well, he was reluctant to go to a vacation, so he got his ass kicked for a bit──not that, he was given a little bit of push on the back, but at the end he gladly handed over his role For the tie of this observatory」

「Oo So you have confidence in your skill」

「Please don't joke You are a God or hero froht? I'm not so stupid to boast aboutthe divine ath he didn't even introduce hi like this However, he didn't show any sign of flinching in front of the radiant God He also didn't do any flattery He also didn't look scared

Apollo s man

「I understand Then let ate to the sanctuary that we are seeking──I wish you to teach us by all ht were blinking like stars decorating the night sky Just soo the sun God hiates of sanctuary

On the other hand, the black haired youngto conclude with 『I'll leave it up to you』 like that, I don't really like it」

「Hou?」

「Speak in a o to?」

「Certainly Then Princess Cassandra, tell him The world that you saw in your vision──my birthplace Hyperbore, what kind of place it was」

「Ye, yes-」

Cassandra was flustered when the talk was suddenly turned toward her

The youngdown all this ti into the shrine They waited for a while like that──

He returned bringing a long wooden coffer on his right shoulder

Surprisingly, it was a large long coffer that was as tall as the young man

It was created from wooden material that looked really thick and heavy Even if the inside was e ht steps

He walked straight toward Cassandra without any stagger in his steps On top of that he placed down the long coffer with a s one hand casually!

Zushi+n It was a really heavy sounding sound

He was an owner of absurd physical strength──no, that wasn't it

Even though she looked like this Cassandra ell versed in martial arts too She somehow sensed it

Wasn't this stunt possible exactly because he had trained, trained, trained till the extre that went off the rails and obtained an unshakable physique like a large tree no ht

Even if the th,

The black haired young, princess」

「Ohcoffer that the young man opened, there were a lot of thin paper scrolls inside

There wasn't any paper like this in her birthplace Troia However, she had seen and touched this kind of paper a lot at Rokuhara Ren's world

Cassandra nodded The black haired young man said to her

「My master──in other words my boss possess unimpeded bodily functionone of the six supernormal Buddhist powers as well as artistic taste She peered into thousands and tens of thousands of space distortions one after another and checked each and every one of them what kind of world they're connected to At that time she would draw the scenery she saw into these scrolls」

「There is a person who accorand feat!?」

「Nn, well, she is soenius of everything She would pain ink painting with touch of realis only on herthe『king』 he was serving

However, the young man spoke it with a fed-up expression instead

Because the Troia princess thought that it was strange, she noticed Co man wouldn't meet Cassandra's eyes even once

In that case, she peered into the young aze

「Excuse ?」

「No, not at all Don't mind me I just don't like any『woman』 More importantly, quickly search for scenery that you have recollection of」

「Ye, yes」

Cassandra reached out into the long coffer while in bewilderment

When she untied the scroll that was tied with string, a scenery that was draith only black ink appeared before her eyes The scene was vividly described with delicate brush stroke

A picture of desolate desert A picture of hule

A picture of island with stone statues modeled after hu through endless plain Picture Picture Picture Picture Picture──

The youngcoffers filled with picture scrolls one after another

Cassandra found ”it” inside the third long coffer

「There is no mistake……this is the one!」

The ocean spread out, with islands of various sizes scattered about sporadically──

She yelled while staring at that scroll Right after that, roaring sound and vibration『GOGOGOGOGOGO-!』 caht dots blinking above──were rapidly approaching

The sun God Apollo muttered with an i the sanctuary's gate along with this shrine too」

「Yeah It's the work offor, this stopping place that looks like an asteroid will fly until there autoht?」

「It seerand sorcerer that rival even the Gods」

「Well yeah There'll be nothing to be coh」

For sohed at Apollo's praise toward his ht was sparkling above Cassandra and others when they noticed It was so that they had seen ed on it and e like a nebula

The phenomenon called as space distortion by Rokuhara Ren and others The gate to a sanctuary An entrance connected to other world──

「They've gone」

The black haired youngman and silver haired beautiful princess who unexpectedly cao

「This time a God or hero from somewhere went to ”that world”」

He was alone once more in the『observatory of space distortions』

He shrugged in that extremely isolated territory and commented seriously

「It's just like what honorable uncle said, that place is really special Even uard here!」

2

Kansai Airport──

It was in a lounge of an airline company

「Hey Julio」

Rokuhara Ren spoke to the leader of Ca beside him

「We really have to return to Valencia no o save Cassandra」

An easily carried away person as always easygoing It would be fine to call that as Rokuhara Ren's trait

However right noas looking really dissatisfied He even expressed a very little a to Julio Blandelli

「We've to quickly search Apollo-san who vanished to so but cal first we should return to our headquarter and prioritize gathering information」

In contrast Julio was calm like usual

But Ren showed an expression of discontent even toward the advice of his reliable friend

「You're right but, right noant to do things like in the old detective drama It doesn't feel like I'll be able to stay still for many hours inside airplane to Europe!」

「Old detective drama? Was it japan's drama?」

「Yep To search for the crih the city Then, while running the investigation will progress by itself and the truth of the incident is co while the detective is running isn't it」

Riona nodded Of course she re to the sun

And then, she was utterly ioshujin-say, and carefree attitudes also had times when he would be irritated

Even he ould only show easygoing attitude all the tiht noas si child Riona spoke to soothe him down

「I'm also worried about Princess Cassandra But, let's return to the headquarter for nohile the airplane can be used Even this airport was closed until yesterday before it's finally resu activity now」

「Yes Natural disasters are occurring frequently all over the world」

Julio also added

「It's really unsure how long the airplanes and shi+ps will be usable Abnormal weather, earthquake, tsunami, typhoon──Ren, the ”end of the world” thatisn't that far from now」

「……Got it」

Ren finally let the tension left his shoulders in resignation

「For now I'll stay quiet on the airplane's seat」

「You do that The Institution of Divinities has considerately prepared the first class seat The level of coer I'll clear up this pent-up feelings completely sooner or later」

Rokuhara Ren muttered smoothly

It was a casual tone that even sounded indifferent

But the eyes of the Godslayer that was staring to eht of fir at the shadow of the arch-ene to find sory?)

Riona tried to secretly ioshujin-sama behaved when he met the sun God Apollo once ed It was difficult to iine

On the other hand, there was also a noble who elegantly smiled

「Ha, ha, ha, ha Calm down a bit, Godslayer」

Shoutoku Taishi+ aka Uyaynous handsome man had aesthetical appearance

As an imperial family e color for the crown prince Even if the fact that he was a ghost was o atmosphere of otherworldliness

「This Apollo kidnapped the silver haired princess due to so cruel to her」

「We don't know that」

Ren retorted to the graceful Umayado no Ouji

「Even if he doesn't take her life, hehorrible」

「But, Apollo said『I'll guarantee her safety』 when he kidnapped the princess In that case, that was his oath as God O heard that he is a divine spirit of the highest class An act that lightly break the oath he personally ht lead to hi the nobility, the loftiness of his soul that ishim a God If he commit such foolishness, his root as sacred God at the end will──waver」

「You mean it will be an identity crisis for him」

'I see', Riona comprehended Uth of a God who appears on the surface world is decided by『hoavering the self that he possess is』 How far his determination is to carry out his desire──even if he has to destroy all mankind of remake the heaven and earth to achieve it Know that it's directly related to a God's strength」

「I see……」

Rokuhara Ren finally spoke with a refreshed face

「I get it For now I'll believe on the crown prince's word」

「Saying for now is unneeded Understand it that the wise saying of I who a of the great Buddha」

「Excuselook” with a handsoe of Maitreya Bodhisattva

There was a girl who tiendary imperial prince of the ancient japan

「I understand that the world is in danger and Cassandrsan is in a pinch but……why a to Europe too?」

Toba Fu on the seat inside the lounge nervously She was the reincarnation of Tamayori Hime who possessed the disposition as spirit inated froe of Kamo clan like Riona

The spirit of Uhtly

「Of course, you're co as my helper Strive hard as Tamayori no Hime」

「But but! En no Gyoujsao He said『It's tiring to stay in the world of the living』 It'll be dangerous if your highness doesn't quickly return!」

「My status as spirit is higher than the ascetic I can still stay on the surface world」

Uracefully

「If the danger of destruction doesn't only approach japan but the whole world, it's also the duty of the imperial family to offer the hand of salvation to the populace I shall pitch in and help」

「But! Didn't your highness say it before this!?」

The Europe voyage that was done under eency situation

It seemed the cowardly Fumika feared that and becahness is a spirit with really deep spiritual tie to japan, so if you leave this country, perhaps you will becoless to go the──」

「Ha, ha, ha, ha It's alright」

Uracefulness and eluded the question

「Even so if I enter your body, I ive advice at least Well, if even that is impossible then I'll just enjoy the pleasure jaunt」

「E, even though we're going to Europe not for sightseeing-」

「You see, actually I've been wanting to tour the foreign countries since the tihtful that finally ht that's your true motive……」

Fumika's shoulders dropped Umayado no Ouji paid her no attention

Riona listened to the exchange of the thile

「The prince is of unknown quantity as a battle strength, but his existence is reassuring Let's have Fumika act as his helper for a while」

「We can also put some expectation on Fumika's spirit medium technique」

Julio prioritized utility rather than eitation of one girl, the flight ti near

「It looks like the plane has departed just as scheduled」

「So Ren-san and others has gone」

At the outskirt of Kyoto, Arashi+yama

Within a japanese room that lied deep inside the headquarter of Institution of Divinities, Seishuuin Maki was facing Takatsukasa Hinako who had become the ”leader” both on name and reality

Hinako-sama as dressed in kireat if they can return safely……」

「In , 『The eneer to the world is lying in wait no o』」

「Aa」

Hinako-sahter of Seishuuin House

「Your house has associated with Blandelli House of Cao wasn't it? Since the time when the founder of that association was still alive」

「My ancestor studied abroad to Europe It seemed that he became close with the Godslayer then……」

Seishuuin Maki spoke of the old tale that she learned by hearsay

「It seems eneration devil king」

「My」

「By the way reports came from all branches of Institution of Divinities Every spiritual sight user of class 4 above are seeing the omen of『national crisis that will arrive soon』……」

「Soon──will it be in one year, or perhaps half a year……」

「It will be great if it's not in half a h……」

「Now that youwas also quite serious……」

Hinako-saed and Maki as in her twenty

The toether and worried about the way the world was heading

3

Thus, Ren and others returned by flight that took more than twenty hours

They arrived at Valencia Airport Although its presence was a bit lacking as an airport inside Spain, they could go ihold was located

A car of Caht after the car drove toward the city, Julio sitting on the front passenger seat looked at his wristwatch

「It's still slightly before 2 PM Let's go to the headquarter right away」

「Uuu- Even though I'retful that this is only like snapshot travel of variety show……」

Fue car that could be filled with eight people

In contrast, her big sister as sitting beside her Riona told her shtsee around a lot last time I was here」

「O, Onee-chan you meanie- You don't need to boast at this kind of tier of destruction, I'll let Fumika to also have vacation as you please Work hard in assisting U anything since the plane took off flying」

The noble ghost right noas『inside』 the Taht with Susanoo, by fusing with Fumika who possessed real body, he was able to maintain a stable state──in theory