Chapter 302 (1/2)

Vice-city Kashnart was now a town First Princess Narika called the 「Temporary Capital City Kashnart」.

Turning towards the group that arrived at this town, which had a beautiful townscape though not as beautiful as Elarc, the knights that walked at the lead turned around.

「You’ve all done a good job up until now……We’ve arrived at Kashnart!」

What was in front of them were sturdy town walls, and a splendid gate.

These people who had grown familiar with the spectacle of various places of Elarc being broken raised shouts of joy in unison.

After waving his hand to stop them as they looked like they were about to start running at any moment, the knight at the lead called out the the knight that stood at the watchtower on top of the gate.

「We have brought the refugees! We request you open the gate!」

「Understood! Welcome, to the capital of hope!」

What they saw beyond the gate that opened together with the watchtower knight’s signal was a beautiful townscape that resembled Elarc before the civil war had started.

In the vicinity, delighted voices resounded.

「We’ll, probably be told to fight if something happens, won’t we.」

「Probably.」

Popping his face out from the window of a building in the vicinity of the main gate, Kain absent-mindedly overlooked the townscape.

It has already been a week since the group arrived at Kashnart.

So far, there were no chances to meet the First Princess, let alone Mazenda.

This was probably only natural since Kain’s group came as ordinary Adventurers, but according to the predictions that Maid Knight Reina, who was cooperating with Celis, had made, the other side should have made contact with them.

That being said, they couldn’t just wait like this the whole time.

Thinking that it was about time that they make contact with some sort of method, Ein started thinking but……

「Ah, as I thought, you’re not doing anything.」

「Nn……」

Hearing a voice from outside, Kain turned his gaze over there.

What was there was, a young white girl expressing a thin smile and waving her hand――it was Lys’s figure.

「Hey, hey, Kain, could you open up?」

When Ein looked outside while moving Kain’s head out of the way with her hand, the young girl who called herself Lys was in front of the entrance. Ever since they arrived in Kashnart, she came to meet Kain almost every day.

「It’s you again. Are you bored?」

「Ara, Ein. You’re wrong, even I’m pretty busy……Today, I came with some proper work, you know?」

Ein responded to Lys’s provocative smile with a scornful smile.

「Hmph, I wonder about that. Wouldn’t it be better if you relearn the meaning of “proper”?」

「Isn’t it fine, Ein? Why don’t we let her in.」

「Ara, Kain, you sure do get it!」

After Kain smiled looking delighted, he left the window.

「Oi, Kain.」

「What?」

Ein whispered to Kain as he was about to head downstairs.

「……You, you haven’t forgotten our objective, right?」

「Of course not. I haven’t forgotten it.」

「Then, that’s fine. I will be going ou……」

Kain grabbed Ein’s arm as she was speaking.

After Ein brushed away the hand that grabbed her with practiced motions, she lightly glared at Kain.

「Wait, Ein, I think it’s better if you’re around too.」

「……Again. Why do you always make me be present?」

During these past few days, at times when Lys came, Kain would definitely make Ein be present.

Ein didn’t know the reason since Kain didn’t tell it to her but……

「Nn……For some reason, I feel like it’s better this way.」

「That doesn’t make sense.」

Even while frowning at Kain’s vague words, Ein decided to reluctantly follow him.

At times like this, Kain’s intuition……she didn’t know if she could call it that, but in any case, it was often right. In that case, she thought that she should do as Kain says.

Following after Kain and descending the stairs, the door was unlocked.

When it was, the door was vigorously opened as if waiting for that exact moment, and Lys came rushing in.

「You’re so slow, Kain. I was tired of waiting!」

「Whoa.」

When Kain pressed down on Lys’s forehead with his hand when she tried to hug him, Lys puffed her cheeks looking dissatisfied.

「Ara, that is so mean. To refuse my greeting!」

「Haha. So, what did you need?」

「I think that laughing and passing things off is a bad habit but……well, it’s fine.」

Lys nimbly separated from Kain, and went past his side and entered the house.

「I will be intruding……Ara, as usual, it’s a house with nothing in it.」

「Oi, don’t come in on your own.」

「So you were here, Ein. A guest is coming in, so can’t you at least bring out some tea?」

After clicking her tongue at Lys who arbitrarily sat down in a chair, Ein went to the opposite side of the table and sat down making a *dokah* sound.