Chapter 56 (1/2)
Looking up reveals a wide blue skyBack in his world, the entire sky wasn't visibleMultistoried buildings here and there would always block the viewReiji's party is greeted today by such a piercing blue sky upon reaching the Aster-Nelfila borderAster's Yuusha, Reiji, leads his party towards the Nelfila Empire's border fortress
This is several days after Suimei's attempt to persuade Liliana
Reiji, finished with being inspected, looks at the road aheadMizuki, having finished her inspection, approaches him at a quick paceShe smiles as she says, ”Reiji-kun, it looks like we've finally reached the Nelfila Empire”
Reiji's expression relaxes at her smile”Yeah, we really did”
His party departed from Klant City atop of horses frohway connecting Aster, Nelfila, and the Sardius AllianceThe scenery they passed up until the border was greenUpon crossing it, the land beca been eroded by a riverVegetation will increase again as they approach the Imperial Capital, but they won't see any vast forests
Mizuki ht of this before, but doesn't this place look like the Grand Canyon?”
Does this place remind you of the views shown in pictures and videos?However, just as how her stateh the erosion of a riverThis place is the sae valley before the at its narrow bottom
Mizuki says, ”What's your opinion about this place, Reiji-kun?”
”Eh?Yeah, I don't get the feeling that it's ih, that's about it”
”Seriously?Ahh, and it's not like we can't get through without crossing it again either”
”Is it that hard?”
”That's because my shoe broke the last time ere here…”
”Oh yeah, that did happen, didn't it?”
Mizuki's head droops crestfallen with a fed-up expressionShe looks at her feet and says, ”My feet are going to get sore again”
”Can't you do anything with ic?”
Reiji's opties her expression into one that says, ”Boo”
Most of the road ahead is well maintained, but one section of the path requires theh, it's full of exposed rocks
Naturally, Mizuki is unaccusto on such terrainLast ti the sneakers she brought from their worldTo his surprise, she was very attached to the themThe new shoes she received weren't very co them was clear on her face
”Hey, Reiji-kun, don't you think using ?”
”I guess soYou'd have to reapply the spell each time it wears off”
”Yeah, that's rightI'd love to trade places with youMy feet probably wouldn't hurt anymore if I did”
”Well… I do have the divine protection granted to the summoned hero”
Mizuki s at Reiji's heart”Hey, hey, how about sharing some of that with me?Come on?Isn't it fine?”
”That's impossible”
Mizuki cutely puffs out her cheeks as she says, ”You're so stingy, stingy, stingy!”
Reiji feels bad for herIf he could share his divine protection with her, he wouldWhat's iaze towards the canyonHaving returned to pass through a second tiain feels strange…”
As nostalgia begins to overtake him, a voice says, ”—It really doesBack then, Reiji-sama went and jumped over it”
”Eh!? Ah, ahahaha…”Reiji ju finished being inspected, greets hi a siven for that?”
”Eeh, can I not complain about it every once in a while?”
Mizuki says, ”Tia's rightI think we should be allowed to keep bringing that up”
Reijihis friends turn on him”Ah, you too, Mizuki…”[1]
Mizuki and titiana sht?”
titania's retainer, the fe the eShe holds a familiar parcel in her handsShe walks up to titania and says, ”Your Highness, you forget this”
titania, who had been s Luka”Ara, Luka?What do you— mean!?”
Was it that surprising?People forget things all the time
Mizuki tilts her head”What happened?”
”No- no, no, no, no, no, nothing at all, Mizuki!”
Reiji looks past the two girls at the long, cylindrical package Luka holdsThe contents ainst each otherHe says, ”Isn't that… a sword?Is it yours, Tia?”
”Haa—!? Reiji-sama, how did you discern as such!?”
”So you had so”
”That's, umm, well… You see… This…”
Mizuki says, ”Ahh!?Hey, hey!Is it maybe the royal family's treasured sword?You know, the one that's unfit for combat, but is instead carried around by royalty whenever they travel as a symbol of their authority?”
titania says, ”Aah!?Yes!That's exactly it, Mizuki!It's just as you said!”
Reiji says, ”…Tia, you were getting really frantic and desperate just now…”
titania denies the claim with so much force that sweat rolls down her forehead”That was entirely just your iination, Reiji-sama”She's so worked up that she's unable to calht is unprecedented for everyone
Mizuki glances upward towards the sky as she reotten pretty ragged”
Reiji frowns as he unsheaths the sword at his waist”Yeah, you're right…”Nicks and dents run along the bladeThey're signs of his various battles against the mazoku and RajasWear and tear[2] first accumulated due to his inexperience in swordsainst Rajas's fist, however, is what chipped the orichalcum blade