Episode 141
"Irina, is this the right way?"
"Yeah, the coordinates drawn in the magic circle were definitely this way."
The day after the slave market quest ended, I was heading with Irina to the place where the slaves had been helped to escape.
"The stars are really bright tonight."
"Aren't they?"
Actually, there was no need to say it was the "next day."
Although the date had changed, it was only a few hours after the quest ended - it was dawn.
"Is it hard? Frey?"
As we were walking slowly along the road where darkness had settled, Irina spoke to me.
"...No, it's not hard at all."
"Wait, just wait a moment."
Seeing her worry unnecessarily, I smiled and said that, and Irina began to rummage through her clothes for something.
- Shuuu...
"Well, how is it?"
"...Oh."
Eventually, she took out a scroll from her clothes and gently tore it, and my body felt lighter.
"What kind of magic is this?"
"Th-this is... a magic that increases the movement speed of the target by loading wind onto them. I used ancient rune characters instead of ordinary wind in case the wind doesn't suit the body and causes trouble..."
I asked Irina a question because that point was quite interesting, and she suddenly started explaining about magic with her eyes sparkling.
"Yeah, yeah, I see."
"...Ah, ah."
That sight was quite nice to see, so I nodded and chimed in, but Irina, who had been explaining for a while, suddenly stopped talking and started checking my reaction.
"So-sorry. My habit came out again."
I was tilting my head looking at her like that, and Irina opened her mouth with a considerably withdrawn expression.
"Was it boring...? Sorry..."
I don't know where the rough and battle-crazed Irina from the previous cycle went, and this shrinking violet came out.
If the Demon King's army that was ruthlessly slaughtered by her could see Irina watching my expression next to me, how absurd would they find it?
"So, where did this magic scroll come from? It's a magic I haven't seen before."
Thinking such thoughts, I threw a question at her.
For reference, Irina likes being asked about magic the most in the world.
Of course, because of her peculiar personality, people rarely ask her questions.
"I, I made it myself."
"What?"
But an answer I never expected came back.
"It's a magic I designed myself, so I tried making it into a scroll."
Making such an elaborate magic scroll itself is difficult, but she even put a newly designed magic into a scroll.
Even knowing that she will become a great mage in the future, it's an amazingly surprising talent.
"As expected, you're amazing, Irina."
"N-no. It's nothing special..."
"The joints of the magic circle are well processed, and the density of the engraved mana is perfect. Moreover, there's even a damage prevention magic cast on it, so it's not 'nothing'."
When I showed off a little scroll knowledge to such Irina, she, who had been staring at me blankly, started speaking with a trembling voice.
"Y-you know scroll analysis too...?"
"Hmm? I do know it..."
"It's a very minor field of study, so I thought there would be no one to talk to... I didn't know you would know, Frey... Really amazing..."
Saying that, Irina, who was stroking the scroll she was holding, soon cleared her throat and put the scroll back into her clothes.
"......."
And, an awkward silence flowed for a while.
"Since your mana hasn't recovered yet, are you carrying magic in scrolls and carrying them around?"
"Huh? Y-yeah. That's right."
"Wow... you're carrying quite a lot? With this much, not only ordinary monsters but you could even catch a dragon, right?"
I made a joke to dispel that awkwardness, and Irina, who was staring at me, soon nodded and answered.
"Yeah, I originally designed and made it to be able to deal with dragons."
"...A dragon 'level'?"
In the Empire of the previous cycle, there was a ghost story and joke that when Irina got angry and disappeared somewhere, the ice dragons in the western continent would go missing one by one.
"It's limited, but I can use black magic power to infuse magic power into scrolls, so the variations have become diverse."
"...Huh."
But hearing her words now, that story seems to have been neither a ghost story nor a joke.
"If you hold on for just a few more months, you'll really be flying around. Aren't you getting stronger than the last cycle?"
Thinking that, I praised her, but Irina's expression slightly darkened.
"H-hey. We've arrived."
I was worrying about what to say to Irina this time, and she started pointing somewhere.
"Is that where the secret base prepared by the Cloud Kingdom is?"
"...Yeah. It's certain."
Where she pointed, there was a shabby cabin.
"Space expansion magic, intruder exclusion magic, and even fortification magic... They seem to have prepared quite hard."
Irina, who swept her eyes over the cabin once, said with an expression that it was quite good.
If she, who is quite strict in magic evaluation, says that much, it seems that the kingdom's magicians were all sneaked in and magic was poured in for days.
"Then Irina, you wait here for a moment."
Expressing condolences to the kingdom magicians who would have collapsed from overwork by now, I took out the robe of deception from my clothes and put it on.
"...How does that robe work exactly?"
Soon after my appearance was hidden, Irina asked a question with an expression full of curiosity.
"It's not magic, first of all. It seems to be at the level of authority."
Telling the truth to her who showed great interest in my cloak, I headed toward the shabby cabin, leaving behind Irina who was clicking her tongue as if regretful.
"...Have a safe trip, Frey."
Listening to Irina's send-off, who was smiling softly for some reason, today of all days.
.
- Creak...
"...Oh."
Opening the cabin door and entering inside, a quite large space came into view.
To grant this much space distortion magic inside a shabby cabin would have required quite a high level of magic, but they completed it in less than a few hours after I explained the operation.
Although the Cloud Kingdom is currently a least developed country, it is certainly true that there are many hidden gems there.
"Munch munch... nom nom..."
"Gulp gulp..."
Thinking such thoughts and entering inside, the sound of someone eating food in a hurry was heard from somewhere.
"Hiccup! Ugh..."
"Cough! Cough!"
Wondering what was going on, the slaves who escaped from the slave market were sitting on the floor and hastily eating the distributed food.
"Eat slowly... Those people said this place is safe..."
Despite dishes being distributed, the sight of them scooping up food with their hands looks quite unclean at first glance.
"You have to eat when you can... Even the people here aren't trustworthy. You don't know when they'll sell us out."
"That's right, if we're going to be sold anyway... we should at least eat until we're full."
But listening to the words of the slaves who said that with eyes full of venom, one would feel ashamed of having such thoughts.
Dragged away without knowing why, or dragged away after being deceived, or sold by their parents.
Although each has different reasons, they all have in common that they are miserable reasons.
In the meals of these people who have such a common point.
There was a desperation wafting out that nobles like me or wealthy people could never know.
"...Sigh."
Looking at them like that and sighing once, I slowly approached the kingdom soldiers gathered at the end of the cabin.
"...Who are you?"
"You cannot approach this way."
Then, the kingdom soldiers who were making very tense expressions pointed their spears at me.
"...I came to see the princess."
"Excuse me, but who are you?"
"If you tell them that an ally has come to visit, she will understand."
Conveying information that Aishi would understand to them and waiting for a while, suddenly the inner door opened.
"Y-you!"
"Are you well? Princess?"
What came out from there was, naturally, the princess of the Cloud Kingdom, Aishi.
I had heard the news that she escaped well, but I was still worried, but seeing it with my own two eyes, it's fortunate that she doesn't seem to have any injuries.
"Really, I really didn't expect you to succeed in the operation... Honestly, I didn't have much expectation... How on earth..."
"If it weren't for the space transfer magic that the princess prepared in advance, I wouldn't have been able to produce this result either."
"Don't flatter me. Even though all of me and the kingdom's magicians joined in, we couldn't complete the space magic. How on earth did you complete it?"
At her question, I answered while scratching my head.
"Among my allies, there is someone with a natural talent for magic."
"I don't think just having talent for magic would allow one to complete 'space magic' that has been lost to the world and can only be used by some demon tribes. What method did you use..."
According to Aishi, it seems Irina accomplished another feat. She is someone even Serena would yield to in magic research, so perhaps it's a natural result.
"Then, I will now take charge of the slaves here."
Thinking that and snapping my fingers, the assassins of the Moonlight family who were waiting in the cabin in advance filled all directions.
"......!"
"Don't worry, they are my subordinates."
Since they are quite powerful elite soldiers that Serena personally raises, not only the slaves but even the kingdom soldiers were frightened.
It would be nice if I could have private soldiers too, but unfortunately, since what I do is what I do, I have to leave it as just a hopeful wish.
"...Um, can I make a suggestion before we part?"
Going up to the prepared stage while clicking my tongue, Aishi, who was watching my expression, started speaking in a low voice.
"By any chance, do you have any thoughts of coming to our kingdom?"
"...What?"
"Our kingdom needs someone like you."
The words that came out of her mouth were an unexpected love call.
"I'm sorry but..."
"If you come to our kingdom, you will be enshrined as a hero."
Naturally, I was going to refuse, but hearing the following words, my eyes wavered without me knowing.
"I don't know why you hide your identity and do such good deeds, but you must have a reason to do so."
"Well..."
"Seeing that you have a grudge against the Empire and Frey, I can roughly guess that reason too."
Did she read my eyes like that? No, since I'm wearing a robe, she wouldn't have read my eyes.
"So... if you're tired, please come to our kingdom."
But whether she read the momentary wavering of my mind from my atmosphere, Aishi started to appeal even more strongly.
"I'll give you the highest position I can give. No, I won't even need to step forward. The king himself will reward you."
"...Hmm."
"Although our kingdom is very lacking... we can make at least one person like you happy. So..."
"It's fine."
Listening to her words quietly, I answered with a quiet smile.
"Why is that?"
"...There is something I must do."
Then, Aishi quietly bowed her head.
"What if, what if... an eternally lasting curse was placed on you?"
"...What?"
I was worried about how to comfort her since her feelings seemed hurt, but she suddenly started saying strange things.
"Since childhood... if a strange existence whispered something in your ear with a creepy voice?"
"...Voice?"
"If you endured and endured but finally followed that voice and everyone got hurt so you became afraid of yourself, what would you do?"
At first, I thought she was talking about the 'curse of the frozen heart' that was on her.
But, 'voice'? Was there such a curse on her too?
[Name: Aishi Winter Cloud]
[Ability: Strength 3 / Magic Power 7.8 / Intelligence 7 / Mental Strength 5]
[Special Note: Weakness / Demon Tribe's Aura]
[Disposition: Late Bloomer]
[Goodness Value: 72]
I checked her information in doubt, but no particularly suspicious information came out.
What on earth is it?
"But one day, when I met a benefactor and was talking with them... the voice stopped as if it were a lie."
".....?"
"The voice that had never stopped once since childhood."
Aishi, who said that, looked at me intently and continued speaking.
"By any chance, will you be in the Empire next year too?"
"...Yes."
"That's fortunate. I'm also coming to the Empire next year to enter Sunrise Academy."
She, who was making a bright smile, took something out from her clothes.
"Please take this."
"This is...?"
"It's a token made of ice that doesn't melt, which is a treasure of our kingdom."
Accepting the token that exuded a cold aura in bewilderment, Aishi said with a smile.
"I don't know what magic you used, but I can't recognize it at all, so you need a means to identify me."
"...What does that mean?"
"When I enter the academy next year, please come to visit me again."
Aishi, who finished speaking like that, headed to the portal prepared in advance with the soldiers and added words.
"Because at that time, I will have grown enough that you will have no choice but to come over."
"...Would you like to try the mining business?"
"What?"
Deciding to give a parting gift to her who was leaving meaningful words and about to disappear through space transfer magic, I spoke in a low voice.
"There's information going around that treasures are buried underground in the Cloud Kingdom."
"Th-that's..."
"There are many people eyeing it covetously, so you'd better be careful."
"What do you mean...!"
Aishi, who was about to question my words like that, disappeared with the soldiers while emitting a faint light.
"...Sigh."
Staring at the place where she disappeared and falling into silence, I soon scratched my head and went up onto the stage.
"Attention everyone."
Quite baffling things happened in succession so it's a bit confusing, but.
"I will tell you what will happen to you from now on."
What needs to be organized must be organized.
"Please choose directly with your own will."
To the pitiful ones who couldn't receive light, whom I wanted to save since the previous cycle.
"Whether you will leave, or stay and be with me."
The time to give light has come.
.
Meanwhile at that time.
"Haa... haa..."
Ruby, who had escaped from the slave market and been running for a while, sat down in a secluded alley.
"Damn it, why on earth..."
She, who had been breathing roughly for a while, tried to stagger to her feet, but.
"...My, are you okay?"
".....?"
Stopping her actions at the voice coming from in front of her, she started making a bewildered expression.
"You look a bit unwell."
In front of such Ruby, Serena was looking down at her with a smile.