◆ Avangarde Castle, King’s Chamber ◆
“…And that concludes my report. To be frank, this isn’t a situation where we can just charge in.”
Kiki, an A-Rank Adventurer with a playful tone, stood before the King and Prime Minister Belmund, along with a multitude of courtiers and guards. I had met her once before near Ikana Village. Riding a monstrous bird, she was known as the “Sky Hunter,” renowned for her incredibly precise archery skills in aerial combat. Currently ranked ninth among the A-Rank Adventurers, she had recently been on a reconnaissance mission to the Garden of Beasts.
She appeared gentle and harmless, but the moment she stepped into the King’s Chamber, I felt a fleeting glare directed at me. It was just a brief moment, and since we had hardly spoken, there was no reason for her to hold a grudge. Still, I couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious, especially since I had been receiving envious glances while walking through town lately, and I wanted to believe that her reaction was just a result of my heightened nerves.
“The sky is anything but safe! Bird-type monsters are constantly flying around, and there are no gaps on land or in the air! The people of Ballad Continent are—”
“Hmm, it seems we have no way to counter that,” Belmund interjected.
“Right!? Well, I have another request to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave now!”
Without waiting for a response, Kiki trotted over to us, or rather, towards the door of the King’s Chamber. Something felt off about her demeanor. With that sulky expression, I couldn’t help but wonder if we had done something wrong.
“Don’t get too cocky, okay?”
As she passed by, she whispered those words, and by the time I turned to look back, she had already exited through the door. What was that about? It felt like I was being disliked for some reason. It seemed that Kiki’s words hadn’t reached Kurinka, as she passed by without issue.
“So, do you understand now that attacking the Garden of Beasts at this stage is a foolish act, Hero?”
Belmund’s gaze fell upon Aleid, who was glaring back with a sulky expression. The tension in the air was palpable, and even Kirkton and some of the others could feel the hostility emanating from him. Gritting his teeth, Aleid stood protectively in front of the King and his advisors.
“Well, I don’t care. I’ve been polite until now, but that’s over. We’re heading to the Garden of Beasts. What a waste of time to be summoned for such trivial matters.”
“Then, might I ask you to leave that sword behind? It still belongs to our nation; I did not gift it to you.”
“Not a chance. What if I say no?”
“Then your place in this kingdom will cease to exist. In fact, you may find yourself unwelcome across the entire continent…”
“I see, so you understand that you can’t win through sheer force. Smart move. Later!”
Aleid pulled the two girls closer to him and swaggered out of the King’s Chamber, as if he were intoxicated. The soldiers who had pointed their spears at him had no intention of actually attacking. After all, they knew they couldn’t win. Moreover, they hadn’t received any orders to strike. In the end, Kirkton and the soldiers were merely subordinates of the King.
“Oh, by the way, don’t worry. I’ll take care of the Demon Lord. After I become a hero on the Ballad Continent. And then all the cute girls will be mine… hehehe.”
“Honestly! Hero, you and your fantasies!”
“Oops, I got carried away. See you later!”
Without looking back, Aleid called out loudly as he walked away. The situation felt like watching a monster leave, and he was fully aware of it, which is why he acted so recklessly.
“Ugh, what a troublesome child.”
He was definitely not troubled at all. His attitude was akin to dealing with a disobedient child, and he had summoned us here for a reason. This meant he had no intention of relying on someone like Aleid from the start; we were his true targets.
“Please excuse his unseemly behavior. I hope you won’t take offense.”
“Don’t worry about it…”
“Now, I would like to make a request of you two, which is why I summoned you here. It concerns the Garden of Beasts that Aleid mentioned earlier. We are currently preparing to launch an attack.”
“Wait, but you just said there are a massive number of monsters there…”
“According to the information we have obtained, it seems the Garden of Beasts is preparing to invade another continent. The target is still unclear, but we will find out soon enough. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity.”
“Opportunity… you say?”
“Yes, Kurinka. When they lead a large force into battle, the Garden of Beasts will likely be somewhat vulnerable. That is when we strike.”
I see, if that’s the case, we might have a chance. But wait, this feels a bit like… what do you call it? A burglary. Sneaking into an empty house to steal something. It feels a bit wrong.
No, that’s not it. There’s something else bothering me. What I find uncomfortable is something entirely different. Yes, it’s…
“…Does that mean we will ignore the people being attacked?”
“I regret to say that it will come to that. Furthermore, thanks to the previous battle, their forces must have already been significantly weakened. We have managed to gather some intelligence on the Garden of Beasts’ strength due to that battle. The finer details are still undecided, however.”
“I don’t care about that! Are you really going to ignore the fact that people are being attacked and dying?”
Belmund’s eyes narrowed sharply, and the soldiers around us looked awkward. I felt sorry for them, but I couldn’t let this slide.
“If we don’t defeat the Garden of Beasts, even more lives will be lost.”
“That may be true, but…!”
“There are hardly any organizations or nations with the military strength to take them down. Even if they could, the casualties would be too great. That’s why everyone is turning a blind eye to the Garden of Beasts. Without finding an opportunity, we cannot hope to stand against them. Or do you think you can single-handedly defeat the Garden of Beasts without anyone dying?”
“I can do it.”
Belmund burst into laughter at my immediate response. The soldiers whispered among themselves, clearly mocking me. Only the King remained silent, his expression unchanged.
“I am well aware of your abilities. However, no matter how strong you are, even the mightiest will eventually fall before overwhelming numbers. No one can fight endlessly without rest, food, or water. Eventually, both body and mind will wear out. I would appreciate it if you would temper your arrogance.”
“I defeated the King of Six-Six, who had 600,000 lives. You don’t believe that?”
“Six… six? Is that the character from a picture book?”
I blurted that out in frustration, but of course, no one would know about such a thing. Kurinka poked me in the side, and I realized it might be time to back down.
“Let’s go, Kurinka.”
“Y-Yeah.”
“Wait! I won’t allow you to act on your own!”
Belmund, who had been silent until now, began issuing orders to the soldiers. They quickly gathered near the door of the King’s Chamber, likely to prevent us from leaving. We hadn’t done anything that warranted such treatment. We weren’t soldiers of this kingdom.
“What we do is our own business, right?”
“Your reckless actions may lead to many casualties. This is a direct request from the King; if you refuse, your positions will be in jeopardy as well.”
“Is that a threat? What will happen to us?”
“I leave that to your imagination. Now, listen closely, the Garden of Beasts is currently—”
“That’s fine.”
Kurinka turned halfway to face Belmund, forcing a smile that was almost exaggerated. Belmund’s mouth twitched, and he looked ready to explode. Lord Hast had said that maintaining good relations with the kingdom was beneficial, but that seemed impossible now.
Because Kurinka was angrier than I was. There was no way I could remain calm in this situation.
“I cannot agree with the notion that as long as we achieve our goals, it doesn’t matter what happens to others. I would expect such words from a Prime Minister of a nation.”
“I am the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Avangarde, and it is only natural to prioritize the safety of our citizens. His Majesty is also working tirelessly for the prosperity of this kingdom. You are still young; there is no need to throw your lives away over fleeting emotions.”
“Are you implying that we should just let ourselves be killed?”
“Wha…! What are you saying?”
“You two have been quite rude listening to this conversation!”
Finally, Kirkton joined in, spitting out his words in anger. While it was satisfying to see Belmund flounder, it felt like we had touched a nerve.
“We will not stand by and let anyone die. Now, please move aside.”
The soldiers were tense, their spears aimed at us. It was clear they had undergone considerable training, and their fierce demeanor could intimidate anyone into submission. But I needed them to step aside.
“Captain Kirkton, what are you doing? You should be leading the charge!”
“Y-Yes!”
Prompted by Lord Belmund, I dashed ahead at full speed to join the soldiers. I noticed a brief hesitation as he drew his twin swords, indicating his reluctance. But that moment passed quickly, and he took a stance to keep us at bay.
“I understand what you want to say, but we need your cooperation here. Lord Belmund hasn’t given up on finding another way. Even now, he is racking his brain to save as many lives as possible.”
“Did he say even a single word to that effect?”
“…He did. If you resist any further, we won’t hold back.”
“That’s a blatant threat. I underestimated you. While I appreciate the support during the Azuma incident, this is where I draw the line. Thank you for your help.”
“Hey! I’m telling you not to move!”
“You’re so loud.”
I could kill everyone here in mere seconds; it would only take a bit of effort. Sure, there’s something called warm-up exercises, but I’ve never done anything like that. I have no idea what kind of preparation it entails, and it feels like a waste of time.
But maybe I’ll give it a try, just a little.
“Ah… ah… ahhh…”
“C-Captain… p-please run…”
Wrapped in fear, they were trying to urge Kirkton to escape. Yet, Kirkton remained steadfast, gritting his teeth and refusing to budge. He truly is impressive. But right now, I really want him to move out of the way.
“Coming through.”
I walked through the soldiers as if taking a leisurely stroll down the road. The path I created unconsciously indicated that the soldiers had completely lost their will to fight. Their hands trembled with swords, on the verge of collapsing, yet they refused to kneel. Somehow, I felt that Kirkton was that kind of person.
“Goodbye.”
Lord Belmund had fallen silent. He didn’t issue any commands to stop those two with all his might; he merely watched us leave.
“Ah…”
That weak voice trying to hold us back must belong to the King. Now that I think about it, he had said quite a bit during the Combat Tournament. Something about pouring resources into training Adventurers to not lose to other nations. I don’t quite understand it, but I really don’t like the way things are going.
With Belmund saying such things, it seems the King doesn’t care what happens to others.
◆ Outside the Gates of Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
“Well, we really did it, huh…”
“It’s fine; let’s take down the Garden of Beasts ourselves.”
“Yeah, if we fly, we’ll get there in no time!”
I gathered all the necessary supplies from Maison. First, we’ll defeat the Garden of Beasts, and then we’ll head to the Demon Lord Castle. Either way, the Great Garnis Glacier is far to the north, so the route shouldn’t be a waste.
“Are you regretting it?”
“Not at all. I don’t care about those who only think of their own victory while knowing the Garden of Beasts is going to attack somewhere. They can worry about what becomes vulnerable. We don’t need to.”
“Hmph.”
“Lua-chan, you sometimes look down on people, don’t you? Well, I guess that just shows how confident you are in your strength.”
“Those who can’t do anything just because I scared them a little? Ugh! Just thinking about it makes me mad again!”
“So, are we finally going to attack the Garden of Beasts?”
Shin had somehow attached himself to my back. Seriously, when did that happen?
“Yeah, if Shin is with the Demon Lord Army, you can get in our way if you want.”
“I-I don’t need to do that; I can’t win against Pansard anyway. I won’t even be able to reach him.”
“Is that so?”
“You’ll soon find out why he’s called the strongest of the Twelve Demon Generals. Hehe.”
“Why are you so smug about it?”
I really don’t understand the strength dynamics of the Demon Lord Army. To me, Zeech, who boasted overwhelming size, seemed the strongest. In that sense, Lafoule was quite impressive too. In the sea, there was Doridon, and I wonder how Ganoas would fare if he weren’t possessed by the King of Six-Six. The only thing I know for sure is that Shin is the weakest.
“Well, whatever.”
“Then, let’s fly!”
I mounted Kurinka and soared into the sky, leaving Avangarde Royal Capital behind. It wasn’t a farewell for life, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia as the capital shrank in the distance. After all, it had been a place that had taken care of me for a long time, and I felt a little guilty about it.
So, once I’ve finished what I need to do, I plan to return. Gantetsu and Ritta, there are people in this town who will welcome us. Maybe I could even add Ord to that list.
“I’m taking off! Here we go!”
“Don’t suddenly increase the speed! M-Miyah!”
I suppressed the urge to shake off Shin, who was clinging to my neck, and focused on the Garden of Beasts on the horizon, far across the Ballad Continent.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Kan stop! Kan!
But the world doesn’t say that.
What is kan stop anyway?
I wanted to shout at those old men of Avangarde to do more.
Not blowing up at that moment and unleashing a Sonic Ripper on Gyokuz was a significant growth.
Have I finally matured a bit?
Yes, yes, and just like me, Shin will become a splendid adult.
It would be even better if you could be a little kinder to Shin.
On a separate note,
That woman is clearly a jealous woman.
Huh?! Could it be that she’s in love with Kurinka?
Could it lead to a forbidden triangular relationship?! Kyaaa!