◆ Azuma, Kai City, Daimyoko Shrine ◆
About thirty minutes from Tsukiba Town. Even if I were to carry Roel on my back and sprint with all my might, it would still take thirty minutes. I had been told that if I walked normally, it would take a week, but as long as I didn’t get lost, this was manageable. More than anything, I was grateful that there were no strange places like Kizel Valley along the way. The road from Tsukiba Town to Kai City was well-maintained, and the signposts provided excellent guidance. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to read them without Roel.
Normally, I would want to take my time and enjoy the journey, but the time spent traveling by boat had been too long, so I decided to cut it short. After all, I was here on the king’s request, so I couldn’t afford to dawdle and sightsee.
Just as the landlady had said, there were indeed no monsters around. In fact, I noticed people strolling leisurely by themselves. It felt more like there had never been monsters in this area rather than them being driven away by Lord Daigami. This truly seemed to be a country protected by the power of the Divine Being.
“This place makes me feel sleepy too,” I remarked.
“Rua-chan, you say that about everything that doesn’t interest you…” Roel replied.
Even though we shouldn’t be sightseeing, Roel insisted we pay our respects, so we decided to visit the shrine. It was a peculiar building with red pillars, white walls, and a large tiled roof, leading to an equally strange gate. Roel said it was called a torii.
Apparently, if you pray here, you receive blessings—good things will come your way. I interpreted that as simply thanking the Divine Being while making a wish. I wondered what the people with their hands clasped were wishing for. Surely, they must be hoping to become rich, right?
“It seems like there are a lot of couples here…” I noted.
“Of course! This place is famous for its blessings of love,” Roel said.
As Roel mused, an old man wearing a long black hat approached us. I wondered what kind of person he was, but I assumed he must be a resident of the shrine.
What caught my attention more was the term “Enmusubi.”
“What is Enmusubi?” I asked.
“Unmarried people pray to Lord Daigami like that. And what happens? A loving couple eventually gets married, has healthy children, and builds a happy family. For those who have never found love, spring will finally arrive. It may be hard to believe for someone from another land, but this is all thanks to Lord Daigami’s blessings.”
I see. That makes it even less relevant to us. After all, we’re both girls. But for some reason, Roel was listening intently. Why was she so interested in marriage and families? It had nothing to do with us.
“Then, shall we pray?” Roel suggested.
“Wait, but we’re both girls…”
“It’s fine! Hurry up!”
In moments like this, Roel pulls me along as if she’s found a delicious restaurant. I realized that reaching Level 60 had given her quite a bit of strength. Even when I stumbled, she showed no signs of letting go of my wrist.
When we reached the shrine, the person in front of us had just finished praying. They clasped their hands together and closed their eyes for a while. Was that really how it was done? Would the Divine Being truly understand such a simple gesture?
“…Thank you, Rua-chan,” Roel suddenly said.
“W-What brought that on?”
“Nothing! Let’s go!”
With a beaming smile, Roel wrapped her arm around mine and pulled me along. It felt just like those couples I had seen earlier.
“I’m hungry. Hey, remember Pablo’s place? They serve Gyudon, which originated in this country!”
“Now that you mention it, you did say that before. Are we going to eat there? I hope we don’t get treated coldly again…”
“Don’t worry! After all, we’re so interested in Lord Daigami!”
“Oh, right. That was the plan…”
Roel tightened her grip on my arm. It was a little chilly, but her warmth was comforting. Still, it felt oddly embarrassing. I used to not care about such things when I was younger. Why was I thinking about it now?
“Speaking of which? Was that really the plan…?”
The old man from earlier muttered something behind us. I turned around to see him gripping his black hat tightly, his face wrinkled with anger, his eyes wide as he stared at us.
“Speaking of which, you say…?”
His expression was filled with rage, as if he might attack us at any moment. Roel, blissfully unaware, was humming a tune, completely oblivious to the old man’s demeanor.
As we passed through the shrine’s torii and headed back to town, I glanced back. The old man was still glaring at us, frozen in the same position. It was the first time I felt a pang of regret. What the king and Kirkton had said was true. What seemed trivial to me was unforgivable to them.
Though the old man didn’t chase after us, I had the feeling he would remain there, standing in the same spot long after we disappeared from view.
◆ Azuma, Kai City, Tarafuku Tei ◆
Just like at the inn, I was met with unfriendly faces when we entered. However, once I praised Lord Daigami, their attitude changed. I had hoped that maybe our meal would be free, but that was too much to expect. Still, we had plenty of money, so it wasn’t a problem for now.
Unlike Pablo’s shop or those in the castle town, this place was quite small. There were only about five tables, and not many people around.
The dishes the patrons were eating looked strange. Two people were slurping up thin pasta-like strands in a black broth. It didn’t look very appetizing, but since they drank the broth completely, maybe it was actually good.
“This is the real deal! The meat is different! Is it the sauce from the simmering that makes it so special?” Roel exclaimed.
I wondered if this place was just unpopular, but the taste was astonishingly good. I couldn’t explain it like Roel, but it was delicious.
“Did you enjoy it? Gyudon is a dish inspired by recipes from other continents. Well, you won’t find many places that use such high-quality meat. All of this is thanks to Lord Daigami’s blessings. Ah, may business continue to prosper next year…”
The shopkeeper suddenly clasped his hands together and closed his eyes, just like we had done at the shrine. It didn’t sit right with me that he attributed our delicious Gyudon to the Divine Being. If the Divine Being was so benevolent, why were there still people like those who deceived us yesterday?
If there were no monsters, shouldn’t those kinds of people disappear too?
“Thank you for the meal! I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but this is a great country!” Roel said.
“Roel, it seems any place becomes a great country as long as you can eat delicious food… You said the same thing during the festival in the Wizard Kingdom.”
“Rua-chan, there are places in the world where people don’t even have food to eat, and they nibble on grass. So, it’s only natural to be grateful for a meal.”
“Y-Yeah…”
I felt like the conversation was veering off track, but she wasn’t entirely wrong.
Thinking back to my time in the Abyss Cave, I had eaten the monsters I defeated, but there were many things that tasted terrible and were inedible. Some even made me feel ill.
Considering that, it seemed normal to have decent food, and I realized how fortunate I truly was.
“I admire your enthusiasm, but visiting Mount Daigami is impossible. It’s surrounded by treacherous mountains, and ordinary humans can’t get close. There are a few who risk their lives to visit each year, but most end up losing their lives. For ordinary folks like us, just seeing that peak from here is enough.”
From the window of Tarafuku Tei, I could see the summit of Mount Daigami. Even from here, I could barely see beyond the peak. While there may not be monsters, there were surely wild animals. Bears, for instance, would be a significant threat to anyone unable to fight.
On top of that, the path to the mountain was covered in dense forests. I worried about whether I could make it there without getting lost. I had plenty of food prepared, but if it came down to it, I’d have to dash up the mountain.
“Well, we’ve finished eating, so it’s about time—”
“Hey, you two! Freeze right there! Assume a serious position!”
A group of ominous individuals entered the scene. Unlike those who had approached me yesterday, they were dressed in elegant attire. What stood out the most was their hair, which resembled a horse’s tail, sprouting from their heads like Mugen’s. They wore flat, red armor that looked like it was made from planks, with a sword sheathed at their waists. It seemed less protective than the armor I knew, but perhaps it allowed for greater agility. But this wasn’t the time to be leisurely pondering. Who were these people?
“Th-this is the Samurai… what is the meaning of this?”
“Shopkeeper, step aside. The girls here are suspected of insulting and showing disrespect to Lord Daigami.”
“W-what?!”
The shopkeeper’s expression, which had seemed so kind just moments ago, twisted into one of disgust as he hurriedly retreated toward the Samurai, as if trying to escape something filthy.
“Um, we didn’t mean to insult Lord Daigami…”
“Silence! Do not speak that name so lightly! I have already heard of your misdeeds at the Daimyoko Shrine!”
“Ah…”
Just as I thought. That old man reported us to these people. Because I said something foolish, we were now in this predicament. What should I do? Roel had managed things so well, and now it was all ruined because of me. I’m hopeless; I really am. Even if I can fight, I can’t seem to handle anything else properly. Roel is better at cooking and reading than I am at anything besides fighting. I often felt guilty for relying on her so much, but I was grateful too. And yet, here we were.
“Roel… I—”
“We can’t get caught, right, Lua-chan?”
“Y-yeah…”
“We have so much we need to do. We wished for that at the Daimyoko Shrine. We want to stay together and have fun forever. Do you want to end it here, Lua-chan?”
“…Roel.”
Maybe Roel understood that it was my fault for saying something unnecessary. But she didn’t blame me. She was encouraging me, and that was all that mattered.
“Roel, wait a moment.”
“Ah, got it.”
As I crouched down, Roel jumped onto my back, holding on tightly. The Samurai stood there, swords drawn, unable to comprehend our actions.
“Don’t do anything strange!”
“Here we go, Roel!”
I dashed between the Samurai. Even after I passed, they remained poised with their swords. Just as I thought I had Roel secured on my back, we suddenly vanished. For just a moment, the Samurai froze. And then, they realized I was gone. The commotion erupted shortly after.
No matter how much I looked around or what I did, I was no longer there. By the time those people understood what had happened, I was already sprinting through Kai City, heading for the exit. At the very least, I hadn’t trained in a way that would allow me to be caught by them. From what I could see, they seemed to be about as strong as the Avangarde soldiers. I wanted to see their unusual fighting style, but there was no time for that.
“Lua-chan, are we heading to Mount Daigami like this?”
Yes, our destination was Mount Daigami. I understood just how invaluable Lord Daigami was to the people of this country. But I couldn’t afford to stop. I had to move forward—no, we had to move forward. Lord Daigami, Millennium Herb. No matter the circumstances, there was no turning back now. I felt bad for the people of this country and for Lord Daigami, but I wouldn’t let anyone stand in my way.
“From there, the mountain continues.”
“Lord Daigami, please grant me the Millennium Herb!”
Muttering my impossible wish, I leaped into the dense forest.
◆ Azuma, Kai City, Tarafuku Tei ◆
“They disappeared! They vanished?!”
“Silence, shopkeeper!”
“Y-yes…”
I had underestimated them, thinking they were just children. Whether it was some kind of sorcery or not, those girls vanished from this place in an instant. No, it was likely that we simply failed to capture them. We are warriors who have survived countless battles. We pride ourselves on never falling behind anyone.
And yet, here we are, outsmarted by children from a foreign land. This is a disgrace, no matter who witnesses it. I am prepared to face any punishment. But before that, I want answers. Who are those girls? Could they be from the country of Avangarde, which visited us years ago? If so, their target must be the Millennium Herb. We cannot let them roam free. We must protect the Millennium Herb, which we have hidden away for so long.
But that’s not all; there are further secrets within Mount Daigami. If those girls make contact with those who may still be alive, it could become a serious problem. We cannot let that happen.
“…Did we let them escape?”
It was as if the air itself had begun to speak, a presence so transparent it was almost unreal. Only when the voice sounded did I realize it was a demon. Was it one demon or perhaps two? It was the same as before. Just as we had buried foreign intruders in darkness years ago, the demons had come to carry out that task once more.
“The Demon God Clan…”
“The Samurai are no match for them. If they had fought, their heads would have surely rolled.”
“The opponent is a monster. Even demons would struggle against them.”
The demons wore masks of purple and black. No one has seen the true faces of the three demons adorned with red, blue, and yellow masks. In battle, even the slightest change in expression can be fatal. They would never allow anything to put them at a disadvantage. Thus, the masks of demons are spoken of, but to me, they are nothing less than true demons.
Legends of demons passed down since ancient times. Man-eating fiends. Perhaps the ferocity and ugliness they embody have become the very tales that remain today. Just like them.
“Red Demon, did you see them?”
“That one is fast. But it’s not a problem.”
“Ha… I expect great things.”
“We’ll pursue them, Blue Demon.”
They too vanished from the scene. All that remained were us foolish Samurai, left dumbfounded, and the shopkeeper, who had lost his composure. If that girl is a child of demons, then we must face demons alone.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Shin Report! Revival!
Azuma! It’s Azuma!
The topknotted ones are swaggering around, ready to cut us down!
Sushi! Tempura! Donburi! A feast for the senses! But I really don’t like natto.
The gyudon looked delicious.
I thought about sneaking a taste, but I stopped because I didn’t want to get caught and torn apart.
At the shrine, I prayed for a good match.
I had suspected something was off for a while, but those two really are…
Kya! No more than this!
And then, Lua’s blunder put us in a pinch!
What a fool! That girl is really a fool! A simpleton!
Chased by those merry ones in demon masks, we end up in the mountains.
However, I don’t expect much from those demon masks.
How could our Shouma not win against them, and where could we find a way to defeat those masks?
In any case, Lua’s blunder!
Fool! Idiot! Dimwit!
Hehehe, with this, I’m sure the Demon Lord will praise me!