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The cheers of the soldiers beca back the hero as summoned from another world Pride and trust uplifted their heart as a soldier

But, on the other hand,

(Kuh, he isn't thrown off balance even when I' body reinforceht actually be his reflex speed, and the specs of his body-)

Chief Donar was also astonished against Kouki who used pure reflex and body strength to react against him no matter what kind of technique he used

Of course, because this was ahis full strength Chief Donar was also still leaving enough spare for his body reinforcelance wasn't using any reinforcele hit even with the reinforce as a warrior

Furthermore,

「There-」

「What-」

A counterattack was unleashed toward chief Donar The horizontal slash approaching his torso was blocked by chief Donar using his sword as shield Donar had no intention at all of leaving opening, but it seeht "faainst chief Donar's swordplay

A stir occurred The soldiers opened their eyes wide seeing the offense of chief Donar was stopped

Kouki's counterattack was further──

That was how it supposed to be, but there the sword attack froely dulled Naturally, such sword attack wouldn't work against chief Donar, instead it was Kouki who received a tackle

Seeing the opponent was instead stepping forhen his attack was midway toward the opponent's vital spot, Kouki's eyes opened hile he leaped backward and rearranged his posture

「Can you deal against this? ──arth of Fury>」

Earth and rocks became an avalanche that assaulted Kouki as distanced from chief Donar If Kouki was a bit further away then the scale of the attack was about five th and width, but when the attack was deployed at close range it was like a giant tidal wave that covered his whole field of vision

「tsu, this place is to be a sanctuary, god's ene was over at the saure beca was covered by cloud of sand

「……He, head art user You overdid it」

「Using that in mock battle is……」

The art users were flustered It see art that wasn't really used forart's force was adjusted to a degree, but perhaps although this was the hero-saet at least an injury……the art users were sending anxious looks with such thought

But, their concern was needless

「Hou, even that kind of barrier! Splendid!」

Linden spontaneously spoke a praise

Inside the cleared up cloud of sand, Kouki was standing unhar half-sphere barrier

The <Sacred Severance> also vanished at the same tie at that tiht flew and blew up the ground below chief Donar Chief Donar stu still at the scar crated froht for a while, chief Donar showed a speechless expression And then, he turned toward Linden as doing the next prayer and told hi fist

「……Kouki-dono Let's stop this here I have seen enough of Kouki-dono'sNo, it's truly splendid! I never thought that on't be able to land a hit even with the two of us!」

Chief Donar sheathed his shile laughing cheerfully Linded nodded deeply while stopping his prayer, and then cheers were raised simultaneously from all the soldiers and art users

It seemed everyone was excited about the splendid ic in that short but deep battle They all were really excited that their leaders were unable to reproach theht

「Err……thank you very much, for thehis holy sword He was a little bit puzzled because it felt like it started suddenly and also ended suddenly

Chief Donar was confor order to theently so to not lose with the hero-dono, and then he sloalked toward Kouki

And then, with an expression that looked so of ords he should use,

「……Kouki-dono Kouki-dono is──」

Donar was about to say soue and looked around briefly And then, he approached even nearer to say so in sood neightbour-, hness-!?」

「Hiih!? Koone-saing each other haraze, below the still in banzai position with unchanging wide sh, Koone's s expression, and finally her expression turned co their head wondering what she was thinking, Koone was,

「……Koone don't have any prejudice None at all but……Hero-sa that cannot be known」

Saying that, she stared alternately at Kouki and Donar with an upward gaze

There the two noticed The great shock caused Kouki and Donar to be still hugging each other Both of theether and jumped back And then, they desperately appealed at Koone that she was

「……Koone understand Yes, Koone really understand」

Koone was showing the two an expression of kindness that they had never seen from her before Chief Donar's face becaed the topic

「Hero-sama, chief, as well as the head art user, please return to the palace right away」

Koone's words that were spoken with a serious atmosphere made Kouki tilted his head while the expression of chief Donar and Linden turned grave

They were iht after they returned to palace

Inside the office, other than Moana and Spenser, there was a grandpa who looked like he would croak anyti continuously His eyelids were ht be falling anytiht hero-sa that, of all things to do Koone leaped on Bruitt's back

Kouki raised his voice 「Ah」 'What are you going to do if he got s caused a hair-rising emotion to well up fro at hiht at that moment Koone rotated once midair and her round lightly with her feet

(I, I have seen that before this! That's the aikido technique Nagu)!)

This ti It was a -sa playful with a force that was a bit unbecorandpa head civil official who looked like he would croak anytiht because no one was paying any ramps remember correctly, it should be a subordinate who I sent to call the words that implicitly called on her repeated willful sneakiness Froap of the eyelids that should be erous eyes were peeking out with a glare

「The ht be a race with time! Now, let's quickly ed the topic with all hersister with all herfrom the stare of the eyes behind Bruitt's narrow eye slits while nodding at the correctness of Koone's words She cleared her throat

「The reason I asked all of you to gather here lies in the letter that arrived just now, carried by thethat, she fluttered a letter with its seal opened to show theer?」

Linden titled his head in puzzleht the letter here was not in attendance Bruitt was the one who answered

「He entrusted the letter and then fainted after giving a simple explanation of the situation It seemed he rushed here with almost no rest at all I have hi the whole tih a distance of two and half days in just one day」

「That's……」

Linden hu about that extreraveness in his expression increased

「In other words, so in Arcnet?」

Chief Donar asked with a grave expression

Arcnet territory was in the west territory where the desert cut off, it was a territory that was located the nearest to Synclea kingdo the territory that carried food and other materials to the capital that became a battlefield, also Arcnet territory itself also possessed a vast grain-producing area It was an ier to co but bad premonition

Moana read aloud the content of the letter

「According to Rothko's report, a part of the grain-producing region seem to dry up」

「tsu, that's, however……」

Chief Donar who alue in hurry

In this world, when one heard the phenomenon of "dried up", they would link connect the event to the existence of miasma no matter what

However, there should be no way for the <Dark Being> to invade at the west territory that was abundant with nature After allforce was placed at the desert area and the capital, at the northern sea and southernwind fro art ift, and there was no report of any strangeness that had reached Moana yet, based froed to infiltrate

But, in reality a pheno out had occurred, froht of folly to discard the possibility easily

The letter from feudal lord Rothko as entrusted with Arcnet territory by Moana also reported that the existence of <Dark Being> wasn't confirue, Moana continued speaking

「The cause is unknown But, it seeo there was the inclination that the growth of crops was slow, I receive the report with that gist Thinking that perhaps the fertility of the land is decreasing, I consulted Bruitt and thought to dispatch Koone at the tie but……」

It beca because of growing crops too much, that was hoas

「We have to deal with this quickly and investigate the cause Arcnet's grain-producing region becoood is also a problem that we cannot shut our eyes to, but row until where we lose Arcnet itself, that will be unacceptable」

In aits food warehouse Of course, as an insurance there were also other multiple territories that shouldered the role as relay point of the food supply that supported the capital

Even in the case that Arcnet was crushed, the capital wouldn't go down

It wouldn't, but Even so the hard blow of the region that boasted the greatest efficiency getting crushed should at least shake the capital That "shake" would beco

And above all else, there wasn't even a shred of reason to leave alone the people behind them that they should protect

「Therefore, Koone」

「Yes, Onee-chan It will be fine if Koone go and regenerate the dried up land right? Koone will also search for the cause while I'h-, Koone Save Arcnet」

Koone put her hands on her waist and threw out her chest with a puff as though to say to leave it to her Moana who al that cleared her throat and h chief Donar and others

「This ency I wish to say that it's impossible, but there is still the possibility of a few nu our rear」

「We will share the infor force of every places and all the neighboring territories, other than that it's best that we also send personnel to confirether at the additional comment of Bruitt In other words, they were told to select personnel that would be dispatched to every place frouard for her highness? Will it be the royal guard?」

Commander Spenser nodded at the question of chief Donar

「Yeah, I'll send the royal guard Fro was leaked, there is no way I can leave her anize an escort squad with the vice couard's vice commander was Spike Haim He was the personal pupil of commander Spenser, and also his adopted child He was blessed with talent, and while he was still at the uard whose sword skill was said to be approaching Spenser

And then, it ithout saying about Lilin She had the head of art user as her father, and she was a heroic wouard in her age of sixteen If an escort squad was organized frouard's warrior with the couard and rearguard, there would be a sense of security as suited the occasion

Although, thinking about the case where Moana was attacked before this, there was still some uneasiness……

「In addition Kouki This is a personal request from me but……can I ask you to participate in the escort squad of Koone?」

「Eh? I, am?」

Kouki reflexively pointed at himself in shock Moana nodded briskly at him

「I dare say that this case is a disorder in the land's blessing power and not actually because <Dark Being> is penetrating in Even if that is actually the case, they should be few in number I believe that they could be dealt with just by the escort squad alone」

「Then why……」

「In the case that few <Dark Being> possess ability beyond our anticipation or they are especially strong, Kouki's battle ability, other world ic, and then above all Kouki's special characteristic of " Of course, it will be dangerous compared to stay inside the protection of the capital, so I will prioritize Kouki's will in this……ill you do?」

This was a wish froree of danger would exist no matter where he was As for Kouki, he found it really hard to refuse, and he also didn't especially have any reason to refuse However, what ht or not for him as seen as hero to leave the capital

To speak further, even though there was no way the soldiers and people of capital wouldn't be affected if the hero as especially sument that prioritized her little sister Kouki felt a delicate out of place feeling about that

Which option was right……?

Kouki felt troubled, but chief Donar suddenly opened his mouth

「Your majesty, while this is presumptuous of me, it seems that Kouki-dono is a bit hesitant so I wish to express so」

「……I don'tto have Kouki-dono leave this capital te chief Donar pointing that out, Moana reflexively held her tongue Kouki went「Eh?」 and stared at Moana in surprise

「If I'm allowed to speak my opinion that I based from the mock battle that we did just now, then indeed, perhaps it's better if Kouki-dono leave the capital te that displease you?」

「No, that's not it at all, Kouki-dono Rather, ize but it's a reason of happenstance」

Kouki titled his head in puzzlement of what Donar wanted to say Froht, he understood that so hat chief Donar wanted to say

Chief Donar told the bewildered Kouki

「Kouki-dono is……having a strong rejection toward fighting A?」

「tsu, that's……」

Kouki was at lost for words that his innerht that Kouki-dono was unable to adjust your attack well because you tried to stop your strike just before it hit due to it being a ing weapon at the opponent……is so that you reject from the bottom of your heart」

Chief Donar's words paused for a moment was likely because what he wanted to really say was different That was to say he wasn't going to say "reject" but「scared」

「But, the existence of hero is already known in the capital, especially a the soldiers it is well known The expectation toward Kouki-dono will rise whether you want it or not ……For Kouki-dono who know about the current condition of our country, surely thatis……」

He couldn't say that it wasn't true In fact, he felt it so heavy that he wanted to run aithout worrying about his reputation or appearance

「It seem that herhow about Kouki-dono temporarily leave the capital where the expectation toward you is rising regardless of your wish, and using this chance where there is a reason of guarding her highness that everyone can understand, you can look around at the safe territory at the rear Perhaps, herlike me?」

Kouki looked at Moana

Moana also looked at Kouki and she lowered her eyebroith a troubled look Her expression told hi That the words of chief Donar was correct

「Ko, Koone object Hero-sama is an important person, so we should have him safely stay in the capital with its solid protection」

Koone ished for Kouki to take her big sister and escaped when push cah to say「This is a detestable flow of event!」, she tried to have Kouki stay in the capital with a plausible official reason

Toward such Koone, Moana talked at her with a face not as a queen, but as a big sister

「Koone You understand right? Kouki don't have any duty or responsibility toward this world at all And yet with hi at the capital, hoill the voice that ask hiht, Koone talked with Kouki was in order to convey to hiht?」

「Tha, that's right but……」

Koone was a blackly scheainst her big sister Her gaze wandered around to search for words but finally she let out a sigh and said「Can't be helped」

「Don't worry, it's only a distance of a day if you seriously dash to here Don't think of this that seriously, Kouki, you can just observe the really a territory that is abundant with nature in this world that you arrived at with great pain Rather, this is a request from me rather than my consideration to you Kouki, take a look at our country without fail I will lose face as a queen if you only know about the desert and the capital of , Moana showed alike request, but noconsiderate For Kouki too, staying behind in the capital while wracking his brain soworriedly with irresolutehe didn't want to do

And above all,

「Without even looking, hearing, and feeling itto find the answer huh…」

Kouki recalled the words that Koone said to hiave him a tour of the capital, and he resolved himself

「I understand I will join the escort squad ……I' to see more about other place and people of this world」

「Yeah, please do that without fail What kind of feeling Kouki have toward this world, and what kind of conclusion that you reach, I want you to tell me when the tis Also, to everyone too, thank you very ave a small smile at Kouki's word of thanks

Three hours later Thanks to the preparation that progressed with tremendous speed, Koone and her escort squad, as well as Kouki departed straight toward Arcnet territory where the strange pheno this every tihts, opinions, and reports aboutand omitted words