Shinka no Mi

Chapter 176: To the Next Goal

After unsealing Luthia’s father, Zefar-san, we returned back to the original planet safely, but Luthia and Zefar-san decided to break up with us here.

“I’d like to say so many things, but you were really helpful. Thank you.”

“If it weren’t for Seiichi and the others…… my father won’t be saved. Really, thank you.”

The two of them bowed their heads together, so we became flustered.

“Please raise your head! Anyway, I’m glad I was able to help.”

“That’s right! Besides, I haven’t done anything, you know? Seiichi just solved it all!”

“That’s true. In fact, even if we weren’t there, it would’ve been all over with Seiichi alone.”

“……Nn. Don’t mind it.”

“Tha,that’s right! Rather, I was pulling their leg ……”

“Well, I was able to eat an unknown food. I’m thankful for that.”

Approximately one person, is saying a different impression, but all of us said that we didn’t mind it to Luthia and her dad.

Or rather, both Saria and Al said that it was by me alone, but …… I haven’t had any particular hardships, Saria was the first to notice Luthia’s father’s unusual phenomenon, and Al is the person who has common sense in this…… she should have contributed a lot.

“If you have the chance to come to the Demon Kingdom, I’ll prepare the best hospitality.”

“Well then…… see you again.”

Finally, when they say so, they went back to the Demon kingdom.

It occurred to me as I was seeing them off, but Hitsuji didn’t come out.

…… Even if Zefar-san, the sealed Demon king, was liberated, I wonder if the dungeon wasn’t been truly traversed?

Before, there was a letter from Hitsuji even if it wasn’t a true traversal, but this time it didn’t even happen.

Well, we didn’t transfer to the entrance, but we moved to another place so it can’t be helped.

If so, what are the true conditions for the traversal?

…… Even if I think about it, I don’t understand it at all. That guy, did he forget it? Is it fine?

I suddenly thought of such a thing, but I didn’t know the answer after all because Hitsuji didn’t contact me.

Then we soon moved to Terviel, and I fell asleep as it was because there were various things that happened today.

And the next day.

We were all eating together at the 『Tree of Peace』 where we were staying.

“Well, there’s nothing we have to do for the time being, but…… what should we do? I haven’t received any requests recently, and do you want to accept a request?”

When Al says so, Saria raises her hand.

“Yes yes! I, want to go to the orphanage!”

“……Nn. Me too.”

Then, Olga-chan nodded to Saria’s words.

Looking at those two people, Zora tilts her head.

“Uh,uhmm…… what kind of place is an orphanage?”

“Ah, I wonder if Zora is not familiar with it since she was from inside the dungeon …… Orphanages are, facilities that raises children who are close to each other to a certain age. Of course, the facilities and subsidies from each country are different, but they’re being provided with unparalleled support from this Kingdom of Welmburg like no other, you know?”

“He~. That’s amazing.”

Zora nods as if impressed with Al’s explanation.

Then Olga-chan pulled the hem of Zora’s clothes.

“……Zora-oneechan.”

“Yes? What’s wrong?”

“…… Would you like to go with us, Zora-oneechan?”

“E,eeh!? Me too!? Bu,but…… I, look like this……”

Zora says so and touches her own hair.

We don’t think of anything of it, but Zora, a snake tribe, has innumerable snakes as her hair.

That’s why she seems to be afraid of scaring the children with her hair, but……

“It’s okay! Because everyone is a good kid!”

“……Nn. We’re all good friends.”

“Moreover …… they were happy when I turned into a monster!”

“Wait Saria-san!? You, became Goria in the orphanage!?”

“Eh? Yup!”

I’ve been jabbed by that fact, but…… I see, she already shown her monster appearance at the orphanage hah……

When I went to the orphanage to pick up Saria, I thought it was just as it was because she was a human being, but……

“The teachers at the orphanage are kind, and I think Zora-chan can enjoy it too, you know?”

“……Nn. Zora-oneechan is also kind, so she’ll be popular with children.”

“Is, is that so?”

“Well, why not try going there once. In this city, your snake-like hair is a cute individuality, you know?”

“Is it the individuality that makes her look cute because of her snake hair!?”

It’s cute, though ……

As Al says, some of the people who live in this city …… No, because the people at the guild headquarters are a mass of individuality.

Yesterday, when I deliver the Deity, they were being chased after by the soldiers in high spirits.

As I look far away, Al asks Rurune.

“On that subject, what about Rurune?”

“Me, is it? I …… I’m hungry, so I’m eating something!”

“You’re eating right now.”

Why are you getting hungry when you just eat? Isn’t that strange?

After all, haven’t you achieved a strange evolution by eating the seeds that I hit back? It’s true that Rurune have eaten the fruit of evolution, too.

“Ah…… Well, I don’t want to talk about Rurune at this time.”

“Eh!?”

“……Al-oneechan’s judgment is correct.”

“Anyway, there’s something I want to do. So……”

“Nn?”

Al breaks her words there, and for some reason, she looks at me.

No, not just Al, Saria and the others were also looking at me.

“Wha, what?”

“No, it’s not what. What are you going to do?”

“Eh, me?”

“That’s right. You’re the only one who didn’t tell your plans for today. That’s …… what? If you’re free, ca, can you accept a request with me?”

While feeling fascinated by Al’s proposal with her face dyed red, I muttered unconsciously.

“A rest……I want it.”

“Wha?”

Perhaps not expecting my words, Al has a daze look on her face.

Saria and the others also looked at each other, and were surprised.

“I,if you say rest…… is that? Like going shopping on a day-off?”

“It must be a day off, too, but…… I wonder, it’s more like …… I want to play.”

“You want to play?”

Al, who has a suspicious look on her face, suddenly asked a question.

“No, Seiichi was from a different world. Then, what kind of respite do you spend in another world?”

“Eh? Nn…… I went out to play with my friends……”

Well, I was bullied when I was in high school, so I haven’t had that kind of experience since elementary school.

“The rest is…… we loiter around at home?”

“Isn’t that being slack…… You don’t do any other things during your rest?”

“Because there were some unexpected people who didn’t know how to do it.”

When becoming a member of society, some people just sleep on their days off, depending on the company.

I know this is only for some people, but it’s not a few.

“Then I’ll change the question. Isn’t there a unique way to spend a respite in another world?”

“Unique to Earth?”

“Certainly, I’m curious!”

Saria also shines her eyes, and like that, the other people seem to be curious too.

However, if it’s unique to Earth …… Well, it’ll be like an amusement park or an arcade, right? There is no place in this world that we can play like that.

No, there is one, but it’s an adult entertainment.

Shops with onee-sans, casinos, etc……most of the time, there is no place for families to go out and play.

Besides, arcades use the energy and machinery of earth’s electricity, so you won’t see it in a different world.

Amusement parks can be made more interesting here than the facilities on Earth by using magic.

Al, who heard my story, nodded as if she was impressed somewhere.

“Wah…… there’s a place in another world where everyone can enjoy themselves like that.”

“…… Amusement park, looks interesting.”

“Hey! I want to go there someday!”

I casually considered it with Saria’s words, but maybe I’ll be able to go back to Earth?

I mean, I’ve already moved between planets, right?

…… I feel like I can do it. (TN: Seiichi, returning to Earth.)

It’s difficult to confirm it right now because of the problem with the Demon God’s cult, and if I can go home in earnest, it has to be with Shota, Kannazuki-senpai and the others.

“Well then. In that world, such…… Chikyu*? Is it possible to play in the same manner in the different world?” (TN: Japanese term for Earth)

“Eh?”

“Look, for example…… that’s right. Wasn’t the 【Land of Anguish】 where we are until yesterday hot? How about in such a hot day?”

“Ah … on a hot day, I mean, it’s the swimming pool or sea ……”

As I said that, I suddenly realized what I wanted to do.

“Coming to this world, I’ve never been to the sea.”

“Eh?”

“No, to be precise, it’s only once…… I’ve thrown the soldiers of the Kaizer Empire and the apostles of the Demon God’s Cult into the sea, but …… “

“Why didn’t you think that the situation is strange?”

That’s exactly right.

I was also washed away by the atmosphere around me. It’s black history. I just updated a page of that history yesterday.

“A, anyway, I’ve never really enjoyed the sea in this world, so do you want to go to the beach?”

“The sea huh…… I haven’t been there for years.”

“What kind of place is the sea?”

“A’re, doesn’t Saria know the sea?”

Then, because Saria said so in wonder like that, Al has a surprised expression on her face.

“Yeah! Before going on a journey with Seiichi, I’ve been in the forest for a long time!”

“……I know that Saria is a monster now, but it’s so strange for a beautiful girl like Saria to say that she has been in the forest for a long time……”

“Eh!? Al told me that I’m a beautiful girl! Ehehe.”

“…… I feel uncomfortable.”

Saria smiled embarrassedly, perhaps because she was so happy that Al told her that she was a beautiful girl.

She’s such a cute girl, but she’s a gorilla. But she’s cute.

“Well, I understand Saria, but …… how about Olga-chan and the others? Does that mean that Zora doesn’t know the sea?”

“Ye,yes. I’ve heard of the name, but the real thing is……”

“……Me too. When I go to another country on a command, I only went by land, and I never went to a country on the sea side.”

“Is that so.”

“……Nn. It tickles.”

Al said that and stroked Olga-chan’s head.

Olga-chan has been in more countries than us since she was enslaved by the Kaizer Empire, but I guess she couldn’t even enjoy any of them.

“Rurune is ―――― whatever.”

“Eeeeeeeeeh!? A, Al-sama!? Am I the only one who’s being treated badly!?”

“No…… I don’t know how to treat you ……”

“It’s over if you give up at Al’s tsukkomi!”

“Milord!?”

“…… No, I don’t tsukkomi because I like to do that, you know? If you guys are normal, I’m not going to say anything.”

“Eh, I’m not normal too!?”

“You bastard is not the most normal!”

Strange.

Rurune is definitely not more normal than me. Take a look. No matter where or how you look at her, she’s not a normal person. Excuse me.

“Haa …… anyway. But if you’ve never been to the sea, we could go to the beach at this time.”

“Then we’re all going out!”

“Well, I don’t think we’ll be able to do that right away. That’s, what Saria and the others said, do what you want to do today. So, isn’t it fine to go to the sea the next time?”

『Agree! 』

We raised our voices to Al’s words that summarizes it up.

Then, to collect the tableware that we had finished eating on, Mary, the poster girl of this inn, came up to me with a grin.

“Hey hey, Seiichi-san and the others, are you going to the sea?”

“Nn? That’s right. That’s just what we’ve decided.”

“That’s good, Seiichi-san. To be able to go to the sea surrounded by such cute girls……”

“We,well…… that is true, but ……”

When Mary said that, I again realized that I’m going to the beach with cute girls like Al and Saria, and I’m suddenly getting embarrassed.

Then Saria smiled, but maybe Al was just as embarrassed as, since she turned her face red.

“But, why did you suddenly talk about going to the sea?”

“Eh? Speaking of which…… I know you want to go to the sea because you haven’t been to the sea, but why did Seiichi say he wanted a rest in the first place?”

“Ah…… that’s, we went to the dungeon and were there until yesterday, right?”

“I guess so.”

“Before that, we went to the dungeon with Helen, and without knowing anything, I went straight to the Valsha Empire and got involved in a war, and threw all the enemies into the sea ……”

“Wait. What the heck is getting involved in a war means!? Or rather, what do you mean by throwing the enemies into the sea!?”

“Ah, I’m glad …… I thought I was the only one who was weird…… this is a normal reaction……”

“No, why is Altria-san, Altria-san is crying!? Seiichi-san’s words, there’s nothing but strange things on it!?”

“Because it’s the truth.”

“I’m going back to work cause I’m going a little strange.”

Mary held her head while turning her eyes, and went back to work. Terrible.

“Well, that’s fine. Anyway, there are so many things, that I thought I was busy. Of course, physically, I’m not tired at all, and if anything, adventurers work irregularly in the first place, or that they’re working because of their own judgment whether they’ll do it or not, so I feel like I’m working too …… a’re, why do I want a break?”

“I don’t know!? I’m asking you that right now!?”

I, I don’t know. It’s not a corporate slave-like thought circuit, it’s mine.

“Tha, that’s right! I’m mentally tired!…… looks, like I’m not…… why do I still want to take a rest?”

“All right, take a rest.”

Al said so with a serious face.

It’s dangerous. If I keep going on like this, I’ll become a person who’ll have no day-off.

As Al said, I have to take a rest with my mind.

“Haa…… well, Seiichi was certainly busy. Besides, we have nothing to do right now, and it’s not bad idea to take this opportunity to take a short break.”

“……Nn. I heard about the Demon God’s cult at an information store after I came back yesterday before going to bed, but it doesn’t seem that they’re moving in particular. The other problem, the Kaizer Empire hasn’t reached out here since they failed to invade the Welmburg Kingdom, and I think it’s fine.”

What, it appears that Olga-chan came back and bought information from an information store. Amazing. I’m surprised that such a profession really exists, but It was Olga-chan who handled it.

In such a way, our next destination, was decided to be the sea.

◇◆◇

When Seiichi and his companions decided to go swimming, the heroes of the Kaizer Empire, Kannazuki Karen, Takamiya Shouta and the others, were ――――

““Ha!? Seiichi-kun / Sei-chan’s swimsuit figure!?””

“Uhmm, what are you talking about?”

―――― hiding in an abandoned village on the outskirts of the Kaizer Empire.

To the two people, Karen and Airi who are in despair as if it were the end of the world, Shouta turned his cold glance.

However, on the contrary, Karen and the other stare at Shota as if they couldn’t believe it.

“Shouta, do you not understand? Seiichi-kun…… is going to be in a swimsuit in front of women other than me ……!”

“That’s right! Sei-chan will be in a swimsuit!? Why are you so calm!”

“Eh, am I the one who’s weird?”

“……I don’t know.”

The person Shouta talked to was, what…… a student of F-class where Seiichi was in charge of as the homeroom teacher, it was Blued.

“Let’s be more composed than that now. Although this is a remote area, it’s hard to say that soldiers won’t pass by. After all, they’re waging war in here these days. It wouldn’t be strange if they send soldiers to this side.”

“Muu……”

“Well…… if they find us, we’ll be in trouble……”

In Blued’s words, Karen and the others reluctantly closed their mouths.

Why, are Karen and the others are working together with Blued.

It, was all a coincidence.

Blued had returned to his nation, the Kaizer Empire, after the Barbador Magic Academy was closed.

However, as a result, his brother, even after returning, it was obvious that the first prince, Theobolt, entwined with him in various ways.

That’s why, as soon as Blued returns home, with his own maid, Lillian, he tried to escape.

But, Theobolt has already read that, and with his own escort knights etc., he tried to hurt Blued, but ――――

“We have come back.”

“Ora, I brought you some meal.”

“The, there was nothing unusual outside!”

Agnos, Bead, and Leon came to his aid.

After leaving the school, the three separated, but each of them is worried about Blued’s position, and Agnos brought Bead and Leon.

Thanks to that, Blued and the others were able to escape from the Imperial Capital safely, and they’ve escaped to an abandoned village in a remote area where there were no people now.

Then, the heroes were convened by the Kaizer Empire before the school was dismantled in the same manner, but in the middle of that move, they escaped from the troupe at Karen’s suggestion, and Karen and the others arrived at the village where Blued and his friends were.

Fortunately, the soldiers of the Kaizer Empire knew about the 【Bracelet of Slavery】 attached to the Heroes’ arm, so they didn’t think they would run away, and this escape was successful due to their loose surveillance.

From the attitude of the loose soldiers that’s monitoring, Karen’s position as a hero would be in jeopardy soon, since she had a hunch that they would be forced to take action, and she was wondering if she should just cut down the other party, but she finally made a decision and put it into action.

The ones who participated in the escape were, Seiichi’s childhood friends such as Karen and Shouta, and Airi and her group of friends.

And ――――

“Uh,uhmm…… was it really okay for us to get out?”

Hino Yoko.

Hino is in this place because Karen invited her, and the reason she invited her was because she knew that Hino was the one who reached out to Seiichi when he was being bullied.

What Karen couldn’t do; Hino had done it.

That alone is worthy of respect for Karen, and at the same time, she was frustrated and thought that she was supposed to be the person who deserved to reach out to him.

In addition, she remembered that Seiichi helped Hino who got involved in the bad behavior of a women’s group before, and from that time, he came into contact with Hino, and after learning that Seiichi had also released Hino’s bracelet, she thought that it can’t be helped more and more.

…… However, because she’s the third person whose bracelet was attached on her with Seiichi’s hand, the hearts of Karen and Airi weren’t calm.

Anyway, Karen and the others who managed to escape from the hero’s party, didn’t go through the villages as much as possible, and they were moving through forests and other places that were untouched by people.

Then, they came across Agnos and the others who were hunting for food by chance, and they remembered each other’s faces so when they exchanged information and reported on the recent situation, this is how they came to spend time together.

The monsters that have been hunted as food, Bead and Leon divided the work and prepare it well.

Agnos can handle it too, but due to his rough personality, the two people who can prepare it carefully were more suitable.

And the meat that was prepared, was handed over to Lillian, Blued’s exclusive maid, and Lillian starts cooking it skillfully.

Of course, the Heroes group also, Hino and Shota’s girlfriend Eri and her friends took the initiative to help.

“Even so…… you’re staying here like this, but what are you going to do?”

Shouta asks Blued while looking at such Bead and the others.

Blued then quietly closed his eyes.

“…… For me, I want to stay quiet as it is. But that’s not going to be the case because of my position.”

“Ah? What are you talking. It doesn’t matter what your position is, right? Let’s just ignore it and go to another country?”

“Agnos. This is so much that it’s difficult, you know that, don’t you? The Kaizer Empire, has acquired almost every country on this continent. There’s no escape.”

“The Kingdom of Welmburg seems to be still safe. All you have to do is go there.”

“That peace is only a matter of time. No matter how you think about it…… the current Kaizer Empire soldiers are abnormal. Besides, the Kingdom of Welmburg is far from here, and above all, you need to pass through another countries. Especially the roads and barriers to the Welmburg Kingdom, which rejected the Kaizer Empire, it’ll be tightly guarded by them. “

“Wh,why are they so wary of people heading to other countries?”

“That’s, of course, if the people flee, the aristocrats won’t get any money. That’s what they’re troubled with.”

“Fumu …… I knew it, but when I listen to it again, I can see the rottenness of the Kaizer Empire.”

“Ka, Kannazuki-senpai!”

Shota tries to stop her unclothed remarks in a hurry, but Blued shook his head quietly without seeming to care.

“It’s fine. Because it’s a fact. This abandoned village is also…… one of the villages where my father put heavy taxes on top of heavy taxes and it stopped running.”

“Such……”

To Shota, who has no words, Blued stared somewhere far away.

“You may not believe me even if I say this, but…… the old Kaizer Empire, was different than it is now.”

“Haa!? Don’t lie!”

Agnos immediately reacts like he made a fool of himself, but Blued didn’t say anything back.

“I can’t help being told that. But, it’s not my father …… when my grandfather ruled the country, without invading other countries like we do now, it was peaceful.”

“Come to think of it…… the situation in the Kaizer Empire began to turbulent, after the previous Emperor abdicated.”

Bead, who has finished preparing the monsters, suddenly muttered as he remembered such information.

Blued nods to those words.

“Ah. As Bead says, after my father took over the throne …… everything has changed. It can be said that my father was the cause of the current Kaizer Empire.”

“Seriously…… why did Blued’s grandfather abdicate? Life span?”

“No. He was still young, but …… he was cursed. He can’t wake up.”

“That is……”

In this world, curse is a powerful thing, and it was said that there was no way to dispel a curse.

As a result, Blued’s grandfather who was cursed, as he can’t get up, he has no future anymore, and as a result, her son, Sheld, took over the throne.

“At any rate. I want to do something about this situation, but…… without the power to do it, I was at a loss.”

“I see……”

“How about you guys? You were summoned by the Kaizer Empire as heroes, but you escaped in this manner. Do you have any purpose?”

In response to Blued’s question, to be honest, Shota and the others didn’t know where they were heading.

However, he instinctively sensed that it was unpleasant to only follow this group for the mean time.

Then, Karen, who has led Shota and the others, opens her mouth.

“Our purpose is…… to go to Seiichi-kun’s location.”

『! 』

Her words surprised not only Shota and the others, but Blued and his friends too.

Without worrying about everyone’s appearance, Karen continues.

“I already gave up on the other heroes, and all I need is Seiichi with all the people here. That’s why, I want to go to Seiichi-kun first.”

“I see…… but, do you know where Seiichi-sensei is?”

“No, I don’t know. But at least the place where Seiichi-kun is, it shouldn’t have fallen into the hands of the Kaizer Empire. In other words, Seiichi-kun is either in the Welmburg Kingdom or the Valsha Empire, which has not yet fallen into the hands of the Kaizer Empire, but I’m guessing he’s at the Welmburg Kingdom.”

“That is……”

Blued tried to deny her ridiculous speculation, but to the many crazy actions of Seiichi that he remembers one after another, no words of denial came out.

It’s the same with Bead and the others, who have their eyes wide open.

“I’m surprised…… I unexpectedly can’t deny it……”

“Ce, certainly, if Seiichi-sensei is there, I don’t think that the Kaizer Empire can do anything…… I’m sorry! I’ll keep my mouth shut!”

Although they had such surprised expressions on their faces, Karen opened her mouth with an even more confident look.

“By the way, it’s not the Valsha Empire, there’s a definite thing that Seiichi-kun is in the Welmburg Kingdom.”

“Tha, that is……?”

“My intuition.” (TN: Here we go again)

『…………』

The air froze.

Even though it’s unreasonable, she said a speculation that’ll convince everyone, in addition, to Karen, who occasionally makes sharp points, they thought about what she has said.

Moreover, in the home economics room of Barbador Magic Academy, everyone other than Hino who saw a lot of her abnormality(pervertness), were more convinced than ever.

“My, intuition.”

“You don’t have to say it twice!”

“Then why did you become silent?”

“I was silent to myself because I was mostly convinced of your intuition!”

Receiving Shota’s tsukkomi, Karen tilted her head as if to say that she didn’t understand.

She’s the only one who’s very sure of it…… except for Airi.

“I understand …… I understand, you know…… the direction in which Sei-chan is, I just don’t know it……”

“Do you really understand Airi-kun? Indeed, that’s why you’re a Seiichi-kun amateur ……”

“What is Seiichi amateur!?”

Tsukkomi’s couldn’t catch up any more.

“Well, anyway. We’re thinking of going to the Welmburg Kingdom.”

“…… I understand that well, but…… as I said, soldiers are patrolling the road leading to the Kingdom of Welmburg, you know?”

“I already assumed that. Even though we escaped, looking like this, we are excellent among the Heroes. We can break through. Besides, it’s lukewarm to think that this is a trial of my love for Seiichi-kun!”

“…… Apparently, her determination seems to be firm.”

For whatever reason, Blued was dazzled by Karen, who was on a road that was said to be difficult.

“That’s why. would you like to come with us, Blued-kun and his friends?”

“What?”

Blued, who never thought that he would be invited, raised a stupid voice.

“You’re wondering what to do, right? Then, you should come with us.”

“Bu, but ……”

“Whether it’s an excuse or an action and what you’re going to do, you just have to think about that at the Welmburg Kingdom. And I don’t think it’s too late after that?”

“……”

“Above all, Seiichi-kun is there.”

“Blued, you should definitely go.”

“I think so, too.”

“Ye,yeah.”

“You guys ……”

In one word that Seiichi is there of Karen, Agnos and his friends concluded so in an instant.

While sighing at Agnos and the others, Blued instantly decided.

“I understand…… it’s fine. Even if it’s difficult to get there…… if I can meet Seiichi-sensei, that’ll solve everything.”

―――― Thus, when Karen and the others decided to head to the Welmburg Kingdom together, each of them started to prepare.