Chapter 292: Izumo and Iroha
The numbers are 14.
Since learning about the existence of the scent that contains the charm power of Tomoki, I have prepared a special filter, and when I looked through it, I learned that everyone is quite the severe case of Tomoki worshipper.
It went well when using it in conjunction with [Sakai], so I tried to see if I could use it when looking through it normally, and it seems it is still useful.
I had no need and chance to utilize it when I was at the deep parts of the labyrinth fighting with Picnic Rosegarden and the Adventurers of Origin, but it is great that I came prepared.
Maybe they were former skilled adventurers and soldiers; their level is high and their movements don’t show openings.
Of course, the equipment they have is also quite good and stands out.
There’s mostly women, but there’s a decent amount of men as well.
From the little bit I investigated, I learned that Kannaoi has send their military force and their public order unit, but due to the difference in levels being pretty big, it is practically impossible for them alone to control this situation.
Levels don’t mean everything, but when battle happens and all circumstances are the same, the one who wins is the one with the higher level.
It is definitely not a factor that should just be ignored.
…Especially in this situation where, for some reason, my students have come to this city.
The deep bad feeling I felt for a while now had swelled up greatly.
I want to ask Shiki about this right this instant, but calming down this situation comes first.
Even so, there’s no way that Shiki would bring them to such a dangerous place without a single thought in mind. He worries more about their growth and future than me after all.
And there’s no way that Shiki is completely unrelated to Jin and the others being here.
Aah~, this is bothering me.
This is not good. I have already decided on what to do, and yet, I am feeling so uneasy.
Hm, eliminating the threats comes first.
“Rai…dou…”
One of the 14 people there noticed me who had suddenly appeared inside their formation.
A merciless bloodthirst was directed at me all at once.
“If it were in the Empire, I wouldn’t complain about your situation, but you know, this is Lorel Union, a country that’s not yours.” (Makoto)
It is true that the bloodthirst is sharp and strong, fitting of their level. But today, I have already been bathed in bloodthirst that’s on a whole other level.
Let’s do it in the same way as the Shadowless before, and instantly—-ah.
“Fuh!!”
I was about to crush the head of the handsome youth, that made a sharp slash at me, by using the Magic Armor, but at that moment, I noticed. This might become a repeat from last time.
It is the factor that the gruesomeness of the corpses might swell up hatred.
As long as we are fighting for our lives in the battlefield, it is natural for one side or the other to die as a conclusion. But there are times when the way of doing it is important as well.
It would be another case if we were to wipe them all out, but it is especially true when there’s witnesses and there’s the need to protect them.
In the first place, this time, there’s enemies that killing would be the wrong answer.
I have absolutely no intentions of having a war with Lorel. But depending on how I deal with this, there’s the chance that it might become unavoidable.
The way I got rid of the Shadowless, and the one before that…the matter with Illumgand as well.
My uneasiness has numbed my thoughts in a nice way.
This is a good opportunity.
“Silver One, [Lapushka]” (Makoto)
I stop going arialess and purposely mixed an aria and form a spell by manifesting magic power.
“Fall back!! An enhancement spell; the activation time is bizarrely fast!”
“!!”
With the aria that surpasses by a bit the 5 seconds, it is enough for the enemy to know the type of spell.
From the index finger and middle finger I extended, a magic power needle that is slightly shorter and narrower than a dagger appeared.
I will leave the Magic Armor to rest in this occasion and just keep it at covering my body.
And then, seeing the equipment and outfit of the man in front of me, I decided on how to deal with him.
I grab the blade of the katana with my left hand and deviate its trajectory, and just like that, I pull the katana and him onto me.
“Have a good night.” (Makoto)
“!!!! Tomo…ki-sama…”
I pierce the needle into the neck of the man that even though he is a man has quite the beautiful neck.
Instant death? No no, ain’t that a bit too rash there, Boss?
Wait, why did I say that in the tone of Lime?
Well, there’s no problem at all. I just used a spell that easily creates people in a state of apparent death. By the way, I was taught this by Mio.
I don’t know what type of spell it is, but it is a mysterious spell that I can tell from its aria that it is different from normal.
When I separate my left hand, the magic needle was still pierced in his neck, and the handsome boy fell onto the ground. He is not moving at all.
A similar needle extends from my two fingers again.
It looks like the people that have been affected by the charm of Tomoki have all been equally sent to the battlefield, but their original positions are definitely not equal. There’s probably big-shots in that group of people and people connected with big-shots.
In that case, we leave them on the verge of death, and later, have Tomoe inspect them to decide what we should do.
If the needle is taken out just like that, they would die, but well, if that happens, let’s just leave it as being their bad luck.
“I think that ‘the current you’ are hopeless beyond salvation. But, even so, if people out there wish for you guys to keep on living, for today…I am thinking about leaving them that chance to. My apologies.” (Makoto)
There’s 13 remaining.
The highest leveled one is around 400.
For now, I will make sure they don’t die while properly gauging their danger.
Let’s hurry.
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆
“However, there’s no assurance you will survive. Even if we were to take just one of the enemies, they are all higher than any of you guys here. Not only that, this is a true battlefield where you don’t know what will happen at each passing second. Izumo, you are prepared for that, right?”
“Yes.” (Izumo)
An immediate response.
Being told about the incident occurring in the second biggest city of Lorel Union, Kannaoi, I didn’t hold any hesitation.
High level adventurers and influential nobles all know that any citizen would want to stay in the Chihiro Manrai restaurant, and this high-class restaurant has received a night assault.
There’s Raidou-sensei at that place and there’s also his aides.
No matter what happens, I feel like the city will be okay.
But…right now, at that place, there’s princess Iroha.
I heard that the insurgents are aiming for her.
Even so, if asked if I had to go there, that’s not the case. There’s already fighting forces here that I wouldn’t even be able to lift a finger against after all.
But she is my fiancee.
I have only met her a few times. I can’t properly imagine what she looks like right now, but I can tell how she is from her letters.
It is certain that I hold warm feelings mixed with admiration towards her.
Of course, we are not in a sexual relationship. The princess is still young after all.
If asked whether this is love that is directed to the opposite sex, I wouldn’t be able to tell.
I simply want to be by her side and protect her.
I want to be the one to protect her.
I want to eliminate the dangers that approach her.
Once I heard about the situation from Shiki-san, I naturally thought of this.
I was thinking about meeting her in a not so far future.
Whether it is my dream, or to fulfill my duty of joining the princess of Kannaoi; I want to have a talk until we can reach an understanding, and then…no matter what kind of result it brings forth, I won’t allow the very chance of even having a conversation to be lost.
No matter how strong Sensei is, I don’t want to leave it all to him.
Sensei refused to let me accompany him, but right now, what I want to do is clear.
The current me has experience living in the Academy. I have increased my level to a decent degree. I have a clear oath, a clear conviction that I didn’t have in the past.
I have to go.
“That’s a nice face you have there, Izumo. Everyone else as well. I will say it with confidence here. Once you return alive from this, you will have completely surpassed the power of a student. You might even obtain a big step that will connect to what’s further ahead. Well then, go. Make sure not to forget greeting Waka-sama.” (Shiki)
“Yes!!”
Several voices overlap.
I wonder what kind of expression I have right now.
At the very least, I haven’t felt this fresh since the time I understood the concept of the movement aria and began to apply it.
This is the second time in my life.
Shiki-san holds his staff in both hands and draws a circle.
As always, there’s no aria.
The inside of the drawn circle had white dense mist coming out from it.
“Yeah, the current Izumo-kun is truly cool. If you didn’t have a fiancee, I might have fallen for you.” (Yuno)
Yuno gives me a praise that I couldn’t tell if she was joking or being serious.
As she is always saying that if she were to marry someone, she has to be the number one or she doesn’t want to, it must be a joke.
If it were a marriage with the second daughter of a merchant, there’s the possibility, but it is most likely impossibile for her to become my first wife.
Also, the Rembrandt Company is definitely not a simple wealthy merchant company.
I look around.
Jin, Amelia, Misura, Daena, Sif, and Yuno; the first comrades I can rely with this life of mine that has always been living dryly all this time.
I was thinking about going alone to Kannaoi, but they said they will be coming along as if natural. They are the best friends I could have.
Even when Shiki-san has told them about the danger, their decision still didn’t change.
If I didn’t know what laid ahead of this mist was a battlefield, I definitely would have been crying.
I readied myself and wear the amulet that Shiki-san distributed to everyone. An equipment that he told us not to take off no matter what.
Now, let’s go.
I stand at the front and step into the mist.
We didn’t walk through a mist corridor, I simply saw the nostalgic buildings of Lorel. At that place, there’s the one working at Kuzunoha Company, Lime-san, and one girl I have never seen before.
And also…
“Izumo-sama?”
“Princess Iroha.” (Izumo)
There were several people who had the clothing of Lorel.
We both called out each other’s name.
From behind me, I heard the voice of Yuno saying: ‘thanks for the meal~’, but I ignore it. And after that, I also heard a blunt sound followed by an ‘Ouch, that hurts Onee-chan!’, but I also ignore that one.
Good grief, do these kind of things really happen?
We both shouldn’t know how we look, and yet, we both were able to know who each other was the moment our eyes met.
If my dream, the happiness of this person, my duties of the household, and the many obligations I have, all connect with each other, there would be nothing as blissful as that.
“…”
After calling her name, I was filled with so much emotion that I couldn’t bring out any words.
Ah, I love this girl.
I have never felt like this in Academy Town.
I can clearly declare this.
“Ah, so it was Izumo huh. And Jin and the others as well. I have heard about the ‘circumstances’. Nice to see you here. Welcome to the battlefield.” (Lime)
“Lime-san.” (Izumo)
“Sorry, but leave the romantic reunion for later. We don’t have much leisure of time. We will be escaping this place as soon as possible and leave the city. And the highest priority is to regroup with Boss –Raidou-sama.” (Lime)
“Y-Yes!”
“Jin, I heard you just came out from sickbed, but this is a decision you made. Since you have come, you will have to show results.” (Lime)
“…I know.” (Jin)
Jin replies to the instructions in my stead.
He didn’t come out for a while since the time he got injured, but I wonder what happened. Jin has not told us yet. But the resolve that lies in those eyes, there’s no doubt that he has become stronger than before.
…Compared to that…what am I even doing?
For an instant, I forgot completely about what kind of situation we are in.
Right.
I will protect princess Iroha. Even if my ability is poor, I came here in order to protect her.
“I have heard plenty about you guys’ strength from Brother Shiki. Let’s wrap up the self-introductions while we are escaping from here. What’s important is the safety of princess Iroha. The protection of the princess will be firstly done by the maids. That’s why, there’s no need to think about unnecessary teamwork. In the fights, you just go about your usual teamwork with your usual comrades to protect princess Iroha.” (Lime)
“…Understood.” (Misura)
Misura nods.
How reassuring.
If he were to seriously do the protecting, I feel like the escape and bodyguarding can be done at the same time.
“Then, let’s go. I have already spoken to the princess and the others about the route. Once we go outside, don’t trust anyone. Also…” (Lime)
“…”
Lime-san glances at Sif and Yuno, and for only an instant, he stopped his words.
“…Don’t hesitate. On the enemy side, there’s people with higher level than yours and more experience, and most of them won’t hesitate in killing anyone except the princess. It might even be that everyone there won’t hesitate.” (Lime)
…
With an incredibly indifferent voice that held no emotions which I have never seen before from him, Lime-san continues.
“That’s why, don’t hesitate. No matter who it is, anyone that’s directing their blade at you, don’t think about it and just cut them down. There’s millions of people who have died while they were thinking. You guys make sure you never enter those numbers.” (Lime)
“…Thank you very much, Lime-san.” (Izumo)
A kindness that couldn’t be detected from simply his tone of voice could be felt.
Words of gratitude honestly came out of my mouth.
Now that I think about it, have I ever been able to feel true gratitude at warnings before I met with Sensei?
“I will hear your gratitude at tomorrow’s breakfast. Definitely will. Now go!!” (Lime)
“Yes!”
My eyes met with princess Iroha’s.
As I thought, a warm feeling wells up.
I forcefully push them back and concentrate my fighting will —in order to protect.
“Izumo-sama and his comrades! I am Akashi! I work as the bodyguard of Iroha-sama. It may be for a short time but, I am looking forward to working with you. Well then, first of all, let’s escape the hotel! Follow me!” (Akashi)
“Same here. A bodyguard of Iroha-sama, name’s Yuduki. I will not think of you people as students, but close aides of the princess. All excuses like ‘this is my first time’ are a no. Do your best, okay?” (Yuduki)
“My name is Shougetsu, Izumo-sama. In order to decide a date for the wedding, let’s overcome this long night!” (Shougetsu)
I will do it.
Even if I have to bring out everything that is held within this body of mine.
If it is not enough, I will bring out everything out of my future self as well!
I will bring the Princess to where Sensei is.
We will all bring her there!