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Gazing into the distant north, a darkness that’s like even a black hole could be born spreads before us.
A sense of suffocation emanates from that ominous portent, that seems as if it could end up swallowing everything.
「Us dragonkin have lived by building a distinctive culture within the depths of the Deep Green Forest as the protectors of the fairy village.」
Ilya speaks with a face tinged with anxiety, as we advance along the highway toward the town of Rinal.
As much as she doesn’t turn negative within the swaying carriage, she seems sentimental, as if regretful, Ilya’s eyes made a complicated hue.
This is the first time this child has spoken about her circumstances.
Everyone is being considerate as they stay away by switching over to their various horses.
「There is a high level of civilization developed by relying on the tools called mage implements for every part of life, the lifestyle is affluent compared to the countries here.」
Mage implements?
I was making that sort of face so, Ilya gave an explanation with a kind smile.
「The『magic crystal』tools seen often around here are consumables that are finished once the od originally contained within is used up. In that regard that which are called『mage implements』are semipermanent magic items that are used by taking od from their users.」
Od?
Ah, that which is magic power isn’t it?
Since it’s the case that the user’s od――in other words their magic power can recover if they take in mana, it certainly is better to use that freely when compared with a consumable.
Are mage implements something like batteries?
「However, there are of course problems you know. Since there are no human rights for such like beings that don’t have magic power, in a place that enjoys tools like that you see.」
「……」
Without even needing to check it, Ilya’s magic power is 0.
Or rather, every dragon I’ve seen in this world has no magic power.
I had thought that the dragon species simply had no magic power but, apparently that’s wrong.
In short……I suppose it’s that sort of thing.
「The lifespan of dragonkin with no magic power is short. There are areas where the body’s strength is supplemented by magic power so, it’s said that, that’s for the purpose of supplementing life force. I suppose it’s good if they pass 20 years of age.」
「……It’s good, that I met Ilya before then.」
「Hai, I also……driven from my hometown, after having given up on the matter of survival……I met ojousama. There is nothing this joyful. Even if swallowed by that darkness like a sky, if there’s an exit.」
Exit is it.
For a being on the path toward despair, I wonder if they can comfort themselves with something so simple as that the end is approaching?
I don’t know.
But since I met Ilya, and know Makina’s earnestness.
Even if I meet such a person once again……I can only promise the act of facing them with sincerity.
It should be fine with just that.
「? Whhat, Ilya.」
Ilya was seeming pleased while gazing at my worried face, with eyes like crescent moons.
「No, that was discourteous, ojousama. The act of observing ojousama is my pastime, so.」
「Ehー? Even if you’re always watching, surely there won’t be something like you haven’t seen before.」
「Such a thing isn’t so you know? Since something like growing bored of ojousama’s hundred faces won’t happen.」
It seemed like I was going to react to the frivolous words she’s always saying but, I forcibly glossed over my expression and made a noh mask like face――――that was my intent but, Ilya burst into laughter upon seeing that face of mine.
「Mo, mou Ilya is」
「I, I have no excuse ojousama……Fufuu, you are too adorable.」
Since this child comes to make fun of me whenever there’s an opening, doesn’t she.
Be that as it may, the occasions when she offers praise to her master make me incredibly happy.
……I wonder if, I’m being toyed with.
「Fufu, ojousama, it’s come into sight you know. The town where we met.」
I peer down the highway from the carriage window.
「Rinal――」
Have I already, become strong enough……?
◇■◇■◇
Having not been to the town of Rinal in some time, the state of recovery was splendid such that I couldn’t sense the traces from the bandit attack.
Buildings that collapsed due to fire or, buildings that collapsed from taking an ice dragon……Retty’s breath were plentiful.
While leisurely advancing by carriage and horse, we advance along the town’s main street.
「Now then, Alice-dono. We will go choose an inn so――」
「Ah, wait Maria-san, oneechan.」
I inquire toward the Shion-san on horseback with my gaze and she nods happily without showing hesitant behavior.
「Our parent’s home is up ahead? That’s how it is so, could we stay there today?」
We’re causing ossan and obasan, a certain amount of bother with this large group but……
Maa I suppose it’s fine given that Shion-san said it was fine.
「Can I assume it’s fine?」
「It’s fine you know.」
Since, because this is my prided family, who came to my aid when I didn’t know right from left.
Shion-san followed after as the carriage arrived.
「I’m just concerned that father doesn’t awkwardly leer though. Since we’re a gathering of only the beautiful sort after all arren’t we.」
As stated!
Putting myself aside, for the nonce.
Ilya, Shion-san, Maria-san, Sitra……well, if you say she’s young she’s young though.
We pull people’s eyes donn’t we.
And I’ve been feeling a lot of gazes since a bit ago.
「Maa, ufufu. Then shall we take them up on their words, saintess-sama?」
「Hai, I do not mind of course.」
Furthermore in truth, I’ve been thinking I want to try talking with Sitra a bit after all.
Up until now, there just haven’t been enough opportunities so the event of the 2 of us conversing hasn’t happened though.
「But ojousama, we’ve reached Rinal after all this time but, is this state not somehow strange?」
「Eh, that so?」
It’s hard to say I totally didn’t notice?
Ah, on that note while it should be animated from the reconstruction, the town seems overly quiet……?
「Alice-dono, there was a sign put out warning of bandits at the gate we just passed. It might be that acts of brutality targeted upon the ongoing reconstruction are being repeated.」
As expected of Maria-san.
Her attentiveness and, insightfulness are exceptional.
「Quite the miss, this isn’t a town where the knight’s order is regularly stationed so, they rely on adventurers but……」
I suppose the Shion-san scratching her head was, carrying out those sorts of requests in this town.
Such like bandits would be easy if it was Shion-san but, such a case can’t hold for everyone who’s an adventurer.
「How about we try going to the guild and asking about the situation after this? To me this really is my hometown so, I can’t ignore this.」
Everyone gave a nod but, I suppose it’d probably be overkill to go bandit hunting with these members wouldnn’t it……
I shake my head again and again driving the bandit’s future from my head.
We reached my house, while I was acting as such.
At the lawn’s well there’s, a nostalgic robust back profile.
My heart raced more than I expected so, I jumped down from the slowly driven carriage and ran over to her.
「――Obasann!」
At my voice, obasan――Adele-san turned around.
Her calm face with kind wrinkles in it that gives ease of heart, broke into a smile.
「Araa, Alice-chan isn’t it, welcome back!」
「I’m home.」
She put the bucket for drawing water aside and spread her arms so, I jumped into her breasts as if she’d told me to bring it on.
I was really no different from Rin-chan.
「Mou mouu these children wouldn’t come back at all! Could you let me see your face clearly? You’ve grown ever more beautifully, cute havenn’t you, Alice-chan.」
「Hug～～～」
I’m being crushed in her embrace.
But, I let her do as she wants with me.
I’m happy to receive this much rejoicing for the act of having come back.
「I’m home, mother-san.」
「Shion――you……no, you’ve done well protecting Alice-chan haven’t you, that’s admirable isn’t it.」
「Otto.」
Shion-san was also embraced by obasan.
We settled into obasan’s arms together and, smiled widely as we looked at eachother’s faces from close up.
Obasan naturally, took notice of the eye patch on Shion-san’s left eye.
Even so things like questions or worry, she swallowed back that sort of thing and, welcomed us in for the time being.
She really is a mother-san with a sense of security.
I also, want to become this sort of mother-san, to Silvi and Lumina-chan.
After our embrace was sufficiently finished, obasan turned back toward everyone.
「Otto, pardon me would you? Are you Alice-chan’s company?」
Maria-san elegantly came to show her courtesy.
「Hai, we have always been in your daughter’s care, madam.」
「Maa maa, don’t do that knight-sama! A great person like you musn’t lower their head, to such a rural obasan you know.」
That’s like obasan issn’t it.
I assume she surely wouldn’t know Maria-san, as Wilmington’s general but, since she understood the sort of matter of her being a knight just by looking at the clothes she’s wearing.
「Ufufu, truly fine character. I suppose you gave an extremely good influence to, Shion-dono and Alice-dono did you not.」
Ilya and Sitra also gave their greetings and, having heard the circumstances from Shion-san obasan didn’t hesitate at all and――
「Come stay over then!」
She readily gave her consent as such.
◇■◇■◇
Ossan wasn’t there at the house.
So I guess there really is a bandit gang? Apparently some such beings are doing evil so, it seems he’s going to investigate with his long time companions.
The knight apprentice that was stationed here is also with him is he.
From the town’s recent condition, to pointless sorts of idle conversations, we spent the night in the blooming flowers of idle chatter.
Being given warm food and even a bath, a bit of turmoil started up when it was time to say now then shall we sleep.
Since what we’re using is none other than Shion-san’s room and my room.
Maa I thought it might be good to sleep together with Shion-san but――
「Do you intend to push 3 guests into one room?」
I ended up being told as such so, certainly that’s exactly as stated.
Everyone said that that was sufficient but, it would dishonor the host who even went out of her way to invite us to stay here.
As a result, the matter of Shion-san sleeping together in obasan’s bed room came to pass (since ossan isn’t here anymore is he) and, we settled into the sets of I and Ilya, Maria-san and Sitra.
「……So, why did you come to slip into my bed Ilya. Your futon is properly layed out there right.」
The invader staying up as the night advances into silence of sleep objects while pointing her lips.
I suppose it makes my heart beat a little……
「As ojousama’s slave and, as her contracted dragon, to enjoy master’s soft skin――that’s not it.」
This child, did say to enjoy.
「This is magic power replenishment through direct contact during skinship, ojousama. Your forgiveness.」
「……Even if you say that.」
Being pressed upon like this with Ilya’s well balanced style of an excellent body, even I’ll end up being troubled though……
If we do this sort of thing in the countryside where their eyes will never reach, wouldn’t this really be sort of bad toward Kran and Eclair.
I peer into her face and, Ilya’s emerald eyes are illuminated by the moon and shine like gems.
Ah, I feel like they’ll suck me in……
「Kiss……it’s okay to that extent.」
I tried making an excuse with an unclear meaning.
Perhaps to draw in such feelings of mine without leaving any to waste, Ilya’s face came near.
I closed my eyes――at around that moment, the cry of a kii sound resounded from the door.
「?」
It isn’t our room.
As expected we stop our activity.
Could it be, a robber……bandit?
I make eye contact with Ilya.
That girl has also thoroughly returned to her serious mode.
There’s Shion-san with obasan but, Sitra is accompanied by Maria-san.
Whatever room they enter, I suppose there’s no dead angle.
「……?」
Huh, this doesn’t feel like they’ve come inside the house?
Did they go out?
Who?
「Ilya, I’m going to go see what’s going on for a bit.」
「Acknowledged, just to be sure I will check the house’s security.」
「Un, please do.」
Since there’s the matter of everyone having fallen silent for sleep isn’t there.
I change from my negligee to a robe.
Ah, changing?
I received assistance from Ilya.
Un, it’s basically always like that……
Such things as embarrassment have died away.
Going out to the living room, Maria-san was sitting there.
Unusually, she was somehow spaced out.
「Maria-san?」
「Alice-dono……apparently saintess-sama wanted to be alone no matter what so, I did not know how to handle it.」
「Sitra-san is……」
Was what came before the sound of Sitra-san going out?
Should I suppose, it’s popular to go out at night in this house……?
This pricks at my chest.
「Is that fine?」
「I suppose it is……not fine is it.」
Unusual isn’t that, Maria-san having this half baked attitude?
It can’t be helped.
「Nn, then I’ll go.」
「……Alice-dono. Thank you very much.」
「Please do not mind it, I wanted to try conversing with her a little more so, this is just right.」
Saintess Sitra, we brought her this far from that prison mansion but, her reactions really were shallow.
It’s unclear what she might be thinking.
This side coerced her onto this journey so it’s not unreasonable though.
Maa we registered her in our party so, it’s obvious at glance where she ran off to.
I suppose that’s why Maria-san overlooked this.
Oh?
This is……a ruin is it?
Umu……is this Alice-san’s venture debut?
Somehow digs up old wounds.
「I guess I should hurry.」
Putting on shoes, I fly out of the house.
Unlike the royal capital, there’s barely any light in the town.
I run through the dim light toward the town’s outskirts.
If someone was here, I suppose it basically wouldn’t be known, except to people with good night vision.
As I advanced swiftly without a problem, I smoothly left town.
「――Nn?」
Something moved at the edge of my vision.
It’s not a monster.
It seems the small panthers know my strength, since they certainly aren’t coming close.
Then what?
「A human figure……」
Of course, this isn’t Sitra’s person.
Is it a bandit this time?
No, given that this fast movement lacks waste.
I can’t feel that there’s a bandit gang boasting this much skill but……
「!?」
I sense magic!
――Intends to go at it then!?
「――Fimbul.」
The ultimate storm of ice, poured down upon me――