I donât know whatâs going on but Dorsâ and the other suddenly beat up the white skeleton whale.
They beat it up so bad as if it did something terrible to them.
What did that skeleton whale do?
However, Iâm too far to interfere so letâs just watch them.
-0-
By the way, Asura.
Youâve stopped dancing, is that okay?
Really?
Good.
The skeletons seem to have returned to the ground.
What a relief.
The whale bones havenât returned to the ground though. However, Iâm sure Dors and the others will take care of that.
The competition that was going on a while ago, which rules I donât understand, seems to be over so I guess weâre good to go.
Well then, Asura.
About that dance earlierâŠâŠ
No no, Iâm not mad at you.
It looks like the bon odori I know.
Itâs a dance like thisâŠ..
Is it different from your dance?
Really?
Asuraâs is more of a chanting a spell with hand and foot movements?
Heh.
You thought it was weird that everyone wants to do the same move as you do but Iâm not?
No, it made me want to dance too.
I just didnât know if I should dance so I refrained.
Even so, if that was a curseâŠ..I mean, magic, wonât it be dangerous if anyone dances Asuraâs dance?
Itâs alright?
Though it wonât do anything since they donât have enough hands and feet?
âŠâŠ..
I see.
So, itâs an exclusive dance for you.
-0-
Dors and the others came back after destroying all the white bones of the whale.
I thought they were refreshed given the smile on their faces.
ăIt got awayă
I-is that so?
It looks like youâve crushed it to pieces to me.
ăWe just made it give up most of its power.ă
What happened exactly?
Is it related to that time youâve taken down whales?
ăAh, how should I say thisâŠâŠthere are some things I canât tell youâŠâŠă
Dors said so in a muddled voice.
It is said to be a being that fought to the death with Dorsâ ancestors about 10000 years ago.
In terms of race, it is neither a demon beast nor a monster but a spirit.
Heh.
So, you said it escaped, wonât there be danger?
ăThere would be but since it has given up so much power, it should be safe for around 5000 years. I guess it will be our descendants whoâll be in danger.ă
Is that so?
Dors looked at me with a troubled face.
I think we should do something within ten or twenty years. We canât let those who are 5000 years into the future to deal with it.
If we wonât be able to do anything, I guess I could at least keep a record and pass it on.
Hnn?
Dors turned his gaze to me with a troubled look on his face.
I catch his gaze and look in the direction that Dors glanced in.
âŠâŠ.
One of the civil servant girls is coming this way.
EhtoâŠ..
The parade is running quite late because of the commotion.
Understood.
Iâll take care of the civil servant girls so please move to the waiting area.
ăPleaseă
Dors and the others rushed out fast.
The civil servant girl was glaring at them but I did my best to appease her.
-0-
Just as I was about to move to the waiting area, Aegis arrived.
He was grabbing something big with his talons.
For me?
Whatâs this?
âŠâŠbone?
Is this part of that whale?
Whatever it is, donât just pick up something strange.
You want a reward?
Oi oi, how can you ask for a reward for bringing a strange thing?
âŠâŠAlright alright.
Iâll give you a dish from my bento then.
Yeah, my own bento.
I made it this morning before the parade started.
Is that enough?
Good.
Here it isâŠ..
Whoah, donât just take the main course, thatâs my grilled fish!
In a case like this, youâre supposed to go for the second or third best dish and not the main course!
Iâm not asking you to give it back because your mouth, I mean, your beak, is already holding itâŠ..
Donât ask for the cover of the bento just because you donât want to eat it on the ground.
Alright.
Iâll give you everything.
Iâm glad weâre in Shashaato.
Iâll just order my lunch at Marla.
By the way, this bone is fromâŠâŠ
Iâll bury it somewhere and give it a memorial service.
âŠ.
âŠâŠâŠ..
HnnâŠ..whatâs this?
This bone looks strange.
Is it safe to bury it?
Rather than burying it, should I have to enshrine it at the shrine?
For some reason, I think it would be safer to place it in a place where we can see it anytime.
Letâs take it to the shrine in Village Five and leave it to the silver foxes after the parade is over.
-0-
For the parade outside the village, the plan was to finish the parade in Village Five to Shashaato City on the first day.
There was a slight delay in Village Five and a significant delay in Shashaato City.
It was supposed to be finished before the sun went down but unfortunately, it was so late that itâs still ongoing even after the sun went down.
So, the festivities continued through the night in Shashaato City.
With that on the side, an emergency meeting was held in a room of a big inn in Shashaato City.
The participants were me, the demon king, the civil servant girls, and the civil servants from the kingdom.
The agenda for this meeting was simple.
ăWe were planning to proceed until in front of the royal capital tomorrow but, can we?ă
We barely managed today but we were completely overwhelmed.
Even if we go ahead as planned tomorrow, it is expected to have some impact.
Whether or not to accept the suggestions from the civil servant girls and the civil servants of the kingdom, it would be better to postpone the parade in the royal capital schedule for the day after tomorrow by a day if it is necessary.
I would say postpone but postponing it for a day will extend the blockade of the usage of teleportation gates which is for the paradeâs exclusive use until the end by a day.
In addition, postponing the event would naturally increase the cost of lodging and food for the parade participants.
Itâs a tough decision to make.
âŠâŠ..
The problem is, why am I in this meeting?
Iâm just going to follow the suggestion of the civil servant girls.
As I said, Iâm not going to be reckless or unreasonable here.
I canât say something like âdo something about itâ when those in the field are saying itâs difficult.
However, what about the demon king?
This parade is a decoy to investigate the cities and villages between Shashaato City and the royal capital.
Will postponing the parade have any impact there?
Will it disrupt the schedule in that matter in any way?
Of course I wonât put it in words because itâs apparently a secretâŠ..
I looked at him worriedly and the demon king asked me with a serious look on his face.
ăDoes village chief mind if it was postponed?ă
Me?
Iâm okay with it.
Iâve entrusted the command of the village to Zabuton and Flora in my absence.
If something happens, they will take care of it on their own.
Besides, even if something should happen, we can just go back to the village right away using the teleportation gates.
You donât have to worry about us.
ăI see. Then, letâs move forward with a one day postponement.ă
The demon king made that decision, and it was decided.
I donât think I was necessary for this meeting.
Wouldnât it be better to have someone like Governor Ifrus participate rather than me?
-0-
Speaking of which, that Governor Ifrus has invited me to dinner.
Itâs an apology table where he apologizes for making a scene with Dors and the others while the parade is happening in Shashaato City.
I said he doesnât have to but Miyo went so far as to offer me her own reward medal for me to join.
I think itâs the civil servant girls and the civil servants of the kingdom are the people he should apologize to, not me.
In the meantime, Miyo said that the dinner with Governor Ifrus would be after the parade was over but I wonder if he would ask for it right away now that it was postponed for a day.
Letâs be prepared.
Incidentally, when I asked him if he would allow the civil servant girls and the civil servants of the kingdom to participate, he refused with a bitter smile on his face.
They said they would prepare a separate table for us there.
I wouldnât mind if they were with us though.
-0-
Progress of the parade.
Completed on day one, Village Five and Shashaato City.