Leaving the front of the hall, we decided to walk down the corridor along the outside of the building again and enter the interior from another location.

　This time we didn't have to stop, we were away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and the air was just the right amount of calm to take a break.

　However, even in such a place, there was one customer ahead of me.

　Ulysses, looking completely exhausted, was resting on his back by the window.

I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again. Is the leader taking a break too?
You're done for today. I'm sorry I made you do all these crazy things.
Absolutely. I'm too old for this shit.

　Despite saying that, Ulysses' expression was somewhat refreshing.

''I'm not sure if it's okay to still bang around the ship ...... No, it's not really good, but I'll just put it aside, okay?　After that, surrounded by a school of snakes and half-fishmen, I thought I was going to die," he said. We can't do much on land, you know.

　While Garnett and I were battling Mother Hydra, the remaining faces were under siege by the demonic beast's household in the center of the island.

　Naturally, Ulysses was also involved in the attack, but what happens when someone who can only fight as well as humanly possible gets caught up in such a mess--I understand the truth in my bones.

　The only way to do that is to run and hide, but since I have no aptitude for that kind of field either, I'm quickly discovered and hounded by my allies to rely on them.

It's a good idea to have a break for a while when you return to the ground. To begin with, I don't think I can move my body properly for the time being.
Ha ha ...... that is of course. I've got to get some rest after all that big work.
'Don't let your guard down just because you're young, monk. Even if you're young, you can still break down, right?

　Ulysses also looked at Garnett, who had been following me, and pushed what seemed to be advice that was filled with a lot of realization.

　Garnett was dissatisfied, as if he thought he had been underestimated, but I would agree with Ulysses.

　No matter how much it is possible to [repair] an injury, I don't want them to do anything reckless if at all possible.

　However, if you actually put it into words, you would just say that you are the one who is most reckless in putting things into the "repair" category.

...... By the way, that's after that break, isn't it?

　Unfortunately, we can't just sit around chatting with our shoulders.

　There is no way to escape from this kind of work, no matter how hard you try.

This was just a preliminary inspection of the site. The real work is to lower the boat into the channel, get into the third level and turn back safely.
But for that we need a better ship. A ship that can go against the flow of the water and escape.

　Ulysses perfectly anticipated what I was going to say and made it into words word-for-word.

'If I were in command, I'd have the same idea, yeah. The quickest way to do that is to use the same boat as the other two.
It's also the most powerful ship I've ever known.
''Haha. You can't change our reply by stirring things up, you know.

　With her back resting against the glass-less windowsill, Ulysses fluttered and waved one hand, turning her back to peek out the window.

　Then he breathed in the clear air outside and slowly regained his posture and scratched his head with a hunched back pout.

'I'll be honest with you. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed this job. I don't know how many years it's been since I was that close to the edge of my seat. I don't think I've had such a close call since the war ended.
Ulysses: "......
Since you're here, shall I ask you to join me for a chat about the old days? To tell the truth, I have been getting bored before I came to White Wolf. You see, our knightly order is to guard the Western Sea Route and policing, right?

　Ulysses's profile as he rumbled that way was filled with complex emotions that cannot be expressed in a single word, and as a result, it seemed to be close to an expressionless straight face.

'It's not a frontier like the East, nor is it overrun with pirates like the South. It's usually an enviable environment, but ...... I hate to say it, but the old man at the time was still bouncing and sharp. There was a time when peace and tranquility was a painful thing to be a guy.

　It has been more than twenty years since His Majesty Alfred's accession to the throne.
　The project of unifying the continent has accelerated since then, and many of the lands have only been annexed for a decade or so, or a few years at the latest.

　For Ulysses, who is older than I am, the era of warfare, when many nations were fighting each other, was probably the time of his youth, a time when he was able to spend a fulfilling time as a knight.

'The kingdom of my birth and upbringing descended to the military gates of Westland, and in recognition of our excellence in naval warfare, we were entrusted with the protection of important shipping lanes. ...... It's definitely an honor. And most of the knights were happy to be reappointed on favorable terms.
But there were some knights who weren't: ......
'Still, people get used to it. No, ...... it would be more accurate to say that we give up.

　A wry smile appeared on Ulysses' mouth.

''Pull out your fangs and pull out your bones. I'm not sure if it's an Eastern expression to say that the cunning rabbit dies and the running dog is cooked. It's better that you didn't have to go through that kind of trouble. I'm not going to be able to get the same kind of information from you. ...... And that's how I ended up with a twisted old man.

　What awaited him at the end of it all was a transfer to the interior (Green Hollow), which is rumored to have been for disciplinary purposes.

　Although the person himself denies that he was blamed, and no such communication has been received from the Knight Commander over there, it is not difficult to imagine that they are personnel who were selected for negative reasons.

''So, this story was brought in. Well, I didn't know what to expect at first. I had been out of the game for many years, and my skills and strength were definitely in decline. I couldn't even sleep the day before.
But you had a good time.
'Yes. I was in a deathly hurry and tired to death, though. It may be inappropriate, but it reminded me of how I felt when I was young and drunk on the thrill of battle.

　Maybe it's not a sensibility that can be admired in this day and age.

　Still, I felt somewhat envious of Ulysses.

''If there's a continuation, I was hoping to be allowed to participate in it. Of course, if you have a separate candidate, I'll give it to you.
Thank you for ....... Can I count on you in the future?
If you don't mind this old boat. But we don't want to cut them up on land. That guy will be dead indeed.